61. Whatever Happened
17th day, 6th month, standard year 24938
A very difficult few months.
I love you, Tahl. It doesn't feel so strange, to write that.
18th day, 6th month, standard year 24938
Flicked back through the diary. Found an entry from nearly a year ago.
Vulna as the Chosen one. It seems impossible. But he's still here...they haven't expelled him.
The Force won't help me work it out. It's all just...there. It's not real.
9th day, 7th month, standard year 24938
Today, Mace Windu was rushed to the healers very badly hurt. Someone found him at the enterence of the Temple. He'd been battered and bruised and had chemicals thrown at him and...well, it was awful. Really awful.
His Master wasn't there.
I feel stupid and wrong now. No matter how bad things were on Childor, at least my Master didn't die. It could have been worse. Tahl was wrong when she said to shut up.
Clee and Rewen were the team dispatched to look for Mace's master. I wish I knew his name.
They were guarding the Temple, Mace and his Master. They were the guards that the Council had chosen. Something must have happened. They must have been attacked.
Bethil...she's here, looking after Mace, we're in the healer's wing- she just said that exact same thing.
Mace can't talk to tell us what happened. Bethil is trying to get him to. So are Willow and Ro. None of them are having any luck.
Something's happening. I can tell. Something's going to happen.
Mace is looking at me. His eyes are frightened...he can sense something too.
10th day, 7th month, standard year 24938
Clee and Rewen came back. With nothing.
Mace still won't talk. Can't talk. It was something in the chemicals, Willow says. She's not sure if he'll ever be able to talk properly again. My Master is looking after him.
Vulna came to me and whispered...as if he was afraid he was being listened to, or something..."The Temple's not safe, is it?"
"What's happening?" I whispered back.
"It hasn't been safe for years, has it?" he said, ignoring my question. "The Council...you know what they're like, they don't think anything can happen, but...."
"Vulna. Lorian and Dilan aren't dead. They're getting closer. They're coming. Stop babbling and start thinking. We've got to make the Council listen."
"None of this is my fault!"
"I know," I said reluctantly.
We went to the Council Chambers.
The Temple is prepared, at least. I just hope it's enough. Maybe nothing will actually happen. I'd believe it if it wasn't for the Force screaming warnings in my ears.
11th day, 7th month, standard year 24938
This is Vulna Rolab.
I borrowed this diary because today is a day that needs remembering, and the owner of this diary isn't around to write it down.
I'm not giving any details.
It wasn't my fault, though. How could it be?
13th day, 7th month, standard year 24938
No, Vulna, it wasn't your fault. Because of you, we were ready for the attack.
Just not for the hatred.
Where shall I start? It had been Lorian who killed Mace's master, as I'd guessed. He thought he'd killed Mace too, but he was wrong. I don't know why he didn't just kill them and enter the Temple on that day. I think Mace and his master managed to wound him badly enough to make him put off his attack for a few days.
Dilan was also there. I saw him and he saw me, and he smiled...
Back to the beginning. I remember the windows breaking and there was an explosion...somewhere. People died. I remembered the last time the Temple had been broken into, all that time ago...
I remember Yoda, moving faster than I've ever
seen him move, coming to fight. He wasn't overpowered by Lorian...how could
he be?...but Dilan had tied up some of the Younglings....they were Yoda's
favourite clan...and he threatened to blow them up if Yoda didn't back
down.
And I remember Lorian throwing down the dead
and mutilated body of Mace's master. I'm so glad Mace himself wasn't around
to see it...
They tied Yoda up, too, and told him if he moved, the Younglings died. Dilan had killed a few people. He'd been throwing thermal detonators about...it's too horrible to think about. I didn't know where my Master was, or where Tahl was. There were some Jedi who'd found explosives, they were going to get Lorian and Dilan blown up instead, it would mean killing so many of us but I don't know if they, well, cared...
Yoda must have cared. He didn't try and do anything, try to put the Younglings in danger.
Lorian wasn't a real Sith. Neither was Dilan. I had to keep remembering that. That book probably wasn't much good on it's own, you had to train, you had to have a Master, they couldn't throw lightening or perform the legendary feats only Sith could; they were dark Jedi, that was all...
They knew it, I think.
More thermal detonators were tossed around. I wasn't dead yet. Whatever happened to fighting with blades, where you could only kill one or two people...
Eventually, my Master and Tahl appeared by my side.
"I'm so glad to see you-"
More fire and blood. Someone had suceeding in wounding Lorian. The thing was, several people had gone for him, and he'd been bleeding, but maybe he had managed to use some old Sith spell, maybe he'd become stronger...and that was why he wasn't dead.
It was the most awful thing. Hundreds of people had been murdered. I was still alive....still. I hardly dared to look around. Tahl was unconcious....not dead, I realised. I was so relieved I felt like fainting. Vulna was next to me and Dilan was staring at him now. My Master was alive, and Mapru had just come in...he was staring round in horror. Yoda was still tied up and motionless, and the Younglings were alive, if terrified.
"Where is she?" Lorian said to Dilan.
"Tied up on the balcony," Dilan said. "I'll get her."
He climbed over a few railings, through some broken glass...and then back again, holding Amiri. She looked different. I'd never be able to describe it. Older. More frightened. More guilty.
That was where the hatred was. In her eyes.