Episode 1
Overconfident Day
"Overconfidence taints confidence, and leads to possible disaster."
Katooni was looking forward to her first mission as a Padawan. She had been assigned to Master Stass Allie for the time being, and they were on a mission on Saleucami, looking for a Separatist base that had been set up in the dry, volcanic mountains, far from the wetlands. Petro was with her, and he was presently under the wing of Master Thongla Jur. Both kids were very proud of being the youngest successful Jedi Initiates in the history of the Jedi Order, as were their alien youngling friends who were elsewhere in the galaxy.
Stass and Thongla, along with their troops, had found a passageway through one inactive volcano, and their clone commander sent five droid seekers down it to search the area. A little while later, three of the seekers returned and reported a Separatist presence down there. Apparently, however, they had been discovered, because two of the seekers did not return.
"It looks like we're going to have to act now instead of planning out a complex strategy," observed Thongla. "The battle droids are probably on to us already."
"I agree," said Stass. The Tholothian woman turned to the Tholothian girl and said, "Katooni, I want you to guard this end of the passageway from anything that might follow us. I will order a detachment of troops stay with you to assist you."
"What? Do I have to, Master Allie?" said Katooni. "If I could handle the challenges of the Crystal Cave, Hondo's pirates, and General Grievous' troops, I'm sure I can help you take out those droids. Let me go with you!"
"What did I just say, young lady?" said Stass firmly. "I know you're a capable Padawan, but this battle will almost certainly be bigger than those battles were. Don't let your confidence become overconfidence. Stay here, and keep a clear head."
"But Master-"
"No buts, Padawan!"
Katooni was disappointed. "Yes, Master."
"And Petro, you stay too, and help her defend this area," said Thongla. "I don't want you getting any ideas either, understood?"
"Yes, Master," said Petro politely, though he, too, seemed disappointed.
And with that, Stass, Thongla, and the bulk of their troops went down the passage.
For a little while, Katooni and Petro guarded the opening in silence.
"This is silly!" said Katooni suddenly. "I can help them anytime. I'm sure I can help win the day down there. I'm going!"
"Katooni," said Petro, "don't do it. You'll get yourself in trouble, or killed. Our Masters give us admonishments for a reason, you know."
"This from the boy who's always eager to get out there and kill General Grievous?" she scoffed. "You still have a ways to go in learning lessons, Petro, but I know I can take care of myself. See you when I get back." She took off down the tunnel.
"Katooni, NO!" yelled Petro.
A clone trooper said, "Shall I contact the Generals and tell them Commander Katooni abandoned her post?"
"Please do," said Petro. "I don't want to interrupt an important battle, but even I think Katooni's safety is more important than victory."
It looked like some of the clones disagreed with him, but the clone who spoke up made the call anyway.
Be safe, Katooni, thought Petro.
Katooni was running down the passage, eager to get to the action before she could miss it. I can do this, she thought to herself. I can do it!
But suddenly, she was ambushed by a squad of battle droids. She ignited her blue lightsaber and cut them down with relative ease, until they stopped coming. Next came three super battle droids, followed by three more. One shot narrowly missed her when she stopped to brush something out of her eye. She tried not to panic and cut them down gradually, too.
But then, the real danger came. Three droidekas rolled down from somewhere whence she had come, activated their personal shields, and opened fire. She sliced at one of the shields with her lightsaber, but it wouldn't cut through. She forgot that lightsabers couldn't penetrate a droideka's shield easily. They closed in on her, and not knowing what else to do, she hunkered behind a rock, hoping to think of an idea on how to fight the destroyer droids.
But they just kept on firing, and try as she might, she couldn't improvise on her original ideas. She also forgot that Master Yoda always said, "Do or do not. There is no try." It seemed the rollies never ran out of juice. Now she was afraid, because she couldn't leave her spot, and the rock was starting to break up, bringing her closer to the laser bolts again. "What was I thinking?" she said to herself. "Help! Somebody help me, please!" She knew it was foolish to scream at a time like this, but she didn't know what else to do. The heat and noise was quite terrific. She huddled further back, crying, and waited for the end.
But the end didn't come, at least not then.
Suddenly, there was the sound of heavy blaster fire. When it passed, she looked up. The droidekas were destroyed. And Masters Allie and Jur were there with their own energy blades lit.
"Oh, thank you, Master Allie!" said Katooni, hugging her, "I knew someone would come for me."
Stass looked more than a little disapproving. "And I should have known that you would disobey orders. But then again, you weren't the type to do that in training. Katooni, you almost got yourself killed! And my having to double back to save you almost jeopardized the entire mission!"
"I know, Master," said Katooni, hanging her head, "I'm so sorry. I guess I was overconfident, after all."
"Well, it's just good that you're safe and sound, little one," said Thongla. "And the mission was a success, for the most part, though a dangerous Separatist commander got away."
"Let's go back up the passage," said Stass, "and see if Petro is all right."
When they got back, Petro and the other troops were doing just fine. Katooni hugged Petro in gratitude after she heard that he had called the Masters to check on her.
"Still doing well as a selfless Jedi student, I see," said Thongla to Petro.
"I suppose so, Master," said Petro. "Katooni, do you feel any better?"
"Yeah, I do, Petro," Katooni said with a smile. "I guess I got carried away with my confidence. I'll never do that again, I swear."
"That's good to hear, young Jedi," complimented Stass.
Katooni smiled back. Indeed, she almost beamed.
"All people must have confidence, including self-confidence. But if you let that confidence become too great, it becomes overconfidence, and it can get you into deep trouble, perhaps even lose your own life. Always know your limits."
