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Beginning's End (NJO-era AU, J/Tk/OC, J/J, A/T, H/L, Luke, Tionne, Nelani, more) Chapter 6 7/21/08
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Jaina_Solo_Goddess
Registered:
Aug '07
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Date Posted:
6/7 2:45pm
Subject:
RE: Beginning's End (NJO-era AU, J/Tk/OC, J/J, A/T, H/L, Luke, Tionne, Nelani, more) Chapter 4 6/2/0
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Wow. This story, which I've just finished reading, is Very, Very good. Could I be on the PM list please? Jaina is falling fast, and Jacen doesn't even use the Force at all; a very interesting twist.
One question - how does Jaina think her entire family is dead when Luke (I think) knows where Leia and Anakin are, and that they're alive?
Anyways, it is rather ironic that Jaina's brief dark flash was because she wanted to save the few people she has left. Unlike her grandfather, though, she succeeded.
~Jaina
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Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. But it rocks absolutely, too.  "Cluelessness: There are no stupid questions, but there are a LOT of inquisitive idiots." A Jaina Solo fan, with or without her paramours 
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rebel_cheese
Registered:
Jul '06
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Date Posted:
6/16 10:46am
Subject:
RE: Beginning's End (NJO-era AU, J/Tk/OC, J/J, A/T, H/L, Luke, Tionne, Nelani, more) Chapter 4 6/2/0
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YodaKenobi:
Wow, this is a really interesting concept! Very original.
Thanks, I wanted to do something different and off the beaten path, just a bit. There’s reasoning for the shift, though, it isn’t this way just to be this way.
Awesome!
I’ve always wanted to see a Solo give a Podracer a shot. 
It is so great seeing all these Jedi again. Miko, Ganner, and Octa all flying with Luke...
It’s hard to believe that it’s been nearly a decade since Miko and Ganner died, and it’s been a long whole since we’ve really seen anything from Octa. A lot of Jedi have been MIA since the NJO, which is disappointing.
That's funny. The Yuuzhan Vong always reminded me a bit of the Yevetha.
I noticed the connection after reading the Black Fleet Crisis when I was done with the NJO.
Wow. Like Jaina at her worst during the NJO
Good description there.
Loved this bit. The whole flashback to the attack on Coruscant was beautifully written
Thanks. I tried really hard with that one. I wanted that scene to be as vivid as possible, but be somewhat surreal, as befitting a nightmare.
"Are you all right? You were screaming," Nelani Dinn asked.
Really cool that you worked Nelani into this
Ha, I personally enjoy the irony she represents here. In one universe, Nelani was Jacen’s first victim, but here, she’s someone that he tries so hard to protect.
A nice twist. I really like this idea!
It kind of combines a lot of ideas I’ve had over the years with the Tahiri Veila scenario in canon. I wanted Nelani to be a different example of such a scenario, as if what would happen if it was applied to a child instead of a near-adult.
Sounds like an interesting bunch.
That was pretty much the goal there, thanks.
Doesn't sound like she necessarily is...
I agree. 
Interesting...
Trust me, they have purposes here, it isn’t just to rope them in.
Now that's a new team
I think this is the only Kyp/Inyri fic on the entire internet. 
That wasn’t supposed to be that amusing. Davin’s actually speaking a fear there, that he’ll be victimized because he isn’t “Chiss” enough.
Great fic, cheese You did a great job writing the space battles. I especially loved reading about Kyp and his dozen— they seem a bit over-matched. Lots of great imagery in there.
Thanks. I really wanted a lot of that in the opening space battle, to make a lasting impression on the reader. I wanted to witness every aspect of a space battle . . . which is more difficult than you think, space battles aren’t exactly my forte.
Anyway, this is a great concept for a story. I'm only through the first two posts but I hope to catch up soon. PM me when you update?
Certainly. PMs with the next update ahoy. Thanks for reading! 
Draconarius:
**sighs in awe** Damn, that was good. I love how you've had Jaina inherit Anakin (Skywalker)'s 'dead star dragon'. It fits perfectly and gives a real insight into how angry and desperate Jaina feels.
I really thought so when I originally wrote the scene so long ago . . . I wanted to strike a parallel with Anakin and make the reader guess which way is she going to go? Will she follow her grandfather or stay on the right path?
And what's with this 'Aunt Tionne' business? Is there something going on between Tionne and Luke we should know about? **checks dramatis personae** Oh. Right. **smacks self on head for not paying attention** So what happened to Mara?
That will be explained in time . . . 
Can't wait for more, cheese. Keep 'em coming!
I’ll try. Thanks for reading.
RK_Striker_JK_5:
Oh, wow...
You delved deep inside Jaina's mind, there. And such horror, so young. Too young, there. Too sad...
She was supposed to convey that. I really wanted to show how hard Jaina’s life has been.
Let's hope she can be helped... or that she even wants help. Can't wait for more, there.
Just trust me with this one. She does want to be helped on the inside, but she doesn’t realize it.
morrison85:
Jaoina is really in a nbad shape, but after all how would she not be although she could relax a little, does she never noitice jacen in her bond?
I will explain that in a future chapter, but there is a darkness weighing down on the Force that’s severely weakening it. Thanks for reading!
[b]padawanlost:
Sorry it took me so long to respond. The internet has been evil lately. And of all the chapters to be late to...
My internet’s been evil lately too, I know what you’re talking about. 
I love the dark route Jaina is falling into here, even if she does find some remorse and understanding in Tionne's words, its obvious that she's in real danger of following the family legacy to the dark side. Even inside that, she also seems a lot like a very hurt, scared, and angry seventeen year old girl, so to your characterization once more. I find it interesting that her dark side outburst was so powerful, even though I certainly don't discount her abilities, it does beg the question of whether the dark side has somehow actually gotten stronger than the light? Could explain why the Jedi don't feel things like they used to. It should be interesting to see what Luke has to do to keep her in the light, luckily he seems to have a lot of help close at hand.
You’re right, she is in real danger, and she is treading that thin grey line that separates light and darkness. I also did want to convey that she is still a girl, she is hurt, scared, and emotional and she wants vengeance. I’m glad you think that I accomplished everything I wanted to show with Jaina there. You have a lot of interesting theories regarding the weight in the Force, you’re actually closer to the mark than you think . . . 
The line about her being in pain, and wanting to stay there set off alarms in my head, wondering if there is any connection between this and a future that she might have with the Yuuzhan Vong? Its interesting to see how differently she and Jacen are dealing with their situations. Of course she was always the sarcastic one and he was the optimist.
I did have that in mind when setting their characterizations. I also had a lot of NJO-Jaina in mind, I think that Jaina would not tolerate losing her family well at all.
As always, a beautiful space battle, with all the good details I can count on you for. Can't wait for the next one.
Thank you! Space battles are so difficult, but they come out rewarding in the end, I think. The next chapter will be up shortly, your patience will be rewarded.
Jaina_Solo_Goddess:
Wow. This story, which I've just finished reading, is Very, Very good. Could I be on the PM list please? Jaina is falling fast, and Jacen doesn't even use the Force at all; a very interesting twist.
You will be on the PM list, thanks for reading! Yeah, I wanted to mix things up a bit, but Jacen can use the Force somewhat, but his usage is limited because of his isolation from so many other Force-sensitives, including his uncle.
One question - how does Jaina think her entire family is dead when Luke (I think) knows where Leia and Anakin are, and that they're alive?
Hint: Mara’s involved in that.
Anyways, it is rather ironic that Jaina's brief dark flash was because she wanted to save the few people she has left. Unlike her grandfather, though, she succeeded.
Now there’s an irony I didn’t intend. Great job noticing that. She did succeed in using the dark side to save those she cared about, but if she isn’t careful she could get more pain in the future because of it.
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Padawan of princess_of_naboo E-married to the amazing padawanlost  Member of Charon_Force Beginning's End: http://boards.theforce.net/Message.aspx?topic=28450077&brd=10477&replies=1
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zonzo
Registered:
Dec '07
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Date Posted:
6/16 11:23am
Subject:
RE: Beginning's End (NJO-era AU, J/Tk/OC, J/J, A/T, H/L, Luke, Tionne, Nelani, more) Chapter 4 6/2/0
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I always love to read AUs
I like how this one started  . Keep it up.
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rebel_cheese
Registered:
Jul '06
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Date Posted:
6/17 12:19pm
Subject:
RE: Beginning's End (NJO-era AU, J/Tk/OC, J/J, A/T, H/L, Luke, Tionne, Nelani, more) Chapter 4 6/2/0
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Thanks, zonzo. Glad you've been liking this so far.
All right, this should've been up yesterday but I had unexpected delays on my end. Now chapter 5 is up and going. This is made out of 100% new material.
5
The Justice of Victory was a brand new vessel. It was named specifically to commemorate and embody the Chiss ideals of victory. The Chiss never fought a war that didn't involve an incursion into its borders, thus ensuring they were always on the defenders' side in a conflict. They were never the aggressors, just symbols of justice rectifying the wrong committed to the Ascendancy.
Everything onboard this ship was so clean and sterile it was almost ridiculous. Even the Imperials were not as stringent as the Chiss were when it came to cleaniness and organization. Everything had to be just so.
There wasn't any room for deviancy. The Chiss military was a well-maintained unstoppable machine at its finest. It allowed the Chiss to execute any kind of order faster than any other military, because there was no moralizing, no questioning.
Just executing.
Still, with battle hours away, the Chiss were not robotic enough to not allow their soldiers a chance to have a break. Especially the pilots. The Chiss knew full well that any soldier going into a combat situation needed as much sleep as possible before briefing and mission insertion.
And so Davin Fel was allowed time for rest and recreation for five hours. Then he'd have to report and be briefed. It sounded good to his ears, but there were other factors that blunted the comfort of rest.
There was a rumor that one of the wings would be launching a suicide strike on the enemy flagship. It was not said which wing it would be. For all he knew, it could be him. He could be the one being sent out to die.
I really hope the "suicide wing" isn't me, Davin thought. But he had no say if he was or wasn't. He knew that his father wouldn't be of any help, despite being a Syndic anti-human bias was so strong that Davin's chances of being in the "suicide wing" would increase if Syndic Fel intervened. An adult who needed to be rescued by his father deserved to die, it was said.
This nervousness kept him awake in his bunk. All he could do was stare at the ceiling, and wonder what was happening back home, and what was transpiring here.
Despite being an adult by Chiss standards, Davin didn't feel like one. He wasn't married, in fact, he didn't even have a girlfriend. Chiss women didn't fall easily for a human, and there weren't many human women on Csilla. Those who were of his species tended not to be interested in him anyway.
He still lived at home. While he was paying for his room and board, he hadn't settled outside the Fel boundary yet. He hadn't accumulated enough credits to do that and survive.
And, in the end, he simply progressed through childhood slower than the Chiss. Chiss didn't stay in childhood for very long, by their teens they were full-grown adults. Davin had been frantically trying to keep up since he was a toddler.
He was twenty now. Despite being a human adult by most galactic legal standards, he was still behind everyone else. The Chiss were in the prime of their lives at twenty. He was still growing out of his teen years. So he still had to work hard, just to have a fair shot.
Jagged, Cherith, and even Wynssa took the challenges on well. They knew they were being dealt a harsh hand and worked with it, not losing their spirits.
At one time, Davin had been more like them. He had been optimistic and willing to rise up. Now, he was simply burned out. He wasn't sure whether he really cared anymore. A part of him even contemplated deserting, but he couldn't do that. Not to his family, who he loved. They'd never forgive him if he did something like that, and he knew full well what he would do to the Fels if he ran.
No matter how exhausted he felt, no matter how disgusted and aggravated he became, he had to stay. He had to fight. He was part of the force protecting Csilla and his family. Abandoninfg his duty meant abandoning everything and becoming a cowardly vagabond.
Was that who he really wanted to be?
Suddenly, the com beeped. There was someone calling him. He highly doubted the caller was on the ship.
Great, it's Mom or Dad calling to yell at me over what I said to Cherith, Davin thought.
He hadn't meant to be that way. He had chosen his words wrong. He hadn't meant to be malicious. But no matter what he meant to say or how he said it, what mattered was that he had sounded cutting and insensitive. He hadn't been mindful of Cherith's feelings and that had made him say some truly stupid things.
A small, sniveling part of him said Cherith likes Jagged more anyway. What does it matter if she hates you? But he knew better than to listen to that. Cherith was his sister, he loved her like he loved all of his siblings. Cherith didn't deserve what she had received from him, words charged with panic thanks to his surroundings and aggravation because of the cold.
The fact that he had panicked and had been desperate to shoo Cherith away showed that maybe he still wasn't an adult yet. He still had maturing to do.
He finally sighed and got off of his bunk and walked towards the com. He activated and, unsurprisingly, he saw his mother, Syal Antilles-Fel, on the holocom in front of him.
She folded her arms and looked displeased. "Good. I was wondering whether they had cut off communications."
"Sorry, Mother. I was preoccupied."
"I thought as much." She didn't sound convinced.
"Just tell me what's going on. We're going to be deployed in a few hours and briefing isn't that far away."
Pause. Davin wondered what was happening. Then his mother said "What did you say? I heard only a few words here and there."
Dammit, this conversation's being monitored. They censored me, Davin thought.
He tried a more neutral tactic to get his point across. "I'm going to be busy in a few hours, can you tell me what you want to say?"
His mother seemed to understand that much. "'Now it seems the connection's working. All right, I want to make this fast."
Davin internally braced himself.
"Cherith has been in tears since she came home. She won't talk to me or Soontir about it. I know she went after you Davin, because she wanted to wish you well when you went off to battle. What did you say to her?"
Davin sighed. "I tried to-"
"Davin-"
"Mother, I wanted to get Cherith away because of Chiss traditions. I did not want to seem like a child in front. I chose my words poorly and missaid my intentions. You think I wanted to treat Cherith that way?"
The woman better known as Wynssa Starflare, the holofilm actress, shook her head. "I'm not implying that, Davin."
"Then what are you insinuating?"
"That wouldn't it have been much easier to just tell her to leave for your reasons? Did you have to say them in such a manner that what was not only condescending, but hurtful?"
"It's not that easy-"
His mother's voice turned firm. "It is that easy. I don't know why you always take the hard way."
Funny. I try to take the easiest way out for such things, but it never works out that way. Every 'easy way' inevitably turns into a 'hard way'.
Syal Antilles-Fel sighed. "Listen to me closely, Davin," she said in a calmer, softer voice.
Davin simply nodded. He wasn't sure what his mother was going to say now. She was one of the most unpredictable people he knew. Because of that, he internally braced himself and awaited her tearing into him, if that was what she was going to do.
"I know Chiss traditions. I know you have to make hasty decisions just to save face around your fellow soldiers. I know you have had to grow up fast in order to compete with everyone else. I understand all of that, your father and your siblings have dealt with it all also. Even I have, to an extent. Acting is considered frivolous to the Chiss."
Her eyes seemed sad, and Davin tried to pay closer attention. "Just don't forget that you aren't a Chiss by blood. You are a human. You'll never quite fit in with the Chiss . . . so stay close to the people you do fit in with. The only people in the entire Ascendency guaranteed to support you.
"Your family, Davin. Don't repeat your performance with Cherith or anyone else in this family, ever."
Davin nodded. He knew all of this already, but if he would stop his miscues he would be able to prove it. He had too much of a spotty track record socially for his parents to trust him completely, though, and he knew it. So they'd assume he didn't know.
"I understand, Mother."
His mother sighed again. "I hope you do. I realize that you need rest. You're going to be busy, and it's likely I won't be able to have Cherith wish you luck before they sever all non-military communications on us.
"Just come back to us so we can remain a full family, won't you?"
Davin responded a lot more firmly and energetically now. "Of course. I'll come back. I've trained for this."
His mother smiled, but it seemed melancholy and not entirely convinced about his reassurance. "I hope so, Davin. I hope-"
Suddenly, the connection cut off.
Davin stared. What?
He frantically checked everything he could think of checking, and tried to re-establish the connection. But none of his theories or guesses panned out, and he couldn't even get a glimpse of his mother or anyone else in the family.
Damn it all! he thought, slamming his fist into the console.
They had to pick the most inopportune time to sever the non-military communications. Right when he was in the middle of what could possibly be his final conversation with his mother. Why? He knew it was being monitored, thanks to the obvious censoring of his words easily.
They're messing with me, he thought. He could still contact his father, though, if he managed to make up a convincing excuse to do so.
Yeah. That's what I'll do. I'll set my alarm a little earlier than I normally would so I can talk to him before I leave.
At least, if the other Syndics aren't already making him busy . . .
* * *
"So then, Jagged. Tomorrow is when we make it public, right?"
Jagged Fel nodded, and he leaned back against the park bench they were sitting on. "Yeah. Just make sure your father doesn't decide I'm a more appetizing target than the Vong."
"He's off with the fleet right now, like your brother. It's my mother you should worry about."
Jagged laughed briefly. "She's even more dangerous than your father."
The girl nodded and sighed. "I wish you were completely joking when you say that."
"Please. You're making me want to back out."
The girl smiled pleasantly. "I wouldn't blame you. Most people already would have by now just because of fear of facing the wrath of my parents."
"Heh. I'm not afraid."
"Now that's the type of talk I like hearing." She wrapped him in her arms and kissed him. It wasn't the most passionate kiss but a soft, quick one, filled with just affection. Jagged loved those types of kisses, they suggested to him something closer than friendship but also innocence and purity. He could go for days on one of her kisses, or so he felt sometimes when he was giddy.
"Wow," he said when they seperated. "I don't think I'll ever get used to that."
The girl shrugged. "There's still some things I can't get used to, either. Part of me still feels disgusted at finding you attractive."
"Oh, thank you very much," Jagged said, in what he hoped was a playful tone.
"You know I'm joking, right?"
"It's hard to tell. Your style of humor is . . ." He paused. "Blunt."
She sighed and leaned in closer to Jagged until she was almost whispering in his ear. "Just remember to follow my lead out there if it comes to that, all right? I'm experienced and I will protect you if something goes wrong."
Jagged said "You know I'm a better pilot than that, Shawnkyr. I'm not a helpless child out there."
"Compared to me, you are."
Jagged was about to protest when Skawnkyr silenced him with a "Ssh" motion with her hand. He hesitated then. Part of him wanted to continue with his argument anyway, while another part wanted to hear what she had to say. She hadn't sounded patronizing when she had practically called him helpless.
He chose to remain silent. The moment was already ruined, but he could make it a lot worse. So he sat tight and listened to her.
"I know how you feel, Jagged. And I do feel you're a stellar pilot. The problem is . . . you're still not an adult yet. You're still in your teens, which does make you a child in human terms. You're mature, and strong, and have taken everything tossed at you-that's why I care about you, that's why I want to see you rise, that's why I want my father to sponsor you so you'll rise through the ranks."
Jagged's head was spinning so fast he felt like he was going to develop a headache.
But the pin was going to be inevitably put into his balloon of ego, and it happened. "But I don't want you killed. Quite a few Chiss in the squadron want you and your sister hung out to dry. I won't let that happen. No matter how good of a pilot you are you can't hold off the enemy by yourself while staying true to the battle objectives. That's why you should concentrate on protecting your sister, got it?"
His ego completely deflated, all he could manage was an awkward "Uh, yeah, sure, but what about you?"
"I can accomplish battle objectives and protect you at the same time. I know I'm capable of it," Shawnkyr said.
"I know you are too," Jagged said, before he fully thought about what he was thinking.
Shawnkyr smiled. "Thank you."
Jagged tried to think of something, anything romantic to follow it up, but Shawnkyr stood then. "Listen . . . it was nice sitting here in the park and reminiscing. But I have to go home and fashion my words so my mother doesn't think you're stealing me away."
"I understand," Jagged said. At this point, he wasn't worried about being dumped. When Chiss decided they loved someone, they generally stuck to that person. Jagged had no idea how he had become the object of affection for a Chiss girl, or how such a thing was possible, but it had happened.
Shawnkyr bit her lip. Then she said "Just take care of yourself and your family until then, all right? And pray for your brother. If he and everyone out there fighting fail, the battle's coming here."
"I know," Jagged said.
"Good. I'll see you around, then." Then Shawnkyr was gone, vanishing into the snowfall.
He sighed, and got up off of the park bench. Dates usually ended this way. Despite Shawnkyr's occasional outbreak of girlish affection, she was almost all business, like the rest of the Chiss. Dates always ended adruptly the moment something more important to the Ascendency popped up. Nevertheless, she likely did have to choose her words well. Jagged had seen her mother when she was violent. Not something he wanted to face.
It had been just over a year since he met her, now. Many Chiss would have found being rescued by a human to be a disgrace, but Shawnkyr had been more grateful than infuriated when Jagged had stepped in. Being accousted by four armed and drunk Chiss was horrible enough, but many Chiss would have rather resisted drunkards by themselves than accept the help of a human.
Shawnkyr wasn't like that. She truly did like humans. Granted, she seemed to think of humans almost as a scientist would research and alien race, but it was better than considerin ghumans scum.
Jagged supposed he was lucky. For humans, it was difficult finding partners in the Ascendency. Chiss usually weren't interested and more often than not insulted by humans' romantic overatures. Most Ascendency humans weren't interested in marriage and family, they were more concerned about getting ahead in this cutthroat society.
Still, to be able to date a Chiss girl . . .
Even though he was not superstitious by any means, he wondered how many stars had to align for that to happen.
Before he could wonder about it anymore, he suddenly saw his sister Cherith walking past him. He paused, waiting for her to turn his way, but she just walked past him without batting an eye. It was as if he wasn't even there.
That wasn't like Cherith at all. The two of them shared a bond closer than most brothers and sisters in the galaxy. Childhood promises to face the world together had always echoed in his head, even on this day, and Cherith ignoring him was something so out of the ordinary he froze for a seconds, as if there was a glitch in the system.
He finally came to his senses and followed Cherith. "Hey," he said softly.
Cherith finally gave him eye contact. "What?" she asked sharply.
Jagged nearly froze again, but he kept pace. He knew something was terribly wrong. Especially for Cherith to be acting like this.
He knew it wasn't the date. Cherith was the one person in his family that knew about his relationship with Shawnkyr. She wasn't bothered by it. So then, what?
It occurred to him he hadn't seen her all day until now. He wondered what could have happened to make her vanish for so long.
Cherith's face softened and she said "Oh. It's you."
Jagged asked "What did you expect?"
Cherith looked away. "I'm sorry. A lot's been on my mind lately."
"I can see that."
Cherith gave him what he could only describe as the look. In its essence, the look meant don't mess with me right now. It was Cherith at her most emotional, whether out of anger or sadness. It also meant something was fraying her nerves and she was about to snap.
Jagged did not like being the recipient of the look.
"Sorry," he said, raising his hands in front of him.
Cherith's gaze left him, and she visibly calmed down. "No. Don't worry about it. It's just Davin being a rodder."
Strong language. I wonder what the hell Davin did.
"So, uh, what happened with Davin, then? What'd he say or do?" Do I even want to know?
Cherith sighed and folded her arms. "When I think about it, he probably didn't mean it the way he sounded, but he's so patronizing to me, Jagged. He treats me as if I'm such child when I am a soldier too. I may not be leaving to go fight a war but I am a soldier and I am a clawcraft pilot."
Jagged scratched the back of his neck. "That's just Davin being Davin. He doesn't think much of me either. He thinks neither of us are Chiss enough or some crap like that."
"Yeah, but what he said to me, that's what hurt."
"What?"
Cherith told him.
"Oh," Jagged said. "Oh."
This explains a lot. Damn, Davin, you may not screw up as much as Cherith or I, but when you screw up, it's a big one.
But why would you say something like that to Cherith? Do you think she doesn't measure up or something? Or do you think she's still some little girl? Or is it something else, like you're terrified of your own side, judging by the way you mentioned hazing. If that's the case you've got problems I can't fix.
When they open up communications with you again, you and I are going to have a nice talk over this.
Jagged put his arm around his sister. "C'mon, Cherith. We can talk it over while we head back home, all right? You know you can trust me with everything."
Cherith managed a small smile. She seemed to be feeling better, which was the usual case after venting around him.
"Sure. Let's head home."
Yeah. I don't know how much longer we'll have a home.
* * *
The woman best known to the galaxy as Wynssa Starflare sat down finally, exhausted. She had spent the last two hours being routed and rerouted throughout various military channels, frantically trying to get back in communication with her eldest child. It had taken her some time to realize the Chiss had put her in an elaborate circle, ensuring she would never make any progress towards contacting her son.
When the Chiss wanted to make a complicated, do-nothing bureaucracy, they could make one. Just like they could seemingly make anything. The Chiss always were fascinating to Syal Antilles-Fel in this regard, though she did have to question on how they seasoned their ice ducks.
But right now, their ruthless efficiency at whatever they wanted had never been so aggravating. This type of hopeless, seemingly incompetent bureaucracy was something to be expected of the New Republic, even the Empire. But not the Chiss. The only time they pulled something like this was when they wanted things to be that particular way.
And the Chiss were determined not to have ordinary citizens getting in contact with the soldiers in the fleet.
She stood no chance. Her husband Soontir could probably navigate the bureaucracy well enough to get in contact with Davin, but she couldn't. She was no soldier, she had merely played one a few times in holofilms. The Chiss had little respect for someone they considered a pretender. Especially since she was only human, and that was all her children would ever be in their eyes.
She still wondered why sometimes Soontir moved out here. Granted, after all of his scheming and treachery, there probably wasn't another place to go. He had betrayed the Imperials and the Rebels, turning him into an outlaw of those governments. The Chiss were the only real government left that he hadn't betrayed in some matter. So he had traveled here and worked hard to become a Syndic so he could have real influence over Chiss affairs. And she had followed him because she loved him. Simple as that.
Still, she wished there was some leniency given to her children once in a while. Davin, Jagged, Cherith, and Wynssa had never caught a break in their lives. None of them had really played any games. Never had fun. They were militarized servants of the Ascendency, and likely would always be unless they left for whatever reason.
She had a feeling that Davin would be the first to run. Jagged had adapted well, Cherith nearly so. Wynssa was having some trouble but she seemed to be doing as well as her parents expected her to. But Davin had always taken the pressures of the Chiss poorly and it had been wearing steadily on him for some time. It would not surprise her if he decided to desert, as disappointing as that would be.
Syal sat down at the table and sighed softly. That wasn't the only problem regarding Davin. He was going into battle soon. He would be thrust in a life and death situation far more dangerous than anything he had ever done before. She had heard rumors from Soontir that there would be a "suicide wing" being sent out to take out the Yuuzhan Vong flagship. In all likeihood, not a single pilot was going to return from that.
Davin was her eldest son. If he was part of the "suicide wing", she would likely never see him again. Her child, that she had raised since he was a baby, dying out there somewhere in place, turned into slag by those abominable creatures.
Her right hand began to shake, causing some of the tea in her cup to come flying out onto the table. She reached her left hand over to steady her right hand. She stared at the spots of liquid on the table, and decided she didnt' care about the spill right now. Not when there were so many other far more important things to worry about.
If they don't stop them, they're coming here. Jagged and Cherith will be thrust into battle oto. The only child I can keep by myself iwill be Wynssa. Jagged and Cherith could both die, and Wynssa will be all I have left.
She didn't want to think about it, but the thought never left her mind. She could lose three of her children by the end of the week, along with her home and many of her possessions. Not to mention her husband if he wasn't able to evacuate alongside her. At worst, it would be down to her and Wynssa, if they didn't die too.
She had never fathomed being in this position. She couldn't help but think that if the Yuuzhan Vong, or the "Far Outsiders" as many Chiss still called them, had never come, her children would have the chance to grow up in peace. The Fel family would have continued to live on. But it could all end here, at Csilla.
She wanted the fleet to stop them. Just to keep them away from Jagged, Cherith, and Wynssa. There wasn't anything she could do to protect Davin, not anymore, but he was skilled pilot. He could hold his own as long as he wasn't part of the "suicide wing".
Suddenly, there was a noise from her door. It opened then, it had to be Soontir or one of the children, that was the only way the door would open like that.
She stood up then, and walked over to grab something to wipe off the tea splashes. If she moved fast enough, maybe no one would think she had left the stains sit there for so long . . .
She turned and saw it was Soontir. Before Syal could say any kind of greeting, she saw Soontir's face.
It looked like he had seen a ghost.
He waked over to the table silently and sat down roughly on one of the chairs, staring into space. His eyes looked almost lifeless, and his arms had gone completely slack.
He had only done that once before in front of her. Syal had hoped he would never do that again. But now that he had, it meant the absolute worst scenario had happened.
For a moment, Syal was thinking about other possibilities. Exile? Or are we among the last that gets to evacuate?
It only took her a second longer to realize the true reason.
Oh no. Davin.
Perhaps seeing Syal's reaction, Soontir stood up. "They told me Davin was being assigned to the "suicide wing". I wasn;t in any position to argue, not when Chiss are volunteering their only children to the wing."
"Why? Couldn't you have done something, anything to prevent it?" Syal asked. No. I'm crying. I don't want to . . . Davin. Davin, why?
"I did everything I could. Then they threatened to transfer Jagged and Cherith to the wing as well. They know we think differently than they do. To them, kamakazes for the sake of the Ascendency is an honor, not a waste or tragedy like we think. They knew that if they put Jagged and Cherith into the wing I would capitulate."
"Soontir . . ." Syal wanted to scream at him, tear at him, eg him to get Davin out of the wing, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. Not when he was a victim as well, completely helpless ot the whims of the Four Families and their immediate underlings.
So instead they held each other in their arms, and Syal sobbed into her husband shoulder.
We never even got to say goodbye . . . Davin, I'm so sorry. Please, by some miracle, come back, please.
They stayed locked together for what seemed to be hours before they seperated. And Syal knew the family would never be the same ever again.
I know I said it is a J/J story. And it soon will be. Draw your conclusions on the Jagged/Shawnkyr relationship from that.
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Padawan of princess_of_naboo E-married to the amazing padawanlost Member of Charon_Force Beginning's End: http://boards.theforce.net/Message.aspx?topic=28450077&brd=10477&replies=1
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Draconarius
Registered:
Feb '05
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Date Posted:
6/17 8:01pm
Subject:
RE: Beginning's End (NJO-era AU, J/Tk/OC, J/J, A/T, H/L, Luke, Tionne, Nelani, more) Chapter 5 6/17/
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I know I said it is a J/J story. And it soon will be. Draw your conclusions on the Jagged/Shawnkyr relationship from that.
Shawnkyr dies, Jag gets shot down and rescued by Jaina. Right?
Anyway, onto other matters: as soon as you mentioned the suicide wing, I knew Davin was going to be on it. Why is that? I hope Davin survives it, somehow. Gets rescued by the Jedi, perhaps... hey, we could have a Jag/Jaina/Davin love triangle! Wouldn't that be fun?
Can't wait for the next one, cheese.
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Shattered Mirror - http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/28487856/p1/?1 Proudly A/T and J/J Knighted by the wonderful SilSolo "Damned if I'm gonna lose to you!" "Then damned you shall be!" - my brother and I playing Smash Bros.
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RK_Striker_JK_5
Registered:
Jul '03
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Date Posted:
6/17 8:30pm
Subject:
RE: Beginning's End (NJO-era AU, J/Tk/OC, J/J, A/T, H/L, Luke, Tionne, Nelani, more) Chapter 5 6/17/
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Oh, dang. for Wynssa.  And hmm, methinks Shawnkyr's either dead or gonna hook up with someone else. 
Awesome post, here. I love the family dynamics here unfolding. I love Davin playing catch-up, there. It makes sense, too. Can't wait for more!
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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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morrison85
Registered:
May '05
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Date Posted:
6/18 2:02am
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RE: Beginning's End (NJO-era AU, J/Tk/OC, J/J, A/T, H/L, Luke, Tionne, Nelani, more) Chapter 5 6/17/
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oh I like the it being more focussed on the fels
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those who promised us paradise on earth ,created nothing than a hell
e-sis of Darth Gangrenous
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padawanlost
Registered:
Apr '06
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Date Posted:
6/19 11:23am
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RE: Beginning's End (NJO-era AU, J/Tk/OC, J/J, A/T, H/L, Luke, Tionne, Nelani, more) Chapter 5 6/17/
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I really liked this chapter. You have a great thing going here, beautifully illustrating just how hard it is for the Fel's to try being Chiss. Obviously Palpatine's Empire did things like this, but it makes you wonder just how they've all handled this life.
I loved seeing Davin's thoughts and then seeing his mother's perspective. It makes me wonder whether he's really going to defect. Facing the Suicide Wing, I might.
Jag seemed much less severe in this characterization. I like, but wonder if something with Shawnkyr is going to make him change his ways. Love does funny things to us all, I guess. If he and Jaina show up both damaged, they could be good for each other getting better.
I just hope to see all of them soon. I sure don't have a lot of hope for the Chiss holding off your Yuuzhan Vong/Sith.
Sorry that its taken me so long to get here. I'm ready to blow up the whole internet if my computer keeps acting up.
alex
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e-married to rebel_cheese , so read his stuff or else Padawan of NYCitygurl Proud member of Charon Force. Check out our NJO AU: http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/27537567/p1/?23
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NYCitygurl
Title: Manager of SFFBC, C&G, and NSWFF
Registered:
Jul '02
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Date Posted:
6/29 7:06am
Subject:
RE: Beginning's End (NJO-era AU, J/Tk/OC, J/J, A/T, H/L, Luke, Tionne, Nelani, more) Chapter 5 6/17/
- Date Edited:
6/29 7:27am (1 edits total)
Edited By:
NYCitygurl
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Chapter Four
Aww, poor Jaina. Good thing that Toinne was able to pull her back in time. I really like the dragon - nice link to ROTS
Chapter Five
 Please don't kill Davin!! I really like him Poor Fel family
I've never liked Shawnkyr, so yay
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Master of padawanlost, Ultima_1, Jedimaster_JainaSolo, and Vaders_Angel
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rebel_cheese
Registered:
Jul '06
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Date Posted:
7/7 6:26pm
Subject:
RE: Beginning's End (NJO-era AU, J/Tk/OC, J/J, A/T, H/L, Luke, Tionne, Nelani, more) Chapter 5 6/17/
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Draconarius:
Shawnkyr dies, Jag gets shot down and rescued by Jaina. Right?
Not telling.
Anyway, onto other matters: as soon as you mentioned the suicide wing, I knew Davin was going to be on it. Why is that? I hope Davin survives it, somehow. Gets rescued by the Jedi, perhaps... hey, we could have a Jag/Jaina/Davin love triangle! Wouldn't that be fun?
I don't think the three parties involved would find it that fun. In any case, yeah, I made it kinda obvious, more obvious than I had planned it to be, that Davin's fate would in the suicide wing.
Can't wait for the next one, cheese.
It's finally here, after way too much time. 
RK_Striker_JK_5:
Oh, dang. for Wynssa. And hmm, methinks Shawnkyr's either dead or gonna hook up with someone else.
I think you meant 'Cherith'. Don't remember Wynssa in the chapter. In any case, something will happen to seperate Jagged and Shawnkyr.
Awesome post, here. I love the family dynamics here unfolding. I love Davin playing catch-up, there. It makes sense, too. Can't wait for more!
I really did quite a bit of research into Chiss society to try to get a feel for their attitudes and behavior. I'm hoping I got the feel of a human trying to break into an alien culture right. I still wonder if I made it too severe, but some of Zahn's and Williams/Dix's writing suggests I'm not that far off the mark.
morrison85:
oh I like the it being more focussed on the fels
Everybody likes the Fels. Glad you liked the post.
padawanlost:
I really liked this chapter. You have a great thing going here, beautifully illustrating just how hard it is for the Fel's to try being Chiss. Obviously Palpatine's Empire did things like this, but it makes you wonder just how they've all handled this life.
I really tried. That's all I can say. Thanks.
I loved seeing Davin's thoughts and then seeing his mother's perspective. It makes me wonder whether he's really going to defect. Facing the Suicide Wing, I might.
I would consider it as well. It really wasn't hard to get into Davin's mindset here.
Jag seemed much less severe in this characterization. I like, but wonder if something with Shawnkyr is going to make him change his ways. Love does funny things to us all, I guess. If he and Jaina show up both damaged, they could be good for each other getting better.
Because of the various different circumstances (Davin and Cherith haven't died) Jagged hasn't had the need to become severe. Because he's not the eldest surviving sibling, not all of the responsibility's been thrown on his shoulders. Though I do say that love might've had a role as well.
I just hope to see all of them soon. I sure don't have a lot of hope for the Chiss holding off your Yuuzhan Vong/Sith.
The Vong aren't really Sith, but I know what you're talking about.
Sorry that its taken me so long to get here. I'm ready to blow up the whole internet if my computer keeps acting up.
That's all right, my internet was acting up for a long period as well.
NYCitygurl:
Chapter Four
Aww, poor Jaina. Good thing that Toinne was able to pull her back in time. I really like the dragon - nice link to ROTS
Matthew Stover's novelization of ROTS influenced my work heavily when I wrote the initial version and still influences my work today. I really wanted to draw a parellel with Anakin and her granddaughter, Jaina.
Chapter Five
Please don't kill Davin!! I really like him Poor Fel family
No promises on Davin living or dying right now. It's a decision I'm still wrestling with.
I've never liked Shawnkyr, so yay
Ha, you'll like the onset of J/J then.
Sorry about this taking too long, the 6th chapter will be up soon.
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Padawan of princess_of_naboo E-married to the amazing padawanlost Member of Charon_Force Beginning's End: http://boards.theforce.net/Message.aspx?topic=28450077&brd=10477&replies=1
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rebel_cheese
Registered:
Jul '06
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Date Posted:
7/7 6:36pm
Subject:
RE: Beginning's End (NJO-era AU, J/Tk/OC, J/J, A/T, H/L, Luke, Tionne, Nelani, more) Chapter 5 6/17/
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6
Tatooine was a planet of extraordinary dryness and repressive heat. It was dangerous in the day, because of the threat of heat exhaustion. It was near-suicidal at darkness, because of the nomadic and barbaric Tusken Raiders. Leia Organa Solo was used to living in more comfortable, civilized planets than this. But she had little choice other than to survive here.
After all, this was her home now.
It was morning now, and Tatooine's twin suns were scarcely rising in the sky. Yet the sky was a bright blue, with nary a cloud in the sky. Rain was rare here, even in the so-called 'wet season'. Scarcely any moisture subsisted in this desiccated air, and the wettest part of the Tatooine year was usually a meager drizzle.
This was why moisture farmers, if they managed themselves well, could become some of the wealthiest citizens on this barren planet.
Leia knew more than one tactic about business. She had found herself a small patch of desert on the outskirts of the Mos Tesliy town, where people claimed was dry for centuries. Which was precisely why Leia had come here. Coupling all of the major drizzles Tatooine could have had over the course of several hundred years, there could have been a lot of profit to be made.
She had proved herself right. A wealth of water had been found here, some of the largest moisture deposits ever found underneath Tatooine's surface.
And so Leia, after losing her assets, her prestige, and nearly her life, had managed to garner herself a decent existence for her and her shattered family. She was nowhere near as wealthy as she was back on Coruscant, but at least she was rich for a Tatooine resident. She had gained a large cluster of local prestige and respect. And somehow, she still managed to live without the Tusken Raiders coming and stealing her stockpile of precious moisture.
Or taking her employees away.
So even when everything was removed from her life she was able to build a semblance of it back. That was an impressive accomplishment, and one Leia would have been proud of, if it hadn't involved her losing two of her three children to the Battle of Coruscant six years ago. Or, for that matter, her twin brother Luke Skywalker.
For a brief period after Coruscant, Leia could sense all three of them, they had survived the preliminary bombardment and occupation. But then, suddenly, a mammoth void suddenly appeared in the Force, erupting from Myrkr. And then, suddenly, she wasn't able to feel them anymore. Or anyone else, for that matter, outside a small radius.
Whenever she reached out into the Force, which was increasingly rarer these days, it felt as if a corpulent weight was crushing her underneath its immense strength. Just to feel anyone off planet was an ordeal that was capable of knocking her out cold, even shattering her mind.
Whatever this dark, shadowy void was, there was no chance she could ever find who, or what, had unleashed this terrible colossus in the Force. And she wasn't sure whether she ever wanted to know.
She somehow knew that if she ever tried to discover the source of the void she would perish. And that was why she had to stay here. By her last child, which she could still feel, sense, in the weakened Force. There was no way in the Corellian hells she would lose him, too.
She had sent him into Mos Tesliy on the landspeeder for some errands, and each moment he wasn't here, at the farm, she grew worried. Anakin loved being a rascal, and as he had grown older he was bristling at Leia's authority.
So was little Tahiri with her own parents, although they were nowhere near as strict as Leia was. It troubled Leia, that a girl raised by looser parents was living on the same farm as a boy she was hoping to mold into a responsible young man. Because Tahiri was anything but responsible when she wanted to be, and that was often.
Suddenly, one of the Veilas poked his head inside Leia's kitchen. "Smells good. What is it?" Thomas Veila asked.
Thomas Veila was a thin, graying man in his early forties, although a harsh life in the repressive heat had worn away his once-handsome features. The same had happened with his wife, Winry.
"Weaven waffles with Naboo sugar-oak syrup. Anakin was able to find a bottle of it his last trip into town," she answered.
"Where's Han?" Thomas asked.
"Where else?" Leia growled, looking at Thomas with a Drop it, now stare. "At the Cantina getting drunk and conspiring against the Vong with his gang of wampa-bait idiots."
"Oh."
Thomas nodded in understanding, and Leia let her face soften and forced herself to calm down. Thomas was a decent person, and so was Winry. They were extremely grateful to Leia for allowing them to work on the farm, otherwise they wouldn't have been able to support Tahiri at all. They had even been considering allowing the Tuskens to adopt Tahiri because they were struggling to give Tahiri a life worth living.
When Leia had first laid eyes on Tahiri, she knew she wasn't going to let a bunch of brutish nomads raise the girl. So she hired the Veilas as hired help, and they had almost-slavishly worked for her, and had a loyalty to Leia that was far stronger than most relationships with farm owners and indentured servants.
But of course Tahiri had grown into a hyperactive brat, so Leia occasionally had fleeting second thoughts over letting the Veilas work here. But Thomas and Winry were so grateful and kind that whenever she thought of a different time, where she had refused to give these two street beggars a job, the thought of Tahiri becoming one of the Sand People was so horrific that she would accept the brat's continued stay at her moisture farm.
"Yes. I know. I'm sorry. Want me to go over to the Cantina and bring him back?" Thomas asked.
"No . . ." Leia said, and quickly thought of a means to change the subject. "No, that's all right. Thanks for the offer."
She resumed making her meal, and said "Anakin's been gone for a while just to do some errands. I really wish he'd come back with that flour already. Look, he even forgot Ikrit."
To her, Ikrit was nearly an afterthought, more Anakin's responsibility than her own. She turned to see the strange white-furred creature sitting in the corner staring at her with imploring green eyes.
She suddenly had a peculiar feeling as to why Anakin hadn't returned yet, but wished it wasn't true. All she knew was that Tahiri had to be involved somehow.
In the girl's seemingly carefree and innocent appearence belied a sly and mischievious personality, and she loved dragging Anakin, and the rest of the moisture farm, for that matter, into trouble. And she was obsessed with Podracing, despite every authority figure in her life ordering her not to race.
Suddenly, far more austere than she had been, Leia turned to Thomas and asked "Has the Mos Tesliy Stakes begun yet? Qualifying?"
"Yes. As a matter of fact, they begin today, this morning," Thomas said, but before he was finished speaking Leia had already left the stove and was walking towards the exit door.
"Watch the farm while I'm gone. It seems I've found the reason why Anakin was so eager to do errands this morning," Leia said.
Of course. He was off trying to Podrace again like last year, and Tahiri was going to be ordering him around from some safe station away from the track.
Perfect for Tahiri, not so much for Anakin.
Podracers were infamous for being death machines. While the planetary league claimed they had put more emphasis on safety than previous years, a head-on collision could still kill a pilot. It was a mostly alien-dominated sport, for the only humans capable of fitting inside a cockpit were children. And some human children did try and rarely, if ever, succeeded. Leia had heard rumors of a child years ago that had accomplished what most humans couldn't, over by Mos Espa, but she wasn't sure whether to believe that or not.
"Oh great. Leia . . . " Thomas rushed to the door right before Leia would have slammed the door in his face. "They're just kids. Anakin's not going to be capable of fitting inside a cockpit for much longer. Let them have one race. It's not like they're going to be risking their lives daily or even weekly out there."
The usual make-up of Podraces were that half of the field were regulars in whatever league happened to visit the course, roughly a third were local racers for whom it would be their only race, and the remainder part-timers who had more money than the locals. Usually, it was the professionals who won although a part-timer occasionally would cross the finish line first.
"Annually is more than enough for me," Leia said, throwing on her loose brown traveling cloak. It was extremely important to wear loose clothing, especially with the twin suns causing the air to boil. It was best to bring a bottle of water as well just so she wouldn't pass out from heat exhaustion.
"Leia-"
"Thomas, if it was Tahiri who was flying those deathtraps, would you be permitting her to raceor would you be the one rushing out there to stop her?" Leia asked. When there was only silence, she said "I thought so."
"Leia, it's not like-"
"They call the Mos Tesliy course 'The Course Too Tough To Tame', Thomas," Leia said. "If this was a clear, easy course, without canyons and caverns and mountains and thin passages maybe I would permit it."
Leia watched Thomas blink twice confusingly as he struggled to absorb all that. After she felt he had heard everything, she continued "But Mos Tesliy is filled with those obstacles. You don't think I do my research about the local area?"
Thomas shook his head, and had opened his mouth when Leia interrupted.
"Didn't think so. And don't forget who your employer is, Thomas. Anakin has never raced in those things, and I won't let himself get killed."
And then, before Thomas could speak, Leia slammed the door and walked over to the other, spare landspeeder and switched the engines on. That was when she noticed the strange rabbit-like creature Anakin called Ikrit and sighed.
The green eyes seemed far too intelligent to be a mere 'pet', and they seemed to be begging her to take him with.
"Come on, get in," she said, waving him over with her hand.
Ikrit obliged, hoping in the back seat before curling up into a ball the color of snow and closing his eyes. Leia looked at the creature once and couldn't help but smile. The creature indeed seem to be extremely special, and Leia remembered Anakin claiming once the pet could speak to them. It seemed to be some child thing, for when Leia did try to make Ikrit speak the creature remained silent. Evidently only little kids could hear Ikrit, or had the imagination to hear him, anyway.
She shook those mollifying rememberances out of her head. Her son, the source of those wonderful memories, was about to risk his life racing swift coffins. And that was when she pressed the pedal to the floor, and she shot out into the barren, sandy desert, heading straight towards the town of Mos Tesliy, towards the rocks over the horizon.
* * *
"Well, at least the engines still fire."
Volytt Dumont's unhelpful comment was a shout, and the engines hummed so loudly she could scarcely be heard before Anakin Solo turned the engines off, and the Podracer he and his secret group of friends had been constructing slowly hovered to the ground.
"What do you mean, 'at least the engines still fire'? I combed through every manual and learned where every part goes. This thing's the perfect Podracer!" Tahiri Veila exclaimed, brushing some of her sweaty golden bangs away from her eyes. "He's built to win. Now all we need is to take this thing to the course again and see whether the adjustments we made work or whether we should stick to the old set-up. You hear all of that, Anakin?"
"Yeah. I'm not deaf, Tahiri," Anakin said, removing his Podracing helmet, which, like the Podracer, was custom built and heavily improvised.
"I know this is about as good as we can get. We're going to qualify in this thing regardless, but hopefully she can-"
"He, Anakin."
"Fine, Tahiri." Anakin rolled his turquoise eyes once. "He can handle a little better through the corners. There aren't a lot of straightaways on the course and few short-cuts, so handling is more important than pure speed right now."
"Yeah, yeah. Let's get you on that course and get you qualified before your mom shows up and blows this whole thing."
The time trials had already begun to determine the starting order for the Podracers. The usual set-up were three Podracers per row, as far back as those who qualified went back. The official maximum number was fifty-one Podracers but that number was rarely met due to all of the accidents and malfunctions during qualifying.
That was why they were trying to alter the Podracer for more improved handling. Anakin was willing to sacrifice a higher starting-order in exchange for just entering, and none of his crew were going to argue that. As of right now, this Podracer was capable of starting anywhere from eighth back to roughly twenty-fifth, more than enough to secure a starting spot.
An announcer suddenly called out "Oh! There goes Sernda Makliss, she has just flipped end over end in the canyon jump! She's finished."
"She was one of the so-called 'safe bets' before the trials, Julan," said the color commentor. "I wonder how many gamblers out there are trying to rescind their bets right now."
"Oh, I'm sure there's a rush. But wouldn't you think the elimination of such a strong-"
"Well, there goes some of your competition," Tahiri said, drowning out the distant voices of the announcers. She smiled at him as she fiddled with her cap. "Just take it easy and concentrate on making the one lap. This is the easy part."
"I know, Tahiri," Anakin said, returning the smile for a moment. For a second, he let himself gaze into her suddenly effulgent, lovely, emerald eyes . . .
Before they were suddenly jarred back into reality by Volytt, who, like the meddlesome soul she was, stepped inbetween both of them. "Come on, love-ducks. Let's go. Our turn's coming after this imbecile, and we have to be ready in a hurry."
"What's a duck?" Anakin asked curiously.
"Some bird that lives on Naboo. Now let's go!" Volytt encouraged, pointing outside.
"Our trial's gonna be in any second. The wampa-bait that's going out there isn't going to last half the course before his Podracer falls apart."
"Oh come on. This was starting to get good!" protested one of the other crewmembers, a mop-headed boy named Jerome Brigg.
Tahiri's eyes lit up warningly, and her suddenly threatening, cold stare quieted Jerome down, causing the boy's speech to devolve into babbles. Then, sweetly, she turned to Anakin and said "Let's do this, shall we?"
Anakin nodded. "Of course. Everyone out of the way. I'm gonna fire her-"
"Him."
Anakin rolled his eyes again. "Him up," he finished, afterwards muttering "Girls."
He began flipping the control switches, activating a slow burn. The sizzling sound of electricity coursed throughout the engines, and a light hum began to perforate throughout the tiny makeshift garage his team had built here during the last six months.
"I heard that, by the way!" Tahiri shouted over the hum.
Anakin sighed once and shoved his helmet on.
Taking the hint, Tahiri attached her earpiece and asked "Hear me fine?"
"Yeah. Perfect," Anakin said. As the two yellow-and-black pods began to gleam as the twin suns beat down upon them, Anakin looked towards the already-crowded stands, and one question floated through his mind:
How did Tahiri get me into this one?
It was the eyes. Yes, he decided. It was those gorgeous jade eyes of her that kept bringing him into these messes again and again. He sighed. He hadn't been able to resist them since his hormones began activating two or three years ago, and he doubted he would ever be able to defeat those eyes' spell even when he was a senile old man.
He saw the racer in front of him, using the general split-X configuration that was venerably popular. It was some fat, grey-skinned alien with a bulbous head and bulging yellow eyes, Anakin saw as he stared at the gigantic screen arrayed above the stands. The alien had four three-fingered hands and his helmet could scarcely fit over his pudgy forehead.
As the lights ticked down towards green, Anakin watched as he put his Podracer next in line.
Tahiri's voice was calm, thankfully. She didn't sound like a rookie chief at all. "Steady now. Jerome's heading towards the spotter's stand, and the rest of us are heading towards our crew box. Don't leave until we're all ready for you to go, all right?"
"Got it," Anakin said, suddenly aware his heart was thrashing his ribcage like a monstrous sand panther struggling to break out of its cage. He closed his eyes, and struggled to stiffen his quivering hands. I can do this, I can do this. Tahiri wouldn't have made me sign up if she thought I couldn't do it.
The thought of her, and the sure kiss he would receive at the end of the long day if he won, brought a sudden gleeful smile to his face. His hands stopped shaking, and his heart calmed down.
Oh yeah. I can do this. he thought. Especially considering the reward.
The light shifted to green, and the alien activating his thrusters. When acceleration was successful the pods would pull the cockpit along for arguably the wildest non-space ride possible in the galaxy. Unfortunately for the alien, acceleration was anything but successful.
The engines sputtered once, sparked, and shut down, causing smoke to rise from the engines. The timer was already clicking up, up, up, constantly adding up the seconds, tenths of seconds, even hundredths of seconds.
Tahiri began talking, despite the distortion he could understand the sardonic undertones. "Rushed Podracer. You did notice he wasn't involved in the practice session for very long, did you?"
"Yeah, I did," Anakin said, staring at the alien, frustrated and blubbering, pounded on his console as smoke rose from that as well.
"Liar," Tahiri replied, hopefully jokingly, as the alien's engines suddenly began to enflame. Massive quartz streams suddenly spread from pod to pod, and the alien was suddenly rocketed forward towards the first turn at a speed approaching five hundred miles an hour. Three seconds later, the Pod crashed into the turn and exploded, and the cockpit crumpled into the explosion, and then was shot away from it as if out of a cannon.
The cockpit flew so far it actually returned back to the start/finish line and rolled several feet beyond that before finally being laid to rest. Anakin quickly gulped nervously and adjusted his Podracing suit's collar several times with his gloved hand. His eyes could only stare at the smoking black wreckage of the destroyed Podracer, and he felt himself press further into his seat.
"Calm down, Anakin. We built ours better than that," Tahiri said. Her honeyed voice was the right tonic, and Anakin sat up straight.
"You sure that's not gonna happen to me."
"It won't. If it was it would have happened during practice."
"Very encouraging."
"Yes, aren't I?" A short laugh punctuated Tahiri's voice for a second, before it became deadly calm and emotionless.
"Now get yourself to the line. Your trial's up next."
"Oh joy," Anakin muttered.
"Anakin, nothing's going to happen to you, all right? Now take things easy and just bring us around for two laps. Just like practice, all right? We've already got a spot wrapped up, all you have to do is not crash," Tahiri said.
But then a moan bludgeoned its way into Anakin's voice as he fearfully watched the wreckage being carried away by rescue droids, thus preventing obstacles from being in his path. "Why did we mess with this thing before the time trial?"
"Because we were getting too close to the canyon walls and mountains, remember?" Tahiri said. The announcer proclaimed Anakin's name to the crowds, and was greeted with resounding booing noises. Humans weren't exactly popular in Podraces, it was said that humans capable of Podracing had "something strange and evil" in them.
"Nice crowd," Anakin mumbled as he was suddenly frightened, and he felt beads of sweat trickle down his forehead.
Great. They're calling me "demon", he thought. His heart threatened the explode again, and his stomach fluttered and ached. He slowly began to slink lower in his seat, hoping to suddenly turn invisible so the crowd wouldn't notice him anymore.
"You let them get inside your head and I swear I'll kick your butt." Tahiri's words instantly halted Anakin's shrinking and brought him back up straight in the cockpit.
One thing he was sick of facing was Tahiri's ire when there was a mistake. And here mistakes could cost someone his or her life, he had just seen such an episode right now.
Anakin brought his Podracer around and entered the track just as the droids finished their work on the wrecked remains of the previous qualifier. Sighing, he approached the start/finish line, and looked at the distant first turn in front of him. There, the wall was being repaired by hovering little droids with multiple arms, as they added more padding and duracrete to the walls. The crowd had been stimulated by the explosion near them and were growing noisier, hoping that Anakin's Podracer would too shoot off and crash into the corner too.
Then Tahiri said "Get ready to go, dummy. Get your head out of the sun and pay attention. They're heading to green."
Anakin looked up and saw the massive bulbous lights blink on one by one. Each light that lit was one closer to green, from a rose-colored red to a golden orange to yellow and lime. Finally, the green color suddenly lit, and Anakin saw the timer begin to click on . . .
He hesitated.
"Anakin, GO!" Tahiri screamed and by reflex Anakin forgot his fear and accelerated. Suddenly, he felt himself yanked back against his seat as the Pod's engines carried him towards the first turn, and Anakin quickly turned the Podracer tight.
Almost too tight. It seemed the change in setup had worked, albeit too well. Anakin almost exerted too much effort and only a last-second correction prevented him from spinning out and flipping end over end. But Anakin straightened himself out, and powered his way forward. Suddenly, he was out of the stadium, away from the crowds, and heading towards a massive canyon in the distance.
Well, Anakin, you made it this far, he thought. Just a bazillion more turns and obstacles to go.
He gunned the engines and rocketed towards the canyon.
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Padawan of princess_of_naboo E-married to the amazing padawanlost Member of Charon_Force Beginning's End: http://boards.theforce.net/Message.aspx?topic=28450077&brd=10477&replies=1
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Draconarius
Registered:
Feb '05
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Date Posted:
7/7 8:22pm
Subject:
RE: Beginning's End (NJO-era AU, J/Tk/OC, J/J, A/T, H/L, Luke, Tionne, Nelani, more) Chapter 6 7/7/0
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FIRST!
Leia, you need to keep a closer eye on things if you intend to keep Anakin Solo and Tahiri Veila out of trouble.
Either that or whack Tahiri upside the head a few times.
Certainly is a mean crowd. You'd think Anakin Skywalker's win at Mos Espa would have generated some more respect for humans in the sport.
And what is this Force block from Myrkr about? It has to have something to do with the Yuuzhan Vong, but what...? Hmm, interesting.
Can't wait to see what Leia does to Tahiri when she catches up with her and Anakin. Poor kid is going to wish she was never born.
Draco.
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Shattered Mirror - http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/28487856/p1/?1 Proudly A/T and J/J Knighted by the wonderful SilSolo "Damned if I'm gonna lose to you!" "Then damned you shall be!" - my brother and I playing Smash Bros.
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morrison85
Registered:
May '05
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