Exile

Padawan Rachel Starr is one of the few survivors of Order 66. Having escaped from the horrors of war and betrayal of her Master's troops, she now seeks refuge on a small, uncharted planet in the Unexplored Regions. Little does she know, she isn't the first visitor to Earth...nor is she the last. First in the Refugee series.

The teacher droned on and on about the history of a civilation called the Greeks. While most of the students were half asleep or distracted by their phones, the world outside, or passing notes to their friends, Rachel Starr was deeply interested. She'd been on planet for only a few weeks, and still had much to learn about the place.

The clock turned to 4, and most students immediately got up and began to pack everything away. Rachel didn't pack until the teacher called "Class dismissed." Then she got her textbooks, notebooks, pens, and pencils, and put them in her backpack. She was pretty much the last one out.

Not that she minded, of course. The blonde haired, blue eyed girl had no friends, nowhere to go, and nothing to do once she got home except study everything about everything on Earth.

She planned to take the bus home, like every other day. That's when she noticed one of the older kids pushing around a smaller one with red glasses and auburn hair. The older one was Vince, and the teen had been trying to get a date with the brunette since she stepped foot in the school.

The younger one she'd seen only a few times, and always with two others. One was Miko Nadakai, and everyone in school knew the Japanese student because she was called to the Principle's Office every other day. The other, she didn't know, but she did share a class with him.

His friends weren't there now, and the bus door was closing. "Wait!" she called. She hopped up out of her seat and ran off the bus, marching over to Vince and his gang. "Hey! Leave him alone."

Vince looked up, his characteristic smirk fading a little when he saw her. He let the younger student go. "Oh, hey, Rachel. Come to take me up on that offer for a ride?"

"No, I came to keep you from bullying him," she looked to the kid before looking back at Vince. "And so far, I'm not impressed. You could try being nicer; maybe then I'd take you up on that offer. Till then, ciao." She even tilted her head a little to convey her snark.

Vince scoffed and signalled his group to follow him away. Rachel shook her head and rolled her eyes, then turned to the kid. "You okay?"

"Yeah," he answered. "Thanks. Who are you?"

"Rachel Starr. You?" she asked, extending a hand.

"Raphael Esquival, but my friends call me Raf. Thanks for the help with Vince," he said, shaking her hand. "Sorry you missed the bus."

She looked to the now empty spot on the road and groaned as it sunk in. "Great. How am I getting home now?"

"You could, uh, wait for your parents," Raf suggested.

"Um..." She'd never actually come up with a good lie for this one. It was gonna have to be convincing and on the spot, two things she didn't do well with. "They, uh, don't get home until much later. I, um, usually just take the bus home and have the house to myself...all afternoon." Not too bad. Not clever, but not bad.

"Oh," he said. "Well...um...maybe I could- oh! Hey, Jack!" he cut off, waving to someone behind her. Both the other friend - Jack, apparently - and Miko came out. Miko waved enthusastically, despite not being the one called to. Jack jogged over. "Jack, Miko, this is Rachel Starr. She, um..." he looked for a way to say it that didn't sound embarrassing.

"I just got Vince off his back," she explained, hopefully well.

"Thanks," Jack said.

"Yeah. Usually, I'd be here to stomp on his foot, but, y'know. Had to talk myself out of detention," Miko explained.

"It was no big deal," Rachel replied with a shrug. "I was happy to help. The only issue is, uh...well, I missed the bus."

"Jack, maybe you could give her a ride?" Miko suggested, and immediately, Rachel knew there was something strange going on. Raf was picked up by a yellow muscle car every day, and Miko by a green SUV. Both, presumably, had lots of space and open seats. Yet they were suggesting she ride with Jack, who she had only just met and rode a motorcycle?

They were hiding something.

Okay, maybe she was being paranoid, but after what happened last month, she was perfectly justified in being paranoid. After all, she'd been hunted by people she trusted and considered her friends, her Master had been killed, and she'd been chased into unknown space. The Unexplored Regions. It was the only place the clones wouldn't follow her.

That aside, she dragged herself back to the conversation, realizing that Jack, Miko, and Raf had retrated to the cars, maybe talking to those inside. She shook her head, clearing her thoughts.

She got back to reality just in time, because the three were walking over again. "I'd be happy to give you a ride, if you want," Jack said as he walked up. She shrugged her shoulders.

"Only if it doesn't complicate things," she replied. "I don't want to be a burden."

"No, no, it's fine," Jack insisted. "I mean, it's a long walk back, and there won't be another bus. It's really no trouble, and it's the least I can do to thank you for helping Raf."

"Alright, then," she conceded with a smile. "I've never ridden on a motorcycle before."

It wasn't hard. All she had to do was just hang on tightly to Jack. At first, she was a little uncomfortable with the position, but comfort went out the window when Jack took off down the road. She gave a small yelp and hung on tighter. It was like riding the outside of a starfighter. Eventually, she became more comfortable, once she decided she wasn't about to die.

It was fun. The wind in her hair made her feel free. She pointed when Jack looked back to silently ask 'Which way?' The slight rush of thrill and panic when she let go with one hand was enjoyable. It was almost like she was backflipping over battle droids, that split second of vulnerabality, despite knowing they wouldn't be able to hit her. It was the same rush. It made her miss home.

The Jedi Temple.

Her Master.

Her troopers.

The Defiant, her flagship.

But those were all gone. So much for sleeping tonight.

Jack dropped her off at her front door. "Thanks so much for the ride home. It was awesome," she thanked, turning around, hoising her backpack over her shoulder. She resisted tucking her long hair behind her ear.

"I enjoyed giving you a ride, too," Jack replied. She blinked in surprise once or twice, and he ducked his head a little. "There's not a good way to salvage that, is there?" She giggled.

"No, but I get what you mean. See you tomorrow, Jack," she answered. She took a step back, toward her door. "It was really nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too," he called as she walked in and closed the door. She couldn't help placing an ear to the door and listening. " 'I enjoyed giving you a ride, too'? Oh, why me?" She giggled, and she heard someone else chuckled as well. She stopped short and listened.

The voice was female, older, mature. "Relax, Jack," she said. Rachel peeked through the thick curtians in front of the window. Jack was resting his elbows on the handles, and his head in his hands. The motorcycle's gauges lit up with the voice. "She got it."

"That doesn't mean it wasn't still awkward," he replied. "I'm never gonna get a date..."

"So you like her," the other voice - it had to be the motorcycle - teased.

"No!" he protested. "Yes," he amended. "I don't know. Maybe? Sorta? Not so fast, though. She's nice." The motorcycle chuckled.

"Mm-hmm."

"Arcee..." he whined. The engine started up, and she retreated to behind the door again. Once the engine faded away, she let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding. She hadn't been here that long, but she knew cars, trucks, motorcycles, stuff like that...

They were not supposed to talk.

So what was it?

She decided to do some research. She walked through her house to the computer in the study. Technicaly, the house wan't hers. It belonged to some rich guy out in another state called Ohio who bought a vacation house here and never used it. She made a deal with him that, in exchange for her stay there, she would take care of it. It was a good deal. The owner payed for electricity, water, gas, etc. She had a nice job at the town library that payed for food, clothes, and other stuff.

She sat down at the computer and typed in 'talking motorcycle.' She came up with two dozen pages of conspiracy theroies, including a story about a large alien spotted at some kind of shipping container center, or docks, or something like that. She didn't pay it much attention.

She also didn't find anything specific about the motorcycle, but everything she did find said aliens or US government projects. Knowing what she knew about the universe, she figured it was the former.

Which meant she was not alone in being from offworld.

She needed to find out who they were, and she guessed Jack, Miko, and Raf, nice as they were, weren't gonna be much help.

She was gonna have to find out about it on her own.

Meanwhile, light-years away, a flagship loomed near the edge of the Unexplored Region. On its bridge was a Mirial woman, dressed in black armor, a silver, circular obect with a bar through it strapped to her back. The bridge commander walked up to her.

"We are ready to launch," he informed. A smirk played on her lips. The Jedi hiding within the uncharted confines of the Region would not stay hidden for long.

"Thank you, Commander," she replied. She strode off the bridge and down to where her ship was located, within the hangar. She boarded the small, one man fighter, and took off, sailing out of the hangar bay. She directed it beyond the border and focused on the faint, Force-sensitive presence somewhere within.