It was late. Very late. And she was tired. All she wanted to so was sleep. But it eluded her. Instead as she was nodding off, she got images of her father. There he was. Reaching out to the galaxy, manipulating the social order. Forever evaluating the possibilities. "Always keep your options open to you for as long as possible." He would tell her. His eye gazing into the distant future; seeing things, opportunities, possibilities, that others did not. "Please," She cried inwardly. "Just let me sleep." She rolled over, trying to get comfortable. But once more he was there. "It is our way." He told her, "She is now your mother." Silent pause, as he watched her. "You *will* do this." He commanded. She exhaled sharply as she sat up. Startled at first, then her temper flared from lack of sleep. "Fine." She grumbled to no one in particular, "I give". She rose, got dressed, and informed Topaz of her intentions. "Maybe then," She thought to herself, "I can get some sleep." It was a rare Occasion when Tara Alderson thought about her father. Rarer still when she spoke about him. Usually then, it was only to say that he was a fool; her tone informed all that the subject was 0. In fact, all the reminders of his presence in the family home on Shardakour had been removed. "This should do it." She thought, turning the last of the practice droids on high. "A few rounds in here and I'll sleep through a Bantha's death throes." She released her telekinetic grip on the others and instantly found herself ducking, weaving, and deflecting. Tara smiled to herself as she watched the droids dance in the air around her. Three of them pressed their attack from the front, while a fourth attempted to attack from behind. Somewhere in there, she knew, was a fifth and sixth. As the droids increased their pace, the world around her began to blur. Tara reached out through the force with her hearing as well as her vision. It helped, but only for a short while. She drove herself to keep up with the blur of energy and metal. Her limited use of the Force was no longer enough with the droids continued increase in pace. Tara closed her eyes and allowed the Force to flow freely through her. The droids, sensing an opening, moved in. She was hit and the Storm Trooper approached warily, their blasters at the ready. Tara smiled and told them to let her pass. They, of course refused and ordered her to surrender. She laughed humorlessly, her silver eyes transfixed on the crews captain. He gasped, clutched at his head, and fell to the floor dead. Instantly the others were upon her. Tara felt the pain her father was currently in. She surrendered to it, allowing it to drive her forward. One by one the squad in front of her fell. Some from her light saber, some from 'friendly fire' of the others, and others still from from her destructive mental abilities. She fought her way to the end of the corridor, rounded the corner, and stopped short. Just inside the room Jarek Alderson lay dead at Anelis's feet. Tara glanced around the room, realizing she was going to have to replace all of her training droids. none of them were salvageable. Her hand brushed against something warm, drawing her attention to her side. She had taken multiple hits, all in the same area as her 0 wound. And like the night of her fathers death, she was bleeding. She groaned inwardly, wondering why this had to happen now of all times; away from anyone she trusted completely and in the middle of a potential sarlaac pit. To be continued....
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