//------------------------------// // Only the Force // Story: The Dragon and the Force // by FenrisianBrony //------------------------------// The room was as long as it was wide, stretching on for almost five hundred meters, before abruptly transitioning into a wall, completing the perfect cube that the designers of the room had strove to create at its inception.  Spread throughout the room were hundreds, if not thousands, of small, crib like structures, each one holding a single infant child.  Each one of these children were potential candidates, and would be subjected to small tests by one of the five creatures walking between each one of the cribs. Occasionally, one of the creatures would stop by a crib, turning and facing the child that lay within. Even more rarely, they would pick up the child, holding two fingers against the side of the infants head for a moment, before either replacing it in the crib and moving on, or removing the baby to a cordoned off part of the room, before continuing on their search once more.   Slowly, one of the creatures picked up a small wookie nestled within one of the cribs, and placed his fingers against the child’s temples as he had done with the other potential candidates that day. After a few brief seconds of consideration, he transferred his hands to the waist of the Wookie, cradling the baby in his arms, before walking over to the side of the room, where three more similar creatures awaited, watching over the children that had already been picked out. “A Wookie? Are you sure Marcus?” One of the females asked, looking quizzically at the new arrival. “The force is impartial to species Varnk.” The male identified as Marcus said, placing the tiny wookie down in a small play pen with three other chosen babies. “Master Frout can attest to that.” “Yes, members of my species are rarely force sensitive.” The red skinned male mused. “It’s not that Devaronians aren’t force sensitive.” the final Jedi spoke, his voice ringing out with a mechanical grating sound, and his face hidden by the hood of his cloak, “Males never seem to be able to stay still for more than a few months at a time, and females are almost universally stubborn when it comes to moving from where they have laid their roots.” “As always, your insight is most welcome master Norik.” The Devaronian bowed, before casting his gaze upon the children behind them. “That was the last potential no?” “It was.” Agreed Marcus, sighing as he looked over the room. “By the force. The number we select seems to shrink every time I oversee the proceedings.” “Maybe you’re missing some in your advanced age?” Varnk smiled. “Laugh it up. You’ll get to my age one day.” Marcus shot back. “Are we ready to go?” “I believe so. Norik, Frout, are you ready?” “If this is it.” Frout frowned, picking up a small Twilek and smiling down at it. “It’s really creepy when you smile like that.” Marcus smirked, picking the Wookie back up. “Wait.” Norik commanded, holding up a hand.” I sense something is about to happen.” The three other Jedi looked at each other, before back at Norik. “I can’t sense anything.” Frout said slowly. “No, I can sense it to.” Marcus said, putting his hand to his head as if he was suffering from a headache. No sooner had he uttered the words, then the thing they had sensed arrived. In the centre of the room, a glowing sphere of light appeared, spreading out and encompassing all the cribs around it in its glorious light. In an instant, the Jedi had placed the children back down in the play pen, and had set off towards the light, Norik summoning his Lightsaber hilt from its position on his belt, holding the weapon tightly, but not activating it yet. Slowly, the light began to fade, and the four masters approached its epicentre, their eyes alighting on a small crater that had been formed in the floor, and more importantly, the tiny creature that lay within. “Norik, what do you make of this?” Varnk asked, slowly sinking to one knee and placing her hand palm down over the small green and purple creature. “I’ve never seen anything like it.” The Jedi said, throwing back his hood and revealing his face, and the mass of cybernetics that lay beneath it. “So this is a new species?” Frout asked. “Brilliant. A new species, which may or may not be sentient, and the first thing it sees is a devil and a cyborg.” Marcus laughed. “Don’t forget a sarcastic, narcissistic idiot of a human.” Varnk shot back with a grin. “Touché.” He laughed. “Anything?” “Whatever it is, it’s alive. In seems to be in some sort of coma though.” Varnk said, removing her hand. “You can sense that though, yes?” Norik asked. “You seem to be much more in tune with the living force today.” Frout observed. “What do you sense?” “This creature is a child, perhaps between five to six galactic years in age. That means he is within the more extreme boundary of the age for training.” He explained. “Ok, and?” Marcus prompted. “And surely you can sense the potential that he holds?” Norik continued. Thinking quickly, Marcus placed his hand directly on the creatures head, and closed his eyes, as the small creatures eyes cracked open. ***   Spike slowly cracked his eyes open, groaning in pain as he tried to raise his right arm slightly, and dislodged what felt like small pieces of debris from it. Eventually, his vision began to actually focus, and he looked around, staring at the odd shapes of several bipeds. “Twilight?” He groaned. “Why are there Minotaur’s or Diamond Dogs here?” One of the creatures spoke something in an unintelligible slur, and snapped Spike out of his stupor. His eyes finally came into full focus, locking onto the creature that spoke. Instantly, he was on edge, scrambling about and managing to get out of the crater he found himself in. Edging backwards, he felt himself touch a set of legs, and craned his head back until he was looking directly upwards, and looking straight at another creature, this one sporting bright red skin and a set of horns. “Buh…ah…wha” Spike stammered, freezing up as the creature looked down at him. The red creature opened its mouth, and spewed out more of the unintelligible sounds that the other creature had made.  Spike slowly pushed himself away from the four creatures, backing up until he hit a wall. The four creatures advanced towards him, one of them brandishing a strange tube in its hand. Spike tried to speak again, but found himself unable to make a sound. *** The four Jedi looked at the odd creature as it backed up against the wall, clearly terrified of its new surroundings. “I believe it would be best if we sought to comfort this creature.” Norik said, re-attaching his Lightsaber to his belt. “Well it mumbled something when it first woke, but I couldn’t hear if it was any known language.” Marcus mused. “Perhaps if we could get it to speak again, one of us may have heard the language before. We do know the majority of the galactic languages between us.” Varnk suggested. “That could be possible.” Frout agreed, before turning to spike. “Hello, do you understand me?” He said slowly in normal galactic basic. The small creature didn’t move a muscle, his eyes staying glued onto the four Jedi. “Do you understand us?” Norik asked, slipping easily into the language of Selkath. The result was once again the same, and the Jedi broke into a variety of different languages. “How is this?” perfect Shyriiwook, no response. “This?” Dosh, no response. “Bothese?” Still nothing. “This is ridiculous.” Frout exasperated, slipping into his mother tongue. Spike suddenly focused on the red skinned alien, before opening his mouth to speak. *** Spike watched as the creatures in front of him all made unintelligible sounds, varying from odd mumbles to growls and barking noises. Finally however, the red devil creature spoke. “This is ridiculous.” It said, speaking in near perfect ancient draconian. The dialect was slightly different than the dialect that Spike knew, but it was still similar enough for Spike to understand it. “D-draconian?” He stammered, and instantly, the creatures fell silent as the red skinned one came forward. “You speak Devaronese?” He asked. “Deva-what?” Spike asked, not taking his eyes off the alien. “Devaronese.” The creature repeated. “The language of Devaronians. Now, I am assuming by your grasp of language, you are sentient?” Spike didn’t understand what ‘sentient’ meant, but he simply nodded in confusion. “Very well. What is your name, and the name of your species?” “Spike.” Said nervously. “Dragon.” “Dragon?” The alien asked. “Does your species have any genetic relationships with the Arkanian dragon?” “I…I don’t know.”  “You seem afraid.” The creature asked. “If it makes you feel better, I am a Devaronian. Jedi master Frout at your service.” “Frout?” Spike asked. “Yes. With me is Jedi master Norik, Jedi master Varnk, and Jedi master Marcus, all of whom are humans of different planets. Specifically, Corellia, Coruscant and Alderaan.” “I am assuming you can speak to the creature? The creature identified as Norik asked in the same unintelligible language as before. I can. His name appears to be Spike. Frout replied, turning to Norik. “Spike?” Marcus asked. “And I am guessing he speaks Devaronese?” “He calls it ancient Draconian, but yes. His species is also called ‘Dragon’, but has no known relationship to the Arkanian dragon.” “That is interesting.” Norik mused, before turning to Spike. “Where do you come from?” He asked in slightly disjointed Devaronese. “Equestria.” Spike said slowly. “And the galactic coordinates?” Norik asked. “The what?” “One question, at what technological level is your species?” Frout asked. “Well, we have trains, they’re pretty new.” Spike said. “And what do these trains run on? Magnets, electricity, crystalic fusion?” Frout asked. “Coal.” Spike said simply. “Then I am assuming your species is at a relatively low technological state.” Norik said softly, before turning back to the others. This makes this an official first contact scenario. Norik said. One of the first the republic has had to do for a while. I can sense it though. Marcus said. The potential of this child is significant. But his species has never been discovered or documented by the republic. Surely the senate would be interested in hearing about this development. Varnk asked. The Jedi do not answer to the senate. Norik pointed out. They make requests, but they do not need to be heeded on everything. In this case, I believe that our need for initiates is greater than their need to study a new species in depth. Then we are in agreement that this, Spike, will be taken back to the temple with us? Frout asked. I guess. Varnk said after a moment of contemplation. Very well. Frout said, before bending back down to Spike. “Spike, I would like you to come with us. The order that I am part of is in need of potential initiates, but only a few individuals in the galaxy have the potential to join. As it turns out, you may have that potential.” “But…what about Twilight?” Spike asked, tears suddenly springing to his eyes. “Who is Twilight?” Frout asked. “My, sister.” Spike said, sobbing. “She’s the only family I’ve got.” “Family.” Frout smiled. “As part of the life of the Jedi, you must surrender emotional ties. You will be forbidden to marry, but in doing so, you will serve the Jedi, and the republic, as both emissaries and negotiators.” “But I’ve got to get home.” Spike sniffed. “I am sorry, but I don’t know a planet ruled by dragons.” Frout said with a slight smile. “It’s, not ruled by dragons.” Spike sniffed again. “Equestria is the largest country, and is ruled by ponies.” “Ponies? As in, old Coruscant horse, type ponies?” Norik asked. “I…” Spike began, before Frout helped him out. “I doubt that if he does not even know about hyperspace travel and the republic, that he will know about ancient creatures on a core world.” Frout replied. Very well. Norik said, standing up. We should make our plans to leave. The Selareco is standing by to take us back to the temple. With that, Marcus reached down, and picked Spike up. Initially, Spike struggled, but after finding that he couldn’t escape from the grip of the human, and the fact that if anything, if was comforting, he stopped struggling. As it had before, his mind flitted back to Twilight, and tears once again formed in his eyes. The reality of his situation hit home hard.  His friends didn’t know where he was. He didn’t know where he was. He had no idea how to get home. He was alone. With this thought dominating his mind, he suddenly realised how tired he was, and slowly, slipped into a dreamless sleep.