Disclaimer: Most of the characters featured are the property of G. Lucas.
No copyright infringement intended. I am NOT making any money with this.
ONLY TO BE ARCHIVED AT FANFICTION.NET
Timeline: Post- Vision of the Future, replacing Union
To M. For feedback, excellent company, fellowship in SW-madness and fun around the clock ;=) (Especially behind the wheel - I sure would like to see you with an X-wing!)
SPOILER ALERT: Planet of Twilight, Showdown at Centrepoint, Specter of The Past, Vision of The Future, Vector Prime as well as some later New Jedi Orders. (And naturally the Thrawn trilogy, how can anyone possibly avoid that? ;=)
WARPED UNIVERSE ALERT: For the sake of storytelling, Isard's not dead at all. Condolenses to those who get stomach cramps from the woman. I know what you're going through. Just thank the stars of Alderaan I didn't bring Callista back.
Star Wars: The Rising By Heidi Ahlmen (siirma6@surfeu.fi)
Stang, Amarice sweared in her thoughts, even though she figured it was probably unbecoming of a Jedi to use such language. Master Skywalker had left Coruscant and there was noone else who would know what she was talking about. Except for High Councilor Organa Solo, but Amarice had no idea how to reach her. And what could she do, anyway?
Just as she set out to return to the praxeum from the Palace from where she'd tried to find Master Skywalker in vain, she felt it, and it left her kneeling on the floor, gasping air for dear life.
And she was absolutely certain that even those without any sensibility to the Force felt it.
It was more than a tremor. A tidal wave of darkness had suddenly swept into the Force, clouding her connection to the other students and the rest od Coruscant - like her mental landscape had suddenly been hit by a sandstorm that turned it into full-blown chaos.
A tidal wave of hatred, ruthfulness and disdain wallowed on the surface of the living Force, and it refused to move.
Somewhere between Commenor and Obroa-Skai, Luke Skywalker's X-wing nearly lost its course.
As the initial shock faded, Amarice concentrated and stretched out to the Force, aware that it meant subjecting herself to this malice. Soon she began to make out a centre to it, and she was nearly knocked out of her feet again as she realized she was not far from it.
Closing her eyes and letting her Force sense guide her across corridors, up and down stairs and into the night, Amarice surrendered to the guidance of the Force, convinced that as Master Skywalker was absent, she could at least make herself useful by making some quiet inquisitive work. This was just too big to be ignored.
Mara stirred, her banging like a drum. Floor, got it, cold. Blaster gone, lightsaber gone, hands apparently free. Her assessment of the situation came gradually. The realization that she was not alone did not come that easily.
"Up," came the stern order, and before Mara could process the cluster of letters in her stun-misty brain, four pairs of strong hands grabbed her by her armpits and waist and hoisted her up to something similar to a standing position. If only her legs had carried the position would have seemed more dignified.
Deciding that hazy staring wouldn't do much good, Mara stretched out to the Force.
The bang of a feedback she got was enough to twist her hair into nots, figuratively speaking. There was something very wrong here. Or somewhere else, her battered brain added. Something had suddenly invaded the Force, an unnamed, malevolent presence of someone or something.
During her split second of connection she'd felt Luke, feeling as stunned as she was. Luke had also felt as if he was quite near. If not on the planet she was in, then at least a nearby system.
What planet was she on again...? Oh, right, Bastion. Realization dawned and she finally dared to open her eyes.
She blinked as she was staring straight into another pair, misty grey and most obviously belonging to a woman.
"Mara Jade. Now this is a pleasant surprise."
Isard. How convenient. Mara was not giving her the pleasure of winning this vocal contest. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm afraid."
Mara was, suprisingly helped into a chair after a wave of Ysanne Isard's fingers. The gesture was somehow mildened by the fact that her hands were clasped into restraints.
Oh and there was a ysalamiri sitting on a nutrient bar in a corner. How convenient indeed.
"I won't apologize for your treatment as you must remember how difficult good guards are to come by, especially in a time of war."
Mara took an innocent face. "And what war is that?" If she could talk her into revealing something before she was either imprisoned or executed, well, what was the harm in it. Isard had nearly succeeded once and Mara was not going to underestimate her again.
If only she could punch the lights out of that ysalamiri...
"Why the end of the rebellion of course?"
"And where have you been the last few years, how long has it been now, twenty years?" Mara snarled, "A spice mine on Kessel? It's hardly a rebellion anymore."
Isard rapped her desk with her fingernails. "Changing a name does not change the thing itself. You should know, Mara Jade-Skywalker" Isard mused.
Why was it that the whole galaxy happily ignored Mara as long as she didn't do anything foolish and galaxy-shattering such as marrying?
"What do you want then? Let me remind you who you have to fight off your neck if you so much as a pluck a hair from my head."
Isard looked manic. "Oh, let him come," she mused, "We've got a few suprises in store for him."
"Including someone Force-trained?" Mara pecked the carbonite with a stick. What else could the change in the Force be? She wondered what Luke had made of it. Even more she wondered where he was. Sithspawn ysalamiri. If she ever got out of this Mara swore she'd make herself rich by hunting down a few thousand of those hairy nuisances to ne sold for furs.
Isard looked dumbstruck for a second but then regained her composure. "You never know."
Mara looked around. Standard Imperial interrogation room. Nothing new under the twin suns.
"I assume you're looking for this," Isard hinted, and fished out Mara's lightsabre from a desk drawer.
Mara's green eyes flashed in recognition. Isard had no right - - -
"Strange old weapons, these are. No match for a blaster."
As though you know what you're talking about, Mara thought scornfully.
Mara grit her teeth as Isard, looking rather curious, found the on switch and ignited the blade.
Go on, slice your head off, Mara rambled on in her head, aware that she was retorting to a rather low level of dignity, but she was angry, which in her book justified almost anything.
Isard moved the weapon in a few awkward, untrained side and forward sweeps. Then she flicked the blade off, obviously disappointed.
Whoever the source of this disturbance in the Force was, he at least wasn't lurking anywhere in the Imperial Palace.
It had begun to rain and Amarice pulled her robes tighter as she hurried to cross the street before some speeder made her into stew. Rain on Coruscant wasn't a pleasant experience at all. Due to the bad quality of the air the raindrops were midly acid and caused irritation if they met skin. The skies were gray, as if the weather itself wanted to make a note that something was on its way.
Amarice stopped to listen to the Force, stretched out with her instincts, closed her eyes again and let her steps to be guided into the source of this malice.
Within a moment she found herself pacing the halls of the Senate. The strange anomaly in the Force seemed to have recognized her, and it was if it was trying to push her off the Force like two magnetic fields could repent each other.
Robes flying as she ran, Amarice followed the Force, ignoring the few passers-by hurrying home before the rain got any worse.
Then, suddenly, he, whoever it was, was right behind the corner - in the Throne Room. Amarice did not have a combination code for the lock, but by using the Force, she opened the massive wooden doors quietly, and slid inside.
The Force hit her light a thermal detonator going off. It whirled, moved like a pillar of wind inside the chamber. Amarice felt her skin prickle at the tremendous amount of energy.
But she walked in anyway.
A Jedi does not know fear, nor anger. Master Skywalker's words floated into her mind. She was physically alone, but not mentally.
In the middle of the room stood a similarly cloaked figure, slightly taller than Amarice. Her robes were black, with decorations that to Amarice looked a bit like Ilum crystals - the gems used in the making of lightsabres.
The figure was staring at the spot on the floor where the Emperor's throne had once stood.
Amarice snuck closer, knowing that any creature capable of creating such a tremor in the Force was likely to have known her coming before she'd even set foot in the Senate.
The cloaked figure turned, and Amarice swallowed.
Jedi Rieekan, an ominous greetings floated into her mind. Amarice threw up her barriers but this creature, or person, whatever - seemed to be crossing them like they never even existed. What brings you here?
The same to you, too, thank you, Amarice scowled for herself. She decided to use her voice instead of the Force. Maybe that would trick the creature into thinking her skills were less than limited and it wouldn't take her a s a threat. "I was looking for Senator Gann," she said calmly, and felt a violent prod in her mind. Amarice took a deep breath and tried to calm herself.
The cloaked figure seemed to take great pleasure in presenting the next question. And what makes you think she can be found here?
Amarice took a defiant step closer. If word play was all this was about... But she had no plausible reply. Except to play it dumb. "Might you know where she is?" she asked innocently and was mildly suprised at the change in the mind invading her. It felt suprised as well at her blissful ignorance of the situation's nature.
Great, I can trick it at least some, Amarice thought triumphantly.
But the phantom's reply to her question dropped her spirits considerably; The Senator is, let us say, indisposed.
So this creature was going around killing Senators and meddling with the Force. This needed intervention, quick. If Gann wasn't the nicest of persons she'd known, she had sworn to protect the Republic and this included the Senators, even those not-so-seemingly-sensible ones.
Truth be told, as the strenght of the Force in this creature took its toll on her, invading her mind, she wanted to run screaming out of the chamber, but this was no option for a Jedi. So she hid her fear in determination.
"What have you done to her?" she yelled at the creature, and it seemed to laugh underneath its robes.
Suddenly, ordinary-looking hands came out of the sleeves, and pulled off the hood.
Amarice's heart missed a beat. It was the Senator.
************************************************'
Thank you for reading. Reviews and feedback would be greatly appreciated - they're the fuel that feeds this creative furnace.
Heidi Ahlmen siirma6@surfeu.fi
ONLY TO BE ARCHIVED AT FANFICTION.NET
Timeline: Post- Vision of the Future, replacing Union
To M. For feedback, excellent company, fellowship in SW-madness and fun around the clock ;=) (Especially behind the wheel - I sure would like to see you with an X-wing!)
SPOILER ALERT: Planet of Twilight, Showdown at Centrepoint, Specter of The Past, Vision of The Future, Vector Prime as well as some later New Jedi Orders. (And naturally the Thrawn trilogy, how can anyone possibly avoid that? ;=)
WARPED UNIVERSE ALERT: For the sake of storytelling, Isard's not dead at all. Condolenses to those who get stomach cramps from the woman. I know what you're going through. Just thank the stars of Alderaan I didn't bring Callista back.
Star Wars: The Rising By Heidi Ahlmen (siirma6@surfeu.fi)
Stang, Amarice sweared in her thoughts, even though she figured it was probably unbecoming of a Jedi to use such language. Master Skywalker had left Coruscant and there was noone else who would know what she was talking about. Except for High Councilor Organa Solo, but Amarice had no idea how to reach her. And what could she do, anyway?
Just as she set out to return to the praxeum from the Palace from where she'd tried to find Master Skywalker in vain, she felt it, and it left her kneeling on the floor, gasping air for dear life.
And she was absolutely certain that even those without any sensibility to the Force felt it.
It was more than a tremor. A tidal wave of darkness had suddenly swept into the Force, clouding her connection to the other students and the rest od Coruscant - like her mental landscape had suddenly been hit by a sandstorm that turned it into full-blown chaos.
A tidal wave of hatred, ruthfulness and disdain wallowed on the surface of the living Force, and it refused to move.
Somewhere between Commenor and Obroa-Skai, Luke Skywalker's X-wing nearly lost its course.
As the initial shock faded, Amarice concentrated and stretched out to the Force, aware that it meant subjecting herself to this malice. Soon she began to make out a centre to it, and she was nearly knocked out of her feet again as she realized she was not far from it.
Closing her eyes and letting her Force sense guide her across corridors, up and down stairs and into the night, Amarice surrendered to the guidance of the Force, convinced that as Master Skywalker was absent, she could at least make herself useful by making some quiet inquisitive work. This was just too big to be ignored.
Mara stirred, her banging like a drum. Floor, got it, cold. Blaster gone, lightsaber gone, hands apparently free. Her assessment of the situation came gradually. The realization that she was not alone did not come that easily.
"Up," came the stern order, and before Mara could process the cluster of letters in her stun-misty brain, four pairs of strong hands grabbed her by her armpits and waist and hoisted her up to something similar to a standing position. If only her legs had carried the position would have seemed more dignified.
Deciding that hazy staring wouldn't do much good, Mara stretched out to the Force.
The bang of a feedback she got was enough to twist her hair into nots, figuratively speaking. There was something very wrong here. Or somewhere else, her battered brain added. Something had suddenly invaded the Force, an unnamed, malevolent presence of someone or something.
During her split second of connection she'd felt Luke, feeling as stunned as she was. Luke had also felt as if he was quite near. If not on the planet she was in, then at least a nearby system.
What planet was she on again...? Oh, right, Bastion. Realization dawned and she finally dared to open her eyes.
She blinked as she was staring straight into another pair, misty grey and most obviously belonging to a woman.
"Mara Jade. Now this is a pleasant surprise."
Isard. How convenient. Mara was not giving her the pleasure of winning this vocal contest. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm afraid."
Mara was, suprisingly helped into a chair after a wave of Ysanne Isard's fingers. The gesture was somehow mildened by the fact that her hands were clasped into restraints.
Oh and there was a ysalamiri sitting on a nutrient bar in a corner. How convenient indeed.
"I won't apologize for your treatment as you must remember how difficult good guards are to come by, especially in a time of war."
Mara took an innocent face. "And what war is that?" If she could talk her into revealing something before she was either imprisoned or executed, well, what was the harm in it. Isard had nearly succeeded once and Mara was not going to underestimate her again.
If only she could punch the lights out of that ysalamiri...
"Why the end of the rebellion of course?"
"And where have you been the last few years, how long has it been now, twenty years?" Mara snarled, "A spice mine on Kessel? It's hardly a rebellion anymore."
Isard rapped her desk with her fingernails. "Changing a name does not change the thing itself. You should know, Mara Jade-Skywalker" Isard mused.
Why was it that the whole galaxy happily ignored Mara as long as she didn't do anything foolish and galaxy-shattering such as marrying?
"What do you want then? Let me remind you who you have to fight off your neck if you so much as a pluck a hair from my head."
Isard looked manic. "Oh, let him come," she mused, "We've got a few suprises in store for him."
"Including someone Force-trained?" Mara pecked the carbonite with a stick. What else could the change in the Force be? She wondered what Luke had made of it. Even more she wondered where he was. Sithspawn ysalamiri. If she ever got out of this Mara swore she'd make herself rich by hunting down a few thousand of those hairy nuisances to ne sold for furs.
Isard looked dumbstruck for a second but then regained her composure. "You never know."
Mara looked around. Standard Imperial interrogation room. Nothing new under the twin suns.
"I assume you're looking for this," Isard hinted, and fished out Mara's lightsabre from a desk drawer.
Mara's green eyes flashed in recognition. Isard had no right - - -
"Strange old weapons, these are. No match for a blaster."
As though you know what you're talking about, Mara thought scornfully.
Mara grit her teeth as Isard, looking rather curious, found the on switch and ignited the blade.
Go on, slice your head off, Mara rambled on in her head, aware that she was retorting to a rather low level of dignity, but she was angry, which in her book justified almost anything.
Isard moved the weapon in a few awkward, untrained side and forward sweeps. Then she flicked the blade off, obviously disappointed.
Whoever the source of this disturbance in the Force was, he at least wasn't lurking anywhere in the Imperial Palace.
It had begun to rain and Amarice pulled her robes tighter as she hurried to cross the street before some speeder made her into stew. Rain on Coruscant wasn't a pleasant experience at all. Due to the bad quality of the air the raindrops were midly acid and caused irritation if they met skin. The skies were gray, as if the weather itself wanted to make a note that something was on its way.
Amarice stopped to listen to the Force, stretched out with her instincts, closed her eyes again and let her steps to be guided into the source of this malice.
Within a moment she found herself pacing the halls of the Senate. The strange anomaly in the Force seemed to have recognized her, and it was if it was trying to push her off the Force like two magnetic fields could repent each other.
Robes flying as she ran, Amarice followed the Force, ignoring the few passers-by hurrying home before the rain got any worse.
Then, suddenly, he, whoever it was, was right behind the corner - in the Throne Room. Amarice did not have a combination code for the lock, but by using the Force, she opened the massive wooden doors quietly, and slid inside.
The Force hit her light a thermal detonator going off. It whirled, moved like a pillar of wind inside the chamber. Amarice felt her skin prickle at the tremendous amount of energy.
But she walked in anyway.
A Jedi does not know fear, nor anger. Master Skywalker's words floated into her mind. She was physically alone, but not mentally.
In the middle of the room stood a similarly cloaked figure, slightly taller than Amarice. Her robes were black, with decorations that to Amarice looked a bit like Ilum crystals - the gems used in the making of lightsabres.
The figure was staring at the spot on the floor where the Emperor's throne had once stood.
Amarice snuck closer, knowing that any creature capable of creating such a tremor in the Force was likely to have known her coming before she'd even set foot in the Senate.
The cloaked figure turned, and Amarice swallowed.
Jedi Rieekan, an ominous greetings floated into her mind. Amarice threw up her barriers but this creature, or person, whatever - seemed to be crossing them like they never even existed. What brings you here?
The same to you, too, thank you, Amarice scowled for herself. She decided to use her voice instead of the Force. Maybe that would trick the creature into thinking her skills were less than limited and it wouldn't take her a s a threat. "I was looking for Senator Gann," she said calmly, and felt a violent prod in her mind. Amarice took a deep breath and tried to calm herself.
The cloaked figure seemed to take great pleasure in presenting the next question. And what makes you think she can be found here?
Amarice took a defiant step closer. If word play was all this was about... But she had no plausible reply. Except to play it dumb. "Might you know where she is?" she asked innocently and was mildly suprised at the change in the mind invading her. It felt suprised as well at her blissful ignorance of the situation's nature.
Great, I can trick it at least some, Amarice thought triumphantly.
But the phantom's reply to her question dropped her spirits considerably; The Senator is, let us say, indisposed.
So this creature was going around killing Senators and meddling with the Force. This needed intervention, quick. If Gann wasn't the nicest of persons she'd known, she had sworn to protect the Republic and this included the Senators, even those not-so-seemingly-sensible ones.
Truth be told, as the strenght of the Force in this creature took its toll on her, invading her mind, she wanted to run screaming out of the chamber, but this was no option for a Jedi. So she hid her fear in determination.
"What have you done to her?" she yelled at the creature, and it seemed to laugh underneath its robes.
Suddenly, ordinary-looking hands came out of the sleeves, and pulled off the hood.
Amarice's heart missed a beat. It was the Senator.
************************************************'
Thank you for reading. Reviews and feedback would be greatly appreciated - they're the fuel that feeds this creative furnace.
Heidi Ahlmen siirma6@surfeu.fi