Kidan's Fan Fic: March 2008

Monday, March 31, 2008

I Want to be Your Knight - Chapter 30

I dropped to my knees, fighting the urge to vomit. I didn't remember Force visions being quite so demanding on the body. Finally, I opened my eyes and lifted my head slightly. Sounds crashed against my ears; harsh gagging noises. I glanced over at Jys to find her clutching the handrail of the turbolift. Turning to the left I saw Seha--who happened to be the source of the gagging noises. She was curled in a ball, tears streaming down her face.

"W-what t-the kri... kriff was that?" Jysella's voice was bitter and broken.

Ignoring her for the moment, I reached out and touched Seha's shoulder. She lifted her head, the pain shining brightly in her eyes. She stared at me for a heartbeat and then lunged forward. I wrapped my arms around her as she once more broke down into tears.

I looked over at Jys, and finally responded to her question. "It was a Force vision. I get them occasionally when I'm trying to not remember something. First time it's been a shared experience though."

Through her tears, Seha spoke into my shoulder. "It... it was like the worst moments of my life played out before me. But it wasn't my memory."

I saw Jysella nodding her head slowly. "Yeah..."

Frowning, I brushed my hand through Seha's hair. "I know... it was my memory, and I'm sorry. I'm sure it's because of our training bond that we all suffered the same sort of vision. I... I don't think it's a good idea for you two to go with me."

Jysella scowled at me. "Get over yourself Skywalker. We're all going, or none of us are."

Seha nodded her head. "Yeah."

I sighed and shook my head. "Does anyone know why the two of you both got that vision?"

Both of the girls shook their heads no.

I frowned as I stared at the doors of the lift. They parted, and I struggled to my feet, helping Seha up in the process. We finally made it to our shared quarters, and dropped onto one of the couches. I closed my eyes, trying to regain my composure. A stillness formed between us, soothing and calming. It was the quietest I had ever heard either girls, and most definitely the quietest that I'd ever heard when both were right there together. Later I learned that they were taking that time to process what they had seen in the vision.

Finally, Seha broke the silence. "What happened with Lando?"

I frowned, and shook my head. "I... I'm not sure I should tell you."

Jys punched my shoulder hard. "You're a kriffing idiot, Skywalker. Obviously the Force wants us to know, or why else would we have all participated in the vision?"

"I..." Sighing, I shook my head again.

I could feel the disappointment from both the girls. They wanted to know. Yet, I still didn't want to face my past. It scared me. I didn't like to think about it, dwell on it, or even remember that I had a past.

Which, I guess why the Force loved to poke and prod at my memories. One would think that one would learn that the Force won't stop picking at your wounds until you've figured out how to heal them. Despite the promise everyone always claimed I showed, I was quite often a slow learner.

As I opened my mouth to tell the girls that I couldn't tell them, the Force dropped the past back on me again.

I sat in the observation chamber overlooking Interrogation Room 1. I found it odd that Jacen had put both of them in the same room, as standard operating procedure would be to separate them. Being alone for hours on end can often work wonders at loosening tongues. I kept the sound off, as I didn't want to hear Aunt Tendra's crying. Finally, Jacen walked in. Lando's head snapped towards him, and I could feel the blast of anger and disgust roll across the Force.

Jacen threw his head back and laughed. It was odd watching that without the sound.

Then he began his special interrogation.

I cringed as he plucked Lando up off Tendra. Lando's head threw back, his mouth opened in a silent scream. I could even see the blood vessels and tendons straining in his neck.

My mind provided Mirax's and Ailyn Vel's screams as a soundtrack.

After what seemed forever, Lando dropped to the ground, panting.

Then he turned his attention to Tendra. Bolts of greenish lightning flashed from his outstretched palm, striking her on her legs. I flipped the sound switch as my stomach clenched, and clearly heard Tendra's howls of pain.

Suddenly, the lightning stopped.

"Tell me where my parents are, Lando. I'd hate to move this lightning up," Jacen said. His voice was cold and calm, yet I could feel an edge of hate and anger beneath the controlled demeanor.

Lando shook his head, as his shoulders hitched with his tears.

Jacen's hand shifted upwards slightly, and for a second, lightning flashed across Tendra's stomach.

Tendra rolled into a ball, her cries frying into my brain right next to Mirax's and Vel's.

Lando shook his head again. Jacen lifted his palm towards Tendra, and then the Anakin Solo lurched. An all-hands klaxon blared throughout the ship, and Jacen yanked out his comlink. "Bridge, report!"

"Sir, a Confederation battle group has dropped out of hyperspace."

Jacen lowered the comlink for a moment, and then stormed from the room, lifting it towards his lips as he left.

I stayed in the observation bubble, watching Lando as he hobbled across the floor, to comfort his wife who was clutching at her stomach. My own stomach twisted, and I dropped to my knees, and vomited. After a moment, I got up, and looked down into the room, and noticed that Tendra was surrounded by a pool of bloody water. My eyes widened in shock as I belatedly saw Lando slamming his fist against the door, screaming uselessly at it.

Indecision gripped at me. What should I do? Standing rules demanded that no one be allowed out of Interrogation rooms no matter what. But this was not some nebulous threat, or some hardened criminal here; this was an innocent child's life hanging in the balance.

My duty was clear.

I Want to be Your Knight - Ch. 29

I spun on my heel and walked from the Council chambers. Behind me, I could feel the more or less confusion coming from the two girls. As I stormed through the doors, I could feel them following behind me, their interest in my past bubbling over; sharp enough that I could imagine the taste of their emotions on my tongue.

Frankly, I didn't like that. What had happened with Lando and his daughter was another of those things that I didn't want to think about. One of those things that still gave me nightmares, which would cause me to bolt awake in the middle of the night. Even now, I can feel the chill of what I had almost done racing up and down my spine.

I stopped in front of the lift and jabbed at the call button a few times. Praying to the Force that maybe this time the more I hit it the faster it would arrive. Turbolifts were too contained a place to be with those two girls, and their inevitable questions, at the moment.

Of course, the Force didn't help me out.

The girls stepped up beside me, one on either side. Their interest and confusion and curiosity bubbling over, yet they were silent. For a moment I wondered if my shields were leaking. Finally, the lift arrived, and I got on. Leaning against the back wall, I closed my eyes as the girls also got on, and directed the machine to take us to the floor where our quarters were.

Amazingly, they were quiet, not asking anything. For a moment, I wondered if this was another emotional scab I wouldn't have to pick at.

Of course, the Force didn't help me out.

The vision slammed into me, and I was once more wearing Guard day fatigues. I was in the midst of my squad as we purposefully walked down the hall. We were in a non-descript corridor, our heavy boots echoing in the unnatural stillness. Even without identifying marks, I knew exactly where we were at, and when. The Solar Wind space station, in orbit around Dearius III, and it was just a few short weeks before Mom's death.

Technically, we shouldn't have been there. The Solar Wind was well outside GA space, on the edge of the Outer Rim. We were there for a single reason. The owner of the Solar Wind was a known accomplice of wanted fugitives: my aunt and uncle. If you've not figured it out yet, it was Lando.

We arrived in the inner sanctum to find the final set of guards, Lando and his wife, Tendra. His face was set in hard, precise lines. A small flicker in the eyes as he shifted his view from us to Tendra let me know that he was worried about her. My squad took up positions near the doors, ready to jump in. I stood defiantly in the middle of the doorway, watching them.

"I'm here to bring you in Uncle Lando."

Lando frowned at me, and slowly shook his head. "Sorry Kid, I can't do that."

I sighed, and allowed my gaze to flick back and forth between my squad and Lando's guards. "C'mon Uncle Lando. It's my job."

He shook his head once again. "No. I know it's not. It's just what Jacen has been telling you need to do."

I frowned, snarling slightly. "It's my responsibility!"

"And Mirax was what?" I felt my heart twinge at that. I knew what had happened to Mirax after I had turned her over to Jacen. There was no denying the security recordings. I closed my eyes and turned away. Lando's voice just continued from the darkness. "Valin and Jysella now are missing a parent. Tendra's pregnant. Do you want my daughter growing up without both of her parents?"

I stepped away from the door. "I'm sorry, but it's my duty." I had been using that justification too much lately.

"I'm sorry too kid."

I gestured towards the squad. "Make sure Lando and Tendra are alive. Colonel Solo wants to talk with them."

They nodded their head and then darted into the room. Blasters fired, echoing loudly in the chamber. The weapons fell silent, and I turned back. Lando had a blaster wound on his leg and Kiron was placing shockcuffs on Tendra. I frowned and found I couldn't look him in the eye. I found that I was focused on Tendra's belly. She was even further along than I had expected; somewhere along seven months. Something twisted in my chest, and I imagined Kiara staring at me as I walked away, leaving her to die.

I spun on my heel and took off down the corridor, heading back towards the drop ship. Settling down into the co-pilot's station, I kept an eye on my squad's transponders and wondered what I could say to Uncle Lando when they finally arrived at the ship. Kriff, I wondered what I'd be able to tell Dad when he found out I turned in Uncle Lando. The look on his face when he discovered that I was the one who arrested Mirax was bad enough.

The squad arrived back at the drop ship, and we pulled away from the station. Luckily the guys kept Lando and Tendra in the back and I didn't have to face them. I didn't have to face another family friend giving me the look that said I should have known better. Because let's face it, I should have.

Within a few minutes we had arrived back at the Anakin Solo. Once again, Jacen was waiting us. I stood there, my head held high as my squad brought out Uncle Lando. Jacen just smiled as he looked between the two of them. When he finally spoke, there was no hint of any humor in his voice. "Lando. It's so nice to see you again... and no one has told me that Tendra was pregnant."

Lando lunged forward, but his leg gave out and he crumbled to the floor. Jacen laughed as he turned away and gestured to the MPs. "Put them in Interrogation Room 1."

I watched, my heart in my throat as they were hauled away. The memories I had of Mirax and Ailyn Vel hanging heavy, their screams haunting me.

Alien Crossfire - Chapter 12

Harrar followed his superior, Jakan - the High Priest of the Yuuzhan Vong, as they walked into the darkened chambers. The remains of the greatest of the dead Overlords of the Yuuzhan Vong lined the walls. The shells of their vondum crab armor were dulled, while the gold which coated their bones glistened in the dim orange glow of the lambents, and the diamonds which were their eyes sparkled, a rainbow reflection reminiscent of the ma’ait implants which were their eyes during life.

They slowly advanced, purposeful in their strides, towards the massive polyp throne which was shrouded in darkness. As they neared, they could start to make out the shadowy shape of the Supreme Overlord of the Yuuzhan Vong. A massive being, adorned with the flayed skin of a former Warmaster. Shimmra opened his eyes, and they emitted a rainbow glow, brilliant in their clarity and frightening in their intensity, a display of every-changing colors which evoked a superstitious awe in both of the priests.

Arriving at the appropriate, respectful distance, they each dropped to a single knee, bowing their head in submission. Harrar could hear the shuffling of the others of Shimmra’s court arriving, kneeling in their appropriate places, he quickly glanced to the left and right, seeing Tsavong Lah and a shaper whose name he did not know.

Shimmra’s voice was dark and ominous, the sound of thunder and explosions. "Rise."

Harrar quickly stood, and saw Jakan - who was slightly ahead of him - do so as well. The sound of armor told him that others in the hall had as well. He stood in silence, watching the proceedings, wondering why Jakan had brought him here this time.

Suddenly, Harrar spied something truly disturbing to his sensibilities. It was one of the Shamed, lounging on the lower steps. Harrar looked closer at the disfigured creature, the few tufts of hair, poking from different angles, a bulge on one side of the face, and another at the back, twisting the shape of the shoulders.

As if sensing Harrar’s scrutiny, the Shamed looked directly at him, a smile split the festering lips, revealing a lone, pointed tooth, hanging in the empty maw. Amusement sparkled in the insane stare, and Harrar had to look away.

Suddenly, the Shamed bolted upright, and twirled in place, ending the dance with a flourish and a bow directed towards those gathered.

"Can the wise hear?
Can the Elite see?
What are the Shamed up to,
Wonders poor Shamed me."

Then he cackled, and twirled once again, before hunkering down upon his step. His body settled back into that unnatural stillness, his muddy eyes staring out at the gathered Elite.

Shimmra bellowed a laugh. "Yes, yes. I have heard some very disturbing rumors about what the Shamed Ones are doing. Jakan? Do you think you can shed some light on these rumors?"

Jakan bowed his head slightly. "There is a heresy moving among the Shamed. A new dogma stating that the path to salvation lies with the Jeedai."

"What!"

Harrar almost took a step backwards at the Overlord’s bellowed question. As Shimmra stood, he definitely felt the urge to run and hide – to flee from the room in abject terror of the gods’ chosen one.

"This blasphemy must be stamped out immediately! What are you doing to ensure that happens? The Shamed must not revere the Jeedai!"

Jakan knelt down in submission. "Belek tiu, Dread One. We have the priests searching for any hint of this heresy, attempting to trace it back to its source."

With an inarticulate growl, Shimmra darted forward, covering the distance between where he stood and where Jakan knelt in seconds. Harrar watched in amazement, as Jakan was lifted up from his knees and raised above Shimmra’s head.

"The heresy must end now! Yun Yuuzhan demands it!"

Then with a slight grunt, he hurled Jakan over the heads of those gathered. Harrar wanted to turn and watch Jakan’s flight, but was unable to, he felt numb, and awestruck at the physical prowess which Shimmra displayed. Then he heard the sickening crunch which Jakan landed with. He had little doubts on the survival of his superior.

Then Shimmra turned his gaze onto him, and a cold dread settled solidly in his heart, freezing his veins. Numbing everything - except the feel of the icy glare of the scintillating prisms which Shimmra used for eyes.

"Harrar, you have just been escalated. I order you to stamp out this heresy."

Harrar swallowed suddenly, his reactions released from Shimmra’s gaze, and he bowed his head in submission. "I will attend to it directly, Dread One."

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

Anakin walked into the medward, Nelani’s hand still gripped tightly in his own - their fingers threaded together. Each of them holding onto the other, neither willing to let go. He allowed his gaze to flicker around the room. Taking in the white walls, the various medical monitors and equipment turned off and stored in their appropriate niches along the walls.

Yet Anakin could not help but feel that there was something missing. That there was a fundamental difference between his previous visit to Bast Castle’s medical ward and this one.

Then Nelani voiced it. "Where’re the droids?"

Anakin looked down at her, noticing how she looked around the room, and frowned again. She’s right. Every other time I visited, I had to tell the droids to go away. I wonder what’s happened to them.

He gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "I don’t know. But we go this way."

He walked forward, to a door set along the back wall, and pressed his hand against the activation plate. When nothing happened he did it again. Finally growing tired of it, he pulled out his saber and sliced a large circle out of the door. The chunk of metal fell inward with a loud boom, and Anakin ducked his head slightly to step into the room beyond, being careful to not touch the still molten edges of the door.

As Nelani entered, Anakin turned on the lights, and then turned towards the bacta tank.

Or rather the remains of it. Jagged pieces of glass littered the ground, sparkling in the fluorescent glare of the lights. Anakin’s mouth tightened, as he stepped forward, touching the broken edges of the tank.

"What was in there?"

Anakin glanced over his shoulder to look at Nelani, and gave his head a brief shake. "Tahiri’s body was in it."

He then walked over to a desk, and picked up a large diamond, pocketing the stone, he turned and walked back to the door, anger coloring his face slightly.

"Come on."

Without waiting for a reply, he ducked through the hole again, and left the room; he could hear Nelani scuttling after him. He stepped over to a console, and started hitting commands, pulling up the security system.

And frowned. The system had recorded no access to the castle between the time the Noghri left to meet him on Centerpoint and their arrival today. He glanced behind him, to see Nelani there, watching him, a worried expression on her face. Not saying anything, he headed out the door, and down the hall to the turbolift.

Five minutes later, they were stepping off of the turbolift and back into the hanger. Standing right where they had left him, was Luke. His face was unlined, passive as he watched the two of them, and Anakin had to fight back the urge to yell.

Anakin stopped in front of him, and took a deep breath, slowly exhaling it. Finally he looked Luke in the eyes. "Someone took Tahiri’s body."

"Who would do that?"

"I don’t know. The security system says that no one has been here."

Luke raised an eyebrow slightly. "What does the Force say?"

Anakin shook his head. "I’m too angry right now. Let’s just go back to the Venture. It was just her body, not her."

Luke nodded his head. "Go ahead and board, I’d like to talk to Nelani for a moment."

Anakin looked between the two of them, and then bowed slightly. "Okay, Uncle Luke."

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

Tenel Ka stood silently in her opulent quarters. She ignored the gem and gold encrusted furniture which was situated throughout the room. She ignored the tidbits of technology and the diversions they could provide. She even ignored the Force itself, closing herself off from that wellspring of information and comfort, not wanting to feel the emptiness which had flooded it since Jacen died. Not wanting to feel the slow wasting away of her mother.

Without really seeing it, she stared at an armoire. It was an ornate piece of furniture which had been in these rooms for centuries. The wood was polished to a high shine, which allowed Tenel Ka to see a reflection of herself situated deep in the red-browns of the wood. The small gold knob was offset by the brass hinges, buffed to a matte finish.

She had not looked into that particular armoire in years. Not since her accident. She knew what it contained, and has known since its contents were placed within the specially designed hanger.

She closed her eyes, and pulled open the doors. The near silent creak sounding loud in the stillness which surrounded the young princess.

Within the armoire, she found something that she did not ignore.

What she did not ignore - what had her full attention - was a piece of biomedical machinery. A machine which her grandmother attempted to have grafted onto her, just a few days after the lightsaber accident which cost Tenel Ka her arm. She allowed her gaze to travel over the smooth lines of the artificial limb, noting the perfection, the artistic triumph which this recreation of her lost arm was.

She sighed, as she once again considered why she refused to have it attached. A testament to her own will? A memento to not give in to her own arrogance? A subtle jab at the Hapan way of life, and its focus on physical perfection over moral decay.

She shrugged; the reasons which were so profound at fourteen seemed irrelevant and pointless at nineteen. Then she picked up the arm, even as she did so, she wondered if this was why her grandmother stored it in this room, in this armoire, all those years ago.

She turned with a warrior’s grace and walked through the hallways down to the medical ward. A doctor rushed over and bowed to her.

"Chume’ta, how may I help you?"

Tenel Ka thrust the limb towards him. "I am ready to have this attached."

The doctor nodded his head. "I understand, your Highness. If you will follow me."

The doctor turned and beckoned to a nurse as he headed deeper into the medical ward. Tenel Ka tuned out all those distractions and followed him.

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

Her name was Seef Tho, she was a warrior of the Yuuzhan Vong, and her former assignment was the villip tender for the Warmaster. A noble position, until Shimmra ordered the warriors to procreate and she caught the Warmaster’s eye.

Today was like many of her days recently, she spent her time in the Warmaster’s room, waiting his return, so they could once again attempt a successful mating.

She had curled her body around the polyp which she used as a pillow. Her hands clenched and unclenched systematically as she considered the things that she had done over the past few weeks.

The things done to her by Tsavong Lah.

Even now, she was locked away here, in his private quarters. Awaiting his return - waiting to be used again. Used until she has become pregnant with his scion.

Intellectually, she knew that she should be happy. That it would mean an increase in prestige for her domain and her family. To be included into Domain Lah.

Yet in spite of that honor, pain washed through her heart and soul. One that had nothing to do with physical discomfort. It was the pain of being used.

Of being nothing more than the Warmaster’s plaything, so that he could bear yet another child for the Yuuzhan Vong war effort.

And what made the pain even more devastating was that she had been promised to another warrior, a crèche mate by the name of Lotva Ka. She smiled weakly as she thought of her betrothed. Her smile faltered as she realized that now he would have nothing to do with her--she was another male’s mate.

Despair struck deep in her heart, and she clung tighter to the polyp, her tears leaving a dark stain on the velvety skin.

She lifted her hand, and clenched her hand into a claw shape, watching as the nails elongated into deadly sharp talons. She pressed the five tips against the hollow of her throat, feeling as they slowly sunk into her flesh.

She longed for the release of death.

The ending of all that she is, was, and could possibly be.

Yet something stopped her. The fact that she was a warrior of the Yuuzhan Vong, and this was an ignoble way to die. She snarled slightly, as she realized what she should really be doing: destroying the one who had used her.

Her lips peeled back from her teeth in a silent snarl as she hatched a plan.

Memories Ch. 4-2

Anakin yawned and walked into the living room. He scratched at his head and looked at the array of boxes and cartons that were stacked near the front door.

"Ugh. I guess I need to unpack this stuff today." He said to himself.

A soft moan of pain came from the direction of the hallway, and Anakin looked that way to see Sannah slowly walking towards him, an arm crossed over her stomach. She looked up at him, and he could see the pain in her eyes. "My stomach burns."

Anakin laughed, and replied, "Well that's what you get for asking for food so late."

"I wasn't asking for food!" she snapped back as she drew closer.

"Oh? Then what was it for?"

"It was for your face!" She came to a sudden halt a meter or so away from Anakin, surprise etched on her face at her admission.

Anakin smirked. "My face?"

"Uhm..." She dropped her head and looked around.

Anakin laughed, and her head snapped up, fire flashing in her eyes.

"You just wait and see," she threatened.

He laughed again, and she turned around and stomped back towards the bedrooms.

Still chuckling, he looked around at the boxes again, a sight which sobered him immediately. He sighed, not really wanting to unpack. The door buzzer rang and before he could move it opened. He watched silently as Mara Jade walked into the apartment. Today she was wearing traditional Jedi robes and her son, Ben, was held in the crook of one of her arms.

Smiling, she asked, "Where's Jaina?"

Anakin thought for a moment, and then replied, "She had practice today, so she's probably over at the Academy."

"Great. I needed to give her this data disc. Guess, I've got to add that to my list of chores."

Anakin held his hand out. "I'll take it to her."

"Are you sure?"

Anakin nodded his head, and replied, "Yeah, I wanted to watch her practice anyways."

Mara Jade grinned at him and handed over the small disc. "Thanks, Anakin. That will save me a lot of time."

Anakin nodded and then turned away to yell back into the apartment. "Sannah, I'm running an errand and will be back in a bit."

Her voice was small and distant. "Good."

He chuckled and followed Mara out the door. They rode down the lift together in silence. As they stepped out of the building into the bright morning sun, Anakin started heading towards the Jedi Temple while Mara began the walk over to the shopping district. Anakin threw Mara a wave and then turned a corner around the building, happily humming a song to himself as he walked.

Shortly, he was walking through the gates to the Temple, when he heard a voice from behind him call out, "Anakin!"

He turned and saw Kiori Dinn walking towards him. He smiled at her and waited until she was closer.

"Hey Kiori, do you have practice today as well? Or are you here to study? You and Jaina are always so serious."

She shook her head. "No, I'm not on one of the 'saber teams. I... I just came here to get out of the house for a bit."

"Ah," Anakin replied. "A fight with your parents?"

Her eyes clouded for a moment. "Something like that." Then her face brightened as she smiled once again. "You need to be nice to Jaina. She's been real lonely for all the time that I've known her."

"Lonely?" Anakin said.

"Yeah," Kiori replied. "Just... be nice to her. She deserves to be happy, and..."

She did not finish her sentence, but instead walked around Anakin, continuing on towards the main entrance of the Jedi Temple. Anakin watched her walk away. The way she moved, it appeared as if she was carrying a heavy burden on her shoulders. As if there was some knowledge, something, that was weighing her down. I wonder what's wrong? He thought to himself.

Then he shook his head, and made his way around the Jedi Temple, heading towards the saber training area there. Suddenly standing in his path was the white-furred creature. It sat back on its haunches, its head cocked to one side as it watched Anakin. He stopped in his tracks, looking to the left and the right, trying to figure out what was going on. Frowning, he looked closer at the animal. It had soft looking fur, and large ears that rose up from the head and then bent down to drag along the ground. Its large eyes shifted in color-a rolling mixture of greens, blues and yellows.

For a moment, he knew that he had seen those eyes before.

The creature spoke. "Ikrit."

Anakin frowned. "What does 'ikrit' mean? I don't understand."

"Ikirt!" The creature demanded, slapping one small paw to its chest.

"Are you hungry?" Anakin asked while shaking his head.

With a sound that was almost a sigh, it bounded to its feet and dashed away, heading towards the edge of the jungle that was nearby. Anakin watched it run away, frowning as he did so. With a shrug of his shoulders he continued on towards the training area.

Soon the angry buzz of lightsaber blades caught his ears and he continued on. He found an area blocked off by a well-manicured hedge, the sounds of the sabers coming from the far side of it. He turned, following the hedge wall until he came to the opening and then stepped into the saber training area.

He stood in the entry, watching the four young trainees as their blades flashed around them. He recognized Jaina and Raynar, but the other two Anakin didn't know. One was a human male a few years older than Jaina, with well-chiseled features and stony eyes. The other was a lithe Twi'lek girl. They were all dressed in similar outfits; Corellian style pants, leather boots that stopped just short of their knees, and linen tunics.

One of the instructors stood by them. She was dressed in lizard hide armor which showed off long legs. Bits and pieces of shells were braided into her hair, and after a few minutes, he attached a name to her face: Kirana Ti. Anakin watched, awestruck, as the four students flipped around each other, their blades constantly moving blurs of light. A show of acrobatics and sword handling skills.

After a few minutes, the four stopped and bowed to one another and then started listening to something that Kirana Ti was saying. Anakin walked further into the area, and then called out, "Jaina!"

Jaina's head snapped around, away from Kirana Ti and focused on Anakin. A bright, happy smile lit up her face and she jogged over to him.

"Hey Anakin. What's up?"

"Nothing. Aunt Mara asked me to bring this to you," he said while holding out the data chip.

Jaina took it and slid it into a pouch on the side of the belt she was wearing. "Thanks Anakin."

Movement beyond Jaina drew his attention and he focused that way to see that Kirana Ti and Jaina's teammates were standing behind her.

The Jedi Master nodded her head in his direction and said, "Hello Anakin, it's a pleasure to see you again."

"Thank you, Master Ti." Anakin said while bowing to her.

As he straightened, Jaina gestured towards her teammates. "This is my saber team. You know Raynar already, that other guy there is Ganner and the Twi'lek is Daeshara'cor. Guys, this is my little brother, Anakin."

Anakin waved as everyone happily greeted him. After the niceties were over, the others went back to the center of the training area and started stretching again. Jaina cast a quick look behind her and then turned back to him grinning. "Thanks again, Anakin. But I've got to finish training."

"Do you mind if I stay and watch for a little bit?"

She thought for a second, and then shook her head. "Nope. Just don't get in the way."

He nodded his head, and then went to sit on one of the benches which lined the inside of the hedge wall. A few minutes later, the still air was cut with the snap-hiss of igniting lightsabers.

Memories Chapter 4-1

A dream...

There is always an end to the dream.

No matter how fun a dream is...

No matter how scary a dream is...

It always comes to an end. Morning always come. That unchanging morning scenery is always there.

The dream ends, and I would awake, wrapped in my bed linens, Father by my side.

The dream always ends.

But I have to wonder... I have to know... when did the dream become endless? Why does morning never come?

When did my dream become endless?

When did it become that my dream was to wake up?

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

Anakin laid on his bed, the covers pulled up to his chest, and his hands laced together beneath his head. He stared at the ceiling trying his best to remember something, anything from his time here six years ago. It was an old task, and one he had struggled with many times over the years.

Finally, a scene began to play out in his mind.

He was sitting at a table, breakfast spread out before him. A shadow flickered over his plate and he looked up to see a young blonde girl.

"We need to talk, Anakin," she said.

"Oh hi," he said with a grumble as the girl sat down across from him. "Look, I don't like to talk in the morning," he tried to explain.

"Nonsense. You don't like to talk period," she replied. "Last night I did all the talking. Now I want to know a little bit about you."

He watched her, and slowly, methodically, chewed his food.

"Go on," she prodded him.

"You're not going to leave me alone no matter what I say, are you," Anakin asked grumpily.

She just stared at him, her green eyes glowing. Anakin hated telling people about himself. He swallowed, and then quickly began to recite his family history.

"My mother and father are famous. My mom is Leia Organa Solo and she's a princess from the planet Alderaan and chief of state of the New Republic. Both she and my father, Han Solo, were Rebel heroes. My uncle is Luke Skywalker, the famous Jedi Master and the founder of this academy. The entire family is almost too much to live up to." Anakin growled. "Okay, are you satisfied now?"

"You don't have to live up to them," she said matter-of-factly. "You aren't them and they aren't you."

"Easy for you to say," Anakin replied.

"I would rather have a family than not have one at all," Tahiri shot back.

"I thought your family was the Sand People," Anakin said.

"They are, but not really," she answered. "The Sand People found me in the desert. But my real parents were moisture farmers on Tatooine. My parents had machines that pulled water from the air. That water was used on the planet for drinking and farming. I don't really remember them. The Sand People said they were killed when I was four. I'm not sure how they died though."

"I'm sorry," Anakin said.

"Don't feel sorry for me," she replied fiercely. "I'm lucky that the Sand People found me in the desert. Just like I'm lucky that Luke and Tionne found me on Tatooine."

"You're right," Anakin agreed. He was beginning to feel more at ease with the girl. He took another bite of food, and then said, "I even have an older brother and sister. They're 13 years old and their names are Jacen and Jaina."

"What are they like?" the girl asked.

"Well, Jacen is pretty wild. He loves spending time outside. He collects bugs and gets into a lot of trouble. Jaina is more like me. She likes taking things apart and then figuring out how to put them together. I don't get to spend too much time with either of them. They were on Yavin 4 for the past few months studying. Now I'm here," Anakin explained.

"You miss them, don't you," she said.

"Yeah. They're my best friends," Anakin admitted.

"Well, now you have me," she said with a quick grin. "And I have something I need to tell you. Last night I had a dream-the same dream I've had most of my life for as long as I can remember. It's a strange dream. Strange, because in it I'm rafting on a river and before yesterday I'd never seen a river. In fact, before I came to this moon I'd never seen so much water in my life. Anyway, I'm pretty sure that this dream I've been having has always taken place here, on Yavin 4. Which is truly weird, don't you think, because this is my first time here." Tahiri didn't wait for Anakin to comment. "Anyway, in the dream I'm always rafting a river when a terrible storm begins. The winds howl and the water of the river grows into giant waves. One of the waves hits me and I'm thrown out of the raft. That's when I usually wake up. But last night I didn't wake up. Instead I almost drowned. I didn't, though, because the breakfast bell rang and I was woken up. But that's not important right now. What's important is that for the first time in all the years that I can remember dreaming this exact same dream, someone else was in it too. That someone was in my raft, and when I was swept into the river he held out a silver paddle to save me from drowning. The boy who held out that paddle was you!"

Anakin was silent, staring at her, chewing another bite of food.

"Aren't you going to say anything?" she asked impatiently.

"Well, I don't think it's so strange that you had a dream with me in it," Anakin began. "After all, we met last night right before you went to sleep."

"Don't flatter yourself. You're not so terrific that I'd have a dream about you for no reason," she retorted, her irritation flashing in her eyes.

"Don't be annoyed, Tahiri," he said. "I just thought that might be one explanation."

"And what about the river, the storm, and the fact that my dream has always taken place here, on this moon, when I've lived in the desert all my life?" she asked in exasperation.

"Well, you said yourself that you can hardly remember anything about your life before the Sand People adopted you. Maybe you've been here before," Anakin suggested.

"Been where?" Luke Skywalker asked from behind the girl. She whirled around to face the Jedi Master.

"Nowhere," she said with a huff. Then she kicked back her chair and stalked from the table.

The creak of the door dragged him from his memories and he glanced that way to notice it slowly being pushed open. Lifting an eyebrow, he stretched out with the Force and felt Sannah at the door. He smirked and lay back on his bed, closing his eyes.

The soft shuffle of her footsteps drawing closer almost caused him to smile.

Movement sounded right by his head, followed by a soft giggle.

She whispered, "Three... two... one..."

He popped open his eyes, noticing that Sannah was standing by his bed, holding something over his head. Then he yelled, "Zero!"

She jumped back as a scream ripped from her throat. He looked at what she was holding, recognizing it as a block of rigden, a tasteless, jelled substance used to make deserts and meals. He sat up in the bed, leaning on one elbow to watch her.

"What were you planning on doing with that?"

Her eyes shifted back and forth for a moment - a weak grimace appeared on her face. "Midnight snack?"

"Ah," Anakin said, as he started grinning slightly. "So... go ahead."

"Go ahead?" A frown flickered onto her face.

"Yeah. Go ahead an eat it." He replied, his grin growing larger as he nodded his head towards her.

Hesitatingly, she lifted the rigden to her lips and took a small bite from it. She grimaced as she swallowed.

"So, how is it?" he said.

"Tasteless," she replied.

He nodded his head once. "Well, finish it."

"I'm full..."

"You don't want to waste food do you?" He said with a smirk.

She raised it to her lips and took another bite as Jaina opened the door to his room. She looked between them and asked, "I heard some yelling from in here. What's going on?"

Anakin looked at her, the smile still on his lips and nodded his head towards Sannah. "She wanted a snack, and chose some rigden."

"No! I didn't choose rigden, it was for your fa-" her mouth snapped shut in mid-sentence.

Anakin's grin grew broader. "My what?"

"Nothing," she sullenly replied.

Jaina snatched the rigden away from her. "If you want a snack, I'll go make you one."

Sannah stood up, her head bowed slightly and Jaina wrapped her in a hug. Then she led her from the room, giving Anakin a cross look in the process. He chuckled to himself as the door closed and then rolled over and pulled the blanket over his shoulders and fell to sleep.

Memories Chapter 3-4

Anakin walked into the classroom and glanced over at the chrono where it hung on the back wall. Great, there's still five minutes before lunch is over.

He took a few more steps, and saw Jaina sitting at her desk her face a stony mask of suppressed anger. He stopped at her desk, and she looked up at him, the anger in her eyes flashed brighter for a second.

Her voice hissed out between clenched teeth, "Liar."

Anakin winced, remembering that he had promised to eat lunch with her today. "Sorry, Jaya, I got caught up in something complicated."

"Liar."

He sighed and settled into his seat. "I said I was sorry, and it's not like you couldn't have ate lunch with Kiori."

Jaina looked over at him, and as Anakin watched the anger slipped from her face for a second, and he could see the pain that he had caused. Then the mask of her anger was back in place. "That's not the point, Anakin. You said you'd have lunch with me."

He frowned for a moment, wondering how he could fix things. "All I can do is tell you I'm sorry."

Jaina's expression softened slightly and she nodded her head, an almost imperceptible movement. "I guess I can forgive you. This time."

Anakin grinned at her, and she turned away to face the front of the room once again. A few moments later, Master Horn walked into the room, carrying a blue and green Holocron which he reverently set on his teaching podium.

His eyes sparkled with amusement. "For the rest of the afternoon we get to listen to stories from one of the auxiliary gatekeepers of this Holocron. Be ready for a series of stories detailing the court intrigues of the Old Republic, from about 1,500 years before the Battle of Yavin." He paused for a moment, a grin touching his lips. "Any student who falls asleep gets a special essay to write."

Anakin groaned to himself, knowing without doubt that these stories were going to be boring.

Master Horn turned to the podium and activated the Holocron. He took a step back and faced the classroom once again. "Oh and there will be a test on this material after the gatekeeper finishes."

Anakin watched as Horn's grin grew wider at the chorus of groans from the class.

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

Anakin walked aimlessly through the shopping district, allowing the sights and sounds and smells to wash over him. It was an automatic walk, one where he paid no attention to where he was, where he had been or where he was going. It was a walk designed to give him time to figure out the various girls that had been thrust into his life since returning to Yavin IV. And in the back of his mind, Anakin wondered if he would ever figure those girls out.

Suddenly, a girl's voice cut through Anakin's thoughts, "Anakin!"

He lifted his head, glancing around quickly trying to find who called out his name.

The voice again, "It was Anakin!"

He frowned, he knew who that voice belonged to but did not see her anywhere.

Then something heavy slammed into his back, arms wrapped around his neck and legs around his waist. He stumbled forward as the suddenness of the attack knocked him off-balance.

"What? Who?" He said as he tried to twist his head around enough to see who was hanging onto him.

Tahiri's face, framed by a mass of blond curls, materialized beside his. He inhaled as deeply as he could with her arms wrapped tightly around his neck and was able to smell the clean scent of her hair—it was an interesting smell, equal parts the smell of rain and rivers, of flowing water and the harsh sand of the Corellian desert.

Her voice was light and bubbling as she said, "Hi."

Still slightly off balanced, Anakin took a sudden step backwards which caused her to release him. She dropped away and fell on her butt. Rubbing at his throat, Anakin turned to see her sitting on the ground, looking up at him as tears welled up in her large green eyes.

"You... you pushed me away?"

Anakin frowned at her. "Well, you attacked me. Again."

Anger flashed in her eyes. "It was not an attack, it was a hug! And you pushed me away."

He sighed and rolled his eyes as she stood up and turned away from him, stomping her feet in the process. "Anakin doesn't like me. He pushed me away. I don't think I'm talking to Anakin anymore."

"Wait a second," Anakin began. "You said 'It was Anakin' you attacked me and you weren't even sure it was me?"

She twirled towards him, her feet stomping again. "It wasn't an attack! It was a hug!"

Anakin laughed as she fumed.

Finally his amusement leveled off and he looked at her again. She stood there, her arms crossed, anger on her face, and as he watched a lonely tear streaked down the side of her cheek. He suddenly felt bad for teasing her.

"Hey, if I bought you a canapé would you cheer up?"

Her face transformed in an instant as she smiled at him. "Yummy!"

Giggling, she grabbed his hand and started running. Anakin fell into step behind her, shaking his head at the sudden switch in her mood.

A few minutes later Anakin had purchased two canapés and handed one to her. A slight steam rose from the pastry and Tahiri took a large bite out of it.

"So, you're planning your next crime?"

"No. I'm busy."

"Oh? What are you doing?"

She looked at him for a moment as she chewed at her bottom lip. Finally, as if she had made up her mind to tell him, she said, "I'm looking for something; something important."

Suddenly interested, Anakin grinned. "A treasure hunt? That sounds interesting. What are you looking for?"

"Like I said, 'something important,'" she replied. "Something that means a lot to me, that someone gave me. I dropped it somewhere and now I can't find it."

"But what does it look like?"

"I'll know it when I see it."

Anakin sighed and wondered why girls were so weird. "How am I supposed to help you find it if I don't know what it is?"

She looked up at him, tears shined lightly in her eyes. "You'll help me find it?"

He laughed. "Of course, we're friends right?"

"Yes..." she answered hesitantly.

"And friends help each other, right?"

She slowly nodded her head, once more chewing at her lower lip.

"Then, come on." He said as he held out his hand towards her. "And let's look for your important thing. Whatever it is."

She beamed happily at him, and grasped his hand. Together they started walking down the street, searching the ground for Tahiri's lost item. They searched throughout the entire shopping district, down every back alley and finally ended the search back in front of the baker's shop.

Anakin glanced towards the sun, and noticed that it had started to set. Tahiri followed his gaze and frowned at the sun. She turned to Anakin and said, "It's time for me to go home now."

He slowly nodded his head. "Yeah, I should probably go as well. Can I get your comm frequency?"

She grinned at him, as she shook her head. "Nope. You've just got to keep meeting me here. Bye!"

Then she turned and started running off into the approaching night. Anakin frowned for a moment, watching her until she turned down one of the side alleys and was lost from sight.

A short while later he stepped into the apartment and called out, "I'm home."

"Anakin!"

He looked up to see the yellow-eyed girl running towards him. Before he could react, she was there and jumping towards him. She landed atop of him and he fell backwards. They crashed into a heap on the floor.

"Ow," she complained. "You were supposed to catch me, Anakin."

He frowned at her. "You came running at me, how was I supposed to know to catch you?"

"You just are!" she declared.

Anakin looked up to see Mara Jade and Jaina walking in from the living area. "We have great news," said Mara Jade. "She's remembered her name."

The girl looked at Anakin, pride suffusing her face. "Yes! My name is Sannah. It must be hard for you, to now know what a cute name I have."

Anakin lifted an eyebrow. "It sounds like a boy's name to me."

"It's a cute name. I said it was cute, so it is cute." Sannah replied as she crossed her shoulders and twisted away so that she would not have to look at Anakin.

Anakin could only laugh.

Alien Crossfire Chapter 11

Wedge sat at the desk in the quarters he had been assigned. He frowned at the two things which decorated the desk.

The first was a bottle of Corellian whiskey, a cheap knock-off of Whyren’s Reserve.

The second was a holographic image of his family.

Of his wife, and two precious little girls.

He slammed his fist against the desktop, causing the bottle and the holographic display to jump slightly. Picking up the bottle, he took a long pull, feeling the liquid burn down his throat and the warmth as it hit his belly.

Sighing, he replaced the cap, and put the whiskey in a drawer. I can’t drink myself unconscious. No matter how much I want to.

There was a knock on his door, and Wedge looked at it for a moment. "Come in."

The door slid open, and Wedge smiled as he saw his old friend, Face Loran, standing there. "What can I do for you, Face?"

Face shook his head slightly, catching a light on his shaven head. "Just got a list of the newest arrivals in from Coruscant for you."

Wedge shook his head. "I’m not that interested in them truthfully. But I’ll take what you got?"

Then Face was violently shoved into the room, and Wedge stood up, his hand dropping to the blaster at his waist as Iella stepped in. From behind her are his two little girls.

Wedge was around the desk, before he realized it, and was picking up Syal and Myri, spinning them around. Their laughter a soothing balm to him.

He set them down, and then properly greeted his wife, as his children each grabbed a side of their parents, holding onto them both.

He pulled away from the kiss, happier than he had been in months at finding them again. "I missed you."

She grinned up at him. "Good, you were supposed to."

----------------------------------------
Anakin stared at the Vong warrior, each of them holding a purple saber in identical mid-guards, grotesque mirror images. Frowning Anakin lifted his blade to a high guard watching as the warrior moved into the same position.

Anakin shut down his blade.

The warrior did the same.

Anakin scowled. "What do you want?"

"Is it what I want or what you will become?"

Anakin shook his head, pushing down his anger. "I won’t become you."

The warrior grinned, sharpened teeth flashing through the tatters of lips and cheek muscles. "What makes you think you haven’t already?"

Anakin watched in horror as the warrior grabbed at the seam scar, pulling it apart, ripping it open and peeling it away from his face. He laid the peeled skin back against the glistening armor and Anakin found himself staring at features similar to his own.

Similar but not the same.

He found himself staring at his brother.

"You’re dead."

The not-Jacen smiled at him, that familiar lop-sided grin which Anakin recognized from his own mirror. "Am I?"

"Yes."

He snorted a short laugh. "Oh well. Then don’t you find it odd that your unconscious would project me as a representation of your underlying fears?"

Anakin frowned as he stared at the image of his brother.

"What do you want Jace?"

"You already know that, little brother."

Then Anakin could hear a slight sobbing, and turned around to see Nelani pressed against the wall, her arms wrapped around her legs, and her head pressed against her knees as she rocks slightly. Anakin glanced back towards Jacen and did not see him anymore.

He walked slowly over to her, and knelt down beside her.

"Nelani?"

She looked up at him, and he found himself looking into her red-rimmed eyes, tears streaming down her face. "Are-are you real?"

He smiled for her, and held out his hand. "Yes, I am."

She tentatively reached out and slid her hand into his. As soon as he gripped her hand, she melted forward, flinging herself into his arms.

----------------------------------------
Nen Yim stood before Warmaster Tsavong Lah. She bowed her head slightly, and then straightened, waiting for him to speak.

"You wonder why you were summoned here."

"Yes, Warmaster."

"I want you to check over my implant. To see if it is behaving properly."

Nen Yim nodded her head quickly, and stepped forward, her shaper’s hand running over the implant, probing the join, tasting the necrotic flesh. She frowned, confused. Things were not as they seemed.

"What is it Master Shaper?"

Her headdress twisted slightly in her confusion, as her eyebrows drew closer together. "It does not behave properly. In fact I’ve never seen an implant behave in this way before."

"How so?"

"Usually, when an implant is rejected, either the implant or the original body part dies. Here neither is happening, but rather the radank claw is consuming your arm to regenerate itself."

"What could have caused this?"

Nen Yim slowly shook her head. "I am…uncertain, Warmaster. There is nothing in the protocols that deals with such a thing. It could be the work of the gods."

Tsavong Lah growled, and turned his gaze down at her, for a heartbeat she almost cowered, but instead she stood her ground, watching.

"The gods favor me! I am the Warmaster!"

Nen Yim genuflected. "I meant no disparagement, Warmaster."

He began to pace, like a caged animal. "Can you think of how this could be done to me?"

Nen Yim fell silent, thinking. Her silence stretched as she pondered the problem, as she applied her secret heretical thoughts to what inflicted Tsavong Lah. That thought was almost enough to make her smile.

Finally she looked back up at the warmaster. "Does he touch you?"

The warmaster spun towards her, and she instantly regretted speaking, as she genuflected. "Belek tiu, Warmaster. But the shaper, when he comes to inspect you, does he touch you?"

Tsavong nodded his head slowly. "Yes he does."

"I believe I could replicate this, but there has to be a deliver method for the biot which causes this to happen. I would need to inspect you immediately after him to find it."

Tsavong Lah stared at her for a moment longer, then without speaking another word, he turned away and left the room.

----------------------------------------
"Lando."

Lando grunted, and waved his hand in the air, then reached down and grabbed the thin blanket, pulling it back up over his head.

"Lando."

Lando grunted again, and finally sat up, rubbing at his eyes, and looking around the room trying to find who was talking to him. His eyes flickered across the bare walls, and the austere surroundings, causing Lando to frown, as he considered that this room needed some style.

"Up here Lando."

Lando looked up, to find himself staring at a silver pentagram about a meter long and a meter high. From the point of each angle extended long tapered tentacles which ended in a half-dozen thin fibers. His mouth dropped open in shock.

After a moment, he began to grin widely, his teeth flashing in the dim light. "Vuffi Raa! How have ya been buddy?"

The droid lowered itself closer to Lando. "I have been functioning within parameters, Lando. I am on another mission for my father and the rest of the Silentium."

Lando’s smile faltered a bit. "And what mission is that?"

"I am here to observe your efforts against these invaders. I had hoped to be able to do so by being here with you."

Lando thought for a moment, and then nodded his head. "That sounds great to me, old buddy. Wait until you get to meet my wife."

----------------------------------------
Jacen sat on a small hillock, surrounded by the tall yellow-green razor grass and ignored by the sparkbees as they flittered around from snap-flower to snap-flower. He sat and watched the mass of beings as they toiled at one task after another, driven by the pain supplied by the dhuryam.

The same pain which ran through his body, activating his nerves, supplying pain, heat and cold.

A cheek muscle twitched.

That was the dhuryam’s new trick. To twitch a single muscle over and over again for hours or even days.

Jacen ignored it all. He got up to hunt and eat or to drink. But above all else, he just sat on his hill. Ignored by all the other slaves. The only being who even paid attention to him was the dhuryam.

Jacen ignored them all.

Then a wail pierced the calm which Jacen had wrapped himself in.

A scream of fear and pain. A scream which slammed at the embers of his heart and emotions. Without thinking, he was standing, rushing forward and up and over the hills to find some men surrounding a young girl. She could be no older than thirteen. Jacen caught a glimpse of her blonde hair, coated in grime and decorated with bits of twigs and grass. One of her eyes was swollen from her being hit, while the other displayed an utter abject fear. That eye, and its deep blue that bordered on purple, locked onto him for a moment, and her despair deepened even more.

With a shock, he realized that she thought he had come to join the other men.

With anger, he realized what their intentions were.

His fists tightened as a rage erupted in his heart, driven by the girl’s fear.

One of the men grabbed at her skinrobe.

"Enough. This ends now."

The men looked over at him, sneers forming on their faces. "Go away. This doesn’t concern you."

Jacen stepped closer, slowly, confidently, stretching himself up to his full height. "Stop. She is under my protection."

One of the men hesitated, and then turned towards him, pulling out a bone knife. He darted forward, intent upon stabbing Jacen. Jacen just watched the man advanced, and then at the last second, sidestepped and grabbed the man’s knife hand. Twisting it around, he heard the distinct sound of a breaking bone, and then slammed the knife into the man’s back, sliding the blade between the ribs and into the man's left lung.

He allowed the man to fall to the ground, his eyes focused once more on the leader.

"I said this stops."

The man slapped the girl, sending her sprawling. "Don’t move girl."

With that done, he turned towards Jacen, and rushed forward, followed by the three others. Jacen lowered his center of gravity, spread his legs slightly and prepared to meet them. They arrived, and Jacen attacked. A flurry of strikes of hands and feet and head. He reveled in the sound of bones being broken, and the moans of those who he wounded beyond their capability to fight.

Before he realized what had happened, he found himself with the leader’s head in his arms, his knee planted in the man’s back, as he strained to bend him in ways which his body was never meant to go. He looked over at the girl, still on the ground, the red from her split lip a bright blob of color on her pale skin.

Anger flushed through him again, and he twisted the man’s head. He reveled once more in the clear crisp snap of a breaking bone. He allowed the dead weight to fall from his hands and stood up, carefully walking over to the girl.

She cowered at his approach, and he hunkered down beside her, speaking softly, gently, the way he would to a scared animal. "It’s okay. You’re safe now. I won’t let them touch you."

"Promise?"

Jacen nodded his head. "I promise. Are you hungry?"

The girl nodded her head quickly, and Jacen stood up, holding his hand out to her. "Then come on."

She looked at his hand warily, her eyes flickering between it and his face. Finally she gave in, and grasped his hand, allowing herself to be pulled up. In silence they walked back to the hill where Jacen usually spent his time, and he grabbed the haunch of the game animal he had killed the night before. Ripping a piece off, he passed it to the girl, who quickly consumed it.

She sighed in pleasure, as she licked the juices from her fingers. "Thank you. I’m Taryn. What’s your name?"

He looks at her for a moment before replying. "My name is Jacen."

She smiled for him, a hesitant thing, both weak and brilliant, then a shiver gripped her body, and she lied down in the grass. She looked at him again. "Will you watch over me while I sleep? That’s when they like to try and do things to me."

Anger gripped his heart again as he nodded his head. "Of course I will."

As he watched the young girl fall asleep, he wondered at the innate unfairness of existence. The existence which would make a girl, an innocent such as Taryn, have to suffer such depravities, that she would be scared to sleep.

As a Shaper walked past, muttering to himself in his guttural language, Jacen’s eyes hardened, and his lips pulled back into a silent snarl. He knew who he blamed for it.

Memories Chapter 3-3

Anakin leaned back against the wall, thumping his head solidly against it a few times. Finally he stopped and looked over at the two girls who were amicably chatting.

"Well," he began. "If you're going to be staying with us, we have to be able to call you something."

The girl dropped her head, a perplexed expression coming to her face.

"Yeah, what are we going to call you?" Jaina asked.

"My name?" She lifted her head, her eyes staring hard at the ceiling. Then she dropped her head again, covering it with her hands. "Why can't I remember?"

"Then I'll decide a name for you!" Anakin happily said.

"Hmm..." Anakin hummed as he carefully thought. Then he grinned, and said, "I got it! We'll call you Petchuk Osk'y!"

"That's not nice, Anakin." Jaina said a frown on her face and her arms crossed over her chest.

Anakin looked at her, a grin on his face. "I think it fits."

"What's it mean?" The girl asked; the frown on her face matching Jaina's.

"It's Old Corellian. Literally translated," Jaina replied. "It means bad blooded rival, probably a better translation would be brutal enemy."

She growled and darted forward, slamming her small fist onto the top of his head. "I don't want that as a name!"

Anakin laughed. "Like I said, it fits."

"I'm not brutal!"

She stood over him, and Anakin looked up at her, mischief shining in his eyes. "Look at you, standing there, gritted teeth, balled fists; you're the very definition of brutal."

"Well," Jaina cut in. "She'll probably remember her name eventually."

How did things end up like this? Anakin asked himself.

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

Anakin sat in the class, listening as Master Horn discussed some arcane bit of Force lore.

"So she's a girl without memories," Raynar whispered from the seat behind him. "And she dislikes you. Was she an ex-girlfriend?"

Anakin shook his head. "No, I was like 11 years old when I last came here. But I don't remember anything from back then."

Did I do something to her all those years ago?

Pushing those thoughts away, he turned towards Jaina. Seeing his movement, she turned to face him as well.

"I feel so lost," he told her. "I have to wonder why Uncle Luke stuck me in this advanced course."

Jaina leaned closer, her voice low as she replied, "I'll let you see my notes later."

"Thanks," Anakin said, grinning at her.

Jaina smiled at him and tossed him a wink, before turning her attention back to the front of the class.

Raynar tapped him on the shoulder. Anakin glanced towards him, as he nodded his head out the window. Anakin looked out the window, seeing the meditation garden outside. Standing in the middle of the garden was a young girl with black hair and a shawl wrapped around her shoulders, and he recognized her as the girl he met the other day with Tahiri.

"She's been out there the entire class," Raynar whispered

Anakin glanced at Raynar for a second and then returned his attention to the girl in the yard. "You know who she is?"

"No."

The girl lifted her head and appeared to be staring into their window. After a moment, she dropped her head and started following the small path that twined through the garden. Anakin continued to watch her for a moment, and then turned his attention back to the front and Master Horn's lecture.

Fifteen or twenty minutes later, Master Horn dismissed the class for lunch. Anakin jumped up and dashed out of the room, moving at just shy of a run.

"Anakin!" Jaina called out after him. "Weren't we going to have lunch together?"

"Sorry, I've got to do something, I'll be back soon." Then he darted around the corner. He came to a set of stairs, and flipped himself over the railing, landing with a thud on the lower floor. He glanced to the left and the right, getting his bearings. After a moment, he turned left and continued down the hallway until he came to a door that led outside of the Temple. He pushed open the door, and ran out into the bright light of the noon-time sun. He covered his eyes with one hand, looking around, trying to find the girl.

He took a few more steps, walking deeper into the meditation garden.

"Did she leave?" He asked aloud.

Then he heard the shuffle of the stones from behind him, and he turned around to find the girl standing by one of the trees. Her hand rested lightly against the dark purple bark, amusement flashed in her eyes as she watched him.

"Hello," she said with a shy smile. "Why are you out here?"

Anakin grinned at her. "I heard that there was some strange girl wandering around the Temple grounds, so I came to see her. People who are where they don't belong interest me."

She giggled, and he noticed how the laughter seemed to flash in her eyes. "It's almost right. But unfortunately for your interest, I do belong here." She started walking around him, one hand lightly tracing along the trunks of the trees which she walked past. Softly, she continued talking, "I'm actually here for Jedi training."

"Oh?" Anakin was taken aback slightly. He watched her as she continued to walk around him, her blue eyes shining. After a moment, he said, "Then why are you standing here during classes?"

"I was absent today."

Anakin laughed slightly. "Don't you mean you were skipping?"

She continued her circuit around him. Amusement made her voice light and musical. "It's not skipping. I got kind of sick, so I'm taking some time off." She stopped her walking, looking down at the ground for a moment. Finally she looked at Anakin again, and continued, "I wasn't exactly... healthy even before coming here. And it's gotten worse lately. Not even Master Cilghal is quite certain what's happening."

Anakin turned to fully face her once again, concern and worry coloring his expression. "What's wrong?"

"A cold." She nodded her head a few times. "I caught a cold and it just... stayed with me."

Anakin frowned for a moment, and tilted his head to one side. "I thought it would be something more... serious."

She giggled, a light, chiming noise. "Oh, then we'll call it influenza."

"It's the same thing."

She shrugged her shoulders. "Well, I snuck out of the house and came over here to meet someone. If the Masters find out I'm out here while on sick leave, I'd probably get yelled at."

"Who are you waiting for?"

She grinned mischievously, and raised a finger to her lips. "It's a secret."

She dropped her hand, and started walking down the path again. Anakin fell into step beside her, quietly enjoying the simple act of walking.

After a few minutes, he glanced at her, and then asked, "So, you caught a cold?"

"That's right."

"Then shouldn't you be home sleeping?"

"No," she replied. "I've been resting a lot recently. So I was feeling great today. So I came to meet that person."

"And you went shopping yesterday?"

She nodded her head. "Yeah."

She quickly took two steps out in front of Anakin and then stopped and turned to face him. "I'm going home now."

"Weren't you waiting for someone?"

"It's all right," she said. "I'm sorry that I made you stay out here with me."

Anakin smiled at her. "It was nothing. I just missed lunch."

She frowned at him. "You shouldn't say mean things like that." Then her countenance brightened with a smile. "I'll be going now."

She turned away from him and started walking towards the main gate of the Temple. Anakin watched her leave, frowning as he did so.

"Hey! Wait!" He called out.

She turned towards him, and tilted her head slightly.

"I'm Anakin Solo."

She grinned at him. "I'm Nelani."

"Do you have a last name?"

By way of answer, she waved at him, and then turned back around and continued on towards the gate.

Memories Chapter 3-2

Anakin watched as the girl's yellow eyes lit up with pleasure as she chewed on a piece of the nerf steak Mara Jade had placed in front of her. She consumed the food with an almost animalistic intensity, barely taking the time to chew before she would swallow whatever bite she had placed in her mouth.

"You must have been really hungry," Jaina said with a touch of amazement to her voice.

Anakin looked at his sister for a moment, before turning his attention back to the girl.

"Hey," he began, a niggle of worry for the girl worming its way into his chest. "Let up a little. You might choke."

"It's all right," Mara Jade said. "I'm just glad that she's eating."

The girl picked up her empty plate and held it out towards Mara Jade, saying, "More please."

To Anakin's amazement, Mara Jade calmly took the plate away from the girl and spooned out a few more servings of protatoes and another slice of nerf. Then she handed the plate back to the girl, who once more dug into the food. He looked once more towards Jaina, and noticed the amazement that was on her face as well.

Anakin frowned and shook his head slightly, before asking, "Well it is dinner time. So tell us, who are you?"

"I don't remember," she calmly replied.

All three of them just stared at her, and Anakin arched an eyebrow at her.

"I forgot who I am," she continued. "It's called amnesia, lubed, huh?"

Anakin's frown deepened and he picked up his knife by the blade and then stretched out over the table and whacked the top of her head with the handle.

"Ouch!" she screamed. She then rubbed at the top of her head where Anakin had hit her. "Hey, why did you hit me?"

"Because it's obvious you're lying to us," Anakin responded. "Now, answer seriously."

"But it's true!"

Anakin started to smirk and jabbed at his chest with a thumb as he responded, "If you have amnesia, why do you remember me?"

She leaned forward, over the table, a scowl creasing her features. "I just remember that I had a grudge against you. That there's something I can't forgive you for. But I don't remember anything else!"

He barked a short, sharp laugh. "My, what a convenient form of amnesia you seem to have. Is that even possible?"

"Yes, it is," she replied. "So, I can't help it."

She started growling at him, and leaned even closer over the table. Anakin responded instinctively, leaning forward as well, even as he wondered if she would attack him again.

Then she made her move. Her hand shot out, but rather than striking at him, she grabbed the last banja cake from off of his plate.

A mischievous grin appeared on her face as she leaned back into her seat and exclaimed, "Here I go!" Then she popped the cake into her mouth, quickly chewing and swallowing it.

Anakin stood up, slapping his hands onto the table top. "Hey! That was the last banja cake!"

"You..." Anakin began. The girl looked at him, and then squeaked in surprise. She quickly stood up and darted towards the living room, and Anakin screamed after her, "Hey wait up!"

Then he started chasing after her.

"It's already gone," she called out towards him.

From behind him, he could hear Mara Jade and Jaina laughing at him over his behavior.

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

After dinner, Anakin, Jaina and the girl were seated in a circle on the floor of the room where Anakin had laid her down earlier. As the two girls watched, Anakin calmly emptied the contents of the girl's portfolio, laying the items out in neat piles in the center of the circle.

The girl glared at Anakin and said, "It's not nice to look through a girl's wallet, you know."

Anakin just shrugged, and continued pulling out its contents, after a moment, he replied, "I'm just looking for something to tell us who you are. An identi-card or something."

Anakin pulled out a few more items, and then allowed his eyes to flicker between the two girls as he said, "Looking in a girl's wallet is interesting. It's almost as if you all just pick up random things to shove in here."

Jaina arched an eyebrow at him. "Have much experience looking through girl's wallets?"

Anakin frowned at her, and laid down a handful of credit chits. After he had laid them down, Jaina reached over to ruffle through the pile, and pulled out a flimsie with several still holos on it. She held it up to show the others. "Hey, look an image."

Anakin leaned over to look at it, and sees several images of just the yellow-eyed girl. She appeared sad, alone. Anakin looked at her. "You couldn't get anyone to take a picture with you?"

"I took that after I lost my memory," the girl responded, a frown flickering onto her face.

Anakin harrumphed and flipped through the wallet again, finding it empty. "No identicard, no comlink, nothing. I guess that settles it, we need to contact security.

The girl yelped in fear, and darted behind Jaina, saying, "No! Don't do that!"

Jaina looked at him, confusion on her face. "Why would we do that?"

Anakin's gaze flickered between the two of them. "Because it's security's job to deal with missing people."

"I don't know," Jaina replied as she raised a finger to her mouth and began to chew on it.

"But I want to stay here."

Anakin focused fully on her. "Why? Especially if you have some type of grudge against me."

"Because," the girl began as she lowered her head. "You're like a signpost for me. I forgot so much, but when I saw you, I remembered something. It's a start."

Jaina cut in and said, "I think I agree with her, Anakin. I say we let her stay with us for a while."

Anakin began to shake his head. "I still don't think I like it."

The girl growled and stood up. Then she dashed forward and slammed her fist down on top of Anakin's head before retreating back behind Jaina again.

"Ow!" Anakin exclaimed. "What was that for?"

"Well," the girl began. "I saw your face and got mad again."

He frowned as he rubbed at the top of his head. "I still say we call security. Let them deal with her."

"And I say that we let her stay," Jaina argued as the girl stuck her tongue out at Anakin.

"Well, this is my apartment isn't it?"

"Mine too," Jaina responded, her face darkening the more Anakin argued with her.

A cough from the doorway drew all three of their attention, to find Mara Jade leaning against the door jamb, an amused expression on her face as she said, "If you want to get technical, this is my apartment. It's the one I held prior to me and your uncle getting married."

Jaina pointed towards their aunt. "Then we can let Aunt Mara make the decision."

Anakin frowned at Jaina. "Good, because there's no way Aunt Mara will let her stay." He grinned up towards Mara Jade. "Make the decision Aunt Mara."

"Fine," Mara Jade sighed. "My decision is that we let her stay."

"What?" Anakin exclaimed as the two girls stood up and danced. From the corner of his eye, he noticed that the girl had stuck her tongue out at him again.

He turned his attention back to Mara Jade. "Why, Aunt Mara?"

"It's simple. She's either a Jedi trainee or the family of one, and she's in obvious need. The two of you are both Jedi trainees and as such need to be able to help people like her. If we called security, they'd put her in a detention facility or maybe one of the guest rooms of the Temple until they could find out who she is, if we bypass that, then she can stay here, and I'll keep an eye out on the security calls to see if anyone is reported missing."

She turned away and started walking down the hallway, calling out over her shoulder, "Besides, she obviously remembers you, Anakin. So if you're around she might remember more."

Then she was out of sight, once more at the front of the apartment. Anakin sighed and glanced where the two girls were, noting that they had once more sat down. The girl stuck her tongue out at him again.

Anakin looked at Jaina, saying, "It took her less than a second to make that decision. And she said yes. I still can't believe that she would say yes."

Jaina laughed at him. "You're still thinking of her as Aunt Mara the smuggler. That was Aunt Mara the Jedi Master you just dealt with. Besides, she's my Master, why wouldn't she side with me?"

Memories Chapter 3-1

A dream...

I can hear it in my dream. The sound of running water. Sometimes it is the roar of a river. Sometimes it is a harsh drumming of a summer thunderstorm. Other times it is the gentle whisper of a spring rain. Yet, these sounds are meaningless. Less than nothing.

After all, this is just my dream.

Though, I have to wonder. When did I notice? When did I realize that this was nothing but a dream? When did I stop being able to tell myself that I was awake and aware - that I wasn't dreaming?

Was it a long time ago? Months? Years? Or was it just a few minutes ago? Less than a heartbeat ago?

I remember being taught that time was subjective, especially for those with the Force as their ally. Yet, I know that this, all of this, is nothing but a dream. Or maybe it's a remembrance of a dream. Sometimes, I'm not sure I know the difference.

Because even that answer, that this is a dream, is getting hazy inside the dream. Lost to me...

Like so much else. I am even now; unable to tell how much time is passing, has passed. Is there really a difference? Does it matter if I dreamed for a day or for a thousand? Part of me says yes, that it is important. That it matters.

Yet, I cannot help but believe that it doesn't. That no matter how long I stay in this dream, be it seconds or centuries that nothing will ever truly matter. That it will always just be a dream that I can't wake up from.

That promises will be broken.

That dreams will not come true.

Especially, when my dream is of the day that I will wake up...

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

The girl with yellow eyes threw a punch at Anakin. Instead of dodging or moving, he just stood there and took it. Her strike was weak, ineffectual. She struck again and then again.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

In response, she yelled again, and kicked at him. Anakin took the brunt of the kick on the side of his thigh, and then stretched out his hand and placed it against the top of her forehead. Her hands snapped up to his wrist, trying to break free from his grasp.

Anakin frowned at her, and asked, "Is that it?"

She let go of his wrist and dropped to her knees, hanging her head low. "Yeah..."

Anakin still looking down at her, chuckled. "That wasn't much of an attack."

"I'm hungry..."

Then she collapsed onto the ground, crumpling into a mass of splayed limbs. Anakin stared at her in shock for a moment, and then looked around the area, hoping to see someone, anyone, around. He sighed when he realized that he was alone with the girl. He leaned down and pressed his fingers to her neck to check her pulse. He found it, steady but weak. Brushing a few of the locks of hair away, he noticed three hardened thin lines on her neck, just beneath the jaw line. He ran his fingers down one of them, and watched as she shuddered.

He shook her. "Hey, don't faint here. And not on me." Looking once more for someone who could help and finding no one, he asked her unconscious form, "Just what is it that I'm supposed to do with you anyhow?"

Neither receiving nor expecting an answer, Anakin picked her up and tossed her over his shoulders in a standard rescue carry. He then grabbed his bags and carefully stood up. Grunting under the strain, he began the long walk back to his apartment building.

As he arrived, he rested for a moment at the main entrance, and glanced at where her face hung, noticing that she was still unconscious.

"You're heavy." He complained to her.

He sighed when she still did not respond. Pushing open the doors, he boarded the lift and stood while the machine took him up to the floor where his apartment was. Aching from the exertion of carrying her so far, he shambled to the door and pressed his palm against the lock mechanism. The door slid open and he stepped in.

"Welcome home!" Jaina called out from the living room. "You got the stuff for dinner, right?"

She calmly walked into the foyer, and glanced at the girl strung over his shoulders. She arched an eyebrow at him as a mischievous grin slipped onto her face. "We're supposed to have that for dinner?"

"What?" Anakin exclaimed. "Does she look like food to you?"

Mara Jade slipped into the foyer behind Jaina and looked at the girl Anakin was carrying. "Jaina told me that you were bringing home dinner, I didn't realize that she meant a date."

Anakin glared at his aunt, and through clenched teeth said, "You don't have to tell lame jokes like that."

Muttering under his breath, he pushed past them, carrying the girl deeper into the apartment, heading towards one of the unused bedrooms. He dropped the bags at the door, and then gently laid her down on the bed. Mara walked in behind him, carrying a blanket which she spread out over her. Anakin stood by, frowning down at the girl wondering why his life had become so complicated.

Then Jaina walked in. She leaned against the door jamb, her gaze flickering between Anakin and the girl on the bed.

"What happened?"

Anakin looked up at Jaina for a moment, before turning his attention back to the girl. After a moment, he responded, "She came up to me in the shopping district, and started hitting me. Then she collapsed."

Jaina frowned. "You've had to have left out most of that story? I didn't understand it at all."

"But that's really all that happened."

Before Jaina could respond, Mara Jade interrupted, "Regardless, we need to wake her up. It's getting late and her parents are probably getting worried about her."

Anakin nodded his head. "Yeah."

He took a few steps forward, and as Mara Jade and Jaina watched, he poked the girl on the nose, saying, "Hey! Wake up!"

When she did not respond, he frowned and glanced up at the others. Then he returned his attention to the girl, and called out in a louder voice, "Hey! The food's ready!"

Her eyes snapped open and she bolted upright, her arms flickered out catching Anakin in the chest and pushed him backwards so that he fell on his butt.

"Food? Where?" She asked. Then in a smooth movement, she rolled out of the bed, and dashed to the desk, looking around the flat surface of its top. "Where's the food?"

Finally, she paused and turned to look at the three others as confusion appeared on her face.

"Who are you people?" The girl stammered out.

Anakin scowled at her, and replied, "That's what we should be asking you."

The confusion on her face grew deeper as she considered Anakin's words.

"I..."

Mara Jade interrupted then, speaking to Anakin she said, "I think the questions can wait a bit, until dinner's ready." Then she turned her attention to the girl. "You can rest here. Someone will come get you when dinner's ready."

Then Mara Jade leaned down and grabbed the collar of Anakin's tunic and hauled him to his feet. She then turned and marched out of the room, gesturing Jaina to precede her, and dragging Anakin along behind her.

Memories Chapter 2-3

Anakin looked down at her, feeling a frown form on his face. "Why did you jump towards me?"

She leaned up slightly, propping herself up on her elbows as she regarded him. "I'm left-handed."

"Oh. Well, I couldn't have predicted that."

She stood up, still rubbing her nose slightly. Suddenly, she glanced behind her, and then reached out and grabbed his hand. She started pulling him down the street. "Right, we have to run."

Anakin nearly stumbled, but was able to get into the same pace as the girl before she dragged him off of his feet.

"Again? We're doing this again?" Anakin asked bewildered.

Between the pants of her heavy breathing, Tahiri answered, "Less talking, more running."

Then to his surprise, she started running faster and Anakin had to focus more on running and keeping up with Tahiri, than with questioning her.

After a few more minutes of running, she stopped and looked around. Anakin leaned against a tree, panting hard, trying to catch his breath after the exertion of the run.

She glanced at him. "You're out of shape."

Anakin frowned at her, as she looked up and down the path they were on. Anakin did the same, and found that she had led them somewhere that he had yet to visit.

"Looks like we ran pretty far," she said calmly.

"Why are you running away two days in a row? I thought we paid yesterday?"

"I went to buy some canapés again today. And I pulled out my wallet, only to notice that I had left my credit chit at home. I was about to tell the baker sorry..."

"Let me guess, a big white furry creature tried to eat one of the canapés again?" Anakin interrupted.

Tahiri blushed slightly. "No. Today it was a whisperkit. It jumped up on the table, and the baker made another face and scared me. So I ran away."

"How many times are you going to do that?"

Her cheeks turned an even darker red. "I didn't mean to!"

Anakin snorted and just looked at her.

She stomped and twisted away from him, saying, "If that's how you're going to be, I don't think I want to be your friend."

Anakin straightened up finally, and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Wait Tahiri, I'm sorry. But let's go back later and apologize, okay?"

She looked back over her shoulder at him, hurt and forgiveness both shining in her eyes and she gave her head a quick bob of assent. They begin walking down the path, chatting amicably about nothing.

Around fifteen minutes later, Tahiri pulls out one of the canapés, and takes a large bite out of it. "These are so good. And they taste the best when they're nice and hot."

Suddenly Tahiri stopped and looked around, a frown darkening her face. "Hey, didn't we walk down here before?"

Anakin shrugged his shoulders. "I'm just walking with you."

She turned towards him slightly. "I was just following you. I've never been in this part of town before." She thought for a moment, and then her head snapped towards him. "Could it be that you don't know where you are?"

Anakin arched an eyebrow at her, even as his mouth dropped open in shock. "Hey, you've lived here for a while. I just arrived from Coruscant. Don't ask me where anything is."

"You just arrived? You've not been here all this time?"

"Yeah, I used to be in training about six years ago, but something happened, and I don't really remember that much," Anakin replied.

"Anakin... Anakin Solo. I... when you introduced yourself yesterday, I wondered. I mean you had the same name, and were kind of weird. But I just assumed that that was a coincidence. But you came back for me. You remembered our promise! Welcome back, Anakin!"

Her arms snapped out, extending as far open as she could make them, and then she rushed forward. Instinctively, Anakin sidestepped, and Tahiri rushed past him. As she did so, he noticed that her eyes were closed, and a large smile was plastered on her face. Then with a solid thud sound, she ran into one of the trees which lined the road.

Anakin winced as he looked at her. "A-are you all right?" He thought for a moment. "Sorry Tahiri. That was kind of mean of me wasn't it?"

She didn't move or respond and Anakin scratched at the top of his head.

"I guess you're not even hurt."

She twirled around fast. "That did so hurt. And it hurt a lot."

"I'm sorry. It was a reflex."

Tears welled up in Tahiri's eyes. "You dodged me. I can't believe that you dodged me."

Anakin was about to reply when something caught his eye. He glanced to the left and saw a girl around his age sitting on the ground, items spread around her, and the bag which had contained them, on the ground beside her with a large rip in it. Anakin looked at her for a moment, noticing the long dark hair, and the shawl wrapped around her shoulders, even though the weather was on the warm side. Finally he noticed that she was covered in leaves from the tree which Tahiri had run into.

"Are you all right?" He asked.

She looked up at him, her blue eyes wide. "Y-yes."

Tahiri rushed over to them. "Are you all right?"

Anakin glanced at Tahiri, and said, "Running into that tree knocked all those leaves onto her."

Tahiri glared at him. "You're making it sound like my fault!"

He shrugged his shoulders. "Just stating the truth."

She stomped her feet, and pointed at him. "It's because you moved out of the way!"

"It's because you attacked me all of a sudden." Anakin almost laughed as he could feel her outrage and frustration growing.

"It wasn't an attack! It was a reunion." She said as she stomped her foot, crossed her arms over her chest and turned away from Anakin. "What should have been a happy reunion, you moved out of the way! Fine, but the only person who would ever run into a tree at a reunion after six years would probably be me."

Anakin smirked at her. "Congratulations, I'm sure it's a first."

Tahiri looked over her shoulder at him. "I'm not happy at all!"

Anakin had to suppress his laughter, and glanced down at the dark-haired girl who was still sitting on the ground, trying her best to look at both of them at the same time. He looked back at Tahiri. "Because you're saying weird stuff, you've scared her."

"It's not my fault," she replied.

Anakin sighed, and leaned down closer to the dark-haired girl, holding out his hand towards her. "Can you get up?"

She looked at his hand for a moment, and then looked up at him. Finally, she responded in a weak voice, "Yes."

She slipped her hand into his, and allowed him to help her to her feet.

Anakin smiled at her, and cocked his head towards Tahiri. "I'm sorry. I don't know what's wrong with her, but I'm just a regular good citizen."

Then he dropped down to one knee and began to pick up the things that the girl had dropped.

Tahiri rushed over to help pick things up as well. "I'm a good citizen too!"

Anakin looked at her, and arched an eyebrow again as he dropped a utility knife and a roll of tape back into girl's bag. "Good citizens don't eat without paying."

The girl dropped to her knees to help them, and in the same weak voice said, "I'm sorry."

Anakin paused to watch her, something aching at the back of his neck over the whole situation. He watched as Tahiri held out the bag of items towards the girl. She accepted the items, wrapping her arms around them to make sure that they would not fall again.

"Thank you," she managed.

She stood up and began to walk down the path and Anakin and Tahiri dropped into step beside her. Silence fell over them for a short distance, before Tahiri broke it. "You sure did buy a lot of things."

The girl lowered her head slightly. "I don't go outside much. So when I do, I tend to buy a lot of things."

Anakin smirked. "She paid for her stuff, so there's not a problem."

Tahiri's head slowly turned from the girl to face Anakin, an angry scowl plastered on it. "You make me sound like some type of criminal."

Anakin shrugged his shoulders. "It's just the truth."

"I'm a good girl!"

Anakin laughed. "Good girls don't eat and run."

She dropped her chin to her chest, and scowled slightly. After a moment, she brightened once more and turned towards the dark-haired girl. "So, why are you here on Yavin IV?"

The girl just smiled at them and started down a secondary path. "My house is this way. Bye!"

Anakin watched her walk off for a moment, before he suddenly called out, "Wait!"

The girl paused and slowly turned to face them. "Yes?"

"Do you think you could tell us how to get back to the shopping district?"

A half hour later and Anakin and Tahiri are once again apologizing to the baker. After they had finished, they walked through the shopping district. Tahiri smiled happily up at him. "I was happy today."

"That's good."

"Do you think we could meet again?"

Anakin stopped walking and looked at her. He noticed the blush that had cropped up on her cheeks and nodded his head. "Yeah, I think I'd like that."

She beamed up at him, a bright, infectious smile. "Then it's a promise! I've got to go home now, bye!"

And then she was running away.

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

Anakin stepped out of the grocery store, the bag holding the ingredients for dinner in one hand, the bag holding his school items in the other. Suddenly a form wrapped in a brown cloak appeared before him.

"You..."

Startled, Anakin dropped the bags he was holding.

The form spoke again, "you." Then she ripped away the cloak. It was a girl around his age with brown hair curled into long tight locks and yellow eyes. "I won't forgive you."

Anakin frowned at her. "I don't.... who are you?"

She drew back her fist and with a sharp yell threw a punch at him.

Kidan's Fan Fic

Welcome

Labels

"Fic Archive

Subscribe via email