Chapter 6:
Miennya woke groggily in her small cell and groaned. She had wildly hoped it was just a dream or a training simulator but she could feel where she had been hit and grimaced as she touched the dried blood covering the wound. Rolling over, she sighed as she thought back to yesterday. She had been too overconfident and she had realised the folly of her ways, mentally reminding herself never to trust Ben's advice again. She had been so stupid, running off to challenge her past and now she was a prisoner again of the Imperial Sith Lords. She could just imagine what was in store for her.
Standing, she traced an image on the frosted glass of the Jedi lightsaber and jerked back as the door opened to reveal a figure in black. He was not the Sith lord but she recognised his stance and the power around him, he was the new apprentice. Facing him boldly, she stood tall and ice-filled as he snickered at her and the door closed behind him....
----
Back in the Jedi Temple, the Council had been called for an emergency sitting. Luke was as bewildered as the others for Ben was the one who had called it and not him. So, he had taken his place in the seating arrangement as Ben called it to order and held out the letter to his father wordlessly. The two closest Masters crowded around him and read simultaneously. Finishing some minutes later, Luke passed it around as each member read it and then reacted in a variety of ways. The most emphatic of the Jedi gasped while the others remained stoic and silent. Looking at his son gravely, Luke felt his gaze drawn to the only empty seat in the shape and shook his head.
"What is the meaning of this, Ben?" asked Jacen as Lowbacca let out a growl of anger and sadness.
Ben nodded sadly as he spoke. "Miennya has disappeared to find her past; I fear she has walked into a trap that she did not anticipate. I have great fears for both her mind and her physical well-being. She is traumatised and unfocused, almost as if she is blind to the Force. The dark side has been tormenting her for months and she has finally taken their advice. We must rescue her before she turns back or is killed."
"What do you think is the probable outcome, Ben?" asked the quiet Jaina as Tenel Ka sent out a snort of contempt at the letter's contents.
"Master Solo, she will probably be killed," answered Ben almost inaudibly.
Luke then let the tears flow into his cupped hands as he thought of the death she would endure at the hands of her former masters. Mara stroked his hand silently as he cried and the others looked around nervously. It had been clear how much Luke doted on the woman when she had come back from Coruscant months ago. She was his jewel, the apple of his eye and the pride of his Jedi teachings. They all felt how it would hurt to lose an apprentice, many of them had.
Finally, Luke looked up slowly and wiped the tears from his eyes. "We must bring her back...."
"Master Luke, we cannot just do that," insisted Tahiri, the overly- practical one of the Council. "We must look to the future, to the apprentices that we may be sending to their deaths."
Lowie growled then, his anger evident and the Master shrank back at his display. Jaina translated for him as he stood and ranted. "We cannot leave her there either, Councillor. You must understand, that woman is important to us and we care for her. I refuse to leave her to her death and you should all agree with me."
Holding up a hand, Luke stopped the arguments that had erupted and spoke simply. "I will go then, alone."
The Council gasped as one, Ben the loudest of all. Luke waited for silence. "I agree, we will not leave her to her death and I am most suited to bring her back. I have known her nearly all my life, the one who taught her everything she knows. It would be fool-hardy for anyone else to go. However, I vow here and now that unless she is with me, I will not come back."
He stood and swept out of the room as Mara ran after him and the Council erupted in argument once more....
Miennya woke groggily in her small cell and groaned. She had wildly hoped it was just a dream or a training simulator but she could feel where she had been hit and grimaced as she touched the dried blood covering the wound. Rolling over, she sighed as she thought back to yesterday. She had been too overconfident and she had realised the folly of her ways, mentally reminding herself never to trust Ben's advice again. She had been so stupid, running off to challenge her past and now she was a prisoner again of the Imperial Sith Lords. She could just imagine what was in store for her.
Standing, she traced an image on the frosted glass of the Jedi lightsaber and jerked back as the door opened to reveal a figure in black. He was not the Sith lord but she recognised his stance and the power around him, he was the new apprentice. Facing him boldly, she stood tall and ice-filled as he snickered at her and the door closed behind him....
----
Back in the Jedi Temple, the Council had been called for an emergency sitting. Luke was as bewildered as the others for Ben was the one who had called it and not him. So, he had taken his place in the seating arrangement as Ben called it to order and held out the letter to his father wordlessly. The two closest Masters crowded around him and read simultaneously. Finishing some minutes later, Luke passed it around as each member read it and then reacted in a variety of ways. The most emphatic of the Jedi gasped while the others remained stoic and silent. Looking at his son gravely, Luke felt his gaze drawn to the only empty seat in the shape and shook his head.
"What is the meaning of this, Ben?" asked Jacen as Lowbacca let out a growl of anger and sadness.
Ben nodded sadly as he spoke. "Miennya has disappeared to find her past; I fear she has walked into a trap that she did not anticipate. I have great fears for both her mind and her physical well-being. She is traumatised and unfocused, almost as if she is blind to the Force. The dark side has been tormenting her for months and she has finally taken their advice. We must rescue her before she turns back or is killed."
"What do you think is the probable outcome, Ben?" asked the quiet Jaina as Tenel Ka sent out a snort of contempt at the letter's contents.
"Master Solo, she will probably be killed," answered Ben almost inaudibly.
Luke then let the tears flow into his cupped hands as he thought of the death she would endure at the hands of her former masters. Mara stroked his hand silently as he cried and the others looked around nervously. It had been clear how much Luke doted on the woman when she had come back from Coruscant months ago. She was his jewel, the apple of his eye and the pride of his Jedi teachings. They all felt how it would hurt to lose an apprentice, many of them had.
Finally, Luke looked up slowly and wiped the tears from his eyes. "We must bring her back...."
"Master Luke, we cannot just do that," insisted Tahiri, the overly- practical one of the Council. "We must look to the future, to the apprentices that we may be sending to their deaths."
Lowie growled then, his anger evident and the Master shrank back at his display. Jaina translated for him as he stood and ranted. "We cannot leave her there either, Councillor. You must understand, that woman is important to us and we care for her. I refuse to leave her to her death and you should all agree with me."
Holding up a hand, Luke stopped the arguments that had erupted and spoke simply. "I will go then, alone."
The Council gasped as one, Ben the loudest of all. Luke waited for silence. "I agree, we will not leave her to her death and I am most suited to bring her back. I have known her nearly all my life, the one who taught her everything she knows. It would be fool-hardy for anyone else to go. However, I vow here and now that unless she is with me, I will not come back."
He stood and swept out of the room as Mara ran after him and the Council erupted in argument once more....