A/N: Lucas owns the world Scarlett and I just tweak it to fit our version of reality.
Life is good for former Imperial Debutante, Rebel Alliance Archivist, and Jedi Padawan Dallayna Ellyanon Vokan these days. Her training on the verge of becoming complete, a wonderful romance of almost galactic proportions promising to become something more permanent on the horizon, life is little more than a dream come true…
Unfortunately, an unexpected and dramatic visit from an old romance however promises to turn everything into a nightmare as beginning to unwrap the mystery, she uncovers a deadly and dangerous plan set in motion decades before by none other than the Dread Lord Darth Vader of the Sith set not only against her beloved but also, herself as well…
Now the Lady Dallayna Ellaynon Vokan must once again descend into the depths of Imperial Space to confront the one man in the entirety of the galaxy with the key to unraveling the truth of who she really is…
And Daddy really isn't happy with his little girl right now…
Dreams and Knightmares By Scarlet of House ScathachPrologue
Music wafted through the night air mingling wondrous sounds with the beautiful smell of roses. A gentle breeze was picking up rustling the gossamered satin of my skirt as it fluttered around my legs. Surrounded by beauty, I sighed trying desperately not to feel the acute lure of the Dark Side of the Force as I smiled my most winning smile managing to keep from grinding my teeth through more force of will rather than the Force itself.
"So," My companion smiled back trying not to let his eyes alight with young lust. "There we were," He remarked. "Myself, Talya and Norel, all stuck at the- and… This story's boring you, isn't it?" He asked finally giving me a lopsided grin that a decade ago for me wouldn't have been without its charm.
Caught at last I just smiled and patted his knee.
"I'm sorry Streel," I shook my head. "It's just that-"
"-Hey, hey, there is absolutely no need to apologize, Dale," He assured me quickly. "I mean, you're a Jedi," He breathed the word with wonder. "Of course my silly little story's going to be boring in comparison to some of the stuff you've probably done."
"Well, actually-" I tried to remark but my companion on the other hand was too busy being excited reminding me yet again, that the youth that had followed me away from the ball was a few years younger than even my abnormally young age- a misunderstanding born of my youthful appearance.
"-I mean, some little story from a young noble has got to be pretty tame," He continued. "I'm just glad that you and I got some time to get to know one another."
Trying not to sound as trapped as I felt, I chuckled.
"Ah, actually, Streel there's really something you should know about-"
"-You're right," He agreed holding out his hands. "I'm sorry," He flashed a quick smile. "Why-Why don't you tell me about you?" He asked. "What's it like being a Jedi? Can-Can you do anything?" He continued without pause. "Is it really true that you can move stuff with your mind?"
Knowing where this was heading, I sighed.
I knew this conversation from countless others over the previous year- I may have hated this part but, I still knew it.
Beyond that, I reminded myself as I looked over at my conversation companion, maybe it would serve to distract him from any romantic thoughts he was having.
"Yes actually, I can," I admitted. "Sort of," Escaped my lips before I could prevent it.
Everyone always wanted to see The Parlor Trick, I couldn't help but observe as I rose to my feet and going to the nearest bush, I plucked a rose. Returning to the bench, I sat and turned towards Streel holding the blossom in my upheld palm.
Breathe in… Two…Three… Four… Breathe out… Two… Three… Four…
Slowly, shakily the flower rose a few centimeters.
They aren't there, I told myself carefully as I concentrated. No one is there anymore. I can make Noise now.
Still moving slowly, it began to rise further and to turn. Despite the fact that I had not dropped into a deep meditation or was in the midst of battle it still began to turn.
"Wow," Streel breathed.
Unfortunately, soft though the declaration was, it was enough. Without the aid of a deep meditation or- failing that weapons firing at me, my concentration broke easily and the flower fell.
Damn.
Yep, it was still there, I couldn't help but to asses in the silence as I regarded the rose where it had fallen to the stones just before my feet.
Luke Skywalker, the sole remaining Jedi Master and Head of the Praxeum had tried to allow it to fade for over a year without saying anything because any mention of it by someone in authority ran the risk of making it a life-long condition. But in the end, it had proven to be even more stubborn than he was. In the end, he finally had to tell me.
Sad though it was, the truth was that I would probably never be able to move anything big.
I was, indeed, Blocked.
The truth is that I've never really been certain what words to use when describing things without falling back on the Jedi terminology that always seems to make people roll their eyes and look at me like I'm a member of some freak cult or hokey religion. But the unfortunate thing was that just about any other word that describes anything: feel, sound, taste, weight- whatever you use, it's still not enough and falls hopelessly short of the mark.
Of course, I often think that it is this falling short of the mark rather than any attempt to sound mystical that caused the Old Jedi to just fall back onto using the closest and most generic term there is for something and slapping on the old capital letter.
…Sense! That's it! We'll just call it: Sense!...
Whatever the reason or reasons for the origin of the terminology, the sad fact was that it was also the most accurate one we had. Jedi did have another Sense beyond that of the other five.
Why bring up this obscure bit of Jedi-trivia now?
Well because, not only can a Jedi Sense but, we also have an- (er) Awareness that most of us develop during training as we learn how to use our abilities. Most of us also develop a- (um) Weight to our minds as well as we grow more powerful in how much of the Force we can affect.
Sometimes however, every once in a while a child is born with that Awareness and these children can Sense from the very moment of that birth.
Although it sounds spatial- the concept of being able to- (sigh) Hear the thoughts of people without having to struggle and, while yes it can be useful for making some things like traversing the dangerous waters of Secondary School as an adolescent easier: the fact is that there are downsides to it as well.
And, the most important downside is that the developing mind of the child in question can be affected by the Force in ways that may wind up following them for the rest of their lives.
I know this of course, because I was one such child having been born Force-Aware on Coruscant during the dark days of the Empire. Having two Dark Masters in the system of my birth meant that my mind and abilities had been- (why break the tradition now?) Infected by that exposure.
And yes, like an immune system under attack from an infection my mind and abilities managed to survive by developing the mental and Force equivalent of "antibodies" that is known as a Fighter Talent.
Oh don't get me wrong- possessing a Fighter Talent comes with a lot of good things that normal Jedi would have difficulty with or simply can't do regardless of how powerful they become.
I can tell when danger is about to happen before any other Jedi for example- even the Praxeum's sole Jedi Master is just that one split second behind me in responding to it, and conversely, I can also instantly tell at first sight when a couple are Meant- which is an ability that no other Jedi can perform because only a Fighter on the Light can Hear it.
Furthermore, even though I was only a Padawan, I could also tell that there was a sum total of 6 Jedi in the system other then myself automatically (7 actually, someone seemed to be trying not to disturb the rest of us because they seemed to be trying to make their tremor Feel weak).
Still, even without having to concentrate, I could identify almost all of them by Feel and location- two of them were in the ballroom I had just stepped out of a few moments before in point of fact (who's Hiding?).
I could also recognize brief bits of information about those minds as well, like the fact that the three children a couple hundred clicks away were supposed to be in bed but two of them weren't. I also Felt one of them was "Poking" at me in curiosity again now, just as they had been off and on every time I was in the system and unbeknownst to anyone else.
Stop it kid. I am not that interesting.
But, of course, the Pokes just reminded me of both the most important tool in the Fighter Talent's arsenal as well as the not so small matter of my Block, because despite my own thoughts to the contrary- I really was a strange and curious thing.
While every living being possesses a tremor, the tremor of a Jedi is heavier, larger than normal and it only grows with time and power.
So, if the Presence of a person was a sound, than a normal non-Jedi is like a small whistle. The presence of a Padawan would be like an instrument being played. And, to continue the analogy, if the tremor of a Knight "sounds" like a bullhorn, then a Master would be a blast-siren.
On the other hand, a Fighter Talent that is not actively using the Force in outward displays such as the one I had just performed?
We are just a whisper that is frequently a full-blown silence.
Unless we are doing something, we don't Feel like a Jedi- in fact, we don't Feel like anything atall. So while a powerful Master can concentrate in order to Conceal their Presence for a time, for a Fighter that's just the way we naturally are all the time.
Hence the Pokes.
To the kid in question, I was the Amazing Appearing and Disappearing Presence because I only "flared" when I did something. Truth was that I seemed to pop into and out of "existence" all the time to anyone with an Awareness near me that was paying attention.
Granted, the adults knew why it was happening of course so they just let it go and the two siblings probably just didn't care.
The Poker on the other hand, was just trying to figure out what I was and how I was possible.
It wasn't that hard to understand, really. Having to Hide from both the Emperor and Vader every moment of my childhood in order to escape their detection led to it.
For some reason, some part of me had stembolted them as evil from the very first and so had decided to remain as Quiet as I could possibly be- which was good given that my very survival had depended on my Silence while I was growing up.
And yes: hence the Block.
The very instincts that had allowed me to survive all of those years ago were working against me now. Deep in the back of my brain where not even another Jedi could possibly access, a very basic connection had been made: heavy uses of the Force meant Noise and Noise meant death.
Oh granted, in the midst and heat of battle I can overcome that block a little for brief moments of time because in those instances that survival really was at stake but that Block was there.
Just like everything else in life, it was a tradeoff. My harboring the inclination towards Silence allowed me to grow up but now that I was grown up it was causing problems.
In fact, not only were its origins but the Block itself was a bit of a tradeoff, I remembered now with a slight smile.
After all, while I certainly could not match any other Jedi at the Praxeum when it came to making objects yield to my mind- struggling with a Block only managed to make it worse so, given that part of the purpose of it was to learn how to lift larger and larger objects with the Force: the Block did get me out of Meditation Classes in the !
And yes! While hatred was of the Dark Side, I was fairly convinced that Meditation Classes ran a close second so I was actually not unhappy with that fact for the moment. It was bound to get better with time and that was enough for me.
But even as I was remembering this, my young companion was continuing.
"That," He grinned. "That was icy."
Icy, my mind repeated the term as I tried not to wince because with just that word I suddenly felt old.
Unfortunately, however, I wasn't quite able to quell it as my young companion straightened.
"Look, Dale, I-I know that I'm trying too hard but," He shrugged catching onto my wince and completely misunderstanding its reason. "It's just that you'll probably be heading back off to the Academy after tonight and well…" And here the young paramour slid next to me along the bench until we were close enough to touch. "It's just that, well, I like you Dale," He remarked slipping an arm around my shoulders.
"Ah…" I stalled standing quickly and taking a few steps of distance before I turned back to face his wounded expression.
"Look, Streel, it's not you- really," I assured him. "It's just that- well, that is to say," I remarked haltingly unable to continue. "I'm seeing someone, Streel," I told him. "I'm really sorry," I shook my head. "But my dance prog's already full."
I swear that if I had ever actually managed to kick a baby Nerf, no doubt it would have looked not unlike the earnest youth as his face froze for a moment.
"Oh," He remarked trying not to blush. "I- um, I didn't know," He said shaking his head. "I'm, um, I'm sorry," He apologized clearing his throat uncomfortable now.
"Is, ah, is he a Jedi too?" He asked straightening and trying to change the subject to lighter topics.
The discipline of training thankfully chose that moment to return as I prevented my wince in response to that question.
"Ah, yeah," I nodded. "He's a Jedi."
"He must be quite a catch to get a girl like you," Streel observed not unwistful.
"Ah, actually?" I couldn't help but smile just a bit. "Mostly, he was just persistent."
"And patient," A voice remarked from the balcony above us. "Don't forget patient."
The response of myself and my companion couldn't have been more opposite from one another than Dark was from Light as, recognizing that voice in an instant, Streel leapt to his feet even bowing a bit terrified to his core.
Given the fact that I had Felt him approach and so was not surprised, I only gave that figure a small wave of hello, and smiled.
"M-M-Master- ah, Master Skywalker," He bowed again.
Master Luke Skywalker looked to the youth before brow furrowing his attention cast me a quick glance.
"Forgive me," He nodded towards Streel. "But I don't believe we've had the pleasure," He declared his voice even and measured.
"He followed me home," I shrugged before throwing a friendly arm over my new friend's shoulders. "Can I keep him?" I asked.
"I hope you aren't serious with that comment," Luke observed mildly making Streel blush and stammer in response.
"Ah- um- ah-"
"Relax Streel," I told him chuckling before releasing him. "Luke Skywalker, this is Streel Treolan," I introduced them. "Streel Treolan, Luke Skywalker."
At least, this was what I said aloud. Mentally, I cast out a quick thought to the grim figure on the balcony.
Please, go easy on him. He thought I was a teenager.
If my thought received any response however, I certainly couldn't see or Feel it as Luke just nodded in his typical formal manner again while Streel bowed.
"M-Master Skywalker," He commented.
"You can relax, Streel. Believe it or not Jedi can be social," I told my conversational companion. "In fact, actually? Skywalker is the reason why I am able to attend these functions from time-to-time."
Streel looked back and forth between us and I could Feel him struggle with the strange dichotomy before him as it passed through his mind. And I couldn't blame him in the least.
The tiny little red-headed debutante in the flowing skirts of young ladies in front of him and the grim figure in black up on the balcony just did not seem to belong together as a part of the same anything- much less the same Order.
After all, Luke Skywalker looked the part of a Jedi Master- I however looked like all I could do was utilize a proper table setting and provide good fellatio.
"Oh?"
"Yes," Luke answered with a nod. "Padawan Vokan's capabilities and Talent require constant practice- not to mention very careful supervision which is why she must go with me on the occasions that I must leave the Praxeum."
"I-I don't-"
"-Because I have to be in the system anyway, he's kind enough to let me go to these functions whenever he has to," I provided with a small smile.
"Oh," Streel commented. "Oh," He remarked again gaining the idea.
After this brief exchange, Luke turned his attention from the young noble and to me.
"And, while we are on the subject Padawan, we have an early practice session tomorrow for which you will need to be well rested," He told me. "I was coming to get you."
"Right," I nodded. "Of course," I commented further.
"Listen," I remarked turning to the earnest youth. "Streel, it's been very nice meeting you," I told him laying a hand on his arm.
Instinctively, he bowed a bit allowing me to lay a small, chaste kiss on his cheek desperately fighting the urge to lay it on his forehead.
But rather than the scene ending the way I thought it would, I found myself blinking for a moment caught unawares as a Knowledge hit me through the Force.
"Blonde," I heard myself commenting as my Fighter Sense told me that an orchestra was on the horizon for my young friend.
Startled from his blush, Streel only blinked and looked over at me.
"Excuse me?"
"Your wife," I told myself more than him, my brow furrowed in thought. "She'll be blonde and you two will be Meant. Congratulations Streel," I smiled. "You are going to be one of the few people in existence to know true love. And it will last your lifetime."
Streel blinked for a moment in confusion before understanding slowly filtered in. And I swear as it reached its pinnacle, never a more brilliant smile have I ever seen.
In fact, he even laughed as reaching out with a sudden urge- he hugged me, pulling me from my feet in his vehemence for a moment.
"Thank you," He whispered softly into my hair before placing me lightly back on my feet. "Thanks," He said again. "You know, I don't know who this guy you're seeing is, but he better appreciate you." He declared.
"Oh," I remarked smiling. "That same instinct tells me that if he didn't before, he certainly does now," I observed.
Streel laughed and bent with almost no urging whatsoever to accept a final peck from myself without the least bit of a blush this time and bidding my farewells, I went up the steps to the balcony.
The ball beyond the crystal doors was just picking up into its full glory of course when I entered the ballroom with a Jedi Master in tow. Just the average, ordinary, everyday life of a Fighter-Jedi, I couldn't help but observe as I looked around.
Then, spying the Prime Minister and her husband I smiled and made my way to them.
"Oh," The Prime Minister commented when she looked from Luke to me and back again. "Are you leaving so soon?"
"I'm afraid we have to Lea," Luke sighed. "We have early practice scheduled for tomorrow morning," He apologized.
"Lucky," Solo muttered beside his wife earning him a near glare from the aforementioned personage.
"Excuse me, what was that?" She asked arching a delicate brow.
"Nothing honey," He assured her quickly. "I just said I was lucky I didn't have to get up early in the morning."
"Uh-huh," She remarked not convinced in the least, her tone somehow managing to convey an entire wealth of information as to precisely what would be happening in the Solo family quarters after the ball.
With an inhuman effort I fought back the urge to smile at this little exchange and nodded to both in turn.
"Well," I said. "It was nice seeing you both again."
As if flipping a switch, the Prime Minister's smile was back on and she was reaching out to squeeze my hand.
Of course, it was completely automatic- a mere social nicety since they didn't know me any better than I knew them but at least it wasn't hostile- which was a definite step up from the first time I had met them.
After all, the first time I had met this infamous pair, Mr. Solo had threatened to shoot me.
"Of course," She agreed before she was saying goodbye to her brother and they exchanged a hug.
Then, naturally, it was only the matter of moments before I was gaining my cloak from the checkers and we were leaving the bright lights and glitter of the ball and taking to the corridors of the Imperial Palace beyond.
Most of them were unoccupied- emptied in the later hours of the night, but the transport pilot was still out on the nearby landing pad waiting for us.
The nano the door to the cabin closed to provide us privacy however, the illusion was finally at long last broken by none other than yours truly as I collapsed back against the seat breathing a heavy sigh of relief I swear I had been holding back since the moment of my birth.
"Thank you so much for the rescue," I thanked him not opening my eyes.
"Thank you for actually attending with me," Luke said back his voice filled with smile. "Despite the fact that it was your idea- and a very good one, to start attending these functions as a way to aid Jedi relations with the Senate, I know how much you despise this- what do you call it?" He asked more of the Force then of me as I opened my eyes and straightened in my seat. "'Caco?'"
From my position on the seat I looked over at him.
"Did anyone ever tell you that you curse like a fighter-pilot?" I asked arching a brow.
"This is most likely because I was one," He observed in a surprising and fairly accurate imitation of my own tone drawing forth a chuckle from me before, sliding along the back of the seat, I fell into his arms hugging him tightly as I buried my head into his chest.
"So, what was going on in the garden?" Luke asked after a moment his arms coming around me.
"Why?" I blinked back innocent. "Jealous?"
"First off, jealousy's of the Dark Side," Luke remarked. "And secondly, Dallayna, if you call someone like Jyle Kelson a child- I somehow doubt that the youth you were talking to would be quite old enough for your tastes," He observed smiling a bit as his fingers touched my chin making me smile back.
"Oh, here we go- the 'Age Thing Again,'" I observed back withdrawing and leaning back in the seat as I cast my eyes to the unseen stars above the roof of the cabin. "Am I ever going to find a man who understands that I actually like to have conversations with people my own age?" I implored of the Force at large.
"Actually Dallayna, it's most likely because you call people twenty years older then you, your own age," He pointed out mildly.
"Ha!" I declared. "Cad!" I accused him. "Check my birth records- I am twenty years older than my physical age."
"A technicality," Luke reminded me. "Being cryogenically frozen for twenty years while your ship limped back to known space under sublight does not count as living."
Which of course, was perfectly true since I had lost twenty years due to an adventure my team had gotten into involving a previously undiscovered system filled with Dark Force-Wielders, a broken hyperdrive motivator and a bag of magic flower (no you may still not ask!)
But I have never been one to surrender easily.
"Oh and like the Force isn't filled with technicalities?" I pointed out in my most ringing of Imperial tones arching a brow. "Besides," I beamed despite every effort not to. "I'm actually starting to have fun playing 'The Young Mistress.'"
"Dallayna Ellyanon Vokan!" He admonished me almost blushing. "Just because we haven't figured out a way out of the restriction placed on us by the R'Kala for us to never become official-"
"-Oh but actually, love, I really don't think I want to become official," I admitted.
Taken aback by this uncharacteristic response, Luke blinked in amazement as he looked over at me making me shrug my inability to figure out where my thoughts had come from either.
Of course, that failed to make my response false nonetheless as I'd been discovering over the last several months.
"Look," I commented frustrated at being unable to put my sudden change of heart into words. "I know that a lot of our problems in the beginning came from the fact that most people think I should be ashamed for just breathing much less for being with someone like you.
"And, maybe when Dorska Craygel first told us that people could never know that we were together, it really hurt my feelings but…" I shrugged. "I've actually been having fun with it lately.
"It's probably just some childish response like 'I know something you don't know,'" I admitted shaking my head. "Or, maybe it's worse because a lot of the time I feel like I'm 'spying on the enemy' but…" I shrugged again. "I've been having fun."
Luke sighed, his hand going to rub at his eyes for a moment while he digested this turn of events.
Then, he sighed again the Force tremoring with an obvious calming technique.
"You don't understand," He finally said at long last wearily. "I want us to be official. I-I want us to be more then official. Dallayna, I-" He shook his head. "We've both been alone a long time, I just don't-"
"-Hey," I took his hand. "Luke, I'm not going anywhere," I assured him trying not to chuckle at his earnestness. "Look, we both agreed: 'Whatever it takes,' right?" I asked pointedly.
"That's not what I'm talking about-"
"-But it is what I'm talking about," I smiled shaking my head as I squeezed his hand in mine.
"Luke, honey," I said my hands cupping his face. "We've got all the time in the world to play prim and proper- and we're not hurting anyone," I added further. "Having an affair may be against your K'Shonan sensibilities love, but I'm R'Kala and I'm having fun. It may be almost Dark," I observed smiling slightly. "But, it's not- and… I'm having fun with it."
"And that is what I'm worried about Dallayna," He remarked seriously.
"K'Shonan," I rolled my eyes. "Great Sithian skies Beggar," I sighed falling back on using his old pilot's nickname from the war as I released him. "You act like just because it's enjoyable it should be of the Dark Side and that isn't the case and you know it."
"Dallayna?" Luke asked.
"Yes, Luke?"
"We aren't Reklan," He reminded me wearily.
"Eh," I shrugged in my best impersonation of the Dorska. "Force, Path, Fate… Is all same," I declared shrugging and making Luke chuckle in defeat.
"Well you are right there. In fact I swear that if I didn't know any better, the Dorska compared notes with Yoda before he died," He muttered defeat filling his voice as the flyer came to a landing and the pilot opened the door for us.
Chuckling myself, I let him help me out onto the landing pad with respectable politeness.
We thanked the pilot and once again took to the corridors of the Imperial Palace heading towards the quarters we shared.
Which, that in itself spoke silent volumes as to how Luke felt about the current situation I observed silently to myself.
Oh granted, not only were we under orders from the R'Kala to keep our relationship from being discovered, but the pressure from anti-Jedi groups for the New Republic to cease its funding of the Praxeum and to disclose its secret location- thereby basically destroying the small and still budding Jedi Academy made things even worse.
Luke just couldn't openly declare in public that he was seeing the infamous Imperial Holo-Child, the daughter of the Raphlanx, third in power in the old Empire and head of the Internal Security Bureau.
Official acknowledgement of our relationship at this particularly delicate moment would in effect mean the death of the Jedi, but that did not mean that Luke was going to hide our relationship from everyone. As he had declared the day I had mentioned the necessity of remaining quiet- he was not about to be any more ashamed then I was.
You're the one that told me not to flip the chit, Dallayna, He had told me pointedly referring to one of the worst parts of my past.
No, He had declared with the same stubborn resolve that must come with the name Skywalker because it never ceased to remind me of his father- the Dread Lord. I'll remain quiet, but I won't be ashamed, Dale. Who I love is who I love and I don't care what the current opinion of you or the Jedi is right now.
Which of course, I hadn't been able to argue with. I mean, how can one argue with such sweet declarations?
Despite the fact that no one seemed to know or even notice it, Luke Skywalker had far more mind tricks then just the infamous one, I noted to myself all over again as we made our way down the corridors to our quarters even as I noticed that I was unconsciously reaching for his hand and stopped myself.
As if reading my very thoughts (and he may very well had) and determined to prove them, Luke just reached out pointedly and took my hand as we walked squeezing it warmly.
Then, looking around the empty corridor, he smiled at me, his eyes sparkling with a glimmer of mischief and pulled me into an empty and shadow-filled doorway out of sight of anyone else that might happen by. And naturally, no sooner had this action been performed then the normal and expected one followed and we were kissing deeply.
With an ease born of safe familiarity I melted into it- allowing the tender press of lips to do all of those safe and familiar and almost Dark things to my insides for a few moments of bliss before it ended and we rose for air.
"I've wanted to do that all night," He confessed softly into my hair eliciting a shiver from me.
"Even the patience of a Jedi is limited I see," I observed flirtatiously as I squeezed his form. "Maybe we should get home and go to bed."
"Tired?" He asked already knowing the answer.
Pulling back, I met his gaze completely and utterly uncontrite.
"No."
Smiling, he bent down to bestow another kiss.
"By all means," He breathed, voice filled with more promise and seduction then even the Dark Side itself.
As soon as the kiss was over with, I pulled back laughing in enjoyment of the moment and anticipation of what was to come before slipping away coyly casting a glance over my shoulder as if to see if he would follow me.
I suppose that when I thought about it at all, I had to admit that all of the tricks of seduction that I had been forced to learn as a youth were actually enjoyable now that I had found someone I loved to play them on.
And so we made our way.
I played coy and flirtatious and Luke watched on amused as well as secretly enwrapped despite the fact that he tried so desperately not to show it. It was an old game we had started from the beginning. We didn't need it, but it was fun and so… We played.
And, I do have to admit that despite his lack of experience, Luke was a consummate player- but of course, being able to read minds tends to give one the advantage in such flirtations I'd always thought.
But whatever the reason, the enjoyment of our mental dance played out as we made our way to our quarters.
One moment, I would make to lightly dance away only to be caught within the circle of his arm as we laughed. The next I would pull him into the safe shadows of a doorway trying to tempt him and he'd try to feign disinterest or puzzlement- "Are you trying to play with me, young Padawan?"
But beneath it all we were teasing one another, playfully growing closer to the moment we would step into our quarters and be in one another's arms- leaving a trail of clothing behind us as minds and bodies opened to one another and the barriers slipped away until we spent those beautiful moments as One.
The small corridor leading to only four doors to quarters was only dimly lit in the late hours of the night since they had been hardly used for passing dignitaries of minor note. And since only the door across from ours was occupied- and both Jetta and Jaymes Greystar were asleep, we pulled up short in the small doorway to the quarters we shared and the true kissing began.
All games were gone at the threshold of privacy and it was only the discipline of training that allowed me to concentrate enough to key in the code on the lock as gentle lips found my neck time and time again while I pressed the buttons. My cloak was already off of my shoulders and lying over one arm that embraced me.
"I love you," He was breathing into my ear softly over and over again making my head swim in response.
Oh yes, this was most definitely seductive, I noticed while I shivered, as his hands roamed my body beneath the satin dress tenderly.
I opened the door and, turning, I grasped his hand and all-but pulled him within.
And then it was a kiss filled with barely-controlled passion that followed as I heard the door close shut behind us- no doubt aided by his boot, and I found myself leaning against the wall of the small foyer beyond.
Our hands roamed one another's forms- lips exploring whatever flesh was available- tremors and minds opening to one another in trust- in love- in joy, mingling and already beginning to come together.
And then there was a moment- unspoken and incomplete of thought and we were just holding one another, his face burying itself into my hair and my cheek lying against the crook of his neck.
"I love you," I whispered against his skin.
His fingers found my hair also and I could feel him smile against my shoulder before his lips pressed it in a tender kiss.
"Whatever it takes, love," He vowed all over again in soft gentility. "Whatever it takes."
And then his lips were trailing velveteen kisses up my neck and along my jaw their ultimate destination always known- always welcome.
We kissed again the passion of before returning and finally, at long last I was rising for air stepping not away from him but rather to the destination we both wanted to achieve.
Luke took a step to follow after but even as he did so I Felt something in the parlor as the proximity finally overcame my distraction with my beloved enough to tell me that something was almost… off.
Turning away from him rapidly- filled with more curiosity then fear, I did so only in the nick of time even as Luke was reacting himself, Sensing what had drawn my attention just that split moment after.
A keening moan softened with agony and pain filled the darkened room just before a figure emerged from the darkness for only a hyperian heartbeat before it was falling into my arms.
"Stop- stop it," Eyes implored as they met mine and I felt the sticky slickness of blood penetrate the delicate fabric of my dress as from sheer bulk alone I was forced to ease the figure to the floor. "Must… must stop… it…"
"Corinth?" I heard myself gasp in horror from parsecs away.
"Final- Final contin-contingency," He managed to get out shaking his head, his mind no longer capable of doing anything more then hold onto his goal. "F- F… you… must- must stop…"
And then his eyes were closing as his body relaxed into my arms and lap, his tremor and mind slowly fading into the Force as he died.