Jedi Council Forums - Falls the Shadow: Book 1 (EU/AU/NJO/Action/Drama, L/C, L/H) **ANNOUNCEMENT 8/22**

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Author	Topic: Falls the Shadow: Book 1 (EU/AU/NJO/Action/Drama, L/C, L/H) ANNOUNCEMENT 8/22
GeithJiseo Registered: Dec '03	Date Posted: 1/6/04 1:25pm Subject: Falls the Shadow: Book 1 (EU/AU/NJO/Action/Drama, L/C, L/H) ANNOUNCEMENT 8/22 - Date Edited: 9/4/04 8:04pm (61 edits total) Edited By: GeithJiseo
	Authors: GeithJiseo and Ambassador Cara Jade Timeframe: NJO Characters: Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa Solo, Callista Skywalker, Han Solo, and Hope Skywalker Genre: AU Okay, it's been forever since I've done this, but here goes... This is a new trilogy of sorts that will be written by me and Ambassador Cara Jade. This takes place in an AU, where Callista regained her powers after Children of the Jedi, she and Luke are married, and they have a daughter named Hope. Here are the links for our previous Trilogy: What if Callista Maternal Instincts Shadowlight This new trilogy takes place during the NJO era. The New Republic has enjoyed a golden age of peace and prosperity after defeating Xizor and Black Sun, but little do they know that their greatest challenge lies ahead... So, sit back and enjoy the ride! Everyone's welcome to enjoy this story. -------------------------------------------- The Outer Rim. The Helska System. Belkadan. It was a few minutes after midnight. The capital city was mostly asleep, the inhabitants unaware of the young man running for his life, and the two alien pursuers that followed him, slowly but steadily gaining ground. The young man ran through the dark streets of the capital. He could barely see five feet ahead of him; the streets had no glowcrystals. And for good reason; no one ever ventured outside at night. It was a rather small city, known for its quaint, small town atmosphere. The crime rate was nonexistent. There were no police patrolling the streets, no one to call for help. And there was nowhere to hide. He continued to run, ignoring the pain burning in his side. He did not dare look back. He knew that they were still chasing after him, and they wouldn’t stop until they had him. Panic overcame him. When Master Durron had sent him on this mission, he had not been expecting this. A fellow student, a young Codru-Ji named Ilna, had been sent here weeks ago on a separate mission. Someone had infiltrated BelkadaBn’s ExGal outpost, stealing all its records and files and murdering all the scientists. Ilna had been sent to Belkadan to investigate, but she had never reported back. Eventually, Master Durron had called upon Lyok, who had just recently been given the rank of Jedi Knight, to go to Belkadan and look for Ilna. Lyok, a fresh-faced young human from Chandrila, had eagerly accepted the task. And now here he was. He did eventually find out who had stolen the ExGal files, and he found out what had happened to Ilna. She had been murdered, horribly. Finding her had not been easy. According to the city governor, Ilna had reported to his office upon her arrival. He had directed her to the ExGal station, located deep in the jungle. Ilna had left the city the very next day, and that had been the last anyone had seen of her. Lyok had met Governor Aidan. The governor wasn’t particularly helpful; no one was. There were no witnesses, no leads. He had searched the entire outpost–which consisted of a large network of mazes, an endless labyrinth of sterile white corridors that led to nowhere–until he had given up. He had retreated into the woods just outside the city and meditated, seeing if he could lock on to the young Jedi’s presence, but that too had been fruitless. But then, a breakthrough happened. Two hours earlier, Lyok had been contacted by the governor, who had told him that a small blood spatter had been found just outside a sewer opening. The sample had been taken to a lab, and examined. It turned out to be from Ilna. Lyok had gone over to the sewer entrance, both hopeful and apprehensive. He had gone into the dark, slimy tunnels of filth, garbage, insects, and feces. He had wandered aimlessly through the tunnels, searching for any sign of his friend. Well, he found her, all right. And nothing could have prepared him for what he discovered. Ilna’s body had been mutilated almost beyond recognition; were it not for the fact that her lightsaber was still clipped to her belt, Lyok wouldn’t have even known that it had been her. A large portion of her stomach had been ripped off, its contents spilled all over the ground. Her neck had been cut into so deep that it was nearly decapitated, held only by a few strings of dead flesh. Her left hand had been sliced off by an extremely sharp-edged weapon. Lyok had stumbled away, horrified. It was then that he’d realized that he was no longer alone in the sewers. For Ilna’s killers still lurked in the shadows. They had been watching him the entire time. And now they had found a new target. And now they were chasing that target down the streets of Belkadan’s capital. Lyok had no idea what they were. They bore the faintest similarity to humans, but far stronger...and more terrifying. Both pursuers stood well over a meter tall, with pale white skin that looked almost reptilian. Both were bald, and their faces were carved with strange black tattoos and scars, their ears large and pointed. They were dressed completely in black, and carried staffs with them. Their eyes glowed in the darkness as they tracked down the Jedi. They were very fast, and very strong. Lyok had tried to use his lightsaber on them, but to no avail. Their armor–a type Lyok had never seen before–had somehow managed to absorb his blows, something he had thought impossible. Nothing could possible withstand a lightsaber blade...but he had been wrong. Escape was his only choice. Lyok ran, his breathing haggard. He needed to get back to his ship–he had landed just outside the capital city. Just a few more miles, and he’d be at the river. He could ride the current and lose his pursuers– The buildings around him became a blur as he ran. Some of the lights came on, and a few curious eyes peeked out to see what was going on. A few opened their doors and looked outside. Lyok ran for the closest one, looking for sanctuary, but every time he was within arm’s reach, the city’s inhabitants shut their doors, locked them. Whatever was going, they wanted no part in it. They were going to leave the young man to die. Lyok felt his heart sinking. He couldn’t keep this up for much longer. And the two pursuers were gaining on him. Running out of options, Lyok turned at the next block. The darkness swallowed him up as he found himself running down an alley. Trash was strewn all along the walls and ground, his footsteps echoing down the narrow passageway. He continued to run, hoping to find a fence that he could climb over, or perhaps even a dumpster to hide in, until the creatures have passed him– But all he found was a dead end. He was trapped. Lyok stopped running, his desperation growing. His blood ran ice-cold with terror. He looked around, hoping to find some kind of escape. He could already hear the footsteps of his pursuers as they turned into the alley, steady and sure. They were taking their time in catching up to him. Lyok’s eyes fell upon a drain pipe along the side of an apartment building. It was thin and covered in black slime, but it was his only hope. If he could just climb it and get to the roof, he might have a chance to escape and warn the Jedi Academy– A hiss broke through the chilly night air as the two creatures slowly closed the gap between them and the Jedi. Lyok took a deep breath and ran forward, letting the Force flow through him. He had practiced this move a dozen times over while under Master Durron’s training, but he had never had use it before it a situation such as this. It terrified him, but he had to do it. Or he would die. Lyok summoned the strange, mysterious that had been blessed upon him on his birth and leaped high into the air. For a split second, he was soaring, and his hands grasped on the drainpipe. Almost immediately, he could feel himself sliding down–the pipe was too slippery–but his fingers tightened around it, until he had a firm hold on it. He frantically began to climb up. Lyok cried out as one of his attackers reached up and snatched his foot. Kicking furiously, he managed to free himself, and doubled his speed, his heart pounding with every breath he took. Just a little bit more...a little more... Eventually, he reached the rooftop. He fell to his knees as he struggled to regain his breath, wiping the muck off his hands, relief pouring over him. He had gotten away, thank the Force– A shadow loomed over him. Lyok stood, but he was too late. Apparently, his two pursuers had friends. A third one lunged at him, pushing the young Jedi off the apartment roof–and into the waiting arms of his enemies. Lyok’s back hit the hard duracrete. He bounced once, twice. He lay there, stunned, unable to move, fading in and out of consciousness. His vision blurred; he saw two of everything. A few seconds passed, and the images around him merged back together...and he looked up as his pursuers towered over him, having caught their prey at last. One grabbed Lyok by the wrists and pulled his arms up over his head, pressing the young Jedi against the ground. Another creature–the one that had knocked him off the rooftop–leaped into the alley and pressed down on the Jedi’s ankles. The third one drew out its staff, a long, serpentine object that looked very much like a whip. Lyok watched in horror as the weapon seemed to transform before his eyes, changing into a flat blade of some kind with razor-sharp edges. The creature grinned as its eyes looked down at its victim. Lyok struggled with all his might, but he wasn’t nearly as strong. In despair, he called upon the Force and threw it against his attackers, hoping to down them into the wall, or least force them to release his hands. Nothing happened. He might as well have just thrown a bucket of water on him, for all the good it did. The face of the creature clutching his wrists loomed over Lyok, and he got a really good look at it for the first time. It was terrifying, like a demon from his worst nightmares. Those glowing, soulless eyes glared down at him, its mouth curled in a grotesque, deformed sneer, baring sharp, animal fangs. One of the demon’s hands left his wrists–the other hand continued to hold onto them–and came up to grasp Lyok firmly under the chin, forcing the Jedi to look up at its face. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t look away. His face was glued to the creature’s hellish features. It would be the last thing he would ever see. Pain shot through the Jedi’s chest as something sharp drove through his ribs. Lyok could feel his organs being ripped apart, could feel the bones in his chest snapping. He tasted blood in his mouth, and it poured out as he let out a wordless scream of agony. Already, he could feel a blackness even darker than the alley closing on his vision, could feel his life slipping away. A deep, low-throated laughter echoed in Lyok’s mind, and the Jedi knew no more. -----signature----- Please read: Falls the Shadow http://boards.theforce.net/Beyond_the_Saga/b10477/14494155/?8 "Bart! Wanna see my new chainsaw and hockey mask?"
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Smuggler-of-Mos-Espa Registered: Jan '02	Date Posted: 1/6/04 2:25pm Subject: RE: Falls the Shadow: Book 1
	Good job. -----signature----- Dum Roma deliberat Saguntum perit. http://smuggler-of-mos-espa.deviantart.com/
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GeithJiseo Registered: Dec '03	Date Posted: 1/6/04 2:29pm Subject: RE: Falls the Shadow: Book 1 - Date Edited: 2/22/04 1:13am (1 edits total) Edited By: GeithJiseo
	Thank you! Here's the next post... -------------------------------------------- Luke what's wrong? Leia, do you remember your mother? Your real mother? Just a little bit. She died when I was very young. What do you remember? Just...images, really. Feelings. Tell me. She was...very beautiful, kind...but sad. Why are you asking me this? I have no memory of my mother. I never knew her. Luke Skywalker closed his eyes as the memories flowed back to him: Endor, the Ewok village, him and Leia standing outside in the cold, starry night. He could remember the sadness in Leia's voice as she told him about their mother, the mother he had never known, the shock in her eyes as he told her of their father's identity, and the horror that he would have to confront him one last time... He stood inside the small, cramped dwelling that had once been the home of Obi-Wan Kenobi, his first Master. He and Leia were on Tatooine; they had been there for at least two months now. His sister waited outside for him, with Han and Chewie and Threepio on the Millennium Falcon. He would be out momentarily. He remembered this place very well. Tatooine carried some of his worst memories of his life: the murders of his aunt and uncle, facing Jabba the Hutt and almost being fed to the Sarlacc, being hunted down by Imperial stormtroopers...he had once told Obi-Wan that he would never come back to Tatooine again, but time and again, he had broken that promise. Something always continued to draw him back to the desert planet. And this time, it was his mother. Obi-Wan's spartan hovel had been one of the few sanctuaries Luke had had on Tatooine. He would go there at times to visit the old man, against his uncle's wishes, and they would talk. Mostly, Luke would talk about his life on a moisture farm, how much he longed to get away, to go to the Academy someday with his friends, to make something out of himself in his life. Ben had mostly listened, nodding and offering the young man encouraging words. And then that one fateful day had arrived. The day that would shatter the life Luke had known, and drive him to another. The day he had purchased those two droids, one of which carried secret data important to the Empire. The old hut was falling apart. It resembled little of the old, comfortable place that his Master had once called home, over twenty years ago. The walls were crumbling and falling apart. All of Ben's possessions were gone, stripped and stolen and sold by the Jawas. A dank, musty smell permeated the room, indicating that it had been a long time anyone had been inside. This place, once a sanctuary of comfort and well-worn peace, was now abandoned and bare. A few streaks of sunlight from the afternoon sky penetrated through the cracks in the walls, but for the most part, the hut was shrouded in the dark, the windows having caved in long ago. There was nothing left but emptiness. But Luke hadn't returned here to reflect on times past. For months, he had been plagued by dreams. Nightmares, to be more precise. Most of them involved his father, their battle on Cloud City, the Sith Lord's lightsaber cutting into Luke's arm, severing his hand, and the revelation that he was his father. For almost ten years now, these nightmares had become a ritual of sorts. He would have them every night, and would wake in the middle of the night drenched in cold sweat, lying next to his sleeping wife, Callista, who would soon wake up and comfort him in her arms. And every time he dreamed, somewhere in the back of his mind, he would see a face, one that was blurred and distorted, and hear a voice, also unrecognizable but vaguely female. She was saying something, but Luke could never quite figure out what it was. Then she would disappear into the darkness, as if she had never been. Something inside Luke told him that he knew, deep down in his subconscious, who it was. The woman who had given life to him and his sister, the woman whose face he could not recall, whose name he could not remember. His mother. Luke and Leia had never talked much about their mother. They talked about her even less than they talked about Vader. Whenever Luke would ask her questions, Leia would recoil and leave the room, tears welling in her large, brown eyes. Luke had resigned himself to the fact that he would never know who his mother had been, would never get the chance to see her, to ask her all those questions that continued to burn in his mind--Where do she come from? How did she and his father meet? What happened that made Anakin turn to the dark side? Why she have to give up her children?--for his moter was most likely dead. It had been decades; chances were that she had been murdered by the Empire, like Bail Organa, and Owen and Beru, and Obi-Wan... It wasn't until he had met Callista, and when they had fallen in love, that Luke began to think more about the subject. Callista had told him about her own mother's death, how she had committed suicide, and how she had never had the chance to know her or love her. It was then that Luke's own thoughts drifted to his mother, and he began to wonder what had happened to her, why he couldn't remember her. The thoughts tore him inside for years, until he finally needed to put his questions to rest. He had to find out. Even if it meant failure in the end, he had to do something, anything. He had talked it over with Leia, who had been very reluctant, and even now, still felt that this mission was pointless, a lost cause. Their mother was dead, she had told him; she was dead, and she was never coming back. There was nothing else they needed to know about her. But Luke disagreed. Which was why he went to Tatooine first. Obi-Wan had to have known his mother. If he had known Anakin before he turned, then surely he must have met Anakin's wife at least once. Luke cursed himself for not having asked this to Obi-Wan when his spirit had visited him on Dagobah, when he had confirmed that Vader was indeed Luke's father, and that Leia was his twin sister. But it was too late for that now. He had to find the answers out for himself. Luke walked over to one of the stone walls of the dwelling, placed a hand gingerly on it. He could feel it crack and crumble even with the faintest touch of his fingertips. He closed his eyes, summoned the Force, and a flood of memories poured into him, memories of twenty years ago-- He saw himself, repairing Threepio after the Tusken attack, while Ben told him about his father's death. He saw himself, practicing with the lightsaber that had once belonged to Anakin Skywalker. He saw himself, staring intently at the holographic image of Leia that Artoo-Detoo projected, as she begged Obi-Wan for help in the Rebellion's struggle against the Empire. He saw Obi-Wan asking his younger self to accompany him to Alderaan, and Luke staunchly refusing. Luke staggered as the memories hit him like a cool ocean wave. His fingers left the wall, and he dropped to one knee, his hands going up to both sides of his head. Voices replayed in his mind, as clear and vivid as if they had happened yesterday: I was once a Jedi Knight, the same as your father. I wish I'd known him. Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi. You're my only hope. You must learn the ways of the Force... I can't get involved... Learn about the Force, Luke. Luke cried out as a white-hot flash of pain exploded behind his eyes, and he found himself lying on the dust-covered floor, coughing and gasping for breath. He looked around, at the empty, desolate room, and stood himself shakily up, brushing the dust off his brown robes. He had just barely scratched the surface of the memories this old house held. He had to dig deeper... Luke went back over to the wall, placed his palm gently on the cracking stone, and reached. He could feel the Force reverberating inside the wall, inside the house, all around him. He felt it pass through his hand, like a wave of electricity, and the hairs on the back of his neck stood. He squeezed his eyes shut, fighting back the pain, and he could see himself in his mind's eye, opening a door that had been locked for a long, lone time, and the memories coming out. He saw himself, along with Leia and Artoo, standing inside the hut, recording a message for Jabba, a part of their plan to rescue Han-- He saw himself years later, searching for Obi-Wan's spirit, during his quest to recover Callista's lost powers-- And he saw more. Much, much more. The memories came at him like an endless train, a long, connected string of thoughts and forgotten memories. He saw Obi-Wan, practicing with a remote and his lightsaber. A flash of white light, and he saw another memory. Obi-Wan, looking much younger, his hair and beard just beginning to gray. He held something in his arms, a bundle of something, but Luke couldn't see what it was-- Then there was more. Memories that went beyond this hut, beyond Tatooine. Luke could see Obi-Wan's life flash before his eyes, each scene moving at a quick pace, too fast for him to see them all. He could hear voices again, different ones this time, voices he didn't recognize-- And then nothing. Luke's eyes snapped open, and he gasped. The power flowing inside him was so great, he felt that it would burst inside him. His hand moved away from the ruined wall, and he took several deep breaths. Sweat covered his skin, and his throat burned, as if he had just run several miles through the Dune Sea without a drink of water. He had been close. So very close. But the images he had seen, the memories, they had moved so fast, he couldn't see him-- Luke felt despair wash over him, soon followed by a renewed hope. He was no closer to finding his answers that he had been months ago, but he continue to look. This visit to Ben's old home had given him just a hint of what he would eventually find, if he didn't give up. He would keep trying-- No, he said to himself. Do or do not, there is no try. He sighed, and took a look at the old hut for the last time. There was nothing more for him here. He would never return to this place again. Without uttering a word, he turned and left. He stepped outside and found Leia sitting patiently on the ramp of the Millennium Falcon. Her eyes lit up when she saw Luke, and she went over to him and hugged him. "Did you find anything?" she asked him expectantly. "No...and yes," Luke said. "Come on. There's still a few more places I want to check out." Leia nodded, and brother and sister headed up to the ship. -----signature----- Please read: Falls the Shadow http://boards.theforce.net/Beyond_the_Saga/b10477/14494155/?8 "Bart! Wanna see my new chainsaw and hockey mask?"
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Ambassador Cara Jade Registered: Oct '99	Date Posted: 1/6/04 9:29pm Subject: RE: Falls the Shadow: Book 1 (NJO-era)
	Hello all! Here's the next part... ------------------ The Force exists in all things, Hope Skywalker thought to herself, repeating the words her father had repeated to her time and time again. It surrounds us, it penetrates us, it binds the galaxy together. A leaf in the wind... Hope took a deep breath, expelling the tension that was slowly crawling up her body and taking her muscles prisoner. As she inhaled again, she held onto it, trying to muster all her remaining anxiety. The stick in her hand was only used for practice, but she knew that once she had the actual piece in her hands, it would be transformed into a powerful weapon that, under her control, would lay her opponents to shame. She tightened her grip on the handle, and tossed aside a strand of her hair that was obscuring her vision. She looked up at her opponent, squaring him in her gaze. Garn was her age, but unlike most boys of thirteen, he seemed to have already gone through the embarassing trial of puberty. He towered over her, holding a stick very much like her own in his two large hands. “You’re going down, Skywalker,” he growled--already the triumphant grin was playing across his face. A shrill whistle erupted from the sidelines, just as a mechanized ball dropped between them. Hope swung first, connecting cleanly and sending the ball across the court to her teammate, a boy with shocking pink hair named Orsec. Orsec caught the ball with his own stick and ran the length of the court, controlling the ball’s direction with gentle taps. Hope smiled brightly at Garn and took off after her teammate, but Garn shoved her hard with his shoulder. Hope tried to maintain her balance, but she had been caught off-gaurd and went down hard. But as soon as she landed she leapt back up to her feet in a flair of anger. She clenced her practice stick at both ends, and glared at Garn. “Whatcha gonna do, baby?” he taunted. “Launch a Force storm at me?” “I doubt you’d survive if I did,” she said through gritted teeth. “Unfortunately, we need you to fill our water bottles.” Without another word she continued down the court, glancing down at the large purple bruise forming on her knee. Orsec had passed the ball to Hope’s best friend, Lillee, as Garn’s team had converged on him, trying to be the first to steal the ball from him. Lillee kicked the ball high into the air, and readied her stick. “Hope!” she cried, and smacked the ball towards her as it fell within her range. Hope dropped into a ready stance, waiting for just the right moment... ...and leapt into the air to head-butt the ball into the goal. But just as she was about to connect, Garn came out of nowhere, his own stick at the ready. Once again using his powerful should muscle, he shoved Hope out of his way and smacked the ball hard. It sailed all the way across the court, sailing past Hope’s goalkeeper and smacking the wall behind him hard. Hope landed flat on her back, all her breath leaving her body in one huge gasp. But rather than taking any of her tension or anxiety with it, she felt her strength escaping instead. She felt herself slide a little across the waxed court floor, burning her skin. “You okay, Hope?” Lillee knelt beside her and helped her to sit up. Hope pressed a hand to her breastbone, collecting the last ounces of air in her body to create a single breath. Once she had it, she said, “I’m fine.” Lille and Orsec each to Hope under an arm, but she brushed them off and leapt to her feet by herself. “What the hell was that, Garn?” she shouted across the court to her teammates. The large boy turned to face her, a smug look crossing his face. “I was just playing the game, captain,” he said, crossing his arms. “We are not going to win the finals by beating the merto out of the other team. Ever heard of a foul?” “Hey, Skywalker,” Garn countered. “I don’t know why they made you captain over me, but you’re not so tough without your little mind tricks. Maybe you can work on that before the finals.” Hope’s cheeks burned as she took another step closer to Garn. “They made me captain over you because it takes more brains than a bantha’s got to win this game. For all the strength it takes to play smashball, it does absolutely jack for you if you don’t know when to use it.” Garn chuckled. “Oh, I know when to use it,” he said, and swung one ham-sized fist at Hope. She ducked quickly with her Force-born reflexes, and grabbed his fist, twisting it behind his back. “As do I,” she said. “And if you cross your team captain again, I’ll see to it that I use the brains I’ve got to get you off this team.” “Skywalker!” Hope released Garn quickly, and turned to see Coach Beckin approaching. His face was dark, stern...just the way he looked whenever his team displeased him. “Sorry, coach,” she said, taking a step back. “May I ask what you were trying to do?” Hope cleared her throat. “Just...trying to make sure the team’s in shape for the finals.” “I see. Do you think that Garn will be in his best shape if he’s got a broken arm?” Hope looked at the ground. “No, sir. But I don’t think he’s in his best shape if he fouls us every other play.” Beckin nodded. “Yes, but that’s for me to address, not you. Your job as team captain is to make sure that this team is doing its best. If it’s not, then you come to me and I’ll take care of it. Understood?” “Yes, sir.” The coach turned to the rest of the team. “On the other hand, though, it was a good play. As long as we can keep the violence to an acceptable level, I’d say we’re well on our way to the finals.” He clapped his hands. “Right, to the showers, all of you. You stink.” Hope tossed her stick into the equipment cart and followed the other girls into their locker room. Lillee came up beside her and threw her arm over Hope’s shoulders. “Don’t worry about it. He’s been asking for it for a while. I’d have done it myself if you hadn’t.” Hope smiled and hugged her friend. “Hey, Hope! Next time just blast him with lightning!” Hope and Lillee turned and glared at the smirking goalie as she rushed past them into the showers. “Or choke him! I hear that worked really good for your granddaddy!” Hope closed her eyes and lolled her head back against Lillee’s arm. “Give it up, people. Honestly...” They walked in silence into the locker room. Hope dropped onto the bench, exhausted. She examined the bruise on her knee. “It looks like a butterfly,” she muttered. “See, here are the wings.” Lillee bent over Hope’s knee and looked closely at the bruise. “I’d say more of a Jax. See the ears.” “Whatever,” Hope said with a laugh. “I’m sorry they keep giving you grief,” Lillee said. “Like it’s your fault who you were born to.” “I guess I should be used to it by now. I’ve been getting it ever since we started school.” “I guess they just don’t get why someone like you isn’t in a Jedi academy.” “My mom wants me to have a normal life, away from being a Jedi,” Hope said, pulling off her shin gaurds. “Like that could ever happen.” “But that whole thing on...what was the planet again?” “Anasazi,” Hope supplied. “Yeah, that. I mean, who could be normal after that?” She caught herself, quickly. “I mean, not that you’re not normal, but--” “I’ve just experienced a lot more than a normal thirteen year old.” Hope sighed. “I barely even remember it. I don’t know, my parents say that I probably blocked a lot of it out. I don’t know what happened there. I remember seeing my mom fighting in a big stadium, all bloody and broken up. There was a lady with a knife, too.” Hope looked at her hand. The faintest line of a scar tracked across the creases of her palm. “She was related to my mom, somehow. I don’t remember, exactly how.” “Have you asked her?” “Yeah, but she gets a really weird look on her face whenever I do. I don’t have the heart to press her.” She closed her eyes. “She had a miscarriage there. But it wasn’t an accident. Someone did it to her.” Lillee bit her lip. “Yeah, I’ve heard about that.” Hope looked up quickly. “What did you hear?” Lillee shrugged. “It was probably nothing.” “What did you hear?” Hope said again. “That she had an affair with your dad’s old rival...and that the baby was his so she had an abortion.” Hope shook her head. “It’s not true,” she said. Lillee shook her blond hair back, and looked at Hope. “I know. You’re mom’s nice. She’s not the kind to sleep around.” Hope nodded. “Thanks.” She was raped, Hope thought. It wasn’t her fault... “You wanna go grab some lunch?” Lillee picked up her bag and slammed her locker shut. “Um, sure.” Hope looked down, realizing that she hadn’t even changed out of her uniform. “Hang on.” -----signature----- Yeah, I have my own icon. Visit the Callista Fans Thread http://boards.theforce.net/eu_community/b10194/23653771/p1
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GeithJiseo Registered: Dec '03	Date Posted: 1/6/04 9:34pm Subject: RE: Falls the Shadow: Book 1 (NJO-era)
	Hello, fellow writer! Excellent post, can't wait for more! -----signature----- Please read: Falls the Shadow http://boards.theforce.net/Beyond_the_Saga/b10477/14494155/?8 "Bart! Wanna see my new chainsaw and hockey mask?"
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GeithJiseo Registered: Dec '03	Date Posted: 1/7/04 9:36am Subject: RE: Falls the Shadow: Book 1 (NJO-era)
	Up! -----signature----- Please read: Falls the Shadow http://boards.theforce.net/Beyond_the_Saga/b10477/14494155/?8 "Bart! Wanna see my new chainsaw and hockey mask?"
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GeithJiseo Registered: Dec '03	Date Posted: 1/7/04 6:24pm Subject: RE: Falls the Shadow: Book 1 (NJO-era)
	To the top! -----signature----- Please read: Falls the Shadow http://boards.theforce.net/Beyond_the_Saga/b10477/14494155/?8 "Bart! Wanna see my new chainsaw and hockey mask?"
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Ambassador Cara Jade Registered: Oct '99	Date Posted: 1/7/04 11:41pm Subject: RE: Falls the Shadow: Book 1 (NJO-era)
	And here it is! ----------------- Callista Galexi Skywalker sat back in the oversized, form fitting chair and closed her eyes. The thick book had been resting in her lap ever since Jakob had gone down for his nap, two and a half hours ago. In that time, she’d reread the history of the Clone Wars--or at least, the chain of events leading up to it. Well, the first year or so. There was, after all, a reason that the old book was so thick. Callista rubbed her eyes. She had been searching for references to Luke’s mother for weeks, ever since Luke had left to find evidence himself. She knew that if she could only remember...she was sure that an answer--a clue, anything--was there somewhere, trapped in those layers of her memory that had been eroded by time and neglect. If only she knew how to release them. Callista slammed the book shut and stood up. Jakob would be up soon, anyway. She tossed the book back onto the chair and stretched. As she did, she heard the telltale rustlings an awake baby in the next room. A slight smile touched the corner of her mouth as she gently pushed to door open and peeked into the bedroom. Little Jakob was lying in the center of the bed she shared with Luke, trying futilely to roll onto his stomach. She chuckled. “Good morning, little man,” she said, crossing the room and sitting on the bed. Jakob’s chubby cheeks lifted in a sweet baby smile when he saw her, and he cooed contentedly. Callista stretched out beside him, propping her head on one hand and scratching Jakob’s stomach with the other. Jakob had been a priceless gift--the child Callista and Luke had longed for for ten years, ever since she had suffered a violent miscarriage at the hands of Luke’s old enemy, Prince Xizor. That miscarriage had proved more damaging than anyone had originally thought. Xizor’s men had tended the fatal stab wound quickly, but their haste had given way to poor healing and infection. In the years following, Callista concieved three times, and three times she miscarried, each more painful than the last. She remembered that first time, waking up in the middle of the night to excruciating pain. She hadn’t been able to move, and Luke, terrified, could only hold her as their baby bled out of her. At the MedCenter, the doctors said that because of the infection, Callista would never be able to have children, ever again. And even if she did concieve, she would never carry full-term, and in the very rare event that she did make it that far, the birth would probably claim her life. But that didn’t stop them from trying. The next miscarried quickly, less than a month after it was concieved. The third had been the worst of all. Callista carried the baby for four months, until one day she was stricken with an intense, paralyzing pain. Luke rushed her to the MedCenter, where they were confronted with the hardest choice they would ever face. Her life, or the life of the baby. It had taken a strong sedative to keep her from fighting the surgeon as Luke decided for the both of them. She didn’t speak to him for two months, after that. Once Callista got pregnant again, her surprised doctors ordered her to constant bedrest. If she was so hell-bent on having a child, they thought, all they could do was keep her from killing herself while she did it. And so Callista barely left her bed for nine months. And nine months later, Jakob was born. “You are my little treasure,” she whispered. Jakob smiled, as if to say, I know. Callista sat up and lfted the baby against her shoulder. “Shall we start dinner?” she said, standing and spinning in a circle. Jakob coughed the laugh of a four-month-old as she carried him into the parlor. “Your sister’s going to be home soon, “ she added. For all the excitement that had been her existence for so long, Callista had to admit that the quietness of domesticity was a welcome change. -----signature----- Yeah, I have my own icon. Visit the Callista Fans Thread http://boards.theforce.net/eu_community/b10194/23653771/p1
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GeithJiseo Registered: Dec '03	Date Posted: 1/8/04 3:42pm Subject: RE: Falls the Shadow: Book 1 (NJO-era)
	Excellent post, Cara! Here's more: --------------------------------------------- “Mos Espa,” Luke said, as he and Leia entered the port city. Afternoon had finally arrived, and the glare of Tatooine’s suns beat down on them and the inhabitants who milled around, conversing in thousands of different languages. “This is one of the largest cities on the planet, along with Mos Eisley, Anchorhead, and Bestine. You’ll find creatures and species of every walk of life here: Jawas, pirates, moisture farmers, you name it.” “Charming,” Leia commented dryly, as she drank from her water canteen. “Looks just like Imperial City...with more sand.” The two rode on a rickshaw as they passed through the streets. Luke’s eyes took in the various sights and smells of the spaceport. Mos Espa was very much like Mos Eisley, and all the other ports on Tatooine: seedy, dangerous, crowded, filthy, and most of all, scorching hot during the day. And yet, he couldn’t help but feel nostalgic. Seedy or not, Tatooine had been his first home for over eighteen years. He would never live here again, but he would always remember it. “So, where is this shop supposed to be at?” asked Leia, her eyes scanning the domed buildings that lined the streets around them. “It should be coming up on the next corner,” Luke said, pointing ahead. Leia offered him her canteen, and he gratefully accepted it. “According to the current owner, it used to be managed by a Toydarian named Watto. He eventually had to sell the shop and all the slaves he owned, because business was so bad, and his gambling had gotten the better of him.” “Slaves?” Leia shuddered. “I remember Father mentioning that when I was a senator. The Republic’s anti-slavery laws did no good in the Outer Rim. Slavery was still very much in use here before the Clone Wars.” “And Vader was one of them,” Luke said, a tightness forming in his throat. Their own father had been a slave here on Tatooine, and he had only been a child. He had never really had much of a chance. He looked over at Leia, and knew what she was thinking. She would never consider Vader their true father, no matter how much she had forgiven him for his crimes. The “father” she had been referring to had been Bail Organa of Alderaan, who had died when the Death Star had eradicated the planet. Vader had taken Bail away from her, and because of that, she would never call the Sith Lord her father. Luke had been more forgiving of the Sith Lord than his sister, but he understood where she was coming from. And he chose not to press the matter; time healed all wounds, some longer than others. Leia would never forget the destruction of Alderaan, and it was something she would have to come to terms with on her own. “We’re not entirely sure of that,” Leia said doubtfully. “I mean, how reliable can this source of yours be?” “She seemed pretty sure,” Luke said. “And I trust her.” He said no more after that. They reached the old shop ten minutes later. Luke paid the droid driver, and the rickshaw headed off. He and Leia went over to the closed entrance, and Luke knocked on the door. “I’ve forgotten how hot this blasted place is,” Leia said, pulling her hood over her head to shield herself from the flying dust. There was a pretty strong wind today, the first signs of a sandstorm. “I don’t understand how you could’ve lived here, Luke.” Luke grinned. “You know the old saying: home is where the heart is.” He looked back at the door, and knocked again. “Besides, we won’t be long.” The door opened, and a short, stout Bith poked his head out, his large, black, lidless eyes glancing inquisitively up at Luke and Leia. “Are you the Jedi Master?” he asked Luke. Luke nodded. “I’m Luke Skywalker, and this is my sister, Ambassador Leia Organa Solo.” Leia raised a hand in greeting. “You’ve been expecting us.” The Bith nodded. “My name is Hergio Casfur. Please, come in.” Casfur led them inside the junk shop, which consisted mostly of broken droid parts and spaceships. Pit droids scurried around the dingy room, chattering amongst each other in an indecipherable mechanical language. A door in the back led out into the junkyard, where more parts were laid out on the sand. There were two customers inside, an Abyssin and a Klatooinian, both of whom seemed to be arguing over some strange gizmo the Abyssin was holding in its large, clawed hands. “So, what do you need to know?” the Bith asked Luke as he headed behind the credit register. “Just the history of the shop, basically,” Luke said, as Leia curiously examined a pit droid that had been turned off. “I want to know more about this Watto.” The Bith nodded. “Well, from what I’ve heard, Watto loved credits, and he loved gambling. As you can guess, that eventually cost him everything. One day, he betted the wrong thing at the wrong time, and he lost everything. He lost his credits, he lost his slaves, and a few years later, he lost his shop.” “What exactly did he bet on that cost him everything he owned?” Luke pressed. Casfur shrugged. “I don’t know. That was over forty years ago. The records I have are sketchy at best.” “Can you show me the records, please? I really need to check them out.” “Sure, they’re in the storage room.” He pointed to a door mostly hidden by the remains of a SB-38 landspeeder. “Help yourself. I’ll be out here if you need anything.” “Thank you,” Luke said, and headed for the storage area, feeling his pulse quicken. For the first time in the two months they’ve been on Tatooine, he began to realize that he was on the verge of completely uncovering his parents’ past. Finally, all his questions would be answered. Or, so he hoped. --------------------------------------------- More to come later! -----signature----- Please read: Falls the Shadow http://boards.theforce.net/Beyond_the_Saga/b10477/14494155/?8 "Bart! Wanna see my new chainsaw and hockey mask?"
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GeithJiseo Registered: Dec '03	Date Posted: 1/8/04 7:22pm Subject: RE: Falls the Shadow: Book 1 (NJO-era)
	UPPERS!!! -----signature----- Please read: Falls the Shadow http://boards.theforce.net/Beyond_the_Saga/b10477/14494155/?8 "Bart! Wanna see my new chainsaw and hockey mask?"
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GeithJiseo Registered: Dec '03	Date Posted: 1/9/04 12:02am Subject: RE: Falls the Shadow: Book 1 (NJO-era) - Date Edited: 1/23/04 10:59pm (1 edits total) Edited By: GeithJiseo
	The storage room provided little space to maneuver, as it was covered from floor to ceiling with old, discarded files. Holorecords were stacked on the wooden shelves, many of them broken and useless. Luke sat at the small desk as he began rummaging through the files, the door closed behind him. He needed no distractions. There were over two thousand files in the small office, and each of them contained information that lasted around three hours. It would take forever for him to wade through it all...but he didn’t need to. He knew exactly what he was looking for. Luke picked up a small cube with the labeling FORMER SLAVES, and clicked the button. An image of an old-fashioned file sprang to life on the desk, written entirely in Huttese. Luke had a good enough grasp of the language to understood a majority of it. Watto had owned over a dozen slaves during his tenure at the junk shop. Most of them had either died or been sold to other slavers. Some had even managed to purchase their freedom, but that was a very small number, and none of the names seemed familiar to Luke, until... There. He felt his heart jump in his throat as his eyes scrolled down the file, stopped a name, a very familiar name. There it is. This is what we’ve been looking for... Anakin Skywalker. For a moment, Luke couldn’t move. He just sat there, surrounded by the ancient files and records, having forgotten how to breathe. The room seemed to spin around him as his eyes bore down on the name of his father, before he had become Darth Vader. He had been expecting this–his source had told him that his father had been a slave, and Watto had been his master–but it still shocked him to the core. All this time, he thought, feeling his eyes begin to mist. All this time, my father was from Tatooine, the same planet as me, and I never knew...Ben never told me the truth... Anger rose in him as he thought of Obi-Wan, and how he had lied to Luke, but it quickly died down. Of course Obi-Wan had lied to him; he’d had to. He had sworn to protect Luke from the Emperor, from Vader. He and Yoda had both known all along, knew that if Vader had ever managed to find Luke, it would mean the end of the Rebellion, the end of everything... But it still ate away at him. His whole life had seemed like one big lie. It wasn’t true, of course, but his heart said otherwise. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to shut the memories, trying to shut out the voices that continued to haunt him– He betrayed and murdered your father... I am your father... Why didn’t you tell me... Luke opened his eyes, slowly, and looked back at the file. Now was not the time for regrets. He had to focus on the here and now. He had come to this forsaken planet for a reason, and he needed to finish it. He read over the rest of the file. Anakin Skywalker had been three years old–Force, he had only been a child! Luke thought with horror–when he and his mother had been sold to Watto from Gardulla the Hutt, when she had lost them in a bet. He had worked for the Toydarian until he was nine years old, and then Watto had been forced to free him. But, why? What had happened? Luke pored furiously through the files, trying to find an answer. None came. There was more information contained in the cube, but he couldn’t access it. The file was old and crumbling, on the verge of falling apart. The holographic image fizzled and burned out into nothingness. Luke pounded his fist on the table. He had been so close! It felt like the Force was playing tricks on him, taunting him with these tiny clues and bits of evidence, only to pull them away just as he was about to reach for them. No, he thought, determined. I won’t let that happen. He looked down at the ancient cube and picked it up in one hand, his eyes narrowed into blue slits. Suddenly, the file sprang back to life, and the image came back. Luke used the Force to access the rest of the file, scanning through the Huttese lettering, until he found– A name. Luke felt the air leave his body, almost dropping the cube. Had he done that, it would have shattered into a thousand pieces. He had found a name. Shmi Skywalker. This was Anakin’s mother...the grandmother of Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa Solo. I don’t believe this, Luke thought, as he continued reading the file. Almost at once, he could feel a thousand doors in his mind opening, leading to more answers, and even more questions. Shmi had stayed behind, even after Anakin had gained his freedom. He still had no idea how Anakin had been freed, but he was one step closer to uncovering the final answer. Eventually, business became so bad for Watto that he eventually had to sell Shmi, to... “Stars...” Luke whispered, as he read to the end of the file. He had not been expecting this. Not at all. He stood up and left the storage room. He was finished with this place. But there was one more place he needed to go. Leia was waiting for him when he got out. “What did you find?” she asked, noting the shocked look on his face. “Luke, are you–” “We have to go,” Luke said hurriedly. “Where?” Luke took a deep breath, trying to calm his raging emotions. “To the Lars homestead.” -----signature----- Please read: Falls the Shadow http://boards.theforce.net/Beyond_the_Saga/b10477/14494155/?8 "Bart! Wanna see my new chainsaw and hockey mask?"
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GeithJiseo Registered: Dec '03	Date Posted: 1/9/04 9:19am Subject: RE: Falls the Shadow: Book 1 (NJO-era)
	Up ya go! -----signature----- Please read: Falls the Shadow http://boards.theforce.net/Beyond_the_Saga/b10477/14494155/?8 "Bart! Wanna see my new chainsaw and hockey mask?"
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GeithJiseo Registered: Dec '03	Date Posted: 1/9/04 6:08pm Subject: RE: Falls the Shadow: Book 1 (NJO-era)
	Another up! -----signature----- Please read: Falls the Shadow http://boards.theforce.net/Beyond_the_Saga/b10477/14494155/?8 "Bart! Wanna see my new chainsaw and hockey mask?"
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GeithJiseo Registered: Dec '03	Date Posted: 1/10/04 11:52am Subject: RE: Falls the Shadow: Book 1 (NJO-era)
	Toppers! -----signature----- Please read: Falls the Shadow http://boards.theforce.net/Beyond_the_Saga/b10477/14494155/?8 "Bart! Wanna see my new chainsaw and hockey mask?"
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Ambassador Cara Jade Registered: Oct '99	Date Posted: 1/10/04 2:23pm Subject: RE: Falls the Shadow: Book 1 (NJO-era)
	Next scene coming soon! -----signature----- Yeah, I have my own icon. Visit the Callista Fans Thread http://boards.theforce.net/eu_community/b10194/23653771/p1
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GeithJiseo Registered: Dec '03	Date Posted: 1/10/04 2:54pm Subject: RE: Falls the Shadow: Book 1 (NJO-era)
	Woohoo! Can't wait! -----signature----- Please read: Falls the Shadow http://boards.theforce.net/Beyond_the_Saga/b10477/14494155/?8 "Bart! Wanna see my new chainsaw and hockey mask?"
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