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Mayan Hotel, Imperial City, Coruscant
Armand Naberrie leaned against the window of his brightly lit hotel suite, watching, but not seeing the thousands of sparkling lights below that created the illusion of early evening long after dusk had fallen. Air traffic buzzed below and above the hotel, speeders crashed, sped up, cut others off, and generally headed towards their destinations without looking back. Life moved fast in Coruscant, and even continued to move on this night, when all Armand could do was stand still, his hand holding a now very warm, white gold chain in his pocket.
After leaving the Skywalker apartments, Armand had spoken with his father concerning New Naboo and what he had learned while observing the New Republic. He had Dor set up a meeting with President Fey'lya, and then retired to his room. Only then did he have time to think. He hadn't moved from his spot next to the window since.
Letting out a soft sigh, Armand slowly removed the necklace from his pocket, watching the gold and gems glitter from reflected light. It had brought generations of lovers together before him. His mother had given it to him in hopes its "magic" would bring him a wife. But the lady he intended to give it to may not fall under its spell. The lady he intended to give it to may not even exist.
Had he fallen for a complete stranger?
When Lainey had awakened after fainting, he had read doubt, fear, and even lack of recognition in her eyes. With her memory restored, she had barely even remembered him. With her memory came past reservations, and perhaps a completely different person.
And yet... when their eyes met, the pull that had drawn them together at first was still there. She still fit perfectly in his arms when he held her, her touch was still electric, and her lips still warmly accepted his kiss.
Armand shook his head, unable to understand it. He would need to speak with Lainey to sort it out. But did he have the courage to accept her decision regarding him?
The rush of air into his room broke into Armand's thoughts, causing him to turn just in time to watch his father enter the room. "Father," Armand said, nodding respectfully to him.
"Armand." Richard returned the greeting. Studying Armand's face, he asked, "Are you alright?"
"Yes," Armand replied automatically, finding himself unable to say more.
Noticing the necklace in Armand's hand, Richard raised an eyebrow. "I've never seen you show much interest in that necklace since your mother gave it to you. It's for your Jedi Lady, isn't it?" Taking Armand's silence as agreement, Richard walked further into the room. "I'd love to meet the lady for whom you would sacrifice your shirt," he teased, winking at his son. Not receiving even the barest hint of a smile, Richard frowned and placed a hand on Armand's shoulder. "What's wrong?" he asked, concerned.
"I think I'm falling in love with her, Father," Armand replied softly.
"I see," Richard said, his hand tightening on Armand's shoulder. "Your grandfather never liked that phrase. He always used to say, 'You don't fall in love, you rise up to it.' Love is noble, Armand, it brings you up with it, shaping you into a better person than you were before."
"And if your love cannot be returned?" Armand asked, meeting his father's gaze.
"Why couldn't it be?" Richard asked gently.
Armand hesitated. "It's complicated."
"That's all right," Richard said, sitting on a chair next to the nightstand, gesturing for Armand to take the opposite one. "I have all night to listen."
Still hesitant, Armand slowly sat down. He trusted his father - there was no doubt about that - but he'd rarely opened up to him like this. They never had time for it in the past. Tonight, it seemed they did. "Well, first you must understand that when I met Lainey, she was suffering from amnesia. She had been found by Luke Skywalker and Corran Horn frozen in carbonite, her amnesia was assumed to be the cause of a traumatic experience. I knew this and accepted it. Accepted her," he corrected himself. "I liked her more after a few moments of speaking with her, than any other girl I have ever met.
"The problem is...her memory returned today." He closed his eyes for a moment, remembering the strange way she'd looked at him. Almost as though she were fighting her feelings for him. "She's different, Father, or at the very least, governed by different rules." He clenched his fist slightly. "How can the Jedi forbid love?"
Richard blinked. "That's an Old Jedi order practice."
"I know," Armand said wearily.
"I see," Richard said, his tone even. "I'm not exactly sure why the Jedi forbade love, Armand. I do know that one of the reasons was they couldn't afford emotional ties, while running off to save the galaxy."
"The Corellian Jedi married," Armand pointed out.
"The Corellian Jedi never left their system," Richard reminded him. "I think their reasoning goes deeper than that though. I also think that Lainey could answer your questions better than I. Take the first chance you get to speak with her."
"I will," Armand said, having already realized this himself.
Richard rose to his feet. "And don't forget that above asking to be remembered, that necklace also represents hope."
***
Giggling to herself, Jysella Horn managed to evade Valin all throughout the headquarters. With no adults roaming the halls to stop her, Jysella found the perfect opportuninty to leave the building. She still carried the strange device her mother had given Valin, having been unable to find out how the Jedi would use it. Jysella had no interest in it, other than the fact that Valin seemed to.
Imagining herself as a Rebel on a stormtrooper hunt, she stalked across the Headquarter's grounds and out into the city. There was a small park not too far away that she loved to play at, but she was never allowed to go alone. The prospect of being able to do so brought a smile to her face. No adults meant she could do whatever she wanted.
Although... Jysella's steps slowed. If no one was there to tell her no, where was the fun in doing what she couldn't?
Pondering this, Jysella stepped into the less crowded streets of the city, missing the cloaked figure following her. Starting to scream only when a large hand pressed against her mouth, her cries went out unheard into the night.
***
Standing where the bright lights of Imperial City cast shadows, Laman waited for Corran Horn to leave the safety of the Jedi Headquarters. The Jedi emerged, accompanied by a taller man, and Laman frowned. One Jedi he was certain he could handle, but two? He only had one dose of aserelk elixir mixed with a sedative. Slinking further into the shadows, Laman watched the two Jedi stride by. Once they were ahead of him, Laman began trailing them a few meters behind.
Keeping in the shadows, he was able to remain hidden from them. Corran grabbed the taller Jedi's arm, and they stopped for a moment, Corran's eyes focusing on the spot where Laman stood. Holding perfectly still, Laman watched the Jedi trying to find him. Seconds passed like hours before Corran finally turned away and resumed walking.
Letting out a deep breath, Laman fingered his blaster. He considered the idea of stunning both Jedi before being seen, but just then he heard the cry of a gearen bird. Native of Mantooine, its cry was the Lamar'acks call. Someone else had escaped the prince's guard. The two of them could definitely take on two Jedi. If the other was competent enough. Reluctant to leave his quarry, Laman debated seeking out the other.
Realizing he knew where Corran was headed, Laman allowed a small smile to trace his lips. He whistled back, following the sound of the other's echoing calls. He followed the calls towards a small park, and into a dark alley, where he found the other man. The man stood against a tall building's wall, holding a small girl in his arms. She kicked, punched, and was probably trying to bite the hand that covered her mouth, but she was unable to escape the powerful hold of Lemuel's arms.
Laman raised an eyebrow. "Who is this?"
Lemuel favored him with a greasy smile. "Corran Horn's daughter."
"She'll lead him straight to us," Laman said evenly, his mind racing. A hostage... perfect. "What do you intend to do when he does?"
Holding the girl with one arm, Lemuel reached into his cloak, removing a thermal detonator. "Give him an offer he can't refuse. Him, for his daughter."
***
Imperial City had an unusually eerie feeling to it; the people moved faster down the streets, none daring to make eye contact with the two Jedi. The lights seemed to glow dimmer, but somehow managed to cast more shadows than usual. And hidden deep in the shadows, eyes tracked them.
Corran Horn shook his head. Lainey's slight paranoia must be getting to him. He could sense no disturbances in the Force, and he could barely sense anything more than idle curiousity regarding him and Ganner. But his instincts, honed by Corsec before he learned to rely on the Force, told him they were being trailed. Grabbing Ganner's arm, he pulled them to a stop. "We're being followed."
Frowning, Ganner's eyes unfocused for a moment. "I don't sense anyone."
Scanning the streets with his eyes and the Force, Corran could not find their trail in the Force, but he knew someone was there. "Doesn't matter," Corran said. "Valdemar's men are known to hide their presences in the Force." Taking his eyes off of where he thought their trail to be, Corran said, "Let's see how far he follows us."
They walked in silence for a couple of minutes, before the eyes left them. Confused, Corran stopped again, when a sudden piercing cry echoed throughout the Force. Corran's blood ran cold. Jysella.
Immediately he reached out to her, sending her comforting thoughts. Daddy's coming. He tried to get a sense of her attacker, but could sense no one. Alarmed, Corran reached for his lightsaber and started running toward Jysella. Her fear raised a fierce anger in him he had to fight hard to control. How did they get Jysella? And why would they want her?
They wanted him.
It didn't matter. Sparing a second to inform Ganner what was happening, he started running toward his daughter with Ganner on his heels.
They soon ran past Jysella's favorite park and, sensing Jysella near by, Corran slowed to a walk. "She's in there." He pointed to a dark alley in between two large business buildings. The Force assured him that Jysella hadn't been hurt...yet. Pressing up against the wall, he and Ganner started sneaking into the alley. A stack of crates provided cover as they entered, and Corran reached the end of them and caught sight of his daughter and her captors, one a fairly large human, the other a wraith. Jysella struggled in the human's arms, kicking and punching him. His large hand cover her mouth, which she struggled to bite.
Corran met Ganner's brown eyed gaze for a moment, trying to formulate a plan, when Jysella must have suceeded in biting her captor. "Daddy!" she screamed, bringing Corran's gaze back to her. "I'm over here, Daddy!" Corran winced not only for the fact that she had given away their cover, but at the terror in her voice masked only by her faith in him.
"Horn," a smooth voice called out. "Reveal yourself and she will not be harmed."
Remaining behind the crates, Corran unhitched his lightsaber.
"Horn," a harsher voice called out, belonging to the man who held his daughter. He removed a thermal detonator from his cloak. "You and your friend have one minute to reveal and surrender yourself to us, or I will blow this alleyway up, killing you and your pretty little daughter."
Corran looked at Ganner. "Can you get the detonator?"
Ganner shook his head. "Not before he could push the activation switch."
Turning his attention back to the two men and his daughter, he took in the alley, the crates, noticed the blaster hanging at the... two men? Corran blinked, realizing the wraith had turned into a tall, ageless man. "Take this," the man holding Jysella and the detonator said to the taller man, then used his free hand to tug hard on her dark brown hair, causing her to scream.
"Daddy!" she cried, tears now forming in her eyes. The man pressed a vibroblade to her throat.
"Don't make me carve this perfect little face, Horn," the man warned.
Corran clenched his fist around his lightsaber, fighting the urge to beat the man senseless for even holding a weapon near his daughter, let alone threatening to use it on her. Angrier than he could remember being in years, Corran took deep, calming breaths as he stepped away from the crates. He motioned for Ganner to do the same.
The taller man smiled. "Good, you can be reasonable. Drop your weapons."
"Release my daughter," Corran countered, holding his unactivated lightsaber before him.
"Surrender yourself to us, and she may go home with your friend," the tall man said smoothly. "Should you choose to fight, we all will die." He gestured to the detonator he held in his hand.
"Release her first, and I will come to you."
"I think not," the man said. "We have no business with your daughter or your friend. They are free to go, as soon as we have you."
"And what is your business with me?" Corran asked, taking one step forward.
"You are a means to an end," he replied, "And you have thirty seconds to surrender."
"Release her and allow her to walk to Ganner, while I walk to you."
Nodding, the taller man handed the detonator to the man holding Jysella. "Drop your weapons."
Jysella writhed in his grasp. "No, Daddy! Get 'em with your lighsaber! I know you can do it!"
"I'm sorry, Jys," Corran said softly, then turned to Ganner. "Keep her safe."
Ganner nodded, dropping his lightsaber at the same time as Corran.
"No, Daddy!" Jysella cried, tears running down her cheeks as he started walking towards the taller man. The one holding her released her. She turned around, kicking him swiftly in the shins. "You can't have my Daddy!"
"Jysella, go to Ganner," Corran said, allowing an edge to leak into his tone. "Now."
Jysella turned, placing her hands on her hips, her green eyes dropping into slits. "No!"
"Now!" Corran said, just as the taller man reached him, grabbing his arm. Ganner plucked Jysella up with the Force, levitating him to her. She kicked and screamed, reaching her arms out for Corran. Grimacing, Corran touched her mind with the Force, letting her know how much she was loved.
Ganner was now holding her in his arms, and Corran's message only caused her to struggle harder. "Don't go with them, Daddy! Don't go!"
"Get her away from here, Ganner," Corran called out, feeling an injector prick his arm. The Force immediatly left him, and seconds later, he collapsed into a deep sleep.
Ganner backed away from the men, his mind trying to formulate a plan to rescue Corran and keep Jysella safe. Jysella struggled in his arms, still calling for Corran.
The taller man focused his gaze on Ganner while he struggled to keep Corran upright. "Tell Skywalker that his life may be exchanged for the first of the new Jedi Order, and the last of the Old." The shorter, more powerful man set the detonator on the ground, then hefted Corran over his shoulders.
The taller man smiled. "You have two minutes before this alley explodes."
His first obligation being to keep Jysella safe, Ganner rushed out of the alley, with Jysella fighting him the whole way. Keeping her head over her shoulder she continued to call for Corran, than finally addressed Ganner. "How can you let them take him?" she demanded. "Put me down!"
"Sorry kid," Ganner replied, sending soothing tendrils of the Force into her. "We'll get your daddy back."
Too young to understand, Jysella shook her head. "I want my Daddy now." She sniffed, then suddenly brightened up. "Daddy was trapping them, wasn't he, Ganner? He's not really asleep, he's faking!" She touched his cheek to get him to look at her. "Right?"
Ganner winced at the hope in her eyes, and averted his gaze. Holding her tight, he said softly. "I'm sorry, Jysella." He squeezed her. "I'm sorry."
Copyright 2002 by Luney.
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