A/N: Kiu Gan-Ja's outfit calls for a garment called HAKAMA. For point of reference, the Japanese up until about the 20th century wore the hakama. They were skirt-like pants that were designed to hide the movement of the legs and give the illusion of floating. Oh, yeah, and I do not own the universe that George Lucas created.
---
2
Varice stood on the bridge of his ship, Deathseed, watching the chaotic pseudoreality of hyperspace whip by. It took everything he was to concentrate on his goals ahead, for behind him, in a cage, was his two-year-old captive, Qui-Gon Jinn.
Qui-Gon was crying again, and Varice was beginning to wonder how any sane being in the universe could put up with children. Sith knew that he couldn't. And Sith knew that his own fool son would soon be following him. Kiu Gan-Ja was the Jedi Council's appointee in searching for Qui-Gon, and that insolent boy was certainly smart enough to find out where Varice was.
Not to mention extremely powerful. That fool boy knew only the tip of the iceberg when it came to the depths of his own power. Varice had to admit, but that eccentric Jedi Master Cul'loch knew enough to tap into the Force's true meaning: mind AND body, something he called the "living" Force.
His train of thought was soon shattered, however, when a now screaming Qui-Gon brought him back to the present.
"Be quiet, boy," Varice shouted at the screaming toddler, even though he knew it would be useless. "I can topple a government, destroy a whole planet, yet I am powerless against the screams of a little pre-schooler!" He extended his hand, and touched the mind of the boy through the Force.
But somehow, Qui-Gon had formed a ward against him. Varice couldn't even touch the mind of the boy, meaning that Qui-Gon was special. A two-year-old that could protect himself from the intrusions of a Jedi Master was certainly useful to whatever it was that Varice's master, Darth Sidious, had planned.
Qui-Gon's screaming continued, yet Varice ignored it. He grinned inwardly, and his icy blue eyes, tainted with the Dark Side of the Force, twinkled.
"Yes," he muttered. "Very soon now, Qui-Gon. You will become the next Dark Lord of the Sith!"
* * *
Dressed now in the traditional robes of a Jedi Knight, Kiu Gan-Ja walked down the halls of the Jedi Temple, on Coruscant.
The brown Jedi cloak, though comfortable, Kiu found cumbersome. He much preferred the style of clothing Master Cul'loch wore: an off-white tunic and brown hakama, which were easier to move in, and offered him an advantage in battle.
He swept past others in the temple, Knights, Masters, and Padawans, each of whom going about their daily business in the temple. But Kiu had his own business to handle. He reached the lift that would take him to the top of the main tower, where the Jedi Council sat.
During the ride up the lift, he thought back to Lana Jinn's description of her son's captor. She said he was tall, had blond hair, blue eyes, and an extremely long red lightsaber. Upon hearing that, Kiu knew who he was. Varice was not only the enemy that had slain Master Cul'loch in a lightsaber duel, but he was his own father.
Varice--his real name was Deshi Gan-Ja--had strayed from the light side of the Force shortly after Kiu was born. Kiu's mother was grief-stricken, and petitioned her long-time friend and confidant, Harn Cul'loch, to take care of and train Kiu.
With approval by the Jedi Council, Kiu was trained as Cul'loch Padawan learner, and Kiu's mother died knowing that at least her son would succeed where her husband hadn't.
The lift reached its final destination, and Kiu stepped off and into the Great Hall. There, a young woman Padawan, who ushered him to the Council Meeting Hall.
Kiu entered the hall, and made his way to the center of the circle. All around him were the Jedi Masters that composed the Jedi Council, as well as the Order of Jedi Knights as a whole. A few of them had Padawan learners seated behind them. Leading the council was the short, green-skinned Jedi Master, Yoda.
"Masters," Kiu said gracefully, bowing to Yoda. "I have returned with information regarding the death of Master Jinn and the kidnapping of his son, Qui-Gon."
"Knight Kiu," said Yoda, his raspy voice echoing in the chamber. "Tell us, you will, of the information."
"Master, when I arrived at where Lana Jinn was being kept, she was very distraught. She told me of the incident in which Qui-Gon was kidnapped. She also described to me his captor. She told me of a tall man, with blond hair and blue eyes, dressed completely in black, and wielding a two-meter-long red lightsaber. She proceeded to confirm his identity as Lord Varice."
Yoda and the Council took this in, their placid eyes attuned to the movements of the Force across the galaxy.
Finally, Yoda spoke.
"Knight Kiu," he said. "Disturbing news, this is. Sure, you are, that kidnapper is Varice?"
"There was no doubting the look in her eyes when she told me. Varice is the one."
"It is unfortunate," said Master Quilla Lie, a human female Master. "Varice having once been your father."
"Indeed," replied Master Yoda. "Your own father, now you must face."
"Master Yoda," Kiu said respectively. "My father died a long time ago. I will not let my personal feelings cloud my judgment."
"See that, we can, Knight Kiu." Master Yoda smiled, his ears perked up. "Declined our offer for memoriam, Lana Jinn did. Very well. More to tell us, have you?"
"No, Master."
Yoda bowed. "Then may the Force be with you."
Kiu bowed to the council. "And with you. I will resolve this matter."
"Varice," he said to himself as he left. "I will find you."
---
2
Varice stood on the bridge of his ship, Deathseed, watching the chaotic pseudoreality of hyperspace whip by. It took everything he was to concentrate on his goals ahead, for behind him, in a cage, was his two-year-old captive, Qui-Gon Jinn.
Qui-Gon was crying again, and Varice was beginning to wonder how any sane being in the universe could put up with children. Sith knew that he couldn't. And Sith knew that his own fool son would soon be following him. Kiu Gan-Ja was the Jedi Council's appointee in searching for Qui-Gon, and that insolent boy was certainly smart enough to find out where Varice was.
Not to mention extremely powerful. That fool boy knew only the tip of the iceberg when it came to the depths of his own power. Varice had to admit, but that eccentric Jedi Master Cul'loch knew enough to tap into the Force's true meaning: mind AND body, something he called the "living" Force.
His train of thought was soon shattered, however, when a now screaming Qui-Gon brought him back to the present.
"Be quiet, boy," Varice shouted at the screaming toddler, even though he knew it would be useless. "I can topple a government, destroy a whole planet, yet I am powerless against the screams of a little pre-schooler!" He extended his hand, and touched the mind of the boy through the Force.
But somehow, Qui-Gon had formed a ward against him. Varice couldn't even touch the mind of the boy, meaning that Qui-Gon was special. A two-year-old that could protect himself from the intrusions of a Jedi Master was certainly useful to whatever it was that Varice's master, Darth Sidious, had planned.
Qui-Gon's screaming continued, yet Varice ignored it. He grinned inwardly, and his icy blue eyes, tainted with the Dark Side of the Force, twinkled.
"Yes," he muttered. "Very soon now, Qui-Gon. You will become the next Dark Lord of the Sith!"
* * *
Dressed now in the traditional robes of a Jedi Knight, Kiu Gan-Ja walked down the halls of the Jedi Temple, on Coruscant.
The brown Jedi cloak, though comfortable, Kiu found cumbersome. He much preferred the style of clothing Master Cul'loch wore: an off-white tunic and brown hakama, which were easier to move in, and offered him an advantage in battle.
He swept past others in the temple, Knights, Masters, and Padawans, each of whom going about their daily business in the temple. But Kiu had his own business to handle. He reached the lift that would take him to the top of the main tower, where the Jedi Council sat.
During the ride up the lift, he thought back to Lana Jinn's description of her son's captor. She said he was tall, had blond hair, blue eyes, and an extremely long red lightsaber. Upon hearing that, Kiu knew who he was. Varice was not only the enemy that had slain Master Cul'loch in a lightsaber duel, but he was his own father.
Varice--his real name was Deshi Gan-Ja--had strayed from the light side of the Force shortly after Kiu was born. Kiu's mother was grief-stricken, and petitioned her long-time friend and confidant, Harn Cul'loch, to take care of and train Kiu.
With approval by the Jedi Council, Kiu was trained as Cul'loch Padawan learner, and Kiu's mother died knowing that at least her son would succeed where her husband hadn't.
The lift reached its final destination, and Kiu stepped off and into the Great Hall. There, a young woman Padawan, who ushered him to the Council Meeting Hall.
Kiu entered the hall, and made his way to the center of the circle. All around him were the Jedi Masters that composed the Jedi Council, as well as the Order of Jedi Knights as a whole. A few of them had Padawan learners seated behind them. Leading the council was the short, green-skinned Jedi Master, Yoda.
"Masters," Kiu said gracefully, bowing to Yoda. "I have returned with information regarding the death of Master Jinn and the kidnapping of his son, Qui-Gon."
"Knight Kiu," said Yoda, his raspy voice echoing in the chamber. "Tell us, you will, of the information."
"Master, when I arrived at where Lana Jinn was being kept, she was very distraught. She told me of the incident in which Qui-Gon was kidnapped. She also described to me his captor. She told me of a tall man, with blond hair and blue eyes, dressed completely in black, and wielding a two-meter-long red lightsaber. She proceeded to confirm his identity as Lord Varice."
Yoda and the Council took this in, their placid eyes attuned to the movements of the Force across the galaxy.
Finally, Yoda spoke.
"Knight Kiu," he said. "Disturbing news, this is. Sure, you are, that kidnapper is Varice?"
"There was no doubting the look in her eyes when she told me. Varice is the one."
"It is unfortunate," said Master Quilla Lie, a human female Master. "Varice having once been your father."
"Indeed," replied Master Yoda. "Your own father, now you must face."
"Master Yoda," Kiu said respectively. "My father died a long time ago. I will not let my personal feelings cloud my judgment."
"See that, we can, Knight Kiu." Master Yoda smiled, his ears perked up. "Declined our offer for memoriam, Lana Jinn did. Very well. More to tell us, have you?"
"No, Master."
Yoda bowed. "Then may the Force be with you."
Kiu bowed to the council. "And with you. I will resolve this matter."
"Varice," he said to himself as he left. "I will find you."