I Want to be Your Knight: Chapter 17

Previous Chapter

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I stalked through the corridors of the ship, the muscles of my back a tightly knotted mass of pain. I had slept on that couch for a good three hours, and finally the pain had gotten great enough to waken me. So there I was, wandering the halls, frustrated by the pain and the situation. Since it was ship-board night, only every third light was currently lit, which meant that I was getting a slight headache from the light then dark then light from my walking down the corridors.

Yet I couldn't slow down. Too much had happened recently. Too many things that had confused and bothered me. And this trip with the girls really didn't help things with my mental equilibrium. It's almost as if Kyp knew the hassle I was having with the two girls. My almost compulsive need to get Jys' attention and forgiveness compared to Seha's obvious interest in me.

Neon lighting caught my eye and I stopped. I glanced to my left and found myself staring into a bar. I felt the urge to go in there and drink myself into oblivion, or at least until I forget my girl troubles.

Instead, I sighed, and turned away, returning to my walking, and thought of a new problem to occupy my thoughts. Revenge.

I needed to think up a way to get back at Kyp for putting me in this spot in the first place. It's all his fault that we're all registered as husband and wives. I wanted to scream and pull at my hair, but if I started doing that, I'm not sure I would be able to stop before ship's security showed up and hauled me away, probably tranquilizing me along the way.

Of course, since I have two wives to go back to, that might not be that bad of an idea.

Sighing, I realized that I hadn't even thought up a punishment for Kyp. That despite my intention to come up with a great prank to torture him with, I was once more thinking about Jysella and Seha. So, I gave up and decided that Jysella could come up with Kyp's punishment. Looking around, I got my bearings and turned down another corridor, heading back to the room I shared with the girls.

I unlocked the door and then walked into the darkened room. The door closed behind me with a sigh, and I stood there, waiting until my eyes could adjust to the dark.

Looking over at the bed, I could make out the two lumps that were Jys and Seha. I walked to Jys' side of the bed, and pulled the covers up over her shoulders. She clutched them tighter, nestling into the covers. I looked over at Seha on the far side of the bed, and noticed that she had the covers pulled up almost over the top of her head. Eying the space between the girls, I sighed realizing that there really was enough room for me on the bed with them.

For a moment, I almost climbed in. Well, maybe more than a moment. It was actually more like a good five minutes that I stood there, an internal war being waged on if I should get in the bed or not. Personally, I think it would have been an incredibly warm and comfortable night. Yet something stopped me. Call it my innate sense of fair play, of chivalry. Or we can call it the simple fear of what would happen when either of the girls woke up with me there.

So, instead of sleeping in between Jys and Seha, I took the route that would lead to me being able to wake up not dead the next morning. I sat back down on the couch, and leaned my head back.

A few minutes later I was asleep.

To be woken by someone dumping a carafe of freezing water onto my head.

Sputtering, and spitting water out of my mouth, I shot upright. My head snapped forward at the shock of the water. I blinked a few times, and then looked up to find Jysella standing over me, a smirk on her lips. The empty pitcher held in one hand.

"Oh," she said, the smirk changing to a too sweet smile. "You're awake. Good. Get a shower, and then you've got to take your wives to breakfast. We're hungry"

I sighed, and switched focus to Seha who was sitting on the bed, her cheeks burning brightly. Then I focused back onto Jys. "You're embarrassing Seha."

Jysella shrugged her shoulders, trying her best to look nonchalant. "Not her fault her husband feels the need for two wives. Misogynist."

I felt my face twist into a scowl. "Masochist, more like it. Besides, it's not like I asked for two wives." Then I leaned back in the couch, a smirk coming to my face as my eyes narrowed slightly. "Well, at least I managed to get one that's cute."

The Force flickered, and I ducked, as the pitcher she had been holding slammed into the wall centimeters from my head, shattering in the process. I stood up, chuckling. and leaned closer to her. "Has anyone told you how cute you are when you're angry?"

Her eyes narrowed and I could feel the Force warning me of impending danger. A flash of pale skin, flashing green eyes and red hair appeared in between me and Jysella. I blinked and realized that Seha had stood up and inserted herself between us. She pushed me away from Jysella and towards the refresher. "You. Shower," she demanded from between clenched teeth. Then she turned towards Jysella, and frowned at her. "And you, you started it, so don't get mad at him."

I walked towards the refresher, and for the first time since Jysella had told us that everyone on the ship thought we were married, I found the whole situation amusing. I fought back the urge to laugh, scared slightly that I wouldn't stop, and looked back over my shoulder towards Seha. With my best Solo smile on my lips, I said, "As you command, o cute wife of mine."

Seha blushed brightly, as Jysella growled. She then leaned over and scooped up a pillow, flinging it in my direction. I barked a laugh as I dodged the pillow and then ducked into the refresher shutting the door behind me.

Still chuckling, I stripped down and climbed into the sonic shower. As I scrubbed myself clean, I wished that the Jedi would have opted for a room with real water. After all, one never feels really clean after a sonic shower. I mean, how cheap can you be. It's bad enough that they lie and say the three of us are married, but then they don't even spring for real water. I'm certain mom would have been scandalized.

I stepped out of the shower, and saw that someone had brought me in a change of clothes. I made a mental note to thank Seha, and then quickly got dressed. Frowning slightly, I noticed how garish the ensemble looked. In shock, I stared at my reflection in the mirror to realize that I was dressed in a pair of burgundy pants that I didn't remember owning, and an orange shirt that hurt my eyes. Burned really.

Heck, that particular shade of orange made me want to gouge my eyes out with the first thing my hand could find.

Turning away from the mirror, I made a mental note to not thank Seha, but rather to smack Jysella for this outfit.

As I left the refresher, both of the girls turned towards me. Jysella didn't even bother hiding her amusement--rather she burst out laughing, falling off the edge of the bed in the process. I looked over to Seha, a stormy expression on my face, to notice that she was chewing on her lower lip, rather visibly holding in her laughter. At that moment, I loved her for her restraint and self-control.

Calmly, and to be honest I was somewhat surprised that I didn't scream and yell, I walked over to where my bag had been stowed, and dug around until I found one of my Corellian-style outfits. Navy tunics, and a tan, long-sleeved, natural fiber shirt. Without looking at the girls, I returned to the fresher and quickly changed. I emerged from the refresher, to find Seha sitting on the bed, not facing me, her shoulders slightly shaking while Jys sat on the floor, leaning onto the bed, amusement curling her lips, as her blue eyes met mine.

Shaking my head, I walked over to the door, and pushed it open and stepped through.

Once on the far side, I sighed, and glanced back into the room. "Honeys, I thought you both said you were hungry."

Pain sliced through my mind accompanied by the feather-light touch of Jysella's Force presence as her voice called out, "Coming, dear."

I was rubbing my temple, as Jysella and Seha emerged from the cabin. Jysella looked at me, and with the most innocent face possible, asked, "Headache?"

She even blinked twice and looked concerned.

Smirking, I nodded my head. Slowly. I had learned earlier what happened when you moved your head fast with one of those pains. After all, Jysella believed in gifts that kept on giving.

"Yes. You know how it is. One minute you're fine, the next a kind of short, black-haired, blue-eyed acklay is mucking about in your brain." Ignoring the dangerous glint that had appeared in Jys' blue eyes, I grabbed one of each of the girls' hands in one of mine and started walking. "I think I know where to go today, so let's find a cafeteria on this boat."

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Next Chapter

Family Found - Chapter 14

Previous Chapter

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Ben grasped the edge of the hole, his feet dangling back into the room from which he had come. Struggling, he pulled himself, up, and suddenly gravity shifted, and he flipped over, spilling onto the floor of the hallway.

He shook his head, and turned and looked at the hole, which had now become just another doorway on this particular section of wall.

He frowned as he looked at the darkened hole. Stretching out on the floor, he stuck his head through the door and was instantly hit with an overwhelming sense of vertigo.

Grinning, as he recognized the effects of multiple gravity fields, he stood back up in the corridor and looked around.

It was plain brown stone, the same stone used in the room he had been in. Every ten meters or so, there was a light set into the ceiling, casting bright cones of white light onto the floor. Closed doors lined one side of the hallway, with the only open one being the one to the room he had been in. Across from that door was the bright spotlight which had stared down at him while he was in the cell.

He turned and looked down the other direction and saw the same unending hallway.

Shrugging his shoulders, he set off. Walking down the hallway, he had no true destination in mind. No plan, beyond the need to move.

Soon, the walls changed. They were no longer the same cells stretched as far as he could see, but were rougher hewn stone. The doors were further apart, and side tunnels started appearing. Additionally, the corridor no longer ran straight, but curved and had sharp corners and angles.

He continued walking, wondering about the differences. Wondering where his friends were. He even was wondering where the boy who was talking to him earlier was. Why no one had come to find them yet.

He sighed, deciding that it did not matter.

If he was rescued, or if he managed to save himself, all that mattered was finding Noelani and the others, and making sure they were all right.

Finally, he turned another corner, and in the distance saw a single spot light shining brighter than the rest. Kneeling at the edge of the light was Noelani, even at this distance he could see the tears streaking down her face as they twinkled in the bright light.

Between him and her, stood Poll, his arm lifted near his head, a dull silver tube gleaming in his hand. After a second, he recognized what it was that Poll held against his head. His lightsaber.

"Kriff," he muttered under his breath, and took a step forward, even as Noelani slowly picked herself up off of the ground.

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Noelani knelt beside the dead. Her body was curled in around itself, arms pulled tight against her chest, and her forehead was resting against the cold stone floor.

All of it seemed real.

While none of it did.

She lifted her head slightly, and looked to the left and right. There was Tahiri and her friend Jaina, and beyond that, Jaina's parents. To the other side, she could see some of her classmates. Behind her was her papa, Huff, and her family, killed by those Tuskens so many years ago.

All slaughtered, left here to rot in these tunnels with her.

At arms reach laid the weapon which had caused all this death and destruction. A simple lightsaber. Silver steel, black plastic. She knew what color blade would shoot out of the emitter if she just simply pressed on that activation plate, yet every time she did, another body appeared.

Another of her friends appeared: dead, decaying.

Her body shuddered, fear and despair warred within her, eating away at the hope that she used to think bubbled up out of her endlessly.

She lifted her head again, and focused on her lightsaber where it sat. Her vision blurred slightly as tears formed in her eyes once more. She shifter her hand slightly, and used her knuckles to wipe away the tears.

Then a scuffle drew her attention, and she lifted her head a bit higher, looking down the hallway.

She blinked her eyes, at the shadow shape that trudged towards her. It still stood off in the distance slightly, and Noelani wondered what new horror this place had decided to show her.

Lights flickered on, and she adverted her head, twisting away slightly, overwhelmed by the sudden onslaught of light.

After a moment, she looked and saw Poll standing there, his saber pressed tight against his forehead. Odd emotions -- fear and despair chief among them -- flickered across his face and Force presence.

She blinked her eyes, looking at, watching, him. His pain provided a focus for her thoughts, a way for her to wrench her thoughts away from her own pain and despair.

"Poll?"

His eyes snapped to her, fear flaming in them, as he shook his head.

Beyond him, she saw Ben turn a corner, and her eyes narrowed as she wondered if this was the real Ben or if he was another shade created by the catacombs.

She leveraged herself to her feet, noticing for the first time that the dead had disappeared.

Poll took a step back, and then yelled, "NO! Don't move, stay away!"

She frowned, and paused, wondering what to do.

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Kor turned a final corner, and pulled to a stop. Standing stock still were Noelani, Poll and Ben. Noelani directly in front of her, with her back towards Kor. The two boys were further down the hallway, staring her way.

Poll's eyes focused on her, and she could smell the fear, the insanity as it poured off of him.

She blinked as she realized that he was not quite all there. That his time in the Catacombs had not hardened his resolve in the way it had for her. As it appeared to have done for Ben and Noelani.

She stretched out with the Force, and gently touched each them.

Noelani was a brilliant star, burning in suppressed fear and pain.

Ben was a steel trap. She could feel the power which leaked from his shields, but got nothing from his emotions, or what he thought of this whole situation.

Finally, she focused on Poll. His Force presence felt like a twisted, broken branch. Consumed by his pain and fear.

She sighed in resignation. He had failed. His pain and fear had driven him, if not Dark, then definitely insane.

Despair rolled off him, and crashed against her Force presence, the Darkness of it suffocating, and nearly drowned her in pain.

She shuddered, as she heard him scream out, "NO! Don't move, stay away!"

She watched, as Noelani stretched out her hand, "Poll, we're you're friends. We want to help."

Poll shook his head violently, and then stretched out his free hand. "I don't believe you."

Then a wave of telekinetic energy slashed down through the hallway, ripping out stones from the walls. The energy then slammed into Noelani. She was flung backwards, and thrown to the floor, skidding a short distance.

Seeing her friend knocked down, Kor quickly threw up a shield. The wave of energy struck her Force barrier and blasted through it. She howled in pain as she flew through the air, hearing the distinct snap from her arm as she landed.

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Poll held his saber to his temple, watching the dark shape as it shimmered and shuddered on the floor.

It raised its head, the blackness of its cloak transforming into waves of golden hair. The ice blue eyes of Noelani locked onto him, slicing through his core.

He snarled, recognizing her as just another shade. Another trick of this place.

His thumb caressed the activation plate again, and the voice hissed in his ear once more. "Yes. End this."

Another shade appeared behind the Noelani being. This time of Kor.

As he realized that this place was using her against him, something in his heart shifted. Something that had been bent to the breaking point, twisted just a bit more.

His heart breaking was the final straw.

His mind shattered, and he snarled, "No! Don't move, stay away!"

He noticed that at some point the Noelani-shade had stood up. He frowned at that, wondering when it had happened.

She then stretched her hand towards him, "Poll, we're you're friends. We want to help."

Friends? He laughed to himself, as he threw his head violently from side-to-side. They just want to consume my soul. Then he stretched out his hand towards her, and stopped moving, just stood and watched those blue eyes. "I don't believe you."

Before she could respond, he had gathered every bit of power at his command, and threw it down the hallway.

He felt a blood vessel burst beneath his lower right eyelid, and cackled as first the Noelani-shade and then the Kor-shade were thrown backwards.

"Noelani!" Ben's voice grated against his awareness from behind him, quickly followed by a snap-hiss.

Poll turned, dropping into a fighting stand and igniting his saber as he did so.

Ben struck fury on his face.

Poll easily blocked the strike, and then twisted around, his foot slashing out to catch Ben's shin.

Ben stumbled, and he slashed downward, in a move to cleave the Ben-shade into two pieces.

Unfortunately, the Ben-shade was too fast. He dropped with the kick, and rolled forward, bringing his saber up into a block.

Kor snarled, and sent a telekinetic push his way.

The Ben-shade threw up his free hand, and the wave washed around him, crashing against the wall.

A plume of dust flew up, and obscured Ben for a moment. The only sign of him that Kor had, was the diffused glow from his saber, its light refracted by the white stone dust.

Then the dust was moving, and the Ben-shade flew out. A snarl on his face, his blade held low. The Ben-shade thrust forward and Kor moved to block the blow.

Telekinetic energy smashed against his hilt, twisting it upright. Keeping him from being able to block the thrust.

Kor felt the Ben-shade's saber slide into his heart, evaporating the muscle and tissue. Pain flared for a brief instant, until the weapon sliced through his spinal column, severing his brain from the pain.

Sleep pulled at him, and he gladly succumbed.

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Next Chapter

Themed Drabbles # 27

Mouth

I want to scream.

I want to yell, to bite, to just talk him out of staying behind.

As I glance one last time over my shoulder at him, I realize that he could no more stay behind than I could force him to. He is a hero, born of heroes, and if I were able to change that, I wouldn't be able to love him.

That doesn't mean that I don't want to change it though; that I don't want to grab him and go to some world where they've not heard of the war or of the Jedi.

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Ears

I can't hear anything but the pounding of my heart. It's a restless drumbeat right behind settled across my temple, keeping time to the steps of the Yuuzhan Vong warrior I watch through the telescopic sight of my sniper rifle. I try to not focus on the husk which they are pushing; Jaina says it contains Anakin's body.

Feeling a flicker in the Force I squeeze the trigger. The explosion of tibanna gas overpowers the drum in my head for a moment, and then the warrior falls.

Lowering the rifle from my eye, I have to wonder how she knows.

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Eyes

I watch his body as it lies on his bed. Everyone else is elsewhere on the ship, fighting to keep us all alive. Well, not all of us. There's no more fighting for him. The thought brings a fresh pain welling up deep within my heart and I have to fight back to keep from crying.

I take a quick look around to make sure no one is watching, and then climb up on the bed with him. I press my forehead to his, the way he would do when he wanted to let me know that he loved me.

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Nose

The smell of the burning wood, hair and flesh is nearly overpowering. It stings my eyes and burns my sinus cavities. Master Skywalker says something about how I should take a step or two back from the pyre, but I ignore her. My focus is on him and the flames that caress his face.

I want to caress it; to hold his hand in mine.

Absently, I wipe away the tears from my eyes, and drop down to my knees. I can feel my shoulders shaking; all I want to do is die.

I feel like I am already dead.

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Hands

The steel hilt in my hand is cold and hard.

Raised rubberized ridges press tight against my palms as I squeeze tightly.

Even though I made it myself, there's nothing alive in it. Even though I know every circuit, gem and power supply as intimately as only the Force can allow, it is still a dead thing.

My thumb caresses the activation pad, as the emitter array rests lightly against my chin.

Just a little bit of pressure…

Just a little bit of pressure and then I wouldn't hurt anymore.

I would be as dead as my saber; as him.

I Want to be Your Knight: Chapter 16

Previous Chapter

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While Seha packed for the three of us, Jysella and I arranged things to torture Kyp.

Our first goal was to mount his furniture on his ceiling.

Then we gimmicked the climate controls to switch from hot to cold all day. At random times. To random temperatures.

Finally, we added a chemical to the supply of sweets and fruits that he kept in the food preserver. I hoped it would give him the same skin tone as that Bothan that Jys and I had fought. Or maybe a nice Republic Blue. Imperial Red would work just as well.

We stepped out of the kitchen area, to find Seha standing in the middle of the living room, three bags sitting at her feet, nervously watching the chrono on the wall. I glanced that way, and saw that we only had 40 minutes to make it over to the spaceport.

I reached down and grabbed my bag, and walked towards the door, casting a grin towards Seha. "Thanks, Seha."

She blushed and picked up her own bag, falling into step behind me.

We arrived at the dock, and stepped up to the human checking tickets. I handed mine over, and he slid the edge through his scanner. The device pinged, and as they scanned the terminal, his eyes opened wider. He glanced up at me, and then looked over at Seha and Jys. His eyes blinked twice, and he looked back down at the display.

A few seconds later, he passed the ticket back over to me, his Force presence flickered with a touch of awe, one definitely out of proportion with my cover identity.

"Have a good trip, Mr. Withersen," The porter then held his hand out towards Jysella, and actually stuttered slightly. "T-t-ticket, please."

I frowned and went the rest of the way through customs, waiting on that side of the gangplank for Jysella and Seha. Finally, they emerged, and we began the process of boarding the ship.

All too soon, we were on the Twilight Princess. A star liner that had probably been state of the art during the Stark Hyperspace War.

And I was quite serious about that "all too soon" bit. I had serious reservations about the flight-worthiness of this starship. It was old. It made odd noises, even while sitting in dock. While walking through the halls, there would be gaps in the grav plating, which meant that if you stepped down wrong, you would slip and fall from shifts in gravity. Which I discovered much to Jys' amusement.

Frankly, if I had went outside and inspected the exterior hull, I wouldn't have been surprised to find rust.

Then of course, there was the carbon scoring on the interior hallways. It had been painted over, and unless you knew what it was, you probably couldn't tell. Unfortunately, for my piece of mind, I had seen enough painted over blaster marks on walls of starships to know exactly what it was. I had to wonder if the Twilight Princess had been used during one of the numerous wars and border conflicts which occurred during her long career. Or if she had had problems with pirates. Multiple times. And lost every time.

In the end, I shelved those concerns, deciding I'd rather not think that negatively. After all, our trip should have been safe enough; we were firmly within Alliance territory.

We wandered through the massive starship, following a string of color-coded lights on the floor, walls and ceilings. A blue and red pattern of dots, dashes and slightly longer dashes. In theory this would guide us back to our cabin from any location on the ship; all we had to do was find a wall terminal and enter in our pattern. But as we walked past the third non-working wall terminal, it was just another thing I had reservations on working.

Finally, we stood outside the cabin we had been assigned. It was on the seventh deck, well away from the hulls, ensuring we would not be provided a view of space. Truthfully, by that point I would have been surprised, not to mention incredibly happy, if the room had clean linens.

I entered the code we had been given on the small keypad by the door, and the lock disengaged. The door popped open slightly, and I sighed as I realized they didn't have fully automatic doors. My hand touched the door, and the Force niggled at the back of my mind. Pushing the door open, I dove through, my saber snapping to my hand.

I paused a half meter into the room, and looked around, confusion painting my face. I knew I had felt the Force pulling at me, yet I could not see anything wrong with the room.

It looked much like the room I had in the Temple. The accouterments were nice, but simple, merely consisting of a private refresher, two wardrobes, a simple writing desk with a holonet connection, a couch and a large bed.

Seha stepped into the room, a frown flickering on her face. "What's wrong, Ben," she asked tossing her bag onto the bed.

I shook my head, that annoying tingle still sitting there at the nape of my neck. There was something I was missing, but I had yet to figure it out. "I... I'm not certain. When I was opening the door, I felt a twinge in the Force. Still do, in fact."

I turned and watched Jysella as she walked into the room. She tossed her bag onto the bed beside Seha's.

The door closed behind her, and she looked around, one eyebrow arching, annoyance flaring on her face. "Uhm... why is there only one bed?"

Realization thundered through me and I barked a laugh. "I bet Kyp knew we'd gimmick his room when he made these reservations."

She scowled. "I'm going to eviscerate him when we get back."

I laughed, and sat down on the couch. "Don't worry. You two can share the bed, I'll sleep here on the couch."

She looked down at me. "Well, you sure the kriff aren't going to sleep in the same bed as I am, Skywalker."

Seha though, took a more diplomatic approach. "Are you sure, Ben? I..." Then she stopped speaking, looking away into the corner, a blush on her face.

I watched her a moment, and then stretched out on the couch, my feet hanging off the end. "Ah, as comfortable as anything I ever felt before."

Jys reached down and grabbed up my bag, tossing it onto my stomach. Smiling at my discomfort, she dropped onto the bed, and then sighed deeply. "So... what are we supposed to do for the next three days?"

Seha curled up around herself, arms wrapped tightly about her legs. She seemed to stare off into space, not really watching anything. "Our orders say that we can't reveal we're Jedi. I wonder why?"

I shook my head. "Everything they're doing to us on this trip is all designed to make us work together. We're supposed to be a team, remember?" I stopped, horror flooding me. I was scared of something Kyp could have done, but I justified to myself that he wouldn't. Still, I decided it couldn't hurt to check. "Hey, can someone pull up how our reservations were made?"

Seha frowned at me, and then walked over to the terminal, punching a number of commands on the screen. Finally, her hand shot to her mouth. She looked first at me, then at Jys, and finally back at the monitor. She simply said, "Oh."

"Well?" Jys asked, a frown on her face.

Seha simply shook her head, not answering.

"Oh, for Force's sake," Jysella growled, as she jumped off the bed and walked over to the monitor. She stared at the screen for a moment. The longer she looked at the screen, the more her body tensed. Anger and annoyance radiated off of her in the Force. I knew then that my fears were justified. That Kyp had done this to me. Well, to us.

Jysella slowly turned towards me. "You knew didn't you? That's why you had us look."

I lifted my head slightly, and let it drop back onto the arm of the couch. It had a synth-wood panel on the top, and hurt like anything. "No. I didn't know. I just had this nightmarish thought that he had done something to us. How exactly are they made?"

I didn't really want to know. I wanted to believe that Kyp wouldn't have done that. I just couldn't. I had done enough things on blind faith.

She stared at me, anger smoldering in her eyes. "Apparently, we're all married."

I blinked. I knew Kyp had done something. Yet, this wasn't quite what I was expecting.

"T-to who?" I stammered out. Dreading the answer even as I asked the question. Even as deep down, I knew what she would end up saying.

Through clenched teeth, she replied, "To each other."

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Next Chapter

Family Found: Chapter 13

Previous Chapter

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Noelani stared at the yellow, feline eyes. There was something about them that shot cold through her heart. They seemed to embody everything dark and twisted that she had ever came across in her short life.

Every brutal thing she had witnessed, from the massacre of her foster family to her torture at the hands of the Yuuzhan Vong.

They scared her on a fundamental level, reminding her of the dark shade of herself that she had seen a few hours ago, when she had first woken up in this place.

She fingered the saber hilt at her side, and then making a decision, unsnapped it, raising it into a guard position in a single smooth motion.

As she thumbed the activation plate, brilliant violet colored light flooded the area, and she saw the flash of teeth from the hooded figure as it smiled at her.

The thrum of her saber beat against her ears, oddly in time to the pounding of her heart was suddenly joined by a second thrum.

The dark figure had ignited its own blade, one that was a blood-red.

Noelani dashed forward and slashed at the shade. A wild attack without precision or planning.

It easily parried her attack, and the creature's elbow jolted out slamming into the small of Noelani's back.

She cried out in pain and stumbled forward, dropping to her knees as the dark shade laughed.

The sound was horrid, a ghastly tearing hiss, which sent shivers down Noelani's spine.

She spun back towards the shade, her anger growing. She stormed forward, a yell coming from her lips as she smashed the blade into the shade, easily shearing it into two different pieces.

Stunned, she stumbled slightly as the remains of the shade fell to the ground. She blinked her eyes, and stepped closer to the creature, pushing at its hood with the toe of her boot.

To find Tahiri's face staring out at her.

"NO!" she screamed out in pain and surprise. The fear and anger fled from her as she remembered her Master's words about giving into anger.

She allowed the saber to drop from her fingers as she collapsed to her knees. Tears flowed, and she bowed her head, covering her face with her hands. Simply allowing the tears to flush the pain from her.

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Tahiri stood back away from the drilling droid, watching it as it tried to gain access to the underground caverns where her apprentice and her friends were trapped.

She scrubbed at her face once again; worry worming its way through her heart, clouding her sense of the Force. Exhaustion played its part as well; she had not slept in what felt like weeks, but was in reality maybe a day.

Mara Jade came down the steps and stood beside her. Tahiri could sense that there was something which the older Jedi Master wanted to tell her, and while Tahiri wondered what it could be, she knew she could wait until Mara was ready to talk.

"Tahiri, why don't you go ahead and get some sleep. You look terrible."

Tahiri allowed her eyes to shift slightly and focus on Mara, a smirk coming to her lips, "We'll get enough sleep once we're one with the Force. For now, I'm going to wait here until those droids get my apprentice freed."

Mara snorted in amusement. "I had to try."

Tahiri nodded her head. "I know. And thank you."

Silence settled over the two women again.

As she watched the droid at work, she could feel the tension boiling in Mara. That need to tell Tahiri something; but to Tahiri it almost seemed as if she were afraid to do so.

Giving an internal shrug, she tuned Mara's Force presence out of her awareness and focused more fully on the droid.

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Ben stared at the boy across from him and then stood up. "Why did you say I was dead?"

The boy laughed. "Aren't you? You were just sitting here, staring at the wall, content to let what ever happens to you happen. Then there is your whole unquestioning allegiance to Jacen Solo…"

Ben frowned and began to pace slightly. "I… I was just sitting here wasn't I? But I don't have blind faith in Jacen. He's my Master, I'm supposed to do as he says."

The boy shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe. Personally, I didn't listen all that well to my Master. I ran off on my own a couple times. Did lots of, well, random things that in the end didn't make sense."

Ben glared at him for a moment, and then replied, "And maybe that's why you're dead."

The boy shot him a look, and gave him an odd half-grin that Ben knew he had seen before. "Maybe. Possibly… probably actually."

Ben started walking around the room, knocking on the walls, listening at them for a difference in sound.

"What are you doing, Ben?"

Ben ignored him, just continued his circuit of the room. He completed the circuit and came back to stand in the center of the room, looking down at his hands as he stared at them. "I… I know there is a way out of this room. There has to be."

"Why does there have to be?"

Ben looked up at the boy, and smirked. "Well, for one, it's been over thirty hours since I woke up in here. If there was on way in or out, I would have ran out of oxygen by now. Secondly, I got put in here, so there has to be a way to do that."

The shade grinned again. "Are you using your head and thinking?"

Ben shot him a look, and shook his head. He suddenly grinned as an idea came to him. "Yes, I'm finally using my head."

He craned his neck, and looked up at the ceiling. The only place in the room he had not inspected yet. It was made from the same stone texture as the floor and walls, but set in the middle was a bright light, which Ben had to squint against.

He frowned, and looked down, uncertainty coloring his face. "I… I was certain that the answer would be up there…"

No answer came, and he looked around, to find that he was once more alone. He frowned again, and kicked at a pebble that was on the floor. "Lot of help you are…"

Sighing, he craned his neck back again, staring at that bright light. Then he took a step to the side.

Shrugging his shoulders, he centered himself in the room again, and pulled the Force to him, and jumped.

-----------------------------------

Poll twisted and turned, fear slicing through him with the anguished cries which echoed back at him from out of the darkness.

There was something broken and dark about those sounds. Something which both called to his heart and chilled him to the bone.

They were the product of a darkness and a misery which he could not understand or comprehend, yet at the same time, they called to him, begged him to find their source.

Whether it was to free it or to stop it, Poll did not know.

He kept his saber gripped tightly in his hand as he spun around on his heels yet again. The cries seemed to resolve themselves down into simple sobs. Anguished cries of misery and pain.

He shuddered, wondering just what was happening.

Suddenly, he spied the first bit of light he had stumbled across since he woken up in the catacombs. It was a bright spotlight a twenty meters or so down the hallway. He wondered how he had not seen it before, as it was there, shining brightly. No corners or doorways to obscure it.

Frowning, he took a single step forward, and squinted against the glare, just able to make out a dark shape that was sitting at the edge of the cone of light.

The dark form huddled on the ground, its shoulders shaking as it cried. Its misery and pain, and an overpowering sense of failure, beat in the Force, thrashed against his mental shields.

He shuddered at the feelings which that small quaking form woke in him.

And once again, he wondered if he was really worthy to be a Jedi.

A dark voice sounded beside his ear. "You're not."

Poll spun around, and looked, hoping to see who had spoke to him, but finding no one.

The voice sounded incredible close, yet infinitely distant. "You're not worthy to be a Jedi. You're a waste of time, energy and resources."

Poll shook his head, the despair in the Force beating against him, as he dropped to his own knees. "I… no… I…"

The voice hissed in his ear. "Useless. Less than useless. Just give in. End your life and yourself."

He suddenly realized that he still held his lightsaber in his hand. He looked down at it, remembering the pride he had felt when he built it.

Like a candle, that happiness was snuffed out of existence by a blast of cold harsh despondency.

He felt small and helpless and useless.

"Yes," the voice hissed in his ear again. "Use your saber on yourself. Give in. Give up. Join us."

He blinked open his eyes, and saw thousands of hands coming up out of the floor reaching for him. "Who? What are you?'

A dim form walked through a wall, a creature balanced on four legs, with massive tusks and sharp spines on its dark green hide. It stopped in front of him and stood facing him. Intelligence sparkled in its eyes, and the voice from before, not the cold echoing hiss, but the one that had laughed at him earlier, came from its mouth.

"They are the Darkness seeking more of the living. They feed on despair and despondency. They seek to feed on yours. This is a cusp. Live or die. Be a Jedi or not. But, decide you must." Its head bounced, and Poll got the impression that it was pointing towards the saber he still held in his hand. "They want you to use that on yourself. If you're going to do so, then do so and get it over with… otherwise grow up and walk out of here."

Then the figure was gone, and with that disappearance the despair crashed against him again.

Poll tightened his grip on his saber, lifting the weapon to his forehead as he listened to the voices that whispered all around him. The voices that promised relief and rest and freedom and an end to his pain.

A tear sliced down his cheek as his thumb rested lightly on the activation plate.

-----------------------------------

Kor struggled forward against the harsh biting wind, the cold which scalded her skin, even through her fur.

She struggled forward, determined to not give in, to not give up hope. She trusted in the Force and her friends.

She knew deep in her heart that she was a Jedi. She grinned as she strode through the coldness, a triumphant grin pulling her lips away from her teeth.

She had figured out the puzzle. Had discerned what these catacombs were for.

They were a test. A trial. You had to face yourself, your fears, even your very own darkness. You had to overcome yourself.

She wondered for a moment how many centuries these machines and ghosts had lain dormant until Noelani had activated them with that crystal of hers.

She saw a light shining brightly before her and she stumbled to a stop. This was the first time she had seen something like this in the catacombs. She frowned at it, sniffing the warm air that blew from the light.

Warmth! She thought to herself, and she began to stumble forward again, excited at the prospect of being warm once again.

---

Next Chapter

I Want to be Your Knight: Chapter 15

Previous Chapter

---

She dropped to the ground, curling around herself into a fetal position.

I frowned and knelt beside her. I touched her forehead, and felt the Force writhing around her. At my probe, the Force settled down, and her eyes blinked open, the green orbs looking large and wide and scared.

"B-b-Ben... what are you doing?"

I suddenly realized that she was on the floor and I was leaning over her, well into her personal space. I sat back onto my haunches and looked at her, feeling a frown tugging at my lips. "You don't remember anything?"

Her lips pursed as she thought. "I remember Jysella leaving, and then laying my head on your shoulder. Oh!" Suddenly, a blush erupted onto her cheeks. "Did I fall asleep on you? I'm sorry."

I nodded my head, keeping my gaze locked with hers. "Yeah, you fell asleep on me, but that's not the issue, you were having a bad nightmare, that's what I was wondering if you remembered."

She quickly shook her head. "N-no... I don't remember anything like that." Then she stood up, rubbing her shoulder where it had hit the floor. "I... I think I'll go back to my room now. Bye Ben."

Then she was gone, and I was left staring at the closed door. I scratched at my head, wondering what was up with that girl. I muttered a curse and then climbed back into bed, pulling the blanket up over myself and falling asleep.

I was awoken a few hours later by a nurse poking me with a massive needle to draw blood. I yelped and jumped, shocking the nurse and snapping off the needle in my arm.

I'm certain that if Jys had been there, she would have been rolling on the floor with laughter.

After they had gotten the end of the needle out of my arm and drawn some blood, I was released from the med ward.

I wandered through the halls of the Temple, finally arriving at the quarters I shared with my team. I opened the door and walked in, to find Jysella, Seha and Kyp sitting on the couches talking.

Kyp glanced up at me, smiling, and said, "Welcome home, Ben."

"Hey," I replied, my eyes flickering to the girls.

Both of whom purposefully ignored me. I walked over and dropped into one of the chairs, and rubbed at my hair for a moment, as a tense silence settled over everyone. I looked down, knowing that I was the cause of this silence. That I still hadn't been accepted by anyone. I was still an outcast, still ostracized because of everything that I had done. Jys still despised me because of her mom, while Seha wanted nothing to do with me because I ran away after she kissed me.

I rubbed at one of my temples, feeling the beginning of a headache, as Kyp sighed. "The three of you still haven't learned anything, have you?"

I looked up, yanked from my ruminations by Kyp's voice.

Jysella stuttered, "Wha-what are you talking about?"

He stood up, and paced in front of the three of us. "You three are a team. You need to start acting like it."

I frowned and leaned back in my chair. "I don't know what you're talking about, Kyp. Didn't we act like a team during the training session? And on the Mrykr trip?"

Kyp shrugged his shoulders. "Ah, so you're only going to be teammates when you're on missions, huh?"

Jysella shook her head. "What's wrong with how we're getting along?"

Kyp grinned, and my heart sank. I just knew he had plans for us, and that we would probably end up regretting them. "As you all apparently see nothing wrong with how you are all getting along, then I guess there's nothing wrong with it."

I frowned as I watched him, then I let my eyes flick over to Jysella. After a moment she looked my way, the confusion I felt echoed on her face. I shrugged my shoulders and turned back to Kyp, to find him smiling as he settled back into his chair.

That went too easy, I thought, still uncertain of what he had planned.

We didn't see a lot of Kyp for the next two weeks. Whether that was because of how busy we were or because he was avoiding us, I don't know. As it stood, Kyp and I had stopped doing the early morning runs, which freed up my time a little bit more. Unfortunately, that free time was taken up by meditation with my teammates.

That was Kyp's idea. I think he enjoyed locking the three of us into a room for an hour every morning. It didn't surprise me that when other people discovered that we had those group meditations, that there was some serious betting going on. By the third day, the odds of my leaving the room alive had gone from around 10:1 to around 1:1.

That was progress, of a sort.

Also, I never did get a chance to have that chat with Seha. She often was often the first to leave our quarters after our meditation sessions, and when she returned she usually stayed close by Jysella or in her room. Of course, I didn't push too hard, as that really wasn't a conversation I wanted to have, and the tension between us didn't get worse. While she wasn't as happy as she was before that kiss, she wasn't as bad as when we were in the medward.

So, a bit over two weeks after the impromptu training session which landed me in the medward, we were summoned to see the Council.

I arrived first, and dropped into one of the not quite comfortable couches in the anteroom of the chambers, waiting for the two girls. Jysella arrived next, a frown on her face which quickly turned into a scowl as she saw me.

A few minutes later, Seha arrived, out of breath for some reason.

Before I could ask, the chambers doors opened, and Kyp's voice drifted out, "Padawans Jysella Horn, Seha Dorvald and Ben Skywalker, please enter."

I stood up, and the three of us went into the room. I stopped in the direct center of the room, with Jysella stepping up to my left and Seha to my right.

I fought to keep a frown off my face as I could feel Kyp's amusement. An amusement that bordered on outright glee.

"The Council has decided that it is time for you three to be given your first mission. Remember, the goal of this mission is for you all to work together as a team." As he said that last bit, his eyes flicked from one to the other of us, lingering for a moment on me. Then he continued speaking. "The mission is providing security for a trade summit on Corellia."

I glanced down at Jysella as I felt her emotions spike, and wondered for a moment if that was where her father had retired to. Kyp coughed lightly, dragging my attention away from Jysella and back to him.

"There is still some aminosity regarding the Jedi on Corellia, so you three will need to be careful. We don't believe that there is any overt threat against the summit, but it has been the target of terrorist attacks many times over the years. Do any of you have questions?"

I shook my head in the negative as both Jysella and Seha verbally responded that they had no questions.

Kyp grinned at us, that glee-filled amusement almost bubbling over in the Force. "Great! Your ship leaves in two hours. Don't be late."

My eyes narrowed as I smirked at him, thinking, So that's how he's going to play things. I bowed and said, "I understand, Master."

Then I spun on my heel, and walked from the room. I heard Jysella and Seha giving their own responses to the Council, and could feel them in the Force as they followed me from the room.

As the heavy door to the Chambers closed behind us, Jys and Seha fell into step on either side of me. I looked down at Jys, and allowed a smirk to come to my face, "Hey, Jys?"

She looked up at me, her brows knitted together. "What? And it better be good, Skywalker, I'm not in the mood."

I chuckled slightly. "Oh, I just think we need to get back at Master Durron for this little trip he's planned for us."

Her eyes lit up with mischief. "What did you have planned?"

---

Next Chapter

Family Found: Chapter 12

Previous Chapter

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The Stolen Star dropped out of hyperspace with a flash of actinic light. As soon as she did so, she banked hard to port, diving towards the blue and green orb of Ossus. At her helm sat a determined Jedi Knight.

Tahiri was focused on her flying. She chewed at one half of her lower lip, while the other had an open wound that seeped blood, a small reminder to herself to not chew too hard. Her eyes were swollen and rimmed with red, after effects of the tears that she had cried.

"Stolen Star, this is Ossus Flight Command, please come to a course of 5663 mark 2."

Tahiri ignored them, and focused on the Force, letting it guide her on where to land.

"Stolen St-" Tahiri reached over and shut off the com-unit.

She broke atmosphere, the edges of her hull starting to glow red as she descended faster than her heat shields could compensate for. She hit some turbulence and the entire spaceframe shuddered and a bank of warning lights flashed from green to red.

She ignored it all, just continued to turn her starship into a bright jet of flame rapidly descending from the upper atmosphere towards the remnants of an old building.

When she reached an altitude of only a few hundred meters from the ground, she pushed power to the repulsors and then reversed thrust on the sublight engines. The entire ship lurched with the sudden deceleration and she slammed her forehead onto the console in front of her. Pain exploded across her forehead, but she just shunted it away, ignoring it.

It was only pain.

Lifting her head, she reached over and shut off power to the sublight engines. The sudden absence of the sound made Tahiri realize just how hard she had been pushing the engines. She shook her head and immediately regretted it as fire slashed across her awareness.

Frowning, she flipped a switch, lowering the landing gear. She hovered in place for a moment, noticing the four speeder bikes and the larger ground transport parked in front of the steps leading up into the ruins.

Then she turned her attention towards the doors that led into the ruins and saw four small figures standing there.

Slowly, she lowered the ship to the ground and with a blast of steam the Stolen Star settled onto her landing gear. Tahiri cut power to the engines and closed her eyes, listening to the slow pings of the starship as she settled.

Finally centered, she opened her eyes and stood up. The world wavered for a moment but she ignored it and walked towards the ship's egress hatch.

As she exited the ship, she noticed the other Jedi standing around the boarding ramp. Luke Skywalker stood in the center a scowl on his face, to his right is his wife, a worried expression on hers. To his left stood Corran Horn and beside him, Thann Mithric.

When she reached the ground she noticed that Luke's expression had changed from the scowl to one of concern.

Mara though, was the first one to speak. "You look awful, Tahiri."

Tahiri could only laugh. "I could feel Noelani's distress on Rhen Var. I got here as soon as I could."

"Yeah, and broke a few ordinances in the process,” Corran interjected.

Tahiri shrugged her shoulders. "So, any idea exactly what's happening?"

Luke shook his head slowly. "No. We think they're in the lowest level of the building, but we can't find a way in. The stairs that used to lead down there now lead to a blank wall.”

Tahiri nodded her head. “So, our plan then is to just sit here and hope for the best?”

Mara shook her head. “Nope, we’re waiting on another transport to bring some excavation equipment, so that we can bust through that wall.”

Tahiri turned away from the group, looking up at the Stolen Star and noticed the burn marks along her hull. She frowned for a moment at her starship.

“Did I really come in that fast?” she asked no one in particular.

From beside her, Corran answered. “Yeah. You had us worried for a moment. Afraid you were going to crash into the ruins.”

Tahiri dropped her eyes from the ship and then turned to face Corran. “Sorry Master Horn. I was just worried about my apprentice. If I had known this would happen, I’d have made her go with me to Rhen Var.”

Corran shrugged his shoulder. “But you didn’t, you couldn’t have. Such is the price of being a master of a padawan, or even a parent of a child.”

Tahiri nodded her head in acceptance. “I know you’re right…”

Just then, another landspeeder pulled up, and a couple technicians clambered out. A large droid with mining equipment in the place of one arm came out behind them.

Luke waved at them from the top of the steps. “This way.”

Then he disappeared into the building. The rest of the group followed him, and after a moment, Tahiri did so as well.

Hoping, praying to the Force, that her padawan was all right.

She stepped into the building, looking around at the murals on the wall. Then she noticed that the others were heading through a tunnel, one which her sense told her led deep into the earth.

-----------------------------------

Noelani stumbled into yet another room.

It had been nearly thirty hours since the cave in, and she was starting to seriously get worried. Hunger had begun to gnaw at her stomach, and her throat was dry and parched.

She looked around, her vision blurring for a moment as she saw yet another empty room.

Letting out a small strangled cry, she slumped against the wall, sliding down it until she was resting on her rump. She pulled her legs up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them, rocking slightly back and forth.

She had spent the entire time since the cave-in, walking around this place, trying to find her friends. She had followed their Force presences, yet no matter how far she walked, she never drew any closer to them.

In fact, Poll felt further away from her than when she had started.

Then a scream cut through the room.

It was a sound that she had heard before. A sound that haunted her nightmares.

A sound that she had hoped to never hear again.

The nightmarish scream of a terentatek.

She reached down and gently touched her saber, stretching out with the Force. She could still feel her friends. All of them tired, scared, hungry and alone. All of them were still as far away from her as ever.

Frowning, she turned in a circle, hunting for the next path to take.

Muttering under her breath, she turned a corner and found herself staring at a shape in a dark robe.

Light flared from one of the wall sconces behind the dark figure, backlighting it, casting it further into shadows. Yet Noelani could still see two bright, shining feline-like eyes. Yellow and inhuman.

Fear clutched at her heart once more and she reached down for her saber.

-----------------------------------

“So, Ben… how was Ziost this time of year?”

Ben frowned and looked back up at the teenager sitting across from him. He shrugged his shoulders. “How do you know about that?”

The teenager threw his head back and laughed. “You’ve still not figured it out? I’m dead. Just like you.”

Ben frowned, his brow narrowing as he tried to figure out just what the other person was talking about.

The other shook his head for a moment, and then speared Ben with his ice-blue eyes. “Have you thought more about death? It’s a funny thing isn’t it?”

Ben slowly nodded his head. “Yeah. Not having to worry about anything anymore. Not having to live up to your parents. Not having to deal with right or wrong, life or death anymore.”

The other laughed again. “If only that were true. The dead do have to worry about such things. We’re watching the living quite intently. If we weren’t, do you think I would be here?”

-----------------------------------

Poll tripped and slammed against the floor hard, sprawled on his hands and knees he gritted his teeth and smashed a fist against the stone floor.

A chuckle came from the darkness, and Poll sighed again. Then he ran his hands across the floor by his feet, and found the stone which tripped him. Venting his frustration, he heaved it towards what he hoped was a wall, and smiled with satisfaction as the echoing crash came back to him.

“Up, youngling. You have far to travel, and little time to do so. And as you go, tell me what you’ve learned here.”

Poll sat up, and balanced on his haunches, twisting his head in the darkness, hoping yet again for a light.

“I… I’ve learned,” he replied. “That the Force hates us all, and enjoys torturing me this way.”

Again the laughter erupted from out of the dark. The sound of it surrounding him, echoing back at him from everywhere and nowhere.

Suddenly a nightmarish scream ripped through the darkness, sending shivers down his spine.

“W-wh-what was that?”

“That,” the voice replied. “Was the darkness made flesh.”

Poll frowned, twisting his head to the right and the left again, hoping to find even the tiniest hint of light.

-----------------------------------

Kor stumbled forward, exhaustion pulling at her. Thirty-two hours, lost in this Force-forsaken cavern has stolen her vitality, especially due to the biting cold. Despair and fear warred for dominance in her mind, as she continued forward.

She took a few more steps forward, and glanced into the next room. Finding yet another empty room, she dropped to her knees, covering her face with her hands.

Tears threatened to fall, and she screwed her fists against her eyes and looked around.

A part of her wanted to give up. To just stretch out and stop. Stop trying to escape. Stop trying to be a Jedi. Stop trying to live.

She just wanted to stop. To give up.

To just let herself freeze to death. To die.

Shivering, she glanced around her again. She frowned for a moment and then brushed away a tear.

Her body hitched. "I… I don't want to do this… I don't want to die…"

She sat down fully, pulled her legs up to her chest, wrapping her arms around them and placed her forehead onto her knees, the tears flowing freely.

"I…"

She blinked, and then struggled to her knees, a low growl erupting from her throat. "I'm not going to die down here."

---

Next Chapter

Alien Crossfire Chapter 4

Previous Chapter

---

Wedge’s shuttle landed in the middle of a number of smaller coral shells and burnt out durasteele and ferocrete buildings. They were the remains of what used to be a New Republic garrison on this planet; one which was taken over by the Yuuzhan Vong. He quickly descended the ramp, and looked around.

Lando walked up to him, dressed in his usual silk shirt and half cape rather than the body armor of the troops behind Wedge. A moment later Gavin joined him.

Lando smiled at them both, a flash of even, white teeth. "Did you see how well the hunters performed? Were those beautiful performance profiles or what?"

Wedge grinned slightly. "Yes Lando, beautifully done. Now how’re the facilities here on planet?"

Lando gestured towards the crumbled remains of the old garrison. "As you can see, the Vong pretty well trashed everything here."

"And the old Alderanian biotics facility?"

Lando produced a datapad from behind his back, and started tapping away at it. After a few moments, he looked back up. "Just got a report that it appears to be still functional, and ready for activation."

"All right then. Let’s relocate our forces there, and make that our command structure."

Six hours later, Wedge was once more touring facilities. He stepped out the building, and glanced around. After a second he cast a glance over his shoulder at Tycho. "I want a burn zone a klick out in every direction and two klicks out to the north. That’s our kill zone."

Tycho nodded his head, and then glanced around the area at the ships that had already settled to the ground.

"Have you heard anything from Iella Wedge?"

Wedge sighed, his fists tightening slightly. "No. Not yet. Winter?"

"I’ve not talked to her, but she was on Mon Calamari visiting the Admiral."

----------------------------------------

The shaper drone slowly recited figures and numbers. A seemingly unending supply of expressions about the mutability of the infidels and how they can adapt and react, a waterfall of terms on the way one in particular survived and thrived in an Embrace of Pain chamber as if he were one of the Elite.

All the while, the face of Tsavong Lah slowly clouded in anger.

Nom Anor watched as this occurs. Marveling slightly at how much clearer a transmission the villip had over the infidel’s holonet. Nom glanced again at Tsavong’s face. Not much longer now.

As if on cue, the warmaster’s snarled voice ripped through the shaper’s report. "Enough!"

The shaper suddenly looked up from the qahsa which held the report to look into the warmaster’s face. "B-b-but the data is important."

The warmaster’s face twisted into a snarl. "Not to me it isn’t. Do I look like a shaper? I need to know what it means!"

Nom suppressed a grin. "Warmaster, if I may speak?"

The snarl came again, almost a growl. "And what can you offer Executor? You are no shaper."

"No, but my specialty is interpretation."

"Your specialty is lies and deceit."

Nom could feel one of his eyebrows lift slightly. As if there is a difference. But he did not share that thought with the others. "As you wish, Warmaster."

Tsavong turned once more to face the shaper, and then back to Nom Anor. "Tell me."

Nom made a small gesture dismissing the shaper from the room, and bowed his head prior to beginning. "The Jeedai Jacen Solo has learned the lesson of pain. He understands, and treats and reacts to it like some of our greatest warriors."

"But what does that mean?"

"It means it will work. Jacen Solo can and will embrace the True Way. In fact he has already begun to."

"Was this not already attempted with a Jeedai?"

"Shapers."

Tsavong’s face darkened. "Watch your tongue Executor. The Shapers are holy unto Yun Yuuzhan. Be careful that the gods do not strike you dead for such blasphemies."

Nom Anor smiled slightly. "Yet they choose not to. The Shapers tried to turn the captured Jedi into a Yuuzhan Vong, using possibly heretical means to do so. Jacen Solo will remain fully human, yet he will also fully embrace the Yuuzhan Vong way."

"And what does this gain us?"

"Jacen Solo is a scion of one of the most well known families in this galaxy. His mother used to be Supreme Overlord of the New Republic. His uncle is the warmaster for the Jedi. His grandfather was warmaster for a much more reasonable form of government which his uncle is nearly universally accredited for destroying single handedly. We cut off the New Republic’s head when we took Coruscant. Having Jacen Solo tell the galaxy that the only way is the True Way will be a strike at the heart and soul of this galaxy."

Tsavong’s face twisted from the snarl into something approaching a smile. "The cancer in the wound which is Coruscant."

"Exactly, Warmaster."

"Good. You will not fail in this Executor."

"If it be in my power to not fail then I-"

The malicious gleam once more appeared in Tsavong’s eyes. "You misunderstand me Executor. I am telling you, that you will not fail. For if you do then you will die a most ignoble death, as well all those associated with this project. Am I clear Executor?"

"Most assuredly Warmaster."

Then the villip inverted, folding in upon itself, and Nom Anor leaned back, a frown on his face. He looked over at his partner in this task. "Well, that went well."

Vergere tilted her head slightly, her feather crest lifting, and shifting into the yellows. "Well begun is half done."

----------------------------------------

The Millennium Falcon slipped from hyperspace, and assumed a high orbit around Hapes. The planet below them was a brilliant shining green and blue jewel as it slowly rotated, giving the Falcon the illusionary appearance that she was constantly slipping over the edge of the planet.

Han glanced over at Leia, where she was curled up in the oversized seat. Han’s jaw set itself, as he watched her. As if feeling his scrutiny she lifted her head, and stared at him with red-rimmed eyes. She raised her hands, and wiped away the beginnings of a tear, and Han absently noted that her usual perfect manicure was ragged and chewed on.

"How’re ya holding up Princess?"

Her lips twitched slightly. "I’ll survive."

She then ducked her head back down, turning away from him to stare out the side viewports.

Han stared at her reflection for a moment more and then went about getting permission to land on the surface of Hapes.

----------------------------------------

Jaina was curled up in a ball on the bunk of her wardroom. Her chin was tucked tight against her knees, and her arms strapped across her legs, pulling them tight against her chest. Every now and then small shivers of grief shook her body.

At first there were tears. She had cried for days. Now the tears had dried up and she was lying here alone.

Alone.

Just the though of that concept was enough to bring the grief crashing back down upon her. She was alone. Her brother, her twin, her other half was missing. He was no longer in her twin bond. She could no longer feel him there at the back of her mind; she could no longer reach out and feel him, she could no longer touch his warm presence.

She was empty and she was alone.

The door buzzed, and she ignored it as she had been doing for the past week.

After a second buzz was ignored, it slid open anyway. She could hear the soft booted soles of someone walking closer and the air was filled with the distinctive scent of a Bothan.

The bed shifted slightly as her visitor sat down beside her. She could feel the Bothan’s paw gently touch her hair.

Then she heard Traest’s voice. "You have my condolences Jaina. But there is something I think you should hear, a decision you need to make."

Jaina lifted her head slightly, and looked towards the white-furred Bothan. Her voice cracked from disuse. "What is it?"

"We’re meeting up with the Errant Venture later today, and the Rogues we picked up at Coruscant are transferring over. It’s your decision to go with them to join up with the rest of the Rogues or to stay here on the Ralroost as we head to Bothawai to mourn Borsk Fel’ya."

Jaina closed her eyes for a second and took a deep breath. "I’ll transfer over. Thank you for this consideration Admiral."

The Bothan gave her an abbreviated grin, and gently squeezes her shoulder. Then he stood up and left.

And Jaina was once more alone.

----------------------------------------

Lu’ath Raptoq huddled in the cold cabin of the metallic starship as it slid between the stars. On either side of him the Jeedai Rar sisters, were curled up, their limbs entwined around him even as his own arms were around them. Their prehensile lekku occasionally twitching in time with the various night sounds they occasionally made. The blue of their skin shone slightly in the dim glow which snuck into their cabin from beneath the flimsy door that led to the hallway outside. For a moment, he wondered which texture felt more comfortable to him, the smooth flesh of the two Twi’leks or the suede of their minimal clothing.

At first the Shamed One wondered why the two felt the need to constantly be touching him, and most especially why they would do so at night, as they curled up around his arms, laying their heads upon his chest. His initial thoughts was that they wanted to keep him close by, to make sure that he did not run away or cause some type of mischief. Then he noticed the looks he was receiving from some of the other males traveling on this transport, males who were native to this galaxy, and realized that those males were envious of him, of the touches and caresses the two Jeedai would give him.

And his thoughts turned to wondering if they themselves got some type of pleasure from touching him. He thought about what he knew of Twi’leks, and remembered they came from a sun-scorched world, one much warmer than humans find comfortable. His final thought on the matter was they curled up against him at night for warmth.

Shaking himself from his memory, he looked down at the Twi’lek to his right, a frown flickering on his face. Alem’arar. He gave his head a slight shake, as he considered her. Impetuous, head-strong, yet a daring fighter. Yet something about her rubbed him the wrong way, something which he could not quite define. Then he glanced down to his left, the place of pride, looking at Num’arar. He smiled slightly, a gesture he had picked up over the months of rebelling against his people on behalf of the Jeedai.

He was a Shamed One of the Yuuzhan Vong. Unworthy of ascension and standing in Yuuzhan Vong society. Yet he rejected that, he denied that thought, and fought with the natives of this galaxy to see his people freed from that tyranny. But because of his standing in Yuuzhan Vong society, he had never been given the chance to mate, to take a life-mate. His branch of the family tree was pruned from the collective, and he had accepted that. He had never considered it being any other way.

Yet as he laid here in the arms of the Rar sisters, he had to wonder if Num’arar would be willing. He settled in tighter against the thin cot he shared with the girls, considering the various times he had talked with Num’arar. As he glanced down one last time, he gave a quick, almost imperceptible nod of his head.

She makes me happy in the same way her sister disturbs me.

As he finally accepted that he was growing quite fond of Num’arar, he leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead, pressing his lips in the furrow at the base of her lekku. As he did so, she murmured in her sleep and twined herself tighter against him.

And he smiled.

---

Next Chapter

Themed Drabbles Set 26

Shirt

I looked up to see her standing in the doorway; she's wearing nothing but my shirt. It's a button up Corellian style job, that reaches her mid thigh, and not for the first time I'm left speechless by her.

Two years ago, I would have been speechless because I wasn't able to get a word in edgewise. Yet the experience she had at the hands of the Vong changed that.

She still looked great.

She giggled at me; I blinked, and snapped my mouth close. With her blond hair swirling around her, she turned and went back into the bedroom.

---

Pants

"Where the kriff are my pants?" I snarled out, as I rummaged through the clothes lying on the floor. I could feel Uncle Luke getting closer to my quarters, and I really wanted to be out in the hallway to meet him.

I didn't want to listen to a lecture about Tahiri being in my room.

Again.

She held up my pants, amusement in her voice. "Here they are.

Snatching them out of her hands, I slipped them on and then rushed into the corridor to meet Uncle Luke.

He turned the corner, and stared at me, one eyebrow arched.

---

Dress

I stood in the hallway outside her quarters, fidgeting slightly. I didn't know why I was so nervous; we were just going down to the Black Level for dinner. Having a meal together; in theory it was something we'd done hundreds if not thousands of times before. Yet this time was different.

There was a formality here that wasn't there before.

The door opened, and a vision stepped out.

She wore a navy dress; her hair was piled atop her head, small diamonds glittered around her neck and at the lobes of her ears.

Yet again, I was struck speechless.

---

Uniform

I slipped into my uniform and fastened the closures. I felt oddly restrained in the light battle armor that Uncle Luke provided for the task force. For some reason, I didn't feel like a Jedi. I felt like a soldier. Memories of classes with Kyle Katarn and his recollections of being a Storm Trooper flickered through my mind and I sighed.

Closing the last fastener, I looked at my teammates. Only days into the mission, and I already have one casualty. Only days into it and Jacen thinks I would order someone to be tortured.

What a failure I am.

---

Cloak

I'm neither here nor there.

I know that now, and though I'm only beginning to understand, I realize just how in touch with everything I am. Obi-Wan said that it shouldn't have been possible for me to still be aware after joining the Force, but Qui-Gon just laughed at him; told him that the Force does as it wills.

I ignored them both, and focused my sense on her. I wanted to see her.

My surroundings wavered and I found myself in a clearing in a wood. All that is around is a pyre and her.

In my old cloak.

Themed Drabbles Set 25

Burn
The fire raged through his soul, consuming every bit of the humanity that remained within him. He stared down at his betrayer, the woman that he had loved more than anyone else, save their daughter.

He laughed as she once more clutched at her arm, the flash burned stump held in her hand as her lightsaber exploded as it was clutched in her other arm.

It feed the fire in his soul to see his younger self rushing to her side in an effort to care for her and apologize.

This is what flow-walking was for; to enjoy the past.

---

Rash
The Anakin Solo shook under the sustained fire she was receiving. He could smell scorched plastics and flesh from where various consoles had exploded. An acrid smoke hung heavily in the air, burning his eyes and nose as he darted onto the bridge.

A bright blue blade shone through the smoke, and he pulled up short, almost stumbling to a halt in his surprise.

"Ben?" he stammered out, truly surprised that his cousin was here. "This is something of a… rash decision for you?"

Ben's voice came out of the gloom. Harsh and cracking. "You did it. You killed mom."

---

Surgery
He held his saber in a mid guard, his hands wrapped around the hilt, tucked in close to his side. The ruby colored blade slashed out at right angles from the hilt, crossing his body right to left.

Down the walkway a few meters stood his uncle. His green saber held loosely in a similar grip.

"It's a surgery, Uncle," he snarled. "The galaxy has a cancer in it, and I'm here to eradicate it."

"I think I agree with you, at least on some things."

"So, you won't stop me?" he asked, an eyebrow arching.

Luke sighed; then attacked.

---

Hurt
He looked down at his arm where the medical droid worked. He watched, slightly bemused as the long gash was slowly knitted up, the droid's manipulators moving faster than his eyes could follow; at least without the Force helping him.

Deep in his mind, he knew that the wound should hurt. That he should be in pain.

Yet he didn't feel a thing.

No pain. No emotion.

This was the end result of that duel with Mara. This was what happened when he became a Sith.

No more feelings; just a gaping, empty void where his soul used to be.

---

Heal
He had wanted to heal the galaxy.

Stop all war. Stop all strife.

That was what he wanted when he became a Sith. That was his goal when he stopped thinking of himself as a Jedi, and started thinking himself as a Sith.

Yet, as he stared at the purple blade glowing in the distance, he realized that he had not healed anything. That he had just made things worse. That he had ground the galaxy beneath his boot heel. That he had enforced peace through his iron will; control through his powers.

And he found that he didn't care.

I Want to be Your Knight: Chapter 14

Previous Chapter

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Awareness came slowly, accompanied by the tang and taste of Bacta. I blinked open my eyes, and found myself staring at a soft blue ceiling. I scowled at that ceiling, fairly certain the one in my room was white.

Casting my thoughts back, I searched my memories. I remembered the sparring session which Kyp took over. The hundred or so remotes. Seeing Seha injured and Jys standing over her as all the remotes closed in on her. Then I remembered my diving towards the floor, trying to figure out a way to protect both of them.

I struggled to sit it, and looked around to find myself in a standard med center room. Against the wall opposite the bed was a worn brown couch, and on that couch, beneath a thin hospital blanket, were Seha and Jys, leaning against each other, asleep.

Set against another wall, close to the door that I assumed led out to the hallway, was a single-person chair. A hideous orange color. I had to guess that they bought chairs that color because no one else wanted them and they were cheap. Or because no one would steal them. Either way, it was probably the ugliest thing I had seen in years.

On one side of my bed was a simple wooden nightstand, and on the other a bank of diagnostic equipment, none of it currently turned on.

I turned my attention back to the girls and felt a grin come to my lips. As it did so, I could feel my cheek wrinkle oddly, stretching in places where it shouldn't. Frowning, I lifted my hand and ran it down my face, feeling an odd hardness that ran the length of my face from my temple to my chin.

Before I could figure it out, the door opened, and Kyp walked in. He saw me sitting up in the bed, and grinned my way. "Ah, you've woken up I see." Then he glanced at the girls. "And I could have sworn I told them to return to the quarters and get some rest."

I scratched at my head, frowning. "What happened?"

Kyp grabbed the chair and dragged it to the side of my bed. Then he plopped down into the chair, and leaned back slightly. "Well, besides you destroying a few hundred thousand credits worth of remotes, droids and training equipment?"

I snorted. "Yeah, besides that."

Kyp shrugged his shoulders, and gestured towards the nightstand. A mirror floated over to his hands, and he silently handed it to me. I frowned at it for a moment, and then lifted it up to gaze into it.

I gasped in shock at the jagged white line which stretched the length of my face. I lifted my hand and ran it down the scar, feeling that hardness underneath his fingers again.

My eyes flicked from my reflection to stare into Kyp's dark eyes. "What? How?"

He slowly shook his head. "It's your stupid, Skywalker genes. You saw Seha injured, and Jys standing over her and you reacted. I was so focused on your acrobatics with the ball droid, that I hadn't noticed them. When you noticed, and before I could do anything, you were suddenly on the floor getting shot by those remotes. Then you used the Force to slam them into the ceiling. You tackled Jys and used the Force to throw a shield over the three of you to protect everyone from falling bits of flaming metal. But before you did, a piece of shrapnel sliced down your face, and it was hot enough to cauterize the wound."

Listening to Kyp, I remembered flashes of what had happened. Ending with the memory of sudden cut off of Jys' rant, and Seha whispered voice saying, "Ben, I'm so sorry."

I shrugged my shoulders and tossed the mirror towards the foot of the bed. "Ah, well, it's just another scar."

Kyp chuckled. "That's the spirit." He said, and then he stood up, smiling at me. "Get some rest, you have classes in the morning again."

I sighed and leaned back in the bed, as Kyp walked from the room. As soon as the door was shut, I grinned and sat back up. With a flick of my fingers, I activated the door lock, and then turned back to the girls who were sleeping peacefully.

I slipped out of bed, and found a pitcher under the nightstand. Still smiling, I filled it with cold water and then went and stood over Jysella. I lifted it above her head, and then looked down at her and paused.

Kyp's words bounced around my head. Such an off-hand comment he had made. That he had told them to return to our quarters. I frowned and lowered the pitcher, then I walked over and set it on the nightstand by the bed. I couldn't be mean to her. I couldn't play that prank on her. Not here. Not when she was so obviously worried about me.

Besides, I realized, I might have gotten some of that cold water on Seha.

I returned to the girls and touched Jysella on her shoulder. Her eyes snapped open, and focused on me. A smile flickered across her face before being replaced by a dark scowl. She sat up, creating a small space between the two girls.

"Kriff, Skywalker," she growled out. "What are you doing out of bed? And you shouldn't wake people up, you know."

Jys' growlings had woken Seha, and she lifted her head, scrubbing at one eye with a fist. Then she blinked as she noticed me and a warm smile graced her face. "Ben! You're awake!"

I smiled at her, and then flipped my eyes back to Jys. "Why couldn't your greeting be as nice as hers?"

She crossed her arms, and flipped her head away from me. "You don't deserve it. Not after that stunt you pulled."

I laughed, an dropped into the space that Jys had created earlier, jamming myself between them. I wrapped my arms around them both and drug them in for a hug. "Aw, I knew you both cared. Sleeping on this couch. I almost didn't wake you two up, because you both looked so cute sleeping here."

Jys and Seha both slapped their hands onto my chest. Then Jys pushed against me, struggling to stand. I released her and she shot up off the couch, glaring down at me. "You're so karking annoying, you know that Skywalker?"

I smirked at her. "Well, Jaina always said that was my best feature."

She stormed towards the door. "I'm going back now."

I smiled at her back, and as she reached the door, called out, "Hey, Jys?"

She stopped, her hand over the lock plate, as she glanced back over her shoulder, looking at me. That smile still on my face, I said, "Thanks for watching over me."

She watched me for a moment longer and then gave a quick nod of her head, and left the room.

The door closed again with a slight hiss. I watched it for a few moments, trying to figure that girl out. Then I remembered that Seha was still wrapped tight in my arms. I looked down, wondering why she hadn't struggled to escape my hug the same way Jysella had. The reason why, was because she had snuggled down into my arm, laid her head where the shoulder joins the chest, and fallen asleep, a nearly silent snore escaping her.

I watched her for a few minutes, thinking that she was even more confusing to me than Jysella.

I used the Force, to draw the blanket up over us, and I got as comfortable as I could while sitting up like that. Then I closed my eyes and tried to sleep.

I'm not sure how long I was asleep, or if I even managed to get to sleep, but Seha's voice woke me. With my free hand, I scrubbed at my eyes, and looked down, to discover that she was still asleep.

A light sweat clung to her, as she fidgeted in my arms.

I recognized the signs of a nightmare.

I frowned at that, as Jedi weren't supposed to dream that often. She mumbled some other things, a random collection of words and sounds: who... len... -are, no!, dun-, then, no!

Then her eyes snapped open and she bolted up off my chest. Her mouth opened in a silent scream, and her eyes rolled back up into her head as she collapsed to the floor.

---

Next Post

Family Found: Chapter 11

Previous Chapter

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Noelani winced at the pain that was throbbing in her skull. As she became more aware, a multitude of aches and pains flickered across her awareness. Finally, she felt the arms wrapped tightly around her, the rough-hewn floor against one side of her body and the press of a chest against her back.

She blinked her eyes open, a hazy cone of light extended from her handlamp half a meter away from her. She twisted around in the arms that were holding her finding herself face to face with Ben Skywalker. Dried blood decorated one side of his face, looking oddly black in the dim light.

She twisted her head as much as she was able, looking around, seeing the crumpled roof that surrounded them.

She tried to slip out of his arms, but they tightened against her, pulling her closer.

"B-Ben?"

His eyes flickered open. Shut. Then open again. She saw the confusion and pain which flashed in them. He then started to turn his head, and winced as the Force flooded with his pain.

"Noelani?"

"Are you all right, Ben?"

"Uhm..yeah. Yeah, I'm okay. I think."

She looked him in the eyes, finding a shining blue – almost the exact color she sees while looking in the mirror. She could feel the heat of a blush rising to her cheeks.

"Do you think you can let me go now?"

"Oh," Ben began, and Noelani ccould just make out a blush cropping up on his cheeks as well. "Yeah. Sorry about that."

He released her, and a small part of her was saddened by him taking away his arms from around her. She had almost felt safe and comfortable there. Giving her head a small shake to chase away those feelings she looked around again.

She frowned as she doesn't see Kor or Poll. "Where are they?"

"Who?'

Noelani's frown deepened as she turned back toward Ben. "Who? Just our friends that we came in here with."

She noticed as Ben looked around the room as well. "More importantly, where are we?"

"Huh?"

Ben pointed towards the center of the room. "This isn't the same place that we were. There was a podium. It's not there now."

Noelani frowned again as she stood up and walked towards the center of the room.

Looking down at the floor where the podium should be. Where before there was a shaft of metal and stone that came up out of the floor to about her stomach now the floor was smooth and unbroken - though covered slightly in the rubble of the collapsed ceiling.

Still frowning she glanced up, and shined her light upwards as well, seeing the hole through which she must have fallen.

With her free hand she scratched at the top of her head. "I don't remember falling."

Ben shook his head. "Neither do I."

Noelani shined her flashlight across the various walls, and finally found an exit. Looking around again, she shrugged her shoulders and said, "I guess we go this way."

She noticed Ben turn the direction of her light as he nodded his head. "Unless you want to try to jump up the hole."

She shook her head. "We don't know how much floor is left up there. Or if it would fall down on us if we did."

"Good point."

Without anymore discussion the two teenagers walked down the darkened hallway.

The walls were featureless and there were no doors or markings. A sense of foreboding hung on the air, and Noelani stretched out with the Force. She could feel the others, small pinpricks of pain and confusion, indistinct and distant.

She frowned as she realized that she even felt Ben in the distance. Then she turned her light on him where he walked beside her. She stopped and he did as well.

"Who, what are you?" She asked, suddenly afraid.

"I'm Ben, what do you mean?"

She shook her head. "I can feel Ben in the Force, and you're not him."

The Ben before her laughed, a dark guttural sound, and then he seemed to melt. Ben's handsome features slowly dissolved into a mass of shadows and fear. The shade seemed to grow taller and towered over Noelani.

"I am Ben. I am the Ben that will be, here to help you in what you will become."

She took a step back, tossing her head side to side in denial until she bumped up against the wall. "I… I… go away!"

He laughed again, and then he lifted his hand pointing down the dark corridor. "Not going to happen. Look at your future."

Noelani looked in the direction he was pointing and saw herself. But at the same time she saw someone she did not, could not, recognize. The girl that stood a few meters away was older; her blonde hair was pulled back, and tinged with pink highlights from the blood-red lightsaber she held. A thin scar stretched from the top of her right temple, and ran down the side of her face, ending in a burn pattern at her throat. A malice-filled smile graced her lips, a mockery of joy that found no home in the girl's yellow and orange tinged eyes.

Noelani could hear herself utter a short weak sound of fear, and then she dropped to her knees, her handlight skittering away from her. She instinctively covered her face with her hands and began shaking her head in a negative motion. "No…no… no… NO!"

The shade laughed again. "Yes. And you're going to happily embrace that future. You're going to like being a Sith."

Her hands shot out, held straight in front of her, her fingers splayed wide and she screamed, "NO!" Then Noleani unleashed a wave of Force energy at the shade - a wave of energy which passed harmlessly through it and stroke the far wall, shattering it.

The future her, walked up to the shade of Ben and wrapped her arms around one of his, looking down at her. "Don't worry. You'll have more fun, and be happier like this."

She once more retreated behind her hands, allowing them to hide her face. Hide the tears that had sprung up to burn her eyes.

"No." She whispered in a hoarse, harsh voice.

Silence fell around Noelani, and the only thing she could hear was the ragged sound of her breathing. She huddled there on the ground for a few more minutes, her ragged breathing calming down into near silent whimpers.

Finally she looked up to discover that she was alone.

"Ben?"

No one was there to answer her, and she frowned She stood up, looking around her trying to figure out where she was going to go now, and how she was going to meet back up with her friends. Sighing, she continued walking down the hallway, hoping to find a way back to the others. To anyone.

-----------------------------------

Ben lifted his head and frowned.

Before the collapse he was with his friends, and had even thrown himself forward to protect Noelani, but now he was alone.

Without anyone to help him.

He looked around the room, enhancing his night vision with a Force trick that Jacen had taught him, one which allows him to see in the nearly perfect darkness that he was currently in. Four blank walls. A blank ceiling. And finally, a blank floor.

He sighed.

Wondering just how it was that he got into a room without any entrances.

Wondering exactly what was going to happen to him in here.

If he was going to be rescued.

If he was going to die here. Alone. With no one knowing where he was. His body decaying into nothingness and dust never to be disturbed, let alone found.

For a moment he wondered why that did not fill him with dread and fear.

He shrugged his shoulders with the realization that he was not scared of death.

Death was something he has seen. It was something he had handed out.

There was a part of him that looked forward to it. The unending embrace of death, which would allow him to escape the pressures of his life. Which would allow him to escape being Luke Skywalker's son.

Yet a part of him, a small still-innocent voice in the back of his mind, asked if that alone, that utter lack of a fear of death, was something he should be scared of.

Suddenly, Ben was no longer alone. Sitting across from him was a boy about his age, maybe a year or two older. Brown hair, brown eyes and dressed in an orange jumpsuit.

Ben recognized him from somewhere, but could not quite place it.

The boy looked around the room and then finally returned his gaze to Ben. "Nice little spot you've picked out for your death."

Ben shrugged his shoulders. "Not like it matters."

The boy nodded his head a few times. A bobbing motion which made Ben want to hit him. "True… true… not much matters to the dead."

Ben frowned, and replied, "I'm not dead yet."

The boy laughed. "Aren't you? Look around you; you're sitting here in this room doing nothing. If that's not death I'm not sure what is."

"What would you have me do?"

The boy shrugged his shoulders. "I'm just here to guide you to the questions; I can't ask them or answer them."

Ben looked away. "Then what good are you?"

The boy grinned, a lopsided slash of the mouth which Ben has seen so many times over the years. It was a grin which Ben practiced in front of the mirror when he was younger.

Finally, he spoke again, the grin not quite leaving his lips. "Now, isn't that a good question."

-----------------------------------

Kor Res'sal rubbed on her shoulders, the biting cold of the catacombs striking her through her fur. She slowly ambled along, searching for the others, or just a warm place to hide and rest. But everywhere she went, all she feels was that biting cold.

Shivering, she exhaled strongly, her breath a white plume in front of her.

She looked around, and for the first time since she started her training, she was scared.

She dropped to her knees, feeling the tears as they slipped down her face, and froze into the little drops of ice in the fur of her muzzle.

"I don't want to die. Not like this. Not in the cold." She said to the empty air around her, hoping for an answer but not really expecting it.

To her surprise, she was answered. "Then what are you going to do about it, young Jedi?"

She turned her head and saw a shimmering blue form standing a few meters further down the hall. He was dressed in old fashioned Jedi robes, similar to the ones worn by the Jedi in the murals on the upper floors.

Kor frowned. She knew she was alone. "What can I do? I don't have anything to stay warm with, and even if I did, I'm stuck in these tunnels."

The figure shrugged his shoulders. "That is the question, is it not?"

Then he disappeared.

Kor's shoulders hitched as she fought back tears. She stretched out her hand to where the figure had been standing and cried out, "No! Come back… tell me what I need to do. Tell me how to survive…"

-----------------------------------

"Hello?"

Poll's voice echoed back to him, a sure indication that he was in a wide open area. He did not know for certain because there was no light at all.

Just unending, complete, unbroken darkness. A black so thick Poll could feel it pressing down on his shoulders, attempting to crush him.

He dropped to his knees, feeling around him looking for his handlight, fighting back against the irrational terror which gripped his heart.

For as long as he could remember, the darkness has terrified him. Nightmares of being trapped in the dark terrorized his sleep and the irrational fear of it has long plagued his Jedi training.

He let out a sigh as he could not find his handlight and straightened up – straining his eyes trying to see.

I'm a Jedi, he thought to himself; a vain attempt to increase his fortitude, to keep from breaking down in tears and terror-stricken sobs.

A deep, guttural voice emanated from the darkness. "You young Jedi have gotten so pathetic."

Poll twisted around, trying to see. Finally, he found his voice, "Wh-who's there?"

The voice barked a laugh. "Just a ghost of the past, youngling. The more important question is… who are you?"

"I don't-"

The voice sighed deeply, interrupting Poll. "You don't understand. How many times have I had to answer that question? Yet the Force felt I need to do so yet again."

Poll frowned, trying to figure things out.

"Good. You're less scared. Now think boy," the voice growled at him. "You're trapped here, all alone. What are you going to do?"

Poll shook his head. "I don't…"

The voice sighed again.

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Next Chapter