Protecting Master Vandar

Jedi Consular Nyalo Rulan awoke with the sun. Though groggy, he forced himself to get up and get ready for the day. Nyalo was an average-looking male Rutian Twi'lek in his mid-teens. His blue skin had a healthy complexion. His height was roughly average and he possessed a typical build for a male of his species. His eyes were the same shade of deep rich blue as his skin. After visiting the bathroom, he pulled on a black undershirt. He then proceeded to quickly put on a blue Jedi tunic that was only slightly different in shade than his skin. After his tunic, he hurriedly got into a matching pair of pants. Once his pants were secure, he put on a blue tabard and a blue obi, both of which were the same shade of blue as the rest of his clothes. After sitting back down on his bed, he put on a pair of blue leather boots. Once he was satisfied with the comfort of his boots he put on a black utility belt. Almost ready, he gently slid both of his lekku forward over his shoulders and tied them together just under his throat near their tips. Satisfied that he was ready for the day, he stepped out of his room and proceeded down the hallway towards the dining hall. Once he was almost there he stopped dead in his tracks. For a moment, his head and shoulders slumped. Then he hurried back to his room, opened his footlocker, and pulled out his lightsaber. He silently admonished himself for forgetting it and attached it to his belt. The Masters were always telling him that he needed to have it on him at all times, yet he still more often than not forgot to take it with him, and he didn't want today to be marred by a lecture from Master Vrook. Finally completely ready for the day, he closed his footlocker and hurried back to the dining hall for breakfast.

Once inside the dining hall he got his breakfast and sat at a table near one of the windows. While he ate, he gazed out the window and let his thoughts roam. As he did so, he became aware of an odd feeling in the air, the exact origin of which he couldn't explain. While he didn't understand the reason for the odd feeling, he recognized that it was some sort of tremor in the Force. He was confused and made a mental note to ask Master Vandar about it later on in the day.

Just as he was about to return his attention to his half-eaten breakfast, a hand touched him on the shoulder, which caused him to jump slightly in his chair. Turning his head to see who had touched him, he was met with the sight of fellow Padawan Jegialm Occul.

"Good morning, Nyalo," said Jegialm. "I'm sorry if I startled you."

"Good Morning, Jegialm," replied Nyalo as he settled back down. "Think nothing of it."

Jegialm smiled. "I was wondering something," he said.

"What would that be?" asked Nyalo.

"Belaya and I are meeting up with Beledok Garen after breakfast for lightsaber practice," Jegialm stated. "Would you care to join us?"

"I am grateful for the offer," responded Nyalo. "However, I think I'll pass."

"Are you sure?" asked Jegialm. "We heard Master Zhar say that he thinks you could use more practice with your lightsaber. We'd happily help you out."

"Again I'm grateful," said Nyalo with a weak smile. "But I'm still going to pass. Another time, though."

"As you wish," replied Jegialm. "If you change your mind, we'll be in the training room."

"Thank you, Jegialm," said Nyalo.

"You're welcome," said Jegialm. "May the Force be with you."

"May the Force be with you, Jegialm," replied Nyalo. Jegialm gave him another smile, turned, and started to walk away. As he did, Nyalo became contemplative for a moment. "Jegialm?"

"Yes, Nyalo?" responded Jegialm as he stopped and turned back towards the Twi'lek.

"I was wondering," began Nyalo with a stammer. "That is to say…"

"Is something wrong?" asked Jegialm when Nyalo trailed off.

"Never mind," said Nyalo. "It's nothing. I'm sorry to have bothered."

"You're never a bother, Nyalo," said Jegialm with a reassuring smile. Nyalo smiled in return. Without any further word, Jegialm nodded his head, turned around again, and went over to where Belaya was sitting.

Nyalo ate the rest of his breakfast in silent contemplation, and gained no answers to a swirl of questions. Once he had finish eating, he stood up from his seat, moved over to the refuse bin, disposed of his dishes, and left the dining hall. Confusion and uncertainty filled his mind, and he wanted to calm himself. In something of a haze, he returned to his room.

Once he was back in his room, he took his lightsaber off of his belt and set it down on his footlocker. Then he sat down at the foot of his bed, pulled his legs up underneath his body, and settled in to meditate. After a few minutes, his breathing slowed. As it did, his mind began to clear and open up. It was always like this when he meditated in his room. The rest of the Enclave always seemed a bit too busy when it came to his meditation, and he usually felt as though he didn't properly meditate if he meditated anywhere but his room. After a few more minutes, Nyalo discovered that he could sense that odd feeling in the air again. It was stronger than before, and very close. With a shake of his head, he ended his meditation and opened his eyes. Something was wrong, he could feel it in the Force. I have to find Master Vandar, he thought to himself and stood up. After picking his lightsaber back up and reattaching it to his belt, he quickly headed out of his room to find Master Vandar.

He moved at almost a run as he made his way through the halls towards Master Vandar's room. However, just before he got there, the Enclave was rocked by laser fire. Vandar came out of his room a few moments later and spotted him. "What is happening, Nyalo?" he asked the Twi'lek.

"I think we are under attack, Master," replied Nyalo. "We should get you to safety."

"Quickly," said Vandar. "To the West Corridor hangar bay."

"Right away, Master," said Nyalo and quickly the two of them headed off towards the hangar bay. "Will we lose the Enclave, Master Vandar?

"I fear we will, young Padawan," replied Vandar. Though his voice was calm, the subtlest of sorrow was present and Nyalo could hear it.

"Master?" said Nyalo.

"Yes, Nyalo?" replied Vandar. "What is troubling you?"

"No trouble, Master," said Nyalo quickly. "I just wanted to let you know that I will see no harm come to you, even if it means my life."

"Very noble of you, Nyalo," said Vandar with a wry smile. "Though I hope it remains unnecessary."

Nyalo remained silent and just smiled at his master. He hadn't the courage to tell him that he hoped that it was unnecessary as well.

Vandar understood the silence. "Let the Force guide you in all things and you cannot go astray," he said to ease the Twi'lek's fears.

Nyalo nodded his head and followed his diminutive master. The rest of the walk down the corridor was spent in uncomfortable silence. Though only a few hundred yards, it seemed to Nyalo to be never-ending.

When they got to the hangar bay, they saw that part of the ceiling had collapsed on top of the shuttle. "This will delay our departure, Master," said Nyalo.

"Indeed," replied Vandar. A few more Padawans and Apprentices came running in from South Corridor.

"Instructions, Master?" one of the Padawans asked.

"Yes," said Vandar. "We must get the shuttle ready to take off. Those of you who can, clear off the shuttle. I will board with Nyalo and we will begin preflight checks."

"Yes, Master," replied all of the assembled Apprentices and Padawans, Nyalo included.

"We must be swift," added Vandar. "I want three Padawans to keep watch on the three entrances and inform the rest of us should anyone else approach."

Three Padawans quickly volunteered and took up the watch whilst everyone else tried to get the shuttle ready. Vandar quickly got into the pilot's seat and checked the instruments while Nyalo rushed about, checking other systems. "Master, the collapse of the ceiling has damaged our navigation instruments," said the Twi'lek. "Our forward deflector shields are only minimally functional, rear deflector systems are out, and our main gun turret is inoperable. If we didn't need to evacuate immediately, I would recommend that we not take off."

"We do not have that option," replied Vandar. "Do we still have hyperdrive?"

"Yes," said Nyalo. "But with the navigation system damaged, jumping to hyperspace is not recommended."

"I know that," said Vandar, almost angrily. Realizing that he had gotten curt without need, he closed his eyes and tried to regain his composure. "My apologies, Nyalo. I should not have spoken to you in the manner that I did."

"Please, Master," said Nyalo. "There is no need for apologies. I would have reacted the same way in your stead."

"It is still unwarranted," said Vandar, continuing to verbally chastise himself. "Especially from a Master such as I."

"I wish I had your control," said the Twi'lek.

"You will, someday," said Vandar as if concluding some lesson. "Come, we must work on the navigation system."

Nyalo smiled weakly and set about the task of helping Vandar fix the navigation system. A few minutes later, Nyalo looked over to Vandar and was about to ask him a question when he noticed the strangest sight. Padawan Tilack Zuvvar was outside the hangar bay entrance hanging by a rappelling rope and looking directly at the both of them. All Nyalo could do for several moments was stare at him in total surprise. Finally, when his wits returned to him, he tapped Vandar on the shoulder. Without noticing Tilack, Vandar looked over at Nyalo only to find the Padawan still with a confused look of shock on his face. Becoming slightly confused himself, Vandar turned his head cautiously when Nyalo raised his arm and pointed at something outside the shuttle. Vandar's look of surprise became even more evident when he too saw Tilack, who was now smiling at the both of them. Tilack said nothing, but merely made a gesture to signal that he was headed for the roof of the Enclave. Vandar simply nodded his head in understanding and watched with Nyalo as Tilack disappeared back up the rope.

"Master," said Nyalo finally when Tilack was gone. "That was rather strange."

"Yes, Nyalo," agreed Vandar. "That was indeed strange. Come, we must return to our work."

The sounds of battle were getting closer to the hangar bay and many of the systems still needed work that could not be completed without major attention. Nyalo looked out the window and saw several Padawans and Apprentices running in through the West Corridor entrance. The last Padawan stopped to talk to the West Corridor guard. Nyalo could see the guard hang his head. "Master," he said to Vandar. "There looks to be news, I'm going to see what it is."

"Very well," said Vandar. "But don't be too long."

"I won't, Master," said Nyalo before going.

He made haste to the ramp of the shuttle and quickly descended it, but before he could get to the other Padawans to find out what was going on, laser fire from Sith blasters filled the room. Two Padawans were instantly cut down and Nyalo took a hit in the shoulder. The force of the blast spun him to the ground and, in the haze that filled his mind, he was only vaguely aware of the battle that had begun at the West Corridor entrance. Many of the Sith troopers who had entered the hangar bay were easily beaten back. Seeing their progress halted, they then began to seek other ways inside. The Padawans wasted no time in locking the blast doors to the South and North Corridors and disabling their controls panels with their lightsabers so that they wouldn't be able to be reopened by the Sith. However, when they tried to close the West Corridor blast door, it wouldn't budge. A Padawan hurriedly looked at the status section of the control panel and then turned his head towards the others, visibly shaken.

"It's jammed," he said.

"What shall we do?" asked another Padawan.

"We have to get that blast door closed," answered Nyalo, having finally regained his footing. "Otherwise the Sith will overwhelm us in here."

The Padawans all nodded their heads and silently set about the various tasks that still needed to be completed. Nyalo checked his wound briefly then headed back towards the shuttle and Master Vandar. Before he could get to the ramp, he felt a disturbance in the Force. He turned around to witness three Dark Jedi coming down the West Corridor towards the hangar bay. Their lightsabers were drawn and activated and they looked ready for a confrontation. The Padawans who were guarding the entranceway activated their lightsabers and stood their ground, awaiting the fight that was about to begin. Nyalo himself drew his lightsaber and waited guard by the ramp of the shuttle. Most of the Padawans ganged-up on one of the Dark Jedi and kept him at bay while the other two Dark Jedi engaged single opponents. Nyalo couldn't move and just stood there as one of the Dark Jedi struck down the Padawan he was facing and moved forward to confront Nyalo. Nyalo's lightsaber actived and a vibrant green shoto blade erupted forth. Cautiously, he stepped away from the ramp to face the Dark Jedi. Looking beyond the Dark Jedi, he noticed Sith troopers gathering and waiting to come down the corridor to swarm the hangar. Looking to one side, he noticed that a few other Padawans were feverishly working on the control panel to the West Corridor blast door to no avail. The Dark Jedi suddenly forcefully made Nyalo take notice of him and the two of them began a feverish, if almost clumsy, duel. Nyalo was indeed not very well practiced with his lightsaber and was doing little more than wildly swinging it about to keep the Dark Jedi at bay. Sadly, the Dark Jedi quickly figured this out, retracted one of the blades in his long saberstaff, and used the Force to yank Nyalo towards him. Nyalo had no time to react and the Dark Jedi had his hand around the Twi'lek's throat before he knew it. "Pathetic," said the Dark Jedi as he looked straight into Nyalo's eyes. Then he ran his lightsaber blade through Nyalo's chest and used a Force Push to hurl him back and towards the entrance to the West Corridor. With a cruel smile he turned his attention to the lowered ramp. "Simply pathetic."

Nyalo felt a searing burn coming from his chest as he lay on the floor of the hangar bay. It was a pain like nothing he had ever experienced before. Looking to one side he saw the Padawans who were working on the panel abandon it to help fend off the other Dark Jedi, both of whom were still very much alive. "Get the blast door closed," he said in an inaudible gasp. He had tried to shout but his wound had caused his words to come out as a whisper. The Dark Jedi who had run him through was calmly walking up the ramp and calling out Vandar. Then Nyalo heard the echoes of blaster fire from down the corridor and realized that the Sith troopers had begun to fire into the hangar bay to aid the Dark Jedi. A couple of the Padawans broke off from the Dark Jedi to do something, anything, about the troopers. None of them were any longer trying to get the blast door closed. Grasping the plight of the situation, Nyalo made an attempt to get up, but his legs would not move. The Dark Jedi who had wounded him had reached the top of the ramp and was about to move out of sight. Silently, Nyalo closed his eyes, reached out with the Force, grabbed the Dark Jedi who was calling out for Vandar, and yanked him down the ramp. The Dark Jedi was far from amused.

"Not dead yet?" he taunted the injured Twi'lek as he once again activated his lightsaber after his tumble down the ramp. "We'll have to remedy that."

Then both of them heard it. The engines of the shuttle fired to life. "Hurry!" ordered one of the other Padawans over the intercom. "Get aboard the shuttle! We must leave!"

"That shuttle's not going anywhere," sneered the Dark Jedi as he turned his back on the Twi'lek and headed back towards the shuttle.

"NO!" Nyalo managed to shout as he used the Force to pull the Dark Jedi back again as, at the same time, he used the Force to push himself up to a standing position. The two of them collided and collapsed to the ground in a heap. The Dark Jedi rolled with Nyalo until he was on top and then began strangling the almost helpless Padawan. In a desperate move, Nyalo reached out with the Force for his fallen lightsaber. It leapt into his hand and he managed to put the tip of it to the throat of the Dark Jedi just a split second before it once again activated. The Dark Jedi looked genuinely surprised and let out a low gurgle before collapsing dead on top of him. Nyalo let out a sigh of relief, deactivated his lightsaber, and dropped it off to his side. He then looked at the open entrance to the West Corridor. The other two Dark Jedi were dead and most of the Padawans were retreating back towards the shuttle, though a few were still trying to hold back the tide of Sith troopers that were now almost freely approaching the hangar bay.

Nyalo rolled the dead Dark Jedi off of him and remained on his back, staring at the ceiling. A few Padawans, some wounded and some not, boarded the shuttle. "Just a minute," he said breathlessly. "I just need a minute to rest."

To be continued…