Japor — Chapter 5 Rating: PG-13

As I landed in the room, I noticed the two lightsaber blades locked in combat, the haze of smoke just turning them into diffuse glows in such a way that I was unable to discern the color of the blades, turning my head slightly, I heard a slight cough coming from upstairs, so with a last look at the lightsabers I dashed upstairs as fast as I could, tripping over Mirax Horn in the process.

Frowning slightly, as I noticed that she was missing a hand, and was nearly decapitated I continued my way up the stairs. I kicked open the door which held whoever was coughing, and saw Jysella Horn laying on the floor, a lightsaber wound decorating her stomach. I felt a cold fury awaken within me, but pushed it away. I had to save Jysella and my hate and rage would not help me in that.

I bent down, touched her shoulder and asked if she was ok, all I got in return was a small groan as I belatedly realized what a stupid question I had just asked. I picked her up, and turned towards the door to get her out of there and noticed that the entire second floor hallway was now engulfed in flames.

At this point I said a few Corellian words I had learned from Uncle Han that my Mom did not approve of me knowing, mainly about my Skywalker luck.

I turned the other way and jumped through the window, I drew the Force to me, to cushion the fall for both Jysella and myself. Once on the ground, I carefully laid Jysella on the ground and placed her in a healing trance. Turning back towards the house, I noticed a dark form jump out of a side window of the first floor and rush off towards the woods, but I ignored it in favor of something more important.

Reaching deep into the Force, I pulled and grabbed the fire. Even at this point I had heard stories about Jedi manipulating fire, such as Corran channeling it upwards or Anakin pushing it away from him. What I wanted to do was different. I wanted to control it. Combustion is a fundamental law of nature, the how's and why's and way's that things burn is a very precise concept, and the ways to stop that are tried and tested. Unfortunately, they have a tendency to ruin trace evidence, water washes away blood, fire-foam has the potential to alter objects on a chemical level. All the homes on Ossus are equipped with fire suppression systems. The fact that it was actually burning was evidence in and of itself. I merely wanted to preserve more.

I pulled, cajoled and broke a few laws of nature, but I managed to extinguish the current flames from the building, and keep any more from starting. Exhausted I collapsed beside Jysella fighting to stay conscious. Lifting my head, I looked towards where I had saw the figure running off and saw a tall figure strolling to me. The street lights where in my eyes, so all I saw was a black shadow walking towards me. I reached out with the Force to discern who it was, but was so weak my probe was easily knocked away. As the figure reached me, I saw a foot pull back, and felt more than saw the swift kick to the head as unconsciousness finally claimed me.

I awakened almost instantly, or at least I awakened before anyone else had arrived, but with plenty of time for whoever kicked me to get away, even after leaving a final present for me. Turning my head, I looked at Jysella and instantly felt tears spring to my eyes.

I had known Jys all my life. She was one of my best friends when we were younger, for the first 10 years of my life, she was my playmate, confidant, co-conspirator in trouble and pranks, although we had grown slightly apart as she entered her teen years and was apprenticed to Cilghal, we had started to become close friends again, as I entered my teens and became a full apprentice to Jacen. While I thought Jys was not as beautiful as Tahiri she was very pretty. I had heard her described once as the best of the Horn and Terrik lines, and that was an accurate statement. Especially her eyes, which I think are probably a little more vibrant than Tahiri's. Now, she had something very much in common with Tahiri, her forehead was branded. Even though the wound was bleeding, I could just make out the curves and swooshes of the Japor icon.

I started to cry, whether they were tears of joy that Jysella was still alive, or if they were tears of frustration and anger at Jysella being mutilated I did not know, for I felt both. I pulled Jysella to me, and cradled her in my arms. I looked down at her, and felt my rage and hate grow at my own futility and powerlessness to stop whoever was killing Jedi and others on Ossus. I felt my rage and hate at whoever did this to Jysella and her family.

I felt pure unadulterated rage.

I screamed my rage and frustration at the Force, at fate, at destiny, at my heritage, at the Jedi. I screamed my rage and frustration at myself. I screamed, feeding my rage, hate and frustrations all back to the Force.

And apparently awoke nearly every Jedi on the planet. Master Cilghal told me later that it almost felt as bad as when Carida was destroyed.

That was where my parents found me, slightly rocking Jysella, protecting her, holding her close and tight against my chest, sitting in front of the burned out hulk of Jysella's broken home with tears running down my dirt and ash covered face.

To Part Four | To Part Six
