Threads of Destiny

Chapter 52: A Test of Strength

Ancient Jedi tradition!

Seven younglings are sent to the secret caverns of Ilum, where they are tested by The Gathering, an ancient Jedi ritual where each youngling must harvest a crystal, around which they will construct their own lightsaber.

Along the journey, they underwent great perils, hardest of which was to face themselves. Now, having passed the test, they take their first step into a larger world.

Following the younglings successful test on Ilum, Ahsoka and Nadia prepare to escort them back to the Jedi Temple on Coruscant.

The two padawans watched as Petro practiced battling a training remote while the other younglings watched him.

"I call that move the Whirlwind of Destiny."Petro remarked.

"Show off."Zatt muttered with his arms folded.

Ahsoka and Nadia clapped at Petro before looking at the other younglings.

"Can everyone gather around, please?"Ahsoka asked.

Petro handed Nadia his helmet as the other younglings gathered around the two girls, who walked to the other side of a table.

"You have all successfully passed The Gathering and harvested your crystals."Ahsoka explained.

Gungi let out a happy growl and put his fists up.

"So when do we start to build our sabers?"Petro asked.

"Place your crystals on the table."Nadia instructed. "Your lesson begins now."

The seven younglings placed their crystals on the table.

"May we introduce you to architect and lightsaber designer Huyang."Nadia commented.

Then the robot Huyang walked forward and looked at the younglings.

"These are them."Huyang said. "I swear they get younger every expedition, all have passed The Gathering?"

"Yes, sir."Ahsoka replied.

"Are you sure?"Huyang asked.

Ahsoka and Nadia nodded in respond.

"But he's a droid."Ganodi said. "You expect us to learn from a droid?"

"Many years I have been on this ship, teaching many a Jedi before you and I will continue teaching many a Jedi after you."Huyang stated. "Call me what you want, but inside my memory banks, I contain a record of every lightsaber ever made and the Jedi who fashioned them."

He then showed the younglings a hologram of lightsabers.

"Whoa!"the Seven Younglings remarked in unison.

"Which will you choose? A simple grip? The curved approach? One inlaid with the bone of the Cartusion whale, pastillion ore, or black onk?"Huyang asked. "Well? From Battles of Rashfond to the Peacekeeping of Parliock to our very own Clone Wars, the lightsaber is a Jedi's only true ally."

He then picked up one of the crystals and magnified it.

"But how do they work, hmm?"Huyang asked. "Yes, you have brought me crystals, but they're all useless unless you give them life. do you know how to awaken the Force within the crystal?"

Ganodi shook her head in response while Ahsoka and Nadia smiled at each other.

"No?"Ganodi asked. "Then I suggest you listen and learn until you think of a question this droid cannot answer."

He then looked at Gungi.

"A Wookiee."Huyang said. "Rare you are to the Jedi, proud your people must be. Unique, just as your lightsaber will be, hold out your hand, Wookiee, describe what you see your saber to be."

Gungi hold out his hand and gave a response.

"No, no, no, not what you imagine but what you feel in your hand."Huyang stated. "Concentrate, what will make you strong in battle and humble in retreat? What connects with your Force?"

Gungi closed his eyes to feel his own lightsaber and then gave a response.

"Ah, yes, wood."Huyang said. "Not a common choice and only wood from the brylark tree is as strong as metal."

He then began to look for the wood in some random cupboards.

"Where would we find that all the way out here, far from anywhere, deep in space?"Huyang asked. "Let's see what we have, let me see, let me see...Ah, ah, what do we have here?"

He then took out a drawer that contained items to create a lightsaber and placed it on the table causing the younglings to gasp in awe.

"Wow."Sors remarked.

"You can say that again."Katooni admitted with a smile.

"Wow."Zatt said.

"It is my job, before you leave this ship, you will have everything you need to build your lightsabers and the knowledge of how to do it."Huyang explained as he finished building a lightsaber. "So let us begin there is much more work to be done."

The younglings then sat down to practice using the force to create their own lightsabers as Ahsoka and Nadia watched them.

Petro focused using the force and he immediately finished building his own lightsaber.

"What's the rush, Petro?"Zatt asked.

"With this lightsaber, I'm going to challenge Obi-Wan Kenobi to a duel and kill Grievous."Petro bragged confidently.

Nadia raised an eyebrow and smirked finding it amusing that one of the younglings wanted to challenge her own master.

This caused the other younglings to laugh quietly.

Huyang walked up to Petro and checked his lightsaber.

"The only person you are going to kill with that, my young friend, is yourself."He stated. "You have inverted the emitter matrix, which will cause the power grid to backfire. Light this, and all that will be left of you and your lightsaber will be your crystal, start again and this time, please follow the diagram."

Ganodi sighed in frustration when she failed to connect her lightsaber pieces together.

"Remember, quiet your mind and concentrate."Ahsoka instructed. "The design will become clear."

Katooni and Sors closed their eyes and their lightsaber pieces began to connect with each other.

"Good."Nadia remarked. "Gently, trust the Force."

Then a explosion was heard causing the younglings to lose their concentration and drop the pieces.

"What was that?"Sors asked nervously.

"I don't know."Ahsoka replied. "Hold on."

The two padawans rushed to the cockpit to meet up with Artoo.

"Artoo, what's happened?"Nadia asked.

Artoo beeped an response.

"Where?"Ahsoka asked.

Ahsoka and Nadia then saw a corona class armed frigate in front of their ship.

"Hondo."Nadia muttered coldly.

"Ugh, they're aiming for the hyperdrive."Ahsoka commented. "Get us out of here!"

Artoo beeped and connected with the ship.

But then the armed frigate fired at them again causing the ship to stop moving.

"I don't like the sound of that."Nadia stated.

"Stay here."Ahsoka instructed at Artoo. "We'll check on the younglings."


In the Training Room...

The younglings held closely next to each other.

"What's happening?"Katooni asked.

"We're being boarded."Huyang replied.

"Here?"Zatt asked nervously. "Why?"

"I don't know."Huyang said. "Quickly, give me your crystals and I will hold on to them until we are safe."

All the younglings gives him their crystals except for Petro, who pretends to drop his crystal into Huyang's canister, but actually holds onto it.


Ahsoka and Nadia rushed into the corridors, avoiding the pirates who were coming at the other side.

The two girls then met up with Huyang and the younglings.

"Younglings!"Nadia said in relief.

"Who's attacking the ship?"Sors asked.

"Pirates."Ahsoka answered.

"Pirates?"Ganodi repeated. "They'll kill us all."

Byph shook his head down in fright.

"Perhaps we should hide in the ventilation shaft."Huyang suggested.

"Follow me."Nadia commented as she opened an entrance to the ventilation systems.

"Hiding is for cowards."Petro stated. "We should stand and fight."

"Huh, we're gonna fight, just not the way they expect."Ahsoka admitted.

Then an explosion was heard from one of the entrances.

"Time to go."Nadia warned.

"Is this part of our training?"Katooni asked.

"It is now."Ahsoka replied.

Everyone quickly hid in the ventilation systems just as two pirates came from the exploded door.

"Hondo says find the kids and bring 'em to him, dead or alive."A Pirate said.

The other pirate cackled in response.

"We must have courage, young Jedi."Nadia commented. "Ganodi, Sors and Zatt, we need you to get to the cockpit, find Artoo, and secure it."

"The rest of you, take Professor Huyang and seal yourselves inside the hold and wait for our command."Ahsoka instructed.

"What are you two going to do?"Petro asked.

"We're going to reroute enough power to the engines so that we can break free of the pirate ship's hold on us."Nadia replied. "Okay?"

"Wh-what about the pirates already on board the ship?"Sors asked nervously.

"Once the docking tube is ruptured, when the ships pull apart, a vacuum will be created, which will suck the pirates off our ship and into space."Ahsoka answered.

"Will we be sucked into space?"Ganodi asked.

"No, the cockpit and the hold will be sealed and still have air."Nadia assured. "Do not-and we mean do not- engage the pirates, your only job is to stay hidden, do you guys understand?"

The seven younglings nodded in response.

"Now go."Ahsoka ordered.

The two padawans watched as the younglings went their separate ways causing them to go to their side as part of their plan.

As they crawled in the ventilation system, smoke began to appear causing them to cover their noses as they head to their destination.


In the Cockpit...

Ganodi, Sors and Zatt came out from the ventilation system and met with Artoo.

"Hold it!"

Zatt quickly pressed the button to close the door, but the pirate went on it and grabbed Zatt's arm.

"Get off him!"Ganodi shouted.

"Easy, there."the Pirate sneered. "That's no way to make friends, now, is it?"

Artoo then zapped him causing him to fell on the floor.

"Thanks, buddy."Zatt remarked.

Sors kicked the pirate off the door causing it to close fully.


In the Ventilation System...

Huyang led the other younglings in the ventilation system.

"Come on, keep up."He instructed. "The hold is not much further."

"Something's wrong."Katooni stated.

Then a smoke bomb appeared in front of them causing them to cough loudly and for Huyang to open the entrance and to be grabbed by a pirate.

"Unhand me, brigand!"Huyang shouted.

The Pirates then took Petro, Katooni, Byph and Gungi hostage.

"Well, hello, girls and boys."A Pirate said. "We've been looking forward to meetin' ya, now, be nice and hand over your crystals."

"Over my dead body."Petro threatened.

"That can be arranged."the Pirate answered.

"Petro, no."Huyang protested.

"Your emitter matrix is still inverted."Katooni warned.

"So which one of you is first?"Petro questioned holding his lightsaber, but then it deactivated.

"All bark, no bite."the Pirate said as he took the lightsaber. "Ah, that's for me, I always wanted one of these."

"You sure you can handle it?"Petro questioned.

The Pirate laughed and whooshed the lightsaber around causing it to go on and off.

"Everybody get down!"Huyang warned.

The four younglings went back down the ventilation system just as the lightsaber exploded causing the pirates to get knocked out.

Petro picked up his crystal that fell into his hand.

"Let's go."Huyang stated. "Hurry, hurry."

The Droid and the younglings quickly rushed passed the knocked out pirates and rushed to the corridor that was safe.

"You could have killed him."Katooni said.

"Look, we can keep running or we can stand and fight and show these pirates we're not afraid."Petro stated.

Gungi growled in agreement.

"I cannot approve of such action."Huyang stated. "Besides, I have been damaged and cannot aid you in battle."

"Petro's right."Katooni admitted. "It's our only choice: fight or be killed."


Meawhile...

Ahsoka and Nadia arrived inside Hondo's ship and began to press a few buttons to detach his boat from their's.

"Zatt, come in."Ahsoka stated in her comlink. "We have overriding the emergency power fail-safe and routing energy to the engines."

"It's working."Zatt remarked.

"Any word from the others?"Nadia asked. "Have they reached the hold?"

"Uh, not yet."Sors replied.

"Where are they?"Ahsoka asked.

"I don't know."Zatt answered. "I didn't hear from them."

"Great."Nadia muttered. "We know what that means."


A Moment After...

Ahsoka and Nadia rushed back to their ship and ran in the corridors to find the younglings only to come face to face with Hondo and his crew, who held Huyang, Petro, Katooni, Byph and Gungi hostage.

Nadia used the Force to sent the other pirates away from Hondo.

"Hondo, the Jedi Council will not take kindly to this attack."Ahsoka warned.

"Ahsoka, Aomori, how will they know who is responsible if there is no one left to tell the tale?"Hondo asked.

"You seem less hospitable than our last meeting."Nadia commented with a frown.

"My mood is based on profit and today I am in the mood for crystals."Hondo replied.

"You want the crystals?"Ahsoka questioned. "Come and get 'em."

Ahsoka and Nadia activated their lightsabers and they began to duel Hondo, who held his own electrified staff.

"Oh, easy, now."Hondo warned.

Huyang began to lead the younglings to safety.

"Hurry, hurry."He said.

"What about Ahsoka and Nadia?"Petro asked.

"Trust them."Huyang assured.

"You know, had I known you were here, I would have simply asked for the crystals directly, and we could have avoided all of this."Hondo said.

"We don't want to hurt you, Hondo."Nadia stated.

"I know, and I appreciate that."Hondo responded.

The two girls continued their duel with Hondo.

"Ahsoka, Nadia, come in."Zatt said. "They've made it to the hold."

"Then what are you waiting for?"Ahsoka questioned.

"But what about you two?"Zatt asked.

"Do it!"Nadia ordered.

"What are you two doing?"Hondo questioned.

"Getting you off our ship!"Ahsoka stated.

She then kicked Hondo on the face sending him out of the hatch.

The Jedi cruiser rips loose, the docking tube's sealing was broken and pulled out of the ship, managing to grab onto their own ship.

But just as Ahsoka and Nadia close the outside hatch, a straggler pirate knocks them into the tube as well.

Then the jedi ship jumped into hyperspace.


In the Jedi Ship's Cockpit...

"Ah, ah, ah! Yes!"Petro cheered. "We did it!"

"They're off the ship!"Sors said in relief.

Then Gungi came in holding Huyang's head while Byph held the droid's hands.

"Oh, Professor."Katooni said sadly.

"Bring him here."Zatt instructed as he took the parts. "I'll fix him."

"You should have seen Ahsoka and Nadia."Petro remarked. "They took them on all by themselves."

"Where are Padawan Tano and Padawan Aomori?"Katooni asked.

"Padawan Tano, Padawan Aomori, come in."Ganodi said as she pressed a button. "Ahsoka! Nadia! Ahsoka and Nadia, are you two there?"

There was no response in any of the rooms.


In Hondo's Ship...

Ahsoka and Nadia were taken prisoners by the pirates.

"You two have cost me greatly today, young ones."Hondo commented. "And since you both lost me so much profit, I am left with no choice, but to turn you two into profits, good night.

Then two pirates hit the padawans on their heads, knocking them out cold.


Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter

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