Lacuna~A Star Wars Sequel

Old Habits

I wake up in an unfamiliar room, the pain gone. Though I was expecting a medical wing, I'm not in one. This room is dark, but calming for some reason. I close my eyes, letting the calmness wash over me.

"You are strong with the force, young one," a voice said. My eyes snap open and I stand up, frantically looking for where the voice had come from.

"Who's there?" I ask, my voice echoing around the room. "Reveal yourself." I start to reach for my lightsabers, but they aren't on me.

"I know who you are," the voice, a man's voice, says. I can hear his footsteps all around me. I grab my mini heat lamp that's, thankfully, still attached to my belt and turn it on. I begin to turn, using the light to see. I can faintly make out a figure of a tall man.

"Come into the light," I say firmly.

He does so and my immediate reaction is trying to take a step back. However, I cannot move. I study the man, or well, he isn't really a man. He has a red and black, pattern like skin, and a very stern look on his face.

"Who are you?" is all I can ask.

"I am Darth Maul."

༒

My eyes snap open once more, my breathing heavy. Great, another day.

This time though, there's no Papa. Oddly, he wasn't home when I came back last night either. I won't worry about him though, he can take care of himself. Plus, I can still feel his presence on this planet, so I know he's fine.

But that memory. That's not a normal one. That was the first time I saw Maul. What does that mean?

A ringing in my ear makes me put my hands up to my ears, but it doesn't go away. I look around the room, ears still covered, for the source of the ringing. But nothing sticks out.

Wait, that ringing is similar to the ringing I heard when I found my kyber crystal. Oh, I know what it is.

I slowly make my way into my old room as the ringing gets louder and louder. The black box is glowing. That's probably not good.

I know I shouldn't touch it, as it might make me time jump again, but it might be the only way to end the ringing. So, I reach my hand out to the box I so deeply dislike and open it.

I close my eyes and brace myself, but as I open them, I see that I'm still in the raggedy old room. Nothing different at all.

I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding and walk up to the cot. The necklace looks the same as always, beautiful and mysterious. I take a deep shaky breath and pick up the necklace. And for the first time in over a year, I put it on.

"I see him!" A voice speaks within my mind. Maul's voice. Oh no.

"Twin suns," another says. It sounds like a young boy.

"It's not worth it, Ezra. Trust me," a third calls out. I close my eyes and see a clear image of three men. Maul, a boy, and a man with a beard. They all sit around what looks like two joined holocrons.

But the image flashes away before I can analyze it any further, and I open my eyes once again.

"He lives," Maul's voice sounds in my head, and then everything goes silent.

My knees buckle from beneath me and I fall to the floor. Maul knows where we are. And the two other men? What of them?

I feel arms wrap around me and I look up to see Papa's neared face. His face reads one of a remorseful man. He knows too. I bury my head in his chest as he holds me.

"What do we do?" I murmur into his chest.

"Nothing," he says. I pick my head up.

"We're just going to let Maul come and find us?" I raise my eyebrows.

"If the Force wills it," he says calmly. My hand goes up to my necklace. "You've put it back on?"

"I.." I start. Papa stands up and then pulls me to a standing position as well.

"I want you to take off of work today. Stay home and meditate with me," he suggests. I nod, knowing he knows best.

"I'll send Warsor a message," I mumble.

༒

I sit in my bed, just thinking. If Maul knows where we are, why doesn't Papa panic? Why doesn't he tell me to pack my bags so we can move off of this planet?

There isn't anything keeping us here, is there? I mean, Papa's pupil is here, but I'm sure whoever they are, they can take care of themself.

But no, he seems relaxed. As if there's nothing to worry about. I've faced Maul before, but only briefly and he threw me against a wall.

What is he thinking? He hasn't performed any of his Jedi skills in eighteen years. He thinks he can just pick up a lightsaber and know everything once again?

Not everyone can fall back into old habits.