Jolis Manaij  (Jo-lis Ma-nye)  Jedi Master
Savos Tyrkif  (Save-os Tire-kif)   Jedi Master
Akaria Eldine (A-kar-ea El-dine)   Jedi Master

Skycen Darkayen (Sy-cen Dar-kayen)  Padawan Learner
Ceden Talturus (See-den Tal-two-rus)  Padawan Learner
Karrek Lorcken (Car-reek Lore-khen)  Padawan Learner
 

Satara (Say-ta-ra) Sith Lord
Rytrian Tharhrn (Rye-tree-an Tha-rur-en)  Sith Lord
 



The battered Republic cruiser Tantive exited hyperspace in a flash of light, and began its journey to the 6th planet of the Ragoon system.  It flew down through the atmosphere, and set down gently on the landing platform of the Jedi Academy there.  A single figure, a Padawan by the look of him, waited for the ships landing ramp to come down and for it’s single passenger to disembark.  The ramp hisses down and the passenger walks down it slowly, her hands held out slightly from her sides, and her eyes closed.  She pauses for a moment, drinking in the feeling of life once again, and then opens her eyes and focuses on her waiting companion.

“It feels so good to return to a place so rich in life.  Space is so empty, so cold.  And Coruscant isn’t’ much better, I’m afraid.” she said.

“Welcome home, Master Manaij.” Padawan Skycen Darkayen said, bowing to his master as she walked down the ramp.  The older Jedi stepped off the ramp to stand before her apprentice.

“Hello Skycen” she said, studying her Padawan closely.  She could sense that something wasn’t right.  “What is it?”

“Master Tyrkif wishes to see you at once, Master” Skycen replied, avoiding the gaze of his master.  While he knew it was useless to try and hide things from his teacher and mentor, he couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable, for he knew the reason Master Savos Tyrkif wanted to see Master Jolis Manaij right away.  Master Manaij stared at her Padawan for a moment longer, as if trying to discern what had the Padawan so disturbed.

“Very well.  I shall go to him immediately.  Wait for me in your quarters, if there are no duties you need to attend to.  I will join you presently.”

“Yes, Master” Skycen said, still not looking his Master in the eye.  Master Manaij looked at him for a moment longer, and then left the Padawan alone on the landing platform, a look of distress on her face.  Skycen turned towards his master and made as if he wanted to say something, but then closed his mouth and watched his master walk away.

********************

“Master Manaij.” Jedi Master Savos Tyrkif said solemnly, turning from his contemplation of the training below.  They stood on a high balcony, looking down on an exercise yard below, where some Jedi could be seen practicing their lightsaber techniques.

“Master Tyrkif.” Manaij said, bowing her head slightly to the senior Master.

“What news from Coruscant?” Tyrkif asked.

“Things are becoming much more complicated.  The Council is preparing for war.  There was another assassination attempt on Senator Amidala of Naboo, and tensions are running high in the Galactic Senate.  Chancellor Palpatine seems to think he will be able to avert the coming conflict, but Master Windu feels that war is almost inevitable.  I’m not sure which of them is right.  I have tried meditating on it, but I have yet to see the path of the future.”

“Yes, the future is always in motion.  It is difficult to sort through the possibilities and focus on the proper thread.”

“There is another possible reason…” Manaij said, and Master Tyrkif looked at her closely.

“Yes.  The Dark Side…” he breathed.

“It continues to cloud things, to make the future murky and difficult to see.  I am becoming concerned.”

“As am I, Master Manaij.  However, we must not allow the problems of the future to overshadow the problems of the present.” Tyrkif said, looking expectantly at Manaij.

“Yes, I sensed something was amiss when my Padawan greeted me at the landing platform.  Is it something to do with him?”

“I am afraid so, my old friend.  While you were away, there have been a few conflicts between your Padawan and mine.  They have been having some problems working together, and almost came to blows on one occasion.  I know they are both some of the more promising of all the students here at the Academy, but I fear that they are allowing their competitive natures to get the best of them.  We must do something to defuse this situation immediately, before it becomes much more than just them striving to be the best.  It is far too easy to fall to the Dark Side when your judgment is clouded by your pride.”

“I agree. How do you wish to proceed?”

“We must allow them to work through these difficulties on their own.  But I don’t believe they will be able to do so here at the Academy.  The desire to try and impress the others may work against our efforts to get them to work together.”

“You wish to send them into the wild…”

“I do. With minimal supplies as well.  Given the planet’s lack of indigenous population, they would have no choice but to rely upon each other to survive.  There isn’t anything out there that should be too dangerous for two Padawans of their skill to face. I have no doubt that if they were faced with great danger, they would be able to let go of their pride and work together as a team.”

“Perhaps we should send along one of the other Padawans, such as Ceden Talturus.  They both get along well with him, and his presence should quell any conflicts that may arise.  Additionally, with him being an Aklobazian, Skycen and Karrek will know that any displays of pride will simply disgust him, and they do all of his culture.”

“Shall we summon them to us now?” Tyrkif said, nodding to Manaij’s suggestion.  “They both know that we will be discussing this subject, so there is no reason to delay the inevitable.”

“Agreed.  I will ready what supplies they may need on their journey as well as speak to Master Eldine about allowing Ceden to join the mission.”

“Very well.  I will summon them to meet us outside shortly.”

****************

 

The three Padawans are standing and waiting for their Masters to arrive.  Finally Master Manaij and Master Tyrkif can be seen exiting the main building of the Academy.  The Padawans stand up a little straighter as their masters approach.  The two Jedi Masters come to a stop, and survey their apprentices.  Only Ceden is able to look the Senior Jedi in the eye, as Skycen and Karrek had their heads down.

“Padawans.” Manaij said forcefully, and the two younger Jedi instantly snapped their heads up to attention.  “You have probably been wondering why we have summoned you.  It is not to punish you, as I am sure that you think.  At least not in the way you have probably imagined.  Master Tyrkif and I believe it would be better to teach than to punish.  To that end we have decided to send you on a journey of sorts.  You two, accompanied by Ceden, will be going into the Wild of the forest.”  The look of dread on the Padawans faces betrayed how they felt about the Master’s pronouncement.

“I see you aren’t happy with what we have decided for you?” Tyrkif said.  “Perhaps you would prefer to be given extra duties?  Such as scrubbing the drive nozzles on the Tantive?”  At this the look on the Padawans faces got even more distressed.  “I thought not.  However, do not think that this journey will be easy.  While there shouldn’t be any dangers you won’t be able to overcome, you will be going with minimal supplies.  You must live off the land, and rely on each other, to survive.  We suggest you journey to Lake Nurnen, hence we don’t expect you to be back for at least two weeks.”  The shock on the Padawans faces would have been comical if the situation had been less grave.

“By the time you return, you may wish we had assigned you to scrub those drive nozzles.  But I think not.  This journey will be good for you.  You must learn to let go of your pride, and begin to work together.  A Jedi must always be willing to compromise, always be ready to adapt to what the situation calls for.  If you are selfish, if you are too concerned with your own welfare, then you will never be able to immerse yourself in the Force fully and completely.  You must learn to give yourself to the Force, to allow it to saturate you and surround you, not use it only as a tool for combat.  There is no room for selfish pride. You must let go of your conscious self, and allow the Force to guide you. Only then can you become a true Jedi.” Master Manaij said.  The two Padawans nodded their heads.

“I hope you truly understand, and aren’t just nodding your heads to appease us.  This journey will test your commitment to the Force, with more intensity than any simple exercise we could provide here at the Academy.  Do not take it lightly.  Starvation and dehydration are just as dangerous of foes as the claws of a Sabercat.”

“Stay here.” Master Manaij said, motioning to the courtyard.  “Prepare yourselves in the Force.  Meditate on this journey.  You shall leave when you are ready.”

“Yes Master” the Padawans said.  The two Masters watched as the Padawans entered their meditations, and then turned away.  As soon as their backs were turned, Skycen and Karrek looked at each other, their hard looks saying more than words could.  Ceden was already deep in meditation.

****************

 
 

The sounds of the forest were all around them as they sat, eating of their meager provisions. Skycen sat with his robe off, across from Karrek.  Ceden sat on a rock in the middle and off to the side.

“So how did you get stuck in all this Ceden?” Skycen asked, finally breaking the silence.  “Doesn’t quite seem fair to make you come along.”

“It is not my place to ask my Master why she wishes something done.  In my culture, obedience is a trait that we are taught before we are able to walk.”

“That doesn’t seem what the Order would want, obedient drones,” Karrek said, looking up.

“It isn’t.  However, we are not just “obedient drones” as you put it.  We simply obey instructions from our elders.  One must assume that they have given the matter sufficient thought and are sure that it is the right thing to do.  I also have the will of the Force to guide me.  I assure you, there is a difference between discipline and blind obedience to the will of others.  The key is to find the point on which the balance can be found.”

“Yet you haven’t answered my question…” Skycen said, smiling.  “Why were you sent along?  Surely Master Eldine must have told you something?”

“She simply instructed me to join with you on this journey.  I was given no special direction or reasons.  I do not even know specifically why you two were sent out here.  Again, it is not my place to ask the reasons why.  At least not from my Master…” Ceden said, a question in his voice.  Skycen smiled ruefully.

“Point taken.” Skycen said, looking at Ceden for a moment, as if gauging the best way to approach the subject without offending the younger Padawan.  “I guess it would be best to say that Karrek and I have let our desire for recognition and accomplishment overshadow the will of the Force.”

“Maybe you have, Skycen.  The Force is still the guiding factor in my life.  I simply had the bad luck to get entangled with you.”

“In my experience, there is no such thing as luck, Karrek,” Skycen said, looking at the other Padawan.  “Besides, everybody knows of your desire for personal glory.”

“I do not ‘desire glory’. It is simply the wish to be successful and having confidence in my own abilities.  How can I help it if I am skilled?”

“Skilled?  You wield the Force like a cudgel.  Anybody can hack and slash and beat.  Finesse is where the true nature of the Force lies.  You don’t have to be a Rancor stomping through a herd of Nerfs, as you so often do.”

“Perhaps.  But then I also allow the power of the Force to guide me, instead of being so scared of the Dark Side that I will only let a drip of the Force into myself.  Having fear of the Force is worse than wielding it strongly.  You fear those who do.

“You think I am afraid?  Afraid of you?” Skycen said disdainfully, rising to his feet.

“I think you fear to be more than you think you can be.  You are afraid to fully let go.” Karrek said, also getting to his feet.  He moved his robe aside, but didn’t move his hand towards his weapon.

“Not like you, the all powerful Karrek.  Look at you.  Already you are preparing to impose your point of view on me. Powerful Karrek, the one who nearly killed another Padawan during ‘practice’.”

“That was not my fault.  Aean was simply not ready to face somebody like me in combat.  It was an error on the part of his Master, not on me.”

“Of course, it can’t be the fault of a brash young Padawan.  It has to be the fault of one who has been training Jedi for over 200 years.  How dare I believe otherwise?”

“A fool may believe whatever he must.  The wise see through to the truth.”

“So now I am a fool?”

“Take whatever names for yourself that you wish.”

“ENOUGH!” Ceden said suddenly, standing up.  “This petty bickering disgusts me!  If I wanted to listen to infighting and slander, I would simply tune into a holo-feed from the Galactic Senate.”  Both of the older Padawans looked with surprise at the younger Padawan before them.  “Sit down, both of you.  You will need your rest if we are to survive this journey.”

Both the Padawans sit down, and Ceden remains standing, looking at them both in turn.  A puzzled look comes over Ceden’s face.  He looks up, and a split second later the sound of a blaster rings through the air, and Ceden is thrown backwards.  Instantly the two Padawans jump to their feet, lightsabers ignited in their hands.  Skycen instantly moves into a guard position, and Karrek rushes to where Ceden has landed.  He puts his hand to Ceden’s throat, but finds no pulse.  He closes his eyes momentarily, and then stands to join Skycen.

“Ceden?” Skycen asks.

“He’s dead…” Karrek says, and his words are punctuated by more blaster fire.  Bolts rain down on the two Padawans, and they are hard pressed to deflect them all.  They began to retreat backwards, also moving to the side to come under cover of some trees.  Once they had moved a significant distance from where Ceden lay, the blaster fire began to slack off, until it ceased altogether.  They then saw movement in the trees where the fire had been coming from, and two figures stepped out of the brush.  A human and a wookie.

“I don’t believe it,” Skycen breathed as the two figures drew close enough to identify.  Rytrian Tharhrn was the human, and Satara was the wookie.

“You are supposed to be dead…” Karrek said, stunned.

“Fortunately the only dead person is your friend here…” Tharhrn said with a laugh.  The two Padawans tensed at this, and aimed their lightsabers at the two interlopers.

“Now now,” Tharhrn said, “Is this any way to greet an old friend?” he continued maliciously moving forward and past the fallen form of Ceden.  The wookie stopped and bent over, taking a curved knife from his side.

“Hey!” Skycen and Karrek both said, beginning to take a step forward.  Tharhrn had his lightsaber out and ignited before they could even blink.

“Don’t mind my friend there.  He is simply taking a trophy to celebrate this momentous occasion,” he said, moving to a guard position, as he knew that the two Padawans wouldn’t allow that to happen.  Karrek moved in quickly, but the human deflected his attacks easily, as if one might simply hold off an errant child.  Behind him, the wookie sheared off the Padawan’s hair braid, attaching it to his bandolier.  Tharhrn managed to trip Karrek to the ground, and Skycen stepped forward to block any attack that the human might make on the fallen Padawan.  Tharhrn simply laughed, easily blocking the young Padawan’s tentative attacks.  Skycen finally disengaged, and stepped back to where Karrek was getting to his feet.

“You Jedi are much too predictable” Tharhrn said.

“Is that how you found us?” Skycen asked.

“Not quite, my young Padawan.  We have been tracking you since you left your precious little Academy” Tharhrn said contemptuously.  “We simply waited until you were far enough away that we could attack with impunity.”

“Impossible.  We didn’t feel you in the Force…”

“Of course you didn’t! You didn’t feel our presence because we didn’t let you!  We only allowed you to sense what we wanted you to sense!  You Jedi are so arrogant in your powers.  But there is another power rising in the galaxy, a power greater than anything you could possibly imagine.  Soon it will sweep across the Republic, and you and your pitiful little band of Jedi will be powerless to stop it.  A New Order is coming.”

“I don’t believe you.  The Jedi Council would have sensed something like that.” Skycen said uncertainly.

“The Jedi Council.  What are they but simple servants of the Galactic Senate?  You hold them in such high esteem, but what are you to them but tool they use as they will?  Believe what you wish, young Padawan, but when the Republic is under our power, and your Jedi Temple lies in ruins, you will see that I speak the truth.” Tharhrn said.  A look of uncertainty passed over the faces of the Padawans.

“However, I tire of this conversation,” Tharhrn said.  He turned his head slightly and spoke sharply. “Satara!  I will meet you back at the ship” he said, switching off his lightsaber and turning away from the two Padawans.  Almost as an afterthought, he waved in the general direction of the two young Jedi.  “Destroy them…” He used the Force to call Ceden’s lightsaber to his hand as he walked past, and Satara moved forward.
 

“Don’t worry about your friend,” Satara said.  “You will be joining him soon enough.”  The wookie then slowly pulled out his lightsaber.  The handle was longer than a normal lightsaber, and the reason why soon became apparent.  Satara hit the ignition stud, and it’s 2 meter length sprung out, the crimson red blade hissing, almost as if in anticipation of the coming battle.  The two Padawans took an involuntary step backwards, surprised at the new blade that Satara wielded.  The wookie chuckled.

“Impressive, isn’t it?” Satara said, and then launched his attack.  Karrek moved quickly forward to meet Satara’s attack, and Skycen moved instantly back.  Seeing that Karrek had moved forward, Skycen stopped his retreat and moved in to help the other Padawan.  But unfortunately Satara had already deflected Karrek’s attack and had used the Force to push him away.  So Skycen found himself facing the great wookie alone.  He switched to a defensive posture, but the sheer strength of the huge wookie overwhelmed his defence, and he was forced to retreat quickly backwards.  The wookie laughed again.

“Please tell me your masters have taught you better than this?  Please tell me you will bring me some sort of challenge?”  Satara said.  While he had been speaking, the two Padawans had moved together again.  After his words, Karrek launched another offensive attack, with Skycen caught off guard once again.  As Skycen moved to help Karrek, he was cut down by a sharp Force push to the shins.  He fell to his face, losing control of his lightsaber, and Satara turned his attention back to Karrek.  He easily deflected the young Padawan’s attack, and once Skycen had cleared his head and Force pulled his lightsaber back to his hand, Satara forced Karrek back again.  The two Padawans retreated a few steps to better gauge their enemy.  Satara gave a throaty chuckle and fingered the braid he had taken from Ceden that was attached to his bandolier, egging the two Padawans on.

Karrek steeled himself for another attack, but the wookie lashed out with a Force Blast of wind, which the Padawans scrambled to counter and remain on their feet.  The were forced back by the strength of the wind, and soon as they began to regain their footing, Satara waved his hand and used a Jedi Mind Trick to confuse them.  He disappeared from sight, and the two Padawans instantly moved back to back, their lightsabers held in a guard position.  A look of concentration came over them as they worked to penetrate Satara’s illusion.  Skycen lifted his hand, trying to pierce through the fog in his mind.  He swept it across in front of him, and finally saw Satara just as the wookie’s lightsaber was poised to cut through the Padawan.  He gave a cry, and moved his lightsaber to block just as the wookie became visible again.  The force of the wookies attack forced Skycen into Karrek’s back, and the two Padawans stumbled away.  Karrek contemptuously pushed Skycen away, as if disgusted with him for not being able to withstand the wookie’s attack.  Their attention was brought quickly back to the wookie as he unleashed a blast of Dark Force lightning at them.  They moved steadily back under the force of the blast, until they were almost 30 feet away.  The wookie ceased the lightning, and pulled out his sidearm blaster.

He began to fire laser blasts at the pair, and if they tried to deflect the bolts back at him, he simply swatted the laser blasts away, or sent them back towards the Padawans.  Soon the air between them was full of the angry red bolts, until finally the two Padawans were forced to erect Force Shields in front of themselves, blocking the blaster bolts.  The shields glowed a blue-green, with angry orange blotches appearing where the bolts hit.  The wookie chuckled again.  Satara disengaged his lightsaber and drew his other blaster, continuing to shoot.  The shields of the Padawans began drawing closer to them as they struggled to hold them up under such a withering attack.  Their shields began to turn crimson red from their original blue-green, and a few blaster bolts began to slip through.  Suddenly a distinct voice can be heard.

“Work together!” it said.

“Ceden?” Skycen said, so surprised he almost let his shield drop.  Karrek was just as surprised, but his shield remained strong.

“Let go of your pride.  Join your strength!” the voice said again, and understanding flashed across the faces of the young Jedi.  They moved closer together, and slowly merged their shields into one.  The shield grew slightly in size, and it’s original blue-green color returned, even brighter than before.  The blaster bolts didn’t seem to affect it further, and Satara gave a howl of rage, holstering his blasters and igniting his lightsaber again.  With another howl, he moved forward to attack the Padawans again.  But this time they stood their ground, lightsabers held ready, waiting for the wookie to arrive.  While they remained exclusively on the defensive, they were still able to hold the wookie’s attacks back.  The enemies separated briefly.

“We have to do something to go on the offensive, Skycen.  We can’t hold out forever.” Karrek said.

“Agreed.  But we can’t let our aggressive feelings overcome us.  We must remain true within the Force.” Skycen replied.

“I know.  We must let go of ourselves, and join in the Force.  Only together can we defeat him.”

The wookie howled again and attacked, forcing the Padawans to defend themselves once again.  Despite their reliance on the Force, they still weren’t able to mount any type of offence.  They all traded blows, and finally Skycen lost his footing, falling to the ground.  The wookie used the force to push Karrek away, and raised his blade to strike down on Skycen.  But Skycen was able to block the initial blow, and used the Force to push himself away.  As he landed, he heard the sound of other lightsabers igniting behind him.  He turned quickly, fearing the worst, and was surprised to see Master Manaij and Master Tyrkif there.

“You should not have come back, Satara.” Master Manaij said, moving ahead and in front of Skycen.  The wookie howled in rage at the appearance of the two older Jedi Masters.

“Master?” Karrek said, moving towards the protection of the older Jedi.

“We felt a disturbance in the force greater than what could be explained by the dangers of the planet.”

“The weakness of the Jedi Order disgusts me.” Satara said as the two Masters and the two Padawans formed a wall of lightsabers.  The wookie stood there for a moment, as if trying to decide on whether or not to attack.  He then threw his hand out, and using the Force, tossed a whirlwind of dirt and leaves from the ground and into the faces of the assembled Jedi.  Then he turned and fled.  By the time the Jedi were able to clear their sight, the wookie was entering the trees on the other side of the clearing, many paces away.  Karrek moved to pursue.

“Karrek.  Stand down!” Master Tyrkif barked.

“But Master!  Shouldn’t we pursue?” Karrek asked, skidding to a halt.

“And what purpose would that serve, Karrek?  Do you intend to kill him?”  Karrek said nothing in response.  “A Jedi must use the Force only for defense, never for attack.”

“But Master, we are still defending ourselves!  If he escapes, he could return to surprise us again.  And he killed Ceden!”

“So you seek vengance?  Don’t you realize that that is the path to the Dark Side?  We must let go of those aggressive feelings, otherwise the Dark Side of the Force will claim us.  I feel badly for Ceden’s death as well, but pursuing Satara and killing him will not bring Ceden back.  All it would do would be to bring you closer to being claimed the Dark Side.  I can’t imagine that Ceden would want that.  Can you?”

“No, Master” Karrek said, turning off his lightsaber, and moving back to the group.

“You must learn patience, my young Padawan.  If Satara returns we will deal with him then.  But we cannot pursue him.”

“Now, let us tend to our fallen comrade.”

****************

 

Satara stepped up to the gangway of the ship, where Tharhrn was waiting.

“Did you complete your mission?” he asked.

“No.  Their Masters intervened just as I was preparing to finish them off.”  Tharhrn hissed.

“You played with them for too long.  You must learn to kill quickly.”  Tharhrn said, giving the wookie a hard stare.  “No matter.  Soon the Jedi will be overwhelmed.  Then we shall take our places as the rightful rulers of the galaxy.  The Elders have commanded us all to return to the home planet and prepare for the coming battle.  The Fate of the galaxy hangs in the balance…”

The wookie nodded his head, and the two Sith boarded their craft.

****************

 

A small ship lifted from the forest, and with a thrust from its engines, it disappeared into the sky.  The four Jedi could be seen, watching the ship disappear.
 
 
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Based on the galaxy of George Lucas, with original ideas by Edmonton FanForce and Indigo Jade.