Beyond - Legends The Truth behind the Lies (post-LotF AU, Allana, Caedus) - updated 8th May

Title: The Truth behind the Lies
Series: Part 1 of the Redemption Universe
Author: x_SwordoftheJedi_x
Timeframe: 42 ABY (prologue only), 49 ABY
Genre: Adventure, General
Pairings: Han/Leia, Wedge/Iella, Jaina/Zekk, past Jacen/Tenel Ka, past Ben/Seha, past Ben/OC
Warnings: minor character deaths (canon characters)

Summary: When she was only six years old, Allana was kidnapped for the second time by her father and told that her mother was dead. Seven years later she finds out the truth of what really happened that night and vows to find her mother. Will she turn against her father? Or will she stick by him, even after all that he's done? Meanwhile, Jedi are going missing, and rumours are abound of an old prophecy re-emerging.

Disclaimer: Everything recognisable belongs to George Lucas, Disney, et al. I only own the OCs and the plot.

Author's Note: So I've posted this a couple of times over the years, but I never got around to finishing it. I figured by reposting it it'd motivate me to actually finish it this time!

This is also being posted at AO3 and ff.net, where I'm known as AKindofMagic93.

This is set after Legacy of the Force, and completely ignores Millennium Falcon, Fate of the Jedi and anything else which may come after. This is also slightly AU in that obviously Caedus is still alive as are a few other characters - specifically Lon Shevu, Jori Lekauf and Alema Rar.

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Dramatis Personae​

Alema Rar; Dark Jedi (female Twi'lek)
Allana Solo; apprentice, heir to the Hapan throne (female human)
Ben Skywalker; Jedi Knight (male human)
Cassiopeia Morwenna; handmaiden to the Hapan Queen Mother (female human, OC)
Corran Horn; Jedi Master, Council Member (male human)
Darth Caedus; Sith Lord, Chief of State of the Galactic Alliance (male human)
Doran Sarkin Tainer; Jedi Knight (male human)
Han Solo; Captain of the Millennium Falcon (male human)
Iella Wessiri Antilles; Intelligence operative (female human)
Jaina Solo; Jedi Master (female human)
Jori Lekauf; Galactic Alliance Guard Lieutenant (male human)
Jysella Horn; Jedi Knight (female human)
Kenth Hamner; Jedi Master, Council Member (male human)
Kyle Katarn; Jedi Master, Council Member (male human)
Kyp Durron; Jedi Master, Council Member (male human)
Leia Organa Solo; Jedi Knight (female human)
Lilana Morwenna; child (female human, OC)
Lon Shevu; Galactic Alliance Guard Captain (male human)
Luke Skywalker; Jedi Grand Master (male human)
Octa Ramis; Jedi Master, Council Member (female human)
Seha Dorvald; Jedi Knight (female human)
Tahiri Veila; Jedi Knight (female human)
Tenel Ka Djo; Hapan Queen Mother, Jedi Knight (female human)
Tyria Sarkin Tainer; Jedi Knight (female human)
Valin Horn; Jedi Knight (male human)
Wedge Antilles; retired Corellian Admiral (male human)
Zekk; Jedi Master (male human)

 

Prologue​

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The Fountain Palace, Hapes, 2000 hours, 42 ABY​

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The view from the window in the Royal Bedchamber was nothing short of spectacular. Sat atop the black crags of Hapes, the palace overlooked the neat architecture of the capital Ta'a Chume'Dan. Beyond that, one could make out dense untouched forests and in the far distance, just about visible, were snow-topped mountains. The sight was only made more beautiful by the sun setting on the horizon; a sky that was tinged with different shades of pink, and a sun that shined a deep, magnificent orange. The air of tranquillity that hovered over the city belied the conflict that was going on in the galaxy. Most would have said it was perfect. But not her. No, for her the moment was lacking one vital thing. And that was him. But that wasn't possible. Not anymore at least. He had chosen a path which she could not follow, a path filled with anger and hatred and bitterness. A dangerous road that could only lead to pain and suffering.

The Hapan Queen sighed as she looked away from the sunset, remembering a man she once knew. She had loved him once. Sometimes she thought she still did, that a part of her always would. She had wondered too many times what had driven him to the Dark Side. The Yuuzhan Vong War? His brother's death? His time in captivity? These were all factors, sure, but what, ultimately, had tipped him over the edge? It didn't matter what the reason was anymore, there was no use living in the past. What was done was done. She still loved him. But she loved the man he used to be. She could never love the man he was now. For now her main focus was ensuring the safety of her daughter. Their daughter.

With that thought, she reached out in the Force, checking on her six-year-old daughter. She was safely and soundly asleep in the adjoining room. As it should be. Not even he could reach her here.

Or so she thought.

The Queen's danger sense prickled a split second before the door to her bedchamber swung open. She spun round, igniting her turquoise-bladed lightsaber, and came face to face with the man she had once known as Jacen Solo. Darth Caedus. His yellowed eyes harboured no emotion and the coldness that they exuded was enough to make even the hardest of Jedi shiver. Half a dozen Galactic Alliance Guard troopers lingered behind him as he marched right into the large room that he often used to accommodate himself.

"What are you doing here? How did you get in?" Tenel Ka's voice bared no fear; she refused to be intimidated by his cold, hard gaze.

"I've come for Allana, our daughter," Caedus replied nonchalantly, as though they were discussing that day's weather. "As for how I got in? Your pathetic guards are no match for me."

Tenel Ka kept her lightsaber up, preparing to block any unwanted shots or lightsaber strikes. Some of her thoughts went out to the palace guards that were either dead or dying, but she couldn't do anything for them right now. "If you think that I am just going to hand my daughter over to you, then you are more delusional than I thought." She would not let her daughter into the hands of a Sith Lord, whether he was her father or not.

"Ah, you see Tenel Ka, I never expected you to just hand her over."

"I demand that you leave this instant. You are trespassing on royal property, the penalty for which is-"

Caedus lazily waved his hand towards three of the six GAG troopers behind him, "Seize her."

The two largest grabbed her by either arm while the other forcefully took her lightsaber (managing in the process to not injure himself, which was a feat in itself) and handed it to Caedus.

"What do you think you are doing? Get off me!" Tenel Ka struggled against the strong grip of her captors, but it was no use. She called upon the Force to help her, but was shocked to realise that she could no longer feel it. That was when she noticed the cage that was being held by a fourth trooper. Ysalamiri. Distracted, she gasped in surprise and pain as a blaster bolt hit her square in her abdomen, sending her into unconsciousness.

A quiet, muffled noise caught Caedus' attention and his eyes shot to the back right corner of the room. Believing there to be an intruder he stepped outside the boundaries of the ysalamiri and reached out with the Force, searching for signs of an intruder. When he was satisfied that there was no one there, and that it must have just been his imagination, he turned back to his troopers. "Take her to my ship."

The troopers acknowledged Caedus' order with a nod, pulling the Hapan Queen up from the floor and practically dragging her from the room.

Caedus gestured for the remaining troopers to leave before heading towards the door on the far side of the room that he knew lead to his daughter. When he entered, it was to find Allana awake and curled up on her bed, her arms wrapped around her knees, tears streaming down her face, and her Force aura swirling with fear, confusion and sadness.

As soon as she saw her father, she held her arms out to him. Despite everything her mother had told her about him, he was still her father and right now she needed him more than ever. Caedus' features immediately softened at the sight of his daughter. He picked her up, wrapping his arms around her in a tight hug, holding her close to him as if he was afraid she'd disappear if he let go.

"Daddy, I'm scared. What's going on? Is Mommy okay?"

Caedus stroked his daughter's ever-growing, dark red hair and looked into her grey eyes which were so much like her mother's. "I'm sorry, sweetie. I was too late. I wasn't able to save her. The assassin got to her first." He hadn't wanted to do this, to hurt Tenel Ka. After all, despite everything, he still loved her. But he loved his daughter more and he would do anything to have her back with him.

Allana sobbed even harder. It killed Caedus that he had had to lie to and hurt his daughter this way, but at the same time he knew it was necessary; it was the only way he could take his daughter back. He smiled inwardly; he finally had his daughter and this time no one could stop him. Not his parents, not the Jedi, not even Tenel Ka. "Ssh, it's going to be okay. I'm going to look after you now."

"Here?" Allana questioned, wide eyes shining with tears as she looked up at her father.

"Back on Coruscant. You'll be safer there."

"Can I take all my things with me?" She asked, eyes full of innocence. They may not have seen each other in well over a year, but she already had him wrapped around her little finger; she knew exactly what to say and do to get him to do what she wanted. Caedus could tell that someday she was going to be a powerful leader; she would have no trouble in getting others to follow her.

"Of course." Caedus smiled. And this time it was not a twisted, evil smile. It was a genuine smile. A Jacen Solo smile. A shadow of the man he once was.

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Darth Caedus' Private Quarters, the Anakin Solo, en-route to Coruscant​

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An incessant beeping brought Caedus out of his thoughts as he stared through the viewport in his quarters. He spun on his heel and snatched the comlink from where it rested on his desk. "Yes?"

On the other end, a deep-voiced GAG trooper replied, "My Lord, we're almost there. What shall we do with the Queen Mother when we arrive?"

"Keep her detained in a secure room. And make sure the ysalamiri are in proximity at all times. We cannot risk her using the Force. Is that understood, Captain?"

"Yes, my Lord."

The comlink went dead.

His plan was working.

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Darth Caedus' Private Quarters, Secure Location, Coruscant, 2200 hours​

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Darth Caedus entered his daughter's bedroom to find her still awake; she sat on her bed clutching a stuffed tauntaun to her chest. The same tauntaun that he had given to her. The tauntaun she had named Jacen. He sat on the bed next to her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and cuddling her close to him. Allana had stopped crying, but Caedus knew that inside she was still grieving for her 'dead' mother. She had a lot of Force potential - which was to be expected in someone from the Skywalker-Solo line - and it was time for it to be realised. "Allana, how do you feel about learning the ways of the Force?"

"The Force?" Allana looked at him curiously, tilting her head to one side. "Will I get to be a Jedi like you and Mommy?"

"Yes." Caedus nodded. Jedi. I haven't been a Jedi in a long time.

"Okay. But who's gonna teach me?"

"I will of course." Oh yes. His plan was working perfectly. The Jedi won't be able to stop me this time. His comlink beeped again for the second time that night. He placed a kiss on the top of his daughter's head, before walking out the room and answering the call with a quick and quiet "Yes?"

A familiar feminine voice came through, "Is everything going according to plan?"

Caedus smirked, he had been waiting for a call from his accomplice, "Yes. For once everything is going exactly as planned." He cut off the comm call before she could reply and marched back to his quarters, knowing that, for once, he would have a good night's sleep.

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Your comments are much appreciated. ​

 

I am ready to see some Caedus evil! Feel free to tag me for updates.

And you listed Kyp in the DP, so I expect to see him soon.

 

Nice start. Can't wait to see Allana's reaction to discovering the truth.

 

@mulberry - Thanks for your comment! Kyp won't be appearing for a few more chapters yet, but hopefully it'll be worth the wait when he does appear.

@JediMaster_Jen - Thanks! Well, you won't have to wait long since that'll be appearing next chapter.

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Chapter One​

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Seven years later​

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Darth Caedus' Private Quarters, Secure Location, Coruscant, 0900 hours, 49 ABY​

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For the first time in what felt like a millennia Allana was alone. He never left her unaccompanied; if he was not with her then he always left one of his GAG troopers to keep her company. Not that she needed it. She was perfectly fine alone, and she did not need a babysitter anymore. His reasoning was that it was for her safety. That as the daughter of the Chief of State of the Galactic Alliance she was a target. She'd argue that assassination attempts hadn't exactly been an uncommon occurrence in her life; back on Hapes attempts on the lives of the Hapan Royal Family were hardly rare, as evidenced by what had ultimately happened to her mother. Besides which, though it may seem a little naïve of her to think so, she could defend herself if necessary. She trained with her father daily; even though his role as Chief of State took up a lot of his time, he always made time to train his daughter in the ways of the Force, and even he had to admit that she was very skilled with a lightsaber. None of that seemed to deter him from leaving a trooper with her though. The fact that he hadn't that day surely meant that he'd been in such a rush that he hadn't had time to contact anyone to watch over her. He had had time to leave her a note however, one which explicitly stated that she wasn't to leave the apartment unless she was in danger. She rolled her eyes, she knew he was just being protective and concerned for her safety, but it was too much sometimes. She was just grateful for whatever meeting it was he had to attend in such a hurry.

Yawning and stretching she walked into the kitchen, almost tripping over her pet whisperkit. "Morning, TK, you hungry?" She bent down to stroke the black, furry animal before going about getting them both breakfast. Settling on toast and caf for herself, she took a seat at the kitchen table, and checked her datapad for any messages. She knew she wouldn't have any though; the only person she ever got messages from was her father. It was quite a lonely life she led; the only friends she ever remembered having were back on Hapes. Her father never let her leave the apartment on her own, and whenever she went out with her father, it was when he was meeting other politicians and hadn't, for whatever reason, been able to leave her at home. All in all, they were places that weren't exactly conducive to making friends.

The one upside to her going along with her father to his meetings was that she got to see how he interacted with other politicians. Her father never let her sit in on the meetings, but he always introduced her to them. She'd noticed that they'd always seemed rather intimidated by him, she'd even go so far as to say that they feared him. Yet this fear always seemed to lessen whenever she was introduced; politicians could be ruthless and unpopular, she knew that, so perhaps evidence that he had a daughter made him seem more approachable and more - dare she say it? - human. Not that she was particularly happy at being used to manipulate other politicians, but since it got her out the apartment she just played along and never complained.

It wasn't like she had much family either. It was just her and her father. Her mother had died seven years ago and while her father's side of the family was very much alive, she never got to see them. Her thirteenth lifeday had only been a few days ago and no one had contacted her to wish her a happy one. The one question that always lingered at the back of her mind was why won't he let me see them?

She wanted answers, but she knew she would never get them from her father. He was too much the politician sometimes; he never outright lied to her, but he often gave very wordy answers that didn't actually say an awful lot at all. No, if she wanted answers then she would have to go elsewhere. But where?

Then it hit her. Of course, why didn't I think of it before? She abandoned her half-eaten breakfast, got dressed, grabbed her jacket and left the apartment without a moment's hesitation, even more thankful that her father had neglected to leave a GAG trooper with her this time.

Once outside, she hailed an air taxi and told the driver, an ageing male Quarren, where to go. The Quarren did not even give her a sideways glance; it was times like this she was thankful she wasn't as well known as her father was. While her father appeared to have no qualms about showing her off to politicians, he had made a conscious effort to keep her away from the media and off the holonews. No doubt for her safety. At least this way she wouldn't have to avoid any awkward questions.

Thinking about the Jedi, she realised that she didn't know all that much about them. The only thing she knew was that after Jaina Solo had tried and failed to kill her father, the Jedi had gone into exile on Naboo. She wasn't sure of the exact course of events, but for some reason the Jedi had eventually decided to return to Coruscant, where they kept a low profile.

Her father had always been careful in what he told her, but she was not entirely sure why. She had heard things being said about him, but those were just rumours. Weren't they?

About one standard hour later, the air taxi stopped and she paid the Quarren before leaving it. She'd never seen the Jedi Temple up close before, and it was even more impressive in person than it was when shown on the holonews. The tinted transparisteel pyramid was designed in the Rebirth style and could be seen for hundreds of kilometres away.

When she entered what she figured to be the Reception Hall, she found that there was only one person there. She took a deep breath to gather her courage before she approached a man who looked to be in his mid to late 60s and who was immersed in his datapad. "Hi," she started, successfully garnering the man's attention, "I'm looking for Luke Skywalker… or any member of his family actually. Do you know where I could find them?"

"I believe Master Skywalker is in the archives with his son and niece." The 67-year-old man had light brown hair that was greying, green eyes and wore green robes which typically suggested Corellian heritage.

"Thank you." She was about to ask where the archives where, but the Jedi Master spoke before she could.

"Are you an Apprentice? You seem familiar but I don't recall seeing you around the Temple."

She sighed. She had expected the questioning to come sooner or later. "I'm an informal apprentice, yes."

"Really?" The Jedi Master stroked his greying beard thoughtfully. "Who's your Master?"

"My father." She tried to evade the question, but she knew there was no getting out of this now.

"And your father is…?"

She hesitated. But there was no point in lying. He'd see through it immediately. "Jacen Solo." Her voice held no emotion, and she tried not to let it waver. She knew her father was not exactly popular with the Jedi to say the least, otherwise his twin sister would not have tried to kill him. She only wished she knew why.

"You're… you're Jacen's daughter?" The ageing Master stammered, shocked for the first time in years.

"My name's Allana," she replied, getting slightly irritated.

"Jedi Master Corran Horn." He held out his hand and Allana politely shook it.

"Pleasure to meet you, Master Horn." Despite her impatience, Allana made sure not to forget her manners; it was perhaps the one thing her mother had taught her that she had not forgotten. "Now if you don't mind I'd appreciate it if you could take me to Master Skywalker."

A door opened on the far right of the Reception Hall as she said this and as if on cue the two surviving Skywalkers and the eldest Solo child entered and began heading in their direction.

Corran smiled. "No need." He nodded his head, gesturing for her to look behind her.

Allana turned, and came face to face with the relatives she'd never met before. "Master Skywalker, I believe we have much to discuss."

A look of recognition crossed Luke's face. "Yes, I believe we do."

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Nice cliffhanger!! Great ending, is Luke going to fill her in? Will she believe him? I feel like Caedus probably has her pretty well indoctrinated. Is Caedus' head going to explode in a fit of rage when he finds out where she is??

This paragraph had me a little confused, as I thought at first the bolded "they" referred to Caedus and Allana, and wondered how Allana was taking a speeder from Naboo to the Jedi temple, then I realized that "they" referred to the Jedi.

Is it OK to mention that? I supervise technical writers at my job so it is my nature whenever I read something to comment, but if it is rude I will just shut up and enjoy.

This has the potential for some very exciting action.

 

@mulberry - Thanks for your comment! I do enjoy a good cliffhanger, so expect many more in the future. As for your questions, you'll have to read the next chapter to find out. And it's perfectly okay to point out things like that! I welcome it! The paragraph's been edited, so hopefully it makes more sense now. I think a lot of the time something will make perfect sense in the author's head, but it can sound a little confusing to the reader, so feel free to point out anything like that in the future. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the next chapter, and I look forward to hearing your thoughts on it.

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Chapter Two​

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The Jedi Temple, Coruscant, 1000 hours, 49 ABY​

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An awkward silence hovered over the four Skywalker-Solos as they seated themselves at one of the tables in the mess hall. Now she was here, Allana had no idea what to say. She'd had so many questions, but now they had all seemed to have flitted from her brain. Perhaps a part of her still couldn't quite believe that she was actually here, with her family, and that she'd managed to escape her father and the GAG troopers long enough to find them.

Thankfully, the Grand Master took notice of her hesitation and broke the seemingly never-ending silence. "What would you like to know?"

Allana swallowed, a sure sign of her nervousness, before replying. "My father. What is he? He may not tell me much, but I know enough about the Jedi to know that he isn't one."

Luke exchanged a glance with his son and niece, having a silent conversation with them about how much they should tell her. Reaching a decision, Luke replied, "You're right. He isn't a Jedi. Not anymore anyway. He's a Sith."

A look of confusion crossed Allana's face. "A Sith? What's a Sith?" Her father had never mentioned the Sith before. Clearly that was a rather deliberate move on his part; judging by the looks on the other's faces, the Sith were not good people.

"A Sith is a Force user who uses the Dark Side of the Force, instead of the Light Side like the Jedi do."

"But I thought there was no Light and Dark Side? My father told me that the Light and Dark resides within us, not the Force itself." Allana argued, getting even more confused by the second. Had everything her father told her been a lie?

Luke tipped his head to the side as if to consider the point, "Some people believe that, yes. But regardless, your father's actions are of the Dark Side."

Allana hesitated before asking her next question. "What's he done?" She wasn't entirely sure she wanted to know the answer to that question, but her curiosity got the better of her. After seven years of being kept in the dark, it was time she finally knew the truth. Allana didn't miss the look Luke shot Ben and Jaina; a cautious look, one that suggested she wouldn't be able to handle it, that it was better off if she didn't know. "Come on, I can take it," she prompted.

Luke opened his mouth to speak, but Ben jumped in first, "He's a murderer." His voice was filled with such contempt and loathing that Allana unconsciously flinched away a little. Despite the hatred in his voice, though, Allana could see the sadness that filled his bright blue eyes, and she wondered just who exactly her father had killed.

"Who?" She asked, almost afraid to know the answer.

"He killed my mother in cold blood and then said it was for the good of the galaxy, he deserves-"

"Ben, that's enough," his father interjected.

Allana was taken aback, she'd figured her father would have killed during the war, but the fact that he'd actually murdered a member of his own family shocked her to her core. She felt a hint of sadness creep through her, even though she had never even met Ben's mother. Perhaps it was because she knew what it was like, she could sympathise with him. She returned her attention back to the three members of the Skywalker-Solo family who were currently arguing about her father.

"My brother may have done many terrible things, but he's not the only one to blame in all this." Jaina spoke for the first time, directing her words towards Allana, as if to reassure her that deep down her father was really a good person.

"How can you say that?" Ben retorted, seemingly irritated that Jaina had suggested such a thing. "Of course he's to blame-"

"He was misguided," Jaina interjected, "if the Yuuzhan Vong had never captured him and if Lumiya had never come along, none of this would ever have happened. It was Lumiya who turned him to the Dark Side. She's to blame for all this," Jaina snapped.

"He is as much to blame as she was, he allowed himself to be twisted by her-"

"ENOUGH! The both of you!" Luke interrupted, sounding every bit the Jedi Grand Master that he was. "Need I remind you that you are Jedi. You should be better than this petty, childish squabbling. Besides which, I'm sure Allana doesn't need to hear this."

"No. It's okay. I need to know the truth." Allana had already made up her mind as soon as she'd left the apartment, she wanted - she needed - to know. She'd been kept in the dark for far too long.

Luke hesitated for a moment; Allana seemed pretty certain that she could handle whatever the truth about her father was, but at the end of the day she was only thirteen, and her father had done some pretty horrific things. "I suppose I should start with the beginning of the Second Galactic Civil War…" Between the three of them, they told Allana everything: how Caedus had been the one to fire the opening shot of the war; how he'd murdered Jedi Knight Nelani Dinn; his liaisons with Lumiya; how he'd treated the Bothans and the Corellians; court-martialling Jaina; trying to arrest his own parents; torturing Ben; manipulating Tahiri; murdering Allana's grandfather, Prince Isolder; murdering his own aunt as well as countless other people; and, finally, the duel between him and Jaina.

Allana was rendered speechless. She'd figured her father had done some pretty awful things, but this was beyond anything she had imagined. Perhaps it had been better not knowing. A deep hatred of her father began to rise up within her, and she was a little surprised at the intensity of it. With some kind of horror, she realised that while for the past seven years he had been training her, it wasn't as a Jedi. She'd always thought she had a pretty good sense of right and wrong, but now she wasn't so sure.

Finally finding her voice, Allana spoke, meeting Luke's eyes, "He's been training me to follow in his footsteps, hasn't he? To be a Sith like him?"

Luke broke her gaze, unable to keep the eye contact, "That is what we believe, yes."

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Darth Caedus' Private Quarters, Secure Location, Coruscant, 1300 hours​

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When Allana returned home after spending a few hours in the Jedi Temple Archives doing research of her own, it was to find that her father was already back. As soon as she had closed the front door behind her, she headed straight to her bedroom, refusing to make eye contact with her father; partly because she did not want to see the angry look on his face, and partly because she was still so horrified by what Luke, Ben and Jaina had told her that she couldn't bear to look at him.

"Allana." His voice was as calm and collected as it always was, but Allana had lived with him long enough to be able to detect the dangerous edge to his tone. "Where have you been?"

Allana ignored him and carried on into her room, where she grabbed a bag and began packing up her things.

"Allana. Answer me." His tone was more forceful this time, and Allana knew better than to ignore him a second time.

She took a deep breath and turned round to face him where he was stood in the doorway to her bedroom, effectively blocking her exit. "I was at the Jedi Temple. I spoke to Uncle Luke, Aunt Jaina and Ben. The family you never let me visit."

If he was surprised by her answer, then he didn't let it show on his face. It remained as expressionless as it had been moments before. "Allana, you know I'm not contact with them anymore."

"And why is that, Dad?" She finally snapped, her voice rising and her fists clenching at her sides. "Is it because you tried to detain your own parents? Is it because you tortured your cousin? Is it because you court-martialled your sister? Or, I don't know, maybe it's because you murdered your own aunt? Take your pick."

Caedus' eyes flashed in anger. "Allana, there is a perfectly valid explanation-"

Allana interjected before he could finish. "Don't you dare try to justify what you did!" Her eyes flashed with anger, reflecting the dangerous look that had been in her father's eyes moments before.

Caedus' eyes darted to the half-packed bag on the bed behind his daughter. "You're not leaving."

"Yeah?" Allana challenged. "Try and stop me."

Caedus' hand hovered over where his lightsaber hung on his belt, but Allana could sense his hesitation. "I thought not. You know the problem with the Sith in this family? Their biggest weakness is their children. Vader couldn't kill Uncle Luke. And you? You can't even draw your lightsaber." It was a pretty bold statement, and Allana could have been totally off the mark, but when his hand fell back to his side, she knew she was right in her assumption.

He didn't even make a half-hearted attempt to stop her as she forced her way past him with her half-packed bag and left the apartment without even looking back once. But one thought did cross his mind. There may be hope for her yet.

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Comments and constructive criticism are always very much appreciated, and feel free to point out any inconsistencies/major errors I may have made.

 

Thanks for the update. I am curious to find out why the Jedi seemed to have backed off on hunting down Caedus, or at leas they don't seem to be actively looking for him.

 

@mulberry: That will briefly be mentioned in a later chapter, but I am planning on writing a prequel which will explore the relationship between Caedus and the Jedi. What I will say is that with how things are at the moment, the Jedi don't have just cause. Yet.

Author's Note: I've gone back and edited the previous chapters, so it's probably worth re-reading them as I've added quite a bit. The summary and DP have also been changed slightly too.

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Chapter Three​

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Darth Caedus' Private Quarters, Secure Location, Coruscant, 1030 hours, 49 ABY​

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Over the next few days, Darth Caedus continued with business as usual; he met and negotiated with politicians, he fulfilled all his duties as Chief of State and he acted as though nothing was wrong, as though his daughter had not abandoned him. He tried not to think about her too much, but he knew that if he lost her now, he would never get her back. The one hope he held onto was the anger and hatred that resided within her, the only problem he faced was the influence of the Jedi. Nevertheless, he held onto that hope. He was brought out of his thoughts by a knock on the door and when he answered he was more than a little surprised at who was stood there. Allana.

"I'm here to pick up the rest of my stuff." There was nothing but coldness in Allana's eyes, and her tone of voice suggested that she was only there out of necessity, and not because she actually wanted to be there.

Even though Caedus was disappointed at his daughter's words as he had thought she had seen the error of her ways, he stepped aside to let her in, not saying a word. He watched as she went into her bedroom - or, rather, what used to be her bedroom - and come out several minutes later with the rest of her stuff in a bag. "Allana, wait. You don't have to do this. If we talk about this-"

"Talk?" Allana let out an incredulous snort. "Do you really think I want to hear you try to justify every killing? Do you really think I'm going to let you try to manipulate me into thinking you're right and everyone else is wrong?" She shook her head in disbelief. "Save your breath." She retrieved various items that belonged to her that were scattered about the room and shoved them in her bag. "Did you send that assassin to kill my mother all those years ago?"

A look crossed Caedus' features at that, a look that, if she didn't know any better, Allana would almost describe as hurt. "Do you really think I'm capable of that?" The look of hurt that had crossed his face disappeared as quickly as it had appeared.

"After everything that Uncle Luke and the others told me, I'm not sure what you're capable of anymore." Allana picked TK up as she wandered in from the kitchen area and then headed for the door, not saying another word.

Caedus let out a deep sigh, as if resigned to what he was about to say next. And what he said stopped Allana in her tracks. "Your mother's not dead."

Allana slowly turned round, not sure if she had heard him right. "What?"

"Your mother's not dead." Caedus repeated. He didn't know what had made him say it, maybe a part of him thought it would make Allana stay, that perhaps she would give him another chance if she knew that he hadn't sent an assassin to kill her mother, that her mother wasn't dead at all in fact.

"Where is she?" Allana demanded, unable to stop her voice from shaking slightly.

"She's safe. You don't need to worry about that."

"Where is she?" Allana asked again, her voice more confident and forceful this time.

"I'm afraid I can't tell you that."

Allana met her father's eyes, her steely gaze never wavering for a second. "It doesn't make a difference anyway. 'Cause I'm going to find her and I'm going to rescue her, and if I find out that she's been harmed in any way, I'm gonna hunt you down like a nerf, Dad." And with that said she stormed out of her father's apartment.

Caedus just stood there, eyes fixed on the spot which his daughter had just vacated. Part of him was shocked at his daughter's threat, but a larger part of him knew that it was a good thing, that it would lead her down the path that he had been training her for for so many years. He just had to play the long game. She would return to his side eventually. It was only a matter of time.

*​

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Allana stormed down the corridor so enraged by her father's admission that she wasn't paying attention to her surroundings. Which is why she marched headlong into someone walking in the opposite direction. She gave a slight yelp of surprise as she fell flat on her back. TK leapt gracefully from her arms before Allana hit the ground and landed on the floor beside her. Looking up, Allana saw a blue-skinned Twi'lek smiling down at her, hand held out to help her up. Allana graciously accepted the offered hand and allowed herself to be pulled up. "Thank you. And I'm sorry, I should have been paying more attention."

"That's quite alright," the Twi'lek replied in an almost unnaturally sweet voice, "We are just as much at fault as you are."

"Hmm," Allana replied, not really paying attention. There was an air of familiarity surrounding the Twi'lek, but Allana could not quite place where she knew her from, and if the Twi'lek recognised her then she didn't say anything and it didn't show on her face either. Added to that the fact that the Twi'lek referred to herself in the first person plural and the fact that Allana could detect she was projecting a Force illusion to mask her appearance, there was certainly something off about her. Choosing not to dwell too much on it, Allana quickly apologised again before heading towards the turbolift, TK following close behind, not wanting to look strange by standing there staring at what could quite possibly be a complete stranger.

The Twi'lek, though, gave Allana a curious and almost scrutinising look before she turned around and carried on heading towards her destination.

*​

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A knock on the still open door brought Caedus out of his stupor and his eyes flicked up from where he was still staring at the floor to meet the gaze of the blue-skinned Twi'lek that was his, for lack of a better phrase, partner in crime. "What are you doing here?"

The Twi'lek folded her arms across her chest and cocked her head to one side. "You know, you get ruder every time we see you."

Caedus gestured for her to come in and once she'd entered and made herself at home on the couch, he used the Force to shut the door. "I'm not exactly in a good mood, Alema, so excuse me if my manners are somewhat lacking at the moment."

"Something to do with the fact that we just saw your daughter leave with a packed bag?"

"You saw her?" Caedus questioned, a hint of worry tingeing his voice. He had gone to great lengths to make sure that Alema and Allana never crossed paths, mainly due to the fact that he didn't trust Alema, and his main priority had always been to keep his daughter safe.

"We ran into her more like. She has her mother's beauty."

Caedus' eyes narrowed at the comment, but he said nothing of it. He let out a sigh, not having the patience to deal with Alema. "Why are you here?"

"We were here to talk about our plans. But we're more concerned about Allana now."

Caedus stayed silent, and waited for Alema to clarify what she meant.

"What do you intend on doing about her?"

Caedus narrowed his eyes at Alema. "What do you mean?"

"She's a threat. Or she will be, once her full potential has been realised."

Caedus snorted. "The Jedi will only teach her what she needs to know."

"And the plan?"

"She knows nothing of it."

"Nevertheless, you need to-"

"I don't need to do anything," Caedus snapped.

"Well if you won't do anything about it, then we will," Alema smirked.

Caedus gave her a dangerous look. "If you even go near my daughter, I swear I will kill you without a moments hesitation. Understood?"

The smirk never left Alema's face. It was clear to see that his weakness was his daughter, and she was not above exploiting it.

* * * * *​

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Luke Skywalker's Apartment, Rotunda Zone, Coruscant, 1145 hours​

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Allana was shaking slightly as she entered her uncle's apartment. Whether it was from anger or shock she couldn't be quite sure. It was probably both. She dumped her bag next to the door and sat down on the couch, TK jumping up onto her lap, as she tried to process what her father had just told her.

"Allana?" She heard her uncle's voice from behind her as he came out the kitchen carrying a glass of blue milk.

When she did not answer, Luke started to get worried, "What's wrong? Are you alright? Did he hurt you? I knew I shouldn't have let you go back there alone."

Allana shook her head in reply and, finally finding her voice, said, "My mom's not dead. Caedus is holding her captive somewhere." Allana paused, and this time it was Luke's turn not to say anything. Reaching a decision, Allana said, "I've got to go find her," she turned to face Luke, "Uncle Luke, I need to borrow a ship."

* * * * *​

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Comments/constructive criticism are appreciated as usual. ​

 

Hello, devoured this fantastic set of chapters in one go!! Terrific. Allana is wonderful & I love how she defied Caedus and persevered in finding the truth and now her mother.

 

Thanks so much for the lovely comments!