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Author	Topic: Forever Home: A Luke/Callista Story (AU, post-COTJ, Romance/Action/Adventure) ANNOUNCEMENT, APRIL 4
Geith_Jiseo Registered: Dec '04	Date Posted: 3/7/05 9:16am Subject: Forever Home: A Luke/Callista Story (AU, post-COTJ, Romance/Action/Adventure) ANNOUNCEMENT, APRIL 4 - Date Edited: 4/18/05 12:16pm (15 edits total) Edited By: Geith_Jiseo
	Title: Forever Home: A Luke/Callista Story Authors: Geith_Jiseo and Ambassador Cara Jade Genre: Romance/Action/Adventure Characters: Luke Skywalker, Callista, Han Solo, Leia Organa Solo, Mara Jade, etc. Summary: What if Callista had gotten her powers back? Author's Note: This story originally started out as a "What if" scenario? What if, after Children of the Jedi, Callista somehow regained her Force powers after having been freed from the Eye of Palpatine? This story ignores everything that happened after Barbara Hambly's Children of the Jedi, which means no Luke/Mara (Mara fans, beware!) But that doesn't mean Mara fans can't enjoy this story! Mara does play a very important role later on in the story, and don't worry, there won't be any silly catfight between Mara and Callista over Luke, or anything like that. This story is a work five years in the making. The original was written by at least fifteen different authors, and this, the "Special Edition" if you will, was done by Ambassador Cara Jade and myself. It's also the starting point for our trilogy, which also includes Maternal Instincts and Shadowlight. I want to thank three of the original writers who contributed a lot to the story: Jedi_Callie, who wrote many of the Luke/Callista scenes, Commander Antilles, who helped write several of the action scenes, and Jaded, who helped write the Mara scenes. And thanks most of all to my talented fellow co-writer and friend, Ambassador Cara Jade. You rock. So, here it is. We hope you enjoy it! ------------------------------------------------------- The Force existed in all things; at least, that was what the Masters of the Jedi taught their students. They never thought to consider the possibility that something would cease to exist in its light, because even after death, everything was present and “Force-full.” They never thought that someone could fall from its graces, be blind to it. As far as the records told, it had only happened once, during the Great Sith War, to a Knight named Ulic Qel-Droma, because he had murdered his brother in cold blood. And what have I done? Callista Galexi Nogati thought bitterly. I did not steal this body; it was given to me. Surely that could not be a crime, to accept such a selfless gift. It had been two weeks since the Eye of Palpatine had been destroyed. Two weeks since Cray Mingla, ready to die and cross over to the Other Side, bequeathed her body to Callista so that they could both be with the men they had loved. But something had gone wrong. Terribly, terribly wrong. Callista had never existed outside the Force. Indeed, it had been her only companion for thirty years, when she herself had not even had a body in which she could walk, speak, fight, or love. Yes, it was wonderful to be alive again, but exactly how alive she was remained in question. Luke Skywalker, the Jedi Master she loved, and the man who had freed her from her prison of circuits and wire, had assured her that an answer could be found, that she would one day feel the Force flow through her. But every day, the orange giant of Yavin disappeared beneath the horizon, and Callista found herself in the darkness of night and the darkness of her own living nightmare. Every time she curled up in the arms of her beloved Luke, she could not connect with him and share dreams with him, as they had done on the Eye. Callista was alone in her room; the hour of midnight had come and gone. Fatigue was finally beginning to wash over her, and she readied for bed. She moved with an awkward grace, mired by exhaustion and disappointment, making her motions seem like a peaceful waltz. Luke was still in the library, poring over manuscripts and Holocrons, searching for an answer to her blindness. She had told him to stop for the night, but he had shaken his head and sent her to bed. The warmth and love of his goodnight kiss still tingled on her lips, and she smiled in spite of herself. He would be up soon enough. Callista was asleep before she had even finished pulling the covers over her thin frame, and the blankets pooled around her knees, but she barely noticed. Like every other night before, Callista dreamed. She saw faces that haunted her memory from a life left behind many years ago. She saw a young man with blond hair and green eyes, a woman with long brown hair, sparkling blue eyes, and pale lips, and wished she could remember their names. They had been good friends, and their lives had ended unexpectedly and tragically. Even now, the sight of their faces brought a bittersweet smile to her face. She saw her Master, Djinn Altis, whom she could never forget, even if she had wanted to. He stared at her, his eyes piercing beneath level, black brows. He did not speak, but a terrible sadness plagued his wizened features. What do you know, Master? Callista thought. Can you help me? Can you save me? He did not answer, but faded away in blue light that intensified, brightened, became violet and then crimson red, like blood. In her dream, someone screamed, and Callista sat up, completely awake, gasping in shock. Something shattered, breaking the stillness and drawing a tiny gasp from Callista. She looked at the windowsill, where light was just beginning to seep into the room. Luke kept a vase of Massassi irises there, but where the vase had once been, there were only a few wet flowers, a puddle of water that dripped to the floor, splashing shards of the Ithorian pottery. Callista sighed, expelling the breath that had been collecting in her lungs. Moments later, though, she drew it all back in, this time in realization and shock. As if it had always been there, she felt the Force winding through her veins, imbuing her with power and a sense that she had almost given up on ever feeling again. She half-laughed, half-sobbed as she climbed out of bed and fell to her knees. It was wonderful, like diving into a cool, clear ocean after walking across the desert for many years. She felt everything...everything that existed around her. She shuddered as she felt the residual presence of someone in her room, someone who had left very recently. She turned away from it, forgetting to wonder who it had been or what they had wanted. Instead, she rested her head in her hands and wept tears of relief and unspeakable joy. ~~~~~~* It turned out to be a beautiful day on Yavin 4. Callista stood on the rooftop of the Great Temple, viewing the broad green vista of the Massassi jungle with a joyous smile on her face. The morning wind was cool and welcome on her face, lightly brushing at her malt-brown hair, the slowly rising sun shedding its warmth on her skin. She could hear the many sounds of the jungle animals as the morning overtook the night. The barely heard chirps of whisper birds, the buzzes of the predatory piranha-beetles and spider-anglers as they hunted their prey, the soft mating sounds of runyips and woolamanders. There were so many creatures of all shapes and sizes–thousands, perhaps even more–on this small jungle moon that Callista was overwhelmed. Yavin 4 was plentiful in life. And with life came the Force. The Force was created by all living things, as Master Djinn had taught her so long ago, in another lifetime. Without them, the Force could not exist. And indeed, as Callista stood in silence atop the ancient ziggurat, she could feel the thousands upon thousands of animal life forms that crawled, flew, and slithered on this moon. The Force was alive in the plants as well, in the twisted, enormous Massassi trees that rose high into the sky like natural skyscrapers. From the largest creature to the tiniest cell, the Force was alive within them all. And Callista was finally able to connect to them again. She could literally feel the Force surrounding her, penetrating her, binding her to the enormous web of life that made up the universe. It was a wonderful and thrilling feeling...and also a staggering and overwhelming one as well. She could also feel the students beginning to awake from their sleep, ready to start another day of learning the ways of the Jedi. She felt Kyp Durron, a man with a tragic past who had once fallen victim to the dark side, and eventually won his way back to the light. She felt Tionne, a silver-haired young woman who loved to sing and was fascinated with the lore and history of the ancient Jedi Knights. Cilghal, an ambassador from the ocean world of Calamari and Jedi healer. Streen, an old hermit from Bespin who rarely talked, even to his closest friends, and had a special ability in manipulating and controlling the weather. Kirana Ti, a Clan Sister from Dathomir, a true warrior, even without the Force. Kam Solusar, a quiet and often ill-tempered Jedi who had also once been an agent of evil, but was redeemed before the dark side could destroy him from within. Dorsk 81, a clone from Khomm, uncertain, and even frightened, of his newly discovered powers, but slowly growing in self-confidence and reliance. And then there was Luke Skywalker. Callista smiled as she saw Luke awaken in her mind’s eye. She felt his connection to the Force, strong and powerful enough to rival her own. There were so many things she wanted to say to him, so much that not even a lifetime could do. She considered speaking to him through the Force–which would be quite an unexpected surprise for him!–but chose to wait until after morning meal. Luke would no doubt be shocked by the good news, and Callista herself still could not believe that it had truly happened. She kept expecting to wake up, to realize that this was all just a dream... As she watched the magnificence of the gas giant Yavin dwarf the sky, Callista felt the joy within her grow. Just the night before, she had been consumed with hopelessness and despair, resigned to the fact that she would never regain her lost powers, that she would have to live out the rest of her new life incomplete. Her hopes of reclaiming her powers had become a distant wish, one that would never come to pass. And now...it had come true. Callista traced the fingers of her hand through her curly brown hair, the memories of the Eye of Palpatine and Cray still fresh in her mind. No trace of Cray’s blond remained in her hair, a sure testament that the woman who had once lived in this body was now gone, joined with her lover Nichos on the Other Side. Her death had been an act of nobility and courage, and Callista would never forget her for it. And still...she could not help but feel slightly guilty for what had happened. Although Cray had willingly chosen to die–and perhaps had even been a bit suicidal–and had given her body up for another...deep down inside, Callista wished that her friend had not died. She could still remember her first day on Yavin 4, when she and Luke had told the students that Cray and Nichos had died, and that Callista now inhabited her body. She could still remember the shock, disgust, and horror on the faces of the students, particularly Kyp and Tionne, as they realized what had happened to their friend. For all we know, she killed Cray and stole her body! Callista cringed as Kyp’s angry words returned in her mind. Of course, she had told the students the truth of what had happened, and everyone had eventually accepted her. She and Kyp were now good friends, with Kyp even looking up to her as a surrogate mother, much how he considered Luke his surrogate father. Tionne, though, remained distant, obviously still mourning the death of Cray. She and Cray had been very good friends before the Eye of Palpatine, and the silver-haired minstrel was still hurting from her death. Callista could not sense any anger or hostility from the younger woman anymore, but she knew it would take some time for Tionne to finally begin trusting her. A quick succession of beeps and chirps from behind startled her out of her reverie, and Callista turned to see Artoo-Detoo rolling on his little wheels to stand beside her, inquiring in his mechanical language if she was all right. “I’m fine,” she said, patting the astromech droid’s round head. “Thank you, Artoo. I’ll be down in a few more minutes.” Artoo bleeped in acknowledgment and left Callista alone with her thoughts. I can’t wait until everyone finds out! she thought with excitement, imagining the looks on the Jedi’s faces when she toldthem the good news. They’re all going to be so happy! And Luke... But the happiness receded as the images from Callista’s dream resurfaced. The faces she had seen...especially Djinn’s. She remembered the somber melancholy look in his eyes, as if the old Master had been trying to tell her something she did not know... But what? she thought, a small knot of concern in her gut. Callista pushed the images of Djinn far back in her mind. This was not a time for worrying about something as trivial as a dream. She had finally regained her Force powers, which was what she and Luke wanted to most. This was a time for celebrating! And as she turned and left the Massassi rooftop, she was going to do just that. -----signature----- Respect my authoritah! Forever Home: A Luke/Callista Story http://boards.theforce.net/message.asp?topic=18660452&replies=0 Mara Wars (Humor) http://boards.theforce.net/The_Saga/b10476/17868966/?13
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Geith_Jiseo Registered: Dec '04	Date Posted: 3/8/05 11:35am Subject: RE: Forever Home: A Luke/Callista Story (AU, post-COTJ, Romance/Action/Adventure)
	The Jedi Academy was alive with activity, as the young students awoke and got ready for another day of classes. Callista wandered down the halls of the ancient temple, the sunlight streaming from the windows lighting up the dark halls, as the students rushed from their quarters and headed downstairs for the cafeteria. Already, Callista could smell fried Corellian potato-pancakes and runyip patties, and she realized for the first time how hungry she was. She had not eaten much in the past few weeks, and a good meal was just what she needed. After I tell Luke, she decided, feeling a sudden burst of anxious anticipation. She could already imagine the look on Luke’s face... As she nodded to several students who rushed past her–smelling breakfast, too, no doubt–she watched as Luke stepped out of his room, already dressed for the morning classes. He wore his brown Jedi robe, which was worn with use and age, his lightsaber attached to his belt. He used his fingers to comb back his sandy-blond hair, and smiled when he saw Callista approach him. “Good morning, beauty. Sleep well?” Luke greeted her, kissing her gently. Callista smiled, and nodded. “Better than usual.” The tears came again, and she took Luke’s hand in her own, gripping it tightly, and said, “Feel this, Luke. You will never believe it.” Luke smiled, slight confusion shining in his beautiful blue eyes. “What is it, Callista?” “You’ll see.” She smiled as she closed her eyes, and pressed her forehead to his, opening herself to the Force, Do you hear me? Callista? She could feel his surprise hitting her like a wave... as well as his hope. Is that you? It is, my love. She opened her eyes again and, stepping back, saw that Luke was staring at her in shock. All the words in the galaxy could not have described the flood of emotions that crossed his face as the realization finally got to him. He looked at his love, and Callista could see tears running down his cheeks. “Callista,” he said, his voice choking. His hands touched her shoulders, as if testing to see that this was really happening. For a long time, neither of them could speak, the sheer shock of it all rendering them incapable of speech. “How–“ He did not even get a chance to finish, because Callista kissed him with all the strength and love she could muster. At first, Luke was unprepared for it, but soon began to relax, slowly wrapping his arms around her back, as he returned to kiss with equal passion. A thousand conversations passed silently between them in the space of a few seconds, as their connection to each other through the Force–something they had not felt since the Eye of Palpatine–returned and strengthened and grew. When they finally broke from the kiss, Luke’s tears had increased, and he was smiling through them, barely able to speak, pure joy lighting the smile on his handsome face. “Callista, this is wonderful! I was beginning to think it was hopeless! How did it happen? What did you do?” “I don’t know!” Callista said, as she kissed him again. She could feel Luke’s thoughts, a million questions he wanted to ask her all at once, and impossible for her to answer them all. “I can’t explain what happened...I was sleeping, and I had this strange dream. I thought I saw...my old Master.” “Djinn Altis?” Callista nodded, joy and giddiness etched on her beautiful face. “He just...stared at me. He looked sad, as if he knew something I didn’t.” Luke took a deep breath, the joy slowly giving away to concern. Djinn Altis...what did that mean? He had had visions of his old Master, Obi-Wan Kenobi, several times before in the past, and each time, they had meant something significant to him, something that would change his life forever. “What do you think he wanted?” he asked her. “You don’t think he was the one who restored your powers, do you?” Callista shrugged. “I suppose that’s possible. I woke up then, and I could feel the presence of someone else in the room...somebody familiar. Somebody I knew.” The fact that there had been someone in Callista’s room gave him a moment’s apprehensive pause, but then he shook the thought away and waited for her to continue. “And then what?” “I heard something shatter. I think the energy that converged when the Force returned to me smashed the Ithorian vase you kept near the window.” The concern Luke had been feeling was now gone, replaced by the earlier sense of delight. He looked at Callista, and could feel that she was happier right now than she had been for decades. It did not matter to him how she had gotten her powers back. As far as they were both concerned, Callista was now whole, and they could both now live the rest of their lives together in happiness. “Callista, this is so amazing,” he said. “I mean, from a Master’s view, this is the kind of event that happens once every never. It’s a wonderful learning experience. And from a personal standpoint...well, I think you know how I feel about that. I couldn’t be happier about this, or anything else, my love.” He hugged Callista and kissed her gently before looking at her again. When he did, there was a mischievous glint in his eye. “But did you have to break that vase?” Callista laughed and slapped him playfully on the shoulder. ~~~~~~* That afternoon, Luke did not see Callista at lunch. He wandered into the hallway after most of the students had finished eating, and heard the sound of a lightsaber and remote blasts. He smiled to himself, and knew instantly who was in the training room. As he leaned against the door, he saw that he was right. Callista stood amid three remotes, topaz lightsaber drawn and poised. For the first time since before she had awakened on the Hunter’s Luck, he could sense her presence radiating in the Force. It was a presence he relished. Luke smiled as he watched his lover practice, remembering the look on everyone’s faces when they had gathered in the Grand Audience Chamber after the morning meal, and watched as Callista–who just a day before had been shut off from the Force–effortlessly conjuring a fireball in the center of the room without even breaking a sweat. The students had been shocked, which slowly progressed into relief and joy, as Callista proudly displayed her newly regained powers. It had been one of the happiest moments of his life. Luke knew that she knew he was watching her, but she did not turn around until she had done a sufficient amount of showing off. She danced back and forth, successfully intercepting every shot fired from any of the three remotes. After a moment, she shut them off and turned to Luke. Despite the sweat that covered her face, she was so unbelievably beautiful, her face and body perfectly sculpted, that Luke found himself breathless every time he looked into her eyes. “That was fun,” she said with a broad grin. He had never seen her smile so widely. He smiled back as he hugged her, and presented her with a deep kiss. “You want a living opponent?” She looked at him with a gleam in her gray eyes. “If you’re up for it. I feel like I can take on every Dark Jedi at once.” As Luke unhooked his lightsaber from his belt, he gave her a warning look. “The higher you build yourself, the farther you’ll fall. Be careful.” She chuckled. “I know, I know. But it’s still a great feeling, huh?” Luke ignited his lightsaber and crossed it with hers. “It sure is.” -----signature----- Respect my authoritah! Forever Home: A Luke/Callista Story http://boards.theforce.net/message.asp?topic=18660452&replies=0 Mara Wars (Humor) http://boards.theforce.net/The_Saga/b10476/17868966/?13
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academygrad88 Registered: Apr '04	Date Posted: 3/8/05 5:11pm Subject: RE: Forever Home: A Luke/Callista Story (AU, post-COTJ, Romance/Action/Adventure) UPDATED 3/8!!! - Date Edited: 3/8/05 5:13pm (1 edits total) Edited By: academygrad88
	Do I get the first post!?! Wow! Hi Geith. Nicely written fic. And....ummm...Okay...you know I am a Mara Fan, but I am trying to say nice things though, because you are a great writer. Ummm.....Nicely written fic! “Callista, this is wonderful! I was beginning to think it was hopeless! How did it happen? What did you do?” “I don’t know!” Callista said Ohhh ohhh, I know!!! She sold her soul to a Dark Sith Lord. That's it isn't it? Just kidding you Geith. I am sure this is going to be a great story. You have a very good start. Is Mara going to be in it to give it some angst? Great job. Keep up the good work! AG88 -----signature----- I love my Bomb Disposal Expert Winner of more Golden Ewoks™ than you can possibly imagine! Check out the pictures I made: http://ag88.deviantart.com/ ! You will Kriff Luke Skywalker!~ The Real last Command http://swff.bpweb.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4
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Geith_Jiseo Registered: Dec '04	Date Posted: 3/9/05 11:33am Subject: RE: Forever Home: A Luke/Callista Story (AU, post-COTJ, Romance/Action/Adventure) UPDATED 3/8!!!
	Thanks, AG88! It's great that a Mara fan can still enjoy this story. Ohhh ohhh, I know!!! She sold her soul to a Dark Sith Lord. That's it isn't it? Bwahahahahaha! Not quite. You won't find out until much, much later, though. And Mara will feature heavily in this story about two-thirds of the way through, and yeah, there will be some angst. But don't worry; there won't be any love triangles, or anything cheesy like that. And I promise that her characterization will be a lot more true to the books than it is in Mara Wars. Here's more! -------------------------------------------------------- Callista sat on her bed in her room, cleaning a small cut she had sustained on her lip from her practice spar with Luke. It wasn’t grievous–she had endured far worse in her days as a Jedi before the Eye of Palpatine–but it still stung. She wiped the cut with an antiseptic, wincing as a small twinge seized her lips. He sure does like to play rough, doesn’t he? It had been a good exercise for them both, but in the end, Callista had triumphed. Of course, both had walked away with a couple of very minor wounds, which was to be expected in a lightsaber duel, even a practice one. Callista had lost count of all the times she had accidentally got hurt whenever she had sparred with Master Djinn, or one of the other students during her training on the Chu’unthor. Through the Force, Callista could hear the other students in the Great Temple preparing for the evening meal. She would join them as soon as she was finished. She could also feel Luke in their fresher, taking care of his own injuries. She allowed herself a quick smirk when she heard Luke gasp at the throbbing pain in his head from one of Callista’s kicks. The spar had left them both sore, and a bit wiser. The next practice duel would be even more difficult to win for her, because Luke would be more wary of her and defend himself better against her attacks, having memorized most of her moves. Callista’s grin returned. Of course, I’m not gonna make it any easier for him either, she thought, already looking forward to the next spar. A cool draft blew through her bedroom window, causing goosebumps to spread across her naked arms. Callista shivered, and looked out the twelfth-story window, which gave her an excellent view of the jungle below. For some reason, that same familiar presence she had felt last night came back, stronger than before, and for a few seconds, Callista had a strange sensation that someone she could not see was watching her... As she turned to look at herself in the mirror to check on her wound, trying not to think any further of it, she stared right into the eyes of Djinn Altis. Callista gasped and stood up, shocked speechless. Almost immediately, the image was gone right before her eyes, as if it had never been. Shaking her head in disbelief, Callista stared at the mirror. She saw her image bearing the same shocked expression, but nothing else. She looked around her room, her mind on alert. It suddenly became very cold, as if she was standing atop a tall, snow-encrusted mountain. Her breath came in short gasps. What in the name of Chad is going on? Trying to shrug it off, and not entirely succeeding, Callista stood up as Luke came out of the fresher. “Much better,” Luke said as he kissed her. “How’s your lip?” “Hmm...it’d be better if it had another kiss on it,” Callista said, rubbing her swollen lip. Luke chuckled, and obliged. He noticed the look in her eyes, and the smile on his face dropped, overtaken with concern. “Callista, is something wrong?” “I’ll tell you later,” she muttered, a shudder running down her spine. Then she looked up at Luke with a smile, taking his hand in hers. “Let’s eat.” ~~~~~~* In the kitchen, far from the din in the cafeteria, where the Jedi students talked, ate, and practiced their Force tricks, one of the cooks, a Bothan named Neeja, finished preparing a pot of cheese soup and set it on the counter. It had been last month that representatives of the Empire had come to Neeja on her homeworld of Kothlis, offering her a handsome sum to “dispose of the Jedi problem.” Her cooking skills had quickly come to light, and the Republic had hired her to work at the Yavin Academy. I never thought I’d sell my loyalties to the highest bidder, she thought. I’ll have to remember this! With a sly glance over each shoulder to make sure none of the other cooks were getting too curious, she withdrew a vial of arsenic from her apron and dumped it into the pot, mixing it quickly with the cheese and vegetables. The arsenic was very special. Extremely lethal and untraceable after death–thus making it the perfect murder weapon–it was one of the deadliest poisons that existed in the galaxy. When ingested, the acids would eat at the walls of the stomach, and then proceed to the other organs from there, feeding on the other tissues and increasing in volume. It was a slow, painful death that Neeja did not envy. But it was, of course, perfect. My own special recipe, she thought wickedly, and could not hold back a malevolent chuckle. -----signature----- Respect my authoritah! Forever Home: A Luke/Callista Story http://boards.theforce.net/message.asp?topic=18660452&replies=0 Mara Wars (Humor) http://boards.theforce.net/The_Saga/b10476/17868966/?13
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academygrad88 Registered: Apr '04	Date Posted: 3/9/05 6:06pm Subject: RE: Forever Home: A Luke/Callista Story (AU, post-COTJ, Romance/Action/Adventure) NEW POST MARCH 9!!
	Good post Geith! He sure does like to play rough, doesn’t he? Okay, I am not going to make any snide sexual innuendos here. No really I am not. She could also feel Luke in their fresher, taking care of his own injuries. She allowed herself a quick smirk when she heard Luke gasp at the throbbing pain in his head from one of Callista’s kicks. She kicked him in the head? Ouch, that hurts...and yes I do know what it is like to be kicked in the head. a Bothan named Neeja, finished preparing a pot of cheese soup and set it on the counter. It had been last month that representatives of the Empire had come to Neeja on her homeworld of Kothlis, offering her a handsome sum to “dispose of the Jedi problem.” Those bloody Bothans! You can't trust any of them!!! Good post Geith. Where are all the Callista lovers? Don't tell me they are just lurkers. AG88 -----signature----- I love my Bomb Disposal Expert Winner of more Golden Ewoks™ than you can possibly imagine! Check out the pictures I made: http://ag88.deviantart.com/ ! You will Kriff Luke Skywalker!~ The Real last Command http://swff.bpweb.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4
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Geith_Jiseo Registered: Dec '04	Date Posted: 3/10/05 11:55am Subject: RE: Forever Home: A Luke/Callista Story (AU, post-COTJ, Romance/Action/Adventure) NEW POST MARCH 9!!
	Thanks, AG88! Where are all the Callista lovers? Don't tell me they are just lurkers. What, all three of them? Seriously, though, Ambassador Cara Jade's InterNet access is limited, since her laptop was stolen a few weeks ago (she co-wrote this story with me), and I know NeoStar9 has already read this story at FF.N and really liked it. And if there are any lurkers...show yourselves!!!!!! Here's more. ------------------------------------------------------- “Luke,” Callista began, “I need to tell you something.” Finishing his mouthful of woolamander, Luke looked at her with concern. “What? What is it?” She looked around carefully. “Not here. Come on.” She stood up and led Luke out into the hallway. Luke glanced over his shoulder to see Kyp give him a wink. “Luke, I saw Djinn this morning.” The statement knocked Luke out of the thought Kyp’s wink had led him into. “What?” “I saw Djinn. It’s like...I don’t know, like he’s trying to warn me about something. I saw him in the mirror, I got this chill...I can’t explain it.” Her eyes widened. “Luke, what if...” “What if what?” he asked. She broke away from him and started pacing, rubbing her hands together, fidgeting as her thoughts tumbled out all at once. “What if I wasn’t supposed to get my powers back? At least, not yet?” Luke shook his head. “That’s crazy.” “It’s not, though. Djinn told me once that I shouldn’t rush the Force...what if that’s what we’ve done? Rushed the Force?” “How much sleep did you get last night?” “Luke.” She looked at him with a baleful stare. “I’m being serious here.” “And so am I. A lot’s happened in the past few days. You’re excited, on top of anxiety. Don’t worry, baby. Everything is going to turn out the way it’s supposed to be.” He hugged her and gave her a gentle kiss. She sighed and touched his chest with her finger, feeling some of the worry slip away. But a small part of it always remained, to remind her that something was indeed wrong, and that she had to find out what it was quickly. “Okay...but I’m going to check out the databases, just to make sure.” Luke nodded. “Okay.” One of the cooks–the Bothan one, Neeja, Luke noticed–walked by then. She cast a small, curious glance at the two Jedi before continuing past them, humming a soft tune to herself. Luke glanced at the pot of stew she carried, and then into her shifty eyes. “Neeja?” The cook stopped. “Yes, Master Skywalker?” “What is that?” Neeja glanced at the pot. “Stew. For the students. And you and the lady, if you’d like some.” Callista lifted the lid and sniffed it. “It smells nice,” she said as she tasted a fingerdip, spat it out, and replaced the lid. “For poison.” Neeja’s eyes widened in horror. “My lady, I...” “Callista? What are you talking about?” Luke said with a confused frown. She glanced at him. “Disgruntled cook, Luke?” Without another word, Neeja tossed the soup and ran, her cover blown. Luke and Callista took off after her. Luke tackled the Bothan before she could get very far, knocking her out instantly. “How did you know?” he asked Callista, as he held the unconscious assassin down. “My mother committed suicide with the same poison. I’d know it anywhere, disguised in anything.” ~~~~~~* The Core Systems glowed with intense heat and light, reflecting off the hull of one lone, leviathan ship. Imperial Admiral Daala stood in the bridge of her new Super Star Destroyer, the Knight Hammer, straight and still, doing her best to appear impregnably and admirable. The officers below her worked diligently and silently, careful not to disturb the obviously impatient and displeased admiral. In just the space of a few weeks, Daala had risen from an unheard-of commander of four Star Destroyers hidden within the black holes of the Maw Cluster to the new leader of the entire Imperial fleet, even gaining the obedience and respect of the late Grand Admiral Thrawn’s former second-in-command, Vice Admiral Pellaeon. The feuding warlords were all dead, every last one of them, executed for their crimes against the Empire, leaving Daala’s command over the remaining Imperial forces unquestionable. It had not been an easy road for her, however. From the moment she had aspired to join the Empire as a child, Daala had been persecuted left and right by her superiors, given the most thankless and filthy jobs–including kitchen work, janitorial work, and a job as a lowly clerk–merely because of her sex. The Emperor had long had a distaste for women, and rarely–if ever–promoted them to high status. To him, Daala was just an inferior creature, unable to contribute anything of worth to the Empire’s cause. Things changed when she met Grand Moff Tarkin. Realizing the potential Daala had, he secretly promoted her to the rank of admiral and gave her command of four mighty Star Destroyers. He put her in charge of the Maw Installation, a secret base where brainwashed Imperial scientists worked day and night constructing various superweapons for the Emperor. Among the ones that were put to use were the original Death Star, the World Devastators, and, most recently, the Sun Crusher. Tarkin had left her in charge of the secret base, which was hidden deep within the core of the Maw Cluster, and returned to annihilate the pitiful band of Rebels who dared to go up against the New Order. And then the unthinkable happened. Just on the verge of complete success, the Death Star was destroyed, and Tarkin was killed. Daala herself was discovered by the Rebels nearly a decade later by the smuggler Han Solo, and she engaged in her own private war against the New Republic, losing three of her four ships in the process. After seeing the destruction of Maw Installation, Daala limped back to the Core Systems, hoping to unite the warring Imperial leaders in hopes of defeating the Republic once and for all. It had been a long and harrying task, resulting in the unfortunate death of Commander Kratas, one of her best men, but in the end, Daala had emerged victorious. The warlords had been eliminated, and she was in command of over dozens of powerful Imperial battleships. The Super Star Destroyer, in particular, pleased her the most, possessing enough firepower to single-handedly lay waste to an entire fleet. And now, it was time to exact her long-awaited revenge on the Republic. Starting with the Jedi Academy. Daala was fully aware of the newly established Praxeum on Yavin 4, where the Death Star had been destroyed eleven years ago. She knew that Luke Skywalker was in charge of all the Jedi students, the same man who had caused the death of Tarkin. For that reason alone, the Jedi would be the first to be crushed under Daala’s iron fist...followed by the rest of the New Republic. Believing that an all-out attack would attract too much attention to the Imperials, Daala had personally hired a Bothan cook to infiltrate the ranks of the Jedi Academy. It had been a calculated risk, but she had blended in perfectly, unsuspected among the vaunted Jedi. If everything had gone according to plan, the entire populace of Yavin 4 would be dead by now. It would be done quickly and efficiently. Unfortunately, the assassin had not responded in hours. Daala fidgeted uncomfortably as she continued gazing at the enormous viewscreen that displayed the fiery stars and worlds that made up the Core Systems. Her patience was starting to wear very thin. What was taking so long? The blasted Bothan was way overdue for her report. The Jedi were supposed to be dead by now. What was taking so long? As if in answer to her unvoiced question, two holographic images flared to life before her, taking the shapes of two black-uniformed Imperial officers. “Admiral, I have bad news,” one of them said. “Yes, Lieutenant, what is it?” Daala pressed. “The Bothan has been apprehended,” the officer reported gravely, avoiding eye contact with the Imperial commander. “Our informant on Yavin 4 has just verified this. The Jedi discovered her plan and now have her imprisoned in the brig.” “Blast it all!” Daala started pacing around the platform, dozens of thoughts screaming in her mind all at once. “Ah, well, I should have known they would discover her. These Jedi are not stupid, no matter how much I wish they were. And the Bothan’s mentality did leave much to be desired. “Nevertheless,” she added, turning back to the holograms, “they will get what they’re asking for. We’ll have to resort to Plan B.” The Imperial officer gave her a hardened look. “Are you sure?” “Yes,” Daala said sternly. “See to it.” The two Imperials saluted, and the holograms shattered into a thousand pieces that quickly blossomed into nothingness. ~~~~~~* In the bowels of the Knight Hammer, the same two Imperial officers who had reported of the Bothan’s capture stood before the assassin who stood ominously before them, silent and unmoving. Plan B. “You know what to do,” Lieutenant Berin said to the assassin. “Yes,” the assassin replied in a soft, mechanical voice. “Find Luke Skywalker, and kill him on sight. Any and all Jedi who stand in my way will be eliminated.” The officer nodded. “Excellent. Do your job.” The assassin nodded, a smile twisting her pale lips. She was a droid, a perfect replica of Luke Skywalker’s young lover, according to the droid’s designers. Same hair color and length, same eye color, same facial features, same build, everything. Its target would never realize the difference...until it was too late. “I will find Luke Skywalker,” the droid said. -----signature----- Respect my authoritah! Forever Home: A Luke/Callista Story http://boards.theforce.net/message.asp?topic=18660452&replies=0 Mara Wars (Humor) http://boards.theforce.net/The_Saga/b10476/17868966/?13
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academygrad88 Registered: Apr '04	Date Posted: 3/10/05 12:40pm Subject: RE: Forever Home: A Luke/Callista Story (AU, post-COTJ, Romance/Action/Adventure) Updated 3/10!!!
	“Luke, I saw Djinn this morning.” Watch out Luke! She sees dead people!!! Callista is having delusions! Cart her off to the funny farm. I am sure Mara will comfort you, Luke, in your time of need. The assassin nodded, a smile twisting her pale lips. She was a droid, a perfect replica of Luke Skywalker’s young lover, according to the droid’s designers. Same hair color and length, same eye color, same facial features, same build, everything. Its target would never realize the difference...until it was too late. A FEMBOT!! It is hard to find women of that caliber. Ahh Geith, I hope you don’t take my Callista bashing seriously. It is just…well if the people at MJSFC find me over here reading your fic I will be kicked out of the organization for sure. AG88 -----signature----- I love my Bomb Disposal Expert Winner of more Golden Ewoks™ than you can possibly imagine! Check out the pictures I made: http://ag88.deviantart.com/ ! You will Kriff Luke Skywalker!~ The Real last Command http://swff.bpweb.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4
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Geith_Jiseo Registered: Dec '04	Date Posted: 3/11/05 8:57pm Subject: RE: Forever Home: A Luke/Callista Story (AU, post-COTJ, Romance/Action/Adventure) Updated 3/10!!! - Date Edited: 3/14/05 8:04am (1 edits total) Edited By: Geith_Jiseo
	LOL! Yeah, no kidding. First Mara Wars, and now this! Isn't reading a Luke/Callista fanfic an act of treason that's punishable by exile from MJFC under the Tang Commandments? But I'm glad you're enjoying the story. Since you're a glutton for punishment, here's more! -------------------------------------------------------- Kyp and Dorsk 81 trudged through the jungle, accompanied by one of the Academy’s new students, brushing aside weeds, branches, and pests as they headed for their destination. It was early in the morning now, and the sun was just beginning to make its presence known, the first signs of its yellow, hot rays of light beginning to awaken from its slumber. “How close are we?” the new student, Tereias, asked. “Not far,” Kyp said hopefully. “Master Skywalker said that it was around here in this area. He and Callista discovered it a week ago.” “I hope this temple doesn’t turn out to be as bad as the other one,” Dorsk 81 said gravely. Kyp nodded, memories of the Sith temple and Exar Kun replaying in his head. His folly had nearly killed all of the other students. Even now, a year later, the Sith Lord’s tattooed face and evil countenance still plagued his dreams. “That will never happen again,” he whispered, his voice barely audible. “You can be sure of that.” Quickly, he changed the subject and raised his voice to a normal, conversational tone. “No, I think this particular temple has been around before Kun...before the Massassi.” That caught his cloned companion’s attention. “Before the Massassi? But...how is that possible? The Massassi were here on Yavin 4 long before any other race.” “Maybe,” Kyp said doubtfully. “But Callista told me that the design of this temple is far different from those of the others. Not to mention that it’s located far from the boundaries of the old Massassi area. Someone else built them...and I want to know who.” “Hey, I heard something about an assassination attempt from one of the cooks yesterday,” Tereias piped up, more excited than frightened, in typical teenager fashion. “What was that all about?” Kyp and Dorsk 81 exchanged a brief, worried glance, and the clone answered the young man’s query. “I’m not sure, Tereias. But we have to be careful. I can sense that this threat is not over yet...” Kyp suddenly stopped. He heard footsteps, coming... ...from behind. “What?” Tereias said, coming up behind him. When the pale youth heard the sounds of their follower, he looked around nervously. “It must be one of the others,” Kyp said. “Or maybe not,” Tereias whimpered. Before Kyp could answer him, Callista stepped out of the brush, a faraway look in her eyes, as if she was searching for something. “Hey, guys. Have you seen Luke anyplace?” “Callista!” Kyp called out, relieved. He and his two friends ran over to her. “Hey! We were on our way to that temple you guys found earlier.” She frowned. “Temple?” Her face changed, with sudden recognition. “Yes, the temple, that’s right. Very interesting.” She looked up at the jungle canopy again and asked, “So, where’s Luke?” “Uh...I saw you with him just before we left the Great Temple,” Kyp said, a knot twisting in his gut. Something seemed very wrong about all this. Callista cast a glance at the three students–then turned and started to leave. “Wait!” Tereias said, rushing up to block Callista’s path. “Is something wrong, Callista? You don’t seem like yourself today.” Callista glared at the young man–and what came next shocked Kyp to his core. She moved so incredibly fast, too fast for the Jedi to see. One minute she was standing in front of Tereias; the next minute, she was looking down at the young student’s lifeless body. His neck had been twisted at an impossible angle, clearly broken. Kyp and Dorsk 81 stepped back, struck with horror at the slaughter. Callista looked at them, her lips curving upward in a ghastly smile. “Who’s next?” she said, as she headed toward them. “Run!” Kyp said without a moment’s hesitation, and he and Dorsk 81 ran off in the opposite direction. He took one last look into Callista’s cold gray eyes and saw no trace of humanity in them. He had no idea what had happened to her, or what was going on...all he wanted to do was get out of there, before someone else died. The Human Replica Droid nodded and called out after them, “Go ahead and run, you cowards! If you won’t tell me where Skywalker is...then I’ll have to go find him myself.” She smiled. “You can’t hide from me.” Giving the corpse of Tereias a good, solid kick, she began following the two fleeing Jedi. ~~~~~~* Luke brought his lightsaber down over his opponent’s head, and Kam Solusar barely had a chance to parry the attack with his own weapon. Their blades pressed together; Luke met Kam’s gaze, holding it for just a moment before stepping back and deactivating the blade, ending the mock duel that had lasted the past half hour. “Well done, Kam. You’re getting better with that. Keep up your practicing, and you’ll master it one day.” Kam nodded. “Thank you, Master.” Luke nodded, and turned away. He had had this nagging feeling that something was wrong ever since the incident with the Bothan. Although Neeja was being kept in the brig until the New Republic could send authorities to take her to Coruscant, Luke doubted that she was acting alone. He wanted to know who had sent her. He dismissed Kam, and walked through the corridors to the upper levels of the temple to call Leia and see if she knew how long it would be before someone would be there to take Neeja away. But on his way there, he caught sight of a figure sitting on the balcony railing overlooking the jungle. It was Callista. She sat silently on the railing, her legs dangling, teasing the hundred-meter drop to the ground. She stared out at the jungle, not turning as he came up behind her. Luke wrapped his arms around her shoulders and kissed her cheek. “Callista, what’s wrong?” “Do you feel it, too?” she asked in return, her eyes not meeting his. “Actually, yes.” “Luke, something bad is going to happen. I mean, really bad.” “Like what?” She hesitated. “I don’t know,” she replied, and lowered her head. Luke remembered what she had said earlier about her mother, an aspect of her life they had never addressed, except to acknowledge the similarity between them, both having grown up without a mother. Now that it had surfaced again, he knew it was not a topic they could ignore anymore. He turned her around to face him, looking her squarely in the eyes. When he looked at her this way, Callista always felt that he could read her mind. Even when she had felt the emptiness in the Force, it could not prevent him from knowing her every thought. “Tell me about your mother, Callista,” he whispered, taking her hands in his and gently pulling her closer to him. “You’ve never talked about her much...I can tell how much it hurts you.” For a while, Callista was able to keep the tears from forming in her eyes, but now they stung them, and she shut her eyes in a vain attempt to keep them from spilling. But she was tired of fighting them. His arms–they felt so strong and comforting, and she surrendered to his touch and pressed herself against him, feeling his warmth and love radiating within her. “I was so young,” she said. The rawness she heard in her own voice scared her, and she felt Luke squeeze her just a little bit tighter against him. “I...barely even remember her, Luke...” “I know,” he murmured. She felt his soft breath on her cheek. “I know...” Of course he knew. He, too, had known the pain of growing up motherless. Growing up in a world where no one understood the strange gift of the Force that they possessed at a young age, the very people they loved unable to reach out to them completely. “I saw it happening all over again with my stepmother,” she continued. “I saw how sad and withdrawn she was, too. We never got along, she and I. I...feel like I pushed all of them away.” “No.” Luke brought her face to his and cupped it in his hands. “No, don’t you believe that, Callie. What happened was not your fault. It’s time you stopped blaming yourself.” “But–“ “No.” The tears trickled down her cheeks, despite all the energy she mustered to keep them hidden. “I was so alone,” she said at last. “Papa tried, he really did. And I loved him more than anything. But without her...my family was never complete, and it tore us apart.” She looked up at him, his blue eyes glistening with tears of sympathy. “There was always a piece of me missing, Luke.” He touched his lips to her temple and said once again, “I know.” ~~~~~~* Kyp and Dorsk 81 ran full speed toward the Jedi Academy, panting and nearly out of breath. Kyp’s legs were sore and threatened to give up under the pressure, but the young man forced himself to keep going. With a lump in his throat, he reached out with the Force, calling out to anyone who might be listening, warning of the approaching danger. He hoped they would beat her there. It would take them longer before they had circled around Callista, but no matter what, they would beat her. The horror of seeing his friend kill Tereias in such a cruel and brutal manner remained emblazoned in his thoughts. Kyp was still not sure that it had been her, and he kept trying to convince himself that it had not been. I hope it wasn’t her, he thought. For Master Skywalker’s sake, for all our sakes. ~~~~~~* The HRD kept a steady pace toward the Jedi Academy. This is going to be fun, she thought. Very fun. -----signature----- Respect my authoritah! Forever Home: A Luke/Callista Story http://boards.theforce.net/message.asp?topic=18660452&replies=0 Mara Wars (Humor) http://boards.theforce.net/The_Saga/b10476/17868966/?13
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academygrad88 Registered: Apr '04	Date Posted: 3/12/05 6:26am Subject: RE: Forever Home: A Luke/Callista Story (AU, post-COTJ, Romance/Action/Adventure) New post March 11t - Date Edited: 3/12/05 10:23am (1 edits total) Edited By: academygrad88
	She moved so incredibly fast, too fast for the Jedi to see. One minute she was standing in front of Tereias; the next minute, she was looking down at the young student’s lifeless body. His neck had been twisted at an impossible angle, clearly broken. See!! I told you Callista was evil!! She is SITH!!! The Human Replica Droid nodded and called out after them, “Go ahead and run, you cowards! Damn! It was just the Fembot! Luke wrapped his arms around her shoulders and kissed her cheek. Ewww ! There is only so much L/C mush a Mara fan can take. He hoped they would beat her there. It would take them longer before they had circled around Callista, but no matter what, they would beat her. *Secretly hopes that Kyp and Dorsk 81 run into the Real Callista and accidentally kill her. Then, when the Fembot finds Luke, her mechanical eyes drink in Luke’s handsome features, with his beautiful blue eyes, those muscular shoulders, those rippling abs, and that tight little butt, and she immediately overloads her circuits ( just like Austin Powers and his Union Jack speedos defeated Dr. Evil’s Fembots). Then the beautiful and lusty Mara steps in to comfort the grieving Jedi Master. After a few minutes in Mara’s arms, Luke feels he has closure over the death of Callista and goes off to knock boots with the sensual green-eyed, Redheaded trader.* Please tell me that this is how the next chapter turns out. Good chapter Geith. I do think I am going against some of the Tang Rules, but you are so well liked over at the MJSFC that I think they will overlook my indiscretion. AG88 -----signature----- I love my Bomb Disposal Expert Winner of more Golden Ewoks™ than you can possibly imagine! Check out the pictures I made: http://ag88.deviantart.com/ ! You will Kriff Luke Skywalker!~ The Real last Command http://swff.bpweb.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4
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Geith_Jiseo Registered: Dec '04	Date Posted: 3/12/05 12:52pm Subject: RE: Forever Home: A Luke/Callista Story (AU, post-COTJ, Romance/Action/Adventure) New post March 11t - Date Edited: 3/14/05 8:05am (2 edits total) Edited By: Geith_Jiseo
	Ewww ! sick There is only so much L/C mush a Mara fan can take. Oh, don't worry. There's plenty more L/C in this story. Much, much more. Bwahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!! *Secretly hopes that Kyp and Dorsk 81 run into the Real Callista and accidentally kill her. Then, when the Fembot finds Luke, her mechanical eyes drink in Luke’s handsome features, with his beautiful blue eyes, those muscular shoulders, those rippling abs, and that tight little butt, and she immediately overloads her circuits ( just like Austin Powers and his Union Jack speedos defeated Dr. Evil’s Fembots). Then the beautiful and lusty Mara steps in to comfort the grieving Jedi Master. After a few minutes in Mara’s arms, Luke feels he has closure over the death of Callista and goes off to knock boots with the sensual green-eyed, Redheaded trader.* tongue Please tell me that this is how the next chapter turns out. Um...no. Here's more! ------------------------------------------------------- After several moments, Callista laughed shakily. “I got your shirt all wet,” she said, touching his shoulder with her hand. She leaned in to place a soft kiss on his lips. “What a gentleman you are.” He flashed his boyish grin. “Aunt Beru taught me that I should always treat a lady right.” He brushed aside the malt-brown curls from her eyes and kissed her forehead. “Are you feeling any better? Did this help at all?” She nodded and slipped her arms around his neck. “Yes,” she said. “Thank you, Luke.” “Anytime, my love.” She broke from his hold and walked over to lean over the balcony railing. “I...still have a bad feeling about the cook,” she said, her back to him, her gaze set on the rising Yavin sun. “Me, too,” he admitted. “Why would anyone try to poison you?” She turned to face him again and shook her head, and the faint tremor she had felt in her bones earlier now escalated to an insistent rumble, demanding her attention. “We don’t know if it was just for me,” she said, knowing that he too could feel the growing threat that permeated the air between them, “but I don’t think the Bothan was acting independently. I think someone else was behind this. If that’s true, then...you’re in danger just as much as I am, as much as any student here...And Luke, I can’t bear that. We have to figure out what this is, right away.” At that moment, Luke caught a sense of impending terror. His head snapped up, and he looked over the railing toward the jungle. Callista did the same. “Luke, did you feel that?” Luke nodded. They both concentrated with the Force, searching for the identity of who was calling to them. “It’s Kyp!” ~~~~~~* Kyp burst out of the jungle as Luke and Callista reached the opening of the temple and sprinted outside. “Master Skywalker!!!!” Kyp called, his voice stricken with fear. He sprinted to the landing pad, where Luke and Callista met him, Dorsk 81 not far behind. They both ran to Luke. “Luke, it’s Callista! She...” He stopped when he saw Callista standing there, and backed up. “She beat us here.” “What?” Callista said, stepping closer to Kyp. Kyp whipped out his lightsaber, igniting it and pointing it at Callista in one fluid motion.”Get away from me, you murderer!” Callista ripped her own weapon from her belt, pulling up her defenses out of reflex. In the same instant, Luke’s lightsaber was out, crossing Kyp’s and preventing him from harming Callista. “Kyp!” he snapped. “Stop this!” Just then, to the surprise and horror of everyone gathered at the landing pad, a woman stepped out of the jungle, turning to face the small group. Luke got one good look at her face, and his blood went completely cold. It was Callista’s face. “I don’t understand! You were...” Kyp pointed to the jungle, and the woman coming ever closer. “There...how–“ He looked at Luke. “Master, Calli...I mean–that thing–“ He pointed at the new arrival. “–killed Tereias. It was the most gruesome thing–broke his neck. Tereias is dead...he’s dead...” Kyp was shaking. Luke could tell that his efforts to control it were failing. Dorsk 81 finally caught up and rested his hands on his knees, panting, and every bit as shaken as his companion. Luke exchanged glances with Callista, then turned to Kyp and Dorsk 81. “All of you...get inside. I’ll deal with this.” “What are you going to do?” whispered Callista. “I’ll think of something. Don’t worry,” he added with a reassuring grin. “I’ll be fine.” “Master Skywalker, please let us help!” Kyp insisted Luke shook his head, and turned from his student, facing the jungle. “This is not your fight.” “Of course it is! She killed Tereias.” “Kyp, please. There will be another fight. I do not think this battle will end the war.” He lowered his head a little, and added, “Now please, get inside. All three of you.” Hesitantly, Kyp and Dorsk 81 took shelter in the temple, but Callista didn’t budge. “Luke, I don’t want to leave you here alone!” Luke kissed her on the lips, managing with very little success to reassure her. “I’ll be fine.” Callista turned and walked inside without another word, looking back over her shoulder. “I hope,” Luke whispered. The sound of heavy footsteps startled him, and he turned to face the woman who had killed Tereias...the woman who was an exact mirror image of Callista. He stood face-to-face with her, unnerved by how much she really did look like her. As he calmly faced the woman, Luke came to another frightening realization as he saw that he could not feel this woman’s presence through the Force. No matter how hard he tried, he could sense no life at all within her. He could hear a heartbeat, could feel blood flow through her veins...but all of it was artificial. And in that moment, he realized that he was standing face-to-face with a Human Replica Droid. As he looked into her hard, lifeless eyes, Luke knew that there was be no reasoning with her, no negotiating. Whoever had sent this droid had programmed her with a special mission–and he had a pretty good idea what that “mission” was–and she would not stop until it was carried out. Which meant that he would have to fight. As she came closer, she said in what could only be a low snarl, “Skywalker?” Luke spread his hands, open palms up. His lightsaber remained at his belt, but he had a feeling that it would not last that way for much longer. “Yes?” The HRD walked toward Luke, her hands balling into fists that had enough power to shatter durasteel. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you. Now, it’s time to die.” “Maybe later,” he said. “Who sent you?” The HRD came forth with blinding speed before he could activate the weapon. She threw herself toward him in a full body-slam, nearly knocking him off his feet and causing him to drop his weapon. Had Luke not been attuned to the Force at that moment, he would have been knocked out cold–or worse. As it was, he was able to absorb most of the blow...not that it helped the raging pain in his body any. Luke took several steps back, trying to recollect himself. Nothing seemed to be broken, but it sure didn’t feel that way. He looked around and saw his lightsaber lying several feet away, just out of reach. The droid continued onward, not even fazed by the attack. Luke threw a backhand that connected sharply with her face, twisting her head to the side. The droid did not even hesitate as she turned back and delivered her own backhand. It hit Luke firmly in the jaw; the pain that followed was so unexpected and severe that Luke could not even use the Force to absorb the blow. He just stood there, stunned, as the HRD punched him again. Luke dropped to one knee, his entire face one large mass of pain. He tasted blood on his lips, and spat it out, staining the green morning grass red. He reached out with one hand, and his lightsaber rose into the air and landed neatly in his outstretched hand. He thumbed the switch, and the electric green blade hissed to life. The HRD stepped back at the sight of the weapon. Her eyes remained cold and fearless, as if even the threat of a lightsaber did not frighten or intimidate her in the slightest. Luke rose to his feet, holding his weapon in a defensive stance. His face still ached, but he managed to quell the worst of it. He cleared his mind, his eyes intent on the awaiting droid. Every muscle in his body was alive, his nerves tingling. He would be ready for anything. The droid came. Luke waited until she was upon him, and swung the lightsaber toward her head. But he had miscalculated his move, and the droid was able to duck beneath the humming blade. Her speed was incredible, far surpassing that of a human. The sheer momentum of the failed attack caused Luke to stumble forth, giving the HRD the advantage she needed. As Luke reeled, the droid bent over, grabbing at Luke’s legs for support. Her right foot came up in the air in a reverse kick. The world seemed to slow down for Luke as his descent continued, with the droid’s foot approaching closer and closer until he could see nothing else. It seemed that he had all the time in the universe to evade the incoming blow– Her foot caught him in the side of the head. For one horrific moment, Luke thought she had fractured his skull. His vision started to blur, as pain exploded in a blinding white light in his head. He felt himself stagger back, feeling his grip on his lightsaber loosen, one hand going up to his throbbing head. He felt rather than saw the droid move to his side, felt her powerful hand grab his shoulder. A split second later, a searing pain tore through the back of his left knee, dropping him to the ground. It took him several precious seconds to realize that she had savagely kicked him in the back of the knee, almost popping out the joint. A pained cry escaped his still-bleeding mouth, and he could not even resist as the droid grabbed him by the back of his brown robe and threw him into the air. Luke screamed as he sailed through the air and hit the ground. He felt one of the muscles in his neck tear, further increasing the agony tenfold. He remained writhing on the ground in pain, fire burning in his knee, neck, and face. He wasn’t even sure which wound to cradle first. A shadow loomed over him, and Luke looked up to see the HRD standing over him, armed for the first time. A lightsaber was clutched in both hands, the ruby-red beam humming with deadly power. Things were about to get worse. “Drop the weapon.” The voice was even, calm, unwavering. Luke craned his head a few centimeters–it hurt like hell to do so–and though he could only make out a shadow behind the droid, every fiber of his being told him it was Callista. His lover stepped out of the shadows. “I said drop it,” she repeated, not a hint of fear or trepidation in her voice. “Callista, I told you to stay inside!” “Come on, Luke. You know how great a listener I–“ The droid pivoted toward Callista without warning and unleashed a ferocious swing at her, but she managed to block it with her own topaz blade. “–AM!” Energy sparks dispersed in all directions as their blades met with fury again and again, the wicked humming ringing in Luke’s ears. Block and counter-block. Parry and counter-parry. Callista fought the droid with precision and control, and as Luke watched the two women sparring, he drew on the Force to expel the raging pain from his body. Got to help her, Luke thought, using every bit of his effort to will the pain away. It obeyed him, and soon he felt the throbbing in his torn ligaments and bruises ease. Within a few seconds, he called his lightsaber back into his hand and ignited it in an emerald blaze. “Callie!” he called out, as he lunged at the droid. The droid was not expecting Luke’s attack. She fell to the ground in a stunned heap, her blood-red saber flying out of her hand. Before she could reach forth to retrieve it, Luke beat her to it, and it leaped into his palm. The droid twisted around to face him, horror in her eyes. Callista ran to both of them, and along with Luke stood over the trembling body of the stranger. Stripped of her weapon and her confidence, she stared back at the couple with fear etched on her face. “Now,” said Callista, “we’ll find out what’s really going on.” The fear on the droid’s face suddenly evaporated, changing into defiance. “I’m not telling you anything,” she spat out. Callista frowned, then shrugged in mock-acceptance and nodded. “Oh. Okay.” She kicked her mirror image in the jaw, sending her head reeling backwards. “You and your friends have made our lives quite interesting for the past few days. And Luke and I want to find out why.” Luke put a hand on her arm, restraining her gently. “Calm, Callista,” he whispered. Callista pulled her arm away, lifting a hand to keep Luke from trying to stop her again. The droid swallowed hard, and came up on her elbows. Luke squeezed the lightsaber in his hand instinctively, ready to activate it at a moment’s notice. When he saw that the droid would make no sudden moves, he eased his grip on the metal handle. “Who sent you?” he demanded. He tasted more blood on his lip, and wiped it away with the sleeve of his Jedi robe. “You think I’m going to tell–” “Listen,” Luke said, leaning in close to her. “I don’t know what your mission is...but it stops right here and now. You’ve already killed one of my students. And if you think I’m going to let you come near anyone else–” The droid laughed indignantly. “The all-powerful Jedi Master...I’m so impressed, Skywalker. Don’t forget I almost beat you at your own game just now.” Luke smiled back. “Almost,” he said coolly, showing her that he would not be easily intimidated, and he waved her saber in his hand. “But not quite.” She snarled and attempted to get up, but stumbled back to all fours within a few seconds, automatically reaching for her shin. “Blast it!” she hissed. “You broke my leg!” Luke rubbed a finger at his still-sore jaw. “And you just about broke my face,” he countered. Callista stepped closer to the droid. It must have been strange for her, Luke thought, to look at her mirror image, a reminder of what could have been if she had chosen a dark path instead of the light. “Who sent you?” she said calmly. The droid smiled a wicked smile and leaned in towards Callista. “You’ll have to work just a little bit harder to find that out.” -----signature----- Respect my authoritah! Forever Home: A Luke/Callista Story http://boards.theforce.net/message.asp?topic=18660452&replies=0 Mara Wars (Humor) http://boards.theforce.net/The_Saga/b10476/17868966/?13
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academygrad88 Registered: Apr '04	Date Posted: 3/12/05 1:23pm Subject: RE: Forever Home: A Luke/Callista Story (AU, post-COTJ, Romance/Action/Adventure) UPDATED 3/12!!!
	Darn, that didn't end the way I had hoped. I like my scenerio better. AG88 -----signature----- I love my Bomb Disposal Expert Winner of more Golden Ewoks™ than you can possibly imagine! Check out the pictures I made: http://ag88.deviantart.com/ ! You will Kriff Luke Skywalker!~ The Real last Command http://swff.bpweb.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4
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Geith_Jiseo Registered: Dec '04	Date Posted: 3/13/05 10:11am Subject: RE: Forever Home: A Luke/Callista Story (AU, post-COTJ, Romance/Action/Adventure) UPDATED 3/12!!!
	More awaits! --------------------------------------------------------- The interrogation lasted half an hour. She and Luke had no idea who had sent this HRD—let alone the Bothan assassin—and there was no telling what else this mysterious person would send against them. Unfortunately, they were no closer to finding their answer than they had been before the droid had arrived. None of the interrogation equipment the Academy had at its disposal did any good against the Human Replica Droid, and the Bothan seemed to have the constitution of a rock. All they ever said to the two Jedi were empty threats. It unnerved Callista that they had no idea who this enemy was. When they were finally finished, Luke and Callista left the droid and the Bothan in the brig, locking the two assassins in behind them. At the other end of the hall, Kyp and Dorsk 81 had collapsed into chairs to wait for them. “So, how’d it go?” Kyp asked as he and his companion sat up. “She wouldn’t answer any of her questions,” Luke said solemnly. “We put her in the brig with Neeja.” “Was Neeja able to tell you anything?” Kyp pressed. Callista shook her head. “Nothing. Their lips are sealed as far as they’re concerned. We’ll figure out how to deal with them later. In the meantime, we’d better keep an eye out.” “Could the Empire be behind this?” asked Dorsk 81. “No question,” Luke said. “Some warlord must’ve constructed the HRD and sent her to kill us all.” “I have a very bad feeling about this,” Kyp said uneasily, looking around the cramped corridor. “I’ve been sensing a disturbance in the Force since this morning.” “Join the club,” Luke said, knowing exactly what his student was going through. “So, what now?” Dorsk 81 asked. Callista gave the Khomm alien a reassuring smile. “What else? We wait.” “I’m going to contact Tereias’s family and let them know what happened,” Luke added sadly, his eyes drifting over to Callista. “It’s not gonna be easy for me to tell them, but…someone has to let them know…” The group nodded, and remained silent for a long time, mourning the death of their friend. “Well, in the meantime,” Kyp concluded, “let’s go warn the other students about what’s going on.” Callista nodded. “Good idea. Luke, why don’t you join them, and I’ll go up to the Holonet archives for a little while, see if I can find any evidence of Imperial activity.” Luke drew air through his teeth. “Are you sure it’s such a good idea to go alone? I mean, with everything that’s going on…” Callista smiled and put her arms around his shoulders. He always looked so cute when he was worried about her. “I’ll be fine, Luke. I’m a big girl. And anyway,” she added with a wink. “It’s just a few assassins. No need to pull out the buddy system.” “Yeah, but—” “Anyway, no offense to you, Kyp, but I think the students would be more inclined to take this matter seriously if their Master is telling them.” Kyp nodded. “I agree. Come on, Master Skywalker.” Luke finally acceded. “Okay. But Callista, please be careful.” Callista smiled, and kissed him gently. “I will. I promise.” ~~~~~~* The Holocron archives were located at the very base of the Massassi ziggurat, in the same room where over a decade ago, the Rebellion had planned their attack on the first Death Star. Over a dozen shelves were stacked head to toe with Holocrons from various worlds, all in varying degrees of condition, with recordings from various Jedi Masters long gone. The library—like most libraries in the galaxy—was mostly quiet and tranquil, for few students ever came down there; the ones who did came to learn more about the ancient history of the Jedi. Tionne, in particular, frequented this place almost every day, and would spend hours researching the Holocrons, preparing for her next ballad. Today, however, Callista was alone. Tionne—as well as the other Jedi students—were gathered in the Grand Audience Chamber, where Luke was informing them of the HRD threat, as well as holding a memorial for poor Tereias. Callista’s heart went out to Tereias, as well as his family—who had no doubt already received the news of the young man’s death—and she wished she were upstairs with Luke at that moment. But a question continued to hover at the edges of her mind, something that had been bothering her for over two days now… How did she get her powers back? Callista sat in silence, chewing on a bland—but nutritious, according to the wrapper—ration bar as she listened to a recording made by the Jedi Master Vodo Siosk-Baas, who had been the mentor of the Sith Lord Exar Kun, who had later killed the old Master in a duel. Callista had seen this Holocron before. A long, long time ago—in another lifetime, it seemed like—when she had been a young woman, around sixteen or seventeen years old, under the tutelage of Djinn Altis on the Chu’unthor. Those memories were so vague to her now. It had been decades ago, and her imprisonment on the Eye of Palpatine had pretty much wiped out much of her remembrance of her past. Bits and pieces remained in her mind, certainly, just enough to continue reminding her of the life she had left behind, but for the most part…it was all just a blur. Bit by bit, though, those lost memories were beginning to come back to her, in the form of dreams—mostly nightmares. And as they came back to her, Callista wished that they had just stayed gone… The Holocron droned on and on, and Callista was beginning to feel frustrated. She had been in the library for hours now, and she was still no closer to discovering the source of her newly established powers than she had been two days ago. Many times, the holographic image of Master Vodo had mentioned Ulic Qel-Droma, the only other Jedi in recorded history other than Callista who had lost his powers. Only, unlike Callista, he had never gotten them back. Why me, though? she thought, angrily switching the Holocron off, and putting her head down on the table, trying to think. Am I the only Jedi in history to ever have this happen to? She had checked many other Holocrons recorded by other Masters—Nomi Sunrider, Thon, and even Luke’s Master Yoda—and still found no answers. Perhaps she was looking in the wrong place, she thought, as she stood up and began pacing around the library, looking over at the dozens of Holocrons sitting upon the shelves, many of them having collected dust and cobwebs, recognizing several of them from the Chu’unthor. Maybe her answer had nothing at all to do with the Force. Maybe there was something else involved, something the ancient Jedi Masters had had no idea of… As she walked along the narrow aisles, trying to let her thoughts collect, Callista’s vision began to blur. She stopped and rubbed her eyes, wondering what was wrong—maybe she was tired; she had not gotten much sleep in the past few days… And when her eyes opened, she was no longer in the library…but on a ship. Callista’s heart almost stopped, and she let out a shocked gasp. She saw movement from the corner of her left eye, and turned to see a woman shorter than she, with a wave of dark brown hair—mixed with a few blond streaks—and blue eyes that smiled over at her. She seemed so familiar to her… You’ll need to be careful for a while. It’s very easy to get lost here. What? Callista closed her eyes, and opened them, and all at once, the woman was gone, as was the ship. She was now back in the Great Temple library, amidst the shelves of Holocrons. Alone. Don’t tell me I’m going crazy now, Callista thought as she leaned against the stone wall, taking in several deep breaths. That ship—it had been the Chu’unthor. It had to be. She would recognize that ship anyplace. It was one of the few things she still remembered about her past. And the woman, her face, the words she had spoken…they were so familiar, as if it had really happened, but no matter how hard Callista tried, her mind just could not completely remember it— A crash sounded in the room, and Callista jumped, startled out of her thoughts. All at once, that same feeling—that same dark presence that had been in Callista’s bedroom—flared back, almost suffocating her. She was no longer alone. “Hello?” she called out, her voice slightly shrill. Her eyes scanned the library, but she saw no movement, no signs of anyone else in the room but her. Maybe it was just Luke, or one of his students. But that same feeling remained…“Hello? Who’s there?” A shadow loomed over her, and Callista spun around, but it was merely one of the shelves. Look at me. Jumping at every little thing, now. I must be going nuts or something...“I know you’re in here. Where are you?” Footsteps. Callista’s fears were confirmed. They were coming from the farthest shelf, as if the person had realized that his or her cover was blown, and was trying to get away as quickly as possible. The minute the door opened and slammed, Callista ran after it. She flung the library door open and ran out into the old hangar bay, which had once housed dozens of X-wing and Y-wing fighters, and was now empty, save for the Shapeshifter, Luke’s personal ship. The bay was dark and deserted, the lamplights above her long since dead. The only light streamed through the cracks in the temple walls, offering Callista little comfort. Where did you go? she thought, as she stretched out with the Force. No one else was inside the bay but her, the mysterious person now gone. And still, she could feel that being’s presence, dark and evil, could still feel it watching her from the shadows… Why does this keep happening to me? And as she stood there, alone and shrouded in darkness, Callista could hear Djinn’s voice whisper in her ear, a warning that made her blood run ice-cold, her heart pound in terror. Callista…Luke will die… -----signature----- Respect my authoritah! Forever Home: A Luke/Callista Story http://boards.theforce.net/message.asp?topic=18660452&replies=0 Mara Wars (Humor) http://boards.theforce.net/The_Saga/b10476/17868966/?13
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academygrad88 Registered: Apr '04	Date Posted: 3/14/05 5:51am Subject: RE: Forever Home: A Luke/Callista Story (AU, post-COTJ, Romance/Action/Adventure) NEW POST 3/13!!!
	The interrogation lasted half an hour. She and Luke had no idea who had sent this HRD—let alone the Bothan assassin—and there was no telling what else this mysterious person would send against them. Could it have been the MJSFC behind the attempted assassination of Callista? Nah! Don’t tell me I’m going crazy now Ummm...you’re going crazy now. Time for the electric shock therapy and the lobotomy. Callista....Luke will die... Noooooo!!!! Not my cute and sexy Farmboy!! Okay, I have to admit I am interested in how you plan on explaining the return of Callista’s powers and who wants to kill Luke. Good chapter, Geith. AG88 -----signature----- I love my Bomb Disposal Expert Winner of more Golden Ewoks™ than you can possibly imagine! Check out the pictures I made: http://ag88.deviantart.com/ ! You will Kriff Luke Skywalker!~ The Real last Command http://swff.bpweb.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4
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Geith_Jiseo Registered: Dec '04	Date Posted: 3/14/05 7:59am Subject: RE: Forever Home: A Luke/Callista Story (AU, post-COTJ, Romance/Action/Adventure) NEW POST 3/13!!!
	Thanks, AG88, you Callista-hater, you. Here's more: --------------------------------------------------------- Even in the stillness of her room, the jumbled noise in Callista’s head made it hard for her to think. It seemed she had stood there for hours in only half an hour, arms folded on her chest, the sound of her steady breathing the only sound in her room. Luke will die… Callista shivered as she heard Djinn’s warning resonate in her mind, making her skin grow cold. The images she had seen in the Holocron library, the noises she had heard, the presence she had felt, remained with her, despite all attempts to block them out. Stop it! she scolded herself, feeling her anger warm her body. You’re overreacting here. There’s nothing going on. It’s all just in your head… But something inside her told Callista that she was lying to herself. Something was going on, and she had no idea what. It remained at the edges of her subconscious, tantalizing her with that familiarity, and yet, she could not remember it. It was beginning to drive her crazy. That presence, whoever it belonged to, was someone Callista had known a long time ago, someone she had loved… And had been taken away from her. She felt Luke’s arms slide around her waist, and she leaned back, taking his arms and tightening them around her. Just the feel of her lover’s arms helped ease some of her discomfort. “Hey,” he whispered in her ear. “A credit for your thoughts?” She turned and pressed her forehead to his, looping her arms around his neck. “You already know what I’m thinking,” she answered back, as he kissed her smiling mouth. “Crazy day, huh?” She nodded wanly. “You can say that again.” She sighed as she rested her head on his shoulder. “How did it go with Tereias’s family?” She could feel Luke’s body stiffen at the question, and for the first time, she sensed that her lover was feeling just as upset as she…but for different reasons. “Not well at all,” he said sadly. “His mother just wouldn’t believe me when I told her. She accused me that if I had been doing my job right, this never would have happened.” He sighed. “And perhaps she was right.” “No.” Callista looked up into Luke’s eyes, their roles switched; now, it was he who needed the comforting. “It wasn’t your fault, Luke. There was nothing you could have done. None of us saw it coming.” She offered him a comforting kiss on the cheek. “You did everything you could. You stopped the HRD before she could kill anyone else.” “I know.” The faintest shimmer of tears pooled in his blue eyes. “It just…wasn’t enough to save him.” “I’m sorry, Luke,” Callista whispered, as she took his hand in hers. Her worries instantly forgotten, she wiped the tears that slowly slid down his cheeks with the tips of her fingers, unable to bear the sight of seeing her love in so much pain. He pulled her closer to him—so close that she could feel his breath on her face. As she looked into his eyes, she could see the many things he wanted to tell her, could almost see the words forming in his mind. At long last, he said simply, “Have I told you lately how much I love you?” She smiled and brought her hand to his face. “Yeah,” she said, “but I love hearing it over and over, so can you tell me again?” “Gladly,” he said, and took her face in his hands and kissed her—his warmth, his energy, his spirit infusing themselves within her. When they finally parted, she felt her cheeks flush. “How did I get this lucky?” she whispered. “All those years on that forsaken ship…I never thought I’d find human contact again, and now—not only did I, but I found so much more…” “I think,” said Luke, “we saved each other.” She smiled at him. “Spoken like a wise Jedi Master,” she said. “How did your search in the archives go?” Luke asked, as he continued holding her, kissing her on the crown of her head. Callista fidgeted just barely at the mention of the Holocron room. Already, the horrifying images she had seen were beginning to resurface…“Another dead end. I’d rather not talk about it right now.” She could sense that Luke knew something was deeply troubling her. But because he loved her so much and respected her privacy, he let it go, and just stood there with his arms encircling her slender body. Callista lightly traced the bruises and welts that blossomed on his face. “I can’t believe what she did to you. I almost lost you…” “I sense a lecture coming,” Luke said, only half-joking. “It was foolish of you to go up against her alone. You nearly got killed.” “But I didn’t,” Luke said back, his voice just barely rising. “It was stupid, I’ll admit that. I was just worried for your safety, and of my students—” “Luke, we’re not little children,” Callista said. “We can take care of ourselves. That’s part of what being a Jedi Knight is. To function together as a team.” She traced a large bruise that began at the left side of his forehead and continued all the way down to his jaw. “It kills me to think that she hurt you like this.” Luke felt her delicate skin grazing his jawline, and he brought her hand to his lips and kissed it. “It’s over now,” he told her. “And I’m fine. We’ll, I’ll live, anyway.” He laughed softly, and she began to laugh with him as well. “I wasn’t too crazy about having to go in the bacta tank again.” As he spoke, the memories came flooding back. Eight years had gone by since the wampa’s vicious attack on him, and he could still taste the bacta in his mouth from the last time he had been submerged in the gooey, red liquid. “I’m sorry you had to go in there again,” she said with a smile of understanding. “But I’m just glad you came out of there okay.” He nodded and gave her a deep kiss. “Thanks for caring,” he whispered. A furious pounding at the door interrupted the lovers. Luke broke from her embrace and made his way to the door. It slid open to reveal a shaken Kyp. “Master Skywalker…I’m sorry to intrude, but it’s an emergency…” “Kyp, what is it?” Luke said, pulling him into the room. It was then that Callista noticed the blood-torn clothing he wore. “Stars, what happened?” she exclaimed, rushing to their side, and pressing a hand to the bleeding wound on his abdominal area. Kyp shook his head. “I’ll be all right—” “The hell you will be!” Callista said. “Tionne…You must help Tionne…Master Skywalker, Callista…I think she’s dyin…you have to come…” ~~~~~~* Luke and Callista helped support Kyp as he led them to the infirmary. Blood flowed from his stomach injury, volumes—too much. Callista’s hand remained pressed to the wound, but small runnels of warm blood still managed to squeeze through, spilling onto the floor. “Tionne…” Kyp whimpered, wincing as he took another step. “Shhh,” Callista whispered, using her free hand to stroke his hair, like a mother to her son. “It’ll be okay, Kyp, I promise. Everything will be okay…” They reached the infirmary in record time. Kyp was on the verge of passing out by the time they had stepped through the door. What Callista saw in the room told her that everything was not okay. “Tionne!” she gasped. The beautiful, silver-haired woman lay prone on the medtable, blood flowing from a deep wound on one side of her head. Her injuries were even more grievous than Kyp’s; it looked as if someone had beaten her with something large…and blunt. “Kyp!” Cilghal said quietly, melancholy. “Please, lie down before you do further damage to yourself.” She went over to help Luke and Callista position the young man atop another table next to Tionne. “I found them ten minutes ago, Master Skywalker. Kyp was lying next to her, nearly out. He can’t remember anything that happened. They’re both in very bad shape, I’m afraid.” “…attacked…” Kyp managed to moan, his eyes beginning to lose focus. “…didn’t see it coming…” Callista could not describe the horror that shook her to the core. Could the HRD have…“Tionne, what happened?” No answer. “She’s not dead. I can feel her. Who could have done this?” She could already feel her throat tighten. Please…she silently begged. We’ve already lost one. Not another… “I don’t know at this point. I haven’t had time to really examine her. She may recover, but we don’t know what condition she’s in. Look at the wound on her head, here.” Cilghal gestured at the gash that covered the left area of Tionne’s forehead and soaked her silver hair with blood. “I’d say that this was done by a club, or something else blunt. Kyp must’ve come in after she was knocked out and tried to help, but they overpowered him. I’m doing everything I can to save them; I promise.” Luke turned to Callista. “Callie, do me a favor. Rally the students. I don’t think we’re alone here. We need to comb this entire place for Imperials.” “Luke, you don’t think…” Callista said, meeting her lover’s eyes. Luke knew what she was thinking. “I don’t know. It’s possible…” “The two prisoners are still locked up,” Cilghal told them as she applied a warm, wet rag onto Tionne’s wound. “That’s where I found them. The door was locked.” “No,” Callista said, a sickening sensation in her gut. “It was their accomplices, whoever they are. They’re somewhere in this temple…trying to free them, maybe. Tionne and Kyp must have gotten in their way.” Her resolve to find these people strengthened. “Well, we’ll just have to find them before they find that droid.” “I’ll stay here with Tionne and Kyp,” Cilghal said. “But I’ll need a medical droid to assist me.” “I’ll get one for you,” Luke said. “Then I’ll get the students together.” “I’ll go scout around,” Callista offered. “Something might turn up that’ll help us. A clue or something.” “All right, but meet us in the Audience Hall in ten minutes, okay?” “Will do.” “Be careful, Callista,” Luke said as she headed for the door. Callista gripped the doorpost and turned around. With a wink, she said, “Hey, I’m always careful.” ~~~~~~* Brakiss crept down the dark tunnel, careful to make as little noise as possible, for fear of possibly being discovered by one of the Jedi students. He had left Kyp and Tionne for dead just outside the prison corridor. Tionne had been carrying the identification card needed to open the cell door that contained the HRD and the Bothan assassin, and she had refused to give it to him. So, he had to be a little more insistent… Brakiss had once been an Imperial agent, brainwashed by the Empire since the day he was born. Master Skywalker had known about this, and still thought he could make Brakiss see the light. But Skywalker was a fool. He had no idea of all the torment and suffering Brakiss had put through in his life—the separation from his mother, the brainwashing, the terrible Imperial training, the nightmares. No one here on Yavin 4 could understand. Luckily, the Empire was willing to give him a second chance. Brakiss finally reached the cell door, and slipped the identification card through the lock. A green light flashed above the door, and it slid open a second later with a quiet swoosh. Without hesitation, the HRD stepped into the hallway, looking very much like a fearsome deity about to unleash her wrath upon the people who had imprisoned her. Brakiss looked over her shoulder, expecting Neeja to follow her out. But there was no movement from inside the cell. “Hey, where’s the Bothan?” “I wouldn’t go in there if I were you,” the droid said coldly, through parted, immobile lips. “Spending so much time in that cramped cell made me feel a little…bloodthirsty. So, as you can guess, it is very messy in there.” Brakiss shuddered, amazed at the sheer destruction this weapon could cause. “Thank you for freeing me,” the droid replied. “I owe you my services.” “I work for Admiral Daala,” Brakiss said proudly. “Carry out your—” His loftiness was broken as the droid latched onto his chest and extended her fingernails into razor-sharp knives, shoving deep into his flesh. She twisted her hands and ripped them out, trailing strings of gore. Ten ragged holes grew more prominent in his tunic, growing purple with leaking blood. Brakiss’s mouth opened in a wordless scream of indescribable pain. His eyes grew blank, and his knees buckled until he slumped to the floor. “Look on the bright side, Brakiss,” the HRD hissed over his defunct corpse. “At least your life isn’t so bad anymore.” -----signature----- Respect my authoritah! Forever Home: A Luke/Callista Story http://boards.theforce.net/message.asp?topic=18660452&replies=0 Mara Wars (Humor) http://boards.theforce.net/The_Saga/b10476/17868966/?13
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academygrad88 Registered: Apr '04	Date Posted: 3/14/05 9:56am Subject: RE: Forever Home: A Luke/Callista Story (AU, post-COTJ, Romance/Action/Adventure) Updated March 14!! - Date Edited: 3/14/05 9:57am (1 edits total) Edited By: academygrad88
	Wow, that was a bloody chapter. If I were Luke I think I would send all of his students home on leave until this is settled. I couldn't help but notice all this bad stuff started when Callista got her powers back. I still think she is up to no good. You know, maybe Callista did not get her powers back. Maybe she is possessed by the spirit of another Jedi Master or knight and she just thinks she can feel the Force. Perhaps her old lover Geith is the culprit. Maybe Geith does not want her be with Luke. He is jealous and wants to kill Luke. So, how do we get the spirit of a jealous former lover out of a person's body? I know, I think you burn them at the stake. Isn't that what they did during the Salem Witch Trials? Anyway, I think that is the route to go. Mara and I will be collecting firewood. Good chapter, Geith. AG88 -----signature----- I love my Bomb Disposal Expert Winner of more Golden Ewoks™ than you can possibly imagine! Check out the pictures I made: http://ag88.deviantart.com/ ! You will Kriff Luke Skywalker!~ The Real last Command http://swff.bpweb.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4
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Geith_Jiseo Registered: Dec '04	Date Posted: 3/15/05 11:52am Subject: RE: Forever Home: A Luke/Callista Story (AU, post-COTJ, Romance/Action/Adventure) Updated March 14!!
	I know, I think you burn them at the stake. Isn't that what they did during the Salem Witch Trials? Why am I suddenly getting flashbacks to the witch scene in Monty Python and the Holy Grail? "How do you know she is a witch?" "Well, she turned me into a newt!" "A newt?" "I got better." "Burn her, anyway!" Here's more! -------------------------------------------------------- Callista wandered away from the infirmary and silently trekked the corridors. As far as she could tell, she was alone—but she knew that could not last for long, not at the rate things were going. The tunnel was deathly silent, like a tomb, broken only by Callista’s own ragged breathing. Sweat ran down her face, stinging her eyes. Callista wiped them away and continued onward. As she walked, the image of Djinn Altis played over and over in her mind. Her skin ran cold with fear as she remembered what had happened in the Holocron library, remembered that familiar feeling she had sensed, the images of the Chu’unthor. Was this happening for a reason, trying to warn her about something, of an impending danger…or was she just going insane? Callista was glad to have her Force powers back—she would certainly need them at a time like this—but she still had no idea how they had been restored to her. Was this necessarily a good thing? A few days ago, she would have thought yes, but now… Was Djinn trying to warn her about that? Then she recalled the voice in her head. Luke will die…What had Djinn meant by that? Would the Human Replica Droid kill him? Well, Callista was not about to let that happen to Luke—or to anyone for that matter. Never again, Callista had promised herself. Not after she had let her mother die. Growing up motherless had left Callista permanently scarred. Now, years later, she longed to feel her mother’s sweet kiss on her face, the soft texture of her long, black hair…but those were only empty dreams. Callista knew that she could never again regain the innocence she had lost from her mother’s death. It was tragic, but true. Still, that did not prevent her from dreaming. It is your fault, you know, a voice whispered in her head, alien to her, but dark and seething with evil. You never loved her at all. She died because of you, you selfish little bitch! As Callista walked, she noticed the walls around her begin to lose shape, to blur, to close in on her. Dizziness washed over her, threatening to propel her into blackness. Very distinctly, she could hear the crashing of waves… You killed your own mother. She will never forgive you. Callista closed her eyes, as if doing so would ward these horrible thoughts away. But they always remained in her mind, continued to threaten her, whisper lies into her ears. In her mind, she could visualize the shape of a bottle of drain cleaner… When your time comes, join me… The corridor melted away, as did Callista. The frightening, unfamiliar voice mixed in with her mother’s last words before she had died, and the world Callista knew was enveloped in a bright flash of light— She was seven years old, a child, lumbering through the hallway that led from her bedroom to the house refresher. Her eyes were fixated on the refresher door. The lights were on indicating that someone was in there. Her mother had not come out in a long time, and she could sense that something was wrong… “M-Mama?” She moved forth, woodenly. She wanted to run, to see if her mother was all right. But time had slowed down around her, and she could barely walk. But she continued to move forth in slow, plodding steps, fear wrapping around her body like an invisible blanket. Outside, she could hear the rest of her family, laughing as they enjoyed themselves on the beach, unknowing of what was going on. Of what was to come. But they would know. They would know very soon… “Mama? Are you all right?” There was no answer. No answer other than the uncomfortable silence. She could hear movement from inside the refresher, something hitting the floor. Glass shattered, and she could hear herself almost screaming. Something was wrong…something had happened to Mama. “Mama…what’s going on?” Still no answer. The silence was terrifying. She was within arm’s reach of the door now, terror paralyzing her body. She somehow found the strength to reach out with one tiny, chubby hand and press the button that would slide open the door. It began to open, slow…so very, very slow. “Mama?” A small, barely audible squeak escaped her mouth. The door began to open, and a bright light came out, washing over the little girl. A woman’s agonized scream cut through the still air, and— Callista opened her eyes and screamed. When she finally regained her awareness, she looked around and saw that she was still in the Great Temple, far away from Chad, away from her nightmare. She had been standing in the corridor for Force knows how long. The memory remained clear and frightening in her mind, and she could not stop the tremors that shook her body. I killed her… She looked up abruptly when she heard a noise from up ahead. Taking a deep breath, the image of the hallway hovering at the fringes of her consciousness, she moved forth again, more cautiously, her feet landing softly and soundlessly. As she moved, she vaguely could hear the sound of footsteps. Moving away from her. Then a scream. Without hesitation, Callista headed for the prison cell that held Neeja and the droid. Something in her gut told her that she had to go there. Although she did not know what to expect—as if things could not get any worse for her, after what she had just seen—Callista had an extremely bad feeling that… She skidded to a halt, inertia from her headlong flight sending her a few catching steps ahead as she tried to stop. There was a body lying on the floor, near the open cell door. It was a student. Callista dropped to her knees beside the fallen form. It was Brakiss, and one look at him told her that he was dead. Swallowing a lump in her throat, Callista took a look inside the cell. What she saw staggered her. Apparently, the two roommates had not gotten along so well. The walls of the cell were caked with dried alien blood. As her eyes drank in the horrible sight, Callista saw Neeja, or rather, what had to be Neeja. Her body was completely torn apart. All that remained was a bloodied, unrecognizable mass of flesh and a few tufts of Bothan fur. Her hand going up to her mouth to stifle a gasp, Callista backed away from the cell and began running down the hallway. The droid was loose. Luke had to know about this immediately. Or had the droid already reached him? Luke will die… No! Callista’s mind shouted in rage. I will NOT let that happen! She had barely turned a corner before a figure stepped from the shadows, barring her path. Callista let out an involuntary yelp of surprise and stepped back, her intuition and fear already telling her who it was. The figure stepped out of the darkness, revealing the droid. “Well, well, well,” the droid said as she closed in on Callista. “If it isn’t…me. I see you’ve noticed my handiwork already,” the droid smirked, her eyes drifting toward the Bothan’s mutilated corpse. “Nasty little thing…If only she had been more cooperative, I would not have…torn her apart so…” Her cackles sent chills up Callista’s spine. “And Brakiss?” “Yes, yes…Brakiss,” the droid continued, her sneer growing even wider. She looked more like a psychotic serial killer than a droid. “Well, I suppose that’s what the Empire gets for getting their help from holoads.” Callista took another step back from the droid, and noticed for the first time that the HRD walked without any trace of a limp. “I saw Luke break your leg earlier. How could you have healed so quickly?” “Wouldn’t you like to know?” the droid sneered. “Self-repair units can be such a lovely boon to assassin droids, don’t you think? It makes killing us even harder than before. I have a question for you: when I kill your lover, should I start by ripping his arms off and work my way down, or the other way around—” If you lay a hand on Luke, I’ll… Callista took a deep breath. Calm. A Jedi must be at calm. At peace. Djinn had drilled this into their heads enough times. The dark side was never the way to the light, she reminded herself. She had to fight to keep her anger at bay here. But the sight of Brakiss and Neeja, the blood soaking their lifeless bodies…the temptation to tear the droid limb from limb was so great— “What’s the matter, Jedi? Can’t find your tongue?” her mirror image taunted. “You’re really too squeamish. It’s just a little blood…” “This stops here and now,” Callista said, managing to keep her voice even, though the emotions raged within her. Not another one…not another one… “Who says? You’re not going to stop me, are you?” The droid took a step closer to Callista, and Callista’s hand automatically went for the lightsaber at her side. She would be ready. “You beat me earlier because you had your boyfriend helping you,” she said, inching closer to Callista. “But now it’s just the two of us. Are you willing to risk it?” “A Jedi does what a Jedi must,” Callista shot back. She smiled back at the droid, and watched her snarl in response. “I’ve already died once. I’m not afraid of dying again.” “Well, I’m glad you feel that way, because you will die today. And so will your beloved Jedi Master!” “NO!” Callista leaped at the droid in fury. Within a few seconds, she tore her lightsaber from her belt, and it snap-hissed to life, its sun-colored blade casting an eerie yellow hue in the darkness of the corridor. As she moved to strike against her unguarded opponent, something stopped her. Callista… She stepped back, and saw that her opponent was just as stunned as she was. Callista, the voice beckoned again. This time, she knew who it was—it was Djinn. Anger leads to the dark side. Do not take her bait. Callista deactivated her blade and took in a shaky inhale. But a few seconds later, she regretted having disarmed herself. Without warning, the droid moved to her left in a blur of inhuman speed. She snatched at the lightsaber clipped to Brakiss’s belt, and ripped it free from its deceased owner. The blood-red beam came to life, and the HRD slashed at Callista—narrowly missing her shoulder. Callista cursed and reactivated her weapon. Their blades made contact, yellow and red coloring the lifeless crypt with their fire. Inch for inch, stride for stride, the droid matched her every move perfectly. And though it did not feel like it overpowered her, neither did she feel she could overpower it. Blades humming, crackling in the still, dense air of the hallway, Callista gritted her teeth and drew on all her energy to fight off the droid. She did not know how much longer she could keep doing this. Callista drew upon the Force, as Djinn had advised her, using it for the light rather than for the dark. She aimed a chop for the droid’s neck, intending to decapitate her right then and there. The droid saw the blow coming, and easily deflected the topaz blade aside. She sneered wickedly into the Jedi’s face. “You’ll have to do better than that,” she said teasingly, her voice thick with contempt. In a lapse of concentration, Callista unleashed her anger and kicked the droid full in the face, catching her off guard. She wasn’t completely sure that the blow had hurt, but it was enough to stagger her. She threw a lower kick, catching her in the side, and the droid was knocked against the wall. With a spin, Callista slashed downwards, aiming for the HRD’s head— Recovering and moving faster than anticipated, the droid blocked the blade with her own. “Much better,” she said, as she snatched Callista by the arm and swung her around into the wall, their faces pressed closer together. “But not good enough, I’m afraid.” She kept her grip on the other’s arm, pressing with almost enough pressure to snap the bone. Thinking fast, Callista head-butted the droid. Had the droid been human, the blow would have pulverized her nose. As it was, she staggered back, nearly losing her balance as she hit the opposite wall, her grip on Callista’s arm lost. Blood trickled from her nose and mouth in crimson ribbons. When she regained her equilibrium, she charged forth with her saber with a vengeful cry. Callista met the red sword’s attack, producing sparks that sizzled in all directions. The droid slashed toward her opponent’s head, but Callista was able to dodge it by a hairsbreadth. In retaliation, she jabbed her blade toward the droid’s gut. Unfortunately, her opponent saw it coming, and kicked Callista’s wrist, snapping the weapon out of the way. Callista felt as if her fingers had been flattened, but somehow she kept the hilt in her hand. In seconds, she resumed her attack position, and the droid came at her with powerful speed. The HRD fought with such strength and speed that Callista was finding it difficult to concentrate, even with the Force. Her entire hand was throbbing with pain, making it hard to keep a firm grip on her weapon. Her energy was beginning to wear off, whereas the droid looked as if she could continue to fight well into the night. Callista would have to win this fight quickly. But how? Finally seeing an opening, Callista chopped the topaz beam down toward the HRD’s left arm. But she miscalculated her attack, and the droid was able to avoid the incoming blade. Callista lunged toward her, and the droid sidestepped, grabbed her by the shoulder, and redirected her to the floor, nearly wrenching her shoulder clean out of its socket. Callista remained sprawled across the stone floor, her shoulder on the verge of dislocation. She groaned and rose to her hands and knees, her eyes never leaving the grinning droid. Her mind whirring, her arm burning with fresh pain from the shoulder all the way down to her bruised fingers, Callista did the only reasonably thing she could do. She ran. She could hear thundering footsteps behind her as the droid gave chase, but she did not dare look back. She continued running down the darkened corridor, her mind wild with barely controlled fear, reaching out with the Force to anyone who could hear her. Luke, she finally whispered, knowing he could hear her wherever he was. Luke, please come… ~~~~~~* “I want you all to be very careful,” Luke said in a commanding voice as he stood before the gathered students in the Grand Audience Chamber. The students listened with rapt and horrified attention as their Master informed them of the prisoner’s escape. “This droid is extremely dangerous. She has already killed one of my students…and I don’t want that to happen again. If any of you should encounter this droid, don’t try to engage it. Run, as quickly as you can, and let me know as soon as possible. I will deal with this situation myself. “May the Force be with you.” With that, the students rose from their seats as one unit, and began filing out of the Audience Chamber. Luke’s mind picked up on the dozens of quiet conversations that passed between them, particularly the younger ones. Fear and uncertainty were running rampant in their minds, as well as rage from the older students, who wished for their new threat to be already over. Once the last student had left, Kam Solusar and Kirana Ti—two of Luke’s original students, and two of the most powerful at that—went up to join the Jedi Master on the dais. “Master, I have a bad feeling about this,” Kam said honestly. “Judging from what this droid did to Tereias, who knows what else it is capable of.” “I agree,” Kirana Ti added, also showing some traces of uncertainty, which surprised Luke, considering that the warrior woman was normally stoic and calm in situations like this. “I fear for everyone’s safety here, Master Skywalker. Especially the younger ones. What if the droid should—” “Calm yourselves,” Luke quietly admonished them. “The HRD is indeed a lethal weapon, and I also have my concerns, but we can’t let our fears hamper us. If we’re gong to find it, we have to be patient and calm.” Their conversation was broken by a loud, shrill scream that invaded his mind. Luke flinched at the river of pain and terror that followed, and he immediately recognized the voice. Luke! “Callista!” Luke said, his voice unusually loud. “What is it, Master Skywalker?” Kirana Ti asked. “It’s Callista,” Luke gasped, sudden dread weighing down his gut. “She’s in trouble!” “The droid,” Solusar said. It was not a question. -----signature----- Respect my authoritah! Forever Home: A Luke/Callista Story http://boards.theforce.net/message.asp?topic=18660452&replies=0 Mara Wars (Humor) http://boards.theforce.net/The_Saga/b10476/17868966/?13
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