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Star WarsSith 3Laree Captison lay silently in her bed. Her thoughts rolled peacefullythrough her mind as she slept.Quietly at first, the alarm buzzed, beckoning her from her sleep. Shemoaned softly, splaying out her arm and swatting at the alarm. As she feared,she had waited too long. The lights all shot on, throwing out their blindinglight."NO!" she whispered. "Lights off!" They all shut down. She'd forgottenthe back up, of course, for days like this. The window switched to transparentmode, letting in a stream of bright sunlight. She sat up irritably and glancedat the doorway.Her mother Kistra stood there with her arms crossed. She wore herusual purple and green jumpsuit with a yellow collar. "Now, young lady. It'stime for you to get up," she said.Laree sighed. "Yes, mother." She swung her legs over the edge of thebed and waited for her mother to leave and the door to shut. Once they had,she got up and changed into a green dress. She stood before the mirror, tyingher long brown hair back. She hated wearing her hair that way, but that's howmother wanted it. Didn't leave her much choice.After a bite to eat, Laree was finally set free. She hurried down thelarge Kabalian roadside toward her best friend Brici's house. Se lived in amuch larger house, a much more common size than Laree's, since her motherbelieved in an old religion which wouldn't allow her much more. She alwayssaid she already pushed it, but thought it evened out in the Balance since shehad a daughter.Laree walked up to the huge brown house. Two wings came out from themain body with a fantastic effect. She walked up to the door. It shot open, asshe was expected. She stepped inside.Inside was a strange quiet. "Brici?" Laree called out. "Brici?"Suddenly the walls on both sides seemed to explode in at her. Smokerose all around as Laree screamed and ducked her head. Out of the smoke,flames, and debri rose a man. "Laree," he said in a low but quiet voice. Shescuttled away from him.He raised a hand, and suddenly Laree couldn't move. He gesturedcoldly, and Laree found herself turning around. His hand drew nearer him,hauling Laree along as if by rope. She found herself unable to turn away,could not even think straight. She just looked up at him in fear.When she was close enough, he laid his hand on her head. He strokedher hair gently, pulling her hair loose. He lay his palm on her forehead, andlights went out for Laree.She awoke sometime later. She moaned as her stiff joints struggled tomove again. Her eyes opened last, after she'd felt her way around realizingshe was on a tough, temporary bed, most likely aboard a ship.As she began to look up, the strange man looked down at her coldly amoment, then suddenly began looking gentle again and smiled. He reached outand brushed her hair out of her eyes, and began stroking the beautiful hair asif she were some sort of cat. "Ah, yes, you certainly are a strong one. Notmany can wake from my sleep trance. No one your age, at least. You have afantastic future before you," he said."What?" she asked quietly, fearfully. "Who are you?"He looked at the girl with deep, sad eyes. "I am your father," hesaid."My...father? But he...you..." she started. She could not complete thestatement. She was confused and unable to concentrate on where she was.Besides that she'd never known her father. She'd been told he'd gone away whenshe was very young for some reason or another.So for all she knew this man could be her father. She looked at himclosely a moment. She didn't see any kind of resemblance. "Are you really...?"she asked quietly.He nodded slowly. "But you must call me Lord Hethrir where we aregoing. No, don't ask any questions. I am taking you to a place where you canlearn to use your special talent with other children your age," he said."Like school?"Hethrir laughed and ran his hand through her hair. "Yes, just a bit.Do you like school?" he asked.Laree shrugged. "It's ok."He smiled. "Good, good. Now get back to sleep, my child, we still havesome ways to go.She sighed. "Ok," she said and lay back down on the hard bed. Hethrirjust stroked her hair gently and stared up at the ceiling, lost in thought. Hecould indeed sense something great in the girl's future.When she woke again, Laree was in a dark room. She felt sore, justlike before, having been out for a number of days more. Over her stood afigure in strange robes, unlike anything she'd ever seen on Kabal. She coweredback in fear at the strange looking thing."Get up," the figure ordered. "Now." Laree jumped to her feet. "Withall the others!" She looked up at him, confused. He sighed angrily, pointingviolently through a door."Where's...my father?" Laree asked hesitantly.The boy looked puzzled a moment, then suddenly laughed. "Oh, he'll bearound soon enough."She thought the reply strange, but decided to get out of the strangeboy's company. She hurried through the indicated doorway.On the other side was a long line of other young beings of all sortsof species. She found another human girl around her age. "What's going on?"she whispered.The girl turned around, green hair turning with her. "I don't knowexactly," she said in heavy-accented basic. "But it's scary, I hear."=NARRATIVE=And that it was. That day they were given their quarters, in a deeplevel of wherever they were. The quarters was hardly that, just dark roomsbehind dark doors to dark halls.Living there was hell. The children were given little food, forced tostudy up on propaganda. They all became part of the "Empire Reborn". The moreshe was put through, the more Laree was convinced Hethrir was lying. She knewfor sure he could not be her father after some of the stories she'd heard fromother kids.Besides all this, Laree excelled in her studies. In merely a yearshe'd passed to the level of helper. The next level was a huge jump, but sheearned it four years later. At that time she had to take the final test.=END NARRATIVE=She'd heard stories about the Proctorial Ceremony. When she wasyounger, the other kids had told terrible stories they'd heard from theirfriends. They said the Proctor-to-be was eaten by a huge gold monster. TheProctor's who had passed the test, along with the helper's who wished toobtain it, glorified it as the final test between childhood and manhood--theyall remarked on the fact no female had ever passed it.Laree didn't look forward to the day. She was brought aboard Hethrir'sship and they set out for the place only known as "The Asylum" to those in theEmpire Reborn.The gold-plated ship landed on the station. A quartet of Proctor'swent down the ramp first, followed by Hethrir and Laree by his side. Theymarched down a prearranged path toward the creature known as Waru's shrine.As they neared it, many civilians joined in the march, as it was aritual that happened often. It was supposed to be an amazing ceremony to thosewho watched.They entered the long hall into the main room. Soon, they came up toWaru himself. "Hethrir, my friend," the golden creature called. "You havebrought me another subject?"Hethrir moved forward, towing Laree with him and leaving the Proctorsbehind. "Yes, Waru. This girl here," he said. "She has reached the time of herInitiation.""Girl? Heh," the creature snorted. "No matter. Bring her forward."Hethrir did so.Laree quaked in fear as she was left alone on the altar. A number ofspectators watched. Waru began to spread, his golden body coming nearer toher. In moments the liquidy gold was over her, flowing over her body. Sheattempted to get away, but was stuck like glue. Strange sensations beganrunning through her mind as she felt the alien use it's powers on her. Notquite like the Force she was learning about, but something like it.As the strange fluid cleansed her, she also felt strengthened.Seemingly moments after it had begun, she was thrown out of the golden light.She looked up blinkingly, up into the face of Hethrir. "It was successful," hesaid emotionlessly."I am glad I was able to strengthen this young girl. One day, perhaps,our deal shall be completed," Waru spoke loudly."And let us hope it is soon," Hethrir said, retrieving Laree and therest of his party."Of course, Friend Hethrir. Let it be soon."Upon returning, Laree found her new quarters. It was a much lighterroom, and much higher up in the world-craft. She went quickly to the middaymeal, which had just been called. It was a Proctor and helper only event, thechildren ate only twice a day.The crowd of Proctors and helpers was incredibly loud. Laree pulled upa seat and sat down at the proctor's table, between two boys a few years olderthan herself. As she sat down, conversations at the table stopped. Every faceturned toward her. Did I do something wrong? she wondered.The boy on her left glanced at her a moment, then turned back to therest of the silent group. He slammed his fist into the table, drawingattention. "C'mon, guys, just be easy on the new kid," he said. The otherslooked at him doubtfully, but began chuckling. Conversations started up again,and the food was devoured.Laree turned to the boy next to her. "Thank you," she whispered.He smiled. "No problem. My name is Krejt, and..." he stopped, about tointroduce his frien... [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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