Star Wars: Face of Evil
By: Ithilin Palandiriel
Disclaimer: don't own them except Jediah. Just doing this for fun not profit
Rated R for violence, torture, rape and implied sex
Summary: Luke is kidnapped and replaced by an impostor. It's a race against time to find him and stop the Great Purge from happening again.
CHAPTER 1
Sometime during Return of the Jedi.........
She stood across from her opponent, her stance ready. Her lightsaber raised. The young woman watched her adversary through half-lidded eyes and smiled a little.
The cloaked and hooded warrior began to circle her, trying to throw her off her guard. He, too, had ignited his weapon. However, he held it loosely, almost carelessly, in one hand as he circled the little Jedi. His deep blue-violet eyes watched her intently. His face was sinister in the illumination of his amethyst blade.
The young Jedi relaxed her stance, her white-gold blade pointing toward the floor.
"Any other adversary would have attacked by now," she said, a hint of exasperation coloring her words as he circled her for the fifth time.
Once more he circled her, pacing like a stalking tiger.
Jediah sighed, shut down her weapon, and turned to leave the circle.
Damien Quinn waited a moment longer, then advanced. His apprentice turned, saber raised. She blocked his blow with a careless ease that startled him. Their sabers connected with a pop-hiss. She then threw his weight off her weapon.
"Master," she laughed, "guard your thoughts better. No true enemy would let me read them so easily."
Master Quinn chuckled as he attacked again, coming in high.
Jediah raised her pearlescent blade over her head, hooked his saber, and spun him off.
"Padawan," he said as he shed his sable cloak and brushed a lone strand of silvering jet black hair from his face, "you are much too patient, put more spirit into it."
"Master, Adepts are born that way."
"Humor me, I need the exercise."
Without warning, Jediah advanced, almost dancing, swinging her lightsaber in a
graceful arc. An inner fire lit her sapphire eyes, as she pressed her master into retreat.
He blocked her, blow for blow, as she beat him back. The crack-hum of their lightsabers connecting rang in his ears. He tried to hook her blade and twist it out of her hands, but she spun underneath, impishly kissing him on the nose. Her lightsaber still firmly grasped in her small hands. As she moved, her silvery hair fanned out. The blood-red crystals in her Padawan braid chimed like a thousand tiny bells. Damien cut in close and locked their sabers so that they were standing almost nose to chest. Jediah looked up at him and grinned, her eyes dancing in the glow of their blades. Suddenly, she turned into him and hooked her leg around his knees. Being the smaller of the two, she spun away unscathed as Damien toppled to the wooden floor.
"Stop!"
Jediah stepped back, barely winded.
"The bigger they are, the harder they fall." She taunted as he shut down his lightsaber.
"You are a demon!" Damien exclaimed breathlessly.
"You're the one who said you needed the exercise," she grinned mischievously.
She turned, tossed her lightsaber in the air where it made a slow wide arc. She faced Damien, caught the lighted weapon, spun it twice, and shut it down as she clipped the silver hilt to her belt. Her eyes twinkled as she winked at her master.
Damien shook his head and smiled. She was good, very good. He had taught her well.
He watched her leave the room. She moved with a liquid grace that only came with being an Adept rank Jedi. The power she controlled, so humbly, was immense. Her talent was natural and easily wielded. She made teaching the Jedi Arts seem so easy, unlike his first apprentice who resisted his efforts at every turn. Damien knew that the boy could have become a great Jedi if only he hadn't been so unwilling. However, the boy's stubbornness eventually earned him a new master and his stupidity got him killed. When he was asked to take the girl, he had been reluctant at first until he saw how strong she was. He had been honored that they considered Damien skilled enough to teach a child that powerful. From the moment she had been put in his arms she had been eager to learn. That's not to say that she didn't challenge him, she sometimes had him wondering just who the padawan really was. She was quick and inventive, but she never flaunted it. Even when he praised her creativity, she dismissed it as nothing out of the ordinary. It was just part of who she was. Damien smiled. Spoiled, she definitely was not.
As she walked away, he heard the soft chiming of the crystals that hung from her braid. She had always been a clever apprentice. He knew that now it was time for her to stand on her own.
"I'm with you too," he said as he descended the stairs and strode toward Leia.
They embraced and gazed at each other a moment, "What is it?" She asked as she pulled away from him. Her concern showed in the tone of her voice.
"Ask me again sometime," he replied softly, almost sadly.
Han came over to them and clapped his friend on the shoulder, "Luke."
"Hi, Han. Chewie." He said wearily. He seemed distant, almost sad, as if he already knew the path that had been set before him.
As the strike team headed toward the hangers, Luke caught sight of her. She seemed so young for such a mission with her snowy blond hair confined in a single thick plait that hung halfway down her back. He knew her father, General Quinn, and knew that she was no stranger to death. She turned toward him as he caught up with the team. Her eyes were the color of the oceans of Mon Calimari, so serene and quiet, as they searched the hanger bay. Her face was youthful and wise, but beautiful. A slight smile crossed her petal soft lips as she glanced his direction. He smiled back.
"Ashyia," came a gentle voice behind him.
"Father," she answered and ran into his waiting arms.
He held her to him, almost as if he knew he would never see her again.
"You thought I would leave without saying goodbye, did you?" She chided him gently. Her thick Rijellian accent colored her words slightly.
Damien held her away from him and looked down into her shining eyes. "No, my Padawan," he said. His kind eyes held a sadness as he took the small braid that hung over her right shoulder in his hands, "I know better. You will wear this forever?"
"As a tribute to you, my master." She smiled and took his hands in her own. They were the hands that had cared for her and taught her. They were callused from years of sword work, they were strong and loving as they caressed her cheeks, wiping away the tears she hadn't known had come.
"For you, Demon," he said as he produced a small box seemingly out of thin air.
She opened the box and began to tremble when she viewed the contents. The hilt of a lightsaber that she knew was his, a thin plait of blue black hair; his Padawan braid, and a strand of deep blue sapphire crystals that he removed and hung in her braid.
"May the Force always guide your footsteps, Jediah. You have danced to it's song long enough to know why I give these things to you."
She bowed her head, "I will keep them safe until this is over, Master," unwilling to accept that his fate was already determined.
Luke was unsure as to why he was allowed to witness this exchange between parent and child, or was it master and apprentice? Why, also, did he change her name from Ashyia to Jediah? He determined to find out after the coming battle. For now there were more pressing matters at hand. At that he turned and entered the stolen shuttle, leaving them to their good-byes.
She hugged him once more, then turned away and with her head held high she strode up the gantry. She was determined not to let the tears come. As she stowed her gear and the box of her master's possessions, she fought off a wave of heart sickness that threatened a cascade of tears. Opening the box one last time, she reverently touched the silvery hilt, knowing in her heart that it would never be raised to challenge her and hone her skills again. She sighed heavily as she removed the crystals from her braid and laid them beside Damien's lightsaber.
She stood at the gantry as it closed gazing at the man she called father. Her vivid blue eyes were mournful, the fire in them extinguished.
:Goodbye, young K'tala,: Damien's voice came in her mind. :Mind all you've been taught. I will never be far from your heart.:
His eyes glistened with tears he feared to shed in front of her, as he watched the Imperial Shuttle lift from the bay floor and head out into the vastness of space. Once it had disappeared, Damien squared his broad shoulders and drew himself up to his full height of two meters as he walked to the shuttle that would take him to his command ship.
The battle raging on the surface of Endor was as fierce as the one above. Rebels, Ewoks and Stormtroopers littered the forest floor, all fighting valiantly to the end.
Just when the Rebels thought they had lost, the little Ewoks surprised them as they rained their primitive weapons down on the Imperials. All hell broke loose as the strike team grabbed up their blasters and joined in the fight.
Jediah took down her fair share of stormtroopers as she chased them through the woods. She stretched her Force senses under her heavy shielding, hoping that the Emperor would be too intent on Skywalker to notice any minor disturbance she might cause. She paused to take aim at an officer that was trying to take out a trio of Ewoks, when she Saw a stormtrooper behind her take aim and fire. Unfortunately, she reacted a second too late and ended up deflecting the bolt right into her ankle. She cursed herself vehemently as she brought down both Imperials in rapid succession.
Jediah was down trying to stem the blood flow in her right ankle when she felt it. Like an explosion in her mind and heart, the brightness that was Damien Quinn was gone. Pain and rage surged through her as she yanked her lightsaber from the hidden pocket in her poncho.
"NO!!!!" She howled as she cut down the Stormtroopers in her path. "Bastards! Murdering bastards!"
Her blue eyes were no longer sane. The pain in her mind and heart overrode the pain from her injured ankle and her training. She became the demon from the nightmares that frightened her when she was small. Like a mad wounded beast, she chased the Imperials through the forest, screaming like a banshee. She stalked them, the hum of her lightsaber their only warning before she took them out.
Suddenly she looked up at the sky and the Death Star burst like an overfilled balloon. The battle was over. In pain she collapsed where she stood, her lightsaber extinguishing as it dropped to the forest floor. She lay there numb and unthinking until a medical crew stumbled across her as they searched for survivors. After they bandaged her ankle, she wandered dazed back to the Ewok village, clutching the hilt of her lightsaber.
Fireworks lit up the night sky. They had won. The Empire was no more. Everyone was celebrating, greeting friends who were returning from the battle in space. He came through the low door and caught Leia up in an embrace. Han, Chewie and Lando greeted him each in turn. His eyes were shining but haunted. He had saved his father only to lose him in the end. He had lost so much, so many friends, in the last four years. His heart hurt. He was alone.
Later, after the celebration had died down some and most had gone to find a place to sleep, Luke sat alone on one of the plank bridges between the little tree houses. Trying to sort through his thoughts, a memory came to him unbidden. The young woman he had seen in the hanger just the morning before. Then, like the call of a mourning dove, he heard someone sobbing softly in the darkness behind him.
When he located the source, he was mildly surprised to see that it was General
Quinn's daughter. He was even more surprised when a wave of confused pain violently washed over him.
"Ashyia, isn't it? Or is it Jediah?"
"Jediah," came the muffled reply.
Luke knelt down beside her and lifted her head up. In her eyes, he saw pain, anguish, and self loathing.
"What happened to you?" He asked, shocked by what he had seen.
She tried to turn away but he held her firm. In his eyes, she saw true concern.
"I . . . .I . . . I snapped." She stammered softly, "My Master, he was on the Liberty. One of the star cruisers that was . . . ."
It was as if the dam had given way, the tears came. Her whole body shook with the force of her sobs. Luke gently pulled her to him, letting her bury her face in his chest as he eased himself to a sitting position against a tree trunk. She curled into his embrace as she cried like a lost child. He stroked her tangled blood-streaked hair tenderly, brushing it gently away from her face.
"When you're ready, we can talk." He whispered, "For now, you only need to know that you aren't alone."
He held her tightly and projected an aura of calm to soothe her tortured mind. He was grateful for the darkness that surrounded them, hiding them from curious eyes. The celebration had just ended and all was silent except for the night noises of the forest and Jediah's muffled sobs.
Slowly, she began to relax. The arms that held her tightly she found comforting. Finally her breathing slowed and the tears lessened, but the terrible ache in her heart was still there. As she huddled closer into the embrace, she gave herself up to the peace and darkness of blessed unconsciousness. There were no dreams or visions there, only a soft supporting darkness that cradled her and soothed her.
Luke felt her sag wearily against him, sighing heavily. He laid his gloved hand on her tangled mane of snowy hair, pulling her closer. After a feather light mental touch, he convinced himself that she would be asleep for a time, so he closed his eyes and dozed.
The early morning mist surrounded the sleeping pair, pale gray and soft. No sounds came through the slumbering forest. All was silent in those hours just before dawn.
She gradually became aware of fabric next to her cheek and the warmth of someone's breath against the crown of her head. She felt the slow rise and fall of his chest as he slept. Slowly, Jediah opened her eyes. She could see the mist as it swirled around them, but nothing beyond it. It was as though time had stopped and the rest of the galaxy didn't exist. She heard no birdcalls or other sounds from the Endor forest. The forest was still.
Luke stirred as she stretched, coming completely awake in a matter of seconds.
"Feel better?" He asked softly as he let his arms relax.
"A little."
He let her take her time. She would talk on her terms, not his.
"Forgive me for my behavior last night," she said after a time. "I've never felt so lost."
"There is nothing to forgive, Jediah." He smiled. "Do you want to talk?"
Jediah nodded then turned to face him. Looking into his eyes, she cautiously reached out through the Force and tested him. She sensed mild surprise from him as she Touched his spirit form. Then it was her turn to be surprised as he held out a mental hand to her.
:Jedi?: She queried his spirit.
Luke's form smiled and nodded. "I was under the impression that I was the last."
:Fortunately, you are not. Last to be trained, maybe, but not the last,: She said as she inspected his shielding. :You are strong, Commander Skywalker. Your shields
combined with mine should be enough to hide our thoughts. There is much you need to
know.:
Her aura became a brilliant white-gold, her eyes the color of the Kaiburr Crystal and pulsed in time with her heartbeat. A laughing golden wind came, swirling playfully
around her spirit form.
Luke beheld her in awe. Never had he witnessed or felt such enormous power, nor such completeness in the Force. For a moment, he just gazed at her, feeling the raw controlled energy wash over him.
As quickly as it had come, the zephyr left and her spirit faded back to the natural blue. She smiled at the look of wonder on his face as she broke the mental connection.
"Will I always have that effect on you?" she chuckled
"I never imagined one person could contain that amount of power." He said in disbelief. "What happened?"
Jediah closed her eyes and fought off a wave of tears that threatened to fall. She still hadn't pieced together why her control over the Force had disintegrated. She had always known that someday her master would leave her, but apparently she wasn't fully prepared for the extreme violent force of it.
"I lost my master," she answered softly, fighting the words past the painful lump in her throat, "he was on the Liberty when it blew. I felt him die, Commander. I lost my control and my sanity. I snapped."
"Why?"
"You've never loved anyone that much, have you?" a sad smile crossed her face, "Damien Quinn was more to me than a father, a teacher, or a friend, he was home to me. We shared a special bond. When he was murdered, it was severed violently, and I guess that I wasn't really prepared to cope with that."
"But he knew. The box . . ." he began.
"You saw that?" She asked.
Luke nodded but said nothing.
"I guess I tried to deny it."
Luke reached up and wiped a lone tear from her cheek. She seemed so vulnerable,
so in need of someone to care for her. Yet underneath all of that shielding, was a woman whose strength in the Force far surpassed his. She had lost control, yes, but he knew
that it would never happen again.
"Thank you, Commander. I'm glad that I didn't have to be alone."
"Please call me Luke."
Jediah kissed him lightly on the cheek, "Then, to you only, am I Jediah."
She was only inches away from his face. He could feel her soft warm breath against his cheek. Hesitantly, his lips brushed hers. When she didn't pull away, he kissed her again, fuller this time. She responded by gently pulling him back into the link. He shivered slightly as her energy coursed through him. Their minds became as one, as power surged between them.
:I am the child of the Force.: Her mind echoed in his, :I am K'tala.:
Luke felt the Force all around him. He closed his eyes, as if he basked in warm sunlight. The power was immense, almost overwhelming. A small half smile played at the corners of his mouth as the power of the Force washed over him.
Jediah pulled away from him, her eyes shining. "Tell no one that I am a Jedi, Luke, for your safety as well as mine."
"I understand," he answered breathlessly. :I am your servant, my lady.:
"You're hurt, Luke." She said as he winced a little. Her voice came like a soft wind chime. Her soft blue eyes full of concern.
Luke glanced up at her as she uncurled herself from his lap and stood in front of him. He smiled painfully.
"It's nothing," he said breathlessly as another wave of searing pain hit him.
"That's exactly what Master Damien use to say after failing to deflect a blaster bolt." She smiled as she reached out and touched his arm.
Luke felt something, like a gentle warm mist cushion him from the pain. Straightening, he gave her a curious look.
"Let's get you to the medics," she said simply, helping him up.
(Fifteen years later. . . )
Jediah sighed heavily, reluctantly pushing away the memory. Those days were
gone. Secretly, they had married on Rijel after Luke returned from Bakura. They both knew that if it was made known, their future children could be put at great risk. Together they worked to help build the New Republic. Because of this, the fledgling republic flourished and grew into the benevolent government they now enjoyed. She and Luke also spent those first years tracking down possible Jedi and those of Jedi ancestry. Unfortunately, it was now under attack. So, too, were the Jedi.
In the darkness and chill of pre-dawn, Jediah crept from the warmth of her lonely bed. As she dressed, she glanced back at the small sleeping pallet. If Luke were here he would have been still sound asleep. She chuckled to herself and shook her head at the thought. She knew her husband too well sometimes. As she left her chambers, she twisted her long snowy mane into a tight knot a the base of her neck. Quietly, she made her way to the top of the Great Massassi Temple. Something was seriously wrong. She had felt a disturbance in the Force. She knew it involved Luke in some way, but she could not divine exactly what it was.
As she reached the top, she pulled her cloak tighter around herself. Jediah opened herself to the Force and Jumped.
By: Ithilin Palandiriel
Disclaimer: don't own them except Jediah. Just doing this for fun not profit
Rated R for violence, torture, rape and implied sex
Summary: Luke is kidnapped and replaced by an impostor. It's a race against time to find him and stop the Great Purge from happening again.
CHAPTER 1
Sometime during Return of the Jedi.........
She stood across from her opponent, her stance ready. Her lightsaber raised. The young woman watched her adversary through half-lidded eyes and smiled a little.
The cloaked and hooded warrior began to circle her, trying to throw her off her guard. He, too, had ignited his weapon. However, he held it loosely, almost carelessly, in one hand as he circled the little Jedi. His deep blue-violet eyes watched her intently. His face was sinister in the illumination of his amethyst blade.
The young Jedi relaxed her stance, her white-gold blade pointing toward the floor.
"Any other adversary would have attacked by now," she said, a hint of exasperation coloring her words as he circled her for the fifth time.
Once more he circled her, pacing like a stalking tiger.
Jediah sighed, shut down her weapon, and turned to leave the circle.
Damien Quinn waited a moment longer, then advanced. His apprentice turned, saber raised. She blocked his blow with a careless ease that startled him. Their sabers connected with a pop-hiss. She then threw his weight off her weapon.
"Master," she laughed, "guard your thoughts better. No true enemy would let me read them so easily."
Master Quinn chuckled as he attacked again, coming in high.
Jediah raised her pearlescent blade over her head, hooked his saber, and spun him off.
"Padawan," he said as he shed his sable cloak and brushed a lone strand of silvering jet black hair from his face, "you are much too patient, put more spirit into it."
"Master, Adepts are born that way."
"Humor me, I need the exercise."
Without warning, Jediah advanced, almost dancing, swinging her lightsaber in a
graceful arc. An inner fire lit her sapphire eyes, as she pressed her master into retreat.
He blocked her, blow for blow, as she beat him back. The crack-hum of their lightsabers connecting rang in his ears. He tried to hook her blade and twist it out of her hands, but she spun underneath, impishly kissing him on the nose. Her lightsaber still firmly grasped in her small hands. As she moved, her silvery hair fanned out. The blood-red crystals in her Padawan braid chimed like a thousand tiny bells. Damien cut in close and locked their sabers so that they were standing almost nose to chest. Jediah looked up at him and grinned, her eyes dancing in the glow of their blades. Suddenly, she turned into him and hooked her leg around his knees. Being the smaller of the two, she spun away unscathed as Damien toppled to the wooden floor.
"Stop!"
Jediah stepped back, barely winded.
"The bigger they are, the harder they fall." She taunted as he shut down his lightsaber.
"You are a demon!" Damien exclaimed breathlessly.
"You're the one who said you needed the exercise," she grinned mischievously.
She turned, tossed her lightsaber in the air where it made a slow wide arc. She faced Damien, caught the lighted weapon, spun it twice, and shut it down as she clipped the silver hilt to her belt. Her eyes twinkled as she winked at her master.
Damien shook his head and smiled. She was good, very good. He had taught her well.
He watched her leave the room. She moved with a liquid grace that only came with being an Adept rank Jedi. The power she controlled, so humbly, was immense. Her talent was natural and easily wielded. She made teaching the Jedi Arts seem so easy, unlike his first apprentice who resisted his efforts at every turn. Damien knew that the boy could have become a great Jedi if only he hadn't been so unwilling. However, the boy's stubbornness eventually earned him a new master and his stupidity got him killed. When he was asked to take the girl, he had been reluctant at first until he saw how strong she was. He had been honored that they considered Damien skilled enough to teach a child that powerful. From the moment she had been put in his arms she had been eager to learn. That's not to say that she didn't challenge him, she sometimes had him wondering just who the padawan really was. She was quick and inventive, but she never flaunted it. Even when he praised her creativity, she dismissed it as nothing out of the ordinary. It was just part of who she was. Damien smiled. Spoiled, she definitely was not.
As she walked away, he heard the soft chiming of the crystals that hung from her braid. She had always been a clever apprentice. He knew that now it was time for her to stand on her own.
"I'm with you too," he said as he descended the stairs and strode toward Leia.
They embraced and gazed at each other a moment, "What is it?" She asked as she pulled away from him. Her concern showed in the tone of her voice.
"Ask me again sometime," he replied softly, almost sadly.
Han came over to them and clapped his friend on the shoulder, "Luke."
"Hi, Han. Chewie." He said wearily. He seemed distant, almost sad, as if he already knew the path that had been set before him.
As the strike team headed toward the hangers, Luke caught sight of her. She seemed so young for such a mission with her snowy blond hair confined in a single thick plait that hung halfway down her back. He knew her father, General Quinn, and knew that she was no stranger to death. She turned toward him as he caught up with the team. Her eyes were the color of the oceans of Mon Calimari, so serene and quiet, as they searched the hanger bay. Her face was youthful and wise, but beautiful. A slight smile crossed her petal soft lips as she glanced his direction. He smiled back.
"Ashyia," came a gentle voice behind him.
"Father," she answered and ran into his waiting arms.
He held her to him, almost as if he knew he would never see her again.
"You thought I would leave without saying goodbye, did you?" She chided him gently. Her thick Rijellian accent colored her words slightly.
Damien held her away from him and looked down into her shining eyes. "No, my Padawan," he said. His kind eyes held a sadness as he took the small braid that hung over her right shoulder in his hands, "I know better. You will wear this forever?"
"As a tribute to you, my master." She smiled and took his hands in her own. They were the hands that had cared for her and taught her. They were callused from years of sword work, they were strong and loving as they caressed her cheeks, wiping away the tears she hadn't known had come.
"For you, Demon," he said as he produced a small box seemingly out of thin air.
She opened the box and began to tremble when she viewed the contents. The hilt of a lightsaber that she knew was his, a thin plait of blue black hair; his Padawan braid, and a strand of deep blue sapphire crystals that he removed and hung in her braid.
"May the Force always guide your footsteps, Jediah. You have danced to it's song long enough to know why I give these things to you."
She bowed her head, "I will keep them safe until this is over, Master," unwilling to accept that his fate was already determined.
Luke was unsure as to why he was allowed to witness this exchange between parent and child, or was it master and apprentice? Why, also, did he change her name from Ashyia to Jediah? He determined to find out after the coming battle. For now there were more pressing matters at hand. At that he turned and entered the stolen shuttle, leaving them to their good-byes.
She hugged him once more, then turned away and with her head held high she strode up the gantry. She was determined not to let the tears come. As she stowed her gear and the box of her master's possessions, she fought off a wave of heart sickness that threatened a cascade of tears. Opening the box one last time, she reverently touched the silvery hilt, knowing in her heart that it would never be raised to challenge her and hone her skills again. She sighed heavily as she removed the crystals from her braid and laid them beside Damien's lightsaber.
She stood at the gantry as it closed gazing at the man she called father. Her vivid blue eyes were mournful, the fire in them extinguished.
:Goodbye, young K'tala,: Damien's voice came in her mind. :Mind all you've been taught. I will never be far from your heart.:
His eyes glistened with tears he feared to shed in front of her, as he watched the Imperial Shuttle lift from the bay floor and head out into the vastness of space. Once it had disappeared, Damien squared his broad shoulders and drew himself up to his full height of two meters as he walked to the shuttle that would take him to his command ship.
The battle raging on the surface of Endor was as fierce as the one above. Rebels, Ewoks and Stormtroopers littered the forest floor, all fighting valiantly to the end.
Just when the Rebels thought they had lost, the little Ewoks surprised them as they rained their primitive weapons down on the Imperials. All hell broke loose as the strike team grabbed up their blasters and joined in the fight.
Jediah took down her fair share of stormtroopers as she chased them through the woods. She stretched her Force senses under her heavy shielding, hoping that the Emperor would be too intent on Skywalker to notice any minor disturbance she might cause. She paused to take aim at an officer that was trying to take out a trio of Ewoks, when she Saw a stormtrooper behind her take aim and fire. Unfortunately, she reacted a second too late and ended up deflecting the bolt right into her ankle. She cursed herself vehemently as she brought down both Imperials in rapid succession.
Jediah was down trying to stem the blood flow in her right ankle when she felt it. Like an explosion in her mind and heart, the brightness that was Damien Quinn was gone. Pain and rage surged through her as she yanked her lightsaber from the hidden pocket in her poncho.
"NO!!!!" She howled as she cut down the Stormtroopers in her path. "Bastards! Murdering bastards!"
Her blue eyes were no longer sane. The pain in her mind and heart overrode the pain from her injured ankle and her training. She became the demon from the nightmares that frightened her when she was small. Like a mad wounded beast, she chased the Imperials through the forest, screaming like a banshee. She stalked them, the hum of her lightsaber their only warning before she took them out.
Suddenly she looked up at the sky and the Death Star burst like an overfilled balloon. The battle was over. In pain she collapsed where she stood, her lightsaber extinguishing as it dropped to the forest floor. She lay there numb and unthinking until a medical crew stumbled across her as they searched for survivors. After they bandaged her ankle, she wandered dazed back to the Ewok village, clutching the hilt of her lightsaber.
Fireworks lit up the night sky. They had won. The Empire was no more. Everyone was celebrating, greeting friends who were returning from the battle in space. He came through the low door and caught Leia up in an embrace. Han, Chewie and Lando greeted him each in turn. His eyes were shining but haunted. He had saved his father only to lose him in the end. He had lost so much, so many friends, in the last four years. His heart hurt. He was alone.
Later, after the celebration had died down some and most had gone to find a place to sleep, Luke sat alone on one of the plank bridges between the little tree houses. Trying to sort through his thoughts, a memory came to him unbidden. The young woman he had seen in the hanger just the morning before. Then, like the call of a mourning dove, he heard someone sobbing softly in the darkness behind him.
When he located the source, he was mildly surprised to see that it was General
Quinn's daughter. He was even more surprised when a wave of confused pain violently washed over him.
"Ashyia, isn't it? Or is it Jediah?"
"Jediah," came the muffled reply.
Luke knelt down beside her and lifted her head up. In her eyes, he saw pain, anguish, and self loathing.
"What happened to you?" He asked, shocked by what he had seen.
She tried to turn away but he held her firm. In his eyes, she saw true concern.
"I . . . .I . . . I snapped." She stammered softly, "My Master, he was on the Liberty. One of the star cruisers that was . . . ."
It was as if the dam had given way, the tears came. Her whole body shook with the force of her sobs. Luke gently pulled her to him, letting her bury her face in his chest as he eased himself to a sitting position against a tree trunk. She curled into his embrace as she cried like a lost child. He stroked her tangled blood-streaked hair tenderly, brushing it gently away from her face.
"When you're ready, we can talk." He whispered, "For now, you only need to know that you aren't alone."
He held her tightly and projected an aura of calm to soothe her tortured mind. He was grateful for the darkness that surrounded them, hiding them from curious eyes. The celebration had just ended and all was silent except for the night noises of the forest and Jediah's muffled sobs.
Slowly, she began to relax. The arms that held her tightly she found comforting. Finally her breathing slowed and the tears lessened, but the terrible ache in her heart was still there. As she huddled closer into the embrace, she gave herself up to the peace and darkness of blessed unconsciousness. There were no dreams or visions there, only a soft supporting darkness that cradled her and soothed her.
Luke felt her sag wearily against him, sighing heavily. He laid his gloved hand on her tangled mane of snowy hair, pulling her closer. After a feather light mental touch, he convinced himself that she would be asleep for a time, so he closed his eyes and dozed.
The early morning mist surrounded the sleeping pair, pale gray and soft. No sounds came through the slumbering forest. All was silent in those hours just before dawn.
She gradually became aware of fabric next to her cheek and the warmth of someone's breath against the crown of her head. She felt the slow rise and fall of his chest as he slept. Slowly, Jediah opened her eyes. She could see the mist as it swirled around them, but nothing beyond it. It was as though time had stopped and the rest of the galaxy didn't exist. She heard no birdcalls or other sounds from the Endor forest. The forest was still.
Luke stirred as she stretched, coming completely awake in a matter of seconds.
"Feel better?" He asked softly as he let his arms relax.
"A little."
He let her take her time. She would talk on her terms, not his.
"Forgive me for my behavior last night," she said after a time. "I've never felt so lost."
"There is nothing to forgive, Jediah." He smiled. "Do you want to talk?"
Jediah nodded then turned to face him. Looking into his eyes, she cautiously reached out through the Force and tested him. She sensed mild surprise from him as she Touched his spirit form. Then it was her turn to be surprised as he held out a mental hand to her.
:Jedi?: She queried his spirit.
Luke's form smiled and nodded. "I was under the impression that I was the last."
:Fortunately, you are not. Last to be trained, maybe, but not the last,: She said as she inspected his shielding. :You are strong, Commander Skywalker. Your shields
combined with mine should be enough to hide our thoughts. There is much you need to
know.:
Her aura became a brilliant white-gold, her eyes the color of the Kaiburr Crystal and pulsed in time with her heartbeat. A laughing golden wind came, swirling playfully
around her spirit form.
Luke beheld her in awe. Never had he witnessed or felt such enormous power, nor such completeness in the Force. For a moment, he just gazed at her, feeling the raw controlled energy wash over him.
As quickly as it had come, the zephyr left and her spirit faded back to the natural blue. She smiled at the look of wonder on his face as she broke the mental connection.
"Will I always have that effect on you?" she chuckled
"I never imagined one person could contain that amount of power." He said in disbelief. "What happened?"
Jediah closed her eyes and fought off a wave of tears that threatened to fall. She still hadn't pieced together why her control over the Force had disintegrated. She had always known that someday her master would leave her, but apparently she wasn't fully prepared for the extreme violent force of it.
"I lost my master," she answered softly, fighting the words past the painful lump in her throat, "he was on the Liberty when it blew. I felt him die, Commander. I lost my control and my sanity. I snapped."
"Why?"
"You've never loved anyone that much, have you?" a sad smile crossed her face, "Damien Quinn was more to me than a father, a teacher, or a friend, he was home to me. We shared a special bond. When he was murdered, it was severed violently, and I guess that I wasn't really prepared to cope with that."
"But he knew. The box . . ." he began.
"You saw that?" She asked.
Luke nodded but said nothing.
"I guess I tried to deny it."
Luke reached up and wiped a lone tear from her cheek. She seemed so vulnerable,
so in need of someone to care for her. Yet underneath all of that shielding, was a woman whose strength in the Force far surpassed his. She had lost control, yes, but he knew
that it would never happen again.
"Thank you, Commander. I'm glad that I didn't have to be alone."
"Please call me Luke."
Jediah kissed him lightly on the cheek, "Then, to you only, am I Jediah."
She was only inches away from his face. He could feel her soft warm breath against his cheek. Hesitantly, his lips brushed hers. When she didn't pull away, he kissed her again, fuller this time. She responded by gently pulling him back into the link. He shivered slightly as her energy coursed through him. Their minds became as one, as power surged between them.
:I am the child of the Force.: Her mind echoed in his, :I am K'tala.:
Luke felt the Force all around him. He closed his eyes, as if he basked in warm sunlight. The power was immense, almost overwhelming. A small half smile played at the corners of his mouth as the power of the Force washed over him.
Jediah pulled away from him, her eyes shining. "Tell no one that I am a Jedi, Luke, for your safety as well as mine."
"I understand," he answered breathlessly. :I am your servant, my lady.:
"You're hurt, Luke." She said as he winced a little. Her voice came like a soft wind chime. Her soft blue eyes full of concern.
Luke glanced up at her as she uncurled herself from his lap and stood in front of him. He smiled painfully.
"It's nothing," he said breathlessly as another wave of searing pain hit him.
"That's exactly what Master Damien use to say after failing to deflect a blaster bolt." She smiled as she reached out and touched his arm.
Luke felt something, like a gentle warm mist cushion him from the pain. Straightening, he gave her a curious look.
"Let's get you to the medics," she said simply, helping him up.
(Fifteen years later. . . )
Jediah sighed heavily, reluctantly pushing away the memory. Those days were
gone. Secretly, they had married on Rijel after Luke returned from Bakura. They both knew that if it was made known, their future children could be put at great risk. Together they worked to help build the New Republic. Because of this, the fledgling republic flourished and grew into the benevolent government they now enjoyed. She and Luke also spent those first years tracking down possible Jedi and those of Jedi ancestry. Unfortunately, it was now under attack. So, too, were the Jedi.
In the darkness and chill of pre-dawn, Jediah crept from the warmth of her lonely bed. As she dressed, she glanced back at the small sleeping pallet. If Luke were here he would have been still sound asleep. She chuckled to herself and shook her head at the thought. She knew her husband too well sometimes. As she left her chambers, she twisted her long snowy mane into a tight knot a the base of her neck. Quietly, she made her way to the top of the Great Massassi Temple. Something was seriously wrong. She had felt a disturbance in the Force. She knew it involved Luke in some way, but she could not divine exactly what it was.
As she reached the top, she pulled her cloak tighter around herself. Jediah opened herself to the Force and Jumped.