Burning Shadows
Chapter 9
With Felucia five days behind her, Yumikaya finds herself closer to home than she realises. After a night of deep sleep, Yumikaya awoke and walked tenderly into the dining hall.
" There is our miracle girl! Good morning sweety. " Kalina spoke softly as Yumikaya sat next to her.
" Morning Kalina. " Yumikaya stretched slowly as Kalina shifted a plate of food in front of her.
" Eat up sweety. We will be home soon. "Kalina tussled Yumikaya's hair before noticing the looking of confusion and sadness on her face. " What's wrong Yumi? "
" It's... It's just that i still feel nervous about meeting my family. What will i say? How do i even start? " Yumikaya pushed the food on her plate around uninterestingly as Aratarus sat next to her.
" The word hello comes to mind. " Aratarus chuckled playfully as Yumikaya smiled. " Seriously cousin. Don't be afraid or nervous. You and your parents have waited ten years for this. "
" I know that in my head but my heart just won't stop aching. What if..." Yumikaya stopped speaking as Kalina placed a finger on her lips.
" They will want and love you sweetheart. Don't let fear unbalance you. They have waited ten years to see you again. " Kalina held Yumikaya gently as Orgus Din entered the room.
" I am not interrupting am i? " Orgus Din sat across from Yumikaya as he picked up a piece of fruit.
" Not at all Master Orgus. We were simply comforting Yumi. She is still a little nervous. " Kalina smiled as Orgus chuckled and put his hands together.
" There is no emotion there is peace. " Orgus Din smiled as Yumikaya spoke softly.
" But if there is no emotion how can we decide what is right? If there is no emotion how can we call ourselves compassionate? " Yumikaya looked at Orgus Din as he stroked his chin slowly.
" Your father said the same thing when he left the order... " Orgus Din looked curiously at Yumikaya.
" But she is right. Jedi call themselves compassionate and claim to be peacekeepers yet your code blatantly states that there is no emotion. Walking contradiction much? " Shae Vizla sat beside Aratarus as Orgus Din chuckled.
" I admit. Our code is... often confusing and i don't overly agree with everything the council says but to be a Jedi the code must be followed. Regardless of our personal thoughts on the matter. " Orgus Din spoke softly but kept his gazed fixed upon Yumikaya.
" And you wonder why so many Jedi fall. That code alone makes it almost impossible to not leave the order. You don't think that the Jedi might need to readdress the code? " Shae Vizla spoke bluntly which was uncharacteristic of her in recent days.
" It is not for us to decide what the code should be. " Orgus Din spoke patiently as usual.
" So who gets to decide then? Your Jedi council? What gives them the right to decide how others should live? " Shae Vizla sounded slightly impatient but was still speaking calmly.
" Is it not the same with your Mandalorian code? " Orgus Din spoke bluntly.
" And what does a Jedi knight know of our code exactly? " Aratarus spoke this time.
" Enough to know you shouldn't be judging the Jedi code. " Orgus Din now sounded quite impatient.
" Then recite our code to us and we will tell you what the difference is. " Shae Vizla spoke forcefully.
" How do i recite a code i have not heard? " Orgus Din quickly realised the truth in what he just said.
" Exactly. You don't know our code so how can you say we are no different to Jedi? Our code defines us. " Aratarus spoke before glancing at Shae Vizla before they recited the Mandalorian code together.
Strength is life, for the strong have the right to rule.
Honour is life, For without honour one may as well be dead.
Loyalty is life, For without ones clan one has no purpose.
Death is life, For one should die as they have lived.
Orgus Din stroked his chin slowly once more before speaking. " Yes i can see why the Jedi code would seem hypocritical. My apologies for assuming. "
Shae Vizla and Aratarus simply nodded before standing and walking towards the hangar bay. Yumikaya hugged Kalina before getting up and going back to her room.
After the door closed, Yumikaya sat and tried to meditate. While meditating, Yumikaya's lightsabre ignited and floated gracefully in front of her. The hum of the blade was uniquely soothing, almost like the lightsabre itself had a voice all it's own. The more Yumikaya meditated, the more her emotions flowed through her.
" It makes no sense. How can there be no emotion if a Jedi has to be compassionate? No wonder my father left. So many contradictions... " Yumikaya opened her eyes slowly and watched as her lightsabre twirled before her. " Do i even need a code to live by? This is all so confusing. Maybe my parents can help me when i get ho..."
Larkan's voice echoed through the ships intercom system. " We are coming out of hyperspace. We have arrived at Ilum. "
Yumikaya stood up quickly in shock as her lightsabre deactivated and returned to her bedside table. After leaving her room and finding Kalina, They both ran to the cockpit. While they stared at the icy ball of white before them, Aratarus went to the communications room with Mako.
As the communicator was answered, Aratarus spoke softly. " This is Aratarus. We are in orbit now. Please transmit coordinates. "
A feminine voice sang through the communicator. " It is good to see you again nephew. Coordinates transmitted. How is she? "
Aratarus smiled. " Good to see you too aunty. She is alive and well. Very capable and ridiculously cunning. Her survival training on Felucia was... enlightening. We will arrive at the coordinates shortly. See you soon. "
The woman in the holo smiled before the call ended. Aratarus quickly walked to the cockpit and gave the coordinates to Larkan.
Kalina spoke softly as the ship began to descend to the surface of Ilum. " Welcome home sweetheart. Go and put your armour on and get ready. "
Yumikaya quickly ran to her room and changed into her armour. Before leaving, She attached her lightsabre to her belt after attaching the new ribbon she made from her Felucian robes onto the hilt and putting the braided hair extensions made from the rest of the Felucian robes into her hair and putting the Skullblade onto her back.
After getting dressed, Yumikaya walked nervously to the hanger where her Flash-Fire was waiting. As she climbed into the cockpit of her fighter, Kalina walked over to speak with her.
" Aratarus will go ahead in his ship and then call us when they are ready. Your parents will be just as nervous as you are. Oh and i love the way you have you hair today. It suits you. " Kalina smiled as Yumikaya giggled and closed the cockpit. As Yumikaya started the engines, Aratarus's ship left the hanger and flew towards the surface. Yumikaya sat in the cool air inside her cockpit waiting for the call that her parents were ready to see her. As she sat thinking about what they're reaction would be, Kalina's voice came through the headset. " Yumi! Can you hear me in there? "
" Yes i can hear you. What's wrong? " Yumikaya spoke calmly but was clearly distracted.
" Sweety i just spoke to you for at least a minute and you didn't hear a thing i said. Are you ok? " Kalina spoke with concern in her voice.
" No... Kalina I'm so far from okay that i don't know what to think or do or..." Yumikaya burst into tears and buried her face in her hands.
Kalina looked out of her cockpit towards Yumikaya before getting out of her fighter and running to Yumikaya's fighter and tapping the window gently. As the cockpit opened, Kalina carefully pulled Yumikaya into a hug and did her best to soothe her. " Sweetheart i understand your scared and i understand your still worried they won't want you but believe me when i say there are no nicer and more caring people in this entire universe. They love you with all their hearts and will never abandon you. I have known your mother since birth. We grew up together. If you could have seen how devastated she was when she realised you were gone. I have never seen her in so much pain and i have never seen her cry like that. Her heart completely shattered. "
Yumikaya cried heavily as Aratarus's voice came through the headset. " We are ready for her. "
Kalina sighed. " Yeah... gonna have to wait Ara. We have a bit of.. a situation here. Yumi is in no state to meet her parents right now. "
Aratarus sighed heavily. " She is having a breakdown isn... Hey give that back! "
Kalina was about to say something as familiar female voice came through the headset. " Put me through. "
Kalina quickly took Yumikaya's headset off and put her own onto her. " Kaya? can you hear me? "
Yumikaya stopped crying immediately but was totally speechless. " If you can hear me sweetheart i know your scared. I know your worried but please come home darling. Your father and i have missed you so much. All we have wanted for the last ten years is to see you again and i have someone else here that is eager to see you. "
Yumikaya was still crying heavily as a softer younger voice came through the headset. " Sis? You there? Please come home. Please? I really want to s..."
Yumikaya took off the headset and threw it out of the cockpit before turning on her fighter and sealing the cockpit as Kalina lunged out of the way. Yumikaya immediately took off and flew towards the coordinates at full speed. As Aratarus took back the headset, A loud bang echoed from overhead as Yumikaya's Flash-Fire entered the atmosphere.
As Zanira and Yumitaya looked up and saw a blue Flash-Fire fighter flying over they're position. As the fighter tilted, Zanira saw the face of her daughter and burst into tears.
" She is finally home! After all these years..." Zanira fell to her knees as Yumitaya cried happily. " Sis is home! "
Yumikaya circled the landing area before slowly setting down her fighter. As the cockpit opened, A young girl ran towards her and looked at her happily with tears streaming down her face. " Your home! Your finally home sis! "
Yumikaya quickly closed the cockpit before bursting into tears and hiding her face in her hands again. As Zanira walked forward and stood beside Yumitaya, She watched Yumikaya cry with longing in her heart.
" Did... Did i do something wrong mother? " Yumitaya looked up at Zanira sadly.
" No sweetheart. She is just a little overwhelmed by everything. It has been ten years. Your sister has been alone for so long that being here with us is just.. " Zanira could finish her sentence but Yumitaya finished it for her.
" It's too much. " Yumitaya cried softly as she climbed up onto the ship and tapped the glass gently. As Yumikaya looked up slowly, Yumitaya leant against the glass as if she was trying to hug her sister.
Yumikaya noticed this and gently put her hand against the glass before opening the cockpit and watching her sister cautiously. Yumitaya crawled towards her sister slowly before reaching her hand out and smiling.
Yumikaya looked at her sisters hand slowly before undoing her seat-belt and moving forward quickly to hug her sister. Yumitaya was a little surprised by the sudden hug but hugged her sister lovingly before whispering into her ear. " I've missed you so much big sister. I love you so much and I'm so glad your finally home! "
Yumikaya couldn't voice any words and could only manage to cry in her sisters arms. As her two daughters sat there, Zanira cried happily and climbed onto the ship before putting her arms around her daughters gently. " We are finally together again.. I've missed you so much Kaya. I'm so happy to have you home sweetheart. "
Yumikaya looked up into her mothers eyes as tears continued to flow down her cheeks before a smile crept across her face. " This is all so much but..."
Yumitaya kissed her sisters cheek gently. " But it's all so right and feels like it's meant to be. "
Yumikaya nodded silently as she smiled and her feelings overwhelmed her. Kalina cried happily as she watched her best friend finally hold her daughter again.
A family finally reunited.
What lies in wait for our young Yumikaya?
Read the next chapter to find out!
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