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Masters Of The Force: The First Chapter: Part One |
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Star Wars:
Masters Of The Force:
The First Cycle:
The Meridean Twins
Chapter One
“Trouble Included”
A LONG TIME AGO IN A GALAXY FAR, FAR AWAY . . . She blew in with the other initiates.
There didn’t seem to be anything special about her at first look. She was of medium height, with cropped, raven-black hair, porcelain skin, and a pair of iced-purple eyes; the exact color might be called lavender, but it wasn’t really. And she wasn’t alone.
She came with a pack of others, five others to be precise. The littlest was no more than nine or ten: a small girl with long silvery blonde hair, done up in a crisp bun, and sea-blue eyes. Her gaze seemed to bore through whatever she glanced at. The only other girl was a dark character: she had died her hair a deep shade of indigo that hung to just above her shoulders and had a wet look to it. Her eyes were an almost blackish blue. The youngest boy was maybe ten or eleven. He had light brown hair, a spray of freckles across his nose and chocolate brown eyes. Then came a boy that was just above six feet tall. He had a head of curly brown hair and deep brown eyes. Then the boy that walked side by side with Lavender-Eyes came into view.
They must be related, Luke Skywalker, Jedi Master, later reasoned, as he watched them walk in. They looked so similar. The boy was the same height and build as the girl. He had the same colored hair, only instead of hanging limp to frame the face or pulled back in a tight, side-swept knot, it stuck up in all directions. That, and his eyes, were the only thing that separated the boy from the girl besides the obvious things. His eyes; the right was an electric blue, but the left was yellow. Hawk-like almost. Not quite gold, but definitely strange. Luminescent was the best word to describe them with.
Luke had to suppress a shiver as the boy and girl passed him, walking to the Great Hall. She cast him an appraising look, her eyes scanning up and down his frame once.
And then she was gone.
The feeling of being appraised hadn’t left him when he gave the reception speech or when he sent the initiates out to the courtyard to “get to know each other.” This was actually a chance to observe the new recruits without them knowing. Of the roughly one hundred, some would talk, horse around, or lean against the old ruins and smoke death-sticks.
Luke took notice to about five doing the latter, one of them being a Vamp, who tired to do it discreetly. He made a mental note to have them kick the habit and soon.
Then he looked for Lavender and Spike, as Mara Jade called them.
The two stayed together with their little group. She couldn’t be more than sixteen or seventeen surely. The boy looked slightly younger, but very close to her age. The word ‘twins’ crossed his mind. Why did that word cause him to shudder? Maybe the memories of all the trouble twins have brought him in the past. Him and Leia were twins after all, but still, these two were creepy. Bad word usage, he scolded himself.
He had a nasty shock when she looked right at him. He was standing in a window high about them but she jerked her head right to where he was. The others joined her, some looking a little shocked themselves. She smirked and waved. Then she crossed her arms over her chest and watched him. Luke tried to act natural. He felt her iced-purple eyes starring at him and it burned. Well, it was uncomfortable, that was for sure. Maybe not burned, but still creepy.
The next few days he got to know the other initiates and actually took them into the rainforest to meditate and show them a few simple Force abilities.
The little girl with fierce eyes was Gabrielle Starchild. Her friends called her Gaby because she never talked unless it was absolutely necessary. It was obvious she was a powerful telepath. Gabrielle could see the future and hear others thoughts as easily as if they had spoken to her. Also, she had the unique gift called, “Heaven’s Rain.” With those words, she somehow managed to make it rain buckets of ice water anywhere. The little boy was Maximum Aster, going by Max. According to him, he could sabotage any saboteur before they had even set their trap. The dark girl was Aliea Moonbeam, a ‘witch’ from Azerath. Three words and she could bring the world crashing down around you. Her spell book held more, though she had yet to master them all. The tall boy was actually a brother to someone he knew very well. Rio Solo, Han’s younger foster brother, found by Han’s adoptive mother after Han had already moved out. Rio had his cocky, lopsided grin, one of the few things he had adopted from Han.
Juniper Comet, a Tamaranian girl with fiery red hair and pink eyes. Besides the known Tamaranian powers, she possessed the odd ability to change people into flowers. Constantine Angel, the brooding half-Vamp who smoked, was equipped with the fangs to prove his blood lines. His black hair covered one eye and those eyes were black, all black. Upon yelling the words “Hell’s Fire” a blast of fire would shoot from the ground, even from water, if he so willed it. A surprising fact: Gabrielle was Constantine’s half sister, the two sharing a mother. Kagome Renaldi had no memory of where she came from or who her parents were, but she knew she couldn’t take her black satin gloves off; if she did, and if she touched someone’s skin, they would die. The most likely explanation was that she was an experiment left over from the Empire. Kagome wore very bright lipstick and more makeup than she really needed. She was also, at the very least, a double D. Her eyes were green and her hair seemed to change color each day. “Kool-aid color treatment,” she called it. Nikolai Damian, a husky boy, older than all the others, bore a saber staff and all the knowledge they’d ever need about Darth Maul. He had brown hair and eyes and, his definitive feature, a goatee-moustache combo that was comical to say the least. It was obvious he was the protective big brother of the group, adopting a very Han-like way of showing it. Under his bravado and testosterone, he was all heart, however.
Trilian Soriel, a pretty ex-slave girl, was more than she seemed as well. Under that light brown hair and amber eyes hid a powerful terrakenetic. That’s to say, she could move rocks and earth with her mind. She also mentioned, quite casually, that her father was the infamous bounty hunter Boba Fett, although she didn’t go into deep detail about their relationship. Tril had a half sister named Xaqueenia Rendar, daughter of Dash Rendar. Xaqi was nine months older than Tril and twice as ornery. Her hair was black, streaked with blue, red and pink. Her eyes were green. Her special tactic was in her hands. From the spaces between her knuckles came knife long blades, three on each hand, the souvenirs of a freak surgery. The two seemed opposites of each other, when, in fact, they were really thick as thieves.
Then came the Draconic bunch. The Royal Children of Draconia included Jaken Crane, the eldest, tall with blonde hair and grey eyes, and several interesting powers: dopplegangors, the ability to make tangible copies of his person, pyrokenisis, the power to control fire with his mind, two lightsabers, a white one and an onyx one, and his Eldest Powers, the other three elements. The only problem was he was banished and mind-wiped for betrayal against his psychotic father. His name, in the old Draconic tongue, meant “Dragon’s Fang.” He was slowly regaining his powers. His sister, Sofina Crane, had blonde hair and grey eyes and had no lightsaber, but was aquakenetic, that is she could control water. Fina was blind since birth. Her name meant “Dragon’s Eye.” The youngest Crane child was Riku Crane, and had oil black hair with a shock of white in it and his eyes were navy blue. Riku, who was sixteen, and, due to a genetic mutation, he had all the Elemental and duplicating powers of his eldest brother, Jaken. The two often butted heads due to difference of opinion. His name meant “Dragon’s Blood.”
There was a third brother, older than Riku, younger than Fina, Alfonso (“Dragon’s Scales” due to a skin condition), but he followed his father’s footsteps. He was killed by the others after he stole the throne from Fina, throwing Draconia in a state of turmoil. Now that Jaken had regained his memories, he once again was heir to the throne. He still had a long way to go, though. Luke was under the understanding that a dragon regent was holding the throne for him until he was deemed worthy. The other Draconian was Vyse Dyne, former private in the Draconic Navy. He had brown, shaggy hair and hazel eyes. All Draconics have one Elemental power, unless they were the eldest born, or Riku, and Vyse was youngest of seven. His power was aerokenesis.
And through all of Luke’s hike, the suspected twins had yet to speak.
2
Luke was upside down, standing on his hands, centering himself in the Force. He raised a few rocks in the air and scanned the feet around him. So far, he’d been like this for about two and one half hours.
He read the thoughts of some of them. They were nervous, at least a few, and beginning to get restless. The first one to show any signs of impatience would be the first to be levitated. Luke did something between a grin and a grimace, his arm muscles aching a little. An evil idea, but a fun one at least. All others before them had taken it in good humor.
Then he saw it. A pair of black boots shifted to his right. Lavender’s. He smiled to himself. Teach her to be seclusive, he thought. He scolded himself for it, but couldn’t resist. She had even been able to hide her thoughts from him and kept looking at him with her own kind of appraising gaze. She must have known how uncomfortable it made Luke feel, because after each pass, she smiled, secretively. It was a sweet smile, innocent, but mischievous. Luke made sure his left hand was steady and raised his right out toward her, in one swift lashing motion.
In that same time span, she lashed out her own right arm and stopped the Pull before it reached her. Luke, taken by surprise and having the unexpected rebound pushed on him, toppled and the rocks almost fell around them. Trilian had her arms up, her eyes glowing a bright golden color. She laid them down gently and blinked, her eyes returning to their own amber color.
Luke got to his feet and looked at Lavender. The others were making the typical “Ooh! You’re in trouble now!” noises as the two starred each other down.
“That was a very impolite thing to do, Miss . . . ?” He said, hoping she would fill in her name. She crossed her arms over her black crop top with the fish net sleeves and fingerless gloves fashioned out of black socks over her chest and locked her eyes with his.
“One impolite turn deserves another, Doll,” she said, her voice like the wind. “Levitating students into the air isn’t the best way to earn our trust right off the get-go.” Luke crossed his arms, amazed at her gall.
“Refer to me as Master Skywalker if you wish to remain at this school. Second, you must also earn trust from those here.” She raised a beautifully arched eyebrow.
“If you didn’t trust me, why did you lead me out here, to a secluded spot, where I could easily kill you and the witnesses,” she asked, gesturing to the others. She came up to about his shoulder, even with the heels on the boots. It was a question that surprised him. She was testing him, somehow, with her own standards.
“I doubt you could kill me or that you want to,” Luke replied. She rolled her eyes.
“Whatever, Master,” she said, saying the last word with mock respect in her voice. Lavender turned and made back for the Temple.
“Now, wait a moment, I’m not done,” Luke said. She was obviously very difficult. A challenge. Lavender turned and looked at him with wide, mocking eyes. Everything about her mocked him.
“Please forgive me, O Great and Powerful Jedi Master!” She said, curtseying. “But I am done. Done with you, and this stupid lesson. All you did was show off like a pompous idiot.” Then she straightened, smirked and, not even saying a word, dared him to test her again.
“I don’t like your tone. You are to respect your elders here,” Luke said. He was aware he and this Padawan was making quite a show for the others.
“Make me,” she said. Luke’s eyes turned to sapphire slits.
“I will, Padawan,” he said. “I will not hesitate putting you in your place.”
“Two things,” she said. “One, don’t ever call me padawan. Two, good luck at ever ‘putting me in my place,’ Skywalker.” Then she turned and disappeared into the forest.
“That girl . . . impossible,” he muttered, bitterly. He felt a tap on his hip (he was wearing something similar to what he wore when he was training with Yoda on Dagobah) and looked down. Gaby was standing next to him, pulling on his sleeve.
Luke softened his expression.
“Yes, Gabrielle?” He asked. She motioned for him to come down to her level. He crouched down and she leaned in to whisper in his ear: “Don’t mind her. Her bark’s worse than her bite. When the time comes, Loki will rise to the challenge and prove her worth.” Then she walked back to the pack.
He led them back to the Temple, the brother glaring at Luke the entire time. But Luke didn’t really care. He was thinking about her name: Loki.
Luke typed it into his holo-station after the day was over. It was an old Jenovian nick name for “trickster goddess” or “one who makes mischief,” and, in its full form, Lokina, “Beautiful Rose.” Only one person on Jenovia was allowed to have that name and that was the “Rose Queen.” So Loki was from the lovely planet of Jenovia then?
He searched for pictures of her. He found one, along with a very short bio of her life, that really told him nothing, besides the history of Jenovia. Luke read it long into the night and could hardly believe any of it. It all seemed too unreal. He resolved to discover as much as he can about this new girl. “One who makes mischief” didn’t appeal to him, but “Beautiful Rose”did.
3
About a half a month passed and Luke was still looking for a way under Loki’s skin. He had gotten to her new-found friends, but not to her. Turns out even those who spent several weeks with her on Skip One (Max, Gaby, Rio, Aliea, and Roki) knew almost nothing about her. And if Roki did, he wasn’t about to say.
“Loki’s easy enough to get along with, Master Skywalker,” Trilian had said at lunch, days earlier, setting her tray down with the other girls. Loki opted to eat alone in her chamber.
Perhaps she had sensed his plans?
Trilian sat with Fina, Xaqi, Juniper, Kagome, Aliea, and Gaby. She smiled at Luke. “You just have to remember to always have at least two routes of escape.”
“What Tril really wants to say is something more.” Xaqi said. “Loki can be one hard-assed b***h sometimes.” Tril and the others gapped at her. Luke raised his eyebrows.
“Xaqi and Loki had a sparing match yesterday,” Kagome explained.
“And friend Loki knocked friend Xaqi horizontal,” Juniper said, still not used to Basic.
“So, Loki is a good with a saber?” Luke had asked the boys this time, one day after speaking with the girls. The second he came to their table, the brother got up and left.
“Don’t mind Roki,” Nikolai said. “He just holds grudges. Hard core, that one.”
“Roki is Loki’s brother?” Luke asked to confirm what he already suspected.
“Twin brother,” Jaken said. Luke nodded.
Another set of twins, he thought, a pit beginning to settle in his stomach. He didn’t know why, but it did.
Later that night, Luke lay awake thinking about the two. A label should have come with them, he decided. TROUBLE INCLUDED.
4
Now, as Luke made a bee line to Loki in the courtyard, he remembered the little tid-bits of advice her friends had given him. 1) Always have a route of escape. 2) Roki holds grudges.
Then, as was his luck, trouble came his way in the form of a glaring purple saber. It was an ugly purple and noticeable too. He was fast enough, and his attacker unskilled enough that he was able to draw his own green saber and block.
“Xinix!” Luke yelled as sparks flew from the clashing sabers. They were several other screams and people fleeing. He couldn’t blame the teens and initiates. This was most likely going to be bad. Xinix was of more muscular build than Luke was. Most other males were. He had black hair, similar to Loki’s, but, if possible, lighter in color. It was all bunched in a long pony tail down his neck.
Luke looked into Xinix’s face. Under his eyes, on his cheekbones, were tribal tattoos like ``` on each one. His eyes were a dead looking greyish-green, and he had the same color of skin.
Xinix was a Faleen. Luke had had a bad experience with one before. Prince Xizor was mean. After he had lost his hand, he met and had a run in with Xizor and his Human Replica Droid, Guri; Xizor died mysteriously days later. However bad Xizor and Guri were, Xinix was down right sadistic at times. Sadistic and powerful.
Luke pushed his saber up and Xinix backed off slightly, circling him, saber raised.
He slashed once, twice, and again. Luke dodged, blocked, and parried. Xinix made a wide half circle cut that could’ve cut Luke in half if he hadn’t jumped back. Xinix raised his free hand and Luke felt the Force take hold of him. He fought it, but Xinix tossed him a few feet back. Then the other being charged, slashing and stabbing.
Eventually, Luke’s back was against a tree and he Force Leapt into its lower branches.
“Xinix!” He called down. “Think about what you’re doing.”
“I am bringing honor back to my planet,” he called up. He focused his center and leapt at Luke. Luke stealthily switched places with him, now on the ground. He turned, and was hit in the chest with a type of concentrated energy that knocked him off his feet and onto his back. He looked up, vision going into double. Xinix was smiling in triumph. “And now I will.”
to be continued in Part Two, code C1P2
review and comment!
Blakaize Starkiller
 Omni.
Author.
Someone Loved Me. Blakaize · Fri Dec 14, 2007 @ 03:11am · 2 Comments |
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