The Sith Order: Aspects of the Force

Jastiss and Zemai climbed a small sand dune, and looked up at the sparkling stars in the nightsky. Jastiss smiled, and sat down, laying back. "There's something to be said for a quiet night and a clear sky."

Jastiss heard Zemai sit down next to him. "You don't see the stars much from Corscant. If it's not stormy, the light from the city usually drowns it out anyway."

Jastiss looked up at her and smiled. "You're not going to sell me that way."

Zemai sighed, and slid her hand into the sand. "No, I suppose I'm not."

Jastiss rolled over and grasped Zemai's hand which she had slid into the sand. "You shouldn't do that," he said, "you'll get sand in the wound."

Zemai pulled her hand out. "You pay too much attention," she mocked. "No one would be able to get away with anything around you."

Jastiss shrugged. "No one usually does," he laughed. "You kind of have to learn it after living with an impatient farmer who can't wait for his meal. You'd be surprised at how many times I had to snatch a nerf-steak out of mid-air."

Zemai laughed.

"There we go."

Zemai stopped laughing, but a smile remained. "What?"

"You're laughing," he said. "Somehow I don't think you laugh enough."

"What makes you think that?"

"That fact that you barely even smile tips it off."

"Not everyone has to smile like a grinning fool, Jastiss." Zemai countered.

Jastiss laughed. "It can't hurt."

Zemai laughed again, and shook her head. "I guess not. You seem to have turned out fine."

Jastiss lay back again, and looked up at the stars. _There's something about her,_ Jastiss thought. _Something I can't quite put my finger on._ Jastiss thought back to the kiss they shared, and smiled again. There was most definately something about her. He wanted to feel her hair in his hands again, her lips against his--

"Jastiss..."

Jastiss gasped, and slowly turned his eyes to look at Zemai. He winced as he saw her looking at him. "Oops," was all he could say. He had almost totally forgotten that Zemai could read his mind if she tried. But why *was* she reading his mind?

"I'm not reading your mind, Jastiss."

Jastiss looked at her again. "Then how do you know what I'm thinking?"

"The same way you know what I'm thinking." She turned her head, but Jastiss still caught a glimps of her cheeks-- they had gone red.

She was right though-- he could feel what she was thinking, slightly. However, he didn't know what to make of it. There were many feelings within her, contradicting eachother. Her Jedi training probably just allowed her to sense what he was feeling a little better. Zemai was still looking away from him, silent as ever. Jastiss sighed. "I'm sorry, Zemai. I didn't know you could hear what I'm thinking. But..." he breathed deeply, and looked at her again. "I can't help it."

 

"Patiently, I have waited for the moment to reclaim that which your master has stolen from me. And it is with patience, that my vengeance shall soon be fulfilled. Young feline... it is through you that many things shall transpire. I hold no satisfaction in holding you in this state of near death...but I am also aware of your potential. The last of Odar Velisa's disciple whose devotion to the Jedi is unparallel as her silent devotion to one knight in particular.
I hear all of your deepest thoughts, young feline, as I have always heard them for the past ten years you have been silent within my chambers. You have now set forth in motion, the chain of events that shall lead to the destruction of your master's order. It was by his hands, that I am now trapped in this plane of existence..forever. It was also by his hands that you possess a part of my strongest powers which is a part of my total essence. I must reclaim it in order to make myself whole again...and I shall.
The Force shall bring victory to our cause, for the order that Lord Shadel will create is essential to that continuing balance of your beliefs.
I am very impressed with both his and Lord Jalex's development. I did not hold mortals worthy enough to hold great power at one time. I have grossly underestimated their potential as both warriors and future rulers. A sight I have long since corrected. I will serve their order faithfully until it exist no more. It is the instrument, that will destroy all that Odar Velisa believed in. Ahhhh, my child, so young and so naive to the ways of the darkness. It mirrors the light that you lived upon for so many years.
I feel pity that it must come to such a tragic end and sadden that Odar Velisa will not be present to witness his final defeat. Take care, young feline, for I have not spoken with you for some time, but it was necessary to have this dialogue, as you have help set in motion another section of my plans to purge the Jedi order."


The cloaked and hooded form of General Rikkan continues to stare at the crystalized form of his captive. He slowly floats back down to the ground as the form of his feline prisoner hangs silent and unmoving on the wall of his private chambers. He walks over to his granite workspace where he has several unfolded scrolls laying flat with many deeds of the Sith to finish compiling on. He sits down to observe the work that is in front of him. He glance to look at his captive again. The smoothness of the crystal suggest that the young feline looks more like a work of art than an actual prisoner. But a prisoner she is and a major instrument to the plans of her captor. The mysterious librarian of the Sith continues to write on his scrolls as an unexpected wind begins to howl softly on the lighted candles that illuminates his workspace. It is unnatural occurrence as there are no windows within the Sith temple but this wind threatens to blow out the candles as it continues to howl.

General Rikkan gives himself a deep but soft laughter. He knows exactly what is happening as he continues to write in the scrolls for a few moments more. He finally stops and places his feathered pen down. He rises from his seat and walks over to the middle of his chamber. He turns to face his prisoner, hanging high on the wall. The two torches that hangs on each side of the young feline is blowing wildly also threatening to blow itself out. The General stands still and unfazed by the supernatural occurrences within his chamber. He only continues to stare into the crystalized face of his captive, Jai'ana-Din Ronin. She has both of her hands resting in a cross position on her breast as her entire body continues to shine even in his dimly lit room. In her face, her eyes are closed, almost signifying that she is in a deep and peaceful sleep. In truth, thanks to General Rikkan, she has been suffering ten years of an eternal nightmare.

" You are indeed strong in the Force, young feline." He says in his ominous, deep booming voice as he begins to slowly disappear. "But my essence is a part of you, until

 

Zemai stretched out on her side, propping her head up on her bandaged hand and looking down at Jastiss' face in the starlight. She was nearly overcome by a desire to cover that face with kisses, but she had trained as a Jedi for many years, and knew how to push back her feelings.

Well, she had until this afternoon, anyway. There had been far too much uncontrolled kissing in the past few hours. It was certainly time to rein that in.

She noticed Jastiss' chest shaking, and she thought he was crying, but when a sound escaped, it was laughter.

"What is it?"

"I caught some of that. 'Uncontrolled kissing.' Would you have liked it better if we'd written out a contract?"

Zemai nodded solemnly. "Preferably in detail."

He rolled over and leaned his elbow, looking her in the eye and smiling. "What kind of detail?"

"Well, my hands couldn't have been bleeding. That would have been a major concern."

"I see."

"And I wouldn't have been wearing fatigues. I don't have anything soft and flowing, as they have in the vids we're not supposed to be allowed to watch, but maybe I could have worn a dress. Or at least a clean robe."

"I think you look beautiful. What would I have had to change?"

"You couldn't have spent nearly as long in that medic's building. That's an absolute rule. Don't leave me alone long enough to do any damage."

She waved her hand playfully, but he caught it quite seriously. "Zemai, I wouldn't leave you alone at all if I had the choice."

"That's because you just met me. Wait until we get to know one another."

He leaned in, suddenly too close for her to breathe deeply. "I do know you," he whispered, and his lips found hers again.

She pulled away and sat up. "Jastiss, this... "

"Don't say it's impossible."

"Oh, it's possible. It's very possible. But we're so far from everyone and... things could get out of control here. I mean *really* out of control."

"Why are you so afraid of losing control?"

Unbidden, Zemai's mind flew back to the Uprising, to the fires on Emraan, and even more to the raid on the Temple -- the raid where she had first encountered Karik Otonna. The images of blood and violence, of the awful chase through the sacred corridors, filled her heart.

Jastiss picked up on it. He sat up and sighed. "So, it comes back to my father."

"What? No... " Zemai pulled herself up and wrapped her arms around her knees. The desert night was losing heat fast. "I mean, yes, but not as you think. I saw people out of control. They let their passions decide and... it was awful, Jastiss. The uprising." She rested her chin on her hands and looked out across the dark-shrouded dunes. "I never said that to Coris. I guess I figured he knew. He had it worse than I did. He had to kill his own sister."

"And he lost the woman he loved," Jastiss added, transparently trying to make her address an issue of the heart.

She refused to acknowledge the ploy. She didn't want to talk about Jai'ana Din Ronin any more than she ever had. "I just got lost in the woods. I wasn't even supposed to be there. But the Sith... they followed. They kept coming."

"So, you're afraid that if you let yourself feel anything you didn't plan on, you'll end up a Sith."

"Aren't you?"

He sighed. "No. I saw it. I don't want it."

"It's not a question of wanting... "

"Really? The ones who went over had no choice?"

"They had a choice. At first. But it would have just kept getting stronger, and eventually they... I don't know, stopped being themselves or something."

"Or maybe they became the selves they really were when they stopped being hypocrites."

A deep cold stabbed through Zemai's heart. "Is that what you really believe? That they were truly that... ugly? That the things they chose before were less true than the things they chose after?"

"I know what I saw."

Again, the image came to Zemai. Karik Otonna, the fight with Olan, the death of Jastiss' mother. "Don't you remember anything else, Jastiss? Anything before then?"

"Wha

 

The passenger area that Olan was dark, and the lightspeed generators emitted a slight hum through the deck plates. Olan glanced over at Coris, who was in heavy conversation with the other Jedi who had accompanied them.

Olan shook his head and sighed. The young knight had too much resting on his shoulders. He had heard about the deadline he faced with Zemai's training, and already knew about the debt he held with Karik. And now, *during* all of this, Coris found the time to search for a lost love who turned out to be not so lost at all.

_A weight of many worlds,_ Olan thought. _I can sympathise._

Olan thought back to he guardianship of Jastiss and his mother, and his later vow to protect them from Karik. In his mind he felt he had ultimately failed such a task, and blamed it on himself not being strong enough to handle such burden of duty. *That,* along with many other personal reasons, was why Olan accompanied Coris on this mission. He wanted to share his weight, make it easier to bear.

_But,_ Olan thought, _none of this will ever make up for what I did-- or failed to do._ Olan heaved a heavy sigh and put his arm behind his head.

Olan shifted uncomfortably as he realized he had been sitting on his lightsaber. Without realizing what he was doing, he lifted the saber up, and examined the hilt.

Much to his surprise, there was something enscribed in the hilt. It was the old Jedi creed, which all padawans were expected to recite at first and last light.

I believe in the reality of the Force:
the ultimate source of universal power,
binding life to life throughout the infinite reaches of space.
All that is, lives, moves and has being
wholly within the sphere of the power of the Force.

Olan narrowed his eyes. He remembered long ago, when he was but a padawan, Karik had helped him remember the verse from the Jedi Creed. There was more, he could still remember some:

Alone, I am insignificant, yet I encompass all potential.
By talent and dedication I choose and am chosen
to wield the Force for the good of all beings;
to work for understanding and the brotherhood of the universe.

In partnership with the Force, and with my fellow Jedi,
I will guide, defend and protect those who come to me,
each according to his needs,
allowing each to choose his path without interference.
I will share my knowledge willingly and truthfully;
reserving only such information as may confuse or mislead.
I will deal compassionately with my fellow beings at all times.

Olan smiled, remembering the old times in the temple. He would give everything to go back to those days, when everything was right with the world. _Those days are gone,_ he scornfully reminded himself. _Gone with so many other things._

Olan turned the saber over in his hand, and then shoved it back into his bag. _The past is gone._

Shaking off his sad thoughts, Olan looked up at Coris, who had finished his conversation. He laughed, and thought he should liven up the moody situation. "Just how far *is* this Em'raan place anyway? 'Cuz I don't think I packed enough clean underwear...."

 

Jaden Rylok knows now that the Sith has finally crossed the line. His grim expression tells the few council members present in the chamber with him, that the time of action is definitely here. He sits stoic and unmoving in his seat, listening to the words of the Jedi Knight Brendtan, who is one of the very few survivors of that horrible bloodbath. Eril'ta Bor and Dur Slew give occasional glances at their senior member, notices slight twitches in his facial expression. The holographic image of the wookie Jedi is seen and heard clearly in the chamber as he addresses his superiors.

[" I am uncertain as what to expect."] Brendtan says. [" I have reported to the proper authorities, requesting that the Senate send us aid to establish order to the Alderaanian government. As of yet, I have not had a response."]

" The Senate from what I have heard..." Jaden responds quietly. "...is going to hold an special session to decide how best to respond to this tragedy. Since you have told the officials nothing about the Sith, the republic will assume that the Calmonians were responsible. You have done well, not to divulge this information, Knight Brendtan."

[" A lot of good it has done for our cause, Master."] Brendtan says. [" It is hard to keep focus where innocent children is being slaughtered right before your eyes. Both Adayla Rangara and Vornt Ny'iro was lost in this conflict. I barely escaped with my life also."]

"We know that you have done all that you could for the people on Alderaan." Dur Slew consoles " We are also aware of your loss. The Senate, however is incest at these turn of events. We can only surmise that they will try to place the blame on the Jedi at their meeting, for not protecting their interest."

"Find out whatever you can as to where the Sith has disappeared to." Eril'ta Bor instructs as he rises from his seat. He walks slowly towards the hologram. " Meanwhile, we shall send a transport to retrieve the bodies of our fallen brothers, and bring them back home to be laid to rest."

Brendtan bows slightly in gratitude to the words of the council master. He turns to look at Jaden Rylok. The Twi'lek Jedi master gives the holographic image a curious look, he knows something else is troubling his brethren.

" Speak, Knight Brendtan." Jaden says softly. " What else troubles you ?"

[" The Sith that I had fought with..."] Brendtan says in a bitter voice. ["...was Master Oby'ell Magnus."]

All three council masters continue to sit unmoving to the words of the wookie. Sadden by this new discovery of another one of their own in liege with the Sith. Dur Slew is the first to break the silence.

"Master Magnus had left the temple seven years ago. We have not heard nothing from him since then. I would have never guessed his involvement with the Sith."

" He was a popular instructor within the temple at one time." Eril'ta Bor says. " Until...

[" He became too aggressive in his training of the students."] Brendtan finishes. [" If you all remember, the council responded to have him removed as senior instructor. He harbors bitterness in that edict, still."]

Jaden's face wears a grim expression as he is seen with his head down. " A bitterness that was enough to help slaughter the innocent beings who posed no threat to him."

The Twi'lek Jedi master looks up at the holographic transmission. " Once the Senate sends whatever aid to you, return quickly to the temple. I do not wish for you to be caught in the political crossfire, as it seems."

[" Yes, master. It shall be done."] Brendtan replies as his transmission fades out.

Jaden turns his gaze upon his two council members. " The Sith has given the Calmonians the upper hand in this galactic conflict. The holocaust on Alderaan has confirmed it."

" Master Wilom mentioned to me." Eril'ta Bor says. " That the leaders of the Sith know we will try to reason with them and hope that they will leave the darkness. Unfortunately, we have been duped, as their order never had any intentions to repent, even as we placed sanctions in the Em'raan system."

 

The blue blade of Coris? lightsaber whined as it flew through the air, the hilt spinning in two lazy arcs before landing safely in the open hand of Olan Tennaris. After a pause, Olan stepped forward and under-handed the activated saber back into the air. It soared across the cargo hold to be deftly caught by Coris Hakim, who was standing by the opposite wall.

He caught a faint twinge of approval from Olan. Although he couldn?t see him, he imagined the older man was nodding his regard.

?You?re a fair catch,? Tennaris commented instead.

Coris took the opportunity to reach up and adjust the blindfold riding over his eyes before tossing the saber again. ?It?s been a long time since I?ve done this,? he said, smiling. ?My Master taught it to me a few months before I faced the Trials, but I haven?t done it since.?

?Some consider it a foolhardy game,? Olan said. ?Hardly worth the risk.?

?I don?t.? Coris shook his head. ?As one of my instructors always used to say: if you?re not willing to take risks, how will you ever get anything done??

?Wise words. Who was the instructor??

There was a clear hesitation as the Knight realized exactly whose words he?d echoed. ?Karik Otonna,? he said, voice soft, his smile fading.

For a while, the only sound that could be heard was the soft hum of the lightsaber as it was pitched back and forth. Catches and throws were always made by the hilt; anything performed too close to the glowing energy blade would result in burned fingers, a physical reprimand for carelessness. It was an exercise designed to hone concentration and trust, used only by advanced students with absolute faith in their abilities. One little mistake could easily mean the loss of hand, an arm? or worse.

?I can?t believe it,? Coris said finally.

The random remark didn?t seem to surprise Olan. ?Can?t believe what??

?Jai?ana is on Em?raan. How could I not know? How could I not sense her??

He heard Olan?s audible exhalation of breath: not a sigh, but it was close. ?You?ve been thinking about it for a long time, haven?t you? You were very quiet after you finished talking with Lywin and Hanza. Went directly to your cabin without a word.?

?I apologize if I seemed curt.?

?This Rikkan seems most powerful, from the way the others talk about him. I?m not surprised he was able to deceive you.?

?But that?s just it! He shouldn?t have been able to deceive me. The bond between Jai?ana and me is strong, too strong to be broken apart by some Sith?s cheap parlor trick!?

?I think you?re being too hard on yourself-?

?How could I? How could I have missed it?? he interrupted. ?All these years? and she was right under my nose the entire time!?

His grip tightened on the lightsaber.

?Calm yourself, Coris,? Olan said sharply.

But Coris was beyond listening. All the emotions he?d kept bottled up inside him since Tatooine were spilling out; he couldn?t keep quiet any longer. ?I could have found her a decade ago if I hadn?t been so close-minded!? he snapped. ?A whole decade! It?s because of me that she?s still Rikkan?s prisoner. I?ve betrayed her, Olan! I let her down when she needed me most! How could I have been so??

The last part of the sentence fizzled into a frustrated cry, and he chose that moment to toss the lightsaber. It was a bad throw. The silver cylinder whirled end over end, much too quickly, toward its intended receiver. At the last moment, Olan held up a hand and the weapon came to a quivering halt in midflight. The tip of its glowing blade hovered only inches away from his stomach. Tearing off his blindfold, the desert Jedi clenched his fist. The lightsaber clattered to the deck. Its blade automatically cut off upon contact.

The thrower removed his blindfold as well, letting the cloth slither through his fingers to the floor. For a long moment, the two Knights stood in the silent room, facing each other.

?I?m sorry,? Coris mumbled. Extending his arm, he made to call his lightsaber to him. It rose off the ground, glided back about a half-meter toward him? and stopped cold.

 

Unan-Del watched carefully as the two humans sat and talked, and looked at eachother, and laughed--

Unan-Del cursed under his brath. Such emotions were pointless. They got in the way of one's logic.

As he watched, Unan-Del suddenly realized Akira's presence behind him. "All is well, I assume."

Unan-Del smiled wickedly. "Not for long."

"You will wait for my order, classmate. Not a moment sooner, or I shall have your head."

"What gives you command over me? You are of no higher status," Unan-Del spat over his shoulder.

"On the contrary," Akira retorted casually, "I am of much higher status. And you shall do as I say, or I *will* have your head, am I clear?"

Unan-Del simply grunted and looked forward.

_The two are just sitting there,_ Unan-Del thought bitterly, _talking of irrelevent things, like the nature of the force, and why life exists. What babble! Now would be the right time to strike-- when they aren't prepared._

The Sith Apprentice brought his hand to his saber hilt, and eyed Akira, who was sitting with her back turned to him. She was meditating, as Master Zalferix had taught her, to keep her current vessel alive, atleast long enough for a suitable replacement.

Unan-Dal quietly unhooked his saber from his belt. _Now would be the good time. Now would be the right time to strike them when they are unprepared._

Akira remained with her back turned, her mind in a far-off place.

_I shall wait no longer,_ the Sith thought eagerly, _I shall attack, for Master Zalferix!_

With that, Unan-Del clambered swiftly over the edge of the dune and down the other side, bearing down on the two. His lightsaber sparked to life, and using the force, he sprang up their dune and landed nearly four feet away from them.

The male, startled, clambered backwards from the blade, and held his hand out in front of the female, as if to protect her.

_Foolish human,_ the Sith thought.

***

Jastiss slipped backwards, and looked back at Zemai, whose eyes were locked on the Sith. There was no look of fear, just determination.

"Arm yourself," the Sith said slowly, "and prepare to die."

Zemai stood slowly, and pulled her saber from her belt.

"Zemai-- wait-- you can't--" Jastiss' words kept sticking in his throat, and he cast another nervous glance at the Sith.

And then, Jastiss fell backwards in the sand as Zemai lept from where she was at the Sith, her blade igniting on the way.

The Sith Apprentice rolled backwards, kicking her in the abdomen as she came at him, casting her over head.

"Come, Student!" Unan-Del taunted, "let us see what knowledge your pitiful excuse for a master has wasted on you!"

 

He had disobeyed her. Deliberately, carelessly, and stupidly disobeyed her.

Unan-Del had been silent when he?d left her side, but she had known. Immersed deep in her meditative trance, Akira Hakim?s senses were only heightened, no dulled. Nothing escaped her notice. She had felt the turmoil surging in the young Sith?s mind: the agitation, the desire to fight, to maim and kill. The emotions had been too much for him; his will was weak. *He* was weak.

Young people, especially inexperienced ones, often considered themselves immortal. It usually was the reckless ones that discovered first how wrong they were.

Akira had a feeling Unan-Del would be making a similar discovery very, very soon.

She tipped her head back to gaze up at the star-filled sky, feeling grains of sand slide off her cloak as she rose to her feet. At almost thirty-three years, Akira hardly considered herself a sage. But she did know many things. She knew how to survive. She knew her strengths and limits. And, the most valuable asset of all, she knew how to be patient.

The grating sound of striking lightsabers recalled her attention back to the desert floor. Unan-Del had engaged the Jedi ? the fool! She could not afford for him to ruin things. Not now. Not when she was so close.

She shook her head slowly, back and forth, but even that simple movement was an effort. Her current vessel would last for only a few hours more. Perhaps if she had meditated a little longer? no! To hell with Zalferix and his useless short term solutions. She needed a new body, and she needed one soon.

The discouraging thoughts vaporized and Akira abruptly smiled as a brief flash of pain stabbed at her through the Force. Someone had been injured, and it hadn?t been her foolish companion. She imagined Zemai Laryhi pushing herself off the sand, the arm of her tunic torn and charred from the graze of a lightsaber. The temporary lull in the battle was broken by the shrieking of the sabers as they clashed together again, faster and harsher than before. Zemai would not be defeated easily. Although her opponent was strong, he was ill trained and? well, dumb. He didn?t stand much of a chance.

She brightened at that. Even if the girl won the fight, she would nevertheless be weaker. And the weaker the subject, the easier the Transfer would be.

Unan-Del may have jumped the gun, but the opportunity was still there. And if anything, it was in better reach than before. Akira?s smile grew wider. Perhaps this turn of events would not be so inconvenient after all.

Pulling her black robes around her, the Sith glided into the shelter of another dune, observing the lightsaber duel between Unan-Del and Zemai with intent eyes. She would bide her time a little longer. She could wait. After all, she?d been waiting for ten years. Another few minutes did not matter.

It would all work out in the end.

 

Zemai tossed away her long cloak, not bothering to note the burn mark on the wide sleeve. In training, Coris would make a fuss about it, but this wasn't training. A burnt cloak was the least of her worries.

Her stomach was still stiff from the kick that had come to it, but she didn't allow that to slow her. The Sith

_(unan del my name is unan del remember me my name is...)_

_Shut up._

charged again, and this time she bent her knees at the last minute, forcing the direction of his blow to change in mid-swing. He teetered on the sand for a fraction of a second, and she used it to throw herself backwards, kicking at his legs with her flying feet. His legs collapsed beneath him and he fell into the dune.

"Zemai! Run! I know places!" Jastiss was heading to the top of the dune, gesturing wildly with his hands. But running wasn't an option. The Sith would just keep coming.

"No! I have to take care of this!"

Then a rock flew from the dune, and she felt Jastiss moving in toward the fight.

"Are you crazy, Jastiss?"

"I'm in this."

Unan Del rose up with sudden ferocity, his lightsaber blazing in the desert night. He batted away Jastiss' rocks without any effort, and advanced on Zemai. "Did you learn so little that a farmboy has to help you? Or was it just inadequate teaching?"

The thought of all the patient hours Coris had spent with her, of all the kindnesses, all the gentleness when she hadn't earned it... all of that, belittled by this creature who wasn't fit to spit polish Coris' boots...

She charged, the rage exploding suddenly inside her. Her blade clashed with Unan Del's, and she pushed him back, and back...

"Zemai! Stop it!"

She pinned Del's lightsaber, then held perfectly still. The desert seemed bathed in red light; her heart seemed to beat with the restless wind. Had that been Jastiss' voice? Coris'? Karik's?

"Zemai!"

She was breathing in quick, sharp bursts. The fire was raging around her, the weight of the Dead was upon her shoulders, and they stood there, in the flames.

And refused to kill her.

Because she might be of use to them.

"Go away," she whispered.

Unan Del laughed and said something about not planning to go away, but she wasn't talking to him.

She was talking to her own anger, something that seemed separate from her. "Go away."

Unan Del laughed again. "Is your training failing you again, apprentice?"

Her breathing slowed, and she fell inward, into her mind, to slow her heartbeat. She willed herself back to reality. "My training has not failed me before, Unan Del, though I have often failed *it*."

He started to push her back, but she had higher ground now, and she used it to respond to him, to force him backward. He disengaged the blades, and began another parry.

The blades clashed, separated, clashed. She felt each of his moves just before he made it. She felt him swinging for her head, and she ducked low, bringing her saber around for a harsh blow to his side.

She did not go for the kill.

Unan Del slipped down to the sand, the immediately cauterized wound gaping beneath his ribs.

"We should get him a medic," Jastiss said, suddenly beside her, her long cloak in his hands. "He won't last out here."

Zemai cast her mind outward. There were other Sith -- at least one, probably more. "They will come for him, and... follow their own custom." _Which is probably to finish the job._

"I've seen their custom," Jastiss reminded her.

"He'll live," Zemai said. "Here, give me my cloak."

Jastiss handed her the cloak. "I'll see if I can find a place for us to go."

Zemai nodded impatiently, and gingerly wrapped her damaged cloak around Unan Del's midsection. He growled at her, but he was weak. "Would you prefer I leave you to the rats?" she asked.

He didn't answer. He'd passed out again.

She tied the robe tightly, using the sleeves for tension. "That's the best I can-- "

She suddenly went cold. There was another Sith. Coming toward the dunes.

Coming toward the place where Jastiss

 

Unan-Del coughed, and slowly propped himself up with one arm. The pain in his side was sharp, and he stuck his fingers in. They went deep, and a trickle of blood spilled out into the desert sand.

What was worse, the Padawan had escaped.

A deathly breeze seemed to sweep through him, and he looked up, realizing Akira had approached him.

"What did I say if you disobeyed me?" Akira asked through clenched teeth.

"I apologise, mistress... it was an unwise move on my part, I should have--"

"*Mistres*? I thought I was no greater than you, and not deserving of a title?" Akira mocked the Sith Apprentice.

"I, I apologise, Akira. My actions were in error."

"As I said, Unan-Del; What did I say before you disobeyed me."

"I- I--"

In a flash, Akira pulled out her lightsaber, and in one fluid motion had it ignited.

"Puh- please, I beg of you--"

"What did I say?"

Unan-Del swallowed, and looked, frightened, at Akira. "You told me you would have my head."

Akira smiled visciously. "Indeed."

 

As the two plodded through the desert, Jastiss stopped and grabbed Zemai's hand.

Zemai gave him a quizzical look, and tried to keep walking.

Jastiss held her hand fast, and she soon stopped again. "Jastiss, what--"

"What was that back there?" Jastiss felt like he was almost reprimanding her, and immediately regretted it.

Zemai looked downward. "Please, let's keep moving."

Sighing, Jastiss gave in and they continued their journey over the dunes.

"It was the string."

Jastiss looked up at her sudden reply. "The what?"

"The connection we have-- I visualise it as a string." Zemai looked only forward, ever moving, not faultering on a single step.

Jastiss wasn't sure what to say next. He felt he needed something to say, but there simply was nothing.

It was a while later before they reached a large cliff that extended in both directions for as far as the could see. After walking down it for a while, Jastiss found what he was looking for. A huge crack in the cliff had created medium-sized cave, big enough for one person to walk in at a time.

Jastiss motioned for Zemai to enter first, and followed soon after.

"Sorry for the cramped space," Jastiss apologised, "but it opens up a little deeper in."

Soon the crack changed to a wide circular area, with various dead plant life matted on the ground. It looked as if it were an old lair.

"Don't worry," Jastiss explained, fealing Zemai's fears, "whatever lived here is long gone. And I'm also pretty sure that any presumed-dead twin sisters moved out a long time ago."

Zemai smiled as she sat down and leaned against the rock wall. The ceiling was lower than crack that had used to enter, and Jastiss stooped over before he sat down next to Zemai.

Jastiss looked over at the wound in Zemai's arm and frowned. "Are you okay?"

At first it looked like Zemai didn't know what Jastiss was talking about, then she glanced down at her wound. "Oh that. Yes, I'm fine."

"Well the bandage is loose. Let me put it on a little better." Jastiss removed the bandage to see the cauterised wound. Jastiss let out a worried sigh before wrapping it up again. "It looks okay, but I'm going to check it again in an hour."

"You don't have to do that," Zemai said, "I'm not a child, I can do it myself."

Jastiss smiled, and leaned back against the rock wall. "Yeah, but then I would feel totally useless on this trip. Humour me."

Zemai smiled, leaned backwards and closed her eyes.

Jastiss did the same, and soon her was met with dreams.

He was in Tatooine again, on the sand. His house was behind him, but it wasn't his current house. It was... his first house.

He felt a presence beside him. He looked beside him, then up, and up... and finally saw Olan, both arms intact, looking out toward the horizon.

"Your destiny is out there, Jastiss." Olan said quietly.

A young Jastiss looked out toward the Horizon. "In the dune sea?"

"No Jastiss, out there. Not here."

Jastiss pointed upward. "Up?"

A smile came to Olan's younger face. "In a way, yes."

"I will, Olan, I will go up."

There was a flash, and Jastiss found him in front of Olan.

It was a different Olan this time. His arm lay a few feet away from him, freshly severed, and grit smudged his face. "Promise me..." Olan whispered hoarsely, "you will lead a normal life."

"But my destiny--"

"PROMISE ME!"

Olan's sharp cry startled Jastiss, and he woke up, a cold sweat pouring down his face. He looked sideways, and saw that Zemai was sleeping, her face finally relaxed, not in deep thought, not in horrid worry about something.

Jastiss smiled, and brushed a finger across her cheek.

Perfect.

 

The royal Calmonian battle cruiser is the largest ship in the massive fleet of battleships coming out of hyperspace into the system that will lead them directly to Coruscant. Inside, the Calmonian king, Rimar is sitting silently in his quarters, pondering on the task that lays ahead. The door slides open to herald the arrival of one of his royal advisors. He is visibly nervous as he bows to address his lord.

"My king !" he says in a high pitched voice. "We are still unable to reach Senator Hy'vein Da'or. He has even not responded to any of our coded messages."

Rimar only stares at the advisor with a look of disgust. He slowly rises out of his seat as the advisor backs up to allow him room to move. The Sith master walks over to a window to gaze out at the stars.

"The news is grave indeed." He says in a low tone. "Drey Jalex has forced my hand early by beckoning me to invade Coruscant. Too much planning has gone to secure my rule of the Republic. I will not allow it to fail, but I must be cautious. Is there any way we can find out what is happening?"

"We have intercepted transmissions that mentions a meeting that is to be convened in the Senate to discuss the Alderaan massacre. Nothing else is available at this time, my lord."

"It is unfortunate... but my plans must not be exposed." Rimar says as he begins to slowly walk across the chamber.
" Continue to monitor the Republic's transmissions and report back if anything new develops...use caution...for I must know before Drey Jalex orders the assault on Coruscant. This way, I can develop a contingency plan that will offset the damage made by my ?allies' within the Senate. Hurry, for we have very little time."

"At once, my liege." The royal advisor rises to his feet and backs up in a hurry to leave the chamber. As soon as the door closes, a beep is heard. The Calmonian king walks over to a panel on the wall to take the call. The voice of one of the security personnel is heard loud throughout the chamber.

"Your highness, the shuttle craft is arriving in docking bay four. What are your orders?"

Rimar allows a small smile to escape his lips. "Gather a small detail together to welcome our...guest. I shall be there directly."

"Yes, your majesty..at once !" The voice replies as the transmission ended.

The Sith master walks slowly to a small closet at the edge of the chamber to gather his robes. His eyes shifted to the side as if he had spotted movement within his quarters. A stray thought enters his mind as he turns slowly and walk back towards the middle of the chamber. Rimar stands silent for a few moments more, staring into the shadows on the opposite side of his large room.

"It is about time you've all returned." Rimar breathed calmly. " I trust you was not discovered upon your arrival."

A dark robed figure steps from out of the deep shadows. He kneels down on one knee as his head is lowered. " No, my master, we were not."

The Sith master walks closer to him. Rimar looks down at his kneeling disciple and places his hand on his head. The dark king's voice turns grim.
"It is unfortunate that we was not careful in covering our tracks on San-Lar. Drey Jalex is now aware that something is amiss, but I surmise that their grand scheme of destroying the Jedi is keeping them from uncovering what we have set forth to secure our sovereignty."

The Sith disciple looks up at his master and king who in turn meets his gaze. His voice showed concern. " We have accomplished our task, master. But we may have a problem concerning the senator from Bespin."

"I am already aware of his disappearance, Gusaum." Rimar answers back calmly. "We have tried to contact him for the past couple of days with no success. You have all done well, disciple. Your place within the Hall of Lords is permanently secured."

Rimar beckons his apprentice to rise in which he quickly does. They both begin walking towards the door to leave the room.

"Alert your classmates to meet me within docking bay four." Rimar says. "Your fellow Sith brothers have arrived to take part i

 

Jastiss awoke again, startled. This time, though, it wasn't something in his dream. Something outside had made a noise.

Jastiss was quiet for a moment, and he heard it again. It was a distant clap, with a deep rolling sound the enentually faded away. Jastiss shook his head. *Some sort of fire fight in anchorhead, most likely.*

Jastiss turned his head sideways as he heard Zemai stir. She opened her eyes, and looked up at him.

"Hey," he said softly, and forced a smile. She had been tossing and turning for a while now.

Zemai distantly acknowledged him, and propped herself up into a sitting position. She leaned against the stone wall, and put her hand to her forehead. "I had the strangest dream."

There was another sound like before outside, except it sounded closer.

Jastiss ignored it. "What was it about?"

"Akira."

There was the sound again.

Jastiss swallowed. "Is she near?"

"No..." her voice trailed off. "she is drowned out right now."

"Drowned out?"

"By other life forms closer by," she explained. "There are more than usual."

Jastiss glanced downward at her bare arm, the sleeve torn off of her tunic. The bandage was covered in sand and a small spot of blood at formed in the middle.

"Let me check your wound," Jastiss said, motioning for her to come closer.

Instead of fighting, she simply slid over, and peeled the bandage off, showing the wound to him.

Jastiss ripped a fresh piece of cloth from his tunic, and soaked it in the water from the cantine. As he gently touched the wound, Zemai winced, and one of her hands gripped his tunic tightly.

Closer now, the strange sound could be heard.

Jastiss squeezed water from the cloth onto her wound to flush it, and caught the excess water in his hand.

Zemai got closer, and was now resting heard head on his shoulder as he tended to her wound.

"It hurts more than usual, Jastiss."

Jastiss hugged her gently. "I know. I'm almost done."

"No," Zemai corrected, "not the wound. My head. It hurts."

Jastiss narrowed his eyes. "Your head? Why?"

Zemai shook her head, and gripped his tunic tightly as he dabbed the wound again. "I don't know... there are more voices than usual."

Jastiss wasn't sure what voices she was talking about, but he knew from experience that taking one's mind off their troubles can do wonders.

Jastiss rebound Zemai's wound, and placed his hand on her shoulder.

Zemai sort of leaned into his hand, and rubbed her neck against it. Jastiss rubbed his hand against her neck, and heard her sigh with relief.

"You're tense," he said simply, as he began to rub her neck.

"I suppose... it comes with the... territory...." she said between rubs.

Jastiss laughed at that. "I thought Jedi were about peace within *and* without."

Zemai sighed again. "I think peace without pretty much covers it."

There was another loud clap outside, with the deep rolling sound soon after.

"Jastiss?" Zemai turned around now, and Jastiss regretted having to let go of her neck.

Jastiss looked into her eyes, which were about four inches away from his. He swallowed hard. "Yes?"

Zemai's eyes glittered with some sort of strange intent he wasn't aware of. When she finally spoke, it was barely a whisper. "The desert is a strange place, don't you think?"

Jastiss swallowed hard again. "I'm not sure I know what you mean."

Zemai laughed softly, her face so close Jastiss could feel her breath on the stubble that had grown after a few days of not shaving. "Of course you do. The desert looks so dead, so... empty. But..." Zemai moved closer, until she was speaking directly into his ear. "... it's so *alive*."

Zemai was so close now that Jastiss could feel her lips brush across his ear. *This isn't like Zemai at all,* he thought, careful to not let her hear that.

Zemai giggled-- another un-Zemai-like trait-- and wrapped her arms around Jastiss' neck. She moved back again, so their noses were only inches apart.

Jastiss could feel her presence now more than ever, the mysterious connection they felt blazing to life.

 

Neat. I was totally unable to put together a coherent sentence on this. I think I can take it further now.

 

The storm raged, wind driving water through parched air, lighning flying across the sky in low arcs, like a space battle waged between the gods.

Zemai felt the life of the desert, felt Jastiss' life in the dark, felt her own heart beating wildly, drunk on the wild power of this world. And yet, she was aware of what she was doing. She'd been awkward at first, trying on a personality that she'd seen in other women, but as the power had taken hold of them, she'd come into herself, felt all the scattered parts of of her mind join together. She was present in this place, fully *here*, fully part of her surroundings for the first time in her memory. She could smell the damp sand on Jastiss' skin, and feel the tight cords on the back of his legs. The sound of his quick breath against her ear was a spiralling rhythm that bound her to the desert and the sky.

The storm ended, the winds died, and Zemai rested quietly in Jastiss' arms, pressing her lips against his chest and nuzzling as close as she could. His large hand was tracing the line of her spine. She'd never realized how the narrow curves shaped her until she felt his fingers trailing along them.

His lips brushed across the top of her head, and his other hand came up to cradle her shoulder. "You okay?" he whispered.

"Of course I'm okay. I'm... terrific. I feel great." She arched her neck to kiss his throat, and smiled. "You feel pretty good, too."

He laughed, and she felt it come through his chest and shake her body. "I wasn't expecting it."

"Me, either."

"I thought Jedi knew everything before it happened."

"That would be nice."

He was quiet for a long moment, stroking her hair. "So, what's going to happen?"

"What do you see happening?"

"I see myself kissing you again."

"Ah." She rolled over, pulling him around with her, and let his lips claim hers again. "A prophet. What else do you see?"

He looked down at her, his eyes soft. "I see my wife."

Zemai had never imagined that word applied to herself, but when Jastiss spoke it, it touched her soul and she recognized it as one of her names. "Yes," she whispered, and kissed him again. "Yes."

He rolled over and rested beside her, his hands holding hers lightly. The desert's nightwind cooled them, and the air smelled clean. "What's really going to happen now, Zemai?"

_I don't want to look. I don't want to see. I want to stay here and be present, just a little while longer._

"Zemai?"

She sighed, and sat up, shivering a little. He rose beside her. She slipped into meditation.

_The dust swirls up, the red suns staining the air with gore. The river of blood flows around her, the screams of the lost ones. But there is a new voice now, louder the others, a high, wailing sound. Someone is crying for her. That someone isn't lost... she is. Someone needs her, and she can't find her way back._

_Karik. It is Karik, but not Karik, and he needs us._

"Zemai?"

Jastiss's voice broke into the vision, but didn't take her out of it. She tried to come up, but the river held her.

_'Help us! You are... the girl... you must...'_

_Then the new cry, the voice in the wilderness. She struggles against the current. Far off, she can see Jastiss standing on a high ridge, the direction the cry is coming from. The lost ones see him, too, and she senses them wanting to destroy him. Wanting to destroy him and--_

The vision collapsed abruptly, and Zemai looked across at Jastiss. His face was earnest and sweet in the starlight. She'd put him in danger.

No, Karik had put him in danger.

And they had both put...

Her heart fluttered. There had been a new voice, a new concern. But she wasn't ready to think about that, not yet.

"Zemai, what's wrong? I caught some of that. It wasn't... it wasn't what I was expecting."

She took his hand and kissed his fingers. "I see it a lot. I don't know what it means. It's not your fault. You were the good part in it. But maybe we should wait to find out about the future until we get through the present.

 

Up.

BTW, is anyone reading other than the contributors? Just wondering... lurkers?

 

lol I had the same thought...

 

I'm reading (you wouldn't believe the number of threads I lurk! ). Great stuff, too.

 

just bumpin this sucker up incase anyone can't find it...

(OK, I'm also testing my sig... so sue me...)

 

"Nigel ! Have you heard the news?" A frantic officer cries out as he enters the private chamber of the commander of the Coven of Witches squadron. Nigel Windrider quickly turns to face the officer as he rushes into the room. The look on his face shows that something terrible has occurred.

"They've just deployed the last of our reserves from home! They are en route to the Daragon now as we speak !"

The expression in the eyes of the commander is one of shocked horror. " What ?!" He bellows. "Don't they realize that without the reserve forces, Coruscant would be defenseless if the Calmonians decide they wish to invade our homeworld ?! What the hell is Terrah thinking ?!"

Nigel grabs his flight jacket from off his sofa and walks quickly pass the officer who had stopped just a few feet from him. He turns to see his walking to the door and begins to follow suit also.

"This was the command that came from the Supreme Chancellor's office." The officer said as both men leave the room into a crowded hallway of many servicemen and woman, both alien and human. The talk that surrounds the two men is of the breaking news from back home. Many of them also share the same concern as the commander.

"It figures." Nigel says as he continues to walk. "Nothing surprises me when it involves the Senate. This war is turning into a g**damn circus ! And our very lives is depended on the same fools who controls the Senate !"

" Sir ?" I'm fearful that the Calmonians can get wind of this..." The officer said nervously.

"One crisis at a time." Nigel interrupted quickly. "Right now, I need to know the Admiral's location."

"Admiral Gaisha is in conference with his staff within the ready room." The officer responds. "I believe they're located on sub-level two, section c."

The two officers soon enters the turbolift that takes them down to the lower sub-levels. The low but soft sound of the turbolift's engines is the only thing that is heard as both men are silent inside. Nigel shakes his head slowly. He is confused by the decision but more so disgusted with the men authorizing it. How did it come to this, he thinks to himself. The tides of war is beginning to swing in favor of the Calmonians, especially now that the senate has successfully put the entire Republic in danger. None of the senators have any knowledge on how to strategize and participate in the art of warfare...none except for Senator R'yukin Wu. It was truly unfortunate that he was one of the delegates killed in that horrible massacre on Alderaan. He sometimes wonder if his death wasn't by design to keep any and all military presence away from the senate. He would have certainly kept things stable, that much was clear. The turbolift stops as the two officers rush out to walk down the hall. They both come up to the end where the ready room is located. The large doors slides open to find Admiral Gaisha and a couple of his executive staff members discussing the turn of events. The Admiral and his aids turn to see Nigel and his companion walk in the room. Gaisha face is brooding and intense as he hold certain important documents in his hands.

"Can you believe what is happening back home ?!" he barks loudly. "Do they even realize the severity of what they agreed to ?"

Nigel walks up to Gaisha and pats him on the shoulder as he continues to walk until he reaches the window. The view outside is of the station orbiting the two moons of the gaseous planet Urgas.

"The members of the senate is not intelligent enough to know the severity of anything that they do." he responds bitterly. Nigel turns to face his friend, "Terrah couldn't be involved in this. He would never agree to sending the last of our forces out to the Daragon system. He would certainly have voiced his concern over this issue."

Gaisha walks over to sit in a chair facing Nigel who is still at the window. "I'm quite sure that he did, Nigel. But you know the politics of our Senate. In any case, I'm awaiting Inai'syn's transmission now. Hopefully he'll be able to shed some light on the situation."

Ni

 

Akira could feel the Force emanating from the desert cave like the tide: the ripple and the wave, the surge and ebb, the many currents of devotion and peace and intimacy that swirled together in a great sea of sensation which rolled out over the Tatooine sands in the wake of the dissipating rain storm. Zemai and Jastiss, although secreted away from visual detection, made no attempt to conceal themselves in the greater scheme of things. Their mental shields were at their lowest, their inner defenses almost nonexistent. Such things were the result of close proximity to someone else, not only physically, but emotionally as well. Being in love did that to a person.

The whole affair left a sour taste in her mouth.

She rose, feeling her body protest, joints and muscles straining to accommodate even the basic motion of standing. This did not please her. Despite that, Akira couldn?t help smiling. What would Coris think, she wondered, if he knew exactly what activities his apprentice had taken to so soon after his departure. She decided that it could be useful information for the future. But now she had more pressing matters to deal with.

The time was drawing nearer. Close?. very close now.

She began to move. Slowly at first, then gradually faster, she went up one dune and down another. She started out walking ? in a matter of minutes, she was sprinting. The body was in outright rebellion now; several times she stumbled, nearly losing all equilibrium and tumbling forward. But Akira pushed on, not caring, not heeding the pain. She was free. She could run if she wanted to, forget the stupid levitation exercises. No one had any right to say over what she could or could not do. Even that old fool Zalferix. She had left her braces in a crumpled ball in the trash compactor of their ship, which had been ejected out into space with the rest of the garbage. After this last Transfer, she would no longer have any use for them.

She shed her cape as she ran, pelting through the dusk in her black bodysuit, a phantom against the moon. Her teeth gleamed in the darkness ? the feral smile was still in place. Although her legs and arms would not move without freely any longer, she felt nothing but the blood pumping through her veins, the adrenaline that made her heart pound.

I?m here, she thought. Come to me.

After a while, it became something of a chant. The words throbbed in her brain in tempo to the beat of her feet upon the ground. come to me come to me won?t be long come to me seek me out won?t be long? She realized they were rising in her throat, and swallowed them quickly before she could scream them at the stars overhead.

The cave. She was here. Akira found herself standing before a tall cliff-face, a rock wall in the middle of the otherwise flat wasteland. There was a jagged overhang extending from one side of the cliff, several meters above her, close to the cavern?s opening. It was an easy hop up ? at least, it would have been, had she been in a fresh vessel. As it was, she was barely able to clamber up with what strength she had left; however, she did make it in the end and perched upon the vantage point to wait, wrapping the Force around her like a cloak to prevent immediate detection. She did not wait long.

She sensed the girl a second before she saw her. Zemai emerged from the scar in the cliff into the cool evening air, her lightsaber clenched in one hand, looking around slowly. She climbed to the top of a dune and stopped, her head tilted back. Akira knew she was searching the area for intruders.

She didn?t try to hide. She called out to the Padawan. ?So, this is the one my brother is willing to stake everything for.?

Zemai whirled. Her saber hissed to life.

Akira laughed; however, her vocal chords were not functioning as well as they used to. The sound that emerged from her lips was a hoarse, rasping chortle, like a boot being dragged through gravel. ?Ah yes,? she continued. ?The one he stakes his honor and good name for, the child he has given up years of his life to care f

 

Jastiss could hear the frantic whirring of lightsabers outside. He balled his fists and listened intently, as the batle raged above him. He couldn't do anything, he knew, but wait and listen.

Jastiss looked up suddenly as he realized the fighting had stopped, and only an eerie silence reigned.

Without so much as a thought, Jastiss scrambled to his feet and dashed out of the crack. He glanced around, and made his way over to where he heard them last. His heart began to beat faster as he felt Zemai's life fading.

She was slipping through his fingers as he ran.

In the darkness, Jastiss saw the figure of a woman standing over the still and crumpled heap of another. It was then that thoughts so frightening and distraught began to fly through his head, dispite his protests.

She's dead, she's been killed.

I could have helped, I could have--

"Don't fret, Jastiss." Zemai's voice rang sweetly through the air as she turned to face him. She had an almost relaxed look on her face. "Don't jump to conclusions you don't know are true."

Soon, the gap between him and Zemai were closed, and Jastiss embraced her. Zemai wrapped her arms around him, and he could feel her smile against her ear.

No Jastiss! Help me!

Jastiss' head snapped upward as the frantic cry for help invaded his thoughts. He looked at Zemai. "You... you're not Zemai."

Akira leaned forward and whispered in his ear. "Surprise."

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

Zalferix ducked a blow from another Jedi Knight, and plunged his saber deep into his abdomen. He plucked the now-deignited saber from his nerveless fingers, and ignited it. The Zal, now carrying both a red and green lightsaber, dashed forward along a corridor until he reached two large doors.

Karn stepped up behind him. "Shall I?"

"No," Zalferix snapped, "I shall open it."

And with a fierce battle cry, Zalferix slashed back and forth with his lightsabers. Sparks and smoke flew chaotically at the two dark Jedi, and when the smoke cleared, a rough hole had been cut in the two large metal doors.

Zalferix turned to Karn. "Come, follow me."

Almost immediately, a Jedi charged him through the smoke. Using his blinding reflexes, Zalferix jumped to an adjacent wall, and pushed off with his hind legs. He slammed into the still moving Jedi, sending him sprawling along the polished marble floor. Zalferix screamed, and slashed the Jedi across the chest. He fell limp immediately, and Zalferix plucked his lightsaber from his hand, now wielding two green sabers and a red one.

Karn looked apon Zalferix with awe as the zal tried a few moves in the air with his new weapons. "Where did you learn to use three weapons at once, master?"

Zalferix flicked his tongue in and out. "My species are born naturally dextrous in all limbs. It was only a matter of time before I learned to wield weapons in them."

Satisfied with the answer he received, Karn turned around, he cape billowing behind him. He stalked into the next room, where Zalferix could hear lightsabers ignite once again. After a moment of chaos, the room fell silent, and Zalferix hissed approvingly.

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

Olan cursed as he was sent sprawling into the dust, the being known as General Rikkan standing over him. Olan's Jedi partner immediately engaged the ancient one to give Olan time to recover, and that he did.

The two then charged Rikkan simultaneously, and the old master fended off the blows as a Gungan would shoe-off a slug-fly.

Frustrated, Olan leaped backwards, hoping to regroup. Unfortunately, Rikkan saw this manouver and continued putting pressure on Olan to defend him self.

Olan stumbled backwards as General Rikkan hit him with an especially powerful blow, showering him with sparks from the sabers. The old Jedi lifted his hand and quickly searched the area for small projectiles like rocks or debris.

His senses finally found one, and he gribbed it firmly. There was a momentary whistling in the air before General Rikkan whirled around to block the debris with

 

=================

In the end, it was the wound to her arm that saved her.

It had burned and stung, and had pulled her out of the immediate fight far enough to get a glimpse of the real fight. Of the real Akira.

Except that this woman wasn't Akira. She felt like her and had her thoughts, but the body and the face...

Belonged to someone else.

And when Akira began to advance on her, she'd understood what was happening just in time to realize the true danger she was in, but not in time devise a strategy to fight it. Instead, she had acted on instinct.

Zemai dove deep into herself, fleeing before the onslaught of Akira's mind. She knew her own body well, had studied its workings as she meditated (Coris had found this exceedingly strange, but now it would serve her), and she could see how it was reacting to Akira's presence. It tried to pull away from her, burning along the nerves and loosening the flesh.

That was no good. That would kill both of them. She pushed back gently, trying to gain control at least enough to keep her body from simply falling apart, as the one before it seemed to have been doing. It would help Akira, certainly, but --

It was happening too fast! Already, she could hear Akira calling to Jastiss, could feel Jastiss touch her...

No Jastiss! Help me! she cried, with neither lungs nor vocal chords. She felt him hear her -- but she did not feel it from Akira.

Interesting. She doesn't know I'm here.

The cool, calm voice was like a balm to Zemai's mind. Think through this. You've thought through nothing else for weeks, but think through this.

She sank further back into the mists, feeling her body as a ghost. She could see Jastiss sinking back -- a shadow form seen through shadow eyes. If she was going to save him in the long term, she would need to ignore him now.

All well and good, Zemai, but you need to find a secure place. Somewhere that Akira isn't. And you need to do it soon, or all the coolheadedness in the galaxy isn't going to help you. This is her realm, and she has been practicing in it for years.

All right, then. But it wasn't as easy as that. Akira had integrated herself into Zemai's body. She wasn't wearing it like an ill-fitting cloak; she had become it, in a fundamental way. Zemai kept herself quiet and sent her mind into the reaches of her body, searching for any place that --

If she'd had control of the body, it would have stopped moving. The eyes would have widened and the back straightened. In some part of herself, these things were happening. Somewhere in her mind, she knew that Akira was carrying on the conversation with no knowledge of her. She could even hear bits and pieces of it.

"Oh, what charming waifs you are. Young love... "

All with a high edge of sarcasm that Zemai would desperately want to apologize for later, if there came a time that it was more important than what she'd found. The thing had caught what passed for her eye here, like a light flashing in the dimness. It was her, but it was not her. It was Jastiss, but not Jastiss. It was a new thing, and it was both of them.

Zemai entered its presence, transfixed. Lovely, beautiful thing. And so fragile. She wanted to protect it, and yet she needed its protection. This new thing -- my child, she thought, with some incredulity, who only barely exists -- was outside of Akira entirely. And Zemai intended to keep it that way. Without any clear idea of what she was doing, or how she was doing it, she spread herself around the energy, enfolding it and hiding it, but also hiding in it. She and the child became a single entity.

Maybe she'd hoped that there would be a moment of revelation, in which she saw the baby's entire future laid out, but if there was such a hope, it was quickly set aside. There was no self knowledge, no sense of future. It was just energy, and a tiny bit of matter. It had no future yet, any more than it had a past.

Zemai's knowledge of love was a very limited t

 

Jastiss suddenly felt the hard stone behind him. The woman who looked so much like Zemai (but most definately wasn't) approached him, waving the saber in her hand dangerously close to his neck.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd be sure you weren't actually Karik's son," Akira purred, a wild smirk on her face.

It's not her face-- it's Zemai's face!

"Afterall," she continued, "how could a warrior such as Karik Otonna spawn such a weakling child? Unless--" a smile crept across

Zemai's

Akira's face. "Yes," she hissed, "I see it now. It was that whore of a mother where you got your bad genes from."

Jastiss' eyes went wide. "Don't talk about my mother."

Akra pouted. "Oh, did I strike a chord with you, Jastiss? Perhaps, if you didn't inherit so much of that tramp's traits, you wouldn't be so sensitive!"

Jastiss stared straight into Akira's eyes. They looked like Zemai's, but they no longer were. "Let her go, now."

"Why, let who go? I don't know what you're talking about." Akira smiled evilly.

Jastiss glances at Akira's old body, which lay slumped over in the sand, her saber laying only a few inches from the now nerveless fingers.

Akira followed his gaze back to her old body. "Go ahead, Jastiss. Take the saber. Maybe then you'll win." Akira laughed, and threw up her hand. Without a pause, the hilt lifted from the sand and landed in the palm of her hand. "Go ahead," she said, shoving it into Jastiss' chest, "take it."

Never taking his eyes off of her, Jastiss slowly lifted his hands to receive the weapon.

Akira dropped it into his hands, and backed away slightly. "Go ahead," she prompted, "attack me."

Am I crazy? Jastiss thought, What will amount from this? Jastiss looked at the saber in his hand. He closed his eyes. I can't do it. If I do fight, I'll most likely die. If by some odd chance I DO win, Zemai will die. If I choose not to fight, I'll die, and Zemai will soon die too.

Jastiss thought of a conversation he had had with Olan a while before.

"There are three things a Jedi must remember above all things: control, defence, and more control. I lost control not once, but twice. Luckily, The Force was with me enough to keep me on the side of good. Donot tempt fate, Jastiss. You may not be so lucky."

Then, a flash of hope shot past Jastiss' eyes as he thought back to the cave. Remember the saber, he thought. Take the saber.

With a snap of the wrist, the saber sprang to life.

Akira's face lit up with delight. "Excellent," she hissed. "I can feel it... I can feel the rage building within you."

"Your senses betray yourself," Jastiss called defiantly, "that's not rage you feel. IIt's sadness; it's pity. You were a great warrior, once. It is a great shame."

Akira laughed. "What, do you think you will defeat me with goodness? Perhaps I will disintegrate, should you show me affection! You live in a fantasy world, Farm Boy."

"I will defeat you. And Zemai will assist me."

 

This post will hopefully be filled with a scene lost due to the events of 9/11.

The Rover