Author's Reponses at the end.


Chapter Two: The Beltrunner

"So this is the son of Kale Naberrie?" Lando Calrissian said with a long, appraising look. "I see a certain resemblance. Can you throw around star destroyers yet?"

Jor ground his teeth. It was a question he heard all too often. "I can't say I've tried," he said.

From behind Jor, Jedi Knight Kyp Durron laughed a little too loudly and slapped Jor playfully on the back. Jor did not move; Kyp pretended not to notice and Lando just shrugged.

"Well, if you've come to learn how to fly, Lando's Folly is the best place to do it," Calrissian said. "The shield and repulsor technology here is more advanced than anything either the Empire or the New Republic has. Once you're in one of our modified TIE Interceptors, you're as safe as in a simulator but with the advantage of experiencing real flight."

"I've been training my entire squadron on it," Kyp added. He nodded proudly to his apprentice, Miko Reglia. In the day since Kale arrived on a Jedi transport shuttle, the apprentice had not said three words to him. It seemed the shame of a Jedi coming on a shuttle was almost too much for Reglio to bear.

"So, you want to give it a try?" Lando asked.

"I'm here to learn," Jor said.


The Wookiee roared something. Beside him, a hovering semi-sentient translator droid said, "Hello. My name is Lowbacca of Kashyyk."

Karia looked up from her meal, and then looked up some more at the towering Wookiee and smiled. Lowbacca was impossible to miss. Not only was he the tallest Jedi apprentice, he was also the only Wookiee. She held out a hand and watched as it disappeared into a furry grip. "Karia Naberrie."

"Honored to meet you," the droid translated. "May I join you?"

Karia sighed with relief. It had been a week. Her mom left to run an errand for Master Solo, and in all that time Karia had eaten alone at mealtime. "I would be honored," Karia said.

Lowbacca shuffled into a sitting position and started shoveling foot into his maw. Karia had never met a Wookiee, but she knew several Gungans and was used to non-human table manners. She ate as well.

When every spec of food was removed from his tray, Lowbacca let out an air-shattering belch to show his appreciation for the meal, and grinned a toothy grin. "You are the cub of Kale Naberrie."

"I am."

"The Wookies give much honor to Clan Naberrie. As much as to Clan Solo. It is good for you to be here."

Karia wished she could agree, but it did not really feel good. The other apprentices stared at her without welcome, and she found herself more lonely than at any other time in her lonely life. "Thank you," she said simply.

"Have you learned much?"

Even in her studies, Karia did not feel very comfortable. Her parents were both trained Jedi, and so she grew up using Jedi meditation and other Force skills. She was here for her formal education in the Force, but so far she had attended only a few classes on history and mathematics. Master Leia had not had time to give her any in depth training.

"I suppose I haven't gotten started yet," Karia said.

Lowbacca nodded. "Master Solo is very busy. She has not taken an apprentice in five years. Perhaps Master Katarn can be of assistance while Jor is away."

Karia grinned. That was the most brilliant idea she had ever heard. After the meal, Karia made her way up through the central tower to the administrative offices where Leia did most of her work. She dared a brief glimpse through the walls to make sure her aunt was there, and then asked Leia's secretary for a meeting.

The door opened immediately. "Karia!" Leia said kindly. She looked tired, but otherwise happy. "Come in! I'm sorry I haven't had time to start your formal training yet." She led the way back into her office as she spoke, and settled behind a large slate desk covered in two terminals and a pile of datapads and flimsies.

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about," Karia said. "I know you're really busy right now, and I'm also very honored you accepted me as an apprentice. I'm wondering though, if just for the first few days, if Master Katarn could help you with some of my lessons while Jor is gone."

Karia waited pensively, watching her aunt's face. She was at once relieved, and a little disappointed, at her Aunt's expression. "Is that something you would mind, learning from another master?" Leia said neutrally.

"I want to learn, Master, but I don't want to be an inconvenience. I know you took me out of friendship with my Mother. We both love you very much. But I also know that you are fighting to restore this order to what it should be, and I think that's more important. I don't care who I learn from if I know that the Order remains in good hands."

Leia smiled with obvious relief. "You're as brilliant as your mother, Karia. I won't lie to you—I would not be able to give you the time you deserve. As the nominal head of the Order, the senate's attention falls to me, and it has been a trial lately. But I think I have another master who could handle your training very well." She looked down and made a scribble with a light pen on her terminal. "Go to the number five training salle on the fourth floor and wait."

Karia nodded and stood. She was surprised when Leia also stood and walked around the desk to give her a tight hug. "I know this isn't what you thought it would be," she said. "I promise, though, that this place will make you a better Jedi."

"I know, Aunt Leia," Karia said as she returned the hug. She stepped back and was surprised to see that she was already taller than the Jedi master. "Don't worry about me."

She went to the proscribed training room and waited for a few minutes. As she waited, she let her eyes wonder around the room until she came across a wall with several training sabers on it. She took one and lit the purposefully dulled blade.

She had almost no warning at all when a man yelled from behind and swooped down on her with a flashing silver lightsaber. She just managed to spin away when the man attacked again. She raised the training saber in the way her mother taught her and caught the first few blows before the silver blade twirled hers down and thrust at her stomach.

She felt a mild tingle from the training blade.

"I can see your mother's training," the man said, suddenly calm. He deactivated his lightsaber and hooked it to his belt. "You actually handled yourself well for a new apprentice."

Karia gulped, and then de-activated the blade. "Are you supposed to be my new master?"

The man was only an inch or two taller than Karia, with a large head of hair pulled back in a knot at the back of his skull, and a tightly trimmed beard. He looked familiar, like someone whose face she had seen.

Then it struck her. "Master Horn?" she asked.

"I am indeed," the famous Jedi Master said. Unlike Masters Katarn and Solo, Jedi Master Corran Horn never attempted to lead the Jedi Order. In fact, he rejected Jedi training on at least one occasion to continue flying with the famous Rogue Squadron under General Antilles. It was from Jor's Rogue Squadron collector chips that she recognized his face. "Leia asked that I take over your training." He snorted. "Or start it."

"She's very busy."

"She's a politician at heart, Force bless her soul," Corran said. "She's exactly what the Order needs, and I say more power to her. So, given who your parents are, I'm assuming you have some basic training already. What I want to do today is plot out just how much training that is. Once I know where you've been, we'll figure out together where you're going."

Karia knew immediately that her Aunt Leia made a good choice.


Kyp Durron shook his head as he watched Jor Naberrie bounce across the asteroid field. Beside him, Lando Calrissian chuckled. "I never believed Han's stories about what a bad pilot Kale was. Now I'm beginning to believe him."

Bouncing was an accurate term for Jor's progress. He did not avoid asteroids, he bounced off them, straining even the powerful repulsor fields of the BeltRunner. Any time he gained any forward momentum, he clipped a rock and immediately spun into another.

"He's obviously powerful in the Force," Kyp said. "I can feel him shielding, and even then he glows with it. So I don't understand how anyone attuned to the Force could fly so badly."

Miko walked up to join his master. "It's like he's purposely not using all his abilities," the apprentice said.

Lando went, "Hmm," under his breath. Kyp said nothing, but realized his apprentice had hit the wamprat dead on. "Pull him back in."

Jor was frowning a storm when he climbed out of the modified TIE Intruder back on the BeltRunner facility. Some of the other pilots who liked to practice, mainly smugglers or private-sector pilots, were discussing the young Jedi's score with wide smiles.

Kyp met him in the hangar. "Come with me," he said without preamble.

When the two reached the simulator room, Kyp sat his young charge down in a TIE simulator chamber and walked around until he stood in front of the projector. "Okay, Jor. I'm beginning to understand what's wrong. When you're flying, what are you doing?"

It was an odd question. "Controlling the ship," he guessed.

"Exactly. You're controlling the ship. Now, what's controlling you?"

"Nothing. I'm handling the controls."

"Jor, do you know why the Jedi are considered such fine pilots?"

"Their flashy uniforms?"

Kyp couldn't help but to look down at the dark crimson uniform he had drawn up for his squadron. "No," he said quickly. "It's because of the Force. When a Jedi flies, we allow the Force to control us. To guide us. You have to let go of your control and become one with the Force."

Jor opened his mouth, and then shut it just as quickly. How could he explain to one of the strongest of the new Jedi that for him, it took effort to grasp the Force? The Force did not come to him; he had to pull on it to use his Force powers.

"I'll try," Jor said.

"There is no try," Kyp said. "Either you'll do it, or you won't. Now, start the sim."

The chamber sealed and the immersive simulation began. Jor closed his eyes and let go of all control, and then was promptly vaporized. He did it again, this time reaching out for the tendrils of the Force. He felt the power there, but again, there was no guidance. He died.

"Jor, let go of your conscious self," Kyp said.

Vaporization number four. Then five.

Jor sighed. "This is ridiculous," he whispered to himself.

The ships came on, and Jor stared at them angrily. The Force was giving him no warning, and no matter how he grabbed at it, it remained simply a field to expand his power. His power. He had so very much of it, and yet always he held himself back for the benefit of those around him. He did not want his light to shine too brightly, for fear of blinding those around him. It was a lesson his father had imparted in him from his earliest days.

But enough was enough. Jor sank into himself, alright, but not using the Force. Rather, he focused on his own innate abilities. He felt the fighters outside slow down. He saw laser cannon blasts streaking slowly through space toward him, and with speed not even a Jedi could match jigged the controls of the simulator to dance his ship away from the threat.

He fired, and the enemies were gone.

"That's it!" Kyp said. The Jedi Master was oblivious to the fact that Jor had not used the Force. "That's exactly what I've been waiting for. I told them I could make a pilot out of you. Now, let's do it a few more times before we try the Belt Run again!"

By the end of the first week, Jor's scores had climbed up the board in the main hangar to within a few spaces of Kyp's pilots. He still fell far short of Durron or Reglio, but was no longer considered an embarrassment. Kyp proudly proclaimed himself to be the man who taught a Naberrie how to fly.

Jor kept his mouth shut as best he could when the other of Kyp's dozen-and-two Avengers laughed. He knew it was meant to be humorous, but it felt patronizing. Still, whether because of the Force or Kryptonian reflexes, Jor could not deny the dramatic improvement in his flying skill under Durron's tutelage.

After that week, Kyp announced it was time to fly for real. "You're coming with us," the Jedi Knight announced. "Welcome to the Avengers!"


Author's Responses and Notes:

I know this was a short chapter. The problem of writing within the NJO timeline is...well, the NJO. I wrote this story inspite of the canon NJO, not because of it. However, like the canon stories it will take a couple of chapters to get started. It's my hope that once things get moving, everyone will enjoy more.

I was really pleased with the number of reviews. Thank you all for reading. Regarding specific question:

The Vong will be coming sooner rather than later. However, unlike the NJO I'm not going to spend too much time on the Vong perspective because, quite frankly, I never cared about them as characters. One of the many weaknesses of the NJO, I supposed. So thank you again for reading. I hope I'm able to maintain the quality of writing you've come to expect!