Thanks to MFSbtrfly for all of the compliments. Yesh, you used it right *pats her on the head and grins* It will become a little bit more apparent in this chapter as to who the 'Fallen Jedi' is...
If you've never read Cascadia's stuff, go do so now! Right now. She's probably the best Star Wars fan author on this whole site. Check out Shanobi's fics as well.
This chapter is being written while I listen to music from 'Fushigi Yugi' in case you're interested ^_^ Radio.Keiichi.net is an awesome site for anime music!
- Coruscant -
The Jedi council had assembled in a small circular room underground the busy city streets. This room and the path to it were known to few, and it was only used when the need to escape any possible assasin or bounty hunter was absolutely necessesary. The conversation that would go on here today needed to be kept far from any prying ears and any Emperialists.
Luke sat in the middle of the room on the floor, legs crossed and eyes closed as Master Yoda watched him closely. The other members of the council seemed to be quite nervous, and they were not dealing with it well. In their anticipation to hear what Luke had to say, they had forgot to release their feelings to the Force, and were now all twitching as they waited restlessly.
Yoda stepped forward, leaning on his cane and shuffling along. He placed one palm firmly against Luke's forehead and closed his own eyes. "Much to tell us, you have." stated the small Jedi Master calmly. "Begin."
Luke took one long, deep breath to keep himself as calm as possible during the tale that he would have to relate now. "Master Yoda, when I decided to go to Tatooine to check on the Senator, I did not go just because of Leia's insistance as I said then. I went because I felt pulled towards the planet somehow. When my ship was about land, I suddenly felt a strange disturbance in the Force. It felt... twisted, somehow."
There were many murmers about the room, and quite a few faces had gone abruptly pale.
Luke continued, "I did not think too much of it at the time, and for a while it escaped my mind. However, when I entered the Senator's compound and asked to see him, it had good reason to be remembered... for when the maid sent to fetch him did not return immediately, I became a bit tense, and then she suddenly screamed. When I raced to the Senator's chambers, I found the maid sobbing on the floor and the Senator's headless, bloody corpse lying across the bed with 'saber marks about the neck showing how it had been brutally hacked off. I pursued, of course. And Master Yoda, if you may forgive me for saying this... the old tales told about the Force? They are true..."
Master Yoda's eyes widened in shock, but Luke did not pause.
"I came to a clearing with bloody footprints across it, but the blood was drying, and the murderer was nowhere in sight. There was nothing else to been seen. No other clues. And so I knew that he or she must be long gone by now, and thus I came here to report to you, Master Yoda." Luke bowed his head and waited for the old Master to speak.
"No clues you say, but no clues because there were none, or none because you were blinded by something? That the question is. Holding back something you are."
At this, Luke hesitated. "Maser Yoda, it is of no importance."
"Of no importance because so you wish to make it? Speak now you shall. Tell us all you must."
He sighed. It was no use to try to keep anything from the council, it seemed. "I thought that the Force signature seemed familiar. Probably just my mistake. After all, a lot of people's signatures are extremely similar."
"Hmmph. See we shall. Go now. To find this dark Jedi, your assignment this is."
However, as Luke stood up, bowed slightly to the other Jedi and exited the room, Yoda's mind was elsewhere, for he had his suspicions as well...
- Hoth: the Rebel Base -
Han looked up from the readouts that he'd been going over when he heard the tap at the door. Folding them in half and sliding them into the desk drawer, he stood up and called out, "Yeah? Come in!"
One of the pilots walked in and gave him a mock half salute, grinning widely. Han recognized him. The boy was one of the youngest new recruits, a bold yet good daredevil pilot by the name of Rans Inaqe. He was only 21, and so therefore the youngest of those sent on this mission. The kid reminded Han of himself at times. They both laughed, and Han sat down again, resting his head on his hands.
"So, what is it?" he asked, still smiling.
"Sir, I was just wondering if I might be allowed to lead a small expedition around the perimeter of the base. You know, to look around and get the lay of the land. It's changed a lot since the last maps here were made, and so they won't be any help to us if we have to defend this base once the war starts up again."
Han nodded. The boy was apparently quite a bit ahead of him - the idea was one that he should have thought of when they first landed. "Only take five soldiers with you, and no other pilots, though. We can't spare more than that."
The kid ran off, forgetting to salute in his happiness at being off on his first mission ever.
- Hoth: Outside the Base -
Rans reigned in his steed as they approached an icey ridge. The cliff above them towered high, rearing up into the clear blue sky, spiky peaks silouetted beautifully, and breathtakingly. It was certainly a gorgeous spectacle... he pulled off his goggles, gazing straight up at the wonder of nature before him. Dismounting, he gave the reigns to one of the soldiers.
"They say that there's a huge tunnel system underneath a lot of these types of cliffs. I want to go see if there's one here that could be used as a hiding place in case of an attack. Wait here for me."
Clambering over some shattered ice, and stumbling across a few snow covered boulders, he strode to the cliff face. He marvelled at its sheer size, running his hand along the steep edge. It was hard to believe that the whole cliff was made of solid ice, as indeed it was. As he walked alongside the ridge, scanning the whole area for any openings, something suddenly caught his eye. He blinked to clear the snow from his vision, and peered at the area again. Yes, there it was - some sort of tunnel into the ridge! He whistled to let the soldiers know that he had found something.
Jogging forward, he skidded to a stop before it. However, to his immense dissappointment it was not an opening, but merely a small overhang. He was about to call back to them and tell them to not bother to come up, when he froze in shock.
Huddled in the very back corner underneath the overhang was a pile of rags.
Standing absolutely still, he tried to convince himself that he hadn't really seen anything there. After all, the last time that there had been any species human or otherwise on Hoth had been quite a while ago. Any bodies that had been buried here should have long since rotted away, with no traces left of their existance.
Forcing himself to go closer, he bent down and crawled underneath. Going near the corner, he closed his eyes for a moment, trying to calm down. He had been a pilot for too short of a time to ever see anyone die, and a corpse was exactly what he expected to find - and to be quite honest, the thought terrified him.
Opening his eyes, he slowly reached out one hand and gently flipped over the body, just to freeze again from suprise.
Lying there was the body of a young girl.
Her pleated cerulean skirt flowed across her legs, and her saffron blouse puffed up, collar unfasted. Her black hair fanned out across the ice, cerulean streaks blending in with the bluish tint of the ice beneath her. But in all her beauty, she seemed as a corpse, skin unnaturally pale and icy to the touch. As he brushed his fingertips lightly over her bluish lips, mourning her death, he realized that there was a slight bit of warmth left on her body. Startled, her placed one hand on her chest. She was still breathing! Barely, but yet, there was still life left in her...
Quickly scooping her nearly-frozen body into his arms, he cradled her against his chest as he crawled out from under the overhang. Without stopping to say anything to the soldiers, he grabbed his mount's reins and vaulted onto the beast's back. Holding her securely in his lap, with her head resting against his shoulder, he kicked the animal hard, and it began running.
As they sped towards the base, he prayed that they would get there in time. "Please," he whispered, not realizing that he was speaking aloud, "Please... don't die..."
Author's notes: Cliffie! Cliffie! And don't just say, "Oh, Ahsilna will be fine, no one kills off the main character!" because I am known for killing off my main characters in some stories! Heheh... I'm evil and you know it. Well, you know what to do now *uses Jedi mind trick* you SHALL review, and you SHALL continue to read and to review! XD Now go move the mouse to the bottom of the page and click on that little blue button!
If you've never read Cascadia's stuff, go do so now! Right now. She's probably the best Star Wars fan author on this whole site. Check out Shanobi's fics as well.
This chapter is being written while I listen to music from 'Fushigi Yugi' in case you're interested ^_^ Radio.Keiichi.net is an awesome site for anime music!
- Coruscant -
The Jedi council had assembled in a small circular room underground the busy city streets. This room and the path to it were known to few, and it was only used when the need to escape any possible assasin or bounty hunter was absolutely necessesary. The conversation that would go on here today needed to be kept far from any prying ears and any Emperialists.
Luke sat in the middle of the room on the floor, legs crossed and eyes closed as Master Yoda watched him closely. The other members of the council seemed to be quite nervous, and they were not dealing with it well. In their anticipation to hear what Luke had to say, they had forgot to release their feelings to the Force, and were now all twitching as they waited restlessly.
Yoda stepped forward, leaning on his cane and shuffling along. He placed one palm firmly against Luke's forehead and closed his own eyes. "Much to tell us, you have." stated the small Jedi Master calmly. "Begin."
Luke took one long, deep breath to keep himself as calm as possible during the tale that he would have to relate now. "Master Yoda, when I decided to go to Tatooine to check on the Senator, I did not go just because of Leia's insistance as I said then. I went because I felt pulled towards the planet somehow. When my ship was about land, I suddenly felt a strange disturbance in the Force. It felt... twisted, somehow."
There were many murmers about the room, and quite a few faces had gone abruptly pale.
Luke continued, "I did not think too much of it at the time, and for a while it escaped my mind. However, when I entered the Senator's compound and asked to see him, it had good reason to be remembered... for when the maid sent to fetch him did not return immediately, I became a bit tense, and then she suddenly screamed. When I raced to the Senator's chambers, I found the maid sobbing on the floor and the Senator's headless, bloody corpse lying across the bed with 'saber marks about the neck showing how it had been brutally hacked off. I pursued, of course. And Master Yoda, if you may forgive me for saying this... the old tales told about the Force? They are true..."
Master Yoda's eyes widened in shock, but Luke did not pause.
"I came to a clearing with bloody footprints across it, but the blood was drying, and the murderer was nowhere in sight. There was nothing else to been seen. No other clues. And so I knew that he or she must be long gone by now, and thus I came here to report to you, Master Yoda." Luke bowed his head and waited for the old Master to speak.
"No clues you say, but no clues because there were none, or none because you were blinded by something? That the question is. Holding back something you are."
At this, Luke hesitated. "Maser Yoda, it is of no importance."
"Of no importance because so you wish to make it? Speak now you shall. Tell us all you must."
He sighed. It was no use to try to keep anything from the council, it seemed. "I thought that the Force signature seemed familiar. Probably just my mistake. After all, a lot of people's signatures are extremely similar."
"Hmmph. See we shall. Go now. To find this dark Jedi, your assignment this is."
However, as Luke stood up, bowed slightly to the other Jedi and exited the room, Yoda's mind was elsewhere, for he had his suspicions as well...
- Hoth: the Rebel Base -
Han looked up from the readouts that he'd been going over when he heard the tap at the door. Folding them in half and sliding them into the desk drawer, he stood up and called out, "Yeah? Come in!"
One of the pilots walked in and gave him a mock half salute, grinning widely. Han recognized him. The boy was one of the youngest new recruits, a bold yet good daredevil pilot by the name of Rans Inaqe. He was only 21, and so therefore the youngest of those sent on this mission. The kid reminded Han of himself at times. They both laughed, and Han sat down again, resting his head on his hands.
"So, what is it?" he asked, still smiling.
"Sir, I was just wondering if I might be allowed to lead a small expedition around the perimeter of the base. You know, to look around and get the lay of the land. It's changed a lot since the last maps here were made, and so they won't be any help to us if we have to defend this base once the war starts up again."
Han nodded. The boy was apparently quite a bit ahead of him - the idea was one that he should have thought of when they first landed. "Only take five soldiers with you, and no other pilots, though. We can't spare more than that."
The kid ran off, forgetting to salute in his happiness at being off on his first mission ever.
- Hoth: Outside the Base -
Rans reigned in his steed as they approached an icey ridge. The cliff above them towered high, rearing up into the clear blue sky, spiky peaks silouetted beautifully, and breathtakingly. It was certainly a gorgeous spectacle... he pulled off his goggles, gazing straight up at the wonder of nature before him. Dismounting, he gave the reigns to one of the soldiers.
"They say that there's a huge tunnel system underneath a lot of these types of cliffs. I want to go see if there's one here that could be used as a hiding place in case of an attack. Wait here for me."
Clambering over some shattered ice, and stumbling across a few snow covered boulders, he strode to the cliff face. He marvelled at its sheer size, running his hand along the steep edge. It was hard to believe that the whole cliff was made of solid ice, as indeed it was. As he walked alongside the ridge, scanning the whole area for any openings, something suddenly caught his eye. He blinked to clear the snow from his vision, and peered at the area again. Yes, there it was - some sort of tunnel into the ridge! He whistled to let the soldiers know that he had found something.
Jogging forward, he skidded to a stop before it. However, to his immense dissappointment it was not an opening, but merely a small overhang. He was about to call back to them and tell them to not bother to come up, when he froze in shock.
Huddled in the very back corner underneath the overhang was a pile of rags.
Standing absolutely still, he tried to convince himself that he hadn't really seen anything there. After all, the last time that there had been any species human or otherwise on Hoth had been quite a while ago. Any bodies that had been buried here should have long since rotted away, with no traces left of their existance.
Forcing himself to go closer, he bent down and crawled underneath. Going near the corner, he closed his eyes for a moment, trying to calm down. He had been a pilot for too short of a time to ever see anyone die, and a corpse was exactly what he expected to find - and to be quite honest, the thought terrified him.
Opening his eyes, he slowly reached out one hand and gently flipped over the body, just to freeze again from suprise.
Lying there was the body of a young girl.
Her pleated cerulean skirt flowed across her legs, and her saffron blouse puffed up, collar unfasted. Her black hair fanned out across the ice, cerulean streaks blending in with the bluish tint of the ice beneath her. But in all her beauty, she seemed as a corpse, skin unnaturally pale and icy to the touch. As he brushed his fingertips lightly over her bluish lips, mourning her death, he realized that there was a slight bit of warmth left on her body. Startled, her placed one hand on her chest. She was still breathing! Barely, but yet, there was still life left in her...
Quickly scooping her nearly-frozen body into his arms, he cradled her against his chest as he crawled out from under the overhang. Without stopping to say anything to the soldiers, he grabbed his mount's reins and vaulted onto the beast's back. Holding her securely in his lap, with her head resting against his shoulder, he kicked the animal hard, and it began running.
As they sped towards the base, he prayed that they would get there in time. "Please," he whispered, not realizing that he was speaking aloud, "Please... don't die..."
Author's notes: Cliffie! Cliffie! And don't just say, "Oh, Ahsilna will be fine, no one kills off the main character!" because I am known for killing off my main characters in some stories! Heheh... I'm evil and you know it. Well, you know what to do now *uses Jedi mind trick* you SHALL review, and you SHALL continue to read and to review! XD Now go move the mouse to the bottom of the page and click on that little blue button!