| Author |
Topic:
The Blue Side of the Force: Book I- Complements (10/3- back and sneakier than ever!)
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Commander-DWH
Registered:
Nov '03
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Date Posted:
12/1/07 12:09am
Subject:
RE: The Blue Side of the Force: Book I- Complements (KOTOR, 9/18- Kylan Sheffield found!)
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AAAGH! I'm so sorry everyone, I was temporarily accosted by Darth Real Life, and was driven out of my writing rhythm. I'm determined to get back into it. But, at least the good news is that I have a super-impressive job interview lined up because I took three weeks of my life and devoted them to learning two new programming languages. 
Anywhoo! Replies. Yes, I am capable of replying and not being a complete deadbeat. 
Rogue_Pilot: Leiraya is, how shall we say... very focused on her goals. One of which is to rid the galaxy of Wal-Mart- er, Czerka.
JoE: Thanks for coming by! Sorry the gripping conclusion is so late. 
Handmaiden_Azul: I reserve comment until after this chapter is posted.
emerald54: Umm... well, you might want to keep the parents out of earshot for this chapter, too, then. Consider yourself warned. 
princess_of_naboo: And more is here! Sorry it took so long, but thanks for your patience!
oqi: I believe a DO NOT WANT is in order, here.
dark_jedi_lover: You may absolutely be added to my PM list. Consider yourself PMed.
Chapter 28
Leiraya was quite certain she was trapped in a terrible nightmare. Last she checked, she'd been distracting one generally cranky pilot from the fact that his son was a Sith. Surely this whole scene was a manifestation of her darkest fears, and the heat was just getting to her. The very idea that Kylan would ever do something so stupid was incomprehensible. And when had she ever been the first one to draw a blade?
The thought of it unsettled her. For as out of character as it seemed, she also knew she had done it. And despite her wishful thinking, she knew she wasn't dreaming.
"You know, I'm impressed," Kylan commented. "I honestly never thought you'd pull a blade on anyone, much less me."
"Yeah, well, remember all those lectures I gave you about how people go off to war and it changes them?" Leiraya gestured pointedly with her lightsaber. "You know I was right, and this proves it."
"No, this proves you like Captain Courageous over there more than you like me," Kylan grinned.
"Now, don't you even start on that," Leiraya glowered. "Leave Carth out of it."
Kylan shrugged. "All I'm saying is, would you have so much as blinked aggressively at me if I hadn't done something to him?"
"Kylan, you're trying to capture someone on my crew! Who, by the way, is a very good fighter on his own."
"So why the show?" Kylan kept his blade level. "We could have just chatted until he came, and he could have done the fighting."
"Carth wouldn't have stood for that," Leiraya replied simply. "And you'd cut him to ribbons."
"So it is because of him." Kylan grinned wickedly. "Ahhh, and here we all thought that no one would ever crack the Moran shell. Figures he'd be ekster. You always did rebel against everyone."
Leiraya worked her jaw in silent frustration for a few moments. "Ekster has nothing to do with it."
"But will they say that when you bring him home? Assuming, of course," Kylan conceded, "that you survive this confrontation."
"I don't know where you get your delusions. Clearly your supplier has changed in the last few years."
"I'm not blind, and I know you better than you think," Kylan stated matter-of-factly.
"Do you?" Leiraya countered. "Not to play the victim here, but you kind of left. Quite a while ago."
"True," Kylan admitted. "But does that negate more than ten years of friendship?"
Leiraya's only answer was a slight scowl. Maybe he had hit closer to the mark than she wanted to let on. Still, she could tell he was trying to make her angry. He'd certainly done it enough times in their friendship, except there was usually a substantially less dramatic reason.
Kylan, in the meantime, stood his ground. Mirroring her, watching her warily. It was like a cruel parody of all the practice duels they'd shared as they trained. She knew a hundred directions in which the battle could go. It was an old, well-rehearsed dance; she'd just never thought it could end in this way. Looking into his eyes, she expected to see anger and hate- the hallmarks of the Sith- but found only regret and grim determination.
Kylan made the first move. Their blades met, and they slowly circled about each other, acknowledging each other as old dancing partners might.
And that was where the pleasantries ended.
Their strokes were swift, precise, and would have been deadly to anyone else. But knowing each other's fighting styles as they did, it would look like a carefully choreographed routine to an impartial observer. Kylan, clad in a black robe with forest green accents, was clearly the more powerful of the two. His very movement spoke to the sheer strength he possessed. Leiraya, feet only slightly hindered by the boots she was still wearing, moved with the grace of a professional dancer. Kylan had lost much of the grace he'd learned during his enforced dancing lessons, but he knew Leiraya's movements so well that it barely mattered.
So they continued on for several minutes- jumping, twisting, flipping, pirouetting, and generally making each other more and more frustrated.
Leiraya, focused entirely on the duel, did not notice Aiden's presence until she heard his startled shout. In a sudden blur, she found herself pushed unceremoniously out of the way, and saw Kylan rush madly towards Aiden.
Aiden, who had hardly expected to return to a lightsaber duel involving his only adamantly nonviolent crew member, quickly pulled out his blade and joined the fight.
"What are you doing to Leiraya?" Aiden snarled, pressing the attack.
"I'd be more worried about yourself, Jedi Star." Kylan responded, deftly blocking each stroke. "She's not my concern. You are."
Aiden grimaced. He hadn't asked to be popular. In fact, he rather thought it was Bastila's job to be popular. But ever since Taris, the Sith hadn't left him alone, and barely bothered with Bastila at all. It was a subject that perplexed him greatly, but he didn't have time to consider the point. His attacker was very good at what he did, and it was all he could do to stay on the offensive.
Focusing in on the fight, Aiden fell into a rhythm that at once felt new and familiar. It was like his body knew precisely how to move, answering each blow with a fitting response. This went on for several moments until something changed- there was a break in the pattern, and he sensed an opening. He suddenly changed direction, spinning around and ducking. His attacker was too good to be fooled by the sudden low sweep at his legs, but he did not anticipate Aiden's unsubtle wave of Force energy that impacted him in midair. His opponent flew backwards into the hull of the Ebon Hawk, barely hanging on to his lightsaber as he fell. He hit the ground rolling, but was soon on his feet. He lunged at Aiden, and their blades locked for what seemed like an eternity before Aiden kicked his arm to the side and drove his blade into his assailant's chest.
With a look of surprise etched on his features, the Sith fell.
Aiden shut his lightsaber down grimly.
Leiraya cried out in anguish.
Carth, released from the grip of the Sith, ran to her side.
And then Bastila walked in. HK-47 trailing behind her.
Eyeing the situation and seeing that clearly something significant had happened in her absence, Bastila jogged over to the ship. "What just happened here?"
"I don't know," Aiden answered honestly. "I came back, and there was a Sith fighting with Leiraya, and holding Carth in some sort of Force freeze."
Bastila looked incredulously at him at the mention of Leiraya fighting, then over at the other woman, staring bleakly at the form of the dead Sith. "Really?"
"Really," Aiden nodded. "But this guy was good. Really good. I'd rather get out of here now and discuss the details later."
Bastila was about to voice her agreement when she saw Leiraya approaching the form of the dead Sith. "What are you doing?"
Leiraya didn't answer her, she just dropped to her knees and took the Sith's hand. "Kylan..."
Aiden's jaw dropped. "You mean... she's not talking about her friend, right? Because that would make me the guy who killed her best friend."
Carth came over and patted him on the shoulder grimly and silently. Bastila shrugged helplessly. HK-47 suddenly looked interested. "Query: Did I miss all the violence?"
Suddenly, the ramp lowered and Juhani came running out. "We are most sorry we could not get out sooner," the Cathar apologized. "It took T3 a long time to slice through the villain's traps. It would seem we escaped too late."
"The ship was booby trapped?" Aiden sputtered. "Who was this guy?"
"We'll sort it out later," Bastila said firmly. "We need to get out of here, now."
"I'll say," Aiden grimaced. "Carth?"
"I'll get her inside," he replied. Aiden nodded briefly, then jogged up the landing ramp. Bastila and Juhani were close behind.
"I can't just leave him here," Leiraya looked imploringly at Carth, who was kneeling down beside her. "He's my best friend."
Carth shook his head regretfully. "We have to. Come on," he rose, offering his hand. She scowled, but accepted it. He pulled her up quickly, but not before she snatched Kylan's lightsaber.
"I have to give it back to his family. It's the least I can do." Their gazes locked for a few seconds, until Carth nodded and they ran on board, hand in hand, ramp rising beneath them. Carth led Leiraya to the lounge to strap herself in before he ran to the cockpit and frantically flipped switches until they began to rise from the ground. As soon as they had proper clearance, Carth hit the thruster controls and they shot towards space.
"Plot a course for Manaan," Bastila directed. "They've got a strict policy of neutrality there, we ought to be safer there than anywhere else."
"No arguments here," Carth replied, the coordinates entered into the navicomputer before she could even finish her explanation. After a few moments of computation, Carth pulled the hyperdrive lever.
Once the jump was complete, he slumped in his chair. "Force, I don't want to do that again."
* * *
Leiraya looked numbly at Kylan's lightsaber as she turned it over in her hands. It wasn't the same one he'd used when they trained together. Several of the design elements were the same, and it still suited him as she had known him... but at the same time, there was an odd disconnect between the saber and the man who she knew to be its owner.
As soon as they'd made the jump to hyperspace, she retreated to her bunk. Nobody had followed; they probably figured she wanted to be alone. And so she sat there, with nothing but her thoughts, until a knock sounded on the doorframe. Turning slightly, she saw Carth sticking his head in. "I, uh... would you rather I just left you alone?"
"No," Leiraya moved to make room for him on the bunk. "Please, I'd rather have some company about now."
Carth smiled, and sat in the offered space. "You're much more personable than me. I think I didn't talk to anyone for days after Morgan died."
"Yeah, well, your people skills have nothing to do with why I like you."
"Hey," Carth looked mock-injured. "I'm trying to get better, you know. It's just... hard."
Leiraya smiled sadly. "I know, and that was uncalled for." She sniffled. "I say a lot of things that are uncalled for when I'm upset."
"I'm sorry."
"I know." Leiraya was silent for several moments. "You know, we were sparring partners for years. We even developed it into a performance art for a couple of occasions. Demonstrations and stuff. Kylan always pretended to hate the dancing, but I could tell he enjoyed it. There was this look he'd get in his eye, and it was like our secret joke. After he left, I had other sparring partners, some of them even openly loved to dance. But it was never the same. And then we met again, and we were fighting, just like we did when we were younger. When I looked at him, I didn't see the same person. Except once, when I looked up, and he gave me the look." Leiraya broke off, unable to continue for a few moments. "And I thought to myself, why are we doing this? But Aiden came. And I never got to see if I could stop him." Tears were now flowing freely down her face, and she looked up at Carth. "Why couldn't I stop him?"
Carth pulled her into an embrace as she started sobbing freely. He held her silently, for he knew better than most that there was nothing anyone could say, and that there was no answer to her question. All he could do was hold her.
As he had wished several times that day already, he wished that there was some person he could blame on this mess who wasn't already dead. Because if such a person existed, he would hunt him down and shoot him for thinking of putting Leiraya through that kind of pain.
After several minutes, she calmed down enough to speak coherently. "Thank you, Carth. Thank you for just being here."
"I can't think of anywhere else I'd want to be right now," he replied. "Don't give up, okay?"
"I won't." She settled into his arms. "Too stubborn."
Carth smiled. "That's the Leiraya I know."
"Darn right I am." She looked up at him questioningly. "You'll stay for a while, right?"
"As long as you need me," he promised. "I'm not going anywhere."
Her only answer was a sad, but grateful smile that simultaneously warmed and broke his heart. If he had anything to say about it, nobody was doing anything else to hurt her. And if they tried, well... he'd just have to shoot them himself.
He owed her that much for not being able to help before.
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Rogue_Pilot_2347
Registered:
May '05
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Date Posted:
12/1/07 9:26am
Subject:
RE: The Blue Side of the Force: Book I- Complements (KOTOR, 12/1- The fateful duel between best frie
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KYLAN!!!!!!!! NOOOOOOOO!!!! Poor Leiraya. I really wanted her to bring him back to the light side.
Evil authoress!!!
I like the conversation between Leiraya and Carth at the end. Especially Carth's sudden protectiveness. I do wonder what Leiraya would say if she knew that.
Good, if sad, chapter. Write faster!!!!
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dark_jedi_lover
Registered:
Dec '04
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Date Posted:
12/1/07 9:43am
Subject:
RE: The Blue Side of the Force: Book I- Complements (KOTOR, 12/1- The fateful duel between best frie
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That was definately an unexpected turn of events.  It will be interesting to see how this affects Aiden and Leiraya's interactions.
Poor girl. Her long-lost best friend shows up only to be evil and die.
Daww, Carth is such a sweetie. 
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"If I were her, I'd be screaming like a stuck mynock. Well, I mean a very strong, manly mynock." --Atton Rand Where Few Tread - KOTOR Drabbles: http://boards.theforce.net/Message.aspx?topic=29122175&brd=10475
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RK_Striker_JK_5
Registered:
Jul '03
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Date Posted:
12/1/07 5:38pm
Subject:
RE: The Blue Side of the Force: Book I- Complements (KOTOR, 12/1- The fateful duel between best frie
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Aww, poor Leiraya.  That must've been heartbreaking for her. Poor girl. 
You wrote their duel very well, DWH. And I felt very sad for her after. So kudos on that too.
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E-married to the wonderful DarthIshtar. Now also her Padawan. Member of the Y.J.K. Revolution Staring into the Darkness http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/27537567/p1/?23
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emerald54
Registered:
Apr '07
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Date Posted:
12/2/07 11:56am
Subject:
RE: The Blue Side of the Force: Book I- Complements (KOTOR, 12/1- The fateful duel between best frie
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Oh... damn.
I don't know whether to be angry, or sad for Leiraya, she's going to have some tough times to go through.
Humm... maybe I'll comment again when I'm more coherent.
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“Ideas are like rabbits. You get a couple and learn how to handle them, and pretty soon you have a dozen.”
- John Steinbeck
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Entropist
Registered:
May '05
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Date Posted:
12/10/07 2:30pm
Subject:
RE: The Blue Side of the Force: Book I- Complements (KOTOR, 12/1- The fateful duel between best frie
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Ok, this time, I caught up.
I discovered that one as soon as I started to explore the "before the saga" section, in search for KOTOR stories. I love KOTOR stories.
And yours is simply brilliant.
All flaterry aside, I really enjoy your writing, full of humour and very dynamic. Having also played my way through many full "LSM" games, I really enjoy the way you have twisted this story, inserting Leiraya into both the story and the characters interraction. it just flows smoothly, without contradiction.
Your rendering of Carth, Bastila, Mission and Co is excellent, and you added an edge to Carth that I like very much.
Leiraya is a very complex and interesting character. I like her style, her sharp tongue and the idea of a pacifist Jedi is quite appealing, though I can see that resolve starting to crack somehow.
And finally, I like the character of Aiden. He's very funny.
Given the direction the story has taken so far, I think I'll be your faithful reader until you complete the whole fiction.
I'd like to get a pm when you update if that's possible.
Keep it up, I really enjoy it.
Seeya
Entropist
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Bringing Chaos into the Force... My fanfiction: The Second Sith War, Episode I: http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/27791894/p1/?8
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Commander-DWH
Registered:
Nov '03
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Date Posted:
12/17/07 12:31am
Subject:
RE: The Blue Side of the Force: Book I- Complements (KOTOR, 12/1- The fateful duel between best frie
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Rogue_Pilot: I am writing! Writing like the wind! Writing so much, in fact, that I have an update in less than a month!
dark_jedi_lover: Yeah, beneath that gruff exterior, Carth is a softie. Not like he's one of my favourite SW guys or anything...
Striker: Thanks! I hate writing action sequences, so it's always good to hear when they turn out well.
emerald54: Yeah, I'm kind of putting her through the wringer right now, and I'll probably have to do something to make it up to her later. But she's a tough cookie. Thanks for reading!
Entropist: Thanks for the kind words, and reading all the way through the fic. The last thing I want is for this to turn into Yet Another Boring Retelling of the Game, so I really appreciate the feedback. Hopefully the rest of the story will live up to your expectations.
And now, in a timely fashion this time, I give you the next installment.
Chapter 29
Aiden was hiding in the engine room. Presumably, he was checking the calibration on the sublight engines to make sure that everything was still in order after all this time, but truthfully, he had no idea what he was looking at. He could see valves, switches, circuitry, wires, and many components that he knew were supposed to be there. He assumed they worked, because the ship moved when Carth pulled the levers.
No, he was definitely hiding. He'd killed people, sure. He was a soldier, and he had been ever since the Mandalorian Wars. Reaching beneath his Jedi tunic, he pulled out the silver whistle he always carried with him. It was his Watchman's Whistle, given to him by his mother. She'd been an inspiration to everyone in the Junior Watchman training program, and his personal hero. He'd never planned on becoming a soldier.
He could still remember the day they got the call. He was on duty in the area around the Bridge. His mother had left two days previously, taking a fresh group of Junior Watchmen to their first year training on Commenor. They never made it. Before they reached their destination, they were caught in the middle of a Mandalorian assault, and the ship was destroyed. Someone managed to get on the comm to send a partial message to the home base, but it was of no use. Everyone on board died.
His younger sister, Briane, came to tell him. He'd practically known what she was going to say before she even said it. And that was when he'd decided to join the Republic military. No one, not even people he didn't like, should have to deal with such a slaughter. And that's the last news you ever expect to hear from your own little sister.
So he'd trained, and became one of the best damn soldiers in the Republic. In the early days, he tried to keep track of the body count, to keep things in perspective. The war hadn't ended before he stopped trying.
Killing was nothing new to him. Even before this mission, he'd taken more lives than he cared to tally. But this was the first time that he'd ever killed someone that perhaps he shouldn't have. To his dying day, he was quite sure he'd never forget the stunned look on Leiraya's face when she saw what he'd done.
"What are you doing, skulking back here?"
Aiden turned around quickly, and saw Bastila standing in front of him. "Oh... hi, Bas. I'm just... fixing... stuff."
"Right." Bastila sat down on a supply cylinder and looked at him skeptically. "You know, you're an unconvincing liar even without our bond."
Aiden set his hydrospanner down with an exasperated sigh. "Can I keep anything from you?"
"Probably," Bastila said reprovingly. "You're avoiding the issue, though."
"Damn right I am."
"Aiden," Bastila stood and looked him in the eye. "You killed a crew member's best friend."
"And the last thing I want is a lecture from you about it," Aiden replied tersely. "It's not like you've never killed a Sith before, Bas. Hell, you took down Revan, and he's the guy who started this mess we're in." He shook his head. She looked a little hurt, but he continued anyway. "I don't know about this mission. It's been confusing since the start, and it isn't getting any better. Carth was right- too many things aren't adding up."
"What do you mean?"
"Remember when he went on that tirade about not having a Master on this mission?" Aiden wiped his brow with the back of his hand. "What if we'd had a Master? Would a Master have killed the Sith without finding out what was going on first? Maybe if we'd actually had proper leadership on this mission..."
"We wouldn't have gotten this far," Bastila replied softly. "With a Master on board, surely we would have been targeted. Malak is no fool."
"But I apparently am!" Aiden said helplessly. "If I wasn't, if I was smarter, or just asked more questions, then I wouldn't be back here, pretending like I know what the hell all these metal parts even do!"
"Don't say that," Bastila frowned.
Aiden crossed his arms. "Oh? And why not?"
"Because... because it's not true."
"Really?" Aiden looked at her, clearly not impressed with her rebuttal.
"Really." Bastila paused, suddenly awkward. "You know, I've even come to, well... look up to you."
Aiden looked at her incredulously. "Who are you, and where did you put Bastila?"
"What, do you think I don't mean it?"
"Well, it was just that the words were given so grudgingly."
Bastila scowled, with no real anger behind her glare. "This isn't easy for me, all right? You've just come so far, so fast, and I know I was sent on this mission to help you... but I can't help but notice that you don't seem to need my help when it comes to staying on the right path." She sighed slightly. "If anything, I'm the problem child on that front."
"What?" Aiden replied incredulously. "That's insane."
"Is it?" Bastila asked. "I almost didn't go back to talk to my mother. I didn't want to listen to her at all, and I assumed she was lying when she said she was sick. What kind of person, let alone daughter does that?"
"Oh." Aiden paused. "So, how did your meeting with your mother go?"
Bastila shrugged. "Better than I thought. We sat down, and for once, I actually listened to her." A wry grin tugged at her lips. "I believe I have you to thank for that one. Had it not been for the fact that I could practically hear you telling me to give her a chance, I'm not sure I would have. Maybe it was our bond, maybe it was something else entirely. But I'm glad I did."
"Is she going to be okay?"
"No. Maybe." Bastila closed her eyes. "I don't know. She's dying, and she says nobody can help her. But I gave her the last of my credits to go to Coruscant and see a doctor there."
The silence hung between them for several long moments before Aiden replied. "That's why the idea of you being the problem child on this trip is ridiculous."
Bastila looked at him intently, as though she were trying to sort out some sort of contradiction in her head. Whatever the train of thought was, though, she apparently decided to abandon it. "You still didn't address the issue at hand."
"What, that I killed a friend of a friend?"
"You care about her." Not a query, but a statement of fact. "And not just as a crewmate."
"Well, yes. No. I mean..." Aiden scratched his head more than a little confused himself. "I think it was the trees."
Bastila rolled her eyes. "Blaming the foliage on your emotions now?"
"I'm serious!" Aiden insisted. "I mean, you should have seen the look on her face. I've never seen anyone that giddy over trees."
"Well, this may be news to you, but the Jedi don't stand for that kind of thing."
"Trees?"
"No, attachments!" Bastila glared at him. "Jedi do not give into their passions."
"Oh?"
"No. They don't."
"Really." Aiden looked unconvinced.
"Yes," Bastila replied, exasperated.
"You know what I think?"
"I have an inkling."
"You're jealous."
"What?" Bastila sputtered. "You're not serious."
"I am serious, and I have a bond with you to prove it."
"I... I..." she seemed unable to formulate a coherent response. "That's playing dirty."
Aiden shrugged. "Those are the cards we were dealt, Bas. I didn't ask for this bond, I just know we have it. And for all you may not like what I feel through it, you should pay attention to what's coming through on your end."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means," Aiden replied sternly, "that you jump to conclusions when you get a small piece of data you don't like, and then you don't listen to everything else that comes in. If you had-" he broke off mid thought. "Actually, you can meditate on that one. If you can't figure it out on your own, I can't be of much help."
Bastila looked at him, a combination of hurt, anger, and hope mixed in her eyes. Shaking her head, she shot him a sour look. "You still need to confront what's making you so upset."
An awkward silence hung between them for several moments. Finally, Aiden offered his hand. "It looks like we both have a lot to meditate on. Will you join me?"
Bastila took it. "I'd like that."
* * *
When Leiraya woke, the lights were dimmed, she was covered in a spare blanket, and Carth was gone. Sitting up, she looked around and saw that it must have been during the night cycle, since all the other bunks were filled with sleeping figures. Sliding silently off her bunk, she made her way to her footlocker. Sitting atop it was a glass of water, a spoon, and a note. She unfolded the note and held it up in a stream of light. It simply read, "Get some rest. If anyone bothers you, don't hesitate to use the spoon. -Carth"
With a small smile, she removed the objects from the top of the footlocker and opened it up. She fumbled inside it for a few minutes before pulling out a pale blue Jedi robe. Shivering, she shrugged it on and padded into the main hold of the Hawk. The glass of water had been thoughtful, but she needed something a little warmer and more comforting.
"Well, look who decided to come out." Jolee smiled kindly at her.
"You're up late," she observed.
"Slept too much while you young people were out gallivanting all over Tatooine. Thought I'd come out for a cup of tea. Care to join me?"
Leiraya smiled. "Thank you."
Jolee busied himself with the food synthesizer, trying to convince it to complete the simple task of boiling water. "Saved some of my good blend from Kashyyyk, seems like as good a time as any to make a pot."
"Jolee, if I've learned one thing about you, it's that you never make small talk unless there's a point to it." Leiraya sat down on one of the longer benches and pulled her robe tighter. "No offense, but I'd rather cut straight to the chase after the kind of day I've had."
"What, you can't grant an old man his idosyncracies?" Jolee replied gruffly, but with no real edge to his voice. "Oh, well, I guess since you've had a bad day, so I'll waive it this once."
Leiraya granted him a small smile. "It's appreciated."
The hot water finally spouted into the mug Jolee held. "Young Aiden practically had to pry this story out of me with an arc wrench last hyperspace jump, so you'll just have to consider yourself lucky."
"Lucky?" She raised a curious eyebrow.
"Or unlucky, as the case may be." Jolee finished filling the first mug and put the second mug beneath the continuous stream of boiling water. "You know, I wasn't always a grumpy old Jedi who lived in a tree."
"Really?"
"Now, don't you get sarcastic with me, or I'll just go back to bed." Jolee handed her a mug and sat next to her. "No, I was an independent trader during the Sith Wars."
"'Independent trader'?" She echoed. "By that, do you mean 'smuggler'?"
"Semantics, lass, semantics. We were doing good things for people who needed it, and relieving the overly wealthy of things they didn't really need anyway. I considered it an involuntary donation to the cause."
"Right," she nodded, smiling. "Just doing your part."
"See? I knew you'd understand how I think. Those were the early days of the war, though. Before things got really bad. That gig actually came to an end before too long, after I was shot down over Ukatis."
"Not that this isn't interesting, but you're doing that thing where you dance around the point."
"I'm getting there. You want the whole story or not?" Leiraya merely sat back silently and sipped her tea, waiting for him to continue. "That's what I thought. Anyway, I was shot down over Ukatis. And that's the day everything changed." He paused, as if he was waiting for her to interrupt, but she kept her silence. "That was the day I met my wife." His expression turned pained. "Nayama was an extraordinary woman. Resourceful, smart, and a damn good pilot- see, she's the one who shot me down... and held me prisoner... that is, until I escaped and kidnapped her..."
"You seem to have had a rather complicated relationship."
"Complicated? Bah, it only sounds that way. No, those were the simple days."
Leiraya gave him a rather skeptical look. "If that's simple, I'm not sure I want to even know about the complicated days."
"Oh, that's the familiar part. But I'm getting there." Jolee took a long sip of tea. "My wife, she was very strong in the Force. It was how she shot me down, anyway. But she was untrained, and I presented her to the Council. Thought she'd make a proper Jedi."
"I bet that one went over marvelously," Leiraya commented.
"About as you'd expect, I'm sure. They turned me down cold. And then, of course, since I knew so much better than they did, I trained her in secret. She was a quick study," Jolee smiled sadly at the memory. "Maybe a little too interested in power, but I was probably too blinded by love to want to see any of her faults. This leads to the part you'll appreciate." Jolee paused to collect his thoughts. "It's hard for you young people to understand what it was like when Exar Kun was beginning to consolidate his power. He came in with a vision of a golden age for the Jedi, and many- too many, really- of our Jedi rallied to that call. Nayama was one of them. She came back one day all excited about Kun's vision for the Jedi, saying that it was the only way. Probably figured I'd go along with it too, having already defied the Council." He sighed. "I wished I never had. When I refused to go along with her, since it was pretty easy to see that Exar Kun was bad news, she became angry and pulled her lightsaber on me."
"You fought your own wife?" Leiraya inquired quietly.
"Yes, and for what? I had her beaten, at my mercy. She knew it, too. But could I kill her?" He shook his head. "No, never that. I let her go. I shouldn't have, but I did."
"What do you mean, you shouldn't have?"
"Oh, when she left, she joined Exar Kun's army, just as I knew she would. And she went on to kill a lot of Jedi. I could have stopped that, but I didn't."
Leiraya was silent for several moments. "I don't think I could have killed Kylan."
"No, you're not meant to deal out death." Jolee finished the last of the tea in his mug. "But what would Kylan have done if he'd been allowed to live?"
"Completed his mission," she answered honestly. "That's all he ever did, and he rarely failed. He would have somehow taken Aiden back to Malak, and somebody would have killed him later." Shaking her head, she set her empty mug down. "I just don't understand what went wrong. That's not the Kylan I knew."
"The Kylan you knew probably died somewhere else, back in the Mandalorian Wars."
"I know." There was a long pause. "So do you still believe in love?"
"Love? Now, that's another matter entirely."
"Kylan was practically my brother. How do I know that none of my other friends will turn on me like that?"
Jolee's answer was simple. "You don't. Now, I've seen a lot of the galaxy, and in some of its worst parts. But if there's one thing I'll put my stock in, it's not the Republic, the Jedi, or even the Force. Love is the one thing that I've ever seen do any good for this galaxy, and you'd do well to take it wherever you can find it, whether it's the love of a friend or otherwise."
"You still think that?"
"Don't make me repeat myself, dammit." Jolee stood and collected the empty mugs. "You're young, and have a better memory than I do."
Leiraya smiled. "Thanks. I'll try to remember that."
* * *
Leiraya eventually left to get more sleep. After she was out of earshot, Jolee looked at the opposite entryway and grinned. "You can come out of hiding now, Carth."
Poking his head through the entryway, he grimaced. "Am I that obvious?"
"No, you just can't slip one by me. I know every trick in the book by now."
"I'll try to remember that next time." Carth sat down beside him. "Think she'll be okay?"
Jolee looked down the passageway she'd taken to get to her bunk. "She's got a lot on her mind. But she's young, and if what we all know of her is any indication, she's too optimistic not to bounce back."
"You think so?"
"Now, since when have I been the repository of opinion on this ship?" Jolee harrumphed. "You've got a mind, and a heart. You may not have the Force, but that never stopped you from holding a negative opinion. Why don't you try applying that determined spirit of yours to something positive for once?"
"I..." Carth trailed off, surprised by Jolee's admonishment. "Subtlety is really not my skill, is it?"
"Don't quit your day job."
* * *
It was several hours before the Ebon Hawk reverted to realspace. The only problem was, the transit time to Manaan was at least two more days.
Aiden stumbled out of his bunk and made his way to the cockpit, where he found Carth slumped in his seat, looking vastly unpleased. "What's going on here?"
"We've been pulled out of hyperspace, and don't ask me how that even works. But I'm guessing it had something to do with that Force of yours, since there is no way short of spontaneous planet generation that we should have been pulled into realspace."
"Okay, we'll skip technical explanations then. Who did this?"
"See that ship?" Carth pointed out the viewport at a massive, needle-nosed ship that floated lazily in their path. "That's Darth Malak's flagship, the Leviathan. Under the command of one Admiral Saul Karath."
Aiden stared at the ship, a worried expression on his face. "This is really not our day, is it?"
"Not really at all. We're caught in their tractor beam."
"We've gotta wake everyone." Aiden quickly moved from the cockpit. "Because sure as hell, they're not taking us without a fight."
=============
As a note on the, "Hey, wasn't it obviously an interdictor?" thing, interdiction technology wasn't invented until somewhere in the vicinity of 30-40 BBY, by the Vagaari in the Unknown Regions, and the technology was brought to the Empire by Grand Admiral Thrawn. Obviously, I cannot use technology that doesn't exist for another 3,950 years. But the game definitely yanks you out of space nowhere near anywhere, so I'll do what every profic author does- blame it on the Force.
Hope you all enjoyed this installment! The next one probably won't be long in coming, since I already started writing it.
Cheers,
DWH
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emerald54
Registered:
Apr '07
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Date Posted:
12/17/07 4:12pm
Subject:
RE: The Blue Side of the Force: Book I- Complements (KOTOR, 12/17- blaming emotions on the foliage)
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It's nice to see that Leiraya is going to bounce back, though the timing with Karath bites really bad. Hopefully there'll be some sort of calming influence for Carth, though I wonder how Leiraya will fair with Aiden's revelation.
Hey, maybe Leiraya will get to use her spoon!
Update soon!
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“Ideas are like rabbits. You get a couple and learn how to handle them, and pretty soon you have a dozen.”
- John Steinbeck
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RK_Striker_JK_5
Registered:
Jul '03
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Date Posted:
12/18/07 12:22pm
Subject:
RE: The Blue Side of the Force: Book I- Complements (KOTOR, 12/17- blaming emotions on the foliage)
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hose were two excellent and well-written conversations there, DWH, and necessary too. A lot of times, traumatic events are swept under the rug and moved on, but you made sure they were dwelt on and put into proper perspective. Nice.
And... uh-oh. I don't know who that guy is, but he sounds like trouble!
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E-married to the wonderful DarthIshtar. Now also her Padawan. Member of the Y.J.K. Revolution Staring into the Darkness http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/27537567/p1/?23
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Rogue_Pilot_2347
Registered:
May '05
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Date Posted:
12/20/07 4:24am
Subject:
RE: The Blue Side of the Force: Book I- Complements (KOTOR, 12/17- blaming emotions on the foliage)
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Yay! Update!!!!!
Jolee's story is sad! I like Carth's note. Very entertaining.
Good chapter, and it seems like you posted in record time, or am I just imagining things....?
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jedi_of_ennth
Registered:
Mar '05
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Date Posted:
12/21/07 8:50am
Subject:
RE: The Blue Side of the Force: Book I- Complements (KOTOR, 12/17- blaming emotions on the foliage)
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Loved the last couple of updates. I definitely wasn't expecting Kylan's death, but you handled the fall-out well. I'm continually amazed by the way you manage to weave all these characters together, keeping them in-character throughout. You're working with a fairly large ensemble cast, yet no one ever feels lost in the shuffle. Great work.
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-- Zekk to Jaina, LotF: Fury
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Entropist
Registered:
May '05
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Date Posted:
12/21/07 2:20pm
Subject:
RE: The Blue Side of the Force: Book I- Complements (KOTOR, 12/17- blaming emotions on the foliage)
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Excellent!
I'm a bit surprised we get to the Leviathan part so... soon, but I guess you know where you're going.
I liked the scene with Kylan as well, very well rendered both for the reaction of Leiraya and Aiden.
And the aftermath was very nicely done as well. Jolee is just plain annoying, but I love the old coot! Carth shows much more sensitiveness than in the game... I like that.
On the whole, a very good update. I hope you'll post the next one as quickly as this one...
seeya
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Bringing Chaos into the Force... My fanfiction: The Second Sith War, Episode I: http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/27791894/p1/?8
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dark_jedi_lover
Registered:
Dec '04
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Date Posted:
12/22/07 10:15pm
Subject:
RE: The Blue Side of the Force: Book I- Complements (KOTOR, 12/17- blaming emotions on the foliage)
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The Bastila/Aiden scene was cool(although if they're captured by the Leviathon, I guess that means we won't be seeing that one particular Bastila/male player scene then?). I've only played the game as a girl, but I've watched my brother play, and his conversations with Bastila were always awesome. To quote the game, she's so cute when she's embarrassed.
Carth's note was cute. One more thing to make him more lovable.(...as if I need more reasons to fangirl )
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"If I were her, I'd be screaming like a stuck mynock. Well, I mean a very strong, manly mynock." --Atton Rand Where Few Tread - KOTOR Drabbles: http://boards.theforce.net/Message.aspx?topic=29122175&brd=10475
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princess_of_naboo
Registered:
Nov '00
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Date Posted:
12/25/07 7:49pm
Subject:
RE: The Blue Side of the Force: Book I- Complements (KOTOR, 12/17- blaming emotions on the foliage)
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"Well, this may be news to you, but the Jedi don't stand for that kind of thing."
"Trees?"
Best line.
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Commander-DWH
Registered:
Nov '03
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Date Posted:
1/7 1:05am
Subject:
RE: The Blue Side of the Force: Book I- Complements (KOTOR, 12/17- blaming emotions on the foliage)
- Date Edited:
1/7 1:17am (2 edits total)
Edited By:
Commander-DWH
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emerald54: That Leviathan just sneaks up on you. In any case, it's going to be interesting to see exactly how this plays out. I have my own ideas, but the characters might fight me on it, so we'll see. Thanks for reading!
Striker: You may remember Karath from waaaaay back on Dantooine. But you're right, he's trouble.
Rogue_Pilot: I am occasionally timely! I actually think I'm on a writing spree lately.
JoE: Thanks! I do worry about juggling the cast, but I'm glad that no one's gotten lost yet.
Entropist: Actually, I have a confession to make. I hate Manaan as a level. And I don't think it would translate well into written form. So, even though Leiraya would have a field day with Hrakert Station, I decided to axe it. Don't worry, I have a logical explanation. But yeah... no Manaan for this story. Not in this draft, anyway.
dark_jedi_lover: I may or may not have annoyances with the way the game was constructed so far as the male versus female players are concerned. So... I make no promises of anything.
princess_of_naboo: I'm rather fond of that line myself. Thanks for reading!
*whew* Now that I've taken care of that, I give you an update!
Chapter 30
"We've got a minute," Carth looked around the circle at everyone standing there, in varying stages of coherency. "They'll board the ship, and they're not going to want any nonsense."
"But there has to be a way to formulate an escape," Aiden protested. "Bastila or I could-"
"No," Carth cut him off. "You and Bastila are the first people they'll be watching. Me too, for that matter, since Saul Karath taught me everything I know. If there's going to be an escape plan, it has to rely on someone else."
"I'll do it," Canderous volunteered. "You can shoot me somewhere nasty, I'll sneak out of the medbay."
"Wait just a second," Aiden looked at the Mandalorian. "You can stage an escape while critically wounded?"
"No," Canderous replied, clearly denoting the preposterousness of the statement. "Back in the late days of the war I got an implant that helps me regenerate at an impressive rate. It'll hurt, but a Mandalorian never shies away from pain."
"You're sure you'll be able to do it?"
"Yes, and you won't find a better man for the job, either."
"All right," Aiden nodded. "Someone had better shoot Canderous before they board."
"Which will have to be now," Carth replied, and quickly pulled out his blaster, shooting Canderous in the gut. Canderous coughed and grimaced, but motioned for him to continue. A few more quick shots rendered him unconscious. Carth checked his vitals, which seemed to be stable, and he and Aiden proceeded to lift him to the small medical bay.
No sooner had they put him down on the table than the sound of the ramp hissing open tore through the ship.
"They're here."
* * *
Things could have, on the whole, gone a lot worse, Aiden thought. Okay, so he, Bastila and Carth were being held in force-field cages with naught but their underwear to protect them, but he was pretty sure he'd seen Canderous carried out of the Hawk on a stretcher. He wasn't sure where they were, or why Malak wanted them so badly, but hopefully he'd figure something out.
If not, things might get very interesting.
"Karath," Carth snarled. Aiden looked up and saw the Admiral stride confidently into the small room holding them.
"Ah, Carth. It's been too long since we last met."
"You can drop the pleasantries, Saul."
"That's Admiral Karath to you, Carth."
"You destroyed my world," Carth continued, ignoring the attempt to reinforce rank. "You killed my wife, and for that I'll see you dead."
"Empty words, Onasi. That's all I ever hear from you these days." Karath shook his head sadly. "And you were so promising. However, I'm not here to trade empty threats with you. I'm here to make sure your friends are ready for Lord Malak's arrival."
"You won't get any information out of us, Karath," Bastila stood firm. "Our loyalty is to the Republic, and to the Jedi Order."
Karath gave her an amused smile. "I expected as much from you. I'm much more interested in your friend here. After all, his loyalties have proved to be... flexible in the past."
Aiden gave Karath a confused look as he felt his companions' gazes fix on him. "What are you talking about?"
Karath blinked at him for a moment, then started to chuckle. "Oh, this is too good. You really don't know, do you?"
Aiden could feel a knot beginning to form in his stomach. "Know what?"
"Oh, far be it for me to spoil the surprise," Karath gave him a wicked smile. "I'm sure Lord Malak would like to tell you himself, given your past associations."
"I'm not sure what kind of spice you're hitting, but I've never met Malak in my life."
"Be that as it may, I still have to keep you occupied until his arrival." Karath walked over to a control panel and punched a few buttons. "I'm not to damage you, but I'm sure any information I could glean from you before he arrives would help me gain favour with Lord Malak."
Before any of them could react, an electrical current was sent through each of the cages, and Aiden almost lost his balance as he was gripped by intense pain. Electricity coursed through his body at higher voltages than he knew how to deflect or absorb, and it was all he could do to keep himself from screaming.
Just as suddenly as it started, the pain cut off. Looking sideways, he could tell Bastila and Carth had been given similar treatment.
"A small taste of what's to come," Karath assured them. "Now seems like as good a time as any to conduct my interrogation."
"You've got to be kidding if you think torturing me will do any good," Aiden spat.
Karath merely smiled. "I don't think it will do any good. However, most people, especially those of your apparent moral standing, do not wish to see those they care about suffer. To this end, Bastila will receive a shock every time you are uncooperative."
"Don't tell him anything," Bastila interjected before Aiden could protest. "My pain will pass."
"We shall see about that," Karath seemed amused by her defiance. "Now, to the questions. First things first: where is your hidden Jedi enclave?"
"You don't seriously think this will work, do you?"
"That was not an answer," Karath replied mildly, and flipped a switch that sent Bastila screaming. "Feeling any more cooperative, Jedi Star?"
"No."
"A pity. Not that it matters anyway. Lord Malak discovered the location of your Dantooine enclave, and we received word an hour ago that it had been destroyed."
Aiden's stomach fell to his feet. "You're lying."
Karath favoured him with a small smile. "If it comforts you to think so. In any case, I have more questions for you..."
* * *
Canderous woke in the medical ward. The harsh white lights dazzled his vision for a moment, but he sat up and took mental stock of his health. His wound seemed to be mostly healed, and when he stood, he didn't feel light-headed. Good. Blinking once more, he cleared his sight and took stock of the room. He was the only patient, which would make his job much easier.
He walked over to a bin next to his bunk. His armour had been deposited in it, but it was unwearable. He'd have to find another set. Silently striding to the doorway, he listened to see if there was anyone in the hallway. He could hear the sound of one set of boots walking up and down the hallway.
Standing aside, he pressed the switch that would open the door. He heard the boots pause, then change direction to investigate. As the Sith trooper walked in the door and past him, he planted a solid kick into the back of the trooper's neck, knocking him over. He quickly grabbed the trooper's blaster rifle, turned the trooper over, and shot him in the chest.
Peering out the doorway, he could see the the hall was clear, and there was an equipment locker at the end of the passage. He ran towards it, shooting the lock off and removing the contents. There was a spare combat suit, which he quickly donned, and an extra blaster, which he slid into the holster, just in case.
It never hurt to be prepared.
* * *
The sounds of screams could be heard through the thin wall that divided the torture chamber from the cell where everyone else was being held.
"Geez, you'd think they'd want us to be afraid or something." Mission sat on the floor, holding a very frightened Sasha close. "Well, it's not gonna work. Right, Sasha?"
The young girl looked up at Mission and nodded numbly. "Not s-scared," she stuttered unconvincingly.
"That's the spirit," Mission squeezed her close.
"Bastila's taking a beating in there," Leiraya observed.
"No doubt someone's trying to scare Aiden into talking," Jolee replied. "Wouldn't be the first time a Jedi was tortured through his bond with another person."
"You're just full of happy stories, aren't you?" Leiraya snorted derisively.
"Hey, it wasn't my idea to live through this many wars." He shrugged. "If there's one thing that hasn't changed much through the years, it's torture."
"I like rainbows and gizka," Mission interrupted, her look clearly suggesting that perhaps torture was not the best topic of conversation. T3-M4, sitting innocently in the corner, tweedled his agreement.
"Statement: I myself have encountered a number of techniques-"
"HK!" Jolee and Leiraya yelled in unison.
"Retraction: It was uninteresting. I will not bore you with the details." HK paused and his photoreceptors dimmed slightly. "For now."
"All I can say is that Canderous had better make his recovery. Fast." Leiraya folded her arms, and Zaalbar roared his agreement.
The sooner they were out of there, the better.
* * *
Canderous snaked his head around the corner. A knot of troopers stood in the hallway, chatting about something or another. He frowned contemptuously. A true warrior would never dishonour his armour by making idle chat while he was on duty. It made him feel less guilty about shooting two of them in the back before the other three could even react. Somersaulting out of the way of their blasts, he came up on one knee and shot one more in the neck before rising. The other two followed close behind, their blasts only grazing his armour. He shook his head. Before turning to the Sith, these troopers had been a part of the Republic that had defeated the Mandalorians. That being the case, this was a most disappointing showing.
Identifying the leader of the group, he searched the officer's pocket, and found a ring of keycards. Smiling tightly, he pocketed the keys and quickly reoriented himself. If the design of the ship was at all like any of the Sith ships he'd studied in the past, the detention cells would be down the corridor and to the right.
Jogging quickly, he had to dispatch two more knots of guards before reaching the detention center. Just as he was about to enter, the door whooshed open and he had to dive behind a storage locker, barely making it out of sight before he heard the sound of boots clicking on the deck. If they came his way, they would round the corner and see the trail of bodies he'd left, and he'd have to kill the lot of them, too. Clutching his blaster rifle, he prepared for another battle.
The sound went in the other direction.
Releasing a breath he hadn't noticed he'd been holding, Canderous waited for several more moments before checking to make sure the hall was clear. Seeing no one around, he quickly entered the detention block. A lone computer stood in the center of the room, and he ran the first keycard through it. A door opened, and the larger part of the crew was revealed.
"Canderous! You made it!" Leiraya rushed out, everyone else close behind her. "Where's the others?"
"I'm getting there," Canderous replied gruffly, finding another card to swipe through. After two unsuccessful cards, he finally found the card that opened the door to the torture chamber. Leiraya rushed in and quickly shut the force cages off. Aiden and Bastila immediately walked out of their cages, Carth stumbled a few steps before Leiraya rushed over and caught him.
"Electric shock," he coughed, smiling weakly. "I hear we're not built to take that."
"Aiden was treated worst by far," Bastila supplied, "but as Jedi, we can deal with the pain better."
"We'll get you back to the ship-" Leiraya started to say, but Carth interrupted.
"Oh no," he shook his head. "I'm not done here. Karath is still alive, and I've got a promise to keep."
"Not like that, you don't," Leiraya insisted. "You can barely stand."
"Oh yeah?" Carth tried to stand, but his legs wobbled and he fell over again. "I'll walk it off."
"And you're doing a great job of trying."
Carth looked up at her, clearly set on going whether he could stand or not. "There isn't time to argue."
Leiraya frowned, but she also knew he was right on that count. "You're determined to do this, aren't you?"
Looking her straight in the eye, he nodded firmly. "I told you, he has to pay for all he's done."
Closing her eyes, she sighed and shook her head. "Then let me help." Holding her hand above his body, she concentrated on the electrical energy through the Force. Seeing how it had taken hold in his muscles, she simply redirected its flow. It didn't take much- a few electrons were coaxed down to the deck, and finding a conductor, other electrons were soon eager to follow in their path. When she opened her eyes, she stood and pulled Carth with her.
Testing his legs out, he found that they worked much better when they were not still vibrating with electrical energy. "Handy trick, that."
"Just don't try getting shocked on a regular basis," Leiraya replied softly, a concerned look on her face. "I got rid of the extra energy, but it still did a number on your system. You probably shouldn't do anything strenuous for a while."
"There's a war on," Carth replied, "and until the galaxy's saved, none of us get to rest."
Aiden had already begun to give directions. "Canderous, you'll need to get the crew to the Ebon Hawk."
"We'll have to go to the bridge," Carth instructed as he walked over. "It's the only place we open the hangar bays."
"Carth, do you know your way around these ships?"
Carth nodded. "The Courageous had about the same layout. All our equipment will be stored across the hall."
"Then we'd better move fast," Aiden nodded. "Canderous?"
"I'm on it," the Mandalorian warrior nodded and motioned for the crew to follow.
"All right, you two." Aiden strode towards the equipment storage room, more than eager to not only get his weapons back, but also his clothes. "Let's move."
Just as they started to jog away, Leiraya's voice cut through the air. "Carth, wait!"
She ran back into the room and hit Carth with an embrace at a dead run. He barely caught her without falling over, but she didn't seem to notice. "You've got to promise me you won't do anything stupid."
"Stupid?"
"Carth Onasi, you know exactly what I mean." She set her jaw and glared at him. "I know you want revenge, but just... just..." she seemed unable to finish the sentence, but her meaning was clear. Don't get yourself killed.
"Hey, it's me," he tried to smile. "Don't worry about me. I'll come back, I promise."
She looked at him skeptically. "Are you sure?"
There were a lot of things Carth could think of to say in that moment, and a lot more that he'd like to say but couldn't articulate. Even if he could have, a quick look over her shoulder at Aiden told him that he didn't have time for any of it. So he did the only thing that made sense to him, and the last thing he had planned to do.
He kissed her.
It was at once exhilarating and terrifying, shifting into a strange happiness as he felt her respond. All too soon, however, he had to release her, whether he wanted to or not. Carth pulled her into one last embrace before he relinquished his hold on her. As she stepped back, he smiled reassuringly. "I will see you on the Hawk. I promise."
For once in her life, she seemed unable to generate a snarky quip. "May the Force be with you."
"And you." With that, he turned to jog out of the room with Aiden and Bastila, hearing the patter of her feet against the deck as she made her own retreat.
Karath was going to get a healthy dose of justice, and for the first time, Carth was determined that he wouldn't die trying.
========
Hope you enjoyed the update! And now, I am totally zonked. 
Also, since I just noticed... hey, my 30th chapter is also my 300th post on this story! Crazy! Okay, maybe that amuses me more than it should.
(Psst... I'm going to pimp my own fic for a second. You should totally read The Blue Side of the Force: Luminosity, since it's a prequel to this, and you'll get to see Kylan do something besides walk on screen and die. I'm just saying... )
Cheers,
DWH
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