Imperial Memories and Forgotten Dreams


I do not own anything Star Wars. Han, Leia, and Luke are all borrowed characters, obviously, with Samantha Heart and Komiak being my own creation.

I wrote this a LONG time ago so please be patient as I "update" it...lol. Enjoy!


Chapter Two:

Horse Play

Luke moves as if to help Komiak but hesitates just as Komiak growls. Han and Leia share a glance at a grown human woman growling like an animal but say nothing as Luke retreats. Komiak hoists me to my feet, ignoring my grunt of pain. They proceed us back into the house, holding the door open as we all head inside.Once in the living room I release Komiak's shoulder and try to walk. She catches me, lowering me onto the couch. Han, Leia, and Luke all take a seat on the couch near us and watch as I lay back on the couch, Komiak kneeling between my legs and pulling up my shirt. I grab the hem, pulling it back down and glaring at her. She scowls.

"What?"

"Not in front of them." She glances back over her shoulder then nods.

"Fine. Where? Upstairs?" I shake my head.

"The barn." She stares at me a second, slightly confused, then nods slowly, rising.

"Maybe you should go upstairs. It might be more comfortable and warmer." Leia suggests. I shake my head, using Komiak's arm to pull myself to my feet.

"No." I stare firmly. Leia seems slightly taken aback and Komiak smiles reassuringly.

"Healing her tends to be slightly difficult." She states. "It would be better if you three weren't around." I grip Komiak's arm hard, shooting her a warning glare. The three stare at us in confusion and I straighten.

"Make yourselves comfortable." I state, swaying slightly as I walk toward the door. Komiak follows behind, barely catching me in time before I hit the floor. At least I thought it was Komiak until I realize I am floating completely up off the floor. The touch through the Force is both calming and familiar, reassuring, as it slowly lowers me to the floor. Komiak helps me up and I sneak a glance back, meeting Luke's blue gaze as the front door shuts.


Out in the barn Komiak helps me down onto a stack of feed bales. Near us my mare Nakita watches us curiously, her ears flattening when she catches the scent of my blood. Komiak stands over me, shaking her head slightly, watching as I reach back to grip one of the many reins dangling from the hooks behind my head.

"My pack and I leave for one week and you get yourself into trouble." I merely scowl at her and she chuckles, kneeling down before me and reaching for my shirt. I let her pull it up enough to expose my midriff, winching slightly as she unwinds the bandage.

"So, was that him?" I nod, teeth clenched to tight to speak aloud.

Yes, that was him.

"He's kind of cute." I winch again, gasping as she pulls the last of it away. Even she hisses when she catches sight of the wound. "You tangled with a green?" I nod.

More like he tangled with me. Komiak shakes her head slightly before rolling her wrists, placing both hands on either side of the wound.

"This is going to hurt." She says quietly. "I haven't healed a wound this bad in a long time." I growl at her, taking a section of the leather between my teeth.

Just do it already.


Luke is standing out on the porch, his arms crossed across his chest, his hand balled into fists. Behind him the front door opens and Han steps out, joining him. The two stand silent on the porch, the silence occasionally broken by cries of pain from the barn.

"How long has it been going on?" Han asks quietly. Luke glances at his watch on his wrist.

"About 45 minutes." Han pauses.

"You going over there?" Luke shakes his head. Komiak exiting the barn distracts them and she approaches the house, suddenly looking very tired. Luke's voice stops her.

"Is she all right?" Komiak nods.

"She's with Nakita. Go in if you want." She glances up at him, her exhausted golden gaze somehow looking deadly. "But if you distress her in any way, I'll tear your throat out myself." She says in a low voice before disappearing into the house. Han and Luke stare at the barn a long moment then Han sighs.

"I'm going inside the house. It's to damn cold out here." He says, disappearing into the house without another word. Luke hesitates, unsure of what to do. His mind stretches out, scanning the barn. The emotions wash over him and for a moment he is breathless from the residual agony in the Force. Setting his teeth he steps off the porch and heads for the barn.


I lie in the soft pile of hay, my back and shoulders resting against the warm, fuzzy side of my mount. Nakita is sporting her winter coat, her snow white side like a warm pillow behind me. She nuzzles my shoulder reassuringly a moment before she suddenly tenses, head rising and ears swiveling toward the open stall door. The large mare is about to rise when I lay a gentle hand on her shoulder, staying her.

After a moment Luke appears in the doorway to the stall. Nakita, surprisingly, relaxes when she sees it is him. He remains in the doorway and I know he is studying me.

"May I come in?" He asks softly. To my surprise, he addresses my horse. Nakita simply stares at him, then bends her head back to nudge me, as if to reassure me. I nod and he comes in slowly, moving along the wall. "She's beautiful. I had no idea they had those here until I saw her with you in the woods."

"It seems that the citizens of this planet want to hold true to the old ways." I say quietly, my voice sounding slightly hoarse. "They live like they used to back in the old times. The species has changed, though not much." Luke nods, studying her.

"Komiak said her name was Nakita." I nod as Nakita watches him. Luke stares at her, frowning slightly at Nakita's unblinking, unwavering stare. After a moment Nakita rests her muzzle on my shoulder.

"What do they call this species?" Luke asks.

"Horses."

"She's not a normal horse, is she?" I shake my head, lifting myself up slowly from Nakita's side with the assistance of her muzzle against my back.

"No. She is special." I get to my feet, staggering slightly and Luke reaches out to catch me. At the last second he grabs my arm, careful to keep his hands on cloth. I stare at him and I can see the unanswered questions in his eyes.


Nakita rises to her feet with a snort and a heave, shaking hay off of her coat and turning to me. I pat her neck, nodding as I hear her voice in my mind. Luke watches me, curious.

"I raised Nakita from a foal." I explain. "Even before she was broken I was communicating with her through the Force. We are attuned to each other through the Force. Unlike the horses from old times, this breed has a noticeably higher intelligence level. We can talk to each other through the Force almost as well as any two humans can. But it only works between Nakita and I." I explain as she kneels, allowing me to slide onto her back easier. Luke watches.

"I didn't know that was possible." He asks, following Nakita from the stall as she walks on her own toward the massive barn doors.

"Follow and I'll show you."


Outside we see Han leaning against the fence, Luke joining him as Nakita and I walk out into the large corral. The other two horses out in the corral see us coming and amble over. After several seconds I turn.

Komiak, we're going to start practice for the morning. Bring my lightsaber.

I'll be right there. I wait, at ease on Nakita's back even without a saddle as Komiak comes trotting from the house, a large wolfish grin on her face. She easily leaps the fence, one hand on the top rail to boost herself over. Behind her Leia joins the two men.

Nakita sees her coming and I can feel Nakita's excitement.

Play? I pat her neck.

Yes, play today. Komiak stops near us, patting Nakita's rump in greeting as she hands me my weapon.

"So, what you got in mind?" I smile.

"A fight." Komiak frowns.

"Can you handle that?" I nod, losing my smile.

"I want to use both today." Komiak nods, backing away immediately. As if sensing my intentions Nakita tenses. The other two horses back away.


I hear the three exclaim in surprise when Komiak suddenly starts stripping off all her clothes right in the middle of the snowy field. I glance over to them, watching as the three avert their eyes from Komiak's naked form. She laughs and that draws their attention just in time for them to watch her start to transform.

It happens almost instantly, fog suddenly seeming to come straight up from the ground around Komiak. A wavering of the air around her shows that she is shape shifting. Leia cries out in alarm when the large black wolf suddenly appears where Komiak had been. Komiak's wolf form is easily half the size of Nakita, her long black fur a stark contrast to Nakita's white form. Gold eyes stare up at me in complete humor before she trots away, jumping the fence and disappearing into the woods. With no gesturing or anything I walk Nakita over to the fence.

"When you asked how attuned we are to each other, I'm going to demonstrate. We do this every morning." I explain. "For no reason are you to enter this corral." I say sternly, pinning Luke with my stare. They all nod, watching as I guide Nakita back into the center of the corral. The other two horses have gone back to grazing, though the stick near Nakita and I.

Silence descends on us and I inhale as deeply as I can manage, stretching my mind out to the horse beneath me and beyond. Instantly Nakita tenses beneath me, her body fairly shaking with anticipation.

The others? Nakita whispers in my mind.

No, just us today. I reply to her, feeling her shift slightly as she sends the signal to the other two horses. Though I am not attuned to them, I had learned that Nakita was attuned to the others. They other two move away, ambling into their stalls and leaving Nakita and I alone.

A howl rips through the still air and both of us shiver, Nakita snorting lightly as I smile.

She-wolf in good mood today. I chuckle.

Indeed. Watch you for her. She plays rough. Nakita snorts again, tossing her mane and stomping a rather large hoof.

So do I.


Suddenly ahead of us Komiak leaps the fence, tearing across the ground and kicking up snow as she charges directly toward us. Nakita simply watches her come until the last minute, dancing to the side as I sweep my blade down, barely touching the hair on Komiak's side. She skids to a halt, growling low in her chest and crouching low, teeth bared and mad as hell at the singed hair where I'd tagged her. I grin and Nakita lunges, her massive front hooves slamming into the ground just inches from Komiak's head. The wolf yelps in surprise and leaps back, stumbling slightly as she tries to avoid the horses hooves.

We move as one, our minds linked so close together that Nakita moves before I even speak the words, driving Komiak back time and again.

Komiak manages to put some distance between us and she scowls from across the corral, clearly not to happy that Nakita was able to drive her away. I stare at Komiak and the wolf stares at me, almost seeming to smile as she pants, her breath creating fog in the chill air.

As if sensing my intention Nakita does not move, waiting. I close my eyes, releasing myself to the Force, pausing as the warmth of the light side of the force envelopes me, then I delve deeper into myself, to the part hidden deeper within. I feel myself lift an arm, palm vertical and pointing at Komiak. I let the dark forces go, feeling them flow down my arm and collecting in my hand.


A woman suddenly screams and I am thrown out of my trance as I jerk, staring at Komiak, afraid I had actually hit her. She stares back at me, gold eyes stunned, before turning to look to the side. I follow her gaze and grip Nakita's mane.

Leia is leaning heavily against the railing, her breathing ragged, her eyes wide in horror as she stares at me. Han is kneeling on the ground, trying to pull Luke to his feet, the other looking as if he is a rag doll. I tap Nakita's side with my knee and she trots up to the fence, stopping a short distance away. Komiak stops beside me.

Why did it effect them? You weren't even aiming at them.

They are so attuned to the Force they must have felt it the moment I summoned it. I reply. Only in wolf form could Komiak speak to me though our minds.Stand back, I have to fix this. Komiak backs away and I pat Nakita's neck. She responds, bobbing her head as I feel her respond in my mind.

Take what you need. She says quietly. I rest my hands on the width of her back just behind her shoulders, palms flat against her coat and reach deep in myself, drawing on Nakita's presence in the Force through my link with her, pushing the dark side within me down. It fights my will, relentlessly attacking the other two near us. After a minute I am able to lock it away deep within me.

Almost immediately Leia relaxes, nearly falling from the railing as she rubs her eyes in relief. Han glances up at her, then down at Luke as he slowly pulls himself to his feet. I glance at Komiak.

Get them inside. Get them what ever they need. I'm taking Nakita to the barn. Komiak nods, trotting back into the clearing and shifting back quickly and slipping on her clothes. I turn Nakita, urging her to the barn. Fighting down the pull of the dark side I nearly fall from Nakita's back as I slouch forward, my hands gripping her mane in order to keep myself upright.


In the barn Nakita carefully lowers herself to the ground, barely setting her weight before I slide off her back onto the hay beside her. She curves her neck around, using her muzzle to push me up against her side.

Using the darkness hurts you. You should not use it. Nakita whispers to me as I maneuver my body to lay against hers. I cling to her warm side a moment before answering.

We both know what happens if I do not use the darkness. I remind her. Behind me Nakita shivers. And as if sensing my thoughts Nakita almost seems to sigh.

What you tell Jedi? I jerk, turning to look back at her. She simply stares at me.

Truth. With her muzzle to my back she pushes me to my feet, watching as I slide shut the two doors to her stall.

Jedi dangerous.I nod, stroking her neck slowly.

They leave soon. Nakita shakes her head.

Come to me later. I smile widely at Nakita's half question, half demand and nod.

Komiak, in her human form, meets me halfway to the house. She grabs my hand, yanking off my glove and laying her hand flat on my palm.

"What the hell were you thinking?" She demands. I stare at her.

I had to. It couldn't wait another day. She is still glaring.

"It could not have been that bad."

I've slain three Talar this week. By. My. Self. Komiak's eyes widen slightly. I can barely leash it by myself now. I have to have either you or Nakita with me.

Komiak stares hard at me then her eyes narrow.

"What can I do?" "She asks quietly. I smile slightly.

We already talked about it. Just promise me one thing. Komiak nods.

"Anything." I slip my hand from hers.

"Don't hesitate."


On the porch she stops me again, lowering her voice.

"I told them that you would answer all their questions. It's not my place to tell them what needs to be said. Are you sure you want to do this?" I glance at the door then nod.

"I have to." She stares at me, her expression grim.

"They know that you use the dark side. They think you may be a dark Jedi." I laugh slightly.

"Maybe they are right." She gives me a shake, staring hard at me. I smile reassuringly. "I will set them straight then send them on their way. Just let me find out what they are doing here first." She sets her jaw, clearly not happy with the idea, but releases my arm.

"If they try anything I will be right here." I nod, reaching for the door knob.


I will admit, i am a bit unsure about this chapter but i thought i would give it a shot anyway. Please review!