LEGAL NOTE:
And I'm only going to say this *once*! Kyer owns not Star Wars or Nicholas de Brabant of Forever Knight. (She daydreams-- but that doesn't count.) The system of 'Harka' I made up. Don't know if Lucas has a planet by that name or not; however, the world and life forms of the planet Anara are all my creation.

If I goofed up on Star Wars canon, I can only plead forgiveness. I haven't yet seen the new movie and its been ages since I last was able to see The Luke Skywalker Trilogy.

A LITTLE BACKGROUND:

The germ of this story came from the combination of thinking of Nicholas, watching the stars, and listening to a song by Enya entitled: 'Anywhere Is'. You will find the song's lyrics in part 12 of Episode One.
(BTW: The only character from Forever Knight is Nicholas de Brabant (Knight), so if he isn't your cup of tea, well.... you have been warned. <g>)

While this story does contain elements of humor (at least in this prologue), it is primarily a psychological drama. It is also the first part of at least three 'Episodes', so the last part will *not* have a nice, tidy ending.

Time placement in the FK world is the final moment from that evil episode: Last Knight. Time placement in the TPM universe is several years before the Naboo mess.

IMPORTANT SYMBOL MEANINGS for your reading edification: <g>

Symbol:	Example:
|| Yoda telepathy ||	|| Akin to Kermit the Frog, I am. Star of show, am I. ||
++ Qui-Gon Jinn telepathy ++	++ Only with larger ears, you malformed muppet. ++
[[ Obi-Wan Kenobi telepathy ]]	[[ Please...do not defy the puppet of Oz again, Master. ]]
{{ personal thought }}	{{ I wonder if these Jedi robes come in silk? }}
*emphasis*	*Please*, Mr. G*d Lucas, sir! *Don't* sue me!

HEARTFELT THANKS:
I would like to thank the members of the Forever Knight Cousins of the Knight faction for supporting me in this endeavor whether it was by actively lending a hand--- or by simply not complaining. <g>
Special Thanks and a lightsaber salute go to Lisa Harvey for catching my numerous spelling and grammatical errors as well as giving this story such a beautiful home! Also a Squirette grin and Wookie hug to Amber Gorby for cheering me on (along with *Yoda* no less!) in her special, bouncy fashion. May the Force and your favorite vampire be with you both--- always.

CARE AND FEEDING OF AUTHOR:
Feedback is not just asked for, but heartily craved. This is my first serious fic *and* my first xover. If its horrid and you think I should stick to comedy fanfic only, please say so. (In nice, ego-boo terms, please! I bruise easily. <g>)
If you wish to archive at your site: please ask. Chances are waaay good I'll give my permiss.
Comment to: [email protected]

MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU---FOREVER Episode 1: The Visitor (Prologue) by Kyer en Ysh December, 1999

A few years back.
In a Canadian city not so far away...

A heartbroken vampire waited for Death at the reluctant hands of his father/mentor.

"DAMN YOU, NICHOLAS!"

Nicholas de Brabant felt the wooden tip of the shillelagh puncture him through his back and erupt out of his front, rupturing his 800-year old heart. It was the second most agonizing sensation he had ever felt. The first was when he had realized--- was it just scant minutes before?-- that he had murdered his beloved Natalie: the mortal who had cared for him, loved him despite the curse of his Beast. Trusted him to have faith in her and in himself that one way or another they could be together forever.

And he had repaid that trust by allowing his Beast's greed for her blood to overwhelm him.

Darkness fell over his eyes as he clutched at Natalie's body with the last of his failing strength. It was expected--- he was dying after all--- but it wasn't stopping there, this inky blackness. It was seemingly determined to ooze and seep further into his mind. Panic filled him. Where was the Faith he had so eloquently spouted to his vampire maker to attain this very result? Again--- when it mattered most--- it was deserting him. Just like it did back in 1228 when he had allowed himself to be seduced into this hellish state: it was slipping through his fingers in a rush. Fool! Fool to trust himself as she had ignorantly trusted! For she didn't really know him, did she? She had been an angel wrapped in flesh while he-- he was a murderer a thousand times over: a Hunger-controlled monster who had preyed viciously on mortal innocents for centuries. And now he expected Heaven to just open up its Gate and let him in to join his beloved Natalie? Such presumption! No--- No! Whatever was left of his shrivelled soul would surely spend eternity trapped in the Hell he had so stupidly set for himself so long ago in that medieval Parisian tavern. His only company would be that of his demon tormentors..

Justice demanded it. And wasn't God a god of Justice?

Despairing, Nicholas felt his hold on his ruined body give out. Everything was darkness. Darkness and spinning and nausea as he felt himself hurtling... Somewhere.

--------------------------o------------------------------

A long time ago..
In a Galaxy far, far away...

Purple and red energies sizzled and thrummed as they met again and again.

The rapidly tiring padawan fought to parry back at the flurry of red light that was his enemy's double-bladed staff, as it kept getting closer and closer to his flesh. Nearby lay the crumpled body of his Jedi Master where it had been struck down by the tatooed man before him.

{{ How could this have happened? ))

They were only just coming back from an exhausting last training bout together before the Master/Padawan tie was severed for good when they returned to Coruscant for his Knighthood Trials. He should be stepping into the freshner and preparing to sleep--- not fighting for his life!

{{ How could this be *real*?! }}

A Sith Lord! A supposedly extinct *Sith* Lord had attacked and killed his master before they were even aware of his vile presence and now it seemed he would be next to die. A searing pain shot up his left side as his own lightsaber failed to block the scarlet death fast enough. Padawan Inav Ayar resigned himself to the inevitable: he would never attend his upcoming Trials and join his brethren in the Honored Order of the Jedi Knights. Never accept his first mission from the Jedi Council. But he would do what he could. Even if no one was near enough to see it.

Knowing it would be his last act, Ayar leapt back while opening his mind fully to the power that had been his constant companion his entire life. Dark tendrils of Evil tried to choke it as his message went out. He hoped it made it through. He hoped..

PAIN!

Horrible, twisting PAIN! It washed over him; swallowed him whole. And then he was floating in the Force, rapidly melding more completely with it than he had ever been able to before, which was not at all unexpected being as every Jedi knew that 'there was no Death; there was only the Force.'

What was unexpected was the brief flash of another entity as it brushed past his awareness in a black turmoil of anguish and despair and utter desperation. Briefly. And then it was gone, leaving Ayar to continue on to his own destination.
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End of Prologue