Audreidi: Sorry. I really didn't rememberit had been a year since I had read that book, you know... and you're too busy to beta. As for the Auddie drunk thing... I'm actually rather glad you did that for the sake of one much later on scene. (grins) Or I never could've RPed it out okay. I made one reference to that in this chapter, btw...

jedi keliam kenobi: Really? Heehee... just remember, she's claimed by Obi-Wan. I'm sure she'd be honored to know someone likes her, even though I, the author of Tiana, am stuck replying to all reviews. Maybe I'll make her edit this and tell you what she thinks. (pity me for my fate, peoples! Snrk) Keep reading, please! We only have Padmé otherwise! (grumbles) Everyone likes Jandalf. How come EVERYONE hates poor Tiana... just because she's a complete pain... I swear, Jethine and Elachi are FAR worse! (heheheh)

Chapter Ten: Is She Really Tiana?

A simple pronouncement, but it fell across the room's bitter unease like a wave crashing across the shoreline. Inevitability reflected across ones eyes, and the other's eyes showed a grim understanding as to what had been going on. Audreidi grasped at the side of the bed, taking a breath before she continued.

She was too suddenly shocked to continue and keep her voice straight. "But why?" Always it was that questionwhy. One thing simple to say, a simple realization that later would mean more to them. "You two are one and the same, no matter how much you've grown apart. Shadow must realize that."

Tiana stared at nothing in particular, refusing to say what she thought at the moment... what she knew was happening, and let the person attempting to control her have that control. "No..." She almost said I, there, slipping once more. "She was different. She loved Anakin, but let him be... with me loving him, I created a Mary-Sue plot bunny... a paradox... we are no longer the same." One Tiana or the other.

Closing her eyes, Audreidi swallowed back a sudden fear that seemed to creep up over her. Something wasn't quite right about this... it felt wrong... but she couldn't place it. "I see." Even though she didn't. "So, two different personas with like identity, battling for their place in the universe?" Though her statement was phrased as a fact, it was a question, reflected in brown eyes, and a strangely pale complexion.

Tiana smiled grimly. "Exactly. One of us has to die... and that one will be me." It was no longer Tiana speaking, but Audreidi, in the rush of the moment did not hear the strange tone, or, if she did, applied it to the fact that Tiana was going through a lot at the moment. The Jedi Master in question succeeded in turning a few shades lighter.

"But why?" The very same question she had asked a moment, before, but with more panic there. "Can't you both live, somehow?"

"No. There's no way we both can hold on to like worlds, Audreidi." The fact that Tiana had called her such, without the title should've clued her in to who was talking to her. "They are too... alike. We're reflections of each other, and that mirror has been broken. Now we're no longer perfect images of the other, and now we can't survive without cracking the mirror further. One of us is going to die in the end..." She sighed heavily, sounding much older than she truly was. "I didn't accept it well... but... I understand now"

Audreidi grabbed Tiana's arm, and stared at her. "Then tell me. And if I don't understand... there's always another solution."

I can't try to explain, because I'd lose my cover... and she'd know who Shadow really was. I... I can't... oh, Force, this is all wrong. "Maybe there is," she said, softly. "I haven't ever spoken to her... she's afraid of me. I only know what little I've sensed." And I'm not exactly skilled in the Force. Not like this. "Maybe there is a way I can livemaybe, somehow when I die, I'll hold onto the little that I have to hold on to. I have no clue."

"No." Something in Audreidi's tone said something more then she was saying. Something hidden in there... revealing a mirror... or lack of it. The Shadow half that was taking control of Tiana for a moment let go, even though Audreidi hadn't sensed her, and faded back once more. "We can send you back, like what happened to Jandalf and me. We can send you away from here... something." Though she kept her face from twisting in the pain of the moment, she still looked as if it hurt. "Anything," she whispered.

Tiana pulled away from Audreidi, and looked away. "There is no other way," she said grimly, speaking as Tiana once more. "There was a hope, but that hope is too swiftly gone away."

"You must not allow this." Another edge in her voice... I won't allow this.

Sighing harshly, Tiana stared at Audreidinot knowing how to explain anything that she thought might've been truth. The fight within her was too great for her to keep from showing in her eyes. "I can't do anything to stop it," she said, simply. Even though Jandalf could, if she wanted to... if she knew what she was doing. Even though... ergh, there's too many what ifs for my taste.

"I am a fool," Audreidi said softly, "denying what you are trying to make me understand. You're sure this will happen?"

Tiana's eyes glazed over, and she sighed once more. "I've never been sure before... I never tried to be. I never tried to use the Force beyond as a minor annoyance. Maybe that's all it is now... maybe I am wrong, as usual. But I don't think I am. It's always in the face of inevitability that you face the truth."

"That's true enough." Audreidi took a deep breath, and cleared the panic that had threatened her a moment before. "Then I can't promise I'll be able to do much when the time comes, but I'll be there until the end, Varda willing it'll never happen."

"Maybe you will be... but I won't hold you to that promise. Do promise me one thing though," Tiana said softly. "Don't tell Jandalf. Please." Her eyes had a strange flame to them.

Audreidi's expression was strange, but she hid any feelings behind the simple question she asked. "Why not?" Another statement attached to that, with more to it than met the eye. "She's your master, Tiana."

Tiana obviously flinched there. "I know," she said in a halftone. "That's why she can't know. She'll try to convince me otherwise, try to set a hope that isn't there... and... when it happens, it'll tear her in two, I know." She closed her eyes, holding in tears along side of fear for what was happening. She forced herself to continue, though her voice wavered with a fear she couldn't let go of. "But she's going through too much already, facing Shadow, her twins, and everything else. I can't just expect her to take my burdens, as well as her own without collapsing. Even though I'd trust her with my life, I can't make her take this on as well."

The Padawan finally opened her eyes, which were glazed with tears, and sank to her knees, shaking softly. "I wish it weren't so, Audreidi," she said, finally letting go.

Audreidi guiding the weepingso young seeming girl over to the bed, and sat her down. "I hope you won't regret withholding it from her, then."

"Regret?" Tiana stared at her with dark eyes. "And I'm not regretting it already? But I can't tell her... she's too... her."

"She has a fabulous ability with forgetting things until they matter. She deserves to know, Tiana." Audreidi gave her a look, even though Tiana was still obviously in pain from what was happening.

Tiana sighed, and once again appeared herself for a moment. "Maybe I'll tell her when I know more. But not now... I trust you enough, Audreidi, enough that I'm telling you what's happening, to a degree. It's easier to talk to someone who isn't my master, I think. I trust you enough to believe that you won't tell her before there's need for her to know."

"And, if she's too "her"," Audreidi added, "I'll pound some sense into her thick skull." Not that Jandalf's hardheaded manner didn't ever come in handy, of course...

Tiana laughed, and the shadow was gone from her face for a moment. "You wouldn't dare," she said, grinning. The old sparkle was there again.

"Why not, that's what twins are for, after all," Audreidi said, grinning. "But I always keep a promise."

Tiana's smile faded, and her eyes grew distant for just one moment, but she shook that away, and smiled. "Thank you." She hugged Jandalf's twin, for once not caring that she had just hugged a Jedi Master.

"Not a problem." Audreidi hugged her back, smiling faintly, though inside she felt like she had been turned inside out.

"Thanks," Tiana said again. "If I learn more, I'll tell you... that I will do."

"Will do," Audreidi repeated.

Tiana smiled faintly. "But what will Anakin say..."

"Anakin will say what Anakin will say," Audreidi said. "Now, I've got to find Han."

"I hope he's all right."

Audreidi smiled, the darkness from the moment before chased away... for the time. "Not to worry, he disguised himself as a Naval officer. Probably in the mess hall as we speak."

Tiana snickered, and regained her composure fast, remembering that she was going to have to fall back on the Shadow-guise soon. "Heh."

"He's excellent, acting Imperial. Used to be one, of course, so that helps a lot."

Tiana sighed. "And I'm an Imperial no. Meh."

Audreidi was confused. "Eh? How so, do you figure?"

"Because my other self is a Sith." Tiana bit back on the comment she had regarding mirror images quickly, however.

"That's your other self, dear, not you." Audreidi sounded suddenly sharp, as if something about that made her angry. Angry at Tiana, maybe, for accepting this fate. Slightly mad at herself for not being able to do anything.

Tiana remained quiet. "Yes, I know, Master Audreidi," she said, almost annoyed.

"Now, were you feeling up to acting a little again?"

Smiling darkly, Tiana attempted to blink her eyes clean. "I suppose so, Master." Almost a faint sarcasm on the title, almost as if she was falling into the persona that had turned Dark a long time ago, in a galaxy that wasn't exactly far, far away.

"First wash up your face." No comment on the sarcastic title, as if she hadn't noticed it. "Sith don't walk around with red, puffy eyes. No offense, of course."

"Of course not." Again, Shadow's tone crept into her voice. Tiana stood up and crossed the room to the nearby sink. She pulled a washcloth out of the window, and washed her face off, muttering something about Jedi Masters these days. She stared in the mirror. "Agh, so much for the makeup I had on," she muttered. "Now I look like Tiana again. Have any face powder, or something?"

Audreidi produced the requested powder, and tossed it at Tiana. "Here."

"Thanks." Tiana stared at the effect it caused, and gave a creepy grin. "Now I look like a vampire," she muttered.

"Hm." The Jedi was reminded of several movies she had watched as Tiana fell into a bad imitation of a vampire.

Then Tiana started laughing. "At least I don't smell like garlic anymore," she said, snickering.

"That's a relief. Well, we'd best get going before Han decides to start a sabacc game in the middle of supper. Although he might just end up winning a Super Star Destroyer..." Audreidi grinned faintly.

Tiana smiled. "That'd be cool. I just hope I don't start screaming, or pass out again."

"Well..."

"Well what?"

"I'll slap you if you start. Okay?" Audreidi laughed.

Tiana smiled. "Yeah, you do that. What is your part here, anyhow?"

She pulled up her hood. "Aide."

Tiana groaned. "Great, more people to call me 'milady'," she said, sarcastically.

Shrug. "I'm still in servant girl garb, you'll have to get used to it."

Tiana shrugged. "Good point," she conceded. "It's just annoying, having your own Master title you that."

Audreidi snickered. "I can just imagine. Right, off we go."

Tiana rolled her eyes, and assumed a royal position. "Right. Open the door, slave," she said in a mock-ordering tone. She began laughing, and crumpled to the floor in a heap of black robes, laughing.

"Yes, milady. Of course, milady." Audreidi had the same sarcasm in her tone that Tiana did. "Shine your boots, milady?"

Tiana groaned, and forced herself to stand up straight. "Sorry, Master," she said, opening the door herself. But she mentally found a bit of consolation in the memory of Auddie's drunken act not so long ago. I swear I'll never drink anything possibly alcohlic to avoid such humiliation!

Audreidi snickered, and Tiana whacked her. Audreidi lightly hit her back, and shut the door behind them. Tiana sighed. "You can hit me harder. I deserve is, anyhow," she muttered, tugging at her hair where she normally would've worn her braid. Being braidless to keep with the Sith act was almost bugging her. ((A/N: Amusingly, spellcheck wanted to change braidless to brainless... I always KNEW Jedi Knights never thought right. Snrk... sorry... I'll shut up now.))

"No, you don't. Now let's get going."

Tiana sighed. "You are just like your sister." They began the walk down the hall, and Tiana muttered under her breath, "I could've almost survived having you as my master instead."

"Milady," Audreidi finished, to her previous statement.

Tiana groaned. "At least you aren't italicizing it." She added, under her breath, "Force, I'll never be a Sith."

"That'll be the day, milady," Audreidi answered automatically. Tiana groaned, and followed the Jedi Master in servant-girl garb down the hall, trying to keep herself from completely losing the pretense of being a Sith without falling into Shadow again.

They finally made it to the mess hall without any mishaps, beyond Tiana tripping over her platform shoes, inevitably. Luckily, she was able to glare off any questions before she was noted as being five to six years younger than the Sith in question.

Not surprisingly, when they entered the hall, Han Solo, disguised as an Imperial officer has started a game of sabacc, and has already won a Super Star Destroyed. Talk about irony, eh?

Tiana rolled her eyes, trying to keep from laughing, and Audreidi gasped, though slightly. /I'll take care of this... rank pulling, and all/ Tiana shot through the Force, pulling herself up straighter. "Officers!" She took on a complete tone of order, shot through with shadows. "Cease that game at once!"

Han stood up quickly, and turned around. "Ah... sorry, milady."

"You will come with me at once, Officer." She almost winced, trying to make out his title, and false name, hoping she wasn't screwing up that badly.

The mentioned Solo winked at the two of them surreptitiously. "Yes, milady."

Tiana groaned, and twisted her cloak into her fingered, having to braid to yank on. /NOT MORE 'MILADYS!'/ she yelled through the Force, hoping that Audreidi was the only Force-sensitive around to hear her frustration. She sufficed herself to command him over "Now", however, keeping her face relatively straight.

/He can't hear you/ Audreidi commented, as Han quickly came to her side.

/I know. He thinks I'm Shadow, doesn't he/

The other officers were quite relieved that she was only picking on Han, and picked up the sabacc game again the second she left the room to lead the way down the hall.

/No, he can tell. He's good at that./

Han followed them down the hall, until they were far out of hearing range from the mess hall. He couldn't sense Tiana's relief at Audreidi's statement through the Force, but recognized it on her face, as she wasn't bothering to hide that. /That's good./ She took a closer look at him. /Ah... right... he's met me before. Heh./

/Yeah./

"I got us a grand class transport," Han said, quietly, now that there was room to speak.

"All right, officer... that is well." Tiana winced slightly at the wording, but held in that frustration. Ergh... I sound like Darth Vader. /Uhh... what's his title/

/He's a captain/

/Heh... well... how was I suppose to know that! Speaking of which, which Audreidi are you/

/Well, Han's mine, so I'm from your world./

"Thank you, Captain." Tiana finished her previous statement off quickly.

"Don't mention it... my lady."

Tiana muttered something about at least Han made it two words while Audreidi put it as one. /I'm... confused. Is there even an Audreidi on this world? I mean, really.../ Tiana was more talking to herself there, though Audreidi could hear her well enough.

"Thank Varda for small favors, right, hun?" Han asked, grinning.

"Right," Audreidi answered.

"Force, I'm confused," Tiana muttered.

/Yeah... did we teleport, or something/

/No clue./

Han gave the two of them a look. "Are you two having some sort of silent conversation here?"

"Yeah..." Tiana sighed. "Habit. Sorry, Captain Solo."

"That's all right... I'd just like to know what's going on."

"We'll explain... just get us to your Star Destroyer," Tiana requested.

Han saluted. "Can do. It's in orbit, since parking spaces of that size are hard to find here. So pull your rank, my lady, and we'll grab a shuttle."

Tiana grinned very un-Sith-like, though yet quite evilly. "Great," she said, keeping the grin, and the evil glint in her eyes. "More rank pulling. Find me a person to blackmail, then."

"Vader, maybe? Or Moff Jerjerrod?" Han shrugged. "I don't know... they aren't very nice."

Tiana grinned. "I'm not going with that much rank to pull, thank you."

Jandalf took the lightsaber Shadow handed her, letting go of the steering wheel to take a look at it. "Ah. Lightsabers are always good."

Shadow grabbed at the door frame. "AGH! KEEP YOUR HANDS ON THE STEERING WHEEL!" she screeched, panicking, obviously. Obi-Wan was holding on for dear life while attempting to inspect the lightsaber Shadow had handed him.

There was a loud THUD, and a crash as they ran into something. Or someone. Heehee.

"Whoops. Sorry about that." Jandalf looked down at the wreckage. "Don't worry, it was just a Hutt." She smiled almost evilly, obviously enjoying herself. "Here we go. Back in the main flow." She sat back, keeping her hands on the wheel merely to keep the other to occupants of the speeder from screaming.

"And Anakin was a bad driver?" Shadow muttered, holding on for dear life.

Obi-Wan closed his eyes. "There's no place like home... there's no place like home... there's no place like home..." he continued muttering.

The Sith in the backseat relaxed a bit. "Anyway, there's no way I could get your lightsabers through the Windowor any lightsabers, for that matterso these are just my spares. They're mass produced, and red... sorry about that." She shrugged.

"Meh, that's all right. As long as they work," Jandalf said.

"Red?" Obi-Wan ventured.

"Yeah..." Shadow half shrugged. "They work. I've used them before."

"But red!"

"Why does it matter?" asked Jandalf, poking him.

Shadow sighed. "They're Dark Jedi sabers, that's why they're red. But they're also mine, so don't worry about it."

Obi-Wan shuddered, and Jandalf leaned over to whisper at Shadow, "Bad memories from fanfiction. You know, Audreidi's Tatooine Engagement."

"Ah. Right." Shadow nodded, not really knowing what they were talking about. Something about Audreidi... it's... wrong...

"I don't know why Auddie tortures him like that."

"I have no clue why," Shadow answered, truthfully, checking to make sure her lightsaber was clipped on. It was her own lightsaber, not one of the mass produced onesthe only lightsaber she could get that wasn't already in the speeder. And that was only because she had a connection with it, and being able to teleport objects, she was able to find it easier. Another interesting note was that it wasn't redif you had forgotten from the battle with Vader, that is.

Jandalf grinned weakly."That's all right, he'll live. Won't you, hun?"

"Yes. Of course." Obi-Wan clipped the lightsaber to his belt, though not without a shudder.

Jandalf followed suit, and turned to look over at Shadow. "So... where are we going?"

The Sith shrugged, a weak smile. "I have no clue. I just wanted to escape that... cage!"

"Uh-huh. But where are we going? We have to get offplanet somehow."

"How about a ship?" asked Obi-Wan, rolling his eyes.

Shadow sighed. "We can take a shuttle, yes."

"All right, then where do we get one?"

She closed her eyes for a moment. "Go that way..." Shadow attempted to remember the Coruscant route to the nearest shuttle port. "That way, that way... left..." She drew a map in the air. "Heh."

Jandalf nearly missed hitting a Lay's transport, and veered off in the direction that Shadow had mentioned. "Gotcha."

"Eek." Obi-Wan closed his eyes again.

"ANAKIN HAS BETTER DRIVING SKILLS THAN YOU!" Shadow hollered, not too happy about being in a situation wherein they would possibly crash, and die, and... heh. Evil narrator again.

Obi-Wan whimpered in agreement with Shadow, holding on for dear life again.

"That was a close one. But we still missed. Pity, I could've used some chips about now." Jandalf hardly blinked, then turned and scowled at Obi-Wan and Shadow. "You guys don't know what you're talking about."

Shadow closed her eyes, and pulled out another Force-Window, pulling out a bag of chips. "There. I'LL drive now."

"Forget it." Jandalf glared at them. "I'm driving."

"I do so know what I'm talking about."

"Do not."

The narrator took the moment to reflect on how very similar to Tiana Shadow was acting at the moment. Even to the point of arguing with Jandalf... heh.

"And I'm driving," Shadow said, glaring back. "I value my life, you know." A very foreboding statement, though no one noticed at the time just what implications were there. Her tone for a moment fell completely into the shadow she had been, but it disappeared all too quickly.

"Yeah, well, so do I, as a matter of fact," Jandalf shot back. "The Lay's driver was the bad one, not me!"

"Then DRIVE NORMALLY!" Shadow yelled, sitting back in a huff.

Jandalf pouted for a momentlooking a lot like Anakin, and then began to drive normally. To the point of absolute perfection, more.

"Whoa." Obi-Wan stared.

"Impressive," Shadow added, attempting to peel her fingers from the doorframe, and looking at the finger shaped dints she had made.

"I didn't know you could drive like this," Obi-Wan commented.

Rolling her eyes, Jandalf continued following Shadow's half-map. "It's not as fun. But since you two insist..."

"I actually didn't know you could drive," Shadow mused. "AND YOU CALL RISKING YOUR LIFE 'FUN'!"

Jandalf glared at her. "You better be careful, because if I feel the need to slap you, that's one hand off the wheel. And it's more fun than this."

Shadow folded her arms. "You wouldn't dare slap me."

Jandalf smirked. "Wouldn't I? You're my Padawa...err..." She rolled her eyes. "Right."

"I'm not your Padawan," Shadow muttered. "Can't you just give up on it?" Now, if you were the Jandalf I remembered... Shadow forced herself to not react visibly, though she had to blink hard to keep tears from forming. Force, if my Jandalf would've been so... like her... maybe I would've held on. If nothing else, though this Jandalf isn't the same Jandalf you knew, she's at least giving you a lifeline back to the lightside. Sigh. I miss her too much... if I could go back in time to face her once again...

She was pulled out of her thoughts by Jandalf talking again, "Well, we're still like-minded, scary as the thought is."

Shadow smirked faintly, and said softly, "I'm not ever going to be your Padawan, truthfully, but we still do act alike." She sighed faintly, looking out at Coruscant's skyline.

Her silence was interrupted by Jandalf hollering, "I FOUND THE SHUTTLE STATION!" She swerved out of the lane, forgetting about driving normally.

"YYYYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Obi-Wan screamed.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!" Shadow screamed.

"WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" Jandalf screamed.

Obi-Wan grabbed Shadow, and clung to her as Jandalf attempted to land. After her terrifying turn, it was interesting to see her land them perfectly on dry land.

Shadow attempted to breath again, and looked over at Obi-Wan. "Heeeyy, stop clinging to me. You're suppose to cling to Jandalf."

"Are we stopped?" Obi-Wan asked, breathing harshly.

"We're stopped," Jandalf affirmed.

Obi-Wan stopped clinging to a very white Shadow, and started breathing normally again. "Whew."

Jandalf poked Shadow. "You're as white as a vampire in Janurary," she said, snickering.

Shadow's eyes were almost distant as she nodded. "I know." And it's not just from your driving skills.

Obi-Wan looked around at the many ships. "So... what kind of ship do we want?" he asked, distracting Jandalf from asking Shadow any prying questions. The Sith in mention shook her head hard.

"Umm... something fast," Shadow replied. "We'll need to catch the Dark Jedi before they get the diary."

"Okay, so something fast, and something at least lightly armed, preferably."

"Like..." Jandalf grinned, and theme music cued up, "the Virago!"

Shadow shook her head. "No clue."

"It's Prince Xizor's ship. He's still alive, right?" asked Jandalf, hopefully.

"Jandalf, it's not for rent. Not even for sale," Obi-Wan said, poking her.

"Uhh... no... but if you want it..." Shadow closed her eyes, as Jandalf did a very good impression of a Skywalker.

"Xizor was in my grad class," she mentioned, ignoring Shadow's seemingly odd actions.

"Who wasn't?" asked Obi-Wan.

Shadow let herself slip into the concentration she used to teleport objectsthis time trying to find the ship. It was a bit bigger than she was used to, but it didn't take long before she had it. "Ah-ha." She pulled it through the window, and let the opening close.

"Ooooh!" Jandalf exclaimed, eagerly.

The ship expanded, as Shadow was holding it in a miniaturized form at the moment.

"OOOooooooooh!" Jandalf seemed quite pleased.

Shadow muttered, "I wanted the Shadow Chaser, but that's all right..."

"Well, we can rename it, right?"

"No... actually, that's my ship. No biggy. You happy with your ship here?" Shadow rolled her eyes.

"What do you think?" asked Jandalf, sarcastically.

Shadow blinked. "I don't think. Who's driving?" She looked at Obi-Wan hopefully.

"Me," Obi-Wan said, quickly.

"Awwwww..." Jandalf whined.

"THANK you, Obi-Wan," Shadow said, obviously relieved.