The shores of Iri'Talian Lake are as legendarily beautiful as they are mindbogglingly expensive. The small, fourth planet of an ancient system, its green skies were alit by the existence of a large, red giant and its vista was as singularly unique as its indigenous population.
Once, long before they had been contacted by other species, the Iri'Tali had mastered, if not the intricacies of hyperspace travel, then certainly the terra-formation of planets (or would that be Tali-formation?)
In any case, as their sun expanded growing old, the Iri'Tali moved to the distant and not entirely perfect small planet. That is, it was at least small for them, for the Iri'Tali couldn't survive less than 10 atmospheres of pressure.
So, the balmy shores of Iri'Talian Lake were actually an accident really.
The iridescent lava rock from the dormant volcano was unique as well as beautiful and, of course, soon after they had begun the process of making the planet habitable to them, the distant, remote peak had become habitable for carbon-based life.
Gentle rains that never reached the surface filled the basin mixing with the sparkling and iridescent powder. Air pushed from the heavy pressures far below through the porous rock as the atmosphere slowly and continually escaped out into space making the waters foam and fizz in ethereal patterns of random chaos.
The difficulties of first communications, made problematic by their sheer difference from us carbonoids and the inability to ever really meet face-to-face without encounter-suits had been overcome quite quickly given the breath-taking beauty of the then barren lake of course.
And so, the galaxy was scoured for the most beautiful of foliage, the most exquisite and beneficial of flora and fauna- tested against and with one another and then transplanted and… Amazingly enough it worked.
Then the bidding war began and, I do mean: War.
Everyone wanted a piece of the Lake.
People were assassinated, homes raided- all with the aim of removing the competition for a piece of the unique and beautiful sight.
Finally however, the Iri'Tali put their tentacles down and made what was considered to be the most brilliant and ingenuous of maneuvers: they took the land off of the market and via holotrans and radio transmissions, sent for the best architects and artisans in the galaxy.
Working together under the orders of the Iri'Tali, the community was carefully constructed as a whole.
Then, came the day that they opened the doors… For rental.
The rates were, by necessity, enormous of course- even the rental of a simple room at one of the resorts for a week was more than most beings would see in an entire year. And for those few that could afford to live there indefinitely by passing places down through the generations there were caps.
All of this ensured that not only was Iri'Talian Lake always filled to capacity but that the Iri'Tali would continue to make credits suckered tentacle over suckered tentacle while still providing as many people as possible a chance to enjoy their exquisite shores.
And I did have to admit that the private beach-houses were well worth what they cost or- at least, the one I had rented was. (Better!- as it was on one of the few hundred-year leases that I was epically lucky to come across.)
The Force only knew that I had been prepared to wait decades for even a weekend at this particular domicile and so had naturally jumped onto the opportunity with an alacrity that most likely left a large sonic crack in my wake.
And, the view alone was more than worth the price and pilgrimage in my honest estimation.
The small, private bay looked for all the galaxy like it was naturally created: trees and plants from almost every world imaginable all chosen for their ascetics provided not only privacy but also a beautiful view that complimented the bubbling foaming waters we regarded alit with the beauty of the setting sun before us.
Behind us, the gentle breeze played over the Vortexian Crystal windows creating a soft near tune that carried with it a nostalgia that in my Darker days I would never have been able to enjoy for, it was a sight I had not seen in over ten years for myself and thirty for the galaxy.
Did I mention that my stroke of sheer luck really was epic in its scope?
"You know, I have seriously got to hand it to you Vokan," Kelson remarked from his chair beside me as he sipped his ale. "You really do know how to do things in style."
"Yes, yes, I know, flattery will get you everywhere," I told him in automatic answer.
Despite the glories that surrounded us and the absolutely blessed luck that placed us there, in that moment, just like for any quiet moment for the rest of my- no doubt doomed to be short-lived days: I still couldn't prevent the pull of ennui from already encroaching even after only a couple of weeks.
Yes, it was expense, but I had still needed to return to these shores nonetheless so when I discovered that they were remarkably- shockingly- amazingly available for long term commitment: I had less than zero hesitation in reclaiming them.
I suppose that most of my responses were due to my memories of this very house I had- through some wildly beautiful quirk been allowed to not just visit to look upon but to actually purchase for a lifetime.
We had been a family here once.
If only for the briefest of times, we had been a family here.
My father had been open- the horrors he performed far and distant. Able to be simply a father and husband, he always dove into the role with zeal.
Ever a lover of all outdoors, he had made cooking fires in the grill on the patio and nothing had tasted better. He swam in the lake or traversed the beautifully created "forests" with me in tow.
And my mother- from time out of mind despondent and broken- accepting of anything and everything as she locked herself away from the galaxy about her. Burying her woes in this party or that before finally as the music ended, as the sun rose and the revelers left, all would be revealed as a mask as she returned to her depression.
But at Iri'Talian Lake she actually smiled- even when she thought no one was watching she smiled, she laughed even the weight of everything lifting from her shoulders. And she had loved my father in those few precious days as deeply as he had loved her.
Their minds always lost the passage and concern of years and I could Feel it- could even watch it from the lofty location of my room at night as they sat or stood out on the deck believing me asleep.
They would talk, laugh- once they even danced to the distant strains of music from some neighboring celebration.
And Dally always seemed so distant there as well. Allowing me to push her to celebrations and cotillions filled with the local gossip- letting me press her into gaining the latest word- the newest juicy tidbit. And she had actually enjoyed them as well.
In short we had all been happy at those beautiful shores.
Yes, it was highly expensive and extremely inappropriate for a Jedi Knight, but it was always one thing I had always wished to do- return to the place where we had all left our hearts. Code or no Code, I still had to do it.
So why did I feel the overwhelming urge to leave in a hurry all of a sudden? I found myself wondering wildly as I Felt something tickle just at the edges of my Awareness.
"Excuse me?" Someone called from the deck of the house catching our instant attention.
Of course, being a Fighter-Knight and a NRS Special Agent our "instant attention" is not precisely what is typical of the average being.
Kelson rolled one way and I rolled the other and within a Hyperian heartbeat we were prepared for anything.
Kelson lay to my right crouching, blaster already in his hands aimed at the intruder while I was up on my feet and half-crouched in a defensive position, my newly-created and deactivated handle held loosely in my hand.
This was of course, enough to make the poor man jump in absolute horror, his shaking hands held up- one still clutching his datapad.
"Whoa!" He exclaimed. "I-I'm just a messenger!" He declared further nervous now. "I'm just here to deliver a package- I swear!"
Almost chuckling at myself, I straightened.
"It's alright," I told him. "We're just a little jumpy, that's all," I explained as I moved my handle to my left hand. "It's alright," I beckoned for him to come closer with my now empty right. "Who's the package for?" I asked.
"H-Huh?" He stammered still eyeing Kelson's blaster whereas my own far more deadly lightsaber sat completely unrecognized as a weapon.
"You said you have a package?" I stated keeping my tone pleasant. "Who's it for and who might it be from?"
"Oh," He remarked blinking for a moment before turning to his datapad. "A-A-A Dale Vokan?" He more asked then stated looking over at Kelson. "Is um, is that you sir?"
"Actually that's me," I smiled. "Who's the package from?"
"Oh ah," He commented returning his attention to his datapad. "It- It just says 'Beggar' here ma'am, I think it's a misprint because it doesn't have a last na-"
"-It's alright," I shook my head. "It's not a misprint," I told him smiling now in satisfaction.
I knew he wouldn't have been able to just let it go! I thought to myself.
The messenger blinked for a moment at me no doubt unwilling to come closer.
"D-Dale Vokan?" He asked after a moment.
"Yes," I told him.
Then, to Kelson, "It's alright, I've been expecting this."
"You say so," He shrugged gaining his feet as his blaster disappeared with as much alacrity as it had been drawn from the same, unknowable place.
I didn't ask or concern myself with this little display of course because I really do have to admit that I was the precise same way.
Long before and even long after I had begun sharing a bed with my beloved, I had slept with my lightsaber on the pillow beside me.
He had laughed at this as a typical Fighter response, my paramour had… My former paramour I realized with a start even as the messenger came forward meekly.
"This-This is um, it's for-for you Miss," He told me holding up a small box. "The, um, the charges are due," He explained.
"Of course they are," I assured him with my warmest smile as I took the box and then turned my attention to the datapad.
I signed with the proffered stylus and made certain the poor messenger got a very healthy tip.
"There you go," I told him gently. "All done."
"I-um, I, thank you ma'am," He told me not entirely convinced he would leave this suspicious encounter alive as he handed me the small box.
But I had a solution already in store for the dilemma that plagued the poor man- I am a Jedi after all.
"You've done an extremely good deed," I stated with a vague pass of my hand to focus my mind while I held the box with the other.
In the instant I had spoken, the messenger smiled brightening.
"I have done an extremely good deed," He observed.
"Precisely," I smiled my warmest. "You've helped the good guys," I told him with another wave of my hand and a focus of my mind.
"Hey," He beamed now. "I've helped the good guys," He stated puffing up with pride before turning his attention to Kelson and myself.
"You two have the greatest night ever," He told us both convinced as he backed away gesturing towards us with his datapad proudly.
"Hey," I called to him making him stop and look at me perplexed for a moment.
"Force be with you," I told him sincerely. "Always," I added.
"You too!" He declared firmly pointing at us with his datapad a single finger extending from it, his tremor filled with joy and nothing but. "Both of you," He all-but laughed in delight at having done The Right Thing.
"Force be with you!" He told us before making his way back up the walkway with a merry and unfettered gait- even almost a skip.
I couldn't help it my hand came up to cover my mouth as I tried not to chuckle.
I had always despised the mind trick but, for once- for just this once I was actually happy for its existence. Not merely grateful but actively happy.
If only for the momentary joy it had brought I was happy for it.
But most of all I was happy that, what I had "convinced" the messenger of was nothing short of the truth- we were the good guys!
Beside me, Kelson whistled as he shook his head.
"Overdid it a bit, didn't you Dale?" He asked his tone mild.
"Eh," I shrugged. "It'll wear off."
Kelson chuckled.
"So," He commented. "What's in the box?"
"Honestly?" I told him reseating myself. "It's from Luke and," I added. "I don't know but, I think I could probably guess what it's about at least."
"Oh really?" He arched an eyebrow as he sat as well and I couldn't prevent my smile despite all of my control.
"Oh well, I'm not sure what it is exactly but," I shrugged. "I know it's bound to be about the gift I left him."
"Gift? What gift?"
"Obviously the gift I gave him when I left," I stated placing the box in my lap very carefully.
"Before I left the hallowed halls of that most august of learning centers, I made certain that I did so only upon the most proper of notes," I explained.
"See, my former paramour had failed to recognize that, not only was he a Jedi Master but that, in his founding and running of the Praxeum or, if you prefer, Jedi Academy, Luke Skywalker had also managed to make himself a Headmaster as well," I pointed out delicately.
"So," I shrugged. "I made certain that the other students informed him of this fact."
"Huh?" Kelson blinked obviously confused. "Vokan? What're you talking about?"
"I'm talking about a tradition passed down from generation to generation for hundreds of thousands of years, my dear boy," I flashed my best Imperial smile. "A tradition of headmasters and students so old and so ancient that, it is instantly recognizable throughout the known galaxy, a tradition that might even be called clique were it not-"
"-Damnit to the Dark, Dale, just get to the point," Kelson growled making me smile all the more as I regarded him.
"Well," I huffed theatrically.
"Well," I said again relaxing in my chair. "Needless to say that during our final night together, while Luke and I were talking of this and that," I explained. "Certain individuals took it upon themselves to pay a certain amount of attention to a certain Fighter-Class ship."
"What? What'd they do?" He asked still not gleaning my point. "Put graffiti on it?"
I smiled again.
"Oh ye of little faith," I told him with a slight shake of my head. "No, oh no, it was nothing so… gauche as that dearest," I stated trying not to crinkle my nose in distaste.
"No," I shook my head. "In the grand tradition of all students everywhere, the Headmaster's personal transport somehow… Found its way into an impossible location," I shrugged.
"Namely," I declared. "The main dining hall of the temple."
"What?" He breathed.
"Oh yes," I beamed now. "Broken down into manageable pieces in the middle of the night, Luke Skywalker's X-Wing was transported into the ancient temple of the Praxeum and then, reassembled in the dining hall where it would obviously not be missed.
"I'm particularly proud of Sterner's idea to leave the wings locked in battle position though," I admitted. "And Artoo even decided to voluntarily delete all of the plans for that ship from his databanks because that made it, and I quote: 'More sporting that way.'
"And don't look at me like that," I told him. "It is a grand tradition still upheld and once more maintained, a long overdue payback for a decades old wrong come home to roost, a-"
"-Practical joke?" Kelson goggled making me laugh. "You played a practical joke on Luke Skywalker?"
"Oh Kelson," I chuckled. "First off the old 'Transport in the Office' bit is as old as space flight. It's been performed every few generations by giggling students upon hapless Headmasters for thousands of years now.
"And second off," I continued. "It was only a symbol, a gesture of what we had together- we were after all brought together by the Force to learn from one another. And, well, while what I learned from him might be easily apparent, I had to make certain that, he never forgot what he learned from me.
"Last, but by no means least," I admitted. "Though revenge may indeed be of the Dark Side- needless to say that a certain amount of… balance was long overdue for a certain actions of his back when we were both stationed on Hoth.
"He melts my room and I shove his ship somewhere he can't extract it from and thus, the balance is restored," I smiled.
"Great," Kelson muttered. "Just great.
"Well Dale," He sighed. "If you consider that a grand and romantic gesture, no wonder you got the boot," He observed.
My mouth opened to respond to this but partway to answering my mind began to work.
I blinked my brow furrowing in suspicion.
It couldn't be. No, I decided knowing the suspicion was erroneous. No one was that cruel. Not even the Sith.
But even on the heels of this mental declaration I couldn't resist a small peek at the darkening sky above.
"So are you going to open it or what?" Kelson finally asked.
Still thoughtful, I looked over at him.
"Sure," I declared turning my attention down to the box in my lap.
Opening it I discovered nothing more than a single sheet of folded plastipulp and a deactivated datapad.
Filled with curiosity and no small amount of trepidation now, I handed the datapad to Kelson and opened the letter, reading the lines aloud:
"Dallayna,
"Given your pleasant surprise I decided that turnabout was, in fact, fair play after all.
"So, I thought I would make absolutely certain that you understood what I was trying to convey to you out in the courtyard the night you left:
"Look up, my love.
"One of the greatest paradoxes that exist is that you already had it to begin with. You always did.
"Love always,
"Luke."
With ever-dawning horror and suspicion I slowly refolded the sheet of plastipulp my eyes scanning the darkening horizon in silence for a moment.
"'Look up,'" I muttered holding out a hand to my partner.
"K-Kelson?" I asked my voice seeming to come from parsecs away.
"Yeah?"
"What's- ah," I asked haltingly. "What's on that datapad?"
Kelson blinked for a moment looking down before suddenly his eyes grew wide in understanding.
"Oh," He declared. "I get it," He nodded smiling. "You know, that's actually pretty romantic," He admitted with a smile.
"What is?" I pressed turning to him my tone growing terse now as I felt a cold hand run down my back. "What's romantic Kelson?"
"Well," He shrugged in response. "It's a galactic atlas," He informed me chuckling a bit as he shook his head in admiration. "And most guys only offer the world," He observed laughing.
"No," I declared shaking my head. "Oh no- absolutely not!
"No- Oh no," I shook my head again as I suddenly found my feet. "He did not!" I stated vehemently. "He most certainly did not!" I said again at the top of my voice my emotions finding outlet in pacing.
Kelson meanwhile was still chuckling but he didn't understand of course, he had no idea of what I knew.
"Quit laughing!
"I did not nearly get killed- risked my sanity- the Jedi- the entire New Republic so I could get rid of that t'lacking thing only- only to have it fall right back into my lap!" I yelled. "This is not fair!"
Far from ceasing in his amusement, Kelson just started laughing in earnest.
"Well, you gotta admit that it does take a certain amount of style," He pointed out. "I mean, like I said, most guys only promise the women they love the world and they sure as Sith never get around to delivering!" He laughed. "I think it's romantic."
"'Romantic,'" I repeated incredulous.
"Oh yeah, 'romantic,'" I agreed my voice dripping with scorn. "Oh yes, let us just look at this big, 'romantic' gesture for a nano, shall we?" I asked with biting sweetness.
"Do you have any idea of what this galaxy is like out there?" I demanded. "Barely recovering from a war, the damage done by the Empire- an Empire that's down but certainly not out!" I added darkly. "Dark Force-Wielders around every corner, smugglers, droid rustlers, kidnappers, gangsters, murderers, thieves…
"'Romantic?'
"No- Oh no, that- that t'lacking son of a Sithian didn't give me the galaxy to be romantic- he gave me the fragging thing TO CLEAN IT UP!"
To this however, Kelson began laughing so hard that he collapsed into his chair but he didn't know- he had no idea as to the depths of Luke Skywalker's cunning.
Oh yes, he was a dyed in the wool, hardcore idealist to his core that tended to be just a bit naïve. But if there was one thing I had learned during my years on Yavin it was that when pressed, Luke Skywalker proved time and time again that he was indeed, his father's son.
Knowing full well and completely and entirely aware of the fact that I had been had, I ignored my partner as I continued to rant and rave for a very long time indeed.
In fact, it was long after dawn that I finally managed to wind down as things turned out.
The galaxy… I could only think to myself over and over again. He had given me the galaxy.
But in the end however, as he had known I would, I found myself wearily collapsing into my chair to watch the large red sun as it tracked across the green sky.
"And how in the Sith are you going to get yourself out of this one, Dale?" I finally muttered wearily. "How in the Sith are you going to get yourself out of this one?"
And of course, I already knew the answer long before.
I had already known it on Rekla- it was after all, an answer I had spent the entirety of my life trying to find.
The answer was simple: I wasn't.
And what made things even worse- what was the most damnedest thing about it was that, as I had learned during those years- through all of the crazy and mixed up happenings of my life was a fact that only one other person knew.
The most annoying thing was that, not only wasn't I going to get out of it but…
I didn't want to.
With that thought as I watched the sun begin to set all over again- Kelson calling out to me for perhaps the thousandth time to ask if I was through pouting yet, I finally at long last laughed.
Sitting in the middle of the Force's greatest joke of all, I laughed.
I was a good guy!
The last Sithian, the Omega Project, the Imperial Debutante, the Archivist that was twenty years out of date, and… I was a Jedi Knight.
Caught out at long last as one of the Force's greatest jokes, I laughed. And even as I laughed I realized that I was never going to stop. Not really. Not completely.
As I sat there laughing, I understood that I was always going to be laughing to some degree or another and that, of course had been the reason for my changing allegiance- the very reason the R'Kala had been counting on.
I could never be a part of the Dark Side- never be a Sithian I realized which was why I had become a Jedi.
So I could laugh.
It was because a laughing heart holds no Darkness.