THE JEDI RANGER CHRONICLES
THE CORELLIAN GAMBLE
Since the reformation of the Jedi Council under Master Luke Skywalker, a group of elite Jedi was assembled to conduct missions outside the normal expanse of Jedi operations. Known as the Ranger Corps, they are few in number, never numbering more than fifty at a time. Armed with lightsabers and an array of blasters, they are sent in as search and rescue teams or used for recovery missions to retrieve lost or stolen items. Always up for the challenge, the group has, for last six years, been led by three highly decorated Jedi: Kendor Nishio, Mace Rannick and Zadok Starfire. These are some of the stories from this elite group, and while many of their deeds are kept secret, some have slipped out into public knowledge...
The Whiplash came out of hyperspace on the fringe of Corellian space, settled into orbit just above the planet's atmosphere, and Zadok Starfire looked at his homeworld for the first time in years. But this was no vacation. He was here to do business, and that was all. His old love interest, Carissa Toche, would never know he had come home.
Zadok killed the engines entirely and proceeded to the shuttle parked in the Whiplash's cargo bay. Climbing into the small shuttle, he depressurized the hold, opened the cargo door, and started the engines. The craft zoomed out of the large ship and dove for the surface.
He scanned the agreed-upon landing site, a large grassland area adjacent to a waterfall, somewhere around a thousand kilometers from the nearest city. After the scanners had detected a ship near the waterfall, he veered over to land nearby.
Once the landing struts had touched the ground, he pulled his ponytail tight, pulled on his duster, and exited the ship. The air was hot, but a breeze and spray from the fall cooled Zadok down a bit. He could sense the other man before he stepped off of his own ship. There was always the potential for a fight, considering the fact he was dealing with a
Sith.
You see, Zadok Starfire wasn't your average Jedi Knight by any means. He was also into playing both sides of the field, in a sense. Through a network of sources strewn throughout a number of state systems, he received information useful to both sides... and he was willing to work with the Sith... if the price was right. The Sith stood near his ship, eyeing the Jedi cautiously.
"Do you have the information I require, Jedi?" the Sith called over the roar of the water.
"Do you have my money?" Zadok called back.
The Sith held up a small metal case. Zadok held up a data chip.
He initiated the contact, moving towards the middle of the clearing. The Sith followed suit a moment later.
"Open the case," Zadok said. The Sith did as he was told. A quarter-million credits, cash, lay inside. He took a stack of bills and flipped through it. Satisfied it was all there, he set the money back inside and the Sith closed the case. He slipped his right hand into the carry handle and gripped it tight. Then, he put out his left hand with the chip.
The Sith draw a small reader out of his pocket and Zadok slipped the chip inside. Immediately, a holographic projection of a large turbolaser appeared along with some technical readouts. Satisfied himself, the Sith nodded and closed the projection down. He slipped the reader back into his pocket and the two men parted ways, each treading backwards, eyeing one another until they returned to their ships.
Zadok collapsed in the pilot's seat, a huge grin plastered on his face. Knowing that the Sith were busy constructing a super-weapon, much like the Emperor's Death Star, he had used outdated Imperial blueprints and altered the technical readouts to produce a worthless weapon. But he knew the super-weapon was still years away from completion, and he would have disappeared from their radar by then. He had also used an ever-changing series of names when dealing with anyone outside of the Jedi Order, who, for all he knew, had no knowledge of his... extracurricular activities.
They knew well enough his views on the Galactic Senate, his absolute distaste for the way it was being run, his distrust of the New Empire, who were, for all intents and purposes, allies to the New Republic, and so forth. He had made clear his intentions to never involve himself in political assignments. So he joined the Ranger Corps, a select group of Jedi who took on unconventional missions, as well as espionage and retrieval.
As the two ships made their way towards orbit, Zadok's ship was suddenly bombarded by laser fire from the Sith vessel.
"Oh, what the Force was that?" he yelped as the ship rocked under the violent impact. He felt the ship yaw and pitch wildly as the vertical stabilizer came apart and separated from the ship. He fought to control the disabled craft, turning hard to angle the ship towards civilization.
Smoke billowed from the aft section, and the Sith figured his job was complete. Whether the Jedi survived or not, he wouldn't be able to return to his ship to give chase.
Zadok yanked hard at the controls, working to keep the shuttle level long enough to see signs of life. Once he came across a moisture farm, the ship slammed into the ground. He was thrown forward into the control panel, and as he blacked out, he saw the ground come rushing up at him, as the shuttle flipped on its nose.
The machine came to rest on its back. As the dust settled, a farmer came out of his hovel to see the shuttle smolder, but not catch fire. The old man jumped into his speeder and raced to the downed craft. As he drew near, he could see sparks arcing in and around the cockpit. He also saw the form of a man inside. Thinking fast, he grabbed a nearby rock and broke the cockpit window farthest away from the man. He tossed the rock aside and crawled inside. Sparks showered him as he unstrapped the pilot. The man's body thudded against the steel hull and he dragged the body through the window and to the speeder.
Zadok woke up two days later in a bed with a beautiful woman leaning over him. She was watching him intently with jade-green eyes. He smiled and sat up. Or tried to, anyway. He found his back hurt badly, and he couldn't move much. He groaned and laid back down.
"What happened? Where am I?"
"You injured your back in the crash, Jedi," she said. "You are in my father's home. We are moisture farmers. I am Leesan."
"I'm Zadok. How did you know I was a Jedi?"
"Your light sword was hanging from your belt when Papa brought you in."
"Where is it, now?" He looked down and realized he was only in his undergarments. "And where are my clothes?"
She grinned like a little schoolgirl. And she couldn't have been much older than eighteen. She pointed to the other side of the room. He saw his utility belt, trousers, boots, shirt, and duster sitting on a small couch. His blaster and lightsaber were sitting nearby/
He had to get in touch with Master Skywalker back on Yavin 4. Let him know that he was injured. But he couldn't tell him about the money, much less why he'd come.
"There was a metal case in my ship. Where is it?"
"It is safe. Mama has hidden it."
He looked at her, studied the delicate curves of her face, her slender frame. She was the vision of perfection to him. He reached out his hand, fighting back the intense pain that flooded his body again. He willed the Force to help relieve it.
She put her hand in his hand closed it.
"You are beautiful," he confessed.
She blushed, but whipped her hand away when her father knocked and entered the room.
"I see you're awake, Jedi," the old man said. "I'm glad to see this."
"How long have I been here?" Zadok asked.
"Two days," the man replied. "I asked Leesan to look after you until you recovered. I hope that is okay."
"Yes," Zadok said, smiling at the young woman. "I need to contact my Master on Yavin 4. I need my comlink."
"Of course," the father acknowledged, going to retrieve the belt. He went through the pockets until he found the Jedi's comlink.
He handed the device to Zadok, who switched it on. Suddenly, the image of Luke Skywalker appeared.
"Zadok? Are you okay?" Luke could see the young man lying on his back.
"Master, I was attacked when I reached Corellia," he said. "I crashed my transport as a result. A moisture farmer has been caring for me for the last two days."
A frown formed on Luke's holographic face. "Transmit your location and we'll send a rescue team for you."
"Yes, Master."
The image disappeared, and Zadok looked at the farmer and his daughter. What he was about to do pained him greatly, but he had to do it in order to avoid arousing suspicion.
"You know that case you found in my ship, sir?" The old farmer nodded. "There are a quarter-million credits in it, cash. For taking care of me….. it's yours."
The farmer nearly fainted. His daughter did.
After another three days, Zadok was on his feet and practicing his lightsaber forms. He had contacted Luke again. The transport would be arriving within a week. Operations had stretched the Jedi crews thin, and Luke knew he'd be in good hands, so there was no rush.
But deep inside the capitol city of Coronet, trouble was brewing and it was headed his way. It seems that the Sith Zadok had dealt with had watched the rescue and informed a local group of Jedi headhunters that lived in the city's underground. And that troubled arrived two days later.
As the family was sitting down to supper, an explosion rocked the moisture evaporators outside. Everyone went running down into a basement, and Zadok drew his blaster. His lightsaber stayed on his belt for the time being.
"Give us the Jedi and we end the destruction!" a voice boomed outside.
"Stay here and don't move!" Zadok said to the family. "Do you have any kind of blasters?"
"Uh…. Yes!" the farmer said. He quickly ran to the corner of the room and retrieved a small blaster.
"If they get past me, use it. Be back soon."
He quickly moved to a window in the kitchen that overlooked the evaporators. Smoke rose from two of them, and he could see maybe twenty or so armed headhunters standing around the smoking evaporators.
"Sithspit," he murmured.
"C'mon out, Jedi!" the man at the front of group yelled.
Thinking quickly, he scanned the group for any other explosive devices, and found that at least three of them were armed with thermal detonators. But then he sensed the Sith approaching the group.
He leveled his blaster at one of the thermal detonators. It was against the Jedi Code to kill civilians, but these men were after him, and he had to defend himself. Using the Force, he guided the single blaster bolt into the detonator, and the resulting explosion wiped out almost half the group. The others scattered, many of them badly wounded. Somewhere, behind the home's generator, the Sith waited.
He holstered his blaster and unlatched his lightsaber. Zadok made his way back to the family, and told them what he'd seen and done. The father shook his head sadly.
"What is done, is done," he said. "At least you saved the farm... I hope."
"There is still an enemy out there, lurking on the farm. I've felt his presence. I need to face him."
"Please, be careful," the wife said.
"I will, Priva," Zadok said. "Deva, thank you for your hospitality. I hope I make it back."
"I do, too," the farmer said.
Leesan took the Jedi's hand, leaned in, and kissed him on the cheek.
"For luck," she said.
He smiled, turned, and left the hovel.
Outside, the Sith warrior waited patiently. He was beginning to think the Jedi would never come out. After a few minutes, the Jedi emerged, lightsaber in hand.
"Nice try with those plans, Jedi!" the Sith called out.
:What do you mean?" Zadok replied, playing innocent.
"Those technical readouts are worthless!"
"Bantha spit!" he called back.
"Where's my money, Jedi scum?"
"I don't know! Have you looked for it?"
He smirked a bit. Suddenly, he heard a blaster shot from behind him. The Sith blocked the shot, and deflected it back at the shooter. Zadok looked back to see Deva take the shot in the arm. He reeled back, holding his arm and ducked back inside the hovel.
"Not a very smart thing to do, old man!" the Sith taunted.
Inside the home, Dena was holding his now-useless arm. "That was so stupid!" he cursed to himself.
"Papa!" Leesan cried as she saw her injured father. She ran to his side, and hugged him.
Moving swiftly to his left, Zadok prepared to attack. The Sith began to close in on the circling Jedi, and in a flash, they were on each other, lightsabers clashing with a sizzling crackle. Quickly, gaining the upper hand, Zadok Force-pushed his opponent backwards.
The Sith kicked up a cloud of dust as his feet slid across the dirt. He pushed back, and suddenly, neither warrior was moving, as both were using the Force and were locked together. The Jedi lashed out with his lightsaber, quicker than the Sith could react, and drove the blade through the Sith's chest. The Sith stood impaled by the blade, gasping.
"You lose!" Zadok said, turning the weapon off and kicking the falling body away.
He turned, and headed back inside.
Zadok and Leesan spent the next few days together, and her parents approved. Her father had always been told to trust the Jedi, because they were the protectors of the peace in the galaxy. And, Zadok had proven himself a true warrior in Deva's eyes. He had also proven to be a good healer. Using the med kit on his belt, he had treated the farmer's wound and stopped any infection that might set in.
Her parents even proposed the idea of a union between the two. Sure, it was a spur-of-the-moment, but Deva had come to look at Zadok as a son.
"If my life wasn't devoted to the Jedi Order," he'd told the farmer, "I would agree with you. But my duties lie in the vastness of the galaxy. But if you ever need me, Leesan has my contact information. Perhaps, one day, things will work out. And trust me when I say this, you will always have a piece of me."
He winked at Leesan. He had known right away what had happened the night of the attack. Deva caught the gesture, and smiled. He understood right away. But he didn't feel anger or doubt. He knew his family would be okay, especially with the small fortune the Jedi had given them.
Four days later, a Jedi transport touched down on the surface of Corellia on the outskirts of the moisture farm. From the ramp on the back of the ship, two familiar faces greeted Zadok as he stood beside the family.
"Musta been some party," Mace Rannick commented as he surveyed the damaged evaporators.
"Who's the pretty lady?" Kendor Nishio asked.
They stepped off the ramp and walked towards the foursome. They bowed slightly to the family, and looked at Zadok.
"Nice to see you boys finally made it!" he said, grinning like a fool.
"While you were off having some fun, we were busy getting our butts kicked on Talos 3," Kendor retorted.
The three friends grinned. A gust of wind kicked up and a small dust tornado picked up nearby. The farmer invited the Jedi to share a meal with them. The Jedi accepted, and after a few hours, the three Jedi were on their way back into space. A ship with New Republic markings was waiting for them.
As the Whiplash and the Jedi Corvette Thunder Shadow returned to Yavin 4, Zadok was busy making new arrangements to hand over a bit of stolen Sith technology to the infamous bounty hunter Boba Fett. While Fett was still a wild card in the bounty hunter guild, he was willing to pay a lot of money for what the Jedi had to offer.