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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

Beyond - Legends The Journal of Talon Tantiss (DDC 2013 ) Updated 22 Dec 2013--Complete.

Discussion in 'Fan Fiction- Before, Saga, and Beyond' started by Jedi_Lover, Jan 1, 2013.

  1. Jedi_Lover

    Jedi_Lover Chosen One star 5

    Registered:
    Nov 1, 2004
    Thank you Nyota's Heart, Hazel, earlybird-obi-wan, Demendora, Briannakin, and EmeraldJediFire for reading and reviewing. Poor Talon. If he was an actual person he would probably be mad at me right about now. It could be worse, though. A profic writer could be writing this story and he would probably have a moon land on his head. :(

    Thanks everybody for reading!

    ~JL~
    _____________________________________

    Entry 94

    I sent a message to Ema asking to talk, but received no response. That wasn’t a surprise. She has completely ignored me since she sent her heartbreaking 'Dear Talon, I'm dumping you' text message. Why should now be different? This means I need to get somebody else to contact her and send a message she won't automatically delete without reading.

    I needed to talk to Ben.

    Although he’s a fully fledged Jedi Knight he opted to continue living at his parents' apartment. Perhaps I could persuade him to send a message to Ema and make it look like it came from…an official Temple source…perhaps from the Grand Master himself. I would have to make the message cryptic, but give enough information to let her know I suspect something about her and the baby.


    Entry 95

    I talked to Ben and he agreed to help.

    “What do you want me to write in the message?” Ben asked as he sat in front of his father’s subspace transceiver located in the Grand Master’s home office.

    “How about something like. ‘I discovered some interesting information about a Force-user within the kingdom. I would like to make arrangements to talk privately. The sleemo holonet reporters are always writing stories about me. I would hate them to hear the rumors I have heard. Please contact me.’

    Ben frowned. “That sounds like a threat.”

    I gave a frustrated sigh. “I know, but what can I do?”

    He nodded as he activated his father’s transceiver and typed out the message. He looked back to me. “Are you sure about this?”

    I nodded and Ben pushed the send button. Now all I can do is wait.


    Entry 96

    Ema contacted me the next day. My stomach dropped when I saw her face. She was still as beautiful as I remembered. Her holonet image stared at me, her face a mixture of regret and panic. “Talon,” her voice was hoarse and soft.

    “Ema,” my voice was equally strained.

    “I will make arrangements for you to come to Indupar. We need to talk privately. Come alone.”

    I shook my head. I wasn’t sure what the situation was on Indupar or the reason for the intense secrecy, but I didn’t feel right about going alone. “I’ll come with Ben. He knows everything anyway. We’ll make it an official visit…on the books.”

    She gazed at me sadly. “You don’t trust me.” She averted her eyes. “I don’t blame you. That’ll be fine. Put in a flight plan, it will be approved.”

    I bit my lower lip in frustration. I needed to end this conversation before I lost control. “You’ll be hearing from me soon.” I then turned off the transceiver.


    Entry 97

    When Ben and I arrived to Indupar a man in a military dress uniform met us at the docking bay. Ben and I had opted to arrive in full Jedi robes to make the visit look as official as possible. The officer smiled amiably as he offered his hand in greeting. “Good afternoon Jedi Skywalker, Jedi Tantiss. I am Captain Dentti, Executive Officer of her Highnesses personal guard. I will escort you to the palace.”

    We shook his hand and then piled into an airspeeder and were quickly whisked off into the skylanes. I was barely cognizant of the cityscape rushing by as we neared the palace. All I could feel at that moment was a dark knot of nausea growing in my stomach.

    “Hey,” Ben said as he put his hand on my shoulder. “You alright?”

    I didn’t dare talk. I didn’t trust my own voice. I simply shook my head.

    “I got your back.” Ben gave my shoulder a squeeze.

    We sat silently in the back of the airspeeder as the Captain piloted the craft to a large eloquent building that looked like a combination of palace and government offices. We landed in what looked like a personal landing bay. The landing pad had a number of luxury yachts inside, one I recognized at the ship that had transported Ema and the Queen to Coruscant so many years ago.

    “Here we are gentlemen,” the captain said nonchalantly. Obviously he had no idea why I was here or any indication of what severe mental pain I was currently enduring. He climbed out of the craft as Ben and I debarked. “The Queen’s sister asked me to escort you to her private meeting room. So if you would follow me.” The man turned and marched off down the hall as Ben and I followed close behind. He took us down a maze of hallways and turbolifts until we finally arrived to a large ornate wooden door that he held open for us.

    We entered a large room with an equally large conference table in the center. At the end of the table sat Ema Aiti, the woman I loved and lost. When I saw her the air swooshed out of my lungs like I had been hit in the gut. She didn’t remain unaffected either. Her face turned pale and her mouth tightened to a thin line. I didn’t ask to be seated. I pulled out a chair and sat before my legs gave out. Seeing her again made all the pain of the breakup resurface and the bitter agony that welled up inside me was almost crippling.

    “Talon,” I heard Ben’s voice, but he sounded distant through the fog of my anguish. “Are you okay?”

    “Yes,” I struggled to talk. “Can you give us a few minutes alone?”

    “Captain,” Ema said to the officer that escorted us to the room. “Can you show Jedi Skywalker to the Seer’s chambers. They requested an audience with him.”

    I looked to Ben nervously, not knowing if this was some scheme to separate us. I don’t know why I am acting all paranoid, but the intense anxiety I felt coming from Ema through the Force put me on edge. Ben looked at Ema for a long moment, probably trying to sense duplicity on her part and eventually he nodded. “Of course, I would love a chance to talk to them.”

    Ema sighed deeply as the two men left the room shutting the door behind them. “It is safe to talk here. I assume you have many questions.”

    Anger welled up inside me. “Yes, I think that is an understatement.” I took a couple deep breaths and simply asked what I came here for. “Am I a father? Were you pregnant when you left Coruscant?”

    She closed her eyes, her head down and pensive. “Yes.”

    The words hit me like a Force Pike to the gut. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

    She started to cry. “I wanted to but things became out of my control.”

    “So you are using my son as a decoy for the Prince, like you are for your sister?” I shook my head in amazement. “Everybody knows the queen has a double, it’s not a secret, why is my son forced into anonymity and used as bait for would-be assassins?”

    “I wish it was that simple Talon, but it’s not.” Her voice took on an edge of despair.

    “Then explain this to me?”

    “My sister miscarried on the way home,” her voice dropped to a hoarse whisper. “At the same time I discovered I was pregnant.”

    “What?”

    “We switched places until the baby was born. Then Kaie returned to her royal duties. I couldn’t tell you. It can never be known.”

    I sat back in my chair stunned. “You decided to break up with me and take away my son because your sister wanted to remain on the throne?” I looked away in disgust.

    “Talon…” She started to say something but I cut her off.

    “Shavit!” I shouted as I slammed my fist down on the table. “Ema, when you left me I never ever thought it possible to experience more emotional pain in my life, but you just proved me wrong. You have crushed me once more. You’ve taken my kriff’n heart out and squashed it under your heel. And worst of all, you’ve taken from me a son. My parents are without a grandson!”

    “Damn it Talon! Do you think this is easy for me?” Her voice rose to a high pitch. “The H’drachi Seers tricked me and my sister. They didn’t tell us what was going to happen…what they predicted. My sister and I are pawns in their game. They knew my sister would miscarry, they knew I would get pregnant and they knew my son would become King. They also knew if this didn’t happen the Induparan Crown worlds would be thrown into chaos and millions would suffer.” She stood and turned away from me. “Do you think I am so vain and enamored of the trappings of living in a royal palace that I would give up the man I loved and a child of ours…for money or prestige!”

    I am still very angry with her, but the pain in her voice and the anguish I felt flowing through the Force had me struggling to maintain my fury. I felt physically weak and spiritually devastated. I put my head on the table and wrapped my arms over my head trying to shut out a galaxy that seemed determined to drive a lightsaber through his heart at every turn. I don’t know how long I stayed that way. Time didn’t have any meaning to me anymore. I was simply waiting for the ground to open up and swallow me whole. Eventually I felt small hands tentatively touch my shoulders.

    “Talon, I am so sorry.” She sat down in a seat next to me. I looked up to her and could see she was crying. “If it’s discovered that Marcus is your son, my sister and I will be, at best, thrown in prison, at worst we will be executed. I don’t know what would happen to Marcus.”

    “He could live with his father.” I said acerbity.

    She looked down. “You could probably make that happen. And I would deserve whatever punishment that is brought upon me.”

    I ran my hands through my hair in frustration and grief. “I won’t do that to you…no matter how angry I am.” I brought my hands down on the table and I could see they were trembling.

    She gave me a small smile as she reached out and put her hand over mine. “Would you like to see your son? We can’t tell him you are his father, but we can introduce you as a visiting Jedi.”

    I thought about it for a while, wondering if my fragile emotional condition would allow me to pull off the deception. Finally I gave her my answer. “Yes, I would like that.”
     
  2. WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

    WarmNyota_SweetAyesha Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Aug 31, 2004
    Super! Intense! =D= :mad: at the seers. Ema and her sister were victims as much as Talon. :( I like that Talon can meet his son, at any rate. @};-
     
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  3. EmeraldJediFire

    EmeraldJediFire Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Feb 23, 2012
    Nice. I wonder how this is all going to work out now since it must be kept a secret.
     
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  4. Briannakin

    Briannakin Former Manager star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Feb 25, 2010
    WHAAAAAAAATTT? Why must you be so cruel to poor Talon? This is ALMOST as mean as dropping a moon on him.
     
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  5. Demendora

    Demendora Jedi Knight star 2

    Registered:
    Apr 9, 2010
    This is more cruel than the moon falling on his head=((:_|
     
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  6. Hazel

    Hazel Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 9, 2010
    I want to give Talon a [:D]
     
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  7. Jedi_Lover

    Jedi_Lover Chosen One star 5

    Registered:
    Nov 1, 2004
    Thanks Hazel, Demendora, Briannakin, EmeraldJediFire, and Nyota's Heart for reading and commenting. Things will get better for Talon eventually...especially when an old family friend comes to Coruscant.
    ____________________________________________

    Entry 98

    Ema had left me sitting alone in the conference room as she went to get our son. That horrible dark feeling in my gut felt like it was spreading up my chest so it could strangle my heart. I was completely lost and unsure what to think or feel. Most men my age would be either happy that they were a father or horrified at the obligation thrust upon them. All I felt was a cold hopelessness born out of my situation. I had a son who I couldn’t help raise. My parents had a grandson they wouldn’t know. This situation was kriff’d up on so many levels.

    I stood when Ema entered the room with a toddler in her arms. Despite my despondent mood, I had to smile at the boy. He had a mop of hair that was just as blond and silky as his mothers and his eyes…he had my bright blue eyes. His cheeks were chubby with little dimples …just like I had at his age. Ema bounced the child in her arms. “Marcus, this is my friend Talon. He’s a Jedi.”

    The little boy looked away shyly, burying his face against his mother’s shoulder. “Marcus,” Ema said softly. “Talon won’t hurt you. He is a good friend of your mother’s. Just say ‘hello’.”

    “Don’t want to.” The little boy mumbled. Ema whispered to him words of encouragement and my son finally turned to me and waved.

    I wanted to hold him. I just couldn’t wrap my mind around the fact that this is my son. I have a child.

    “Hey Marcus. How are you?”

    I didn’t expect an answer, but I was stumped as to what to say to a two-and-a half-year-old boy. I reached into my pocket and pulled out my small datapad. I sat down in my chair and activated a game on the device that I thought Marcus might like. It had colorful circles, squares and triangles. The player had to put three of a kind together to win. “Do you want to see a game?”

    My son’s face lit up when he saw the game. He held out his hands making a 'give me' motion with his fingers. Ema put him down on the ground and allowed him to walk to me. I pulled him up on my lap as I handed him the datapad. He pounded on the device in a way that made me cringe at first, but then he started utilizing the touch screen like an expert gamer… albeit a game player with saliva drenched fingers. As I watched him put sticking fingerprints all over the device I remembered how I would laugh at Anakin when he complained about changing his son Jos’ diapers or how his son flushed his comlink down the toilet. Back then I didn’t envy Anakin and Tahiri…but I do now. ‘I won’t get those opportunities with Marcus’, I thought sadly. I bounced him on my knee and leaned over his shoulder so I could smell the scent of baby shampoo in his hair.

    “Ball!” he squealed as more circles popped up on the screen.

    “He’s a smart kid.” I looked up at Ema sadly. “Will I ever be part of his life?”

    She took a seat next to me. “It’s not up to me. If we did try to bring you in we would have to be very careful. Marcus couldn’t know about you until he is old enough to keep a secret. His future lies in the balance…and the future of the Crown Worlds. This is so much bigger than the two of us. The seers see Marcus as a…”

    “A what?”

    She blew out a breath. “They see him as a powerful Force user. We’ve already seen him exhibit some Force abilities. He occasionally moves his toys around with the Force. I think it’s by accident, but eventually he will notice cause and effect.”

    I smiled hopefully. “That means he will need to be trained. You would need a Jedi to train him.”

    She shook her head. “That is up to my sister… and Marcus. I don’t care what the seers say about him being a Jedi, his destiny should be in his hands. He should decide if he wants to be a Jedi. It is bad enough that the throne is thrust upon him.”

    “I agree.” I smiled when Marcus slapped my datapad again. “Jedi usually like to start training Force-strong children before the age of ten years of age, but a person can start at anytime. My uncle has taught adults who discovered their potential late in life.”

    Ema looked down. “Talon, until Marcus claims his throne we can’t have you training him. We can’t risk rumors starting. If the media gets holos of you and Marcus together, there may be questions. You of all people know how despicable the Holonet can be with gossip.”

    I groaned. “Yes, I am well aware what those sleemos are capable of doing.” I ran a hand through my hair in thought. “At what age will he become King?”

    “Twelve.” She sighed heavily. “Until then it is best that you stay away…please. For his sake.”

    “That’s almost ten years.”

    “Yes,” she said softly. “Once he is declared King it will be next to impossible to oust him. Nobody has ever challenged a sitting Monarch.” She looked down in thought before looking back forlornly. “Talon about us…I’m so sorry. I was crushed when the Seers told me I had to cut ties, but I had no choice. I was heartbroken.” She paused and he could see tears fall from her eyes. “I see you’ve moved on and I am happy for you.”

    My brow creased in confusion. “What do you mean?”

    She smiled softly. “I admit, I watch the holonet for glimpses of you. I saw you were dating a Zeltron.”

    “Oh,” I muttered. “We’re just friends.”

    She raised an eyebrow. “Friends with benefits I assume.”

    I shrugged. “She’s Zeltron, that sort of goes with the territory. She’ll be graduating from the university soon and then she’ll go home. It’s not a long term relationship.” I shifted Marcus from my one knee to the other. The boy was heavy. He had the Tantiss solid build already. “After you left I was heartbroken. I swore I would never fall in love again.”

    Her shoulders slumped. “Please don’t do that Talon. Our circumstances are extreme. You’ll find somebody who will love you and stay in your life. I know you will.”

    I snorted. “How would you possibly know that?”

    She hesitated to answer. “I asked the Seers if you would be happy and find love…and they said you would.”

    I smiled and looked deep into her eyes. “With you?”

    “No.” She shook her head. “We’re not destined to be together. They told me that much. I’m sorry.”

    I sighed dejectedly. “Will you at least send me holos of Marcus? That shouldn’t be too suspicious, especially when the transmission is encrypted. One friend updating another friend.”

    “I can do that.”

    There was a knock at the door and Ben poked his head in. “Can I come in?”

    Ema motioned him inside. “Close the door behind you.”

    Ben shut the door and then turned and gazed at Marcus with a smile. “He’s strong in the Force. I can tell.”

    “Like his father,” Ema whispered.

    I leaned down and gave my son a soft kiss on the top of his head and then stood, scooping him up in my arms. I stepped over to where Ema sat and placed him on her lap before I took a knee in front of her and gazed at her sadly. “Take good care of him, Ema. If you ever need my help or the help of the Jedi don't hesitate to call.”

    “I'll take good care of him.”

    “You promise to keep me updated?”

    She nodded.

    “Thank you,” I stood and reluctantly pried my datapad from my son’s little hands. He protested for a moment before Ema pulled a small toy out of her tunic pocket. The rattling toy immediately caught his attention. I didn’t want to go, but I knew the longer I stayed, the harder it was going to be for me to finally leave. “I guess we should go before people get suspicious.”

    For a briefest moment I considered kissing her goodbye, but then thought better of it. There was no need to reopen old wounds. I turned to leave, but stopped. I unhooked my lightsaber and handed it to Ema. “When he is old enough, he should have a lightsaber. I want him to have mine.”

    She looked at the offered saber but then pushed it back to me. “I want you to give it to him yourself, when he’s old enough.”

    “Okay,” I said with a stiff nod before attaching the saber back on my belt. I turned to Ben. “Let’s go home.”

    We opened the door and found Captain Dentti standing outside ready to bring us back to our ship. A thought came to mind and I turned back to Ema. “Before I leave, is it possible for me to see the Seers? I’d like to talk to them also.”

    Ema looked at Captain Dentti and then back to me. “I don’t see why not. Can you please escort them to Seer’s meditation chamber, Captain.”

    He gave her a cordial nod. “Of course.” He turned to us. “Please follow me.”

    Ben and I weren’t even out the door before a man dressed in a guard’s uniform came jogging down the hallway. “Captain Dentii,” the guard said as he came to a stop and saluted. “The Seers sent me to inform you that they are not to be disturbed.”

    I could tell the Captain was surprised that the Seers even knew we were coming. He looked back to Ema who simply shrugged her shoulders.

    “Thank you,” he said to the guard as he returned the salute. He then gave me a sheepish look. “I'm sorry about that. The Seers are a bit fickle. I never quite understood how they do what they do.” He motioned with his hand down the hallway. “I’ll escort you back to your shuttle.”

    I was disappointed, but not surprised. If the Seers could truly see the future, then they foresaw what I was going to do. At least I now know they’re the real deal.
     
  8. Briannakin

    Briannakin Former Manager star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Feb 25, 2010
    I'd say you pulled a Moffat on my heart, but you probably won't get that reference. Instead I'll say YOU BIG MEANIE! Great job of stabbing us in the heart.

    I don't normally ask for sequels, especially since this is kinda the second sequelish fic you've done in this universe, but I GOTTA know what happens to Marcus eventually and if he and Talon have any sort of father/son relationship in the future.
     
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  9. EmeraldJediFire

    EmeraldJediFire Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Feb 23, 2012
    Oh, darn you..now you got me all weepy. Imagining Talon holding Marcus and feeling that weighing in his heart as he processed everything. It was just so sad.
     
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  10. WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

    WarmNyota_SweetAyesha Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Aug 31, 2004
    A very moving and touching update @};- I do not blame Talon for wanting to talk to the seers and/or prove once and for all if their "visions of the future" are infallaible or if they're a bunch of self-serving charlatans :p
     
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  11. Hazel

    Hazel Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 9, 2010
    This is heartbreaking! :( Fortunately we already know Talon will find someone else.

    Great job depicting all the emotions here!
     
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  12. Demendora

    Demendora Jedi Knight star 2

    Registered:
    Apr 9, 2010
    I hope , someday in the future Marcus will be at his father's side. What the hell in wrong with this family, they all have daddy's issues=((
     
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  13. WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

    WarmNyota_SweetAyesha Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Aug 31, 2004
    LOL! No kidding! Though in Talon's and Marcus's :( it was those cryptic seers and the ruling family-type situation. :p
     
  14. Jedi_Lover

    Jedi_Lover Chosen One star 5

    Registered:
    Nov 1, 2004
    I am trying to think of a story that will involve Marcus that I can write for Nano. Maybe next years Diary will be of Marcus' Journal. I don't know how many people I could get to read a third generation OC fanfic. I haven't thought up a plot yet for the NaNo story, so I am not sure if it will ever happen. I did draw a cover with a possible title already...like I did for last years story.
    [​IMG]

    I don't know if it will be written or not.

    Thanks Briannakin, Hazel, Demendora, EmeraldJediFire, & Nyota's Heart for reading and taking the time to review. I am still struggling how to get Marcus involved and at what time. I am working on it.

    Thanks everybody for reading!
    ______________________

    Entry 99

    We were escorted back to the shuttle and departed for Coruscant. As I watched Indupar disappear from view I wondered if and when I would ever return. For a moment I had the impulse to turn the ship around and go back, but I pushed down the urge. I knew I would be endangering my son if I did.

    I was encouraged by the fact that I could possibly see my son once he was King. Unfortunately, I would miss all the formative years of his upbringing. When I see him again I’d be a total stranger (not that I’m not a stranger to him now). I don’t know what Ema and Kaie are telling my son about his parentage, but I assume he thinks his father was the King who died prior to his birth. What is he going to think once he finds out the truth? Will he hate me for not being there for him? I can only hope he’ll understand.

    Ben was piloting the shuttle home. He inputted the coordinates into the navigation computer and pulled the controls to bring us into hyperspace. He then turned to me with a quizzical look on his face. “Why do you think the Seers would see me and not you?”

    I smirked from where I sat in the copilot’s chair. “Because they knew once I was in their meditation chamber I would try to use my post-cognitive abilities to figure out what they’ve been up to.”

    “That’s smart of them.” Ben nodded appreciatively. “They are good.”

    “They are better than good. They are creating futures.”

    Ben gazed at me in confusion. “How’s that?”

    “The Seers sent Ema and Kaie to Coruscant and told the Queen to request Jedi protection because they knew I would fall for Ema and father a child. If they didn’t send her, I doubt the Queen would have made the decision to come to Coruscant. Ema and Queen Kaie were not told the truth as to why they needed to leave Indupar.”

    “But the future is always in motion,” Ben reminded me. “How can they influence the future?”

    I threw my hands up. “I don’t know, but it makes me wonder what else they did to influence the future.” I looked over to Ben. “The King died suddenly, possibly suspiciously. They knew the Queen was pregnant and would miscarry. Don’t you think they could have used that information to maybe…I don’t know what they do with pregnant women in that situation…put her on bed rest or something?”

    Ben frowned. “Do you think they had the King killed and allowed the Queen to miscarry, just to put Marcus on the throne? Why?”

    “Maybe they need a Force-user as King.” I shook my head in frustration. “None of this makes sense, unless there are things they can’t stop and some things they can.”

    “Like shatterpoints?” Ben asked. “A point in time where a single action can splinter off the future into a completely different path. Do you think they can see the shatterpoints?”

    “Possibly…,” I mumbled as I remembered something my father once told me about shatterpoints.

    When I grew quiet Ben became suspicious. “Okay, what aren’t you telling me?”

    “Nothing,” I murmured. “It’s just my dad has a weird theory about shatterpoints.”

    “Which is?”

    I gave a soft exasperated groan. I really didn’t want to reveal my father’s neurotic fascination with clones and his bizarre theories about their effect on the future. Of course Ben trained with my dad for a decade…he probably knows his eccentricities just as well as I do.

    “Well, you know how sensitive he is about being a clone and all that research did does on the clone wars and such.” I paused for a moment in thought. “Anyway, because he’s a clone created in a laboratory by a crazed dark Jedi he thinks he shouldn’t exist in this galaxy. He believes he’s an anomaly—an aberration of nature. Because of this he is believes he shouldn’t be here, he thinks everything he does changes the future in some way. He believes he’s a walking, talking shatterpoint. Of course, because we don’t know what the future was supposed to be, we have no way of knowing if anything has changed. If Uncle Luke didn’t save my dad on Wayland my father wouldn’t have been on Byss to kill Palpatine. Does that mean we would we be part of the Empire now under the rule of an evil Sith Lord?”

    Ben shuddered. “That would be bad. But what does this have to do with you and the Seers?”

    “Dad thinks he shouldn’t exist and therefore his sons shouldn’t exist.” I laughed at what I always believed was an irrational theory. “He thinks he fathered two more shatterpoints.”

    Ben scoffed. “Your dad’s wrong. He belongs in our universe as much as anybody else. If his theory was true then the millions of clones created during the Clone War would have totally altered our intended future.”

    I grimaced. “You mean they possibly could have clouded the future so much that one Sith could order the execution of thousands of fully trained Jedi Knights without them suspecting a thing?”

    Ben gave a dismissive snort. “If what you say is right, then Marcus shouldn’t exist either. Did the Seers want a future-screwer-upper human of their own?”

    I don’t know,” I said somewhat bemused. “I just know the Seers are dangerous if they can affect the future. What if their intentions are not benevolent?”

    “Then there’s probably not much we can do to stop them.”

    “Maybe,” I admitted reluctantly. “What did the seers want to see you for?”

    Ben shrugged. “They gave me a quick lesson on looking into the time stream. They wanted to show me what would happen if you pursued having contact with your son at this time.”

    I chewed on my lower lip considering if I wanted to know. I wouldn’t put it past them of altering a vision to suit their purposes. “What did you see?”

    “It was fuzzy, but I saw someone other than Marcus on the throne and the world thrown into chaos. There would be war and hundreds of thousands of deaths and millions of refugees. I saw people so starved they looked like walking skeletons, their eyes shrunken in their sockets.” Ben shuddered. “I don’t know if what I saw was an accurate prediction or not, but they seemed to believe Marcus needed to be king to avoid the catastrophe.”

    I nodded silently. “Ema told me as much.”

    “What are you going to do?”

    My head dropped heavily. “What the kriff can I do? If I care about my son I will stay away…at least until he turns twelve and becomes king. I was told it would be safer to contact him then.”

    “That’s a long time.”

    “Yes.” I closed my eyes in anguish. “A very long time.”


    Entry 100

    We returned to Coruscant and I tried to get on with my life. It is tough, especially when I have to face my parents. I hate having to keep the existence of my son from them. I think that is the worst part of this. If and when my parents find out about him, they will be so disappointed that they didn’t have a chance to watch him grow up. I am in an impossible situation. If I tell anybody about him I could endanger his life and, according to the seers, I could possibly cause a cataclysm on the Crown Worlds if his true identity is revealed.

    Ema told me she would send holos of Marcus as he grew up. The best I can do for my parents is to keep these holos in the hopes that one day if his paternity is revealed they could at least see images of my son growing up.

    This is so kriffed up.


    Entry 101

    I have volunteered for more missions. I thought keeping busy would keep my mind off Marcus.

    I did some pilot practice missions using the StealthX fighters recently. A group of Jedi to include my father, my Master, Ben, Anakin, Jaina and also the Grand Master practiced starfighter squadron tactics using a method called a Force Meld.

    A Force meld (also known as Jedi meld or Battle meld) is a technique where a number of Force users joined their minds together through the Force, so they can function almost as one person. The great thing about this skill is our minds can almost become one, and the drawback is our minds can almost become one. I really don’t like other people’s thoughts floating around my head. Usually there is no problem because we are concentrating at the task at hand, but if there is a lull in the battle stray thoughts can sometimes seep into the Meld.

    For example, I sometimes can see Anakin’s thoughts of his children flitter through my brain. Once I could see Jaina thinking about a certain pilot she had recently met (and who she obviously considered cute…unless she has an extraordinary appreciation of the man's backside for some other reason). My father, Ben and Uncle Luke are almost always thinking about food. My Master is frequently thinking that I need to work in the fight simulators more often.

    I later realized I needed to keep tight control on my thoughts when on these missions. After our war games were finished, Ben came up to me and said he saw Marcus in my thoughts. Luckily he was the only person who probably made sense out of my stray mental images, although my father did give me a suspicious look after he exited his ship. Luckily he didn’t question me about what was going through my head.

    So much for keeping my mind off Marcus by immersing myself in training and missions.
     
  15. WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

    WarmNyota_SweetAyesha Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Aug 31, 2004
    Enjoyed Ben and Talon's talk. LOL about Mark and his sons being shatterpoints. I too have a feeling the seers manipulated events, more than just by observing the flow of history. :rolleyes: Woot on Jaina's stray thoughts. :)
     
  16. EmeraldJediFire

    EmeraldJediFire Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Feb 23, 2012
    Dangerous stuff there, but exciting too
     
  17. Briannakin

    Briannakin Former Manager star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Feb 25, 2010
    Great update.

    Personally, I would really like to see what happens to Marcus, even if it's just a short fic.
     
  18. earlybird-obi-wan

    earlybird-obi-wan Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Aug 21, 2006
    Caught up again after my trip.

    Poor Talon
    Very interested in what Marcus will become. A Jedi?
     
  19. Hazel

    Hazel Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 9, 2010
    I really enjoyed the talk between Talon and Ben, and Mark's theory on shatterpoints. If he only knew... ;)
     
    Nyota's Heart likes this.
  20. Demendora

    Demendora Jedi Knight star 2

    Registered:
    Apr 9, 2010
    If we are talking about anomalies, then Mark's original is also not supposed to exist. Luke is the same oddity as his clone for example.
     
  21. Jedi_Lover

    Jedi_Lover Chosen One star 5

    Registered:
    Nov 1, 2004
    Mark doesn't see his anomaly being genetic, but the manner that he was created. Luke was born naturally from the union of a man and woman. Mark was created in a laboratory. If you read Mark's journal he sometimes wondered if he had a soul. He thought Kira would dump him when he revealed he was a clone...thinking she would see him as something less than human. Mark does have a bit of an inferiority complex about his origins.

    In the novel Shatterpoint Mace Windu had sensed shatterpoints revolving around the Chancellor and Anakin Skywalker. Both men could be said to have unusual beginnings to life. Anakin Skywalker supposedly had no father according to Shmi. Palpatine genetically had a mother and father...we know that because in the novel Darth Plagueis his father Cosinga had a paternity test done soon after Palpatine's birth. His father said, "I know that you are of my blood, because I had you tested, just to be certain. But in truth, I don't know where you came from---who or what you're actually descended from." Before his untimely death at his son's hands Cosinga said, "If the Force birthed you, then I curse it!" Cosinga seemed to believe that only Palpatine's body was related to the family, but his soul was of another matter. Palpatine stated that, "I was born mature...fully grown." I often wondered if that line was put in to retcon what Palpatine said in Dark Empire when he claimed that his demise on the Death Star was not his first death, nor it would it be his last. Could the spirit of a Sith have taken over the body of Palpatine while he was in his mother's womb? Palpatine does say in Dark Empire that he could take over the body of Leia's unborn son, Anakin Solo.

    But in a way you may be right. If Anakin Skywalker was truly born of the Force then he could be seen as an aberration of nature and therefore Leia and Luke could be said to have descended from this anomaly the same as Talon and Jaden.

    Anyway, this is just Mark's theory and is not based on anything canon. o_O
     
  22. Demendora

    Demendora Jedi Knight star 2

    Registered:
    Apr 9, 2010
    that's what I am talking about. Entire Skywalker's dynasty is an anomaly, the game of the Force or whatever. I mean, galactic conflicts began when Anakin was born. I think, that perhaps they are some kind of..tools for changes in the galactic scale. But of course this is just my thoughts on this matter.
     
  23. Jedi_Lover

    Jedi_Lover Chosen One star 5

    Registered:
    Nov 1, 2004
    I did some writing today. I tried to think of a way to get Marcus with the Tantiss family. I think I have come up with a way. I am also getting close to the actions in the story Sacrifices. I am wondering how much I should cut it down. Since it is Talon's journal I could summarize the story. At the same time I want people who haven't read the fanfic to understand what happened with Jacen in my story. I am still working on it.

    I would like your advice at how much information should I put down for the Sacrifices period of this story. I have been trying to put in completely different information...such as Talon's thoughts on the events. I don't want the story to get boring.
     
  24. Briannakin

    Briannakin Former Manager star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Feb 25, 2010
    IIRC, Talon wasn't in that fic as a main character. You could have his thoughs on what he actually was there for, then give a brief summary of the other key events for context.
     
  25. Jedi_Lover

    Jedi_Lover Chosen One star 5

    Registered:
    Nov 1, 2004
    Thanks Nyota's Heart, Briannakin, Demendora, Hazel, earlybird-obi-wan, EmeraldJediFire for reading and taking the time to review. Talon was featured in Sacrifices and was present on Myrkr. Believe it or not I think Myrkr had about 50 pages of writing and Talon is in the room in most of the scenes. So I am condensing and shortening everything. I want to get to the Epilogue scene by the end of this journal. As you can imagine he may go months between entries.

    Thanks for reading. The romance stuff is coming up probably in the post after this.

    ~JL~
    __________________________________________________________________

    Entry 102

    Ema has kept her word and has sent holos of my son over the past few months. It is amazing seeing Marcus grow up. He looks so much like me when I was his age. She must take holos of every class and every event he goes to. She often sends me dozens of images and holofilms. She was also kind enough to send me old holos of Marcus’ first steps and his first words (The word he would say most often sounded like ‘Mema’. I assume it is a combination of Ema and Momma. Having identical twins raise you must be confusing).

    I sometimes watch the holos over and over in my room. One day I was almost caught by my brother who walked into my bedchamber unannounced. I quickly turned off the holoprojector and put away the image cube. I must have been projecting panic and guilt through the Force because Jaden smirked and asked me, “What are you watching little brother?”

    I knew what he thought I was looking at so I told him what he expected to hear. “Nothing…okay, I’m watching a skinholo.”

    He grinned as he walked over to the drawer that I tossed the image cube into. “Don’t hold out. Aren’t you going to share?”

    I grabbed the cube containing the stored images and held it tightly in my hands. “No!”

    His eyes narrowed. “Why not?”

    I panicked and said the first thing that came to mind. “Because it’s a homemade holo featuring me and…um…Nalli’ti.”

    Force! I hope Jaden doesn’t mention that to anybody, especially not Nalli’ti. Not that she would be embarrassed, but she probably would think it was a great idea and the next thing I know she’s hidden holocams in her dorm room.

    Jaden’s face scrunched up in disgust. “Gross! Thanks for the warning. I don’t need to see that…unless you can totally edit yourself out and just leave your fine looking girlfriend.” Jaden laughed. “Seriously, that’s dangerous Talon. Holo’s have a tendency to end up on the holonet. Keep that locked up. And for Sithsake don’t let your Master or the Grand Master find out about that holo. I am fairly certain you are on some type of double secret probation with all the bad media you get.” He grabbed a jacket I had borrowed from him off my dresser and held it up. “This is what I came in for.” With that he walked out and didn’t mention the holo again.

    That was a close call. I don’t know how I would explain why I was watching holos of a little boy…who coincidently looks exactly like I did at that age.

    I have to be more careful.


    Entry 103

    ~37 ABY~

    Nalli’ti graduated from college this week. I know I said I didn’t want a relationship, just friendly companionship, but I can’t help but feel depressed. She has been a part of my life for years and I am going to miss her. She cried and kissed me and told me to look her up if I was ever on Zeltros. I pulled her into my arms and gave her an ardent kiss before I dropped my head to her shoulder and just held her close.

    “Talon,” she whispered to me. “You are the only man I've been with since we met.”

    I pulled back to look her in the eyes and smiled. “You’re the only woman I dated since we met.

    “I know. That’s why I kept faithful despite our agreement of ‘no relationships and no attachments’.”

    “Yeah,” I said slowly. “That was a stupid idea. I thought it would prevent heartache, but I was wrong. To be honest, I would love to have a real relationship with you.”

    She gave me a sad smile. “You know it wouldn’t work. Monogamy is almost non-existent on my world. I don’t think I could make a lifelong commitment and I know how much that means to humans. You deserve to be with someone that you can grow old with.”

    I heaved a sigh, but gave her a nod of understanding. “I will miss you.”

    “I’ll miss you also, Talon.”

    We kissed and then she got into a speeder with her parents and departed to the docking bay where a transport would take her away from me.

    I wondered if I would ever find that special someone.

    Ben’s girlfriend Niki also graduated and went back to Ryloth, so Ben is also in poor spirits. Since they left, Ben and I have been hanging around my quarters playing holo-games on our off-hours. There is nothing more pathetic than two bachelors playing holo-games on the weekend.


    Entry 104

    I haven’t posted anything in my journal for months. I miss my son and I miss Nalli'ti. I am so depressed. I try to keep busy, so I volunteer for every mission I can. I have even worked with Ben a few times on police investigations. Law Enforcement personnel love my post-cognitive abilities. The only bad thing is they don’t tell me what to expect when they hand me evidence. They said they don't want to influence the results in any way. So they’ll hand me a rock and then the next thing I know I am visualizing some woman getting bludgeoned to death with it. Simple murders are bad enough, but seeing something a sadistic torturer did to a victim over a period of days or weeks gives me nightmares. I remember one time I absolutely refused to handle an object. Force, it was a hideous torture device with spikes and razors. I looked at that monstrosity and said, “No frakkin way!”

    I told the law enforcement officers to find me something else that the suspect might have handled—something innocuous, like a towel or soap. We were able to get the guy by me touching a hat the man had worn. I still got some bad vibes from that, but I bet it was nothing compared to what I would have saw touching that torture apparatus.

    During the last few missions with Law Enforcement, I have learned to never underestimate the depths of human (or alien) depravity.


    Entry 105

    ~38 ABY~

    I was finally knighted. I finished my trials and have been deemed worthy of Knighthood. I have to be honest it feels pretty good. My parent threw me a big party. There were family, friends, Jedi, soldiers and plenty of Jump Troopers in attendance. My elderly grandparents were also there. Grandma Starkos always embarrasses me by kissing my cheek and calling me her baby’s baby. Mom is the youngest in her family and I am the youngest in mine. Grandpa Starkos slapped me on the back and told me how proud he was of his Jedi grandsons.

    My dad introduced me to his friend Deke Tavik. Deke was his Jump Buddy when he attended Jump School decades ago. Deke's almost as tall and muscular as my father and there is an easy camaraderie between the two. He was wearing the uniform of a Hapan Officer, but my father later told me he wasn’t Hapan, but from the planet Taris. He retired from the GA Jump Troopers and started working as a member of Tenel Ka’s personal security team.

    During the knighting ceremony I was given the emblem of a Jedi Guardian. My Master along with my mom pinned it on me. My mom didn’t let my dad near me during the pinning part of the ceremony. I am pretty sure she didn’t trust my father not to pound it into my chest like he did the Blood Wings.


    Entry 106

    Jacen finally returned to Coruscant. I tried to ask him about what he had learned in the past couple years, but he didn’t really want to talk much. I think I know what’s bothering him. A month after Jacen left on his Force-knowledge journey I was told Tenel Ka got pregnant. Nine months later she gave birth to a girl named Allana. She looks just like her mother with bright red hair and gray eyes. Tenel Ka wouldn’t tell anybody who the father is, but she doesn’t deny the rumors that the father is a Hapan Royal.

    This has to be a crushing blow for Jacen. Everybody at the Jedi Temple knew he had feelings for the woman. I have no idea why they never got together. I think it has to do with the Hapan people’s general dislike of Jedi. Also because Tenel Ka is the Queen of the Hapan Cluster she probably is expected to marry a royal. I suppose her marrying Jacen wouldn’t be tolerated. Jacen is a commoner in their eyes, which I think it is a bunch of bantha crap. Jacen is the son of Princess Leia. So he should be considered a royal.

    It is a cruel irony that Jacen didn’t father a royal daughter who he can visit and I have fathered a royal son who I can’t visit.

    I don’t know which is worse.