Memories, Ch. 21

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Anakin once more recognized the dream.

They were standing inside one of the Massassi temples, silk webs where everywhere, a weak shaft of light came in through one of the windows. They stood side-by-side, staring down into the darkness. He reached down, and found a thigh bone. Frowning at it, he stuck the bone into the web and twirled it, wrapping the web around the end of the bone. Then he pulled out a multitool from his pocket, and turned on the igniter, setting fire to the webbing.

Tahiri stepped into the shaft of light, holding the small, winged doll he had given her. The one he had told her would grant wishes. She raised it up by the thin string loop that came from the back of its head, watching as it swung back and forth in front of her eyes. They were dark with fear, glittering slightly in the flickering light of their torch.

"For my second wish.... I wish that we'd always be together. That we'd be here training with each other; that I'd get to go home with you; that you'd always be my friend. That you'll always be by my side." She looked up at him. "Is that okay?"

He nodded his head. "I promised that I'd grant anything that I can." Then he smiled at her. "Tell you what. This is our special place. It's not the praxeum, but it's our school. One just for us, where we don't have to deal with tests or training. Where we can do whatever we want, and whenever I come back for training, we'll come here."

She smiled back at him. "And we'll have canapés every day for lunch?"

He snorted with laughter. "Well, everyday is a bit much..."

"But we'll meet here, right?"

"Right."

"Good," she replied. "Then it's a promise.

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His alarm clock went off, and he sat up. He looked around, and sighed. Then he rolled out of bed and stretched. Walking over to the clock, he pressed the button to deactivate the alarm. He continued forward, walking towards the door to the balcony, his fingers trailing lightly over Tahiri's backpack as he walked past it.

He opened the curtain, staring out at the bright morning sunlight. He lifted his hand, staring down at the dirt that stained it, the dirt that was still caked beneath his fingernails.

In his mind, he heard Tahiri's voice once again. I'm sorry, Anakin. I... I don't think I'll be able to meet you anymore.

Sighing, he allowed the curtain to close and went to get ready for his day.

Once clean and dressed, he walked into the kitchen. Mara looked up from her cup of caf and nodded her head once, sharply. "Good morning, Anakin."

He smiled weakly for her, and glanced over, noticing Jaina already dressed and eating a slice of toast. "And I see you're up early this morning."

The toast paused just shy of Jaina's mouth. "So, Tahiri didn't come back last night?"

"Yeah," he replied, turning away from his sister.

"What could have happened?" she asked. "Could she have gone home?"

He felt Mara's stare, and turned towards her. One of her eyebrows arched slightly. "Anakin, if you're not feeling well, I'm sure I can convince your uncle to give you the day off."

He merely shook his head in reply, walking into the kitchen to get his breakfast.

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Anakin had lunch with Jaina in the Academy's cafeteria.

He pushed the food from one side of his plate to the other, not really hungry.

Jaina chewed thoughtfully, "So you don't have any way to contact her? Not her address nor her comm number?"

"Nope," he replied sullenly. "I never asked her for them."

She finally noticed that he wasn't eating. "You've got to eat properly. You've not touched your lunch, and you didn't finish your breakfast."

He shook his head. "I just don't have any appetite."

Jaina lowered her head slightly. "You really love her, don't you..."

Frowning, he lifted his head. "What did you say?"

She quickly shook her head. "No, it's nothing."

After training was over for the day, Anakin retraced the path he had traveled with Tahiri the night before. Following the river, deep into the woods until he came to the broken, blasted Temple. He stared hard at the rubble, wondering what had happened there so many years ago.

Sighing, he turned away, and went back to the town. He found himself wondering through the shopping district, ending up in the small park which contained the bench that he would meet Tahiri at.

He dropped his chin to his chest. It was as if he could almost see her sitting on that bench, an angry scowl on her face as she chided him for being late.

He sucked in a deep breath of air, fighting back the urge to break down into tears.

"Anakin!" Jaina called out from behind him.

He turned, and saw her walking towards him.

"Have you found Tahiri yet?" she asked when she got within a few meters of him.

"No," he replied. "I had thought... had hoped, that she'd come if I waited here, but..."

"Here? Why?"

He smiled. "Because I always waited for her here."

"I see..."

Later, they were sitting at one of the small tables at Poltz. Jaina with a cup of tea in front of her, Anakin nursing a cup of caf. Jaina slowly stirred some sweetener into her cup, and then set aside her spoon.

She lifted her eyes to stare at him. "I asked some of the other trainees, the ones that have non-Jedi family. None of them know anything about a school near that burned out temple."

"Okay," he replied, taking a sip of his caf.

A strained silence stretched between them, and he noticed Jaina frowning at him, yet he couldn't bring himself to care.

Finally, she broke it. "Did you find what Tahiri had lost?"

"No," he replied. "Come to think of it, everything's just strange. That temple. Tahiri's lost item... and... and why don't I remember?"

He sighed as he stared out the window.

"Don't worry," Jaina said, smiling at him. "I'm sure she'll come back, after all you've got her bag, and it's her favorite, right?"

"Yeah," he replied, a weak smile appearing on his lips. "That's right."

He knew what his sister was trying to do, and though in his heart, he wondered if he would ever see Tahiri again, he was still happy that Jaina was trying so hard to cheer him up.

Then Jaina started waving her hand at a waitress, and he looked up. She was grinning, as she called out, "Excuse me! Can we get two strawberry parfaits over here please?"

The server droid beeped in acknowledgement and rolled back towards the kitchen.

Anakin frowned at her, and she smiled brightly at him. "If you eat something tasty, you'll cheer up."

He chuckled, shaking his head slightly.

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Anakin and Jaina stepped into their apartment. He looked around and saw Mara Jade sitting on one of the couches, bouncing Ben on her knee.

"Hey, Aunt Mara. We're home," he called out to her.

She looked up and over at them. "Welcome back."

"So, did Tahiri com while we were at the Academy?"

Slowly, Mara shook her head. "No."

"I see," Anakin replied, frowning down at his shoes.

Then he walked down the hall towards his room. He could almost make out Jaina and Mara talking, but pushed it from his mind, and went in. Dropping his school bag on the floor by the door, he walked over to his desk, and picked up Tahiri's bag. He opened it and once more looking in all its pockets, frowning at the fact that it was perfectly empty.

"Nothing that might be a clue," he muttered under his breath.

Dropping into his chair, he spun it around so that it faced out the window. He could see a slice of sky and noticed that it had taken on the orange and red hues of a sunset. His voice was nothing but a pained whisper, as he said, "Tahiri..."

There was a knock on his door, and he turned back towards it as Jaina pushed it open.

"Hey Anakin, have you done your assignment yet?"

He frowned and shook his head.

"Good," she replied, smiling at him. "Then we can split up the workload."

Five minutes later, they were sitting on stools beside each other at a workbench in her room, their assignment spread out around them.

He looked at his sister, frowning slightly. "You do know that we don't have to work together on this."

She nodded. "I know. But we have an easier workload like this. It's not just for you that I decided to do it this way, you know."

Anakin barked a short, sharp laugh. "Ah, so you're just after making your life easier."

"Well, then, does that mean you're going to do all of it by yourself?"

She smiled brightly at him, and he sighed, looking down at the workbook he had opened in front of him. "So, which ones am I in charge of?"

Leaning towards him, she pointed out a few different problems.

A short while later, he finished making notations in his datapad and then lifted his head, and looked around. He frowned as he saw Jaina stretched out on the floor, snoring lightly.

"Hey, Jaina. If you're going to sleep, sleep on your bed."

"Go 'way, 'Kin. I'm sleepy."

He sighed, and shook his head. Standing, he walked over to her bed, and pulled the comforter off of it, and then returned to her side, and gently laid it out over her.

Sighing contentedly, she pulled the cover up to her cheeks and snuggled down into it.

Smiling, Anakin turned away and left the room, pulling the door closed behind him. Right before he closed it, he looked back into it, and said, "Thank's for cheering me up."

Then the door was closed, and he walked across the hallway, returning to his own room.

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A stiff cold breeze slashed through his light jacket. True Night had fallen, and with it came nearly freezing temperatures and nearly perfect darkness, made worse by the darkness of the forest they were traveling through. The only part of his body that seemed warm was his right hand, where it was tightly clasped by a pair of hands. He cast a glance over his shoulder to see who was clinging to his hand, and saw a 9 year old Tahiri. He turned back to face the direction he was walking.

"Anakin, it's dark out here," she whined, a hint of fear in her voice. "I'm scared."

"Don't worry, I'm with you," he replied.

"Yeah..."

He tossed another grin over his shoulder. "Besides, that temple is in a clearing, there'll be more light there when we get there."

They walked a dozen more meters in silence, when she suddenly squeezed his hand tighter. "Don't let go of my hand, okay?"

"Yeah, I have you tight."

She fell into silence again, and they stepped out of the forest into the clearing to look up at the temple. Ominous in the daytime, it sent a superstitious chill racing down his spine looking at it in the nearly perfect darkness.

Tahiri pulled her hand from his, making a gasping noise. She rushed over towards the bushes and began digging. A few moments later she pulled a metal canister with a faded Alliance symbol on its side. Standing, she lifted the canister up and held it out towards him. "Anakin? Have you ever heard of a time capsule?"

He frowned. "Yeah, it's something you put stuff into and bury or put into space so it can be looked at sometime in the future."

Her smile dazzled him. "Do you think we can use this for that?"

He took the canister from her and unscrewed the top, looking into it. "Yeah, I think it's airtight. What are you going to put into it?"

She took the canister, leaving him holding the lid, as her free hand dug into her pocket. She held up the small doll that he had given her, and said, "This!" She paused, frowning slightly. "Or do you not want me to?"

"You can, but you still have one wish left."

"I've had two wishes granted," she said as she smiled down at the small doll. "So that's enough for me. This last one is for the future me... or... or it's for someone else who needs it."

"But... but I'm the one who grants the wish."

She dropped the doll into the canister, and took the lid from him, screwing it on tight. "Good luck then."

She giggled as she knelt down, and grabbed a stick. Using that, she quickly dug a hole and then dropped the canister into it. After covering the canister up, she stood, wiping her hands on the legs of her jumpsuit.

Anakin looked around, frowning. "Will we be able to find it without any markers?"

"We'll definitely be able to find it," she replied, beaming a smile at him. "When there's someone who needs it, it'll appear."

A short while later, they are once more at the Praxeaum, standing just outside the bright glow coming from the still open hanger. Tahiri turned towards him. "Tomorrow, we're going back…"

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The next day, Jaina and Anakin walked together, heading towards the Temple.

He looked over at her. "Hey, Jaina, why did you stay on Yavin all these years?"

She stumbled slightly, and then looked at him for a moment, before turning away. "I... I had to complete my training. I was Aunt Mara's apprentice after all."

"Ah," he replied. "That's right. So, you two spent a lot of time together?"

She quickly nodded. "Yeah. I love her a lot, and she's helped me through a whole bunch of things."

"But wasn't it lonely without ever seeing mom or dad?"

Jaina lowered her chin for a moment. "A little, but they did come here to Yavin a few times. And there was Aunt Mara and Uncle Luke."

"I see."

"But you're here now, so I have even more family."

He chuckled. "True."

Then she lifted her face towards the sun. "But it would be nice for Tahiri to come back..."

After training was over for the day, Anakin, Raynar and Jaina were in the woods on the path leading to the remains of the temple from his dreams. The one which Tahiri had told him was her school.

Raynar looked over at him, leaning against the shovel he was using. "And are you sure that Tahiri's lost... thing is here?"

Anakin nodded his head. "Yeah, at least this is near where she was digging."

"Well," he replied, once more digging the shovel into the ground. "I've got nothing better to do right now, so I'm good."

"Sorry, and thanks."

A few minutes later, Jaina sighed. "It's not around here at all."

Raynar looked over at her. "Well, if there were a few more people, we could probably find it faster but..."

"But," Jaina continued for him. "We can't help it since we can't ask Kiori."

Anakin grunted, not really interested in talking about Nelani. He felt his two companions staring at his back, but just continued digging. After a few moments, he heard them begin to dig once more.

Suddenly, Jaina's spade clunked against something hard. Both Anakin's and Raynar's head snapped towards her, as she drugged her hands through the loose dirt. With a quick tug, she yanked out the shell of a mouse droid. Holding it up so they could see, she shook her head. "This isn't it, is it?"

Anakin sighed, and turned back to his own hole. "No..."

As night neared, the three turned back to the path, and looked down it, seeing the three dozen holes they had dug.

"We'll probably get yelled at if we don't fill them in," Jaina said, weariness weighing on her voice.

Wiping his brow with his sleeve, Raynar looked up towards the sky. "Could it have gotten dug up by someone else?"

Anakin turned away, and dropped to the ground. "It's possible, but..."

"But it could still be buried, right?" Jaina chimed in. "So, let's keep looking for it, okay?"

"That's right!" Raynar joined in.

"Yeah," Anakin replied, turning to look up at them.

Raynar smiled, and took a few steps forward, and shoved the shovel into the dirt close to a stunted, young tree. He pulled out a shovelful of dirt, and tossed it to the side, and repeated the process. This time though, the metal edge thunked loudly against something.

"Hey!" he called out. "Could this be it?"

Anakin scrambled over, Jaina a few seconds behind him.

He reached the hole Raynar had dug and could make out the edge of the canister. Reaching in, he pulled it out, holding it up towards the sun. The Rebel Alliance symbol even more faded with time. Carefully, he unscrewed the cap and looked inside of it.

A smile brightened his face. "This is it!"

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Anakin leaned against the balcony. In his hand he held looped string attached to the small winged doll and watched it twist in the wind. Jaina stepped out onto the balcony, and walked towards him.

"Do you think that's a clue for finding Tahiri?'

Anakin frowned for a moment. "I'm not sure." Then he looked over at her. "And sorry for making you do so much for me today."

Jaina shook her head. "It's not a problem. It was kind of fun, actually."

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The next morning, someone was shaking him awake.

"Anakin! Wake up Anakin. We have to eat breakfast."

He opened his eyes, squinting against the bright sunlight, and saw Jaina leaning over him.

"Anakin," she continued. "If you don't wake up, we're going to be late for classes."

Screwing a fist against an eye, he sat up in bed. "This has got to be a dream."

"It's not a dream," she replied. "Hurry and wake up."

Anakin shook his head. "I couldn't possibly be being woken up by Jaina. It... It's not natural..."

"You're being kind of mean, Anakin."

She shoved his shoulder, and stormed from his room. Chuckling, he quickly got ready for class, and went down for breakfast. Jaina was already eating, while Mara was in the kitchen getting the container of caf.

He sat down in his place, and looked at her. "Why are you up so early?"

She laughed. "Well, I just wanted to wake you up for a change."

Mara snorted in amusement. "It would be kind of nice to see this happen every day... but I guess I'd miss the usual routine."

Mara poured him a cup of caf, and then filled her own cup up as well. She then turned and went back into the kitchen.

Jaina watched her for a moment, and then turned towards him. "Both Sannah and Tahiri are gone, so... Aunt Mara liked it when it was lively; you're not going to disappear to are you?"

He grinned at her. "Of course not. This is my home now."

Jaina watched him for a moment, and then nodded her head. Together, they turned and looked at Mara.

She paused, a scowl coming to her features. "What?"

Jaina grinned. "What's for dinner tonight?"

Mara lifted a finger to her chin for a moment. "I hadn't thought about it truthfully. Is there something you were wanting?"

"Strawberry cake!"

"Strawberry again?" Anakin asked, dismayed.

Jaina turned towards him. "If it's strawberry, I don't mind if it's for breakfast, lunch and dinner."

"Fine," Mara replied. "I'll get a cake while I'm out shopping."

Jaina smiled brightly. "Thanks Aunt Mara."

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Anakin and Jaina calmly walked side-by-side, heading towards the Temple. Neither spoke, but Jaina still had a smile on her face from Mara's decision to get a strawberry cake for desert that night.

They stepped off the bridge, and stopped to stare at the Temple in the distance. The morning sun gave it a golden hue. Jaina paused, and then her head shifted slightly, so that she was staring at a broken down, old transport sitting at the edge of the field used for Jedi transports.

"Hey, Anakin do you remember..."

Anakin looked at her for a moment, and then shifted his gaze out to the transport. An image of a ryshcate flying from someone's hands flashed through his mind.

Just before he could focus on who he was seeing, Raynar ran up towards them.

"Hey, you two," he called out. "You better hurry, or you'll be late for class."

Jaina looked down at the chrono strapped to her wrist, and replied. "Shavit. We're going to be late."

Then she was running towards the Temple, only a few steps behind Raynar. Sighing, Anakin started following them, walking at a much more sedate pace.

A short while later, he was sitting in Master Horn's class, once again not paying attention to the lecture. Instead, he stared out at the garden where he used to meet Nelani for their talks. Suppressing a sigh, he glanced at Kiori's empty seat, and then moved his attention on to Jaina, who he noticed was enthralled with Master Horn's lecture.

As he watched her, a memory slipped out, and overtook him.

He was sitting on a bench on the ground level of the Temple. Tears streamed down his face, and his body shook with the sobs. His grief in the memory was a palatable thing; slamming across his awareness.

"Anakin!" he heard a young feminine voice call out.

Lifting his head, he watched as Jaina ran towards him. She was dressed in the simple Corellian style clothes they wore while on Coruscant, and in her hands carried a box.

"Anakin!" she called again, as he dropped his head back to his chest; the tears and sadness refusing to leave him as she continued speaking. "I'm glad that I got to find you before you left to go back to Coruscant."

She slowed to a stop a few paces away, and he could feel her stare; her concern.

"Anakin... I... I'm sorry... I made this for you." She held out the box, and lifted the top away, revealing a ryshcate. The smell of the warm cake tickled his nose, and his body hitched again. "I... it took me a long time, but I was able to make it on the way out here. Dad helped me a little, but I really did most of it."

She paused, as if waiting for his response.

Then she continued once more. "Mom and Dad told me what happened to t.... Will you accept this? D-dad said that ryshcates are used to celebrate life so... I thought it would be okay..."

He lifted his head, as a dark, black rage overtook him. Anger, hate and pain flared in his heart, and he bolted to his feet. In one simple movement he knocked away the ryshcate from her hands, sending it tumbling to the ground. Then he lifted his fist over his head, his body straining with the desire to strike his sister. A dark voice whispered in the back of his mind to hit her; to take out his grief and pain on her.

She yelped in surprise as the cake fell away; cringing back from him.

He snapped back to the present, his mouth dropping open as he realized what he had done to Jaina all those years ago.

At that moment, the door to the classroom opened, and Master Salusar stood in the doorway. His face was strained and pinched somehow as he nodded to Master Horn. Then he focused on Jaina.

"Jaina, could you come with me please?" he paused for a moment, his attention shifting slightly to Anakin. "And you as well, Anakin."

Jaina shifted her focus onto him for a moment, and he merely shrugged his shoulder as he stood up. Together they walked out into the hallway, shutting the door behind them. Kam stood there, his back straight. After a moment, he turned back towards the two siblings, and sighed.

"Jaina... we've just called your Uncle back from his diplomatic mission to the Remnant because... well... your Aunt Mara was in an accident this morning."

"Wh-what happened?" Jaina stammered out.

"She... she was returning to the apartments from the bakery, and a transport just lost control. One of those silly, mechanical failures that no one can predict. It struck her head on, and she's currently in the med-center." He paused, scrubbing at his face for a moment. "They're not entirely certain that she'll make it through."

Anakin felt empty inside, as Jaina shook her head. "No... no... no… not Aunt Mara too..."

She dropped to her knees, and covered her face with her hands as her shoulders began to shake.

Not quite knowing what to do, he knelt beside her, and wrapped an arm around her.

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