Just like in the previous chapters, ownership rights remain the same. ;) Thank you to those of you who have reviewed - it's nice to see feedback. Onward and upward, we head into Chapter Eight.
Twins
--sparkvallen
Kenjiro tended over Jana's slumped and unconscious form as best he could. He could feel her essence through the Force and knew that mentally/spiritually she was fine; whatever she'd sensed by touching the door had knocked her out without causing inner damage.
He thumbed the comlink to signal Spark. This could not wait.
"What is it, Kenjiro?" her voice came crisply.
"Jana is down. I think you should be here... since you are the sensitive one."
"What happened?"
"We found where the children are located. So Jana said. When she reached out to open the entryway, she collapsed," he reported.
"Injuries?"
"None. Just unconscious."
Without hesitation, Spark replied, "I'll be there as quickly as I can. I'm sure there is a connection at the university's behavioral sciences department, but I haven't been able to find any leads. Everything's closed down for the night."
"Understood. Peace be with you," Kenjiro said with a nod.
Shutting down the comlink transmission, he watched Jana's eyes flicker rapidly behind her eyelids. "Hang on, Jana," he whispered.
++++++++++
So many. So many. How can there be so many in here?
//Jana Vnukova! Help us! You're here! YOu can save us!// Their cries made her Force sense wince and tears come to her eyes.
She looked around. There had to be hundreds of children in the subterranean cavern. Hundreds! More than any of the HoloNet reports had quantified!
//Jana, please!//
Her soul ached for them. Each child had been forced into a cramped animal cage. No room for the children to stand, much less move at all. Their backs were rounded, forcing them into a cross-legged position with their heads drooped over.
//I'm here,// she said to them, and for the first time realized that none of the communication had been verbal. They were speaking directly into her mind with the Force.
How could anyone do this to children? And Force sensitives? Why?
//Help us! We can't escape without you!//
Jana looked around the cramped space. Cages were stacked three or four high in some places, all filled with starved and weak children. She could see no exit. Remembering, Jana looked toward the ceiling and spotted the ancient root cellar entrance, high above her.
How do I...? She faltered.
//Help us!//
She looked at the many faces who's wide eyes pleaded. Their Force touch hurt her mind. It was so difficult to concentrate! Pressing her hands to her temples, she pushed until it hurt, trying to gain control over her own emotions and to censor theirs to a degree.
//Help us!//
//I can't!// she exclaimed before collapsing.
+++++++++++
Meanwhile, Spark had arrived and Kenjiro had summarized all that had transpired since their comlink conversation. He described the dream-like REM state that Jana seemed to be in.
"--it's a vision," Spark interrupted.
"How do you know?"
"I am seeing it through her eyes," she said. "Jana is seeing the interior of the cavern beneath us, where the children are help captive. They are screaming for help, but from inside, she has no way to help them."
Spark closed her eyes, watching Jana's vision.
"Dare we wake her?" Kenjiro asked. He ran his palm over Jana's forehead.
"No..." she said slowly, thinking. "She's collapsed in the vision now from stress, but I think we could harm her by waking her before she's ready."
"Then what do we do?"
"I could enter a trance to track her down," Spark said slowly, "and help her wake herself up from the vision."
Kenjiro gave her a doubtful look. "Then how do we wake you, lady? No way. You're not going to play the hero. We're a team in this."
"Then what do you suggest?"
"We wait. And continue to gather evidence."
"You'll stay with her then?" she asked.
Kenjiro pointed out the late hour. "We all stay here tonight," he said. "Get our rest. I want to be able to watch over you both since the Force is doing strange things to you. Then in the morning, perhaps Jana will be awake. And then, you can explore the university."
"Fair enough," Spark said reluctantly.
++++++++++++++++++
By dawn, Jana's state had not changed. Spark and Kenjiro hovered over her quiet form, watching her steady breathing.
Spark concentrated through the Force and was able to see that Jana - in her vision - was stirring and returning to consciousness there. She relayed this to Kenjiro, that she was coming around.
"Good, or I would think we'd need to contact the Council on this."
She nodded. "I'm going back to the university to see what I can find out from the departments themselves. See what they might have to say to a Jedi."
"May the Force be with you, Spark Vallen," Kenjiro said.
"And with you both." She paused, watching Jana still. "I'll be in contact."
The walk to the campus was as quiet as it had been in the twilight of the previous evening. Spark continued to find that strange; where were the students? Why wasn't it hustling and bustling?
She heard as well as sensed a spike of energy from the same common area that she'd visited the night before. Hurrying her pace, Spark rushed in to find a woman, screaming and wailing on one of the couches. A small crowd had clustered around her, looking on but failing to step forward to help the woman.
Spark shoved her way through the crowd and sat down beside her. "Can I help you? What's wrong?"
"My baby!" the younger woman screamed. "She's gone!"
Her Force sense prickled. She asked, "Kidnapped?"
"The bastards took her! This morning! I ran in to her room! And she was gone!"
A direct lead... Spark rested her hand on the woman's shoulder and willed her compassion and peace toward the student.
The woman's breath hitched in her throat and her wild tears began to subside.
"I think I can help you. My name is Spark Vallen. You are...?"
"Alethea Var'dactal. You can help me?"
Spark frowned at the crowd. "You can go on now. Show's over."
As they dissipated, she went on. "Yes, I think so. Alethea, can we go to your dorm or apartment? May I have a look around? To search for clues that might help find your daughter?"
Overwhelmed, she could only nod. Spark followed her across the campus to the dormitories.
The apartment itself was located in the "family units" area of student housing, where those with families could live on campus together. They were small two-bedroom dorms with a common living area for eating, lounging and studying. The rooms were immaculate and intact. No sign of forced entry or a struggle.
"Alethea, approximately when did this happen?"
"Around five," she said through tears. "I... I was just coming in to get her ready for day care. And she was gone!"
"And you think its part of the kidnappings that have been going on."
She nodded. "What else?"
What else indeed?
Spark took time to investigate the small nursery with the tools she'd learned about investigation, then risked using the Force to gather any residual emotions and motive.
"I need to contact my colleagues," Spark said to Alethea. She pulled her comlink from her belt.
"What are you? Detectives? OH!" she exclaimed, suddenly noticing the lightsaber hilt.
Spark winked and proceeded to comm Kenjiro's frequency.
"What've you got, Spark?"
"A kidnapping this morning. Infant, human female around five this morning," she reported. "I'm with the mother now. No forced entry. Clean room. Through the Force," she reported, "the motive feels like experimentation."
"Experimentation?" Alethea gasped.
Spark put a reassuring hand out toward her - which she accepted - then she continued. "Force experimentation. I'm convinced that it's Force-related research going on. The baby here is a Force sensitive."
"Force sensitive? My Amee?"
"That's what Jana has said as well," Kenjiro responded. "She woke just moments before you commed. "She's fine and strong, but also thinks that this is related to Force experimentation on the children."
Alethea gave her a frightened look.
"I'm heading to the behavioral sciences offices now then," Spark said.
The mother's eyes widened. "That's who it is!" she shouted.
"Spark, out." To Alethea, she said, "You know this how?"
Rapidly, she explained, "A survey last fall for the student body! About Force sensitivity in our heritage! They were trying to trace it through blood lines and--"
"Good enough for me to work with," Spark said knowingly. "Stay here, Alethea. I'll head over there and find out what else I can. We know where the children are; the other Jedi are at that location now."
"You'll find Amee?"
"We will. I'll comm you as soon as I have her in my arms," she promised.
Twins
--sparkvallen
Kenjiro tended over Jana's slumped and unconscious form as best he could. He could feel her essence through the Force and knew that mentally/spiritually she was fine; whatever she'd sensed by touching the door had knocked her out without causing inner damage.
He thumbed the comlink to signal Spark. This could not wait.
"What is it, Kenjiro?" her voice came crisply.
"Jana is down. I think you should be here... since you are the sensitive one."
"What happened?"
"We found where the children are located. So Jana said. When she reached out to open the entryway, she collapsed," he reported.
"Injuries?"
"None. Just unconscious."
Without hesitation, Spark replied, "I'll be there as quickly as I can. I'm sure there is a connection at the university's behavioral sciences department, but I haven't been able to find any leads. Everything's closed down for the night."
"Understood. Peace be with you," Kenjiro said with a nod.
Shutting down the comlink transmission, he watched Jana's eyes flicker rapidly behind her eyelids. "Hang on, Jana," he whispered.
++++++++++
So many. So many. How can there be so many in here?
//Jana Vnukova! Help us! You're here! YOu can save us!// Their cries made her Force sense wince and tears come to her eyes.
She looked around. There had to be hundreds of children in the subterranean cavern. Hundreds! More than any of the HoloNet reports had quantified!
//Jana, please!//
Her soul ached for them. Each child had been forced into a cramped animal cage. No room for the children to stand, much less move at all. Their backs were rounded, forcing them into a cross-legged position with their heads drooped over.
//I'm here,// she said to them, and for the first time realized that none of the communication had been verbal. They were speaking directly into her mind with the Force.
How could anyone do this to children? And Force sensitives? Why?
//Help us! We can't escape without you!//
Jana looked around the cramped space. Cages were stacked three or four high in some places, all filled with starved and weak children. She could see no exit. Remembering, Jana looked toward the ceiling and spotted the ancient root cellar entrance, high above her.
How do I...? She faltered.
//Help us!//
She looked at the many faces who's wide eyes pleaded. Their Force touch hurt her mind. It was so difficult to concentrate! Pressing her hands to her temples, she pushed until it hurt, trying to gain control over her own emotions and to censor theirs to a degree.
//Help us!//
//I can't!// she exclaimed before collapsing.
+++++++++++
Meanwhile, Spark had arrived and Kenjiro had summarized all that had transpired since their comlink conversation. He described the dream-like REM state that Jana seemed to be in.
"--it's a vision," Spark interrupted.
"How do you know?"
"I am seeing it through her eyes," she said. "Jana is seeing the interior of the cavern beneath us, where the children are help captive. They are screaming for help, but from inside, she has no way to help them."
Spark closed her eyes, watching Jana's vision.
"Dare we wake her?" Kenjiro asked. He ran his palm over Jana's forehead.
"No..." she said slowly, thinking. "She's collapsed in the vision now from stress, but I think we could harm her by waking her before she's ready."
"Then what do we do?"
"I could enter a trance to track her down," Spark said slowly, "and help her wake herself up from the vision."
Kenjiro gave her a doubtful look. "Then how do we wake you, lady? No way. You're not going to play the hero. We're a team in this."
"Then what do you suggest?"
"We wait. And continue to gather evidence."
"You'll stay with her then?" she asked.
Kenjiro pointed out the late hour. "We all stay here tonight," he said. "Get our rest. I want to be able to watch over you both since the Force is doing strange things to you. Then in the morning, perhaps Jana will be awake. And then, you can explore the university."
"Fair enough," Spark said reluctantly.
++++++++++++++++++
By dawn, Jana's state had not changed. Spark and Kenjiro hovered over her quiet form, watching her steady breathing.
Spark concentrated through the Force and was able to see that Jana - in her vision - was stirring and returning to consciousness there. She relayed this to Kenjiro, that she was coming around.
"Good, or I would think we'd need to contact the Council on this."
She nodded. "I'm going back to the university to see what I can find out from the departments themselves. See what they might have to say to a Jedi."
"May the Force be with you, Spark Vallen," Kenjiro said.
"And with you both." She paused, watching Jana still. "I'll be in contact."
The walk to the campus was as quiet as it had been in the twilight of the previous evening. Spark continued to find that strange; where were the students? Why wasn't it hustling and bustling?
She heard as well as sensed a spike of energy from the same common area that she'd visited the night before. Hurrying her pace, Spark rushed in to find a woman, screaming and wailing on one of the couches. A small crowd had clustered around her, looking on but failing to step forward to help the woman.
Spark shoved her way through the crowd and sat down beside her. "Can I help you? What's wrong?"
"My baby!" the younger woman screamed. "She's gone!"
Her Force sense prickled. She asked, "Kidnapped?"
"The bastards took her! This morning! I ran in to her room! And she was gone!"
A direct lead... Spark rested her hand on the woman's shoulder and willed her compassion and peace toward the student.
The woman's breath hitched in her throat and her wild tears began to subside.
"I think I can help you. My name is Spark Vallen. You are...?"
"Alethea Var'dactal. You can help me?"
Spark frowned at the crowd. "You can go on now. Show's over."
As they dissipated, she went on. "Yes, I think so. Alethea, can we go to your dorm or apartment? May I have a look around? To search for clues that might help find your daughter?"
Overwhelmed, she could only nod. Spark followed her across the campus to the dormitories.
The apartment itself was located in the "family units" area of student housing, where those with families could live on campus together. They were small two-bedroom dorms with a common living area for eating, lounging and studying. The rooms were immaculate and intact. No sign of forced entry or a struggle.
"Alethea, approximately when did this happen?"
"Around five," she said through tears. "I... I was just coming in to get her ready for day care. And she was gone!"
"And you think its part of the kidnappings that have been going on."
She nodded. "What else?"
What else indeed?
Spark took time to investigate the small nursery with the tools she'd learned about investigation, then risked using the Force to gather any residual emotions and motive.
"I need to contact my colleagues," Spark said to Alethea. She pulled her comlink from her belt.
"What are you? Detectives? OH!" she exclaimed, suddenly noticing the lightsaber hilt.
Spark winked and proceeded to comm Kenjiro's frequency.
"What've you got, Spark?"
"A kidnapping this morning. Infant, human female around five this morning," she reported. "I'm with the mother now. No forced entry. Clean room. Through the Force," she reported, "the motive feels like experimentation."
"Experimentation?" Alethea gasped.
Spark put a reassuring hand out toward her - which she accepted - then she continued. "Force experimentation. I'm convinced that it's Force-related research going on. The baby here is a Force sensitive."
"Force sensitive? My Amee?"
"That's what Jana has said as well," Kenjiro responded. "She woke just moments before you commed. "She's fine and strong, but also thinks that this is related to Force experimentation on the children."
Alethea gave her a frightened look.
"I'm heading to the behavioral sciences offices now then," Spark said.
The mother's eyes widened. "That's who it is!" she shouted.
"Spark, out." To Alethea, she said, "You know this how?"
Rapidly, she explained, "A survey last fall for the student body! About Force sensitivity in our heritage! They were trying to trace it through blood lines and--"
"Good enough for me to work with," Spark said knowingly. "Stay here, Alethea. I'll head over there and find out what else I can. We know where the children are; the other Jedi are at that location now."
"You'll find Amee?"
"We will. I'll comm you as soon as I have her in my arms," she promised.