My name is Estrella. I'm a survivor. A scoundrel. A rebel. A Jedi. A fugitive. But perhaps the worst: an enemy of the Empire.

I stepped from the ship, placing a large hood over my head. Once I was sure it was secure I looked back in the ship for Tooka. I saved little Tooka from an explosion on his home planet and he's tagged along ever since.

"Tooka come on!" I yelled into the ship, clearly exasperated. "I don't have all day!"

After another minute, I heard quick little taps on the ramp.

"Here!" Tooka replied, looking extra bouncy. "What are we doing today? Fighting stormtroopers? Kicking butt?"

I tried to give him a smile, but I wasn't feeling it. "No, we're here to make a deal with someone. Now keep quiet and stay close. I don't want you doing something stupid."

Tooka obeyed and got quiet and stern as he followed me inside. I gave him an old scarf to place over his head so that he won't be noticed by the Imperials and have a bounty on his head too. That's the last thing I wanted.

Once inside, I looked around. The cantina was filled with creatures and humanoids all looking for drinks or laughing crazily, drunk and woozy. I walk up to the bar and slap the dealer's special coin on the table. The bartender recognized it immediately and pointed behind him.

"In the back," he said and I headed that way.

I reached the back of the cantina and looked first before I went over. He was sitting there waiting so I stepped around the area cluttered with old stuff and various odds and ends. I stopped in front of him and he stood up to greet me.

"I trust you brought the credits?" he asked, greed in his eyes from dealing too much. Or drinking. I couldn't tell.

"Of course," I replied, though I really  didn't. "Just hand over the crystal and I'll give them to you."

"Give me the credits. When I see you have them, I'll hand it over," he said, not backing down.

I sighed. "I see this won't be easy."

I pointed a blaster to his forehead and looked him straight in the eyes.

"You see those three guys over there?" I asked, gesturing with my head to three shady guys wearing dark clothing. The leader had murder in his eyes and more scars then I could count as he surveyed the room. "I'm with them, and I assure you that if you don't hand over that kyber crystal, they will hurt you worse than I will."

The dealer gulped, more afraid by the minute as he considers his options.

"Take it," he rasped, his voice failing him. "Just take it."

He holds up a small cylinder casing, etched with designs in the metal. I snatched it from his grasp and moved the blaster from his forehead. As soon as I knew he wasn't going to move, I walked from the room and as I passed the leader, I intentionally bumped into him on the way out.

"Hey!" he yelled at me, those eyes burning holes in my back. "What did you think would happen when you did that?"

I turned around slowly, my hands the air. "Sorry. It's a common mistake."

His eyes burned with anger. "I find that hard to believe."

I fake smiled. "Well if that's all you need from me, I'll be going now. Nice knowing you." I turned around and saluted with two fingers and winked at the dumbfounded dealer, and headed out the cantina. I got a glimpse of the leader's clenched fists and his look like he wanted to kill me. I shrugged it off and Tooka caught up to me.

"Hey, did you get it?" he asked, walking beside me.

"Yeah I did," I replied. "Now lets go before I get spotted by anyone."

Just my luck, I get stopped by stormtroopers and an Imperial officer. The stormtroopers stood in a line, blocking the path to my ship. The officer stepped forward between them and stood in front of me.

"What is your business here? Causing trouble at a local cantina, is it?" he looked bored as he said this, clearly from doing this too many times.

"Who me..?" I asked looking around to see if anyone else was around. I also noticed that Tooka had managed to wiggle from my side and stood near the side of a building, watching and waiting for my command.

"Yes, you. What is your business here?" the officer said again, clearly not in the mood for my attempts to be innocent.

"Listen, boys," I looked at everyone including the troopers. "There's no need to stop me for this. I was just getting a drink."

"Likely story," the officer replied. "Secure her."

My heart began to pound as I clutched the small metal cylinder. I placed my hands in the air as two troopers moved to handcuff me. When the one placed my hands behind my back, I used him as leverage and jumped up and kicked the other away from me. The trooper who had my hands let go in surprise, long enough for me to get away from him and down the street. The officer looked bewildered as he watched me speed down the street.

"Get her!!" he barked, his finger pointed right at me.

The troopers went in hot pursuit after me, determined to catch me. I ran through the streets, Tooka right behind me. The troopers began to fire and I tried to dodge them, but it was getting increasingly difficult. It seemed they were coming from nowhere as they flooded the streets all intent on capturing me. I looked over to see Tooka's eyes widened as he too suddenly looked terrified. I ran around a corner, people scattering like crazy and saw the ship in front of me. I sped even faster toward it, still dodging the heavy fire as it shot past my ear and making my skin tingle.

When I finally got to the landing platform, a blaster bolt shot past my arm singing the skin and cutting my shirt sleeve. I hissed in pain and continued to run up toward the cockpit shutting the door behind Tooka. Once in the cockpit, the ship sprang to life and and lifted into the air. As soon as we were out of reach, I punched the ship into hyperspace and we were gone.

I sank into my chair breathing a huge sigh of relief. That was close, I thought.

I held up the little cylinder and inspected it closely. It wasn't damaged but I was still wary. The crystal may not even be in it for all I know. Slowly I opened it and there it was: a single tiny crystal encased in glass. It was so small I could barely make it out in the dim light of the ship. Not much is left of the kyber crystals but I salvage all I can.

I placed it back in the cylinder and walked to my cabin and slipped inside. Tooka was busy with manning the ship so he didn't see me slip away. I walked to a small inset in the back wall near my sleeping area, and gently pulled a piece of the metal away from the wall. In the niche was all of my previous salvages including my old holocron and the kyber crystal to my lightsaber. I just couldn't bring myself to use it after all these years. Looking at a second time, I decided to grab it. I don't really know what changed my mind, but I sat down on the ground and grabbed my empty hilt.

I first did this when I rose to the rank of padawan and was able to construct my lightsaber. Even now the memory seemed distant and lost. I closed my eyes, reached out through the Force and the lightsaber rose and split apart. Keep the lightsaber stable, my master reminded.

The pieces floated around the central part, much like my holocron. Good, Estrella. Keep going, my master assured.

Still holding the green crystal, I opened my hand and it flew up and placed itself in the chamber. That lightsaber is your life. Guard it. Guard the crystal.

As soon as it was placed, the rest of my lightsaber reassembled and floated back to my hand. You have great potential my young padawan. I see it within you...

I opened my eyes once again and inspected it carefully. Not a piece was out of place. I sighed in both sadness and content. Suddenly the ship jerked and I looked up with a start. What the hell? I thought. Soon after I heard the patter of feet down the corridor. They stopped in front of my door and it flew open.

"Estrella...?" Tooka panted. "We have a problem."