"THE DARKER SIDE OF SAYID JARRAH"
When it comes to Sayid's less pleasant side of his personality, many fans tend to focus upon his former position as a interrogator for the Iraqi Army. Yet, hardly anyone has ever pointed out some of Sayid's other unpleasant traits.
One, he is self-righteous and prone to make assumptions about others with knowing all of the facts or even bothering to investigate.Two, his anger has led him to not only make these assumptions, but react in a negative way. Sayid's anger led him to attack Ana-Lucia and Eko for Shannon's death . . . without bothering to find out what really happened in "Collision". His anger had also led him to attack Ben on two occasions in Season Two and turn Michael into the freighter's captain in Season Four's "Meet Kevin Johnson" without considering how Michael could help the Losties deal with Widmore's hired thugs.
He has committed some awful acts on Nadia's behalf. He murdered a fellow soldier in cold blood to allow Nadia to escape. He betrayed his own people for her . . . and he didn't exactly share her political beliefs. Later, he betrayed an old college friend to the CIA and the Australian Intelligence on Nadia's behalf. I don't think he really cared one way or the other about the terrorist cell in Sydney. He simply wanted information on Nadia. And in his grief and anger over Nadia's death, he allowed himself to become Ben's minion after his departure from the island . . . without any real knowledge of what was going on.
It is interesting in how some of his traits remind me of Jack and other traits remind me of Michael - two characters that are not very popular with "LOST" fans.
”STAR TREK VOYAGER: Love on a Starship”
I am not going to deceive myself and pretend that the relationship between Captain Kathryn Janeway and her First Officer, Commander Chakotay, lacked any chemistry. Of course there had been chemistry. Even a blind person could have sensed the chemistry between them just by listening to their dialogue. But while I will admit the enormous dynamics between the two characters, I never could see the possibility of a ”happily ever after” for them. Not while the pair served as the command team of the U.S.S. Voyager.
When many ”STAR TREK VOYAGER” fans had first started speculating upon the possible futures for the main characters during the series’ early Season Seven, for some reason I had foreseen a tragic ending in the Janeway/Chakotay relationship. I figured that the Captain or the First Officer would bite the dust in the finale, leaving the others to mourn and regret their decision not to pursue a romance during Voyager’s nearly seven years in the Delta Quadrant. This feeling was reinforced in the episode, (7.11) “Shattered”, when Season Seven Chakotay not only revealed the lack of romance in their relationship to the Season One Janeway, but also expressed regret in his words . . . and tone:JANEWAY: Mind if I ask you one last question?
CHAKOTAY: Will I have to break the Temporal Prime Directive to answer it?
JANEWAY: Maybe, just a little. For two people who started off as enemies it seems we get to know each other pretty well, so I've been wondering. Just how close do we get?
CHAKOTAY: Let's just say there are some barriers we never cross.
Both Kate Mulgrew (Kathryn Janeway) and the series’ producers had expressed opposition against an affair between Janeway and Chakotay. They have repeatedly stated that it would be appropriate for the two to get involved in a romance. At first, I had believed that she, Rick Berman, Michael Piller, Jeri Taylor and later, Brannon Braga and Kenneth Biller were being obtuse. Now that I have had a chance to think about it, I have managed to see their point of view. They were right. A romance between Janeway and Chakotay could have lead to many problems.
I have never believed that a good idea for someone in a position of power to have a romance with a subordinate. If you think that it is difficult for equals to maintain a relationship, it might be doubly so for a superior and his/her subordinate. There is a great deal of potential for resentment from one partner, subjugation from the other and manipulation from both sides. Chakotay’s relationship with Voyager’s Chief Engineer, B’Elanna Torres, is a mild example of this. I had been one of those fans who had been relieved by the quiet death of B’Elanna’s infatuation with the First Officer by late Season Two. Do not get me wrong. Chakotay was a fine First Officer. Frankly, I have always felt that he was one of the best in the entire ”TREK” franchise. But he had an unfortunate habit of dealing with B’Elanna’s temperament by inflicting his will upon her, using his position as her superior officer. I am not saying that Chakotay did not have the right to behave this way toward B’Elanna. After all, he was Voyager’s First Officer. But he was also supposed to be one of B’Elanna’s closest friends. If he and B’Elanna had such moments during their ”friendship”, can you imagine how damaging this would have been to any romance that may have sprung between them? Remember when I had mentioned the possibility of resentment? Well, even B’Elanna eventually expressed her resentment of being chastised by Chakotay in the Season Five episode, (5.21) “Juggernaut”:
CHAKOTAY: Your concerns are noted. Get them inoculated. We'll meet you in Transporter Room one. We're trying to avoid explosions, remember?
TORRES: Not another lecture about my emotions.
CHAKOTAY: No, a lecture about how to treat guests aboard this ship.
TORRES: Guests? Chakotay, these people are the scourge of the quadrant.
CHAKOTAY: Agreed, but right now they're our only hope of repairing that freighter, so I suggest you make friends.
TORRES: Diplomacy. Janeway's answer to everything.
CHAKOTAY: This isn't the Captain talking, it's me, and I'm giving you an order. Keep your temper in check. Understood? Understood?
TORRES: Yeah.
CHAKOTAY: I didn't hear you.
TORRES: Yes.
CHAKOTAY: B'Elanna, I need your expertise on this mission, not your bad mood.
TORRES: I'll see what I can do.
Like Chakotay, Janeway was not above using her position to inflict her will upon the crew members under her command, regardless of whether she was right or wrong. And we have seen how Chakotay had reacted when he believed that she was wrong . . . especially in (3.26) “Scorpion I” and (4.01) “Scorpion II”:
CHAKOTAY: How much is our safety worth?
JANEWAY: What do you mean?
CHAKOTAY: We'd be giving an advantage to a race guilty of murdering billions. We'd be helping the Borg assimilate yet another species just to get ourselves back home. It's wrong!
JANEWAY: Tell that to Harry Kim. He's barely alive thanks to that species. Maybe helping to assimilate them isn't such a bad idea. We could be doing the Delta Quadrant a favour.
CHAKOTAY: I don't think you really believe that. I think you're struggling to justify your plan, because your desire to get this crew home is blinding you to other options. I know you, Kathryn. Sometimes you don't know when to step back.
JANEWAY: Do you trust me, Chakotay?
CHAKOTAY: That's not the issue.
JANEWAY: Oh, but it is. Only yesterday you were saying that we'd face this together, that you'd be at my side.
CHAKOTAY: I still have to tell you what I believe. I'm no good to you if I don't do that.
JANEWAY: I appreciate your insights but the time for debate is over. I've made my decision. Now, do I have your support?
CHAKOTAY: You're the Captain. I'm the First Officer. I'll follow your orders. That doesn't change my belief that we're making a fatal mistake.
JANEWAY: Then I guess I'm alone, after all. Dismissed.
Had there been any semblance of hope of a romance between Kathryn Janeway and Chakotay? Perhaps. If Chakotay’s Maquis ship had remained intact following the battle against the Kazon-Ogla in (1.02) “Caretaker II”. Both the Starfleet and the Maquis captains could have become allies in the Delta Quandrant. And they could have engaged in a romance as equals. They also could have begun a relationship if Voyager’s crew had never rescued them from New Earth in (2.25) “Resolutions”. To this day, I still wonder if Janeway had ever learned of Harry Kim’s role in that rescue. That would explain his inability to earn a promotion during those seven years in the Delta Quadrant. As for Janeway and Chakotay, there seemed to be a residual of flirtation between the two after their rescue from New Earth that lasted through most of Season Three. This flirtation eventually died after Chakotay’s romance with ex-Borg Riley Fraizer in (3.17) “Unity”.
In the end, Chakotay began a relationship with another former Borg drone, Voyager’s own Seven-of-Nine by late Season Seven. As for Janeway, she ended up in a relationship with Michael Sullivan, a holographic character created by Chief Helmsman Tom Paris’ for his Fair Haven program. She also had a relationship with Norvalian named Jaffen, after her memory was altered for work at a power plant on Quarren in the Season Seven episode, (7.16-7.17) “Workforce I & II”. When she regained her original memory she suggested that he join Voyager’s crew as an engineer. But she also pointed out that it would not be appropriate as they were romantically involved. Jaffen had decided to remain on Quarren.
Could Janeway and Chakotay have pursued a romance upon Voyager’s return to the Alpha Quadrant? I really do not how to answer this question. Chakotay had assumed command of Voyager, in the post-series ”VOYAGER” novels and Janeway was promoted to vice-admiral. On one hand, there was a chance that he might not have found himself under her direct command. Then again . . . he probably did. But the only way I could see a romance between Janeway and Chakotay was if they had both resigned their Starfleet commissions, one of them resigned from Starfleet or if Chakotay found himself at the same rank as Janeway. Other than the above, I can never see a serious romance between the two . . . even though I believe they were emotionally suited for one another.
"CROSSROADS OF THE FORCE"
CHAPTER NINETEEN
LARS MOISTURE FARM, TATOOINE
One aspect of his visits to Uncle Owen’s farm that Luke has never liked was doing chores. Quite frankly, he disliked waking up in the early hours of the morning to work on the farm. Chores that included picking mushrooms from the water vaporator’s base. Which he and Leia found themselves doing on this early morning.
Words unsuited for eleven year-olds quietly streamed from Luke’s mouth before he could stop himself. Leia gasped. “What did you just say?” she demanded.
“Nothing,” Luke mumbled. “I didn’t say anything.” He knew that his twin sister disliked these chores as much as he did. But Leia had developed the fine art of hiding her dislike behind an air of self-righteous duty. Luke found her charade annoying. Secretly, he longed to master a similar façade.
A hooded figure loomed in Luke’s vision, as he briefly glanced up. A stranger. An alarm clock went off inside his mind. Both Mother and Aunt Beru had repeatedly told both Luke and Leia about their grandmother’s fate. Years ago, Shmi Skywalker had been picking mushrooms near one of the vaporators when the Sand People kidnapped her. By the time her son, Anakin, had found her, Grandmother had died.
“Leia!” Luke barked in a sharp voice. “We’ve got company!”
The eleven year-old girl peered at the stranger walking toward them. “He looks familiar.”
But Luke barely heard his sister. He grabbed her arm and tried to drag her toward the adobe-shaped homestead. “Uncle Owen!” he cried. “Someone’s coming!”
The grizzled moisture farmer emerged from the garage, carrying a blaster rifle. “Did you see who’s coming?” he asked.
“I didn’t recognize him.”
Leia added, “Well, he looks familiar to me.” Uncle Owen glanced sharply at her. He brushed past the twins to approach the stranger. Luke and Leia followed.
The stranger finally approached the trio and threw back his hood. Luke immediately recognized Uncle Owen’s neighbor, Ben Kenobi. Much to his embarrassment, Leia gave him a triumphant smirk.
Surprisingly, Uncle Owen did not seem happy to see his neighbor. “What are you doing here?” he growled.
Master Kenobi shot a brief smile at both Luke and Leia. “I do not mean to intrude, but I require your help. I . . .” He shot another glance at the twins. “Do you mind if we speak alone?”
“Why?” Uncle Owen demanded. Then he frowned at Luke and Leia. “Have you received bad news about . . .?”
Master Kenobi shook his head. “No. This has something to do with a friend. My friend . . . who had left here with Senator Organa and the children’s mother.”
“What happened to your friend?” Leia asked.
A long pause followed. Uncle Owen indicated that he and Master Kenobi step aside for a more private discussion – much to Luke’s dismay. Several minutes passed before the moisture farmer returned to the twins. “Leia, Luke . . . Master Kenobi requires a lift to Mos Eisley. Tell your aunt that I should return in time for supper.”
Mos Eisley! Luke’s mind lept at the chance for a trip to Tatooine’s bustling capital. “May I come, Uncle Owen?” he asked.
The moisture farmer sternly replied, “No! You and Leia are to stay here with your aunt and Madga. Help them do the chores around the farm.”
“But Uncle Owen!” Luke protested.
“You heard me, Luke. The answer is no. Mos Eisley is not a safe place for a young man, such as yourself. It isn’t Anchorhead.” Uncle Owen said to his neighbor, “We best leave now. I want to get back at least before dusk.” As he and Master Kenobi started to head for the garage, the farmer added, “By the way, you two, make sure that you tell your aunt where I’ve gone. I don’t want her to be unnecessarily worried.”
“Yes, Uncle Owen,” the young pair declared at the same time.
Minutes later, the two men raced away from the homestead in Uncle Owen’s landspeeder. Luke’s eyes followed them with envy. Aunt Beru, Madga and C3-P0 joined the two siblings outside. “What’s going on?” Aunt Beru asked.
Threepio answered, “It looks as if Master Owen has left, Mistress.”
Annoyance crept into Aunt Beru’s eyes, while an amused smile nearly tugged at Madga’s lips. “I’m aware of that, Threepio,” the farmer’s wife retorted. “But for where?”
“He took Master Kenobi to Mos Eisley,” Leia replied. “I think that Master Kenobi has gone to meet that friend who was with Mother and Uncle Bail.”
Concern replaced the mildly amused expression on Madga’s face. “Has this something to do with your mother?”
“I don’t think so,” Aunt Beru replied. “Leia had mentioned something about Master Kenobi’s friend.
The protocol droid commented, “Did you say . . . Master Kenobi, Mistress? That name sounds . . .”
“Threepio!” Aunt Beru barked. “I need you to communicate with the moisture vaporators in the west field.”
Threepio’s head tilted in a manner that expressed his confusion. “But Miss Beru! I thought you had wanted me to . . .”
“Later. With Owen gone, we need to see to the west fields, first,” Beru firmly insisted.
The protocol droid sighed heavily and started toward the west fields. “I will never understand humans,” he lammented loud enough for the others to hear. “So contradictory.” Luke wondered what Threepio was about to say about Master Kenobi.”
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THANI, TELOS IV
The Javian Hawk finally broke out of hyperspace just 20 parsecs from the Telos IV System. Another hour passed before Anakin guided the starship through the planet’s atmosphere and toward the capital city of Thani. Once the Hawk rolled into one of the spaceport’s hangars, Anakin turned to his co-pilot. “You might as well collect our fee from the good senator. Something tells me that she has no desire to speak to me.”
Han hesitated. Then he nodded weakly. “Yeah. Sure.”
Anakin checked the Hawk’s system carefully, in an attempt to delay leaving the cockpit. When he realized that he had nothing else to do, he slowly . . . and very reluctantly eased out of his seat and left the cockpit. To his dismay, he discovered that the two Maldarian women had not left.
“I want to convey my gratitude before leaving,” Senator Dahlma said in her most regal manner. “If it had not been for you, Captain Solo and Master Chewbacca, Igraine and I would be dead. Or in Imperial hands.”
A tight smile briefly appeared on Anakin’s lips. “It was our pleasure, Senator.”
“I doubt it,” the senator curtly replied. “I’m afraid that I can be a bit difficult. As for your fee . . . I have already compensated Captain Solo and Master Chewbacca.” She held out her hand. “Your credit chip, please.” Anakin handed over the object. After the senator deposited his fee, she returned it. “Good day, Captain . . .” She paused. “Is it still Captain Horus?”
“Yes, Milady.”
A mixture of a grimace and a smile twisted the senator’s lips. “Of course. Captain Horus. Well . . . good-bye.” She started down the Hawk’s boarding ramp. Both Han and Chewbacca followed closely, carrying her baggage.
Anakin turned to Igraine, whose eyes seemed unwilling to meet his. “Will you and Senator Dahlma be fine, here on Telos IV?”
The young woman nodded. “Yes. Senator Dahlma had made arrangement to meet a colleague from the Alliance, in case the Empire learned of her whereabouts.”
More silence fell between the two. Anakin realized that he could no longer remain silent. “Look Igraine . . . is there any chance . . .? I mean, is it possible if we could continue to remain in contact with one another?”
Green eyes lifted to meet Anakin’s. Wariness and a touch of hope filled them. “There had been stories that children had been killed during the attack on the Jedi Temple. I believe they were called younglings. Is this true?”
Anakin inhaled deeply. “Yes.”
“Oh.” Igraine briefly glanced away. Then her gaze returned to his face. “Did you . . . did you kill . . . any of them?”
Igraine’s questions brought back dark memories for Anakin. Memories of the last time he and Padme had laid eyes upon one another. And that meeting had ended with his attempt to strangle his wife. A sigh of defeat left Anakin’s mouth. “Yes,” he finally answered.
Green eyes widened in shock. Despair soon settled within them before she glanced away once more. “I see.” In a cool voice, she added, “Well . . . good-bye, Set . . . or whatever your name is.” She tried to smile and eventually gave up the attempt. Then she squared her shoulders. “Good-bye.” The Maldarian woman marched down the boarding ramp and out of Anakin’s life.
The former Jedi ruefully watched her retreating figure. “Good-bye, Milady,” he quietly murmured.
Once Igraine and Senator Dahlma had departed the hangar in a taxi transport, Anakin joined his companions at the bottom of the ramp. “The Hawk has enough anti-matter pods for one light speed jump. I figure that we can make Corellia in one day.”
“Corellia?” Han looked startled. “Why?”
“For a new ship,” Anakin replied. He noticed the uneasy expression on Han’s face. “What are you worried about? Garris Shrike has been dead for the past two years.” Anakin referred to Han’s former employer, a ruthless mercenary from whom the Corellian had ran away ten years ago.
Han sighed. “I know. But why do we need a new ship?”
“To replace the Hawk.” Han opened his mouth to protest, but Anakin continued. “We have no choice, Han. Especially with Rom . . . Rasche still alive.” He turned to Chewbacca. “By the way, you’re free of any life debt to me. In fact, you’ve been free ever since we first met.”
The Wookie regarded Anakin with an enigmatic expression. Then he growled several times. Anakin turned to Han for a translation. The Corellian said, “As you know, Chewie is well aware that you’re a former Jedi Knight. But he wants to know if you were also a Sith Lord.”
Anakin stared directly at the Wookie. “Yes, I was.”
Again, Chewbacca growled. Han translated., “He wants to know why you became one.”
After a brief hesitation, Anakin calmly answered, “Because I had thought becoming a Sith would give me the power to save someone that I loved. I was wrong. I lost her, a good friend of mine and everything else I had cared for.”
Chewbacca growled once more. “If you’re that evil,” Han translated, “why did you save me from the Imperials?”
A sigh left Anakin’s lips. “Why not? You looked like you needed help. And I used to be a slave, myself. When I was a kid on Tatooine.”
Han added, “Anakin had told me about himself when we first met. But he also he also took me in at a time when I really needed his help. So . . . I’ve been with him ever since.”
A long pause followed before Chewbacca responded with a growl. “He’s staying,” Han said. “No matter what.”
Warm relief spread within Anakin’s chest. He felt an urge to hug the Wookie out of gratitude. Instead, he placed a hand on Chewbacca’s forearm and warmly replied, “I’m glad. Welcome to the crew.” With a sigh, he added, “Now about the Hawk . . .”
“Why bother trading the Hawk for another ship?” Han scornfully retorted. “If we ever run into Rasche again, just take care of him like you did the last time.”
Anakin shot back, “May I remind you that I had a hell of a time taking care of Rasche in the first place. And I would also have to deal with his master, who happens to be a lot more powerful.”
Han grumbled, “All right. I get the picture. But can’t we at least get a room to stay the night on this piece of rock. I’m pretty tired and I haven’t had a wink of sleep since yesterday.”
Anakin hesitated. The idea of being in the same vicinity as the dark-haired, green-eyed Igraine popped into his head. “We still got time to make for the nearest system before the end of the day. But . . . I see no reason to get a bite to eat before stacking up on supplies. Do you?”
Han and Chewbacca agreed to the suggestion. Before long, the two humans and the Wookie left the hangar and merged into the streets of Thani.
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ALDERA, ALDERAAN
Upon his arrival on Alderaan, Obi-Wan disembarked from the freighter transport and was surprised to find a familiar figure waiting for him near one of the landing platforms at Aldera’s spaceport. “Captain Antilles,” the former Jedi Master greeted. “It is good to see you again after so many years.”
The royal liaison smiled warmly. “Master Kenobi, welcome to Alderaan. I only wish that your visit had to do more pleasant circumstances.”
The two men headed for a nearby shuttle. “How is he?” Obi-Wan continued. “How is Master Olin?”
Antilles gave his head a rueful shake. “Barely hanging on, I’m afraid. It is curious. With such a wound, Master Olin should have been dead by now. Perhaps he is getting better.”
That remained to be seen. However, Obi-Wan kept his dark thoughts to himself. The shuttle conveyed the two men toward Alderaan’s seat of power – Aldera Palace. To Obi-Wan’s surprise, the shuttle did not land near the palace. Instead, it settled down upon an expansive green lawn that stretched between a wide lagoon and a two-story villa. “Where are we?” Obi-Wan demanded.
“The family’s private villa,” Antilles replied. “Guests of the Royal Family sometimes stay here. Or Her Majesty and His Highness sometimes use it for privacy. Senator Amidala and her children had lived here for nearly a year.”
The two men disembarked from the shuttle. Captain Antilles led the former Jedi inside the spacious villa. There they found three very anxious people inside a waiting room – Senator Organa, Padme and a tall, thin-faced woman in a modest dress. The senator turned away from the others to greet his new guest. “Master Kenobi, it is good to see you.” He shook the other man’s hand. Obi-Wan could see the anxiety gleaming in his dark eyes. “I am sorry to summon you like this, but Master Olin had requested your presence.”
“Captain Antilles has informed me that Ferus is . . . barely hanging on?” Obi-Wan asked.
Bail sighed. “It is a miracle that he is still alive.” Obi-Wan’s eyes fell upon a slightly opened door. As he started toward it, the Alderaanian prince stopped him. “I had come here to deliver news for Padme, you might as well know. I had just received word from one of my colleagues in the Alliance – Garm Iblis. All of those who had been at Ord Mantell for the conference had escaped.”
“Thank goodness,” Padme declared with a sigh. “Including Zoebeida?”
Obi-Wan frowned. “Whom?”
“Senator Zoebeida of Maldare. She was amongst those present at the conference,” Padme explained.
“What does this have to do with Ferus?”
Both Bail and Padme revealed the incident leading toward their departure from Ord Mantell. Obi-Wan was shocked to learn that not only was Darth Rasche present on the planet, but his former apprentice, as well. “Anakin? Anakin was there?”
Padme sighed. “As Senator Dahlma’s pilot. Rasche must have caught up with Zoebeida before he and Anakin fought. Master Olin tried to join in the fight – help Anakin, I mean – but he was shot by the Imperials.” She turned to Senator Organa. “You said that Zoebeida had managed to escape. Did Anakin, as well? Or . . . did someone else helped her escape?”
Senator Organa shook his head. “I’m sorry, Milady. I have no idea. But . . .” Obi-Wan held his breath. “. . . according to Garm, Lord Rasche had returned to Coruscant. Alive.”
“Oh no!”
“It’s not as bad as you might think,” the prince continued. “Garm also informed me that one of his spies had spotted Lord Rasche being carried into the Imperial Surgical Reconstruction Center with two missing hands.”
Padme whispered, “Anakin.”
Obi-Wan found himself conflicted by several emotions that include shock that Anakin had fought Lord Rasche, disappointment that his former apprentice had failed to kill the Sith Lord and relief that he might still be alive. Then Obi-Wan remembered . . . Ferus. “Pardon me, Your Highness, but about Ferus . . .”
The woman, who stood near Organa and Padme spoke up. “He is in the other room.” She nodded toward the opened door. “I only hope that he is still alive.”
The gloomy comments irked Obi-Wan, as he and Padme made their way into the other room. They found a badly wounded Ferus, stretched out on a wide bed, inside a large bedroom. The younger man’s face resembled pale parchment paper, leading Obi-Wan to surmise that Ferus was at death’s door.
“Good heavens!” The former Jedi Master rushed to his colleague’s bedside. “Ferus!” He sat next to the younger man and leaned forward to brush aside a few strands of hair from Ferus’ damp forehead. “How do you feel, Ferus?” Then he shook his head in self-admonishment. “What am I saying? You must feel horrible right now. But you will get better. You’ve managed to last this long.”
A sad smile touched Ferus’ dry lips. “I believe we both . . . know the truth, Obi-Wan,” the other man said between heavy breaths. Wide-eyed, Obi-Wan stared at him. “I won’t . . . won’t last very . . . long. I . . . used the Force to sta . . . stay alive . . . this long. Because I . . . wanted to see . . . you.”
“Don’t say that, Ferus. There is still a chance that . . .”
Ferus interrupted. “I saw . . . Anakin. On . . . well . . . I saw him.”
Obi-Wan nodded. “Yes, Senator Amidala had informed me. It’s possible that he may have seriously wounded Lord Rasche.”
“I know . . . know about . . . him. That . . . he was Va . . . Vader. We had a . . .”
“Please Ferus,” Obi-Wan pleaded. “Not now. Now is not the time to brood over unpleasantness.”
A slight, despairing laugh escaped from Ferus’ mouth. “Oh Obi-Wan. It’s too late . . . for me. Anakin . . . and Ro . . . Romu . . . lus . . . they were not . . . the only ones who-who-who . . . made . . .”
Made what? Obi-Wan regarded Ferus with wary eyes. “I don’t understand. What are you trying to say, Ferus?”
A long pause followed before Ferus answered. Obi-Wan listened in horror, as the other man haltingly revealed some very disturbing facts about his past. Apparently, Ferus had lied about the fate of his friend, Roan Lands. The latter had been killed at the hands of Darth Rasche. And Ferus ended up making a deal with Emperor Palpatine to get his revenge.
The news shook Obi-Wan to his core. “Why . . . why would you make such a deal, Ferus?”
The other man groaned in pain before he continued, “I . . . I wanted Rasche to pay for Roan . . . Roan’s death. I . . .” Shame crept into his golden brown eyes. “I never told . . . told Anakin this, but the Emperor . . . he . . .”
Dreading Ferus’ next words, Obi-Wan demanded harshly, “What about him?”
According to Ferus, Emperor Palpatine had offered to continue the younger man’s training with the Force. “To learn the . . . the ways of the Dark . . . Side.” He gasped. “To make me . . . make me strong enough . . . to face . . . face Rasche.”
“Oh no! No, Ferus!” The words came out of Obi-Wan’s mouth before he could stop himself. Ferus’ story appalled him on a level that he had not experienced since Anakin’s betrayal of the Jedi. To think that a stalwart and dependable man like Ferus would ever sell himself to the Sith in order to see revenge saddened him. And horrified him at the same time.
Ferus grabbed Obi-Wan’s robe. “But I didn’t . . . did not . . . remain . . . with the Emperor. I acted as a double agent . . . against him . . . at the same time.” Before long, Ferus realized that his desire for revenge was putting him in a dangerous position. He disappeared from sight and made his way to Alderaan for sanctuary. “I thought I had let go . . . you see. Let go of . . . of my desire for . . . revenge.” He sighed. “But when I saw Rasche again . . . I was . . .” A low, harsh laugh escaped from his mouth. “I certainly paid . . . paid the price . . . price this time.” He gasped slightly, before emitting a long, dry sigh.
Obi-Wan frowned. “Ferus? Are you . . .?” He stared at the younger man. Golden brown eyes devoid of any life stared back.
“I was about to get a glass of water for him,” Padme’s voice softly commented. “I guess he will no longer require it.” Obi-Wan glanced up at the former senator from Naboo, who stood on the other side of the bed. “I’m afraid he is no longer with us, Obi-Wan.”
The former Jedi Master sighed. “Yes. Yes, you are . . .” He broke off, fearful of the emotion that threatened to overwhelm him.
Concern flickered in Padme’s eyes. “Are you all right?”
Slowly, Obi-Wan took a deep breath. He allowed himself one last glance at the young man who had once been Siri Tachi’s ideal apprentice. His Siri. Only Ferus had become someone entirely different. Someone more complex. And now, both Ferus . . . and Siri were gone. Obi-Wan sighed and slowly stood up. “I am quite . . .”
Where had we gone wrong? The question spun within Obi-Wan’s mind, over and over again. He had viewed Ferus Olin as one of the Jedi’s last chances to revive the Order – to ensure that it had not died a devastating death in the aftermath of the Purge. Instead, Ferus compromised the Jedi ideals to form a questionable alliance with the Emperor . . . in order to avenge a friend’s death. Siri’s former apprentice managed to finally break away from that dark alliance. But the desire for revenge had remained. And it finally led to a slow and painful death for the younger man.
And how did Palpatine managed to do it? In the course of twenty years or so, the Sith Lord ended up corrupting a Jed Master, a former padawan and two Jedi Knights – Count Dooku, Ferus Olin, Romulus Wort and of course, Anakin. What did that tell him about the Jedi Order and its teachings from the past millennium?
Padme’s voice interrupted his thoughts. “Obi-Wan?”
“I’m fine. Really,” Obi-Wan managed to say. “I need . . . I need some air.” He made his way toward the bedroom’s balcony. It overlooked a magnificent view of the royal grounds. In the far distance, loomed snow-peaked mountains. Unfortunately, the view failed to eliminate his dark thoughts. Perhaps he simply needed to be alone. For a while.
As the former Jedi opened his mouth to speak, Padme said, “If you would excuse me, Obi-Wan, I need to speak to Captain Sen. About our trip back to Tatooine.” She quietly left the room, leaving Obi-Wan alone with his thoughts and memories.
END OF CHAPTER NINETEEN
In honor of today's inauguration of the new U.S. president and vice-president, Barack Obama and Joe Biden, I decided to list my top ten favorite movies centered around American presidents - whether they be historical or fictional:
"PRESIDENTIAL MOVIES"
1. "My Fellow Americans" (1996) - Jack Lemmon and James Garner portray two former presidents and political enemies - Republican Russell Kramer and Democrat Matt Douglas, who become reluctant allies when they become the target of a conspirator in President Haney's (Dan Ackroyd) administration. Lemmon and Garner were absolutely hilarious as the two feuding ex-presidents forced to become allies in an investigation into a political scandal in this witty and very funny spoof on U.S. politics.
2. "Thirteen Days" (2000) - Roger Donaldson directed this first-rate historical thriller about the Cuban Missle Crisis through the eyes of President John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy, Kenneth O'Donnell and other members of the Kennedy Administration. An excellent historical piece that starred Kevin Costner as O'Donnell, Bruce Greenwood as JFK and Steven Culp as Bobby Kennedy.
3. "The American President" (1995) - Michael Douglas and Annette Bening star in this Aaron Sorkin comedy-drama about a widowed U.S. president and a lobbyist who fall in love. It's all aboveboard, but "politics is perception" and sparks fly - from both the President's staff and political enemies.
4. "Nixon" (1995) - Oliver Stone directed this biographical story of former U.S. President Richard Milhous Nixon, from his days as a young boy to his eventual presidency, which ended in shame. Both Anthony Hopkins and Joan Allen are superb as Richard and Patricia Nixon.
5. "All the President's Men" (1976) - Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman are excellent in this outstanding drama about WASHINGTON POST reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, who uncover the details of the Watergate scandal that leads to President Nixon's resignation.
6. "Lincoln" (1988) - Based upon Gore Vidal's novel, this excellent two-part miniseries tells the story about Abraham Lincoln's four years in office during the American Civil War. Sam Waterston and Mary Tyler Moore breathed life into their superb portrayals of Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln.
7. "John Adams" (2008) - Paul Giamatti and Laura Linney deservedly won both Emmys and Golden Globes for their excellent portrayals of John and Abagail Adams in this excellent seven-part miniseries about the 2nd U.S. president.
8. "Head of State" (2003) - When a presidential candidate dies unexpectedly in the middle of the campaign, the Democratic party unexpectedly picks a Washington, D.C. alderman, Mays Gilliam (Chris Rock) as his replacement. Rock, Lynn Whitfield and Bernie Mac are hilarious in this first-rate comedy.
9. "Frost/Nixon" (2008) - Ron Howard directed this excellent dramatic retelling of the post-Watergate television interviews between British talk-show host David Frost and former president Richard Nixon. Michael Sheen and Frank Langella are superb in the title roles.
10. "Dave" (1993) - To avoid a potentially explosive scandal when the U.S. President goes into a coma, an affable temp agency owner with an uncanny resemblance, is put in his place. Kevin Kline, Sigourney Weaver and Frank Langella star in this warm comedy directed by Ivan Reitman.
"WHY RHONDA WILCOX DOES NOT MATTER"
I am feeling very emotional right now. I have managed to read nine out of twelve chapters of "WHY BUFFY MATTERS: The Art of Buffy the Vampire Slayer". After reading the latest chapter called, Fear: The Princess Screamed Once - Power, Silence and Fear in "Hush", I decided not to finish the book. Why? The last chapter really pissed me off.
What I am about to say will probably not generate any sympathy toward my views. It has a lot to do with Rhonda Wilcox's opinion on the character, Riley Finn. And Riley, bless his heart, is probably one of the more hated characters in Buffyverse. But you know what? Regardless of how other fans may view Riley, what Wilcox had to say about him in her book pissed me off. It was the last straw.The first straw - at least for me - had nothing to do with Riley. It had to do what Wilcox had to say about a character created for another fictional universe. Earlier in the book, Wilcox compared the characters of Buffy Summers and Harry Potter in a chapter titled, When Harry Met Buffy: Buffy Summers, Harry Potter and Heroism. Not only did Wilcox compared Buffy and Harry in this chapter, but their friends as well. This idiot woman had the nerve to compare the characters of Xander Harris (BUFFY) and Ron Weasley (HARRY POTTER) in the following manner:
"Their (Xander and Ron) lack of special gifts accentuates the loyalty and bravery that Ron and Xander each offers as a friend to a character frequently placed in abnormal danger.
Thus, in each world, there is a triumvirate of friends: Harry and Buffy each have a modest, normal male and an unusually intelligent female as friends."
Ron Weasely lacked special gifts? Ron? He was a wizard. He did not lack any supernatural powers like Xander. Nor was he a less gifted magic practitioner than Harry or Hermione. Ron lacked Harry's special gift for Defense Against the Dark Arts and Quidditch. But he was still proficient in both skills. He lacked Hermione's intelligence. But so did Harry. And Ron was better at Defense Against the Dark Arts magic than Hermione. Most importantly, Ron was a very skillful chess player - something that neither Harry or Hermione could boast. Apparently, Ms. Wilcox has forgotten this and decided to judge Ron's character based on his "Idiot at Hogswarts" portrayal in the movies. Not a very good researcher, is she?
But her comparison of Ron Weasley and Xander Harris was nothing in compare to what she had to say about Riley in the chapter about "Hush". In one passage, Wilcox described Riley in this manner:
"It connects Riley with the myth of Virgil's Aeneas, the hero of 'Aeneid', one of the three great Greco-Roman epics. (And I refer you to C.W. Marshall's article on Giles and Aeneas in 'Slayage' to suggest the further applicability of this particular source.) Aeneas is perhaps the most purely patriarchal of the classic heroes. This (to me) dull and duty-bound hero is an excellent parallel for Riley, the least liminal of Buffy's significant others.
This woman is a moron. Okay, perhaps I may have been a little too harsh. But Wilcox actually have the nerve to label Riley as "purely patriarchal". Riley Finn? Had Wilcox been so blinded by her dislike of him that she failed to notice that he was hardly patriarchal? For me, Riley's problem - at least in early and mid Season 4 - seemed to be his willingness to blindly adhere to authority figures, whether they were patriarchal or in the case of Maggie Walsh, matriarchal. If one good thing that came out of Riley's relationship with Buffy was that he learned to stop following authority figures in such a mindless manner. Yes, he had rejoined the Army. But post-Season 5 Riley was open-minded enough to allow Buffy to make a decision on what to do about Spike when they learned he was smuggling demon eggs in Season 6's "As You Were". It was the same Riley who helped Buffy get rid of the chip in Spike's brain in Season 7's "The Killer in Me", despite his dislike of the vampire.
She also claimed that following the end of Riley's relationship with Buffy, he decided to invest his identity in being a fighter and not a lover:
"Those familiar with the Bufy story beyond the standalone "Hush" episode can see further parallels: after Aeneas and Queen Dido's love affair, he leaves to fight for his (future) country and she kills herself. Just so, Riley eventually decides to invest his identity in being a fighter, not a lover; he rejoins the Army and departs the Hellmouth, leaving Buffy to kill herself during the battle against Glory (and consider the military implications of that phrase: the battle 'against' Glory)."
Apparently, Wilcox forgot that not only did Riley rejoin the Army, he GOT MARRIED! She forgot or had decided to dismiss that one little tidbit.
Later, she accused Riley of fearfulness:
"But to return to the fearfulness of Riley. That phrasing ambiguously allows two implications: that Riley is fearful, and that Riley is to be feared. And I would argue that this episode suggests the same - and applies the fear to all that Riley stands for."
If Wilcox was referring to Riley's inability to communicate to Buffy his fears about their relationship in Season 5 - I could understand this. But . . . as usual, she overlooked something else. Namely Buffy's inability to communicate her own fears to Riley. She also failed to mention that Buffy's fear of being emotional damaged in a relationship after her experiences with Angel led her to get involved with Riley in the hopes of having a "normal" relationship. I suspect that by Season 5, Riley began to fear this. And this is where Riley's fearfulness came in. He failed to communicate his fears to Buffy before it was too late.
Had Wilcox been so willing overlook Riley's more complex natuer in order to paint Riley in such a one-dimensional manner? It seemed like it. In fact, she seemed so driven by her dislike of the character that she dumped the blame of their break-up solely upon his shoulders. And as I had stated earlier, she literally viewed Riley as some human version of the Gentlemen from "Hush":
"Riley is both Aeneas and the Gentlemen. Heroic self-denial and repression - with all the attendant miseries."
And;
"Consider the closing scene. This episode presents patriarchy as horror in the form of the Gentlemen, and patriarchy with its best face on as the kindly, brave Riley. Riley can help Buffy defeat that worst side of patriarchy, but is he, its best incarnation, enough for Buffy?"
Riley Finn is a symbol of the patriarchy of the Gentlemen? Riley Finn was the series' best incarnation of patriarchy? Wilcox was speaking of a character who had allowed his view points and his life to revolve around women - whether it was Maggie Walsh in Season 4 or Buffy in early Season 5. I only hoped that he had managed to break this habit with his marriage between Seasons 5 and 6.
Right now, I am desperately trying to maintain my temper . . . and remember that I am discussing fictional characters. I realize that Ms. Wilcox, like many Buffyverse fans disliked Riley. I understand. I dislike Angel. I have for a long time. But I have always felt that Angel had the capacity to grow as a character. I have also experienced moments when I have either sympathized or even liked him. But I hope and pray that I would never devolve into the kind of characterizations of Angel or any other fictional character I may dislike in the same way that Wilcox has characterized Riley Finn. Her portrait of Riley in her book only makes me realize that I had wasted my time reading her book.
"A WEDDING IN FOUR ACTS
RATING: [PG-13]
SUMMARY: A Wiccan wedding is invaded by a succubus and a witch, bent on revenge. Sequel to "Obssession".
FEEDBACK: cancerjones1941@yahoo.com - Be my guest. But please, be kind.
DISCLAIMER: Cole Turner, Darryl Morris, Leo Wyatt and the Charmed Ones and other characters are related to Charmed to Spelling Productions, Brad Kern and Constance Burge. The McNeills and a few other characters are my own creation.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: To understand certain parts of this story, please read "A Day in the Life of Paige Matthews", "Obssession" and "Whatever You Desire"
"A WEDDING IN FOUR ACTS"
ACT I - Part 1
A tall, well-dressed man strolled across the terrace that overlooked the blue Mediterranean Sea. He paused beside one of the lounge chairs and kneeled down to speak to a dark-haired woman, sipping a glass of Sangria. "Padronessa," he murmured to her, "I finally have the news that you require."
The glass hovered less than an inch from the woman's lips. "Tell me," she ordered.
"I have discovered the name of the Streghore who had summoned your sister."
Disbelief radiated from the woman's voice. "A Streghore? It was a witch who had summoned Portia?"
The man, who happened to be a low-level daemon named Leonardo, trembled with fear. "Si, Padronessa. A Streghore named Nichola Marcano. I learned this from the seer, Venusia. This Marcano witch had summoned your sister, nearly a month ago. For what reason, I do not know."
"For sex, of course," Claudia Della Scalla retorted. "What else? This Streghore was probably desperate for sex and summoned Portia. After they had sex, he vanquished her before she could kill him. Simple." Her expression hardened. "Only he had vanquished the wrong succubus. Where can I find him?"
Leonardo replied, "San Francisco, California. Only . . ." he hesitated.
Claudia heaved a frustrated sigh. "Only what?"
"After Venusia gave me the name of the Streghore, I discovered a few things about him. For example, he was arrested by the authorities for murder and attempting kidnapping. He is now incarcerated in the local jail."
The news took the beautiful succubus by surprise. "He is in jail for murder? Hmmm, this witch sounds very promising. It is a shame I will have to kill him."
Doubt glimmered in Leonardo's eyes. "Before you do, Padronessa, perhaps you should talk to the witch. Find out what really happened. Something tells me that your sister may have been involved in his crimes."
Claudia nodded. "Good idea. Meanwhile, have Gia pack my belongings. We are off to San Francisco."
"We?" Leonardo hesitated. "Shall I inform the other members of the boschetto?"
The succubus took another sip of her Sangria. "No, I will only need you and Giancarlo to get this Streghore for me. Once I am rid of him, perhaps we can remain in San Francisco for a few days. It has always been one of my favorite cities."
Leonardo rose to his feet, bowed and marched back to the villa. Heaving a satisfied sigh, Claudia returned her attention to her drink and the view, beyond.
* * * *
Cecile Dubois glanced at the grandfather clock standing in one corner of the living room, inside her Garden District house. It read five-eighteen. "Where is he?" she demanded, glancing at her handsome boyfriend. "He's late."
"Only by eighteen minutes," Andre Morell protested. "C'mon, cherie! Be patient. It's not like we have a plane to catch."
The third person inside the room grumbled, "Considering that he hasn't even shown up yet, I'm beginning to think that we should catch a plane." At fifty-five years old, Vivian Reyes Dubois had maintained her good looks and vitality. She and her daughter shared the same bronze-colored skin, high cheekbones, dark eyes reminiscent of ancient Egyptians and diminutive form. "I wonder if there's a plane available for San Francisco, in the next hour or two."
Andre demanded, "Why are you in such a hurry? Once Cole gets here, it should take us at least a second to arrive."
"Because I plan to do a little shopping."
Cecile added, "So do I. Olivia told me about a sale going on at Macy's."
A sigh left Andre's mouth. "Shopping? We're going to San Francisco for a wedding, and all you can think about is shopping? I thought you two had already bought wedding gifts."
Vivian rolled her eyes in disgust. "You don't understand women very much, do you boy?"
Before Andre could reply, a tall figure clad in a dark business suit, materialized in the middle of the living room. Cecile sighed with relief. Andre rushed forward to greet the newcomer with a bear hug. "Cole! Glad you could finally make it, man!" he said cheerfully. "We were beginning to get a little worried."
"We were more than beginning to worry," Cecile added caustically. "Another twenty minutes and we would have ended up going to the airport." She walked toward him and pecked his cheek.
Cole graced the Vodoun priestess with a charming smile. "And it's good to see you too, Ms. Dubois." He returned her kiss with one of his own. Then he turned to Cecile's mother. "Mrs. Dubois. It's good to see you."
"Nice to see you again, Cole," Vivian responded. "Now, what took you so long?"
A heavy sigh left Cole's mouth. "I'm sorry that I'm late, but the Senior Partners' staff meeting took longer than I had expected. Is everyone ready?" He glanced at the pile of luggage near the fireplace. "Oh, I guess so."
The others gathered around the half-daemon. "Is this going to take long?" Cecile's mother asked, uneasily. "I've never teleported, before."
"Don't worry Mama," Cecile reassured the older woman. "Like Andre said, it'll be over within a second." Sure enough, the four people disappeared from the New Orleans house and reappeared in the middle of the McNeill foyer, a second later.
Vivian released a gust of breath. Then she glanced around and frowned. "Is that it?" she demanded. "What happened to our luggage?" No sooner had she spoken, the Dubois and Andre's belongings materialized.
The McNeills' manservant, Davies, appeared in the foyer. "Oh, I see that you've all arrived."
"Afternoon Davies," Cole greeted. "I finally got them here. You can tell both Mrs. McNeill and the others."
Nodding, Davies replied, "Yes sir. Mr. Morell, Mrs. Dubois and Miss Dubois, it's good to see you, again. If you will all follow me, I will take you to the others in the drawing-room. Carmen and Liam will take care of your luggage."
"Leave my baggage in here, Davies," Andre said. "I'll be leaving with Cole."
Cecile added that she will be leaving with Olivia. "That is after she gets here."
"Miss Olivia is in the drawing-room with the others," Davies announced.
Cole frowned. "She's here?" He glanced at his watch. "This early?"
"Yes sir." Davies led the quartet toward the drawing-room. "Miss Olivia is here, along with both Mrs. McNeills and Mr. Bruce."
Vivian murmured to her daughter, "Why is it that every time I'm around that man, I feel as if I'm in the middle of a Merchant-Ivory movie and I'm about to meet Helena Bonham-Carter?"
"You and me both," Cecile shot back.
The manservant opened the drawing-room's double doors and ushered the visitors inside. They found both Elise and Gweneth McNeill observing the other two McNeills engage in a heated conversation. "Why are you asking me, Livy?" Bruce McNeill was saying. "Harry's the one who is planning this party."
Bruce's red-haired sister replied, "Because Harry told me to ask you. After all, it's your bachelor party."
"Okay. Then the answer is no," Bruce answered coolly.
"Bruce!"
Davies interrupted the conversation with a slight cough. "Excuse me, but the Dubois, Mr. Morell and Mr. Turner are all here."
The McNeills' attention became riveted upon the visitors. Gweneth McNeill let out a cry of delight. "Well, look who's here! Vi, darling! How are you?" She rushed forward to envelop Cecile's mother into a bear hug.
Cecile found herself being hugged by Olivia. Soon, everyone - sans Cole and Davies - were exchanging hugs, kisses and handshakes. The younger Mrs. McNeill then turned to Cole and thanked him for giving the visitors from New Orleans a supernatural lift.
"No problem at all," Cole replied genially. He shot a quick glance at Olivia, who immediately looked away. Much to Cecile's surprise. "Unfortunately, I was a little late. The meeting at the firm ended a bit later than I had expected." He turned to face both Olivia and Bruce. "Don't let me stop you, two. What were you talking about?"
Bruce replied, "My bachelor party. It seems Olivia wants me to add a certain someone to the guest list."
"That certain someone is Paul," Olivia retorted, glaring at her older brother.
"And I said . . . no."
Cecile asked, "Is this that attorney, who happens to be a witch? One of Leo's charges?"
Cole rolled his eyes. "Oh. Him. He's going to be at the bachelor party?"
Olivia diverted her glare to Cole "And what exactly, is wrong with . . . him?"
"Well, for one thing, he's a bore," Bruce replied. Both Cole and Andre snickered.
Green eyes now focused upon Cecile's significant other half. "Gee Andre, I didn't realize that you knew Paul."
"Uh, I don't," Andre said. "I just . . . heard . . ." Cecile surreptiously squeezed his arm. "Never mind."
Vivian piped up, "Does anyone know what time the department stores close in this town? I need to do some last minute shopping."
"Macy's should be open until nine, tonight," old Mrs. McNeill replied. "Perhaps Davies can drive you over . . ."
Olivia cut in. "I'll take her. I have some shopping to do, myself."
"And I'm going with you," Cecile added.
"Okay." Olivia paused and glanced at Bruce. "What about Paul?"
Bruce sighed. "What about him?"
Impatience radiated from Olivia's eyes. "The bachelor's party. Is it okay for Harry to invite him?"
Rolling his eyes, the oldest McNeill sibling coolly replied, "Let me think about it."
"Think about it fast, huh Bruce? The bachelor party is in two days." Olivia nodded at both Cecile and Vivian. "Ready ladies?" She started toward the doorway. Daughter and mother followed. As the former glanced behind her, she noticed the pained expression on Cole's face. Interesting.
* * * *
Piper picked up a stainless steel saucepan and held it up in front of her husband's eyes. "What about this?" she asked. "Would this do?"
The oldest Charmed One and her whitelighter husband stood in the middle of the Appliance Department, inside Macy's department store. Leo shook his head in dismay. "A saucepan? Piper, we're shopping for a wedding gift, not a housewarming party!"
"What's wrong with a saucepan?" Piper protested. "Maybe Bruce and Barbara will like it. He's a chef, after all."
An exasperated sigh left Leo's mouth. "Don't you think we should get them something with a little more class? Like silver, for instance."
"Too expensive," Piper curtly replied.
Leo shot back, "Piper, you own a nightclub that's . . ."
". . . that has been losing a little business, ever since Wyatt was born."
Undaunted, Leo continued, "But we still have enough money. And I've been earning a few bucks with some carpentry jobs on the side."
"Leo . . ."
"C'mon Piper. I don't want to give Bruce and Barbara a . . . saucepan." Leo paused, as he squirmed with discomfort. "I mean he's a friend and one of my former charges."
Rolling her eyes, Piper replied caustically, "Then why did we receive our wedding invitations at least a week after Paige had received hers? Can you explain that?"
"What is there to explain?" Leo protested. "Our invitations probably got lost in the mail."
Again, Piper rolled her eyes. "If that's what you want to believe, Leo, go ahead. It seems obvious to me that Bruce and Barbara only wanted to invite Paige. So, I see no reason why I should spend my money on something better than a saucepan."
"Look, maybe you're right. Maybe Bruce didn't want us at the wedding. Can you blame him?"
Piper blinked. Had she heard right? "Excuse me?"
"Well, we didn't invite him, Olivia or Harry to our wedding. And aside from you and your sisters, they're the only friends I have here in San Francisco. It even took them a while to forgive me for not inviting them."
With a scoff, Piper replied, "Well, at least you now believe me that we were excluded from the guest list."
"Piper! Please!" Leo pleaded. "Let's just buy something better than a saucepan. Okay?"
Piper opened her mouth for a retort, when three women appeared. She recognized Olivia McNeill and the latter's friend from New Orleans, whom she remembered from last December. The third woman seemed to be an older version of Olivia's friend. "Leo!" Olivia greeted cheerfully. "And Piper. Fancy meeting you two, here. Shopping for wedding gifts?"
"Uh," Leo began, hesitating, "yeah. We, uh . . . didn't have much time for shopping. Until today."
Olivia's smile widened. Piper began to wonder if she was mocking them. "Well, that's nice. By the way, I'm sure that both of you remember Cecile Dubois. She's here for the wedding." Both Piper and Leo nodded at the Vodoun priestess, who returned their nods. "And this," Olivia continued, "is Vivian Dubois, Cecile's mom. She's also a close friend of my mother's."
Piper smiled politely at the older woman. "Nice to meet you. Are you a Voodoo . . ." She saw Leo grimace from the corner of her eye. "I mean, a Vodoun priestess also, Mrs. Dubois?"
"Yes, I am," the older woman replied. "Both Cecile and I hold the title of Mami."
What the hell "Mami?"
Cecile spoke up. "That's the title for all women who are priestesses."
Leo asked, "Do you have a power like Cecile?"
Mrs. Dubois frowned. "Sorry?"
Again, Cecile explained, "He wants to know if you have a psychic ability, Mama. Like my telepathy and visions."
"Oh." Mrs. Dubois nodded. "I suppose I do. I'm a metamorph. What you would call a shapeshifter."
Olivia added, "Like Bruce and Dad, only Mrs. Dubois can morph into anything - other people, animals, plants and any other object."
"Like Cole," Piper added. "Or a chameleon demon." Everyone stared at her. "My sisters and I had an encounter with one, nearly two years ago."
The older woman wore a confused expression. "I share a power with a demon? There's a spirit out there that changes form?"
Now it was Piper and Leo's turn to look confused. "Huh?" the Charmed One asked. "What do you mean by spirit?"
A salesgirl appeared. "Excuse me, miss." All talk of the supernatural and magic ceased between the five people. The salesgirl continued, "Do you need any help with that saucepan?"
"Huh?" Piper glanced at the object in her hand. She also noticed the others staring at it, as well. Especially Olivia. "Oh, um do you know where I can find some candlesticks?" she asked lamely. "Preferably silver ones?"
END OF ACT I - Part 1
"The Rain Chronicles" [PG] - Book V
Rain Robinson of ”Future’s End” ends up on Voyager, following her adventures with Tom Paris and Tuvok in late 20th century Earth. Here is Book V.
-------------
RAIN ROBINSON - JUNE 9, 2373:
Voyager is at some space station near the edge of an area called the Nekrit Expanse. There, Neelix had a reunion with an old friend named Wixiban. I'm glad. Ever since he and Kes broke up, he has been in the dumps. He also confessed a fear that Captain Janeway might toss him off the ship, now that Voyager will be traveling through an area unfamiliar to him. I think the poor man is suffering from a major identity crisis. But then, aren't we all?
I also encountered one of B'Elanna Torres' engineers. He's a Vulcan named Vorik. Unlike Tuvok, his skin is pale and he's also a lot younger. Don't get me wrong. I like Tuvok, but he does remind me of some elder statesman, sometimes. Vorik seems friendlier. Warmer. He even volunteered to fix the replicator in my quarters. Maybe I'll get a chance to know him, better.
LIEUTENANT B'ELANNA TORRES - STARDATE 50442.37:
Poor Neelix! He has certainly endured a lot over the past month or so. First, Kes breaks up their relationship for good. And now, he has to spend the next two months, scrubbing dilithium chambers. Punishment from Janeway for getting involved in an illegal drug deal. Neelix, a drug dealer. I just can't imagine!
Neelix and his friend's little drug trade also resulted in a murder on the station. Which led to Chakotay and Tom being arrested for the crime. I was nearly beside myself when I heard the news. Rain Robinson didn't seem concerned. Which struck me as very odd. But then, her attitude toward Tom has been odd ever since she boarded this ship. Perhaps she doesn't love him, after all.
RAIN ROBINSON - JUNE 10, 2373:
When I heard that Tom had been arrested for murder, I nearly had a fit! It was all I could do from storming Captain Janeway's office and demand that she do something about Tom. Until I remembered that Tom has no feelings toward me, other than as a friend. Since he's so interested in B'Elanna Torres, I decided that she should be the one to storm the Captain's office.
Ensign Vorik finally came by to fix my replicator. Like I said before, he's a nice guy. We even have something in common - we both enjoy mountain climbing and are very good at it. He told me a lot about Vulcan - the people, the language, and its history. According to him, Vulcans and Humans first met some 210 years ago, when a Vulcan scout ship had detected a warp signature in Earth space. I recall reading about the Federation's "First Contact" from the ship's database. And about Ephram Cochrane.
For some reason, Tom and Lieutenant Torres popped into my mind. I began wondering about the Vulcans' first contact with the Klingons. Or Earth's. When I brought up the subject of Klingons with Ensign Vorik, two odd things happened. One, a strange light appeared in his eyes. And two, he began praising B'Elanna's name to the skies. If I didn't know any better, I'd swear that Vorik had a crush on her.
"Excuse me, Ensign," I began, curious over Vorik's behavior, "do you have feelings for . . . uh, Lieutenant Torres?"
He looked startled for a moment. Like a kid whose hand had been caught inside the cookie jar. "I, uh . . ." He blinked. Then, "Why yes. As a Vulcan, I have the greatest respect for Lieutenant Torres. She is a competent chief engineer and commanding officer." His voice seemed calm and full of respect. But his eyes told another story. They practically brimmed with deep emotion. Strange, considering what I've heard about Vulcans. Looks like B'Elanna has two men mooning over her. Figures.
RAIN ROBINSON - JUNE 18, 2373:
Busy day for me, today. I got to experience my first inversion nebula. I must admit that I found it just as thrilling, viewing it from the Bridge. Especially since I never saw those super novas, from last month. I may not be that crazy about Janeway, but I am grateful that she allowed me on the Bridge to view the nebula. I must thank Jenny, Megan and Tuvok for asking her permission.
Later this evening, Neelix hosted a luau in Holodeck Two. It was great! Well, at first. Polynesian music, exotic drinks (I asked for a Mai Tai, of course), and great food. I managed to replicate this deep blue dress with white orchid prints and a halter top. Ensign Pat Mulcahey seemed particularly enamored of the dress. He even asked if I would like to share a private table. But I said no. He's a nice looking guy, but a little too shallow for my tastes.
Captain Janeway and Commander Chakotay arrived at the holodeck, arm-in-arm. They looked like the happy couple - she, smiling at the partygoers and he, shooting love-sick glances her way, when she wasn't looking. Poor sap. He must really be infatuated with her.
The Doctor was also there, with a girl on each arm, looking like the star of "Bond Goes Hawaiian". And then there was Tuvok, the last person I had expected to appear at this bash. Strange, he's a bigger loner than I am. I wonder what drew him to the luau? Seconds after his arrival, Tuvok's eyes focused upon some blond holocharacter, playing a game. Ah hah! So, that's why he decided to break his "fortress of solitude" and join the party.
Not long after Tuvok appeared, new arrivals joined the luau. It was Tom and B'Elanna. She wore a nice, white dress with thin straps and maroon flower prints. It went well with her skin tone. Tom wore this cool Hawaiian shirt that reminded me of the ones my dad used to wear. Of course, that pleasant memory faded, once I realized how perfect they looked together.
Then I saw the most amazing thing. Vorik appeared at B'Elanna's side and said something to her, causing her eyes to grow wide. And Tom's. Like a zombie in a horror film. Still in a state of shock, B'Elanna allowed Vorik to lead her to a private table. And there stood Tom, looking like a big chump. Interesting.
LIEUTENANT B'ELANNA TORRES - STARDATE 50462.21:
What in the hell was I thinking? Why did I allow Vorik to lead me away from Tom, like that? It was not what I had expected. Or wanted.
I had expected an evening with Tom, Harry and Vorik. I wanted an evening with Tom. Alone. Harry didn't bother to show up. Vorik suddenly remembered a conversation about my favorite view and took advantage of the situation. I felt so surprised that I didn't bother to put up any resistance.
Then something worse happened. Tom's gaze shifted from Vorik and myself to Rain Robinson. And although she was surrounded by the Delaneys, Pat Mulcahey, Ken Dalby and Chell, her eyes managed to return Tom's gaze. And for a brief moment, I had the feeling of watching electricity sizzle between two entities. Thank Kahless, Rain finally looked away and remained with her friends. Despite her eventual rejection, that exchange of looks told me one thing - Tom has not lost interest in the woman from the past. And I suspect that she feels the same.
RAIN ROBINSON - JULY 16, 2373:
Voyager has come upon a planet rich with gallicite. According to Jenny, gallicite is a mineral substance used for the construction of warp field coils. I'm not going to get into what the hell all of this means, other than it has something to do with the ship's ability to travel at a fast speed. The name of the planet is called Sakaris IV and the ship is now orbiting around it. Jenny also told me that B'Elanna Torres will be leading a team to collect the gallicite.
Where do I fit in all this? Well, the original team was supposed to consist of B'Elanna, Neelix, Vorik and Tom, who is also a climbing expert. Apparently, Vorik went berserk in Engineering and tried to attack B'Elanna. I knew he was crazy about her, but this is ridiculous. I wonder what made him, of all people, go off the deep end like that? Anyway, to make a long story short, guess who has been chosen to replace Vorik on the mission? That's right! Me. Someone - either Vorik, Tom, Neelix, or one of the Delaneys - must have informed the Captain about my particular skill. I don't know who, but I am grateful. After spending over two months in space, I'll finally have the opportunity to get off this damn ship. Hell, I've been going stir crazy!
LIEUTENANT B'ELANNA TORRES - STARDATE 50541.36:
Everything has gone to hell, thanks to that p'taq, Vorik! Him and his damn pon far! I should have known something was amiss when he proposed marriage to me! Naturally, I said no. What made that idiot think I would ever be interested in him? After I rejected him, that . . . that bastard attacked me, by trying to establish a mind meld. I paid him back by breaking his jaw. Too bad the Doctor healed it immediately. I would have liked to see him suffer.
After Vorik's attack, everything seemed like a haze. Neelix mentioned to the Captain, a possible candidate to replace Vorik. I didn't think we need one. Neelix and Tom would have suited me just fine. To my surprise, it turned out to be Rain Robinson. Great! Now, I'll have deal with the Blast From the Past, cozying up to Tom during the entire mission. Huh! Not if I can help it! I became determined to make sure that she would not occupy much of Tom's attention. Damn pon far playing upon my aggressiveness, I guess.
As we climbed down into one of the underground caves on Sakaris IV, Neelix's climbing piston malfunctioned. He dropped to the bottom, taking me along for the ride. Neelix broke his leg. I bruised my shoulder, sprained my ankle and lost my temper. Even worse, I bit Tom's chin in a fit of anger and desire, declaring him as my mate in the worst Klingon manner. Kahless! I never thought Human blood could taste so . . . intoxicating! But I didn't hang around to deal with my actions. Especially with Miss "Know-It-All" Robinson witnessing the entire scene.
Someone must have informed Voyager on what happened. Probably Tom. Not long after I had found a supply of gallicite, Tom and Rain arrived, with Chakotay and Tuvok in tow. I really didn't notice the others. Only Tom. Everyone tried to explain that I had been afflicted with the pon far and need to return to the ship. I didn't know what the hell they were talking about. I was too dizzy and simply longed to be with Tom. Alone.
It never happened. Several Sakarians decided to make their presence know. There was this avalanche and the next thing I knew, I was alone with Tom. And Rain Robinson. As if matters couldn't get any worse. I tried to ignore her, pretend that she didn't exist. Unfortunately, it didn't help. Especially after I . . . oh God! What the hell was I thinking? I guess I simply couldn't keep my hands off Tom any longer. There seemed to be this fever within me, urging me to mate with him. So, I tried to seduce him. Right in front of Rain. When he rejected me, it simply became too much. I attacked him. Tackled him to the ground, determined to . . . I guess I wanted to have sex with him. The idea of his body pressing against mine, and the touch of those hands just overwhelmed me.
Two things happened. Rain tried to intervene and I tossed her aside like a rag doll. Then Tom scrambled away from my grip and out of harm's way. Even worse, he began paying attention to Rain, who seemed to be hurt. I thought she was faking, until Tom declared that I had sprained her shoulder. Oddly enough, I felt frustrated, instead of embarrassed.
Things got hazy again, when we finally reconciled with Tuvok and Chakotay. Tuvok, bless him, insisted that Tom mate with me in order to quench my plak-tow - my blood fever. And this time, Rain would not be able to stop us. She didn't, but that p'taq, Vorik, did. He had escaped Voyager and interrupted what could have been some great sex. Goddamn Vulcan! Vorik challenged Tom for my hand! I didn't need Tom or anyone else to kick that bastard's ass! I did it myself. Thoroughly.
But it's over now. My fever is gone, and so is my opportunity with Tom. He has seen my . . . well, my Klingon side at its worse. Kahless! I must have really scared him off. Looks like Rain will have him all to herself. Damn!
END OF BOOK V
"LOST": A Tale of Two Fathers
Back in Season 2, "LOST" aired an episode called "What Kate Did". The episode revealed the crime that led castaway Kate Austen (Evangeline Lilly) to being a fugitive for three years - she had murdered her father, Wayne Jensen (James Horan), and used his death to collect insurance for her mother, Diane (Beth Broderick). The episode also revealed Kate's reason for her act of murder. She had just learned that Wayne - a man she had presumed to be her stepfather - was actually her father.
Kate had made it perfectly clear that she disliked Wayne Jensen. She held him responsible for her mother's break-up with Sam Austen, the man she had longed believed was her father. She certainly disliked the fact that he was an alcoholic who physically abused Diane. And she found his habit of occasionally leering at her disgusting and beneath contempt. Many believed that Kate had been a victim of sexual abuse. And that Wayne had been the perputrator. But "What Kate Did" hinted that Wayne may not have abused Kate. In this scene, Kate talks to an unconscious fellow castaway, Sawyer (Josh Holloway), whose body she believes has been temporarily possessed by her late father:"Can you hear me? Sawyer? Wayne? [Sawyer stirs] I'm probably crazy and this doesn't matter, but maybe you're in there somehow. But you asked me a question. You asked me why I -- why I did it. It wasn't because you drove my father away, or the way you looked at me, or because you beat her. It's because I hated that you were a part of me -- that I would never be good. That I would never have anything good. And every time that I look at Sawyer -- every time I feel something for him -- I see you, Wayne. It makes me sick.".
Judging from her comments, it seems quite apparent that Wayne had never sexually abused her. Kate did accuse him of leering at her, which he proved in a flashback at the beginning of the episode. However, there are fans that still insist that Wayne may have abused her. They are entitled to their opinions. Frankly, I have doubts that Kate had ever been abused. But if she had . . . Wayne Jensen would not be on the top of my list of suspects.
When "What Kate Did" first aired during the 2005-2006 television season, I had also viewed an episode of "HOUSE" called “Skin Deep”. I noticed how Dr. Gregory House (portrayed by Hugh Laurie) had correctly guessed that a 15 year-old female patient, who happened to be a model, had been molested by “her” possessive father. How did House come to this conclusion? He noticed the close relationship between the model and her father. He noticed how the former seemed overtly concerned with pleasing said father.
This scene also brought about memories of the movie, "DOLORES CLAIRBORNE". Based on a Stephen King novel, it told the story about a Maine woman (played by Kathy Bates) who murders her husband (David Straitharn) in order to stop him from continuing his sexual abuse of their daughter (Jennifer Jason-Leigh). What I had found interesting was that the daughter over-idealized her abusive father. And he (in flashbacks) over-idealized his mother, who may have sexually abused him.
Both that particular episode of "HOUSE" and "DOLORES CLAIRBORNE" led me to suspect that if Kate had been sexually abused, her abuser could possibly be her step-father, Sgt. Sam Austen (Lindsey Ginter). After all, Kate has expressed nothing but contempt for Wayne. Yet, she had a tendency to idealize her step-father. And in an odd way, she may have extended or projected this same tendency to idealize over to other men who probably reminded her of Sgt. Austen - Tom Brennan (MacKenzie Astin), her husband Kevin Callis (Nathan Fillon) and leader of the island castaways, Jack Shephard (Matthew Fox).
Below is a link to a web page that lists traits of those (especially adult women) who may have suffered sexual abuse as a child - Beyond Victim
. Included on the web page is a small list of the following traits of victims of sexual abuse: *You feel powerless in important relationships and are terrified of honest confrontations. Yet you try to control and manipulate other people.
*If you were sexually abused by your father, you also may have felt unconsciously empowered by him; you are his special girl and you can do and be whatever you choose (as long as you don't replace daddy with a new man in your life with whom you can be truly intimate). Your troubled relationships with men present a sharp contrast to other areas of your life.
*You over-idealize your father and fail to see his destructive side while seeing the negative side of your mother and ignoring her positive attributes. Consequently, you over-value and misperceive men while devaluing and discounting women. (Or you may over-idealize your mother and see your father as totally bad. this pattern is common with men who were sexually abused by either their mothers or their fathers.)
I am not saying that Kate was definitely a victim of sexual abuse. I honestly do not know. Nearly three years have passed since "What Kate Did" aired and the producers of "LOST" have yet to follow up on that particular storyline. I do find it interesting that Kate's feelings toward Sam Austen seemed to follow a pattern similar to that of sexual abuse victims harbor toward their perputrators - as described above. Kate not only tend to over-idealize Jack, a man who not only reminded her of Austen, she ended up becoming a victim of his emotional abuse - both on the island and off.
