Chapter 2: On to new things

Jezza prepared herself as soon as Starlen saw Josha get on board. She hadn't told him that they were pickinng up an extra passenger, and Starlen didn't like surprises.

"Who's this?" Starlen asked, pointing at Josha.

"A friend. He has nowhere else to go, and he saved my life once before," Jezza stated, leaving no room for argument. Much to her surprise, Starlen just shrugged.

"Okay, fine. I forgot to tell you about someone else..." Starlen started, before a girl walked into the room. Her longish, strawberry-blonde hair gave her away immediatly.

"Araica!" Jezza cried, sweeping her up old friend in a big hug.

"I figured you wouldn't mind," Araica said, hugging back. Jezza cocked an eyebrow at Starlen.

"So... this makes us even, hmmm?" she asked.

"I suppose," he replied, smiling just a bit. Tossing her long blonde hair behind her shoulders, Jezza started to make the introductions.

"Josha, Starlen and Araica. Starlen and Araica, Josha... okay, we all acquanted?" she asked.

"Alright, lets get out of here!" Starlen cried, then ran up to the cockpit. Jezza sat next to him, at the co-pilot's seat. "Where to, Jez?" Starlen asked.

"As far away from here as we can get..." was the quiet reply.

****

Back on Corellia, Kaiyra tried to calm herself. As pissed as she was, she was also happy for her older sister. She knew Jezza had to leave soon. Calming down, she sat on the edge of her sister's bed, determined not to tell her parents for a long time so Jez could make a good escape.

****

As soon as she made it to hyperspace, Jezza knew they were clear. No one could stop them now. "Hey Starlen," she said, turning to him. "After we come out of this jump, I need to send a message, okay?"

"To whom?" he asked, a bit suspiciously.

"Daddy dearest!" Jezza exclaimed, perking up a bit. "I don't want him to worry. Calm down, I'm going to send through an annonymous link, and have a quick message," Jezza said, assuring her friend that they couldn't be tracked.

Starlen shook his head, but didn't question her. "Okay, I know it'll make you feel better to have Wedge know what happened."

Nodding, Jezza leaned back in her chair. "Especially since I can't go back to him for a long time..."

****

"Message for you, sir."

Looking up from his datapad, Wedge Antilles nodded to the young leutenant. "Do you know who from?" he asked.

"It came from an annonymous signal. But it wasn't encrypted."

"Okay, send it to me." Wedge looked down at his datapad, ready for the message, or so he thought.

"Daddy," it said, telling Wedge it was from Jezza. "I want you to know I love you, but I've left Corellia. I'll keep safe, the force is with me."

Wedge tried not to look up at the lieutenant when he asked who it was from.

"No one," he said. But the bit of heavyness in his heart lifted when he realized the his little girl was going to be happy.

****

As Jezza snored lightly in the co-pilot's chair, Starlen was busy working the controls. "The Outer Rim is probably the best place to go..." he thought to himself, then looked at his longtime friend.

I wonder... Starlen thought, what is going on with her and Josha? He laughed a bit to himself. My little sister, that's really what she is to me. Who else would I actually stick my neck out for?

His thoughts were interrupted when he felt a pair of arms wrap around him. "How ya doin'?" Araica asked, kissing him on the forehead.

"Oh, fine... sorry, there's no seat. Jezza is... um... using the co-pilot's," Starlen said, point to the blonde.

"That's okay... hungry?"

"Anytime." Starlen stood up, and followed Araica deeper into the ship. Oh yeah, he thought. I'd stick my neck out for her...

****

Kaiyra had prepared herself for the storm, but not enough. Nothing could've gotten her ready for her mother's ranting and raving.

"Your sister... what?!" was the exhasperated cry, as Malrun turned red. Malrun had found Jezza and Josha both gone early this morning, and had come to Kaiyra for an explanation.

"Jezza left," Kaiyra said, absentmindedly playing with a broken comlink. "I don't know where she's gone, but doesn't she go out alot?"

"N... not before yesterday!" Malrun was a deep red, obviously knowing Kaiyra was up to something. "Yesterday was the first day she's gone anywhere! It's that boy... Josha! It's his fault!"

"Oh mother, give it a rest! Josha saved Jezza when she got hurt because of YOU!" Kaiyra got up and stomped out of the room, turning around to yell, "But I don't blame her!"