A New Beginning Part 3

by Jessica Barber

see prologue

(A/n* I wrote actually wrote A New B a long time ago, and have
already completed its sequel and am working on the third story in the series.
Sadly, while reading through this to find any grievous errors,-- and I am sure
there are still many mistakes, it's very late!-- I realized that it was really choppy
and actually *as one of my few reviewers noted* slow moving. I'm sorry for
these problems. The first will be solved in the sequel Dark Side Crystal and
then its sequel Triumvirate. When I post them you will be able to tell how my
writing has improved. The latter problem will be solved by Part Four. Thank
you for reading and reviewing A New Beginning. I am also sorry that Part
Three is so short; Part Four will be much longer.)


Chapter Seven


Kayro sat down at his desk and watched Eon. The aging man stared back,
waiting for Kayro to have the first word, which was what he was supposed to
do. Kayro leaned back in his chair, taking his time. He might be acting the
way he should be, but it was probably all a cover up. Kayro hadn't grown up
with the Empire and survived by trusting people. That was what had been
drilled into his head over and over again as one warlord after another gained
more men and ships at the expense of his partner. But, Eon was the only man
who could even slightly be trusted, that troubled Kayro, but he could live with
it. He only needed Eon for a little bit, and if Eon remained trustworthy and
loyal throughout the time Kayro needed him, he would be rewarded with a
quick death.
"So, we've agreed that you will be helping me attack certain planets." Kayro
said slowly.
"Yes, Admiral Inin, but can't you tell me the reason that I am attacking these
planets?"
"No," Kayro said briskly, "the only reason you need, is, that you, taking care
of these planets, will keep the New Republic from figuring out my plan, at least
until it's too late."
Eon squeezed his gloved hands together. "I see, well I'm off then, Admiral."
"Yes, take your time, Admiral Eon, victory shall be ours." Kayro said
nonchalantly.
Eon stood up ignoring Kayro's uncaring tone. "I'm sure it shall be, the Empire
will certainly rise again."
Kayro scowled as Eon left his office, to board his Star Destroyer. The victory
would be their own, but whoever said the Empire would rise again? The New
Republic would fall, sooner or later; himself and Eon would not be the ones to
bring the Empire back. They never would, they did not have enough power.
Kayro narrowed his green eyes. Stenner would be back soon. Kayro had
heard about the attacking of Khomm, that was, at least, some good news. The
other good news was that Eon had indeed joined him, and he would be
attacking two planets: Clenicis and Unisosia.
Soon, Kayro's other Star Destroyer would be arriving, and Eon's would be
leaving. Once Darien returned with the Evening Death, Kayro would board it,
and the Vengeance would leave to attack two other planets.
Minutes later, Kayro watched as the Star Destroyer, the Evening Death
came out of hyperspace. Two minutes later his other Star Destroyer, the
Hunter, came out, right behind. He let himself smile, as he watched his
beautiful ships come closer to the Vengeance.
Eon was preparing to leave in ten minutes, during which, Kayro would be
boarding the Evening Death, as Darien boarded the Vengeance to take
command.
Fifty-five minutes later Kayro was on the bridge of the Evening Death.
Stenner had boarded the Vengeance, and was preparing to leave. Eon's Star
Destroyer suddenly entered hyperspace, along with the Vengeance, and then
the Hunter. Now all Kayro had to do was sit back and wait for the news of
more New Republic planets being attacked.
* * *

Kyp awoke and sat up in his bed. Briefly, Kyp wondered if Serena had left
the Academy. When he felt her presence in the room next to his he knew that
she had stayed. With great relief Kyp stretched, and then dressed in dark
pants and shirt quickly. Walking to Serena's door, he knocked on it lightly.
No one came to answer it, and he wondered if, like the day before, she was
already up . . . or gone and his tired senses had tricked him.
After a moment, Kyp opened the door and stepped in her room. He got on
his knees by her bedside. He stared at the sleeping form of Serena, and smiled
to himself.
"Serena." He whispered in her ear, "Rena."
Serena rolled over, and opened her eyes. "Oh, Kyp. Kyp?" Serena sat up
quickly only to be met by Kyp's awaiting lips.
Serena giggled, breaking away from Kyp. "What a way to get up. Wanna do
that every day?"
Kyp stood up and laughed. "If only." He walked to the window and looked
out.
The sun had risen a long time ago, and all the fog and clouds were gone. Kyp
began to recall the night before and suddenly found himself uncomfortable
because of what he had told Luke about not caring for Serena. "I've never
slept this late before."
Serena pulled on her slim fitting dark grey pants and pale blue shirt. She
espied Kyp's back. "Neither have I. I don't know why I slept this late, either."
Kyp turned back around, and watched Serena pull her hair back as if she
were going to braid it, and drop it. She brushed it out again, and then turned to
her bedside where her knee high boots lay on the floor. Serena sat on the small
cot and pulled the black boots over her pants. She stood up, "Well, let's go."
They walked out of Serena's room and went down the hallway. "Wait,
Serena." Kyp stopped in mid stride.
Serena turned around. "What is it?"
"It's Dorsk, he's not here." Kyp's face muscles tightened, and for once he
ignored Serena's beauty.
"What do you mean?" she asked, studying his face.
"His presence is gone."
"Oh. Is something wrong?"
"I don't know, let's find Master Skywalker." Kyp said, not able to think about
what he should be feeling, worry or nothing at all?
"Okay." Serena shrugged, oblivious to Kyp's worry, and they started walking
again.
Kyp and Serena found Shal'lyindraa in the main room of the temple.
"Hey, you guys, come here." Shal'lyindraa motioned for Kyp and Serena to
come over to her.
Serena and Kyp came up to her. "Shal, do you know where Dorsk is?" Kyp
asked, before anything else could be said.
Shal'lyindraa nodded her head at Kyp's question. "He left early this morning
for Khomm. It was attacked, just like Koretin."
Kyp's eyes widened. "Really? I can't believe it."
'Khomm, Anoat, Hander . . .' Serena swallowed hard.
"I'm just glad that none of the planets of Hander have been attacked, and if
they are, it's one chance out of thirty that it will be mine, and even a smaller
chance that it will be anywhere near my family's land. But, then I doubt it will
be, there would not be any reason."
Serena looked down at the ground. "Yeah, that's a good thing."
Shal'lyindraa nodded her head. "So, ya'll are gonna go train for a while?"
Kyp nodded. "Yep."
"Well," Shal'lyindraa pulled out a newly constructed lightsaber. "I'm going to
practice with this." She flipped it on, and a bright red blade appeared before
them.
Serena's eyes widened. "Wow. Where did you get that?"
"Made it myself, took about a month, but I'm done."
Kyp furrowed his brow. "You never told me."
Shal'lyindraa smiled. "I know. I wanted it to be a surprise."
"When will I make one?" Serena asked, turning from Shal'lyindraa and her
red lightsaber to face Kyp.
"When I think you're ready." Kyp said, before Shal'lyindraa could say
anything. Serena turned to Shal'lyindraa for a brief moment and mouthed the
word 'figures'. Shal'lyindraa smiled and nodded her head.
Serena looked up at Kyp. "Well, when's that?"
"I don't know, not for a while."
"Oh. Why didn't you ever let me see yours?" Serena asked, just noticing the
metal cylinder hooked to the belt that was strapped around Kyp's waist.
Kyp shrugged, "I guess I never thought about it. It's really nice, Shal. Good
job."
Shal'lyindraa turned off the humming blade. "Thanks, you would not believe
how long I've waited to have this."
Kyp smiled. "I understand."
Shal'lyindraa hooked the lightsaber back to her belt. "I'll catch you two later,
okay?"
"Sure, we'll be in the clearing, if not here." Kyp said, since Serena did not
know where they'd be.
"Okay." Shal'lyindraa walked off, her long hair swaying back and forth.
Serena and Kyp walked out of the temple and headed towards the jungle.
Serena noticed with relief how the humid stickiness of the jungle did not bother
her as much as it had in the beginning. It could still be annoyingly wet and hot,
but she was growing accustomed to it. In the same clearing that they used
every day to train in, they sat down opposite each other.
"So. What am I going to do today?" Serena asked.
"Meditate." Kyp said simply.
"That's all?"
"Yes, Rena, that's all." Kyp said, as if he didn't want to talk.
"Um, Okay." Serena didn't know what else to say. Kyp had suddenly been
taken over by a small amount of depression. To what had caused it, Serena
had no answer. She shrugged it off, sure that when she was done meditating
he'd be back to his brisk, argumentative, and happy self.
Serena closed her eyes, and took a deep breath; she let herself drift into the
Force. Today she didn't feel like meditating, so what she saw she saw half-
heartedly. Serena ignored most of the visions that passed through her eyes,
they were of no importance to her. They were mostly things from the past, her
time on Tatooine where she had been a vagabond with no one or place to go
to. Now she at least had Kyp, Shal'lyindraa, and the Academy. The
Academy was the only home that she had, Serena realized. This was the only
place that people knew her, and where she knew other people. Even though
she kept to herself unless around Kyp or Shal'lyindraa, she also knew others.
Others mostly consisted of Dorsk 81 and Luke Skywalker, but she recognized
Tionne, her boy friend, her boy friend's little sister, Kirana Ti, Kam Solusar . . .
the list went on. Serena mentally went back to Tionne and the boy. He might
not be her boyfriend, he could just be a friend, a real close friend. Serena did
not care. It wasn't her life, they weren't even that close to her, so she left the
subject alone.
Keeping her mind off her current love situation with Kyp, Serena thought
about Shal'lyindraa. She did not know much about Shal'lyindraa except that
she was from Hander, was seventeen, and was training to be a Jedi. Her
parents had literally kicked her out of her home on Hander when she had
started to show the powers of witches and the sort, of course, that was only the
Force. Shal'lyindraa's uncle and cousin had taken her in at that point, until they
could not raise her anymore, they didn't have enough money. So, Shal'lyindraa
had been taken to Corellia to be left with a friend of Dain's, a smuggler named
Rubin. Surprisingly enough, Rubin had raised her as they moved from Corellia
to Tatooine. When Shal'lyindraa had turned sixteen she had recognized her
powers in the Force, but hadn't left Rubin until she was seventeen. The story
of Shal'lyindraa's life ended there. She had come to the Academy and was
training.
Now, Serena realized she had completely forgotten about meditating and was
just sitting in the clearing with her eyes closed. She briefly wondered if Kyp
knew that she wasn't meditating. Serena didn't care much, she hadn't felt like
meditating, later that night she would.
Serena opened her eyes. She had no idea how long she had been
meditating/thinking; it could have been from five minutes to five hours. She, at
the beginning, had been meditating and then had resorted into thinking about
other people, mostly Shal'lyindraa. So, she wasn't sure if she had been out of
touch with reality for a short or long time. Looking up at the sky, Serena
figured it was closer to being a long time. The sun was straight overhead now,
and shining down into the clearing. Kyp still sat in front of her; his eyes were
closed. Serena briefly wondered how time could pass so quickly. She let it
slip through her thoughts and disappear. It did not matter much.
"Kyp?"
Kyp opened his eyes immediately and smiled. "Done?"
"That's up to you." Serena said, glad that he was smiling, but also
remembering him telling her she could not make a lightsaber until he thought she
was ready.
"Then I guess you are." Kyp said, ignoring the sarcasm in her voice. Maybe,
though, he had just gotten used to it by now.
Serena looked into her lap and then back to Kyp uneasily. "Kyp?" She
asked, all sarcasm gone from her voice.
"Yeah?"
"Are you still mad at Master Skywalker?"
Kyp smiled lightly and shook his head. "No, how did you know, anyway?"
"I heard you yelling at him."
"Did you hear what we said?"
"No." Serena lied and immediately asked, "Do you really not care?"
Kyp's eyes widened. "Yes! Yes, I care. I love you, Serena." He sat down
beside her. "I love you."
Serena bit her lip. She had promised herself long ago that she would never let
herself fall in love, but already she knew she was so in love with Kyp she would
die for him if need be. "I love you, too."
Kyp kissed Serena, and pulled her closer to him. "I should not have said
that." He admitted, " I was just angry, and a little embarrassed."
"It's okay, I understand."
Kyp smiled. "I'm sure you do."
Kyp leaned his back up against the dark brown tree behind them and let his
head fall slightly back. He pulled Serena to him, and wrapped his arm around
her shoulder. He stared out into the jungle, not really concentrating or caring
about what he was looking at.

*
* *

Kyp Durron always liked to watch the sky. Night was the best time -- not
because of the multicolored lights that decorated the incoming and leaving ships
even though that was a part of it -- but because he was able to watch, and
study, and memorize the constellations that passed him by. What fascinated
him the most, though, was the fact that in some of the constellations the bright
blue, red, and white stars were actually planets, and on those planets lived
people. People or aliens, that he would never meet, but, somewhere there was
a young girl or boy out there who would be a big part of his future. Hopefully it
was a boy 'cause girls had dirty germs that turned boys into ugly fish.
Kyp concentrated on one bright white, almost brown, star. It did not twinkle
like most stars which obviously meant it was a planet. A big planet, with living
humans and other creatures. Maybe, somewhere on that planet, a kid was
thinking the same thing he was, and was now staring up at the planet Kyp was
on. Who was the kid then? And, would he ever meet him or her?
Kyp could not wait to leave his home on Deyer. His parents said that he
could leave as soon as he was eighteen, of course, they did not believe he was
serious when he told them that he wanted to leave. They had asked him why
would anyone want to leave the beautiful world of Anoat. He had said for
adventure.
They had laughed.
It was from today, exactly ten years until he turned eighteen. Today had been
his eighth birthday. The years were going by slow, but his older friends who
were twelve and thirteen told him the older you got the faster the years went by,
so hopefully when he reached ten he'd start getting older quicker and when he
turned eighteen he'd stop aging.
It was possible.
Kyp, now standing outside on a wooden porch a few feet from the doorway
leading into the Durron's blazingly lit home, looked up at the sky. It was pitch
black, he recognized practically every constellation that was out tonight. He
had no names for them, but that did not matter. He was sure that when he was
older he would name them. He would use big words, too. The kind his
brother, Zeth, used. He could use words like ethereal or hyperbola. It did not
matter to the young boy. The constellations were beautiful with or without
names.
"Kyp." Zeth, Kyp's fourteen year-old-brother, knocked him on the shoulder
lightly. "It's time to come in, supper's on the table . . . and so is your present."
Kyp smiled at the mention of a present. He hadn't been sure that year if he
would get one because his parents had been so intent on their political meetings.
But, like always, his loving parents had come through. "Is it big, Zeth?" He
asked, excitedly.
Zeth patted Kyp on the shoulder and followed Kyp's gaze towards the sky.
"Big enough for you, shorty."
"Just you wait, Zeth, when I'm older and bigger I'll be out of here for good.
No stopping me, don't even try."
Zeth laughed at Kyp's childish remark, for who would ever want to leave a
place like Deyer a colony on Anoat? "I promise, I will not try to stop you.
Now, come on, or your present might just disappear like last year."
"It went away 'cause you took it."
"But I gave it back."
"A week later!"
"Give me a break, Kyp!"
The chilled wind that came off the water blew Kyp's bangs in his dark eyes,
and he pushed them away with his hand. He followed the shadowed form of
his brother back to the house, lit in a happy, loving glow. At the white stone
doorway, Kyp turned around and let his gaze drift once again across the gray
and white stoned houses that rested on the pale green lakes.
Every house looked the same: two story stone, rounded features, and every
one was brightly lit. It was beautiful, perfect. That was why few people ever
left Anoat, but Kyp was different. Maybe he was different from everyone else,
but it did not matter. He still wanted to leave as soon as he could.
Zeth took Kyp's small hand in his. He studied the raft cities that were
anchored down in the huge terraformed lakes, with wide, wooden and stone
bridges connecting each house and other buildings. Daily he would take his
little brother out to play in the water. To swim, fish, and play with his toy boat -
- which had been sunk days before by accident. That was what Kyp's present
was, obviously. A brightly colored, not to mention expensive, well-built, toy
boat. Zeth knew Kyp would be more than delighted to receive something like
that.
Kyp watched as a large, barely lit, transport docked a few hundred yards
from the house. Something, almost like a little voice deep inside him was telling
him to run. 'Run.' This ship was bad. ' Run.' His family would be hurt.
'Run!' His life would be changed forever. 'Run, are you crazy? Run!' His
destiny . . . to leave this place . . . 'run' . . . the darkness . . . 'run for your
life!'
Zeth squeezed Kyp's hand. "Come on, Kyp. We'll come out later, okay?"
Zeth smiled to himself as he realized how much his little brother meant to him.
He could not let Kyp leave when he was older. He could not bear to not be
able to ever see his brother again. But, if something drastic did happen, and
Zeth did not see Kyp for years, as long as before he died he was able to see
Kyp just once, then he could die happy.
Kyp followed Zeth, who was still holding his hand, into the happy home of the
Durron's. It was lit up brightly, ready for a happy -- bright-- celebration. Every
light in the house was on, creating a warm glow. 'It will soon be dark and
cold,' the little voice spoke.
'Run . . .'

* * *

Of course, he was never able to open his present, or go back outside with his
brother. The stormtroopers had come in a few moments before he could open
his present. He never knew what it was. If only he had gone by his feelings, if
only he had run.
"What are you thinking about?" Serena asked Kyp, speaking soothingly.
Kyp gave the slightest hint of surprise. "I was just thinking of a saying that my
parents used to tell me and Zeth. I don't know why, but I can never forget it."
It wasn't really what he had been thinking, but he did not want to upset Serena
with his problems. She had enough things to worry about, the worries mostly
consisted of her father.
Serena chewed on her lip for a moment. "What is it?"
Kyp let out his breath. "Wisdom is like a forgotten world, far beyond the
ultimate bound of human concept."
"And that means?" Serena asked Kyp, looking up into his darkened face.
"No one will ever really know everything. There's so much knowledge that
one will never attain all knowledge; therefore, you should seek wisdom and
knowledge," he sighed, "constantly."
"Is something wrong, Kyp?" Serena asked, suddenly concerned about Kyp,
ever since she had been here, she had never seen him act this way.
Kyp looked down at her, and his face cleared. "No."
"You know, you can tell me." She said, with a fierce determination in her
eyes.
"I know, Sere, I'm fine." Kyp took his stolid gaze off of her and looked back
into the jungle. "It's just, innocent people are dying out there, and you and I,
we're here, doing nothing." A hint of restrained anger flickered like candle light
in Kyp's dark eyes.
"We're here training to become Jedi Knights, Kyp! We're learning how to
protect the people that are out there. Soon you'll be doing something about it
and helping those people, but we are doing something. Isn't that good
enough?" Serena asked, trying to make Kyp feel better. It wasn't just the fact
that there were innocent beings dying that was causing the turmoil that Serena
could feel inside Kyp's heart. It was something else, but she could not pinpoint
it.
"No." Kyp said bluntly.
"That's really bothering you, then? Is that all?" Serena asked, trying to figure
out what else was bothering the man so much. She had no idea what else it
could be other than what he had said, but there was more.
Kyp stood up, knocking Serena backward against the tree.
"Ow! Kyp!" Serena half-yelled, rubbing the back of her neck where the end
of a broken branch had stabbed into it.
Kyp looked down at her, with anger flashing across his face. "Yes, that is
bothering me! I want to leave this place, I want to kill off every single Imperial,
and I want, I want . . . " Kyp stopped yelling, and heaved a sigh, "I want my
family back. I want my life back, and all the times I hurt people, I want it all
back. I want to go back to Deyer and tell my family to run. I want to save
Zeth."
Serena stood up, and walked over to him. She caressed his cheek, "Oh,
Kyp, Kyp. If only I could help you to forget those times."
Kyp's lower lip slightly trembled. Tears flowed down his cheeks as he
sobbed. Serena wrapped her arms around him, and he wrapped his around
her. 'Poor Kyp,' was all Serena could think. She did not know that much
about him, but she did know his parents had died in the spice mines of Kessel,
and that he had killed his brother by accident.
When Kyp had been turning to the dark side, thanks to the help of Exar Kun,
he had gone to Carida to find his brother, Zeth, so as to set him free from the
Imperials. He had come in the Sun Crusher and when the Imperials had lied
and said that his brother had died during training, Kyp had fired two of the
torpedoes into Carida's sun. If the sun hadn't exploded for another few
seconds, Kyp would have been able to save Zeth, but moments before Zeth
would have been inside the Sun Crusher, safe from harm, the sun had
exploded, disintegrating Zeth's body in the process right before Kyp's eyes.
Serena brushed her fingers through his dark hair. "It'll be all right. Things will
be better; you'll see, in time." Serena whispered to him, "I'm sorry, I'm so
sorry."
Kyp pulled away, and turned his back to her. Serena stood and stared at
Kyp's back, not knowing what else to say.
"I know that it's not my fault that my parents are dead, but it is my fault that
Zeth is."
"Let it go, Kyp. Everything happens for a reason. You might not understand
why it happened now, but in the future, you'll be able to look back, and see
why everything happened the way it did."
"You just can't understand."
"If you'd give me a chance, I might be able to."
"No."
"Then I guess I won't understand." Serena said dolefully.
"I love you, Serena."
Serena was surprised at the remark and sudden change of topic. He was
avoiding something. What, she didn't know. Maybe it hurt him too much to
talk about his parents and brother. Serena decided to say nothing in return,
knowing Kyp did not want her to say anything to that statement.
"Serena, you and Han are the only people I care for. It's not enough. I need a
mother, a father, and a brother." Kyp said, his head was now lifted upward as
if he were studying the sky.
"Kyp, all I have is you, maybe I know a little bit of how you feel." Serena
whispered, just loud enough for Kyp to hear her.
Kyp turned around, and held each of her shoulders with his hands. Beads of
sweat glistened on his brow, curling his dark hair into tight ringlets.
"Then you'll never leave me?" Kyp asked pleadingly.
"I'll always love you, Kyp." Serena said. She knew she hadn't answered
Kyp's question, and by the way he let his hands drop from her shoulders, she
knew that was not the answer he had wanted. But, she still was planning to join
Karrde, so what else could she say?

* * *

Eon stood on the bridge of his Star Destroyer, looking out the viewport. In
front of him was the beautiful planet of Unisosia, a planet filled with dazzling
museums, diners, and beaches. All in all, a tourist's haven, for the New
Republic.
"Attack." Eon waved his hand in the air, and he watched as TIE fighters burst
from their compartments and began spitting out laser beams and torpedoes.
Soon the TIE fighters would be attacking the museums, beaches, and diners.
Many people would die. Innocent people would die.
Eon yawned. This was very boring. He remembered when he use to fly in a
TIE fighter; those had been the days. The days when the Empire ruled with a
strong hand, years ago.
The Empire would rise again as soon as he took over Kayro's forces -- if he
could take over Kayro's forces. With three Star Destroyers he could do
wonders. Of course, Inin was back in the Kanat system, lazily waiting for his
men to attack different, random, planets. First thing he would do if he could
have all those Star Destroyers, though, would be to have his men put all their
helmets back on.
What did Kayro see in that? Could he read their minds by looking into their
eyes? That would be the day. Eon smirked, he may not be as young as Inin,
but he was experienced, something Inin would never live to learn about.
He already knew that the New Republic had found out where Kayro was
hiding . . . thanks to him. They would be there soon, and he would not. He
would do what Kayro wanted him to do, contact Kayro, like he wanted him to
do, and never show up again.
The New Republic would rid him of Kayro, and he would not have to lift a
finger. It was a shame that he could not capture his ships, but he had heard a
rumor that Kayro had some in hiding. He could at least find those.
"Comm officer, contact ships, tell them to come in. I want a report filed in two
hours. Contact Admiral Inin, and tell him we have just finished attacking
Unisosia. Tell him that we're on our way to Clenicis."
"Yes, sir."


Darien stood on the bridge, looking out the viewport waiting for the TIE
fighters to burst out from under the hull and rain torpedoes and lasers on
Chandrila.
"Report from hangar bay. TIE fighter squadrons three and seven are away."
A young man, the fighter control officer, spoke calmly.
Darien nodded his head, and allowed himself a smile. "Acknowledged." He
turned his back from the view. He cared little about this attack. Nothing out of
the ordinary should happen. Darien let his eyes wander across the bridge crew.
All young, all trying there best, and yet if what they gave was they're best, then
the Empire would never even have a chance of returning. Of course, at
seventeen he was rather young himself, but he was experienced, he was smart,
and he was loyal.
Loyalty, that was something you rarely ever found in the Empire. Maybe that
was why he had come so far in so little time. Kayro being his father had
nothing to do with his loyalty. His father had personally trained him once he
had been smart enough to join the Empire. Darien had then changed his last
name from Inin to Stenner for safety precautions. He had then rid himself of his
year-older sister.
"Captain, sir?" A female voice spoke up, the comm officer.
"Yes?" Darien turned to look at her, immediately forgetting what he had been
thinking.
"Twelve A-wings have just come out of hyperspace right on top of us." she
said, her brown eyes wide with surprise.
Darien turned to look out the viewport. "Contact Helm and tell them to turn
us around; contact both TIE Squadrons and tell them to return to the docking
bays immediately." He looked out the viewport as they slowly turned around
and came face to face with the twelve A-wings. He turned to the fighter
coordinator. "Power up bow turbolasers, and activate deflector shields."
The older man nodded and signaled to two other crew pit officers.
"Sir," the comm officer spoke up. "Squadron three is in the docking bays, filing
a report, but Squadron seven has run into the A-wings."
"Tell them to fire at will, but tell them this is not a battle, and I want them back
in the docking bays as soon as possible."
"Yes, sir." The female officer replied
The huge ship shook as the turbolasers began firing at the twelve A-wings,
only hitting one.
"Sir, six B-wings have just come out of hyperspace, surrounding an unknown
ship." Someone spoke up.
He turned to the comm officer. "Squadron seven?"
"Is in the docking bays, sir."
"Damage report?" Darien called out.
An officer in the crew pit answered. "Two TIE fighters destroyed."
"Enemy damage?"
"Two A-wings destroyed."
"Great, Admiral Inin is not going to like this." he mumbled to himself.
Darien turned back to the comm officer. "I want reports filed in the next
hour."
"Yes, sir."
"Is our course set for the twenty-ninth planet of Hander?"
"Yes, sir, we will be entering hyperspace in five . . . three . . . two . . .one."
The Vengeance entered hyperspace, and Darien slowly shook his head.
Kayro would not like this. Two TIEs was not that much, but Kayro had
specifically said he did not want one ship destroyed.
Darien shrugged it off; Kayro could not really do anything to him because he
was too important to kill. "Lieutenant Killeryer, take over command until I
come back."
"Yes, sir."
Darien walked to his office, and sat down into a high-backed, black-leather
chair. He closed his eyes, and let out his breath. Maybe he wasn't going to be
in trouble with Kayro; they had destroyed two of the A-wings.
Now they were heading towards the twenty-ninth planet of Hander. Hander
was a group of thirty planets, ten to a sun. They were all rich planets, where silk
and jewels were exported from. Most of the people lived rather primitive,
though a few of them didn't. Women were mainly in charge of Hander, though
men did have important roles. Women also made up seventy percent of the
population; it was hard on the men. These planets --not including the third and
fourth planets of Hander -- consisted mainly of humans.
Darien knew of the girl at the Academy whose parents lived on Hander. He
hadn't known of her, though, until he had met her cousin and uncle. Her name
was Shal'lyindraa Ta'ao. Soon, her family would be dead.
Darien remembered back a week ago when he had met with Dain and his son
Jonnic. They had given him the location of the Ta'ao's, the times that all of
them would be at the house, and when and where the Handerin ships that
guarded each planet would be at the specific time of the attack. The Handerin
clusters had huge battle ships guarding each planet. These ships were known
as the Handerin Fire Fleet. They were cylinder shaped, and about half the size
of a Star Destroyer. They were dangerous enough that Darien wanted --at all
costs -- to attack the planet at the exact time the Handerin Fire Fleet would be
at the opposite side of the planet so there could be no possible way of meeting
up with the large ships.
Jonnic hadn't been sure about giving Darien all that information because the
Ta'ao's were his cousins. However, from Imperial intelligence, Darien had
learned that he was in debt, big time, and needed money. The Ta'ao's were
going to pay him money, but Darien offered Jonnic and Dain even more money,
he had offered him fourteen thousand credits when the Ta'ao's were going to
only give him nine thousand. Darien almost felt sorry for Shal'lyindraa for she
was his age . . . almost.
Darien's heavy eyes did not open, and a troubled sleep took over him.


Darien opened his eyes, and rubbed them. Slowly he stood up, how long had
he been asleep? What if they were already out of hyperspace? Darien patted
down his hair, and quickly, but calmly walked out of his office, heading towards
the bridge.
When Darien reached it, he slowed down, noticing that they were still in
hyperspace. He caught the attention of one of the crew officers. "How long
until we're there?"
"Twenty-five minutes, sir."
"Get me Lieutenant Killeryer."
"Yes, sir." The officer quickly walked off.
"Sir."
Darien turned to see Killeryer standing behind him. "Have you found the
location of the Ta'ao family?"
"Yes, sir, we shall be arriving right over the island."
"Good. And I presume our fighter coordinator officer has told squadrons two
and four that they will be attacking the entire island."
"Yes, sir. The men are ready and awaiting your command."
Darien nodded. "Good."
"Sir?"
"Yes, Lieutenant." Darien turned his back to Killeryer and looked out the
viewport, something he found himself doing more often than usual.
"We have also found out that there is another relation to the Ta'ao girl."
"And they are?"
"Her uncle and cousin, Dain."
"Leave them be, why kill when it will not help any, the girl Jedi will leave the
Academy anyway." Darien said, acting as if it had been the first time he had
ever heard of the two men.
"Yes, sir. As you wish." Killeryer walked off.
The Vengeance suddenly came out of hyperspace. The tunnel of blue light
blurred into lines of stars, which quickly shot back into pinpricks of light.
Before them was a beautifully colored planet covered with a huge expanse of
green water, broken apart every now and then by a group of small, even
greener, islands.
"Report from hangar bay," the female comm officer spoke up again. "
Squadrons two and four are off and awaiting your command."
"Attack." said Darien, after a moment of complete silence as everyone
awaited his command.
Coming out from the underbelly of the ship the TIEs swooped down in tight
formation. Parting into four separate groups, they quickly entered the planet's
atmosphere.
Darien began to see circles of red light dotting the clouds which covered the
Ta'ao's land from view. Every now and then the clouds would move, and
Darien would get a quick glance of brown land instead of the once vivid green.
"Sir, Squadron two reports enemy damage is at a maximum, all the land is
completely destroyed. They are awaiting your command to go on to the Dain's,
or to return."
"I want them to return, no use spilling useless blood."
"Yes, sir."
The clouds parted, and TIE fighters burst forth, a beautiful scene to Darien.
They flew back under the Vengeance, and Darien smiled. His part of the
mission was almost completed. It was time to visit the Jedi Academy.



Kayro stood on the bridge of the Evening Death. Gerem, captain of the
Hunter, had just reported in. He had finished attacking Tyaniac, and all had
gone well. Deyer, a colony in Anoat had been totally destroyed; Gerem had
not spared a soul. 'How terrible,' Kayro thought sarcastically.
Soon Gerem should arrive back in the Kanat system, and then Darien, who
would be carrying the joyous news of the destruction of the Jedi Academy.
Kayro's spies on Coruscant, Corellia, Bothawui, and many other planets had
been contacted and told to spread the news of the attack of the twenty-ninth
planet of Hander, Chandrila, Tyaniac, and Anoat, and as soon as Eon
contacted him, Unisosia, and Clenicis.
"Have Helm bring us over to Deneratin and put us in its orbit." Kayro told a
stormtrooper who was now standing beside him.
The stormtrooper walked over to the comm officer and relayed the message.
Slowly the Star Destroyer turned around, and began to almost float towards the
volcanic planet of Deneratin.
Kayro had just received news that the New Republic had figured out where
he was. That was bad, but it could not be helped. He would let them send their
small forces to fight against him and his Star Destroyers; let them see who really
was in control. Maybe that would weaken and scare them. It could even bring
around the fall of the New Republic though Kayro knew that the destruction of
a few ships would not break the New Republic, it would take years, but he was
patient enough. His teacher had taught him to be patient, and he was.

* * *


Shal'lyindraa let herself drop onto Serena's bed, laying down on her back and
staring up at the ceiling. Her blonde hair draped over her shoulders and the rest
hung off the bed, brushing the stone floor. She closed her icy blue eyes, and let
out a sigh.
Four days ago, her home one the twenty-ninth planet of Hander had been
attacked and destroyed. "My family . . . my mother, father . . . my sisters. I
can't believe that my family is dead." Shal'lyindraa said with a heavy sadness in
her usual happy voice.
Serena sat down beside her friend. She had now been at the Academy for a
total number of seven weeks. Things had been going smoothly after the attack
on Chandrila, -- Serena had, had no premonition of the attack on Chandrila --
for no other planets had been attacked. Things had been peaceful until three
weeks after the attack on Chandrila, the twenty-ninth planet of Hander had
been attacked, but the only place destroyed had been the land and homes
owned by the Ta'ao's. "I'm truly sorry, Shal."
"Well, it's not that bad, I mean, they did just drop me off at my uncle's home
when I was four . . . but they were still my family."
"But, your uncle and cousin were at least unharmed." Kyp offered, standing
over Serena and Shal'lyindraa.
"Oh. Yes. I am very relieved about that, too. I love my uncle, and cousin.
They were always so kind to me." Shal'lyindraa opened her eyes.
"Shal, do you want to go . . . and visit them, or something?" asked Serena,
thoughtfully.
Shal'lyindraa sat up with a new burst of happy energy. "Why, that's a great
idea, and you and Kyp can come with me!"
"Whoa there Shal, you want me and Serena to come, too?" Kyp asked.
Shal'lyindraa furrowed her brow. "Of course, why not?"
Kyp shrugged. "No reason, let's just go tell Master Skywalker. I mean, I
guess it doesn't really matter."
Serena nodded. "I'd love to. Who knows what trouble we'll run into."
"Very funny, Serena." Kyp gave her a sarcastic smile and narrowed his eyes.
Serena gave him a lopsided grin. "I know; aren't I always?"
"What I just can't figure out is why."
"Why, what, Shal?" Serena brought her attention back to her one-year
younger friend.
"Why would anyone in the Empire kill my family? And then there was
Chandrila, and then . . ." Shal'lyindraa sighed, "And then whatever other planets
are going to be attacked in the future."
Kyp glanced at Serena, who was looking at the floor, her cheeks a slight pink.
"I don't know, Shal, I really don't." Serena managed to mumble.
Shal'lyindraa quickly stood up. "Let's go find Master Skywalker, I want to
leave as soon as possible."
Kyp, then Serena, followed Shal'lyindraa to the outside of the temple where
Luke was. He was talking to one of the newer students. The young girl looked
over Luke's shoulder, and then nodded at what he was telling her. She smiled,
flipped her red and silver colored hair, and gracefully walked off. Serena
recognized the girl from the first day she had arrived on Yavin Four. She had
winked at Kyp, sparking a small flame of jealousy in her. Now Serena felt no
jealousy, there was no need to, anyway, Kyp did not even know the girl.
"Master Skywalker?" Shal'lyindraa asked in a conciliatory tone. "You know
how, " Luke turned around, "my home was attacked, " Luke nodded. "Well,
Kyp, Serena, and I were wondering if I could go and visit my uncle and cousin
there for a while." She looked up at him pleadingly, widening her blue eyes.
Luke thought a moment. "Yes, you may go, I doubt that I could keep you
here anyway." He smiled at them. "Go ahead, but hurry back. I don't want
some of my strongest Jedi gone for too long."
"Don't worry Master Skywalker. We'll hurry back." Serena let a smile pass
across her lips, and let it slowly fade away.
Luke nodded his head forward. "Go ahead, and try not to get into any
trouble."
"Cut us some slack, Master Skywalker, please. It's not like we're leaving to
go look for trouble." Kyp said, smiling at his teacher as he turned around and
headed towards the Corellian Sunrise with Serena and Shal'lyindraa.
They walked through the jungle for a few minutes, until they came out into a
clearing. The Millennium Falcon was gone, it had been gone, and the
Corellian Sunrise was left alone in the clearing.
At the Corellian Sunrise Serena moved her hand across the small, sleek ship.
Walking up the ramp after Kyp and Shal'lyindraa, she closed it, and walked
quickly towards the cockpit. She walked ahead of Kyp, and Shal'lyindraa,
telling them to follow her.
Sitting down in the pilots seat, Serena looked up at Shal'lyindraa, and Kyp.
"So, who wants to be co-pilot?"
"I do." Shal'lyindraa quickly said, slipping into the leather seat beside Serena.
Serena powered up the ship and took control of the helm. Serena glanced at
Kyp, raising her eyebrows. Kyp shrugged, and sat down in one the chair
behind Shal'lyindraa. Lifting up, they left Yavin Four.
"Okay, you chose to help, now, look up the coordinates to the twenty-ninth
planet of Hander, it should be in the files." Shal'lyindraa nodded her head to
Serena's command.
Kyp, who was sitting down behind Shal'lyindraa, looked out the viewport and
then watched Shal'lyindraa's exquisite hands work over the console. "All right,
got it, and we will be ready for lightspeed in five seconds."
Serena rested her hand on the levers and pushed them forward. The
Corellian Sunrise slightly lurched forward; the stars mottled together and
became long lines which blurred to become a bright blue tunnel of light.
Serena leaned back, "Well, there you go, we're on our way."
"And you, Serena, are going to meditate."
"Kyp --" Serena whined, "Why?"
"I'm your teacher, and I say meditate."
Serena stood, giving up. She did not feel like getting into any kind of
argument with Kyp. " Fine, I'll go meditate. I'll be in the back if ya'll need
anything."
Serena walked out of the cockpit, and headed to the back of the ship, turning
left, then right before she reached a partial dead end. The room opened into a
refresher station on her right and a bunk bed on her left. She sat down beside
the bed, and leaned against it.
Closing her eyes, Serena let out her breath and let herself drift into the Force.
Kyp had once told her that through meditating one could sometimes see the
future. She had once, and so far it had come true. Khomm and Hander had
been attacked, and soon Anoat would be attacked.
Before Serena's closed eyes images of the past began to fly by, images of her
father, of Kyp, of her mother, of Shal'lyindraa. Then a vision appeared before
her eyes, something she did not understand, something she grabbed on to
before it could fade away.
It was her, and Shal'lyindraa, flying through space, being chased by
something, someone. The vision slipped away. Then another one, she was
somewhere, in a large room, being stared at, scoffed at. Everyone knew . . .
everyone.
The vision slipped away as all the others had. None of it had really shaken
her. Nothing for her to be afraid of. Whoever had been chasing her and
Shal'lyindraa would be taken care of. Whatever all those people knew, Serena
could not change it; they would still find out. She would not let any of the
visions bother her.
Standing up, Serena stretched her legs, which had fallen asleep since she had
been in one position too long. Serena stretched her aching muscles. In the
background she heard a strange noise that she hadn't heard in a long, long,
time. Somehow she remembered the sound from her childhood. She could not
remember how, but she had heard it before
Walking towards the front of her ship, and then turning right, she entered into
a room with a small booth, food, and drink processor. In the middle stood
Shal'lyindraa and Kyp, their lightsabers in hand, laughing.
"I'm better than you are, Kyp, you have to admit it."
"You wish Shal'lyindraa. You wish."
Something about that stirred a long forgotten memory, one that she could not
completely grasp. Serena crossed her arms over her chest, said airily, "Okay,
so, when do I get to have some fun?"
Shal'lyindraa and Kyp turned off their lightsabers. Shal'lyindraa walked up to
Serena, her skirt rustling against the floor. She handed her the lightsaber. "Go
ahead, Sere, have fun."
Kyp turned to Serena. "Well, what did you see?"
"It's inconceivable, and it's impossible to describe something if it's beyond
description."
Kyp shook his head. "Nothing's impossible, Rena."
Shal'lyindraa stepped between Serena and Kyp. "There are only possibilities
waiting to be encountered." She smiled, and stepped back. "So, go ahead
Sere, turn it on."
Serena smiled and turned the lightsaber over in her palm. She held it in her
right hand, and flicked it on with her thumb. A bright red blade appeared
before her, she swung it back and forth.
"Nice, I like it." Serena walked up to Kyp, "Wanna teach me how to use it?"
Kyp smiled. "Sure, no problem." Kyp lifted his lightsaber up and brought it
down towards Serena who brought up Shal'lyindraa's to deflect his blow.
"Are you crazy?" Serena asked, "You could have killed me!"
"Yes," Kyp brought the lightsaber up and brought it down in an arc. "But I
know that you have good reflexes, so it doesn't matter."
Serena laughed and deflected Kyp's lightsaber again. "Try a little harder next
time."
Kyp nodded his head and turned around in a circle, using the force of it to
bring the lightsaber down. He swung it sideways, and Serena lunged, but Kyp
blocked her. Serena stepped backwards, and happily braced herself for Kyp's
next attack.
Thirty minutes later Serena lifted the lightsaber up above her head and swung
it around in a circle. Quickly, Serena brought it down towards Kyp. As soon as
she brought her lightsaber down, Kyp brought up his vertically and blocked her
move.
"Okay, okay. That's it, I'm worn out." said Serena, wiping the few drops of
sweat had formed on her forehead.
Kyp nodded as he turned his lightsaber off, and Serena turned off
Shal'lyindraa's. "You're a quick learner, and you have fast reflexes. That's
good."
Serena smiled, "Why, thank you."
Kyp bowed his head down. "My pleasure."


Tionne hurried into the main room of the temple and scanned the room. She
caught Brett's gaze and motioned for him to come to her. He slowly stood up
and walked across to her.
"What is it?" He asked Tionne.
"Master Skywalker is leaving." She pointed towards the outside.
Brett looked over her shoulder, then back at her. "Why?"
"Coruscant called; the Inner Council wants him. They said that, that some
other planets have been attacked, not just Koretin and Khomm. They said that
they need Master Skywalker so they can figure out what to do."
In the distance Brett was able to faintly hear a roaring sound, which quickly
faded away. It must have been Luke Skywalker's X-wing. "What other
planets?"
"Unisosia, Tyaniac, some Handerin planet, Anoat, Clenicis, and Chandrila."
"Chandrila?"
"Yes. I'm sorry."
"Where in Chandrila?" Brett asked, as a sickness in his stomach came over
him.
"I don't know, that's it, I told you all I know."
"Wait, so, Koretin was attacked, and Cilghal, and Nembany left. Khomm
was attacked and Dorsk 81 left, Hander was also, what about that Handerin
girl, Shal'lyindraa?"
"She's gone, too, and Kyp Durron, and the other girl."
"Serena."
"Yes, her."
"And now Master Skywalker is gone . . ."
Tionne's eyes widened, and she slowly nodded her head. "Brett, all of the
strongest students are gone."
"Plus Master Skywalker."
"Brett, that could only mean one thing --"
"If we were attacked, there would be no way to protect ourselves." Brett
frowned. "Now, what do we do?"
"Well," Tionne furrowed her brow. "We could tell everyone else that's here,
but we also tell them that we don't know for sure, so we need to make some
plans."
"And, I'm sure that if we were attacked, the first target would be the temple,
so we need to go into the jungle, which will be the safest place."
Tionne nodded.
"And we need to contact Coruscant . . ."
"Oh, no --"
"What?"
" --Oh, no" Tionne shook her head.
"What is it?"
"We can't contact Coruscant, we can't contact anyone. Our communications
center is destroyed."
"How?"
"Some of the temple caved in on it."
"I can't believe it, we're on our own."
"But we don't know for sure if we are going to be attacked. I mean, Unisosia,
Tyaniac, and Clenicis. No one here is from any of those planets."
"You're right," Brett put his hand on Tionne's shoulder. "But we still need to
tell everyone. Look, you get everyone in the temple into here, and I'll go out
into the jungle."
"Okay."
Twenty minutes later, all the trainees were sitting and standing in the main
room asking what was going on. Tionne stood by Brett in the front of the small
group, made up of about ten other trainees.
Brett caught everyone's attention. "As you all know, Master Skywalker, plus
six of the most powerful students are gone because all of their home planets
were attacked."
"What does this have to do with us?" A female voice asked. It was a young
woman that Tionne recognized as Kirana Ti, a girl from Dathomir. Beside
Kirana Ti was an older man, named Streen whom Luke had found at the
abandoned Cloud City.
"It seems to have a lot to do with us." Brett continued, "Now, we are
unprotected against any attack that could be put against us. Our
communication center is destroyed; so we're all by ourselves."
A young woman, with red and silver streaked hair shrugged, narrowing her
dark green eyes. "Who said we were going to be attacked?"
"No one, but we could be. If we are, then I want us all to head out into the
jungle . . ."
The woman rolled her eyes. "We're not going to be attacked, Brett."
"You don't know that, Melisa."
"I doubt we are, so thank you for the unneeded warning." Melisa walked
smoothly out of the room, followed by the trainees except for three of them,
one including Exana.
"Do you know that we're going to be attacked?" A female Bothan asked. "I
risked a lot coming here, I don't want it to be destroyed."
Brett walked to the female Bothan, and the older man, Streen. Exana ran up
to him, and hung onto his waist.
"I don't know for sure, but all those planets being attacked was for a reason.
There has got to be an overall plan, and this may be it. Since the strongest or
most experienced students are gone, we're unprotected. We have no idea how
to protect the Academy."
"I hope we're not attacked," the Bothan said, blinking her teal green eyes
rapidly.
"What do we do if we are?" Streen asked.
"Hide in the jungle. The temple will probably be the target. We need to get
as far from it as we can. "
"Brett, what's going on?" Exana asked.
Brett picked her up. "Nothing for you to worry about, sis, nothing."




Chapter Eight


The Corellian Sunrise came out of hyperspace. Looking out the viewport;
Serena softly gasped. The huge planet looming before them was cloudless.
Everywhere she could see dots of bright green, surrounded by blue-green
water.
"Shal'lyindraa, it's beautiful."
"I know." Shal'lyindraa took her nostalgic gaze off of the planet. "Here's
where you need to land, Serena." Shal'lyindraa pointed to a marked spot on
the panel before her.
Serena took control of the helm. "Sure, no problem." She turned slightly to
port and descended through the atmosphere. Every now and then the sleek
ship would be knocked up and down by the wind currents, which made Serena
concentrate even more on controlling the ship's descent towards the planet with
the Force.
Once they were out of the atmosphere of the twenty-ninth planet of Hander,
Serena moved the Corellian Sunrise over the ocean, stirring the water into
huge twisting pools. In the distance Serena could see a large cliff jutting straight
out of the ocean. Just visible on the top was some sort of huge brown stone
castle surrounded by mile after mile of green grass.
"Shal, is that where your uncle lives?" Serena asked, staring at the beautiful
building.
"Yes."
"It's fantastic." Serena landed the Corellian Sunrise a few meters from the
huge building. "I've never seen anything like it." She stood up with
Shal'lyindraa and Kyp.
"Come on, let's go." Shal'lyindraa said, walking towards the back of the ship.
Once outside, Serena got her first good glimpse of the building. The main part
of the building was a large rectangle, jutting out every now and then with what
was probably a small room. The second story was round, and was sitting in the
very center of the main building. Every few feet was a circular, or rectangular
window, each one covered with heavy drapery.
They stepped out of the ship and onto green grass. Wherever the building
wasn't, there was grass. Every few meters there were small gray stones jutting
out of the soft turf.
"I can't wait to see the inside." Serena murmured to Kyp, who nodded his
head.
They walked up to the door, and Shal'lyindraa opened it without pausing.
The small group stepped inside to find themselves in a huge chamber. Serena
looked around herself. The ceiling was high above their heads, and the room
was bare. The floor, walls and ceiling were made of a kind of marble which
seemed to be a light pink or peach color. Serena couldn't really tell, because
the only light in the room were the few candles that dotted the walls. The
windows were covered with thick burgundy drapes, so no light reached the
huge room. On each side of the square room was a door.
"Well, we're here, but no one else is. Shal, how many people live here?" Kyp
asked, his voice echoing through the chamber.
"My uncle and cousin, maybe two or three other men."
Kyp asked, "No women?"
Shal'lyindraa shook her head, "No, the woman who lived here died a while
back, and left the entire place to my uncle. I guess he's let all the servants
leave; now it's just him and Jonnic."
"Jonnic's your cousin, right?" Serena asked, right when the door in front of
them slid open.
Shal'lyindraa nodded.
Two men stepped into the room. One was half a head taller than the other
was and much younger. The two men walked up to Serena, Kyp, and
Shal'lyindraa. The older man stopped a few feet from the group, but the
younger man kept coming towards them.
"Shal? Is that you?" Jonnic asked, pushing back his brown hair and smiling.
He stepped up to her and studied her face. "By the stars, it is you!" Jonnic
picked up Shal'lyindraa by her waist, and swung her around. "My, my, you
certainly aren't the little kid who left a few years back, now are you?"
Shal'lyindraa hugged Jonnic. "And you certainly aren't the little boy I left a
few years back." Shal'lyindraa smiled at the older man. "Uncle Dain, may I
introduce to you my friends, Serena and Kyp."
The older man smiled lightly and bowed his head to each of them. Jonnic
walked over to Serena and bowed deeply. "Welcome, Miss Serena, to my
humble home." He lifted her hand up and kissed it.
Serena smiled. "Nice to meet you, Jonnic."
Jonnic nodded his head, and turned to Kyp. "Kyp." He shook his hand.
"Jonnic." Kyp nodded his head.
Jonnic turned back to Shal'lyindraa. "Father and I were just about to sit
down and eat, would you care to join us?"
"We'd love to." Shal'lyindraa answered back.
Dain and Jonnic turned around, and led the group through the door and up a
flight of stairs, which were barely lit except for the occasional candle every
three steps. After a few moments of going up the marbled stairs, they entered
into another large chamber. Though, this time in the center was a long table
with six chairs. On the table were many dishes of different kinds of food.
Jonnic let out a short whistle, and out of the kitchen came a young boy, carrying
three extra plates, glasses, and utensils. The little boy quickly set up places for
them to eat, and hurriedly walked back through a sliding door.
"Shal'lyindraa, I do believe you will enjoy this food much more than you did
the last time we were here."
"Why, Jonnic? Because I didn't have to cook it?"
Jonnic grinned at her. "When you cooked we ended up eating mud and
grass."
"I was just five, how was I supposed to know you couldn't eat it?"
Shal'lyindraa and Jonnic laughed as Jonnic pulled out a chair and let
Shal'lyindraa sit down. He pulled out the chair beside her and let Serena sit.
Dain sat down at the head of the table; Jonnic and Kyp sat across from
Shal'lyindraa and Serena.
"Shal'lyindraa, I know why you are here. Jonnic and I share your sorrow.
Your mother was a good woman who lived a good life. Your sisters also.
None of them deserved to--"
The young boy came back out into the room and began to serve each person.
After he had placed food on each dish, he ran back into the kitchen. Minutes
later he came out with glasses and drinks.
"I'm sorry Uncle, but I have tried and tried. I just can't find myself feeling that
sorry. I never knew my family, and they never really knew me. As far as I
cared, all my life you were my father, and Jonnic my brother. And I understand
why you had to send me off, but . . . I just can't feel sympathy for someone I
never knew. I'm just -- shocked."
Dain nodded. "I understand."
"The reason, Uncle, I came here was because I want you and Jonnic to leave
this place for a while. I can't help but notice this feeling inside me that is telling
me you both need to leave."
Jonnic's eyes widened. "You're using that power you have, huh?"
"Yes."
"My dear, I don't comprehend this 'power' you speak of. Yes I know of it,
but I don't really believe that I understand it. Yet, if it is your wish for us to
leave, we shall leave. In two days time we shall go, somewhere."
Shal'lyindraa smiled. "Good."
"And I hope that you will all stay with us until we do leave." Jonnic said,
watching Serena and Shal'lyindraa.
"Yes, we would love to stay." Shal'lyindraa answered for them.
After dinner, which consisted mostly of greens and soup, Dain excused
himself, leaving the other four in the room to watch the young boy come back
out and pick up their plates. "Jonnic, is this entire place made of marble?"
Serena asked momentarily.
"The main rooms are, but the bedrooms are made of stone."
Serena nodded her head to his reply. "It's a really nice place."
"Thank you. But I prefer the outside."
"The view is magnificent." Shal'lyindraa put in.
Jonnic stood up. "Come. I'll show you."
The other three stood up, and followed Jonnic down the stairs. They walked
through the large chamber, and went out the door. Outside, the sun had set,
and the sky was a dark blue. No stars or moon filled the sky, only darkness.
The entire expanse of ocean looked like a shadow, as did the sky. The sky
itself seemed to merge with the water.
The group walked passed the Corellian Sunrise and kept going until they
reached a large cliff. The jagged cliff stuck out before them, and then dropped
straight down into the swirling ocean.
"Is this whole place on an island?"
"Yes." Jonnic answered Serena's question. He continued smoothly, "There is
no way to leave this place except through a ship or speeder bike."
"Whoa." Serena said softly.
Looking down the wall of the bluff, Serena could see the waves hitting the
rocky cliff. The crashing waves made a loud, thundering noise, which was in
fact, the only noise Serena heard. She could easily smell the salt water as
clouds of moisture lifted up from the ocean and onto the top of the cliff where
Serena, Kyp, Jonnic, and Shal'lyindraa stood, surrounding them in a thin, salty
fog.
Serena's gaze drifted across the ocean one last time. Kyp took her hand in
his, and she and Kyp followed behind Jonnic and Shal'lyindraa back towards
the stone castle. They went into the large, cavernous room, and went up the
marble steps. They left the steps through a small door to their right. Walking
through a long stone hallway they stopped at three doors.
Jonnic pointed to them. "These are your rooms. Mine is right across from
yours, as is fathers. If you need anything, anything at all, then just come and get
me."
Shal'lyindraa nodded, "Jonnic?"
"Yes?"
"Do you mind if I talk with you privately?"
"No, my dear. Come, we can talk in my room."
Jonnic locked his arm in Shal'lyindraa's and led her into the room in front of
them. Kyp shrugged once the door closed. Wondering, but not caring much,
what Shal'lyindraa was going to talk about. Most likely the death of her
parents.
"Well, then, " He locked his arm in Serena's. "Would you mind if you and I
talked privately?"
"No, my love. Come, we can talk in your room." Serena said teasingly.
Kyp opened the door. It was the furthermost one on the left. He and Serena
quietly entered it, and the door slid shut behind them. Serena's eyes widened
for a moment and her mouth opened slightly.
The room was large. In the far corner was a small sitting area that consisted
of a couch and two chairs covered in blood red velvet. There was a door near
the sitting area, which was an entire mirror. Serena guessed that it led into the
bathroom and judging by the room, a very nice bathroom. On the right side of
the room was a large canopy bed covered with red and black velvet. Velvet
pillows covered the bed. Past the bed was a large dresser made of a dark
brown wood, atop it were three gold candlesticks, with already burning candles
dripping wax down into the gold bowls underneath them.
"You know, I haven't seen candles in a long time, and I'm wondering why they
seem to be the only use of light." Kyp said, walking towards a heavy black
velvet curtain hanging from the cold, brown stone wall. He took the heavy
curtains and pushed them back. In front of him was a round balcony. Kyp
walked out onto it. Below him was a cliff, which fell straight down into the
swirling sea of water below.
"Kyp?" Serena stepped out beside him. "Wow." She slightly leaned over the
stone railing, and looked to her left, then right. "If I'm right, every room seems
to have one of these balconies. This place has beautiful architecture."
Kyp took his gaze off the ocean and looked across to Serena. He smiled at
her wide eyes and smiling lips. "No trees, only grass, stone, and water. No
stars or moon, or clouds, only sky," he said still looking at Serena.
Serena nodded at Kyp's statement. "I love it."
"No droids, barely any people . . .no women either." Kyp continued to stare
at Serena's profile letting his eyes drift downward and upward, paying close
attention to her face, which was a palish orange from the glow of the candles
from the inside of the room.
"That is strange . . ." Serena shivered and then looked up to meet Kyp's stare.
"Come on, we need to sleep."
Walking off the balcony, Kyp paused. "Hope you sleep well alone," he said
jokingly.
Serena walked to the small door in the front of the room and watched as it
opened before her. "I will." Serena said laughing at Kyp's statement.
Kyp quickly walked forward, grasped Serena's hand in his, and said gently,
"Wait, I'm sick of joking around."
Serena turned around and stared quizzically up at Kyp. She looked up at the
man whom she loved, the man that had killed millions of people. "What?"
Kyp began to feel his cheeks turning red. "Never mind."
"What?" Serena repeated and took her hand off the door; it silently slid shut.
She loved Kyp, and the fact that he had once been one with the dark side and
had killed people meant nothing to her now. He had made a horrible mistake,
but she was sure that he would more than make up for his mistake throughout
the future years.
"It's just --" Kyp pulled Serena to him. He slid one arm around her thin waist,
and with the other, pushed her ethereal hair away from her face. Kyp
whispered in Serena's ear and pulled back, watching as surprise, then
uncertainty, and finally fear melted into the beautiful, loving face of an angel.
"Kyp, you are the first, and you will be the last. I promise you that. Always
and forever we will be together." Serena's smooth, alluring voice answered
back to his question.
Kyp breathed in deeply and at the same moment pulled Serena to him in a
tight embrace, he then kissed her, letting himself imagine that this were the last
time he would ever hold her in his arms. That brief thought scared Kyp more
than he thought it could. He held Serena tighter and kissed her harder. Slowly
he moved his hands down and up. Serena shivered even though her insides
were on fire as Kyp's cold hands met the hot skin of her back.

* * *

"Jonnic, I just don't understand. Why? What did my parents do?"
Shal'lyindraa stood up and began pacing Jonnic's beautifully designed room.
Jonnic stood up from one of his velvet chairs, and poured himself some more
wine. "As far as I know, your parents did nothing. They were very respected
people."
Shal'lyindraa stopped, and set down her glass filled with a white wine that she
hadn't touched. She couldn't bring herself to drink it, so many things were
going through her mind. One big matter was why her parents had been killed.
So far, no one knew why, and she doubted if anyone would ever know. "No
one would do that unless they knew I would come here to you, but then why
get me off of Yavin Four?"
Jonnic shrugged, and leaned against the wall. "Maybe it wasn't that they
wanted you off Yavin Four for a certain reason. Maybe they wanted you here
for a certain reason. Maybe they didn't even kill them because of you."
"Yes, but then why kill them? They must have been into something big, maybe
the Empire. I never knew my parents very well, but I doubt severely that they
would have gotten in with the Empire or any organization like that."
Shal'lyindraa started pacing the room again. "This is so incomprehensible!"
"You're a Jedi, meditate." Jonnic pushed back his brown hair, which had
fallen into his green eyes.
"Yes, I could." Shal'lyindraa let out an exasperated sigh. "I just don't know.
I am glad that you and Uncle will be leaving here. It will let me know that you
are both safe."
Jonnic walked over to her, and she stopped walking back and forth. "I'd do
anything for you, Shal, and so would Uncle. You know that." Jonnic took
Shal'lyindraa's hands in his and clasped them together.
"I do."
Jonnic let go of her hands, and smiled. "Now please, let us talk of other things
that may not depress us so. Please, tell me, what have you been doing since I
last saw you."
"Once I left here I went to Tatooine to find Rubin. I learned that he was
somewhere on Smugglers' Run, so I didn't bother to contact him. I've been
trying to reach Wedge, but now that he's so high and mighty, I can't get hold of
him. I swear I must have left a hundred messages at the least. And I know that
if he had gotten even one of them, he would have contacted me by now. He
probably just thinks that I've forgotten all about him. But if I ever do get hold
of him, boy will he be surprised to find out where I've been."
"Why not get hold of Rubin?" Jonnic asked, thoughtfully, rubbing the thin
beard that was beginning to form around his chin.
"Well, there's no use. Anyway, he practically raised me, I think I'll give him a
break. You know, he's retired, or at least he says he is."
"But wasn't he expecting you to follow him and become a smuggler?"
"Yes, but I decided that I had rather be a Jedi Knight."
Jonnic lifted his eyebrows. "Yes, I forgot about that." he finished grimly.
Shal'lyindraa folded her arms over her chest and turned from him to study the
stone wall. "Yes, you seem to have, but I just can't see why you have a
problem with it."
Jonnic stepped up behind Shal'lyindraa, as he spoke she felt his breath on her
neck. "I have no problem with it; I'm just worried about you. I have heard of
this Force, and what it can do. What it did to Darth Vader and Palpatine."
Shal'lyindraa turned to face Jonnic. "You don't think that-- that could happen
to me. Do you?"
"You never know." Jonnic shrugged, and gulped down the rest of his drink.
Shal'lyindraa frowned up at the older man, and decided against arguing.
"Anyway, Jonnic, what have you been doing?"
Jonnic walked back to his velvet chair, and sat down in it. "Nothing. I've been
here, doing nothing."
"That's not true, in fact you have been doing something bad, haven't you. I
mean last time I was here, you had droids everywhere, parties all the time,
maids covering every foot of the house, now all you have is a cook and a
servant boy . . . where is everything, everybody?"
"Sold." Jonnic turned from Shal'lyindraa's prying eyes.
"Why, Jonnic? What did you do?"
"I hung out with the wrong crowd." Jonnic shrugged, and narrowed his green
eyes. "I'm in a lot of trouble. I owe a lot of money, and I would not be
surprised if I woke up tomorrow dead." Jonnic started laughing.
Shal'lyindraa sat down in front of him, on his couch. She leaned forward,
resting her hands in her lap. "Jonnic, what did you do?"
"Spice. I got hooked on spice can you believe it? Spice and sabacc, I
practically needed them all the time. I finally got caught," Jonnic stopped
laughing. "I owe twenty-three-thousand credits to some smuggler or something,
I don't know. All I know is I've sold as much stuff as I could, and all I have is
eighteen-thousand. I don't suppose you just happen to have nine-thousand
stored up somewhere?"
Shal'lyindraa shook her head. "No, Jonnic. I don't understand. How could
you get in dept? How?"
"Who knows." Jonnic shrugged again. "There's nothing I can do now."
"Are you sure?"
"Except go into hiding, which I am not going to do, no matter what."
Shal'lyindraa stood up. "Oh, Jonnic. Sometimes, I just don't understand you.
How could you let this happen?"
Jonnic stood up, and put both his hands against the wall. "I don't know.
Father thinks that I've paid it off. He's not worried anymore, but I'm still nine
thousand short, and every day it's getting higher. I'm risking my life and father's.
I can't help. I can't do anything about it."
Shal'lyindraa laid both her hands on Jonnic's shoulders. "It's okay, if only I
could help. I just don't know how."
"Don't bother trying. I think leaving here for a while with father is a good idea.
I'll find us some money, somehow." He shrugged Shal'lyindraa's hands off his
shoulders, and walked back to the couch. "Your parents were going to help
out. They were going to give me the nine thousand." He rubbed his temples.
"You had better go to bed. It's getting late."
"Jonnic, you're in trouble, you just can't push me out like this. I sense guilt, it
must be because of Uncle."
"Look, Shal, there's a lot more to this than you think. You'd never understand
if I told you."
"I would, just try me."
"No," Jonnic stood up, and pointed to the door. "Please, you had better go."
Shal'lyindraa stood where she was for a moment. Something was wrong.
She could read his mind, she needed to because half of what he had told her
was a complete lie; but this was Jonnic, she couldn't resort to it. Slowly,
Shal'lyindraa turned to the door.
"Look, Jonnic, if there's anything that you want to tell me, you can." She
stood there for a moment, and when Jonnic did not answer, she left the room.
Leaning against the wall Shal'lyindraa looked to each side of herself, and
down the hallway. She narrowed her eyes, and peered down to her left. She
watched as her uncle came down the long hallway towards her. She saw that
he hadn't noticed her, and she slipped around the corner, and watched carefully
as her uncle entered Jonnic's room.
Shal'lyindraa slipped back to the door, and put her ear against it. She could
not hear her uncle speaking, but she heard her cousin.
"Uncle, he said if I gave him the . . ." There was a pause, then she heard him
speak again.
"Look, he owes me fourteen-thousand credits, I gave him the information he
needed, so all we have to do is wait for the money."
There was a pause, and Jonnic's once calm voice was now tinged with anger.
"If we don't get that money soon, those friends of yours are going to have our
heads. We would have done better if you had just taken that money from the
Ta'ao's." Shal'lyindraa pressed her ear closer to the door.
"I made a mistake. Don't worry, we'll get that money." Dain said,
Shal'lyindraa figured that he was close to the door, and that was why she could
so easily hear him.
"They've got to give me the money at some time. I'll make them pay me if I
have to."
"We're talking about Imperials, I told you not to trust them." Dain said angrily.
"You told me? Father, it was your idea! I didn't want to meet up with the
Imperials, but you did!"
Shal'lyindraa slowly backed away from the door, and walked into her room.
What was he talking about, Imperials? she asked herself. Shal'lyindraa sat
down on top of her canopy bed, throwing some velvet pillows across the room.
This was impossible. How could Jonnic and Dain be spying for the Empire?
She must have heard wrong. There was no possible way that they could do
that. It was almost impossible to see her cousin betting, cheating, and wasting
money, but spying? What should she do? Tell Serena, and Kyp, or keep it to
herself? But what would be the point of not telling anyone. She could talk to
them tomorrow about what she had overheard. She might have just heard
wrong, hopefully.
Shal'lyindraa stood up and began to survey the room. It was large and
completely made of stone. In the corner was a small door, made of a large
mirror. She realized that the room looked exactly like Jonnic's. She stood up,
walked to the glass door, and opened it. It slid open, and she stepped into a
large bathroom made of stone and marble.
She needed a good bath to soothe her nerves. Shal'lyindraa let a small smile
cross her lips. Maybe she just needed a short break, from everything. Then,
maybe, she could meditate for a while. Shal'lyindraa bent over the bathtub and
turned on the water.