Beyond - Legends [DDC 2018]The Journal of Marcus Indupar (Son of Talon Tantiss)

Thank you for reading. I am not sure how accurate the science is. There are known rogue black holes in our universe and travel at speeds up to 5 million mph. I am not sure what will happen if two black holes hit each other, but I am fairly certain it is not a good thing. There is a good chance that I am now on the NSA's watch list after my multiple google searches of "How to destroy a galaxy?"

 

OWW They will need all the Force they can get

 

Yeah, I would think that would be an impossible task.

Thanks everybody for reading and reviewing. It is much appreciated.


Entry 37

I arrived to the Korrnacht cluster this morning aboard the Absolution, my Vengeance-class dreadnaught. We rendezvoused with a number of Galactic Alliance ships to include Dragon Queen II—Flagship of Queen Tenel Ka Djo, Emperor Fel’s Imperial Star Destroyer Ravager, and the Jedi’s Recusant-class light destroyer, Halcyon.

My communications officer got word that all Force users were to meet aboard the Dragon Queen II. I got my Indupar Knights together (along with Taz) and traveled to the Hapan Battle Dragon aboard three small Imperial shuttles.

Entry 38

When I walked aboard the observation deck of the Dragon Queen II I was astonished by the assemblage of Jedi/Imperial and Hapan Knights. Not only were the Skywalker/Solo clan present, but also Jedi Knights that I only knew by reputation, such as Cilghal, Kyle Katarn, Saba Sebatyne and Octa Ramis. There were also a number of other men and women in Jedi robes I didn’t recognize. All in all, there was at least fifty people of various species in attendance. All were looking out at the ship’s large viewport at a large cosmic cloud in the distance.

Taz edged up close to me and whispered, “Do you know all of these people?”

I shook my head. “No, but I do know most of them.”

My knights filed into the room and watched as the Jedi and Imperial Knights reached out with the Force, concentrating of the distant cloud of space dust, willing the blackhole within to deflect off its current course. The Grand Master was so infused with the Force that he appeared to glow. Eventually they halted their effort with a groan either from exertion or disappointment. It wasn’t until then that our entrance was noticed. Luke and Mara turned and waved to me and my father and grandfather. “Good that you can join us,” Luke said.

I noticed Allana breaking away from her father and mother to greet me. She walked up and enveloped me in a friendly hug. “I was hoping you would come.”

I was a bit taken aback, not by her words, but the feeling of hopelessness she projected through the Force. I returned her embrace and gave her a quick platonic kiss on the cheek. “There is no place I would rather be, than with my family.”

Her brow went up and she gave a furtive glance over to T’Zana. Allana knows I haven’t told my friend my true parentage…but at this point I don’t care if she knows. “The Force binds us together,” she said with a warm smile.

Luke and Mara walked over to welcome the new additions to their team. I was shocked at how old the two looked. This venture was draining the life out of them. “We’re taking a quick break, but we will start up again soon. On the surface it may look futile, but scientists,” he motioned to a half dozen technicians at remote sensing stations. “are monitoring the speed and trajectory of the rogue black hole and there are minor variations every time we try to deflect it with the Force. I think if we have enough people, we can hopefully move it enough that it doesn’t impact with the massive black hole in our galaxy’s center. Having this thing roaming through our galaxy still will be catastrophic, but we can calculate which planets will be adversely affected and hopefully evacuate the populations of those worlds.”

“So which way are we trying to move that thing?” my dad asked.

It was Mara that answered. She motioned to the left. “There are less planets affected if we move it that way. Ideally, making it do an about-face would be preferable, but we will be lucky to get a four or five percent deflection.”

The Grand Master addressed all the Indupar Knights that joined the group. “Thank you for coming. I am hoping that with our combined strength with the Force we can do what many believe is impossible…save our galaxy from destruction.” He pointed to the shimmering cloud of dust in the distance. “Inside that cosmic cloud is a blackhole on a collision course with our galaxy’s center. We want to deflect it from its current course. Scientists believe the safest deflection angle will be in this direction and down.” Luke moved his arm in the direction he indicated. “There will still be a lot of damage to the planets along its path, but we will have weeks to evacuate as many people as possible. It is still a hard pill to swallow, but it is infinitely better than the destruction of the entire galaxy and all that we know and love.” He looked around the room. “Any questions?”

There were a few hands raised and the Grand Master fielded those questions. He then called on us to reach out and draw in the power of the Force. I closed my eyes and concentrated on pulling in the surrounding energy.

“On three we will perform a Force shove,” Luke called out to all in the room. “Make sure you concentrate on the cosmic cloud. We don’t want you guys Force shoving out the transparisteel viewport and exposing us to the vacuum of space. I, for one, have no desire to discover if a Jedi can survive outside without a enviro-suit. Concentrate of the cloud and picture in your mind this black hole moving.”

I took a deep breath and blew it out, desperate for this to work. I need this to work…for my family, friends, my people on the Indupar Crown Worlds! The thought of failure is unbearable. If we fail...I think I would go insane from grief. I wanted this danger gone…GONE!”

“One,” Luke called out. “Two, THREE! Push!”

I threw out my hand in front of me and shoved as hard as I could through the Force aiming at the dusk cloud in the distance. ‘Be gone! Gone! Gone!’ I repeated to myself over and over as I did my best to deflect that massive object in the remoteness of space. Suddenly the ship rocked, and my eyes opened long enough to see a bright flash of light. As the darkness of space returned, I heard a gasp from a number of technicians sitting in front of sensing monitors.

“Did we get deflection?” Luke questioned the scientists as he ran to one of the monitoring stations. When he didn’t get an answer, he repeated his question. “Was it deflected?”

The technician looked up at Luke with a stunned expression. “It’s gone. We can no longer detect the black hole”

Luke shook his head. “That’s impossible. Did that flash of light blind your sensors?”

The technicians tapped on keyboards for a few minutes and talked among themselves. Eventually they shook their heads in confusion. “It’s gone. We don’t know where it is. We can’t find it.”

I wasn’t sure if I should shout in celebration or not. Not knowing where it went was disturbing. I felt Taz touch my shoulder as she raised onto her toes and whispered in my ear. “You did this. You are a god.”

A cold chill ran down my spine. I had wished the black hole to be gone…and now it’s gone. The chill became one of terror at the realization that Taz might be right. Did I have powers I was not cognizant of? It was a horrifying thought. I wasn’t comfortable being a king. I sure in hell didn’t want to be a god. Could I be a god?

It was almost as if the universe answered my question as my knees buckled, and I passed out.

 

Wow. Fascinating! That was definitely not what I expected. I'm relieved it worked, although I'll BET Marcus is going: Who me?

 

Marcus YES And be with Taz

 

That makes me curious as to what you expected. lol! The galaxy blows up--The End. That is something a profic writer would do.

He wants that, but so far he can't get over her emotional problems from her abuse.



Entry 39

I woke up in the Dragon Queen II’s medical bay. Taz was standing at the end of my bed with an irritated expression on her face. I was going to ask her why she was upset, but then I noticed Allana was sitting in a chair next to my bed and holding my hand.

‘Not irritated,’ I thought. ‘Jealous.’

“What happened?” I looked back and forth between the two women. “Is the danger gone? What happened to the black hole?” I tried to sit up, but Allana put a hand out to stop me.

“Whoa, don’t get up,” Allana cautioned me. “And to answer your question. We don’t know what happened. All we know is the black hole can’t be found. The scientists are doing a grid search of the galaxy in an effort to find it, but that might take weeks. At this moment there is no pending danger that we can determine.” She turned to T’Zana. “Can you please go to the observation deck and get an update on the situation for us?”

I could feel the twinge of resentment through the Force. Taz doesn’t like taking orders from the Princess…but she turned as did as asked.

Allana’s eyes followed my assistant as she left the room. “She really doesn’t like me, does she?”

I chuckled. “She doesn’t like you holding my hand.”

Her brow furrowed in confusion. “I thought you said there was nothing between you two.”

“There isn’t anything physical, but we care for each other. I think she wanted to be the person by my side.”

“Oh.” Allana reached over and pressed the button to raise the head of my bed until I was in a sitting position. “How do you feel? We weren’t sure if you had a seizure from the light or the effort just took a little too much out of you.”

I shrugged nonchalantly, not wanting to tell her the real reason...that the thought of possibly being a god scared the scat out of me. “I just found out about the danger a few days ago. It was just too much for me emotionally. When we got the good news that the black hole disappeared…I think I fainted.”

Allana gave a snarky laugh. “Wow, you are a bit more delicate than I imagined.”

I frowned. “Sorry to disappoint you. Good thing we didn’t get married.”

She chuckled as she leaned back in her seat. “The offer still stands. I had no luck getting Duke Aveskum to change his mind and allowing me to date his younger son. He insists that his older boy, Raten, should be the one courting me.”

“So, I am plan B, second prize to the lovely Allana?”

“Stop it.” She gestured at me. “How about you? I thought you were dating Lady Racine. What’s up with that?”

I shook my head. “It never went anywhere…but I think there may be a love connection on the horizon.” I grinned slightly as I checked my uniform pockets for my communication device. “Do you have my commlink?”

She looked on my bedside table and handed it to me. I keyed a code and put the microphone to my mouth.

“Edric, this is King Marcus. Please come to the Medical Bay.”

“Yes, Sire.”

Allana gave a curious look. “I know things have gone badly with you and the ladies, but…”

“Stop it.” I rolled my eyes. “When you felt that pang of jealousy from Edric it was because I was under you…and not him.”

“What?”

I grinned widely. “He likes you, not me.”

“Ohhhh.” I could feel a twinge of anticipation from my young cousin. “He’s a looker. He’s a good guy? Isn’t he?”

“Yes, yes,” I reassured her. “My best and most loyal Knight. I will be sad to lose him…if he decides to leave my employment.”

She reached over and placed a hand on my arm. “You would do that for me.”

“Anything for you, Allana.”

She smiled broadly. “Thank you.”

It was then that Edric entered the room. “Are you well, My Lord?”

“Yes, I haven’t eaten much since I got the news, I am probably dehydrated.” I motioned to Allana. “Now that the danger has passed the Princess was looking for a sparring partner and I am not up to it at the moment. Do you think you could stand in for me?”

“Yes,” the man said enthusiastically. “Yes, of course, Sire.”

“Okay, well, if you two would excuse me. I would like to get some sleep.”

Edric offered Princess Allana his arm. “Can I escort you to the sparring room, Princess?”

Allana was now grinning ear-to-ear.

“Yes, of course.”

I had to smile when they left. I hope it works out for those two.



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Sweet. He got Edric and Allana together

 

Marcus is at it. Edric and Allana should be together.

 

Yeah, I had to find a nice guy for Allana.

My plan is for Edric and Allana to pair up. Now I only need a love connection for Marcus.


Entry 40

Taz returned to my room, looked around, and threw her arms out wide. “First the Princess sends me off to get information for her and then she leaves.”

I rotated and swung my legs off the side of the bed. “She had some pressing issues to attend to. What did you find out?”

“There is no sign of the black hole, yet. The scientists state the danger is gone, but they appear just as nervous as when certain death was inevitable.”

That comment was confusing. “Why are they still anxious?”

She shook her head. “I think they are hiding something from me…but with a room full of Jedi, I doubt they will be able to keep their secret for long.” She walked over and sat in the seat Allana had vacated. “You saved the galaxy, Marcus.”

I snorted at that statement. “It was a combined effort.”

She shook her head. “They obviously couldn’t do it without you. They tried for weeks. It wasn’t until you were here that they succeeded—not in deflecting the danger—but totally eliminating it.”

I pinched the bridge of my nose in frustration before looking at my friend intently. “Taz…if you really think I am a god…then let me heal you.”

Her brow furrowed. “Heal me? How?”

I slowly stood and reached out to her. “Let me take away those awful memories that prevent us from being together.”

She avoided my touch by scrambling out of the chair and backing away from me. “Marcus, the memories of my abuse are constant. I think of it every day. You would have to strip all my memories of the last nine years. I want to remember my time on Indupar…my time with you.”

I dropped my hands to my side. “We can make new memories.”

“Missing nine years of recollections would be more traumatic than what I did endure.” She held up her cybernetic arms. “How are you going to explain away my cybernetic limbs and eyes? Are you going to tell me I was in some bad speeder accident?”

“If you don’t think I can fix the problem then I am obviously not the supreme being that you imagine.”

“I think you can do it; I just don’t want you to.” Her voice was strained with emotion. “Marcus, I would love to have a future with you, but it’s too late. If you healed me soon after I was rescued, then I think I could have adjusted. But now…I would lose too many years. I would have no memory of you. You would be a stranger…and that is something I can’t bear.” She must have seen the sadness etched across my face, because she burst out in tears. “I’m so sorry Marcus.”

“What’s going on?” I heard a deep voice from behind me. I turned to find my grandfather standing in the doorway.

“Nothing.” I felt guilty about that lie and considered telling him the truth. “We’re just…” I hesitated for a moment before repeating my earlier lie. “It’s nothing.”

Grandpa picked up that I didn’t want to talk about it…at least not at the moment. He gave me a knowing look. “How are you?”

I forced a reassuring smile onto my face. “Fine…I think.” I turned to Taz. “Did the doctor tell you anything?”

She wiped away her tears and composed herself. “The medic said you experienced a syncope episode. In other words, you fainted.”

I turned back to my grandfather. “I guess I’m fine.”

He gave a curt nod of his head. “Good.” He hesitated for a second before continuing. “We still don’t know where the black hole is now located, but the scientists did pick up some unusual readings that may explain what happened.”

“Really? What?.” I sat at the edge of the bed and Taz returned to her seat.

“From the location where the black hole was last seen, scientists detected fairly large amounts of negative density Exotic Matter.”

The term meant nothing to me. “And that is important…why?”

“Negative density Exotic Matter indicates the past-presence of a wormhole. The experts on board think the Jedi somehow ripped a hole in the space-time continuum long enough for the black hole to pass through to the other side. When we stopped using the Force the hole collapsed.”

I know I went slack jawed at that explanation. I didn’t know the Force could disturb the fabric of space-time. “So, we may have sent a black hole to another galaxy or dimension to terrorize some other poor souls?”

Grandfather shrugged. “With the vastness of space, it is more likely it popped into a parsec of nothingness.”

I blew out a breath of relief. “So, we saved the galaxy?” I noticed my grandfather didn’t look as relieved as I did. “What’s wrong?”

He gave a caustic chuckle. “I think we really scared the piss out of the non-force users onboard. They knew the Jedi were powerful, but what they believe we accomplished today…that borders on god-like. They’re terrified of the power the Jedi wield.”

That explained why the technicians and scientists are still nervous. Unfortunately, my grandfather’s explanation only strengthened Taz's misguided beliefs.

She smirked. “It was impressive,” she said. “Almost divine intervention.”

“Yeah,” my grandfather muttered. “A little too impressive. Luke asked the Galactic Alliance Chief-of-State, the Emperor and the Hapan government to classify what happened today as secret. We don’t need the public knowing we can rip a hole through time and space.”

“I agree.” I glanced over to Taz. “We don’t need to spread this story around.”

A slight roll of her eyes told me she knew what I was referring to—no more god talk!

A smile spread across my granddad’s bearded face. “We did it, though. We did the impossible. Good work, Marcus.” He stared at me and Taz silently for a long moment before he cleared his throat. “Well I guess I’ll leave you two to…whatever you were doing.”

He then turned and left.

I glance over to Taz and grinned. “See, it was a group effort. That black hole didn’t disappear into nothingness because I willed it to do so. It was thrust into a wormhole by the effort of all Force-users.”

She rolled her eyes and made a Pssfff sound. “Or you ripped a hole in the galaxy and shoved the black hole into it.”

“Taz, sometimes you can be infuriating.” I blew out a breath, annoyed with this conversation. “If I, as your King, ordered you to never bring up this god talk again…would you obey?”

A smile cracked her face. “Probably not.”

I threw my hands up in mock frustration. “See, I’m a lousy god.”

“But I’ll keep my beliefs between us.”

“That’s good enough.” I stood and offered her my hand. “Come on, let’s go celebrate.”

She grasped my hand and allowed me to help her up from her seat. “That sounds fun.”

 

Marcus should get Taz

 

I do understand Taz's points about the healing of her memories, if it had happened early on, it would be less traumatic and less of a loss than now.

Wow--that was quite the group accomplishment and definitely something to celebrate.

 

. He should.

. The galaxy is saved...but we need to get Taz and Marcus together.


Entry 41

Four days later we were back to Indupar. It is strange to be around people who have no idea how close they came to death…and hopefully they will never know. If the news of the black hole disappearing gets around on Indupar I have no doubt that the Church leaders of the Bright Path will jump to the same conclusion that Taz did.

I was in my office going over government documents when Taz led my grandfather to my office. “Sire, your War Master would like an audience with you.”

I stood and waved him in. “Come in.”

My grandfather gaze over to Taz who had yet to leave the room. “I would like to speak to the King in private.”

T’Zana looked a bit surprised but smiled with a nod while closing the door behind her. My granddad took the seat across from my desk appearing a little anxious.

“What’s wrong?”

He pulled in a deep breath and let it out. “Marcus, when you were in the infirmary of the Dragon Queen II…well, I heard more of your conversation with T’Zana than I let on.”

“Oh,” was all I could think of saying at that moment. The fact that I am pinning away for her is a bit embarrassing, along with pathetic.

"You love her, don't you?"

“Yes," I admitted. "I love her, but we can never be together in the way I want. We’ll never marry, and if we did, I could never have children with her.” I sighed deeply. “It is what it is. I can’t change the past.”

“Yeah, about that…” my grandfather said softly. “I can.”

“What?” I sat up in my chair. “You can what?”

“I can change the past.” He looked down at the floor nervously. “I know you haven’t officially been told what happened to Jacen on Myrkr…but I assume you know. You are a postcognitive. You’ve handled weapons used during that fiasco.”

A postcognitive is a person who can touch an object and gain information about who held them last and what they were used for.

“I don’t know the full story…but I know enough. I know you fought Lumiya and gave Jacen a memory rub to make him forget he was ever a Sith apprentice.”

“What you don’t know,” my grandfather continued. “Is when I did the mindrub on Jacen Solo I saw what was in his head. I was privy to his private thoughts. Including what he learned on his five-year quest for knowledge and one of the things he learned was how to Flow-Walk.”

I shook my head. “What is a Flow-Walk?”

He shifted in his seat and gave a long pause before continuing. “It is a Force skill developed by the Aing-Tii monks. They are an alien race who reside in the Kathol Rift. They can travel through time and interact with people from their past. Jacen knew how to do this…I gained that skill from him.”

“So you are saying you can flow-walk back into the past and make sure Taz isn’t taken by slavers.”

He shook his head. “Not by Flow-walking itself. The Aing-Tii couldn’t figure out how to make changes in the past that changed their present…but there is a skill I learned from the Emperor Reborn that combined with flow-walking can result in a change of history.”

“Ahh,” I groaned. “It’s a darkside skill.”

“No, not really. It is a way to go back to the past and put a Force suggestion in a person’s mind…and hopefully make them do something different which will put them on a different path.”

This was an exciting, but terrifying possibility. “If we go back we could end up screwing up all the good things about our present. It is too much of a risk.”

“I don’t think so, Marcus.” My granddad leaned forward in his seat and gazed at me intently. “If we had a precise message given to someone in the past to buy Taz from her parents and bring her to Indupar…then the past will try to conform and maintain its current…but the fact is…she would have never been hurt by slavers.”

“No, no, what about chaos theory? Small changes in initial conditions can create a very different outcome.”

“Yes, and that would be true. Something we do now can change the future outcome…but the Aing-Tii believe the flow of the Force wants to return to its original vector. I am confident this can be done with very few changes in our present.”

I shook my head. “How can you possibly be confident about something that's never been done.”

"It has been done," he said in a broken whisper. “There was something I desperately wanted to change in the past, but like you, I didn’t want to foul up the timelines. When I found out about the black hole and the almost certain destruction of the galaxy, I decided to try the flow walking. After all, I had nothing to lose...we were all going to die anyway. So I flow-walked to the past. I tried multiple times before I succeeded. It works and with few consequences.”

“You went back and changed something knowing we might die in a few weeks anyway? What could possibly be so important?”

Teared welled up in my grandfather’s eyes. “You grandmother died five years ago in a land speeder accident. She’s with us today because last week I went back and changed everything.”

 

What a revelation about his grandmom! And I am happy it succeeded. No one ever knew she "wasn't there". So if they try this in regards to Taz, she'll have new memories but no "blank spots." How wonderful to tweak all the stuff you wished you could do over or had never happened.

 

if he could do that and save Taz, that will be great

 

Yeah, this is the reason I had the galaxy almost dying. Mark Tantiss probably would have never tried to change the past if he didn't think it wouldn't matter if things did change. They were all going to die anyway. He might as well take the chance.

I originally was going to have Marcus hook up with Lady Viktora, but I kept thinking Marcus and Taz were a One True Pairing. I had to do something to help those two get together.

I have to admit that this journal is more Mary Sue than the others. I figure this may be my last Tantiss family fanfic, so I want to end on a happy note.
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Entry 42

“What? No…that’s not possible.”

My grandfather’s chin trembled ever so slightly as he wiped tears from his eyes. “It’s true. I remember two timelines, and in one, your grandmother died. I mourned her loss for five long years.”

“Five years? If you were going to do it…why wait five years?”

“I could have done it sooner. I knew it was possible to go back and maybe save her…but I was a fearful of the repercussions. I was tempted, though. A couple months after she died, I considered trying…but then your dad told me Zylie was pregnant. I was afraid that if I went back and changed the past then maybe that grandchild wouldn’t be conceived. There was too much to lose. I accepted my loss and tried to move on…until last week.”

“When we found out about our impending doom?”

He looked at me sheepishly. “I honestly didn't believe the Jedi had chance in hell of succeeding…so I thought, ‘Why not?’” The day before we left, I went to my home office to meditate. I dropped down into the flow of the Force and flow-walked back to that fateful day. I ended up in my apartment and actually saw my past self. I tried to communicate but wasn’t able to. I don’t know if there is some sort of Flow-walking rule that prevents one from interacting with one’s self, but I couldn’t manage to connect. I then went to your grandmother and, surprisingly, she did see me. She didn’t look worried or upset, so I think I appeared solid to her. I told her to stay in the house tonight. She asked why and I told her I had a vision that something bad would happen. She promised she would stay in…but she must have gone out afterwards because she still died.” His voice cracked as his words slipped out between clenched teeth. “She changed her mind for some reason. After a few attempts I just told her to stay put and then used a Force suggestion to make sure she didn’t change her mind. I then dropped out of the flow of the Force.” He chuckled under his breath. “I got up and went to get a drink of water and practically soiled my pants when I saw your grandmother in the kitchen making dinner for me.”

I was absolutely stunned by this story. “You said you remembered the other timeline? It’s not a blank to you?”

He nodded. “I remember everything from both timelines, but I appear to be the only one who does.”

“Gods,” I whispered. “So, you remember grandma dying?”

“Yes,” he said softly, his voice miserable. “I never want to experience that pain again.”

I nodded in understanding. “I guess that explains why you always want to go on combat missions. You don’t want to outlive her a second time.”

He only shrugged.

“Grandpa, you do realize that if you die before grandma…she is going to experience the same pain you did. Why would you want to inflict such sorrow on someone you love?”

He straightened in his seat and closed his eyes briefly. “I guess I never thought about it that way. I was so consumed with my own pain.”

I leaned back in my seat and thought about the situation. “You said not much changed? How can that be?”

“According to the Aing-Tii monks, the flow of the time is like the current of a river. If you go upstream and throw a rock into the river it will splash and make some ripples for a second, but you would never know it downstream. The effects of the ripples dissipate almost immediately.”

“Then how did you change things?”

“I skipped the rock down river.” His words were more of a question than an answer. “I flow-walked back and used a Force skill called ‘Alter Mind’ on your grandmother. I used a reoccurring Force suggestion to keep her from driving her speeder.”

“Wait,” I put my hand up. “Is that why grandmother requested a personal driver five years ago?”

He blushed slightly. “Ah, yeah.”

I scratched my chin in thought. “I love the idea of Taz never having to had suffer the pain she endured, but if we save her from the slavers there isn’t any guarantee that anything will change between us. Right now, we are only friends. If the Aing-Tii monks are correct about the flow of the force wanting to remain the same…then Taz and I probably will only end up as friends in the different timeline.”

Granddad shrugged. “She would still be better off.”

I shook my head. “No, I’m not going to play god.”

Grandfather chuckled. “We already played god by saving our galaxy.” He reached over and put a hand on my shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. “You have nothing to lose. If things get worse, then I’ll flow-walk back and stop you from flow-walking.”

I put my hand up. “Wait…you want me to do the flow-walking to the past? Why not you?”

“What am I going to do? Go back and talk to you as a preteen and get you to buy a young human? No, you need an adult to make the arrangements. I’ll teach you to go back in time so you can convince me to save her. When you come out of your meditation, if things are amiss, then I will flow walk back and tell you not to flow-walk to talk to me. Does that make sense?”

I shook my head. “No, not really. It sounds like a temporal paradox waiting to happen.”

He slouched in his seat and sighed deeply. “Marcus. Our family has been manipulated for three generations to serve the greater good of the galaxy. Don’t you think it is time we did something for ourselves?”

“I don’t know. It seems selfish to want more.”

I turned to face me fully. “We gave the galaxy a second chance. Don’t you think T’Zana deserves one also? And you…don’t you want a chance at having a life with her?”

I thought about it for a long moment before answering. “Okay, but we need T’Zana’s permission. We can’t just go back and change her life without her knowing. I want her input on the situation.”

Grandfather smiled with a nod. “It sounds like a plan.”

 

Great plan and now getting things right for Taz

 

Yeah, we need to get this fixed.

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Entry 43

“That’s impossible,” Taz’s words were quietly spoken as she sat in my office. She looked to me quizzically. “You are saying you can change the past?”

I put a hand to my chest. “Not me personally.” I pointed to my grandfather who was leaning against my desk. “Master Tantiss can.”

Her brow furrowed as she looked at granddad. “And how do you know this?”

“Because I have done it before.”

Taz shook her head. “How would you know you changed the past. Wouldn’t that change your memories so you wouldn’t remember?”

“No,” my grandfather explained. “The person who flow walks back into the past will have two sets of memories.”

She looked to me and my grandfather skeptically. “Isn't that confusing?”

He shrugged a meaty shoulder. “I’ve gotten accustomed to having more than one set of memories.”

“What?”

I interrupted. “It’s a long story, Taz. We want to know if you would like us to go back and make sure you’re not sold to slavers?”

She shook her head. “No. If I stayed with my parents, I'd never have met you.”

“Unless I bought you from your parents,” my grandfather clarified.

T’Zana rubbed her temples as if she was getting a headache. “Isn’t that illegal?”

My granddad shrugged. “I would do it for you.”

She hesitated for a moment before answering slowly. “My present-self likes the idea, but I don’t know how my twelve-year-old counterpart will react to being sold. You have to understand, I loved my parents. They were drunk, spice addicts that neglected me, but I was a child and they were my parents. I remember being very upset when I was sold. I cried out for my mom and dad. I don’t think I would go with you willingly.”

“What if” I said tentatively. “What if Master Tantiss told your past-self that Kamii, the Sky God, sent him to save you?”

She thought about it for a long moment. “That might work.”

Grandpa smiled. “We would need to know when and where your parents were when they sold you.”

She lowered her eyes and sighed deeply. “The date was burned into my mind. It was the first day of the Festival of Love. My father said we were all going to the Skitten Pittin, which was a local cantina and drug den. I was surprised that he brought me with them. Usually they would go off to drink and get high and leave me at home.” Her voice became hoarse with emotion and she had to pause to collect herself. “I actually thought they were going to buy me a meal to celebrate the opening of the festival.” She let out a shuttering breath . “He went to the door of the cantina and made a call. After waiting thirty or forty minutes a man showed up, looked me up and down, and then gave my father a handful of credits. The man then grabbed me and dragged me to his speeder. I don’t know the exact time, but the sun was just going down.” She looked at my grandfather questioningly. “Would that be enough information to find me?”

He nodded.

“And you’ll bring me to Indupar?”

“Yes.”

She looked to me. “And you’ll make sure we’ll meet?”

“Definitely,” I assured her.

She ran an agitated hand through her dark curly hair. “What will I remember?”

“Just the new timeline.” I smiled softly. “A timeline without torture, mutilation or abuse.”

“T’Zana,” my grandfather said softly. “I will make sure you have a good life here on Indupar.”

She blew out a frustrated breath. “If I don’t remember…then I don’t want you to tell me what you've done…ever. I want to be blissfully ignorant of the horrors that I endured in this timeline.” She looked up to me, her eyes pinning me to my seat. “Can you promise me that?”

“Yes.”

She looked down at the floor, chewing her bottom lip in thought. “Then do it.”

Entry 44

It took a few days to get the hang of flow walking, but eventually the day come for me to venture back in time and talk to my grandfather. We picked a date where he knew he would be home. My father’s birthday was a month before the Festival of Love would occur on Taz’s home planet. My entire family was at the palace the entire day. Granddad says he remembers my grandmother baking a birthday meal in their apartment. I was incredulous at first, but then I remembered my grandfather and my father both journal. He wrote about that date, what he was doing and where he was.

I sat cross-legged on my bed mattress and sunk deep into the flow of the Force. I journeyed back and found my grandfather in his home office. He didn’t recognize me at first. That didn’t surprise me. I am an adult now and then I was just a boy. I talked quickly, reassuring my granddad that he taught me to flow walk and I had a mission for him. After about thirty minutes of talking I performed the Alter Mind Force skill. I reinforced in his mind that he was to save Taz and bring her to Indupar so she could have a good life.

Once that was done, I slowly pulled myself out of the flow. I opened my eyes and blew out a breath. I looked around my bedroom, but everything looked the same. My shoulders slumped thinking I had failed. I slid off my bed and walked around my apartment looking for any indication that things had changed, but I didn’t notice anything amiss. I thought back and didn’t have the double memories my grandfather had referred to. I walked out of my apartment intending on finding my grandfather and question him about any flow walking memory he possessed. As I closed the door to my apartment, I saw Taz walking towards me, datapad in hand, as she scrutinized some document projected on the screen. She looked up and smiled. “Your Highness, I have some forms for your signature. It is requisition forms for the Ec Pand Jedi Temple.”

I smiled back at her thinking she looked especially beautiful today. “Yes, of course.” I opened my apartment door and let her in. I followed her through the entrance way and closed the door behind me. “What exactly are the Jedi asking for?”

Taz handed me the datapad and stood next to me so she could view the device. She pointed to the document. “They wanted a larger freezer for their dining facility.”

I just about jumped out of my skin when Taz’s hand reached down and squeezed my butt cheek. I remember dropping the datapad as I made an unmanly yelp of surprise. Before I could talk her lips were on mine. She kissed me…and this wasn’t a tentative kiss, or a light teasing kiss…this was a full contact, wet-tongued, tonsil-probing kiss! Although I dreamed of this day happening for years, the newness shocked me, and I backpedaled until I tripped over my feet and fell on my backside.

Taz laughed as she reached out a hand and helped me to my feet. “Why are you always playing hard to get?”

“I uh…” I wasn’t sure what to say. Obviously, the flow walking worked, but I don’t have the memories. I’m not sure what my relationship is to T’Zana.

“I know, I know, no sex until the wedding.” She rolled her eyes and made a gesture of frustration.

“Whose wedding?”

She turned and glared at me. “Whose wedding? Have the Bright Path Clerics been pestering you again about my refusal to convert to the state religion?” She poked a finger in my chest. “Those zealots think you are a god…and you and I both know that’s not true. I am not going to convert to a religion that has me worshiping you as a deity.”

“I never said I was a god.”

She waved her hand in the air. “I know, but it is still frustrating to me. You know I worship Kamii. He answered my prayers. I’m not going to turn my back on my childhood religion.”

This was all too much for me. I needed to talk to my grandfather. “I’m sorry, Taz. I uhh…I’m a bit confused. I was consulting the time stream and you know how that can get me disorientated.” I took in a big breath and blew it out. “I need to talk to Master Tantiss.”

“Which one?”

“The elder,” I said.

“Why do you need to talk to my dad?”

My jaw dropped. “Your dad? Ummm…I just need to discuss Force training with him.” I shuffled over to the door. “Can you wait here for me.”

I didn’t wait for an answer but ran to my grandfather’s quarters and barged right in. My grandmother was surprised by my entrance but smiled warmly. “What can I do for you Marcus?”

“I need to talk to granddad. Where is he?”

She pointed to the apartment’s home office and I quickly made my way there. I burst through the doors and found my grandfather at his desk reading his datapad. “I just got back from Flow walking.”

His brow went up and he put his datapad down. “I was wondering when you would show up. Did it work?”

I shook my head. “I don’t know. You told me I would have two sets of memories, but I just have one.”

He smiled and made a placating gesture. “Just wait. It takes an hour or two before your brain can…I don’t know…reconfigure.”

“You adopted Taz? Why?”

He frowned. “Why not? You said I was to give her a good life here on Indupar. Her parents were drug addicts that neglected her. She needed parents…besides your grandmother always wanted a little girl.”

“I love Taz. I want to marry her…but now she’s my Aunt.”

Granddad rolled his eyes. “Don’t be ridiculous. First of all, the public doesn’t know you are my grandson and second she’s not your Aunt by blood.” He stood and walked around his desk and put a strong arm around my shoulder. “Give this some time. In a few hours everything will make sense to you.”

I used a Jedi calming technique to sooth my nerves. “Do I love her in this timeline? She practically molested me in my quarters…” I was unable to get the rest of the sentence out.

“What?!” My grandfather looked shocked. I was confused at first but then I realized I just told him the young girl he raised for the last eight years tried to have her way with me. He was being an overly protective father. He gave me a stern look. “I hope you didn’t give in to her…flirtatious nature.”

“No. I was too much in shock.”

“Good.” He smirked as he patted my shoulder. “T’Zana knows you want to stay pure until marriage because of your position in the state church. “She loves to tease and flirt with you. I don’t think she would understand if you suddenly returned her affection in a more…physical manner.”

I nodded in understanding. “Are we engaged to be married?”

“You asked her a year ago. The Church leaders are demanding she convert to the state religion before they will conduct a church wedding.”

“Screw that. We’ll elope.”

“Don’t do that. I’ll never hear the end of that from your mother or grandmother.” He sat back down at his desk and picked up his datapad. He pushed some buttons before handing me the device. “Your lawyers are working on an amendment to the constitution separating church and state. You will no longer be the church leader and you can marry whoever you desire.”

I looked down at a form filled with legal jumble. “Yeah,” I said slowly. “I’m starting to remember.”

"Good." A smile spread over my grandfather’s bearded face. “It looks like everybody is going to have a happy ending in this story.”

 

Wonderful! If there's anything I love more than happy endings, I have no idea what.

 

That's a big happy ending. I love it seeing Taz unmutilated and happy with Marcus

 

I am not completely done yet. There may be another chapter to tie up all the loose ends.

So do I. I initially intended for Marcus to marry Viktora and Taz would help them raise the kids. But I decided that is a mediocre ending. I like this one better.

Yesterday and today I binge watched The Umbrella Academy on Netflix and there are a couple parts of that show that remind me of this story. It wasn't exactly flow walking, but a similar concept.

 

This is just a short little entry.

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Entry 45

I went back to my apartment and found Taz there. That's not surprising, since I asked her to wait for me. She smiled and rose from my couch as I entered. “Did you have a good talk with dad?”

“Uhh…yeah.” I gazed at her intently…especially her face. T’Zana was always beautiful to me, but in the other timeline, she had telltale faint white scars crisscrossing her lovely tanned face. The scars were now gone. I walked over and took her hands in mine and gave them a gentle squeeze relishing in their warmth. The old Taz had the best cybernetic limbs that money could buy, but they never could completely mimic the feel of real flesh. I gazed at her in wonder and felt like crying. The woman I loved was never tortured, beaten, humiliated, abused and mutilated.

Her smiled slipped as she noticed the change of my demeanor. “What’s wrong, Marcus?”

I didn’t answer but leaned in and kissed her gently on the lips. When I pulled away, I smiled broadly. “Nothing is the matter. Everything is perfect.”

She gave her best seductive grin as she wrapped her arms around my waist and pulled me close until we were pressed tightly together. “We should forget about your religious vows of purity.”

My second set of memories were coming to me. This was a game we have played for years. She would flirt with me knowing I would never take her up on her offer. Maybe it was time to tease back.

I reached up and brushed a wayward hair out from her eyes. “You’re right. My people are working on paperwork removing me as leader of the State religion. I say, why wait?” I leaned in and brought my mouth to her ear and whispered softly. “Let’s make love all night. I’ve been waiting for this all my life. I can wait no longer.”

Taz’s eyes went wide and I felt her body stiffen before she quickly detangled out of my arms and pulled away. “What?”

I reached out with my hand. “Taz, why wait?”

She shook her head with an expression of panic. “We wait because you wanted to wait…and because my father will break you in half if he senses through the Force that we’re having sex.”

I shook my head. “He won’t hurt me. I’m his king.”

“And I’m his daughter,” she said adamantly. “That trumps king any day.”

My mouth twitched into a wry grin. “Okay, no sex…but that also means no more teasing.”

Her posture relaxed. “Did you really change your mind?”

I shrugged slightly. “I want whatever you want…and since you don’t want me broken in half by a two-meter giant that I call my War Master and you call dad…I guess we’ll wait.”

She pulled me into a hug. “I doesn’t mean we can’t do…other things.”

Now that my memories have returned, I remember those other things were activities that severely tested the limits of my virtue…but they were also so much fun.

I took her into my arms and gave her a long, amorous kiss before I paused and drew in a ragged breath. “I love other things.”

 

Love the banter and the sense of ease T'Zana has without the burden of trauma. I know Marcus is relieved on her behalf as well as his own.

 

Lovely scene with the banter.

 

Thanks. Those two were made for each other.

Thank you. I should have this done in a few more entries.
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Entry 46

I believe I have successfully regained all my memories from my new timeline. I’m glad, because they are memories that I cherish…although some are a bit ironic.

Since my past self didn’t know why my grandfather brought a strange girl home from his travels, I was a bit jealous and, I hate to admit, put off by her intrusion into my family and life.

My grandfather never told me about how my future-self flow walked to the past and instructed him to save T’Zana. All he told me was he encountered her parents trying to sell her for drug money. He couldn’t leave her in that predicament. He was going to find a foster home for Taz, but my grandmother immediately fell in love with her. She really did want a little girl and went about bringing Taz out shopping for clothing, taught her how to cook, put on makeup and other feminine things she couldn’t do with her sons.

T’Zana was assigned tutors to help her catch up in her studies. Taz had missed a lot of school since her parents moved around often in an effort to avoid bill collectors or law enforcement. I was frequently invited to dinner with my grandparents and their new ward.

I was upset having to share my family with this interloper…but eventually I began to accept her as part of my family, plus it was nice having somebody my age to talk to and hang around with. After a few years, when we both turned sixteen, our relationship changed again. I started to fall for this dark-haired girl with an infectious smile and a sharp wit.

My infatuation with Taz didn’t go unnoticed by the church leadership who pressured T’Zana to convert to the Church of the Bright Path. She refused believing her god saved her from a life of misery. The senior clergy were certain T’Zana would sully the soul of their spiritual leader. That was the reason I strived to remain pure until we married. I didn’t want anybody blaming Taz for corrupting their religious leader. Taz was not completely on board with my decision as the years wore on. She often suggested that we sneak away from the palace (and her Force strong father) and bring our relationship to the next level…hence the teasing and tempting…especially when we hit our twenties.

I wonder if a man can die from sexual frustration? I think I may find out soon if my lawyers can’t push through the legislation releasing me from my spiritual duties to the church. I know I promised my grandfather we won’t elope, but that might happen. Or perhaps the entire family can fly off to Coruscant or some other world and Taz and I will marry there.

Speaking of getting married. I heard a rumor that Princess Allana and Indupar Knight Edric Kjek are officially dating and wedding bells may be in their future. I am happy for Allana. I do love her and wanted her to find a man who would cherish her. I think Edric is that man.

Yesterday I saw Lady Viktora and her baby brother Nickolas. She smiled as she cradled her brother in her arms. “Your Highness, thank you for all you have done for me and my brother. We are forever in your debt.”

I stood silent for a long pause as I tried to recall what exactly I did for my supposed-cousin. I then remembered the two timelines were almost exactly the same. I had ensured her, and her brother, were given their full titles and the return of their lands and any funds frozen in their late father’s accounts. The only difference between the two timelines was I never considered Lady Viktora as a possible love interest. I was a bit standoffish with Viki (so not to make Taz jealous), but she and Taz became good friends.

I am shocked that a major event like saving T’Zana didn’t affect the outcome of the future much. In both timelines my Vong soldiers took on slavers, we fought the Sith on Coruscant, Taz is still my assistant, my family and the Jedi saved the galaxy from a blackhole, and I introduced Allana to Edric.

Everything turned out perfect. But my grandfather worries that we may have just been lucky. He has made me swear that we will never flow walk again…at least not that far back. I think he’s right. It’s too risky.

Another thing grandpa talked to me about was what to tell Taz. I told him that before I flow walked T’Zana said, if I was successful in changing the past, I was to never tell her how she was enslaved and abused.

“I’m talking about telling her that you are not the true heir to the throne,” Granddad clarified. “Your father let his wife know about you before they married. You should tell T’Zana that you are my grandson before you tie the knot. She sees me and your grandmother as her parents. I’ve wanted to tell her for years but thought it best to wait to see if you showed up and ask you what you want.”

“I guess I should let her know about us.” I thought about it. “Should we do it as a family?”

My grandfather smiled. “Sure.”

Entry 47

This was an interesting day. I talked to my family and decided to break the news to T’Zana after a family dinner. My mother cooked a big meal and invited my father and his wife, my mother, my aunt, and, of course, me and my grandfather.

When I arrived at my grandparent’s apartment, I could tell T’Zana was already suspicious because of the guest list. She has had dinners with my mother and my aunt and she’s done the same with my father and Zylie…what she hasn’t experienced before was all four in the same room together outside of an official function. That is not surprising at all to me since my mother and father had a very short romantic fling that ended in heartache…along with my conception. My mom and dad have not been together as a couple since before I was born. I can tell that Zylie feels uncomfortable around my mom. It is understandable. Nobody wants their husband hanging around his former lover.

After dinner Taz pulled me into a side hallway whispered, “What’s going on? Talon hasn’t said more than two words to your mom’s sister this entire evening.” (Just for clarification: Taz thinks Ema, my birth mother, is actually my aunt and my aunt (The Queen Mother) is my mom. Confused? Just wait, it gets more confusing.

“Taz, they have a complicated relationship. You’ll understand by the end of the day. There is something very important I need to discuss with you before we marry…and I thought it best that they were here when I told you.”

I immediately felt a pang of anxiety through the Force coming from Taz. “What’s going on? Does this have to do with me not converting to the State religion?”

I shook my head. “No…it’s something different…something that I have to tell you before we get married. I don’t want to our married life based on lies.”

Now that anxious pang became a full-blown worry that bordered on panic. “Marcus, what are you talking about? Are you dating somebody else? Is it Allana? I’ve seen how she looks at you. She’s always flirting and letting the sludge holozines write salacious lies about you two…or at least I thought they were lies.”

Wow! Taz is building up to a complete panic attack. She’s already is on the verge of tears. I reached out and pulled her into my arms. “There is nothing between Allana and me other than friendship. You are the only one for me Taz.” I took her hands in mine and pulled her into the main sitting room where my family had assembled, waiting for my announcement. My family were sitting on my grandparent’s big sectional couch, sipping drinks and chatting among each other. When we entered the room, they became silent.

Now it was my turn to become nervous. I turned to Taz and gave her hands a reassuring squeeze. “Taz, I need you to know, I’m not the man you think I am. I am not the true rightful ruler of the Indupar Crown Worlds. I am the son of Ema Aiti and Talon Tantiss. The Queen—my aunt—was pregnant with the late King’s baby, but she miscarried within a few weeks of pregnancy. My mother, Ema, discovered she was pregnant about the same time. The H’Drachi Seers predicted a war occurring if Olaf Racine became king. They convinced my mother to switch places with the Queen and to pass me off as the true heir of the throne. I have been living with this secret since I discovered the truth when I was nine years old. It is not a secret I wish to keep from the love of my life, the woman I want to marry and raise a family with.”

I ended my speech and stared at T’Zana expectantly. I didn’t think it would matter to her, but I wasn’t a hundred percent sure. Although I am a seer, I can’t see my own future and the H’Drachi Seers have trouble seeing me in their time streams either.

Taz gazed at me slack jawed before turning to my family. I think she expected them to start laughing at my ‘amusing story’, but they simply stared back at her in silence.

She pulled her hands out of mine. “Wait, are you saying my adoptive parents are your biological grandparents?”

I know I shouldn’t joke at this point, but I wanted to break the tension. “Yes, Aunt Taz.”

I heard my grandfather groan as he buried his head in his hands. “That didn’t make things better, Marcus.”

I glanced at him and shrugged apologetically. “Sorry.” I turned back to Taz. “I know this is confusing, but I can honestly say, I know exactly how you feel. For the first eight years of my life I thought my father was dead and that Queen Kaie was my mother. Then on my ninth birthday I discover my father is not only alive, but he’s some Jedi Knight I never heard of. My aunt is really my mother and I have usurped the throne.”

Taz shook her head in confusion. She opened her mouth to talk, but nothing came out. Eventually she moved away from me and sat down next to my grandparents. “This is so confusing.”

My grandmother leaned over and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. “Taz, I know this is confusing. Just remember we all love you.”

She took a few deep breaths before looking at me. “Is that your only secret?”

I grimaced knowing this revelation was only one piece of a giant puzzle. “There is more, but most of them are state secrets or family confidences that are not my secrets to tell. My paternity is what I wanted to reveal to you. I think it is important that you know who I am and who is part of my family…because you are going to become part of that family also.” I hesitated briefly. “You still want to marry me, don’t you?”

She rolled her eyes. “Of course, I do. I’m just trying to wrap my brain around the fact that your grandparents are my parents, your father is not only my future father-in-law but also my brother and you are my future husband and nephew! Are you sure there isn't anything else you haven’t told me?”

I cleared my throat and then looked at my grandfather questioningly. I wasn’t sure if he wanted to get into the entire Luke Skywalker clone story. I guess he thought I wanted him to reveal that aspect of his life, because he blurted out. “I’m an altered Luke Skywalker clone. So…ah…Marcus is related to the entire Solo and Skywalker families.”

Taz’s eyes narrowed and I could tell she was getting irritated. She thought this was all a big joke. “Dad,” she said to my grandfather. “That story would be much more believable if you actually looked like the Grand Master.”

My granddad threw up his hands in frustration. “I did say I was ‘altered’. The cloner took the Skywalker DNA and tinkered with it to make me bigger.” He pointed to the roots of his hair. “You can see the grayish-blond roots. I dye my hair…along with my irises.” He looked at his adopted daughter intently. “Listen, I love you, your mother loves you and my grandson loves you. Marcus just wanted you to know the truth before you two got married.”

She blew out a breath and nodded her head slowly. “Okay. This will take time to digest, but this isn’t too bad when it comes to secrets revealed…especially after that ‘we are all going to die by a rogue blackhole’ issue a few weeks ago.”

I had to chuckle, thankful that the revelation of my true paternity was not as shocking as the near destruction of the galaxy and the billion-trillion sentients along with it.

Now I only have to worry about the impending wedding.

 

Glad that Viktora & her brother have their honor and lands back in the family. Allana and Edric are a couple too.

But what?! Marcus is Taz's future husband and nephew That is one convoluted family tie!