Ladies and Gentlemen, the result of watching Star Wars (again) and then reading fan fiction. I will admit to not knowing a whole lot of details (classes of ships, languages, etc.) so I ask you to bear with me, and forgive me if I mix up some Star Trek knowledge into this by accident.
Originally, this was going to be a parody, but I found the plot a little too serious, so the parody idea went to my idea for Lord of the Rings fan fiction, and I, perhaps foolishly, decided to do a serious OC story in Star Wars. (Yes, there will be a female Jedi Knight, but the only thing that's special about her is, well, actually a plot point later. She is not going to be another 'Chosen One' and the only thing she knows about Anakin and Obi-wan are their names and that they exist.)
This story is set in the Clone Wars, and while there will be characters mentioned from that series, I am writing this through the lens of the Original Trilogy. The Fact George Lucas has multiple choice canons to choose from means I will be using the bits and pieces of canon that I know from research of the EU, but I have only actually watched The Original Trilogy, and Episode I of the prequel Trilogy (Have yet to finish Episode II, due to the badly written romance scenes, and I was recovering from surgery when I watched Episode III, so all I remember is bits of the opening and bits of the end), and a few episodes of Clone Wars and The Clone Wars series.
What you'll not be finding in this fic: OC x Canon Character pairings. I feel it's an over done plot in this fandom. What little romance there is will be mentioning canon pairings and OC x OC pairing. Jedi OCs that appear will not be overpowered, but they will be competent (well, mostly). You'll also not get consistent updates. I have other stories I'm working on, and so sometimes there will be months of my not updating, other times, I'll update within a couple of weeks.
Now, if I owned or wrote for any of the Movies or EU, I would not be writing here.
All is Fair
Prologue
As Obi-wan Kenobi piloted towards Geonosis, where he would be finding Count Dooku and eventually joined by his Padawan and a stubborn Senator, life for the Jedi was still going on as normal. There were missions being undertaken, disputes (for the most part) peaceably settled, Younglings learning, and Padawans wishing their masters would slow down and doing their best to release their frustration into the force.
On one mid-rim planet in particular, a Padawan was wishing they'd gotten a mission that didn't involve heights.
The particulars of the mission were simple, go to the mid-rim planet whose name the Padawan couldn't hope to spell, let alone pronounce without straining her vocal chords, that was a very popular, if out of the way, trading planet, and, officially, make sure that no one started a fight over the renewal of trade contracts.
The unofficial part of their mission had come after they had arrived, in light of some sort of trouble on Coruscant. They had been tasked with ascertaining this planet's allegiance, as there had been claims, from both sides, that the planet was supportive of the other.
"Hurry up, Padawan; we mustn't keep our hosts waiting." A Jedi Knight Squib with grayish-blue fur cheerfully called down to the trailing, height-hating, Padawan. They were heading up a very steep staircase leading up to what could only be called a fortress, and while the Squib was cheerfully rushing up the stairs, his Padawan learner was moving a little slower, in part due to the respirator she had to wear.
"Coming, Master." The Padawan was a human female, just shy of 20. She was average in looks and height, and about the only thing striking about her was her blue eyes, which her Master had gleefully used to his advantage to get the audience they were walking up to now, instead of waiting the two days till their original appointment. Apparently, the shade of blue her eyes were, along with the darker ring that encircled the iris, was the exact same shade (and design) of an amulet that the locals carried to ward against evil. The locals had been fascinated by the appearance of her eyes, and had been a little over-willing to give her anything she asked for at reduced prices, and her Master had found the entire incident hilarious.
The Padawan, however, was not as amused by this as her Master, who had forced her to speak to practically everyone, despite the fact that the respirator she wore (a necessity, due to something in the atmosphere being disagreeable to humans) made her voice sound odd, and the fact the Padawan hated haggling over prices (though she'd actually enjoyed one of the shops, it sold actual books one could write in).
"Now remember Padawan, make eye contact, and don't be afraid to point out when someone is not telling the truth." Jedi Knight Tanizander Rohm, instructed, straightening his tunic as he finally reached the end of the stairs. He was enjoying this mission. He'd found some interesting looking spare parts for their incomplete astromech, got into a good haggle with some salesmen selling semi-precious stones, got his Padawan to actually enjoy shopping for once, and so far, there wasn't much proof of the Separatist movement.
Knight Rohm was rather amused by the possibility of war. Despite being a Jedi, and preferring peace, the way the senate and the rest of the galaxy acted much like the universe was ending due to the mere possibility made him want to laugh. And despite both sides claims to the contrary, it was obvious to him that such a tug of war for allies, and declaration of absolutes, each side was just digging themselves in to the possibility of war.
Then again, much of life amused him, Rohm was a rather cheerful individual, and often threw off most culture's expectations of the Jedi by his jovial personality.
"Master, I know you think my wearing a respirator has suddenly cut off air from my brain, but I thought I wasn't supposed to be using the Force like that." The Padawan retorted, annoyed and slightly out of breath as she finally made it to the landing. "How could you stand that climb?"
"You have long legs; it shouldn't have taken you so long." Rohm noted, before straightening to his rather unimpressive height in mock censure. "And for such disrespect, you will have to polish my rock collection."
"Yes, Master." The Padawan sighed, and tucked her long bangs back behind her ear, before straightening her tunic and adjusting the respirator.
While the fortress looked imposing from the lower perspective of the city, up close it appeared to have been decorated by a toddler hyped on sugar. There were banners of multiple bright shades lining the path to the gate, and the windows appeared to be every color of the same banners.
The Padawan finished looking over the front as they approached the gate, trailing behind her master by a step. The outside was very clean, and no signs that there was any sort of erosion of the stones, or even discoloring from weathering.
"Jedi Knight Tanizander Rohm and Padawan Kiya Ordine." Knight Rohm told the gatekeeper, an alien with large eyes that took up most of its head.
"Enter." The gatekeeper spat, and Padawan Ordine took a moment to realize that the Gatekeeper normally spoke like that.
"I've been here once before, you know." Knight Rohm smiled as they entered the courtyard, where small stalls had been set up and more haggling was in swing. "Got a lovely piece for Master Windu."
"Yes Master." Padawan Ordine sighed. 'So you've told me several times on the way to this planet.' She received what was akin to a gentle swat through their link as he caught that stray thought.
'Patience Padawan, you'll be able to sit down soon. No one ever stands while discussing business here.'
Padawan Ordine nodded, and had to resist the urge to grab onto her master when a salesman popped up with a tray of necklaces.
"Beautiful pieces from Naboo and Alderaan, perfect for you." He informed her with a winning smile.
"They're beautiful, but I'm not interested, thank you." She slipped around him, and was relieved when Knight Rohm led them out of the large courtyard and to a door.
They were promptly greeted by the Guild Master (read: Ruler) of the planet. He was humanoid looking, elderly but with golden tan skin, the only clue he wasn't human was the shape of his nose.
"Welcome to my humble home! Knight Rohm, it has been a long time since you were here last!" The Guild Master beamed. "And you now have a Padawan yourself." Padawan Ordine was suddenly grateful for the way the respirator hid most of her face, as the Guild Master took her hand and kissed it, before holding onto it. "Ah, my secretary did not lie; such beautiful eyes you have my dear!"
"Th-thank you." Padawan Ordine managed. It was only the fact she didn't know how to pull her hand away without accidentally offending him that kept her mostly frozen in place. "You have a lovely home." She added, somewhat lamely.
"Beautiful eyes and a kind mouth, despite being hidden." The Guild Master smiled with more sincerity. "It is a pity you cannot breathe our air my dear, I am sure we are missing a lovely sight."
To that, Padawan Ordine's mind could not come up with a reply. She was saved by her Master speaking.
"That you are, my friend, but I did not come here and bring my Padawan for you to admire I'm afraid."
"Too right you are, and I am a poor host. Come! Let us refresh ourselves!" With a gentle squeeze, he released Padawan Ordine's hand, and turned to Knight Rohm to discuss something about a shop that had gone out of business since the knight had last been to the planet.
Padawan Ordine trailed behind, an uncomfortable sense of foreboding filling her as they walked.
Light years away, Obi-wan Kenobi landed on Geonosis. Soon, he would learn some of the Separatist's plans and be caught sending a message to the Jedi Council via his Padawan, who would, with a stubborn Senator in tow, go to try and rescue him. In a few short hours, the first battle of the Clone Wars would begin.
But on a mid-rim planet, the Separatists had already started a skirmish that was oft left unwritten in history books.
It started while Knight Rohm and his Padawan were eating with the Guild Master. An explosion that rocked the fortress and caused chaos as a small troop of droids attacked, shooting indiscriminately.
Another explosion soon followed, destroying a hallways and separating Master and Padawan as they rushed to help those in danger.
As Padawan Ordine continued to where she hoped to meet up with her master, she was attacked by a cloaked figure with a vibrosword, and was forced to focus on her own survival. As a youngling, Kiya Ordine had been found on the streets of Coruscant at the age of four. The exact memory of the details had blurred over time as to why she was on the streets, but one thing that her discoverer found (as had her clan, much to their minder's annoyance, as well as anyone who the joy of teaching her) was that polite (occasionally shy) she may be, but push her hard enough, and she would fall back on primitive (but effective) tactics to get her opponent to leave her alone.
Unfortunately, whoever the cloaked figure was, he had not taken that into account. Though he knocked Padawan Ordine down, disarming her and sending the lightsaber skidding away across the ground, he had not expected a Jedi to kick him in the shins, hard enough to make him unbalance; and while he was fumbling to regain his balance, he did not expect for her to call her lightsaber back to her hand, and cut off one of his legs before elbowing him in the face and knocking his hood back.
He hit the ground, dimly aware of his vibrosword flying off to the corner, but that awareness was hazy due to pain.
"You! Why are you attacking me?!" Padawan Ordine recognized him as the necklace seller.
He swore at her in a variety of languages, only some of which she recognized. "You Jedi interfere with everything! We will remake the Republic into something better!"
"By killing innocent people?" Padawan Ordine snapped back, and was about to demand more answers, when she heard children screaming. She couldn't linger here, she realized with an odd sense of certainty, even though they would need the answers the man could give. She gave him one last look, before dashing down the hallway, and engaging several droids that had cornered a small group of children, at the same time reaching out to her master for help.
Padawan Ordine followed the instructions her master sent back, getting first the children, then others to safety as she fought to defend them from the droids. Despite being in good shape, she began to falter after a while of fighting and running, taking a few glancing hits. Even reaching out to the Force could not help, and she soon discovered why, racing past a gaudy mirror and catching sight of her reflection.
The man in the cloak's attack had sliced part of her respirator open, letting in air her body could not breathe.
Pushing aside the knowledge, Padawan Ordine found the Guild Master in trouble. She leapt to his defense, but as she did, the third and final explosion rocked the fortress. And while she cut down two of the four droids, she felt her master through the bond, as if he was giving her a gentle pat on the shoulder, and then she felt him disappear.
The shock of losing the bond was similar to the shock of losing an appendage. Padawan Ordine managed to cut down the last two, but that was it. There were people still in trouble, voices crying out in the force for aid, but even though she wanted too, she couldn't move to them.
The last thing she heard was the Guild Master's voice, yelling orders, and then she collapsed.
And that, ladies and gents, was the prologue, a bit official sounding, but that was me messing with a new style, we'll be calling Padawan Ordine by her first name through the rest of the story. Next Chapter: Deployment.
Speaking of Names, most names here are suggested by the Star Wars Name Generator, however, I mixed and mashed the first and last names to form combinations I thought sounded better, and matched naming conventions of some of the alien species. Let me know how I did.
Why couldn't Padawan Ordine stand the atmosphere despite her master being able too? Well, 2 reasons. One because there is no way that every planet in the Star Wars Galaxy is suitable for human life. Two, because of a show I saw on the discovery channel, researchers going into a bat cave with a high concentration of bats had to wear respirators because of the high ammonia levels, which first cause disorientation, then make humans pass out, and possibly die a horrible death of being eaten by flesh eating insects also in the cave. The bats on the other hand, were quite fine with the levels of ammonia. With that little bit of weirdness here on earth, I applied the concept to a planet.
And before there are any complaints: Padawan Ordine, despite her running around helping people, did not save everyone single handedly. This point will be brought up again in the story.
Hmm, anything else . . . oh, yes, Spellings. If you see a word misspelled, particularly a planet's or alien's species name, let me know. My Autocorrect is weird, and will randomly autocorrect words that previously, it left alone.