Star Wars/RPG - Shadows of War - 3/?
Title: Shadows of War
Author: Lhinneill, aka Stargatefangurl
Summary: One wrong step in these dark times could lead us all to ruin.
Genre: Action/Adventure/General/Friendship/Angst
Length: About 1600 words
Rating: PG13
Characters/Pairing: Original
A/N: I know these type of stories aren't very popular among fans--especially on ff.n--as it doesn't have any of the canon characters in it, but that's really not the point. I'm writing this because I ADORE these characters and can't not write about them. So, if you stumble across this and decide to give it a chance, thank you! I'd love to hear what you think.
Truen Calladann, Kestry Calladann, Chldrrl, Grish, and a few others which escape my memory at the moment, all belong to my friend Lionchilde. I'm just borrowing them.
This is set centuries after RotJ. The galaxy is once again at war, but this time it is a war between the armies of the Sith and the Jedi. I will explain more throughout the story, but if you have any questions, feel free to ask. I'll do my best to answer them.
I had posted this once before, but as I've gone back and edited some stuff, I'm reposting it.
Out of Time
Towering above the other four spires of the Jedi Temple, the central tower provided a breathtaking view of the city below. It was Kestry Calladann's favorite place to watch the sunset on Coruscant. From here, she had a clear view of not just the city but the streams of traffic in the sky as well. At sunset, the sunlight reflected off cloud and ship alike, creating a spectacular display of color and light. While the view during midday was nothing compared to the show of sunset, it was still beautiful. But today, Kestry wasn't here for sightseeing.
The door behind her opened with a soft swoosh.
Kestry didn't turn. "Where are they?"
Kibecca stepped up beside her fellow Jedi Master. She gazed out the window, woofing gently. /"I left Skynia at the commissary with her friends."/
"Good," Kestry smiled.
/"You know what they're planning, don't you."/
Kestry raised a brow, looking up into Kibecca's twinkling blue eyes. "Oh, do you think they could hide it from me? You know Truen."
The wookiee rumbled, amused. /"Of course."/
Kestry let her gaze return to the cityscape. Her smile died. "I hope they have time, Kibecca. I really do. They've all worked so hard and come so far. They deserve this."
Kibecca snuffed. /"We will make time, my friend. Skynia's birth celebration is a thing I don't intend to miss."/
Sighing softly, Kestry nodded. "I know."
But we may not have much choice.
The galaxy would not wait. Kibecca knew that as well as Kestry did. The Jedi had a duty to uphold. As much as Kestry hated to accept it, she was aware there was little chance of Skynia celebrating her eighteenth birthday with her friends on Coruscant. Despite the Council's recent ruling, the Jedi would still be deployed. They would do their duty. They would fight the Sith, no matter where the battle took them. Centuries before, Jedi not so much unlike the strong individuals Kestry now knew had made their stand against the Dark Side. The extensive archives of the Jedi Order listed names of those hailed as heroes of the Force. Names like Luke Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and the great Jedi Master Yoda were names familiar to every Jedi in the Order. Kestry had studied their lives as a Padawan because her Master told her it was important. She studied them now because she knew it was important. It would be foolish of them to dwell entirely on the lives of long-dead heroes, but they could learn from the past.
Learn from it, or be destroyed by our own mistakes.
"We can't wait, Kibecca."
Kibecca bowed her head. /"There will be time, Kestry. By the end of the week, we will--"/
"By the end of the week it will be too late. You heard the report. Tardin knows where it is. If he finds it, you know what will happen."
The towering wookiee lowered herself to a seat so she was at eye level with Kestry. /"Kianna and Truen will go without hesitation, you know that."/
Kestry frowned. "I do. That's the problem. I will not send them to face that monster again. Not unless we have no other choice. We're not that far gone, not yet."
/"Who, then?"/ Kibecca questioned with a woof. /"You know the Masters will not approve. They believe the holocrons are gone. Destroyed, lost, forgotten. You heard Master Fyeak. They will send no one."/
Kibecca was right. The Council would not respond until they had been shown solid evidence that Tardin had indeed found one of the lost Sith holocrons. By then it would be too late. That left only one option. "I will go."
Kibecca's eyes widened. /"No! That would be suicide!"/ she roared. /"Kianna and Truen still need you. The Order needs you. You cannot go!"/
"You would rather the Council send our students?" Kestry countered. "They've underestimated Tardin in the past, and I have little faith that they've learned from the experience. The Order doesn't need me, Kibecca." She laughed dryly, "The Council doesn't want me."
The wookiee fell silent and avoided Kestry's gaze, focusing instead on the constant traffic streams above the city.
"Kibecca. You know I'm right."
/"Yes,"/ Kibecca growled at last. /"You must go."/
Kestry smiled, reaching for the wookiee's furred paw. "Thank you. I knew you would--"
/"I will go with you."/
Kestry blinked and withdrew her hand. "What? No. No, you won't. This is something I have to do myself. You stay. I know Sky will want you here at the celebration. Besides, someone needs to keep an eye on the kids."
/"I am going with you!"/ Kibecca woofed. She stood, sternly gazing down at Kestry. /"We will deal with this Dark Lord together."/
Kestry exhaled sharply and looked away from the wookiee’s intense gaze. She should have known what Kibecca would say. After all, Kibecca was a wookiee. A reluctant smile touched Kestry’s lips and she bowed her head. “Fine. We’ll both go.”
Skynia dashed through the Temple halls, guided by nothing but her growing sense of urgency in the Force. She found Tru seated on the floor, his knees drawn up close to his chest, head sagging. She slowed her pace, hesitantly drawing closer. "Tru?" He didn't react to her voice. "Tru, are you all right?"
He looked up finally, and she saw that his eyes were bloodshot. "Oh, Tru," she dropped to her knees beside him, reaching to brush his cheek with her fingers. "What happened?"
He opened his mouth, but closed it when no words came. His head dropped to his knees and he rocked side to side. A single sob escaped as his shoulders shook. But before Skynia could ask any more questions, the door to the Council room swung open and Kibecca and Chldrrl stepped out. The younger wookiee's head hung and his shoulders slumped. He didn't look at Skynia or Truen.
"The Council will see you now, Truen," Kibecca woofed gently. Truen pulled away from Skynia, standing and shuffling into the Council room. He didn't look at Chldrrl, and the wookiee still kept his gaze fixed on the floor tiles.
"You may go to your room, Rrl," Kibecca said, her voice soft and calm. "We will contact you once our decision has been made."
The room swirled around Skynia. The faces of her friends changed and faded, their voices slurred and then went silent.
The Dark Lord smiled. “It’s destiny, child. You know that.”
“You can’t do this,” Skynia insisted, reaching for her friend. Her hands closed around empty air; Kianna was gone.
The Dark Lord smiled.
Skynia’s eyes shot open and she sucked in a breath of air. Across from her, Jaia jumped and let out a soft shriek.
“Master? Are you…?”
Skynia lowered her head and placed her palm on her forehead. She still clearly felt the distinct sense of turmoil in the Force. Something was terribly wrong…or would be. “I’m fine. Just a…vision.”
Skynia sensed the ripple of curiosity from her padawan. “A vision?”
“Yes. I need…I need time to think, Jaia. Why don’t you go get yourself some lunch. Meet me in the exercise room later for your lightsaber practice.”
Disappointed but still obedient, Jaia stood and made for the door. Skynia knew who was waiting on the other side before the girl released the lock.
“Master Calladann!”
Truen smiled. “Hello, Jaia. I hope I’m not interrupting…? I mean, I can come back later if you want.”
Skynia managed a smile. If she asked him to leave, not only would he insist on staying, but he would also know something had disturbed her. “No, it’s fine.”
The door slid shut behind Truen as Jaia left. Truen dropped to the mat Jaia had just vacated, shifting until he was comfortable. “I sensed…something, earlier. Did you see something again?”
She sighed. “Maybe-I don’t know. It was…unclear.”
“Want to talk about it?”
“Not really.”
“Okay,” he nodded, shifting again as he cleared his throat. “How’s Jaia doing with her meditation? Last I heard, she fell asleep on you again.”
Skynia shook her head and bit back a smile. “Better.”
“Well, with you as her teacher, I don’t see how she couldn’t,” Truen winked.
Eyes narrowing, Skynia leaned forward. “Would you like some extra lessons on the subject? From what Kia tells me, you’ve had your own share of naps when Kestry wasn’t looking.”
Truen coughed. “I wasn’t napping, I was…examining my…my…”
Skynia’s brows rose. “Mmmhmm?”
He frowned and coughed again. “So. You were saying?”
She leaned back, hands resting on her knees. “About your lack of concentration skills?”
“No, about your vision.”
Skynia inhaled sharply. “I don’t…”
The Dark Lord smiled.
Kianna was gone.
Tears stung Skynia’s eyes. She blinked rapidly and looked down, studying her fingers. She heard fabric rustle as Truen moved closer. “Hey, shh. I’m sorry. It’s okay, you don’t have to tell me.”
She let him pull her into his arms, her head resting comfortably against his chest. This was something she was familiar with; him, his embrace, his scent-a subtle blend of soap and that stupid chocolate candy he was always chewing.
“Something is going to happen. Something terrible, Tru.”
“Then we’ll figure it out when the time comes,” he soothed. “We’ll…we’ll come through it, just like we always do.”
“I don’t know if we can stop it this time.”
His hands brushed her hair. “Hey, it’ll be okay. I’m here, remember? I’m not going anywhere.”
Any other time, she would have believed him without a doubt.
Author: Lhinneill, aka Stargatefangurl
Summary: One wrong step in these dark times could lead us all to ruin.
Genre: Action/Adventure/General/Friendship/Angst
Length: About 1600 words
Rating: PG13
Characters/Pairing: Original
A/N: I know these type of stories aren't very popular among fans--especially on ff.n--as it doesn't have any of the canon characters in it, but that's really not the point. I'm writing this because I ADORE these characters and can't not write about them. So, if you stumble across this and decide to give it a chance, thank you! I'd love to hear what you think.
Truen Calladann, Kestry Calladann, Chldrrl, Grish, and a few others which escape my memory at the moment, all belong to my friend Lionchilde. I'm just borrowing them.
This is set centuries after RotJ. The galaxy is once again at war, but this time it is a war between the armies of the Sith and the Jedi. I will explain more throughout the story, but if you have any questions, feel free to ask. I'll do my best to answer them.
I had posted this once before, but as I've gone back and edited some stuff, I'm reposting it.
Out of Time
Towering above the other four spires of the Jedi Temple, the central tower provided a breathtaking view of the city below. It was Kestry Calladann's favorite place to watch the sunset on Coruscant. From here, she had a clear view of not just the city but the streams of traffic in the sky as well. At sunset, the sunlight reflected off cloud and ship alike, creating a spectacular display of color and light. While the view during midday was nothing compared to the show of sunset, it was still beautiful. But today, Kestry wasn't here for sightseeing.
The door behind her opened with a soft swoosh.
Kestry didn't turn. "Where are they?"
Kibecca stepped up beside her fellow Jedi Master. She gazed out the window, woofing gently. /"I left Skynia at the commissary with her friends."/
"Good," Kestry smiled.
/"You know what they're planning, don't you."/
Kestry raised a brow, looking up into Kibecca's twinkling blue eyes. "Oh, do you think they could hide it from me? You know Truen."
The wookiee rumbled, amused. /"Of course."/
Kestry let her gaze return to the cityscape. Her smile died. "I hope they have time, Kibecca. I really do. They've all worked so hard and come so far. They deserve this."
Kibecca snuffed. /"We will make time, my friend. Skynia's birth celebration is a thing I don't intend to miss."/
Sighing softly, Kestry nodded. "I know."
But we may not have much choice.
The galaxy would not wait. Kibecca knew that as well as Kestry did. The Jedi had a duty to uphold. As much as Kestry hated to accept it, she was aware there was little chance of Skynia celebrating her eighteenth birthday with her friends on Coruscant. Despite the Council's recent ruling, the Jedi would still be deployed. They would do their duty. They would fight the Sith, no matter where the battle took them. Centuries before, Jedi not so much unlike the strong individuals Kestry now knew had made their stand against the Dark Side. The extensive archives of the Jedi Order listed names of those hailed as heroes of the Force. Names like Luke Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and the great Jedi Master Yoda were names familiar to every Jedi in the Order. Kestry had studied their lives as a Padawan because her Master told her it was important. She studied them now because she knew it was important. It would be foolish of them to dwell entirely on the lives of long-dead heroes, but they could learn from the past.
Learn from it, or be destroyed by our own mistakes.
"We can't wait, Kibecca."
Kibecca bowed her head. /"There will be time, Kestry. By the end of the week, we will--"/
"By the end of the week it will be too late. You heard the report. Tardin knows where it is. If he finds it, you know what will happen."
The towering wookiee lowered herself to a seat so she was at eye level with Kestry. /"Kianna and Truen will go without hesitation, you know that."/
Kestry frowned. "I do. That's the problem. I will not send them to face that monster again. Not unless we have no other choice. We're not that far gone, not yet."
/"Who, then?"/ Kibecca questioned with a woof. /"You know the Masters will not approve. They believe the holocrons are gone. Destroyed, lost, forgotten. You heard Master Fyeak. They will send no one."/
Kibecca was right. The Council would not respond until they had been shown solid evidence that Tardin had indeed found one of the lost Sith holocrons. By then it would be too late. That left only one option. "I will go."
Kibecca's eyes widened. /"No! That would be suicide!"/ she roared. /"Kianna and Truen still need you. The Order needs you. You cannot go!"/
"You would rather the Council send our students?" Kestry countered. "They've underestimated Tardin in the past, and I have little faith that they've learned from the experience. The Order doesn't need me, Kibecca." She laughed dryly, "The Council doesn't want me."
The wookiee fell silent and avoided Kestry's gaze, focusing instead on the constant traffic streams above the city.
"Kibecca. You know I'm right."
/"Yes,"/ Kibecca growled at last. /"You must go."/
Kestry smiled, reaching for the wookiee's furred paw. "Thank you. I knew you would--"
/"I will go with you."/
Kestry blinked and withdrew her hand. "What? No. No, you won't. This is something I have to do myself. You stay. I know Sky will want you here at the celebration. Besides, someone needs to keep an eye on the kids."
/"I am going with you!"/ Kibecca woofed. She stood, sternly gazing down at Kestry. /"We will deal with this Dark Lord together."/
Kestry exhaled sharply and looked away from the wookiee’s intense gaze. She should have known what Kibecca would say. After all, Kibecca was a wookiee. A reluctant smile touched Kestry’s lips and she bowed her head. “Fine. We’ll both go.”
Skynia dashed through the Temple halls, guided by nothing but her growing sense of urgency in the Force. She found Tru seated on the floor, his knees drawn up close to his chest, head sagging. She slowed her pace, hesitantly drawing closer. "Tru?" He didn't react to her voice. "Tru, are you all right?"
He looked up finally, and she saw that his eyes were bloodshot. "Oh, Tru," she dropped to her knees beside him, reaching to brush his cheek with her fingers. "What happened?"
He opened his mouth, but closed it when no words came. His head dropped to his knees and he rocked side to side. A single sob escaped as his shoulders shook. But before Skynia could ask any more questions, the door to the Council room swung open and Kibecca and Chldrrl stepped out. The younger wookiee's head hung and his shoulders slumped. He didn't look at Skynia or Truen.
"The Council will see you now, Truen," Kibecca woofed gently. Truen pulled away from Skynia, standing and shuffling into the Council room. He didn't look at Chldrrl, and the wookiee still kept his gaze fixed on the floor tiles.
"You may go to your room, Rrl," Kibecca said, her voice soft and calm. "We will contact you once our decision has been made."
The room swirled around Skynia. The faces of her friends changed and faded, their voices slurred and then went silent.
The Dark Lord smiled. “It’s destiny, child. You know that.”
“You can’t do this,” Skynia insisted, reaching for her friend. Her hands closed around empty air; Kianna was gone.
The Dark Lord smiled.
Skynia’s eyes shot open and she sucked in a breath of air. Across from her, Jaia jumped and let out a soft shriek.
“Master? Are you…?”
Skynia lowered her head and placed her palm on her forehead. She still clearly felt the distinct sense of turmoil in the Force. Something was terribly wrong…or would be. “I’m fine. Just a…vision.”
Skynia sensed the ripple of curiosity from her padawan. “A vision?”
“Yes. I need…I need time to think, Jaia. Why don’t you go get yourself some lunch. Meet me in the exercise room later for your lightsaber practice.”
Disappointed but still obedient, Jaia stood and made for the door. Skynia knew who was waiting on the other side before the girl released the lock.
“Master Calladann!”
Truen smiled. “Hello, Jaia. I hope I’m not interrupting…? I mean, I can come back later if you want.”
Skynia managed a smile. If she asked him to leave, not only would he insist on staying, but he would also know something had disturbed her. “No, it’s fine.”
The door slid shut behind Truen as Jaia left. Truen dropped to the mat Jaia had just vacated, shifting until he was comfortable. “I sensed…something, earlier. Did you see something again?”
She sighed. “Maybe-I don’t know. It was…unclear.”
“Want to talk about it?”
“Not really.”
“Okay,” he nodded, shifting again as he cleared his throat. “How’s Jaia doing with her meditation? Last I heard, she fell asleep on you again.”
Skynia shook her head and bit back a smile. “Better.”
“Well, with you as her teacher, I don’t see how she couldn’t,” Truen winked.
Eyes narrowing, Skynia leaned forward. “Would you like some extra lessons on the subject? From what Kia tells me, you’ve had your own share of naps when Kestry wasn’t looking.”
Truen coughed. “I wasn’t napping, I was…examining my…my…”
Skynia’s brows rose. “Mmmhmm?”
He frowned and coughed again. “So. You were saying?”
She leaned back, hands resting on her knees. “About your lack of concentration skills?”
“No, about your vision.”
Skynia inhaled sharply. “I don’t…”
The Dark Lord smiled.
Kianna was gone.
Tears stung Skynia’s eyes. She blinked rapidly and looked down, studying her fingers. She heard fabric rustle as Truen moved closer. “Hey, shh. I’m sorry. It’s okay, you don’t have to tell me.”
She let him pull her into his arms, her head resting comfortably against his chest. This was something she was familiar with; him, his embrace, his scent-a subtle blend of soap and that stupid chocolate candy he was always chewing.
“Something is going to happen. Something terrible, Tru.”
“Then we’ll figure it out when the time comes,” he soothed. “We’ll…we’ll come through it, just like we always do.”
“I don’t know if we can stop it this time.”
His hands brushed her hair. “Hey, it’ll be okay. I’m here, remember? I’m not going anywhere.”
Any other time, she would have believed him without a doubt.