Star Wars:::: A Jedi's Tale. Chapter II: There is No Emotion...

He stood long in the cleaning facility, with his apartment around him in silence and darkness. He could barely see his silouhette in the mirror; all he could see were her eyes as she was dying, the red stains of blood rage dancing in front of his eyes, becoming larger, engulfing him until nothing around him existed. Pure blind rage. It had all been his fault, he had killed her. If only he had been better trained, or if the council had not sent him, he had told them! His fury was a fire within him, a fire he could tap on. He could get them, all of them, specially the assasin, the dark figure, he could wave one hand and the force would be there with him, ready to crush them all. He felt it more likely with each passing second. Her death was to become the fuel that would make him unstoppable. He had it in his hands. He hade never been so ready until now.
Why didn't his master taught him this power? Why were padawans being shun from this potential? They could master it, they would not succumb to the dark side if their intentions remained noble. What is the importance of tapping in to this source when done for the right of the republic, ot in the name of the people that they cared about... Why deny a base emotions that all sentient life forms share? Is it not denying strong emotions also denying the very essence of what make them being with soul and awareness?
No, he had to remain calm, but he was losing that battle. He had to focus, remember the way he started. Let out resentment of what was not taught to him aside. Remember what he did learn. Where he came from. He was never meant to be a Jedi anyway, he was part of the AgriCorps, not a padawan to be knighted. Still, if he had recieve better teachings... If only...
He breathed, trying to focus all of his being in to breathing, in and out. He walked out of the cleaning room and in to his couch by the window. He finished his drink, collecting his thoughts. There must be something he can do. He thought about going back to the spaceport hangar where the representative of the council would surely still be, he may not have taken off yet. He definitely would need to get out of his apartment, they would be coming here for him, in time, and in force. He sighed and looked around his place. He was growing fond of it. Life was so much simpler before; before his master found him and took him from the AgriCorps.
Dantooine had been peaceful, meaningful.
It is morning on another world, another time. A peaceful world. He is young, a young Nautolan out of his enviroment. He is standing outside the jedi enclave in a low hill overlooking the fields of crops on the northern agricultural sector of Dantooine. He has been there for over a year, working all over the planet in using his force sensitive talents. He had focused his better work inside the enclave, allowing beautiful plants to grow out of their normal sizes, bringing species from other worlds to enhance the beauty and peace of the Jedi's inner sanctum in Dantooine. The place was old, rebuilt, and the plants he was helping with made it even more beautiful.
He had not been chosen as an apprentice by the age of thirteen, so he had limited options. So, in spirit of his affinity for nature and things that grow, he volunteered for the Agricultural Corps assignement. He had been brought from Coruscant to Dantooine under the authoriy of the Council of Reassignment, working in conjunction with the Republic Agricultural Administration to provide healthy crops to those under-privileged star systems suffering from natural disasters or blight.
Dantooine had been in rebuilding ever since the days of the old sith wars. the Jedi enclave was now in full splendor, its inner courtyards, and hallways finished with wooden walls, made any holo recording of the ages past pale in comparison. In these days, the AgriCorps also attract ranking members of the Order who wish to take a more hands on approach to helping the common people of the galaxy.
A few days before, he had met Alema Mon-Rahs, a human; full Jedi knight on a volunteer tour of the AgriCorps. The encounter had caused a huge stir in the young Nautolan's emotions. He wanted to talk to her for as long as she had patience for him. It had been a great few days; doing tours of the farms and farmlands, settling new ones to provide work for unemployed populaton, and treating seeds and plants for a better growth, while at the same time just drilling the Jedi knight with questions. Alema had been happy to oblige him with all manner of anwers ranging from what sort of life a full knight leads, to the manners of training a new padawan learner goes through, and even to the current political tensions with the taxation of trade routes that, apparently, had caused some blockades in peaceful planets by the trade Federation. Every time you step on some one's purse, it is the peaceful planets with no armies that pay the price. Nevertheless he and Alema were confident that Jedi ambassadors would put an end to these blockades happening all over the Republic, acting under the orders of Chancellor Valorum.
He had learned a lot, and he only wanted to learn more.
As he stands in the outside of the enclave, the speeder that is to take him to the offices of The Council of AgriCorps Masters in Dantooine shows itself coming up the hill and stopping in front of him, he feels optimistic and light hearted. With the Force on his side, this meeting will change his life. He had been summoned for a reason, and he had strong feelings that he knew what that reason was.
The landspeeder stops in front of him. He quickly boards it and the driver pulls off, towards one of the largest enclaves of the northern sectors, which contains most of the civic and public offices of the Republic. As they speed through the olive, golden and tan fields, he remembers exploring this part of the planet for the first time, and being specially amazed by walking the corridors and admiring the ruins of an ancient Jedi Temple, its echoes and ripples through the force still palpable after the ages have passed.
Morning is not yet over when the vehicle speeds away after dropping him in the civic enclave. He directs his steps in to the offices of the Corps Masters. He is delighted to see the strong and elegant shape of Alema Mon-Rhas enveloped in her Jedi robes, standing just outside the Corps office. they greet each other with a peaceful sense of belongness, as if they both know where the events of the day are going. He steps in to the office with Alema on his side, and in doing so, his life changes.
Inside there are three more Jedi knights talking with the Agri Corps master on Dantooine. He can see a screen with his dossier displaying information on his life, they definitely had been discussing him. They reach a conclussion. They tell him he is to leave off back to Coruscant. Tehy tell him the council has granted special permission for him to be trained as a padawan.
They tell him he is to become a Jedi, knight of the Republic.
The galaxy has endless number of species, planets and sectors that had not been explored or brought in to the Republic. Destiny, fate or The Will of The Force is always in motion, however, and the energies that bind people together, that direct events seeminlgy in a random faashion; also tie the knots of pain, suffering, and the winds of the Force blow people's lives away to fulfill its will. The Will of the Force is unkown, even to the most learned Jedi Masters.
Such a wind was blowing in deep space; in the unknown regions. A smuggler ship had inadvertely encountered a species of sentient beings not seen in the Republic for countless years, and now thatpast encounter had made the wheels of the Will o The Force turn once again.
In his apartament at Ord Mantell, the Jedi sat gathering his thoughts, calming his emotions, recollecting better days under the sun of Dantooine, and his inner eye did not show him a red and purple nebula, beautiful to behold, and what that nebula frames in the deep regions of space. A massive star cruiser, gleaming under the light of the nearest sun, its white metal body of incredible power sits still, silent, menacing not only by the sheer bulk of its size, but also because of its numerous emplacements of turbo laser artillery.
There is no space station, satellite or trade route in the vicinity that could pick up its menacing readings. Its interior hallways are red carpeted with blueish walls. The life support systems working in perfect condition by maintaining low levels of oxygen and a cold temperature, comfortable for the specific needs of the race that inhabits whithin its walls.
In the captain's quarters, the decoration is stoic, and spartan, but not deprived of some small strategic luxuries, like the newly installed holographic display of every star system recorded in the Republic's databases. The room is darkened, only the glow of this beautiful technology lights the face of the man controlling it; A technology stolen for the captain of this ship from Coruscant by Viggo Alexi's operatives; The black Sun. The captain, a tall, blue skinned man surveys parts of the galactic map at will, changing star systems aftehr the other, zooming in to planetary, continental, and city views, then zooming out to galactic view again.
He is interrupted by the sound of his hatch opening, and the sudden flood of hallway blueish lights. He walks in to a thin center dais and removes a small glass marble from it; the image of the galaxy collapses and dissapears. "What is it", he says to the also blue skinned man coming in to the room. "It's Daneela, she is here" the man says and leaves the room.
A moment later, a girl of about 15 years comes in to the room. She surveys the place with familiarity and the captain catched a glimpse of contempt in her eyes; he clears his throat as he approaches her; "Daneela, your training is concluded" The captain says, then continues after a brief pause. "Are you ready to leave your life behind? Are you ready to go live in the Republic, and forgo our people? Are you ready to start your mission?"
After a brief silence, the girl stands tall, looking the captain in to his red glowing eyes.
She never falters, her deep violet eyes, a bit different from the normal reddish one of her race, never leave the captain's face. "I am", it is the only thing ahe says. The captain nods silently and opens a communication channel, "Is everything ready?" he asks through a commlink. The answer is swift, "Yes sir, they are... waiting for her in the hangar". The tall man turns to the girl and walks her out of his room. "You know what must be done. Though I will not be with you through your difficult task ahead, I will be with you now, as you begin." The captain tells her, as he steps out of his room and walks with her through hallways and repulsorlifts until they reach the main hangar.
Their way there is silent.
Upon exiting the last repulsorlift, they begin to walk thtough the hallway that will take them to the hangar.
As they enter it, in an unexpected movement, the Captain turns to her and hugs her closely, stroking her black hair, and kisses her forehead. "Good bye, daughter". He says, though no emotion can be blatantly detected, right before five or six blue skinned soldiers begin, surgically and clinically, to beat her to a pulp.
They strike hard and without mercy, though simpathy is in their hearts; blow after blow, she takes it. She never falls until the end, until the butt of a rifle strikes her between her beautiful violet eyes; she falls only until she is unconscious.
Then, her bleeding body is placed on an escape capsule and shot in to the black space. Nothing in that capsule can give away her origin, her starting point; No connection whatsoever to what and who she really is.
"I hope we are not sending her to die", one of the officials, aide to the captain, overseeing the beating of the girl says. The captain smiles with a melancholy that his aide has rarely seen in him. He remembers seeing that same smile on his wife's funeral. "Oh, but we are, old friend" answers the Captain, patting his aide on the shoulder, "We are."