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Tender Shadows (USJS OCs; ROTS/IT; drama, action, romance) - Updated 10.11.08
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Trika_Kenobi
Registered:
Nov '99
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Date Posted:
8/6 7:11pm
Subject:
RE: Tender Shadows (USJS OCs; ROTS/purge era/IT; drama, action, romance) - Updated 8.05.08 - Chap. 2
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The Musical Jedi posted:
She's going to kill us. You realize this, yes?
Psssh! I've got so many more things lined up for you two. My evil plans don't involve killing either of you. 
I was talking a merciless riot in the spirit of winning a national championship... you know, burn some cars and injure innocent bystanders. For kicks!
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Talon Intelligence Squadron: Assaulting Good Sense and Order Since Y2K http://www.TalonIntelligenceSquadron.com proud oldbie master to GIRLSOLO
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Independence1776
Registered:
Feb '06
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Date Posted:
8/6 8:17pm
Subject:
RE: Tender Shadows (USJS OCs; ROTS/purge era/IT; drama, action, romance) - Updated 8.05.08 - Chap. 2
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Sorry I missed an update- DRL is a pain.
Chapter 26:
I really like Tobias' thoughts interspersed with the song. Very well done.
This pool game should be interesting. 
Chapter 27:
Ieron... 
Oh, Jecca. Well, at least the cover works.
Why, oh why, does Koria always get into these sort of messes? You'd think people would have learned to implant her with a tracking device or something? 
Oh, I hope she's rescued fast. Really fast.
-----signature-----
 "Independence forever." John Adams Padawan to Luna_Nightshade Fics in bio Mostly lurking at the moment
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Musical-Wingstar
Registered:
Mar '08
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Date Posted:
8/10 6:18pm
Subject:
RE: Tender Shadows (USJS OCs; ROTS/purge era/IT; drama, action, romance) - Updated 8.05.08 - Chap. 2
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Trika_Kenobi posted:
I was talking a merciless riot in the spirit of winning a national championship... you know, burn some cars and injure innocent bystanders. For kicks!
Now now, neither Koria and Tobias would like that done on their behalves! 
earlybird-obi-wan posted:
What is happening to Koria, please let us know soon 
Okie Dokie
Independence1776 posted:
Sorry I missed an update- DRL is a pain.
Chapter 26:
I really like Tobias' thoughts interspersed with the song. Very well done.
This pool game should be interesting.
Chapter 27:
Ieron...
Oh, Jecca. Well, at least the cover works.
Why, oh why, does Koria always get into these sort of messes? You'd think people would have learned to implant her with a tracking device or something?
Oh, I hope she's rescued fast. Really fast.
 I think Koria has a magnet inside of her that attracts trouble. They tried implanting the tracking device, but the magnet that attracts trouble kind screws up the directioning mode.
Chapter 28: Tender Foes
Jecca moaned as she climbed back to consciousness. Her vision swirled as she raised her head. Blinking, her eyesight cleared just in time to see Koria carried away by Rial. Her head throbbed as she called out to her friend and fought to stay conscious. The blurry form of their attacker disappeared around the corner as she tried to get up and go after him. Dizziness swept over her, and she fell back onto the ground, grunting at the pain that it caused her tailbone. Moaning, she put her head into her hands. As she ran one hand to the back of her throbbing skull, she felt a sticky wetness in her hair. She groaned when she pulled her hand away and saw her palm covered in dripping blood.
Then she saw a body not two meters from her. Scooting over to the prone form, she realized it was Jimi. He must have come back for some reason after I was knocked out. As she peered sadly at the face that was half blown away, she felt guilty thinking about how lucky she was and that she was glad she hadn’t been shot as well. Jecca then remembered this young man, along with his bandmates, used their music to spread the Emperor’s propaganda. He got his just desserts. She shook her head sadly as she reconsidered, “No, no one deserves this.”
Suddenly, she heard pounding footsteps coming her way, and she saw three figures rounding the corner. The three figures spread out, and Jecca made out that there were two human males and one female. The smaller male went directly to Jimi on the ground, and he was followed by the female, who came to kneel by her.
"Are you okay?" she asked, focused for a moment on the still body, and when the woman looked back, Jecca felt a shock of recognition go through her. It was also reflected on the other woman's face.
"Knight Counc?" Jecca said, the words high pitched in surprise.
"Shhh, that's a good way to get one of us killed," Ieron replied quickly. "Jecca, right?" The Jedi Knight shook her head, shooting a look to where Tobias was surveying the area. "Are you looking the students up now and telling them where you are? This is getting ridiculous."
"Speaking of good ways to get killed," Tobias shot back testily, beginning to worry about Koria. There was no sign of her. "What happened?" he asked as he came to kneel next to Ieron.
"Mast..." She stopped herself from saying Master McCal. “Koria and I..." Jecca gulped as she realized how wrong she'd been in her accusations, "... were arguing when this... being... grabbed her. He had a vial of something he injected her with, and she tried to fight but it looked like whatever it was made her clumsy and he hit her... I tried to stop him, but," she put her bloodied hand back up to her head as she spoke, "he knocked my head against the wall... when I woke up, he was carrying her around that corner." With a shaky finger, she pointed in the opposite direction from where the Jedi had come. "And Jimi..." She swallowed as she looked down at the young man. Jecca had met him once a year ago at a benefit concert for displaced families. How could I believe he and Koria would really support Palpatine?
Ieron moved to crouch next to Jimi's body. She looked down at his destroyed face for a moment, blinking rapidly. Her fingers, suddenly numb, fumbled at the clasp of her cloak. They finally got it to release, and the Jedi gently placed it over him, covering the musician. "May the Force be with you," she said quietly, her voice thick. "Go gently."
Jecca didn't try to stop the tears that flowed down her cheeks as she watched the Knight cover Jimi's body. She didn't hear at first when one of the other Jedi asked her a question. She jumped slightly when she felt a hand on her shoulder.
"What did he look like?" Kemin asked quietly.
"Wild light brown hair... thick, almost like fur on his head. He didn't wear a shirt, just black trousers and hobnail boots. He had claws instead of fingernails. He was tall... almost as tall as M..." she looked at Tobias as she ended the sentence, "as tall as him. And rather muscular."
"Rial," Kemin said in a low, dark whisper.
Ieron glanced curiously between Kemin and Tobias. "Rial?" she asked.
"One of the beings we encountered on Nar Shaddaa," Tobias replied tersely. "Koria got to know him a little better than I did, unfortunately."
"Oh," was all Ieron could think of in response.
"Rial is crazy. There is no telling what he'll do to her." Kemin started to get up, then looked at Jecca with concern. "But we can't leave you alone."
"Go, I'll be okay."
The Balosar Knight opened his mouth to protest, when they heard footsteps coming from down the alleyway. They looked up to see Mo, Dink and Kat come running.
"What... oh kriffin' hell!" Mo said as he saw the prone body. Kneeling, he looked at Ieron and pointed to the cloaked-covered form. "Jimi?"
Ieron nodded without a word.
"Where's Kitten?"
"She was kidnapped." Kemin's voice was hard as stone as he rose. Now that there was someone around who could make sure Jecca would be all right, he was ready to go. Looking at Tobias and Ieron first, he started down the alleyway towards where the young singer had pointed.
"You're next," Ieron said, producing her blaster from her thigh holster. Tobias hesitated, and Ieron waved him on.
"Why are you putting me in the middle?"
The Jedi Knight gestured towards his arm. "Look, if I had my way, you wouldn't be going at all." She waved off his protest, setting off down the alley and walking next to him. "I know, you're going to go after her. That's why I'm not arguing. Just don't let that wing get you - or the rest of us - in danger."
Ieron had stopped, placing her hand on Tobias's injured shoulder with the other wrapped around her blaster. He looked into her green eyes, seeing her concern. With a sigh, he reached down, unclipping his lightsaber hilt from his belt. "It's a good thing you're my Padawan," he said, though the humor didn't come through. "Trade me - I won't be a liability. I won't put anyone else in danger."
She took his lightsaber and handed him her blaster. Then Ieron paused, reaching around to place her hand at the base of his neck. She leaned in, pressing her forehead against his. "She'll be okay." With a gentle squeeze to his neck, Ieron released him, and they both set off at a trot to catch up with Kemin.
Kat knelt next to Jecca. "Are you alright, ma'am?"
"I think so." She started to get up, but dizziness made her sway against Kat who quickly caught her.
Standing, the keyboardist continued to support her as Mo gently lifted Jimi. "We should get you to a hospital."
"No, no hospitals!" Jecca said with alarm. She didn't trust hospital databases not to give her location away to the Empire.
Kat looked to Mo who pursed his lips. "We'll take her with us. Contact them for me, Dink."
The drummer nodded and got out his comlink to contact the Tandem Hawk.
~*~
As Koria came to, she wished for the oblivion of unconsciousness, as it felt like the blood coursing through her veins was bruising her from the inside out. Every breath she took threatened to rip her ribs to shreds. With each step Rial took, she was jostled violently and his shoulder dug into her abdomen, further exacerbating her agony. As she was being carried down a dimly lit stairway, frustration, anger and fear fought for dominance with her pain. Frustration at her lack of any form of control over her own body… anger at Rial for harming her friends – she hoped Jecca, at least, had survived the encounter with the Codru-ji… fear for not only her own life, but that of Tobias’, for she knew he would come for her. She was concerned that perhaps Rial wasn’t acting alone, but had accomplices, though they had not shown themselves yet. She wasn’t even sure how long she’d been out of it, and if they were still on Ildiam VI or on Nar Shaddaa. She couldn’t even discern her whereabouts because she had trouble focusing her eyes – though she was able to identify a damp mustiness in the air as well as hear water dripping and the hum of some sort of machinery. There was also the unmistakable stench of death.
A part of her wanted to reach out to Tobias, to see if she could perhaps feel his comforting presence, but she dared not. She didn’t want to put him in danger, so she rose her shields tight about her… the only thing she seemed to have control of was her mind. Thank the Force for small favors, she thought, and at the same time it seemed to her they came to the bottom of the stairs.
“I brought a new companion for you, my beauties,” the Codru-ji said in a quiet, almost affectionate tone.
With unexpected gentleness, he lowered Koria onto a firm cot. She felt something cold and hard clamp around her right wrist, then her ankle. Then a calloused finger stroked her cheek just before she felt a sharp jab in her arm. A strange combination of burning and cooling sensations radiated out from there.
“You’ll feel better in a little while, my pet.” Koria felt Rial’s hot breath in her ear, and she shivered. “I’ll be back soon.” His voice retreated as he continued speaking, “Play nicely with her my lovelies.” His footsteps seemed to go back up the stairs, and shortly she heard a door closing.
She turned her head as she tried to take in her surroundings, but all she could make out were fuzzy outlines of what may have been furniture. Straining to hear anything other than the hum of some sort of machine and footsteps from overhead, Koria tried to figure out to whom Rial was speaking.
She heard nothing.
Then Koria realized she had moved her head without any pain. She raised her hand above her face in experimentation and wiggled her fingers. All she saw were vague wiggling shapes. She stopped the movement and focused on her hand. In a few moments, it finally came into focus. She looked to her right to see she was chained to a wall made of rough cobblestone. We must still be on Ildiam VI, she thought in a detached manner as she saw there wasn’t enough play in the chains for her to stand. The wrist and ankle cuffs were so tight that there was no wiggle room for her to try to slip out of them. She then looked around at the rest of her surroundings.
She gasped in horror when she saw what was in the other cot beside hers… and the cots beyond that one. She fought down a panicked scream at the sight of the corpses in various degrees of decay of women Rial must have claimed as his own in the past. Oh gods!
There were four in all.
She turned her head from the grizzly sight and curled up as her stomach spasmed. As she leaned her head over the side of the bed, bile spewed out her mouth as she choked, tears coming to her eyes. She wept when she finally stopped vomiting. Still, Koria refused to reach out to Tobias. I can’t let him get hurt on my account… not like Jecca and Jimi!
Doing her best to avoid looking at the remains of the other women, Koria once more looked around, and saw the hilt of her sword just past her feet on the cot. She tried to stretch out her left leg to drag it to where she could lift it with her hand, but again, there wasn’t enough play in the chains for her to do so. She twisted around and stretched another way in an attempt to reach it with her fingers. She hesitated as the manacles cut into her wrist and ankle.
Then she heard a door open, then close, and footsteps coming down the stairs, and she redoubled her efforts. She stopped and looked to where she heard quiet laughter. Rial stood a couple feet from the foot of the bed and smiled… almost tenderly. Narrowing her eyes, she growled hoarsely, “You’d better let me go, or you will be the one laying dead among your… ‘lovelies’.”
He chuckled as he approached her with predatory grace. “I told Divo you weren’t broken.” His eyes gleamed a golden orange in the dim lighting. His voice was strangely affectionate as he spoke. “That’s good. This way I can take your spirit when I take your body.”
To be continued...
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Trika_Kenobi
Registered:
Nov '99
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Date Posted:
8/10 7:05pm
Subject:
RE: Tender Shadows (USJS OCs; ROTS/purge era/IT; drama, action, romance) - Updated 8.10.08 - Chap. 2
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She turned her head from the grizzly sight and curled up as her stomach spasmed.
Ditto.
Oy. This one made me hurt. Nicely done, but I want more! Thanks!
Trikes
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Talon Intelligence Squadron: Assaulting Good Sense and Order Since Y2K http://www.TalonIntelligenceSquadron.com proud oldbie master to GIRLSOLO
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Independence1776
Registered:
Feb '06
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Date Posted:
8/10 9:25pm
Subject:
RE: Tender Shadows (USJS OCs; ROTS/purge era/IT; drama, action, romance) - Updated 8.10.08 - Chap. 2
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Trouble magnet: Makes perfect sense to me!
Oh, Jecca. Methinks she'll learn the truth now.
Poor, poor Koria. To be chained there would be horrifying. Thank the Force she's resisting, though it looks like it's getting her into further trouble.
Those rescueing: please hurry up!
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"Independence forever." John Adams Padawan to Luna_Nightshade Fics in bio Mostly lurking at the moment
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earlybird-obi-wan
Registered:
Aug '06
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Date Posted:
8/11 8:36am
Subject:
RE: Tender Shadows (USJS OCs; ROTS/purge era/IT; drama, action, romance) - Updated 8.10.08 - Chap. 2
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Lovely update and please let them be happy in these dark times.
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writer and Star Wars fan
FANART [link=http://boards.theforce.net/fan_art/b10020/25793899]fanart[/link]
stories in my bio
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Musical-Wingstar
Registered:
Mar '08
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Date Posted:
8/17 11:37am
Subject:
RE: Tender Shadows (USJS OCs; ROTS/purge era/IT; drama, action, romance) - Updated 8.10.08 - Chap. 2
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Trika - Here's more. Hopefully your tummy does a little better with this update.
Indy - Here comes the cavalry! Yeah, Jecca can probably put two and two together from this...
earlybird-obi-wan - No happiness for a while I'm afraid. 
Chapter 29: The Edge of Darkness
The shriek seared through Tobias's head, causing him to stumble and his eyes to water in pain. He felt one of his boots catch on the stone as his forward momentum from following Kemin carried him further. It was only sixty years of reflexes that kept him from smashing his head on the duracrete as he tucked himself into a ball to roll through the fall. The Jedi Master skidded to an undignified stop, and he lay on the pavement in a heap, Ieron's blaster forgotten beside him as he clutched his head.
The clatter of boots and his Padawan's voice yelling Kemin's name was drowned out as the screaming in his head resumed, resolving itself into his name, followed by incoherent sobbing punctuated by a repeated sound - tuh tuh tuh tuhtuhtuhtuh - so full of desperation that it made his eyes prick with tears for an entirely different reason.
He felt his chin jerked, and Tobias found himself staring into Ieron's face. She was saying something, but the keening in his head overpowered her voice. He blinked and reached out through what was left of their training bond. They made contact, and Ieron jerked away, her eyes widening as she had a taste of the discordance within his head.
There was a pause so sweet in its silence that Tobias felt for a moment that he'd gone deaf, even though he knew the noise was only in his head. Then, the Jedi Master had a clear image of Koria - a flash, like an old-fashioned still holopic - curled on a dirty cot, wishing with all her soul that she were no longer alive, that it would all stop. Then it was gone, and the shrieking returned, oscillating between his name and delirium.
He focused on the sound, remembering the night in the Senate Building, the night everything had changed, and Tobias followed it, mentally tracing it back through the Force. Away from himself, as though it were someone else, he felt someone grab his arm then another hand on his shoulder, and he was buoyed up as Ieron and Kemin added their strength to his.
Koria...
He called out through the Force, using everything he had and everything Ieron and Kemin were giving him to amplify the call, to cover over the terror and pain while still using it to lead him back to its source.
Koria...
She was sliding away, the bright light he always envisioned her as when he sensed her through the Force dimming, deadened by the darkness closing in. Tobias was at the limits of his skill, aware that he'd lost his detachment, that he was searching in desperation and fear that he would be too late. The Jedi Master faltered within the Force, suddenly and completely exhausted, only to find himself yanked by up by a force of will. It spoke in his Padawan's voice, demanding that he find her.
Then Koria was there, her essence still fading, the shields he'd meticulously helped her build and reinforce shattered. Her screaming had quieted and gone hoarse, her spirit even more consumed than his was. Tobias threw himself around her, becoming her shields for her, blocking her from whatever it was that was destroying her. The last vestiges of his strength went into protecting her, and as his awareness faded away, he knew that Ieron would save them both, that Ieron and Kemin would tow them back.
Kemin watched Tobias with concern as he sensed the Master reaching out to Koria. “We can’t let him withdraw from us too much. He has to lead us to her.”
Ieron nodded in answer as she touched Tobias’s shoulder. Master, we need you to take us there. When there was no response, she looked anxiously at Kemin. “Shavvit, he’s so tied to her he can barely sense where his is!”
Taking a deep breath, the older Investigator took a hold of Tobias’ shoulders and shook him. “We need you here, Tobias!” He backhanded the older Jedi across the face as he added with more urgency, “Damn it, get up and lead us to her before it’s too late!”
The Jedi Master barely registered the pain inflicted on his cheek, but it was sufficient for him to pull away enough to focus dully on Kemin. He nodded as he stood on shaky legs and muttered, “This way." He walked swiftly and unerringly in the direction he felt Koria. He still held tightly to her in the Force, and was only vaguely aware of anything – or anyone – in his path. The two younger Jedi followed a short distance behind, ready to help him should Tobias run into anything.
“When we get there, I’ll confront Rial while you free her,” Kemin quietly told Ieron. She just nodded her agreement, focused on following Tobias and mentally preparing herself for what awaited them. The younger Jedi wasn't sure exactly what it was she'd touched within her Master's mind - but she knew whatever it was, it was born of pure terror. Defeating it and freeing Koria from it would not be easy.
As Tobias hurried through the streets, the world around him seemed hazy and insubstantial. He was aware of things like boxes and buildings only in an equivocal way - they were simply obstacles between him and Koria. He could sense her more strongly now, the fragile thread between them strengthening as he came closer and tightened the shield he'd created around her.
The shrieking had quieted, and Tobias could feel Koria nestled against his shield like a small animal taking shelter from a severe storm. He was focusing all of his energy on maintaining it - on keeping her safe.
He stopped suddenly, aware of a wall in front of him with a nondescript door set into it, flush with the stones of the wall. He could sense Ieron and Kemin behind him, with Koria more strongly before him somewhere. There was something else there - a film that seemed to cover the Force here, oily and unpleasant to sense. Rial was there too, a black hole within the Force sucking up the positive emotions. Tobias felt the hair on his arms and neck stand up again, a shiver moving down his spine into his back.
"She's here," he said, his voice sounding gruff in his own ears.
Kemin glanced at Ieron, a fiery determination burning in his eyes. “See if you can find a place to enter in the basement. Don’t enter though, until you get my signal.”
Ieron looked grim as she nodded. She spared a brief glance at Tobias before she took off into the alleyway.
As the Jedi Master felt Koria’s outrage at what was happening to her, his grip tightened around the blaster’s handle as though he were strangling Rial. His hand quickly relaxed though, as he released the anger. Killing him won’t help you, Kor. He sensed a wave of blind rage coming from her through the Force like a hurricane. Through it, he held on to her, giving her a safe harbor through the tempest, accepting that some of the anger was toward him as long as he could keep her anchored, and at least somewhat whole.
“Sir, please back away from the door so I can deal with the bastard.” Kemin put a hand on Tobias’ shoulder as he spoke.
The older Jedi looked at him blankly at first then silently backed away. A nagging thought itched at the back of his mind. What’s taking you so long, Padawan? As Kemin stood at the door, ready to break it down at any moment, Tobias shifted his weight from one foot to the other and back again, longing to hold Koria physically.
Though in reality it wasn’t long before Kemin received a nudge in the Force from Ieron, it seemed like a lifetime. Once it came though, the Jedi took from his pocket what seemed to be an old-fashioned metal key, which he put in a hole below the doorknob. It took only a few moments for him to pick the lock. He could sense there was no one in the room the door would open upon, and casually opened it as though he lived there. The place reeked of darkness and death within the Force as well as physically. A detached part of him noticed this no longer bothered him… that the darkness had become a sort of home for him. Have I lived so long apart from my brethren that I have lost my way? He wondered as he walked into the bare room. He heard screaming and moaning coming from a vent low on one wall. Clenching his teeth, he drew his lightsaber, which he had retrieved from a hidden place on Nar Shaddaa before escaping. He also heard the Jedi Master enter and close the door behind him. Kemin didn't wait for Tobias though as he let the Force lead him to where he knew Rial was raping the young woman. The time of letting things happen has passed. This will stop now! His steps were swift but silent as he ran down the stairs to the basement.
"Rial!" He growled as he used the Force to yank the Codru-ji away from Koria. At the same time, he sent a nudge to Ieron.
On the other side of the building, Ieron kicked in the window that was set beneath the level of the street in a small window well. She knocked the glass fragments from the frame before slipping in, feet first. The Jedi Knight landed into a crouch, reaching out with her senses. The room she had come into was empty, thick with the smell of unwashed beings and the reek of death. Ieron held her breath for a moment, memories of her work on Coruscant rushing back, and composed herself. It took but a moment to find the door, which she opened with a wave of her hand.
With his back to Ieron and eyes glowing above a feral smile, Rial crouched a few feet from the older Knight, ready to pounce. "Kemin, my friend. Have you come to play with us?"
Tobias knelt in the corner opposite from Ieron, trying to make himself as small as possible. He knew his most important function was to shelter Koria, to keep her grounded. He could feel her anger, her violation, like a living thing in itself, overwhelming everything else. He was still providing her shields, but Tobias could feel her struggling against him, trying to break away. It took all of his concentration to resist her and hold her back.
Ieron slipped across the room, staying in the shadows out of Rial's line of sight. She found Koria's bed, her boot losing traction in something next to it. Tobias's lightsaber was in her hand, and it hummed as she used it to sever the leads attaching Koria to the bed. A growl emitted from Koria's throat at the sound, and Ieron reached out to put her hand on the other woman's shoulder. It was only instinct that saved her wrist when Koria reached out. Ieron had the sudden impression of Koria grabbing her arm and twisting it, forcing the Jedi to her knees. Instead, Ieron yanked her hand back out of Koria's reach and shifted her weight. Once Koria had moved, Ieron grabbed her arm instead, placing her in a hold.
"Koria, knock it off," she hissed in the younger woman's ear. "It's me, Ieron. You and I are getting out of here."
The Jedi expected Koria to relax in her arms at that, allowing her to release her grip. When Koria lifted up her legs, kicking at nothing, Ieron was taken completely by surprise and almost dropped her as her center of gravity was shifted forward. The Jedi staggered, her boot slipping again on the floor, and they both fell heavily with Ieron twisting to avoid falling on Koria. The hilt of Koria’s sword clattered to the floor unnoticed for the time being. "What the hell is wrong with you?" Ieron grunted as the other woman pulled away from her.
At the same time Kemin peripherally noticed Ieron reach Koria, Rial lunged. The knight ignited his lightsaber and swung, silently cursing himself for underestimating the Codru-ji’s reflexes and speed as his wrists were quickly seized.
A cross between a growl and a laugh escaped Rial’s lips as he dug his claws into the Jedi’s arms. “Play nice, and I’ll let you have some of her when I’m done.” He quickly sank his teeth into Kemin’s right hand.
The knight winced only slightly as he dropped his lightsaber and cuffed Rial in the ear with his left fist. He was awarded with more pain as instead of letting go, his opponent clamped down harder and shook his head back and forth. He refused to let the Codru-ji know how much it hurt.
Meanwhile, Koria ignored Ieron as she spotted her sword hilt and grabbed it. Even as she ran towards the combatants, she hit the button to unsheathe the retractable blade, not bothering to turn on the lightsaber function. Within three running steps, she closed on the pair and screamed as she plunged her sword into Rial’s back. The Codru-ji’s eyes went round as he opened his mouth in shock. He looked down to see the bloodied point of Koria’s blade sticking out of his stomach.
Kemin yanked his hand away and backed up, cradling it as he watched in a detached fascination as Koria withdrew the blade and began swinging furiously, hacking into Rial’s hide several times before the Codru-ji’s body had a chance to fall to the ground.
In the meantime, Tobias stood slowly in his corner, exhausted as he continued to try to fight against Koria's rage. He took a couple of steps towards her and the Codru-ji, barely registering as Kemin moved away and Ieron groaned, getting back to her feet. Koria's mind continued to resist against his, and the Jedi Master was forced to let go. He swayed on his feet, having trouble even maintaining his balance in his weariness.
Kemin crossed behind Tobias, keeping an eye on Koria as she continued to mutilate the other being. He helped Ieron back to her feet, expecting either Tobias to go to Koria, or she to him. He felt Ieron stiffen beneath his hands, and he turned to see Tobias placing a hand on Koria’s shoulder. The young woman swung her sword up as she turned on Tobias, then bring her sword down towards the Jedi Master’s head.
“No!” Both the younger Jedi screamed as they saw Tobias just stand there, looking into Koria’s furious eyes.
Koria stopped, her swing glancing away just inches from Tobias’ head. Her eyes widened as they met his, and she turned pale. She slowly lowered her arm to her side and dropped the sword with a loud clatter as she backed away. Her heart threatened to tear out of her chest as she realized how close she’d come to slaying Tobias. She opened her mouth, but nothing came out. She shook her head before turning and running blindly towards the exit. Tripping and falling on the stairs, she began weeping.
Tobias looked to the floor as the sword fell still. He could still feel a rush of air as the blade had passed near his cheek, the hiss of its edge cutting the air. His eyes focused on Koria as she fell, and the Jedi Master crossed the room slowly, unafraid. Tobias sat on the steps next to Koria, feeling her draw away from him, and reached out to smooth her hair away from her face.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered hoarsely without looking up at Tobias. Then she doubled over as dry heaves wracked her body and she moaned.
Kemin let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. Quietly he walked over to pick up the sword. Kneeling, he cleaned it off on the one piece of Rial’s trousers that wasn’t doused in blood. He didn’t care that right now, he felt satisfied that the Codru-ji met a violent death… in fact, he was glad he had a chance to be able to have watched as the vile creature was slaughtered by one of his own victims. He ignored the throbbing pain in the hand Rial had bitten as he hit the button to collapse the blade. He looked around, acknowledging for the first time the bodies of the other women. It wasn’t mere curiosity which lead him to stand and go to the side of one particular body. Kneeling beside the cot, he studied the corpse and the tattered dress. He sat heavily on the floor as he realized he accomplished his mission… too late.
He bowed his head as he quietly wept.
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earlybird-obi-wan
Registered:
Aug '06
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Date Posted:
8/17 12:40pm
Subject:
RE: Tender Shadows (USJS OCs; ROTS/purge era/IT; drama, action, romance) - Updated 8.17.08 - Chap. 2
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OOF what a fight but I am glad Koria is alive.
Great update and what is Kemin seeing?
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Trika_Kenobi
Registered:
Nov '99
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Date Posted:
8/17 6:50pm
Subject:
RE: Tender Shadows (USJS OCs; ROTS/purge era/IT; drama, action, romance) - Updated 8.17.08 - Chap. 2
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Whoa. Rial-kabob/fillet FTW.
Pretty intense, ladies. I'm not going to lie... pretty intense. I'm glad to hear she's alive, but Koria definitely needs a good, long vacation at this point. Nice update! Thank you!
Trikes
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Talon Intelligence Squadron: Assaulting Good Sense and Order Since Y2K http://www.TalonIntelligenceSquadron.com proud oldbie master to GIRLSOLO
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Independence1776
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Feb '06
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Date Posted:
8/17 8:24pm
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RE: Tender Shadows (USJS OCs; ROTS/purge era/IT; drama, action, romance) - Updated 8.17.08 - Chap. 2
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Oh, wow. Koria is going to need a lot of help to get through this.
May the Force be with them!
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"Independence forever." John Adams Padawan to Luna_Nightshade Fics in bio Mostly lurking at the moment
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Alexis_Wingstar
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Date Posted:
8/23 7:50pm
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RE: Tender Shadows (USJS OCs; ROTS/purge era/IT; drama, action, romance) - Updated 8.17.08 - Chap. 2
- Date Edited:
8/23 8:07pm (1 edits total)
Edited By:
Alexis_Wingstar
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earlybird-obi-wan: Tobias is glad she's alive, too. You're question about Kemin will be answered soon. 
Trika: I prefer Codru-ji Rotisserie.
Indy: Yes, she will, and it is.
Chapter 30: Ricochet
Ieron watched as Tobias sat with Koria. As scary as it was to watch the sword come within a hand span of her Master’s head, what happened had confirmed as nothing else could have that the two belonged with each other. Shaking her head with a bemused smile, she turned to see Kemin sitting next to a cot that held a corpse that was little more than bones at this point. She frowned as she noted his shaking shoulders. Glancing over her shoulder at Tobias and Koria first, she walked over to Kemin. She reached out to put a comforting hand on his shoulder, but thinking better of it, knelt next to him instead. “Hey, are you alright?”
Kemin took a deep breath and slowly let it out before standing. He brought his hand up to wipe his tears, but stopped when he saw it was in a bloody mess. Ripping the sleeve of his tunic and wrapping his hand, he spoke in a quiet voice, “For the first time it’s truly hit me. “ He looked into Ieron’s eyes as he continued, “It didn’t feel real until now what’s happened to us… to the order.” He looked down at the body. “She was the daughter of a diplomat who had run away to marry her fiancé against her family’s wishes.”
“It doesn’t look like the marriage worked out very well.” Ieron said dryly as she rose.
His voice was listless as he continued, seemingly not hearing or ignoring Ieron’s quip. “He… the fiancé… was found dead on Nar Shaddaa, left to rot in an alley. I suspected Rial had taken her, but I could never track him. He… I can’t prove it, but I think he was Force sensitive and had some instinctive gift of masking his presence. Anyway, I’ve [ i]finally[/i] finished my mission… what good it does anyone. Three years, and it came to this. I can’t even take her body back to her homeworld.”
“You could tip the local authorities… anonymously of course, and let them do the work.”
Kemin nodded then turned to look over at Tobias and Koria. “At least thanks to her, Rial won’t do this to anyone else.” There was a bitter taste in his mouth as he spoke. He knew the cost the young woman had paid to defeat the Codru-ji… and that his own reaction at witnessing it had been fundamentally wrong. I’ve lost my way.
Ieron followed his gaze over to them, watching as her master placed a light hand on Koria's shoulder, keeping a respectful distance even now. She wasn't sure, however, if it was because of what had just happened or because that's what he always did. "What good does any of it do anyone now?" she echoed faintly. "If we weren't lost, then we were willfully left behind," she added, picking up on the thread of Kemin's thoughts.
"We need to get out of here. This is no place for healing." He slowly walked over to where Tobias and Koria sat, and cleared his throat. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but perhaps we should leave."
"We probably shouldn't go back to the theater," Ieron said as Tobias helped Koria back to her feet. The younger woman was shaking, and Ieron had to wonder if she was going to be able to walk up the stairs on her own. Tobias seemed to have gained some of his strength back, but she suspected it wouldn't last long.
"Perhaps we could report back to the Hawk." Koria's voice was a hoarse whisper as she pulled away from Tobias and made her way clumsily up the stairs, stumbling several times.
This is not going to end well, Ieron thought to herself as she watched Tobias follow the other woman, gamely trying to position himself so that if she stumbled, he could catch her. Kemin hung back looking torn between wanting to race up the stairs despite its current occupants and fading into the dark corners of the room.
Once they were out of the house, Koria stopped to look at the three Jedi. "Thank you for rescuing me... I-i'm sorry for what I did." She looked down at the ground in shame.
"Kor," Tobias reached out to her, "it's..."
"No," she exclaimed as she backed away. Her gaze alternated between Ieron and Tobias. "What I did... Ieron, I... when you cut me loose, all I could think of was killing Rial, and I didn't care who was in my way... I..." Tears came down her cheeks as she spoke. "I'm so sorry."
Then she locked gazes with Tobias. "I could have killed you, but you just stood there like... like you knew I wouldn't."
Tobias smiled shakily before turning to Ieron and Kemin. "Could you excuse us please? We'll catch up in a moment."
The two younger Jedi nodded, and Ieron placed a hand on Koria's shoulder. Her expression was one of forgiveness and understanding. She squeezed as Koria looked down at the ground, unable to quite make eye contact. "You're still you," she whispered before walking off with Kemin.
Tobias stepped closer to Koria and hooked his finger under her chin, gently lifting it so their eyes met. He rose his other hand to gently wipe her tears. "You would never kill me."
"B-but I was so full of rage and I was angry at you because you didn't want to kill Rial and all I wanted was him dead and and well... how can you be so certain?"
"Do you remember..." he swallowed as he was about to mention a part of their shared experience that they had never spoken about, "... back on Nar Shaddaa when I found you... laying in the street? You opened your eyes and said, 'I knew you'd come for me'." He looked at her, blinking away tears as it suddenly, irrationally occurred to him that she really was okay - or at least would be in time. "The same faith you have in me, I have in you and your love for me."
"Oh, Tobias!" She hugged him, burying her face in his tunic.
Tobias held her, feeling her shoulders and torso shake beneath his hands as she began to cry. Gently, he tucked her head underneath his chin, providing a physical shelter that reflected the one he'd built for her within the Force earlier. Her shields were still gone, but Tobias didn't feel any great desire to intrude upon her thoughts or emotions. The Jedi Master was suffused with an exhausted joy, simple elation at being alive - that Koria was alive.
"I don't suppose you're still up for the game of pool right now," Koria’s voice was muffled in the Jedi’s tunic.
Tobias chuckled, and Koria took pleasure in the way his chest vibrated with the sound, feeling it through her cheek. "I'll save you the dishonor of collapsing halfway through and losing by default by saying no."
"Hmph, who says I'm the one who'll collapse?" She grinned as she mischievously dug her fingers in his sides to tickle him.
Tobias grunted, pulling away from her. "That's not allowed during the pool game," he said. "And that's fighting dirty."
As Tobias pulled away from Koria, his chin lightly brushed against her lekku buds. She closed her eyes and involuntarily trembled with pleasure. She blushed even though she longed for tenderness and intimacy with him. Sex just wasn’t what she wanted or needed after what had just happened. Then she realized her guard was down, and that Tobias could most likely sense the strong erotic reaction from her. Swallowing nervously, she quickly stepped away from him as her cheeks reddened further. “We’d better get going.” As she started to walk, she struggled to raise her shields to no avail.
“Kor…”
“Yeah?”
“They went that way.”
“Oh… yeah.”
~*~
The medical droid shuffled into the exam room, glancing over its shoulder. "Do you realize you have an angry young lady sitting outside your room?" it asked in the precise voice that seemed a requirement of all droids Tobias had ever encountered.
The Jedi Master sighed. "Yes, I'm aware. She's making sure I don't escape - and trust me, she's no lady."
The droid was silent for a moment, cocking its head in such a way that Tobias would have sworn that, if it had eyebrows, it would be raising one at him. "I'm MD-ORTHO-845, Mr. McCal, programmed to deal with common orthopedic problems," it said in a too innocent voice. "I understand you need to have your shoulder rewrapped to limit your range of motion?"
"Master," Tobias repeated. "Master McCal. And yes, that would be correct."
"I apologize, Master McCal. May I ask what exactly your title denotes?" The droid tilted itself to look up at him as he sat hunched on the exam table.
I can't believe the Separatists preferred droids to clones, he thought to himself. "I've achieved the rank of Jedi Master in the now-defunct Jedi Order."
The orthopedic droid nodded curtly. "Of course," it replied as though his explanation were quite obvious. "If you would prefer I not divulge that information to others, just inform me of such a desire."
"I would prefer you get on with this so that I can go."
"Of course," it repeated. "Please remove your tunic."
Tobias pulled the tunic over his head, placing it behind him on the exam table. "So what do you plan to do now that the Jedi Order has been exterminated?" The droid had approached him and was unwrapping the bandage in place. Tobias stiffened, causing the droid to remove its hands. "Did I hurt you? I'm sorry."
"Not physically," Tobias said curtly. "I can't say I've really decided. Maybe I'll get involved with the rebel movement."
"I've always wondered what it would be like to be programmed to fix droids instead of people," MD-ORTHO said. It had pulled off all of the bandages and produced some clean ones to begin the process of immobilizing his arm again. "The - woman - in the hall expressed the desire that your new sling be very restrictive. Is that your wish as well?"
"I guess I never realized that droids sometimes had different aspirations than those with which they were programmed." Tobias flexed his fingers, feeling the pain within his shoulder radiate down his wrist. "You can make it as restrictive as you think will help it heal fastest."
"I've not met a single being who's come through the med bay doors who hasn't wanted to be somewhere else doing something else." The MD-ORTHO began wrapping a new bandage, limiting the arm’s mobility.
Tobias wiggled his fingers again, revising his opinion as to the eccentricity of this particular droid. "I doubt that has to do with general aspirations of those beings."
"Really? It's not a fundamental desire to be somewhere better, generally in a more advantageous position?" The droid tied off the bandage. "Please flex your arm." Tobias followed its directions, testing the limitations of the bandage. MD-ORTHO made slight adjustments until it was satisfied. "It was a true pleasure to work with you, Master Jedi," it said finally with a slight bow.
"You as well, MD-ORTHO," Tobias replied as he hopped down from the exam table. "It was rather enlightening."
"I aim to please."
~*~
“Your blood work still has traces of the neurotoxin that caused your paralysis. This would explain why you keep shaking or spasming occasionally. We have two options. Either let it run its course, which could be up to a week, or do an experimental treatment in which we inject bacta into your blood stream. It’s not as risky as a bacta flush, but the side effects while doing it can be unpleasant… though it will only last a couple hours, and after that you should be fine.”
“What are the ‘unpleasant’ side effects?”
“Vomiting, diarrhea, hiccupping and sneezing.”
“Sneezing and hiccupping?” Koria giggled at the absurdity of those compared to the first two symptoms.
“The hiccups are severe enough hurt the chest, and it’s not just ordinary sneezes… each sneeze tends to be hard, and come in groups of at least ten without time to take a breaths in between. One patient cracked his ribs because of it.”
“Hm… so it’s between possibly injuring myself sneezing tonight, or occasional jitters and twitching for a week. I guess I’ll have to postpone the pool game.” Koria sighed.
The doctor chuckled. “There have already been wagers taken all over the ship about who will be the victor.”
“Oh no! This means it’s gonna be a public spectacle.”
“Perhaps Garm will allow you to play in the officer’s lounge.”
“I doubt it, he frowns on gambling in the ranks.”
“Hmph, well he has a wager going with me on the game, so I think he’s loosened the rule this once for morale.” She grinned at her patient’s surprised expression. “I’ve been trying to get the good General to take some rec time, but he’s too driven. So, if he’s bet wrong, he’ll have to take a day’s leave to relax. If I’m wrong, I’ll stop ‘nagging’ him for a week.”
Koria laughed. “So, who bet on whom?”
“Garm’s put his faith in you, but I think even with his bum arm, the Jedi Master will win.”
“Does the General know I’ll have one hand tied behind my back?”
The doctor nodded. “And he still thinks you’ll win. No offense, I don’t think you stand a chance.”
“No offense taken. Care to place a wager with me?”
~*~
Ieron was sitting in the hall of the med wing, bouncing a ball, which she had appropriated from the workout room, against the opposite wall and catching it again. Tobias appeared, his arm once again tightly bandaged against his chest. "Looks like the droid did a good job," she commented as she inspected the dressing.
"It certainly seemed competent," the Jedi Master replied.
Ieron tossed the ball up and caught it, noticing in the process that Flyboy - Calder, she corrected herself - was down the hall with a Twi'lek female and a red-haired human male. They were having a conversation, and Calder was clearly giving directions to them, gesturing a number of turns. The couple looked vaguely familiar.
They turned away from Calder and headed down the hallway towards the two Jedi. As they approached, Ieron became acutely aware of the amount of resentment radiating from them. As they came past, the Twi'lek gave Tobias a particularly scathing look before they disappeared down another hallway.
"Was that..?"
"Yes," Tobias cut her off, "those were Koria's parents."
"Why were they so upset?"
Tobias looked at her, one eyebrow high on his forehead with an unamused expression. "Besides the obvious of her association with me has made her a wanted criminal? Or that you could directly blame me for the loss of her and Awin's child? Or that she could conceivably be at home with them and safe if she'd never gone to the Temple in the first place?"
"Or because their daughter is madly in love with a man who doesn't have the decency to return her feelings," Ieron shot back, irritated by the pedagogic tone her Master had assumed.
She was slightly gratified to see color rise in his cheeks, while regretting the rather low blow she'd just dealt him.
"I don't want to talk about it. I'm going back to my quarters to sleep - hopefully for what ends up being a standard day. I trust I will not be interrupted." Without waiting for a response, the Jedi Master turned on his heel, heading the opposite direction down the hallway utilized by Koria's parents.
Ieron stood for a moment, at a loss. Then, her jaw clenched. The Jedi Knight looked down at the ball still in her hand and whipped around, firing it away from where Tobias had disappeared while grunting, "Damn Jedi!"
Calder was still standing there, and he ducked as the small blue ball shot over his head. It ricocheted off the far wall and bounced off the floor, losing momentum as it made its way back towards Ieron. It came to rest by her boot, and she leaned down to retrieve it, still muttering obscenities about her Master.
"Wow," Calder said, looking vaguely impressed. "Can you teach me that trick?"
Ieron shrugged as she replied, “I’m sure as a half-way decent Corellian pilot you could teach me a few swear words.” She sized up the pilot and gestured with her shoulder. "Want to go get a cup of caf, Flyboy? My treat."
He shrugged, still looking at the ball in her hand. "Yeah, why not, a Corellian ace would never turn down a free drink from a half-way decent looking woman.”
"So what have you been doing while the rest of us have been gallivanting on planet," Ieron struck up, realizing that she, too, didn't really want to discuss what had just happened any further.
"We've been running sim drills. The General is thinking that we'll be going out in a few weeks, so we've been doing a bunch of different sims to make sure we're ready for anything."
Ieron nodded, and they chatted about various drills and their pros and cons on the way to the mess hall. Once they had cups in hand, they sat at an empty table, tucked back in the corner away from the other beings loitering there.
"So you seem to have enough pilots and ships and cover," Ieron said, taking a drink of her caf. "What don't you have enough of?"
The pilot set his cup on the table, drawing out an illustration with his finger as he spoke. "Information," he said. "See, the Empire has started these military academies, oftentimes taking over old schools. We don't know why. Seems to us with the Clone Wars over and the Separatists and Jedi gone - present company excepted, of course - they wouldn't need any more beings to serve." He shrugged, pointing at a nondescript spot on the table. "I mean, they've got all these clones, right? Beings willing to do whatever they tell 'em, no argument or nothing. Why do they need to train a bunch of new recruits? What do they have that the clones don't?"
Ieron nodded, and gratified at her interest, Calder continued. "So the General's been trying to find out why - but it's just not going well. He doesn't want to send a good pilot to enroll because he needs all the help he can get. Besides, they're being really selective right now - they won't even take any Corellians at the moment, afraid they'll do something stupid. The Emperor's been saying that eventually they'll open it up to every kind of being - or at least humans. But who knows when that'll be?"
The pilot picked up his cup again, taking a long drink. Ieron leaned against the table, studying the grain of its surface where Calder had been pointing. "Who says it has to be a recruit?" she said suddenly, looking up at him. The pilot just lifted his shoulders, face hidden as he drained the last drops of his caf. "I mean, you just need someone to work there - have a look-see. They wouldn't need to be a recruit, especially if there's such a strict screening process. But who's going to care who applies to clean the pots and pans or sweep out the barracks?"
At that, Calder choked and began coughing, looking at Ieron as though she'd lost her tenuous grasp on reality. "You volunteering?" he finally managed to force out when the fit ended.
"Yeah, why not?"
"What the hell did you do before?"
Ieron thumped her cup on the table, spilling a few drops out of the bottom of it. "I was a spy. I went to Dooku and offered my services at the behest of the Council, all under the table of course. I spent too long, playing along with their game. It'd be nice to do something that actually felt like I was doing something helpful - something I chose of my own free will."
The Jedi Knight got up from the table, having lost her taste for the caf. "Hey, do me a favor and don't tell Master McCal about this, okay? I need to do some nosing around first - see how they hire their staff."
Calder nodded. "Yeah, sure. Though why not?"
"He'd think it was a more elegant form of suicide," she replied, looking into her cup.
The pilot stood up from the table, studying her expression. "Well, isn't it?"
Ieron threw the cup, watching as it arched the short distance before dropping into the waste can. She looked back at the pilot, unblinking. "Yeah - it is. I just don't need him to lecture me about it."
To be continued...
-----signature-----
"Change. It can be good. It can be bad. It can be expected or come as a thief in the night. Invited or not, it always comes." ~Koria "Tender Shadows", co-written w/ The Musical Jedi "Two Peas Out of the Pod" http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/user/205643
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Independence1776
Registered:
Feb '06
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Date Posted:
8/23 8:02pm
Subject:
RE: Tender Shadows (USJS OCs; ROTS/purge era/IT; drama, action, romance) - Updated 8.17.08 - Chap. 2
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I'd have to agree that the Jedi have somewhat lost the path. They're used to a centralized command structure, and while those in the field may be independent, there's still order to their lives that they're lacking now. You can only run for so long.
Interesting conversation with the droid.
This pool game will be interesting...
Ooh... Ieron doing what she's good at. This should be intriguing- I've wondered the same myself.
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earlybird-obi-wan
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Aug '06
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Date Posted:
8/23 9:10pm
Subject:
RE: Tender Shadows (USJS OCs; ROTS/IT; drama, action, romance) - Updated 8.23.08 - Chap. 30, Ricoche
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nice a meddroid with bedside manners
and what's Ieron up to
Loved the entire update 
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Trika_Kenobi
Registered:
Nov '99
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Date Posted:
8/25 11:24am
Subject:
RE: Tender Shadows (USJS OCs; ROTS/IT; drama, action, romance) - Updated 8.23.08 - Chap. 30, Ricoche
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I've always been intrigued by Ieron, and now I'm definitely interested in what she's up to.
The whole feel of this story changes as I go along... I have felt excited and saddened. I have also felt worried and distraught. This update, however, was almost like a culminating experience that forced me to meet the Jedi at their emotional level. I've gotten a better sense of the loneliness and heartache in this update. It's a unique feeling, for sure. Thank you!
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Musical-Wingstar
Registered:
Mar '08
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Date Posted:
8/28 7:44pm
Subject:
RE: Tender Shadows (USJS OCs; ROTS/IT; drama, action, romance) - Updated 8.23.08 - Chap. 30, Ricoche
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Indy - It's good to see Ieron getting back to her strengths... As for the pool game, you'll have to wait a few more posts for that. 
earlybird - Glad you liked the droid! I think the value of bedside manners are far underestimated!
Trika - I'm glad that you've gotten to see the Jedi as they are - get down to their level. Whatever Lucas says, I think they're human first and then Jedi. It's not all lightsaber twirling and saving the galaxy.
Chapter 31: Guilt
It didn’t take long for the combined efforts of the surgical droid and the doctor to temporarily stitch up Kemin’s hand. They informed him, however, that it will have to be replaced, as the nerves, blood vessels and muscles had been too severely damaged to be functional, but the surgical procedure would have to wait until the next day. Though by the doctor’s orders he was supposed to be resting, the knight was restless. He knew he should meditate, but he felt the need to talk to someone. So, he went out of the room provided for him in the medical ward. By habit, he blended with the shadows, hiding his presence with the aid of the Force.
As he went down the hallway of the med center, he saw Ieron rhythmically throwing a ball against the wall and catching it. Before he could approach her, however, Tobias came out of a room and they began talking. Kemin stood quietly, listening. He smiled slightly as he observed their interaction. The two were as close… perhaps closer… as any parent and child he’d ever seen in his travels. That was something he never had with his master. Even though he had a strong training bond with Master Rishal, the Iktotchi Master remained emotionally distant. In a way, he guessed it was what made him a good investigator. He could analyze and observe people… see the good and bad within them… and appreciate it without becoming attached.
His Master was gone now, though, and he had enough of detachment... Kemin felt a need to connect... to be able to share what he was feeling, both good and bad without being judged.
Beyond Ieron and Tobias, he saw a rebel pilot talking to a tall red headed man of medium build and a golden-yellow Twi’lek. Though he’d never met them before, he somehow knew these were Koria’s parents. Not only was the Twi’lek a spitting image of Koria… only older… but she had the same aura of vibrant life her daughter had. The pilot pointed down the hallway past Ieron and Tobias, and the Rimstars came down the hallway. He didn’t miss the fact… and truth tell, he appreciated it… that Mrs. Rimstar moved with the same grace her daughter did. He also couldn’t fail to notice the hostility Koria’s parents had towards the Jedi Master, and he frowned, wondering about that. After the Rimstars had passed by him and gone into a room a couple of doors down, he listened to Ieron and Tobias discussing the possible reasons for the antagonism displayed by Koria’s parents.
He shook his head at the Master’s reaction to his Padawan’s statement. Though it was an offhand remark, and perhaps a low blow, it confirmed what the Knight had noticed before. He had seen the same connection between Tobias and Koria that he saw with the married couple. Why does he fight it? The Force has obviously drawn them together. Resistance can only cause pain. Surely he can see that! Kemin could not help but think that if he were lucky enough to have someone special love him so deeply, he would never turn his back on her. Though I may be the wrong person to judge… I’m not exactly the ideal Jedi.
He watched as Tobias walked away and Ieron threw the ball in frustration. He was going to go talk to her when the pilot beat him to it.
Sighing with frustration, he looked towards Koria’s door. His eyes narrowed speculatively.
And he waited.
---
The conversation with Doctor Della Kern had turned serious as she assessed her patient’s psychological and emotional state. For her part, Koria answered the doctor evasively and with little emotion.
“You can’t pretend it didn’t happen, Koria.” The doctor placed a hand on her shoulder.
“I’m not, but dwelling on something I can’t change is pointless.” Koria sighed wearily. “I’m tired. All I want is to get some sleep.”
Della nodded in understanding, but before she could say anything, she heard a light tapping on the door. Koria grinned at the perplexed look on her doctor’s face. “That would be my dad.”
“Your mother is probably with him. Are you up to seeing them?”
Koria chuckled. “They won’t rest until they see me… and won’t give anyone in the medical ward any rest either.”
“True enough.” Della shook her head. “I don’t know how this galaxy can survive three Rimstars on the same ship,” she quipped as she went to open the door. She cautioned the newcomers in a stern voice, “She’s tired, so you can only stay a few minutes.”
“Thank you, Doctor Kern,” Kal Rimstar said even as he walked over and took his daughter’s hand. He leaned over and kissed the top of her head. “I know you’re grown up, but you’ll always be my baby girl.”
Koria blushed as she squeezed his hand. “I love you too, dad.”
Shoyma came to stand beside her husband. Placing a hand on top of Kal’s and her daughter’s hands, she looked into Koria’s eyes as though to assess the younger woman’s well being. “Kor…” she leaned over to give her a hug.
“Mom,” Koria’s voice squeaked as she returned the maternal embrace, and tears came to her eyes.
The two women held each other tight, saying nothing. Kal put his arms around both.
---
General Iblis sat across the desk from Dr. Kern. “How is she?”
“Physically, she’ll be fine within the next few days. I’m concerned more about how she’s dealing with what has happened. She shrugs it off as though it’s all in the past.”
“Do you think she’ll talk with someone else?”
“Perhaps,” she rubbed her temples as she spoke, “but she seems more concerned about Jecca and Jimi.”
“Jecca?” Garm frowned in confusion.
“Koria’s friend who was there when she was kidnapped.”
“Oh yeah, I had forgotten her name. What’s her status?”
“She has a moderate concussion. She’s responding well to the bacta treatment and should be fine within a couple days. But, Koria… she feels guilty for Jimi’s death.”
“That wasn’t her fault.”
“True, but you know how she is. Like you, she takes more unto her shoulders than is healthy.”
“Don’t turn this into another nagging session, Della.”
The corners of the doctor’s mouth turned up slightly. “Very well, Garm. Perhaps that Jedi she’s been fawning over can help her.”
Bel Iblis harrumphed. “Her parents think he’s part of the problem… and I tend to agree to some extent.”
“Be that as it may, he’s likely the only person she will talk to.”
---
“Why do you defend him?” Shoyma exclaimed in exasperation.
“One,” Koria heatedly replied, “it wasn’t his fault Rial kidnapped and raped me. Two, he saved my life… twice. Three, I love him! I won’t let anyone, even you, put him down for being who he is.”
“Honey, we aren’t putting him down,” Kal put a supporting arm around his wife’s shoulders as he reasoned with his daughter, “but, he’s a Jedi. Jedi don’t love.”
“He loves me,” Koria insisted, but her voice was quiet and shaky. She folded her arms in front of her as she continued, “But he…”
“But he’s a high and mighty Jedi and won’t lower himself to show it like normal people,” Shoyma spat out, “and you don’t help yourself by worshipping him. If anything he’s not worthy of your love!”
“He’s not like that! And I don’t worship him!”
“He’s a good man,” Kal conceded, “and an even better Jedi.”
“But?” Koria challenged her father when she heard hesitation in his voice.
“But,” he held up his finger, “he is a Jedi, which means he isn’t exactly good marriage material.”
“As opposed to a sex slave?”
Koria’s head snapped around at the force of the open-handed slap her mother delivered to her cheek. Even as tears involuntarily came to her eyes, she refused to raise her hand to cover her stinging face. She looked defiantly at her mom, but seeing the combined anger, sorrow, regret and love reflected in her eyes, Koria’s heart broke. “Mom, I’m sorry. I love you… I… just…”
Shoyma hugged her daughter as Kal spoke softly, “Sweetheart, we don’t hate Master McCal…”
“Speak for yourself,” his wife muttered and Koria pulled away from her.
Kal sighed, “We just want you to be happy, Kor.”
“I can’t just give up on him, dad. You didn’t give up on mom when she went to work for Givven.”
“That’s not the same, Kor.”
“No, Dad, it isn’t. Tobias never betrayed me.”
“Are you forgetting how he just announced without warning that he was leaving without you?” Shoyma pointed out.
“He never said we were going to stay together. The assumption was mine.”
“So now you’re throwing yourself at him again so he can string you along some more.”
“Mom…” Koria sighed warily as she rubbed her eyes, “could we please just have this argument tomorrow.”
Kal took her hands and gently squeezed before reaching out and caressing her cheek. “Get some sleep.” He leaned over and kissed her forehead. “I love you, baby girl.”
“I love you too, dad.” She looked forlorn as she gazed up at her mother.
“Honey, don’t look at me like that!” Shoyma hugged her daughter tight. “I just don’t want to see you hurt so much.” When she pulled away, she put an arm around her husband’s waist. “Rest well, dear.”
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