Before - Legends Tale of a Jedi: Volume 2 The Birth of the Sith Killer - COMPLETE Author's Note and Replies 12/28

poor, downtrodden Ben'al can't get a moment's solitude. He and his friend sound very similair to Obi and Garen.

 

Oops. Missed two posts. The final line of the last one was sad. He doesn't know how to go on with his pride and self-respect stolen from him. I hope he finally learns to let someone in.

The post before last was heartbreaking. I agree with PK - there's more there than common concern. That was your writing at its very best. Loved that post.

Shaindl

 

Sounds like revenge to me.

 

UP!

 

sniff

 

*points to OE*

[Scottish accent]She can't take anymore, Cap'n![/accent]


(no, I'm not a Trekkie )

 

What the hell?! No update??? Eeek!

 

waiting patiently

 

I'll get back to this after the last three posts of "About Last Night".

Really.

I promise.

No, really.

 

How many times have I heard that in the last month?

 

Alright red, about last night is done. Where is aour post?

 

obi ew? My Ben'al! Finally! ?? It?s only been two months! But I am back, finally.

dianethx? If I'd been his friend, he'd be frogmarched right back to the healers - pride or no pride. ?? LOL!

Calantha? Wow. You don't even need a dramatic cliffhanger to keep me from wishing for more. I really enjoy reading about Ben'al, though I'm very worried...well, I can wait a few days. ?? Sorry about the delay, really, I am back. There is another post in a few days, after a Wild Knights post.

JadeSolo? I think I know what OE's dirty thought was. I think. Maybe. It's not too hard to guess. ?? Do you really have to think that hard?

PK? He and his friend sound very similair to Obi and Garen. ?? Everyone needs a best bud that can see the real person under the mask.

Shaindl? The post before last was heartbreaking. I agree with PK - there's more there than common concern. That was your writing at its very best. Loved that post. ?? Thank you.

ca tron? Sounds like revenge to me. ??

Reformed? What the hell?! No update??? Eeek! ?? I?ve been a terrible, terrible author lately but really, I am back to get this volume finished?hopefully in the next few weeks.

Sorry everyone, but I am back and ready to get some writing in. Really.

I?m not kidding.

Really!

 

Chapter Thirteen
?You speak far too harshly, Master Kahto,? Kakasha Girn said in a deep, authoritative tone, as he leaned forward in his seat. While his eyes focused on the figure standing in the center of the circular chamber, his other senses alerted him to a wealth of detail.

Acute hearing picked up the slight rustle of material from the dark blue robed Chalactan, Tabas Nui. She was bored of the conversation and was losing her ability to maintain her calm façade. Indeed, he thought most of the masters in the circle of twelve had grown weary of the Kahto?s argument.

The smell of fresh paint caught his olfactory sense, another highly tuned aspect of the Kashinai physiology, especially so, since the paint was more than five years old. The paint, like much of the chamber, was due to a forced remodel when a Sith attack had nearly destroyed the High Council Tower.

?I do not speak harsh enough,? Kahto replied before drawing his thin shoulders back. His deep brown cloak looked as if it were made for a broader man and hung loosely against his reedy frame. He was tall for a pale gray Crisian and possessed a haughty look that was not native to his species.

Narrowing his gaze, Girn took his time studying the man in the center of the sun-tiled floor. It was only fair; after all, Kahto had wasted their time. He could sense the man?s irritation at the growing silence.

But also sensing his fellow Councilors? need for a break, he decided not to draw it out any further. He needed a recess to search out his padawan. Even shielded, he could sense his padawan?s pain.

?You have been overly critical and damning of the Order since entering this chamber,? he finally spoke up.

?I speak merely the truth and nothing more. It is not in my nature to lie,? the Crisian replied in a velvety voice.

?Did I accuse you of that??

?You among others here in this Council have blocked my attempts at change for far too long. Master Jabbarim?s writings are clear.?

?Jabbarim was a tyrant who felt the Jedi should be the sole authority in the galaxy.?

Kahto pressed his lips together. Anger simmered just below his surface before being quickly hidden beneath powerful shields. ?Jedi?s emotions are their weakness.?

?Just as Jabbarim?s were his,? Trosk, a Trandoshan and the youngest member of the Council said in his leathery voice. ?You forget the Jabbarim gave into his anger and we lost him.?

?That was only years after he writings. In his studies to understand the nature of the various emotions, he was seduced by them. He knew well that all emotions were dangerous.?

Wita shifted on his round cushioned seat, stretching his neck while maintaining his humanoid form. The Mustella?s whiskers twitched as if he smelled something interesting. ?We are not automatons. You can not strip us of our feelings.?

?That is why we must begin in the crèche,? Kahto respectfully said, bowing his head in address of the wise master.

From across the room, the elderly Cerean, Master Kya-Ara spoke up in her soft, Core accented Basic. ?Our numbers grow thin, the Dark Side is drawing more followers. Our emotions are destroying us.? Her pale blue eyes sought Girn out. ?You know this. You fear this, as we all do.?

Sighing, the dark skinned master said, ?But we should not know fear, for it leads to anger, to hatred to the Dark Side. Correct, Master Kahto?? Before the being in the center of the room could speak, Girn added, ?Nor pride, nor love, nor attachment. Should we not know passion as well? Why don?t you just replace us with droids to do the Senate?s ever expanding bidding without question? You propose to cut us off from ourselves. What life would you place upon younglings to be robbed of the simplest joys of existence? Jabbarim tells us we should not know laughter as well.? He glanced about the chamber at the silent watching faces. ?Do you all agree to this??

?Laughter has its place,? Wita said as laughter burbled up from him, alighting his aura. The furry Mustella did not laugh; he reveled in the joy of wha

 

Holy Wita's whiskers, Batman! It's a post! But since Ben'al wasn't physically present, I'm sure OE is still twitching away in anticipation.

I loved Wita line about taking infant steps back to the path (reminds me of What About Bob? ).

?It will take many generations, to even begin to come close to Jabbarim?s isolationist views.

Would Wita consider the PT Jedi as fitting that description?

 

* twitches* Ben'al? They're not Ben'al! Next posty? Yes?

 

Just caught up on this story as well. This is great! Allow me to say that I've read all of your stories when I was a lurker and I am in awe of your ability. Thanks for sharing your great talent with us. Can't wait for the next post!

 

So there we have the beginnings of change - emotion, love, joy - all abandoned to rid themselves of fear, anger and lust. To cut off all emotion, not a good thing.

Excellent. I liked that you had a confrontation before the Council and they were contemplating changes in the Order - even to the young ones. Nicely done!

 

This is fantastic, seeing the beginnings of the Jedi order of the prequels.

Wild Knights next? My favorite!

 

It's back

 

Well, now we know when the 'no emotion' thing came about. But what has Ben'al learned? We want Ben!

 

Jade? Holy Wita's whiskers, Batman! ?? LOL! That?s a new one!

oe? * twitches* Ben'al? They're not Ben'al! ?? Have I told you recently that you worry me?

jedimommie2? Just caught up on this story as well. This is great! Allow me to say that I've read all of your stories when I was a lurker and I am in awe of your ability. ?? thanks!

Diane? Excellent. I liked that you had a confrontation before the Council and they were contemplating changes in the Order - even to the young ones. Nicely done! ?? glad you liked it.

Calantha? This is fantastic, seeing the beginnings of the Jedi order of the prequels. ?? Luckily for this story, it isn?t going to affect the characters much. They will still be prideful, arrogant and capable of great passion.

PK? It's back ?? And updated again in less that two months!

ca tron? But what has Ben'al learned? We want Ben! ?? Patience!

Thank you everyone for coming back to this little tale that was on hiatus for far too long. And for Twitch?er, I mean oe and everyone who has begged, a Ben?al post.

 

Chapter Fourteen

?It is a very confusing language,? the Togruta padawan, Kura Muriata said in a soft tone as she leaned back in her chair at the learning station. Her inquisitive gaze danced around the sparsely populated section of the Archives, pausing briefly on the sand and stone that made up a simple meditation garden nearby. Her attentions finally returned to her patiently waiting student. ?The verb transformations take almost ten standard years to fully learn, if you go by Master Bodha?s estimates.?

?He is fond of speaking his mind,? Ben?al pointed out in a somewhat bitter tone from the chair he was sunken into. His cloak was pulled up and wrapped around his weary form as his head rested against the cushioned back.

Staring curiously at him, Kura observed, ?Your color has returned, at least, as colorful as you humans get. You are naturally very pale creatures, at least some of you are.? Kura smiled and turned back toward the interface and keyed through the screens with a slender red finger. ?The ones with great color to their skin look much healthier than you colorless humans.?

?Then you would love, Djaido.?

?Ah, the Golian. Yes, he is very colorful,? Kura said with a grin but kept her focus on the screen. ?He is no Togruta, but his deep brown skin intrigues me.?

Ben?al smiled, even offering up a weak chuckle. He could just imagine how big his friend?s head would grow if he heard the padawan?s compliments. For everyone else?s sanity, he hoped that Djaido never found out.

?Is he a friend of yours?? Kura quickly asked, looking to him.

He could have lied, but he sensed that she could read him. It concerned him.

?Yes,? came the reply. ?We have been known to cause our share of trouble as younglings.?

?As padawans too, I hear,? Kura added in a knowing voice. She paused, staring intensely at him. ?Would you, perhaps, introduce me to him sometime??

Nodding, Ben?al said, ?It is the least I could do for your help.? He spied familiar characters on the screen and slowly pushed himself into a sitting position to better study them. He braced himself against the dull throb in his chest that accompanied each move. ?What is that??

?The Du-uoim Sanctuary on Rialtis Cava. It is a marker stone near the site of a great fire.?

Kura leaned forward, squinting slightly as she read the ancient tongue out loud. It twisted and tripped beautifully over her tongue even if Ben?al did not recognize a single syllable.

?It has something to do with commemorating the moment when hundreds of lives were snuffed out. I cannot translate it more clearly.?

Ben?al leaned a little closer. With one hand occupied with the death grip on the ancient lightsaber, the other reached out and pointed at a particular character. ?What does that mean??

She remained silent.

Fear gripped his heart, thinking she would not, could not answer him.

?Roughly it means killed.?

Taking up the data pad and stylus that Kura had brought with her, Ben?al sketched out the characters that scarred his back. They were as intimate as his name. ?What does this mean?? He pushed it toward her.

Kura took the data pad and studied it for a moment. She put the pad in the holder so she could easily see it as she did a quick archive search of the language. ?It is an older form of Benedaact?at least I think it is. If your writings are correct.?

?They are identical to the original. Just as I see them in my mind?s eye.?

The words drew a curious look from the language student. ?Where did you find them??

Ben?al looked away. His long fingers wrapped and unwrapped around the Prak?sha?s hilt. He could not face her to utter the words. Fear again gripped him and he slowly exhaled, wishing only for strength. Slowly, he raised his gaze to meet hers. ?Tell me what they mean and then I will tell you where they come from.?

With a nod, Kura returned to the learning station console and rapidly keyed her way through screen after screen of unfamiliar characters. After what seemed a lifetime to Ben?al she stopped, st

 

A Ben'al post! Yippee! Can't you tell I'm excited about this! Great job once again--you have such a special gift for drawing the reader into your story!

 

Ben'al!

And ! Did this herald the birth of the Sith Killer?

Wonderful Red! And thank you for Ben'al!