Authors Note: March 10th, 2011 - 7:01pm - For those of you who are joining us for the first time, a couple things to know. The date and time at the beginning of each chapter is to show you the last time I updated an aspect of the story so you can keep up. I have written this fanfic based on who I would like to be if I had a character in Star Wars. I have changed some chronological and historical elements (it is AU) so that my character can "squeeze in" so to speak and integrate themselves into the Star Wars universe. This fanfic will follow the same story pattern as the movies with my character added along (until we get to Episode III). The first couple of chapters will pertain to how my character joined the Jedi and her training. Also, Obi-wan never did leave the Order to help the children of Melida/Daan, so he never met Cerasi. (He met me instead! :) (He's not mine in this story, but he's still mine. Unless someone else likes him too. And I'm okay with that.)
Rated: The entire story is rated M. But chapters will be individually rated. This chapter is rated T. My stories only have mild, if any, coarse language. The only reason my stories would be rated M would be because of violence and slash. Slashy goodness won't come until later. Much, much later. (Upon reflection: Well, maybe not that much later.)
Pairing: MacexOC, AnixObi (observed, when we get there), OCxOC (maybe)
WARNING: This is a re-telling of the first three episodes of Star Wars (which will eventually become AU) so it will be long and arduous. If a quick romance story is what you're looking for, you won't find it here. So shoo.
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, places, or things except my own. The rest is owned by 20th Century Fox and LucasFilms.
Summary: The Dark Side. It was the only way of life she had every known. But which side of the Force will Celestia choose when two Jedi set aside their mission to save her. Who is her father? And more importantly . . . how will she change the future? Rated M for violence, angst, and slashy goodness later.
"The Other Side of the Force"
Chapter 1: Turning from the Sith
Celestia is 14 years old
"Please!" She begged calmly, but urgently. Her bright green eyes pleaded at the hologram, as if asking for a silent salvation. Her eyes kept darting back and forth as if trying to find some unseen danger sneaking up from behind. "If no one intervenes, thousands of innocent people will continue to die." Chancellor Valorum's face showed no emotion on the holo-transmission from the Senate, but he betrayed his compassion only with his eyes. "If you cannot help us," she continued, trying to coax a response out of the Supreme Chancellor, "then, no one will! We don't have much time; our days are numbered as it is."
The Chancellor subtly shifted in his chair, as if unsure of what to say next. He sighed, then returned his gaze back to the young girl, "Very well," his deep voice was distorted by the electronic communication, "I will inform the Jedi council. They will then see if action needs to be taken. But I am sure they will at least send two Jedi to investigate soon."
She seemed to internally relax, "Thank you," She sighed. She looked less worried but continued to eye him carefully. "But you have to hurry, our militia cannot last long against the Sith! We are already cut shor-"
The transmission garbled, then faded away altogether. As soon as the communication was disrupted, the young girl dropped her worried facade. The expression that replaced it was one of pure pity and despair. She's going to do something terrible. She sighed. She didn't know what was going to happen, but she sensed it wasn't anything good.
She walked forlornly out of the communications blister and walked along the corridors of the grand palace. She wore the typical robes of a Jedi apprentice, but the material was black and far softer then the uniform of the esteemed Order. The only other colors she wore were her red belt and her brown boots. Not to mention, she thought glumly, my lightsaber. That's red, too. The dark color of her robes were a deep contrast to the bright palace walls.
Her thoughts drifted back to the transmission she had just sent. Her act was very convincing, but that didn't take away the momentary stab of regret she felt when she thought of what her mother could possibly plan to do with the Jedi when they arrived.She stopped in the middle of the marble-floored hallway, looking at an aimless spot on the floor. It made Celestia wonder, what was so bad about the Jedi? Why did her mother hate them so?
At first, Celestia watched her mother taint the entire planet of Palin with misery. But now, she cannot seem to confine her torturous presence to her own planet, she has to corrupt the entire galaxy, too. Her mother was, what the galaxy called, a Sith. Being her daughter and being taught by her, I guess that made her one, too. They were trained to use the dark side of the Force to destroy the light-sided Jedi. Looking back at the holo-recordings (that she wasn't supposed to be watching), however, she never found any justification for the genocide of an entire people just because of a philosophical difference. Any time a war was waged between the Sith and the Jedi, the Sith were always the catalyst for the conflicts. The Jedi were never the instigators.
Shaking her head, she chastised herself for not following her mother's teachings. She will sense my treachery through my thoughts again, she sighed with dismay. Even though her disobedience occurred only in her mind, her mother, Tahl could always tell when Celestia hadn't taken what her mother taught to heart. It wasn't that she wanted to openly disobey her mother, it's just that everything she seemed to teach her felt . . . wrong.
Anger. Hatred. Misery. Cruelty. These were what she had been taught for the last eight years. But these weren't the traits she had observed from common everyday people in the city. True, they did become angry, or someone would display an act of cruelty. But it wasn't the overall pervading emotion that surrounded them. Often, she had snuck out of the palace to observe the interactions of her people.
Her mother, Tahl, was the Queen of Palin, that meant that Celestia would one day rule. Her mother had insisted, before the King had been imprisoned, that her biological daughter should inherit the throne instead of the King's children from his previous marriage: her other brothers and sister. And, in her observations of the common-folk, she had seen that the people did not act the way her Mother perceived. It meant that there was something bigger in the universe that was worth believing in. But, how she would find out what it was, and how she would get there, she didn't know, so she wiped the thought from her mind.
Looking to her left, she gazed out of the large ceiling-high windows, at the city below. She was never allowed beyond the palace walls because her mother thought that the 'common wretches' would taint her children. But, Celestia always managed to deceive the, ever so gullible, guards and explore the beautiful planet she lived on. Palin: A planet completely covered by rainforest. Well, she though with a wry smile, it's mostly rainforest. Parts of it are made up of swamps that form as a result of water run-offs. The ground is too saturated with water to have settlements on the ground so the people of Palin make their homes in the trees. The Imperial Palace is located high up into the branches of The Core Tree, the largest tree in the Nubishi Province. The rest of the city of Marketai was stretched around and through the trees that surrounded the palace.
A heavy sigh rolled out of the lungs of the sad girl as she put a hand to her shoulder-length, maroon hair. Wincing at the contact of her own hand, she felt the grotesque injury she had sustained the previous day during combat training. It was also a punishment that her mother had allowed as a result of discovering that her disobedient daughter had snuck out, again.
Celestia kept walking, heading towards her rooms. Her mother had predicted that the Jedi would come as soon as they received the message of distress, but they probably wouldn't get here for awhile. Her job was to lure them here and wait for them to arrive. Her journey through the palace corridors was uneventful because no one was roaming the halls. No one ever did except for the students. Her similarly garbed step-brothers and step-sister were the only students to Tahl, but they usually didn't want to cross paths with Celestia because they thought she was a disgrace to the dark side. And in a way, she was. She often didn't accept that everything her mother taught her was right.
It didn't matter anyway, she didn't want to be around her siblings either. Their mere presence was toxic to her; they were just as corrupted and cruel as their mother. Celestia hated to be alone, but she would rather be alone than with her so-called family.
It looked like she wouldn't have a choice today, because she could feel the stabbing echoes through the force even before she heard their voices. They had apparently been collectively laughing at a cruel joke, probably at someone else's expense. They stopped short when they rounded the corner and saw Celestia. Their faces were blank; nobody spoke as the silence dragged on, but their eyes and the overwhelming waves of hatred that she could feel did all the talking she would need.
The first one to approach her was her oldest brother, Kippen. Of the three siblings before her, Kippen was the only one she was afraid of. (And the only one brave enough to approach her alone.) She wasn't afraid because he was better at lightsaber combat than her because Celestia herself had that title. She was actually valued for her lightsaber combat proficiency because she was the only one among them to be able to master a double-bladed lightsaber. And it wasn't because he was better at manipulating the Force because Celestia had conquered that, too. She had the ability to master Force techniques, that would take an average Jedi years to master, in hours. She was scared because he was simply more privileged than her. He had a special place in Mother's heart. He was allowed to carry out punishments he deemed "necessary" in Mother's place. And he would look for any excuse to punish her because of the great dislike they all had for her and to give themselves something to laugh about. To them, she was a waste of space, the kind of person they wouldn't look twice at. As a result, they despised her more because she got more attention and training from Mother.
Tensing her muscles in anticipation, she let on no sign that she was afraid. Celestia's midi-chlorian count wasn't the highest, but her connection to the force, and her sensitivity to it was strong. It was the strongest that Tahl had ever encountered, which apparently is significant because Tahl had said Celestia's ability to perceive the Force was almost equal to that of Master Yoda.
Whoever that was. It didn't matter to Celestia, all she needed to know was that she was able to discern others' actions and perceive things through the force that most couldn't, which gave her a distinct advantage over others.
Kippen stopped a few feet and stared her down. Keeping a wall of focus and calm at the forefront of her thoughts, Celestia emptied her mind of all unnecessary distractions until the only thing she was aware of was her immediate surroundings. It was called a Curtain of Awareness, a technique she herself had invented. It takes an enormous amount of concentration to perform and months of training. If someone or something came within twenty meters of her, she would know about it even if she couldn't see it. It was especially useful when she was pre-occupied with another task and didn't want to be caught off guard. While in this state of intense concentration, nothing and no one escaped her notice. This ability, among others, was one of a few reasons her mother bothered to train her in the first place.
Kippen's hand twitched toward his lightsaber. Celestia didn't give him a chance; reaching through the force, with the proficiency of a Jedi Master, she called her lightsaber from it's resting position on the left side of her belt to her right hand. Spinning the hilt as it erupted into a red, double-bladed saber, she dropped into her own unique fighting stance. Ready to face whatever her brother had to throw at her, she silently hoped that the others wouldn't interfere. Come on! She silently growled, frustration coloring her thoughts. I don't have time for this! I have to get ready. Besides, Mother is coming! Which was true, she could feel a faint disturbance in the force slowly approaching the hallway they were in. As Kippen smirked at her defensive posture, clearly he wasn't aware of their mother's approach, he readied his footing for an attack.
"Enough!" A shriek that made them freeze where they stood. An overwhelming sense of dread surrounded them and settled into their very cores. Celestia was internally shaking; even Kippen looked a little frightened.
Her mother had always commanded a great deal of respect and fear. With her Force presence alone, even people who weren't Force sensitive could sense her enter the room. Tahl was the only person, perhaps in the entire galaxy, that Celestia was ever afraid of. Her punishments for failure and betrayal were of the cruelest in this sector of the Outer Rim.
Snapping back to reality, Celestia switched off her lightsaber. Stepping to the side of the corridor, she bowed deeply as Tahl floated toward them. It was only then that she could feel her mother's familiar dark, corrupting presence. If she hadn't had the proper training, her mother's mere force signature would have crippled her mind. She mentally berated herself for letting the others distract her for this long.
"You insolent children will ruin everything!" She spat. Celestia raised her eyes and looked to her mother. Her dark skin and golden eyes gave the appearance of a beautiful and proud queen which belied a dark and sinister personality. Turning to Celestia, she transmitted a stab pain through the force. "And YOU!" She screeched, her anger mounting. "You should have returned to your quarters. They will be here within the week, you pathetic child!" Turning herself to face Celestia fully, she calmed down and became less angry, "You have work to do."
Wincing, Celestia began making her way to her rooms, bowing deeply before she left. "Y-yes, Mother. I am going." She put her lightsaber away and briskly made her way around the corner. When she was far enough away, she let out the breath she didn't know she was holding. She continued along with haste, not wanting to upset her mother again; she listened as Tahl punished her brother mercilessly. She winced painfully in silent sympathy. She didn't like to listen to people getting tortured, even people she didn't like very well. His screams could be heard echoing down the corridors even after she had stepped outside. The wind whipped at her robes as she crossed the catwalk to her tower which held her rooms. Her clothes flapping wildly about as she moved her hair to rest behind her ear. She stopped to breath in the fresh air and to center herself after the events that just transpired.
She chuckled to herself. Most people wouldn't think of the air as fresh.
Because of all the flora and fauna that grew throughout the lush and heavily wooded landscape, the smells mixed together, and some people find it overbearing. But she had lived here her whole life. The sweet smells were always there to calm her and bring her peace when she needed it.
She looked out at the sprawling city below. The very city itself was wrapped around the forest before her. The tops of the surrounding trees were just high enough to cover the palace roof, but were incredibly smaller compared to the Core Tree, whose branches were miles high and towered over the rest of the landscape. The canopy tops grew so close together, Celestia was amazed that sunlight was able to feed the plants below the tree line at all. And the indigenous plant-life didn't appreciate the humans' attempts at co-existence, so they would often entangle themselves around the buildings. If not properly maintained, the local flora would begin to demolish homes and buildings. After finally catching her breath, she continued to make her way into the cool interior of the stone tower.
Well, she sighed as she entered the tower, They'll be here eventually. Though I don't want to admit it, Mother was right: I have a lot of work to do. She meticulously went over the plans in her head, thinking of the proper way to welcome the soon-to-be new arrivals.
oOo
A flock a trestle birds flew away from an opening in the canopy ceiling. Disturbed from their nest by an incoming craft, they flitted to another cropping of trees to the south.
She was hoping that she would be able to get this over with quickly while having the least amount of contact with the Jedi. She looked up and saw the republic cruiser fly past her and land on the pad in front of her. Once the landing gear was down it took only moments for the ramp to drop, landing with a hollow thud as it hit the platform. She steeled herself, preparing for the next phase of her Mother's 'brilliant' plan.
Suddenly, she felt something move within herself. A wave washed over her, and she knew something was wrong. She felt a massive disturbance in the Force, larger than anything she felt before. It wasn't anything close by but something silently approaching.
Then suddenly, Celestia felt her eyes open, truly open, for the first time in the last ten years. She could see things in the Force that she couldn't before. It was as if a chain had been broken, binding her mind so that she couldn't see. Then, several realizations occurred to her that she hadn't really considered till now. Her mother had been controlling what her mind saw, and she had been clouding her vision of what Tahl had been really doing. Second, she realized that these two innocent Jedi were going to die because of her ignorance.
Even as the Jedi, one the master and the other the apprentice, disembarked and made their way towards her, she sensed that something malicious was going on. This process has, indeed, repeated itself many times before, and she had been blind to it all. She cursed herself for her stupidity. She felt an overwhelming sense of dread and danger, not just for the Jedi, but herself as well. And to top it all off, she didn't know why. She felt a sense of personal guilt, an emotion she thought she had buried during her training. She had always prided in her ability to shield and control her emotions, but now they just kept spilling out. Regret. Fear. Hatred. Guilt. She was struggling with the inner battle that stormed inside of her, desperately trying to tear her apart.
The Jedi had reached her now; they looked ready for any sign of danger. The younger one had fair skin and blonde, brown hair with a golden plait of braided hair behind his right ear. He regarded her with a hard expression. The older Jedi had long brown hair and a short beard. He examined her expectantly; his curiosity hidden well in his calm demeanor. The glint in his eyes looked more encouraging. Looking into the eyes of the older Jedi, she found a sense of compassion mixed with the Jedi's caution.
Immediately, the Force bound the three minds together, allowing them to perceive her thoughts as if they were their own. This was a force bond.
Celestia had been born with the ability to connect with people through the Force. The rare Force Chain special ability allowed her to connect and influence others through the Force, even with those who could feel the Force only faintly. This type of bond usually only developed by the slow understanding between a master and an apprentice, but she could form such bonds with any living creature: being able to transmit feelings, and even thoughts, across great distances without speaking. And on rare occasions, she could form such bonds with people almost instantly.
Now, she was overwhelmed by the sudden Force connection. Their thoughts and feelings constantly competing with each other at the forefront of her mind. She had never had a meaningful Force connection with a sentient being before, so the experience was new and frightening. She could sense confusion from the two Jedi, but she didn't know why she could. She had been able to find records of how a Force bond actually worked, but beyond what was written, she had no idea what it would feel like, especially with Jedi.
The Jedi Master was the first to speak. He spoke calmly and assuredly, picking his words carefully, "I am Qui-Gon Jinn. This is," he waved a hand to his side, indicating the younger Jedi," my apprentice Obi-wan Kenobi." There was a pause. She could sense that the introduction wasn't what it appeared to be. He was trying to gauge her response. No doubt he had sensed the sudden turmoil that had disturbed her previously calm thoughts. Riddled with the burden of her, now unpredictable, mental movement in the Force, she decided to admit defeat to her mother and leave the Jedi to someone else. I would rather tell Mother of my failure than risk sitting here and continuing to loose control. At this rate, my mental instability in the Force could trigger a massive discharge of Force energy. She shook her head in utter embarrassment and turned to walk back to the palace. I have got to get out of her. She didn't care what would happen to her; she didn't like not being able to control her thoughts and actions. Being out of control was unsettling for Celestia.
Soon, a soft, echoed imprint touched her mind through the Force, causing her to stop and slowly look back at Qui-Gon. His eyes were bright, and his smile helped to calm her fraying nerves, "You are conflicted. It is evident in the Force even without our connection." Continual waves of his calm demeanor were reaching toward her through the Force,. She was amazed at how he could remain so calm amid the chaos of her own thoughts.
At that moment, the apprentice, Obi-wan, spoke for the first time. "But Master, how is this possible?" He spoke softly, and his voice had a slight accent. His eyes never left Celestia.
"Later Obi-wan, perhaps we will know later." He turned back to the slowly retreating Sith. "You carry many scars, most of which cannot be seen." He soothed, slowly walking towards her. "The Dark Side surrounds you but you do not embrace it. You have been trapped here for a long time, haven't you? And in more ways than one. You seek freedom from your prison." Obi-wan also looked worried. His change in demeanor no doubt brought on by the opened Force Bond, conveying to the two Jedi that she was not a threat but a victim.
She slowly turned away, too ashamed to look either one in the eyes, "You have to go," she resigned to whisper, her throat dry. Talking suddenly seemed to be difficult. "She will kill you if you stay." She looked back at them, her eyes conveying her urgency. "You still have a chance to save yourselves."
Walking closer still, Qui-Gon pressed on, "Come with us. If what you told the Chancellor is true, then there is a Sith here. It is your Mother, correct?" His sudden urgency was almost tangible through the force. He must feel it, too. Looking around warily, he tried to coax her. "I sense that you will help us. If that is true, we need to leave immediately. There is no need for you to stay and continue to suffer. We will help you." She gasped. Amazed that these Jedi would be willing to save the one threat to their existence, willing to take a chance to keep her safe from harm.
"Why?" She asked, still not looking at them. "I have done much harm to the galaxy. What will my salvation bring? You don't understand. It will only bring me more suffering."
Qui-Gon looked out at the surrounding rainforest and seemed to find a sense of calm in the scenery. "The Force works in mysterious ways. It called us here for a reason." He smiled as he looked back at her, taking the last few steps between them, "Meeting you is no coincidence. I foresee that you will play an important part in the future to come. Your future lies elsewhere."
Sensing her hesitation, Obi-wan spoke up, "If you do serve a Sith, they will punish you for helping us. It would be wise to accompany us back to Coruscant. The Jedi there will protect you as well as us." He consoled, giving her a reassuring smile.
Eyeing the two of them wearily, she felt her fear rise to the surface again. "You misunderstand." She spoke slowly, her voice carrying a tremor of fear giving an unseen impression that she had survived through tremendous trials and dangers. "I cannot. The Jedi hold nothing but contempt for what I am. They will never show me mercy." She sighed, resigning herself to her fate. She suddenly looked much older than she should.
She wanted to believe them, but she was the very thing they feared. Why would they want to look her way? Gazing out at the natural beauty also, she lowered her voice, "I would do anything to escape the life I have been living here. I know there's another path to take, but I don't know how to get there. Or even if I am able to travel it once it is found. And I am not sure others will welcome me once I get there. I am lost. I . . .I cannot be saved." She hung her head dejectedly in defeat.
Qui-Gon kneeled in front of her and placed his hand below her chin, raising her eyes to meet his. His sapphire blue eyes brushing away the last chains of hesitation in her heart, "No one," He whispered, "no one is beyond saving. The day that we don't reach out to those in need is the day that we forsake the galaxy. You are letting your fear stop you from doing what is right." Behind him, Obi-wan subtly nodded his agreement.
"But you do not understand. I cannot leave, I am bound to this planet." She insisted. "But you still have a chance, if you don't leave now she will come." She continued more urgently as she sensed her mother approaching. "She has already sensed my hesitation, and she will come to finish what I could not." And as if fate were cruel her Mother's presence surrounded her, and it made her gasp with terror at the mere intensity of it.
"Humph! I always knew you would fail me. So, you would try to run away and escape your destiny. You serve me and me alone. You cannot leave so easily." Out of reflex, Celestia whirled around and pulled out her lightsaber. Backing away from her mother, she found that she was not as afraid as she had always been. Meanwhile Qui-Gon and Obi-wan both pulled out their respective lightsabers and prepared for battle. "But I never dreamed you would ally yourself with him."
Qui-Gon nodded his head in disappointment. "Tahl? What happened to you?" Waves of recognition rolled between the two, giving each other pained and confused stares. For a moment, it seemed that Tahl would reconsider what she had set out to do, but the thought passed quickly.
Her mother approached them with an air of arrogant ease, not bothering to look at her "disgusting" daughter who was receding further away from her in defense. Stopping a few feet away, she eyed the two Jedi before her with malice. Then giving her daughter a side long glance, she finally spoke, "So, I'm sure you are wondering who this man is? Hmm? No doubt you have sensed his importantance." She sneered at her, making the suggestion seem trivial.
As Celestia considered what her Mother had said, she found herself wondering if their was some significance to who the Jedi were. But it didn't matter anymore, none of it did. Celestia laughed softly, "I cannot believe the lengths you will go to satisfy your own selfish desires." Celestia had grown bolder; whether it was from the presence of the Jedi or finally becoming fed up with her Mother's cruelty, she didn't know. "How many Jedi have suffered at your hands? How many times have you erased my memories or altered events in my mind to hide your antics? You are truly an insufferable creature." As she spoke, the sneer disappeared from her mother's face; her mouth forming into a fine line. "I blindly followed you, believing that in time you would change. But you never will, will you? I allowed myself to be used as a tool for death and pain. Stripped of all humanity except what you would give." A deep frown had formed on her face, indicating that her mother was losing her patience. "But I will stand by you no longer, I won't..." A scream tore threw Celestia as her mother's anger was finally unleashed.
With one fluid motion, Tahl had waved her arm and flung the Jedi through the air with ease. Barreling down on her daughter, Tahl shot a Force beam from her hand that struck Celestia's body, paralyzing her. She gasped as the air was violently sucked out of her lungs. A burning sensation began creeping through her body as Celestia felt the Force being torn away. Just when she thought that she was going to die, a lightsaber was thrown at her mother which forced to Tahl to let her go.
Coughing and gasping for air, she silently thanked whoever had freed her. Lying on the ground, Celestia was able to see Qui-Gon and Obi-wan fighting her mother in lightsaber combat, unknowingly heading for the interior of the palace. She was amazed at how graceful and fluid their movements were. The ever-present calm and concentration that they both displayed. They both worked together, attacking and defending, completely in-sync with each other.
Then a horrid thought struck her as they disappeared into the palace.
Celestia remembered reading about Force nexus' when her Mother had mentioned that there was a Dark Side nexus underneath the palace. In the center of such places, she would become increasingly stronger due to the overpowering presence of Dark Side energies. She gathered up her lightsaber and took a minute to use the force to heal the damage done to her lungs, easing the pain in her chest. Going into the palace will be a trap. Running after the trio, she didn't know what to do, only that whatever she planned on doing she had to do it fast.
They had traveled far in their duel, reaching the thrown room by the time Celestia had caught up. Surveying the scene, she saw her mother standing atop the steps to the throne and she seemed a little winded. Her mother was no longer any good at lightsaber combat, relying on her mastery of the force for her combat needs.
Qui-Gon was keeping his eye on her mother, seemingly unaware of Celestia's presence. He seemed to be unaffected by the previous confrontation. Obi-wan, however, was breathing heavily and sweat beaded his forehead; it was no doubt a result of the constant Force Drain her mother used to weaken her opponents. Her mother could never "play fair". Obi-wan looked to her expectantly, hoping that she would intervene.
Celestia made up her mind. Stepping forward, she moved to stand between the two Jedi and her mother. "It is over, Mother." Her voice was calm but still proclaimed defiance. "I want to go with them. Stop me if you will, but I will defeat you. I am stronger than you now." Turning to look back at Qui-Gon, she saw him smile warmly. It gave her the strength to continue. "I don't know if the Jedi will allow me to live among them, but I'd rather try then be stuck here." Finishing her proclamation, she readied herself for the tirade to come. What she didn't expect was the near insanity that settled in her mother's eyes.
Shaking her head frantically, Tahl pointed her lightsaber at her daughter, "No. NO!" She screeched. The mad look in her eyes made her appear even more crazed. "I would rather watch you die than side with these traitors!" Her mother raised her arms and using the force, pushed the two Jedi to the other side of the room to clear the floor. Throwing herself at Celestia, she drew her lightsaber and tried to leap over her. Sensing her mother's attack, Celestia had already lunged into a back-flip and landed five feet away, drawing her own weapon. Their blades crossed above their heads, and it sent sparks flying each time their blades connected.
The battle raged on. Attacking and defending. Gaining ground and retreating. Celestia was able to parry her mother's attacks with relative ease. Using her mother's deranged state to her advantage, she discharged a slew of Force energy at the floor to knock her off balance; then, while her mother was distracted, she attempted to dismember one of Tahl's arms to give herself an advantage. Celestia knew it wouldn't work, but anything could help. Noticing the attack, Tahl jumped out of the way of the energy as it bounded across the floor towards her. She cursed under her breath at her lack of attention and foresight.
Tahl then, redirected the energy to the other side of the room. In her peripheral vision, Celestia saw that the attack was heading for an unsuspecting Qui-Gon, who was attending to injuries that Obi-wan had received as a result of hitting the far wall. Pushing down on her lightsaber with all of her energy, Celestia managed to break away from her mother long enough to leap across the room. Holding up her lightsaber, Celestia allowed the energy to be absorbed into the blade.
Sighing with fatigue, she tried to relieve herself of the pain from the few injuries she had unknowingly sustained in the fight. Channeling the Force into her right hand, she "reached" into her arm and gently slid her arm back into place. Luckily her mother decided to rest as well and continued her ravenous pacing back and forth in front of the throne.
Sneering at her, Tahl spoke for the first time since the duel started. "So. You still haven't figured out who he is?" She asked, pointing a slender finger at Qui-Gon behind her. Rolling her eyes in disgust at her mother's pathetic attempt to distract her, Celestia had to admit she was curious at the significance of the man. "After all these years, after all of the training, you cannot sense the similarities in your Force signatures? Did you wonder why the first person you actually formed a connection to, is this man?" She seemed to be giving her the answer, but for some reason, Celestia couldn't quite put the pieces together. Her mind seemed to be still clouded. "He is your Father? Can you not sense it?" An audible gasp could be heard from everyone in the room.
Letting her arm fall to her side, Celestia took a step closer. Confusion and shock in her voice, "R-really?" Looking back at him, she tried to find the answer in his eyes. But he was just as taken aback by the situation as she was. "But how come . . . how come the Order never knew?" She turned her attention back to her mother. "Surely, someone would have known."
"They didn't know," she continued, "Because I abandoned the Order after you were conceived." She spoke with more confidence and had finally regained control of her emotions. "They would never have let me stay a Jedi if they had found out."
Shaking her head, she tried to reason with her mother, "But you don't know that. If you just talked to them, I'm sure they would've..."
Raising her hand to silence her, Tahl started to pace again, "E-enough. Your wrong! They would've killed me for sure."
Qui-Gon and Obi-wan used that opportunity to walk toward her, "Well, now the Order will condemn you for your actions unless you come forward and pay for your crimes." As they readied themselves, Tahl burst into riotous laughter.
Waving a finger at them as if she were reprimanding a child, she smiled slyly, "Ah, ah. I wouldn't do that if I were you. You see, when this escapade started, I used an ancient Sith technique to bind my life... to hers." She waved a hand in Celestia's direction. "If you kill me," her chest swelling with pride, "then you will kill her, too." Folding her arms over her chest, she sat back proudly believing that she had stumped the Jedi.
A few tense moments passed before Celestia spoke up. "Huh, really?" She breathed. Putting her lightsaber away, she reached through the force to grope at the barely present bond that Tahl had created. "Well, I guess it's up to me then." She was sweating with the stress of exerting so much Force energy at once. Also, she was scared. She didn't know what would happen if she severed their bond, but she had to try. Using all of her concentration, she willingly closed herself off from the force. There was a sound in her soul, like a vacuum, that left a wound in her spirit where the Force once was.
No longer able to hear it's call, she silently fell; despairing in agony at the emptiness that was coming from herself. The desperate attempt was successful, however, for her mother had collapsed on a bench, stunned by the lengths her own daughter would go to destroy her.
"You will die, too," Tahl gaped down at her, while silently withering away. "You cannot survive long without the Force either. It will not welcome you. You are too tainted. People like you and I . . . will find no salvation with the Force. No . . rest." Gasping for breath, Tahl gripped her chest, fighting for the last pockets of oxygen in her lungs.
Celestia was startled when Qui-Gon and Obi-wan had reached her side. As her newly discovered father cradled her in his arms, she could feel herself slipping away. "Yes," Celestia whispered with great effort, "But you will no longer . . . plague this galaxy, either."
Content that she had done everything to save these two Jedi, she happily welcomed her death as the darkness surrounded her.
oOo
She was floating in dark space, as if unsure of where to proceed. She had no idea how long she had been in this empty place. Nothing existed. She wondered if this was what dying without the force was like. Would she float like this forever?
Then faintly, she could hear it. A call at the edge of hearing. Then, she realized that she had felt this presence before.
(It is the Force you feel.) An echo had reached her ears. The voice seemed ancient, like a ghost from the past. (It hasn't been so long as for you to forget.)
Just as suddenly as the voice came, it was gone again.
(But, wait!) She called into the darkness. (Why can I feel it once more? I had severed my connection. There is no way to repair it. Is there?)
(You may have been able to cut yourself from the force.) The voice returned. ( But you did it willingly. Your disconnection is not permanent. It is not your time to join us yet. Go now. Your journey has only begun. But be mindful, the Dark Side is hard to turn from once the first steps are taken. However, if you do not forget what has happened here today, I'm sure you will be alright.)
(Yeah,) she thought as the voice dispersed, (I'm sure I'll be alright.) Then, the darkness was receding, as if making room for something else. Then she saw it. A light.
oOo
A light appeared before her, pulling her slowly back to consciousness. Then, before she passed out from exhaustion, the revelation was revealed to her. Qui-Gon had used the Force bond between them to re-ignite the Force within her and to keep her alive. The wound, that had been created from her tearing herself away apart from the Force, was dissipating. Tears spilled form her eyes, when she realized that her father was risking his life to keep her safe.
"Obi-wan, retrieve her lightsaber." Qui-Gon asked while still keeping his concentration on Celestia. His urgency was clear as he could sense a new threat growing. Her brothers and sister will come to avenge their mother, she could hear Qui-Gon's thoughts through the Force.
"Yes, Master," Obi-wan replied obediently. He left swiftly to retrieve it, sensing his Master's urgency himself.
With the last of her strength, she tried to manage to speak. "Wait," Her voice was hoarse and faint, as if she were hearing it from afar. "Just leave it. That blade cannot help me now." Nodding with understanding, the two Jedi left the forgotten weapon alone.
Relief swept over her at their understanding. She knew that if she stayed with these two Jedi, who took the time to show her the meaning of light, that she would finally belong and be safe.
TBC! Finished!
Hope you like the changes; I made my character act older because she sounded a little too childish (for a future Jedi).
The TBC! means means To Be Continued, that the over-all story continues. The Finished and unfinished means that I am done revising the chapter.
This chapter is in two parts.
Remember: Reviews+Story= Love! Review to your hearts content! Yes, I even accept flames. I take criticism VERY well.
L8ers, Divatox240 (: