It started with an H

"Please don't kill me!"

"We're-"

"I swear I'm not a Jedi!"

"Look, we're just-"

"I beg of you. Please just spare me. I have a reason why I have the lightsaber!"

"ENOUGH!" Merida cried in frustration. The man stilled, lower lip trembling as he quivered in fear. Merida looked at the man, the man blubbering and begging for his life. Could he really be the Jedi?

"We're not gonna hurt you," Merida said as softly as she could.

The man released a sigh. "Oh thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you," he said. He crawled forward as he bent down to kiss her toes. Merida leapt back in disgust. Ok, now she was sure this man wasn't the Jedi. What Jedi was debase himself like this? It was pathetic.

Rapunzel brushed past her. She looked at the man. Could he be the Jedi? Why was this lightsaber here? "You don't have to be afraid," she said to gain his attention. He looked to her. She opened her cloak, revealing her two lightsabers at her belt, hers and the Sith's. He looked at them with wide eyes. Mouth falling open in shock.

"So, how do you happen to have a lightsaber?" Eugene asked. The man cleared his throat, before standing up and brushing himself off. He invited them into his home, they took a seat on his furniture as he got them some refreshments. They watched him. He nearly tripped over himself on the way to the kitchen. Their hope that he could be the Jedi was dropping by the second.

After he served them some water he sat down opposite from them. They sipped at their drinks, eyeing him as they waited for him to speak.

"So. You wanna know how I happen to have a lightsaber?" he asked. They all nodded. He fidgeted with his hands. "Well its a simple explanation really. A man did stop by a few years ago. He brought me his cruiser. I fixed it up for him. But he had nothing to pay me with. So he gave me that," he said pointing to the lightsaber in Rapunzel's hand. "I thought, 'Oh, I can probably sell this for some good money'. And then it occurred to me...the moment I pulled that thing out I'd probably be killed for suspicion of being a Jedi. So, thats it," he finished with a shrug.

"So this man was a Jedi?" Merida asked.

"I assume. Or maybe he found the lightsaber. Didn't really occur to ask him."

Everyone exchanged a glance. Disappointment began to well up within them.

"Do you have any idea where he was heading?"

He shook his head. "Nope. Sorry."

Merida and Eugene released a sigh. But Rapunzel kept looking at him. "So can I keep this then?" she asked. The man looked to her.

"Sure."

The next few minutes consisted of the group apologizing for looking through the man's stuff. He accepted. He introduced himself. Calling himself Bork. They asked about the Jedi's name. He said he couldn't remember exactly, but it started with an H. That unfortunately did not give them much to go on. They left, spirits dropping. The sun was beginning to set and they decided to ask around tomorrow. The Jedi had stayed for a few days. So maybe someone had more clues on his whereabouts.

Eugene and Merida talked strategy while Rapunzel trailed behind. Merida and Eugene were sure Bork wasn't the Jedi. But she was not so convinced. It was brief. Maybe only half a second. Probably less. But she could have sworn she saw Bork's fingers twitch and shoulders tense when she asked if she could keep the lightsaber. Any Jedi would be reluctant to give up their lightsaber. The symbol of their status.

But why hadn't he revealed himself when she showed him her lightsaber? Something just didn't feel right. She had to investigate. When the group got back they told Jack about their discovery. He sighed and shrugged saying all they could do was try to look around some more.

The next day Merida and Eugene went to the cantina to ask around about the Jedi. Meanwhile Rapunzel said she would do her own searching. She went back to Bork's shop. Eyeing him from atop a building as he tinkered in his garage. Whistling away as he rewired a speeder.

She couldn't shake that strange feeling. There was something about him. Like his name. It didn't seem fitting for him. She'd heard that name. It was like the name of a planet she'd once heard of. Bark or Berk? Something like that. Her instincts would just not let it go. Her master had always told her to trust her instincts.

"OW!" Bork suddenly yelled. She looked closely as the hatch to the speeder's engine closed on his finger. He cursed and screamed as he yanked it out, blowing on it. He reeled back in pain, tripping over a tool box in the process. He fell backwards, banging his head against a shelf.

"SON OF A-"

Then again...maybe her instincts were off.

Inside the bar, Eugene and Rapunzel sat on bar stools. There was a band playing. Smoke filled the air. People talked, playing card games, making deals and talking about speeder races, making shady deals, and placing bets. They spoke with the bartender, who was humanoid in appearance.

"Ah, this is some good stuff barkeep. Another glass please," Eugene said with a wide smile. The bartender laughed, topping off his glass.

"There ya are. You tell me if you want to keep them coming."

"Will do," Eugene said with a hearty salute.

"Interesting crowd of people you got here," Merida said nonchalantly.

"Yeah, we're a pretty popular rest stop. Not to mention a tourist attraction. We get all kinds of species passing through," the bartender replied.

Merida hummed thoughtfully. "You probably seen loads of different people. Any Jedi?" she asked.

The bartender chuckled and shook his head. "Ha, a Jedi. There may have been one a few years ago. After the purge and whatnot. It would make sense to pass through here for a rest. But not that I know of," the man said with a shrug.

Eugene and Merida exchanged a glance. Their search going nowhere. The bartender walked away to serve another patron. Leaving Merida and Eugene to their thoughts. If they asked around too much people would get suspicious, possibly alerting the Empire to their whereabouts. They sat in silence as sipped at their drinks.

"There is a Jedi here," came a whisper. They both turned to their left, and sitting next to Merida was a man. He drank some alcohol before setting his glass down.

"How about another? Then I'll tell you what I know ay?" he said with a cheeky smile as he waved his glass around. Rolling their eyes they bought him another drink. They watched as he chugged it down.

"AHHH. That hits the spot," the man said wiping his mouth on his sleeve. He turned to them both, grinning a grin with missing teeth and dark gums. Merida and Eugene suppressed their revulsion as they awaited him to explain.

He spoke of an incident two years ago. He and some friends were looking through a junkyard for speeder parts. They'd been careless, accidentally made a junk pile collapse. The man had gotten his leg trapped under some scrap. The pile was going to collapse on him. He thought that was the end.

"So I'm saying my goodbyes. My life is flashing before my eyes. And then the junk pile just stops," he revealed. Eugene an Merida cocked a brow. "Oh yeah, just freezes. All that junk just floating for a split second as my friends pull me away. None of them saw it because they were too busy looking at me. But I did."

"And how are you so sure this was a Jedi?" Merida asked.

"Been around the galaxy a few times. Met quite the few Jedi in my time. I can tell when one is using their powers."

"Then who was it?"

The man leaned in, shifting his eyes around. Merida and Eugene leaned in to hear him. "Its Wilo," the man said as he pointed across the room. Merida and Eugene followed his gaze until they saw he was pointing to a Gran. The humanoid alien had three eyes and a goat like head and face as he spoke with some other patrons. For whatever reason, Merida and Eugene found that very hard to believe.

They sighed, thanked the man for his time, and left. But as they did, they were being watched. Two humans, large bodied with red hair, identical faces, except one sported an eye patch followed them, noticing the fiery red peeking out from Merida's hood. They exchanged a glance, smiling darkly to each other.

A resistance leader would fetch a high price to the Empire.

"You want me to what?"

"Rob him."

"You want me to rob a guy?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"I think he's the Jedi."

"And robbing him will prove this how?"

"He'll be forced to defend himself."

Jack gave Rapunzel an uncertain look. Apparently she believed the mechanic they'd spoken to yesterday was the Jedi. Though from Merida's description, Jack wasn't so sure.

"You sure Punz? You sure you're not just seeing what you want to see?"

Rapunzel looked down and rubbed her arm. She wasn't 100 % sure. But her instincts were telling her there was more to Bork than he was showing them.

"I don't know," she admitted. "But I need to be sure."

Jack looked at her. He felt a little bad. She was possibly the only Jedi left. He had no idea what that was like. With a sigh he agreed. Then a thought occurred to him.

If this guy was the Jedi...he might be getting his ass kicked.

Jack was now sure this man was not the Jedi.

"OH PLEASE DON'T HURT ME!" the man pleaded on his knees. Jack stood before him, dressed in a long heavy deep blue leather Jacket over a white tunic. He had on brown pants and brown boots. He had blaster in one hand and a metal hooked cane in the other. He looked down at the man blubbering like a baby as he begged for his life.

"Please, just take these credit chips. They aren't much, but they're all I have," he said as he emptied his pockets and started throwing down credit chips before Jack's feet. So as to keep up the ruse Jack bent down to pick them up.

"Good, free money. Now stay on the ground and keep your head down. And count to 100," Jack demanded. The man nodded as he placed his head against the dirt. Jack backed away, disappearing around a corner to speak with Rapunzel.

"That guy?" he said cocking a brow. "Really?"

Rapunzel flinched and flushed. She smiled helplessly. Jack shook his head. He looked back to see the man's head still on the ground. Great, now he just felt bad. He sighed and shook his head. "I'm going back to the ship, here." He handed her the credit chips. "Say you beat me up and got him his money back or something." With that he walked off, mumbling about craziness and wasted time.

With sigh, Rapunzel peeked around the corner as Bork finally stood up. She walked out, causing him to jump in surprise. He calmed and relaxed when he saw it was her. With a smile she walked up to him. She reached her hand out, showing him the chips.

"I saw the guy who robbed you. He won't be a problem anymore."

Bork's face lit up. He gave her a grateful smile. "Oh thank you Jedi. Thank you," he said as he accepted them. Rapunzel nodded with a smile, although disappointment began to settle in. She was wrong. Bork was not the Jedi.

"Bork, are you sure you don't remember anything useful about the Jedi?"

Bork flinched in surprise at the question. "Nope. Sorry," he said shaking his head. Rapunzel sighed. "Why do you want to find him so badly? I mean, he gave up his lightsaber. Doesn't that kind of mean he didn't want to be found?" he asked her. She looked up at him, she just realized he was taller than her.

"I suppose. Its just..." she paused to swallow sadness. "I'd hoped I wasn't the only one. I'd hoped that I finally wouldn't be alone anymore."

Bork studied her face. Noticing the sadness in her eyes. The loneliness. The longing to see another Jedi. "Sorry to have been a disappointment," he said softly.

She shook her head. "Its not your fault."

The sound of an explosion suddenly ripped through the air. Rapunzel turned to see a plume of smoke rising into the air in the distance. She had a bad feeling.

"I have to go Bork. Get home safely," she said in a quick breath. She crouched down and then leapt onto the top of a house. She ran across rooftops and toward the smoke. She stood atop a building and looked into the streets below. Her eyes widened in shock.

"Battle droids?" she said in astonishment. She hadn't seen battle droids in years. They were rare, and virtually extinct after the clone wars. But there they were, walking in the streets. About thirty of the standard B1 droids, and a handful of super battle droids. She scanned the area, noticing five Magnum battle droids that looked to be huddled around and guarding two men.

"Rapunzel!" came a voice on her wrist comm.

Rapunzel looked down to her wrist and responded. "Merida? What's wrong, where are you?"

"What's wrong?! We're being pinned down by battle droids! Battle droids! Who the bloody hell still uses battle droids!?" Merida shouted. "Someone made me. Probably a bounty hunter. We're pinned down at the end of the street in a someone's house. We need help!"

Rapunzel looked to the end of the street to see a spot of red from a window. And the occasional laser blast being sent toward the advancing droids "Ok, on my way," she said. She took a breath. She ran down the line of houses toward her friends. When she could no longer run along the rooftops she somersaulted off the house to land before the procession of advancing droids. They stopped, momentarily confused. Rapunzel shed her cloak and drew her lightsabers. She held hers in her right and the other Jedi's in her left. She activated them, now wielding a yellow and dark green lightsaber.

From the end of the street the bounty hunters known as the Stabbingtons looked on in interest.

"A Jedi?" one of them said. They both smiled. A Jedi and a resistance leader. They'd be rich.

"Send in the commandos droids."

With a press of a button of one of their control gauntlets they sent in reinforcement for their droids. Rapunzel held her ground, dual wielding her lightsabers as she slashed the advancing droids to pieces. They were a twirling blur of green and yellow as she deflected laser blasts back at the droids to keep her friends safe.

Suddenly there was a shout, followed by a crash. She spared a glance behind her to see Eugene being thrown out of a window. Followed by a commando droid leaping out after him, armed with a knife. It raised it up and brought it down. Eugene jerked out of the way as it plunged into the ground. He kicked it in the head before blasting a hole through it.

More leapt out of the house. Armed with large knives. One charged at him. The other was about to join in when it was suddenly tackled from behind. Jack brought it to the ground and with a quick swipe of his hooked staff he cut its head off. As the other tried to kill Eugene he raised his blaster up and shot it in the back of the head.

Merida burst out of the front door a moment later. A commando droid was right on her tail. It flipped over her to land before her path. Eugene tackled it to the floor, allowing Merida to shoot it in the head.

"We need to get out of here!" Merida shouted. Everyone nodded. "Rapunzel, watch our backs!" The Jedi nodded as they made a break for it. If they could get to the ship they'd be ok. Rapunzel trailed behind, deflecting laser blasts to defend her comrades.

The Stabbingtons grew irritated. One of them pulled out a missile launcher. He took aim at the Jedi. He was sure they could still get something for her corpse. He fired. The rocket flew over the droids' heads and at her.

Rapunzel gasped as she saw it. With a quick wave of both her hands she used the Force to push it off course. Unfortunately, it went flying before it collided with the base of the town's water tower. The tower teetered as its supports exploded. It gave a loud screech and a lurch as it suddenly toppled over, right into the path of her friends, and on top of Merida leading the way.

"MERIDA!" they all shouted in warning. But it was too late as the shadow was already above her. She looked up, her mouth falling open as she fell on her backside. She screamed and shut her eyes as the tons of metal came baring down on her. She was done for.

Yep.

Any second now.

Yep, any moment and she'd be dead...

Why wasn't she dead yet?

She peeked an eye open. Then both her eyes snapped open. She gaped as the entire tower was just...frozen in its falling postion. Scraps of metal were just hanging in the air, suspended by some unseen force. She looked to her friends to see them gawking in amazement. She looked back to Rapunzel, figuring it was her doing. But she found her slack jawed and looking just as surprised.

"Man. You people are trouble," came a voice with a sigh. Merida yelped and looked behind her. She saw Bork standing over her. His arms raised above his head, brows furrowed in concentration. He looked down at her with his emerald green eyes.

But they were completely different than before. They were narrowed, serious, and focused. Holding no trace of fear.

"You had to go snooping around. You couldn't leave well enough alone," he said shaking his head and running a hand through his hair. He looked up to the advancing droids. He frowned, and then with a grunt he sent the water tower flying at them. It landed before them, cutting them off from their sight.

Everyone watched as Bork advanced, walking towards Rapunzel. He stepped past her as she stared at him in awe. She'd been right. He was a Jedi. Her instincts were right. SHE'D FOUND HIM!

Bork leapt onto the collapsed tower, staring out at the throng of battle droids still advancing. He sighed heavily. All his years of hiding. Gone. Wasted. Capoot. He just had to come see what was happening.

Rapunzel leapt up to join him, all smiles as she stared at the side of his face. She felt a tugging on her hand as the other lightsaber was yanked from her grip. She watched as it flew over to Bork. It levitated in front of him. Spinning before flying into his right hand. He activated it, feeling the familiar hum of his weapon that he hadn't picked up in years.

He sighed. He counted over thirty droids.

"Bork?" Rapunzel said nervously to get his attention.

He frowned, turning his head to look at her. "Its Hiccup." Before she could respond he crouched down and leapt into the air above the droids. Merida, Eugene, and Jack climbed up the tower and peeked over the side to watch.

The droids aimed their weapons as Hiccup became airborne. He was right over them. Disappearing from sight as he passed in front of the sun. The droids couldn't get a proper lock on him, so they waited for him to reappear. And then in a blur of green he did.

He came falling down at blinding speeds, landing right in the middle of their numbers. And when he touched down he slammed his left palm against the ground, letting out a massive burst of the Force in all directions that was so powerful it sent all the droids around him flying back and away from him. They crashed into houses and into the other droids. Those that weren't sent flying were rocked, barely avoid falling over.

Rapunzel and her friends gasped. He was much more powerful than Rapunzel. That much was clear. Rapunzel watched on, smiling wide. Heart alight and swelling with happiness and joy.

She wasn't alone.

And she'd found someone who could be her teacher. Her mentor.

Her master.

It is ON!