A massive ship cut through the vacuum of outer space. The clamor within the ships hold created a din throughout the steel walls, echoing into the blank whiteness of the prison.
Wookies of all breeds and sizes were issuing desperate animalistic growls. Some were rattling the bars of the cage, while others simply waited for whatever fate had in store for them here.
A gang of reptile like Trandoshans patrolled the cages mocking the Wookiee captives. One carrying an old electro staff shocked a particularly aggressive male and brought him to his knees. The other Wookie's moaning calls only intensified at this brutal treatment as the convulsing male slowly slid to the floor to the sound of the Trandoshans harsh laughter.
A portly Imperial officer accompanied by a squad of Stormtroopers burst in. With a growl the Warden drew his pistol and fired off several shots in the air. In the resulting silence broken only by pained grunts of the rebel he bellowed. "Shut up! The next one of you miserable animals who so much as growls will be shot! And you, Bounty Hunters, your services are no longer required. Leave. Immediately."
The Trandoshan with the electro staff stood up with a sharp hiss only to cower as his leader fixed him with an icy glare. The eight hunters slowly sauntered out past the puffing Warden and his guards.
The Warden glared after them with disgust as he holstered his weapon. "Damn bounty hunters. Sargent, keep this… cargo quiet."
The squad of troopers stiffened to attention and as one barked. "Yessir."
The portly Imperial walked back to his station, before collapsing into his padded chair with a content sigh. He sipped exotic coffee from a small mug, a snide look on his face. "I can't wait until these savages are out of here…" He wiped his sweaty face with a cloth before pulling his hat over his face, and tried to get some precious sleep.
Further down the corridor from the prison, a storage room sat calm its contents seemingly unaffected by the zooming space around it. Behind one of the boxes, a small grey skinned human boy laid sleeping, dwarfed in comparison to the myriad of cargo around him. He was clad in scruffy looking but simple tunic and boots, adorned by a tool belt around his waist. He twitched restlessly in his sleep.
The boy's dreams were that of darkness, a crushing suffocating darkness always at his heels. A glowing red blade of pure malevolent energy lit up his mind. He could only run desperate to escape…
A crash and the sounds of sirens abruptly roused him from his sleep. The boy blearily struggled to his feet hands raised in a rough approximation of a boxers stance. When it became clear he was not yet discovered the boy approached the room's door warily.
Outside he heard the sounds of a pitched battle. The all to familiar clatter of storm trooper armour on steel mixed together with the furious roars of Wookiees and the ever-present sound of blaster fire. The stowaway swallowed visibly. This had not been what he'd been hoping for.
"Oh no, this is bad…" He whispered to himself.
Shakily he poked his head outside the door, curious as to what the noise was.
In the glass overlooking the main prison, a squad of Wookiees could be seen in combat with the Stormtroopers patrolling the ship. The Wookiees expertly gunned down the disorganized Stormtroopers with their signature energy bows while others worked to free their imprisoned brethren. The freed prisoners promptly joined the fray grabbing their imprisoners bodily.
Despite his innate caution the drifter glided over to the window to get a closer look.
The Wookiees were very clearly winning, if only in sheer numbers. For every cell they unlocked a fresh batch of Wookiees emerged seemingly hell bent on proving the myth a Wookiee could beat you to death with your own arms.
"Wow…" The boy's eyes widened in surprise as he took in the one sided conflict.
A deep and commanding voice suddenly boomed from behind the young man, nearly making him jump in fright.
"Who are you, and what are you doing on this ship?"
The stowaway turned nervously hands raised. The portly man stood at least 2 feet taller than him, dressed in an officer's outfit with a pair of shackles hanging from his belt. He gave the boy a menacing look as he gripped his pistol. "Well?!"
The boy looked up towards the officer, sweating profusely. "Well… ahahaha… I'm… just a drifter, I guess?"
"Lies. Rebel scum no doubt. Come here you gutter rat."
The Warden began the motion of apprehending the stowaway who backpedaled frantically. Tripping he feel to the ground as the Warden loomed above him. Suddenly a pink blur came from behind the Imperial and violently jumped on his shoulders knocking him to the ground.
It was a young girl in the nude, clearly having the physique and demeanor of a child. She grabbed the officer's head and beat his face savagely into the floor methodically. Only when he was rendered unconscious did she stand back up, shooting the boy an oblivious smile of pure innocence. Her brown hair was ratty and messy, looking almost as feral as the Wookiees following behind her.
Reeling from the rapid chain of events, the boy rose to his feet to address the girl, blushing uncontrollably.
"W-who are you?"
The girl responded in a childlike, yet spirited voice. "I am Kara of the Nyydrial Clan."
She sized him up, circling him with a look of abject curiosity.
"Are you a human like I am?"
The boy nodded. "Yes, I suppose I am. Aside from a… few differences." The drifter glances meaningfully at her body.
Kara put her hands on the boy's face, almost in awe at his sheer existence turning his face one way then another.
The boy shied away-embarrassed blush intensifying. "What are you doing…?"
"You're actually real. Wow…" Kara breathed eyes shining with happiness.
The boy raised his right eyebrow questioningly.
"I haven't seen anyone like me in six years…" She continued tone containing a hint of melancholy.
He gave her a blank stare. "I assume you haven't, um… worn anything in that span of time either?"
"Umm, no, why?" Kara tilted her head at him.
"Well, it's making me feel really awkward." He stated gently moving her hands from his face.
"Why do you feel that way?"
The boy averts his eyes to the ceiling his eyes, clearly flustered. "Because I've never seen a nude girl before! It's making me really uncomfortable, you not having any clothes."
She shrugged, as if oblivious to his embarrassment.
He shook his head. "C-could you just take me to the nearest spaceport? This day turned out way weirder than I expected it to be."
Kara nodded enthusiastically. "My clan should be just about done taking control of the bridge. We'll set a course for home really soon!"
"Okay, good. I've been told that Wookiees are natural-born pilots. Hopefully this'll work out." He said with a nervous smile following Kara and her Wookiee escort to the bridge.
After several jumps through light speed the ship docked in a hidden base deep in the wilds of Kashyyyk. Kara left the operation of the ship to the Wookiee rebels, enthusiastically dragging the boy along by his arm outside into the open. The drifter for his part still desperately trying to preserve her modesty with a prevalent blush had no choice but to follow.
Once among the brush of the woods, she stopped and held her hands behind her back shyly. "Um… I don't think I ever got your name."
The boy smiled slightly gazing into her sparkling blue eyes. "My name is… Cal."
Kara's face lit up like a hoload. "Nice to meet you!" Without warning, the young girl tackled Cal to the ground in a tight hug.
Cal blushed even harder at her touch, before fainting from the sudden shock of the last few hours.
Kara's brow furrows as her new friend's body relaxes. "Uh, Cal?" She inquires knocking on his head. "This isn't normal for humans… is it?"
A large grey furred Wookiee passing by the duo shrugged.
Cal awoke an hour later, to the sight of Kara waiting patiently for him, attended by a few Wookie warriors.
"Oh, you're awake?" The girl beamed questioningly.
Cal nodded as he sits up with a groan. "Yes."
"Yay!" Kara hugs him once again, relieved.
Cal shakes his head, badly flustered. Kara lets go, and looks at him, face to face.
"Would you like to stay with my family and me? You seemed… no felt pretty lost when I found you on that ship."
Cal opens his mouth to refuse. He had to get to his destination to do… what. The young man breathes in the fresh humid air of the planet. He looks at Kara eagerly bouncing on her heels for his answer. A strange feeling of peace overcomes him. He shrugs and smiles at her. "Why not?"
"Yaaaaaaay!" She hugs him again, Cal visibly rolling his eyes at the déjà vu.
Behind Kara appeared a pair of battered reptilian-looking rogues toting light blasters came into view growling angrily.
Cal jumped up out of Kara's grip, and she looked behind her at the new assailants.
The bigger of the two snarls loudly at the gathered Wookiees "For the glory of the immortal Scorekeeper, you die!"
She panicked. "Trandoshans!" Before the hunters could grab her, the big grey Wookiee snatched Kara up as he ran for cover. The other Wookiees a mix of refugees and unarmed warriors did the same leaving the clothed human behind.
"No, no, no! I wanna help Cal!" She reached out for him, struggling in the Wookiee's grip.
Cal struggled to find his feet as he raised his hands. "I really hope I remember how to do this." He muttered as the Trandoshans fired.
Kara screamed as the bolts flew towards the only living human she'd seen for years only to stop her wails as something incredible happened.
The boy deflected the blaster bolts with his hands. He grimaced each time as he tried his best to deflect the shots, but he only managed to divert their trajectory.
Cal reached into his belt, and removed a cylindrical device.
The hunters knew exactly what it was.
Kara's eyes widened as the audible buzzing sound accompanied a lancing blue light protruding from its pommel.
Cal held his lightsaber in a defensive position, looking upwards at the hunters, daring them to advance.
The group wasted no time in firing their blasters at the young boy.
Many of the blaster bolts grazed his clothing, setting it alight. His face pained Cal sunk to his knees as the Trandoshans reloaded.
Kara slipped from the grey Wookiee's grasp and came dashing from the other direction with a wooden spear, and impaled one of the hunters, using him as a footstool to jump onto the other hunter's shoulders. She wrenched the blaster out of his hands, and jumped off of him with almost supernatural flip. The attacker had not more than a second to acknowledge his comrade's fate, before he was fried by a blaster shot from his own gun.
Cal was screaming, the plasma fires burning his cloak slowly. He blacked out, and fell to the forest floor.
He awoke some time later in a spacious wood hut. Kara was watching over him with worry. The young man groaned as he sat up feeling a variety of aches across his body. A sudden breeze across his skin eased the pain somewhat, but left him with a sinking feeling.
He looked down to find that he was completely naked.
"W-what?!" Cal's voice rose an octave or two as he took in his state of dress or lack there of.
The worried voice or Kara snapped him out of his shock.
"Are you okay?! You've been out for three days!" The girl said reaching out a hand towards him.
Cal rose unsteadily from the bed and did his best to hide himself from the concerned looking girl. "Aside from being naked, and a few burns, I seem to be fine… Where did my clothes go?" He asked with a sense of dread.
She sighed with relief before a guilty grin. "They may or may not have burned to ashes… mostly."
Cal only responded by sinking back into the bed weakly. "Mostly?" He asked tone dry.
Kara lay down next to him and smiled disarmingly. "I may have had to use what was left for emergency bandages before we could get you here. On the sunny side that belt of yours survived!"
Cal sighed rubbing his eyes before stiffening as he felt her side brush up against his own. He blushed, looking at her. "How long did you want me to stay here?"
"You're the first human I've seen in six years remember?"
Cal's expression turns blank. "I'm guessing for a long time, then."
Kara's heart melting grin encompassed her face. "You can stay as long as you want!"
After an hours rest the two exited the hut into the village proper. All around Cal Wookiees of all ages and sizes went about their day happy and free. Cal saw one big Wookiees with bandages across his chest happily swing a Wookiee child close to Kara's side around and around
Cal looked back up towards the sky, eyes heavy, for the first time feeling the sensation of the wind and the sun splayed across his body, calming him. His tense stance relaxed. "At least this place feels a little homely."
Kara twirled around next to him. "It's been my home for most of my life."
Cal nodded before tiredly lying down on the warm earth. As Kara continued to babble about village life the exhausted boy slipped into sleep.
Kara smiled, seeing Cal safe and resting, and plunked down beside him. The girl wrapped both of her arms and legs around him before falling asleep along with him.
Cal was once again alone in the darkness. All around him it closed in. He shrunk from it observing that he was now unclothed. A cruel whispery voice seemed to echo around him taunting him for his failures.
Two figures lit by a red glow became clear to him. One was undoubtedly a woman standing in an aggressive stance clad in all black. Beside her a much taller unmistakable presence loomed: Vader. His cape billowed in some unholy wind that whipped coldly by Cal's sides, so unlike the refreshing breeze of Kashyyyk.
The two figures ignited red blades and menacingly began to approach him. With a shout Cal turned as if to run once more away from the cloying entangling darkness. He was thrown on his ass by a bell like peal. The force of the noise ruptured the darkness dispelling it around the naked boy. The two figures angrily started running forward the accusing voices rising to a howl.
"BEGONE!" A mighty voice commanded sending out a shockwave that dispelled
the darkness entirely in a blast of light. Cal closed his eyes and threw himself to the ground.
When he dared open his eyes a much different vista greeted him. Instead of blackness the forests of Kashyyyk he'd so shortly known instead surrounded him. Cal breathed a deep sigh of relief only to stiffen as deep echoing voice spoke behind him.
"There is much fear in your heart, boy. Why is that?"
Cal spun to behold a being unlike any other he'd ever seen in all his travels. The being towered over him like a monolith radiating raw power. It's back was covered in rock like appendages that were being overgrown with lush forest vegetation. It's face was monkey like it's piercing grey eyes peering at him from beneath a craggy brow.
"W-who, who are you?" Cal stuttered in awe.
The being made a noise akin to rocks grinding together and shook it's head.
"Answer my question young drifter. Why do you bring such fear to my planet?"
Cal sank to a sitting position hugging his knees to his chest. "It… it is my past. It is what I left behind… and what I fear may be in my future." The being ponderously moved closer to Cal grey eyes studying to boy closely.
"I do not dispel such darkness lightly, boy, surely there must be something else. Let me see…" He intently studied the boy for several moments before smiling slowly. "Oh! Oh yes, I see now. Fascinating, such potential and that bond…" The creature started to laugh in a deep and hearty manner.
Cal scowled up at the chuckling being and yelled. "What do you mean? What potential? What bond? I've got… nobody."
The creature's mirth expended itself as he looked crucially. "Not anymore young drifter. Tell me, what is your name?"
"Cal," Cal responded, "Cal Pyso."
"Well then Cal Pyso the 'nobody' I would very much like to meet you and your little friend. Yes indeed I would."
The being started to fade away before Cal's eyes. "Wait! How do I reach you?! Who are you?!"
"She will know, Cal Pyso, she will know!" The last thing to fade was the twinkling eye of the creature as Cal fell into a dreamless sleep.
The next morning, Kara woke up still cuddled next to Cal. It had been one hectic night for the both of them. Cal gets up to do his business behind some bushes and when he got back Kara was standing right in front of him. "Morning." Greets Kara uncaring of the startled effect she'd had on him.
"Still getting used to the surprises." Said Cal going to sip up nonexistent pants after using the bathroom. As he looked into the girl's eyes a switch went off in his head.
"I think I had a… vision last night Kara. A pretty crazy one."
The diminutive girl gasped dramatically. "Omigosh. You have visions to?! What was it of?"
Shocked Cal ran a hand through his hair. "It was of this… being, he wanted me to come find him he said you would no the way."
Kara went very still for a moment as she closed her eyes tipping her face to the sun. After a moment's deliberation she pointed past Cal into the jungle. "There's this voice calling me… it's coming from there."
"Deep voice?" Cal asked.
He received a solemn nod in return. "Very. Do you want to go find it?"
A war raged in Cal. Years of survival training, of keeping his down of running away urged him to go in the exact opposite direction, A coal of determination fostered by the crazy girl in front of him refused to let him. Cal clenched his fists and nodded.
"Let's go." The two quietly re-entered the village Cal collecting his singed tool belt and Kara a well-polished hardwood spear.
Later, the two went off deep into the jungle and after hours of walking arrive at a waterfall. "Oh boy, when the others find out that I snuck off without their permission again, I'm gonna get it!" Giggled Kara.
Cal, face smug, promised, "Then, I'll take responsibility, I'll say it's my fault."
"It's alright, I can take care of myself!" Declared Kara striking a heroic pose on a nearby tree trunk. The two shared a laugh before exploring the waterfall and noticing a cave behind it. With barely a though the two dove in and swam in together.
They saw all kinds of colorful fish and other animals such as aquatic marsupials, turtles and frogs, as well as beautiful aquatic plants. Kara displayed better swimming skills than Cal, gliding through the water almost like a fish would. Cal thought to himself "Kara really was raised by Wookiees."
After a while, Kara suddenly vanished causing Cal to experience a sudden sense of dread. Little did he know that Kara had chose to sneak up behind him.
"BOO!" shouted Kara in a bubbly underwater voice.
"AHHH! What the Hell!?" Shouted Cal splashing awkwardly away. Kara just giggled.
"Jeez, don't scare me like that!" Fumed Cal as he treaded water.
"Aw come on, you should have seen the look on your face!" said Kara. "That was so priceless!"
"Anyway, I see something up ahead." Muttered Cal.
"I see it too" said Kara. They swam over towards a statue like rock formation covered in vegetation. The two shook the water off themselves as they reached shore. As they did the mighty stature revealed itself to be the being from Cal's vision. The two young ones gazed in awe at the venerable creature towered above them.
"I see you have both accepted my invitation Cal Pyso and Kara of the Nyydrial Clan." Rumbled the being.
"W-what are you?" said Kara.
"I'm the Bendu, the one in the middle of the force." The Bendu replied.
"The Force?" replied Kara.
"Yes, between Ashla and the Bogan, Light and Dark." the Bendu stated.
"I-I don't understand?" replied Kara dejectedly.
"In time young warrior you might." said the Bendu.
Kara stepped in closer toward the Bendu gazing up in wonder.
"You probably are wondering, why I've summoned you two here?" The Bendu guessed.
"Y-Yes?" said Kara. "There has been great and terrible misery in the Galaxy since the Clone Wars," Growled the Bendu. "The ones that called themselves the Empire have been ravaging the galaxy and Kashyyyk had experienced significant misery."
"Yes. They came and took my people away to be slaves." replied Kara with fire in her voice.
"I've been waiting for two heroes that I saw in one of my visions." Intoned the Bendu mysteriously. Kara looked at Cal questioningly. " I believe that the two of you are the heroes that I'm looking for." He finished gazing at them thoughtfully.
"But, I'm just a kid!" said Kara in total disarray.
"A kid who kicks Stormtrooper ass with a stick." The previously silent Cal observed wryly.
"So was another child that I had fond memories of." The Bendu reminisced. "Much like you two, he was special."
"Who was that kid?" Inquired Kara.
"Anakin Skywalker."
Kara looked puzzled.
"I've seen great potential in the both of you, Cal and Kara." Added Bendu as he stroked his mossy beard.
"I don't understand. These visions I had. Of crystals, revolution what are they? Questioned Kara plaintively.
"Those visions are of the Force." Answered Bendu.
"The Force?" replied Kara cocking her head.
"It's how I deflected those laser bolts," Cal interjected rubbing his still sore hands. "Well mostly."
"Indeed. The force is everywhere young one, in the water, in the rocks and the trees," The Bendu gestured to each as he spoke. "Just concentrate and you will hear them clearly."
Kara once more crewed her eyes shut and lifted her face to the meager light glittering in from a hole in the cave.
"What is it telling you now?" Inquired the Bendu.
"It- it says... the galaxy will need this planet... but first, this planet will need Me." said Kara dreamily.
"It will indeed". Said the Bendu. "Now are you two ready to begin?"
"I- I don't know..." said Kara.
"Why should we?" Cal asked crossing his arms. The Bendu turned to regard him.
"Ah yes the troubled drifter, how could I forget. Tell me what is it that troubles you?"
"We're… we're just kids! Naked kids! How can we possibly change anything?"
Bendu smiled. "You would be surprised Cal Pyso what strength can be found in your nudity. That connection to the Living Force you've so desperately hid all these years will only be strengthened by it. If you wish to continue running however, be my guest. That pain and fear in your heart will only continue to fester if you do."
"Why can't you stop the Empire?" Cal challenged looking the Bendu in his wise old eyes.
"It is not our way. Unlike most of my brethren I believe in a little push here, a little nudge there to help maintain the balance. Direct action however… no I can only train you two in the ways of the Force so when your time comes, you will be ready."
Cal and Kara stood together in deep thought for a moment.
"I don't have a weapon." Cal muttered fingering his tool pouch.
The Bendu merely opened his hand. A glowing blue crystal floated from it. Kara watched wide eyed as it came to rest in front of Cal. Cal hesitantly reached out and took it. The moment it touched him a fierce smile broke across his face. From his tool pouch a collection of junk emerged forming itself into a cylinder with the crystal at its heart.
Cal ignited his new lightsaber and experimentally waved it. With a fierce grin he nodded at Kara before squaring his shoulder to the Bendu.
"I'm ready!" Declared Cal. "I'm sick of moving from place to place, of living in fear of losing those I love. I want to stand up against the Empire."
"If I can stop them from hunting my family, then so am I!" said Kara brandishing her spear.
The Bendu nodded as he considered the unlikely duo. "Very well. Let us begin."