Entering the Holodeck training room I enter Force Meditation seeing as the events at the Cantina Drug Den netted me six more upgrade spheres to use.
Going to the Physical/Spiritual mini menu, I dump my points into Force Affinity. Going from Rank 1 which meant I had a force connection that was quantified as a midichlorian count of 19,000. Which was a very strong connection to the force, to rank 3. [At Rank 3 you now have 50,000 Midichlorian count, and an irrevocably deep but natural connection to the force unlike Darth Plagieus's ability to manipulate an entity's Midichlorian count. The Force doesn't just come to you naturally anymore it is you and you are it.]
'Woah…this means I have more raw potential than even Anakin…and it only cost me four points!'
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Hinata feels it through the force when the young man momentarily drops his Force Cloak, If little Ana is a sun then Starkiller is three of them.
Quinlan Vos's eye snapped open while submerged in the Bacta tank, the chaotic warmth of this powerful force user driving the taint of the dark side out of him and healing his connection to the force.
Aayla has a much more pronounced reaction as a wanton moaning howl leaves her and her body arches off of the medical table she is currently sleeping on.
Ana murmurs Daddy softly in her sleep while she dreams of a life she has always fantasized about with Starkiller as her Dad.
Shmi snaps awake, clenching her thighs tightly together with a deep throbbing ache in her core that she has never experienced once in all her life. "Why did I dream of doing that with him?" Shmi gasps as flashes of Starkiller gently pushing her onto her back in this very bed, his lips blazing across her bare skin.
Xena unlike the others didn't give one single credit about Starkiller or Juno being from the future, or a different timeline. What matters to her is not only does he live by the old creed. Protecting and taking in foundlings but he is a capable warrior and that his Beskar'gam fits him very very well. She'd be sending a message to her clan matriarch requesting to bring Starkiller and his foundlings into clan Caraxes.
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My remaining spheres go into Force Focus. (At Rank 2, if your lightning could only affect one person at a time now it can affect half a dozen. If your Force push could only move a few hundred pounds now it can move a few thousand. Your power grows ever stronger!)
'Very Chuni…but cool at the same time.' with my Upgrade Spheres sent I exit force meditation and load up the trials from the Force Unleashed 2.
Starting with the combat trial, a translucent ghostly version of myself appears on a floating fighting circle surrounded by misty clouds and sheer cliff faces.
My body begins to glow a light blue color, flashes of stances start to appear in front of my eyes.
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The lightly blue glowing Starkiller takes his starting stance, and ignites his sabers. And immediately the light blue aura surrounding him turns an angry red and Starkiller drops to his knees, mouth dropping open in a silent scream of agony as smoke…steam wafts off of his body.
The pain stops and Starkiller tries again, his aura glows red once more and the punishment hits him again.
'Fuck!' Starkiller curses in his head rather bitterly. But he gets up and tries again…and again and again.
Eventually the aura goes from angry red to annoyed orange, and the pain lesson gradually.
While Starkiller's saber forms rather rapidly improve, until the aura surrounding his body turns a light yellow and the pain from failures is almost non-existent.
And he even starts to get rewarded with rushes of pleasure. Starkiller starts chaining combos as if he was actually being operated by a kid with Dorito's residue covered fingers on the other side of a TV screen.
His system registered his improvements gradually giving him higher ranks in his combat skills.
Eventually trumpets play and there's a flash with golden medals appearing in mid air.
[Combat trial completed: Rank Gold earned. Would you like to repeat the combat trial again, or select a new trial?]
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"Proxy, how much time have I been in here?"
"Real time Sixty three minutes and nine seconds. The accelerated time function within the Holodeck has assisted you in restoring 10% of your former combat abilities. I calculate within twenty four real time hours of running through the standard trails you will regain a minimum of 60% of your former capabilities. Which is quite commendable for an organic such as yourself."
'Only sixty three minutes but I swear there were at least four sunrises and three sunsets, so what an hour real time is around 72-84 hours?!' I can't help but wonder, but then again I gained the saber skills of Starkiller, and was able to combine force abilities into my fighting more effectively. On top of that I learned Dash and jump I even got a gold medal for my efforts.
Standing in front of a holographic screen or maybe it's a part of my H.U.D, I begin scanning through the basic trails currently available to me. 'Which trial to do next?'
"Hmm, practicing my dashing, jumps and dashing-jumps will probably be the best thing to do." At my hum Proxy nods his head up and down in agreement.
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Aayla isn't sure how she is doing so, because she knows that she's asleep. But she's training…no that's not right, it's not her body.
It's a man's body…it's Starkiller's body, every mistake in form…every failed combo the aura surrounding body turns an angry red and sends white hot agony throughout her body.
His body… 'This-this is barbaric!' Aayla cries out in her head but she can't help but register the massive leaps in progress that she's making…he's making.
"What is this connection between us? How can I live out this training through his body?!" Aayla asks aloud begging the force for an answer. And the force answers there are two threads…and a cable connecting her to two people.
At first she thought that thin thread was connecting her to Starkiller…but she tentatively reaches out and touches it and finds that it's her Padawan bond with Quinlan Vos. Whereas the strong powerful cable connects her to Starkiller.
Gently Aayla reaches out and touches her bond with Starkiller.
'I have to get as strong as possible as fast as possible within the limits of the system the force or whatever it was that sent me into this universe gave me. Before the Blockade and Invasion of Naboo by the Trade Federation. And I need to figure out if I want to try and keep Anakin here on Tatooine so that she can get discovered by Qui-Gon who will start her on her path to becoming a Jedi.'
~- — — — — — — — — — — -~
Starting up the [Deadly Path Trial] I'm transported into a massive forest spreading out in front of me is an old stone temple in a very serious state of disrepair.
Between me and the other side of the temple is a large expanse with floating/moving platforms just big enough for a person to stand on.
Just as I am about to start the course though I feel a scream in force, along with pure terror…pain and other emotions that make me feel dizzy.
Ending the training session exiting the Holodeck in near panic drawing my sabers and preparing for a fight.
Only to hear actual screams coming from the room I gave to Little One. Charging in, I find her writhing in bed screaming and fighting back against an invisible opponent.
I don't even know when I moved from the doorway, but I scooped her out of bed and hugged her tightly.
Taking punches to the face and what would have been devastating kicks to my balls as I murmur softly to her and rub her back.
The commotion draws everyone aboard the Rogue Shadow to the room but I wave them off as Little One starts calming down and waking up.
I mostly waved them off because I don't want her to be embarrassed about wetting herself.
Little One clings to me tightly as powerful sobs wreck through her. 'If I ever find out who is responsible for this poor girl's suffering they'll wish they were dead.' Ana slowly enters the room carrying a set of her clothes.
"I-I can take you to the refresher if you want?" Ana offers sweetly to Little One who just hugs me tighter. Just as I think Ana is going to be hurt she just smiles and nods.
"It's okay, I understand…I'd want to stay with big brother if I had nightmares like that too." Ana murmurs adorably which makes Little One look at her, the two seem to have a silent exchange and Little One motions for me to set her down.
Setting her down I'm left watching with a small smile on my face as Little One and Anakin approach each other like a couple of kittens not sure if they're gonna attack or another or not.
Only to watch as Little One and Ana hold hands and head to one of the refreshers, with Ana carrying the set of clothes for Little One.
Shmi steps into the room looking towards the door the two girls just disappeared through.
"You did a wonderful job raising her on your own Shmi." My complement causes Shmi to whip her head in my direction and for her face to blush fiercely.
Shmi clears her throat but the blush doesn't relent at all. "Do you have spare bedding?" Shmi asks after a few seconds making me nod and head to the linens storage inside of the room.
Together Shmi and I changed the bedding then Shmi grabbed my hand and dragged me into my own bedroom.
Leaving the door open of course, I grabbed a piece of cloth and some kinda cleaning spray from the crate I'd carried out of the hovel and to the hover sled…for her.
Shmi kneels down in front of me and boy does that do certain things to me that I'm not entirely proud of.
"You don't have to do this…" My voice comes out much huskier than I mean it to.
Shmi shivers but looks up at me with an intensity that told me she was going to argue against anything I could possibly say to her.
"I do, you may have freed us…removed our control chips. But I will forever be your servant, because you've given me and my daughter something I never dared to dream was possible." Shmi informs me firmly and the fire in her eyes dares me to try and argue with her.
"Then, I am forever in your care Shmi." my smile makes the blush that was just starting fade rush right back into Shmi's face with an even greater intensity than before.
"Wh-why did you defend Ana…even though the version of her that you know…"
"Caused me so much pain and suffering?" Shmi doesn't voice it but nods her head, yes.
"Because Ana is innocent, and even if I found myself in the past in my former timeline and it was the boy in front of me that could grow into the monster that made me what I am. I would still do the same because there is a chance I can save them from themselves and the machinations of those who caused them to become what they…he did." I don't want to put words to the look in Shmi's eyes as she looks up at me from her place on her knees as she cleans my armor, removes it and cleans my body glove.
But the look is definitely something I am quite flattered by, even if I feel undeserving of it.
"Big Brother?!" Ana's shout draws Shmi and I out of our very intense staring contest. Both Shmi and I look over at Anakin and Little One. Both girls blush fiercely and seem to mirror one another. Anakin makes an O-face and lets out an "Oh!" While Little One is her silent mirror.
Ana giggles happily, "Sorry, I was just going to tell you that Little One and I are going to share a room. So I can help her if she has another nightmare…" Ana develops a devious looking smirk on her face.
"I thought you said you were too young to be a Dad, Big Brother? Because you know when a man and a woman look at each other like that in a holo they usually end up making babies." Anakin snickers and I swear Little One mirrors her sentiment but silently.
As Shmi gasps, "Anakin!" In a very stunned tone that makes Ana's eyes widen in an OH-SHIT!!! Look before she pushed Little One out of the room.