Kyp's Quarters
Kyp opened his eyes and yawned. He uncurled himself and sat up. He looked around the room and saw Tionne sitting near by. Kyp looked confused and then comprehension crept into his eyes. A small thump in the corridor attracted his attention. Kyp grinned.
"Come in, Streen," Kyp said, "You don't have to hide out there."
Streen entered the room looking sheepish. He closed the door at a signal from Kyp. Kyp looked at Tionne and Streen and realized what he must do. Kyp slowly stood up and motioned for Streen to sit on the bed. The old man did. All eyes focused on Kyp inquisitively. Kyp began to pace. Several long moments passed before Kyp began speaking.
"I need to tell you something," Kyp said grimly, "Something that happened a long time ago." He looked at Streen. "Well, a long time ago for me. I hadn't thought about it in years. I have to tell you about my childhood and how I first met.Gatore."
"You don't have to tell us everything, Kyp. Just try your best," Tionne said gently.
"No," Kyp said, "There is no try. This is something I must do."
Kyp took a deep breath. He turned to face his audience. He looked at the ground, nervous to face the ghosts of his past. He looked up as he began to speak.
"I grew up on Deyer with my family. My parents, besides holding other jobs, owned a large living complex and earned some extra credits by renting several apartments to other families. When I was four and my brother Zeth was about nine, a new family moved in. Zeth and I were eager to see if the new family had any kids for us to play with, so we called them up on the comm system. A little girl with red hair and blue eyes answered. Her name was Kylla. Since she was about my size we assumed she was my age. We asked if she wanted to play. She said yes and came up to our room. It turned out she was actually six years old. She formed a link between Zeth and me. We were quite the trio. We were constantly scheming and playing pranks on our parents. It was the best summer I ever had.
Then school started and Zeth and Kylla were gone most of the day. I was too little to go. I would wander around the house all morning till Kylla got home in the early afternoon. Then she would tell me about what she had learned and done. Soon I was picking up everything she learned. It was a fun arrangement. All morning I would practice what she had taught me the day before, and then she helped when she got home. It was our secret until one day Zeth's class was done early. He came into my room right when I was reading aloud to Kylla. He went and told mom and dad. They stopped our little lessons for they didn't want me to be too far ahead. I took to wandering again.
In early spring disaster struck our lives. Kylla's parents were on their way to work at the transport regulation center when the turbotranslift they were on exploded. The engines exploded or something. There were no survivors.
My parents searched the records to see if Kylla had any living relatives, but none could be found. They decided to just have her stay with us, so Kylla moved into a room right next door to the one belonging to Zeth and me. There was a door adjoining the two rooms, so we could sneak into each other's rooms and talk after my parents declared lights off.
Everyone was upset at first, but gradually it began to feel as if Kylla had always been part of my family. That summer we sent to the sea shore for several weeks. Kylla and I swam and searched for seashells. Zeth sometimes joined us, but he was beginning to feel he was too big to play with us "little ones." Our little trio was no longer quite so perfect. Kylla and I were excited at the prospect of being in school together. We were going to have so much fun and were happily scheming up pranks."
Kyp paused, taking a deep breath. He began talking in a lower tone, so Tionne and Streen had to strain to hear him.
"That wonderfully planned school year never happened. When we returned home, there was a strangely garbed old man waiting on our doorstop. He was wearing an odd brown robe that I now know as a type of Jedi cloak. He said he was there to teach Kylla; that her parents had contacted him to come teach her. He would not say what he would be teaching, but he had the data that proved his words true. I begged him to let me come to Kylla's lessons with her, but the old man, Paderi Viejoe, said it was not my time yet.
At first I was heartbroken that all our scheming had been in vain, but I quickly adjusted to and even grew to enjoy the new pattern of life. In the morning, Zeth and I would escort Kylla to Paderi's house which was only a block from the public school most of the area children attended. The old man would invite us in for a cookie and some milk-sweetened cocoa. Then Zeth and I would march off to school. I only stayed half a day, because it was my first year. I then would rush back to Paderi's to meet Kylla. Then we walked home slowly chattering about what we had learned and done. We often laughed over prank we had pulled on our teachers. I would help Kylla with some basic schoolwork, because Paderi told me he didn't spend much time on that. He said it would be good for me, because even though I had started school only a little bit ago, I was doing Kylla's level of work. Kylla and I worked very well together; we filled in each other's weak spots.
Paderi was a very complex man. He was like a grandfather to me. He was always civil and most often kind, but he was never predictable. Once in a great while he would make me watch his lessons with Kylla after I was done with school. I was fascinated by their activities. Paderi would go on about some "power" thing I didn't understand then, I thought it was magic when they had things levitate. Paderi would teach me, too. He would teach me the history of the Old Republic. He seemed to know what I needed help with the most, because history was not something I enjoyed at school. I did enjoy Paderi's teaching. He made the dry facts and dates come alive. Some days I would come to pick Kylla up and he would meet me at the door. He would curtly order me on my way and say that he'd escort Kylla home that night. Those were some of the best days for on those evenings Paderi Viejoe would eat dinner at my home. He would perform tricks to amuse us and give us odd little gifts. He always gave Kylla and me the same thing. When he talked to us, he also referred to us as a pair. He was forever saying 'Kyp and Kylla, Kylla, and Kyp." If anyone else had talked of Kylla and me in that singsong tone, I would have punched their lights out. I strangely didn't mind it when Paderi talked of me in that way.
It was one of those nights that I learned a terrible thing. It was one thing I never told anyone that I knew. It was the middle of the night, and I got up to get a drink from the kitchen. I paused at the stairs; I could hear low murmurs coming from down below. I stealthily slipped down to the landing. I stopped, hardly daring to breath, and listened intently. Paderi was talking and he was greatly upset. I missed a few words, but this is what I heard:
'You must move away from this place. It is no longer safe for the children. As you know, I have been investigating the deaths of Kylla's parents. I found residue traces from a thermal detonator. The turbotranslift accident was no accident at all. Whoever set the thermal detonator knew that Kylla's parents were aboard. Most likely, they were watched for several days before hand. Their murderers knew them for what they were, in spite of the disguises and front we set up. If the assassin has kept a watch here, they definitely know what Kylla is. You must take the children away from this town, away from Deyer if possible. If the Empire knows about Kylla, it won't be long before they find out that Kyp is different from what he seems. His impressive school record might just put them on the right track. I.being followed.won't be coming with you. Tell Kyp and Kylla never to give up hope. They will be .great.knights. They will...apart for many years. He will.save.la.'
Abruptly, Paderi stopped and went out the door. That was the last time I saw him. He apparently vanished from the universe," Kyp looked at Tionne, "Luke has found nothing on him except that he was born on Deyer, but lived most of his life on Coruscant as a Jedi advisor to the Senate. He disappeared when Palpatine took over the Senate. He showed up at Deyer a few years after that. It's assumed that Vader found and killed him, but I don't know what happened," Kyp paused.
I crept back into my room; my drink of water long forgotten. Zeth rolled over causing me to pause nervously. He didn't wake up, so I slipped into my bed. What had Paderi been discussing? I understood that Kylla's parents had been murdered. That terrified me, but what did he mean about me being different? Why would someone want to hurt Kylla and me? I also didn't understand the talk about knights. These questions and worries I kept to myself. I now understand much of what Paderi was talking about.
The school session ended the next day. Kylla was kept home with the story that Paderi had left Deyer to take care of a dying relative. Later that week, my parents packed all of our things and moved us to a town on the other side of Deyer. They offered no explanations, but I knew.
Things continued as they always had. The trio of us kids continued to harass the adults. There were a few exceptions to the old routine. When I entered school that fall, I was six. I should have been starting second year work, but thanks to Paderi, Kylla, and even Zeth I could do fourth year work easily. My parents disapproved of this. They ordered me to do the easy second year work and even told me to commit errors on purpose. I didn't understand it then, but I now realize that they didn't want me drawing attention to myself.
Things proceeded like this for a year. Then shortly after my seventh birthday and Kylla's ninth, our world crumbled again. It was then that we first encountered Gatore Nassine. It was the first in a chain of events that brought about my family's demise.
Zeth, Kylla, and I were walking through the Zone, the area market and recreation area. I had some extra credits from my birthday and Zeth had some from odd jobs he had done. Kylla didn't have any, but I was sharing with her. We headed toward the Game Zone. We got involved in a mock blaster battle, when Kylla and I suddenly stopped dead. Zeth immediately blasted us. He came over to me realizing I was upset.
'What's up Kyp? What's going on?' Zeth demanded in a harsh whisper.
'Somebody's watching us,' I hissed under my breath.
'Who?' Zeth asked softly.
'I don't know who he is. He's standing behind us about twenty feet away,' I replied.
'How do you know? You haven't even looked in that direction.'
'I just know. I don't know how,' I said in confusion.
'Kyp's right,' Kylla said in a low voice, 'He appears to be human, but he is too tall. He has a scar on his left cheek. His hair is pulled back, but it appears to be black and red. He's evil, I know it.'
Zeth risked a discreet look over his shoulder. He abruptly turned back to Kylla and me. Zeth's eyes were widened in surprise. 'You're right,' he hissed, 'How did you know? He's looking right at us. What should we do?'
'Let's make a run for it. If we can just get out of the Game Zone, we can lose him in the rest of the Zone.' I whispered hurriedly.
'He's coming closer. We need to move now or it will be too late,' Kylla said gravely. This time Zeth didn't question her judgment.
'Okay, Kyp, you and Kylla walk over to concessions. Kyp then you head out the back entrance. Kylla, you should sneak around the concession stand to the token booth and slip out the side entrance. I'm going to wander around the games and leave through the front. Once out in the Zone, we all should run off and hide in the crowds. Don't try to meet each other. We'll regroup at the house. Now go,' Zeth said.
All of us children split off on our ways. I hurried as quickly as I could without drawing attention. All the while, I could feel eyes burning into the back of my head. I ran as fast as I could once into the Zone. I weaved through the crowd and out into the street. I reached the house panting breathlessly. I was the first one back. In a few seconds, Zeth popped up from the next street. Kylla showed up about half a minute later. He face was tear stricken.
'I broke it! I can't believe I broke it! Kylla repeated. In her hand she held her necklace, her one link left to her parents. The stone glowed red, but the clasp on the silver chain was broken.
I walked over to her and put a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
'Don't worry, Kylla. My parents can fix it easily. Just put it in your pocket for now," I said.
"All right," Kylla said her voice trembling.
We walked to the door of our house. Zeth unlocked the door carefully while he glanced around. We walked up to the kitchen to get a snack. Kylla and I had just stepped into the room, when someone grabbed us from behind. Our assailant's fingernails dug sharply into our shoulders like claws as he roughly turned us around. I looked up apprehensively and I gasped. It was the stranger who had been watching us at the Zone! He had somehow beaten us to our house and got inside!" Kyp paused in his story. Streen glanced at him anxiously for he seemed to be choking back a sob. Kyp took a deep breath and plunged back into his tale.
"The strange man glanced down at Kylla and me contemptuously. Zeth was leaning against a counter looking terrified. From the corner of my eye, I could see him struggling as if he was being held in place.
'I am Gatore Nassine' the odd man said in a semi-hypnotic voice, 'but you will learn to call me master.'
'Never!' I yelled defiantly.
Gatore released Kylla and took a firm grip on me. He shook me violently, but I gazed fearlessly into his solid green eyes. Suddenly, Gatore began a low cat-like laugh and grinned wickedly. This exposed rows of tiny sharp teeth in his mouth. Then I jumped back, finally feeling a twinge of fear.
'Now listen here, Kyppy boy, you do what I say or you'll never see your brother or precious little Kylla again,' Gatore whispered menacingly.
I nodded in what I hoped looked like a meek gesture, but inwardly I was thinking that someday I would make this man pay for whatever he would do to us. Little did I know how much Gatore would do that deserved punishment.
'Good' Gatore cackled, 'Now things are going to change here. From now on, I will teach Kylla in the mornings. You may tutor her if you like, Kyppy boy, but it really won't help her in her studies.' Gatore paused, watching me wince at the name he called me. I hated being called Kyppy boy.
'Some days she will need to stay till mid-afternoon. On those days Kyppy boy can escort her home, as I know he likes to do. You are to never say a word about what happens in the lessons, Kylla dear, or there will be severe consequences. As for you, Zeth,' Gatore said looking contemptfully at Zeth, 'you may continue your insignificant life uninterrupted. All of you children must behave tonight when I return to talk to the parents. Kylla must seem eager to attend my classes or there will be severe consequences. Understand?"
Kylla, Zeth, and I glanced at each other quickly and nodded mutely. We had surrendered for the moment.
In a short time, our whole routine had changed. My parents consented to Gatore's request to teach Kylla. I would rush home breathlessly after school to often find Kylla hurt or crying. I would doctor her wounds gently, trying to calm her. Once in a great while, she tried to tell me what happened, but I shushed her quickly. I had not forgotten Gatore's threat. Every day my anger simmered more hotly.
After I had Kylla cleaned up and treated so that it appeared nothing had happened, I would lead Kylla into my room and begin to go over lessons with her. By the time Zeth got home, we were done studying. He never knew half of Kylla's injuries. For some reason she came to me even if Zeth was the oldest. Zeth would shut himself up in our room to do his homework. I think perhaps Gatore bothered him more than he let on. It was Zeth's way not to talk about what upset him.
Several times a month, I would come home to find that Kylla had not returned home. I would then rush to Gatore's menacing home to escort her home. It was so different from picking Kylla up from Paderi's. Gatore never let me in the house. He would stare at me in the most blood-chilling way. He looked as though he knew the very thoughts inside me. It was hard to think around him, his aura overpowered me so.
We never really settled down after that. All of us kids were running on nerves. Zeth and I began arguing and I even had the occasional falling out with Kylla. The trouble may have been due to growing up and feeling our age gap more, but I think most of it stemmed from Gatore.
Then one day, I came home and found Kylla in the worst condition ever. Hideous burns covered her arms. Sharp cuts lined her face as if someone had been throwing rocks at her. She had a black eye and her red hair was dark with sweat. My anger finally broke.
'What is he doing to you Kylla?' I demanded, "He has no right to treat you like this!' I screamed.
Kylla gestured in frustration. She kept signaling and pointing to her throat. Then it dawned on me, Kylla couldn't speak. I fell from a towering anger to despair. I knew Kylla hadn't just lost her voice, I knew it wouldn't work ever again.
My parents took Kylla to doctor after doctor. No one knew what was wrong. Kylla's vocal cords and voice box were in tact, but it was clear that she couldn't talk. Finally, we all gave up hope of Kylla ever talking again.
Kylla and I began to develop a form of communication slowly. We would invent hand signals coupled with expressions to stand for words and phrases. Once we got the hang of it the system worked quite well. If my parents asked Kylla a question, she would signal the response, and I'd translate.
Kylla wasn't completely without sound. She could laugh (which was seldom now), she could cry, and she could scream. Often when I came home, Kylla would scream horribly in frustration as I tended her hurts. She was furious she couldn't talk, but she would only scream when she was alone with me. She somehow knew I wouldn't tell her to stop screaming. I just held her until she stopped, often my tears mingled with hers. I tried not to talk when I was alone with her, so she wouldn't be reminded constantly of what she had lost. Kylla sometimes made me feel uneasy. I would catch her staring oddly at me, as if studying me; as if she knew something I did not. I would ask her what she was doing, but she would never answer.
Kylla never wore her parents' necklace to Gatore's. She had told me that she didn't like how he stared at it. She would put it on again when she came home. She would clutch at the stone when troubled, and there was good reason for her to be troubled. Word had just reached Deyer that Alderaan had been destroyed by the Empire. My parents protested the Empire's actions, thus dooming our family. About a week after Alderaan was destroyed, Gatore ordered Kylla to wear her necklace to her class.
That morning Kylla was upset. She was afraid to go to Gatore's that day. She begged to stay home, but my parents wouldn't let her. I walked her to Gatore's and the last I saw of her was her tear stricken face as she entered the house. She quickly signaled 'Don't ever give up hope,' and disappeared into the house.
Kylla never came home that night, and I think she guessed that when she entered Gatore's house that day. She had no choice but to go in. We went to Gatore's house that night to get her, but the house was entirely empty. We were all shocked by what happened, but we didn't have much time for sorrow. The next day stormtroopers came to our house and arrested my family for treason."
Kyp looked up with tears in his eyes, "Zeth was taken away to Carida. My parents and I were taken to Kessel, as you know. The darkness, the guards, and the hardships made me focus on my parents and myself. Then when my parents died, I was left on my own. I thought more and more of my plight and myself than of the outside world or I just worked without thinking. Nothing really impacted on me, not even when Vima Da Boda told me the Force was with me before she left. Then one day, two new prisoners joined my group. Han and Chewbacca inspired something in me, some remnant of hope and determination. I believe you know all that happened next. I no longer had the time nor the willingness to recall Kylla, Gatore, and all the rest. I don't even know if Kylla and Paderi still live."
Tionne and Streen regarded Kyp silently. They knew he spoke the truth, but they also knew it came from the perspective of a little boy. They were pretty sure that Gatore must be a dark Jedi, but little else was concrete. Kyp looked exhausted and troubled. The dark haired young man looked aged past his years.
Streen spoke up, "This shadow man of yours is going to be quite the problem, but we can defeat him just like Exar Kun."
Kyp shook his head, "I don't know. Exar Kun controlled me, but he wasn't a personal enemy. With Gatore, it is personal. I don't know what he is capable of besides malevolency."
"With a past like you have had, Kyp, you don't have very many happy memories," Tionne said sadly, "It made you all the more susceptible to the dark side."
"I guess," Kyp said softly, "I think I would like some time to myself."
Streen and Tionne left the room. Kyp sat down on the bed and placed his head between his hands. The tears ran down his face for a minute before his face hardened.
"I will find you Gatore and make you pay for what you did to Kylla, Zeth and me. I'll make you pay dearly. I swear this not for revenge, but in honor of those you destroyed. You may be my greatest fear, but I have greater ties to my friends who will see me through this."
(A/N If anyone is interested I have a story from Kylla's point of view of the day Gatore 'kidnapped' her)
Kyp opened his eyes and yawned. He uncurled himself and sat up. He looked around the room and saw Tionne sitting near by. Kyp looked confused and then comprehension crept into his eyes. A small thump in the corridor attracted his attention. Kyp grinned.
"Come in, Streen," Kyp said, "You don't have to hide out there."
Streen entered the room looking sheepish. He closed the door at a signal from Kyp. Kyp looked at Tionne and Streen and realized what he must do. Kyp slowly stood up and motioned for Streen to sit on the bed. The old man did. All eyes focused on Kyp inquisitively. Kyp began to pace. Several long moments passed before Kyp began speaking.
"I need to tell you something," Kyp said grimly, "Something that happened a long time ago." He looked at Streen. "Well, a long time ago for me. I hadn't thought about it in years. I have to tell you about my childhood and how I first met.Gatore."
"You don't have to tell us everything, Kyp. Just try your best," Tionne said gently.
"No," Kyp said, "There is no try. This is something I must do."
Kyp took a deep breath. He turned to face his audience. He looked at the ground, nervous to face the ghosts of his past. He looked up as he began to speak.
"I grew up on Deyer with my family. My parents, besides holding other jobs, owned a large living complex and earned some extra credits by renting several apartments to other families. When I was four and my brother Zeth was about nine, a new family moved in. Zeth and I were eager to see if the new family had any kids for us to play with, so we called them up on the comm system. A little girl with red hair and blue eyes answered. Her name was Kylla. Since she was about my size we assumed she was my age. We asked if she wanted to play. She said yes and came up to our room. It turned out she was actually six years old. She formed a link between Zeth and me. We were quite the trio. We were constantly scheming and playing pranks on our parents. It was the best summer I ever had.
Then school started and Zeth and Kylla were gone most of the day. I was too little to go. I would wander around the house all morning till Kylla got home in the early afternoon. Then she would tell me about what she had learned and done. Soon I was picking up everything she learned. It was a fun arrangement. All morning I would practice what she had taught me the day before, and then she helped when she got home. It was our secret until one day Zeth's class was done early. He came into my room right when I was reading aloud to Kylla. He went and told mom and dad. They stopped our little lessons for they didn't want me to be too far ahead. I took to wandering again.
In early spring disaster struck our lives. Kylla's parents were on their way to work at the transport regulation center when the turbotranslift they were on exploded. The engines exploded or something. There were no survivors.
My parents searched the records to see if Kylla had any living relatives, but none could be found. They decided to just have her stay with us, so Kylla moved into a room right next door to the one belonging to Zeth and me. There was a door adjoining the two rooms, so we could sneak into each other's rooms and talk after my parents declared lights off.
Everyone was upset at first, but gradually it began to feel as if Kylla had always been part of my family. That summer we sent to the sea shore for several weeks. Kylla and I swam and searched for seashells. Zeth sometimes joined us, but he was beginning to feel he was too big to play with us "little ones." Our little trio was no longer quite so perfect. Kylla and I were excited at the prospect of being in school together. We were going to have so much fun and were happily scheming up pranks."
Kyp paused, taking a deep breath. He began talking in a lower tone, so Tionne and Streen had to strain to hear him.
"That wonderfully planned school year never happened. When we returned home, there was a strangely garbed old man waiting on our doorstop. He was wearing an odd brown robe that I now know as a type of Jedi cloak. He said he was there to teach Kylla; that her parents had contacted him to come teach her. He would not say what he would be teaching, but he had the data that proved his words true. I begged him to let me come to Kylla's lessons with her, but the old man, Paderi Viejoe, said it was not my time yet.
At first I was heartbroken that all our scheming had been in vain, but I quickly adjusted to and even grew to enjoy the new pattern of life. In the morning, Zeth and I would escort Kylla to Paderi's house which was only a block from the public school most of the area children attended. The old man would invite us in for a cookie and some milk-sweetened cocoa. Then Zeth and I would march off to school. I only stayed half a day, because it was my first year. I then would rush back to Paderi's to meet Kylla. Then we walked home slowly chattering about what we had learned and done. We often laughed over prank we had pulled on our teachers. I would help Kylla with some basic schoolwork, because Paderi told me he didn't spend much time on that. He said it would be good for me, because even though I had started school only a little bit ago, I was doing Kylla's level of work. Kylla and I worked very well together; we filled in each other's weak spots.
Paderi was a very complex man. He was like a grandfather to me. He was always civil and most often kind, but he was never predictable. Once in a great while he would make me watch his lessons with Kylla after I was done with school. I was fascinated by their activities. Paderi would go on about some "power" thing I didn't understand then, I thought it was magic when they had things levitate. Paderi would teach me, too. He would teach me the history of the Old Republic. He seemed to know what I needed help with the most, because history was not something I enjoyed at school. I did enjoy Paderi's teaching. He made the dry facts and dates come alive. Some days I would come to pick Kylla up and he would meet me at the door. He would curtly order me on my way and say that he'd escort Kylla home that night. Those were some of the best days for on those evenings Paderi Viejoe would eat dinner at my home. He would perform tricks to amuse us and give us odd little gifts. He always gave Kylla and me the same thing. When he talked to us, he also referred to us as a pair. He was forever saying 'Kyp and Kylla, Kylla, and Kyp." If anyone else had talked of Kylla and me in that singsong tone, I would have punched their lights out. I strangely didn't mind it when Paderi talked of me in that way.
It was one of those nights that I learned a terrible thing. It was one thing I never told anyone that I knew. It was the middle of the night, and I got up to get a drink from the kitchen. I paused at the stairs; I could hear low murmurs coming from down below. I stealthily slipped down to the landing. I stopped, hardly daring to breath, and listened intently. Paderi was talking and he was greatly upset. I missed a few words, but this is what I heard:
'You must move away from this place. It is no longer safe for the children. As you know, I have been investigating the deaths of Kylla's parents. I found residue traces from a thermal detonator. The turbotranslift accident was no accident at all. Whoever set the thermal detonator knew that Kylla's parents were aboard. Most likely, they were watched for several days before hand. Their murderers knew them for what they were, in spite of the disguises and front we set up. If the assassin has kept a watch here, they definitely know what Kylla is. You must take the children away from this town, away from Deyer if possible. If the Empire knows about Kylla, it won't be long before they find out that Kyp is different from what he seems. His impressive school record might just put them on the right track. I.being followed.won't be coming with you. Tell Kyp and Kylla never to give up hope. They will be .great.knights. They will...apart for many years. He will.save.la.'
Abruptly, Paderi stopped and went out the door. That was the last time I saw him. He apparently vanished from the universe," Kyp looked at Tionne, "Luke has found nothing on him except that he was born on Deyer, but lived most of his life on Coruscant as a Jedi advisor to the Senate. He disappeared when Palpatine took over the Senate. He showed up at Deyer a few years after that. It's assumed that Vader found and killed him, but I don't know what happened," Kyp paused.
I crept back into my room; my drink of water long forgotten. Zeth rolled over causing me to pause nervously. He didn't wake up, so I slipped into my bed. What had Paderi been discussing? I understood that Kylla's parents had been murdered. That terrified me, but what did he mean about me being different? Why would someone want to hurt Kylla and me? I also didn't understand the talk about knights. These questions and worries I kept to myself. I now understand much of what Paderi was talking about.
The school session ended the next day. Kylla was kept home with the story that Paderi had left Deyer to take care of a dying relative. Later that week, my parents packed all of our things and moved us to a town on the other side of Deyer. They offered no explanations, but I knew.
Things continued as they always had. The trio of us kids continued to harass the adults. There were a few exceptions to the old routine. When I entered school that fall, I was six. I should have been starting second year work, but thanks to Paderi, Kylla, and even Zeth I could do fourth year work easily. My parents disapproved of this. They ordered me to do the easy second year work and even told me to commit errors on purpose. I didn't understand it then, but I now realize that they didn't want me drawing attention to myself.
Things proceeded like this for a year. Then shortly after my seventh birthday and Kylla's ninth, our world crumbled again. It was then that we first encountered Gatore Nassine. It was the first in a chain of events that brought about my family's demise.
Zeth, Kylla, and I were walking through the Zone, the area market and recreation area. I had some extra credits from my birthday and Zeth had some from odd jobs he had done. Kylla didn't have any, but I was sharing with her. We headed toward the Game Zone. We got involved in a mock blaster battle, when Kylla and I suddenly stopped dead. Zeth immediately blasted us. He came over to me realizing I was upset.
'What's up Kyp? What's going on?' Zeth demanded in a harsh whisper.
'Somebody's watching us,' I hissed under my breath.
'Who?' Zeth asked softly.
'I don't know who he is. He's standing behind us about twenty feet away,' I replied.
'How do you know? You haven't even looked in that direction.'
'I just know. I don't know how,' I said in confusion.
'Kyp's right,' Kylla said in a low voice, 'He appears to be human, but he is too tall. He has a scar on his left cheek. His hair is pulled back, but it appears to be black and red. He's evil, I know it.'
Zeth risked a discreet look over his shoulder. He abruptly turned back to Kylla and me. Zeth's eyes were widened in surprise. 'You're right,' he hissed, 'How did you know? He's looking right at us. What should we do?'
'Let's make a run for it. If we can just get out of the Game Zone, we can lose him in the rest of the Zone.' I whispered hurriedly.
'He's coming closer. We need to move now or it will be too late,' Kylla said gravely. This time Zeth didn't question her judgment.
'Okay, Kyp, you and Kylla walk over to concessions. Kyp then you head out the back entrance. Kylla, you should sneak around the concession stand to the token booth and slip out the side entrance. I'm going to wander around the games and leave through the front. Once out in the Zone, we all should run off and hide in the crowds. Don't try to meet each other. We'll regroup at the house. Now go,' Zeth said.
All of us children split off on our ways. I hurried as quickly as I could without drawing attention. All the while, I could feel eyes burning into the back of my head. I ran as fast as I could once into the Zone. I weaved through the crowd and out into the street. I reached the house panting breathlessly. I was the first one back. In a few seconds, Zeth popped up from the next street. Kylla showed up about half a minute later. He face was tear stricken.
'I broke it! I can't believe I broke it! Kylla repeated. In her hand she held her necklace, her one link left to her parents. The stone glowed red, but the clasp on the silver chain was broken.
I walked over to her and put a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
'Don't worry, Kylla. My parents can fix it easily. Just put it in your pocket for now," I said.
"All right," Kylla said her voice trembling.
We walked to the door of our house. Zeth unlocked the door carefully while he glanced around. We walked up to the kitchen to get a snack. Kylla and I had just stepped into the room, when someone grabbed us from behind. Our assailant's fingernails dug sharply into our shoulders like claws as he roughly turned us around. I looked up apprehensively and I gasped. It was the stranger who had been watching us at the Zone! He had somehow beaten us to our house and got inside!" Kyp paused in his story. Streen glanced at him anxiously for he seemed to be choking back a sob. Kyp took a deep breath and plunged back into his tale.
"The strange man glanced down at Kylla and me contemptuously. Zeth was leaning against a counter looking terrified. From the corner of my eye, I could see him struggling as if he was being held in place.
'I am Gatore Nassine' the odd man said in a semi-hypnotic voice, 'but you will learn to call me master.'
'Never!' I yelled defiantly.
Gatore released Kylla and took a firm grip on me. He shook me violently, but I gazed fearlessly into his solid green eyes. Suddenly, Gatore began a low cat-like laugh and grinned wickedly. This exposed rows of tiny sharp teeth in his mouth. Then I jumped back, finally feeling a twinge of fear.
'Now listen here, Kyppy boy, you do what I say or you'll never see your brother or precious little Kylla again,' Gatore whispered menacingly.
I nodded in what I hoped looked like a meek gesture, but inwardly I was thinking that someday I would make this man pay for whatever he would do to us. Little did I know how much Gatore would do that deserved punishment.
'Good' Gatore cackled, 'Now things are going to change here. From now on, I will teach Kylla in the mornings. You may tutor her if you like, Kyppy boy, but it really won't help her in her studies.' Gatore paused, watching me wince at the name he called me. I hated being called Kyppy boy.
'Some days she will need to stay till mid-afternoon. On those days Kyppy boy can escort her home, as I know he likes to do. You are to never say a word about what happens in the lessons, Kylla dear, or there will be severe consequences. As for you, Zeth,' Gatore said looking contemptfully at Zeth, 'you may continue your insignificant life uninterrupted. All of you children must behave tonight when I return to talk to the parents. Kylla must seem eager to attend my classes or there will be severe consequences. Understand?"
Kylla, Zeth, and I glanced at each other quickly and nodded mutely. We had surrendered for the moment.
In a short time, our whole routine had changed. My parents consented to Gatore's request to teach Kylla. I would rush home breathlessly after school to often find Kylla hurt or crying. I would doctor her wounds gently, trying to calm her. Once in a great while, she tried to tell me what happened, but I shushed her quickly. I had not forgotten Gatore's threat. Every day my anger simmered more hotly.
After I had Kylla cleaned up and treated so that it appeared nothing had happened, I would lead Kylla into my room and begin to go over lessons with her. By the time Zeth got home, we were done studying. He never knew half of Kylla's injuries. For some reason she came to me even if Zeth was the oldest. Zeth would shut himself up in our room to do his homework. I think perhaps Gatore bothered him more than he let on. It was Zeth's way not to talk about what upset him.
Several times a month, I would come home to find that Kylla had not returned home. I would then rush to Gatore's menacing home to escort her home. It was so different from picking Kylla up from Paderi's. Gatore never let me in the house. He would stare at me in the most blood-chilling way. He looked as though he knew the very thoughts inside me. It was hard to think around him, his aura overpowered me so.
We never really settled down after that. All of us kids were running on nerves. Zeth and I began arguing and I even had the occasional falling out with Kylla. The trouble may have been due to growing up and feeling our age gap more, but I think most of it stemmed from Gatore.
Then one day, I came home and found Kylla in the worst condition ever. Hideous burns covered her arms. Sharp cuts lined her face as if someone had been throwing rocks at her. She had a black eye and her red hair was dark with sweat. My anger finally broke.
'What is he doing to you Kylla?' I demanded, "He has no right to treat you like this!' I screamed.
Kylla gestured in frustration. She kept signaling and pointing to her throat. Then it dawned on me, Kylla couldn't speak. I fell from a towering anger to despair. I knew Kylla hadn't just lost her voice, I knew it wouldn't work ever again.
My parents took Kylla to doctor after doctor. No one knew what was wrong. Kylla's vocal cords and voice box were in tact, but it was clear that she couldn't talk. Finally, we all gave up hope of Kylla ever talking again.
Kylla and I began to develop a form of communication slowly. We would invent hand signals coupled with expressions to stand for words and phrases. Once we got the hang of it the system worked quite well. If my parents asked Kylla a question, she would signal the response, and I'd translate.
Kylla wasn't completely without sound. She could laugh (which was seldom now), she could cry, and she could scream. Often when I came home, Kylla would scream horribly in frustration as I tended her hurts. She was furious she couldn't talk, but she would only scream when she was alone with me. She somehow knew I wouldn't tell her to stop screaming. I just held her until she stopped, often my tears mingled with hers. I tried not to talk when I was alone with her, so she wouldn't be reminded constantly of what she had lost. Kylla sometimes made me feel uneasy. I would catch her staring oddly at me, as if studying me; as if she knew something I did not. I would ask her what she was doing, but she would never answer.
Kylla never wore her parents' necklace to Gatore's. She had told me that she didn't like how he stared at it. She would put it on again when she came home. She would clutch at the stone when troubled, and there was good reason for her to be troubled. Word had just reached Deyer that Alderaan had been destroyed by the Empire. My parents protested the Empire's actions, thus dooming our family. About a week after Alderaan was destroyed, Gatore ordered Kylla to wear her necklace to her class.
That morning Kylla was upset. She was afraid to go to Gatore's that day. She begged to stay home, but my parents wouldn't let her. I walked her to Gatore's and the last I saw of her was her tear stricken face as she entered the house. She quickly signaled 'Don't ever give up hope,' and disappeared into the house.
Kylla never came home that night, and I think she guessed that when she entered Gatore's house that day. She had no choice but to go in. We went to Gatore's house that night to get her, but the house was entirely empty. We were all shocked by what happened, but we didn't have much time for sorrow. The next day stormtroopers came to our house and arrested my family for treason."
Kyp looked up with tears in his eyes, "Zeth was taken away to Carida. My parents and I were taken to Kessel, as you know. The darkness, the guards, and the hardships made me focus on my parents and myself. Then when my parents died, I was left on my own. I thought more and more of my plight and myself than of the outside world or I just worked without thinking. Nothing really impacted on me, not even when Vima Da Boda told me the Force was with me before she left. Then one day, two new prisoners joined my group. Han and Chewbacca inspired something in me, some remnant of hope and determination. I believe you know all that happened next. I no longer had the time nor the willingness to recall Kylla, Gatore, and all the rest. I don't even know if Kylla and Paderi still live."
Tionne and Streen regarded Kyp silently. They knew he spoke the truth, but they also knew it came from the perspective of a little boy. They were pretty sure that Gatore must be a dark Jedi, but little else was concrete. Kyp looked exhausted and troubled. The dark haired young man looked aged past his years.
Streen spoke up, "This shadow man of yours is going to be quite the problem, but we can defeat him just like Exar Kun."
Kyp shook his head, "I don't know. Exar Kun controlled me, but he wasn't a personal enemy. With Gatore, it is personal. I don't know what he is capable of besides malevolency."
"With a past like you have had, Kyp, you don't have very many happy memories," Tionne said sadly, "It made you all the more susceptible to the dark side."
"I guess," Kyp said softly, "I think I would like some time to myself."
Streen and Tionne left the room. Kyp sat down on the bed and placed his head between his hands. The tears ran down his face for a minute before his face hardened.
"I will find you Gatore and make you pay for what you did to Kylla, Zeth and me. I'll make you pay dearly. I swear this not for revenge, but in honor of those you destroyed. You may be my greatest fear, but I have greater ties to my friends who will see me through this."
(A/N If anyone is interested I have a story from Kylla's point of view of the day Gatore 'kidnapped' her)
