Chapter 41: Awakening

The ocean breeze kissed his face as he stood upon the rooftops. The alleyways below were spaced so tightly that even the greenest of Jedi younglings would have been able to make the jump.

Jas shook his head.

When he thought of entering Val's mind, trying to wake her from her coma, he had not expected such a memory…

He had not expected to see this.

Almost a week had passed since they had brought Char Valenthyne back to the Rist estate. In that time, the protector had not stirred from her sleep. The medical droids had examined her more than once, and had not been able to determine why she had not yet regained consciousness.

The droids had not been concerned, but they were…curious. All of Val's vital signs had returned to normal, normal for a protector of Bantoon, anyway. She should have opened her eyes by now.

Jas Dar Bynn had decided to force the issue. Unlike the droids, he was worried about Val, and so was Vess.

He wanted to make sure that she was alright, and so…he had tried something…unorthodox.

It wouldn't have been the first time; his master might have said.

Jas smiled at the thought.

That was true, he was far from what one would call a traditional Jedi.

IOI

Vess had gone down with him, into the medical room. The young woman watched as he knelt down, centering himself, preparing to enter the unconscious protector's mind.

"Um, is this going to work, Mister Jas?"

"It…should," he replied, breathing slowly in and out.

He had done this several times before, with his master. He had not been sure why at the time, but now figured that it had been more for his benefit than hers.

She was trying to get me to come out of the funk that I had been trapped in. She had been trying to awaken his emotions, his sense of hope.

She had not been successful.

Vey had seen the door, but she didn't have the key, he thought to himself, it had taken coming here to Alderaan to find it. Val, Vess, they had helped bring him back, and he was more than grateful for that.

Now…he would repay that debt.

He took one final deep breath and let it out slowly.

No more wasting time, he thought to himself.

It was time to begin.

He rose and gave the young woman at his side a reassuring smile.

In the week that had passed, he had taken Val's advice and started spending more time with Vess, getting to know the woman that she had become. Again, Val had been proven right, there was much about the girl that he did like.

It had taken a bit for Vess to get over her initial shyness around him, but slowly she had started to open up. She had a sharp mind when it came to politics, and had a keen sense of guessing people's motives.

Her dear departed mother had trained her well.

She could also be playful when she wished to be, she liked music, dancing, and cards. Jas had played several games with her and some of the suitors that had come to court the girl. They quickly discovered that they didn't need to let her win. Vess was perfectly capable of doing that on her own. A few had left in a huff, shocked at how easily this young woman sitting before them controlled the table, and taken all their chips.

Jas wasn't sure, but Vess might have been…stacking the deck in her favor. It seemed she still remembered the lessons that Figgy had given her years ago, but unlike him, she was more than talented in hiding it, even Jas wasn't able to catch her, if she was cheating.

During the quiet of their evenings; they had discussed what they would say when Sy arrived with his Republic friends. Dorma helped them by providing an assortment of legal texts concerning succession issues on Republic controlled worlds.

The reading was a bit dry for his taste, but Vess kept his focused.

"It is a bit technical," she agreed, "But I had to study worse in my time in the legislative youth program."

She had smiled and scooped up Claude from the floor. The Loth Cat purred contently as she stroked his back.

Yet, when she looked at the texts and data pads before her, her eyes narrowed coldly.

"If the people that want me dead had hoped that these attacks would scare me into giving up the throne, they were mistaken. I had considered letting it go, letting Aunt Adira have Bantoon, but now…"

She looked at Jas her face a mask of determination.

"They've hurt the people that I love. They took my mother and father from me. They will answer for that, Mister Jas. I will ascend to my mother's throne, and they will pay."

"Be careful, kid," he warned her, "Revenge and anger can lead down a dark path, even for one not strong in the Force."

"This is about justice, not revenge," she said scratching Claude behind the ears. "The courts will decide their fate, and if people are sentenced to the garden of bones, so be it."

She shrugged.

"Even a queen must yield to the law, she may be able to influence it at time, but the law is still the law, and must be obeyed."

Jas nodded, and went back to work, but could not completely stop glancing at the young woman before him; that determined cute furrow of her brow.

He looked away quickly when he thought she might have noticed.

He smiled to himself.

She was something…that was for sure.

When she did need to attend classes, he made himself useful by familiarizing himself with the history of her people, the long line of queens that had come before, Vess' forebearers and kin. If Vess' claim was successful, she would be the twenty ninth member of her family to ascend to the throne of Bantoon. If Vess was included, thirty-one people, including two regents, had guided the Bann for almost five centuries, surviving not only internal struggles, but the threats of enemies like the Sith as well.

It had been an impressive accomplishment to be sure.

Yet, during their studies, Val's coma remained the rancor in the room. As the days had passed, Vess had become more and more distracted, finally Jas couldn't take it anymore.

They needed to try something.

IOI

Jas settled down next to her bed, the medical droids had detached all the machines and removed the various tubes and wires that had been monitoring Val's condition. According to them, she was stable, her vitals were strong, and she had shown some signs of waking, but had not taken that extra step.

Jas Dar Bynn frowned.

He hoped that what he was about to try would work, give her that little push she needed to come back them.

We need you back, Val, he thought as he looked upon her.

Her breathing was rhythmic and even. She still had some bruising, even with the kolto treatments, which showed how bad her injuries had been. The doctors had also needed to cut her hair, making it easier to conduct brain scans, he supposed. Seeing her with short hair took him back to when they had first met, and only served as more motivation to wake her up.

Vess stood by, as he placed his hands on the sides of Val's head. He took one last cleansing breath and reached out with the Force.

Here goes nothing, he thought.

He closed his eyes, and began to chant.

"I'm one with the Force, and the Force is with me. I'm one with the Force and the Force is with me…"

Slowly, the world fell away, Jas had a brief sense of vertigo, a feeling of sliding down some great cliff.

"LOWER YOR WEAPON!"

"STAND AT ATTENTION!"

"ACCOMPANY!"

The voice rang in his ears, almost pushing his consciousness out of Val's mind, it was so loud, it was a whirlwind, like thunder in the Protector's mind.

He quickly regained his composure, he held on, summoning his will and pushing the voice back.

Jas shook his head.

Damn, he thought.

That is too loud!

As he regained his bearing, he realized that he recognized what he was hearing, the voice that was so loud in Val's head. He thought it part of the system at first, the programming that the Bantoon scientists had placed into the woman's mind, but as he listened and reached out with the Force, he realized that that wasn't it.

The voice he was hearing was not some random scientist or programmer. He knew that voice.

The voice in Val's head…was his.

The realization confused him for a few moments.

Why was he hearing his own voice inside the head of another, much less Val's? He…

OH!

Jas' eyes widened.

He…he had just figure it out.

Oh!

The words he was hearing, he had said them once, to Val, almost seven years ago.

They were the commands he had used to save her life on the Coop's Folly, after they had discovered Vess' mother's ship had been destroyed. When he had used the Force to stop the protector from killing herself.

He couldn't believe it.

Those commands were still there!

They should have dissipated years ago. Char Valenthyne should have been free!

He found himself thinking back to those days, back to when Val was on the Folly for the first time. It had been chaos after they had found Annara V's ship. Val had been trying to kill herself, and Coop and Figgy had been trying to help him stop her.

Jas had had only one option, he had felt how strong Val's will had been when they had first met in that alley, normally he would not have been able to breach her sense of self-control, but in that moment; she had had no defenses, the system had robbed her of that, she had been nothing, but pure instinct, and the compulsion to end her own life for her failure.

Plus, he had been inexperienced, he had not used Force persuasion in years, and in his panic and desire to stop the woman from killing herself, he had gone too far.

It had been the equivalent of using a grenade to kill a fly!

He had pushed too hard, and poured too much energy into his commands! To make matters worse, he had never gone back into her mind and severed the link, it was still there, after all these years, and after all these years, it had grown stronger, solidified in a way.

He feared that the bond between them was likely permanent! He wasn't sure if even Master Vey could dispel it now.

Again, he found himself thinking back, back to how Char Valenthyne had behaved around him when they had first met. She had been both distrusting and hostile. After he had saved her, after Vess had woken her up again, she had changed. He had assumed it had been mere gratitude. That she had started to trust him after he had saved her.

What if I was wrong?

If this bond was already there, it could have started changing Val's personality! He was a part of her mind now. He found himself remembering how after she had woken up that they had started finishing each other's sentences, or speaking in unison.

He had done this to her!

He…he felt…ashamed.

Everything that had happened since he had saved her was now suspect. Even…even their night together might have been influenced by this bond. Val's affection for him, her respect, it might not have been real, he had forced it on her, by using the Force!

Master Vey would have been disappointed in him, as he was in himself.

Deal with it later, padawan, Vey's voice rose up again, his conscience taking that form. What does this connection matter if she remains comatose? You can use this connection, find your way inside her mind, and help her wake up.

Jas sighed.

He could do it, but…

No buts, Vey said again, do, or do not, there is no try.

He nodded.

Yes, master.

He would do.

He rode the connection, let it take him past what had been, and deeper into Val's mind. He could sense her presence here, strong and still fully grounded. She was nowhere near becoming one with the Force, but she wasn't waking up.

She was…resisting?

Why would she be resisting? He was…

He found himself in the memory, standing on the roof tops of a large city, he recognized it immediately as capital of Bantoon. He could almost feel the ocean breeze on his face, smell the distant brine.

As he watched, three shadows seemed to appear out of nowhere, three people moving fast, and with the agility of a felinx.

All three wore large back packs, packs that tinkled as they moved suggesting that they were full of goods.

Thieves, he realized, the way they moved, they didn't wish to be detected. He could almost sense their concern, but at the same time…excitement and enjoyment as well.

The thief in front was a man, that much was clear from his size alone, he was taller than Jas, with broad shoulders and a thick neck.

"Keep up, princess," he called over his shoulder, "Fall behind and the law will get you."

The second thief was clearly a woman, besides the pack of good she carried, she also wore a bandolier, various electronic devices hummed and beeped as she leapt stealthily from one roof top to the next.

"Mind that gap, sweetie," she called back, "It is a little farther than the one we practiced on."

The third thief was the smallest of the group, slender and gawky, at first, Jas had mistaken it for a young boy, but as he watched, and listened.

"Yeah, Mom," young Char Valenthyne called up, "I see it."

Jas smiled.

Ah, he thought, now I understand!

He looked at the two older thieves.

Chin and Tara Valenthyne, I presume.

Val had told him that her parents were professional thieves, and that they had trained her to follow in their footsteps.

This memory was where her mind retreated to. No wonder, Val had had no desire to wake up.

She was with her family again.

As he reached out with the Force, he could sense the young girl's emotions, she was both excited and happy.

This wasn't just any memory for her, it was a core memory, she had been happy here.

This was likely one of the happiest moments of Val's life.

If he had to guess, he would say that Val was about thirteen here, maybe fourteen? She had still been very young when she had lost her parents. Her mother to sickness, and her father to the law. After that, she had gotten involved in something far bigger than she should have, resulting in her arrest, and her earning a death sentence. It was that fate that had led her to the sworn protectors.

It wasn't hard for him to understand why she was here, why her consciousness was trying to stay in this moment.

Char Valenthyne had loved her parents, and the life they had led, despite the dangers, or maybe, in spite of them. She would never have abandoned that life had she had the choice.

She can't stay here, his conscience chided, she has responsibilities beyond this memory. You can wake her up.

He could, he acknowledged that, but at the same time…

This would be the second time he had gotten into her head; he was being more careful this time, but he would still be forcing her to turn away from something she loved.

It isn't real, he reminded himself, even if she is happy here, this isn't life.

He sighed and shook his head.

He hated doing this, but he didn't see any other option.

He was worried about her, and Vess needed her.

Char Valenthyne needed to come back.

He watched and waited as Val's parents passed him by. The young girl had fallen behind slightly, giving him just enough time to isolate her.

He stepped out of the shadows, standing between her and her family.

Val paused having just made the leap from one building to the next.

"Hello, Val," he called out, "Fancy meeting you here."

The girl paused, she wasn't wearing a mask, just a smudge of grease paint over her eyes and the bridge of her nose. He sensed a brief moment of fear and concern, but that passed away quickly.

"Who are you?" she called out, "What do you want?"

She doesn't remember, or doesn't want to, he thought to himself.

He didn't blame her.

"It is me, Val," he said, "It's Jas. You remember me."

The girl blinked and took a step back, she gripped the pack on her back tightly, as if she thought he wanted to take what she had just stolen.

"I don't remember you," she said flatly, "Now leave, please, I have to catch up, my parents are…"

"This isn't real, Val," he informed her, "You're in a dream but it is time to wake up."

The girl's eyes narrowed.

"No," she said shaking her head.

"No!"

"Val, you can't just…"

"Stop calling me that!" she spat angrily, "No one calls me that! Annara started it. It wasn't my choice! I've been stuck with that nickname for years! I never would have…"

She blinked, and shook her head.

"Wait," she murmured, "What?"

Jas gave her a sad smile.

"So, you do remember," he said.

She was shaking her head, no, but he could sense it, and see it in her face.

"You are Char Valenthyne, Sworn Protector of Vessaria Istillo, the rightful queen of Bantoon."

"Vessaria," she murmured, "Vess…I..."

She looked up at him.

"Jas?" she murmured, "I…I remember…is that really you, Hotshot?"

He smiled.

"Well, at least you didn't call me, Not a Jedi."

Val sighed and shook her head, as he watched, the girl before him changed, gone was the lanky young thief, she appeared as she was now, a slender, yet muscular young woman. She was dressed in a blue and black armored uniform.

The garb of a sworn protector.

He nodded.

There was the Val he knew.

She pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Jas," she murmured, "What happened?"

"We were investigating an attack on Vess. We ran into some trouble. You were attacked, injured by an old enemy of mine."

"An enemy," she said nodding, "That…alien, the grey skinned one."

She looked at Jas.

"Did you get her?"

"She escaped, but you were injured, I couldn't just leave you behind. I stayed, helped stabilize you."

Val cursed under her breath.

"You should have left me," she said, "My life isn't important."

He winced.

"Val?"

"Vess is what matters, you know that."

"Vess is safe," he assured her, "She is waiting beside us, right now, waiting for you to wake up."

"But the enemy is still out there, you could have stopped her."

Char Valenthyne shook her head, she turned away from him, rubbing her arms.

"It wasn't the smart call, you saving me."

"I couldn't just leave you for dead."

"But you should have," she hissed, "Damn it, Not a Jedi, what do you think is going to happen?!"

"I think you are going to wake up and live your life," he answered.

"What life," she almost screamed, "I have nothing but my duty! That duty should have ended. I would have been fine with that, if my end ensured Vess' safety, then I'm perfectly fine with that."

"I'm not," he answered, "Val…I…I…"

Her green eyes widened.

"Don't say it!"

"But I…"

"Please, Jas…just…just don't."

A single tear ran down her cheek, he wanted to pull her into his arms, to comfort her. He stepped forward only to have her step back.

"What do you think is going to happen between us," she asked, "Do you think we're going to find some happy ending?"

She barked a fatalistic laugh.

"There is nothing like that out there for me, Jas. I can't…can't give you what you want, or deserve."

"I can help you with the system," he reminded her, "I can help you. I can free you, if you wish."

"It…it doesn't matter if you did. I can't…can't be what you would wish me to be. I can't give you that. Even if I was free of the system, I wouldn't be able to."

"I…I don't understand," he said.

She winced.

She shivered, and took a deep breath.

What he was feeling through the Force in that moment, it literally broke his heart.

"To become a sworn protector," she began with a shuddering breath, "I was changed, not just genetically and mentally, but…in other ways as well. They did…operations on me, to make sure that I would never have anything, but my duty, and service to my master or mistress."

She looked down at her hands, they were shaking.

"I can never be anything more than what I am. I'm a protector, a weapon, a sword, and shield, that is all I will ever be. I could try to be a wife, but…I…I could never be…never be a Mother. They…they made sure of that, the surgeries."

Jas winced.

He…he now understood.

Oh Val, he thought.

Poor Val.

"You deserve better, it was one thing when we had our night together, that is all it should have been, but this…this…us…it can't be, Jas. Please try and understand."

He listened to what she was saying, he…he understood, he even accepted it to a degree, but…

…that didn't change his mind. He had chosen to save her life, and he would do so again.

Whatever they could or couldn't be was irrelevant.

He cared about her.

He couldn't leave her, and he wouldn't.

"We need you," he said flatly, "Vess needs you, and so do I. Whatever we could or couldn't be doesn't change that."

"Weren't you listening," she exclaimed.

"I was, but that doesn't change anything. I know that I want you in my life Val. I don't care if the Jedi say it is wrong, that attachment is forbidden. I would mourn if you weren't in my life. You are important to me, you and Vess both. I will do everything in my power to keep you safe, keep you both safe."

Another tear ran down the protector's face, but this time, it had nothing to do with pain. He could sense it, the joy she felt, she wouldn't admit it, but she had needed to hear him say that, maybe wanted to hear him say it.

She laughed again, but this time, it sounded better, happier. She gave him that sly smile of hers.

"You're crazy. You know that right?"

He shrugged.

"Maybe I'm just a sucker for punishment."

She shook her head.

"Damn you, Hotshot."

She moved before he could stop her, one minute they were at arm's length, and the next she was in his arms, kissing him deeply.

Surprise gave way to warmth, and shock turned to contentment. This wasn't real, he knew that, but that didn't make it any less desirable.

He wrapped his arms around her tightly, holding on as if she was the most precious thing in the galaxy.

When she pulled back, they were both panting.

She smiled at him.

"I've…I've missed that. I…I wish…"

"I know, Val," he said letting her head rest on his shoulder.

"I know."

IOI

Jas opened his eyes, he once again found himself sitting beside Char Valenthyne's bed in the Rist medical bay.

He looked down, and saw that Val was awake, her green eyes were open, and she had a hint of a smile on her face.

"Hello there," he said.

"Hey," she murmured, "Fancy meeting you here."

"VAL!"

Vess was at their side, the blond girl was grinning from ear to ear, and she had tears in her eyes.

"You…you're awake!"

"Yeah," the protector sighed, and stretched.

She looked up at Jas.

"Looks like you saved me again."

He said nothing, merely nodded, and bowed his head.

She nodded as well, a thanks that was needed, but went unsaid.

She looked up at her queen.

"Vess?"

"Yeah, Val?"

The protector sighed.

"We're still going to talk about the whole "you sneaking out thing."

The young noble, giggled, and she blushed.

"Whatever you say, Val," she agreed, her happiness radiating outward like the light from a star.

"Welcome back."

A/N: in case any of you are curious, I did, in fact, take the time to map out the royal line of the Istillo Queens while I was preparing to write this chapter. It might be a bit extreme, but I figured it would be worth it going forward in later chapters. More Rogue Jedi to come, and the conclusion of Dark Reflection, and the beginning of the next Avaryss story. Hope to see you all soon for the next chapter.

DG