BALANCE | A Star Wars story

XXIX

     I glance around the bar, my finger circling the edge of my glass. I need to talk to someone but which one first? Who's the less likely to kill me?

I sigh, and go to stand up when the door slams open so hard cracks form in the glass. In walks several red skinned men dressed in military attire, holding blasters that are pointed out in front of them.

My hand immediately goes to my lightsaber and I draw it from my belt but I keep it hidden under the table.

"Where is she?" One of the men asks the bartender. Nervously he lifts a shaky finger in my direction. Immediately all heads turn towards me and I take that as my cue to leave.

"Miss, you must come with us," the same man speaks and I can clearly see him now. Several gold medals line his chest and he wears a helmet that sinks almost to his red eyes. He looks at me, face completely void of expression yet something flickers inside me, a flicker of recognition.

Then he steps towards me and I completely disregard that feeling and spring into action.

     I slide out from under the table and ignite my lightsaber, I hear a few gasps from the citizens in the bar. The men begin firing and I swirl my lightsaber around to deflect them, a blur of amber obscures my vision slightly but I don't need to see. The force guides me.

     I use the force to push the table I was sat at into the line of men and like bowling pins they fall over. All except one. The one that spoke.

    "Don't make me restrain you," he threatens.

   "Like you could," I laugh.

     "This isn't a game Miss."

      "Why'd you keep calling me that?" I wonder aloud "oh well I rather like it, it's a shame I can't stay," I make towards him "I've got a job to do." Then I leap over his fallen comrades, one of whom is trying to get back up so I use the force to bash his head against the floor.

     Bullets are being fired again. That won't do.

  I walk up to the man, he is slowly backing away from me whilst still shooting at me. He backs up until he hits the booth behind and with a swing of my lightsaber I cut his gun in half. It drops to the floor with a thud, I smile up at him.

"This was fun," I stride out of where the door used to be, lightsaber pointed downwards so that it barely grazes the ground. "Let's do it again sometime!" I call back behind me before taking off in a run.

                                         ○ ○ ○
     
      I skid round a corner down an alley, the houses either side of me have stairs on the outside that lead all the way to the top. In the distance I hear footsteps and the force shivers with adrenaline, using that adrenaline I force jump halve way up the roof and then force jump to the top.

      When I land there is nothing there. I mean it's literally just a roof. So why are there stairs leading up here? I don't know, whatever at least I can survey the street from up here.

       I watch as the man rushes out of the bar, two men stumbling after him. He shouts into his holo but he's too far away for me to hear what he's saying or who he's talking to.

       The men disappear around a corner and I breath a sigh of relief. Who were they? What did they want? Why me? These questions circle my brain endlessly, poking and prodding, demanding an answer I can't give. Yet I can. That man. I knew him. I don't know how or when or why or anything just that I knew him.

        I could feel it, that feeling of recognition. He recognised me as well. Before shooting he hesitated slightly and I could feel a wave of sorrow flow through the force as he took aim.

       What is the place? How do I know it? More and more questions without answers. More and more confusion.

        I look so desperately for Master Nilim as I often do when I need help organising my thoughts, but I'm met only by disappointment and sadness. I want to reach out, find him. I want to delve into the force where he has joined with it and pull him back. Back to me. Where he can help me. I can't do this alone.

       There was a brief period of time where I felt as though I could. I could do it by myself. But actually being here has proved me wrong. I'm not strong enough by myself. Ever since I woke from that coma I have always had someone to fall back on. To rely on. Someone who I know would be there to catch me if I was to slip up. But now, now I have no one. I'm alone.

"You got this Erin," I whisper to myself. "Stop the Sith Lords and you'll destroy the army, then after that the Sith will no longer be a threat and the Jedi will welcome you with open arms. They will no longer side line you." I whisper frantically, if I say it enough maybe it'll come true.

However unfortunately that's not the way it goes. The universe isn't going to magic you an answer to all your problems. No. You have to go and solver them yourself, no matter the cost. And that's what I'll do.

I pull myself up from the ledge, that's enough of being stuck in the past. Time to move on.

  I turn around and make towards the stairs I came up, but there's a figure there.

A man, with skin as red as blood and tentacles drooping down his chin like a beard. Two golden fangs glit menacingly in the darkness and the black robe he wears blends into the night sky behind him. He smiles wickedly and goosebumps erupt on my skin, I pull my saber out my from belt and ignite it.

His laugh fills that night, echoing around me. With a small flick of his wrist my hand burns and I drop my lightsaber on the floor, the blade flicking off as it hits the floor.

I think I found one of the Sith Lords.

  Well. He found me.

When he speaks it's in a cold frigid tone that cuts straight to my core.

"Welcome home."