The Haunting

Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all ~ Helen Keller

My head rested on a small pillow against the wall of the ship. The holographic image flickered to life, the three dimensional image shifted to a scene, inside it was my Master, accompanied by a much younger version of myself at age four or five. The two of us were walking, I was explaining something to Amarna, a kind smile on her face.
"The Force is an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us, penetrates us, and binds the galaxy together." Younger me exclaimed excitedly to Master, "Well, that's what Ben says anyway!"
Amarna laughed, she looked so happy. You see, she was one that loved with all she had, lived with no regrets. She found humor in anything and everything, she was a person you couldn't help but like. Her voice was kind and reassuring, the one I'd grown with my entire life, the absence of her presence was excruciating. Without her, nothing was real. The galaxy was suddenly cold, and unforgiving. Existence felt numb, like the very last spark of hope had flickered, fought the wind, but it slowly dimmed, and faded away leaving nothing behind but haunting memories of better days. "Massa, you need to quit being so intelligent, it's not fair to the rest of us lowly people!" She laughed, her lavender eyes glittered with an expression of pure joy, pure love for what she was doing, and for… well… me.
Five year old me smiled, "And, and, you have to be SUPER careful with Lightsabers! They cut through everything." My younger blue eyes widened at the last words.
"Really now?" Amarna laughed, "I had absolutely no idea!"
Little me nodded, "Why do you call me Massa?"
Master smiled, and bent down to my eye level, "You are Polis Massa. Fast as a ship, and twice as strong. As long as you're okay, the galaxy shall always be safe. Because you are special, different from anyone else in the entire galaxy. There is not one other "you" in existence."

You may as well have just killed me, right there, where I stood, because I couldn't have felt more dead inside than I did then. The hovering agony that plagued my existence had mainly stayed hidden away, very few had drawn in to the surface. Ben said to me once, "You are a complicated lock, and very few hold the key. But those who do, own the greatest treasure they could possibly imagine." That was a lie. I sure didn't feel like some treasure right now, all I felt was pain, sorrow, and more pain. The shadowed ship had an odd sensation, an overpowering feeling of constantly being watched lingered in my veins. Almost as if the hovering darkness held its own sense of being, its own mortal form staring me down. I felt an uneasy chill run down my spine, dark had always irked me. But this was different, stronger, more lifelike.

"Don't be afraid of the dark." A voice seemed to echo behind me, smiling, like lightning in a storm. My hand went to my belt, powering on my lightsaber. The blue blade casted its glow on the walls but no one was there. "Come out here Lankan stop teasing!" I called out expecting Seren or Sparrow to come out of nowhere and burst out into laughter but this time it didn't happen. "Come on guys I'm not joking. I told you I have a thing about the dark no stop!" The room filled with silence, only the sound of my breathing filled the air. "Look in the shadows Omaris." This time the voice was closer, I could feel it's breath touching my ear. The voice was like the sounds of rain in the night. The thunder and lightning forking through the darkened sky. The sounds of serene chaos echo into the shadows, lost in the deep black like memories forgotten, never to be seen, heard, of remembered again. They merely drift away, drifting ever farther into the perpetual abyss that is the ancient rift between Sanity and delirium. "Who's there?" I called out. "Maris, go get help NOW!" Ben's voice rang in my head. I powered off my weapon and ran down the main gate.

Dawn stretched over the sky as I ran back to camp. Silence echoed through the air. I grabbed a small whistle from my belt and blew into it sending the high pitched noise through the thick wind. Willow ran out of one of the small tents her bright lightsaber green eyes alert. "What's wrong?" She exclaimed nearly tripping over one of the stakes that held the tent to the ground. I let out a breath, my heart pounding against the flesh, "There's someone on the ship." She looked at me as if I was insane, "Well you're not the only one here Omaris of course there may be someone else on The Fighter."
"No this was someone else, something else. Something-"
"Omaris you feeling ok?"
"Yes I'm fine!"
"Have you slept?"
My eyes narrowed, "I've slept enough."
"Mari, you go rest, I'll go check it out ok?" She said gently pushing me back to my tent. "But Willow- there- but-" But she didn't seem to listen, "Rest. I'll wake you up in an hour."
I pushed her away, "No, Willow there is something on that ship I know it, I can sense it please? CHECK!" She looked back at the ship and nodded, "Fine, but please Omaris I know you haven't been sleeping well-"
"Yeah sure."

I lay in the sleeping back in my own tent. Addy was already awake; everyone was awake. No one found anything on the ship, but I knew someone was there, I knew it. Staring up at the ceiling of the tent I closed my eyes listening to the sound of everyone talking. "What was wrong with Omaris anyways?" Ja'en asked. "I'm not sure; she said she thought someone was on the ship, but I didn't see anyone." Willow replied her voice sounding concerned. "Do you think she imagined it? She hasn't been sleeping well." This time it was Talex talking. "I share the same tent, she hasn't been acting herself." Addy's voice came into the conversation. "What is herself anyways?" Sagen butted in.
"I don't know." Aduke replied. I could hear another voice sigh, "If you want my opinion she's too quiet. Many people fall to the dark side after they lose their master. One day she is just going to slip into the shadows" I bit my lip, Amarna wasn't gone, and I wasn't going to turn to the dark side! I was far from it. "Did you hear what he said Ben?" I murmured to myself, "I'm not going to turn to the dark side and slip into the…" I stopped a moment jolting out of the sleeping bag. I grabbed a small dark blue book from under my pillow. The silver seal of the Jedi Order glimmered a little in the light that slipped through the fabric of the tent. The book was given to me by Amarna; pasted from Master to Padawan for the last four hundred years or so. It was a book of The Force, a manual for lack of a better word. I skimmed through the many pages until my finger stopped on a single page.

The Force has many powers some believe are only reserved for the Dark Side of the Force. This has been proven inaccurate. Certain skills in particular: Emerald Lightning, Morichro, and Deadly Sight just to name a few have been labeled as "powers of the Dark Side." When in real they can be studied while a Jedi. You must learn to control the aggression that comes from these skills and use them only when necessary. A certain power in particular has been studied by very few Force-sensitive. Nightshade is the ability to hide themselves within the Force and appear as shadows. Only few people have been able to use such a skill; mainly Masters of the Dark Side.

"I see you've been reading." I heard Obi Wan say behind me. I waved my hand as if to say get out, "Yeah, yeah I know now shush for a moment." I could hear him almost laughing, "Have you found something."
"Actually I have now, hang on."
"Shouldn't you be asleep?"
"Now when have us Kenobi's listened to the masters?"
"They're concerned about you."
"Yeah I've heard but they don't need to much longer because I was right!" I sat up from the sleeping bag and pointed to a section in the book, "That's what I saw. A shadow; I could hear it speaking to me Ben, someone is on that ship, maybe it's even out here is the camp."

Suddenly a shrill scream cut through the air and stabbed into my ear drums. I looked up at Ben, "Go help." He said. I dropped the book and ran out of the tent. Seren's eyes were as big as golf balls as she hid in her brother's arms. "The girl in the shadows, she-she was here." She mumbled over and over again. "What do you mean Sery? What girl?" Sparrow kissed the top of her head. "The-the one from The Tortures. Sh-she was here."
"It's ok Seren; it was just a bad dream that's all."
She shook her head, fear shot through her face, "No I was awake, she-she was talking to me bu-but I couldn't see her."
"I knew I saw something." I mumbled. "Perhaps you should tell her." Ben replied disappearing from sight. "Yeah, Willow would kill me though."
"And when has that stopped you before?"
I nodded, "True, you do have a point." I walked over to Seren and sat beside her. "You ok?" I asked. She smiled, "I-I'm fine…" Sparrow looked at her still concerned, "She had a bad dream-"
"I did not have a nightmare!"
"Ok then what did you have?" I asked in a therapist type of voice. She laughed, "It was… I'm not sure… just… There was a girl. Your age. She looked almost… like a shadow. I-I've seen her before, she was a sith from The Tortures…" Her eyes faded over, lost in deep memories. "Was she the one that hurt you?" I asked. She nodded her hair fell over her face to hide the scar that stretched over the left side of her face. "Is she the one-" I started she nodded again, "She was here though, I saw her here, she wasn't in a dream I know it wasn't." I believed her actually. I know what I saw on the ship, it was a shadow, it was that figure, it's here… but how?

Sparrow looked at me concerned, "She's been having nightmares for a month now." Seren's evergreen eyes turned to slits, "They aren't nightmares." I nodded, "No of course not. I believe that you believe." She almost laughed, "Oh thanks Omaris, I'm glad."

A few hours after Seren's "nightmare" A small group of us Jedi consisting of: Willow, Addy, and myself walked to the west side of the camp to scout out for any spies or bounty hunters that would report us to Emporia which meant the two hundred Jedi who were living here on Endor would be instantly killed. Silence filled the forest moon, not even the sticks beneath our feet made a noise when we stepped on them.

Suddenly a loud crack of wood crumpled just in front of us. My body froze as I reached for my lightsaber. "Come out slowly and silently with your hands on your head." Willow called out a blaster in her hand. A young woman around mid-twenties came out from beyond the brush. She was dressed in a black dress pulled tight at her waist. A small lightsaber hug from her belt. Her raven hair fell in uneven locks over her shoulders that highlighted her silver eyes. Almost unnatural in color they seemed as though they were flashlights that glared at us. The blaster lowered a little surprise etched across Willow's face. "Jillian…" She murmured. I powered on my lightsaber the blue blade casted its glow on the woman. She smiled, "Uh hey Willow…"
"You have a lot of guts coming here Larken, you need to leave." She nodded towards me, "Or she'll do something about it." I smiled twisting the weapon around my wrists, "Hello there slut slime." She flashed me a defiant stare before looking back at Willow. "I've come back to the Jedi Willow… I've destroyed the remaining sith at Emporia, the rebellion is over." I rolled my eyes, "Oh may the Force have pity on your wretched soul." I spat Willow nudged my shoulder. "I do not sense the dark side around you Jillian; I will take you back to camp. You will be kept under close super vision and held in a different place away from the younglings."
"I understand Willow. Thank you." Jillian said. Addy flashed a look at her master, "Bu-but Master she tried to kill you and you-" Willow simply smiled to shut her up. I powered off my lightsaber but still kept it unlit in my hand. "Do you need anything?" She asked. Jillian's eyes glazed over as she thought, "Is Sparrow ok?" I rolled my eyes, Willow nodded, "Do you want to see him?" She smiled, and quietly nodded. Willow turned to Addy and whispered something in her ear. "Maris, Willow is going to get Sparrow and go back to the camp. We're going to hide behind the brush to make sure she doesn't kill him- or well he doesn't kill her. Ok?" I could hear Aduke say to me telaphathicly.

We walked half way back to camp before Aduke and I hid behind the bushes and trees. Sparrow smiled at Jillian but his hand rested on one of his lightsabers. "I see you've returned. How did you find us?" He asked. "I used the Force, to find you…" She replied a slight sadness in her voice.
"What's wrong?" Sparrow took a step towards her.
"I-I'm sorry Sparrow…"
"For what?"
"For what I did… I killed people, killed Jedi…" She went silent for a moment it looked as if she was on the brink of tears. I rolled my eyes. How ridiculous

"Did you come here for forgiveness?" Sparrow asked. Jillian nodded, "Y-yeah… I want to come back to the Jedi…"
"Have you forgiven yourself?"
She shook her head, "How could I forgive myself for the things I've done? I killed people at Haran; children sometimes… I don't know HOW I could be forgiven I…" Sparrow touched her shoulder, "You must learn to forgive yourself before you can ask for forgiveness."
"But I hurt people, I can't possible-"
"You can Jillian, that is the way of the Jedi, you must learn to forgive."
Jillian leaned in and hugged him, "I'm sorry…" She murmured.

It felt like I could die, like my insides were rotting away. "This. Is. Wretched." I said under my breath. The sanity level between the two of them could MAYBE equal up to a Hutt, with a mental problem, that is also so high on death sticks it can see flying unicorns named Paul.

"It's ok Jillian, everything will be alright." Sparrow said kissing the top of her head. "What's happened since I left?" Jillian asked as if she had just when on vacation and had just arrived home. "We've been in the process of creating a Jedi temple here on Endor. It's more of a secluded planet so Emporia won't be able to find us easily."
"Why not somewhere else?"
"I'm not sure. We could have gone to Dagoba but that isn't the best place to train younglings now is it?"
Jillian laughed, "I suppose not…"
"My sister's birthday it tomorrow you know."
"You have a sister?"

I rolled my eyes. You can make a map of his ugly face but you don't know he has a sister? I thought. And I thought Sparrow was a slut, forgot about his "girlfriend"

"Yes, her name is Seren she's turning fifteen."
"Does she look like you?"
Sparrow laughed, "I little too much."

That was a lie. Seren was pretty, and smart, and kind. Sparrow was stupid, and annoying and clearly blind.

Sparrow explained to his "friend" everything about his sister, what had happened during our month here on Endor, everything. I've heard it before, I was there, I didn't have to hear it again.

"Her name is Omaris Kenobi; she's a lot like you. You'd like her."
I about screamed, literally. Now I haven't meant Jillian Contra, but Addy had told me a lot about her. I wasn't anything like that slut I promise. "Never heard of her." Jillian said.
"She was never with us while you were here; she was taken captive by Ceneptece. You'd like her though; she's kind, but quiet, like you."

I about died right there, I could have gotten my lightsaber and KILLED him with it if it wasn't against the Jedi code!
"She sounds nice."
"She is. She reminds me of my sister sometimes."

Omaris 101: don't relate me to ANYONE unless if it's Ben, then GO RIGHT AHEAD but if it's anyone else, prepare to be stabbed in the foot.

"You seem to like her."
"I supposed; I don't know much about her though, no one does, she's like a maze that no one can get to the center to. I feel sorry for her sometimes, she's always alone, but she doesn't seem to mind much."
"What do you mean no one knows anything about her? How do you know she's not a sith?"
"Well the only one who knows anything about her other than the happenings of this month is herself. I know Addy may know something about her but I've never asked. I talked to Omaris last night; something about her master, she's still being held captive somewhere, but she doesn't know the location."
"But the sith are destroyed I made sure of it." Jillian looked slightly confused; but then again that's how she ALWAYS looked.
"Maybe she is being held by bounty hunters. I'm not sure. But I'd like to find her if she's still alive. It would make Omaris happy to have her master back. I'd say I'd want Jin'lin back but… she was sort of a sith…"
She frowned and kissed him on his cheek, "I'm sorry." She whispered. Sparrow tensed as if he had remembered something. "What's wrong?" Jillian asked. He pulled away, "Jillian… I'm sorry but…"
"What?"
"I can't quite forgive you yet. I know you've come here to be a Jedi, to be forgiven but…"
Jillian looked away sadness struck her silver moon like eyes, something was different, something was wrong. Maybe I was the only one who could sense it, but Jillian was odd. Something wasn't quite right. She was quiet for a moment, "I-I'm sorry Sparrow…" She whispered under her breath. He put his hand on her shoulder but she pulled away, "No its ok." She said. "I know what you meant."
"What do you mean Jillian?"
"Like what you said before, you loved the idea of me but you never loved me."

I rolled my eyes. I basically lived in a soap opera.

"That's not what a meant Jillian I-" Sparrow started again but she cut him off.
"No it's ok, I understand, I should have listened before…"
"Jill- can I call you Jill?"
She nodded.
"Ok good- I never meant what I said then. I just couldn't stand the fact that you had betrayed the Jedi."
She sighed, "I never meant to Sparrow. I was angry at Emporia and what it had done to the Jedi. I wanted revenge… And I…" Jillian shook her head in shame, "I never wanted to turn to the dark side; I thought if you can't fight them join them. Nice plan huh?"

Oh Force why is there such a stupid creature in this universe? I thought.

"Not the most brilliant plan in the galaxy but surly not the worst." Sparrow said with a small smile. "I missed you, you know. Olinia thought you were dead; it took me a while to tell her you weren't. She thought she killed you somehow."
"I didn't want to hurt her…" Jillian murmured.

You did a wonderful job at "not wanting"

"I know Jillian, she will learn to forgive you I know it. It is the Jedi way to forgive."
"Can I see her?" She asked.

Oh what so you can almost kill her again?

Sparrow shook his head, "Jillian I can't let you do that. I'm sorry." Jillian's eyes narrowed, "Why not? She yelled.
"Jillian, she doesn't want to see you. She-"
"There is no reason Sparrow! I want to see her! I need to tell her that I'm sorry for what I did! I…" She went silent for a moment. I could sense an odd feeling wash over her. Her eyes glazed over in deep emotion, as if she was remembering a far memory. Something's not right. I thought she showed a feeling of love towards Oli, not like Sagen looks at Kylar; from Master to Padawan. Like the way Willow looked at Aduke, or well… the way Amarna looked at me; from a mother to a daughter. From what Willow told me Jillian found Olinia when she was only five. That's almost as old Kylar. "I found something" I whispered. "Huh?" Addy asked. I shook my head, "Nothing…" I looked closer, not looking directly at Jillian Contra herself but her expression, the Force signature that surrounded her.

"Please Sparrow let me see her I beg you." Jillian said her eyes swelling up with tears. Sparrow grabbed the small comlink from his belt and spoke into it. "Olinia?" Another voice came through the speaker, "Nope, this is your sister, hang on here she is."
"What's wrong Master?" Oli asked.
Sparrow sighed, "Nothing. Someone is here to see you, come to the west entrance."
"Um ok I'll be right there."

Jillian looked surprised when Sparrow put back his comlink. "She's coming." He said. But she didn't really seem to care if she was going to see her former Padawan or not; she was mad at something else. Her eyes narrowed, maybe I was the only who could sense it but anger swelled in a huge black cloud around Jillian; her silver eyes turning a dull red as if flames were brewing deep within her soul. "She's yours?"
Sparrow looked up, "She is now. Why?"

You're screwed Sparrow, run now! I thought to myself grabbing my lightsaber, "Aduke, watch out." I whispered. She nodded.

"I didn't think she'd be yours." Jillian hissed anger sparked within her.
"Do you not trust me with her?" Sparrow asked touching her shoulder.
"No… I do trust you… it just surprised me… That's all…"
"I thought you would be happy that I was the one who would be training her. You should be proud of her you know; she has become a cunning warrior, and an amazing Jedi. She is made for great things."
Jillian smiled, "Thank you." She leaned into his arms; her eyes still the same color. Sparrow hugged her gently, "She will forgive you Jillian, give her time." Suddenly she kissed him; but instead of pulling away (like he should have) Sparrow kissed her back.
"I love you." She whispered

Oh Force, please if Jillian Contra is not the most stupid person in this universe strike me down NOW! I screamed to myself.

He closed his eyes as if he was thinking. "Jillian-"
"Just promise me something." Jillian asked, "Promise me that you will love me."
Sparrow sighed taking a step away from her, "I don't know if I can… not yet…"

At least you have a half an ounce of common sense, let's see if you can get anymore

Oli came out from the distance; half of her raven hair was pulled into a bun and the rest was tied into two braids that hung over her shoulders and intertwined with her Padawan braid. She looked different for sure; she wore a pale green tunic and a pair of off-white leggings that tucked far into her brown boots. The moment her calm topaz eyes hit her former master her lightsaber powered on. Two blades of green jutted out of the hilt on opposite sides.

Sparrow reached out with the Force and pulled Oli's weapon into his hand. "Why in the name of the Force is she here." She hissed; her topaz eyes locked on her former master's. "Olinia, she came here to-"
"TO KILL ME!"
Sparrow grabbed her shoulder. "No Olinia, she came back to the Jedi, she came back to apologies for the things she's done."

Oli's POV

I glared at Sparrow, "Master this is stupid, you're letting your childish fantasies get in the way and frankly it's clouding your judgment! Master seriously come on. Could you be more of a slut right now? Can you not remember what she did? To you? To us? So go ahead! Ride off into the sunset if you want to, just don't expect me to follow you down that road Master, you may have forgiven her, you may trust her fully but I don't. Something's still not right with her, and I don't like it. Master, I realize you like her, but honestly it doesn't matter to me. I don't have my head stuck in the clouds like you do, your mind is filled with artificially planted delusions that are fogging up your brain and causing you to make bad decisions."

Sparrow sighed, "Come on Olinia…"

"Master no. I'm sorry but I'm not going to just let her back in. She doesn't deserve for us to just bow to her will and not blink an eye when she just strides in saying 'well hey I'm good now even though I almost killed half of you, so yeah you all should just forgive me and pretend nothing happened!' Yeah cause that makes a LOT of sense."
"Olinia, be reasonable!"
"I am! You're the one who's being too trusty!"
"I'm not being too 'trusty' Olinia, learn some respect my young Padawan learner."
"Why am I the learner? I'm smarter than you at the moment!" I rolled my eyes turning around and walking back to camp.

Omaris's POV

Reading is easy. Reading in the dark is slightly more complicated but if you have a light then you're all good. Reading while in the dark while people are talking can be bothersome but not that bad. Reading while four people are arguing ALL at the same time? May the Force save us all.

"NO! OH HELL NO!" Seren continued on her manic rant, "I won't let that sick twisted little rat on this moon, she hasn't done anything but hurt you, no ALL of us damn it!" Jillian looked completely dumbfounded. Sparrow was fighting with the basic lines of "Why can't you forgive somebody for once Seren, she's sorry!"
"No, she may say she is but I don't trust her!"
"Ok, this is not the time for fighting!" Willow yelled, "Jillian has come back to the Jedi Seren, to bully her for her past!"
"I'll do what I have to, to get her out of here!"

Another random person came out from one of the tents. He paused a moment standing a good six inches away from Seren. He smiled lightly and said, "Hey." All of their heads turned to the raven-haired boy. "WHAT!" Seren yelled at the top of her lungs. "What's up?" He smirked and walked away. All of their faces were blank. "What the hell was that?" Seren yelled again and the argument resumed.

I smiled and silently applauded before going back to reading. "Well done random guy, well done."