The Choosing- Part 1: Dragon Knights 1

     Aylin ducked back behind the pillar and prayed that she hadn't been spotted. Even though she technically had every right to be here, she had been expressly forbidden from coming. She was supposed to be back at Castle Sandorne, locked in her chambers. She was not supposed to be at the citadel in Braewood, watching The Choosing.
     She held her breath as a priest walked by. If she was caught, she would be severely punished. Every three years, the Choosing was held. All eligible children of noble birth we're allowed to attend the choosing, the time when the dragons who had come of age would choose a child and they would become Dragon Knights. Only a few were chosen every year.
     Aylin was an orphan. While not a disqualifying fact in and of itself, it did complicate matters. Aylin's father,  Sir Edward of Hawksrising,  had been a noble He had also been one of the greatest Dragon Knights that had be seen in centuries, earning the coveted title- Dragonfriend. During the last war, he and his dragon had been killed. Wen his pregnant wife Salyne heard the news, she had immediately gone until labor. She died the next night from heartbreak and the rigours of the labor. The baby girl, Alyin, was given to a fellow Dragon Knight to be raised as his own.
     Baron Ambrose was a decent man, when he was sober; and only slightly less when he was drunk. The baroness on the other hand, had nothing but harsh words for Aylin. She had hated Sir Edward for not choosing her as his wife and had despised Lady Salyne. Her hate was so that she refused to tell Aylin anything about her parents and forbidden her from asking about them.
     It was during one of the Baron's rare visits home that she learned the truth. She had been bringing his dinner to him when he had remarked that she had her father's eyes. Even though he was obviously drunk, she still asked if he jab known him. He preceded to tell her that he had served with her father during the war and of how she came to Castle Sandorne.
     Aylin had kept the conversation to herself, never telling anyone. She had quietly researched her father and had grown to respect him and desire to follow in his footsteps. That was why, against her better judgment,  she had attempted to steal the letter containing the names of those from Castle Sandorne who would be attending The Choosing and add her name. She had been caught and beaten. Her back still hurt where the whip had struck it.
     After the beating, the Baroness had ordered her to be locked in her chambers until the Choosing was over. What made this worse was that after this Choosing, Aylin would be too old to participate. So, with the help of a friend in the stables, she had sneaked out and ridden to Braewood. Posing as a servant girl and miraculously making her way to the grand hall.
     A loud gong rung three times, snapping Aylin out of her memories. The Choosing was starting.

Untitled Star Wars 1: Scene-Shot 2

Author's Note:

     This is a very rough series of scene-shots. I apologize in advance to any hard-core Star Wars fans who may read it and find canonical and technical errors and misconceptions in it (especially regarding the Jedi and the Force). I am a big  fan of Star Wars, but have not been able to express that love for some time (a long story that does not have a place here) and this has led to a lack of knowledge about much outside of the movies. As with most of my scene-shots it is mostly un-edited, nor did I do any research for it. In light of that, please forgive the lack of planet names and other species. I simply wrote what came to me based on what I already know. Also, it is not intended to have any relation or bearing to the current or previous cannon. It simply occurs in the same GFFA. (I will say that it would take place some time before the Phantom Menace.) Thank you for your understanding, and may the Force be with you.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cast of Scene-Shot 2
     Jedi Knight Wylder Cade - Human
     Jedi Knight Abu Sayeed - Human
     Padawan Kaedyn Jinn - Human


     Wylder bowed to the council and turd of the holocomm he had been using. The Council had been unable to shed any light on what was affecting his friend and had affected his friend's apprentice. They had ordered him to wait there on (planet1) until Kaedyn awoke and speak with her when she did. Then he was to report his findings afterward.
     Later, as he sat meditating, he reflected on what he knew of what had brought Abu and Kaedyn to (planet1).  It had been two year since he had last seen his friend, Abu Sayeed. Friends since childhood, they had completed several missions for the Council together as knights and had made a good team. Two years ago, after returning from a mission, Abu had decided to take a Padawan. Wylder had been sent off on a mission before he had heard Abu's choice.
     He had not heard from or about his friend until the message from the Council came, requesting him to travel to (planet1). They had informed him that the Knight and Padawan had been sent to a mission on (planet2). It had been five months since anyone had heard from them. A look at (planet2)'s spaceport records showed that the ship they had been traveling on had docked safely and Abu and Kaedyn had disembarked. However, they had never met with the contact who was supposed to meet them. Two other Jedi had been sent to (planet2) to take care of the mission while a search for Abu and his Padawan commenced.
     Five months later, a transmission from (planet1) was received. It stated that two Jedi had been admitted to a med-center. They appeared to be physically fine, except for minor cuts and bruises, but had remained in an unresponsive state.
     The descriptions given had confirmed that they were the missing Jedi Knight Abu Sayeed and his apprentice, Kaedyn Jinn. Having just finished a mission of his own on (planet3), which was close to (planet1), he was ordered to report there and "take custody" of Abu and Kaedyn and to see what he could find regarding how they had come to (planet1), light years from where they should have been, and learn where they had been for five months.
     Upon his arrival three days later, he was informed that while Abu's condition had remained unchanged, Kaedyn's had slowly been changing somewhat. Her heart rate and breathing had slowly increased, and her muscles had become tense; but she was still unresponsive. When he asked how they had come here he was told that according to local reports, Kaedyn had stumbled onto a local farm, supporting her unconscious master. Startled farm hands had rushed to her aid. She was barely conscious and only managed a weak, "Help him." before she passed out.
     The farmers had brought them to a local med-center that served the surrounding farms and towns. Then, they had retraced their trail from the farm to discover a crashed and badly damaged escape pod. A search of the surrounding area revealed no other pods or survivors. There was no clue of any kind that could tell him where they had been or how they had gotten here. He would have to wait until Kaedyn awoke to learn any more.

--To (possibly) Be Continued--

Untitled Star Wars 1: Scene-Shot 1

Author's Note:

     This is a very rough series of scene-shots. I apologize in advance to any hard-core Star Wars fans who may read it and find canonical and technical errors and misconceptions in it (especially regarding the Jedi and the Force). I am a big  fan of Star Wars, but have not been able to express that love for some time (a long story that does not have a place here) and this has led to a lack of knowledge about much outside of the movies. As with most of my scene-shots it is mostly un-edited, nor did I do any research for it. In light of that, please forgive the lack of planet names and other species. I simply wrote what came to me based on what I already know. Also, it is not intended to have any relation or bearing to the current or previous cannon. It simply occurs in the same GFFA. (I will say that it would take place some time before the Phantom Menace.) Thank you for your understanding, and may the Force be with you.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cast of Scene-Shot 2
     Jedi Knight Wylder Cade - Human
     Jedi Knight Abu Sayeed - Human
     Padawan Kaedyn Jinn - Human

     Jedi Knight Wylder Cade stared at the med-data before him and then at his friend laying on the bed below it. His friend and fellow Jedi Knight, Abu Sayeed, lay absolutely still. His breathing was calm and measured; but it was not the deep breathing of sleep, nor the controlled breathing of meditation. The med-droids had been unable to find anything physically wrong with him besides a few scrapes and bruises.
     Moments earlier, he had tried to reach out to his friend through the Force. What he had found was a void of sorts. Where he should have felt the calm, assured presence of his friend, and possibly the reason he was unresponsive, there was nothing. He could sense he was still alive, but not the reason he had remained unresponsive for so many days.
     Wylder felt a shift and turned his gaze to the other figure in the room. Abu's Padawan, Kaedyn Jinn if he remembered correctly, lay a few steps away. In stark contrast to her master, who lay on his bed seemingly at peace, Kaedyn was obviously in turmoil.
     While she made no outward movement, Wylder could sense she was struggling against something. Her hands were balled into fists, and her heart rate and breather were faster than they should have been. Her face was a mask of pain.
     He walked the short distance to stand beside her. He looked at her for a moment and then placed his hand on her forehead. It was damp.
     He reached out to her through the Force, just as he had with his friend. At first, he was met with what he assumed the same "void" as before; but as he studied it, he noticed cracks. The void was an illusion, more of a cocoon than a void. One that suppressed a being's presence in the Force and their ability, or will, to respond to any stimuli.
     Kaedyn had somehow managed to crack the "cocoon" that was imprisoning her. He could sense her pushing from the inside, struggling to escape. The cocoon was pushing back. Wylder watched as some of the smaller cracks she had made began to reseal themselves.
     He reached for one of the larger cracks. He felt along its edges, and then gripped them and started to pull them apart. He sensed Kaedyn's awareness and struggle shift to this crack. He sensed her fatigue and a growing amount of frustration, but also her relief and hope that help had come.
     "Focus, Kaedyn." he mentally said to her. "Focus on this crack. You can do it."
     He felt her efforts surge. Physically, he felt her head move and heard a quiet groan. She was breaking through.
     After what felt like an eternity of combined effort, the crack they were widening created too many for the cocoon to repair, and it shattered. As they gave the final surge of effort, Wylder felt and heard Kaedyn give a low scream of pain. Moments later, the cocoon shattered, he felt her relief at finally being free of the prison.
     He withdrew from the Force, and opened his eyes. He looked down at the young Padawan. She was covered in sweat and breathing hard. Her eyes fluttered and then opened. They found his for the briefest of seconds and then they closed and she succumbed to exhaustion. Her breathing eventually slowed into the deep, rhythmic sound of someone sleeping.
     Wylder turned to the med-droid who was now standing behind him. He had undoubtedly come in regard to Kaedyn's elevated heart rate and scream. "She should improve now. Please come find me when she wakes up."
     He glanced at his friend as he left the room. Abu still lay quietly, completely unaware and unable to respond to the struggle of his apprentice. He hoped the Council could shed some light on what had imprisoned Kaedyn and was still imprisoning his friend.

--To Be Continued--