InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "Give me your password"

Galen Marek (star_killer) wrote in wariscoming,
@ 2012-01-12 13:58:00

Entry tags:

leia organa, starkiller/galen

Who: Starkiller/Galen, whoever else shows up
What: Starkiller arrives
Where: Downtown Lawrence
When: Late afternoon of the 12th
Rating: Who knows

Blocking the Emperor's lightening had been excruciatingly painful, but Starkiller was use to such pain. Though not all at once. But he had to hold on for Juno's sake. For the sake of the rebels. They were counting on him and he couldn't fail now. He wouldn't fail now. When the pain became too much for him to bear, he closed his eyes and waited to be overtaken by the lightening. He wondered what death would feel like. What would happen to him after death? Kota had mentioned some people becoming one with the Force but with all he had done, Starkiller very much doubted that would be his fate.

Suddenly, the pain stopped. The former apprentice to Darth Vader opened his eyes slowly and looked around. This wasn't the space station. It looked like a planet. But was it real? Spotting a tree, he leapt over to it as quickly as possible and hid in the branches. Exposure in an unknown terrain could mean death. He closed his eyes and focused, reaching out through the Force to try to sense if everything he saw was real. It definitely seemed to all be real. The trees, grass, animals nearby, the people, it was all real. The question now became where was he.

There didn't seem to be an Imperial presence on this planet so that was good for him. Bad if it was a Hutt controlled planet. Deciding to stay close to the shadows until he knew more, Starkiller slowly made his way down the streets, keeping the hood of his outfit up to keep his face hidden. There was something about this world that left him uneasy. He didn't like it.

I still have my lightsaber and access to the Force. I can fight if need be... He just hoped to the Force that Juno and his allies were safe. If anything had happened to Juno... The thought made his heart clench and he forced his emotions down. He couldn't be distracted right now. He needed to focus. Deal with the situation at hand. Then try to find Juno. He could deal with asking for forgiveness from the rebels later.

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rebelliousforce
2012-01-12 10:21 pm UTC (link)

"At the moment, no. It's possible one might show up, but it's usually best not to hold out hope that the people you know or want to show up will do so. If it happens, it happens." Shrugging as though it didn't hurt even though it did when you grew close to someone or knew someone and they were taken, Leia was prepared to keep walking in order to show Galen to the complex when he mentioned offering only that he knew the Dark Side. That... did not really compute with what she knew of him, but apparently Vader had once been a Jedi, so who knew. And Luke believed there was good in him still.... So instead she simply nodded.

"I appreciate the candor in that. But it's fine. Here, people are given second chances if they so wish to use it." That was what Jacen was doing. Oh, he flitted between sides of the Force, Leia could feel it, but generally speaking, he did try to make amends for what he did and to be someone else and not Darth Caedus anymore. She worried he might slip if something happened with Tenel Ka or Allana, or if Lucifer messed with him, but that wasn't something she was exactly going to divulge.

"Well, as I mentioned, there's the complex. It has apartments, no rent. Single room, small kitchen, living area... It's your best option at the moment. Everywhere else requires money to rent, not to mention get food..."

As she spoke about the complex, Leia once again started walking, leading Galen to the Complex so that he could get settled in. Or at least get the amulet. But if he wanted a place to stay, that really was his best option as she didn't know of any of the abandoned house around and that never really was stable. At least the complex was.

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star_killer
2012-01-12 10:30 pm UTC (link)

So...he could have a clean slate here. That was a bit reassuring. But he still felt that no matter what he did, it would never be enough to make up for all the lives Vader had told him to extinguish. "I see." He absently brushed his hand against his saber hilt just to make sure it was there. It was, that was good. He had faith in his Force abilities, but he'd feel better with a solid weapon at his side.

"Convincing people I've paid wouldn't be hard." Though a small part of him kept telling him that doing that wasn't exactly Jedi like. But he followed after Leia. He'd give this complex place a chance. But if it was a trap, he'd make everyone who tried to keep him trap pay dearly.

"So is there a mission here we're suppose to do?" he asked. He needed something to focus on else the guilt wouldn't have a distraction. He wouldn't have a way to make amends. "Or just sit around and wait to go back home?" Not like he had much to go back to. Just death. But it was a needed death as it would save the rebels.

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rebelliousforce
2012-01-12 11:19 pm UTC (link)

Clean slates seemed to be a good thing for most people here. True, there were some who used it as a means to control and create chaos because no one knew them, but many people who regretted things they'd done back in their homes were thus granted a chance to live a life where they could work towards good and help others. So while they were facing the end of the world, caught in a war that wasn't their own, they at least had that.

The comment about convincing people he'd paid caused Leia to quirk a brow but she said nothing on the matter. She knew that sometimes people here did that, used their abilities if they had them, in order to get away without paying things. But she said nothing on the matter. If he wanted to do that, he could. She didn't exactly approve, but it wasn't her place to say anything. Besides, they were going to the complex so hopefully he wouldn't have to worry about that anyway. Assuming he decided to stay there, at least. It was a start, though and everyone here needed that when they first showed up. It was up to them to make their own decisions.

"It depends on the day. It's been fairly quiet for this place. But anything is possible. A few weeks ago, a lot of people were only able to converse in song. People turning into costumes, genders being switched.... Then there are the demons that need to be exorcised back to Hell. They show up every so often. A few months ago, there was what are known as Horsemen to the Apocalypse... one of those showed up, and people had traits amplified to dangerous levels.... basically, there are lulls. Some people try to live ordinary lives as best they can. As I mentioned before, there are also classes offered at the Complex to help you prepare for things that you might come across. It's really just a matter of personal preference in what you do."

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star_killer
2012-01-12 11:31 pm UTC (link)

Well, that was...special. Conversing in songs, gender changing, possession... At least he wouldn't be bored here. Though if he could help avert the end of the world here...if he could try to strive and be a Jedi here...maybe he could learn to be at peace with the Force like Kota had said he try to do. It was at the very least a goal. One he should strive to do. Juno would want him to do it.

"Thank you. I'm sure you know, being from my future, you know the things I've done." He looked at her, his eyes searching. He had to know if she knew. Though if she did he wasn't sure what he'd do then. Apologize? He wasn't the apologetic type. And actions spoke far louder than words. Which gave him a bit of an idea.

"I'm not much of a teacher and there's a lot about the Force I still don't know...but I could try to teach you the things Master Kota started teaching me." There, a peace offering of a sort.

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rebelliousforce
2012-01-12 11:53 pm UTC (link)

Special was one way of looking at it. Han singing to the eggs had been hilarious in it's own right. Disturbing, but hilarious. She knew that a lot of people weren't thrilled by what had happened as secrets had become known via song, but she herself had been left unaffected by that particular incident. So mostly she had just smirked in amusement and dealt with different customers trying to buy books while singing. Following those conversations had been a challenge.

And then he was talking about the things he had done. Honestly, Leia didn't know much of what had happened, the betrayal. It had never really come up. The rebels just saw the man who had sacrificed himself so that they could escape. He had helped formed the Alliance. It wasn't really known he had been behind the raid that had taken her father and the others who had physically been at that particular meeting. So she just blinked some. He was searching for something. That much was clear. Should she go against her own rules and research him? She tried to keep from doing that with people from her own world and anyone who ended up being fictional. It seemed like cheating, really.

But actions often did speak louder than words. While she had Jacen teaching her, could it really hurt to have the teachings of another? It didn't sound like it would be much, but it could help balance things out.

"I'd like that. Thank you." Smiling to Galen, Leia turned the corner that would lead them to the Complex.

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star_killer
2012-01-13 12:02 am UTC (link)

Well, she didn't comment about knowing the things he'd done. So either she didn't know, or she was wanting to give him a chance to prove he changed. And she was agreeing to being taught by him. He would do his best on that front, try to teach her as Kota taught him. He doubted Leia would appreciate being taught as he had by Vader. Getting dumped off on hostile worlds, left to his own devices to survive without being detected.

"Never taught anyone before," he admitted. "I'll try though." It was the best he could do on that front. He had a feeling Leia would understand. He still remembered her resourcefulness on Kashyyyk. He felt a faint smile forming at the memory.

Is there still a shuttle on the landing platform?

Yes...but I think the pilot is dead.

And what makes you think I need a pilot?

The former apprentice to Darth Vader looked down at Leia as they walked. "So...do you have a lightsaber? I could also teach you how to fight."

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rebelliousforce
2012-01-13 12:14 am UTC (link)

The comment on not having taught before just had Leia smirk ever so slightly, though it softened into a faint smile.

"Yes, well, this world gives you opportunities you might not have had before. Teaching being one of them." Or in her case, learning the Force. True, from the sounds of things from her children and Allana, it seemed as though later on in life, Leia had indeed trained to be a Jedi. But not when she was still only twenty four. So she would take his trying and see what exactly happened with it. That was all anyone could do, really. It was what it was, and Leia was resourceful, she always had been. She took an opportunity and ran with it.

And that was something Galen would know as she had used that exact resourcefulness against him to get her desire to save the Wookie slaves. Who would have thought two years after that, she'd meet Han and Chewbacca as well as Luke. That they would become such integral parts of her life. She still felt bad for Han that Chewie wasn't here, but what really could she do about that?

"I do. A while ago, Alema Rar showed up, she was a Rutian Twi'lek... she had trained as a Jedi but turned to the Dark Side... she brought the Killiks here briefly, but was defeated. I use her lightsaber. I rebuilt it to make it more connected to me, though."

After all, she didn't have one of her own when she had shown up. Oh, she had used one before. In her fight with Darth Vader when she had been protecting Luke. It hadn't exactly ended well but she still had managed to not die or be disfigured so that had to say something about her skill. Yes, she'd been healed by the spirits of Yoda and Obi Wan, but she had survived.

"I haven't had much use of it beyond basic training, though. I've fought with one before, against Vader, but I was untrained so it didn't do much good."

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star_killer
2012-01-13 12:27 am UTC (link)

Starkiller blinked. "You held your own against Vader in a fight?" That was testement enough to Leia's resourcefulness. He was finding he was liking Leia more and more, even if she wasn't shy about using things to get her way for the greater good. He felt a faint smile tug at his face. He wondered how well Leia and Juno would get alone. Juno no doubt would prove a valuable asset to the alliance. Former Imperial officer, battle tested and ready to fight for the alliance? Oh yes, she'd be very valuable to them.

"Well, if you're interested I'm willing to help train you how to fight and duel with a saber. I won't go easy though." He shifted barely visible, showing his discomfort about what he was about to touch base on. "I learned the hard way on how to fight with a saber..."

Without thinking he brought the hood of his outfit up, feeling suddenly exposed with his face. He just hoped Leia hadn't noticed his discomfort. Though he doubted it. Leia was observant after all. "...why do you call me Galen?" There, topic change.

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rebelliousforce
2012-01-13 12:55 am UTC (link)

"I did. It was a few years ago on Mimban when I was twenty. My brother and I were searching for the Kaiburr Crystal to get the aide of someone to help us escape. We encountered Vader there. He fought Luke and would have killed him so I took Luke's lightsaber and fought him. As I said, it didn't last long and didn't really do much, but it gave Luke the chance to defeat him with Obi Wan's spirit before healing me with the Kaiburr Crystal."

So while she hadn't been trained in the weapon, she still had managed to help so really, that was all that mattered in the end. And it was just normal to refer to Luke as her brother even if when he'd been here, he'd been at that awkward 'I love you' stage as he hadn't known and she had. If he ever came back, all Leia could do was hope he would be past that because she missed her best friend even if she adapted to the situation around her.

Oh, she heard the way his voice trailed off in regards to learning the hard way how to fight and the bringing up of his hood. He was clearly uncomfortable but she wouldn't push it.

"I would appreciate that, thank you. As for why I call you Galen, that's your name, isn't it? Why wouldn't I call you that?" Really, it made no sense. Then again Juno had mentioned his code name of Starkiller. "Right. You're used to being called Starkiller. Well. The way I see it, while you may have been Starkiller, it was Galen Marek who sacrificed himself for the Rebellion and that's who is standing before me. So to me, you're Galen."

It made sense. After all, hadn't Jacen been known as Darth Caedus but here he was once again Jacen Solo. That was who he was now, and so he'd be referred to as.

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star_killer
2012-01-13 01:24 am UTC (link)

Starkiller was grateful that Leia hadn't pushed. Oh he had no doubt that she had sensed or seen his discomfort. But she wasn't pressing the matter. Which was good. Unless it was Juno pressing the matter, he'd close off. But, she was thanking him for being willing to teach her how to fight with a saber. He'd just have to remember to not be as brutal as Vader had been on him.

"...I've never been Galen Leia. Maybe as a kid before Vader but...being Starkiller, Vader's apprentice is all I've known. It's not really the kind of thing you just can change your name with and forget."

He felt oddly touched though that Leia was giving him a clean slate. "But...thanks." He could try to be Galen here. This was his chance to be the man Juno saw him as. He had to take it. If he didn't, he'd just keep being Vader's puppet.

"Any particular time you want to start dueling, let me know."

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rebelliousforce
2012-01-13 01:31 am UTC (link)

"Perhaps you don't think you've ever been Galen, but in that last moment, you were. At least to the Rebels. That's how we remember you. That's how I see you. You're right, you can't just change your name and forget, it will be a part of you. I'm not naive. But here? There's no Vader to be apprentice or tied to. Just yourself, perhaps you can find yourself, find Galen buried deep within the layers of Starkiller. I just know, that to me, that's who you are."

Shrugging for that really was all there was to it in Leia's mind, she simply nodded at his words of thanks. She knew there were plenty of people here who wanted a second chance and weren't given it because people would judge them forever on what they had done in the past, but Leia tried not to be that way. Oh sure, if her father showed up, Anakin or Vader, not Bail, she might have a harder time being so open to such things, but for Galen, it wasn't so much an issue.

"I will. I have to figure out my schedule, but I'll definitely let you know." And it seemed their journey had come to an end as they reached the Complex. So time to explain it as she led him inside. "This is the Complex." Moving to the lobby desk, Leia grabbed one of the spare keys as well as an amulet and handed them to Galen, "The key is to an open room and this is the amulet that will protect you from possession. There's a welcome kit of sorts in the apartment to help you get settled, a gift card for a near by store called Walmart where you can get clothes and food, a computer in order to communicate with others who are displaced. You'll want to filter it against evil as Lucifer, the angel behind the war, and demons are able to read the posts as well if they aren't filtered. Just put filtered against evil in the subject line. You can also filter to specific people that way."

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star_killer
2012-01-13 01:49 am UTC (link)

Starkiller couldn't help it. He smiled. "You sound like her. Juno." He looked down some. He missed her. He stilled remembered their parting kiss on the ramp to the Rogue Shadow. Her admitting to having a bad feeling. Him telling her that they must be doing something right finally. And then admitting he'd probably never see her again. She had been his shining light in all his dark thoughts. She still was. And Leia had reminded him of that.

Taking the key, he nodded some. "I'm not afraid of evil." He had lived with it for most of his life. "Thanks though. For everything." He nodded in thanks to Leia and turned to leave before stopping and glancing at her. "You're not planning on conning me into saving anyone here right at the moment, are you? Like on Kashyyyk with the Skyhook?" A faint grin formed on his face at the memory.

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rebelliousforce
2012-01-13 01:59 am UTC (link)

Leia smiled some at the comment in regards to her being like Juno. She remembered her, she hadn't really spoken with her much, but she had liked her. "We spoke some, I liked her. She was a good person." And that really was all there was to it. But if she was someone for Galen to hold onto, someone to give him purpose, then she was all for that because sometimes that's what people needed. Jacen had Tenel Ka and Allana, and she was certain there were others here who had danced the line of darkness and redeemed themselves for love. It was possible and if it was what was needed, so be it.

"I doubt you are, which is good given this place. But you're welcome. I know how strange it can be to show up here...." She still remembered the incident in the library from when she first showed up. Allana coming to get her and both of them telling off the boys who wanted her in the slave bikini Jabba had made her wear. It wasn't something Leia liked to rememberer, even if she had eventually saved herself while Luke was saving Han. And then the comment about conning him into saving people which caused Leia merely to smirk and shrug.

"I can't make any promises, but somehow I don't foresee that being a problem." And she didn't. Because somehow, she had the feeling that Galen would prove a powerful ally, ready to assist when needed without needing to be conned into it. And she managed to keep from retorting that it had been necessary because of the injustice being done to the enslaved Wookies. He knew why she had done it. And it was Leia, she had always pioneered for equality amongst everyone when she'd been Senator.

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star_killer
2012-01-13 02:10 am UTC (link)

"If we're being truthful, I'd rather be here than about to die on that space station. Don't get me wrong, I knew I wouldn't live if I did that. But I just...it felt too soon to be the end for me." He looked around the lobby of the complex and lowered his hood. "Maybe this is the place I have a better chance at proving that I've changed...at least to myself."

A faint grin formed on his face as Leia mentioned not conning him. He had a feeling she was right. He would try to do the right thing from now on without being conned into it. For Juno and Leia, as well as his new blind master Kota. Even if Kota wasn't here.

"Well, I'll see you around then Leia." He dipped his head slightly before turning to the stairs and looking at the key he'd been given. He read the room number and started on his way up. He'd examine the room, settle in some then meditate a bit. He was still on edge after the unexpected arrival and figured that some calming down would do wonders for him.

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rebelliousforce
2012-01-13 02:27 am UTC (link)

"It makes sense, even knowing you're to die, I doubt many people would want to go to it if they had an option to live and prove themselves as changed."

True, Anakin had had a hard time adjusting because he had accepted his death, but he was adjusted now and that was good. And even making friends which Leia was quite happy about. After Tahiri had left, Leia had worried about her youngest son so the fact that he was making friends at school was definitely a good thing. And so she had faith that Galen could adjust here, to become the man he wanted to be and not the puppet Vader had used him as.

"I'm sure you will. Don't hesitate to ask if you need help with something." Smiling to Galen one last time, and then left the Complex to head back to the apartment she shared with Han and Anakin. Seeing Galen made her miss Luke, if only because he was a face from her past, someone she had known, even if it wasn't that long. It made her miss her brother, wonder how he was doing in their own world. She knew he'd be fine but she still did miss him. But no matter, if the Seal brought him, it brought him, if not, well, she'd continue to persevere. It was what she did, after all.

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