Star Wars Jedi Lyra: The Search

by currentlemon


Chapter 29

    The Omega shuddered as it dropped out of hyperspace. And inside it’s cockpit, Captain Hider Louhun quickly assumed control. Taking the steering wheel, he steadied his ship until it stopped shaking. When things finally settled down, he looked at the planet in front of him.

Dantooine, one of the many Republic planet territories in the outer rim. A farm planet, but this place held a secret. Somewhere on the planet was a secret Jedi Enclave where inspiring young Jedi go and train. He didn’t know about this place at first. Like many, he figured Dantooine was just some boring outer rim world. He never would’ve guessed a Jedi Academy was located here.

    “Wow, so green.”

    Hider looked to the side. Sitting on the co-captain’s chair was Private Sweetie Drops, and behind her in the passenger’s chair was the former Exchange thug Chessk Fess. According to the Trandoshan, the mare came to him for another training session. It had already been several hours since they left Alderaan. Sweetie couldn’t sleep, so she asked Chessk for additional training exercise. By the time they were done, they wandered into the cockpit mere moments before the Omega dropped out of hyperspace.

    “This place. It looks so empty,” said Sweetie as she gawked at the green planet.

    Hider shrugged. “Yeah, well, what’d you expect. Not every planet in the galaxy is like Coruscant. This place here? It only has one purpose. And that is farming.”

    “Two purposes, human. Lest you forget the Jedi Enclave being located on the planet’s surface,” replied Chessk.

    “Of course I didn’t forget that, big guy,” said Hider as he slumped into the captain’s chair. He then started staring at the planet and thought back to Lyra.

The mare said she spent most of her life here, training under the supervision of Master Darran and many other Jedi Masters. After much thinking, it made perfect sense for the Jedi to train her here. Despite her status, she is still an animal after all. A rare sentient one nonetheless, but Hider couldn’t possibly imagine seeing Lyra live on a city planet. It’d just be too much for the mare to handle.

He chuckled. Never in his lifetime that he’d befriend a Jedi, much less a talking animal. If someone were to tell him months ago that he’d be helping out a newly discovered alien species, he would’ve laughed and called them crazy. But here he is now, soaring above the planet of Dantooine with a bunch of ponies sleeping on his bunk beds.

    What a lifetime turn of events.

    Sitting back upright, Hider grabbed the captain’s wheel and began to pilot his ship toward the planet. Before he could reach the planet’s atmosphere, the cockpit door swung open. Looking back, he found Master Darran standing at the entrance. 

“Oh, it’s you,” Hider said casually. “Did you sleep well, old man?”

“Well enough,” replied the Jedi Master who, after greeting both Sweetie and Chessk, took a seat at the passenger’s chair behind Hider. “Despite all the equines taking up most of the bunk beds, I had a blissful sleep.”

Hider burst out laughing. “Yeah, tell me about it! I can still remember the look on their faces when they saw all those beds! Kriff, some of them were even crying!”

“Can you blame them? They were stuck in cages for days!” shouted Sweetie Drops.

“Well, it’s a good thing the bunk beds I own are top quality then,” Hider boasted. “Some ship captains may neglect parts of their ship in favor of armaments or other things, but not me! I make sure my baby is taken care of!”

Darran folded his arms and sighed. “I sense great pride in you, Hider. Despite earning this ship through dastardly deeds, you treasure it with all your being.”

“Hey, are you trying to lecture me or something, old man. I already told you, I don’t regret the things I’ve done! So quit trying to spoon-feed me some Jedi teachings that I could care less about!”

“Oh? So you dislike our teachings, Hider?” asked the Jedi Master. His question caused the former smuggler to let out a groan as he began to pilot the ship into Dantooine’s atmosphere.

“That isn’t what I meant, old man!” Hider shot back, annoyed over the Jedi Master’s goading. “Look, I’m grateful for what the Jedi have done in keeping the peace even if there are things I dislike about the Order. And trust me, there are a lot of things that I do not like about you guys.”

“Is that so? Well, color me impressed, Mr. Louhun. For you to have a negative outlook on the Order means that you have some knowledge about our teachings and way of life. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, nor is it surprising. You are a reporter after all.”

“Wait, what do you have against the Jedi Order?” asked Sweetie Drops. “They seem like dependable people to me. And why haven’t you said anything about it till now?”

Hider shook his head. “Trust me, Private. Some of the criticism that I have for the Order is legit and reasonable,” he explained. “And to answer your other question, I didn’t want to bring it up because we were traveling with Jedi! The last thing I want is a grand lecture on how the Jedi do no wrong and how noble they are.”

He sighed. “But if you really want to know what my biggest problems with the Jedi are, there is one big bantha fodder that needs to be addressed.”

“Are you referring to Lyra’s relationship with her mother, right?” asked Master Darran, to which Hider nodded his head.

“From what I researched, the Jedi don’t take too kindly when it comes to family or attachments. They’d rather discourage their students from having families or make friends.”

Hider looked at the Jedi Master and noticed he was nodding his head, which was odd. It appeared the old man had no intention to deny the truth. “You are correct on that one, Hider,” Darran replied. “The Jedi separate their younglings from their parents. It is because families exert strong bonds through the Force. Bonds that might negatively affect them.”

“What?”

Hider turned his attention toward Sweetie. She had rudely interrupted him, but he let it slide. The look she gave to Master Darran was worth it. “That’s ridiculous. Why would your Order separate children from their families? Moreover, why would they discourage friendships?” she asked.

“I’m with the little Private here, old man. How is making friends or having family a problem for Jedi? It’s pretty much the social standard in the galaxy,” Hider stated as the ship exited the planet’s atmosphere.

Darran shook his head. “The Force binds all things. The smallest push, the smallest touch can send echoes throughout life. Any Jedi can use the Force to help or aid others, but therein lies the problem.”

“You’re afraid they might abuse their powers in the end?” Chessk asked.

“Correct. The Force isn’t a power that Jedi are capable of using. It is an actual living thing. One that binds all life together in this galaxy. And just like the machines and warships you see today; the it can be abused. Tainted through a Jedi’s selfish desires.”

Hider rolled his eyes. “Call me whatever you like, but I find it hard to believe that the universe is bound to a natural superpower,” he said with a scoff. “You got me interested in those powers of yours though. Seriously, what else can you guys do besides lifting stuff with your mind?”

“Many things actually. But what I’m specifically talking about are the sinister powers of the Force. The Dark Jedi and Sith of old used powers to conjure lightning from their fingertips or strangle the necks of others. Dare I say one might even use the Force to drain the life energies of an individual.”

“Whoa! Take it easy, old man! Now you’re just creeping me out! Dark Jedi? Sith? What are they? And how do you even know about these powers in the first place?”

“A Sith1 or Dark Jedi2 is a Force Sensitive that uses their powers for selfish desires. As for how I know this. Well, it’s because I’ve seen them before. In the Great Sith War three decades ago.” The Jedi Master frowned. “During that time, I saw many of my fellow Jedi fall to the Dark Side. They turned on their own masters and killed them, all while slaughtering any Republic soldier or fellow Jedi that stood in their way.”

“A war where Jedi turned on each other?” said Chessk, sounding surprised. “Why haven’t I heard about this?”

“It is a subject that not many are willing to talk about today. Even the Jedi themselves do not wish to teach the lessons of the Great Sith War3.”

    “Why is that?”

    “Because it was a fallen Jedi who started the war in the first place,” replied Master Darran. His frown grew even wider to which Hider immediately took notice. “I was only a Padawan at the time, but I remember the carnage that occurred. Many innocent lives were lost. All because of one man’s lust for power.”

    Hider curled his lip. “Uh, as much as I’d like to hear more, you still haven’t explained why attachments are so dangerous,” he said, quickly changing the topic. “Do you really think Lyra might turn evil if she remains close with her mom?”

    “There is a possibility, yes,” Master Darran answered bluntly. “While it is not necessarily a bad thing, attachments influence others to do action. It promotes fear, which leads to anger and hate. Sure, it is arguable that a saving you care about is a good thing, but what worries many Jedi is how Force sensitive react and how they might save their loved ones.”

    “So they are afraid that a Jedi might abuse the powers they have and accidentally cause a calamity of some sort?”

    “Precisely.”

    Immediately, Hider rolled his eyes. “Wow. Who knew the Jedi were so paranoid nowadays.”

    “From a certain point of new, you are correct. The Great Sith War has left a scar on the Jedi Order. It left wounds that still bleed today and has made many respectable masters very dogmatic. Adhering to the Jedi Code and the High Council is their top priority.”

    “Which puts our little Jedi in a bad situation,” said Chessk. “When she meets the Council, she’ll have to decide whether she wants to stay with the Order or return home.”

    Darran nodded. “Finding her home was always a personal goal of hers. It has always been on her mind ever since she came into the Order. As a matter of fact, this mission of ours is simply her following her passions.”

    Frustrated, the old Jedi Master rubbed his forehead and let out a disgruntled sigh. He then placed his hands onto his knees and began muttering something Hider had never heard before.

    There is no emotion, there is peace.

    There is no ignorance, there is knowledge.

    There is no passion, there is harmony.

    There is no chaos, there is harmony.

    There is no death, there is the Force.

    “This tenet, this philosophy, describes the Jedi Order at its core. Excitement. Attachments. A Jedi does not crave for these things. We harmonize ourselves to the Force. Surrender ourselves to its will.”

    “But at the cost of your livelihood,” Hider replied.

    “From a certain point of view, perhaps.”

    “A certain point of view. You mentioned that several times already, but I have no clue what it really means.”

    Darran sighed. “Hider listen to me. The perspectives that we form over time all depend from our point of view. The Jedi Order believes that emotions and attachments can lead to the Dark Side. In many ways they are correct. However, there have been some Jedi in the past who've quelled their inner darkness and had successful relationships. Even to the point where they had their own children. But those Jedi are long gone. Forever forgotten in history.”

    “Hold on. There were Jedi in the Order that had relationships? And the Council allowed it?” Hider asked, clearly surprised.

“Indeed, they did. Naomi Sunrider4 is one that immediately comes to mind. But I think I shall save that story for another time,” said Master Darran as he pointed his right index finger at the cockpit window. “We have arrived.”

    Hider followed the Jedi Master’s hand and gasped as he saw a relatively medium-sized building in front of him. It was the Jedi Enclave. The place where Lyra Heartstrings had grown up and trained. “Wow, nice place,” he said out loud. His comment earned a chuckle from Master Darran.

    “Impressed, Hider?” he asked. “This Enclave was built by an ancient Jedi Master several centuries ago. It is a place where many Initiates and Padawans come, should they dislike the temple on Coruscant.”

    “Well, not everyone enjoys the life of a city-planet, that’s for sure. I’d imagine the Order had no objections in sending Lyra here. The place suits her.”

    “Indeed, it does,” replied the Jedi Master as he grabbed a nearby comm-link. “Do not land just yet. I’m going to try to get a hold of the Jedi Council first. Give me a moment while I try and talk to them.”

    Hider gave Master Darran a nod. Letting go of the steering wheel, he waited patiently as the Jedi communicated with the Enclave below them. The talk was long. Perhaps a little bit longer than he’d figured it would be. But eventually, Darran returned the comm-link to its original place and addressed the former Smuggler.

    “I just spoke to Master Zhar,” he said. “He told me that the two equines that we saved have arrived on Dantooine not too long ago, and they’ve been waiting patiently for us to arrive.”

    “Hey, that’s great! We’re finally gonna put our little pony crew back together!” Hider replied, showing genuine happiness for the ponies.

    “I’m not finished, Hider,” Master Darran stated abruptly. “He also told me that the Council wants to immediately speak with us. They… well, they know about Lyra’s mother.”

    Hider winced as his jaw fell agape in shock. “What? How?”

    “One of the two ponies confessed,” explained the Jedi Master. “The mare, Cotton Swirl, accidentally admitted it when she was still on Coruscant. Apparently, she became a bit too talkative to the Council when she was given a history lesson about the city planet.”

    Hider facepalmed “Ah, kriff. I should’ve known that chatty mare would give us trouble. Jeez, I hope she didn’t spill the beans on any more secrets.”

    “It matters not,” replied Master Darran as he stood up and went for the exit. Before he left the cockpit though, he addressed the group one last time. “When we have made landfall, meet me outside the ship immediately. In the meantime, I shall wake the others.”

    “Sir, yes sir,” Hider replied as the door to the cockpit slammed shut. With Master Darran gone, the ship captain turned his attention back to the steering wheel. Slowly pressing the gas pedal with his right foot, he maneuvered the Omega into the Jedi Enclave’s only landing zone.

    While he did this, he noticed that Private Sweetie Drops was oddly quiet. He shot one look at the mare and quickly noticed that her mood had soured greatly. The curiosity and excitement she had earlier was all but gone. “You okay, kid?” Hider asked.

    The mare nodded her head slowly. “Yeah… yeah, I’m okay.”

    “You do not sound okay at all, creamy one,” inquired Chessk. “Did the Jedi Masters words disturb you that much?”

    “I guess,” answered Sweetie Drops who let out a frustrated sigh. “Sweet Celestia, what is wrong with these Jedi? Everything about their philosophy sounds so wrong!”

    Hider shrugged. “You may have a point kid, but don’t worry too much about it. As messed up as the Jedi philosophy may sound, they are the protectors of the galaxy for a reason.”

    “But Lyra is a Jedi is she not? How is she going to explain to everypony that her Order forbids their followers from making friends and prevents children from seeing their own families! By Faust, the Captain will be devastated when she hears this.”

    “I concur,” said Chessk. “It is an unfortunate predicament that our little Jedi has put herself in. But regardless of her status, she is a full-grown adult. She’ll have to come to a decision on her own.”

    “Agreed,” replied Hider. “Remember, it’s Lyra’s choice, not yours. Whatever she chooses, you have to respect it. Even if you disagree with her.”

    Sweetie frowned. “Wow, Hider. You sound as if you are certain Lyra’s gonna choose to stay with the Jedi.

    “Call it a hunch,” Hider said as the Omega made landfall. “Alright, we’re here. Come on, Private. Look sharp and keep your head up. Don’t let Lyra or the Jedi Council see you all gloomy looking.”

    Sweetie solemnly nodded her head. She hoped out of the co-captain’s chair and trotted out of the cockpit. Chessk followed and so too did Hider after turning off the ship’s main engine. As he walked out of the cockpit, he curled his lip. Today was the day he finally got paid; but for some reason, his gut was telling him that something big was about to happen.

    He sighed. Perhaps he’d spent too much time with the Jedi. Their cognitive way of thinking has perhaps grown on him. But still, it didn’t hurt to prepare. Especially when there are Jedi around. The only thing he can do is hope that his adventure would end with his pockets full of credits.