Title: Arilynn Starrunner: Jedi Knight
Author: Jedidanny ( Arilynn_Starrunner@hotmail.com )
Rating: PG to PG-13
Summary: The story of a young girl who wants more than anything to become a Jedi Knight, but her parents won't allow her to. This is her story. R&R!
A/N: All original characters. Please be patient as the story is updated. R&R!
Prologue
About nine months earlier
The stars gazed down at a young girl, watching carefully as she stood on one of the many beaches of Corellia; lose strands of long brown hair flowed in the breeze as she unclipped a silver cylinder from a sash around her waist and ignited it. A snap-hiss sound was heard as a long blue blade shot out from the cylinder. Arilynn Starrunner stood tall, dark blue eyes gazing out into nothing, yet she concentrated as though someone was standing there that she was about to battle.
Arilynn wore brown boots almost knee-high; her long brown hair was pulled back into a braid with a few lose strands of a natural blonde color. She wore a short sleeved shirt and a blue colored skirt, partially covering her boots; around her waist was a sash where a few pouches hung.
Arilynn stepped forward, spinning on her heal and bringing the blade toward her opponent's stomach would be; she stepped back and disignited the saber, bringing herself into a run before doing three flips in the air and landing where she would have been behind the figure.
"Arilynn!" a voice called.
Arilynn snapped out of her concentration, looking from her invisible opponent to two figures who stood on a hill, looking down at her from where she stood on the beach.
"Damn," she muttered and sighed, disigniting the saber and clipping it back to her belt.
The two figures made their way down the hill and walked toward Arilynn. One, Tyran, stood taller than the other, Koran. Tyran was older by two years than Arilynn and Koran was about eight months younger than her.
Tyran's gaze of dark blue landed on his sister, no emotion on his face; being the older one, he was the wiser and more mature one of the three, stood about six feet tall, and had short brown hair. He wore a white short sleeved shirt and baggy pants of a black color, a belt around his waste where he kept a few pouches filled with money and a blaster.
"Mother and Father just sent a message; they'll be home soon and they'll be expecting you inside still. If they catch you out here practicing, you'll never hear the end of it," Tyran said.
Arilynn sighed, nodding, "I don't see why they won't allow me to become a Jedi. Sariana's disappearance has nothing to do with the Jedi, and they can't be sure that it does."
Sariana had been two years old when she disappeared; Arilynn had not yet been born, and because of Sariana's disappearance, her parents were afraid that the same
may happen to any of their remaining children if they became Jedi. Arilynn wanted more than anything to become a Jedi, and would practice each day when her parents weren't home, hoping that one day she would be given the chance to show a Jedi master her skills and become an apprentice. She knew that someday, she would either prove to her parents that she could become a Jedi, or prove to herself that she didn't have to follow what her parents said and would run away to find a Jedi Master to train her.
"I know, Arilynn, but what choice do you have? It's not like you can run away and find a master to train you," Tyran said.
Arilynn lifted her head up and looked at her brother, attempting to make eye contact, "Or could I?"
Both brothers blinked at their sister, knowing the ideas that could pop into her head, "You're not thinking of running away, are you?" Koran asked.
Arilynn shrugged, "Why shouldn't I? I'm eighteen, I have a ship, and I know how to use it. I can take care of myself, and I have enough credits to last me a year." She gave a small smile, and made an attempt to make her older brother smile by reaching up and putting a hand on his cheek, "But you know that I would never leave home without you two unless I felt I had to."
Tyran smirked, reaching up to move her hand off his cheek and pull his sister into a hug, "Yeah, I know that, Ari. It doesn't mean I can't worry about you, though."
"Don't be such a worry wart, then. I'm fine, aren't I?" she said.
He nodded, and the three began to walk back up the hill and toward their home.
*******
When the three came inside the house, their parents sat in the living room waiting for them.
"Arilynn, can we talk to you, please?" the voice of their father called out.
Arilynn winced and glanced at her brothers before walking from the kitchen into the living room, swallowing hard as she moved to sit down on the couch.
Rianna Starrunner, Arilynn's mother, sat in a chair near the couch, her arms folded across her chest. Long blonde hair laid freely on her shoulders and down her back, held together by a hair tie at the end of her hair. She wore a white sweater, and brown pants and boots. Dark blue eyes gazed down at the floor as she waited for her daughter.
Racer, also known as Rylan, stood by the fire place, his back turned toward Arilynn as the flames within the fire place danced before him, reflecting in his eyes. His brown hair was pulled back into a short ponytail, and he wore all black.
"Did you have fun using my light saber, Arilynn Jade?" He asked, using her first and middle name, making Arilynn wince.
"Father, let me explain . . ." she started to say.
"Did I not tell you that you were not to use my light saber without supervision? Even then, to use it at all is to go against our wishes. You have no right to be using my saber as though you are training to become a Jedi. The life of a Jedi is far too dangerous for one who is only eighteen," Rylan said, turning to bring his blue orbs onto the form of his daughter, the splitting image of his wife, save for the blonde hair.
"Yes, Father, but I want more than anything to become a Jedi. I've heard the stories about you and Mother and how great Jedi you were, two of the best the Jedi had ever seen. You can't be sure that Sariana's disappearance has anything to do with the Sith, and even if it did, why would they go after me? You've always said that if I have a dream, I will be able to follow it and you'll be right behind me, but how can I follow my dream of becoming a Jedi if you won't allow me to find a master to train me?" Arilynn asked.
At the mention of Sariana's name, both parents looked at their daughter with no emotion on their face; even after all these years, after all that time, the mention of their first daughter still brought pain to their heart.
"Sariana has nothing to do with this, Arilynn. It's you we are talking about. Now, give me the light saber," Raven said.
Arilynn stood, shaking her head, "You're not even listening to me, Father. Why is it that you won't allow me to become a Jedi? What is it you're afraid of, the risks and hard work that it takes to become a Jedi? You took those risks, you went through the hard work, and it paid off. Why can't I take those risks too? Just because Sariana disappeared does not mean I'm going to."
Just then, Tyran entered the room, and he looked at his sister before looking to his father, "May I say something?"
Rylan looked at his oldest son and said nothing, and just waited for him to speak.
"I've seen how hard Arilynn works; she practices hard, trains every day that she can, and has improved greatly. If you just watch her . . ." He was cut off with a sudden glare from both parents.
"Are you telling us that you had something to do with this, Tyran? That you gave her permission to use your fathers light saber freely?" Rianna asked.
Tyran started to say something, but stopped. What was the point in arguing with them?
"Yes, Mother. I gave her permission, a year ago, to train herself to use a light saber behind your backs," he answered.
"Tyran, don't . . ." Arilynn said.
"Go to your room, Tyran. We'll talk about this in a few minutes," Racer said.
Tyran nodded and looked at his sister before walking up the stairs to his room.
"Father, this isn't Tyran's fault. I asked him out of my own will to train. Don't punish him because of me," Arilynn argued.
"If I were you, Arilynn Jade, I would worry about your own punishment. You disobeyed us, Arilynn. Do what could have happened if something had gone wrong and you weren't being supervised? A light saber is a very dangerous weapon. You have no right to use it without being properly trained," her father said.
"Maybe if you would train me, I would be allowed to use it. You're a Jedi Master, why won't you train me? Why won't you train Tyran, or Koran? They're both old enough for it, and so am I," she said.
"Because the life of a Jedi is not one I wish for you to live. You are my daughter, and you will live under my rules until you are married and move out. I want no further discussion about this. Now, give me the light saber," Rylan said, trying to keep his temper.
Arilynn shook her head, "I thought, after all the stories I've heard about you being this great Jedi, that you would understand my dream of becoming a Jedi out of anyone. Don't you understand why I want to become a Jedi? My father was once a Jedi; my mother was once a Jedi. Why shouldn't I be able to follow their footsteps?" She unclipped the saber from her belt and threw it to the floor, shaking her head. She ran up the stairs and into her room.
*****
A few nights later, Arilynn walked out of her room and into the bed room that Tyran and Koran shared. It was midnight, and Arilynn was running away. She wore a cloak over her chosen Jedi uniform, the hood pulled up. She made her way into the room, turning the light on just a little so they could see each others faces. She sat on Tyran's bed as she pulled her hood down.
"Tyran, wake up," she whispered.
Tyran sat up, "Arilynn, what are you doing?"
Arilynn hesitated, knowing how hard this would be for him, but said it, "I'm running away."
At hearing this, Koran sat up, "Arilynn, if you run away, Father will be right after you, or us to find out where you're going. Why are you running away?"
Arilynn sighed, looking down before looking up at both of her brothers, "I want more than anything to become a Jedi. I'm willing to take the risk of facing Father's wrath in order to find a Jedi Master to train me. If I find one, I'll send a message to you guys as soon as I can. I'm taking the Nightrider."
Tyran nodded, knowing that his sister had a destiny separate from his own, as well as from Koran's, "Be careful, Ari. I love you."
Arilynn looked at her older brother, the one who was more understanding of her than her parents, tears beginning to roll down her cheeks, despite her trying to stop them, "I love you, too, Ty. I'll contact you as soon as I can."
They hugged, and Arilynn pulled back, looking at her little brother. She gave him a smile and stood, walking over to him, "You know how we always said we were twins even though I'm older by eight months?"
Koran nodded, not sure what to say. He gave a small smile and pulled her into a hug, "Be careful, Ari. I don't want to lose another sister."
"You won't. I'll visit as soon as I can," Arilynn said, reaching up to push a strand of Koran's hair out of his face with a small smile. "I love you both. Don't forget that."
With that, Arilynn stood, pulling her hood back up, "Don't cover for me if Mother and Father ask where I am. I don't want you getting in trouble because of me. It's my choice to do this. I've left a holo letter for them in my room, explaining what I could."
Tyran nodded, and watched as his sister walked out of the room. Arilynn walked to the front door and toward the docking bay her father had built for his own ship as well as Arilynn's, which she had received for her sixteenth birthday.
Arilynn reached the docking bay, turning to look back at her house sitting on the hill. She swallowed, forcing herself to turn away and continue walking.
Next: Chapter One- A New Beginning