//------------------------------// // Chapter 10 // Story: Star Wars Jedi Lyra: The Search // by currentlemon //------------------------------// Master Darran let out a sigh as he leaned his back against the wall. His thoughts shifted to his Padawan, who just a moment ago, was taken away by a large bulky Trandoshan. Since then, he’d been escorted back to lobby by the mercenary duo, along with Hider and T3-G4. When they reached their destination, the pair of mercs were quick to leave the trio alone again, saying that they had to check on their boss one more time before any payment could be made. It’d been several minutes since their departure. Master Darran was still waiting for Lyra to activate the tracking signal. Though he was confident that his Padawan would be alright, the wait time was longer than he imagined. “She sure is taking her time,” he whispered. “I’ll say,” said Hider. “You think she’ll be okay by herself?” “I’m certain. She may not act like it sometimes, but Lyra is a capable student. She’ll do her part eventually.” Master Darran glanced over to Hider, who was sitting at a nearby chair. “You on the other hand seem rather calm. Given our current situation, I’d figured you be a bit more flustered.” Hider shrugged. “I just do what I gotta do I suppose. Sure, I might be in enemy territory, but panicking about what might happen isn’t going to help me at all.” “Is that why you are playing with your pistol?” Hider cracked a smile as he repeatedly spun his blaster pistol with the tip of his right index finger. “What? Doing this helps me keep my composure, that’s all. Besides, there’s no harm in it. The safety is on, so I don’t have to worry about accidents.” T3-G4 let out a series of bleeps. “Leave it to the tin can to make a nasty joke like that,” Hider said while rolling his eyes. “Seriously, why do you take so much pleasure in seeing others get hurt so much? Did something happen to you during your previous ownership or something?” Before the droid could answer, the door behind the lobby’s computer desk flung open, revealing the pair of mercenaries from before. “Sorry about the wait,” said the merc with the visor. “The boss is pissed about his office, but we did manage to get your payment ready.” “Great!” Hider said. “How much is he willing to give us?” “Four thousand credits. And before you ask, no, you cannot bargain the price tag.” “Huh? Why not? Come on, we’re dealing with a new alien species here. Shouldn’t the price be a lot higher than that?” “Hate to say it, but it’s the boss’s orders. He’s still in a foul mood after what happened in his office, so negotiation is off the table. I’m sorry, but you’re either gonna have to take the deal or leave.” “Ugh, damn it,” said Hider with a groan. “Fine, I’ll take what I can get. Just give me a moment, I need to pull out my holopad here.” Master Darran shook his head in disapproval. Even though we’re in enemy territory, Mr. Louhun still thinks about money. Unsurprising, given his former status as a Smuggler, but I wish he wasn’t so eager to negotiate the money he’s making off my Padawan. T3-G4 began to beep repeatedly at the Jedi Master. “What is it, GeeFour?” asked Master Darran. The droid replied with a soft hum, which was then followed by multiple beeps. I see. So, Lyra has activated the tracking device. Which means they’ve taken her to the captured pony. He glanced over to Hider, who quickly gave the Jedi Master an assuring nod. Looks like he’s realized it too. Good. It’s time for us to begin the second phase of our plan. “Hey, what’s with the droid?” asked the mercenary with the goggles. “Oh, pay no attention to it. It’s just going through a quick maintenance check. A little annoying due to the constant beeping, but don’t worry, it’ll be done in a few minutes,” Hider replied, diverting the attention of both mercenaries away from the Jedi Master and T3-G4. Seeing this, Master Darran turned his attention toward the utility droid. “Looks like Hider’s got us covered, GeeFour,” he whispered. “Best that we act now while these mercenaries are distracted. T3-G4 replied with a gratifying, yet oddly insidious beep. Using its mechanical arm, it pulled out an elongated lightsaber from its weapon compartment and offered it to Master Darran; however, he refused to take it. “Don’t worry about me. I can handle myself without my weapon. Just take out one of those over there mercenaries while I take care of the other.” The droid complied. Moving into position, T3-G4 aligned itself mere inches away from his first target. “H-hey, what’s that droid doing?” asked the mercenary with the goggles. He didn’t get his answer though as T3-G4 fired a shock arm from its weapon compartment, hitting the unsuspecting merc with a bolt of electricity directly at his chest. His agonizing scream filled the entire room before he collapsed onto the floor, motionless. The other mercenary’s eyes widened as he stared at his now unconscious partner. “W-what the f—what’d you do that for?” he shrieked. His screams were quick to fan out as Master Darran shoved the mercenary to the wall. He then followed up with a series of rapid-fire punches, before finally landing a crushing blow to the mercenary’s face. The mercenary with the visor groaned as his body slumped onto the floor, unconscious. He and his partner were no longer a threat. The only thing left to do now was to remove their sole witness. “Oh, my goodness. What on earth did you do that for, sir?” panicked the protocol droid from behind the computer desk. “This will not do. You and your droid’s actions must not go unpunished. I will notify the higher ups here and tell them of your misdemeanor!” “Not a chance, bud,” Hider replied. Quick to act, he pulled out his blaster pistol and fired it at the droid, causing the machine to fall on it’s back, disabling it entirely. “Impressive quick draw,” complimented Master Darran. “Save the compliments for later, old man. Our fight’s only just begun.” “Indeed. Geefour, go ahead and hack into that computer terminal. See if you can find any map or building schematics that we can use. It’ll certainly be a lot easier to find my Padawan if we had something to guide us.” T3-G4 complied as it wheeled its way over to the computer table. “And make sure you give me back my lightsaber when you’re done,” said Master Darran. “Because from here on out, we’re going loud.” Lyra leaned back in her cage, took a deep breath, and sighed. She had just finished telling Sweetie Drops who she was and how she got here in the first place. Granted, she didn’t tell the private everything, but it was enough to keep the mare satisfied. “I see,” said Sweetie Drops. “So, these Jedi people discovered my message not too long ago, which prompted them to send you and your teacher on a mission to rescue me and everypony else onboard the Celestia Sun.” Lyra nodded. “Yep, that’s about it. I know it’s a lot to take in, but it’s the truth. Me and my team were supposed to rescue you and all the ponies here at once.” Her ears drooped. “But we were too late. Excluding you, everyone else had already been sold.” “Everyone?” Sweetie Drops asked. Lyra chuckled. “Yeah, sorry about that. I’m so used to saying that word for so long that I’ve completely forgotten about the word everypony.” “Well, to be fair, wording issues are the least of our troubles right now. What we should be doing is figuring out how we escape this Celestia forsaken place.” “Yeah, I know. We also need to find out who bought your friends and where were they sent. I’m sure the Exchange has some sort of record we can use to track the buyer.” Lyra curled her lip. “To be honest, I’m still mad that I couldn’t save everyone on time. It’s frustrating really, knowing that I arrived too late.” “Hey, don’t worry about it too much. You’re here now, and that’s what matters.” Sweetie Drops gave Lyra a genuine smile. “You know, after my friends were taken away, I’d just about given up all hope of being rescued. But seeing you here has rekindled my hope. Not just for my rescue, but for the rescue of everypony else too.” Lyra’s lips puckered. Hearing Sweetie’s words almost brought her to tears, but she quickly regained her composure. “You’re right. This mission isn’t over yet. We still got a shot at saving everyone; though I admit, doing so is going to be tough.” “Will your friends be here soon?” “They will be. The tracking device Hider installed here should allow them to find us. It’s possible that they’ll to fight their way through dozens of mercenaries to get here, but I wouldn’t worry too much about it. My master won’t be beat by a bunch of low-skilled mercenaries.” “You seem to be pretty confident in that teacher of yours. Is he really that good of a fighter as you say he is?” Sweetie Drops asked with a cocked brow. “Of course! Nobody can beat my master. He’s the best lightsaber duelist in the entire Jedi Order! And with Hider and Geefour giving him support, there’s no doubt he’ll be here soon.” “Well, he’s as good as you say he is, then I believe you. I just hope he’ll give those brutes a beating they’ll never forget!” Lyra blinked. “Wow…. um, that seemed a little dark, don’t you think?” “I don’t care,” said Sweetie Drops. “I’ve been stuck in these blasted cages for three days. Three days. During that time, these brutes abused the living Tartarus out of me. Treated me like I’m nothing but a wild beast!” The mare clenched both her hooves as she tried to fight back her tears. “The mistreatment, the horrible food, the fact that they used our kindness against us. I want payback, Lyra. Payback for how horribly they treated me and my friends!” “W-wow. I guess you must really be mad at these mercenaries, huh?” “Of course!” Sweetie Drops replied. “Didn’t you hear me? Those brutes did horrible things to me and my friends. It’s only natural that swift justice should be given to them, don’t you agree?” Lyra hesitated. “Well, I agree that these mercs should be put to justice and all, but I don’t exactly agree with your, um, notion of revenge.” “Huh? Why not?” “Well, you see—” “What do you mean my orders are to remain here?” Both Lyra and Sweetie Drops went stiff as a loud booming voice erupted into the storage room. It was then that the door to the room swung open, revealing a human mercenary and the green-skinned Trandoshan from before. “I don’t understand. Why does my cousin want me to stay here?” “Sorry, Chessk, but it’s the boss’s orders. Ever since that break in the other day, he doesn’t want to take risks,” said the mercenary. “Besides, we need someone to watch over our stuff. Especially, those two ponies.” “But I’m the best fighter he has. I should be out there fighting against whoever’s causing this ruckus in the first place,” Chessk argued. Lyra’s ears wobbled. Looks like Master and Hider are making their move now. It should be a matter of time before they get here. “Well, maybe the boss doesn’t believe you’re not as good as you think,” argued back the mercenary. “Don’t forget, he was the one who saved your scaly ass last year.” “You dare question my skill?” Chessk howled. His roaring voice startled both ponies. “Have you forgotten the jobs I’ve done for Behssk this past year? Jobs that you and most of this pathetic lot of mercenaries refuse to do!” The mercenary scowled. “At least I’m not the one who bent his knees and cried like a baby after being nearly killed by Rakghouls. Face it, Chessk, you may be good, but you’re too soft. The boss knows this. Maybe if you toughen up a bit more, he’ll start trusting you. That, and maybe drop those stupid traditions you hold in such high regard.” “My traditions are what keeps me going, human. No matter what my cousin says, I will not drop the teachings of the Scorekeeper!” “Then prepare to be disappointed, Chessk. If you don’t drop those traditions of yours, the boss won’t take you seriously.” The mercenary gave the Trandoshan a pompous smirk as he exited the room. “Money and power make the galaxy whole, not some fancy tradition or religious deity. Once you realize that, Chessk, the boss might lighten up on ya.” The door to the storage room slammed shut, leaving Lyra and Sweetie alone with the bulky Trandoshan. At first, the reptilian did nothing but stare at the door in silence, ignoring the two ponies completely. “What’s he doing?” Sweetie Drops whispered. “I don’t know,” Lyra answered. “But from what I can tell, it looks like the big guy is boiling mad.” “But how? The guy’s not even looking at us,” Sweetie said. However, Lyra did not respond. Rather, she glared at the Trandoshan, expecting the reptilian to burst out at any minute. The truth is, the reptilian was mad. Very mad. The words that were said by the previous mercenary hit him hard. So much so that the Trandoshan’s anger disrupted the natural flow of the Force. Lyra felt a cold shiver down her spine. Never had she ever sensed anything like this. The Trandoshan’s dominating presence was bad enough, but his anger made things worst. What’s he going to do? Will he direct his anger at me and Sweetie? If so, then I need to go on the defensive, now! Fearing for her and Sweetie’s safety, Lyra quickly reached inside her cage’s secret compartment for her lightsaber. But by the time she pulled it out, Chessk had already begun his rampage by unleashing a deafening howl. His scream filled the entire room, causing both ponies to wince and tumble inside their cages. Recovering quickly, Lyra sat straight up and almost ignited her weapon. But she stopped when he saw the Trandoshan walking over to a nearby storage bin. In his fit of anger, Chessk slammed his fists onto the container, leaving behind large dents on the inanimate object. he wailed as he continued to pound on the storage bin. In his rage, he dropped Galactic Basic in favor of his species’ native language, Dosh. Chessk roared once more, slamming both of his fists onto the container. Lyra stared at the Trandoshan with wide eyes as he stood alone in the corner. In his rage, he had revealed a shocking revelation, one that made her believe he could be reasoned with. He hated the Exchange. He hated being a mercenary. And most importantly, he hated his cousin for not using him at his full potential. Lyra curled her lip. Is it truly possible for me to talk to him? He may not like the Exchange but getting his attention might bring Sweetie and I in danger. What if he attacks us out of spite the moment I try to talk to him? She flinched. No, what am I thinking? I am a Jedi. Even if he does attack us, I am perfectly capable of defending myself. She looked back at Chessk again, who had yet to turn around and face her and Sweetie. Got to do this quick before Master and the others get here. Pushing her fears aside, Lyra called out the distressed Trandoshan. “Um, excuse me. Mr. Chessk?” she called. “I’d like to have a word with you.” Sweetie Drops mouth fell agape as she stared at the Padawan in disbelief. “What in Celestia’s name are you doing?” she asked. “I’m trying to reason with him,” Lyra replied. “It sounds crazy, I know, but you gotta trust me on this. There is good inside that person. I can feel it.” “Have you gone mad? Did you not see what he did to that storage container? The moment you’d get his attention, he’ll turn his anger out on us.” “You’re wrong. I heard his words, Sweetie Drops. He just cursed out the Exchange entirely. Even his own cousin.” “Seriously? You understood him? How? All I heard was creaky gibberish.” “Because I’m a Jedi, Sweetie. I studied four different alien languages during my time as an initiate. And that language he spoke in, that’s Dosh. The native language of his species.” Sweetie blinked. “I-I don’t know how to respond to that.” “Don’t bother. Just sit back and let me deal with the big guy, alright. Don’t worry if he tries to attack us. I got something here that will help me.” Again, Lyra attempted to call out the Trandoshan once more. “Hello, Mr. Chessk? I know you can hear me. Please, hear me out. I just want to talk.” The Trandoshan ignored Lyra’s words and said did nothing. Looks like he isn’t willing to say anything. Poor thing. Dealing with these mercenaries and his greedy cousin must’ve worn him out. Maybe I can get his attention by speaking in his native language. Oh, I just hope my Dosh doesn’t sound too bad. I wouldn’t want to insult him. Clearing her throat, Lyra reeled her head back and called out to Chessk once more. Chessk jerked his head. Lyra smiled as the Trandoshan finally turned his gaze toward her Unsurprisingly, the Trandoshan looked confused at first as he stared at the pony with wide eyes; but after a moment of silence, he made a mad dash toward the ponies. Chessk asked as he knelt in front of Lyra’s cage. Lyra nodded. Chessk gasped. “Um, excuse me.” Both Lyra and Chessk turned to see Sweetie Drops staring at them both with hooves crossed. “I hate to break your friendly talk, but do you mind talking in a language I can understand!” “Oh, right. Sorry about that,” Lyra replied as she spoke in Basic again. “Allow me to introduce ourselves, Chessk. I am Lyra Heartstrings, and that pony over there is Private Sweetie Drops.” Sweetie Drops did not respond. Instead, she gave Chessk a mere huff. Lyra sighed. “Forgive her. Being cooped up in that cage has left her very bitter.” “I do not blame her. Being mistreated by these mercenaries and my cousin would cause anyone to get angry,” said Chessk as he too spoke again in Basic. “But I still don’t understand. How is it that you know my language?” “I learned it along with two other languages as part of my training. You see, I’m not just a normal pony. I’m a Jedi.” “What?” Chessk stumbled backward as he stared at Lyra in disbelief. “T-that’s impossible. Jedi are supposed to be strong, capable warriors. You are just a mere animal.” “If I’m a mere animal, then how am I speaking to you right now?” Lyra rebuked. “I know my claim seems far fetched in your eyes, but I’m telling you the truth.” “I don’t believe you,” Chessk refuted. “You claim to be a Jedi, yet why are you not wearing your garments? And more importantly, where is your lightsaber?” Lyra grinned as she reached inside the secret compartment and pulled out her weapon. Pointing her saber outside the cage, she ignited the weapon, illuminating the room in a light-green glow. Chessk gasped. “Amazing. You really are Jedi.” Lyra smiled again. She then looked over to Sweetie Drops, who apparently was gawking at the Padawan’s green blade. “Y-you really weren’t kidding about that whole Jedi stuff, were you?” she asked. “Sweet Celestia. I’ve never seen a weapon like this before. It’s so…. shiny.” “I’m glad you like it. Because this saber is one of a kind,” Lyra explained. “The blade might be a bit short, but the hilt itself is unique.” She turned hoof around and revealed her saber’s unique feature. “See this? The hilt has a slightly angled curve. Uncommon since most lightsaber hilts today usually have straight hand grips.” “Ah, I see. You chose that unique hilt because it feels better on your hooves,” said Chessk. “Impressive.” This time, it was Lyra’s turn to be surprised. “Wait, how’d you know that?” Chessk cracked a smile. “Weapons are my specialty, little Jedi. I myself craft my own vibroblades as a hobby of mine. And let me tell you, even the slightest modification to a weapon can drastically change the way someone approaches combat.” He paused. “But this revelation, it only brings up more questions.” “You’re wondering how a Jedi like me got captured, aren’t you?” Lyra asked, to which Chessk nodded in reply. “Well, for starters, I didn’t get captured. This whole thing with me being a helpless pony was just an act to sneak inside this stronghold and rescue the captured ponies.” Chessk blinked. “So, everything up till now was staged. You assume the guise of a helpless victim so that you could save your kin. Impressive.” Another pause. “Wait, then who were those two that carried you around in that cage?” “One of them is my Jedi Master while the other is a friend of ours. They were the ones who formulated the plan in the first place.” “I see.” Chessk rubbed his chin. “The man with the blindfold. He is your Jedi Master, is he not?” “Y-yeah, he is,” Lyra replied, surprised that the Trandoshan was able to guess correctly on who her master was. “How’d you know?” “The other human seemed too young to be a Jedi Master, so I assumed the other Jedi would be that blind old man.” Chessk puckered his lips. “If a Jedi Master is here, it’s unlikely that my cousin or his cronies would survive the encounter. They’re not prepared to fight against a Jedi, let alone two.” Lyra nodded. She was about to talk back but stopped when she noticed Sweetie Drops giving her a stern glare. “Lyra, what the hay!” she yelled. “Why are you telling him your plan? Are you trying to jeopardize our escape? “Relax, Sweetie. I’m just trying to reason with him,” Lyra replied. “By giving him classified information to an enemy? Have you forgotten that he’s one of the bad guys!” “The little pony is right,” said Chessk. “Why are you trying to talk to me? Not only am I your enemy, but I am part of the organization that captured and enslaved your kin. You should hate me.” “No, not at all!” Lyra answered. “I don’t hate you, Chessk. I just think that deep down, you’re a good person who’s been put in a very bad position. You said it yourself, remember? You hate working for the Exchange.” “That’s right. You understood everything I said.” Chessk frowned. “I…. I suppose you want to hear me out, do you? Why I hate my occupation and why I despise my cousin for treating me like a lapdog?” Lyra shrugged. “I suppose. If anything, it’d certainly help me understand you better.” “Then I guess I have no choice, do I?” Chessk sighed. “Well, for starters, I should tell you that I wasn’t always a mercenary. Before I got stuck with this job, my previous occupation was a Big Game Hunter.” “A hunter? You mean, someone who hunts animals?” “Something like that. But my job was much bigger than that. You see, Big Game Hunters track down creatures that would kill a man the moment he laid eyes on it.” Chessk smiled. “As a hunter, you are put in a life or death situation. Either you conquer the beast, or you become their meal. Such a lifestyle was dangerous, but it is an exhilarating nonetheless. One that’s even honored by my people.” “So, your people view the hunting occupation as an honorable deed. Are there others who disapprove of that?” “Mostly the younger generation. They prefer doing mercenary work or slave trading for credits. My cousin is one of them.” Chessk let out a growl. “He’s been leeching off the Exchange for years, doing their dirty work. There was a time I considered him a warrior, but his skill waned as he spent more time luxuriating in his riches. Eventually, the Exchange promoted him to top boss in the Bright Jewel System. Now he just sits in his ass all day counting the credits he made. The only reason these mercenaries follow him is because of his money.” “If you hate your cousin so much, why bother working for him?” asked Sweetie Drops. “Because…. it’s because I owe him my life.” Chessk let out a sigh as his head slumped. “Last year, I was nearly killed during a job. Behssk and his band of mercenaries rescued me before my death. Because of that, I pledged my life to protecting him.” “That sounds like a life debt,” said Lyra. “A what?” asked Sweetie Drops. “It’s a social institution used by a few alien cultures around the galaxy. Basically, if a person’s life was saved by another, the saved person pledges their life to protect their savior. Even to the point of death. I knew that an alien species called, the Wookiees practiced this tradition, but I wasn’t aware Trandoshans followed it too.” “People equate my kind as savage brutes. Though I admit, there is some truth in that, Trandoshans are an honor-bound society,” explained Chessk. “Yeah right. Honor-bound society my flank!” rebuked Sweetie Drops. Chessk frowned. “I do not blame you for doubting my words, little pony. You and your kin had to suffer at the hands of my foolhardy cousin. And for that, I am sorry.” His words did not soothe Sweetie Drops as the mare scoffed in reply. “If you’re so sorry, then tell it to my friends.” “Enough, private. Don’t take your anger out on a man who hasn’t done you any harm,” said Lyra. “Chessk, you said your cousin saved your life, right? What led to that confrontation?” “That is a subject I take no pleasure in sharing, little pony. But considering the kindness you’ve shown me, I’ll make an exception.” Chessk sighed as he sat in a cross-legged position. “A year ago, I had just finished a hunt on the planet Felucia. I had recently killed a rancor at the time, and I planned on selling its pelt and horn to a seller on Taris.” Lyra’s jaw dropped. “Wait, you killed a rancor?” she asked in disbelief. Chessk nodded. “Yes. It was one of my best kills yet. Many of my people would take joy in killing such a beast, yet not many are successful. I was different. I managed to trap one by using the planet’s environment to my advantage. The beast didn’t last long after that.” He sighed. “That was a good memory. But I am getting off topic here. After I sold my stash, I ran into a doctor on the planet’s upper city. He told me he was working with a medical team that was looking into a cure for the Rakghoul disease.” “Rakghoul disease? What’s that?” Lyra asked. “You don’t know of it, do you? Can’t say I’m surprised. It’s a disease only found on Taris, carried by mutant killing monstrosities known as Rakghouls, who’ll try to kill or infect anyone on sight. Being infected by one slowly kill the victim, to the point where they eventually turning them into Rakghouls themselves.” “That’s horrible,” said Sweetie Drops as she shivered a bit in her cage. “And there’s no cure for it?” Chessk shook his head. “Not that I’m aware of. I do not know what became of the medical team after I left Taris. As far as I know, no cure has been made.” “What job did the doctor give you?” asked Lyra. “He said that his team needed doses Rakghoul blood to further their study. But they didn’t have the manpower to get more samples, so they asked me. I accepted the job and journeyed into the planet’s Undercity to hunt the beasts. It went well at first. I managed to isolate a few of the beasts away from their pack by trapping them in the sewers; but shortly after I killed the beasts, my job took a turn for the worst.” “What happened?” “The pack came back for them. Somehow, they’ve been alerted of their missing kin and backtracked to my position. I was not prepared for that encounter. The beasts outnumbered me twelve to one, and I was not geared for a direct engagement. I fought them as hard as I could, but it was too much. Even with my superior strength, I could not fight back a horde of Rakghouls.” “H-how did you survive?” Lyra asked, hesitantly. Chessk lowered his head and frowned. “It was perhaps the most shameful moment of my life. Before I was cut down, I pleaded to the Scorekeeper for someone to find and rescue me. My prayers were answered when Behssk and his group of mercenaries killed the remaining Rakghouls.” “The Scorekeeper?” “A deity that we Trandoshans worship. A goddess who exists beyond time and space. We appease to the Scorekeeper through our actions. Whether it’d be hunting beasts or gathering bounties, the more successful we are, the more we earn her favor.” Lyra blinked. “That would certainly explain why Trandoshans are an overtly aggressive species. But how did your cousin find you? More importantly, how did he know you were there in the first place?” “We met in the Lower City. Apparently, he was stationed on Taris at the time, doing the dirty work of another crime lord. We spoke for a bit, but we went our separate ways shortly after, or at least that’s what I thought.” “He must’ve followed you while you weren’t looking. Observed you while you were doing your job. When you were struggling for your life, it was then that he decided to finally reveal himself and rescue you.” Chessk gave a meek nod. “He berated me for being weak. He said that because of my show of weakness, I tarnished the Scorekeeper’s name, making my life forfeit in her eyes.” He frowned. “When you shame the Scorekeeper, it is considered a great sin to our people. Not only are our lives considered meaningless, but all the favors we accumulated over the years for our goddess are now gone, making my hunting career practically worthless.” “That’s a load of horseapples!” Sweetie Drops shouted as she banged the metal bars in her cage. “You’d rather give up a hobby that you love in favor of following your stupid cousin? All because you shamed your so-called goddess?” “You better watch your tongue, little pony. Lest you want to face my wrath, I suggest you not test my patience!” Chessk roared. “I’m surprised you even have patience, given that you had to take orders from that spoiled cousin of yours. Why don’t you do yourself a favor and take a page from his book. Forget tradition. Forget that stupid life debt! Go back to doing what you love most. Not take orders from someone who clearly doesn’t respect you!” “It’s not that simple! Disregarding a life debt would bring great dishonor to myself and my people. I can’t just leave my cousin behind.” “Both of you, please! This is not the time for an argument,” Lyra argued. “Chessk, is there any way I can convince you to let go of this life debt you have?” Chessk shook his head. “No, little one. Though I am grateful for your kindness, I—I cannot break my life debt. For it is a solemn vow. Breaking it would only further my shame as a man.” “But you hate working for your cousin, don’t you? He and his lackeys don’t appreciate your help, let alone respect you. Don’t you think you deserve something better?” “Nothing would bring me more joy than to return to my hunting days. But a life debt is greater than any one life. And Behssk is still my family. If I die following his orders, so be it.” Lyra curled her lips. Her gamble with Chessk did not pay off, and the only thing she could do now is wait for her master and Hider’s timely rescue. But despite her failed negotiation attempt, she still wanted to help him. For Chessk was an honorable man, and he deserved much more than to be a slave to his deplorable cousin. But perhaps he was beyond help. Lyra bit her lip as Hider’s words rang inside her head. It was something that she didn’t take seriously at first, but it seemed that his warning would come to fruition. Would it be for the best if she does not help Chessk at all? Especially if he doesn’t want any help in the first place? Lyra fell flat on her belly as she tried to come up with a solution. But as she pondered on what to do next, the door to the storage room suddenly flung open. “Who’s there?” Taken by surprise, Chessk stood up and turned his attention toward the door. But as he turned his head, a blue plasma beam hit the Trandoshan right on the chest. He howled in pain as his body jittered until he collapsed to the floor, motionless. Both Lyra and Sweetie Drops stared wide eyed at the door, as T3-G4 strolled into the storage room, with Master Darran and Hider Louhun following close behind him. “Master!” Master Darran smiled. “Sorry to barge in unannounced, Padawan. I hope you didn’t get too bored in here while waiting for us.” His head drifted to the unconscious Chessk, then at Sweetie Drops, who was staring at the Jedi Master with wide eyes. “Ah, this must be the captured pony. I assume you and my Padawan were getting acquainted with one another?” “She’s Private Sweetie Drops, Master. The one who made that message,” said Lyra. “That’s great! At least we were able to save the private,” said Hider as he walked toward Lyra’s cage and opened it. “Does she know where the rest of your kin were sold to?” “No, she doesn’t. I figured you’d knew that by now!” “Hey, cut us some slack, okay. Rescuing you first was our top priority!” “Enough you two. Now is not the time to be arguing with each other,” advised Master Darran. “Hider is it possible that Behssk kept financial records of all his business transactions somewhere in this stronghold?” “Probably,” Hider replied with a shrug. “If I had to guess, he probably has all his records safely stored on a computer.” “Would the computer terminal at his office be a likely place he stored his records?” Master Darran asked, to which Hider nodded in reply. “Then we know where we must go next. Padawan, free the Private now so we can get out of here.” “On it,” said Lyra as she grasped her lightsaber with her magic. After stepping outside her cage, she trotted over to Sweetie’s own cage, ignited her weapon, and cut the bars on the cage in half, freeing the mare from her imprisonment. “Thank you,” said Sweetie Drops as she gave Lyra a quick hug. She then stepped outside her cage and looked at the rest of the Omega’s crew. “You guys must be the ones Lyra mentioned earlier, aren’t you? I admit, it sucks knowing that my friends couldn’t be saved yet, but it’s good to know you came by anyway.” “Don’t mention it, little pony. Just do us a favor and stick close to us. Me, GeeFour, and these Jedi here will keep you covered until we get out of here,” Hider replied. He then gave quick glances toward both Lyra and Master Darran. “We need to go, now. Before more mercenaries show up.” “Agreed. Come, Padawan. Let us move,” said Master Darran as he and the rest of the Omega’s crew left the storage room. Lyra followed, but stopped short as she stared at the unconscious body of Chessk. “I’m sorry,” she muttered. As she followed her master, the door to the storage room closed, leaving an unconscious Chessk alone in the darkness.