~ Jedi Bri Meets Sith Xara ~
by AJ Marks
Disclaimers: The two main characters look a lot like the ones we are used to, Xena and Gabrielle, and no I don't own them, wish I did. This story takes place in the Star Wars universe that I don't own either, that's owned by George Lucas, along with Yoda who I borrowed for this story.
Subtext: Yes this involves love between two women, nothing graphic however.
This started as a result of a discussion board in which a comment was made of how well Renee O'Conner would portray a Jedi Knight.
Send comments to AJMarks01@aol.com
Jedi Bri Meets Sith Xara
by
AJ Marks
Part 4
"You are late." The black robed man said as another man entered the room. He had been expecting the man for some time, he had the information that would allow a decision to be made.
"There are several Jedi involved in the situation, and it seems that the Jedi Council has ordered every Jedi not on assignment on the case. The main ones are Jedi Knight Bri, Jedi Master Yoda and his padawan Markus." The man said relaying his information to his boss.
"Who is the closest to finding out about us?" The man asked watching intently for any signs of lying.
"Bri is." The man said sweat beginning to form on his brow.
"You are dismissed." The black robed man said watching as his informant left the room. He would have to eliminate the Jedi and quickly before they found out about the mission.
Bri recognized that she was dreaming almost right away. Her clothing was very different, she was wearing a small green top, and a short brown skirt. She thought that it was odd, she had never worn anything like that before in her life, so why she was dreaming she was would be a mystery to her. There was a familiar presence in the field where she was standing. Off to her right there was a small campsite with a fire going in it. A horse nearby that looked to be well groomed. Bri walked around the area looking for anything that might be trouble. She glanced around the small fire and noticed a stack of old scrolls lying nearby, and something very strange about the entire scene.
She picked up one of the scrolls and began reading it. The language was one she had never seen before, yet she could read it without any problems. She did not give that much thought, as anything is possible in dreams.
The scroll had a story on it, and Bri read the beginning of it. It was about a tall dark warlord who terrorized just about everyone she had ever meet. It seemed like the warlord had traveled many places and even tried to conquer her world, but she got into trouble with her army, and they tried to kill the warlord.
The warlord then decided to go home, where on the way home the warlord met the writer of the story. The writer told of how the warlord saved her life, and in that moment the writer felt a connection with the warlord, giving graphic detail of the how the warlord looked. Bri could not have written a more accurate detailed description of Xara if she tried. She also learned the name of the warlord, Xena. For some reason that name meant something to her.
A rustle of leaves behind her and she quickly raised up to see who was coming. She stared in shock at who appeared. Coming out of the bushes with a fish in her hand was a tall dark haired woman. She was dressed in black leather and had a sword on her back.
"Everything alright Gabrielle?" The woman asked her and she thought who was this 'Gabrielle' that this woman was talking about.
"Everything's fine Xena, is that trout?" Bri heard herself say without her permission.
"Yes it is Gabrielle, I know that you love it." The woman she had called Xena said as she laid down the fish and began to clean it. She was already moving to prepare the fire and some herbs that they would use for seasoning on the fish.
They had talked a bit more while preparing the fish and Bri let the conversation pass over her while she tried to figure out what was going on.
"Xena do you ever think that our souls will meet again in a later life?" She heard herself, or Gabrielle, asked
"Its possible." Xena replied to her question and Bri found herself listening to this part of the conversation.
"Enough, what's going on here?" He heard Xena say.
"Xena?" Bri heard the reply.
"No, my name is Xara little girl." The dark haired woman said and Bri had to get over her shock at the comment.
"Xara?" Bri asked with a bit of surprise in her voice.
"Yes, now what's going on?" Xara asked again getting impatient for some answers.
"I don't know." Bri said having regained some control over her body. "I'm just as confused as you Xara."
"All I know is that I'm in a strange area, talking to someone who looks like Bri, answers to Gabrielle, and calls me Xena." Xara said taking a breath before she continued on. "I don't know you, and I want to know what's going on?"
"Xara, I know, its me Bri." Bri said in a soft voice hoping that she could calm Xara. "I was wondering what was going on as well, I found myself here, dressed like this, then you show up and I start talking without my permission and call you Xena, and you're calling me Gabrielle, and well I don't know what's going on around here."
Bri's rambling had brought her face to face with Xara/Xena and Bri found herself losing herself in the blue eyes that were looking back at her. For a long time she found herself looking deep into the eyes that were looking back at her with the same expression. She felt herself start to lean forward. Bri wanted so much to feel the luscious lips that were in front of her and she felt herself lean even more.
Bri saw that Xara was also leaning forward and could not wait as she closed the distance to Xara's lips. The kiss felt wonderful to Bri as she felt Xara slid her arms around her as she responded in kind. Bri felt like her entire being was being filled through the kiss that they shared and she closed her eyes to just enjoy it.
Opening her eyes she noticed that she was no longer in the fields, but her own room and bed. With a sigh of disappointment she ran a hand over her lips that still seemed to tingle from the dream kiss. Her body felt more alive than it had in a long time and part of her was very frustrated form having woken up so soon.
Bri glanced over to her clock to see what time it was and decided that a cold shower would work out nicely. She reluctantly got out of her bed and headed to her shower before she headed out.
Xara made her way to one of the local nightclubs near the Galactic Communications headquarter to see if she could find out anything. She was still trying to shake the dream she had earlier in the day. She dreamed of a far away place, and Bri was there, although she had called her Gabrielle at first, and she had called her Xena. Neither name was one she had heard much before. It was the kiss at the end of the dream that left her really confused. There was a filling of her soul that she did not know was even possible.
Shaking off the dream and the lingering effects of the kiss she walked into a nightclub and glanced around for a place to sit. Seeing that there was an empty place at the bar she went over and sat down. After ordering a drink she allowed herself to just listen and allow the conversations to float around her. The conversations around her so far dealt with several topics and nothing that would interest her. They were about the latest games and sports.
A local drug dealer was dealing nearby, and she briefly wondered if he would be so blatant if an officer was nearby. She figure that he probably still would be, now if a Jedi was here, Like Bri, then he might be in trouble. A small smile came to her lips at the thought of the small Jedi and with some effort she pushed the young woman from her mind and concentrated on her work.
The night went by quickly as she did not gather much information. Towards the end of the night she did manage to find a worker from the Galactic Communications and after buying him a couple of drinks his lips were loose enough for her to get some information. She learned that they had brought in a couple of other Jedi. He said that one of them was none other than Jedi Master Yoda himself, and Xara figured that the other Jedi would be his padawan, who Xara did not concern herself with. Halfway through her conversation she began to feel the familiar tingle that she thought was because of Bri. The guy was still talking and Xara could to excuse herself just yet, so she had to hope that Bri would not have figured anything out yet.
Bri walked into the nightclub and imminently felt the presence of Xara nearby. She found a place to sit down and concentrated on the feeling. Noticing when it got stronger, and when it got weaker. Her eyes glanced around the room hoping to spot the bounty hunter.
Xara had quickly wrapped up the conversation with the guy she was with, and felt like it was time to leave. He wanted her to stay, but Xara slipped out of his grasp and decided to head out the back door. She had taken two steps out the door when she heard a voice behind her.
"Xara wait." Bri said having caught a glimpse of Xara getting away from a man then headed out the back door.
Xara turned around and felt her breathing catch as she looked into Bri's eyes. "What." She said a bit to husky.
"Can we talk?" Bri asked walking up to Xara's side taking her hand. It was a bold move by Bri, but she felt somewhere deep inside her that it was a right move to do.
"Why didn't you tell me you were a Jedi?" Xara asked a bit too crisply. Her Sith side taking over in a second.
Bri stepped back like she had been slapped by the tone in Xara's voice. She took a deep breath before answering the question.
"I told you the truth when I said I was on vacation." Bri said risking a glance up into the blue eyes that were staring at her. "When a Jedi is on vacation they usually do not want to be disturbed, and Lake Pristine is a perfect spot to relax."
"You've said why you were there, but you still have not said why you did not tell me you were a Jedi, I guess you didn't trust me?" Xara said realizing deep down inside her that she herself was not being truthful to Bri. "And here I thought I had made a friend." She said with a snort.
"I don't know." Bri said releasing Xara's hand and with her head hung down she looked away from Xara. "I didn't think that it would matter." Bri answered and with that she began to walk away before Xara could see how much she had hurt her.
Xara watched as the Jedi walked away from her with her shoulders slumped in defeat. Xara's heart wanted nothing more than to run after the small Jedi and wrap her arms around her, but the Sith training was still to strong. The further away Bri got the worse Xara felt.
Bri did not know how she had the strength to leave on her own two feet, but she managed. She then ran as fast as she could towards the temple and her own quarters where she could be alone.
Entering the temple Bri was glad that it was nighttime and there were not many people out that she would have to talk to. She quickly walked through the building to her quarters, glad when she saw no one she knew. Once in her own room she allowed herself to cry at the feelings that Xara had done to her. The total lack of trust ripped her apart it seemed and she was not sure that she ever wanted to leave her room again.
A silent figure retreated back to where he was when he saw Bri walk into the temple. Aqat wondered what happened to bring such emotion to Bri.
Xara walked back through the nightclub wondering to herself why she had just been so cruel. There was a part of her that had grown very attached to the young Jedi, and Xara thought that she had been able to feel Bri's pain as she walked away. Xara tried to put the thought out of her mind.
"Hey, glad you ditched the little nerfherder, now we can have some fun." A large man said as he approached her. He had tried to hit on her all night and suddenly Xara found herself angry with him insulting Bri.
Xara found herself taking the large man down rather roughly. The man was quite surprised by the strength of the woman as he hit the floor hard. "Don't you ever call her that again!" Xara growled through clinched teeth.
"A..al..alright." The man stammered as he looked into a pair of very cold eyes.
Xara released the man realizing that she was making a scene, not what she wanted to do. She got up and walked as calmly as she could out the door and to her rented room. There was something going on that she just did not understand, something between her and Bri. She had never allowed herself to feel anything for anyone, yet she not only felt something for Bri, but could feel her emotions as well.
When Bri had held her hand it had felt so right to her. There was a connection that she did not want to ever end, and when Bri and pulled her hand away after Xara had been so cruel to her it had felt as if something left her, something important.
Xara sunk down onto her bed as she tried to make sense out of the emotions that were wiling around in her head. It seemed like a tornado was twirling around in it without any relief in sight.
Her communicator chirped to life and Xara had to quickly rally herself in order to answer it. She knew that it would be her boss.
"Xara, I'm sending in some more people for you." He said his cruel voice coming in over the communicator. "Our mission has changed. They should arrive tomorrow. They already have their orders, I will contact you for the next phase, which will be to eliminate Mr. Julies." And with that the communication ended.
Xara had to wonder what was going on. He had taken her off the mission, and there were more people on the way. Something big was in the works, and Xara could not help but try to figure it out. There were only a few things that could have happened, but she could not think of anything that important as to sending more men.
Bri gradually became aware of her surroundings. She was in her bed, still with her clothes on from last night. The thought of last night brought back the memory of her conversation with Xara and the hurt that it caused her. Bri did not want to get out of bed, but she knew that eventually she would have to. She wondered how long she would be able to hide from everyone, and how long the hurt would last.
She crawled out of bed and made her way over to the mirror. She looked at herself and realized that she looked awful. Walking over to the bathroom she took a shower and tried to make herself as presentable as she could. Then with all the strength she could muster walked out of the room and through the building towards the exit.
Bri was not sure as to what she would do, but she realized that anywhere could be better than staying at the temple where those who knew her would ask about what happened. She was sure that she would ever be ready to talk about that.
Bri decided that she would head towards the local park and try to just relax. Maybe with the peaceful surroundings she would be able to come to grips with what had happened.
She got to the park and sat down to hopefully try and relax, there was a small pond, and several trees along with grass that gave a nice relaxed atmosphere to the area. She did not even realize it when her stomach began to growl.
She glanced around to the clock and noticed that she had gone all morning without eating anything. Now her stomach was protesting. Glancing around she noticed that there were a few good restaurants nearby that she had been to before. She made her way towards the place when she suddenly got the feeling that something was very wrong. She did not have a chance to move out of the way as a dart pierced her skin. She quickly pulled it out and, for a brief moment she realized that the dart was not deadly, but it was her last conscious thought.
Xara could not help but feel like something was wrong. A deep feeling inside her was telling her that something was different, and she was having a hard time standing still. She went walking outside to see if she could release some of the tension that was building up. She had no idea where she was going, perhaps some food would help her out, and as she passed the small store she had bought some supplies form earlier in the week.
She walked in and noticed that the same old man was standing behind the counter. He greeted her warmly and Xara found herself returning the greeting with a smile, even though she really did not feel like smiling.
"How are you, I remember you from earlier. Did you forget something?" He asked with a smile.
"No, I was just out and got hungry and thought that I would stop by and see what you had to eat that was quick." Xara replied keeping the conversation light.
"So what do you do for a living?" He asked watching her as she went around looking at his sandwiches that he had out for lunches.
"This and that." She replied not giving too much away.
"A bounty hunter." The man said with a knowing look in his eye. "I get a lot of them in here, not many female ones. They like the small shop feel."
"You must have a lot to notice them." Xara said.
"It's usually how they answer questions that gives them away. You were evasive, there is nothing wrong with being a bounty hunter." The man said with a glint in his eye, which Xara found intriguing.
"How would you know?" She asked.
"I was once a bounty hunter as well." He said then his eyes lost their glint and sadness appeared in them.
"I don't mean to open old wounds for you." Xara said. "I'll just get my lunch and go."
The older man took a close look at her, and then smiled again before speaking. "How about I take you to lunch, and I'll tell you my story. I think that you will find it very interesting."
"Alright." Xara said using the Force to see if anything was out of the ordinary. Satisfied that he was telling the truth she agreed to go with him.
The man introduced himself as Kintu, and told the other person working the store that he was going to lunch. He then led Xara to a restaurant across the street. The hostess warmly greeted him, telling him how sorry she was about his wife. He talked with her a minute of two as they were lead to the table.
"The waiter will be with you shortly." The hostess said as she left leaving the two alone.
"You've been here before?" Xara asked already knowing the answer.
"My wife and I came here quite often, and many of the people working here are friends of mine." He said. "Might I suggest the Kalimar Shrimp, its quite good."
"Alright, you've been here more than me." She said as they gave their order to the waiter who exchanged greetings with Kintu before heading back to the kitchen with their order.
"I was a bounty hunter over sixty years ago, and I went by the name of Cata Paq." The man said watching as recognition of the name flared in the woman's eyes.
"Cata Paq." Xara said no really believing it. He had been the most successful bounty hunter of that time until the last mission. No one really understood what happened, many said that he had died, others said that he retired, not she was going to learn the truth.
"I know that there are many rumors about my last mission, but the last mission I was on was actually an assignation mission. It was something I had done many times, I never figured that it would change my life so completely." Kintu said as he recalled the mission so well. "The woman was a sister of a powerful military commander that a group of pirates wanted revenge on. I got the job and went off on the mission."
"I thought that the mission was to eliminate a pirate leader?" Xara said.
"That's what it changed into, after I met Sara. I had her lined up in my sight and my finger was pressing the trigger. No matter how hard I tried to pull the trigger my body refused to respond, it knew what my brain was trying to deny. You see, I was about to kill my soulmate." Kintu told her. "I put my weapon away and walked out. I learned later that the pirates found out about my betrayal and hired several more bounty hunters to kill her. She had been captured and was on her way back to the pirates headquarters when I found out about it."
"She survived obviously." Xara said having heard that his wife had just recently died.
"Yes, I went in with my guns blazing, and was almost too late. She had been tortured and abused, but I managed to nurse her back to health, and with the help of her brother I buried my past and lived the rest of my life here." He said. "Her legs never fully recovered, and the doctors said that they could be replaced with artificial ones, but we both did not want that. I could always feel when she was in pain."
"You could feel her." Xara said in a bit of disbelief.
"Yes, I once talked to a Jedi, and we discovered that a soulmates connection is very much like how the Force flows through a person, but it is only a connection with one person." Kintu said. "Once she was held up, and I could feel that she was in trouble, and went rushing into help her. That was a strange experience, I was jumpy and restless, but I knew that something was going on, so I went to see what had happened to Sara, and there she was along with a punk holding a gun to her. I saved her of course, as I still have many of the skill that once made me Cata Paq."
"You must miss her." Xara said.
"Every second." He said the sadness in his eyes back.
Once they had finished eating Xara went to pay, but was told that it had already been taken care of, but the management. They walked out of the restaurant and Xara went to tell the man good by.
"Perhaps I'll see you around Xara." Kintu said then continued. "And perhaps I'll meet you soulmate next time, she's in trouble." He said then walked off leaving her with her mouth open. He had seen the jitteriness in her eyes and had recognized it mirrored in his wife's eyes, and from Xara's stunned expression he had guessed right. He had told her his story because he had the feeling that she was much like he was.
Xara wanted to go up to the old man and ask what he meant by his remark, but she already knew. She had been able to feel Bri specifically whenever she was around. Looking into her heart she realized that what she was probably feeling was hurt from what she had said last night. Now she had to find her and then do what she questioned herself.
For the first time in her life she felt like a path was laid out for her, by her, and not her Sith Master. It was an intoxicating feeling, but there was much she still had to do, but first was apologize to Bri. With that thought she went back to her room.
Yoda sat with his padawan at the house of Otto Julies waiting for any news from Bri. So far the only thing he had heard was from Master Aqat. She had returned last night and did not speak to anyone when she came in. This morning she left early again not speaking to anyone and had not been seen since. Yoda was not sure what to make of this unusual behavior from Bri. She kept to herself, that was true, but she usually said hi to a number of people on her way in or out.
"Is there something wrong Master?" Markus asked as he walked into the room where Yoda was looking out the window.
"Yes, feel it I can, but where, and what, I do not know." Yoda replied turning to look at his padawan.
"Is it about the mission?" Markus asked, he had not felt anything and was a bit worried that he was not as advanced as Master Yoda had said he was.
"I do not know, for hard to see it, it is." Yoda said putting his padawan's fears at ease. Markus relaxed, if his master had a hard time seeing it, then he knew that he would not be able to, for few could see it if Yoda was barely able to.
"Master Aqat said for me to tell you that Master Bri still had not returned." Markus said having talked to the Jedi Master just before walking into the room.
""Thought so." Yoda said not reveling anything else. His feeling that something was wrong with Bri had been with him since lunch. He had hoped that nothing had happened to the bright young Jedi. She still had promise of even greater abilities, more than any other padawan he had ever had.
Yoda told his padawan to get a good night's sleep and watched as the youth nodded his head, turned and walked out of the room. Yoda turned back to the window knowing there was something wrong. The feeling was very faint, but there, and it all seemed to focus around Bri. Yoda wondered what trouble his former padawan had gotten herself into. He then decided to meditate for the night and see if anything presented itself to him.
Morning came to quickly for Yoda, and he was no closer to solving his mystery than he had been last night. Wearily he made his way to the main room where Markus was sitting down eating along with Otto. Both of them looked up when he came into the room.
"Is everything alright Master Jedi?" Otto asked seeing the Jedi walk into the room looking tired.
""Perhaps." Yoda replied not saying too much and grabbing something to eat as well.
"Does it concern me?" He asked concerned that he might be in more trouble with whoever was after him than he first believed.
"Know that, I do not." Yoda answered honestly. "Markus, your guard you must keep up." Yoda said to him before continuing. "Back to the temple I will be going, must speak with someone."
"Yes Master." Markus said a bit excitedly. This would be the first time that he would be left alone on a mission. He mentally prepared himself by going over the days tasks in his head. The only areas that concerned him were going to and from Otto's work.
"Leave you now I will." Yoda said to Otto then turned to his padawan. "Use the Force, let it flow through you and you will complete this mission."
"May the Force be with you Master." Markus said as Yoda walked out of the room on his way to the Jedi Temple.
Yoda had not felt that there would be any moves made against Otto, and figured that it was about time his padawan did something on his own. It would be a good character test, one that he was sure his padawan would pass. He also needed to talk with Master Aqat. He knew that he had talked with Bri two days ago, and maybe he might know something.
Xara woke up from a fitful sleep, there was something wrong that she could still feel. She had spent the day looking for Bri without any luck. Perhaps it was time she took a more direct approach. She knew that there was two other Jedi protecting Otto, and that they might have some idea as to what happened to her.
The only problem she had with this line of thought was that it went against all of her training. Her Masters had told her over and over again that the Jedi were responsible for their hiding in the shadows. If she continued down this path, she would have to choose between her heart, and her masters.
The choice was not easy for her. She had never had anyone who she had ever trusted. The only ones who said they trusted her were her masters, but they could also be cruel. She had been punished more than once for a stray word that they had felt was against them.
She grabbed her robe and decided on a path of action after a long deep thought about herself, and what she wanted. She wanted a chance at the young beauty, and that meant she would have to walk a fine line until she found Bri. The first thing she would do would be to go and have a visit with Otto, and his Jedi protectors.
She quickly made her way to the building that Otto worked in, and let herself into the still dark office that the man had. It was actually quite a nice room, warmly decorated and filled with pictures of his family she noted as she walked behind the desk and sat down. She had briefly thought about threatening his family when she was after him, but if he refused and she was forced to kill a family member she risked galvanizing his resolve.
She heard footsteps as she turned the chair to face the door. The door opened and Otto went to turn on the light. With a flick of her hand Xara made sure that the lights would not work.
"Odd, the lights are not working." Otto said turning to his companion, a youngster in a Jedi robe.
"Come in and sit down." Xara said in a commanding voice and watched amused as the young Jedi took up a defensive position in front of Otto. Xara could feel the fear in the boy as his lightsaber sprung to life.
"Put it away Jedi, if I had wanted to kill you, you would have already been dead." Xara said standing up to her full height. Her black robe and outline from the window behind her gave an appearance of someone very frightening, right out a person's nightmares.
"Stay back." Markus said to the person in front of him. His opponent was a definitely a woman, and gave off a waves of power that seemed to physically smash into him. This was something he had never encountered before.
"I said relax, I need information." Xara said getting bored with the game.
"You won't get anything from either of us." Markus said still on guard. He was about to say more when the woman in front of him stretched out her arm and with a flick of her wrist his lightsaber was jerked from his hand. He took a step back, this was a Force user, and a trained on at that.
"I said I just want some information." Xara said holding Markus' lightsaber in her hand. It had been easy to get, the young Jedi was not used to such a tactic, but he would have learned a lesson, one that might save his life in the future. She set the lightsaber down on the desk and continued walking around the desk.
"Alright." Otto said closing the door and walking over to the chair and sat down. If he were going to die, then it would be on his terms. Markus still was not so sure about everything, but this woman right now held all the cards.
"I'm looking for a friend of mine." Xara said as she noticed how hard it was for her to ask it, instead of beating it out of a person. "I'm looking for a Jedi Knight named Bri." Xara noticed the look on the Jedi's face at the name and knew that he knew Bri.
"Never heard of her." Markus replied not sure as to why this woman wanted Bri.
"I can see right through you, and I know that you know her." Xara said getting right up in the young man's face. She felt the Force and realized what happening and quickly stepped back activating her own lightsaber and just blocked the kid's attack.
Markus was again surprised when his opponent started to wield her own lightsaber, a red one at that. He quickly realized that she was much stronger, faster and more skilled than he was. He felt a bit of fear as he wondered how to get out of this alive. Otto meanwhile had ducked into a corner to watch the fight, and even he knew that the their mysterious woman was the better fighter.
It was over quickly as Markus found his lightsaber cut in half by a very precise attack. His blue blade died and the clank of a piece of metal hitting the floor could be heard. Xara turned off her lightsaber and turned to Otto, who was now slowly getting up out of the corner.
"Do you know anything about Bri?" She asked. "I know that she was protecting you."
""We don't know." Markus said finally. He had been defeated now twice by this warrior in front of him.
"Does anyone know?" Xara asked.
"Master Yoda might know." Markus said wondering if he was doing the right thing.
"Where is he?" Xara asked.
"At the Jedi Temple." Otto replied wondering if the woman would leave.
"And is he to return?" Xara asked and received her answer before any of them spoke. "Then I'll wait here with you." Xara said taking a seat on the sofa. With a flick of her wrists the lights came on.
Markus and Otto had to blink a few times as their eyes adjusted to the light. They finally got a look at their attacker, and they were surprised. There on the sofa, sitting as comfortable as she could sat a beautiful woman, with long dark black hair and blue eyes. Markus noticed the lightsaber she had on her and wondered where she had leaned to use it.
"I believe you have work to do." Xara said looking at Otto, who shook himself out the trance, he was in and went to work.
Yoda walked down the hallway of the building of the Galactic Communications offices after his talk with Master Aqat. There had been nothing out of the ordinary. The two had talked about Aqat's sister, and what Bri was feeling. Aqat was now sure that Bri had found her soulmate. Yoda could only agree with the statement.
As he approached the office he began to feel something else, a strong flow of the Force. There was a powerful Force user in the office, Yoda was sure of it. It seemed like it teemed with something dark, and Yoda figured that it was a Dark Force user. He geared himself up for a fight and opened the door.
Xara had felt Yoda approaching, this Jedi was more powerful than any of her masters, that was for sure. The door opened and she watched as a small green skinned figure walked into the room. His hair was thin on top, and his robe was light, but she could feel the Force flowing through him.
Otto and Markus watched as Yoda entered the room and the two people sized each other up. Even Otto could feel the crackle of energy flowing through the room.
"Jedi Master Yoda." Xara said to the small figure as the door closed.
"You must be Xara." Yoda replied.
"I see you've heard of me." Xara said getting up to stretch. She had been sitting down the entire time watching both Markus and Otto, just to watch them sweat. "I just want to know where Bri is, I want to talk to her."
"Know that, I do not." Yoda replied then turned to Markus and Otto. "Leave us." He commanded.
Xara allowed the two to leave without any question. Master Yoda had a reputation of being honest, as long as you did not cross him. She found the small Jedi intriguing.
"Looking for you, I know she was." Yoda said after they had left.
"She found me, for a minute." Xara said. "I said some things to her that I shouldn't have." Xara admitted. She felt that he was one who could answer some of her questions.
"Her actions make since now, about last night." Yoda said. "In pain they say she was." Yoda told her watching as Xara turned to look out the window and knew that it was the truth.
"Then she really is in trouble." Xara said, and suddenly realized who might have her. "I have to go."
"Beware, the Dark Side runs deep in you." Yoda said warning her of what he had felt.
Xara turned when she reached the door. "I know." She replied then walked out of the room.
Yoda watched as the door closed behind the Xara and only had to wait a few seconds before Markus and Otto came back into the room. He could see that both of them had questions, and he knew that even he had no answers. The strong Dark Side presence within the woman had come as a shock. He wondered if she really knew how close the Dark Side was to over taking her. If Yoda had known to real truth it would have shocked him.
"You didn't tell her anything, did you master?" Markus asked as he walked back into the room. He had seen the dark robed woman leave and had quickly returned to the room, relieved that he was still alive.
Yoda took a close look at his padawan who shifted his weight from one foot to another. He knew that something had happened between Markus and Xara. He glanced at Otto as he sat back down at his desk and began to make a call. Yoda also took in the fact that Markus' lightsaber seemed to be damaged, and wondered at what his padawan did.
"Told her what I knew, I did." Yoda told his nervous padawan then continued at Markus' face. "What happened?"
"You told her?" He said a bit astonished at what he had just heard. "She's after Bri, and you're letting her find out where she is." Markus could not understand what his master was doing. This did not seem like the Jedi Master that he had grown accustomed to.
"Had to, not understand you would." Yoda said not expecting Markus to understand the reasons behind Yoda's actions. Especially since he had not told Markus everything about the mission. It seemed that it was changing constantly. At first it was just a simple protection, then they uncovered a plot to infiltrate the entire government, and now a battle for souls, Bri and Xara's.
"I guess you won't explain it to me, will you?" Markus asked knowing that his master would not.
"What happened?" Yoda asked again as Markus calmed down a bit. It was the one thing that he had to learn still. Markus would react to quickly without listening to what was going on.
"We arrived at the room, and the lights would not turn on and that woman was waiting for us. She demanded to know about Bri and we refused." Markus said not really wanting to tell his master about the fight. "She then waited knowing that you would show up."
"Hmm." Yoda said rubbing his chin while looking at his padawan thinking about what he had just said. He wondered if he would have to ask about his lightsaber or if he would tell him.
"Ah, well, there was one more thing." Markus said stammering around trying to tell Yoda without telling him. Yoda just stood there looking at his student waiting for him to say what he already knew. He had challenged the woman and lost. Markus looked at the floor and tapped the leg of the desk with his toe. "I, ah, well she seemed, and I, uh, she was really good, and I, well, lost." He stammered out.
"She looked like she was going to attack us, and Markus went to protect me." Otto said seeing that Markus was having a hard time telling Yoda about what happened.
"She's really strong in the force." Markus said as if to cover what he thought was a failure at a saber fight.
"Yes she is, should have not challenged her, concerned she is." Yoda said to Markus. "Another lightsaber to build you have." He said as he examined the damaged lightsaber. The skill required to cut it in half the way she did meant that she might of had some training. This meant that she had more than just used like Bri had thought and wondered what other secrets the tall dark haired woman was hiding.
"Yes master, next time I'll listen." Markus said a bit glad that his master was not disappointed with him. He knew that Yoda rarely got mad, and was usually kind but stern.
End Part 4
Continued in Part 5
The Athenaeum's Scroll Archive