AN: First story, I own nothing. Published 12/12/2018
A long time ago in a
galaxy far far away
Star Wars
Dark Rose of the Sith
War! The Republic is crumbling
under attacks by the ruthless
Sith Lord, Count Dooku.
There are heroes on both sides.
Evil is everywhere. But a
light can be found darkness.
In a stunning move, the
fiendish droid leader, General
Grievous, has swept into the
Republic capital and kidnapped
Chancellor Palpatine, leader of
the Galactic Senate.
But as the Separatist Droid Army
attempted to flee the besieged
capital with their valuable
hostage, two Jedi Knights led a
desperate mission to rescue the
captive Chancellor. Killing
Count Dooku in the process.
But Dooku's apprentice,
Raina, will have her Revenge.
XxXxX
Flying through the skies of the city planet of Coruscant, Raina was piloting her starfighter, towards the last place she thought she would ever go, the Jedi Temple. Raina thought of all the things that brought her to this point, the time she was kidnapped at six years old, along with a few others, by trandoshan slavers, her rescue by her soon to be Master and later father figure, Count Dooku. Thinking about him brought much sadness to her heart, that she nearly flew into a passing speeder.
Quickly refocusing her attention at the task at hand. As she neared the temple she transmitted the clearance code to the flight control tower, it was an older code but it should check out, and as luck would have it, it did. She flew her fighter, an Eta-2 Actis-class interceptor called Black Thorn a gift from her master, to the designated hanger where she landed and quickly made her way to the exit. She didn't need to be noticed by anyone before she reached her detestation, the Jedi Council Chambers.
XxXxX
Obi-Wan Kanobi had just returned from the Senate and was heading for his living quarters so he could fill out the after action reports for the Council.
'Paper work, joy'. He sarcastically thought to himself. 'But not as bad as talking to most senators. I feel a little bad for leaving Anakin to fend for himself in that den of gundarks. But I will not apologize, after all he had Padmé to help him out if he needs it'. As Obi-Wan was distracted by his thoughts, he walked into someone as he turned the corner.
"Oh forgive me, uh...master, I was... not paying attention to my surroundings." Said a young sad and nerves feminine voice. Looking down, Obi-Wan noticed a young girl of about fifteen or sixteen years of age, she was just under six foot tall, she was wearing dark brown robes, her two lightsabers were attached to her belt along side a few leather pouches, he took notice of her hair that came down to her shoulders and was black with red tips, most likely dyed to look like that, strangely enough, while she looked human, she had a pair of dog like ears on her head that matched her hair color, probably some rare human like species, and her eyes were pure silver, eyes that held sadness. There was also a familiarity to her.
"Don't worry young one, I was not paying much attention myself." He admitted. "Are you alright?" Obi-Wan asked politely, and giving her gentle nudge to her, surprisingly strong, mental shields with the Force to calm her down a little.
"I'm quite alright, Master Kanobi, thank you". She said as she quickly composed herself, now displaying a calm exterior. He could still sense sadness from her, but decided not question it, so as to not push her away.
"You seem to have me at disadvantage, you know my name, may I have yours?" He asked, trying to get her to open up to see what has her so troubled.
"Xiao-Long, Summer Xiao-Long." She answered, her calm demeanor slipping for a split second, and she seemed to be nervous about something. Deciding that she needs some help before her melancholy turns into something dreadful, and becomes a hazard to herself and those around her.
"Well it's pleasure to meet you Summer." He stated as he extended his hand. She took it and gave a firm shake. Seeing that now would be a good time to question and give her council, if need be. "You seem to be upset about something. May I ask what has you so troubled, young one?" He asked, putting on his best fatherly, or at this point grand fatherly, act. 'By the Force, I'm getting old.' He thought, as she attempted to put on a brave face, but he saw the cracks, and watched as it mostly fell apart. Her shoulders slumped, head bowed and even her dog ears flattened a little as she tried to hold together what was left of her facade, and let out a mournful sigh.
"My... master was killed in orbit in the battle and I was going to see if Master Yoda can... help me in someway." She said sadness in her voice, but Obi-Wan could tell that she had told him the truth, she was not telling the whole story. Not wanting her to close up again, he didn't press the matter. He understood what it was like lose his master and father figure Qui-Gon, and even his beloved Satine, their deaths hurt him and he can still feel the pain at times. He knew that, to mourn them and to keep them in your heart was good, but to think on the 'what if' or 'it should have been me' are not things one should not dwell on, for it could lead you down a dark path. This war has taken so much from so many on both sides. Looking at Summer's despairing form, he decided that comforting her was the best course of helping her in these dark times.
"Summer," He started, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder." I... know what it's like to lose a master, and people I care about and I miss them dearly. At times I wished, I had taken their place, but whats done is done, and I can not change the past. What I can do is cherish their memory and to move on for them, because to dwell and cling to the past is to stagnant and to do so is to die in mind, body, and spirit. Your master" she looked at the mention of her master, tears threatening to fall from those pools of silver. "would have wanted you to live, to smile, and be happy. Know that you still have people that care about you, so cherish every moment with them for it may be the last you may have with them." As he finished, a single tear fell down her cheek before she wiped it and her eyes clear and gave him a weak smile and stood straight as she could, trying to look as confident as possible.
"Thank you, Master Kanobi, you've given me a lot to think about." She said as she took a breath to calm herself. "I... I think I'll go...meditate for a while." She bowed her head in farewell. He did the same and she walked off down the hall, watching until she turned the corner.
Sighing, Obi-Wan turned around and started walking to his quarters once more, all the while his thoughts were on the padawan. 'The Force is strong with her, and will make a great Knight someday. She will be reassigned to a new master as to finish her training. Perhaps I could, it would be nice to teach again, or Anakin could mentor her, Force knows he could use a little help after the incident with Ahsoka and the temple bombing. But feel as though I seen her before, I just can't remember from where." His train of thought came to a halt as he entered his quarters, putting his thoughts of Summer in the back of his mind for now.
While not much of a living space, having only a dresser, a desk, and a single bed, all surrounded by light gray walls, it was enough for a Jedi like him. Looking at the bed, sleep looking like a great idea right now, but Obi-Wan knew that he still needed to fill out those reports.'Paper work, joy.'
XxXxX
Raina quickly made her way down the hall of the Jedi Temple and out of Kanobi's line of sight. After bumping into the Jedi Master, she thought she had been caught and would be imprisoned. Luckily he had mistaken her for a padawan. He had asked what was troubling her, and while she had told him the truth, she did not tell him the whole truth. She needed to reach the Council Chambers as soon as possible so she can present her case to the Jedi in way that would give her a chance to talk.
If she had just walked up to the main entrance and surrendered would most likely had arrested and tossed her into a cell and thrown away the key, or worse kill her on sight. Finding her in the room would be the best course to take as the Jedi, being the predictable ones they are, would ask questions to understand her reasoning for being there in the first place. She will tell them everything that she knows of the CIS, the droid master kill switch, the truth of the Clone Army, the plot to destroy the Jedi with Order 66, and the data drive she had will support her case. With her little talk with Obi-Wan, she might have actually gained some support on the Council. Only time will tell.
After another hour of walking the halls, she saw the lift that will take her to her destination. Dooku had taught her the layout of the temple and memorized it for if she was ever needed to infiltrate to gather info or to kill some one on the inside, if the need ever arose. As she approached the lift, she made sure there was no one was around. After not seeing or sensing anybody or anything near by she entered the lift and pressed the button for the top floor. The three minutes it took to reach the top felt like an eternity, and her anxiety grew with every passing minute of it. When the door opened with a ding, and sensing no else was on this floor with her, she made beeline for the door at the other end of the hall.
Trying her best to stay calm, she focused on her breathing as she entered the Council Chamber. The windowed, semi-circular room was a little dark with the windows tinted right now, but she didn't mind as she moved to the window on other side of the room. As she walked she pulled out the holo-recorder Dooku gave her a week ago in case something happened to him. Setting it down on the window sill, she let it play the message from her master and adoptive father and listened to his final words to her.
Placing her lightsabers in the block shaped chair directly across from the door, she sat behind it and brought her knees to her chest. With all the emotions of the past day building up to the breaking point, she stopped holding it back and let it out for all those who had ability hear it. For the second time, since she was taken from her home, Raina, this sixteen year old girl, cried.