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The Face of a Warrior (LOTF AU Jaina, Jag, Zekk, Kyp, J/TK, H/L, Luke, OC's) Author's Note 10/16
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NightSword
Registered:
Jan '08
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Date Posted:
5/20 9:59pm
Subject:
RE: The Face of a Warrior (LOTF Jaina, Jag, Zekk, Kyp, J/TK, H/L, Luke, OC's) TEASER 5/20
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I'm back, and I've finally started writing again, so here's a tiny teaser: (although the post isn't 100% written yet)
“And it will be all your fault.”
The words rung in her ears, images of fields covered with dead and dying Yuuzhan Vong—of soldiers throwing themselves into the endless chasm of the Force for the sake of honor, duty, and pride flashing before her eyes.
--end teaser--
BTW, you may have noticed that I've renumbered the chapters and added little quotes at the beginning of them.
-----signature-----
~NS The Face of a Warrior (LOTF Jaina, Jag, Zekk, Kyp, J/TK,H/L, Luke, OC's): http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/28015465/p1
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jadesabre75
Registered:
Nov '07
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Date Posted:
5/21 7:19pm
Subject:
RE: The Face of a Warrior (LOTF Jaina, Jag, Zekk, Kyp, J/TK, H/L, Luke, OC's) TEASER 5/20
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That wasn't a teaser. LOL That was mean my dear. 
-----signature-----
Stories are in my bio! Have at it!
"Writers block is when your characters get tired of everything you do to them and go on strike."
Lucky Member of the Jagateers: Jagateer of the Imperial Red Swim Trunks
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Lola64
Registered:
Mar '05
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Date Posted:
5/23 10:28am
Subject:
RE: The Face of a Warrior (LOTF Jaina, Jag, Zekk, Kyp, J/TK, H/L, Luke, OC's) TEASER 5/20
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Great news. I'm all caught up! 
Bad news. I'm utterly confused. 
I gather the lady who had been in love with Jag's brother is the person whose help they need. But is she like Glenda the Good Witch who's going to have to take on the Wicked Witch of the West, the gal in your last post?
And what's up with Jag? That outburst at the meeting was a bit unlike him. I'm going to guess, which knowing me will be incorrect, that it's all a plan. But what is the plan? 
How the heck did he talk Zekk into participating in it?
And what about Yub Stimson? I mean the guy portraying him. How long does he and Janson think they could keep that deception going on with Jacen? Do they not understand he's a powerful Sith?
Or is this perhaps a distraction so Jacen doesn't see other things that are going on? I wonder.
Anyway, I look forward to reading more so that I can get unbaffled.
-----signature-----
Kyp/Nurse Lola: the new ship  I stalk people. It's a Lola thing. Senator & Dozen 11 of the KDFC
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NYCitygurl
Title: Manager of SFFBC, C&G, and NSWFF
Registered:
Jul '02
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Date Posted:
5/24 9:56am
Subject:
RE: The Face of a Warrior (LOTF Jaina, Jag, Zekk, Kyp, J/TK, H/L, Luke, OC's) TEASER 5/20
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Great story!! I especially love that interlude - the fantasy-esque elements really appeal to me 
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"Not till the moon falls. Not till the world ends."
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Jaina_and_Jag
Registered:
Apr '03
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Date Posted:
5/24 1:03pm
Subject:
RE: The Face of a Warrior (LOTF Jaina, Jag, Zekk, Kyp, J/TK, H/L, Luke, OC's) TEASER 5/20
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What??? What is that "teaser"?? I need the post now! 
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NightSword
Registered:
Jan '08
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Date Posted:
5/26 9:01am
Subject:
RE: The Face of a Warrior (LOTF Jaina, Jag, Zekk, Kyp, J/TK, H/L, Luke, OC's) TEASER 5/20
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I just got back from a conference yesterday afternoon, so here's some replies. The post will be up in a bit.
jadesabre
That wasn't a teaser. LOL That was mean my dear.
That's why I put it up.
Lola64
Great news. I'm all caught up!
Yay! That's nice to hear.
Bad news. I'm utterly confused.
I gather the lady who had been in love with Jag's brother is the person whose help they need. But is she like Glenda the Good Witch who's going to have to take on the Wicked Witch of the West, the gal in your last post?
I have no plans for the person in the interlude to appear in any significant capacity in this story.
As for Aulani (Aula), it's a bit more complicated. I don't want to give away too much, but I'll say that the Fel family isn't the only ones she has a past with.
And what's up with Jag? That outburst at the meeting was a bit unlike him. I'm going to guess, which knowing me will be incorrect, that it's all a plan. But what is the plan?
You're right. It is a plan. As for what it is, it could be described as somewhat...Thrawnesque.
How the heck did he talk Zekk into participating in it?
I'm afraid that that is one of the things that you'll simply have to keep speculating about for somet time, although I suspect guilt could be involved.
And what about Yub Stimson? I mean the guy portraying him. How long does he and Janson think they could keep that deception going on with Jacen? Do they not understand he's a powerful Sith?
Or is this perhaps a distraction so Jacen doesn't see other things that are going on? I wonder.
As it was shown in Chapter 2, Jacen is fully aware of Yub's actual identity. Yub, unfortunately, doesn't have significant experience dealing with Jedi/Sith, so he hasn't realized that yet.
Anyway, I look forward to reading more so that I can get unbaffled.
Thanks!
NYCitygurl
Great story!! I especially love that interlude - the fantasy-esque elements really appeal to me
Thanks! And another thank-you for betaing!
Jaina_and_Jag
What??? What is that "teaser"?? I need the post now!
It'll be up momentarily.
Post coming in a few minutes
-----signature-----
~NS The Face of a Warrior (LOTF Jaina, Jag, Zekk, Kyp, J/TK,H/L, Luke, OC's): http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/28015465/p1
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NightSword
Registered:
Jan '08
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Date Posted:
5/26 9:38am
Subject:
RE: The Face of a Warrior (LOTF Jaina, Jag, Zekk, Kyp, J/TK, H/L, Luke, OC's) UPDATE 5/26
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Here it is! Enjoy.
Chapter 15: Dual Personalities
“The mark of the immature man is that he wants to die nobly for a cause, while the mark of the mature man is that he wants to live humbly for one.” –William Stekel, German psychologist
Darth Caedus’ office, Coruscant
Tahiri strode into Darth Caedus’ office with measured, even steps. Although she could not feel his presence through the Force, there was no doubt that he would be there. After all, it was the only room he seemed to be spending any significant amount of time in lately.
When she opened the door, the inside was pure darkness, and Tahiri could sense nothing there except for the furniture.
“Come in, my apprentice.”
She entered, taking care to close the door behind her—the last time she had forgotten, it had taken days for the scars from her punishment to fade.
“Master,” she said flatly. “You requested my presence?”
“I did. Have a seat.”
A strong Force-push shoved her into one of the chairs.
“I believe that it is time for you to have a name.” She opened her mouth to object, but he continued on regardless. “A Sith name.”
Tahiri wrestled all thoughts of disobedience into the back of her mind, even as she doubted that Jacen would pick up on her specific thoughts—merely a feeling of unease. The combined personalities of Riina Kwaad and Tahiri Veila floating around inside her head would make trying to guess her actions nearly impossible, in any case. It was peculiar how much the two personalities seemed to be in conflict, taking into consideration the peacefulness with which they had coexisted by the end of the Vong war.
“Yes, Master.”
She heard a chuckle from somewhere in front of her. “And yet you are not ready,” Darth Caedus said with amusement. “It is not important. You will be in time.” The certainty in his words sent a brief thrill of panic through her. Was she too destined to become the thing she was trying to destroy?
“Is that what you wanted to talk to me about?” She did not bother to hide her anxiousness to get out of the room.
“Oh no,” Darth Caedus said dismissively. “That was merely a minor detail. I called you here for a very different reason.” He paused, and Tahiri caught the impression that it was merely for dramatic effect. “What are your opinions of the Yuuzhan Vong?”
“The Yuuzhan Vong are an honorable people!” Riina blurted out before Tahiri could stop it, and she immediately wished she could slap herself on the head for that verbal gaffe—Jacen’s question puzzled her because she could see little reason for him to ask it.
“So you support the Vong?” Jacen’s voice had the innocently inquisitive air that left no doubt that this was some sort of test—whether of her mental state or of something else, Tahiri didn’t know.
“Yuuzhan Vong, not Vong,” Riina corrected immediately. Tahiri bit down hard on her tongue to prevent a further reply, and so that she could construct a proper response. “The Yuuzhan Vong are a people bound by their culture and will remain faithful to that culture, despite the differences between their culture and our own,” she finally hedged.
“So you do support them,” Jacen stated mildly.
Tahiri grimaced in frustration. “The Yuuzhan Vong are one of many species, and as long as there is no reason given to me to treat them differently, I see no reason to do so.”
She immediately knew her answer was the wrong one by the sense of anger that crackled in the air.
“Incorrect, my apprentice!” Caedus boomed out, and then his voice quieted to a deceptively reasonable tone. “You are the gardener, and you will choose. You need only take that right.”
Tahiri frowned. She had no intention of ‘taking that right,’ as Caedus had stated it, because she simply felt that she did not have that right—and because Riina was putting up a fierce argument. But she merely replied “Yes, Master” in a docile tone.
“But you do not believe what I say,” Darth Caedus said in a mild tone.
Tahiri couldn’t help the rising of anger stemming from her helplessness in the situation. Riina was itching to act—to defend the Yuuzhan Vong and die for a glorious cause. However, Tahiri was trying to prevent her other self from doing anything even resembling stupid—and to buy herself enough time to enact her plan.
“Acceptance comes with time,” she said, dipping her head in acknowledgement.
“And yet a decision takes only a moment.” The voice she heard was deceptively soft and gentle. “And it is a decision that you must make.”
Tahiri held her head up. If this was going to be the end, then so be it. She would never give in to him. “If it is a decision that I must make, then I choose not to decide.”
She felt a spike of pride at the firmness in her voice, but Darth Caedus merely laughed. “That is what you desire, my apprentice,” he said. “But what of the galaxy? What of all the people out there that are waiting for your decision—waiting for you to make it?”
“Then they will merely have to find somebody else to make the decision.” An image of Leia Organa as she must have looked when standing before Darth Vader came into Tahiri’s mind, and she promised herself that she would at least maintain that strength, if not the poise and grace.
Jacen laughed then. “You are determined, are you not? And yet it will hardly matter in time.” His hand swept around in front of him. “The Force has far greater designs, and we are merely a passing fancy.”
Tahiri immediately stiffened. There was something about his tone of voice that made it clear he was far was giving up.
“And now you have chosen, my good apprentice.” His voice was silky. “By not choosing, you have allowed me to choose, and I choose death for the Vong. A pity perhaps, but they hardly deserve to live after what they have done.”
There was no preventing Riina’s reaction to the words. She snarled, stepping forward in the direction of Caedus’ voice and drawing out her lightsaber. “The Yuuzhan Vong deserve as much to live as we do!”
“And it is your fault that they will die.” This time, the voice was dripping with malevolence and cold threat. She could no longer pinpoint the direction it had come from—likely another one of his Force-tricks.
“And you know that, don’t you?” The voice had returned to its silky smoothness. “When you see the last of them die, you will know that it was all your fault, simply because you refused to decide.”
She closed her eyes to fight down the wave of nausea that threatened to overtake her. Tahiri felt herself agreeing with the voice—agreeing with the tale of misery and woe that it was spinning. Agreeing with the fact that she could have ended all of this, if only she had acted. After all, that was what being a Jedi was about, wasn’t it?
“You know as well as I do that the Force will not forgive. You will be the executioner when that last Vong dies. You will be the one to draw the lightsaber across his neck—the one to watch the life leave his eyes.”
She saw the image of a hunter hunting its prey, the two circling around each other in a slow dance, each waiting for the other’s move. Jacen’s voice seemed to be getting father away, and then closer, changing the direction that it had come from with abandon.
“And it will be all your fault.”
The words rang in her ears, images of fields covered with dead and dying Yuuzhan Vong—of soldiers throwing themselves into the endless chasm of the Force for the sake of honor, duty, and pride flashing before her eyes.
She shuddered, and the hunter and the prey moved faster, tightening the circle around which they danced, until the hunter was so close that she could see its long, curved, teeth.
“Do you enjoy watching those scenes of death, Tahiri?” There was an almost loving caress to the words, and she shivered in response.
It had been so long since anybody had called her by that name—so long since anybody had thought her worthy enough to bear the name. Riina might not care as much, but Tahiri certainly did.
“Do you enjoy watching others die for your mistakes?” His voice still remained deceptively soft, a caress rubbing strong saltwater into her wounds. “Because that’s all that ever happens, isn’t it?”
The hunter moved in then, striking with a sudden leap towards her, and all she caught was a flash of teeth and skin before its jaws sank their way into her neck.
“That’s what happened to Raynar. That’s what happened to Anakin.”
Tahiri let out a sharp, pained gasp, but Caedus ignored her and continued, driving in his teeth and twisting them to further enlarge the wound.
“And you know it.” Each word was perfectly enunciated, and she could feel the breath in her ears.
“No!!” It was a half gasp, half sob choked with pain. “No!!”
“And he knew it.” She drew in a breath and held it, hoping to keep his stench away from her. “Do you honestly expect a reunion with him after death?” The teeth withdrew then, leaving gaping holes in her heart behind them.
Tahiri collapsed in a ball, whatever power that had been keeping her upright sucked out in a moment.
The final blow came—a flash of red in the dark room, and Jacen’s lit lightsaber was pressed against her neck. “So why don’t you do something with your life?” His face was contorted in fury.
She flinched away in surprised, whirling her head towards where she could now see him.
“Because I choose!” Tahiri and Riina snarled together, and Tahiri’s pale body flung itself out of the way of the lightsaber. She spun her head around to try to find Jacen, but his lightsaber was deactivated.
In that split moment of darkness, Jacen’s voice rang out through the room, filled with additional power and authority due to the Force. “And what do you choose?”
Tahiri activated her own lightsaber and held it before her—a strong statement. “I choose,” she said firmly. “I choose to make the decision that has been given to me. I choose the Force. I choose—” her voice faltered. “I choose,” she began again, although uncertainly this time. “I choose my destiny.”
The impact of what she had just said washed over her, she swayed dangerously, the lightsaber she held in clenched hands waving around threateningly in front of her. With a shriek of fury, Tahiri and Riina—now clear in their union—swung their lightsaber at Jacen.
She saw him spin out of the way and activate his own lightsaber. Their blades sung and locked together in an intricate dance, flashes of red accompanied by occasional bursts of darkness. Although they might be standing bathed in blood light, it was essentially the same situation that had just occurred moments before, but with one exception—this time, she was the predator, and he was the prey. The Force told her that much.
Caedus’ lightsaber caught the tip of her own and pushed, spinning her around out of control, and she withdrew half a step to resume her defenses. As the two faced off once again, Tahiri grinned savagely at him. She could feel the sweat dripping down her face, and her skin stung from a myriad of cuts and bruises she had barely noticed receiving.
Caedus’ laughter mocked her. “Confident now, are we, my apprentice?” he said, and the line of red began moving rapidly towards her again.
She brought her own lightsaber in a block inches away from her face, and smiled as Caedus’ lightsaber continued to press against hers, the two faces barely a foot away from each other. “So are you,” she said, batting his lightsaber away and stepping off to the side so that the two were once again standing across from each other in an imaginary circle. “The only difference is that I have reason to be.”
-----signature-----
~NS The Face of a Warrior (LOTF Jaina, Jag, Zekk, Kyp, J/TK,H/L, Luke, OC's): http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/28015465/p1
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Jaina_and_Jag
Registered:
Apr '03
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Date Posted:
5/26 10:16am
Subject:
RE: The Face of a Warrior (LOTF Jaina, Jag, Zekk, Kyp, J/TK, H/L, Luke, OC's) UPDATE 5/26
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Woah! Chilling stuff!  That Caedus/Tahiri stuff was bizarre! We're in Tahiri's head, but yet I'm still not sure what she's thinking... Great chapter!
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jadesabre75
Registered:
Nov '07
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Date Posted:
5/26 1:23pm
Subject:
RE: The Face of a Warrior (LOTF Jaina, Jag, Zekk, Kyp, J/TK, H/L, Luke, OC's) UPDATE 5/26
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Ooooo. Tahiri's not ready to go all out yet. Interesting. Awesome job! Loved it!
-----signature-----
Stories are in my bio! Have at it!
"Writers block is when your characters get tired of everything you do to them and go on strike."
Lucky Member of the Jagateers: Jagateer of the Imperial Red Swim Trunks
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iamobiwan1970
Registered:
Aug '05
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Date Posted:
5/26 1:29pm
Subject:
RE: The Face of a Warrior (LOTF Jaina, Jag, Zekk, Kyp, J/TK, H/L, Luke, OC's) UPDATE 5/26
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This piece was much clearer. Tahiri's issues with Riina make a lot of sense, but are ignored in LOTF. Being Sith is personality #3 in many ways and would be a difficult decision. I think she sassed up Caedus plenty and I liked it.
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Whatever tomorrow brings, I'll be there, with open arms and open eyes.
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shahid_chestro
Registered:
Jun '05
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Date Posted:
5/27 1:13am
Subject:
RE: The Face of a Warrior (LOTF Jaina, Jag, Zekk, Kyp, J/TK, H/L, Luke, OC's) UPDATE 5/26
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Great Chapter. Loved Jacen/Caedus in this chapter. update soon.
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angry_bendu1
Registered:
Apr '07
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Date Posted:
5/27 7:35am
Subject:
RE: The Face of a Warrior (LOTF Jaina, Jag, Zekk, Kyp, J/TK, H/L, Luke, OC's) UPDATE 5/26
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Go Tahiri! You Vong-slap that boy! 
Umm, I mean Yuuzhan Vong-slap him. Yeah.
Anyways, fantastic post! Thanks for the pm!
-----signature-----
Ramblings of a Jedi (snarky Jesika's diary- filled w/ romance, sarcasm, etc.): http://boards.theforce.net/the_saga/b10476/28753761/p1/?0 I was staring at the orange juice because it said "concentrate". Proud owner of a '96 Geo Metro. "To the Crapmobile!"
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NightSword
Registered:
Jan '08
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Date Posted:
5/28 6:04pm
Subject:
RE: The Face of a Warrior (LOTF Jaina, Jag, Zekk, Kyp, J/TK, H/L, Luke, OC's) UPDATE 5/26
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Thanks for reading, everyone!
Jaina_and_Jag
Woah! Chilling stuff! That Caedus/Tahiri stuff was bizarre! We're in Tahiri's head, but yet I'm still not sure what she's thinking... Great chapter!
Thanks! The next chapter (and the rest of the scene) is from Jacen's POV, and the existence of yet another prophecy will be revealed...
jadesabre75
Ooooo. Tahiri's not ready to go all out yet. Interesting. Awesome job! Loved it!
Thanks! Tahiri going all out will appear in the next scene...kinda, since we won't have any deaths yet for a while.
iamobiwan1970
This piece was much clearer. Tahiri's issues with Riina make a lot of sense, but are ignored in LOTF. Being Sith is personality #3 in many ways and would be a difficult decision. I think she sassed up Caedus plenty and I liked it.
Thanks! I actually had a lot of fun writing out this scene, although I ended up taking a while just going through and deciding each time whether is was Tahiri or Riina talking.
shahid_chestro
Great Chapter. Loved Jacen/Caedus in this chapter. update soon.
Ooo...new reader. Yay!
Thanks! Next post will be the rest of the scene from Jacen's POV, up Monday.
angry_bendu1
Go Tahiri! You Vong-slap that boy!
Umm, I mean Yuuzhan Vong-slap him. Yeah.
Anyways, fantastic post! Thanks for the pm!
Thanks! (and you're welcome)
Next post (Monday): the rest of the scene from Jacen's POV, and a new prophecy is revealed
-----signature-----
~NS The Face of a Warrior (LOTF Jaina, Jag, Zekk, Kyp, J/TK,H/L, Luke, OC's): http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/28015465/p1
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NightSword
Registered:
Jan '08
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Date Posted:
5/29 4:23pm
Subject:
RE: The Face of a Warrior (LOTF Jaina, Jag, Zekk, Kyp, J/TK, H/L, Luke, OC's) TEASER 5/29
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Here's a little teaser for the next post:
However, in his moments of weakness, he hadn’t noticed Tahiri’s fallen lightsaber slowly moving across the floor towards her hand, and he was just beyond lightsaber range of her when her body flung itself into a standing position, the red lightsaber moving in a wild sweep as she regained her footing. He reached down to his belt to summon his own lightsaber to hand—except that it wasn’t there.
In his distraction, he realized, Tahiri had not only summoned her own lightsaber to herself, but also his own. Now, it hung on her belt, mocking him. Tahiri was clearly acting not out of self-defense and anger, as he had first thought, but out of an intention to kill.
Then, a moment later, everything was over.
The lightsaber descended towards him. He watched it in a foggy daze, twisting away only as he began to feel the heat from blade through his robes and on his skin. However, it was already too late. There was a hiss, and then a searing pain assaulted him as he slowly collapsed towards the floor with an anguished yell.
-----signature-----
~NS The Face of a Warrior (LOTF Jaina, Jag, Zekk, Kyp, J/TK,H/L, Luke, OC's): http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/28015465/p1
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NightSword
Registered:
Jan '08
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Date Posted:
6/2 4:11pm
Subject:
RE: The Face of a Warrior (LOTF Jaina, Jag, Zekk, Kyp, J/TK, H/L, Luke, OC's) Chapter 16 UP 6/2
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Here's the post. I'll send out PM's later this evening.
Chapter 16
“…a long journey, and an even longer adventure awaits for those who stray from the path…”
Jacen Solo’s office, Coruscant
The two figures faced off, the two red lightsabers providing the only light in the room casting an eerie glow over the vents. Hunter and prey stood, watching each other for even the slightest hint of possible movement, each searching not by their eyes, but by more intuitive senses—sense born out of a lifetime of practice and discipline. The events that had placed these two into their respective positions had been set off many years previous.
Darth Caedus watched the much smaller Tahiri, patiently waiting for a movement. Recent events might have robbed him of his Jedi heritage, but he still had his patience, tempered only by a never-ending stream of Force visions dictating his actions.
Tahiri’s words had sent him into a stream of pure rage, but he suppressed the instinct, waiting until his temper had cooled and could be molded before he allowed his reaction to show. He used the Force to project his voice and his presence. “Do you, my apprentice?” He was pleased to hear that his voice came out low, ominous, and deadly.
There was no flicker of reaction from her, and her eyes regarded him with thinly disguised amusement. Her reaction bothered him more than he cared to admit.
Could she have known of the prophecy about her?
Caedus immediately discarded the idea. The prophecy given to him by the Force had come directly into his mind, and, to his knowledge, Tahiri had never accessed his inner thoughts. A spike of fear shot through him, and he shuddered. If she knew of her role in events to come, then she would be able to ruin everything—and Caedus could feel perfectly well that she would try to ruin everything he had worked for if she understood how he was manipulating her.
“I do.” The words were firm, and Caedus felt a sense of finality coming off of the blond before him. “And you know, don’t you?”
Caedus heard her laugh, and it filled his ears, slowly working its way into his mind until he could no longer focus on anything else. Rage clouded his vision, and blood was pounding in his ears. She was laughing—laughing! In that moment, he knew only that Tahiri had to understand—had to be made to understand.
Before he regained control over himself, he watched with semi-detachment as lightning bolts shot out from suddenly outstretched hands towards Tahiri. She batted away one of the streams, but the second hit her full in the chest, slamming her against the wall with a muffled thump. Even as her body hit the wall, he could still see the smile on her face, feel her satisfaction in provoking a reaction out of him.
Considering that he had absolutely no intention of killing her, but only of knocking some sense into her head, Caedus did not move towards her to deliver the killing blow. Instead, he stood perfectly still, forcing his brain into an unreal sense of calmness before making any attempt at movement. Once his thoughts were sufficiently clear that he could recall his original purpose again, he began walking at a slow, measured pace towards Tahiri.
However, in his moments of weakness, he hadn’t noticed Tahiri’s fallen lightsaber slowly moving across the floor towards her hand, and he was just beyond lightsaber range of her when her body flung itself into a standing position, the red lightsaber moving in a wild sweep as she regained her footing. He reached down to his belt to summon his own lightsaber to hand—except that it wasn’t there.
In his distraction, he realized, Tahiri had not only summoned her own lightsaber to herself, but also his own. Now, it hung on her belt, mocking him. Tahiri was clearly acting not out of self-defense and anger, as he had first thought, but out of an intention to kill.
Then, a moment later, everything was over.
The lightsaber descended towards him. He watched it in a foggy daze, twisting away only as he began to feel the heat from blade through his robes and on his skin. However, it was already too late. There was a hiss, and then a searing pain assaulted him as he slowly collapsed towards the floor with an anguished yell.
Clutching the stump of his left arm, Caedus let out a feral scream of fury as wave after wave of pain assaulted itself onto his brain. He tried to use the lessons he had learned from Vergere and the Vong—to become the master of his pain, but it had been too long since had had last done it, and all that he managed to accomplish was an increased desire to vomit.
Even so, his anger surpassed his pain. How dare she presume that she understood him—that she could defeat him? How did she dare think such things, even as he could feel her mind shying away from becoming a Sith. How could she mock everything that he stood for?
Even as his already swimming vision became further blurred, Caedus propped himself up with the Force, sending out a steam of lightening towards Tahiri with his good hand. In his blurred vision, it looked like arcs of light were filling the room. The power in that light entranced him, held him its captive even as it drained him of his already depleted energy stores.
However, Tahiri didn’t even both to raise up her lightsaber in a block. Rather, he saw the red blade extinguish itself, and two smudges moved up to intercept the lightening, the colors contrasting clearly with the dark robes Tahiri was wearing.
Caedus blinked in surprise, realizing only a moment later that she was intercepting the Force-lightning with her bare hands—except that that was only of the tricks he had never taught her, being careful to keep an arsenal of knowledge reserved only for himself. What was even more surprising was that he could barely even feel her drawing energy from the Force.
After a few more seconds, he cut off the lightning, seeing as it clearly wasn’t hurting her, and, considering his current state, she would be able to continue this far longer than he could. The moment he stopped drawing on the Force, any vitality his body might have had left deserted him, and he slumped weakly back onto the floor, closing his eyes with exhaustion.
As soon as the lightning stopped, he heard the hiss of a lightsaber reigniting, and the black he saw through closed eyes was tinted with a bright red. He would have reacted, except that a strong wall of Force-energy was chaining him to the floor, and he no longer had the energy to break it.
Opening his eyes, Caedus gazed up towards Tahiri’s face, noticing for the first time tears running down her cheeks. He immediately discarded the thought—it wouldn’t help him survive. “How?” he gasped out between breaths, his thoughts still a bit scrambled by pain and rage.. “How?”
Tahiri laughed. “You know as well as I do. After all, you taught me how.”
Caedus blinked, allowing himself to focus on her words, using them to bring his mind back into a coherent state. “Don’t deceive yourself, my apprentice. I have taught you nothing compared to what I know.”
The pain, he was pleased to note, was gone, replaced simply by exhaustion. Thinking objectively, he immediately saw it as a good sign. Pain, even if he had still be able to fully conquer it, would take away some small piece of his brainpower. Exhaustion, he could handle just by drawing on the Force—at least, he could handle it for a while. He had yet to test the full extent of his powers.
Opening his eyes, he was completely unsurprised to find Tahiri’s lightsaber hovering just above his throat. His energy might be gone, but his command of the Force was not. Besides, he had already felt the heat that lightsaber was generating some time ago.
Caedus laughed then, a bitter sound filled with anger and hatred. “Kill me then, Tahiri. Better to get it over with.”
Tahiri fixed him with an inscrutable gaze, her eyes surveying his face for a long moment. “No,” she said finally. “I won’t. After all, I have a mission to go on.”
She whirled and left, taking both lightsabers with her, even though she was keeping him pinned to the floor. It wasn’t until the door closed behind her small form that the Force-wall abated. Inside the darkness, Darth Caedus was left to his thoughts—and his worries.
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Any guesses on Tahiri's mission?
This post might be the last one one before I leave for Nebraska next week (I'll be gone for three weeks). I have finals coming a few days, so there may or may not be one more post depending on how much time I get to write.
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~NS The Face of a Warrior (LOTF Jaina, Jag, Zekk, Kyp, J/TK,H/L, Luke, OC's): http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/28015465/p1
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