Star Wars: The Padawan Years
Book 2: Pirate's Trap
Jade's POV
"Hey, Nexus, check this out!" I called to my friend and fellow Padawan, Nexus Vor-Cal. Nexus walked over to the HoloNet I was accessing. "Whatcha got, Jade?" He asked. I opened the arrival document I found. "Looks like we have a lock on Mishaar Vor. He recently landed on a planet...with a prisoner in tow. Better go tell Orco." I said. Orco Nogon was a Twi'lek we met on a mission. His sister had been kidnapped by Nexus's uncle, the bounty hunter Mishaar Vor. We had been sent by our Masters to rescue her. Nexus started out to Orco's cabin, but he stopped and turned to me. "What planet did he land on?" He asked. "Mandalore." I said.
"Mandalore? My home planet? What are the odds of that?" Nexus chuckled as he walked out of the Map Room. A few minutes later, Orco walked in, Nexus behind him. "So, he's hiding on Mandalore, the coward. No offense, Nexus." Orco said. "None taken, Orco. Mishaar was a real bounty hunter poodoo! Anyway, if he's hiding on Mandalore, I'm pretty sure I know where he is. The family home, where I was born. It's the only memory of Mandalore I have. I have to go alone. He may have been a rotten bounty hunter, but he wasn't a bad uncle." Nexus said, clipping his father's lightsaber to his belt.
A few hours later, we flew above the main citadel of Mandalore. As the landing platform lowered and Nexus prepared to free fall, I put my hand on his shoulder. "Be careful, Mandalore. This place isn't exactly friendly to Jedi." I said. "No worries." Nexus said, winking. Then, he was gone. "May the Force be with you, Nexus. I lost my family to Mandalorians. I'm not losing you as well." I said.
Nexus's POV
Man, I loved free falling. The wind rushing through your hair, the feeling in your stomach, and the thrill. I loved it all. As the ground came closer, I used the Force to slow down my fall and land safely. I checked my surroundings. I had landed in an alley, close to my neighborhood. I donned on my hood to hide my Padawan braid. Then, quiet as a phantom, I slipped through the crowds to the house where I was born.
I couldn't feel the Force warning me of any danger so I proceeded. I opened the door. Nothing happened. So far, so good. I walked in and out of the house, exploring my memories. My parent's room, where Mom or Dad would bring me when I needed a special cuddle. My room, where I slept and Forced Jumped out of my crib once. As I touched the wall, the Force warned me, telling me to jump. As I did, the floor gave way to a pit of krayt dragons. God, I hate those things. I landed safely. But I was confused. Had Mishaar booby trapped the house so I couldn't complete my mission? Before I could further investigate, someone whacked me upside the head with a blunt object and I blacked out.
Jade's POV
Nexus had been gone for longer than he said he'd be. I was worried. "You know, you can't hide it from me, Jade." Orco said, smiling at me from his sleeping couch. "Hide what, Orco?" I asked. "You LIKE Nexus, don't ya?" Orco fixed his mischievous gaze on me. "No. We're just...acquaintances." I said. Orco smiled. "Whatever, Jade. You may be able to hide it from me, but can you hide it from Nexus?" He said. He got me. Could I really hide it? Could I really hide the fact that... I loved Nexus Vor-Cal? I pushed the thought from my mind. Attachment was forbidden for Jedi. Even so, my friend Nexus was in trouble. And I was gonna find him. I owed him anyway.
I clipped my lightsaber to my belt and looked back at Orco. "You coming with?" I asked. Orco smiled as he pulled out the blaster he filched from a smuggler last week. "I thought you'd never ask." He said. We put on long cloaks to hide our identities and set off. I used the Force to pinpoint where Nexus had gone. I followed the Force trail until I found a simple looking house. We entered the house, keeping our eyes ahead and our minds sharp. We entered a small room, probably a child's room. Orco nudged me. "Jade, look." He said, pointing to the ground. I looked and saw a familiar looking lightsaber. "Whoever took our friend left this as a message." I said, picking up the lightsaber.
I used the Force to locate Nexus by extracting fingerprint DNA from the lightsaber and telepathically locating the person who had last touched it. I found out that a Super Battle Droid had snuck up on Nexus, knocked him unconscious with it's arm, then carried him off to an abandoned droid factory. I clipped Nexus's lightsaber to my belt, alongside my own, and made my way to the abandoned droid factory to save my friend, Orco close behind me.
Nexus' POV
I woke up chained to a wall, my head feeling like it had been stepped on my a herd of Gundarks. "Ugh...where am I?" I asked, feeling dazed, confused, and angry that I couldn't sense the attack. "Why, Nexus, m'boy, you're in an abandoned droid factory." A voice said. My uncle came into the light. His black hair was close cropped, his blue eyes shone evilly, and he wore Mandalorian Deathwatch armor.
"What do you want with me, Mishaar?" I demanded. Mishaar smiled. "Bait, Nexus. When your friends get here, I will kill that upstart Orco Nogon, then kill your girlfriend. Then I will sell you and Orco's sister into slavery. I've already got three bids for a Twi'Lek slave girl. Imagine what I'd get for a Jedi Slave." He cackled. I spat on the ground. "My father was right about you, Mishaar. You're nothing but a lying, thieving bounty hunter sleemo!" I yelled.
"You'd better watch your language, lad. It could get you in trouble." He said. Suddenly, I felt a surge in the Force. Jade was close. "No, Jade, don't worry about me! It's a trap!" I sent her the message through the Force. Suddenly, a hole appeared in the ceiling. Jade and Orco dropped down. Jade ran to me, cut the chains off, then handed me my lightsaber. "Next time, try not to lose this, Nexus. This weapon is your life." She said. "Yeah, yeah, now let's capture my uncle and get out of here." I said, activating my lightsaber, the orange blade shining in the darkness. Jade activated her lightsaber, its blade a calming teal.
Mishaar smiled as he took a Darksaber from his belt and activated its shadowy blade. I looked around. "What happened to Orco?" I asked. Jade raised her lightsaber. "Worry about that later, Nexus. We have a Bounty Hunter to apprehend." She said. She was right. We charged towards my uncle. He parried our attacks and we blocked his. "So, you studied saber techniques, eh, Uncle?" I retorted. Mishaar smiled. "Your dad saw to that, boy. He thought I should learn to protect myself. Mandalore's a nasty place. I never liked your father, Nexus. That's why I rigged his speeder to crash into your mother's!" He said. Anger rose inside of me. "You...WHAT?!" I yelled, speeding up my parries and thrusts. I was so angry that I didn't notice Mishaar's leg until it had swept mine. Then, he slashed my chest.
Jade's POV
I screamed as Mishaar cleaved through Nexus's chest. But Nexus didn't go down. He just smiled. "Nice try, Uncle. But Fate has her favorites." He said, getting up. It was then I noticed he had armor under his tunic. Mandalorian armor. Mishaar was shocked. "You had Mandalorian armor under your tunic this whole time?" He asked. Seizing the opportunity, I swung my lightsaber upward, destroying the Darksaber and leaving Mishaar at our mercy. Orco came out from behind a broom closet, a female Twi'Lek behind him. "Found your sister, I take it?" I asked. "Yup. Got the prisoner in tow?" Orco asked. "Yup. C'mon everyone. Let's go home." Nexus said.
When we got back to the Jedi Council Master Ferr and Master Eerin were well pleased. "Not only did you help a young boy find his sister, you apprehended a bounty hunter. Very nice job, my Padawan." Master Ferr said. I nodded. "Thank you, Master." I said.
Master Eerin and Nexus were talking about Mishaar. "How are you doing, Nexus?" She asked. Nexus looked up at her. "Fine, Master. Mishaar Vor was just another bounty hunter." He said. I knew he was hiding something. So did Master Eerin. But that would have to wait for another day. Because when your aJedi in a lawless galaxy, your work is never done.
FIN
Coming up: Book 3: Mission to Kashyyk
Jade couldn't believe it. Master Ferr was dead, killed by Asajj Ventress and Nexus was in a bacta tank with critical injuries. The Jedi code was all about balance and sacrifice. "What haven't I sacrificed already?" Jade wanted to scream. Jade swore that Ventress would pay for what she did. Jade would find her and make sure she never bothered anyone again. No matter what it took.