Octavia arrived at Port Lansing wondering if she was making the right decision. She somehow felt that Luke had warned her to stay away. Octavia couldn't avoid the feeling of dread as she stepped off the transport. A year had passed since she had first seen this station when her way of life changed. Half heartily, she had hoped to see the Electria in orbit. Wrapping her newly made robe around her Octavia went to the registration desk and checked in nodding to the droid who stood off to the side. Octavia checked her balance from her personal account she still had from the Electria, part of her wanted to turn it over to the Alliance, but she felt that there might be a time she would need it. "You wish help ma'am?" a droid asked. "No thank you. I do not have that much and can handle it on my own." Octavia bowed slightly. "I thank you for your offer." "A polite human, that is rare." "Perhaps too rare." Octavia replied. ~*~ Octavia stared at her room a feeling of foreboding hit her. The darkness of the force was easy to feel. Shaking her head slightly Octavia sat on the couch as she studied the room it was almost identical as the one from last year. Last year … Victoria … the reason she was here and not at Yavin. She was here for Victoria to try to make up for last year. Taking a seat on the floor Octavia crossed her legs and took a deep breath, slowly releasing it as she closed her eyes and began her meditation. 'Be careful' a voice echoed in her mind. Subconsciously Octavia nodded her head, these words of wisdom no longer scaring her she knew it was a word of caution, of help. How long she stayed in the lotus position Octavia wasn't sure she had lost herself in her mediation. Looking at the clock she realized that it was time for her lunch meeting with Tara Alderson and Victoria. Octavia put her robe on and fastened her lightsaber on her belt. Her stomach turned as she left her quarters and headed toward the quarters of Tara Alderson. Clearing her mind Octavia buzzed for admittance and stared at the man who answered the door. Dark glasses covered his eyes and his stance was one of foreboding and threatening. "Your weapon." Topaz's tone was even but Octavia knew it was a tone that expected to be obeyed. Octavia unhooked her saber and handed it to him. "You have no other?" Octavia opened her robe to show she was unarmed. She followed the man in and kept her senses alert. Something didn't feel right, but she couldn't place what it was. He stood next to the woman who was seated at the table with another man next to her. This was more than a normal luncheon Octavia knew that much. A slender woman rose from the table and motioned for Octavia to sit. Octavia saw Victoria sitting off to the side. Octavia took count of three guards, one who she felt darkness emanate from a Sith? Taking a seat Octavia waited until her host retook hers. "I have to ask how Victoria came to be with you." Tara placed papers in front of Octavia. "It was an unique meeting." The small smile on her face made Octavia uneasy. "Those are custody papers. You will notice that the Alliance legal system also agree that Victoria would be safer with me than with you." Octavia read the papers then looked to Victoria. "My path is not an easy one, yes there is danger along it as well, but I have to ask Victoria is this what YOU want?" Victoria looked at her then glanced to Tara. "Yes, I want to remain her. You had your chance, all you did was talk to air." Octavia bit back her response, there was no way she was going to tell Victoria that it wasn't thin air she spoke to, but dead Jedi. "She is capable of making her own decision Octavia." Tara said breaking the silence. "How long will she be allowed to continue to have her free will if I sign this?" Octavia questioned. "Tara has never forced me to do anything. She cares for me unlike YOU!" Victoria spat. Tara looked up at the guards. "Bring him in." Turning her attention back to Octavia. "I will show you how much free will she has." Octavia straighten as she watched a man being drug into the room. She could sense he was scared and it looked like his treatment had been a little rough. Octavia sensed a familiar aura around him but couldn't figure out who he was or why he was brought here. "Victoria, you want answers about your mother. So I had your father brought here. Octavia Jinn meet your brother Marcus Syn." Marcus looked up at Victoria and Octavia heard him whisper Victoria's name. "Why have you brought him here?" Octavia asked keeping her tone calm she was concerned about Victoria about the anger she felt rising from her like wisps of smoke. "To answer Victoria's questions. Questions about her mother." "What happened to her?" Victoria yelled. "She died Victoria." Marcus answered. Octavia watched in silence, she had felt Marcus' emotions come to the surface. Perhaps it was the grief in remembering the tragedy. Octavia watched as Victoria stared at her father. It didn't take a force sensitive person to know Victoria was angry. "How did she die?" Victoria yelled. "An accident … she fell into some equipment we use to harvest the crops." Marcus replied. Octavia heard his heart beat increase, he was scared and she had to wonder if it was from the situation he was in or because he was hiding something. "Victoria, this is getting you no where, get the information you want. Do it as you were shown." Tara prompted. Victoria rose from her seat and walked around Tara to stand behind the man she knew as her father. Placing her hands on his shoulders Victoria pushed herself into his mind. Victoria saw the house she lived in and the wall around her house. Using her anger Victoria tore down the wall and followed the image of her father into their house. Chasing him up the stairs Victoria used her telekonic powers to pull him back toward her. Placing her foot on his chest Victoria stared down at the man she called father. "Why are you running from me?" "I feel safe here." "Tell me what happened to my mother." "It was an accident, she died in an accident." Marcus replied. "Where were you going?" "To my bedroom, your mother is there." Victoria removed her foot and watched as her father stood. "Show me." Marcus nodded slowly and walked up the stairs to his bedroom. Victoria followed at a distance and stood as she saw the memory of her mother alive in the room. Her father entered then looked back to Victoria. "I didn't want her to die Victoria." "But she DID!" Victoria yelled. "SHE DID and YOU didn't stop it!" Anger flashed in her eyes as she faced her father. "SHOW ME!" Octavia watched in silence as Victoria and her father remained motionless in a silent discussion she could feel the anger still rising from Victoria but there was remorse and sadness from both father and daughter. "You can stop this, she's too young to have her innocence treated so." "You took that away from her a long time ago." Tara countered. Octavia sat in silence and continued to watch the silent battle between Victoria and her father. She couldn't get over the fact that this man sitting before her was her brother. If that was the case then it would have meant that her father had lied to her, or he was deceived by her mother? Octavia couldn't stop the feelings or the memories of her father and the time they spent together, how they had to sneak around her mother, then he was gone from her life. "Show me how she died." Victoria commanded bringing Octavia back to the present. Victoria saw her mother and father standing together, she could hear their conversation and how it turned into an argument then she witnessed as her father pushed her mother into the machinery and walked away. "NO!" Victoria yelled backing up into one of the guards. "HE killed her, he really did kill her." "Victoria, don't lose focus." Tara stated calmly. "Stop this!" Octavia yelled. "Victoria, there are many things people do, crime of passion is an old reason." "YOU think it was right?" Victoria turned her anger toward Octavia. "No, but he now needs to be turned over to the authorities and let him face his punishment from them." "She is his family, she has a right to decide his fate." Tara stated. "She is too young to take such a challenge, what if she makes the wrong decision?" "Have him show you if he would have killed you too." A voice suggested. "Yes Victoria, have him show you." Tara agreed. "Would you have done the same to me?" Victoria asked of her father. Marcus sat with his head in his hands not answering his daughter's questions while tears ran down the crack of his fingers. "He won't show me!" Victoria yelled breaking contract from her father. "I can help you if you wish Victoria." Tara suggested. "You just have to dig a little deeper." Victoria nodded then placed her hands back on her father's shoulders she relaxed when she felt Tara join her. Together they forced Marcus to go back to the time but instead of Victoria's mother being there it was Victoria everything was as it was then. To Victoria's surprise her father pushed her into the machinery and she could feel the pain begin before Tara pulled her back to the here and now. "He is yours to deal with Victoria." "He would have killed me too." Victoria hissed. "YOU would have killed me to protect your actions against the Empire." Turning her anger on her father Victoria watched as he fell to the floor. "Victoria stop it!" Octavia yelled rising to her feet. Before Octavia could react further she felt herself being lifted and pinned against the wall. Not caring about freeing herself she could only watch Victoria. "You're too young to make that decision." "You are in control Victoria, what do you want done with him?" Tara asked. "I … I don't know." Victoria stammered. "He doesn't deserve to live, he could harm others." Tara watched Victoria then turned her attention back to Octavia. "If we let you down, will you behave Octavia?" "It would appear I have no choice." Octavia answered at last. Feeling better once her feet touched solid ground. "Octavia have some fruit, or something to drink." Tara offered. Octavia wasn't sure what bothered her more the fact that this woman was teaching her niece to react to anger or offering her food like this was a play and picnic. "I regret I have to decline your offer Lady Alderson." Octavia retook her seat. "He should die." Victoria said at last. "He needs to die." "If you deem so, then it must be by your hand." Tara told the girl. "YOU can't make her make that type of decision." Octavia protested. "Victoria, I made many mistakes in my life, not giving you more attention last year is one of them. If you do this, you won't be able to take it back, it's not an easy thing to kill someone Victoria, if he is truly guilty, don't you think he knows that?" "How can you defend a man who would kill someone he professes to love?" the man sitting beside Tara asked her. "I do no condone murder. Will it make Victoria any better a person if she does the same to her father?" Octavia questioned looking back to Victoria. "You have to choose your path Victoria, don't let this mare your life, you are too young to kill." "He killed my mother, and would have killed me if I got in his way." Victoria unhooked her lightsaber and ignited the blade. "HE will pay for it." In one swift motion her blade came down upon his neck and Octavia shut her eyes as his head was cut off. "Escort Octavia Jinn so she can sign the custody papers. You have seen her free will Octavia." Octavia followed the person that was sitting next to Tara to another room. She was filled with grief for the young girl that called herself her niece. Memories of their first meeting came to the surface as well as the mistakes she made in driving her away. Signing the papers Octavia stood ready to die, instead the man handed her lightsaber to her. "You will not try to contact Victoria in any way no transmissions, no physical contact. By signing these papers you have given all rights to her away. Do you understand?" Derek Ionsoch informed Octavia as he handed her the papers. Octavia could only nod silently and she bowed and left the room. She could only hope that whatever control Victoria would have over her future she would realize that she had made a horrible decision in killing her father. Port Lansing's activity seemed non existent to Octavia as she made her way to her quarters. Once the door closed Octavia fell to the floor and allowed her emotions to rush forward as she began to cry for the two lives that were lost this afternoon.
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