Chapter 55

She shimmies out of her pants, and stands in front of Master Skywalker and her father in nothing but her undergarments. She wraps her arms around each other and over her chest, shivering slightly in the cold air of the green room even as she stares defiantly at her father.

"Why are you doing this Daddy?"

Her voice is confidant and strong. The voice of a Jedi. Yet inside her heart is torn, a deep sense of loss and betrayal rests there, hanging onto her.

"For the good of the Order. Now lay down on the table."

Jysella gives a quick shake of her head, anger blossoming in her chest, fueling her defiance.

Then a Force grip grabs her and plucks her off of her feet. She hangs in the air for a second, and then is slammed atop the table. Her breath rushes from her in a gush, and she struggles to regain it. She feels hands on her shoulders, and twists around, breaking the grip.

"Don't touch me!"

Her Force sense tingles and she twists her head, just as a fist slams into the table, centimeters away from her head.

Luke speaks for the first time. "Just calm down Jysella. There's no escaping this. It's going to happen."

She twists her head around, glaring daggers at Luke. Then spits at him.

"Ben will save me."

Luke shakes his head slowly. "My misguided son is too busy having to save himself from your brother. No, there is no escape for you; your hope in Ben is sorely misplaced."

She stretches out with the Force, trying to touch Ben, her brother, anyone.

And her Force probe is smashed down by a surge of power from Luke.

"No distracting them."

She feels hands on her shoulders again, and Luke steps forward lifting an injector. Scowling, she pushes off with her feet, slamming her head into Corran's stomach.

Corran doubles over, letting go of Jysella. She rolls off the table, narrowly escaping being grabbed by Luke. She drops down to the floor, and shifts through her clothes, until she finds her saber.

She stands, and ignites the blade, slamming it down through Corran's shoulder.

Corran lets out a scream, which he quickly bites back.

They stand there like that, Jysella's blade in his shoulder, him staring at her, hate filling his eyes, as tears falls from hers.

"I'm sorry, Daddy."

She feels the Force writhe around them. His voice is cold and hard. "You little schutta."

Then a wrongness creeps into her weapon. She turns her attention from Corran's yellow eyes to the silver light of her blade. Just in time to watch it flicker one.

And then again.

And then disappear entirely. Jysella flips the handle around again, staring at it with an open mouth. She pushes the activation button again.

Nothing happens.

She looks at her father, as she says "Oh, kriff."

He smiles and releases the energy he had absorbed.

Jysella has a split second to throw up a shield as the wave of energy slams into her. She attempts to absorb the Force energy to feed her shield but feels it crumbling around her.

She struggles, her hands held out in front of her, her eyes screwed tight in concentration.

Luke's voice sounds out again. "Just give it up, Jysella. You'll be happier."

She shakes her head. A wild movement, which throws her hair around her head. "No!"

Then her shields fail, and the wave slams into her. She flies back and hits the wall, her already abused head blossoming in pain once more. She crumbles to the ground, curling around herself as she falls.

She gives her head a slight shake to clear it, moaning at the pain the movement causes. She hears the scuffle of a boot, and looks up to see Luke and Corran standing over her.

She feels a tear slide down her cheek.

"Ben will rescue me."

The door slides open, and Jysella's heart leaps. She starts to smile, as she lifts herself up to look that way.

And then her world crashes anew. Standing in the doorway is Jacen Solo, not Ben.

She feels a quick stab, and the rush of something entering her body. Pain rips throughout her, an agony which spreads from every cell.

Then the pain fades and leaves nothing behind.

She is brusquely yanked to her feet, and quickly shoved into one of the capsules. She slides down to the bottom, wrapping her arms around her legs, leaning her head against the hatch.

The thick reddish fluid begins bubbling in from the bottom, and Jysella finally allows herself to truly cry.