Disclaimer type thing: The only character I own is Orranya. I'm just borrowing the others, and I will return them soon.
Orranya isn't a Mary Jo/Sue/Jane, at least, not any more of one than any of my other characters are.
This takes place a few days before TPM.
Now on with the story.
Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon were sparring in an empty hangar bay. Qui-Gon won with a fancy maneuver.
There was quiet applause from the doorway. Obi-Wan whipped around. Leaning against the doorframe with a feline grace was a tall woman wearing a fitted flightsuit. A lightsaber hung from her belt. Obi-Wan started forward, but Qui-Gon held out an arm to restrain him and crossed the room himself, his face going pale, "You're different." The woman smiled wanly at him, "Not much. The years have treated you well." She brushed past him and walked a predatory circle around Obi-Wan, "And is this your Padawan?" She ran a finger from Obi-Wan's cheekbone to the edge of his jaw. Obi-wan was startled by the touch, but didn't pull away. The woman smiled again, "Beautiful. Would you like a real sparring match Youngblood?" Obi-Wan looked past her at Qui-Gon who nodded once. A slow smile crept across Obi-Wan's face, "You're on"
The woman stepped back and ignited her lightsaber, the blade was a dark stormy gray. Obi-Wan nodded, "Carbonite focusing crystal?" The woman smiled in approval, "You've got sharp eyes Youngblood." She darted out trying to catch him across the shoulder, he dodged and swung his lightsaber up to block her.
After twenty minutes Obi-Wan finally managed to disarm the woman. She sprang, planting a double-footed kick to his chest, he sprawled backwards, and the woman landed straddling his chest. She flexed her fingers, extending claws against his throat, "Do you yield?" Obi-Wan swallowed hard, not able to speak, and not wanting to surrender.
"I suggest you yield Obi-Wan." Qui-Gon murmured from across the room, "Those claws are sharp." Obi-Wan locked eyes with the woman, she grinned, fangs peeking out over her bottom lip, "Don't test me Youngblood." Obi-Wan closed his eyes, "I yield." The woman retracted her claws, "Good boy." She stood, then helped Obi-Wan to his feet. She willed her lightsaber back and hooked it onto her belt. Obi-Wan turned to qui-Gon, "Pardon me for being forward Master, but who is this woman?"
"Why don't you ask her?" Obi-Wan turned back to the woman, "Who are you?"
"My name is Orranya Magus." She said, pronouncing the last name as 'may-goose'
"That doesn't answer my question."
"Yes, actually, it does. Just not in detail. I try not to reveal those. I'll tell you what though, I'll let you ask me three questions, and I'll answer them in detail. You too Qui-Gon, if you'd like."
"I'll see what Obi-Wan asks first, then decide if I need anything answered." Obi-Wan rubbed his chin thoughtfully, "Alright, first question, what are you other that human?"
"My father was Togorian, which explains the claws, eyes and leg strength. I'm also a Vampire, which explains the fangs and the reflexes."
"That's impossible. Vampires don't exist." Qui-Gon nodded sagely, "Yes they do Padawan. If they didn't, Orranya would be older than I am, or dead." Orranya smiled, "Or both." Obi-Wan thought again, "Second question. Who trained you?"
"Officially, no one. By the time anyone realized my potential, I was too old to begin training and no one wanted an untrained half-breed as a Padawan. My mother did the best she could."
"You're beginning to make more sense to me now. Final question. How did you meet Master Qui-Gon?"
"Shortly after I turned, he just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. So I used him as an outlet for all my pent up frustration at the Jedi. He wasn't too much older than you are now." Orranya turned to Qui-Gon, "So, your Padawan has had his questions, is there anything that you want answered?" Qui-Gon nodded, "Yes actually, how did you get rid of the shadow of the Dark Side?" Orranya smiled sadly, "I haven't really. It's still there. It's just not in control anymore."
"Strange. I don't sense it at all. You're sure it's still there?" Orranya rested her hand on Qui-Gon's chest, her eyes fluttered closed in concentration. Qui-Gon gasped sharply, Obi-Wan was worried, "Master? Are you alright?" Qui-Gon had taken Orranya's hand, locking his fingers with hers, "I'm fine Padawan. I was merely surprised."
"Why"
Orranya took her hand from Qui-Gon, who seemed to slump when the connection was broken. She turned to Obi-Wan, "Give me your hand Youngblood. Don't worry Qui-Gon, it won't hurt him any more than it did you." She took Obi-Wan's hand and concentrated again. Obi-Wan's breath caught in his throat and he snatched his hand away, "What is that?"
"That's the Dark Side, Youngblood. That's what it feels like to have it hanging over you every day of your Immortal life, waiting for you to slip up, biding its time until it can claim you again." Obi-Wan ran his fingers through his hair, "You speak about it as if it had sentience." Qui-Gon sighed, "Padawan, how many times have I told you to be mindful of the living Force? If the Ashla can be alive, why not the Bogan?"
"I understand Master. I'll be more mindful in the future." Qui-Gon turned to Orranya, she seemed somehow smaller, more restrained than she had when she'd entered the hangar half an hour before, "Why are you here Orranya?"
"To apologize for what I did all those years ago. And because there's something I need to tell you. In private." Qui-Gon looked deeply into Orranya's catlike eyes, trying to sense any ill intent, "Obi-Wan, return to your quarters and finish packing."
"But Master,"
"Don't question me on this Padawan." Obi-Wan left, shutting the hangar door behind him. Orranya put up a Force bubble around Qui-Gon and herself, "To shield us from prying minds."
"Obi-Wan would never..."
"I know. He trusts you. But there are other, more curious, minds out there."
"So, what do you need to tell me?"
"It's bad news."
"I know. You wouldn't have wanted privacy otherwise. You know me Orranya, probably better than I know myself. Whatever the news is you don't need to sugarcoat it." Orranya closed her eyes, "You're going to die on this mission."
"Diplomatic negotiations are rarely fatal."
"Don't mock me Qui-Gon."
"I wasn't mocking you Orranya. Merely stating a fact. How do you know?"
"How could you tell that I'd changed? I can sense it." Orranya sighed heavily, "I can also sense that you're going to go anyway." Qui-Gon put his fingers under Orranya's chin and looked her in the eyes again, "You can't be sure that I'm going to die. The future always changes. I never thought I'd see you again, but here you are."
"I've got to leave now Qui-Gon." She leaned up and kissed him on the forehead, "May the Force be with you." She dissipated the Force bubble and walked away without looking back. Qui-Gon brushed his fingers across his head where she had kissed him, "And with you Orranya."
Orranya isn't a Mary Jo/Sue/Jane, at least, not any more of one than any of my other characters are.
This takes place a few days before TPM.
Now on with the story.
Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon were sparring in an empty hangar bay. Qui-Gon won with a fancy maneuver.
There was quiet applause from the doorway. Obi-Wan whipped around. Leaning against the doorframe with a feline grace was a tall woman wearing a fitted flightsuit. A lightsaber hung from her belt. Obi-Wan started forward, but Qui-Gon held out an arm to restrain him and crossed the room himself, his face going pale, "You're different." The woman smiled wanly at him, "Not much. The years have treated you well." She brushed past him and walked a predatory circle around Obi-Wan, "And is this your Padawan?" She ran a finger from Obi-Wan's cheekbone to the edge of his jaw. Obi-wan was startled by the touch, but didn't pull away. The woman smiled again, "Beautiful. Would you like a real sparring match Youngblood?" Obi-Wan looked past her at Qui-Gon who nodded once. A slow smile crept across Obi-Wan's face, "You're on"
The woman stepped back and ignited her lightsaber, the blade was a dark stormy gray. Obi-Wan nodded, "Carbonite focusing crystal?" The woman smiled in approval, "You've got sharp eyes Youngblood." She darted out trying to catch him across the shoulder, he dodged and swung his lightsaber up to block her.
After twenty minutes Obi-Wan finally managed to disarm the woman. She sprang, planting a double-footed kick to his chest, he sprawled backwards, and the woman landed straddling his chest. She flexed her fingers, extending claws against his throat, "Do you yield?" Obi-Wan swallowed hard, not able to speak, and not wanting to surrender.
"I suggest you yield Obi-Wan." Qui-Gon murmured from across the room, "Those claws are sharp." Obi-Wan locked eyes with the woman, she grinned, fangs peeking out over her bottom lip, "Don't test me Youngblood." Obi-Wan closed his eyes, "I yield." The woman retracted her claws, "Good boy." She stood, then helped Obi-Wan to his feet. She willed her lightsaber back and hooked it onto her belt. Obi-Wan turned to qui-Gon, "Pardon me for being forward Master, but who is this woman?"
"Why don't you ask her?" Obi-Wan turned back to the woman, "Who are you?"
"My name is Orranya Magus." She said, pronouncing the last name as 'may-goose'
"That doesn't answer my question."
"Yes, actually, it does. Just not in detail. I try not to reveal those. I'll tell you what though, I'll let you ask me three questions, and I'll answer them in detail. You too Qui-Gon, if you'd like."
"I'll see what Obi-Wan asks first, then decide if I need anything answered." Obi-Wan rubbed his chin thoughtfully, "Alright, first question, what are you other that human?"
"My father was Togorian, which explains the claws, eyes and leg strength. I'm also a Vampire, which explains the fangs and the reflexes."
"That's impossible. Vampires don't exist." Qui-Gon nodded sagely, "Yes they do Padawan. If they didn't, Orranya would be older than I am, or dead." Orranya smiled, "Or both." Obi-Wan thought again, "Second question. Who trained you?"
"Officially, no one. By the time anyone realized my potential, I was too old to begin training and no one wanted an untrained half-breed as a Padawan. My mother did the best she could."
"You're beginning to make more sense to me now. Final question. How did you meet Master Qui-Gon?"
"Shortly after I turned, he just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. So I used him as an outlet for all my pent up frustration at the Jedi. He wasn't too much older than you are now." Orranya turned to Qui-Gon, "So, your Padawan has had his questions, is there anything that you want answered?" Qui-Gon nodded, "Yes actually, how did you get rid of the shadow of the Dark Side?" Orranya smiled sadly, "I haven't really. It's still there. It's just not in control anymore."
"Strange. I don't sense it at all. You're sure it's still there?" Orranya rested her hand on Qui-Gon's chest, her eyes fluttered closed in concentration. Qui-Gon gasped sharply, Obi-Wan was worried, "Master? Are you alright?" Qui-Gon had taken Orranya's hand, locking his fingers with hers, "I'm fine Padawan. I was merely surprised."
"Why"
Orranya took her hand from Qui-Gon, who seemed to slump when the connection was broken. She turned to Obi-Wan, "Give me your hand Youngblood. Don't worry Qui-Gon, it won't hurt him any more than it did you." She took Obi-Wan's hand and concentrated again. Obi-Wan's breath caught in his throat and he snatched his hand away, "What is that?"
"That's the Dark Side, Youngblood. That's what it feels like to have it hanging over you every day of your Immortal life, waiting for you to slip up, biding its time until it can claim you again." Obi-Wan ran his fingers through his hair, "You speak about it as if it had sentience." Qui-Gon sighed, "Padawan, how many times have I told you to be mindful of the living Force? If the Ashla can be alive, why not the Bogan?"
"I understand Master. I'll be more mindful in the future." Qui-Gon turned to Orranya, she seemed somehow smaller, more restrained than she had when she'd entered the hangar half an hour before, "Why are you here Orranya?"
"To apologize for what I did all those years ago. And because there's something I need to tell you. In private." Qui-Gon looked deeply into Orranya's catlike eyes, trying to sense any ill intent, "Obi-Wan, return to your quarters and finish packing."
"But Master,"
"Don't question me on this Padawan." Obi-Wan left, shutting the hangar door behind him. Orranya put up a Force bubble around Qui-Gon and herself, "To shield us from prying minds."
"Obi-Wan would never..."
"I know. He trusts you. But there are other, more curious, minds out there."
"So, what do you need to tell me?"
"It's bad news."
"I know. You wouldn't have wanted privacy otherwise. You know me Orranya, probably better than I know myself. Whatever the news is you don't need to sugarcoat it." Orranya closed her eyes, "You're going to die on this mission."
"Diplomatic negotiations are rarely fatal."
"Don't mock me Qui-Gon."
"I wasn't mocking you Orranya. Merely stating a fact. How do you know?"
"How could you tell that I'd changed? I can sense it." Orranya sighed heavily, "I can also sense that you're going to go anyway." Qui-Gon put his fingers under Orranya's chin and looked her in the eyes again, "You can't be sure that I'm going to die. The future always changes. I never thought I'd see you again, but here you are."
"I've got to leave now Qui-Gon." She leaned up and kissed him on the forehead, "May the Force be with you." She dissipated the Force bubble and walked away without looking back. Qui-Gon brushed his fingers across his head where she had kissed him, "And with you Orranya."