Far From Home
Chapter 17
"Who the hell are you?" asked Scorn.
He did not trust this stranger with his face in the depths of the swamp tree. He thought he was supposed to be alone during this Jedi trail. He wondered if this was some kind of trick done by Obi-Wan. He had been warned by Jinn that their father was craftier than his world's Obi-Wan. Perhaps, with was the real test. It must be some kind of mind game.
However, he saw a sadistic smile curl on the doppelganger's face. The other stared at him through glowing yellow eyes that unnerved him with their animalistic glare. He felt like he was being measured up like prey.
"Isn't it obvious? I'm you, of course. I'm the side of you that you're running away from. And why deny it? Why are you running from who you truly are? A Sith to the core."
"No!" shouted the Dark Knight. "I can't be a Sith anymore if I want to be with Kiya."
The other tilted his head and replied, "Kiya? Do you really think she'd want to be with a Sith? And besides, a Sith isn't someone who loves. A Sith is someone who takes. You should know by now that nobody wants you. Nobody wants a worthless piece of scum like you."
"No! Not my Angel! She wants me just like I want her."
Suddenly, a voice he hadn't heard in years spoke behind him, "Are you sure? Even I didn't want you."
Scorn spun around and saw that it was his mother, the woman who sold him into slavery when he was a child. He saw her standing there in a long black gown with golden-brown hair the color of wheat with icy-blue eyes looking at him expressionless and in response he felt his veins fill with hatred. He lowered his head and fumed.
He said in a dangerous tone, "What are you doing here?"
Yet, his mother ignored his question and plowed on. "How do you expect your Angel to want you when I didn't even want you? And I'm your own mother. It takes someone twisted and bent like Darth Vader to want a worthless maggot like you. After all, dirt attracts dirt. Just you wait, Scorn. Someday, your precious little Jedi is going to wake up and realize she made a big mistake being with you."
"Shut up!" roared Scorn.
He then raised his lightsaber and slashed his mother's image in half, but she faded away into the shadows and was gone. Stunned, the Dark Knight turned and saw that his own doppelganger was missing too. He felt shaken by the mysterious illusions that he grabbed his head with his hand and let out a yell.
"RRRAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
Annoyed, he shouted, "I'm not worthless! I am not scum! And Kiya would never betray me. She's honest and brave. She would never lie to me. She loves me."
Then, out of the darkness the lady-Jedi stepped into view. "I never said I loved you."
Scorn withdrew his lightsaber and placed it at his belt and quickly approached his Archangel and held her by her arms. Desperately, he looked into her ghostly blue-gray eyes and said, "You didn't have to, Angel. I felt your love when you touched me. It's in your laugh, your games, your smiles—I see it shining inside you that you love me too."
Kiya chuckled and replied, "Oh, Scorn. Don't be ridiculous. I never said I loved you because I don't. How could I love someone like you? You're so common and worthless. I should have let my brother kill you, but now you're all alone without a single friend in the entire world. It's pathetic."
The young man felt his heart drop into his bellow with despair. He shook his head in disbelief. "No! You don't mean that. It isn't true. You aren't the real Kiya."
Scorn quickly removed his hands off the weird shade and shoved her away. He made to grab his lightsaber and slice the shadow in two, but she exclaimed, "Yes, but I could be! What if your Kiya decides to leave you? What if she decides she wants nothing to do with you?"
For a moment, the Dark Knight paused. His pulse began to race and his started to pant with dread. It was true that maybe his sweet Angel would never love him back, but he already discovered that he couldn't bring himself to harm her. He already promised her that he would never even try. There was no way he could revenge his heart if she chose to break it, but where would that leave him? Where would he go and what would he do if she abandoned him?
"Death," whispered the weird shade seductively. "Death or take me in every way possible except my heart. Own me like a Sith and I will have no power over you."
Scorn heaved wildly and felt a chill run down his spine as he pondered the dark words spoken from the false beauty's lips. He thought about what he might do in order to take from Kiya what he wanted. He could take her body and her life as easily as he could swing his sword, but that wasn't his true desire. No—that wasn't what he yearned for.
He didn't want to destroy his sweet Angel in order to have her. No, he wanted her to remain perfect and whole and long to love him just as much as he longed for her. He wanted Kiya to crave him till he become as necessary as breathing. He wanted her to be desperate and hungry. He wanted her to be so passionate that she would never even consider abandoning him. He lived solely now for her love that if he were ever denied it he was sure he would die in an instant from the frigid winds that would blow in the empty spaces surrounding his shriveled soul.
Resolved, the Dark Knight stated, "No. I am no longer a Sith. That is no longer who I am."
-0-0-0-
Ben sat down on a log mediating as he waited for Warren to return. He had to admit he was getting a bit impatient. It had already been nearly an hour since the young man entered the tunnel, but he supposed it might seem longer to anyone undergoing a Jedi trail. The Force was often mysterious and such things couldn't be rushed. Though, he imaged it might be silly to a trained user of the Force to take such an examination like soul-searching after they obviously faced greater challenges in the battlefield, yet sometimes the inner journeys were the most difficult. And Ben had a feeling that Siths didn't do much introspective. Force only knew how long the young man would take.
Out loud, the Knight said, "Hmm—perhaps I should have asked Milady to come along."
However, this outward thinking just made Ben laugh. It had been a long time since he was alone in such complete isolation. It reminded him of his exile on Tatooine, though that was about over 30 years ago. Force! That meant Jinn was over 30. Hmm—Jinn really should find himself a wife or at the very least take up a new Padawan. Though, it was quite remarkable that he was even having these thoughts to begin with. He never thought in a million years that he would have children and he would be contemplating their marital status.
Then, unexpectedly Warren came out from the dark tunnel and gave Ben a bow. He then fell down to one knee and gazed at the Knight with his dark brown eyes.
"I am no longer a Sith. Today, Darth Scorn is no more."
Ben rose from his seat and slowly began to pace around the young man and replied, "So, you've renounced your allegiance to the Dark Side."
"Yes."
"What do you plan to do now, Warren? Will you become a Jedi? The Order could use a good man like you. You could help bring about peace and harmony instead of bloodshed and war. What do you say?"
Warren looked thoughtful and answered, "I'm not a good man, Obi-Wan. But, I won't apologize for the things I've done in the past. Fighting and servitude are all I know. I don't know how else to be. I don't know what it means to be a Jedi or if that is the life I should lead. All I know is that I want to be with Kiya."
"And if Kiya should disagree?"
He closed his eyes and replied, "I pray that Kiya never disagrees, but if she does then I hope she has the kindness in her heart to kill me because there is no way I would ever hurt her."
Obi-wan paused and said amusingly, "You actually remind me very much of my wife. She told me long ago that she would have loved me regardless if I felt the same way, that her feelings for me were her only true happiness. For love is a miracle she did not think she was capable of finding. She told me she was born of war and fire and that loneliness and death were her only friends."
The Dark Knight looked over his shoulder and said, "Your wife sounds like a great woman, Obi-Wan."
Ben smiled and came to stand in front of him. "Yes, indeed and very wise. She is a great warrior and I believe you are a great warrior as well. My feelings are telling me to trust you, Warren and all I ask in return is your word of honor that you will never do anything to betray that trust. Do you understand?"
Warren rose from his knee and raised his hand to grasp Obi-wan's and replied, "Yes. I give you my word, Obi-Wan. I will never betray your trust in me."
The Knight grinned and placed his other hand affectionately on the former Sith's. "Well, young man, welcome to the family."
The dark-warrior frowned. "I never asked Kiya to marry me."
Ben laughed and began to head back to the ship and said, "Oh, I've no doubt you may end up my future son-in-law. I just never thought Kiya would bring home a former Sith. And if that wasn't enough one that was trained by Anakin."
Baffled, Warren jogged up to Obi-Wan and asked, "Who is Anakin?"
Appalled, he narrowed his brow at the dark-warrior and said, "Anakin? Anakin is Darth Vader's given name. You didn't think he was born a Sith did you?"
"Well, it's not something Vader would exactly bring up in conversation. I don't even like being called Warren. It's just the last time someone called me by that name they used to own me—and I'm beginning to think I've being owned again."
Ben laughed and patted him on the back and said, "Trust me, Warren. There is no greater force in the universe than love."
-0-0-0-
Location: New Jedi Temple
Kiya decided to go for a stroll while she waited for Scorn to return with her father. She knew that her friend would be all right in her father's care. She just didn't like the fact that her father was plotting. She knew he could be just as crafty as Jinn when it came to getting things done like they wanted to. And the idea of reform—hell fire! There wasn't anything wrong with Scorn. He was so sweet and kind to her since they met. It wasn't like he got off on killing people or something. Really, he wasn't anything like that horrible Emperor. That prune faced dog literally oozed negativity like a wild spring. It was a wonder no one tried to end him sooner with all his hatred.
Then, off in the distance she saw someone mediating off near the garden path. She thought she was alone and was about to walk away, but the she noticed there was something very familiar about this person. She saw from their dress it was a Jedi and from the looks of things a Master, yet it wasn't a Master she recognized.
Quietly, she inched closer till she saw that it was Scorn. Surprised she called, "Scorn? What in the world are you doing here? I thought you were with father?"
However, the moment the words left her mouth she realized she had made a mistake. This man wasn't Scorn. He was clearly older by at least 10 years, though he still looked fit and handsome with short chestnut hair and dark eyes. He stared at her for a minute confused, but finally got up and approached her.
"I'm sorry Miss, but you're mistaken. We've never met before."
Kiya blushed with embarrassment. "Oh, I'm sorry. It's just that you look like a friend of mine."
The unknown Jedi smiled at her shyness and Kiya noticed that he had a scar running down his right cheek and neck. It looked like an old injury that was once very serious and might have been fatal. However, once she gazed up into his eyes she couldn't help thinking that his man looked too much like Scorn, like they might be relatives. He might be his older brother or younger uncle. She as a little disturbed by the resemblance.
Meanwhile, the Jedi Master simply stared at the lady-knight right back and took in her form. He had to admit she was beautiful. By far she was one of the most beautiful women he had ever seen. She was slender and fair with raven hair that was styled up and pinned with pearls. Her gown was sky-blue and flowing like a wave and her crimson sash made her waist appear more tapered and fit. While her eyes were the most haunting gray-blue he had ever seen. He felt he could drown in her shinning eyes, but the most startling things about the beauty was her aura. Her sheer presence in the Force was like being presented to a Jedi Council Member. He had never before met such a alluring young woman in his life. She also had an air of otherworldliness that he could not resist.
He gave her a bow and before he could stop himself he took her hand and gave it a kiss. "Let me introduce myself. My name is Master Starling. And I hope we can be friends, Miss."
Hesitantly, she drew back her hand and said, "How do you do, Master Starling. I am Lady Kiya."
Starling smiled and tested out her name, "Lady Kiya—Lady Kiya, I feel that anyone would be lucky to be your friend, my lady. Are you visiting the Temple or are you a personal member? Or let me guess, you're a member of the Senate?"
"No. I'm a Jedi."
"Oh," he stammered. "Forgive me, my lady. It's just that your title and dress mislead me. You're also much too beautiful to be an ordinary Jedi."
Kiya laughed at Starling's bold compliment. "Please, believe me, Master Starling. Beauty has nothing to do with making a Jedi special or ordinary. The Force doesn't have beauty contests."
Starling chuckled at Kiya's wit and walked beside her down the garden path. "Where are you going, Lady Kiya?"
"I'm going to the hanger bay to wait for my friend and father."
Confused, he said, "Father? You mean your family are Jedi? Amazing!"
Kiya frowned. "What's so amazing about that? Many Jedi have other family members in the Order. Force-sensitivity is genetic. And stop following me."
"I apologize, my lady, but I unfortunately spent many years in cryogenics. Things like family and attachments are still very new to me. And why can't I follow you? I thought we could be friends?"
The lady-Jedi stopped dead in her tracks and turned to face the Jedi Master and made him nearly trip over his own feet. She looked him in the eye and said, "Look, Master Starling. I'm very anxious right now, so I'm not the best company. Perhaps we can talk another time."
"But if you're anxious than I will lend you my support. That's what friends do. And we can talk some more. Maybe it will help you feel better if you let what's on your mind off your chest."
The lady-Jedi opened her mouth if though to speak, but then closed it. Kiya tilted her head in thought. It might not be such a bad idea to open up to a stranger about her problems, but then again it isn't always wise to expose your woes. You never know if it might come back to bite you.
And so, honestly she said, "We don't know each other yet to be so forward, Master Starling, but you are very kind to make such an offer. I appreciate your thoughtfulness."
He smiled. "Think nothing of it, my lady, just allow me to accompany you and we can talk about anything. I'll help you instead to keep your mind off your anxiety."
"As you wish, Sir Knight."
-0-0-0-
Location: hanger bay
Starling could not explain it. He had never been so enchanted by a woman in all his life. She was so graceful and confident that he wonder how he could have ever missed seeing such a beauty before after all this time. Though, it was true he had been away on several missions, he still thought it was such a shame to have overlooked her. He was so glad that the New Order had changed their rule of no attachments, but Starling was still a student of the Old Order.
He had been one of the very few Padawans to have escaped the Purge while on mission with his Master. He was just a child then, but he grew up wondering the vastness of space and fought many battles with the Rebel Alliance. However, it wasn't until he was seriously injured while fighting a horde of stormtroopers did he find himself concealed inside a cryogenics-machine. His comrades didn't have the right equipment at the time to heal him so they made him sleep, but Fate caused their ship to crash and he was frozen in his tomb for several years. He had only recently been rescued last year, but if this was the future then he was glad to be alive. He discovered that the Empire was gone and that the Rebels had won. It bothered him that he couldn't be a part of their victory, but he was still happy to see that his old friends' struggle for freedom had not been in vain.
"I sense deep regret from you, Master Starling," said Lady Kiya.
He smiled at how perceptive the lady was and replied, "I'm just thinking about the past."
"Then, you ought to think about the future. You can't change the past, Master Starling."
"That's true, my lady, but it is our past experiences that make us who we are."
Kiya thought about this and stilled. She wondered about Scorn and his past. Was he really just the sum of his experiences? Or was he more than that or could he be different? She then said, "Tell me, do you believe in second chances?"
The scar-Jedi beamed. "Yes, Lady Kiya. I do. I also think everything that happens has happened for a reason. There are no coincidences, there is only the Force."
Kiya giggled. "Oh, you sound so much like my former Master, Master Starling. But I—Oh! There's my father's ship!"
The blue-eyed beauty then began to race towards the ship as it began to park inside the hanger bay with ease. It didn't take long before the hatch opened and out emerged Obi-Wan and Scorn. And when Master Starling saw them he thought he'd explode. He had no idea that Lady Kiya was actually Lady Kiya Kenobi—daughter of the Great Obi-Wan Kenobi. Though, when he saw her standing beside him he realized those same enchanting gray-blue eyes he thought he could drown in were none other than Obi-Wan's. He was so mortified.
Yet, who the Force was this young man? Master Starling was stunned to see the man standing behind Obi-Wan looked remarkably like himself. He had long hair and dressed in black robes, but there was no question in his mind that this person looked like him when he was younger. And if that wasn't weird enough, Lady Kiya had literally ran to him and embraced him into a hug.
"Oh, Scorn! I'm so glad you're all right. Did father hurt you?"
Offended, Ben replied, "Kiya! How little you think of me. I would never harm your boyfriend. And where's my hug, young lady?"
"Father!" shouted the lady-knight. "Of course, I'll hug you too." Kiya then gave her father a hug and a kiss on the cheek and held his hand as they made their way to the exit. However, her eyes were glued to the Dark Knight as she spoke.
"I see you past your trail, Scorn."
"Yes, but I won't be going by that name anymore, Kiya. Call me Warren for now on. Warren Starling."
"Warren Starling…" whispered the scar-Jedi. The three then stopped and stared at the Jedi Master confused. Both Ben and Warren noticed that he looked shocked and his gaze was transfixed on the young former Sith. Then, with an outstretched hand he pointed at the Dark Knight and said, "You can't be Warren Starling! I am Warren Starling. I am a Jedi Master."
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TBC
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Jedi Angel001 - I'm glad you like the idea of Ben taking Scorn to take the Jedi trails. Though, the road to love is getting a lot bumpier with this deminsion's Master Starling. Unfortunately for him the love-bug has bitten him and he is left following Kiya around like a puppy too. And poor Ben, he just bonded with Warren.
Please keep reading and reviewing. Thank you.
