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Force of Wills: The Ties that Bind


Earthmama

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Here is Part 1 of Force of Wills

 

I humbly offer The Ties that Bind, as part 2.

 

Imperial Agent Spoilers.

 

Shadowtown

 

 

The black had faded, and his eyes had reverted back to their natural sage green when he died, the pheromonic bond broken in death. The Oroboro hive would retain his memories, but the song had changed, turned melancholy, when the Dawn Herald had passed on. That sage green had been reserved for her, and her alone, he kept this ability for special occasions, it was a gift he gave her, for she loved those eyes, and she was a selfish woman, who did not want to share their beauty with the greater Galaxy. Her voice had gone hoarse with screams beseeching anyone to let him live, let him stay with her. He was the good, the calming force in her turbulent world, he had seen her through so much, and he was stolen away, never to return on the whim of a Sith.

 

When Shiloh ran, the brute thought it was from him, that she ran out of fear, she did not fear his fists, or boots or any other depraved punishment he had formed in his mind. She ran to Vector, to close his eyes, those sage green eyes that belonged to her. He would not stare blankly and reveal their beauty to anyone else. She reached his lifeless form, his skin still warm, and delicately closed his unseeing eyes, she caressed his hair, and laid him down gently, careful not to jostle or hurt him, even as the Brute pulled her by her hair, pulled her away from her beloved. As the door closed behind them, she let out a desperate scream, there was no pain like this, knowing she would never see him again, nothing she had ever experienced hurt so much as that moment.

 

She lay on the cold concrete, staring at a wall, staring at nothing, her voice gone, but the tears had not let up, they spilled out of her eyes, forming a puddle under her now bald head. Her thick navy hair had been shorn off, four neat stitches now graced the base of her skull. She blinked, more tear spilled out. She hugged the floor, her hands making a loose fist, she thought she could smell him. Time passed, seconds, minutes, hours, days, Shiloh didn’t know, she didn’t care, if she waited long enough, she might die, she blinked again, when her eyes opened, pale sage green stared back at her. He was laying on the floor beside her.

 

“They shaved your head.” Vector stated to her, informing her.

 

“You’re not real.” Shiloh whispered back, informing him.

 

“I know, but you need me right now, so I’m here.” He spoke softly, his voice was still melodic and calming.

 

Shiloh found it odd to hear him speak in singular first person, using I and me instead of us or we, but then his eyes were no longer black.

 

“I lost my connection to the hive when I died.” Explaining what she already knew, but speaking to the thought that was in her mind. “I can switch, appear to you as you used to know me, if it would help you?”

 

“No, I like you like this.”

 

Vector smiled at her, caressing her cheek, she could almost feel him.

 

“So what are you going to do now?” He asked her, Shiloh could see other boots in her peripheral vision, but she didn’t dare look away from those sage green eyes, lest she lose them again.

 

“Die” She whispered, matter of factly.

 

Vector’s smile faded, he shook his head.

 

“No, it’s not your time.” He said soberly.

 

Shiloh blinked, he was gone again, tears spilled out of her eyes, adding to the puddle.

 

 

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

 

 

Quinn sat at the spare metal desk that had been provided to him, he ran his hands over his bald head again, he absently touched the stitches at the base of his skull, and closed his eyes. Life had been a mercy when Ardyth had spared him after trying to kill her. Death would have been a mercy this time, he was in purgatory, or hell, he hadn’t been here long enough to determine which.

 

He and the Chiss shared a small cell, no more than 100 square feet, two metal cots, with thin scratchy blankets, a refresher with no door. Not that the Chiss was even using it at the moment, she had not moved from her spot on the floor in the week they had been there. At least he thought it was a week, there was no day or night where they were, the florescent lights blinked maddeningly, in the hallway beyond their cell, there was no light other then the data pad that had been provided to him, and it only contained a list. There were no clocks, they had taken his watch, they had fed them seven meals so far, seven bland meals that had been an odd grey colour, and weak luke warm tea to wash it down with. He shifted in the clothes that had been provided. Malavai Quinn, was used to tailored, well fitting clothes made from luxurious fabrics, he and the Chiss wore matching orange tunics, and drawstring pants. The shoes were no more than thin slippers, no socks, no laces. So far they had been given one change of clothes. Malavai had changed the Chiss himself, braving the stench that had started coming off of her, washed away her filth, her eyes had been wet, and blank, not aware, not seeing anything, not feeling as his cold hands handled her roughly as he changed her like a child. The smell had abated some.

 

He had been given two responsibilities, one would keep his youngest daughter alive, the other would kill his eldest, but would also mercifully kill him. In order to keep Oriah alive, he had to keep Shiloh alive. So far that had been easy, he had pulled the drawstrings from her pants, lest she decided to finally move and hang herself. He had managed to spoon feed her some of the weak tea, and some spoon fulls of the mystery grey mush. Still he had been provided a basic med kit that he kept on a tall shelf in the refresher.

 

His second responsibility was to locate Mitka, and supply that location to Ardyth, so that she might kill her. He had not been provided the tools with which to do that yet, he would need a holonet link, but that would also mean more light, giving him the time, the date, allowing him access to information. He imagined his wife wanted him broken, or half mad, so that the idea of killing his daughter would seem more palatable, make him desperate for death. It was a sound plan, something he himself would have suggested doing. He rubbed his bald head, and shivered.

 

 

***********

 

 

 

Shiloh had gradually become aware of another presence, a real presence, not a ghost. It was a man, he seemed vaguely familiar, he would feed her and bath her, she hated him. If he would just leave her alone, her body would wither away, and she would die, and then she could be with Vector again.

 

“What makes you think we will be together in death, sweet love?” Vector asked her.

 

Shiloh’s eyes narrowed, “How could we not be?”

 

Chance, stepped forward then, “You really don’t know?”

 

Watcher X kneeled into her view, “Good people are rewarded in death.”

 

Then Hunter, beautiful dead Hunter purred to her, “You are not a good person.”

 

Vector smiled sadly at her, “You have a good heart, it just took you too long to find it.” Trying to soften the blow.

 

“Weigh your sins against your good deeds Shiloh, You were delightfully evil.” Winked Hunter, who circled the familiar man.

 

“Then how, Vector how?” Shiloh was desperate, terrified of the thought at having truly lost him forever.

 

“Redeem yourself.”

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

It was around meal eleven while Quinn attempted to feed Shiloh that the isolation of their cell was broken. Two guards entered , one subduing Quinn, the other hefting Shiloh over his shoulder. He carried her out, and the energy shield that served as the door to their cell blinked back on, Quinn hurried and followed the Guards form down the corridor, at the end of the hallway stood a figure. A figure he knew. The Sith lord met Quinns eyes, and smiled, then turned to follow the guards. Quinn knew then why he had been given a med kit. Suicide wasn’t the only thing that threatened Shiloh Chint'aro's life.

 

Edited by Earthmama
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Shadowtown

 

 

 

Shiloh was brought to a small room with a torture device, she eyed it wearily. The lights in the room were too bright, she blinked against them. The guard stood her against it, and the energy bars held her still, held her up. Lord Kaervrek strode into view, smiled darkly.

 

“Shiloh, it’s been too long.” His voice was smooth as silk, his deep orange eyes bore into her. This sith knew Shiloh, knew her intimately. He had been her ticket to power, to knowledge, she had been young and ambitious, he had been older, attractive, he had found her exotic, and had enjoyed her skills both in the bedroom and out. She had proven herself infinitely useful, and had even eliminated his biggest rival Darth Jadus, she had promised him the codex, but she had failed to deliver, claimed it had been destroyed. Kaervrek knew better, but he was a patient man, there was a right time for everything. He was the reason Ardyth had not killed her alongside Vector.

 

“I know it’s not the private room at the Mist in Kaas city, but it’s not the location that matters, it’s the company, and I always did enjoy your company.” He eyed her thin body, and bald head, he still thought she was beautiful. Shiloh stared back at him, not speaking, not playing his games, she had played them enough. Vector had not reappeared, neither had the others, in this room, with her former lover and master, she was alone.

 

“You know what I want. The Black Codex.” He walked over to the controls, flipped a switch, the pain started coursing through her. “Don’t give away all your secrets, I’de like to savor this time together, and I look forward to many more soirees.”

 

Shiloh rode the pain, clenched her teeth against it, there was nothing Kaervrek could do to her, nothing he could take from her now that he or his daughter had not already taken. He turned the controls up a notch.

 

“Come Shiloh, you have such a lovely singing voice.” Kaervrek was a patient man. Sure enough, involuntarily, her voice was heard, it was a natural reaction to cry out in pain, she fought it well, he fed on her anguish. Shadowtown was rife with it, but Shiloh’s was still new, open. Her pain had not festered for years, it was fresh and it made her beautiful, he breathed in her suffering, it was rare to have such a raw subject. Her body convulsed, he turned the dial down, her lovely song ended for now. The imposing Sith Lord walked over to her, he took her head in his hands and ran one over the short stubble that had begun to grow back, he wiped away her tears. Beautiful.

 

“I’ve missed you dear girl. Truly, I look forward to spending time with you again.” He kissed her very gently on the lips, he tasted her disgust, and smiled. “Until next time.”

 

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Drummond Kaas

 

 

Pierce and Ardyth lay in a tangle of sheets, a sheen on sweat on both their bodies, still he gathered her to him, and she lay her head on his shoulder. Their breathing calmed. They had barely left her bedroom in the days following Quinns arrest.

 

Ardyth propped herself up on her elbow, leaning on her lover. Her deep red hair brushed against his chest as she kissed his collar bone. Pierce let out a low growl and pulled her face to his own then kissed her.

 

“Woman, I require food, rest” he looked around at their clothes thrown about her chamber, “clean clothes. Don’t you have that meeting at the dark temple today, as much as I love you sweaty and disheveled you might want to take a shower, alone this time.”

 

Ardyths pouted prettily, as she let a hand slip below the sheets, and kissed him again.

 

“What did I just say?” He slipped out of bed exposing her, he admired the view for a moment then slipped into his clothing.

 

“You humans are so weak.” Ardyth threw a pillow at him.

 

“And you Sith are insatiable.” Throwing the pillow back at her.

 

Ardyth finally got out of bed, her legs were unsteady and she hated that Pierce was right about them needing to rest. His wallet lay at her feet, she picked it up and flipped it open playfully.

 

“Hand it over” his voice was serious.

 

His Ident card looked up at her from the wallet, and she read the name James Arenson Pierce II. How did she not know Pierces first name was James?

 

“James Arenson Pierce the second.”

 

He grabbed the wallet from her hands, “I said hand it over. And don’t call me that, Pierce will do just fine.”

 

“What’s wrong with James? It’s a nice enough name.” Taken aback by his sudden shift in mood, she could sense an old, deep rooted anger there. He stalked out of her room leaving her standing naked and confused, it dawned on Ardyth that she knew very little about her new Captain. She set her mind to the meeting and headed towards the shower.

 

Pierce bristled as he walked, a crash broke his dark thoughts and turned towards the sound, he reached the study. There were cracks in the walls and ceiling from where Ardyth had thrown Quinn before having him dragged away. On the floor by the desk lay a large pile of books, another came crashing down, he followed the trajectory up, and laid eyes on a green dress, and cascading red hair tied in a black bow. She was half way up the book shelf, hanging on with one hand and her feet while the other hand traced the title of another book before pulling that one down as well.

 

Pierce knew who she was, little Oriah Quinn. He walked up to her, she was so focused on her task that she didn’t hear him, it was only when she looked up and his face stared back at her that she startled, and lost her grip. He caught her easily enough as she fell.

 

“Got you.”

 

She scrambled out of his grips, and hastily started loading the books into a small wagon. She stopped and looked up at him, Pierce shivered, he had seen that look too many times to count from her father.

 

“You took my papa away.” She accused, she had seen him do it.

 

“I did.” Pierce admitted, this was not a child to lie to, and he was never one to sugar coat anything.

 

“Why?” her little voice demanded.

 

“He was a traitor.” He replied simply.

 

Oriah had heard that word a lot, but her young mind, quick as it was, still did not know its meaning. She furrowed her brow. She didn’t like the big man, but he didn’t lie, he didn’t make fun of her the way Marek did or just ignore her like her mother did.

 

“What does Traitor mean?” She asked tentatively.

 

“A traitor is someone who has gone against the Emperor and the Empire.”

 

That wasn’t right, her father loved the Emperor, he had been a Major, the big man was lying.

 

“No, my papa, loved the Empire. He’s not a traitor.”

 

The big man smiled at her, a crooked smile, his grey eyes were sad, she didn’t want his pity, she wanted her papa back.

 

“You’re papa, displeased your mother, who is the Emperor’s Wrath, by displeasing her, he displeased the Emperor.” Pierce explained it gently, he understood her pain more then she knew.

 

Oriah didn’t like that either, her mother was always displeased with her, did that make her a traitor too?

 

“My papa is not a traitor, you bring him back.” She demanded.

 

“Afraid I can’t do that little mouse.”

 

Oriah scowled at the nick name, “I’m not a mouse, I’m Oriah.” She turned on her heels and dragged her wagon full of her father’s books back to her room.

 

He watched Malavai Quinn’s daughter walk away, it was unsettling how alike they were. James Arenson Pierce Senior had been a terrible traitor, Pierce knew the weight of being the child of a disgrace. Still he found it hard to pity her, there was too much of her father in her.

 

 

Authors note

I had to give Pierce a name, I think it fits, tell me your thoughts.

 

Edited by Earthmama
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I had to give Pierce a name, I think it fits, tell me your thoughts.

 

With Pierce I've always felt there was only two ways to go, utterly ridiculous or somewhat normal but then you have to give him a reason to hate it. I think yours is great.

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I never like Quinn. But your Story made me feel bad for him and hell he do not dervse this:(

 

That Ardyth is **** up person I hope She slow painfull death soon.:mad:

 

I feel very bad for Shiloh. She just her lost love and she going have a slow recovery.:(

Edited by greyjedibp
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someone else and i were discussing her first " dud" baby, or at least that one mini fic in the short sieries thread.

 

my friend is an all-out family person, she was livid.

 

me.. " eh.. it's a nobility thing. she must have been eaten up inside how she made a failure"

 

then i read the first installment.

 

 

...nobody touches vector. NOBODY :D

 

 

still fun to read ~

Edited by Crezelle
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someone else and i were discussing her first " dud" baby, or at least that one mini fic in the short sieries thread.

 

my friend is an all-out family person, she was livid.

 

me.. " eh.. it's a nobility thing. she must have been eaten up inside how she made a failure"

 

then i read the first installment.

 

 

...nobody touches vector. NOBODY :D

 

 

still fun to read ~

 

I was wondering when you'd show up to rage about Vector :D

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I was wondering when you'd show up to rage about Vector :D

 

i'm 2 hours into my mindbleach session on youtube. It involves copious ammounts of kitten videos, My little ponies, and ...more ponies. another hour and i think i can sleep..... need...moar ponies.... also..this is why my agent keeps it a deep secret about her relationship with vector, well i guess the crew would figure it out after awhile, considering those close fitting agent outfits cant hide baby bumps :3

 

* huggles her vector close* it's ok honeybee.... nobody is going to hurt my copy of you :D

 

" We...can't.... breathe"

 

...there..maru and pinkie pie have calmed my mind..i can sleep XD

Edited by Crezelle
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My agent is only level 14 so I don't have the attachment to Vector that others seem to have. But I am rather attached to Quinn, and I've been near to tears a few times. Can't wait for more!

 

ohh your lucky... me and my other 2 vectorites in my server had a bawwfest XD

i still couldnt sleep last night x.x

now i'm having to draw fuzz to get over it XD

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Coruscant

 

 

 

A wink and a smile, a promise of something more. He lumbered his great girth around another corner, she was young, at the very cusp of womanhood. It was his favorite dish, her grey eyes appeared again, teasing him, yearning for him, her lips parted slightly, the flash of a bright pink tongue. Sweat dripped down his forehead as he tried to catch her, she had disappeared again. He felt himself falling then, having tripped on something invisible, his arms too short, his stomach too large he fell with a great thud. His limbs flailed as he tried to get his bearing, he had dismissed his aids, his droids. He hadn’t wanted any witnesses, he was a senator after all, and his tastes were generally frowned upon in the Republic. Her bald head popped into view, a mocking grin on her full lips, he smiled, he had never had a Rattataki thing young before, and certainly never a free one. They had all been slaves, without spirit, this one was different.

 

“Come girl, help me up, and we can return to my room.” He wheezed, his attempt at charm falling flat.

 

She laughed at him, looked at something beyond him, he heard the whine to a blaster charging, his little eyes bulged in fear.

 

“By the force Teah, can I shoot this one? It’s the same slob that ruined Sala.” Sala had been another street kid, a Mirialan. Avacynne’s trigger finger itched, she held her stolen blaster steady, a prize from another disgusting freak who wanted to bed children, Rateah didn’t answer her right away, she was busy removing every last credit the fat senator had. He was whimpering.

 

“What?” Reteah counted the money, over one thousand credits in total, she knew he would be a profitable mark. Ava waved the pistol in his face, wordlessly repeating her question.

 

“Yeah, go for it, have fun!” She replied brightly. The fat senator screamed, cursed and bribed before Ava scattered his depraved brains onto the concrete floor. Teah handed half the credits over to Ava, and they walked away, tonight they would have a hot meal and a warm bed. They walked away arm in arm.

 

 

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Shadowtown

 

 

 

Shiloh had been unceremoniously deposited back in her cell. Quinn had the meager med kit out and ready, no kolto, only rudimentary salves and bandages, nothing to truly numb the pain, he scowled. By his calculations it had been three months since they had entered Shadowtown, it had been Shiloh’s third visit by Lord Kaervrek. He always gave her just enough time to recover from her wounds before inflicting new ones. He helped her to the metal cot, she was no longer a usless lump, she used the fresher, ate her own meals, she spoke, albeit to herself. Occasionally she acknowledge him, but mostly she spoke to herself. He went to work applying salve to the burn marks where the electricity had entered and escaped her body, gave her a mug of water, and bandaged her wounds.

 

Shiloh drank the water and closed her eyes as Malavai tended her wounds. Her short blue hair matted her head from the sweat, being tortured was hard work, and she was exhausted. When she opened her eyes, Vector hovered over Malavai’s shoulders.

 

“Thank him.”

 

Shiloh grit her teeth, this was the same man who had left her for dead in Gundark country back on Drummond Kaas. She didn’t want to thank him.

 

“Still you should thank him, he’s kept you alive.”

 

She still had mixed feelings about that, she hadn’t wanted to live, yet Vector assured her, until she could find redemption, he would not be there if she did die.

 

“He needs you, and you need him, his soul is as tortured as your own, he’s on the same journey as you.” Vector prodded her again.

 

Shiloh lifted her hand to her face, and brushed Quinns arm instead, it was warm, real. He stopped what he was doing, the sudden touch breaking his concentration, eyes met, red on blue. Shiloh saw him then, truly saw him. His black hair short, as short as hers though his face was covered in a short unkept black beard, she noticed tiny flecks of grey throughout. His expression was defeated, hopeless, lonely.

 

“Thank you Malavai” She managed, her hand had actually turned to hold his arm, the warmth beneath her fingers a comfort. Kaervrek touched her, it was always full of malice, it turned her stomach of what little contents it held.

Malavai took her hand, and turned it up, he applied the salve to her palm where there was another burn mark. He wrapped it in a neat bandage. He looked back, she was still studying him intently, it was strange to be noticed after so much time being ignored. He cleared his throat, his voice rusty, seldom used these past few months.

 

“You’re welcome.” He absently held her bandaged hand, the need for human touch holding them together for a moment longer. Eventually he lowered her onto her hard metal cot, and placed both blankets on her, she closed her eyes. Malavai turned to leave, to do nothing, to get lost in thought, when she took his hand again.

 

“Stay with me.”She whispered.

 

Malavai pulled the metal chair over, he held her hand and watched her sleep, until his own eyes grew heavy, bent over, his head rested on her chest, the beat of her heart lulled him to sleep. In her dream Shiloh wrapped her other arm around Vector, holding him close.

 

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Dantooine

 

 

 

Mitka stormed into the house, tears streaming down her face, the pretty green bow her mother had put in her hair that morning clutched tightly in her hand, one of her braids undone.

 

“I hate school!” She wailed before she folded into her mother’s arms and started crying a new.

 

Mitka had just come home from her first day of school, and it had sadly not gone well. Ainsley had worried herself sick about her youngest starting school, Dantooine was a nice place on paper, but it was far enough away from the core worlds that people tended to be close minded about anything different, and a little girl who looked like a Sith, technically was a Sith, was a subject of fear, hate and scorn.

 

Sure enough her two older children walked in the door shortly after, Aaron had a black eye, and Cohen a bloody nose, they each handed her a note from the teacher.

 

“Seriously boys? On the first day of school?” Ainsley had accepted the fact that her boys could be trouble makers, Cohen especially, he had a knack of speaking his mind and being the class clown, he had charisma and charm and an eye for mischief, landing himself in trouble or the principal’s office. Aaron was quiet and serious, but big, and other boys liked to test themselves against him, taunting him, starting unfair fights, Aaron would defend himself and the other boys usually ended up far worse off than he did. Or he would step in if his little brother needed him, and they would both end up in trouble.

 

“Wasn’t our fault mom!” whined Cohen, it was a favorite phrase.

 

“They were picking on Mitka, pulling her hair, calling her dirty Sith, and ugly.” Big 9 year old Aaron explained, “I tried to just grab her, but they wouldn’t let me, so..” Her sweet boy, gave Mitka a muddied doll, she had brought it with her that morning. Mitka grabbed it and hugged her big brother. Ainsley put her fingers to her temples and sighed. Corso walked in then, and saw the scene in front of him.

 

“Seriously boys? On the first day of school?”

 

“Wasn’t our fault dad!” Cohen repeated

 

Ainsley explained what had happened, Cohen could spin a web, but Aaron was not one to lie. Corso picked his daughter up and gave her a big squeeze.

 

“I’m sorry you had a rotten first day darlin, c;mon I need help bottle feeding some of the Ronto calves.” Mitka’s eyes brightened, she wiped her eyes and and skipped out towards the barn, he shooed the boys outside and waited.

 

“Corso, I told you this would happen, first day and they wanted to give her a whooping. All they see is what she looks like.” Ainsley pleaded.

 

“What do you want me to do Ainsley? We can’t protect them all the time. We’ll teach her how to defend herself just like her brothers.” Corso was tired of this argument.

 

“She’s a good girl, all she wants to do is play with her dolls and play with the calves, she’s not a fighter, she has a gentle spirit.”Ainsley felt close to tears, she just wanted to protect her babies but knew that she couldn't be with them all the time, she thought again, that she might home school them.

 

“So do you babe, didn’t stop you from picking up a blaster, or punching someone who deserves it. You always said that your princess would be the self rescuing kind.” Corso hugged her.

 

“I just didn’t think it would happen so soon, she’s still so little.” Ainsley leaned her head on her husbands shoulder. “We could move, somewhere closer to the core, someplace a little more tolerant.”

 

Corso felt his heart drop, he had fallen in love with the life, the land, he wasn’t ready to give up on it yet.

 

“Give it some time, she’s got her brothers to watch over her, let’s try talking to the teacher again.”

 

Ainsley nodded, they needed a new teacher, not the old as dirt, stuck in her ways, prejudiced old marm that already disliked the name Riggs. She heard a loud squeal of laughter as Cohen chased Mitka with the hose, they were already soaked, Aaron tackled Cohen and turned the hose on his brother.

 

“You go take care of that, I’ll get everyone a change of clothes.” Ainsley smiled, maybe everything would be alright. Maybe Mitka would adjust, make a friend, she was a sponge, like Cohen, loved learning, she was great with numbers, she should do well in school. She heard her daughter squeal again as she doused Corso, at the very least she hoped the love in this house would sustain her.

 

 

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It good that Mitka has good family.:) I feel bad that people treat her badly just casus she sith pureblood.:(

 

one qustion those: Are Shiloh and Quinn going end up togerher or just be Friend;)

 

Ardyth still not liking her and you made hate Pierce in this story. (casue I like him more then with did Quinn anyway):mad:

 

Still feel bad for Quinn and hope he won't kill Mitka that would be sad:(

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Dantooine

 

 

 

Mitka stormed into the house, tears streaming down her face, the pretty green bow her mother had put in her hair that morning clutched tightly in her hand, one of her braids undone.

 

“I hate school!” She wailed before she folded into her mother’s arms and started crying a new.

 

Mitka had just come home from her first day of school, and it had sadly not gone well. Ainsley had worried herself sick about her youngest starting school, Dantooine was a nice place on paper, but it was far enough away from the core worlds that people tended to be close minded about anything different, and a little girl who looked like a Sith, technically was a Sith, was a subject of fear, hate and scorn.

 

Sure enough her two older children walked in the door shortly after, Aaron had a black eye, and Cohen a bloody nose, they each handed her a note from the teacher.

 

“Seriously boys? On the first day of school?” Ainsley had accepted the fact that her boys could be trouble makers, Cohen especially, he had a knack of speaking his mind and being the class clown, he had charisma and charm and an eye for mischief, landing himself in trouble or the principal’s office. Aaron was quiet and serious, but big, and other boys liked to test themselves against him, taunting him, starting unfair fights, Aaron would defend himself and the other boys usually ended up far worse off than he did. Or he would step in if his little brother needed him, and they would both end up in trouble.

 

“Wasn’t our fault mom!” whined Cohen, it was a favorite phrase.

 

“They were picking on Mitka, pulling her hair, calling her dirty Sith, and ugly.” Big 9 year old Aaron explained, “I tried to just grab her, but they wouldn’t let me, so..” Her sweet boy, gave Mitka a muddied doll, she had brought it with her that morning. Mitka grabbed it and hugged her big brother. Ainsley put her fingers to her temples and sighed. Corso walked in then, and saw the scene in front of him.

 

“Seriously boys? On the first day of school?”

 

“Wasn’t our fault dad!” Cohen repeated

 

Ainsley explained what had happened, Cohen could spin a web, but Aaron was not one to lie. Corso picked his daughter up and gave her a big squeeze.

 

“I’m sorry you had a rotten first day darlin, c;mon I need help bottle feeding some of the Ronto calves.” Mitka’s eyes brightened, she wiped her eyes and and skipped out towards the barn, he shooed the boys outside and waited.

 

“Corso, I told you this would happen, first day and they wanted to give her a whooping. All they see is what she looks like.” Ainsley pleaded.

 

“What do you want me to do Ainsley? We can’t protect them all the time. We’ll teach her how to defend herself just like her brothers.” Corso was tired of this argument.

 

“She’s a good girl, all she wants to do is play with her dolls and play with the calves, she’s not a fighter, she has a gentle spirit.”Ainsley felt close to tears, she just wanted to protect her babies but knew that she couldn't be with them all the time, she thought again, that she might home school them.

 

“So do you babe, didn’t stop you from picking up a blaster, or punching someone who deserves it. You always said that your princess would be the self rescuing kind.” Corso hugged her.

 

“I just didn’t think it would happen so soon, she’s still so little.” Ainsley leaned her head on her husbands shoulder. “We could move, somewhere closer to the core, someplace a little more tolerant.”

 

Corso felt his heart drop, he had fallen in love with the life, the land, he wasn’t ready to give up on it yet.

 

“Give it some time, she’s got her brothers to watch over her, let’s try talking to the teacher again.”

 

Ainsley nodded, they needed a new teacher, not the old as dirt, stuck in her ways, prejudiced old marm that already disliked the name Riggs. She heard a loud squeal of laughter as Cohen chased Mitka with the hose, they were already soaked, Aaron tackled Cohen and turned the hose on his brother.

 

“You go take care of that, I’ll get everyone a change of clothes.” Ainsley smiled, maybe everything would be alright. Maybe Mitka would adjust, make a friend, she was a sponge, like Cohen, loved learning, she was great with numbers, she should do well in school. She heard her daughter squeal again as she doused Corso, at the very least she hoped the love in this house would sustain her.

 

 

I need more mitka

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Shadowtown

 

 

 

It was Lord Kaervreks 12th visit, and he celebrated the one year anniversary with his subject. Her hair had grown back and fell loosely around her shoulders, Shiloh still hadn’t given up her secrets, and she was well used to the pain. Kaervrek arrived with a new tactic.

 

“I’ve brought you a gift Shiloh.” He said smoothly, “a friend.”

 

Raina Temple entered the torture chamber, her bright face dismayed at the sight of her former mentor. Shiloh nearly laughed, if he had hoped to bring someone whom she trusted, or even cared about he had gravely miscalculated.

 

“Shiloh, how are you? Are they treating you well?” asked the dark skinned beauty.

 

“They are treating me wonderfully, well besides the bomb in my brain and the regular torture. Fantastic.” Shiloh spat out sarcastically, it earned her a full body shock. “See? Lovely!”

 

Temple frowned, their relationship had never been the same after she had killed her father, Shiloh had been vehemently against the action, and had turned cold upon her return. Shiloh had dismissed her, and sent her to the new Sith Intelligence to continue her training as a Cipher agent. Shiloh wasn’t surprised to see her with Kaervrek, he attracted ambitious naïve Imperials to him like flies to ****. Doubly so if said Imperial had close ties to his favorite torture subject.

 

“I want to help you.” Temple said evenly.

 

“You want to help yourself” Shiloh corrected her, “You want to impress him” she jerked her head towards Kaervrek.

 

“I found your mother.”

 

Shilohs eyes narrowed.

 

“She met me on the Csillian orbital station, my ties with the Aristocracy got me that far at least.” Each word wormed its way into Shiloh’s head, she blinked.

 

“She told me about her stay on Drummond Kaas, about you’re mysterious hospital stay, about your sister.” Her voice echoed in Shiloh’s mind, begging the truth.

 

“You did a bad thing, bringing her to Tython, betraying the Empire like that, she should have been Sith.” Raina was very close to her face, her sweet brown eyes intent.

 

“I’ve sent an assassin after her.” Lies, or truth, Shiloh couldn’t focus, did they know? Not possible.

 

“But if you help me, I can call him back, save your sister, where did you hide the codex?” It took all of Shiloh’s will to break free from the mind trick.

 

“You’ve gotten better at that over the years Raina, you would have made a wonderful little Sith. Shame your father didn’t hand you over to them, would have saved him a great deal of trouble.”

 

“I did my duty, I served the Empire.” Hissed the Cipher.

 

“You killed your father, when you could have saved him. You owed him that much.” Spat Shiloh, she hated her, this woman, so much like the way she was.

 

“Save him? Like you saved your father.” Temple had a look of triumph on her pretty little face. “You’re mother told me all about it, told me why she sent you to the Empire. Told me why you can’t go back to Csilla.”

 

“Don’t”

 

“You stabbed him, with his own vibroknife. Angry girl, you left him out in the snow, you left him bleeding to death in the cold.”

 

“I went to get help, it was an accident.” Whispered Shiloh, remembering the cold night, remembering being angry at her father, angry he would miss yet another dance recital. She had practiced so hard, knowing he would be home this time, her feet were riddled with blisters. He had to leave, he worked for the empire, for Intelligence, he couldn’t tell her where he was going, or when he’d be back. Only that he had to go, that he was sorry.

 

“How is slitting someones throat an accident?”accused Temple.

 

A tear ran down Shiloh’s cheek. She was shocked, tears acting as electric conduits singing her cheeks.

 

“Answer the question.” Lord Kaervrek demanded from his post.

 

“I, was angry, that he was leaving again….he tried to hug me…I didn’t want him to go…I grabbed his knife from his vest….and I.” Shiloh choked on the word.

 

“What did you do?”

 

“I killed him. I slit his throat. I never wanted to hear him say he was sorry, but he had to go again….so I slit his throat, and he never left Csilla again.”Shiloh relived the moment as she spoke the words, the anger dissipating the instant he fell, the red stain in the snow, her begging her father not to die, how red her hands were. Her mother screaming, and crying, Shiloh apologizing over and over again. She never understood why or how her mother had forgiven her, but she had. Still she was banished, sent to the Empire, to its best military academy, where she was molded into a person who could slit throats without thinking, without question. She didn’t dance again until she met Vector.

 

“Don’t you dare judge me.” Temple grabbed her face and spit on her, turned on her heels and walked out of the room.

 

Kaervrek slowly walked over to her, wiped the saliva and tears from her face, caressing her gently.

 

“You’re father was Ordic Chint’aro, I worked closely with him, I called him away from his leave early, and you killed him.”Kaervrek revealed, “You are who you are because of me and I will drag every last secret out of you, until you are an empty husk.”

 

Quinn tended her wounds, Shiloh stared off, it wasn’t Vector, or Hunter, or Chance or Watcher X today, it was her father. The first man she had ever loved. The tall Chiss smiled at her, his blue hair flecked with grey.

 

“I’m sorry.” Shiloh whispered.

 

Malavai knew she wasn’t talking to him in that moment.

 

“Shhh Shiloh, I forgive you, I forgave you the moment it happened.” Ordic soothed his troubled daughter. “Promise me you’ll dance for me again, I love watching you.”

 

“I promise.”

 

She leaned her head on Quinns shoulder, and he enveloped her in his arms and rocked her to sleep.

 

 

Edited by Earthmama
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