Reflection Saga:
Part 6
I'm not even gonna bother to put stuff anymore...
*****
Yaro stared at his elderly grandfather, unable to absorb what he had just said. "What do you mean Yaddle's been kidnapped?"
Yoda leaned heavily on his stick, frowning deeply. "Exactly what I mean, you know!" His angry tone died away and, for the first time, Yoda suddenly looked his age. "When you and Jocasta Nu were attacked, came and stole Yaddle someone did. But why, and how, we do not know." He looked hard at Yaro, his gaze seeming to pierce through Yaro's skin. "Know do you, why someone would want to take Yaddle?"
Yaro didn't answer. He was still taking in the fact he had been unable to protect the person he loved more than life itself. Regaining himself, he murmured softly, "Yaddle knows how to use the forbidden Jedi Art of moricho technique, Master."
Despite himself, Yoda was clearly stunned. But he quickly overcame it, speaking softly to Yaro, "A forbidden Art, Yaddle learned? How?"
"A book she found." Yaro looked at the ground. "I only just found out yesterday...or rather five days ago."
Yoda frowned. "Solved, the first piece of the puzzle has been. Know now we do why the intruder took Yaddle."
Yaro's voice exploded; he couldn't stand being quiet anymore. "But who took her? How did he get in without any of us sensing it at all? Why did he injure Jocasta Nu? Can she speak yet? Maybe she saw whoever or whatever took-"
"Quiet!" Yoda demanded. Yaro fell silent. Besides, he had voiced most of his questions. "Most of those questions, answer we cannot. But soon young Jocasta Nu will be well enough to speak of her ordeal." He looked over at the young Padawan girl. "The pressure bomb that the kidnapper used to harm you and her...much damage it did to her hearing. Never again will it be normal."
Yaro became frustrated all over again; only Jocasta Nu could tell him what or who had taken Yaddle, and she was unconscious! He groaned in anger and frustration.
Ilene sighed. "I'm so sorry, Yaro. But Yaddle...no one can sense her presence in the Force...it's possible she's-"
"NO!" Yaro practically screamed, startling everyone around him and awakening Jocasta Nu. "Yaddle is not dead, I know it!" He was panting now. "When I was asleep, I saw her, I felt her! I don't know how, but she's alive!"
Fibril gazed sadly, compassionately at his small friend. "But if even Yoda and Hismonia can't sense her, why can you?"
"I don't know! Maybe it's because..." Yaro cut himself off and fell silent. He didn't want to tell them about his relationship with Yaddle.
But Yoda didn't allow him to be so. "Because what, Yaro? What have you to tell us?"
"I...I have...a special bond...with Yaddle...I guess you could say." His face began to burn redder than even Trixis'. For almost a full minute, none of the Jedi said a word. Even Yoda had been caught off guard. Yaro bowed his head in embarrassment, like a child caught doing something he really shouldn't have been doing in the first place. But in a way, he was glad he had finally come out with the truth, instead of sneaking around like a snake on the ground.
"I see..." Yoda finally murmured, shattering the silence. "More and more complex, this puzzle is becoming." He then noticed that Jocasta Nu, who had been sitting silently in her hospital bed, had awakened. "Ah, Jocasta Nu. Tell us can you of what you saw?"
Jocasta Nu didn't answer, and she seemed to be straining to hear. She looked very confused, then caught sight of Yaro, and began to sob. "I'm so sorry, Master Yaro! I tried to save Yaddle, I truly did!" She sniffled and said, "I heard Yaddle crying out, so I tried to find her. Some man, a tall Human, a horrible man in all black and filled with the Dark Side, was fighting her, but it looked like he wasn't trying to hurt her, just capture her! I pulled out my lightsaber...but the man, that horrible man, he hit her and she fell, and I tried to fight him, but he threw a pressure bomb at me! My eyes, and my ears, and my nose were bleeding so badly! I think the man picked up Yaddle, and then he began to run away, but then I guess he heard you or saw you; I remember someone shouting but it was muffled. He stopped and hid behind a bookcase. Then you came in, and I tried to warn you, Master Yaro! But it was too late..." Then she whistled loudly and clapped her hands together very loudly, imitating the pressure bomb. "You fell down, Master Yaro, and then I...I fainted." She covered her bruised and bandaged face in her hands, sobbing loudly. "I cannot hear! I cannot hear..."
Yaro instantly felt pity for the young Padawan. Slipping off of his bed, he walked over (though with great pain), and pulled Jocasta Nu's hands from her face. "I forgive you, young Padawan." The young teen only sniffled, still clearly upset. "I forgive you, Jocasta Nu," He repeated slowly. "Do you understand?"
Jocasta Nu snuffled again, wiping at her nose and eyes with the edge of her hospital gown. She nodded slowly, and Yaro patted her hand. But in truth, he hated her for not saving Yaddle. He hated everyone who hadn't been there to save the woman he loved. And most of all, he hated himself. Hated every single atom that made up his being.
But he didn't say this to the distressed girl. "Now go back to sleep, Padawan. You need to heal," He cooed softly, stroking Jocasta Nu's hand until she finally lied back down and fell asleep.
"You should do the same, Yaro." Fibril put a three-fingered hand on his friend's shoulder. "You were very close to that pressure bomb, and lost a lot of blood. You need all the rest you can get."
Yaro spun around. "I can't! I have to get ready, pack some things, get my lightsaber, and go find Yaddle!" His voice began to rise until it was almost shrill with returning panic for Yaddle. "I just can't lie around while she's somewhere alone, afraid, and probably hurt! I just can't!"
"And in an exhausted and wounded state, you go after her, worse off then Yaddle you will be," Yoda said in a stern voice. He reached behind him, picking up a small tray of cookies and herbal tea. "From Chef Flowers. Most distressed about you, he was."
Yaro didn't care if they had come from Flowers or a Sith Lord; he had to go find Yaddle. But then his stomach rumbled, reminding him he hadn't eaten for close to five days. "I suppose you're right, grandfather." He scrambled back into his bed, hunger taking over his senses. Yoda gave him the tray and said, "Allow you to rest and recover, we will." Then the Jedi Master walked out the door, with Fibril, Ilene, and Trixis right behind him. Once they had left, Yaro began to nip experimentally on one of the cookies, and smiled. Like all of Flowers' foods, they tasted wonderful. He put the whole thing in his mouth, and drank some of the herbal tea.
Hm. Spice, he thought sluggishly. Suddenly, almost against his will, he yawned. Ignoring it, he picked up a second cookie and ate it, munching thoughtfully. But he just couldn't keep his thoughts straight. He then noticed how soft and warm the infirmary bed was. So comforting. Maybe...maybe I'll just take a nap...yeah, he thought as he laid his head down on the fluffy pillows. Then I'll find Yaddle...
*****
"Ohhh. Were...where am I?" Yaddle rubbed the back of her head. Her whole body ached, like she had been chewed up and spit out by a nexu. A dozen times. A swelling bump had risen out of her hair, and it was very sensitive. "What is going on?" Then she suddenly remembered what had happened; she had been attacked in the library, attacked by a tall, pale man in all black. He had literally glowed with the Dark Side. Just the memory made Yaddle tremble in fear.
Picking herself up off of the floor, she looked around. At first, she thought her eyes were still closed; it was so dark. There was not even a shred of light anywhere in the entire room. Stretching out her hands, Yaddle found a wall. She searched it up and down, but found no cracks to indicate a door, so she walked sideways with her hands sliding up and down the walls. A few moments later, Yaddle felt her hands skip over a slight groove. A door?
The door opened, blasting Yaddle with light. Although pretty much blinded, Yaddle instantly went into a position ideal for both attacking and defending, reaching for her lightsaber. But it wasn't there. Someone had taken her lightsaber! How could she defend herself?
A few seconds later, a tall man clad totally in an ebony robe walked, almost slide, into the room. Yaddle could see the handle of her lightsaber hooked onto his black belt. A hood covered the man's entire face, save his mouth. Even if Yaddle hadn't been Jedi, she would have instantly known he was evil. Yes, this was most definitely the man who had assaulted her.
Behind her kidnapper was a young boy, barely over the age of four or five. He had a chocolate-brown skin color and a skinny frame. Although he bent over with submission, his eyes, an even darker brown than his skin, beamed brightly with life. His head was completely bald, not a single hair to be seen. His tunic was tattered, dirty, and full of holes. The boy had no shoes on, so scabs covered his toes. His fingernails were bitten down and the ones who had avoided that were filled to the brim with dirt and muck. All in all, the child looked like he hadn't taken a bath in his entire life. He simply radiated with one whose spirit had been broken a long time ago, yet Yaddle sensed something still alive in his young mind. It was very hard not to pity him.
"Who are you, why did you bring me here?" Yaddle demanded in a harsh tone. But the man only laughed, a harsh and cold sound that made the small boy behind him cringe a little more. Yaddle had to struggle not to do the same.
"What, you don't remember me, Yaddle? I thought after a good four days of rest and relaxation would have opened your senses more. I am truly hurt." He leaned forward, and Yaddle took a few steps back. The man's thin, pale lips curled into a cruel smile. "Take a closer look, why don't you?"
"I don't know you. Who are you?" Yaddle repeated, becoming agitated. But for some reason, that voice...that voice reminded her of someone, but she couldn't place who.
"Don't remember me...my young Padawan? Maybe this will help." The man pulled back his hood, and Yaddle gasped out in shock and horror.
It was her old Jedi Master, Polvin Kut. No! That was impossible! And yet, there he was, standing right in front of her. "M-M-Master Polvin Kut? How can that be!?"
"Oh, I am most definitely not Polvin Kut. I am his clone. The moment he died, I was born, with all of his genes and memories."
"That can't be true! You lie! My Master was a good and honest man, and you are obviously everything he is not!"
The clone chuckled. "You are truly an ignorant fool, Yaddle." He leaned in even closer, his brown eyes gleaming with darkness. "My father was a Sith, one of the very last and very strongest Sith Lords there has even been! He was Darth Malice, and I am his son...Darth Sidious."
Yaddle shook her head in disbelief. "No, it can't be...it can't be! You are a liar, the Sith are dead!"
"Oh? Then how do you explain why your Master, my father, wanted to find the ancient and powerful Sith Artifacts?"
"Because he wanted to deystroy them!"
"Wrong again, fool! He wanted to use them for his own purposes, to gain the ultimate power so he could have the Order of the Sith reborn! And he studied the Dark Arts for the exact same reason...which I have inherited. But one evaded him; therefore I do not have it." His eyes shone even brighter with wickedness. "The forbidden Jedi Art of moricho."
Now Yaddle understood everything. "You kidnapped me...because I can use moricho, didn't you?"
"Oh yes. I want you to teach me how to use it, to teach me the final Dark Art that has escaped my grasp for twelve whole years."
"Never! I refuse to be your tool of darkness!" She raised a barrier made of the Force around her, getting ready to fight her way out. And if she died, so be it. So was the life of a Jedi, and Sidious would not have the power of moricho. But suddenly, her barrier shimmered, and then collapsed like sugar in water. "What?" She suddenly felt extremely weak; she could no longer touch, use, or even feel the Force! It was like she had been holding it for so long, then it had been snatched away from her. She felt like her heart had been ripped out of her chest.
Sidious waved his finger at her. "Now now, none of that!" He smiled that awful grin again. It made Yaddle's skin crawl. "While you are anywhere near me, your powers do not work! If you teach me the last Dark Art, I will gladly let you go, along with your abilities."
"You're nothing but bantha poodoo."
The Sith just snorted. "Fine. Be that way. You can live in this cell until the end of your days which, for your species, can be a very long time. Until you decide to instruct me on moricho, farewell." He walked outside, his robe swirling as he turned around on his foot. "Boy! Close the door!"
The young boy jumped and quickly began to shut the heavy door. Yaddle cried out and ran towards it, but it was too late; it was closed and she could hear the servant-boy locking it several times. She collapsed, weak and afraid.
Hate, fear, anger, aggression. Of the Dark side are they. Yoda's lessons had been burned into her head, but now she no longer cared. Yaddle gave up trying to be calm, and let loose all the rage, pain, hopelessness, and terror she had kept inside of her during her conversation with Sidious.
She groaned and began to sob, stinging tears racing down her face and dripping off of her chin to form small puddles on the floor. She cried out the vilest and horrible curses from all the languages she had learned. She couldn't take it anymore.
Yaddle screamed as loud as her body let her, if not louder. She pounded out of pure despair and fury on the door, making the locks on the outside rattle. Anger fueled her terror. Her sobs echoed throughout the entire room, making her ears ring with her own cries. After a few moments of raging, she stopped, panting for breath.
That was when she noticed the tapping on the wall. It came haltingly, and always sounded the same. Yaddle suddenly realized someone on the other side of the wall, probably another prisoner, was trying to contact her via Morse code. It was clearly saying, 'Who are you, and why are you screaming?'
Kneeling by the spot she heard the patter, she tapped back, 'I am Yaddle, a fellow prisoner. Before I answer your questions, who are you?'
'Smart girl. I am a prisoner like yourself and have been for over 200 years, if not longer. I have had many names over the years, but my personal favorite is Sho.'
'Hello Sho. And to answer your question, I am screaming because...' Yaddle paused. 'Because I am alone, furious, and afraid.'
'Ah. Well, you are no longer alone, Yaddle, so please stop screaming; your fears and anger is giving a splitting headache.'
'How can you tell how I feel?'
'Are you Jedi?'
'Yes.'
Pause. 'Then we are different in many ways, but in one way the same.'
It took Yaddle a few moments to figure out what he meant. 'Are you a Jedi Knight, Sho?'
'Yes. Or at least I was.'
'Why did Sidious capture you?'
'Not Sidious; Many years ago, long before you were born, I was a very strong and powerful Jedi Master. I even sat on the Council. I was famous for killing what was thought to be the last Sith Lord, Darth Fury; Polvin Kut's grandsire. Polvin Kut's father hunted me down, slaughtered my wife and son, and imprisoned me.' The tapping ceased, and then returned. 'I have not seen the light of day for nearly 215 years.'
215 years? If Sho had been here since Polvin Kut's sire, how long would Sidious keep her here? Her thoughts were interrupted by Sho's tapping: 'Go to sleep. You'll both need the rest.'
'What do you mean both?'
Sho didn't answer at first. After a few minutes of silence, he pattered back, 'Sidious' powers only stop you from attacking someone or defending yourself. If you are careful and use the Force in small amounts, he cannot sense nor stop it.' He paused again. 'Check yourself over, Yaddle. Good night.' No more taps came from the other hostage.
Yaddle, although confused, began to use the Force to inspect her presence and body. Except for fears, anger, and a few bruises, she seemed fine...until she checked her torso.
There was second presence, much like her own. And yet, it reminded her of Yaro's own aura. How could that be? Then she remembered what had happened in her bedroom, with Yaro, almost five days ago.
"I'm pregnant..." She murmured under her breath. "I'm pregnant with Yaro's child..." Suddenly, she began to panic again. What if Sidious found out she was with child? Would he simply wait for her to give birth, than take it from her and train her child to be a Sith?
Yaddle quickly became defensive of her unborn offspring. "Not while I still live and breathe!" Then she realized she had yelled out, and quieted herself. If she remembered her anatomy right, she would be expecting for about a year. Surely someone would find her by then...wouldn't they? Pushing aside her fears and doubts, she stroked the tiny life inside of her body, cooing softly, "In just a little while, your father, a great Jedi, will come for us, my little one. Soon, Yaro will find us..." She slipped into a comforting sleep, the word "Yaro..." on her lips.
*****
Boy walked silently behind his master in the underground, stone hallway. His special abilities, the ones that made him so sensitive to the Force, had told him every single detail of the Jedi Yaddle's fears. Her screams, both mental and verbal, had struck out at his mind like a whip. But all prisoners did so, so he was quite used to it. But none had been as strong as that; Boy had thought his head would simply explode from the Jedi's moans of despair echoing loudly in his mind. But then she had quieted, her mind settling almost into happiness.
Not thinking, Boy tripped on his Master's robes. When Sidious turned to him, he cried out, "I'm so sorry Master!"
"I forgive you. Now stand up; your clothes have enough dirt in them as it is."
Grateful for his Master's kindness, Boy leaped up. "Master, dare I ask a question?"
"You may."
"The new prisoner, Yaddle. Why is she suddenly happy? Most prisoners would still be screaming, or at least crying..."
Sidious stopped and Boy had to slide to a halt to stop from crashing into him. His master smiled thoughtfully. "Because..." He closed his eyes, and Boy could feel Sidious using the Force to extend out to Yaddle without her knowing it. "Because...oh, how convenient."
"What do you sense, Master?"
Sidious smiled even more broadly. "Yaddle is with child! How surprising, and yet a blessing."
"How is that, my Master?"
Sidious looked down at Boy, smiling fondly. For a split second, Boy thought his master was smiling at him. But no, he was smiling at the thought of Yaddle's unborn child. "When the child is born, I will simply take it from her. If I know mothers and women, she'll do anything to have her baby back..."
"Even instruct you on the last Dark Art!" Boy cried out. Soon, his Master would be all powerful, and bring law and order to the entire galaxy.
"Yes, very good, Boy. And when she does, I will keep the babe anyhow, and train it to be a Sith. Oh yes...the door of opportunity has opened to me."
"You are so fortunate, my Master."
The two had reached Sidious' elaborate chamber. "Go to your room now, Boy. You will find a tub in there. You need a bath, I believe." Sidious walked inside, the door swooshing shut and leaving Boy alone in the hall.
Boy almost cried in happiness. His Master was so kind to him! Almost as kind as his father had been to him. As he walked down to his tiny, rock chamber, Boy thought of his home.
As a little boy, Boy (he couldn't remember his original name) had caught his father's attention with his remarkable abilities. Boy's father had been a Jedi, but when Boy's mother had died, he left the Jedi Order to raise his son alone on an isolated planet called Tyrosis. He had taught him a little about the Force, for Boy's sire had been only a Padawan when he had left the Jedi. Soon, Boy was good enough to pick things up with his mind alone, and communicate with his father over short distances. And that was when Boy had only been two.
But one day, somebody attacked and burned down their home. Boy had been at a nearby friend's house. His father's presence had vanished, leaving him alone and terrified at the age of three. After almost a week of looking for his father, Sidious had found the tiny child in the snow, under a tree. His Master was fascinated with Boy's talents at such a young age, and Boy was in turn awestruck by the power coming from Sidious.
Sidious took him as his servant, and extended Boy's knowledge of the Force. He had become an ideal servant for Sidious, for he could sooth the prisoners and quiet them easier than his Master. Boy tried hard to remember what he had done for his Master to find out, but no memory came to mind.
Once he had reached his room, Boy took off his ragged clothes and slid into the tiny tub full of cold water. Freezing, but refreshing and relaxing as well. Once he had finished, he redressed and curled up on his straw bed, pulling up his sole blanket for warmth. Someday, Boy would become more than just a servant to Master Sidious. Smiling softly, Boy pulled his blanked up to his neck and slept.
*****
Yaro cringed as he walked down the halls leading to the Main Hanger of the Jedi Temple. Every single footstep he took echoed in his ears. A small sound, but the effects of the pressure bomb so near his sensitive ears had not yet worn off. But he no longer cared.
Once he had gotten there, he looked around, spying his ship; a sleek, almost oval shaped starcraft he had dubbed, "Yaro's Playtoy". A few years back, he had received it from a rich Coruscantian family for helping them find their missing son. He knew Jedi were not allowed possession, but the family had insisted and Yaro hadn't wanted to offend them.
It truly was his playtoy; it was near perfect with one cabin with two bunk beds, a second room complete with medical supplies, and a large collection of provisions. It even had hyperdrive capabilities. It was his own little getaway, his escape from every one else. Maybe the reason he loved it so much was because it was forbidden; it was like breaking the rules all over again, like in the old days.
"How are you, Arthree?" Yaro said to the droid that had come with the spaceship. Arthree-Denine, a black mechanical droid with a white lid, chirped at him. It sounded irritated. "Yeah, I know it's late, but we need to sneak out of here without being seen, okay?" He walked through the hatch of Playtoy and walked over to the cockpit, sitting in the padded chair made especially for his form. It was by far his favorite part of the starcraft; he had never found many chairs small or short enough for him to climb into and sit comfortably in. "Let's roll, Arthree!"
Playtoy rumbled to life, and the platform it sat on extended out of the spire of the Temple. Suddenly, Yaro could hear voices behind him. Turning his speaker on, he recognized many of the Jedi (Yoda included) yelling at him to stop. He swatted at the comlink, snapping the button. The comlink still buzzed with the yells of the Jedi and ground crew. "Great. I've been discovered, running off without permission, and my switch is broken!"
Arthree whistled shrilly, a sound Yaro had come to know as a robotic laugh. "Laugh it up, Arthree. We're leaving!" Ignoring the cries of protests of the Jedi behind him, Yaro locked the hatch, strapped on his safety belt, and engaged the controls. He went through the countdown sequence quicker than usual. Arthree's single message scrolled across the message board:
"Activation. Ready for takeoff, Yaro."
Suddenly, the comlink crackled with the sound of the ground crew's controller. "Yaro's Playtoy! Cease your takeoff, or we will be forced to use the tractor beam!"
"Hit it Arthree!" Yaro's Playtoy rose into the clouds of Coruscant, avoiding all traffic as it began to break through the atmosphere.
"Yaro's Playtoy, this is your final warning. We give you to the count of three. One..."
The coldness of the upper atmosphere pierced through the ship. Yaro ignored all of it.
"Two..."
Yellow skies became dark blue, then indigo, then black with faint white dots.
"Three!" Suddenly, the tractor beam grabbed hold of the Playtoy, slowing it down. The starcraft's shields resisted the pull, but Yaro could feel his ship going back down. "Arthree! Engines, full power!"
"Are you sure," appeared on Arthree's message board.
"Yes!"
The Playtoy suddenly surged forward, breaking free of the beam. The comlink's chatter from the ground control ceased to static. Yaro sighed as the stars came out to greet him. Even from space, he could sense Yoda's disappointment. "I'm so sorry, grandfather. But I must follow my instincts... and my heart." He looked out through the cockpit's shield. Somewhere, Yaddle was waiting for him. He didn't know where, but he knew, just knew, that he would find her, even if it took until he was twice Yoda's age. "I'm coming for you, Yaddle!" He cried out as Yaro's Playtoy rushed into hyperspace.
****
~Okay, this was definitely one of my better chapters!! NOW GO READ #7!!
*****
Yaro stared at his elderly grandfather, unable to absorb what he had just said. "What do you mean Yaddle's been kidnapped?"
Yoda leaned heavily on his stick, frowning deeply. "Exactly what I mean, you know!" His angry tone died away and, for the first time, Yoda suddenly looked his age. "When you and Jocasta Nu were attacked, came and stole Yaddle someone did. But why, and how, we do not know." He looked hard at Yaro, his gaze seeming to pierce through Yaro's skin. "Know do you, why someone would want to take Yaddle?"
Yaro didn't answer. He was still taking in the fact he had been unable to protect the person he loved more than life itself. Regaining himself, he murmured softly, "Yaddle knows how to use the forbidden Jedi Art of moricho technique, Master."
Despite himself, Yoda was clearly stunned. But he quickly overcame it, speaking softly to Yaro, "A forbidden Art, Yaddle learned? How?"
"A book she found." Yaro looked at the ground. "I only just found out yesterday...or rather five days ago."
Yoda frowned. "Solved, the first piece of the puzzle has been. Know now we do why the intruder took Yaddle."
Yaro's voice exploded; he couldn't stand being quiet anymore. "But who took her? How did he get in without any of us sensing it at all? Why did he injure Jocasta Nu? Can she speak yet? Maybe she saw whoever or whatever took-"
"Quiet!" Yoda demanded. Yaro fell silent. Besides, he had voiced most of his questions. "Most of those questions, answer we cannot. But soon young Jocasta Nu will be well enough to speak of her ordeal." He looked over at the young Padawan girl. "The pressure bomb that the kidnapper used to harm you and her...much damage it did to her hearing. Never again will it be normal."
Yaro became frustrated all over again; only Jocasta Nu could tell him what or who had taken Yaddle, and she was unconscious! He groaned in anger and frustration.
Ilene sighed. "I'm so sorry, Yaro. But Yaddle...no one can sense her presence in the Force...it's possible she's-"
"NO!" Yaro practically screamed, startling everyone around him and awakening Jocasta Nu. "Yaddle is not dead, I know it!" He was panting now. "When I was asleep, I saw her, I felt her! I don't know how, but she's alive!"
Fibril gazed sadly, compassionately at his small friend. "But if even Yoda and Hismonia can't sense her, why can you?"
"I don't know! Maybe it's because..." Yaro cut himself off and fell silent. He didn't want to tell them about his relationship with Yaddle.
But Yoda didn't allow him to be so. "Because what, Yaro? What have you to tell us?"
"I...I have...a special bond...with Yaddle...I guess you could say." His face began to burn redder than even Trixis'. For almost a full minute, none of the Jedi said a word. Even Yoda had been caught off guard. Yaro bowed his head in embarrassment, like a child caught doing something he really shouldn't have been doing in the first place. But in a way, he was glad he had finally come out with the truth, instead of sneaking around like a snake on the ground.
"I see..." Yoda finally murmured, shattering the silence. "More and more complex, this puzzle is becoming." He then noticed that Jocasta Nu, who had been sitting silently in her hospital bed, had awakened. "Ah, Jocasta Nu. Tell us can you of what you saw?"
Jocasta Nu didn't answer, and she seemed to be straining to hear. She looked very confused, then caught sight of Yaro, and began to sob. "I'm so sorry, Master Yaro! I tried to save Yaddle, I truly did!" She sniffled and said, "I heard Yaddle crying out, so I tried to find her. Some man, a tall Human, a horrible man in all black and filled with the Dark Side, was fighting her, but it looked like he wasn't trying to hurt her, just capture her! I pulled out my lightsaber...but the man, that horrible man, he hit her and she fell, and I tried to fight him, but he threw a pressure bomb at me! My eyes, and my ears, and my nose were bleeding so badly! I think the man picked up Yaddle, and then he began to run away, but then I guess he heard you or saw you; I remember someone shouting but it was muffled. He stopped and hid behind a bookcase. Then you came in, and I tried to warn you, Master Yaro! But it was too late..." Then she whistled loudly and clapped her hands together very loudly, imitating the pressure bomb. "You fell down, Master Yaro, and then I...I fainted." She covered her bruised and bandaged face in her hands, sobbing loudly. "I cannot hear! I cannot hear..."
Yaro instantly felt pity for the young Padawan. Slipping off of his bed, he walked over (though with great pain), and pulled Jocasta Nu's hands from her face. "I forgive you, young Padawan." The young teen only sniffled, still clearly upset. "I forgive you, Jocasta Nu," He repeated slowly. "Do you understand?"
Jocasta Nu snuffled again, wiping at her nose and eyes with the edge of her hospital gown. She nodded slowly, and Yaro patted her hand. But in truth, he hated her for not saving Yaddle. He hated everyone who hadn't been there to save the woman he loved. And most of all, he hated himself. Hated every single atom that made up his being.
But he didn't say this to the distressed girl. "Now go back to sleep, Padawan. You need to heal," He cooed softly, stroking Jocasta Nu's hand until she finally lied back down and fell asleep.
"You should do the same, Yaro." Fibril put a three-fingered hand on his friend's shoulder. "You were very close to that pressure bomb, and lost a lot of blood. You need all the rest you can get."
Yaro spun around. "I can't! I have to get ready, pack some things, get my lightsaber, and go find Yaddle!" His voice began to rise until it was almost shrill with returning panic for Yaddle. "I just can't lie around while she's somewhere alone, afraid, and probably hurt! I just can't!"
"And in an exhausted and wounded state, you go after her, worse off then Yaddle you will be," Yoda said in a stern voice. He reached behind him, picking up a small tray of cookies and herbal tea. "From Chef Flowers. Most distressed about you, he was."
Yaro didn't care if they had come from Flowers or a Sith Lord; he had to go find Yaddle. But then his stomach rumbled, reminding him he hadn't eaten for close to five days. "I suppose you're right, grandfather." He scrambled back into his bed, hunger taking over his senses. Yoda gave him the tray and said, "Allow you to rest and recover, we will." Then the Jedi Master walked out the door, with Fibril, Ilene, and Trixis right behind him. Once they had left, Yaro began to nip experimentally on one of the cookies, and smiled. Like all of Flowers' foods, they tasted wonderful. He put the whole thing in his mouth, and drank some of the herbal tea.
Hm. Spice, he thought sluggishly. Suddenly, almost against his will, he yawned. Ignoring it, he picked up a second cookie and ate it, munching thoughtfully. But he just couldn't keep his thoughts straight. He then noticed how soft and warm the infirmary bed was. So comforting. Maybe...maybe I'll just take a nap...yeah, he thought as he laid his head down on the fluffy pillows. Then I'll find Yaddle...
*****
"Ohhh. Were...where am I?" Yaddle rubbed the back of her head. Her whole body ached, like she had been chewed up and spit out by a nexu. A dozen times. A swelling bump had risen out of her hair, and it was very sensitive. "What is going on?" Then she suddenly remembered what had happened; she had been attacked in the library, attacked by a tall, pale man in all black. He had literally glowed with the Dark Side. Just the memory made Yaddle tremble in fear.
Picking herself up off of the floor, she looked around. At first, she thought her eyes were still closed; it was so dark. There was not even a shred of light anywhere in the entire room. Stretching out her hands, Yaddle found a wall. She searched it up and down, but found no cracks to indicate a door, so she walked sideways with her hands sliding up and down the walls. A few moments later, Yaddle felt her hands skip over a slight groove. A door?
The door opened, blasting Yaddle with light. Although pretty much blinded, Yaddle instantly went into a position ideal for both attacking and defending, reaching for her lightsaber. But it wasn't there. Someone had taken her lightsaber! How could she defend herself?
A few seconds later, a tall man clad totally in an ebony robe walked, almost slide, into the room. Yaddle could see the handle of her lightsaber hooked onto his black belt. A hood covered the man's entire face, save his mouth. Even if Yaddle hadn't been Jedi, she would have instantly known he was evil. Yes, this was most definitely the man who had assaulted her.
Behind her kidnapper was a young boy, barely over the age of four or five. He had a chocolate-brown skin color and a skinny frame. Although he bent over with submission, his eyes, an even darker brown than his skin, beamed brightly with life. His head was completely bald, not a single hair to be seen. His tunic was tattered, dirty, and full of holes. The boy had no shoes on, so scabs covered his toes. His fingernails were bitten down and the ones who had avoided that were filled to the brim with dirt and muck. All in all, the child looked like he hadn't taken a bath in his entire life. He simply radiated with one whose spirit had been broken a long time ago, yet Yaddle sensed something still alive in his young mind. It was very hard not to pity him.
"Who are you, why did you bring me here?" Yaddle demanded in a harsh tone. But the man only laughed, a harsh and cold sound that made the small boy behind him cringe a little more. Yaddle had to struggle not to do the same.
"What, you don't remember me, Yaddle? I thought after a good four days of rest and relaxation would have opened your senses more. I am truly hurt." He leaned forward, and Yaddle took a few steps back. The man's thin, pale lips curled into a cruel smile. "Take a closer look, why don't you?"
"I don't know you. Who are you?" Yaddle repeated, becoming agitated. But for some reason, that voice...that voice reminded her of someone, but she couldn't place who.
"Don't remember me...my young Padawan? Maybe this will help." The man pulled back his hood, and Yaddle gasped out in shock and horror.
It was her old Jedi Master, Polvin Kut. No! That was impossible! And yet, there he was, standing right in front of her. "M-M-Master Polvin Kut? How can that be!?"
"Oh, I am most definitely not Polvin Kut. I am his clone. The moment he died, I was born, with all of his genes and memories."
"That can't be true! You lie! My Master was a good and honest man, and you are obviously everything he is not!"
The clone chuckled. "You are truly an ignorant fool, Yaddle." He leaned in even closer, his brown eyes gleaming with darkness. "My father was a Sith, one of the very last and very strongest Sith Lords there has even been! He was Darth Malice, and I am his son...Darth Sidious."
Yaddle shook her head in disbelief. "No, it can't be...it can't be! You are a liar, the Sith are dead!"
"Oh? Then how do you explain why your Master, my father, wanted to find the ancient and powerful Sith Artifacts?"
"Because he wanted to deystroy them!"
"Wrong again, fool! He wanted to use them for his own purposes, to gain the ultimate power so he could have the Order of the Sith reborn! And he studied the Dark Arts for the exact same reason...which I have inherited. But one evaded him; therefore I do not have it." His eyes shone even brighter with wickedness. "The forbidden Jedi Art of moricho."
Now Yaddle understood everything. "You kidnapped me...because I can use moricho, didn't you?"
"Oh yes. I want you to teach me how to use it, to teach me the final Dark Art that has escaped my grasp for twelve whole years."
"Never! I refuse to be your tool of darkness!" She raised a barrier made of the Force around her, getting ready to fight her way out. And if she died, so be it. So was the life of a Jedi, and Sidious would not have the power of moricho. But suddenly, her barrier shimmered, and then collapsed like sugar in water. "What?" She suddenly felt extremely weak; she could no longer touch, use, or even feel the Force! It was like she had been holding it for so long, then it had been snatched away from her. She felt like her heart had been ripped out of her chest.
Sidious waved his finger at her. "Now now, none of that!" He smiled that awful grin again. It made Yaddle's skin crawl. "While you are anywhere near me, your powers do not work! If you teach me the last Dark Art, I will gladly let you go, along with your abilities."
"You're nothing but bantha poodoo."
The Sith just snorted. "Fine. Be that way. You can live in this cell until the end of your days which, for your species, can be a very long time. Until you decide to instruct me on moricho, farewell." He walked outside, his robe swirling as he turned around on his foot. "Boy! Close the door!"
The young boy jumped and quickly began to shut the heavy door. Yaddle cried out and ran towards it, but it was too late; it was closed and she could hear the servant-boy locking it several times. She collapsed, weak and afraid.
Hate, fear, anger, aggression. Of the Dark side are they. Yoda's lessons had been burned into her head, but now she no longer cared. Yaddle gave up trying to be calm, and let loose all the rage, pain, hopelessness, and terror she had kept inside of her during her conversation with Sidious.
She groaned and began to sob, stinging tears racing down her face and dripping off of her chin to form small puddles on the floor. She cried out the vilest and horrible curses from all the languages she had learned. She couldn't take it anymore.
Yaddle screamed as loud as her body let her, if not louder. She pounded out of pure despair and fury on the door, making the locks on the outside rattle. Anger fueled her terror. Her sobs echoed throughout the entire room, making her ears ring with her own cries. After a few moments of raging, she stopped, panting for breath.
That was when she noticed the tapping on the wall. It came haltingly, and always sounded the same. Yaddle suddenly realized someone on the other side of the wall, probably another prisoner, was trying to contact her via Morse code. It was clearly saying, 'Who are you, and why are you screaming?'
Kneeling by the spot she heard the patter, she tapped back, 'I am Yaddle, a fellow prisoner. Before I answer your questions, who are you?'
'Smart girl. I am a prisoner like yourself and have been for over 200 years, if not longer. I have had many names over the years, but my personal favorite is Sho.'
'Hello Sho. And to answer your question, I am screaming because...' Yaddle paused. 'Because I am alone, furious, and afraid.'
'Ah. Well, you are no longer alone, Yaddle, so please stop screaming; your fears and anger is giving a splitting headache.'
'How can you tell how I feel?'
'Are you Jedi?'
'Yes.'
Pause. 'Then we are different in many ways, but in one way the same.'
It took Yaddle a few moments to figure out what he meant. 'Are you a Jedi Knight, Sho?'
'Yes. Or at least I was.'
'Why did Sidious capture you?'
'Not Sidious; Many years ago, long before you were born, I was a very strong and powerful Jedi Master. I even sat on the Council. I was famous for killing what was thought to be the last Sith Lord, Darth Fury; Polvin Kut's grandsire. Polvin Kut's father hunted me down, slaughtered my wife and son, and imprisoned me.' The tapping ceased, and then returned. 'I have not seen the light of day for nearly 215 years.'
215 years? If Sho had been here since Polvin Kut's sire, how long would Sidious keep her here? Her thoughts were interrupted by Sho's tapping: 'Go to sleep. You'll both need the rest.'
'What do you mean both?'
Sho didn't answer at first. After a few minutes of silence, he pattered back, 'Sidious' powers only stop you from attacking someone or defending yourself. If you are careful and use the Force in small amounts, he cannot sense nor stop it.' He paused again. 'Check yourself over, Yaddle. Good night.' No more taps came from the other hostage.
Yaddle, although confused, began to use the Force to inspect her presence and body. Except for fears, anger, and a few bruises, she seemed fine...until she checked her torso.
There was second presence, much like her own. And yet, it reminded her of Yaro's own aura. How could that be? Then she remembered what had happened in her bedroom, with Yaro, almost five days ago.
"I'm pregnant..." She murmured under her breath. "I'm pregnant with Yaro's child..." Suddenly, she began to panic again. What if Sidious found out she was with child? Would he simply wait for her to give birth, than take it from her and train her child to be a Sith?
Yaddle quickly became defensive of her unborn offspring. "Not while I still live and breathe!" Then she realized she had yelled out, and quieted herself. If she remembered her anatomy right, she would be expecting for about a year. Surely someone would find her by then...wouldn't they? Pushing aside her fears and doubts, she stroked the tiny life inside of her body, cooing softly, "In just a little while, your father, a great Jedi, will come for us, my little one. Soon, Yaro will find us..." She slipped into a comforting sleep, the word "Yaro..." on her lips.
*****
Boy walked silently behind his master in the underground, stone hallway. His special abilities, the ones that made him so sensitive to the Force, had told him every single detail of the Jedi Yaddle's fears. Her screams, both mental and verbal, had struck out at his mind like a whip. But all prisoners did so, so he was quite used to it. But none had been as strong as that; Boy had thought his head would simply explode from the Jedi's moans of despair echoing loudly in his mind. But then she had quieted, her mind settling almost into happiness.
Not thinking, Boy tripped on his Master's robes. When Sidious turned to him, he cried out, "I'm so sorry Master!"
"I forgive you. Now stand up; your clothes have enough dirt in them as it is."
Grateful for his Master's kindness, Boy leaped up. "Master, dare I ask a question?"
"You may."
"The new prisoner, Yaddle. Why is she suddenly happy? Most prisoners would still be screaming, or at least crying..."
Sidious stopped and Boy had to slide to a halt to stop from crashing into him. His master smiled thoughtfully. "Because..." He closed his eyes, and Boy could feel Sidious using the Force to extend out to Yaddle without her knowing it. "Because...oh, how convenient."
"What do you sense, Master?"
Sidious smiled even more broadly. "Yaddle is with child! How surprising, and yet a blessing."
"How is that, my Master?"
Sidious looked down at Boy, smiling fondly. For a split second, Boy thought his master was smiling at him. But no, he was smiling at the thought of Yaddle's unborn child. "When the child is born, I will simply take it from her. If I know mothers and women, she'll do anything to have her baby back..."
"Even instruct you on the last Dark Art!" Boy cried out. Soon, his Master would be all powerful, and bring law and order to the entire galaxy.
"Yes, very good, Boy. And when she does, I will keep the babe anyhow, and train it to be a Sith. Oh yes...the door of opportunity has opened to me."
"You are so fortunate, my Master."
The two had reached Sidious' elaborate chamber. "Go to your room now, Boy. You will find a tub in there. You need a bath, I believe." Sidious walked inside, the door swooshing shut and leaving Boy alone in the hall.
Boy almost cried in happiness. His Master was so kind to him! Almost as kind as his father had been to him. As he walked down to his tiny, rock chamber, Boy thought of his home.
As a little boy, Boy (he couldn't remember his original name) had caught his father's attention with his remarkable abilities. Boy's father had been a Jedi, but when Boy's mother had died, he left the Jedi Order to raise his son alone on an isolated planet called Tyrosis. He had taught him a little about the Force, for Boy's sire had been only a Padawan when he had left the Jedi. Soon, Boy was good enough to pick things up with his mind alone, and communicate with his father over short distances. And that was when Boy had only been two.
But one day, somebody attacked and burned down their home. Boy had been at a nearby friend's house. His father's presence had vanished, leaving him alone and terrified at the age of three. After almost a week of looking for his father, Sidious had found the tiny child in the snow, under a tree. His Master was fascinated with Boy's talents at such a young age, and Boy was in turn awestruck by the power coming from Sidious.
Sidious took him as his servant, and extended Boy's knowledge of the Force. He had become an ideal servant for Sidious, for he could sooth the prisoners and quiet them easier than his Master. Boy tried hard to remember what he had done for his Master to find out, but no memory came to mind.
Once he had reached his room, Boy took off his ragged clothes and slid into the tiny tub full of cold water. Freezing, but refreshing and relaxing as well. Once he had finished, he redressed and curled up on his straw bed, pulling up his sole blanket for warmth. Someday, Boy would become more than just a servant to Master Sidious. Smiling softly, Boy pulled his blanked up to his neck and slept.
*****
Yaro cringed as he walked down the halls leading to the Main Hanger of the Jedi Temple. Every single footstep he took echoed in his ears. A small sound, but the effects of the pressure bomb so near his sensitive ears had not yet worn off. But he no longer cared.
Once he had gotten there, he looked around, spying his ship; a sleek, almost oval shaped starcraft he had dubbed, "Yaro's Playtoy". A few years back, he had received it from a rich Coruscantian family for helping them find their missing son. He knew Jedi were not allowed possession, but the family had insisted and Yaro hadn't wanted to offend them.
It truly was his playtoy; it was near perfect with one cabin with two bunk beds, a second room complete with medical supplies, and a large collection of provisions. It even had hyperdrive capabilities. It was his own little getaway, his escape from every one else. Maybe the reason he loved it so much was because it was forbidden; it was like breaking the rules all over again, like in the old days.
"How are you, Arthree?" Yaro said to the droid that had come with the spaceship. Arthree-Denine, a black mechanical droid with a white lid, chirped at him. It sounded irritated. "Yeah, I know it's late, but we need to sneak out of here without being seen, okay?" He walked through the hatch of Playtoy and walked over to the cockpit, sitting in the padded chair made especially for his form. It was by far his favorite part of the starcraft; he had never found many chairs small or short enough for him to climb into and sit comfortably in. "Let's roll, Arthree!"
Playtoy rumbled to life, and the platform it sat on extended out of the spire of the Temple. Suddenly, Yaro could hear voices behind him. Turning his speaker on, he recognized many of the Jedi (Yoda included) yelling at him to stop. He swatted at the comlink, snapping the button. The comlink still buzzed with the yells of the Jedi and ground crew. "Great. I've been discovered, running off without permission, and my switch is broken!"
Arthree whistled shrilly, a sound Yaro had come to know as a robotic laugh. "Laugh it up, Arthree. We're leaving!" Ignoring the cries of protests of the Jedi behind him, Yaro locked the hatch, strapped on his safety belt, and engaged the controls. He went through the countdown sequence quicker than usual. Arthree's single message scrolled across the message board:
"Activation. Ready for takeoff, Yaro."
Suddenly, the comlink crackled with the sound of the ground crew's controller. "Yaro's Playtoy! Cease your takeoff, or we will be forced to use the tractor beam!"
"Hit it Arthree!" Yaro's Playtoy rose into the clouds of Coruscant, avoiding all traffic as it began to break through the atmosphere.
"Yaro's Playtoy, this is your final warning. We give you to the count of three. One..."
The coldness of the upper atmosphere pierced through the ship. Yaro ignored all of it.
"Two..."
Yellow skies became dark blue, then indigo, then black with faint white dots.
"Three!" Suddenly, the tractor beam grabbed hold of the Playtoy, slowing it down. The starcraft's shields resisted the pull, but Yaro could feel his ship going back down. "Arthree! Engines, full power!"
"Are you sure," appeared on Arthree's message board.
"Yes!"
The Playtoy suddenly surged forward, breaking free of the beam. The comlink's chatter from the ground control ceased to static. Yaro sighed as the stars came out to greet him. Even from space, he could sense Yoda's disappointment. "I'm so sorry, grandfather. But I must follow my instincts... and my heart." He looked out through the cockpit's shield. Somewhere, Yaddle was waiting for him. He didn't know where, but he knew, just knew, that he would find her, even if it took until he was twice Yoda's age. "I'm coming for you, Yaddle!" He cried out as Yaro's Playtoy rushed into hyperspace.
****
~Okay, this was definitely one of my better chapters!! NOW GO READ #7!!