There is no emotion, only peace. Angel struggled to focus on the beginning of the Jedi mantra, but was difficult as she looked at the woman who was supposedly her mother and fought feelings of anger and betrayal. She took another step back and her father looked pained. He moved towards her, but stopped when the Sith placed a gentle hand on his arm.
"She needs space, Beloved," the Sith addressed the dark man. "We knew this would be a shock to her. Her emotions are in turmoil, rushing her into accepting me won't help matters."
Angel glanced at her father who looked miserable, but he set his jaw and nodded. He turned to the slender Sith at his side and his face softened as he took her hand in his. Even from where she stood, Angel felt the rush of emotion pass between them and it shocked her. They're in love, she thought in awe, shaking her head at the idea that such a tender emotion could be associated with a group she'd been taught were evil. The Sith gave him a sweet smile that turned sad as she looked back at Angel.
"You felt me didn't you?" The woman's voice was regal but soft. "Sensed the Dark Side. I've heard it's like a Hoth wind up your back."
Angel nodded, still maintaining her distance and inching her hand towards her light saber. "An accurate description," she admitted, "Now tell me, Sith, has this all been a trap to capture a Jedi?"
The women shook her head. "No, Angel. You weren't brought here under false pretenses. We may be on different sides but I am your mother. I don't know what the Order taught you about Sith. I'd guess from the fact that you're looking at me like I'm about to eat you that it wasn't good." Angel kept her lip from quirking at the Sith's dry wit.
"So where does this leave us?" She asked, watching as her father and the Sith shared a look before turning back to her.
"It's up to you," her father's voice was husky, "We wanted you to know who we were and see if you'd be willing to let us be part of your life, and also answer any questions you might have." Angel nodded slowly.
"Let's start there," she said, "Why would you want to give me up?" Horror and hurt passed over both of her parents' faces and her father looked like he wanted to move towards her again.
"Angel, baby girl, we didn't want to let you go," her father explained, "When you were born, well… I can think of maybe one other day that made me as happy." He looked at the Sith again and Angel knew he was referencing something to do with her.
"But your ability came on early. We could see how strong you'd be. In our world there's usually one path for Force Adepts."
"Sith," Angel stated as the couple nodded.
"I wanted you to have better choices," the pale woman explained, "The first big choice I ever had to make was become Sith, or stay a slave. After that I had to make increasingly tough decisions to maintain my freedom. Some I regret… " She looked at the tall man next to her and smiled, "Others I would make again in a heartbeat."
Angel saw her father smile at the Sith like nothing else in the world mattered and part of her wondered what it'd be like to share that with someone. As they looked back to her, she could sense a different version of the emotion being directed toward her. They love you too, she thought, whatever they share they want you to share as well. Angel felt the warmth drawing her in, but there was still a lingering chill from her mother's dark energy.
"You've killed people haven't you?" she knew the answer to the blunt question, but was still surprised when she saw both of them nod.
"You can't change certain things, Baby, " her father said, "Just like you can't change your family. Before you came along neither one of us were what you'd consider 'nice people'. We've both killed. Damn, in some cases we enjoyed it. Don't know if that makes us evil, we're at war so we do what we gotta do. But we've tried making better lives for ourselves, in case we could talk you into being with us."
"I'd heard something about that. Your 'Exchange connections'?" Angel asked dryly and almost laughed at the shock on her parents' faces.
"How did you… blast it," her father turned to the Sith with a grimace, "Remind me to string up Ashara next time I see her. She's been cheeky ever since you made her a Lord." The Sith giggled at his vehemence, a sound that startled and comforted Angel for its familiarity. Then what he'd said sunk in.
"Wait, Ashara is a Sith too?" Angel confirmed.
"Yes, Ashara is Lord Zavros, my former apprentice. I have another who usually represents me on…" the Sith trailed off as if she wasn't sure if she should continue, then sighed, "Well it won't do any good to withhold information at this point if we want to foster your trust. My title is Darth Nox, and I hold a seat on the Dark Council."
Angel's hand went instinctively to her light saber even though she sensed no threat from the slender woman in front of her.
"The Dark Council?" she was incredulous, "I'm told I'm going to meet my family and I find out that my father might be a gangster and my mother is part of the body that governs all Sith?" Master Tho preserve me, she thought as she took in a deep breath and centered herself. She saw her mother nod in approval.
"You've done well with your training I see," she spoke softly, "I felt how quickly you tamped down your emotions. Had you been trained as a Sith, you would have been taught to harness those emotions, even use them to strike me down." She sighed again before continuing.
"I trained Ashara to be Sith, but allowed her to retain her connection to the Light Side of the Force. She confided in me that she feels more free as a Sith but she appreciated that she was able to make that choice herself. I'd hoped the same for you."
"So you're hoping to make me Sith?" Angel asked.
"I'm hoping for your happiness," her mother said with a small smile, "If being a Jedi makes you happy, then stay with the Order."
"Wait a minute," the words burst from her father, "I thought we wanted her to stay, maybe have her take Ashara's place as your apprentice." The woman turned back to him, stroking his arm soothingly.
"That's what we want, Andronikos. But it has to be what she wants to. She's found peace, I can feel it in her. If she's happy on her path, let her walk it. Maybe she'll let us walk with her."
"Damn Force adepts!" he grumbled, "Can't say things in plain Basic! Wish I'd never let Ashara talk me into letting her go to that Temple with those small-minded, self-righteous… All the years lost, using the Exchange to sneak gifts to my little girl, not being able to tuck her in at night," his voice grew choked, but he whirled on the Sith angrily.
"Now you're telling me to let her go again? Damnation K'isha!"
"Don't you think this kills me?" The pain in woman's voice tore at Angel's heart, "She's my daughter too. We wanted her to have her freedom instead of having to scrape for it. To do that we had to send her to people who'd tell her I'm a horrible being because I choose freedom over subjugation. All so she wouldn't be taken from us by others more violent that the Jedi, or be killed off by someone trying to strike at me."
Angel saw flickers of electricity coursing over her mother's fingers as her eyes began to glow, but her father didn't seem fazed. The couple stared each other down for a moment, then almost simultaneously looked to where Angel was standing. Realizing their argument had a witness, her mother recovered first.
"And here we are, proving her fears are right," her voice grew soft again as the lightning vanished from her fingers and she let the man take her hand. He let out a heavy sigh, and pulled the woman to him in a firm embrace.
"I'm sorry, Beautiful," he leaned down and gave her a quick kiss, "Got carried away there. The worst part is you're right, she has to make the decision." Looking at Angel, he shot her a lopsided grin.
"Hope we didn't scare you off there, Baby."
"No scarier than falling into a Rakghoul nest," Angel quipped and gave the couple a smile that mirrored her father's.
"My stars, she looks so much like you, Pirate," the Sith giggled and pushed lightly at the man's shoulder.
"Don't tell her that," he mock scolded, "She's gorgeous, like her mother." He looked at Angel and sobered.
"Look, Angel. Your mother had to fight for her freedom, always seemed like someone was gunning for her. We met and I started fighting by her side, then realized that's where I wanted to stay. Now we want what we've always wanted, to be part of your life. You mother felt it'd be best to let you to finish your training to be a Master first, so you be less likely to feel we were trying to sway you to our side." He gave Angel a proud grin.
"Should have known my girl wouldn't keep us waiting too long." Angel couldn't help beaming back at him, but mulled over what they had told her.
All these years she'd wondered her about her family's motivation to take her to the Jedi. The fact that the decision wasn't made lightly and done for her safety soothed her. Ashara had warned her to keep an open mind, she remembered. Now she was being asked to accept that her family had a violent history, but still cared deeply for her. They're also willing to let her go if she chose to, she thought, even though it'd hurt them. A far cry from the image she'd had of the enemies of the Jedi.
"I want to stay with the Order," she stated, "I won't betray them for the Empire or Sith."
"Your decision," her mother said, "We won't ask you to. The Order would discourage you from accepting gifts, but anything you need we'd get for you and our homes would be yours to come and go as you please."
"You won't leave the Sith will you?" Angel asked and her mother shook her head.
"One doesn't just 'leave' the Sith," she said, "Especially when you've created the enemies I have, Republic and Sith alike. The best you can do is like I have, stay out of reach and out of sight." She waved her hand and became invisible.
"Certain training has its benefits," her disembodied voice was lilting. When she came back into sight Angel waved her hand and became just as unseen.
"I knew I was drawn to Shadow training for a reason," she couldn't resist joking, and was happy to hear one of her mother's elusive giggles. She materialized and saw her father looking more relaxed.
"When my contacts told me you'd chosen that route, I'll admit I was relieved," her father said,"That invisibility comes in handy when you're in a tight spot." The offhand comment reminded Angel of another question.
"You keep mentioning 'contacts' and 'the Exchange'. Does that mean you're a gangster after all?" her father looked torn between embarrassment and pride.
"Well, you're mother calls me 'Pirate' for a reason. I was one," his eyes grew fuzzy with nostalgia, "Lighting up a freighter and running, nothing like it in the galaxy. But those days are done, my endeavors now are legitimate." Angel's mother gave him a stern look and he shrugged.
"Well, more legitimate. We did a favor for an old friend of mine that helped her take control of the Exchange on Tatooine. In return she lets me use her resources. They've helped me keep track of you and establish the casino."
"Casino?!" Angel squeaked, and her father gave her a sly look.
"You'd be surprised how well pirating skills transfer over to business. The Sky Princess is one of the most exclusive casinos on Nar Shadda, mostly because its existence isn't public knowledge. Because of my old reputation and Exchange connections the Hutts stay off my back, and it allows your mother and me to enjoy a peaceful life. May have to give you the tour one day."
Angel shook her head and realized how relaxed she'd become in the presence of these two people. My parents, she thought, finding herself warming up to the idea. She saw another loving look pass between them and knew that, whatever faults they had, their feelings for each other were far from evil. As if sensing her thoughts, her father looked at her and shot her a grin.
"Like your mother said, Angel, it's your decision," he held out a hand, "Think you can handle having an old pirate and a Sith for your parents?"
Things happen for a reason, Master Tho's voice rumbled in her head, trust in the Force. Angel gave the pair a tentative smile before walking forward.
"You hoped giving me up would give me a chance at happiness," her voice cracked as she approached them, "I'd like to give you a chance to be part of that."
She embraced her mother, still feeling a tickle of cold, but ignoring it for the warmth she found in her mother's arms. Her father waited a moment before wrapping his arms around them both and pulling them to his chest.
"Angel, my baby girl," his voice shook, "You flew back."