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I first met Kiranna Sunrider in Javyar's Cantina in the Lower City on Taris. I could tell right away that she was different from the usual riff-raff that hung out there. It wasn't even just the way she dressed. I mean, I could tell she was an off-worlder just by looking at her, and if you ask my opinion, there's no one on Taris that's as beautiful as her. Kiranna had auburn hair that she tied in a braid to keep it out of her face. All but a few strands, that is. She had beautiful ice blue eyes that despite their coldness, made you want to trust her right away. She also carried herself differently than a lot of the people I had seen. Even the spacers. She was other-wordly.

Kiranna asked me some questions about the Lower City . . . about the gang war, Davik, and Calo Nord. Although I don't think she was really too interested in Calo, which kind of surprised me. She asked me how me and Zalbaar ended up being best friends. Took a real interest in me personally, which I found surprising. I mean, who's interested in a fourteen-year old Twi'lek street urchin anyway?

We didn't talk to long. She had a sense of urgency about her, like she was doing something important.

I was glad I had met her when I ran into her again in the Undercity. Kiranna didn't hesitate to help me. It even sounded like if she didn't need to get into the Vulkar base, that she wouldn't have asked for anything in return. I admire her. She helped me save Zalbaar! I knew even before Zalbaar swore a Wookie life-debt to her that I wanted to stick with her. I don't know what it was, but I knew that finding this Bastila person wasn't even the most important thing she would do.

I guess the thing I really liked about Kiranna is that she had this way of drawing people to her. Me, Zalbaar, Carth, Canderous . . . we were all drawn to her in some way or another. She was always nice to us. Treated us well. She knew she couldn't do everything on her own, and she knew that we would help her with whatever she needed.

On Dantooine, we found out that my brother, Griff was on Tatooine trying to win his fortune. Now I feel kind of bad about being so mean to Lena. I can't believe that my Hutt-slug of a brother had wanted to leave me behind on Taris while it was Lena that insisted I should go with them. I know I misjudged her, and I wish I could apologize, but when we went back to Dantooine, Lena was gone.

But that wasn't what I was talking about. When we went to Tatooine, I asked Kiranna if I could come with her. Y'know, try to find out about what happened to my brother.

I found Kiranna in the cockpit of the Ebon Hawk, talking to Bastila and Carth. I was willing to bet a thousand credits that Kiranna was going to take Bastila with her to find the Star Map. Ever since those two found out about that bond of theirs, they had been almost inseparable. Funny, considering that Bastila claimed to not like the idea of them being bonded so strongly.

Kiranna looked at me and smiled warmly. She and I had really warmed up to each other, especially after Taris was wiped out. That planet had never done me any favours, but the fact was that it had been my home, and while I had some pretty bad memories of the place, I also had plenty of good ones. "Something I can do for you, Mission?" Kiranna asked.

I fidgeted for a minute. I was pretty sure she would agree to let me go with her. She usually liked having two people with her . . . safety in numbers and all . . . and while I wasn't the most useful person to have around, I doubted anyone else was volunteering to go with her into the sandblasted waste that was Tatooine. "Actually," I said nervously, almost expecting Kiranna to tell me to spit it out already, "I was wondering if I could come with you."

Kiranna's smile widened. "I don't see why not," she replied. I could have hugged her! "You want to find your brother, right?" she asked. I nodded.

"Kiranna, we don't have time for this," Bastila told Kiranna in a hushed tone. Probably thought I couldn't hear her or something.

"Nonsense," Kiranna said, her mysterious smile never leaving her face. "We'll need to ask around about the Star Map, so I don't see why we can't ask around about Griff while we're at it." Bastila didn't look too convinced. I always heard her warning Kiranna about being impulsive, which I guess she was, but I never thought it hurt anything. Kiranna tried to look reassuring. "Bastila, I know we've got important things to do, but an extra minute or two talking to people and looking Griff up isn't going to slow us down that much."

I gave Bastila a pretty nasty glare before turning to Kiranna and smiling at her. She seemed to be laughing with her eyes. There was a mischievous glint in them that I had seen before, usually when she was teasing her Jedi companion. "Thanks! I really appreciate this!"

"No problem, Mission. Now, we better get going before her Highness throws a fit." Bastila bristled at Kiranna's remark, but didn't say anything.

We found my brother all right! He was in deep poo-doo too. The Sandpeople had captured him while he was "working." At first, I hadn't wanted to believe what the Czerka woman said about Griff being such a slacker, but I accepted it once I learned the truth about my brother. He wasn't exactly the saint I remembered him as.

Kiranna found me in the women's quarters on the Hawk. I think she could tell I'd been crying, despite the biting words I had said to my brother. She sat down beside me and wrapped an arm around my shoulders, gently pulling me against her. I didn't protest, so she wrapped her other arm around me in a comforting hug, just holding me against her.

"I can't believe Lena was right," I told Kiranna. "My brother is a . . . good for nothing Hutt-slug."

Kiranna squeezed me gently. "He's still your brother though. He might be a deadbeat, but I know you still love him."

I nodded. "I do love him . . . and I appreciate that you're trying to help him." I sniffled and laughed a bit. It kind of sounding like a choking hiccup, but I'm sure Kiranna knew what it was. "I still don't think he knows how to make Tarisian ale though."

Kiranna laughed. "Well, I know you can't just become a brew master simply, but it won't be hard to get a tach gland. We've got to go to Kashyyk anyway."

"I just want to thank you, Kiranna. You've helped me so much. I don't think I can ever repay you for all you've done for me," I said. I felt Kiranna rest her chin on the top of my head gently. I had never had anyone show me the kind of affection Kiranna was showing me now. I mean, Zalbaar's a Wookie, and they're not much for displays of affection. Except for crushing Wookie hugs.

"You don't need to repay me, Mission. Having you with us is enough," she said.

"But there's not much I can do," I protested.

I felt Kiranna's smile rather than seeing it. Or maybe I just knew her so well by then that I knew she was smiling. "There's plenty you can do. I know if we ever need credits, you're our gal for Pazaak, and there's no locked door you can't open." She gave me another gentle squeeze. "All of us have unique skills. I can slice a computer decently, but I'm better at fighting and . . . fast talking my way out of things. You're our resident security breaker. I know I can count on you to get into any locked building or container."

"Thanks, Kiranna. I'm glad you think I'm useful for something."

I guess I'm getting a little ahead of myself though. It took some doing to find Griff. First, Kiranna asked the Czerka official at the office about a Twi'lek miner named Griff. The official was reluctant to say anything. Kiranna knew she had to be hiding something, so she used that silver tongue of hers to convince the Czerka official to tell her what she knew about my brother.

Turns out she was reluctant to say anything because Griff had gotten captured by the Sandpeople. Kiranna knew that could be trouble, but we were going to have to deal with them eventually, especially because Kiranna had agreed to try and stop the Sandpeople from attacking the Czerka crews out in the desert. If it had been anyone else, I would think they were insane or stupid, but I knew Kiranna had already been thinking of a way to do it.

The Duros outside the Czerka office was our ticket to talking to the Tuskans. He told us about a droid that could speak Tuskan. I could almost see the wheels in Kiranna's head turning. I had seen her plan things on Taris. I knew she could get things done. That was why Canderous had wanted to work with her, so I knew that with Kiranna around, talking to the Tuskans, finding Griff, and locating the Star Map would be a piece of cake.

I was glad about that. Tatooine was really starting to get to me.

In fact, I ah . . . remember passing out while we were walking through the Dune Sea to find the Sand People enclave.

"Relax," Kiranna instructed, handing me her canteen. I drank from it like there was no tomorrow. "Careful, that's all the water I've got until we get back to Anchorhead," Kiranna warned. I capped the canteen and handed it back to her.

"Statement: Meatbags are overly frail, Master." HK-47 interjected.

Kiranna looked back at him. "Well, we're only human, and we all have limitations." She stood up and hauled me to my feet. "Take it easy, Mission. We're too far out now to go back to the settlement. I know we have to conserve water, but I don't want you dying of heatstroke. If you need a break, let me know."

I marvelled at her strength. Kiranna had been walking for nearly half an hour in the blazing heat of the open desert, only occasionally sipping on her water. I hadn't been so conservative. When I was thirsty, I drank down half my canteen. It seemed Kiranna only drank enough to keep herself going without passing out from dehydration like I had.

"Statement: I have an extra canteen, Master," HK-47 supplied.

Kiranna looked back at him and smiled, congratulating him on his foresight. He handed the water to her. It was in some kind of animal skin, and I think Kiranna and I both knew where it came from. HK-47 had prudently looted the water skins from the dead Tuskans we had fought a while ago.

"Statement: I have two more should you need them, Master."

"Thanks, HK. Good work. These should last us a while." She pulled out her binoculars and put them to her eyes, surveying the land around us. "We're not far from the Tuskan encampment," she said, lowering them. "We should change into those Sandpeople clothes."

I wrinkled my nose. "But we got those from corpses!" I exclaimed.

"You have another idea?" she asked calmly. I backed down sheepishly. Of course I didn't have another idea. It seemed like the wrappings we had gotten from the corpses would have to do. I don't know how well we wore them, but at least from a distance, we would look like Tuskan raiders.

Yep, Kiranna was pretty amazing. When we got to the Tuskan encampment, which were a bunch of little huts huddled together, she had managed to bargain with the chieftain. In exchange for moisture vaporators, the Tuskans would minimize their attacks on the Czerka. Kiranna was willing to take what she could get.

Once we had bought a pair of vaporators, and restocked our water supply, we went out to the Dune Sea again. This time, I was much more conservative with the water, observing how Kiranna would take a few small sips every now and then. We also stopped if we needed rest, and that time, no one passed out from heat exhaustion.

Once we had given the chieftain the vaporators, she had HK ask about captives, specifically, Griff and a bunch of Jawas we had been asked to find. The Tuskans had them both. When I saw Griff, I was so happy, until I found out the cold, hard truth about him. Hence Kiranna comforting me over him when we got ready to leave the planet.

There were plenty of other things about her that stick out in my mind, but these were the most important to me. Kiranna saved me, Zalbaar, and my brother. I hadn't been kidding when I told her I could never repay her for all she had done for me. Not that she expects any kind of payment. She's just a wonderful person. Maybe some other time, I'll tell you about what I thought when we found out that she was really Revan, but for now, that's all I've got to say.

~Fin