Before my eyes, a golden circular thing appears out of no where. I look in to see... my back. Before I can turn around and look behind me, the arrow goes through the golden circle. Gasping, I drop to the ground as quick as I can. It whizzes past my head. I sigh as it hits a beam. I take deep breaths as I try to process everything that happened. I look up at Dad. He's lowered his bow and arrow.
"I think your child needs to learn some manners," Karl spits. He aims his arms below me.
"No!" I grab the bars of my cage just as the portal forms beneath my feet. I hold on with all my might, but my hands are slipping.
"Don't try it, Barton! It'll go right to her back." I look up at my Dad, who's arrow and bow are slowly moving away from being pointed at Karl. I make eye contact with him. I'll be okay. I tell him in my head. I try to look brave, though I'm not sure if I'm doing a good job at it. He eventually gives me a nod, telling me he'll wait. I take a deep breath, close my eyes, and let go of the metal bars.
“Execute Order 66.” said the cloaked man on the holographic communicator.
“Yes, my lord.” said a man in heavy armor. He pulled out his gun and walked into the building he was guarding. He walked through the hallways of medical equipment until he snuck behind two defenseless people facing away from him, and aimed his gun. His finger was on the trigger ready to fire, and his mind was almost empty. He simply thought, “First the man, then the woman.”
He then saw an arm reaching out toward him from the man he was aiming at. All of a sudden, he felt something pushing him back. He soon realized what was happening and it became so strong he suddenly flew up to the ceiling, dropping his gun, and back down to the ground so hard, he lost consciousness.
“We have to leave now. They’re coming quickly.” Said a man as he held her tightly. She was holding her silently sleeping baby boy close to her. “Yes, let’s go.” She replied. The three of them boarded a small ship, and they went off into the stars.
--20 years later, on a hill in Tatooine--
“Morning mom, morning dad.” I say as I walk into the dining room. “Morning, Zach.” my father replies.
“What are you guys doing today?” “Just the usual, nothing much.” My mom replies as she finishes her breakfast. It was just the typical day and nothing new was expected to happen. “Can you go clean your father’s office for him?”
“Sure” I replied. I hold out my hand and a broom from the corner enters my fist. I have this power where I can move things around without actually touching them. I don’t understand why or how, but I enjoy using this power. I can build LEGO creations very quickly with it. However, I’ve been told from my parents to never show it in public. When I was younger, I asked why, but they just said I wouldn’t understand until I was older, so I just trusted them on that.
I proceed to clean my dad’s office. As I sweep the floors, the handle end of the broom accidentally knocks over a book on the shelf, so I pick it up and dust it off. The words “The Jedi Academy Archives” stand out from the dust.
“Huh, what’s this?” I think to myself. I haven’t seen this book before.
I find my parents in the pictures, along with other names like Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker, and Master Yoda.
“Hey mom, dad, what’s this? And who are these people?” My mom and dad enter the office and they have a slightly concerned but relaxed look on their face. “Do you remember all those times you asked about your powers, and I just said you wouldn’t understand because you’re not old enough?” “Yeah.” “Now is the time you understood. You see, your father and I attended the Jedi Academy, the place to become a Jedi to balance the power of the Force.”
“What’s the Force?” I ask. My father replies, “It’s the power that you have. Remember all the times you built your LEGO toys so quickly because you could handle multiple pieces at the same time? That is part of the Force.”
“Oh, so how come I’ve had to hide my powers all this time while you guys got to use it?” My mom replies this time, “Because there are bad people who want to use the Force for evil. They want to control it for themselves and destroy anyone who tries to get in their way, and that’s what happened to everyone in this book.”
“Everyone? What happened?” “Mostly everyone, but there are a few survivors. We were betrayed by an evil man who turned one Jedi and all the clones against us and we were vastly outnumbered.”
“Who’s the evil man? “He goes by the name of Darth Sidious. Not only did he betray us, he betrayed against his own people he promised peace with.”
“Wow, that’s messed up. How did you two survive?” “We left the Jedi Academy at the time, but the emperor was still targeting people who are force sensitive. It’s because of you we survived. You were just born, and we were lucky to be in a hospital room where no one could find us easily, well one guy did, but we pushed him back and we left quickly. It’s like the reason you were born was to protect us.”
My mom and dad give me a hug as tears streamed down their faces. The answers to all my questions had been found. “Can you tell me more about the Jedi?” “Sure”
We sit down and go through the book. Sometimes they cried as they remembered the last words of Ki-Adi-Mundi caring about the droid attack on the wookies, or laughed at a memory of a Jedi beach party and Anakin complains about the coarse, rough, and irritating sand.
“Good talk. Thanks mom, thanks dad. I’m gonna go play.” “You’re 20 years old, Zach, you should be finding jobs.”
“Right. Well, I did apply for the one job I already told you about.” “Which one was that one?”
“The Tatooine Hangar Bay. There’s a client with what he calls ‘the fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy’. The owner just needs help with maintenance since he’s a pretty busy guy.” “Ok, Good luck”
--The Next Morning--
I woke up in the morning and checked my holoprojector. It displayed some text that made me excited. “I got the job!” “That’s awesome, Zach! We’re so proud of you. When do you start?”
“Today! I should be back home tonight assuming all goes well.” “Great! Be careful, Zach. The Storm Troopers are still going after any Jedi, but you have learned well to only use your Force powers when you really need to. Good luck.”
I grab my bags and head out the door. I eye my LEGO collection one last time. The range of LEGO sets I’ve always loved since childhood, including my collection of time traveling characters, elemental masters, and superheroes. I then give my parents one last hug goodbye. I then take a landspeeder and head for Tatooine’s Hangar bay.
As I drive through the street, I hear all the sounds of busy people and the catchy songs of Mos Eisley Cantina. I find a guy in a black vest, dark blue pants, and tan shirt and greet him.
“Hello there.” I greet. “Mr. Zach.” He replies.
“That’s me. Just call me Zach. How can I help you Mr...?” “The name's Han Solo. I have some business with an important guy for today. I just need you to check the engines and controls, and make sure they’re all running fine. I’ll be at the Cantina if you need me.”
“You got it Mr. Solo.” I watch as he walks toward Mos Eisley Cantina. He looks a little suspicious , like he’s hiding something. I don’t pay attention too much, but I did notice the blaster in his holster belt.
Han Solo!
Ooh, elemental masters.
I haven't figured out how these two stories connect, but I'm thinking that that portal goes to a galaxy far, far away. . . .
A few hours passed by, and everything in “the fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy” was working well. All of a sudden, I hear laser fire coming from the entrance of the hangar bay.
“What was that?” I thought to myself.
I look out the loading door and see Mr. Solo, an old man, a gold humanoid-looking droid, a short cylindrical blue droid, and a young blonde guy run toward the ship. I was going to say hi, but a laser blast almost hit me and I took shelter behind some boxes in the hangar bay. Mr. Solo runs to me and gives me a piece of paper.
“Good job kid, here’s your paycheck.” “Thanks Mr. Solo!” “No problem! Gotta go!” They all board the ship and leave.
I was excited to get my first paycheck, but in front of me, I was confronted by Stormtroopers with their guns pointed at me. “Who are you? And why were you helping them?” Asked one of them aggressively.
I have to think carefully of what to do next. I can’t use my force powers to distract them because then they will think I’m a Jedi and then they’ll destroy me. I decide to go for a random plan I just thought of.
“Uh… Hey, it’s Darth Sidious!” I say as I point out in the distance behind them. “Where?” asked the Stormtroopers as they turned their heads. “I don’t see …. HEY, WHERE DID HE GO?”
I ran away from them as fast as I can while some were shooting at me. Luckily they weren’t very good shots so I got away unharmed. Most importantly, I don’t want my them to find my parents, so I found a rental spaceship, got on, and flew away from Tatooine as fast as I could. Over the communication channels, I start a holographic message, “Hey mom, hey dad. You probably heard about the thing at the Hangar bay. I’m doing fine, but I don’t think I can come back now. Those guys are now after me, but I’m running away to get those guys away from you. If I was born to protect you, then I will protect you forever. I’ll be home as quick as I can. Love you.” I send the message, pull on the hyperdrive lever and take off in some random direction as the stars I saw turned into converging white lines.
That's R2-D2 and that golden metal one that I forgot the name.
I had begged Dad to let me come stay with him in the Tower for so long. My brothers and I had come to see him on visits and such, but it was rare. I knew the layout fairly well thanks to those visits. Also because of the fact that I have been here for about a week.
Mom couldn't stand the fact of me leaving and going up to the City where it was more dangerous than our little country home. However, I always wanted to see Daddy at work. I was always awed by the fact of him saving people.
I do my brown hair, which goes down a little past my shoulders normally, into a braid. When I finish, I go into my room that is directly across the hall. There are two guest rooms total; one is my room. There is a dresser against the wall, and a bed adjacent to it with covers. There are boxes clustered together in groups scattered everywhere. Some are open, showing clothes or other things, and the majority is closed and still has tape in them. I really need to get on with unpacking. I grab my watch, which was on the dresser, and fasten it around my wrist. It's 10:20. I have an hour and forty minutes to waste. I should probably leave twenty minutes early, so I can get there on time. That leaves an hour and twenty minutes.
What to do? I head down stairs into one of the main rooms. I sit on a couch that has a coffee table in front of it. On the wall across from the couch, is a fireplace and a TV above it. I prop my feet up on the couch so that my head can lay on the left armrest. I turn the TV onto Amazon and put a Doctor Who episode on. In this episode, there's a girl named Sally Sparrow who gets caught up trying to fend off these statues. They're called Weeping Angels. They look like normal statutes when you look at them, but the moment you look away or blink, they move. I mean move. They move over vast distances just in time it takes a person to blink. They also send people back in time, just by touching them. The Angels feed on Chronon energy, which is created when a vanished person's preordained lives are disturbed by moving timelines.
After the show ends, forty-five minutes later, I get up and head into the kitchen. I grab a banana from the fruit bowl on the L-shaped counter. I peel it and start eating it when I reach the window on the far side of the room. I pull back the curtain a little so I can look outside. The first thing I spot is the same red Camero from earlier. It hasn't moved an inch in the past hour and forty-five minutes.
Without thinking, I hurry to the closet by the elevator door. I open it and pull out a quiver full of bows. I sling it over my _ shoulder. I reach back inside and grab a black bow. It looks like my Dad's; the only difference is that it's smaller so that it's better accustomed towards myself. I press the elevator button and the door opens immediately. I step inside and press the down arrow. Once I'm outside, I walk calmly over to the car. I tap on the window on the driver's side.
"What?" he spits. I swallow. He's wearing a black suit and tie. His black hair is combed back, and his dark brown eyes are hard and cold looking at me.
"Um. I was just wondering how long you have been-"
"Go mind your own business!" He rolls his window up, mumbling something unintelligible as he looks back towards the windshield. Very long. He has been there for a very long time. I walk back to the sidewalk. I bite my cheek as I figure out what to do next. I turn around and face the street. I look up just as I see the explosion. Colors of red, orange, and yellow fill the sky followed by colors of gray and black. Alarmed, I run as fast as I can to the City's power building. Lights in buildings are going out as I race past. People fill the streets, wondering what's going on.
I stand on the steps of the building, watching the smoke feel the air. Ash falls down on my hair and clothes. I bodies are scattered in places and people are coughing as they inhale the smoke. I put my bow around my shoulders and do what I can to help people clear away from the building.
I am hunched over helping a woman when I hear, "Lila Barton!" I freeze at the sound of my name and take a deep breath. I turn around and stand up straight. I see a dark skinned man with short, black hair. He's wearing a green robe thing that I can't begin to describe. I take a deep breath.
"Can I help you?" He smiles. I try to think about who this guy is, but my mind is spinning so much, I can't think straight.
"My name is Karl Mordo, and, yes, you can help me. More than you realize." He walks slowly to me, up until he is inches away from my face. I study his dark brown eyes. They seem calm, but something is behind that calmness. Vengeance. I realize.
"How can I-"
"You can start by telling me where your father is." He turns around and walks a few steps away.
"My father?" I stutter a little.
"Yes. Where is he?" I take a deep breath.
"I don't know."
"Lies!" He spins back around as he says it. The lady behind me whimpers and I jump at the loudness of his voice. "Tell me now."
"Karl. Leave her alone. She's just a girl." He turns around and looks behind him. The lady behind me uses this advantage to scurry away. My father stands behind Karl. He has dark blond hair that is buzz-cut, bright blue eyes, and a small cut on his left cheek. He's wearing his black suit and boots. He's also holding his bow, an arrow in place and aimed at Karl. I can't help but give a sigh of relief when I see him.
"Now, now, Mr. Barton. You ought to know better than to do that." Karl tisks at him. He snaps his fingers and the next thing I know is that I'm in a metal cage. I put my arms up to the metal bars. It feels cold and real under my hands. "After all. I seem to hold a very important card." My dad's stance doesn't shift, but his eyes do. He looks at me. I swallow as I unsling my bow from my shoulders. I grab an arrow, aiming it at Karl. I draw the bow string back. Dad looks at him just as I let go of the string. Karl spins around, his right hand spinning in a circular motion while his left is still. Two of his fingers on his left hand are pointed up, his thumb is perpendicular to the two fingers, and the other two are bent down towards his palm.
Before my eyes, a golden circular thing appears out of no where. I look in to see... my back. Before I can turn around and look behind me, the arrow goes through the golden circle. Gasping, I drop to the ground as quick as I can. It whizzes past my head. I sigh as it hits a beam. I take deep breaths as I try to process everything that happened. I look up at Dad. He's lowered his bow and arrow.
"I think your child needs to learn some manners," Karl spits. He aims his arms below me.
"No!" I grab the bars of my cage just as the portal forms beneath my feet. I hold on with all my might, but my hands are slipping.
"Don't try it, Barton! It'll go right to her back." I look up at my Dad, who's arrow and bow are slowly moving away from being pointed at Karl. I make eye contact with him. I'll be okay. I tell him in my head. I try to look brave, though I'm not sure if I'm doing a good job at it. He eventually gives me a nod, telling me he'll wait. I take a deep breath, close my eyes, and let go of the metal bars.
