Rumble in the Jungle

It was several months after I'd first reached Dantooine and taken Mora Myll as my padawan. On board the Sojourn, we were just leaving Onderon's orbit after having paid a diplomatic visit to Queen Talia in Iziz.. In the Dark days, she'd become accustomed to having Master Cavar as an advisor. The Jedi Order presently did not have the manpower to allow that with so many things in the galaxy requiring our attention. Still we paid regular visits particularly to those planets most touched by the Mandalorian War and the Jedi Civil War. As Juhani had finally returned to the Enclave,  and taking into account my diplomacy experience, I had been sent to make the trip. With me, I'd brought Mora Myll, the Masters feeling that she was ready to leave Dantooine, and it was a chance for her to visit her homeworld. We were, of course, forbidden to visit any of the former Sith worlds or places where the Sith had training centers.

It was my first time on a Republic ship. The green and white corridors were neatly organized and were kept almost immaculate by the crew. We found our living quarters spacious and comfortable. The crew was helpful at all times, and Captain Hodde regularly checked with us to see if we needed anything. I was not accustomed to such treatment.

The days went by, and I found my new padawan to be manageable. We'd developed an understanding and a mutual respect, though not without the occasional heated conversation. I'd learned much about myself and about being a teacher. In some ways, my diplomatic skills were helpful, but at times they held me back. At times I simply was not strict enough with Mora, but I felt it better than to have her harbor resentments. I'd been warned many times that such resentments often led to the death of either the padawan or the master if not dealt with promptly. So I encouraged Mora to speak her mind, within reason, and even endured a certain amount of criticism in the spirit of keeping our communications open.

A major source of contention for her was the fact that she was still not allowed any weapon other than a quarterstaff and would not be allowed a lightsaber until she became a Jedi Knight. The fact was, it was less about whether she could be trusted with one as it was a test to see how she coped with that state of affairs. I empathized with her, and I'd explained that patience was the hardest thing for a Jedi to learn, that my own was often short as well. But it was of little consolation to her. So I'd grown accustomed to her sulking at times. More so than the Jedi Masters, I'd come to understand the difficulty of her transition from Sith to Jedi. The fact that she'd even had the desire was not something to be taken lightly.

We were in the briefing room with Captain Hodde discussing the state of affairs on Onderon, when we felt the ship rock violently. The Captain was thrown to the floor by the shock, and immediately reached for his comlink. At once the lights dimmed, went out and then were replaced by red flashing illumination as the ship went on alert. I looked across at Mora. She was shaken slightly, but was on her feet in an instant. I’d almost fallen out my chair and looked over at the Captain.

"Bridge, what's going on up there?" he shouted into the communicator.

"Sir, there's been an explosion in engineering! Our ion engines has been damaged. Main power is temporarily down. We’re still getting in the damage report.”

“Any idea what caused it?”

“No, Sir, but maintenance is already on it.”

“I’m on my way to the bridge,” he said, pulling himself to his feet. He turned to look at me. “You two should probably return to your quarters. Might be more problems that we don’t know about.” He left at a half run.

“What he means,” Mora said, “is that we’d just be in the way.”

I smiled. “And he’s probably right. Let’s take his advice, and you can tell me about your visit on Onderon. You still haven’t told me how it went.”

We stepped out of the room and into the corridor, nearly being run over by a team of technicians. After checking to see it was clear, we continued on down the hall, and paused outside our quarters.

She was saying, “...so while you were with the Queen, I visited some old friends. They were impressed to see me in Jedi robes. I didn’t tell them about...you know.”

I nodded. “Of course.”

“But it was good to...” She stopped in mid-sentence, suddenly becoming motionless.

She was straining her senses, and I’d already learned hers were more attuned then mine. I felt the presence, but not before she did. Before I could even speak, she’d drawn my lightsaber from my belt, activated it and stabbed into what appeared to be thin air. Except that around the blade of the lightsaber, the form of Mandalorian in full assault armor appeared out of stealth. She withdrew the blade, and his body fell to the floor with a loud thud, his vibroblade bouncing on the floor. The next thing I knew, she had de-activated the lightsaber and was handing it back.

I gave her a minor reproachful look to remind her of her weapons ban, but also a nod at her quick response. I hung it back on my belt, as she kneeled down to check the Mandalorian. She removed his helmet, but he was dead, the blade thrust through his chest being very well placed. Aside from the armor, the only thing he carried was a blaster pistol and the vibroblade.

“Mandalorian ripper,” she said, gesturing at the pistol.

I pulled out my own comlink and spoke into. “Captain, this is Sol Talag.”

“Yes, Master Jedi, what do you need ?” came the slightly irritated reply.

“We’ve found a Mandalorian on board the ship. He’s dead.”

“What? Are you sure it’s a Mandalorian?”

“There’s no mistaking it, Captain. Full armor. Mandalorian weapons. You probably ought to come see this. We’re right outside our quarters.”

“Be right there.”

A short while later, he arrived with a squad of soldiers who began looking over the body, after which we gave our version of what happened.

“Well this is not good. I’ve already ordered my men to be on the lookout for more of these, but the Mandalorian War is supposed to be over,” Hodde said. “What could they possibly be thinking?”

“For some people, a war is never over,” Mora offered.

“Yeah,” he said. “That’s what scares me. It looks like maybe it’s back on. I’m going to have to contact Admiral Onasi with this news.”

“And I must contact the Masters on Dantooine. But let me offer my services as a go between should you need to send someone to Dxun,” I told him. “Mandalore, the current leader there, is known to have traveled in the company of more than one Jedi in his time including Revan.”

“Is that right? Well, better you than me. I’ll see what the Admiral has to say. I better get moving.” They disappeared back down the corridor, carrying the Mandalorian with them.

I entered our quarters and stood before the comm panel. Mora stood next to me. I sent a secure transmission to Master Bindo, and a few minutes later a hologram of him appeared on the floor in front of us.

“Sol? Mora? Didn’t expect to be hearing from you so soon. Is something wrong?”

“Yes, Master.  The ship has been attacked by Mandalorians.”

“Mandalorians? Now what could they be after?” he said, rubbing his chin.

“A small group boarded and sabotaged the engines while in stealth mode. We are temporarily stuck here until we can make repairs.”

“Has Admiral Onasi been contacted yet? I’m sure he’ll want to hear about this,” he wanted to know.

“I believe the Captain is contacting him right now, Master. Also, there is something else. I‘ve volunteered my services should they need someone to go down to Dxun and speak to the Mandalorians.”

“Hmmm...well, if you go, be very careful, Sol.”

Just then a hologram of Master Juhani appeared next to him. “Sol, if you go down there, remind Mandalore that you serve under Master Bindo and myself. That may help you in your talks.”

“Yes, Master,” I said bowing.

“But Mora stays on the ship,” she finished.

Mora stepped forward, agitated. “But Master, I am ready...”

“There will be no discussion about this, Padawan,” Juhani said, looking at Mora, her voice suddenly stern.

“This is our decision. You will respect it,” Bindo followed up with.

“Yes, Master.” She bowed, but the disappointment was evident in her voice.

“Very well,” I said to end the uncomfortable silence. “I will speak to Mandalore. I also do not believe they are interested in renewing the conflict.”

“In the meantime, we’ll be contacting Master Disciple on Coruscant. Keep us posted, Sol.”

“I will.”

The hologram winked out, and Mora started in on me right away. “Sol, you can’t go down there alone!”

“Mora, have a seat,” I told her.

“I already know what you’re going to say. I think I’ll stand.”

“But you don’t know why I’m saying it, so I’ll tell you. Personally, I believe you’re ready to face Dxun, although not on your own.”

“You wouldn’t doubt my combat abilities, but you doubt my will in this matter.”

“No, I do not. But this is a test of your will, nonetheless. And of your faith. You must learn to trust, Mora, and you must be able to take instructions from those above you.”

She looked away in irritation.

“You will be a Jedi Knight soon,” I continued. “And when you become one, you might be called on to look after a padawan of your own. So these constant tests of your patience, acceptance and tolerance are partly prepare you for the future. Because when you become a Knight and a particularly when you become a Master, if there are other refugees from the Dark side, there is a better than average chance they will be assigned to you, just as you were assigned to Juhani. How will you deal with a student who doesn’t want to obey your instructions? Mora, this is not a punishment.”

She looked back at me, appearing dubious. “Have you ever been to Dxun, Sol? Ever actually fought a Mandalorian?”

“I have not,” I confessed, “but I go to talk, not fight.”

“But if you have to fight, if they are unwilling to talk, are you ready?”

“You still doubt my martial skills. I am not helpless, Mora. I was trained by quite an elite warrior, herself, you know.” I was, of course, referring to Mora who’d been showing me some finer points over the last few months.

She offered a brief smile, but then became serious again. “Sol, these are not pirates and they are not common thieves. These are the fiercest warriors in the galaxy. If they turn on you, you’ll have no chance.”

“And if I have you with me?” I asked, wondering how far she was going to go with this.

“Slightly more of a chance.”

“Mora, you heard what Masters Bindo and...”

“Yeah, and the fact that you have to remind me of that means you’re running out of excuses.  I know you well enough for that.”

She was right, of course. One of the few places in the galaxy where she was not allowed to go was exactly the place I needed to go. I was wavering. Everything that I’d just told her, I firmly believed, and I also trusted in the wisdom of the Masters. But just as much, I trusted in Mora. All the while I was mulling it over, she stood there staring at me...

Just then a call came over the comm. "Master Jedi, this is the Captain. Admiral Onasi has okayed you as a go-between. We have a shuttle ready for you in the hangar. Meet me there."

"I understand, Captain."

A short while later I stood outside the shuttle, talking to Captain Hodde. “Padawan Mora is not feeling well and requests not to be disturbed,” I told him.

“I’ll make sure she isn’t,” he said with a nod.

“I’ll contact you when I’ve spoken with Mandalore.”

“Be careful down there. Don’t trust the Mandalorians. They talk about honor, but really they’re vicious.”

“Thank you, Captain. I will.” With that, I stepped through the open hatch of the shuttle and closed the door behind me.

Settling in at the controls, I fired up the engines and took it out of the hangar into space. Down below us was the green mass of Dxun, a jungle world that was legendary in the annals of the Mandalorian War. Clearing the ship, I sent it into toward the moon.

Behind me, Mora appeared out of stealth, turning off the generator she’d taken off the dead Mandalorian.

“So where did you have occasion to fight the Mandalorians, since you hadn’t fought in the Mandalorian War?” I asked her.

She sat down in the co-pilot’s seat. “I haven’t ever fought them. It’s just what I’ve heard.”

“Well, I hope you’re satisfied now. If we’re found out, we could both be expelled,” I reminded her.

“If you’re thinking worse case scenario, would you rather be expelled or lying dead in the jungle somewhere?”

“Since you put it like that.”

The mission would succeed, the problem would be solved. We would return to Dantooine and give a full account to the Masters. They catch me in a half-truth, would become suspicious. Then I would be caught in an outright lie, that Mora did not come with me. We would be sent to stand before the Jedi Council on Coruscant where we would be expelled....

I snapped back to the present  reality where Mora was still looking at me.

"You can't go," I told her. "You have to stay on the ship."

"Sol!"

"That's final. I'm sorry. If there's anymore Mandalorians onboard they may need your help here."

She turned away in frustration.

"Mora, trust me this time."

But she wouldn't look at me, so I turned and headed for the door. As I stepping through it, I heard her voice behind me.

"Sol, may the Force be with you."

I turned back. "And with you, Padawan." And then I continued out and down the corridor.

I walked down to the corridor to the turbolift and took that down to the hangar level. From there it was a short walk to the hangar itself which was a flurry of activity. The Captain stood surrounded by some of his other officers, and technicians scurried about repairing and maintenancing the rows of Republic fighters on the deck.

“Ah Master Jedi,” he said, noticing my arrival. “Your companion will not be joining you?”

“No, she will not. She will remain onboard in case you need her.”

He nodded. “Be careful down there. Don’t trust the Mandalorians. They talk about honor, but really they’re vicious.”

I stared at him for a moment, struck by the familiarity of his words.

“Is anything wrong?” he finally asked.

“No, I’ll be going now. I’ll contact you when I’ve something to report.”

I stepped into the shuttle and closed the hatch behind me.  Then I settled myself in at the controls. I took a quick glance around the interior thinking how odd my precognition was, before engaging the engines and lifting the ship of the deck. I gave it some throttle and took it out of the hangar and into space. Then I took another look around the cabin to make sure Mora hadn’t actually pulled that stealth trick, but she wasn’t there. I questioned myself once more if maybe I shouldn’t have brought her, but, of course, it was out of the question. We could not afford to lose her back to the Tomb where she’d been found. Nor could the Jedi order afford two more Exiles.

Dxun came into view, filling up the screen, as I sent the ship into a dive. A greenish orb partly covered with cloud cover and the occasional storm system viewable from orbit. Soon after I was entering the planet’s atmosphere, looking down on a lush mixture of greens which eventually sorted itself out into a tropical jungle, with greyish skies above, and a slight rain coming down.

I set the shuttle down in a clearing with the sound of rushing water in the distance. Stepping out of the it and onto the grassy plain it sitting in the middle of, I threw my hood over my head, and let myself be immersed in the Force. Life was all around me,  and the Force was strong on this moon because of it. But I also sensed the lingering effects of the battle that had been fought here, the great loss of life and the disturbance in the Force that echoed it...

“Freeze, Jedi!” I heard the command barked out.

Immediately, three Mandalorians stepped out of stealth mode from the edges of the clearing, blaster rifles at the ready.

I raised my hands slightly, to show my lack of hostile intent.

“What are you doing here?” one of them asked, as they continued to approach.

“I would like to speak to Mandalore on urgent business.”

“Mandalore doesn’t have time for just anybody to stop in, Jedi.”

I saw one of them pull out a comlink. “Tell him I was sent by Masters Bindo and Juhani.”

There was a quick conversation with the Mandalorian talking in a low voice into the comlink, while the other two kept me covered. Finally the third one nodded.

“Okay, Jedi, Mandalore will see you. This way.”

They escorted me up an ascending jungle path, past a group of four guards standing around a campfire at a crossroads and further up until we came to a series of stone structures, overhung with moss and vines. I was led across a grassy plain in between several buildings, past groups of Mandalorians on guard or training and finally to what appeared to be a main building where a pair of guards stood outside. We were not delayed as we entered into the darkened structure.

Standing in front of a large viewscreen, was a man in silvery armor. Presently he turned around, and I could see there were two metallic hoses attached from the armor to his helmet. It was a unusual set of armor, of a type I’d never seen before. I wondered if maybe it doubled as life support system, if he had perhaps been severely wounded in the past.

“Well, another Jedi,” he said. “The last time one of your kind was here, we ended up invading the Palace in Iziz. I hope you’re not going to be asking for our help every time the Queen has problems.”

I bowed. “I come for a different reason. To negotiate the cessation of hostilities.”

“Hmmm, I wasn’t aware of any hostilities.”

“Then you did not send a group of stealthed Mandalorians to sabotage the Republic ship in orbit?”

“No. Our war with the Republic is over. We’ve no intention of renewing hostilities,” he said.

I’d been reaching out with the Force and sensed his words were only partially true. There was something lingering in the background behind them, something he did not want me to know.

“However,” he continued. “There is a small band of Mandalorians who’ve had difference with how I do things and have left Clan Ordo.”

“I see. And you do you know where I can contact them?” I asked, still probing his surface thoughts.

“You can contact them IF you can find them. We don’t know where they are.”

“Could they be in the Tomb of Freedon Nadd?”

“No. That’s the first place we thought of after the Miraluka came through and cleared it out of Sith. That was several years ago.”

I nodded. “I am familiar with the events you’re talking about, as well as Master Marr.”

“So it’s Master now? Not bad for a former Sith. I’m surprised the Jedi allow her that rank. You really are far too trusting.”

I wasn’t thinking of Visas at that moment or of the Mandalorians, but of Mora. “Trust is essential for a Jedi. Without it, we have nothing.”

“It’s one of your of weaknesses.”

“We consider it a strength. Only the fearful are not able to trust.”

“Maybe. We’ll see. In the meantime, I can offer you access to supplies if you need them, but not much other help. I’ll tell Kex, you check out. Of course if you do find them, I would be interested. I’ve lost a couple of patrols recently, but I can’t afford to just keep sending people out after the renegades,” he  said.

Just then another Mandalorian came in, glanced at me and then turned his attention back to Mandalore.

“What is it, Zuka?”

“Mandalore, our sensors just detected a series of explosions in orbit.."

I saw Mandalore looking at me, as I pulled out my comlink. "Sojourn, this Sol Talag. Do you read me? I repeat, Sojourn, this is Jedi Knight Sol Talag. Can anybody hear me?"

There was a dead silence for a long minute and then...

"I hear can you, Sol," Mora's voice came over the communicator."

"Mora? Where are you?"

"I'm in another shuttle on my way down. I'd discovered another Mandalorian onboard after you left. He was sneaking his way to the hangar from engineering. Thought I'd better follow him stealthed. Just in time too. I killed him just as I heard the explosions going off and got the shuttle out of there. Just in time to see the Sojourn blow up," she said.

"I'm just glad you're okay, Mora. Are there any other survivors?"

"Not that I know of. Didn't see any escape pods jettisoned. I think we're it. Where are you?"

"I'm in the Mandalorian camp," I told her. "We're discussing the situation now."

"I see. I'm on my way."

"Mora?"

"Yes, Sol?"

"Be careful."

"Always. Mora out."

I put away my comlink.

"Guess you're going to have to find another way back to Dantooine," Mandalore said. "But you help me with these renegades, and I'll give you a ride to Iziz."

"Can I contact the Republic?"

"As soon as you reach Iziz," he answered. "The Republic doesn't need to know everything about my operations here."

"Very well," I said. "As soon as my padawan arrives, you can point us in the right direction.

He'd given me free run of the base, so I wandered about while I waited for Mora, and eventually came to where a circle of Mandalorian stood watching a pair of warriors fight. The fought open handed, clearly more a battle of technique than of violence.

"This is the Battle Circle," a red-armored Mandalorian said, stepping up next to me. "I am Zolok, and this is where our warriors can show their fighting skills in non-lethal combat. It's also a place to win honor. Shayla Khaar fought in this battle circle when she came here and bested all but our very best warriors. She gained great honor as well earning new respect for the Jedi. We had thought the Jedi could only fight by using their Force tricks."

"We do receive open-handed combat training, as well as rudimentary training with other weapons such as blasters," I told him, "but Master Khaar is one of the greatest among us." I thought it best to leave it at that and not mention that she had gone off into the Outer Rim in search of Revan.

"Much like Revan," he said. "I never had a chance to test myself in battle against her, but Mandalore is familiar with her. Said she was a fierce a warrior as he's ever known."

"Really? And how does Mandalore know Revan?"

"At some point, they crossed paths, but I'm not sure where," he said. "I do know that without Revan, the Republic would have been defeated. Cavar did not have the military instincts to beat us."

I knew better than to be drawn into such an argument. "That might be, however, the Sith were a problem to us both. They were the greater enemy."

He nodded. "Yes. It was my great privilege to fight alongside Mandalore and Shayla Khaar when we boarded the Ravager in the Battle of Citadel Station. The Sith soldiers were no match for Mandalorians. Not even their assassins."

"Is that so?"

I heard Mora's voice come from behind me, and turned to see her being escorted over by a pair of guards.

"That's a fact," the Mandalorian answered her.

She just stared at him, so I stepped in between them, hoping to head off a confrontation. "This is my padawan, Mora. Mora, this is Zolok."

"Then let's put it to the test," Mora said back to him.

"Thought you said she was a Jedi," the Mandalorian said to me.

"I was a formerly a Sith assassin. I would welcome the challenge, Mandalorian," she answered him, before I could speak.