Legacy ~*~ ANNOUNCEMENT ~*~ COMPLETED --TAGGED

By the way, Rennati, I love your sig.

 

Yea! 100 posts! 5pages! This is all good!

I'm writing the next post now. Tomorrow, probably.

 

Next posty!


*****


Nastom sat cross-legged on the floor, staring at the wall and wondering how to start. He wanted to explore the Force, to figure out exactly what it was and what it wanted from him, but he had no idea how. Everything he had done so far was something the Force taught him how to do.

He took a deep breath, and reached out, as if he were reaching towards someone's mind. But instead of feeling a person, he tried to feel the Force. Who are you? he called questioningly. Why are you speaking to me?

Nothing. He saw the streaked walls, the dusty floor, the door swinging on its hinges. He closed his eyes, trying to feel . . . when suddenly his mind was flooded with sensations. He felt Nastia downstairs, a bright star shining in the Force. Next to her was the fainter but still definite presence of Kos. Maybe she doesn't shine so brightly because she can't touch the Force, he thought.

He could feel the walls, too, but they didn't feel the same. They felt more like obstacles, and less like different parts of the same thing. His eyes flew open. "The Force is just life!" he said aloud. The connection between him and Nastia, and even Kos, felt like part of a grand web, an energy, something that connected everything, and held it together. He sat on the hard floor, feeling everything around him click into place. He was filled with an intoxicating joy, a sense of rightness. This was right. He couldn't possibly explain it, but it all worked.

The Force was not just a tool for his use-- he was a tool for it. It touched everything, and knew everything. Not like a living being, but . . . His mind strained to grasp the enormity of it. Something generated by life! That's what it is!

Downstairs, he heard Nastia laugh at something, and physically felt her cheerful ebullience. They were all part of the Force. There was nothing that couldn't be done with the Force.

His father's words came back to him. "Do, or do not. There is no try."

He looked up, wishing his father were there to help him. "Did you know about this, Father? Is that how you attained your wisdom? The proverbs you were always quoting at me?" There was no answer, but he hadn't expected one.

Something inside him said that he was the first. It gave him a feeling of exhilaration, but also of fear. Then a soft voice spoke in his mind. The first, Nastom. The first being to touch us, to feel us. Listen to what we teach you, and pass it on.

Nastom realized he was crying, lying face down on the floor with his cheek in the dust. He felt completely and utterly overwhelmed.

The door opened quietly, and Kos entered. Nastom felt slightly ashamed at crying. He was sixteen now, a man; he shouldn't be crying. Yet somehow, everything had changed. He trusted Kos, and he knew she could tell something was different. She silently knelt next to him, her eyes questioning, but for once having the tact not to ask him about it.

"It's the Force," he managed to gasp through his tears. "It's everywhere, it binds the galaxy together." His words fell over each other in his haste and eagerness to get it all out. "Between, you, me," he gestured wildly. "The door, the dust, Nastia, the factory. We're all tied together by the energy of life!" He sat up and grabbed her hands excitedly. "And I'm the first, Kos! Can you believe it? The first!"

"The first what, Nastom?"

"The first person to touch the Force, to be able to feel it.. But I'm not the only one! I have to find others like me, pass on what I have learned! The Force is teaching me, and I have to teach them."

Her brown eyes widened. "How will you do that?"

"I will follow where it leads me," he answered firmly. "I will go where it bids me go, and do what it bids me do. And you will come with me, and Nastia, until we find a place that we can truly call our home." He squeezed her hands. "Don't you see, Kos? We're not alone anymore!"

* * * * *

 

WOW! Wonderful!!!!!!

WHOO HOO!!!!!!!!

Later
Rennati

btw: Glad you like the sig..

 

Wow!!! Amazing post, Mcily!!! I loved how you described Nastom's feelings and his experience with the Force...

Great job, again!

 

WAHOO!!!!!!!!!

 

Pryo snuck toward the factory, his fifty companions spread out behind him. The night was at its darkest, and there was no moon tonight. The shadows were so deep he could barely see his hand in front of his face.

The facotry loomed up in front of them, orange light shining from the few windows. It was surely the symbol of evil on the planet. He smiled grimly. It would be gone before the night was through. His partner in this operation knew how to blow up the nuclear reactor and destroy the building. The hard part would be evacuating the innocent workers, but keeping their overseers and masters locked inside. Nastom would call their plan murder -- Pryo called it vengeance.

He slipped up the door and opened it, then gestured his followers inside, pulling aside his partner, Orion. "Get to the reactor. I want the kaboom in an hour," he hissed.

"Will do," replied the reptiliform creature. It resembled a snake more than anything else as it slithered off its two limbs clacking nervously. Pryo turned to find the room with the youngest children. Each person had his assignment of people to evacuate, and Pryo felt confident the children would listen to him.

His legs took him automatically to the room. Little children, crying with fatigue, lugged the bulky droids around. The lighting was insufficient, and the occasional explosion of sparks was the only remarkable sight.

One of the children looked up at him, her light yellow eyes dull and lifeless. She turned away and hauled on her droid.

"Wait," he whispered, drawing close. If he could get the children out without the supervisors noticing until it was too late-- "Would you like to go home?" he asked gently. She regarded him, then nodded, her eyes filling with tears. Her stroked her cheek. The children were so helpless! He was even more convinced that this building of terror must fall. "Get your friends over here," he told her, pointing toward some other children. She nodded meekly and walked slowly away, whispering with another child, who looked furtively at Pryo. He smiled at them, trying to win their trust. It was the only way. He glanced up at the glowing chronometer on the wall. Ten minutes had passed already. He swallowed, and tried to look encouraging. "Come on, quickly. We don't have much time."

* * * * *

The next few scenes will be snippets for teh most part, because I'll be keeping track of several people in a short amount of time.

 

that's cool, can't wait for the next post

 

Orion slithered into the hot furnace room where the controls for the nuclear reactor were. He reared up, bending his supple spine to balance his body high enough to check the dials. Everything was stable, or as stable as could be expected in a reactor. He slid over to the control panel, scanning the familiar contours of buttons and switches. He lifted his two limbs, both what humans would consider arms, and gently touched a switch. A low hum sounded in his sensitive ears. Just what he thought would happen.

He touched a button, dumping an overload of chemicals in the reactor. With it turned down, nothing would happen for awhile -- about an hour. That would give the others plenty of time. He turned to leave, knowing that the imbalance would be detected at some point and not wishing to be in the vicinity when that happened. He flicked his tail with satisfaction, then froze.

A tiny shock stung the end of his tail, telling him instantly that he had knocked into something. He turned, then moaned, a low, hissing sound. He had just turned power levels to the max. A loud rumbling filled the room. He strained to see the dials from here, and saw the little needles shooting into the red. He cursed. Not an hour, anymore; more like ten minutes. The effects were irreversible.

He hesitated, torn between trying to buy more time and getting out of there as fast as he could. After a moment of indecision, he frantically tried to turn the reactor off. It was too late, and his effects only escalated the problem. He slapped the floor in terrified frustration. He didn't know enough! Why had he ever agreed on this? Nastom was right; violence could only lead to innocent lives being destroyed. Why hadn't he listened?

He stretched toward the door, knowing his slow crawling would never get him far enough away in time. The entire city would likely be destroyed, because of his error. If his species had tear ducts, he knew he would be crying.

There was no use warning anyone. Get away! he silently commanded, knowing how many people would die. Get away now!

* * * * *

 

Oooh! Suspense builds... And there's trouble!!! I hope Nastom hears Orion's warning...

 

ooooooooooo scary!

 

Post more, Mcily!!!

 

Here's more! Yea!

* * * * *

Nastom sat up, panting, the voice echoing in his mind. Get away! He couldn't recognize the speaker, and bemoaned his lack of control in the Force. All he could tell was that the person was terrified. Without thinking, he pushed the coverlet aside and stood up, not taking the time to pull on a shirt. Nastia stirred and blinked sleepily.

"Where are you going?" she murmured.

His mind still echoed with fear, but a deeper urgency was filling him. "Nastia, you need to get up now," he said soothingly. She yawned and sat up, holding her arms out. Nastom picked her up and hurried to the other room.

Kos lay curled up on her cot, her hands curled underneath her pillow. The thin coverlet rose and feel with her breath, and he hated to wake her. Her face was lined with exhaustion. He took a deep breath, calming his mind, trying to figure out what was going on. After a second, he was filled again with urgency. He shook Kos's shoulder. "Wake up, Kos. We have to get out."

She yawned and sat up, staring at him tiredly. "What?"

"We need to go," he said again. "Something is about to go dreadfully wrong." He shivered, feeling suddenly cold. "We have to get off this planet before . . . before something happens."

She yawned again, getting up without question. "Follow me."

She headed for the door, rubbing her eyes. "We'll go to the spaceport and get a ship."

"We don't have any money."

She stopped. "Not exactly. But if whatever it is you're sensing is bad enough that we need to leave the planet, then we'll just go ahead and steal one."

Nastom stared, dumbfounded, then slowly smiled. "I never thought of that."

She raised her eyebrows. "Somehow I didn't think you would."

* * * * *

 

A deep rumbling startled Pryo as he lined the children up. The guards had noticed the ruckus and investigated, but weren't organized enough to resist. They had reached him one at a time, and he had defeated them easily.

A tiny, kitten-like child started to cry, its sensitive ears picking up the overtones of the rumbling. He lifted it up, and it nestled against his shoulder. Something is wrong. The reactor's blowing! Pryo turned skeptically. Orion was more reliable than that; it must just be preliminary noises. He started herding the children toward the door.

"Come along, kids," he said cajolingly. "We're going to get out and go home."

They pressed close, staring up at him with wide eyes of every imaginable color. Thumbs found their way into small mouths; tails flicked nervously. "Don't be frightened," he soothed. "I'm here to protect you."

He walked slowly toward the door, and they followed him hesitantly. Suddenly, a roar filled his ears. Even the screams of the children couldn't drown it out as it grew and grew, filling his ears.

* * * * *

As Orion slithered away, he heard a muffled explosion behind him. Without turning, he rushed onward, knowing nothing in the city would escape the inevitable blast.

The sound died for a moment, and he breathed a short-lived sigh of relief. Something must have come loose, letting some of the heat escape. It could buy him a few minutes. He shuddered at the thought of what was happening back in the factory. No doubt the heat was escaping into the rooms, melting machinery and doors, and trapping the people inside.

He pushed the thought away and pressed on. Ahead of him, two young humans dashed across the street. The taller one clasped a child in his arms.

"Nastom!" Orion shouted, recognizing the young man and his companions. "Kos!" But they didn't hear him. They hurried into a docking bay. At least they would escape. Orion smiled grimly. They were destined for better things than a grisly death on this decaying planet.

* * * * *

 

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AAAAACCCCCCCCCKkkkkkkkkk!!!!!!!! WOW!!! This is great!

Oh, I can't wait to see what happens! You have to post more soon!


later
Rennati

 

Oh my! Please don't tell me that all the children are gonna die!

Great posts, Mcily! Oh, the suspense of the cliffhanger... I can't wait to read more! Please post soon!

 

Goodness, I didn't expect you to post so much in such a short amount of time. Good idea, to blow up the factory. Too bad it seems to be taking so much with it. Fascinating, the way Nostom reached out for the Force with the intent of discovering what it is, and found out, and it made him cry. "Do or do not. There is no try." Hmm, sounds familiar! I liked the way Kos knew he wouldn't think of stealing a ship, too. Great work!

 

AAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWW poor kids

Good post!

More soon right?

 

More soon?

 

Yea! FEEDBACK!!! Okay, I'm happy again.

* * * * *

Nastom and Kos burst into the docking bay. "Good, no one here," Kos panted. She rushed up to the ship, a fancy, gleaming one. "Oh," she breathed, eyes sparkling. "It's from off planet. Brand new." She hurried to the controls and hot-wired the ramp. "But bad security," she exclaimed in mock disapproval as the ramp opened docilely.

"No time for commentary," Nastom told her, pushing her up the ramp. "We need to get out of here!" The thundering sound they had heard earlier was getting loud again. Kos leapt for the cockpit and slid into the seat.

"Darn!" she snarled. "Nastom, I need a copilot!"

He immediately sank down next to her. "Just tell me what to do."

Kos reached over him and flicked a switch, then ran her fingers over the buttons, pressing them randomly, or so it seemed to Nastom. "Red!" she shouted.

"Red?"

"Press the red button, you idiot!"

"Oh." He pressed the biggest red button on his side of the instrument panel, and a whirring filed the cockpit. Kos keyed in commands, and the ship lifted jerkily.

"I've never actually flown before," she warned as she punched the accelerator. "I just know how they're built, not how to work them!"

"So if we crash it's your fault!" he yelled. Sound blasted around them as they shot toward the stars. Nastia was crying.

Nastom felt a wave of terror smash into him, then a sharp pain. He stiffened in agony, then blacked out.

* * * * *

 

I actually have the next post written, but I'm saving it for another day, so I don't get soooo far behind again.

Thanks everyone! I'm so glad you're enjoying this! More about Dantooine later, but you'll have to wait for it. Right now they're just trying to outrun their pasts.

 

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WAHOO!!! Good post!!!

 

Thanks, scifi!

I'll post more when I get some more feedback. Might as well give you time to read this before I unload te next scene, right?