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Letters: Abomination

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Letters To the Emperor
"Abomination"

AU "CWI" Storyline (this isn't actually canon unless I get the go-ahead from Liz, but I wanted to put it down while the idea was kicking around.)
Rated: PG
Characters: Anakin Sywalker, Halley, Yoda, other Jedi Master asshats.

Timeline: Settling in to the routine of running a Force Academy suits both Master and Apprentice, but it isn't long before the Jedi try to get vengeance on the Sith for being ousted on Coruscant. Still harboring fears that Halley is some kind of Force abomination, and knowing it would be impossible to cause harm directly to the Dark Lord himself, several of the remaining Jedi Masters abduct the assassin and perform an ancient Jedi ritual...




          Halley yawned, the bed shifting in brief chaos as the other occupant climbed off. Sunlight was struggling to peek through the shutters, and she stretched out a hand. Thin gold lines of heat passed over the back of her knuckles. She smiled, it was hard not to. Water ran in the kitchenette, and she sat up fully, tossing the blankets to the other side of the bed.
          “Well, it’s officially snowing on Mustafar.” She yawned and slid off the bed, walking into the kitchen and grinning at a bleary-eyed Anakin. “You’re awake before me.”
          “It’s not that strange.” He scowled, and she peeked over his shoulder at the waterpot.
          “Enough for two?”
          “Of course.” His frown twitched as she pressed against his back and started nibbling on the skin over his shoulder, her slender arms wrapped around his waist. “We still can’t find an acceptable lightsaber trainer, so I figured I’d give it a go. Of course, I didn’t think ahead that the students are usually up early…”
          “You can nap later.” She nuzzled into his back, silent as he set up the tea they were both addicted to. “…you were tossing a bit last night.”
          “I was… dreaming.”
          “Nightmare?”
          “Not like… not like I used to have. Just a bad dream, I think.” He turned in her arms and leaned back against the counter. She looked up across that attractive expanse of his chest and smirked.
          “Good, if you start predicting things like Rae does all the time, I’ll… I’ll never let you sleep again.”
          Anakin chuckled, the unscarred brow lifting over the other. “How do you intend to accomplish that?”
          “I’ll tickle you.” His lips twitched again, trying not to smile.
          “I’m shaking in my slippers.”
          “Do not underestimate my tickling abilities! I’ve been trained in the dark side.”
          “…of tickling.”
          “…yes.” She put on a better serious face than he did, and he finally had to grin. “I mean it!” Her fingers went for his ribs, and he yelped, laughing, and grabbed at her wrists. They struggled for a few moments before he turned and pinned her hands against the wall over her head, both wrists caught in his metal grip. “I….oh dear.”
          “Do not forget, you are the apprentice, and I am the master…” He leaned over her lips, grinning, and she managed a contrite smile.
          “I’m sorry, master. Lesson learned.”
          “No… I don’t think it is, yet.” She blinked, and paled, and yelped as his free hand set about tickling down her sides. She squirmed in his grip, giggling and trying to surrender, but he didn’t relent until the water whistled. He released her, pouring the tea and glancing over with a mischievous grin.
          “As ever, you prove your point.” She leaned against the wall, still chuckling and breathing hard. “I have to get dressed and head out myself, or I’d get even.”
          “Where you off to today?” Anakin handed her one of the mugs, and she dipped her finger into it. He watched, head tilted, as steam stopped rolling off the drink. “…well that’s new.”
          “The Force as a utility.” She grinned and sipped it. “I’ve been thinking, since you turned my little force heat trick into a fireball on Ragoon…”
          “…I wouldn’t say that was a fireball exactly…”
          “…the undergrowth erupted in flame.”
          “…wasn’t a ball though.”
          “…I’m going to set your pants on fire.” She glared. “While you’re wearing them.” He smirked back. “Anyway, since heat can be added, why not removed? Been working on this for a week.”
          “Halley, are you honestly saying that one of the most influential Force users this side of the galaxy wasted the last week researching how to cool down her drinks faster?”
          “I’m not that influential. And…yes.”
          “For the love of the Force, why?”
          She blushed. “I’m impatient. I keep burning my tongue.” She stuck it out at him.
          “You are going to be able to write a book on day-to-day applications of the force at this rate.” He shook his head, sipping his drink and making a face, sucking in air against a suddenly scorched mouth. “Speaking of which, how did…you…”
          She spent the next few minutes explaining it. Much to their mutual amusement, when Anakin tried to repeat the experiment, he ended up with a cold drink. The rest of the morning was a rush, dressed and out the door. She was climbing into one of the Academy’s vehicles when that touch brushed her mind, feather-light.
          ~You never did say where you were off to, today…~
          ~Meeting with one of the Jedi’s ousted members; he’s interested in what we’re doing here. Seeing if I can bring him into the fold.~
          Anakin’s mental voice echoed a frown. ~Be careful, okay? Bad feeling just now.~
          ~You know me, I can fend for myself. Honestly, you should worry less, you’re going to give yourself lines.~
          ~I’m serious, Halley.~ He stopped in the hallway outside the lightsaber training room, hand over his chest. Something felt off. ~Be careful.~
          ~I will be, love.~ He felt the echo of a kiss blown in his direction, and stuffed his worries aside, walking into the room.

*****

          Halley walked into the facility where she’d arranged to meet Edlin Spreggar. An older Knight of the Jedi, he’d separated from the order years previously over an argument over the celibacy rules. He’d married against their wishes, and paid the price for doing so openly. The facility he worked in was all indoors, and the little Sith shivered, not liking being cut off from the outside world. She checked her gear and walked in, wearing her best friendly smile.
          Edlin was a short, pudgy man in his late fifties, with a nervous, defeated air about him. He bowed politely and eyed her up. Halley bowed in return, low and respectful, and met his eyes. She couldn’t probe his thoughts well even if he’d been unshielded, but her own defenses were as obdurate as stone. “Knight Spreggar.”
          “Please, I haven’t been a knight in a long time, child. You… you are a child, aren’t you? Don’t look older then a Padawan.”
          “I assure you, I’m not a child, just vertically challenged.”
          Sharing her stature, Edlin grinned appreciatively. “I might have to use that one. Please, follow me.” She nodded and smiled.
          “Feel free. I didn’t come up with it.” She followed him into a smaller chamber, watching his movements. Something was… off about him. He seemed too nervous. “Edlin, is something wrong?” He stepped back, and another door opened.
          Standing in the doorway was another vertically challenged individual. Grey hair stuck out of shriveled green skin, and he was frowning fiercely. Halley sucked in a breath and bolted for the door behind her. Another Jedi stepped in the way, hand lifted, and she slammed back into the wall, air knocked out of her lungs. No mere Jedi, these.
          Betrayed and handed to the Masters.
          She dropped onto her knees as the wave of force stopped, and she closed her eyes, reaching for her bond with Anakin. Nothing was there, she was cut off. Halley’s eyes flashed fully gold and red; she lunged at the Jedi in the doorway again. This time her body locked up, and she gasped. Stasis was something she’d never felt before, and where one Jedi couldn’t contain her fury, this was at least two. Another entered from her right, but she couldn’t turn to see him, only knowing his presence from the peripheral. He pressed a hypospray into her neck, and ice flooded her veins.
          Yoda watched dispassionately as the girl struggled. To his trained senses, she was drenched in blood, dripping black ichor into the floor. Some were tainted by the dark side… this clone of a clone was an avatar of darkness. He walked into the room behind him; Master Ibe’yos gestured at the girl. “Bring the abomination. We have work to do.” The Jedi who had given her the drug nodded, and slung her over one shoulder.
          Edlin frowned, almost rocking back and forth in anxiety. “Is this truly necessary? She’s… she’s still a child!”
          “Necessary it is; child, she is not.” Yoda tapped his cane on the floor as the Masters stripped her down, hissing at the sheer number of weapons concealed on her body.
          “Even these hairpins could kill in the right hands.”
          “I think those are the ‘right hands,’ Marc.” The older of the human Jedi moved her to the center of the room, and laid her on the floor. “When will the others arrive?”
          “Soon.”
          “Will Master Kenobi be here?”
          “Trust him with this, I do not.” Yoda shook his head sadly. “Too close, he is, to the Dark Lord.”
          “You think he would betray us?” The Jedi Marc frowned, fingering his lightsaber.
          “No.” Yoda looked at him tiredly. “Afford interruption, we cannot.”
          “We cannot risk the Emp—” Master Ibe’yos caught himself. “…err, the Dark Lord, finding out what we have planned midway through. The abomination is powerful. One moment too soon, and it will not work.”
          “But this…” Edlin frowned, hands in fists. “To cut a soul off from the Force? You condemn the child to a life of endless torment. To take away the Force is to render her deaf and blind for the rest of her life.”
          “It must be done.” Yoda frowned again, sitting by the woman’s head, carefully avoiding the silken white hair spread out under her. Naked, drugged, helpless; Edlin winced for his part in this. Her kind were engineered without body hair, lending to the image of a child even further. Yoda cracked an eye at the disgraced Jedi. “Restore you, we will, within the order.”
          I sold this child for my own restoration. Have we learned so little that we barter with souls? He looked back in his mind at the missive she had sent him. She’d sounded so friendly, so open; wanting to open discussion about bringing him to work in the school. She’d been offering him a real place, a position of honor again.
          And he called those Masters who once told him love was the path to the dark side and excommunicated him. What have I done?
          Three more Masters arrived covertly; two working to shield their actions, thee working to sever the girl from the Force itself. Only once, towards the end, did she wake. Her eyes flashed open, cobalt orbs seeing nothing but darkness. Edlin felt his heart break for her, as she arched and gasped, crying in agony. She whispered Anakin’s name, over and over, a mantra against the pain.
          Eventually she rolled onto her side and curled into a ball, making a terrible keening noise. Edlin sat hard, outside the circle where they focused. Her eyes locked on his, tears gumming the lashes. She mouthed words, and he choked as they filtered through.
          How can you let them do this?
          He stood again, and backed away. Her pain rang in his mind, and he gasped as her will roughly reached out to his and grabbed hold. One scream, one mental howl, ripped past his defenses and out, to the temple.
          ~ANAKIN!!!~
          Then… silence, horrific, complete silence. He collapsed like a puppet with its strings severed. Edlin watched in a daze as the Masters picked up after themselves. One knelt before him, frowning. “You all right?”
          “Is she…”
          “She will live, physically. That trick she pulled with you was rough. We have to leave here now, already the Dark Lord is on his way. Come on.” Spreggar was pulled to his feet, and he stumbled after.
          “You… you’re going to just leave her here?”
          “No time. Come on.” He was hauled after, getting only one last glimpse of that scarred child-face, staring blindly through tears.

*****

          “Stay BACK!” Anakin’s voice was laced with the Force, the soldiers following him jerking to a halt. He stormed into the building where her scream had come from, debris rocking back like the wake of a ship. He could sense nothing. He gritted his teeth, wrenching a door off its frame. The sight was painful to behold. She was curled in the corner of an unfamiliar room, both hands dug into her hair. Her clothing had been tossed into a different corner, and she rocked slowly in place, face hidden behind her hands.
          Anakin knelt, gently whispering her name and pulling her hands down. Her blue eyes met his, face red with scratches where she’d clawed at her ears. “Shhh…..shhh Halley, it’s okay. I’m here.” He wrapped his arms around her, head bowing her hers. Something was horribly wrong. She was invisible. “It’s okay.” He kissed the top of her head.
          “T…th…th….they t…t….t..ook it away.” She sobbed, clinging to him. “They took it away!”
          “The Force.” His voice dropped to pure ice. She nodded, and he closed his eyes. Fury poured out of him in waves, and the Force sensitive Sith soldiers backed a few paces further from the room. “We will fix this. We can fix this. Force blocks have been broken before.” He straightened, picking her up and twitching his cloak over her protectively. He nodded to the closest soldier. “Bring her gear.”
          “We will fix it. We’ll undo the damage.”

          And every Jedi involved will die for this.
Was in my head. Wanted to get it out.
© 2007 - 2024 Ishdakitty
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GuardsmanKoto's avatar
I am soo lucky that the little man I come in as saying in the comments is of the 501st not of the Jedi. No way in hell would i wanna be near him right now.