Chapter 2
Kyoko eyes shined happiness. Her hair was wild, as if windblown. Her dress was too short. Her shirt too tight, barely containing heart beat or breasts. She was everything Ten wasn’t. She was soft. Ten was hard, as anyone young female might who had devoted themselves to gymanstics. Kyoko was curvy in all the right places, and she used it in an openly flirtatious manner. More than that, she was affectionate as a pet that had no boundaries, no training; she would push up against you. She expressed interest in both Genders, but considered Ten her primary relationship. On more than one occasion she asked permission to pursue a relationship with Preston G Waycaster. She wanted to be with him. She wanted him to make her real. Ten forbade her to see him.
Kyoko’s eyes were emerald green and luminescent. She existed only in Ten’s mind, a tulpa, but she was growing in her abilities. She, too, had access to the Force. She could move things around the ship. She could make Ten a drink and bring it to her. She could do anything she could do if she were physically present. She could help copilot the ship. She couldn’t lift the Droids. She lacked strength. And so far, when Ten traveled, she did not. She was present in some of her dreams.
“I am glad you’re back,” Kyoko said. “Are you a Jedi?”
Ten frowned and got up from her meditative pose. She went straight to the flight deck. Kyoko followed.
“You flunked?” Kyoko asked.
“No. Maybe. I don’t know. I got mad and left,” Ten said.
“Weren’t you wearing your lightsaber?’ Kyoko asked.
Ten’s hand went to her belt. It was gone. “Fuck.” “Okay,” Kyoko said.
“That’s not what I meant,” Ten said.
“I know. I was being playful,” Kyoko said.
“Stop being playful. I am angry,” Ten said.
“I know. Being playful may decrease that,” Kyoko said.
“I don’t want to be playful,” Ten said. “I need to think.”
Kyoko sat in the co-pilots seat. She leaned back, put her bare feet on the flight control console. She flexed her feet, accentuating her calf muscles.
“You’re distracting me,” Ten said.
“Sorry,” Kyoko said. “I thought the meditative place wasn’t real. But it has a real affect?” “I don’t know,” Ten said. She thought it through. “I know G could come here. Maybe he took it and hid it on the ship.”
“Maybe he could just take it with him when he traveled back?” Kyoko said.
“Maybe,” Ten said.
“Oh, we should learn that trick!” Kyoko said. “We’d make great bank robbers.” “I am not interested in stuff,” Ten said.
Kyoko did an exaggerated look around the ship. “You seem pretty interested in stuff.”
“Look,” Ten said. “My mother is being tortured. Or will be tortured. That part is ambiguous. I just know I got to help her. Problem is, the planet is locked tight by an Imperial orbital shield.”
“There is always a way past a block,” Kyoko said.
“Yeah, well, I can’t bilocate,” Ten said.
“I can,” Kyoko said.
Ten looked at her, skeptically.
“Look, I walk around the ship, right? Maybe you just need to focus on me, boost me, and send me remote,” Kyoko said.
“That seems feasible, but I don’t know if I have enough time to develop that,” Ten said.
“I want a solution now.”
“If there is a gate, there will be a gatekeeper,” Kyoko said. “Gatekeepers are usually underpaid, groveling drones. They will have exploitable vices.”
“And how do I find out which vice and how to make contact?” Ten said.
“We go to a place that distributes vice,” Kyoko said.
“And I guess you know such a place?”
“You do,” Kyoko said. “You just don’t know it.”
♫♪►
Master Yeno was by the fire. His home seemed smaller to G, more a hovel. Definitely more humble the fortress he had an inherited. Yeno was silent and distant so long that G wondered if he had even registered his complaint.
“You’re surprised?” Yeno said. “You can’t seek something without finding, you can’t find something without engaging it. You must complete your life’s mission.”
“It’s not my mission,” G protested. “This is their mission. The mission of a bunch of old,
egotistical, pompous farts that have lingered well beyond their usefulness.”
“Regression? Finally, some human leaks through,” Yeno said. “You accepted their training. You accepted the mission.”
G smiled and sulked at the same time. “I am not the hunger I feel. The world is hungry and I am a reflection of the world. I heal this by nurturing myself and others.”
“Change is coming,” Yeno said. “You can no longer afford to just sit on the fence.” “Why aren’t they goading Luke into greater service? Why can he just sit there and do nothing. Why is saving the galaxy suddenly my problem? How long have you sat here, wasting your way over a camp fire?” G asked.
Yeno met his eyes. He was not happy, but he didn’t allow the taunt to provoke anger.
“You’ve helped people here, in small ways, in private,” G said. “I could live a hundred years, maybe more in this body, and do just as much good in quiet, unnoticed ways. To get her attention, I have to go big. I will no longer be on the sidelines.”
“I know,” Yeno said.
“I might as well have helped Corissa,” G said.
“Not your mission,” Yeno said.
“It should be,” G said.
“You’re not the only person with life missions,” Yeno said. “You can’t do everything, be everything.”
“Yes I can,” G said.
“Well, we all can, but we chose these paths of limitations,” Yeno said. “I recommend not thinking of this as your mission to save the galaxy. You might become an old, pompous, lingering fart. This is about your relationship with the Force, and honoring the soul contracts you came to fulfill.”
G thought on it, and then bowed. “When did you become so wise?”
“Just now, when we flipped roles,” Yeno said.
“I am sorry,” G said.
“There is no offense here, G,” Yeno said. “This is how we serve each other.”
♫♪►
Captain Henro Jist walked amidst Storm Troopers and prisoners, accepting the report that the temple was secure. No weapons, or weapon caches were found. All was as it appeared to be. This was a peaceful orphanage and medical school.
“Who is in charge here?” Jist addressed the crowd.
Corissa Fite came forwards. “I am. But you know that, don’t you.”
Jist’s smile was genuine, and a smirk at the same time. “Just a test. This is an orphanage, where are all the children?”
“They’re on a field trip,” Corissa said. “You just missed them.”
Jist drew closer. “Ms. Fite. Or is it Mrs. Fite? I am confused by your relationship with the Jedi poser.”
“He and I are colleagues. He opened this school. He put me in charge,” Corissa said.
“Where is he?” Jist said.
“I don’t know,” Corissa said. “He had a feud with the local principalities and was asked to leave.”
“I would like clarity on your military career. You once served the remnant of the Empire, before it became the First Order. You made accusations of rape and attempted murder against an officer. Why weren’t you executed?” Jist asked.
“Your records are wrong. I didn’t accuse anyone of rape,” Corissa said.
“Oh? Explain how you beat the desertion charge without death?” Jist asked.
“I had a good lawyer,” Corissa said.
“Now that’s an oxymoron. Well, good or bad, no lawyers for you today,” Jist said. “Here’s what I want. I want the man named Preston G Waycaster. You will contact him and tell him to present himself to me, or I will begin killing folks.”
“I have no way contacting him,” Corissa said.
“Then people will die and it will be on your hands,” Jist said.
“No, it will be on your hands,” Corissa said. “You are the one with the authority here.
You can spare these people. They have nothing to do with your agenda.”
Jist gave a signal and a squad of storm troopers executed a line of prisoners. Corissa held her place, hid her emotions.
“So, the rumors are true,” Jist said. “You really are a cold hearted bitch.”
“I have worked with your kind before. If I thought you were reasonable, I would negotiate with you. You will kill whether I assist you or not, and I spoke truth. I have no way of contacting Master Waycaster. And he will not respond to this threat. He does not see you or this situation as an existential threat.”
“Do you think he cares about you?” Jist asked.
“He does,” Corissa said.
“So, if I torture you, rape you, he won’t come to your rescue?” Jist asked.
“He will not,” Corissa said.
“Oh,” Jist said. “What you’re saying is, I can do what I want with impunity?”
“We are all one with the Force, there is no impunity. What you do to others will be done to you,” Corissa said.
“Oh, good,” Jist said. “I like being raped. Take her to my quarters.”
♫♪►
Emily Hildago, Em, accompanied Jordeen to the impromptu meeting. Shariva over stood the tallest of humans, holding her infant, ‘Frizzie.’ They were at the edge of a ravine, looking out into a vast desert. A darkening sky with no stars was on the horizon. Behind them, unseen due to incline of the ravine was a sunset. Directly above was evidence of a planetary shield that would go complete dark after the sun set. If one was looking, and lucky, they might witness a meteor hitting the shield, sparking light, and ripples if it were big enough, but mostly one would see is the darkness. Emmer was there, as he was the only one who could translate the Wookie language.
“Em, go back with the others,” Derin said. “This is an adult conversation.”
“If you hold secrets from children, how do you expect them to become adults?” Jordeen asked.
Derin was clearly upset. “She doesn’t need to hear what I am going to say.”
Em smiled. “It’s okay. I lived most of my life on the edge death. I am not afraid,” she said.
“Because you’re an idiot child,” Derin said. Shariva barked something.
Emmer translate it. “You will direct your anger to me, not the child.”
“You led us here, you big, stupid, flea bitten, furry oaf! You brought us to our death. You won’t let us light fires for fear of being seen. We can’t go back. We can’t go across the desert,”
Derin said. “You’ve murdered us.”
“We’re going across the desert,” Em said.
“Yeah, because that’s not a death walk. Either they see us from orbit and come get us, or we die…”
“They won’t see us. We are waiting for the storm,” Em said.
Derin was confused. He wanted to say something but Shariva said something. It had a question feel to it. “I’m not sure,” Em said, looking out into the distance. “I just know it’s there. I know we’ll be okay.”
“Seriously? She is in charge?” Derin said.
Emmer translated. “I am in charge. I see what she sees. We will move when the storm comes. We should be tied together. There are not enough eye shields, so some will cover their face and walk blind. We must be bundled well. It will be cold. We must be ready to leave.”
“I am going back. Alone if I have to…”
Shariva speak was the lowest anyone here had ever heard. It was the strangest sound any had ever heard.
“If you try to leave, or threaten the safety this group, I will kill you,” Shariva said. “Is this clear?”
Derin was appropriately scared. “I am afraid.”
“Be more afraid of me than what is ahead of us,” Emmer translated.
Derin walked back to the group. Shariva turned her gaze back to the darkness.
“I don’t like the sky under a shield,” Emmer said.
“Don’t run from the shadows,” Em said. “The light is on the other side.” Shariva said something.
“Are you channeling him?” Emmer asked.
“No,” Em said. “He is absence. He is honoring the request. There are others here, though. They’re aware of our plight.”
“Come on,” Jordeen said. “Let’s try to sleep.”
Emmer stayed with Shariva looking into the darkness. Even the desert was disappearing. There was a sadness in him that he couldn’t bear longer. He allowed it to find words.
“Shariva,” Emmer said, his heart committing before he knew what it was about. “I owe your species a life debt. I will honor it through you. I will be by your side until my debt is paid or
I am dead.”
Shariva said something, a softness. It basically translated you don’t owe me.
“I am alive because I did some horrific things to your kind. Had I more courage to die with honor, I would not of done those things,” Emmer said.
The response was soft. One didn’t need to understand Wookie to hear “I know.” “What do you know?” Emmer asked.
Shariva spoke something; there was no emotion in it. “You killed my brother.” Emmer was troubled. “How do I not owe you?” Emmer asked.
It was a complicated thing to say. “There is no way to repay what you have taken from
me, from society. This thing was too big for me to hold. I gave it to the Force.” “I will serve you till my death,” Emmer said.
The sound was acceptance. “Okay.”
Jordeen and Em had settled into a small hollow in the side of ravine wall, a natural alcove. They were close enough to know that some of the group, especially the kids, were grumpy, frustrated, scared. Em’s mother was assisting, and calming the few her charge with a song. Some other caretakers brought their charges closer.
“Am I wrong not to be afraid?” Em asked.
“You said it, you faced worth,” Jordeen said. “You and I have both been medically dead before, and…”
“Being dead was easier,” Em said. She had to think about it. “I don’t mean that morosely. There was so much love available. I still felt stuff, like my mom’s sadness. I chose to come back because of mom. She would have been alright, but…” “You came back because of love,” Jordeen said.
“Jordeen, do I have to be a Jedi?” Em asked.
“Tell me more,” Jordeen said.
“I don’t want a lightsaber. I don’t want to kill anyone,” Em said.
“Then don’t,” Jordeen said. “There is more to being a Jedi Knight than that. If you must know, you and I won’t be Jedi Knights. The term is changing.” “What will we call ourselves?” Em asked.
“I would like to call us Waycasters,” Jordeen said. “The people who aspire to be like the old Jedi, they would be Skywalkers. Those who aspire to be Sith, Shadow-runners.” “Skywalker is too common,” Em said. “But it makes sense if it’s a name based on a trade.”
“We should rest,” Jordeen said.
“I cannot,” Em said.
“Then meditate,” Jordeen said.
“Have you designated a target?” Em asked.
“No. Go with the Force,” Jordeen said.
They both took up a meditation pose. Jordeen was gone before Em. Em knew because she peeked, and could discern the change in aura activity. Rays went out into the Universe. One of the beams became prominent. She was interacting with someone or something. Em closed her eyes and returned to the practice, at first aware of the passage of time, but slowly letting go, going deeper, going… She found herself in the desert. She liked the fall of light and shadows on the golden sand. She found footprints, human, an adult, and followed. There was a man meditating on a rock and at first she thought it was Preston and ran to him.
It was not Preston. He was older. Scary scraggily, but not scary in any other way. She felt compelled to remain. She didn’t want to walk away without saying hi, but she also didn’t want to speak, because clearly he was meditating, and that was just rudeness.
“What do you want?” he said.
“Who are you?” Em said.
He opened his eyes. “You don’t know who I am?” “Should I know you?” Em asked.
“I am Luke Skywalker,” he said.
“Oh,” Em said, not apparently impressed.
“That’s it?” Luke asked.
“Am I supposed to curtsey?” Em asked. Luke smiled. “No,” he said. “Why are you here?” “Why are you here?” Em said.
“I asked you first,” Luke said.
“The winds of the Force delivered me to the sands. I followed footsteps,” Em said. Luke traced her words and her path back in the sand before returning. “The Force is strong with you. It’s so… Pure.”
“If you don’t mind me making my own assessment, you don’t seem anywhere as misanthropically morose as Preston suggests in his rants,” Em said.
A conflict of emotions played out of on his face, but then he smiled. “So, you’re with him.”
“He healed me,” Em said.
“He is changing things,” Luke said.
“Things change,” Em said.
“Only if we let them,” Luke said.
Em considered. “Would you have this space be a desert for all time? What if we allowed rain and flowers, even if it’s for a while? Deserts tend to be forever, but even the arrangement of sand and light is forever shifting.”
“When did you get so wise?” Luke said.
“I was born old,” Em said. “I paid more karma in my first few years than most will pay in a lifetime. We go at our own rate.”
“I wish I had known you when I was young,” Luke said.
“You know me now, is that not enough?” Em asked.
Luke pushed himself off the rock, landed on his feet, knelt down to be eye to eye with her.
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