The next morning, the Ocean Elf had only just dressed when there was a knock at her door.
"I'll be right out." she called, and straightened out the bed
She opened the door, and broke into a smile of pleased recognition.
A young man of about 19 or 20 years of age entered, followed by a young woman around the same age.
"I’m Luke," he said, "This is my sister. We are the Skywalker twins."
"Actually my name isn't Skywalker, it's Leia Organa." the girl corrected.
"We are the son and daughter of Anakin Skywalker."
"I recognize you as Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia Organa," said Ocean. "Not mere extensions of Anakin Skywalker." she grimaced when uttering his name.
"Bail Organa is much more father to me than Anakin." said Leia.
"But Anakin is our biological father." said Luke. "We know that you are here to help him, but - " "No, I am not here to help just Anakin." said the elf. I am here to help with the downing of a terrible emperor, that it just happens to be Anakin apparently spearheading this effort is unfortunate, but something I can do nothing about." She took a deep breath and said in a warmer tone, "It is a pleasure to finally meet you. You may call me Ocean - or just Elf, as some of my friends do."
Leia smiled at the elf.
Luke decided not to press the issue further. "if there’s anything that we can do to help, let us know. If it has something to do with the emperor, Count us in. Anyway, what’s up? How can we help. We may be still kids ourselves, but I think we can manage."
"I will assist you any way I can against His Malevolence Emperor Shiv Palpitations Insidious."
The siblings exchanged looks of surprise and amusement, then burst out laughing.
"I don't think she likes old Sidious, do you?" Luke said to Leia.
"Now what could possibly give you that idea?" Leia kidded back.
"Let's go get some breakfast," the elf suggested.
"How long have you been playing piano?" Leia asked.
Ocean looked at her, surprised. "Oh, you heard that, did you?"
"Yes. Luke, you should hear her."
The elf chuckled. "It took me a long time to reach this level, but I want that emperor downed as quickly as possible. I found out something very upsetting yesterday and I was killing Palpatine in that music you heard."
"You sure we're." said Leia with a grin.
"Too bad that could not have really done it." said Ocean.
"Oh! I wish I could hear it." said Luke.
"Well, it took years to be able to play something like that, and there is practically no time to learn what's needed to down that sadistic freak for real. So if you both could help me with my training, I'm as newbie as they come and would really appreciate it. And I like your company."
"Absolutely!" Luke replied. "We would be glad to assist you."
"Huzzah!" We're a team!" The elf exulted with a pleased grin.
Leia smiled. "By the way, nice choice of words," she said. You are exactly right. Sidious his old, grubby, and a freak."
"Oh, that...!" Ocean laughed. "I'm afraid if I didn't throw jabs at his ridiculous name and title, my language might get a little salty." she admitted.
"He is actually crazy!" Luke said.
"Oh, Elf," said Leia, "we will assist you in your training. You will also be training with Yoda, Ben, and Anakin when he feels up to it. We know what is involved in his care. Sometimes we can hear him squealing.
"I'm sorry. No one should ever have to go through that, or see anyone else going through it." The elf sighed, and her characteristic determined expression returned. "If the force is with us all, and everything goes right, I hope we can defeat that tyrant so no one is denied proper treatment for their conditions in the future."
"May the force be with us all," Luke said.
"I hope we can defeat that wicked old screw!" Leia said in indignation. "He needs to be annihilated." "Where is he?" she asked.
"He’s" coming now," Luke said."
"The elf suddenly bristled. "What do you mean? He is actually coming here?"
"Stay still," Luke said, ,looking directly at Ocean. "He’s approaching in his wheelchair."
"That's him?" The elf was not expecting some emperor to just come on his own into a commoner compound, and hadn't paid any mind to the odd person going to and fro, thinking they were just residents like herself. She had not expected him to be in a wheel chair either, but now that she was aware of that fact, she was not going to let that sway her feelings or make an iota of difference in what was going to be done.
"Look out. He might try to fool you. Don’t let him fool you. He may seem kind, but he’s really not. After all, you are an elf, and you can see straight to someone’s nature. He may be almost 90 years old, but don’t let that fool you."
"I am aware of that, Luke, and he will answer for his actions." she hissed.
"He is extremely powerful." Luke warned.
"So I've heard." Ocean replied. "But so are you. You have the force on your side, you are a Jedi."
"I just wish he had a better life." Luke said.
"who?" Ocean Asked."
"I mean him." Luke said. From what I heard, his mother was not very nice to him. In fact, both his mom and his dad from what I’ve heard, his sister includes, were downright he’ll tempered. Maybe that’s why he turned out the way he did. I’m not sure if he’s going to reveal his whole life story to us, but in time he might. He’s been lying to our father for 30 something years."
Suddenly, Ocean's face turned white hot with rage, and she was beginning to tremble.
"What matters is what he's done, what he is capable of, and that some people will never be healed unless this monster is taken care of, so don't you dare start feeling sorry for Palpatine now because of some whopper of a sob-story going around. He is the one responsible for all those years of scrubbing. I don't give a damn about his childhood and am sick to the back teeth with the whole 'abused' excuse. Some people come from perfectly good families, and then they tell the most malicious abominable lies, crying 'abuse' in order to get away with horrendous behaviour. And there are people who have suffered terrible things in their childhoods, including abuse, but turn out to be extremely compassionate and strong, resilient individuals. So I don't want to hear another word about that."
Luke and Leia exchanged pleased grins, and waited a moment before replying. They wanted to gage the elf's reaction to see if her resolve was really as solid as she said it was. The story was only a test made up by the cunning Luke, to see if she would believe it and express any sympathy for Palpatine. Her scalding reaction was a relief, but it was so furious that Luke was not sure if he should say anything else and risk making her explode.
"Please don't get me wrong," Luke finally said, "I don't feel sorry for him, or know anything about his childhood. I don't think anyone does."
"Just as well." the elf replied icily.
"But I am glad you will not let him sway you."
"I told you he can't. Now, unless we are actually in training," the elf replied coolly, "do not put me to the test."
"Well, could you consider this part of the training?" Leia suggested.
The elf grinned. "Jury's out on that one, my friends. Just - don't try that again."
"We are sorry," Luke said. "Actually, this is part of your training. Be careful. He will try to reach out to you. If he does, you can use something from your world to keep him away."
"I've got that bit covered." she said.
"Although some of your magic may not work in our world, some of it will.."
"I am aware different worlds have different properties." she replied.
" Especially the water ones." Luke continued.
"Well, I won't try that unless there's no other way. Long story why I employed that method on the giant bug in a black suit and I won't go into that now.""
"Aren’t you something of a water sprite?" Leia asked."
"Yes, I am wondering that myself," Luke said curious to learn more.
Before the elf could answer, "Well, what have we here? The emperors grading Voice reached their ears. I sense that you kids are up to no good! What’s going on? Where is Skywalker? The one who had to be scrubbed this morning?
The elf stood up abruptly, nearly knocking her chair over in the process. She whirled to confront the man in the wheel chair. She glowered down at him, hands bulled into tight fists. "Didn't anyone ever teach you not to eaves-drop, boy? You have some nerve setting foot on this property,"
"Oh, pardon me, ma'am, I'm just their uncle, I tease them like this all the time," the intruder said.
"One," the elf began, "That's bull. Two. The scrubbing did not happen this morning, it was yesterday. Three, you dare come in here and gloat about it and you call that kidding around."
"Sorry if I offended you." he apologized.
"Shut up!" she snapped.
Without warning, the elf approached the figure, and it looked as if she might punch him out. Instead, she got behind him and took hold of his wheelchair and began marching him out of the meeting area. "Scrubbing day was yesterday. Trash day is today!" She looked back at Luke and Leia and called over her shoulder, "Come on, let's take out the trash!"
"Good idea!" they chorused together.
"Let’s do this. He calls himself or uncle? He is not our uncle at all. He is nothing more than a speck of dust in a wicked old twerp," Luke said, but his voice nearly had a shout.
"Calm down now! Both of you!" The emperor said as Elf wheeled him to what looked to be the edge of the balcony.
"They have every right to scream at you, sir!" The elf hissed, saying 'sir' in such a way as to make it an insult.
"Not again!" The emperor thought. Aloud, he said, "I went through this before when my former apprentice lifted me over his head and threw me over the balcony railing."
"Don't give me ideas." the elf warned.
"I have now come to seek my revenge." the emperor said.
"No way!!" Luke said, using the force to lift the emperor in his wheelchair.
"Do not throw me over!" The emperor pleaded. I am too old. Release me, and I will release my apprentice.
The elf guffawed.
"I will allow him to return to the light." the emperor continued.
"No you won’t!" Luke said. I challenge you to a light saber duel. Is everyone else in on this? Luke asked.
"Yes!" the elf said with a grin and allowed herself a wicked chuckle realizing this had to be all part of the training, with a droid rather than the real emperor.
"OK." Luke said. "Now, Elf, I’m going to show you how to use a light saber. First, you need to learn the basic drills."
The elf grinned and nodded, and did her best to follow Luke's instructions and mimic his maneuvers when asked to do so. They worked until she seemed to be getting the hang of the most basic things necessary.
"Next, I’m going to show you how to liberate your blade." Luke explained, and showed her how.
She copied the procedure.
Having done all of this, Elf was ready to join in the fight.
Luke watched carefully, and deemed her worthy.
Then the light saber battle began.
During the battle, Elf received a scrape on her knee. She winced slightly, but carried on. it was bleeding, but it was not too deep.
Sensing that Elf was injured, the emperor aimed his light saber at her from his wheelchair.
"I wouldn’t do that if I were you," Luke warned,
Elf put her light sabre in position to block the attack.
The emperor looked frustrated.
Luke approached Elf and knelt to take a look at the scrape.
"I'm fine," she assured him. "It just needs some ointment and a bandage, that's all."
The sight of the blood seemed to remind Luke of something, and he halted the training session. "I think that's enough for now, you've done well on your first day."
"Thank you." Ocean replied, smiling.
"But I’m going to have to take some blood," Luke explained.
"Oh? Why" she asked.
"It is only to check for infections."
"Well, that's a good enough reason, though this is a fresh cut. It shouldn't be infected yet. But I am a stranger here and you just want to make sure I have a clean bill of health."
Luke nodded, relieved. "Yeah, that's it." he said.
"Okay, no problem." she said.
"Excellent," Luke replied.
"Oh, before we do that," Elf said mysteriously, she put down her light sabre and walked over to the emperor, her tone becoming frosty, "I don't believe I have given you a proper greeting yet."
With that, she positioned herself and delivered a vicious right uppercut to his jaw, and stalked back toward Luke. "Let's go."
Luke burst out laughing.
They went to the medical section of the compound where she could get her knee seen to and her blood drawn.
On the way there, she suddenly remembered, "Oh, you were asking me at breakfast if I am a water sprite. I am not, though it was a means to an end I devised for someone. And that's a bit of a long story, and how I got the moniker of 'Ocean'. I'm an elf, and am not dependent on or tied to any particular element."
"Oh, I see," Luke replied.
They continued on until arriving at the hospital/lab.
First, Elf's knee was medicated and bandaged. Then it was time for the blood test.
At Luke's request, Ocean Elf rolled up a sleeve and put her arm out, clenching her fist to help with the procedure.
"Now," he said, "you’re going to feel a little bit of pressure, but it’s not too bad.
"No problem," she replied.
"Here we go." he said. Without counting, as he didn't know how she was with needles and did not want to frighten her even more, Luke, as gently as he could, swabed the area.
The elf held her breath, bracing herself. Sure enough, she felt a slight sting, and a little pressure, but as Luke had said, it was not too bad.
"I'm impressed. Any time I need a shot, I'll know who to turn to." she said to him.
He chuckled and grinned. "Thanks."
Having taken the blood sample, Luke took it back to Ben.
"Ben," he said, "I need you to analyze her blood for midichlOrians."
"That is good thinking, Luke, I was planning to suggest she give a sample, but she was in no state of mind for that yesterday, and I hadn't the chance to speak with her about it today."
"We've started training." Luke said.
"How is that going?"
"Fine. She is new and still trying to learn what to do with the sword. But she doesn't get frustrated, she just keeps trying. I thought she might just storm off after the first five minutes, but she didn't even come close."
"And she will not. She is far too determined for that." Ben answered.
"No." Luke replied. "I can sense that in her nature. Once she puts her mind to something, she sticks to it. I can remember how I was when I was training with you. Master Yoda can tell you. I was downright impatient." Luke replied.
"I know you were," Ben said. "But, you have learned to control your anger. You have also learned to control your patience, and that is very good. Now, let us run the test.
While they were doing that, the Ocean Elf returned to the training area, intending to practice what Luke had taught her that morning, and to get better used to the feel of handling the saber.
She scowled when seeing the emperor was still there. She hoped the droid would be deactivated, she did not want distractions when taking the time to get better accustomed to the sword.
"How's your knee?" he asked.
"How's your jaw?" she countered.
"Why do you hate me so much?" he asked. "I'm only trying to help you."
"Stop whining, I'm trying to figure this thing out." she said irritably, and practiced some moves with the sword.
"Not bad," he commented, "Not bad at all."
"Shut up." she said sharply, and continued slashing, stabbing, and deflecting what some imaginary enemy was apparently supposed to be giving her.
Finally, she grew tired and put the saber away. Then she left without a word.
Next, she returned to the music room and played another piece, this time it was Chopin's Ocean Etude.
It was about three minutes of wave-like patterns up and down the keyboard nonstop. The mood was stormy, menacing, implacable and fiercely determined. The right hand thumb carried the melody all the way through to its epic triumphant end.
"Bravo!" a voice sounded, and a lone man applauded.
Startled, the elf closed the piano and stood up to see who was there.
"Buzz off, bozo!" she commanded with a scowl.
"Is that any way to react to a compliment" Palpatine asked.
"Your compliments don't count." the elf shot back tersely, stalking off the stage and briskly toward him.
"That music suits you." he said.
"It should." she replied. "Concert's over, let's go." She took hold of his wheelchair and roughly maneuvered him out of the music room. It was a jerky, bumpy ride back to the training area, at a running or jogging pace. He kept protesting for the elf to "Slow down!" on the way.
"I'm only trying to help - "
You already said that!" she cut him off as they reached the training area.
"I've heard tell that you are an elf of some sort?" he asked.
"What's that got to do with anything?"
"Well, you may not realize what you're letting yourself in for. The jedi are not innocent and certainly my ex-apprentice Darth Vader isn't. Whatever they may have told you about me, is only half true."
"It isn't just what they told me." she said coldly.
"It just breaks my heart seeing a lonesome elf like you being taken advantage of like that."
"Don't give me that crap, Lord Insidious,"
"Insidious!?" He stared at her. "How dare you, you, you, you stupid elf!"
"Hah!" she guffawed. "I wouldn't take that lie from you or the real Palpatine."
"Real? Are you saying I'm not real?" he seemed confounded.
"Well, I'm pretty sure you're just a droid, and a darn good facsimile of him." she said. "Not 100% positive, but pretty sure. Now stay here like a good little boy and we'll pick up our training tomorrow." With that, Ocean Elf swaggered out.
"Well done!" A voice boomed from somewhere above her.
"What the freakin - " Elf Looked up, and saw been balancing precariously on the balcony railing.
How did you do that!" He asked.
"Do what? Wheel him back in there? It wasn't any trouble," she replied. "Is this a droid of Sidious, or is this the real thing?"She asked.
"It is a Proto type. Been said. "I designed him for new comers to train with. The real thing is much more powerful."
"I thought so." said the elf with a grin.
"Well done on your come backs by the way," Luke commented."
"You heard all that? Wow." said Ocean Elf.
"Well done on that piece too." Luke said.
The elf grinned broadly. "Thank you! It's commonly known as the Ocean Etude, and it's a favourite, so I'd like to think it suits me."
"It sure does." Luke agreed.
"Thanks!" the elf smiled from ear to ear.
"Hey! Where is my father?" Luke asked turning to Obi-Wan.
"Oh! Ben said with the sad frown. The poor boy is again being scrubbed. He needs this to quit."
"What!? Ocean Elf suddenly looked horrified. "I thought you and he said that happened monthly!"
"They weren't sure they got everything, so they had to do a bit today." Ben said quietly.
"Damn!" the elf shouted, stamping her foot. She was already starting to shake.
"And I should inform you," said Luke, "that’s no droid, that’s the real thing. He’s just got metal plates all over him from the years of suffering is endured.
"I'm not interested in tales about his suffering, I told you that!" the elf raged at Luke." She lowered her voice again to continue, but was still trembling with rage. "And his jaw didn't feel metallic to me. And I wasn't expecting an emperor to just come wandering in here like an intruding vagrant. But My advice to you," said Ocean, "Confront him and end him. I'll help when and if you need my assistance, but it's your family he has wronged."
"So that's why you didn't all out try to kill him yet," Luke speculated. "You thought he was a piece of training equipment, and you wanted us to be the ones to end him."
"It is you he owes." she replied.
"We already have confronted him." Ben said to her. "He's made many unwelcome visits, and we have all said everything to him that we've needed to say. Now, he is all yours."
"Are you quite sure?"
"Do what needs to be done, Hanima Of The Waves, with our blessing, and, may the force be with you."
"I'll get on it right now!" The elf said, and hurried back into the training area.
"Elf! Wait!"
"Changing your mind?" Elf turned back.
"No, I just wanted to tell you something!"
"There's no time for that, Luke, do you want me to go ahead?"
"Yes!"
"It can wait a little longer, Luke," said Ben, "We will tell her when it's over,."
Back already? I thought we were picking up where we left off tomorrow, my elf friend." The emperor Lord Sidious said casually when he saw her come storming back in.
"Change of plan." she said brusquely, taking a light sabre and approaching him with it. "We're not training here either. We're going somewhere else." She got the saber in place to be carried, then once again, roughly wheeled Palpatine out of the area.
"Where's she going with him?" Luke asked Ben.
"There is only one way to find out."
The elf tore out of the compound and along some bumpy stretch of road until she was sure they were far enough away from people to get it over with without disturbing anyone. The whole time, Palpatine was shrilling for her to "Slow down!"
Watching, Luke said to Ben, "She picked up my light sabre instead of hers."
She brought the chair to a violent jerking halt and suddenly unceremoniously shoved it, tipping it over on its side.
"How dare you!" Palpatine Sidious bellowed indignantly.
"You had people tortured to death and those who survived you made theirs last the rest of their lives up to now! And you had the audacity to come back here and gloat!"
She got the sword ready.
"No! You're not going to run me through with that!" he tried to sound incredulous.
"This is no training session, I'm dead serious. You passed laws actually forbidding people to seek treatment for painful conditions. Those laws must be changed, and for that to happen, you are going down, Lord Shiv Palpitations Insidious!"
This finally provoked him and he turned beet red in the face. "Nobody disrespects me like that and lives! I'll make flambé out of you instead!" He put out a hand, aiming to shoot a lightning bolt at her.
Elf reacted quickly, dousing him and his effort with a wave. Have fun in Valhalla, Mr. Insidious! Nobody will miss you here!"
The force from Luke's sabre and the wave worked to obliterate Incidious.
When even the wheelchair had been vaporized, the elf made her way back to the compound.
Luke, Leia Yoda and Ben met her at the training area when she was going to return the saber.
"Mr. Insidious is no more." the elf announced. "He has been utterly obliterated. I oversaw the whole thing. And I think I took your sword by mistake, Luke.Now you can get the help for your father."
"We have news for you too, Hanima Of The Waves," said Ben.
"What's that?" she asked.
"The blood sample you gave revealed the force is strong with you."
"Oh, go on." the elf laughed."
"It is true. Your midichlorian count is sky-high. When I mean you have the force, I mean you in fact *have* the force, my dear Ocean Elf."
The elf's mouth fell open, eyes going wide. For a while, she was dumbstruck.
Finally, she burst into uncontrollable laughter. "I can't believe it!" she said. "Years ago when I was a little girl, I used to go around saying "I have the force" but I was only pretending. And now to find out it's actually true!"
"You demonstrated it when you arrived and we're having supper with us." said Ben.
"That you did, when your food you did not want, then changed your mind."
"But that was just the force in the atmosphere here." the elf said.
""Partly, but not every newcomer can do what you did on the first night here."
"Unbelievable!" The elf laughed hysterically.
"Congratulations Elf! So, what have you to say for yourself?" asked Leia.
When the elf could finally stop laughing long enough to express herself properly, she said, "Mind blown!"
--
Gryasnov plays Ocean Etude this is one of the performances Elf most admires and can only hope to come anywhere close to one day.