Star Wars: Jedi's Will of Justice

Chapter 12: Conflicting Vectors Made by the Force - Part 1

Warning, this Chapter might be slightly edgy compared to the source material. You don't really have to read it.

I do not own any of the Star Wars and DC characters and ideas represented in this work.

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Shayera watched carefully as R2-D2 made the final move that gave R2 a checkmate against the now-fuming Aquaman. King Arthur, the current King of Atlantis, the King of the Seven Seas. One who is a great warrior and can even hold a fight against Wonder Woman. One who is a great tactician in his own right now is the sore loser of three matches of chess. Aquaman, the King of Atlantis lost three games of chess to a mechanical robot that resembled a trashcan.

She might've thought that she was giving R2 too much credit, him being a machine that might run circles around Aquaman in terms of thinking power. But she does like it when Aquaman gets frustrated time and time again from losing to R2, she might've thought it was petty of her to cheer at R2 while when she did play against Aquaman, she occasionally lost. Then again, there were certainly no rules against it.

The now-angry King of Atlantis shook with rage, "Damn it!" And knocked the chessboard off the table with his hooked hand. The pieces scattered as he pointed his golden hook accusingly to the little roving blue and white robot across the table, "You cheated!"

R2 shook his head and let out a series of beeps that sounded like he was giving him sass. Luke and R2 have been coming to the tower for a week or so after Luke got back from Kaznia. Luke has been mainly talking with Fate and Inza about magical lore while R2 has been keeping Shayera company. Luke said some time ago that R2 speaks a droid language called binary. In all of the beeps, whistles, and other sounds R2 made, Luke somehow understands like a second language.

Shayera never really was a roboticist or good with languages other than English and Thanagarian, but she picked a few words of binary from R2. Though she didn't really fully understand him, she got the impression what he said to Aquaman could resemble a form of "Skill issue".

Aquaman of course is less willing to learn and is not very tech savvy so he wouldn't be able to understand R2's words, though Shayera thought it was for the best since if he did, he would most likely drive his hook into R2's droid eye.

Aquaman continued his accusations, "Don't "Beep Boop" me, What you did my Queen last game was completely going against the rules!" Shayera remembered the last game and knew that what R2 did to Aquaman's Queen was completely fine in the game's rules.

R2 shook his head and let out audio chirps that sounded like he was being a smart-aleck, a tone that Aquaman even picked up. He narrowed his eyes, "I swear to Poseidon you bucket of bolts, you either have a set of loose wires in that little dome of yours, or Skywalker programmed you to cheat."

Shayera made a silent scoff at Aquaman's excuses for losing. R2 replied with two beeps that sounded more like a "Boo hoo," if that's what Shayera heard correctly.

Aquaman obviously heard this and went from a heated anger state that could cook an egg on top of his head if placed there to causing an entire forest fire if not put down. Shayera swore that he got so angry that she might've seen steam coming out of his ears. Shayera did her best not to laugh at the Alantean royal for getting so mad over a game of chess, she did think that R2 should at least hold back for a little.

"Listen Artoo," she leaned towards the Astrodroid with a whisper, "Maybe you should let Aquaman win the next game."

R2 let a beep that probably indicated a "Why?"

"Call it having a "hawk's eye," from watching the games, I don't think you want to anger a guy who wrestles giant squids and whales for a living."

After a few seconds, Aquaman did hear this and calm down, but he was still bitter about his losses and Shayera's advice to R2 about easing up on him. "Just reset the board," he points at Shayera.

Shayera rolled her eyes and leaned back again to R2, not bothering to talk silently, "On second thought, go all out on him." She then goes and picks up the pieces Aquaman previously threw across.

Aquaman sat back down, eyeing Shayera for a second with annoyance before looking down at the table, probably thinking of another strategy even to try to survive R2's near-perfect calculating chess moves.

While Shayera was cleaning up Aquaman's mess from his outburst of losing, she noticed that Luke and Dr. Fate walked into the room with each other. Luke was wearing his black robes and cloak with his lightsaber attached to his belt. Though she wasn't really paying attention, she saw that he was carrying a stack of books, three or four of them by the looks of it.

They've been in Fate's office for at least hours if she recalled. Luke wasn't ignoring Shayera for the days he came into the tower, he would talk and chat with her half the time he'd been here.

Fate and Luke talked outside where the hallway that leads to Fate's office and main room meets. Shayera didn't think that she was being rude for eavesdropping since she could hear them from the entrance of the hallway to where she was still setting the board up. She knew that parts of the conversation she wouldn't understand, but thought it was interesting.

"I wanna thank you for giving me these, Doctor," Luke gestured to the stack of books he held.

"Please, Mister Skywalker," Dr. Fate insisted, "Better for those books to be in your hands than myself, I know that Force knowledge is precious to you. Force and Magic seem to be the same, more knowledge of one gives us more power."

Luke slightly frowned, "I appreciate it, but I only want to seek knowledge of the Force, not to get more powerful, Doctor."

Fate then puts his hand on Luke's shoulder, to be honest with him, "And that right there is why you deserve those books better than anyone else, Master Jedi. Your craving for knowledge of the Force yet distastefulness of abusing its power is a showing of your character."

The blonde had a bare blush appear on his cheeks, "Well...It's what we do, right Doctor?"

"Indeed." Fate replied, "And speaking of power." Fate pointed his palm straight flat to the ceiling and made four crystals appear in his magical energies. Fate offered the crystals to Luke, "I believe you deserve to have these."

Shayera saw Luke's face change, he looked like he had just seen a friend who was thought to be dead when looking at the crystals. Shayera barely heard Luke murmur something, "Kyber crystals...where did you get these?"

Luke picked up the crystals and observed with carefulness like how someone would hold a baby, Fate explained his findings to Luke, "It's quite a story. See, when I was visiting Greenland to see an old friend, I met a Roma woman who-"

That was all Shayera heard before her eavesdropping was disrupted when Aquaman poked her with his hook hand.

"So you gonna finish putting the board back together or you just gonna stare at Skywalker all day?"

Shayera's face wrinkled into a scowl, "I so hope Artoo kicks your ass again."

She puts the rest of the pieces on the board and sits back down. R2 starts the round with his first move. As the chess round started, Shayera thought about what Aquaman said. She wasn't staring at Luke, she was sure at least, she was just listening to Luke and Fate's conversation. Sure, she wasn't part of the talk by any means, but she was a little interested.

And why would she stare at Luke? It wasn't like she was interested in him or anything. They started to become friends recently. They just talk and nothing more. Whenever he came over, he would just brighten her day a little bit, something to get out of bed or stop her from staring in the mirror. He's the kindest and most compassionate man she has ever met. Every time he came by to the tower he would always ask about her well-being. He always listens to her when she talks. Yeah, John did the same, but Luke seemed to follow every word she made. Understanding her feelings and thoughts intently.

He listened to her more than John did. He was less strict than John's jarhead mentality despite the fact that Luke said he used to be a Commander. And Luke was handsome, admittedly he wasn't as muscular as John, but Shayera was sure he had something when he talked about what Jedi training is like. And the way he looks at her and smiles when they talk and...

Shayera didn't finish her thought as she realized she was staring into empty air. Just when she was thinking about Luke. She observed down at the chess game, she saw that R2 and Aquaman were already at the halfway point of the round. From the looks of it, they've been playing for several minutes. She has been thinking about Luke to the point where she stared into space in daydreamland and lost track of time.

"No," She thought. She was just thinking about how Luke is a good friend. He's just a friend, yeah, a friend and nothing more.

By the time she went back to Luke and Fate's conversation, Fate was already done with his story. "- and ever since then, I held these crystals here in my sanctum for save keeping." He gestured to Luke's hand that still held the crystals.

Luke nodded in astonishment, "Quite a story, Doctor." He studies the crystals carefully that he cupped in his hand, "Do you believe that kyber crystal cave is still here?"

Shayera thought she must've missed a lot of information to know the context behind Luke's question. "I believe so," Fate answered then gave an honest shrug, "But, I'm afraid I failed to locate it."

While rubbing the crystals in his hand, Luke nods in acknowledgment and hides the crystals in an unseen pocket. "I wanna thank you again for the books and these, Doctor." He pats the pocket that contains the crystals. "It really astonishes me that you managed to find these."

"Please, Skywalker." Fate gave Luke a dismissive wave, "Better for you to have them and embolden your knowledge of the Force than me learning about them and obtaining no amount of significance from their study."

Luke smiled and turned to see R2 playing with Aquaman. "I would love to stay here longer, Doctor." He turns back to the sorcerer, "But me and Artoo have a business to finish back at our home."

"Then let me not distract you any further. I wish you well, Jedi Skywalker."

"May the Force be with you," Luke said his goodbye and both practitioners of their respected mystical magic arts bowed. Luke heads over to the table where Aquaman and R2 are playing chess. She saw Luke take a glance at the board and gave a smirk, probably thinking about who was going to win, which was a no-brainer to Shayera.

"Everything fine, Artoo?" Luke placed his gloved hand onto Artoo's shiny dome.

Artoo let out some beeps that sounded like he said everything was just peachy, Shayera thought.

Luke turned his attention to Aquaman, who was staring into the board, Probably thinking a million ways of how to do the next. The King of Atlantis did his best to compose himself in front of Luke despite the fact that he got humiliated too many times.

"Skywalker, either your droid here has loose wires or you programmed it to cheat." Aquaman let out an accusing finger.

Luke quirked a half-smile and an eyebrow, "Cheating?" he looked over to his mechanical companion. "Excuse me for my wording here, Your Highness. But preposterous."

A mixture of shock and laughter came to Shayera. She wasn't expecting Luke Skywalker of all people to say a smart-ass comment like that one.

Aquaman gritted his teeth and let out an admitting sigh, "Fine." He looks at R2, "I'll admit it droid, you are the superior chess player." He points at R2 with his hook to stop the droid from processing the obvious. "But don't let that go into your head,"

R2 replied to Aquaman with a prideful and satisfactory chirp. Aquaman shook his head from side to side, "I need a drink." He delivered tiredly and left the room to the kitchen.

"You always know how to stir heads, don't you buddy?" Luke jokingly questioned but looked like he already knew the answer.

R2 replied with a beep.

"I know you want to stay, but we have things to catch up to."

The Astro droid responded with a disappointing whine then rolled out of the chess table and to the front entrance.

Shayera, with no real reason to be out of her room since Luke was leaving, was about to head towards her room. A little part of her wanted Luke to stay a little longer. Whether she didn't want to be alone with Aquaman or just wanted to talk more with Luke was beyond her. Part of her got somewhat surprised, happy, and weary when Luke stopped her.

"Hey, Shayera, Do you have a moment?"

Answering Luke by turning to him and showing her curiosity, "What's up, Luke?"

"I'm just wondering if you would like to come back to our home with Artoo and me."

Confusion showed in Shayera's eyes. "Erm, uh, what?" is what Shayera managed to utter in her befuddlement.

Luke gave a welcoming smile to her. "I said, I would like you to come over to my house."

Shayera got what Luke meant, she was confused and puzzled about his reasoning, "Why?" she asked.

Luke gave Shayera a shrug of honesty, "Shayera, you've been stuck here for at least two months. Doctor Fate and Inza have been worrying about you staying in your room all day. The world exists outside of here, you know?"

Realization dawned on her that Luke was right, Shayera had been inside for a while too long now. She just realized that he said two months when she thought she'd been here for a few weeks, not two months. She thought about how time goes by quickly when looking at yourself in the mirror all the time. She reminded herself of Luke's offer and how it might not be such a bad idea to do so.

Then a fearful thought entered her, what if someone spots her? The World has already shown their opinions of her after the invasion. She couldn't imagine being confronted by people who were impacted by her actions, let alone seeing her former team again. That last thought made her stomach twist. It made her want to shrivel up and lay motionless like a dying animal, welcoming the darkness of the universe clouding her vision. The possibility of the League coming to her if she goes outside gave her the feeling that the wounds she received from her final fight with Hro two months ago re-open and fester. Phantom pains both physical and mental mocked her at that moment.

She doesn't want to think about meeting Diana with her fiery stare at Shayera for the audacity of showing her face. She couldn't bear to imagine dealing with Bruce's Bat-glare. She wouldn't be able to handle the disappointing looks of J'onn, Clark, and Wally.

The final "What If" that caused her even more distress, that bled her dry of any happiness like a leech, that caused an ache in her heart as if someone jabbed a knife in her chest, was seeing the face of John Stewart in pain and agony. That right there, was the the nail of the coffin for whatever was left of her warrior spirit that remained after the invasion. Seeing John again would be just a salt in the wound.

The moment she wanted to be with Luke, was the same moment her fears resurfaced and shut down her excitement. Just like her mood, her face lowered. Her eyes detached from Luke's gaze, "Luke, I don't think it's a good idea for me to be outside right now." She didn't bother to hide her attitude change.

Instead of yelling or complaining about her never-ceasing self-doubts. Instead of saying, "Oh well, I tried." and leaving her. Instead of losing faith and even trust in her like her friends did, and rightfully so, he was still patient and pressed on. And maybe that was the reason why he was so compelling to her.

"Shayera," he said calmly, but firmly at the same time. "Is this how you're going to live the rest of your life?" he gestures around them, "Living in solitude while the rest of the world moves on?" Luke stepped closer, forcing Shayera to look into his sky-blue eyes, "Is this how you want yourself, fearing how people think of you? People shouldn't live in fear of how others think about them, especially you."

He puts his gloved hand on her shoulder. Shayera noticed his strong grip though it was as gentle as possible. Shayera tried to protest, "Luke...I-" Luke however didn't let up.

"Please, Shayera, All I'm asking is to come with me and Artoo back to our house. No one but us, Not the world, not the League, just us."

"Us," Shayera thought to herself. That word seemed to bring her back from her doubts. That word when involving her and Luke just seemed so right and natural, but she couldn't put it together. Part of Shayera wanted to stay here in her provided room. But every time she was with Luke, the world just felt so different around him. Different enough to get out of bed.

"Alright," Shayera conceded, "You win, I'll go."