Part 5
Callista leaned against a tree, tears running down her face, her head throbbing. She'd never been so scared in all her life, this or her previous. Her thoughts were muddled--she wanted to find Luke, but she also wanted to sleep, to run away, to die...
...but she didn't know, at the moment, how to do any of them.
Hope slept peacefully in her arms, and Callista was glad. She didn't want the girl to be aware of the danger that surrounded her.
Where was Luke? How would she find him? Katharss had left no trail, that she could see. But she'd find him, no matter what. The image of her chilling dream floated at the edge of her mind, a terrifying incentive.
A rustle in the bushes startled her, and she froze. Were they coming back?
"Callista! Master Skywalker!"
Callista breathed a sigh of relief. It was Kyp.
"Kyp! Kyp! I'm over here!" she called back.
Moments later, the young Jedi, followed by Corran Horn, burst into the clearing.
Callista also noticed the creature that followed behind Kyp and Corran. Callista pointed, "Kyp, Corran, look--"
"Shhh," Kyp soothed gently. "That's not Katharss."
Callista examined the creature. Kyp was right. This creature was female and...
Callista gasped, "You are to be a mother too!"
The creature nodded, "I am Heless and the one growing inssside me isss Garass."
"Where is the father?" Callista asked.
Heless looked down, "He isss dead."
"Come on. We haven't much time." Corran prompted. He helped Callista to her feet and they started walking.
*
Katharss's spirit floated angrily over his dismembered body. He had liked this one and it made him angry to have to find a new one. Especially now that most of his kind was now dead. But only most... He thought of Heless. She had been good once. Very good. Obedient too. But then she had rebeled. He would show her though. The child that they had made together would soon have a spirit. His.
They reached Singing Mountain close to midnight. Kyp's eyelids were droopy and he leaned against Heless to keep from falling. Corran and Callista walked side by side. Hope was still in her arms, but Callista doubted that would last long. Her daughter hadn't eaten in a few hours.
Arian and Tenenial Djo met them outside the fortress, arms full of karta wool blankets. "We've been so worried!" Tenenial cried, throwing a blanket over Callista's shivering shoulders and hugging her. Arian gave Corran a blanket, but didn't dare come closer to Kyp and Heless. "Isn't that a-"
"Heless is a friend," Kyp told her. When the girl didn't relax her guard, Heless lowered her pregnant belly to the ground in a sign of peace.
"I mean you no harm, little one," she said quietly. Cautiously, Arian came closer, and stretched her hand to touch the creature's muzzle.
Callista looked back at Tenenial. "We have little time to spare. Luke and--" she hesitated to say more, with Arian so close. "Is there somewhere we can go? The situation has become very complicated."
Tenenial nodded and ushered the group into the fortress.
Arian followed the group back into the fortress, but she lagged behind. She knew something was wrong. She had seen the look Callista had given Teneniel. Something had happened and Callista didn't want Arian to hear what.
By then the rest of the group had entered the grand hall of the fortress. Kyp, Corran and Heless went to warm themselves by the fire. Arian watched as Teneniel lead Callista to a side room and shut the door. Arian crept up to the door and pressed her small ear to the smooth wood. Very faintly she heard Callista tell Teneniel that Katharass had attacked them and had taken Luke and Kirana Ti back to the Nightsisters.
Arian's little heart filled with red hot anger. They had her mother! Quickly she turned and ran out of the fortress. She would save her mother. She would give the Nightsisters what they wanted, if they let her mother go.
She would give them herself.
When Luke awoke, he was lying on a pile of dried animal dung in a crude cage. As he sat up, pain rolled over him in a shockwave. He'd never experienced such a bad headache. Thinking back to the past events, Luke remembered seeing the Nightsister Anya standing over him with a wicked- looking club in one hand. Most definititely the source of the bantha stampede in his skull.
Luke looked around, and realized for the first time that he was alone in his little cage. Kirana Ti was nowhere to be seen. For a moment, he feared the worst--that she was dead.
Very carefully, pushing past the blinding pain behind his eyes, he sunk into himself and felt for the warrior's presence.
She was in a similar situation as his own, across the camp. Her mind was saturated in despair and fear, clearly for her daughter, Arian. Luke reached out and touched her mind. Don't worry, Kirana. Everything is going to be all right. Fear leads to the dark side. Don't give into it.
Kirana's presence seemed to calm down, and Luke turned his attention to finding help. He reached for his wife's presence. She was safe, back at Singing Mountain. She was alert, but weary from worry and lack of sleep. He sent a thought to her:
Callista...
Her mind jolted as if woken from sleep.
Luke?! Where are you?
Her presence touching his was like a caress, water to a man that had walked the equator of Tatooine.
I don't know. There's a lake, in the middle of some mountains, covered in snow.
Sit tight, Luke. I'm coming for you. Hang on. I love you, Luke, I'm coming...
Luke sat back into his dungpile and eased away from her.
He heard voices outside his cage. In his mind they were amplified by a thousand microphones in a wide canyon. Then the lock jiggled and released, the door opened, and Anya entered, accompanied by two other Nightsisters. "You're awake." she said.
Luke closed his eyes and replied calmly, "You'll never win this, Anya." He opened his eyes again and looked at her.
Her lips had parted in a feral smile. She kicked him in the jaw, sending him into the wall of his cell. "Perhaps not, but you'll have a hell of a time beating me, no?"
Luke rubbed his jaw. "You have no idea what you're getting into. The Singing Mountain clan knows where you are. They'll be here soon."
Anya smiled again. "Yes, I know. And your dear little Callista will be with them, won't she?" She made a pouty face, which was hideous against her purplish skin, and reminded Luke all to much of Palpatine. "And that's just what I want, my little love. With her here, it will only be too easy to get your little brat."
Before Luke could react, she kicked him again, sending him into deep unconsciousness. His last thought, as he catapulted into the black abyss...Got to tell Callie...
Callista sipped the hot tea Teneniel had brought her, staring intently into the warming fire, and pulling her karta wool blanket closer around her shoulders. "I have to find Luke," she said at length.
Teneniel looked at her from across the fire, where she sat with her hands locked around her knees. "We will help you," she agreed. "But you must get your strength back."
Callista shook her head. "There's no time," she argued. "We don't know how long we have. Luke told me where he is. I can find them, I just-- " she stood up and her vision blacked out. She staggered against the wall, clutching to the stone and pressing her back to its fortified strength. Teneniel rushed to her side, gripping her arm in support.
"You won't do him any good if you collapse in the middle of a fight. And there will be a fight." She added the last part with an intense stare into Callista's eyes.
"Callista, you've been running nonstop for three days. Have you even eaten anything? Slept?"
Callista thought about it, and to her surprise realized she hadn't. The past three days had run together in an endless kaleidoscope of events, and she really hadn't stopped. She suddenly became aware of her fatigue, and the constriction of her insides from lack of food. "Oh, man..." she whispered, and slid to a sitting position. She locked her arms around her knees and rested her forehead on them.
Teneniel patted her shoulder. "I'll get you something to eat, and then you're going to go to sleep. Then, when you've rested, we'll go get Luke."
Too tired to argue again, Callista simply nodded in defeat. "Okay," she muttered.
Teneniel took leave of Callista, and headed for the food storage. She selected some dried karta meat, a wafer of bread and a piece of ripe piala fruit. With this in hand, she returned to Callista's room.
"Eat it slowly, ir you'll be sicker than you already are." Teneniel warned as she gave Callista the food. Callista nodded and obeyed. After she'd eaten, she laid down on the bed and let Teneniel pull a second blanket over her.
"Will you wake me at sunrise?" Callista asked.
Teneniel shook her head. "Sunrise is in one hour," she replied. "I'll let you sleep until you wake up."
Callista sighed and closed her eyes. "Thank you, Teneniel." she muttered, and fell asleep.
Arian tiptoed carefully through the silent halls of the Singing Mountian Fortress, using the training her grandmother had given her as a hunter, who moves without sound through the jungles after her prey. She had to find the animal, the one that had come with Callista. It was like the other; she knew that she would know where to find her mother.
Teneniel had moved the animal to a high security tower, having taken into account the Ssekhmets' alliance to the Nightsisters and Heless' claims. Whether or not she was trustworthy had yet to be seen.
But either way, Arian knew she could help her.
Heless was curled up in front of the large fireplace of her room, with her sizable belly turned towards the warmth. She lifted her head as Arian came in, shutting the door silently behind her.
You are Heless, Arian said.
replied the creature, climbing slowly to her feet.
I need your help.
Anakin Solo was getting restless. They had been on the ship for hours, it seemed, and it didn't look like they were getting anywhere. His parents were in the other room, panicking, and the twins were playing hide and seek in the smuggling compartment with Chewie.
He knew that impatience was not becoming to a Jedi, but hey, he was just a kid, and the person he loved most in the universe was in trouble.
He adored his family, and his Uncle Luke. He really liked his Aunt Callista, too, she got more and more fun every time he saw her. But his cousin...there was something about Hope that affected him. He felt so connected to her, as though they were a part of each other. He could feel when she was hungry, when she was tired, and when she was sad.
She was destined to come here to help you.
Anakin jumped as he heard the whispered voice. He had never heard it before in his life, but at the same time, it seemed so familiar. Almost as if he were supposed to hear it every day...
You will have many trials in your life, Anakin, and your cousin will always be there to help you. Your road in life may not always be straight, but as long as the two of you trust each other, it will be clear.
"Who...who are you?" He asked, looking around. He tried to convince himself that it was one of his siblings making fun of him, but something deep inside told him that it wasn't. That the voice was something else, something more.
I suppose it's my fault you don't know who I am. Of course it is, who else's fault would it be? But that's not why I'm here. You need to believe what I tell you, because it could save you some day.
"How can I trust you if I don't know you?"
Look in your heart, Anakin. You know who I am.
Anakin closed his eyes, searching deep inside, and out into his connection to the Force. He knew who the voice belonged to, of course, but he wasn't sure how he knew, or whether he wanted to know how.
"Grandfather?"
Yes, child, Grandfather. The one you were named after. Trust in me, trust in your cousin, but most of all trust in yourself. I'll see you again, my grandson.
Even though his grandfather has left, Anakin knew that if he ever needed help, he would be back. Sitting down, he traveled along the bond he shared with his cousin.
Hey, Hope, how are you?
Starving. What would you expect?
Han held his wife tightly as she sobbed in his arms. He was trying so hard to be strong for her, but a part of him wanted to sink to the floor and do exactly the same thing she was.
He and Luke hadn't always gotten along, but he loved the kid. After marrying Leia, he had simply begun to think of him as his brother. After all, brother-in-law really wasn't all that different, was it?
The worry was eating him up. If anything happened to the kid he didn't know what he'd do. Not that he was much of a kid anymore. A Jedi Master, married, and if Anakin was right, a father. Still, it was hard to stop thinking of Luke as the innocent farm boy he had met in a cantina on a backwater planet...
"What if I lose them, Han? What if they don't survive?" Han pulled his arms tighter around his wife, resting his chin on her head.
"They'll be fine, Hon, I promise."
"How can you be sure?"
Han bit back a sigh. He loved the woman, but when she got an idea in her head, she really didn't want to let it go.
"You can still feel Luke, right?"
"Yeah..."
"And you'd feel, through him, if anything happened to Callista, right?"
"Yeah..."
"And Anakin claims to be in contact with the baby, so he would know if anything happened to her. So as long as we have the two of you, we'll know if your fool of a brother has gotten himself into trouble again." Han mocked sighed. "We're really gonna have to teach him not to drag us into this as well." Leia hit him and he laughed.
At that moment, the Falcon beeped, telling him it was time to come out of hyperspace. Chewie headed back into the cockpit to help him out.
The planet seemed to grow bigger and bigger, until it was all Han could see through the front of the ship. Operating the controls deftly, he took the ship down to the surface, setting it down as close as he could to the Singing Mountain clan's village.
"Well," he said, turning to his wife, "here we are."
Callista--no longer in her room--stood over a mountainous cliff overlooking the snowy plains, the cold wind rippling at her fur robes, her long brown hair slapping gently on her face. Snow covered the entire land, and more fell from the dark night sky. She stood there like a statue, alone and frozen, her eyes gazing down at the picturesque landscape.
So beautiful...and yet so empty.
"This is a dream," Callista said, her voice echoing down the mountain.
"Yes," a voice said from behind her. "What else could it be?"
Callista turned to see Kara standing beside her, looking down at the abyss below them. "Why am I here?" she asked.
"You tell me, Mother. This is your dream."
The image of her and Luke staked to the ground played before her eyes. "This is where it will happen," she realized. She winced as she saw the stake plunge through her wrists, her scream rising up into the sky. "Where I'll...No. It can be prevented. There must be some way to--"
"There isn't," Kara said. "It is already in motion."
"The future can always be changed," Callista shot back.
"You cannot escape fate, Mother."
Callista glared gray daggers at the apparition. "I don't believe in fate."
"Suit yourself." Kara sighed and gazed up into the sky, the stars winking down at them like thousands of tiny eyes. "Little Sister is not safe," she said.
Callista nodded. "I know."
"She has such potential. The power within her, the possibilities...she will become mine soon enough. She will not be able to resist the temptation. Don't worry, Mother; I'll take good care of her."
"No!" Callista shouted, grabbing her daughter by her arms. "That is never going to happen!"
"Try and stop me, Mother. You can't."
"I will burn in the dark side before I see my child become evil," Callista snapped.
"You don't understand do you?" Kara said, slightly amused. "Take a look around you, Mother. The future is unchangeable. Everything that happens is for a reason. It is all part of the bigger plan. It is what She wants."
"She?"
Kara nodded. "Even now, She is watching you."
Callista suddenly felt a wash of cold terror flow through her. "Who is She?"
"She is the darkness that is you," Kara said cryptically. "Your darkest fears. Your worst nightmares. You cannot see Her, but She can see you. She is everywhere...everywhere. She is forever."
Luke, I love you, and I always will. We will be together, for all eternity. Forever.
Forever...
"I...I don't understand," Callista said, hugging the robes tightly around her.
"You will in time, Mother," Kara whispered in her ear. "She is coming for you. Death is slowly approaching. You cannot escape it. No one can."
Callista flashed her daughter a challenging smile. "Wanna bet?" she said.
Kara moved fast, like a fighter going into hyperspace. Callista cried out as the spirit tackled into her, knocking them both down, with Kara sitting on her belly. She grabbed her mother by the head and smashed the back of her head into the ground, eliciting a cry of pain from Callista.
Stars exploding in her head, Callista still had enough strength to Force-shove Kara off of her. She sat up and sent her foot flying into her daughter's face, sending her back down.
The two women were up again seconds later. Kara was the faster of the two, and she sent an uppercut into Callista's jaw, knocking her back several feet into the air. Callista landed hard on her back, stunned by the blow.
Kara leaped after her, balling both hands into one fist. She brought it down upon Callista's head--
--and missed as her mother rolled to the left. She was up again, and threw a kick across Kara's face, staggering her back. Callista kicked out again, missing this time. Not giving Kara a chance to fight back, she dropped to one knee and sent her fist into Kara's gut, throwing her back a few feet.
From the look on Kara's face, the blow hurt, but she was also furious. She leaped to her feet and faced Callista again, ready to fight.
Callista was ready to give her just that--and then stopped, realizing what was going on. This was what Kara wanted. If she fought back, she would only be making her daughter stronger. There had to be another way to end this.
"I'm not going to fight you anymore, Kara," Callista said confidently, putting her fists down. "You'll just have to kill me."
Kara smiled and launched forth in a full body tackle. She smashed into Callista, and the two combatants fell over the cliff and plummeted down to the chasm below...
As Callista fell, her vision being eaten away by blackness, Kara's voice rang malevolently in her ear.
She is coming...
Teneniel Djo stood in front of her weapons rack, trying to decide between her spike mace or her poison-tipped spear. Both would dispatch an enemy quickly. Both were easily carried into battle. But they both struck her as the wrong weapon for this battle.
Drawing a deep breath, Teneniel slid back a secret panel behind the rack, and reached inside. When she removed her hand, she clutched the old, dusty lightsaber closer in her fingers. Teneniel shut the panel and sat before the fire to examine the ancient weapon. Cobwebs strung delicate nets across the hilt and emitter. She brushed them away with a fingertip. It was her great-great-grandmother's weapon, passed from daughter to daughter and each time used against the Nightsisters. Now it was her turn.
Callista woke with a start, sitting up straight in bed. A quick glance outside told her she must have sleeping for several hours, as the sun was high overhead and radiating the noontime light.
She rubbed her fingers against her temples and over her eyes, and stood up. Hope was lying face up in the borrowed crib, gurgling and playing with her toes. Her big eyes watched Callista as she picked her up, as if she knew something her mother didn't. Callista hugged her closer, and sat down in the room's only chair. Images of her dream--no, nightmare; it was definitely a nightmare--plagued her memory, and she could do nothing to stop their terrible dance in her mind's eye.
"Don't worry," she told Hope, reassuring herself as much as her daughter. "We'll find him, and everything will be okay."
The trouble was, she wasn't at all sure it would.
She is coming...
*
Anya sat inside her tent, contemplating the events that would soon take place. Her fellow Nightsisters were either meditating in their private quarters or were outside training. Through the half-open entrance, Anya could hear the battle cries and the clash of weapons as the warriors practiced their combat skills. It would do them well in the final battle.
Gabriela was dead, and Anya was now in charge. Which meant that there was now a change in plans. Rather than attack the Singing Mountain Clan--as was originally planned--the Nightsisters would have the Sisters come to them. And Skywalker would be the bait.
Skywalker. Anya smiled as she thought of Hope. She had witnessed the child's powers in the earlier skirmish. It both amazed and frightened her. To see such a small being possess an enormous amount of power...She would make a fine Nightsister indeed.
All she had to do was eliminate the Singing Mountain Clan, Master Skywalker, and his woman. And the rest would be easy.
As Anya heaved a deep sigh, she felt a cold draft enter her tent, uninvited. The hairs on the back of her neck immediately stood up, indicating danger. The Nightsister sprung to her feet and gasped as a cloaked being materialized from the shadows, its gaze intent on her.
"Callista is coming," the being said. Its voice was deep and guttural, like the sound of an enraged rancor. "The vision of death must be carried out before I can return. I trust that you are powerful enough to take care of the child."
Anya nodded, her bones melting in terror. This being--this demon--had visited her in her dreams for days now. It didn't seem to mean her any harm...not yet, anyway. She had no idea who or what it was; all she knew was that it was powerful and not to be tampered with.
"It will be done as you have requested. I promise you that. And Hope shall become one of us."
The demon's eyes glowed a bright blue, like a twin pair of suns. "Good. I shall come back when the battle begins."
The being was gone within seconds, and Anya nearly collapsed. Even though the demon was gone, she could still feel its invisible eyes watching her. It would know when the Sister warriors would arrive, and it would know if she would succeed or fail in her mission. And if she failed...she shuddered to think of what would happen. She had barely recovered from the encounter when a Nightsister suddenly burst into her tent, startling her.
"What is it?" Anya snapped harshly.
The Nightsister seemed taken aback, but quickly answered. "Heless has returned...with Arian."
*
Anakin Solo stared wide-eyed at the forest that surrounded them. He had heard stories about Dathomir, but he had never imagined it to be so big. The trees rose into the sky like giants--some higher than even the skylights on Coruscant--and cast large shadows over him. He had never felt so overwhelmed before.
His mother and father were getting ready for the journey to Singing Mountain Clan. Chewie and the kids would remain on the Falcon, though. Han and Leia had visited Dathomir before; they knew of its many dangers, and they were not willing to risk the lives of their children. Anakin felt that was for the best, for he sense a dark malevolence within the encroaching forest.
While Jacen and Jaina played with one of the Falcon's quad-cannons, Anakin sat calmly his father's seat in the cockpit, his eyes shut, his mind focused on one thing. He tried to contact Hope again, to see if she was all right...but all that came back was silence. Not a good thing.
"Chewie, make sure nothing happens to them, okay?" Han said. The Wookiee roared something back, but Anakin barely heard him. He tried again, concentrating even harder. Hope, are you there? his mind screamed, unheard, but as loud as an exploding star.
Once again, the child didn't respond. Anakin started to feel frightened. Had something happened to her? Had she--? No,he chided to himself. Don't think that. She's still alive, and so is Uncle Luke and Aunt Callista.
Minutes later, Han and Leia were packed and ready to go. They hugged their children goodbye, told them to be good for Chewie, and not to leave the ship for any reason. Jacen and Jaina, not surprisingly, were upset by that, but Anakin merely nodded.
"We'll be back as soon as we can," Leia assured them. "May the Force be with you,"
"And try not to destroy the ship," Han added. The kids chuckled nervously, knowing that their father was just trying to lighten the mood. Anakin could sense the malevolent feeling growing stronger with each passing second to the point of driving him crazy. They all hugged again, and Han and Leia left.
After they were gone, Jacen and Jaina grabbed Chewie by both arms and begged for him to tell them a story. "I wanna hear The Little Lost Bantha Cub again!" Jaina pleaded.
"That story's boring now!" Jacen said, sitting on the large Wookiee's lap. "I wanna hear something else. How about when Mommy and Uncle Luke had to rescue Daddy from Jabba the Hutt!"
As Chewie obliged and began the story, Anakin sat in the rear compartment, not sure what to do now. If he couldn't find Hope, then all was lost. He then contemplated contacting Uncle Luke or Aunt Callista. Where they were, Hope should be too.
As he closed his eyes and stretched out with the Force, a voice whispered in his head.
Anakin...
The little boy's eyes snapped open, and he looked anxiously around the room. "Hope?" he said, his voice echoing.
Right behind you...
Anakin turned to see a beautiful young woman standing behind him, dressed completely in black. She looked very much like Aunt Callista, with shoulder-length brown hair, skin as pale as the snow on Hoth, and dark gray eyes. "
"Who are you?" he asked, a tightness forming in his gut.
The beautiful woman smiled. "I'm Kara. You must be Anakin."
The child nodded.
"I'm a friend of Hope's," she said. "She's waiting for you, my child. She wants to play with you."
Anakin felt his hopes lifting. "Y-You know where she is?"
Kara smiled. "Come with me, Anakin. Little Cousin wants to be your friend." She extended her pale hand toward him, silently beckoning the boy.
Anakin, feeling a calm sense of warmth overcome him, lifted his hand and grasped Kara's.
Anya walked out to see Heless with a groggy looking Arian on her back.
"So, you've finally decided to join us?"
Heless shook her head. "I've decided nothing of the sort. The child wishes to see her mother."
One of the nightsisters laughed. "And I suppose we should just bring her out!"
Heless nodded. "That would be prefferable."
Anya laughed in spite of herself. "I'll make a deal with you. You give us the girl and then she gets to see her mother."
Heless chuffed and Anya frowned at her laughter. "No." Heless corrected Anya. "I will make a deal with you."
"What makes you think--" Anya started.
"I know about the demon, Anya." Heless said simply as she circled the nightsister. "And I know what you wanted from Katharss. But it's no longer a mere trinket anymore."
"Silence!" Anya snapped, although she did not like Heless's knowledge.
"Well?" Heless prompted. "Do you agree to set the child's mother free?"
Anya laughed trying to mask how disturbed she was. "Set her free?! You ARE joking."
Heless shook her head, "No. And niether is the dream demon Anya. She can destroy you. Now, what do you say?"
Anya growled, "I don't think so!" Anya's hand dug into her robe, retrieving Gabriela's lightsaber. The energy blade spurted outward, pointed at Heless's throat. "Sisters, attack!"
Heless hissed as several cloaked women leaped from the bushes and surrounded the two, yanking Arian off the Ssekhmet. Heless tried to fend them off, but two Nightsisters grabbed her by the arms, while three more clasped her legs, pulling the alien down. Heless was a good, strong fighter, but no match for these Force-wielding warriors.
She could only watch, helpless, as Anya strode forth toward Arian, smacking the hilt of her weapon across the girl's face. Arian let out a single cry of pain before she fell headfirst into the mud, blood seeping from a wound on her forehead.
"NO!" Heless screamed, trying with all her might to shake free from the women's grip. But the Nightsisters easily held her down, amused at her inability to fight back.
"Don't worry, my dear," Anya said mockingly. "We'll take good care of the child. Which is more than I can say for you."
As Heless brought her head up, one Nightsister stood over her, a large rock the size of her head held in both hands. Before she could move away, the woman brought it down smashing upon her face, bringing forth oblivion...
Kirana Ti's eyes snapped open at the sound of her daughter's voice. She looked around the room, but she was still alone. "Arian?" She could feel her daughter nearby, so close to the Nightsister camp, could hear her scream, feel her pain and terror--
Realization slapped her in the face as she discovered what had happened.
"In the name of the Force, no..."
Anakin skipped along behind the woman--Kara? Was that her name? She walked in front of him, almost appearing to float above the mud and plants, holding out her hand for him.
She led him on...
We're almost there, Anakin," Kara said as she led the little boy through the dark woods, her cold hand clasping his. A cold breeze hit them as they walked, blowing Kara's beautiful long hair around her face like a cape. "Hope really wants to meet you."
Anakin nodded, and, although he wanted to see if Uncle Luke's daughter was safe, he couldn't help but feel...uneasy about this woman. Something was bothering him, but he couldn't pinpoint it. "But what about Jacen and Jaina? Shouldn't we..."
"They'll be here with us soon." Kara reassured him, her hand lightly playing with his dark hair. "And you'll get to be together. The whole family."
A strange sense of peace flowed through his body, and Anakin smiled. "Yes," he whispered. "Family..."
"Callista?"
Teneniel slipped into the room and quietly closed the door behind her, careful not to wake up Hope. Callista stood over the sleeping form of her daughter, unmoving. "Is something wrong?"
Callista nodded, tracing a finger across Hope's cheek. "I had a dream," she said.
"A dream?"
Callista let out a joyless laugh. "A nightmare, to be more precise," she admitted. "I've seen...visions of...it's been plaguing me for quite some time now." She shivered, the room suddenly becoming very cold, as if a draft had broken through the window.
Forever...
Teneniel went over to her and laid a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "I'll be leading the Sisters to Gabriela's camp in a few more hours," she said. "Would you like to accompany us?"
Callista sighed. "I don't know. I will do everything in my power to rescue Luke...but what about Hope? She's the thing the Nightsisters want the most; I can't just leave her here alone--"
My husband and daughter will look after her," Teneniel soothed. "I think Hope could use a new friend. Tenel Ka could keep her company while we are away." Her grip tightened around Callista's shoulder. "She is in safe hands here."
Callista nodded, feeling a little relived. But no matter how much Teneniel reassured her, she couldn't get the images of her nightmare out of her mind.
I have a very bad feeling about this," she said. "There's something out there...something even worse than the Nightsisters."
Teneniel looked concerned. "Like what?"
"I don't know," Callista said. "I can feel it everywhere. Like it's...watching me. I don't recognize it...and yet it's so familiar."
"It was only a dream, Callista," Teneniel said. "Nothing else. Even if it is a prophecy, it can always be changed. Remember, the future is always in motion. And you, of all people, should know that."
Callista finally locked eyes with the other woman. She allowed a smile to creep up on her face. "You know, she said, changing the subject, "if we're planning on fighting the Nightsisters, I could use a little help in my fighting skills."
"Teneniel nodded. "Which is the reason I came here." She brought up a sharp-looking staff, tossing it alternately in both hands. "Do you feel you are up for some training?"
Callista chuckled. "You bet."
The door to Kirana Ti's cell flew open, and two Nightsisters entered, carrying a small, limp figure. Kirana Ti immediately stood up, wary of any attack, and recognized the child.
"Arian!" A cold sense of anger pierced her heart when she saw blood on her daughter's forehead. Her eyes met with the Nightsisters, and she moved forth, completely intent on taking them down--
"I wouldn't," a voice said from the doorway. Kirana Ti turned to see Anya, with a fur-covered creature draped over her shoulder. "You even try to fight us, I will personally take the pleasure in snapping your little girl's neck."
The other two Sisters stood on either side of Kirana Ti, prepared to perform a spell on her if she dared to defy Anya. The warrior woman sighed and ran over to her daughter's side. "Get out," was all she said.
Anya nodded and smiled. She turned and left the room, her cape swirling around her as she went. The two Nightsisters followed suit, leaving Kirana Ti alone with her child.
Her only family left.
She kissed Arian gently on the forehead, struggling to stop the tears from falling. "Please don't die, Arian," she whispered. "I know you can make it. You're the only family I have left, my pride and joy." She checked for a pulse and saw, relieved, that it was still beating.
As she held Arian, Kirana Ti recalled a lesson Cilghal had taught her about healing the wounded. She closed her eyes and concentrated with the Force, putting Arian into a Jedi healing trance. Her wound was still beating, but it was starting to heal. Slowly, but surely.
Kirana Ti felt better, but she knew that it wasn't over yet. She silently prayed that Augwynne and the Singing Mountain Clan would arrive in time to save them. And if not...they were on their own.
She watched as her daughter slept, stroking her soft, reddish-gold hair. "I love you, Arian."
She sat there all night, never leaving her daughter's side.
Anakin toddled along behind the woman with his pudgy, three-year-old legs. It was almost like a game. Trying to keep up with her while not falling flat on his face...it made him laugh.
Kara disappeared very quickly, and Anakin was left alone.
Naturally, he thought that she had gone ahead.
Naturally, he wanted to catch her instead of losing the game.
Naturally, he was wrong...
...which he realized as he broke through the slapping wet foliage, and tumbled over the edge of the cliff he didn't see coming...
Luke jolted from sleep as the scream of terror rippled through the Force.
Anakin!
What was he doing here?
Unless Han and Leia were here too.
Which meant that there was hope.
Anakin cried out as he fell, closing his eyes and reaching out for something, anything to hold on to. As he fell further, the young boy knew there was nothing, and his eyes filled with tears as he realised that he would never see his family again.
Thump Anakin's breath flew out of him in a rush as he landed on a ledge a couple of metres below the cliff's edge. He smiled. The woman who had led him there must not have thought the ledge significant. After all, it was very small. Just big enough for a small child trying to grasp the side of the cliff to land on...
He looked up, frowning. Great. He thought. Now what am I supposed to do?'He heard a giggle in his mind, and he smiled. NOW Hope decided she would show up. Oh well, now was better then never, he supposed.
What are we going to do? He asked her.
Simple. She giggled. Climb. If she had of been there, Anakin would have glared at her, but as it was he could only send her an annoyed thought as he looked up at the sheer climb he was going to have to attempt.
Shaking his head he set off, reaching for the tiny pieces of rock jutting out that were big enough to support his hands and feet. He only made it a metre before he was puffing, and his muscles aching. He knew that it would be even harder to make the next metre, but if he ever wanted to see Hope and the rest of his family again, it was a climb he would have to make.
By the time he reached the top he was exhausted, but exhilerated.
I made it, I made it, I can't believe I made it! He sang to himself. Smiling delightedly he reached along his connection to Hope and headed in the direction she was. Now all have to do is think of an excuse for this so my parents don't kill me. I wonder if I can blame it all on Jaina and Jacen?
"Don't die." A little voice inside Heless's body whispered.
"I don't know if I can stop myself," Heless admitted.
"But father has left me." The voice whimpered.
"Father left long ago." Heless admitted regretfully.
"I know," the little life admitted, "That is why you must not."
"Why?" Heless asked the pain perieced her every fiber.
"Because you are Mother," the voice replied simply.
"Because I am Mother," Heless echoed.
"And because father is watching," the child added.
Heless fought with all her might and opened her one good eye. With even more strenghth she pulled her self up off of the trash heap that the nightsisters had threw her on. Left to die.
Thank you," she whispered to the child inside her. There was no answer but she realized that her broken bones were healed.
It was nighttime now and the nightsisters were not watching their trash...
Callista ducked as the staff sailed right past her head, striking the air instead of its intended target. She could feel the sudden whoosh of air as the weapon flew past her, tossing her hair back. Callista backed off and deflected a second blow with her own staff, a loud crack echoing in the training room.
Her opponent, Teneniel, flashed a challenging grin as she attacked, perspiration streaming down her face. The two women continued fighting, careful not to injure the other. They were merely practicing, and neither wanted to end up responsible for breaking someone's bones.
Callista leaped as Teneniel threw a blow for the knees. She dodged it and landed on her feet, throwing a kick for her opponent's midsection. Teneniel knocked the blow aside with her own foot, but was unprepared for the Force blow that smashed into her chest and knocked her flat on her back.
Callista moved in, victory now tangible. Teneniel looked up and waited until the other woman was upon her, brought one foot up, planted it on Callista's chest, and shoved upward, tossing Callista over her head.
Callista cried out as she sailed through the air and hit the ground behind Teneniel. She managed to turn her fall into a roll and was on her feet within seconds. She spun and faced her opponent, more wary this time.
"Nice try." Teneniel said, twirling her staff.
Callista snorted. "You got lucky."
She attacked a second later, aiming to knock Teneniel's weapon from her hands. The warrior woman parried the attack, backing away a few steps. Callista fought on, attuned to the Force, ignoring the sweat that poured into her eyes.
Teneniel swung a blow for the shoulder, and Callista realized too late that it had been a feint. As she rose her staff to defend herself, Teneniel kicked out, her foot catching Callista behind the heel, dumping her to the ground.
Callista let out a small gasp as the small of her back hit the hard floor, a brief shock of pain running down her spine. "Nice move," she said, rubbing her elbow. "I could've done that!" She accepted the hand Teneniel offered her and stood up. She wasn't really hurt, except for her pride. "We definitely need a rematch."
Teneniel wiped some of the sweat off her face and clapped her friend on the shoulder. "You're a worthy opponent," she said, setting her staff in the weapons rack. "Definitely a force to be reckoned with. You almost had me there. But the trick is is to rely on all your abilities, not just the Force."
Callista bit her lower lip. "As in hand-to-hand combat?" She had not really had much experience in that particular area.
"Sometimes it helps just as much as the Force," Teneniel added. "And in some cases, even more so."
Callista nodded, taking in the advice. "I'll keep that in mind next time." The sound of the door opening made her and Teneniel turn around. She smiled when she saw Augwynne enter the training room.
"I was looking for you," Augwynne said, her eyes meeting Callista's.
"What is it?" Callista said, setting her staff down.
"You have some visitors," she said. "It's Han and Leia."
Kirana Ti could feel the tension resonate throughout the Nightsister camp; it was as thick as a whuffa blanket. Anya had earlier mentioned about launching an attack on the Singing Mountain Clan by dawn; they were obviously preparing themselves for the inevitable battle. Kirana Ti tried to send a message to Augwynne, to warn her of what was to come, but only silence answered. She rested her back against the filth-soaked wall, quietly cradling her sleeping daughter.
It wasn't until a few minutes later that Kirana Ti saw her daughter's eyes start to twitch. A feeling of hope surfaced, and she held the girl even tighter. "Arian...can you hear me?" Her prayers were finally answered when her eyes slowly opened. Arian let out a groan of pain as she gazed into her mother's emerald-green eyes. Her hand came up and touched her chin, a small smile creeping up on her face.
"Mother, this isn't a dream, is it?" Arian said. "I thought I would never see you again. Gods, my head hurts."
Kirana Ti gathered her daughter in a hug. "You'll be all right, my child. Trust me."
Their reunion was interrupted when the Nightsister Emna entered the room. "Well, it's nice to see that you both are awake. The invasion of Singing Mountain is almost underway, and Anya has no further use for you. And you know what that leads to."
Kirana Ti didn't need an explanation; judging by the look on Emna's face, she knew what was going to happen. She started to get up, ready for a fight to the death, pushing Arian behind her to shield her. The Nightsister came forth and backhanded Kirana Ti across the face.
"Time to die!" Emna shrieked.
The Nightsister whipped out a nasty-looking scythe and struck a blow for Kirana Ti's head...
Heless hid behind a bush and watched as the Nightsisters prepared for battle. All of them were armed to the teeth and dressed in black robes, to blend in with the darkness. A large bonfire burned away in the middle of the camp, and several Sisters dressed in white warpaint danced around the flames, chanting in the ancient Dathomirian language.
It was a terrifying sight indeed. Heless looked on, not sure what her next move should be. She could either return to Singing Mountain and warn the Sister warriors, or she could try and rescue Kirana Ti and Arian.
Godssssssss, why musssssst everything be ssssso damn complicated?
She crept away from the bush, trying to get a little closer to the camp. As she headed for the main gate entrance, a twig snapped a few feet away, and she turned to see Anya standing behind her.
"Hello, Heless," the Nightsister said.
Heless should have been afraid but she only chuffed in laughter, "You are persssissstent Anya but I fear that you cannot kill me. Not while I carry thisss child."
Anya gave her an evil smile. "Is that so?" She held a knife to Heless's stomach. "Then we will have to extract the child!"
Suddenly an angry force struck the nightsister and knocked her on her back. The angry wraith hovered there for a moment then dissapated as quickly as it had come.
Heless chuffed," It isss time that you learned usss Ssekhmet are hard to kill. And that while Katharss does not care for me he doesss care for the child. Becaussse of your ssslaughter of our sspeciess the child iss hiss only hope for a new home for hiss ssspirit. You would do well to remember all thisss Anya."
With that Heless left the unconscience Anya and went off to find Arian.
Kirana Ti ducked just in time to avoid the scythe blow. She spun and kicked out, knocking the weapon out of Emna's hands.
"Lost your grip," Kirana Ti quipped.
Emna tried a different approach. She rushed Kirana Ti, taking her by surprise and throwing her back against the wall. She snatched the warrior woman by the throat and began choking her.
"How are you going to get out of this one, Kirana Ti?" the Nightsister taunted.
Kirana Ti bared her teeth. "I'll give you three guesses." Her hand was up in a flash, grabbing the Nightsister by the wrist. Kirana Ti dug her teeth into Emna's hand, biting hard enough to draw blood. Emna screamed in unexpected pain and fell back, releasing her grip on her opponent.
Kirana Ti continued the attack, striking out with the Force, knocking Emna into the opposite wall. The young woman gasped as the air left her body, and as she started to get up, Kirana Ti came forth and kicked her in the midsection, sending her back down.
Emna was up within moments, and the two women faced each other, both in a fighting stance. Arian watched on, her eyes wide with fear.
Kirana Ti charged first, sprinting toward her opponent in an attempt to knock her down. Emna sidestepped, grabbed Kirana Ti by the shoulders, and threw her to the ground. Her head took most of the impact, white lights exploding in her head.
Trying to clear her vision, Kirana Ti rolled to her feet. As Emna bore down on her, she snapped roundkick to the face, twisting the Nightsister around. A second kick to the side knocked her against the wall.
Emna recovered and threw her own punch, which Kirana Ti easily dodged. She hit back, aiming for Emna's neck. The Nightsister's arm came up and deflected the blow, and Kirana Ti cried out as the Force tore her off her feet, throwing her all the way across the room and right through the door. The entire door splintered as she plummeted through, hitting the ground seconds later. It took a while for the pain to set in, but when it did, she could barely move.
"Mother!" Arian cried, running to her mother's side. Emna turned to confront the child, retrieving her fallen scythe. She smashed the handle of her weapon into Arian's head, knocking her out. The little girl slumped to the floor.
Kirana Ti weakly stood up, rage burning in her eyes. This woman had hurt her daughter...and now she was going to happen.
Easier said than done, she said to herself.
Emna wasted no time, and she directed another Force blow on Kirana Ti, tossing her even further down the narrow corridor. The warrior slid across the floor and hit the wall at the very end, bloodied, bruised, and mad.
Anger leads to the dark side...
As Master Skywalker's words echoed in her mind, Kirana Ti tried to control her emotions. Giving in to her anger would only make matters worse. But how could she defeat this woman--
Before she could finish her thought, Emna kicked her in the face.
"Heless is still alive!" Anya shouted as she burst into the Nightsister camp. All the cloaked women stopped at what they were doing and turned to their new leader, bewildered. "She's still alive! I want you all to find her! Find her and bring her head to *me!"
Without argument, the Nightsisters broke off into groups and began combing the camp for the Ssekhmet.
Anya tried to regain her composure, still infuriated by her previous encounter with Heless. If that hairy little bitch thought she could take on the Nightsisters, she was severely mistaken--
Suddenly, a thought occurred to her. Kirana Ti! She and her daughter, Arian, were in the camp as well, locked away in the caverns with the rest of the villagers.
And she had no doubt that Heless was heading there right now.
Of course," Anya whispered, chuckling to herself. "Heless, you stupid little weakling, you picked the Nightsister to mess with."
As the Nightsisters continued searching, Anya went into her private tent and snatched Gabriela's lightsaber. With her former mentor dead, this Jedi weapon now belonged to her.
This would be the weapon that would murder Heless and her child.
Anya fathomed bringing the rest of her army with her, but she shrugged it off. This was her battle to fight, and hers alone.
And she was going to enjoy it.
Katharss's spirit watched the Nightsister. Still seething with anger at her for betrayal of him and his tribe. He needed that child's body! No doubt he would have to fight the child's spirit but depending on how many times it had been reborn the fight could be easy. It seemed like a fresh spirit. He wondered idly what had become of the spirits of the rest of his clan but he assumed that they had merely faded. He had seen no sight of them. He wished he had a body again but Heless's spirit was much to strong for him to fight. The child would be different he was sure.
But first he had to stop Anya before she could murder his only chance. If only he could just inhabit the child now but a premature body was no good to him. He watched as the nightsister stalked away from her tent, lightsaber in hand. He used his senses to spot his former lover, Heless and used the Force to cloak her. It would not fool the Nightsister for long but it would buy him some time. Hopefully enough time to find the one creature that could even the odds of this imminent fight...
Anakin ran as fast as his pudgy legs would allow, losing himself deeper and deeper in the dark, scary-looking forest.
Come on, Anakin! Hope said. I'm getting bored!
Oh, shut up! Anakin snapped. He had no idea where he was going--the forest looked pretty scary; no telling what kind of monsters lived here-- but deep down in his gut, he felt he was going in the right direction. Hope was his compass; she was telling him where to go--unless she was just playing a prank on him.
"Hello!" he shouted. "Hello! Can anyone hear me?" His voice echoed several times around him before dying out. No one answered.
Anakin was starting to feel a little scared, remembering his encounter with the scary-looking lady. Would she come back again to hurt him?
Don't be scared, Anakin, Hope said. That mean lady won't hurt you again. She's only a stupid ghost; she can't hurt you anyway. Don't worry; I'll protect you.
"Boy, I feel safer already," Anakin muttered.
Hey, I heard that!
Anakin suddenly stopped in his tracks when he heard something snap behind him. His heart nearly skidded to a halt; was it a monster? He had heard several loud animal cried hours earlier; maybe they had smelled him and were looking for him. He looked around for a weapon he could use, but all he saw were some rocks, which wouldn't help much against a billion-foot monster.
What's wrong? Hope asked.
I heard something, Anakin replied. He looked around. Great, another fine mess you've gotten me into.
Me? It's not my fault!
Yes, it is! You brought me here! It's all your fault!
Is not!
Is too!
Is not!
Is too!
Fine! Hope said. You know what? I hope you die!
Good! I don't like you either, laser-face!
Fine! I'm leaving! Hope cried.
Go ahead! I don't care! Anakin shot back.
Just when their argument was about to get more hateful, something lunged from one of the trees and slammed into Anakin like a meteorite, knocking him to the ground.
Ha Ha! You're in trouble now!
Shut up! Anakin said.
He brought his head up and saw himself staring up at a beautiful girl, about a year or so older than him, probably around the same age as Jacen and Jaina. She was dressed green reptile armor, reddish-gold hair swept over her shoulders in little braids. She had a small rock held up at Anakin's throat, her gray eyes bearing down at him.
Anakin gulped nervously and smiled. "Uh...hi. Who are you?"
The little girl didn't smile back. "I am Tenel Ka," she said. "And you are?"