Before - Legends The Sith Maiden - Volume Three of the Gessa Saga - Complete!

The young man's turning out to be quite a character... and detective. I hope he is able to keep his promise to clear Naressa.

 

What happens, unfortunately, is eventuality....

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CHAPTER 119.2

Alone, the long ride to the Jedi Detention Center forced Casper to think more about his discovery than about clearing his mind as instructed by Mace Windu. The Council did not grant him permission until he had explained to them why he had to see the Ortolan. He dreaded the meeting of the Council even more than he dreaded the upcoming meeting with Breck and had hoped not to really talk about anything, not with Master Yoda around. However upon his explanation the Council, with Yoda?s few words of blessing, Casper proceeded. Casper had to be honest as the ride to the proper underground floor came to an end. He couldn?t clear his mind if he tried any harder, and frankly he wanted the case to fill his conscious and what Lars Breck had done than having to recount how much older and wearier Master Yoda had looked since the last he had saw him. Something was cruelly torturing the small and powerful Grand Jedi Master?s conscious; Casper had a feeling it had to do with Enothchild since Yoda buttoned down his reaction to his theory he was about to prove fact.

At the desk of Jedi Master ordered to guard the Detention Center the Cyclian Jedi Master Iu Ree Kikobee gave Casper the infamous ?beer goggles? and rudely instructed, ?Clear your mind, Jedi Knightshade! Do not see this being with impulses!?

?I will, Master,? lied Casper as he handed his lightsaber over to Master Kikobee. He was not believed but he did not care. He walked over to the extending light plank with every intention of speaking his mind. He only wished he could take his lightsaber with him, though it would not have been in the name of justice to use it on Breck. His plan was plain enough; without really knowing for certain, Casper just assumed that Breck would be open if he was honest with words, thoughts, and emotions.

After crossing the plank it retracted. Casper put the view-distorting glasses on and the cell door opened to let him in. He was being monitored but he ignored them; as far as he was concern it was a conversation between him and Breck. The universe could listen, but even if the conversation was clear only Casper was going to understand it.

The Ortolan had his trunk buried in what looked to be soup from his home world when he noted Casper?s arrival. Between them was heavy glass to prevent any dirty tricks from Breck. Ears lifting slightly, the blue body becoming rigid before relaxing, the fat and unassuming Breck raised his snout up to speak. He said, ?Although I am trapped behind this pressurized seal I somehow can?t escape smelling male Twi?lek coming from your Human body.?

Before Casper could speak Breck was on his fat feet and moving towards the glass. Breck mused, ?Either you have bad taste in boyfriends or you are Ros Ofcheck?s former Padawan Learner.? He mocked, ?Please be the former and you need help; Jedi angst does bore me to tears.?

?You know who I am, Doctor Breck,? said Casper, ignoring the wobbly sensation created by the goggles that prevented Breck?s stare from getting to him. He could tell Breck was trying with his lidless stare. ?I suspect you were hoping for someone who was involved in the Hapes case to eventually confront you; especially when the investigation has lead to the deaths of three Jedi.?

?Oh?? said Breck in fake surprise. ?Oh, that is terrible to hear. Three Jedi dead linked to toilet seats. That is terrible, just terrible.? He then smarted off, ?I sure hope Ros suffered.?

Casper worked his mouth over that, very surprised at himself getting mad. Then again it was easy considering the circumstances. He said, ?Ros, Nue Cadabel, and eventually Enothchild Sarch. All three Moranna Knights.?

Breck gave off the impression of a smile. ?My, my, my: there is a Force after all that listens to the prayers of evil.? His floppy ears wiggled and waggled in joy. ?And without question suffered by the hands of the Sith female. Women?.scornful creatures that lot!?

?You knew.? Casper stepped clos

 

Sigh. Nevermind the exuberance of youth.

Good post!

 

No fooling, Delight.

And BTW for those who are Lurking Loyal: Delight's The Last Morning

All ready it's a great start of a read!



CHAPTER 119.3

The Plop Down in the Mizar District of Coruscant was seedy and disreputable but even then it had its limits. Middle of the week there was less credits to go around, and at such a late hour there were far less people. Essentially only drunks that were kicked out from other bars stumbled in hoping for five more rounds; they were kicked out immediately, nearly all of them couldn?t pay. Though not necessarily a regular by definition the bartender knew Plo Koon on sight and let him and his young companion in. The two had managed to get in before last call. Two good solid ales were delivered to their table, to which to Plo?s delight he found Casper could drink.

?I?ve been coming in here for decades,? explained Plo, admiring his mug ?more so as a member of the Council and more so than regularly lately.? Before he let Casper get an idea he added, ?No, I don?t booze it up. I have one, or nothing at all.?

Casper remembered months ago when he and Ros had returned; Ros and Plo and Nue had went out together. ?This is where the Headbangers hanged out??

?When we could,? said Plo in retrospect. ?Honestly, all of us Headbangers were together, all here, at the same time, only once. It was when Nadja?s book was released. Not one of us was out there doing anything, for once in our lives. Rare is it more than two Jedi can find the time to hang together and not have it be business. It was Nue and I a great deal of the time, that slow walking plant.? He said quietly, ?I miss him, I miss them all.?

Casper remained silent at the only means to express any condolences. Knowing what he was in for as a Jedi that month long stay with his family was refreshing and he knew it would be the only time he had to do it. From this moment forward, given his youth and lack of Padawan Learner, he was facing a challenging road of life filled with constant duty and demanding purpose. Friends were rare; friendships were very precious.

Plo said, ?Admiral Glace Culot was here, too, can?t forget him. He was a captain back then, the poor guy, he really never saw the reason why Nadja dragged him along. It was perhaps the most perfect day for our friendship.? He drank through an apparatus that allowed him to keep his new breathing mask on; the old mask was ruined in the explosion. He reflected, ?It?s hard sometimes to remember the people you know after they have died.?

?Breck told me that some day the Code would mandate against friendship,? offered Casper on that note.

?Blue bastage? returned Plo, but then added, ?I hate it when he?s partially right.? He contemplated the mug in his hand. ?With all we give up, all we do have is ourselves and our peers. Very easy it is to lose sight of our trained responsibilities.? He wanted to shake his head but stopped. ?Let them go would be the popular sentiment in the Order.?

?I can?t,? admitted Casper, taking a drink from his mug for the first time. It wasn?t like the brew he had at Rapier Manor, but it was good enough. Somehow it was a reflection of him; just good enough to be a Jedi; just good. ?I won?t let them go.?

Plo gave a small nod and said, ?I won?t if you won?t.? He raised his mug in salute and drank some more. He eyed Casper carefully and then asked, ?How?s the legs??

Casper was caught off guard again; the situation he was in made it easy for it to happen. He wasn?t too sure what Plo was driving at with it, but he wasn?t going to come right out and ask. He just said, ?Just as good as the old ones.?

?Really? Ah, you?re lucky. I hate my nose.?

Confused, Casper set his mug down and asked, ?Your nose??

Tapping his new face mask, Plo said, ?The explosion I was in took my old nose off. I got some?.plastisizer version in place. Can?t smell dung.? He tapped his pointy finger at the bridge of the mask between his eye goggles. ?Skull fracture didn?t help either so nothin

 

Isn't friendship beautiful? The depths of the emotions - nicely written. Love that part about Yoda's heart and a typical Jedi grief lasting for only one millisecond. Heh.

Onwards for what's next!

 

Contrary to what some may say, I think Yoda does care more than he lets on; still, he really doesn't dwell on it. He's got the present and a mindful future to keep his focus on. It does put into the debate what makes Yoda great in the writing: is it because he's the Jedi everyone aspires to, or is it his sense of priority?

But...NEXT

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CHAPTER 120.0

The sunrise was far from happening to ?officially? begin the day when Dizzy Arnes was slowly coming to. He kept hearing Muriel, the source behind the hand that was shaking his body, repeat his name as his eyes barely registered the time on their desk clock by their bed. He mumbled something, he didn?t know what he said, and just took another distaining look at the large Rapier Manor windows of their living quarters to know he was right, it was too damn early to be waking up. He was so determined to fall back to sleep he totally ignored his Wife?s new course of rolling him across the large bed. It was a short trip, to the space she had occupied by him.

Dizzy woke up when he realized he was getting very wet. He frowned, opened his eyes, and mumbled through sleep-numbed lips, ?Whaf youf do, peef in bef??

Muriel tried to straddle him, but she winced a bit and wrapped her free arm around her bare, nine month-swollen belly. She gritted through clinched teeth with frustration and worry, ?No, stupid, my water just broke!?

Confused in his sleepiness, Dizzy just moaned, ?I?ll fix the pipes in the bathroom in the morning.?

He came awake when Muriel shouted in his right ear, ?DIZZY, I?M HAVING THE BABY RIGHT NOW!?

?BABY! OH!? Dizzy practically kicked Muriel out of his way trying to get out of bed. ?Oh baby, baby?s on the way! Baby?s on the way! Where?s my pants!? He was not acting his age -- which went without saying when it came to everything he said or done in his life -- leaping to his feet, still on the bed, and immediately falling face first off the bed as his panicky feet got entangled in the bedding.

But even with his face breaking the fall Dizzy was up and fighting brutally with the bedding. Meanwhile Muriel just sat on the edge of the bed, breathing calmly, relaxed after a minor contraction. Dizzy, though, just barked, ?Breathe, honey, breathe! Remember your breathing! You?re not breathing! Breath, oh you sonuva-? he tripped and fell in the blanket.

?Honey, I just wanted to wake you,? pointed out Muriel, who didn?t know whether or not to laugh. ?My water?s broke, that?s all.?

Dizzy jumped up and said desperately, ?Stop holding your breath!?

Muriel frowned at him and rubbed her belly. ?I am breathing! You have to relax.?

?Relax? Relax!? Dizzy looked appalled. ?You?re having the baby and you?re telling me to relax!? He was up, stumbling, tripping, and with what could be described as Jedi-like he left both his feet, somehow traveled a considerable distance, and regained all balance to reach the far door. ?Don?t worry, Honey, you?re just delirious from the contractions. I?ll do the thinking! I?ll get a hover chair. Be right back!?

?Wait, Dizzy!? Dizzy ignored her warning, went outside, and scurried around for a hover chair, forgetting that hover chairs were not a normal fixture in Rapier Manor. He felt a little chilly, looked down?.

When he reentered their living quarters, Muriel mused wide eyed, ?Will you please, for Force sakes, put on some pants!?

Sighing, Dizzy went to the closet to find some pants. He went through a few small pairs because like just about all ?expecting husbands? he had put on some guilt weight; his belly was only half the radius of Muriel?s excusable pot. Throwing the pants on that could fit him he went to look for a shirt. He said, ?I don?t know how you can be calm.?

?Oh, that?ll change when I dilate fully,? pointed out Muriel. ?I can walk to the infirmary all right. The contractions are mild.?

Dizzy wanted to say otherwise to that, but as he struggled to put his shirt on the time was taking away his panic. What he had learned about pregnant Human female over the past nine months

 

Two of them at the same time??!! No wonder Dizzy's running around like that.... ! Looking forward to the rest of the pressurising exercise.

 

It makes for great....er drama? Yeahhhhhhhhhhhh, drama.

---------------------------------

Dizzy ignored the help that could had provided help and raced down the long hallway to Juna?s room. At her doors there were household help coming to Juna?s ordered aide. He body checked three people out of his way to stop himself from running and was at Juna?s side; she was sitting on the edge of her bed with one of Enothchild?s old shirts on as night clothing, sweaty and soaked.

?I?m here, I?m here, I?m here,? repeated Dizzy, giving Juna an affectionate pat on her head. ?Why didn?t you call before? Where?s Rose??

Juna took some deep breaths and said, ?Because a while ago I thought it was just gas. I thought I could control it with breathing. I didn?t want to wake Muriel up, she needed her rest.? She took some breaths and continued. ?And Rose has been pulling the same hours that I have. No little girl needs that kind of exhaustion. Let her sleep.?

Dizzy chuckled, turned to the doors and realized, ?Eh, how they get hurt??

Crossing her eyes a little, she pointed out, ?You ran them over.?

?Oh. Sorry.? Dizzy rubbed his eyes to get the ticking feeling out of them. They ticked more. He said to the recovering help. ?Sorry again. Look, we need hover chairs or med beds at my room and this room. Both mommies are in labor.?

?They?re on their way,? said one of the maids, a bit knocked around looking.

Dizzy went to the comm and asked, ?Honey, you still there??

?Ohhhh, yes.? The drawn out response nearly made Dizzy run out of the room in a panic. ?The chair?s here.?

?Okay, we?re going to be there soon-.?

?Ohh! Ohhhhhhhhhh!? Juna clinched herself as another contraction hit.

Dizzy hovered around her, PANICKING, and just said, ?Breathe, kid, breathe! He, he, he, hooooooooooooooooooooo. He, he, he, he, hoooooooooooooooooooo.? He looked up at the help and begged, ?What?s taking so long??

The help began scurrying around and tried to find answers in their own way via comm links. It didn?t satisfy Dizzy at all in getting an answer. Thinking too pro-actively he grabbed Juna?s right leg and crossed it over her left leg as if to prevent her baby?s escape. Before she said anything to him Dizzy was leaping over one of the corners of her bed, barreling out the door, and running back to his room.

Reaching the door way Dizzy turned in and ran his groan right into one of Muriel?s stretched out legs. The design of the chair propped her legs up slightly as she sit comfortably in it. Unfortunately for Dizzy it was anything but.

The medical and nurse droids, fetched by the help, had arrived and went to the Sullustan instead of the Human. The nurse droid noted, ?Doctor, it appears the patient has suffered some form of trauma.?

?You got that right, Nurse Ratchet,? moaned Dizzy, crawling to his feet and proceeding towards the rear of Muriel?s chair. ?Excuse me.?

?Wait. Dizzy, what are you doing?? Muriel felt her Husband push the chair. ?Wait a parsec!? The droids and help began to protest as well.

?We?ve got to go pick up Juna, Babe,? barked Dizzy, regaining the feeling in his legs after taking such a shot to his malehood. ?People are just moving too slow!?

?But Diz-.?

?I don?t hear you breathing!? Dizzy just kept ahead of everyone else giving chase.

?I don?t need to breathe, I?m not having contractions, and how is this going to work??

?Short idea: throw Juna on you, run to the birthing ward, end of story!?

Muriel did her best to turn in the chair, but her legs were held in position. She only said to that, ?Throw her on me?? She shook her head and stated the fact, ?My Husband is stupid. My Husband is the stupidest being in the entire galaxy.?

Dizzy only said, ?I don?t hear you breathing!!!?

 

Agree with Muriel. Do guys really act this 'off-balanced'.. or is it just Dizzy being his dizzy self?

 

Do guys really act this 'off-balanced'

Yes. Yes we do.

(Gets angry glares from all the men of the world for revealing a 'deadly secret') I'm.....going to a corner now....

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Even with his ears it was hard to tell; he was breathing too hard in his panic, running desperately with all possible speed a Sullustan at his overweight old age could do. Without Enothchild, he in his unshakable opinion of consequence was ?The Man?. The women in his life were smarter than him, pretty than him obviously, could figure things out and yeah they knew exactly what they were doing, but with all due respect to them they needed that ?gender with a thingy? component to center them, protect them, and yes sometimes save them from themselves. Dizzy was absolutely certain this was one of those many times; without him, they were going to panic and forget what to do!

Never mind that, at the moment, he was doing all the panicking for them.

By the time they had reached Juna?s room she was being carted out on a full size med bed. In the panic of the household four med beds and too many medical droids showed up. Dizzy seized the opportunity and transferred Muriel from the chair to one of the extra beds.

?Hello,? offered Juna to Muriel with a sweaty smile. ?Having fun??

Muriel shook her sweaty head and said, ?No, I?ve been thanking Almighty God that Dizzy hasn?t figured out how to kill us both yet!?

Dizzy hadn?t quite heard the comment and only said off hand, ?I?m working on it, Red, don?t worry!?

Before the med droids or anyone else could take hold of the med beds Dizzy took it upon himself to push them both. He remarked again, ?I don?t hear you breathing!!!?

Out of nowhere Rose joined the group of people; try as Juna had she had that ability to known when her mistress was in need of her services. The little girl, taken in after much legal wrangling as the Ward of Rapier Manor and fully named Rosary Faith, was still so much the slave than a de facto trial daughter. Both Juna and Muriel had worked hard to make Rose more independent, and though very little progress was made that was significant it didn?t take much for her to switch back to loyal Sith slave. When it came to Juna?s pregnancy, she was just as worse as Greta, fretting over anything remotely considered ?disturbing?.

Rose leapt on the bed and was nearly in tears. She whimpered, ?I?m here, Mistress, I am so sorry. You must flog me for my insubordination.?

Juna shook her head and assured, ?You did nothing wrong, Rose.?

But Dizzy yelled, ?Thank Schlitz! Get your mistress to breathe, won?t you Kid, cry or something??

?Dizzy!?

But Rose?s mouth opened in shock and she asked, ?Mistress, why are you not breathing?? And to add insult to pride the little girl did the same hehehe, hoooooooo that Dizzy had employed. ?Please, repeat after me. He. He. He. Hoooooooo.?

?Oh, this is soooooooo, so wrong,? offered Muriel before another contraction struck her.

After a minute Dizzy couldn?t really push anymore and said to the med droids, ?Take over, will you??

One of the leading med droids took Juna?s bed and said, ?Thank you, sir, for allowing us to do our job finally.?

?No one likes a smarty talking trash can.? Dizzy walked between the two beds. He grabbed Muriel?s hand and assured her, ?Okay, there?s no need to panic. Everything?s all right. Relax. Breathe. Relax. Don?t push. Warm enough? Too warm? Here, hold my hand. I?m not squeezing it too hard, am I??

After a series of breaths Muriel told him, ?Dizzy, why don?t you take a breath. I?m fine.?

?I?m fine too,? assured Juna from his other side. ?Really, you?re panicking a bit too much.?

Dizzy shook his head adamantly. ?That?s?.that?s the pain, smecking with you both! Look, take my hand too!? He snatched up Juna?s left hand as he held on to Muriel?s right hand between them. ?You two are delirious with agony and hormones.?

Rose whined, ?Why are there no ice chips? No cold cloths of water for Mistress? head??

?See? Kid knows what

 

Oh, poor Dizzy. I hope the baby is born soon.


Awesome updates, Casper.

 

We're breathing, we're breathing....

Great stuff. I love how the tdh story switches between action and humour and drama.

 

FINALLY! Caught up again.

It seems just as things are starting to look somewhat normal for Casper, Dizzy's life has gone fully and decidedly sideways.

Well, if it's any consolation, at the rate his...er...appendage is getting kicked, squeezed, and otherwise, a vasectomy won't be necessary...just some re-constructive surgery

ONWARD!

 

Sara: HEY!

I'm close to having some free time here, so when I get a chance I head over to those forums you told me about. I got a different name there too!

Thanks for posting, too!


Delight: You can stay within the realm of a theme AND still have other dimensions to it. I just proved, again for the third straight major writing project, that it can be done.

And think, I don't get paid for it.


Whiskey: LOL!

At this point Dizzy should talk to the surgeon that redid his ears.

AND prepare the Flaming Shovel of Doom....because.......you know......MELROSE! (runs screaming from ESPN!)

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CHAPTER 120.1

Beside the complications created by Dizzy the birthing went on without problems and both sets of mother and child came through with no complications, just curiosities.

First things were first, however, upon the birthdays of the two children; Juna immediately reminded everyone in the Rapier sphere of influence that knew of her pregnancy to not tell anyone. Juna did everything she could do in person under the current circumstances before her pregnancy became too noticeable; the yards of black clothing to slim her down exceeded rational fashion sense when she reached month number five. Business was going slow for Rapier Technologies and getting slower every day, but the depositions for lawsuits, the constant frantic calls from creditors and the sometimes not so friendly demands of foreign dignitaries from her Royal past were going to pick right back up from their peak of several months ago once Juna was forced again to deal with them. The lingering question was when; Muriel really did wonder at times how.

The media attention had died somewhat to tabloid level, but news of Juna having a baby without the rest of the universe knowing she had married Enothchild would create brand new scandal. With every bit of credit going to the media, Juna Rapier was no longer a former Queen of Naboo, never been an ambassador of any good standing, had never done a good deed in her entire life, and was blamed for every thing from Naboo?s slight recession to little children unable to sleep a night because, quite frankly, Juna was under their bed ready to steal their souls. Juna was worse dare say myth-believers than a Nubian banshee. Fish weren?t caught; broken a fingernail; kid can?t read; diarrhea; had bad sex: blame it all on Juna Rapier -- no Angelleia because, again, in the eyes of the media influenced public she had never been their Queen and no Lady because how could such a foul thing be one. Juna had taken those hits none too well but survived, however in attempts to reorganize and regroup from a falling situation the last thing she wanted was to be labeled a single mother.

Nubians had a very strict view on the honor of marriage that was more about functionality and purpose than about religion; one of the faults in the culture that was otherwise more than compassionate. Naboo took marriage and family very seriously and had strict laws that smothered those who chose divorce and really frowned upon people who had children out of wedlock; Muriel?s mother Serena Bastain knew of such frowning, getting no real help. Scandal was bad enough for a single parent; a single parent the likes of Juna, the scandal would never cease. The media needed a new reason to attack -- on behalf of the people, surely -- Juna; a baby with no known father would do just that.

There was also the consideration of Enothchild Sarch?s enemies deciding to take a shot at revenge if they ever found out he was dead and he had a wife and baby. Juna had yet, and it seemed doubtful than ever, to regain any semblance of her powerful abilities and vast fighting knowledge before the Fading Light transformation. She did feel that the power was hers to bring them forth, but they could not be reached at her very calm and at peace levels of thought and existence, regardless of the hell she was facing with business and politics. Though she was confident that she could defeat any enemy,

 

AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!

Happy birthday Bella and Diggy...er...Diggory.

Things are definitely coming full circle now, and the next generation has begun.

ONWARD!

 

Cutie babies! Like them. And Bella has such a long name. She'd probably be a heart-breaker when she grows up.

So does this mean that Naboo and the Republic are selectively removing any memory of Juna being one and the same as Angeleia?

 

It's the ultimate in revisionist history. By separating the mythos of Angelleia from the reality of Juna Rapier, Naboo's royalty can continue as an unblemished line.

Unfortunately, that involves a lot of spin, cover-ups, and what they called 'double-think' in Orwell's 1984. The governments gonna have their hands full trying to patch this one up.

 

A bit like the fate which befell the Jedi, if you think about it. Hmm.

 

Part and parcel, Juna's taking what the Republic is giving her and using it to her advantage. Evidently wise, I just took the real life practice of Billing and used it as a story tool. When people hate you, you have no title, no honorifics, and more than likely you suddenly don't have a first name, except when to tell you apart from a relation. And, as you see in the next post's beginning paragraphs, it doesn't matter what you do, it's just wrong.....

But as you see, Delight, you doesn't take an Empire to make an institution disappear.

BTW - Chapter 122 is the last chapter of The Sith Maiden! There will still be an Epilogue.....


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CHAPTER 121.0

The autumn was upon the grounds of Rapier Manor before Juna knew it. That was the price of being who she was, a person of high power in the perceptions of her persecutors and wards and a mother to a wonderful little baby that had occupied the rest of her time. And Bella took up most of Juna?s time, and in no way was it Bella?s fault. Purposely Juna made Bella her unspoken secret excuse for everything she did after she was born.

Five days after Bella was born Juna did the unprecedented: she proceeded with the long and expensive process of buying back the public shares of Rapier Technologies and thus pulling her company off the trading market. By doing it independent of the Board of Directors with her own finances her distant relations could not prevent her from doing it. Though it was true she owned more than enough to prevent any hostile takeover she did take away the loophole in public trading laws that allowed the Republic and the King of Naboo to take Rapier Technologies away from her. A reason to do such government takeover was the same reason why the Republic and Nubian authorities would occasional arrive unannounced with a search warrant from time to time: the belief that the Lady Juna Angelleia was giving aid to her fugitive mother Naressa Rapier. The searches were intimidation tactics by political figureheads that hadn?t played all their options out; she took away so many by pulling Rapier Technologies off the trading block.

There was a backlash with her move -- there was always a backlash, no matter what Juna had done. Markets that were in recovery took a tremendous hit when she had bought all that she could from shareholders. It didn?t matter to others that Juna?s losses had for the first time in her young life were double the amount of small earnings the company made in the past year. The lack of profit drove share prices down, enabling her to buy the stocks, which drove many to say the whole situation had been devised from the beginning; one of many conspiracy angles that only had merit so long as fools believed them. There were many fools, too many in the galaxy to count.

The legal means still slowly played out. Next to the criminal aspects were the ongoing and growing civil ramifications from the Shut Down to the deals Naressa alone made. In the latter was the sentiment that the plaintiffs had been unwillingly persuaded into their deals with Rapier Tech. People that paid attention knew the Rapier women knew the Force and could use it, they just didn?t know to what extent, but just knowing it and using it was enough for them to cry foul. It did help Juna to create the atmosphere that allowed her to do some business from Rapier Manor via HoloNet because others did not want to be ?mentally smecked with?, so that was a blessing more than just a curse. Still the affect did hurt in the courts, and for the present time it did hurt business.

The Bothans were so loyal to the Rapier Clan that they refused to lower Juna?s credit standing, which was such a blessing or otherwise Juna would had been in worse trouble. Her losses along with a bad credit rating would have thrown her into the arena of bankruptcy, but even with the removal of Rapier Technologies from the Bothan Stock Exchange the Bothans did not hold a grudge and their speculators firmly believed Juna could turn it all around in the future; ten

 

what a vision. but it's only the dark side talking.

good stuff as we move ever closer to the end...

 

Never any peace for Juna, no matter what she tries to do.

Someone needs to call the Ghostbusters on Darth Rune and just take that so-and-so out of the Sith Maiden picture permanently. I mean hey, even her own people can't stand her.

I agree with Delight too...this is only one part of Bella's heritage coming out. The Light Side could be making a big old Bantha-headed appearance soon. Though, it would be funnier to see Nadja's take on Vader. So many bad jokes from MAD and CRACKED magazines suddenly come to mind.

122? The end? Holy crap! That means I'll have to start looking for other fanfics to haunt...hope I still remember how.

EDIT: OMG! I just found something that is utterly freakin' hilarious. STORMTROOPER RANT!

Go to http://www.podiobooks.com and check out a book called 'A Different Point of View.' Too freakin' funny.

 

Delight: in the Force, is there a side?

But alas, all bad things as well as good things must come to an end....


Whiskey: First, ROTGLMAOBIITF on 'A Different Point of View'!!!! I put it up there with Pulp Phantom and Fellowship 9/11!

"Jedi Thugs"? LOL!

"If there is one thing I know about abuse, it's me." - Sandtropper TD-0013

And secondly: well.....cripes, when did Luke and the Gang (Hey, that's catchy!) get many peaceful moments?

EU authors to SW characters on the torture rack: "One more crank, shall we? Yes! Okay!!!"

And yes, Nadja would fight Vader. It would be an interesting fight. She would be doing it WHILE READING the Mad and Cracked magazine jokes to Vader!

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CHAPTER 121.1

The next moment Juna felt a great deal of pain from having thrown herself from the bathtub. No matter how fast her heart beat and no matter how hard it thumped Juna was numb with incredible cold not associated with her naked state and the cold bathwater. She cared little for herself as she struggled to get to her feet on the wet floor, managing footing when she grabbed hold of her hung up bathrobe, when she heard little Bella crying terribly like never before.

There was knocking on her door, but Juna absolutely ignored the pounding and the voices of Rose and Muriel and Dizzy on the other side. She reached the bedside to find Bella in bawling duress, and her tiny body shivering terribly. Juna knew what the shivering; it was not from elemental cold.

?I?m here! My God, I?m here, Gessa! I?m here, I?m here, I got you!? She desperately, but carefully, picked Bella up and held her close and hugged her with overly exaggerated attempts to comfort her; she meant to soothe Bella, but Juna was absolute beyond the ability to help has the tears and the fears wept from her body. ?Mommy?s here! It?s all right!?

The door security system was overridden and Muriel was in first with a roll and her sleek lightsaber lit at the end of the movement. She had sensed more than the general disturbance in the Force; she had felt power from Juna she had not sensed since the beginning of the end of the Shut Down.

?Get back, Kid!? barked Dizzy at Rose, who nearly ran right behind Muriel until the Sullustan unapologetically yanked her behind him. ?Stay until it?s clear. Muriel!?

?All clear,? said the red head after a quick look around. Clearly Juna was not under a physical attack, but something told her Juna and baby Bella were attacked nonetheless. Shutting down and stowing her weapon, Muriel went to Juna and asked, ?What happened??

Juna registered Muriel for the first time; she ignored Dizzy and Rose. In frantic she never expressed in a long time, she said, ?Oh Muriel, its Faradi! She?s trying to seduce my Gessa to the dark side!?

?What? Oh no!? Muriel understood Juna?s meaning immediately. Then again, Muriel was a little worried that Juna was not thinking clearly just by looking into her friend?s brown eyes.

?I thought-,? began Dizzy, blinking in confusion. He was sure when Rune had bought it that was the end of every Force related problem associated with Juna. Too easily he had forgotten how much of problem Magus Prophet was at staying dead.

?You don?t know,? began Rose in cold voice, drawing a look from Dizzy and Muriel, ?the power of the Dark Side.?

?She?s right,? a very pale Juna said with a gulp, trying and failing terribly to calm Bella down. ?She?s right. Faradi was in my mother, Faradi was in me, now she?s in Bella. She?s going to corrupt Bella.? She spoke more to herself than to the others. ?Not my Gessa, please, not her.?

?Go watch my baby,? instructed Muriel to Rose. Rose hesitated at first until Muriel rudely said, ?Go!? Rose had chosen to be defiant to be with Juna, a debatable sign: either it was out of independence or to serve Juna as her slave. But on Muriel?s angry insistence the little girl bowed and took her leav

 

Makes you wonder what Naressa would have done had she the benefit of a friend who knows her secret and is willing to act in her best interest?

Yet another difference for the mother and daughter. Aw.

Good stuff. Wonder what Enothschild's way is.

 

Oh, my goodness. It's nearly the end?


And I really feel for poor Juna. I hope Enothchild's way will be able to give her some hope. Great updates!

 

CHAPTER 121.2

The next day no one outside Juna?s close circle of friends could reach Juna. Any attempt was foiled by Juna?s own commandment not to be disturbed, and the six working for her who really pushed their luck were fired; two before they even breathed a word. The news of the firings worked much more effectively than Juna?s commandment of not being bothered and she wasn?t bothered again, except when Dizzy would check on her in the Grand Library. She had been there since she had collected herself, searching for an answer, an answer other than the one that weighed heavily on her mind the most.

Meanwhile Dizzy and Muriel decided to set up a forward base of observation in the Grand Library by taking up space in the upper observatory reading deck that gave them the full view of the floor. They brought both Diggory and Bella with them and Rose followed along looking just as tired as Juna, Muriel and Dizzy all did; Bella kept the Arnes? up all night with her crying, and Rose kept watch over both children along with them. There were moments of peace as Bella enjoyed Diggory?s company as both babies cooed as they shared the same blanket on the floor of the tier, but that was between her fussy moments. Bella was calm, though disappointed, until she had entered the Grand Library. She had sensed her mother and wanted her so badly Muriel spent the next thirty minutes calming her down. Juna couldn?t avoid sensing, smelling, and hearing her Bella?s cries and it twisted her heart into a knot; so much so she couldn?t tell her friends to take the child away.

It had been an hour since their arrival, and both Dizzy and Muriel had taken turns observing Juna and eyeing the various books, data pads, data cards, films, holographics, soft files and other materials that were scattered all around her pacing site, on tables, on floors, in chairs and wherever there was a free spot not occupied by Juna?s feet. After getting Rose to keep an eye on the fussing baby duo -- Bella appearing and sounding ready to explode with tears again -- Muriel accessed the computer records to see what Juna had been doing in the past nine hours since the incident last night. Since she couldn?t read the wordings on the books, they were too far away, she could at least peak at whatever information was accessed on the terminals. The list was subjects were all over the place in terms of substance and importance; some did not seem to related to Juna?s problem:

Clergy of and for The Mind was the study of psychology when superimposed thoughtfully over mystic beliefs.
The Cosmic Jokes (and the Possibility You Are One!) used absurdity to demonstrate how absurd the reader truly was.
The Meaning of Ducks and Serpents: Exploring the Nubian Dreamscape was a not too deep look into how Nubian folklore shaped society beginning in childhood.
The Time Shared dealt with the possible existence of parallel dimensions.
The Senate Sub-Select Committee of Medical Pediatric Concerns: The Correlation Between Stress and Post-Pregnancy Delusion was self explanatory.
The Womb Eulogies: Saying Goodbye to the Nine Months of Constant Change was a counter read meant to ease a new mother into full time motherhood from full time incubator.
Galactic Winds was a fictional story written long ago, about a girl who heard voices of galactic happenings.
In the House of the Taylor Milton was about a clothes tailor named Milton.
Where the Banthas May Roam was a timeless children?s book about banthas.
Ul?gai Gteu (the computer had no translation for this language)
Symptoms of a Downward Spiral: the Bane of Being a Woman and the Curse of Motherhood was a well known anti-motherhood book.
Hyperbole: Tales of Scattered Knowledge in a Hyperspace Galaxy.
The Lost Collection of Pan Ten at the Battle of Orchids: One Thousand Stories, All With the Very Same, Shared Ending, which made for a rather dedicated reading, for Muriel and every Guardian before and after her were required to read every story whil