Star Wars: The Lost Son

[Aurora Starfire]

Sarela smiled at him, touched that he would do that for her. ::She trusts you. You've shown her kindness, and she responds the same way. It was.... good of you to do that, Ben. I'm proud of you. You've.... shown me that you're not the same as your father was, you've made different choices than he did. You- you don't have to follow his legacy, you could.... walk away from the dark side, with your little sister to help you."

 

* * *

 

Arion frowned, thoughtfully. "Where do you think this disaster will strike?"

[SkywalkerRules]

Zano looked down as he heard what Darth Saaron said. He couldn't feel the Force, and so he answered by mouth. "Well, milord... to me it's a wonderful thing that my daughter loves you as her big brother. She always wanted a brother who could love and protect her as well. At first, Madi and I were scared that you might've done something to her for that. But... to me, you're not like any other Sith I've heard. I also feel that... we're all family, no matter who we are."

 

He plotted in the course for Corellia, their homeworld. "Next stop: Corellia!" Zano said, as the ship went into hyperspace.

[CSI]

"To be frankly, we don't know. But we just keep getting a bad feeling. Maybe we're just paranoid." CSI paused for a while, "Speak of which, where is the shuttle and Sarela? What's their status?"

 

Vergil shrugged.

 

CSI covered the mouthpiece, "Well, we'd better check it out."

 

Vergil nodded and walked to another comm satellite uplink: "Sarena, do you copy? Report in your shuttle's status, please."

 

----

 

After a while, they received no response.

 

"That can't be right," CSI frowned, "They won't just vanish like that."

 

Vergil shook his head gently: "Nope. Does the heat signature work?"

 

CSI narrowed his eyes and thought for a while: "I doubt that would work. It might work on a very big ship, like my Arbiter, Executor, or Ecllipse, but I don't think it would work on small ship such as that shuttle."

 

Vergil sighed.

 

"Well, my opinion is let's go back to Coruscant and wait for further information. What do you think?" CSI said deliberately.

 

"Well, I agree, we can go back to Coruscant and get ready, and that's better than waiting here." Vergil replied, and moved in his chair patientlessly.

 

"Well, if you are really boring why don't you go help Arion out?" CSI smiled, "And ask if Arion wants to go to Coruscant."

 

Vergil nodded and exited the bridge.

[Darth Randus]

Darth Saaron turned to his mother and softly said "Father's legacy is all that is left of him. I- I completely drained him from the force. I- I don't want to leave my family, you included, mother. We were taken from each other, but- but perhaps we can get to know one another once again. Everyone here is in a way a part of my family, my future wife, my mother, sister, and parents who were kind enough to take one such as I into their own family. I- I am going to stay here... with my family." He turned to his apprentice and "We... could be happy here, couldn't we? I- I've always wanted a family who... loves me. We were both forced down our paths, now we for once have a chance to choose our own. Which would you rather have?" He asked, his bright blue eyes returning on their own, his skin tone gainin a little bit more color in it.

[Aurora Starfire]

Darth Maera turned pale....er, if that was possible. She couldn't speak at all, for a long moment, overcome with a mix of conflicting emotions. "I- milord, I..... I...."

 

Sarela watched her, feeling sympathy for her confusion. Gently, she said, "Aurora..... you never wanted this path, not for Ben.... not for yourself. And now you have a chance to be free. Come back to us."

 

Maera turned her eyes towards Ben. She could feel how happy he was to have a family, like he'd always wanted, and knew what choice he wanted her to make. She felt the darkness rising up inside herself, trying to turn her against him, and she didn't know how to fight it. She looked at him, desperately, and said, ::H-help me. I- I cannot do it by myself.::

[SkywalkerRules]

Tanya woke up slowly, after that good rest she had. She suddenly looked at Darth Maera, who looked like she was struggling with something inside her. Tanya got up from Ben's lap, and walked over to Maera. Then she gave her the teddy bear, so it'll comfort Darth Maera.

 

"Here ya go. Dan told me that he'll make you feel better. If you feel sad or angry about something, then... maybe you need a hug." Tanya gave Darth Maera a big hug, showing that she was not alone, and among people that cared for her too.

[Darth Randus]

Ben got slowly got up after Tanya did and joined in giving Darth Marea a big hug. Being careful not to squish Tanya, he brought his own face close to Aurora's and gently said "I'm here for you, Aurora. I love you, I always will. Neither of us wanted this path, we were just pawns for my father's twisted game. I- I'm sorry for the pain I have caused you. Look at Tanya here, you said it yourself, she is so innocent. Could you really hurt her, my little sister?" He paused, placing a hand on Tanya, reassureing her for what he was about to say, "If- if you kill me, just get it over with, what matters more to me is that I tried to save you. If it takes my death to save you from the Dark Side of the Force, so be it. I just want us to be happy, to have a chance to have a family." He began to wrap her up in his own inner peace and his love for her. "Reach out to me, Aurora. Use me to help free yourself from this darkness. We both know that we both have good in us, even when I was the Dark Lord of the Sith, our love for each other, use that now to help you."

[Aurora Starfire]

Maera looked down at Tanya, then back at Ben, and burst into tears. She embraced them both, gently, and whispered in Ben's ear, "I- I could never hurt you, any of you. I love you, so much." She turned her thoughts inward, releasing the parts of herself that she had suppressed, and looked up at Ben, her eyes slowly returning to blue. ::Ben.... thank you for saving me. I- I would have been lost without you.::

[Darth Randus]

Ben smiled at Aurora and returned her embrace, tightly. ::I know, and I would have been lost without you, Aurora. I would never hurt you either, at least n- not anymore. I can only hope that everyone can forgive us.:: He looked Aurora in the eyes and said calmly "I love you. Its great to have you back."

[SkywalkerRules]

Tanya smiled at the sight of Ben and Aurora. It was a wonderful thing that they were together. Tanya giggled, and gently took Dan with her back on the passenger seat. "C'mon, Dan. Let's leave these two together." She and her teddy bear sat down, watching Ben and Aurora quietly.

 

Zano pressed the button to get out of hyperspace. There, in a beautiful sight, was Corellia. Madi smiled and sighed. "Home sweet home." She rested her head on Zano's shoulder, looking at the view. Zano turned and kissed his wife on her head.

[Aurora Starfire]

Aurora smiled at Ben, a little, and said, "It's good to have you back, too, my love." Something bothered her, but she pushed it away until later, not wanting to worry about that now.

 

Sarela smiled, glad that her son had been able to make his own path, and was happy. She looked down at Tanya, next to her, and said quietly, "Thank you for helping them, little one. You've saved your 'big brother' from the darkness, when no one else could. I know you will be a very great Jedi one day."

[Darth Randus]

Ben looked at Aurora and continued to smile, even as he leaned in to kiss her. As he was kissing her, he kept feeling that something was about the happen, but was only caring about Aurora and his newfound family. ::Aurora, I- I feel like something is about to happen, perhaps something we caused. But right now, all I care about is you and our newfound family.::

[Aurora Starfire]

Aurora turned enough of her attention away from their kiss to search for what Ben felt. She reached out into the Force, hesitantly, and felt the disturbance that Ben was talking about. ::Something bad is going to happen, isn't it?:: Her comlink beeped, quietly, and she broke away from their kiss, filled with disquiet mixed with dread. ::It- it's the dark Jedi. They're in position, and beginning their attack.::

[Darth Randus]

Ben looked at Aurora and lowered his head on her sholder, ashamed. "Forgive me." He wispered just loud enough for everyone to hear. ::What will Arion do?::

[Aurora Starfire]

Aurora shook her head. "I'm as much to blame as you. More, even. I ordered the attack." She embraced him tighter. ::Arion..... he doesn't know, does he? Should we contact him, warn him? Maybe he could get there in time to do something.::

 

* * *

 

On board the Phoenix, Arion looked up. He thumbed the comm, abruptly. "CSI..... that bad feeling you had? Well, I've got it too, now."

[CSI]

"Let's go to Coruscant. Now." CSI said into the comm link, "Come on, I sense something is terribly wrong. Vergil, let's wear our former uniforms. Time to greet our old friends."

 

"Okay, my friend. I'll be ready in 1 min."

 

----

 

CSI set the course to Coruscant. After witnessing the stars streaming into shiny lines, he walked into his quarter, and put on a long, black sleeveless jacket, with a number "Four" in the back. Then he put on a white scarf around his neck.

 

"Time to go." He murmured.

[Darth Randus]

::Arion... would want to kill me. I- I'm not sure if it would bring any good. Perhaps we should contact him and warn him... but perhaps you should give him a heads up when he sees me. If anything is to be done... he must go to the senate... Now.:: Ben replied through the force and after a few moments, ::I am still the one who ordered you to do it, I am in as much falt as you are.:: He said as he continued to rest his head on her sholder.

[Aurora Starfire]

Aurora buried her face in Ben's shoulder, tears in her eyes. After a while, she whispered, ::They'll never take me back, you know. The Jedi. I- I've betrayed them, broken my word, broken the trust they had in me. Arion too. How can I face him again, after what I've said, what I've done?::

[Darth Randus]

Ben reached up and brushed away Aurora's tears off her cheek and wispered back into her ear, "We will do it together. If the Order will not accept you, then I will not accept them. They really should not accept me either, after what I've done. Why were they so interested in me anyway? I'm glad we came across Tanya, I still can't believe she adopted a Sith Lord at first, but she managed to unlock the good in me, for that, I am in her debt." He added loud enough for Tanya to hear at the end.

[Aurora Starfire]

Aurora smiled at him, a little. "They wanted you because you're special. And to protect you from what Kelion wanted to do. I failed you in that regard. At least Tanya was able to save you."

 

* * *

 

Arion fingered his lightsaber hilt, trying to get a feel for where the threat would be. I don't feel a direct dark side presence on the planet..... but there are echoes..... if I can find where the echoes are......

 

* * *

 

The dark Jedi squads moved into position around the Senate building, waiting for their leader's command. "All teams move in," the commander ordered, and activated his stealth generator.

[CSI]

The Arbiter came out of Hyperspace, and hovering high orbit in Coruscant. "Here we go," CSI murmured again, and tied his katanas on his hip.

 

"Hello, Captain Vergil Descartes, how do you feel when you put on your old uniform?" CSI grinned when he saw Vergil in Sith Royal Guard Robe on bridge. Vergil wore an similiar robe, but it has two long sleeves, and he doesn't have a scarf. There is also one katana hanging on his hip, instead of CSI's two.

 

"Mmm, not bad." Vergil turned around and revealed a big "3" on the back, "I miss old days."

 

"Heh. Well, I guarantee that you'll feel satisfied today."

[Aurora Starfire]

HOLONET NEWS FLASH

 

Live from the Republic Senate. Several senators from different planets have been assassinated. Our sources inform us that it is the work of assassins, whereabouts unknown. No one has claimed responsibility as of now. The building and surrounding area is in lockdown until the situation is stable. Reporting on-site from the Republic Senate as we-- what? No! You----

 

The transmission ended in static, and Arion switched off the receiver. He hit the comm, and said, "Things aren't looking good, CSI. We better get down there."

[CSI]

"Arion, we're coming at you. And we'd like to watch that news flash again." CSI said into the comm, and covered the receiver: "Vergil, the thing just got complicated than we originally thought."

 

Vergil nodded grimly: "Looks like I have to go with you."

 

CSI shook his head gently: "No, they're more dangerous than you think."

 

Vergil frowned a little: "That's why I should come with you."

 

CSI narrowed his eyes: "You sure about that?"

 

Vergil nodded: "Yes. Let's go."

 

----

 

CSI and Vergil stepped into the cockpit of Jedi Phoenix, "Hello, Arion. We'd like to watch the news again, please?"

[Aurora Starfire]

Arion replayed the Holonet transmission for CSI and Vergil, and began to take the Phoenix out of the docking bay and down towards Coruscant. He guided her down in a docking bay as close to the Senate building as he could get, and glanced at his friends. "You about ready? We're in for a rough time."

[CSI]

CSI re-played the HoloNews, and froze a frame: "Look!"

 

On the screen, there is a small distort behind a senator.

 

"Sith Assassins!" Arion's eyes widened.

 

"Right, but they're not normal Sith Assassins...they're ELITE Sith Assassins." Vergil corrected Arion.

 

"No, no, no, no..." CSI's eyes widened, "No, no, no!"

 

"Can someone fill me in what happened?" Arion scanned back and forth between Vergil and CSI.

 

"Yes. They're...Sith Royal Guards Second Squad...Elite Assassination Squad." Vergil's face was grim.