The Jedi From Earth: A Star Wars Story #Wattys2023

Part 176

********, Imperial Palace
Shawn was halfway to his room when he stumbled and almost collapsed in the middle of the hallway from dizziness and mental fatigue, if he didn't do as he was told he was punished regardless of how wrong it was, if he did it anyway he felt guilty even taking part in it even if it was Vess who had his saber hilt at Brans throat. He was damned to a purgatory of psychological torment now, far worse than before, except now he was around the tormentors all the time now, one of whom only saw him as a tool for his own power, the other a defiant servant in need of discipline.

Upon getting back he simply laid down slowly while putting his hand to his cheek which had turned into a faintly purple bruise. Shawn's mental state was all over the place now. Sad, angry, and frustrated, he slammed his fist against the wall from all of it. Then there was a knock, "Shawn? You ok?" Mara's gentle voice asked. He wanted to be alone but also wanted someone to tell but he had never known how loyal Mara was to the Emperor and if she would keep whatever he said to herself or tell him. "Yea" he called out but it came out sounding more pained than he meant to which Mara heard and sensed. The door opened and she walked in, when she turned the corner he looked at her still holding his cheek.

"What happened?" She asked with major concern, "Vader" Shawn said then took his hand away and she gasped, "d-did he hit you?!" She said with shock and anger but then calmed, "Yes" Shawn said but he still sounded hurt, Mara walked over and sat down next to him placing her hand on his cheek making him wince a little, but strangely her silk touch seemed to make the pain go down a little. "Oh Shawn" Mara said with concern still, "why'd he do that?" She asked. Shawn shrugged but got choked up, "I don't know", "I don't know why all this happened to me" he said on the verge of tears now.

"What happened?" Mara asked caressing his cheek with her thumb, "being ripped from my home, dealing with these heartless people all the time, I'm so sick of it" Shawn said as tears flowed while he sat up. "All the stuff they've made me do I'd never'ev done on my own, watching them kill and torture people is just too much" He said as Mara hugged him rubbing the back of his head while he hugged her back. "I wish this was all just a dream I could wake up from" Shawn said while sobbing. "It's not your fault" Mara reassured, "I moved that pencil of course it is my fault" Shawn said though he had no control over what he said now and not even he could believe it.

"No it wasn't, you didn't know what you were doing it was an innocent mistake" Mara said still rubbing the back of his head and speaking softly, "my parents only let Vader take me out of fear of him, I don't like them too sometimes but it doesn't mean I have no conscience" Mara said, "if there's anything I've learned from dealing with em, it's you can't let them break you like this, then they really win". Sadness still washed over Shawn as she spoke making him tremble as though he were cold, "I wanna go home" He stammered. "I know, we've all gone through it too, you're not alone in it", Mara explained still while caressing the back of his head with the same gentleness of her voice.

"Maarek had the same problem when you were home at one point believe it or not, he has problems with being anxious and missed his parents and Kuan, even said he wanted to sneak away but knew it wouldn't go over well and he had a bad attack but Lumiya calmed him down like I'm doing right now" Mara still said as soft as silk which made Shawn calm down a bit. "Just know when we're around you'll never be alone" she said backing up and looking him right in the eye with a concerned look.

"Thanks" Shawn said wiping his eyes, Mara smiled a little making Shawn smile a little too but the sensation of it felt foreign almost as it was only on occasion now when he did smile, though it wasn't for long. She kissed him on the other cheek then stood up, "I'll get something else for your cheek" Mara said teasingly almost before walking out, leaving him alone.

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The next day was different, Shawn felt not exactly at ease yet not under threat either. Somehow the darkness that constantly seeped out of the Emperor's sanctum of Sith artifacts managed to not intrude his mind that night, sparing him any terrifying visions of what might've happened. He simply wandered around the massive structure as usual, only he had a square shaped white bandage taped onto his cheek with a healing ointment underneath. Some redness still showed around it though and Shawn was worried one of the others would see it and so he wandered the far upper levels where he'd never been before to purposely avoid them. He did feel guilty about avoiding them however, especially Mara, he wondered if she was looking for him. Though she would've found him by now if she was.

The upper echelons of the palace contained less rooms than elsewhere, the only significant rooms were the meeting chambers of the Ruling Council and the offices of Mas Amedda, including those of the Emperor's closest advisors. Shawn was walking slow down one of the halls merely thinking to himself when he heard something coming from a darkened room across the hall, he stopped and listened to it, the sound was like a faint scream of sorts, many screams. Walking away was a no brainer but anything pertaining to the Force was something that was somehow alluring to Shawn. He walked over to the room and looked in, it was empty and darkened, then he spotted a mask of sorts on a pedestal to his right where the screams were coming from. Stepping in Shawn felt cold being near the mask that now made faint voice like sounds.

The talisman felt like ice pressed on his chest now though it was tolerable, Shawn reached up at the mask and the voices got louder, sounding more whisper like, and louder and louder. "Who are you?" A clipped male voice asked from behind. Shawn jolted a little and turned around to see a middle aged pale skinned man standing there. "I'm sorry sir for coming in" Shawn apologized profusely, the man raised an eyebrow, "are you? Or were you simply intrigued by anything?" The man said walking in to the other end of the room and setting a datapad down. Shawn was unsure how to answer the question, if the man knowingly or unknowingly had an artifact that must've been a gift from the Emperor which emanated the dark side he'd be confused if he said that.

Though based on the crimson and gold attire the man wore suggested he was a politician of sorts or someone lower. "Well, young man?" The man asked once more though it wasn't an overtly probing tone either but a questioning one. "I uh, thought I heard something, from that" Shawn replied gesturing at the mask for a second and the man raised an eyebrow. "Ah, the mask" he said, "it belonged to an unknown warrior of the Sith who fought in one the Battles Of Ruusan, a thousand years ago or so" The man said then looked at Shawn with a curious look. "Although I've never encountered anyone whose mentioned hearing something from it". Now Shawn wanted to know who this was, "if you don't mind Sir, who are you?".

"I am Yupe Tashu, an advisor to the Emperor, he gifted that to me" The man replied, "now tell me young man, who are you?". "My names Shawn, sir" Shawn replied, "I'm an Emperor's-"Shawn started but Tashu cut him off. "An Emperor's Hand are we? Ah, interesting, I'm presuming you are attuned to the Force are you not?" Tashu asked but Shawn was unsure how to respond to a question like that, obviously Tashu knew of those who used the Force though may've never seen it demonstrated to him or only thought of it as a deity. Shawn was about to answer when a familiar mans voice said, "it wouldn't be wise to interrogate him like a prisoner" Colonel Yularen said to Tashu walking in. "Ah, afternoon Colonel" Tashu greeted then made a dismissive gesture to Shawn who quickly made it out of there.