Child Of Fate
Yavin IV.
Luke Skywalker stepped shakily out on to the roof of the great temple. The wind blew his hair back from his face, and ruffled his cloak behind him. Dark clouds piled up in the sky, rolling towards him like angry thoughts. Thunder rumbled thickly, but it was nothing compared to the constant roar inside his head. Many of his students had asked what was wrong, approaching him carefully, as if he held a blaster, and meant to kill them all. He could tell them what was wrong, he was going insane. It had started gradually enough, subtle wavering in his concentration, but soon he hadn't been able to teach, and after that, he'd withdrawn from his students entirely. The academy had contacted the new republic, and Leia had come immediately with Han and the kids. They'd taken him to Coruscant, but the medics there had found nothing wrong with him. Leia had tried to reach him, but he'd blocked her out of his mind, saying he didn't want her hurt by what was there. Neither she, nor the children could sense anything unusual in the force, and so Luke's condition had remained a mystery. Now, the pain, and screaming thoughts in his head had reached their peak, and he could think of nothing else to do but leave the academy. He'd been shielding his students, Leia, and the children from his presence in the force, not wanting any of them to suffer, but it was now impossible to keep up, and he had to get away. He climbed down from the roof as the first lightning flashed above him, and began to run. He let himself get lost in the forests, not caring as rain poured down all around him. He didn't care about anything else, as long as he put as much distance between himself, and the people he loved. Something inexplicable was happening to the Jedi, and he couldn't fight it this time.
Space, on rout to the Smuggler's Flame.
Mara Jade had first felt the death of the smuggler in the middle of a meeting with Karrde. She'd gasped, feeling the sudden ripple in the force. Well, ripple didn't describe it, more like a tare in the fabric of the universe which cut like a blade. After his sources had confirmed it was one of his smugglers who'd been killed, Karrde had immediately sent Mara to investigate, thinking she might be able to pick up something with her force abilities. She'd been angry with him for that, he knowing better than to mention the force too much around her, let alone send her on a mission to use it, but it was one of Karrde's people, and he wanted more, and better answers than his sources could give him alone. Mara landed the shuttlecraft in the hanger bay of the Smuggler's Flame, and immediately, the force left her. She gasped, shuttering at the sudden absence of the force around her, but after a few moments she grew used to the empty feeling. The murderers no doubt had ysalamiri around to protect themselves. She drew her blaster, and exited the ship, stepping carefully out into the bay and looking around. She heard the rustle of something moving behind her, and she lifted her blaster and shot in that direction. Her bolt pinged off something metal behind her, and she spun in that direction. She had just enough time to see the figure, before a stun bolt hit her.
Mara woke, feeling numb all over, and groggier than she'd ever felt in her life. Stun blasts did that however, and there was nothing to be done. She opened her eyes and looked around. She was on the bridge of the Flame, and two men sat in the cockpit. She realized she was tied, but they needn't have bothered, her muscles were dead at the moment. One of the men turned to her, and her eyes widened a touch. She'd been expecting a pirate, possibly an imperial, but not what looked at her. The alien looked human, but obviously wasn't. He had pointed ears, and eyes, which were slanted. Even now, what was left of the empire still didn't like to use non-humans for their work, so he wasn't an imp. He didn't seem like a pirate either. Pirates didn't, as a general rule steal ships unless there were some credits or anything valuable to be had, and all this smuggler had been transporting was a few cases of ale. He smirked at her and Mara glared back. "Awake?" he asked. She didn't answer. He rose, and came over to her, squatting down with a syringe in one hand. She immediately began to struggle, but she was still dizzy from the stun blast, and he easily took hold of her. He rolled the sleeve of her flight suit up, and plunged the needle into her arm. Pain shot through her, but was soon replaced by a dizzying wave of warmth which rushed through her from head to toe. The alien laughed, and said something to her, but she only heard distorted echoes of his words. He rose then, and left her there. She lay for a long time it seemed, feeling as if she were in a constant state of fever. Everything was warm, and slowed down. How could this have happened to her? She'd been better trained than this, but eventually, bad luck found everybody, it was just her turn. (I've had enough turns already.) She thought bitterly.
Finally, thankfully, her head began to clear, and the world around her began to cool. One of the aliens walked up to her, lifted her, and carried her to the hatch. She didn't bother speaking to him; he'd only mock her. He opened the hatch, walked down to the end of the ramp, and tossed her out like a discarded piece of clothing. She tucked herself into a ball, and suddenly felt the force surround her again. She used the force to loosen the bands, which had kept her tied, and stretched out her arms for balance. She landed on her feet, and whirled to face the ship. She felt for her weapons, and couldn't find them. She swore, reaching out with the force and calling her weapons to her, if they could still be reached. Her lightsaber flew to her hand, but her blaster never came. They'd probably taken it. Suddenly, the roar of the fleeing ship sounded in her ears, and she was knocked to the ground. She rose a few moments later, staring at the gray sky. The ship was gone, and she was here, stranded on an unknown planet without her blaster, her comlink, or any rations. She looked around, trying to gather herself, and abruptly realized where she was. She was on Yavin Four. Why the hell had they dropped her off here? She began walking, and gradually realized that rain had begun to fall. Soon it was pouring down around her, and she shivered as the cold wind bit into her. She needed to get to the academy. Skywalker would be there, and would be able to help her contact Karrde. As if in answer to her thoughts, something crashed in the brush to her right, and she spun in that direction, her lightsaber off her belt, and in her hands in seconds. The blue-white blade came to life with a snap-hiss, and she stood ready, the blade humming before her. A figure clambered out of the bushes, and she took a step back when she saw it was Skywalker. He looked up at the sound of the saber, and saw her. Right away she could sense something was wrong. His eyes were glazed over, and his pale face held such a look of pain that it made her grimace. She also knew why she hadn't been able to sense him as easily through the force. He'd been shielding himself, and now she knew why. She felt pain, screaming, fiery, roaring pain, which invaded his mind. He'd kept it heavily guarded, but this close to him, she could sense it. "Skywalker?" she asked, closing down her lightsaber and clipping it to her belt.
He gasped, and looked up at her again, but this time, he focused on her. "Go, go away Mara," he croaked out.
She took a step towards him. "Skywalker, what's wrong with you?" she asked.
"I don't want to hurt you, go," he managed, and then he gave a cry of such pain that she cringed. He dropped to the forest floor, shaking visibly. Mara approached him, kneeling down beside him. "Take it easy Jedi. Just take it easy," she said quietly. No one deserved what he was going through, not even the most evil person in the galaxy. She rested a hand on his shoulder, and the instant she touched him warmth flooded her entire being. She felt dizzy with the effect, and something else running beneath, desire. She shook herself out of it instantly. Whatever the hell that had been, she couldn't think about it now. Skywalker desperately needed help. "Luke," she tried softly, and he lifted his head, his eyes meeting hers.
"Help," he choked, his eyes pleading.
She nodded, pulling him to his feet, and trying to ignore the warm feelings, which ran through her every time she touched him. Just what had those aliens drugged her with? She pushed the question away; she'd get who ever was doing this to Skywalker first.
Yavin IV.
Luke Skywalker stepped shakily out on to the roof of the great temple. The wind blew his hair back from his face, and ruffled his cloak behind him. Dark clouds piled up in the sky, rolling towards him like angry thoughts. Thunder rumbled thickly, but it was nothing compared to the constant roar inside his head. Many of his students had asked what was wrong, approaching him carefully, as if he held a blaster, and meant to kill them all. He could tell them what was wrong, he was going insane. It had started gradually enough, subtle wavering in his concentration, but soon he hadn't been able to teach, and after that, he'd withdrawn from his students entirely. The academy had contacted the new republic, and Leia had come immediately with Han and the kids. They'd taken him to Coruscant, but the medics there had found nothing wrong with him. Leia had tried to reach him, but he'd blocked her out of his mind, saying he didn't want her hurt by what was there. Neither she, nor the children could sense anything unusual in the force, and so Luke's condition had remained a mystery. Now, the pain, and screaming thoughts in his head had reached their peak, and he could think of nothing else to do but leave the academy. He'd been shielding his students, Leia, and the children from his presence in the force, not wanting any of them to suffer, but it was now impossible to keep up, and he had to get away. He climbed down from the roof as the first lightning flashed above him, and began to run. He let himself get lost in the forests, not caring as rain poured down all around him. He didn't care about anything else, as long as he put as much distance between himself, and the people he loved. Something inexplicable was happening to the Jedi, and he couldn't fight it this time.
Space, on rout to the Smuggler's Flame.
Mara Jade had first felt the death of the smuggler in the middle of a meeting with Karrde. She'd gasped, feeling the sudden ripple in the force. Well, ripple didn't describe it, more like a tare in the fabric of the universe which cut like a blade. After his sources had confirmed it was one of his smugglers who'd been killed, Karrde had immediately sent Mara to investigate, thinking she might be able to pick up something with her force abilities. She'd been angry with him for that, he knowing better than to mention the force too much around her, let alone send her on a mission to use it, but it was one of Karrde's people, and he wanted more, and better answers than his sources could give him alone. Mara landed the shuttlecraft in the hanger bay of the Smuggler's Flame, and immediately, the force left her. She gasped, shuttering at the sudden absence of the force around her, but after a few moments she grew used to the empty feeling. The murderers no doubt had ysalamiri around to protect themselves. She drew her blaster, and exited the ship, stepping carefully out into the bay and looking around. She heard the rustle of something moving behind her, and she lifted her blaster and shot in that direction. Her bolt pinged off something metal behind her, and she spun in that direction. She had just enough time to see the figure, before a stun bolt hit her.
Mara woke, feeling numb all over, and groggier than she'd ever felt in her life. Stun blasts did that however, and there was nothing to be done. She opened her eyes and looked around. She was on the bridge of the Flame, and two men sat in the cockpit. She realized she was tied, but they needn't have bothered, her muscles were dead at the moment. One of the men turned to her, and her eyes widened a touch. She'd been expecting a pirate, possibly an imperial, but not what looked at her. The alien looked human, but obviously wasn't. He had pointed ears, and eyes, which were slanted. Even now, what was left of the empire still didn't like to use non-humans for their work, so he wasn't an imp. He didn't seem like a pirate either. Pirates didn't, as a general rule steal ships unless there were some credits or anything valuable to be had, and all this smuggler had been transporting was a few cases of ale. He smirked at her and Mara glared back. "Awake?" he asked. She didn't answer. He rose, and came over to her, squatting down with a syringe in one hand. She immediately began to struggle, but she was still dizzy from the stun blast, and he easily took hold of her. He rolled the sleeve of her flight suit up, and plunged the needle into her arm. Pain shot through her, but was soon replaced by a dizzying wave of warmth which rushed through her from head to toe. The alien laughed, and said something to her, but she only heard distorted echoes of his words. He rose then, and left her there. She lay for a long time it seemed, feeling as if she were in a constant state of fever. Everything was warm, and slowed down. How could this have happened to her? She'd been better trained than this, but eventually, bad luck found everybody, it was just her turn. (I've had enough turns already.) She thought bitterly.
Finally, thankfully, her head began to clear, and the world around her began to cool. One of the aliens walked up to her, lifted her, and carried her to the hatch. She didn't bother speaking to him; he'd only mock her. He opened the hatch, walked down to the end of the ramp, and tossed her out like a discarded piece of clothing. She tucked herself into a ball, and suddenly felt the force surround her again. She used the force to loosen the bands, which had kept her tied, and stretched out her arms for balance. She landed on her feet, and whirled to face the ship. She felt for her weapons, and couldn't find them. She swore, reaching out with the force and calling her weapons to her, if they could still be reached. Her lightsaber flew to her hand, but her blaster never came. They'd probably taken it. Suddenly, the roar of the fleeing ship sounded in her ears, and she was knocked to the ground. She rose a few moments later, staring at the gray sky. The ship was gone, and she was here, stranded on an unknown planet without her blaster, her comlink, or any rations. She looked around, trying to gather herself, and abruptly realized where she was. She was on Yavin Four. Why the hell had they dropped her off here? She began walking, and gradually realized that rain had begun to fall. Soon it was pouring down around her, and she shivered as the cold wind bit into her. She needed to get to the academy. Skywalker would be there, and would be able to help her contact Karrde. As if in answer to her thoughts, something crashed in the brush to her right, and she spun in that direction, her lightsaber off her belt, and in her hands in seconds. The blue-white blade came to life with a snap-hiss, and she stood ready, the blade humming before her. A figure clambered out of the bushes, and she took a step back when she saw it was Skywalker. He looked up at the sound of the saber, and saw her. Right away she could sense something was wrong. His eyes were glazed over, and his pale face held such a look of pain that it made her grimace. She also knew why she hadn't been able to sense him as easily through the force. He'd been shielding himself, and now she knew why. She felt pain, screaming, fiery, roaring pain, which invaded his mind. He'd kept it heavily guarded, but this close to him, she could sense it. "Skywalker?" she asked, closing down her lightsaber and clipping it to her belt.
He gasped, and looked up at her again, but this time, he focused on her. "Go, go away Mara," he croaked out.
She took a step towards him. "Skywalker, what's wrong with you?" she asked.
"I don't want to hurt you, go," he managed, and then he gave a cry of such pain that she cringed. He dropped to the forest floor, shaking visibly. Mara approached him, kneeling down beside him. "Take it easy Jedi. Just take it easy," she said quietly. No one deserved what he was going through, not even the most evil person in the galaxy. She rested a hand on his shoulder, and the instant she touched him warmth flooded her entire being. She felt dizzy with the effect, and something else running beneath, desire. She shook herself out of it instantly. Whatever the hell that had been, she couldn't think about it now. Skywalker desperately needed help. "Luke," she tried softly, and he lifted his head, his eyes meeting hers.
"Help," he choked, his eyes pleading.
She nodded, pulling him to his feet, and trying to ignore the warm feelings, which ran through her every time she touched him. Just what had those aliens drugged her with? She pushed the question away; she'd get who ever was doing this to Skywalker first.