Chapter 9
"We should be just a few minutes away from the nearest town." Delinia informed.
"Good."
...
"Well we made good time. No TIEs are following us. So what are you doing when you get to town?"
"Well, I'm not going to destroy the base alone; I'm going to try to put together a team of sorts. You?"
"I'm going to have to leave. Escape the First Order to return to my family."
"...Ah."
"I wish I could help, but I can't risk my life before I find my family."
'And Ben Solo will be a greater threat.' Jo started forming his plan, but only shortly after he started did he spot the town in the distance. He also noticed that the terrain he was flying over wasn't dark and rocky; it was a bright sandy plain. It wasn't a hot, desert-like area; it was more of a warm, beach-looking pasture. There were groups of fruit trees every hundred yards apart, and the town was in the midst.
"Delinia, are you seeing this?" Jo asked in pure wonder.
"I am."
Jo felt his stomach growl loudly. "I think that speaks for itself." Jo mumbled.
"Got any cash on you?" Delinia asked.
"I don't know, but I think I know something that'll work."
The TIE landed in a spaceport; and they started exploring the town. There were a few markets along the buildings. It looked like any other city in a desert, except more tropical. There were restaurants, hotels, luxury condos, cantinas, stores, and company bases as far as the eye could see.
"Let's check out the nearest cantina. Those are usually filled with the most devious, yet most helpful specimen in the region of the galaxy."
They accessed the nearest cantina and sat at the counter.
The tender turned and faced the young people; he raised an eyebrow at them. "What are two youngsters like you doing here? Where are your parents?"
"Our business is none of yours. But first," Delinia said, passing a peggat forward. "A couple of Jogan Juices."
The tender just shrugged it off and served them, then went back to his business.
"Alright, so when we're done here, I'll be off; and you'll be... taking on a First Order camp." Delinia said, taking a sip.
"Mhm." Jo murmured, also taking a sip.
"Something wrong?" Delinia asked.
"Kinda." Jo replied. He gathered and organized his thoughts, then replied, "I've been on a long adventure this past week; and all throughout, no matter what, I haven't managed to keep any companions of mine. Anytime I'm about to leave, the others depart. If I go down, I don't want to be alone. I understand you're going to be busy, but you need to know I feel as though I'm feeling left in the dumps."
"I understand." Delinia told him, sipping again. "Keep whoever you get to help you. If they leave, go with them. Try something new, and make new friends that way."
"A bit anti-climactic, but I'll take it. It kinda feels like there was a better alternate for that conversation."
"I don't know exactly what you meant, but I see you developing a good sense of humor in the future. And ya know, humor is a good way to cope with any sort of discomfort or pain. You can really use that."
"You could be right about that."
Delinia finished her drink, set the glass down, and stood from her stool. "Well," She started, "This is goodbye."
"Ah don't say that. As far as stories go, we all know there's going to be a reunion in a little while. *cough* Spoilers! *cough* "
"That's what I'm talking about. I don't understand it, but I know there are people who do. Use it."
"I most likely will." Jo told her. Delinia reached her hand outward, and Jo caught it. They shook, and she was off.
Jo sighed. "So I guess I need to find a pilot and a warrior now."
"Well it's your lucky day." Jo heard a raised voice say. He turned and faced a blue-skinned Duros. He approached the table and sat across from him. "Name's Juntah. Juntah Bane."
"Sounds like a first name that'd be better off read than heard."
"I get that a lot. What do you need someone like me for?"
Jo looked around, making sure no one was listening in. He turned back, leaned forward, and whispered, "I need a team to help me take down a First Order base."
Juntah laughed it off. "You think a small group can take on an entire base? I gotta admit, you're pretty crazy."
"Crazy means good in this case."
"I don't disagree. I was gonna say, 'it's crazy, and I like it.' I know someone else who might also be interested in helping."
"Alright! Let's meet him."
"Just gotta let him finish first."
"Finish what?"
Juntah nodded over to his left; Jo looked and saw a man in sackloth-like garments, standing on one foot and balancing a thin cup on his finger, and utensils on the fingers of the other hand.
"Dang!" Jo exclaimed.
"He's one of those force-users." Juntah whispered. "The First Order doesn't like his kind."
"What's someone like him doing here?"
"Doing what we do best: cause trouble, make money."
"You don't say? That's exactly what I need."
"How much are you offering?"
"I'll think about it." Jo said, giving reward some thought. "Who knows? We might get lucky if we scrounge about a little. Maybe take a little something."
"That's what I'm talking about!" Juntah grinned. "A'ight! I ain't waiting any longer! SIM! GET OVER HERE!"
Sim lost balance and dropped what he held, but used the force to catch them. He gently placed them on the nearest table, and smoothly walked over.
"I do not appreciate being interrupted." Sim told Juntah.
"Pipe down; we have a mission." Juntah said.
"You guys got a ship?" Jo asked.
"And weapons, and a place to crash and to plan. You need anything else?"
"Depends. What kinda weapons?"
"Various."
"Man! What are the odds I'd run into you guys at the right time?"
"Never rule out the thought that the force led you here." Sim said.
"We should head out now before we become suspicious." Juntah said. "Let's go."
Juntah and Sim lead Jo to their humble abode, where they'd discuss their course of action. They lived in a practical, inexpensive hut near the city. It lived up to what Jo hoped for; there were weapons strewn about on the walls and in crates, and a hologram table.
"I admit, I'm impressed. This seems like a very convenient way to live."
"Sim says it's better than living in a house you have to pay for." Juntah said.
"True dat." Jo agreed.
"Where are we starting?" Juntah asked.
"Right here." Jo replied, activating the hologram table. "Aw cool! It's wireless!"
"Bounty hunting gets you places." Juntah said.
"I see that. Let's get started." Jo said as he pulled up a holographic diagram of the First Order base. "First off, I'll need a list of all your weapons."
All was well at the First Order camp. Or so it seemed. Kylo felt nagged by the officers who kept pushing for an answer to what they would do, now that a fugitive knows of the crystal and its location. He isolated himself to calm down and plan what he was going to do; he was soon disrupted when he heard commotion outside the complex.
Kylo reached the gate and asked the patrol trooper, "What's going on?"
"Intruders, sir. Just two guys. I sent two fighters to deal with them." The trooper replied, pointing at them. The TIEs were just lifting off.
"Just stick with the bomb cannons." Kylo commanded, quickly stepping away.
"Yes sir." He replied. He pressed the comm button on his helmet and contacted the TIE pilots. "Fall back! Master Ren has ordered us to use the bombs." He looked aside at the bombardiers, and nodded.
The cannons were aimed, and they fired. The trooper looked on; but as the shells almost landed on the intruders, Jo used the force to still the two that almost hit them.
Jo ignited his lightwhips and cut across the bombshells. "They have bombs. Get the shields up."
Juntah pressed a button on his wrist, and a large energy shield covered them both. They advanced, running towards the station at the same speed. The bombs would follow them, and Jo would have to stop to force them away.
As they reached their halfmark across the field, Jo wasn't able to stop one of the bombs from hitting them. The shield was malfunctioning, and fighting not to turn off. With that being said, Jo and Juntah ran as fast as they could towards the building; Jo was slightly faster than Juntah and got there before he did.
Jo turned to assist Juntah, but as Juntah was only yards away, a bomb was dropped. It exploded, and Juntah was caught in the microburst. Jo shielded his eyes from the explosion, and turned back in horror as he saw Juntah lying motionless.
He didn't know what to do in the moment. He needed to complete the mission to keep the crystal from them, but he couldn't leave Juntah in the battlefield. So he stretched his hands out and lifted Juntah off the ground. Trying hard to nab Juntah quickly, Jo focused hard, but was only able to move him slowly. Jo was so focused on helping his friend, that he did not notice the squad of stormtroopers that headed outside and surrounded him.
"Hands up." The leader shouted, his squad aiming their pistols at him.
Jo snapped out of his gaze, Juntah lowering slowly to the ground, and looked around.
"I said hands up!" The stormtrooper general repeated. Jo immediately dropped to his knees and raised his hands, losing hope. "You're under arr-" He received a comm call, and let it through. "Yes sir. You're both under arrest. On your feet, Jedi."
"Wow! You sound so biased; it almost feels real." Jo said.
The troopers cuffed Jo and laid Juntah down on a hover-stretcher, and led them inside the fort. As they were passing through, Jo felt something tugging at his hand. He slowly, slightly, and carefully drifted his eyes' gaze to his left, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw Juntah trying to place something in his hands. He suddenly gained some hope and swiftly took the item.
Jo was led back inside the base, and into the lab. There, Kylo Ren was waiting for him. And he had his mask. Jo was pushed right in front of him. They both stared into each others' eyes for a moment.
Then Kylo spoke. "I take that as a no?" He asked in a statement-like manner.
"What are you thinking?" Jo asked. Kylo crossed his arms and raised his head in acknowledgement, letting Jo lead the conversation for now. "There are kids, like me, within your stormtrooper army. Those kids are taken from their families at such a young age... will they ever see their families again?"
'Is that what this is about?' Kylo asked himself, immensely confused. "Did you know it happened to all Jedi? My parents gave me away to Luke in my childhood, and I haven't seen them since. It happens to all, and I sense the distress in you on this topic; it leads me to believe you've separated from much already."
"There should be some second thoughts on the moral stance of the First Order. Ripping children from their families never to be seen again-"
"Is all for a cause. Is that what this is about?"
"Not entirely." Jo replied, noticing Juntah being transported to the med-bay. He was being carried by one trooper. "First off." Jo bent down, lifted one leg, pulled his cuffed hands under it, and repeated the action with his other leg. "It doesn't really matter how you cuff someone. Second off," Jo saw Juntah launch up from his hover-stretcher and knock out the trooper carrying him. He then pressed the button on the switch (he then found out it was a switch)and the cuffs fell from his wrists.
Everyone in the room turned to the source of the commotion, but Jo ignited his lightwhips and spun around, wiping out everyone else. He noticed a button on the other end of the switch and immediately pressed it. A boom erupted in the building, shaking Jo, Kylo, and Juntah. Juntah fled the scene to rendezvous with Sim. 'Oh yeah, that's part of the plan.' Jo thought about the boom.
Kylo ignited his crossguard lightsaber and speed-walked towards Jo. He swung sideways, aiming for the outside of Jo's arms.
Jo jumped in surprise, and swung back in the opposite direction; the lightwhip obtained more force and pushed Kylo's sword back. 'Alright!' Jo subtly congratulated himself.
Jo swung his arms back and forth, the tips of his whips cracking and humming as they hit Kylo's blade. Kylo fought back with as much force as he could muster, but Jo's whips were hard to match. Jo whacked Kylo's blade away with one whip, then sliced Kylo's mask with his other.
Another boom erupted, then they noticed the roof collapsing. Jo fled the room, and made it to the docking bay. He looked around, but didn't see Juntah or Sim anywhere.
"JUNTAH!? SIM?!" He shouted amongst the flaming and exploding building. He looked around, and saw holes in the ceiling. Chunks of it were falling in flames... 'Wait-'... 'I know this.' He thought. He then saw shuttles taking off; he ran to jump on one, but was knocked back with sudden force. He recovered, looked up, and saw Kylo with his triple-bladed lightsaber in hand.
Then it occured to Jo. 'I didn't yet have my new mechanical arms.' As Kylo swung to strike down Jo, Jo crossed his arms, and his wrists caught Kylo's lightsaber.
"Impossible." Kylo muttered.
"No. I'm living proof it is."
The building shook again, and more began hailing from the roof. Jo pushed the blade away and stood back.
"Who are you?" Kylo asked.
"You were a Padawan-gone-wrong of Luke Skywalker. You, Kylo Ren, were known as Ben Solo, the son of Han Solo." Jo hinted.
"How do you know me?" Kylo asked.
"I was too. I was a Padawan."
Kylo started putting the pieces together.
"I was the one considered 'Luke's favorite.' " Jo continued. "I, am Jonan."
Kylo remembered, then finally saw the resemblance.
"I must thank you. You made me better than I was, and better than you."
Kylo was now furious.
"You failed, Ben! You failed to kill me, now you're going to fail your First Order." Jo finished.
Kylo charged, swinging hard at Jo. But Jo force-pushed him backwards, and Kylo landed on his back.
The ceiling exploded, then a Tc-3 shuttle descended from the hole, Juntah at the controls. The ramp lowered, and Jo hopped on. He looked back at Kylo, who was slowly recovering. Kylo met his gaze once again.
"You're wrong." Jo said. "About the First Order; about everything. You don't rule a galaxy in fear; you discipline. There's nothing wrong with it. Hostility will only make things worse. If you discipline without judement, you're more likely to make allies. Allies mean friends. That's how you're supposed to rule. Bonds make us stronger, and that's how you're supposed to live. " Then the shuttle lifted and fled the disaster.
"Destroy the crystal and immediately enter hyperspace." Jo commanded.
"Aye aye!" Juntah replied. He turned the shuttle around and shot through the lab- with Jo's help- and shot out the torpedoes. It hit the crystal, and it started glowing. Juntah lifted the shuttle and activated lightspeed and flashed out of the planet's orbit.
Kylo was picked up by a shuttle and narrowly escaped the crystal's destruction as well.
"Sir, should we pursue?" An officer asked.
...
...
"No."
"Um, sir?" Another announced. "The Supreme Leader demands an update on progress with the crystal."
"So, what are you doing after this?" Juntah asked.
"Well... I've come a long way. People have come and gone; I wanted to stay with someone for a little while, but I think the bounty hunter life might be a bit intense for me."
"So... what are you doing after this?"
"I dunno, I might find someone and lay low for a little while. Live somewhere not too populated by people."
"I'll drop you off at a spaceline." Juntah said.
"That's good. Thanks."
Juntah and Sim bought Jo a passport, and Jo headed for the docking bay. Before Jo entered the docking bay, he turned and said goodbye to them. "We'll be in contact, right?" He asked.
"I don't have a code or anything, but we'll find a way; we're bounty hunters." Juntah replied.
Jo nodded in understanding. "Goodbye Juntah. Sim. I hope to see you both later."
"You too." Juntah responded.
"Safe travels." Sim said. Jo turned back around, but Sim caught his attention again, "Jo!" He faced Sim again. "May the force be with you."
"May the force be with you." Jo replied with a grin.
He entered the docking bay and boarded the shuttle.
He sat down and relaxed. He watched as the surface got lower and lower. Soon, he was in space.
Jo didn't sense two people watching him. They aproached Jo from behind; one of them asked, "These seats taken?"
Jo got a look at both of them, then nodded.
"The force is strong with you, young one. What's your name?" One of them asked.
"I'm Jo. Who are you guys? You're identical, and it's kinda weirding me out."
"I am Rye Follnor, and this is my brother Erickson Follnor. We're Jedi in hiding." Rye whispered.
Jo raised his eyebrows.
"For a while, we have been trying to put together a team of young force-users to one day become the most powerful in the galaxy. We sensed a high manifestation of the force within you, and wondered if you would like us to train you?"
Jo didn't sense any harmful intentions from any of them; other than that, he was surprised, shocked, and happy all at the same time. He was just offered a chance to continue his training as a Jedi; he wouldn't pass it up. "I would like that. Am I the only one?"
"Not so far. We have two others. We're based on Kashyyyk, away from the Republic's jurisdiction." Erickson replied.
"We're a part of the Republic, but we work a little differently." Rye corrected.
"Kashyyyk is a kind of place I was headed."
"Excellent. I'm glad this is working out. You'll get a room next to the others; They'll definitely like you." Rye said.
'Friends I get to live with.' Jo thought about that glorious fact. 'I get new friends I get to be around all the time. I just hope it won't be all for naught. I could be a part of them, but I'm afraid of being or feeling left out. But I guess I'll have to wait. I am excited.' Jo thought.
"I have a good feeling about this." Jo said.
The ship then entered hyperspace.
THE END...
JO WILL RETURN IN
'YOUTH WARS PART III: The New Age'
