The turbolift ride to the Jedi High Council was a rather awkward experience for Jedi Master Gizar Darran. Ever since he, his Padawan, and their rag tag team of misfits has boarded, no one has said a word. Which was odd given that this team is usually a loud bunch.
Hider and T3-G4 usually argued with each other. Just before they boarded the turbolift, the two of them arguing on how the droid should behave in front of the Council. They’ve been dead silent after that though, almost as if they’ve reached an agreement of some sort.
Chessk Fess on the other hand, kept to himself. Calm and poised, the Trandoshan was more of an introvert compared to the others, preferring to speak only to Lyra or when Hider and T3-G4 say something stupid.
Then came his Padawan and Private Drops. The two have been relatively quiet, but Darran could feel the animosity brewing. The Private was angry at Lyra for failing to keep her promise. As a result, she gave her the silent treatment. And for his Padawan, she didn’t have the courage to say anything at all. The gloom look she gave told him everything he needed to know.
She was angry at herself. Angry for failing her mission entirely. Though she tried to hide it, Darran could still sense her true feelings through the Force. Her sorrow, her despair. It radiated from her like a sun would shine sunlight on a planet. No doubt would the High Council sense this once they arrive at the chambers.
Master Darran frowned. He had a feeling this meeting with the masters won’t end well. Although he knew them personally, there was one Jedi Master who he worried about greatly.
It wasn’t Master Vrook though. Despite his tough attitude toward Lyra and other Padawans, the old man still cared about them.
No, there was another Jedi on the High Council that he was worried about. One that had been a thorn on his side for years. And to make matters worse, this Jedi had openly refused to let Lyra into the Jedi Order when she was a filly. Granted, the Council would hold this master back if she went too far, but this Jedi still harbored an unbridled resentment that was unfathomable for a Jedi Master.
Atris.
Suddenly, the turbolift made an abrupt halt. Its doors opened wide, revealing a narrow hallway with a metal door on the other side. “Alright, we’re here,” Darran said to everyone as he stepped out of the turbolift. “Come, let’s not keep the Council waiting any longer.”
“Yeah, about that,” Hider replied as he and the others followed the Jedi Master out of the turbolift. “You think you can give us a heads up on who we’re meeting today?”
Darran gawked at the former smuggler. “Don’t you think it’s little too late for introductions, Hider? If you wished to learn more about the Council, you could’ve asked while we were riding the turbolift.”
“Guess it must’ve slipped my mind. Come on, old man, at least give us their names.”
Darran sighed. “So be it. But I’m only going to go over this once, so pay attention. The Jedi High Council is comprised of six Jedi Masters who guide and maintain the entire order itself. Their names are Masters Vandar Tokare, Vrook Lamar, Zez-Kai-Ell, Lonna Zash, Kavar, and… Master Atris.”
He briefly checked on his Padawan and saw that her mood had slightly worsened after hearing Atris’s name. Not that it surprised him. Out of all the masters on the Council, Atris was the only one whom Lyra never bonded with.
T3-G4 gave a soft beep. “The droid is right. It sounds like you hold a bit of a grudge against this Atris person, master Jedi,” Chessk said, pointing out Darran’s distain for his colleague. “Why is that?”
“Ah, very insightful of you, Geefour. But regarding Atris, yes, you are correct to assume I harbor some resentment toward that woman. I am ashamed to admit it, but I can’t help but feel irritated whenever I meet her.”
“Care to explain why?” asked Hider, to which Darran shook his head.
“Now is not a good time. Just promise me… that when you meet Master Atris, do not overreact to her ramblings. She may act rude and disrespectful at times, but she is still a member of the Jedi High Council.”
Hider cocked a brow. “Uh, rude and disrespectful?”
“Don’t worry about it, Hider. If anything happens, the other masters will intervene if need be. Now, let’s go. We’ve let the Council wait for far too long.”
He stepped forward and allowed the metal door to fling open, revealing the Council Chambers in all its glory. And as Darran and the others stepped inside, they were immediately greeted by small Jedi Master.”
“Greetings Master Darran, Padawan Lyra. We’ve been expecting you,” said the small old Jedi. “And I bid greetings to our visitors as well. Welcome to the Jedi Temple. I am Jedi Master Vandar Tokare, the Grand Master of the Jedi Order.”
Darran quickly glanced back at the rest of the crew and noticed that their jaws were hanging low. He expected that though. Everyone’s first reactions to Master Vandar was always that of shock and awe.
Vandar smiled at the crew before turning his attention toward Private Drops. “Ah, so you are the one who Darran and Padawan Lyra saved back on Ord Mantell. On behalf of the Jedi, I welcome you to the Galactic Republic.”
“Um, thanks,” replied Private Drops, nervously.
“There’s no need to be scared, young one. We may be Jedi Masters, but know that within these walls, you are safe.”
“With all due respect, Master Vandar, I’m afraid introductions will have to be cut short,” said Master Vrook. He immediately shot a glare Lyra, who in response, shied away in fear. “Padawan Lyra, we need you to tell us everything that happened during your mission. And quit sulking. I want you to look at me when I’m talking to you!”
“Y-yes, master.” Reluctantly, Lyra Heartstrings trotted forward before the Council and told them everything that happened. And while she did this, Darran carefully observed the reactions of every Jedi Master. As expected, Vandar was the more reasonable one of the six. He sat patiently in his chair, listening to every bit of Lyra’s story. Kavar, Zash, and Zez-Kai-El, also mimicked the elderly Jedi’s action. The only Jedi who weren’t pleased were Vrook and Atris.
Master Kavar was the first to speak. “So, you managed to fight off an entire Mandalorian squad all on your own?” he asked. Lyra immediately gave the master a nod. “I see. I must admit, young one, that is one impressive feat you accomplished there.”
“And yet she still lost,” said Atris, abruptly.
“Only because her opponent caught her off-guard,” replied Master Zez-Kai-El. “If it weren’t for that armor of his, she would’ve likely won.”
Master Zash nodded in approval. “Indeed. Padawan Lyra performed exceptionally well in her first mission. I’d say she’s more than capable of handling a fight on her own.”
“With all due respect Master Zash, I think there’s something you’re all missing here,” said Master Vrook as he gave Lyra a stern glare. “Padawan Lyra, do you remember our conversation on Dantooine? How my concerns over your emotional attachments to your home might get in the way of the mission?”
“Y-yes, I remember, master,” Lyra replied nervously.
“And yet I was proven right! Your emotions got in way, and it cost you and your crew the entire mission!”
Darran sighed. It wasn’t surprising that Vrook would scold Lyra. He did warn her after all. And although the Jedi Master took no pleasure in being right, he went ahead and continued with his rambling.
“Padawan Lyra, you show amazing promise as a young pupil. However, the one thing that’s holding you back is your inability to control your emotions!” continued Master Vrook. “You have a strong emotional attachment to your home planet, and you cling onto your hope that you’ll return home one day. It’s because of that, Padawan, you failed!”
Vandar nodded in agreement. “I agree with Master Vrook,” he replied. “Your recklessness and desire to see your home are of great concern. Should you have stayed with your master and your friends, I truly believe the mission would’ve been a success.”
“Which is why she shouldn’t be in the Order in the first place!” argued Atris. “It’s just as Master Vrook said. This thing is simply too attached to her home. And that alone should disqualify her from ever becoming a Jedi.”
“I hardly think that’s fair, Master Atris,” replied Zash, who seemed unimpressed with her colleague’s rant. “I agree that Padawan Lyra needs to do a better job at controlling her emotions but denying her a chance to become a Jedi over her attachments doesn’t disqualify her.”
“I second this,” said Zez-Kai-Ell. “Lyra has already taken in much of our teachings, and she’s already proven many of her doubters wrong. Lest I remind you, Atris, that she was the first out of her clan to become a Padawan.”
Atris frowned as she glared at her fellow council master. Though it seemed as if she were about to raise an objection, she remained silent. It became clear that she could not counter Master Ell’s argument, and it seemed like the rest of the council—even Master Vrook—had agreed with him. So, instead of continuing a pointless argument, she laid back on her chair and said nothing.
Darran sighed in relief. For now, the council has put a leash around Atris’s overtly subjective attitude. Which was good for him. Especially, since he could sense the growing malice coming from the others.
He looked over his shoulder and—to no surprise—his Padawan’s friends were not pleased with Atris’s attitude. Chessk looked as if he was ready to pounce on Jedi Master, while Hider and Private Drops were outright glaring at her. T3-G4 had almost pulled out a side arm, but thankfully, Hider quickly noticed the droid’s action and decided to hold it back.
As for Lyra, she had remained silent during Atris’s rant. There was some animosity coming from her, but she had successfully held back her emotions, preventing herself from lashing out against the Jedi Master in retaliation.
Master Vrook broke the silence. “Personal issues aside, I do agree with Master Atris’s concerns,” he continued. “As it stands, Padawan Lyra is simply too emotional to become a Jedi. If she were to be assigned another mission in the future, what’s to stop her from acting so reckless? Should we really put the lives of innocents at risk over someone who can’t control their own ambitions?”
Master Vandar nodded in agreement. “It is concerning issue that the young Padawan must face, but we cannot dwell on this subject any longer. Let us discuss what we need to do about the remaining captives.” He turned his gaze over to Hider. “Captain Louhun, do you mind sharing us your most recent discovery?”
“Sure, of course,” said Hider as he bowed respectfully to Vandar. He walked forward and pulled out a holopad. “Jedi Masters, after our battle with the Mandalorians, I took this device from a corpse of a soldier. Now, some of you might find that looting off dead bodies is unethical; but considering the mission’s failure, I had to look for any clues.”
“Clues, captain?”
“That’s right. Clues that might tell us the whereabouts of the soldiers we fought.” Hider unlocked the holopad and gave it over to the old master. “Our droid, T3-G4, managed to crack into this device. I think you should give it a read.”
Vandar nodded as he took the device from Hider’s hand. He stared at the screen, silently reading the contents of the holopad to himself. Then, after a brief period of silence, the old master sighed to himself. “The Mandalorians are on Alderaan,” he said, grimly.
His statement shook every council master in the room, though Darran wasn’t fazed by the news. Hider had already given him the holopad earlier before. And although it was shocking to hear that the enemy was so close to the core worlds, a golden opportunity appeared before them.
“According to this holopad, the Mandalorians have built a base within the planet’s mountains. Away from civilization,” continued Master Vandar. “Apparently, the squad that was sent to Czerka’s factory was supposed to report there before making their trip back to the main Mandalorian fleet.”
“Did it say anything about the equines?” asked Master Kavar, to which the old master nodded in reply.
“Yes. It says here that the squad had taken an interest in the ponies after seeing a live commercial from the Exchange. They went to Ord Mantell to locate and capture the equines, but they arrived too late.”
“And that’s when I faced them,” said Chessk. “During the time where I was a slave to the Exchange, I managed to fight off a handful of Mandalorian troopers. I fought them off, but they must’ve already hacked into my cousin’s computer and stole his sales records.”
“Which in turn, lead them here,” said Kavar as gave a quick glance over to Chessk and smiled. “I heard about you from Darran’s report, young hunter. I must say, it’s quite interesting that a Trandoshan like you would form a life debt with Padawan Lyra.”
“I owe her my life, Master Jedi,” Chessk replied as he bowed before the Kavar and the other masters. “If it weren’t for her, I would still be a lapdog to my cousin. A slave to a lie.”
“Indeed,” replied Master Vandar. “There is much pride in you, young hunter. But I have faith you will honor your life debt.”
Hider sighed. “Sorry to budge in on your little conversation, but don’t we have more important things to discuss? Come on, we still got ourselves a hostage situation here.”
Master Vrook glared at the captain. “And what do you suggest we do?” he asked in a malicious tone.
Hearing this made Darran sigh. He could tell that his friend didn’t trust Hider at all given his criminal history. It wasn’t much of a surprise though. Hider did, after all, only agreed to join because of the promise of credits.
“We go after them of course,” Hider continued, who seemed unfazed by Vrook’s demeanor. “That datapad contains the whereabouts of the Mandalorians, right? So, why don’t you guys just send us to Alderaan?”
Atris frowned. “Be silent, boy! We Jedi do not take orders from a common criminal!”
“No, he is right,” inquired Master Zash. “If what that report says is true, then it would make sense for us to send out Master Darran and his Padawan to go rescue them.”
“Preposterous! After the failure of that Padawan, you expect to send her out again!”
“I agree with Master Zash,” said Zez-Kai-Ell. “I think it should be best that we continue to put our faith into Darran and this team. As dubious as it sounds, and despite Padawan Lyra’s emotional tendencies, I think sending them out again is the best option.”
Kavar nodded in agreement. “Perhaps it is our only option. With conflict brewing in the outer rim and with most of our younger Jedi following the Revanites to war, our options are limited. I would’ve preferred sending in a more experienced team of Jedi myself, but we can’t dwindle much longer. Lives are on the line here. We can’t risk abandoning a newly discovered species to the Mandalorians.”
Vandar nodded in approval. “Then it is settled. All those in favor of sending Master Darran and his Padawan out to save the remaining captives, please raise your hand.”
Immediately, four of the six Jedi Masters shot their hands up. The only ones that didn’t follow the others were Masters Vrook and Atris. But even with the disapproval of two masters, the majority still stood.
“Master Vrook, Master Atris, do you wish to say anything to Padawan Lyra?” asked Master Vandar.
Atris didn’t say a word. She just silently sat in her chair, giving each of her fellow masters a look of disappointment. As for Master Vrook, he let out a sigh before addressing the entire room.
“As much as I am opposed to this notion, I admit there isn’t much choice. Kavar is right. Our Order is going through a perilous time right now and we don’t have the Knights to spare,” He turned his gaze over to Master Darran. “My friend, please, watch over your apprentice. Make sure she doesn’t do anything reckless.”
Darran smiled. “Don’t worry, Master Vrook. Rest assured, I won’t let my Padawan make the same mistake twice.
“We shall see,” Vrook replied before shifting his look over to Lyra. Seeing his cold stare made the young Padawan flinch, but she remained firm nonetheless. “Padawan Lyra, can I trust that you’ll see this mission till the end? That your desire to see your home will not affect the outcome?”
“O-of course, master!” Lyra replied, as she bowed respectfully before Vrook and all the Jedi Masters in the room. “I am most grateful that you all have given me this second chance. I won’t let it go to waste this time, I promise!”
“Actions speak louder than words, Padawan. If you have truly learned from your mistake, then make sure you succeed this time.” Vrook paused for a moment, then continued. “Know this, young one. Should you complete this mission and locate your home, you will have an important decision to make. Will you stay with the Order, or follow you kin home?”
Darran’s lips curled into a frown as he looked at his friend in disapproval. Was it necessary for him to bring up a question like that? There are so many lingering emotions boiling up in Lyra’s head. Couldn’t he see his question will only make things worse?
He looked back at his Padawan. Vrook’s question certainly surprised her. It seemed as if she hadn’t really thought about it till now. Is this perhaps his friend’s intention? Is he trying to test her loyalty to the Jedi Order?
“So, does this mean you’re in favor of sending Lyra out?” asked Hider.
“I am,” Vrook replied. “But you must promise me, captain, that you’ll keep your end of the bargain. Should you do that, we’ll see to it that you’ll be rewarded.”
“Great. So, when do we leave?”
“Immediately,” said Master Vandar. “Time is short. If you are to rescue the remaining captives, you must leave for Alderaan as soon as possible.”
“Okay, but my ship is gonna have to refuel first before we leave. And I need to restock on supplies too. If I’m going to temporarily house a dozen people on my ship, I need the supplies to take care of them all.”
“We’ll gather the supplies you need, captain. Though it might take some to get the supplies you need. Since we are dealing with herbivores like Padawan Lyra, you need supplies that would suit the needs of an equine.”
Hider lifted his arm and raised his index finger to the elderly master. “I’ll give you guys one hour,” he said. “Don’t mean to pry but considering that we have little time on our hands, we can’t afford any further delays.”
“Persistent, aren’t you?” said Master Vrook, who was unimpressed with Hider’s willingness to follow the mission. “Tell me, captain, are credits really worth all this trouble? If I recall, you gave up your smuggling career so that you can live a peaceful life.”
“Just be glad I chose to stick around, alright. My current career doesn’t pay well, and I’m looking to earn some extra credits. Plus, I can use a little adventure. It’s been a while since I had some… actual fun.”
Vrook rolled his eyes. “As long as you stay true to your promise, I won’t have a problem with you, captain. And as for the rest of you, you’re all free to go. Padawan Lyra, would you kindly escort your companions back to the hangar bay?”
“Wait just a second!”
Everyone’s eyes shifted over to Private Sweetie Drops. The mare had gotten their attention by letting out a loud shout. “I’m not leaving until I have my talk with this council,” she said. “Remember, I was promised to have a chat with these people back at the medical bay.”
“Ah, it seems that we’ve forgotten,” replied Master Vandar. “Padawan Lyra, why don’t you go ahead and take your friends back down while we and Master Darran talk with Private Drops? I understand it’s an odd request, but we wish to speak to her in private.”
Lyra blinked. She didn’t know why the Council would request something like that, but given their position, it would be best not to question it too much. “I guess it can’t be helped. Come on, guys. Let’s go.”
“Padawan wait,” Darran called out as the doors to the Council Chambers opened. “Before you leave, there’s a dojo located just before the hangar bay. Meet me there in ten minutes. I wish to have a mock duel with you.”
“A mock duel? But master, do we really have time for something like that?”
“You heard Hider, Padawan. We have an hour before takeoff, and I say that’s plenty of time.”
His Padawan nodded as she turned and left the Council Chambers with the rest of her companions. Once the door to the chambers slammed shut, Private Drops popped a question.
“Was it really necessary for them to leave?” she asked.
“Please understand that this a matter we wish to discuss with you alone, Private Drops,” explained Master Vandar.
“But why? Shouldn’t Lyra at least hear what I have to say?”
“She will. But given her emotional instability with regards to her home planet, we’ve decided that it’d be best that we have a discussion with you first.”
Private Drops tilted her head. “A discussion about what?”
“It’s about the ship in which you and your crew arrived in,” said Master Kavar. “Recently, we received reports from the Republic Navy about a ship that was confiscated from the Exchange on Ord Mantell. The Lieutenant stationed there proclaimed the ship belonged to you and is currently in the progress of sending it here on Coruscant.”
Private Drops gasped. “They recaptured the Celestial Sun!”
“Is that the name of the ship you arrived in?” asked Master Zash, to which the Private nodded in response. “I see. Can you tell us what’s so special about it?”
“That ship contains coordinates to my home planet!” the Private shouted, getting the attention of every Jedi Master in the room.
“What? Is this true, Private?” asked Master Vrook. Again, Sweetie Drops gave a nod. “I see. So, the coordinates to Padawan Lyra’s home planet is in the Navy’s hands. The question is, do we tell her of this recent discovery?”
“Absolutely not!” argued Master Atris. “We cannot let Padawan Lyra know that the location of her home planet has been found. It’ll only provide another distraction, and she can’t afford that on her current mission.”
“Finally, something that we agree on, Master Atris!” replied Master Darran. His response earned a scoff from the Jedi Master, but he ignored her and instead addressed the Council. “Fellow masters, might I suggest that we hold this information from my Padawan for the time being. As much as I don’t like keeping secrets from her, I think it would be best to keep this undercover until the mission has been successful.”
“I second this,” said Master Vrook. “The last thing we need is for your Padawan to become reckless again. I’m certain if she hears this recent discovery, she’s bound to make the same mistake.”
Master Vandar gave a slight nod. “Very well. To all those in favor of hiding this discovery from Padawan Lyra, please raise your hand.”
All members of the Jedi High Council raised their hands at once, including Vandar himself. It was the one thing that the Council unilaterally agreed on during the whole meeting. And although Darran also agreed to this, he couldn’t help but feel bad. Keeping an important secret from his Padawan wasn’t exactly a moral thing to do, even it was for good intentions.
It was one the reasons why so many of the public distrust Jedi these days.
“Anything else you wish to share, Private Drops?” asked Master Vandar.
The Private shook her head. “Nope. Nothing at all.”
“If that’s the case, then I suggest you head back down to the medical facility. I’m certain Master So has finished performing his medical checkup on your crewmates.”
Darran quickly cut-off the old Jedi Master. “Wait, Master Vandar, there is one last thing I’d like to request before we go.”
“Oh? And what is that Master Darran.”
Darran cleared his throat. Well, here goes nothing. “Masters, I’d like to make a request. On our mission to Alderaan, I’d like to bring the Private with us.” And with that, all eyes fell upon Master Darran, including a shocked Sweetie Drops.