Kian Shekk - Nightmares in the Past

Nightmares in the Past is the Work in Progress name of Kian Shekk's tale during his younger years (from ages 7 to 11).

Part 1, Chapter 1 - Part 2, Chapter 1



A rumble, in the distance, yet so close.  Shots echoed far away, yet so near.  Kian shivered and huddled up against Master Kaleeth’s side.  What was happening out there, beyond those silver-blue blast doors?  The Sith were coming - the Sith.  Cruel, evil men, shrouded in darkness.  They were mysteries.  The Lightside showed, the Darkside hid.  Even old Master Ora said that.
       Another youngling whimpered, the old Master Kaleeth hugged the boy tight, shushing him comfortingly.  Kian glanced around the room.  Fear was rife in all of them, even Kian’s young seven year old eyes could see that.  All, that is, but in Kim.  She stood defiantly at the blastdoors, hands on her hips and a chin raised determinedly.
       Throwing back his shoulders and setting his jaw, Kian wobbled over to his friend at the doors.  They mutually stared at them for a moment, before Kian finally turned.  “What’s happening out there?”  His young voice was shaky and unsettled.
       Kim continued to stare forward.  “My cousin is out there.”
       “Padawan Ina?” Kian asked, looking at the doors with worry.
        Kim nodded.  “What if . . . what if something happened to her?”
        Kian’s eyes widened.  “Do you mean, like . . .?”  Death wasn’t a subject the Masters taught younglings.  But in times of war, it was always there.  It hung above, always there, always.
        Kim’s lower lip trembled.  Kian glanced over to her, and saw something in her big blue eyes, a drastic spark of life.
        “We have to do something.”  She turned to him, staring hard.  His little understanding of the world was enough though.  Time for talk was over.  Time for action was beginning.
       “You mean, go out there?  D’you think that would be fun?” Kian asked.
       Kim crossed her arms, rearranging the youngling training lightsaber at her side.  “It’s not a question of fun or not fun.”
       “It isn’t?” Kian asked.  “Why would we go out there then?”  He glanced down at his own practice saber, his brow scrunching.
       Kim turned away from the doors.  “Because something bad is going on.  I once heard of an evil Sithman who destroyed an entire world with the squeeze of his hand while he was in a cockpit in space.”
      Kian gasped and glanced around the room feverishly.  “What?  Nuttuh!  No way!  Who was that guy?”  Was that true?  How could it be?
       “Darth Ohmy,” Kim replied with a fierce curve in her brow.
      “You mean Darth Yomar?”  Kian scratched his forehead.  “He didn’t crush a planet, I heard he just threw an asteroid into the capital city.”
       Kim made a throaty growl, but dismissed the subject.  Grabbing him by the hand, Kim then rushed into a hallway of the clan house that led into a circular room, one of the sleeping stations branching off that of the main clan house area.  It was the girl’s bedding room, lined with dozens of cots, dressers, mirrors, and some other necessities.  Kim glanced back to the main room, where the majority of younglings crowded around Kaleeth, who continued to comfort the children unbeknownst of Kian and Kim.
       Kim turned back, ran to a dresser, and started pulling it away from the wall.  Kian ran over to her.  “What’re you doing?”
       Kim pulled  a moment longer, before letting go of it and pointing behind the dresser, struggling to reclaim her breath.  “If you’d just help me, we could get to the vendilnation thing.”
       “It’s not called the vendilnation!” screeched Kian.  “I heard Ina say it was called the ventul-ation.”
       “My cousin isn’t dumb enough to call it that!” cried Kim.
       Kian gasped.  “Are you callin’ me dumb?!”
       “What?!” Kim cried.  “Why’d you think I did?  You’re my friend, I wouldn’t ever call you that.”
       “Because, well . . .”  Kian cocked his eyebrow and tilted his head.
       Kim growled and grabbed him by the shoulder, then rushed behind the dresser and ducked under the low rim of the ventilation pipe.
        Kian giggled and squirmed with excitement.  “Just like in the good stories!”  He followed after Kim, falling to all fours as he entered the super secret passageway - of sorts.
        They continued further in until Kim decided that they were a good distance away from the clan house.  She pushed another grate out of the way and they stumbled out of the pipe.
        Kian sneezed as he stood upright, dust flying all about the room.  He sniffled, then look at his dimly lit surroundings.  “A storage room?” he questioned.
        Kim wouldn’t waste any time though, and she opened the door, letting in a stream of light into a hallway.  “C’mon!” she yelled, surging out already, Kian following.  After a few minutes of steady running, Kian grasped at his side and leaned up against the wall, struggling for breath.  “We needa . . . break.”
       Kim glanced down the hallway again eagerly, but then sighed and came to a stop.  “You needa break.”
        Kian’s eyes went wide.   “Nuttuh!  You’re just as tired as-”
        Suddenly, they both froze.
        A shriek, faint and a long distance away - but it was still the distinct cry of a man in pain, in death.
         “Wh-what w-was that?” a sharp feeling of hurt - of fear - rose up in Kian.  Whoever that was out there was dying.  It was a stagnant ache in the air.  Another scream.  Closer to death now.  Kian’s heart throbbed, he edged closer to Kim and hugged himself.
        Kim’s eyes darted about the hallway and she grasped the training lightsaber at her side.
       The two huddled against each other, their fearful eyes peering down the hall.
       Metallic footsteps.  The far off hum of a lightsaber.
       Kian’s heart leapt and he choked as he attempted to swallow.  His hand shook as he grasped onto his own small training saber.
       A second saber hummed to life and within seconds the two clashed.
       Kian glanced around the hall for the source - but to no avail.  What was happening out there?  Where was it?  Somewhere near, there was no doubt of that.
       Another ghostly scream as a lightsaber muffled under a cover of flesh.
       A Sith and a Jedi.  They had battled, that was clear to Kian.  But who had won?  Who had fallen?
       The boots began again - but this time, over a slick surface.
       Slowly, both Kian’s and Kim’s eyes were drawn towards one end of the hall, ending at a sharp corner.  A heavy shadow fell upon the wall.
        The two younglings backed against each other further, falling to a huddle of a ball on the floor, staring at the massive, jagged shadow.  The hum of a saber grew stronger.  Around the corner a shape came into view - first a bulking mass of fur and steel, and then a blue lightsaber - a blue, cold saber.  The fear had not relieved itself from the children before a blood red saber appeared at its side.  A full man stepped into the light.
       “Ah, children,” came a stony voice from cracked, pale lips.
       Kian lifted his head involuntarily until the man’s heavy eyes fell upon them like a boulder.  “How typical of Jedi.  Come here my wee bits - feel the power of the Sith.  Embrace your fate.”
        Something overcame Kian like a tidal wave.  A force that emanated from the Sith.  Strength, power, superiority - it was all there, right before him.