Jedi Council Forums - Preservation: OCs with a side of Yoda, Jinn and more. Updated 8/11

Locked Topic | Read Only Topic | Previous Active Topic | Next Active Topic

Pages: 1 | 2 - ~~Previous~~ | Next | Reload

Author	Topic: Preservation: OCs with a side of Yoda, Jinn and more. Updated 8/11
Jedi_Perigrine Registered: Apr '08	Date Posted: 7/23/08 12:13pm Subject: Preservation: OCs with a side of Yoda, Jinn and more. Updated 8/11 - Date Edited: 8/11/08 7:44am (4 edits total) Edited By: Jedi_Perigrine
	Title: Preservation--a continuation of Preservation from the Before the Saga thread. Author: Jedi_Perigrine Timeframe: Approximately the start of The Phantom Menace Characters: OCs: Wilch Evlon, human, former Jedi Knight Plort; Ithorian, former Jedi Knight Matris, human, Force Sensitive trainee of Plort, wife of Wilch Windy, Mrlssi, Force Sensitive wild child found and apprenticed by Wilch Guest appearances by Yoda, Qui-Gon and more Genre: Drama, some action Summary: Wilch senses the upcoming doom of the Jedi Order and leaves the Temple to save as much Jedi knowledge as he can. Author's note: Feel free to go back and read what has happened before, but I don't feel it's necessary to get some enjoyment out of the story. Please feel free to leave comments. I always welcome constructive criticism via PM! __________________________________________ Months passed like racing swoop bikes, zipping by at an unbelievable pace. A full two years had passed since the wild young girl, Windy, had come to live with them. There were major adventures on a near daily basis for the first few months as the three settled together into a two-bedroom suite on the mining colony on Bespin. Day by day, Windy learned how to fit into galactic civilization through hours of hard study. Despite being Mrlssi--a complete alien species compared to her human foster parents--she fit into Wilch and Matris’ family almost as though she had been born there. In many respects, she began her life with the two humans like an actual human baby--albeit a baby who was highly mobile, raised by wild rawks, liked to chew on furniture, and insisted on catching vermin and pests as snacks whenever possible. It was always hard to explain her behavior when they were in the park with other families. Fortunately their neighborhood was new and under populated. They eventually convinced her that she didn’t need to kill and eat every rodent she saw. But a few examples of such behavior were enough to start the family off on the wrong foot and considered very strange by the neighborhood. A small part of the misunderstanding was because Wilch, Matris, Windy, and their close Ithorian friend Plort were all Force Sensitive and kept to themselves. Nobody outside the family even suspected their Jedi roots. The four of them took ultimate care to keep that secret buried deep. Wilch kept a watchful eye on the emotions of everybody around him; at the first sign of recognition, he would have loaded his family into Matris’ ship and disappeared into the depths of the galactic core. That’s how dangerous his knowledge was. Wilch’s secret concerned the fate of the entire Jedi Order. Even though he had to pass up a chance at becoming a Master and serving on the Jedi Council by doing so, he exiled himself from the Order. It became his self-appointed task to preserve as much knowledge as he could, in case the horrific nightmares of his visions played true. Even Master Yoda said he was jumping at shadows. But Yoda hadn’t seen this vision, or awakened during the wee hours of the night, tangled in his sheets and drenched in sticky sweat from seeing the terrible revelation play out in his mind for the hundredth time. Of the other Jedi, only Plort believed his warning, but even he couldn’t take all the strain off of his friend. No, this was Wilch’s duty to bear. His life wasn’t all terror and looming danger, but he never forgot the reason behind his exile. Wilch knew the Jedi were going to be destroyed from within… __________________________________________ Dancing about the living room, Windy moved her very long arms and short legs purposefully, practicing bits of all the katas she had learned over the years. “There they are!” Wilch’s voice loudly announced, startling her out of her short reverie. “What did you find?” Windy asked, following the sound of his voice to the storage closet across from the ‘fresher. “Remember that box of holos I’ve been looking for?” Windy’s beak took on a puzzled expression, her dark eyes blinking in confusion. “Weren’t you looking for that box six months ago?” “Yeah that one. It’s been hiding in the closet, right under my nose.” He rooted around inside a thin gray box. “There’re lots of memories in here.” Wilch tossed her a few flimsiplasts. She caught two of them with her hands, but had to resort to the Force to stop the other one from hitting the ground. “Woah!” she exclaimed, singling one out over the other two. “My letter to the Bespin Wildlife Docuholo Company…” Windy hadn’t forgotten how little she knew when Wilch took her in, two years ago. She didn’t even know how to speak Basic, then. Thanks in part to the children’s program that Plort recommended, “Mrlssi Street”, Windy learned a great many things in an extremely short time. That particular program improved her language skills in Basic, as well as giving her the basics of Rodese, Shyriiwook, and the primary tongue of the Twi’leks: Ryl. With her flexible tongue, versatile vocal chords, and a natural affinity for languages, she quickly lost interest in the childish holonet show and switched to adult programs that were much more in-depth, bringing her vocabulary in those languages up to proficiency at the very least. Thanks to her growing telepathic bond as Wilch’s apprentice, she mastered Basic in a matter of weeks. Her amazing progress would have astounded teachers and Jedi instructors alike. Wilch and Matris both were proud of “their little girl”. Some of the most important studies Windy ever undertook were the ones pertaining to the Jedi Code. She knew that it was extremely difficult for Wilch to leave the Order behind, but if anything were to ever happen, he wanted to be able to return the Jedi with all the resources they would need to understand light from dark, or resurrect training regimen, or to list the selfless deeds of Jedi Knights. Almost more important than the histories, Wilch wanted to preserve the Order’s mistakes, for that was how the toughest lessons were learned; the mistakes that would be most hazardous to repeat, causing the most pain and destruction. Wilch had told Windy that on many occasions. Also in the beginning, Wilch forced her to sit through other children’s shows relating to important planetary systems. They used overly simplistic colorful pictures and annoyingly cute tunes to demonstrate geological similarities between most habitable worlds, such as mountains, rivers, and oceans. Tired of the childish programs Wilch was finding for her, she tracked down other, more adult oriented holos that elaborated about the common beasts in the galaxy’s most influential worlds. These detailed the habitat they preferred, their food sources. For her own curiosity she looked up what was said about Bespin’s rawwks. Finding most of their information to be completely false, she had few nice things to say about that particular docuholo and expressed much displeasure at how inaccurate it was. She immediately took up Wilch’s suggestion to write them a letter and set them straight. After many hours of careful editing, her letter was complete and sent. Wilch and Windy both had looked forward to the company’s response to “the girl raised by rawwks”. As expected, their reply was on the fringes of politeness, the gist being essentially, “there’s no way that’s possible, they’d eat you!” Wilch used the exchange to show Windy that otherwise intelligent beings may not always accept truths, and that some truths can seem impossible to believe. To Windy, it didn’t seem like a minor disappointment at the time. It seemed more like they were reveling in intentional ignorance. But in the grand scheme of things, Windy discovered that it was indeed minor, and she found that it was to be the first of many disappointments. Still, Windy knew Wilch was proud of his student’s tenacity after she wrote a second, ultimately unanswered letter. “I can’t believe you kept this!” Windy muttered. “Every parent likes to keep souvenirs of important events in their child’s life.” She rolled her eyes. “Father, you’re so dramatic.” Knowing that secrecy was still of utmost importance, Wilch asked Windy to call him Father instead of Master. He, in turn, called her Daughter, rather than Padawan. Over a surprisingly short time, the difference between the words became semantics alone and their relationship as teacher and student became more familial. “You are my student, and in every way that matters, my daughter as well. I wouldn’t trade you in for anything.” “You’re spewing mush and it’s going to make me regurgitate all over you,” she retorted, sarcastic tone hiding the pleasure that his words evoked. “What else is in there?” His response was to toss her a piece of hardened plaster. “Is this my first cast?” “Yep. From when I broke your leg. The first time.” Not knowing if he was going to teach her lightsaber skills but wanting to pass on as much Jedi knowledge as possible, he introduced her to blasters and vibroswords and taught her the basics of self defense with hands and feet. Plort was far more adept in the ways of combat, so at Wilch’s request, the Ithorian worked on drills that the four of them could do together. He taught them the Teras Kasi basics, working that powerful martial art into his own style he had created. Windy’s reverse-articulated legs made her kicks more of a challenge to teach, but once she mastered them, her attacks had a great deal of power behind them. The angle of her joints made deflecting her attacks very difficult. Unfortunately, Mrlssi bones were slight. Matris, Plort and Wilch had all unintentionally injured her on multiple occasions due to her light build. She healed well and quickly, with little grudge against each blow that sidelined her. Wilch had worried that she was storing her hurt feelings and letting them build up, but she reassured him that injuries happened regularly during play in her rawwk clan. There were no hard feelings between members who accidentally injured each other, so long as the intent to harm was absent. Intentional injuries often devolved to lethal death matches in which the assailants would fight for their lives and prestige within the clan. “Do you have the other four casts in there too?” “No, Daughter. Only the first. That cast was the one you had to wear for two weeks after I used the new aggressive block on your shin. Plort shouldn’t have taught me that, I still feel guilty about it.” In truth, the squelching pop that the bone made when it snapped would probably be embedded in Wilch’s mind forever. He still felt guilty whenever he thought of that event. She backhanded the back of his arm in jest. “And you don’t feel bad for the time you broke my arm?” “No, that one was your fault. It was a sloppy attack.” The decreasing guilt was only somewhat true, he still felt a little responsibility for that, but nowhere near as much as her very first injury. “You ducked and I elbowed over the dejarik board. Mother still hasn’t forgotten that it was me who destroyed the game, even though she never played it.” “And now you’re more aware of your environment in a fight,” Wilch answered. “You learned from the experience.” Windy couldn’t deny that. She saw a flat, sparkling blue rhombus-shaped stone on the bottom of the box. Deftly she shoved some holos out of the way and picked it up. “A rock?” “Ah, not just any rock,” Wilch answered enthusiastically. “This is from Varonat.” Understanding lit up her face. “That great debacle of a relief mission you made us go on?” Wilch laughed affectionately. “Yes, that one. That was…what…a year ago? I remember it well. Plort was still irritated with me when the three of us answered the pleas for help.” Windy remembered that Plort was angry with Wilch for a long time after bonding the young Mrlssi as apprentice. The Ithorian was afraid that he had taken advantage of her by not giving her more time to consider her future. Wilch in turn had admitted that his reasons for bonding with the girl were not in line with the Jedi way. He and Plort would occasionally wander off together to argue. Once he had convinced Wilch that what he did was wrong, they worked together to assuage the guilt. Later, she joined the discussions and despite Wilch’s explanation of how he thought he had taken advantage of her state of mind at the time, his repeated apologies and offers to release her from the bond, she took her Father’s previous side of the debates; accepting him as teacher was entirely her well-considered decision. One that she hadn’t regretted in the least over the last two years. It was on that mission to Varonat that Windy eventually lost patience with the two males’ endless discussions. She took Plort to her private cabin on board the Corellian Fire and told him in no uncertain terms how happy she was with her decision of becoming Wilch’s apprentice. Finding no deception within her, Plort finally had to admit that she did perhaps understand what her actions meant. Even though Wilch might not have handled the beginning of her apprenticeship very wisely, the Ithorian couldn’t deny that both student and teacher were flourishing together. “I’m glad you cleared that up for me,” Wilch said, reliving the memory in detail. “I didn’t think Plort was ever going to speak to me cordially again.” “Well, you two renewed your friendship just in time. Remember the village outside of Edgefield-on-Varonat?” Wilch’s countenance drooped as he remembered the destruction. “It was like the planet tried to shake itself apart. Quakes had reduced that village to almost nothing. We landed there before any other relief teams had made it.” Windy’s eyes took on a haunted expression as well. “Almost all the buildings were down, most of which had victims buried underneath. I remember a lot of blood, death and sorrow.” “There were triumphs, too,” her father reminded her. “Remember the family of Krish that you rescued from their basement? They were grateful for their lives.” She nodded, glad to be reminded of a happy event there. “I used the Force to shuffle a lot of stone walls that day.” “Yeah, you used it so much that everybody could feel the effort, even the non-Force sensitives felt something was unusual.” Windy broke out into a very human guffaw. “That’s right! I had forgotten. Five minutes later, Mace Windu came running into the camp, demanding to know where all the other Jedi were. None of the villagers knew what had happened or what he was talking about, they just thought the strangeness they sensed was due to the disaster.” Her Father smiled warmly. “I’m just glad you took my warnings to heart and moved things subtly. If any of the villagers saw the walls floating, they might have figured out what was going on or who did it.” Windy was still chuckling. “I wish you could have felt what I did when you saw Windu. I thought you were going to soil yourself.” Wilch joined her in laughing. “So did I. But that’s still nothing to how scared Plort was. The second my shock wore off, I took off for the Fire, but Plort would probably still be standing out in the open, eyes bugging out of his head, waiting for Mace to recognize him.” Their laughter continued, covering the sound of someone opening the door. “Hello?” Plort’s voice called out, walking to join them by following the sounds of their fit of giggles. “What are you two talking about?” Abruptly Windy stopped laughing and feigned a surprised face. Her eyes opened wide and she pointed with one of her talon-tipped fingers. “Mace Windu!” she cried. Plort fell for the trap. Immediately his face turned frightened and guilty. His head jerked right and left as if trying to find a place to hide. Windy doubled over, clutching her abdomen and falling to the ground, laughing too hard. Wilch fell forward and covered his eyes as giddy mirth escaped him in the form of chortles and tears. The Ithorian realized he’d been thoroughly mocked. “Oh ha, ha,” he retorted dryly. He let them regain control before he tried to defend his actions. “I’ve never panicked before, but when I saw Windu…” He let his face take on a serious expression. “This is your mission, Wilch, secrecy is important.” Wilch wiped the last tear from his eye. “You’re right. I never thought it would be this easy and this difficult to be away from the Jedi Order.” Windy rarely forgot that the entire reason her Father left the Jedi was to safeguard its secrets: he reminded her often. She had spent a lot of time reading the data he had copied, of course. In her own way, she still considered herself and her family as Jedi. Still, as she was forced to leave her rawwk clan, she understood how difficult it must have been for her Father to leave his Jedi family. “Any regrets?” she asked, her voice soft and understanding. Wilch glanced at her and smiled warmly. “No,” he answered, grasping her by a green-feathered arm and pulling her in for a tight hug. “I’ve got the galaxy’s greatest Padawan, an amazing wife, and Bespin’s ugliest farmer for a best friend.” Plort teasingly shoved the human into a wall, prompting an “oof” and a chuckle. Even as he laughed, a shadow crossed his expression, confirming what she suspected. Now Windy was sure that something was troubling him, she could sense it through her bond. But Wilch had learned to bury his emotions very deeply, when he wanted to. If he wanted to tell her what it was, eventually he would. She hugged him back very tightly. “Hey, a wedding holo,” Plort announced, reaching between the other two and picking it up. “I can’t believe you married my Padawan. We’ve been gone from the temple for almost three years and it still sounds wrong somehow.” Wilch reached around and activated the holo. Matris smiled back at them wearing a vibrant white dress that hung off the shoulders, displaying a tiny portion of her nicely rounded bosom and her soft, very white skin. Intricate designs, mostly Corellian, dotted the waistline and bust, as well as trailing the entire distance to the floor on the long train. Without a doubt, Matris was beautiful in that dress. “Speaking of my wayward Apprentice, where is she?” “Working,” Wilch scoffed. Plort’s double mouths chuckled at that. “I should call in sick for her all next month. She’s been neglecting her studies. I haven’t even seen her in a few days.” Wilch’s eyebrows raised curiously. “What? I thought she was spending time with you. She’s disappeared a couple of nights last week.” Windy felt she knew her mother well enough, but apparently she didn’t. “That’s weird,” she said. Her father nodded. “Doesn’t seem like her to hide things.” Hard as he tried to hide it, Windy felt his suspicion bloom. The three of them lapsed into silence for a few moments, each wondering what was going on. They were interrupted by the sound of the com chime. Wilch stood with a groan, rubbing his back as if he were stiff. “I’ll get it.” As he activated the connection, he was looking into the large black eyes of a very well-dressed Bith woman. “Yes?” “Please hold for the Vice-director of Flight Operations,” she said, immediately placing him in a hold queue. The cackling randomness of the jizz music popular on the station tumbled out of the speakers. Wilch’s stomach dropped. Having Matris’ immediate supervisor calling him couldn’t be a good sign. He hoped nothing had happened to her. “Ugh!” Windy complained vociferously from the storage room. “I hate that music, can you turn it off?” Wilch didn’t hear her, his mind still racing with unpleasant possibilities. How could anything happen to her? He stewed for an entire minute, during the course of which Windy had come to stand next to him, sensing his trepidation. “Father?” she asked, touching him on the elbow. “What? Oh, I’m sure it’s nothing.” “You’re worried something happened to her, and after this morning’s argument…” Things between her parents had been tense over the last three months. She knew her parents were very different people, deep at heart. The ever-increasing number of loud shouting-matches didn’t seem to resolve anything anymore, like they had at first. Windy had even found Wilch sleeping on the couch three days this week. Finally the obnoxiously random music cut out. They found themselves not looking at the Bothan who Matris reported to, but rather at Matris herself. “Surprise!” she shouted, toying with the name placard that labeled her as the new Vice-Director. Windy and Wilch’s eyes popped open wide and their jaws almost hit the floor. Plort came from around the corner, chuckling to himself. “You were in on this!” Wilch accused his friend. “A little.” “Mother, that’s great news!” Matris had been complaining about the way the Bothan was trying to run things lately. She thought she could do a better job. “Thank you, Windy.” The older woman was beaming at them. “Apparently it wasn’t just me who thought my predecessor was mangling the operation. I’ve been in several secret meetings with the station administrator. I guess he liked my suggestions.” “That’s great, Matris,” Wilch replied a second later than would have been natural. Windy could sense his relief. Yet at the same time, she felt Wilch’s annoyance grow, only to be stamped down an instant later. Matris didn’t seem to notice anything out of the ordinary. “I’m afraid ye’ll have to get used to my new salary. It doubled. Again.” Wilch rolled his eyes, not entirely displeased. He appreciated Matris’ income if only because he sent so much of it away. He nettled her occasionally by donating thousands of credits all over the galaxy. Wilch had even sent excessive sums of money back to the Jedi Temple via a completely anonymous Republic banking account. That became the subject of many an argument. “The good news isn’t over,” Matris continued. “Something’s coming tomorrow for your fifth life-day, Windy. I think ye’ll like it.” The silly grin on her face wasn’t fading yet. “And I get a vacation, starting tomorrow. You and I, husband, have some catching up to do.” Wilch nodded, feeling both excited and terrified by the prospect of spending time with his somewhat estranged wife. “I’m looking forward to it,” he answered neutrally. -----signature----- Check out the Talons! They RULE! http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/28126755/p1 I can't believe Darth Writer's Block only abandons me for NaNo. NaNo word count: 25267
	Locked Topic \| Active Topic Notification \| Private Message \| Post History
dianethx Registered: Mar '02	Date Posted: 7/24/08 9:25am Subject: RE: Preservation: OCs with a side of Yoda, Jinn and more.
	That was cute and a good idea of how to bring us up to speed on what has been going on with Wilch and company. It looks like he married someone with skills enough to make good. Good job. -----signature----- Betrayal - http://boards.theforce.net/s/b1/10935143 updated 9/22/09 jedidas3's Master Merlin - Diplomatic Immunity - http://boards.theforce.net/nswff/b10808/30459852
	Locked Topic \| Active Topic Notification \| Private Message \| Post History
jedidas3 Registered: Apr '07	Date Posted: 7/25/08 5:17am Subject: RE: Preservation: OCs with a side of Yoda, Jinn and more.
	Nice job! Looking forward to more adventures! -----signature----- New Story: No Regrets http://boards.theforce.net/the_saga/b10476/29659791/p1/?18 See bio for complete list of stories
	Locked Topic \| Active Topic Notification \| Private Message \| Post History
Jedi_Perigrine Registered: Apr '08	Date Posted: 7/28/08 7:54am Subject: RE: Preservation: OCs with a side of Yoda, Jinn and more. - Date Edited: 7/28/08 7:58am (1 edits total) Edited By: Jedi_Perigrine
	dianethx posted: That was cute and a good idea of how to bring us up to speed on what has been going on with Wilch and company. It looks like he married someone with skills enough to make good. Good job. Thanks! I figured I probably better start somewhere that other people might find their way into the story. I'm hoping to drum up s'more interest, of course. jedidas3 posted: Nice job! Looking forward to more adventures! More adventures, coming right up! Thanks for following me over here! Meanwhile, on with the show. ____________________________________________________ The next morning, the four of them left together, walking towards the hangar. Matris took the lead and marched them purposefully through long hallways and several corridors leading to multiple ship berths. At first, Windy thought they were going to the Corellian Fire's personal home, docking bay 6334. Instead, she stopped one doorway beyond, 6335. “Are ye ready?” Matris asked, a wicked twinkle in her eye. She really was in a good mood today, she hadn’t snapped at Father once yet. “Uhhh, sure,” the young Mrlssi said hesitantly, giving Wilch and Plort a confused look. With a terribly overdramatic bow, she indicated Windy should go through the hatchway first. After giving an avian shrug, she wandered in. The ship was parked at an angle mostly facing towards them. The high-towering landing struts made the craft seem overly tall; Windy could barely see the top of the cockpit windows near the front. It seemed bigger than it really was. If she had to guess, Windy would have said that the length was about the same as Matris’ YT-1300. The first two-thirds of the ship seemed to be the primary hull, somewhat rectangle-like, though perhaps tapering mildly towards a point near the cockpit. A couple of obviously custom blasters poked out underneath the front end of the ship. A double-barreled turret was visible between the landing struts amidships. She thought she saw a twin turret on the top, near the middle of the hull, too. On the aft port side, a single round escape pod was nestled in at the very back of the larger section. Based on the ship’s apparent symmetry, Windy guessed there was probably another pod on the starboard side as well. Connected via a somewhat thinner hull was the engine mount. The fat, wide diamond-shaped section of hull had a single large radar array in the middle, over the central engine, while two other large round engine pods poked out on either side. “What in space is it?” Windy asked at last. Matris looked disappointed that she had to identify the ship for everybody else. “It’s a CEC YG-4210 light freighter,” she answered. “These things have been around for a very long time, but I finally saw one that was in prime shape with all the modifications I wanted.” “Oh,” Windy said. “Well it’s nice,” she lied. “Glad ye think so. It’s yers, here are the keys.” She tossed a couple of datachips at the Mrlssi girl who caught them instinctively. “Happy Fifth naming day!” “What?” she cried, startled. This piece of junk? Windy wasn’t sure it would make space, forget about getting her anywhere in style. They’re about to release the YT-1760 and I get this thing? She thought, irritated. Then she remembered her manners. “Thank you very much, Mother. I like it.” “Just like?” Matris blurted, annoyed herself. “Well, maybe ye’ll like it better from the inside. Come on.” She reached down and grabbed Windy’s long arm and pulled her forcefully towards the lowered ramp that lead them into the ship just before the lower turret. The Mrlssi struggled a little with the keys, trying to figure out which end went where before the door snapped open. First thing that came to her attention once they passed through the door was the scent of freshly produced nerf furniture. The door closed behind Plort as he brought up the rear. He walked awkwardly, struggling with an obnoxiously large pack slung over his shoulder. The main ship area was huge and suited Windy perfectly in its simplicity. There was a large open square-shaped room with nothing but brightly lit ceilings and fresh hide covered walls. Open doors lead fore and aft, but otherwise the room was completely empty. “I thought ye could do yer training in this compartment,” Matris announced, her hands spread as if she were trying to sell the ship to skeptical buyers. “It’s almost ten meters by ten meters wide, here. To the left is a little bit of cargo space and the engine room. I had the latest and greatest hyperdrive and sublight engines put in before I took possession. Not a lot to see back there. But up here,” she continued, going through the doorway towards the cockpit. “Here’s yer main cabin. Comfy couch over there, food processing unit here, main computer terminal over there. Notice the brand new dejarak board,” Matris intoned jocularly, as if reminding Windy that she was the reason the Corellian Fire no longer had one. “There’s some sleeping quarters on either side, there. The Captain’s quarters are nice and big, situated right below the bridge.” Matris walked towards the cockpit, showing the slightly downward sloping stairway ending with an open door. To the left of that stairwell was an upward angling set, leading to the bridge. She grabbed Windy by the hand and yanked her in. “Pilot station on the left, copilot on the right. A couple spare chairs for others, if they wanted to play navigator or just have a nice view of the stars. I took it for a test flight meself. It’s not going to break any speed records, but she’ll hold her own in a fight or a race, either one.” Windy wasn’t crazy about the exterior of the ship, but the interior was laid out almost perfectly; even the cockpit controls were laid out as she would have preferred. It was almost exactly how Windy had pictured her dream ship, minus the horrendous exterior. “Matris, thank you!” Windy said, throwing her arms around the human’s middle in a crushing hug. Because she was so short, the Mrlssi’s head barely came up to Matris’ bosom. “That’s more like it!” the woman said, grinning madly. “Now, I took the liberty of packing some things for you.” Windy was startled. She didn’t know she was supposed to go anywhere. “That explains why I couldn’t find my favorite tunic. Where are we going?” “Well, Matris and I are going on a quick vacation together,” Wilch said, speaking for the first time. The distant way the two humans looked at each other, Windy couldn’t help but nod. They really needed to get away and sort things out. “Good.” “But you and Plort? Well.” As Wilch broke eye contact with his wife, the smile returned easily to his face. He reached into the copilot’s seat and pulled out a very intricate looking walking stick that was about Windy’s talon-width in circumference. It was just over a meter tall, ending at her shoulder’s height. The wood was a rich, dark reddish brown while the grain had etched long, undulating rivers of lighter red, from tip to handle. Windy had never expressed interest in a walking stick, but this one was beautiful. “Thank you, Father.” Wilch laughed warmly at her. “You don’t even know what it’s for yet. That’s not just a stick. May I?” As she handed the thing over to him, Wilch did something and the stick came apart lengthwise. He handed the two halves back. “It’s hollow?” Windy asked, confused. “Why?” “Well that’s where I come in, young one,” Plort announced fondly. “I’m going to show you how to build your first lightsaber. And show you how to use it without hacking off anything important, like arms or legs.” The look the Ithorian gave Wilch was very teasing. The wide bag on Plort’s shoulder suddenly took on a whole new meaning. Windy remembered her Master telling her about Plort’s obsession with lightsabers, both building and adjusting. That bag must be his lightsaber construction kit! “Wow! Why all these wonderful gifts?” Windy asked, a little confused. Wilch looked at her oddly. “Because the fifth naming day is an important one for young Mrlssi women. As of Mrlssi custom, today you’re officially mature.” His eyes twinkled mischievously. “Well, physically mature anyway.” Windy occasionally forgot she was of a completely different species than her adopted parents. “Oh.” Her temporary confusion passed quickly and she shoved Wilch in jest in response to his barb. “Now that doesn’t mean you need to go find a mate. If you bring home somebody unexpectedly I’ll probably blast them first and ask questions later.” Matris’ eyes bulged at the indignity of his remark. “Men are all the same, they’ll defend their daughters’ honor with their lives, even if there was no reason to do so.” Mating was the last thing on Windy’s mind right now. “I don’t think you have to worry about that for a very long time.” Matris gave Wilch the “I told you so” look. “Come dear husband, we need to go or we’ll miss our reservation at the hotel. The owner’s manual is in the navigator’s seat, in case you can’t find the ignition switch.” Matris teased, throwing the young Mrlssi a wink. Windy hugged both her parents firmly and walked them to the hatch. Both humans wanted another hug before they departed, and then she was finally alone inside her ship, except for Plort, who was nowhere to be seen. She breathed in the wonderful newly remodeled ship smell for a few minutes, touching the walls and furniture, anxious to check out her quarters when ship’s systems started coming online. Windy ran for the cockpit. “What are you doing?” she demanded. “I just set the hyperspace coordinates. I promised Wilch I wouldn’t play with my lightsabers until we were in hyperspace, so I was just accelerating the process a little,” Plort had the grace to look a little abashed. “Sheesh. I thought Jedi were supposed to be patient.” She plopped herself into the pilot’s chair that was thoughtfully designed for small Mrlssi bodies and started assisting with the warm-up sequences. “So where are we going?” “It wouldn’t be a secret if I told you,” the Ithorian answered sarcastically. She couldn’t stop the annoyed roll of her eyes. One by one, the systems came to life, colorful lights displaying full readiness and all systems functioning optimally. Permission to take off came quickly from Bespin control and Windy’s claws wiggled over the controls in anticipation. “All right, Captain, let’s get out of here!” Windy punched it. -----signature----- Check out the Talons! They RULE! http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/28126755/p1 I can't believe Darth Writer's Block only abandons me for NaNo. NaNo word count: 25267
	Locked Topic \| Active Topic Notification \| Private Message \| Post History
VaderLVR64 Title: Manager Emeritus Registered: Feb '04	Date Posted: 7/28/08 9:35am Subject: RE: Preservation: OCs with a side of Yoda, Jinn and more. Updated 7/28
	You KNOW I'll be slow in getting here, but please PM me anyway! -----signature----- R.I.P John, Alex, Jason, and Christian Never forgotten Soldiers' Angels http://soldiersangels.org/ 2114 soldiers waiting for someone to care
	Locked Topic \| Active Topic Notification \| Private Message \| Post History
Jedi_Perigrine Registered: Apr '08	Date Posted: 7/31/08 8:31am Subject: RE: Preservation: OCs with a side of Yoda, Jinn and more. Updated 7/28 - Date Edited: 7/31/08 8:52am (1 edits total) Edited By: Jedi_Perigrine
	VaderLVR64 posted: You KNOW I'll be slow in getting here, but please PM me anyway! Thanks MamaV! You can be assured you'll get your PM, as always. I'm doing something I haven't done before in any of my stories--switching the focus from two different viewpoints in order to have two storylines going at once. Let me know if it seems weird. Since I didn't find splitting the POV particularly hard, that probably means I'm not doing it correctly. _______________________________ “You spend so much blasted time at work!” Wilch shouted, only the barest degree of control left within. That tiny strand wasn’t enough to keep his arm from lashing out, flinging his drink across the ship’s main passenger area. “And you spend every waking minute of your life doting on Windy! Maybe you should have married her!” Matris’ glass zinged past his head. The poor cleaning droid was working overtime today. Fortunately it was just husband and wife in the Corellian Fire, tossing liquids and breakables. If Plort or Windy were present and feeling similarly disruptive, the droid would have blown its circuits trying to keep up on all the mess. “She’s my daughter!” Wilch retorted. “Yeah, I can see the family resemblance!” She looked like she wanted to throw something else, but there wasn’t anything at hand. Matris kicked at a chair instead. “Why can you let her in but not me?” “You were already in!” he objected loudly. “But then you started spending more time at work. Oversee the whole mining station why don’t you, and ignore us in the process!” Matris’ mouth worked but no sound came out for a moment. “That’s because you kept giving away all our money! I had to work hard or we’d be out on the streets.” Deep within his conscience, guilt twinged, just as it had with every other point she made. But, surely he hadn’t given that many credits out. He had always thought of other peoples’ financial needs, never his own. Really, her salary was large enough before her promotion. They could afford to be generous with people who had nothing. Couldn’t they? When he didn’t answer right away, she gave a guttural cry of frustration and stomped off towards the cockpit. The door slid shut behind her. Wilch threw himself onto the couch and put his hands over his eyes. How had their relationship deteriorated so greatly? They had been happy for well over a year, as Matris’ loving patience finally won over his deeply ingrained Jedi stigma against romantic relationships. For a long time after he recovered from his massive burns, they worked well together, they laughed and loved. Matris, Windy and Wilch were one big happy Jedi family. Together they worked and played, each thriving on the attention of the others. What in space had changed? The visions were back, that’s what had changed. The visions were the same, yet there was more urgency to them now, as though a turning point were near. Initially his vision was horrifying enough; a young human male with a massive platoon of white armored figures following behind marched through the Jedi Temple. A hooded figure with a blue lightsaber slashed angrily through young Padawan flesh and older, more experienced Jedi, destroying both with impossible ease. Blasterbolts by the hundreds ignited the night as the host of troopers fired, cutting down men, women and children where they stood or sat or fled. The shroud of death was everywhere. The light of the Jedi’s influence in the galaxy would be all but switched off. That feeling had Wilch in an iron grasp, strangulating him, killing him as surely as that enemy’s lightsaber cleaved through the younglings. On top of that pain, now he had to deal with an entirely new vision, one that was almost as hard to take as the first, though for vastly different reasons. A black-clad Zabrak, his face oddly tinted red and black, was locked in mortal lightsaber combat with Qui-Gon Jinn. The red lightsaber blade was masterfully wielded, and it seemed as if it was all Qui-Gon could do to keep himself from being sliced to ribbons. While Wilch never saw the conclusion of the battle, he held little hope for his old friend’s survival. He couldn’t bring himself to tell anybody of the visions’ reoccurrence, not even Windy or Plort. Day by day, the strain of seeing that vision, either by remembering it or by another slightly different manifestation, had made him irritable. It had robbed him of his patience and made him lash out at the ones he loved. No, that wasn’t true either. Only at Matris, though to a much lesser extent, Plort too. Never once did Wilch take out his frustrations on Windy. He had to wonder why. Did he really care for the Mrlssi girl more than his own wife? Maybe the intense closeness that he shared with Windy and Matris were the reason the Jedi Code forbade relationships. Caring too much for one person over others left you too open to dark side emotions. Yes, but did you not have similarly impassioned arguments with me? Qui-Gon’s face suddenly appeared through his mind, his visage lasting only long enough to ask the question. And it was true. Wilch and Qui-Gon did have their fair share of heated verbal disagreements. But then again it was considered pretty normal to argue with Master Jinn. Maybe the Attachment clause of the Jedi Code wasn’t as well thought out as Wilch had been lead to believe. He knew he had to go apologize to Matris. During her angry retorts, his conscience kept reminding him how often he was doing the incorrect thing. Wilch hadn’t done a lot of apologizing in his life and despite knowing he should be keeping his pride in check, he still wasn’t looking forward to humiliating himself or vocally admitting he was wrong. Heavy, uncooperative feet trudged towards the cockpit. Surprisingly, it slid open. That was one less embarrassment he would have to endure, knocking on a locked door, begging to please be let in so he could grovel at her feet. Matris didn’t acknowledge his presence. She stared stonily out the window. Intentionally attentive to the rest of the galaxy but oblivious to him, she was contented to watch the rotating whiteness of their hyperspace corridor. Wilch hurled himself into the copilot’s seat, eyes intently focused on his fingers as they twined together aimlessly. “Look, Matris, I’m sorry. I’ve really been a jerk to you.” “No kidding.” Her sarcastic tone pushed tender buttons in his mind, making him spitting mad despite several decades’ experience worth of emotional control. His hands clenched painfully as he mastered his emotions again, fury evaporating only by the grace of the Force. “I don’t know if I can make this up to you, but at least let me explain why.” She didn’t object, so he took her silence as the cue to continue. “The reason I left the Jedi order is because I had a vision. In this vision…” As he described it and the dreadful feelings it dredged up, he started to feel a little better. About himself, at least. Wilch had never told Matris the full story behind his decision to leave the Jedi Order; about how he felt obsessively compelled to safeguard the Order’s secrets. There just didn’t seem to be time before, but now it was definitely time. Now, for the sake of their relationship, their love, and their marriage, he had to make her understand how important it was to preserve the Jedi’s secrets. While he told the tale, Matris at least would look at him occasionally. That had to be a good sign, though once he finished his long story, she didn’t smile or tell him it would be okay. Her answer to his painful confession was silence. He let it drag on for another few minutes before speaking again. “I really am sorry. I’ve been insensitive and egotistical. I’ve made you feel second rate, but I love you and Windy equally, though in completely different ways. I...ersh.” The vision was starting again, this time without the disaster at the Jedi Temple. This time it was just Qui-Gon fighting the Zabrak monster. “Wilch? Are you-?” He cut her off a little rudely by holding up one hand, trying to let his mind be as open as possible. This vision was similar, yet there was an urgency to it that wasn’t there in its previous incarnations. For the first time, Wilch sensed a location. As odd as it seemed, Qui-Gon was on Naboo. Even more bizarrely, apparently he was battling inside the Theed Palace. Green and red blades clashed; the Force powers crackling between both combatants was staggering. Wilch felt that he would be burned to ash if he were even in the same room. With astonishing quickness, it happened. The scarlet lightsaber burned a smoldering hole in Qui-Gon’s chest before the blade was contemptuously pulled free. “No!” Wilch cried, his own voice sounding as though it were echoing with somebody else’s. “No...” he whispered. “What is it?” Her voice was gruff, frustrated, as if trying to sound uncaring, even though she did care. Or maybe that was backwards, maybe she was feigning concern. “Turn the ship around,” he said, trying not to give orders, but needing to be obeyed in this. “Set a course for Naboo, as quickly as you can get us there.” Matris quickly pulled them out of hyperspace. “What happened?” She demanded. “I think Qui-Gon was just killed.” -----signature----- Check out the Talons! They RULE! http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/28126755/p1 I can't believe Darth Writer's Block only abandons me for NaNo. NaNo word count: 25267
	Locked Topic \| Active Topic Notification \| Private Message \| Post History
dianethx Registered: Mar '02	Date Posted: 8/3/08 11:44am Subject: RE: Preservation: OCs with a side of Yoda, Jinn and more. Updated 7/31
	I thought it was cute that Windy didn't like the outside of the ship but the inside was just right. Besides, how often do you see the outside when you're flying anyway... Very cute! And this chapter with Wilch's visions and his wife not understanding because he didn't tell her was scary. No wonder he wasn't seeing her POV and she certainly didn't understand his since he wasn't telling her! I don't like the sound of that post ending. Sounds like Qui-Gon has died. Perhaps Wilch should have told Qui-Gon about his visions, especially that one a lot sooner. Good job. -----signature----- Betrayal - http://boards.theforce.net/s/b1/10935143 updated 9/22/09 jedidas3's Master Merlin - Diplomatic Immunity - http://boards.theforce.net/nswff/b10808/30459852
	Locked Topic \| Active Topic Notification \| Private Message \| Post History
Jedi_Perigrine Registered: Apr '08	Date Posted: 8/4/08 11:10am Subject: RE: Preservation: OCs with a side of Yoda, Jinn and more. Updated 7/31
	dianethx posted: I thought it was cute that Windy didn't like the outside of the ship but the inside was just right. Besides, how often do you see the outside when you're flying anyway... Very cute! And this chapter with Wilch's visions and his wife not understanding because he didn't tell her was scary. No wonder he wasn't seeing her POV and she certainly didn't understand his since he wasn't telling her! I don't like the sound of that post ending. Sounds like Qui-Gon has died. Perhaps Wilch should have told Qui-Gon about his visions, especially that one a lot sooner. Good job. Thanks Diane! I guess I oopsed and didn't make it clear that the visions of Q-G's death were very new. Oh well, I'll know for next time. Sorry this is so short, today's a holiday and I only have a few minutes before we head out. So, on we go! _____________________________________ The second they were in hyperspace, the lightsabers and a whole slew of parts were all removed from the bag, one by one. Windy was amused to see Plort having such a good time. “What kind of pacifist are you? There’s got to be well over a dozen weapons here…” she joked, watching him as he comfortably sat in the middle of the great room. One by one he tossed the lightsabers onto the couch. “Seventeen,” he announced, pitching the last one. “Which is odd since I only remember sixteen.” He shook his head sorrowfully, as if he had just left his own mother’s funeral. “It’s been far too long since I got to fiddle with these.” “Why do you need so many?” He looked surprised by the question. “I don’t need any of them. They’re just my idea of a fun hobby. I enjoy experimenting with them, I find it very peaceful. Most of them I made myself, but this one here,” he said, hefting a particularly small cylinder, not much longer than Plort’s finger. “I helped Yoda upgrade this one. Its balance was all off and the cutting power wasn’t really up to snuff. Well, for a Grand Master, anyway. Compared to most other Jedi, it was pretty good. Anyway, I optimized it for him and tried to give it back but he said I contaminated it somehow. Wouldn’t accept it back.” His tone of voice was definitely confused as to how he could have made the lightsaber that ’unclean’. He sorted through the silver pile on the couch. “This one I’m particularly proud of, here try it.” Windy hefted the longer than average cylinder, noting the extra heavy weight. The hilt was still balanced, but the size almost made it prohibitive to use, especially for her smaller figure. She flicked the ignition switch hissing a short bluish white blade out, about two thirds of a meter long. The glow was particularly brilliant, hurting her eyes. “All that hilt for so little blade?” she asked, skeptically. “Ah, but in that configuration, that lightsaber will melt through a blast door in no time at all—much faster than any standard saber. Check the secondary switch near your left thumb.” Plort waggled his fingers as if he wanted to touch it for her. When Windy pushed in the button, the blade almost doubled in length and shifted to a sulfuric yellow color. Even though the brightness was diminished greatly, the weapon still hummed with vibrancy. “Wow!” she exclaimed, very pleased at the result. “How come this isn’t your primary lightsaber?” Windy deactivated the secondary feature, letting the blade go back to blue, then reactivated the switch, doubling the length again. There was an electronic groan from the inner assembly. “Stop!” Plort said, snatching the weapon out of her hands and deactivating it. “Because it’s not entirely stable. Doing what you did could cause a critical failure. I overtweaked it, I think.” “Oh.” The Mrlssi adjusted her tunic so it sat more evenly over her narrow shoulders. “Well, I still like the idea.” The Ithorian nodded. “It’s a dual phase lightsaber. They were all the rage, years and years ago. They’re a little harder to build; need twice as many rare materials. In lean years, the two main crystals that you’d need are hard to come by.” Windy slid a few hilts over so she had somewhere to sit. “Where do you find those crystals, anyway?” Plort looked at her slyly. “Oh, here and there. If the Force guides you to the right place, you can find a mother load.” She looked at him out of the corner of one large dark eye. “And you just happened to find such a place, didn’t you?” “Maybe,” he said enigmatically, a silly smile on both of his mouths. He grabbed one of his unfinished ones and passed it over to her. “Here, peek inside this one.” Windy gently took the half-cylinder from his hands, making sure not to spill any of the loose parts. Circuitry formed a series of strata and wires threaded along the inner walls of the casing, each one seemingly color-coded. The deep purple main crystal was pretty secure near the very tip of the lightsaber, but there was another one, a clear one that was rolling around, loose. “Okay, so I didn’t really memorize the section of the Jedi database on how to make a lightsaber, since I didn’t really think I’d ever be building one,” Windy confessed. “That’s no problem, you’re with the master builder. I’ll walk you through it. These things work best when you have a focus crystal that bonds to you. I know it sounds weird, but yes, crystals can attune themselves to specific people, even non-Jedi sometimes. The entire lightsaber pretty much depends on the colored gem, the Force crystal to work. Without that, the hilt is only dangerous as a projectile. The extra crystal you see in this particular example is a focus crystal. They’re optional and very rare, but if you can find one they’ll improve your lightsaber drastically.” Windy nodded, assimilating the information easily. “Got it. So I’m guessing that the dual phase lightsaber needs two Force crystals?” “Yeah, you’re right. Two crystals.” Plort gathered up a series of components, from exterior casing to Force crystal, and handed them to the Mrlssi. “Here. I’ll walk you through the whole process and build a basic saber with you. First, take half the casing and start loading the power relays. You’ll need to firmly affix them so use some if the…” Windy listened to his instructions carefully, following along at each step. She made him slow down several times; it was obvious the Ithorian could build a lightsaber in his sleep or with is eyes closed. Windy glanced at him wryly, noting the ridiculously goofy expression on his face. Plort could probably build a lightsaber with his feet. Despite his help, it still took over four hours. With a snap-hiss, Windy’s first constructed lightsaber lit up the interior of her ship with a bright blue glow. The weight and balance of the weapon was good, but it didn’t feel like it belonged with her, despite a couple of play slashes. “It doesn’t feel right,” she complained, deactivating the blade. “I mean I could use it, but…” Plort nodded. “Give it here.” He hefted the balance of the hilt itself before igniting it and waving it around for a moment. “Well, it feels fine to me. But it could be that you’re sensitive to someone else’s crystal. This one was tuned to me before I took the assembly apart. Maybe that’s it. I guess we’ll just have to make sure you get a brand new crystal. That shouldn’t be a problem though, where we’re going.” Windy gave the Ithorian an exasperated look. “And you’re not telling me where that is.” The sheer joy of being able to nettle her was plain in Plort’s eyes. “Exactly!” He handed the young woman the two halves of her walking stick. “If you want, we can get the basics of your lightsaber ready. Obviously you can’t build the whole thing until you know what size or shape your crystal is going to be…” “Crystals,” she corrected. “I think I’m going to try a dual phase.” He nodded happily. “That’s great, I’ll be happy to help you get started.” He rooted around in his huge kit bag for a few moments before pulling out a canvas sack. “Here. Virgin lightsaber parts, never been used. Just in case you’re sensitive to that sort of thing too.” His vocal tone suggested she probably was. “We’ll just repeat the steps we just finished with our first example. So. Casing, power relays….” -----signature----- Check out the Talons! They RULE! http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/28126755/p1 I can't believe Darth Writer's Block only abandons me for NaNo. NaNo word count: 25267
	Locked Topic \| Active Topic Notification \| Private Message \| Post History
LarsKronus Registered: Jun '08	Date Posted: 8/4/08 11:39am Subject: RE: Preservation: OCs with a side of Yoda, Jinn and more. Updated 8/4
	Nice! Great to see you in this side of the world. May I be put on the pm list? I'm really enjoying this -----signature----- Aayla Secura and Bly romance- http://boards.theforce.net/the_saga/b10476/28889092/p1/?8 My force sensitive teddy bear! http://boards.theforce.net/Message.aspx?topic=28809014
	Locked Topic \| Active Topic Notification \| Private Message \| Post History
dianethx Registered: Mar '02	Date Posted: 8/4/08 7:10pm Subject: RE: Preservation: OCs with a side of Yoda, Jinn and more. Updated 8/4
	I liked that Windy knew that the lightsaber wasn't really hers - that it didn't feel right. I also liked that Yoda thought that he'd contaminated his lightsaber. Poor Plort. He's trying to be helpful. I would think a dual-phase lightsaber could be very useful. Good job. -----signature----- Betrayal - http://boards.theforce.net/s/b1/10935143 updated 9/22/09 jedidas3's Master Merlin - Diplomatic Immunity - http://boards.theforce.net/nswff/b10808/30459852
	Locked Topic \| Active Topic Notification \| Private Message \| Post History
Jedi_Perigrine Registered: Apr '08	Date Posted: 8/5/08 5:26pm Subject: RE: Preservation: OCs with a side of Yoda, Jinn and more. Updated 8/4
	LarsKronus posted: Nice! Great to see you in this side of the world. May I be put on the pm list? I'm really enjoying this Nice to see you here too, Lars! Thanks very much for reading--consider yourself on the PM list! dianethx posted: I liked that Windy knew that the lightsaber wasn't really hers - that it didn't feel right. I also liked that Yoda thought that he'd contaminated his lightsaber. Poor Plort. He's trying to be helpful. I would think a dual-phase lightsaber could be very useful. Good job. I would think so too! I know Corran always found his to be just what he needed. Sometimes Plort is just too helpful for his own good. Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for more on Thursday! -----signature----- Check out the Talons! They RULE! http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/28126755/p1 I can't believe Darth Writer's Block only abandons me for NaNo. NaNo word count: 25267
	Locked Topic \| Active Topic Notification \| Private Message \| Post History
Jedi_Perigrine Registered: Apr '08	Date Posted: 8/7/08 7:46am Subject: RE: Preservation: OCs with a side of Yoda, Jinn and more. Updated 8/4 - Date Edited: 8/7/08 7:50am (1 edits total) Edited By: Jedi_Perigrine
	And here's your Thursday-ly update! Thanks for sticking with the story! ________________________________ Matris and Wilch didn’t speak much during the trip to Naboo. Wilch was secretly glad she didn’t want to talk, now. Instead of spending the hours in the cockpit with Matris, Wilch retreated to their quarters for a lot of meditation. It was taking all his discipline to keep from breaking down completely. The pain of Qui-Gon’s and his last argument was overwhelming, even more heart wrenching than his and Matris’ fights. That made no logical sense, since the two men had never really been close friends, and Wilch hadn’t spoken to Qui-Gon in over two and a half years. He really didn’t know why the death affected him so. Jedi did die on a somewhat regular basis after all, since their proscribed task was inherently dangerous. Wilch just knew he needed to be here for the funeral. He was so focused inward that he didn’t even sense Matris come into the room. “We’re here.” “Already?” He asked, blinking repeatedly to clear his vision. “It’s been two days,” Matris told him, her voice a little harder than it needed to be. “Oh.” Well, that explained why his legs were so cramped. It took two attempts before he was able to stand. He hadn’t eaten much, but his emotions were too raw, his stomach still too muddled from his strong sense of loss to care. “There’s a lot of traffic in system. A lot of debris, too, mostly Trade Federation in origin.” Her nonchalance was irritating, until Wilch remembered that Vesuun wasn’t a part of the Federation anymore. He was being overly sensitive again. “Looks like they got their invasion in,” he responded despondently, remembering Vesuun’s worry, all those years ago. “Apparently Qui-Gon died a hero. I could only get permission for one of us to go to the funeral.” Wilch nodded, unsurprised. There were likely to be a lot of Jedi at Jinn’s sending off. “That’s all right. Here.” Wilch held out the holocam that he had located during one of his few moments of lucidity. “You can record it for me.” “Yer not bloody going?” She was having trouble holding onto her anger, now. “I worked me backside off to get that invitation for ye.” “And I really appreciate it, Matris. You don’t know what it will mean to me if you get footage of the funeral. I…have somewhere I need to go.” “Yer not leaving me behind on the planet, are ye?” Her accusation was almost cute; that made him smile a little. “Of course not. I’m going to check out the palace, that’s all.” She seemed to finally catch on to his idea. “If ye get arrested, I’m leaving ye in jail. It’s the least ye deserve.” Matris snatched the cam out of his hand and angrily stomped out of the room, down the ramp. Wilch watched her go with amusement. He’d have to make sure he didn’t get into trouble. He sensed she wasn’t joking, this time. Naboo was supposed to be nice, but he had no intention of becoming a permanent resident. __________________________________________________________________________ Wilch walked the opulent corridors of the Palace in a thick daze, and luckily unchallenged. He was glad he didn’t have his lightsaber or robes with him, otherwise he would have been sorely tempted to put them on. It was hard not to be able to show his solidarity, his support for Jedi brothers and sisters in their time of loss. He shook his head ruefully; even years after he had left the Temple, he still thought of himself as a Knight. The last thing he wanted was to feel what it was like to be a true Jedi again. That might just be enough emotional trauma to push him over the edge into true insanity. Speaking of edge, there he was. He stood on the precipice of some sort of energy tube that dropped away in front of him for who knew how long. The image of the horn-covered, red and black-faced Zabrak falling down this same hole fluttered through his thoughts, lasting only long enough for the black-clad body to divide in half as it fell. So Qui-Gon’s killer was dead. That helped Wilch feel a little better before he found himself pleased at someone taking revenge. Qui-Gon wouldn’t have wanted him feeling this way, it definitely wasn’t the way of the Jedi Code. Wilch’s footfalls seemed inordinately loud as he followed his instincts to where a small dried pool of blood lay. This must have been where the great man had died. “Where have you been?” a deep, yet hollow ethereal voice asked. Wilch turned, astonished to find Master Jinn’s Force Ghost staring intently at him. “Qui-Gon!” he breathed incredulously. “Wilch, where have you been?” he repeated. “I tried to find you. I tried very hard--it's like you fell out of the galaxy.” The consternation in Qui-Gon's voice matched his frustrated facial expression. He couldn’t believe his eyes. How had Qui-Gon managed to come back? “I left, Qui-Gon. I left the Order.” The Ghost gave him an exasperated look. “I’m aware of that,” he answered. “I spent the last couple of years wondering where you went. I worried that I drove you from the Order.” “No, Qui-Gon. Well, not directly. Did you...did you find the boy?” Dread filled his belly. His self-imposed exile would be hard to maintain if there was no child, no reason for his absence or secrecy. “Anakin Skywalker,” he answered. “He is the chosen one.” Panic battled relief in his mind. Now he wouldn’t have to explain his impetuous decision to leave the Order, or explain his marriage to Windu or the rest of the Jedi Council. But he would still have to stay away from the Temple. There was no way around it. He still couldn’t risk the knowledge of the Jedi. “I see,” was all Wilch could bring himself to say. Qui-Gon’s ghost had the same piercing stare that the living man did. He wasn’t going to ask again, but he needed to know Wilch’s story. He ignored the question for the moment. “Do you know how things will turn out? Will my vision come true?” “I don’t know,” the Master answered. “The Force hasn’t shown me anything different than the last time we spoke.” “It is the same with me,” Wilch said. “I still fear that your child will be the death of the Jedi.” “Perhaps, though I am still very doubtful. One thing I do know is that Anakin’s contribution to the Jedi will be unexpectedly great.” Wilch didn’t know what else to do, so he simply nodded. “When I realized you wouldn’t bend on your stance, I…left the Order, Qui-Gon. I left it.” A tear dripped down his cheek. “I felt the Force was calling me to leave, to go into hiding, and take whatever knowledge I could with me. To safeguard it for future generations, should the worst occur.” He sank to his knees and pounded his fist on the hard ground. “I left it, and it has been so hard to be away.” “I am proud of you, Wilch.” That was about the last thing he expected Master Jinn to say. “What?!” “For all you claim to follow the Jedi Code and the Force, you have shown me that you follow the Force first and foremost. That you discarded the Code when it countered your understanding of the will of the Force is astonishing to me. I’m sorry I didn’t have more faith in you.” Wilch began to laugh, his mind walking a very fine line between happiness and total insanity. “You have no idea,” he said. “I’m married, Qui-Gon. Do you believe it? Married! And I have an amazing apprentice.” The Ghost chuckled appreciatively. “I have a hard time picturing you…married,” he said. “Are you happy?” Wilch’s laughter cut off immediately. His mind and his heart were completely different on that particular issue. The agony of the last few months with Matris was terrible, yet he still held hope that one day they would be able to resolve their differences. Windy was a shining light that showed Wilch he was on a good path. “I don’t know,” he answered at last. “Find your happiness, Wilch. If you’re following the Force, everything else is secondary. I deeply apologize for our last conversation. I was unfair to you, and I did not mean to cause you any distress.” The tears were coming back. Wilch cursed his overly emotional state. He must be going through some sort of mid-life crisis. “I’m sorry too, Qui-Gon. I spoke without thinking. I never meant to hurt you either.” This apparently was Wilch’s week for apologies. The weight of their apologies lifted a heavy load off Wilch’s chest. His emotions were still raw, but he felt better than he had for a very long time. He didn’t even know how much pain he had been lugging around. “It’s hard to hug a Force Ghost,” Wilch noted. Qui-Gon could only chuckle warmly. “Aren’t you supposed to be set on fire or something?” he asked. “It is dawn. My funeral has been over for some hours, Wilch. I’m afraid my time to leave you has come.” His voice was even and didn’t feel particularly regretful. It seemed more like he was hopeful. Leave it to Qui-Gon to be excited about his own death. “Give my love to both Obi-Wan and Anakin.” “I doubt I’ll see them, Qui-Gon. I’ve got to get back to my exile.” Jinn chuckled again, as if he knew something Wilch didn’t. “Farewell, Wilch.” “Goodbye, my friend.” As Qui-Gon Jinn’s spirit faded away, Wilch turned to go. He only made it half a dozen steps before he could hear two pairs of footfalls. Uh oh. Nowhere to hide. How am I going to get out of this mess? he thought, worrying about security personnel. Wilch wasn’t sure if he was pleased or not when he saw Obi-Wan leading a young boy towards him. “Who are you? What are you doing here?” Obi-Wan demanded sternly. From the sound of his voice, Kenobi wasn’t in much better emotional shape than Wilch was. “Nobody,” he answered, trying to hide his face by keeping it aimed at his feet. “I was just leaving.” “You’re in a restricted area, maybe you’d better come with me…” Well, that didn’t work. He was going to have to figure another way out. “No, Obi-Wan, it’s all right, you don’t need to detain me.” He looked puzzled. “But you’re in a restricted area. Wait, do I know you?” Recognition dawned a moment later. “Wilch Evlon? What in blazes are you doing here? I thought you were dead.” “To Order I am dead.” He spread his arms as if displaying his civilian clothing and his lack of lightsaber. “I just came to say goodbye to your Master, Obi-Wan.” Emotions raced through the young man’s eyes, faster than he could process them himself. Meanwhile, Wilch inspected Anakin Skywalker. He knelt in front of the boy so he could get a good look at him. Bright eyes, red rimmed from crying looked back at him, a little confusion, a little defiance evident on his features. Wilch could sense the boy’s potential swirling about him powerfully, like the searing gale of an ion engine. Qui-Gon was right, truly great things would come from this boy. “You must be Anakin Skywalker,” Wilch said. The boy said nothing, only looked at him interested. Wilch put his hand on Anakin’s shoulder. Immediately the ramifications struck him. He had the potential scourge of the Jedi right at his fingers. All he needed to do was snap the boy’s neck and the danger to the Order would be over. He could move quickly, Obi-Wan couldn’t stop him. Then all the future pain he sensed would be gone. No longer would a dark cloud hover over the Temple. Was it the Force that suggested destroying the boy, or was it the Code, begging for the survival of the Jedi Order? Anakin winced ferociously as if reading Wilch’s thoughts. That was when the scope of his thoughts really struck home. He couldn’t kill this child in cold blood. Anakin deserved the chance to live, to prove himself savior or destroyer. Wilch was not a judge and jury, he could not convict and kill on the potential of some future outcome. How could he live with himself if he did that? How could he live with himself for even thinking it? Wilch snapped his hand back, grasping it as if burned. “I’m sorry.” “For what?” Obi-Wan asked, oblivious. Wilch waved his arm dismissively, looking significantly at Anakin. “For the love of the Force, please, always remember that a Jedi serves others. He must never take a life if there is any other possible way. Life is beautiful and must be preserved." He was rambling and he knew it, but he needed to be away from here quickly. "The Jedi are vital to all people and all species everywhere. Dark times will befall us if the Jedi are gone. The Jedi must persevere.” Wilch stood awkwardly. “I beg you not to tell anybody you saw me. I’d prefer if you forgot you even saw me.” Kenobi looked at him as if he had lost his mind. Wilch wasn’t so sure he hadn’t. He placed one of his hands back on Anakin’s shoulder, the other one on Obi-Wan’s. “Your Master loved you both deeply. Never forget that, either of you. May the Force be with you both.” Wilch brushed gently past them, striding swiftly and purposefully away from the two. Kenobi’s jaw was slightly open, as if not sure which of his multitude of questions to ask. He didn’t know if he should stop Wilch or let the former Jedi go. He was so surprised by the older Jedi’s abrupt departure he couldn’t even respond with the traditional answer. Anakin answered though, in a voice that was strong and despite the light way the boy said the words, it sent an extremely violent shiver down Wilch’s spine as he continued walking away. “Bye! I’ll see you again later!” -----signature----- Check out the Talons! They RULE! http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/28126755/p1 I can't believe Darth Writer's Block only abandons me for NaNo. NaNo word count: 25267
	Locked Topic \| Active Topic Notification \| Private Message \| Post History
LarsKronus Registered: Jun '08	Date Posted: 8/7/08 7:59am Subject: RE: Preservation: OCs with a side of Yoda, Jinn and more. Updated 8/4
	Anakin answered though, in a voice that was strong and despite the light way the boy said the words, it sent an extremely violent shiver down Wilch’s spine as he continued walking away. “Bye! I’ll see you again later!” Oh...God...that is scary...especially it being that he KNOWS what that kid is gonna do. Nice update! -----signature----- Aayla Secura and Bly romance- http://boards.theforce.net/the_saga/b10476/28889092/p1/?8 My force sensitive teddy bear! http://boards.theforce.net/Message.aspx?topic=28809014
	Locked Topic \| Active Topic Notification \| Private Message \| Post History
Jedi_Trevor_GulDan Registered: Dec '03	Date Posted: 8/7/08 11:55am Subject: RE: Preservation: OCs with a side of Yoda, Jinn and more. Updated 8/4
	Great story! Hardest part of writing OCs is keeping the canon untouched... Keep up the good work! -----signature----- Author of The Gul'dan Chronicles: http://boards.theforce.net/The_Saga/b10476/14526179
	Locked Topic \| Active Topic Notification \| Private Message \| Post History
dianethx Registered: Mar '02	Date Posted: 8/8/08 4:57am Subject: RE: Preservation: OCs with a side of Yoda, Jinn and more. Updated 8/4
	I loved that Qui-Gon talked to Wilch and that they were at peace with one another. I think Wilch needed that closure. But to talk with Anakin and have him say that he'd see him later. Oh, oh. Hopefully, the kid will forget Wilch but maybe not. I thought this was at the heart of the matter. Wilch put his hand on Anakin’s shoulder. Immediately the ramifications struck him. He had the potential scourge of the Jedi right at his fingers. All he needed to do was snap the boy’s neck and the danger to the Order would be over. He could move quickly, Obi-Wan couldn’t stop him. Then all the future pain he sensed would be gone. No longer would a dark cloud hover over the Temple. Was it the Force that suggested destroying the boy, or was it the Code, begging for the survival of the Jedi Order? Anakin winced ferociously as if reading Wilch’s thoughts. That was when the scope of his thoughts really struck home. He couldn’t kill this child in cold blood. Anakin deserved the chance to live, to prove himself savior or destroyer. Wilch was not a judge and jury, he could not convict and kill on the potential of some future outcome. How could he live with himself if he did that? How could he live with himself for even thinking it? Indeed. Wilch needs to remind himself of just what he is - a Jedi still. Great job. -----signature----- Betrayal - http://boards.theforce.net/s/b1/10935143 updated 9/22/09 jedidas3's Master Merlin - Diplomatic Immunity - http://boards.theforce.net/nswff/b10808/30459852
	Locked Topic \| Active Topic Notification \| Private Message \| Post History
Jedi_Perigrine Registered: Apr '08	Date Posted: 8/9/08 9:24pm Subject: RE: Preservation: OCs with a side of Yoda, Jinn and more. Updated 8/4
	LarsKronus posted: Anakin answered though, in a voice that was strong and despite the light way the boy said the words, it sent an extremely violent shiver down Wilch’s spine as he continued walking away. “Bye! I’ll see you again later!” Oh...God...that is scary...especially it being that he KNOWS what that kid is gonna do. Nice update! Yeah that line even gave me the creeps and I know how things are going to turn out. Thanks for reading! Jedi_Trevor_GulDan posted: Great story! Hardest part of writing OCs is keeping the canon untouched... Keep up the good work! Thank you very much! I wanted to leave the cannon as untouched as possible. I try to keep all my stories in line with canon. There's just something I can't get past about changing events in the SW Universe. Thanks for posting! dianethx posted: I loved that Qui-Gon talked to Wilch and that they were at peace with one another. I think Wilch needed that closure. But to talk with Anakin and have him say that he'd see him later. Oh, oh. Hopefully, the kid will forget Wilch but maybe not. I thought this was at the heart of the matter. Wilch put his hand on Anakin’s shoulder. Immediately the ramifications struck him. He had the potential scourge of the Jedi right at his fingers. All he needed to do was snap the boy’s neck and the danger to the Order would be over. He could move quickly, Obi-Wan couldn’t stop him. Then all the future pain he sensed would be gone. No longer would a dark cloud hover over the Temple. Was it the Force that suggested destroying the boy, or was it the Code, begging for the survival of the Jedi Order? Anakin winced ferociously as if reading Wilch’s thoughts. That was when the scope of his thoughts really struck home. He couldn’t kill this child in cold blood. Anakin deserved the chance to live, to prove himself savior or destroyer. Wilch was not a judge and jury, he could not convict and kill on the potential of some future outcome. How could he live with himself if he did that? How could he live with himself for even thinking it? Indeed. Wilch needs to remind himself of just what he is - a Jedi still. Great job. Thanks very much, Diane. It's hard to say you're a member of a group when you haven't even spoken to a brother/sister in several years, but you're right. Deep in his heart, he's still a Jedi. He's lucky in that he has friends nearby. The making-peace scene almost didn't happen, I thought it might make for a more interesting character to have the pain of failed interaction between Wilch and Qui-Gon, but I decided the scene was too rewarding to write and read to leave it out. Monday will bring another episode! Stay tuned! -----signature----- Check out the Talons! They RULE! http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/28126755/p1 I can't believe Darth Writer's Block only abandons me for NaNo. NaNo word count: 25267
	Locked Topic \| Active Topic Notification \| Private Message \| Post History

Pages: 1 | 2 - ~~Previous~~ | Next | Reload