Author : Wild-Melody
Disclaimer : They belong to George Lucas and their respective authors…I can't claim anything other than the story plot.
Class/Genre : Drama/Romance…I just so love romance.
Summary : Pieces start to fall into place, but those pieces just lead to more questions. Exactly what is happening to Jaina, and how does it tie into what is happening to Tenel Ka and Tahiri?
A/N : Arista Starblaze is my own character, I needed her to help explain what is happening to the young Jedi, without killing any of them. I sort of needed a scapegoat so to speak. I'm sorry this chapter has taken so long to write, but every time I started it, it decided it needed to change itself. Also sorry its not very long, but it seemed like a good place to stop it at the time, plus it would leave you with a lot of questions as to what is going on. Thank you to all who have read this story so far, and special thanks to all of those who have been kind enough to review. You now who you are and you are greatly appreciated.
STAR WARS : THE NEW JEDI ORDER
I'LL BE MISSING YOU
Chapter 9 : Missing Pieces of a Puzzle
Seconds bled into minutes.
Minutes became hours.
And hours in turn became days.
Days? Months? Years?
He had no idea how long he had been with the Yuuzhan Vong. How long he had been held against his will by them.
Against his will?
He wasn't even sure so sure if that was the truth anymore. He wasn't sure what the truth was, his memories were so jumbled. Thanks to the Yuuzhan Vong.
Or was it because of the infidels?
He shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. He tried to figure out exactly who he was. Was he a Yuuzhan Vong warrior? Jyliuas Carr? Or was he one of the accursed Jeedai Knights of the infidels? Jacen Solo? Accursed Jeedai Knights? He shook his head, not even sure if that was true or not.
He wasn't certain who or what he was anymore. It was a conversation he'd had with himself quite often in the past…weeks? Months?
How long had he been here anyhow?
He sighed in utter frustration and slammed his hand down against the living bed he was lying upon. "Damn it!" He cursed, "Who in the hell am I?"
The door to his quarters irised open and a guard with distorted features poked his head in. "Do you need something Jyliuas Carr?" the guard asked in a raspy voice.
"No," he answered, then quickly changed his mind. "Yes, I would seek an audience with the Warmaster."
"I will inform him," the guard said and turned to return to his duty. Guarding his quarters. Ha! As if he needed guarding, it was his captives that should need the guarding!
Anger suddenly flooded through Jyliuas (or was he Jacen?) and he felt an electrical tingle coarse through his fingertips. A light blue aura tinged the air around his hands and electrical currents arced between his fingers. "No!" He growled. "You will tell him I WANT to speak to him now!"
"I will see if he has time," the guard said and hurried off. Never had he seen the captive Jeedai so full of anger…it set a strange emotion in his cold heart he didn't quite recognize. Fear, he would have thought, if that were at all possible.
Maybe he will be able to tell me exactly whom I am, Jyliuas thought to himself. And if the Warmaster dares to lie to me…He clenched his left hand, the dark Force lightning jumping from his clenched fist.
******
Jaina looked up at Kyp and pushed herself away from him. The dizziness had passed, but the nausea still gripped her stomach, threatening to up heave its meager contents. "I'm sorry," she said softly, trying to find her voice in a throat that was suddenly unexplainably to dry.
Kyp looked down at her and placed his hands on her shoulders, "Sorry for what?" He asked, grinning.
"That…that, whatever that just was," she answered as she took a step away from him, putting some distance between them.
"Are you ok?" Kyp asked, looking concerningly down at her.
"Yeah," she said and looked over toward the entrance to the bay, desperately wishing to be anywhere but there with him at that moment. "It just happens once in a while, but passes rather quickly."
"Have you seen anyone about it? Talked to Cilghal?"
"When?" Jaina asked. "Between paperwork, reviews and reports and even more reports? I just don't have the time." She bit out angrily.
"It wouldn't do for the Goddess to faint in the middle of a battle, it wouldn't look good." Kyp responded, stiffening just slightly, he could tell that Jaina's temper was slowly rising.
"Noted 'Master' Durron," Jaina said, trying to bite her tongue. "I'll go talk to Cilghal when and if I have the time."
"I'm not trying-" Kyp began, throwing his hands, palms out, up in front of him as Jaina interrupted him yet again.
"Kyp, I really don't care right now," her voice began to rise in anger. "Now, unless there was something else you wanted to discuss with me, that had better involve the squadron and not my personal life, I have to go find my Uncle Luke."
Kyp just looked down at her and said nothing. "Fine," Jaina said and brushed past him, "If you'll excuse me, I have things to do, and not a lot of time to do them in."
******
Luke looked over at Cilghal, the cold feeling of dread making its home within his heart. He looked over at Mara and Corran, they were looking over at him. Mara wore the same look of dread that he was feeling. Corran wore a look of total shock.
"You're sure of this?" Luke asked as his gaze returned to the Mon Calamari healer.
She nodded her bulbous head, a look of anguish seeping into her eyes. "I wish I weren't sure of this Master," Cilghal answered. "But I've had two of the young JedI come tome with the same symptoms."
"What symptoms Cilghal?" Mara asked from her seat at the table next to Luke.
"It's varied slightly," the JedI healer answered. "I've actually had three come to me…" she paused, and Luke could see the tears shimmering in her eyes.
"Three?" Mara spoke up.
Cilghal looked over at Mara, "Yes, three." her voice grew softer. "I lost the third one earlier today."
"Lost?" Corran asked, hoping it wasn't what he thought it meant.
"She died earlier this morning," Cilghal answered. "Once I started to see the similarities in the other two with the first one, I decided I should come and tell you Master Skywalker." Her gaze returned to Luke.
"What were…are the symptoms Cilghal?" Luke inquired.
"They started out rather harmlessly at first Master Skywalker. Maybe that is why I overlooked them. I didn't think they were anything serious." Her eyes pleaded with Luke's for forgiveness. He nodded silently and urged her to continue. "It started out with fatigue and occasional spells of dizziness. I thought at first that it was because of recent events, and the ongoing war with the Vong." She paused as she took in the other two JedI in the room. Mara stared at her intently, waiting for her to continue. Corran wore a look of deep contemplation.
She sighed and returned her gaze to Luke. "Then she became ill."
"She? Who was it?" Mara asked.
"One of the young JedI that went on the mission with Anakin, Jacen and Jaina and the others. Arista Starblaze."
Mara's eyes closed in sorrow, sending a prayer out for the young girl's soul. "Continue please, Cilghal." She asked.
"When she first came to me, she was showing signs of burnout. She was depressed, tired and barely eating. It was like she had given up on life, but she hadn't. She didn't understand what was happening to her."
"Who are the other two?" Corran spoke up.
"Tahiri and Tenel Ka." Cilghal answered.
Silence dominated the room. Luke closed his eyes, feeling like someone had suddenly punched him in the gut. Those two young women had gone through enough in their young lives, and now something like this. What would happen next?
"Those were the beginning stages," Cilghal interrupted his thoughts. All eyes returned to her. "Which included irritability for Tahiri and slight confusion for Tenel Ka. I've had themed moved to Shelter right now, I must return soon, to keep a watchful eye on them."
"What were the later stages for Arista?" Mara asked.
"She became ill, refusing to eat. It was like someone was draining her life-force. Almost like her connection to the Force had been broken." Cilghal paused, unsure of how to explain the rest of what had happened to young Arista. "She sank into a state of deep despair, and often cried out about a beast…"
To be continued…
Hmmm…how do volcanoes and earthquakes sound? You'd be amazed at what my mind is conjuring up here. Don't mean you'll see them in this story, but you might see them in another!
Review people! You'd be amazed at what reviewing can do for an author's writer block! If you liked this chapter and want to see the next one, then dang it, review already! What are you still doing reading this? Click on the little button below and leave me a review! I love them. You're still here? Ok…but you had better review.
