Title: Another Path
Author: ewan's girl
Chapter: 13
A/N: I'm so very sorry I haven't updated this story in so long, I first was so busy with my play and once that ended I was promoted at my job so I have even less free time to write than before, but I promise if you stay with me that I will finish this story. Thank you so much!
>
Garen Muln walked through the pristine halls of the Jedi Temple, he had been away on missions for close to a nine months and it felt good to be home. He continued his trek, not really having a destination in mind at the late hour. Glow lamps were dimmed as usual and everything was so very peaceful, except for the small disturbance he sensed coming from one of the many training rooms.
He turned his direction towards the sparring rooms and as he grew closer he could hear the sound of a light saber cutting through metal as well as grunts and curses coming from a female voice. Garen shook his head, he immediately knew who was up at this time of night, and even though he had been away for so long he could still guess why.
He entered the training room and sat down casually on one of the benches that lined the walls. He watched as a blonde Jedi woman continued to destroy training probe after training probe, with already a pile at her feet. The woman wore the traditional Jedi pants, but opted for a tight fitting tank top for her work out. Her blonde hair was longer than he remembered, tied back in a messy bun and as usual whenever she trained she was barefoot.
He waited until she had dispersed the last droid before he made his presence known.
"So, I can assume a certain someone has come back into our lives or the Temple was invaded by training probes." Garen's voice echoed through the room.
Siri Tachi switched off her violet light saber and turned to stare at him. "I didn't know you were due home," she stated, avoiding his comment. "Long time no see,"
Garen nodded and tossed Siri a towel, the blonde Jedi proceeded to wipe off the sweat that had been collecting on her forehead and neck. Garen waited patiently for her to answer his first comment, his silence annoyed Siri to no end.
"Don't give me that look," she commanded, he shrugged and said nothing. "I'm not going to talk to you about it because there is absolutely nothing to talk about."
"Obviously"
She sat down on the bench next to his with a huff and took out a container full of water and began to drink it. Garen continued to stare at her.
"I hate you Muln,"
Garen smiled. "I know Tachi, I know." He shifted his weight on the bench and ran a hand through his dark brown hair. "Look, we both know you're going to tell me so you might as well do it now, because you are cutting into my sitting around time here Siri"
Siri chuckled and shook her head. "Why do I put myself through this?"
"Because you love him,"
Siri's body tensed and she tried to find some way to deny his accusation, but she and Garen had a strange relationship where they couldn't lie to each other. She instead decided to ignore the comment.
Garen knew the game she was playing so he went on with out her input. "You know Tachi there is something you can do to ease this misery you are in."
She cocked her head to the side and stared at him. "Oh really, how does one do that exactly?"
Garen leaned back on the bench. "You are going to have to make a choice"
Siri rose to her feet and began to clean up the broken droids. "What a stroke of genius Garen, I have to make a choice," she exclaimed sarcastically. "If only I had thought of that in the first place"
"I'm being totally serious here my love,"
Siri picked up another broken probe droid. "I have made a choice Garen, I think it's pretty clear that I made a choice ten years ago, otherwise I wouldn't be standing here right now"
Garen sat up quickly. "No, that's where you are wrong Siri, you never made the choice…it was made for you"
"I really don't have the patience for this right now Garen,"
"Listen to me for once in your life Siri; I know what I'm talking about." He rested his elbows on his knees as he spoke. "Who told you to stop seeing him, was it you?"
Siri shook her head. "No, Adi reminded me to act like a Jedi,"
"So then you really haven't made the choice have you?"
The droid fell out of Siri's fingers. "You're right,"
"In order to gain peace out of this heart break you have to sit down and choose what you would regret losing the most." Garen held her gaze. "Could you live your life without one of these things?"
"I don't know,"
"And there is your problem, you cannot make this choice on a whim Siri, otherwise it will haunt you for the rest of your life." He motioned for her to sit with him. "Follow along with me while I paint you a picture; you go to him and the two of you live together on some distant planet, you get married and raise a family. You have never been happier in your entire life, you hold a child in your arms and they tell you how much they love you, they call you mother. You sleep in his arms every night, and you eventually grow old together. You never have to fear that you will die on some mission ever again,"
Siri closed her eyes as she let her imagination take hold.
"But to have this dream Siri you would have to leave everything you've ever known behind." Garen forced her to look at him. "Would you be able to leave the only family you've ever known, the only home you've ever lived in? Could you honestly sit there while listening to the holonews report of any injustices in the galaxy and not be there to help? Could you leave the Jedi knowing you turned your back on not only your friends but a master who raised you like a daughter and loves you as such? Could you Siri Tachi give up your dreams of being on the Jedi Council someday? Could you give up everything for your personal happiness? Could you be that selfish?"
Siri stared at her friend and hesitated with her answer. "No, you're right I would regret losing this more," She sighed and felt tears building up in her eyes. "In my heart I know all of this Garen; I just don't understand why I can't let him go."
"Love is a powerful creature Siri; I think that's why the Council is so afraid of Jedi falling for it." He put an arm around her. "Yet I do believe majority of Jedi are faced with this very same dilemma, we all must make this choice one day."
"Did going on mission after mission help you any?"
Garen was startled. "She told you did she,"
Siri nodded. "She finally told me about a month ago, what did you expect, Luminari is my best friend after all." Garen turned away from Siri. "If it helps at all, I had no idea about the two of you; I don't think anyone in the entire Temple knew."
"I frankly don't care if they did know, but Luminari does." His shoulders sank. "She has an apprentice to think about, she has to set the example, we couldn't be selfish, and it wasn't fair for Barriss."
"I'm sorry,"
"Hey don't worry about me Tachi; I excel at burying my feelings." He turned to her. "It does get easier once you make the decision to break free, give it time…trust me."
"I do trust you Garen; probably the only time you'll ever hear me say that." She chuckled. "It's just, I feel so strongly that he and I were meant to be together, as if the Force itself is willing it."
"Maybe the Force is pushing you to be with him, I know destiny is a strange thing." He rose to his feet as he spoke. "Who's to say you and the man formally known as Obi Wan are not meant to be together? I didn't tell you which way to choose, only that you yourself have to make the decision." He leaned down and kissed her cheek. "Now if that's enough of that mushy stuff, I'm going to bed."
"Thank you Garen," Siri exclaimed as he began to walk away. "Hey Gar, do you think if Obi Wan hadn't lost his memory that we still would've been together?"
Garen shrugged. "I don't know girl, like I said destiny is a strange thing."
>
Qui Gon Jinn pulled the hood of his cloak as the stinging rain attacked him; he turned to watch his companion jump out of a second Jedi Star fighter dressed complete in Jedi attire. Qui Gon wondered if Ben was uncomfortable dressed like that, but the young man understood it was best for the mission to have a team of Jedi so he assumed the role with little complaint. This made Qui Gon curious, because he knew of Ben's mistrust of the Jedi.
The two soaking wet men entered in the sliding door and were met by a very tall alien with a very long, thin neck. She smiled and greeted them warmly.
"Master Jedi we've been expecting you," the female alien exclaimed.
Qui Gon looked at her in confusion. "We're expected?"
She looked at him and Ben and nodded. "We were beginning to think you weren't coming," She then began to walk down the almost blinding white hall. "This way,"
Qui Gon turned to Ben who shrugged and they followed their host.
>
Anakin Skywalker played with a small bug that was crawling on the edge of the railing he was leaning on, he was doing everything in his power to not stare at the object of his affections. He knew better, he was a Jedi so therefore he knew attachment was forbidden. Yet he could not help himself, he couldn't stop the feelings of desire, no they were more than that he continued to tell himself, they were feelings of love.
"I don't like sand," he answered after her story was finished, flicking the bug off the balcony. "It's course and rough and it gets everywhere," he licked his lips slightly and stared at Padme Amidala who was dressed in a very flattering dress. "Not like here, where everything is smooth," he gently began to run his hand over her exposed back.
Padme stared at him; she couldn't deny that she was very much attracted to her protector. As the desire for him to touch her more built she eyed him up and down, secretly inviting him to kiss her. Anakin did not miss the invite and leaned in for a passionate embrace; Padme returned the kiss for a few seconds before her sensible mind reclaimed ownership of her.
"No," she pulled away and stared out to the lake. "I shouldn't have done that"
Anakin didn't know how to respond. "I'm sorry,"
They sat in awkward silence for what seemed like an eternity watching the sunset.
>
Ben felt sweat begin to drip down the back of his neck, he couldn't believe where he was and what he was staring at. He was dressed like a Jedi staring down at a group of clones that looked all too familiar. He suddenly had a terrible pain in his heart; he realized that this was the huge job Jango wanted him to go in on. He was vaguely aware of the conversation between Qui Gon and their hosts, but he couldn't bring himself to get over the fact that his best friend had over a million copies made of himself for an army.
"Apart from his pay which is considerable Fett demanded only one thing," the Prime Minister of Kamino was explaining to Qui Gon. Ben finally came to grips with the situation and listened. "An unaltered clone for himself,"
"Unaltered?" Ben asked.
"Pure genetic replication, no growth enhancers no mind control to make it more docile." The Kamino leader explained. "Curious is it not?"
Ben shook his head. 'He always wanted a son,'
Qui Gon knew something was bothering Ben, but he ignored it for now. "And where is this bounty hunter now?"
"Oh we keep him here,"
Ben stared down at a group of clones eating and one looked up directly at him. "I would very much like to meet this Jango Fett."
TBC: Well I don't know if I am pleased with this chapter, but I needed to push it out to get back into this story so let me know what you think. Also I know not all the dialogue is exactly correct from the movie, but I tried.