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Force Academy Fan Fiction: Untitled, Chapter VIII

Chapter VIII

Catherine slung her green satchel over her shoulder, then glanced back up to her dormitory window. See you when I see you again, dorm room, she thought. Cath was dressed in the loose-fitting clothes of a Jedi Padawan though she felt - more than looked - like she was going on a long journey.

She walked up the path past the Lounge where Sa and Tom were slowly cleaning up the remnants of the party. She waved at them; Sa nodded back then went back to his work. Cath skirted around the campus buildings until she was out on the athletic field. At the opposite end, two of the most senior Jedi - Chelsea Rae and Jesse Culton - were running students through martial arts moves.

"From what Kir said, those two have been gone for ages. Wonder what brought them back?" she mused. Catherine knew that Kir often wished she could see her father figure, Womp Queren, at the Force Academy again. Womp and Spark both, Cath thought to herself with a sigh.

She took the path that went the long way around the athletic field so as to not draw attention to herself. From there, the landscape became hilly. Green fields stretched for miles, it seemed, from the campus. Catherine wandered aimlessly for nearly ninety minutes, before settling into a valley formed by several of the hills. She removed her satchel and set it in the grass, then sat down herself.

**********

In the satchel was her datapad and a particular datacard that she'd convinced Sapharin to let her borrow. She had caught Saph in the docking bay with only minutes to spare before the Jedi Knight was leaving for a mission off-planet. Sapharin had been packing supplies into the cargo hold of her X-Wing when Cath had approached from behind.

"No need to stand around, Cath. I can sense you back there," she said, smiling.

"Oh. Uh... well, hello, Sapharin," she said nervously.

Saph turned and bowed. "Hi back at you. What can I do for you this morning, dear?"

Catherine bit her lower lip. "Well... I had heard from another student that you have this special datacard of self-awareness meditations? Ones that aren't in the coursework that is taught as part of Jedi canon..."

Thinking back on her conversation with Cath's teacher, Kir-wan, Sapharin nodded slowly. Coincidence that Cath would ask for that sort of material? "Yes, that's true, Catherine. They are records that I've kept over the years. Why do you ask?"

"I was wondering if I could... uh, borrow it?"

She picked up the final crate and pushed it into the hold with her other supplies. Casually, Sapharin said, "That material is generally reserved for advanced students, Cath." Seeing her expression droop, she added, "But, word around the campus is that you're not the novice that your status would suggest."

Cath regarded her curiously.

"Figuring on that, maybe I could lend it to you."

"Thanks Saph, I really appre--"

"However, let me ask you something," the Jedi Knight interrupted.

"Okay."

"Does Kir-wan know you've asked this of me?"

Catherine forced herself not to lower her gaze. She met Sapharin's eyes and said honestly, "No, she doesn't. This is more an... independent study project I've assigned myself. Something I need to do for myself, outside of my regular studies."

"Hmmm."

She waited, watching Saph as she secured the cargo hold and accepted her helmet from the docking bay's droid.

"Catherine, I wonder what you are up to with this. My curiosity is piqued. But I am going to just trust the Force and hand you the datacard. I'm going to be away for several weeks on a mission to Correlia so when you are through with it, please drop it off with your mentor," she said knowingly. "Kir will get it returned to my files."

And Kir will know what I've been up to, Cath thought wryly. Good play.

"Yes, that's no problem, Sapharin. Thank you so much. Oh! And since Correlian System is my hometown, you might want to consider..."

*************

Cath pushed the datacard into the reader. She listened intently to the instructions for the meditation she was going to learn and pursue. Having memorized the details, she replaced the card and datapad into her satchel, then performed her ritual preparations before meditating.

She then stopped into a kneeling position, her eyes closed, face toward the sun. Her palms rested on her thighs as her breathing slowed to a deep, restful pace...

Dusk in Coronet City, Correlia.

What am I doing here? Must be on the outskirts... hmph.

Oh Force help me, what is that smell? My mouth is watering! I haven't smelled roasted spicy meat in months. Forgot how much I love Correlian food, being at the academy...

I'm wearing my usual student clothes. Interesting.

What's that I feel though? What's going on with me? I feel so... at peace. Here in the slums of Coronet City? I didn't even grow up around here.

I'm here for a reason though.

Guess I'll just wander the alley here and see what I am supposed to be doing. Pretty quiet out here, considering the location. Empty shops, stands. Surprised there's no high-stakes Sabacc games going on... strange.

What's the Force tell me? It's not quiet. Someone's around here. Jedi? Saph said she was going to Correlia. Was that in this realm? Elsewhere? I feel disoriented now. Where's that energy coming from?

Onward and upward, Cath. Yeah. Right. Come out, come out, wherever you are!

Pause. Peek around the corner. Just because it seems like it's all-quiet here doesn't mean that it is. That's what Kir would say. It is quiet though. Hm.

Looks deserted around here, not just empty. Evacuation? Look skyward, Cath. Hm. Skies are clear. No transports moving. No sound of ground transports either. What's going on?

The Force'll guide me to where I'm supposed to be... If I remember right, there used to be an underground arcade of sorts nearby... wonder if I can find that? Road dust is scuffing up my boots. Nice... Another block or two forward, I think. Let's see.

Oh yeah, here it is. The Gauntlet, they called it. I remember that now. Okay, think Cath. Specific routine you have to run to get through there to get to the underground. Remember!

Double right.
Up and over the fence.
Turbolift will be broken - take the ladder in the shaft down two levels.
Wait for sub-train to pass or you'll get killed!
Cross the tracks.
Left for how many feet?
Left 'til the sewer cap.
Climb down the shaft.
Double right again.

There we go. Was I ever down here before? Don't think so. Why would I have been? Hm. Then how do I know this is here? And how to find it? Strange... Anyway, in the door you go, kiddo...

Dimly lit. Deserted too, it seems. But, wait. No. That Force presence is here. Why's it seem so damn familiar?

"Hello Catherine."

Where? Who? Forward. Carefully. Piercing the gloom... on the couch of cargo bags. In the corner.

"Hello?"

"It's taken you long enough to find me down here."

Female voice. Sounds familiar somehow...

"Sorry it took so long. I forgot where to go exactly after the sub-train's passing."

A chuckle. "It's good that you're here at all. I didn't really think you'd show up. Why don't you have a seat here next to me?"

"Do I know you?" I must know you - you seem so familiar.

"You'd better. Though you probably did forget, Silly Jedi."

"Kir?"

"No, not quite. Though I influenced her and she's influenced you, so it makes it all the more confusing as far as family trees go."

"What?"

"Nevermind. You'll remember later."

Oh man, what is going on... who is this and what is she talking about? All I can do is ask: "You're a Jedi, aren't you?"

"You've truly forgotten, Cath. Wow. That surprises even me! Think back to the snow. Do you remember? We met in the snow. A particular conversation about where 'we' are going in life and how to proceed?"

What the...? Snow? Get up and run for it! "I'm sorry - you've really lost me now."

"Sit down, Catherine. There's no going back now. It's time to face things as a good Jedi should."

Anger. Frustration. "Excuse me?"

"Lots of people think you're like me... or that you are me. I left. You arrived. Convenient, eh?" came the woman's voice. "You know too much, and yet you don't remember anything. I don't think the way this happened is what we'd planned that day in the snow. Was it?"

"I-- uh, I mean--"

"Knock it off, Catherine. You can play angry, frustrated and resentful until you've exhausted yourself. And what will it prove? It'll prove that it takes loads of energy to maintain an illusion. And believe me, I know what that is all about. So do you, if you'd remember!" she went on. "You need to come to grips with things."

"But--"

Snap-hiss. Eerie purple glow. Purple. Same lightsaber color as--

"Oh, holy holodrama! You're Spark Vallen, aren't you?" Nice and eloquent, aren't you? Geez!

"Well, that took you long enough."

"What the--? You look just like... I mean, I look just like... they were, they were right about us. What in the blazes--?"

"Cut the drama," she said matter-of-factly.

Beleaguered face. Worn. Keen eyes though. Looking through me?

"You know who we are. You know who I am, who you are. And you know that it's not coincidence that you'd know what I know... that we'd hail from the same space. That we'd find ourselves working with Kir-wan Queren. When are you going to find acceptance?"

Sithspit! What is she saying? Get up! Get outta here! Backing off slowly...

"There's no way, Spark Vallen. I have heard stories about you. Some good, yeah. Some that are... well. You're complicated. You're troubled! You impacted so many Jedi and then you went--"

"Crazy? Nuts? Delusional?" she asked, smiling.

"I-- uh, well, to be straight and to the point, yes! I am nothing like you! Nothing! You hear me? I'm Catherine. I'm a Jedi Padawan! It's all just... just--"

"Coincidence?"

"Stop that! Quit reading my mind!"

"I'm not," Spark said easily. "We are of one mind. I am understanding where you're coming from. I really wish you'd see where I'm coming from."

"I know the stories. Believe me, I've heard all about you, Spark."

Still smiling. "And you think the way you're behaving now wouldn't be seen as delusional?"

"What?"

"Let me ask you something, Catherine. What would happen if you were to accept that we are one and the same? What would happen if you were to admit to yourself that you know what you know - such an advanced "new" student at the academy - because Cath and Spark are the same woman? The same Jedi? What then?"

Sigh. This hurts. This is the reason for my ending up here? Why here? Why this? "I-- I'd have to own up for everything you... I... did. For the confusion. The hurt."

"Always with you what cannot be done, Silly Jedi."

Geez.

"What about the good you do? Did? The impact, remember?" Spark asked.

"I'd just be... me. I guess. Right?"

Spark shrugged lightly, smiling still. "You'd best get back topside. Kir's looking for you."