The Last of the Jedi
Attention: This ficlet is set right in "Star Wars - The Return of the Sith" during the scene in the Jedi temple.
Disclaimer: Star Wars belongs to Lucas Films, I only own the additional characters. No copyright infringement is intended.
Tiare, the young Padawan learner, was the first to hear the loud footsteps and the tumults in the large white hallway of the Jedi temple. It was late at night and she and a few of her friends were still training. Tiare was a very ambitious learner and trained whenever she had the chance. When Master Yoda paid them a visit, he always told her how proud he was of her and the others. For Tiare, this was the best compliment she could ever achieve. Master Yoda was the most gifted and strongest Jedi ever.
Rombe, Loran, Wani, Reran, Ceric and Tiare had been practising in the evening and lost all sense of time. Hearing the noise outside, Tiare finally saw that it was already late. All of the children were embarrassed and the younger ones already feared the punishment of their masters. Staying up too late was something to be punished quite severely. But if they could persuade their masters that they were just training, the punishment could be lesser. All 6 children stood upright, their light sabres hanging loosely in the belts, their hands at their sides. But the tension was almost touchable in the square shaped training room. The noises outside scared them but Tiare felt something else, too. It was not only the fear that made the hair on the back if her neck stand up, it was also something that came close to foresight. She did not really see, it was more like she felt the flash of light sabres, of impulse guns, twisted faces, pain, agony. But no Jedi ever possessed the gift of foresight. Foresight was a part of the Dark Force, the dangerous side of the power the Jedi shared with the Sith Lords.
Suddenly the noises outside died away. There was nothing but silence and the heavy breathing of the children. Tiare grasped Rombe's hand, squeezed it and felt him squeeze hers back. She felt the hard beating of her heart inside her small chest and the pulse of her blood in her temples. Both backed away a couple of steps, while the others remained grouped together in front of the door. When the doors opened with a swish, Tiare felt her vision become reality. All of a sudden, the flashes of light sabres and impulse guns blinded the children, and Wani and Ceric fell first. There had been no warning, nothing. The two black haired boys did not even have the chance to get up their light sabres. The others, except Tiare, pulled their incandescent swords and moved onto combat stance. There was only one light sabre on the enemy side, and impulse weapons carried by two clone warriors. The tall figure clad in black stepped forth, motioning the clone warriors to stand down with the free hand. The other still held the light sabre upright in the air.
Tiare could not see the face of the opponent, the hood had been pulled tightly over the head to hide all facial features. But even though the dark shading of the face, Tiare felt the staring eyes shimmer. She felt them lay upon her like a menacing foe. With a smooth shift of location, the strange figure thrust forward the sabre. The siblings Loran und Reran put themselves in the destructive path of the attacker and Loran was mortally wounded when he tried to help his younger brother. But with his last strength, he propelled himself forward and knocked the large black figure off balance. But as soon as he had regained his deadly stance, he simply brushed the child off. Loran flew across the room and hit the doorframe. He was dead before he hit the ground. Reran screamed and flung himself forward, but Rombe held him back. The oldest one of Tiare's friends had fallen into combat stance, his green light sabre ready for battle. He managed to parry two or three heavy blows of the opponent, but was thrown aside in the same instant that Reran again pushed forward, aiming his deadly weapon at the figure clad in black. The latter moved quickly to bring some distance between the outraged padawan learner.
"Reveal yourself!" Reran shouted. The figure just grinned, revealing only sharp white teeth. Reran stepped back but held the light sabre clasped tightly in his hands. He tried not to show his fear but the opponent seemed to smell his panic.
Tiare knelt behind the curtains like a frightened animal, but she could not turn her eyes away from the other padawan learners she could still see through a hole in the curtain.
Rombe, her closest friend, fell face first right in front of her. His hair was already stained with blood and a wide hole in his back made her finally aware of what was happening around her. She let go of her light sabre and put both hands over her mouth to quieten her sobs. Tears were flowing silently. But the sound of the thud of the metal handle on the stony ground she could not quieten. The black clad figure turned around at the sound and the devilish grin reappeared on his face.
Tiare grabbed her weapon in her tiny white hands and moved behind the curtains with feline grace towards the still closed door. She was all alone now. She knew that there was no escape. Slowly, she slid out of her hiding place, although she perfectly well knew that the other man would already be standing there, waiting for her.
When she got up on her feet, she saw the menacing shadow of the black clad figure looming above her. She quickly glanced up and saw the bright blade of the light sabre coming down upon her. The last thing she saw were the dark blue eyes of the man. And then she realized that her death would be a relief to what was to come. She realized that all Jedi power was lost. She realized that Anakin, the one Jedi they all had put all their trust in had betrayed them. Anakin had succumbed to the Dark Side. The blade came closer and closer. But before it cut through the tiny girl, she saw a tear falling from Anakin's eyes. Tiare reached up to touch his face, and in the moment she touched the tears, the blade hit her.
La Fin