Knights of the Old Republic: Episode II
Ahmose Inarus
Disclaimer: I do NOT own Criminal Minds, and I most certainly do NOT own Star Wars.
SLASH WARNING! H/R
Chapter 15
PLANET: CAROSI
LOCATION: DEVIL'S DOME PLEASURE DOME
TIME: MORNING
Rojja the Hutt, owner of the Devil's Dome Pleasure Dome, watched as Jedi and Sith clashed in the arena before him. He didn't like this… now, he knew that the Jedi and Sith were all but at war, but THIS was too close for comfort… He turned and heaved his great bulk out of the room, calling for a transport. No way was he going to stay here. The last time Jedi and Sith met in his establishment, it was blown apart! If that happened again, there would be hell to pay…
But with any luck, that Darth Livion would fall in this battle. And then justice would be done for the business he lost when the boy killed his fresh Vi'Tani. Though he had heard that the Vi'Tani had their revenge on him only yesterday. He chuckled as he imagined the boy screaming as he was ravaged… He wished he had been able to watch...
As quickly as he could slither, he boarded his transport and was whisked away.
Back in his Dome, the Jedi and Sith continued to do battle. At the center of the fray were Aaron Hotchner and Darth Livion. They were battling Double Blade to Double Blade, and for a while they seemed evenly matched. But this was not the case…
"You're getting rusty, Hotchner…" Livion chuckled.
"I don't want to hurt you, Spencer!"
"Hurt me? HAH!" But only a second later, Hotch's fist came crashing across Livion's jaw. The Sith Lord stumbled, eyes wide in surprise, and he fell back to the ground. Then he froze, staring at the amethyst blade under his chin.
"Do you surrender?" Hotch asked.
"Never." Livion hissed, and threw Hotch back with the Force. Hotch grunted, skidding back, but he quickly leapt after the retreating Sith Lord… and with his own blade, he kept him retreating. Livion gasped as a swipe of Hotch's blade cut his Double Bladed saber in two… just like the first time they clashed. He snarled, and Hotch separated his own blades and the pair went at it, spinning and slashing and dodging and leaping at one another. Eventually, they leapt forward and their blades clashed in a stalemate. They stared one another in the eyes between their crossed blades. It was déjà vu for the both of them… Hotch only hesitated a moment… then he leaned forwards and pressed his lips to Livion's…
Livion blinked, startled, and then his wide eyes unfocused, then fluttered closed. Slowly, their blades began to drop.
"LIVION?" Dualath shouted, and Livion jerked, then leapt back. He stared at Hotch, eyes wide. Hotch stared back, his own eyes smoldering. Then, he began to advance on the Sith Lord. Livion tensed, and then began to back away, looking nervous and confused. A look of panic crossed his face and he lunged, attacking. But Hotch easily side-stepped his strike, and with two well-placed strikes of his own, Livion's weapons spun across the floor. Shocked, he only had a moment to stare at Hotch before the man's fingers slid into his hair, and then his vision whited out as Hotch ripped their Bond wide open by force, using all of the strength he could muster, and then their minds flowed into one another's.
Livion let out a strained gasp and his head fell back. His eyes stared unseeing straight up into the air, and his arms fell limp by his side. Hotch's eyes rolled back into his head as his own skull rolled back on his neck and the pair held perfectly still, oblivious to the continuing battles around them, for in that moment, nothing existed beyond the two of them, and the Bond between them.
Their conscious minds seemed to greet one another as old friends, nudging at first, then nuzzling, before beginning to intertwine. Hotch sighed in relief as he felt the darkness beginning to shy away as the struggling light within his lost lover flared up in its desperate bid to be free of its dark shackles. It twisted out of the grip of the shadows, twirling and dancing as it got brighter and brighter, and the darkness began to melt away… Slowly, Hotch felt long fingers on his face, then slide around to hold his head the way he held Livion's.
Their bodies moved of their own accord, stepping in closer until they were flush up against one another. Their lips touched briefly, and a spark seemed to pass between them. Their eyes flew open and dark brown stared into warm golden brown…
"… Spencer?" Hotch gasped, hardly daring to hope.
Those large eyes stared back, and then began to sparkle as tears welled up. A brilliant smile lit up his very soul as the boy whispered, "You made it…" And then they were wrapped up tightly in one another's arms, sharing a kiss that was filled with so much passion and relief, all the Jedi and Sith could feel it.
Heads turned. Sith eyes narrowed, Jedi eyes widened.
"What in the blazes?" Raah Syr blurted.
"Ah." Said Tarash Virr. "Hm… I had a feeling something was going on between them…"
"Oh, did you now?" Amna Kao asked, annoyed. Master Virr shrugged.
"Livion?" Dualath cried, and charged at the pair. Hotch and Reid parted. Dualath's eyes were nearly glowing in a homicidal rage, and were fixed on Hotch. The man's eyes narrowed and he reached out a hand, summoning his weapons to his hands, and moved to meet the charge.
"NO!" Reid cried, and leaped between the pair. A split second later, a powerful blast of the Force send Darth Dualath and Aaron Hotchner both flying back in opposite directions.
For a long moment, everyone was silent.
Reid blinked, eyes widening when he realized that all eyes were on him. Slowly, the Jedi and the Sith backed away from one another, and Reid found himself between the groups.
"Now you make your choice, youngling." Came the deep rumble of Master Raahn Syr.
"Livion." Dualath called, and Reid looked at the younger Sith Lord. Amanda was staring at him, pleading with her eyes, trying to hide her fright. "Don't… don't go. I… I won't… You can't leave me…" Slowly, she lifted a hand, silently begging him to take it. Darth Cenar lifted his own hand, grasping one half of Darth Livion's Lightsaber. And Aaron Hotchner was holding the twin blades Reid himself had crafted with the flawless purple focusing crystals that Garcia had given him.
Reid glanced at Penelope. She was staring at him, happy to see him, but fearful that they might lose him again. Reid knew that right now, it was his own battle… was his love of his team stronger than his fear of what the Sith Lords would do to him should he betray them?
Reid blinked and shook his head, smiling to himself. Then with one hand, he ripped the dark cloak from himself, and the other raised, summoning his blade. The amethyst blades gleamed brilliantly as he twisted the hilts apart, spinning them in his hands and raising them, turning to face the Sith Lords, not a trace of fear in him.
"I'm done." He snapped. Dualath's hand dropped, and she stared at Reid in shock and hurt. Hotch closed his eyes, letting out a sigh of relief, a smile crossing his face.
"You choose betrayal." Darth Cenar said, calmly.
Charles and Raphael lifted their heads, and in unison said, "You choose death." And Raphael, Charles, Cenar, Nocturn and Sassin all raised their hands, and the Lightning crackled through the air.
Reid's eyes only had time enough to widen, and he heard screams rise up from amongst the Jedi… but one voice rose over the others, and a flash of movement drew eyes to the one who had loosed the shout.
A figure darted forwards, throwing itself between Reid and the Sith Lords, shielding him from the attack. The bluish white bolts struck the helpless body full in the chest.
"NO!" Reid screamed, and the Lightsabers fell from his hands. The Lightning stopped, and Reid's protector wavered before falling back. Reid darted forwards and dropped to his knees, catching his savior.
"Amanda…"
Her eyes opened, and she looked up at him. "… Don't leave me." She whispered. Reid nodded.
"I promise." He gasped, not even noticing a fight breaking out again between Jedi and Sith.
"… Amanda?" Reid looked up as Tobias approached, eyes wide. The man dropped to his knees and reached out, laying a hand on Amanda's chest. She offered him a weak smile. Then, Tobias looked at Reid.
"It's time." He said, and Reid blinked. Tobias smiled. "Our time together is over. You must go. Take Amanda with you."
"Come with us." Reid gasped, seizing Tobias' hand. The man smiled sadly.
"I belong with my brothers." He said, gently. "Our lives are tied to one another. That's why we are never too far apart. If I were to leave this planet without them… I would wither and die."
"Tobias…" Reid breathed, tears welling in his eyes. "I'm sorry."
"Don't be." Tobias said. "I've known all along that I was destined to be left behind. But I am pleased that you can take her with you." And he looked down at Amanda, who was struggling to stay conscious. "Take her and go. I'll cover for you."
"They could kill you." Reid said, shaking his head.
Tobias smiled. "They won't. If they kill me, my brothers will die, too." He squeezed Reid's hand. "You go home."
"The Reaper…" Reid murmured.
"My bet is on you. And your team. Take them and go, I'll cover you." And Tobias stood, and walked away. Reid watched him, then looked down.
"… Livion?" Amanda whimpered.
"Don't worry." Reid told her, smiling. "I won't leave you behind." She returned the smile, and then finally closed her eyes. Reid gathered Amanda close and stood, looking around at all of the blazing Lightsabers. He closed his eyes and his own weapons came together with a click, and slid snug into his belt. Then, he let his head fall back as he took a deep breath.
He had done it before… he could do it again. He completely opened himself to the Force for the first time since he had surrendered himself to the Dark Side. It began with a breeze. Then a soft gust through the room. Then a stronger gust, strong enough to ruffle hair and cloaks. Garcia turned, frowning as she sensed the power growing. Then JJ and Elle... then it was no longer gusts, but a growing wind, swirling around the room. Slowly, one by one, all the others stopped, and stared at Spencer Reid. And then, with a loud clap of thunder, a bolt of Lightning shot down. Morgan and Nocturn leapt back as the bolt struck between then, and then one between JJ and Elle, one between Hotch and Darth Cenar, and quickly, the two sides backed away from one another, Lightning striking the ground between them.
"Go!" Tobias shouted at Reid, who bolted, Amanda in his arms.
"MOVE!" he shouted to the others, and without hesitating, the Jedi did as he said and ran. As they did, the whirlwind exploded outwards, and at a great effort from Tobias, the ceiling of the hallway crumbled and caved in behind them.
"What the—"
"He's covering for us! Now MOVE!" Reid shouted, interrupting Raahn Syr. The Master Jedi Shadow loped along on all fours, regarding the young man silently.
"Let it go, Raahn." Master Kao said. "Later."
"I had Nocturn!" Morgan howled.
"Not today!" Reid called back. "They were playing with you! It was a trap!"
"They knew we were coming?" Emily called.
"Of course they did!"
"How?" JJ asked.
"Because… I told them!"
The Jedi were silent.
"… what did they do to you?" Hotch asked, frowning.
"Nothing you need to hear, and nothing I need to think about." Reid said, darkly. Rossi frowned, glancing at a very shaken looking Seaver by his side. They burst out of the Devil's Dome and darted down the street.
"Jordan, come get us! NOW!" Garcia yelled into her Comm unit.
"They're chasing us!" JJ shouted, and a moment later, an explosion sent them all flying. Reid yelped as he hit the ground and rolled. Blaster fire rained down on them, and he scrambled to get to Amanda, gathering her into his arms and getting to his feet again. The team followed. Then there was a roar, and the BAU swooped in overhead, boarding ramp down.
"Forget our ship! Let's just go with them!" Amna Kao cried, and the Jedi leapt aboard.
Jordan Todd scattered the Sith with her blasters, and then the BAU was heading out of the atmosphere of the planet Carosi.
The Jedi all sat around on the floor, stunned over their escape.
"No… No! AMANDA?" they all turned and Reid's cry. He was holding Darth Dualath close, staring into her face. Blood dripped from the corner of her mouth. She had four scorch marks on her torso where she had been struck by blaster fire, and a piece of debris in the explosion had gashed open her side. She stared up at Reid and gave him a small smile. "Amanda, please…"
"Get him to the MedBay." Gideon said, and Reid quickly obeyed, lifting Amanda into his arms and running for MedBay. He entered and lay Amanda down on one of the beds, looking up.
"T5-A1…" He gasped. The droid hovered over, and a strong hand seized Reid's upper arm and dragged him back.
"Give them room to work." Master Virr said. Reid didn't even look at the man; his eyes were only for Amanda, lying still and silent. Hotch appeared, and laid a hand on Reid's shoulder.
"Come on… let's go—"
"No…" Reid gasped, his voice, thick in his emotion. "I can't leave her… She… She's my partner… I promised I wouldn't leave her… I… I promised…" And a moment later, his knees buckled. Master Virr and Hotch managed to get Reid into a chair, and the boy broke down and wept.
"Spence?" JJ asked, softly.
"She always looked out for me…" Reid gasped. "She can be a real bitch sometimes, but… She's always there when I need her…"
"Let him be." Master Virr said, and began gently herding everyone out of the MedBay. "Whatever questions we have can wait until we get back to Coruscant…"
"Darth Dualath may not make it to Coruscant…" Raahn Syr said, frowning.
"And what do you want to do, Raahn?" Master Kao asked. "Interrogate him? He won't make it through that, either. Let him rest. He is fighting for his life because he was injured. And he was injured because he couldn't protect himself. And he couldn't protect himself because he was severely hurt and weakened protecting Spencer." The Master Shadow frowned, but then nodded his head.
"I will stay here." Hotch said, parking himself by the door to the MedBay. "In case they need anything…"
Inside the room, Reid slowly stood and made his way over to Amanda on shaky legs… He reached for her belt, and the small pouch that sat on it. He opened it and withdrew the contents. He stared at it for a moment, and then slid the six vials of Vi'Tani nectar into the pouch on his own belt, then opened the seventh and lifted it to his lips. He let out one small, soft sob before he drank it all down…
The trip to Coruscant was spent in near silence. Not once did Reid leave the MedBay, not once did anyone try to get him to leave. A couple of times he ate; JJ brought him food one time, Garcia another. He didn't look at anyone, he didn't speak to anyone. But he would allow Hotch to sit beside him and he would hold tightly to the man's fingers while one hand, while the other lay on Amanda's hand. Every now and then, Amanda would open her eyes and stare at Reid for a moment before she faded again. But finally, they arrived on Coruscant, and Jordan took the BAU straight to the Jedi Temple, as opposed to its assigned landing pad. And the Council was waiting with countless other Knights and Masters who were standing on the steps, awaiting the rescue party's arrival. Raahn Syr, Amna Kao, Tarash Virr and Jason Gideon were the first to disembark, and joined the rest of the Council.
And behind them came Reid. The gathering of Jedi remained silent as he walked down the ramp, Darth Dualath in his arms. His face was pale, eyes wide and frightened. He reached the bottom of the ramp and stared at the High Council, and they stared back . Then he walked towards them, and as he reached them, he stopped and dropped to his knees. He turned his pale face towards Dualath's. Her complexion was ashen, her skin cold and clammy, and she was taking shallow, labored breaths. Reid turned back to the Council, tears in his eyes.
"Please…" He begged softly. "Help him…" Several members of the Council narrowed their eyes, but after only a moment's hesitation, Noria and Ralko Cereni and three other Master Healers approached, kneeling around the two young men, Amanda draped only in a sheet, and Reid still wearing the uniform of Darth Livion. Hands were laid on Dualath's body, and the Force shifted and swirled around them. But one by one, the Healers dropped their hands. Reid looked at Master Ralko, and the male Twi'lek looked back at him. No expression on his face, he shook his head.
Reid's hands tightened his grip on the body in his arms, and he turned and looked down at his partner, eyes glistening. "No…" He whimpered.
"… Spencer?" Amanda slurred, and opened her eyes. Reid smiled down at her. She stared at him, then looked up and past him. She stared at the Jedi Council, and then past them. "Is this…?"
"The Jedi Temple. On Coruscant." Reid gasped. Her eyes widened, and a smile crossed her face.
"We made it?" She asked. Reid swallowed convulsively, and nodded. "You… didn't leave me."
"I promised you that I wouldn't leave you behind. I meant it." Reid said, fighting to keep his voice from shaking.
"… Can I… ever be redeemed?" She gasped, body shuddering. Reid was unable to hold back a sob, and he looked up at the Council. After a moment, Raahn Syr knelt, laying a great paw on her chest.
"You already have been." He rumbled. "Your sacrifice was noble and selfless. It was not the act of a Sith, but of a Jedi." A smile crossed Amanda's face, and her eyes closed. She was very still for a moment. Reid's eyes widened.
"… Amanda?" He cried. "Adam?"
"… We are here." Dualath sighed, in a voice different from any Reid had ever heard. Though only once voice, he knew that it was Adam and Amanda speaking together, united as one.
"Go in peace, Jedi." Master Virr said, gently. "And join the Force."
Adam/Amanda nodded, and then looked at Reid again. "… Thank you… for bringing me out of darkness. I will miss you." And he brushed his fingers over Reid's cheek. Reid only hesitated a moment before he drew the smaller body close and pressed a lips to the other's, and Livion and Dualath shared a single kiss filled with their regret, their joy, their sorrow, and their soaring triumph. When they parted, tears sparkled in Adam/Amanda's eyes, and a smile crossed his face. Then his eyes closed, and he let out a soft, shuddering breath, and was still…
A moment later, Reid felt the weight of the body in his arms begin to disappear, and as he watched, the body began to fade. A luminescent mist rose, first one, then another, and then they spiraled up around each other before disappearing in the air, two joyful laughs faintly heard on the wind.
The sun was beginning to set now, making the crystalline trails down Reid's face shimmer as he stared up into the sky.
Then a voice lifted up through the silence as Jason Gideon announced, "Adam Jackson! Darth Dualath has been redeemed!" And behind him, the Order echoed his salute, their voices thundering as one.
"ADAM JACKSON! DARTH DUALATH HAS BEEN REDEEMED!"
Reid closed his eyes, the tears still flowing, and pressed a hand to his heart, whispering "Amanda…" He paused for a moment, then opened his eyes and stood to face the Council.
"I have returned of my own will, freely and without duress. I am prepared to accept the consequences of my actions and the penalties for my crimes. I submit myself to the Will of the Council."
They stared back, and all was silent. Then, two of Raahn Syr's fellow Master Shadows stepped forward, and Reid silently allowed them to fix cuffs around his wrists, then take hold of his upper arms and lead him away.
He heard the team cry out in protest behind him, and Strauss' voice carried.
"He is to be imprisoned while his fate is decided." She told them. "The Senate already knows of his return to Coruscant. They have called for his execution…"
animefighter2468: It's always nice to hear that someone liked my writing so much that they decided to read this story even though they're not a Star Wars fan. That is what makes me smile. And I do admit to a little bit of glee every time someone says that this story has sparked an interest in Star Wars. I'm such a Star Wars geek, I can't comprehend other people not loving it! XD! But seriously, fan or not, everyone should see the original movies at least once, just because Star Wars has such a presence in our culture. Thank you for your kind words!
NormaJean Beausoleil: O.O! GUMMY WORMS! *pounce* Oh… yeah. I like to leave y'all with cliffhangers. ^_~
Santeelah: Intrigue is fun, what can I say? And there will be an update on the LMI series soon. I have a chapter fic in the final editing stages and it will go up after the conclusion of this story, which has 25 chapters.
Miaka92: I know, they're awful. But I couldn't resist! And yeah, the Sith Lord Reid definitely has a dark alluring quality… glad you enjoyed the chapter!
14hpgirl19: Don't die! Nooooo! But yay! Intensity is what I was going for. I hope this chapter lived up to expectations!
VintageLookingGlass: It took months to break him last time… you think that this quick fix was really gonna work? ^_~ And good guess!
Constant Snow: HAH! Sweet…
CaseyRachel88: Hah! I like to freak you guys out! And while Reid did come back quickly, don't get too excited. He' not out of the woods yet when it comes to the Dark Side. While the Sith's "quick fix" didn't hold, there are other factors at play working against Reid's redemption.
LonelyAngel44: Gideon, hm? That WOULD have made for some good drama…
Lost child of Gallifrey: Wait, what? No! No destroying, I need them… Ah! HEY! Put down the- thank you. Okay. And now you know who protected Reid… thoughts?
eneath: Yay! Glad you liked it! And don't have much faith in the Sith… a quick fix isn't a thorough fix. ^_~ But don't think that this means that Reid is all magically better… He still has some obstacles in his path to true redemption… And if I played TOR, I would so totally be a Jedi.
Artemis Phoenix: Don't wait until the end! LOL That's cheating! And the Vi'Tani sex? Yyyyeah… me too… *shrug*
LarueNGubler: Well… They do say that half of the fun is in the anticipation. And no, there's no secret ulterior motive with the Vi'Tani attack… The Sith used it for a quick fix. But a quick fix isn't always a GOOD fix, as you can now see… And I hope that you DID have your handkerchief ready… I cried when I wrote it…
Twilightmecrazii: As I've pointed out to some of the other readers, it took months to break Reid in the first time… this was like putting a band-aid on the "problem"
Nymphadora Cullen-BAU: You gotta love Reid. He's a fighter! And you honestly never saw the potential for a Reid/Amanda thing? Awwww… I must admit, I do like it… and it killed me to do what I did in this chapter… But it had to happen… I knew it from the very beginning of the first story that it would happen… but I didn't wanna do it! XD Now Tobias… he still has a role to play… Now, Hotch never lost faith in Reid, and knowing that the Bond is reforming is rekindling the hope that the rest of the team has.
Now for this chapter:
Holy Cheese? LOL Nice… I had actually told myself when I began to write Episode II "No more Vi'Tani rape… leave that back in the first story"… but I reaqlly couldn't. It's something that has haunted Reid to this day, and in the opening of this story, it's is horror and rage with the Vi'Tani that brought his power out into the open again. For the Sith to have seen the reaction that the Vi'Tani invokes in Reid, I kind of painted myself into a corner in a way. I had to do it. I kept telling myself no, but the story commanded that it happen. So I finally gave in and did it.
However, keep in mind that the "mindfuck" so to speak only took a few hours. When Reid was first broken, it took MONTHS. Now Amanda and Tobias… Yes, it hurt them to see Reid go through it… but they don't see the Jedi as potential saviors… they see them as trying to take Reid away from them. They can't comprehend leaving the Sith, and so they can't allow Reid to do so either… or so it appeared… as we saw in this chapter, Amanda is simply terrified that Reid will leave her… And Tobias was relying on it…
And wow… I never even CONSIDERED bringing in my OC UnSub's! That WOULD be interesting… I'll think about it! Thank you so much for the review!
Livion: Oh? What? YES! HAH! LOL Anyway… now that you've had your little meltdown in the bathroom… Yyyyyeah. That was NOT a happy chapter. And that's okay, I think we all got enough of the graphic detail IN the chapter, so we can skip that.
Now… as for the "mindfuck" that "did the trick"… keep in mind that when they broke Reid the first time, it took MONTHS. This? It was a quick fix. A band-aid on the problem. It brought forth Darth Livion, but Spencer is still there… we have seen the beginning of Reid becoming much like Adam/Amanda. Darth Livion becomes his shield and refuge. But this is only the beginning. Livion is still young and Reid is still strong. A quick fix is not a GOOD fix. And it didn't take much to rip off the band-aid! And yes… they are all insane to some degree… They don't need him to be sane. They need him to be obedient…
And good! I like drama! I'm pleased to hear that I was able to really show the change in Reid both mentally and physically. Physical is easy, but showing the behavioral changes is the more complex part. I'm glad to hear that I was successful!
Now as for the teaser! Oop! You caught me! Yes, I did switch from 'Livion' to 'Reid'. Good catch! ^_~ Hope that this chapter lived up to your expectations!
Ciao!
Next Time:
"Members of the Senate are fighting the matter of jurisdiction." Amna Kao said. "And are arguing for custody."
"I see." Reid said, then turned his head and coughed into his hand for a moment before looking back at the Masters again. "In my meditation, I could feel great anger and conflict rising from the Senate Chamber."
"We have been hearing arguments at the Senate since it convened this morning." Master Kao continued. "Now it is time for them to hear from YOU."
"… what?" Reid blurted, eyes wide. He coughed again as he seemed to choke on his own tongue. The Masters waited until it passed.
"You will speak to the Senate in your own defense." Tarash Virr said. "And you will tell them your story."
PLEASE REVIEW! Only 10 chapters to go!
... *giggle-snort* "only"... good lord... ^.^'