Post by Force_Flow on Jun 26, 2007 22:42:56 GMT -4
"Are you sure you want to do this, Ben?"
In his and Ben's apartment, Jaing paced back and forth, hands clasped behind his back, betraying his concern for his Padawan. Ben sat on the sofa, elbows on his knees, with the face of a man made out of steel. He wouldn't budge. He was looking calmly at Jaing, and he couldn't help but think back to the time Selena had been hit with the Vong poison. She was like a second mother to him, in place of Shalin. He had cared for her, and found it hard to stay still and watch her die. He held Ben close to his heart. Close enough for it to hurt when he realized Ben was turning into a young man.
Will it feel this way with Allana? he wondered.
"I'm going," Ben said. "We've already talked about this. Don't you trust me, Jaing? I can handle myself."
"I don't trust you as much as I should," Jaing said. "Perhaps I'm overprotective."
"I like learning under you, Jaing," Ben said. "It's fun. Plus, all Dad would let me do is hold the lightsaber and imagine myself in an imaginary world where peace covers war. He doesn’t get my sense of humor when I say ‘Hey look! A girl just pushed her little brother!’”
“So you’re sure?” Jaing asked. “Absolutely sure?”
Ben groaned. One more day, and they’d be out there. Fighting for their lives again.
--
Rylee looked at herself through Jaden’s mirror, observing every line, every curve about her body. Like Tahiri, Rylee was very pretty. She was twenty, now, maybe a year or two younger than Tahiri. Her face was dotted by small freckles, and her brown hair had been dyed just after Leia’s dinner. Now, like her adoptive mother, Rylee wore the red hair. Her hair was just a bit wavy, though. She decided to braid it. Leaning back, she let her hair fall back behind her. Using a small black band, she put it in a ponytail. Then she separated three large strands and started to twist them in an odd pattern.
She felt two more hands come in behind her. “Here,” said Jaden. Rylee let go of her hair and straightened her back. She could now see Jaden in the mirror’s reflection. She had been staying over at her apartment for a while, but she was always surprised when Jaden somehow masterfully danced around her senses, avoiding detection. Rylee noticed that Jaden had once again dyed her hair blonde, like she had done a long time ago on her mission to survey a spice minor. She had killed him a year later. Everyone had thought she left the Order, but she arrived again, during the Swarm War. During her travels, she had somehow learned her mother’s unique way of using the Force to control the elements around her. Shalin had never taught Jaden how to make a flame, though. Jaden taught herself that.
“Is Tian asleep?” Rylee asked quietly.
“No,” Jaden said, smiling. “Still up and wondering what in the osik is going on. Where does she learn such language?”
“You.”
They laughed gently. Jaden playfully tugged on Rylee’s almost-done braid. “I like the red hair: it suits you. Gimme a rubber band.” Rylee handed her her second band, and Jaden put it on the end of Rylee’s braid. “So tell me again,” Jaden said, reaching around Rylee to grab the large ink bottle, brush and pencil, “Why didn’t you want to hang out at Luke and Selena’s? Selena could do better fake tattoos than me, you know.”
“I know,” Rylee said. “But I see them every time I visit. I never get to see you anymore.”
“So sweet,” Jaden said dryly. “Now, what are you trying to weasel out of me?”
“A ship.”
” Tion'ad hukaat'kama?” Jaden asked. Her native tongue was Mando’a, and Rylee had learned when and where to expect it.
Rylee smirked. “You’re watching my back,” she replied. “You are, aren’t you?”
Jaden laughed. She walked over to her couch and moved it with the Force. Under it was a small door, which Jaden opened. Out came her mother’s modified Verpine rifle, very light and very accurate. There were a number of… questionable upgrades to it, but it would shoot rocks if you needed to. It had cost Shalin most of her credits when she bought it.
”Ret’ini,” Jaden said solemnly. Just in case.
“I can’t take this from you,” Rylee said, staring at it. “It was your mom’s. It’s your prized possession. And I can handle myself just fine.”
“You’ve been classified as a hell of a shot in training,” Jaden said. “And that was without practice, with a MA024. That thing is an inaccurate, crude piece of machinery. This should help you when you stun Sal-Solo.”
“I’m on your team?” Rylee asked, breathless. “I thought I was on Dad’s!”
“No,” Jaden said, shaking her head. “You’re not on my team, Rylee. This is your team. I hereby relinquish command for a more favorable position as the ‘co-boss.’”
“Wow… Thanks.”
“Just remember: You drop that gun, I’ll drop you.”
--
“But I wanna blow some heads, too!” Tian wailed.
Jaina smiled. She knew where she got that from. “You’re too young, kiddo,” Jaina said, messing up Tian’s soft blond hair. “Listen, how about this: When we come back, I’ll get HK to come. Do you remember him?”
“Yah!” Tian said, grinning. She was looking straight ahead, but not at Jaina’s face. Jaina knew that Tian could somehow detect where people were, even ones hiding in the Force. “He lets me play with his gun!”
The one that doesn’t work, you mean, Jaina thought. “You remember the story that I told you? The one when Tahiri and Rylee climbed all over HK? Why don’t you try that?”
Tian laughed.
--
This woman had been a great Jedi. She had been raised on Earth. She had killed in cold blood when she was six. She had become one of the great Grey Jedi. She had been a controller of the natural worldly elements. She had made many lasting Force Imprints among different places. She had been raised as a Mandalorian, and she had passed that down to both her son and daughter. She had learned not to help herself, but help others. And in helping others, she ad died. But she had left a legacy that could not be forgotten. She had made sure it wouldn’t be.
When she had died, around her thirtieth year, she had learned to keep her identity within the Force. She had learned, but she had forgotten, over time. The ability to contact with the other world was soon dying, and she was being pulled into the stream of the Force, against her will. She could not say goodbye to her husband, or to her kids. She left. Just like that. Soon, all she was was part of the Lifestream, a living force of energy the others believed in as the Force. She had learned what the Force really was, though:
The Force was a gathering of the dead souls. Once they died, their spirit joined the Lifestream with the sole purpose of helping others. Some souls never died, though. Without conscious thought, without the will to see her children again (for the entire Galaxy was seemed to be her child). She carried on and on. She became vaguely conscious that someone—something—was calling her.
She didn’t know if it was help. But whenever she was called upon, she was determined to go. Through space, and time, she traveled to the large station that beckoned her. Something was familiar about it.
As she reached out to touch it, she remembered. She remembered firing this thing. She remembered, in a past life, she had somehow taken out an entire army, plus three-fourths of her own. She had been in her prime. She had been powerful. She remembered. Filled with a new awareness, she understood these things:
Her name was Shalin Gwa Redgrave. She had been a student at the Earth Enclave. Her ancestor, Aala, had died when a gas station exploded, leaving the Exile, Cerah, to raise her baby boy, who eventually married Canderous Ordo. She remembered key points of her life. A man’s face kept popping into her head, with the knowledge that she would soon see him again. Then a different man, and then a woman. Shalin had no idea what she looked like. She didn’t know who those people were, but they carried great importance to the Galaxy. They needed her Help. Shalin was the Force. She was a part of the Force. As she entered this strange station, her mind was overwhelmed with directions to different places, the names of different people…
It was like she was some sort of God or something. A vague feeling of realization dawned on her. This was before her past-life’s death. Now, as time fast-forward, Shalin could see others tearing down and rebuilding what was. Their intentions weren’t to serve the Lifestream: their intention was to send souls to the Lifestream before their Time. They were not involved in the Help. Shalin felt heavier, and her feet hit the ground hard, but there was no noise…
She looked down and reached out of the same time. What were those tan-colored things in front of her. Memory came back. Hands. She had a body again. She laughed out loud, and was surprised at the sound that came out of her mouth. As memories came back, she realized she was in the same battle outfit she wore when she had visited Point Station. No, that wasn’t right. Centersharp Staion? Centerpoint? She had a strong feeling it was the second.
Everything came back, or, actually, foreword. She saw the two men she had been thinking of. They were being tagged along by a red-haired boy. Shalin cocked her head. The first one, with brown hair, seemed to call out to her. So she followed them, and when that man was separated, she followed him instead. He needed her Help. She noticed the droid that looked just like her. It felt evil.
Then she remembered it ALL. Just before she could reach out and touch her husband, he disappeared. Shalin watched as everything went back in time, and realized that Calvin would need her soon. It would be best to wait here for him. He needed her Help. Very badly.
Sitting on the cold steel floor beneath her Shalin Gwa Redgrave just realized that she was back. Not quite, though, as she still thought in the Lifestream’s way of ‘joined’ life. She wanted to Help. To do the Work. Millions of people across the Galaxy were calling upon the Lifestream for Help. To do the Work. And, for once, Shalin disobeyed.
OOC: Hope Shalin sounded good. I was making the Lifestream part up. It just sounded good to me at the moment.
In his and Ben's apartment, Jaing paced back and forth, hands clasped behind his back, betraying his concern for his Padawan. Ben sat on the sofa, elbows on his knees, with the face of a man made out of steel. He wouldn't budge. He was looking calmly at Jaing, and he couldn't help but think back to the time Selena had been hit with the Vong poison. She was like a second mother to him, in place of Shalin. He had cared for her, and found it hard to stay still and watch her die. He held Ben close to his heart. Close enough for it to hurt when he realized Ben was turning into a young man.
Will it feel this way with Allana? he wondered.
"I'm going," Ben said. "We've already talked about this. Don't you trust me, Jaing? I can handle myself."
"I don't trust you as much as I should," Jaing said. "Perhaps I'm overprotective."
"I like learning under you, Jaing," Ben said. "It's fun. Plus, all Dad would let me do is hold the lightsaber and imagine myself in an imaginary world where peace covers war. He doesn’t get my sense of humor when I say ‘Hey look! A girl just pushed her little brother!’”
“So you’re sure?” Jaing asked. “Absolutely sure?”
Ben groaned. One more day, and they’d be out there. Fighting for their lives again.
--
Rylee looked at herself through Jaden’s mirror, observing every line, every curve about her body. Like Tahiri, Rylee was very pretty. She was twenty, now, maybe a year or two younger than Tahiri. Her face was dotted by small freckles, and her brown hair had been dyed just after Leia’s dinner. Now, like her adoptive mother, Rylee wore the red hair. Her hair was just a bit wavy, though. She decided to braid it. Leaning back, she let her hair fall back behind her. Using a small black band, she put it in a ponytail. Then she separated three large strands and started to twist them in an odd pattern.
She felt two more hands come in behind her. “Here,” said Jaden. Rylee let go of her hair and straightened her back. She could now see Jaden in the mirror’s reflection. She had been staying over at her apartment for a while, but she was always surprised when Jaden somehow masterfully danced around her senses, avoiding detection. Rylee noticed that Jaden had once again dyed her hair blonde, like she had done a long time ago on her mission to survey a spice minor. She had killed him a year later. Everyone had thought she left the Order, but she arrived again, during the Swarm War. During her travels, she had somehow learned her mother’s unique way of using the Force to control the elements around her. Shalin had never taught Jaden how to make a flame, though. Jaden taught herself that.
“Is Tian asleep?” Rylee asked quietly.
“No,” Jaden said, smiling. “Still up and wondering what in the osik is going on. Where does she learn such language?”
“You.”
They laughed gently. Jaden playfully tugged on Rylee’s almost-done braid. “I like the red hair: it suits you. Gimme a rubber band.” Rylee handed her her second band, and Jaden put it on the end of Rylee’s braid. “So tell me again,” Jaden said, reaching around Rylee to grab the large ink bottle, brush and pencil, “Why didn’t you want to hang out at Luke and Selena’s? Selena could do better fake tattoos than me, you know.”
“I know,” Rylee said. “But I see them every time I visit. I never get to see you anymore.”
“So sweet,” Jaden said dryly. “Now, what are you trying to weasel out of me?”
“A ship.”
” Tion'ad hukaat'kama?” Jaden asked. Her native tongue was Mando’a, and Rylee had learned when and where to expect it.
Rylee smirked. “You’re watching my back,” she replied. “You are, aren’t you?”
Jaden laughed. She walked over to her couch and moved it with the Force. Under it was a small door, which Jaden opened. Out came her mother’s modified Verpine rifle, very light and very accurate. There were a number of… questionable upgrades to it, but it would shoot rocks if you needed to. It had cost Shalin most of her credits when she bought it.
”Ret’ini,” Jaden said solemnly. Just in case.
“I can’t take this from you,” Rylee said, staring at it. “It was your mom’s. It’s your prized possession. And I can handle myself just fine.”
“You’ve been classified as a hell of a shot in training,” Jaden said. “And that was without practice, with a MA024. That thing is an inaccurate, crude piece of machinery. This should help you when you stun Sal-Solo.”
“I’m on your team?” Rylee asked, breathless. “I thought I was on Dad’s!”
“No,” Jaden said, shaking her head. “You’re not on my team, Rylee. This is your team. I hereby relinquish command for a more favorable position as the ‘co-boss.’”
“Wow… Thanks.”
“Just remember: You drop that gun, I’ll drop you.”
--
“But I wanna blow some heads, too!” Tian wailed.
Jaina smiled. She knew where she got that from. “You’re too young, kiddo,” Jaina said, messing up Tian’s soft blond hair. “Listen, how about this: When we come back, I’ll get HK to come. Do you remember him?”
“Yah!” Tian said, grinning. She was looking straight ahead, but not at Jaina’s face. Jaina knew that Tian could somehow detect where people were, even ones hiding in the Force. “He lets me play with his gun!”
The one that doesn’t work, you mean, Jaina thought. “You remember the story that I told you? The one when Tahiri and Rylee climbed all over HK? Why don’t you try that?”
Tian laughed.
--
This woman had been a great Jedi. She had been raised on Earth. She had killed in cold blood when she was six. She had become one of the great Grey Jedi. She had been a controller of the natural worldly elements. She had made many lasting Force Imprints among different places. She had been raised as a Mandalorian, and she had passed that down to both her son and daughter. She had learned not to help herself, but help others. And in helping others, she ad died. But she had left a legacy that could not be forgotten. She had made sure it wouldn’t be.
When she had died, around her thirtieth year, she had learned to keep her identity within the Force. She had learned, but she had forgotten, over time. The ability to contact with the other world was soon dying, and she was being pulled into the stream of the Force, against her will. She could not say goodbye to her husband, or to her kids. She left. Just like that. Soon, all she was was part of the Lifestream, a living force of energy the others believed in as the Force. She had learned what the Force really was, though:
The Force was a gathering of the dead souls. Once they died, their spirit joined the Lifestream with the sole purpose of helping others. Some souls never died, though. Without conscious thought, without the will to see her children again (for the entire Galaxy was seemed to be her child). She carried on and on. She became vaguely conscious that someone—something—was calling her.
She didn’t know if it was help. But whenever she was called upon, she was determined to go. Through space, and time, she traveled to the large station that beckoned her. Something was familiar about it.
As she reached out to touch it, she remembered. She remembered firing this thing. She remembered, in a past life, she had somehow taken out an entire army, plus three-fourths of her own. She had been in her prime. She had been powerful. She remembered. Filled with a new awareness, she understood these things:
Her name was Shalin Gwa Redgrave. She had been a student at the Earth Enclave. Her ancestor, Aala, had died when a gas station exploded, leaving the Exile, Cerah, to raise her baby boy, who eventually married Canderous Ordo. She remembered key points of her life. A man’s face kept popping into her head, with the knowledge that she would soon see him again. Then a different man, and then a woman. Shalin had no idea what she looked like. She didn’t know who those people were, but they carried great importance to the Galaxy. They needed her Help. Shalin was the Force. She was a part of the Force. As she entered this strange station, her mind was overwhelmed with directions to different places, the names of different people…
It was like she was some sort of God or something. A vague feeling of realization dawned on her. This was before her past-life’s death. Now, as time fast-forward, Shalin could see others tearing down and rebuilding what was. Their intentions weren’t to serve the Lifestream: their intention was to send souls to the Lifestream before their Time. They were not involved in the Help. Shalin felt heavier, and her feet hit the ground hard, but there was no noise…
She looked down and reached out of the same time. What were those tan-colored things in front of her. Memory came back. Hands. She had a body again. She laughed out loud, and was surprised at the sound that came out of her mouth. As memories came back, she realized she was in the same battle outfit she wore when she had visited Point Station. No, that wasn’t right. Centersharp Staion? Centerpoint? She had a strong feeling it was the second.
Everything came back, or, actually, foreword. She saw the two men she had been thinking of. They were being tagged along by a red-haired boy. Shalin cocked her head. The first one, with brown hair, seemed to call out to her. So she followed them, and when that man was separated, she followed him instead. He needed her Help. She noticed the droid that looked just like her. It felt evil.
Then she remembered it ALL. Just before she could reach out and touch her husband, he disappeared. Shalin watched as everything went back in time, and realized that Calvin would need her soon. It would be best to wait here for him. He needed her Help. Very badly.
Sitting on the cold steel floor beneath her Shalin Gwa Redgrave just realized that she was back. Not quite, though, as she still thought in the Lifestream’s way of ‘joined’ life. She wanted to Help. To do the Work. Millions of people across the Galaxy were calling upon the Lifestream for Help. To do the Work. And, for once, Shalin disobeyed.
OOC: Hope Shalin sounded good. I was making the Lifestream part up. It just sounded good to me at the moment.