Chapter 11: The Darkness

Kira awoke with a scream and drenched in sweat. Instantly she felt arms wrap around her and a soothing "shh".

"Kira, it's alright. You're alright. It was just a bad dream."

Kira turned and saw Kal's head laying on her shoulder. She looked behind him at the room and noticed they were in their room aboard their ship.

She immediately pushed him down onto the bed and pounced on him, straddling, and kissing him senseless. When the need for air become too much they broke apart.

Panting, Kal said, "Wow. What was that for?"

Finding herself a little short of breath too, she said "I had this horrible dream. The galaxy was falling apart and you… you were taken from me," she finished off with tears forming in her eyes.

Kal sat up straight on the bed and pulled Kira in close. Kira reciprocated and wrapped her arms around him tightly.

"I'm never leaving you Kira. Doesn't matter what tries to stop me. I'll always come back to you and Kara," Kal said stroking his hand through her hair.

"Kara?" asked Kira.

"Oh, crap that reminds me," Kal said gently grabbing her and pushing her off him. He hurriedly got out of bed and grabbed for clothes discarded on the floor. He threw Kira a long shirt and some panties.

"Quick get dressed," he said.

She looked down and for the first time she noticed that neither of them were wearing anything. She put the panties on then threw the shirt over her head. When she turned around, she saw Kal just finishing putting his pants on.

"Wait what was that about-" she stopped when she heard the door to the room slide open.

"Mommy!" cried out a little voice.

She turned in time just to feel a missile barrel into her and force her back onto the bed.

"Hey where's my hug," she heard Kal say.

"Daddy!" the little girl screamed before running off to her father.

"How was your time with Aunt Lana?" Kal asked the girl.

"It was super duper cool," the little girl said excitedly. "First she helped me train with a lightsaber and then she taught me how to shoot lightning from my fingertips. I blasted this droid, and it went all fidgety and then sparks shot out and then it exploded," she said mirroring an explosion with her hands.

"Oh, did she," Kal gritted out between closed teeth.

Kira knew that was a sign that Kal was annoyed but their… daughter, she guessed, hadn't learnt that fact yet.

Kira stared at Kal's… her… their daughter. The little girl couldn't have been older then maybe five years old. She had the same hair as her. A beautiful auburn color, and the same blue eyes as her. She had pale skin and just seemed to exude happiness.

"Yeah, it was awesome! Come on! Come on! I want to show you!" she said, her tiny hand grabbing a hold of Kal's pants and tugging.

"Haha, ok, ok. I'm coming," he said. When they reached the door to the room he turned to look back at Kira.

"Are you coming mommy?" he asked her.

"Huh?" Kira said as she was dragged out of her thoughts. "Oh yeah… yeah… be right… there."

Kal gave her a weird look, probably sensing there was something wrong with her, but he merely nodded and let himself be dragged their daughter.

Kira stood up from the bed and looked around for some pants. While she was rummaging, she could faintly hear Kal and Kara talking.

"Yeah, so then it went boom, and I shocked another one and then it also went kaboom, and then…" was all she could make out before they entered the lounge of the ship.

Finally finding a pair of pants hanging off the top of the dresser she grabbed them and put them on.

'Guess we had fun last night,' Kira thought to herself.

Walking out she looked around the ship and noticed that it looked the same as it always did. She noticed the door leading to the lower half of the ship was closed, which was unusual, but nothing she concerned herself with.

She was at the steps to the lounge and about to walk up them when she heard a faint scream. She looked around didn't see anything around her.

About to write it off, she turned back to walk into the lounge when she heard the sound again. Turning to her left she walked up to the door that leads to the lower level. Putting her ear up against the door she listened for the scream.

'Well, it's definitely coming from the lower levels of the ship.'

She stepped back and raised her hand to push the button to open the door but stopped and pulled her hand back to her chest when she felt a dark presence. It chilled her down to the bone, but she shook it off and focused.

'I'm a Jedi. I can do this,' she told herself.

Steadying herself she raised her hand back again to open the door but was interrupted by a yell coming from the lounge.

"Mommyyyyyyyyy! Where are you!" her daughter yelled out.

"Coming," Kira yelled back out.

She took one last look at the door then turned and walked into the lounge. She was greeted with the sight of her daughter shooting lightning at her husband.

Her husband was standing there, white lightsaber in hand, absorbing the lightning and both parties had big smiles on their faces.

'Since when was his lightsaber white?'

Upon seeing Kira standing there, the two of them took a break.

"Wow Aunt Lana did an amazing job teaching you how to do that," Kal said.

Kara giggled and nodded her head up and down very fast in agreement.

"I want to learn how to block lightning like you do," Kara said.

"I'll teach you, in due time," Kal answered back.

Kara didn't like that answer however and began pouting.

"I want to learn now though," she said stomping one of her feet on the ground.

"Kara," chided Kal. "Part of what makes a Jedi is the ability to be patient."

"Yes daddy," she replied still sullen.

Kal took a look at his daughter standing there pouting and sighed.

"Come on and show mommy what you can do, I'm sure she'd love to see it."

"Okay!" Kara replied, a lot happy then she was a moment before.

Kal dragged out a practice dummy and placed it a few feet in front of Kara. Afterwards he moved over to Kira's side and stood next to her.

"She's really something isn't she?" he said.

Kira stood there watching her daughter alternate shooting lightning between one and two hands, having a blast while doing so.

"She's… perfect," Kira replied, tears starting to fall down her face.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Kal asked, wrapping his arms around her from behind. "You've been acting strange ever since we woke up."

Kira wiped the tears from her face and then cleared her throat.

"Sorry, I've just been feeling a little… out of sorts since we woke up."

Kal turned her around and looked her up and down.

"If you're not feeling well, why don't you go lay down a little more," he said with a worried look on his face.

"Yeah… yeah, I think I'll try that," she replied.

"Ok," he said presenting a kiss to her forehead. "Go on, I'll watch the little on," he said with a smile on his face.

She smiled back at him.

"Thanks honey."

"Anytime."

Kira walked back into their room and laid down on the bed.

'What is happening?' she thought to herself as she fell asleep.

"Daddy, did mommy not like me shooting lightning?" Kara asked shyly.

"Oh, not at all sweetheart," he said picking her up and spinning her around. "She just wasn't feeling very well."

"Is she ok?" she asked worried now.

"She'll be fine sweetheart," Kal said.

"Can we do something to help her?" Kara asked.

Kal took a moment and thought about it. Suddenly an idea came to mind.

"Actually, there is something we could do for her. You willing to help?" Kal asked his daughter.

Kara nodded her head enthusiastically.

"Great! Now listen up, first we need to…"

Kira awoke once more on board their Defender corvette. She noticed she was alone in the room though that didn't last long as she heard the door to the room slide open.

"Alright not quiet Kara, we don't want to wake mommy and ruin the…" Kal trailed off upon noticing that Kira was awake.

Kara, a step behind her father, peered around his leg to see why he stopped moving.

"Surprise?" she shouted unsure, after seeing her mother awake.

"What's all this about?" Kira asked.

Kal finished walking into the room and laid a tray down above Kira's legs. On the tray laid an assortment of fresh, steaming hot food.

"Well, you weren't feeling well, and Kara and I wanted to do something for you. So, we decided that what could be better then waking up and having breakfast in bed," he said presenting her his trademark smile he always gave to her.

Meanwhile Kara had come around and was currently trying to pull herself up onto the bed.

Kira noticed her struggling and reached down and pulled her up onto the bed and into her arms.

"Well, this all looks amazing," she said looking down at the plates in front of her. "But there seems to be too much food for me to finish on my own, would anyone like to help me?"

"I will!" Kara exclaimed immediately.

Kal gave a small chuckle at that.

"Ha, no hesitation."

"She clearly gets that from you," Kira said eyeing him up.

"Hey," he said in mock offense. "She could get that from you."

Kira merely gave him a "really?" look.

"But in this instance, I do believe you are correct."

"I usually am, dear."

Kal gave another chuckle at that.

"That you are."

Kira looked down and saw that Kara was already in the process of stuffing her cheeks.

Now it was her turn to give a small laugh.

"I guess I should dig in before it's all gone."

Kira dug in and was surprised at how good it all tasted.

"My compliments to the chef. This is amazing."

"Well, she's in your arms right now," Kal said in response.

Kira finished the food in her mouth then looked down at Kara in surprise.

"You made this?" Kira asked her.

"Yup!" she answered back proudly.

"Well, she had some help," Kal gave as way of explanation.

"Nah, I did most of the work," Kara said with a grin on her face. Soon the whole family was laughing.

But then Kira began to hear that noise again. The faint sound of screaming.

"Do you hear that?" Kira asked.

"Hear what?" asked Kal

"That sound… I think someone's screaming."

"I don't hear anything Kira, it's probably nothing," Kal said waving her off.

Kira wasn't convinced though. She pushed the tray to the side and moved Kara around to her other side, closer to the bed, and stood up. She began walking to the door to the lower deck.

"Kira. Kira! Where are you going?" asked Kal as she walked out the door to the room.

She felt something pulling her to the lower decks. She had just reached the door and had her hand poised to push the button to open the door when she heard Kal behind her.

"Kira, I don't know what you think is down there but it's nothing. Why don't you come back to bed and finish breakfast?" he asked once again with that smile of his.

"There's something down there," she said determined.

"Mommy," Kira heard from behind her. "Why won't you come back to the bed?'

Kira faltered for a moment. Her hand hovering in the air, inches away from the button that would open the door. She pushed on though and pushed down on the button.

The door slid open, and the stairway looked normal… except for there being a doorway made of black mist where the lower bulkhead should be.

"What is this?" she asked turning around to face Kal, but Kal and Kara were gone.

"Alright, Kal and Kara have disappeared, there's a strange black mist on our ship, and I'm not sure I'm sane right now. In other words, just another normal day in our lives," she said aloud to herself.

"Well, I guess let's see what's up with you," she said looking at the mist.

She walked down the steps and stopped in front of the mist. Black tendrils were coming off it before breaking apart, evaporating into the air.

Kira raised her hand and pushed her fingers against it. She found they flew right through as if it wasn't even there.

"A headlong leap into the unknown? It really is just another day in my life," she said before walking through the mist.

When she finished piercing the veil, she found herself standing alone in a black expanse as far as she could see.

She turned around and noticed that she couldn't see where the door she had just walked through was.

Turning around she was now standing in the middle of a battlefield. Looking around she realized she recognized this battle. It was when Zakuul invaded Coruscant.

There were corpses everywhere and most of them were republic forces. Blaster singed armor laid everywhere. Discarded lightsabers whose owners fought to their last breath.

Then further ahead there was a ring of corpses consisting of Knights and Skytroopers.

Stood in the middle of the bodies was a woman standing there and a Knight of Zakuul on his knees. Kira walked closer to them to get a better look and her eyes widened in surprise when she realized she was staring at a younger version of herself.

This younger version had slightly longer hair that reached her shoulders, and a branding mark underneath her left eye. That mark was a gift from the overseers on Korriban. She had long removed it. But the most striking feature were the blood red eyes she had. *AN (1)

The younger version of herself and the Knight didn't seem to notice her presence. In fact, they didn't seem to be moving at all, almost as if they were frozen in time.

"How the mighty have fallen," a voice called out.

Kira looked around but couldn't see the speaker. She did recognize the voice however… it was her own.

Suddenly the world around her came to life. She could hear the sounds of distant blaster fire, explosions, ships flying overhead, and a horrible, pained scream.

"Tell me what I want to know!" the younger version of Kira screamed before electrocuting the Knight.

"Ahhh! Please… stop…" the young Knight begged.

The stench of burning flesh and melted metal were overwhelming.

"This can all be over if you tell me!"

Kira watched as the other her fired even more lightning at the Knight. Right before the lightning impacted the intended target time froze once more.

"No, no, I wouldn't do something like this," Kira said raising a hand to her face in disbelief.

"You clearly did, the proof is standing right in front of you."

Kira removed her hand and standing in front of her was herself, as she looked now, but her eyes were yellow.

She reached for her lightsaber but the other her grabbed it with the Force first and flew it over to her.

"You won't be needed this," she said before clipping the lightsaber to her belt.

"What is this?" Kira asked.

"This is you failing to run away from the truth," the other her said walking around the circle of corpses.

The other walked into the ring of corpses and touched the younger her. The younger one dissipated into cloud of smoke while the older one took her place. She raised her hands into the same position the younger one had them before time froze.

"No, please. You don't have to do this," Kira pleaded with her other self.

The other her turned and looked at her and then turned back to the Zakuul Knight.

"It's too late for that. You made sure of that," she said before time resumed and the Knight proceeded to be roasted alive once again.

"Ahh! Ok! Ok! I'll tell you," he said.

"Now that wasn't too hard now, was it?" she said with a smile. Just as quick as it came though, the smile went.

"Now speak before I lose my patience."

"He's being moved. Where I don't know, but they'll use the Idina to transport him…" the Knight took a second as breathing had become harder. "Please… that's all I know."

"Don't worry. I believe you," she said before igniting her lightsaber and decapitating him.

After that everything disappeared, and Kira was left alone in the black void once again.

"Well, that was rather fun now, wasn't it?" the other her asked as she appeared on Kira's left.

Kira looked at her horrified. "You're a monster."

"I am you, and you are me. You'd do well to remember that."

"What's the point of all this?" Kira asked.

"Oh poor, pathetic Kira," she said in a sickeningly sweet mocking tone. "I'm just here to show you your actions have consequences. Or did you think there would be no fallout?"

Saying that the other Kira disappeared. Kira turned when she heard a voice behind her.

"Kira… what have you done?" Kal asked her.

"Kal," Kira said taking a step closer to him but he reeled back.

"Stay away from me. You're a monster," he said before vanishing.

In his place Kara appeared.

"No mother of mine would ever be like that," she said.

"Kara, please," Kira pleaded.

"I hate you!" she screamed before vanishing.

"Why wouldn't you let me help you?" Lana asked appearing on her right. "We could have saved him together if you had just waited."

"I… I couldn't wait…" she tried to explain but it fell on deaf ears as Lana too turned around and disappeared.

"I can't believe I ever thought you could be a Jedi. I should have left you on Nar Shaddaa all those years ago."

"Master Kiwiiks, please, let me explain," she tried to say but Kiwiiks had already vanished.

"Mwahaha. This is just too perfect. Everyone who loved you has left you. And what are you left with now?" The other Kira asked before finishing coldly. "Nothing."

"Ahhh," Kira screamed. "I'm sick of you!"

Kira reached out and pulled her lightsaber back to her, turned it on, and impaled the other her. She was looking down and saw that she had stabbed it straight into her gut but when she looked up it wasn't her face she saw… it was Kal's.

He gave a light gasp. "Kira… why?" he asked before collapsing.

"No… no… no…," she said with tears streaming down as she caught him. "I'm sorry… I didn't mean to."

Kal looked at her one last time, with something akin to sadness and pity before he disintegrated in her arms.

"Yet again your temper gets the best of you," chided the other her who was now standing behind her.

"Please… make it stop…" Kira begged.

The other her never answered. She was looking off into the distance. Kira raised her gaze to follow what she was looking at and saw a blinding white light flying in towards her.

"We aren't finished here, I'll be seeing you again," the other her said but strangely this time the voice wasn't hers. It was a man's.

The white light overtook everything around her and eventually she was drowned in its light too.

Kira felt herself fall onto a metal floor and shakily raised herself to her feet.

"We don't have all day to stand around," she heard a female voice say.

"Just give her a second," said a male voice that sounded intimately familiar.

Kira tried to force her eyes open and was slightly successful in cracking them open a bit. Everything was blurry but she thought she could make out a shape.

"Kal?" she said weakly.

"Kira," he responded sweetly.

Kira began to feel like she was shaking and was losing her balance.

"Catch her, she's…" was the last thing she heard before she passed out.

AN: (1) If you want a visual of what she looks like, I'm using Kira's customization 8 exactly.

I don't know about you guys but I'm excited that Kira will soon be back. Not everything seems to be well with her though… Oh well I'm sure it will all work out in the end… right?

Anyways here's another update back-to-back. I don't know if there'll be another one tomorrow. Might take a rest now that I've done three chapters in quick succession.

As always, if you want to chat or have any questions feel free to send me a pm.

Until next time,

Magician

Published 8/3/21