Star Wars: Cross Paths
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Chapter 78 – Shira
For the past week, Joel didn't know what to do. It has been a week since that woman returned and looked for him outside his work and again asked him to do something for him.
He didn't know what to do. He was afraid that woman would do something to his little sister, but he already did something for her and it almost ended in tragedy, when he almost killed two innocent people. Besides Luke Skywalker let him go, when if he wanted he could put him jail, but he didn't. He was nice man, and he swore to protect his sister.
He had to made a decision. The plan was to gain the confidence of Luke and Ines and for that he decided to take his sister to meet them and for that he decided that afternoon to go to the Jedi Temple with his sister Iris.
Seeing the big building in front of him, he sighed
"Is everything okay?" he heard on his right and looking down he smiled when two big brown eyes looked at him.
His little sister was everything to him. 3 years ago, with only 18 years old, he found himself alone with a 4 years old kid to raise. Everything he did, he did for her. How he could take a baby from his parents?
Smiling he stroke gently her head
"Of course it is. Why are you asking that?"
"You are so serious" Iris told him
"Oh really?" he said and started to tickling her making the little girl laughed, something he loved so much.
"Okay, okay stop" she begged him, making him stop.
"Do you still think I'm serious?"
"No, no" she said still laughing.
Grabbing her hand, they climbing the stairs and once they entered inside the Temple, the little girl eyes wide open looking at the huge place. Letting go her brother's hand she ran towards the busts and started to press the buttons on them seeing the holo that appeared above them, with the figure and the info.
"Iris be careful" Joel told her but being 7 years old she was always curious about everything.
"This is so cool" she said.
Hearing a beeping she looked at her left and gasped when she saw R2 rolling around the Temple with 3PO.
"I told you that was not baby's Ben favorite toy. He loves the Master Luke X-Wing stuffed toy and you forgot it. Now he is crying of course. Mistress Ines had to run home to get it" the protocol droid was speaking, making R2 beeped behind him
"Watch your language" he said and stop when he saw them "Oh my. I didn't know Master Luke had visits"
Approaching them 3PO spoke
"Hello I'm C-3PO human cyborg relations" he started but Iris already was around R2 who beeped and started to spin around her
"Cool an R2 Unit" she said.
"Iris!" Joel called her and looked at 3PO, "I would like to talk to Luke Skywalker"
"Oh I'm afraid Master Luke is busy getting everything ready for the opening the Academy in less than 4 months."
"It is important" He started
Luke appeared holding his son in his arms and Joel heart twist in pain.
"It is okay 3PO" he said approaching and he recognize the young man right way. "You!"
Luke sensed something was wrong, he felt a disturbance in the force for a week now, and the fact the guy who almost killed Ines and Ben was there, in front of him, he knew that something was happening.
"What a sweet baby" Iris said smiling at Ben, who focus on her with his blue eyes, still filled with tears because he wanted his favorite toy that his mother ran home to get it.
Luke smiled at the girl. He knew who she was.
"Thank you" he told the little girl
"What's his name?" Iris asked him
"Ben"
"Hi Ben" she said stroking the baby's arms, making the baby smile at her.
Joel looked at the scene and shook his head
"I can't do this" he said and bow his head
"I sense your distress. She's back, isn't she?" Luke asked right away, making the young man looked at him and nod.
"I need to talk to you" he told Luke who nod.
Ines entered in the Temple, breathing heavily with the stuffed X-Wing on her hand.
"Got it" she said and looking at Luke she knew right away what is going on and nodding, she grabbed the baby and looking at the girl, she smiled
"Hey sweetie, what's your name?"
"Iris"
"Iris do you want to eat a nice ice cream with me in the kitchen?"
The girl looked to her brother who nod and with a big smile she followed Ines along side with R2 and 3PO, leaving Luke and Joel alone.
"Tell me everything" Luke told Joel
Sighing, the young man started to tell Luke the meeting he had with her a week ago. Luke listened very carefully and after Joel stopped, Luke started to walked back and forth, thinking.
"I couldn't do it. You could've put me in jail back then and you didn't, you let me go, you allowed me to take care of my sister. I felt like I own you, so I couldn't do it. I couldn't take your baby away because if that happened with my sister I would be devastated"
"Thank you Joel. I appreciate your honesty. But this is a big opportunity to catch her once and for all" Luke replied thinking.
"So what do you plan to do?"
"Go to that meeting with her tonight just like planned. I will talk to my friends, and let's say she will have a big surprise" he smiled at the young man and pat his shoulder.
After Joel left with Iris, Luke sat next to Ines and told her everything and his plan.
"Do you think it will work?" Ines asked holding her son closer to her.
"It has to work. This is now or never. She will not get closer to our baby, I promise" he said looking at his boy. He promise that since they day he knew he was inside Ines that he would protected him forever and today was the day.
At night:
Joel was nervous, but the plan was he head to the place where he was supposed to meet with her. It was night already and the place where far away from the city life of Coruscant. It was the part of Coruscant where the fabrics were, releasing smoke towards the atmosphere. It was the first time he went to those parts and there was a reason why those parts were always desert, because it was scary.
He walked towards the spot, and there she was. Taking a deep breath he walked towards her. The moment she saw him, she spoke
"You're late?"
"Sorry, it the first time I came into these parts of the city." he said.
"Did you go the Temple like I told you?"
"Yes I did"
"And did you see the baby?"
"Yes I did" he continue
"And?"
"And you will not get closer to my son Shira" a voice came behind her, making her turn and anger ran towards her face, when she saw the last person she wanted to see there
"Luke" she said and turning to the young man "You…" and grabbing her blaster she was about to shot at him but Luke stopped the shot in mid air and throw it away from Joel, giving time for young man to run and hide. Turning to face Luke she tried to shot at him but with a simple gesture with his hand he crush the blaster in Shira hand.
"As you see, I'm not the same Luke you met years ago" he told her
"Neither am I" she said and grabbing her lightwhip she swung back at Luke who blocked with his lightsaber and was able to avoid being hit. Jumping above her, Luke landing behind her, and with a quick move he kicked her in the stomach, making her hit the floor.
"I see you became a nice fighter too" she said looking at him
"I had a great teacher" he said
"Of course. Talia" she said standing up
"Actually her last name is Skywalker now" Luke said. "Give yourself in Shira. You can't win. I don't want to kill you"
"You wont win this time Skywalker. Look at you. You are alone. Nobody is here to fight with you" she laughed.
"He is never alone" a female voice came behind her making Shira turn seeing Ines, and behind her, the Squad appeared, holding their guns towards her, especially Han, Chewie and Leia.
"As you see Shira, you can't win" Luke told her.
Looking around, Shira turn her lightwhip and attacked Ines, who blocked with her lightsaber as the two girls started to fight. Luke knew that Ines needed that and ordered to the others to hold fire for now as he kept an eye on them.
Ines blocked the swing and spinning around, she faced Shira as the two women stood there face to face breathing heavily.
"You can maneuver that lightsaber" Shira told her
"I had a great teacher" Ines replied "Just give up Shira, for your own good"
Shira smiled
"If I'm going down I'm sure I will take some of you with me" and in a quick move, she grabbed a small gun and pointed at Wedge, a gun shot was heard.
"No" someone yelled and Ines turn to see Joel, being held by Wedge. The young man stood in front of the pilot, with blood coming down his chest. Luke ran towards him and pressed the wound.
"Just press to stopped the bleeding" he said
Ines turned to Shira and the two started to fight, circling around. Shira kept swirling the lightwhip being able to wrapped around Ines lightsaber blade, giving her a difficult time to hold on to it.
"Maybe you are not a good Jedi as you think, Ines" Shira said with a grin on her face. Ines was getting tired trying to unwrapped her lightsaber from it.
Feeling that, Luke spoke to her through the force.
Babe catch
Without even look behind, Ines kick Shira knee making her tumble down, which made the grip on Ines lightsaber loose and pulling away, she spun and catching Luke's lightsaber in the air she turn it on and stabbed Shira right on the chest, catching the Lady Sith off guard.
Grinning in pain Shira fall on the floor, gasping for air.
"You left me no choice Shira" Ines said standing up holding hers and Luke's lightsaber.
Luke ran towards her and looked at Shira
"Why?" he asked her
"If you think my death will end everything, you are wrong. I'm only the beginning. The Empire is out there and they will come, sooner than you think" she said and with her last breath she died, making Ines look at Luke who pulled her into his arms, relieve that she was okay.
"Luke" Han called him and they both ran towards Joel
"We better get into the Hospital" Ines told
"He will not make it" Leia replied looking at the young man.
Joel looked at Luke
"Don't let my sister be all alone. Please take care of her. Promise me. Please" he asked grabbing Luke's hand
"I promise" Luke told him and with a smile Joel closed his eyes and died leaving everyone around him in silence. In the end that young man gave his life for one of them.
Shira is dead but so is Joel. What did she mean by that? And what will happen to the Iris now?