Beyond - Legends Dear Diary Challenge 2014 - Writing on pages - OCs, mentions of Canon characters AU

The noise apparently woke everyone or just about everyone. Most of the Younglings were afraid but I don’t blame them since a good part of them most likely have never heard thunder before or at least never this loud.

Yepp, had a storm today when being outside with my kindergarten group in the garden. We all ran for shelter in the garden house & my colleague started singing songs with us.

 

AzureAngel2 That sounds like fun to some extent.
earlybird-obi-wan, Nyota's Heart lets find out

There is some philosophical discussion in this that some might find very upsetting.

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Dear Mai,

I had an interesting discussion with my Master the other day. She told me of how her brother-in-law’s niece is dying from a degenertive disease. I gave my condolences and she talked about how she wonders if we as sentient creatures cause more pain in those we love as they die. I asked her what she meant and she talked about a small girl she knew that died of cancerous tumors. The girl had been about five standard years old when they discovered the tumors but they had done surgeries and treatments that made her sick to try to destroy anything that they couldn’t find. It came back again and they did the same thing only for it to come back a third time; the third time was the last time. She told me that the last time she saw the little girl she was a month or two shy of her eighth lifeday and she had been sleeping because she had gone with her family to see a relative get married.

She went on to say that her sister, Zahra talks a lot about her niece and how her eyes even though they have the light in them that says she’s alive they are clouded from a mixture of pain and the heavy duty drugs she is on for the pain.

She told me that she just wonders sometimes if for all our knowledge and supposed sentience we are actually the cruelest of anything alive and we do it out of love.

I asked her if the Vong and their obsession with pain has her thinking more on it and she did say a little bit.

She did say that her sister, brother-in-law and their two children will be here later today.

I have heard of Masters Zahra and Murchadh Maolain. They spend a lot of time working with security forces and putting people at ease.

I wonder if the letter she received had something more disturbing.

Sincerely Aditi

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I do not mean any disrespect to those that choose to use medical intervention to help family members with illness whether that be cancer or another disease that is debilitating. Many treatments do and can save lives and if you feel that they are the right choice to make than do it.

I have relatives that have died from cancer, many of them I either don’t remember or have vague memories of but two stand out: both of my step-grandfathers. One died within the time he was given and the other held on for years longer than expected. They both had been in terrible pain and being so young at the time didn’t understand it.

The stories I shared are true.

This is really me asking the question I ask myself and others if we as humans needlessly make our loved ones suffer just because we don’t want them to die. I know that if I had had my way at the age of thirteen I would have kept him alive despite his pain because I didn’t want him to die so soon after he and my Nana had moved back in the area from California.


Once again I am not condemning those that choose to have medical intervention. It is really more of a philosophical question then anything.

 

Bravo Misty for tackling such a sensitive issue with no easy knee-jerk answers. Each person/family has to choose according to their own feelings and needs and the facts of course of the medical prognosis.

 

I fully agree with her, touching update

 

Nyota's Heart Thank you.
earlybird-obi-wan Thank you as well.
AzureAngel2 You missed an update

Just as an FYI I posted a fic lateish yesterday "Finding Family". It's told from Karai's sister, Zahra, and Zahra's husband's POV. It does sort of tie into this. And it does tie into "Many Lifetimes".

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Dear Mai,

Master Karai has been nervous for the last few hours. We are expecting a ship with a few Jedi and soldiers on board.

She has asked me to not come with her when she goes to greet her sister who is coming on the ship. I am going to guess that she just wants some time alone with her family. I would if one of my siblings was Force Sensitive.

Eras has become very green where we are at least. There is even a garden attached to the Temple and we can go out and spend time among the flowers and trees. There are even sculptures in different parts of the garden.

I was so happy with all the green and warmer weather I almost donned my ceremonial dress and danced in the light of the moons in orbit. I was worried about an unwanted audience. Some beings just don’t appreiate “primitive behavior”. At least my people don’t dance like the Lunians. It is rumored that the Lunians don’t wear a stitch of clothing during their dances or certain celebrations. Master Corray Ly-pah says it’s true though and I believe her.

It’s getting late and I haven’t had my lunch yet.

I’ll write later.

Sincerely Aditi


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Oh dear, I read the update before that, but was that stressed out due to my private life going so utterly wrong at present that I indeed forgot to comment.



I will be better this time.

Master Karai has been nervous for the last few hours. We are expecting a ship with a few Jedi and soldiers on board.

She has asked me to not come with her when she goes to greet her sister who is coming on the ship. I am going to guess that she just wants some time alone with her family. I would if one of my siblings was Force Sensitive.

Change is in the air.

(PS: I am gone between upcoming Wednesday and next Sunday. In the mountains there is no internet!)

 

Happy for the better weather. And for the family reunion.

 

She has nice thoughts about the weather and dancing? That should be done

 

AzureAngel2 It's okay. Did you enjoy your visit to the mountains?
Nyota's Heart Better weather is always good and family reunions are always good.
earlybird-obi-wan Maybe in the next chapter she will.


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Mini Challenge: New lease on life

Dear Mai,

Today my Master sat me down and told me she had a story to tell me.

She told me as a very young child she had lived with her parents and sister on one of Coruscant’s lower levels, also known as the Underworld. Not long after they arrived her parents discovered to their horror that not only was their youngest Force Sensitive but the eldest as well.

Fearful of the Empire their parents had started to save money for the purpose of paying a pilot to take them back to Scáthia and a way to protect their two children. Her sister Zahra had taken to scavenging to help.

When she turned three she had started to help Zahra in the scavenging. One of their favorite scavenging places had been the Jedi Temple. Someone had scavenged in the Temple for a short time when they were younger and had told Zahra how to enter the Temple once she got passed the security field.

As a general rule neither of them purposely searched out Jedi Artifacts even though they were more valuable but if they found any than they would take them to be sold.

One night between the destruction of Alderaan and the Battle at Yavin she and her sister had been caught in the Jedi Temple by Storm Troopers. They had immediately been taken to a superior where both she and Zahra had used the Force in an effort to escape only to be taken to the Emperor. The Emperor had decided to have them trained as agents to be used once they were older.

They had been stripped of everything from their old life and given a new last name.

For those years training to serve the Emperor she and her sister had known a lot of fear and both of them want to go home.

When the Empire fell they knew fear again for different reasons: their fate. They were afraid that they would be killed by the Rebellion simply because they knew how to use the Force. They had cried when Rebel Troopers had stormed the Imperial Complex but were surprised when the soldiers asked them their names. It had been as if Éire the Light Goddess of the Scáth had influenced the Rebels to let them live.

The leaders of the Rebellion had decided that they didn’t pose a threat since their training at that point had been basic. Their Force Training had consistanced of learning how to move things around, sensing danger, getting people to not notice you and actrobatics.

So the Rebellion had switched gears and tried to find their parents only to turn up empty handed. Zahra was too common of a name among the Scáth people and ‘Karai’ wasn’t my Master’s real name but a nickname that had stuck.

Finally the Rebellion decided to place them with a family until either their family could be found or if they decided to join the Jedi Order.

She said that it had been a new lease on life for her and her sister. It had ended to nightmare they had experienced at the hands of the servants of the Emperor.

I think I can understand the fear that she must have felt because I had felt a similar fear.

When I was four standard years old how I had nearly drowned during the Weit River disaster. My family was visiting relatives in the area bordering the Weit River when it unexpectantly flooded beyond what anyone thought was possible. I remember being confused when my Uncle Abhay almost broke down the front door covered in mud and dripping water everywhere. He yelled that the Weit River was flooding the second pasture and headed for the house.

All the adults suddenly were running around and yelling orders to each other. Aunt Devi ordered the animals to be turned loose while my father ordered my cousin Kunti and my sisters Chetana and Jaya to help evacuate the children to higher ground.

It was dark and rain was falling as we were herded to the mudroom to be prepared to head for higher ground.

In the chaos I had left my favorite toy at the house and went back for it. At that point the house was dark and the water was getting higher. I remember searching the sitting area and the room that I had been sleeping in for it but couldn’t find it anywhere.

I do remember going to the speeder shed to search the speeders but they weren’t in it.

In a fit of anger I ripped off my raingear and threw it on the floor of shed and screamed.

I am told about this time my entire family realized that I was missing. Fearing that in fear I had headed back for the house the adults decided to select a few to make the risky trip back to the house and search for me.

At that point I had headed back out into the now complete darkness outside with only the rain poncho for protection against the rain. At that point the rain was pouring down and the water was getting very high. I couldn’t hear them calling for me over the rain and the water but I knew that they were out there looking for me.

I tried to head for them but the water was too deep and I was swept away. I knew how to swim but I couldn’t see and the water was so fast.

I cried for help but they couldn’t hear me.

For a moment a light fell on me and somehow I knew it was my sister Jaya.

She jumped in and swam towards where she thought I was. I could Sense her and managed to latch onto her.

Once I had grabbed on her Jaya caught us on a downed tree and we waited for rescue craft to arrive.

The lack of an evacuation in the flooded areas was a target for critasim critacim anger. In the end though heavy rains along with ice jams higher up on the river that overwhelmed a very old dam had caused the very quick and sudden flood.

I had been told I could have drown if Jaya hadn’t found me because I could have died from the cold.

I guess we both got a new lease on life.

Sincerely Aditi

I forgot. My Master has been reunited with her parents! And if you are curious about my toy my mother had picked it up knowing that I would be frightened without it.

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In my fic ‘Finding Family’ Zahra searches for her and her sister’s family.

The flood is very loosely based on two different events. The year before I was born there was a really bad flood in the area where I was born. In late March chunks of ice was scrapping bridges that were a good distance above the water, one such bridge (a current one) has a lot of clearance under it (even one that was removed not long ago was pretty low seemed to have a lot of clearance under it as well. Then there was a lot of rain and warmer weather. On the first of April one of the bridges spanning the river was ripped away in pieces. The water I am told was so high that it easily reached the eaves of the single story McDonald’s restaurant in the lower downtown area. At least one new channel for the river had been created as a result of the flood.


When I was five or six years old my mom had taken my siblings and I to a river, the same one that had flooded, to go swimming. Unlike Aditi I didn’t know how to swim so I was riding on a child’s flotation device. I had drifted off to the over side and slipped off, most likely because I was too heavy for it. I floundered in the water trying to cry for help. Someone, a sister I believe, rescued me.

 

Excellent recap of Karai's and Zahra's history and very fine use of the mini-challenge.

 

I am very happy that her master is so open and honest with her. Also talking about painful subjects!

 

Great insightful update. Love to read more about her master

 

Nyota's Heart thanks!
AzureAngel2 I forgot to welcome you back! It is best to be honest and the past is painful for Karai.
earlybird-obi-wan I will keep that in mind.

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Dear Mai,

I can’t believe that I almost my lifeday!

Last night I had almost fallen asleep really late when I remembered that yesterday was the day I had been born.

I had quickly checked the time and discovered that it was late on Tiston but I still had time to perform a dancing ritual.

I had quickly wrapped my ceremonial dress around myself making sure that the tucks and folds were correct for a celebration dance. The folds and tucks are complex and many so the dress can’t accidently come off if it catches on something. There are certain ways to wear the dress that do make it easier for the dress to be removed like it was at my Second Dance but tucks and folds like that are part of the way the dress is supposed to be worn during the Second Dance.

Anyway once I was done I hurried to the gardens and danced in the light of the moons in orbit of Eras. For a dance like the one I danced there are no set moves you just follow your insticnts instincts or Harmony. There have been some wonderful dances done when the dancer just follows Harmony.

I hope no one saw me. I think I would be embarrassed if someone commented on my dancing.

Sincerely Aditi


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I am happy she was able to indulge in a ceremonial tradition.

 

a very nice decription of the ritual of the dance

 

Nyota's Heart I'm glad too.
earlybird-obi-wan I thought so too
AzureAngel2 You missed an update.


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Dear Mai,

I had a unquie unique experience today. We went on a hike in a section of the mountain chain that the Ashlans call BlacktheSpine. We could see several large birds that our Ashlan guides called Schlucht Eagles. One of the younger Ashlans said that his father and older sister fell off a cliff not far from where we are right now. He said that his father didn’t live long after the fall and that his sister died when the Sith came.

Anyway we found a dying small female feline with a litter of kits. Since the kits are so young we are taking them back to the Temple with their. It was so nice to hold the kits and Feel that they trusted you completely they remind me of the domesticated Paka back on Tiston. They are so small that if I hold the biggest one so that her rear is on the back of my palm the tip of her nose doesn’t reach the tip of my third finger. I will admit though that she was trying to curl up so she might be even longer than I think.

Right she and her litter mates are under the watch of the Healers in the Halls of Healing on a heated heating pad with their mother. The Healers think they can help their mother but they aren’t making any promises.

I remember how one of the Paka that my family used to have lost her mother when she was younger than these kits but she and her litter mates pulled through thanks to the dedicated of her caretakers.

Sincerely Aditi


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Awwww on the kits being nurtured.

 

Anyway we found a dying small female feline with a litter of kits. Since the kits are so young we are taking them back to the Temple with their. It was so nice to hold the kits and Feel that they trusted you completely they remind me of the domesticated Paka back on Tiston. They are so small that if I hold the biggest one so that her rear is on the back of my palm the tip of her nose doesn’t reach the tip of my third finger. I will admit though that she was trying to curl up so she might be even longer than I think.


I was reminded of a Terry Prachett novel where DEATH finds a litter, too...

 

Nice to see her with the kits and her thoughts about them

 

Nyota's Heart I thought it was sweet too.
AzureAngel2 Ah Death from the Disc World Series. Him and Rincewind have an interesting relationship. Did he ever get his system fixed?
earlybird-obi-wan Everyone needs a distraction from the Vong.

The comment on the size of the little kit is loosely based on the size of one of my cats, Ahsoka, when I brought her home. She had lost her mother when she and her litter mates were two days old and her mother's owners raised them and I brought her home when she was five weeks old because they were having a hard time caring for five or six kittens. I have a picture or two that shows me holding her not long after I brought her home that shows just how small she was.

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Mini Challenge: There is no turning back

Dear Mai,

Well the Yuuzhan Vong have declared war on the Republic and the Jedi. They have vowed to decimate all planets and sacfi sacrifice the citizens of said planets to their gods.

We really have no choice to fight the Vong and defend our galaxy from their version of life. Rumor has it that they glory in pain and torture themselves because they believe that it pleases their gods. I’m glad that my people believe that Chaos is something to be avoided like the Blue Shadow Virus. Chaos has the potential to destroy everything. Harmony is when everything is in acordance with each other. From what I understand there isnt much difference between Harmony and Chaos and the Light and the Dark Sides of the Force.

Either way there is only two ways this war is going to end. Either we will be destroyed or the Vong will be beaten. Part of me wonders if maybe we can get them to convert to Harmony or something like that.

Sincerely Aditi


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I like the concepts of Harmony and Chaos and Aditi's reflections on each outcomes of a war.

 

She has interesting thoughts about the war

 

Nyota's Heart Thank you Nyota.
earlybird-obi-wan I think so.
AzureAngel2 You missed an update.

Forgot the update!

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Dear Mai,

Got a letter from home. My parents are worried about the war but if the crops do well then there will be lot to sell and maybe be sold off world. They even talked about the old family joke about how we grow rocks along with our other crops. It seems every year that our private gardens have rocks that weren’t there last year. One of the garden plots has been used for longer than my grandmother’s grandmother was alive. The land has been owned by my family for generations. It is passed down from parent to the child that wants it. Sometimes it passed down to a grandchild if the grandparent tends it longer, a child hasn’t asked for it but a grandchild has.

My older sister has already asked my father for the land and she is preparing to study agraculture agreculture agriculture at a higher learning school in the western part of the contenant conta continent in the mountains.

The rocks just keep coming back.

Sincerely Aditi

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This chapter came into being after I helped my siblings and dad remove rocks from one of our gardens. We filled four five gallon buckets with rocks. Of course the garden is newer than the one mentioned in the entry but the oldest garden we have which dates back to when my day was young if not when my grandmother was young.

 

I love the sense of history and the reminiscing. Also enjoy your authorly notes at the end

 

nice touches about the gardens