New Star Wars Fic--The Path of Shadows, Part 1
Every day, she talks to the ghosts.
There are more than she can count, but only a handful come to speak with her. Some are human, some are other species. An old, bearded man, a little green alien, and a tall young man in black robes are the ones who come most often. A tall Togruta woman also likes to come around now and then. But there are others in the background, often only visible for a moment. The cavern appears to be full of fog, coalescing into myriad forms.
Is this my future?
Today, it is the Togruta woman, sitting cross-legged across from her.
“Good morning, Rey,”
Rey glanced down awkwardly. She had only been here a few days, and it still felt odd being greeted by a ghost.
“It’s so strange here,” she said at last. “I thought I knew what my life was going to be. My family was going to come back, and we were going to go somewhere lovely and, and green. Then I end up with this weird droid, and everything around me changed, faster than I could blink. And now I don’t know what to do.” She fiddled idly with a rock from the cave floor.
“I know what you mean,” said the ghost. “When I was around sixteen, I thought I knew what my life was going to look like, too. I was talented, I was trusted, and I had great natural ability. My master and I were very close, and I was so pleased when I accomplished something that impressed him. And yet, in a few days . . . it was all gone. And my life took a very different path.”
“I barely know Luke,” said Rey, resting her hands on her knees. “But I keep feeling like I ought to. He’s strange, and distant, and he barely talks to me.”
“He is still grieving for his friend,” said the ghost of Asokha gently. “Give him time.”
“But why didn’t he save him?” protested Rey. Her voice rose to a shout. “If he’d been there, he could have rescued Han Solo! If he’s the most powerful Jedi in the galaxy, why is he hiding here? Why isn’t he out there helping the Resistance? He could have taken Kylo Ren in a fight if he’d only tried. I didn’t get the luxury of hiding out, even though I barely knew what I was doing!” She clenched her fists.
“Please, calm down.” Asokha’s ghost put out a transparent blue hand. “He has a good reason for what he has done, and he will explain it to you in due time.”
“Or he won’t, and he’ll claim it’s an exercise in patience.” Rey scowled.
“A virtue I never had very much of,” said the ghost, getting to her feet. “But go. He will want to talk to you soon, and then he will explain everything.”
Rey stumbled out of the cave as the ghosts faded away.
* * * * * *
In the only field of green on Coruscant, a lady knelt by a flat stone.
The field was crowded with memorials-pyramids and pinnacles, bronze statues and spinning planets, commemorating every tragedy of the past sixty years. Yet in the midst of it lay a simple flat stone with one name.
In the distance, an old man watched, the folds of a cape draped around his shoulders, seeming lost in his memories. Slowly, he walked across the field, past the low wall [BJ1] , past the obelisk [BJ2] , past the circling orb [BJ3] , past the two bronze men in armor supporting each other [BJ4] , until he stood only a few feet away, close enough to read the writing on the stone.
The woman straightened up, smoothing back a lock of gray-streaked hair. She squinted a moment, then smiled slightly.
“Lando Calrissian, you old rogue. Where have you been?”
“Well, a few days ago I was getting drunk, after I’d heard of recent events” the old man laughed nervously. “Then I ended up talking to this old alien, who told me . . . that I ought to come back. And I remember that I’d gotten me some tips-info that might prove useful. So I found the nearest transport to Coruscant, and here I am.” He glanced down sadly at the stone at her feet. “I’m so sorry.”
“Thank you,” the lady looked down, and rubbed a hand across her eyes.
“Oh, and allow me to congratulate you on your election, Chancellor Organa.” Lando bowed, a faint smile on his lips.
“You’re welcome,” Leia turned to leave, gathering her gray skirts about her. “You had best come to my morning meeting with your news, then.”
Lando followed her, walking past a massive spiraling pillar [BJ5] to the old Senate Building in the distance.
[BJ1]Memorial-Order 66
[BJ2]Memorial-100 Senators
[BJ3]Memorial to Alderaan
[BJ4]Memorial to Clone Troopers
[BJ5]Memorial to the casualties of the Rebellion.
There are more than she can count, but only a handful come to speak with her. Some are human, some are other species. An old, bearded man, a little green alien, and a tall young man in black robes are the ones who come most often. A tall Togruta woman also likes to come around now and then. But there are others in the background, often only visible for a moment. The cavern appears to be full of fog, coalescing into myriad forms.
Is this my future?
Today, it is the Togruta woman, sitting cross-legged across from her.
“Good morning, Rey,”
Rey glanced down awkwardly. She had only been here a few days, and it still felt odd being greeted by a ghost.
“It’s so strange here,” she said at last. “I thought I knew what my life was going to be. My family was going to come back, and we were going to go somewhere lovely and, and green. Then I end up with this weird droid, and everything around me changed, faster than I could blink. And now I don’t know what to do.” She fiddled idly with a rock from the cave floor.
“I know what you mean,” said the ghost. “When I was around sixteen, I thought I knew what my life was going to look like, too. I was talented, I was trusted, and I had great natural ability. My master and I were very close, and I was so pleased when I accomplished something that impressed him. And yet, in a few days . . . it was all gone. And my life took a very different path.”
“I barely know Luke,” said Rey, resting her hands on her knees. “But I keep feeling like I ought to. He’s strange, and distant, and he barely talks to me.”
“He is still grieving for his friend,” said the ghost of Asokha gently. “Give him time.”
“But why didn’t he save him?” protested Rey. Her voice rose to a shout. “If he’d been there, he could have rescued Han Solo! If he’s the most powerful Jedi in the galaxy, why is he hiding here? Why isn’t he out there helping the Resistance? He could have taken Kylo Ren in a fight if he’d only tried. I didn’t get the luxury of hiding out, even though I barely knew what I was doing!” She clenched her fists.
“Please, calm down.” Asokha’s ghost put out a transparent blue hand. “He has a good reason for what he has done, and he will explain it to you in due time.”
“Or he won’t, and he’ll claim it’s an exercise in patience.” Rey scowled.
“A virtue I never had very much of,” said the ghost, getting to her feet. “But go. He will want to talk to you soon, and then he will explain everything.”
Rey stumbled out of the cave as the ghosts faded away.
* * * * * *
In the only field of green on Coruscant, a lady knelt by a flat stone.
The field was crowded with memorials-pyramids and pinnacles, bronze statues and spinning planets, commemorating every tragedy of the past sixty years. Yet in the midst of it lay a simple flat stone with one name.
In the distance, an old man watched, the folds of a cape draped around his shoulders, seeming lost in his memories. Slowly, he walked across the field, past the low wall [BJ1] , past the obelisk [BJ2] , past the circling orb [BJ3] , past the two bronze men in armor supporting each other [BJ4] , until he stood only a few feet away, close enough to read the writing on the stone.
The woman straightened up, smoothing back a lock of gray-streaked hair. She squinted a moment, then smiled slightly.
“Lando Calrissian, you old rogue. Where have you been?”
“Well, a few days ago I was getting drunk, after I’d heard of recent events” the old man laughed nervously. “Then I ended up talking to this old alien, who told me . . . that I ought to come back. And I remember that I’d gotten me some tips-info that might prove useful. So I found the nearest transport to Coruscant, and here I am.” He glanced down sadly at the stone at her feet. “I’m so sorry.”
“Thank you,” the lady looked down, and rubbed a hand across her eyes.
“Oh, and allow me to congratulate you on your election, Chancellor Organa.” Lando bowed, a faint smile on his lips.
“You’re welcome,” Leia turned to leave, gathering her gray skirts about her. “You had best come to my morning meeting with your news, then.”
Lando followed her, walking past a massive spiraling pillar [BJ5] to the old Senate Building in the distance.
[BJ1]Memorial-Order 66
[BJ2]Memorial-100 Senators
[BJ3]Memorial to Alderaan
[BJ4]Memorial to Clone Troopers
[BJ5]Memorial to the casualties of the Rebellion.