Chapter 7
Disclaimer – Apart from story line and a few OCs, Star Wars is obviously, though sadly, not mine. Rights to Lucas, also there are references to a movie named Dinotopia and also to Harry Potter. I cannot quite remember where in the story they are so I'll just add it every chapter. It talks about the code they have for life on Dinotopia, and I blatantly quote Hermione at some point.
"I'm sorry you two are what?!" Arlie yells at the two men, both of which she considers her Master, Garen meanwhile chokes on the caff he was chugging down, equally as shocked.
"We're recommending you for knighting." Micah replies chuckling at his padawans, he had adopted the girl as far as he was concerned and knew that Mace felt the same about Garen.
"Are you on crack?!" Arleia says continuing with her surprise born yelling. Garen looks confused.
"What does that even mean?" He asks not having a clue what she was talking about.
"Ummm equivalent equivalent, hang on they had a problem with it coz of the Hutts in the outer-rim, Spice! That's it." Arlie says victoriously smiling. Micah and Garen both knew about her trip to another universe but did not know the specifics of what had happened there, most of the temple still thought she was raised by pirates much to her chagrin. "Can we get back to the importance of my question?"
"We are not on spice Arlie, you saved Micah's life on Yinchorr and performed admirably during the battle. If not for you saving Micah's life, Tahl would have died on her last mission. Furthermore, I find myself at a loss for what else I can teach you. You're as good as me, if not better, with a lightsaber, you can meditate so deeply I sometimes wonder how you haven't been absorbed into the force, and no one can doubt your skills as a diplomat. We all know how much I've taken to getting you to tell me what to say when at a negotiating table when we are short on time and I can't find the right words." Mace tells her, using her own tactics against her as he takes on her 'ice to a hothian' voice.
"Well, I mean yeah but, knighting? I'm 13 for christ's sake!" She calls indignantly, at this point Garen is laughing at her while her Masters sit there smirking at her inability to defend herself, though why she's protesting even she doesn't know. Actually, that's a good point, why is she protesting? "Tell you what, if you can sway Yoda and Master Poof, I'll let you knight me."
"You still gonna use that name I accidentally gave you that time I got drugged?" Garen asks.
Flash back
He and Micah had gone on what should have been a peaceful mission but ended with Micah's knee being damaged beyond repair and Garen high as a friggin kite. He had entered the council chambers with Micah on crutches beside him, looked her in the eye and said
'You should change your name to Arl Aia, it sounds like Arleia and if your lil bro is as force sensitiveness as you got then he'll be here too and then there'll be too Skywalkers. So he should be master Skywalker and you can be Master Aia no wait, Master Aa.' He claimed, the entire council looked highly amused but also concerned as they did not yet have an explanation beyond the obvious observation of drugs.
'And what is the difference?' Arlie had asked trying not to laugh at him.
'It's all in the spelling Arlie, oh yeah and your name would be Arl so we could still call you Arlie.'
'It's actually not a bad idea.' Mace had agreed sounding quite surprised at the warped sense it made.
'Wouldn't be the first time I changed my name.' she'd replied.
'Well then, Padawan Aa would you please escort Padawan Muln to his quarters so he can sleep this off while we get an explanation from his Master?' Master Gallia had requested still amused.
'Dat's a good idea mastarr.' Garen says nearly falling over before Arlie managed to grab him and stabilise him.
"Yeah, I think so, Knight Aa. Though it will be annoying continuously telling people who have only seen it in writing that it's pronounced Aya not Ah." She tells him chuckling. "I still don't think they'll agree though."
"Arls you're a twenty-three-year-old padawan…" Garen starts to say.
"They don't know that Garen, they think I'm 13." She reminds him.
"As I was saying, you are a padawan with the skills of a decorated Knight, they won't turn it down."
It has been four years since the funeral, Yoda and Arlie seem to have called a truce, for the most part. There's still the occasional quarrel but Yoda hadn't threatened to remove her from the order in a while, nor had Arlie hit him in the head with his own gimmer stick since the first time a year ago. Tahl had been temporarily blinded but, like Micah's knee, Arlie had healed her using force-magic. She was a favourite of Healer Terza's now, occasionally calling her down to heal injuries that would have otherwise been permanent. Arlie was trying to teach a few of the healers how to heal using force-magic but it was not going well so far, she was really wishing her mentor was around. Her mentor would be about five now, a concept that Arlie had somehow accepted and was no longer weird.
"I'll be recommending Garen at the same time." Micah says mockingly.
"I'm sorry your what now?" Garen asks with a huge grin on his face.
"Well you're a nineteen-year-old padawan with the skills of a decorated initiate, decorated by the paint he accidentally spilt on himself, so they won't turn you down. Seems to be the standard."
"Padawan." Mace says warningly, he didn't have to very often but sometimes she'd forget to hold her tongue for a little too long.
"Actually, speaking of, can we do this soon like maybe today? Obi and Master Qui-Gon have that mission in three days and they'll want to be here for this." Arlie reminds them, she and Qui-Gon weren't close like they once were, but she was still friends with Obi-Wan and thankfully, Qui-Gon was definitely not avoiding her anymore.
That was how they ended up standing before part of the council as they stared open mouthed at them.
"Are you on spice?!" Master Poof yells surprising them all. Arlie sends a smug grin to her Masters who both simultaneously roll their eyes at her,
"Well this is going well." Bant says from the corner she's standing in.
"Why are you even here?" Adi asks incredulously, Tahl was still on medical leave so Bant was generally just hanging around wanting to stay close to her former Master, but for some reason had come with the group before the council. She'd been knighted after their last mission but did not want to go on her first mission until her Master had been fully cleared.
"I was bored and knew this would be entertaining Master." Bant says bowing respectfully.
"I'll deal with you later Knight Eerin. Master Windu, with the greatest amount of respect. Your Padawan is 13." Master Billaba reminds him slowly as though making sure he was comprehending every word yet somehow not coming across overly condescendingly. Given that she was Mace's former padawan, that probably shouldn't have surprised Arlie since it is a skill he shares in, though doesn't often bother with around Garen and herself, he just is condescending.
"Yes, I am aware Depa, as you pointed out she is my Padawan. However, I think we can all agree she has never acted her age, and has grown a great deal since she joined us five years ago. She's the only Jedi alive that can use force-magic, is the best at combat in the temple, yes Micah I know she hasn't beaten you but chickening out every time she challenges you hardly proves your superiority, and she's one of the most capable negotiators I have ever met. More importantly, she doesn't compromise her values in the face of diversity while simultaneously always taking the opinions of those around her into account before making a decision. She has an in-depth understanding of galactic politics across most of the Republic and may I remind everyone of how she and Padawan Muln brought an end to the Battle on Yinchorr while getting every Jedi out of there alive. If ever there were a padawan ready for knighting, she's it. I also don't see how her age is relevant in the face of her experience, skill level and wisdom." Mace tells them all having debated what to say all morning. His padawan annoyingly refused to help, reminding him that the council would be able to tell and that he was the one who so desperately wanted to do this.
"She has been a bad influence on you as much as you've been a good influence on her." Ki told him with a pointed glance at his padawan. "I vote in favour of the knighting of both Arl Aa and Garen Muln, mainly in reflection of their admirable actions during the battle of Yinchorr."
"I also vote in favour but not for Yinchorr, the way they have conducted themselves while in temple and willingness to help out their fellow Jedi has shown their worthiness as much as any mission." Adi Gallia says after a moments consideration, thinking of Arlie putting in time helping the healers and attempting to train them as well as Garen's habit of going to the crèche whenever he can to help with the younglings.
"In favour I too vote, selfless they both are but pushed around they refuse to be. Young they still are but grow as knights they both will." Yoda tells them as the other continue deliberating to themselves. Upon hearing Yoda's assessment, all but one council member votes in favour, Yarael Poof has not yet cast a vote.
"Arleia, would you please tell us your thoughts on the dark side of the force, your answer will be my final consideration on this matter." He tells them severely pissing off many members of the council though Yoda looks thoughtful, even Bant stands up straight to hear her speak as Arlie walks into the centre of the room. She debates with herself for a moment, she could give the answer she thought he would want to hear, that it was where evil dwelled, but in her heart she knew she must stand by her beliefs just as her Master and Yoda had spoken of her doing.
"It is a construct the Jedi have created, a part of the force most believe houses evil. I believe that the force is not segregated into light and dark, that to believe so is ignorant and foolish. The dark side is the nightmare of a child taken too seriously by those around them. People will do as they wish and if they do something we consider evil, it will not be because the force has specifically influenced them into doing it." She tells him leaving out her latest idea on the origin of such a belief. She had been studying it since Xan's funeral in an effort to understand. Many thought it was an obsession born of grief, even her own Masters on occasion believed it. Dooku was the only one to understand, his fascination with the Sith often leading to her asking him to help with researching a specific idea.
"Leaving something out you are." Yoda notices and she silently curses the troll.
"It's my belief that when we release our emotions into the force they remain there. When someone reaches for the force with anger it is our anger they get in return, I believe it is this phenomenon that has led to the myth of the 'dark side'. I've found no evidence so far but it's my latest line of research."
"An interesting theory, however currently irrelevant. When you have more on the topic though, perhaps you should consider presenting it to the council. In the meantime, Yarael, your vote please." Plo Koon requests, almost the entire room held their breath as Master Poof waits a beat before answering.
"I vote in favour of the knighting of Arl Aa and Garen Muln and recommend they become a partnership based on how well they have proven they work together." Master Poof tells them shocking everyone, Arlie and Garen look a little confused at each other. "If you'll both kneel."
"Don't we still have to do the trials?" Garen asks bewildered.
"The first time your Masters have brought this up it is not. After Yinchorr before us they came. Decided we did that trial enough Yinchorr had been, wait this long we requested your Masters do so that determine we could, how well you would recover. Much death you held yourself accountable for but carry on admirably you have." Yoda tells them, too surprised to say anything, the two simply kneeled. Bant opens the door and allows Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon to enter. Garen and Arlie look at each other as they realise the three had known this would happen.
Soon enough braids were cut, Arlie and Garen share another look, communicating silently as they had perfected over the years.
"Masters." Arlie begins as Garen grabs one hand from each master and puts them next to each other as the two of them place their braids into both palms. "We think you both deserve these."
"We realise only one of you can keep it each and we'd rather it be our assigned masters so this is really more symbolic but we want you to know that we recognise what both of you have done for us." Garen continues as they bow to their Masters who are so shocked that they just bow back.
"Thank you padawans." Micah says recovering first.
"Woohoo!" Bant yells from the corner, everyone turns to look at her. "Sorry." She says not looking at all sorry.
"Opportune timing, we have a mission that we were going to send Master Windu and Knight Aa on but it will serve as a good first mission for the two of you." Master Piell tells them, noticing the unsaid dismissal Obi-Wan, Master Jinn and Bant leave the room though if Bant wasn't listening through the door Arlie would eat her lightsaber.
That afternoon, Arlie and Garen are in the hanger bay with their now former Masters. They were to fly to Alderaan to help negotiate the return of Princess Breha Organa who had somehow gotten herself sold into slavery, it was not a subject she was looking forward to dealing with diplomatically.
"Okay, remember Arlie, until you gain a reputation people probably won't take a 13-year-old Jedi Knight very seriously, don't let them get away with it. And Garen, lay off the caff?" Micah requests as they are about the board the aircraft. Garen of course was piloting the thing, Arlie did not have a great history with these things.
"Arlie, I know this is a sore subject for you but try to remain calm and remember you are representing the Jedi order." Mace tells her, "What is it Padawan?" He asks when he sees the apprehensive look on her face.
"Master, I heard Qui-Gon say that they're mission would be on Naboo." Arlie says knowing her Master would pick up on her meaning. She still had nightmares about what Sheev could do with the power he now has. They hadn't talked about him since the night they met him on Coruscant but it was always on her mind, based on the way her Master would sometimes space out while looking out their window at the senate dome, it was on his too.
"Yes, the trade federation has a blockade in place around the planet that somehow they've done completely legally. Luckily their Senator was here on Coruscant at the time and can try to negotiate from outside." Her Master tells her, and boy does she love his brilliant mind and amazing ability to tell her everything while seeming to say nothing.
"What of Queen Amidala?" She asks, now of course worried for her Master's niece. Mace and Arlie had watched the coronation on the holonet as she was crowned. They had both been proud of her, over the years Arlie had begun thinking of Padmè and Obi-Wan as her own family and as far as she was concerned they were under her protection.
"She's still on Naboo, I don't doubt that Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon will negotiate with the trade federation and she along with the planet will be released." He says putting Obi-Wan first to remind her that he would not let his little sister remain in danger even if she didn't know he was her brother.
"Yes, I'm sure they will. One way or another the blockade will end soon enough, of that I'm certain." Arlie tells her Master, she's learnt to trust the force's direction a lot more over the years but this certainty came from her own instincts, something she trusted way more than the force.
"Ooookay, weird fascination with the nobles of Naboo aside, let's get going. Faster we leave, faster we get back." Garen tells her.
2 weeks later…
"I cannot believe you got us sold into slavery." Arlie grumbles as they sit in a transport, force inhibitors around their necks. Where these lowlifes got them from was anyone's guess.
"I said I was sorry like a hundred times already!" Garen cries, the transport stops next to a large freighter that Arlie knew meant trouble.
"Oh crap, oh crap, oh crap." She starts saying repeatedly, no, not the time for a panic attack. She hadn't had one in over a year and she would not start again now!
"Deep breaths Arl, now what's going on?" He asks when she's calmer.
"I've seen that ship before, lived on it when I was a child before my mother and I were sold and sent to Tatooine."
"And I'm guessing whoever owns it is not the nicest owner you ever had?"
"I'd rather we were sold to Jabba the Hutt than this guy." Garen blows out a breath of air only to suck it back in when the ramp begins lowering.
"You two are not making it easy to stay calm." Breha Organa says from beside her. "Nor are you doing a good job of rescuing mind."
"Oh shut it princess, we have bigger problems now." Arleia replies rudely.
"I hear you have Jedi for sale?" A man says as he walks down the ramp, he looks over and locks eyes with Arlie who automatically lowers her head and looks to the ground in recognition of superiority.
"Arlie, listen to me. You are a Jedi Knight not a slave and you will. Not. Submit to them. We will get out of here, but I need you to stay with me." Garen tells her remembering a story he once heard in the crèche of ex-slaves turned decorated Jedi Masters, the bravest and strongest, submitting to their Masters when confronted with them again out of a natural instinct that they had not been able to fight. If she slipped too far back into that mentality he'd be fighting on his own to get the three of them out.
"I'll take them. However much you want I'll take them." The man says referring to the three of them. Garen is more than a little shocked to hear that but when he notices the man looking at Arlie he realises she's not the only one who remembers.
Fifteen minutes later, transactions complete and the three of them, and a few other slaves, were sat, still bound and inhibitors on the two Jedi, in a cargo hold when the man walks in and stand in front of them. Arlie and the other slaves immediately look to the ground when he enters, but to Garen's relief he hears Arlie curse at herself for it, it meant she was at least still fighting.
"Hello angel, I don't know what you've done to your eyes but the colour suits you dear, now kneel before me." The man tells her, she moves to comply before locking eyes with Garen, he must have been the reminder she needed because she smirks at him and stands instead.
"I prefer standing, bad knee, you know what that's like right?" She tells him lifting her chin in challenge, Garen thinks the comment about his knee was not as arbitrary as it seemed. He smirks, something about the look being so familiar it sent shivers down Garen's spine that he fought to ignore.
"Now now Arleia, none of that. I know you, you always submit when those you care for are in danger. Worked with your mother, I wonder if it will work with your friend." He says before pointing a blaster at Garen who could do nothing but shake his head at Arlie.
"My name is Knight Aa of the Jedi Order and I will not submit to you. These people and I are getting off this ship before you leave, I suggest you let us." She replies to him her voice holding steady despite the fear she could feel building, she did as she had not done in a long time and worked to replace it with the anger she felt for the man. Unfortunately, she forgot how deep that ran and ended up battling pure resentment and the strongest hatred she had ever known. Still her face remained blank.
"Angel the last time slaves attempted to escape from this ship you defended me, saved my life and helped me stop them." He reminds her, Garen gulps beginning to have a bad feeling about who that man might be, the other slaves look at Arlie in disgust.
"You were in the middle of raping my mother, it was not you I was defending and the only reason I helped you is because I knew there was no way off of here when it's in space and if I didn't stop them before they reached what they thought were escape pods they'd have been spaced!" She says through clenched teeth. Garen wishes he could somehow help her, support her or encourage her and decides the first thing they are doing when they are safe is creating a pair-bond like the one their masters have, not that it would help much with the inhibitors in place.
"You sound angry about what I did to your mother, are you forgetting that if I didn't you wouldn't exist?" The man tells her angrily as he grabs her wrist to pull her in closer, Garen moved to help her out of instinct when the blaster was pointed directly at his forehead again.
"No Father, I haven't." Arlie replies quietly, for a moment Garen was concerned before he saw a familiar purple light at her hands and realises she is trying to make him think he was winning, though how Arlie was using the force while wearing the inhibitor, he really had no idea.
"There's a good angel." The man says, Garen was really beginning to hate that word. Arlie began moving her hands in a strange pattern over and over again as the light built up, by the time her father noticed what she was doing she moved her hands to grab both his wrists and suddenly they were gone.
"Alright everybody, the slavers from the planet have cleared off so everyone outside before the crew realise something's happened. Get out and run in every direction." Garen yells responding to the chance to free them immediately. He felt more than heard the whisper in his head.
Finish the mission Garen, go.
He didn't want to, gods did he not want to, but he had to get Breha out of there.
"Come on your highness, time to run." Garen says turning to the princess and grabbing her hand pulling her along as he ran out with the freed slaves.
"What about Knight Aa?!" She yelled as they ran across the sand, the ship started firing on the slaves as he knew it would which is why he told them to run in every direction.
"She'll at the palace meet us." Garen says adding please gods let her be at the palace in his head. So focused on running he didn't even realise how badly he screwed up his sentence.
Arlie pulls herself and her father into the in-between she adjusts back to it in seconds while he flails.
"It's interesting, it took me time, or well no it didn't. My point is I adjusted to this place, but you dear Father, you never will. You are far too weak and this place will kill you slowly, yet in the space of a single moment. Either way you don't exist anymore, you won't ever again." She says to her father knowing she isn't speaking but he will hear her.
"What is this place?" He tries to say, she smiles at him cruelly.
"My safe haven from pirates and other universes and everything else, but for you? It's your grave. Goodbye father." She says in a voice full of cruelty and a sense of death dripping from her words as she heads back to reality. When she arrives it is night, she doesn't know why it's a different moment but she supposes she just isn't as good as her mentor was. She's standing in the sand but by the looks of her surroundings it's the same place she was only the ship has left. Arlie takes a moment to breathe deeply, overcoming the fear brought up by seeing her father again before she begins the trek back to the palace, hoping Garen had heard her and completed the mission. She rips the inhibitor off her neck, resisting the urge to throw it into the sand as she knows the Temple will need to see it.
When Arlie arrives at the palace she is directed to the Princess's room where she finds Garen sticking his tongue down said Princess's throat. She clears her throat from the door, eyes turning to stone as they jump apart.
"Glad to see you were worried for me." She says sounding way too calm given the odd feeling that was developing in her stomach, heavy and cold.
"Arlie this is not what it looks like." Garen says quickly, Arlie purses her lips as she nods disbelievingly to his words.
"It's not?" Breha asks looking equal parts embarrassed, disheartened, and annoyed. Garen looks extremely flustered as he rushes to reassure her.
"No, I mean yes I mean, it's not not what it looks like." He tells her wincing as he hears himself.
"Then which is it?" The Princess demands.
"Completely inappropriate is what it is. Need I remind you Garen that we were supposed to be saving her from slavery not seducing her. I'm happy you used your time so productively in my absence though. My father's gone by the way. Just in case you were interested in the outcome of the mission that would have been finished days ago had I come alone." Arlie snaps at him before stalking out. She felt bad for lying to him about her father but really, what was she to say? 'Oh him? yeah he's dead. I left him to die in a non-existent place, technically though he isn't dead, he just doesn't exist any longer.'
"Wait! Arlie!" Garen calls rushing out to catch up to her, "Where are you going?"
"To report to the council, you should be there but since you don't appear to be taking your job seriously you can go spend some time with your new girlfriend if you'd prefer." She tells him unsure why she is so mad at him.
"She's not my girlfriend!"
"So, you're in the habit of snogging random girls you've just met and taking advantage of them when they're probably traumatised and viewing you as some heroic knight."
"Arlie, I am a heroic knight, literally." He says with a smile, she glares at him and storms away to their transport to use the comm, he hurries after her as he realises that probably isn't the thing to say. She calls the Temple operator who patches her through since she wasn't sure who to report to.
"Arlie." Mace's voice says as he answers his voice sounding tired and sad, she's a little surprised at the informality given that she was told the entire council was present.
"We've got the Princess back in her room, a little too happily, and are heading back to Coruscant tonight." She tells him immediately, earning her a glare from Garen, she glares right back but they both knew she wouldn't tell and that they were perfectly capable of being professional.
"That's great padawan but something has happened." Micah tells her his voice sounding hollow.
"What?" Garen asks grabbing Arlie's hand as they look at each other afraid of what would come next, Arlie's earlier anger forgotten. They had never found their Master sound so empty before, it worries them greatly.
"The Naboo mission, it was a success, the blockade is gone but… so is Qui-Gon." Mace tells them voice sombre in a way Arlie has only heard when he speaks of his brother.
"Obi?" Garen asks a solid minute of disbelieving silence later.
"He's alive, he's been knighted and has taken a padawan." Mace says though he sounds no happier.
"How can he have taken a padawan?" Garen asks while Arlie remains silent, a look of horror on her face.
"He was supposed to be Qui-Gon's padawan but…so Obi-Wan took him on."
"We'll be back by morning." Arlie tells them in an emotionless voice that scared more than a few of the council members and Garen seeing as she had never been one to block her emotions, switch them out for others yes but never block them entirely.
"Arlie there's one more thing, Queen Amidala called for a vote of no confidence during the whole debacle." Mace tells her a touch of urgency to his voice, his fellow councillors look quite confused that he's bringing that up. "They voted in Senator Palpatine, he's now the Supreme Chancellor of the Republic." Arlie's blood turned to ice as whispers of destruction and death flooded her from the force.
"Thank you for updating me, also the council should be aware that a slavery ring somehow got hold of two force-inhibitors, we don't know where they came from, if they have more, or who else may have them."
"What happened?" Master Gallia asks horror creeping into her voice.
"We'll give you a full report when we get back but if we want to make it by morning we need to get going." Garen says wanting to get home not stand around talking about something he doesn't even understand.
"Understood, see you when you arrive." Micah says before the comm is shut off.
"Garen tell me honestly, can you fly this thing right now or are we asking the royal family for a favour?"
"I can fly, let's just go home, I don't think I'm quite welcome anymore anyway." He tells her before walking to the cockpit and flying them away, Arlie sits in the co-pilots seat and tries to meditate but only succeeds in passing out from exhaustion.
