AUTHORS NOTE: I started Healing the Force 10 years ago and it's never been far from my mind, but other things always seemed to take precedence. Now, I am on the march to finish the story and I'm almost there. For those of you who may be new to my endeavor here's a brief synopsis and a hope that you will start at the beginning. For those who still may be following, thank you, thank you, thank you and I apologize for the delays.

Healing the Force is based on my idea of what KOTOR 3 might have been. It is the story of a woman, Jaden, who embodied the Force but lost her abilities when the Exile, General Aeden Zared, severed the Force at Malachor V when he set off the Mass Shadow Generator. In order to heal she has set off on an adventure to find ancient keys and fulfill a prophecy that will allow her to return home to the Valley of the Jedi. Most of the favorites from the Knights of The Old Republic games are along for the ride and a few new characters.

So, where are we? The keys have been found, Force connections re-established, Sith and Republic fleets destroyed, hearts broken and a Force embodier squaring off with the Jedi and Republic to protect what is hers . . .

She turned away and stepped in front of Aeden. She took his shackles in her hand and began to concentrate.

"Are you alright?" he asked quietly knowing she was hurting. When she didn't answer he began to pull his hands away. "Look at me," he told her in a harsh whisper. When the cuffs fell from his wrists she stepped away then looked up. Her gaze was cool, hiding the conflict she struggled against. "Jaden," he said then left the rest unsaid when her eyes narrowed in warning.

"What do you think you're doing?" Lyret demanded.

The inner turmoil turned to icy rage. In the palm of her hand, a small ball of lightning began to form. Zared recognized her intent and grabbed her arm, forcing the power she was about to unleash on Lyret to discharge to the floor to rumble beneath their feet.

"Now you defend them?"

"They'll just breed more, remember?"

"Milady –"

"Jaden," Carth said stepping up to her. "Let him go." It was unsettling to see it, the shift from dark through a maze of confusion to the Jaden he knew, the light side. "Let him go."

Jaden frowned at Master Vandar, Carth, and then she looked at Aeden and found him ashen. The moment she brushed him off, he went to his knees, gasping for breath.

"Who do you think you are?" One of the other masters demanded.

As Carth and Atton helped Zared back to his feet, Jaden snapped, "You cannot hope to ever comprehend who I am." She turned away from the small group. "They belong to me."


"I don't have to comprehend anything," the weasel from the Republic muttered. "All I need to know is that the general," he sneered, "destroyed the Republic fleet and even the Jedi won't save him now."

"Don't," Aeden said to Jaden as he stood on his own and stepped away from Carth and Atton. "He's not worth it."

Jaden turned to study him. "Your days of dictating to . . ."

He cut her off by raising his hand and a slight shake of his head. "You're right," he said on a quiet breath as he stood straighter. "I belong to you."

It was only a breath of time, but Jaden's heart stopped, her palms became clammy as his blue eyes held her captive. The council chambers fell away and it was only the two of them, caught in a moment that said so much, shared so much between them. When her heart began again, it pounded. The thoughts that ran through her mind left her wanting him.

Aeden, shaken himself at what had passed between them, swallowed hard and looked over his shoulder at the others. "We all belong to you," he turned back to her, "to the Force."

Unsettled by what had transpired, she sent Carth a quick look as she battled to get her emotions as well as her swings in alignment under control.

"This is outrageous!" Latree demanded. "General Zared is responsible for the destruction . . ."

"I could hardly destroy an entire fleet when I was fighting to save my own life," Aeden piped in during the exchanges.

"Please, you can't lie your way out of this one, General Zared," the Republic representative sneered.

"Mr. Latree, that's enough. Your services are not needed here." Carth snapped at the small man.

"Admiral Onasi, I do not take orders from you . . ."

"It's not an order, simply a suggestion. You want to take on the Force, I won't stop you."

Well at least he acknowledged who I am, Jaden thought. But it was still a wall she ran into when she tried to reach him. A wall that continued to strengthen around the voice. When she looked at Carth, he rolled his eyes and shrugged.

"I demand an explanation!" Latree insisted again.

Jaden spun on him, letting her eyes flash and the heat of the dark side roll over him. Latree took a step back. "I don't do explanations."

"He," Latree pointed to Zared, "Destroyed half the Republic Fleet!"

"Enough!" Atton snapped. "I was there Latrine . . ."

"Latree!"

"Whatever, and Zared was beaten. Well and truly beaten. Jaden . . ."

There was a commotion outside the council chambers and everyone could hear Radha demand to be let in.

"Let me pass!" He said as he pushed past the two Jedi that were standing outside the chamber doors. He readjusted his robes and smoothed them down as he entered the chambers. "Child!" he called out as he hustled over and gave Jaden an enormous hug. "You are well and whole?" he asked before moving on when he saw Aeden standing with the others. "Youngling." Aeden didn't receive the same treatment but Radha did take his hands and looked at him closely. He turned to Jaden.

"You haven't healed him?"

"Radha . . ."

"Child, he must be . . ."

"Shut up, old man!" Jaden snapped effectively cutting him off. She ignored the suspicious narrowed look she was getting from Carth and the furtive glances from the others. "What are you doing here?"

Radha gave Aeden a small smile as he squeezed his hands in support before turning to Jaden. He held out a holocron, "Captain Eps thought this might be of use." When Jaden only stared at him he sighed. "It's a record of what took place on the bridge of the Gehenna."

There were a few mumbles, gasps of shock before silence fell on the council chambers. Carth looked around the room and then at Radha. "Let's see it."

Hellish wasn't a strong enough word to Carth to describe the day. It had started early, meeting with a team of officers to strategize how to notify the families of the dead that Jaden had ruthlessly destroyed while thinking he was dead, but he wasn't dead, at least not the whole time they were separated, but she didn't know that since Jaden was too busy trying to destroy Zared by taking back her dark side.

All those thoughts were nothing compared to the disturbing one that keep pushing itself forward. Who notified the families of the Sith that Jaden ruthlessly destroyed while thinking he was dead, blah, blah, blah. Based on what he knew of the Sith, did they bother to notify anyone? After all, wasn't it a survival of the fittest and hey, since little Jonny didn't come home last night he's not the fittest so now he's dead.

At first, he had welcomed the change, or rather the distraction, when he was told that the Jedi had taken Zared from the Sojourn and were going to the Jedi Council chambers with him. He was looking for a fight, anything to help him shake off the depression of signing letters and talking to the spouses of those with a higher rank, some of them he had served with and many he called his friend.

When he had arrived at the temple the people milling around were whispering about the stranger that had arrived moments ago, shaking the very foundation of the temple with her presence. Some were disbelieving, others in awe, and some were hurrying for the exit waving away the dust that filled the air. It was probably inappropriate but Carth had the fleeting thought that perhaps Jaden's presence was a good thing, a way to shake-up the stodginess of the Jedi. And deep down, he wanted to see her. He still struggled, knowing what she had done, but he wanted to see her in all her glory, the Force personified.

Carth wasn't ready for the overwhelming feeling of loss that she no longer belonged to him or the gut-punch he experienced when he entered the room, said Zared belonged to the Republic, and she turned in a heartbeat and said, "He belongs to me." Everything they had shared over the previous months flashed before his eyes in a blaze then winked out.

"Excuse me, who are you?" Lyret asked clearly confused by the newcomer that barged into the chamber as if he belonged here.

"My name is Radha Amanuensis, I am her highnesses historian," he nodded toward Jaden before continuing. "And you are?" Radha asked, curious and excited to be in the Jedi council chamber. He never thought he would be able to see how the other side lived so to speak, and was finding it difficult to hide his excitement at seeing the huge temple and the Jedi wandering around.

"It doesn't matter, old man," Jaden snapped. "How did you get that?" Oh, the masters were up to something she just couldn't figure out what it was. It wasn't like them to orchestrate events, but she was beginning to believe that's what was happening. How convenient that Radha shows up with a holocron of the battle. A holocron that had to be delivered by Captain Eps which meant he didn't return to the Unknown Regions and was probably sitting just out of sensor range. She briefly wondered what would happen if they found out the Gehenna was sitting within range of her weapons but not the Republics. Might be worth the pandemonium it would cause if this got much more out of hand.

"As I said, Captain Eps." He rapidly blinked his eyes at Jaden as if it was perfectly normal. "Shall I play it?"

Jaden rolled her eyes thoughts of upending the galaxy set aside. "Fine, play the damn hologram!"

"Very well, no need to be testy, child."

Moments later the council chamber was transformed into the bridge of the Gehenna.

. . . "There is no throne, no seat on the Jedi Council, or at the Emperor's table. You are both Supreme Jedi Lord and Darth Tyr, ruler of the True Sith. You're also the hope of so many and the destructive force for others. Oh, you can play with their lives as you choose, but for one action, there must be another. There must be balance."

. . . "This is why you weren't chosen, Aeden," she whispered in his ear, "You mastered the light, but you'll never understand the dark side. It's one thing to use the dark power for nefarious purposes, some Kath Sith such as you even claim to embrace it, but it's something else entirely when you live and breathe that darkness." She tipped her head. "Would you like a demonstration?"

The chamber was hushed as they watched Zared's breath came in short painful gasps as he looked at her. She was pale, her eyes dark and hideous. She let go of his shoulder and he collapsed to the floor.

. . . "Get up!" she snarled. "You want to rule the dark side, let me show you what it can really do." Her voice was husky, deep, and malevolent.

"I said get up." She reached out with her mind, gripped his throat and slammed his body against the wall, holding him there, several inches off the floor. "It's all about being a bit psychopathic, cupcake. You reach out," she did with her hands, "find your target in the Force, and destroy it." She sounded so matter-of-fact that one would think she was discussing the weather on a pleasant balmy day.

The atmosphere in the council chambers became eerily silent and distressing as the group watched the two fighters, one Sith, one Republic come to an abrupt halt near the bridge window. With a flick of her wrist, the fighters, tossed through space, slamming into the bridges of a Republic and Sith warship, exploding on impact, causing them to list to their sides.

. . . "This is one of my favorites." Jaden closed her eyes, slowly formed her hands into fists, and brought them together. The two starships she had damaged with the fighters, bucked, twisted and collided violently, exploding in a fireball that engulfed several of the ships swarmed around them.

As the holocron played, Jaden continued to wonder what the masters were up to as she battled the smile that wanted to break free as she watched her success in destroying the Republic ships.

. . . "If I'd chosen the light side," Aeden asked in a voice as weak as a newborn Kath pup.

"We wouldn't be having this little chat," she said, her voice once again dark with bitterness. "As I told the others, I would have collected the keys, destroyed you, and returned home." She shrugged. "I have no need to rule the galaxy; prove I'm the bad-ass Sith Lord." Her eyes turned hard. "I already am. I'm Darth Tyr. I already do."

The emotions in the council chambers as the hologram played continued to assault her like little needles being flung at high velocity. She tried to control the annoying bites of pain, but since she was still absorbing the dark side and standing at the center of the light side of the Force while not whole, they felt magnified and turned her breathing short and harsh.

Radha watched the Jedi and the members of the Republic closely. It was fascinating to see the varying degrees of shock, horror and disbelief. Did they really think the outcome would be different? He could feel who believed Jaden was who she claimed to be and those that still were finding it difficult to accept as true. Radha tuned out the outrage that was steadily building around him to focus on Jaden and Zared. Both were holding their middle, both were exhibiting difficulty in breathing, and pain was etched in both their features.

When the hologram ended, Mr. Latree demanded, "Admiral, arrest that woman immediately! There must be neural restraints around here somewhere. Both are a menace and too dangerous . . ."

Radha tuned out the blathering idiot when he noticed the one named Atton and the Miraluka Visas take more interest in Jaden. Recognition was quick to come. "Child, you must release him," he said softly.

Jaden slowly shook her head.

"Child, you are killing him."

"That's one way," Aeden winced sparing a quick glance to Jaden, "to end this to everyone's satisfaction."

Jaden shook her head as the continuing argument around her began to spike the pain into the dangerous category for both.

"Child,"

"No!" Jaden shouted effectively causing the council chambers to fall to silence, the attention turned to Jaden, Radha and Aeden.

"You must release him!" Radha insisted.

She shook her head. "He'll die."

"You don't know that."

Again, Jaden shook her head. "I won't," she tightened her arms around her middle.

"Jaden . . ." Aeden pleaded.

"I won't let you die!" She snapped before swallowing back the pain that threatened them both.

"Child, this course of action is dangerous." Radha tried to reason with her.

"Shut up old man, I know what I'm doing," she insisted moments before an overwhelming sense of power flowed through her. "No," she whispered.

"Child," Radha snapped. "Enough!" He forcefully tapped his cane and both Jaden and Zared collapsed.

As the silence ticked on, Radha bent his old bones beside Jaden and then Zared touching their head in turn. "They need medical attention," he spoke as he straightened. "Master Zared must stay in the temple and her highness must leave immediately!" No one in the room moved still trying to puzzle out what they had witnessed both from the holocron and the little man that suddenly seemed much larger, filling the room with his presence.

"Master Zared? Now just one minute," Latree began sputtering but suddenly found his voice gone, a tightness in his throat making him uncomfortable.

Dustil stepped into the silence after poking Atton to help. "I'll take him to the medical ward," He said as he stepped to one side of Aeden and Atton to the other.

"Admiral," Radha ignored the murmurs now starting around the room and turned to Carth, "She has quarters someplace I assume? You understand she cannot stay in the temple for very long."

"We will see to her," Visas said as Canderous stepped forward and picked up Jaden.

Carth, his world spinning out of control heard himself say, "Take her to the Republic med center."

"A med center is not necessary. I can tend to the Empress if you'll just tell me where her quarters are."


The first time Aeden woke he could barely breathe. Each gasp for air brought hideous pain as if his nerves were on fire. Opening his eyes was torture, the light searing and harsh. The air around him was acrid, the atmosphere toxic, overflowing with anger and unforgiving punishment. Unable to endure any more, he screamed in agony before somersaulting back into unconsciousness.

~~ Shhh, it's okay, I'm here. ~~

The second time was better but not by much. The pain was still debilitating but the atmosphere was calmer and his vision, blurry though it was, recognized Jaden's face when she bent over him, whispering, and gently touching his temple.

~~ You're okay, I'm here. ~~

This time when he woke, the pain throughout his body was a dull ache but he recognized the cool breeze that wafted around him, could hear the birds outside the window and when he opened his eyes, he could see out over a meadow of green grass bathed in sunlight and spectacular mountains beyond the pristine lake. His breathing was easier, and he seemed to be in one piece as he took silent stock of his body. As he levered himself up he looked around to find he was in a bedroom done in cool earth tones with a splash of color here and there. The huge bed he occupied faced what he now realized wasn't a window but a wall of glass it's panels pushed back to allow the outside in. Beyond that, Jaden dressed in gray, sat with her eyes closed, her face tipped to the sun.

"How are you feeling?" she asked still not moving.

"What happened? Where are we?" He demanded.

"I feel like crap, Darling, thanks for asking," she answered her own question then sighed as she left the chair to join him. "You're welcome, by the way, for me keeping the masters from destroying you." She went to a small armoire and took out a set of clothes and left it on the end of the bed. "The shower's through there," she said pointing to another door. "Hot water will chase away the rest of the pain."

"Answer me, damn it!"

Everything around him turned dark and cold. "Don't test me, Aeden, I'm not in the mood." Everything went back to the bucolic scene he woke to when she left the room.

It took a while, but she was right; the longer he stood under the blistering water the faster the pain faded away and he could move easier. When he emerged from the room dressed in the loose-fitting pants and shirt she provided he walked into a cozy living area, riotous with color and the same huge wall of glass, opened, overlooking the lake just beyond the patio. It all seemed luxurious, but it wasn't, the walls were a simple stone, the living room and kitchen area took up very little space and the thatched roof appeared sturdy if in need of some maintenance. The furnishings were simple, the room neat and tidy and all of it opened to the spectacular view beyond.

~~ There's food on the stove if you're hungry. ~~

He looked around unsure he heard Jaden's whispered voice. "Jaden?" he asked but didn't receive an answer.


Carth paced outside the Jedi temple's medical clinic. It wasn't anything fancy, certainly not at the same level as the Republic's main medical center, but it was sufficient for the Jedi he supposed considering they had the ability to heal themselves if needed. Zared was a special case of course, and he tried to get him moved to the Republics care, but Master Vandar had been adamant that he stay. While he waited he had Mr. Latree and his minions escorted out of the temple much to their vocal displeasure. When he ignited his own saber in frustration, the annoying little man finally got the message and went with the guards to the exit. It was probably something he shouldn't have done, ignite his saber, but he was so exasperated.

With the flurry of activity to get Zared to the clinic and Jaden out of the temple Carth felt as if everything had been taken out of his hands. He didn't know where to go first, if he should go with Radha and Jaden or if he should stay with Zared and wait to find out about his condition. He knew it didn't matter because over everything else, was the memory of the holocron and Jaden blithefully destroying the Republic fleet with a casualness that made his heart hurt and his blood pressure soar. Carth always thought he understood what Jaden was once she confirmed she was the Force, divided though she was, but it was something entirely different to watch her lay waste to both fleets with nothing more than a thought; a gleeful thought if he was honest about it. Worse, he couldn't put it away, tuck it into some slot in his mind while he dealt with the rest of this mess. It wouldn't be denied, allow itself to be compartmentalized. It was first and foremost in every thought and he didn't know how he was ever going to explain this to Dodonna and the Senate. Explain there was nothing they could do, no one to punish for this atrocity.

When he saw Atton coming toward him he pounced. "Well?"

Atton kept walking, passing him on his way out the door. "Well, what?"

Carth grabbed his arm and snapped. "Don't frack with me on this. What's his condition?"

Atton stopped and looked at him. Carth wasn't happy about any of this, and that was fine, they were all trying to deal with what they had witnessed in the council chambers. "He's stable, for now."

"What do you mean, for now?"

"Carth," he sighed, "I think Jaden's done something. Zared is . . . well, his body is healing at an accelerated rate. I guess that's expected considering who and what he is," he sighed again. "However, his brain waves have minimized."

"What does that mean?" Carth asked with narrowed eyes.

Atton exhaled and shook his head. "We don't know. It's nothing that the Jedi have seen before, and no" he added anticipating Carth, "it's not like when she and you joined those few times. Your brain waves where normal and active. It's like -"

He's not here, Carth thought. "Damnit!" He stepped around Atton and headed for the main temple exit.

Atton called after him but made no move to follow. Vandar had given him permission to use one of the meditation chambers despite his standing in the order and that's where he was headed. Meditation was never something he gave much thought to or really tried, he usually fell asleep, but this time he needed to calm his mind, to chase away the cold feeling of abandonment that kept trying to creep into his system.

Jaden hadn't just retrieved her force power from Zared, she had, in Atton's mind, abandoned everything the Jedi and the Sith taught, everything Jaden had espoused over the prior few months on this journey. What she had told him on the Ebon Hawk when he had her by the throat in the main hold.


When Carth stepped from the private elevator to his floor, he was drenched to the bone. The rain had been only a passing thought as he left the temple and jogged all the way home. He absently wiped the water from his face as he approached the door to the apartment Jaden was using. He didn't bother to knock but used the code, opened the door, and found Dustil sitting at the table in the dining area while Radha asked him questions.

"Dad!" Dustil looked up with a tired smile. "How's," but that was as far as he got. Carth dismissed him and went to the bedroom.

"I was afraid of this," Radha mumbled.

"Afraid of what?"

A few minutes later Carth stormed back into the room. Jaden had been lying in the bed, on her side, comfy as can be. When he reached out to touch her, to wake her, there was nothing. Physically she was there, but no response from the brief shake and his command to wake up. When he calmed himself enough to use the Force, he realized he couldn't find her, there was nothing in her place, nothing he could sense.

Radha stood and walked to him. "She's not here, Admiral. She has taken him and gone someplace even her masters can't reach."

"What?" Dustil asked joining them. "What do you mean, she's not here."

"Why?" Carth asked every ounce of anger and hurt he felt packed into the one word.

Radha seemed perplexed by the question since he thought it should be obvious to anyone who used the Force, but answered, "To heal."

In a quiet and deadly voice Carth said, "She told me she had to destroy Zared to retrieve her force power, the part he seized when he severed the Force all those years ago."

Dustil knew that tone and stepped back a few paces. He could feel the anger, frustration and exhaustion streaming from his father. He could also feel the drowning sensation from the lack of control.

"As you know, Admiral, destruction doesn't necessarily mean death in every instance. The Republic and Sith fleets were destroyed, yet both civilizations still survive. And for that to continue, the Force must be healed."