Maternal Instincts
A Sequel to Forever Home
by the Callistars
Edited by Jedi15 and Ambassador Cara Jade
When we left off, Callista was pregnant with Luke's child. Now, of course, that means that there is some evil dark side faction wanting to get their hands on said child. Just another day in the life of the Skywalkers.
Of course, we aren't making any money off of this. Too bad, really.
Daybreak on Dathomir.
A lone rider, cloaked in back, sat mounted on a reptilian sopfha, awaiting for
her two messengers to bring back the news. As she waited, her eyes were closed
in deep meditation, anticipating the inevitable battle.
She opened her eyes--a deep ocean-blue--and saw her two messengers galloping at full speed toward her, away from the small farming village they had visited.
Like her, both were women--
--and both were Nightsisters.
"Gabriela," one of them said, bowing her head. "We sent your message to the
villagers."
"And?" Gabriela waited.
"They refuse to give up their land," the Nightsister replied, venom in her voice. "They say they would rather fight to the death than surrender to us."
"Well then," Gabriela said, her eyes penetrating the small village. "If the
villagers won't give us their lands...then we'll just have to take it from them."
"Shall I begin the attack?" the second woman asked.
Gabriela shook her head. "No. Not yet, Shaiya. Wait until dawn, when the
villagers are sleeping. That'll make killing them so much simpler." She turned
to her companions. "We need their crops in order to feed our army. If they won't
cooperate, then they'll have to give their food to us the hard way."
"But what of the Singing Mountain Clan?" Anya said, a hint of trepidation in
her voice.
"They won't interfere," Gabriela said, quite certain. "They'll never even know
about this."
The two Nightsisters bowed their heads, and Gabriela galloped back to their
camp.
Part 1
She was back inside the ancient temple. Her topaz-yellow lightsaber cast a
dull glow on the crumbled walls as she entered the cursed chamber.
Callista felt cold sweat slowly dripping down her head. She brushed it away,
her pulse pounding hard against her throat. Her Force senses on alert, she cast
quick glances around the interior of the temple.
She was in here. Somewhere...
Deep in the abyss of her mind, something told her to get out, to leave and
never come back. A part of her was warning her away from what awaited her within
the ruins of the temple, but another part beckoned her forth. In her mind, she
could visualize a pair of smoky-gray eyes framed by a mane of beautiful brown
hair, a face that looked so much like hers, and yet wasn't in so many ways...
Why did you abandon me...
I had no choice...
Callista went down the small steps and found herself in the main chamber of
the temple, the only noise her ragged breathing. The temple was exactly as it
had looked on the day her daughter had tried to kill them all. She could feel
perspiration resting on her forehead, and yet the temple was as cold as a
thousand-year-old tomb. How she wished Luke was here to help her.
But Luke was gone.
Everyone on Yavin 4 had disappeared without a trace.
Callista had to face this trial on her own.
Callista stood before the old fountain, which had long since been drained of
water. She looked into the eyes of the statue, who seemed to be staring back at
her with its cold, empty eyes.
I know you're here...watching me...
I'll always be watching you, Mother...
A shadow loomed over her from behind, dark and familiar. Callista whirled
around with the speed of lightning, her lightsaber a curving arc as she prepared
to strike her opponent down--
--and gasped as Kara knocked the blow aside with one arm.
Her daughter glared into her eyes. Those gray irises--so much like Callista's.
It was like staring at a mirror image of herself.
"Hello, Mother," Kara hissed, her voice coarse with hatred.
"Kara?" Callista stepped back, helpless. Without her lightsaber, she couldn't
fight this demon. Perhaps if she used the Force--
At that moment, Kara caught her completely off guard, one hand going up to her
neck. She dug her sharp nails into her mother's throat, drawing a few droplets
of blood, and tightening her grip.
Callista gagged and fell to her knees, unable to fight back. She looked up,
fear evident in her eyes. She tried to talk with Kara, reason with her...
And when she looked, it was not Kara who was strangling her, but another, younger girl. Her hair was dark, like Kara's, but rather than smoky gray, her eyes were a pale blue, like Luke's. She knew with all her heart--this was the child that was still growing within her.
The girl sneered down at her, her other hand hooking out into savage claws. Still
maintaining her grip on Callista, she slashed her claws down upon her throat...
Callista awoke with a choked cry, clutching her throat and sitting up straight. Her
sudden movement startled Luke out of sleep as well. He sat up beside her and
gripped her hand. "Callie, what is it? What happened?"
She shook her head, releasing her throat and placing a hand on her
six-months-pregnant belly. As she sent soothing thoughts to the child, she
replied, "Nothing. It was just a dream."
She looked at Luke, and saw he wasn't reassured. "Was it about Kara again?"
Callista looked away. "Yes."
Luke touched her chin until she returned her eyes to his. "It's okay now,
Callie. She's gone. She'll never hurt anyone. Not you, not the students, not
me..." he paused and touched her hand on her stomach. "...not her sister."
Callista nodded. "I know. That's not what I'm worried about. I'm afraid
that it'll happen again. What if the same thing happens with this baby?"
Luke squeezed her fingers. "It won't. I promise."
She sighed. "I hope you're right, Luke. I hope you're right."
"It's time," Gabriela said, leaving her small tent. Two Nightsisters
accompanied her as she mounted her sopfha. "Get everyone ready. We attack within
ten minutes."
Within moments, the camp was alive with activity. Nightsisters emerged from
their tents, carrying bows and arrows, clubs, and even a few blasters. One by
one, they mounted, all primed and ready to do battle with their enemies.
Gabriela reared her sopfha toward the mass of women and addressed them.
"Nightsisters!" she shouted. "A new victory awaits us! Once we have destroyed
these villages, we will move on to attack the Sister clans. Within weeks, we
will have complete control of Dathomir.
She raised her weapon--a lightsaber--high into the air, igniting it with a
flick of her switch. "For the dark side!"
"For the dark side!" the women shouted in unison, holding their weapons high
above their heads.
Gabriela pointed the red-orange blade toward the sleeping village. "Attack!"
With a chorus of war cries, the Nightsisters galloped full force down the
steep hill, firing their blasters into the air. Gabriela led the way in all her
glory, her lightsaber casting a cold light into the sky.
Within seconds, the village was awakened. The female warriors of the village
rushed to confront the enemy, while the men and children cowered inside their
straw-covered homes.
Even thought she admired their bravery, Gabriela knew that the villagers
didn't stand a chance.
The army of women roared across the crops, tearing through weeds and mud until
they reached the wall that protected the village. The sopfhas easily tore
through the wooden barrier and entered the village.
The terrified villagers were now in a panic, not knowing what to do. One of
the Nightsisters let out a bloodcurdling scream as she leaped off her mount and
tackled into one of the villagers, knocking the young man to the ground. Another
Nightsister, brandishing her sword, rode up to an eldery woman and slashed her
weapon across her back as she rode past her.
Anya flanked Gabriela as she attacked the villagers, slicing her vibroblade
across the back of another villagers, cutting deep into her flesh. The warrior
fell forth, the life gone from her eyes.
One of the villagers attempted to escape, climbing up the shattered wall. A
Nightsister spotted him in time, and carefully aimed her blaster rifle at the
terrified man. Just when, he was over the fence, she fired. A red blaster bolt
sailed through the air, striking the villager squarely in the chest. The man was
knocked down to the ground, free from the village, but no longer able to enjoy
it.
Gabriela got off her sopfha, arming her lightsaber. "Give it up, peasants!"
she shouted over the battle. "You'll never win. Surrender, and we'll spare your
pathetic lives!"
Rather than acquiese, a villager--no more than twenty years old--swung a
shovel at the Nightsister. Gabriela reacted fast, slicing the weapon in two
before it could reach its target. Her lightsaber slashed across the warrior's
chest, throwing her down.
As she advanced deeper into the village, more warriors began to attack. One
threw a pick for her head, but Gabriela knocked the blow aside, and her foot hit
her full in the gut, driving the wind from her body. She heard someone approach
from behind--a villager hoping to ambush her--and Gabriela spun, slicing her
saber across the young woman's stomach.
As she fell, the Nightsister turned to the other villager. As she recovered
from her kick, she plunged her blade deep into her midsection, putting all her
strength behind the blow. The warrior couldn't even scream as she fell down and
died, slowly but surely.
More villagers kept coming, but despite their sheer number, Gabriela was more
than a match for them. She slashed her lightsaber across the throat of another
villager and decked another with an uppercut to the jaw.
A Nightsister rode past, dragging one of the villagers behind her with a coil
of rope wrapped around his ankles. The old man screamed for mercy as the woman
dragged him everywhere she went on her sopfha, crashing him through foodstands,
stables, and dirt.
Not far away, another Nightsister was busy chasing a young teenager, possibly
less than eighteen years old. She grabbed him by the back of the hair and yanked
him back. The boy cried out in pain, turned, and swung a punch toward the evil
woman. The Nightsister--clearly the better fighter of the two--ducked beneath
the blow and kicked the man full in the stomach. He bent over in pain, and the
Sister followed by smacking the palms of her hands against his ears,
disorienting him. Before he could recover, she grabbed him by the head and
snapped his neck.
Shaiya strolled around the village, a feral grin spread across her face at the
sight of the onslaught. She turned to see a villager coming at her in a pitiful
attempt to bring her down. With a calm smile, she smacked the handle of her club
across the old man's face, breaking his jaw and knocking him on his side. She
turned and stabbed her mace through the chest of a second, making a horrible
crunch as she connected. Blood flowed from his ribs and mouth, and she casually
kicked him away.
Meanwhile, Gabriela was busy mopping the floor with the remaining villagers.
Moving with the speed of a dancer, she slashed her blade across a warrior's
ribs, spun, and punched the saber into another's gut.
Shaiya fought beside her, elbowing another villager in the face. She heard
screaming from behind, and turned to see a couple--a young man and a woman--down
on their knees, trying to escape from the horrifying battle.
Shaiya stepped in their path, a malevolent grin spreading across her face.
"No!" the young man begged, cradling the old woman. "Please, spare us! We mean
you no harm!"
As her reply, Shaiya brought her club down upon them, cutting both people
down. The young man laid beside the dead woman, their hands locked together in a
final embrace of death.
Gabriela looked around the village. The battle was coming to an end. By now,
most of the warriors were dead, and the Nightsisters were preparing to burn the
houses down. Men and their children--now locked inside their own homes--screamed
in terror as the Sister set fire to their huts, burning down everything--and
everyone--inside.
Gabriela was about to return to her sopfha, when she looked down upon
something.
A young girl.
She was around seven or eight years old, and very beautiful. Her blue eyes
were widened with terror as she looked up at the Nightsister. She gasped and
stepped back, her body stiffening, preparing herself for her inevitable death.
Gabriela was prepared to do just that--then reconsidered. Something inside her
told her to spare the life of this child. She didn't know how to explain it, but
this young girl wasn't destined to die like the other villagers.
She smiled down at the child and grabbed her by the wrist. "Come with me, my
child," she said soothingly. "You belong with the Nightsisters now."
Gabriela, now with the child in tow, headed away, leaving the doomed village
to burn to the ground.
Only a few dozen villagers had survived the attack. Everyone else had either
died in combat or had burned to death when the Nightsisters burned the village
down. Gabriela planned to keep the survivors with them to perform manual labor.
She would enjoy watching them suffer.
"Is that everyone?" she asked, heading over to Anya, who was supervising the
gathering of the surviving villagers. "Yes, my Queen," Anya said, bowing her
hooded head. "Thirty-seven of them in all. Most of them men and children.
Everyone else in the village is either dead or dying."
"I have one more for you," Gabriela said, handing the young girl over to her
fellow Nightsister. "This one will do no work. Take her to my private tent when
we arrive back at the camp."
Anya nodded, then looked down at the girl. "Who is she?"
"Arian," the young girl replied, her voice strangely calm. If it had been any
other child, he or she would have been scared to death of these evil women.
"Where are my father and grandmother?"
"They are dead, my child," Gabriela said bluntly. No comforting, no gentle
words. Just flat out told her. "They no longer are in the world of the living.
You are our daughter now, young Arian."
"I am not," Arian said defiantly. "My mother will save me."
Your mother?" Gabriela glared blue daggers at the young child. "Who?
"Kirana Ti is my mother. She is training on Yavin 4 to be a Jedi. When she
founds out what happened to me, you will all pay for it." There was strength
behind the child's voice as she said it.
Gabriela chuckled. She admired Arian's spirit, although she questioned her
sanity. "We'll see, my child," she said, lightly tracing one clawed finger down
the girl's pale cheek. "We'll see."
She looked up at Anya. "Take her away."
The Nightsister nodded and led the girl toward the cage containing the other
villagers.
Gabriela sighed and turned back to the village. Kirana Ti...
It was the same every day--the sun rose, sending spectrums of color through
the dark sheaths of night.
But the colors were different every day.
Kirana Ti stood alone on the landing pad, staring into the sky, contemplating
the rosy fingers of the morning as they conquered the night. She found herself
likening it to the battle the Jedi had fought six months earlier. The light had
conquered the dark. But it nearly cost her her own life.
It had, for a time.
But she'd been freed.
And freed for a reason.
Now all she had to do was find that reason.
Clad in her reptilian armor, Kirana Ti breathed the morning air in deep. It
was not yet five hours past midnight, but the Academy was coming to life.
With a surge of strength, Kirana Ti ran. She burst into the jungles like a
swift rancor of Dathomir, dodging the sharp, cutting branches and leaping over
logs. Sweat poured from every pore, and covered her skin beneath her armor.
Yet Kirana Ti kept running, revelling in the challenge.
Then she was overcome with dizziness, and she became chilled. She staggered
to a stop to collect herself. I must have been pushing harder than I thought...
she decided, and kept going.
Blackness closed on her vision, and she found herself leaning on a tree for
support.
Intense pain coarsed through her abdomen. She crumpled to the muddy ground;
she wasn't even aware that she'd fallen.
Between waves of pain like she'd never experienced, she felt it was emanating
from her womb.
What?
Another shock of pain, worse than the first, sent her into writhing, kicking
her legs about.
"No, no, no..."
The pain came from her womb, that much was clear. But why? She knew she
could not be pregnant. This was something else.
A third wave of pain rolled over her, threatening to propel her into
unconsciousness. Had she had any food in her stomach, it wouldn't have been
there much longer.
A tiny voice broke through her pain like a strobe light:
Mama...
"Arian?" Was she here? Then a final wave of pain, ten times greater than the
others combined, threw her into darkness.
"Wake up, sleepy-head."
Luke groaned as his eyes fluttered open, and he woke up to see Callista
standing over him. She was already dressed in her brown, well-worn Jedi garb
she always wore to morning classes. The robe itself was nothing special--in
fact, it was rather plain and dull--but when Callista wore it, she brought a
certain...glow, for lack of a better word, to it. She looked beautiful even in
the simplest outfits.
"Come on, lazy-bones!" she chuckled, lightly ruffling his sandy-blond hair.
"Hurry up and get ready! We don't want the students to be waiting for their
teacher all morning, do we?"
"Let them wait," he said, getting up to kiss her. "Good morning, gorgeous.
How'd you sleep?"
"Not bad," Callista shrug, tossing her hair back over her left shoulder, a
quirk of hers that Luke adored. "I've had better nights, but compared to the
last few weeks, it's been better than most, I guess."
"Any more nightmares?"
"Nope," Callista said, heaving a sigh of relief. "Good thing, too."
Despite her cheery mood, Luke could feel the sadness behind it. He could see
it in her eyes. Ever since their encounter with Kara in the ancient temple,
Callista seemed to have aged at least ten years. Her eyes held a worn, weathered
gaze that mirrored Luke's; she had gone through a very traumatic, powerful experience, and it showed. Slight lines webbed along her eyes, barely noticeable, but still there. And, although she claimed to have slept well, Luke could see otherwise in the dark rings under her eyes.
Callista was doing much better than she had been weeks ago, but it was a long
and slow process, one that would take a while to completely heal.
"Hey," he said, holding her by the hand, "what happened to Kara was not your
fault. You did what anyone else would have done."
"I know," Callista said, looking away from her husband. Instead, she
concentrated on the orange gas ball of Yavin that gazed down upon the jungle
moon like an older, wiser sibling. "But I just can't help feeling that she could
have been saved. I mean, you managed to redeem your father. Why couldn't I do
the same with Kara?"
Luke sighed, and stood beside her near the window. "I understand what you
mean. And maybe there was a chance to bring her back to the light. But...I'm
sorry."
Callista rested her head on his shoulder, fighting back the tears that
threatened to spill down her smoke-gray eyes. "It's okay. But I will promise
you this: our child will grow up to be a good person. A Jedi Knight. She won't
fall to the dark side." There was strength behind those words, and for a
moment, a fire burned bright in her eyes, causing some of the wrinkles on her
face to disappear.
Luke kissed her on top of her head, gathering her in an embrace. "So be it,
then. Now, let's say we go off to have some breakfast."
Kirana Ti remained on the ground, unable to comprehend what had just happened.
After a few more minutes, the dizziness wore off, and the warrior woman slowly
rose to her feet, not moving too fast for fear of a relapse.
Mama...
"Arian," she said, her throat tightening with dread. She hadn't seen her
daughter in months, not since she had left Dathomir for the Jedi Academy. Arian
lived with her father, Tyrus, and grandmother. Had something happened to them?
Perhaps it had been an earthquake, which was common on Dathomir. Or a rock
slide, since Kirana Ti's village was located near the moutains? Was the village
destroyed? Had Arian been injured--or killed?
Without wasting any time, Kirana Ti darted back for the Great Temple. She had
to contact Augwynne to find out what had happened.
Augwynne Djo, leader of the Singing Mountain Clan, gazed sadly at the burnt
remains of the village. Several warriors combed the village, searching for any
survivors. The cold wind tore at her silver-white hair and rippled her reptilian
robes, but it barely registered in her mind.
She stared at the atrocity the Nightsisters had committed with horror.
She knew it was Gabriela's doing.
Augwynne's mind flashed back to the past. Gabriela had once been an aspiring
warrior, brave, strong, and compassionate. She had helped battle the early
Nightistsers so many years ago. Her future held strong promise.
Until her mother had died.
It had been a wild band of rancors. They had come from the farthest regions of
the forest and attacked the Singing Mountain Clan, taking the warriors
completely by surprise. They had managed to slay every last rancor, but not
without losing many of their best warriors in the process--one of them being
Gabriela's mother.
The tragedy had torn the young girl apart. Augwynne had tried to comfort her,
but to no avail. Eventually Gabriela had shut herself out from the rest of the
world, abandoning the Singing Mountain Clan and living in isolation.
Just when Augwynne had presumed her dead, Gabriela had returned five months
ago--now a follower of the dark side.
The Singing Mountain Clan had repeatedly tried to track the woman down and
capture her, but each time Gabriela managed to evade even their best warriors,
appearing every once in a while to destroy a village, then disappearing as
quickly as she had arrived.
And now she had struck again.
One of the Sisters, a young warrior by the name of Catalina, came up to
Augwynne, her face ashen. "Augwynne, we've found no survivors."
"They are all dead?" Augwynne's voice was cold and bitter.
Catalina nodded. "Every last one of them. Men, women, children...babies,
even. No one is left."
Augwynne sighed and hung her head. "Have you found Gabriela yet?"
"I've sent our best spies out into the forest, but so far, nothing has been
found of the Nightsisters." Catalina looked away, shocked of what had happened.
"It appears that these Nightistsers are very clever. Not even Gethzerion was
able to avoid us so well."
"We will find them sooner or later," Augwynne said.
"Augwynne," the young warrior said uneasily, "there's something else you must
know."
"What is it?" What else could go wrong? she thought bitterly.
"Arian is missing."
Augwynne's head snapped up. "Kirana Ti's daughter?"
Catalina nodded.
"We must tell her then. Her daughter is either a slave of the Nightsisters,
or..." She was unable to finish her sentence
"I'll contact the Jedi Academy when we return to Singing Mountain," Catalina
said.
Augwynne held up her hand. "No. I will do it. I want you and your spies to
comb this entire area. Gabriela is here somewhere. I can feel her presence,
but...she still alludes me."
Catalina nodded and headed off.
Augwynne sighed again, a single tear slithering down her wrinkled cheek. She
silently wept for the people who had died here today, including Arian. All
because of Gabriela.
As she headed off to her speeder, she silently swore that no matter what,
Gabriela for pay for what she done.
When Kirana Ti staggered into the Temple again, she was greeted by a worried
Streen. "Kirana Ti, what is it? You look faint."
She nodded. "I feel worse. Something has happened on Dathomir. I must go
there. My daughter needs me."
Streen nodded. "Family must always take priority. Never forget that, my
dear."
Kirana Ti placed a shaky hand on the old man's shoulder. "Thank you Streen.
I won't forget."
As Kirana Ti stuffed her belongings into her single bag, Callista silently
entered, watching the warrior woman with quiet curiosity. Kirana Ti turned upon
her approach, and offered a tired smile in greeting.
"Streen told me what happened," Callista said. "Are you all right?"
Kirana Ti nodded. "I'll be fine as soon as I can get out of here and find my
daughter, before--" She was afraid to finish that sentence, lest she begin to
believe it.
I must not believe... she thought. Arian will be safe...
Callista sensed her fear and moved closer. "She'll be all right," she said,
placing a hand over Kirana Ti's mass of auburn hair. The warrior straightened
and looked at Callista.
"I hope so."
Callista eased herself onto the bed, not breaking Kirana Ti's gaze. "I
understand what you're feeling. When Kara came here, I refused to believe that
she had turned to the dark side. Now Kara is gone, and another is coming. I'm
afraid that this child will follow the same path as her sister." She tilted her
head a little. "I sense you are experiencing the same turmoil."
Kirana Ti avoided her gaze. "That is what I intend to prevent from happening."
A memory came to her mind. "I remember a sister--but I forget her name--she was
turned to the darkness when her mother died. We thought she herself had died as
well...but we were wrong. I hope..."
Callista nodded. "I know."
With that Kirana Ti slung her bag over her shoulder and nodded to Callista.
"Please, tell Master Skywalker I shall return as soon as I can, but that my
family needs me."
Callista nodded. "I will. And Kirana Ti,"
The other woman stopped in the doorway.
"May the Force be with you, Kirana Ti."
"What are you going to do with me?" Arian asked fearfully as Gabriela eyed the
young child in the Nightsister's tent. "You killed my father. You killed my
grandmother. You burned my home to the ground. Why did you spare me, out of all
the hundreds of people living in my village?"
Gabriela slowly twirled a jeweled dagger around her fingers as she said, "Your
mother, Kirana Ti, is strong in the Force, my child."
"Yes, I know that," Arian said.
"And the Force is strong in you," Gabriela pointed out, a vicious sneer
crossing her aged, purple-blotched face. She leaned closer to the young girl.
"The dark side is very powerful. You are inexperienced, but just imagine the
powers you can wield if you learned how to harness it."
Realization dawned on Arian's face, and she recoiled. "I will never join the
Nightsisters!" she snapped defiantly, her green eyes wide with anger.
"Keep telling yourself that, child, and someday you might believe it,"
Gabriela said derisively. She drew closer to Arian, her breath hot against the
child's face. "The dark side can offer you unspeakable powers, far more than
your puny light side has to give. You underestimate my powers. In time, you will
be one of us."
Arian rose up to the challenge. "You'll have to kill me," she said.
Gabriela sighed and leaned back against her chair. "We'll see."
She snapped her fingers, and two Nightsisters appeared inside the tent. "Take
her to her quarters and lock her in. Keep a close watch over her."
The two women nodded and grabbed Arian by the arms, lifting her up. The girl
cast a nasty glare at Gabriela as the Nightsisters dragged her out.
Once the girl had been taken away, Gabriela called for Anya to meet her in her
tent.
"How did it go with the girl?" Anya asked as she entered the room.
"She's defiant," Gabriela answered, unconcerned. "She believes that she will
be able to resist me. But she is mistaken. Eventually, we will have her within
our grasp."
"So why have you summoned me?" the other woman said.
"I've planned for our next attack," Gabriela explained, placing a
crudely-written map of the forest area, which included the Nightsister camp and
Singing Mountain. "The next village, Chursa Orna, is two miles away, near the
Rivers of Stone." As she spoke, she drew a line from their camp to the village.
"It's a fishing village, and they make their living by fishing in the nearby
rivers. Most of the food sent to Singing Mountain comes from this village
alone."
"So we destroy Chursa Orna," Anya said, realizing Gabriela's intent, "and that
cripples Singing Mountain by cutting off their food supply."
"Yes," the Nightsister replied. "We keep annihilating every village
surrounding Singing Mountain. And when we're finished..." She drew a circle
around the mountain. "That's when the real fun begins."
Anya nodded. "A brilliant plan, Gabriela." She rose her head up. "But
suppose Augwynne discovers our attack?"
"She won't," Gabriela assured her. "Augwynne is old and foolish. Her glory
days are well behind her. By the time she realizes our plan, it will be too late
for the Singing Mountain Clan."
"I see."
"We attack in two days," Gabriela said. "In the meantime, I shall spend more
time with this girl. I think she will prove to be very useful for us." She
brushed the woman away with one hand. "You are dismissed."
Anya bowed her head and headed out the tent.
Gabriela looked down at the map, her eyes sinking into Singing Mountain. Soon,
she would have the Sisters at their mercy. She would soon be in control of
Dathomir.
The dark side would triumph over the light.
Luke had allowed Kirana Ti to take the Shapeshifter to Dathomir.
The Shapeshifter was similar to the Millennium Falcon in design, even though
it was slightly more pointed and angular that Han's old YT-1300, and about half
its size. Almost three years old, and capable of carrying up to a maximum of
five passengers, it gleamed with a sleek, chrome-plated hull that still looked
freshly-polished. Leia had given it to Luke as a lifeday present, and it had
proved most useful when Admiral Daala's Imperial fleet had attacked the Jedi
Academy eight months ago. It was Luke's pride and joy.
As Kirana Ti packed, she refused to speak. Her bland face masked her
emotions, but Luke could the conflict within her--uneasiness, fear, anxiety,
determination. Fear was an emotion Kirana Ti had seldom felt, and Luke knew it.
But now, her daughter's life was at stake. A child in danger could make even the
most hardened mother crack.
Kirana Ti, are you sure you're going to be okay? he asked her.
"I will be fine, Master Skywalker. But my daughter will not be until I find
her."
"I know this is a difficult time for you, and this is probably the last thing
you'll want to hear from anyone, but I'm concerned for you. This is a very
dangerous time for you. If something has happened to your daughter, it will
leave you susceptible to the dark side of the Force. No matter what has
happened, don't let your feelings overcome you."
"I know, Master Skywalker," Kirana Ti said hastily as she finished packing.
"But you do not understand. This is my daughter...my own flesh and blood! I will
do my best not to let my feelings betray me, but if something has happened to
her...I am sure what I will do."
Luke hesitated. "Just promise me you'll be careful. If you ever need help, I
will be there for you."
The warrior woman stopped, and faced her Master. She gave him a small smile,
assuring him that she would be fine. "I know." And with that, she climbed in, closed the hatch, and waved goodbye. Luke's astromech droid, Artoo- Detoo, beeped out a message. "Thank you, Artoo, but I will leave it on manual control until we get to lightspeed. I am setting a course for Dathomir. Family troubles."
Artoo beeped in understanding. The X-wing left the atmosphere of Yavin 4 into space. When Kirana Ti got around the main planet, she pulled the hyperspace lever, and the fighter sped up to 1.4 the speed of light, its top speed. Stars turned into lines, and then the fighter went into hyperspace. "Okay, Artoo, take over." And with that, Kirana Ti fell into a Jedi trance. She needed the rest
Momma...
My daughter...
Callista watched the X-wing lift off the pad. She approached Luke. "Do you think Kirana Ti will be okay?"
"Callista, I'm worried about her. She just seems to have let go, and I'm afraid she'll fall to the dark side. It was easy enough for me."
"Yes, but the situation was a bit different." Callista then yelped as she felt something inside her stomach move. The feeling felt jarring...but good, in a strange kind of way. "Luke, the baby just kicked."
Luke turned to her and smiled, putting a hand gently on her belly. He could feel the small tremors as their child began exploring the area around it. "Strong and healthy, my love. A Jedi Knight."
Callista looked at her husband. She found him to be a warm, caring individual who made her heart lift everytime he was in her company. She also thought he was just plain gorgeous. Something inside her said that he would be a wonderful father for their baby.
"Say, Callista," Luke suddenly said, snapping her out of her thoughts. "I was wondering if you would like to go stargazing, once we're finished teaching the students. It's going to be a clear night tonight."
"Luke, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you were asking me out."
"You'd be right. So, how about it?"
Callista didn't even need to think about it. "Master Skywalker, it's a date." She moved closer to him and gathered him in an embrace, kissing him passionately.
Gabriela headed out toward her sopfha, accompanied by Anya. "I'm going out with my scouts into the forest. I've heard that Augwynne's warriors are somewhere nearby. And we wouldn't want to find out where we are, would we?"
"Do you think they will find us?"
"If we are not careful, then they just might succeed in doing so," Gabriela said gravely. "If we spot them, I'll send one of my spies back here to warn you. If that ever happens, abandon the camp as quickly as you can. I want nothing left behind that could used a trace."
"Shall I come with you?" Anya asked, watching as her leader mounted on her reptilian sopfha.
"No," the Nightsister said sternly. "I need you here. Keep watch over the girl and make sure she doesn't try anything."
"She's a mere child," Anya said. "What could she possibly do to us?"
"Don't underestimate her," Gabriela warned, venom thick in her voice. "She may be a child, but she's a child strong in the Force. She could be trouble if she manages to escape."
"She will not escape from us," Anya said. "I promise."
"I hope you are right," the Nightsister said ominously. "For if you fail, then I shall personally take the pleasure in torturing you to death. Is that understood?"
"Then I shall watch over her, my Queen," Anya acknowledged, bowing her head.
"Once I return," Gabriela said, "we attack the village."
With that, she rode off with several other Nightsisters into the forest
"Bring the girl to me!" Anya barked, leaning back comfortably against her cushion. As a Nightsister ran out the tent to fetch Arian, she quietly smoked on a hookah, patiently awaiting their arrival.
Within minutes, the Nightsister had returned, dragging the child with her. She shoved Arian unceremoniously to the floor.
"Little brat refused to get up from her bed," the woman snarled. "So I had to force her up."
"What do you want with me?" Arian demanded, not meeting Anya's gaze.
"You've been a lot of trouble to us," Anya said, mock-regret in her voice. "Don't you understand, Arian? We are doing you a favor. Why would you want to spend the rest of your pathetic little life with your grubby parents in some ramshackle house in a poor little village, when you can have the entire world of Dathomir at your fingertips."
"Spare me your rambling, " Arian snapped, spitting in the Nightsister's direction. "I will not be converted to your ways."
With a growl, Anya's knife came out in an instant, centimeters from Arian's throat. "Oh, but you will," she hissed, pressing the dagger against the girl's skin.
Arian closed her eyes, her entire body tensing. "I will not join you. I would rather die.
Anya shrugged. "Well, if that's what you want..." The dagger was precariously close to piercing Arian's throat.
The girl sighed and held her head back. "Get it over with," she said, no longer afraid. Just resigned.
Anya reconsidered, then drew back, chuckling. "No, no, no, no. I don't think so. I'm going to keep you alive for a while longer, just to prolong the agony." She stood up, brushing dust off her black cloak. "Besides, I want you witness us when we attack the next village. You will watch as your people die at our hands. Perhaps that will finally persuade you to see our ways."
Arian stood up, her face marred with fury. "You can't do that! They are innocent people! What have they ever done to you?"
"They swear loyalty to the Singing Mountain Clan. Therefore, they are our enemy. And they must die."
"You butcher."
"Well," Anya said, "I'd prefer the term murderer. But thank you anyway." She turned to the other Nightsister. "Take her away. And mobilize our army. We shall attack Chursa Orna in one hour."
"One hour?" The Nightsister backed away in surprise. "But Gabriela's orders--
"Gabriela isn't here right now, Anya snapped, interrupting the woman. "Whenever she is gone from this camp, I am in charge of the Nightsisters. She'll forgive me; trust me. You have your orders."
The Nightsister nodded and left the room, leaving Anya alone with the girl.
"I can't believe you're doing this," Arian said, terror-stricken. "You will kill all those people?"
"Afraid so," Anya said. "However, if you wish to reconsider..."
Arian contemplated the matter, conflicting emotions evident in her dragon-green eyes. Anya waited impatiently. Whether Arian agreed to join them or not, she planned to wipe out the village, no matter what.
Still, watching Arian struggle to reach a decision amused her.
Finally, the girl looked up at her, defiantly meeting the older woman's gaze. "No. I will not join...the dark side."
Anya sighed and shook her head. "Such resistance. How disgusted I am." She signaled for one of her guards to take the girl away.
Anya moved in up to Arian's face, her nose nearly touching the girl's. "Then prepare to watch your people die," she whispered.
By the time the sun had set, the entire Nightsister army stood on the hills overlooking the fishing village of Chursa Orna. All the women were mounted on sopfha, as before, and all were equipped with some kind of weapon, whether it be a club, a sword, a bow, or even blasters. Anya herself was armed with a spiked mace, which was capable to tearing through the skull of a rancor if struck hard enough. The girl Arian sat behind her, remaining silent.
Anya raised her weapon high into the air. "Attack!" she bellowed, letting out a deep, bone-chilling warrior cry that sent shivers down Arian's spine.
The Nightsisters shrieked in unison, and they galloped down the steep hill, heading mercilessly toward Chursa Orna.
The villagers were unprepared for the attack, so by the time they were awakened by the Nightsisters' cries, it was far too late for them to defend themselves.
The army of evil women burst through the city walls and, brandishing burning torches, set fire to everything they touched. Villagers screamed in terror as they fled from their burning homes, only to be attacked by the waiting Nightsisters.
Arian watched, horrified beyond belief, as people she knew, children she had grown up with, old women who had once been proud warriors of the Singing Mountain Clan, went down as the Nightsisters struck them dead. She longed to help them, but was only a child. She was strong in the Force, true, but she had no idea how to use it to fight.
She was as helpless as the villagers.
Body after body fell to the ground. Villagers screamed as they watched their loved ones die before they themselves were slaughtered. By this time, the fire had spread throughout the entire village, laying waste to everything it touched. Arian looked away as several villagers were caught on fire and screamed as they fell down and slowly burned to death.
The Nightsisters then advanced toward the village's docks, where the fish was kept frozen and preserved. The women screamed in triumph as they tore down the docks with their torches, setting boats on fire, shattering crates filled with fish. Several men rushed out to fight the women, but all were dead within seconds.
In just over twenty minutes, the once-prosperous village of Chursa Orna had been reduced to an enormous pile of ash and corpses.
Callista knocked Luke back against the wall with a powerful Force blow. He returned upon her vigorously, paying careful mind not to focus too much of his assault on her belly.
"Tired yet, sweetheart?" she said with a laugh.
Luke shook his head. "No, I'm letting you win."
She looked at him with eyebrows raised questioningly. "You are, are you? Well, stop it."
Luke shrugged. "Your wish is my command." As he said it, he sent her to the floor with a hard lightsaber thrust. She lay there stunned for several seconds. "But watch it," she warned, taking a deep breath. "This baby of yours is none too strong yet."
Luke nodded. "Sorry." He held out his hand to help her to her feet. She smiled devilishly and knocked his hand away. With an impressive leap, she was back on her feet and pushing the offensive. She cut and slashed with such intensity that Luke could barely block each. She leapt into the air and kicked his wrist hard, and his lightsaber flew against the wall and slid innocently to the floor.
"I believe the score is now two to nothing." she said with a smile.
Luke rubbed his wrist and looked at her. "I think you broke my wrist!" Callista came forward with a chuckle and tried to take his hand in hers. He pulled away. "No, don't--It's fine."
"Come on, you big baby. Let me take a look." He sighed and relinquished his hand to her. She touched his wrist. "It's not broken."
Luke shrugged. "Good. Then I can do this." He grabbed her and kissed her passionately. She put her hands on his cheeks and returned the kiss. Then she cried out and pulled away.
"Ow!"
Luke's paternal anxieties soared. "What?"
She shook her head and touched her belly. "It's okay. But if she doesn't become a Jedi Knight, she'll make one hell of a smashball player. She looked up at him. What should we name her?"
Luke shrugged. I don't know, he said, jumping off the platform and lifting Callista down from the raised combat area.
Well, we need to think of something. Callista pulled her sweaty hair back and started walking towards the showers, backwards so she could face Luke as they talked. Otherwise she'll come and we'll have no idea what to call her.
We will, Callie. But it doesn't have to be done right now.
Callista opened one of the shower stalls and turned on the water. Steam filled the room as she removed her exercise cloak, revealing the rubenesque curves of her breasts and stomach.
"Luke, choosing a name for our baby is one of the most important decisions we'll ever make. What if we pick a really stupid name-- like...uh...Daala? She'll be stuck with that name for life! And all the kids will be teasing her, calling her names--"
"Callista," Luke said, gripping her by the arm, " take a deep breath. Calm down. It's just a name!"
With a growl of frustration, Callista pulled out of his arms and stepped into the shower, slamming the door behind her.
Luke stood leaning against the counter for several minutes, the room silent except for the dripping of the water. Finally, he pulled off his own clothing and slipped into the shower with Callista. He pressed against her back, running his hands down her side and kissing her ear.
"Luke, what are you doing?" Callista asked, annoyed.
"What does it feel like?"
"Like someone's cruising for a bruising."
"Oh, am I getting you all worked up now?" Luke teased, tickling her. "You up for another lightsaber duel?"
"No, even though you'd probably like it. Out."
"What are you going to do if I don't?" Luke asked teasingly.
"Nothing," Callista said flatly, pulling away from him. "I'm not going to touch you at all."
"Ha! Like you could! You're like a smuggler with a fresh supply of andris: stroking, kissing, cooing--
"Luke, shut up and let me shower in peace."
There was a moment of silence, heavy as the steam that curled around them. Callista continued to wash the sweat from her body, ignoring Luke.
Luke sighed. "I screwed up, didn't I?"
"Big time.
Luke slowly began stroking her hair. "I'm sorry, Callie. I didn't mean to make you angry. It's just that--it's gonna take some getting used to. I mean, I've never done any of this parent stuff before...aren't you worried too?"
"Of course," Callista said, turning around. "I never got to do this with Kara. I have no idea what I'm doing. She pressed against him, and kissed his lower lip. But I have you to help me figure it out.
Luke smiled, and ran his fingers through Callista's wet sheet of hair. And I have you, he said. She kissed him again, leaning against the wall and pressing him against her.
There they stayed until the water ran cold.