Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars or any of the characters from its universe.
He was running and he was starting to hate himself for it.
Ben.
She was calling to him, searching. He wanted to answer the call, but he couldn't.
It was even harder in isolation. Wild space was too far away from any Jedi Temples or schools.
He couldn't believe that she had followed him this far out.
Self imposed exile was hard to resist. His mind naturally wanted to seek out company.
Seduction of the dark side was even harder to resist, as was the beautiful woman that came with it.
He landed landed his ship at a checkpoint. She was close and he could sense her.
He needed shelter.
Ben where are you?
She called in his sleep. He gritted his tongue and forced the dreams away.
Getting out of bed, he dressed quickly and loaded his ship. It was too dangerous if he stayed.
His ship took off without clearance.
Another ship registered on the scanners, but he didn't have to look at it to know who it was.
The dark presence was toxic and sweetly alluring.
Ben come to me.
She sang through the force.
Her presence grew more imposing as the ship got closer.
Ben swallowed thickly, when the tractor beam latched onto his ship and pulled it in.
He never should have let her escape from the Jedi Temple.
A ramp opened and a small silhouette started to board his ship.
He never should have gone looking for her. Never should have allowed himself to be pulled into her dark embrace.
But he was the moth and her dark flame was too alluring.
It had been two years since their last encounter.
"My sweet." She called like a lover, fluttering across his cabin with ease. The force accelerated her movement, making her look surreal.
She fit into his ready arms like a lost glove.
Both of them knew that he wouldn't kill her. He couldn't.
"Vestara." He greeted shakily. The small woman had grown since the years they had met.
At twenty five, she had filled out with more womanly curves yet still remained petite. She stood at his shoulder. She was wearing a black knee length tunic and well fitted, gray pants and knee length boots underneath. The bulgy utility belt around her waist looked out of place on her elegant figure. Her long hair was in a loose ponytail that fell over her shoulder.
Everything would start over again, then.
She kissed his lips and then his jawline and neck. Each kiss implanted more and more dark side energy into his spirit. She tried to pull him back with her.
"No more games, come with me." She told him, seeking out his mind. Trying to restore their bond in the force.
He was fighting it, refusing to admit that he missed her.
"No." He said at last, pushing her away. He pulled out his blue light saber.
Vestara sighed, knowing the game. She pulled out her red one.
He was so close, just flirting on the edge of darkness.
"You know this is futile." She commented. Ben didn't reply, trying to call the calm and peace of the light side of the force into himself. He succeeded, mostly. Her presence left a dark blotch on his soul that could not be filled.
The sabers met one another swing and slash. They hummed in unison when they danced and then hissed when they touched.
Her saber expertly met his. She singed his shoulder and then his face.
"Sorry, my darling." She apologized tenderly, all the while her blade kept spar with his. Ben ground his teeth in frustration, refusing to hit her. Careful to keep his blade from hurting her.
Both knew that he had the upper hand – he just wouldn't use it.
He wished that he had been stronger to resist the temptation in the first place.
His father never said anything, but Ben knew that he knew.
The exile was self imposed. He needed the time to recover.
But every time he tried to heal and push out the presence of her darkness, she came right back in and infused him with more.
Vestera flicked her wrist and the red blade grazed his hip. The distracted pain sent his saber spinning out of his grip. She forced him onto his knees in surrender.
"I'll die before I let you take me back with you." He warned. His evasiveness started turning into excuses and the excuses were slowly becoming threats.
His shoulder hurt, as did his hip and cheek where she had nicked him.
Vestara shut her light saber off and knelt before him. Not as an enemy, but as an equal.
"Poor boy, my poor boy." She taunted, leaning down and placing her lips on his wounds. Every time she touched him, his spirit cooled with more allure and the call of the dark side intensified.
She was toying with him.
Ben closed his eyes, letting the pleasure take him away. If she did love him, it wasn't enough to save him. She would damn and kill him should the need ever arise.
Gingerly, he wrapped his arms around her waist as she drew nearer to him. Her utility belt pressed into his abdomen, the pain of it nudging his senses.
"Come back with me." She whispered against his lips. His hands skimmed over her waist, searching.
"You'll be happy if you do. I have a wonderful surprise waiting for you on Kesh." There was something in her words that flickered and made Ben hesitate, but he forced himself to brush it off. There was always something in her words.
He grabbed the hilt of her light saber instead. She fell silent as he pushed it into her abdomen.
His breathing was heavy.
The force called on him to do it – to end it, but his will resisted. After a moment of silence she began to laugh. Her small hand encircled his larger one and then she gently took back her weapon.
"Oh, my dearest. You have to come with me now."
She towed his ship behind hers. Ben stayed with her in the same quarters. When they slept he allowed her to pull him a little further down the path of destruction. Vestara was still young and naïve. They had known each other long for him to see that her small victory had blinded her. She was weakened by her arrogance. It brought her down time and time again.
So it was with little effort that he placed an extra blanket of sleep around her mind. It would take her some time to awaken from it. Then he kissed her goodbye, and headed for his ship.
He had about a day's length to flee before the chase began anew.