One Pocket Too Many Part two

     "I will?"  Victoria questioned.
     "Until you have cleared the debt you now owe me, yes you will."
Victoria raised her hand and placed it on her hip. "Okay I guess I will. 
though....what....if I refuse?"
     Tara's face lost its relaxed pose. "Do I really need to answer that?"
     Victoria shook her head and wrapped her arms around herself. "No being a 
Palpatine."
    "Good, I am glad we understand each other.  If you comply and don't cause 
me any difficulties you will find yourself well rewarded, if you don't, then  
well" Tara shrugged and let her voice trail off.
    Victoria shook her head not believing she got caught, it was different on 
Port Lansing, she wanted to get caught then, but not now, how did Tara catch 
her so easy.
    "You only got caught because I am a Sith had it been any other, you would 
have gotten away with it."  Victoria just looked at Tara. "You are very noisy 
mentally and were broadcasting your thoughts miles ahead of you.  But I will 
teach you how to keep that from happening in the future.  I can't have you 
getting caught when you are working for me now can I?"  Tara smiled
    "No, you can't."  Victoria answered feeling more relaxed around Tara, but 
unsure how to take the information that she was a Sith, then just dismissed 
it there was so many rumours about them as well as the Alliance.
    Tara seemed pleased by that answer. "Now, is there anything you 
absolutely must get from your quarters?" Victoria blinked and looked at Tara 
in confusion. "We are leaving the planet very shortly you WILL be 
accompanying me.  Is there anything you can absolutely not live without?"
    Victoria quickly checked to see if her blaster was still there, "I got 
everything I need."
    Tara nodded "Very well then."  Victoria felt a brief mental touch she 
tensed then relaxed.  "Now I can find you wherever you may be on 
the planet, do not try to run I shall be able to find you wherever you are. 
You cannot hide."
    Victoria's anger rose. She didn't like to be traced, but there was 
something different about Tara that made Victoria relax. 
    Tara stood up "Now, you will come with me."  Victoria followed Tara as 
she walked down the alleyway then into the central area coming to a hotel.  
Tara watched as Victoria looked around the area then walked over to the 
counter and inquired if there were any message for her.
    "No, your highness there are none."
    Victoria shook her head in disbelief, how did she get involved in this?
    "Thank you." Tara turned to face Victoria. "This way Victoria."
    The suite was nice, nothing elaborate but comfortable.  Victoria looked 
at the man who greeted Tara.  He was 6'3 dressed all in black with a black 
overcoat, turtle neck and red sunglasses.  Victoria raised an eyebrow at the 
man and looked to Tara.
    "Victoria, this is Topaz, Topaz this is Victoria."
    "Oh hi."  Victoria said softly.
    "Victoria is my new apprentice."  Topaz simply nodded in return, his eyes 
scanned the room looking past her out into the hall.  Tara shut the door 
while Victoria leaned against the wall.  "Any special instructions for 
Victoria Topaz?"
    Topaz studied Victoria. Took note of her weapons then dismissed her as any 
potential threat.  He knew where Victoria's dagger was hidden as well as the 
easy access she had to her blaster.  He gave Tara a questioning look. 
     "Do you trust this one?"  His hand was inside his coat as he studied the 
way Victoria was dressed typical black pants, boots halter and black cloak.
    Tara glanced Victoria up and down once.  "I trust her to be obedient." 
Tara paused. "She will do as she is told."  Topaz relaxed slightly but  
kept his hand inside his coat.
    Victoria crossed her arms, she felt out of place and uncomfortable in 
this situation, she studied Topaz and the hand he kept in his coat, then 
glanced at Tara and decided to remain silent.
    "Any instructions for her Topaz?"  Tara asked again, "She will be 
traveling with us for some time."
    Topaz looked at Tara. "Only the obvious." He stepped back into the 
shadows and kept his eyes on them.  Nodding Tara smiled and looked over at 
Victoria.
    "We leave in an hour.  We will be heading to Tatooine."
    "Fine with me."  Victoria answered 
    "Do you have any other clothes?"
    "No, no need to."
    Tara muttered under breath and handed some credits to Victoria. "Go down 
to the clothing shop in the hotel and pick up at least 5 outfits.  Be back 
here in twenty minutes."
    Victoria stared at the credits. "Shopping?"
    Tara nodded. "Assignment number one, get some clothes."  Victoria walked 
over to the door her face contorted in disgust, she didn't do shopping, but 
she would do as she was instructed. "Remember I can find you."  Tara reminded 
Victoria.  Shaking her head she started to pack. "Ship checked out Topaz?"  
He nodded in response.  Tara counted the minutes mentally then reached out to 
see where Victoria was, she knew she was in the clothing store and wasn't too 
happy about being there. Tara laughed
    Victoria bought another pair of black pants that seemed to shimmer as 
well as a dark purple shirt and a vest.  She returned to Tara's room with
her packages. "My aunt never did anything like this for me."
    Tara raised an eyebrow. "Your Aunt?"
    "Well so called aunt."
    "So who is this aunt of yours?"  Tara questioned.
    "Octavia, Octavia Syn Jinn, she's a want-to-be Jedi."
    "Very interesting and how do you feel about her wanting to be a Jedi?"
    "Stinks I hate Jedi."
    "Really?  Why do you hate the Jedi?"  Tara finished packing and led 
Victoria out of the room and toward their ship. Topaz quietly following
behind them. 
    Victoria followed in silence then spoke up. "Ever since my father." 
she paused.  
    "Your father?" Tara questioned. "Was he a Jedi?"
    "No not a Jedi."  Victoria answered. "He supports the Alliance and 
thought I should also.  He wanted me to think like him."   Anger shadowed 
Victoria's tone as she remembered the arguments with her father and the 
neglect.  "He acted like I didn't even exist after my mother's death."
    "Ahh yes that can be difficult."  Tara commented.
    "Very."  
    "So what happened to cause you to dislike the Jedi?"  Tara questioned.
    "Mother died mysteriously, and my father acted like nothing happened.  
He didn't talk about and wouldn't answer my questions about her."
    "Yes." Tara prompted.
    "Well, he started talking about the old Jedi order, and acting strange, 
talking to voices that weren't there.  Just like my dear Aunt."
    "Talking to voices? Like Octavia?"
    "Yup."
    "That is odd."
    "You're telling me."  Victoria said thinking back to her father and then 
to Octavia.  She seemed so nice at first then she heard Octavia while she was 
having a nightmare.
    "So you dislike Jedi because they all talk to voices that aren't there?"
    "Part of it.  I mean how can you trust people who talk to air?"  Victoria 
asked. "I just don't trust people who talk to air."
    "I wouldn't either."
    "See! You're not screwed up like my dear family."  Victoria shrugged her 
shoulders. "That's why I ran."
    Tara smiled. "Well I do not talk to the air."  Tara looked at Victoria "I 
do not talk to non existent people.  I can assure you of that."
    "That's why I like the Sith, they don't talk to air."  Victoria smirked.
    Tara laughed as they settled down into the cabin.  She showed Victoria to 
her quarters. "Victoria have you ever considered learning the ways of the 
Sith?"
    "Me?"  Victoria questioned.
Tara smiled "Yes, you."                                                       
   "I'm not special I just steal and enjoy the money."  Victoria looked 
around her quarters, this
was better than stowing away for passage. "I can't do what Sith or Jedi do."
    Tara's smile grew. "Time will tell, but if you could would you like to?"
    "Yes." Victoria answered.                               
    "Well then, it seems you may have your wish in time you will 
understand.  For now let us just get concentrated on getting you settled in 
here with me.  Do you have a last name Victoria?"
    "Great."  Victoria answered entering her quarters. "Syn, you're the 
second sane person who has been nice to me."        
    "These quarters will be yours every time we travel here."  Tara stated. 
"You believe I am nice?"
        "Well" Victoria stammered, did she say something wrong?  "You seem it at least to me."
    Tara laughed. "And you are the second person to call me nice."  The two 
exchanged grins "Well I will leave you to get settled in here." Victoria 
walked around the room, it was big, she never thought she'd travel like this. 
 "It'll probably take the better part of the day to get to Tatooine."
    "Tatooine?" Victoria questioned. "Could I ask why we are going to a 
desert."
    "Because I am meeting someone there."
    "Oh."
    "We will be arriving several days early.  I intend to relax for a bit 
after the whole mess at Port Lansing."
    "Okay."  Victoria said falling into a chair.
    "So why do you steal Victoria?"
    "It's my way of life."
    "Hmmm you do it for survival?"
    "Pretty much."  
    "Well, I am going to teach you another way of survival.  I will also send 
you out on smuggling missions, and perhaps even to steal something once in a 
while.  Until that point no more stealing.  You will be provided all that you 
need."
    "Smuggling I like the sound of that."
    "Good."  Tara finished with a smile. "That is my primary business."  Tara 
studied Victoria;  "Have you ever meditated Victoria?"
    "Nah, not really.  I either sleep or steal."
    "Well let's start there shall we?"
    "Fine."
    "Sit comfortably in the chair feel your feet touching the floor, feel how 
the back of your legs press against the back of the chair."  Tara watched as 
Victoria did as she was told. "Feel how your back rests against the back of 
the chair.  Take a deep breath and let it out slowly."  Victoria took in a 
deep breath and released it slowly. "Good, feel your body as you release your 
breath, feel your legs become heavy and your jaw is relaxed.  Now sit back 
and listen to your heart beat.
    Victoria seemed to tense then forced herself to relax, it felt strange 
yet right.
    "Now let go of your thoughts, focus only on your body."  Tara paused and 
gave Victoria time to accomplish the task. "Focus on how your feet are 
touching the floor.  Now move your focus up through your body, now to the 
chair itself."
    Victoria laid back in the chair and focused.  She could hear Tara's voice 
guiding her, helping her.
    "Hear the rush of air as you lay back, hear your body scuffle across the 
chair, be aware of every little detail."
    Victoria settled in and felt as if she could jump out of her body she 
felt so light.
    "Now, walk around the room notice how everything looks Now walk into 
the next room, look around."
    Victoria walked into the room and looked around nothing escaped her.
    "Feel your feet touching the floor, feel your legs against the chair, 
feel your back against the chair." Victoria thought about the soft chair. 
"Now open your eyes Welcome back."  Tara greeted her.
    Victoria looked at her in surprise
    "And you said you don't have force potential.  Seems you just discovered 
one of your abilities."
    "Wow!"  
    Tara smiled at Victoria's reaction. "What you just did can be very 
dangerous if you try it alone, you must learn to control it and work with it. 
 There are things on the astral plane that can harm you."
    "Poison or Beings other people, non people creatures."  Tara cautioned.
    "Oh."  Victoria said a little shaken.
    "Don't worry, I will teach you how to work with it and protect yourself."
    "Cool."  Victoria said in happy voice.
    "The key will be your ability to meditate and then build shields, for now 
just imagine you are building a wall around your mind and your body.  A wall 
that you can see out of and through, but no one can see inside of it or get 
through it unless you want them to."
    "So no one can get into my head in other words."
    Tara grinned. "Exactly that is the goal.  But it takes time to build 
strong shields and learn the proper control.  Many take years learning and 
there is much much more you can do, but it will take time and dedication from 
you."
    Victoria smiled at the idea and the possibilities.
    "I sense you'll be more than able to devote the time and dedication."
    "Neat."
    "Well for now work on meditating calming your thoughts and building your 
shields."  Tara rose to leave. "Do you have any questions   before I leave 
you for the evening?"
    "No not now maybe later."
    Tara nodded and smiled. "Very well.  If you get hungry, you know where 
the galley is now that you have wandered through it."  Victoria grinned at 
her then settled into the room after Tara left.