Mystery
Chapter One
Disclaimer: I don't own anything from Star Wars, and I'm not making any money from this fic
Summary: A new girl arrives at the Jedi Academy, but hides a deep secret
Spoilers: Any of the Young Jedi Knights books
Author's Note: This is the rewrite of Mystery, chapter one. And, though the grammar may not be very good, there shouldn't be many spelling mistakes, as any words that are spelt wrong show up on my computer screen as highlighted in blue (which can be very annoying when I'm in the middle of typing a word. I have to type really fast to avoid the blue --). Unless, of course, the spelling mistakes are the American way of spelling things, which is hardly my fault (another reason why the computer in question must die).
DarkAngel: Now that you've finished your rant, are you going to get on with the story?
Me: Too right
RedFox: -As an aside to readers- She doesn't mean it, you know. She's just feeling depressed at the moment
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"Mum, I don't want to go to the Jedi Academy."
Callie glanced up to see her blonde-haired daughter hovering in the doorway, green eyes glaring accusingly at her.
Callie frowned, and laid her work aside. "Christella, what's wrong?" she asked her daughter, concerned.
Christella stamped her foot. "I don't want to go!" she repeated. "And this is why!" She brushed her hair back from her face, revealing the ugly scar running down her right cheek, made by a knife.
Callie flinched at the sight of the scar, but still said, "Christella, if you're going to insist on doing your share of protecting us as well, then surely it would be better to at least try and develop all your skills?"
"I'm not even that strong," Christella mumbled.
"Mum, why does Christella have to go?"
Callie looked at her other daughter, the eight-year-old, dark-haired Jewel. Then, she looked back at Christella and frowned, placing her hands on her hips. "Christella, getting your sister involved is not very fair," she scolded. "Especially when you're trying to get her to take your side against me."
"Look, I don't want to use my so-called powers!" Christella snapped. "I don't want to have to leave you or Jewel! I don't want to be alone with strangers!"
Callie nodded slowly, hearing her daughter out. Then, she asked, "And what's the real reason?"
Christella stared at her mother for a long moment. Then, she closed her eyes and muttered, "I don't want to be different to the friends I finally managed to make here."
Callie looked at her younger daughter. "Jewel, could you leave us alone for a few moments?" she asked gently.
Jewel blinked, and looked from her sister to her mother and back again. Then, she nodded. "Ok," she said brightly. "I want to go and play with my cat anyway. It's probably about near her feeding time." And she left the room.
When she was gone, Callie turned to Christella, and hugged her gently. "Sweetie, it's all right to be different to your friends," she told her. "Jewel and I have some abilities with the Force as well. I'll be able to protect her just fine on my own. And it's not like we'll never be able to see each other again."
"But..." Christella began.
"No buts," Callie told her daughter firmly. "I very rarely insist on anything, Christella... But I think that I am going to this time."
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When the shuttle stopped, Christella almost decided to stay on and insist on being returned to her home. But Callie had made her promise to try and stick the Jedi Academy out, at least for a while.
And mother's right, Christella tried to tell herself. It's not like she'll be completely helpless without me, after all.
With a sigh, Christella picked up her backpack, and exited the shuttle.
The area outside the shuttle wasn't very crowded. Clearly, most of the people had already left. Probably while Christella had been debating on whether to return home or not.
Slowly, Christella made her way towards a tall, brown-haired man wearing a Jedi robe. For a moment, she entertained the hope that he wouldn't see her, but that hope died as soon as blue eyes locked on hers.
Luke watched the young girl he had met on the planet Tarin approach him. Dirty blonde hair hung loose to a little way past her shoulders. Too large green eyes stared out of a pale, oval face which suggested that she didn't go out into the sun very often. She wore casual clothes with a backpack slung untidily over one shoulder.
Christella bowed her head politely to Luke. "Master Skywalker," she greeted softly.
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Christella glanced around the room she was going to be staying in, and frowned slightly. This is a nice room, I suppose, she thought to herself. Too bad I won't be staying here for long.
Christella was determined that she wasn't going to like it in the Jedi Academy. She wanted to go back home the first chance she got. She was already missing her mother and sister quite a lot, and she hadn't even been gone a full day yet.
Christella dumped her backpack in the middle of the floor, then sat down on the edge of the bed, thinking.
I guess learning to use my powers with the Force would be an advantage, Christella noted with a sigh. But, really, I think that it would just be a waste of time.
Christella opened her backpack, and took out two holographs - one of her mother, and one of Jewel - and put them on the small table in the room. Then, she glanced up and towards the window.
There was nothing there.
It must have been my imagination, Christella decided. No way could they have followed me here.
But Christella still felt uneasy.
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