Rebecca, dressed head to toe in black, returned home by herself from her mother's funeral. Moving through the house, she walked out the back door, leaving her shoes on the steps and sat down on one of the swings. She set her hands in her lap and lowered her head, closed her eyes, and let the tears flow down her face, her thoughts full of guilt and shame.
She was pulled from her thoughts some time later when she felt a few drops of water fall. Turning her gaze towards the sky, she outstretched her hand, feeling a few more raindrops come down. The blue sky was being overtaken with dark rainclouds, and Rebecca realized now was the time to retreat back inside. Walking through the kitchen, she made her way to the foyer to go upstairs when she stopped, hearing an argument going on from inside her father's office. Curious, she pressed her ear to the door to hear.
"....You think that speech you gave at my daughter's grave makes up for what you did, that I can just forgive you for what you did to her and move on? Well forget it! You may have fooled everyone else at the service but you can't move me so easily. I--"
"I don't give a bothan's ass what you think, Elsa. Everything I said in that eulogy was true. Everyone at that service knew that-- everyone except you. You're too stuck up in your own ego to realize that.
"You killed her!"
"I LOVED her! What in kark's name would make me want to kill her?!"
"You tell me! You're the one who sent a laser blast through her chest."
"Oh shove off, Elsa. The coroner already debunked your theories. Stop grasping at straws to save your weak arguments.
"You MURDERED my daughter! You shot her in cold blood! I may not be able to convince the authorities of this, but I can assure you-- you'll pay for what you've done to my family!"
"And what, prey tell, do you expect to do? Contact the high command and have me stripped of my rank? That won't get you anywhere."
Tears streamed down Rebecca's cheeks continued to listen from the door, unable to pull away as there was the longest of pauses.
"No, but I'll make sure you don't harm anyone else I love ever again." Her voice then turned from hurt to almost sinister. "You can consider Rebecca under my custody as of tomorrow."
"WHAT?!" He shouted. His tone turned angrier as well. "You leave my daughter out of this."
"She won't be yours much longer, Deroh." She sneered. "I intend to fight over child custody. After what I have to say, you'll be the one grasping at straws."
"The girl is seventeen. In half a year she'll be a full adult--she can live on her own--hell, she can come back to Coruscant with me!"
"Not after what I have to give." she smirked. "Consider this your murder sentence, Admiral. I knew you were scum when I first laid eyes on you. I couldn't convince my sweet Cesera of that eighteen years ago before you got married, but I'll be damned if I let you ruin another of my flesh and blood!"
Rebecca heard a loud bang as her father slammed his fist into his desk. Unable to bear listening anymore, she scampered upstairs to her room, slamming the door and throwing herself onto her bed, crying.
"I'll settle this in court, Elsa. And I be damned if I let your wretched hide take my daughter away from me."
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Sunday, September 18, 2011
XII: 'Till Death do We Part...
"Don't you see?! You don't have to spend your life miserable here at home waiting. I know you've been reading that journal for face value, seeing my diagrams as mere pictures like a children's book. It doesn't have to be this way. Come with me, let me train you! Rebecca you have so much available talent, so much potential! Don't squander it!" He shifted his stance trying to keep his grip on her, however when he moved, a shiny cylindrical object that was hanging on his belt under his brown robe caught her eye.
"You...you're a Jedi, aren't you!" She yelled, horrified, continuing to struggle against your grip, "That's why you're calling yourself an outcast-- because our armed forces are supposed to be hunting you down. It all makes sense now. Why in kriff's name should I join you?? You're a criminal!"
"Because I can sense the good that you could do for the balance of the Force. There's far too much darkness thanks to the Emperor and his robotic slave! The rest of our kind need you." Desperate, "The Force needs you!"
"LET GO OF HER!" Cesera yelled, running through the snow towards them, aiming her blaster to Korban's chest. "Unhand my daughter!" She stopped a few feet back and held her aim, trying not to have her arms shake with nerves.
Korban looked from Rebecca to Cesera, "My dear lady, I have no intention of hurting your sweet daughter--if she listens to reason, that is."
Cesera glared at him, gathering more courage by the minute, "I'm going to start firing if you don't listen to reason and get away from her."
Korban shook his head then raised his free hand. Using the Force, he ripped the blaster out of Cesera's hands and dropped it in the snow at his feet. "Lady Okins, this affair does not concern you. This is between myself, and your lovely daughter."
"Over my dead body!" Cesera yelled, lunging at the Jedi.
Deroh Okins stepped out of the dry cleaners', saying goodbye to the shopkeeper. "I'll be back for my uniform in about two weeks. No rush, Rehmy'." He grinned. "Happy holidays to you." he buttoned up his coat and headed down the street towards home. The snow continued to fall, making his travel all the more difficult. As he continued down the road, making it past the town outskirts, he happened to glance down at the snow, noticing a set of footprints also aimed towards his house. The kriff? No one else lives out here for miles. Who's do these belong to? He continued closer to home and as if to answer his question, he happened to glance up, frozen in horror at the sight before him.
Rebecca was pushed into the snow as her mother lunged at Korban. As she got to her knees and watched the sight before her, she couldn't help but think everything was happening so fast. And then things became normal paced again. She got to her feet to see Korban latched onto her mother in a threatening manner.
"Child, don't you see..." he began, his tone no longer sounding like an encouraging mentor but rather a desperate tutor, "...she's trying to hold you back! Now listen to me, child, and listen good. I don't want to hurt your dear sweet mother, but you are leaving me with little to no choice. Now, will you join me or not??" He demanded.
Rebecca shifted her glance helplessly between mother and Korban, unsure what to say or what to do. Before she could give her response however, she noticed a black clothed figure moving closer. She wiped the snow from her face to get a better look, and gave a huge sigh of relief upon identification.
"Daddy!" She exclaimed.
Deroh Okins motioned for his daughter to duck down to the ground and quickly unholstered his blaster from his belt, firing a warning shot straight up in the air to get the Jedi's attention. He turned to Korban and aimed the barrel at the Jedi's head.
Cesera quickly scanned the area and finally caught sight of her husband. "Deroh please..." she cried out to him. "Stop him..."
"Cesera, duck down!" He shouted and waited a few seconds for his wife to lower her head slightly, seeing as she was unable to do much else while in Korban's grip. Without uttering another word, he took careful aim and fired, hitting with precision that the bolt grazed the side of the Jedi's head, leaving a vertical blood mark down the side of his face.
Korban shook his head a few times to regather his bearings, realizing the situation could not be salvaged, turned to Rebecca and said with a cold sneer, "I see that was your decision. For now, at least. You haven't seen the last of me...."
Rebecca stared at him in horror, not missing a single detail as the next few moments seemed to occur as if slow motion:
Korban reaching into his robes. A flash of blue light. A loud humming sound. A bright blue light saber beam puncturing right through her mother's chest. And her mother's lifeless body dropping into the snow.
"You...you're a Jedi, aren't you!" She yelled, horrified, continuing to struggle against your grip, "That's why you're calling yourself an outcast-- because our armed forces are supposed to be hunting you down. It all makes sense now. Why in kriff's name should I join you?? You're a criminal!"
"Because I can sense the good that you could do for the balance of the Force. There's far too much darkness thanks to the Emperor and his robotic slave! The rest of our kind need you." Desperate, "The Force needs you!"
"LET GO OF HER!" Cesera yelled, running through the snow towards them, aiming her blaster to Korban's chest. "Unhand my daughter!" She stopped a few feet back and held her aim, trying not to have her arms shake with nerves.
Korban looked from Rebecca to Cesera, "My dear lady, I have no intention of hurting your sweet daughter--if she listens to reason, that is."
Cesera glared at him, gathering more courage by the minute, "I'm going to start firing if you don't listen to reason and get away from her."
Korban shook his head then raised his free hand. Using the Force, he ripped the blaster out of Cesera's hands and dropped it in the snow at his feet. "Lady Okins, this affair does not concern you. This is between myself, and your lovely daughter."
"Over my dead body!" Cesera yelled, lunging at the Jedi.
Deroh Okins stepped out of the dry cleaners', saying goodbye to the shopkeeper. "I'll be back for my uniform in about two weeks. No rush, Rehmy'." He grinned. "Happy holidays to you." he buttoned up his coat and headed down the street towards home. The snow continued to fall, making his travel all the more difficult. As he continued down the road, making it past the town outskirts, he happened to glance down at the snow, noticing a set of footprints also aimed towards his house. The kriff? No one else lives out here for miles. Who's do these belong to? He continued closer to home and as if to answer his question, he happened to glance up, frozen in horror at the sight before him.
Rebecca was pushed into the snow as her mother lunged at Korban. As she got to her knees and watched the sight before her, she couldn't help but think everything was happening so fast. And then things became normal paced again. She got to her feet to see Korban latched onto her mother in a threatening manner.
"Child, don't you see..." he began, his tone no longer sounding like an encouraging mentor but rather a desperate tutor, "...she's trying to hold you back! Now listen to me, child, and listen good. I don't want to hurt your dear sweet mother, but you are leaving me with little to no choice. Now, will you join me or not??" He demanded.
Rebecca shifted her glance helplessly between mother and Korban, unsure what to say or what to do. Before she could give her response however, she noticed a black clothed figure moving closer. She wiped the snow from her face to get a better look, and gave a huge sigh of relief upon identification.
"Daddy!" She exclaimed.
Deroh Okins motioned for his daughter to duck down to the ground and quickly unholstered his blaster from his belt, firing a warning shot straight up in the air to get the Jedi's attention. He turned to Korban and aimed the barrel at the Jedi's head.
Cesera quickly scanned the area and finally caught sight of her husband. "Deroh please..." she cried out to him. "Stop him..."
"Cesera, duck down!" He shouted and waited a few seconds for his wife to lower her head slightly, seeing as she was unable to do much else while in Korban's grip. Without uttering another word, he took careful aim and fired, hitting with precision that the bolt grazed the side of the Jedi's head, leaving a vertical blood mark down the side of his face.
Korban shook his head a few times to regather his bearings, realizing the situation could not be salvaged, turned to Rebecca and said with a cold sneer, "I see that was your decision. For now, at least. You haven't seen the last of me...."
Rebecca stared at him in horror, not missing a single detail as the next few moments seemed to occur as if slow motion:
Korban reaching into his robes. A flash of blue light. A loud humming sound. A bright blue light saber beam puncturing right through her mother's chest. And her mother's lifeless body dropping into the snow.
XI: Dangerous Confrontations
Late in the morning, Rebecca snapped awake. She quickly rolled out of bed and rushed to her calendar. The current date, December 23rd, was circled in bright colors. Getting excited, the seventeen year old got dressed as quickly as she could and practically threw herself downstairs and into the kitchen where her mother was cooking.
"Daddy's coming home today!!" she exclaimed, practically jumping up and down in place, unable to fully contain her excitement.
Cesera smiled, "Yes, love, I know! Now calm down before you hurt yourself!"
"But I can't! When is he supposed to arrive?....Now?"
"No, not yet." Cesera laughed, "in about..." she looked over at the chrono at the oven,"two or so hours from now. He said he had to make some stops on the way in."
Hearing that news calmed Rebecca down ever so slightly, "Oh. I guess that leaves me time to eat something." She said. Walking past her mother, she went over to the bread box for some toast when she happened to look out the window. "It's snowing! YES!" she turned completely around and dashed to the main hall closet. Opening it, she snatched out her scarf, earmuffs, boots and coat, and quickly put them on. Cesera followed her daughter to the front door.
"But Rebecca-- you haven't eaten yet! You can't go outside now."
"Not hungry anymore, Mom!" the girl exclaimed, going out the front door and into the snow. Cesera watched from the front windows. Shaking her head, she turned back and returned to the kitchen.
Rebecca walked through the snow towards the base of their driveway. Moving onto the snow covered grass, she started to form large mounds of snow together, attempting to make a sculpture. Taking a few steps back, she tilted her head, examining her work, making sure she was satisfied with her creation thus far. She then knelt into the snow and rolled enough of it into a ball to form the head.
After she finished her first sculpture, she began making another one of the same size. By now the snowfall was becoming heavier giving her more material to work with.
"That's a nice snowman." Said a strange voice behind her. Rebecca turned. Standing at the gate was a man in old, tattered looking tunic and pants under an even more tattered brown robe. The man's face was buried in the over sized hood yet she could still feel his gaze on her.
Rebecca gave a small smile. "Thank you, sir." She said.
The man nodded. "You're quite talented, Rebecca."
Rebecca stared at him for a minute. "You know my name? Have we met before?"
The man chuckled, shaking his head, "in person face to face...no. However I feel I've known you for years."
"I don't understand. Who are you?" Rebecca asked, "and...can you please take off your hood? I'd feel better if I could see your face."
The man reluctantly lowered his hood and looked back at her. He had brown eyes and short brown hair with tiny spots of grey showing in various places. From first look, he appeared to be in his late twenties to early thirties, however he had a worn down look to him.
"What's your name?" she asked.
"Korban." He said.
"And how do you know me...if we've never met before?"
Korban rubbed the back of his neck. "It's a bit of a long story..."
Rebecca looked at him inquisitively. "I've got about two hours to spare."
"It started about nine years ago. There were caves along the Coronet City coastline. Well, I had been living out of one of them for some time. I guess you can say I've been a social outcast for a long time." Korban chose his words carefully, "There were many others like me who lived in some of the other caves and in the woods nearby, who had been...arrested by imperial troops. Their makeshift homes and personal belongings were being destroyed. Well, I've heard these troops were getting closer and closer to my cave...so in order to preserve my way of life, I wrote down everything I knew into a journal. I had planned on burying the book and then returning for it sometime later but fate had other plans...."
Rebecca raised her brow at him, brushing snow out of her face as Korban continued.
"...a little girl with red hair, around eight or nine years of age, happened to wander into my cave as I was looking for a good hiding place for my journal. I had just enough time to conceal myself when this little girl finds my book and starts flipping through it, almost immediately lost in its contents..."
"Little girl...red ha--" she paused, realization hit her, "That was me, wasn't it. The journal I found...was yours?"
Korban nodded, forming a smile. He put his hands on the gate and leaned forward. "I knew once you started reading through it that that book was meant for you...the...Force made it so."
Rebecca blinked, not understanding. "The...Force?"
"Yes. The Force surrounds us. It's in you and me, and everything. It surrounds us, penetrates us, makes things grow. Some individuals have more strength in the Force than others. You for example, are stronger in the Force than others."
Rebecca shook her head, "I don't feel any strength from this so called 'Force'. You're crazy." she said, turning to go back to her house when Korban reached out and grabbed her arm, stopping her.
"Only because you are untrained. I know you've been reading that journal. I can help you understand the ways of the Force...to use this power the way you've been destined to...."
Cesera put her roast in the oven and checked the chrono. When is that girl coming inside?! She headed to the front door and opened it, "Alright Rebecca, time to come inside an..." She noticed Rebecca all the way at the gate to the driveway with a male figure. She squinted, trying to make out the man's face through the snow. She took a few steps outside to get a better look. Then the man's face came into view. Why does that man look familiar? Where have I seen him before....
Suddenly it struck her, and she ran back inside to the kitchen. She tore through several drawers until she finally found what she was looking for: an old piece of paper. More specifically, a "WANTED" poster dating back nine years. Taking the paper with her, she returned to the front door, and studied man's face again, checking it with the image on the sheet. To her horror and dismay, she realized who she was staring at.
She gasped, barely making out "Oh dear Maker..."Cesera quickly looked around the house for a weapon. She stopped at her husband's office, standing in front of his blaster cabinet. Finding the key hidden in his desk drawer, she unlocked the glass doors and took out the first hand blaster she could get her hands on. She examined it quickly, having never used the weapon before in her life, then ran outside into the snow...
"Daddy's coming home today!!" she exclaimed, practically jumping up and down in place, unable to fully contain her excitement.
Cesera smiled, "Yes, love, I know! Now calm down before you hurt yourself!"
"But I can't! When is he supposed to arrive?....Now?"
"No, not yet." Cesera laughed, "in about..." she looked over at the chrono at the oven,"two or so hours from now. He said he had to make some stops on the way in."
Hearing that news calmed Rebecca down ever so slightly, "Oh. I guess that leaves me time to eat something." She said. Walking past her mother, she went over to the bread box for some toast when she happened to look out the window. "It's snowing! YES!" she turned completely around and dashed to the main hall closet. Opening it, she snatched out her scarf, earmuffs, boots and coat, and quickly put them on. Cesera followed her daughter to the front door.
"But Rebecca-- you haven't eaten yet! You can't go outside now."
"Not hungry anymore, Mom!" the girl exclaimed, going out the front door and into the snow. Cesera watched from the front windows. Shaking her head, she turned back and returned to the kitchen.
Rebecca walked through the snow towards the base of their driveway. Moving onto the snow covered grass, she started to form large mounds of snow together, attempting to make a sculpture. Taking a few steps back, she tilted her head, examining her work, making sure she was satisfied with her creation thus far. She then knelt into the snow and rolled enough of it into a ball to form the head.
After she finished her first sculpture, she began making another one of the same size. By now the snowfall was becoming heavier giving her more material to work with.
"That's a nice snowman." Said a strange voice behind her. Rebecca turned. Standing at the gate was a man in old, tattered looking tunic and pants under an even more tattered brown robe. The man's face was buried in the over sized hood yet she could still feel his gaze on her.
Rebecca gave a small smile. "Thank you, sir." She said.
The man nodded. "You're quite talented, Rebecca."
Rebecca stared at him for a minute. "You know my name? Have we met before?"
The man chuckled, shaking his head, "in person face to face...no. However I feel I've known you for years."
"I don't understand. Who are you?" Rebecca asked, "and...can you please take off your hood? I'd feel better if I could see your face."
The man reluctantly lowered his hood and looked back at her. He had brown eyes and short brown hair with tiny spots of grey showing in various places. From first look, he appeared to be in his late twenties to early thirties, however he had a worn down look to him.
"What's your name?" she asked.
"Korban." He said.
"And how do you know me...if we've never met before?"
Korban rubbed the back of his neck. "It's a bit of a long story..."
Rebecca looked at him inquisitively. "I've got about two hours to spare."
"It started about nine years ago. There were caves along the Coronet City coastline. Well, I had been living out of one of them for some time. I guess you can say I've been a social outcast for a long time." Korban chose his words carefully, "There were many others like me who lived in some of the other caves and in the woods nearby, who had been...arrested by imperial troops. Their makeshift homes and personal belongings were being destroyed. Well, I've heard these troops were getting closer and closer to my cave...so in order to preserve my way of life, I wrote down everything I knew into a journal. I had planned on burying the book and then returning for it sometime later but fate had other plans...."
Rebecca raised her brow at him, brushing snow out of her face as Korban continued.
"...a little girl with red hair, around eight or nine years of age, happened to wander into my cave as I was looking for a good hiding place for my journal. I had just enough time to conceal myself when this little girl finds my book and starts flipping through it, almost immediately lost in its contents..."
"Little girl...red ha--" she paused, realization hit her, "That was me, wasn't it. The journal I found...was yours?"
Korban nodded, forming a smile. He put his hands on the gate and leaned forward. "I knew once you started reading through it that that book was meant for you...the...Force made it so."
Rebecca blinked, not understanding. "The...Force?"
"Yes. The Force surrounds us. It's in you and me, and everything. It surrounds us, penetrates us, makes things grow. Some individuals have more strength in the Force than others. You for example, are stronger in the Force than others."
Rebecca shook her head, "I don't feel any strength from this so called 'Force'. You're crazy." she said, turning to go back to her house when Korban reached out and grabbed her arm, stopping her.
"Only because you are untrained. I know you've been reading that journal. I can help you understand the ways of the Force...to use this power the way you've been destined to...."
Cesera put her roast in the oven and checked the chrono. When is that girl coming inside?! She headed to the front door and opened it, "Alright Rebecca, time to come inside an..." She noticed Rebecca all the way at the gate to the driveway with a male figure. She squinted, trying to make out the man's face through the snow. She took a few steps outside to get a better look. Then the man's face came into view. Why does that man look familiar? Where have I seen him before....
Suddenly it struck her, and she ran back inside to the kitchen. She tore through several drawers until she finally found what she was looking for: an old piece of paper. More specifically, a "WANTED" poster dating back nine years. Taking the paper with her, she returned to the front door, and studied man's face again, checking it with the image on the sheet. To her horror and dismay, she realized who she was staring at.
She gasped, barely making out "Oh dear Maker..."Cesera quickly looked around the house for a weapon. She stopped at her husband's office, standing in front of his blaster cabinet. Finding the key hidden in his desk drawer, she unlocked the glass doors and took out the first hand blaster she could get her hands on. She examined it quickly, having never used the weapon before in her life, then ran outside into the snow...
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