Here is the sequel to Return of the Exile (
http://lucasforums.com/showthread.php?t=154792). It's about Thomas' son, James. :) Enjoy:
James was good at everything. He was handsome, about 6’ 2”, with dirty blonde hair, and a scar that ran across his cheek, making him look even more handsome. He was good at flying. He was good with the Force. And he was especially good with a lightsaber. The only thing that he wasn’t good with was women. They were so complicated. One second they were batting their eyelashes flirtatiously, the next they were slapping you. Even though he was a Jedi padawan, he was eighteen, so of course he liked women. It wasn’t like he was bad with women, they were just complicated. He sighed. This wasn’t the time to think about all of this, he thought.
“James!! Hey James!!” yelled someone. James turned. There was Atton and Visas’ son and daughter coming toward him.
“Hey Jaq. Hey Amanda,” he said as they neared. “How’s it going?”
Jaq sighed. “Apparently Dad and Mom need to leave again.”
James groaned. “That means that my mom needs to leave too.”
They both shook there heads. They lived in their own rooms, but they didn’t like it when there parents left. Amanda punched James on the arm. And in a mocking baby-like tone, she said, “Does little baby-waby need his mommy-wommy?”
James rolled his eyes. “Shut up. You’re only fifteen, you’re the baby.”
Amanda squinted her eyes maliciously. “Let me get this straight. You just called me a baby. Did I hear you correctly?”
James acted as if he was afraid. “Why? Are you gonna hurt me?”
“Damn straight I am!”
“Do it. C’mon do it.”
They stared at each other for a moment. After a few seconds, they burst out laughing. James started walking away. “See you guys later. I’m gonna say good-bye to mom.”
Jaq and Amanda watched him disappear towards the Enclave. “Good, it’s working,” muttered Jaq. He pulled out his comlink. “Ms. Brianna? He’s coming.”
“Great,” Brianna replied, turning off her comlink.
She left her room, leaving the note on her bed.
James walked in a few minutes later. He called, “Mom? Mom, you here?” but got no reply. He walked into her bedroom, and noticed the note. It said:
Hello, James! You are probably expecting a good-bye, and, in order to get one, you must head over to Visas/Atton’s. Expect a happy thing there.
Love,
Mom
Confused, he started walking towards his friends’ house. He wondered vaguely what was going to happen. He shrugged and jogged the rest of the way. He stepped into the door, and heard his mom yell, “CONGRATULATIONS!!!!” He was still confused when he asked, “What’s the congrats for?”
“Why for this,” she said, presenting him with two boxes. Gesturing with her left arm, she said, “Open this one first.”
James opened the box, and found that it was empty. His eyebrows came closer together when he asked, “It’s empty. I’m confused.”
James heard people laugh in the background. He looked past his mom, and noticed Atton, Jaq, Amanda, his master Kavar, Vandar, and his other best friend, Kyle.
“It’s for your braid.” Brianna sighed.
James sputtered over his next words, “Th- that means that I-I am a Jedi Knight?”
Brianna gave him the next box. Inside was his father’s lightsaber. “I think that your father would have wanted you to have this.”
James smiled. Her last words ringed in his head. Your father would have wanted you to have this. He had never met his father, he had died after his mom had been three months pregnant. But, from the stories his mother had told him, he had been a little reckless, but intoxicating. Apparently, he was a bit like this.
Jaq gave him a hug, and so did Amanda. When she gave him her hug, he felt a twinge near his heart. What was that? he thought. Probably the memory of dad, he thought, and dismissed it.
James began to have that same reaction whenever he was around Amanda. She was just so perfect for him he thought. He had to shake away these feelings. It wasn’t right for a Jedi to love. But his romance side put up a good fight:
She’s your best friend, you can’t like her.
Exactly, she’s my best friend, we already know so much about each other.
She’s your other best friend’s sister!
He would like that, then if we got married, we would be brothers-in-law.
But what if you break up?
We won’t.
But if you do?
We would still be friends.
He was beginning to feel horrible. He always had his mind on it. He started becoming clumsy, losing things more often, and he couldn’t sleep. He was becoming to be insomniac. Brianna started to notice this, and finally ask what was wrong.
After tripping over the entrance to the door, Brianna blurted out, “What the hell is the matter with you?”
James looked at her with hate in his eyes. Then, he broke down. He walked back inside, and fell on the floor, his face in his hands. He sighed. “I’m lost Mom. I’m lost.”
“What’s bothering you?”
James breathed in deeply. “It’s -”
“Amanda?”
James looked at her confused. “How did you know?”
“Female intuition.”
“Well, she’s so…right.”
Brianna nodded in agreement and understanding. She thought for a moment. “I have an idea.”
“I’m open for anything.”
She whispered something in his ear.
“Can –Can I do that?”
“You’re a Jedi Knight, so yes.”
He thought about it for a minute, and agreed. He got up and gave his mom a hug, and thanked her.
He walked around, until he found Master Dorak, Amanda’s Master.
James smiled. “Master Dorak, just the man I wanted to see.”
“Yes, young James?”
“I know that this is going to sound a little weird, but I was wondering if I could finish Amanda’s training.”
Dorak was surprised. “So soon? You’ve hardly been a Knight for three weeks. And usually, the Masters that begin their padawan’s training, finish it.
“I know that Master, but, I think that it would be good for me. I talked with my mother, and she thought that it would be a good idea as well.”
Dorak pondered the situation. He breathed in, and said, “Very well. I shall leave the ultimate decision up to her. I hope that she agrees.”
James bowed. “Thank you Master.” He hurried off to find Amanda. She was meditating in her room when he found her. He waited patiently for her to finish, and was caught off guard, when she said, with her eyes still closed, “Are you just going to stand there in the door, or are you going to come in?”
James grinned in spite of himself. “I have a serious question to ask you.”
“Is it like, do you want to spar later?”
“No, it’s more like; do you want me or Master Dorak to continue your training?”
At this, Amanda opened her eyes. “Are you serious?”
“I said it was a serious question.”
Amanda barely even hesitated. “Of course, I’ll train with you.”
They both smiled at each other. James said, “Well, we should start training tomorrow. Because I’m such a good master, I allow you to have the rest of the day off.”
“Oh, goody, thanks,” she replied sarcastically.
Amanda lay in bed that night thinking: I can’t believe that I’m going to be trained by James. He is so awesome. And he’s always nice to me. And he’s handsome…he’s perfect…no, I shouldn’t think that…
Although they were best friends, James acted as if he was a normal Master when he was training her. He was rigorous, but he was kind. After three weeks of training her, he decided it was time to test her new skill. They met in the meditation room, as usual, but James said, “No meditating or lectures today. Today, we fight.” He grinned. “Fight, spar, whatever you want to call it.”
Amanda raised her eyebrows. “What if one of us beats each other, or accidentally doesn’t stop, and chops off the other’s head?”
“Were not training with lightsabers, but with Force Pikes.”
She brightened, and said, “Let’s do it then. Just hope that you don’t mind getting beat by a gi- woman.”
James merely nodded and led them out onto the courtyard. “A little background for a second, before we begin. This, he nodded of towards an outdoor room, is where my dad confronted Kreia.”
Amanda groaned. “Can we just get on with it?”
James rolled his eyes. “Alright, alright. Let’s only go with single-bladed, for now.”
They began to fight. Blades whirling, they immersed themselves into the fight. It was soon though, that Amanda, not as good as James with a blade, started to weaken. James recognized this, and started hammering away with powerful attacks. Amanda realized that she had lost, and gave up. She was panting, when she said, “Man, I heard some stories that you were good, and they’re certainly not lying.”
James, barely out of breath, was modest. “No offense, but you’re still pretty amateur. Perhaps later, I shall teach you a few tricks. This is all for today. You may leave.”
As she walked away, she thought, Damn! He can even protect me! He’s better than perfect. I just wish that he felt the same way about me…
James saw her walk away and thought, Damn! She’s getting better. Not many could have parried some of those attacks. I just wish that she felt the same way about me…
The next day James made up his mind. He was going to ask Amanda on a ‘date.’ First, he needed a ship. He walked up to his mom and asked, “Mom, I know this sounds weird, but can I borrow the Ebon Hawk for a while?”
If she was surprised at all, she hid it. “Of course you may.”
As she entered the meditation room, he said, “I’m just wondering, and if you don’t want to come, you don’t have to, but I’m just wondering if you wanted to take a break from all this training, and come to a place that always makes me relaxed.”
Amanda’s eyebrow’s shot up. “Well, sure I’d love to go.”
“Well, great! Just pack a few things, and meet me near the Ebon Hawk in five minutes,” he said, beaming. He walked out of the room and breathed a huge sigh of relief. That was easier than I had thought.
She stepped onto the Ebon Hawk a few minutes later, and dropped her bag on the floor. “So, where are we going?”
“Can’t tell you, it’s a surprise. But, it is a two day trip, but I feel like taking a break, so no lectures or anything.” Looking around, he continued, “Well, you can sleep anywhere, I don’t care.”
She chose Kreia’s old dormitory, and James decided on the cargo hold, like his mother.
The two days of flight were passed with a combination of sparring, meditating, and pazzack.
They landed on Coruscant. When Amanda inquired why they were there, James simply replied with a wave of his hand. James flagged down an air taxi, and before giving the driver instructions, blindfolded Amanda. After a few minutes, they stopped, and Amanda heard James pay the driver. “Soon, you shall see why I brought you here,” he whispered. She felt herself being hoisted on something, and soon felt as if she was on an elevator. After about a minute on the elevator, James lifted her up and into a room.
“Can I take off this blindfold yet?” she asked, impatient.
She could almost see him roll his eyes, when he grunted, “One more second.” She felt herself being hoisted up, and when she took off the blindfold, she was on a balcony, and she was looking at the city, for as long as the eye could see. It was dark, and you could see all the lights on in the separate buildings.
“It’s beautiful…” she whispered.
James smiled. “I had hoped that you would like it. Listen, Amanda, there is something that you should know. I am -”
“You’re not gay are you?” she asked, jokingly.
James laughed for a few seconds, but then said, “I like you Amanda. I really, really like you. If you don’t mind me for being so blunt, I think that you’re perfect.”
Amanda was stunned, but in a good way. “I can’t believe it…”
“I understand. I shouldn’t have said that,” and he began to walk away.
“No, no, no,” she said, catching his arm, “I can’t believe it in a good way. I think that you’re perfect for me too. I mean, you’re almost already a legend with your lightsaber skills, I’ve seen you –” Thomas held a finger to her lips.
“I like you a lot, you like me a lot, let’s just leave it at that,” he said. Her lips looked so inviting. They were so beautiful, just like the rest of her. He leaned forward, and so did she, until their lips met in a passionate kiss. Her hand grabbed his shaggy hair, and pulled it towards her. He drifted his hands from her hips towards her hair. When they broke away, they were both out of breath. “Wow…” Amanda whispered. “We probably shouldn’t have done that…”
“Like I’m gonna tell.” James smiled. “C’mon, let me show you the room.”
Amanda realized that she was in a hotel room. She looked at the inside. It was a spectacular suite, huge, and had a beautiful bed. As she looked around, she realized that there was only one bed. She raised her eyebrows at James. “Only one bed?”
James started laughing. “I noticed that too, but don’t worry, I’ll bunk on the ground.”
“OK. How did you afford such a place?”
“My mom has a few friends that owed her a favor, so I just told them that I’m using the favor. Normally, this room would have cost like 5,000 credits a night, but we get it free for three nights.”
“Nice dig.”
“Dig? Remind me again why I like you.”
“This is why,” she said, and kissed him lightly on the lips.
He nodded. “That’s got to be it. Definitely.”
Amanda smiled. “I’m going to go to bed. ‘Night.”
“Well, then I’m going to...floor?”
Amanda laughed and said, “James, could you…go into another room or something?”
James was puzzled momentarily, until he realized that she needed to change. “Oh, umm, I’ll just go into the kitchen.” He walked into the kitchen and came back a few minutes later, and she wasn’t there. He walked towards the bed, and didn’t see her. He started walking back towards the kitchen, when she popped out. “BOO!!”
“Boy, you got me there,” he said dryly. “Scared the crap out of me.”
“Admit it, I scared you a little.”
James rolled his eyes. “It probably would have been a lot scarier, had I not felt you there. Anyway, good night.” He plopped down on the floor with a blanket, and was asleep within a few minutes.
The next day was as good as their first together. They were amazed at how much they had in common. They poured at their dreams, and were surprised at how alike they were. They got ready for bed, and James gave her a quick goodnight kiss, then fell asleep. But, he awoke a few hours later, the Force telling him something. He lay there, for several minutes, trying to figure out what it meant, when he heard someone in the kitchen. He heard footsteps on the floor. He heard them creak through out the suite, until they stopped at the entryway to the door. James knew that this was no good sign, and so he pretended to be asleep, while using the Force to alert Amanda. Amanda understood; she had been awake as well. James, using the Force to enhance his vision, looked at the thing. He couldn’t quite make it out, but it was tall, and it walked like a human, yet had a strange quality of a droid. James waited for the moment to strike. He saw it moments later when the thing looked the other way. James got up in a flash, and went after it with his lightsaber. The thing raised a blood-red lightsaber with inhuman like reflexes, and went after James’ head, with inhuman like precision. James ducked just in time, and went after the thing’s knees. It parried the attack, and went after James, striking with speed James had never gone against. James knew that eventually the fight would eventually go towards Amanda, and he yelled through gritted teeth, “Amanda, get out of here!! If I can barely hold him, then you will only get yourself killed!!”
She didn’t need to be told twice. She got up from the bed, got her things, and ran out of the suite. “Good luck!!” she cried as she left.
“I’m gonna need it...” he muttered. They were circling each other, looking of the most opportune moment. James, noticing no weakness, decided that this waiting was getting nowhere, and attacked. It blocked all of James’ attacks, a feat that no one had ever held for longer than ten minutes. They went after each other, no blows landing on each other. Their sabers met in a lock, neither giving ground. James grunted, “Who…are you?”
It laughed a terrible laugh. “I happened to no your father. Does that make you feel any better?”
“Just tell me who the hell you are!!”
“I’m the man that killed your father. Darth Rexes, as he called me.”
James gave a little ground. “Your…you’re the killer?”
“Yes. Though at that particular time, I looked better than this. Your father cut me in half, almost. I was sure I was dead, lying there on the floor, inches away from death. When someone came up to me. He set me down on a med-bay, and got to work on me. The only way I could live, he told me, was if I was put into a droid body. I agreed, death is the worse thing that can happen to anyone, and he put me in this shell. Your dad turned me into an abomination, and for that I am going to kill all who were close to him. You and your mother, and maybe Visas and Atton.” He smirked, “And maybe if I’m feeling particularly murderous, their kids.”
James’ eyes widened. This man might kill his mom, his best friend, his girlfriend, some of his good friends, and him. That wouldn’t be good. Unless he stopped him, all that were close to him would perish.
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Pfft. Like we didn't see that coming. Uh-oh Teen LOVE!!!!!!!!