Beyond - Legends Overgrown (Legacy comics. Darkish Cade ficlet.)

Title: Overgrown
Author: karebear
Timeframe: Legacy comics (Around #25). Hidden Temple missing scene, of sorts.
Characters: Cade Skywalker


They stand there, watching him, serene and secretive, and he can?t stand their silence anymore. Jariah?s made no secret of his desire to be anywhere but here, but he certainly doesn?t have a monopoly on hating the Jedi.

At this moment he?d like nothing better than to throw himself against them with unapologetic violence, and take as many down with him as he can.

Instead he finds himself seeding into their brains, fueling their doubts with a low hiss, full of certainty and truth. Crimson and gold twine in his irises, but with effort, he can pull his hand away from the lightsaber hanging on his belt.

?Don?t you get it?? he asks slowly, forcing them to listen, forcing them to hear. ?The galaxy doesn?t need you anymore! Maybe it did once, but that was a long time ago. The Jedi get wiped out again, and again, and again, and nobody cares. They never care. And why should they??

What have the Jedi ever done for the galaxy but stick their noses in where they weren?t wanted and hole up under the blankets like a bunch of scared children? When there is war, when there is darkness and danger and anger and hate, the Jedi are so paralyzed with fear of what might happen that they let themselves be slaughtered. Maybe once, this might have been... not acceptable, but understandable. Maybe he could believe that the old guys couldn?t see it coming. But this... this was the second time around!

?How long?s it been, a hundred years?? He asks. He taunts. Come on, he begs silently. Come on, come after me. ?That?s nothing!? Say something. Do something. Please.

?Some of you were even there! And still, you...? He draws in a ragged breath. The sharpness of it hurts his lungs.

?You let!? His voice suddenly explodes, shattering against the rough stone wall at around the same time as his fist pounds against it, coming away slick with blood he doesn?t notice.

?My!? Punch. This time the rock crumbles and flakes of gray rain onto his boots.

?Father!? Punch. His knuckles are raw and sticky, a low throbbing ache tingeing the edges of his consciousness.

?Die!? He screams now, a wordless, broken cry. His rage and his grief coalesces around him, so real and thick it?s like heavy cobwebs. He can feel it, and he knows that if he were to care enough to brush his hand over his skin that he could wipe them away. But they don?t see it, or if they do, they don?t say anything.

But he can feel the pity in their eyes, their sidelong glances to one another. They are afraid of him. When he speaks again, his voice is still rough and spiteful, but little more than a whisper. He feels his lips moving, but he can?t even hear himself. ?You claim to serve the greater good? To protect people? You can?t even protect yourself!?

Maybe he isn?t even saying it at all. Maybe he?s just imagining it. Maybe he?s dreaming.

?Of course we don?t need you anymore.?

 

Maybe he isn?t even saying it at all. Maybe he?s just imagining it. Maybe he?s dreaming.

Creepy...


?Of course we don?t need you anymore.?

Disturbing idea - that the galaxy doesn't need the Jedi anymore. Way things are right now, with them sitting around in hiding while the galaxy falls apart around them, he has a very viable point.

Nice job!

 

?Of course we don?t need you anymore.?

WONDERFUL work! I can't believe I missed this earlier!

 

?Of course we don?t need you anymore.?

My thoughts exactly

I hope there is more to come