A/N: Hello everyone! Today is a very special day indeed, because not only am I releasing a chapter for every single one of my stories, I am finally getting the Red Swordsman: Shattered Fragment up and running! So after you read this chapter, I hope that you go and check out what I've got in store for you in the world of Aincrad!
Now enjoy this chapter, and I'll see you all again for Thanksgiving!
The Dark Moon
"She just passed out?" Leia asked Luke as she scanned the medical display machines aboard the Falcon's med bay. "Are you sure it's not because of that lightning blast she used earlier?"
"It might have something to do with it, but that doesn't seem right," Luke replied with a shake of his head as he gazed at Yui's sleeping face. "She was saying something about how going to Yavin was a bad idea before she fainted."
The young woman was muttering unintelligibly in her sleep, a frown on her face and a slight sheen of sweat lined her brow. She was being monitored by a basic device that measured vital signs but not much else.
"Huh," Leia muttered. "The equipment shows no sign of trauma, mental or physical."
"Then why did she faint?" Luke mused.
"She might just be exhausted," Leia replied. "You told me that she's been through quite a bit today, and I was only with you for half of everything that's happened."
"Yeah, well, if anyone has a right to pass out around here, I'd have thought it would be you," Luke said quietly. "I mean, you lost your…" His voice trailed off.
"I know, but duty is more important than my personal feelings," Leia said in a voice that was just as quiet. "If we don't make it to the alliance's base in time, everything we've done, everything that we've lost today, will have been for nothing."
"If you don't mind me asking, what is it that R2 is carrying that's so important?" Luke asked. "3PO and him wouldn't tell me, or even Ben, why you sent them away."
"That astromech is carrying a complete technical readout of that battle station we just escaped," the princess answered. "Without him, we may never find out how to destroy that world-killer."
"That station blew up Alderaan?" Luke asked. He had guessed as much, but when Leia nodded the affirmative, it confirmed his thoughts. "So is there a weakness that we can exploit?"
"I don't know," she answered. "We barely got ahold of the plans before my vessel had to make an escape. We never had a chance to look at it any longer than to confirm that it was indeed the schematics for the Death Star."
"I'm sorry," Luke said.
"For what?" Leia asked.
"That you lost so much because of the Empire," Luke said sincerely. "If it's okay with you, I'd like to join in the fight against the Empire. I'm a good enough pilot that-"
"Luke," Leia said with a slight smile to interrupt him. "I'd be glad to have you join us."
"Just like that?" he asked with surprise.
"Just like that," she repeated with a positive inflection. "You helped rescue me from the Imperials, and if that wasn't reason enough, I'm sure a quick biological scan would put to rest any doubts people have about me having a long-lost brother."
"Oh, right," Luke said with a slight smile of his own. "That." Looking back at Yui's face, then back to his sister's, he asked, "You believe her?"
"There's not really a good reason not to," she replied. "She fought to save our lives, and from what you've told me, Kenobi seemed to trust her a great deal."
"Speaking of which, how did you know Ben?" Luke asked curiously. "I knew cos he lived relatively nearby, and he was always there whenever I got into trouble, but how did you know him?"
"He was more an associate of my father's," Leia admitted. "Truth be told, I never met him in person, but Father always told me about his heroics in the Clone Wars, and how he helped House Organa on more than one occasion."
"I guess he knew our real parents, too," Luke said, his tone becoming sad again. "It's hard to believe that he's actually gone…"
"There's nothing you could have done," Leia said comfortingly as she placed a slender hand on his shoulder. "He wanted to make sure that we got away, and he did."
"I know, but…" Luke shook his head and buried his face in his hands. Leia said nothing, knowing that no matter what she said, Luke just needed to mourn for now. So she sat there quietly, content to monitor Yui's vitals until they reached the Yavin moon, and focus on remembering the people that she would need to gather should they succeed in finding a weakness in the Death Star.
Yui awoke with a start to see the ceiling of a medical center, machines whirring and bleeping as they performed their functions. She cast her eyes about the room, searching for something or someone familiar to latch onto, but not succeeding. The only other occupant in the room was a medical droid that was approaching her bed.
"Greetings," it said in a voice that seemed to echo slightly. "I am your doctor, M6-D4. I was told to wait here until you had awoken and provide you with whatever you need."
"Where am I?" Yui asked immediately.
"You are in a medical facility at the Rebel Base located on the fourth moon of Yavin," the droid replied. "Princess Organa and several others accompanied you here before departing to attend a strategy meeting concerning the destruction the Death Star. They asked me to take you to them if you were feeling capable of doing so."
"Yes, I think that would be fine," Yui answered, her voice a little unsteady. Already, she could feel the heavy oppression of the Dark Side hanging over her like a swollen storm cloud.
"Are you certain you are functioning well enough to attend?" the droid asked mildly. "My sensors indicate that your heartrate and epinephrine levels are considerably higher than what is normal for a human."
"I know, but I'll be okay," Yui said as she swallowed nervously. "Although, some water would be appreciated…"
"Stay here while I fetch you something to drink," the droid replied as it turned around and walked towards a station lined with various gadgets and monitors. It quickly returned with a cantina filled with cool, clear water, which Yui drank eagerly. "Be careful not to drink too quickly, or you will make yourself sick."
"Right, thanks," Yui said as she forced herself to slow down. After she had finished the water, she felt a little steadier in her movements. "So how long have I been out?" she asked.
"It has been approximately ten hours since you were brought into this facility," the droid answered.
"Sheesh, I overslept," she muttered as she swung her feet off the bed and planted her bare feet on the cool metal floor. Looking down at herself, she noticed that she was wearing a hospital gown, and her lightsaber was missing. "Erm… Where are my clothes and weapon?"
"The items that were brought in with you are in the cabinet over there," the doctor answered as it gestured to a white metal closet. "Do you require assistance in getting dressed?"
"No, I'll handle that myself, and I would appreciate some privacy while I did," Yui answered quickly.
"Very well," the droid replied. "I will see to it that you are undisturbed while you change. Please alert me if you need anything else."
"I will, thank you," Yui said with a weak smile.
A few minutes later, she emerged, dressed in her white-and-black clothing and armed with her saberstaff. On her hip, opposite to her own weapon, rested her old master's lightsaber. It felt good, having the familiar weight of her own weapon back at her side.
She thanked the medical droid for its help before getting directions to the meeting place where the technicians were analyzing the data that R2 had been carrying. She made her way there as quickly as she could, though the presence of the Dark Side made it difficult for her to concentrate on where she was going. Hopefully I grow accustomed to the feeling soon, or we can leave before it starts eating away at me, she thought as she entered the meeting room.
She quickly noticed that most of the people in the room were technicians working on finding a weakness to exploit in the space station, many of them wearing intense expressions as they pored through the data. Over at a holo-projector stood Luke, Leia, 3PO, and an older man with white hair and a full beard.
Yui made her way over to them, surprising the twins when she strode up to stand on the opposite side of the table and said, "What have we got?"
"Yui!" Luke said with a bright smile as he moved around the table to hug his friend, much to her surprise, and interestingly enough, her slight pleasure. "Glad to see you on your feet," he said as he pulled back to look her in the eye. "You doing okay?"
"Better than before, though I can't exactly say that I like this place," she admitted. "I guess you're not as sensitive to the Force as I am yet, so the presence of the Dark Side isn't affecting you very much."
"I haven't felt sick or anything, no," Luke said. "You sure you're okay?"
"I'll be all right," she nodded. "Right now, we have more important things to worry about. How's the analysis going?"
"So far, we only have bad news to offer," Leia grimaced, drawing the attention of the fledgling Jedi and Luke. "We found a tracking device on the Millennium Falcon. The Empire let us get away to track us here."
"You destroyed it, didn't you?" Yui frowned. Then she added, "But they would have found us based off of our lightspeed coordinates, wouldn't they?"
"We can only assume, but that is likely the case," said the old man. "Unfortunately, we have yet to find a weakness in the Death Star's technical readouts. We were, however, able to find out that the station is capable of moving through space, though it cannot go to lightspeed."
"So how long before the Death Star gets within range to destroy Yavin Four?" Yui asked, her mind already racing.
"A few days," Leia answered.
"Shouldn't we be evacuating then?" Yui wondered aloud.
"We don't have the means to transport everyone off-world fast enough," the old man answered. "As such, we have decided to make our stand here. Hopefully, our technicians will find a weakness before the Empire tracks us here."
"That's an awful risk you're taking," Yui said. "But then again, war is filled with risks."
"Our thoughts exactly," the old man agreed. "My apologies, Miss Kirigaya. I didn't introduce myself. I am General Jan Dodanna, leader of the Rebel Force's military operations here on Yavin. It's a pleasure to meet Princess Leia's rescuer."
"The feeling is mutual, General," Yui said as she bowed respectfully to the man. "How can I be of assistance to the Alliance?"
"The princess has informed me that you have been trained in the ways of the Jedi, correct?" he asked. When Yui answered that she had, he said, "Then I hope that you will assume the role that the Jedi did in the Clone Wars, commanding troops and using your gifts to lend us any insight you might have to offer."
Yui hesitated at this. "I was only a Padawan during the clone wars," she answered. "Any leadership skills I have will merely be secondhand, as I only observed my master, Obi-Wan, in the field. However, I will do my best to do as you have requested."
"That is all I can ask," the general replied. "I also understand that you are a gifted pilot?"
"I have been told that," she nodded.
"Would you be willing to lead one of our squadrons of X-Wing fighters when we attack the Death Star, then?" he asked.
"Only if Luke is in my squadron," she replied. "We've worked well together thus far, and I would appreciate a familiar face in my group."
"Done," Jan nodded. "Thank you, Miss Kirigaya."
"Just call me Yui," she said with a slight smile. Then she fell to her knees, a shriek of pain torn from her lips as she clutched at her head, pain ripping through her skull.
"Yui!" Luke shouted, putting his arms around her slender shoulders, panic on his face. "What's wrong?!"
"Something…" she groaned. "In my head…"
"Child of the Force, you are not yet ready fulfill your destiny," a voice echoed in her mind. The headache intensified, causing her to whimper in pain. "This pain is but a fraction of what Sidious could inflict, should you fail in your mission. Go to this Temple, and there you will find answers." As the words penetrated her mind, the image of an ancient temple, battered and crumbling, yet still emitting an ominous feeling, branded itself onto her consciousness. "Come quickly, do not delay. Even I cannot endure for much longer, and if my knowledge is lost, hope for the galaxy dies with me."
Then the headache vanished as soon as it had come. Yui uncurled slowly, almost as if afraid that the pain would return, but much to her relief, there was no sudden stab of pain in her skull again.
"What was that?" Luke asked her, worry evident in his voice and face.
"Master Jedi, are you ailing with something?" the general asked.
"Not… that I know of," Yui said as she got to her feet with Luke's help. "But… I've received what I think is a warning from the Force…"
"A warning?" Jan asked sharply. "Are we in danger?"
"Not at the present moment, no," Yui shook her head. "But… There's something I need to check. I need access to a map of the entire moon, preferably one that focuses on ancient sites and monuments."
"Why is that?" Leia asked. "How are ancient relics going to help us now? We should be focusing on the Death Star."
"Leia, this could be just as important, if not more so," Yui replied. "I'll help with the crisis at hand, I promise I will. But visions and voices from the Force should never be ignored."
Leia pondered her words for a moment before she turned around and shouted, "Biggs! I need your compiled flight data of the Yavin moon, right now!"
"Thank you," Yui said heavily.
"Yui, what exactly are you going to do?" Luke asked.
"I'm going to a place that you cannot follow," she said as she looked him in the eye. "You're too vulnerable in the Force right now, and I won't risk you being corrupted by the Dark Side. You may not be feeling anything right now, but trust me, for the sake of your sanity, you can't come with me."
"Why not?" he demanded. "Where are you going that's so dangerous?"
"To the former temple of a Sith Lord that made the Emperor and Darth Vader look like nothing more than younglings playing with training sabers," Yui replied. "The Force is calling me to the Temple of the one true Sith Emperor, Lord Vitiate."
Asuna: Are you crazy?!
Mataras: Absolutely, what's your point?
Asuna: You're sending her to meet VITIATE?!
Mataras: I never said that. I'm just sending her to his old temple. Besides, I wouldn't send her in if I didn't think she could handle it.
Kirito: Wait, so if that wasn't Vitiate talking to her, who was it?
Mataras: The answer to that will be revealed on Thanksgiving day, or in about three weeks.
Kirito: Figures.
Mataras: Duh, it's me. What else did you expect?
Anakin: Nothing different, but one can always hope.
Mataras: You'd think that you'd have a New Hope by now, though, eh?
Anakin: ...Really?
Mataras: You left yourself open for it.
Kirito: Next time- The Dark Temple.
