Knight-Errantly Chapter Sixteen
Jacen wakes before his sister. He's always been an early riser and wakes with their mother. Except she isn't here. He readies himself for early morning training in the 'fresher and then uses the Force to silence his footsteps as leaves Zev and Jaina behind. He heads for the courtyard with his training saber, a wooden sword, tucked into his waist sash. In another ten minutes, his sister will join him and practice Form I with him for an hour. Then, they'll run through the basics of the other forms until they felt ready to face each other. After that, they'll practice their hand-to-hand combat. This has been their routine for a couple of years now, and, rarely, has it been interrupted, barring sickness or injury.
He's at the courtyard's threshold when he's tackled from behind and sent tumbling into the dirt. Unfortunately, he's not strong in the more physical aspects of the Force, so he can't just use telekinesis to send his opponent flying. His mother did train him to handle when he's been ambushed. He quickly elbows the person in the stomach with all the force he can muster and feels those arms loosen; he wiggles out of the hold and quickly gets up to see his assailant.
"Ben? Or is it the Sith whatever that's in control right now?" The yellow eyes give him the answer. "What are you?"
"I am the Dead-Star Dragon! I consume dead stars until I made the mistake of trying to eat Ben and wound up trapped in his body!"
"I've never heard of any spacefaring creature that consumed stars, let alone a dragon." Jacen crosses his arms. "Anymore to your backstory?"
"Don't sass me, kid! I nearly ate your grandfather, but that jackass crushed my chest in!"
"Human beings aren't stars."
"In the Force, he was one!"
"Okay, so you may be a creature that feeds on the Force then, but I'm pretty sure there would be an entry in Senator Amidala's diary that her husband killed a Force-eating dragon." Yellow eyes give way to brown.
"She had a diary?"
"Yes, an actual shaak leather-bound diary with paper."
"How did you get it?"
"My mother procured it."
"She stole it."
"I can't legally confirm nor deny your accusation."
"I'm pretty certain several museums in Naboo would want it."
"I'm more certain that her Naberrie relations would want it more." Posted a substantial reward for the return of the dairy or knowledge of its whereabouts, though it got lowered after Ruwee's death. Great-grandmother is still alive though, but I doubt she wants to be haunted by the ghost of her daughter anymore.
"Oh, I get it now."
"Get what?"
"You're going to blackmail them into getting Naboo citizenship!" Ben declared in a bluntness more suited for the Dead-Star Dragon inside him.
"Hardly!" Jacen sneered. "Do you really think that would work on them? A bastard relation pressuring them for recognition. Besides, I doubt the Queen would approve of such an Imperial method."
"Then, why keep the diary?"
"Is it so hard to believe that I just want to know her? I wanted to know how she truly was when away from the Senate and media. I wanted to know why in the Seven Sith Hells that a woman as accomplished as her would impulsively marry a nineteen-year-old that she hasn't talked to in ten years," he paused and then added softly, "I wanted to know if I could be good like her."
"She really is your hero, isn't she?" Ben regards him with a gentle look in his brown eyes, a look very reminiscent of one that Padmé gave in her holos to her friends.
"Well, my mother is, even if she denounces the absolutes of good and evil, but she comes a close second."
"We're the same in that regard." They share a smile. Ben then asked, "Do you need a sparring partner?"
"Yeah, I could use one until my sister shows up."
Luke's first glimpse of his children are them fighting each other. Jaina has her brother pin to the ground with Ben counting down like a sporting match. Mara told him, or rather warned him, on the way over that Jaina is the aggressive twin, while Jacen is the passive one. He presumed it was just through verbal arguments, but he is evidently wrong.
"3, 2, 1! And Jaina wins!" Ben whistled like a professional referee. Jaina lets go of Jacen and stands up with such a cocky grin that reminds him a lot of Han's when he's being unbearably smug.
"Jacen is better with a lightsaber than he is with hand-to-hand combat, while Jaina is the opposite as you can see, though she is quiet diligent with practicing her forms," Mara informed him.
"I think that's the same grapple you used on me. Is it from the Echani martial art?" She nods approvingly.
"She took quite a shine to it since it is another form of communication. Jacen prefers to use words, but Jaina can find talking not adequate."
"I wonder where she learned that from," he muttered. He then feels himself being pushed with the Force out from behind the wall hiding them from the children. He turns his fall into a handstand.
And so, this is the first glimpse the twins get of their father.
Ben feels a whirlwind of confusion and disbelief in his shared mind. Most of it is understandably from Dead-Star since he didn't expect Luke to do a handstand, while some of it is from Ben because he didn't think his uncle would show up so soon.
Is this another human greeting?
No, he was just trying to prevent his own fall.
Why didn't he use the Force to keep himself upright?
Because he wouldn't use it for something this small. Or he really didn't expect his own fall.
They both watch the twins' reactions. Jacen looks horrified like he's come across a dead body, while Jaina is grinning more than a spider-monkey hopped up on spice. She bolts to the Jedi Master and skids to a halt only half a meter from him. Ben uses the Force to make his hearing acute.
"Did you catch our match?" Jaina asked excitedly. Luke blinks owlishly, clearly expecting her to ask where he's been all these years.
"I saw the end of it. You're really strong," he replied uncomfortably. His uncle looks completely out of his element and adds more worry lines to his face.
"I beat him at hand-to-hand, but he beat me in our duel. I went overboard with Ataru and its flips, so I wore myself out," she sighed.
"Ataru does require a lot of energy; you shouldn't use only that form, especially in a drawn-out fight," Luke advised with the confidence of a seasoned Master. "Do you know any other forms?"
"I know them all at a beginner's level, but I like to use Niman too."
"I was expecting you to say Form V."
"I find Shien/Djem So to be far more draining than Ataru and not very useful for me, given my lack of height and muscles, while Niman is more practical and lets me use my blaster!" She then kneels to the ground to be at his eye-level. "Aren't you bothered by all that blood rushing to your head?"
"Ah, right," Luke said sheepishly. He then lets himself fall back onto the ground with a slight thud and puts his arms behind his head like he's stargazing. "That's better!"
"You're silly like Zev!" she giggled.
"Laying it on a little thick, sis." Ben looks back at Jacen. Irritation has replaced the fear on the freckled face. His lips are twisted into a sour expression that would spoil blue milk.
"What are you so bitter about?" Dead-Star's words leave Ben's lips before Ben could stop him.
"I'm not bitter," he insisted tersely. "She shouldn't have to put on an act for him!"
"In what way is she acting? She seems genuinely happy to see her dad for the first time in her life," Ben pointed out.
"She thinks she is because Skywalker is fitting her vision of him. He's genial and completely accepting of her, but the real test will come when my sister can't be his perfect daughter and be disappointed by her."
"You presume that my uncle has standards for his children to live up too," Ben scoffed. "He never thought he'd have kids, so he really doesn't have any expectations for the both of you. He's probably more worried that he'll screw up in being a father."
Jacen scowls at him.
"It's too late for that." His green eyes then look at the right wall by the arc and just nods his head. It's then that Mara Jade comes into the courtyard, making Luke and Jaina stop their conversation at her approach. Jacen dutifully goes to his mother with Ben trailing after him.
I'm surprised that she allowed for all this.
It's not like she expected her daughter to steal my comlink! Speaking of which, I really need to get it back from her. I haven't talked to Armitage in so long.
It's been a day and a half.
I was exaggerating.
He's under forced bedrest by that droid; I doubt he'd be allowed to talk to us.
So true, I hope he's sleeping well.
Armitage scours Lady Lumiya's databanks and star-charts for Kef Bir. He's far from the medbay, but Waste is currently dealing with a medical emergency in the hangar, so he's hoping to make it back there before Waste. Currently, he's in the Records Room where his uncle stores various sets of data; mostly books and datapads, but old star-charts are here too.
AH-CHOO!
The Records Room is also the coldest room on the entire frigate. He shivers under his thin medbay blanket, but he soldiers on.
I've been at this for like half an hour! I haven't found anything close to what I'm looking for, and I still have like a hundred systems to go through!
He hears the door slide open and keeps as silent as possible. He hopes it's just one of the crew getting something they left behind, but he hears the all too familiar creaking of a certain meddroid.
Don't make a sound! Breathe through your nose! His audio receptors are super sharp! Oh no, I'm shaking! When I'm skulking around in the Academy's library after curfew, I'm calmer than this! Stay calm! OH NO!
He loses his grip on the star-chart and tries to catch it, but it hits the ground with a clatter. His slip-up costs him dearly. Waste speeds right to his spot and crosses his rust red arms.
"You should be resting, Armitage."
"Um, I, uh, lost my comlink?"
"You mean this one?" Waste procures it from his medic kit. "It was on top of your pillow."
"Ah, there it was! Thank you, Waste, I had a really important comm to take too!"
"With whom?"
"U-Uh, Tenel Ka Djo!" I just had to choose the first name to pop in my head, and one that is so far away!
"Then, comm her."
Please, don't let her be in an important meeting, so she can answer and maybe save me, he prayed as he searches for her frequency. He hails her and waits a long minute before it finally connects.
"Armitage, is that you?" Her voice has a bit of static to it considering the distance between Nagi and Hapes.
"Hey, Tenel, I am!" he said eagerly under Waste's watchful optics. "Thanks for getting back to me about my question."
"Question? Oh yes, here I was thinking you were going to inform me on your latest kidnapping."
"Well, it's not latest anymore, but I did get kidnapped by a Sith Spirit and I wasn't alone. I'll tell you more about it later. I just wanted to ask if you have ever heard of Kef Bir."
"Kef Bir? It doesn't ring any chimes. Is it a person or a planet?"
"Planet, I think."
"I have never of such a world, and it's certainly not in my system. Have you tried searching through your star-charts of the Unknown Regions?"
"Yeah, but I've got nothing so far."
"Well, keep searching."
"Will do." The static makes their connection screech for a second before returning to normal.
"Where are you? Are you deep in Chiss Space again?"
"Actually, I'm right outside of Nagi. I was supposed to play translator for the Organa-Solo family, but I got injured."
"I'm surprised that they would allow a First Order flunky in their presence."
"Hey! I'm best friends with their son! Besides, I'm taking a break from the Order. Not even sure if I should go back."
"It sounds like an early life day present for yourself. Speaking of which, I look forward to attending your life day party next month."
"Oh yeah, I found out I'm turning fifteen, not fourteen."
"Of course, you are. You were born in 0 ABY, so you would be fifteen."
"I realize that now. I have a very long story to tell how I got to that realization, and it involves a Sith Spirit, a dragon that eats dead stars, and Mon Mothma."
"I would love to hear it, but I must get back to my father. My great-aunts were being quite vicious to my father at the last council meeting, so I must make sure they aren't planning to poison my regent. Again."
"Ah, I get it. See you at the party then!"
"Goodbye, Armitage, and try not to get kidnap again." And then it's silent on her end. Armitage turns off his comlink and then hands it back to Waste.
"Armitage, you broke your word."
"I know."
"Then, you will understand why you won't be leaving the medbay today."
"I figured. Hey, Waste, have you ever heard of Kef Bir?"
"No, I have not, nor do I think it's in the Unknown Regions since I've been with your uncle for twenty years, seven months, and eight days to this date."
"Yeah, I figured I wouldn't get that lucky," he groaned.
Seashells decorate the walls of the dining hall, depicting mundane scenes of food production. Blue and green shells are used exclusively for scenes of fishing and rice paddies. Red and pink shells are used for meat and fires. Finally, there's a grand mural depicting a harvest festival with white shelled Nagai dancing in circles.
Luke wonders if the blot of rice porridge will stain the seashell fire. Considering the scolding that a Nagai child is receiving from their caretaker, the porridge is now part of the art henceforth.
This is more like a cafeteria, he thought. There is one long table nearly five meters in length that holds everyone's breakfast. He sees rice porridge, various cooked eggs, tuber hashes, and dried fish. Aside from the Nagai children and their various caretakers, Mara told him that Nihl lets the local orphanage have their meals there, there are children of other species. Zeltron, Voss, Chiss, and a smattering of other Near-Humans that he has never seen or heard of until now. And most of these children have the Force.
"So many have the Force!" he said with amazement.
"So, the Force is lacking in the New Republic? Gee, I wonder why," Jacen remarked dryly before heading for the buffet table.
"Jacen is such a grump when he's hungry!" Jaina explained sweetly and then hollered after Jacen, "Hey! Save me some of those fried eggs!"
She runs to the table, leaving behind her parents and cousin. Ben looks up at him, and Luke just nods and lets the boy join his cousins into the morning fray. Now, it's just him and Mara.
"Mara, why are there so many Force-users gathered here? They can't all possibly live here."
"It's for the festival, Luke. Every year since the Liberation of Firefist, Warlord Nihl invites the various Force groups to the Festival of Last Harvest. It's a chance for them to exchange their knowledge on the Force while providing labor in exchange for food and lodging."
"I can sense the Dark Side from this Warlord Nihl, yet there are so many who use the Light Side here."
"It's because he's not a Sith. He's a Dark Sider, even got some training from the Sorcerers of Tund, but he's no Sith. He isn't going to kill you or any Light Siders, and vice versa. Besides, the Grays, Light and Dark bent, were exiled to the Unknown Regions by a mutual enemy: Jedi."
"What? When did all of this happened?" It couldn't have been during Yoda's time. I would've found something about a mass exile from one of my books or scrolls.
"For some, millennia ago, so most of their descendants don't really care to carry their ancestors' grievances and viewed the Jedi more like fairytale monsters. Recently, you had the Handmaiden Sisters. They were originally Echani sisters that provided the Jedi support and eliminated any Jedi that went to the Dark Side, but they were exiled shortly after the Treaty of Ruusan when the Jedi Order became stricter about its tenants and viewed the Sisters as far too Gray for their liking. The Sisters raised their children a to kill any Jedi they come across because they believed that the Jedi have truly gone to the Dark Side for discarding them. Those poor Green Jedi, the Jedi for Corellia, never made it far in the Unknown Regions once they encountered the Sisters."
"Are any of them here?"
"No. They believe in only associating with Light Siders such as the Fallanassi. Honestly, I find them very haughty, but they are quite exceptional in the martial arts."
"Does everyone hate the Jedi here?"
"Luke, you'll be fine, so long as you don't try to forcibly convert someone to the Jedi cause. I would be more worried about your nephew, Ben."
"Ben? Did something happen?" He didn't try to hurt some kid with the Force again. He seems much calmer, though the Force around him is far more clouded. He can't be still suffering some side-effect of being trapped with that Sith Spirit. Can he?
"Aside from Jaina stealing his comlink? No, not really. It's just there's something off about him. Like there's something hidden inside of him. I don't know if it's Light or Dark. Or something else entirely."
"He is a child that is very strong in the Force. Perhaps, too much at his age."
"Keep an eye on him." She then added, "It's quite possible that amongst the Grays, he'll find a group better suited to his needs."
"I'm doing the best I can, Mara," Luke replied tiredly.
"I know, Luke. I hope I'm wrong. Not just for your sake." She then looks at their children as they eat their breakfast. Ben sits right at the opposite of them at a table. He says something to Jaina, and she then tosses a comlink right at him. He fumbles and it lands right into his porridge. Jaina looks sheepishly at him, but Ben just sighs. No tantrum, no fuss, not even a shout.
Maybe being around family is keeping his temper in check. Or maybe, it's something else.
Armitage slurps his noodles listlessly. The meddroid made sure to confiscate anything remotely stimulating, save for the comlink, limiting Armitage to sleeping and eating for most of the day. He did comm people. He found out that Skywalker left his sire in charge of the Jedi Praxeum, while he dealt with his newfound children. He tried hailing Jaina and Jacen several times to find out their feelings on meeting their birth father for the first time, but the twins never answered.
Right as he drinks the spicy garlic broth, his comlink beeps to life. He tosses the bowl onto the nearby nightstand and quickly picks up his comlink to see the Prince's frequency.
"Jaina, you need to give Ben his comlink back right now!" he chided.
"She did, but it ended up in some porridge and had to be cleaned," Ben replied with some dryness.
"Prince! How are you and you-know-who?"
"Don't worry Dead-Star and I are away from anyone with ears bigger than mine."
"I don't think your ears are that big," Armitage mumbled. "Did your uncle make it to Nagi?"
"Yes, and without incident. The family reunion was joyful between him and Jaina but hostile on Jacen's end. Mara appeared mostly wary."
"Yeah, that sounds about right. What about you? How are you feeling about all this?"
"Amused, but I do feel bad for my uncle. He's trying so hard to be a father now, but Jacen isn't having it."
"And Dead-Star?"
"Annoyed, mostly, but hanging in there. He does wonder why you aren't here."
"Well, I got caught out of the medbay, and Waste decided to delay my release because of it."
"And why did you leave?"
"I'm trying to find out this planet called Kef Bir, but I don't think it's in the Unknown Regions."
"It isn't. It's in the Outer Rim."
"HAVE YOU BEEN THERE!?"
"No, but I know of it. It's an ocean world in the Endor system."
"It's all the way over there! Force, it'll take like a week to get there!"
"Why is Kef Bir suddenly important to you? All that's there are the burnt remnants of the second Death Star. Is this for the First Order?"
"Hells no! I think my father might be there."
"Your father? Ah, your other father. And what makes you think that?"
"I had a really vivid dream about it. I think he's in trouble and needs my help!"
"Have you told the Commandant about this?"
"Not yet. I wanted to make sure this place was real before telling him all this."
"It's real, but how do you know it was your father who sent you that dream?"
"He was in it. Besides, he's the only one who could get through my mental shields since he constructed them. It has to be him."
"Please, don't do anything rash like steal a ship and go there."
"I won't, but I can't just sit on it forever."
"I know, but let's just think about all this for a few days. My mother still has diplomatic ties to the Ewoks, so I can probably get you into the system, but only after this trip. Can you wait that long?"
"…Yeah."
"Great."
For now, Armitage pushes aside his dream and talks with Ben for the next hour over little things. Yet, he feels in his gut that maybe he'll get to Kef Bir sooner than he thinks.
Author's Comments- There are links this time.
By the way, the Jedi exiling a bunch of Grays is just part of the history of my stories for SW. It's not at all what happened in Legends/EU; usually they go into hiding like the Jedi or were just plain forgotten about by everyone including the writers. Anyways, now there are several plot threads to explore with this story now.
Next chapter: Patience is a virtue.
