Dramatis Personae
Allya Djo; Jedi Apprentice, student (female human)
Ben Skywalker; Jedi Master (male human from Coruscant)
Jacen Solo; Jedi Master (male human from Coruscant)
Murra Djo; Jedi Master, Princess (female human from Hapes)
Prestor Djo; Jedi apprentice, student (male human)
Sil Djo; ex-Jedi, Queen Mother (female human from Hapes)
Tenel Ka Djo; Jedi Master, former queen (female human from Hapes/Dathomir)
Van'Ya-el Djo; consort, Jedi Knight (male human from Dathomir)
Part II: Return of the Royals
Chapter 4
"My sister, do you have any royal heirs?"
"What are you talking about? Aren't you going to restore what our mother set up?" Murra nearly screamed at her older sister as they strode toward the audience chamber.
"Idealistic as ever, I see. A democracy would never work for this Consortium. If I bring it back, it'll be only a matter of time before one of our cousins takes the throne." It was difficult for Murra to make out any body language that her sister's scarlet veil might have hidden.
"You're right." Murra inclined her head and admitted. All doubt of her sister vanished as Murra recognized the cynical attitude toward their grandmother's form of government. "But don't you have any heirs?"
"I don't know. I gave birth to one in another universe, but it's been more than 900 standard years since I last saw him. I don't even know if he's still alive."
"So we both lost kids. My twins are sixteen." Murra wanted to gasp in horror, but her memories stopped her. It was only a standard year ago that the Force delivered the news of Tia's death, and even less time since she was presented with the child's clothes. The memory of striking Anakin and her twins with lightning was still vivid, for she would have fully returned her brother's favor had she not been stopped.
Flashback
"Uncle Anakin!" Came the horrified scream of Murra's son, Prestor. The artificial light generated by the woman's Force-lightning flashed across the boy's indigo blue eyes.
"H-help me! My sister's gone nuts!" Anakin gasped between jolts of torture from his sister. His blue eyes were filled with despair as he pleaded with his nephew and niece, who had just arrived in the apartment.
Indecision swept across the Jedi apprentice as he witnessed the scene, but it ended merely seconds later in the snap-hiss of a Jedi lightsaber. Suddenly, Murra found herself throwing lightning at her son's metallic blue weapon.
"Prestor, don't listen to him! He killed Tia!" Murra growled as she searched for a way for her lightsaber to circumvent her son's saber.
"I swear by the Force I didn't!" Anakin screamed as he struggled to drag his pained body into an upright position.
"Then why is Tia dead?" Murra questioned her brother, emphasizing the second word as she spoke. The voltage of the Force-lightning increased, and Prestor, unable to stand firm, was hurled ten meters backwards. The lightsaber slid through Prestor's fingers and deactivated as the boy hit the ceiling. The boy landed in a chair, but a clumsy try at rolling put him back on the floor. Prestor attempted to recall his weapon to his hand as many Jedi had done in battle, but to no avail, for a more powerful Force-wielder had already claimed the weapon.
"I couldn't… AAAAHHHHH!" Anakin screamed as lightning once again struck his battered form.
If your mother kills me… the Jedi will… your reputation will suffer! Murra caught the fragments of a thought that her brother was apparently aiming at Prestor's twin, who regarded the whole incident with a neutral expression on her face. It made sense to use such words to persuade Allya, for she had always been the most selfish of her peers.
A mere fraction of a second later, a pair of lightsabers snapped to life and there were once again obstacles between Murra and her brother. Blue clashed with green and Murra's lightning could not pass through the thick point where two sabers intersected. Allya, the most powerful of Murra Djo's children, was protecting her uncle with twin lightsabers.
Prestor's laser-like weapon began to flicker, and the girl, sensing the overloaded presence in the Force, dropped and deactivated the borrowed saber.
End of flashback
"So the whole time we thought you were dead you're actually lost in another realm where time doesn't pass?"
Technically, I'm still dead. Sil thought, but she decided that then was not the time to reveal her fangs. "That pretty much sums it up. Who are all the heirs to my throne?"
Don't remember her being this cocky. Murra resisted the temptation to groan and answered. "I don't know much about our cousins."
"I'll send for my twins." Murra's emerald eyes lit up as she broke the silence. It was time for her children to realize their true identity and perhaps a few royal lessons from Aunt Sil would cure Allya's attitude problem. A mental nudge from Van prompted Murra to add, "Sis, I'd love to stay and chat, but I have to go."
"What's the rush?"
"I'm only here because Ben asked me to find out what's going on here. The rest of the council wants me to find out what's really happening with Ryva on Coruscant."
"Ah, yes. I forgot. Can you do your sister one last favor?" Sil carefully selected her words. Murra Chume Ta Djo was a powerful ally and not to be angered.
"Well, alright. Not another lofty job, right?" Murra's eyes lit up to match her short, glossy curls.
"Actually, yes." Sil chuckled. "Can you take this scepter and spread the word of change on your way out?"
"Sure."
"Thank you, Princess and Viceroy. May the sixty-three worlds favor you." Sil gave the proper response to her sister's acceptance, for the scepter symbolized orders in absence of the Queen Mother.
"Jacen, I sent Murra to Hapes to find out who killed my wife! My information and my daughters' investigation all pointed to something dangerous in Hapes. I can't risk these girls and you're in the Unknown Regions, so I had to ask Murra for the favor." Ben explained to his cousin over the HoloNet.
"There's trouble there. I sensed several disturbances in the Force." Jacen replied.
"Murra's one of our most capable Jedi Masters and Van's a good fighter himself. And unless the Force is failing me, Anakin and Sil are there to help."
"That's the problem." Jacen almost sighed. "I don't think she'll help much."
"Why not?" The younger cousin appeared puzzled.
"She's too Hapan and she sees other royals as rivals. She'll do whatever profits her the most."
"Well, you're the father and you knew Sil better than I do. If Murra or Anakin ever call for help, I'll send someone over." Ben assured his cousin.
"Ben, Murra's not going to call for help."
"Jacen, you're sure? If it's big enough, I trust that any Jedi Master will bring the issue before the council."