Chapter 23-Conclusions
Several things happened at once.
Ralya, even in her weakened state, instinctively reached out with the Force and hurled the nearest heavy object at Koori. It had the effect of gently bumping Koori's arm and throwing off her aim somewhat but not badly, which was not at all Ralya's intention.
It was Brekk who saved her life. He pushed her down to the ground just as the laser burned into his shoulder. Only concerned with saving his friend, he barely felt the pain.
Koori was getting ready to fire again when she suddenly fell to the ground, unconcious. And there was Kyp standing behind her, holding his lightsaber with which he had just knocked her on the head.
"Why don't we all go home now?" he said.
Ralya just cried.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"So killing the students at the Academy was all Koori?" Jaina asked. "Then why was she involved with scientists? And what were they doing here?"
"Something rather interesting with clones," Kyp replied. "They would clone a young person and grow the clone to an old age to see the possible effects of various genetic diseases. The whole thing was highly illegal, but many of the scientists believed it was moral because they would be helping people even if they did kill their clones. And Yrbel, who was kind of the leader, didn't care if it was moral or not as long as he got money."
"Why Yavin IV?"
Kyp shrugged. "It was as good a place as any. I guess they just forgot about the Academy and the effects of ysalamiri on Jedi."
"When did Koori come in?" Jaina asked.
"She stumbled upon them accidentaly one day and realized they had ysalamiri for growing the clones," Ralya explained. "That was all she needed to begin her murderous plot." She explained about the reaction between the ysalamiri and the anigari. "That was how Koori killed Dashana and Lyss. She tried to kill Aruna Ni, but somehow something went wrong. And then she used the cloning tanks to create clones of Brekk, herself, and me."
"And it turns out that it's a very good thing you didn't come, Jaina," Kyp continued. "The anigari does strange things to unborn children. You might have had a miscarriage."
"That was in my dream," Ralya said.
"But do you know how to bring back Aruna Ni?" Tenel Ka asked Ralya.
She shook her head. "No. I don't even know if it's possible."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ralya saw Brekk later that day. His shoulder was bandaged but he looked allright. "I never thanked you, did I, for saving my life?" she asked.
"I made a promise," he replied. "I said you weren't gonna die. You would have done the same thing for me."
"Brekk, you're my best friend."
"You're my best friend too."
Forever, they both added silently as they exchanged a hug.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Something was different. Aruna Ni had definitely heard voices, for the first time in what seemed like so long. And she was sure she had felt someone's hand holding her own, someone who was
gone now.
She was leaving the horror of her mind and returning to the land of the living. Somehow, against all odds, she had survived.
Her whole body ached, but even that sensation was welcome; for at least she was feeling.
Slowly, though no one was there to see her, Aruna Ni opened her eyes.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Several things happened at once.
Ralya, even in her weakened state, instinctively reached out with the Force and hurled the nearest heavy object at Koori. It had the effect of gently bumping Koori's arm and throwing off her aim somewhat but not badly, which was not at all Ralya's intention.
It was Brekk who saved her life. He pushed her down to the ground just as the laser burned into his shoulder. Only concerned with saving his friend, he barely felt the pain.
Koori was getting ready to fire again when she suddenly fell to the ground, unconcious. And there was Kyp standing behind her, holding his lightsaber with which he had just knocked her on the head.
"Why don't we all go home now?" he said.
Ralya just cried.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"So killing the students at the Academy was all Koori?" Jaina asked. "Then why was she involved with scientists? And what were they doing here?"
"Something rather interesting with clones," Kyp replied. "They would clone a young person and grow the clone to an old age to see the possible effects of various genetic diseases. The whole thing was highly illegal, but many of the scientists believed it was moral because they would be helping people even if they did kill their clones. And Yrbel, who was kind of the leader, didn't care if it was moral or not as long as he got money."
"Why Yavin IV?"
Kyp shrugged. "It was as good a place as any. I guess they just forgot about the Academy and the effects of ysalamiri on Jedi."
"When did Koori come in?" Jaina asked.
"She stumbled upon them accidentaly one day and realized they had ysalamiri for growing the clones," Ralya explained. "That was all she needed to begin her murderous plot." She explained about the reaction between the ysalamiri and the anigari. "That was how Koori killed Dashana and Lyss. She tried to kill Aruna Ni, but somehow something went wrong. And then she used the cloning tanks to create clones of Brekk, herself, and me."
"And it turns out that it's a very good thing you didn't come, Jaina," Kyp continued. "The anigari does strange things to unborn children. You might have had a miscarriage."
"That was in my dream," Ralya said.
"But do you know how to bring back Aruna Ni?" Tenel Ka asked Ralya.
She shook her head. "No. I don't even know if it's possible."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ralya saw Brekk later that day. His shoulder was bandaged but he looked allright. "I never thanked you, did I, for saving my life?" she asked.
"I made a promise," he replied. "I said you weren't gonna die. You would have done the same thing for me."
"Brekk, you're my best friend."
"You're my best friend too."
Forever, they both added silently as they exchanged a hug.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Something was different. Aruna Ni had definitely heard voices, for the first time in what seemed like so long. And she was sure she had felt someone's hand holding her own, someone who was
gone now.
She was leaving the horror of her mind and returning to the land of the living. Somehow, against all odds, she had survived.
Her whole body ached, but even that sensation was welcome; for at least she was feeling.
Slowly, though no one was there to see her, Aruna Ni opened her eyes.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~