The Jedi Master Alliya Sunbeam awoke with a start. Thoughtful she looked
in the surrounding darkness. Would these memories haunt her for the
rest of her life? It was many years ago, but the images still plagued
her. Images that she desperate wanted to forget. But she couldn't get it
out of her mind. There was no forgetting and no peace. Even not, when
she was together with the younglings she saved, who were grown up to
young men and women. Constant concern, that the Emperor's henchmen will
find the alleged place of refuge, were her companion. Alliya asked
herself, why nobody in the temple felt what will come. She wrapped the
blanket closer around her shivering body, as she deliberately recalled,
what took place at the Jedi temple.
The day began peaceful,
despite the war with the Separatists, and there was no hint that he
would end in blood, chaos and violence. All were doing their tasks and
Alliya was on her way to the training area with a group of younglings
when she heard shooting and screams. The children looked up to her in
bewilderment.
A little girl asked: "What's going on, Master Alliya?"
The
tall Jedi shook her head. "I don't know, Sahima. Maybe the Separatists
invaded the temple." But in the same time she denied her answer for
herself.
It seemed impossible to her, that this could have happened. No, the intruders must be others.
She
put a finger on her lips and gave the younglings to understand that
they have to be calm. Then she spoke under her breath: "Stay here. I
will check what's going on."
She opened the door, stepped out and
bolted the door. Cautiously she went and peeped into the large passage,
which led to the temple entrance. She was frozen in terror, when she saw
what's going on.
Clonetroopers shot merciless at everybody, not even the youngest were spared.
Dozens of dead Jedi, with still smoking bullet holes, laid on the floor.
'This
can't be,' Alliya thought, 'the clones are serving the Republic and
they are fighting side by side with the Jedi against the enemies.'
Suddenly
she saw through the billows of smoke, Anakin Skywalker. She was nearly
on the way to approach him, when something hold her back. Confused she
looked on the scene before her eyes.
The clonetroopers didn't shoot
him, like the other Jedi, but saluted in front of him. Skywalker nodded
and pointed to the Jedi library.
The clones started moving there and were disappeared from Alliya's sight, when a Jedi jumped out of cover and attacked Anakin.
Nearly
casually Skywalker ignited his lightsaber and parried the attack. The
duel was short and after some standard minutes the Jedi laid dead to
Anakin's feet. Skywalker turned and followed the clonetroopers to the
library.
Suddenly the Jedi Master knew for sure, that Skywalker
was no more one of them. Without any noise she left her observation post
and went to the room, where she had left the children. When she opened
the door, she looked in scared faces.
She considered feverish, what
should she do now. She had to bring the children out of here, at all
costs. But how could it be done? Alliya was sure that the younglings
wouldn't keep quiet when they saw the corpses. But it was the only
possibility to bring them safely to the temple's vault. From there, they
could vanish unseen in the urban canyons of Coruscant. If they have
managed this, she would find a way to leave the planet and bring the
children in a safe place.
Calmly she tried to explain the children, what will await them at the outside.
Speechless
the children looked at the Jedi Master. Finally a little Bothan boy
took her hand and spoke under his breath: "We will come with you, Master
Alliya. Bring us away from here." The other children nodded approving
and crowded round the Jedi Master.
"Let's go, kids."
Cautious
she opened the door and peered in the direction of the great hallway.
The coast was clear and she waved her hand, that the children should
follow her.
From the distance they heard still blasterfire and
screams. The temple burned and they could smell the fume, when they
climbed over the corpses in order to reach the vault. Now and again the
Jedi Master bent down and wrenched a fallen Jedi the lightsaber out of
the lifeless hands. The dead had no longer use for it, but maybe the
living.
Alliya turned when she heard a suppressed sob from one of
the children and shook her head. The sobbing ceased fast and they
continued their way in silence.
Finally they reached the entry to
the vault, where Alliya gave each child a lightsaber. Tiny hands, paws
and claws run unsure over the oversized weapons.
The Jedi sighed at
this sight and hoped strongly, that there would be no battle, where her
fosterlings wouldn't have any chance. She ignited her lightsaber and
strode, followed by the younglings, in the, because of the power failure
caused by the fire, unlit hallway.
They had nearly reached the
exit, when Alliya suddenly paused. She indicated the children to stand
still at the sidewalls, whereas she moved forward.
Before her appeared a shape in the weak light of a blue lightsaber blade.
She
approached carefully, always ready to ward off an attack. The shape
came just as carefully to her. Finally there was only one length of a
sword between them.
Relieved saw Alliya the well known face of Dusty
Mort. When she was a young girl, she made together with him the first
steps in their Jedi training. Dusty's face was contorted with pain, but
he managed nevertheless to grin at her.
He pressed his hand on a
wound in his right side and shook his head, before she could say
anything. "It' s nothing, Alliya. Are you alone?" Instead of an answer
the Jedi waved with her lightsaber and Dusty heard the scamper of tiny
feet.
Shortly afterwards he was surrounded by younglings, who
hopeful looked up to him and Alliya. Despite the situation Dusty
laughed. "I could have thought that you bring along your younglings. But
let us leave now, before the clonetroopers come here."
They
really managed to escape. The Jedi Master thankfully remembered the
freighter pilot, who brought them and their fosterlings, without any
questions asked, to their refuge.
Here they were safe since many
years and maybe with Dusty's help her tormenting memories of Anakin's
betrayal of the Jedi would fade away.
