I Want to be Your Knight - Ch. 33

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I stared at her for a moment, and then hung my head. No matter how much I wished otherwise, there was only a single answer for that.

"Yes," I whispered, hating myself the entire time.

Of course, I'd gotten good at that.

I felt Seha's shock roll across me in the Force, and the pain as Jys' tears flowed freely, her body shaking.

"If I had seen you, I would have taken you over to the Anakin Solo. I obeyed orders, Jys. I was a Lieutenant in the Guard. That doesn't excuse all the things I did, but at the time I didn't know..." Frowning, I paused. I had been about to say that I didn't know better. But that would have been a lie. "No, I knew better, I just... I just trusted Jacen."

I leaned back in my seat, gingerly touching my nose where Jys had hit it.

Jysella cried there on the deck of the cockpit, and I watched, wanting nothing more to comfort her, to tell her that everything would be all right.

But that would've been a lie.

I knew better.

I'd lost a mother to Jacen as well.

In an ironic twist of fate, I was the cause of her death as well. She went after Jacen because he was corrupting me. I think she would have known even then that it was me that turned Mirax over to Jacen, even if Jysella hadn't still been hiding out on the Errant Venture.

So, I knew that it would never be all right again. That there was nothing that would ever quite feel the same now that her mother was gone.

I glanced over at Seha, and found her staring at me. Her face white as she chewed at her lower lip.

"Seha?"

She blinked, and then shook her head. "No... I... I'm sorry Ben, this...I... no... I can't..."

She got up and headed towards the door, stepping around Jys as if she was afraid that she would get burned by touching her. I stood up, and Seha's head snapped towards me. She looked terrified--kind of like an animal trapped in the lights of a landspeeder.

She gave another one of those quick, abbreviated shakes of her head, and then fled, literally running down the corridor. I clenched my jaw as she disappeared, and dropped back into my seat. Leaning forward, I put my head into my hands, propping my elbows on my knees as I felt the tears wanting to fall.

I forced them back, slamming the door on my emotions, locking them behind the durasteel walls where I kept them.

Why had I let her in, I thought to myself. Why? I didn't deserve any happiness. I knew that I wasn't worthy of it, I knew that I'd just end up hurting her, so why did I do it?.

As was the case so often, I didn't have an answer. All I knew was that I hated myself as much now, as I did while working for Jacen.

I'm not sure when Jysella left, but when I lifted my head she was gone. I glanced at the navicomp, watching the inevitable scroll of numbers.

Finally, it reached zero.

Absentmindedly, I reached out and grabbed the hyperspace levers, and pushed them forward.

The swirls of hyperspace fell away, replaced by the cold pinpricks of light that was a starscape. I reached out and grabbed the controls, pushing the ship around until I could see the blue and green orb that was Sinteria.

I glanced at the datapad on the pilot's console, and noted that I needed to go to the city of Cythin in the tropic region.

As I requested landing clearance for Cythin, I stretched out with the Force.

The first thing I came across was the cold, hard diamond of Jys' anger.

I reached further and found the smoldering embers of Seha's sorrow and fear.

I almost dropped out of the Force, as it hit me once again just how much I've damaged those girls.

Instead, I reached out further.

I stretched, reaching out and touching all of the Force presences on the planet below, allowing every being's sense of self wash over me, just getting a taste for the web of life, allowing it to entangle me.

The console in front of me beeped, drawing me back to the here and now. I confirmed my receipt of the landing instructions, and then sent the ship into a dive; plunging into the atmosphere.

I wanted to get this mission over with, and then see about finding an appropriate hole where I could hide out for the rest of my life.

Maybe a nice little house out in the middle of nowhere on Dagobah or Tattooine.

My danger sense flared, and my head snapped over my shoulder to find Seha standing there. Her glare was hard and dangerous.

Two adjectives I had never thought would apply to her.

I nodded my head, and turned back to the console. When I spoke, I was surprised at how even my voice sounded; especially since my stomach was doing backflips. "Why not strap in, we'll be landing in a few minutes."

She sat down in the co-pilot's station, and stared out at the clouds we were flying through.

"Are you going to leave? Run away again?"

I looked at her, and the hardness was gone. All that was left was broken edges, and a tear slicing down her cheek.

"Do you want me to stay?"

She looked at me, chewing at her lower lip. Another tear tracked down her face. "I... I honestly don't know..."

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Next Post

First Kiss; Last Kiss

Once in a great while lips meet and two spirits merged for a time and the universe was right and complete and the planets wheeled in their proper places.

And despite everything else that was happening, this was one of those times.

Or at least that was what Jysella Horn told herself, while her lips were pressed tightly against Ben's.

That eternal moment, that second, in which they were able to ignore the sounds of the dying. They could ignore the searing heat of plasma that flickered by centimeters over their heads. It was a blessed moment, when they could ignore everything and everyone in this crazy, mixed up place that most folks called the real world.

For that single, blessed moment, in the midst of the death and destruction of the unending war, they were at peace. They, two halves of the same soul, were reunited and made whole.

Even though she knew that he could die, or she could, or any of their soldiers, at that second in time, none of that mattered. She was happy, and in love, and with the boy she loved. Nothing else mattered.

She poured everything that she felt, that she was, through their bond, and into him, the same way that he poured all that he was into her. This was their ritual; as essential to going into battle for them, as checking their lightsabers' power packs. That heady feeling they needed, wanted, desired even.

The feelings as they kissed--lust, love, compassion, need, longing, and a thousand others--were just as bright, just as intense for this kiss, as they were for their very first kiss, which had occurred on a battlefield just like this one a thousand systems ago.

But as always was the case, their moment, their kiss, was over way too soon. He pulled away with the roguish grin he worked so hard to perfect and keep on his face. After all, their soldiers followed him not because of who his father was, but because of who his cousin was.

So, Ben did things to encourage that following. He grinned like his Uncle Han. He led from the front lines like his Grandfather. Even that kiss was part of the act. The soldiers enjoyed the fact that their two leaders were married and loved one another; it made them all remember a loved one back home for who they were fighting. And he was always, always, the first into the most dangerous situations.

A couple of ancient soldiers from the Clone Wars said that his Grandfather used to be just like that. The Hero Without Fear. She knew that Ben hated that name. He had fear, and a lot of it, he just refused to let it show, or to let it affect what he knew had to be done. Ben played the part of the Hero Without Fear.

And he played the part perfectly.

Jysella though, she hung back, and watched with her heart in her mouth. At least for a moment. Ben knew that Jys would be up and over the ramparts moments after him. She had to watch his back after all. But that initial charge, the first burst, that was all him.

It was what was required and expected of him.

And though she hated it, hated seeing him put himself into danger in that way, she loved him for it as much as the rest of their squad, their army did.

He stepped away from her.

"I love you," she said to him with a smile.

Her grinned, and replied, "I know." Then he turned towards the rampart, and drew the Force to him.

With a quick glance over his shoulder, he winked at her, and then his blade was ignited and he was throwing himself over the bulwark, and towards the enemy below. Her heart plunged as she began her five-count, listening to his blade as it changed pitch and tone based on what he was doing. Jysella knew those sounds by heart.

One.

That pitch was him redirecting a laser blast.

Two.

That pitch was him swinging the sword through an infinity arc.

Three.

That tone was him catching a slug, or maybe a black-market thud-bug, on his blade.

Four.

Then the unmistakable happened. A sound she wasn't prepared for. One she had never heard on the battlefield before. Then silence. That unmistakable sound of a lightsaber was just... gone. Despite the noise and the explosions, all Jysella heard was the nothingness which the battle now lacked.

Five.

Her blade flared to life at the same time that the sound of Ben's name erupted from her lips. Her powers surged, and she threw herself forward, scrambling over the rapport, and then tossing herself into the fray, even as her eyes shifted about, hunting for him.

Her brain refused to believe what her eyes were telling her. He was just not there. Their soldiers streamed past her, sending waves of coherent light towards the enemy, but she did not care. They fell by the hundreds as the enemy returned fire, but she did not care.

All that mattered was that lack. That nothingness which was all she could feel of Ben.

Her blade moved of its own accord, protecting her when needed, slashing at the enemy whenever one got to close. That was happening in the mundane world though. Jysella was beyond that, her focus, her consciousness was deep within the Force.

She screamed into the velvet folds of the battle that waged around her, hunting, searching for some speck of Ben.

Finally, her foot touched something round and metal, and the mundane world crashed back into her awareness with all the explosions, smoke, grit and dirt of the battle.

She hunkered down, and found his lightsaber. Tears instantly sprang to her eyes, as she cradled the weapon to her chest.

She looked around, hunting for any sign of him, not really able to see a thing through the blur which the tears had made her vision become.

So intently was she looking, so focused on just finding Ben, that she never heard the sound of the battle stop. The first she knew that it was over was when a hand fell onto her shoulder; heavy, armored.

She stopped, and blinked back her tears. There was a cold, oiliness to the Force presence behind her. He, and it was definitely a he, wasn't one of her soldiers.

She stood, and turned around, keeping Ben's blade hidden from the soldier's view.

He stood there, watching her. His black GAG armor held an almost reddish tint from the dust and grim which still hung in the air at waist height, his helmet was gone--probably discarded at some point in the battle due to damage. He was young, maybe five years younger than Jysella, maybe ten; but that didn't matter.

He was the enemy. She poured her will into the Force, and flung it at him. Making him see her as a superior officer of the Guard.

"Do we know what happened to Ben Skywalker?"

The soldier's entire stance changed. He snapped to parade attention and instantly stopped pointing his carbine at her. "No ma'am. He disappeared during the battle and we've not found him yet."

She fought to keep a snarl from her voice. "Then go see if there's an update and report back immediately."

The soldier jogged off, and she once again took up looking for Ben's body. Hoping and praying that she finds it, even while dreading that she will. It was an odd feeling, an emptiness and a pain; one that threatened to consume her very sense of self. She had to know his fate, she had to find him.

Of that she was certain.

Then, suddenly, she was certain, and in that moment, she would give up that clear, hard certainty for ambiguity and not knowing.

She had found him. His body rested in the dirty, hidden among the smoke and dust which still hung heavily on the air. She waved away the dirt, and looked at him, her eyes, taking in his form, flickering from one feather to another, from his reddish-blond hair, cropped close to his skull, to his brilliant blue eyes which were lackluster and dull.

Finally, Ben had lived up to his moniker, he truly was the Hero Without Fear.

She knelt down into the dust, and pressed her forehead against his, trying to not smell the stench of charred flesh and plasteel armor. They had always known that sooner or later, one of them wouldn't make it back from one of these battles. Of course, they had always assumed it would be later, but that knowledge of encroaching death was the real, unspoken, reason that they had always kissed right before every battle. Just to make sure that there would be a last kiss.

She saw her tears splash against his slack face. "You just had to play the part. You couldn't let the rest of us go over at the same time as you, and you wouldn't ever hear of staying back for a moment. No, you had to be the Hero without Fear. You kriffing schutta."

She saw his saber resting next to him, where she had unconsciously laid it. She snatched the blade up, and placed the emitter next to her heart. There was no need to be here anymore. She couldn't do this by herself. She wasn't strong enough. Not without him.

Her thumb began pressing on the activator.

The standard lightsaber activation plate requires seven pounds of pressure to activate. Ben's took 6.9 pounds.

Jysella had applied 6.8 pounds of pressure before she opened herself to the Force and stopped. She kept the pressure applied, but she listened. It was whispering to her, in his voice. Telling her that she could go on, that she needed to.

"Why?" she cried out. The sound echoed back to her across the now empty battlefield.

In response, she remembered an old, old lesson. A lecture she had heard well over a decade ago, maybe even two, right at the end of the Vong War. Master Tionne, was talking about the Force, and had said, "Life sustains it, makes it grow. When we kill, we destroy the Force. We weaken ourselves and all other life. With every death, the Force itself dims. But, with new life, the Force is renewed. With each and every birth, the Force glows and grows and becomes stronger than it was before. That is the balance that we must protect. That is the balance of the Force."

Jysella's eyes snapped open. They had not been abstinent, but they had been taking precautions against pregnancy. All of the standard anti-pregnancy tricks which were available to all of soldiers under their command. The same ones which GAG used, and the Imperial Remnant, and even the GAR, decades ago.

She touched the Force again, but instead of reaching out, she reached in. She hunted, and search, and then found. A nugget of something that was not her, and was not Ben, but was them both at the same time. She gulped at the air, trying to understand.

Ben's voice seemed to laugh through the Force. "The Force wills to happen, what it will."

She finally released the pressure she held against the activator plate, and dropped back onto her haunches. This is real, she thought to herself. I'm going to have Ben's baby..

Standing, she looked about at the death and destruction and suddenly knew. She knew with the certainty that only the most fanatic of fanatics ever manages to achieve. It had never been her job, or Ben's job, to fix things. They were never there to end the war. There were not there to win. They were just a stop-gap measure. Something to ensure that it didn't get too bad before the person who was supposed to fix everything showed up.

Their real job had always been to create the person who would.

Ben had lived up to his name. He had stepped forward time and time again, doing that which the Force willed. And as always, the Force used and then took him back into itself. His job was complete. Now, hers was just beginning.

She knelt down again and took Ben's nexu-tags and gripped his saber tighter in her hand. These would be the only remembrance their child would have of Ben. But, Jysella knew they would be enough.

As the tears flowed down her face, she watched Ben for another long moment, memorizing his face. Closing her eyes, she slowly exhaled, letting go of the anger that she felt towards him.

She knew it was time to go now. She had over a klick to walk in order to get to the retrieval point, and it was probably all hostile territory by now. But she also knew that it would be all right.

Standing, she turned away from Ben, and realized that she was facing the setting sun. It seemed appropriate somehow. The end of day, plus the promise of new life around the corner. It was representative of her. She knew that she was facing a new world. Her love, her life, her Ben, was dead, but their child was healthy and would be born in just a few short months.

Without looking back, she took her first step into this new world. A world which was at once both larger and smaller than the one she had left behind.

Decisions

The decision to leave behind the only life they had ever known in exchange for one of running and fighting began as most decisions do; over selecting the best kind of appetizers. At least Ben Skywalker thought that the most important decisions should be made at that time.

He wasn't certain where exactly he had picked up that particular thought, but he knew that it did one of two things to most people; drove them to distraction or amused them. After all, he was the son of galactic heroes, people expected him to put more thought into his decisions, and actions.

As stated, most people reacted in one of those two ways. Occasionally, Ben had found some beings who reacted differently, but they were few and far between. The only other exception he knew, was the one person who reacted with both distraction and amusement.

Jysella Horn.

So, as the fried krill claws arrived at the table, he tossed his best "Uncle Han" grin at her, and waited for her answer. As he waited, he watched. She was a beautiful girl, just a few years older than himself. Her heart shaped face, was constantly framed by thick, wavy black hair, and intelligent blue eyes flashed with warmth and amusement.

Well, usually, they were filled with warmth and amusement. At this particular moment, they shone with what could only be described as incredulity.

"It really is a big decision," he said as he picked up one of the claws and started removing the shell and pulling out the meat. "It's only fitting that I give you at least until dinner arrives to think it over."

She sighed as she watched him for a moment, the incredulity sliding to something a good deal harder emotion-wise. After a few moments, she rolled her eyes, shook her head and said, "Ben Skywalker, this has got to be the craziest, stupidest, most inane idea ever. What makes you think either or our parents would agree to it?"

He chuckled, and allowed his grin to grow a bit wider. "Why in the Force would we tell them?"

"Well, someone has to tell them when we run off and become pirates, forsaking our Jedi heritage. Otherwise, they'd try and come find us."

"That's the beauty of being pirates," he replied with a shake of his head. "They can't find us."

She raised a hand to her head, and closed her eyes for a moment. "Did you forget who our parents are again? Former assassin? Corsec? Rogues? Generals? A smuggler from a long line of them? And then your dad."

He chuckled, and waved his hand in the air. "Unimportant. We can hide in the Force. Besides, we learned all our tricks from them."

"Exactly!" She replied as the wait droid came by and refilled their wine glasses. "We learned everything we know from them. I doubt for a second that they've taught us everything that they know though."

Ben grinned again and ate another of the krill claws before saying, "I'm counting on it."

"Counting on it?"

"Yep, it's all part of my plan," he said as she took a bite of one of the claws. A comment timed perfectly so that she would cough over it.

She glared at him for a moment, a wry twist appearing on her lips. "A Skywalker with a plan? I do believe this is a first."

"Maybe," Ben said as he grinned mischievously. He leaned back in his seat and watched her for a moment. "So, what's your answer?"

"You're serious? You want us to quit the Jedi and run off and join the Morlick Pirates?"

"Right."

"The same pirates who are wanted in about forty systems for murder, piracy, and other very non-Jedi like things?"

"Right."

"You do realize that they are pirates."

He chuckled. "What, you didn't want to be a pirate when you were younger?"

"No, because I knew pirates when we were younger. I learned early, that Pirates tend to not groom themselves very well."

"Well, I'll make sure to continue my grooming habits once we become pirates."

"To be clear, one, your grooming habits could use some sprucing up at their current state and you want us to be pirates rather than Jedi."

Laughing, he nodded his head. "I'll try to remember to take more baths and yes."

"And you don't think that either of our parents will have objections to this?"

"What the baths?"

She barked a laugh. "No, the pirate thing."

"Oh, I think they would, but that's part of the plan you see."

"Ah, yes, this mythical plan. So, tell me Mr. Skywalker, what is this plan of yours?"

Ben glanced from side to side theatrically, before leaning in close; she instinctively moved closer to him, smiling slightly.

"We move to Tatooine," he whispered.

Ben could actually see the vein in the middle of her forehead start to throb. Closing her eyes, she rotated her neck, as if she was under a lot of tension.

"You're giving me a headache Ben," she muttered. "Why do you think that our parents wouldn't be able to find us on Tatooine?"

He grinned. "Well, there's a precedent."

Her eyebrow arched slightly. "A precedent?"

"Yep, a precedent. After Vader killed all the Jedi, Obi-wan took Dad to Tatooine. Once there, did he change Dad's name? Nope. Yet for all those years, no one, not even Vader, ever found Dad."

She laughed as she shook her head. "There's a flaw in your plan."

Ben frowned. "What's that?"

"We'd have to stay on Tatooine. Can't be pirates if we stay on Tatooine. We could be moisture farmers or moisture farmers, but we can't be space pirates."

Ben scratched his chin for a moment, thinking. Then he nodded his head sharply. "I see you're right. It might be time for a new plan then."

A look of incredulousness appeared on her face. "A new plan? Does it still involve us being pirates?"

"No, no, no," Ben replied, waving his hand in the air. "That was the old plan! This is the new plan."

"Then tell me, oh great maker of plans, what is the new plan?"

He grinned and pulled out a small piece of jewelry. A simple ring with a moderate sized precious stone--an item which Mirax had both helped him pick out, and had told him was an appropriate symbol of betrothal for Corellians.

"The new plan is you marry me and we spend the rest of our lives together."

Tears lined her eyes as she took the offered ring and slipped it onto her finger. "I think I like the new plan."

"So, that's a yes?"

She leaned across the table and kissed him. When their kiss ended, she replied, "Of course it's a yes."

The droid rolled up and delivered their entrees, and Ben's grin grew even wider, breaking out into a full-fledged smile. "See, another life-altering decision made over appetizers."

I Want to be Your Knight - Ch. 31

Previous Post

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Yes, I knew my duty, and for the first time since I had became Jacen's apprentice, I purposefully didn't do it.

Quickly assessing the security system, I turned off the security sensors for the ship, and as I was erasing my tracks, left indications in the system that it was system damage from the Confederate attack. Satisfied, I left the observation chamber, and stormed through the halls, until I came to the Interrogation room. I unlocked the door, and Lando stumbled forward, a snarl on his face as he saw me.

"What? Did you come to finish the job?"

I frowned at him. "No, It's not like that. Look, I had my job to do, now you're both coming with me."

"Like hell."

Ignoring Lando's response, and protests, I reached out with the Force and lifted Tendra up. I moved quickly through the ship, Lando following me, his suspicion a black poison at the back of my awareness. Finally, we arrived at the Admiral's gig. I gestured Lando inside, and floated Tendra in towards one of the benches. Strapping her down, I reached out with the Force and put her into a healing trance.

I stepped back to find Lando pointing a blaster at me. I had no idea where he had gotten the weapon from and I didn't really care. "Are you going to shoot me Uncle Lando? If so, do it fast, you don't have much time."

Lando sighed and lowered the blaster. "No... I'm not."

I nodded and gestured towards Tendra. "I've put her into a healing trance. If you say her name that will bring her out of it. The baby feels alive in the Force, but I can't promise how much longer she'll stay that way. We're currently in orbit around Denon." I frowned, not sure what else to say. Finally, I sighed. "I'm sorry, Uncle Lando. You were right. I shouldn't have done this. I'll make it up to you and your daughter one day. I promise."

Lando's brown eyes bored into mine for a moment. Then he nodded and turned towards the cockpit. I took one last look at his back and then at Tendra, before I fled the shuttle.

I stepped onto the metal deck, as the hatch closed behind me. Klaxons blared again, and with a slight backwash of ion reflux, the shuttle was gone. I stood still for a moment--my mind racing in a dozen different ways. I had disobeyed Jacen. I had broken protocols, and broke the law. I even wondered if that made me a bad Jedi.

Lekauf's words raced through his head. "Our job's about helping the good guys; sometimes that means a protocol needs to be nudged a bit."

That kicked me into high gear and I went forward, knowing I only had a few more moments before the security protocols came back online. I entered the bridge, to find Jacen snarling at the gunners, ordering them to increase their efficiency in killing those attacking his ship.

And just as suddenly as the vision assaulted me, I was once again back in reality. Seha crumpled. I blinked and was up and by her side in moments. She was unconscious, her breathing shallow. and I looked around at Jys to find that she was curled up on the floor, her body shaking. I frowned, wondering why they were being subjected to my Force visions.

Even more confusing was why they were affecting them so badly.

Part of our team exercises involved building a training bond between us, so I knew they had something of a quick shortcut into my head. Yet they had never before seen any of the visions the Force inflicted on me. Of course, they hadn't ever been this close while I was on the receiving end of one either.

I leaned back against the couch, one hand resting gently on the top of Seha's head, as I closed my eyes. Exhaustion claimed me and I was asleep within moments.

I felt the toe of someone's boot tapping against my side, and my eyes popped open. I craned my neck backwards and found Jysella standing over me, her eyes were tear-stained and bloodshot.

From the grainy texture of mine, I assumed mine were the same.

"Yeah?" I said, even my voice sounding grainy.

She shook her head. "We just need to get going. If we're still going to."

I nodded my head, and focused on Seha who was sleeping soundly. I shook her, and she bolted awake; nearly jumping off my lap. She stared at me, a wildness in her eyes that seemed at odds to the peace she had exuded while asleep.

Finally, she seemed to realize where she was at, and calmed down while exhaling heavily. "Sorry," she mumbled. "I was having a bad dream."

Jysella barked a short laugh. "We've all had it. The Force was projecting Ben's memories."

She blinked and stood up, fleeing to her room.

I watched as she disappeared, and then yelped in pain as Jysella kicked me again. Hard this time.

"What the kriff did you do to her this time, Skywalker?"

I shook my head, wondering the exact same thing.

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I Want to be Your Knight - Chapter 30

Previous Post

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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.

---

Next Post

I Want to be Your Knight - Ch. 29

Previous Post

---

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.

---

Next Post

I Want to be Your Knight - Ch. 28

Previous Post

---

I raised the glass of ale to my lips, just as both of our comlinks went off. Sighing, I dropped the glass back to the table, and pulled out the infernal device. Seeing that it was a summons from the Council, I raised my eyes and met Seha's. Interest and concern shone in hers, and I stood up, dropping a few credits on the table. Holding my hand out towards her, I gave her a grin. "Come on, we don't want to keep Kyp waiting to long."

Her hand slid into mine; thin, warm and soft. An almost shy smile touched her lips as I helped her from her chair. Hand in hand, we left the bar and hurried to the Temple which was just a few blocks away.

Together we stepped into the antechamber for the Council to find Jysella waiting for us. Her back was towards us, as she faced the door. I found something odd about her pose, a tenseness that I really did not remember her having before.

Seha called out, "Hey Jysella."

Jys tossed a glance over her shoulder, a smile forming on her face. As soon as her eyes met mine, the smile froze, half-formed. Her eyes flicked down to where our hands clasped, and I suddenly had to fight the urge to drop Seha's hand. That half-frozen smile was only there for a half a second or so before it had once more formed into Jys' usual smile. As she walked closer to us, I even doubted whether or not I had seen the look.

As the two girls chatted, I watched Jysella. Trying to figure out what she was thinking. Yet I couldn't.

I closed my eyes and exhaled lightly, trying to find my center once more. Surprisingly, it was easier than I had expected.

I opened my eyes and glanced over at Seha. Her eyes shifted towards me for a second and then she smiled brilliantly. I felt a smile answer her, and then the doors to the Council swung open. I dropped Seha's hand and the three of us walked in. With a start I realized that something was slightly different. For the first time since we had been paired up as a group, I wasn't standing in the middle.

I broke the usual rules of decorum for the Council and shifted my head to look across Seha and saw Jysella standing on the far side of her.

I stomped down hard on my emotions before they could escape and then looked ahead to where Kyp was sitting. He looked even wearier than the last time I had seen him. Master Veila stood up, and glanced down at Kyp for a moment before focusing directly at me. "Padawan Skywalker. The Council has been given an unusual request. One which we Jedi tend to not honor when we do receive them, as we feel that these tasks are better suited for civil security forces. But because of a family history between the requester and yourself, we have decided to allow you to chose whether or not we should accept this mission."

I nodded my head. "I understand."

Tahiri gestured and I felt someone enter into the chambers. I turned and saw my dad's old friend, Lando Calrissian, walk in. He looked ancient, and lacked the smile that was an almost trademarked image. A far, far different man than the one who had taught me how to play Planetary Poker when I was seven. He was even a far different man than the one I had seen last back when I was still under Jacen's tutelage. Walking beside him was his wife whose sadness seemed to radiate in the Force.

Tahiri spoke. "Mr. Calrissian, you may present your request."

Lando nodded his head. "Thank you Tahiri." He stepped forward as Tahiri sat down and focused on me. "Hey, kid. It's been a few years."

I grimaced slightly, knowing exactly how many years it had been, and what had happened the last time we had been together. "That it has."

"I'm calling in my marker."

I closed my eyes and felt my jaw clench in anticipation. I always knew that this day would come, and I had always feared it. After a moment, I opened my eyes and lifted my head to focus on Kyp. "I accept the mission, Master."

I felt the Master's, as well as Jysella's and Seha's shock at what I had just done. I guess I could understand their surprise. After all, it's rather rare for me to accept a task without hearing the whys and wheres and what nots first.

Lando nodded his head, and then walked over to the computer console that was along one wall. He laid his datapad on the terminal, and activated the system. The holographic generators sprang to life and suddenly before us was the image of a little girl. She appeared to have been around five standard years old, and had cream colored skin and jet black hair. Though it had been a few years since I had seen her, I instantly recognized her. She looked so much like her mother after all.

Lando spoke. "This is a recent image of my daughter Cassa. Six days ago she was abducted from her school on Sinteria. I... Ben, I need you to find her for me."

I nodded, and felt my heart clench tight. "I... I'll need all the information you have." Then I looked towards Kyp. "Master, I'll need a few weeks leave please."

My teammates erupted from beside me. Seha stepped forward, her hand shooting out to my shoulder and twisting me around to face her. "No, Ben. We're all in this together. You've taken this mission, so we've all done so."

I glanced at her, and saw the determination on her face. My eyes shifted beyond her and found Jys, who was frowning and you could feel her stubborn obstinacy even without the Force. I felt my heart clench in my throat. Made cold and heavy by the simple fact that I didn't deserve their loyalty, especially where Lando was concerned.

Jys caught my stare for a moment, and then looked towards Kyp. "Master Durron, we'd all like to take this mission, but if you're not going to approve it, then I guess we'd all like to have a leave of absence."

Kyp sighed. "You are all granted permission for a leave of absence."

I looked at him, and suddenly realized the reason for how troubled he looked. Kidnappings were not the purview of the Jedi Order, but Kyp owed Lando something, but I seriously doubted if he owed him as much as I did.

I looked at Lando. "We'll need all the information you have, and we'll be leaving in the Jade's Scion for Sinteria in a few hours."

Lando nodded his head. "Thank you, Ben."

I shook mine. "No. This is for what I owe Cassa. It has nothing to do with you."

---

Next Post

I Want to be Your Knight - Ch. 27

Previous Chapter

---

The next week found us being pushed through a battery of medical and academic tests. The medical ones designed solely to ensure that we had recovered sufficiently that our next mission would not kill us, while the academic ones were designed solely to torture us. Or at least that was my guess.

Seha appeared to be enjoying them, and I don't think Jys minded them that much either. At least they did better on them than I did. A fact which Jys took the time to rub in. Repeatedly.

After I had finished my final batch of tests, I once more snuck out of the Jedi Temple and made the short trip to my favorite bar. Well, it wasn't my favorite, but it was the only one within walking distance, and I had already set up a line of credit with them that charged to an Intel account from my Guard days.

Two hours later, and on my third mug of the good Corellian ale which Uncle Han liked, she found me. I noticed her as she walked in. After all, the only thing more noticeable than someone in Jedi robes is someone wearing a Guard uniform.

She paused in the doorway, highlighted by the afternoon sun and all of a sudden I was thirteen again, and she was the older girl coming to chat with me about something I had done during training. She wasn't the first girl that I noticed in that special way, that would have been Nelani Dinn, Jacen's first victim, but she was awfully close to being that. And as she stood there, all those feelings slammed down on me again.

She really was a pretty girl. Great head of hair, a pretty smile, and as our time in Corellia's hospitals had revealed, she did have a killer set of legs.

As I watched her walk towards me, that last conversation with Jysella flashed through my mind again. She had left no uncertain terms that she thought I should accept Seha's advances.

Finally, Seha arrived at my table, and looked down at me, not quite smiling. "Hey Ben."

I gave her my best Uncle Han impression, and gestured towards the seat opposite me. "Want to join me?"

She smiled shyly, and slid into the seat. The waitress droid rolled over, and she ordered something, as I struggled to figure out just what I was feeling. I hated not knowing exactly what I was feeling or thinking. It made things too confusing, and the perfume she was wearing did nothing to help my state of mind.

Finally, she turned those green eyes of hers on me, and said, "We're finally alone, so let's have our chat."

I took another swig of my ale, and set the bottle down, nodding my head. "Yeah, I guess we better."

A tense silence stretched between us for a moment. She sighed, and looked away, one balled fist, propping up her cheek. "Kriff, how many times do I have to throw myself at you?"

I felt a blush begin to burn my cheeks. "I...ahh.. uhm... I..."

Her face shifted, and she started watching me. A smile began to curl her lips. "You're cute when you don't know what to say."

"Ah, thanks," I lamely replied.

She chuckled and then took a swallow of her ale. I leaned back in my chair, watching as she set the bottle back down onto the table top.

"I don't really know what I feel," I said. Her eyes widened as her face snapped back towards mine. "I've got to admit, I had a crush on you the first time I ever saw you. Yet, my mind's been so kriffed over so much since I was thirteen that I honestly don't know what I feel half the time. But, I think I owe it to you and me to find out."

She frowned for a moment. "So, exactly what are you saying?"

I sighed, and lifted my eyes to stare at the ceiling for a moment. "I'm saying that we should give it a shot. That we can try this dating thing and see how it works."

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why do you want to try this dating thing?"

"Well, just because."

She sighed, and I lowered my gaze to lock onto hers for a moment. Finally, she said, "Say it clearly."

"Fine," I replied. "I like you."

I felt her eyes staring at me. Then she pulled out a datapad and tossed it onto the tabletop. "Write it down."

Frowning, I did as she asked, and used her pad to put down the fact that I wanted to take her out on a date, and that I did so because I liked her. She picked up the device, her eyes flicking over the letters I had written. A small smile twisted her lips, as she continued to focus on the datapad.

"I'm happy. I... I had never though I'd actually be happy. It's almost enough to make me cry."

I continued to watch her as she reread the datapad, and slowly came to the realization of just how much she liked me. I slowly realized just how much I had been hurting her by ignoring her feelings.

It was a painful realization, not quite the direct shot to the gut as Kyp's comments after that first kiss, but still. It showed me in no uncertain terms that I still had a ways to go before I would be worthy. It showed me that I still had a ways to go before I stopped being mean to those people around me, even when I was just trying to be their friend.

---

Next Chapter

I Want to be Your Knight - Ch. 26

Previous Post

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I stepped out of the refresher, glad to be out of the hospital gown. I was still drying my hair when I ran into Jysella, who had just stepped out of one of the cabins. She looked at me for a moment, as a bright blush appeared on her cheeks.

I found myself at an utter loss for words. I didn't know what to say or do, all I could think about was the feel of her lips on my cheek. As insane as it sounds, I wanted to grab her, hold her tight to me and spin her around. Maybe let out a yip of joy that we had both survived.

I opened my mouth to say something, but nothing came out. Which was probably a blessing in disguise. I remember one time when I was 15 or so when I had that same feeling in my heart at seeing a girl. I ended up comparing her to a fish. To be specific, an Orsa from Arcturus. Which as you may or may not know has been voted the most hideous creature for fifteen years now; one biologist postulates that their appearance to creatures that see in the visual light range is a survival mechanism. They're literally too ugly to eat.

After a few moments, she dropped her head, and then mumbled, "Sorry, excuse me." Then she had darted around me and rushed into the refresher. I stared at the closed door for a moment, wondering what I should do. After all, know that I apparently gotten her to understand that I was sorry for what had happened to her mother, I was still left with the problem of getting her to be my friend again. I missed the relationship that we used to have, and I still wanted it back.

Sighing, I finally turned away from the refresher and went into the common area.

Sitting on one of the chairs, with her back towards me was Seha. Her body was hunched over with her face cradled in her hands. Her shoulders shook and I could hear her cries: soft and heartbreaking. I stepped further into the room. "Seha?"

Like a frightened whisperkit, she sprang from the seat and spun around to face me. Streaks of tears stained her face, and her eyes were rimmed with red. "B-b-ben?"

Another step. "Are you all right?"

She worried at her lower lip for a moment, and then nodded her head. "Yes... no..." Then she sighed and dropped back into her seat. "I don't know... I really don't."

Fighting to keep a frown off my face, I closed the distance and sat down across from her. After a moment, I leaned forward, closer to her. My psychology book told me that that was a way to foster confidences and intimacy while trying to get information. "Do you want to talk about it?"

She looked at me for a moment, her teeth still biting at her lower lip. Finally, she snorted. "You really are as dumb as Jys says aren't you?"

I blinked. How exactly does one answer that question.

She sighed, and leaned closer towards me, delving deep into my personal space, her face less than a dozen centimeters from mine.

"What do you think of me Ben?"

"I..." And that was the question, I really didn't want to answer. Especially since I hadn't thought that hard about it.

"I like you Ben. A lot. Do you think..."

I sighed, and leaned back slightly; scared that if I stayed to close to her then I'd kiss her. "I don't know Seha... I really don't."

My eyes flicked over her shoulder and I saw Jysella standing there. A rock settled deep in my gut. Seha must have sensed my change in mood because she looked over her shoulder, and then glanced back at me for a moment.

"Think about it. But don't take to long, I won't wait forever."

Then she stood up and fled deeper into the ship. Jys stared after her for a few minutes, and then looked over at me; her eyes cold and hard. She turned away and was about to leave, when I called out, "Jys, wait!"

She paused, her hand against the bulkhead, her head lowered slightly. "What?"

"I..." I hated this. Not just asking for her thoughts, but the distance that was still there hanging between us. I struggled to figure out something to try and talk to her about; anything really. Finally, my mouth opened again, and words pooled out. "Do you think I can get some advice from you?"

Her Force presence suddenly shut down. Fast. For a second, I wondered if I should have just let her flee from me. "It's about Seha, isn't it?"

I blinked. There was something a bit off in her voice. "Yeah, it is."

She stood there, with her back towards me for a few minutes. I was afraid that she was about to bolt from the room again; and knew that if she did ourburgeoning friendship would be effectively dead. Then, somewhat to my surprise, she turned around and came over to take the chair Seha had just vacated. "So talk."

I watched her eyes for a minute. They were hard as if she had no desire to be anywhere near me. I began to tell her the various things that had been bothering me about Seha, most of which she knew, and I could tell that she was starting to get fidgety. I had just finished with that last conversation I had just had with Seha, and was about to tell her that I didn't think I was really interested in Seha that way, when Jys interrupted me.

"I don't see what your problem is. Just give it a try."

Jysella looked away from me, her eyes flicking off of mine and quickly jumping from item to item in the room. I leaned back in my chair, frowning. A felt an odd ache in my chest. I knew that that wasn't really what I had wanted to hear. Maybe, I was hoping for Jys to give me a reason not to date Seha. I don't know, but I do know that encouragement wasn't what I was after.

"I... I guess... Yeah, you're right," I replied.

Her eyes flicked back to mine for a moment, and then she looked away again. "She's a great girl, I'm sure you'll be happy.

Then she got up and turned away. Leaving me alone watching her back as she left.

And that was the last time she looked me in the eyes until after we got back to Coruscant.

---

Next Post

I Want to be Your Knight - Ch. 25

Previous Post

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I frowned at the door and wondered why conversations with that doctor were more annoying than chats with Kyp.

I turned back to the girls, but before I could say anything the door opened again. A wide-bodied CORSEC officer came into the room. He wasn't wearing a helmet, but you could tell that he was accustomed to doing so. Just a feeling from the way his eyes would dart about the room, and how he would occasionally scrub a hand at his short cropped hair. Little tells that I remembered from my days in the Guard.

Rather than the armor of the door guards, he was in a simple cloth tunic, a day uniform. Stitched in aurabesh above his heart was his name: Kilnore.

I grinned, remembering where I had read that name before. Then I looked over at the girls. "Hey, guess who's come for dinner!"

Kilnore reached out and grabbed my hospital gown, dragging me forward. He snarled at me. "That's enough lip from you, Skywalker."

I laughed.

Probably not the best of things to do, but there it was.

A quick back handed slap from Kilnore cut my laughter short. I felt both of the girls' anger spike in the Force.

Then I looked towards Jys. "Please tell me that your dad wasn't as stupid of a cop as Mr. Kilnore here is."

Her eyes narrowed for a moment, and her anger spiked in the Force again. I could feel it begin to stir; the usual patterns for a punishment from Jys.

Then it stopped and her eyes widened for a moment. She giggled.

"Nope. He definitely isn't as stupid as Mr. Kilnore here."

I focused on Kilnore again, a feral smile touching my lips. I saw the confusion on his face, and could tell that we weren't the cowed interrogation subjects he had been expecting. The confusion was quickly replaced by shock as I pushed him with the Force. He flew away from me, ripping my gown in the process and slammed against the wall. I watched him for a moment, as he stared at me.

Then the door opened again, and a guard stumbled into the room. I frowned as I watched him, until a voice from the doorway drew my attention.

"Ah, here are our wayward, eloping Jedi."

I looked over at Kyp, my eyes narrowing in anger as exactly what he said crystallized in my head. I watched him walk into the room, and then saw Kilnore stand upright, bringing his blaster to bear.

"That's far enough, murderer."

We all looked at Kilnore, wondering if he really was as stupid as he was acting. Personally, I had no doubts, but that was just me.

"Do I know you?" Kyp responded coldly.

"I doubt it, but I know you. My grandfather was on Carida. One of the billions that you killed."

A sad look flickered across Kyp's Force presence. "I'm sorry for your loss. Did you know that my brother was one of those I killed as well? He was a conscript, sent there unwillingly after our parents were arrested and then executed for treason."

I watched Kyp for a moment. He didn't often talk about Carida, and I guess we now knew why; at least a little bit of the why.

Kilnore though, was unimpressed. He raised the gun a bit higher, aiming towards Kyp's heart. Kyp sighed, and then stretched out his hand, yanking the gun from him. The Force flared and he dropped a crumpled metal ball. After a moment, Kyp turned back towards us, then in a soft voice said, "Report."

Years of training overtook Jysella and Seha as they both began to verbally vomit the winding story of how we ended up here. I sat back on my bed amused, as I listened to their narrative, some of which I had never heard before.

Finally their recital ended, and Kyp looked at me. "I didn't hear your report in there."

I shrugged my shoulders and smiled at him. "Well, the girls were doing a great job, didn't think you needed to hear my big mouth."

Kyp snickered. "Oh, if only I didn't have to listen. Why don't you fill me in on the gaps in the story."

I sighed, an quickly told things from my point of view. Luckily there wasn't a lot that was left unsaid by the girls, so I was only talking a few minutes.

Once I was done, Kyp looked over at Kilnore. "Now, Mr. Kilnore, I assume that that is enough information for your reports; if you'll excuse us, we need to return to Coruscant."

I could feel the hate oozing off of Kilnore as Kyp turned from him and left the room. I smiled at him, pushing the knife in a bit deeper as I walked past, the girls quick on my heels. The hallway beyond our room was empty, and Kyp set off down the hall, making turns seemingly at random. Finally we arrived at the front doors and went through them to find my starship, the Jade's Scion sitting on the grass in front of the medical complex.

I scowled at Kyp's back. "Couldn't find your own starship?"

He laughed. "Nope. Besides, yours was lonely."

Then he disappeared up the gangplank. Shaking my head, I followed him onto my ship.

Within a half hour we were in hyperspace, heading towards Coruscant. Kyp came back to the common room and dropped onto the couch, hanging his head slightly.

I looked over at him, somewhat amused by the air of annoyance that hung to him.

Seha was less than amused, actual worry tinged her voice as she asked, "What's wrong?"

He looked over at her, a scowl on his face. "I'm just getting old." He sighed, and leaned back on the couch, closing his eyes. "Used to be, when folks said one of their loved ones was on Carida, it was their brother or cousin, even the occasional father. But his grandfather?"

---

Next Post

I Want to be Your Knight - Ch. 24

Previous Post

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I felt myself wincing at the iciness of Jysella's voice, and turned my head towards her. She was staring at us, her brow knitted together in a scowl and an odd coldness in her eyes that I could never remember seeing there before. It was something of a scary sight, and for a moment I wondered what evil torture she was devising for me beneath that expression, even as my face started to grow warmer from embarrassment.

I looked above me to find Seha staring wide-eyed at Jys. For a moment, it looked like she wanted to launch herself at our friend. I closed my eyes, and rubbed at the bridge of my nose for a moment.

My eyes snapped open, as Seha started yelling happily. "Jysella! you're awake!"

My eyes following Seha around my bed and towards Jys', I found myself frowning. If they weren't watching us, we could have pretended that Jys was still out of it. That was now pointless, as I'm certain that the guards had heard Seha's squeals. Not that I didn't understand it, I was happy to see Jys awake as well.

I sighed, glanced at the cheap ceiling for a moment, then at the four corners, noting that I couldn't see anything that resembled a spy-eye. Not that that mattered really. It could have been microscopic in size, a floating spec of dust, or they could even have had infrared sensors pointed through the wall at us. Giving an internal shrug of the shoulders, I looked back at the girls, to see Seha happily chatting at Jysella, whose eyes kept flickering towards me; that alien coldness never really leaving.

For a moment, I remembered the touch of Jys' lips against my cheek. Especially as those hard eyes focused on me.

I looked around, and noted that there was no cabinets or anything that could have held our belongings. I focused on Seha. "Where's our stuff?"

Seha looked at me for a moment, and then shrugged. "I don't know. None of it was in here when I woke up, and I've not been out of this room yet."

I frowned and then glanced out the window. "Are we even still on Corelllia?" I shook my head, deciding that it didn't matter at the moment. It was more important to get us armed, and out of the hospital. "Seha, I know your saber was destroyed, and I'd hazard that mine was as well. Jys, can you feel yours anywhere nearby?"

Jysella closed her eyes, and I felt the Force moving around us. After a few minutes, she opened her eyes and shook her head. "No, I can't. But there are a lot of Ysalamiri bubbles out there, and it could be in one of those."

I sighed again, and leaned back against the headboard, closing my eyes.

I began one of the simple breathing exercises which my parents had drilled into me when I was about four. I needed the focus, the simplicity. There were too many things that had gone wrong on this mission, right from the beginning, and I was sick and tired of that. I wanted, needed, things to be simpler. There was some fact that I was overlooking. Something which would bind all of this together, and we'd be able to get out of here.

I bolted into a sitting position, grabbing my hair, as I let out a low growl.

In the Force, I could feel spikes of concern flowing from both of the girls, a concept which just furthered my frustration at the situation.

I rolled out of the bed, the sheets trailing after me. Standing, a wave of vertigo washed over me, and I staggered slightly as I took my first step.

"Ben?" Seha called out, concern evident in her voice.

I looked over at the girls, and noticed the matching looks of concern. For a moment, the frustration fled as I felt the warmth of acceptance. Grinning, I said, "I'm fine."

I watched as Jysella watched me for a moment longer, and then she seemed to realize that she had been staring. Or maybe that I had. Her eyes grew cold again, and she pointedly looked away, and out the window.

I sighed, and straightened up, feeling the world waver for a moment. I blinked a few times and then the world stabilized, and I took my first, hesitant step forward.

The door snapped open and our Drall doctor bound in, I could feel his excitement flowing in the Force, and he rounded on me. "Now, Jedi Sky-... Mr. Errissta what exactly do you think you are doing out of that bed? Did I not tell you that you should rest?" He then turned towards Jysella. "Ah, Jedi Horn, it is good to see that you've awakened. We were beginning to grow worried over your continued sleep."

I felt the flicker of annoyance from Jysella. "How exactly do you know my name?"

The Drall laughed. "You may have commanded new identities for the political and security systems, but medical systems tend to be both different and out-of-date. When the identities associated to your retinal scans failed to provide medical data, we searched via a genetic one. We accessed your information a dozen times before it flipped over to your false identities."

I sighed. "Fine, when do we get out of here?"

The doctor turned towards me, his mouth opening wide, revealing rows of flat teeth. "After I have given the three of you clean bills of health, and seeing that you are now up and about, that will be soon, CORSEC really does wish to discuss with you the particulars of the explosion."

I pinched the bridge of my nose. "When do we get our belongings back."

The doctor laughed again. "I'm sorry, none of your personal belongings seemed to have made it through the explosion. Truth be told, none of us are entirely certain how the three of you did. By all rights, you should all be ashes floating on the wind."

Stunned, I looked over at the girls, to find that their expressions matched what I was feeling. I shook my head, once more trying to focus on the present. Without thinking, I muttered, "The Force is with us, Doctor."

I blinked my eyes a few times, and looked over at the girls. They had schooled their faces, keeping their emotions from showing, but in the Force I could feel them. Chewing at my lower lip, I finally found my voice. "Exactly how big was that explosion? How long have we been here? And how bad were we hurt?"

The Drall sighed, and walked over to Jysella and began his examination of her. For a moment, I thought he wasn't going to answer my questions.

Then he began to speak. "As I told you earlier, the explosion destroyed about three blocks of the Sal-Solo Industrial Complex; and by destroyed, I mean it was rubble and ashes. Two kilometers in all directions suffered damage from the shock waves, and last I heard the fires were still raging on the east side of the complex. Preliminary reports indicate that the explosive device was baradium in nature." He then patted Jysella's knee. "You, my dear are quite healthy." Then he turned back to me. "You lot have been under my care for about a week now. Most of that time in Bacta. Your injuries included burns, concussions, and a host of broken bones."

Seha's voice was wavering, as if she was not sure if she wanted to cry or not. "H-how did we survive?"

The doctor turned towards her, his arms spread wide, a happy smile spreading his lips. "As I said earlier, we do not know. It is probably as the young man there said, 'the Force was with you.'" He dropped his arms, and turned away from us. He walked from the room, waddling slightly. As he neared the door, he paused and glanced back at us for a few moments. "CORSEC will be with you soon."

And then he was gone.

---

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I Want to Be Your Knight - ch 23

Previous Post

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I came to consciousness, helped to awareness by the steady metronome of hospital monitors. A short beep which would occur every few seconds. Cracking my eyes, I found myself in a dim room with a dimpled, cheap ceiling.

I blinked a few times, and tried to raise my head to look around. Just the effort of the movement wore me out, so I allowed my body to collapse back against the bed again. I closed my eyes and was lost to sleep.

Awareness thundered back to me; brought with a steady pressure against the side of my cheek. After a moment, the pressure disappeared.

Then it returned.

Then, sounds intruded; Seha's voice. "Hey! Hey, Ben. You awake yet?"

I allowed my eyes to open, and looked around--a frown forming on my face. "No," I croaked out.

She giggled. "You sound funny."

Groaning, I struggled to sit up. The world wavered around me, and I must have looked like I was going to fall over, because Seha reached out and grabbed my shoulder, stabilizing me. I blinked a few times, and slowly looked around. We were in a standard medical suite for human and near humans. Three beds took up the area. One, which I was guessing was Seha's was empty, while Jysella still slept on the far one. The usual range of medical equipment was set into the walls, and a medic droid stood watching from one corner. The odd thing was that there was no holonet terminal in the room, and no windows.

Finally, I focused on Seha again. "Where exactly are we?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "I... I'm not certain. The doctors won't tell me anything, and there's guards standing in the hallway."

Ben frowned for a moment, looking over at Jysella again. "And those guards, what type of uniforms are they wearing?"

"Black and green body armor, full-face helmets. It looks like a cross between the Guard's armor and CORSEC uniforms."

I sighed, and looked over at Jys, watching her face as the monitors around her slowly beeped. I thought back in my mind, certain that I had felt her kiss me just as the blast hit us. I lifted my hand and touched the corner of my mouth; imaginary warmth greeted my fingers.

Still frowning, I turned back to Seha, about to ask her if she had tried to get a call out, when the door to the hallway opened. An elderly male Drall walked through, his snout-like mouth opened wide. "Ahh... young Jedi Skywalker. It is good to see that you've woken up. I'm the physician in charge of you three, and my name is Peela Gramt."

I looked to Seha, who shook her head. Focusing on the Drall again, I said, "I don't know what you're talking about."

The Drall laughed, short bursts of amusement. "Oh, of course not. Of course not. How silly of me to not remember that you're Ira Errissta."

The Drall climbed up a stool, and leaned over me, pulling out a small light from his pocket. He shone it first into one eye, and then the next, murmuring to himself the entire time. Then he pulled something else out of that pocket, and ran it over me, I could feel prickles on my skin from whatever energy was scanning me. When he pulled a third scanner from that pocket, I began to wonder just how much he could store in those things. Finally, he had finished his examination and stepped off a stool. He pulled a datapad from his endless pocket and began writing notes onto its surface.

"So, Doctor," I began. "When do we get out of here?"

Peela paused in his note taking, and looked at me. I could only guess that the expression he turned towards me was confusion. Or it could have been wry amusement. Or even shocked outrage. To a human, all those expressions look pretty much the same on a Drall.

"Oh, I'm so sorry Sky-...err... Errissta, but you and your two... wives, will have to stay here for a few more days for observation. And then I believe CORSEC wished to talk to you; something about an explosion taking out a rather large portion of the Sal-Solo Industrial Park."

I felt myself frowning. "Well if it was named after Sal-Solo, then it was probably due to being blown up."

The Drall chuckled, and his mouth opened wide in imitation of a smile. "Be that as it may, they still want to have a chat with you. Once the three of you are up and strong enough of course. Until then, you'll just have to be here and suffer through three square meals a day, and a semi-private room." Then his head bobbed a few times, and he turned away and walked out the door. I could just make out the armor of the guards Seha had been telling me about, while the door was open. I frowned at them, and stretched out with the Force.

Imagine my surprise when I felt nothing on the far side of the door. My head snapped towards Seha who was nodding her head in understanding.

"Are they Vong?"

She shook her head. "I don't think so. I think they got ysalamiri out there."

I rubbed at my temple. A headache was wanting to form; a side-effect of stress, having to think too much, and someone trying to blow me up. Besides, something didn't make sense to me. "Why out there rather than in here with us?"

Seha shrugged her shoulders. "Who knows what they're thinking. Best guess would be they underestimated the effective distances of the ysalamiri bubble."

"Seems rather... unprofessional of them."

Seha snorted. "Well, not everyone is the epitome of professional behavior that you are."

I sighed and leaned back onto my bed, a smirk coming to my lips. "Well, I have had years upon years of experience."

She leaned closer, her hand running through my hair, as a smile played on her lips. "Really?"

I blinked, not certain how to respond. All I knew was that my throat was dry, my palms were suddenly sweaty and I was having an incredibly hard time formulating a simple sentence.

She leaned closer still. "Years and years of experience?"

I struggled to swallow, wishing all the world for a glass of water. Her breath was warm and moist against my cheek, and an odd light shone in her eyes. Her lips hovered centimeters from mine.

"Would you care to share that experience with me?"

Before I could even begin to think about responding, Jysella's voice cut in. Cold, harsh, pained. "Am I interrupting anything?"

---

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I Want to be Your Knight - Ch. 22

Previous Chapter

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I jumped forward, and slammed my saber against the vibrosword held by the droid directly in front of me. In the Force I could feel Jysella and Seha attacking their droids as well.

I pulled my saber back slightly, and then dropped down, ducking beneath the swing of the droid's stun baton.

The Force wailed at me, and I tried to drop even closer to the ground. Unfortunately, I wasn't quite quick enough. One of the lower arms, caught my shoulder and flipped me up and backwards. Tossing me towards the wall. I slammed into it hard enough to rattle my wits, and slumped to the ground.

Groaning, I stood back up, and lifted my saber. I set myself into an attack stance as the droid barreled down at me. Its smoldering red glare sent chills down my spine; reminding me of the Hunter droid that Caedus had used as a bodyguard. And like everything else around Caedus, it had other uses. Like when he was too busy to perform his special interrogations. I had been placed into that droid's care for a little while after my first attempt at killing Caedus.

Raising my blade high, I caught the first blow, and then had to roll my wrist around, and drop my blade low to catch the next one. I was starting to pant, worn out from being in the cell without food or water, this much exertion was taxing my already limited resources. Pulling the Force to me, I attacked.

The next few minutes were something of a blur, as the next thing I know I'm standing over the smoking, sparking remains of the droid. Fighting off a shiver that wanted to race through me, I looked around to see how the others were doing. Seha was on the ground, one of her sabers gone, the other held limply in front of her, barely blocking the strong attacks of one of the droids. I glanced over to see Jys having a bit more luck with her opponent, as she danced around him, slowly nicking bits of metal away from its body.

I frowned as I watched the nanites swarm the damaged bits of droid, slowly rebuilding the parts that Jysella slashed away. It was like watching liquid metal flowing back and forth over the droid, and new droid magically appearing wherever the liquid touched.

I turned back to Seha, who I could feel growing weaker. Her saber was just out of place, and the droid's vibrosword slashed into the hilt. Energy pulsed out from the saber, flashing over the droid and Seha. Her back arced and her mouth pulled open in a silent scream. I pulled the Force to me, and jumped towards her.

Landing on the shoulders of the droid that was standing over her, I shoved my blade down into its neck. It emitted a strangled, electronic squeal as I slid my blade back and forth, vaporizing its internal processors; hoping that I would manage to nick its droid brain while in there.

Then its arm snapped towards me; the one holding a stun baton. With my blade in its neck, I was unable to dodge or block, and took the brunt of the attack square on the chest.

I flew off the droid, my saber slashing out through the back of the machine. The Force cried out in warning, as I screamed Seha's name.

A bright glow began to shine from the droid's wounds as I stumbled to my feet. I ran forward, tossing a quick glance towards Jysella. I caught her eye, and screamed, "Run!"

Her eyes shifted past me towards the droid and they widened slightly. "What about you two?"

My attention snapped forwards, and I tossed my hand out, pushing the droid with the Force. It crashed over to its side, and skidded along the floor until it reached the remains of the droid I had initially fought. "I'm getting Seha. No go!"

I slid to a stop beside her still form, noticing the gash on the side of her head. I grabbed her, and hauled her up, just as Jysella appeared on her other side to help me. I frowned at her. "Didn't I tell you to get out of here."

She smirked at me. "And you expected me to listen?" Then she barked a short laugh. "Besides, this is Seha."

I shook my head as we made for the door. She was right, I had no clue why I thought she would save her hide and leave Seha behind. Especially, after I had told her to do so.

We were still a good five or six meters from the door when the droid finally exploded. The force of the explosion through us forward and we slammed hard into the transparisteel doors. Why they would use transparisteel rather than glass or plaz is beyond me. I lifted my head, as another siren went off, and the mechanized voice began a 30 second count-down.

Cursing, I pushed on the door, only to find it refused to budge. My hand snapped down to my belt, reaching for my blade, and I cursed as it wasn't there.

I looked back into the rubble strewn room, but couldn't see it anywhere. Biting back another curse, I looked down at Jys to see her saber attached to her belt. I snatched it off, and thumbed its activation switch. With a quick, smooth motion, I shove the blade into the door, where I hoped the locking mechanism was.

The acrid stench of melting transparisteel burned my nose, and I slowly moved the blade in a large circle as the voice reached the final ten seconds. Jysella began to stir, and lifted her head to look at me, a frown on her face.

I looked down at her, the burning in my nose causing my eyes to water. The image of Jysella wavered for a moment, and I sighed. Softly, I said, "I'm sorry."

She gave me a small, wistful smile. A crooked twist of one corner of her mouth.

It was a smile that I hadn't seen in over a decade. The one that she use to throw at me when we were playing together and I'd do something incredibly stupid. The one that she had used to say she was sorry or that she forgave me. The one that she would never show to any of the other trainees.

Yet above all those memories, it was a smile. The first one that she had turned my way since my return to the Jedi; not as a sign of amusement at my expense or some type of malicious glee, but rather an honest to goodness smile.

It was a smile that made the broken remnants of my heart pound hard in my chest.

It was a smile that said there was so much she wish she could do. A smile that said there was so much she wished she could take back. A smile that said she knew what I felt, and that she returned it. A smile that said she was happy.

It was a smile that said she forgave me.

Maybe I was reading too much into it. Maybe she didn't mean any of those things, or maybe she meant them all and more.

At that moment, none of it mattered. All that did, was that she had smiled at me. More importantly, it had been my smile.

I watched a tear slice down her face, washing away the dust and grime that had settled on her cheek. Her voice was soft. "I know. I've always known."

The building quivered as the computerized voice reached 0. An almost sub-audible thump reverberated through the room, coming from somewhere deep in the ground beneath us.

I dropped down beside her, and wrapped her in one of my arms. With the other, I pulled Seha's unconscious form closer to us. Jysella's arms snaked around my neck, and I breathed deeply her scent. Her cheek was next to me, her breath soft and warm on my cheek.

Exhaling, I focused on the Force, pulling in huge amounts of energy from that mystical field.

She shifted, just the barest of movements, but I felt her lips flutter against my cheek, right near the edge of my mouth.

Then the explosion hit us.

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Next Chapter

I Want to be Your Knight - Ch. 21

Previous Post

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I woke up with a pounding headache. Lifting my head, I looked around at my surroundings, to find myself in a small, simple cell. I looked down and found myself floating off the floor about a half meter, just as a mild electrical shock flashed through me, disrupting my concentration.

I sighed, and let my head hang for a bit, content to wait for someone to show up to either kill me or gloat. Or both.

Turns out I was in for something of a wait.

I'm not sure how long I hung in that contraption. What I do know was that by the time he walked in I was rather hungry, and starting to feel the effects of dehydration. My guess would be a good two days. I think that might have been the most bored I had ever been in my life. I couldn't think straight because of the energy shocks, and later on the dehydration. I couldn't exercise because the mechanism held me basically immobile, and if I tried to stretch too far it rewarded my efforts with a bit of pain.

Ultimately, my enforced patience won out. Someone came into my cell.

He wore a Guard uniform, with a Major's rank insignia attached to the lapel. No name rested on his chest, but his blue eyes were cold and hard, and stared at me with the utmost disdain. With his blondish-brown hair, and the same dimpled chin as Uncle Han, he almost appeared as if Dad and Uncle Han had had kids.

I fought the urge to vomit due to the dehydration and really wished for a drink of water. Or a good hours worth of sleep.

The Major stepped in front of me, his thumbs tucked behind his belt, a smirk touching his lips. "So, what do you have to say for yourself Lieutenant Skywalker?"

I lifted my head, and answered his smirk with one of my own. "About what, Major? Besides, it's not lieutenant anymore. You might not have heard, but the Guard was disbanded."

"A likely bit of propaganda," he replied. "But ultimately a futile attempt. The Guard is eternal, and we serve at the behest of our Lord."

Something about his speech rankled my mind, but I was too out of it to fully comprehend. Instead, I shook my head. "Well, I don't really have a lord that I can serve behest, but there are a couple girls out there that like to order me about."

His fist cracked against my jaw, and stars flared through my vision. I blinked them away, and gave my head another shake just as yet another jolt of energy flashed through my body.

"Your impudence will gain you nothing. Now are you prepared to grovel for forgiveness, or shall we just go ahead and have you executed for your treason?"

I barked a short, brittle laugh. "Such options. Debase myself to the likes of you and your erstwhile commander, or be dead. I think I'll take being dead."

Even as I said it, I felt a slash of regret. I still hadn't patched things up with Seha, and Jys still hated me. It was just another in a long line of things that I had either failed to do or in general screwed up beyond belief.

You'd think I would have been used to it.

The major smiled at me, and unsnapped the strap on his holster. "I was hoping you'd say that."

As he started to pull his blaster, I barely caught a chirp coming from his ear. His hand snapped up to it, and he bolted around to face the door. I lifted my head to look over his shoulder, and saw the locking mechanism turning a bright orange and starting to melt. Gobs of molten metal flowed down the door, and soon it sprang open to reveal Jysella and Seha standing on the other side.

Jys grinned. "I think you have something that belongs to us."

I grinned and said, "Took you girls long enough." I also noticed that the major was subvocalizing into his comlink.

Jysella looked at me, her eyes narrowing slightly. "That's enough out of you Skywalker. Be happy we're here at all."

Finally, the major spoke up to the rest of us. "Thank you for taking the time to turn yourselves in. Now, lay down your weapons."

Seha arched and eyebrow at him and then looked at me. "Is he serious?"

I nodded my head, and sighed in acceptance. "I'm afraid so. The Guard didn't hire people with intelligence or a sense of humor."

Snorting, Jys replied. "That explains why you were a part of it." Grinning, she stepped forward and shoved her saber into the major's gun shoulder, and placed two quick burns to his legs, hobbling him. "Stay there."

Stepping over him, she deactivated my restraints. Which of course allowed me to drop to the floor.

Hard.

On my face.

Rubbing my bruised nose, I got to my feet as the world wavered around me. My eyes flickered between the two of them. "Would either of you happen to have some water?"

Seha nodded and passed me a small canteen. I quickly drained it, and feeling lightyears better handed it back. "Thanks Seha. Now all we need to do is find my saber."

Jysella nodded her head, and then crept back to the doorway, and glanced out into the hall. She then looked back at me. "Can you sense your saber? And don't forget you owe us one for finding you."

I snorted, and closed my eyes, stretching out my senses to find my lightsaber. It's odd, the relationship between a Jedi and his saber. In theory, we're not able to sense inanimate objects at rest, but we spend so much time and put so much of ourselves into the melding of the parts, that as long as it's within a few thousand feet, we can feel our saber, as if it were just another part of our body.

Opening my eyes, I pointed towards the left. "I feel it that way."

Jysella took point, while I hung back with Seha, her attention divided between watching our backs and helping me. She really was good with that healing stuff, as I felt her Force presence flowing through me, shoring up the parts of my body that wanted to do nothing more than collapse.

Surprisingly, we never did run into any guards as we hunted for my lightsaber. We saw plenty of bodies leftover from the girls' entrance, but the base appeared pretty much abandoned after they got me out.

My saber was the sole artifact on a desk littered with datapads. Looking around the small office, I assumed it had to have been the Major's office. I gently picked it up, and grinned at the device, happy to have my saber back in hand.

As I turned back to the girls, the overhead lights shifted to red, and a siren began wailing.

I looked up at the lights, a frown on my face, at the same time as Jysella spoke up. "Shavit. That's a destruct system."

My head snapped towards Jys, my mouth dropping open. "Destruct?"

She shook her head, and darted into the hallway, all pretense at subtlety and discretion gone. Seha grabbed my hand, and pulled me along ran after her.

After darting through a number of empty corridors, we burst into what appeared to be a lobby, and discovered where our opposition was. Three of those fine, upstanding X9 combat droids. I started backing towards the hallway we had just came through as a blast door dropped down closed behind us.

I lifted my saber, and thumbed its ignition switch at the same moment that Seha and Jys turned on their blades.

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