Chapter 14
Inside the Omega’s crew quarters, Padawan Lyra Heartstrings laid on her bunk bed. She was exhausted. Fighting waves of Exchange mercenaries had taken a toll on her, so she decided to get some much-needed rest after her training session and brief talk with Sweetie Drops.
Hours had passed since Hider set a course for Coruscant. Though Lyra didn’t know that. She’d been sound asleep the entire time while the ship traversed through Hyperspace. And as she slept blissfully on her bed, Lyra dreamt of her home.
She found herself in a wide living room, laying on top of a warm rug. The room was dim, but a flickering fireplace kept the room lit. She was a filly again and she wasn’t alone either. Behind her were two adult ponies. One was a pegasus mare, whose coat matched Celestia’s golden sun. The other was a stallion, who wore glasses and had a dark reddish coat.
The room wasn’t bright enough for her to see their faces, but Lyra knew who these ponies were. She tried to call out to them, but she was interrupted when a familiar voice cried out to her.
“Lyra wake up!”
The Padawan groaned. Someone had the audacity to try and wake her up from her beautiful dream. She couldn’t didn’t know who, but whoever it was, she felt like kicking that person in the shins. “Ugh, please don’t wake me up now,” Lyra mumbled. “I’m having the best dream ever.”
“Padawan, now is not the time to be dreaming! Wake up! We’ve arrived at Coruscant.”
“Huh?” Lyra’s eyes shot open. Despite being half-asleep, she quickly saw her master was standing right in front of her. “Oh, master, you’re awake,” she said with a yawn. “Why are you here? Are we doing early morning training or something?”
Master Darran sighed. “You didn’t hear me, did you?” he asked. Much to his annoyance, Lyra shook her head in response. “I suppose it can’t be helped. When a Padawan such as yourself is a heavy sleeper, it’s not surprising that my voice won’t be heard.”
“Master, please. I’m not in the mood for jokes. Just get to the point.”
“Very well. As I said earlier, Padawan, we’ve just arrived at Coruscant. The ship itself has dropped out of hyperspace and is currently orbiting the planet as we speak.”
“Really?” Lyra bolted up from her bed. If anything, hearing this bit of news had fully woken her up.
As her eyes met her master’s she quickly noticed that he was wearing his usual Jedi attire, including his headpiece. “Master, you’re already dressed?” she asked.
“Yes, I am. I had awoken a few moments before the Omega had left hyperspace,” explained Master Darran. “Hider’s awake too. He and I had convened at the cockpit so that we could secure a landing spot for his ship, though we’re still in orbit.”
“Oh, you guys are already done talking with Republic officials?”
Master Darran shook his head. “No, that won’t be necessary. I contacted the Jedi Temple instead, so he should be able to use the temple’s hangar bay instead.”
Lyra smiled. “That’s great! But why is the ship still in orbit?”
“Well, about that. You see, Hider wanted Sweetie Drops to join him at the cockpit so that she could see Coruscant for herself. And, well, let’s just say the mare is taking in the scenery.”
Lyra chuckled. “Yeah, I guess that makes sense. Her reaction to Coruscant should be the same as mine.”
“The same as yours, you say? If I recall, your reaction to Coruscant’s infrastructure was somewhat childlike, flailing about and asking questions for everything that caught your interest. You think the Private will be similar?” asked Master Darran.
“I don’t know, maybe? I just hope she doesn’t get freaked out by the sight of skyscrapers and speeding land speeders.”
The two Jedi shared a laugh together.
“Let’s just hope that won’t be the case,” said Master Darran. As his laughter began to die down, he turned around and went straight for the exit. “Okay, I think we shouldn’t be poking fun at the poor mare anymore. Padawan, I suggest you get dressed immediately. Once you’re done, head down to the cockpit and join the rest of our friends there.”
“Yes, Master,” Lyra replied. Once her master had left the room, she quickly jumped out of her bed, landing perfectly upright on all four of her hooves. She then trotted over to a nearby storage container and opened it. Inside was her lightsaber and the same Jedi attire she wore on the day she left Dantooine. It was left behind on the ship during the mission on Ord Mantell, but with that mission over, she was free to wear it again.
Once she’d finished dressing herself, Lyra quickly took her lightsaber and hooked it onto her belt. With her weapon secure, she trotted out of the crew quarters and made her way down the ship’s corridor.
As she headed for the cockpit, Lyra pondered about her next move. After Hider makes landfall, she and the rest of the group would likely have to scour the planet to find Czerka Corporation. She bit her lip. As eager as she was into find those missing ponies, scouring the entire planet in search of their captors wasn’t something she was looking forward to. Coruscant is a big place. Figuring out where they need to go would take time and patience.
The Jedi preach patience, but in all honesty, she hoped that the Jedi Temple might have something that could help her.
Eventually, she reached the doorway to the ship’s cockpit. Once it flung open, she spotted Hider sitting in the captain’s chair and Sweetie Drops sitting right beside him. In front of her was Coruscant in all its glory.
It’s just how I remember it. Lyra thought. Even though I’ve seen this planet so many times, I never get tired of the scenery.
“Enjoying the view, are you?” Hider asked from the captain’s chair.
Lyra blinked. “Um, okay. How’d you know it was me?"
“Your footsteps—err, I mean—hoofsteps gave it away. There are only two passengers on board my ship that have hooves. Since your little pony friend is already here, I figured it was you. By the way, your friend has been gawking at Coruscant ever since she got here.”
“Can you blame me? I haven’t seen something like this in my entire life!” said Sweetie Drops. Her eyes remained focused on the planet itself. “So beautiful. If only I had brought a camera with me.”
“Oh, don’t worry about that. I’m sure there are plenty of ‘see you again soon’ cards you can buy once we touchdown. The pictures they have on those covers are of really good quality.
“That’s not what I had in mind, you jerk!” replied a now irritated mare.
“Relax, it was just a joke. I’m sure we can find you a nice quality photo once we hit planet-side,” Hider calmly replied as he flicked some switches on the ship’s navigation panel. “I suggest you sit down and buckle up, ladies. Cause I’m about to pilot this baby down now.”
Lyra compiled by immediately jumping onto a nearby empty chair. After fastening her seat-belt, she watched as Hider piloted the Omega toward Coruscant. Suddenly, the ship jolted in speed in a manner of seconds as Hider maneuvered the Omega to the planet’s atmosphere. The cockpit rattled due to the high amount of turbulence on the atmospheric pressure, but Hider was able to pilot his ship with relative ease. Eventually, it made it deep into the planet’s atmosphere, revealing the sprawling city planet of Coruscant. The skyscrapers, the air traffic, and all the spaceships and land speeders the eye could see.
“Wow. What a beautiful city,” said Sweetie Drops.
Lyra smiled. “Pretty cool, huh? Those structures you are seeing right now are the cause of the orange light you saw back in orbit. They’re called, skyscrapers, and Coruscant has got plenty of them, and believe me. But those aren’t the most impressive buildings here. Just wait until you see the Senate Hall and the Jedi Temple.”
“Wait, the galaxy is so advanced, they can literally make buildings that touch the sky?” Sweetie Drops asked.
“Yup! I’m telling you, Sweetie, you’re going to like it here. This place is so cool!”
“Don’t hype up your little pony friend too much, Lyra. Coruscant may be a great city, but it still has lots of problems,” Hider cautioned.
“What kind of problems?” asked Sweetie Drops.
“A lot,” Hider continued as he piloted his ship toward the air traffic. “Being that this is a city planet, there are a lot of places where the local government can’t reach. Many of the poorer districts here are riddled with crime and gang warfare. If you aren’t living in a decent neighborhood or district, there’s a good chance you might get hurt or killed.”
“R-really?” Lyra asked, to which Hider replied with a nod. Immediately, her ears drooped. “Oh, Force. I-I didn’t even know that.”
“Wait, you didn’t? How come? I pretty much assumed everyone knew about Coruscant’s problems. Even the Jedi.”
Lyra shook her head. “No, I had no idea. No one’s ever told me about the planet’s issues before. All I kept hearing was how great this place is.” She shrugged. “I guess being off-world during most of my Jedi training kinda skewed up my viewpoint of this place.”
“Wait, for real? You didn’t train here?” Hider asked with a cocked eyebrow. “But I thought all Jedi trainees did their training on Coruscant.”
“No, the Jedi have training facilities all over the Galactic Republic. My master and I came here every so often, but most of my training was done on a different planet.” She paused. “And before you ask, no I can’t tell you what planet I was trained. It’s classified.”
“I wasn’t planning on asking you, Lyra,” Hider replied as he piloted his ship further into the city. Once he got closer to the skyscrapers, he was greeted by heavy air traffic. Land speeders and other spaceships clustered together like a herd of wild animals. “Dang, looks like traffic is heavy today. Best stay in your seats, little ponies. This is going to be a bumpy ride.”
“Why are there so many vehicles here?” Lyra asked as she clung onto her chair.
“These guys? Oh, well, air traffic is a common sight here on Coruscant. And since it’s morning, traffic is at its heaviest right now.”
“If that’s true, then please be careful where you fly. The last thing I want is for us to be in an accident. Wait a minute, do you even know where the Jedi Temple is?”
“Don’t worry about that. Your master gave me directions a while back before you two woke up. We should reach the temple in a manner of minutes,” Hider replied before he jerked the control stick to his left, causing the ship itself to dangerously tilt sideways. “Damn it! Watch where you’re going you idiot!”
Lyra’s jaw slacked as she held onto her chair’s armrest for dear life. “Hider, what was that for?”
“The bastard in front of me cut me off, that’s what! Damn it! And just when I was about to make a turn for a shortcut to the temple!” Hider groaned in frustration. “Guess I got no choice but to—oh, come on! Another asshole just cut me off!”
“Watch your language!” yelled Sweetie Drops.
“Just who are you supposed to be? My parents? Please, I’m a grown man. The last thing I want is to be lectured about what words should I use!”
“Hider, please. Watch your temper,” berated Lyra.
Hider let out a groan. “Look, I’m sorry for the outburst, okay. Flying through this city gets the better me of sometimes. I promise, we’ll get to the temple unharmed. Though we’ll have to take a longer route now since that guy from before cut me off my shortcut.”
“Just get us there in one piece please,” Lyra said with a sigh. Thankfully, Hider complied with her request and piloted his ship without succumbing to his anger.
When the Jedi Temple [1] finally came into view, Lyra looked at the marvelous structure with a smile. The temple itself stood out compared to the other buildings that surrounded it. With its pyramid like structure and the five spires that stood tall in the middle, the temple was considered a major landmark.
But for her, it was like a second home.
“Huh, it’s a lot bigger than I thought,” said Sweetie Drops. “Say, Lyra, what are those towers in the middle for?”
“Those are temple spires,” Lyra answered. “Each one of them house special rooms where Jedi meet and greet each other. They’re also used for special activities like meditation and Council meetings.”
“Yeah, those things kinda stand out, don’t they?” Hider replied. “Were you taken to one of those towers before?”
“I’ve only been to the Temple Spire. The tallest one in the middle. The Council took me and other initiates there for our first introduction to Jedi Knowledge.”
“Okay, but what are the rest of the towers for?”
“Sorry, I-I can’t remember. It’s been a while since I’ve been here, and I admit, I haven’t been on all the towers yet. Maybe after the mission, I can pay a visit to one of them, but since I’m only a Padawan, some of the areas in the temple are off-limits.”
Hider shrugged. “Huh. I guess the populace is right to assume that the Jedi Masters hold a bunch of secrets. But who am I to judge? I ain’t no Jedi. For all I know, those places must be off-limits for a reason.”
“There is no ignorance, there is knowledge,” Lyra replied. “The Jedi Masters have their reason for sealing off those rooms. Maybe when I become a Jedi Knight, they’ll let me access those sealed off areas.”
“Well, with your skill, I’m sure you’ll become a Knight in no time,” Hider replied. “By the way, can you guys go check up on Chessk and T3-G4 down in the garage? Tell them we’re about to land soon and we need to meet Master Darran outside the ship when we do.”
“Of course,” said Lyra. Unbuckling herself, she quickly jumped out of the passenger chair and went straight for the exit. Before she left the cockpit though, she quickly looked back to Sweetie Drops. “Hey, do you want to come with me?”
“Sure, why not. I might as well see the rest of the ship,” Sweetie replied as she too jumped off her chair. However, when she and Lyra faced one another, the mare could not help but gawk at the Padawan’s attire.
“Um, why are you staring at me, Sweetie?” Lyra asked.
“Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to. I was just wondering about those strange clothes you’re wearing.”
“Oh, right! You’ve never seen me in Jedi clothing before! Well, what I’m wearing is the standard attire of all Jedi Padawans. Just a tunic and a belt to keep hold of our lightsabers. Jedi also wear robes to indicate their status, but those are only reserved for Knights and Masters.”
“I see. Ponies don’t usually wear any clothing, so I was a bit surprised to see you wearing something.”
“Wait, ponies don’t usually wear clothes?” Hider asked.
Sweetie shook her head. “No, we don’t. Since our coats give us the warmth we need, wearing any clothing isn’t necessary for us. Such a thing is mostly reserved for parties and upper-class ponies.”
“Ah, I get it. But wait, if your coats are already providing you guys warmth, doesn’t that technically imply that you girls are—”
“Don’t you dare say it!” shouted both ponies at once.
Hider flinched. “Whoa, that's a touchy subject right there!” he said nervously as he pulled on the collar of his shirt. “I didn’t mean to sound perverted, okay. It was just a curious question.”
Both ponies rolled their eyes. “We’ll… give you a pass,” said Lyra as the door to the cockpit slid open. “Come on, Sweetie, let’s go.”
Sweetie complied and immediately followed Lyra out of the cockpit. The two ponies would trot alongside one another in the ship’s main corridor.
As they made their way toward the garage, Sweetie popped a question. “Say, Lyra. How long do you think it’s going to take for us to find my crew mates? If this Coruscant place is as big as you say, wouldn’t it take a while?”
“You know, I asked myself that question before I met up with you and Hider,” Lyra admitted. “If I had to guess, finding Czerka Corps main headquarters is likely our next stop after we land. Once we pinpoint their location, we’ll probably have to talk to some of their employees. See if they know anything.”
“What if they won’t say anything?”
Lyra shrugged. “Then I guess we’ll just have to pry them for answers. Not by violence though. The Jedi Order forbids using any interrogation tool they deem too intense.” At worst, we’ll probably have to use mind tricks to get what we want, but that won’t matter. So long as they give me what I want, the better.
“Well, I do agree with you on that. I know these Czerka people are holding my crewmates hostage but hurting employees without proof of any wrongdoing isn’t exactly the most moral thing to do.
“I know, right!” Lyra exclaimed. “I know it’s important that we need to find the missing ponies, but that doesn’t mean we should hurt innocents to get to our goals.”
Sweetie nodded in agreement. The two ponies would continue their conversation until they finally arrived at their destination. Once there, however, Lyra suddenly heard a strange buzzing sound coming from the garage.
“Hey, do you hear that?” she asked Sweetie.
The private nodded in reply. “I do. What is that noise?” Both mares quickly peeked inside the garage and spotted Chessk and T3-G4 working together at a nearby workbench.
The Trandoshan was quick to notice them both. “Ah, it’s good to see you, little Jedi,” Chessk said in Basic. “And you as well, creamy pony.”
“What’re you and Geefour doing here, Chessk?” asked Lyra.
“I’ve been working, little Jedi. The workbench that Hider had installed here has allowed me to temper my weapons. Since we’re about to head out soon, I figured that I’d experiment with a few weapon attachments that I’ve been meaning to try.”
Sweetie tilted her head. “Weapon attachments? What are those?”
“They’re items that you can change the effect of certain weapons. People across the galaxy use them on blaster and melee weapons as an enhancement of some kind. Some effects may vary. For example, equipping an energy cell on a vibro-sword allows the weapon to deliver a powerful energy-based attack. One that would even rival lightsabers.”
“So, they’re like magic enhancements?”
Lyra shrugged. “Sort of. Weapon attachment effects can vary depending on what attachments you use. Even Jedi use some form of weapon attachments on our lightsabers too, though it comes in the form of crystals, not parts.”
“Interesting,” said Chessk. “The crystals and magic you speak of. What are they?”
“Maybe another time, Chessk. I’m only here because Hider said that we’re about to land.” Lyra then turned her gaze over to T3-G4. “Say, what’s Geefour doing here anyway?”
“The droid? Oh, he’s helping me make some security spikes.”
Lyra tilted her head. “Uh, security spikes? What’re those?”
“They’re electronic devices that bypass security measures. To put it simply, we use these to unlock doors or containers that have electronic locks on them.”
T3-G4 beeped as it pulled a security spike from out of its compartment. “I was not aware that droids were capable of crafting something like this,” Chessk said. “It’s fortunate that you were able to obtain such a high-quality machine.
“Y-yeah, I guess I am,” said Lyra. I didn’t even know Geefour could make those kinds of things. Just what exactly is that droid capable of?
Suddenly, the group overhead a loud, clacking noise. T3-G4 bleeped, strolling past the two ponies, and eventually, out of bike garage. “The droid says that the ship has made landfall,” said Chessk. “Come, let us meet your Master at the boarding ramp. I’m certain he’s waiting for us there right now.”
Both Lyra and Sweetie nodded as they followed Chessk and T3-G4 out of the garage. They made their way down the ship’s corridor once more, until they eventually made it to the boarding ramp. Although the ramp had been lowered, Master Darran was nowhere to be seen.
“Odd. I figured the Jedi Master would be here waiting for us. Where he could be?” asked Chessk.
“He must’ve left the ship already. If I had to guess, he’s probably waiting for us outside right now,” Lyra replied. Deciding that it would be best not to keep her master waiting, the young Padawan went ahead and disembarked the Omega with the rest of her friends following shortly after.
Once they had gotten off the ship, they were greeted by a very large, well-decorated hangar bay. The area itself was twice the size of the ports found in Taris and Ord Mantell. And unlike those ports, the Jedi Temple housed multiple, unique airships that varied in size.
“Hey, isn’t that your teacher over there, Lyra?” asked Sweetie Drops as she pointed her hoof. Lyra followed it and quickly spotted her master. But he wasn’t alone. In front of him were three other people wearing clothing identical to her masters, and they seem to be in the middle of a conversation.
It didn’t take long for Lyra to figure out that those people were Jedi. Master Darran must’ve set up a meeting with them shortly before Hider landed the ship.
“Hey, who’s the old man talking too?”
The entire crew looked back and saw Hider standing on top of his ship’s boarding ramp. “Those Jedi, do you happen to know any of them, Lyra?” the former Smuggler asked.
“No, I don’t think so,” Lyra answered with a shake of her head. “From what I can see, one of them is clearly a Jedi Master. The robe gave that away. And behind him are probably Padawans since they’re wearing only tunics like mine.”
“Well, if one of ‘em is a high-ranking Jedi, then I guess we shouldn’t keep them waiting.” Immediately, Hider jumped off the ship's boarding ramp, walked past Lyra and the others, and went to greet the Jedi Masters. The rest of the group soon followed.
As they got closer to the other Jedi, Master Darran immediately spotted them. He gave his Padawan a warm smile as he stepped away from the Jedi Master who was in front of him, revealing an alien Jedi Master with crimson red skin, silver eyes, and wore a black mask that covered his mouth.
Upon seeing this, Sweetie Drops suddenly stopped moving and gawked at the alien with wide eyes. “W-what is that thing?” the Private asked, showing a small hint of fear in her voice.
Hider rolled his eyes. “That thing my dear pony is a Kel Dor [2]. An alien species from the planet, Dorin [3],” he explained. “I know you’re not used to seeing other aliens, but that guy is a Jedi Master. Show some respect when you greet him, alright.”
T3-G4 bleeped as it focused its radar eye on the Kel-Dor master. “You better be on your best behavior, tin can,” berated Hider. “No psychotic tendencies, or else you the Jedi here might lock you away and wipe your memory.”
“Err, psychotic tendencies?” asked Chessk.
“I’ll explain later, big guy. For now, let’s just go introduce ourselves. I’m sure Lyra and her master will explain everything first before we—hey where’s Lyra going?” Hider asked.
Lyra ignored his question. Instead, much to the surprise of her friends, she’d immediately bolted for the Kel Dor master, giving the alien a hug as soon as she got close. The Kel Dor in turn, patted her gently on her mane. “Ah, Padawan Heartstrings. Still showing this much affection I see. Good to know that you still haven’t changed after all these years.” The alien then looked at Master Darran. “Does she always do this to you, my friend?”
Master Darran chuckled. “Only if I’ve been gone for a couple of days. But don’t tell Master Vrook that. He’ll go crazy if he sees her acting like this.”
“Uh, I hate to break your reunion, Master Jedi, but do you mind telling us who this guy is? And why is Lyra fawning over him?” asked Hider.
“Oh, yes. I do believe some proper introductions are in order. Alright then, I’ll make this short. Everyone, this is Jedi Master Bo’kal So. He is a longtime friend of mine and one of Lyra’s teachers during her initiate days. He’s also one of the many Jedi Healers here.”
Master So bowed respectfully toward the Omega’s crew members. “Koh-too-yah, friends of Master Darran and Padawan Heartstrings. It’s an honor to meet you all.”
“Healers?” asked Sweetie Drops. “Are you saying he’s a doctor?”
“In a way, yes,” Master So quickly replied. “Our role as a Jedi Healer is to tend to the sick and wounded. However, our method of healing differs than the doctors and nurses you see in hospitals. Instead of methods of machinery, med-kits, and science, we treat our wounded through the Force.”
“Hey, I heard about you guys. You are part of the Jedi Medical Corps, aren’t ya?” Hider asked.
“Impressive. I see you’ve done your research, Mr. Louhun,” the Kel Dor replied. “Yes, I am a member of the Jedi Medical Corps; but unlike most of their members, I am a fully-fledged Jedi Master.”
Hider’s eyes widened. “W-wait a second, you know who I am?”
“I do. As well as everyone in this crew. Master Darran has informed me of this rag tag team that he and Padawan Heartstrings seemed to have picked up during their journey. I must say, this has got to be the strangest team I’ve ever seen assembled.”
Hider shrugged. “Well, I don’t blame you for thinking like that. You got the big guy who was forced to be a mercenary for a year, but now swore a life debt with Lyra. Then you got our little psychopathic droid here who enjoys hurting and threatening people. And then you have yours truly. Pilot of the fastest ship in the galaxy and Coruscant’s most successful journalist.”
“You forgot to mention former crook,” Sweetie replied, giving Hider a deadpan stare.
“And former client of the Exchange,” Chessk continued.
T3-G4 beeped as it rolled its radar eye.
“Geez, cut me some slack here, okay! I get it. I’ve done my fair share of crime in the past,” Hider said. “But that shouldn’t matter, right? I’m clean now.”
“Perhaps. But it doesn’t change the fact that you still did those things, Mr. Louhun. Nor does it change the fact that you wish to make a living off Padawan Heartstrings’ mission,” said Master So. “Master Darran mentioned the deal you made with him. The Council has abided by your terms but know there will be consequences should you break your promise, boy.”
“Y-yes, sir!” Hider exclaimed as the former smuggler began to shake uncontrollably.
“Master So, don’t scare him,” Lyra pleaded. “He may have had a rotten past, but he’s a good person nonetheless.”
Master So burst out laughing. “Oh, there is no need to be worried, Padawan Heartstrings. I was merely teasing the man.” As the Kel-Dor settled down, his eyes then wandered over to Sweetie Drops, who in turn flinched. “Ah, you must be the pony Master Darran mentioned in his report. Private Sweetie Drops, was it?”
Sweetie, without saying a word, gave a meek nod.
“Hmm, I sense a glint of fear in you. Understandable. This is the first time you’ve seen my kind before. And your introduction to the galaxy wasn’t the most pleasant one.” The Kel Dor master walked up to the earth pony and, much to Sweetie’s surprise, bowed to her. The other two Jedi behind him did the same as well.
“W-what’re you doing?” Sweetie asked. Her glimmer of fear was replaced with confusion.
“On behalf of the Jedi Order, we apologize for not saving you and your kin in time,” said Master So. “Currently, our Order has been thrown into chaos due to rising tension in the galaxy. We’re scattered and are short in numbers, but that does not mean we should’ve abandoned you in your time of need. Should we have mustered our remaining forces sooner, we could’ve saved you all.”
“Um, okay. Apology accepted.” Sweetie darted her eyes over to Lyra and began to whisper in the mare’s ear. “Is it customary for you guys to act like this?”
Lyra nodded in reply. “Jedi consider bowing as a sign of respect, not just for formal use. Sure, some consider it to be jarring due to their cultural background, but it’s really no big deal.”
“Hate to break your conversation, creamy pony, but we are getting off-topic here,” said Chessk. “Master So, did the Council manage to locate the whereabouts of the little Jedi’s missing kin?”
“Eager to atone for your sins, aren’t you, young hunter?” Master So replied bluntly, causing Chessk to twitch his head a bit. “Very well. Then I shall get straight to the point. Czerka Corporation does indeed have a foothold here on Coruscant. As for their location, our intelligence team was able to pinpoint where they are.”
“That fast?” asked Lyra. “Where are they? Can we get to them now?”
“Tone that eagerness down, young Padawan. Acting in haste is not the Jedi way. As I was saying, we pinpointed Czerka’s headquarters down at the Works District [4]. They… use that location primarily to hire new recruits and to stockpile any new goods before shipping them out to the rest of the galaxy.”
“The Works District you say?” said Hider. “That’s just south of here. If we take a landspeeder or a shuttle, we can probably get there in half an hour or so.”
“Can’t we take your ship?” asked Lyra.
Hider shook his head. “No, there’s just not enough room for my ship to land anywhere. Even if we get clearance to land at a nearby dock, it’ll only put the Omega in danger. The Works District isn’t exactly the safest place on Coruscant.”
“There’s no need to worry about transportation, Mr. Louhun. The Council has offered you all a personal shuttle that can take to your destination,” said Master So. He then turned and faced the two Jedi who were behind him. “Padawans, would you please be so kind as to guide our guests to their designated vehicle?”
“Yes, master!” replied both Padawans. Following their master’s orders, the Padawan duo signaled Lyra and her companions to come and follow them. But before anyone could leave, Master So called out to the group once again.
“Wait, there is one last thing I should mention.” He pointed his finger directly at Sweetie. “Private Drops, I’m afraid I cannot let you go. The Council and Master Darran have requested that you shall remain here at the temple.”
Sweetie’s jaw dropped. “W-what? Why?”
“You know, that’s not a bad idea,” said Hider. “Bringing Sweetie along will only be a liability. And since there is no guarantee that our meeting with Czerka might end well, it’s probably for the best that she remains here.”
“B-but I can’t just stay here and do nothing! I want to come too!”
Master Darran shook his head. “I know you are desperate to save your kin, but you’ll only be putting yourself in danger if you come with us. It is best that you remain here, safe from further harm.”
“N-no! I want to go save my friends!” Out of desperation, a desperate Sweetie Drops turned toward Lyra. “Hey, say something will you? Try to convince them to let me stay with you guys. Please!”
Lyra sighed. “Hey, don’t look at me like that. I just heard about this news too, you know. And... to be frank, Sweetie. I agree with the masters’ decision.”
“What?” shouted Sweetie Drops.
“Calm down, please!” pleaded Lyra as she attempted to soothe Sweetie Drops as much as she could. “We know you are desperate to save your friends. All of us are. But we can’t put you in any more danger. Not after what happened with the Exchange. It’s best that you remain here where you’ll be safe with the Jedi.”
Lyra watched as Sweetie struggled to maintain her composure. Tears were welling up, and her cheeks were turning bright red. The mare was furious. Not just to her, but also everyone here.
Yet despite all the anger, there was no outburst. Somehow, the mare managed to take a deep breath and calm herself down. After a minute of silence, she looked back at Lyra and, in a calm demeanor, replied. “Alright, I’ll agree with you on this one. But only if you promise you’ll save all my friends. You got that?”
Lyra gave her an assuring smile. “It’s a promise. By the time we’re done there, all of those ponies will be here safe and sound.”
Sweetie didn’t reply. Instead, she smiled and gave Lyra a hug before trotting over to Master So, who’d sighed in relief under his breath mask. “Thank you for coming to an understanding, Private Sweetie Drops,” said the Kel Dor master. “I know that this is not an easy decision for you but know that we only did this in regard to your safety.”
“Save the speech,” replied Sweetie Drops in a disrespectful manner. “I might be incapable of fighting now, but that will change. Mark my words, this’ll be the last time this mare is gonna sit on the sidelines.”
Unbeknownst to everyone, Chessk’s lips curled into a wide, beaming smile.
As the crew continued to make their way down the hanger bay, Master So called them out again. “Ah, lest I forget. Master Darran, may I have a word with you for a moment. Alone please. This is a private matter.”
Master Darran complied and followed Master So into a more secluded part of the hangar bay. Sweetie Drops was about to follow, but the Kel Dor told her to stay put for now.
Lyra looked back as both Jedi masters went to a more secluded area of the hanger bay. She pondered on what those two could possibly be talking about, but she shoved her thoughts aside. There was no point in thinking about conversation she wasn’t meant to hear.
“Well, Master So, we’re alone. What is it that you wish to talk about?” asked Master Darran. “Be quick about it. I can’t dwadle here much longer.”
Master So sighed. “Eager for answers, aren’t you? Alright, I’ll get to the point. It’s about the report you wrote, regarding your time spent on Ord Mantell.”
“Is this about the Mandalorians that Chessk ran into?”
“Indeed. News of the Mandalorian Neo-Crusaders sneaking into Republic space has greatly worried the Council. Some are even debating that the planet may in fact be a prime target.”
Master Darran sighed. “The flames of war will soon spread over to Republic space. It’ll only be a matter of time before the Mandalorians will quit their conquest in the outer rim and shift to a bigger goal.”
“The Republic,” whispered Master So. Master Darran watched as his longtime friend clenched both of his fists, holding every ounce of anger that slipped by his breath mask. Once he’d managed to calm down, the Kel-Dor promptly continued speaking. “War draws ever closer to us. No doubt will it spark the renegade Jedi to act.”
“Are you talking about the Revanites?” asked Master Darran, to which his friend nodded in reply. “Yes, having the Mandalorians this close to Republic space could force them to act. And should word got out that the Neo-Crusaders are scouting a Republic world, it’ll only encourage more Jedi to follow the Revanchists lead.”
“They are called the Revanchists, Master Darran, not Revanites. Confusing, I know, but that's what these Jedi call themselves. If I remember correctly, three of Padawan Lyra’s clanmates left to join Revan and Malak, correct?”
“That’s right. Three Padawans who’ve known and trained with Lyra since her initiate days. They… left her behind to go fight in the war, and we haven’t heard from them since.” Master Darran paused, then continued: “It hurt her, you know. Seeing her long-time friends just walk up and leave like that. She couldn’t concentrate on her training for days when it happened.”
“Padawan Lyra is an emotional individual. Though years of Jedi training have settled her down, I’m afraid she might always be that way.”
“Her species are emotional by nature. Nothing is going to change that. Anyway, is that all you wish to talk about, Master So?”
“I just want to tell you to be careful, my friend. You and your Padawan. This mission you have, I… there is a shift in the Force, Master Darran. I fear that this recent news about the Mandalorians may have changed the course of it.”
“Perhaps. I too have sensed a shift in the Force. Something may have changed, but you of all people know that I am always ready to take on new challenges.” Master Darran smiled. “Don’t you worry, Master So. My Padawan and I will be ready for whatever comes our way.”
“As you always have,” replied Master So with a smile of his own. “Take care, my friend. May the Force be with you, and your Padawan.
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Woho, the plot thickens, this is arcs is reaching its climax, I wonder what would happen if the ponys join the galaxy, they will definitely need the help of the jedi.
Well now ... back to the core worlds it is ... I was wondering when the Mandalorians would start featuring into this again.
did
shared
1. landed
2. would
to find
are
you're
Steering Wheel? It's a space ship, not a truck. They don't have steering wheels. Maybe go with 'control stick' instead.
1. Flying
2. 'gets the better of me sometimes'
on one temple spire
1. 'You mind going to check up'
2. 'down in the garage'
3. 'garage?'
of
Now that's a really weird choice of verb. Doors don't generally fling open on their own, if anything they are flung open. And that generally only applies to swinging doors. Since the Omega almost certainly has automated sliding doors I'd suggest using 'slid' instead.
1. beeped
2. remove, it causes repetition with later parts of the sentence
(3. is it weird that the phrase 'small security spike', to me, evokes the image of a small purple dragon in a black uniform and with a stun baton?)
Not sure exactly what you meant to write here. 'is he'? 'is it'? 'is that droid'? Any would work but do make up your mind.
hangar
Remove
remove
I don't think that's the verb you meant to use. Did you, perchance, mean to say 'dawdle'?
remove
War
9822812
Corrections have been made. Thank you for that.
Just started reading a couple of hours ago and I fear what lyra may find, after all to some species of the galaxy, ponies are just animals. Best case scenario they are alive but a little worse for ware doing menial labor or something. worst case which would absolutely destroy Lyra's innocent mind they walk into a literal slaughter house where the ponies have been processed and ready to ship.
"the sight of skyscrapers and over speeding land speeders." Reads smoother without the word over.
LEft behind means it's not there now. What you mean is: "It was left behind on the ship during the mission on Ord Mantell"
Jolted mean shocked, hit, or sudden acceleration. I have no idea what you're trying to say.
So, they are in a vacuum, now? "it made it deep into the planet’s atmosphere" is better.
You've only what?
What? Is this supposed to be a question? It's not a statement as written. " or else the Jedi here might (or will) lock you away and wipe your memory
Is this legislation? Or a rule? or did you mean, "No doubt will it spark the renegade Jedi to act"