(no subject)
Title: Episode III
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 9,303
Pairing: Rachel/Sydney
Author's Note: Takes place during Revenge of the Sith. Crack!fic. Pure crack!fic.
Summary: Separated by war, Sydney struggles to return home. Plus, totally sweet lightsaber duels.
"Watch yourself, Red Leader."
Sydney’s fighter shook from the force of the explosion. "I'm all right, Red Two. Just got a little singed." She flipped her ship on its y-axis so that the planet Anaxes filled her canopy. "Form up on your wing leaders, red squad. We’re escorting ground forces." She fell into formation to port of the enormous Republic troop carrier, the other three ships in her wing behind her.
"Follow your present course, Troop Three," she radioed to the carrier. "We’ll clear the way."
"Wilco, Red Leader," said the carrier’s captain.
Sydney armed a pair of concussion missiles, dropped her reticule over the target in her path, heard solid tone as she closed the distance. She fired the missiles and juked to skirt the edge of the ensuing fireball.
"Red Leader, we’re taking ground fire," said the captain.
"Maintain your course," said Sydney. She switched channels. "Cover me, Red Two. We’re gonna try a little strafing exercise."
"Copy," said Red Two, following her as she dove sharply towards the main engagement. A row of heavy blaster cannons sat on a ridge to the west where they could pound incoming air forces and ground troops alike. Sydney kept her angle of attack steep, firing as soon as she was within range. She made one pass, stippling the ridge with laser fire. Red Two followed up with a second pass.
"You're clear, Troop Three," said Sydney.
"Good hunting, Red Leader."
As soon as the carrier touched down just outside the engagement area, Sydney veered away, angling for hard vacuum again with Red Two at her heels.
*
After Anaxes, the troop rotation schedule gave her a rare three days at home. She went directly from the spaceport to Rachel’s apartment, anticipation building until she felt nearly giddy. Then she was walking through the front door and Rachel dropped her datapad as she ran into Sydney’s arms and Sydney was holding her and kissing her and she was blind to anything but Rachel.
"I missed you so much," said Rachel between kisses. "You weren't even gone for a week and I missed you."
"I brought you something," said Sydney.
Rachel's smile was deeply content. "What is it?"
Sydney's eyes suddenly took on a gleam of mischief. "This!" she said, throwing off her robe dramatically, and swept a laughing Rachel into the bedroom.
*
"You promised me. You promised you wouldn't." Rachel faded in and out of an echoing darkness. Sydney shrank back from her as she became fire, the flames biting into that terrifying dark place.
"Rachel!" she said as she twitched awake. For a moment, she was completely disoriented.
"Sydney? What is it?" Rachel asked groggily.
Sydney felt her heart beating wildly, a fine sheen of sweat on her skin. Always the same dream. "Nothing. Go back to sleep."
Rachel turned onto her side, hands coming up to her pillow. "You had a nightmare."
"Jedi don't have nightmares," Sydney lied.
"You can tell me," said Rachel.
Sydney refused to look at her, knowing that to do so would be to break down. "I'm all right," she whispered.
The mattress shifted, and Sydney felt Rachel's breath on her cheek. "You're under a lot of stress right now. I don't know how else to help you."
Sydney took a deep, shuddering breath and sat up, sheets falling to her waist. Rachel sat up next to her. "I'm not…" She stared at the dark outline of her legs.
"It's okay," said Rachel, her soft voice filling Sydney with hope, and a desperate fear.
"I had a vision, when we met on Mon Cal," began Sydney, and it was as if a cork had been removed. "I thought I saw the beginning of this war. But the more I dream, the more I think my vision has yet to pass. Something terrible is coming. A great disturbance in the Force is waiting for us." Sydney scrubbed a hand over her face, felt Rachel's slim hand rubbing her back. She allowed herself to be drawn down and put her head in Rachel's lap.
"Maybe you should consult Master Yoda," said Rachel, stroking Sydney’s jawline. She made a forestalling noise. "I know you think he's too busy with rest of the order, but you're a Jedi too, miss Hero-of-Kamino."
Sydney swatted her gently.
"What I'm saying is, if Yoda is so concerned with the Unifying Force, maybe you need to tell him about your visions," said Rachel.
Sydney thought about it for a minute. "I'll go to him tomorrow," she said at last.
"You could go to him now," suggested Rachel.
"I'm with you now," said Sydney. "It never seems as bad when I'm with you." She shifted, raising herself on one elbow to accept Rachel's kiss. The rest of the night was dreamless.
Unexpectedly, Sydney received orders to return to the temple in the morning. She slipped away from a still-slumbering Rachel, leaving a note written on a scrap of flimsi. Early-morning traffic on Coruscant was just as dense as midday traffic; the cab ride took nearly ten minutes. Anticipation made her slightly nervous as she waited outside of a smaller chamber used by the masters for more private meetings. At last, she was summoned. She entered and gave the customary bow.
"Welcome," said Yoda, looking comfortable on a round hassock.
"Please sit," said Master Windu, half shrouded in shadows from the blinds.
Sydney did so with apprehension.
"Congratulate you on your victory at the battle of Anaxes we must," said Yoda. "Save many lives you did."
"Thank you, master," said Sydney, knowing that Yoda would sense her disquietude if she did not keep it buried deep.
"Since you were knighted, you've done much for the Order. Yet one thing remains that you have not done," said Windu.
Sydney felt her stomach sink. "Master, I don't believe that I'm ready for an apprentice," she said.
"Truly believe this, do you?" asked Yoda keenly. His ears tipped forward ever so slightly. "By now, a master you could have become if a Padawan you had trained."
"Rank doesn't speak louder than our deeds," said Sydney.
"Much experience you have. Want to pass this on to another, you do not?"
Sydney said nothing in response. Yoda was right, but an apprentice would take her full devotion. She would have even less time with Rachel. And yet, selfishness was the worst kind of excuse.
"Many of our number are scattered; they have no time to train others," said Windu. He leaned out of the darkness, elbows resting on his knees. "The Order needs all of its strength now."
"I understand," said Sydney, giving in. Her first duty was to the Jedi.
"Killed, Master Sovv was at Muunilinst," said Yoda. "Survived the battle, her apprentice did. Intelligent she is, but headstrong and impatient. Needs a new master, young Peyton does."
"I thought I was to choose from the younglings," said Sydney, surprised. That was the traditional way, with games being held often so the younglings could demonstrate their abilities for Jedi seeking an apprentice.
"This assignment is temporary, and it will be reassessed at the end of the war. But the girl is in the middle of her training. She needs someone to guide her," said Windu.
Sydney let out a long breath, just short of a sigh. "I agree."
"Good," said Windu. "She's in her quarters right now."
She heard the finality of his words and, sensing that she was dismissed, left the room.
"She's hiding something," said Windu after the door closed behind her.
"Afraid of the future, she is," said Yoda. He rubbed the side of his cane thoughtfully. "Determine more we will later."
*
Sydney remembered well the day of her apprenticeship. She had fought every other youngling in her skill bracket to a standstill, emerging exhausted but victorious. And then Master Jach had appeared with his dour face and clipped words. She left with him that night, already headed for a mission on Dantooine.
She wondered how Master Sovv had chosen Peyton. Had the Force guided her to the right apprentice? Had she simply chosen at random, or picked the apprentice most compatible with her own personality? Master and apprentice had to be in harmony. She and Jach had been a surprisingly good match despite their early friction.
Contrary to Master Windu's words, Peyton was not in the quarters she shared with other Padawan learners. After a few inquiries, Sydney found her in one of the practice rooms, facing down a pair of remotes. Her lightsaber flashed brightly blue as she deflected a flurry of low-powered blaster bolts. She had good form for her age, Sydney noted, flowing almost seamlessly from the basic Shii-Cho to powerful Djem So moves. Sydney frowned as she felt a swell of anger fill the girl, who spun 360 degrees to slash at one remote, then the other. The remotes fell to the floor in four pieces, smoking.
Peyton deactivated her lightsaber and turned, found Sydney watching her. She seemed to struggle with herself before bowing her head deferentially. "I'm sorry. I didn't see you there."
"It's all right," said Sydney, coming forward to properly study her new apprentice. "Master Yoda sent me to find you."
Peyton appraised her openly. "You're here to replace Master Sovv," she said, tone neutral but body language suggesting more.
"To continue her training," Sydney amended gently. "Master Sovv was a very great Jedi."
"She's dead," said Peyton, rather dismissively. She clipped her lightsaber to her belt. "Are we going back to the war?"
"I don't know yet. But yes, we will probably be sent to an engagement soon," said Sydney truthfully. She studied Peyton again, this time abandoning her senses for the Force. After a moment, she said, "We'll meditate after the evening meal."
"Yes, master," said Peyton, bowing her head again.
Sydney left her in the training room, standing over the gutted shells of the remotes.
*
There were other things to attend to at the temple; a strategy briefing with Master Kenobi, her own lightsaber training, intelligence updates, starfighter repairs. She hurried to get home before Rachel, wanting to start dinner for her. Strange, the habits of domesticity she enjoyed away from the Jedi.
Rachel came home at the usual time, just after sunset. They were close enough to her office building that the commute was not the soul-crushing affair it could have been. Sydney was unable to keep from walking directly to her, picking her up and twirling her in a complete circle. Rachel left her arms twined around Sydney's neck as her feet touched down on the floor again. "You're in a good mood," she said.
"You smell terrible," Sydney replied, wrinkling her nose.
Rachel's jaw dropped in indignation. "I'll have you know someone left a sack of rotten nerf meat on the mag-lev today. That smell doesn't just go away."
"Maybe you should shower," suggested Sydney innocently.
"I see you only have one thing on your mind," said Rachel.
"That would be how bad you smell," said Sydney, deadpan.
"There's this thing called a 'fresher you might be interested in, then." Rachel hopped up to wrap her legs around Sydney's waist and cocked an eyebrow at her. "Well?"
Sydney reached out with the Force so that the water was already running by the time she managed to maneuver Rachel into the bathroom. They slammed into the wall together, Rachel's back against the cold tile, Sydney biting her shoulder. Rachel was already shirtless and she had pulled off Sydney's tabards and outer tunic in the hallway. Rachel stood, shimmied out of her pants, stepped into the 'fresher. Hurriedly, Sydney twisted free of the rest of her clothes and joined Rachel under the warm stream of water.
*
"Lucky you smelled dinner burning," said Rachel, popping the last of her Corellian takeout dish in her mouth. As per usual, Sydney had not eaten much of her food, though she had been pickier than usual tonight. "What happened at the temple this morning?" asked Rachel.
Sydney nearly froze, forced herself to continue pushing her greens around on her plate. "Master Yoda summoned me."
"That's convenient," said Rachel. "Did you tell him about your dream?"
"I didn't get a chance," said Sydney. "He and Master Windu asked me to take an apprentice."
Rachel paused, put down her food. "You always said you didn't want an apprentice. Not yet."
"That's what I told them. But Jedi are getting killed, and their apprentices get left behind at critical stages in their training. They assigned a Padawan to me. A girl, Peyton." Sydney finally let out the sigh she had been holding all day, her shoulders slumping pathetically.
"What does this mean? We can't see each other anymore?" asked Rachel, voice edging towards worry.
"No, not that," said Sydney, trying to radiate a sense of reassurance though the Force. "It's only until the end of the war. And I'll still see you when I'm home. But I'll be spending more time at the temple."
"I remember what you told me about your training. You were with Jach all the time," said Rachel. "He practically raised you."
"This is different," said Sydney. "She's seventeen, her powers are growing, and she just lost her master. It's just…it's just going to be tough for a while."
"Tough for her or tough for us?" asked Rachel, slightly calmer.
"Both," said Sydney. She set her plate aside. "I know it hasn't been easy for you, especially with the war. I'm never here for long and when I am I have to divide my time between you and the Order. I'm sorry."
Rachel stepped over the low table dividing the couches and sat next to Sydney. "I worry about you," she said. She leaned closer, nosed into the base of Sydney's neck in resignation. "But it's worth it."
Relieved, Sydney smiled and looped an arm around Rachel's waist. "You're the most amazing person I've ever known."
Rachel spoke, slightly muffled from her place tucked against Sydney's side. "It's because you're so in love with me."
Sydney leaned back on the couch, Rachel's head coming to rest on her chest. "You win," she said.
*
Meditation with Peyton got off to a rocky start. Sydney had taken a more complete meal at the temple before seeking out her new apprentice. Surprisingly, she was back in the training room, lightsaber flashing as she fought off four remotes. A small pile of broken machines was a testament to her doggedness. Peyton fought until a remote's low-powered blast pricked her in the thigh. She yelped aloud with pain, collapsing to the floor in exhaustion. Sydney entered the room then, offering Peyton her hand. "You should rest now," she said.
Peyton disregarded the help and stood on her own. "I'm fine."
"Have you been here since I left?" asked Sydney.
"I came back an hour ago after dinner," said Peyton.
"You've trained your body enough for today. Time to train the mind," said Sydney, ushering her away from the remotes. She sent them back to their storage unit and deactivated them with a wave of her hand.
They went to one of the many small meditation rooms scattered throughout the temple and sat facing each other. "Clear your mind," said Sydney. She thought of Master Jach, his stone-like stillness when meditating. She reached out to Peyton with the Force, probing her mind and feelings. There were many barriers in place, too many for a Padawan immersing herself in the Force.
"You're holding back," said Sydney.
"I'm tired," said Peyton.
"Then let the Force fill you and replenish you. The Force is your ally only when you're at peace, when you let go of your burdens."
"Master Sovv already taught me this," Peyton snapped.
"Then you should have no problem doing as I tell you," said Sydney mildly. She felt Peyton's contrition and the girl relaxed slightly. "Good," she encouraged. Slowly, Peyton slipped into the meditation trance. Sydney deepened her breathing and followed her apprentice.
"You promised. You promised you wouldn't." Rachel, fire, darkness-Sydney snapped to alertness. She had felt-not a disturbance, not quite. In front of her, Peyton was still meditating, looking younger than her age without frown lines creasing her forehead.
"Peyton," said Sydney, rousing her apprentice. Her mind was most open as she emerged from the trance and Sydney took the time to study her carefully. She sensed fear, frustration, a profound sadness. Peyton had been apprenticed to Master Sovv for eleven years.
"Yes, master," said Peyton.
"It's late. I'll see you in the morning," said Sydney.
Peyton left wordlessly, a frown already forming anew on her delicate features.
*
"How goes your training?" asked Master Yoda.
"It's hard to tell after two days," said Sydney.
Yoda nodded his understanding. "More to say, I sense you have."
Sydney pursed her lips slightly as she gathered her thoughts. "I've been having dreams. The same dream, actually. Almost every night." She stared at the floor.
"Your dream describe," Yoda urged her.
"I see…destruction. Fire. And then I see a great darkness." Sydney swallowed as she remembered. "I see it sometimes, when I meditate."
Yoda tapped a finger against his mouth. "Not alone are you. Also dreaming, other Jedi are. Grave danger I sense in the future, for the Jedi Order and the Republic."
"Master, what can we do?" asked Sydney. "The Senate keeps voting to give Palpatine more power while the Jedi are spread thinner every day. We're supposed to be peacekeepers and guardians, not soldiers."
"Hard to see, the line is," said Yoda softly. Sydney felt him gazing steadily at her. "When next you dream, by your feelings let yourself be guided. To the will of the Force give in."
Sydney almost told him that she would try her best, that it was hard to control what she did in her sleep. But she knew what he would say to that. "Yes, master," she said.
"Obi-Wan's strategy briefing you attended?" he asked.
"Yes. I'm to go to the Outer Rim to help end the sieges there," said Sydney.
He suddenly seemed old to her, a tiny creature bent under the load of a galaxy's fate. He was well past his prime, and Sydney was never more aware of it than at that moment. She felt a great swell of love for him; he must have sensed it too, because he looked up at her with a smile. "A great Jedi Knight you have become, Sydney. Your strength I have seen ever since you were a youngling. Proud of you, I am."
"Thank you, master," said Sydney.
"May the Force be with you," he said.
*
"I'm going to Ossus tomorrow," said Sydney as she rubbed Rachel's stomach from behind. She sat against the headboard of their bed, Rachel sitting comfortably between her legs.
"For how long?"
"Until we recapture it," said Sydney. "It could be a few days. It could be weeks. It's a Separatist stronghold."
"Didn't you tell me about Ossus once?" asked Rachel.
"It was once the homeworld of the Jedi Order," said Sydney. "Thousands of years ago we were forced to leave by the Sith. There's not much left there, now."
Rachel was silent for a few minutes, apparently content to let Sydney stroke her arms and midriff. "Do you ever think maybe we should just let the Separatists leave? Just let them run to the Outer Rim and live their lives? I feel like the war is destroying the Republic from the inside out."
Sydney stilled her hands. "Sometimes," she admitted. "But the Confederacy is aligned with the Sith. General Grievous is hunting down Jedi. We have to stop them."
"I guess…I'm just tired of the war getting in the way of our lives. My parents had me by the time they were my age," said Rachel.
Sydney felt something in her chest contract. "What, you-"
"And I know you have to go where they send you," said Rachel. She scooted away so that she could turn around and kneel at eye-level with Sydney. "I know you do a lot of dangerous things. I know you risk your life all the time. It doesn't matter."
"But-"
"No, you listen to me," said Rachel firmly. "You're the love of my life. I don't need the Force to know it. So I guess what I'm saying is, I want to settle down. I want to do it with you." She faltered, then powered through. "Marry me."
Sydney sank back against the headboard, shocked to stillness.
"Sydney…"
She pounced, landing on top of Rachel so that they were laying the wrong way on the mattress. "Yes," she said, and kissed Rachel.
*
Despite the twin suns of Ossus, the forests surrounding the Separatist base were shrouded in perpetual shadows, the thatch of branches overhead blocking out all but the rare sliver of light. Sydney and Peyton had arrived to find the Republic's clone troopers entrenched outside the ruins of the Jedi temple, laying siege to the Separatist headquarters while the fleets were deadlocked overhead. Peyton was anxious to join the fighting, fingering her lightsaber as she gazed at the field of engagement, almost a klick from the command post where a clone trooper was briefing them.
"They've landed two ships next to the ruins. They're using them to generate shields while they establish a power plant underground. We've tried a ground assault, but they're too heavily fortified," said Commander Ras. His armor was pitted and scarred from the intense fighting.
Sydney studied the holographic projection of the Trade Federation ships. "Commander, as soon as the sun starts to set, have your troops begin shelling their weapon emplacements here, here, and here. I want you to take the first brigade and attack this ship from the east. Second brigade will attack this ship from the south." She pointed out the spots she wanted. "Third brigade is your reserve if you need reinforcements."
"What about you, sir?" asked the commander.
"You're our diversion while we enter the base and capture the Confederates," said Sydney. She nodded tautly. "You'll know if we're successful by tonight."
*
After the chaos of the battlefield, the Separatist base was comparatively quiet. Battle droids clanked through the stone corridors, sometimes accompanied by a Neimoidian worker. Most of the droids were out on the battlefield. Sydney and Peyton had slipped past the droid army under cover of falling night and had cut their way in through one of the pre-fab walls supplementing the natural shelter of the ruins. They seemed to be undetected for the moment, lurking as they were in the lower levels. Sydney had a persistent queasy feeling in the bottom of her stomach-either she'd gotten bad field rations, or there was impending disaster ahead.
They came to a corner, where they spotted a Neimoidian exiting a room. Sydney probed the area with the Force, sensed no one. She led Peyton to the door, Force-pushed it open, and entered the small office. A computer terminal sat on a makeshift desk against one wall. "Let's hope he didn't log out of the system," said Sydney, seating herself at the desk.
"This would be a lot easier if we had a droid with us," said Peyton, waiting just inside the door.
"Look outside, take your pick," said Sydney, momentarily distracted by the computer, which was currently displaying some kind of index.
"I meant an astromech. Anakin Skywalker goes around with that R2 unit."
"Jedi Skywalker never learned to do this," said Sydney, finally finding the schematics she wanted. "Looks like they're in the assembly chamber, two levels up." She paused.
"What?" asked Peyton, already stepping towards the door.
"I don't sense anyone above us," said Sydney. "Do you?"
Peyton glanced at the ceiling. "No."
Sydney climbed onto the desk, ignited her lightsaber, and cut a human-sized hole in the ancient stone above her head. She kept the stone in place with the Force until she could step away, then slowly lowered the newly-formed plug. "After you," she said.
Peyton leapt through the hole and Sydney followed, landing lightly in a room similar to the one below. She repeated the process, this time finding herself in a small storage supply closet that smelled strongly of droid oil. Cautiously, they emerged into a long hallway that seemed to branch off at regular intervals. Sydney led them in the direction of the chamber, questing ahead with the Force for traps.
"Master," said Peyton.
"I sense it too," said Sydney. They were close; she could feel a gathering of beings nearby.
"Plans?" asked Peyton.
"Destroy the droid guards, arrest the Separatists," said Sydney. She added, "We stay together."
"Yes, master," said Peyton.
"But first," said Sydney, stripping off her robe, "A diversion."
*
Fan Lo could feel a headache building just under the surface of his skull. The Techno Union, the Commerce Guild, the Trade Federation; they all had their own agendas. He stood to announce a recess when a door at the far end of the chamber exploded. Battle droid parts flew into the room, scattering everywhere in a blaze of fire and smoke.
Instinctively, the delegates seated at the center table began running for the opposite door, only to find two Jedi blocking the way.
The droids began firing, converging on the Jedi, who picked off the blaster bolts with seeming ease. Fan Lo cowered under the table and for the next few minutes only heard the vibrant thrum of lightsabers meshing with the high-pitched blaster whine of the droids. Then silence. He felt himself being hauled roughly to his feet, came to face to face with a human female. Another human stood at watchful attention nearby, corralling the rest of the delegation. Droid parts were scattered everywhere. "Secretary Lo, I presume."
He managed a nod.
"You're under arrest." The Jedi shoved him roughly towards a nearby desk-mounted comm unit. "Give the shutdown order."
"I can't," he protested.
"You can, and you will," said the Jedi. She seemed to loom over him, her lightsaber blazing brilliantly azure. "You will give the shutdown order."
"I should give the shutdown order," he found himself repeating. And, helpless to stop himself, he reached for his comlink, the order falling effortlessly from his lips.
*
Commander Ras and his troops had scoured the Separatist base thoroughly, with most of it intact due to the surprise nature of Sydney's infiltration and attack. Hours after the droid shutdown, Sydney found herself exploring the ruins. The crumbling stone evoked tremendous grandeur and loss; she could sense the history that had been left behind when the Jedi had been forced to evacuate. She tucked a small shard of stone into her belt pouch before setting out for the landing area.
She expected Peyton to be waiting for her, but her apprentice was nowhere to be found. Several of the clones said they had spotted her heading deeper into the temple ruins. Sydney pulled out her comm. "Peyton, where are you?"
"I'm on my way to the transport, master," said Peyton, her voice sounding odd.
"From where?" asked Sydney.
"I was just exploring. I lost track of the time," said Peyton.
Sydney squinted, saw a slight brown-robed figure emerging from the temple's ground level, clone troopers marching past her in the opposite direction. "All right. I'll see you onboard." Despite the day's victory, she still felt nauseous. Echoes of old warnings and apprehensions clamored in the back of her mind.
Peyton arrived a few minutes later on the heels of the last of the troopers shipping out to Coruscant.
"Find anything interesting?" asked Sydney.
"Just rocks," said Peyton. She seemed relaxed, her face less taught.
"You did well capturing the Confederate leaders," said Sydney with a smile.
"It was your plan," said Peyton graciously.
They felt the ship rumble beneath their boots as it engaged its repulsorslifts. "I'm going to the bridge to talk to Captain Rann. You're free to do as you like while we're in hyperspace," said Sydney.
"Yes, master," said Peyton.
Sydney suspected she was going to the rec room, where the pilots liked to relax. It was often a bawdy, semi-rough place full of colorful anecdotes. By contrast, the bridge was quiet as they neared the end of the morning watch. "Good morning, General Bristow," said Rann.
"Good morning, Captain," said Sydney, joining him at the forward viewport. The forests of Ossus disappeared, replaced by bright blue sky as they rose above the treeline. The blue deepened to a hazy indigo, then black. "What's our time to Coruscant?" she asked.
"The hyperdrive-excuse me," he said as a communications officer beckoned to him.
Sydney let her attention wander while she waited for Rann. Her thoughts turned naturally to home as the ship began its drive out of the planet's gravity well, turning towards the Core. Abruptly, she felt her heart twinge. She pressed a hand to her chest, confused. Another twinge came, followed by another, and another. She sensed multiple ripples in the Force and fought to remain standing as they swept over her. Bracing herself against the transparisteel windows, she looked up to catch a reflection of Captain Rann leveling his service weapon at her back.
With the disarming speed of a trained Jedi, Sydney snapped her lightsaber into a defensive position, barely catching the first shot. Rann fired again; she blocked across her torso and sent the bolt back into Rann's arm. Her danger sense flickered a moment before the rest of the bridge crew fired. She leapt into a high somersault, coming down at the far end of the bridge. Her lightsaber was a blur as she deflected the storm of blaster fire. She triggered the door control with the Force, backed through the opening, and closed the door again. She slashed her lightsaber through the control panel, had a thought, and ran the tip of her lightsaber along the seam between the door and deck to create a temporary weld. Then she was sprinting down the corridor, pulling out her comlink as she went.
"Peyton. Peyton, are you there?" she asked.
No response.
She took a few precious moments to consider her options. Hopefully, they hadn't had time to revoke her computer access. She ducked inside the first room she found and entered her command override into the wall terminal. It worked-the screen presented her with complete access to the ship's systems. She ran a sensor check, found Peyton's signature in the rec room as expected. Then she initiated a full shutdown of the security and communications systems before sending the computer into a self-diagnostic that could not be overridden without her code.
She heard feet pounding in the corridor outside; they were searching room-to-room. A quick Force pull and leap, and she was inside the ventilation shaft. She found the ship's main artery and traced it to the section she wanted. She reached out for Peyton through the Force; the girl was close. Just how close, Sydney discovered as Peyton crawled from a smaller offshoot of the larger shaft.
"Nice to see the Jedi aren't predictable," said Sydney as Peyton got to her feet.
"The clones just turned on me," said Peyton, shock beginning to bleed into the edges of her emotions.
"They've all turned. We need to get off this ship," said Sydney. She began walking back along the shaft, in the direction of the hangar bay. "Ideas?"
"On how to evade 10,000 elite clone troopers and escape undetected?" asked Peyton, joining her. "Maybe if we had an R2 unit…"
Sydney clucked disapprovingly. "Constructive suggestions."
"Well," began Peyton, "I do have one idea."
*
His arm hurt like a mynock had been chewing at it. Those Jedi and their eerie competence in battle-Captain Raan found himself admiring General Bristow in spite of his orders to terminate her on sight.
"We haven't been able to locate them anywhere, sir," said the squad leader in charge of the search.
"Keep looking," said Raan. He brushed away the medic attempting to bandage his wounded arm and began pacing. There were two Jedi loose on his ship and they were practically dead in the water, unable to call for assistance.
"Sir, we're getting a report from below-they just found squad nine, all men down. It looks like they're heading for the hangar bay," said the squad leader, his head tilted as he listened to his helmet comm.
"Seal off that section. We've got a full complement of troops onboard; use them," said Raan.
"Sir, losing pressure in the aft compartment. Looks like a hull breach," said his first officer.
Raan's instinctive response was to divert troops to the section. He backtracked mentally. "It's a diversion. They want us to inspect. Lock down the breach, but keep them posted at the hangar bay access points." Competence, indeed.
*
Cutting into the outer hull with their lightsabers had been a time-consuming but necessary task. Even the relatively thinner layers of a maintenance hatch took a good ten minutes. And now they clung to the outside surface of the transport, two tiny specks of movement against the white hull.
Sydney could feel extreme cold leaking in through her personal shield. It was of the type used by ejecting pilots, providing an airtight, temperature-controlled bubble for the few hours it would take search and rescue to arrive. She refused to let her mind really comprehend the fragility of her situation, instead focusing on breathing steadily through her air mask as she and Peyton inched their way across the belly of the ship. They were tethered together at the waist, but it would take one good tug to ensure a very slow, very cold death.
The hangar bay crept closer until they were at its exit. The mag field used to contain atmosphere in the bay was not active; perhaps Captain Raan thought to make it an inhospitable environment for two escapees.
Unable to speak, Sydney made an "eyes first" gesture to Peyton with two fingers, suggesting they check for guards before charging in. Peyton nodded. Together, they peeked over the lip of the exit, combining the visual scan with their Force sense of the clones. Sydney gave her apprentice the all clear after a minute and clambered into the bay. They stumbled as they readjusted to the gravity.
Peyton headed towards the Jedi starfighters that had been brought onboard specifically for their use, but Sydney nixed this decision with a shake of her head. She pointed to a shuttle, already positioned to be first out of the bay.
No one disturbed them as they sneaked onto the shuttle, sealed it, and began the emergency warmup.
"Good idea," said Sydney, bringing the nav computer online.
"I know," said Peyton.
*
"Sir, external sensors indicate a shuttle just launched," said Raan's first officer.
He stared at the blinking indicator. "How did they get into the hangar bay?" he asked. No one answered. They watched the shuttle swing into the bridge's line of view. Its engine glowed brilliantly just before it made the jump to hyperspace, its profile shrinking to nothingness.
"Sir?"
Raan ignored the questions and for a moment, indulged in his moment of supreme admiration for the Jedi.
"Sir?" repeated the first officer.
He sighed. "Get me a secure channel to Coruscant."
*
Sydney spent most of her time in hyperspace fighting a sense of overwhelming numbness. Peyton had isolated herself in the rear compartment . They had picked up a coded retreat signal emanating from the Jedi temple and had argued about its meaning. Peyton had wanted to proceed directly to Coruscant to confront the Senate, but Sydney had argued for patience and stealth. They needed to regroup, figure out the logistics of their situation. They needed a world not tainted with the presence of the Army of the Republic.
"How do you know Alderaan will be friendly to the Jedi?" asked Peyton, coming forward to sit in the copilot's seat.
"I don't. But they've been against military buildup from the beginning. And I know a member of the royal family. They may decide to hide us while we decide what to do," said Sydney. The nav computer signaled a warning; Sydney eased back the hyperdrive levers, dropping them into real space. Alderaan floated before them, a world of rich greens and blues.
Their comm system crackled to life. "Alderaan Port Authority to unidentified Theta-class shuttle. Please state your business."
Sydney gave Peyton a look that indicated silence before speaking. "This is the shuttle Hyderion. I'm transmitting a secure code now and I'm requesting you put me on a frequency with Queen Breha Organa."
There was a pause. "Standby for confirmation, Hyderion." And the comm clicked off.
Peyton stared at her. "You know a member of the royal family? Don't you mean the member? And how did you get that code?" asked Peyton.
"Senator Bail Organa has always been a friend of the Jedi Order," said Sydney vaguely, staring at the planet as if willing an affirmative response.
"Shuttle Hyderion, your code checks out. Patching you through now," said the Port Authority worker.
The comm beeped once to indicate the switchover. Then, the soft voice of Breha Organa. "This is Queen Organa."
"Your majesty, this is Jedi Knight Sydney Bristow. My clone troops turned on me and my apprentice at Ossus. I'm requesting asylum," said Sydney.
"General Bristow, you have no idea how good it is to hear from you. Land your shuttle at the palace. I have grave news," said Organa.
"Thank you, your majesty," said Sydney, and flipped the comm switch. She sat back in her chair, relief warring with fear.
"That was easy," said Peyton.
Sydney glanced at her sharply. "Bite your tongue, young Padawan."
*
Nestled among snowy mountains, the royal palace glimmered under early sunlight. Sydney landed the shuttle in the palace's private hangar next to a row of expensive transports. Summoning the last of her strength, she straightened her back and exited the shuttle. Her robe seemed to drag at her feet with each step she took down the ramp.
"General Bristow," said Organa, stepping forward to receive them. She was regal in a blue and silver dress cut in the traditional Alderaanian style and was flanked by an aide in service livery.
"Queen Organa," said Sydney, nodding her head. She stepped to one side. "My Padawan learner, Kelly Peyton." Peyton imitated her master.
"Please, come with me. You're safe here," said Organa.
Peyton glanced skeptically at Sydney, but fell into step next to her.
"Do you have any information about the clone uprising?" asked Sydney.
Organa's mask of composure slipped. "You should take your ease, first. I'll have food and quarters prepared for you."
"Your majesty, please," said Sydney. "I have to know what has happened."
The queen turned to face her, seemingly close to tears. "All the clones have turned. My husband informed me that Palpatine has dissolved the Republic and declared himself Emperor. He ordered troops into the Jedi temple."
Sydney's breath caught in her chest.
"They slaughtered everyone there. He saw them shoot a Padawan who tried to escape."
Sydney clenched her jaw tightly. She had known all along-she had felt it, but had held on to hope until now. "What about the Jedi who were offworld?"
"He's been trying to intercept communications from any survivors. But so far, there's been no contact from anyone but you," said Organa.
Sydney pressed a hand to her temple, trying to collect her thoughts and separate them from her despair. Her eyes flickered between Peyton and Queen Organa as she deliberated. "Your majesty, I'm afraid I have to decline your generosity. We need to return to Coruscant to see what can be done. We just need a new shuttle; our escape must be known by now."
"I'll send you with the next courier ship," said Organa. "In the meantime, Elana will show you to a place where you can rest."
They exchanged bows, Organa departing in one direction and the aide leading them in another. She left them in a large room that was bordered on one side by a terrace overlooking the mountainous terrain. Golden light streamed in through the open doors and windows. It was early spring; Sydney remembered youthful days with Rachel, wading through the fields of Bothawui.
"When we get to Coruscant, how are going to kill Palpatine?" asked Peyton.
Sydney was startled by the blunt question. "We can't just execute him."
"Why not? He slaughtered the Jedi," said Peyton. "He's too great a threat to be left alive. We have to kill him with whatever means necessary."
"We need information first," said Sydney. "We need to find survivors, regroup."
"Just listen to yourself!" Peyton exclaimed. "We're all that's left, and I say we kill Palpatine and take control until order is restored."
"Take control," Sydney repeated incredulously. "Do you really think we can control the Senate? What about the army?"
"We'll have the anti-war senators on our side. And once Palpatine is dead, the clones will follow the power," said Peyton.
"This is not about power," said Sydney. Certain incidents, murmurs from the Force, scattered recollections; they were beginning to coalesce into a new image of her apprentice. "This is about democracy and the abuse of power. You need to be careful, Peyton. Once you have power, it's not so easy to let it go. Ambition can become greed very quickly."
"The time for lessons is over," cried Peyton. "We need to take action!"
"If we truly are the last of the Jedi, then it's more important than ever that we continue your training," said Sydney. She stepped closer to Peyton. "I am still your master, and I am trying to keep you from getting killed. I will decide when the time for action has arrived."
Peyton stood her ground, but lowered her eyes in concession. "Yes, master," she muttered.
"We're both tired. Eat something. Get some sleep," said Sydney, attempting to smooth over the argument even as suspicion and doubt clouded her mind. Her thoughts turned unbidden to Rachel. "We'll be leaving soon."
*
An hour later, they left Alderaan aboard a corvette used to courier sensitive information to Senator Organa.
Inside her small cabin, fatigue finally caught up to Sydney. Her arms and legs were so much dead weight, dragging her down to her soft bunk mattress. Tempted as she was to give in to a deep sleep, she instead reached out for the Force and settled into a healing trance.
The trance was dreamless; she awoke the moment they emerged from hyperspace feeling whole again, at least in body. She joined Peyton on the bridge, where Coruscant's day side loomed in the viewport. "What's our status, captain?" asked Sydney, taking an empty seat behind the pilot.
"Just coming up on nightside, general," said Captain Omas. "We've been given clearance to land. Senator Organa will meet you when we're on the ground."
They cleared the terminus between dark and light, leaving weak sunlight for the blaze of neon nightlife. The city grew beneath them, tiny figures resolving into skyhooks and buildings. Sydney began preparing herself for the inevitable bad news. Across the bridge, Peyton stirred.
"Something's very wrong," she said.
The bridge crew exchanged uneasy looks at her portentous words.
But Sydney could sense it too-a gathering of dark side energy around the Senate building. And further ahead, a wide plume of smoke streamed from the Jedi temple. She could feel Peyton staring at her.
They landed without further incident. Captain Omas shook her hand solemnly at the top of the ship's ramp. "Best of luck, general," he said.
It didn't exactly make her feel better, but Sydney put on a smile anyway. "Thank you," she said before joining the waiting senator. He waited until they were safely sequestered aboard his own ship before speaking.
"It's good to see you, General Bristow," said Bail Organa. "A lot has happened since you left Alderaan. Masters Yoda and Obi-Wan Kenobi have survived."
Peyton's mouth dropped in astonishment; Sydney wasn't quite as surprised that two of the members of the high council and two of the greatest masters alive had escaped the pogrom. "Where are they now?" she asked.
Organa sighed heavily. "Anakin Skwyalker turned to the dark side. Master Yoda sent Obi-Wan to track down Skywalker and…kill him."
"Skywalker," Sydney repeated. "He was Obi-Wan's apprentice. He killed Count Dooku…" But the boy had always been so powerful. Arrogant, even. And there was his deep infatuation with Senator Amidala. She buried her face in one hand, the truth almost too much to bear. "Skywalker betrayed us?"
"Palpatine turned him."
She looked up. "Palpatine?" Her incredulity matched Peyton's.
"Yoda said that Palpatine is the Sith lord the Jedi have been looking for," said Organa. "He's gone to the Senate building to confront Palpatine directly." He checked his chrono. "I'm to meet him at a rendezvous as soon as he sends the signal."
"Take us to the Senate building," said Sydney immediately.
*
Senator Organa deposited them outside of a private Senate entrance, then left to wait in his speeder for Yoda's signal.
The Senate building was never empty, but the lower levels were mysteriously clear of all personnel.
"Can you feel that?" asked Peyton.
Sydney nodded; the dark side energy was getting stronger. Surges of hatred and fear emanated from deep within the building, washing over both of them.
"This is a suicide mission," said Peyton, skulking along behind Sydney.
"Not if we survive it," said Sydney, sounding confident despite the hair bristling along the back of her neck. They were close to Palpatine's holding office, located directly underneath the convocation chamber.
"Skywalker is going to kill Kenobi and Palpatine is going to kill us all," said Peyton.
"When we're with Master Yoda, we'll be fine," said Sydney.
"Palpatine orchestrated the war, took control of the Senate, and wiped out the Jedi. Who do you think is going to come out on top of that battle?"
Sydney whirled to face her apprentice. "Be mindful of your thoughts, Peyton. Opportunism isn't befitting of a Jedi."
"Opportunism is how Palpatine took his power. I'm just trying to look out for our future," said Peyton, sleeves flapping as she gestured. Muffled crunching sounds echoed through the walls around them. "There, you hear that?" said Peyton, holding up a hand. "That'll be Palpatine killing Yoda right now."
"Peyton…"
"If we pick the right side, we'll come out of this better than we were before. Think about it-we can rebuild the Jedi how we want, we can control things from the inside." Slowly, Peyton began to circle Sydney.
"Jedi use the Force for knowledge and self-defense," said Sydney, the old words falling flat in the empty hallway.
"Then it's time we stopped being Jedi," said Peyton, lip curling.
"Why do I get the feeling you stopped being a Jedi a long time ago?" asked Sydney. "Did Master Sovv's death really hurt you that much?"
Peyton let her robe fall to the floor, unclipped her lightsaber from her belt. "She was a fool."
"You turned on her at Muunilinst," said Sydney with dawning comprehension.
"I didn't have to," said Peyton. "She insisted on going back to help the clones. I knew it was pointless, so I just watched her go." She shrugged.
"And now you're going to try to kill me?" asked Sydney as she slipped out of her own robe.
"I'm going to have a gift for Palpatine when I join him," said Peyton.
Something dark pushed in on Sydney's mind; Peyton was probing her with the Force, seeking weaknesses to exploit in the Sith way. She sought to shut down everything but her connection with the Force, become a clear channel for its flow. She had done it thousands of time in practice and in battle. Yet the thing she needed to think of least she thought of most, and Peyton smiled mirthlessly.
"I'm not the only one with secrets," she said. "Your feelings betray you."
"Don't," warned Sydney, still circling with Peyton.
"I'm going to kill her too, you know," said Peyton. She ignited her lightsaber and struck, faster than Sydney had ever seen her move. Her control of the dark side was more complete than Sydney would have guessed.
Sydney blocked, dodged, and was away, trying to create space. "It's not too late, Peyton. You can help us defeat Palpatine. We can still save the Republic." She lowered her weapon.
"There's nothing left to save," said Peyton with calm assurance. She shifted stances smoothly, lightsaber humming into place.
Sydney gathered the Force, concentrated it, and pushed at Peyton as hard as she could. The girl was sent flying against the wall, head making a painful thudding noise upon impact. Her lightsaber clattered to the carpet and deactivated. Sydney called the weapon into her hand. Without pausing to check on her apprentice, she sprinted towards the convocation chamber, skidded to a halt just outside of Palpatine's office when her comlink buzzed.
"Sydney, I have Master Yoda," said Senator Organa.
"Was he successful?" asked Sydney. The office's open door revealed two unconscious senate guards.
"No. You have to get out of there. Palpatine is searching the entire building."
"I'll meet you later. Get Master Yoda to safety," she said, and turned off her comlink. She heard the mechanized whine of Palpatine's podium, immediately turned and retreated the way she came. Peyton was gone from the hallway where Sydney had left her. Troubled, she made her way to the nearest hangar, picked out the most nondescript airspeeder, and hoped that its owner wouldn't miss it until morning.
*
Rachel nearly slapped Sydney the moment she burst into the apartment, frantically calling Rachel's name. Instead, she covered her mouth and began crying silently. She continued sobbing into Sydney's shoulder, grasping her robes with white-knuckled grip.
Sydney kissed her cheek, her ear, her temple, stroked her back, held her for what felt like the first and last time. "I'm sorry," she said.
"I thought you were dead," said Rachel at last. She lifted her head, wiped at the wetness on her face. "There have been these terrible stories on the news, that the Jedi are enemies, that-"
"It's not true," said Sydney. "The clones turned on us. Palpatine is a Sith."
"How did you escape? Where have you been? Are you all right?" asked Rachel anxiously.
"I'm fine. I'll tell you everything later," said Sydney. She cradled Rachel's face with one hand. "Are you okay?"
Rachel nodded. She peered closely at Sydney. "What is it?"
Sydney frowned. "You're not safe around me. I-"
"Are you leaving?" asked Rachel incredulously.
"I have to. There's things I have to do-"
"No. You promised me. You promised you wouldn't," said Rachel, clinging tightly to Sydney. "If you leave, I'm going with you."
Sydney rested her forehead against Rachel's. "It won't be safe, or easy."
Rachel leaned forward and kissed her in response, attempting to sublimate the days of fear and hopelessness in the sensations of being together again.
"I hate to interrupt, but I need to have a word with my master."
Sydney felt a tug at her waist, opened her eyes to see Peyton standing in the doorway, calling her lightsaber from Sydney's belt. She caught the weapon easily, activated it as she flew across the room in a Force leap. Sydney barely intercepted the blade with her own.
Rachel scrambled out of the way. "Sydney-"
"Rachel, run," shouted Sydney, forcing Peyton away with a sudden flurry of heavy blows. Rachel ran for the door. The moment she was gone, Sydney focused on the moment. She had the weight of experience, but had never fought a dark side user. Peyton was unpredictable; Sydney sensed her anger burning fiercely.
"I guess she didn't love you enough to stay," said Peyton even as Sydney backed her towards a corner. Suddenly she was twisting, lightsaber weaving under Sydney's in an elegant maneuver. Sydney barely parried in time. The edge of Peyton's blade singed Sydney's pants leg, leaving a black scorch mark. She felt her skin blister from the heat of contact, flinched and withdrew. Peyton immediately turned and ran. Sydney swallowed her surprise to give chase.
Peyton was already halfway down the hallway-and Rachel was just entering the lift. Sydney felt Peyton throw the lightsaber before she did it, sending it flying towards Rachel with a Force grip. Sydney reached out with her empty hand, calling the lightsaber. It halted it in midair, then slowly reversed directions.
Perhaps realizing that a battle of Force powers would be uselessly draining, or perhaps wanted to settle things more personally, Peyton gave up and took up her lightsaber again. Sydney rushed her, aware that Rachel was watching from the lift but with no breath to spare for a warning. She spun into a strike, the blow powerful enough to send Peyton a step back. Peyton retaliated with a precise thrust aimed at Sydney's heart. Sydney parried one-handed, taking in Peyton's new form with trepidation. This was not the Djem So Sydney had witnessed earlier. She seemed almost relaxed, her movement minimal and well-timed.
Peyton thrust again. Sydney's parry forced both lightsabers deep into the wall, showering them both with sparks. She struck again, switching flawlessly to a stronger form, hoping to match elegance with strength for a quick victory. Peyton's eyes widened as she realized the extent of Sydney's combat experience, rage giving way to fear. Sydney pressed her advantage. She batted away Peyton's next thrust, blocked low to receive the return strike, stepped neatly into Peyton's guard. A flick of her lightsaber and Peyton's sword hand lay on the ground, smoking from the instant cauterization.
Peyton screamed in agony, fell back clutching her stump. "You!" she raged, eyes watering.
"It didn't have to end like this," said Sydney sadly. She pulled Peyton's lightsaber free of the disembodied hand, aware that Rachel was slowly approaching. She made a stopping gesture and turned to her apprentice. "It's never too late, Peyton. Come with me."
Peyton narrowed her eyes and made a clutching gesture.
Rachel gasped, fell to her knees, one hand scrabbling at the wall for support.
"Peyton, don't!" Sydney shouted. But Peyton's fingers tightened, and Rachel convulsed as she fought to breathe. Peyton's lightsaber scissored with Sydney's in one flashing motion. Rachel stilled, gulped in air. Peyton's body was still as well. Her head lay a few feet away.
"Sydney," whispered Rachel.
She knelt next to Rachel, propped her into a sitting position. "Take it easy. It's over."
*
Wearing civilian clothing was strange after a lifetime of Jedi robes. She missed the weight of her lightsaber at her right hip. But a life in hiding meant leaving behind the outward identity of a Jedi, and so she dressed in plain shirts and breeches and left her lightsaber in a locked drawer in her bedroom.
She had met with Yoda and Obi-Wan too late to witness the birth of the Skywalker twins. Yoda had instead assigned her last task as a Jedi and had sent her to Alderaan with Bail Organa to watch over the girl. He had eyed her critically before smiling and telling her, "Good it is that you will not be alone." And then he had left for his own exile.
"You'll get sunburned if you stand there all day," said Rachel. Barefoot and casual in a light sundress, she joined Sydney at the top of the hill next to their house.
"I wasn't planning on it," said Sydney, smiling. She hooked an arm around Rachel's waist.
"Come inside. I made lunch," said Rachel. She tugged gently at Sydney.
Sydney took a long look at the royal palace, high above them in the mountains that shadowed their quiet valley. "Coming," she said, and followed Rachel down the hill.
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 9,303
Pairing: Rachel/Sydney
Author's Note: Takes place during Revenge of the Sith. Crack!fic. Pure crack!fic.
Summary: Separated by war, Sydney struggles to return home. Plus, totally sweet lightsaber duels.
"Watch yourself, Red Leader."
Sydney’s fighter shook from the force of the explosion. "I'm all right, Red Two. Just got a little singed." She flipped her ship on its y-axis so that the planet Anaxes filled her canopy. "Form up on your wing leaders, red squad. We’re escorting ground forces." She fell into formation to port of the enormous Republic troop carrier, the other three ships in her wing behind her.
"Follow your present course, Troop Three," she radioed to the carrier. "We’ll clear the way."
"Wilco, Red Leader," said the carrier’s captain.
Sydney armed a pair of concussion missiles, dropped her reticule over the target in her path, heard solid tone as she closed the distance. She fired the missiles and juked to skirt the edge of the ensuing fireball.
"Red Leader, we’re taking ground fire," said the captain.
"Maintain your course," said Sydney. She switched channels. "Cover me, Red Two. We’re gonna try a little strafing exercise."
"Copy," said Red Two, following her as she dove sharply towards the main engagement. A row of heavy blaster cannons sat on a ridge to the west where they could pound incoming air forces and ground troops alike. Sydney kept her angle of attack steep, firing as soon as she was within range. She made one pass, stippling the ridge with laser fire. Red Two followed up with a second pass.
"You're clear, Troop Three," said Sydney.
"Good hunting, Red Leader."
As soon as the carrier touched down just outside the engagement area, Sydney veered away, angling for hard vacuum again with Red Two at her heels.
*
After Anaxes, the troop rotation schedule gave her a rare three days at home. She went directly from the spaceport to Rachel’s apartment, anticipation building until she felt nearly giddy. Then she was walking through the front door and Rachel dropped her datapad as she ran into Sydney’s arms and Sydney was holding her and kissing her and she was blind to anything but Rachel.
"I missed you so much," said Rachel between kisses. "You weren't even gone for a week and I missed you."
"I brought you something," said Sydney.
Rachel's smile was deeply content. "What is it?"
Sydney's eyes suddenly took on a gleam of mischief. "This!" she said, throwing off her robe dramatically, and swept a laughing Rachel into the bedroom.
*
"You promised me. You promised you wouldn't." Rachel faded in and out of an echoing darkness. Sydney shrank back from her as she became fire, the flames biting into that terrifying dark place.
"Rachel!" she said as she twitched awake. For a moment, she was completely disoriented.
"Sydney? What is it?" Rachel asked groggily.
Sydney felt her heart beating wildly, a fine sheen of sweat on her skin. Always the same dream. "Nothing. Go back to sleep."
Rachel turned onto her side, hands coming up to her pillow. "You had a nightmare."
"Jedi don't have nightmares," Sydney lied.
"You can tell me," said Rachel.
Sydney refused to look at her, knowing that to do so would be to break down. "I'm all right," she whispered.
The mattress shifted, and Sydney felt Rachel's breath on her cheek. "You're under a lot of stress right now. I don't know how else to help you."
Sydney took a deep, shuddering breath and sat up, sheets falling to her waist. Rachel sat up next to her. "I'm not…" She stared at the dark outline of her legs.
"It's okay," said Rachel, her soft voice filling Sydney with hope, and a desperate fear.
"I had a vision, when we met on Mon Cal," began Sydney, and it was as if a cork had been removed. "I thought I saw the beginning of this war. But the more I dream, the more I think my vision has yet to pass. Something terrible is coming. A great disturbance in the Force is waiting for us." Sydney scrubbed a hand over her face, felt Rachel's slim hand rubbing her back. She allowed herself to be drawn down and put her head in Rachel's lap.
"Maybe you should consult Master Yoda," said Rachel, stroking Sydney’s jawline. She made a forestalling noise. "I know you think he's too busy with rest of the order, but you're a Jedi too, miss Hero-of-Kamino."
Sydney swatted her gently.
"What I'm saying is, if Yoda is so concerned with the Unifying Force, maybe you need to tell him about your visions," said Rachel.
Sydney thought about it for a minute. "I'll go to him tomorrow," she said at last.
"You could go to him now," suggested Rachel.
"I'm with you now," said Sydney. "It never seems as bad when I'm with you." She shifted, raising herself on one elbow to accept Rachel's kiss. The rest of the night was dreamless.
Unexpectedly, Sydney received orders to return to the temple in the morning. She slipped away from a still-slumbering Rachel, leaving a note written on a scrap of flimsi. Early-morning traffic on Coruscant was just as dense as midday traffic; the cab ride took nearly ten minutes. Anticipation made her slightly nervous as she waited outside of a smaller chamber used by the masters for more private meetings. At last, she was summoned. She entered and gave the customary bow.
"Welcome," said Yoda, looking comfortable on a round hassock.
"Please sit," said Master Windu, half shrouded in shadows from the blinds.
Sydney did so with apprehension.
"Congratulate you on your victory at the battle of Anaxes we must," said Yoda. "Save many lives you did."
"Thank you, master," said Sydney, knowing that Yoda would sense her disquietude if she did not keep it buried deep.
"Since you were knighted, you've done much for the Order. Yet one thing remains that you have not done," said Windu.
Sydney felt her stomach sink. "Master, I don't believe that I'm ready for an apprentice," she said.
"Truly believe this, do you?" asked Yoda keenly. His ears tipped forward ever so slightly. "By now, a master you could have become if a Padawan you had trained."
"Rank doesn't speak louder than our deeds," said Sydney.
"Much experience you have. Want to pass this on to another, you do not?"
Sydney said nothing in response. Yoda was right, but an apprentice would take her full devotion. She would have even less time with Rachel. And yet, selfishness was the worst kind of excuse.
"Many of our number are scattered; they have no time to train others," said Windu. He leaned out of the darkness, elbows resting on his knees. "The Order needs all of its strength now."
"I understand," said Sydney, giving in. Her first duty was to the Jedi.
"Killed, Master Sovv was at Muunilinst," said Yoda. "Survived the battle, her apprentice did. Intelligent she is, but headstrong and impatient. Needs a new master, young Peyton does."
"I thought I was to choose from the younglings," said Sydney, surprised. That was the traditional way, with games being held often so the younglings could demonstrate their abilities for Jedi seeking an apprentice.
"This assignment is temporary, and it will be reassessed at the end of the war. But the girl is in the middle of her training. She needs someone to guide her," said Windu.
Sydney let out a long breath, just short of a sigh. "I agree."
"Good," said Windu. "She's in her quarters right now."
She heard the finality of his words and, sensing that she was dismissed, left the room.
"She's hiding something," said Windu after the door closed behind her.
"Afraid of the future, she is," said Yoda. He rubbed the side of his cane thoughtfully. "Determine more we will later."
*
Sydney remembered well the day of her apprenticeship. She had fought every other youngling in her skill bracket to a standstill, emerging exhausted but victorious. And then Master Jach had appeared with his dour face and clipped words. She left with him that night, already headed for a mission on Dantooine.
She wondered how Master Sovv had chosen Peyton. Had the Force guided her to the right apprentice? Had she simply chosen at random, or picked the apprentice most compatible with her own personality? Master and apprentice had to be in harmony. She and Jach had been a surprisingly good match despite their early friction.
Contrary to Master Windu's words, Peyton was not in the quarters she shared with other Padawan learners. After a few inquiries, Sydney found her in one of the practice rooms, facing down a pair of remotes. Her lightsaber flashed brightly blue as she deflected a flurry of low-powered blaster bolts. She had good form for her age, Sydney noted, flowing almost seamlessly from the basic Shii-Cho to powerful Djem So moves. Sydney frowned as she felt a swell of anger fill the girl, who spun 360 degrees to slash at one remote, then the other. The remotes fell to the floor in four pieces, smoking.
Peyton deactivated her lightsaber and turned, found Sydney watching her. She seemed to struggle with herself before bowing her head deferentially. "I'm sorry. I didn't see you there."
"It's all right," said Sydney, coming forward to properly study her new apprentice. "Master Yoda sent me to find you."
Peyton appraised her openly. "You're here to replace Master Sovv," she said, tone neutral but body language suggesting more.
"To continue her training," Sydney amended gently. "Master Sovv was a very great Jedi."
"She's dead," said Peyton, rather dismissively. She clipped her lightsaber to her belt. "Are we going back to the war?"
"I don't know yet. But yes, we will probably be sent to an engagement soon," said Sydney truthfully. She studied Peyton again, this time abandoning her senses for the Force. After a moment, she said, "We'll meditate after the evening meal."
"Yes, master," said Peyton, bowing her head again.
Sydney left her in the training room, standing over the gutted shells of the remotes.
*
There were other things to attend to at the temple; a strategy briefing with Master Kenobi, her own lightsaber training, intelligence updates, starfighter repairs. She hurried to get home before Rachel, wanting to start dinner for her. Strange, the habits of domesticity she enjoyed away from the Jedi.
Rachel came home at the usual time, just after sunset. They were close enough to her office building that the commute was not the soul-crushing affair it could have been. Sydney was unable to keep from walking directly to her, picking her up and twirling her in a complete circle. Rachel left her arms twined around Sydney's neck as her feet touched down on the floor again. "You're in a good mood," she said.
"You smell terrible," Sydney replied, wrinkling her nose.
Rachel's jaw dropped in indignation. "I'll have you know someone left a sack of rotten nerf meat on the mag-lev today. That smell doesn't just go away."
"Maybe you should shower," suggested Sydney innocently.
"I see you only have one thing on your mind," said Rachel.
"That would be how bad you smell," said Sydney, deadpan.
"There's this thing called a 'fresher you might be interested in, then." Rachel hopped up to wrap her legs around Sydney's waist and cocked an eyebrow at her. "Well?"
Sydney reached out with the Force so that the water was already running by the time she managed to maneuver Rachel into the bathroom. They slammed into the wall together, Rachel's back against the cold tile, Sydney biting her shoulder. Rachel was already shirtless and she had pulled off Sydney's tabards and outer tunic in the hallway. Rachel stood, shimmied out of her pants, stepped into the 'fresher. Hurriedly, Sydney twisted free of the rest of her clothes and joined Rachel under the warm stream of water.
*
"Lucky you smelled dinner burning," said Rachel, popping the last of her Corellian takeout dish in her mouth. As per usual, Sydney had not eaten much of her food, though she had been pickier than usual tonight. "What happened at the temple this morning?" asked Rachel.
Sydney nearly froze, forced herself to continue pushing her greens around on her plate. "Master Yoda summoned me."
"That's convenient," said Rachel. "Did you tell him about your dream?"
"I didn't get a chance," said Sydney. "He and Master Windu asked me to take an apprentice."
Rachel paused, put down her food. "You always said you didn't want an apprentice. Not yet."
"That's what I told them. But Jedi are getting killed, and their apprentices get left behind at critical stages in their training. They assigned a Padawan to me. A girl, Peyton." Sydney finally let out the sigh she had been holding all day, her shoulders slumping pathetically.
"What does this mean? We can't see each other anymore?" asked Rachel, voice edging towards worry.
"No, not that," said Sydney, trying to radiate a sense of reassurance though the Force. "It's only until the end of the war. And I'll still see you when I'm home. But I'll be spending more time at the temple."
"I remember what you told me about your training. You were with Jach all the time," said Rachel. "He practically raised you."
"This is different," said Sydney. "She's seventeen, her powers are growing, and she just lost her master. It's just…it's just going to be tough for a while."
"Tough for her or tough for us?" asked Rachel, slightly calmer.
"Both," said Sydney. She set her plate aside. "I know it hasn't been easy for you, especially with the war. I'm never here for long and when I am I have to divide my time between you and the Order. I'm sorry."
Rachel stepped over the low table dividing the couches and sat next to Sydney. "I worry about you," she said. She leaned closer, nosed into the base of Sydney's neck in resignation. "But it's worth it."
Relieved, Sydney smiled and looped an arm around Rachel's waist. "You're the most amazing person I've ever known."
Rachel spoke, slightly muffled from her place tucked against Sydney's side. "It's because you're so in love with me."
Sydney leaned back on the couch, Rachel's head coming to rest on her chest. "You win," she said.
*
Meditation with Peyton got off to a rocky start. Sydney had taken a more complete meal at the temple before seeking out her new apprentice. Surprisingly, she was back in the training room, lightsaber flashing as she fought off four remotes. A small pile of broken machines was a testament to her doggedness. Peyton fought until a remote's low-powered blast pricked her in the thigh. She yelped aloud with pain, collapsing to the floor in exhaustion. Sydney entered the room then, offering Peyton her hand. "You should rest now," she said.
Peyton disregarded the help and stood on her own. "I'm fine."
"Have you been here since I left?" asked Sydney.
"I came back an hour ago after dinner," said Peyton.
"You've trained your body enough for today. Time to train the mind," said Sydney, ushering her away from the remotes. She sent them back to their storage unit and deactivated them with a wave of her hand.
They went to one of the many small meditation rooms scattered throughout the temple and sat facing each other. "Clear your mind," said Sydney. She thought of Master Jach, his stone-like stillness when meditating. She reached out to Peyton with the Force, probing her mind and feelings. There were many barriers in place, too many for a Padawan immersing herself in the Force.
"You're holding back," said Sydney.
"I'm tired," said Peyton.
"Then let the Force fill you and replenish you. The Force is your ally only when you're at peace, when you let go of your burdens."
"Master Sovv already taught me this," Peyton snapped.
"Then you should have no problem doing as I tell you," said Sydney mildly. She felt Peyton's contrition and the girl relaxed slightly. "Good," she encouraged. Slowly, Peyton slipped into the meditation trance. Sydney deepened her breathing and followed her apprentice.
"You promised. You promised you wouldn't." Rachel, fire, darkness-Sydney snapped to alertness. She had felt-not a disturbance, not quite. In front of her, Peyton was still meditating, looking younger than her age without frown lines creasing her forehead.
"Peyton," said Sydney, rousing her apprentice. Her mind was most open as she emerged from the trance and Sydney took the time to study her carefully. She sensed fear, frustration, a profound sadness. Peyton had been apprenticed to Master Sovv for eleven years.
"Yes, master," said Peyton.
"It's late. I'll see you in the morning," said Sydney.
Peyton left wordlessly, a frown already forming anew on her delicate features.
*
"How goes your training?" asked Master Yoda.
"It's hard to tell after two days," said Sydney.
Yoda nodded his understanding. "More to say, I sense you have."
Sydney pursed her lips slightly as she gathered her thoughts. "I've been having dreams. The same dream, actually. Almost every night." She stared at the floor.
"Your dream describe," Yoda urged her.
"I see…destruction. Fire. And then I see a great darkness." Sydney swallowed as she remembered. "I see it sometimes, when I meditate."
Yoda tapped a finger against his mouth. "Not alone are you. Also dreaming, other Jedi are. Grave danger I sense in the future, for the Jedi Order and the Republic."
"Master, what can we do?" asked Sydney. "The Senate keeps voting to give Palpatine more power while the Jedi are spread thinner every day. We're supposed to be peacekeepers and guardians, not soldiers."
"Hard to see, the line is," said Yoda softly. Sydney felt him gazing steadily at her. "When next you dream, by your feelings let yourself be guided. To the will of the Force give in."
Sydney almost told him that she would try her best, that it was hard to control what she did in her sleep. But she knew what he would say to that. "Yes, master," she said.
"Obi-Wan's strategy briefing you attended?" he asked.
"Yes. I'm to go to the Outer Rim to help end the sieges there," said Sydney.
He suddenly seemed old to her, a tiny creature bent under the load of a galaxy's fate. He was well past his prime, and Sydney was never more aware of it than at that moment. She felt a great swell of love for him; he must have sensed it too, because he looked up at her with a smile. "A great Jedi Knight you have become, Sydney. Your strength I have seen ever since you were a youngling. Proud of you, I am."
"Thank you, master," said Sydney.
"May the Force be with you," he said.
*
"I'm going to Ossus tomorrow," said Sydney as she rubbed Rachel's stomach from behind. She sat against the headboard of their bed, Rachel sitting comfortably between her legs.
"For how long?"
"Until we recapture it," said Sydney. "It could be a few days. It could be weeks. It's a Separatist stronghold."
"Didn't you tell me about Ossus once?" asked Rachel.
"It was once the homeworld of the Jedi Order," said Sydney. "Thousands of years ago we were forced to leave by the Sith. There's not much left there, now."
Rachel was silent for a few minutes, apparently content to let Sydney stroke her arms and midriff. "Do you ever think maybe we should just let the Separatists leave? Just let them run to the Outer Rim and live their lives? I feel like the war is destroying the Republic from the inside out."
Sydney stilled her hands. "Sometimes," she admitted. "But the Confederacy is aligned with the Sith. General Grievous is hunting down Jedi. We have to stop them."
"I guess…I'm just tired of the war getting in the way of our lives. My parents had me by the time they were my age," said Rachel.
Sydney felt something in her chest contract. "What, you-"
"And I know you have to go where they send you," said Rachel. She scooted away so that she could turn around and kneel at eye-level with Sydney. "I know you do a lot of dangerous things. I know you risk your life all the time. It doesn't matter."
"But-"
"No, you listen to me," said Rachel firmly. "You're the love of my life. I don't need the Force to know it. So I guess what I'm saying is, I want to settle down. I want to do it with you." She faltered, then powered through. "Marry me."
Sydney sank back against the headboard, shocked to stillness.
"Sydney…"
She pounced, landing on top of Rachel so that they were laying the wrong way on the mattress. "Yes," she said, and kissed Rachel.
*
Despite the twin suns of Ossus, the forests surrounding the Separatist base were shrouded in perpetual shadows, the thatch of branches overhead blocking out all but the rare sliver of light. Sydney and Peyton had arrived to find the Republic's clone troopers entrenched outside the ruins of the Jedi temple, laying siege to the Separatist headquarters while the fleets were deadlocked overhead. Peyton was anxious to join the fighting, fingering her lightsaber as she gazed at the field of engagement, almost a klick from the command post where a clone trooper was briefing them.
"They've landed two ships next to the ruins. They're using them to generate shields while they establish a power plant underground. We've tried a ground assault, but they're too heavily fortified," said Commander Ras. His armor was pitted and scarred from the intense fighting.
Sydney studied the holographic projection of the Trade Federation ships. "Commander, as soon as the sun starts to set, have your troops begin shelling their weapon emplacements here, here, and here. I want you to take the first brigade and attack this ship from the east. Second brigade will attack this ship from the south." She pointed out the spots she wanted. "Third brigade is your reserve if you need reinforcements."
"What about you, sir?" asked the commander.
"You're our diversion while we enter the base and capture the Confederates," said Sydney. She nodded tautly. "You'll know if we're successful by tonight."
*
After the chaos of the battlefield, the Separatist base was comparatively quiet. Battle droids clanked through the stone corridors, sometimes accompanied by a Neimoidian worker. Most of the droids were out on the battlefield. Sydney and Peyton had slipped past the droid army under cover of falling night and had cut their way in through one of the pre-fab walls supplementing the natural shelter of the ruins. They seemed to be undetected for the moment, lurking as they were in the lower levels. Sydney had a persistent queasy feeling in the bottom of her stomach-either she'd gotten bad field rations, or there was impending disaster ahead.
They came to a corner, where they spotted a Neimoidian exiting a room. Sydney probed the area with the Force, sensed no one. She led Peyton to the door, Force-pushed it open, and entered the small office. A computer terminal sat on a makeshift desk against one wall. "Let's hope he didn't log out of the system," said Sydney, seating herself at the desk.
"This would be a lot easier if we had a droid with us," said Peyton, waiting just inside the door.
"Look outside, take your pick," said Sydney, momentarily distracted by the computer, which was currently displaying some kind of index.
"I meant an astromech. Anakin Skywalker goes around with that R2 unit."
"Jedi Skywalker never learned to do this," said Sydney, finally finding the schematics she wanted. "Looks like they're in the assembly chamber, two levels up." She paused.
"What?" asked Peyton, already stepping towards the door.
"I don't sense anyone above us," said Sydney. "Do you?"
Peyton glanced at the ceiling. "No."
Sydney climbed onto the desk, ignited her lightsaber, and cut a human-sized hole in the ancient stone above her head. She kept the stone in place with the Force until she could step away, then slowly lowered the newly-formed plug. "After you," she said.
Peyton leapt through the hole and Sydney followed, landing lightly in a room similar to the one below. She repeated the process, this time finding herself in a small storage supply closet that smelled strongly of droid oil. Cautiously, they emerged into a long hallway that seemed to branch off at regular intervals. Sydney led them in the direction of the chamber, questing ahead with the Force for traps.
"Master," said Peyton.
"I sense it too," said Sydney. They were close; she could feel a gathering of beings nearby.
"Plans?" asked Peyton.
"Destroy the droid guards, arrest the Separatists," said Sydney. She added, "We stay together."
"Yes, master," said Peyton.
"But first," said Sydney, stripping off her robe, "A diversion."
*
Fan Lo could feel a headache building just under the surface of his skull. The Techno Union, the Commerce Guild, the Trade Federation; they all had their own agendas. He stood to announce a recess when a door at the far end of the chamber exploded. Battle droid parts flew into the room, scattering everywhere in a blaze of fire and smoke.
Instinctively, the delegates seated at the center table began running for the opposite door, only to find two Jedi blocking the way.
The droids began firing, converging on the Jedi, who picked off the blaster bolts with seeming ease. Fan Lo cowered under the table and for the next few minutes only heard the vibrant thrum of lightsabers meshing with the high-pitched blaster whine of the droids. Then silence. He felt himself being hauled roughly to his feet, came to face to face with a human female. Another human stood at watchful attention nearby, corralling the rest of the delegation. Droid parts were scattered everywhere. "Secretary Lo, I presume."
He managed a nod.
"You're under arrest." The Jedi shoved him roughly towards a nearby desk-mounted comm unit. "Give the shutdown order."
"I can't," he protested.
"You can, and you will," said the Jedi. She seemed to loom over him, her lightsaber blazing brilliantly azure. "You will give the shutdown order."
"I should give the shutdown order," he found himself repeating. And, helpless to stop himself, he reached for his comlink, the order falling effortlessly from his lips.
*
Commander Ras and his troops had scoured the Separatist base thoroughly, with most of it intact due to the surprise nature of Sydney's infiltration and attack. Hours after the droid shutdown, Sydney found herself exploring the ruins. The crumbling stone evoked tremendous grandeur and loss; she could sense the history that had been left behind when the Jedi had been forced to evacuate. She tucked a small shard of stone into her belt pouch before setting out for the landing area.
She expected Peyton to be waiting for her, but her apprentice was nowhere to be found. Several of the clones said they had spotted her heading deeper into the temple ruins. Sydney pulled out her comm. "Peyton, where are you?"
"I'm on my way to the transport, master," said Peyton, her voice sounding odd.
"From where?" asked Sydney.
"I was just exploring. I lost track of the time," said Peyton.
Sydney squinted, saw a slight brown-robed figure emerging from the temple's ground level, clone troopers marching past her in the opposite direction. "All right. I'll see you onboard." Despite the day's victory, she still felt nauseous. Echoes of old warnings and apprehensions clamored in the back of her mind.
Peyton arrived a few minutes later on the heels of the last of the troopers shipping out to Coruscant.
"Find anything interesting?" asked Sydney.
"Just rocks," said Peyton. She seemed relaxed, her face less taught.
"You did well capturing the Confederate leaders," said Sydney with a smile.
"It was your plan," said Peyton graciously.
They felt the ship rumble beneath their boots as it engaged its repulsorslifts. "I'm going to the bridge to talk to Captain Rann. You're free to do as you like while we're in hyperspace," said Sydney.
"Yes, master," said Peyton.
Sydney suspected she was going to the rec room, where the pilots liked to relax. It was often a bawdy, semi-rough place full of colorful anecdotes. By contrast, the bridge was quiet as they neared the end of the morning watch. "Good morning, General Bristow," said Rann.
"Good morning, Captain," said Sydney, joining him at the forward viewport. The forests of Ossus disappeared, replaced by bright blue sky as they rose above the treeline. The blue deepened to a hazy indigo, then black. "What's our time to Coruscant?" she asked.
"The hyperdrive-excuse me," he said as a communications officer beckoned to him.
Sydney let her attention wander while she waited for Rann. Her thoughts turned naturally to home as the ship began its drive out of the planet's gravity well, turning towards the Core. Abruptly, she felt her heart twinge. She pressed a hand to her chest, confused. Another twinge came, followed by another, and another. She sensed multiple ripples in the Force and fought to remain standing as they swept over her. Bracing herself against the transparisteel windows, she looked up to catch a reflection of Captain Rann leveling his service weapon at her back.
With the disarming speed of a trained Jedi, Sydney snapped her lightsaber into a defensive position, barely catching the first shot. Rann fired again; she blocked across her torso and sent the bolt back into Rann's arm. Her danger sense flickered a moment before the rest of the bridge crew fired. She leapt into a high somersault, coming down at the far end of the bridge. Her lightsaber was a blur as she deflected the storm of blaster fire. She triggered the door control with the Force, backed through the opening, and closed the door again. She slashed her lightsaber through the control panel, had a thought, and ran the tip of her lightsaber along the seam between the door and deck to create a temporary weld. Then she was sprinting down the corridor, pulling out her comlink as she went.
"Peyton. Peyton, are you there?" she asked.
No response.
She took a few precious moments to consider her options. Hopefully, they hadn't had time to revoke her computer access. She ducked inside the first room she found and entered her command override into the wall terminal. It worked-the screen presented her with complete access to the ship's systems. She ran a sensor check, found Peyton's signature in the rec room as expected. Then she initiated a full shutdown of the security and communications systems before sending the computer into a self-diagnostic that could not be overridden without her code.
She heard feet pounding in the corridor outside; they were searching room-to-room. A quick Force pull and leap, and she was inside the ventilation shaft. She found the ship's main artery and traced it to the section she wanted. She reached out for Peyton through the Force; the girl was close. Just how close, Sydney discovered as Peyton crawled from a smaller offshoot of the larger shaft.
"Nice to see the Jedi aren't predictable," said Sydney as Peyton got to her feet.
"The clones just turned on me," said Peyton, shock beginning to bleed into the edges of her emotions.
"They've all turned. We need to get off this ship," said Sydney. She began walking back along the shaft, in the direction of the hangar bay. "Ideas?"
"On how to evade 10,000 elite clone troopers and escape undetected?" asked Peyton, joining her. "Maybe if we had an R2 unit…"
Sydney clucked disapprovingly. "Constructive suggestions."
"Well," began Peyton, "I do have one idea."
*
His arm hurt like a mynock had been chewing at it. Those Jedi and their eerie competence in battle-Captain Raan found himself admiring General Bristow in spite of his orders to terminate her on sight.
"We haven't been able to locate them anywhere, sir," said the squad leader in charge of the search.
"Keep looking," said Raan. He brushed away the medic attempting to bandage his wounded arm and began pacing. There were two Jedi loose on his ship and they were practically dead in the water, unable to call for assistance.
"Sir, we're getting a report from below-they just found squad nine, all men down. It looks like they're heading for the hangar bay," said the squad leader, his head tilted as he listened to his helmet comm.
"Seal off that section. We've got a full complement of troops onboard; use them," said Raan.
"Sir, losing pressure in the aft compartment. Looks like a hull breach," said his first officer.
Raan's instinctive response was to divert troops to the section. He backtracked mentally. "It's a diversion. They want us to inspect. Lock down the breach, but keep them posted at the hangar bay access points." Competence, indeed.
*
Cutting into the outer hull with their lightsabers had been a time-consuming but necessary task. Even the relatively thinner layers of a maintenance hatch took a good ten minutes. And now they clung to the outside surface of the transport, two tiny specks of movement against the white hull.
Sydney could feel extreme cold leaking in through her personal shield. It was of the type used by ejecting pilots, providing an airtight, temperature-controlled bubble for the few hours it would take search and rescue to arrive. She refused to let her mind really comprehend the fragility of her situation, instead focusing on breathing steadily through her air mask as she and Peyton inched their way across the belly of the ship. They were tethered together at the waist, but it would take one good tug to ensure a very slow, very cold death.
The hangar bay crept closer until they were at its exit. The mag field used to contain atmosphere in the bay was not active; perhaps Captain Raan thought to make it an inhospitable environment for two escapees.
Unable to speak, Sydney made an "eyes first" gesture to Peyton with two fingers, suggesting they check for guards before charging in. Peyton nodded. Together, they peeked over the lip of the exit, combining the visual scan with their Force sense of the clones. Sydney gave her apprentice the all clear after a minute and clambered into the bay. They stumbled as they readjusted to the gravity.
Peyton headed towards the Jedi starfighters that had been brought onboard specifically for their use, but Sydney nixed this decision with a shake of her head. She pointed to a shuttle, already positioned to be first out of the bay.
No one disturbed them as they sneaked onto the shuttle, sealed it, and began the emergency warmup.
"Good idea," said Sydney, bringing the nav computer online.
"I know," said Peyton.
*
"Sir, external sensors indicate a shuttle just launched," said Raan's first officer.
He stared at the blinking indicator. "How did they get into the hangar bay?" he asked. No one answered. They watched the shuttle swing into the bridge's line of view. Its engine glowed brilliantly just before it made the jump to hyperspace, its profile shrinking to nothingness.
"Sir?"
Raan ignored the questions and for a moment, indulged in his moment of supreme admiration for the Jedi.
"Sir?" repeated the first officer.
He sighed. "Get me a secure channel to Coruscant."
*
Sydney spent most of her time in hyperspace fighting a sense of overwhelming numbness. Peyton had isolated herself in the rear compartment . They had picked up a coded retreat signal emanating from the Jedi temple and had argued about its meaning. Peyton had wanted to proceed directly to Coruscant to confront the Senate, but Sydney had argued for patience and stealth. They needed to regroup, figure out the logistics of their situation. They needed a world not tainted with the presence of the Army of the Republic.
"How do you know Alderaan will be friendly to the Jedi?" asked Peyton, coming forward to sit in the copilot's seat.
"I don't. But they've been against military buildup from the beginning. And I know a member of the royal family. They may decide to hide us while we decide what to do," said Sydney. The nav computer signaled a warning; Sydney eased back the hyperdrive levers, dropping them into real space. Alderaan floated before them, a world of rich greens and blues.
Their comm system crackled to life. "Alderaan Port Authority to unidentified Theta-class shuttle. Please state your business."
Sydney gave Peyton a look that indicated silence before speaking. "This is the shuttle Hyderion. I'm transmitting a secure code now and I'm requesting you put me on a frequency with Queen Breha Organa."
There was a pause. "Standby for confirmation, Hyderion." And the comm clicked off.
Peyton stared at her. "You know a member of the royal family? Don't you mean the member? And how did you get that code?" asked Peyton.
"Senator Bail Organa has always been a friend of the Jedi Order," said Sydney vaguely, staring at the planet as if willing an affirmative response.
"Shuttle Hyderion, your code checks out. Patching you through now," said the Port Authority worker.
The comm beeped once to indicate the switchover. Then, the soft voice of Breha Organa. "This is Queen Organa."
"Your majesty, this is Jedi Knight Sydney Bristow. My clone troops turned on me and my apprentice at Ossus. I'm requesting asylum," said Sydney.
"General Bristow, you have no idea how good it is to hear from you. Land your shuttle at the palace. I have grave news," said Organa.
"Thank you, your majesty," said Sydney, and flipped the comm switch. She sat back in her chair, relief warring with fear.
"That was easy," said Peyton.
Sydney glanced at her sharply. "Bite your tongue, young Padawan."
*
Nestled among snowy mountains, the royal palace glimmered under early sunlight. Sydney landed the shuttle in the palace's private hangar next to a row of expensive transports. Summoning the last of her strength, she straightened her back and exited the shuttle. Her robe seemed to drag at her feet with each step she took down the ramp.
"General Bristow," said Organa, stepping forward to receive them. She was regal in a blue and silver dress cut in the traditional Alderaanian style and was flanked by an aide in service livery.
"Queen Organa," said Sydney, nodding her head. She stepped to one side. "My Padawan learner, Kelly Peyton." Peyton imitated her master.
"Please, come with me. You're safe here," said Organa.
Peyton glanced skeptically at Sydney, but fell into step next to her.
"Do you have any information about the clone uprising?" asked Sydney.
Organa's mask of composure slipped. "You should take your ease, first. I'll have food and quarters prepared for you."
"Your majesty, please," said Sydney. "I have to know what has happened."
The queen turned to face her, seemingly close to tears. "All the clones have turned. My husband informed me that Palpatine has dissolved the Republic and declared himself Emperor. He ordered troops into the Jedi temple."
Sydney's breath caught in her chest.
"They slaughtered everyone there. He saw them shoot a Padawan who tried to escape."
Sydney clenched her jaw tightly. She had known all along-she had felt it, but had held on to hope until now. "What about the Jedi who were offworld?"
"He's been trying to intercept communications from any survivors. But so far, there's been no contact from anyone but you," said Organa.
Sydney pressed a hand to her temple, trying to collect her thoughts and separate them from her despair. Her eyes flickered between Peyton and Queen Organa as she deliberated. "Your majesty, I'm afraid I have to decline your generosity. We need to return to Coruscant to see what can be done. We just need a new shuttle; our escape must be known by now."
"I'll send you with the next courier ship," said Organa. "In the meantime, Elana will show you to a place where you can rest."
They exchanged bows, Organa departing in one direction and the aide leading them in another. She left them in a large room that was bordered on one side by a terrace overlooking the mountainous terrain. Golden light streamed in through the open doors and windows. It was early spring; Sydney remembered youthful days with Rachel, wading through the fields of Bothawui.
"When we get to Coruscant, how are going to kill Palpatine?" asked Peyton.
Sydney was startled by the blunt question. "We can't just execute him."
"Why not? He slaughtered the Jedi," said Peyton. "He's too great a threat to be left alive. We have to kill him with whatever means necessary."
"We need information first," said Sydney. "We need to find survivors, regroup."
"Just listen to yourself!" Peyton exclaimed. "We're all that's left, and I say we kill Palpatine and take control until order is restored."
"Take control," Sydney repeated incredulously. "Do you really think we can control the Senate? What about the army?"
"We'll have the anti-war senators on our side. And once Palpatine is dead, the clones will follow the power," said Peyton.
"This is not about power," said Sydney. Certain incidents, murmurs from the Force, scattered recollections; they were beginning to coalesce into a new image of her apprentice. "This is about democracy and the abuse of power. You need to be careful, Peyton. Once you have power, it's not so easy to let it go. Ambition can become greed very quickly."
"The time for lessons is over," cried Peyton. "We need to take action!"
"If we truly are the last of the Jedi, then it's more important than ever that we continue your training," said Sydney. She stepped closer to Peyton. "I am still your master, and I am trying to keep you from getting killed. I will decide when the time for action has arrived."
Peyton stood her ground, but lowered her eyes in concession. "Yes, master," she muttered.
"We're both tired. Eat something. Get some sleep," said Sydney, attempting to smooth over the argument even as suspicion and doubt clouded her mind. Her thoughts turned unbidden to Rachel. "We'll be leaving soon."
*
An hour later, they left Alderaan aboard a corvette used to courier sensitive information to Senator Organa.
Inside her small cabin, fatigue finally caught up to Sydney. Her arms and legs were so much dead weight, dragging her down to her soft bunk mattress. Tempted as she was to give in to a deep sleep, she instead reached out for the Force and settled into a healing trance.
The trance was dreamless; she awoke the moment they emerged from hyperspace feeling whole again, at least in body. She joined Peyton on the bridge, where Coruscant's day side loomed in the viewport. "What's our status, captain?" asked Sydney, taking an empty seat behind the pilot.
"Just coming up on nightside, general," said Captain Omas. "We've been given clearance to land. Senator Organa will meet you when we're on the ground."
They cleared the terminus between dark and light, leaving weak sunlight for the blaze of neon nightlife. The city grew beneath them, tiny figures resolving into skyhooks and buildings. Sydney began preparing herself for the inevitable bad news. Across the bridge, Peyton stirred.
"Something's very wrong," she said.
The bridge crew exchanged uneasy looks at her portentous words.
But Sydney could sense it too-a gathering of dark side energy around the Senate building. And further ahead, a wide plume of smoke streamed from the Jedi temple. She could feel Peyton staring at her.
They landed without further incident. Captain Omas shook her hand solemnly at the top of the ship's ramp. "Best of luck, general," he said.
It didn't exactly make her feel better, but Sydney put on a smile anyway. "Thank you," she said before joining the waiting senator. He waited until they were safely sequestered aboard his own ship before speaking.
"It's good to see you, General Bristow," said Bail Organa. "A lot has happened since you left Alderaan. Masters Yoda and Obi-Wan Kenobi have survived."
Peyton's mouth dropped in astonishment; Sydney wasn't quite as surprised that two of the members of the high council and two of the greatest masters alive had escaped the pogrom. "Where are they now?" she asked.
Organa sighed heavily. "Anakin Skwyalker turned to the dark side. Master Yoda sent Obi-Wan to track down Skywalker and…kill him."
"Skywalker," Sydney repeated. "He was Obi-Wan's apprentice. He killed Count Dooku…" But the boy had always been so powerful. Arrogant, even. And there was his deep infatuation with Senator Amidala. She buried her face in one hand, the truth almost too much to bear. "Skywalker betrayed us?"
"Palpatine turned him."
She looked up. "Palpatine?" Her incredulity matched Peyton's.
"Yoda said that Palpatine is the Sith lord the Jedi have been looking for," said Organa. "He's gone to the Senate building to confront Palpatine directly." He checked his chrono. "I'm to meet him at a rendezvous as soon as he sends the signal."
"Take us to the Senate building," said Sydney immediately.
*
Senator Organa deposited them outside of a private Senate entrance, then left to wait in his speeder for Yoda's signal.
The Senate building was never empty, but the lower levels were mysteriously clear of all personnel.
"Can you feel that?" asked Peyton.
Sydney nodded; the dark side energy was getting stronger. Surges of hatred and fear emanated from deep within the building, washing over both of them.
"This is a suicide mission," said Peyton, skulking along behind Sydney.
"Not if we survive it," said Sydney, sounding confident despite the hair bristling along the back of her neck. They were close to Palpatine's holding office, located directly underneath the convocation chamber.
"Skywalker is going to kill Kenobi and Palpatine is going to kill us all," said Peyton.
"When we're with Master Yoda, we'll be fine," said Sydney.
"Palpatine orchestrated the war, took control of the Senate, and wiped out the Jedi. Who do you think is going to come out on top of that battle?"
Sydney whirled to face her apprentice. "Be mindful of your thoughts, Peyton. Opportunism isn't befitting of a Jedi."
"Opportunism is how Palpatine took his power. I'm just trying to look out for our future," said Peyton, sleeves flapping as she gestured. Muffled crunching sounds echoed through the walls around them. "There, you hear that?" said Peyton, holding up a hand. "That'll be Palpatine killing Yoda right now."
"Peyton…"
"If we pick the right side, we'll come out of this better than we were before. Think about it-we can rebuild the Jedi how we want, we can control things from the inside." Slowly, Peyton began to circle Sydney.
"Jedi use the Force for knowledge and self-defense," said Sydney, the old words falling flat in the empty hallway.
"Then it's time we stopped being Jedi," said Peyton, lip curling.
"Why do I get the feeling you stopped being a Jedi a long time ago?" asked Sydney. "Did Master Sovv's death really hurt you that much?"
Peyton let her robe fall to the floor, unclipped her lightsaber from her belt. "She was a fool."
"You turned on her at Muunilinst," said Sydney with dawning comprehension.
"I didn't have to," said Peyton. "She insisted on going back to help the clones. I knew it was pointless, so I just watched her go." She shrugged.
"And now you're going to try to kill me?" asked Sydney as she slipped out of her own robe.
"I'm going to have a gift for Palpatine when I join him," said Peyton.
Something dark pushed in on Sydney's mind; Peyton was probing her with the Force, seeking weaknesses to exploit in the Sith way. She sought to shut down everything but her connection with the Force, become a clear channel for its flow. She had done it thousands of time in practice and in battle. Yet the thing she needed to think of least she thought of most, and Peyton smiled mirthlessly.
"I'm not the only one with secrets," she said. "Your feelings betray you."
"Don't," warned Sydney, still circling with Peyton.
"I'm going to kill her too, you know," said Peyton. She ignited her lightsaber and struck, faster than Sydney had ever seen her move. Her control of the dark side was more complete than Sydney would have guessed.
Sydney blocked, dodged, and was away, trying to create space. "It's not too late, Peyton. You can help us defeat Palpatine. We can still save the Republic." She lowered her weapon.
"There's nothing left to save," said Peyton with calm assurance. She shifted stances smoothly, lightsaber humming into place.
Sydney gathered the Force, concentrated it, and pushed at Peyton as hard as she could. The girl was sent flying against the wall, head making a painful thudding noise upon impact. Her lightsaber clattered to the carpet and deactivated. Sydney called the weapon into her hand. Without pausing to check on her apprentice, she sprinted towards the convocation chamber, skidded to a halt just outside of Palpatine's office when her comlink buzzed.
"Sydney, I have Master Yoda," said Senator Organa.
"Was he successful?" asked Sydney. The office's open door revealed two unconscious senate guards.
"No. You have to get out of there. Palpatine is searching the entire building."
"I'll meet you later. Get Master Yoda to safety," she said, and turned off her comlink. She heard the mechanized whine of Palpatine's podium, immediately turned and retreated the way she came. Peyton was gone from the hallway where Sydney had left her. Troubled, she made her way to the nearest hangar, picked out the most nondescript airspeeder, and hoped that its owner wouldn't miss it until morning.
*
Rachel nearly slapped Sydney the moment she burst into the apartment, frantically calling Rachel's name. Instead, she covered her mouth and began crying silently. She continued sobbing into Sydney's shoulder, grasping her robes with white-knuckled grip.
Sydney kissed her cheek, her ear, her temple, stroked her back, held her for what felt like the first and last time. "I'm sorry," she said.
"I thought you were dead," said Rachel at last. She lifted her head, wiped at the wetness on her face. "There have been these terrible stories on the news, that the Jedi are enemies, that-"
"It's not true," said Sydney. "The clones turned on us. Palpatine is a Sith."
"How did you escape? Where have you been? Are you all right?" asked Rachel anxiously.
"I'm fine. I'll tell you everything later," said Sydney. She cradled Rachel's face with one hand. "Are you okay?"
Rachel nodded. She peered closely at Sydney. "What is it?"
Sydney frowned. "You're not safe around me. I-"
"Are you leaving?" asked Rachel incredulously.
"I have to. There's things I have to do-"
"No. You promised me. You promised you wouldn't," said Rachel, clinging tightly to Sydney. "If you leave, I'm going with you."
Sydney rested her forehead against Rachel's. "It won't be safe, or easy."
Rachel leaned forward and kissed her in response, attempting to sublimate the days of fear and hopelessness in the sensations of being together again.
"I hate to interrupt, but I need to have a word with my master."
Sydney felt a tug at her waist, opened her eyes to see Peyton standing in the doorway, calling her lightsaber from Sydney's belt. She caught the weapon easily, activated it as she flew across the room in a Force leap. Sydney barely intercepted the blade with her own.
Rachel scrambled out of the way. "Sydney-"
"Rachel, run," shouted Sydney, forcing Peyton away with a sudden flurry of heavy blows. Rachel ran for the door. The moment she was gone, Sydney focused on the moment. She had the weight of experience, but had never fought a dark side user. Peyton was unpredictable; Sydney sensed her anger burning fiercely.
"I guess she didn't love you enough to stay," said Peyton even as Sydney backed her towards a corner. Suddenly she was twisting, lightsaber weaving under Sydney's in an elegant maneuver. Sydney barely parried in time. The edge of Peyton's blade singed Sydney's pants leg, leaving a black scorch mark. She felt her skin blister from the heat of contact, flinched and withdrew. Peyton immediately turned and ran. Sydney swallowed her surprise to give chase.
Peyton was already halfway down the hallway-and Rachel was just entering the lift. Sydney felt Peyton throw the lightsaber before she did it, sending it flying towards Rachel with a Force grip. Sydney reached out with her empty hand, calling the lightsaber. It halted it in midair, then slowly reversed directions.
Perhaps realizing that a battle of Force powers would be uselessly draining, or perhaps wanted to settle things more personally, Peyton gave up and took up her lightsaber again. Sydney rushed her, aware that Rachel was watching from the lift but with no breath to spare for a warning. She spun into a strike, the blow powerful enough to send Peyton a step back. Peyton retaliated with a precise thrust aimed at Sydney's heart. Sydney parried one-handed, taking in Peyton's new form with trepidation. This was not the Djem So Sydney had witnessed earlier. She seemed almost relaxed, her movement minimal and well-timed.
Peyton thrust again. Sydney's parry forced both lightsabers deep into the wall, showering them both with sparks. She struck again, switching flawlessly to a stronger form, hoping to match elegance with strength for a quick victory. Peyton's eyes widened as she realized the extent of Sydney's combat experience, rage giving way to fear. Sydney pressed her advantage. She batted away Peyton's next thrust, blocked low to receive the return strike, stepped neatly into Peyton's guard. A flick of her lightsaber and Peyton's sword hand lay on the ground, smoking from the instant cauterization.
Peyton screamed in agony, fell back clutching her stump. "You!" she raged, eyes watering.
"It didn't have to end like this," said Sydney sadly. She pulled Peyton's lightsaber free of the disembodied hand, aware that Rachel was slowly approaching. She made a stopping gesture and turned to her apprentice. "It's never too late, Peyton. Come with me."
Peyton narrowed her eyes and made a clutching gesture.
Rachel gasped, fell to her knees, one hand scrabbling at the wall for support.
"Peyton, don't!" Sydney shouted. But Peyton's fingers tightened, and Rachel convulsed as she fought to breathe. Peyton's lightsaber scissored with Sydney's in one flashing motion. Rachel stilled, gulped in air. Peyton's body was still as well. Her head lay a few feet away.
"Sydney," whispered Rachel.
She knelt next to Rachel, propped her into a sitting position. "Take it easy. It's over."
*
Wearing civilian clothing was strange after a lifetime of Jedi robes. She missed the weight of her lightsaber at her right hip. But a life in hiding meant leaving behind the outward identity of a Jedi, and so she dressed in plain shirts and breeches and left her lightsaber in a locked drawer in her bedroom.
She had met with Yoda and Obi-Wan too late to witness the birth of the Skywalker twins. Yoda had instead assigned her last task as a Jedi and had sent her to Alderaan with Bail Organa to watch over the girl. He had eyed her critically before smiling and telling her, "Good it is that you will not be alone." And then he had left for his own exile.
"You'll get sunburned if you stand there all day," said Rachel. Barefoot and casual in a light sundress, she joined Sydney at the top of the hill next to their house.
"I wasn't planning on it," said Sydney, smiling. She hooked an arm around Rachel's waist.
"Come inside. I made lunch," said Rachel. She tugged gently at Sydney.
Sydney took a long look at the royal palace, high above them in the mountains that shadowed their quiet valley. "Coming," she said, and followed Rachel down the hill.