"Mother, we can't just leave her here!" Esther looked back and forth between her mother and the stormtroopers surrounding her fallen sister, Danira. With a strength belying her youth, she struggled to pull away from her mother. "She'll die!" Her silvery hair swung back and forth wildly with her struggles, and her hazel eyes were opened wide with both fear and rage. "They'll kill her, Mom! We've got to go back!"

    T'liha fought to keep control of her rebellious child. "I'm going to save at least one of you." In a mother's classic pose, she had one hand on her hip while trying to pull at Esther with the other. Her hair, like her daughter's, was pale, but white instead of silver. Exasperated, she narrowed her dark eyes at Esther and swooped down on her. In one smooth motion, she bundled her daughter into her arms and ran out the door of their home as fast as she could.

    Danira… I'm sorry… I wanna help… Mom, put me down, will you? I have to go help her! PUT ME DOWN!!! Only wordless cries ripped forth from Esther's throat; her struggles became wilder and wilder as her mother carried her towards a hidden landspeeder and farther away from her sister.

    "Stop kicking me, Esther. It's too late for her. Do you want to make it harder for us to escape?"

    "It's not too late! Take me back!"

    T'liha motioned sharply towards the house, where only stormtroopers and the Emperor's wrath would await them. Her voice came out in a sibilant hiss. "If we go back now, Danira could be hurt. Do you understand that? The Emperor would be very angry, and hurt your sister. He might also kill me. Is that what you want?"

    "But Mom…."

    Her protest was cut off by the sound of clattering footsteps and crackling brush. Tinny voices reached her ears, as if from another dimension. She froze in terror, scarcely able to breathe.

    T'liha took advantage of the pause in Esther's struggles and strapped her into the seat of the landspeeder, just as she had secured her so long ago in the passenger shuttle. Esther twisted around for one last view of the only home she could remember. The sound of the engines starting up drowned out her cries, and her tears were whipped away by the wind of the speeder's passage….
 
 

Coruscant Underground, 3 years later

    Sick at heart, she continued to do what she did best--serve drinks, exchange lewd jokes and glances with the customers, and offer her other services as necessary. Death would be a step up. All the clothing allowed her consisted of strategically placed scarves, usually crimson red. Nic-o-tain smoke, along with far less benign substances, filled the air of the dingy, moldy bar. The galaxy's dregs converged here, to talk the talk and walk the walk. More than a few shady deals had gone down right under Esther's nose, several in the past few hours alone. To add insult to injury, the music wasn't even any good. Esther frowned slightly. I wish they'd listen to me just once, and bring in a real band… a group that can actually play. Shards, this is pitiful!

    A rough, calloused hand slid up Esther's arm; she shuddered in revulsion. Allowing her gaze to travel up the bearer's arm to meet his eyes, she saw a hideously scarred face that could barely be called human. Great. Either he's stoned or desparate.

    "So, sweets… where ya stayin' tonight?"

    Esther snorted in derision. "Not with you, hon." She dumped the most potent drink on the tray right between his legs and threw the glass in his face; he jumped up, howling in drunken outrage.

    "Hey, I could of drunk that!"

    "Well, drink this." She gave him the truly universal gesture. Turning on her heel, tray still in hand, she started back towards the bar. Fury shot through her. The nerve! Ugh! Didn't even have any class! Just, "Hello, I want to screw your brains out".

    A hint of cold whispered at the back of Esther's mind. Oh, no you don't. Not again. Only pausing for a moment, she took a deep breath, forcing herself to some semblance of calm. I'm sorry, Mom… Dani… forgive me? Please? Not for the first time, a tear rolled down her face. I'll never see them again. She stepped forward, all but blinded by tears of frustration and grief.

    "Watch where you're going!" Esther nearly slammed into a short, slender woman--someone who looked like she meant business. Dark violet eyes bored into her own, snapping with anger. Long, jet-black hair writhed about the woman's shoulders as if alive. A white jumpsuit contrasted sharply with the woman's olive-tinted skin. Small and slender this one might be, but Esther had a feeling this was not someone to cross. "Damn, can't you put one foot in front of the other?" Derision laced her tone. "Or is there a reason you can't walk straight?"

    "I… I'm sorry, lady. Got a bit pissed at him." Esther nodded towards the boor who propositioned her. "No class… just pawed me."

    The woman raised her right eyebrow; a tight smile curled her lips. "Name's Yasmin. Look, if you're gonna make a living in that field, you can't just throw drinks in a man's face. You want the credits, you can't afford to be picky."

    Esther chuckled weakly. "Been there, done that. I'm Esther, by the way." She sighed, allowing her shoulders to relax a bit. "Believe me, do you think I'd be doing this if I had a choice?"

    "Probably not."

    Something about Yasmin's tone made Esther look twice. I wonder… have we both been to the same hell and back?

   Esther grinned. "Men. You can't live with 'em, and killing them's too messy."

    "No lie there. So why are you stuck here instead of somewhere a bit nicer?"

    Doesn't pull her punches, does she? Esther sighed. "You wouldn't believe the half of it if I told you."

    "Try me."

    "Well…."

    Soft as a wave on the sand at first, then like a stormy sea, shouts of joy and anger clashed into one chaotic maelstrom of noise. The thud of falling bodies was eclipsed by the mob outside. The wave rolled onward and inward, dousing the patrons of the cantina with an unholy fire. Esther stood transfixed with horror as, nearly all at once, the entire cantina erupted into one giant fistfight.

    Yasmin cocked her head to listen for a brief moment, then took Esther by the arm.

    "What are you doing?!" She struggled to free herself from Yasmin's grip.

    Yasmin turned on her, fire blazing in her eyes. "Looks like the Emperor's dead, kid. Now, do you want to get out of here or not?"

    Surprise held Esther captive as she tried to absorb Yasmin's words. The Emperor… dead? I don't have to hide any more? Slowly, a tiny spark of hope ignited. Maybe I can go find Dani and Mother! The spark fanned into a flame that lit her eyes brighter than the twin suns of Tatooine. She shook Yasmin's hand off her arm and stood up straight.

    Yasmin only raised an eyebrow. "Come on, kid. Ship's this way." She took off at a dead run, Esther following close behind… chasing a promise of freedom….