The Birth Of Acceptance

 

Chapter 17

By Sienn  (2002)

 

Rating (for chapter):  PG-13

Protagonists: Luke/Mara

Category: Action/Angst/Drama 

Series: Part III of "Soul's Trial" Trilogy 

Time Frame: 26 A.Y. (immediately after "Soul's Trial II: Healing") 

Spoilers:

See Chapter 1 

Disclaimer:

See Chapter 1

 

 

 

Yuuzhan Vong Worldship Hiis El

 

The way through the worldship back to the hangar had been a blurry to Mara. So many things had gone through her head, so many things had demanded her attention that a thought at her own body had scarcely invaded her conscience.

 

She didn't know what was going on, she just knew it was trouble. Immense trouble. The shortage of air was only one sign of it.

 

When their small group had reached the hangar, they had seen explosions blossoming on the velvety black panorama of space outside. There was fighting going on.

 

'Luke!' she cried out in the Force once again, as she had done repeatedly while she had helped coordinate the retreat towards the hangar.

 

Like all the times before, there was no answer. Fierce, dark determination shielded her husband's presence. It was like a shell – impossible to crack and she had the distinct feeling that her desperate attempts simply amused Liin Kwaad.

 

She swallowed hard, distractedly helping another barely conscious senator into the ferry that had already awaited them. The feeling of failure burned in her heart and fear gripped her thoughts.

 

Mara had seen how Luke – or rather, Luke's body – had pushed Han away, flinging him through the width of the corridor and letting him crash against the hard wall. The Corellian had been lucky not to lose consciousness.

 

There had been no glimpse into her husband's face for her, but his actions had spoken for themselves. He had been tricked. Once again. This time, though, it could prove to be fatal. She still didn’t know how Liin had managed to neutralize Luke, still didn't know why they all had been about to suffocate out in the corridors, but one thing she knew for certain - it was Mezhan Kwaad's doing.

 

She had ambushed them all and had given Liin a possibility to seize control of her husband's mind. Given what she knew, Mara was almost certain that he now was on his way to the Master Shaper.

 

"Mara?" Leia's muffled shout drew her out of her dark musings. The petite Alderaanian stood in the hatch of the ferry and beckoned to her, the breathing device hiding most of her features. Only her eyes were clearly visible and the ex-Emperor's Hand was sure that her own looked very much like those brown orbs. Wide, afraid and angry.

 

Nodding, she hurried up the ramp and hammered onto the button that would let it slide closed. When it had been sealed and some extra oxygen was pumped into the wide lounge, multiple sighs and gasps could be heard.

 

The Jedi members of the delegation had done their best to gather small oxygen atoms with the Force, binding them in the air directly around the frightened senators and themselves. Although this had been an effective method, the precious gas had been vanishing too quickly and it had been pure luck that they had all made it before anyone had succumbed totally to unconsciousness.

 

Recalling the exact circumstances, Mara finally understood why Luke had fainted. She remembered seeing him stumble, then look up in surprise. His whole body had portrayed this emotion before it had gone limp and had given Liin Kwaad the possibility to seize it while the Jedi Master was put under because of lack of oxygen.

 

Panting heavily herself, Mara slid down the wall of the lounge, closing her eyes and trying to calm down her breathing.

 

Sending soft Force tendrils down into her belly, she smiled faintly when she felt that her baby was all right. Its small presence, not more than the sensation that something lived, still without a functioning brain, was not affected by anything.

 

Stubbornly, Mara had used the Force as best she could to channel all the oxygen she could get towards her child while she had taken up the rear of the small procession until they had arrived at the ferry. There was no telling what absence of oxygen would have done to her little, infant precious.

 

"Mara, are you all right?"

 

Her sister-in-law, now without breathing mask, crouched before her, a hand resting on the redhead's shoulder.

 

The female Jedi Master nodded: "Yes, I'm fine. Just give me a minute to catch my breath."

 

The Chief-of-State nodded, her head turning and surveying the others: "We have no casualties. But we must find out what happened. Did you see the explosions?"

 

Mara nodded again, accepting the smaller woman's help in rising and standing straight. "This has been planned. Meticulously. They attacked in here and out in space."

 

Leia pressed her lips together, her eyes blazing: "We have underestimated Kwaad. Is Han with Luke?"

 

The ex-Emperor's Hand shot a surprised, yet admiring look at her husband's sister. All the time, the woman hadn't been sure where her love was and she had gone on nonetheless, to help rescue those people.

 

"You have done the same, Mara." Leia smiled feebly, then her eyes flicked over everything in the room. As President of the New Republic, she hadn't worn any weapon herself. She had assumed that it would do if everyone AROUND her were armed.

 

Her eyes focused on a compartment that was quite obviously sealed firmly and protected by a code. She strode over purposefully and surveyed it.

 

"So, is he with Luke?" she repeated while she inspected whether there was a possibility for her to override whatever code was needed with her humble slicing capabilities.

 

"No."

 

The Princess's head shot around, her eyes wide: "What?"

 

"He is with Liin."

 

The Alderaanian blanched. "No. That can't be. I… he was… I mean…" Leia stopped, closing her eyes for a moment. Mara could see how her hands clenched into fists.

 

When she opened them again, the brown haired woman had assumed a deadly serious expression.

 

"We have to find them. Luke… Liin will want to get to the Shaper. That means he will search for another hangar."

 

Mara nodded: "Probably. Do you have any means to contact the fleet?"

 

"Of course."

 

"All right. Let's first check on them and see whether we can raise someone in the audience chamber. We do have a villip after all. As things lie, we can't get out of here anyway without more sophisticated breathing devices."

 

"Sure. You take care of that." Leia turned back towards the sealed compartment and muttered: "I will try to get my hands onto something that can hurt more than my hairpins."

 

*~~

 

"Shield status?" Wedge Antilles asked, his face grim.

 

"We're down to sixty percent," Corran reported, relieving the nervous and busy officer that occupied the station from reporting to the admiral in charge.

 

The former Rogue Squadron leader huffed. "This is not going well."

 

"Sir, we've got to return fire! They'll destroy us!"

 

"If we fight back now, they'll grill us for sure and the work of months is in vain. We will be back to war within seconds." Corran Horn interjected, focusing the frightened eyes of the younger man onto him.

 

The officer nodded, panic written clearly on his face. Corran abandoned him, making his way towards Wedge and finally stepping next to him.

 

"Well?" he queried.

 

The dark haired pilot frowned: "I know we can't fight back. But if we don't, they'll have us stripped of our shields in no time."

 

"Not to mention of all your fighter escorts." A new voice chimed in.

 

Despite of the seriousness of the situation, Wedge had to smile: "How's it going, Wes?"

 

"Fine. Really, we're doing great! We just thought about inviting you over for a little caf and a piece of cake."

 

The sarcastic voice betrayed almost nothing of the strain that was surely put on its owner at the moment and Wedge just couldn't help shaking his head. He'd never cease to be amazed at Wes Janson's behaviour in face of danger and perhaps even death.

 

It was one of his most endearing traits. His cheerfulness and his sarcasm succeeded in keeping fighting spirit alive where it would have long abandoned the troops.

 

"I'll get back to you about that." Wedge assured, then opened his mouth to inquire how long the fighters could possibly hold on without taking the fight back to the Yuuzhan Vong, when his communication officer interrupted him.

 

"Sir, we've got a communication from the worldship!"

 

Both Corellians – the Jedi and the Admiral – veered around and were next to the elder woman in seconds.

 

"Leia?"

 

"No, Wedge, it's me, Mara."

 

Brown eyes met green ones over the communication desk. Was that a good sign or not?

 

"Mara, where's Leia? The Vong are going nuts out here. There have been explosions on several of the ships that have escorted Shimrra and they obviously think WE triggered them! You have to get Lah to tell them we don't have anything to do with that. Or better, get Shimrra."

 

There was a small pause on the other end and both men's foreheads furrowed.

 

"Mara?"

 

When the ex-Emperor's Hand finally spoke, her voice was grim and tinged with a trace of sadness.

 

"I'm sorry, Wedge, but it's impossible. Whoever manipulated these other ships manipulated the worldship, too. For all we know, the corridors are completely devoid of oxygen. We are on the ferry here and are so far trying in vain to raise anyone in the grand celebration chamber."

 

The Corellian admiral felt himself pale and he didn't need the Force to see that his Jedi friend was visibly shaken.

 

Wedge swallowed: "What do you suggest, then?"

 

"I.."

 

"Wedge? Wedge, it's Leia. Do you copy?"

 

"Yeah."

 

"Whatever you do, don't fire back. You mustn't destroy ANY of their ships!"

 

"With all due respect, Leia, they don't feel any of these scruples with OUR people!" The former pilot felt rage rise in himself. As much as he saw the reason behind his old friend's words, he could not even begin to accept the thought of simply sitting dead in space and letting his people be slaughtered by the aliens.

 

"Then use your brains!" The Alderaanian shot back in a vicious tone that let both Corran and Wedge retreat a step backwards, although the actually petite woman was not even on the same ship with them.

 

"Leia, I…"

 

"No, Wedge. I have but a single order for you: don't kill any Vong. Aside from that, you've got the reigns."

 

"But…"

 

"Corran?" Now, the Princess sounded downright exasperated.

 

"Uh.., yes?"

 

"That IS Wedge I'm talking to, isn't it?"

 

"Sure."

 

"Then what, by the Force, are you waiting for?"

 

And with that, a low click told them she had signed off, leaving two fairly startled men that, for one moment, didn't really register the chaos around them.

 

Finally, the Jedi Knight broke the silence: "Was she like that all the time during the Rebellion?"

 

Wedge just nodded.

 

Corran shook his head in wonderment, patting the other on the shoulder: "I never knew what you'd been going through."

 

His friend grimaced at him, then straightened, the puzzlement vanishing from his face as fast as it had come. "Well, Gentlebeings, you heard Her Excellency. Let's get to work."

 

"Sir, there are HUNDREDS of them out there. And they're shooting and we're not." Someone pointed out. Wedge didn't even bother to look around to identify the officer.

 

"Did you ever play hide and seek in your childhood?"

 

"Of course."

 

"Then you know what you have to do."

 

And with that, he stepped back into his command circle, Corran right at his heels. The Jedi cleared his throat, softly, so as to not alert anyone present. "You sure know that this is going to be terribly narrow."

 

Wedge perched an eyebrow: "We are Corellians."

 

Corran grimaced: "Right. I forgot."

 

The former Rogue Squadron leader grinned humourlessly, then turned towards the booth that held the navigation officers.

 

"Head for Coruscant's moons. Full speed. And get me a connection to whoever is in charge of the orbital mirrors."

 

"You think that works?"

 

"It simply has to, Corran."

 

*~~

 

Mara regarded her sister-in-law seriously amused, despite the fear that was gnawing at her mind. Luke was out there and he was alone. Against Liin Kwaad and the Master Shaper.

 

"You really think he finds a way out of this?"

 

Leia gave her a very small smile, but it seemed genuine enough in face of all what was going on. "Mara, this is Wedge."

 

When the ex-Emperor's Hand gave her a blank stare, the Princess actually grinned. "Let me tell you a small story. Once, during the Rebellion, I sent him out to get us a new hyper drive for a Corellian Corvette. You know what he came back with?"

 

Mara shook her head.

 

"A medical frigate that only needed a week of repairs. And guess where he got it from?"

 

The redhead shook her head again.

 

"Bilbringi."

 

"Oh."

 

Leia just smirked.

 

"But you were really rough with him."

 

"He works best under pressure. He just doesn't know it."

 

Before Mara could reply to that, a loud bang on the outside hull of the ferry let them twitch in shock.

 

"What, by the Force…" one of the younger Knights that were still tending to the Senators uttered. The politicians were all not very trained – most of them even more corpulent than intelligent, as Mara secretly assumed – and had not taken kindly to the treatment they had been so rudely objected to.

 

The ex-Emperor's Hand didn't pay any attention, but flicked on the outside cams. Seeing the green eyes widen in surprise, Leia came over to her. "Dark moons… these people are always good for a surprise." The former Princess murmured.

 

Only a couple of minutes later, Miiram Shimrra, Tsavong Lah, his son and a very tall, very impressing and very glum looking Yuuzhan Vong stood in the lounge, warily eyed by the other occupants and giving the firm impression of barely suppressing a fit of nausea.

 

"Your Excellency." Miiram beckoned to Leia and when the President approached, she gestured towards the imposing alien figure that occupied a good part of the corridor to the hatch.

 

"This is my father, Supreme Overlord Shimrra."

 

*~~

 

His head hurt. His shoulders hurt. Actually, his whole body ached in a way he had never thought possible. Or at least, not in these years of his life, which he had hoped to spend sitting in the sun and enjoying the company of his wife.

 

Han Solo blinked hesitantly, not sure whether he wanted to wake up totally and a little afraid of what he would find upon taking in the outside world once again.

 

Slowly, memory trickled back. The chilling, terrible feeling of fear when he had looked into Luke's eyes just to find another person in there. The sharp pain of betrayal, quickly replaced by the very real, physical pain of crashing against a yorik coral wall.

 

Then only a blur. He had indeed managed to reach the corridor, but it had taken a lot out of him. He was pretty sure that there had been as good as no oxygen in the air anymore when he had finally reached the corridor in which Luke had vanished.

 

Judging by the way he was resting on the floor right now, he most probably had blacked out from exhaustion and lack of breathable gas.

 

Carefully, Han pushed himself upright, slowly rising to his feet, his hand hovering near the wall for support if necessary.

 

Luke. He had to find Luke. Surveying the corridor, Han swore under his breath. There was no sign of his friend. Of course not. Liin Kwaad would not have waited for the human to recover. He most probably had an order and this order would be followed without compromise.

 

"Sith. It's always the same with the kid. Can't keep himself out of trouble. I swear, he's worse than I ever was." Thus grumbling to himself, the Corellian began to cautiously make his way down the corridor. There were no crossing corridors, it was just this one. At least he'd not have to guess in which direction Luke had went.

 

Fear was clutching at his heart. This… this creature hadn't been Luke. He still looked like him, but he wasn't Luke. At least not at the moment.

 

This coldness in the other's eyes…. Han would never forget how this emotionless gaze had seized him. It had taken Liin but a second to decide he was not worth a fight. How had he managed to fling him across the corridor when there was barely breathable air around? How had he managed to get Luke to go upright, without even stumbling?

 

It all spoke of Liin Kwaad's strength. It all helped to only frighten Han more. If Liin could do that, what else could he do? And, most important, what about Luke? Where WAS he while Liin had the control? And could the Yuuzhan Vong personality hurt him?

 

Han had never been an overly philosophical person. The concept of a soul and what it consisted of, WHERE it existed, had never held any interest to him. And although he had lived together with Jedi for almost more than half of his life, he had never even pretended to understand the Force. He didn't need to in order to be able to tell the bad guys from the good guys.

 

But now he felt the incredible desire to KNOW more. Because the mere thought that Luke, his friend, his little brother, was already vanquished and gone without a possibility to bring him back was driving him insane. He wouldn't let that happen.

 

Han quickened his pace as much as he could, his face set in fierce determination. He would find him. And then he would see whether Luke was still there.

 

*~~

 

The lounge of the small New Republic ferry was enveloped in stunned silence. In the past two years, most of the present beings had seen their fair share of Yuuzhan Vong. All of them had been impressing sights. Intimidating, fierce, strong Warriors, whose eyes gleamed with mercilessness and intelligence.

 

But not even a meeting up with Tsavong Lah had prepared them for Supreme Overlord Shimrra. He exceeded the Warmaster in size. His face barely visible beneath several big appendages and coral growths, his eyes were glinting slits of liquid gold that rested on the petite Alderaanian.

 

It was impossible to guess his mood or his thoughts. There was no trace of emotion in those eyes and his garments, together with his scars, growths and very dark skin complexion made it a senseless task to try to interpret his mimic.

 

For a very, very small moment, Leia felt like a little girl. A little girl with the definite urge to crawl away and hide somewhere.

 

This was all beginning to exasperate her and take away her hope. The peace treaty challenged by a misunderstanding that had been carefully manufactured by a single being. Her brother in the grasp of a Yuuzhan Vong personality that led him to the being that wanted to erase his mind and use his body and might.

 

And on top of that a confrontation with the mightiest Yuuzhan Vong, a figure that seemed to rival Darth Vader if it came to instilling fear, respect and awe.

 

But she hadn't been trained as a politician from early childhood on for nothing. These thoughts of desperation and fear assaulted her for about a second before she got a hold of them.

 

Straightening, she inclined her head curtly, not wanting to show deference where she didn't get any sign of respectful greeting from her counterpart.

 

"I greet you."

 

Shimrra remained silent, his eyes focused on her face, unmoving. Both the Warmaster and his son observed the scene quietly, obviously awaiting something. Leia couldn't even begin to fathom what.

 

Feeling a little at a loss, she turned towards Miiram Shimrra, who stood slightly behind her father.

 

The Yuuzhan Vong female met her gaze openly. "He wants to know what you intend to do about the situation."

 

Leia's eyes widened and she traded a surprised stare with Mara. The ex-Emperor's Hand shrugged ever so slightly, then folded her arms in front of her chest and focused on the Supreme Overlord, "How did you get here from the celebration chamber? Is there oxygen in the corridors?"

 

The Supreme Overlord still didn't answer, his eyes staying transfixed on Leia's face. And that was the last thing needed to provoke something that had happened the last time when Han Solo had insisted on flying the Kessel route with a defect starboard motivator.  Leia Organa Solo's patience – hardened in countless Senate meetings – simply snapped.

 

Her eyes blazing, she took a step forward and peered angrily under the hood of the Supreme Overlord.

 

"I don't know what kind of test you're trying to pull off here, Supreme Overlord, but I can frankly tell you that I am NOT in the mood for this right now. My brother and my husband are out there and need my help, your ships have been attacked and your commanders are about to take revenge on MY people for something they didn't. I won't waste time with petty mind games. Answer Master Jade Skywalker's question or give the way free so that I can find a way out of this mess."

 

The silence that followed this outburst was more final than any one before had been. A small sound came from behind her and Leia knew Mara was probably trying to keep back laughter. Jedi Knights and Senators alike were stunned, whereas the expressions of the Yuuzhan Vong didn't betray any emotion.

 

Thus, it took Leia a few moments to recognise the deep growl as the voice of the Supreme Overlord.

 

"We have breathing creatures. You have a villip."

 

The Alderaanian princess frowned, noting at the fringes of her eyesight that Mara regarded the Yuuzhan Vong with renewed interest.

 

"Yes."

 

A feral grin spread over the dark face full of shadows in front of her and inwardly, Leia cringed back. This was a face that seemed to have sprung out of the worst nightmares she could imagine.

 

"Then I think we should make a deal, Leia Organa Solo, before all the work we did in the last time goes up in flames."

 

"I agree. What do you propose?"

 

Shimrra looked around himself, his thin lips wrinkling in barely disguised disgust: "Whoever did this…"

 

"Mezhan Kwaad." Mara growled, her eyes dark with rage and – as only Leia could see – worry.

 

The Supreme Overlord stared at the redhead for a moment, then continued: "… has succeeded in blocking our villips from getting through to their relatives on my escort ships. We have to get out of the range of the creatures that are preventing them from linking together. Fast. I'm afraid this abomination will have to serve us as transport."

 

Leia nodded: "Jedi Knights Bel'asca and Sofria will be your pilots, then." She gestured towards the two persons in question and they hurried into the cockpit. After a small nod from Mara, the remaining Senators withdrew into the private bunks the ferry offered to be out of the way."

 

"And what will you do, President Organa Solo?"

 

"See to some personal matters." She simply replied.

 

"We will accompany you, if you allow." Miiram stepped to Mara, laying a hand onto her shoulder. Feeling the Supreme Overlord's eyes on her, the female Jedi Master nodded gratefully to the alien woman and smiled grimly at the Warmaster's son.

 

"Now we'll see who's going to get to her first."

 

"I will be delighted by the challenge, Mara Jade Skywalker." Khalee Lah replied deadpan.

 

*~~

 

It was a wonderful sensation to be free. To be walking and commanding a body. It was not a Yuuzhan Vong body, but it was strong and healthy. Perfectly capable of matching his spirit. And that was about everything that counted for Liin Kwaad.

 

Too long had he hid in the soul of this despicable Jedi Master. Peace. No violence. Compassion. These concepts went beyond his capability of understanding. The mere imagination of being kind to someone made him sick.

 

There was much Liin Kwaad did not understand. But it was not because of dumbness. It didn't make him feel bad either.  What was the problem with not grasping friendship or love?

 

Luke Skywalker's soul had given him ample examples of these emotions and they had not peeked his curiosity.

 

There was no need to bother himself with such things. They were nuisances. It was something else Liin craved.

 

The physical exercise he had tricked Skywalker into doing had helped him while this terrible woman had managed to restrain him. But it had not been enough. It couldn't replace what he truly craved. Killing. Taking another being's life.

 

Now, finally, he was free to do just that. All that was left to do was find the way to his Mistress. She would relieve him of the presence of the human Jedi and would give him what he desired. A purpose. She would give him the possibility to fulfil his destiny. She would make him into what he was destined to be. The Slayer.

 

And Skywalker was powerless. He had succumbed to the ploy of his Mistress so quickly, it had been a pitiful sight.

 

Liin Kwaad had taken advantage of the state the Jedi Master was in. While his spirit had drifted in oblivion, the Slayer had done a good job of restraining it. If he could get to Mezhan Kwaad quickly enough, Skywalker would have no chance.

 

"Luke!"

 

Liin spun around.

 

*~~

 

Han skidded to a halt, coming to a panting stand about ten metres away from the lean form of the Jedi Master. When the younger man turned around and the Corellian finally had a good view on his face, he wondered what by all moons had gotten into him.

 

"Luke…" he huffed again, trying to catch enough air. He was definitely too old for physical strains like that.

 

Blue eyes stared at him, bearing no sign of any emotion but disgust. They seized him, up and down, sitting in a face that was smooth and hard at the same time. Smooth where it was all Luke. The nose, the eyes, the cut of it. Hard when you saw the lips pressed together, the eyes reflecting a coldness of heart that chilled Han.

 

A cruel smirk appeared on it and the slender man made a step towards him.

 

"We are daring, infidel, aren't we?"

 

"Luke, I know you can hear me." Han retreated as many steps as the other advanced, all too aware that he would be dead the moment Liin decided to dispose of him here and now. In fact, he was fairly sure now that he himself was insane. How could he say something like that?

 

He had no idea whether Luke heard him. Absolutely no idea. There was a chance, but seeing the feline grace of an animal stalking its prey that spoke out of every movement of his counterpart made him swallow hard in doubt.

 

He saw Luke's hand hover over his lightsaber. Fleetingly, Han noticed that Liin used the left hand. It made a weird kind of sense that he wouldn't use Luke's artificial hand.

 

"He cannot hear you and you know that, vermin."

 

"What did you do to him?" Han forced himself to come to a halt. His instinct told him that the moment he would turn around and run, he'd already be dead. You didn't run from a wild animal that chased you. It would merely peek instincts that would make it run faster and be crueller.

 

Was that how he had to see and treat Liin Kwaad? Like an animal out for his blood? Judging by all he knew about the creature, it acted purely on instincts.

 

"It is not for you to know, human." Saying these words, Liin fluidly activated the lightsaber and brought it up before him.

 

Han's hand went instinctively for his blaster, drew it and pointed it straight at the other's heart, which, surprisingly, was left undefended by the blade as soon as the movement of the Corellian had registered with the Slayer.

 

He could do it. He could shoot now and save his life. Liin would undoubtedly kill him in the next second if he didn't pull the trigger now. Yet, he couldn't. He couldn't shoot at Luke.

 

Han could not simply make himself believe that this man he had come to love like a brother over the years didn't exist anymore. Luke was strong. Stronger than anyone he had ever known, except perhaps for his own wife.

 

Leia. She'd never forgive him if he shot now. Thinking about it this way, he would be dead whether he shot now or not. Mara would have his head.

 

But whom did he try to fool? He couldn't pull the trigger while Luke's kind smile was hovering in front of his imaginative eye.

 

Making a decision in the fraction of a second, Han lowered his blaster.

 

Liin paused, his eyes widening in surprise while his smile vanished to be replaced by an expression of disappointment and almost childish stubbornness.

 

"Defend yourself."

 

Han shook his head.

 

"You will die without even trying to save your life? What kind of honour do you think that is, infidel?"

 

Meanwhile, Luke – no, Liin – was directly in front of the Corellian, the tip of the lightsaber being only centimetres away from his throat.

 

"What do YOU know about honour?" Han pressed out between clenched teeth. He really didn't want to die. But as much as the prospect of leaving his wife and his children behind hurt, the fact that the face that sneered so evilly at him was the one of his brother-in-law hurt ten times more.

 

"End it. Slice." He hissed, strangely relieved that soon, he would not have too see the face of the person he cared so much for caught in this expression of pure evil. He would be spared from a life that would have him observe how his best friend was obliterated by a creature that lusted to kill.

 

Liin observed him carefully, almost studying him, and surprised him by shutting down his lightsaber.

 

"It would pain him, wouldn't it?"

 

Han frowned: "What?"

 

"Skywalker. It would pain him to know that I have killed you with HIS lightsaber. I know his memories. He protected you with it. Often."

 

The Corellian refused to answer this one, trying not to move at all. He HAD to keep in mind that this was a predator. There were rules to follow if you faced a predator. Rules that would perhaps not save your life but extend it a little longer.

 

For a long while, Liin hefted his gaze on the Corellian, icy eyes heavy with thought. Finally, he broke into a broad, sadistic smile.

 

"What do you think would pain him more?" With a flicker of his thumb, the green blade hummed to live once again, sizzling at Han's throat. "If I kill you with his lightsaber or…"

 

Han couldn't help but yelp surprised when he was lifted in the air effortlessly, hovering about a meter over the yorik coral floor. A soft touch – like wind – was what he felt at his throat and he needed just that to understand what was going on.

 

"… or if I kill you with the Force?"

 

Bile rose in Han's throat. Never before had he felt that he was looking at evil itself. Even the Emperor had had something like a soul. Although it had probably not been often, SOMETIMES Palpatine had thought about other things than killing. Han was sure of that. But this…

 

"What kind of creature are you?" he spat out, his voice trembling. He almost hoped that Luke could not witness this.

 

Laughter sounded from Liin's throat, a deep, growling laughter.

 

*~~

 

It would be so simple. This infidel was helpless and it would be delicious to show Skywalker what he had done while in possession of his body later on. Oh yes. The Jedi would wither under this. It would be delighting to make him suffer while he was eradicated bit by bit from what was once his.

 

Compassion was a stranger for Liin. Skywalker had not been able to defend his soul. Thus, the Slayer had every right to take it. Those who didn't oppose him were vanquished. Those who did mostly, too.

 

-         Liin! What is taking you so long? We are in a hurry! –

 

As much as he longed to kill, there was no question about disobeying his Mistress. With an indignant, almost sad huff, he flung the infidel through the corridor with the help of this strange energy they all called Force and turned.

 

Later. He would have enough time to track this vermin down. And perhaps until then, he'd know about a more delighting way to kill him.

 

*~~

 

Han picked himself up from the floor. Liin was gone. Of course there was only one way he could have gone, but the Corellian was far too shaken to follow him this very moment.

 

He could not fathom why the other one had let him go. Han had been sure that he would die the next minute. It hadn't happened.  He didn't know whether he was glad or not.

 

"Han? Han?"

 

The former space pirate spun around, seeing his wife, accompanied by Mara, Miiram and Khalee.

 

Leia caught his shock immediately.

 

"What happened?"

 

Before he could answer, Mara was in front of him, seizing him by the shoulders and staring up at him. "Han, where's Luke?"

 

"He… that was not Luke. He wanted to kill me."

 

Leia averted her eyes, her hands clenched into fists, while Mara's eyes grew only darker. He could see a storm of rage brewing in her.

 

"Where is he?"

 

Han gestured towards the curve the corridor made. For a moment, the small group of beings remained silent. They didn't know what means of defence Mezhan Kwaad had. They also didn't know whether they would have the means to bring Luke back to his senses once they found Liin Kwaad.

 

Finally, Mara gripped her lightsaber a little stronger and led the way around the curve.

 

They had expected several things, some bad, some not so. But they hadn't expected what they found. Around the curve, the corridor stopped. There was but a solid wall. And Luke was gone.

 

*~~

 

Mezhan Kwaad smiled. Hadn't she predicted that sooner or later, it would come down to just her and Skywalker?

 

It had come exactly as she had planned.

 

Gesturing towards her laboratory, she followed the human as he kneeled down in the circle she conducted all her manipulations in. He knew exactly what to do and where.

 

This was Skywalker's body, but in those eyes, she could see her creation. Liin Kwaad. The Slayer.

 

"He could come out during the procedure." She warned, readying some of her coral tools.

 

"I'm prepared."

 

Mezhan grinned and affectionately traced the cheekbone of the human.

 

"Of course you are."

 

| To Be Continued |

 

 

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