STAR WARS: RETROSPECTION- Learner

Well, at this point I think Rianna's time is going to be split between staying in her room and resting, and wandering around as much (and as far) as she can get away with before she's reminded she's supposed to be resting so she can heal fully. She's not really in much of a mood to see or talk to anyone - she's still rather jumpy and unnerved over everything that happened, and also rather hurt that Ciira was upset about Rianna breaking Jeph's lightsaber, which she didn't at all do on purpose. And she still wants to know how Myraline is doing. She might not get along too well with her Master, but she is the closest to family that Rianna has.

So basically staying by herself, wandering around, still kind of nervous and uncomfortable, being a bit annoyed that she has no one to duel with and isn't even allowed to practice stances on her own (even though she realizes that doing so would not only be very painful now, but not have good consequences in the long run), and every so often asking Luminara about Myraline's condition and when they will be returning to Coruscant.

That being the case, when Master Unduli finally reveals that Myraline is awake nearly five days after you first woke up here, it is a tremendous relief for both of you.

"I mean no offense, Padawan, but you have all the patience of a Nuknog," Luminara sighs as she escorts you to where Myraline has been resting. "We return to Coruscant tomorrow."

She knocks on a door in a different portion of the house. A "Come in!" can be heard from within, in your Master's voice. Luminara opens the door and Myraline is resting comfortably in a four-poster bed.

"Hello, Rianna," Myraline says, smiling. She is somewhat pale, but the color is returning to her cheeks and she looks rested.

Rianna is a bit annoyed at Luminara's comment on her patience, or lack of, especially when she'd been trying to keep her lack of patience in check. It wasn't exactly her fault she was such a restless person. She doesn't say anything, though.

When she is finally allowed to go in and see Myraline, though, her nervousness returned.

"Hello, Myraline..." she finally says after a moment, still standing near the door. "Master Luminara said you were finally awake and I could come see you..."

Luminara takes her leave, closing the door behind you.

"Yes, I am awake, aren't I?" Myraline says. "Are you alright? I believe I left you a rather nasty wound..."

"I'm okay, I suppose...it's going to be a while before it fully heals, though. I just...I don't really know what to think about what happened. Everyone keeps pointing out how I succeeded and did a great job...but I feel like I did nothing but stumble along not knowing what to do, and that my fear of what could happen if I didn't keep trying outweighed everything else..." Rianna says, taking a deep breath and trying to sort out her thoughts. "And then, I very nearly didn't succeed..."

"Rianna," Myraline says. "Beseedra is not plagued by this techno-virus that Roch developed, and the Republic is not under threat from his vile scheme. Master Unduli has informed me that the Chairman has destroyed the virus and bargained with the pirates for the antidote. I think things have come off better than we could have hoped, considering Roch murdered the entire Beseedran Council and held its population hostage with his droid army. Roch could have been taken alive to face trial for his crimes, but... you did well, Padawan, especially considering you did not have my guidance. I know I do not say this often, and that should chagne, but... I am proud of you, Rianna."

"I don't know if I could have taken Roch alive, even had he given any chance to do so...but you are right. And, um, thank you, Master," Rianna replies, blushing a little bit at the praise. She's quiet for a moment before she speaks again.

"I really did not want to fight you...I was so scared and worried that entire time."

"I was not myself," Myraline says, simply. She does not seem to want to talk about the confrontation.

"I know, but...it didn't make it any easier..." Rianna replies, a bit frustrated. "We're leaving tomorrow, I think...personally I'll be glad to never go near this planet again. And I think it may be a little while before I complain of a mission being boring..."

"Had enough swordplay and excitement for one mission, I suppose?" Myraline asks. One could take that comment the wrong way, but you can see that Myraline is attempting to be humorous.

"Well, not that I'm ever averse to that sort of thing...but this was just a bit too much for my tastes," Rianna replies, smiling for the first time since they'd originally arrived on Beseedra. "Though I will certainly be glad when I'm healed enough to duel again. And I am glad you are okay...Master Luminara said you would be fine, but after everything I wanted to see for myself."

Did Rianna get her lightsaber back, btw?

She did. Jarko grabbed them when he carried Myraline out of the warehouse, knowing how important they were to you Jedi. It has been at your bedside this whole time.

Myraline nods. "I am glad for your concern, Rianna. Yes, I will be fine... though I may be asked to take missions of quieter decription for some time. Until I am fully healed, in all aspects. My mind is strong, but my body and my soul... they need mending. I hope you will help me in this."

Myraline offers her hand, wanting to take yours.

"I will do what I can to try and help," Rianna replies, leaving the spot where she'd been standing by the door and allowing Myraline to take her hand.

"Just please don't ask me to spend extra time meditating or speaking to diplomats in your place," she adds, trying to make a joke.

"I can't guarantee anything," Myraline says, wryly. "But I can promise that I will complete your training, no matter what ailment I suffer. Your restlessness and impatience may still need work, but you have destroyed any doubts I may have had. You will become a great Jedi, Rianna."

She squeezes your hand, stronger than you would expect.

Considering how well they usually get along and the fact that she's usually getting lectured for something or another, Rianna really didn't expect that and gets a bit flustered.

"Thank you...it means a lot," she finally replies.

"And I have been trying to keep my restlessness and lack of patience under better control the last few days...Master Luminara may not think I was completely successful, though," she adds, slightly jokingly again.

"And you think I give lectures," Myraline says, shaking her head. "Wait until you get Master Luminara really going..."

And so the two of you talk freely, something not commonly done with Myraline. A few times Master Luminara tries to get Myraline to rest, but your mentor has none of it. You talk late into the night, the conversation covering dozens of subjects, straying into the past as Myraline reveals her extensive knowledge of Jedi Lore and her days as a Padawan herself where she too suffered from impatience; of injuries Myraline has taken from and dealt to others in battle; of what transpired here on Beseedra and how Myraline never had so great a test of strength in her days as a student; of what she hopes to see from you and even from herself and the Order as a whole.

"You will be a great Jedi, Rianna," she repeats. "Learn from my errors and my misplaced doubts, the faults of your elders. That is how one becomes great, as you will, one day..."

Five years later

Mining Colony, Bespin

A red light filters through the many windows that fill the hallway, typical of Bespin architecture. It gives the white-paneled hallway a sinister lighting, perhaps accenting the blood that has been spilled across the floor. The sun is setting behind the mountains of clouds.

Stepping past the coroners and officers swarming the hallway, moving around the bisected bodies of guards that cover the ground, Master Luminara Unduli approaches a young, fair-haired man in Jedi robes that stands against the far wall. He looks pained, not only because of the severe wound that has cut deep into his right thigh. Maybe not at all becaues of the wound, but the horrible event that he just witnessed.

"Master Unduli," he greets, with a slight nod.

"Andro," Luminara replies. "Can you tell me what happened?"

"I think you already know," Andro says. "She came here looking for her parents. We took them into protective custody, just to be safe. The Wing Guard is trying to establish a motive, but I'm pretty sure her only motive was kill everything in sight." He gestures to the mutilated corpses, then stares, the pained expression returning.

"Focus, Andro."

"Right. Well, we tried to stop her. We alerted the authorities and they sent men with us. Master Myraline... she found Rianna first. Told her to come with us, that everything would be fine if they could just talk. She had none of it, went right for her lightsaber. Ciira tried to pull it away, but Rianna... I've never felt so much blind anger from a Jedi! It made her stronger, made her stubborn... she went straight for the Padawan..."

The coroners walk past with a stretcher, the figure covered in a white sheet but for her face. Ciira's eye stare blankly at the ceiling as it passes above her, not seeing.

"Myraline and I tried to contend with her, but I've heard Myraline never was one for swordplay and our styles did not mesh well. She went down... got run through."

A stretcher comes by with a wounded guard, but the next stretcher carries the fallen Jedi Master Myraline Kiros, her wisened face made pale by the cold hand of death, her hand still clutching at the gaping hole through her chest.

"Rianna put some space between me and her, managed to kill a large handful of guardsmen. I stopped her, drew her back into the duel. I... I finally ran her through the stomach, but she got me back..." Andro winces as he indicates his thigh wound. "When she staggered off, I couldn't follow. She's long gone."

Luminara sighed heavily, watching the stretchers pass.

"She should never have been given the title of Knight," Luminara says. "She was too dangerous, too unpredictable."

"We always find ways to correct our mistakes in retrospect, Master Unduli," Andro says. "At least, that's what Master Tiin says."

Luminara nods, then closes her eyes. "You say you ran her through the stomach?"

Andro nods. "I did."

Luminara sighs. "She is still out there. I can feel it." She turns towards Andro. "You did well. May the Force be with you, Andro."

"Anytime..."

As Master Luminara takes her leave of the tragic scene and Andro resumes staring off into space as he begins trying to repress the memories, Rianna glares from behind the ventilation cover that she has hidden herself in, before moving off to find her dark destiny, her true destiny that the Jedi do not set for her...

The sun sets.

End