A New Beginning
Chapter 9
Chapter 9
"Sera, what happened?" Ryssa asked concerned when Siri walked in absolutely furious.
"I quit," she said. "Leeta killed my last nerve."
Ryssa sighed in frustration. "I don't understand why she always thinks she is superior to everyone, but this has got to stop. Let me guess, Silas agreed with her."
Siri nodded.
"He really doesn't understand what goes on in his own restaurant," Ryssa complained.
"Don't worry, I'm going to fix this."
"What?" Siri asked confused.
"I'm going to have a conversation with our dear boss," Ryssa explained, and before Sera could say another word she walked right out the door.
Siri was left to ponder her situation yet again. Stress wouldn't be good for the baby, so she calmed herself with Jedi meditation. The Force was a comfort, granted one she fear relying on ever again. And it would be dangerous should someone, that Darth Vader guy especially, were to sense her presence in the Force. Still it served it's purpose and she felt incredibly relaxed.
Back at the Jedi Temple she would always go into a strenuous workout after meditating. It would help her think and it was a precious moment where she was fully in tuned with the Force. She sighed and thought about her lightsaber hidden under a loose piece of duracrete in her floor.
She didn't want to have it in the house at all, because it would put them both at risk if the Empire decided to search the home. Yet Siri needed to have it close by, and it comforted her knowing she could access it if she needed to.
Slowly she removed the cylinder from its hiding space, and she turned it in her hands. The instrument was imperfect, there were nicks and scratches all over it, yet it felt wholly comfortable in her hands. As it had been the day she first created her weapon.
Just holding it made tears well up in her eyes, and she had to blink several times to stop it. The memories and emotions her saber represented were strong, and it prompted her to ignite the blade. Her violet colored saber hummed and she moved it from side to side, hearing the familiar change in frequency as she did so.
A split second later she remembered the danger of being caught, but she was in her room with the shades drawn and the doors locked. Even with the Empire controlling everything on the planet, she still had some privacy. Smiling, Siri fell into the Force and for the first time since Order 66 she felt at peace.
"Sera!?" came a voice suddenly startling Siri so bad she nearly dropped her saber. She realized her mistake immediately, she had weakened her defenses so much that the worst possible thing happened; Ryssa knew her secret. The older woman stared at the lightsaber with a mixture of shock, curiosity and realization. Siri knelt and picked up her saber moving it back under her tunic.
"I will leave immediately," Siri said. "All I ask is that you don't tell anybody that you saw me, but if you don't I'll understand." She moved towards the door but stopped as Ryssa was blocking the way.
"What are you talking about?" Ryssa said in an almost hurt tone.
"I'm sure you must have realized…I'm a Jedi," Siri replied.
"Jedi have ALWAYS been welcome under my roof," Ryssa responded primly.
Siri was taken aback by this, but she shook her head sadly. "I was putting your life in danger before when you didn't know, but this is even worse. I can't bear to see the Empire kill you because you shielded a Jedi.
"And I could bear to send a pregnant woman out to fend for herself, especially when she's a Jedi," Ryssa declared. Then she smiled softly and spoke softer. "I had a daughter once who was a Jedi Padawan, but she died during the war and my husband not long after."
"I'm so sorry for your loss," Siri said regretfully remembering all the Jedi lost. "So many died."
"But you survived," Ryssa said happily. "And that is truly remarkable given how thorough the Empire has been at purging the Jedi. It gives me hope to think that if you escaped, others might've too."
"I only escaped because at the time I was already undercover," Siri replied. "Everyone else was more exposed than me."
"And what is your real name?" Ryssa asked.
"Siri Tachi," she answered.
Ryssa nodded. "And since Jedi don't marry, may I ask who the father of your child is?"
Siri nodded, his image popping up in front of her eyes. She swallowed. "Obi-Wan Kenobi."
Ryssa gasped. "Why I've heard of him, he was in the Jedi Council, correct?"
"Yes," Siri replied. "But he never felt comfortable being on it."
"How long have you known him?" Ryssa asked.
"Forever, but I'm a few years younger than him so we were in different classes for a while at the Temple. He's changed so much over the years, but he was the best friend I've ever had," Siri said with a sort of smile on her face. It felt good to speak openly with someone.
"You love him," Ryssa pointed out.
"I do," Siri admitted. "But it wasn't allowed, so we parted for awhile. Then we were friends, good friends. I have a horrible feeling he's dead."
"Never give up hope," Ryssa said with a smile. "That Force that you Jedi trust so much may just lead you back to him some day."
Siri smiled back and wished that Ryssa was right, but she knew in her heart that it couldn't be true. Blinking back tears she decided it was time to change the subject. "I need to look for another job," she said with a sigh.
"Oh," Ryssa exclaimed suddenly. "That's what I wanted to tell you. I spoke with Silas, he's given you your job back.
"Really?" Siri asked skeptically.
"I simply told him was he really going to fire a hard working employee who only lashed out because her pregnancy hormones took over. I also told him that Leeta has been riding you since you arrived and it doesn't look good for an employer to take preference to one employee over another. After that he was willing to let you come back," Ryssa explained. "I hope you didn't mind me telling him you're pregnant."
Siri shook her head. "He'll find out soon enough anyway," she said. Then she gave her friend a hug. "Thank you Ryssa, you will never know how grateful I am."
Ryssa smiled. "I'm sure I do."