Star Wars Jedi Lyra: The Search

by currentlemon


Chapter 5

To say that this was one of Hider’s worst days would be an understatement. In a span of an hour, he’d been assaulted by two Exchange thugs, his ship was torn apart by utility droids, and most of his belongings were robbed. Even worse, his ship was too badly damage for liftoff. Now he can’t leave the planet until the repairs to his ship have been made.

To add insult to injury, the owners of the space port claimed they had no idea what happened and rebuffed his complaints. Hider gritted his teeth. He remembered the talk he had with them, how they played innocent and instead blamed him for his lack of awareness. He had a gut feeling that those guys were lying but he had no evidence to prove it.

Now here he was, wandering the Tarisian skywalk. He still planned on leaving the planet tonight, but he needed supplies to rebuild his ship, and the only way he could get those supplies were from the shops here. The port owners offered aid, but he turned them down. The last thing he wanted was to trust those dirtbags again.

On the bright side, at least he had some company. The two Jedi that saved him in the alleyway had offered him aid. Despite having just met, they were more than happy to provide help. To his delight, they were quick to act on their promise. The older Jedi convinced the port owners to surrender some funds for his ship.

Their help wouldn’t come without a price though. In return, he’d tell them what he knew about the Exchange. He didn’t mind it though. It was a fair deal. Besides, he wanted to stick close to them for a little while longer. There were questions he wanted answered, especially regarding that young Jedi, Lyra Heartstrings.

Just who is she? Hider thought as he stared at the young Jedi.

“Mr. Louhun?”

“Huh?” Looking to his side, Hider spotted Jedi Master Darran looking right at him. Or at least that’s what he believed. Earlier, he learned that the old man wasn’t human. Instead, belonged called, Miralukas, who—despite their disability—had the ability to see through their unique powers.

    “Are you alright?” the old Jedi asked. “You sort of blanked out for a moment there.”

“Oh, sorry about that Master Jedi. I have a lot of things in my mind right now,” Hider replied. “And again, you don’t have to be so formal. Just call me Hider.”

“As you wish. So, you still thinking about your ship?”

Hider nodded. “Yeah, I am. I just can’t believe something like that happened. Seriously, how did no employee or droid witness my ship getting wrecked or robbed? It makes no sense!”

“A question that unfortunately won’t get answered. But that alone isn’t the only thing on your mind, isn’t it?”

“What’re you talking about?”

“Don’t try to hide it. I may look blind to you but know that I can still sense your feelings. You’ve been thinking about my Padawan, aren’t you?”

Hider flinched. “Damn, you got me. Guess the rumors regarding your species were true. You really can see.”

“We’re more capable than you think, Hider, but enough gossip. Tell me why you’re so fixated on my Padawan.”

“Who wouldn’t be, Master Jedi! I mean, just look at her! She’s an alien species that I’ve never even seen or heard before. Who is she? Where did she come from? And how did the Jedi find her in the first place?”

“That is a long story, Hider. A story that began nearly a decade ago.”

“Would you care to explain that story? I don’t mean to pry, but I’d like to know more about the Jedi who saved me.”

           Master Darran sighed. “Perhaps at another time. Let’s just focus on getting your ship repaired first.”

           Hider shrugged. Well, that’s one way to dodge a question. As he watched the old Jedi walk away, his eyes drifted back to Lyra, who seemed rather cheerful. For all the tall skyscrapers they’d past in the upper city, she would stop and stare at them in amazement.

           What’s with her? It’s as if she’s never been to a metropolis before.

           “Hey, Mr. Louhun. Look over there,” said Lyra.

           Hider groaned. Again, with the surname. How many times do I have to tell these Jedi not to use them? Looking at the Padawan, he noticed that she’d pointed her hoof to a nearby building with a shop logo. “Droids by Janice? Is that a droid shop?”

“I believe so,” replied Lyra. “Why don’t we go ahead and go inside. Maybe they have a utility droid for sale that can help you with your ship.”

“Oh, no. There is no way am I going to buy some rusty droid. Never!”

           “And why not?” asked Lyra. “Wouldn’t it be best if you just bought a droid? I mean, after what happened to your ship, I figured now would be a good time to buy one.”

           “She’s got a point you know,” said Master Darran. “I don’t know why you dislike droids but purchasing one less risky than placing your trust on a port owned droid. Plus, its cost efficient too.”

           Hider sighed. As much as he hated it, these Jedi had a point. “Fine. We’ll go inside.” Swallowing his pride, he walked toward the droid shop and went inside. Once there, he was promptly greeted by a female Twi’lek standing behind a kiosk.

           <Hello, customer. And welcome to Droids by Janice.> greeted the Twi’lek in Ryl. <Are you looking to buy a droid, or perhaps droid parts? Well, look no further. I have a fine selection of both.>

           Hider raised a brow. A female Twi’lek working at a droid shop in the upper city? That’s surprising, giving that the only female Twi’lek’s I’ve seen around here are the dancers over at the cantina.

           <May I help you with something, sir?> asked the Twi’lek.

           “Oh, not right now ma’am. I’m just looking around.”

           “Wow look at all these droids.” Hider turned and saw that Lyra and her master had followed him inside, with the former gawking at the available merchandise around the shop. “Whoever built these things must’ve done so with good care.”

           <Hey, no animals inside my shop. Sir, please take your pet back outside and—wait did that thing just talk?>

           “She’s not a pet, ma’am,” replied Hider. “I know it’s hard to believe, but this animal right here is a Jedi Padawan, and the person beside her is a Jedi Master.”

           The Twi’lek let out a gasp. <A-are you serious? Oh, my gosh. Jedi, here at my shop?> She turned toward the Jedi and gave them a bow <It…. it’s an honor to meet you both. Please, forgive me for my rude comment earlier. I had no idea.>

           Lyra shook her head. “No, it’s alright. I’m used to seeing reactions like yours all the time. Besides, there’s no need for a shop owner get all worked up over two Jedi. Just treat us like you would with any other customer.”

Hider’s eyes went wide. Wait, that’s the owner? That’s Janice? Okay, now I’m very impressed. To think she’s able to make business here. Even with all the alien prejudice.

           “That was quite humble of you, Padawan,” said Master Darran.

           Lyra shrugged. “Eh, no biggie. I’m just used to all the stares I get all day.”

           Hider rolled his eyes. Of course, you’d get nothing but stares. You belong to an alien species no one’s ever seen or heard. Heck, I’m surprised that you understand Ryl!

           <So, how can I help you two Jedi?> asked Janice.

           “Oh, no ma’am. It’s not us that needs assistance,” replied Master Darran. “This young man right here is the one that needs it. We just tagged along because he needed some extra help.”

           “Augh, come on old man. You don’t have to say that out loud,” complained Hider. “Yeah, he’s right. I’m looking for a new utility droid. One that can help me repair my ship.”

           <Well, look no further. I have a couple of droids right here.> Janice pointed over to a utility droid lined up near her counter. <Take a good look at this one, sir. It’s a new model that’s got highly advanced technology the likes you’ve never seen.>

Hider moved to take a closer look. Upon further inspection, the droid was plated in silver and dark yellow painting. In terms of height, it was barely taller than Lyra herself.

“Would you care to explain as to why this droid’s so advanced?” asked Master Darran.

<Of course. You see, this isn’t your typical utility droid. It’s a new series of T-3 models made by Duwani Mechanical Products. They’re based it off the old T-1 droids, but these are much better.>

           “What do you mean by that?” Lyra asked curiously.

           “T-3 units are droids that can accomplish tasks a human can do,” explained Hider. “The programing they have allows them to hack computers, use blasters, and even pilot spaceships. A way bigger upgrade compared to the old T-1 models.”

           “You seem fairly knowledgeable about these droids, Hider,” said Master Darran.

           “I’ve seen a couple of these models during my travels. It’s not widely used as the older T-1 models though. Mostly because they’re not that wide spread.”

           <The older T-1 models are cheap and cost effective. They may not have the capabilities of a T-3 droid, but they’re still capable,> explained Janice. <However, these highly advanced droids can be yours for a low-price of one thousand credits.>

           “One-thousand credits?” Hider’s jaw slacked. “That’s…. considerably cheap for a droid of this caliber.”

           “That’s sounds pretty good,” said Lyra. “One highly advanced droid for such a low price? I’d say buy the dang thing.”

           <The Jedi makes a good point, sir.> said Janice. <So, what’ll it be?>

           Hider bit his lip. True, it was a great deal, but he felt suspicious of the offer. T-3 units are highly advanced. Getting a new droid like this usually costs way more credits on other planets. So why is the owner selling it at such a low price?

<Hey! What are you doing!>

           “Huh?”

           Hider’s suspicions were cut short when he heard Janice shout. At first, he thought she was talking to him, but that changed when he saw her point behind him. A boy dressed in greyish rags had entered the shop. On his hands were a large bundle droid parts.

<Thief!> shouted Janice. <Someone, please stop him!>

           With his cover blown, the boy darted out of the shop.

           “Hey, come back!” shouted Lyra as she was the first to react. The young Jedi made a beeline for the exit, hoping that she’d catch him right away. Hider and Master Darran followed but found the Padawan sitting still outside.

           It was then that Hider realized it. The thief was nowhere to be found. He’d somehow eluded Lyra and blended into the crowd. Sure, there wasn’t a lot of people compared to before, but there was enough for a young boy to use as cover.

           <Did you find him?> Hider turned to see that Janice had followed them out of her store.

“I’m sorry, ma’am, but he got away,” said Lyra.

<W-what?> Janice’s head tails began to shake uncontrollably. <Oh no, this isn’t good. I’m in big trouble now.>

           “How so?” asked Master Darran.

           <Those droid parts were from my reserved bin. I’m expecting a customer to pick up those up today. And if I don’t have them, it might jeopardize my business.>

          “Wait, seriously?” asked Lyra with a raised brow. “How is losing a bunch of droid parts going to jeopardize your business?”

           “Sounds like it’s one of those big-time clients. Most likely large business owners or a corporation,” replied Hider. “Attracting those types of people to your business can benefit any company. And depending on the service you give, your business can either move up or come crashing down.”

           <Precisely. These corporations can also recommend my business to their competitors and allies. Which is why I need those parts.> explained Janice. <If I don’t have them, my shop’s reputation will be stained. It may not even recover for what I know.>

           Hider sighed. “An unfortunate reality for anyone who owns a business. A theft might seem miniscule, but even the smallest thing can send you crashing down.”

           “Where do you think that boy came from?” asked Master Darran.

           “Probably from the lower cities. Judging by his so-called cloths, it’s doubtful that the kid lives here. No upper-city citizen would be caught dead in that type of clothing.”

           “Upper city? Lower city? What’s the difference between the two?” asked Lyra.

“Trust me, squirt. There are some things in this planet you don’t want to know. It’s best if you just forget about it and move on.”

           <Forget that. There’s no way am I letting you three turn a blind eye on this,> said Janice. <Please, I need your help. I can’t let my business fall like this.>

           Hider shook her head. “Look lady, I’m sorry that this happened, but I can’t help you. Chasing thieves is way out of my jurisdiction.”

           <Then maybe these Jedi can help.> refuted Janice, ignoring Hider as she dropped to her knees before the two Jedi. <Please, Jedi. I need your help. If you’ll aid me, I promise I’ll give you anything in return.>

           Hider groaned. Oh, come on lady. I know you’re desperate for help, but there’s no need to bend knee to these guys. Besides, Jedi aren’t the types of people who’ll accept gifts, so you can’t use rewards as—”

           “We’ll do it,” said Lyra.

           “What?”

           “Don’t worry, ma’am,” Lyra continued. “As a Jedi, I promise we’ll find the thief and bring back your parts.”

Hider’s jaw dropped. No way. Is she serious right now?

“Padawan, are you certain about this?” asked Master Darran.

“Why not, master? It wouldn’t hurt to help someone in their time of need,” Lyra replied. “Isn’t a Jedi’s duty to provide aid to the public whenever possible?”

“A Jedi must also not abandon their goals in any given circumstance,” lectured Master Darran. “Public service to the people is good, but you must not forget our mission. Helping Hider out is already taking much of our time. We can’t afford to have any more delays.”

Hider sighed in relief. A voice of reason! Glad to see this Jedi Master knows when to back off.

<I beg you, Master Jedi. Please, help me and my store.> pleaded Janice. <You want discounts? I’ll give you discounts. I’ll even go as far as to make sure you and your friends are given discounts at every store in the upper city!>

“Wait, what? How’s that possible?” asked Hider, bewilderedly.

<Just because I am a Twi’lek, doesn’t mean I have connections of my own. Many of my business partners sell top of the line products. They’ll be more than happy to provide discounts if you help me.>

That piqued Hider’s interests. “Oh, really? Do they happen to sell ship parts?”

Janice nodded. <Yes, they do. What kind of parts are you looking for?>

“Something that can be used for a dynamic-class freighter1.”

The Twi’lek’s jaw dropped. <That kind of ship? How were you able to get a high-quality ship like that?>

“That’s not for you to know, ma’am. All I want to know is that do I have your word on the discounts?”

<O-of course. If you find the thief, I promise I’ll keep my word.>

“Then we’ll do it. Just to be clear though, don’t expect a miracle. The lower city is a big place, not to mention dangerous. If we don’t find your little thief in the next hour, we’ll have to cancel our search.”

<I understand. Good luck to you three. I hope you’ll find the thief quickly.>

Hider nodded. As Janice walked back to her store, he turned his attention toward the two Jedi. “I know an elevator not too far from here. We can use it to get to the lower city. If my hunch is correct, our little thief must’ve used it to get home as well.”

“That’s great, Hider; but I must say, you were rather quick to change your mind. Did the promise of discounts allure you to act?” asked Master Darran.

“Damn, I was that obvious, huh? Yeah, you read me right. Those discounts are what I want the most out of this.”

“You’re helping out because you want to save some money?” asked Lyra in disbelief.

“Why not? This is credits we’re talking about, Jedi. It may not matter to you, but it does for me. Not only will I get to save money, I can use the extra credits to buy more parts for my ship. The only thing I have to worry about is that Twi’lek keeps her word.”

“Putting your greediness aside, I don’t think you have to worry about her, Hider. She will keep her word,” said Master Darran.

“Oh, really?” Hider cocked a brow. “What makes you say that, Master Jedi?”

“Are you forgetting who you’re speaking too?”

Hider facepalmed. “Oh, right. Your power.”

“So, does that mean you are going to join us, Master?” Lyra asked.

Master Darran sighed. “As much as I don’t like being dragged into this, I will join you both nevertheless. Someone has got to keep an eye on you, Padawan. And I don’t think Hider here is the one who can accomplish that.”

“Thanks for the boost in confidence, old man,” said Hider, sarcastically. “Just do me a favor you two and let me lead the way. I’ve been to the lower city before, and believe me, you guys need a guide. That place is rotten to the core, and I’m not just talking about the buildings.”

“Don’t worry about us, Mr. Louhun. A bunch of rotten buildings won’t stop us,” boasted Lyra. “Besides, how bad can the lower city be?”


           “Okay, maybe it is pretty bad.”

           Lyra staggered back into the elevator as its doors flung open. The group had arrived at the lower city, where the young Padawan got to see the lower city in all its ugliness. That, and its stench too. Upon arrival, the sickening stench of rancid waste filled the air. Though it did not bother Hider—and apparently Master Darran too—the little Jedi could not handle it. The moment she took a whiff, she immediately covered her nose and shuffled backwards.

“Ugh, what is that?” Lyra asked as she coughed repeatedly.

           “Welcome to the lower city, Jedi. What you smell is Taris at its worse,” replied Hider. “From the buildings you see, to the people that live here. The whole place is rotten to the core.”

“Indeed,” said Master Darran. “The difference between the two cities is clear as the night sky. One lavishes in riches, while the other is downtrodden and wrecked with decay.”

           Lyra frowned. “That’s horrible. How could the Tarisian government let this happen?”

           “That is a story for another time, Padawan. We got other things to worry about,” replied Master Darran. “Heads up. We got a little scuttle going on in front of us.”

           Hider raised a brow. He didn’t know what the old man was talking about at first, but that changed when he saw what was in front of him. Two aliens and a ragged man were within sight. The latter had his back against the wall, while the aliens were kicking him for reasons unknown.

“An assault occurring in broad daylight. Of course.” he sighed. “Another major difference between here and the upper city. Crime is rampant around these parts. Unless you have the means to protect yourself, there’s no way you’ll get by these streets.

           “We have to help him!” cried Lyra.

           “Now is not the time to play hero, Jedi,” cautioned Hider. “Ignore them. Let’s just focus on finding that thief.” However, his words did not reach Lyra. The young Padawan already made a beeline toward the alien thugs.

            Hider groaned. “Are you freakin’ kidding me? Seriously, does she ever think before she acts, or is that what all Jedi do in the name of good?”

           “My Padawan has always been so eager to prove herself. She always wants to do the right thing, even if it distracts her from the true goal,” explained Master Darran with a sigh. “But now is not the time to dwell on this. She needs our help.”

           “Yeah…. yeah, I know.” Tossing his frustrations aside, Hider and Master Darran ran over to Lyra and the two thugs. By the time they got there though, the Padawan already had things under control. She had moved in front of the aliens to prevent further harm to the human, and her saber was drawn out.

           Hider’s eyes went wide at the sight of Lyra’s weapon. The saber itself was rather small. Its hilt wasn’t big compared to that of her master’s, and it had a green blade rather than a blue one. One distinct feature it had though was that the hilt was slightly curved. An oddity, but the special hilt allowed it to fit perfectly into her hooves.

           “Leave this man alone,” said Lyra.

           After seeing the weapon, the two aliens panicked and immediately fled the scene. Hider chuckled as he watched the duo ran away with their arms flailing. One thing he knew the Jedi were good at were intimidating thugs. Good to see that Lyra is no exception from this.

Master Darran frowned. “Lyra, there wasn’t any need for you to draw your weapon,” he lectured. “You are more than capable of taking out mere thugs without a saber.

           “But master, I had to. They were kicking this poor man right here,” replied Lyra as she put her saber away and landed on her front hooves.

           “But you also drew unnecessary attention. Take a good look around you. The local populace is staring at us.”

           Lyra did what her master told, and so did Hider. Sure enough, the old man was correct. A small crowd of locals had circled around them with their eyes focused on the Jedi. Some stared in awe, while others gossiped amongst themselves.

Realizing her mistake, Lyra frowned. “Oops. My bad.”

“It’s fine that you want to help, Padawan, but you need to think before you draw out your weapon. Lest we gain some unnecessary attention,” lectured Master Darran as he walked over to the injured man. “Are you alright, sir?”

“I am thanks to her. Thanks for the help, Miss Jedi,” replied the ragged man with a smile.

           Lyra beamed. “Glad that I could help, mister. But do you mind telling us why those thugs attacked you?”

           “Oh, don’t worry about it. I figured those jerks attacked me for credits or whatnot. I’m just glad you drove them off.”

           Hider sighed in relief. Oh, thank goodness. For a second there, I thought that Lyra’s good willed nature might send us off on another time-consuming quest.

           Lyra shrugged. “If you say so. Just one more question though. Did you happen to see a young boy in weathered rags run past here?”

           “A young boy?” The ragged man shrugged. “Well, it’s a common site to see boys in rags down here. The lower city is filled with rascals like them. You mind being a bit more specific?”

           “We’re looking for a human boy,” replied Master Darran. “He wore a grey rag and stole a bundle of droid parts that belonged to a merchant. He had no bag with him. Rather, he carried the parts with both his arms.”

           “A human boy holding droid parts, eh. Hold on, let me think.” The ragged man paused for a second as he tried to remember something. “Let’s see. I did bump into a boy earlier today. He wore a grey rag like you said, and his arms were clenched together tightly for some reason.”

           “That might be our culprit,” said Lyra. “Did you see where he went?”

           The ragged man nodded. “Yeah. He went inside an apartment complex not too far from here.” He turned to his right and pointed at a nearby building a few short blocks away from where they stood. “Your thief is in there. I’m sure of it. I saw him enter the building right before I got attacked.”

           “Thank you, sir. Your information is most helpful,” said Master Darran as he gave a slight bow before turning to Lyra and Hider. “Come you two. Let’s go capture our little thief.”

“Yes, the sooner we get this done, the better,” said Hider as he breathed a sigh of relief.

           “I’m surprised that we were able to locate the thief so quickly,” said Lyra. “I guess we have to thank the Force for this coincidence.

           “I call it luck, but who cares. At least we don’t have to search aimlessly across the lower city.”

The group made their way toward the apartment complex, ignoring the stares they’ve received from the local populace. Upon arrival, the door to the complex suddenly flung open, and the group were greeted by a mob of panicked citizens.

           “What’s going on? Why is everyone running away?” asked Lyra.

           “I’d like to know myself,” said Hider. He reached out with his right arm and pulled over a terrified young woman. “Hey, you mind telling me what’s gotten everyone so scared?”

           “T-the Vulkars. The Black Vulkars are inside,” answered the terrified woman. “They came out of nowhere and threatened the locals with blaster weapons. Some even saw a couple of battle droids with them too.”

           “Who’re the Black Vulkars?” asked Lyra.

           Hider scowled as he let the woman go. “They’re a swoop racing gang that terrorize the populace here in the lower city. Damn it. I’d never thought I’d ever run into those guys. This just made our entire job much more bothersome.”

           “How much trouble do you think they pose?”

           “Not that much. They’re more of a nuisance than a threat. While it’s true that they’re a large gang, the Vulkars are known for doing reckless and stupid acts. Taking them out shouldn’t be a problem, but we need to be careful. They’re still armed to the teeth.”

           “You seem to know a lot about these gangs, Hider,” said Master Darran.

           “I’ve been on planet long enough to hear stories about them. People talk about the swoop gangs often. There’re tons of them here that make territories in the lower city due to the lack of law enforcement.”

           “So, what are we going to do about them?” asked Lyra.

           “I suggest that we peek inside. Slowly though. We can’t let the Vulkars know we’re here. The last thing we want is to start a fight in an apartment complex.”

           Master Darran smiled. “Well said, Mr. Louhun. I never thought you were capable of conducting strategy like that.”

           Hider rolled his eyes. “I’m just stating the obvious. Now, come on. We still need to find that thief after we deal with these thugs.” He proceeded to enter the complex with the two Jedi following close by. As they made it inside, he stopped abruptly and outstretched his arms, signaling the Jedi to stop.

“Shh. Be quiet,” he said. “Listen. Do you hear all that?”

Both Jedi paused for a moment. Pretty soon, they all heard loud voices not too far away.

“You promised that you’d have that droid built today!”

           “I know, but I’m not finished yet. Just give me a couple hours. I swear I’ll get it done!”

           “It sounds two people are arguing with each other,” whispered Master Darran, suspiciously. “Lyra, can you check to see what’s happening?”

           “Got it.” Lyra leaned toward the wall and scooted forward. She peeked her head into the hallway, doing her best to remain hidden from whoever is out there. She then let out a gasp. “I see him. I see our thief. He’s out there arguing with those Vulkar people right now.”

           “What?” Hider immediately followed Lyra and peeked into the hallway. Sure enough, the thief was there in his ragged grey clothes. He also saw the Black Vulkars. Five of them in total had surrounded the boy with blaster pistols in hand. Alongside them were two battle droids equipped with battle rifles.

           What’s also notable is that the Vulkars were a mixed-alien species. There were two Twi’leks, a Rodian, a Duro, and a human. From what Hider could tell, it looked like the human was the leader of the group due to his armor being more polished than the others.

           “What do make of the situation?” asked Master Darran.

           “The Vulkars are well-armed, but they’re lacking in body armor,” replied Hider. “There’s also two droids armed that rifles and are standing guard. My guess is that they’ve brought to further intimidate the locals. They’re poorly maintained too.”

           “What do you mean?” asked Lyra.

           “Take a closer look at them. Their plating is showing signs of rust. A blaster shot or two can probably disable them both.”

           Lyra smirked. “If that’s the case, then we won’t have a problem. Come on, let’s beat those guys and get our thief.”

           “Padawan, wait. I don’t think we should reveal ourselves just yet,” cautioned Master Darran. “If we do, it’ll likely put our thief’s life in danger. One wrong move can turn this into a hostage situation.”

          Hider nodded. “He’s right. We need to catch these guys by surprise or at least get them away from the thief. Remember, we need him unharmed.”

           “How do you suppose we do that?” asked Lyra.

           “Hmm.” Hider paused as he rubbed his cheek with the tip of his right index finger. He then looked at Master Darran. “You wouldn’t happen to have a stealth field generator, would you?” The old master shook his head. “Dang. Then I guess the only option we have is to try and separate those guys from the thief.”

           “Oh, I have an idea. How about we reveal ourselves and confront those thugs head on?” said Lyra, which earned stares from both Hider and her master. “Hear me out. Master and I will walk up to them while Hider here remains hidden. We’ll get them to walk toward us, destroy their weapons with our sabers, and then we’ll destroy the droids.”

           Master Darran smiled. “A good plan you have there, Padawan. If these Vulkars are indeed foolish, then luring them will be easy. Unless you have any objections, Hider?”

“Just one.” Hider reached into his jacket with both hands and pulled his pair of blaster pistols. “Let me deal with the droids. The Vulkars will use them as a safety net once you destroy their weapons. When that happens, I’ll come out of hiding and blast them.”

           “Support from afar, I like that. Padawan, do you have anything else to say?” Lyra shook her head. “Then it’s settled. Come, Padawan. Let’s go make our grand entrance.”

           In the most casual like manner, Master Darran entered the hallway with Lyra following nearby. Hider remained hidden as he watched the Jedi moved closer to the Vulkar gang. They were immediately spotted when the Duro Vulkar alerted his leader.

           “Who goes there?” shouted the human Vulkar as he and his cronies all pointed their weapons toward the Jedi.

           “Whoa, calm down there, sir. I’m a resident here just walking by,” fibbed Master Darran. “I heard some loud noises from my room, and I wanted to see what’s going on.”

           Confused, the human Vulkar turned to his companions. “Didn’t we tell all the residents to get out? How the heck did you imbeciles miss one?” His companions, however, shrugged in response. “Idiots! Fine, I’ll deal with this old man myself.”

           The Vulkar leader made his way toward Master Darran, successfully drawing him away from the ragged thief. The boy was still surrounded, but at least he didn’t have a blaster pointed at his face.

“Tell you what, old man. You forget what you saw here and step outside. This is Vulkar business. I don’t need you or that weird pet of yours getting in our way. So, move it! Unless you want to be shot in the face.” The Vulkar leader raised his arm and pointed his blaster at the Jedi Master’s face. “So, what’s it going to be old man?”

           “Alright, sir, I’ll go. The last thing I want is to get shot in the face.”

           “Good.” The human Vulkar then turned to the Rodian and Duro Vulkars. “Take this guy outside. And bring that pet thing along with him.”

           The two Vulkar lackeys nodded and they walked toward Master Darran and his Padawan with blaster’s raised. The Rodian had his gun on the old man, while the Duro had his on Lyra.

<Come on, move it!> said the Duro in Durese[2]. <Take your pet and get out of here!>

           “I wouldn’t do that if I were you, young man,” cautioned Master Darran.

<And why’s that?>

“Because this.” In a split second, Lyra stood on her two back legs and threw a punch at the Duro’s groin. The Vulkar screamed in pain as he helplessly fell to the floor, along with his blaster. Seeing this, Lyra drew out her saber and immediately destroyed the weapon.

           The Rodian Vulkar gasped. He tried to shoot at Lyra, but Master Darran was faster. The Jedi Master quickly drew his saber, which he used to destroy the thug’s blaster. With his attacker unarmed, the old man immediately punched the Rodian in the face, knocking him out.

           Master Darran then turned his attention toward the Vulkar leader, who looked terrified. The human raised his blaster and shot at the Jedi, but Master Darran blocked the incoming bolt, ran up to the Vulkar, and destroyed his weapon.

           “What the…. why are Jedi here?” screeched the Vulkar leader as he backed away from Master Darran. He looked back at the remaining gang members and droids. “Don’t just stand there. Shoot them!”

           “And that’s my cue.” Hider leapt out of his hiding spot and barrel rolled into the hallway. Once he was able, he pointed his guns directly at a droid and fired two consecutive shots. Both hit home. The droid—in its poor condition—fell and burst into flames. Hider did the same to the other droid as well before it made a shot. The result was the same. The poorly kept droid collapsed and exploded into pieces.

           Panicked, the two Twi’lek Vulkars aimed their weapons at Hider and fired at will. Their shots would’ve landed, but Lyra had leapt in front of the bolts and batted them away. She then outstretched her left arm and yanked it back. Pretty soon, the Twi’leks found themselves disarmed as their blasters flew toward the young Jedi, destroying them once she was able.

           “Thanks for the save,” said Hider.

           Lyra smiled. “No problem.”

           “No!” The Vulkar leader screamed as he fell on the ground. His face scrunched with fear as Master Darran raised his saber on the Vulkar’s face. “P-please don’t hurt me. I-I’ll do anything you want. Just please, don’t hurt me.”

           “If you wish not to be hurt, then leave this place immediately,” replied Master Darran.

           The Vulkar leader nodded as he signaled his fellow gang members to move out. One by one, the Black Vulkars began to leave until all that’s left are Hider, the Jedi, and the thief they’ve been looking for.

           Master Darran was the first to approach the thief. He deactivated his saber and offered his hand to the boy; but the thief—too terrified at the sight of Jedi—backed away. “Young man, there’s no need to be scared anymore. We just want to talk, that’s all.”

“How can I trust you?” asked the thief. “Y-you’re not going to hurt me, are you?”

           “Oh, come on, kid!” shouted Hider. “We just saved your butt from those idiot Vulkars. Can’t you at least be thankful for that?”

           “Mr. Louhun, shouting at him isn’t necessary. He’s only a kid,” argued Lyra.

           Hider groaned. “This kid stole droid parts worth hundreds of credits. We’re not here to play nice. The only reason why we’re here is to take back the parts, that’s it.”

           “You’re here for these parts?” asked the thief. He opened his arms and revealed all the stolen parts from Droids by Janice.

           “Yeah, we are. So, can you do us all a favor and give us all those parts. We’d really appreciate that.”

           “Oh, yeah? But what if I don’t want to give these parts back to you?” rebuked the thief.

           “I don’t have time for this back and forth nonsense, kid!” shouted Hider. His patience with the boy began to waver. “Don’t make this difficult. Just give us the parts and we’ll leave!”

           “Over my dead body!

           “Why you little!”

           Tempers flared as Hider and the thief began shouting insults at one another, which made the situation needlessly difficult. Neither one wanted to back down, causing an argument that lasted for several minutes.

Seeing this, Lyra groaned. She covered her ears, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath before giving a shout so loud that echoed across the hallway.

           “Quiet!”

           Her planned worked out in the end as she finally got the attention of both boys. They stared at her with wide eyes, surprised by the fact that a small alien could yell so loud.

“Mr. Louhun, I don’t want to sound rude, but would you kindly shut up,” she demanded. Her blunt words earned a chuckle from her master and a jaw drop from Hider. “Leave the talking to me. I’ll deal with him.”

           Lyra deactivated her saber and made her way toward the thief. When she got close, she sat down and offered her hoof to him. “Hello there. My name is Lyra Heartstrings, Jedi Padawan,” she greeted. “On behalf of Mr. Louhun over there, I’m sorry that he yelled at you. He’s just mad because we dragged his butt down here with us.”

           “Hey! I heard that,” shouted Hider.

           “Nobody cares right now,” rebuked Lyra, earning another chuckle from her master. “So, I’ve told you my name. Can you now tell me yours?”

           The boy stuttered. He was reluctant to answer back, but eventually he got the courage to shake Lyra’s hoof. “I-it’s Jun. My name is Jun.”

           “Nice to meet Jun. Now, can you please tell us why those Vulkar people were harassing you, and why you stole these droid parts in the first place.”

           “I-I worked for them as a mechanic. You see, I busted a couple of their droids on accident a few months back, so promised I’d repair them as payment and they agreed. Things started out okay. I repair their stuff and then they’ll let me go. But as time went on, they realized I had a talent for droids and wanted me stay. I said no, but they refused to leave me alone.”

           “And when you kept refusing, they tried to take you in by force.”

Jun nodded. “They’ve been harassing me and my family at my home for weeks now. I tried to compromise with them in hopes I’d get a deal. It worked, but then they demanded that I make battle droids for them.”

           “That explains why that Vulkar leader was yelling at you earlier,” said Hider. “From what we heard, it sounded like you were past due on your deadline.”

           “Y-yeah, that’s right. Battle droids aren’t my specialty, and I lacked supplies to make them. Eventually, I couldn’t keep up. Their demands were too much.” Jun frowned. “It’s already tough to make ends meet here. The Vulkars are sucking me and my family dry. But if I don’t meet their demands, who knows what’ll happen to us.”

           “So, you resulted in theft to finish your work,” said Master Darran, to which Jun nodded in reply. “You have my sympathies, child. I’m sorry that this had to happen to you.”

           “Isn’t there any way you can get help?” asked Lyra. “Maybe you can ask your neighbors for help?”

           “Sorry, Lyra, but we can’t. There is literally no way anyone down here would help the kid,” said Hider, which earned him a bitter glare from the young Jedi.

           “Why? What makes you say that?”

           “Because that’s the reality here! People in the lower city only look out for themselves. Living here is bad enough. They can’t afford to waste time helping other people’s problems.”

           “What about the law enforcement, or the government? Can’t they help out?”

Hider shook his head. “The local government won’t invest in anything down here. Even law enforcement. Although Taris is an intergalactic trading hub, its government is too corrupt. High tax rates and business regulations prevent people from moving up. Even if the kid’s family could move to the upper city, it won’t last long. The high rates would kick them right back here.”

“W-what?” Lyra looked back at Jun with wide eyes. “Is this true.

Jun nodded slowly in response, causing Lyra’s ears to droop.

“I-I see. So, there’s no way for you to get help, huh?”

“Don’t feel bad about it, Miss Lyra. You did a lot for me already. More than anyone else had done in the past few weeks.”

Lyra smiled. The boy’s complement seemed to have cheered her up a bit. “You’re welcome, Jun. I’m glad we were able to help.”

“Yeah, that’s great and all, but we still need to turn the parts back,” said Hider. “Kid, do you mind handing over those parts? The store owner really needs them for her business.”

“Y-yeah, I’ll do that,” said Jun with a sigh. “I’m sorry for stealing these. I only did it because I was desperate.”

“I’m sure we can compromise something with Janice,” said Master Darran. “Come, child. Let’s go back to the upper city.”

Jun nodded and followed Master Darran out of the apartment complex. Hider was about to do the same but stopped when he noticed Lyra staring at the ground with her ears drooped.

“Something wrong?”

“What? Oh, no, I’m fine. I’m just thinking about something, that’s all.”

“About the kid and the lower city?” Hider asked, to which Lyra nodded in response. “Yeah, it sucks, but worry about it too much. The kid can take care of himself.”

Lyra opened her mouth to object, but Hider raised his hand and stopped her before anything could be said.

“Listen, Jedi. I know your concerned, but the kid’s situation isn’t something that you have no control over. Do yourself a favor and stop thinking about it. If you want to be a hero, don’t put yourself in such a high standard. The galaxy is a rough place. Not everyone can be helped or saved. Some might even outright reject your kindness.”

Hider observed the young Jedi nod hesitantly. His sounded harsh, but she seemed to be taking it in rather smoothly.

“You speak as if you had experience with this before,” said Lyra.

“I’ve seen a lot in my days kid. Trust me on this. Sometimes, walking away is the best thing you can do for a person.”

No response. For a while, Lyra did nothing but stare at the floor. But after a moment of silence, she looked up and gave Hider a smile. “There is some truth in what you say. I’ll.... think carefully on that. Thank you, Mr. Louhun.”

“Would you please drop the surname already!” said Hider with a groan. “Just call by my given name, alright. There’s no need to be so formal.”

Lyra chuckled. “I’ll keep that in mind, Mr. Louhun,” she joked, leaving Hider alone to vent his frustrations.