The Holo
It was all over the holo-channels. The Emperor was dead, and the one who struck him down was Lord Vader. Patrika Donavos sat on her bed, motionless. Half unwilling to believe the news and almost definitely suspecting it had been a trick. There was no way that such monsters could truly be vanquished. After years of cursing their names in the silence of her heart, unable to speak out due to the terrible reprisal against those who did so. But she had cause to speak didn't she? And so did others. The rare few who were directly affected by the actions of those Sith forsaken mad men.
They started an Empire based on lies. And built it up on the terror of those who could not defend themselves. Patrika closed her eyes, and lost herself to pull of memory. Of a simpler time, a lovelier time…
1.
The brown haired grey eyed boy with a grubby face wouldn't stop looking at her. It felt weird to her and so she reported it to Miss Antilles. He was rapped on the hands and told to concentrate. She'd just started farm school and she wanted to be the best student.
2.
Patrika was now ten years old and feeling extremely lonely. Someone had spread a rumour that she had snitched on the class during break and for the past week they'd all taken to avoiding her. Sometimes they would call her names and taunt her. Papa had always told her to stand up to bullies, but never had he mentioned the fear and helplessness. It was impossible. She sat under a tall conifer, hidden by its shadow, hoping that today she would go unnoticed. It was not to be. The pack as she called them surrounded her and started shoving her around.
Suddenly a yell sounded out and a figure threw itself at her tormentors. There was a scramble of limps of fleshy smack and yelps of pain. Under the force of this unexpected assault, the pack went feeing. Patrika who had her eyes shut felt a hand on her chin and looked at the familiar visage of the grubby faced boy. He was sporting a massive black eyes, a cut on his forehead and a truly luminous smile. Patrika wondered why he was not as handsome as the heroes that Papa told her about. But no doubt, he was a hero.
3.
Grubby faced boy had a name it turned out. His name was Thenos and he was wild. He dragged her into the maddest schemes he could hatched, climbing trees and whatnot. When her dresses tore he'd declare it was swimming day and toss her into the nearest stream. She never suffered from loneliness anymore and that was because she had a friend who would never leave her.
4.
Patrika is sixteen and studying for her mechanical engineering exam. It's stressed her out and all she can think of is what failure looks like. She spends half the time studying and the other half bawling her eyes out. Thenos stops by, and the grubby boy has grown big, big enough to surround her with his mass. It's comforting, because she knows he believes in her. He forces her out of the room and makes a game of studying. He makes picnics in the sunniest most beautiful spots on Corellia and slowly, she gains confidence. She aces the exam and tries to squeeze the life out of him.
5.
The sight stops her heart. She'd just finished her shift at the med centre and as she exits, the gurney has an unmistakeable figure upon it. However the bloody Thenos looks nothing like he usually is, covered in scratches and pale. He'd saved a boy from being run over by a speeder. Always acting first and never considering the consequences. The nights are long at his bedside. But never once does Patrika leave it. When he wakes, she kisses him and knows they can never let life tear them apart.
6.
They are wed in spring and their families come together as one. Fathers nudging shoulders and mother's giving each other knowing looks. They knew this would happen. Patrika and Thenos didn't. They are wed. They are one.
7.
Marriage has not changed them much. They are not wilder nor are they calmer. But they are more in tune. A look on Patrika's face is more than enough to tell Thenos he's in the doghouse. The Akk pup takes his place in their little family with half-hearted glares from Patrika. She'll not admit that the pet is a welcome addition to the family, especially when Thenos is off world. She curls up with him at night, threading fingers through rough fur and things the pup is a lot like her impetuous husband. His name is Smuggler.
8.
Thenos comes home with a mischievous look in his eyes and she runs. Thenos chases her all over the house, squealing and laughing. They land on the living room floor with Thenos trying to tickle her. She has other ideas and they make love.
9.
It's horrendous. This constant nausea. It had been going on for days now and Patrika had just puked on her supervisor's shoes. She feels horrible and flees to the safety of a supplies room. There she cries uncontrollably and mourns the loss of a promotion. None can get her out, and for hours they try. She's content to ignore them drowning in self pity. However, there's a click of nails on the floor, a snuffling sound and Thenos is outside. He begs for entrance and she lets him in. She opens the door a crack and immediately the wet nose of Smuggler is in her face. Patrika laughs and suddenly Thenos is there, drawing them both into a hug.
10.
She's looks at the doctor in shock. Pregnant. Its news that she's not expecting and immediately she thinks "I'm not ready to be a mother". Her next thoughts are of Thenos and his reaction and irrationally, whether Smuggler will like the baby. She floats home in a daze, seeing the world in new ways, she sees babies in strollers, children running in the park and birthday parties. Soon that will be her. She sits on the couch with a cold cup of tea, watching the shadows lengthen on the wall. The door chime sounds and suddenly she's nervous. What will she tell him?
Thenos comes in looking tired from a long day at work. He rubs the akk's head and sits next to her, drawing her close and planting a kiss on her head. He asks her what's wrong and all she can do is stare blankly at him. He gets worried, and his eyes fall on a piece of flimsy on the sidetable. He picks it up and he too goes still. Patrika looks over and realises he has the results. Stuttering he asks her if it's true. She says yes and it's like a firework goes off. He jumps up whooping and dancing around the house. He picks up Smuggler and pirouettes confusing the life out of him.
Finally, he kneels in front of her, strokes her cheek and surprises her by saying thank you. Thenos kisses her deeply, and Patrika has no doubt how Thenos feels about being a father.
11.
She's been in labour for six hours and for every one of those hours, Patrika has alternated between wishing she never met Thenos to thanking every deity there was he was in her life. Thenos soldiers on gamely between getting his hand crushed and complying with snapped demands of ice chips. He does it uncomplainingly, but wishes she were not so much pain. He can't bear seeing the love of his life suffer. The doctor yells push and ten minutes later their son is born.
Patrika laughs and claims their son is as grubby as Thenos. He beams in delight. Kelda has a fantastically strong grip on his finger, and the happy parents know he'll be great.
12.
It's a year and a half, and strange things have been happening to the family. Specifically, strange things have been happening around Kelda. They find toys in his bed in the morning. Toys that are on shelves too high to reach for Kelda. They ask each other if the other gave Kelda toys during the night, and both Patrika and Thenos deny it. They come to the conclusion they must have fallen. How they could fall halfway across the room is a question left unanswered.
One time during breakfast, Kelda starts wailing and crawls out screaming Smuggler's name. They realise the front door is open and Smuggler has run out. He has been hit by a speeder and lies whimpering at the side of the road. Patrika starts crying, the akk has been injured badly and she can see they will not reach the vet in time to save the akk. Kelda screams louder and fights to get out of Thenos' arms. He is red eyed and grim faced and he lets the boy down. Immediately Kelda runs to the akk, babbling nonsensical words. To their amazement, a white glow surrounds the two, and when it dies, Smuggler is uninjured and is licking Kelda's face.
The boy gives his parents a sleepy smile and nestles into his buddy's side for a nap.
13.
They come home from grocery shopping to an unexpected sight. A pair of Jedi are standing at the door. The family has heard of Jedi of course, but they are like myths, even on a world with numerous Jedi. They are invited in, and settled. They inform Patrika and Thenos a surge in the Force was felt at the location and strongly suspect their child is Force-sensitive. They ask for permission to test him, and with some apprehension they grant it.
Kelda is placed on the floor and the two Jedi place their hands on his front and back. Patrika feels a chill down her back and goose bumps on her arms. Thenos looks at her in worry. The Jedi confirm it. Their son is a force-user. They say that Kelda will be collected in a week.
14.
They both know the Republic's law and they both have very different reactions. They have their worst fight ever. Patrika wants to pack up and run away. Far away to a system where the Jedi won't find their family. Thenos is calm. He lays out the benefits of their son going. He says that it will allow him to controls his powers and that one day they'll see their son. It is not good enough for her and she regards him with stony silences.
15.
This lasts for days. Thenos tries to get Patrika to talk to him but to no avail. Her answers are clipped and almost rude, filled with betrayal. She can't comprehend the love of her life wanting to exile their child. Finally Thenos snaps. It comes suddenly. He starts raging after one of her silences. He doesn't want it any more than she does. So how could she think so little of him after all the years they'd known each other? Patrika really looks at her husband and sees the tears in his eyes. She looks and realises what the truth. They find Kelda and Smuggler looking at them in fear, and without hesitation they bundle the two into a hug.
16.
The day that Kelda is to leave is bittersweet. They make his favourite breakfast and play all the games he wants. They let him have sweets and give him a bubble bath. They dress him in his best clothes and with heavy hearts they go to the spaceport. There a Jedi takes Kelda, accompanied by the mournful howling of Smuggler and the grief in their hearts.
17.
For four years, life is almost normal albeit with a Kelda shaped hole in it. Patrika is drinking her morning caf when she switches on the news. Her scream and the crash of the mug brings Thenos running. He sees the news and their world shatters. The Jedi have betrayed the Republic and so Lord Vader has killed them all. The Emperor states that even the younglings tried to assault the troops and so the Empire did its duty.
…Those times are over and Patrika Donavos laces her fingers with her husband's patting Smuggler's old grizzled head. Time may heal. But this wound never would.
The end.