Beyond - Legends A Life Not His Own [COMPLETE] -- Sequel Spoilers - 02/02

Chapter Seventeen

Jacen finds himself in the white of agony. It consumes him, devours his hopes and dreams.

It devours his self.

He has yet to see a single Yuuzhan Vong since his capture. He only has seen the White.

The White is all consuming, all knowing. When his voice has screamed itself ragged, until he can no longer hear it himself, when his skin feels like it is ready to flake away, and his bones rip from each socket, the White releases him.

It drops him back into the world of colors and memories, and an entirely different type of pain, as his body regains strength; his joints snap themselves back into place.

He has no idea how long he exists in the White. Be it hours, or days or years.

He doesn?t even care. All he knows is the White, and when he is within its grasp he is the White and it is him.

The first time he sees her, he has to wonder what she is doing. A bundle of feathers sitting in one corner, her fathomless eyes watching him, as his body twists back into shape as the White releases him from its agonizing embrace.

?Who, who are you??

His voice is a bare whisper, hoarse, cracking. He does not recognize the sound of his own voice. Even though it is weak, and barely audible, she replies.

?I am Vergere. Who are you??

Jacen runs his tongue over dry, chapped lips. ?I?m Jacen.?

He struggles to sit up, and finally manages, his body screaming its protest. ?What are you??

Vergere?s head tilts to the side. ?I am Vergere. What are you??

?I am a Jedi.?

A blur of feathers. ?No. To be a Jedi, you must be alive.?

?But I am alive.?

?No, no you?re not. You are dead. You?ve been dead since you landed on Yavin IV. And you are dead now.?

?No! No, that?s impossible! I?m not dead!?

Vergere shakes her head again. ?My apologies, here I thought I was speaking with an adult who can see the truth of his situation. But it appears that I am merely speaking with a child, one which still wishes to cling to illusions and fallacy.?

Then Vergere jumps up, and hops towards the door. Without saying another word, she goes through, and it closes behind her, leaving Jacen alone.

?But I?m not dead.?

Then he can feel the tentacles which are wrapped around his arm begin retracting, pulling him back. The White calls for him once more. He fights it, tries to use the Force to push back the pain, but the White is inexorable, and inexhaustible.

The White comes regardless of how he fights.

Minutes pass or days. In the White it is all the same.

He is released, colors and sight assail him once more, and once more Vergere sits before him.

?Who are you??

?Why??

?Why what??

?Why am I in pain? They?re not even asking me any questions.?

?All life is pain, and pain is life. That is the belief of our Masters.?

Jacen shakes his head, even though the movement sends screams through his body. ?No, pain is not life, life is joy and happiness.?

Vergere opens her mouth an issues a musical chiming, an almost whistle, and Jacen feels as if she is laughing at him. ?What foolishness. No, life is born in pain and dies in pain. Joy and happiness are illusions grasped onto by those to weak to see life for what it truly is.?

?And it truly is pain.?

Her beak opens wide in an approximation of a smile. ?Exactly!?

Of course he has to wonder if she really is smiling. It is merely the opening of a beak, slightly wider, for all he knows it could be the feathers on her head which signify amusement for her species. As he watches those feathers, they lift slightly and twist going from silvery-blue to a blood red.

?But why am I here??

The White begins to call for him again; a tightening of the tentacles which grasp his arms and legs.

Her smile grows ever slightly wider, becoming somewhat carnivorous. ?Why to learn of course. To learn the True Way.?

Then the White has him, and attacks his defenses, pushing away his attempts to keep himself from the pain. He has mere moments to consider her last words as the white once more devours him.

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

 

Ya know, of all the characters you've killed in your fics, why can't Vergere be one of them?

You can't help but hate her. I'm glad she died at Ebaq 9 but she got off way too easy for my liking.

I'd like to see her in a fic where some natives find her and take her to their village for dinner. Like the Ewoks almost did to Han and Luke in ROTJ.

Have them tie her to a stake and put her over a fire. Though she might leave a bad taste in their mouth.

Luke looks up from the datapad, a haunted expression on his face. ?HA!? A short bark of a laugh. ?It appears that bad news is the only type for us these days. Anakin has fallen, Mara is dead, and a third of the Jedi I have no idea what they?re doing. And Kyp, well Kyp apparently used Jaina to destroy a civilian Vong facility. So tell me, what bad news do you bring??

Kam glances at the wall, and squeezes the bridge of his nose between his fingers. He hesitates a moment, then finally looks up at Luke. ?I?m sorry Master, but it appears that Jacen was captured.?

Luke is NOT having a good day, not even a good year.

I'm not going to cry. I'm not going to cry. Oh, what the heck.

 

that was a great chapter, glad to know that jac is ok

 

Great Chapter

You did the embrace of pain well!

 

Lola64
Ya know, of all the characters you've killed in your fics, why can't Vergere be one of them?
because she's just such fine to write...

You can't help but hate her. I'm glad she died at Ebaq 9 but she got off way too easy for my liking.


I'd like to see her in a fic where some natives find her and take her to their village for dinner. Like the Ewoks almost did to Han and Luke in ROTJ.


Have them tie her to a stake and put her over a fire. Though she might leave a bad taste in their mouth.
i'm sure that's just mean.....

Luke is NOT having a good day, not even a good year.
no he's not....

I'm not going to cry. I'm not going to cry. Oh, what the heck.
there there Stalker!Mine....we've only just started to go into the third act....



and yes, that's my way of saying things are going to get worse from here on out...





Alishu06
that was a great chapter, glad to know that jac is ok
well okay might be taking it a bit far...





G__Anakin
Great Chapter
Thanks!!

You did the embrace of pain well!
I tried!

---

from the next chapter:
[quote=SPOILER!][color=darkblue][hl=darkblue]

Anakin casts a glance behind him, and then strides forward, each step his hate and anger growing.

They lead him down a ramp-tongue and out onto the surface-port of a worldship. He looks up, and sees a planet hanging like a jewel above them. Anakin frowns as the warrior behind him pushes him again. He knows that he has seen that planet before, but cannot place it.

Then it comes to him. Mrykr.



[/hl][/color][/quote]

 

Chapter Eighteen

Anakin twists his head, looking around the small cell. Like everything else Vong, the room is a living thing, the walls pulsing slightly as if they are breathing. He struggles against the blorash Jelly which holds him tight against a bone spar which runs from floor to ceiling. Nestled on a small shelf by the door is an animal about the size of a hoojib, with short bristling fur and a glowing stomach.

The door puckers open and Anakin watches the warrior as he comes into the room. The humid air of the Vong vessel feels odd on his bare flesh after so many months of being locked behind the armor. The ice chips which are his eyes follow every movement the warrior makes.

The warrior snarls at him. ?I am not allowed to kill you Jeedai. I find that a horrible restraint against my honor.?

?I?m sorry.? Anakin allows one side of his mouth to twitch in amusement, and gives an earnest bob of the head. ?Really, I am.?

?You cannot mock me Infidel.?

Anakin barks a short laugh. ?Yes I can, you can just be too stupid to understand when I?m mocking you.?

The warrior?s fist strikes out, catching Anakin on the side. The four spines on the warrior?s fist digs into the side of Anakin?s bare chest, and then the warrior rips his fist away. Anakin?s jaw clenches but he does not scream.

The warrior growls in frustration. ?A worthy sacrifice and I?m unable to offer you to the Gods myself. What a despicable situation.?

The warrior?s other fist comes in fast, and the sound of a breaking rib echoes in the small cell, but Anakin still does not make a sound.

The warrior pulls out a small animal, and flicks his wrist. The animal unrolls itself, to a length of just over a meter, as it hardens into shape, Anakin looks at it, reminded of a baton. The warrior hefts it a few times, thumping one end into his other palm. He looks down at Anakin ? towering over him ? an appearance of happiness shining in his eyes. The thunk echoes in the small chamber as the warrior slaps the baton-animal onto his opened palm. ?This is a louaton. Similar to the coufee, but it does not have a cutting edge.?

Then the warrior slams the louaton on the side of Anakin?s chest, just above the four gashes. As his body twists and sways with the blow, Anakin still refuses to make a sound.

The warrior snarls as he strikes again, the strike is accompanied by the crack of a breaking rib as it echoes throughout the room.

Fire flashes in the warrior?s eyes, as he puts the louaton back into a pouch on his belt. ?If you will not make music for me, I will have to go visit the other Jeedai.?

Horror flashes in Anakin?s eyes, and he lets a low growl come from his throat. ?Do not touch her you honorless worshiper of Yun Shuno.?

The warrior laughs as he backhands Anakin across the face. Then he strides from the room. Anakin strains to hear, to escape. He snarls in anger and frustration as he struggles against his bonds.

As the first scream reaches him, a low growl erupts in his throat, and he struggles harder against the borlash jelly which holds him fast to the bone spar.

The ship shudders, and there is no additional screams. Yet Anakin refuses to let go of his hate. He lets it burns there in his heart, the desire to make them pay for hurting Nelani a bright light within his chest. Still he struggles against his bonds, finally falling limp and exhausted.

He stares at the door for hours, waiting for the warrior to return.

And when he does, the warrior is not alone, Anakin watches as the five warriors enter his cell, and his eyes glitter darkly, a cold fire indicative of his rage. They are laughing to themselves, laughing at him. They pull him from the wall, and push him forward, one picking up the animal with a glowing stomach.

Anakin nods his head, understanding that that is what is keeping his Force powers at bay. He steps through the door, and sees another five warriors out there waiting for him. Before he can do anything, he is pushed from behind.

?Walk Jeedai.?

Anakin casts a glance behind him,

 

She steps forward, closer to him. ?Master??

He barks a laugh, wincing again in pain. ?Some Master I turned out to be.? He places his head back on the stone floor, and begins staring at the wall again. She moves to his side, and sits beside him, pulling his head onto her lap, and stroking his hair.

?It will be all right. We must have faith in the Force.? She hesitates for a moment, before speaking again in a low whisper. ?Anakin.?

His body hitches, and she can feel tears as they start to soak into the legs of her pants. One of his arms snakes around her, clinging to her desperately. His reply is barely above a whisper. ?I was so worried about you. I?m sorry I got you into this mess.?

She looks down at him, continuing to stroke his hair. ?There?s nowhere else I?d rather be.?

They'll get out of it. They just have to. *crosses fingers*

Glad that she was finally able to see the young man behind the mask. I think Anakin is done being Vader now. Now he can be a kick butt Solo.

It is the single greatest gathering of warships since the Battle of Coruscant during the Clone Wars.

And as the Yuuzhan Vong start arriving; it quickly becomes obvious that it is not enough.

We all know how this goes.

 

Lola64
They'll get out of it. They just have to. *crosses fingers*
who's writing this again?

Glad that she was finally able to see the young man behind the mask. I think Anakin is done being Vader now. Now he can be a kick butt Solo.
heh....Vader is more of a state of mind than a suit of armor...it's vengeance and the desire to destroy...

We all know how this goes.
aye....we do...at least in canon...

 

You are.

 

Now do ya really think they're going to make it?

 

Hoo boy, here we go, battle of Coruscant time. And if canon is any indicator . . . and considering the evilness of the author here, Coruscant is in big trouble.

Is it me or is there a Nelani/Anakin thing starting? Anyway, I'm glad good ole` Nel got Anakin out of his Vader-state, at least for now.

Good post, and thanks for all the PMs. I know I haven't read and replied as much as I've wanted to thus far but I hope I can be more reliable until college restarts.

 

wow that was great. So she finally finds out who her master is...wouldn't that be nice, a hot master like him

 

What a powerful chapter. Great plot, enjoyable characters--this story has everything it needs. Keep it coming!

 

Kidan: I've not replied to this 'fic in far too long...

It's amazing. Utterly amazing.

*reads, grins, gazes wide-eyed in wonder*

I should probably try to reply properly.

But that would just involve an in-depth analysis of what I think's great in almost every line, in every movement and moment in the story...



- The Imperial Ewok

 

rebel_cheese
Hoo boy, here we go, battle of Coruscant time. And if canon is any indicator . . . and considering the evilness of the author here, Coruscant is in big trouble.
maybe a bit...

Is it me or is there a Nelani/Anakin thing starting? Anyway, I'm glad good ole` Nel got Anakin out of his Vader-state, at least for now.
I don't know what you're talking about...

Good post, and thanks for all the PMs. I know I haven't read and replied as much as I've wanted to thus far but I hope I can be more reliable until college restarts.
Thanks!! And the PM's were my pleasure....as for not r&r'ing as much as you've wanted to....well you can make it up to me by posting a new chapter to Shattered Mirror.... *Kidan is not above emotional blackmail to get new psots*




Alishu06
wow that was great. So she finally finds out who her master is...wouldn't that be nice, a hot master like him
thanks! and yeah...she finds out who he is....as for the rest of that statement...uhm...no? Now, a hot Master like Tahiri....



Darth_Marrs
What a powerful chapter. Great plot, enjoyable characters--this story has everything it needs. Keep it coming!
Thanks!!! New post on Monday!




Thrawn McEwok:
I've not replied to this 'fic in far too long...


It's amazing. Utterly amazing.
thanks!

*reads, grins, gazes wide-eyed in wonder*

I should probably try to reply properly.
I wouldn't complain if you did a longer reply......

But that would just involve an in-depth analysis of what I think's great in almost every line, in every movement and moment in the story...
again, trying to swell my ego are ya?

""

 

Chapter Nineteen

Anakin awakens to the sound of the doorway slurping open, a comforting weight and warmth pressed tightly against his side, wrapped inside his arms. He opens his eyes and looks down, seeing Nelani nestled in his arms, her own wrapped tightly around him.

He looks up at the warriors standing there, waiting.

A shaper walks in, a crazed look in his eyes as his headdress wriggles slightly. Nelani makes a noise of disgust at his appearance.

?Ah, my two Jeedai specimen are awake? The shaper bends down, and touches Nelani?s chin. ?I do think it would be interesting to attempt the protocols from that heretic Meezhan Kwaad upon her, but the trials are more important. You two should feel honored; you get to test the voxyn.?

?Voxyn??

?You will see.? He turns and leaves the cell. ?Bring them.?

Anakin?s joints and muscles groan as he stands, he turns and offers his hand to Nelani who uses it to help herself up. Then rather than dropping her hand, he laces his fingers with hers, and side-by-side they walk through the door.

They exit into a shaper?s laboratory. In a cage along one wall is a six-legged creature, which is drooling and straining against the restraints placed around it. The shaper?s face twists into enjoyment at the sight of the creature. Then he turns to face Anakin and Nelani.

?This is a voxyn.? Again, the half-crazed chuckle comes from him. ?She hunts Jeedai.?

He nods his head, and a door opens, revealing a wide expanse of grassland. Nelani gasps and the shaper looks at her oddly. ?What? Did you expect our worldships to be all corridors and cells? No, we modeled them after our worlds, and then grow buildings upon them.?

Two warriors step away from the wall, a flash of metal attracting Anakin?s attention. He focuses on their hands and sees his and Nelani?s sabers. As the warriors arrive at the portal, they **** back their arms and throw the sabers out into the grassland.

The shaper?s face twists once more into the grin. ?Just so the experiment is more like real conditions, you have the chance of weapons. You have a two minute head start. The voxyn will continue to be released until you are captured or killed. Their release will occur in random numbers and increments after the initial voxyn have been released.?

The flat nonchalant way which the shaper says that catches Anakin off-guard and it takes him a second to process it. But as soon as he understands, he pulls on Nelani?s hand dragging her out through the portal and into the field.

They get twenty meters from the shaper?s laboratory, and the Force floods back to them, Anakin grins, as he stretches out his hand, calling to the lambent in his saber, calling to his saber. A flash of metal and the weapon is once more in his hand, a thump beside him, and he looks down and sees Nelani has her own saber as well.

Having a weapon in his hand makes him feel better, and he touches the Force. He can feel it coursing through him, revitalizing him, strengthening his abused muscles and body. Beside him, he can feel Nelani doing the same; he wraps her within a Force embrace, somewhat surprised at his actions.

Even more surprising is when he feels her gently caress him in return.

A roar, unlike anything either of them has heard before sounds from behind them, an ear-splitting sound which almost qualifies as a physical punch. The two grasp onto the Force, pulling it to them and run faster.

Anakin looks around, trying to get an idea on how they can survive. He sees a copse of stunted, twisted trees and runs that way. As they arrive, he tosses a glance behind him, and notices a rustling movement in the grass.

He looks at Nelani. ?Into the trees.?

She uses a Force powered jump to get near the top, and as soon as he is certain that she?s settled he jumps into a neighboring tree. His eyes narrow as he watches the rustling movement come closer. Then the voxyn?s spiked head pokes out of the grass, swaying slightly from side to side. It stops its movements, and looks up into the tree, staring direc

 

Great Chapter

Thanks for the PM

 

i hope she makes it! great chapter!

 

She looks up at him, a shiver running through her body again. ?It scratched my back.?

Nooooooooo!!

Don't die Nelani. You can't die.

I hope Anakin can save her. First, he has to get into hyperspace and then to somewhere safe. I doubt he'd take Nelani to the Jedi, though that's exactly where he should take her, to give her the best chance of survival IMO.

Wonderful update Kidan.

 

G__Anakin
Great Chapter
thanks!!

Thanks for the PM
My pleasure!





Alishu06
i hope she makes it! great chapter!
you an me both! Thanks!





Lola64
Nooooooooo!!
'fraid so....

Don't die Nelani. You can't die.


I hope Anakin can save her. First, he has to get into hyperspace and then to somewhere safe. I doubt he'd take Nelani to the Jedi, though that's exactly where he should take her, to give her the best chance of survival IMO.
oh, he has a specific place in mind where he's gonna take her....and we'll get to see where that place is soon enough...

Wonderful update Kidan.
Thanks!!

 

Great chapter!

The irony here: It's always those darned Dark Jedi making off with the Tachyon Flier. The whole setup for the training exercise doesn't exactly indicate the highest level of intelligence on the Yuuzhan Vongs' part.

And so we prove once more:

Kidnapping. Jedi. Kids. Does. Not. Work.

Ever.

Although I wouldn't put it past Vergere to still have something "everything-is-going-according-to-plan" up her sleeve.

 

Hm...
Where did my reply go?
How much do you bet that the hyperspace does not engage?
packs stuff as Mu is considering leaving Beniri
knock on door.
enter Beniri.
thinks to himself: oh dang.
Mu: So... what do you think of a holiday to the Outer Rim.
Beniri blushes: oh, you shouldn't have!!!!!!
Mu to himself: Whew!

later

Analani: NOW where is that man??????

 

At least now he and Nelani were able to truly share a few moments of emotion. That, more than the fighting, made this a great chapter.

 

DarthSanctimonious
Great chapter!
thanks!

The irony here: It's always those darned Dark Jedi making off with the Tachyon Flier. The whole setup for the training exercise doesn't exactly indicate the highest level of intelligence on the Yuuzhan Vongs' part.
aye! It was a bit ironic wasn't it.....as for the training exercise, I'd hoped that it would be a bit evident that the Master Shaper wasn't quite in charge of his faculties.....

And so we prove once more:
Kidnapping. Jedi. Kids. Does. Not. Work.
Ever.


Although I wouldn't put it past Vergere to still have something "everything-is-going-according-to-plan" up her sleeve.
Well Vergere has Jacen so....





DARTH_MU
Hm...
Where did my reply go?
uhm.....Pluto?

How much do you bet that the hyperspace does not engage?
are you asking me?

packs stuff as Mu is considering leaving Beniri
knock on door.
enter Beniri.
thinks to himself: oh dang.
Mu: So... what do you think of a holiday to the Outer Rim.
Beniri blushes: oh, you shouldn't have!!!!!!
Mu to himself: Whew!

later

Analani: NOW where is that man??????






Darth_Marrs
At least now he and Nelani were able to truly share a few moments of emotion. That, more than the fighting, made this a great chapter.
aye....Nelani & Anakin had a moment didn't they.....and thanks!

 

Chapter Twenty

General Ba?tra stares up at the ceiling of the Orbital Defense Headquarters. Allowing the view from the optical ceiling there calm his nerves, ease his tension. This is what he was trained for.

Defense. Attack. To destroy the enemy

His lips pull back from his teeth, revealing the sharpened fangs. Parts of him love this. Seeing the enemy spread above him, the thousands upon thousands of vessels as they revert from wherever the Vong go for faster than light travel. The sharpened tang in the air from the fear and excitement pheromones of a half dozen other species.

Lowering his eyes from the optical ceiling he turns his attention back to the holographic display of the system, the expanse of red which represents the Vong flotilla, the slowly circling ball which represents Coruscant, and the mass of blue arrayed between the planet and the Vong which represents the Republic fleets.

Of most concern to Ba?tra is the green though. The green represents the mine field and orbital platforms which are directly beneath his command.

Finally the red stops amassing, and Ba?tra?s ears twitch as he stares at the hologram, wondering what the Vong are planning. From beneath their flotilla a mass of the red starts flying out, heading towards Coruscant, their colors flickering from red to yellow.

Ba?tra?s ears flatten against the back of his head as he turns to his aid, a serious looking young human girl. ?Why did they switch colors??

The aid types something on her pad, then looks to Ba?tra. ?Because their IFF transponders just came on, sir.? She hesitates, and then pulls the ear piece out, a look of horror on her face, as the fear pheromones start to pour off her, causing Ba?tra?s nose to twitch.

?They?re broadcasting.?

Ba?tra taps his ear piece twice, setting it to the general communication channel, and hears the mass of noise, a babble of voices which he can?t distinguish. Frowning he hits his ear piece again and then deftly touches one of the moving yellow lights.

??currently holding five thousands refugees. I repeat this is the Dawn?s Light from Ornos and we are??

He touches a different light.

?Jumping Shark and we currently hold seventeen hundred refugees. Rep-?

Yet another light.

?-five hundred ref-?

?-acks and curr-?

He snarls and taps his ear piece, putting it back on the command channel. He looks around at the crew. ?I don?t care what you?re hearing on the com channels. We stay at our posts, do our jobs and try our best to ensure that Coruscant does not fall. Is that understood??

He gets a chorus of affirmatives, and turns back to the hologram, anger smoldering in his eyes as he watches hundreds, if not thousands of yellow dots swarm towards them.

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

Danni Quee keeps her hand grasped against one edge of her console, as the blast boat which makes up the primary firepower of the Wild Knights squadron twists into a dangerous spiral. Her eyes scan the controls, and she grins as she sees the readings indicative of a yammosk.

She presses the ear piece to break into the command channel. ?We?ve got the yammosk carrier, I?m sending out the IFF information on it now.?

She hears Saba?s hissing voice in reply. ?Thiz iz good Danni. Knightz prepare for package drop.?

Danni flicks another few switches, focusing a sensor array on the vessel carrying the yammosk.

A light starts to flicker into existence around the blastboat, one created by the Jedi Knight Izal Waz. The sphere of golden light covers the blastboat as well as the x-wings of the Wild Knightz as Saba hisses lightly with laughter.

?Dropz the package?

As usual, the Vong cruiser they were aiming for had gotten nervous and aimed a singularity at the ball of light, dragging everything within it towards the singularity.

?Now!?

The ball of light fades away and the the x-wings jump away from the blastboat firing proton torpedoes at the cruiser analong. The dovin basil handlers on the Vong craft react accordingly, drawing the sin