Alaira Dalia

'"Happiness is not the absence of conflict, but the ability to deal with it." '~ Alaira Dalia

Summary
Alaira Dalia (43BBY - 21BBY) was a Force-sensitive, white Twi'lek who lived during and prior to the Clone Wars. She was discovered when she was 3 years old on Ryloth by Jedi Master Tholme and was taken to the Jedi Temple for training. Years after becoming a Knight she left the Jedi Order and fell in love with a Mercenary of the Force named Avarice Knightfall. Her natural talents were defensive abilities such as Force Shield and Force Deflect. She developed a lot of her rebellious nature from the Jedi who trained her, Master Renara Windtreader.

Childhood
Alaira Dalia is a white, female Twi'lek who was born in the Nightlands of Ryloth. Like many Force-sensitive children before her, Alaira was taken to the Jedi Temple when she was a small child with little to no memories of her family or home. However, her first adventure took place when she still lived in the Nightlands.

Jedi Master Tholme found her on one of his Jedi Watchmen missions on Ryloth with Quinlan Vos. While investigating a suspicious character who led them to the Nightlands in the first place, they unwittingly were lured into a trap. Attracted to a cave that was rich in luminescent crystalline flora, several explosives were detonated causing a cave in. While Tholme was able to escape the cave in, Vos was trapped inside the cave and was rendered unconscious.

If this wasn't enough of a surprise for Jedi Master Tholme, he began to hear the sounds of a little girl crying nearby. It did not take him very long to find a small, white, Twi'lek girl. After comforting and calming her down, he began to speak to the 3 year old. Her name was Alaira and apparently her family lived inside the cave that had just collapsed. She was at the entrance picking luminescent crystalline flora seedlings for her mother when the cave in happened.

Outside the cave was no place for a 3 year old and certainly not in company of the nearby thugs. Tholme needed to get to Quinlan Vos on the other side of the cave in and Alaira needed to get back to her family. So, Tholme took young Alaira's hand and they began to look around the blocked cave entrance. Tholme tried to use the Force to lift some of the stones, but the more he disturbed the rocks, the more unstable the entire cave seemed to get. Once it was clear that there was no way to reopen the cave, Alaira ran off.

Tholme pursued the little girl. She obviously knew an alternate way into the cave. Not long into their journey, blaster fire rained down on them from the trees or crystalline flora. Tholme quickly defended the child deflecting as much blaster fire as he could, but he was quickly being overwhelmed. Watching her only protector struggling so greatly, little Alaira closed her eyes and clasped her hands together in front of her. All of the blaster shots began to vaporize into thin air around them.

Tholme watched as the child created and maintained the Force Shield that surrounded them. With the extra time that little Alaira was buying him, Tholme concentrated a Force Push and shattered the crystalline flora trees that the thugs were hiding in.

After the debris settled, Tholme found the child laying unconscious. It took all of her might to create that shield. He carried the child in his arms as if she was his own. The Force guided him to the secret entrance that Alaira had been leading him to. There, he found Alaira's home. The cave had been destroyed in more areas than just the entrance. It did not take long for Tholme to find Alaira's parents. They had died in the cave in. Soon after, Quinlan Vos made his way through the debris to Tholme and sleeping Alaira.

Both Jedi agreed that it would be best that she did not wake up to the sight of her fallen family. After Tholme explained to Vos the strength that the young girl demonstrated with the Force, they both agreed to take her to the Jedi Temple on Coruscant to be trained as a Jedi.

Life in the Jedi Temple
Alaira was a fairly gifted Jedi. She did not excel through her training at a faster rate than normal, but most of the abilities that she was taught came very easily to her. She had a gift for defensive abilities such as Force Shield, Force Deflect, and Force Heal.

Once she became a Padawan Learner, she was assigned to be an apprentice under Jedi Master Renara Windtreader, a Human with a tendency to bend the rulings of the Jedi Council. Under the teachings of Master Windtreader, Alaira grew very strong in the ways of the Force. She perfected the forth form of Lightsaber Combat, Niman.

Her master's subtle ways of defying the Jedi Council every now and then had a negative influence on Alaira. She grew into a young woman with a lack of respect for authority and a very curious nature. She found herself always questioning everything from authority to history to the Jedi Code. There was nothing that she really disagreed with. There was just a constant sense of questioning about Alaira as she searched for the truth behind everything.

When Alaira was sixteen years old, she went on a mission with her master to Mygeeto where the native Mygeetians (also known as Lurmen) were being oppressed by the Muun. The Muun were creating several mining facilities for the Banking Clan. The problem was that their ever-expansive mining operation was destroying the homes of the Mygeetians. When Master Windtreader and Alaira had arrived, the Muun were already resorting to mass genocide to hasten their mining operation.

Standing for peace between the two, Renara and Alaira tried to negotiate with the Muun, but negotiations quickly became aggressive. Alaira and her master barely escaped with their lives. They could not simply leave the Mygeetians to be slaughtered and there was no way of reasoning with the Muun. So, they met with the local Mygeetian clan leader, Tee Watt Kaa. After explaining their pacifist ways, Renara negotiated a resettlement with Tee Watt Kaa to a system in Neutral space, Maridun.

Alaira and Renara quickly returned to Mygeeto with transports suitable for evacuating the Mygeetians. Alaira would pilot the smaller of the two transports while Master Windtreader would pilot the larger transport. Once all of the local Mygeetians were on board, Renara's transport took off to leave Mygeeto with Alaira's following closely behind. When the atmosphere cleared, the Jedi saw that a fleet of Banking Clan Munificent Frigates were blockading the planet. Apparently, the Muun had plans for the enslavement of the Mygeetians for the purpose of working in their mines.

Alaira and her master instantly began evasive maneuvers. While Alaira's ship had the advantage of being smaller and faster, Renara Windtreader's transport ship was far too large to evade all fo the blockade's firepower. Renara turned the ship around and began fleeing for the planet, but the reactor was hit. Through the static of the communicator, Alaira heard her master's voice telling her "Always remember to follow your heart." She then felt her master's presence slip away into the Force. The transport was destroyed.

Only one village of Mygeetians, including their leader, Tee Watt Kaa, were on board Alaira's ship. She made it through the blockade and took the Mygeetians to Maridun where they would begin a new colony. Shortly after reporting the mission to the Jedi High Council on Coruscant, Alaira was granted the rank of Knight in the Jedi Order.

She then traveled back to Ryloth for the first time since Master Tholme found her. She fealt compelled to go back to the Nightlands and search for her forgotten past. It wasn't long before she found the cave. It was completely collapsed, but she remember where to look. She found the ruins of her home along with two graves for her parents. She mourned them along with her master. It was there during her solitude and meditation that she used the luminescent crystalline flora to create her silver lightsabers. Once she found peace and harmony within herself and the Force, she returned to the Jedi Temple.

Leaving the Jedi Temple
Four years since the death of her master (23 BBY), Alaira was a highly skilled Jedi Knight. She was beginning to consider taking on an apprentice of her own. The Clone War was only a year away and life was fairly quiet around the Jedi Temple. One day during her meditation in her living quarters, she was interrupted by Jedi Master Luminara Unduli. She had come to inform Alaira that Jedi Grand Master Yoda urgently required her presence in the Hangar Bay. With her curiosity spiked, Alaira quickly went to meet Master Yoda where he and another Jedi were waiting for her.

Yoda briefly introduced her to Orin Bar-Joden, a Human who was recently granted the rank of Master. He then explained that the two of them needed to leave as soon as possible for Utapau. A very dangerous Rogue Sith had been sighted there and was responsible for the deaths of five Jedi. Alaira knew very little of this man, but she had read a mission report from Master Ki-Adi-Mundi who had narrowly escaped with his life from a Force-wielding Human known as "Avarice." Master Yoda instructed the two Jedi to go to Utapau and engage Avarice and, if possible, bring him back to the Jedi Temple alive for questioning. Alaira accepted the mission with Jedi Master Bar-Joden and proceeded to her Delta-7B starfighter, Valkryie.

With haste the pair of Jedi landed in one of the many "sinkhole" cities of Utapau where Avarice was said to still be present. Alaira was expecting the menace to engage them as soon as they landed, but the city seemed quiet. Her and Orin searched through the city for hours with no sign of Avarice. Master Orin Bar-Joden explained to Alaira that this man whom they seeked was not necessarily a Sith, but was no friend to the Jedi. Aside from the confrontation with Master Mundi, Avarice never left any survivors. So, all they had to work with was the mission report that Ki-Adi-Mundi wrote. In the report, Master Mundi explained that Avarice only engaged once he was identified and confronted.

They searched until the day had turned into twilight with no sign of Avarice. When they arrived back at their starfighters, Alaira felt a tremor in the Force. The entire time, Avarice had been following them, and he finally made the mistake of coming too close. Alaira and Orin ignited their lightsabers instantly. They would not take any chances knowing that greater Jedi had fallen to this man before them. Emerging from the shadows into the golden light of sunset, Avarice slowly approached them with no hostile gestures. When he stopped advancing towards them, he was nearly in reach of Orin's Green Lightsaber. Orin addressed him, "Avarice! By order of the Jedi High Council, you are under arrest! Lower any weapons in your possession slowly to the ground."

Avarice pulled a medium-sized vibroblade out of his cloak and knelt to the ground. At the moment the vibroblade touched the ground, a white lightsaber ignited from Avarice's other hand. He uppercut Master Bar-Joden's Lightsaber out of his way and Force Pushed him up against his starfighter. Before he could get his kill stroke, Alaira interrupted his swing with her twin silver lightsabers. Avarice shoved her away with another Force Push and ignited a second white blade from the other end of his hilt. The white, double-bladed lightsaber twirled violently around him in the twilight as he engaged Alaira. He was quickly overpowering her.

Returning her favor, Orin threw himself into the duel to save Alaira. Avarice was more than capable of dueling both Jedi at the same time. The duel lasted for only a few minutes before Avarice was done playing around. Surprising both Jedi, he burst into the air. Where most Jedi master Force Levitation, Avarice seemed to be highly skilled in Force Flight. Obviously, Force Telekinesis was his natural talent. Hovering 10 meters above the Jedi, he rained down Force Lighting on them. With little time to act, Master Orin Bar-Joden threw his Lightsaber to intercept the lightning and strike Avarice. Despite Orin's intentions, Avarice caught the lightsaber. He quickly slammed into the Hanger Platform with a Force Repulse and threw the green lightsaber back at Orin. With such velocity, Orin Bar-Joden's own lightsaber impaled him and continued on threw him.

Alaira recovered from Avarice's Force Repulse just in time to see Jedi Master Orin Bar-Joden fall off of the platform to his death. For the first time, she felt true fear. She only took one step towards Avarice before he grabbed her lightsabers with the Force and threw them down the sinkhole following Orin. He walked towards her slowly. She tried to Force Push him away, but he deflected it and responded with a very powerful burst of Force Lightning. She lied on the ground near her starfighter defeated and waiting for the end. Alaira tried to make herself one with the Force to prepare for Avarice's final strike, but after a long moment, she opened her eyes to see Avarice standing over her. His lightsaber was shut off and back on his belt and he was just looking down at her.

Alaira was very confused by this behavior. She thought that he was a Jedi Hunter. He spoke softly; "How many more Jedi must die? I only want to be left alone. Go back to your masters and tell them that I will not kill anymore Jedi if they only stop looking for me."

He then turned without another word and began walking away. Alaira brought herself to her feet and began to follow him. His patience ran dry quickly and he turned to see why she was risking her life to recklessly. Alaira asked "Why didn't you kill me? You know that the Jedi are after you because of the Jedi that you murdered. They will never call off the search."

Avarice replied ''"I don't want to kill anyone. I only kill in defense. I could tell, that unlike the other Jedi that was with you, you would not fight until your last breath. You were willing to let me go... because you were afraid." ''Avarice tried to leave again, but Alaira called after him. She wanted to know why the Jedi were hunting him. He told his story of how the first Jedi that he met was when he was seventeen years old. That Jedi tried to take him to the temple, but they began to argue. The conflict escalated into a lightsaber duel resulting in the Jedi's death. The Jedi Order had been hunting him ever since. He wasn't a Sith. He wasn't a Jedi. He was a Mercenary of the Force who simply wished to go about his way.

His story brought an entirely different perspective on the Jedi for Alaira. Suddenly, she felt like the villain. She hunted him down on Utapau and engaged him without knowing anything about him aside from the fact that he had killed Jedi before. She was very disturbed at the realization that the Jedi Order could act on such little knowledge. Before she could catch up with her thoughts, she was considering leaving the Jedi Order. It had crossed her mind before on several occasions and she rarely agreed with the Jedi Council.

Alaira asked Avarice if she could go with him if she left the Jedi Order. Then, for the first time in a long time, Avarice was the one who was caught off guard. After making sure that she was adamant in her decision, he realized that this young Twi'lek may be worth getting to know. She certainly could use someone like him to protect her. So, he released his mind into the Force to listen to its will. He determined that it was by the will of the Force that they had met and that she was destined to accompany him. With his agreement, Alaira Dalia left the Jedi Order behind.

Final Days
Avarice and Alaira grew closer with every day that they spent together. By 21BBY, the Clone War had begun and they were both deeply in love. They kept on the move and were able to avoid further detection from the Jedi since they had met. However, with the Clone Wars spreading across the galaxy, every move that they made was more treacherous than the last. Alaira was considered a Dark Jedi who had lost her way and Avarice was still considered a Rogue Sith by the Jedi Order.

With the Jedi leading the Grand Army of the Republic, it became more and more difficult to avoid detection. Alaira's kind heart had softened Avarice's anger over their time together. Instead of taking the fight to the Jedi, they fled every close encounter. Alaira wished to settle somewhere at least for a short while. They determined that it would be safer for them if they went to a Separatist-controlled world. After all, the Sith were not looking for them. So, they headed to Ryloth where the CIS had recently taken control of the planet.

Sneaking onboard a Separatist transport, they made it to the surfice without much difficulty. The CIS were rounding up all of the Twi'leks that they could find and imprisoning them. So, many towns were left deserted. Avarice and Alaira travelled to an evacuated town that was far from the planet capital, Lessu. There, they settled in hoping to stay a while and possibly start a family.

Sure enough, they were left undisturbed by Cham Syndulla's Freedom Fighters and the Separatists. Sadly, good fortune was about to run out for them. When Alaira discovered that she was pregnant with Avarice's child, the couple only had minutes to rejoice before the sounds of the Republic Fleet entering the atmosphere thundered overhead. Jedi General Obi-Wan Kenobi's Ground Forces were landing while Jedi General Anakin Skywalker's flagship was destroying the remnants of Captain Mar Tuuk's Separatist blockade. Alaira and Avarice could not possibly escape the system amidst this planetary invasion. So, they settled down for a few long nights.

The sounds of exploding tanks and large cannons echoed throughout the nights and days. Alaira continually used Force Perception to determine the status of the battle. When they learned that Jedi General Mace Windu's attack on the capital, Lessu had begun, they were certain that the Republic would win. They planned on moving quickly to the Nightlands to avoid the Republic occupation and detection once the battle was over. Unfortunately, they would never get the chance.

When Separatist defeat was imminent, Count Dooku ordered the bombing of Lessu and all surrounding villages. Avarice and Alaira hardly heard any warning before the bombs began to fall on the village that they were staying in. The explosions were closing in fast and there was no escape. Alaira raised her hands and created a Force Shield over them just as the bombs fell around them. It took all of her might to sustain it and keep the fires at bay, but she managed to save them both.

Once the bombs were done exploding, Avarice quickly left the Force Shield and went outside to make sure that the last of the Separatist Hyena Bombers were gone. Overjoyed to see clear skies and the sight of two Jedi Starfighters shooting down the bombers in the distance, Avarice looked back inside to see Alaira beginning to lose consciousness. Her arms fell and the Force Shield dropped. Holding the shield for so long had exhausted her. Avarice tried to get to her as fast as he could, but the Force Shield fell, and then the building collapsed on top of her. Avarice used the Force to throw as many pieces of debris away as he could to try and reach her in time, but when he found her, Alaira and her unborn child were lost.

For two years, Alaira Dalia knew freedom, love, and happiness. She always taught Avarice that happiness was not the absence of conflict, but the ability to deal with it. Take the bad with the good. For the rest of his days, he remembered her motto... and he lived for her.

Clone Wars Adventures
''Coming Soon. Please be patient. ^_^     ~ Alaira''

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