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Author	Topic: Fading Starlight ( AU NJO) (J/OC)
ispeaknotruths Registered: Apr '04	Date Posted: 1/23/06 7:36pm Subject: Fading Starlight ( AU NJO) (J/OC) - Date Edited: 4/24 1:11pm (1 edits total) Edited By: ispeaknotruths
	Title: Fading Starlight Summary- A long time ago, Jacen gave into hopelessness and slept with a fellow Jedi. During the war against the Yuuzhan Vong, she disappeared as he went to the front lines to fight with the rest of the Jedi. Now years later, he's tracked down one of the few remaining Jedi left. Only he now discovers that she has kept a secret that could change the war. If she lets him... Characters: Jacen, OC, Luke, Mara, Jaina, Anakin, Vergere and a bunch of other people that are too many to name... Timeline: AU NJO Author Notes: I just wanted to add another story dealing with the war against the Yuuzhan Vong, one of my favorite SW villains, since I haven't seen any lately. And also, I'm a sucker for comments, good or bad, so send me some and I'll send chapters out faster!! ====================================================== Chapter 1: Balance Point He couldn't remember when he first met her. Was it at the Academy with Tenel Ka, Lowie and Raynar and Zekk? Did he meet her then? Did he talk to her, train with her or go on a mission with her? Was it his first year as a apprentice of Master Skywalker, his uncle Luke, when they traveled planet to planet, searching for other Force talented beings and keeping the peace? Did he meet her on Duro, Datoonie, or Mon Calamari? Or was it during the beginning of the war with the Yuuzhan Vong? After the fall of Ithor, Yavin 4, or his failure at Center Point? Jacen couldn't remember when he first met her. But he could remember her name. Alia. Alia Ventra. He could remember the way she looked. The way she dressed as a Jedi with the brown robes but yet wore dark colors to highlight her golden brown skin and her constantly shifting golden eyes and lightsaber clipped on her belt, hanging loosely around her waist. Her black hair cut longer up front and shorter in the back was kept loose, its tips fuchsia colored. He remember asking her once, if its always been that way and she told him as long as he wanted it to be. She flirted with him but it never went further than that. It could be because he was too young to think of starting up a relationship. It could have been that he was always thinking of Tenel Ka. But the best possible reason he could think of was that she was never around. She was always on a mission of some kind, saving lives and helping to settle disputes on other worlds. Her missions would last for months and he would forget about her until he saw her again and wonder who she was. She was so vibrant, so full of life that her Force presence seemed to sing where ever she went. She did her best to become the perfect Jedi, calm and serene in times of chaos and yet she was ready to fight and defend at a moment's notice but always managed to stop trouble with her words. She was a great fighter from the rumors he heard over the course of years, almost as great as any of the Masters...maybe better. No one ever compared her to Luke though. No one could compare themselves to the savior of the Jedi, it was an unspoken agreement. The few chances that they were in the same room was in a meeting for the Jedi of some great importance. He would get caught up talking with his sister, his brother, his Uncle, Mara, Lando, Mom and Dad...It was always something that kept him away from her. Until that day.... The day his mother was almost killed at Duro. How did she end up on Duro with Jaina, his mother, his father and himself? Was she there to help the refugees? Was it that she was waiting for some kind of signal that would lead her back to the fight? Or was it that she, like himself, couldn't fight against the Yuuzhan Vong because of the implications that it led down the path of the Darkside? The more he thought about it, the more he wondered about her. They worked along side each other, helping to set up tents for families, reuniting loved ones and working to make the Settlement Thirty Two livable until the infestation. She had been so upset about it falling but she turned her disappointment into energy to make Gateway home for the Ryn, humans and other refugees. She even let herself get shaved but she kept her head covered under a hat until she Force grown her hair to its normal length. She listened to his lecture about using the Force for personal reasons intently. But he got his own lecture from her about denying who he really was and about not using the Force when it was really needed. She fought along side him when the Yuuzhan Vong made their attack, keeping them occupied when they evacuated the Gateway, and the other Duro settlements. She stayed with him until the time he took off to find his mother while she remained with the evacuees to keep them from falling into the hands of the Yuuzhan Vong. Afterward, with his mother rescued and on the Falcon getting medical attention, it dawned on him, forcing him to his knees as the truth came to him. They wouldn't stop. They would keep coming and coming until the galaxy was covered under the shadow of the Yuuzhan Vong. Worlds will fall and people would die. And by doing nothing, he was contributing to their deaths. But by fighting, he was contributing to the demise of the Jedi ways. A void filled him, pulling at him to make a choice, a choice he wasn't sure if he could make. He felt helpless and cold, the worst feeling imaginable was grabbing at him, wanting him to choose to fight and win while another feeling just as strong as the other was pulling at him to wait and think this problem out. But when the Falcon landed at Coruscant, after his mother had been rushed away with Han besides her and his sister returning to duty, while waiting for Master Skywalker to land with Mara, and Anakin, a urge overcame him. He had to find Alia. He had to talk to her, had to know about her past, present and future and her place in the war. He searched her out and found her at the medical facility where she was waiting on news about a Ryn child who has gone into surgery. "Alia?" She stood up, expectantly but was equally surprise to see Jacen walking towards her. He felt a twinge of guilt for having raised her hopes about news about the child. "Jacen?" she asked, surprise still evident in her voice. "What are you doing here?" She raised a hand to her mouth, "Its not about your family is it? They haven't been killed, have they? Or captured or injured?" Jacen nodded. "Actually my mom is here. Her legs were damaged on Duro. I'm going to see her later but I came--" he hesitated. "I came to see you." "Me?" She tilt her head to the side, a questioning look in her eyes. "Why?" "I really don't know." he admitted. "I just had this feeling that I had to talk to you." Alia nodded in understanding. "I think I know what you mean." She took a seat. Jacen sat next to her, looking at her as she talked. "I've been having those same feelings. I think its the Force calling me. They take me everywhere. To the front lines, to the deep space untouched by the treachery of war, and to Duro to help the refugees." She sighed, leaning forwards to rest her chin in her hands. "And now they've led me here to wait for news about Hali Lei. She lost her family during the evac and was injured by a thud bug. I want her to recover." "The droids will do all they can to save her." Jacen said, his hand on her back for comfort. "The bacta tank will help her too." "What if its too late?" Alia asked softly. "No one found her until after we were in hyperspace and when I took her to the medical bay, they were swamped. They offered what they could but it wasn't enough." She looked at him with tears in her eyes. "I had to use the Force, Jacen. I had to go inside and stop the bleeding and make sure that the blood flowed to the rest of her body. I had to for hours until we reached here. I rushed her in and the droids took her away." "You did good, Alia." Jacen said. "You might have saved her life." "Or I might have prolonged her agony." Alia said sharply, staring at the room where Hali laid with the droids working on her. "Say I did save her, Jacen. That using the Force saved her life but not her features or ability to walk. She could be handicapped for life. And if she does live, she could live alone because her family might be dead. Ryn can't live alone Jacen, especially young Ryn. They have to have family around them." Jacen could feel her hopelessness, could see that it was taking its toll on her body and spirit. It rivaled his own in some ways. He had to help her and maybe in that way, he could help himself. "I'll help Alia." he said, grabbing her hand gently. "Whatever you need, whether its high level contacts or a list from the ship captains or even just some time with Master Skywalker, I'll get it for you. We'll find her family." Alia looked back at him, confused before she smiled gratefully, her features more relaxed as she realized that he meant what he said. "Thank you." she said softly. "Thank you so much." And without thinking, she leaned forward and kissed him softly on the lips before pulling back, a smile on her face. He smiled back at her, his spirits lifting a bit. TBC -----signature----- Fading Starlight - http://boards.theforce.net/Message.aspx?topic=22956516&brd=10477&replies= ============ http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/27046597/p1
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Kestrel_Kenobi Registered: Sep '05	Date Posted: 2/13/06 5:41pm Subject: RE: Fading Starlight ( AU NJO) (J/OC)
	I'll let you know now I'm pretty clueless when it becomes to Beyond - although that's slowly changing! I had to look up a few names, but I enjoyed this piece - sad, but sweet...with lots of hope in it. Update soon? -----signature----- Proud Padawan to the elusive Jennifer_Lyn! a community for writers - http://community.livejournal.com/liberatingwords/ It's coming!!!!!!!!! http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0443701/
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pregnantpadme Registered: Oct '04	Date Posted: 2/13/06 5:47pm Subject: RE: Fading Starlight ( AU NJO) (J/OC)
	A new Jacen fic? I am all over this! Printing to read...will be back with comments soon! Preggers -----signature----- "What happens if you need a diplomat who can also practice philosophy, fight with a lightsaber, and levitate small objects? Who else are you going to call but us?" Mara Jade Skywalker, Destiny's Way
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ispeaknotruths Registered: Apr '04	Date Posted: 3/5/06 2:12pm Subject: RE: Fading Starlight ( AU NJO) (J/OC)
	Chapter Two: The Turning Point For the next few hours, they searched for Hali Lei's family. Jacen used his mother's name and Master Skywalker's to cut through the bureaucratic red tape that would otherwise would have restricted their access. They laboriously tracked links, chasing across the New Republic ship logs and carrier information. By the time they finally found Hali's family and contacted them about their daughter, telling them to come quickly to the Medical Center, they were tired and stiff from sitting over the console but excited about getting Hali back to her family. Alia returned with Jacen back to the Medical Center, relieved that something was actually going right for the first time in weeks. Months... She stretched her sore muscles, watching with interest as Jacen did the same before linking her arm with his, giving him a bright smile at his startled expression. "Relax." she said softly. "We're just walking." He tried to give her a smile of his own but was stopped when they heard a alarming screech of a droid ahead of them. They exchanged startled glances before pulling away to run. They came to a stop to see Hali's mother, screaming and sobbing over Hali's body. Her sheet covered body. The screeching droid was being roughly handled by one of male Ryn. Jacen could feel shock rush through Alia's body as she quickly made her way to Hali, her golden eyes wide in shock and filling up with tears as she reached to touch Hali. She was stopped mere inches away from her by Hali's angry father and brothers and uncles. "You did this!" Hali's father yelled, pointing at her angrily. Alia opened her mouth to protest. "No I--!" "My sister is dead Jedi. All because of you!" "That's uncalled for." Jacen spoke up in Alia's defense. "She did all she could to save Hali's life." "And yet she lays there, cold and unmoving as her mother screams over her body." "But I--" Alia started weakly when Hali's father turned his vengeance back to her. "I wish the Yuuzhan Vong killed you. I wish they have captured you!" Alia shrunk back, her face pale as she shook her head in denial. "You don't understand..." "I understand that my daughter is dead while you're alive. Your kind has caused our galaxy nothing but pain and trouble. You disgust me!" Hali's father spat, his eyes tearing up with grief and anger. He spat on her, his spittle landing on her cheek. Alia whipped back as if stuck with a fist, tears slipping down her face as Hali's father sneered at her. She made no move to wipe it off. Jacen watched helplessly as Alia turned and ran as fast as her legs could carry her, her robe billowing after her. He glanced at the grieving family one last time before turning to follow Alia. He found her outside of the Center, leaning against the wall sobbing painfully in her hands, her shoulder shaking with the force of her tears. She didn't respond when he called her gently, so he lightly touched her. She looked up at him with tear filled eyes, her pain clearly written in her eyes. He pulled her into a hug, giving her a shoulder to cry on as she welcomed his embrace. "Home. I-I want to g-go home." she hiccuped in his robe. "Please take me h-h-home Jacen." He nodded and slowly lead her to his speeder. He drove them back to the Jedi Temple, his attention only partial on his driving while the rest remained on the silent girl besides him. It unnerved him to see her so quiet, staring blankly out the window. In all the years he's known her, he never seen her so beaten like this. He could feel her grief and pain as if it were his own, being as his Force talents gave him empathic abilities. He just hoped that he had some way to help her get through this. When they reached the Temple, she didn't protest as he directed her to her room and put her to bed, still dressed in her Jedi grab. She didn't seem to realize that he was even there until he made the motion to leave. "Jacen?" she raised her head off her pillow. "Don't leave. Please?" "Alia--?" "I don't want to be alone. Not now. Not after--" she broke off, swallowing a sob. "I just don't want to be alone." Jacen took in her pale complexion and the circles under her tear drenched eyes before nodding, pulling off his robe and draping it over a chair as she scooted over to allow him space on the bed. He laid down, unsure how to lay when Alia shifted closer, pulling his right arm over her as she placed her head on his chest, seeking as much connect with him as possible. When they were both comfortable, she looked up at him. "Thank you Jacen." He offered her a faint smirk, which she returned to his surprise. "Sure thing Alia." She laid her head back on his chest and within a minute, she was asleep. Jacen listened to her breathing for a bit before his eyes grew heavy and he too, fell asleep. TBC -----signature----- Fading Starlight - http://boards.theforce.net/Message.aspx?topic=22956516&brd=10477&replies= ============ http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/27046597/p1
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jaina_clan_solo Registered: Dec '05	Date Posted: 3/8/06 8:49am Subject: RE: Fading Starlight ( AU NJO) (J/OC)
	Wow, interesting beginning to your story. Alia seems like a good match for Jacen. I'm looking forward to seeing more of this, your writing is great! jcs -----signature----- Proud Padawan of BigFatty! Leading Blade http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/25450817/p1 NEW! Moments in Time http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/25790697/p1/?2
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Darph_Nader Registered: Aug '05	Date Posted: 3/15/06 1:53pm Subject: RE: Fading Starlight ( AU NJO) (J/OC)
	I really like this. It's an interesting story, and I really like what you've written so far. Can't wait till the next part... D_N -----signature----- Padawan of humorosity to Commander-DWH! RPG Master to WISE_JEDI12! "Caffeine'll kill ya!"
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ispeaknotruths Registered: Apr '04	Date Posted: 3/18/06 2:44pm Subject: RE: Fading Starlight ( AU NJO) (J/OC) - Date Edited: 3/18/06 5:20pm (1 edits total) Edited By: ispeaknotruths
	Chapter Three: Make me Forget Jacen woke up in the dark several hours later, a bit disoriented, not remembering falling asleep at all. He raised her head and looked around quickly, and then suddenly became aware of the warm, solid form lying asleep next to him. He sat up with his elbows, the sheet that covered the both of them with him, catching on his clothes and pulling back to reveal the woman at his side. Alia laid on her side, an arm thrown over his stomach while her head rested on his chest. She looks beautiful as she sleeps, he thought. A tender warmth flooded through him at the thought. And it all came rushing back. Remembering the events of the day before; the harmless flirting and the laughs that had passed between them while searching for that all important information and hard fall they both experienced at the end of their search. Alia's guilt and sadness. His helplessness to ease her pain. Jacen hadn't experienced something like that since his days at the Academy with his sister and their friends. She suddenly shifted in her sleep, unconsciously pulling against the sheet that bound her as she moved, and he was surprised at the desire that coursed through his body at the sight. Where did that come from? But all day the day before, the idea had been there, in the back of his mind. He simply could not get the idea out of his head, no matter how hard he tried. He realized at some point that, on some level, he had always been attracted to the idea of Alia. She had cared for all the people on Duro, even when they wore on her nerves, she never once lashed out at them. But she didn't show mercy to the Yuuzhan Vong when they attacked. She wasn't giving against anyone who tried to hurt those she swore to protect. But she wasn't just about violence, she truly believed in light and dark and the problems they had in fighting against the Yuuzhan Vong. And that was what had truly attracted him to her – the knowledge that here was a girl without the human frailties that would hamper any relationship he might have with a normal girl. He had allowed himself to imagine what it would be like to actually have a relationship with someone who would be able to fight with him, to understand the violent reality that was his life. As Jacen started to mull over this new revelation, Alia realized upon trying to move that she couldn't, that she was bound by the sheets that tangled around the both of them. A frown creased her peaceful expression, and she let out a soft whimper of obvious fear, jerking against the sheets that bound her, unyielding. "No," she moaned, her voice rising enough to send a sense of alarm through him. "No -- stop!" she cried out. "Alia!" he whispered, trying to wake her, shaking her shoulder urgently. "Alia, wake up!" "Please!" Her voice was even louder now. "Don't -- don't -- no..." "Alia! Wake up, you're just dreaming! Wake up!" Jacen turned until he was on his knees over her, shaking her roughly. She struggled just a moment longer, and then her eyes suddenly shot open, wide and panicked, as they met his for the barest instant. Disoriented and dazed, her dream melding with the reality she found herself in, she knew only that she was trapped beneath him, his hands preventing him from sitting up and that her lightsaber was beyond reach. Her wild desperate struggles resumed, though uselessly, as she tried to pull away from his restraining hands, frantically trying to escape. "Alia -- calm down!" Jacen hissed anxiously, using the Force to get his point across, while letting go of her, his hands up in the air next to his head. "Stop it! Stop it; I'm not going to hurt you, Alia!" His words were cut off in a yelp of surprise as the moment her hands were free, Alia grabbed his arms and flung him over onto his back under her, pinning him, with a menacing snarl. But behind the threat in her fierce golden eyes, he could see the fear that had motivated it. "Alia," he whispered. "It's okay. Calm down. It was just a dream. I'm not gonna hurt you, Alia, just settle down..." He continued to murmur his soft words of comfort and reassurance, keeping his tone calm and even, and finally, he saw recognition beginning to rise in her eyes, and realized suddenly that she had not even been seeing him at all, but some nightmare figment from her dreams. But now, staring down at Jacen's carefully calm features, his eyes full of compassion and concern, no threat-- but a little fear-- the events of the day before began to come back to her, and she remembered how she had come to be in her own bed. Some of the tension eased from her with the realization that she was safe, and she felt her body begin to tremble with sheer relief. She drew a couple of deep, shaky breaths as she slowly released Jacen's arms. "I-I'm sorry," she said softly. "I didn't mean to..." Jacen shook his head, the fear fading from his eyes, as he reached up a gentle hand to stroke soothingly through her loose, disheveled hair. "It's okay. Don't worry about it." His voice was surprisingly gentle, reminding her of the angelic vision he had been in her dreams-- and she lowered her head to rest in her palms, still gasping for breath, trembling all over. "That must have been some dream," he commented mildly, not pressing him to talk about it, but wanting to leave the door open a crack, just in case she wanted to. "Yeah," she sighed heavily, sounding a little steadier, but not raising her head, and not volunteering anything else. After a moment, she added quietly, "I'm sorry I-- if I scared you, Jacen. I-I thought you were someone else. Something else." Jacen was silent for a moment, thinking. "The Vong?" he finally guessed, his voice soft and cautious. "The Hutts." she said. "Although I've had some Vong dreams lately." "It's always the same." She still did not look at Jacen as she spoke, and he wondered if it was easier for her to talk about it that way. He was actually surprised that she was opening up to him at all, allowing him to see her vulnerability like this. But then, he supposed it would be hard to get much more vulnerable with anyone than she had been with him yesterday. "You didn't kill her." Jacen said softly. Alia's head whipped up in surprise, her eyes wide in disbelief and guilt. “Hali,” he clarified softly, in case she had misunderstood him. “It wasn’t your fault.” She looked away from him, troubled eyes focused on the headboard beyond him. “Believe it or not,” he went on cautiously, his fingers still stroking idly through her hair, “I know what you’re going through. And you can’t help but blame yourself. For a while. But you have to realize – there was nothing you could have done differently. It was not your fault.” He was well aware as he spoke of the irony of the situation; he had yet to follow the advice he was giving Alia. She didn't speak for a long moment, and when she did, it was not a direct response to his words. "I-I wasn't thinking about Hali, Jacen." Jacen frowned, confused, but feeling a pang in his heart nonetheless at her haunted, lost voice. “What?” "Sure, I mean, I've cried and hurt over Hali but it wasn't about her. Not really. It's just--she brought up an old pain that never healed." Alia pull away from Jacen, and stood up on the bed to pull off her clothes until she was in her underclothes and sat back down, pulling the sheet over her body. Jacen waited patiently for Alia to continue. Alia sighed, leaning back against the headboard. “His name was Angel.” "He was older than me, by three years, already a Jedi Knight when I was still padawan. It wasn't like love at first sight or even a heavy crush. It was slow and took me awhile to know what it was. In fact, my first mission away from my Master was with him." Alia smiled, remembering how surprised she was when she saw him waiting for her in the ship that would take them to New Plympto . "It was supposed to be a short mission, no longer than two but it ended up going on for five months." Jacen nodded, remembering seeing her off, promising to keep in touch and then not hearing from her in months. But then again, he had his own adventures with his friends at that time. The Diversity Alliance and the hunt for Bornan Thul, and meeting Anja Gallandro, and helping her break her spice addiction as well as fight against the Black Sun. "At first, I did everything I could to get the mission over with fast. I took risks that actually prolonged it. And he didn't stop me, he thought it was cute how I was eager I was to get away from him. It annoyed me when he just laughed when I found out that I wasn't helping the mission." Alia smiled sadly. "Finally we called a truce, and we started working together. It was hard because we were both strong willed and didn't want to concede to each other, seeing it as a lost in our game of wills. So we butted heads, had spats and the tension between us could be seen by anyone who spent a minute with us." "But through it all, we enjoyed ourselves. This was my first mission solo and Angel did everything to make sure that I enjoyed every bit of it, even if I didn't want to. I didn't realize when I fell in love with him. It just was, one day, after a near death experience for the both of us. I realized that he was it, he was the one I was gonna spend my life with." She glanced at Jacen, giving him a smile, one that was so heartbreaking and sad that he felt as he it was his heart that was breaking. "And he knew too, the jerk, he was just waiting for me to know. After that, after the mission, we went for it, all the way. Always together, and so trusting and so much in love, I felt that nothing could happen that could tear us apart." "And then he died, two years later. In a stupid dispute over a stolen cargo that wasn't stolen but misplaced! It was the Hutts, and they don't like misplaced cargo! They're all about profits and business, not caring about the lives lost or the danger it poses to everyone else." Alia wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "That's why we were there. It was Master Durron's idea. To gather solid intell about the illegal dealings and take them back to Coruscant for the courts to shut it down and we took the mission. We finished the mission. I was off sending a message to Master Durron and Angel was getting the ship prepped when--" "You don't have to go on Alia." Jacen said softly, sensing how difficult this was on her. Alia shook her head, "I want to." Jacen nodded and waited for her to continue, "There was a fight, it was chaos, fires and explosions. I went down there, hoping to find him but I was caught and--" She stopped to collect herself. "They did things to me. For days. I would have died but Master Durron and Miko came and rescued me." "It’s been over two years and every day, every second, I've thought of him." Alia paused, looking out her window, "Until you." "Me?" “Just--for a few minutes. I-I forgot him. That first time I saw you again. On Duro. I was there for him...because that's what he would have done. And then I looked at you and-and all I thought of...was you.” She looked back at him suddenly, and the stark pain in her eyes took his breath away. Her voice was a choked, tormented whisper, her eyes somehow pleading for a forgiveness that was not his to offer. “That moment...and every moment after that. Every time I saw you. I didn’t even think about him. Not once,” she admitted, her eyes wide and shock, aghast at her own imagined crime. “I loved him more than anything and everything, even after his death. And I–-I just let him go.” “Alia,” he began softly. “You still do love him. You always will. But-–that doesn’t mean you can never be with someone else. Never...care about someone else-–again.” He knew that he was speaking to himself as much as to her. “You want to hold onto him forever,” he went on softly, his voice thick with unshed tears. “But, at some point, we have to move on.” He was surprised when her piercing gold eyes darted back to his, widening in stunned disbelief, and he wondered for a moment if he had gone too far, crossed the line. “What--what did you say?” she asked, her voice a mere whisper. “I said, you have to move on. Eventually,” he repeated, a bit uncertainly. “You have to let yourself get past-–losing the one you love.” “Is that what we did?” she asked, her voice heavy with emotion. “The two of us? Moving on? The flirting and talking and laughing. On Duro. That was us, moving on...” Jacen nodded slowly. “Maybe.” Something else occurred to her suddenly, and she gave him a questioning look. "But who would you be moving on from..." Alia stopped, shifting slightly. "Oh. You and Tenel Ka,” she said with dawning understanding. “And here I thought--" She dropped off, pushing to a sitting position. He didn’t respond, didn't look at her, but then, finally, nodded his admission. "She's very pretty." "Beautiful." "She's a tough one. I've seen her workout at the Academy and she just puts me to shame. I've talked to her a few times too, not much of a talker, and very...flat." Alia said. "It's just the way she's raised." Jacen said coming to Tenel Ka's defense. "Being born heir to the Hapes Consortium is--" "She's a princess too?" Alia said in surprise, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. "Wow, gotta give it to the girl. That tough warrior from Dathomir was a facade then? She had me fooled." "No, she's actually from Dathomir. Her mother is from Dathomir and her dad is the Chume'da of the Hapes Consortium. And she's probably going to take the throne when it comes time, so there really isn't a place for me." Alia studied him. “She hurt you,” she stated, her voice hard. The anger in her voice surprised him, and he looked up at her quickly before looking away again. He shrugged carelessly, trying to appear unaffected. “I let her,” he informed her, his tone expressionless. "And it wasn't like we could be together anyways. She's a princess and I'm just a Jedi." She frowned, puzzled for a moment before she laughed, her first real laugh in days. ”Will you listen to yourself? Gods, I didn't think I'd hear that kind of batha poo doo coming from you..ever!" She scooted closer to him, said, "Jacen, your mother was the leader of the Republic for over a decade. Your father brought about the destruction of the Empire time and time again. Your uncle is founder and leader to the all Jedi!! You're as royal as she is, maybe more so--at least people like your family!" "So don't go saying that you're just a Jedi. You're more than that." Alia sighed. "You didn't do anything wrong." “Sure I did,” he argued, his tone forcedly light, but with a bitter note that he could not conceal. "She's beyond me, always was and now, I-I'm just trying to find my place. In the war, as a Jedi and everything else." She studied his expression for a long moment, before a sad smile came over her face. “Because you think you deserve this. It is your penance. ” He looked up again, shaking his head in disbelief, with a soft, joyless laugh. “No, I-I-I just need to know my place. I need to know I'm doing what the Force wants.” "She really did a number on you Jacen. They all did." She looked away for a moment with a shrug. "You don't have anything to prove to anyone else Jacen. Just be who you are." "What if I don't know who I am?" "I know who you are. It's time for you to see it too." Alia sighed, climbing off the bed and headed for the refresher unit. Jacen climbed off the bed, grabbing his robe and getting ready to leave when Alia reappeared. "It sucks feeling like this. Always hurting about something we didn't do or did do." she said, walking up to him, standing almost eye to eye with him. "I know. It feels that you carry the weight of a world on your shoulders but it's just choices we've made." Jacen said. "Or didn't make." She nodded slowly. “There was nothing I could have done for Angel, even if I was there. It wasn’t my fault. Any more than what happened with Tenel Ka was your fault, Jacen.” His eyes dropped again, and when he spoke, his voice was trembling, guilty. “If I’d have just–-if I’d only..." "No." she said firmly. "If she wanted you, truly wanted you, she would have fought for you, done everything in her power to be with you. The rules be damned, screw politics and proper ways. If anything Jacen, she should be the one to feel guilty, not you." Jacen’s heart was aching with an unspoken agony, brought to the surface by Alia’s painful remembrances. Jacen spoke clearly into the stillness, a simple confession. “I forgot, too.” Alia raised her head slowly. “What?” she asked softly, puzzled. “Tenel Ka. When you came to Duro.” Jacen paused, meeting his eyes with her own open and vulnerable. “I forgot, too.” Her lips were trembling with emotion, her eyes welled with tears, and he longed to give her the comfort she had just given him. “We both did,” he whispered, his hand lifting to brush away a single tear that slid down her cheek. “But in a way...we never will,” he assured her. The thought that had haunted her for so long– that no matter how long she lived, she would always remember the painful story of her first love–was now somehow comforting to Alia. The warmth, the tenderness, unexpected in those deep brown eyes that saw right through her, drew her in, and she found herself leaning up toward him slowly, almost desperate with need for the solace he could provide her. That same need was in his eyes, and he responded, lowering his mouth to capture hers in a tender, intimate kiss. And for a little while – all but the two of them was forgotten. TBC -----signature----- Fading Starlight - http://boards.theforce.net/Message.aspx?topic=22956516&brd=10477&replies= ============ http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/27046597/p1
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jaina_clan_solo Registered: Dec '05	Date Posted: 3/18/06 9:14pm Subject: RE: Fading Starlight ( AU NJO) (J/OC)
	oh that was good! Jacen and Alia seem so good for each other. It's nice that they can find a few moments of peace during that awful war. could you PM me when you update? jcs -----signature----- Proud Padawan of BigFatty! Leading Blade http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/25450817/p1 NEW! Moments in Time http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/25790697/p1/?2
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Darph_Nader Registered: Aug '05	Date Posted: 3/19/06 2:26pm Subject: RE: Fading Starlight ( AU NJO) (J/OC)
	Very, very good. D_N -----signature----- Padawan of humorosity to Commander-DWH! RPG Master to WISE_JEDI12! "Caffeine'll kill ya!"
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ispeaknotruths Registered: Apr '04	Date Posted: 3/28/06 8:45pm Subject: RE: Fading Starlight ( AU NJO) (J/OC)
	Aww, thanks everyone for your comments!! The new chapter will be posted very soon so keep your eyes out. I don't send out PM's unless someone asks, so like I said, keep your eyes peeled for the new chappie! -----signature----- Fading Starlight - http://boards.theforce.net/Message.aspx?topic=22956516&brd=10477&replies= ============ http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/27046597/p1
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ispeaknotruths Registered: Apr '04	Date Posted: 4/14/06 3:37pm Subject: RE: Fading Starlight ( AU NJO) (J/OC)
	Chapter Four: The Mission Alia opened her eyes and watched the light patterns shifting on the wall. Jacen was still asleep next to her, his chest rising and falling with deep satisfaction. His face was so sweet in repose. Thinking back on the whole thing, she realized what a child he was and how much this experience had changed them both. She was a child soldier, making only war her life. Being born on a planet that has been in civil war for decades, she has always thought war was life. Until her Master found her and took to her Yavin to be trained as a Jedi. There she learned about peace, quiet and serenity. Her whole world view was shifted and she found something worth more than a piece of land to fight for. Jacen was different. He was a Jedi locked inside his own insecurities. But being raised in a larger than life family, it would make sense. His parents were heroes. His uncle was a hero and savior. His aunt was just scary because of what she was back during the days of the Empire. The wookie was a hero and revered on his home planet. Even the two droids were famous. Alia climbed out of bed slowly, being careful not to wake up Jacen. Alia thought she was honorable, having worked her whole life to achieve that state. She believed that she was just and right, she fought to protect the galaxy from evil and harm. The glory of her tale has reached the ears, antennae, and minds of those who listened. To the weak, overwhelmed and downtrodden, she was a hero. But she also knew that she has torn and taken life in her beliefs. She has killed people with the lightsaber in her hand. She has cut the limbs off countless others for their dark deeds and traitorous actions. She was feared by the lawless and warlords alike for her actions. She was a Jedi. Being a Jedi was who she was. If she didn't have the Force and if she wasn't a Jedi, she wouldn't be anyone. If she was normal, she would be those people she fought to protect, tired and trembling for being bullied by those stronger than herself. It was her mission in life. Alia has never given it any thought that she chose the dangerous missions that Master Skywalker would have frown upon if he had learned of them. Even the ones he did know about were still frowned upon for the dangerous factors in them but they needed to be done. Every mission she chosen in the last five years had at some point, nearly killed her or crippled her. And it wasn't because her missions were vital in someway to the Republic or for the sake of the Order. It was because she was a Jedi in crisis, searching for a way to cover up the hole in her soul. But now she was a Jedi in crisis in love with another Jedi in crisis. She's in love with Jacen Solo. And now she would have to break their hearts for the sake of a mission. A message came into just a few minutes ago from Master Durron. It was urgent, top secret with little chances of survival. Her favorite once upon a time. Before she slept with Jacen and found that she could share herself with someone while taking what they offered. He made her feel something other than pain, guilt and sorrow. To let her know that there was nothing wrong in being alive with others weren't. Alia had a choice. To stay with Jacen and share with him everything she was, to laugh, love and live with him. In this war, they could find some repose and peace, to forget, if only for a moment, the death and suffering around them. But as she got dressed, she realized that she was being selfish in wanting it. They had a mission and the mission came first. ----------------------------- Jacen woke up, the suns shining through blinds of the window. He frowned, thinking that his room didn't face the suns as he burrowed deeper under the covers. As he opened his eyes, realizing that he wasn't in his own room as he thought. Then memories of the night brought him awake and made his cheeks burn red when he really didn't have a reason to. After, Alia was more then happy to oblige him and he, her. What they did was a natural part of life. As he continued coming up with reasons why he shouldn't be embarassed, Alia's built in communicator started beeping with an incoming call. He went still, thinking that Alia would answer it when he realized another thing. That he was alone. He poked his head out of the covers to look next to him and found that Alia was gone. That woke him up quickly. He climbed out of Alia's bed and hurriedly got dressed. As he rushed out of the apartment, Alia's answer recorder came on. "Solo, are you there?" Kyp's voice demanded. "Solo if you're there, answer! Listen, Alia left a message for me to give you---" The faint clink of the door closing could be heard under Kyp's voice. TBC -----signature----- Fading Starlight - http://boards.theforce.net/Message.aspx?topic=22956516&brd=10477&replies= ============ http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/27046597/p1
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G__Anakin Registered: Apr '06	Date Posted: 4/14/06 4:07pm Subject: RE: Fading Starlight ( AU NJO) (J/OC)
	Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy Finnaly uped -----signature----- Knighted by Courtney_Solo - - - My fanfic - - - Jedi Sith - http://boards.theforce.net/Message.aspx?topic=26751105&brd=10476&start=26759554
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Valley_Lord Registered: Dec '05	Date Posted: 4/14/06 4:18pm Subject: RE: Fading Starlight ( AU NJO) (J/OC)
	oohhh rejected, he just got burned by a microwave. -----signature----- <click>I'm sorry, Glenn is not here right now. Leave your name number and a complete message after the beep . . . . . . <click>
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jaina_clan_solo Registered: Dec '05	Date Posted: 4/14/06 7:31pm Subject: RE: Fading Starlight ( AU NJO) (J/OC)
	Alia had a choice. To stay with Jacen and share with him everything she was, to laugh, love and live with him. In this war, they could find some repose and peace, to forget, if only for a moment, the death and suffering around them. But as she got dressed, she realized that she was being selfish in wanting it. They had a mission and the mission came first. The decision that haunts all Jedi-- finding the difference between selfishness and selflessness. And poor Jacen left behind... and not taking the time to hear the reason why. Great update! jcs -----signature----- Proud Padawan of BigFatty! Leading Blade http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/25450817/p1 NEW! Moments in Time http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/25790697/p1/?2
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Count_B Registered: Aug '03	Date Posted: 4/20/06 4:23pm Subject: RE: Fading Starlight ( AU NJO) (J/OC)
	War and love just never seems to mix, does it? Great work here! I'll be keeping up with it as best as I can!
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Darph_Nader Registered: Aug '05	Date Posted: 4/21/06 12:44pm Subject: RE: Fading Starlight ( AU NJO) (J/OC)
	Once again, you have done a great job. I like how Alia is torn between love and duty. D_N -----signature----- Padawan of humorosity to Commander-DWH! RPG Master to WISE_JEDI12! "Caffeine'll kill ya!"
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