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I live in my own little world, but that's okay though...they know me here.
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Post by DarkSaber on Mar 12, 2010 12:40:56 GMT -5
Chapter Two
Roxanne woke up early to get her hair streaked ice blue before going back to sleep. She tossed and turned in her sleep and groaned.
"NO!" Roxanne screamed.
Larissa came charging into Roxanne's room.
"I sensed a disturbance," she explained quickly.
"It was the same nightmare as before," Roxanne said.
Larissa was quiet for a minute and said, "Let's not worry about it at the moment."
That's easier said than done, Roxanne thought with a sigh.
"We have another mission," Larissa said.
She and Roxanne had spent two weeks at the Temple since their previous mission.
"It could help keep your mind off the nightmare," Larissa said brightly.
Roxanne could tell Larissa was trying hard to improve her mood.
"Yeah, I bet it will," Roxanne said as she thought, Maybe it really will.
Master Yoda sat in the center of all the other Jedi Masters in the Council room.
"We have decided to send you, Siri Tachi and her apprentice Ferus Olin to protect Nola Flow, the Senator of Nacoruscant," Mace Windu explained.
Larissa's heart skipped a beat as she thought of the last mission she had protecting a Senator. I will not let anything happen to Roxanne.
Before Master Yoda even answered, Roxanne realized the wretched truth.
"A space pirate she is. Identified as Sage Tex, she was," Master Yoda said.
"Your mission is to protect the senator and you will be impersonating some of her body guards because she requested for us to do this," Mace said. "Her body guards and Senate aides know that we are sending a team of Jedi there. They were on vacation when the Senator was attacked. We will send you the disguises and everything you need."
"May the Force be with you," Master Yoda said.
Larissa and Roxanne gave each other a glance.
My nightmare has come true, Roxanne thought to herself.
Larissa nodded and Roxanne left the Council chamber, followed by Larissa.
"I'm going to tell you this right now, Master, that Nacoruscant ain't nothing like Coruscant," Roxanne said as she slipped on her black robe.
"I will see when we get there," Larissa said with a smile. "Did you streak your hair a different color?"
"Yeah," Roxanne said and lowered her hood, revealing ice blue streaks.
"When do we leave?" Roxanne asked as she grabbed her bags.
"Today," Larissa said as she grabbed their supplies and disguises and they headed out to the Jedi hangar bay. (End Ch.2)
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Post by DarkSaber on Mar 12, 2010 12:48:30 GMT -5
Chapter Three
Jedi Knight Siri Tachi and her nineteen-year-old apprentice Ferus Olin were getting ready to go on their next mission. Master Yoda had asked for Siri, Ferus, Larissa, and Roxanne to go to Nacoruscant to protect Senator Nola Flow from a notorious space pirate.
"Master, isn't Roxanne in my pilot training class?" Ferus asked Siri.
"Yes, and she is one of the most gifted Padawans at the Temple. She is almost as skilled as you, and…" Siri paused for a moment to smile. "As stubborn as a bantha. I have seen her piloting skills and I have to admit that she left quite an impression. You remember that she won a Speeder Bike Race when she was six, don't you?"
Ferus nodded and Siri continued, "As you know already know, she arrived at the Jedi Temple when she was six-years-old, but she's younger than you by three years. She trained with Master Yoda for six years before Larissa chose her as her Padawan Learner, and Roxanne has grown stronger since then. As a matter of fact, you had a practice duel with Roxanne the day she became Larissa's apprentice, if I am not mistaken."
Ferus suddenly had a flashback of a metallic sky-blue eyed girl with dark brown hair that reached the middle of her back and it was streaked purple. They were outside with the other students in her class because Master Yoda had told them that they were going outside to have the practice duel so they couldn't do any damage in the inside of the Temple.
Of course, Ferus thought.
"You are talking about the one who likes to streak her hair different colors, aren't you, Master?" Ferus asked. "How old is she now?"
"Yes," she said. "Her Master told me she's sixteen."
"Yes, I agree Roxanne is an incredible Jedi. But sometimes she can be too cocky," Ferus replied.
"There is nothing wrong with having confidence in your abilities," Siri said as she looked at Ferus. "Especially when you can surpass a Padawan older than yourself."
Ferus looked up at Siri's gleeful face, sighed, and said, "You are never going to let me live that one down."
"Not a chance, kiddo. Now let's make sure we have everything we need for this mission," Siri said.
Yoda told them that Nola Flow, the Nacoruscant Senator, had a package delivered to him with a note sent to his office.
This is what the note said:
Nola,
You had me arrested seven years ago, but now I am free as bird from that prison. The reason why you had me arrested is because I killed a Senator named Orlando Quin while I aimed for his daughter, who I still believe to this day cheated in the Downhill Nacoruscant Speeder Bike Showdown. Thanks to your arrogance, that little mishap caused me not to be able to complete my mission and I have been on the run ever since. Do not worry because I move around to make a living and I live from day to day. Now I am back and I am out for revenge against those who were responsible for my imprisonment, and Nola, I am starting with you.
Space pirates are uncommon on Nacoruscant. There has not been one since Sage Tex was arrested twelve years ago. She was sentenced to life in prison for the death of a politician and for trying to get a nuclear war started with Nacoruscant and Corellia by providing Corellia with a nuclear power weapon that would cause a riot between the two systems. While in prison, she couldn't sell her products to get the money she needed to invent the weapon. Her goal in life is making a profit on what she does, and then enjoyed causing planets to suffer.
The Jedi's mission: impersonate Senator Nola's body guards and protect Senator Nola from any threats until the space pirate, Sage is captured.
"Space pirates are known to work across the galaxy in groups or pairs," Ferus said. "Let's hope Sage does not have help."
Siri agreed with Ferus as she thought about the possibilities. They reached the hangar bay. They would be traveling in a Nacoruscant yacht that was a heavy duty cruiser, built for gateway purposes. It was equipped with a hyperdrive. It carried laser cannons and three hidden proton torpedo shafts. It also contained more secret passages than Ferus could count.
Little did Ferus and Siri know as they walked into the control room that someone was already in the room, sitting in the pilot chair.
"Time to sit and wait," Ferus said to his Master.
A crisp female voice behind Ferus said, "I'd rethink that if I were you, Ferus."
"Why would I need to rethink that?" Ferus asked as he glanced around the room and back at Siri.
"Because I'm here," a hooded figure said as she turned the chair he had planned on sitting in around and lowered her hood. Ferus whirled around and recognized the streaks in her hair and her metallic sky-blue eyes.
Ferus thought, That's Roxanne. She has grown up.
Ferus had seen her in class before and knew that everyone knows her because when most Masters talk you usually hear them compliment on her skills in particular. They are really good friends, but they are closer than most of the students at the Jedi Temple. The reason for that is because they share a bond that is thicker than blood. Lately they have been too busy to even talk to each other. Roxanne likes to talk while Ferus prefers to be alone when admiring students were not around him.
Roxanne's dark brown hair was streaked with ice blues streaks that reached her neck, but she had it pulled in a pony tail with a green bandanna to keep it out of her face today. Roxanne is sixteen and Ferus is nineteen.
She did not look very tough to Ferus, because she was tall and skinny for her age, but he had learned not to judge a book by its cover. He had remembered her as an independent, friendly, and cocky Padawan, which suits her just fine, considering for the way she just greeted them.
"Hello, Master Siri," Roxanne said with a grin as she looked at Ferus. "It's great to see you again," she added, teasing Ferus.
"Hello, Roxie," Siri said. "It is nice to see you too. Where is Larissa?"
"She's checking out the ship," Roxanne said. "I think."
"You think?" Siri asked as he raised his eyebrow at her.
"I know," Roxanne snapped.
What do I look like, her secretary? Roxanne thought in frustration as she shook her head.
When the two were alone, Roxanne sat down and Ferus said, "Long time no see."
"I can tell you the same thing," she replied coolly.
Roxanne poked her head out the door because she heard her Master shout for her and sighed.
"Come on," she said and Ferus followed her down to where their Masters were.
"Are you two getting along?" Siri asked Ferus.
"Yes, Master," Ferus replied.
"I am glad to see you again, Ferus," Larissa said when she appeared by Siri's side. Larissa had taken a liking to Ferus because he reminded her so much of herself.
"The pleasure is all mine," Ferus added equally enjoying Larissa's presence.
Roxanne almost busted out laughing at their pleasantries.
"Roxie, set our course for Nacoruscant," Larissa said.
Roxanne sprang out of the room and set their course for Nacoruscant and then returned to the room.
"That was quick," Larissa replied. "I do believe you set another record for yourself."
"What can I say? When you're good you're good," Roxanne said as she watched Larissa walk over to Brenda's personal wardrobe closet.
Larissa just smiled and shook her head before saying, "Siri, you are going to be Brenda Pierce. She is familiar with most of the criminals and she's good at filing papers. She is also one of Nola's body guards. And now…"
Larissa pulled out a violet cloak made of silky heavy duty cloth, which was embroidered around the collar with a thick braiding in a bright shade of hot pink along with a jump suit that was made of black silk.
"For you, Brenda," she said, handing it to Siri with apparent amusement.
Siri made a face and said, "Questionable taste, nonetheless."
Larissa winked at Ferus and Roxanne and then she turned to face Siri with seriousness.
"Nola said that Brenda is very well known for mix-matching her clothes. You must wear it whether you like it or not, no matter how distasteful it is."
Siri's face showed a sign of great disgust as she slipped into the elaborate robe. Larissa fixed the collar so it would shape her face. Ferus had to bite his lip as he looked at Roxanne, who was doing the same thing. It would be difficult to keep their laughter in much longer.
When Siri was done, Larissa nodded and said thoughtfully, "You need a pair of boots to match."
She bent over and pulled out a pair of boots polished in blue silk leather.
"Here you go," she said.
This was too much for Siri as she took a step back. "No."
"Oh, for the galaxy's sake, don't be a stick-in-the-mud," Roxanne said dramatically as Larissa tossed the boots at her.
"You have to dress like the body guard you are impersonating. Don't you want to catch Sage Tex?" Larissa asked.
Larissa grinned at Ferus and Roxanne, who had to turn their heads away to hide their smiles as Siri kicked off her travel boots and slipped on the soft leather boots.
"I hate this," Siri moaned as she slipped the boots on. "I look like a full-feathered idiot whose going to be the galaxy's next fashion model."
"All that's missing is the feathers," Roxanne said with a grin and Ferus had to put his hand over his mouth to keep from laughing and Roxanne had to do the same thing.
Larissa went to the closet and found a feathered headband and put in Siri's head, who had the most distasteful look on her face.
"I think you look fine," Larissa said as her mouth twitched. She busted out laughing and it was impossible for Roxanne and Ferus not to join in.
Siri's eyebrows shot up at them and said, "Glad I could amuse you." She did not bother to keep the sarcasm out of her voice.
Now it was her turn to mosey around the closet. They heard a soft rustling sound of satin silk. Siri tossed a garment at Larissa. It was made out of a soft black clinging material, and there was not much of it.
"Here you go, Belladonna Laden," she replied with a smirk.
Larissa looked at the piece of clothing and asked, "Where is the rest of it?"
Now it was Siri's turn to grin. "I am afraid that is it."
"I am not wearing this," Larissa said with great distaste as she tossed the garment aside.
Siri's expression was full of glee as she went to retrieve the garment.
"Don't be a stick-in-the-mud," Siri said. "Don't you want to catch Sage Tex?"
Larissa grimly pulled the robe over her tunic and leathered leggings.
Now Siri burst out laughing at the feminine, flowing garment that was flung over Larissa's clothes. "I do not think that's how you're supposed to wear it."
Larissa gritted her teeth. "We're not on Nacoruscant yet."
"Ferus, you will be Blando Miles, and Roxanne, you will be Roxie Miles," Siri said and handed Ferus conventional garments, a dark blue tunic, and trousers.
"Blando knows the secret passages," Roxanne replied.
"How do you know?" Ferus asked.
"I did my homework," Roxanne said quickly as she watched Siri pull out a suit of armor that looked extremely heavy. The armor was at least six feet tall.
"Here you go, Roxie," Siri said.
Roxanne shot an eyebrow up at her and said, "You must be joking? That thing is bigger than me! How do you expect me to fit in that thing?"
"You will fit," Larissa said as Roxanne tried to put the armor on, but it turned out to be too big after all.
"I told you that thing was bigger than me," Roxanne said. "I have something better."
She fetched her knapsack and pulled out some blaster pads that wrapped around her chest with two gun holders for her blasters and she had a pair of black jumpsuit pants to match. She also had a pair of black leather boots to match.
"Roxie knows the weapons and defense," Roxanne said with a grin.
"She is Blando's daughter," Siri added as she grinned at her apprentice.
Ferus raised his eyebrow at Roxanne and she snapped, "I didn't know he had a daughter so don't give me that look."
"You do a fine job with your homework," Ferus said sarcastically.
Roxanne pretended not to hear.
"Master, do you mind if I look around? You know, get familiar with the ship?" Roxanne asked.
Larissa nodded and Siri added, "You go too, Ferus. Maybe Roxanne can teach you to loosen up. I know I can't." She flashed him a loving smile to let him know she was kidding.
The Padawans left the control room and walked around through the corridors outside of it, finally coming to a huge view port. The view was beautiful, so many stars and planets passing by. So they decided to stay there.
Roxanne was tired and Ferus sensed something was wrong and asked, "Are you all right?"
Roxanne looked at him and said, "Yeah, I'm just tired."
"Maybe you should go get some sleep?" Ferus suggested.
"Nah," Roxanne said as she shook her head.
"Go ahead," Ferus said gently. "I will find something to do."
"Okay," Roxanne replied.
Ferus watched her as she left the room to find her own. He turned on a hologram and watched it.
Roxanne walked into her room and tried to get some sleep, knowing her nightmare would likely cause her to wake up.
"I wished we knew who the space pirates are," Larissa said.
"So do I," Siri replied as she began to think. They moved to Larissa's room to discuss tactics. (End Ch.3)
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Post by DarkSaber on Mar 13, 2010 0:05:33 GMT -5
Chapter Four
Roxanne woke up and wiped the sweat off her forehead and went to the control room where she mediated. As she was mediating, Ferus walked into the room and sat down beside her.
"Do you think this mission will be difficult?" Ferus asked her when she opened her eyes because he wanted to Roxanne better.
"I don't know," Roxanne said as she propped her feet up in the chair she was sitting in. She was trying not to think about her father's death. "Nacoruscant is a dangerous planet."
"You are very talented for someone your age," Ferus said. "My Master said that you are the youngest kid to ever win a Speeder Bike Showdown on your homeworld. Do you remember your homeworld well, if you do not mind me asking?"
"Yeah, I mostly remember my father," Roxanne said. "We used to do everything together. Larissa...I know she loves me, but it ain't the same. I…" Roxanne's voice began to trail off and she turned to look out the window.
"It's all right, Roxie," Ferus said. He felt awkward trying to find the right words to comfort Roxanne. So he put his hand on her shoulder.
"I didn't actually decide to leave my father, he was stolen from me," Roxanne corrected. "A space pirate killed him after I won the Downhill Speeder Showdown. She thought I cheated and was aiming to kill me for her lost bet, but then Dad took the hit for me. I got off lucky because Siri was there as a witness when he killed my Dad. She sensed my Force adeptness and offered me the choice to be a Jedi."
Ferus knew all this already because he was there the day it happened, but he did not imply that he already knew.
"I heard your Master say that you knew the space pirate we are after. It was her wasn't it?" Ferus asked.
"Yeah," Roxanne replied. "Sage Tex."
She said the name so bitterly Ferus decided to change the subject.
"So what other skills do you have besides insulting me?" Ferus asked, thinking that Roxanne would be tested greatly during their mission.
"I love racing and flying," Roxanne said with a grin, happy to see Ferus tease her.
"Really?" Ferus asked interestedly. "I love to fly too. I am one the best pilots in the Order."
"I know that's what all the Jedi Masters say," Roxanne said. "Maybe someday we can race. I love competing in anything dangerous, especially speeder racing."
"I know that is why everyone calls you the daredevil," Ferus added and Roxanne could not help but grin.
Roxanne reached for her neck and exclaimed, "Where is it!?" She took off her cloak and put it on the copilot chair. Her grin turned into a frown in a matter of seconds.
"Roxie, what are you looking for?" Ferus asked.
"My necklace," Roxanne replied as she began to tear her room apart.
"Whoa, calm down," Ferus said and bent down to pick something that was on a gold chain. "Is this what you were looking for?"
Roxanne sat her stuff down and looked at the item Ferus held in his hand. A look of relief flooded her face.
"Yeah," she said. "Thanks for finding it." She put her necklace on.
"What is so special about the necklace?" Ferus asked.
"My adoptive father Orlando Quin gave me this necklace when I was little," Roxanne began to explain. "You see my birth mother was going to give it to me when I was older, but she died when I was one-year-old. So on my third birthday he gave me the necklace as he was told my mother wished in her will. Now when I miss him all I have to do is look at my necklace and the times we had together come flooding back."
"I understand now," Ferus said. "And if I had to have a pretend daughter, I'm glad it's you." Ferus meant it as both a joke and a way of saying he liked her.
Roxanne looked up at Ferus, blinking back the tears that were threatening to come out, but she tried not to let it show. Inwardly, she lectured herself for crying about her father. Then a tear began to slide down her face.
Ferus reached out and embraced her as she rested her head on his shoulder and he wipe it off before she said, "Well, if I had to have a father, I'm glad it was you. Even if you are...well, you."
Roxanne laughed lightly and Ferus joined her; happy Roxanne's spirits were rising again.
Ferus said a little more seriously, "I hope we still spend time together like we used to after this mission. I do not have to pretend to be someone I'm not when I'm around you. And the truth is I miss being around you." Despite Roxanne's cocky attitude, he found that the more time they spend together, the more attracted he was to her personality, and that he might even like her teasing.
"Yeah, I have that effect on most people. Just the price you pay for being as talented as I am."
"My Master was right about one thing," Ferus said in a humorous tone.
"What's that?" Roxanne asked as she began to pull away.
"You are very cocky," Ferus replied with a smile.
Roxanne grinned at him and said, "I know I am and that's a well earned title. They call you the prefect the Jedi back at the Temple."
"I am not perfect," Ferus said. "I just do what is right."
"Never break the rules type, aren't you?" Roxanne asked.
"Yes," Ferus replied feeling hurt by Roxanne's sudden accusations.
Roxanne noticed the change, and then she felt bad herself. She usually was not very conscious about hurting others feelings with her teasing remarks, but now she knew no matter what she did she never wanted to hurt Ferus. He was so kind to her.
She decided to heal the wound by showing him that he had her trust.
"Nacoruscant is where I lived at with my adoptive father," Roxanne said.
Ferus looked at her attentively. Roxanne continued, "It's very gorgeous place and its past Naboo. Nacoruscant is within the Outer Rim and Republic territory. Our planet is peaceful, but we have weapons unlike Naboo."
"So where are you from?" Roxanne hoped he would trust her too.
Ferus smiled at her realizing this was Roxanne's way of showing she cared.
"I do not remember my homeworld to tell you the truth," he replied.
"You're lucky," Roxanne said grimly.
"Roxie?" Ferus asked. He was beginning to realize that she could angry at the slightest notion.
"Yeah?" she said, losing her grimness.
"I noticed you were angry when you spoke of your father's death. Are you sure you can handle this mission?" Ferus asked. He hoped she would continue her honesty.
Roxanne's smile suddenly vanished and she said, "I don't know. I wanna make that space pirate have a taste of my pain. I don't know what I'll do if I face her. Scratch that, I want her to find me because when she does, I'm gonna kill her."
Ferus put his hand on Roxanne's for comfort. He was surprised by her sudden outburst.
Roxanne began to feel better when he said, "If you try and control your emotions you can do anything."
Larissa entered the room and said, "We'll be landing in a Nacoruscant port in five minutes."
"Okay, Master," Roxanne said.
Roxanne and Ferus followed Larissa back to the control room.
"When we land, remember to be very cautious," Siri said. "Use your instincts and May the Force be with us all."
"We know that," Roxanne muttered under her breath where no one but Ferus could hear her. (End Ch.4)
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Post by DarkSaber on Mar 13, 2010 0:07:45 GMT -5
Chapter Five
The Jedi landed on the platform of Maul, the city capital of Nacoruscant. A few of Senator Flow's body guards were clustered tightly together while awaiting the Jedi's arrival.
Larissa looked out the window and said, "There they are. We will worry about the disguises as soon as we're settled in and get information from the Senator to see what is happening exactly."
"Let's get this mission started," Roxanne said as she rubbed her hands together and grabbed her two bags.
Siri landed the yacht and everyone got off to meet Senator Nola Flow.
"Greetings," one of the guards said to the Jedi. "We will escort you to the Nacoruscant Apartment where Senator Flow is staying."
The guards were very upright and quiet.
This should be boring, Roxanne thought after several failed attempts of getting the guards to speak. She was about to pester the guard in front of her when Ferus distracted her.
"You were right. It is similar to Naboo."
"I should be. I only lived here my entire life outside the temple," Roxanne said in her annoyance at the body guards' negligence.
They arrived and met Senator Nola Flow. She was stopped in mid-sentence when she noticed Roxanne stepping forward.
"It can't be," Senator Nola said in disbelief as she looked twice at Roxanne. "Roxanne Quin…Roxie? Orlando's daughter?"
Roxanne nodded and she said, "I am so glad to see you." She walked over and hugged her tight.
"You look nothing like your father. Oh, I'm sorry…" Nola stammered.
"It's okay, Nola. No hard feelings," Roxanne assured her.
"So your father was telling the truth when he told me that he gave you to the Jedi Order," Nola replied with a warm smile appearing on her face.
"Yeah," Roxanne said with a smile.
They followed Senator Nola Flow into the Nacoruscant Apartment. They then entered the hallway and followed her down the hall to the right where the senator led them to an elevator and it took them down to the left side. Once there, the maids showed them where they would be sleeping.
"I say we change into our disguises," Larissa said.
She and her apprentice had an adjoined room that was separated by a curtain. The apartment was beautiful. It had a private landing platform, a veranda porch that surrounded it, and several entrances.
Roxanne and Larissa changed into their disguises and joined Siri and her apprentice on the second floor.
Senator Nola Flow was waiting for them so she could tell them what his guards do for her.
"Are you comfortable in your rooms?" Senator Flow asked.
They nodded and Senator Flow said, "First thing to do is tell you what my guards and aides do for me around here. Master Siri you're Brenda Pierce, correct?"
Siri nodded and Nola said, "Her job is easy so you won't have a hard time doing it. She's been working for me since I was elected seven years ago. She is my file expert. She also serves as my decoy from time to time in the Senate. Her expertise makes her a skillful guard."
Senator Nola Flow paused for a moment to take a sip of water and looked at Larissa with a smile.
"Master Maltoise, you're Belladonna Laden?" Flow asked as Larissa nodded. "Her job is simple. She's been here for several years as my personal secretary and fills in for me when Brenda or I cannot perform our duty. She's charming, a powerful speaker, and a bit of a flirt."
Siri had to suppress a giggle when she saw Larissa roll her eyes with disapproval. Senator Flow turned to face Ferus and Roxanne and said, "Young Olin you're Blando Miles?"
Ferus nodded and Flow continued, "Blando is another one of my body guards. He knows the secret passages as well as our weapons. And Roxanne, you're Roxie; how ironic. Anyway, Roxie is Blando's daughter and she knows the weapons and defense. She's also a musician and plays music for me at parties. She sometimes helps my husband around the house. Very few people here know that Roxie is Blando's daughter. Let's go outside, shall we?"
Roxanne loved Senator Flow, but if someone asked her to "help around the house" she thought it would be going a bit too far with this disguise thing. Now the weapons part, she could handle.
As they entered outside, Roxanne stopped in her tracks and Larissa noticed that her apprentice was not behind them.
"Roxie, is something wrong?" Larissa asked as her apprentice looked around.
"Someone's following us," Roxanne said. "I can feel it."
"I do not sense anything," Larissa said as she looked at Siri who did not sense anything either.
Siri looked at Ferus and he said that he sensed something amiss.
After a moment, Larissa and Siri said, "I sense it too."
Roxanne was starring at a large bush and noticed something shiny move in the bushes. The Senator was in front of the exact bush when she heard a tiny click of a blaster.
Roxanne gasped and said, "Nola, move!"
When she did not move, Roxanne Force-pushed her down to the ground, and the attacker shot out of the bush and behind a tree, shooting at the Jedi. The space pirate was dressed in blue armor with a piece of cloth covering the face. The Jedi easily deflected his blasts.
After another miss, the pirate took off in his speeder, which had been hidden close behind the tree.
Roxanne pulled out her blaster and took aim, but missed and gritted her teeth in annoyance. Then a cloud of black smoke came out of nowhere, and he was gone.
"We should go inside," Siri insisted.
Nola agreed as Roxanne helped her up. "Thank you for saving me."
"No problem," Roxanne said and put her blaster back in her pouch.
"Do you think that bounty hunter was Sage?" Siri asked.
Roxanne shook her head and said, "No, I recognized him from the day Sage killed my father. That was Gage Rex her partner and cousin, I think." If Roxanne had her way, that blue armored bounty hunter would be dust particles right now.
Siri and Larissa spoke with the guards about Nola's safety. The guards assured them security was tight and they would work in shifts to make sure the senator was never left alone until the villain was caught.
Larissa took a moment to try meditating. This mission was turning out to be similar to the last mission Larissa had shared with Kari.
Oh, Kari, I wish you were here. You always knew what to say to calm my fears.
Then she remembered what had happened on her last mission. When she and Obi-Wan had left to look for the bounty hunter, Kari and Anakin had nearly been killed. Larissa was not going to be over protective, but should she risk leaving Roxanne alone? Just then Siri suggested what Larissa was dreading.
"Let's scout the area, see if we sense anything unusual."
"I don't think we should leave the Padawans alone," Larissa said. Larissa tried to keep the anxiety out of her voice, but Siri detected her doubt.
"Don't you have faith in Roxanne?"
"Why, yes, I trust her," Larissa said. "I'm just worried about how she's going to react if we have to face Sage. I do not think that she has completely gotten over her father's death." That was not a complete lie, but it was not the complete truth either.
"She'll be fine. This mission will tell if she can be a true Jedi by setting aside personal feelings and overcoming her anger," Siri assured her.
"Let's go," Larissa said with great reluctance and went to find the Senator to tell her what they planned on doing. It was just like the day she had to tell Bail. A shiver ran down Larissa's spine.
Then Larissa and Nola came in time to hear Siri talking with Ferus and Roxanne about their assignments.
"Call Master Larissa or me if anything happens," Siri finished.
"Master, I think I should go," Roxanne said.
"I'm sorry Roxie, but Master Siri knows the map of this city well. She would be better prepared," Larissa said reasonably.
"No, I meant I should accompany Master Siri. With all due respect, Master, I know this city better than you do. You have never been here before, but I on the other hand grew up here. My memory may be rusty, but I can remember the place well enough, and I still have connections with some really good friends," Roxanne said as she winked at Nola because her father and Flow were really close friends and Roxanne knew Nola took her father's death hard.
Roxanne never thought about until now that Senator Nola may have loved her father.
Ferus looked at Siri in complete shock. The Padawan had asked a request that went against her own ideas, yet Siri seemed to consider it.
"Roxanne could scout the area quicker than I could," Larissa said to Siri. "And it would be wiser for a Jedi Knight to stay and watch over the Senator."
She and Siri discussed the changes with Senator Flow.
"What was that about?" Ferus asked as he raised an eyebrow at Roxanne.
"I just want to get this mission over with," Roxanne snapped. "I never wanted to come back to this place if I could help it."
"I think I understand," Ferus said.
"This place holds too many memories," Roxanne said as she pulled her hair up in a pony tail and left her Padawan braid hanging down.
"I'm glad one of us gets to leave this building," Ferus replied. "I had no idea it would be so boring." Ferus was slightly envious.
"Ferus, it ain't that bad. You'll get to protect Nola with my Master," Roxanne reasoned.
"Here comes my Master now," Ferus said with a smirk. "May the Force be with you, and please hurry."
Roxanne laughed at that tone in his voice. (End Ch.5)
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Post by DarkSaber on Mar 13, 2010 0:10:59 GMT -5
Chapter Six
"Let's go find that space pirate," Roxanne said with such determination that Larissa raised an eyebrow.
"Padawan, be careful of your feelings. If anything happens---" but Roxanne cut Larissa off.
"I'll report it to either Master Siri or yourself," Roxanne finished her sentence, and then added, "I have my comlink right here in case we are separated."
"Don't worry, Larissa. Roxie will be fine," Siri assured her with a smile.
Larissa was staring at her Padawan when she suddenly felt a strong presence in the Force…Kari! Can it be? Larissa forced herself to concentrate. She had to accept that Kari was not coming back for the sake of this mission. She had to.
"We will be back as soon as possible," Siri assured everyone.
As the announcer would say, the Jedi have left the building.
Larissa turned around to face Ferus when she noticed Senator Nola Flow appeared at his side.
"Ferus, I would like for you to stay in the main office," Larissa instructed as Ferus nodded.
Then she turned to face Nola and said, "Your security guards and I will stay with you in my, I mean in Belladonna's office on the floor above us. Two of the guards are outside. Four of the guard will remain here on the first floor with Ferus. We should all be safe."
Should and being are two totally different things, Ferus thought as he went to guard the second floor.
Outside the building, Siri and Roxanne were not having a good time looking for the space pirate or her assistant. They had already been searching for an hour and a half without a single sign of disturbance anywhere.
Siri knew they would have to split up eventually to cover the entire city, but she had hoped they would sense something before she was forced to admit it
"I think it is time we split up Master," Roxanne suggested as if reading her thoughts.
Siri was about to give in when she had a thought. "I have a better idea." Without warning Siri sprinted back to the Senator's apartment with Roxanne in pursuit.
Ferus looked around the room and sighed. He was starting to get bored because he did not have anyone to talk to.
Suddenly the first floor was filled with the screams of the two guards outside the entrance doors.
Ferus jumped into action. Before any of the four guards around him moved a muscle, Ferus had somersaulted over to the entrance where he stopped to stare.
"Droids!" he said in disbelief.
How had a squad of droids gotten past the doorway? Someone must have planned this. And with the festival in town today, not many people would be around the streets of this particular area so witness the crime.
Ferus then ran toward the droids and ignited his lightsaber. He spun around, destroying four of the thirty or so that were pouring in through the doorway. Ferus stayed connected to the Force, allowing it to flow freely through him, from the top of his head, to the tips of his toes and fingers. There were so many droids! After disabling another dozen, Ferus felt that he could not keep this up much longer.
Master Larissa, help!
Meanwhile, Larissa had sensed the danger and debated on leaving the Senator with her two guards, until she heard Ferus's plea for help.
"Guards, protect the Senator at all costs. I'm going downstairs," Larissa said as she rushed out the door.
Nola only had time to exchange a worried glance at her guards as Larissa left.
Larissa saw the four guards behind Ferus shooting, and about twenty droids in the entrance, swarming around Ferus. He turned as he sensed her presence. "Master, I knew you would come."
As Ferus was distracted, a blast caught him in the shoulder. He clenched his teeth and fought through the pain.
"Are you all right?" Larissa asked. He gave her a slight nod of his head. Larissa attacked as quickly as she could, slicing through three or four droids at a time. With their combined work and the guards' help, the droids were eventually turned into scrap metal.
Siri and Roxanne made it there just as Siri stabbed the last droid with a backward jab.
"What in the blazes happened here?" Siri asked seeing all the droids, though she was relieved the building was still in one piece.
"Droids infiltrated the building somehow," Siri explained.
Roxanne saw Ferus holding his shoulder and when he moved his hand slightly, she saw the blood oozing out. "Ferus, you're hurt." She spoke as if she were the one wounded instead of him.
"I'm okay Roxie," he said as he began to heal himself with the Force. So Roxanne snuck off to check on the Senator.
Ferus did not notice. He had already turned to the Masters to say, "I don't think this was the main attack. Whoever did this must have had a bigger plan."
"I think you're right. Those droids were no match for four Jedi. We will be cautious," Larissa said.
One of the guards who had been tapping into the system interrupted them. "We have a problem. The security, everything has been shut down. We're completely defenseless except for you Jedi and our own weapons."
Just then, they heard something above them. It sounded like a struggle was taking place. Then they heard the sound of an aircraft taking off.
The Jedi and guards looked at each other. "Senator Nola!" (End Ch. Six)
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Post by DarkSaber on Mar 13, 2010 0:13:14 GMT -5
Chapter Seven
The Jedi rushed upstairs and found the two guards tied together with their mouths taped shut.
Larissa noticed Roxanne had disappeared since they arrived.
She jerked the tape off one of the guards, and asked, "What happened? Where have they taken her?" Her voice was harsh, highly unusual for her.
The guards looked at Larissa like she was crazy and shrugged their shoulders.
"Larissa, calm yourself. Anger will not help you get any closer to the truth. If you want to save Roxanne and the Senator, focus." That voice, it was so familiar.
"Kari?" Larissa asked softly as she stepped back.
Siri took over when she saw Larissa was shaken. She released the two guards and listened to them with Ferus at her side.
"Bounty hunter surprised us and must have tranquilized us…same guy we saw earlier…uh, my head," one of the guards mumbled.
"Did you see Roxie?" Larissa seemed to come back to reality.
The other spoke, "She came to help. I didn't see where she went."
Ferus helped the confused guards to their feet.
Siri stood beside Larissa. "I know what you are thinking. We will find her and Senator Flow."
Larissa just nodded gravely.
Ferus was worried. What if Roxie is hurt? He could scarcely stand the thought.
Across the sky flew a ship. Inside sat Gage Rex with a smug look on his face.
He contacted his partner, Sage to report. "I have the Senator and an extra hostage."
Senator Nola was stuffed in the back, and bound tightly. Relief flooded through her as she saw Roxanne stir beside her. The bounty hunter had somehow got in undetected. He tranquilized her guards as Roxanne tried to save her. But Roxanne was not fast enough, and soon they were both falling unconscious from the tranquilizer's sedative.
He must have given Roxanne a very strong dose for her to just be waking up, Nola thought. She and Roxanne could not talk because their mouths were bound tightly. So Nola just gave Roxie a warm look, but she could see Roxanne was not in a good mood.
Roxanne felt like a volcano ready to erupt. She could not, absolutely could not, believe she let a bounty hunter get the best of her. And now she was captured. How much more humiliating could it get? If Gage put one hand on Senator Nola or looked at her the wrong way, Roxanne felt she would explode.
A sweet, gentle voice said, "Everything will be all right Roxanne. Calm yourself, and then contact your Master. She will hear you."
Roxanne looked around in confusion, finally coming to the conclusion that she must be hearing things. She tried to calm herself and reach Larissa.
The guards were all unharmed for the most part. Siri and Ferus were discussing what to do next when Larissa said, "Roxanne! She contacted me! She's in a ship with the Senator. They are both fine for the moment. I can feel her presence strongly in the Force now. Let's go."
"Hold it!" Siri said.
Larissa and Ferus, who were almost out the door whirled around quickly.
"I'm not going anywhere dressed in this," Siri said as she pointed to her disguise.
They put their Jedi robes on and followed Roxanne's Force energy.
The ship landed. Roxanne and Nola exchanged a look.
This can't be good, Roxanne thought.
Whatever Roxie had expected on seeing when the door opened, she was not prepared for the vision she saw: Sage Tex and Gage Rex stood in the doorway with a look of pure dominance as they gazed down at Roxanne and Nola. Roxanne would have come unglued if she had not heard that sweet voice again telling her it was okay, that she and the Senator would be safe. It took all Roxanne's will to obey the voice, but somehow she trusted the voice and knew she would be better for listening to it.
Then she noticed something. My disguise! I never took it off. Maybe they won't recognize me.
"Hello, Senator Flow," Sage said with obvious disdain. "I hope your ride was, enjoyable." She gave an evil cackle that made the hairs on the back of Roxanne's neck stand on end.
"And who have we here?" Roxanne froze as Sage's attention was turned to her.
"This is the one I told you about. Her name is Roxie. I did some research only to find out that she is the daughter of someone in the Senate Complex. I'm not sure here, but after learning about the time she spends in Senator Flow's company, I would guess she is the Senator's daughter," Gage said with pleasure when he saw the shock look on the Senator's face.
"Hmm, I think you're right, Gage. Look at her face. You can tell she cares for the girl," Sage said. "I tell you what, Flow. I will do you a favor. Instead of shooting you down right now, I'm going to prolong your death."
Senator Nola looked confused, but could not very well ask why with her bindings.
"To pay you back for everything you've done to me, you can watch this child die before your own death," Sage said.
She and Gage laughed while Nola was full of fear and Roxanne, for the first time since her father's death, felt helpless. The feeling made her anger towards Sage even greater.
The anger faded as Sage aimed her blaster at Roxanne.
I can't believe I have failed, Roxanne thought bitterly. She bent her head in submission and closed her eyes tight.
She heard the laser shoot, felt the blast coming towards her, and then the sizzle of a lightsaber deflecting a blast. It was sweetest sound Roxanne thought she had ever heard! She looked up, expecting to see Larissa, but who was that?
A figure stood in cream colored Jedi garments. Roxanne could only see her back, but what she could tell was that whoever this was had light brown hair, slender shoulders, and stood a few inches shorter than herself.
Sage and Gage were numb with surprise. "Who are you?" Sage asked.
It was another Jedi. She was clothed in cream-colored robed and tunic with a blue lightsaber raised.
"That is not your concern. Surrender now and nobody gets hurt," the girl said.
Roxanne recognized the gentle voice, now much stronger, as the one that had spoken to her earlier. "It's you. You're the voice I heard, aren't you?"
She turned and Roxanne saw the beautiful Jedi girl. She had a fair complexion with bright green eyes and the most beautiful smile. "That's right. My name is Kari." Then she turned to block the blast Gage had fired during the distraction.
Kari?! Larissa thought as she reached the room. It can't be.
Gage and Sage turned to run, but behind then stood three Jedi, lightsabers ignited. The villains jumped down and ran, the Jedi in pursuit. Larissa fought to keep pace. When she and the others had first arrived she saw, heard everything. That's right. My name is Kari. Larissa would have recognized her sweet apprentice even if she had not told Roxanne her identity. Kari was alive.
Kari turned to free Roxanne and Senator Flow. "I told you no harm would come. You had better get the Senator out of here. I must go now."
Roxanne was helping the senator, but stopped when Kari said she had to leave. "Wait! I need to talk to you."
Kari was already gone and Roxanne could not leave the Senator to go after her.
The Jedi returned to report that the villains got away. When asked where Kari was, Roxanne could only say she did not know.
She saw disappointment all over Larissa's face, but the Jedi Knight continued on with the mission. She was a Jedi, and she had a mission that she would not fail. They went back to the Senator's Apartment to rest. (End Ch. Seven)
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Post by DarkSaber on Mar 13, 2010 0:15:16 GMT -5
Chapter Eight
"I take it you had a close encounter," Larissa guessed when she saw the preoccupied look on Roxanne's face.
"Yeah, but she saved me. Kari saved me," Roxanne said as she walked into the Nacoruscant Apartment with her Master following by her inside.
Larissa looked into Roxanne's eyes. She could tell Roxanne knew who Kari was and she felt her Padawan's sympathy.
"Tell me what happened," Larissa said as she sat down.
"We encountered Sage and her companion," Roxanne said as she wiped the sweat off her forehead with a wash cloth Ferus gave her. She blushed slightly as she gave Ferus a smile of gratitude, but Larissa luckily did not notice.
"Really?" Larissa said. "Who was it?"
"Gage Rex the bounty hunter. I knew it was him when I saw him earlier," Roxanne replied.
"Then what happened?" Larissa asked.
"I saw Sage with Gage. They thought I was the real Roxie and that I was Nola's daughter---imagine that. Sage was about to shoot me when Kari appeared. She…left though."
Larissa was feeling so tired with worry and stress. Roxanne had almost been shot, she had not been there, and Kari was alive! What more could happen next?
"They are gone for now," Siri said. "We will find them later."
Larissa and Roxanne went upstairs to their adjoined rooms to meditate. Roxanne yawned and Larissa said, "Why don't you get some sleep?"
"I think I will," Roxanne replied and went to her room.
She mediated. Ten minutes later, Roxanne got up and pulled her hair up in her black bandanna. She got under the warm covers of her bed and fell into a much needed slumber.
Larissa finished meditating and vowed to find Kari after this crisis had abated. She walked down the hall and found Siri, Ferus, and Senator Flow waiting for her.
"Where is your apprentice?" Siri asked.
"She said that she was tired so I told her she should get some sleep," Larissa said as she pulled her long black hair in a tight bun.
"We were just discussing her," Siri replied. "We think that Sage may use her as the next target."
"Why do you think that?" Larissa asked, looking very concerned.
"Sage thought Roxanne was my daughter because of her disguise. You see, Blando's daughter, Roxie visits with me often when her father is away on duty. Sage and Gage must have hacked into our computer system to see what everyone does around here," Nola explained.
"Don't tell Roxie," Larissa said.
"We will just have to keep an eye on her and Senator Flow until Sage is caught," Siri said.
"I better go back and check on her," Larissa said.
"I will go, Master Larissa," Ferus offered.
"You don't mind?" Larissa asked.
"Not at all," Ferus said.
"Thank you," Larissa said and Ferus nodded and went down the hall to Larissa and Roxanne's room.
Meanwhile, Roxanne was tossing and turning in her bed and swung her covers back.
She screamed and woke up, looking around the room. Then she slung her legs over the bed and put her head in her hands, noticing that her forehead and face was covered with sweat. She felt silent tears running down her face. She had the dream again; the dream where Sage comes and takes her away.
Roxanne wiped her face as she got up out of bed. She grabbed her blaster and lightsaber and attached them to her belt and walked to the door. She did not bother to put her boots on. She made sure the coast was clear and ran down the hall to the third floor and closed the door behind her. She sat down on the floor with the light off just looking out the window. She wrapped her arms around her legs and rested her forehead on her knees as she closed her eyes. Roxanne was actually trembling her nightmare had scared her so much.
Ferus had heard Roxanne's scream and went into her room, but she was not in there. He used the Force to find her and sensed that she was on the third floor.
Roxanne had felt someone reach out to her in the Force, but did not know who it was until she heard the door open up and sensed it was Ferus. Roxanne did not look up when he entered the room.
"What are you doing here?" Roxanne asked as Ferus appeared by her side.
"I came looking for you. I wanted to know how you were holding up," Ferus replied.
"I didn't want anyone to find me," Roxanne said, trying to hide the fact that she was upset about the nightmare she had. "I wanted be left alone."
"Why?" Ferus asked.
"I had a nightmare," Roxanne said as she looked up.
"What was it about?" Ferus asked and sat down beside her.
"The same dream I have had for weeks. It was Sage," Roxanne said as she looked away. "She came and took me away."
Ferus grabbed her shoulders and said, "I won't let that happen. I will be here for you, Roxie."
Ferus did not know if he could really keep his word, but he would try his very best to not let Roxanne down.
Feeling Ferus grab her shoulders, she looked at him as she leaned the back of her head onto his chest and felt him rest his head on the crown on her head as he nestled her body in his arms.
"I sense our Masters know that Sage is planning on using me as bait to lore the Senator into a trap," Roxanne said.
"You are right," Ferus said he stroked her hair and wrapped his arms around her and held her closer as she began to cry. "Hush. Take a deep breath and breathe slowly."
Roxanne took a deep breath and slowly let it out. As she moved her head toward his chest, she could feel his heart beating fast. She closed her eyes and continued this exercise.
Ferus held her until her trembling had stopped. As he was holding her in his arms, he could feel Roxie's heart beating against his hand. For someone who was tall and skinny for their age certainly had a fast heartbeat. Her breathing became regular, and he finally realized that she was asleep.
Ferus carried Roxanne to her bedroom and covered her up.
Larissa and Siri returned when he walked out of her room and Larissa asked, "How is she?"
"She is sleeping," Ferus said. "She had a nightmare, and I went to look for her."
"Did she tell you what it was about?" Siri asked.
"Yes," Ferus said. "She said it was about Sage taking her away."
"This is how it all started," Larissa replied softly.
"What do you mean?" Siri asked as he gave her a puzzled look.
"Roxie told me she had a nightmare about this place and she told me it was premonition, but I told her it was just a dream," Larissa explained. "She told me that she knew it was a premonition."
"I better tell the guards to turn the cameras on," Nola said.
BOOM!
A shot fired in Larissa and Roxanne's room.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
They heard Roxanne scream, and Larissa had a horrified look on her face. The shriek from Roxanne was the scariest thing Larissa had heard because she had never heard Roxanne scream in fear like that before.
"Roxanne!" she said and charged into the room.
Siri, Ferus, Nola, and few of the guards followed behind her. Larissa opened the door and noticed her apprentice was not in the room.
"Roxie!" Larissa shouted as she stood in the door.
It was dark, so she had to focus. She ducked just in time as someone slung another being across the room that ended up hitting the wall. Larissa found the light switch and she noticed it was her apprentice who tossed Sage at the other end of the room. Roxanne had a pair of stun cuffs on her wrists. Larissa knew when you cross stun cuffs with a girl like Roxanne, you have gone too far, or you are absolutely out of your mind because you would be turned into space dust by Larissa if you tried to kill her apprentice. She knew her apprentice did not have very good patience and judging by the look on Roxanne's face, you could tell that she was madder than old red and had a look of pure anger on her face.
Roxanne saw Larissa and shouted, "Master, behind you!"
Roxanne Force-leaped as she wrestled Sage to the ground. She Force-pushed Sage across the room over to where Siri and Ferus were and he saw that Roxanne was furious.
He rushed over to her and tried to get the stun cuffs off her, but before he could, Sage knocked him over. Siri jumped beside Larissa, ready for anything. Well, anything except what happened next.
Sage launched her cable launcher at Roxanne's legs.
CLICK!
The cord began to get tighter on Roxanne's legs and knocked her down as it began to drag her.
"AH!" Roxanne shrieked as she was being dragged towards the window. She looked at Ferus. "HELP ME!"
"ROXANNE!" Larissa bellowed. "Ferus, grab her!" He was closer to Roxie than the others.
Ferus threw himself on top of Roxanne and held her tight. Ferus and Roxanne both used the Force to slow the speed down. Siri came by and cut the cable launcher cord that was wrapped around Roxanne's leg with her lightsaber and she fell on top of Ferus.
"Are you all right?" Ferus asked as he used the Force to take the stun cuffs off from her.
"Yeah," Roxanne said.
This kid ain't worth it, Sage thought and leapt into her speeder outside the window.
Larissa jumped out after her, landing on the end of the speeder, and then holding on as she sped away.
The others saw Larissa. Before anyone moved, Roxanne sensed something and said, "Something's wrong."
TICK.
TICK.
Siri grabbed Senator Flow from the doorway and launched her cable while Roxanne grabbed Ferus and pulled him close to her side, launching her cable onto a tree and swung out of the window.
BOOM!
The building was shattered.
Siri and Nola ran over to Ferus and Roxanne.
"Are you two okay?" Siri asked.
"Yeah," Roxanne panted as she caught her breath.
"Thanks for saving me," Roxanne said, addressing the others. "Now we have to save Larissa and capture Sage."
"We'll think of something," Siri replied.
"We will take my ship," Nola, "It is the least I can do. I'm grateful for having all of you here to protect me."
"Just doing our job," Roxanne replied with a smile.
They grabbed their stuff and headed over to Senator Nola Flow's ship. (End Ch.8)
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Post by DarkSaber on Mar 13, 2010 0:18:32 GMT -5
Chapter Nine
When they returned back to Senator Flow's ship they found a visitor waiting for them when they reached the ship.
"Kari! It's you!" Siri said. She was so pale she looked as if she had seen a ghost, which of course they thought she had.
"Nice to see you again. You too Ferus. I wish there was more time to explain, but Master Larissa is in trouble. I can find her if you let me pilot, but we must hurry."
Everyone nodded without a word and boarded the ship. Kari was an advanced Jedi Healer.
Her healing techniques rewarded her with a special sensitivity to other life-forms. She found Sage's ship with Larissa dangling by one hand. Gage was below aiming at Larissa.
Siri grabbed the weaponry controls and fired. Gage fell to the ground.
Sage landed roughly, throwing Larissa against the ground. Larissa was winded and exhausted, but she forced herself to stand. Sage exited her ship and smiled as Larissa looked down at her utility belt. Her lightsaber was gone.
"Looking for this?" Sage asked.
The lightsaber had fallen when Larissa landed. She would have to rely solely on the Force, and her friends.
Siri was at the boarding ramp with the others. Larissa sensed a familiar presence among the other three Jedi. It was Kari.
Once Sage spotted Kari, she glared at Larissa before retreating to her ship.
Ferus ran like a hurricane in a wild wind with Roxanne behind him, Kari and Siri in the lead. They would not make it, but then they heard firing from behind and watched as Senator Flow disabled Sage's ship. Now Sage would be unable to escape.
Kari was the first to arrive at Larissa's side. Larissa was now standing and looking at Kari with a far-off glaze in her eyes.
"Kari…I thought you were…dead," she choked out.
By now, Ferus and Roxanne were beside them, too.
"I will explain later. I promise you Larissa," Kari said in her most tender voice.
Without warning, Roxanne charged at Sage's ship. She cut through the door and jumped inside.
Roxanne quickly dodged as her Master's lightsaber came hurdling towards her back. Sage had held onto it and was not giving up without a fight.
"Why do they always want to do it the hard way?" Roxanne said pointedly.
Ferus, Kari, and Siri came inside to help. Sage looked around her. "I thought Jedi were fair? Where is the honor in fighting me together?"
"Where is the honor in killing an innocent civilian like my father?" Roxanne asked heatedly.
"I don't know your father child," came the reply.
"His name was Orlando Quin, and you killed him ten years ago. Now hand yourself over before I return the favor," Roxanne spat.
Sage looked at Roxanne like she was crazy and Roxanne noticed the look on her face and asked, "Still doesn't ring a bell. Well, maybe it's time for you to see a familiar face."
Roxanne took off her disguise and flashed Sage her famous mischievous grin that everyone knew about the one most people called her "innocent look".
"You!" Sage said in outrage.
"About time you recognized me," Roxanne said with a smile.
Sage was angry with herself for letting the little girl who foiled her bet get away, and now she was at the mercy of the same child she was suppose to kill ten years ago.
If I am going down, I am taking her with me, Sage thought.
She charged straight for Roxanne. Roxie looked directly at Sage with no fear in her eyes, ready for anything that came her way, waiting for the right moment.
When Sage came closer toward their way, Roxanne launched her cable launcher in the air and pulled herself in the air, and Sage fell out of the ship and pulled out her blaster. Roxanne used the Force to block her shot and jumped out of the ship and went after Sage.
Ferus jumped out and charged after Roxanne and Sage.
Siri gritted her teeth and said, "Ferus! Roxie! Get back here!"
Kari landed the ship gracefully and they were right behind the two.
Roxanne pulled out her blaster, waiting for Sage to fire the next shot. She did not know Ferus was behind her. He did not know Siri and Kari were behind him.
Ferus watched as Sage pointed her blaster at Roxanne.
Roxanne sensed someone was behind her, but did not know it was Ferus, who snuck up behind her and tackled her to the ground as Sage's shot missed them by inches.
Roxanne sprung up from under Ferus and waited for the opportune moment to come, but that moment never came, however, because Siri stepped in and knocked Sage unconscious from behind with the hilt of her lightsaber.
Roxanne looked at her like she was crazy and so did the others.
"Hey, the saber isn't the only dangerous part of a lightsaber," Siri said quite frankly.
Ferus applied cuffs to the criminal's wrists and ankles.
Kari walked over to Roxanne. "It's over."
They all felt relief flooding over them like a fresh spring, reviving them in mind and spirit. (End Ch. Nine)
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Post by DarkSaber on Mar 13, 2010 0:26:17 GMT -5
Chapter Ten
Roxanne stepped out of her apartment room with Ferus following right behind her. They had placed Sage under the police’s custody and were preparing to leave.
Larissa and Kari were outside where Kari told her what had happened. Roxie, Ferus, Siri, and Senator Flow came outside just in time for Kari’s explanation.
“So when you guys left,” Kari saw regret in Larissa’s face. “As you should have. A young woman and an older gentlemen found me and called a medical center for help. I was in much pain, though, so I closed my eyes to focus on healing myself. I was so deeply within the Force and my healing, I guess my outward appearance made me appear dead. The next thing I knew, I was in an ocean. I remained calm, though the pain came back the instant I stopped healing myself, and then I remembered my aquifer. I allowed myself to be pushed by the current so I would not exert too much energy, and then be unable to heal myself. I was fortunate enough to land on the shore next to a small cottage. There was an old couple there. They took me in, cared for me, and gave me some strange antidote for the poison in me. It worked wonderfully well! I felt like myself within an hour. I told them who I was, and they told me they knew my parents. Then they allowed me to use their aircraft to fly back to the Temple.”
“But why didn’t you contact me then?” Larissa asked, desperately trying to understand.
“Because I did not want to face you or Anakin. You both thought I was dead, and seeing as how I wanted to leave the Order, I could not face either of you at the time,” Kari said.
“Leave the Order?! Why couldn’t you face us?” Larissa asked.
“Because I knew you two were the only ones who could talk me into staying, but I couldn’t. I broke the Jedi Code, Larissa,” Kari confessed.
“What?! You have never done anything against the Jedi Code, Kari,” Larissa said. She was completed oblivious and perplexed as to what Kari had been hinting.
“Larissa, I love you as I loved my mother, but I love Anakin as someone whom I could spend the rest of my life with. Jedi cannot fall in love. Anakin is the Chosen One; I know he is. I could not ask him to give up his life as a Jedi for me. I would not. But I also knew we could not stay in the Temple if we were in love. So I made the decision to leave. I have kept in touch with Master Yoda, but now I am going away to a planet on the Outer Rim. I am not sure what I will do there, but I have faith in whatever path the Force has laid out for me. When Master Yoda told me you and your new apprentice were coming here on a mission, I decided to come to your aid. I was afraid I might not have another chance to see you. I have contacted you whenever I felt your grief too much, but being so far away I was not sure whether I could still reach you or not.”
Everything seemed to fall into place. The nervousness Larissa saw on Kari’s face before their mission, the added happiness in her eyes, the gentle kiss Anakin placed on Kari’s forehead after she was shot.
Roxanne and Ferus listened. They looked at each other with fear in their eyes.
“Why didn’t I see this? I lost you all because I did not,” Larissa ended her sentence by placing her face in both hands.
“You never lost me, Larissa. I will always be with you, as with Anakin.”
Larissa looked up with these words.
“I love my friends and family so much that a little piece of me always stays with them and a little piece of them is always with me, in our hearts. I love you,” Kari said.
She and Larissa hugged each other tightly, eyes closed, tears welling.
“I really have to go. I promise I will always be here for the Jedi if they need me,” she said addressing everyone. “Just call to me. I know now that I could hear any of you even from the Outer Rim.”
Kari hugged Siri, Roxanne, Ferus, and even the Senator whom she had never met. And then she was gone. (End Ch.10)
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Post by DarkSaber on Mar 13, 2010 0:27:16 GMT -5
Chapter Eleven
“STOP! Stop her!” the Jedi heard as they were boarding their freighter.
Roxanne gasped. It was Sage, and she was getting away! She stole a vehicle from the landing dock and was about to leave.
“Oh, no you don’t!” Roxanne shouted.
She ran towards Sage. The space pirate saw her in the view screen and fired, not at Roxanne but above her.
In her desperation, Roxanne did not see the chunk of ceiling falling until it was too late to completely dodge it. She used her lightsaber to slice through it, but because she angled slightly off, the chunk crushed her left hand and destroyed her lightsaber.
“Ahhh!” Roxanne screamed in agony.
Ferus ran to her side. He used the Force to lift the heavy mass, cut a piece of his cloak to wrap around Roxanne’s left hand, and then helped her limp towards their freighter. Larissa was at the ramp waiting for them.
“Roxanne, are you okay?” she asked.
Roxanne shook her head and closed her eyes so no one would see the pain in them.
Sage was leaving the port, and as Larissa closed the ramp, Siri was on her tail.
An on board med droid looked at Roxanne’s hand.
“It will have to come off,” the droid said in an unconcerned voice.
Rudest hunk of piece of junk I have ever seen in my life, Roxanne thought with a disgusted look on her face.
“Come off? Are you crazy?! This is my lightsaber hand we’re talking about!” Roxanne asked as she looked at the droid in outrage.
She turned to Ferus and said, “Either this droid has short-circuited or it was never functioning to begin with.”
“The wound will be infected and you will die if operation if not done,” the droid countered.
Roxanne sighed impatiently and slapped her forehead.
“Un-be-liev-able,” she said, sounded each syllable will added emphasis.
Ferus was worried. “Is it really that serious?”
Roxanne cocked her eyebrows. “Aw, I didn’t know you cared so much.” She was teasing, but when she saw the look in Ferus’s eyes, she knew he wasn’t.
“Well, I do. Please, Roxie, have the operation. It isn’t that serious, is it?”
“No,” the droid replied.
“Wait! There is something I have to do first.” She walked into the control room, followed closely by Ferus.
“Master let us take over. I still have one good piloting hand, and Ferus can be my co-pilot.”
Larissa knew Roxanne has great piloting skills. Sage was a descent pilot, but Roxanne was better. They watched Sage make dangerous moves and Roxanne and Ferus countered them.
“If you get a clear shot then shoot,” Larissa instructed.
Roxanne looked at Ferus and they nodded. They knew there was no other way. Sage would escape or die. Jedi are keepers of the peace, not soldiers of war, but sometimes there is no alternative to fighting.
“Just a couple seconds more,” Ferus replied.
“She’s about to become space dust,” Roxanne said as Ferus had Sage’s ship in target and Roxanne gripped the controls toward her, with Ferus’s help, and pulled the trigger.
Then the target on the screen blinked and Ferus said, “Punch it Roxie.”
Roxanne fired and Sage’s ship blew into oblivion.
Ferus and Roxanne let out a loud cheer and they set their course for Nacoruscant.
“Mission accomplished,” Larissa said.
She and Siri grieved for the lost life, but then celebrated for the lives that were saved now because of the space pirate’s absence.
Roxanne went to the operation room and sat down on the bed. The droid gave her a night gown to put over her clothes and she laid down in the bed.
The droid removed Ferus’s cloth from her left hand and began to remove the hand.
Ferus saw her operation. He walked in, against the droid’s wishes, sat down beside her on her bed, and then held her good hand in his own. They intertwined their fingers and held on tight.
She groaned and opened her eyes, looked at him with loving eyes, and then closed them again.
Roxanne must have sensed Ferus’s thoughts. She opened her eyes and smiled at him. “It’s not as bad as it looks.”
“I know you can handle it, and I will be here for you if you need me,” Ferus said, while trying not divulge his feelings too much.
Truth be told, Ferus wasn’t sure how he felt. Roxie was great. She may be cocky and a teaser, but he did not care. What stole his heart was her personality after he got to know her better. He loved her, but it was more of the kind of love you feel for family members, or was it?
Ferus stroked her hand as she opened her eyes and said softly, “There is something I’ve got to tell you. I---” she stopped in mid-sentence just as she felt the pain from her hand starting to take over and grasped Ferus’s hand tighter until her fingernails almost dug into his sink. Then she sighed as she closed her eyes and fainted on his chest as the droid continued its work, constructing a mechanical left hand to replace the old one. (End Ch.11)
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Post by DarkSaber on Mar 13, 2010 0:28:12 GMT -5
Epilogue
No one said much on their way to Nacoruscant. Their mission was a success, but they had a wounded Jedi apprentice on board their ship.
Roxanne felt something silky on top of her when she awoke and realized that someone covered her up. She opened her eyes and noticed Ferus was sitting a few feet from her bed. He looked up and did a double-take when he realized she was awake.
“Where’s Larissa at?” Roxanne asked.
Ferus came closer and said, “She just made contact with Master Yoda and told him that our mission was a success, except that we had to kill Sage and Gage.”
“Does it still hurt?” Ferus asked.
“I’m fine,” Roxanne snapped.
“No, you’re not fine,” Ferus said and he showed her the new mechanical left hand she wore.
Roxanne gasped before saying, “It’ll take more than mechanical parts to keep me down.” She winced a little.
“Relax, go back to sleep."
He watched her and she shook her head and said, “That’s not going to work. I can feel that you’re trying to make go back to sleep when I don’t want to.”
“Fine,” Ferus said and threw his hands up in the air.
Roxanne reached out to Ferus with her new mechanical left hand and he to her hand. He sat down in a chair beside her bed and she held his hand.
“I could get use to this,” Roxanne said as she flexed out her mechanical left hand and they laughed. She grinned at she used the her new hand to Force-push the covers off her.
Before she could head out the door, Ferus caught her right arm and said, “Not so fast. Larissa told me to make sure you stay in bed and get plenty of rest, even if you’re not actually asleep.”
Maybe if I hum a tune and she may fall asleep, Ferus thought.
He could sense that she was tired and weak from her surgery earlier when she was being operated on. Ferus wrapped his arms around her and held her close as he began to hum a tune.
Roxanne became still and he picked her up gently and laid her back in the bed. Within ten minutes, she fell asleep.
Larissa quietly entered the room and asked, “How is she?”
“She’s fine,” Ferus said. “She woke up just a second ago and asked where you were, and I told her that you contacted Master Yoda.”
“How did she like my orders?” Larissa asked with a smile.
“She didn’t like them at all and would have went on a rampage if I didn’t hum a tune to calm her down,” Ferus said.
Larissa sat down beside Ferus. He felt like she was examining him, or his feelings, as she did so. Maybe she knew how he felt about a certain young Padawan. Ferus thought he felt his stomach contract.
“Thank you, Ferus for all your help. I really do appreciate you making Roxie feel more comfortable about herself. I’m glad that she’s found someone who is like an older brother to her.”
“I’m glad I got to meet her again,” Ferus replied with a smile. At last he could be honest in that regard.
The ship began to slow. Larissa stood up and said, “I think we just landed.”
Roxanne woke up and Ferus was there by her side again. He said, “I have something that Senator Nola Flow wanted me to give to you.”
He pulled out a notebook that had a dark blue cloth-like cover on it and had her name written in silver letters across it and she knew what it was. It was her Journal she thought she had lost when she was six-years-old when she returned with Siri and Ferus back to the Jedi Temple.
“I thought I lost this when I went to Coruscant with you and Siri,” Roxanne said as she looked at the book. “Did Nola tell you how they found it?”
“Nola said when they went to clean out your father’s house Blando came across the notebook in your closet and told her it was yours. She knew whenever she saw you again that you would want to have it,” Ferus said.
“Thanks,” she said gratefully.
Roxanne thought about Sage as she saw her Journal, and also thought how she and Ferus eliminated the space pirate. “Boy, we really flew great together, didn’t we?”
“Yes, in fact I was hoping we would always fly together,” Ferus said as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer to him.
Roxanne’s metallic sky-blue eyes widen with happiness as she looked at him and understood what Ferus was saying. Ferus looked at her and met her eyes.
“Yes, Ferus. I love you, too,” Roxanne answered softly as she nestled herself in his arm.
Ferus wrapped his left arm around her waist and his right hand gently grasped the back of her and he leaned his forehead down and softly touched her nose with his nose.
Roxanne reached up and wrapped her arms around Ferus’s neck, pressing her body against him. Ferus pressed his lips to hers and they shared their first real kiss.
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Post by DarkSaber on Jun 13, 2010 11:29:36 GMT -5
Camille and the Crystalline Crisis Rating: PG-13 Setting: After TPM(The Phantom Menace)
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters or planets that are mentioned in my story. They belong to the creator of Star Wars George Lucas. The only thing I take the credit for is for the added characters I created. To give credit where it is due Larissa Maltoise and Kari Elizabeth Kittreise belongs to my best friend, Jedimaster4239 from her “The Path to Righteousness” story and my sequel “Showdown on Nacoruscant”. I own the character Roxanne Quin a.k.a. Roxie. I don’t own the characters from the Jedi Quest series or the Last of the Jedi series. They belong to Jude Watson.
Author’s Note from Sithallycat3434: First I would like to thank my BBF, Ashton Ebarb for all the hard work she has done on her story and on my sequel, which by the way, would not have been very good if I did not have her help. She is also the one who suggested to do a third story. To give credit where it’s due this story was initially created by Jedimaster4239 (Then titled “The Enigma of Camile”) Now titled “Camille and the Crystalline Crisis” (Title provided by her) I changed and added some stuff around to make it more interesting. I dedicate this story to our friendship and to her personally for being a great person that she is and for being one of the truest friends I have ever had and known. I mean this from the bottom of my heart and may it last during each step of our own destiny and May the Force always be with us, forever!
Author’s Note 2 from Jedimaster4239: I would just like to say thank you Sithallycat3434, for turning my stories in a trilogy, improving them, causing me to improve them, and always be a true friend through thick and thin!
Description:“Camille and the Crystalline Crisis” is the last installment to Jedimaster4239 and Sithallycat3434 Star Wars fan fiction trilogy “Trials of the Force.” In this last exciting adventure, Larissa Maltoise and her apprentice meet up with the famous Star Wars characters Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker, and Master Yoda. They will also meet up with Larissa’s first apprentice Kari Elizabeth Kittreise. We even added some new villains and bring back some familiar characters (for those who are familiar with Jude Watson’s work) Siri Tachi and Ferus Olin.
Jedimaster4239’s Guide to the Characters
Kari: Formally a brilliant Jedi student, she was always kind and caring, eager to lend a hand to anyone in need. Being compassionate and thoughtless of herself, Kari was well on her way to become a great healer one day, as her strength lies in healing instead of fighting. After falling in love with Anakin Skywalker, she left the Jedi Order. She regrets this everyday though because she feels she let her Jedi family down by running. It has been about two years since she left.
Larissa: A calm Jedi Knight, and Kari’s former mentor, she is a well-rounded Jedi with great strength for a female and great love as she learned from Kari. She had thought her apprentice dead, until after getting a new apprentice (Roxanne) and being saved by Kari on a mission with Roxanne. Now she is committed to helping her eager student Roxanne excel as a Jedi, while trying to forget of the pain in not seeing Kari.
Krishna: President of CW and Queen of Camille; loyal, dependable, and honest. She looks after the citizens of Camille and sacrifices much to make sure they are living with satisfactory standards.
Uteri: Executive of CW; as honest and loyal as Krishna, he is true to his friends and homeworld. Very modest, he enjoys helping the president because it allows him to be in the background, yet improve his planet at the same time.
Amaryllis: The sister of Sanyo and Krishna’s secretary, she is deceitful and selfish, however, she is a good actor...no one ever suspecting that she is helping the plot to take over Camille.
Sanyo: The brother of Amaryllis, he is ambitious, but only so he can gain grandeur and fame for himself. The only person he trusts is his sister, as it the only person he would share his power with.
Nephri: A good-natured Camillian former scientist at CW who loves science and the art of creating new things. His intentions are always good, but after one bad creation and a few bad events, he leaves to work on his projects as a hermit, never expecting that his one bad creation would come back to haunt him.
Skwob: A scientist at CW, he is annoying to most with his squabbling nature, but also a brilliant technician and a loyal Camillian...well, when he’s not hiding.
Sithallycat3434’s Guide to the Characters
Roxanne: An extremely hyper active and devoted Jedi apprentice who trains under Larissa Maltoise. She has a secret the Jedi don’t know. She’s in love with an apprentice named Ferus Olin. They met on their last mission together and they haven’t admitted that they love each other yet.
Sam: The brother of Sage Tex. He’s a power hungry dictator who wants power and control of Camille. He mainly wants revenge on the Jedi because they killed his sister and got in the way of killing a Senator from Nacoruscant. He works undercover on Camille as Haythem West.
Gina: The sister of Gage Rex and she’s in love with Sam. She’s only with him because he promised she would be part of the plan.
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Post by DarkSaber on Jun 13, 2010 11:42:36 GMT -5
Chapter One
Sixteen-year-old Roxanne Keira Quin a.k.a. Roxie entered the ship and spotted her Master Larissa Maltoise sitting in the copilot chair. She is going to be seventeen in a few days.
“Master, where are we going?” Roxanne asked.
“Ilum,” Larissa answered, watching her Padawan’s expression.
The name struck a nerve in Roxanne’s mind. Her metallic sky blue eyes flashed brightly at her Master. “I’ve heard of that planet.”
“I’m glad you have,” Larissa said softly with a smile. “Since your lightsaber was destroyed, you will need a new one. This is a quest for you to gather the crystals to construct your own lightsaber.”
She watched as Roxanne used the weather instruments to pilot the shuttle, and her connection to the Force. Larissa did not have to worry about her apprentice’s piloting because she knows Roxanne is an expert pilot, even better than herself. She would be the first to admit that to anyone.
“There,” she told Roxanne and gave her the coordinates. “You can do it.”
“I know I can do it,” Roxanne said. “I’m wondering why you want me to.”
“It’s an easy climb to our destination from there,” Larissa replied.
Roxanne’s hand found the switches to begin the landing cycle. “I know better than to ask what that is.”
Larissa smiled as she sat back and watched in fondness as, with sober nerves and a firm hand as Roxanne steered the ship into a tight space. She set the ship down gently. There was enough room to activate the hatch and clamber out.
Larissa had faith that her decision was the right one. Roxanne had been at the Temple since she was six-years-old. She trained under Master Yoda for six years until she was twelve. Larissa chose her as her Padawan when she was a little older because she felt a connection to Roxanne. Her progress has been extraordinary. She was at the top of her class in saber training, piloting, memory skills, and the Jedi’s most important goal---connection to the Force.
It was her quick progress that gave Larissa a slight pause for a moment. Things came too easily for her apprentice and she knew it. There was a danger of recklessness and arrogance in her power. Roxanne had a tendency to take matters into her own hands, though she listens to advice of others.
Just as Larissa once did. Just as Kari once did. That’s one of the things Larissa always came back to. She and Kari both made mistakes like that at Roxanne’s age. Larissa wanted Roxanne to have the freedom to do the same and learn from her experience as she always does.
Kari had been Larissa’s apprentice before Roxanne, and Larissa’s first. She was sweet and eager to learn as well as helpful to anyone she met. Larissa loved her so much that it took all the training she had ever received at the Temple not to grieve for her apprentice when certain events pulled Kari away. She found out a year ago that Kari is still alive, helping the galaxy when she can. Secretly, Larissa wishes her apprentice would come back to the Temple, but she would never admit that to anyone, especially Kari, wherever she was.
Roxanne and Larissa pulled out their survival gear, fastening their thermal coats over their tunics, pulled their gloves over their hands and lowered their goggles over their eyes.
The temperature on Ilum was extremely cold. Blizzards would strike without warning. And the ice formations have sharp edges which would cause injuries to anyone who fell. Roxanne lowered the hatch and they carefully stepped out onto the icy ground. There was only a small amount of ledge for them to step on, and the wind cut into the exposed parts of their bodies, the tip of their noses and chins. The sun, or what they could see of it in the pale sky, was not good for warmth on this ice planet.
“Where is the Crystal Cave?” Roxanne asked.
Larissa looked up. “Above us. We have to scale this cliff.”
Roxanne looked at the cliff carefully. It looked like a blue sheet of smooth glass, the ground covered with snow. To make matters worse, there were no handholds or footholds to see.
“This is the easy climb?” Roxanne repeated with a huff. “Why did the Jedi pick a dangerous spot to keep the Ilum crystals when they could keep them in a safe place anyway, Master?”
“The crystals grow in the cave,” Larissa explained as she reached for her cable launcher on her utility belt. “This is where we must gather them. The challenge is also part of the reward ahead.”
The wind decided to pick up as it lifted a strand of Roxanne’s shoulder-length dark brown hair with bright blonde streaks away from her face. Her eyes had the look of curiosity for the adventure ahead.
“I’m not gripping. This looks like fun.” She flashed a mischievous grin that Larissa knew very well.
Larissa gave Roxanne a nod. There was something about this girl that wound around her heart.
The Jedi Knight turned her head away so Roxanne could not see her smile. Then another young girl who had stolen her heart as a daughter-like figure came to mind. Kari was in her head so often. Larissa missed her dearly and she hoped to see Kari again before Roxanne became a Jedi Knight.
Larissa activated her cable launcher and the spike bit into the ice above. She tested the line to see if it was safe.
“Remember to be wary of the wind,” Larissa said to Roxanne. “Trust yourself and pay attention to your balance at all times because the ice formations can cut you if you are not careful. Let the Force flow through you and aid in your ascent.”
Roxanne nodded as the dancing lights left her eyes; they now seemed dull and expressionless. She had the ability to summon stillness in a moment. She went somewhere Larissa could not reach her; somewhere where she could focus on the Force and herself while making the difficult climb.
Roxanne launched her own cable launcher and tested it. After a nod from Larissa, they activated the lines and let themselves be hauled themselves up at a dizzy speed to hang suspended in the air. Larissa chipped a piece of ice with a sharp implement to make her next foothold. She glanced over her shoulder to make sure Roxanne was doing the same.
Larissa felt a strong gust of wind sway her off the cliff. She slipped one foot into the crevice she’d created and hauled herself up. Then she activated her cable line again as the wind settled down. One more launch and they would be at the high, narrow ledge that opened out into the Crystal Cave.
Roxanne already hauled her bony self high in the air. She worked quickly with her sharp tool, digging another foothold into the cliff. Larissa could see that despite her speed, Roxanne was struggling with the wind gust that slammed her against the cliff.
Larissa took over in order to slow down Roxanne’s pace a bit. They leapfrogged up the cliff, pausing for a moment. Finally Larissa was able to reach the lip of the cave. She looked over at Roxanne, who gave her a nod. They launched themselves up the ledge safely to the cliff.
“Can we remove our survival gear?” Roxanne asked upon entering the cave. Larissa nodded and they stripped off their gloves and goggles.
“The crystals are deep within the cave. In order to reach them, you’ll have to pass through visions and voices. They are meant to test you. You will have to face your fear, perhaps something from your past even. The voices will tempt you to give up instead of going on. You must do what you feel is right, no matter how difficult,” Larissa explained.
Roxanne stood there in front of her Master and stepped one foot toward the cave. “I’m ready.”
Larissa put a hand on Roxanne’s shoulder and looked her in the eye.
“Remember your training, Roxie. We all have fear,” she said. “There’s no shame in it. Your feelings are your strength. Experience them and let them go as you move on toward your goal. There are lessons to be learned even from fear and anger. Face those lessons and learn from them so you can move on to calmness and compassion.”
“I know all this,” Roxanne said with a trace of impatience in her voice.
“No,” Larissa said softly, “you have only heard it, but you will soon feel what it means.”
Once they entered the cave they saw nothing but black stones. The stone was smooth and shiny, and it engulfed light rather than reflecting it.
“Should I use a glow rod?” Roxanne’s voice echoed.
“No. Wait for your eyes to adjust.”
Larissa reached into her tunic and pulled out a small pouch Roxanne had made when she became her apprentice. She placed it in Roxanne’s hand. “Here’s the hilt of what will be your lightsaber and the other components. Once you find the crystals, you will fashion the lightsaber to your own hand. Do not rush the task. It takes some Jedi days or weeks to make it. No matter how long it takes you, I will wait. We will stay on Ilum as long as necessary.”
Roxanne walked further into the cave. There were names inscribed in rows that went from one ceiling to the floor. Larissa and Roxanne could not make heads or tails out of it.
Leave before it’s too late for you turn back.
The voice was a murmur that Roxie did not recognize. She looked at Larissa questioningly.
“It begins now,” Larissa said softly. “May the Force be with you.”
Larissa turned back to let her apprentice go ahead with the challenge.
A Jedi stepped forward from the cave wall that stopped Roxanne dead in her tracks.
There is much pleasure in the galaxy. Why you deprive yourself from it? The Jedi path is narrow. Why choose it?
Continuing without answer, Roxanne heard many voices and murmurs, but did not pay any attention to them.
Then she stopped as she saw herself. She was six-years-old in her purple jumpsuit her father bought her. It was the day she won the Nacoruscant Downhill Speeder Race. Just as she was about to receive her prize, she saw Sage Tex, the space pirate that killed her father.
Roxanne screamed when Sage shot at her, hitting her father instead. She Roxanne closed her eyes.
Suddenly she felt something poke her and a voice said, “There are the crystals.”
Roxanne turned around and saw Larissa smile at her. “It’s time.”
Roxanne leaned down and examined the cave floor. The crystals grew in intricate formations. In the dark cave, they glowed, bringing light to the immense darkness. She passed her hand over them without touching. She could feel the vibrations emanate from them. The Force here was stronger than anywhere Roxanne had ever been. Choosing six crystals, though only three of them she would use to fashion her lightsaber, Roxanne placed them in the pouch that was hanging from her utility belt.
“Before you begin, you have to mediate,” Larissa said. “Go into a trance, Roxie. Cleanse your mind. Then your feelings will guide your intent.”
Roxanne sat on the floor and emptied the contents onto the floor of the cave. She tapped into the Force and began to lose herself in it. Wonder was all Roxanne felt as she remembered Larissa saying that she could not help her; that this was Roxanne’s test alone. An hour or two had passed when Roxanne finished the hilt of her lightsaber. She needed the crystals and then the lightsaber would be finished.
Larissa gave Roxanne a gentle smile. But then Larissa’s face changed into a metal helmet with a smirk on its face.
“Did I startle you?” he asked as Roxanne scattered the crystals she had in her hand. “I thought Jedi were supposed to be tuned with the Force, but that was pathetic. Did you honestly think I was a Jedi?”
He let out an evil cackle that made the hairs on the back of Roxanne’s neck stand on end. Roxanne knew this man was Sam Tex, the older brother of Sage Tex.
What she did not know is that this was only a vision of the real Sam, and that he is in charge of the operation of what his sister used to do. His profile is similar to his sister, but this time he’s out for revenge and power.
I recognize that cackle from anywhere, Roxanne thought to herself.
“You’re Sam Tex,” Roxanne hissed.
“Surprised?” Sam asked in a husky voice as he pulled out his sword that was long and slender.
He tried to strike at her, but Roxanne quickly dodged his attack.
Roxanne used the Force to grab the crystals she scattered on the floor and placed them in the lightsaber hilt. Taking a breath of amazement at her accomplishment, Roxanne activated her weapon and the laser glowed orange.
Just as she was about to go after Sam, Roxanne saw a girl who was around her age and Sam shot at her just as she raised her saber to block. Her attention was drawn back to the girl.
Sam took advantage of this opportunity and ran out of the cave. Roxanne regained her senses.
She deactivated her lightsaber, attached it to her side, and followed behind. Just as she rounded a corner, Roxie ran straight into a wall.
She regained her balance quickly and decided to find Larissa. On her way, she ignited her lightsaber again. It was double-bladed just like she wanted it. The saber glowed orange.
Larissa was sitting at the end of the cave, sitting cross-legged. She opened her eyes and noticed it was Roxanne, her lightsaber hanging from her utility belt.
“You made this?” Larissa asked.
“Yes,” Roxanne said. She did not want to tell Larissa about her encounter with Sam Tex the space pirate. It had been both frightening and upsetting to see him again…to witness her father dying again. Her anger flared up, but Roxie fought to remain calm. She handed her blade to Larissa.
“This is a good sign, Roxie. I had not expected such swift progress, though I guess it should not come to my surprise. When you let your instincts take over, they will not fail you. Remember how you and Ferus destroyed Sage’s ship on Nacoruscant? The Force is always with you.”
Roxanne felt the anger evaporate to be replaced with the satisfaction of her success. (End Ch.1)
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I live in my own little world, but that's okay though...they know me here.
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Post by DarkSaber on Jun 13, 2010 11:44:38 GMT -5
Chapter Two
“President Krishna, we have a problem,” Uteri informed the CW President and Queen of Camille.
“What is it? I’m very busy at the moment,” said a frustrated, yet patient Krishna answered.
Last week an attack had been made on the small planet of Camille. The attacker had used Camille’s own missiles against them. These missiles are one of the newest products the Camillians have developed. They are heat-sensitive tracking missiles: they are attracted to motors, especially ships, and even people. Many had been killed and many more injured during the two day assault. Krishna has been trying to calm all the citizens and discover the menace that caused this catastrophe.
“It seems our anonymous attacker has struck again. This time it’s even worse,” Uteri said gravely.
Krishna, clearly exhausted, turned her chair to face Uteri. With a look of foreboding, she asked, "What could possibly be worse than this?"
Uteri looked down for a moment. “Our poison bombs, another of our newest products, have been released throughout the planet. Hundreds of our people are now sick, without a cure.”
Krishna gave him an incredulous look. "When our scientists developed a poison, didn’t they create an antidote?"
Uteri sighed and shook his head. “The bombs were only an experimental weapon completed a week ago; however, there is an antidote currently under development.”
The poison bombs were one of the many weapons developed on Camille. They explode, not to destroy, but to excrete a poisonous gas. Camille is the smallest planet in the entire galaxy. It’s more like a city than a planet, where everyone works together. The inhabitants of Camille, the Camillians are interesting humanoids.
Camillians are naturally forest green in color. They have the unique ability to use their pigment cells in order to influence their color. So they can blend into their surroundings or turn a certain color, for instance red, to alert others of their current mood. If a Camillian is red it’s angry and beings are better off leaving them alone. They have claws on their two-fingered hands and also on their two-toed feet. The claws give them better traction for climbing. Another unique ability of the Camillians is that they are able to move their eyes separately. This allows them to see on both sides of them at once. It’s almost like having eyes in the back of your head.
They import all necessary supplies and do whatever they can to make a living. Most common is the job to develop weapons. It is what they are known for; however, it’s ironic seeing as how the Camillians themselves are peaceful creatures. The houses and businesses are built in the enormous trees that grow on Camille. It is astounding to see such sophisticated homes aloft in trees. The Camillians do this for protection against predators. They climb the trees with their powerful claws. The Camillians have a simple society. With the threatening attacks, they fear this could all come to an end.
Camille is like a giant rain-forest, containing many plant and animal species. In fact, the poison made for the poison bombs came from a native plant species. The planet receives high rainfall year-round and is full of moist deciduous and semi-evergreen trees. The climate is warm, but the soil is poor. Because of this, there is no undergrowth beneath the trees.
“This is preposterous. Who would want to attack our planet and why?” President Krishna wondered.
She is a born leader among the Camillians. Krishna has served as President over the weapon designer company and Queen over the planet for over forty years. She is now sixty-eight and her leathery skin is turning olive green as all older Camillians do. The Camillians give her such authority because they know she cares about their welfare and continually works to ensure they have a nice economy. The profits made from purchases at the factory are given to workers and charities. Krishna, as Queen, needs no profit. She has everything she needs, and all she wants is to help her less fortunate citizens.
“An outsider must be responsible for this,” the executive over the weapon designer factory answered.
Uteri has held his position for a decade. He is loyal and committed in the factory. As executive to Krishna, he often does helpful things for the planet while staying "in the background".
As if in response to the discussion, Amaryllis, the secretary, came inside Krishna’s office. It is always so organized and welcoming. Krishna has paintings on the walls, plants everywhere, a well-organized desk and file cabinet, and soft-cushioned chairs for visitors.
“Miss Krishna, you have a call waiting,” Amaryllis informed the president.
Uteri noticed the beads of sweat on her forehead and the nervousness with which she spoke.
Krishna turned her chair to face a wall painting behind her. She removed the painting to reveal a large screen and answered the call. It was so dark you could barely notice the screen was on.
There was a shape in the dark.
He spoke in a strong voice, “Good evening, Miss Krishna. I’m sure you’ve heard of the recent mishaps here in Camille.” The voice was deep and sinister.
Krishna masked her fear and answered, “Why, yes, I have. Do you know who is behind these attacks?”
She knew the answer before he replied, “I am.”
“What do you expect to gain from all this?” Krishna asked calmly.
“Glad you asked. I want power, control. I want to control the factory…and the planet. If you don’t resign and give me your positions---”
Krishna interrupted saying, “Then you’ll do what? I will not allow the planet of Camille to fall under the oppression of a power-hungry dictator such as yourself.”
The mysterious caller was furious at her calmness, defiance, and lack of respect for him. He calmed himself down and grinned. If I’m angry I could make a mistake. Just stay calm.
“In two minutes I will release another plague upon this planet unless you cooperate,” he said sharply.
Krishna thought for a second. She could not let him have what he wanted. If she did not do something fast there might not be any Camillians left.
“I will not cooperate with you,” Krishna replied flatly as she stared at the shape of the figure in the screen.
He was tall and handsome with dark brown curly hair that reached his shoulders and he wore a silver helmet. He had brown eyes and an evil smile on his lips. He has a scar on his right eyebrow.
Oh, dear, no. He is a human. Krishna realized he had not replied. He was waiting to fulfill his threat.
“Two minutes are up lizard breath. Do you remember the droid called Oblitr8? I hope so, because it’s currently being released with one purpose: to destroy all Camillians,” he replied.
Krishna sucked in her breath as the screen went blank all of a sudden.
“Uteri, give an order for all production in the factory to shut down. Then send a message to all Camillians to report here for shelter. Amaryllis, contact the Jedi Temple at once. We’ll hold out as long as we can until the Jedi arrive.”
Amaryllis nodded.
Uteri had already left.
Amaryllis had only been working here for a year. She was scared but she followed Krishna’s command.
Why is this happening? Krishna asked herself. Power, control. Why do people crave these things?
She fell more than sat back into her chair. Messages were already being sent about the attacks caused from Oblitr8. That droid was more than a droid---it was a monster. CW, the weapons factory, had designed it a decade ago.
More precisely, the former head scientist Nephri Vironz had designed it. Nephri thought if a war ever came the droid would be perfect. It destroyed whatever it was programmed to with lasers, explosives, anything Nephri could imagine he equipped on Oblitr8.
Krishna thought it was a terrible monstrosity and had it locked away. Then she moved Nephrite to the development department of the factory. That way he could create what the more forbearing scientists researched and came up with. She placed Skwob Mizum as the head scientist and he has been there ever since.
Nephri was insulted to be move to Development. Research was what he loved to do. So he quit his job. He could not support himself living in town. Nephri was grieved and wanted to be alone. He became a hermit and worked alone in the woods developing medicines. Oblitr8 was the only cruel thing Nephri had ever built, so Krishna had intended on moving him back to the research department in a month. He was too upset to hear her out though. She regretted losing him, but even more so now when he was the only one who knew how to stop Oblitr8.
“The Jedi are on line,” Amaryllis reported.
She left and Krishna faced her screen. “I’m sorry to disturb you but our situation had become critical. I made contact with our attacker. He wants control of the planet. And he has released a monstrous droid bent on the annihilation of our species. We desperately need your help. Please, hurry!” (End Ch.2)
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I live in my own little world, but that's okay though...they know me here.
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Post by DarkSaber on Jun 13, 2010 11:48:48 GMT -5
Chapter Three
Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi and his nineteen-year-old apprentice Anakin Skywalker were in the Jedi Council room. Master Yoda stood before them with Mace Windu by his side.
They played the message.
It said, “I’m sorry to disturb you, but our situation had become critical. I made contact with our attacker. He wants control of the planet. And he has released a monstrous droid bent on the annihilation of our species. We desperately need your help. Please, hurry!” The transmission ended.
Obi-Wan and Anakin glanced at each other.
They would have to get to Camille as quickly as possible.
“Make haste, you must,” Master Yoda said. “Sending you to Ilum to find Roxanne and Larissa we are. To Camille you will then go.”
“Go to the weapon factory immediately after finding Larissa and Roxanne,” Mace Windu said.
Obi-Wan and Anakin nodded. “Yes, Masters.”
Together, the two Jedi began readying for the mission that lay ahead of them.
“Master, isn’t Roxanne that young apprentice with the multicolored streaks in her hair?” Anakin asked.
“Yes,” Obi-Wan said. “She is almost as gifted as you and..." Obi-Wan paused as he looked at his apprentice. “Very hyper. In any event, her skills rival your own. Larissa told me that Roxanne is one of the youngest kids to ever win a Speeder Bike Race on her homeworld.”
Mentioning lightsaber skills got Anakin’s attention faster than chasing after a bounty hunter on a wild bantha chase. He did not know Roxanne very well so he couldn’t judge a person he barely knew. He learned that when he went on a mission with Larissa’s first apprentice Kari Kittreise.
Why couldn’t I save her? he thought.
“How old is Roxanne now?” Anakin asked, not wishing to show his feelings about Kari to Obi-Wan.
“She’s sixteen going on seventeen,” Obi-Wan replied. He had not known of the love Anakin and Kari felt for each other. Both Obi-Wan and Anakin believe Kari still to be dead. As the Chosen One, Anakin is constantly challenged more than the average Jedi. He is the most skilled Jedi ever…which leads to his arrogance. There are feelings even deeper than arrogance that trouble young Anakin, like fear to not be good enough to save everyone. And his mentor Obi-Wan tries his best to train Anakin. As a wise and faithful Jedi, Obi-Wan has become one of the best the Order has. These two Jedi are perhaps the greatest Master-Apprentice pair of their time.
Once Anakin and Obi-Wan had finished everything that needed to be taken care of, they boarded their ship and headed for Ilum.
Roxanne and Larissa walked out of the cave and there by their ship was another aircraft.
Standing beside it was a figure in cream-colored Jedi garments. She had light brown hair, almost the color of honey.
“Kari?” Larissa asked in disbelief.
“Hello, Larissa,” Kari said with a smile. Then she nodded to Roxanne. “Roxie.”
“Hey, Kari,” Roxanne said.
“When? How?” Larissa tried to ask the multitude of questions she had all at once. She was so glad to see Kari again.
“I was on Camille helping a friend there give items and hope to the few citizens in poverty when a terrorist there threatened the Camillians. I contacted Master Yoda and he told me that you were here with your apprentice so I decided to tell you about it,” Kari explained.
Roxanne and Larissa looked at each other and back at Kari.
“I think this is something the Jedi should look into,” Kari persisted.
“We will,” Larissa assured her.
Kari hesitated before continuing. "There is more. When I came here I sensed a presence, an evil presence. I think someone has been here other than the Jedi, but I am afraid I do not know who. I just want you to be careful."
Larissa took a moment before replying.
“I do not feel anything, but I trust you are right. You always were sensitive to other life-forms,” she reminisced.
“Will you be there to help assist us on Camille?” Roxanne asked.
“I’ll be there,” Kari said with sheer determination.
Larissa hugged her. “I’ve really missed you, dear one. You’re here in my heart.”
Kari felt the warmth of her many years of friendship as Larissa’s apprentice flood over her and repel the icy cold winds that threatened to freeze her.
“We may see each other more often in the future,” Kari said, with a meaning only she herself could know. “For now, I must return to Camille.”
She looked to Roxanne. “Congratulations on constructing your lightsaber.”
“Thanks, it was no problem at all,” Roxanne replied.
Larissa smiled at the two girls. “Roxanne, we should scan the area for this evil presence Kari mentioned before leaving.”
“Good idea,” Roxanne replied and began to scan the area.
Kari smiled as she boarded her aircraft. “May the Force be with you.”
Roxanne had decided to search outside of the cave while Larissa went inside. Larissa was on her way back outside the cave when she was contacted by the Temple to go to Camille. Master Windu informed her that Obi-Wan and Anakin had already left to come with them. Larissa agreed and began making her way to Roxanne.
Roxie was so preoccupied with searching that she oblivious to everything around her and did not see the two Jedi coming towards her.
“Hello, Roxanne!” Obi-Wan called in the distance.
Anakin, running towards her, quickly added, “Long time no see.”
Roxanne jumped before turning to see the fellow Jedi in front of her.
“Anakin. Master Kenobi. You nearly scared me to death. Honestly, how do you expect me to investigate with you two sneaking up on me?” Roxanne admonished to hide her embarrassment at being caught off guard.
“Sneaking? I came running to greet you,” Anakin corrected, a little offended by her tone.
“Well, you run like a lopsided bantha, so how am I to know the difference?” came the sharp reply.
“Ah-hem,” Obi-Wan said, cocking an eyebrow.
Roxanne gave Obi-Wan an impatient look. “I was only kidding. And I know what you were going to say: a Jedi must always have patience and respect other life-forms. But you ain’t my Master, you know.”
Roxanne tensed as she sensed a familiar presence behind her. Uh-oh, now I’m in for it.
“That may be, Roxanne, but you are my apprentice, and I not only would tell you the same but expect you to do what I say as well. You should respect Master Kenobi and show your appreciation for his and Anakin’s help, instead of rudely brushing them aside. Otherwise we will greatly reconsider the length of your apprentice training,” Larissa finished her lecture with a very stern, yet caring look.
“I’m sorry, Master,” Roxanne said. Her mentor’s disappointment was far worse than the previous embarrassment she had felt.
“Well, don’t apologize to me. I was not the one you behaved so impolitely to.” Larissa wanted Roxanne to realize that it is important to treat everyone with respect, not just the ones you love.
Trying not to grit her teeth and whine, Roxanne turned to Obi-Wan, without meeting his gaze and murmured, “Sorry.”
Anakin talked to her and the two began walking back towards the caves.
“A rather cheeky apprentice, isn’t she?” Obi-Wan asserted.
Larissa had to suppress a laugh. “I’m sorry, Obi-Wan. I do not know why she behaves with so much hostility towards you. She is still an apprentice. Maybe she just needs more time to grow.”
“Don’t they all,” Obi-Wan agreed.
“Once you get to know her you’ll get attached to her,” Larissa said with a smile. “I’m thankful for who she is. Roxanne makes mistakes, but she learns from them. She is courageous, loyal, and self-sacrificing...she will make a grand Jedi Knight one day.”
“I’m glad that you have found someone to be close to again,” Obi-Wan said.
Larissa gave a small nod and then she and Obi-Wan walked further into the cave behind Roxanne and Anakin, who were even deeper than they were. Larissa explained that before they left, she and Roxanne needed to check the caves for any beings who were not supposed to be there.
Roxanne began to climb the wall with Anakin right behind her. It was dark, though the light from the crystals were shining, but it still did not help the matter. She missed the foothold and she tried to grab something, but she was not fast enough and lost her balance. Roxanne fell dropped to the ground.
“Whoa!” Roxanne shouted as she landed in a snow mound which was freezing, and she was covered from head to toe.
“That’s it,” Roxanne said in an impatient voice that was sort of muffled.
Anakin looked up and noticed that she was not on top of the cliff and that her backpack was on the ground.
“What happened to you?” Anakin asked when he Force-jumped down from the cliff only to find that Roxanne was buried under a mound of snow.
“Missed the foothold and I tried to grab something and I lost my balance and landed in the snow mound,” Roxanne replied as she dug her way through and Anakin stuck his hand into the snow to help her up.
Roxanne reached for her bag and pulled out a glow rod and snapped it in half.
“There, that’s much better,” she said with relief when the light began to glow blue. “Here, Anakin.”
“Thanks,” Anakin said as he took half of the blue glow rod from her.
Roxanne nodded and they walked down the path together. Anakin walked beside her and little did they know they were about to come across a group of gorgodons that were lying in front of them, sleeping on the side of the Crystal Cave.
They were large creatures native to Ilum. Their feeding grounds were on the icy plains below, where they feed on lichen and scrub. Anakin knew they were excellent climbers, but he had never heard of them being this high. They were also fierce predators.
“Stay still,” he whispered to Roxanne.
Roxanne’s eyebrow shot up in the air at him because staying still was not something she was good at doing, though she was not going to admit that to Anakin.
If they were lucky, the beasts would not see them. Their eye sight was poor, but their hearing and sense of smell was excellent.
“What are they?” Roxanne asked in a whisper.
“Gorgodons,” Anakin replied. “Triple row of teeth with sharp claws. They dispatch their victims by squeezing them to death. The only way to kill them is a blow to the back of the neck.”
“Anything else?” she whispered as a gust of wind swept over the ledge. The wind carried their scent and one of the creatures decided to wake up.
“Yeah,” Anakin said. “Watch out for their---”
A large reptilian tail whipped out from the closest gorgodon, smacking Roxanne and sending her flying back toward the ledge of the cliff.
“Tails!” Anakin shouted, vaulting after Roxanne. (End Ch.3)
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