Pleasure and Pain: Chapter One

I awaken, and feel the confusion around me. I don’t understand what I’m seeing. There are pipes and smoke and other noises. It confuses me because the last thing I remember was the fire and death on the world ship around Mrykr. I have memories of Nom Anor trying to get the thermal detonator, of Tahiri’s pain and cries in the Force as I could feel the life blood draining from me, the Force slipping away from me.

I remember dying.

How did I come to be here? Where is here.

I sit up, and feel the jelly like substance still clinging to me. I shiver as I look down, noticing my nudity. I look around, still confused by my surroundings. Some part of me hoping to see her.

Then I see her, not the one I want to see, but someone else, someone cold and metallic, someone whose Force presence is a dark oily stain on my awareness. Her red hair is pulled up into a simple braid, and she’s wearing a shift not quite large enough to cover her modestly. In fact, it reveals more than it leaves to the imagination. “What, who are you?”

She just smiles at me, which sends shivers up my spine. “I am Lumiya. Welcome back to the land of the living young one.”

I stand, and revel in the feeling of wholeness that envelopes me and notice Lumiya staring at me, a predatory smile on her face. “What?”

She runs her hands down my arms, and I get goose bumps. I can’t help but notice the resemblance to Aunt Mara, the fiery red hair, the startling green eyes. I remember the playful relationship Aunt Mara and I had shared prior to my death. Thinking of it now, with Lumiya standing before me, it was an awkward relationship, equal parts hero worship and teenage lust.

Thoughts of Aunt Mara lend awkwardness to this situation, with this woman who reminds me so much of Mara. Then you factor in how she is dressed, and my current lack of clothes.

I can only assume the lust I’m feeling is natural.

Absently I note that her hands feel like fire on my bare skin.

She picks up a white robe, with somewhat unique green stitching on it. I watch as she lays it across my shoulders and then runs her hand down the front of it, closing the robe around me.

Then I scream.

The robe is digging into my skin, thousands of tiny needles, spearing into my pores, each a point of agony. Driving me to the ground.

Then her foot is upon my throat. “If you wish to live, then you must serve me.”

“Why would I do that?”

“Because you do wish to live don’t you?”

Her smile turns dark, as a female Yuuzhan Vong comes up beside her. I gasp at the realization that I can feel this Vong in the Force. The Vong leans down close to me. I shiver as she whispers in my ear, “Jeedai, you know you would like to serve Mistress Lumiya, she brought you back to life, and she can give you so many wonderful things. Including a release from this pain.”

I just spit in the Vong’s face.

I feel them binding my arms and legs, and the pain as it slowly and inexorably attacks my sanity.

Hours pass, maybe even days. I have no way of knowing. All I know is the torment that the robe provides, the random electric shocks from my arm and leg restraints, and the burning of my thirst.

Once more, Lumiya is in front of me, her voice silky and soft as she whispers in my ear, “It hurts me to see you suffer so, just say you will serve me, and your pain will be taken away. I know; you can start with something simple. Start with a single, simple, little task for me.”

I look at her, dreading what she would ask of me, knowing that if I value my sanity I must stop this pain. “What?”

“Kill this Jedi.” As she says those words, she activates a small hologram and my heart drops as it is displaying a picture of my Tahiri.

“Never!”

“So be it, if you like the pain you are feeling, you can stay here. Stay here until you do decide to take up my small meaningless task.” Her smile was once again predatory, and promising me both pleasure and pain. “After all, tomorrow is another day.”