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Author	Topic: Tragedy on the Landing Pad - Anakin/Barriss, AotC AU - Completed April 1
dianethx Registered: Mar '02	Date Posted: 3/23 3:47pm Subject: RE: Tragedy on the Landing Pad - Anakin/Barriss, AotC AU - Updated March 23
	It was great that Anakin came prepared. It would seem all those rescues paid off! I wonder why Anakin and Barriss needed to kiss. A promise maybe. A way of connection? This really upped the tension to the situation. Great job. -----signature----- Betrayal - http://boards.theforce.net/s/b1/10935143 updated 6/28/08 Fragments of Illusion- http://boards.theforce.net/bts/b10475/28456473 updated 8/16/08 Freeze frame - http://boards.theforce.net/s/b10476/27820434 Master to jedidas3 Impeach Bush!
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PadawanMom5610 Registered: Feb '07	Date Posted: 3/23 7:03pm Subject: RE: Tragedy on the Landing Pad - Anakin/Barriss, AotC AU - Updated March 23
	This was very funny: There was the sound of rummaging and then a greenish light emerged from Anakin's hand, illuminating the room weakly. He passed it to Barriss and then cracked a second glow rod with a wink. "I've learned to come prepared. It's amazing what Master Obi-Wan and I need when we think we won't." So true! Very nice kiss at the end, too.
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obsessedwithSW Registered: May '05	Date Posted: 3/23 8:16pm Subject: RE: Tragedy on the Landing Pad - Anakin/Barriss, AotC AU - Updated March 23
	She took a deep breath. "Can I have a good luck kiss?" Anakin's eyes darkened and he stepped towards her. "I thought we agreed to talk about this later." "We did." She swallowed against the lump in her throat. "And we will. I just... it might help." "Help what?" He took another step so they were standing face to face, Barriss having to crane her neck to look up at him. His hand lifted, his thumb and forefinger capturing the pointed tip of her chin as he searched her eyes in the dim light. "Your nerves?" Barriss nodded; it was as good of an excuse as any. Anakin's head came down slowly, watching her face for any sign of reluctance, but Barriss had none. In this moment, at this time, this was the right thing. She didn't know why, she didn't understand, but it was enough that this felt right. Her eyes closed as his lips met hers. It was a chaste kiss, a soft kiss - a kiss of promise and question - but it was by far the sweetest kiss they'd ever shared. As Anakin pulled away, the flutter in her stomach eased, almost ceasing all together. The knowledge that they would be facing whatever danger lurked above in wait for them was no longer a cause for unease. Anakin's kiss had been not only a talisman but a promise - and one she was going to hold him to; they would face what waited together. LOL! OK well maybe this is the Force's urging...or maybe she's just female and well, a female has the right to change her mind when she wants to doesnt she? -----signature----- Yes Darth Maul -bring sexy back! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JW8kOYvwVng Avid SiriWaner ! Stories in Bio
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VaderLVR64 Title: Fan Fic Manager Buried Under Boxes Registered: Feb '04	Date Posted: 3/24 7:33am Subject: RE: Tragedy on the Landing Pad - Anakin/Barriss, AotC AU - Updated March 23
	Her eyes closed as his lips met hers. It was a chaste kiss, a soft kiss - a kiss of promise and question - but it was by far the sweetest kiss they'd ever shared. As Anakin pulled away, the flutter in her stomach eased, almost ceasing all together. The knowledge that they would be facing whatever danger lurked above in wait for them was no longer a cause for unease. Anakin's kiss had been not only a talisman but a promise - and one she was going to hold him to; they would face what waited together. Beautiful! -----signature----- If you have to choose between tears and laughter, remember that laughter burns more calories. They call me NANA Vader. At least she doesn't lack confidence...
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Raptor517 Registered: Sep '06	Date Posted: 3/24 8:54am Subject: RE: Tragedy on the Landing Pad - Anakin/Barriss, AotC AU - Updated March 23
	Methinks that the Jedi will receive the message in time, the arena battle will never happen....and as they're heading to the docking bay with a sense of foreboding, I figure that we pick up there with Dooku making his appearance. But if I'm right, then Yoda probably won't show up.... Hm. Awesome post, by the way. Raptor517 -----signature----- Piercing the Darkness http://boards.theforce.net/the_saga/b10476/28010631/p1/?1 His Brother's Words http://boards.theforce.net/the_saga/b10476/26020497/p1/?3 Metamorphosis http://boards.theforce.net/the_saga/b10476/24997946/p5/?7 Hunter's Vendetta http://
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Jek_Windu Registered: Jan '03	Date Posted: 3/24 9:59am Subject: RE: Tragedy on the Landing Pad - Anakin/Barriss, AotC AU - Updated March 23
	Great post. I wonder if the danger has a curved lightsaber and a penchant for delusions of grandeur. -----signature----- Tryanids: You don't have enough bullets! Imperial Guard: YES WE DO! R.I.P. Trini
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Kevin_Solo Registered: Jun '07	Date Posted: 3/24 3:11pm Subject: RE: Tragedy on the Landing Pad - Anakin/Barriss, AotC AU - Updated March 23
	I was waiting impatiently for this update! Anakin sends the message, then has regrets about kissing Barriss: He shouldn't have touched her. Shouldn't have kissed her. The second his fingers touched her skin, it was like he was a lost cause. And maybe he was. There was just something about Barriss that was compelling and irresistible regardless of how much he wanted to respect her wishes to deal with this volatile pull between them after this mission, he was starting to suspect that wouldn't be possible. Not because he didn't want to, but because the Force was urging him to. Urges that were becoming more and more difficult to keep in check. I'm sure they are. Reading about them is bad enough! This is a tribute to your writing, Jade_Max. Anakin and Barriss have a bad feeling about something, which is later confirmed: They entered a large cavern, the darkness stretching out and beyond their line of sight. It was a room they'd circumvented the last time, shying away from the open area, but Anakin's feet had led him straight back to it. Uneasy, he suddenly stopped and the Force pulsed a warning. Holding his hand, lightsaber extended but not on, to the side to halt Barriss' progress, he scanned the darkness. "Wait." She unhooked her lightsaber from her belt, feeling the same compulsion from the Force but not understanding it. "What is it?" Anakin shook his head. He didn't know. It was simply a feeling, the knowledge that they were in danger... Very good. Then lots of flying beings get sliced and diced by the two. I liked this bit of the fight: The very walls and ceilings seemed to have sprouted wings, arms and legs, and they were pressed on all sides. Lightsabers whirled as they fell into a defensive stance, back to back, their lightsabers working in tandem as they moved in a slow circle. Step by cautious step, they fought for ground. Slowly, body parts and the dead littered the path behind them - but the Geonosians kept coming. With no regard for their own lives, they threw themselves at the whirling wall of energy that stopped every attack. An intersection approached and a quick glanced proved that they weren't likely to be able to get back to the Nabooian ship - the hallway was clogged with a teeming, swarming mass of Geonosians. They blew right by the entrance, breaking free of the surrounding mob and darting down another side passage. They crossed a threshold, the door slamming shut behind them, and the echo of Geonosian bodies slamming into it reverberating through the room they'd entered. Good to see that Anakin can figure out a Plan B. While their fighting enables their Masters to get out, they are going deeper into the Hive. I liked this exchange between Obi-Wan and Luminara: Obi-Wan made the decision for them. "You set up a second rendezvous point, right?" Luminara nodded, her eyes slightly unfocused as she checked on Barriss through their bond as Master and Padawan. "Anakin insisted." "For all his faults, he knows his tactics. They're cut off. We are not. I suggest taking the ship to your secondary point so we can extract them there." "Sound advice, Master Kenobi." Luminara shot him a look. "Being a Master to Anakin must have given you wisdom." "It's been a long journey. Come on." Very nice! Then back to Anakin and Barriss. Nice to see the latter use the Force here: Body after body of live Geonosian stumbled backwards, some thrown to the ground, all momentarily stunned by the unexpected invisible attack. Then Anakin shows off more of his many talents: There was the sound of rummaging and then a greenish light emerged from Anakin's hand, illuminating the room weakly. He passed it to Barriss and then cracked a second glow rod with a wink. "I've learned to come prepared. It's amazing what Master Obi-Wan and I need when we think we won't." "The utility belt?" He nodded. "They're a good investment." Does the GFFA have the equivalent of Batman? I liked this exchange: Barriss rolled her eyes and glanced upwards. The ladder extended into the darkness further than she could see. "After you." "Nervous?" She snorted. "I just don't want you looking up my robe." Then more serious stuff happens: "Anakin." "Hmm?" "Something's wrong." He looked up from examining the map of the hive. "Wrong? We're almost home free." "You don't sense that?" "Sense what?" She waved one hand to encompass the level they still had to get to. "The higher we climb, the closer we get to disaster. Like something is waiting, wanting us to fail. To die." Anakin's brow creased and she could feel him reaching for her through the bond they shared. Opening herself to him, she allowed him to feel the sense of unease that was eating away at her. Even as he did, she could tell he hadn't felt anything. Was it just nerves about their talk then? Something that was beyond this, beyond the rescue operation? Was it something that had nothing to do with them being on the planet, but everything to do with what would have to happen once they left? "I don't feel anything, Barriss. Not on my own anyway." Yet the feeling stayed. Despite it all, the feeling twisted her gut into knots. "I know. I can't explain it." Anakin was silent. "Then we proceed cautiously together, alright?" What can this be? Then they kiss again! She took a deep breath. "Can I have a good luck kiss?" Anakin's eyes darkened and he stepped towards her. "I thought we agreed to talk about this later." "We did." She swallowed against the lump in her throat. "And we will. I just... it might help." "Help what?" He took another step so they were standing face to face, Barriss having to crane her neck to look up at him. His hand lifted, his thumb and forefinger capturing the pointed tip of her chin as he searched her eyes in the dim light. "Your nerves?" Barriss nodded; it was as good of an excuse as any. Anakin's head came down slowly, watching her face for any sign of reluctance, but Barriss had none. In this moment, at this time, this was the right thing. She didn't know why, she didn't understand, but it was enough that this felt right. Her eyes closed as his lips met hers. It was a chaste kiss, a soft kiss - a kiss of promise and question - but it was by far the sweetest kiss they'd ever shared. As Anakin pulled away, the flutter in her stomach eased, almost ceasing all together. The knowledge that they would be facing whatever danger lurked above in wait for them was no longer a cause for unease. Anakin's kiss had been not only a talisman but a promise - and one she was going to hold him to; they would face what waited together. Like one person said earlier, I feel like telling them, 'Oi, stop that! This isn't some silly holodrama!'
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HandmaidenVeme Registered: Jun '04	Date Posted: 3/24 8:14pm Subject: RE: Tragedy on the Landing Pad - Anakin/Barriss, AotC AU - Updated March 23
	She took a deep breath. "Can I have a good luck kiss?" There they go with the kissing again... (then again, who can blame her? ) -----signature----- Angel #1 the "Mischievous" one "Anakin's Angels" cue theme music "Anakin Skywalker's Towel Girl"
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KELIA Title: Host: 20 Ques Bet Your Knowledge PT Rewrite Registered: Jul '05	Date Posted: 3/25 4:24am Subject: RE: Tragedy on the Landing Pad - Anakin/Barriss, AotC AU - Updated March 23
	Oooohhhh I don't like Barriss' feeling of impending danger The good luck kiss was sweet, though I'm glad to see Luminara and Obi-Wan made it to the saftey...or did they? Great update -----signature----- "Do or do not, there is no try." Master Yoda A Light In The Darkness: http://boards.theforce.net/the_saga/b10476/28150602/p1/?8 Undue Circumstances: http://boards.theforce.net/the_saga/b10476/28530583/p1/?10
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LuminaraFan4Evr Registered: Sep '06	Date Posted: 3/29 4:47pm Subject: RE: Tragedy on the Landing Pad - Anakin/Barriss, AotC AU - Updated March 23
	O_o... Barriss senses danger - not good! And I see she's no longer making ANY attempt to stop anakin anymore... in fact she's the one asking for the kiss this time... -----signature----- Proud Member Of The Lumi Fan Club I'm a Lumi/Wan shipper. If you are too, PM me! "If God had meant for you to have just one cookie, you wouldn't have two hands." - My Grandpa
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Jade_Max Registered: Jun '02	Date Posted: 4/1 3:40am Subject: RE: Tragedy on the Landing Pad - Anakin/Barriss, AotC AU - Updated March 23 - Date Edited: 4/1 3:52am (1 edits total) Edited By: Jade_Max
	EGKenobi – Thank you Valairy_Scot – Gotta break the tension somehow! Humor is a great fall back dianethx – We’ll see if the tension continues through this last chapter too… thanks for the feedback! PadawanMom5610 – Thanks obsessedwithSW – Indeed, a female has the right to change her mind and often at that! LOL! VaderLVR64 – Thanks! Raptor517 – You’re pretty good at this guessing game – we’ll see if you’ve guessd my ending laughs Jek_Windu - laughs Indeed… I couldn’t do an AotC AU without including him Kevin_Solo – I’m glad you’re enjoying it! This last update was a bit of a difficult one to chop where I did but my muse wasn’t cooperating with the end of the fic… which is two posts away. He is now, though, so on with the show! Then Anakin shows off more of his many talents [face_laughs] Indeed, indeed Does the GFFA have the equivalent of Batman? LOL! [face_laughs] They’re the pre-Stormtrooper belts, the ones that everyone uses. If you look at what’s in them, they might as well be Batman belts – look at all the things Luke uses in ANH – like the line to swing him and Leia across the pit in the Death Star grin Like one person said earlier, I feel like telling them, 'Oi, stop that! This isn't some silly holodrama!' Ah, but it is and they’re teenagers – and there’s more seriousness to come grin HandmaidenVeme - [face_laughs] Indeed – I certainly don’t KELIA – Or did they… that’s the question, isn’t it? LuminaraFan4Evr – Danger ahead and all around – the last real post of the story before the epilogue my muse is evil… Thanks for reading everyone, this is the last post of this fic before the epilogue (which will be posted immediately afterwards) and I hope ya’ll enjoy it! -----signature----- First Love, Last Love - http://boards.theforce.net/Fan_Fiction_Resource/b10304/20496232/?28 Don't think, write. And have faith that your subconscious mind is smarter than you.- lazy
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Jade_Max Registered: Jun '02	Date Posted: 4/1 3:52am Subject: RE: Tragedy on the Landing Pad - Anakin/Barriss, AotC AU - Updated March 23 - Date Edited: 4/2 5:57am (1 edits total) Edited By: Jade_Max
	Emerging onto the level with the docking bay, Anakin and Barriss kept to the shadows of the hallways. These hallways had been lined with duracrete to prevent the nesting of the Geonosians - but it didn't stop the sound. Behind each of the thinly poured walls, they could hear the stirring of the creatures who inhabited this world. One crack, one break in the wall, and they'd be overwhelmed. They approached the final turn and Barriss was pulled sharply to a halt by Anakin's hand. She turned to question him, but the look on his face brought her silence. It was twisted as if pained, and fell of foreboding. She waited to see what he would tell her knowing it wouldn't be good. "There's danger up ahead." Even as he said the words softly, she felt it. The pure hate radiated from the hangar bay ahead like ripples in a pond. Whatever, whoever waited for them was someone of great power - someone who knew of a Jedi presence and was determined to stop them. "Should we find another exit?" Anakin's smile was faint as he unhooked his lightsaber from his belt. "We didn't set up another meeting point. Either we get in there or we won't be leaving." The pounding on the thin walls around them increased, as if to bolster his words. Barriss knew what he meant - if they didn't head for the hangar bay to meet up with their Masters, they wouldn't survive long enough to find another way out. The Geonosian hive was a maze of death that would eventually drag them both down. "Then we go forward." "Whatever happens Barriss, I just want you to-" "Don't!" Her reply was sharp, cutting him off. "This is still not the time or the place. We're going to get through this, Anakin, and then - whenever that is - we will have that discussion." "And if one of us falls in the corridor ahead?" He looked beyond to the cavern that awaited them. "I won't let them kill you, Barriss." "I won't let them kill you either." She stepped close without thinking, needing to touch him again - needing that contact. His hand met hers half way, squeezing tightly. "We're not going to die, Anakin. Whatever's ahead can't best us if we do as planned and work together." Anakin regarded her intently before nodding once and lifting her hand to his lips. They were warm on the backs of her fingers and moved just slightly, as if saying something important. Then, just when she was going to ask him to speak up, he stopped. His boyish smile appeared and she could practically see what it was he'd been saying in his eyes. Her heart jumped in her chest and picked up its pace as she fought against the knowledge of what he was trying to convey. She tore her gaze away, turning away as she slipped her hand from his. Taking a deep breath and using the Force to control her breathing, she forced her heart back into its normal rhythm. She couldn't afford the distraction now, especially not now, which is why she'd told him they needed to wait. But could they? Anakin had obviously needed to let her know even in some limited fashion, was she condemning him to distraction if they didn't speak of this immediately? "Barriss?" She held up one hand, signaling him to give her a moment of silence. Anakin complied, moving away to keep an eye out, the Force presence up ahead a steady heart beat of hatred. Barriss looked to the Force for guidance, stretching out to it, opening herself as completely as she had before... Silence. Nothing. She was on her own - the Force couldn't help her in this. Yes, it was pushing them together; yes, it was drawing them closer; yes, it was playing a role in the direction their lives were taking. But it wasn't affecting her feelings. It wasn't affecting her heart. And it wasn't something she could deal with now in the midst of adversity when complete focus might mean the difference between life and death. Barriss made her choice. Turning back to Anakin she inhaled deeply once more and thrust everything she had just seen in him to the back of her mind. It was pushed into a box and the lid snapped closed - for the moment. She shielded every emotion, every thought regarding Anakin in the same manner - except their bond. She left the tie that bound them alone, somehow knowing that it would play a part in the upcoming conflict. In those moments she sent a plea to her Master to hurry. "Let's go." Anakin nodded, turning away, but not before she saw the disappointment in his eyes. She ignored it in favor of the greater danger and slid her lightsaber from its place on her belt. She flexed her fingers around the hilt to get comfortable and stepped up to join him. Anakin's tone was grim, determined, the look he shot her speaking volumes as to his focus. He wasn't and for a split second Barriss regretted not doing what he needed. A moment after that it was too late. "Let's do this." Anakin sprinted forward, Barriss a whisper behind him, as they bee-lined for the bay and the danger that waited. Emerging into the hangar bay, they pulled up short when they were greeted by an elderly gentleman of aristocratic bearing, his white beard neatly trimmed, a cloak of midnight and crimson framing his black-clad body. He seemed surprised to see them - and only them - come running around the corner. "Apprentice Jedi?" He laughed, the sound echoing through the cavernous space. "Surely this is a joke." "No joke, Sith," Anakin told him darkly. "Stand aside if you want to live." "Such anger, young Jedi. Skywalker, is it not?" Anakin jerked as if struck, not understanding how the Sith knew his name. "Who are you?" "My name is Count Dooku. I was Qui-Gon Jinn's Master just as Obi-Wan is yours." "Dooku," Barriss breathed the word softly, a memory clicking in the back of her mind. "You're one of the lost Jedi!" "A Jedi no more, young lady." "Manners mean nothing. You're still a Sith." "Manners are tantamount to breeding, Skywalker... yours betray lower class upbringing." Anakin let out a yell, his lightsaber igniting in the same moment. "Anakin, no!" Anakin didn't heed Barriss as he leapt towards Dooku. Barriss did the only thing she could - she called on the Force, her own blade snapping to life, and lunged in front of him. Sith lightning sprang from Count Dooku's fingers, striking Barriss' lightsaber near the hilt and ricocheting up her arm. "Barriss!" She screamed as Anakin plowed into her back, taking them both to the ground even as his lightsaber blade winked out and she was suddenly wrapped in his arms. He lowered to the ground, one eye on the now complacent Count. "Barriss." "D-don't let him goad you." She shuddered as the nerves in her body continued to misfire, her lightsaber hilt dropping from nerveless fingers. Anakin scooped it up, but her hand clutched at the front of his tunic and she shook her head. The tunic slipped away, but Anakin understood what she was trying to convey. Dual blades were tricky and while he was trained to fight in that manner, Dooku would take all of his skill. Sith lightning aside, if Barriss could recover, she would be able to come to his aid. He tucked the blade inside the front of her tunic and stood, turning to face Dooku in a defensive stance, his blade still off. "You're going to pay for that Dooku." "Attachments are forbidden to the Jedi, young Skywalker. Surely your Master does not approve." "My Master is on his way right now," Anakin told him darkly. He could hear the whine of the Nabooian engines cutting through the atmosphere - he just didn't know how close they were. "Why don't you ask him when he gets here?" "Although your choice is not very commendable, I cannot say I blame you for forming an attachment to one such as her," his tone darkened at the end of the sentence, as though what he said was almost despicable in his own ears. "She is very beautiful, from a certain point of view." "Keep away from her!" Dooku's saber came up as Anakin leapt in with an over handed chop, too close for the Count to throw lightning bolts and too quickly for anything but reaction. The battle was joined, Anakin keeping his back to Barriss and focusing on moving the Count away from her. He wasn't going to let this villain get his hands on Barriss - not even if it killed him. Anakin parried a difficult series of jabs and slashes, spinning in place but never giving Dooku the chance to move by him. His determination fueled his fighting style, keeping him on the defensive even when Dooku gave him an opening. He didn't attack after that first over handed blow, simply held his ground and allowed Dooku to attack him. Somewhere in the back of his mind, Barriss joined him. Through their bond, she calmed his anger and soothed his unease, giving him the chance to fight with a clear head. Anakin's movements became more fluid as his mind cleared. Barriss eased his fears, feeding him information on her recovery from her injuries even as she helped him to focus. Dooku suddenly leapt away, back flipping to stand on the fins of one of the ships. "What is this?" "What is what, Dooku?" Anakin taunted. "Am I too much for an old man like you?" Dooku's gaze shot behind Anakin to where Barriss was picking herself shakily off the ground. "Not only you, Skywalker. Alone you would never have that kind of control. You have help..." Barriss stumbled as her muscles went into a spasm, sending her to the ground and she stretched her hands out to catch herself. Dooku took the opening as Anakin's attention was divided and lifted one hand. "Barriss!" She let out a gasp of protest as a Force grip scooped her from the floor and sent her flying towards the vaulted ceiling. Hanging rock protrusions arced down towards her, threatening serious injury should she strike one. "NO!" Anakin stretched out both hands, reaching for her to slow her ascent, to buffer her; anything to keep her from striking the stones with force. Her momentum slowed considerably and she was able to turn within the grip to avoid smashing her head on the rocks. She screamed as the grip suddenly released her and she went plummeting back towards the ground. Anakin, paying little heed to Dooku, channeled the Force and leapt. Barriss choked off her scream as she fell, trying to calm herself enough to find some way of slowing her descent - only to clutch Anakin in relief as his arms came about her. Fully in control, fuelled by his protective desire to see no harm come to her, Anakin swept his arms about her tightly and focused on his landing. So completely did he focus that it wasn't until Barriss slipped from his grasp as he landed heavily that he felt a burning sensation. "Anakin!" Barriss was up and out of his arms in a heartbeat, her horror palatable as his right arm dropped away from his body, severed just above the elbow. The humming red blade that had cut through muscle and bone like butter swept back and Barriss didn't think - she reacted. Blue crossed with red as she drove in before Dooku could land a killing blow. Deflecting the blade upwards she followed up with a lightning fast jab that put Dooku on the defensive and forced him to step back or be impaled. Barriss followed, deflecting blows rained down towards her head and shoulders, righteous fire fueling the energy coursing through her veins. Dooku reversed quickly, going on the counter attack as he deflected one of Barriss' attacks wide and put her on the defensive. Giving as little ground as possible, Barriss found her focus. Learning from Anakin's example, she let go. The discipline melted away, her mind blanked of all teachings - there was only the Force. Dooku gained no more ground as Barriss opened herself to the full vestiges of the Force, her skin taking on an almost translucent hue as her lightsaber worked as an extension of her will. Dooku’s blade was an impenetrable wall, something she couldn’t penetrate, something she couldn’t breech. The whine of a repulsor engine was loud in the bay and Barriss spun away as the Force sounded a warning barely a half second before the blast of a turbo laser exploded into the bay. Dooku vanished into the smoke as the Nabooian cruiser landed, the whine of the engines dying as Barriss scanned the area for the Sith. The echo through the cavern masked an sound the Sith would have made so she was forced to rely on her ears. Nothing. No sign, not a hint. The skin on the back of her neck tingled and she whirled, her lightsaber coming up barely in time to catch the descending red blade. Barriss stumbled under the power behind the blow, going down on one knee as she poured her strength into her arms to keep that blade from going further. It inched downwards, coming slowly towards her face, the red glow encompassing the Count in her eyes and lending him a more malevolent look. “Leave her be, Dooku.” “Ah, Luminara Unduli.” Dooku kicked out almost casually, striking Barriss in the side of the head. “How good of you to join us.” Anakin’s face swam before Barriss’ eyes as she was sent sprawling across his body. The sound of the lightsaber retracting for a killing blow somewhere behind her; she closed her eyes, dropping her forehead to rest against Anakin’s collar bone. A sudden jerk had her grasping Anakin’s tunic and struggling not to be violently ill across it as they shot across the floor and the familiar figure of her Master darted past. The blur around her coalesced into the form of Anakin’s Master as Obi-Wan knelt next to them with a concerned look on his face. “Are you alright?” Her head was aching, the room spinning, and the sound of lightsabers clashing somewhere behind her was adding to a strange buzzing in her ears. “Anakin?” Obi-Wan turned his attention to his apprentice, one look seeming to tell him everything he needed. “He’s out cold.” Barriss closed her eyes at the grim tone. Unconsciousness was likely a blessing to Anakin. She’d seen the injury, but hadn’t had to deal with it yet. His arm lay somewhere behind them, his lightsaber likely still gripped in fingers that would never again work. “Barriss.” Her head spun, his voice sounding like it came from far away. “Barriss.” Obi-Wan’s hand fell on her shoulder. “Are you alright?” Brown eyes opened, clearing by the second as the knock on her head receded and left behind a dull throbbing. “I’ll live.” “Try and get him to the ship; I need to help Luminara.” The sound of clashing blades grew louder as Obi-Wan stretched out his hand and called Anakin’s lightsaber to him. Barriss watched for a moment as Obi-Wan joined Luminara and, together, they drove the Sith Lord away from the shuttle. Her gaze went back to Anakin and then beyond him to the shuttle that awaited. Taking a deep breath she drew on an inner reserve of strength she hadn't known existed and began to move. "Master Kenobi." Dooku parried another blow with an easy smile before intercepting Luminara's slash at his midsection. "I had thought an apprentice of yours would have been more of a challenge." Obi-Wan spun away as a rock came flying towards the back of Luminara's head, intercepting the missile with the blade of his lightsaber even as Dooku pressed in for a quick thrust against the Mirilian Jedi. Despite the timing, Dooku didn't send Luminara into Obi-Wan's blade as he'd intended. The woman instead folded herself over backwards, avoiding both his strike and Obi-Wan's blade as the blue of the human Master's lightsaber whipped in to parry a slash directed towards Luminara's mid-section. Luminara's blade was up a heart beat later, deflecting the rocks and equipment Dooku continued to pour in their direction with seeming ease. Not only was the man powerful, he was powerful enough to split his attention between two difficult tasks. "Sith are known to cheat." Obi-Wan ducked and jumped over a quick high-low combination. "In a fair fight, Anakin would have been more than a challenge." Dooku's chuckle was almost lazy. "Your apprentice was not fighting fair, Master Kenobi. Or were you not aware of his connection to the alien?" The contempt in Dooku's voice was plain, his disgust evident. Dooku had ever been of the opinion that Humans should be the only Jedi and not sully their ranks with aliens. Obi-Wan faltered for a brief moment and Dooku's lightsaber dived in, taking advantage of his distraction. Luminara whirled between them, her blade intercepting the Count's mere centimeters away from striking Obi-Wan. Dooku took the opportunity to push and Obi-Wan was sent sprawling backwards, skidding along the ground. "I see you were not." Luminara's blade was a ribbon of color as it danced and arced gracefully to intercept Dooku's attacks. "Whatever you believe, Dooku, you are wrong." "Am I, Master Unduli?" The Count stepped backwards, drawing Luminara with him as Obi-Wan regained his feet. "You are more Force blind than I first believed." An explosion rocked the hangar bay and hundreds of Geonosians suddenly swarmed through the new hole in the wall leading directly into the hive. They poured through the gap, effectively Obi-Wan off from Luminara and Count Dooku and leaving the Mirilian Jedi Master to face him alone. Obi-Wan pushed tossing the first wave back as he attempted to move forward, but the stream of aliens continued, those cast aside immediately replaced by more. He couldn't get through them. "Luminara!" "Go, Obi-Wan!" He stood, torn for a moment between duty and acceptance before Luminara's presence shone from beyond the chaos. She knew what she was doing; she accepted it. He could feel a build up through the Force as he did and, making his decision, spun on his heel to sprint for the Nabooian cruiser. "Master!" Obi-Wan caught Barriss around the waist as he ran up the ramp, hauling her back inside and hitting the button to close the ramp as he did. "What are you doing, my Master is still out there! We have to help her; let me go!" Obi-Wan paused long enough to set Barriss down, but his hands clamped down hard on her shoulders and he forced her to face him. "She's made her choice; don't let her sacrifice be in vain." Barriss went still, as if not comprehending his words, the meaning behind them refusing to sink in. Luminara's Force presence blazed between them, connected to each one in their own unique way, and Power rippled through the hangar bay as the Mirilian Master tapped into the very core of her powers, accepting her fate, giving them time to escape. With no more time to spare, Obi-Wan left Barriss in the main room of the cruiser without sparing a glance for his still unconscious Padawan, and sprinted for the cockpit. He reached for the weapon controls, but even as he did, Luminara's voice echoed through his mind. Go, Obi-Wan. Now. I have to try. Do or do not; there is no try. Get them to safety! Obi-Wan's hands moved of their own accord from the firing controls to the piloting. The engines were already warmed up and waiting. He paused, reaching back to Luminara through the Force as his fingers hovered over the controls. The sound of weapons striking the hull reverberated dully through the ship as the Geonosians struggled to get inside. Goodbye, Ara. There was a brief moment of warmth, an answering burst through the Force as his hands worked independent of his mind, unable to see what he was doing for the tears that blurred his vision, and the Nabooian cruiser leapt off the landing pad. As it shot from the hangar bay, Luminara's presence glowed with approval - and then winked out completely. Barriss sat huddled in the rear compartment of the Nabooian transport, her arms wrapped around her shins, her face buried in her knees, attempting to come to grips with the void that had suddenly opened up where her bond with Luminara had been. She was shaking, unable to contain the emotional upheaval that tore through her system - ill equipped to deal with it despite the waters she and Anakin had been exploring. This was something else - something different and she didn't know how to cope. "Barriss." Lifting her head, she found Obi-Wan Kenobi crouched in front of her. His expression held compassion and understanding. His history was well known in the order - the story of his knighting after losing his Master and killing a Sith Lord - and he was likely the only person who had an inkling of what she was feeling at that very moment. She regarded him solemnly, noting the slight redness to his eyes and the pain that lurked in the depths of those orbs. His relationship with her Master hadn't been one that Barriss fully understood, but it had been at the very least one born of mutual respect and friendship. Obi-Wan might not have lost his Master that day, as he had ten years earlier, but he'd lost someone who'd helped shape him into the Jedi he'd become none the less. "How did you deal with this?" Obi-Wan reached out to place one hand on her shoulder. "I had Anakin to train." Pain flickered more prominently to life at the mention of his Padawan - and the memory of his new injuries. "It was my Master's last request, and one I felt the need to honor with or without the council's approval." "At least you were given one." "At the time I'd wished he'd asked anything else of me but that." "Why?" "I didn't feel I was ready to train another even if he believed I was. I thought myself ready to face the trials; the battle where he died made me rethink my position. The council agreed with him and I was given Anakin to train." "So what am I supposed to do?" Barriss swallowed hard on the words. "Can I be assigned another Master?" "That is for the council to decide, Barriss." Silence descended for a moment and Obi-Wan removed his hand. "We can't know what the council intends, but any Master would be lucky to have a Padawan like you." What he didn't say was that there were no other Mirilian Jedi Masters at the moment, which would make reassigning her impossible. Without a Master from her home planet, her apprenticeship would be at an end and her career in the order now hung in the balance. Obi-Wan sensed her trepidation and offered a warm, reassuring smile. "She wanted you to be a Jedi Knight, Barriss You could do worse for ways to honor her memory." Hesitantly she nodded once and then found a smile. "She always said you were wiser than she was." "My Master Qui-Gon used to say the same thing. One day, I might believe them." Barriss eased the hold on her legs and inhaled deeply. Nothing had been set in concrete for her future in the Jedi order, but she did know one thing. Her Master had wanted something for her, something that a part of her wanted more than anything despite the Force pushing her towards Anakin. Obi-Wan was right; her Master had wanted her to be a Jedi Knight. It was the path she had walked since she was a child; the path she had walked through maturity; the path she had walked until meeting Anakin Skywalker. It was the path she still continued to walk despite that meeting and the urgin from the Force to explore things beyond her depth. Obi-Wan made to move away, but Barriss stopped him with a soft question. "Does the pain ever fade, Master Kenobi?" He stopped, as if reading several layers into her question - and indeed he might have - for when he turned his eyes were guarded. "Jedi learn to release their pain into the Force, Barriss. They learn to accept death as a part of life. They - we have learned that all things must come to an end in their own time." "Does that help?" Rising to his feet, his gaze strayed to where Anakin lay, still unconscious, on the medical cot across the room. "What helps are the good friends you surround yourself with and the knowledge that, in some way, you live up to their memory." Hearing what he wasn't saying, she nodded even though he was looking away. She understood. The pain never left but in time you became numb to it. You learned to live with it, to draw strength from its source. In time it eased into acceptance and in that acceptance a Jedi could find peace. In time, she too would find peace. -----signature----- First Love, Last Love - http://boards.theforce.net/Fan_Fiction_Resource/b10304/20496232/?28 Don't think, write. And have faith that your subconscious mind is smarter than you.- lazy
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Jade_Max Registered: Jun '02	Date Posted: 4/1 3:53am Subject: RE: Tragedy on the Landing Pad - Anakin/Barriss, AotC AU - Updated March 23
	Epilogue Luminara Unduli's sacrifice on Geonosis was felt throughout the Jedi Order; It was an assassination of one of their own; a call for war. Anakin and Barriss' message, and the warning from Luminara, had saved the lived of countless Jedi who had been en-route to rescue them. It was a case of the need of the many out weighing the need of the one and for many in the order; the trade was more than fair. Yet it was also a sacrifice many saw and envied as the ultimate form of sacrifice; to give one's life for friends. She'd been a well liked Master. At the time of her death, Master Yoda - having retrieved the clones from Kamino and entering orbit around Geonosis - launched an attack in an attempt to remove Count Dooku as a threat. The attack failed, but exposed the Trade Federation and Separatist ties on Geonosis. It also revealed the Clone army of the Republic, led by Jedi, to be a devastating force. Obi-Wan Kenobi never broached the subject of the strange bond between Barriss and Anakin with either of them on the trip back to Coruscant; he chose to ignore the Count's reference in favor of quiet meditation and contemplation, spending much time communing with the Force. He chose to trust his Padawan. Anakin Skywalker was fitted with a prosthetic arm shortly after returning to Coruscant. Withdrawn, he'd spent much of his time alone learning to master the use of the new hand. Barriss was called before a hastily called council where she was promoted to the rank of Jedi Knight for her bravery and skill during her confrontation with Count Dooku. Master Obi-Wan Kenobi had supported her Knighting in the place of her deceased Master, a motion that had been well received despite the similarly to his own strange Knighting ceremony. Barriss, her Padawan braid gone, left the presence of the council to meditate on the matter only to find there were few places she could go that were secluded. Her chambers had once been shared by her Master and held memories of better times, before the war's beginning, and times that could never be again. Mindful of the promises she'd made on Geonosis, to both her Master and to Anakin, she let the Force guide her steps and was unsurprised to find them leading back to him and the discussion they'd put off... The room of a thousand fountains was the one place inside the Jedi Temple you could be surrounded by people and still hold a private discussion. The noise, while soothing, also had a dampening effect and one that would be essential for the delicate matter they needed to discuss. Unable to see Anakin, she followed her instincts and found him tucked back into one of the corners. He was hunched over something in his lap instead of doing the exercises that the Jedi Healers had recommended. They'd been unable to recover his real hand and so he was learning to make do with the mechanical marvel they'd assigned him. He didn't hear her approach, her steps muffled by the fountains, but she wasn't the least surprised when he spoke without looking up. "How'd things go with the council?" "Your Master would say as expected." "And what do you say?" "They don't have another Master for me." He looked up. "So what happens now?" She shrugged. Having left her hood up and her head wrap firmly in place, Anakin wouldn't be able to see the difference in her hair cut. "Obi-Wan would say we trust in the Force." Anakin regarded her with the first stirrings of alarm spreading through his gaze. "They can't very well send you to Agri-Corp; you're practically ready for your trials!" Warmth spread through her at his words but she couldn't resist teasing him. "Are you going to plead my case for the council, Ani? Make them see things from your point of view?" "I would!" He grinned at her but the mirth quickly faded. "You still didn't answer my question." "Was there a question in there?" She folded her hands inside her robe, enjoying teasing him. Her Knighting was fresh enough he hadn't yet heard about it. "I didn't hear one." "For someone who's about to be stripped of a fairly prestigious rank, you're taking it rather well." "I never said I was going to be stripped of my rank." "Then what are they doing with you? They're not-" He stared at her, his eyes widening. "Are they going to Knight you?" Barriss reached into one pocket and stepped forward to drop the contents on the datapad in his lap. Anakin stared at it, his emotions flickering across his face before he could shield them. Pride. Joy. Envy. He gingerly reached down to scoop it up, running the long weave of hair through his fingers - the proof she was no longer a Padawan and now his senior in rank. "Knighted. Past Tense. I may not have killed a Sith Lord, but I faced one and lived." "Then why are you worried?" Anakin searched her face, catching the flicker of uncertainty he would have missed if he'd blinked. "Being a Knight is everything you wanted." "Not everything." She met his gaze squarely. "And now I'm less open to exploring it than before." "What do you mean?" "You're a Padawan; I'm a Knight." "You don't mean-" "I'm afraid I do," her smile was sad. "We - I can't keep exploring whatever is between us, Anakin. If we're caught it means serious sanctions. We have a job to do now that we're at war, one that doesn't include discovering whatever it is that's built between us." "I can't just turn it off, Barriss." Anakin looked pained, like she was putting a knife in his gut. "It's not that simple; this is bigger than either you or I." "I know - which is why we can't pursue it right now." "I don't understand," his words were frustrated, "you reached for me on Geonosis. We've been through so much and now you're turning your back on me. Why? What have I done?" "You scare me." Anakin stared at her, the datapad and cut length of her brain dangling from his hand as he leaned his elbows forward on his knees. Barriss finally caught a glimpse of what he was working on - a diagram for a custom built mechanical arm or perhaps how to modify the one he currently wore. His voice was devoid of emotion and dull when he spoke again, bringing her back from the momentary diversion. "I scare you." "You've taught me what it is to harness my natural potential, to move beyond the limits the Jedi placed on me and that's worrisome." "How is reaching your full abilities worrisome?" "It's the method. Emotions are controlled by Jedi for a reason. They're volatile and unpredictable. They can be used against you as we saw against Dooku. If you hadn't been worried about my safety, you could have fought him and won." "And you'd be dead." "Is that such a great sacrifice?" Anakin was on his feet in a heartbeat, grasping her shoulders between his and giving her a shake. "Don't you ever ask me that! Ever! I'm sorry you lost your Master, but I'm not sorry she died instead of you. Padmé's death nearly crippled me, Barriss. You helped me through that, you helped me see beyond those dreams, to build new ones. I couldn't have done it, moved beyond that, without you." "You're stronger than you give yourself credit for." "I wish you were right." "Aren't I?" He shook his head. "No. Your death would kill me." "Anakin..." "Don't push me away, Barriss. Don't shut me out. What's between us is bigger than us; you know it." "That's why it’s dangerous!" She pulled out of his grip with a glare. "Don't you see? If we were to pursue this, it could take us all sorts of dangerous places. You're a Padawan; I'm a Knight. Both of us would be expelled and exiled. Is that what you want?" "No... no. But I don't want to lose you either." Barriss inhaled deeply. "Are you expecting to die sometime soon, Anakin?" "Hadn't planned on it." "Neither do I. While we're both alive, whatever's grown between us will stay. Your Master and mine are proof of that." "Obi-Wan?" Barriss nodded. "No way." "It's true. My Master told me so herself." "But attachments are forbidden." "To Padawans who do not understand the tenets of the code or how to avoid the pitfalls." She poked him in the chest. "Like you." "So what are you proposing exactly?" "Until you're Knighted there can't be anything more between us than there already is." "Until I'm Knighted." He exhaled on a sigh. "And until then?" "We keep in touch. We communicate. And I learn what Knights do when they don't yet have a Padawan." "Is this what you want?" "It's the way it has to be, Anakin." "And the insistence of the Force? I crave your kiss, Barriss - your hands on my back or caressing my face. Even now I can feel it pushing me to act rashly." "Control, Padawan Skywalker." She smiled faintly. "If nothing else, it will be good practice." "Now you sound like my Master - and yours." "I'll eventually be asked to pick a Padawan; you're good for practice until then." "Joy. That's the second question you've been disinclined to answer." "Until your Knighted-." she was starting to sound like a broken audio recording. His eyes gleamed with intent. "And after I'm Knighted?" A smile curved her lips before she could stop it. "If the bond between us is as strong and volatile as it is now, we'll discuss it." "I look forward to that discussion, Barriss." Unable to help herself she grasped his hand and squeezed. "So do I, Anakin." Purpose lining every inch of his posture, Anakin lifted her hand to his lips and gently kissed the back of it. "Then I take my leave, Knight Offee, before I do something rash." Barriss nodded, dismissing him, and Anakin moved beyond her to depart. "Anakin?" "Yeah?" "Don't get yourself killed." "With a promise like that, I intend to collect. May the Force be with you, Barriss." "And you, Anakin." "And Barriss?" She cocked her head at him. "Congratulations. You earned it." fin Author's Note: Yes, I know I left it open for a sequel. Yes, I know there's a lot of unanswered questions. If you're lucky, I might just answer them. The bunnies are already breeding for a Clone Wars AU between AotC and RotS or perhaps even an RotS AU... the latter is a major possibility Thanks for reading everyone, huge thanks to BrentusofGath for betaing the parts with Dooku and giving me some much needed insight to his character. Big thank you to all my readers, you guys have been just wonderful and a shout out to those who are reading and say I never kill anyone off - you know who you are - and I have to say this: I just killed two major characters in the space of one story. How many more will it take?! Just kidding Thanks for reading guys, you've been an awesome audience! -----signature----- First Love, Last Love - http://boards.theforce.net/Fan_Fiction_Resource/b10304/20496232/?28 Don't think, write. And have faith that your subconscious mind is smarter than you.- lazy
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Valairy_Scot Registered: Sep '05	Date Posted: 4/1 8:05am Subject: RE: Tragedy on the Landing Pad - Anakin/Barriss, AotC AU - Completed April 1
	What can I say, but wow! Work now calls - must go - but wow! Does the pain ever fade, Master Kenobi?" He stopped, as if reading several layers into her question - and indeed he might have - for when he turned his eyes were guarded. "Jedi learn to release their pain into the Force, Barriss. They learn to accept death as a part of life. They - we have learned that all things must come to an end in their own time." "Does that help?" Rising to his feet, his gaze strayed to where Anakin lay, still unconscious, on the medical cot across the room. "What helps are the good friends you surround yourself with and the knowledge that, in some way, you live up to their memory." Hearing what he wasn't saying, she nodded even though he was looking away. She understood. The pain never left but in time you became numb to it. You learned to live with it, to draw strength from its source. In time it eased into acceptance and in that acceptance a Jedi could find peace. In time, she too would find peace. -----signature----- http://boards.theforce.net/fan_fiction_resource/b10304/25405090/p3/?52 Prolific Author thread: list & links there. A million wins; a gazillion "also rans" - not bad at all! So very honored. Thank you!
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Darth_Drachonus Registered: Oct '05	Date Posted: 4/1 2:42pm Subject: RE: Tragedy on the Landing Pad - Anakin/Barriss, AotC AU - Completed April 1
	If you begin a sequel, I want to be on the list please. bravo -----signature----- Don't **** with a Jedi Master son-Luke Skywalker
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