The Ultra Stressed Jedi Students, Part IV

Option #2.... don't leave!

 

Yes, very nice post. Things seem to be winding down very well. *laughs* In true USJS form, something drastic seems bound to occur soon...

 

Don't leave?!

Nooo, I am definitely going, I wouldn't miss the chance to visit Scotland and London! Especially Scotland...

 

London... *drools*

 

Yeah I'll be gone a month, so you guys behave.

 

well, have fun. Of course, you'll have lots of time on the plane to finish up your stories!!!

 

Yeah riiiggght. On the plane. That would require writing by hand. Then of course you know it's not my fault I don't post as often as I should.... It's my beta's fault

 

When are you leaving, JKOW? I might have them done before you go... I'm working on the next posts, and should have something done during this weekend. Considering it's likely to be more than two thousand words long (too long, if you ask me...)

So, when are you going to be leaving?

*Derisa*

 

For some odd reason they booked our tickets for July 4th. So I'll be flying out on the 4th.

And I won't return until August sometime. Not that I'm unhappy about that in any way, shape or form.

 

Is there any chance you'll be hooking up with the fan community in the UK? I know Calamity Jinn and Jemmiah live there...


*Derisa*

 

Ohh yes, we are planning on it. I'm spending my mini break in Scotland.

 

The sun refused to pierce the heavy cloud cover over the Jedi Temple as several ships prepared to depart the main hangar. The mist clung to the edges of buildings around the Temple, blanketing them in eerie shrouds of tattered white. The upper hangar was a flurry of activity, despite the sullen weather. Baggage already loaded into the cargo compartments, and their ships in the process of receiving careful pre-flight checks in light of the several recent sabotages of Jedi vessels, all that remained were for the passengers to say their farewells.

Students who had found a place within the Temple were bidding emotional farewells to their friends, the Masters and Padawans who had hosted them during their stay reassuring them that they would stay in touch. There were a few who stood aside from the whole, who had not ever really found their feet among the oddities of the Jedi Temple, some of whom even seemed relieved to be leaving the austere grounds for the more familiar homes and schools they had known before their sojourn here.

The Force pulsed with the roil of emotions and the empathic new Knight excercised herself, as she had recently been taught, to keep it all in perspective, to trace misgivings to this student, sorrow to that one, restrained eagerness to another. Rani shook her head at the enormity of the task, tired by the attempts to follow single emotions without letting them flow into her. Things like this served very well to remind her that she had much to learn: it was a good thing she was on her way to get that training. She withdrew to regain her focus and individual core senses.

She was with another group, gathered near the green-painted shuttle Sanctus, prepared for its return to the sacred healing world of Sanctuary. This departure did not have the heavy emotional weight for her that it did for so many of the others gathered there. The students were leaving, likely forever, as their place at the Temple had been deemed to come at too high a cost. The Jedi who were leaving were heading for a place of healing, but as anyone who has hurt themselves badly, healing is not always a comfortable process.

For Rani, it was a logical step, and while it was wholy new: certainly not what she thought she'd be doing the day after her Knighting, yet it was not hard for her to adjust. She'd always known things would be different for her once she was made a Knight.

She stood close to the Mind-Healer who was gravely bidding the dark-skinned Knight Siric farewell. "You will come to see me, if you need to, right?" Reis-an reassured the Exemplar of his welcome. "I mean it."

At her side, Rani could reach out of her shields and touch lightly on the Knight's emotions, even though he was in firm control, and easily letting his feelings slip free into the Force's current. She withdrew her probe, noting that the Mind-Healer was giving the bereaved Knight what emotional support he seemed to need at the moment. She wondered if she would ever be that subtle with her own gifts, or if that would take the lifetime of dedication Reis-An Halle had given in healing service.

She looked around at the rest of the Sanctuary group, feeling trepidation from some: notably the non-Jedi student Vail, who bit her lip nervously as she watched the other students preparing to leave for their own respective homes. She's not homesick, Rani realised, Just unsure about what she's getting herself into. She wondered if she could make the girl a little more comfortable with her decision, and moved over to her.

"Hey, it's Vail, right?" Rani asked.

"Yes, that's right," the young woman replied. "And you're Knight Veko-Kern, aren't you? I am sorry about your Master."

Rani blinked at her, somewhat taken aback by her native bluntness, but at length she gave a grave nod. "Thank you. I will miss him." There was an uncomfortable silence, and then Rani sucked in a breath and tried again. "I guess you've never been to Sanctuary, hm?"

Vail shook her head. "No. You?" She gazed toward Rani hopefully.

"Me either," Rani

 

This post brought to you by Albion's computer - slower internet for ALL!

 

Buggah! Tripple post. I apologise...


*Derisa*

 

Nice post, as always, Derisa. I like the soft emotions, the feelings put forth by both Rani and Tobias. I can tell you're leaning towards the Letters idea with that last post.

 

That was a well-described scene of everybody saying good-bye; some not wanting to leave, and some happy to get out of there. I didn't expect Kithera to want to go to Sanctuary; that was a definite surprise. Tobias and Kaline ... ? Well, well, well. Fascinating as usual!

 

Okay.

This is it: the last post of the USJS saga.

I hope that it succeeds in ending things the way a story of the USJS's venerability and breadth deserves. Way back when, when we were discussing how the authors wanted things to end, the only real consensus was "With a bang, not a whimper."

Enjoy!

*Derisa*

---

The day after the students had departed the Temple, Obi-Wan Kenobi was just setting about on an errand when he caught sight of a face he?d not seen in a very long time. ?Lalika!? he called out, as she strode his way, a pack slung over one shoulder, and clad in unlikely clothes more suited to a Coruscant teen than a dedicated Jedi apprentice..

?My stars! Obi-Wan?? she laughed as she approached, disbelief in her wide grey eyes. ?You look... terrible!?

He startled at her odd choice of words, but then recalled she had been out of the Temple for all those eventful months. He?d been through some truly shattering things in that time: it had been a while since he was the wide-eyed boy she probably remembered. ?Thanks,? he replied wryly, ?You know how to flatter a boy!?

She chuckled. She seemed nervous in the Temple, and Obi-Wan wondered why. ?Where are you on your way to?? she asked.

?I?m looking for someone,? he replied, ?Jane Jinn, one of the students who was allowed to stay on. My Master?s invited her and some others to dinner tonight, to celebrate that decision, so I have to deliver the invitations.?

?Ah. So some of them are staying??

?yes, Obi-Wan answered. ?Only three, and one of those has gone off to get some healer training.? his thoughts paused for a second on the one student who had touched him more closely than any other, and who did not get that second chance, however much she might have deserved or needed it. He shook his head, wondering if he would ever really be over Cali-Ana. Distracting himself rather forcedly, he asked, ?So how was life on the outside??

?Wild, Obi, utterly wild. I can hardly tell you.?

?Try me,? he offered, and then listened as they made their way through the Temple?s still corridors.

?And then there?s the noise!? Lalika laughed, continuing her saga. ?I had completely forgotten how quiet the Temple is: they play music all the time, and what some of the kids call music, you wouldn?t believe.?

Obi-Wan listened to her account of the myriad things that had happened while she was at a regular school. ?At least you had friends there,? he pointed out, when she complained of her now-thankfully-ex-roommate.

?Yeah, I suppose. Kalika and Karn were lifesavers. And not everyone was a pain. I made a really great friend too, in Mouse...?

?You befriended a rodent?? Obi-Wan asked, mock-seriously, his eyes twinkling with mirth, even as Lalika unloaded a charged fist into his bicep.

?Padawan Lalika!? Mace Windu?s deep baritone sounded down the corridor and both young Jedi froze in their tracks at the ominous sound.

Master Windu was joined by Master Yoda in his repulsor-chair, and both wore very stern expressions. ?Padawan Lalika: things may have been different where you have been these past several months, but I should not need to remind you that in the Temple, we do not permit brawling!?

Lalika raised an eyebrow at the implication that a friendly punch on the arm could constitute brawling, but wisely forebore to answer. Master Mace proceeded to administer one of his justly famed lectures on the basic rules of the Temple precincts, which both Padawans suffered through with apparent attentiveness. When Master Mace had finished, he dismissed them crisply, and they made as judicious an exit as they could manage.

?Phew! He?s worse than I remember!? Lalika remarked, as soon as they were out of earshot.

Obi-Wan gave a somewhat subdued nod. ?Well, he has good reason.?

?Really?? Lalika asked, ?But nothing exciting *ever* happens here...?

Obi-Wan met her mocking gaze with a serious look, and gradually the joking gleam faded from her eyes. ?You?ve been gone a while, Lalika. Things have happened.?

With an eager look, Lalika nodded. ?I?m s

 

Hoo, that was a bang, all right! The chilling, Hitchcock-kind of a bang, the one that makes you wonder and wonder and wonder ...

Excellent work, Derisa, and a great big thank you and congratulations for finishing the thread!

 

whizbang! What an ending!

 

I can't think...

Impressive bang, Derisa...

Very impressive indeed...

 

With a bang indeed!

Very nice plot device at the end, Derisa. The return of the Jedi Students from the outside was a wonderful touch and a good reminder how of USJS all started to begin with. Very, VERY nice idea.

The ending was well done. Dramatic, open-ended and chilling without being overwrought.

 

double message

 

You would wait until the fourth to post it. LOL just waiting until I hopped on the plane eh?

Well here I sit reading this in a busy internet cafe. First chance to get on, since my arrival over here.

At any rate, very good job, Derisa. I'm sure your glad to be done.

 

Yeah, I have to confess, I am glad to have it out of the way. Glad you guys like the ending: Rani had a lot to do with that.

I am really looking forward to getting moving on my other stories, and hammering out the details on the Early Years story thread.

I should have a Traitorous Knight post ready for tonight, even!

Having gotten my greasy paws on an FTP programme, which will make it way easier for me to upload stuff to my site. I should have the draft pages up for perusal by this weekend. I'll post the link here when I do, as well as in the discussion thread.

Hope to get some solid feedback on that stuff. Thanks all of you for your support and your trust.


*Derisa*