"Oidhche et Fàiredàn Trilogy I: Aftershock" Completed 11 July!

I finally decided to quit just talking about this story, and actually post it.

Author's Note: This story was started between "Rebirth" and "Star By Star". I had not yet read "Dark Journey", so I decided to keep this story on its slant away from the path "Dark Journey" took.

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<center><img src=http://home.ripway.com/2004-5/109033/aftershock.jpg></center>



[b][u]Dramatis Personae:[/u][/b]

[b]Jedi:[/b]
Jaina Solo, Jedi Knight
Kyp Durron, Jedi Master
Mara Jade Skywalker, Jedi Master
Luke Skywalker, Jedi Master
Dantana ni Uiletor Skyewali, Jedi Master
Katrael ni Skyewali, Jedi Knight
Leia Organa Solo
Jacen Solo, Jedi Knight
Tenel Ka, Jedi Knight/Queen of Hapes
Tahiri Veila, Jedi Knight
Vergere, Jedi Knight
Zekk, Jedi Knight
Corran Horn, Jedi Knight
Kam Solusar, Jedi Knight
Tionne, Jedi Knight
Cilghal, Jedi Master

[b]Non-Jedi:[/b]
Han Solo
Jagged Fel
Wedge Antilles
Wes Janson
Rhia ni Uiletor
Coirreal ap Laeki
Shimrra, Yuuzhan Vong Supreme Overlord

[hr]

[i]The Oidhche et Fàiredàn Trilogy
Book 1: Aftershock[/i]

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Jaina Solo stormed into her uncle's quarters on the Errant Venture. She practically crackled with anger. Luke had sensed her coming and was waiting for her.

"Anger," he reminded her gently, "is the path to the dark side, Jaina."

"How about deceiving Rogue Squadron into destroying a Yuuzhan Vong shipyard and a worldship, knowing that the Vong are on dying ships too far from their conquered planets?" she demanded. "I went with Rogue Squadron. You've probably heard about it already. I just . . ."

"You're angry because Kyp lied to you," Luke said, standing up. He clasped his hands behind him and walked forward. "You're not angry about the potential, unneeded deaths of the Yuuzhan Vong as much as the fact that Kyp, who you trusted and agreed to apprentice to, tricked you."

Jaina sagged visibly, staring in astonishment at Luke. "How did you know all that? The Force?"

The door behind them opened and Mara walked in. She cradled little Ben in her arms. "No. Luke just received a communication from Kyp. Durron explained everything, and he's on his way here."

Jaina's eyes widened at the sight of the baby. "You're . . . okay. I thought maybe . . ."

"Seems a lot of people did. You, Jacen, Anakin. Kyp." Luke motioned for Jaina to take a seat. He took Ben from Mara and gently guided his wife to the bed. "Here, I'll watch Ben for a little while. You get some sleep."

"You named him Ben?" Jaina asked.

"Obi-wan, actually," Mara murmured. "After a lot of debate. But we're calling him Ben."

Luke took the other available chair, across from Jaina. "Have you seen your parents yet? They're here. Anakin and Tahiri are here, too."

"No, I just . . . had to talk to you, first. Do you think what Kyp did was wrong? What Rogue Squadron did? I know that Colonel Darklighter and General Antilles think so." Jaina pushed at her loose, slightly tangled dark brown hair.

In Luke's arms, Ben yawned and closed his eyes, tiny hands held near his chin. The artificial light from the glowpanels reflected off his pale, gold-red hair. Jaina found herself staring at those wisps on the infant's small head almost hypnotically.

"It was wrong of Kyp to deceive, to misinform. He should have been honest. Would you have still gone if you had known what it was?"

Jaina looked up, brown eyes unfocused as she thought back to the second battle of Sernpidal. "I don't know. I think, if Kyp had asked me, told me the truth, and asked me, I would have. But he lied. And I helped him lie, in a way. And people died, who didn't need to. Half of his Dozen, or more, were wiped out, and we lost nearly half of Rogue Squadron."

Luke closed his eyes, concentrating. "Without their new worldship, the majority of the Yuuzhan Vong populace is indeed stuck on dying worldships. Worldships that are falling apart, and aren't capable of hyperspace travel. Kyp's right, that the Yuuzhan Vong now have a choice: withdraw and help their people, or let their people die and

 

Sometime later, Jaina went to reunite with her parents and siblings. Eventually, she found time alone with her mother.

Leia Organa Solo stood by a port window of thick transparasteel. Her long skirt hid the scars on her legs, inflicted by the Yuuzhan Vong. Her hair, once long and flowing, was a little longer than chin-length now. It had been shaved off during a quarantine months before. Jaina's, too, had been shaved.

"Mom? Can I talk to you?"

Leia turned and smiled at her daughter. "Sure."

Jaina moved to stand beside her mother. She was actually a few inches taller but had always felt small compared to her mother's sheer strength-of-will. She thought for several moments, trying to come up with words to express what she was feeling.

Finally, she told her mother exactly what had happened when she, on Luke's request, had found Kyp, and the events following, through Sernpidal, and her explosive final encounter with Kyp. She asked her mother's opinion.

"Knowingly endangering millions," Leia breathed. "And yet, possibly saving us. No wonder you're so conflicted, honey. But you see both sides of the issue. And while you're aware of the positive side, you feel for those that will potentially die because of this. I wouldn't worry that by helping Kyp, you've started down the path to the Dark Side. Things are never that easy, Jaina. He had good intentions, even if his means to the end weren't the most favourable. You feel used, and that's understandable. But you'll forgive him in time. Your father and I have had our share of moral disagreements. Luke and Mara have, too."

Jaina frowned. "You're comparing me and Kyp to you and Dad, and Uncle Luke and Aunt Mara? I'm just his potential apprentice, Mom."

Leia laughed. "I didn't mean it that way, Jaina. Those were just the easiest comparisons. You're the one who took it differently."

Her daughter's frown deepened and took on a troubled cast. Yes, that had been a funny conclusion. Excusing herself, Jaina went to find her quarters and meditate.

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Luke decided to leave Ben with Mara, so they both could sleep. He needed some time to himself, so he went to walk around the ship. After about an hour, he finally reached the bridge. Booster Terrick and his son-in-law, Corran Horn, were there. Both looked concerned, and turned to Luke as he entered.

"Master Skywalker. I was actually just about to send for you," Booster said. "Maybe you can help us out. We're being hailed, but we can't tell what the woman's saying. It's not Basic."

"Why would you need me for that?" Luke asked curiously.

"Because she's asking for you directly," Corran said.

"Let me hear it."

A moment later, he heard, "E nabh Katrael ni Uiletor. E dannach tabh dah Je'i Masanech Luke Skywalker."

Luke felt as if he'd just stepped onto the surface of Hoth without any protective gear. He knew the language. But he hadn't heard it for a long time, since before he fell in love with Mara. "It's Fellescae," he said aloud. "Spoken in the Braetin system. You've probably never heard of it. It's kind of a backwater. The Empire called the system 11214893."

"What did she say?" Corran asked.

After a moment processing the woman's words, he said, "She said her name is Katrael, of the house of Uiletor. She has an important message for me."

"Yeah? So what do we do about her?" Booster asked.

Luke leaned passed Corran and pressed a button. "Kaetral ni Uiletor, e nabh Luke Skywalker. Dor na fohran Basic?"

After a pause, a lilting, slightly husky voice responded, "My Basic is better than your Fellescae, Master Skywalker. I request permission to board. I must speak with you. I have been sent by the Banrighean na Phi a Fellescae."

He took a deep breath. The High Priestess of the Fellescae had sent her. "Booster, we need to let her on. She's probably on one of the Fellescae's only hyperspace-capable ships. As far as I know, they don't have many. They don't send them out unless it's important."

"Permission to board granted," Booster said reluctantly.

 

Unless you guys want more, this will be the last post for today.

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In the docking bay of the Errant Venture, Luke stood and watched as a sleek, silvery ship, a J-type 327 Nubian, if he wasn't mistaken, shut down her engines. The ramp descended, and a slender, petite woman walked out.

She pulled off her helmet. A waist-length red braid fell over her shoulder as she did. Large, bright blue eyes met with Luke's gaze. She eyed him solemnly. She wasn't much more than sixteen, the same age as his nephew Anakin. She also wasn't any taller than Leia. She radiated the Force so powerfully, Luke had to steady himself. The others would soon be here to find out who she was.

A lightsaber hung at her hip. It was smooth yellow metal, with Fellescae symbols carved into the grip. It was so familiar to Luke, it hurt. If Katrael had it . . .

Luke had a difficult time breathing suddenly. She wasn't- She couldn't be- He forced himself to take a deep, calming breath. "Katrael?" his voice cracked as he said her name.

"Your Fellescae is terrible," she told him bluntly.

"I haven't used it for a long time."

They stood in silence for a long time, just looking at each other. It was Katrael that spoke first.

"Our High Priestess sent me," she said. "Corsinne is invaded. What other ships we had, besides this, were involved in protecting Gaeina when I left. The King and Queen, my aunt and uncle, are dead."

"Who attacked you?" Luke asked, dreading her answer.

"The Yuuzhan Vong," she said. "We may be a . . . backwater, Skywalker, but we know what's happening in the galaxy."

The Yuuzhan Vong had attacked the Fellescae. Corsinne, a planet that was uninhabited due to great earthquakes that appeared twice a year and decimated the surface, had likely become a breeding-ground for Yuuzhan Vong technology. And Katrael . . . If she was of the house of Uiletor, and the King and Queen were her aunt and uncle, only two women could possible be her mother.

"You're Dantana's apprentice?" he asked hoarsely.

She nodded once. "And her daughter. I just turned seventeen a month ago."

The news that Dantana had a daughter hit him like a fist to the gut. He couldn't ask. He couldn't, and yet he did. "How is Dantana? Is she . . . alive?"

Katrael didn't answer. She looked away, back at her ship. "She . . . was taken by the enemy in the attack. As they dragged her away, she told me to find you. I . . . killed two Vong with her lightsaber, but I had to hide. I couldn't stop them."

He stopped breathing for several moments. It was all he could do to keep from falling. As much as he loved Mara and their son . . . "Dantana."

Dantana Katrael ni Uiletor. Memories crashed over him, of her red hair glinting in the sunlight, of her warm laugh and husky, almost musical voice. The blue of her eyes, and the way they turned dark with passion. The first time he'd seen her, standing in the doorway of the temple in the little village of Napha just outside the capital city of Dubhlinna. When he'd seen her last, telling him to go, to start his Jedi Academy. She was one of his first students, and his love even before Callista. They'd gone through what she called a union ceremony, what he had, from her explanations, taken to be a sort of engagement/betrothal ceremony. Then he'd found a way home. He'd wanted her to come with him, but she had refused. She was the High Priestess of her people. Her sister wasn't old enough to replace her, so she'd stayed. And he'd gone.

Luke looked at Katrael. And realised that while she had her mother's colouring, she had *his* eyes. His knees almost buckled. "Your father, who-"

Katrael turned back, and looked at him. "E nabh Katrael Liana ni Uiletor, clanna na Lucais ap Skyewali."

I am Katrael Liana, daughter of the house of Uiletor, child of Luke, son of the house of Skywalker.

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Dana

 

Something bad happening to the Skywalkers? Sounds good to me...
Can't wait for Jaina and Kyp to meet again!
Oh, btw wouldn't you possibely want to put a little Anakin/Tahiri into one of your stories?

 

Don't worry, there's Anakin/Tahiri in this one, sort of, later on, and there'll definitely be some A/T in "Not Of This Fold".

Dana

 

This new story looks great! I'm looking forward to more!

 

Hey this is good story so far! I like the pace and the feel of it.

Please post more soon!

 

Cool. I like the way you did the linguistics. As an L/M fan, you have my read until 1)Mara and Luke break up
2)Mara dies

Until then, sounds interesting!

 

More!!

 

K/J, A/T... finally someone who feels like me! Now I even can overlook the fact that you like Corran...

 

Not bad! Lots of new characters. Always a good thing.

 

This is interesting, I like Kyp

 

I'll let you know right off, Mara doesn't die. I found I just couldn't do that to her. I tried, but in the end, I just couldn't do it. So, yeah, she gets to live.

Fellescae is actually a language I made up. I also made up the entire history of the people, their culture, and their language. I've spent WAAAAAAAAAY too much time thinking about all of this.

I'll post more in a few minutes, I've got to get the story loaded up.

Dana

 

Nice. I really like this fic. I want to see how Jaina works through Kyp's betrayal, Can you make him grovel? Please, please. please ?Good begining, can't wait for more. Esp if Kyp grovels

 

Sorry, there isn't a lot of Kyp/Jaina stuff for a little while. But if you're in need of a K/J fix, read either "Not Of This Fold" or "Against All Odds".

I should put a note here that I've given all of these people more of a telepathic ability than they have in the books, but that's just for this story.

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Luke walked with Katrael back to his quarters. First things first, he had to introduce his daughter to his wife.

Mara was sitting up in bed, Ben in her arms. "I already know, Skywalker."

"I thought you might." Luke looked again at Katrael. She and Mara actually looked quite a bit alike, except for Katrael's blue eyes. "Katrael, this is my wife, Mara Jade Skywalker."

Katrael looked at Mara. Luke wasn't the only one who had noticed the resemblance. "I am honoured to meet you, Mistress Skywalker."

Mara looked at the girl, then at Luke. "Skywalker, the only reasons I'm not angry are because you told me about Dantana, and because Katrael is just as much a surprise to you as she is to me. Now, what are you going to do about the girl's mother?"

Luke looked at each face in his suddenly dysfunctional family. "Katrael, I need to take you to talk to the owner and captain of this ship. Then . . . I guess you can see your aunt, uncle, and cousins."

Katrael stepped closer to Mara. There were tears in her eyes. She held out her hand. In it was a crystal, a clear blue-green. "My mother was grieved when she heard about your marriage six years ago. Even though she made the choice to stay on Gaeina, she began to regret it. When news of your pregnancy reached my mother, she gave me this, and told me to keep it for the child. It was to be a gift to my brother, my twin, who died during birth."

Mara took the crystal, smiling softly at the girl. Her stepdaughter. Wow, that was something she'd have to wrap her brain around. "Thank you, Katrael. I thank your mother, as well, and am sorry she was taken by the Yuuzhan Vong. Is that her lightsaber?"

Katrael looked down at the lightsaber, then nodded.

"May I see it?" Mara asked.

Katrael hesitated, then handed the lightsaber to Mara. "It is made of metal donated by my late uncle, the Righ- King. My mother, as Banrighean na Phi a Fellescae, did not have much in the way of posessions, except that which was given her."

"Ciaran had his metalurgists alloy gold with a few other metals for it," Luke said quietly.

Mara was examining the lightsaber closely. "I've never seen a lightsaber of this design before. Most Jedi these days model theirs after Luke's."

Katrael took the lightsaber back and clipped it to her belt. "My mother believed that our people are decended from a settlement of Jedi who reached our planet almost four thousand years ago. There are many stories of Kaeta ni Oboshi, the first High Priestess. My mother modeled her lightsaber after ancient renderings of Kaeta's lightsaber."

Mara nodded. She knew that she should have felt upset over Katrael's presence, but she couldn't. Maybe it was her maternal instincts, brought out by Ben. Maybe the was the fact the girl had lost her mother recently. Or it could have been the incredible resemblance between herself and the girl. "If you can remember, I'd like to learn about your people."

"I can do better than that," Katrael said with a small smile, glancing at Luke. "In the confusion of the invasion, I was able to get my mother's things, including her papers and a . . . crystal thing she called a Holocron-"

"Dantana had a Holocron?" Luke blurted, completely taken by surprise.

Mara was just as surprised. "How were you able to clear it all out?"

Katrael looked at the face of the small baby in Mara's arms. "We had some warning. Our people knew my mother was a Jedi, so they all came running to her for help. I gathered our things and put them in our ship. The last thing I got from her was the lightsaber."

Tears began to fill the girl's eyes. Instinctively, Luke hugged her. He met Mara's calm gaze over his daughter's head. "It's o.k., Katrael. We'll get thr

 

This is a great story so far. I like Lukes daughter so far. I could be wrong but with so many references to how much Mara looks Like Lukes daughter there's got to be something going on there!

<S> Keep up the great work.

 

Felt like posting more . . .

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Luke held the old lightsaber in his hands, running his fingers over the Fellescae symbols carved into the smooth metal. He felt tears pricking at his eyes as he thought of all he had lost in leaving Gaeina so long ago.

He thumbed the switch and the brilliant green blade, a little darker than his own, sprang to life with a snap-hiss. It hummed as he swung it back and forth. It seemed slightly off, though, the pitch of the sound.

As he suspected, the charge was low on the lightsaber. He doubted Dantana had ever had much use for it, living on Gaeina. He wondered how long it had been since she'd charged the powercells.

The design of her lightsaber required the removal of the buttcap on the handle, and the removal of the powercell. As he pulled the battery out, a slip of paper fell out. Then he realised that she had purposely drained the powercell, to provide a reason to open up the weapon.

A peculiar tightness gripped his chest as he picked the paper off the floor and unrolled it.

"Luke,

"I write to you with the language of your people, and the writing of mine, for of your people, only you, most likely, know the language of my people, and very few of my people know Basic, except for Katrael. You no doubt have guessed that Kaeta is our daughter. Her full name, as dictated by the Fellescae, is Katrael Liana ni Uiletor clanna na Skyewali. I call her Kaeta, after my ancestress, who was a Jedi, like us. I have trained Kaeta, like I knew you would. I am sorry I did not tell you of her. I felt that telling you of her existence would be akin to causing pain between us, as I made the decision not to leave Gaeina, and you chose to leave for Yavin 4.

"There is much, my love, that I want to say, so much that fills my heart, but I do not have the time to say them. Even now, Yuuzhan Vong ships are attacking Dubhlinna. I have instructed Kaeta to take our belongings and our ship, and to find you. I have hidden this letter inside my lightsaber, to protect it from the enemy who now invades our system. I am afraid, Lucais, my love. I will go to meet this enemy; I will not hide. It just is not my way.

"I send Kaeta to you. Keep her safe. I know you are married now, despite our union, and are expecting a son. I also send with Kaeta a crystal, meant for our son's lightsaber. He, who would have been named Obi-Wan, after your teacher, died as I delivered him. Tell Mara Jade that she is a lucky woman to have won and kept you. I myself was foolish, and regret losing you. Do not feel that you must rescue me, if the Yuuzhan Vong take me. I will make a valiant effort against the enemy. As a Jedi, it is all I can wish to do.

"Keep the children, both Katrael and your son Ben, safe from the enemy. Please. That is my last request, love of my heart. May the Force be with you.

"Dantana"

The breath left him in a slow exhale. "Oh, Dana. Dana."

He let the tears fall.

 

ChaseherChiss Just wait. It gets REEEEAAAAALLLLY interesting in the next few posts . . .

Dana

 

Here's a Kyp pic I made. Thought I'd post it here, there, and everywhere. This is a link to the page the pic is on, not the pic itself.

Kyp Durron

Dantana

 

SWEEEEEEET I love twists and turns with a story!

I can't wait for another post!!!

Heading home now will check later to see if there's more up!

Chase

 

First of all, when I wrote this, it had been quite a while since I'd read "Star By Star", so I was a little rusty on some of the details. And when I reread SBS, I decided to keep the details the way they are here. To explain: instead of capturing the Yuuzhan Vong frigate, they got the light freighter away from the Dark Jedi and used it to escape. And they went straight back to Eclipse, not to Hapes. Coruscant fell, but nobody really cares. They DO go to Hapes soon, but it's in a little while, about a month, month and a half after this post.

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Several months later

At Eclipse, Luke Skywalker stood in the hangar bay of the station, watching the ramp on the light freighter lower. Mara, holding Ben, stood beside him. To his right stood Leia, and Han. The small group awaited the surviving members of the strike team sent to Myrkr to destroy the voxyn breeding grounds.

Zekk and Lowbacca were the first off the ship, carrying some sort of husk between them. Leia choked back a sob at the sight of her son's coffin. Han put an arm around her shoulders, partly to steady her, but also to steady himself.

Jaina followed, holding Anakin's lighsaber. The dark and cold rolled off her in waves. Close behind her were Tahiri and Tenel Ka. That seemed to be everyone, to Luke's eye. No, there were a few more, wounded, but moving under their own power. Luke counted the survivors with a sad eye. So many lost. Their mission had been accomplished, but at such detriment to the numbers of the Jedi that he almost didn't feel like calling it a success.

Zekk and Lowie set the husk in front of Han and Leia. No one really knew what to say. Tahiri stood nearby with tears in her eyes, staring at the remains of the boy she'd loved. Tenel Ka looked sick to her stomach. With Jacen still behind enemy lines, captured by the Yuuzhan Vong, it was understandable.

Jaina was the one that worried Luke. She stood before them, exhuding the dark side of the Force, and didn't seem to care. She gazed angrily, painfully, at her little brother, then walked out of the hangar, presumably to her quarters.

Mara turned, looking after her, but didn't follow. Her attention was suddenly drawn to the ship. A shadow moved inside. Luke found himself reaching for his lightsaber, then stopped when Zekk said, "We found her on the worldship, being broken along with two Shadow Academy students. She wasn't conscious for a very long time, but finally came around a few hours ago. We don't know who she is, but . . . Well, she refused our help getting off the ship."

"This is a fact," Tenel Ka murmured.

A petite form, dressed in the tattered remains of a once-elegant green inicrubh-worm silk dress slowly walked down the landing platform. Her long red hair was one giant snarl. One eye was in the advanced stages of recovery from a swollen state. The other looked around almost timidly, until she spotted Katrael, on the other side of Mara. A broken cry tore from her and Dantana ni Uiletor stumbled.

"Mathaire!" Katrael cried, running forward. Luke found himself moving beside her, catching the woman as she fell.

She was horribly thin, with deep hollows in her cheeks. A scar ran down the side of her face, not too serious, and a few weeks old. Her arm was obviously broken, and had been set by one of the Jedi who had returned. She looked very similar to Mara, when Mara had been at her worst during her illness.

"Dana?" he asked, passing a hand over her face. Her eye followed his hand, but she was unable to articulate a response, other than a gurgle. She coughed, and Luke lifted her in his arms, carrying her to the infirmary.

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[Yoda]Hmm . . . Lost a planet Master Obi-Wan has. How embarrassing . . . [/Yoda] Sorry. Channelling Yoda at random.

Dana

 

uh oh...not good.

 

No, not really.

Dana

 

Is there more coming soon?

 

Do you WANT more? If so, I might be persuaded to post more . . .

Sorry, I'm in a really evil mood.

Dana