Hello, this is Kristina Wise. Welcome to my brainchild that I finally completed this year after a decade of painful re-writes and countless edits. I'll be posting the chapters once a week-ish. This story takes place in the canon Star Wars universe and centers upon main characters that I've created, with some original SW characters making appearances as well. The plot is all my idea, I'm really curious to know who reads this and what you think of it.
After two long months at the Jedi Academy, Mattie Devis was relieved that her oldest daughter was finally on her way home. This trial period stressed out both parents, because they knew that it would only bring disappointment to Josie. Unlike her younger sister and brother, Josie hadn't shown the slightest affinity to use the force.
Moving the family to Anaxes had brought more problems than it solved. Her husband, Owen, recently took on a security job nearby. That landed them within a significant proximity to the Academy. As soon as they arrived, Josie began a relentless tirade of insisting that she was ready for Jedi Training. It was difficult trying to explain why she might fail.
Mattie was in the kitchen preparing the evening meal, aware that she was cutting the vegetables into precise pieces. She let out a sigh and attempted to reign in her mild obsessive behavior. The last couple of months weighed heavily on her emotions. It didn't help her to know that she couldn't control this situation any more than she could change her own past.
"I don't understand. How can your midi-chlorian levels have dropped so suddenly?" The Jedi Healer was reviewing her blood analyses. "Your count is far below the normal standards, and the child you carry may be equally affected."
Although that was many years ago, Mattie was still haunted by the memory of the last battle she fought in as a Jedi Knight. It became dark early on, the night was bitterly cold, and the enemy strategically maneuvered her into a trap. The Sith High Lord engaged her in a vicious lightsaber duel. It only lasted a few moments until she was defeated with a poisoned knife thrust into her gut.
The wound should have been the death of her. When she awoke without any lingering pain, her sister Maegin was there and explained how she'd performed an ancient healing method. It saved her life but the poison had no cure. Mattie would never again be a Jedi. Instead, she became a mother, and the next part of her life began.
Before that fateful night, Mattie had been unaware of her pregnancy. Since then, she promised to take care of her child, whether or not it had a connection to the force. It turned out that her baby girl was borderline, her midi-chlorian count just below what a typical human needed to sense and use the force.
Josie was so quiet, yet so beautiful. A couple years later she gave birth to another girl, Emili, who was bright and cheerful. Then they had Aaron, a strong little boy.
The door chimed and Mattie suddenly dropped what she was doing. She heard the sound of footsteps running towards the door and turned in time to see young Emili zip by. Mattie wiped her hands on a towel and followed her daughter to the door. Josie was enveloped in a hug from her sister. She reciprocated gently, patting her on the back but then pulled away when she'd had enough.
"Please, come in." Mattie welcomed Jedi Master, Luke Skywalker into her home. Although she was used to her husband donning the Jedi ensemble, he was the only Jedi she'd seen in years, with the exception of other family members.
After giving her a brief embrace, both girls wandered off, leaving Mattie with the responsibility of entertaining company. She took the heavy bag full of Josie's things from the Jedi and then invited him into the kitchen.
"Thank you for bringing Josie home." She gestured to a seat and joined him at the table. "That really wasn't necessary."
"It was my pleasure," He drank from the glass of blue milk she poured for him. "She's a smart girl."
For a long moment Mattie hung on to his words, and then realized that he wasn't going to elaborate. She knew that Josie was a bright and intelligent girl, but she wanted to know more about how she did at the Academy.
"Well, good." Mattie couldn't hide what was on her mind. "How did Josie do with training?"
He made eye contact but held off answering her. That was unfair. If Mattie could use the force, than she'd be able to discern his thoughts. Then she'd know if they indicated whether her daughter could use the force or not. Her family had waited almost thirteen years to find out. If Josie couldn't become a Jedi, then Mattie felt as though it was her fault.
"I think it would best if we hold off discussing that until Owen arrives."
"Of course." She returned to the counter, knowing that her husband would be home shortly. Still, a part of her was impatient and wanted to know.
Josie could only handle a few minutes of entertaining her siblings before she'd had enough attention. She told them that she wanted to change for dinner as an excuse to be left alone. Privacy had been a rare occurrence during the last couple of months. At the Jedi Academy, all of the younger students were paired up with room-mates. In between meals, classes, and weekends, she didn't have much time just to herself.
No matter how hard she tried, Josie finally had to face the truth: she didn't have enough midi-chlorians to use the force, and she would never become a Jedi Knight. Two months away from her family were wasted on trying to prove she could be more. All she'd gained was lessons on Jedi history and how to achieve force abilities that were impossible for her. Basically, even though no one would say it, she failed.
For as long as Josie could remember, at least once a year, her family packed up and moved off planet to live somewhere different. Her parents always said that it was due to her dads work transferring him, but Josie didn't believe that, and now that she was almost a teenager, she found the vague secrecy to be insulting.
The other frustrating question that she could never get a straight answer about; was how come she had so few midi-chlorians? Emili and Aaron had both shown signs of force ability. Why not her? Why did it feel like everyone was lying to her? She hoped that while the Jedi Grand Master was in her home that she'd get some answers. Her parents wouldn't lie in front of him.
Before leaving her room, she told herself to be calm and act mature. That way her parents would see that she could handle whatever they had to tell her.
It wasn't easy.
Josie was on edge during the entire meal, waiting for someone to change the subject to her training. She sat patiently, hoping that was a way to bring it up without being rude. Her dad was going on and on about his day, something about code issues that she didn't understand. Master Skywalker told a funny joke about the intriguing creatures he'd recently met, but nothing came up to give her an opening.
When dessert was at an end, Josie looked between her parents and Master Skywalker. No one acknowledged her. She sighed and then decided to speak up.
"Excuse me, but can we talk about my Jedi training now?" Everyone at the table was quiet. Even Emili and Aaron showed interest.
Her father gave the Grand Master a meaningful look. Josie knew that by their continued eye contact that they were communicating through the force. It irritated her that they could do that and she couldn't.
"Go help your mother clean the kitchen, and then we'll talk." Her dad said.
Just like that the meal was over. Dad put her younger siblings in their bedrooms, and she quickly washed the dishes. Her heart was beating wildly. This was it. Her fate would be decided tonight. The Jedi Grand Master would give his evaluation and it would be either pass or fail. She tried not to think about the outcome, but at the same time wished that he would come to the same decision that she desperately wanted.
Mom made sure that Josie dried every dish and put them away, as well as wipe down all the kitchen surfaces. Then they returned to the table together. She sat on her hands so she wouldn't fidget. Master Skywalker got right into it.
"Josie and I have already talked about her challenges regarding her Jedi training. I told her we should hold off on a decision until the end of her trial period."
She felt a bit self-conscience when he looked directly at her. Then he talked to her as if she were the only one there.
"After meditating and discussing this matter with some of the other Jedi Masters, I have come to the conclusion that you should not continue with your training. I apologize for the bad news. It brings me no joy to turn away anyone with such ambition."
A load of bricks weighed down on Josie's stomach. What she already assumed was now set into stone. She understood that the Grand Master spoke frankly with her and that he wouldn't tell her anything but the absolute truth. But finally hearing it said aloud upset her more than she'd expected.
"I've heard that you excel in history." He continued. "Perhaps you could supplement your studies with extra courses. It's possible for you to develop a career as a teacher."
Her mom reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder. The gesture of comfort didn't help. Nothing anyone could say or do would make this better.
"Why?" Josie couldn't think of any other question that would encompass all of her feelings.
"We already know that you have a very low midi-chlorian count. I've personally attempted to sense your force aura, but I've never been successful."
"Isn't there another way?" In this question was her only chance of hope. If anyone would honestly give her the truth about her capabilities, it was him.
"I'm sorry Josie, but you will never be a Jedi." He appeared sympathetic, but Josie wouldn't believe it. "The life of a Jedi is not easy, it has its rewards, but it comes with many trials. This is not the path for you."
"I don't care how hard it is. There has to be a way!"
Josie felt desperate; she had to get a different answer. No one provided one for her and now she knew that this was final. Her prior conviction of not acting rashly went out the window.
"Tell me why I don't have many mini-chlorians! Emili can already lift objects with her mind and Aaron can read thoughts. How can they do that stuff and I can't?"
"Because you are not them." Her dad answered simply.
That was the stupidest explanation she'd ever heard. There had to be a reason that would make more sense to her. Why were her parents so determined to keep her in the dark about it?
"Well, there's—" Her mom began saying but her dad interrupted.
"No, that's the end of it." Dad raised his hand to silence her before Josie could say anything. "Master Skywalker says that you do not have potential, so you must accept that. Now, I think it's time you went to bed as well."
Josie gave one last pleading look towards the Grand Master to see if he had more to say, and then to her mother, who purposefully didn't meet her gaze. With a great sigh, she reluctantly hugged her parents, thanked Master Skywalker and then walked down the hallway to the room she shared with Emily.
"What did they say?" Her sister was sitting up in bed and looked excited. "Are you going back to the Academy?"
"No, it looks like I'm not going anywhere." She rummaged through her travel bag for some nightclothes, and balled them into her palms.
"Why not?" Emili whined. "You're so smart and you pick up on things really fast."
"That's not good enough." Her teeth ground together angrily. "I'll never be able to use the force."
"Well, I'm sure that there's something you can do."
"You know what, I just don't want to talk about it." Josie was angry, but she didn't want to vent her feelings to her sister. There were so many things that might slip out of her mouth that Emili might take the wrong way. She resented the fact that her sister would leave her in a few years for the Jedi Academy. It wasn't fair, but that didn't mean she needed to spoil it for her. So, she held her tongue.
As she quietly slipped into the bathroom, an idea came to mind. Josie opened the door, paused, then closed it, but remained on the opposite side. As soundlessly as she could manage, she tiptoed down to the end of the hallway and peered around the corner. Her parents and the Grand Master were still sitting at the table. Josie stayed perfectly still, ears attuned as she eavesdropped on the conversation.
All the children had finally gone to bed and Mattie's tolerance was wearing thin. The adults hadn't been fully honest with Josie. No one openly lied, but avoiding telling her the truth about why she couldn't use the force, that needed an explanation. Mattie no longer had any midi-chlorians, and because of the same incident, Josie only had a small amount. It wasn't her daughter's fault, Josie needed to know this so that she could understand.
Her husband disagreed. Owen didn't want their children to be angry at their mother or the Sith. In fact, they both avoided talking about the Jedi rivals at all times. It was as if Mattie never had any connection with them. She was thankful to forget about that part of her past, but denying it was completely different.
After a brief discussion about the matter, she moved on to what was on the front of her mind, the one truly important subject.
"The problem with Josie being unable to use the force is affecting the whole family, not just her." Mattie spoke to her husband, knowing that he didn't want to discuss this, but she pressed on. "Emili is just eleven years old and showing remarkable signs of Jedi potential. You know what that might lead to."
"Aaron is also strong in the force, but that doesn't explain anything." He countered.
"Mattie," Master Skywalker interrupted. "You come from an exceedingly force sensitive family."
"So, could Emili be the one?"
Mattie's blood lineage had been followed carefully and traced back to its dark roots. It was uncomfortable to realize that she had to pass this on to one of her unsuspecting daughters.
"I sincerely doubt it." Skywalker's words immediately calmed her fears. "Emili is strong in the force, yes, and she will be trained, but she is not the one."
"Maybe her children then? Or Josie's? Is that a possibility?"
"That is uncertain. However, that will not prevent others from trying to test Josie." The Grand Master looked at them intensely. "The Sith will stop at nothing. Mattie, you remember that you were uncommonly strong in the force at that age. The Sith took their chances and fought through a multitude of Jedi to capture you. Josie doesn't have the force to protect her, if the Sith come for her, she'll be an easy target."
"You said it yourself, Josie can't use the force. End of story." Owen stated.
Mattie hoped so, but the Grand Master had a distinct look about him, as if he were trying to conceal his emotions on the matter. No, there couldn't be anything more to be said. Her daughter couldn't use the force and never would. He'd already confirmed that it was impossible. Mattie was still trying to come to terms with this, but of course, what she thought was finalized actually wasn't.
"Technically, that's only the beginning of the story."
He looked right at her and Mattie didn't need the force to realize that she wasn't going to like what he had to say next. While he tried to keep eye contact, she turned away a stood up. She ran her fingers through her hair, anxiously working out the knots as she tried to calm herself.
"Go on." She turned around to be polite, but remained standing. "Tell me what you know."
What she heard next was so short and uncomplicated that it was hard to believe any of it to be truth. Master Skywalker explained how he had recently spent a great deal of time away from the Jedi Academy. His objective was picking up on Sith rumors, any intelligence about what projects they were working on. Low level Jedi Knights were mysteriously disappearing without reason, and none of them had shown up again.
"The Sith have been doing experiments on force users, mostly Jedi. When they're finished with their subjects, they have them killed. Eventually, I began finding bodies of the missing people."
He listed the names of the planets he traveled to, the people he talked with and tried to contact. It took a lot of time to gather enough information until he came to a conclusion.
"I have but one explanation: the Sith are developing a method for distributing midi-chlorians."
"That's impossible!" Owen said. "Why would they even try?"
Her husband was right this time. Mattie had also done the research, and there was no way to transfer midi-chlorians. The fact that the Sith were currently conducting an extensive series of tests to make this possible was disturbing. The story got worse from there. During his time learning about the Sith's experiments, the Grand Master stole a copy of their plans, which contained everything in considerable detail.
He suggested that midi-chlorians could be extracted from one individual and injected into another. It was a delicate procedure, one that required an accuracy that the Sith hadn't perfected. Skywalker was particularly concerned about this, and began to make his own, safer attempts. Those had all been successful.
"Master, why are you telling us about this?" Mattie finally asked. "You would have no need to accomplish what the Sith have done unless you knew someone that needed to use the force."
"Are you suggesting that you're doing this for our daughter?" Owen asked skeptically.
"No." He simply replied.
Mattie felt that now was a good time to sit back down, and was glad she did.
"Right now I'm in the midst of collecting the right amount of midi-chlorians to give you, Mattie."