Chapter 5

Down and Out

"Yeah," Tahiri said, she was just as confused as he was. If this guy had been away from the Academy for so long, how would he know that? She wasn't the biological child of Kam and Tionne. She stared for a long time at Kirk. He couldn't find his own words, so Tahiri decided to speak again for the both of them.

"Just who are you?" She asked, this time, she didn't want a simple answer.

Kirk looked at her. "I'm an old student of Luke's, but I only know Luke because Kam is an old friend of my father's. He was the one who found out I was force sensitive."

Tahiri couldn't believe her ears. It was so much like her own story it was unnerving. Kirk was the son of her adoptive father or rather, Kam's friend? The world was way too small for her taste. Despite that, it still manage to tie itself up in knots.

She finally asked the question that had been in the front of her mind for a while since Kirk had said that he knew about her. "How do you know about me? Kam and Tionne aren't my biological parents. And you've been out of touch with Luke. How do you know?" She repeated.

"I didn't actually." He shifted uncomfortably, "Kam talked to me a while ago about Tionne having found you in the desert and that he adopted you. Luke told me your name but it didn't match any of the names on the registrar. I just sensed just now that it was you that he was talking about. I never thought Kam would be a father."

"So you're friends with him now?" Tahiri asked.

"You know how family friends are. Everyone is on a first name basis at some point. After my father died, Kam became the closest family I had." Kirk stopped, he didn't know why he was suddenly telling Tahiri this. He'd just met her and on top of that he was telling her something he'd never really talked about with anyone.

Tahiri felt herself grow dizzy and staggered. Kirk grabbed her before she could fall over.

"What's wrong?" He asked. She steadied herself and Kirk let go.

"It's Anakin." She said, breathing heavily. She looked up at Kirk who nodded. Luke most have told him about their strong bond because he didn't seem surprised about how much effect Anakin's distant pain was having on Tahiri. Then again, it took a lot to surprise a Jedi.

"We'll take my ship." Kirk said, "It's faster." Tahiri nodded wordlessly and followed Kirk up the ramp of his ship before she could go any further she felt someone behind her and whirled around. "So you were telling the truth." She turned to see James standing there. He unfolded his arms and sighed.

"I guess orphans should stick together. Even if you're a Jedi." He gave her a cold look. She stared at him for a moment then he looked almost offended.

"What?"

"Jedi aren't that bad. If you're coming you're going have to get used to us. If you complain we'll dump you the first chance we get." She didn't flinch or hesitate. James didn't respond then nodded.

"Fine." He followed her up the ramp as it closed.

Once inside she looked back at him. "I thought you were hurt?"

He grinned, "Not really. A few cuts and bruises, nothing a med kit can't help."

"Huh." She looked perplexed as another question occurred to her. She narrowed her eyes and said slowly, "By the way, how'd you escape from the med squad?"

"I just told them there was a Jedi somewhere who was chopping people up." She glared at him and Kirk rolled his eyes. This was going to be a strange trip.

It was then that Tahiri's head hurt so badly that she would have fallen over if both James and Kirk hadn't caught her. It wasn't like before, this time she could almost hear Anakin's voice as he fought whatever it was that was hurting him. She gritted her teeth.

"Tahiri?" Kirk said, "Are you okay?"

She sat down. They had to find Anakin and fast.

Anakin gritted his teeth as the higher Yuuzhan Vong attached something to his back. It looked like a slug covered in coral but it didn't feel remotely like a slug. In fact, Anakin would have preferred a slug to the feeling this "slug" was giving him. It sent sharp pains down his spine like an electric shock, it took all of Anakin's remaining energy to stay on his knees at that point. After five minutes the high official signaled and the "slug" was removed.

He stepped forward and looked right at Anakin. "You are courageous, young Jeedai." He then bent down to what humans would call a squatting position. The other soldiers objected to this, "Great One, do not lower yourself to an infidel!"

He waved them off. "It makes me wonder what strength keeps you going." He examined Anakin with just his eyes and as they met, Anakin's blue eyes stared back, cold icicles with no feeling in them. "Then it struck me. Most Jeedai are not so filled with anger as you are. Perhaps they should learn from you?"

The color left Anakin's face. Was that what was keeping him going? It didn't make any sense. Anakin hadn't felt himself want to attack the Yuuzhan Vong in front of him or even the guards. For that matter, he wasn't feeling in the least bit aggressive. He smiled to himself and used a brief Jedi meditation method before raising his head to face the Yuuzhan Vong high official.

"Your eyes have not given up. Yet your body would die before them." He stood up and turned slightly away from Anakin as he said, "It would have been better if your body was dead now. But you will endure more."

Anakin watched as three foot soldiers came in, bowing and then approaching their leader. He spoke to them quickly in Yuuzhan Vong, the soldiers merely listened with the occasional word, that Anakin took as assent. They bowed again and stood in a straight line in front of Anakin. One came over and untied Anakin. Confused, Anakin looked at his captor for an explanation. He knew it would come but that didn't change the fact that them untying him could not mean anything good.

The high official said, "Stand up, Jeedai. You have proven yourself as a warrior. You will fight these soldiers," He paused as he drew himself up, "Then you will fight me."

Anakin stood up, an idea was forming in his head. He grinned with renewed energy. The official nodded his approval. "Good, you are ready, Jeedai." The three soldiers charged Anakin, their staffs aimed straight for him, Anakin didn't move but continued smiling.

It helped that Tahiri was with them because of her strong bond to Anakin, but it didn't make it any easier to navigate the entire galaxy looking for Anakin's exact location with the amount of dangerous people or species roaming the arms of the galaxy.

Tahiri stretched out her mind for the up-teenth time that day. They had flown for hours without sleep. Even James, who was the least invested of the three remained awake. Although he stood off to the side, watching as Tahiri did her force reaching. After a while she got irritated.

"What?" She snapped at him, unable to keep her eyes closed any longer. Kirk watched them warily.

"I don't get you Jedi."

"Again with the 'you Jedi' comments, what's with you anyways?"

"Me? I'm not the one who thinks she's telepathic. Who is this Anakin guy anyways? Your boyfriend?"

That stopped Tahiri for a moment then she hotly responded, "No, he's my best friend and-" She then snapped, "It's none of your business, okay? If you really think it's you against all Jedi, then you can just hide in the other room!"

Her comment obviously had struck a nerve because James' face changed from a cool gaze to his mouth twitching with uncontrollable anger. "Fine. When you need the normal guy, I'll be in here. But don't go crying when the Vong kill your boyfriend." He turned and walked out of the cockpit to one of the rooms and the door slid shut behind him.

"Are you even trying to get along with him?" Kirk asked, turning his head to look sidelong at Tahiri.

"Why should I try to be friends with the 'Jedi hater'?"

Kirk shrugged. "Maybe he could prove to be a better person than you think?" He arched his brow.

"You sound like Master Skywalker."

"Well, he was my teacher, you know." Kirk replied simply, "All I'm saying is to cut the guy some slack. He did decide to come along with us, so maybe he wants to help and just doesn't know how."

"Now you're just being ridiculous." She sat down huffily in the chair next to Kirk's.

"Maybe, maybe not. You don't know that, do you?"

"No, but-"

"So give him space."

"He's got plenty of it out there, why'd he have to choose the one in here?" She grumbled, hunching over with her arms folded. Kirk laughed.

"There's not always a logical explanation for everything." He pointed out, and winked at her, "There's one thing you won't learn from a Jedi Master who only believes in the force."

She looked up, her initial anger and irritation leaving her. "Is that why you left?"

He paused and didn't answer, his eyes defocused and trying to occupy their attention on the space outside the ship.

"The Jedi Academy." she elaborated, in hopes he'd answer. His gaze refocused itself on the screen in front of him. "More or less." His tone changed abruptly, "Go get some sleep, I'll let you know when we get to the next search location." Tahiri got up and left the cockpit and made her way to her room. She threw herself down on the bed, and stared up at the ceiling. She tossed and turned, but somehow she already knew she wouldn't be able to sleep. The night was long enough and she had to fill it with thoughts since her body refused to become even remotely drowsy. It was times like this that she wished she wasn't a Jedi because the gap in the force where answers should have been, were empty, and a Jedi was always aware of that gap, whether they liked it or not.