Jedi Council Forums - Balance Point (post-DJ, TK, Teneniel Djo, J/TK, one-poster

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Author	Topic: Balance Point (post-DJ, TK, Teneniel Djo, J/TK, one-poster - '04 Choice Short Story )
Amidala_Skywalker Title: Manager Emeritus Registered: Jul '01	Date Posted: 10/26/04 1:54am Subject: Balance Point (post-DJ, TK, Teneniel Djo, J/TK, one-poster - '04 Choice Short Story ) - Date Edited: 1/30/05 1:44pm (15 edits total) Edited By: Amidala_Skywalker
	Balance Point (Cover made by the lovely obaona!) Timeframe: Post-Dark Journey. Summary: Set after the novel Dark Journey, Tenel Ka struggles with her decision to accept her birthright, the Hapan Crown. Who can guide her through this dark time? Notes: This story is purposely written… strangely. At some points, I feel it has a certain feeling of… weightlessness. I have never tried first person and present tense together. To be honest, I struggled with every sentence in this story. I know the concepts I’ve portrayed may be confusing, but I wanted something that wasn’t part of the same vein my writing usually follows. I want to get readers thinking. Overall, I’m proud of myself for producing this piece. It has been around a year since I’ve written anything and I’ve never written Tenel Ka. This piece makes me feel naked because it lacks plenty of description. With thanks to ThrawnMcEwok for the beta (hey, why can’t I call you something less… formal here? ). Disclaimer: Credit goes to Moneypants!George. Apologises to Kathy Tyres for my shamelessness. In shadows, there is light. In strength, mercy. In duty, sacrifice. I believe that inside one, there are two. A balancing. I believe we create our own light and our own darkness – and that in the universe and the Force exists a grey, an essence that is good, bad and neither at the same time. Through that impartiality, we create our footsteps. We trap ourselves in our own cells. We create our own happiness. We decide our own right and wrong. We kill ourselves slowly, gently. I believe the trap is to trust that there is only one side to a surface, that the angles have become curved. I believe that consequences should be decided before actions. That innocence should be claimed before guilt. That youth should never be lost before age. I uphold the principles of honour, loyalty, and obligation. I realise the significance of what was entrusted to me. Know that I did not ask for this sacrifice, but that it cannot fall to another. My responsibility weighs upon me. It is the heat on my shoulders, the nightly suffocating pressure on my chest and the weariness in my bones come morning. It is also my voice and my tool. It is a part of me that I never wanted. It is the part of me that calls for judgement. It is my little voice that demands. It thinks it has won. I have made a decision I thought I would sooner regret than accept. Know that it was never my only choice. Know that freedom of choice makes life more individual, unique. Fact. But a promise is a vow that should not be broken. My birthright is my burden and my promise to life and each breath. In dark periods, there must be light. In night, there must be stars. I believe that there is no balance without contrast. There must be grey. There are more sides to my struggle. I must find personal balance. “Queen Mother, can you hear us?” Shaking. Trembling. Overwhelming. Thought, confusion, frustration – all one. “She is drifting back into unconsciousness!” Shaking, definitely shaking. “Queen Mother, you have ingested…” Ah, explanation. “We require you…” Too late. Vertigo. ** “In Dathomiri culture, stories have a much deeper meaning than on Hapes. The art of storytelling is just as valued as the story itself. Good stories, my daughter, do not find creation on flimsy. Tales of the heart are most often fact. Stories that are fantasy and exaggeration lose their enchantment with every generation. A priceless story is one that can be enjoyed by all because it is familiar to all. A story is a legacy. It is an entity that can be passed and shared amongst many people.” Patient pause. “Do you understand, Tenel Ka?” From my vantage point in a room atop one of the Palace’s spiral towers, I can observe the entire Hapan capital. The sun’s red-golden hue cloaks the city structures in a gesture I find quite beautiful and distracting. “Daughter, your mind has wandered.” I refocus my attention on Mother. “My thoughts are with the sunset,” I respond. Mother leans over to examine the view for herself. “Most appealing,” she agrees. “Such a sunset would be more breathtaking on Dathomir.” “I am sorry, Mother. Please continue.” Mother returns to relaxing in her chair. Her features are tranquil and I sense she has many pleasant memories of times spent exchanging stories with our kin. She resumes the lesson slowly, contemplating every word. “Pace is imperative. A story with a rapid pace will leave listeners feeling deprived and unsatisfied. However, if the story is far too slow, listeners will lose interest and the result will be same. You must seek to find a balance, Tenel Ka.” Mother’s words echo in my head. I feel an unexplainable connection with her choice of phrase. In the back of my mind, seemingly at a distance, I hear something snap and ricochet. “Mother, you speak of balance,” I say. “I must speak of many things with you, daughter.” I frown. “I find your words perplexing, Mother. What more does this lesson concern?” Mother strokes her palms along the arms of the chair. “The lesson was merely secondary to the genuine issue. It is your story that needs to be addressed.” “But I have not crafted anything,” I argue. “Tenel Ka,” Mother replies in a tone that is both gentle and reprimanding. “Life is your greatest story of all. You have nothing that is of a higher value.” Mother meets my gaze. There is intensity in her eyes. “Concentrate,” she instructs. “In the years of your childhood, Tenel Ka, I desired to be there for you when you encountered a crack or stone in your path. I was also mindful of my culture’s teachings. I did not want to create a daughter too consumed by secular values. It was required of you to be both a daughter of Hapes and witch of Dathomir. You will find those two elements are frequently incompatible. I struggled with this task.” Mother’s tone lingers on the last sentence. “I know you also grappled to find your place. But, in hindsight, I feel I distanced myself from you. I was Queen Mother. I was leader. I had learnt how to rule sixty-three worlds, but I could not guide my daughter. It was in those times, I saw your courage and determination. There were moments when I wanted to express how proud I was of you, but I could not find the words.” I grasp my mother’s hand tightly, entwining our fingers. “Mother, please, what must you say?” “When you returned to Hapes, following your mission into the heart of the Yuuzhan Vong, I felt a change in you. I knew there was a weakness inside you that was horribly penetrating. But, Tenel Ka, there was always hope. In one, there are two. You drew your greatest strength from periods in your life where you refused assistance. My inability gave you resistance to such deep sadness.” Mother cups my face tenderly. Her hand slides down my cheek, and in that movement, I feel intense sorrow. “You accepted the throne, the crown, and the responsibility and tradition that explicably bind the Cluster. But, unknowingly, you created a thinning in your barrier between surface and core. You lost your perfect control of emotion. Daughter, you’re continually waiting for the shape to shift, to perceive the other side. You will never admit, but you want someone to force truth upon you – truth that this life cannot remain the same. Truth that it is just the beginning of a much longer journey.” Mother sighs and hidden lines of age strike discord across her features. “But who do you have to serve that purpose?” I consider the recent turmoil in my life. I picture those who have stood at my side when my shoulders fell imperceptibly and my back was turned. I recognise their duty to the war effort. I do not criticise them for leaving me after the coronation. Jacen… His memory makes me falter. His death through the Force persists in making me lose… semblance. I know there is no way I will see his face again. I grieve. I mourn in silence… for there is no one who would hear me; still I know that does not make my pain any less. Mother senses the tidal wave within me. She reaches out and pulls me into an embrace, where I rest my head in the curve of her neck. She soothes me in a way I’ve always associated with warmth. “Mother.” My voice is shallow. “Your distance never made me wary of your love. You were never cold to me,” I insist. “You are my mother. I miss you terribly.” Mother tightens her hold on me. “Each night, I yearn to hear your teachings and to sit in this room once more. I regret you never had the chance to prepare me for the throne. I always felt you withheld something.” “I never expected you to be Queen Mother.” Mother chuckles. “You are a Jedi, daughter. A protector of law and justice, a defender of innocents, and an exceedingly skilled warrior.” Her voice becomes stoic. “Your place is not mine.” Mother sighs and I draw back. Her eyes appear clouded. “I suspect I could have never given the throne to anyone so young and full of life.” “But I am Queen Mother.” “Fact,” Mother answers. “As you shall always be from the moment the crown is transferred.” Silence. “I was as you are. My first year as Queen Mother was a beast I felt I could never defeat. My life was living between the very thin lines of professional and personal. Isolder was, at times, utterly alien to me. I felt I had never been so alone in my life. I felt it in my entire being. “But there was light inside darkness. As darkness lives within the purest being or object. There was eventual balance.” “Mother, forgive me, but the circumstances…” Mother interrupts me. “Tenel Ka, you have learnt my teachings well. However, when you are troubled, you will not listen to yourself. There is always balance. There is never one side but two, three or more.” Mother grasps my shoulders and pulls me to my feet. “You must not worry if you have erred in your decision. It is far too late to undo what has already been done. You must accept, my daughter, that the Force has a special path for you.” “Now,” mother says casually, turning her attention to the elegant Hapan tableware set placed on the stand beside her chair. In the back of my mind, I question why I did not notice the setting. “Please attend to our guests, daughter. They have been waiting.” I frown. We have guests? Does the setting necessitate guests? Mother looks at me and then indicates to the door with her eyes. Someone is knocking. Did I not notice that before? Mother does not seem concerned by her visitors. Mystified by the sudden turn of events, I walk to the door. The visitors continue to knock until their incessant pounding rings in my ears. Glimpsing over my shoulder at mother, I see she has stood to greet the guests. “Will you not open the door, Tenel Ka?” I reach for the keypad, but the door slides open before I issue any commands. Odd. The hallway is empty. The visitors are… absent. I step across the door’s threshold. The door immediately slides close behind me and Mother is gone. I spin around, searching for the keypad. Another peculiar circumstance. The door has no keypad or access panel. How does it open? The hallway is still and empty around me. The Palace is not renowned for a lack of activity. This causes my curiosity to intensify. Attempts to open the door are not successful and I begin to suspect I should follow the hallway. But, Mother… I should honour her. I should listen. The guests; they must be somewhere. A voice breaks the silence. I recognise the familiar tone. I strain to calculate its origin, but it is not until I hear several faint shuffles on the marble that I am certain. I break into a quick walk, following the long length of the corridor, listening, inspecting. The voice is closer to my location. I turn a corner and from nowhere, I am bombarded with a stretch of activity. Before me, Colonel Jagged Fel and several of my Fleet admirals are in deep discussion. Jag’s, however, is the only clear voice amongst the assembly. They halt their conversation and acknowledge my presence. “Queen Mother Tenel Ka, where have you been?” Jag strides towards me, worry entrenched on his face. My reply is jumbled. “I am…seeking…visitors.” I clear my throat. “My mother has lost her guests.” Jag frowns. His expression softens and his tone loses its sharp edge. “Queen Mother, I am sorry, but Her Majesty is dead.” The blonde-haired admiral, D’jarna Paarn, adds delicately, “With all due respect, Your Majesty, what you say cannot be true. Queen Mother Teneniel Djo has been cremated. You were in attendance.” Placing my hand on Jag’s arm, I ask, “What is the current situation?” “I am preparing the Hapan fleets to cooperate with the New Republic and Imperial taskforces, by your order.” I search my mind. “This is a fact.” With a bow of their heads, the Fleet admirals continue their discussion. Jag takes me aside. I remove my hand from his arm and lean closer to hear his hushed words. “Are you well, Queen Mother?” “Tenel Ka,” I correct. His voice has takes on a more personal tone. “Are you ill, Tenel Ka?” I shake my head. “It is just as well. Your Hapan admirals are not pleased with your decision to give me command of the fleets. They believe it very obtuse of you to entrust a matter of such importance to a man, much less a non-Hapan.” “It is not their place to question,” I say. “It is normally not my place to command Hapan fleets.” “You will adapt,” I say, flatly. Jag leans against the wall, his arms fold across his chest. “Have you adapted, Queen Mother Tenel Ka?” The answer does not come to me at once. “I believe…that in adaptation, there is a stalemate. A form of balance between two sides.” Jag smiles. “A politician’s answer.” Straightening his uniform, he declares, “I will command your fleet, Tenel Ka. The war will end.” He glances back at the admirals, studying the females, monitoring. “It is your crown, Tenel Ka. They are your people. You are the law. You may do as you please.” He does not wait for my response. Jagged Fel and the Admirals depart just as hastily as they were encountered. I have a feeling I cannot follow them. I take the opposite path. The corridor bends in a manner I find disconcerting. The real Palace does not have such twists and turns. It is based on symmetry. I become even more cautious when the corridor starts to narrow until such time my arm space is depleting. The further I trend, the darker it becomes. I recoil when I feel the wispy touch of vegetation brushing along the length of my arm. I spin on my heel and see only darkness where I have walked. At least ahead of me, there is a chance the undergrowth blocks the light. I continue and the growth embraces my sides, enclosing. My suspicions are fact and I picture the bizarre pathway ending at the light. It illuminates the vegetation. Gaudy vegetation. Kaleidoscopic. Yuuzhan Vong. My heart jumps. I quicken my pace. The light nears. An invisible wind blows the vegetation. It shudders, trembles. My heart leaps into my throat when I feel slick hands encircle my legs. I’m yanked to the floor, red hair whipping around my face. I am winded, my lungs burning. That does not delay my surprise at seeing a Yuuzhan Vong leap onto my chest. I growl at the alien and struggle as it attempts to subvert me. My hand is around its throat, fingers clawing at the mutilated skin. I feel its upper body tense. I strike with my legs, knees colliding with its midsection, and then retract. I deliver another blow with the same potency, which throws the being. I scramble to stand, ready for the next assault. My eyes widen at the sight before me. The Yuuzhan Vong has disappeared and in its place is a breathtaking sight. His eyes lock with mine. Solo. But how? Jacen. How? Jacen is dead. He’s dead. Gone. He was ripped from me. But my mother, also gone, yet… here. He smiles and I mimic. He motions for me to leave the narrow corridor and experience the light that bathes him. I do not bother to resist. We embrace on the threshold of light and I can feel his face in my hair and his lips against my neck. My breathing is still heavy from the fight. My hand wanders to the back of his neck. I clutch him. He whispers words against my skin several times. His voice thrills me as I clearly hear him say, “Your Majesty.” He knows. It radiates through me. He pulls back and looks into my eyes. “Is this how you greet a friend, Queen Mother?” “You are not a friend, Jacen.” Our foreheads touch. “Who sent you?” I should not question him. He smiles. “Your mother. She says love has balance.” His hand strokes my hair. “True?” I nod. Jacen steps away from me, his arms returning to his sides. I do not recognise the room Jacen occupies. The walls are intended to be a stark white, but living Yuuzhan Vong vegetation clings to them. It infects, invades, the white. This white space has no furniture. It is bare. Bleak. A deception. My mind rebels at the thought of captivity in this white sea. Jacen drifts across the space at… home, as strange as it sounds to me. “Tenel Ka, do you remember when you pretended to be anything but a Hapan Princess? Do you remember that feeling?” “Refreshing,” I interject. “Lying,” he counters. “A lie inside what you considered to be another lie.” He touches the wall, dangerously close to the living plant organism. “But you should understand that you’ve always been special. Your birthright is special. Hiding the truth isn’t going to change the fact you’re an extraordinary woman. You’ve helped to define yourself with the crown.” The organism senses a presence and edges closer. “I know you believe you’re killing yourself,” he states. “I know you believe you can’t see the stars through the clouds. I know I’m… missing.” I snort. He twirls around. I see the organism retreat, once again immobile. “If I’m done and buried, show me a body.” “You may experience a feeling,” I respond, solemnly. Jacen approaches me. “You’re not alone, Tenel Ka. Don’t do this all by yourself. It doesn’t need to be like this for you.” Hesitantly, he touches my cheek and, with his other hand, pulls me to him. “There’s pain, Tenel Ka. Things will get better, not worse.” His brow knits and a look of sympathy graces his face. “You haven’t got much more to lose, have you?” I do not respond. “I’m there for you, Tenel Ka.” He grits his teeth. “Force, I care. You’re supposed to protect royalty, you know. I’ll protect you, Tenel Ka. If the rain falls, I’ll be there to shield you. If you fall, I’ll catch you. Just give me time.” We embrace again. I desperately wish he were able to keep every promise he had ever given. “Do you see how the Yuuzhan Vong plants flourish amongst the white?” For emphasis, he points to the larger specimens. I find my voice. “What does it mean, Jacen?” He smiles. “I thought you would know.” He kisses my cheek gently. “It’s balance point, Tenel Ka. It’s a line bordered on both sides by abyss. It’s there where everything has life, symmetry, harmony. And every being, every living entity, has the potential to find balance point. For most, balance point is achieved the moment before death. It’s mistaken for clarity. “Balance point is the line between everything. You suspect the universe and the Force is grey, Tenel Ka. Good, bad, neither. But balance point is good, bad, and grey. Two concepts sharing much the same foundation, yet innumerably different. Grey is what you are given at conception. Balance point must be found, discovered, and even realised. A form of enlightenment, isn’t it?” A question surfaces – perhaps one of the most significant I have ever asked. “Are you at balance point, Jacen?” He grins impishly. “I am not between everything, Tenel Ka.” I feel him pull me closer against his chest. And in a very realistic manner, I feel safe. “You are Queen Mother, Tenel Ka. I can’t tell you if you made the right or wrong decision. You have to accept. You’ll never see yourself as something you’ll always want to be. But there is a balance point for everyone.” “Is that my truth?” “Your fact.” I can feel Jacen’s eyes on my lips. “And you wanna know another fact?” His tone is husky in a way I find most alluring. His breath is clammy on my skin and his hands are hot along my waistline. His lips hover over mine. I feel anxiety and exhilaration in the same instant. “Is it pleasing?” My lips barely touch his as I enunciate the words. “I want to kiss you now, Tenel Ka. Do you think balance permits us?” My hand travels to the back of his neck and I force our lips closer. “Demands,” I answer. I initiate the kiss. He instantly warms to my action and deepens our connection. Out of habit, I reach for the Force, embrace and probe my bond with my mate. The link remains in tatters. He stands in my arms, tangible, but our heart is still dead. His kiss is beautiful. It stirs emotions I have always been able to suppress. Yet, in spite of that, I feel something inside me float and then dive. I suppress a flinch. Jacen ends the kiss softly. I feel as though his infectious grin wants to imprint itself against my lips. He brushes red tresses from my face. “I am with you.” I want to believe. He embraces me firmly. My head rests on his shoulder and I can smell him, an aroma that tickles my nose and has repeatedly kept me awake all night in desire. I miss you, Jacen Solo. I push my face against his neck. Dark. ** “I saw her move, Anaqu! She is awake!” “At last! Queen Mother…” My eyes snap open. I see sudden, blurry movement. Women. I momentarily scare them. “Your Majesty, you must respond. It has been two days.” My mind is fuzzy. I think of Mother, Jacen, and Fleet Admiral D’jarna Paarn… odd. Daughter, you’re continually waiting for the shape to shift, to perceive the other side. It’s balance point, Tenel Ka. It’s a line bordered on both sides by abyss. It’s there where everything has life, symmetry, harmony. “Balance point,” I whisper. My voice is scratchy. “Your Majesty? What is balance point?” I try to smile. “The solution. The… eventual balance.” The two women talk to each other in murmurs. It does not concern me. My thoughts are with my vision. “Your Majesty, two days ago, you were infected with a dangerous toxin. It was believed you would die.” I push myself up on my elbows, but the speaker thrusts her hand against my chest and encourages me to rest. “How do you feel, Queen Mother?” “Enlightened.” The woman raises an eyebrow. My eyes stray from the attendant to the closed doors of my balcony. Outside, I observe a gust of wind propel a Hapan flag into the air. And as a backdrop, a flawless atmosphere, the sun sets. In one, there is more than we perceive. Balance will come. I am prepared for the journey, Mother, Jacen… love. ** Thank you so much for reading! Feedback is treasured. I’m a feedback… you-know-what. Since I’m new in this pairing, I’d love to meet more J/TK-based faces! Also, when you respond, can you do me another favour? Can you answer this question? - Could this story be considered canon? Or is it slight AU? -----signature----- Amsié, Crest of Handmaidens . ___ TF.N Archive Reviewer ___ Battlestar Galactica is the new way.
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Thrawn McEwok Title: TFN EU Staff Registered: May '00	Date Posted: 10/26/04 2:02am Subject: RE: Balance Point (post-DJ, TK, Teneniel Djo, J/TK – a real thinker about balance)
	'dess: why can’t I call you something less…formal here? Such as...? IMHO - brilliant, beautiful, wonderful... no need to call it AU, exquisite characterization, wonderful imagery... Well, you know all that already... I like it! - The Imperial Ewok -----signature----- A/T = OTP :===8[#]8===: Kyp/Jaina fans: stand up and be counted!
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DarthIshtar Title: Former CR Registered: Mar '01	Date Posted: 10/26/04 3:15am Subject: RE: Balance Point (post-DJ, TK, Teneniel Djo, J/TK – a real thinker about balance)
	Am, am, am--I believe we create our own light and our own darkness – and that in the universe and the Force exists a grey, an essence that is good, bad and neither at the same time. Through that impartiality, we create our footsteps. We trap ourselves in our own cells. We create our own happiness. We decide our own right and wrong. I love that. I love the idea of having that kind of mastery to create our own light, because that is the power and right, really, of every being ever created. It's like Abraham Lincoln who said that "We are only as happy as we make up our minds to be." We kill ourselves slowly, gently. Yes, the dichotomy of ultimate freedom to have happiness or goodness, but we are our own venoms because only we know how to craft what will destroy us. Tales of the heart are most often fact. How appropriate for Tenel Ka. “Pace is imperative. A story with a rapid pace will leave listeners feeling deprived and unsatisfied. However, if the story is far too slow, listeners will lose interest and the result will be same. You must seek to find a balance, Tenel Ka.” I love this because of the metaphor of life as the great story-telling, how the pace must be varied. The balance in pacing explains a lot about trials. I consider the recent turmoil in my life. I picture those who have stood at my side when my shoulders fell imperceptibly and my back was turned. I recognise their duty to the war effort. I do not criticise them for leaving me after the coronation. Jacen… His memory makes me falter. His death through the Force persists in making me lose… semblance. I know there is no way I will see his face again. I grieve. I mourn in silence… for there is no one that would hear me; still I know that does not make my pain any less. Interesting phrasing there. Love the loss of...semblance. “Mother.” My voice is shallow. “Your distance never made me wary of your love. You were never cold to me,” I insist. “You are my mother. I miss you terribly.” Applies to jacen as well. Appropriate that this thought followed the remembrance of what she has lost in him. “I was as you are. My first year as Queen Mother was a beast I felt I could never defeat. My life was living between the very thin lines of professional and personal. Isolder was, at times, utterly alien to me. I felt I had never been so alone in my entire life. I felt it in my entire being. I wanted more of this, always felt a compassion for the woman who left everything behind for the unknown.. The organism senses a presence and edges closer. “I know you believe you’re killing yourself,” he states. “I know you believe you can’t see the stars through the clouds. I know I’m…missing.” That's why I believe this is canon. “I want to kiss you now, Tenel Ka. Do you think balance permits us?” My hand travels to the back of his neck and I force our lips closer. “Demands,” I answer. Wonder why balance demands it or if she's mistaken in this balance. -----signature----- "I feel like a more down-to-earth Pink 5 when I'm writing Leah. Same attitude, less lip gloss." ~Me on how to get in the right mindset for Twilight fanfic.
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Jaina_Solo_59 Registered: Aug '04	Date Posted: 10/26/04 3:27am Subject: RE: Balance Point (post-DJ, TK, Teneniel Djo, J/TK – a real thinker about balance)
	That was Amazing! -----signature----- "Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not." Dr. Seuss
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Amidala_Skywalker Title: Manager Emeritus Registered: Jul '01	Date Posted: 10/26/04 3:38pm Subject: RE: Balance Point (post-DJ, TK, Teneniel Djo, J/TK – a real thinker about balance)
	Thanks for replying! I’m so grateful! ThrawnMcEwok: How about we at least start with Ark here? Thanks for your support! Ishy, Ishy, Ishy: Hello, you! I didn’t expect to see you. You’re a VERY welcome surprise! I love that. I love the idea of having that kind of mastery to create our own light, because that is the power and right, really, of every being ever created. It's like Abraham Lincoln who said that "We are only as happy as we make up our minds to be." I couldn’t agree more. I think it’s up to us to pave our own futures because no one should do it for us. Yes, the dichotomy of ultimate freedom to have happiness or goodness, but we are our own venoms because only we know how to craft what will destroy us. Okay, beautiful sentence, Ish. You’re right again. Interesting phrasing there. Love the loss of...semblance. Thank you. I didn’t want to go into overload with Tenel Ka bearing her feelings, but then again, I didn’t want her to come off cold and unaffected. I think that was a nice compromise. I wanted more of this, always felt a compassion for the woman who left everything behind for the unknown.. I don’t read as many EU books as I should (hehe), but I couldn’t believe it when I was told Teneniel showed up in COPR and then wasn’t seen again until DJ. There honestly wasn’t much said about her life, which I think is a shame. That's why I believe this is canon. The missing part? Wonder why balance demands it or if she's mistaken in this balance. She could have been mistaken, yes, because dream!Jacen had to inform her about balance point. She was halfway there with her musings about grey and balance. I think she believes balance demands them to be together because they are suited. Balance is achieved in many different ways, including love. So you have two answers to that. Thank you, Ish! Jaina_Solo_59: Thank you! pokes around Can I snag anyone else to reply? puts on Batman song Lurkers, lurkers, lurkers….LUR-KERS! Ams -----signature----- Amsié, Crest of Handmaidens . ___ TF.N Archive Reviewer ___ Battlestar Galactica is the new way.
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MistiWhitesun Registered: Aug '04	Date Posted: 10/26/04 4:08pm Subject: RE: Balance Point (post-DJ, TK, Teneniel Djo, J/TK – a real thinker about balance) - Date Edited: 10/26/04 4:09pm (1 edits total) Edited By: MistiWhitesun
	I'm sorry—I find Tenel Ka mixing up visions and reality so amusing! You're doing great! Keep it up! Some of your statements are downright spooky… I'm reminded of Vergere, but supposing she used regular logic. Freaky. Keep writing! ---"Misti" -----signature----- Fade to Black (Vader finds Scout) http://boards.theforce.net/the_saga/b10476/25847641/p1 "I should've known it would come to this."
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TheCrazyRodian Registered: Mar '04	Date Posted: 10/26/04 5:28pm Subject: RE: Balance Point (post-DJ, TK, Teneniel Djo, J/TK – a real thinker about balance)
	Holy hydration, Batman! Brilliant! Okay, Amsie, I just want you to know something--this is simply phenomenal. Your grasp of imagery is wonderful. I think that this viggie is just plain beautiful. And it's intellectual. A perfect combination. Great, great work! -----signature----- My body wears a green scent, as on the verge Between green laughter and green sorrow I have walked all day Until my legs have gone lame, and still the spring seems spirited away. --Yi Sanghwa
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obaona Registered: Jun '02	Date Posted: 10/26/04 6:55pm Subject: RE: Balance Point (post-DJ, TK, Teneniel Djo, J/TK – a real thinker about balance)
	I can see why this felt weird to you - it's very out of your personal style. Let's face it - you like using words a lot. But you were pretty sparse with them in this one, and, naturally, you carried it off. I'm not sure where to begin on feedback on this one. [face_thoughtful] I liked how you wrote Tenal Ka - from everything I know of her character, you nailed her. There's a certain stiffness to her speech, a certain formality to her way of thinking, but it seems softened by time and experience, in a very human way. Even the parts with Jacen seem very - Jacen. I don't care for his character much , but the part about lying seemed very much like something he would say. The philoshopical aspects - I think I understand them. Very much in the - style, I guess I want to say, of the NJO, which I never agreed with. But it's well done, and I'm still thinking about it. I don't think I can quite put it into words yet, though. It's a wonderful story, dearest. AU or canon? It could be either. I personally think, it doesn't contradict canon, so IMHO, it's canon. -----signature----- MS Word is designed by sadists with masochists in mind. - teh atty my recent Atton (KOTOR2) fic: http://boards.theforce.net/before_the_saga/b10475/30335989
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JainaDurron Registered: Aug '02	Date Posted: 10/26/04 9:14pm Subject: RE: Balance Point (post-DJ, TK, Teneniel Djo, J/TK, one-poster – a real thinker about balance)
	Ooo! I like Amsie. I can't wait to see what else you come up with with the J/TK pairing if you write more. ~~Jilly -----signature----- Qeryné, Handmaiden of the Crest Beta for Midnight_Jedi and Amidala_Skywalker Proud K/Jer (Rogue and Goddess); Twin Suns Lead- KDFC Winner for Best Romance Beyond the Saga, SFFA K/J is love!!!
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Tahi Registered: Jun '02	Date Posted: 10/27/04 4:34am Subject: RE: Balance Point (post-DJ, TK, Teneniel Djo, J/TK, one-poster – a real thinker about balance)
	That was wonderful, Ams. It sounded exactly like Tenel Ka, not just the tone but also her tendency for constant self-evaluation and analysis, and the choice of imagery. It was great to see someone writing Teneniel Djo. I don't think I've read a fanfic yet to do that, so good for you. The premise of the story was really well thought out - a biotoxin attack, and Tenel Ka unconscious having visions. I love the idea of her receiving help from both her mother and Jacen through the visions. And I also liked the way you delayed revealing the scenario until the end. The remembered scene between the young Tenel Ka and her mum was lovely. I could really see that as I was reading. I especially loved the moment when they both stopped to regard the sunrise - one of those defining moments that make a story resonate with its own inner truth. I also loved the way you gave us TK's view of Jacen as this was sadly lacking in the NJO (along with many other things.) To answer your question, I would certainly regard it as canon. Thanks for sharing. -----signature----- "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven." Ecclesiastes 3:1 Master to THE_PIED_PIPER
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rogue11lovesjag Registered: Jun '02	Date Posted: 10/27/04 10:57am Subject: RE: Balance Point (post-DJ, TK, Teneniel Djo, J/TK, one-poster – a real thinker about balance)
	That was lovely, Ams! I think it could be considered canon. I certainly don't see why it could be anything else. I really like your characterization of Tenel Ka, because she's always holding emotions in. It was really interesting to see how the death and destruction could affect someone like her. I really liked the interaction with her dream-mother. It was very interesting, because we never really ever got to see Tenel Ka interact with her mother...just a snippet every once in a while. It's something that's been missing from her character. It's a great story. Love ya! ~Carr -----signature----- Carrolé, Handmaiden of the Crest! Give me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change The courage to change the things I can And the wisdom to hide the bodies of everyone who ruins my ships.
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Amidala_Skywalker Title: Manager Emeritus Registered: Jul '01	Date Posted: 10/27/04 5:12pm Subject: RE: Balance Point (post-DJ, TK, Teneniel Djo, J/TK, one-poster – a real thinker about balance)
	Zoinks! Replies! Thanks everyone! Misti: I didn’t try to write it humorously, but if the shoe fits, I’ll go with the flow. Spooky? Freaky? Excellent! In the back of my mind when I write or plan these types of stories, I’m always thinking of the movie The Sixth Sense. I love that film. I believe it helped revolutionise the thriller genre into the modern scary film. I haven’t read Traitor, but I hear that bird is one quick and contradictory talker . TheCrazyRodian: Thank you! I’m genuinely flattered by your feedback. It did bright my… well, yesterday’s day. Oba: Heya, darl . I can see why this felt weird to you - it's very out of your personal style. Let's face it - you like using words a lot. But you were pretty sparse with them in this one, and, naturally, you carried it off. laughs Okay, so I like description, despite the fact it makes writing ‘fic harder. I think I’ll have to write a fic that fits in with my personal style – maybe K/J . Challenge was good, though. Thank you! I agree with you about Tenel Ka and Jacen. I thought he’d say something about lying and being true to one’s self since he spent all that time refusing to use the Force. I pinned psychological NJO? Cool. I wish I knew more about it :P. And I’ve still got you thinking? Great! Jilly: Thanks! Well, right now, there’s more K/J on the horizon rather than J/TK. Tahi: Hello! Nice to see you here . Yes, I have always seen TK as a person who needs to analyse and evaluate not only herself by her surroundings. I can’t say I’ve read a story with Teneniel Djo. Why is she absent from ‘fics? Why don’t people touch her? So, her characterisation was just a poke in the fog. As much as I adore J/TK, I think Teneniel stole the show. I didn’t want this story to be too…romance-y. As in, “Jacen’s love saves Tenel Ka from going insane after she accepts the Hapan throne”. After all, this is the story that made me never want to write the word “balance” again . Carr (!): Well, a consensus seemed to have been reached – BP is canon then. I agree – TK/mother scene makes for good foundation. Thanks! Love ya! Thanks! Any other J/TK (or even Teneniel) fans – familiar faces or otherwise – hiding around here? Ams -----signature----- Amsié, Crest of Handmaidens . ___ TF.N Archive Reviewer ___ Battlestar Galactica is the new way.
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LianaMara Registered: Oct '00	Date Posted: 10/27/04 5:39pm Subject: RE: Balance Point (post-DJ, TK, Teneniel Djo, J/TK, one-poster – a real thinker about balance)
	Wow, Amsie! This was very different from your normal style. It felt very restrained, which I thought was very fitting - after all, neither Tenel Ka, nor Teneniel Djo, nor Jacen, really, have been very openly emotional people. I loved the mix between reality and illusion - and at first, I had a hard time distinguishing between the two. But as the story progressed, I began to understand better the points that you were making. And while yes, some of them are still confusing, it still seemed in keeping with the overall feel of the story. Tenel Ka was confused, and she was poisoned...obviously, the thoughts circling through her mind would likewise not be easily understandable. And the whole idea of a "balance point," which included the dark, the light, and the in-between, was so intriguing. I loved that you continued that idea throughout the piece. Wonderful job, dear! -----signature----- "For us, there is only the trying. The rest is not our business." --T.S. Eliot Leilaé, handmaiden of the Crest \|\| petit Jedi enfant of obaona \|\| Lani & Lali's blonde triplet
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Pallas-Athena Title: TFN Fan Fiction Archive Editor Registered: Nov '00	Date Posted: 10/27/04 5:58pm Subject: RE: Balance Point (post-DJ, TK, Teneniel Djo, J/TK, one-poster – a real thinker about balance)
	Not bad, not bad As usual Amsie, very breathtaking. I don’t think it notably lacked description, like you say. The vagueness, I think, added to the whimsical feeling, making it dream-like – weightless -----signature----- Do you ever get bored and find yourself scrolling down a thread just to read the signatures?
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Lonewolf89 Registered: Sep '01	Date Posted: 10/27/04 8:14pm Subject: RE: Balance Point (post-DJ, TK, Teneniel Djo, J/TK, one-poster – a real thinker about balance)
	“How do you feel, Queen Mother?” “Enlightened.” Very interesting work, Ams. I liked how you pushed the fic past the bounds of reality, making it seem surreal and dreamlike. It's hard to get that feeling across in a story. I haven't read any books past SbS, so I'm not the best authority for answering the AU or Canon question, but I can see something like this happening. Good job! -----signature----- Nom Anor: I witnessed the death of perhaps the greatest of them all, the one called Anakin Solo. Anakin Solo: You want me to move? Come on and move me! Jacen: Count on Anakin to be the last Human to get out of Duro space alive. Member of the FADA & ATF
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Amidala_Skywalker Title: Manager Emeritus Registered: Jul '01	Date Posted: 10/28/04 2:37am Subject: RE: Balance Point (post-DJ, TK, Teneniel Djo, J/TK, one-poster – a real thinker about balance)
	Well, I can’t leave well enough alone . Since I’m thinking about submitting this piece to the Archive, I went over it again with a fine-tooth comb. I altered a few sentences and changed some phrasing to make it smoother. You’ll notice a few differences in dialogue. Also, if you don’t mind beta reading and you’d like to help me get this archived, can you please send me a PM? Thank you! Now, down to the replies… digs Lei: Hi there! Yay, I was hoping to get my favourite word – “Wow” – in a reply! I agree with you about the restraint. When I write and talk to people in general, I think I sometimes slip into formalities, so it was good to be able to write a character that does it all the time. Tenel Ka doesn’t need an atmosphere to talk formally. Thank you! I’m pleased you enjoyed my take at “balance point” or serenity. I want to write more stories that mix reality and illusion because they’re so… rebellious. It’s not the norm. Jayen: LOL. Oooh, “breathtaking”. Flattery, indeed. Vague, whimsical, weightless – an accurate description. Thanks! LW: Thank you! I agree with you. Surrealism is hard to pin down. Oh, can you believe I’ve only read SbS and bits and pieces of DJ? Since this is supposed to be canon, I described to grab my copy of DJ and flip through the book. I feel like I’m designing the bridge, but I haven’t asked the engineers where it will be build. Thank you, all! Feedback is wonderful! Ams -----signature----- Amsié, Crest of Handmaidens . ___ TF.N Archive Reviewer ___ Battlestar Galactica is the new way.
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