Hodak readied himself. They would be here any moment. He closed his eyes. He felt an approaching presence. It was Jedi, male, human. He smiled. A gesture to one of the Magna droids told it to stand ready. He heard footsteps.
Approaching him, running, was Thomas Prus, his dark brown robes swinging, his lightsabre already lit. "You're going to pay for all the Jedi you killed today," Thomas shouted. He leapt at Zavos, who strained as the young man pushed him back with his orange lightsabre. A savage kick in the chest sent him flying against the wall.
The young Jedi watched the man laugh and walk away. He shook his head. With a burst of energy Thomas stood up and slashed at Zavos. The dark Jedi blocked the blow. "That's brave of you boy, but foolish," he laughed. He raised his blade and sneered. Thomas took a deep breath.
The teen took a step back and caught the young man's next blow. "I'll learn," he retorted. Thomas struck but only locked his blade with the older human. Striking quicker, Darth Hodak aimed for the boy's face and was blocked again. Thomas struck a hard blow at his opponent. Hodak caught it above his head.
Thomas spun and struck with such force that it would have knocked the red-bladed duelist off his feet if he had not ducked under the wild blow. The teen came again, striking so quickly it forced his opponent back. Hodak struck each blow but took several steps back in controlled retreat. He worked casually to block each blow, seeking an entry. He struck to the side, but the Jedi's blade would not permit him to leave the space where his opponent now had him locked. "You're quick Prus," Hodak said impressed.
"I've learned a lot from Luke", said the younger boy, before being hurled into a nearby wall with an overwhelming Force push. "So have you," Thomas noted, holding out his sabre to keep Kall from finishing him. "No, this I never learned from Skywalker. He is weak. I learned on my own, until now," Zavos continued, riposting his foe's efforts. Their blades locked. "Then you're only a master of evil," Thomas replied, as he pushed Zavos back from his blade, forcing the young man to stumble.
Caught off guard, Hodak paused. "What Skywalker has taught you won't save you this time," he uttered quickly. He let himself slip into the dark side, let himself become one with his hate. Soon it was Thomas that was stumbling. The older of the Prus brothers struggled to hold off the attack. He barely blocked an arcing strike to the head, his sabre nearly falling out of his grip. Zavos smiled, then went for the Jedi's chest. But the blade turned and intercepted his body. Thomas tried to block the blow but did not halt the glowing red point. He felt the blade go past his blade and strike his shoulder. Thomas screamed as the lightsabre fell from his hand in pain.
Zavos shrugged. "What Skywalker taught you was not enough. You are talented, but you needed to let go," he pointed at the fallen young Jedi taking a step forward. "I will unleash power you only dreamed of," he said raising his blade over the teen Jedi's body. Thomas shook his head, "I will become-"
Hodak looked up at a figure approaching the two robed men. Kyp Durron walked towards him. "In the name of the Jedi Order, you're under arrest Zavos." Zavos raised his eyes and stared at him in hatred. "Are you threatening me?" he sneered.
Kyp waited, his sabre raised in a defensive position. Zavos raised his hand, deactivating his sabre with the other. Kyp felt himself thrown to the ground. As he warily, but quickly rose to his feet Kyp stared at the young man, his eyes glowing. "As you can see my power is far beyond yours," Zavos said calmly. "I don't think so," Kyp retorted.
Zavos raised his hand. The red blade emerged. Kyp breathed quickly, readying himself for the fight against this former Jedi. Kyp struck first, his blade angled to hit Zavos' shoulder. The young man angled his blade to twist out of the way. He broke free and went for the older man's arm. Kyp stared as Zavos moved quicker than he had ever seen him.
Zavos had learned new skills with a lightsabre. He was powerful, the most powerful of Luke's recent apprentices. Kyp almost smiled as the young man came on. He had been once been Luke's most powerful apprentice and had been there when Luke had founded the Academy, and was now well-respected as a pilot and a Jedi. Zavos' power would not likely overcome the Jedi master's skill.
Kyp raised his blade to block a blow to his side. But the young man's blade changed position and pointed at his chest. Kyp extended his arm and attacked at the man's wrist. Zavos smiled as he saw the blade coming and twisted his arm around it, catching the older Jedi's and drawing his towards him. Kyp stared in horror at the young man's eyes. They reflected no respect for the Jedi he was fighting, only hatred.
"Kyp, you disappoint me. You have had such experience," Zavos taunted. "I've had enough experience with the dark side, Zavos," Kyp shouted back, punctuating his words with a kick that floored the Sith. The young man pushed the black haired Jedi away and almost knocked him to the ground.
"If you think you know the dark side, you are weak," Zavos retorted. "Zavos, I was seduced by the dark side. I know how it seduces you-" Kyp pleaded. "No. The Sith lord you encountered was a ghost in the Force looking for revenge after so much time in the temples. He used you. You disabled Skywalker, but it was his manipulations of your weaknesses that enabled him to be a threat at all. You do not know how to use your power yourself!" Zavos shook his head, his blade lowering on the Jedi as he struggled to right himself.
Kyp raised his blade in defense and blocked the oncoming red blade at the base. "My master knows the dark side. He has taught me how to be more powerful than Skywalker, or you." Hodak shouted as he spun his blade towards the Jedi's side.
The Jedi stood his ground, and blocked each blow as it came to him. He stepped back, pushed by the onslaught but never let the red blade come near him. Hodak growled and he pushed closer to the Jedi master's body but did not hit it. Kyp panted from the effort, and noted that his enemy was moving much more smoothly than he had before, his blade precisely hitting his, and nearly throwing him from his successful defensive posture.
Hodak sighed as he struck another blow at the Jedi's head but failed as Durron's blade came up in time. A counterattack sent the traitor backpedaling. The two raised their sabres, attacked again. Once again, Kall was stalemated by the other's power. He was tiring of this. Hodak gestured. Four Magna droids, no longer watching the duel, came up behind him, their staffs ignited. He smiled as the Jedi's face fell when he saw them.
Kyp took a deep breath as the four droids approached him. They had already killed several Jedi but appeared to be in perfect order to kill another. Red eyes stared at him as he raised his blade to block a staff. Robes swept at him as the leftmost one fell on his blade with its staff. Kyp turned and pushed it back, causing a bright purple burst of light that did nothing to distract the droid. Another went for his shoulder. Kyp twisted out of his hold with the first and blocked it. He closed his eyes and reopened them. He ducked as a third tried to stab him in the chest, and struck the second. It took a step back and went back to fighting him. Spinning out of the way of the first and third he extended his arm towards all four and twisted his sabre around the second and third. He smiled slightly as they knocked against each other but did not stop their attempt.
The first walked towards him. Sensing a break, Kyp rushed towards it. Before the droid could react he struck its neck. The head came toppling to the ground. He laughed. The second and fourth came from his left. To his horror the first continued, striking at him without its head. He grimaced and slashed past its staff and struck its chest. The droid fell apart as he pulled his blade through it. One was down.
The second and third struck at once, the fourth standing nearby. Kyp fought with all his might as sparks flew from his blade, bursts of blue hitting his short hair. They broke his hold and together went for his arms. First stabbing the right one and jabbing at the left one Kyp took a step back. He charged at both of them, and ran between them, already hitting the fourth one as the second and third changed posture as they hit each other. The fourth pushed and he stepped towards the pair.
With a turn he drove past the spinning staff of the fourth and into its chest, catching the staff in his hand. He turned around and held his lightsabre out to the third as it neared and the staff to the second as it approached from the left. They struck as expected, the second's staff hitting his staff with a flash of sparks. With a quick punch to the chest he held the staff out of the way and cut off the droid's arm. The wounded bodyguard leaped backward to avoid the violet blade.
Throwing the staff to the ground he blocked a blow aimed at his neck from the third still behind him. Kyp twirled his blade in a rush of purple and cut into its arms and legs. Droid parts fell towards the sides to the walls and chairs lining the walls and windows. He turned towards the young man standing silently, out of breath.
"That wasn't too bad," Kyp said weakly with a smile. Hodak stared at him. He reached for his belt and found his lightsabre. He ignited the red blade and held it up and nodded. He charged at the Jedi master, immediately hitting the man's blade raised just in time to stop the attack. The two remaining droids ignited their staffs and walked towards him. Hodak hit the tired Jedi again and again, each time his powerful blow barely blocked by the dark-haired man's twists.
Kyp breathed harder as he took a step back. He walked further away from the scene of the battle. Walking slowly the two droids caught up with him. At a signal from the young man they went for the Jedi master's arms. Kyp pulled out from the block he and his lightsabre-wielding opponent were in and slashed at the droids. His blade slipped among them but was distracted by the oncoming red blade. Hodak shook his head and slashed as the Jedi master's blade cut to the sides. Deadlock. So intense was their fight that Durron didn't perceive the other Magna droid until he was struck in the back. He yelled in pain, and Zavos used the opportunity to throw the master senselessly into a pillar
"I've proven my power. I'm more than a match for you," Hodak snarled. He shut off his lightsabre and reached with his hand and pushed his opponent's body with the Force, sending it into a heap with the fallen young Jedi down the hall. Both Jedi looked up at their enemy, sensing hope. Kyp smiled.
Hodak walked towards them. He stood over the human pair and smiled. He ignited his sabre and raised it over them. "It's time," he said calmly, preparing to finish them off. The crazed man stopped. He turned around. There were footsteps coming. He put the lightsabre back on his belt and waited.
Luke Skywalker walked into the room. The Jedi Master said nothing, but merely stood with quiet dignity, his faithful companion R2-D2 at his side. Zavos stared and tried to recollect himself. "Master Skywalker," he greeted the man. "Zavos Kall," Luke nodded, standing still. The young man shook his head and looked around on the ground.
"You've interfered in my life for the last time," Hodak shouted. Luke stood and stared with his blue eyes. With a gesture pieces of metal from the fallen Magna droids flew at the Jedi Master. He raised a hand. The particles fell on the ground before they hit him. The young man tried again, sending larger pieces at the black-clad man. Again they fell before they could hit him, even those that came from behind him.
Hodak looked at him in fury. "I sense the dark side in you, Zavos," Luke said calmly. "I've become more powerful than any Jedi, even you," the young man retorted. He stretched out his arms. Creaks filled the room as bolts came off the walls. Decorations and chairs lifted up and fell on top of the Jedi Master. Luke closed his eyes and stretched out a hand. They fell to his sides. Some flew back at his apprentice, startled by the reversal for a moment before stretching out his hand blocking the chairs.
"There must be another way of getting you out of my life," Luke's former apprentice said as the last droid piece fell to the ground. He went to his belt and displayed his lightsabre. Lighting it and saluting he waited. Luke nodded. He put his hand on his belt and reached for his own lightsabre. He played with the silver hilt in his hand. With a flick of his thumb the green blade hummed as he held it in a defensive position. Zavos had never seen his master wield a lightsabre in battle before, and stood back.
Hodak raised his blade high in the air. He gestured and the last four Magna droids came up behind him. They walked slower, damaged by the less experienced Jedi Master on the ground. Hodak cursed him and his master as his blade swung at the Jedi Master's head. Luke blocked it effortlessly. A quick push from the young man and he found himself facing two tall droids with red eyes. In their hands they bore long staffs with glowing purple ends streaming with lightning.
The first droid aimed for his leg but twirled quickly as the human outmaneuvered it and went for its chest. Luke grimaced as he caught on the droid's staff. The staff's extremity could stop his lightsabre, he released in a flash. His green blade turned to right and went for its left arm. The staff came down on his back, throwing the cape over him. For a moment the Jedi Master appeared to have panicked but in seconds he was free, his lightsabre locked with the end of the droid's staff. Skywalker was just warming to his work.
The second droid neared him from behind. As the first struck towards his shoulder, Luke spun and stopped the other as it tried to stab his back. He hit with powerful blows at the droid's arms to throw it off balance. The droid spun its staff faster, creating a blur of purple light stopped at last by a blow by the green lightsabre. Luke twirled his blade and nearly hit its neck. The droid moved out of the way, barely escaping the human's blade. Luke stared into its red eyes as he studied it, waiting. In a second it straightened its staff out and moved towards its shoulder. Effortlessly the Jedi Master caught the end and pushed the staff back at its body. The droid broke free and ran away.
The other three charged. Luke took a deep breath as they closed. Then the whirling staffs struck at the master, and if it was Thomas or Kyp in the net, they would have been mowed down. But the Sith's quarry was Luke Skywalker, and that meant a Jedi with greater power. A net of spinning, slicing green enveloped the older warrior, and the Magna droids pulled in their full power to compensate. The whirlwind was interrupted as a powerful push of the Force knocked the droids back. A quick slash cut one of the droids from right hip to left shoulder. The other two fell back.
The first found itself with the Jedi Master in its face, as the second ran away, his lightsabre already holding its staff down. Luke moved first, slashing at its neck. The droid turned its staff towards his legs. Already aware of the move, the man slashed down and blocked the blow. He spun as he heard the second droid approaching. The second raised its staff to make contact with the oncoming green blade… Luke spun faster, burying his blade deep into the first droid's body. He sliced through the body and looked at it satisfied as the metal portions fell to the ground with a clang.
Seeing its partner fall apart the second droid spun its staff as the Jedi Master approached. The staff stopped the blade. But the man out maneuvered its next attack his head and drove the green blade towards the chest. The droid moved to block the blow. The staff came apart its hand as the green blade slashed right. The blade spun back straight and plunged into its chest. Luke sighed as the droid fell to the ground.
Luke stared at the young man waiting by the wall. He had come here not long ago and attacked the Temple. He and his droids had killed many Jedi. They had even defeated Kyp, one his most skilled Knights. Luke Skywalker's patience was legendary. His apprentice, just as Kyp, and Dolph, and his other students who had gone beyond his teachings and into the dark side, had at last exhausted his patience. The young man would have to make his first move.
Hodak nodded. His master's droids had fought well. According to Bogan they had fought Master Kenobi, Windu, Gallia, and other famed Jedi. But they had been unable to defeat Luke Skywalker. It was settled then. He'd have to kill the last of the Masters himself. He gestured with his blade and bowed. The red blade turned and rushed at the Jedi Master's shoulder. Luke and his arm moved faster, and pushed the blade to his right, then slashing at his enemy's midsection. The young man switched hands and again went for the older man's waist.
Luke caught the blade and pushed it up, freeing his own as he struck towards his opponent's wrists. Hodak blocked the blade and wriggled his wrist, causing both blades to lock at the wrist. He stared into famed master's eyes and smiled. "You cannot stand against the Sith, their strength is unconquerable" "Your hatred is giving you strength. The dark side's strength," Luke muttered. "More strength than you know, my old master. The dark side is the secret to strength," the young man responded. Luke pushed harder, "Strength you cannot control. I know the Sith. They do not share their strength." "Then, my old master, I will not share. They could help anyone of your family. But like your ancestors, you will die," Hodak said, straining as he pushed and finally broke free.
The young man struck at the Jedi Master's chest. He was prepared. Skywalker struck him with a powerful blow that, to his enemy's embarrassment, nearly knocked him off his feet. Hodak took a step back. He raised his blade to block the rain of blows that came at him, each time succeeding but unable to move fast enough for the green blade to fail and slice the air. He continued walking backwards as the middle-aged man attacked harder driving Hodak towards the wall.
Hodak jumped and landed on the other side of the hallway, the windows at his back. He reached out his hand and moved a chair from the floor to catch the Jedi Master before he could move. Gasping he saw Luke jump at him, guided by the Force and land striking a blow at his body. Barely escaping the young man ran out of the way, back towards the painted wall He leaped up and caught a light fixture in his left hand and jumped.
Luke raised his blade in a defensive position angled to catch the young man as he flew. The green blade caught the red. Hodak looked in triumph as he saw the Jedi Master nearly fall to the ground. He opened his mouth to speak but was, along with the fixture, cut off by his old master. A burst of sparks as their blades met prevented him from speaking, giving him a breath of air to duck and run down the hall
Luke stood still, watching. "It's over. You won't win," he shouted as the man ran. "No this is only beginning. My master will not let you live," his former student shouted as he shut his eyes and ran to the side. A crackled filled the air as pieces of permacrete fell to the ground. Luke spun and saw his apprentice slice through a pillar. To his horror the huge column lay above the fallen Jedi at the end of the hallway. With a grimace he walked towards the column and felt dismay as the young man cut a hole in the window and leapt out of the building. The pillar continued to fall. Closing his eyes, Luke reached out and caught it. Reaching out his hand he guided it. Slowly it landed next to Kyp's leg. He opened his eyes.
Luke sighed and walked over to the pair of injured Jedi. "This is dark day. Come on, let's see what Jedi have survived," he said and helped Kyp to his feet. The black-haired man looked into the Jedi Master's face and nodded.
Rangers danced through the evening, the three strangers found themselves surrounded by cheering men and slabs of meat. David took a piece, which seemed to be the best cooked, and began chewing on it as he approached one of the Rangers, one he had saved during the battle. Drums accompanied the Rangers as Kayos spoke with his men, laughing. His beard seemed to be a little less rough and his eyes a little brighter.
Na-Ka approached the girl as she sipped juice from a golden cup. Neither of them had enjoyed the meat very much, and had eaten mostly grains, and the few fruits that grew near Kabylia. Both missed Coruscant's clean cityscape, its tender spiced meat a contrast to the stringy…whatever it was that the Rangers were eating.
"Thanks to you, we've been able to revive the transmitter. They should be here soon," he said looking into her eyes. The master's blue, reptilian pupils seemed to radiate both a calming heat and a calculating coolness that unnerved her.
Triona looked away. She didn't like that the Jedi Master was studying her. He could feel what she felt… She tried to think of something else, but her thoughts returned to the young Jedi at the table. Failing that, she tried to think of Coruscant, and thought of Zavos, who had disappeared several days ago, also not a topic she would like to bring up with this Jedi. Zavos and David, the foremost subjects in her current state of mind, were the last things this old teacher needed to find out about.
"I'm glad of that. It will be good to be off this world," she tried to avoid blushing. This master Jima seemed to probe every corner of her soul. Zavos did so all the time, but never with such authority and fatherly sternness.
"David will return to the fleet. He must alert the Republic that the danger we feared is too great to be ignored," he said, his gaze still fixed upon her. She could have sworn that he had turned sad saying this. What had these great Clone Wars he had been in like?
"I'm confident they can be overcome. The New Republic has been able to defeat every threat it's encountered, from the Ssi-Ruuvi before I was born, to the anti-human movement guerrillas half a decade ago to the Tuíukii and their allies that you defeated three years past. David's told me about many of them," Triona stated brightly.
"Well, we have had many adventures. Most of them settling conflicts," the green Jedi Master smiled. "A Jedi's life is dangerous and active, that is why we must learn to keep calm", he probed again.
She saw that he was not deterred from his inquisition, and so she tried to change the topic.
"I'm glad that we're able to go home and rest at the end of the day. It'll be a relief to curl up with a datapad and read away the hours again. David was telling more about the great writers of Earth. I've read many of them, but there's far more than what I could ever read."
They looked at the young Jedi apprentice, who was now singing a song in a language they could not understand. Triona started humming it. It had a nice musical ring to it. Was it out of a play? Whatever it was, it was infectious and soon David was surrounded by Rangers.
A circle of rangers clapped along to David's ditty. He had accepted an offer of the wine, not knowing its short but powerful effect. Now, he was belting out Gilbert and Sullivan with gusto. "The Pirates of Penzance" was something everyone but him had not experienced before.
"But many a king on a first class throne", he sang, "if he wants to keep his crown his own, must somehow manage to get through more dirty work" -he dragged out the lasts notes- "than ever I'd do! For…" -at this he leaped off the table onto a pile of droid bodies, sending pieces of metal skittering across the floor- "I am a pirate king!" By this time, the Rangers had learned the chorus, even though they couldn't understand a word of it, "Hurrah for the pirate king!" "And it is, it is a glorious thing to be a pirate king!", David sang as he slashed at imaginary enemies with an imaginary sword. The Rangers laughed as the Jedi leapt back onto a table
The chorus rang out again, David gesticulating wildly in tune to the unheard music. "It is, it is a glorious thing to be a piiiii-raaate", he stopped to repeat the line with most relish. A piiiiiiiiiiii"-he stretched out the note, leaning backwards. With a crash he fell face-up into a table full of food. "-rate king!" the Rangers drunkenly finished. Even Na-Ka and Triona smiled at this.
"He's enjoying himself," Triona laughed, looking at the old Jedi Master. He was laughing as well, although a bit disturbed by her inner reaction. He stopped and looked at her silently. He decided to test her again, probing her defenses like an expert fencer.
"He hasn't started singing since our adventure two years past on Forodhel, with that twelve-year-old princess who had found him to be so attractive," Na-Ka smiled, remembering, his eyes still on the girl. Triona felt jealousy rise for a moment, but put it away. Why be jealous of a princess who had never understood the Jedi's commitment to his Order? David had told her that he had no interest in the princess, and was terrified by the girl.
Triona shook her head and tried to laugh as David sat back up, and bowed with a flourish to the Rangers. The old green Jedi stared at her. Then he turned, his attention focused on the young Jedi apprentice at the table. Recovering from the drink, David noticed the pair staring at him. He looked at the girl next to the old master. For a moment, their eyes met. David blushed as his spirit fluttered again. Na-Ka looked grimly, not missing a beat.
"He has certainly loves plays," Triona tried to break the silence. "You have no idea. He's constantly singing from musicals and quoting from dramas of his planet," the old master agreed taking a sip from a cup. "The playwrights of Earth are very talented. We both like them," Triona added.
"He does have a connection with that world. I'm gladder, however, that he also seems to be connecting with others around him," the old Jedi Master looked at her, feeling her spirit fall as his comment hit her. Triona said nothing, but just looked at David questioningly. She tried to keep up her mental defenses, but the relentless mentor gave her no rest.
Master Jima sighed, relaxed his probes, and turned back to his apprentice. David had recovered from the wine and was now sitting calmly. He saw his master approach him. He stared at the girl in the corner. His head swam. What had his master said to Triona?
"I need to speak to you for a minute," he pulled the young Jedi back into reality.
David got up and followed his master. David took one last look at Triona. She did not look at him, but stared at the ground sheepishly. Na-Ka pulled him into a hallway some distance from the party. Holding David against the wall, the reptilian Jedi Master kept his ward's attention focused on him.
"David, I've been having a conversation with your friend. You can't hide her feelings for her." David looked down. "What's more is this is dangerous. She has feelings for you," Na-Ka stated sharply. David blushed as he thought about her feeling for him being so strong that his master could sense them… "David, I've been told by younger Jedi," he gestured towards the distance, "that this is natural, that it is the way of things. Yes, it is, but you must remember you are a Jedi, and have the Jedi's responsibilities." "I know master, but can't you see-" David shouted.
"I do see. You're the one who doesn't," Na-Ka shook his head. "Master I-" "You need to think about the future. This cannot go where… your instincts led you. Remember the Code," his master insisted. "Master, don't be so old-fashioned!" David shouted. "You're the one who needs to understand the present. You must stop this, before it destroys you," his master argued.
David broke free and pushed his master away. "I sense fear in you, David. Fear of losing your friend. You cannot betray the Jedi order with your personal desires", Na-Ka insisted. David snarled, "I won't let you take her away!" In a flash his lightsabre was on, pointing at the old Jedi Master. Na-Ka said nothing, and stared at his apprentice. He did not move. "David, you cannot deny your duty. You are, despite all your emotions, a Jedi." he said calmly.
David looked at his master once more time, his eyes growing darker. He could feel anger rising in him… He stopped. Anger for not understanding? He would have to understand in time. Yes, time. His best ally was patience. That was the way of the Jedi. He moved his hand and the blade swung away from the green reptilian master.
Na-Ka said nothing, but closed his eyes to let the boy make his decision. David stared at his master. He felt himself calm down as he thought of the Jedi, the fleet. They needed him. He nodded. He switched off his lightsabre. "You're right master, I am a Jedi. I'm sorry," David said, walking back to the party. Master Jima nodded, and walked silently besides the teen. They entered the room and continued the party.
The Lambda class shuttle landed, its wings folding up as it landed in front of the natural formation that hid Kabylia, its small rockets firing to a take it to a stop in the clear blue sky. David looked up in happiness as he knew his ship was up there, waiting to take him back at last.
Master Jima was behind him, still with the large group that had accompanied them on their farewell from the world. The reptilian Jedi seemed glad that they had accomplished so much on this world, but anxious to get home. David agreed.
"Master Jedi, we are glad you will soon return to your world in the Republic," Kayos said, taking the old Jedi master's hand, his cape billowing slightly as the shuttle's engines switched off.
"I wish you would reconsider, captain. The Republic is in need of warriors with your skill," Master Jima said sorrowfully, looking grimly into the sky.
"Master Jedi, you know our position. We are willing to help you. But it is better if we are not exposed to the galaxy so soon. This world has much to rebuild. We will be here when you need our aid," the man shook his head, and looked into the Jedi's blue eyes.
Master Jima smiled and waved as he heard a varactyl call in the distance behind the Rangers who had gathered between the city and the shuttle. He walked towards his young apprentice who too waved goodbye as a large varactyl howled to him.
David looked at Triona. She was standing besides him, her hand close to his. He resisted the urge to take it. She smiled as the varactyls screeched, and looked sadly towards the city. She would come here many more times with the young man that had somehow disappeared, and perhaps see the reptilian mount once again, but she would not return with the young man who stood next to her, watching her patiently. The two teens turned and faced each other, and smiled as the old Jedi Master walked past them towards the shuttle and the Republic Fleet guard at the ramp.
They waved goodbye at the old man in robes. His men stood and watched as the young pair moved away from them and their world. Young faces whom David had not observed inside the city looked in awe as the ship readied for liftoff.
The ship raised its ramp. David saluted as the men watched him enter. Triona looked outside as the bright sun vanished from sight as the shuttle prepared to return to its home. They sat in the black seats and looked at each other, the old Jedi Master sitting across the aisle.
The ship rocked as its engines roared to life. Blue fire spat out its end, the ship lifting off the ground. It rose above the plains, extending its wings, its cockpit facing away from the sun. The mountains shrank into dots on the surface of the world of plains below.
David smiled as he saw the sun glint off the cool colored metal of the Eye of the Storm, panels oriented away from the sun towards the stars and deep space. The shuttle neatly flew towards the docking port in the side. It slowed next the larger ship. A small tube extended from the Y-Head and connected with the shuttle's cockpit. David smiled as the ship stopped, glad to be back on his ship at last.