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Author	Topic: Madness (Jedi purge short story; OC w/ Palpatine cameo)
lazykbys Registered: Oct '04	Date Posted: 12/9/04 12:21am Subject: Madness (Jedi purge short story; OC w/ Palpatine cameo)
	Title: Madness Author: lazykbys Timeframe: inter-Trilogy Genre: short story Characters: OC w/ Palpatine cameo Keywords: Jedi purge Summary: A fleeing Jedi inadvertently winds up holding people hostage. His ex-padawan tries to help him escape. Author's Notes: This is an entry for the Jedi purge challenge. Madness Draav Marlon was a man on the run. Half a standard year ago, Emperor Palpatine had revealed proof that the Jedi had been responsible for countless behind-the-scenes political manipulations, and that they were the ones ultimately responsible for the Separatist Movement and the Clone War that had sprung from it. Thus overnight the Jedi Order had gone from protectors of the peace to enemies of the state. Draav had turned himself in to the authorities before the madness began, trusting that the truth would prevail and the Jedi Order's honor be restored. Instead, they had put him through a process of interrogation that would be charitable to call brutal. They had had no interest in justice or the truth, but only in hunting down the Jedi. Draav could not remember how he had escaped. In fact, he was not quite sure how he had arrived on this world. It was all too possible that he had been released here so that he could lead them to other Jedi. He risked taking a suspicious glance at the other people in the bar. None of them seemed to be taking an interest in him, but his Jedi senses had been picking up something for the past few minutes. He tried to get a better feel of their thoughts through the Force and got a splitting headache instead. What had they done to him to leave him so disoriented? Just what had they done to pry the information out of his head? "Are you all right, sir?" a waiter asked him. "Should I call -" "No! I'm fine," Draav snapped. He couldn't go to a hospital. A simple blood test would show that his midi-chlorian count was too high to be anything other than a Jedi. He would be in the Empire's hands again before the day was done. He hissed in pain as the headache returned. He grabbed the table to keep himself from falling, gasping for breath as the room spinned wildly around him. The waiter frowned and reached for the comm unit on the wall. But before he could press the activation button, his hand was separated from the rest of his body by a blue-white blade that had suddenly appeared in Draav's hands. "No," Draav said. "I won't let you turn me in." ----- Evi Torrel was in a Jedi safehouse when Harl came running in with the news. "They say a Jedi's going crazy in Hammid City," he said as he turned on the holovid. "The governor's called the Imperial Navy for help." The Jedi, the reporter said, had assaulted a citizen in a drinking establishment without provocation, then ran before the authorities arrived. However, he had been discovered by the local constabulary a short time later and was now holed up in a diner with hostages. Evi watched the three-dimensional news footage in shocked silence. The image was probably taken from a distance and the resolution was low, but even still the glow of a lightsaber was unmistakable. "What do you think, Evi? A trap?" "I - I don't know. It might be." "Well, what does the Force tell you?" Under different circumstances she might have smiled. Harl was a good man but he had no Force sensitivity to speak of. He also had grand delusions of what the Jedi were capable of. "Very little, I'm afraid," Evi said gently. "Right now all I can tell is that there's a Jedi in trouble." Harl's eyes widened. "Then he's really a Jedi?" Evi hesitated before nodding. There was something else about the sense she felt through the Force, something familiar. Then the holocamera zoomed in, showing her a face that she knew. "Master Marlon," she breathed. "Do you know him?" "He was my Master. But he turned himself in to the Imperials, and I thought we lost him for good." She turned to face Harl and found that he was watching her intently. "What are you going to do?" he asked. "Go and help him?" She knew she shouldn't. Hammid City was a continent away, and there was no guarantee she could help him escape before the Clone troopers arrived. Besides, Marlon would go crazy if he knew his former padawan had risked her life to save his. But she had heard what they did to the Jedi they captured. She wouldn't be able to live with herself knowing she had left him to that fate. "How fast can you arrange for transport?" she found herself saying. ----- Draav looked at the frightened faces in front of him and bit back a curse. These people, these citizens, the very people he had sworn to protect, were now his hostages. He wasn't sure how things had gone out of control so quickly. One minute he was an innocent man running for his life, the next he was a hostage-taking terrorist. Well, maybe not completely innocent. He grimaced at the memory of cutting off the waiter's hand. In hindsight it was more or less obvious the man had meant no harm. Probably no harm. His headache, while not the supernova it had been, was still enough of a distraction that he had trouble remembering things in clear detail. He looked at his hostages again. They had formed small groups, possibly to reassure each other that they were still there. In one of them, a middle-aged man glared defiantly at him, but Draav could tell from the Force that he was just as frightened as his wife and daughter. Draav wanted to tell him that he meant them no harm, but had decided that trying to make them understand would be a waste of time. Besides, like it or not they were his hostages, and he would last no time at all if the armed men outside knew for sure he wasn't a threat to them. Draav frowned. There was something wrong with his reasoning, he was sure, but he couldn't figure out what it was. If only the headache would go away. ----- Evi looked at the blueprints Harl had acquired, wondering how she should proceed. The diner had several entrances, but the local security force no doubt had them covered. For a moment she considered crashing a landspeeder through the transparisteel window like she'd seen done in a holodrama, but probably such things only worked in fiction. "The sewer," she decided. "Digging a hole through the walls with disintegrators would make too much noise, but a lightsaber should do the job without getting noticed." She would go in, and then they would come out. Aside from the time it took to cut through the wall, it should be over in no time. The problem, of course, was keeping Hammid City's police force off their tail. A hole in the basement would be hard to miss, and even if they did, the hostages would be sure to tell them. "Maybe I should just shoot the hostages," Evi said, and was shot a look of utter disbelief by Harl. "Not to kill," she explained hastily. "Just stun them. Make sure they can't talk." "Can't you just, um, suppress their memories or something?" "No. That's too close to the dark side for comfort." "In that case, I guess you don't have a choice." He pulled his blaster from his belt and checked the power levels. He then paused before handing it over, giving Evi and her lightsaber a worried glance. "Have you actually used a blaster before?" "Don't worry, I'll aim with the Force." "Oh. Good." ----- Draav paced back and forth like a beast in a cage, trying to figure out what he should do next. Running was no longer an option. By now the entire planet must know what he looked like. Fighting was out of the question. He didn't want to be responsible for the deaths of people who were just trying to do their jobs. The only thing that remained was the hostage situation. A part of him realized that done properly, he could exchange the safety of these people for his own freedom. However, that would only work if they knew he was serious about harming them. Perhaps if he cut someone's hand off - Draav stopped in mid-stride, appalled by his own thoughts. What was he thinking? He was a Jedi. He couldn't possibly harm innocent people! He looked at the lightsaber blade as if seeing it for the first time. Then he looked at the people he was holding hostage, and saw the fear and mistrust in their eyes. For over a thousand generations the Jedi Knights had been the guardians of peace and justice in the galaxy. Recent events had begun to erode that trust - or perhaps the rot had started earlier. Draav could not tell. All he knew was that here and now, these people only saw him as a monster who could destroy them. On the other hand - he was a Jedi. What need did he have for public approval? He answered to the Force and nothing else! The pounding in his head was becoming intolerable. The fear and anger and hatred he felt through the Force wasn't helping. He needed to silence those voices. He could do that easily by killing the hostages. No! I am a Jedi! I am at peace! I am in control of my emotions! I will not give in to the dark side! He wanted to tell them he meant no harm. He wanted to tell them they could trust him. But how could he convince them he was worthy of their trust when he was as unsure of himself as they were? "Master?" He turned around to see who had spoken. He saw a woman. He saw the blaster in her hand. He saw the lightsaber clipped to her belt. Then he saw her face. It was one he knew. A Jedi! The throbbing pain finally ceased as he saw a possible solution: killing this Jedi would prove he was not the Jedi they feared he was. With a gleeful cry, he pounced. ----- Dropping the blaster without a second thought, Evi got her lightsaber up and ignited in the nick of time. The two blades struck each other just centimeters in front of her nose, lighting up Marlon's face in a way that was terrible to see. She did not know what they had done to him, but there was one thing that was too easy to see: the Jedi Master had been driven insane. As their lightsabers clashed again and again, Evi tried to reason with the Jedi Master, to plead with him to stop, to make him see that time was running out. But each time it seemed she was getting through to him, his features would twist in pain and he would renew his attack with increased vigor. It was like trying to build a castle of sand in the tide. You leave me no choice, Master. The next time their blades parted, she aimed a Force blow at Marlon's hands, then attacked with a vicious upward swing that sent his lightsaber flying. She then called the dropped blaster into her hand and shot him in the chest. In the brief moment before he dropped to the floor, Evi thought she saw a genuine smile on his face. With a sniff, Evi looked at the people Marlon had held hostage. They shrank back from her gaze. None of them seemed to see her as their rescuer, but only another Jedi and a potential threat. She wondered if any of them had noticed that the blaster was only set on stun. "I'm sorry," she said as she turned the blaster toward them. She wanted to explain what she was doing and why, but she didn't have the time. "I'm sorry," she repeated as she pulled the trigger once, then twice, then thrice. Then the Clone troopers burst in. Unlike Evi's blaster, their carbines were set on kill. Within seconds it was all over. ----- ----- The Chief Medical Researcher for the Clone Project cleared his throat nervously in the presence of the Emperor. "I'm afraid the results are not promising, your Highness. Although we can shorten the growth cycle considerably, those clones tend to be prone to paranoia, schizophrenia, and other forms of insanity. Our tests suggest that one standard year is the fastest the clones can be grown without risk of mental anomalies. Even then, their growth would have to be constantly monitored. At the mass-production scales you require, I would suggest five years as the lower limit." "What of the Jedi?" The Researcher grimaced. "The Jedi clones are worse. We're not sure why, but clones of Force-sensitives need to be grown at a much slower rate if they are to retain their sanity." "I am not interested in their mental health, Doctor. How fast can they be grown?" "One hundred days, your Highness." Then he saw the Emperor's expression and added, "Perhaps it can be shortened." "Do it," the Emperor commanded. "I wish to rid the galaxy of the Jedi as soon as possible. Your Jedi clones are instrumental to my plans." "But your Highness, they will be quite mad and beyond our control! I don't see how they can be used in any plan." "It's quite simple, Doctor. Despite my attempts at educating them, there are those who persist in believing that the Jedi are not a threat. The Jedi clones will teach them otherwise." Emperor Palpatine allowed himself a small smile. "After we have stripped the Jedi of what little public support they still have, crushing them will be simple." -----signature----- I would greatly appreciate any constructive criticism you can give me. Please feel free to PM me with your comments. . by the same author (click and scroll dowwwn): http://boards.theforce.net/m/b1/17609715/r17736763
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CapNJaxWench Registered: Jul '04	Date Posted: 12/9/04 6:46am Subject: RE: Madness (Jedi purge short story; OC w/ Palpatine cameo)
	Very typical of Palpatine to come up with something so twisted. Great viggie! -----signature----- But you have heard of me, right?
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VaderHomeBoy Registered: Mar '04	Date Posted: 12/9/04 6:57am Subject: RE: Madness (Jedi purge short story; OC w/ Palpatine cameo)
	Very cool. Palps is one evil dude. -----signature----- I am held prisoner in a family full of Vaders....Help me! Son of VaderLVR64, brother (not by choice) of VadersMistress
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SarkaVrae Title: PR Emeritus Chattanooga Registered: Jun '04	Date Posted: 12/9/04 7:51am Subject: RE: Madness (Jedi purge short story; OC w/ Palpatine cameo)
	cool story! great theory! sneeky of Palpatine to do that....not only are the crazy Jedi clones causing havoc and acting unruly, but--like this--they can draw other hidden Jedi out...very, very sly! -----signature----- http://www.connooga.com TEH BESTEST CON EVAR! are you crazy? it's a very dangerous thing to do exactly what you want TwiLekJedi is so silly "I will sin my own sins, with my eyes open"
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SkalenFehl Registered: Jan '03	Date Posted: 12/9/04 8:11am Subject: RE: Madness (Jedi purge short story; OC w/ Palpatine cameo)
	Dude! Sweet! I really liked this story. It wasn't really him! Dang. She gave her life. Dang. Keep 'em coming. -----signature----- Founder of The Gentlemen's Writing Guild New Christmas Fic--http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/27837048/p1/?0
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VaderLVR64 Title: Fan Fic Manager in Combat Boots Registered: Feb '04	Date Posted: 12/9/04 3:27pm Subject: RE: Madness (Jedi purge short story; OC w/ Palpatine cameo)
	That was great! You did the evil, twisted creature that is Palpatine justice. Loved it! -----signature----- Someone who loves me carries an M16. My baby boy wears combat boots.
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lazykbys Registered: Oct '04	Date Posted: 12/10/04 1:16am Subject: RE: Madness (Jedi purge short story; OC w/ Palpatine cameo)
	CapNJaxWench: Very typical of Palpatine to come up with something so twisted. There's nothing "too evil" for Palpatine, which is why he's so fun to write. VaderHomeBoy: Palps is one evil dude. Definitely. evil laugh SarkaVrae: not only are the crazy Jedi clones causing havoc and acting unruly, but--like this--they can draw other hidden Jedi out...very, very sly! I started out with the idea that Palpatine would use the clones to ferret out the Jedi, and then I thought, "Hold it! This would make great anti-Jedi PR!" . . . I wonder what else I can do with a crazy clone. SkalenFehl: It wasn't really him! Dang. The double-vowel in his first name was a clue, heh-heh. At first I toyed with the idea of having her call him "Drav" in the Evi-scenes and making people wonder why I was inconsistant with the spelling. VaderLVR64: You did the evil, twisted creature that is Palpatine justice. Thank you! -----signature----- I would greatly appreciate any constructive criticism you can give me. Please feel free to PM me with your comments. . by the same author (click and scroll dowwwn): http://boards.theforce.net/m/b1/17609715/r17736763
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Chronicler Registered: Nov '04	Date Posted: 12/11/04 5:05pm Subject: RE: Madness (Jedi purge short story; OC w/ Palpatine cameo)
	Great ending! I was thinking the Jedi Master had some "Manchurian Candidate" stuff going on, but the clone idea really surprised me. You captured this dark and tragic period really well, and introduced a "Falling Down" aspect to the heroic Jedi. The pacing and rhythem was also very nice. You went fast when you needed to, and slow when you needed to. -----signature----- "Don't you call me a mindless philosopher, you overweight glob of grease." "If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine." "..many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our own point of view."
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lazykbys Registered: Oct '04	Date Posted: 12/15/04 1:26am Subject: RE: Madness (Jedi purge short story; OC w/ Palpatine cameo)
	Chronicler: I was thinking the Jedi Master had some "Manchurian Candidate" stuff going on, but the clone idea really surprised me. You captured this dark and tragic period really well, and introduced a "Falling Down" aspect to the heroic Jedi. Thanks for reading! looks up both movie titles Adding the last bit was a bit of a compromise, since it doesn't do anything story-wise except explain what was really going on (and give it an O. Henry twist ). On the other hand, this fic was written to explain my "insane clones" theory about the Jedi purge, so I couldn't not include it. If it surprised you, then wellll . . . I guess it was worth it. -----signature----- I would greatly appreciate any constructive criticism you can give me. Please feel free to PM me with your comments. . by the same author (click and scroll dowwwn): http://boards.theforce.net/m/b1/17609715/r17736763
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Healer_Leona Registered: Jul '00	Date Posted: 3/16/05 6:33am Subject: RE: Madness (Jedi purge short story; OC w/ Palpatine cameo)
	Very creepy that Palpatine is into every aspect of getting rid of the Jedi and using clones to do it... did the Jedi ever stand a chance? Excellent viggie lazykbys. -----signature----- To me, you're strange and you're beautiful, You'd be so perfect with me but you just can't see, You turn every head but you don't see me.
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lazykbys_left Registered: Feb '05	Date Posted: 3/17/05 6:02am Subject: RE: Madness (Jedi purge short story; OC w/ Palpatine cameo)
	Personally, I think the Jedi might have had a chance if they'd put some effort into public relations. Although Palpatine (and the Sith Lords before him) might have had a hand in that as well. [face_conspiracy_theorist] Thank you for reading! -----signature----- "You're like some kind of link machine." - rhonderoo It didn't stop being magic just because you found out how it was done. DARK SIDE FHTAGN lazykbys fanfic index (click and scroll dowwwn): http://boards.theforce.net/m/b1/17609715/r17736763
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WhosScruffyLooking Registered: Nov '04	Date Posted: 3/17/05 6:15am Subject: RE: Madness (Jedi purge short story; OC w/ Palpatine cameo)
	I really loved this! I can see this happening. Emperor Palpatine allowed himself a small smile. "After we have stripped the Jedi of what little public support they still have, crushing them will be simple." That is very much in his character!
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lazykbys_left Registered: Feb '05	Date Posted: 3/18/05 4:26am Subject: RE: Madness (Jedi purge short story; OC w/ Palpatine cameo)
	Thank you! . . . although I have to admit that after trying to match the PT Palpatine with the OT Emperor, I've become a bit confused about what his character is. Personally, I think he went over the edge sometime during the twenty-year interval between the trilogies. -----signature----- "You're like some kind of link machine." - rhonderoo It didn't stop being magic just because you found out how it was done. DARK SIDE FHTAGN lazykbys fanfic index (click and scroll dowwwn): http://boards.theforce.net/m/b1/17609715/r17736763
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