Defintion of Genocide
by 'Spaced Out' Anna Bailie (
This is the third of whats going to be a four part series. I've been so encouraged by all the fabulous reviews, that I kept on going. I've started writing what is going to be rather large adendum to this series.
(Note: I'm looking for a beta reader to help me out with this series, and the next one. If you're interested e-mail me at the above address)
Please R and R!!
Beads of sweat dripped off Kyp's forehead, as he held himself perfectly balanced on one hand, as most of the objects in his room hovered of the ground. The new Dozen base was nestled actually inside a Nebula, near Yavin. Their heavily armoured ship, once a Calamarian Cruiser circled the actual core of the Nebula, as they prepared for new battles, and reflected on old ones.
Kyp had known guilt all his life, guilt for his past mistakes anc rimes. But since Sernpidal, he had discovered a new form of guilt. He didn't regret destroying the worldship, or even lying ot the New Republic. He only regretted lying to one person.
In his mind, he remembered Jaina when he had last seen her, looking so beautiful in the star light as she snarled at him. It had taken all of Kyp's self control not to pull her into his arms the second he saw her. And when hse was in his arms, her lips against his... and then her pulling away.
His concentration wavered, and Kyp let all the objects drop, lowering himself to the floor again. He sat there, panting and thinking.
Jaina had said that because of the worldship's destruction, they were responsible for every person who died in space. That they were responsible for genocide. Kyp stood up, grabbing a towel to wipe the sweat off of his chest, and looked towards the vid screen on the far wall of his room. He looked at it, wishing he could talk to Jaina right then.
What was genocide? Was he guilty of it, by orchestrating the destruction of the worldship, by lying about what it was. He honestly didn't know. One thing he did know, Yuuzhan Vong children floating in space woulnd't be weighing heavily on his conscience at night. The Empire had destroyed his family, had destroyed millions of familes. But the YuuzhanVong... had killed millions in a little more than a year. They had killed civilians, and deserved whatever they got.
He would have thought that of all people, Jaina would understand that. She had lost Chewbacca, had nearly lost her aunt and he thought she would see the need for payback. He sometimes wondered if they had attended completely different praxeums. True, she hadn't cut her studies short to steal a superweapon, but they seemed to have completely differnet views of the Force and what it meant. To Kyp, it was a tool to be used, a valuable thing to have with you. But Jaina... saw it as nearly a way to live, something to use only for the good of the galaxy. The Yuuzhan Vong were the enemy, had attacked the New Republic, and they deserved to be attacked. Sometimes the best defense was an all out ofense.
Kyp shook his head, taking a sip of Elba water, and glanced out into the roiling gasses of the nebula. He needed to calm himself down, he neded to meditate. He turned out for all the lights in the room to dim, and sat cross legged on the floor. He closed his eyes and slowed his breathing, falling into the familiar confines of meditation. As he did, he began to see...
...The galaxy turning slowly, filled with red like on strategic maps showing the Yuuzhan Vong occupation... Himself, holding his lightsbaer up, standing side to side with seming hundreds of Jedi, lightsabres glowing... A Yuuzhan Vong, covered in scars and tattoos, wearing a red cloak as warriors bowed down to him... X-wings and coralskippers dancing in the sky... Jaina.
Jaina stepping down from her X-wing, smiling as she turned to face him... Jaina, under him, her eyes clouded with passion. She looked up at him, mouthing 'I love you.'
...The galaxy blue again, the Yuuzan Vong vanquished.
Kyp pulled his head up with a snap, gasping for air. Never had he had visions so intense, had felt so there. He had felt the heat of his lightsabre, the Jedi close to him. He had felt Jaina. He uncoiled his legs, stretching them. Visions were always of a possible future. What if, becuase of his deception, those things would never come about . Would the Yuuzhan Vong never be beaten? Would Jaina never look at him that way, never love him?
Kyp stood up, draining the last of the water. And for the first time, he wished he had never gone to Sernpidal. If genocide was the destruction of something precious, perhaps he was guilty of it.