Fanfic: "Trial Under The Suns"

[kopernikuz]

Well, here we go... please use the discussion thread (http://www.galacticsenate.com/index.php?act=ST&f=11&t=3324)to offer feedback and questions... I WELCOME THEM BOTH WHOLEHEARTEDLY!!!! Thanks!

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<span style="font-size:12pt;line-height:100%">ONE</span>


<span style="font-family:times"><span style="font-size:12pt;line-height:100%">Without his lightsaber, Jared Finn was exposed. He furrowed his brow and glanced across the floor at the gleaming metallic handle, lying against the bulkhead where it had rolled. He reached out through the force, feeling for the saber and then sensed the movement behind him. A clicking sound that Finn knew all to well entered his mind even before it entered his ears. He spun around and backflipped away as laser fire riddled the floor where he’d been standing. He landed in a crouch and glared up at the menacing droid before him.

The droid’s inner gears whirred as it brought its laser cannons to bear upon him again. In his mind, Finn could feel the metal workings of the droid as it prepared to fire. He closed his eyes and could see the pins within the droid’s firing mechanisms closing together as it prepared to unleash more deadly beams. In his mind, the gears were slower, and he could see what would have been lightning fast as slow as a perthian snail. As the pins of the firing mechanism struck in his mind, there was a click and Finn flipped again, barely avoiding the blasts that let loose from the droid’s arsenal.

He dropped again into a crouch, this time feeling out with the force for his lightsaber. As the droid fired again, Finn was able to leap deftly over the blasts as his lightsaber sailed through the air towards him. He rolled to a stop directly in front of the droid and caught his saber as he stood up. In a flash, glimmering blue hue sprung from the saber’s handle and Finn brought the blade through the air at the droid’s head.

With wiry agility, the droid was able to duck the blade and a steel hand erupted from its side with great speed, latching on to Finn’s wrist. Finn had mentally been focusing on the droid’s firing mechanisms and had ignored the droid’s most unlikely weapons… it’s hands. The metal fingers closed harder over Finn’s wrist, and Finn winced in agony. He tried desperately to keep his grip on the lightsaber, the fingers beginning to grow numb. He knew that he would drop it soon.

He tried to focus through the pain and use the force against the droid’s strength, and then panicked as the droid’s blaster came square against Finn’s forehead. In fear, he let go of the lightsaber and struck out with his other hand, his fingers ripping at it’s dimly lit eyes. The droid of course could not feel pain, and ignored Finn’s flailing attempts to get away. It’s grip tightened on his wrist and even without trying, Finn could sense the firing pins preparing to connect.

He flailed and kicked and called out for help. In the instant before the pins could fire, Finn heard an electric whine and felt heat whoosh past his face and was blinded momentarily by a tremendous green blaze. There was another buzz and swoosh of heat and he could feel the grip on his wrist loosen. With all of his strength, he yanked himself loose from the droid and fell hard on his backside. He scurried away from the droid on his hands and feet and blindly reached out for his lightsaber.

Slowly, his vision began to clear and he could make out the blurry image of someone standing over him, basked in a green light. With a hum, the green light dissipated quickly and Finn tried to focus, though he knew exactly what he would see.

There standing over him, was Master Garush-el Kaiman, and he didn’t look happy. Behind Garush-el, littered on the floor, were the remains of the training droid, smoldering from the attacks from the Jedi Master’s lightsaber. Garush-el glareed down at Finn, his black glaring eyes saying everything Finn needed to know.

“Master, I…” Finn began.

“Silence,” Garush-el said. “You’ve disappointed me enough for one day, padawan. Don’t make it worse by actually speaking.”

Finn frowned and hung his head.

“I have told you before, young one,” Garush-el said, “you should not tamper with the programming of the training droids.”

“I wanted more of a challenge,” Finn objected.

Garush-el lifted his hand. “Enough. Challenged you were, yes? Dead, you almost became.”

Finn hated it when Garush-el began to speak like Yoda. He was never quite sure why the diminutive Jedi Master himself spoke backwards as he did, but he was quite sure that Garush-el could put a sentence together in the standard order of basic. He knew his master revered Yoda in a way that exceeded the reverence other Jedi gave him. Though he was a human, from Julathia no less, Garush-el wished to emulate in every way the small and ancient master who’d taught him when he was young. Finn, too, had been taught by Yoda, and more recently than Garush-el who was more than 40 years his senior, but he felt no need to act like the great teacher. He supposed it came from Garush-el’s aspirations to serve on the Jedi Council one day. Think like a council member, act like a council member… become a council member?

Perhaps, one day, Finn allowed. For certain, his master was very wise and very experienced. But he was also very over-bearing, like most masters are when it comes to their young padawans. He supposed it was the only way he would learn, but that didn’t make him like it any better.

“These droids are meant to train you, padawan,” Garush-el said. “Not to kill you. Enough opportunities for that you will have when a knight you become.”

There he went again, Finn thought to himself as he rose to his feet. But, he left the opening, so Finn would take it again, like he always did.

“And when will that be, master? I am ready.” Finn said, and then noticed Garush-el glancing down at his bruised and swollen wrist. He folded his arms to cover the injury. “This was nothing. I made a mistake, master. Surely all Jedi make a mistake once in a while.”

Garush-el nodded. “Of course. But sending you through the trials without proper preparation is a mistake I will not make. And you would do well to remember that this mistake nearly cost you your life. The next mistake likely will.”

Finn sighed and nodded. He knew his master was right, but it still bothered him. He was approaching twenty-two and at least two friends who had been members of his clan with him during his childhood training were already Knights. They were a bit older than him, but only by a year or two, and he had bested them both numerous times in sparring matches. But as Garush-el always reminded him, a Jedi Knight must be victorious in more than just battle. He must be victorious over himself and his emotions.

Finn wasn’t quite sure what that would take, beating himself and all. But he imagined he would know when the time came.

“I am sorry master.” Finn said.

Garush-el eyed him a moment, his dark black eyes reading Finn. Those same eyes were what struck fear into Finn when he was just twelve and had been chosen by Garush-el as a padawan. Those eyes, glistening and dark, the only thing separating the Julathians from your average run-of-the-mill human. Eyes that made it easier for a Julathian to see in darkness of Julathian days and nights. Tokor, the moon of Julathia rotated the planet in such an orbit as to create a solar eclipse of its sun for three out of every four standard years. During the one bright year the Julathian would wear special goggles to allow them to see when they were out in the bright sunlight. In manufactured light, such as there was in the bowels of the Republic Medium Cruiser they traveled in now, Garush-el could see just fine. But those eyes, all black with no irises or pupils to be seen… they were off-putting to a young twelve-year-old. However, in the years that followed, Finn had seen compassion and heartfelt devotion in those black eyes. And he’d grown to love the man behind them like a father.

“We should have that injury looked at,” Garush-el finally said, his eyes now reflecting sympathy instead of disappointment. “Go and see the infirmary droid. Then get some rest. It is still a few days until…”

Suddenly the ship shook violently. Finn was thrown to the floor, but Garush-el was able to keep his feet. Finn landed on his sore wrist and howled in pain. There was a continuous rumbling and Finn could feel the vibration through the bulkhead he was lying against.

“What was that?” Finn asked.

“Get to the infirmary,” Garush-el commanded him. “I will go to the bridge and see what is happening.”

“But I can –“ Finn started, but was met again with Garush-el’s hand raised to silence him.

Finn picked up his lightsaber with his good hand, clipped it to his belt, and reluctantly headed towards the training room door. As he approached, it hissed open and he walked into the hallway, cradling his sore arm. Garush-el headed towards the command center of the cruiser.

Finn could still feel the vibrations in the ship’s walls as he walked through the hallway to the infirmary. Something was going on, and Finn didn’t like being out of the loop. Three republic guards rushed past him from general quarters and he dodged out of their way, clutching his sore wrist to his stomach to avoid having it injured again. He watched them hurry towards the command center and he now knew for sure something was cooking. Those guards were armed to the teeth.

The door to the infirmary slid open and D9-K3A, a medical droid with blue covering, advanced towards him.

“Oh my,” the droid warbled at him. “That’s some bruise.” It’s intricate metallic fingers reached out towards the arm and Finn’s instinct was to pull away. “Now, now,” the droid continued, “let me see it.”

Finn let the droid lift his arm up to his scanner, and winced a bit when the droid turned the wrist a bit to get a better look. In an instant, an x-ray of his wrist appeared on a display across the room. The droid cast a look at it briefly and then back at Finn.

“Not broken,” D9 chirped. “But it will take some rest to heal.”

Quickly, the droid stabbed Finn in the arm with a syringe.

Finn jerked back. “OUCH! God, let a guy know when that’s coming, will you?”

The droid retracted the syringe and bleeped something at him. Then he said, “This will help reduce the swelling and inflammation. Keep the arm immobile for a day and see me in the morning.” The droid attached a sling to Finn’s shoulder and pulled his arm into a neutral position across his stomach. “There. Be more careful in the future.”

Finn frowned at him. “I’ll try, thanks.”

The ship was buffeted again and several medical instruments tumbled off of the droid’s table.

“Oh my,” the droid said. “I’ll have to sanitize those.”

As the droid scurried over to pick up the mess, Finn stepped out of the infirmary, narrowly avoiding being run down by six more guards heavily armed hurrying down the hallway. Finn fell in line behind them and even joined them in the turbolift.

“What’s going on,” Finn asked one of the guards.

The guard eyed him a moment and then said, “We’re being attacked.”

Finn’s mouth dropped open. They were on a mission of peace to Karith VI, to help negotiate a treaty between some of the native species there warring over mining rights. It was fluff duty, as Finn liked to refer to it. Devoid of any real danger, since the warring clans were already agreeing to be peaceful to each other. The Jedi presence there was just intended to dispel any possible influence the growing separatist movement within the Republic might have over the mining planet. While the separatist threat could certainly lead to war, their assignment to Karith VI certainly was more political than anything else.

“Who would attack us?” Finn asked, knowing he wouldn’t get an answer, because the guards didn’t know themselves yet.

The lift doors opened and the guards poured out into the command center. Finn stepped through to see a tremendous freighter on the viewscreen. Garush-el was standing with Captain Lar Nakith in the center of the bridge. Nakith had a very grim look on her face.

“Do you get any feelings,” Nakith asked Garush-el.

Garush-el closed his eyes and his face grew distraught. “They mean to board us,” he said.

“But it’s just a freighter,” Nakith said.

“No sir,” a helmsman said. “Readouts indicate that it’s been custom fitted, ma’am. She’s well armed.”

“Pirates, then.” Nakith said. “Helmsman, full power to port thrusters, let’s get this ship turned around.”

“I’m trying, ma’am,” the helmsman said.

Nakith ran her fingers through her hair. Concern lined her pretty face, bringing out the slight wrinkles that showed her age. She had been a captain of Republic cruisers all her life and had survived three pirate raids before. She’d lost too many crewmen in her career to jump into battle too quickly. With pirates, it was always best to try to outrun them, then face them head on.

“Open up a communication channel,” Nakith said, and the communications officer nodded, fiddling with his data pad.

In a moment, a beady-eyed Rodian appeared on screen.

“Greet nigs, Cappon Nakith,” the Rodian gurgled in badly affected basic. “We see a gan.”

Nakith glared at the green alien’s image. “Keed, you *******,” she said. “Release the tractor beam on this ship. We are on official Jedi business. You don’t want to suffer the consequences of interfering.”

Keed’s beady eyes glanced at Garush-el. “Jed bud ness? Care not. We have bud ness, Nakith.”

“What is this about,” Garush-el asked Nakith. “You know this Rodian?”

“I do,” Nakith said. “He’s a pirate who killed half of my crew when I was escorting a shipment of relief supplies to Joshan, during their civil war. He boarded us, stole the supplies, and would have escaped…”

“Eef you had no stop Keed,” the Rodian sneered. “I was to deliver supply to Jabba du Hutt. He have me killed, but I prom oss revenge.”

“Damn it,” Nakith muttered under her breath. “He must have had someone track us from when we left Coruscant.” She whispered to Garush-el. “Can’t you… I dunno… mind trick him or something?”

“I can talk to him.” Garush-el looked at the screen. “Keed…” he began.

“Sile ance! I know how Jed work!” Keed shouted. “You no time to use Jed trick!”

Keed spun away from the screen and the image flickered away.

“They’re powering up laser cannons,” the helmsman yelled.

“Return fire!” Nakith ordered.

Laser fire bombarded the Republic cruiser. It shook violently as the shields bore the brunt of the attack.

“We have to get loose of the tractor beam,” Nakith said. “Otherwise we’ve got no mobility!”

More laser fire bombarded the ship.

“If that thing swallows us inside,” Nakith said to Garush-el. “They’ll board and they won’t stop until we’re all dead.”

“We’ll stand and fight!” Finn shouted, drawing the attention of the entire bridge.

Garush-el glared at him. “My padawan, while a tad over-zealous, is right. You have our support.”

Nakith sighed and looked at the view screen. The underside of the freighter was drawing closer as they were being pulled towards it’s hangar bays.

“Get that green piece of reek dung back on screen,” Nakith said.

The communications officer nodded and again fiddled with his data pad.

In a moment, Keed appeared on screen again.

“You wish to sur annder now, Nakith?” Keed garbled, his tiny mouth grinning.

“Yes,” Nakith said.

Keed’s already wide bulbous eyes grew wider. He clearly was expecting a fight and was surprised at this move. “Goot! Very goot! I may let live now. Jabba like new dancer? You know how dance, Nakith?”

“Turn him off,” Nakith said, and seconds later, the grinning and gurgling Rodians face disappeared and was replaced with the hangar bay of the freighter.

They were almost inside.

“We’ll dance, Keed,” Nakith said. “You and I.”

Garush-el closed his eyes in meditation and Finn smiled.

Finally, some action, Finn thought.</span></span>

[kopernikuz]

<span style="font-size:12pt;line-height:100%">TWO</span>

<span style="font-family:times"><span style="font-size:12pt;line-height:100%">
With a loud crunch, the Republic cruiser landed sharply on the floor of the freighter’s massive docking bay. The sound echoed through the nearly empty cavernous room.

“Something is not right,” Garush-el said. He closed his eyes again and reached out in the force, feeling for minds, thoughts… intentions.

“I figured he’d have a whole garrison of thugs waiting for us,” Nakith said. “He’s up to something.”

Garush-el’s eyes opened suddenly. “Get off the ship…”

“What?”

In a flash, Garush-el was racing for the turbolift. He slapped the pad and when the doors whirred open, he began waving people in.

“Now, Captain… we must exit this ship!” Garush-el was serious and when the lift held about a dozen crewmen and guards, he watched the door close on them as the crew was transported to the debarkation level.

Captain Nakith stepped up to him as he pressed the pad to recall the lift.

“Master Kaiman,” she said, “what is it?”

Finn was watching the viewscreen. “I think I know…”

Nakith turned to see Finn pointing at the viewscreen. On screen, the hangar was empty but for a few small shuttles. But at the entrance to the innards of the massive freighter a massive pulse cannon, manned by a motley garrison of well-armed creatures was entering.

“They’re going to blow up the ship in their own hangar!”

“He’s a maniac!” Nakith spat.

Garush-el continued pressing the turbolift pad as if it would hurry the mechanical machine back to their level.

“Where are we?” Garush-el said to her.

“We dropped out of hyperspace long enough to investigate a distress call,” Nakith said. “Should have known it was a trap.” She tapped out some requests on the control console. “Closet planet is… Tatooine… wonderful.”

“Something wrong with Tatooine?” Garush-el said.

“No,” Nakith replied, strapping her weapons to her uniform. “It’s just outside Republic influence and will be a tough place to get help from. It’s a desert planet, lots of Hutt influence.”

“Hutts?” Finn said. Now it was getting interesting. The Hutts were notorious. He was really going to see some action.

“Finn,” Garush-el said. “Focus, we are going to need to fight here, and these are not reprogrammed training droids.”

“I understand, Master,” Finn said and removed his lightsaber from his belt, holding it delicately in his injured hand.

The turbolift arrived and the doors opened. Garush-el ushered three more crewmen on and the last three guards. Then he, Nakith and Finn all squeezed in. As the doors closed, Finn could see the pulse cannon on the viewscreen. It was near ready to fire.

The turbolift raced to the debarkation level, and Garush-el turned to Finn.

“Meditate,” he said.

“But Master,” Finn objected.

“Meditate,” he said and closed his own eyes.

Finn sighed a little, then closed his own eyes and let the force take over. He felt his limbs and digits tingle as the force flowed through him, giving him strength and energy, and not quite healing, but supporting his bruised wrist. Involuntarily he grasped that wrist in his other hand. He suddenly felt a sense of despair. He would need both hands and he could tell he would favor the bruised one.

“Relax,” Garush-el said, sensing his padawan’s anxiety. “Let the force mend you. Let the force guide you through the pain.”

The lift doors opened and its passengers poured out into the hallway, running for the gangway which was open. Several guards were already posted there, firing at the oncoming attackers. Garush-el and Finn slid down the ramp and rolled into action.

Lasers flew everywhere, several missing Finn by mere inches, but he stayed focused. He could feel his arms moving and see the flash of his blue blade before him. He loved this feeling. He was in control, but at the same time, felt as though he was watching himself from afar. Every laser beam, every attack was brought towards him in near slow motion, and quicker than the lasers themselves, his force-enhanced reflexes blocked every shot. His parries sent most of the shots right back at their origination point, and he could see several of the attacking aliens dropping to the floor as a result.

While guards and crewmen ducked behind bulkheads and the landing gear of the ship while they fired at the aliens with their blasters, Garush-el and Finn advanced on the attackers without fear. Deflecting shots and severing the arms of several as they went. They had one target: the cannon. The Maker help whoever stood in their way.

Finn felt the presence of a Rodian behind him and he spun quickly, his blade slicing right through the alien’s blaster. As the gun’s pieces dropped to the floor, Finn whipped his left arm out and pushed the Rodian with the force, sending him sprawling against a bulkhead. In the same mostion, Finn spun again, this time deflecting a laser back into the face of a slobbering Aqualish. The Aqualish fell dead at Finn’s feet and Finn jumped over him, avoiding another barrage of laser from a group of Nikto. Finn couldn’t see his Master in the fray, but could hear the sound of the immense pulse cannon powering up. It would fire any second.

He was energized by the force and could barely feel the throbbing in his injured wrist. He let the force take control and guide his actions.

Finn leaped into the air, lasers whizzing past him with predictable inaccuracy. He rolled in the air, his blade deflecting lasers back at the ground, and he came down from the air with his feet square in the chest of one of the Nikto. The Nikto collapsed and the air whooshed out of him as Finn’s full weight came to bear on him. Finn struck out and cut the other two Nikto in half, their bodies dropping to the floor lifelessly.

Garush-el was cutting his way through the group guarding the pulse cannon. Bodies fell like rags before him. Finn rushed to join him and dispatched another Rodian who was about to attack Garush-el from behind.

“Thank you, young one,” Garush-el said, a slight smile on his face.

Finn smiled back. “Anytime, master.”

They continued to fight, but suddenly the giant cannon fired. A pulse of light blazed from the end of the massive gun, and it pounded through the front of the Republic Cruiser. Crewmen and guards tried to leap away from the ship, but many were engulfed in the explosion. The sound was deafening in the hangar, and though it hurt the ears of the Jedi, it also caused a pause in their attackers.

Garush-el flinched as he felt the life of dozens of the cruiser’s crewmen dissipated through the force. Finn felt it too and used the feeling to fight harder. Finn kicked a repulsive Aqualish off of the cannon’s deck and ran his saber through the chest of the Rodian who had fired it. The Rodian’s lifeless body dropped to the hangar floor and Garush-el turned off his lightsaber, stuck it in his belt, and jumped behind the controls.

The Republic Cruiser was falling apart and burning slowly. Pieces of the damaged ship were crashing to the floor ablaze.

“Go, Finn,” Garush-el said. “Get the rest of the crew and guards into those shuttles!”

Finn nodded and jumped down, slicing through more attackers as he hit the floor. Garush-el pulled back on the cannon’s control lever and the cannon began to rotate slowly. Then he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up.

“Let me,” Nakith said. “I owe this guy.”

Garush-el could sense that if he didn’t let her, she’d try to take it from him, and though she would not succeed against him, he didn’t see the point in trying.

“Do not let your anger control you,” he said softly.

“Too late, Master Kaiman,” she said and smiled gently. “Let me do this.”

Garush-el sighed a bit and stood up from the controls. Nakith slid into the chair and waved him off.

“Get my crew out of here,” she said.

Garush-el turned to see two shuttles already racing from the hangar. There were two more shuttles left. Plenty enough to evacuate the few remaining crewmen. He put his hand on her shoulder.

“Go on, you old wizard,” she said smiling. “Don’t go getting all compassionate on me. You believe in destiny, right?”

Garush-el nodded and returned the smile. Hesitantly, he climbed down from the cannon. Two Rodians jumped him from behind and grasped at his arms. Garush-el closed his eyes and thrust both arms outward the force wrapping around the two Rodians and sending them like rag dolls sliding across the hangar floor. He rushed towards some retreating crewman and ushered them towards the shuttles. He activated his lightsaber and began deflecting the attackers’ shots, guarding the retreat.

Finn helped three more crewmen into a shuttle and out of the corner of his eye, saw lasers firing outside the hangar bay doors. There were two explosions, and Finn could feel the life of the passengers of both the first two shuttles drained away.

He cast a glance at Garush-el who force-pushed some of the flaming debris from the burning cruiser into the path of the advancing aliens. He then turned and ignored the screams from several of the attackers who had caught fire from the debris.

“The first two…” Finn started, but Garush-el shook his head.

“Do not think on it,” Garush-el said. “Get this shuttle out of here.”

Finn stepped off of the shuttle and back onto the floor of the hangar. He signaled the pilot to take off, and he backed away, his lightsaber activated again. The shuttle shot off through the hangar bay.

“This way,” Finn said to the last two guards, and they ran for the last shuttle.

Garush-el watched as Nakith finally had the cannon aimed at the interior walls of the freighter. He slowly backed towards the shuttle. Nakith was using a blaster to take care of a few more aliens who were intent on stopping her, but their ranks were dwindling and most had retreated inside once the Jedi had begun dismembering them. Two Rodians were preparing to sneak up the back of the cannon behind Nakith as Nakith prepared to fire.

The doors to the hangar slid open and a new group of aliens stormed out, with Keed, their slimy Rodian leader at the forefront. They all skidded to a stop and stared in horror as they realized the cannon was aimed sqarely at them.

The two Rodians behind the cannon were ready to climb up. One was boosting the other with his hands. Nakith had not seen them.

Garush-el held out his hands and closed his eyes. With tense concentration, he felt the force wrap around a flaming chunk of bulkhead from the cruiser. He pushed with all his concentration and sent the chunk sliding across the floor. The Rodian on the bottom turned just in time to see the hulking metal flying towards them. The Rodian who was being boosted was taking aim with his blaster at Nakith’s back. In an instant they were both crushed as the debris pinned them to the cannon’s rear.

Nakith was jolted by the collision, but when she saw what had happened, she smiled and waved at Garush-el. He waved back and jumped into the shuttle.

“Hold here,” Garush-el said to the guard at the controls.

“Master,” Finn said, but Garush-el held his hand up to silence him.

The two jedi and the two remaining Republic guards stood at the shuttle windows watching the scene play out before them.

Nakith stood victorious atop the cannon platform. Keed and his minions had all their weapons aimed at her.

“Keed,” Nakith said. “Ready for that dance?”

“Don do!” Keed said. “Keel all?”

Nakith let a mischievous smile cross her lips. “Yes, Keed… Keel all…”

“Master, if we don’t…” Finn started again, and was again silenced by the Jedi Master.

Nakith slammed her hand down on the firing control of the cannon and a blaze of light erupted from the cannon muzzle, and in an instant the Rodian pirate and his motley crew were obliterated in the cannon’s light as the blast went through them and into the interior walls of the ship. Nakith jumped from the cannon platform as explosions began to erupt within the freighter. The floor shook and she struggled to keep her feet as she ran towards the shuttle.

She could feel the heat at her back as flames erupted through the hangar, signaling the beginning of an even bigger explosion. She saw Garush-el at the shuttle doors, holding out his hand. She sprinted towards him, grabbed his hand, and he dragged her into the shuttle even as it was beginning to take off.

The shuttle rocketed through the hangar, flames licking at its tail as it flew. There was a horrendous rumbling as the innards of the freighter were beginning to explode.

“Can’t this thing go faster?” Finn yelled. “The power generator will blow any second!”

The pilot put the shuttle at full speed, dodging falling bits of ceiling and the remains of the Republic Cruiser.

Nakith looked at the destroyed cruiser with sadness and dismay. More of her crew had died at the hands of this murderous pirate. She felt Garush-el’s hand on her shoulder as he tried to comfort her. Her only comfort came from the fact that this pirate would never murder another person.

There was an eruption from within the freighter as it’s power generator exploded and the ship began to tear apart. The shuttle raced through the hangar bay and out into space as the freighter exploded. The shockwave and debris followed the shuttle and buffeted it violently. A huge piece of the hangar doors rocketed towards the shuttle, pushed by the explosive force. It clipped the shuttle and sent all its passengers sprawling to the floor as it spun uncontrollably.

The pilot struggled back into the seat and tried to regain control of the spinning shuttle. Finally, he was able to get it on course, but it was rumbling terribly.

“This shuttle’s not going anywhere,” Nakith said. “We took too much damage.”

“This is going to be a rough landing,” the pilot said and headed the shuttle towards the atmosphere of Tatooine. “Strap in!”

Finn and Garush-el dropped into their seats and strapped safety harnesses around themselves. Nakith and the other guard did the same.

The shuttle rocked and shook vehemently as they headed towards the planet surface. The desert below was coming towards them extremely fast and Finn wasn’t sure they were going to live through this. The pilot tried to level off the descent, and again the shuttle shook horribly and started to cant to one side.

Finn could see the ground through the windows flying towards them. It didn’t look soft.

With a crash, the shuttle hit the cracked desert floor, sending a spray of sand and dust through the air. The bottom of the shuttle collapsed upward pinning the legs of the guard under his seat backwards. He screamed in pain as the shuttle continued sliding, hit a dune bank and upended itself, crashing down on it’s roof and crushing it in. Finn felt the roof press slowly against his head as the shuttle slid on its roof now, slowing. The guard was weeping and sobbing, the pain of his broken legs too much to bear.

Finally the shuttle came to a rumbling stop and Finn let out a breath of relief that he was still alive. The shuttle began to creak, and he suddenly realized that the walls would collapse at any moment and they would all be trapped inside, or worse, crushed.</span></span>

[kopernikuz]

<span style="font-size:12pt;line-height:100%">THREE</span>

<span style="font-family:times"><span style="font-size:12pt;line-height:100%">
The sensation of hanging upside down was beginning to make Finn dizzy and he struggled quickly at the straps to his safety harness to try and get free. He could feel a wet trickle moving slowly up his forehead and wondered what had caused the wound it obviously was dripping from.

He finally tore loose the bindings and collapsed onto the ceiling of the inverted shuttle. The impact caused the weakening vehicle to shudder and creak, and Finn stayed very still.

The guard who’d had his legs crushed beneath the seat when the shuttle had impacted, was still alive. Finn could hear his morbid sobbing. Slowly, Finn turned to see the guard, his safety harness now removed, but he still remained hanging from the seat because his legs were bent at an impossible angle between the crushed floor and the bottom of his seat. The sight caused a chill in Finn, revulsion even. It pained him to look.

The guard reached out to him, pain and terror creased into his face. Blood was trickling from the guards mouth and head, and his pants were soaked in it as well. Finn took the man’s blood streaked hand and gripped it tightly, trying to reassure the poor sobbing man.

“Is it…” the man said between whimpers of anguish, “bad? Is it bad?”

Finn looked the man in the eyes and pulled from deep within himself the ability to smile gently. “We’ll see,” he said. “Hold on, now. You stay with me, okay?”

The man struggled a feeble nod.

Finn knew time was of the essence and that this man could not survive much longer, particularly in his current inverted state. He struggled to his knees, and saw his master, Garush-el lying still on the ceiling towards the back of the shuttle.

“Master?” Finn called. “Master, are you okay?”

He saw Garush-el stir a bit, and knew through the force that his master’s life was still intact. But he couldn’t be sure how bad the injuries were that he may have suffered. He turned towards the front of the shuttle and saw Nakith, still hanging from her seat like the guard.

“Captain Nakith,” Finn said, and then flinched as he heard the metallic creak of the shuttle preparing to collapse on itself.

Nakith slowly turned her head and looked back at Finn. She started to speak, but as she opened her mouth, a thick stream of blood poured from it, streaking up her cheek, across her forehead, staining her light brown hair, and then landing with a splat on the ceiling below her hanging body.

Finn gasped. He let go of the guard’s hand, resulting in a new wave of despairing wailing from him. Finn crawled towards Nakith and was horrified by what he saw. Her left shoulder had been punctured by a piece of piping from the side of the shuttle that had apparently rattled loose and impaled her. Fresh blood created a jagged circle of wetness in her uniform around the sheared pipe that was about as thick as two fingers.

Finn rubbed his hands through his hair and tried to push back the panic he was feeling. He closed his eyes and called on the force, trying desperately to push the images and thoughts aside to let the force guide him in his next move. The shuttle creaked again and he opened his eyes.

Quickly he turned around and stuck his head into the cockpit of the shuttle. The pilot was pinned behind the control module, his eyes open in a wide blood rimmed stare. It didn’t take much for Finn to sense immediately that the pilot was very much dead.

A sound from behind him caused him to turn and see Garush-el slowly getting to his knees.

“Master!” Finn called, and the shuttle made another shifting groan. Finn fought off the anxiety that sound produced in him and began crawling carefully towards his master.

Garush-el looked up at Finn wearily. “Finn. You are not injured?”

“I don’t think so,” Finn said, then remembered the dripping wet feeling he’d felt on his forehead. He reached up and touched his forehead and looked at his fingers. Sweat, that was all, and he was dripping with it. It suddenly occurred to him that it was really quite hot in the shuttle at the moment, and his clothes were dripping with sweat. “What about you?”

Garush-el shook his head. “I am banged up, but I think I am mostly unscathed.” He looked past Finn towards the guard’s head that he could see hanging below the seatback. His eyes then found their way up to the floor of the shuttle which he could see had been crushed in and he could make out the boots of the unfortunate guard. Even Garush-el could not mask the horror of the sight in his reaction. He looked at Finn.

“Nakith? The pilot?” he asked Finn.

Finn shook his head. “Pilot is dead. Nakith…” He struggled for the right words. “It doesn’t look good.”

Garush-el nodded. “It is not by chance that the two of us survived this, Finn. We must act quickly.”

Finn nodded and moved aside as Garush-el crawled past him. Garush-el came to Nakith and examined the wound. Then looked at Nakith’s face.

Nakith coughed up some more blood, and then tried to speak again. “Kaiman… y-you…” Cough. “You old… magician.” Cough again.

“Don’t speak,” Garush-el said and was then shocked by the sound of Finn’s activated lightsaber. He looked up at his padawan. “Finn! No!”

Finn froze, his blue energy blade ringing and reverberating throughout the shuttle. He extinguished the blade and stared at his master wonderingly.

“I was just going to cut us an exit out of here,” Finn said. “The door is…”

“Finn,” Garush-el interrupted. “If you damage the walls of this shuttle in it’s current state, they will give in completely. Be patient, padawan.”

Garush-el put his hand around the piping imbedded in Nakith’s shoulder. It had been sheared off at both ends, and the end facing him was very sharp. He put another hand on Nakith’s cheek, cradling her face gently.

“This,” Garush-el said to her, “is going to hurt. There is nothing I can do to alleviate that.”

Wearily she nodded and clenched her eyes closed.

Garush-el gripped the pipe and closed his eyes, calling on the force to give him strength. He still caressed her face with his other hand as he felt the force surge within him. With a lightning fast jerk, Garush-el neatly drew out the pipe from Nakith’s shoulder. Blood began to spurt from the now empty wound quickly, and Garush-el quickly yanked a length of fabric from the end of his robe and rapped it around her shoulder, pulling it so tight that Nakith whimpered in pain momentarily.
When he had tied it tautly, he worked her out of her safety harness. She was lightheaded and could barely control her legs as Garush-el tried to help her out of the seat and onto the ceiling of the shuttle.

The shuttle moaned again, menacingly, like a hungry creature who was ready to digest the poor beings now trappedin its metallic innards.

Finn looked around at the shuttle walls anxiously.
“Master,” he said nervously.

Garush-el helped Nakith to her knees and she wobbled there a moment, until she could keep her own balance, however timidly.

“Now the guard,” Garush-el said.

Finn looked puzzled and at the same time heartbroken. “Master, he…”

Garush-el eyed him disapprovingly, and Finn nodded. He crawled next to the guard who was still crying.

“It hurts,” he said. “It hurts so bad…”

Finn nodded and tried to console him. “I know. I know. We’re going to try to get you down, now.”
The guard sobbed again, tears flowing down his forehead and wetting his hair.

Finn looked up at Garush-el for some direction and then realized what Garush-el meant to do.

“Grab hold of him,” Garush-el said and closed his eyes, extending his arms outward in front of him.

Finn did as instructed and put his arms around the guard, preparing to bear his full weight shortly.

The shuttle began to moan again, louder this time, and Finn could see the bent struts beneath the guard’s seat begin to shake. The shuttle vibrated violently as Garush-el called upon the force to move and flow within the damaged vehicle. The floor of the shuttle began to slowly move upward away from Finn’s head, and he could feel the shuttle’s grip on the guard’s legs begin to loosen. He held tight to the guard, feeling the weight of the man begin to transfer from the seat into his arms.

Garush-el strained hard, pulling the force through him and then projecting it against the bottom of the shuttle, pushing and shoving it upward.

Finally, the seat and floor separated enough for the guard’s legs to come loose. The guard fell onto Finn, knocking them both to the ceiling. The guard’s legs flopped lifelessly against Finn’s own as they collapsed, popping sounds indicating that the bones were basically crushed within them.

The guard screamed in agony, his voice penetrating Finn’s ears as strongly as his pain penetrated Finn’s mind. Tears formed at the corners of Finn’s eyes as he felt the despair of the guard. He struggled from beneath the man and held him close. The guard’s tears formed a wet patch on Finn’s tunic as he held his head against his chest.

Finn looked up at his master, tears now rolling from his eyes.

Garush-el was struggling against the weight of the shuttle bearing down on him. The force was strong with him, but he was clearly weakened by the trauma sustained in his body from the crash.

Finn suddenly felt his master inside his own head. As clear as day, he could understand his master and knew what needed to be done. He looked up only to see Garush-el still with his eyes tightly shut, focusing his power against the shuttle floor.

Finn let go of the guard and ignited his lightsaber. He thrust it sharply through the damaged door panel. Sparks and molten metal poured out from the area penetrated by the energy blade. Finn pulled the saber in an arc across the door and then brought it down towards the ceiling.

The shuttle creaked and swayed as the door began to come loose from the shuttle wall and struts and bolts fired out from the wall and flew past Finn’s head. The door loosened further as Finn completed the arc with his blade. He squinted through the salty sweat and tears that filled his eyes and saw that he’d created a big enough hole for them to escape.

He looked back at his master who was still straining to hold the floor up, a task becoming more and more difficult. He then looked back at his simmering and sparking hole and used some of his own ability to call upon the force by thrusting one hand forward, sending a wave of power into the metal, punching the door out into the sand surrounding the ship.

He grabbed the arms of the guard, and crawled backward through the hole, dragging the guard along the way. Once he had pulled the guard from the shuttle, he dragged the man a few yards away and went back.

Nakith was now beginning to crawl out of the hole and fell into the sand. Finn helped her to her feet and she ambled slowly away from the shuttle to where the guard was lying.

“Master,” Finn shouted. “You must get out.”

Finn could once again feel Garush-el in his head and sorrow leapt through him.

“No master!” Finn said. He stood back and closed his eyes. He struggled desperately to call on the force, clenching his eyes shut, squeezing tears down his cheeks. Veins began to pop out in his forehead as he raised his hands, calling upon the force and feeling it fill the shuttle, permeating the metal, wrapping around the bolts. He pushed back the feelings of despair and anxiety, instead focusing all his mind on the shuttle itself. He felt the force flowing through his fingers, hands, arms, shoulders… he could feel it wrapping around him, enveloping him in sweet comfort. He could feel himself flowing into the shuttle with the force, grabbing the struts, pushing the bulkhead, firming the bolts…

He was doing it. It was the most he’d ever felt the force within him. He was doing it!

As Finn stood, his arms outstretched, his fingers curled in effort, Garush-el slowly crawled through the hole in the side of the shuttle. He struggled to his feet and came over to his young padawan.

Finn was still grappling with the ship, threatening to rip the very bottom from the vehicle. Garush-el gently put his hand on Finn’s shoulder, and immediately Finn released the ship. The force ebbed from his body like an ocean wave, he felt his arms go numb and then flop to his sides like jelly. He started to collapse to his knees, spent from the experience, but Garush-el supported him.

With a crunching roar, the shuttle collapsed in on itself as Finn let go of his power over it. A cloud of dust erupted from the sand around it and enveloped them both.

Coughing and spitting, Finn could sense the feeling coming back into his arms and hands. He waved the dust away and squinted at his master standing beside him, holding him up by the shoulders, his eyes tightly shut. Finn put his arm around Garush-el and they walked through the dissipating dust cloud towards the others.

As the cloud settled, Garush-el and Finn collapsed next to Nakith and the guard. Finn looked at Garush-el, who still had his eyes shut.

“The dust is gone, master,” Finn said.

“I know, young one,” Garush-el replied. “It is the light. I do not have my goggles with me.”

Finn suddenly was aware of the two twin suns baking down upon them from above. His master would not be able to see in this light and if he opened his lids, he could very well be blinded.

“Master, I forgot.” Finn said and saw the ragged end of Garush-el’s robe where he’d pulled the makeshift bandage for Nakith. He knelt next to Garush-el and grabbed the robe’s fabric. “You’re going to need a new robe after this,” he said and pulled a strip of the fabric from the robe.

Garush-el smiled weakly. “That is fine with me.”

Finn pulled the fabric around Garush-el’s eyes, wrapping it two then three times before pulling it taut and tying it behind his master’s head, creating a blindfold.

“There,” he said. “That should help.”

Garush-el nodded. “It is perfect, Finn. Thank you.”

Finn looked at Nakith who was attending to the guard. She was bent over him, her one good arm extended to hold his hand. Tears were running down her face, but she forced a smile as she looked at the pained man lying before her.

“Declan,” she said. “You are one hell of a warrior. Look at you.”

Declan’s face was rippled with pain, but somehow he forced a weary grin.

“You hang in there,” she told him. “We’re going to get you some help.”

She turned slowly and looked at Finn. Finn tried to smile, but only managed a weak grimace. He stood up and looked around. The desert stretched for miles in every direction. To the west it appeared to end in some mesas and buttes of some kind. He squinted his eyes against the blaring glare of the twin suns above him and held his hands against his brow, trying to shade them.

He spun in every direction and still could not see any signs of life. They were stranded.
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[kopernikuz]

<span style="font-size:12pt;line-height:100%">FOUR</span>

<span style="font-family:times"><span style="font-size:12pt;line-height:100%">
Trickles of sweat stung Finn’s eyes as he worked, and even with her injuries, Nakith insisited on helping. She had stripped down to her uniform pants and an undershirt and had tied a tattered portion of her shirt around her forehead, the rest dangling behind, guarding her neck from the blistering heat of the sun. Finn watched her struggling with a piece of piping from the shuttle wreckage and then closed his eyes.

“Hold on, Captain,” Finn said. “I can help you with that in a moment.”

Nakith shook her head and winced as she finally got the piping upright. “Keep working on the roof, Jared. I’ll hold this.”

Finn watched her a moment, his eyes drawn to the almost black stain that was seeping through her dressings. She was bleeding badly, but nothing would stop her from her task. She was stubborn, no doubt… or maybe dedicated was a better adjective. Either way, he could sense that she would not be swayed. She was a survivor.

Finn turned his attention back to the piece of shuttle wreckage he was working on. He re-ignited his lightsaber and began cutting through the thick metal some more. He was working to separate the roof of the shuttle so that they could erect a makeshift lean-to, and get the injured out of the direct penetration of the suns. The metal turned bright orange as his blade began to make it’s way through, and soon, he had melted it enough to be able to pull it away from the rest.

He was tired. Using the force in the ways he was took a lot out of him. Turning over the mangled wreckage so that they could get to the roof was enough to cause him to grow very tired and weary. If not for the encouragement and help from his Master, who was also concentrating to move the wreckage with him (using the force did not require one to be able to see, naturally), he wasn’t sure he could have accomplished it. Master Yoda had always said in training that size was not an obstacle for the force, it was an obstacle for the mind. But even so, manipulating the force in this way was not without some physical and mental effect on the body.

He extinguished his saber and then sat silently for a moment, taking deep breaths and willing himself the energy needed to go on. He felt the hand of Master Kaiman on his shoulder.

“Well done, padawan,” Kaiman said, and even though Garush-el’s eyes were covered by the ragged blindfold, Finn could see that his Master was well pleased.

Garush-el knelt down next to Finn. “What we have experienced today,” he said, “is enough to cause even the strongest of men to hesitate.” He smiled gently and put his arm around Finn. “You have shown a courage and strength that I have not seen in many padawans, Finn. I am very proud of you.”

Finn’s heart leapt. “Thank you, Master. I do what is necessary, that is all.”

“That is a lot,” Garush-el said. “Now let me lift the roof panel, you get the other piping.

Finn nodded and went over near Nakith and lifted another heavy piece of pipe from the sand. He carried it with some effort over to the other corner of the roof piece, and planted it firmly into the cracked earth. With a whoosh of air, the roof was slowly lifted onto it’s side through Garush-el’s manipulation of the force.

Finn and Nakith both stepped forward and leaned their pieces of pipe towards the underside of the roof.

“Now, Master,” Finn said, and Garush-el began to lower the roof until it leaned firmly against the piping supported by Nakith and Finn. Finn slowly began to let go of his side of the pipe, feeling it give a little. When he was satisfied that it would not fall, he let go and ignited his lightsaber. He held it near to the spot where the metal of the roof touched the metal of his pipe. Then he touched the tip of the blade to it. The roof metal began to pop and melt, molten orange metal slowly oozed down over the pipe. Then he quickly pulled away the blade, and as the ooze began to harden, went over to Nakith’s side.

Nakith slowly let go as well, and the pipe began to slip. Garush-el pressed in with the force to push the roof down a bit harder, pinning the pipe a little more solidly. It stopped slipping, and Finn quickly went to work with the lightsaber.

When he was done, Garush-el let go with the force, and they all three waited to see if it would shift. It did not. It held solid, and because they had turned it away from the setting suns, was creating quite a nice piece of shade across the dusty ground.

“Let’s get Declan,” Nakith said and turned towards her suffering crewman lying in the sand several yards away.

Finn nodded and followed her over to him. At first, Finn felt a start. Upon a glance, Declan Ratha appeared quite dead. His eyes were glazed and staring straight up at the dimming twilight sky and he was completely still. Before Finn could reach out and sense whether he was alive or dead, Nakith had knelt next to him, and his eyes fluttered.

“Declan,” Nakith said gently, “we’re going to move you into the shade, okay?”

Declan looked at her… no through her actually. It was as though he could hear her, but wasn’t actually aware of where she was. “Eight,” he said.

Nakith glanced up at Finn. “He’s in shock. Come on.”

“How are we going to do this,” Finn said. “His legs are shot, if we move him, the pain is going to kill him.”

“If we don’t move him, the suns will,” she said. “That’s why you’re going to cut them off.”

Finn’s jaw dropped.

“What?”

“Use your lightsaber,” she said. “The wound will be cauterized instantly.”

“But,” Finn began. “The droids, they might be able to mend the bones after a time…”

Nakith shot him a stern look. “Do you see medical droids, nearby, Finn?”

Finn became downcast. “No, ma’am.”

“Who knows how long it will be before we get help,” she continued. “In another few hours, it will be too late to mend them anyway. Either way, Declan will never walk again. We can at least spare him the pain.”

Finn nodded.

Nakith removed a hypospray from a med kit she had recovered from the shuttle. “Who knows how old this stuff is,” she said. “I just hope it dulls the pain enough.” She pressed the nodule against Declan’s neck and pressed the activator. With a hiss, the drugs were administered through his skin, and Declan flinched.

“Damn Wookiee!” Declan yelled, recalling some distant memory apparently. “Vector… eat the…” He trailed off, muttering incoherently to himself, until finally his eyes fluttered shut and he was unconscious.

“Now,” Nakith said.

Finn sighed and activated his lightsaber. Garush-el again touched Finn on the shoulder to give him strength. Finn looked down at Declan’s shattered legs and felt queasy. He closed his eyes and reached out through the force for strength. He could feel his Master’s hand on his shoulder and felt a warmth and acceptance that helped quell back the bile in his throat.

He opened his eyes and looked down again.

“Make it quick and thorough,” Nakith said. “If you don’t go all the way in one shot…”

“I know,” Finn said, the feeling of queasiness coming back. Garush-el must have sensed it, because his grip on Finn’s shoulder tightened. Inside, Finn knew Garush-el could do this himself, even blinded, but the task was with him.

He lifted the blade slowly and took in a deep breath. With a sudden and swift movement, he swung down and felt little resistance as the blade sliced cleanly through both legs just above the knees, separating them evenly. Declan’s body flinched involuntarily and his mouth emitted a sharp cry, but he remained unconscious.

Finn stared down at the crewman’s legs, now severed, wisps of smoke rising from the seared flesh. Garush-el gathered together some rags from Nakith’s discarded garments and felt for the tender stumps of Declan’s thighs. With speed and precision, he tied them tightly around what remained of the man’s legs. When he was done, Finn lifted the man up and carried him to the lean-to. He gently laid the unconscious man down in the shade, and collapsed next to him.

Garush-el made his way to the construct and sat down. Nakith joined him.

No one spoke for a while. The only noise was the quiet breeze that was beginning to pick up, scattering dust into their little hovel. Finn stared at the distant horizon, fear and despair beginning to set in. It would be dark soon, and the suns will have gone down. That would be the time to travel… and Finn knew he would have to go alone.

“You did good today,” Nakith said to him. “We all might be dead, if not for you, son.”

Finn nodded wearily. “Thank you.” The words barely escaped his parched lips and he was reminded of just how thirsty he was. They’d been working out in the heat for a few hours now, and they had no food or water. While her words stirred a little pride within him, he had to wonder if he’d only postponed their inevitable death which would be handed to them by these desert wastes. Surely they wouldn’t survive long without food or water. Perhaps they’d have been better off crushed in the rubble of that shuttle.

“There is not room for despair in the heart of a Jedi,” Garush-el said, as if he’d read Finn’s mind. And perhaps he had. Garush-el always seemed to know what he was thinking. “The force binds us all to our destiny, padawan. Trust in it.”

Finn nodded, but inside frowned. A lecture was not what he felt like listening to right now. And if his destiny was to die miserably on this desert planet, then to hell with his destiny. He was going to despair all he wanted.

He leaned back and tried to clear his mind a bit. He tried to think of what he knew about this planet. Tatooine. The first thing that came to mind for him was that it was the home planet of Anakin, one of his fellow padawans. He used to have to hear stories about Anakin’s experience as a slave, or rousing stories of his exploits in podracing. He enjoyed the stories about podracing, but he couldn’t help feeling that Anakin was a bit of a braggart. It was clear in his sparring matches he’d had with him. Anakin was very good, and the problem was that he knew it. Most of the padawans felt some jealousy towards Anakin… particularly since they had all been brought into the order much younger, had worked hard, and at the age of ten, Anakin just waltzed in and became a padawan. He was never even in a clan.

He was about the same age as Anakin, but the skills were much different. It was as if Anakin didn’t even have to try… the force was natural with him. Finn had decided that Anakin’s one downfall is his arrogance, not to mention his inability to hold on to his lightsaber. Finn had bested him only once in practice… because Anakin had become cocky, and ended up dropping his saber, feeling rather foolish. Finn chuckled at this memory… then the memory was overshadowed by his experience with the training droid back on the cruiser. The experience almost seemed like it had happened years ago, not hours… but he had lost his lightsaber then. He supposed it could happen to anyone. Then again, he’d never seen Garush-el drop his saber in sparring.

One thing he recalled Anakin had said about Tatooine was it’s sudden and unpredictable dust storms. Finn looked at the creaking monstrosity that was their feeble shelter. Fat lot of good it would do them in a sand storm, he thought to himself. What were they going to do?

He could see that the horizon was beginning to dim to a deep purplish color now as behind them, the suns were slowly dropping past. The air was already a bit cooler now and felt good on his baked skin. Tomorrow, he would feel a lot of pain associated with burns from those suns, he was sure of it.

If he lived through the night.

Nakith cradled Declan’s head in her lap. The hypo was beginning to wear off, and he was mumbling something about having dented his father’s speeder. Nakith’s eyes were ripe with tears, but she held them back, running her fingers through Declan’s sweat soaked and dust filled hair.

Garush-el slid across the shelter and sat next to Finn. He lifted the blindfold slowly, testing the waning light outside. When he was satisfied that the light was dim enough, he removed the blindfold.

“The twilight is easier on the eyes,” he said. He rubbed them gently and blinked a few times letting them get used to the light.

“He will die soon,” Finn said in a hushed tone.

Garueh-el just nodded. “I have been meditating and I do not believe we are too far from life here.”

At this, Finn brightened a bit. “You’ve sensed something?”

“You have not?” Garush-el said.

Finn shook his head. “I have not felt like meditating, master.”

Garush-el smiled. “I understand, young one. You have had a hard day.”

“What have you sensed, Master?”

“Sentient beings…,” Garush-el said. “To the east.”

“Are they friendly?”

“Difficult to say,” Garush-el said. “There is a shadow of fear there… I cannot tell the reason. But regardless, it may be our only chance.”

“There are no other settlements you sense?”

Garush-el frowned. He had sensed another settlement to the North… but he didn’t feel right about the energy coming from those minds. It was not safe. He did not see a reason to tell Finn about this feeling. “To the east… that is where we will find help.”

Finn nodded. “I will go.”

“No, padawan,” Garush-el said. “That will not be necessary. You have done enough today. In the dark, I will be able to go without trouble.”

“But how far is it?” Finn said. “At first light you…”

“Do not worry, padawan,” Garush-el said, and smiled. “You stay here and get some rest, but stay alert. You must protect them.” Garush-el motioned to Nakith and Declan, and Finn nodded.

“As you wish, Master.”

Garush-el stood and dusted sand from his legs and looked from Finn to Nakith. “I will hurry. I leave you in capable hands, Captain.”

Nakith managed a smile. “I know, Master Kaiman.” She looked at Finn who blushed slightly. She then looked back to Garush-el. “Be careful.”

Garush-el nodded and looked back at Finn. “May the force be with you, young one.”

“And with you, Master,” Finn replied.

With that, Garush-el turned and began to walk east as the suns made their final descent past the horizon, plunging the desert into a deep foreboding darkness.

Finn watched him go until he couldn’t make out his shape any longer. Then he lay down in the sand and pulled his tunic up as a makeshift pillow. He glanced over at Nakith who was now laying down next to Declan. Declan was muttering under his breath, but his eyes were closed. Nakith was in a deep sleep already.

Finn lay there, staring out of the shelter into the night sky. Stars twinkled and flickered in the vast expanse, and Finn suddenly found himself wishing he was back among them. His thoughts returned to his conversations with Anakin about Tatooine. He tried to remember what he had said about the dangers of the deserts. Something other than storms. The conversation drifted and whirled in his mind, and he couldn’t center in on what it was Anakin had said.

There were other dangers… he knew… but he couldn’t quite… remember…

He let out a long snore as he was finally plunged into beautiful sleep.

</span></span>

[kopernikuz]

<span style="font-size:12pt;line-height:100%">FIVE</span>

<span style="font-family:times"><span style="font-size:12pt;line-height:100%">
Finn was jarred awake suddenly by loud yelling. His eyes flickered slightly as he brought himself back from sleep. He was disoriented slightly, unfocused, and he mentally kicked himself for letting himself sleep so deeply. Anything could have happened to them while he lay virtually unconscious. He should have been more alert.

But nothing had happened, so he shouldn’t be so hard on himself, he thought. Then he remembered what had woken him. Yelling.

He sat bolt upright as he heard the yelling again.

“Eight of them,” Declan was yelling. “Kyran saw it. Ask him. Who has the tensing rods?”

Finn rubbed his eyes as he rose to his knees. He looked blearily out of the lean to. Nakith was sitting against a bank of sand, with Declan’s head cradled in her lap. The twin suns were just beginning to peak over the horizon behind them. Declan was staring wild-eyed up at the dawning sky and muttering now.

“What’s going on?” Finn said as he sat down next to Nakith.

Nakith shook her head. “He’s delirious. I’m afraid the shock was too much. He’s babbling about things from his past… having conversations with people who aren’t here.”

Finn nodded and looked down at Declan’s panic-stricken face. Flecks of spittle had dried at the corners of Declan’s mouth, and his lips were cracked and bleeding.

“He needs water,” Finn said.

Nakith nodded. “We all do.”

Finn stood up and looked out to the east where his Master had trekked the previous night. It was dawning now, and soon Garush-el would not be able to stand the light and would have to put the blindfold on. Had he reached the settlement first? Finn hoped so. He closed his eyes and reached out, feeling and groping for some sort of twinge or ripple in the force that would represent his Master. He tried to push all else from his mind as he clamored for some sign. Slowly, a slight ebb tickled his mind… he tried to wrap his thoughts around it… it was a strong force presence… it had to be Garush-el. He pushed harder, reaching for him… just to be sure… he was definitely picking him up…

“Fat muscles of gold ROCK!” Declan suddenly exclaimed.

Finn was suddenly startled now from his thoughts, and he lost the connection to his Master through the force. Inside, Finn cursed to himself. But then he pushed that emotion away. He must remain in control of his feelings. He had felt his master’s presence… that was enough. Garush-el was still alive.

“What is he saying?” Finn said. “I don’t understand.”

“It’s nonsense now,” Nakith said. “He doesn’t know what he’s saying.”

Finn bent low to look at Declan’s face again. Declan’s eyes rolled wildly, not focusing on anything in particular and then began muttering something about jammed blasters. Finn sighed and began to rise.

Suddenly, Declan’s arms shot out and his hands grabbed Finn’s face, yanking him down. Finn fell to his knees and narrowly avoided smashing into Declan’s stumps. Declan’s eyes now focused directly onto Finn’s. He pulled Finn’s face closer to his, and now Finn could smell the man’s foul dying breath, hot against his cheek.

“You,” Declan said. “Eight. Remember. Eight.”

Finn tried to pull away, but Declan gripped his head tighter. Nakith put her hand on Finn’s shoulder.

“Let him talk,” Nakith said.

“Sacrifice,” Declan muttered under his breath.

“But it’s gibberish,” Finn said.

“Listen,” Nakith said.

“You… your… eight… your… destiny…” Declan said and his eyes burned into Finn’s. “Eight.”

His fingers finally began to release Finn’s face, and Finn pulled away. Red indentations rose upon Finn’s cheeks where Declan’s fingers had dug in, and Finn rubbed at them absently.

Declan’s eyes rolled back and he let out a large sigh. He coughed a couple of times, and then tried to turn his head upward to see Nakith.

“Help him,” Declan said to her, and she just nodded. “Remember.” She nodded again.

He coughed again, and his breathing became very labored. He stared up at the sky a moment and then… smiled briefly. The smile stayed on his lips as he took his very last labored breath, and then passed away.

A tear formed at the corner of Nakith’s eye and slowly dripped down her cheek, clearing a path of pink across her dust laden skin.

Finn felt a ripple in the force as Declan’s life passed. He knelt beside Nakith and took her hand in his. She squeezed back tightly.

They sat there for almost a half an hour, as the suns began their long journey across the Tatooine sky. Declan’s head remained in Nakith’s lap, as Finn gripped Nakith’s hand and rubbed her back to console her. No one spoke. No one had to.

Later, Finn had rummaged through the shuttle rubble to discover a small toolbox. Inside was a small welding torch and some various mech tools.

He took the torch over to where Nakith had laid Declan’s body on a bed of light brush she and Finn had collected from the surrounding area. Nakith was just covering Declan’s body with some more weedy sticks she had collected.

Finn held up the torch.

“We could have used that last night,” Nakith said. “It sure gets cold when those suns go down.”

“We used all the brush we could find here,” Finn said. “We could’ve made a fire tonight.”

Nakith shook her head. “And leave him to rot or be eaten by scavengers? No. This is the right thing to do. We will get by.”

Finn nodded as Nakith stepped back away from the makeshift funeral pyre they had created. Finn looked over at her and offered her the torch. She looked at it a moment, then down to Declan, and just shook her head. Finn nodded again and bent next to the body. He ignited the torch, and touched it to a bundle of weeds. The brush was so dry, it ignited immediately and Finn had to jump back to avoid getting singed as the fire immediately engulfed the body.

Finn stood and put his arm around Nakith as she wept silently. As they stood there, Finn reached out for his master again, feeling slight ebbs of his presence still. Hopefully he had found shelter or the settlement before the suns rose. He would probably come back with help from the settlement as soon as the suns began to go down again.

-----------------------

Nakith and Finn sat silently under the lean to most of the day. There was not much to discuss. They were waiting on Garush-el and Nakith was in mourning of a friend and a crewmate.

Finn’s mouth was exceedingly dry and his stomach felt as though it was turning inside out. He focused his thoughts away from these feelings, but it was difficult. His very nature was calling for nourishment, and most beings had trouble getting their mind to conquer their nature.

He looked at Nakith who just stared off into the distance. Her lips were chapped and cracked, and every so often, he could hear her stomach gurgle in hunger almost as loud as his own.

He felt out for his master again, but did not sense that Garush-el was close. This troubled him… because it meant that it would still be hours before he would arrive, if in fact he was even on his way. He didn’t think he and Nakith would be able to go on much longer without sustenance.

Finn stood up. Nakith was startled slightly by his movement, and looked up at him quizzically.

“I must go get us some food and water,” Finn said.

“Where?” Nakith said. “You could wander for days and not get anywhere.”

“I sense a settlement to the north,” Finn said. “My master sensed it too. I feel as though it is closer.”

“Then why didn’t Master Kaiman go that way?”

Finn’s mouth grew thin. He didn’t want to tell her it was because there was a malevolent presence there. Something not quite right. That was what Garush-el had felt, and Finn now felt it too. But if Finn could sense the settlement, it must be close. He had no sense of the eastern one Garush-el had sought out. And if this one was close, it was worth a look.

“The terrain was rougher,” Finn said. “But I am younger, and more able.”

Nakith frowned. “I don’t like it, Finn.”

“You know we will not last much longer,” Finn said. “We must have water.”

“We will go together,” Nakith said.

“No,” Finn said. “Someone must remain here in case Master Kaiman returns.”

Nakith drew her blaster, eyed down the barrel of it and blew some sand off of it. “Then I’ll go,” she said as she stood. “I am more experienced.”

“I can handle myself, Captain,” Finn said sternly. Nakith was taken aback by his tone. “Please wait here.”

Nakith looked at him a moment longer and then sighed. “You be careful, kid. Your master’s not going to be too pleased, you know that?”

Finn ignored the comment and began walking north. Nakith sighed again and sat down in the shade of the lean to.

---------------------------

No, Finn thought as he trudged along the cracked earth, wiping away sweat from his brow. Master Kaiman will not be too pleased that he has done this. Nakith’s words spoken to him nearly an hour ago as he had begun this trek, still rang in the back of his mind and he was beginning to feel a little guilt.

But he felt it was right. And if he returned safely with food or water, who could argue that he wasn’t right?

He watched his feet move one at a time pulling him across the ground. He squinted his eyes shut, forcing trickles of sweat from his eyelids down his cheeks like tears. He looked back up and could feel the twin suns burning his neck and his arms. His face felt puckered and sore.

He continued along anyway, calling upon the force to help him focus on his task. He was close to the settlement, he knew it. Why his master had not chosen this route was unclear. No matter what danger may lie here, it was surely nothing a Jedi Master couldn’t handle, and they’d have had supplies already.

A short distance ahead, the cracked desert earth seemed to open up like a wide grin. Finn began to quicken his pace towards this valley of sorts. He could tell this was where the settlement he was seeking was. As he hurried, he was hit by a sudden sense of dread. Danger. Ahead.

He stopped short of the edge of the shallow canyon and dropped to his stomach. He scooted along the ground like an uncoordinated snake until he was able to peek down over the lip into the valley itself.

Several hundred feet below, thatch huts were constructed around several extinguished fire pits. Three large hairy beasts with great spiraling horns milled about a few yards away from the huts. Finn stared at them, recognizing them somehow. He searched his memory for the name.

Banthas.

That was it. From the archives on Tatooine. It was coming back to him now. Anakin had been showing him some of the nuances of his homeworld in the archives, and these Banthas were some of the creatures here. Beasts of burden, if he remembered correctly. Moisture farmers used them from time to time.

“We’re saved,” Finn muttered to himself.

He scanned the canyon floor and saw no signs of any people. Were they all in their huts?

At that moment, Finn felt a strange disturbance in the force. It was his senses telling him he was in danger. Quickly, he rolled to his left, just as a bladed club smacked against the canyon lip where he’d been lying. He looked up to see who had swung the club, but could only see a silhouette against the bright sky.

He spun now to the right as the bladed club descended towards him again. This time he rose to his feet and pulled his lightsaber from his belt.

As the lightsaber hummed to life, Finn squared against his opponent. A tall being, wrapped in tattered robes from head to toe, raised his bladed club above his head and screeched at him. His face could not be seen, but tubular protrusions stuck out from the rags where the being’s eyes would be. The being struck out at Finn again and Finn jumped aside, swinging his lightsaber before him. It narrowly singed off some length of the being’s robe causing the being to jump back screeching in surprise.

Finn’s mind whirled. It was coming back now. The danger, Anakin had spoken of. Moisture farmers weren’t the only ones to domesticate and make use of the Bantha. They were also the transportation for Tusken Raiders.

Finn watched carefully as the Tusken batted at his singed coverings. The Tusken looked at him and screeched again, an awful grating sound that hurt Finn’s ears.

“I mean you no harm,” Finn said. “I just need some water.”

The Tusken cocked it’s head slightly, as though listening. Finn worried that the Tusken didn’t understand Basic anyway, but this was promising.

“I will leave you,” Finn said. “I am sorry to have disturbed your home. I will bother you no more.”

Finn began to back away from the canyon edge as the Tusken simply stared at him. It was
working. The Tusken was not advancing his attack.

Then the feeling hit again. Danger.

Finn spun quickly, his lightsaber slicing deftly through the club of a Tusken who had snuck up behind him. This Tusken grabbed Finn’s arm when his weapon had been cut, and then screeched in pain as Finn brought his lightsaber up, separating the Tusken’s arm at the elbow. Then with a push from the force, he sent the Tusken flopping backward into the sand.

In the meantime, the first Tusken was now attacking again. Finn ducked swiftly, as the bladed club whizzed past him. His lightsaber hissed through the air as he sliced through the arm of this attacker as well.

Suddenly there was a loud cacophony of hoarse howling. Finn looked around and suddenly found himself surrounded by at least two dozen angry Tuskens. They all wielded their bladed clubs, “gaffi sticks” Finn now remembered, and a few aimed long barreled blaster rifles at him.

No, Finn thought, :his master would definitely be none to pleased with this. He raised his lightsaber befor him and bent his knees into a defensive stance. There was no time for guilt now. If he was to die, he would take as many as he could with him.
</span></span>

[kopernikuz]

<span style="font-size:12pt;line-height:100%">SIX</span>

<span style="font-family:times"><span style="font-size:12pt;line-height:100%">
There was a moment when it seemed the entire galaxy had come to an abrupt stop. A cloud of dust kicked up by the foot of one of the savages seemed to hang without wavering in the air. Gaffi sticks were raised in defiance, but seemed to simply hang there in the hands of their bearers, paused against the Tatooine sky. Even Finn’s own lightsaber seemed to be wavering in slow motion before his eyes as he stared down the Tuskens.

Finn’s mind was moving at lightning speed, however. He was working in synergy with the force now. He could feel it flowing through him. He allowed it to guide his movements. From within his own mind, looking out, everything seemed to be frozen, giving him time to prepare for the first attack.

It was from behind. A laser blast from a rifle. Finn swung his lightsaber up over his head and brought the blade down behind his back, deflecting the blast wide and into another advancing Tusken. Finn spun quickly and reached out with the force, yanking the rifle from the hands of the one who had fired it. As the rifle flew through the air towards Finn’s hand another blast winged past Finn’s ear, causing him to duck reflexively dropping the rifle to the ground.

Three Tuskens pounced on the momentarily distracted Jedi padawan. One emitted a high pitched shriek as Finn impaled him up on his energy blade. The other two grabbed his arms. They yanked back, pulling Finn’s elbows behind him. Finn closed his eyes and launched himself upward, pulling his knees up to his chin. He spun himself backwards and upside down, twisting the wrists of the two Tusken’s holding him. They let loose and he dropped to his feet behind them, driving his light saber through them in one fell swoop.

The remaining Tuskens whooped as one, an outcry of anger and frustration. Finn spun quickly, just in time to deflect a barrage of laser fire back at the crowd, felling three more of the desert denizens.

Finn reached out with his mind, grasped a fairly large rock and sent it flying towards the crowd. As it bowled over a group of Tuskens, Finn ran towards the crowd, leaped into the air, and flipped, landing behind the stunned group. He began running for the edge of the ravine. He turned suddenly while still carrying a breakneck speed, and deftly deflected two laser blasts. They both impacted into the ground behind him.

At the edge of the ravine, he skidded to a stop, spinning so that his heels barely dangled over the edge of the ravine. He leaned forward, putting his weight back away from the edge and squared off against the remaining Tuskens who were advancing carefully now.

There were still three of them training rifles at him, while a dozen more wielded their custom built gaderfii. Finn couldn’t help but affect a little smile. This was certainly much more exciting than training droids, but as Master Kaiman had said, a mistake out here would warrant more than a bruised wrist. Speaking of wrists, Finn suddenly remembered what had happened on the cruiser. The pain hadn’t returned since then, and he was glad.

His eyes narrowed. The Tuskens roared at him. Finn reached back into himself again and called upon the power of the force once again. Again, the world seemed to slow down. He heard four clicks as four triggers were being pulled. Laser fire erupted from the barrels of the three Tusken’s ahead of him, and as he whipped the blade up to deflect him, he realized what he had just heard. Four clicks. There were only three Tusken’s ahead of him.

The lightsaber deflected the three blasts coming towards him into the dirt. A fourth ripped through his left shoulder from behind. He spun around quickly, the pain in his shoulder causing his vision to go red. Down below in the ravine, he caught a glimpse of a Tusken aiming a rifle at him.

He’d missed him. He hadn’t felt him. And now he was shot. His vision blurred and his head spun and he felt himself falling over the edge. As he plummeted, his lightsaber tumbled from his hand, clattering under some rocks. Finn collapsed against the slope of the ravine and slid down. Sand burned into his eyes, rocks sliced through his skin as he slid down and tumbled into a heap at the bottom.

He lay still, staring up at the top of the ravine. The Tuskens all leaned over and stared down at him, and began howling in victory. Finn blinked slowly, pain was now everywhere. His skin was bruised and stinging from abrasions, his head swam, and his shoulder screamed.

He struggled to move, but felt as though he was paralyzed. He knew this not to be so, however, but felt helpless nonetheless. Dizzy and disoriented, he reached out for his lightsaber with his mind as he felt the presence of the Tusken who had shot him getting closer. He managed to tilt his head and saw the Tusken advancing slowly.

He could now feel the hilt of the saber with his mind, and he called to it. It stirred in the rocks it had rolled under a few yards away from where he had fallen. The clatter caught the attention of the Tusken who quickly raised his rifle and fired at the rocks, temporarily distracting Finn who let go of the lightsaber with his mind.

The Tusken raised his rifle and brought the butt of it down against Finn’s head.

Everything went black.

---------------------------------------------------

“Finn.”

Images swirled in and out of the blackness.

“Finn.”

Finn heard the voice, but couldn’t answer.

“Finn, stay strong.”

Colors alternated in Finn’s vision. A kaleidoscope of light and shadow, reds… greens… blues…

“Do you remember the grass, Finn?”

Finn shook his head, then realized he hadn’t actually shook his head. In fact, he wasn’t sure he was even in control of his body, nor was he sure he was even in his own body. Color alternated with pitch darkness and he felt as though he was floating.

“I’m dead,” Finn was finally able to say. No, he didn’t say anything… he “thought” it. That was probably a better description.

“No, Finn,” the voice said again. “Remember the grass?”

Finn’s head hurt… or he imagined it would hurt if he was actually still within it. Grass? Who was this madman?

“Finn,” the voice said. “Rmember the grass… the wind… the air… remember, Finn.”

Finn blinked… or would have if he still had control of his eyes. As it was the darkness just felt darker for a moment, and then the colors returned.

“Alderaan is beautiful this time of year.”

Finn smiled… or well… he affected a smile.

He suddenly felt the colors swirl into an image. He could see the deep blue sky, wispy clouds floating above him. Then he could feel a tickling at the back of his neck. The tickling was also at his ears, his arms, his fingers. There was a damp coolness against his back and he suddenly realized he was lying on his back in some grass.

“What is this,” Finn thought. “It’s Alderaan.”

“Yes,” said the voice.

Finn felt the grass blowing in the wind, tickling at his skin. This was his homeworld. He was home. He hadn’t been to Alderaan since he was a child. His few memories of this place were as a small child of just three. He was amazed that he retained memories from that early of an age, but Master Kaiman said it was not unusual for someone of Finn’s connection with the force. As a young three year old, Finn would come out into this field behind his parent’s home and lie in the grass, staring at the clouds above.

He was here again, and he was glad. He wondered if he got up and turn around would he see his home. He wondered if his mother would be behind him, playing with his older sister. These were good memories. But they pained him a bit as well. These were memories he no longer had an attachment to. Since he had been taken from his parents shortly thereafter and brought into a clan in the Jedi Order.

Taken. That was a rather harsh word. His parents had allowed it. They had felt it was best for him, and they of course were right. But it hurt nonetheless.

He pushed this aside though and stared again at the wispy clouds above. The grass felt cool and gentle against his skin and he felt as relaxed as he’d felt in a very long time.

“You remember,” the voice said.

“I can never forget,” Finn thought back.

“Stay there, Finn,” the voice then said. “Stay there until I come for you.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Stay there, Finn… it’s for your own protection.”

Finn was puzzled, but not in any great hurry to leave the comfort of this haven. He decided not to argue and just closed his eyes and smiled as the breeze rolled across his body. He was at ease… he even felt sleep coming on.

As he began to drift into a deep sleep, he was suddenly awakened by laser blasts and the electric hum of a lightsaber. He jerked up, and opened his eyes. Instead of the bright and sunny brilliance of his homeworld, Finn was looking at the dingy, dimly-lit insides of a mudthatch hut.

He started to stand, but winced as thick rope cut into his tender wrists. He looked down and found that he was tied to a pole in the center of this makeshift hut. Pain was now returning to the realm of his consciousness. His head hurt and it seemed as if every inch of his skin was on fire. Glancing down at his arms, he wondered if he’d actually been on fire, because his flesh was now blistered and scorched from something he had no recollection of. There was a deepening pain in his left shoulder that he now recalled had been from the rifle blast of a Tusken Raider. He could only assume now he was prisoner in one of their huts.

More laser fire erupted, and the howls of Tusken Raiders could be heard screeching through the air. Finn struggled at his bindings and then heard the familiar hum of a lightsaber again. He frowned. One of the Tuskens had found his lightsaber and was now practicing with it. Just one more painful reminder of his failure.

He struggled harder at his bindings, trying to get loose when he realized the lightsaber sound was getting closer. He reached out with his mind and suddenly felt elated.

With a blaze of light, a lightsaber blade ripped through the walls of the hut he was hunkered down in, and a figure stepped through the smoking hole it had made.

“Hello, padawan,” Garush-el said, a gentle smile on his lips.

“Master Kaiman,” Finn said, desperation and relief both forcing an audible sigh from his mouth.

“Don’t speak,” Garush-el said. “Let me get you free of these bindings.” With a quick flick of his lightsaber, Garush-el sliced through the ropes, and Finn felt his hands come under his own control again. “Come quickly, padawan. We must get away quickly. More Tuskens will come.”

Finn nodded wearily and stood up on wobbly legs and followed Garush-el out of the hutch.

It was night now, Finn noticed, the suns had set and this was why Garush-el was not wearing his blindfold. In the middle of the Tusken camp, several people Finn did not recognize were firing blasters and rifles, scattering the remaining Tuskens deep into the ravine. Finn followed Garush-el to regroup with these strangers.

“This way,” one man said. “They’re getting reinforcements. It won’t be long. We should get as far away as possible as quickly as possible.”

Garush-el nodded and put his arm around Finn, leading him to a nearby landspeeder. The man helped Garush-el load Finn into the speeder and like a shot, they lurched forward and sped off into the desert night.

Finn felt the cool night air whip against his face and fought back tears from the pain in his body.

“Stay calm, Finn,” Garush-el whispered to him. “Remember the grass. We’ll get you medical attention at the farming settlement.”

“Grass?” Finn peered at his Master a moment. “It was you…”

“Rest, padawan. Go back to the field and rest.”

Finn closed his eyes and concentrated hard, pushing and pushing until the pain in his back and shoulder was replaced with the damp cool feeling of the grass again. He smiled a bit… and then drifted to sleep.
</span></span>

[kopernikuz]

<span style="font-size:12pt;line-height:100%">SEVEN</span>


<span style="font-family:times"><span style="font-size:12pt;line-height:100%">
Music awakened Finn, and he groggily sat up and surveyed his surroundings. The motion of sitting up made him flinch in pain and he fought hard not to cry out. He glanced down at bandaged arms, and felt a deep throb in his shoulder. Memories began to flood in now.

His battle with the Tuskens.

He reached up and tenderly brushed his hand against the bruise above his left eye where one of the Tuskens had knocked him out cold with a rifle butt. He wasn’t sure where he had gotten the abrasions and burns now covered by the bandages on his arms. They didn’t feel on fire as before, they felt cool and damp, surely some medication applied to them under the bandages. When he forced himself to recall how it had happened, he was answered with blinding red pain and screams of torment.

He fought it away. It was a memory best left forgotten, he decided. Clearly he had been tortured by those savages. His limits tested.

He suddenly remembered that he had seen a Tusken before. At the Jedi Temple. Another padawan, like him, but not a member of any clan, like Anakin. How one of these animals could have the presence of mind and will to engage the light side of the force, he couldn’t imagine. But that Tusken had been Ki Adi Mundi’s padawan at the time, and Master Mundi was a council member of the highest standing. He must know something, Finn didn’t. That padawan couldn’t be like these people he’d fought today.

Finn listened a moment to the music from outside. He glanced around the room he was in. It had stone walls and the ceiling was painted in an odd pattern. He was now sitting on a small, roughshod bed. He swung his legs over the side and breathed deeply to channel away the pain instigated by every movement. He closed his eyes and meditated silently.

As he meditated, he reached out through the force to find his Master. Garush-el Kaiman was near, he could sense it. So were several life energies. Master Kaiman’s was the strongest due to his connection to the force.

“Oh,” a soft voice said. “You’re awake.”

Finn opened his eyes quickly. Someone had entered and he hadn’t even sensed them right away. He was not connecting well to the force. He would need more rest.

Standing in the doorway was a beautiful young woman. Her silky brown hair, hung gently over her shoulders and she peered out at him from intense green eyes. Her face was smooth, but dusty, and she wore a dark brown shawl around her shoulders.

“We didn’t expect you to wake so soon,” she said, her voice like a song to his ears. “How are you feeling?”

Finn could feel his ears turning red. He was smitten already, and he knew it. Soon she would as well, if she was watching close enough. He pushed the thoughts from his mind. Attachment is forbidden, he thought, don’t go getting all mushy.

“A little tired. Achy,” he said. “Where am I?”

“Rilla Town,” she said. “A farming settlement.”

“Rilla Town?”

“Named for our founder, Cors Rilla.” She smiled at him. He felt his heart melt. Her smile was absolutely stunning and once again he found himself trying desperately to push away these feelings. It was like she was a Jedi Master and he was a weak-minded fool. She controlled him already and he’d just met her. “But, this isn’t time for a history lesson. Do you feel like you can walk?”

Finn nodded and averted his eyes from her. He knew if he didn’t get away fast, he’d be intoxicated by this young lady.

“Come, then,” she said. “I’ll show you around. Jared, is it?”

He nodded again, looking at his feet with great interest, feigning the need to brush something off of his pant leg.

“I am Kellu,” she said. “Let’s go. Your Master is outside enjoying the festivities.”

“Festivities?” Finn finally brought himself around to looking up at her, then she hit him with that smile again, and he busied his attention on getting down off of the bed.

“Yes,” she said. “We’re having a party.”

Finn stepped away from the bed and balked slightly when Kellu extended her hand, inviting him to take it. He hesitated, but only for a moment. He didn’t want to be rude after all. Slowly he slipped his hand into hers and felt her smooth wonderful grip envelope his hand. It was done… he would now follow her anywhere.

They exited the small living quarters he had been sleeping in and stepped out into the cool night air. The music was louder now and was coming from their left. Kellu led him between several homes and out into what appeared to be a small village square. The small village was nestled in a small desert canyon, and several buildings were built right into the cavern walls. There were at least a hundred or more people gathered here, dancing and laughing while a band played lively music. A large table was set up at one end of the square, and it was overflowing with food.

At the sight of the food, Finn’s stomach leapt to life. He realized it had still been quite some time since he had eaten and now it was more him leading Kellu than the other way around. At the table, he released her hand, grabbed a plate and began piling on the food.

Kellu laughed. “I’m sure you are starving, Jared.”

Finn just nodded and chuckled back. When his plate was full, he turned to look at Kellu. There she was smiling at him again and he couldn’t help thinking how if he hadn’t been starved the last few days, she would be far more appetizing to see than this food.

“Master Kaiman is over here,” Kellu said and began walking away. Finn followed her like a lovesick puppy, all the while greedily shoving morsels of delicious food into his mouth.

Garush-El rose to his feet quickly at the sight of his young padawan. He came forward and gently put his hand on Finn’s good shoulder. Captain Nakith sat at the table with some of the farmers.

“Finn,” Garush-el said. “It is wonderful to see you up and about. I see you found the food.”

Finn nodded, unable to speak as his mouth was full.

“Wonderful,” Garush-el said, smiling broadly. “Come then, let’s sit.”

Finn followed Garush-el to a table where several people were gathered. Kellu followed them both and when Finn sat down, she sat down next to him. Scornful woman, he thought. Why must you torture me so?

He looked across the table at Nakith and smiled. She returned the smile. “It’s good to see you well, Finn.”

“You as well, Captain,” he said between bites. “Feeling better?”

“Much,” she said.

“Welick,” Garush-el said to an older gentlemen in a dusty tunic. “This is my padawan, Jared Finn.”

Welick smiled. “Well, I must say,” he said, “I don’t know many men who’d be up and about only one day after a run-in with the Tuskens like you had, son. I am in awe.”

Finn swallowed a bite of food and smiled humbly. “Yes sir, thank you. To be honest, I don’t remember much.”

“That’s probably for the best, son. “ Welick said. “When the Tuskens take a prisoner, we rarely see them alive again. And when we do…”

He trailed off. He glanced nervously about at the others and obviously decided not to continue his thought.

“Anyway,” Welick finally said. “It’s good to see you are doing well. These are my sons.” Welick addressed the four stocky young brutes to his left. “Garrett, Weydon, Jor… and the little guy on the end is Malik.”

Finn looked at the “little guy” and smiled. Malik was easily six and a half feet tall and bulging with muscles. “A pleasure to meet you all,” Finn said.

“And you’ve apparently already met my daughter,” Welick said, gesturing to Kellu.

“Yes,” Finn said, and forced himself not to look at her, but only give her a sideways nod. He then went back to eating.

Welick eyed him a moment, and then smiled a bit, then turned his gaze to Garush-el. Garush-el had noticed the padawan’s feigned disinterest in the girl as well. He could feel the affection in Finn for Kellu, and knew he would have some trouble helping his young padawan through his first “crush”. Nakith let out a small chuckle that she stifled behind her fist. Garush-el narrowed his eyes at her, and she just smiled back.

Welick’s son Jor, a blond haired boy of about fourteen and apparently the youngest of the siblings, addressed Garush-el. “Please, Master Kaiman… finish your story.”

Garush-el smiled at the boy. “Oh my, yes. Where was I?”

Jor beamed. “The Bilurrian slug creature…”

Garush-el pretended not to remember. “The Billurrian… hrm… oh yes… that.” He smiled and so did everyone else at the table. “Perhaps, my padawan would be best at finishing the story. He after all was the one who defeated it.”

Finn looked up. “I only did what was necessary, Master. As any Jedi would have.”

“Yes,” Garush-el said. “But these kind people have asked to hear about it.”

“Please,” Jor said. “What did it look like?”

Finn saw the same dancing green eyes in Jor that he had seen in Kellu. In fact, the resemblance was very close. He smiled gently and then turned his smile into a fearful look.

“It was huge,” Finn said in a hushed urgent voice, inflected as such to enhance the story for the young boy. Garush-el smiled. “At least fifty meters long and twenty meters around. fifty meters of slimy membranous slug flesh, ending at a viper’s nest of needle sharp teeth. It also had a lengthy gelatinous tongue that it would use to smack out at it’s prey, knocking it unconscious before devouring it. And it was not friendly.”

Jor beamed with excitement.

“It had cornered Master Kaiman,” Finn continued. “Flicking its tongue out, whacking away at him. Master Kaiman parried every attack with his lightsaber, chopping off bits of the tongue as he went.”

Kellu pretended to be sick and generated a laugh. Finn smiled at her and finally looked at her. Her green eyes met his and he blushed again. He then turned back to Jor and continued.

“The problem was, the tongue regenerated as fast as Master Kaiman was slicing. And with each slice, the tongue would spurt out a transparent goo onto the jungle floor. The terrain was becoming increasingly slippery.”

Jor looked at Garush-el as if to confirm that the story was true so far. Garush-el nodded and Jor looked back at Finn, his eyes widening. Several more people were now gathered around the table listening intently to Finn’s story.

“Meanwhile,” Finn said, “I was trying to wrestle loose from some clinging vines that had snagged me as I arrived at the scene. I tripped and found that one of my feet had become hopelessly tangled in the brush. I looked up only to see my Master slipping in the goo and plummeting into a pit. The slug slowly began to inch it’s way towards the pit, and I knew if I didn’t act soon, it would make a snack out of a very prominent Jedi Master.”

Garush-el chuckled.

“I had to act fast. I pulled out my lightsaber and sliced through the clinging vines. They were wrapped between the trees above, and apparently had been supporting the weight of a large branch that had been snapped loose probably due to some earlier storm. The branch swung down, still wrapped in the vines. The branch was thicker than even old Malik over there.”

Everyone laughed hysterically at this. Even Malik.

“That’s a big branch,” Welick said.

Finn continued. “The swinging arc of the vines brought the branch towards me, and I flattened hard against the ground. It swept over me and I looked up to watch heading towards the slug. I stood quickly and flung my lightsaber towards the vines, using the force to push the spinning blade towards the swinging branch. The saber sliced deftly through the vines as the branch had almost completed it’s arc. The branch broke loose and flew directly at the slug. It careened into the slug, startling the beast. I called my lightsaber back and ran directly towards the animal.

“It was a slow creature, and there was time for me to get next to it, before it could move it’s mouth close enough to use it’s tongue on me. I shoved my lightsaber into its side up to the hilt. The thing squealed in pain and I ran the blade lengthways, running down the side of the slug, cutting it open from gullet to tail.”

Everyone cheered.

“I found myself covered in the transparent goo, and couldn’t keep my own footing. I fell on my behind and then slipped and slid towards the pit where Master Kaiman had fallen.”

“That’s disgusting,” Kellu said, smirking however.

“When I got to the edge of the pit, I saw that it was only ten meters deep, and there was Master Kaiman. Just standing there, smiling at me. ‘Good work, padawan,’ he says to me, and I’m standing there, covered in muck, all the while knowing that he could have just jumped out at any time.”

“You saved my life, young one,” Garush-el said. “Either way.”

“Well, once is far less than the hundreds of times you’ve saved mine,” Finn said.

“Wow,” Jor said. “That’s amazing. You guys must see a lot of wild stuff.” He looked at his father. “I want to be a Jedi, dad!”

Garush-el smiled. “I’m afraid it’s not that exciting all the time,” Garush-el said. “And there’s lots of training involved.”

”Besides,” Weydon, a twenty-one year old with a sneer seemingly permanently etched into his face, said to Jor, “you gotta have the Force, Bantha-butt.”

Garush-el’s smile faltered a bit. “The Force is within all living things, Weydon… including yourself… and I guess in a way the posterior of a Bantha.” This provoked guffaws from the crowd. Weydon looked around sheepishly and laughed too. “The challenge comes in that Bantha’s posterior being able to control and manipulate the living force.”

Welick chuckled. “The only force I’ve witnessed come out of a Bantha’s behind is one of the gastronomical kind.”

All laughed at this, including Weydon.

Finn put some more food in his mouth and scanned the laughing crowd as he himself sported a wide grin. These were farmers mostly, tradesmen as well. He saw in them an appreciation for the land and a good day’s work. Their hands were dirty and calloused. The women were weary and bedraggled, but appeared happy for the most part. But there was still this sense in the force that Finn could feel that indicated not all was well here.

He looked from face to face and finally rested on the face of Kellu next to him. She smiled that smile again, flashing beautiful white teeth and making those green eyes glitter.

“You must be very brave,” she said to him.

He chuckled. “Or stupid… sometimes it’s hard to tell the difference.”

“That was an exciting… if not nauseating story.”

“Yeah, well, it took me three days to get the goo washed out of my hair. And I still felt gross a week later.”

They laughed together, her laugh filling his ears and calming his wary nerves. When she laughed, he didn’t hurt anymore.

“What are we celebrating tonight?” Finn asked.

“It is my father’s birthday,” she replied.

“Is your father the leader here?”

“You might say that,” she said. “Our family has a moisture farm over to the east. Not far, walking distance in fact. Perhaps tomorrow, you’d like to come out?”

Finn nodded. “I think I’d like that.”

“Good,” she said. “I make lunch for my father and brothers, you can come then and join us.”

“That would be great,” Finn smiled. “Of course, I must ask my Master.”

“Of course,” Kellu said.

Nakith had come around the table and put her hand on Kellu’s shoulder.

“Kellu,” she said, “could you help me with my bandages, again?”

Kellu looked up at Nakith. “Of course! I’m sorry…” she rose quickly and took Nakith’s hand. “Come over to the infirmary with me.”

Kellu led Nakith away, but as Nakith went, she turned and smiled, then winked at someone behind Finn. Finn turned to see Garush-el standing behind him, a small smile on his face. He suddenly realized what was happening. Nakith had been sent to distract Kellu, so that Garush-el could lecture him about his feelings.

“I know, Master,” Finn said. “I know.”

“And just what is it you know, padawan,” Garush-el said as he sat next to him.

“Attachment is forbidden,” Finn said. “I’m not planning on marrying her, ya know. I just…” He trailed off.

“Just what?”

Finn blushed again. “Just like to look at her.”

“She is very beautiful,” Garush-el said. “Your attraction to her is nothing to be ashamed of, padawan. It is not wrong to have feelings for others… even feelings of love. But a Jedi is always in control of those feelings, and does not let them interfere.”

“How can we be forbidden to love, Master,” Finn said. “It doesn’t seem natural.”

“You are correct, Jared. It does go against ones nature to master those feelings. But a Jedi is not forbidden to love… a Jedi is forbidden attachment to those things which would interfere with his training and his purpose.” Garush-el leaned in. “You should love others, Finn… but not be in love. A Jedi Knight with feelings divided between family and his role as a Jedi would be an easy target for the dark side. You must keep your focus on your training… and your purpose. We have sworn ourselves to the protection of and propmotion of peace and justice in the galaxy. It is not possible to focus on that, and a romantic relationship at the same time.”

“I understand,” Finn said. “We were just talking.”

“Your feelings betray you, Finn,” Garush-el said, smirking. “And one need not be force-sensitive to see it.”

Finn blushed again and then smiled.

“I will focus, Master,” Finn said. “I promise.”

“I know it, padawan.” Garush-el’s face grew grim. “Shall we discuss the incident that resulted in those bandages you now wear on your arms?”

A dark cloud centered over Finn’s heart at that moment. He was rushed with a feeling of dread and horror as briefly the memories of his encounter with the Tuskens tried to pummel its way through to the center of his consciousness. He also felt terrible guilt for having gone against his Master’s and Captain Nakith’s wishes.

“I was foolish,” Finn said. “Again.”

“Yes you were, Jared.” Garush-el was stern, but still caring in his inflection. “And those certainly weren’t training droids you encountered out there. You are very fortunate to be alive right now.”

“I have no excuse,” Finn said. “I overstepped my capabilities. I was arrogant and brazen.”

Garush-el remained silent. They both sat quietly as the crowd began to gather around the dance floor. Several people were dancing to the music again and Finn watched them without really seeing them. His mind was on his guilt.

Finally, Garush-el said, “Think no more on it. Do better next time.”

Finn nodded.

“Good,” Garush-el said. “Now… shall we dance?”

Finn’s eyes grew wide and he stared at Garush-el a moment and then began to smile as he watched a grin crawl slowly across his Master’s face.

“Thank you, Master.”

Garush-el nodded and put his arm gently around his padawan’s neck. “You may go to this lunch tomorrow.”

Finn gave Garush-el another dumbstruck look.

“But be mindful of your feelings, Jared.”

Finn nodded.

“Thank you again, Master.”

Garush-el greeted Nakith as she exited the infirmary and accompanied her to watch the dancing. Kellu emerged from the infirmary and Finn felt his heart soar again. He fought it back, and watched as Jor grabbed his sister’s hand and dragged her out into the dancing circle.

Finn sat alone on a bench watching Kellu and her little brother dance and laugh. Soon he found himself clapping along with the music, not knowing exactly when he had started doing it. And he also noticed that he was smiling quite brightly as he watched Kellu spin and twirl, her brown hair dancing as much as her feet, a paragon of grace and beauty. Every once in a while, her eyes caught his and he would exchange a smile with her.

Slowly, though, a feeling of darkness began to overtake his senses. Something was not quite right. He looked around at the others, trying to sense where the feeling of danger was coming from. He scanned the canyon walls, but couldn’t make anything out in the dark. He glanced over at Garush-el who was also looking around. Obviously he felt something, too.
Garush-el then caught Finn’s gaze and smiled to reassure him.

Enjoy yourself, Garush-el expressed to Finn in his thoughts. There is danger, but it is not immediate. We will worry about tomorrow… tomorrow.

Finn nodded and smiled. He was glad his Master was not too angry with him. He was also glad his Master had shown great trust in his abilities to control his feelings by allowing him to have lunch with Kellu and her family the next day. The question was… did he trust himself?
</span></span>

[kopernikuz]

<span style="font-size:12pt;line-height:100%">EIGHT</span>


<span style="font-family:times"><span style="font-size:12pt;line-height:100%">
Finn had awakened to a great sense of dread and fear. He had to meditate for quite some time to get it under control and he was very unsure of where it had come from. He felt the same darkness that he had felt during the celebration the evening before. It was a feeling that behind the smiling faces and warm welcome that he, Master Kaiman, and Captain Nakith had received upon their arrival in Rilla Town. There was something going on here. Something sinister. It was not something he felt within the people of Rilla Town, but surrounding it to be sure. He could feel their own fear of this menace as well.

Something was not right.

He sat now with Jor Halstrom on a bench outside the Halstrom home. Jor was showing him a scale-model he had built of an astromech droid, and Finn was affecting great interest in it. Jor was clearly proud of his handiwork, which was imperfect to say the least. It looked as if Jor had rushed it instead of carefully piecing it together, and bits of transparent adhesive drooled out of several cracks and dried in bubbles. But Jor was proud, and therefore so was Finn.

“Very nice, Jor,” Finn said, smiling and admiring the work.

“Bantha spit,” said a voice behind them. When they turned, they saw Weydon standing there, his arms folded as he leaned in the doorway leading down into the homestead. “Tell him the truth, Jedi. It’s awful. I told him to be more patient when he makes them.”

Finn frowned a bit at Weydon. “It’s fine. Continued efforts will greatly increase Jor’s ability to make them, whereas negative insults will simply encourage him to avoid trying again. I choose to encourage continued efforts.” Finn turned back to Jor. “It’s really a wonderful effort, Jor. Keep it up.”

Jor brightened and smiled grandly. Then he turned his attention back to Weydon. “Ignore my brother, Jared. He’s just a big Krayt dragon disguised as a human.”

Weydon advanced into the room. “What did you say, grub?”

Finn stood up and came between them. “I wonder how lunch is coming, men? Shall we go see?”

Weydon eyed his brother and then Finn. “Kellu said it will be another ten minutes.”

“Wonderful,” Finn said. “Perhaps we could all go help her.”

“I’ll go,” Weydon said. “You stay out here.”

Weydon stormed back into the house, and Finn watched him, his jaw agape. Weydon clearly had some animosity towards Finn, but Finn couldn’t think for the life of him why that would be.

“Jared?” Jor looked at Finn with eager eyes. “You said negative insults will encourage someone to stop something. That’s why I called him a krayt dragon. I thought maybe he would make it stop being a jerk.”

Finn laughed out loud at this, and then stifled it. He put his hand on Jor’s shoulder and leaned in. “I think you misunderstood. But know this… meet negativity with positivity, and you’ll win every time.”

Jor considered this a moment. “I think I understand.”

“Good,” Finn replied and then sniffed the air. “Wow, something smells wonderful”

“Kellu’s a great cook, Jared. She’ll make some guy a great wife someday.”

Finn glanced at him a moment, not sure if the boy was trying to be imply something or not. He decided the boy meant what he said, and not any implication towards Finn, but he blushed anyway because he had assumed it. The fact that he had thought of that first made him wonder about his feelings for her again.

“I’m sure she will,” Finn said.

In the distance three figures wandered in from the desert. Finn peered through the rippled air created by the searing heat to make them out. Jor noticed them too and began to run towards them.

“Dad!” Jor yelled as he ran out to greet his father and two oldest brothers as they returned from tending the vaporators.

Welick Halstrom walked directly up to Finn and extended his hand. “Young Finn,” he said. “Good of you to come! Haven’t been waiting long, I hope?”

“Not at all, sir,” Finn replied. “I only arrived thirty minutes ago. Kellu was prepareing lunch, so Jor and I have been entertaining ourselves.”

“Wonderful, wonderful,” Welick said. “Jor, would you mind bringing some refreshments out for your brothers and I? It’s a scorcher today.”

Jor eagerly ran into the homestead.

“It amazes me,” Finn said, “what you do. It takes a very strong individual, I imagine.”

Malik grinned. “Yeah, but these two do okay too…”

The others laughed at this.

“I was wondering,” Finn asked. “Would droids not be of help to you out here? Surely they could last longer in this heat.”

The older sons traded wary looks with their father.

“Well, son,” Welick said at last, “we come from a long line of men who believe in a hard day’s work. And that you only get out of something what you put in yourself.”

“Besides,” Garrett said. “Only place to get droids around here is the Jawas, and they don’t…”

Garrett trailed off at a stern look from Welick. Finn noticed the exchange and felt some fear emanating from Welick. He didn’t think it would be wise to push it at this time to determine why.

“Shall we go inside then?” Welick said at last and they all nodded and smiled. Welick then led the way, and the men descended into the homestead.

Finn followed them down some narrow stairs that opened out into a large square open-air area several meters below the ground. He looked around at the fascinating design and even felt cooler as he stepped out into the open. Though the suns were still blaring down with their ferocious intensity on the planet, the descended ground design of the homestead allowed for a much cooler environ, though it was still quite warm. In the center of the square were several small garden patches.

Finn pointed to these and asked Malik, “How in the world do you grow these here in the middle of the desert?”

Malik smiled, “They’re irrigated from below. We use vaporators above ground to siphon water from the air, and it is channeled underground to these gardens. We have several more underground. It’s a rough place to live, but we make do.”

Finn smiled, “I’ll say, that’s ingenious.”

“Come on,” Malik said, “I can smell Kellu’s cooking from here… she usually doesn’t go all out for lunch. Must be because we have a guest.”

Finn blushed again, and then mentally kicked himself for doing so. He followed Malik through a door that Malik had to duck considerably to get through. Finn did not.

Inside, Welik and his boys were already seated around a large table within a spacious eating area. Finn marveled at the workmanship and the technology adapted into what was essentially a primitive habitat. Then his eyes fell to the table. There was quite a nice spread of food here, and Finn himself had to agree with Malik’s assessment that it was a bit much for lunch. He inhaled the delicious smell and began to take a seat next between Jor and Welick.

Kellu walked in with a tray of vegetables, and Finn was awestruck by her again. Her soft supple face framed perfectly by feathery brown locks, and those… those eyes. Penetrating and mesmerizing. He was drawn intensely to those blazing green eyes. He felt his stomach turn over and caught himself staring. He looked around at the other men and caught knowing smirks from all except Weydon. Weydon had his normal sour look, glaring at Finn as though Finn had a plague of some kind. He felt himself blush again and began pretending to inspect his fork as Kellu placed the tray on the table and sat down on the other side of Welick and opposite Finn.

He would have to look at her the whole meal, he thought to himself. Scornful, scornful woman. Does she know what she is doing?

Probably, he decided.

The men began tearing into the feast and Finn watched with amusment as they devoured the food hungrily. She didn’t cook this much often, it was obvious, and they were savoring every moment. Finn ate happily, casting a glance occasionally at Kellu and catching her looking away just as he did.

“So, Jared,” Garret said after a long silence save for the chewing and gulping. “Master Kaiman said you guys were on your way to settle a planetary dispute?”

Finn nodded. “Yes, it’s one of the less exciting aspects of being a Jedi.” He smiled at Jor. “It’s not all Billurian slug creatures and mucous.” They all laughed. “Sometimes it’s just politics. More so than I’d like I’m afraid. But if it keeps the peace in the galaxy, that’s what I’m sworn to.”

“There’s rumors that there’s a rebellion against the Republic stirring,” Garrett said. “Is that true?”

“There are some groups trying to vie for power, that’s all,” Finn said. “There was a battle on Naboo several years ago against the Trade Federation. They were vying for power then and were defeated. They now have a former Jedi on their side, so well… they’re trying again. I seriously doubt it will amount to anything. If he’s a former Jedi, he’ll listen to reason. The Nemoidians aren’t well lauded for their reason.”

“I heard there’s gonna be a war,” Weydon snarled. “Will you have to fight in it?”

Finn kept his countenance solemn. “There won’t be a war. The Republic doesn’t even have an army. There has been peace and peace will remain. If fighting were necessary… yes… the Jedi would fight, and I with them.”

“Peace, eh?” Weydon spat. “Must be nice. The Republic doesn’t give a whip what happens here.”

“Weydon!” Welick glared at his son.

“What, dad?” Weydon grew angry. “He’s off fighting for peace. Peace for planets who have the credits to pay for it. Where’s our representative in the Senate, Jedi? Where’s our protection?”