Enigma- A Star Wars FanFic

Chapter 14

"Please let me explain, kiddo."

Jolie stood, cradling the pot in her arms. The tree still glowed in it's primitive, dark brown container, casting a faint blue light around the room. She turned towards him. "Please. Do that." Her voice was neutral, which made Dan even more uneasy. He had no idea what she was really feeling.

He took a step forward, frowning, regret spread across his face. "It all started when you were found as a child. A normal amount of Force sensitivity, like all other younglings. However, the Council at the time wanted to conduct an experiment on the effect that Force trees have on people," he grimaced,"Your parents... they offered you up for this...opportunity," he spat the word out as if it were bitter,"So that Tree has been under your bed since you were brought here, with Healers tending to it from below."

All that Jolie could sense was regret and pain from him. Just as she'd expected.

"Why all the isolation then?" She asked,"When I was a youngling. I was never allowed to train with the others." The innocence in her eyes stared like daggers right into Dan's own regretful eyes,"I couldn't stay with the others in my group. I couldn't battle them for practice. Why?"

He sighed,"The Council didn't want any outside influences on the results."

Jolie's anger grew. Her eyes filling with fire. "And you were just okay with this?"

He didn't answer. Instead, he just looked at the ground. Tears formed in his eyes.

"All these years I've felt so alone," droplets lined her eyes,"except for you."

"I'm-"

She kept walking forward, her anger grew with each step. "All these years you've watched me deal with the painful side effects that went along with this sick experiment, yet you did nothing." Her brows furrowed into a pained, vengeful expression.

"The only excuse I have is The Council. They wouldn't allow me to do anything that would interrupt the progression. I wish I had defied them... I really do." His voice pleaded for understanding.

Jolie ignored his pleas, only listening to the built up rage inside of her. "You know, I thought of you as a father. My father. The only person I truly had in my life," she looked deep into his eyes, making him feel the pain she'd felt at that moment,"The only one I could trust."

Dan stood still, his head hanging. Tears fell into his bushy, grey beard. "I'm... I'm so sorry, Jolie."

"I need to go." She wiped her tears away with the back of her hand and looked past him. Remaining as much composure as she could, Jolie left the place she'd been in her whole life, in hopes of finding a better one.

Clouds fell over the city skies of Corascaunt and rain began to fall. All the pedestrians were retreating to their lavish homes.

"Crummy weather," Evander observed.

"Yeah, no kidding," Alda replied dryly with a chuckle. He elbowed her playfully and kept staring outside.

"I'm not sure how much longer we can stall them waiting for her," Flint said.

The trio were all waiting outside the High Council's Chambers to give the official report.

"Would Jolie mind if we just went in and started?" Evander asked.

"She seemed adamant about talking to them," Flint replied.