Chapter 54

Goodnight, Goodnight

A/- Hey All, sorry for the long wait. I guess the good news would be that I'm almost done with my art classes (they end July 9th). So I'll get more time to write after they're over (I've also got a job pending- depending on whether or not I get it, my schedule will change-or I'll get dragged off on a trip by my mom). Anyways, I'll keep you guys posted on when postings will be delayed and what not.

May the 4th be with you! (Belated, but still).

-Don ^_^


Tahiri grunted as she stepped forward, slashing her lightsaber across the air. It created a soft whoosh of air as it went in its downward arc and then the color blurred as she curved it around turning cleanly on her heel before coming to a stop to catch her breath.

"This would be so much easier without this extra weight," Tahiri muttered and then immediately cut herself off. She regretted the statement the moment it had left her lips. She wasn't entirely sure what to make of the fact that she was pregnant and now that Anakin was gone, she had more time to think about what it meant.

Of course she'd had time to consider the basic meaning of being a mother. She watched Tenel Ka raising Valin and Rose, and then she'd also seen the way that Leia had raised Anakin for the time that Tahiri had known him. Then there was Tionne, Tahiri's foster mother, whom Tahiri loved more than life itself. Tionne had given Tahiri reason to believe that becoming a mother, whether for a biological child or for an adoptive one, was well worth the while. Tionne had treated Tahiri as family, as a friend, and most of all as a fellow student of the force. Tahiri owed everything to Tionne since she was the one of the people who had found Tahiri on Tatooine. Tahiri had had a strong attachment to the Jedi Historian and still loved hearing Tionne's soft voice as it spun yet another tale of ancient Jedi and far-away lands. Tahiri knew that if Tionne hadn't found Tahiri on Tatooine, Tahiri would never had found out that she had Jedi potential and never attended the Jedi Academy and therefore would never had met Anakin Solo.

This only served to fuel Tahiri's belief that the force caused things to happen for a reason, so she firmly believed in turn that having Kam was also something that was meant to happen. Tahiri took a deep breath and lifted her blade again before pausing in mid-stroke as two arms wrapped themselves around her waist.

"So the big hero returns," Tahiri said, her less than enthusiastic greeting earned her a kiss on the neck. Anakin knew how to make Tahiri feel some comfort, even if he was the reason for her discomfort or stress in the first place.

"Of course, if I didn't, I'd be worse than dead," Anakin's warm breath caused Tahiri's lips to twitch, though they didn't quite form a smile.

"Better believe it," She replied and did her best to hide the exhaustion that lingered on the end of her sentence, causing her to sigh through the word "it." Anakin's smile faltered slightly at the sound but he still attempted to keep the mood light.

"I do," Anakin said quietly and laughed. He winced then, hoping silently that Tahiri hadn't felt the pain he had but soon found himself staring right into her eyes as she turned abruptly.

"Hey," She said, running a hand through his already sweat stained hair, "I can feel that, you know."

Anakin sighed, "I know, I wish you didn't."

Tahiri frowned at his words, "Why?" She reached out in the force, trying to get an idea of where Anakin's thoughts were but his emotions clouded them. He was completely and utterly confused, not to mention disjointed. Anakin averted his gaze.

"This is why," He replied. Tahiri's eyes narrowed and then widened as she understood.

"Anakin," Tahiri said softly, "Look at me," She raised his head gently with her hands on either side of his cheeks, "I'm not hurt by anything you feel."

Anakin scowled, "Yes, you are," He lowered her hands, "Tahiri, every time I leave, I get the feeling you end up shouldering feelings you've been hiding, feelings that have everything or nothing to do with what I'm doing."

Tahiri shrugged, "Everyone has things they deal with on their own."

Anakin shook his head, "Not like this." He scrutinized her for a moment before turning his head away. "I owe you the truth, Tahiri," Anakin said in a flat tone, "I'm not staying in the Jedi Order."

Tahiri stood in stunned silence before she spoke again, "What do you mean?"

"I mean if they don't kick me out, I'm leaving on my own," Anakin replied plainly. Tahiri's eyes narrowed into slits.

"Anakin, don't talk nonsense, if you leave, there won't be anyone to become Grand Jedi Master," She turned to look out the window at the city. It was still in motion with the hubbub of daily life as though nothing was amiss, though the Jedi felt every single crack and break of the foundation of the New Republic. Anakin had been feeling it for years and had foreseen that there would be trouble. Though he doubted most of the problems would come to pass, he knew that the days of the New Republic and its Jedi Order were numbered. They would last only as long as the Jedi inside it. Even as he stood with Tahiri, the number of Jedi dwindled from constant attacks, loss of morale and a lack of direction from the force.

"The Jedi Order is falling apart, Tahiri," Anakin stated, the words pained him as he felt the force itself backing him.

"And you're one of the pillars holding what's left up," She retorted coldly. Anakin nodded in understanding. The prospect of leaving the Order wasn't very appealing now that Xillanor had killed any Jedi who strayed too far from the protection of the New Republic or involved themselves in external matters.

"Tahiri," Anakin said, his face contorting, "The Order isn't safe anymore."

Tahiri surged forward, pounding her fists on his chest and Anakin simply stood there, letting the situation wash over him. He was suggesting that they uproot from the very place that had given them their current life and its meaning.

"Anakin, we can't just leave," Tahiri said, "The Jedi are the only ones standing between Xillanor and the New Republic."

"Exactly," Tahiri stared into Anakin's brilliant blue eyes, seeing the honesty that was always there and she knew he was speaking from a deeper source than just his own opinion. Still, she stared at him in silence and confusion. He often spoke in ways that not even Tahiri, who could see into the deepest parts of his heart and mind, not even she could understand.

"Exactly what?" Tahiri ventured. "I don't get it, Anakin, what makes you think that it's safer out there on our own than here in the Jedi Order?"

"Because the Jedi Order is corrupt," Tahiri turned slowly and Anakin averted his gaze as the young figure stepped forward, flinging back his hood, "I bring some bad news to you, Tahiri Veila."


"A council meeting? Is there an emergency, Chief of State Deris?" The nervous human secretary quivered in the presence of the rare alien. Though the secretary had served the widest range of alien species who served as Chief of State, the young man had never known one quite so dauntingly calm as Korsk Deris. As far as the secretary was concerned, Deris' species had long since died out. But here was Deris, cool as a cucumber and impressively commanding as Emperor Palpatine.

"You need not question the details," Deris stated, "Do I make myself clear?"

"Y-Yes, Chief of State Deris," The secretary said, bowing low to the official as the alien made his exit from the office of the Chief of State, leaving an impending silence behind him for the secretary to mull over the enigmatic Chief of State. There were too many things about the alien official that bothered the secretary. But he was too frightened to say anything to anyone. He wasn't the bravest of men, hence why he had chosen a well paying job where he wasn't in a position where he'd have to rise to the occasion of being a leader. It was both convenient and demeaning all at once.

The office door opened once more and the secretary jumped to his feet, immediately bowing in anticipation of the Chief of State's return.

"Good Gundarks, Henry, is that how you're required to greet everyone who walks in here? One would think you're an imperial slave," The nerve wrecked secretary lifted his head to look at the figure who just entered the Chief of State's office as though it was a casual public building.

"Thank the stars," Henry said as he sunk back into his chair and looked over at the newcomer. "You could give me some forewarning, Uncle Corran."

The older man's lip twitched, "You've let yourself go." Henry shrugged, running a hand through his hair. Except for Henry's dark undertones in his hair, he was the spitting image of his uncle.

"I always knew you were the shy type," Corran said, "But now's not the time to hesitant."

Henry sighed and rubbed his chin, the beard there kept growing back messily no matter how Henry tried to shave it off. "Uncle Corran, you know I can't just leave. I gave up becoming a Jedi after…" The man left off.

"You think it's any easier on me?" Corran asked coldly. "I lost a child too, you know."

Henry's sharp brown eyes snapped around to look directly at Corran. "A child? You really have no idea how I've felt. I lost my entire family to a group of radical Peace Brigade soldiers, they shot my family in cold blood and you think you know how I feel?"

Corran continued to look calm though the lines in his face indicated the pain he'd been holding back for the years following Valin's death. "I know your loss must have been the worst and I wouldn't dare compare the lives of our loved ones. No life is comparable. Not like that," Corran's eyes went to the wall as he stared off into space. Henry's gaze softened.

"I didn't mean to lash out at you, Uncle," Henry said softly. Corran waved his hand.

"You were right in doing so. This blasted galaxy doesn't get any better by being agreeable," Henry had to grin at that. He knew as well as anyone the lengths that Corran had gone to in order to rescue Mirax.

"So, what's the plan then?" Henry asked with a glint in his eye. Corran smiled, his own face was more disheveled than Henry's and Corran's beard covered some of his neck. For a few minutes they both sat in relative silence.

"First I have something I need to tell you, Henry," Corran said in a somber voice. Henry either caught the tone or felt some of it through the force, because his face fell.

"Who was it?" Henry asked in a low tone. Corran frowned as he sat down on one of the couches, clasping his hands between his legs. For a few minutes the older man said nothing and in response Henry repeated his question in a sharper tone, "Who was it?"

"Late last night," Corran began, "I felt a disturbance in the force and I rushed to see what the problem was."Henry stiffened and began shaking his head before Corran could even finish. "I followed the source to New Republic Senate offices," Corran said, scowling deeply, "To this office."

Henry blinked and then shook his head, "No, no, it couldn't be."

"You've been hiding things, Henry," Corran stated in a cold voice. Henry shifted uncomfortably in his seat and then stood up to rid himself of the shaking in his feet

"It's not what you think, Uncle Corran," Henry protested, "I'm not a murderer!"

Corran folded his arms across his chest, "I know you're not. I didn't come here to accuse you."

Henry jawed for a moment before he spoke again, "Then what happened?"

"The news was that late last night I came here to find that a Jedi had been killed here in this office only moments before I arrived," Corran's eyes lifted to focus unblinkingly on Henry's. "The Jedi couldn't have been killed by anyone from the outside and was killed without a scratch on the body."

"Who was it, Uncle?" Henry demanded, finding the firmness in his voice now that the anger was rising. "Who was killed?"

Corran winced and turned his head away, "He was trying to help you, Henry, why didn't you say anything?" Corran's voice became so low and pained that Henry had to strain to hear his uncle speak.

"No, not-?" Henry questioned. Corran nodded wordlessly and Henry shook his head many times, "He couldn't have been killed. He knew things even we didn't!"

"I'm sorry, Henry, I thought you knew, I was hoping you were going to get there before I did last night, but…" Corran turned his head away and then brought his glare onto his nephew, "Did Deris mention any of this to you?"

"No," Henry said, his voice laden with the heavy grief he knew would strike him harder later on, "He didn't speak a word about it to me or to anyone."

"So he didn't even know about it?" Corran questioned angrily and then he nodded. "That's what I feared."

"What?" Henry questioned, narrowing his eyes, "You think Deris is a traitor?"

"Who else could it be?" Corran demanded, "Only someone high up could get in here in the middle of the night and kill a Jedi as strong as Kyp Durron." Henry's insides boiled and then twisted as the words came out.

Kyp was dead. He'd been killed by another force user. "So what do we do now?" Henry said finally. Corran stood up, looking carefully out the window.

"We find out if Deris is guilty," Corran stated, "And then we go after him."

Henry scowled, "You can't just accuse a high ranked official of murder, you're a Jedi, not a judge."

Corran's eyes grew dark as he drew himself up, squaring his shoulders, "You forget, I used to be a covert ops Jedi, we made the laws and we punished those who defied them." Henry was not unused to seeing his uncle in a state of complete confidence when it came to doing something risky, but there was something detached about Corran's tone that both impressed Henry and scared him all at once. But he decided, at least at the moment, he didn't care enough to worry about that.

"Let's go," Henry said and pulled open his drawer, revealing a lightsaber built from the finest metal. He clipped it to his belt and then followed his uncle to the door. "I'm surprised someone didn't try to arrest you when you walked in," Henry said as they left the room, closing the door with a click. Corran's laughter could be heard all the way to the elevators.


Tahiri frowned, "Anakin, who is this?"

The man bowed, "My apologies, I forgot to introduce myself," The young man smiled. "My name is Rendon."

A/N- Short chapter, I know. There's another one in the works, so stay tuned. =)