Hard To Say Goodbye (Month 4, 54 BBY)

32 BBY - The Trade Federation escalates a scintillating trade dispute by blockading Naboo. C-3PO and R2-D2 meet for the first time. Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn and his Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi discover Force-sensitive Anakin Skywalker on Tatooine and save him from slavery.
Queen Padme Amidala leads the liberation of Naboo, where Obi-Wan slices Darth Maul in two – sending him tumbling to his apparent death. Palpatine is elected Chancellor of the Republic, while Anakin starts his Jedi training. Galaxy watches both their careers with great interest.
Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas commissions Kaminoan cloners to build an army for the Republic.

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Tarion’s ship the Cestus, a modified Imperial Assault Shuttle headed toward a larger ship that had cut its engines. The larger ship was the Endurance, a Venator class star destroyer. The Jedi Master Mace Windu’s ship.

Tarian Keldera looked over at his wife who held their infant daughter in her arms. He piloted the shuttle with Amara in the co-pilot's seat. There was no one else aboard right then. If anyone discovered what they were doing. Anyone at all it could be very dangerous for them and for their daughter.

Talzin, the Nightmother of the Nightsister coven on Dathomir had foreseen that Kaia, their daughter would replace her one day. Kaia had been identified as force sensitive and their only real choice to keep her from Talzin and the Sith was to give her to the Jedi. Tarion turned to his wife Amara. “Are you certain this is what you want?” He asked.

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The Endurance…

“Sir, may I ask who's on that shuttle? It has an Imperial configuration,” Captain Wiegan asked as he stood next to The Jedi Master. “No you may not,” Mace replied. “But if they raise shields or charge weapons, blow them out of the sky,” He said.

Amara held her daughter tightly in her arms. The infant looked up at her with her green eyes. Amara noticed that they were flecked with gold. She brushed back the infant’s red hair and looked over at Tarian, her husband. “What other choice do we have?” She did not want to give her up, but she knew she would be safe there...at least she hoped she would.

As they approached the ship, Amara could sense her old Jedi Master, Mace Windu, aboard. Their last encounter had not been a good one. She knew this meeting would be tense, but she was trusting Master Windu to take her daughter.

Mace could feel his old Pedowan as the shuttle drew closer. The last time they had met they had actually fought lightsaber to lightsaber. But her job was just to delay him. He hadn’t realized it right away. And ultimately she had escaped. The problem was he wasn’t certain if he could strike her down. Even though now she was a Sith.

“I’ll go to the shuttle bay alone,” Mace said. “Order everyone else out,” he added and then turned away from the Captain.

Tarian folded the wings up into their landing position as the shuttle began its final approach toward the Endurance. “We May never see her again,” Tarian said. “Regardless of our choices...she was born of our love for one another,” he said. “My love of you Amara,” he said in a softer tone.

Amara looked at Tarian and her eyes met his. Their love for one another was strong and true. They shared quiet, passionate, and intimate moments together. It had been their love for each other they had produced their daughter, Kaia. Amara wasn’t sure if she was going to be able to hand over her daughter to Master Windu, but she knew he would only accept Kaia from her. She handed her over to Tarian though so he could hold her one last time and say goodbye to her.

They exited the shuttle and Amara found herself face to face with her old Master. She could sense the tension rise and she slowly took Kaia from Tarian and took a step towards Master Windu. She had been one of the best apprentices at that time she had met Tarian. Mace had been extremely upset that she had turned away from the Light Side and she wasn’t sure what he might say to her.

Tarian leaned down and gave his sweet daughter a kiss on her forehead. “I love you,” he whispered to her then handed her back to his wife. Mace Windu hasn’t changed at all since the last time he saw him. He was one of the best Jedi there ever was and Master Yoda’s right hand. There would be no need for lightsabers today…he hoped.

Seeing Amara again wasn’t easy but Mace kept his calm if with a bit of effort. He raised his hand when he saw Amara’s lips move as if she were about to say something. “I have nothing more to say that hasn’t already been said Amara,” Mace said. He could feel the dark side of the force was strong with her. With them both.

“She will be trained as a Jedi and no one will know where she came from,” Mace said plainly. Tarian clenched his fists as he watched Amara hand the infant over. It just felt...wrong to give her up like this but he knew that they had to. What his heart wanted was for them to be a family. What his head wanted was for Kaia to be safe and to grow and learn like any father would. Mace carefully accepted the child and his eyes were aggressive toward Amara.

Amara reached out and gently caressed Kaia’s head one last time. There was no doubt that Amara loved her and didn’t want to give her up, but she was doing the best thing for her. The tension between Mace and herself continued to grow and Kaia stepped back. She glanced at Tarian. “We should go.”

She took one last look at Kaia and then quickly got back onto the shuttle.

Tarian's insides wanted to rip him into shreds as he turned with Amara to go back into the shuttle. He was surprised when he was able to pull the shuttle away from the Endurance and once he was far enough away he unfolded the wings and prepared a hyrperspace jump away. Once the ship's course was set he set his hand on the hyperspace motivator. He felt Amaras hand on top of his as he activated it and they jumped away.

He leaned back from the controls and kissed her hand. Tarion looked over at his wife and saw real tears fall from her eyes. "Amara...go, take your ease. Be with Kevan, he should be waking soon," Tarion said just as their Protocol droid stepped up toward them.

Amara had not looked back. She knew if she had that she would run back and grab her daughter from Mace's arms. She needed to keep her safe and this was the only way. They boarded the ship and Amara took her seat next to her husband. As the shuttle pulled away from the Endurance, Amara felt tears come to her eyes. Most people believed that the Sith were completely devoid of emotion. That was not the case. Amara and Tarian felt all the emotions of everyone else...love, pain, sadness, guilt...all things that Amara felt in that moment.

She was lost in her own little world until she felt Tarian's hand upon her own. She felt him pick it up and kiss it. She heard his suggestion and she nodded and slowly stood up and walked back to check on their son, Kevan. Kevan was Kaia's twin brother. He looked more like his father, while Kaia had looked more like her. She sensed Kevan stir and she picked him up and began to nurse him.