Chapter 14 Arriving on Coruscant

Samal sat on the ship silently. He was going to the Jedi. Part of him had wanted something line this to happen. But he was going to miss his family and friends. Of course he knew this would happen one day. Everyone had to move out of their parents house at some point to start a new job or something. Unfortunately he wouldn't be moving out cause he'd gotten a job. The Jedi were the guardians of peace and justice, some said that they had great treasure from all the missions they went through. But according to what Samal studied at Karada Academy, that was not the case. The Jedi were selfless and didn't take payment. They were funded by the Senate who provided them with credits to fullfill their mission, but they weren't rich by any means.

Samal had often thought that maybe one day he could have struck it rich. Through art, or maybe use his acquired warrior talents and become a mercenary to fight in the war alongside Yusano. He'd always yearned for danger to some extent. But he wanted to do good in the galaxy.

He sat in the middle of the ship which consisted of a holoprojector for communications, a holochess projector, many other passenger seats, and some remotes on the floor that were used for target practice. Master Ogan was in the pilot seat, he'd told his crew about the death of his padawan Jaster Grail. They'd been rather silent on the way back. No doubt they'd been through some things together during their time on this ship. Samal could only imagine it.

He didn't approach any of them and try to talk. He'd never been particularly social, at the Academy during lunch he usual sat by himself at the Academy except for the occasional lunch with Alia or Yusano who usually respected his wish to have time to himself. Still, he might be joining this crew permanently so it would probably be a good idea to try and get to know them. The human boy looked up and saw the lizard like alien standing a few feet away. It was a trandoshan. Samal had seen holopics of them before in his Galactic species class, but never seen one in person. From what he remembered they were a rather violent people from the outer rim that were usually hunters or even slavers. Not particularly appeasing to the eye either, but Samal didn't let that last detail bother of him. Appearance wasn't something to judge someone by. It was who they were inside that mattered most. Maybe this trandoshan was nice?

"Um… hi," Samal said with a wave.

The Trandoshan said something in a hissing tongue. It didn't sound too nice. Samal gave him a small frown.

"I'm sorry, I don't understand you," Samal said.

"Rorr!"

The Wookie crew member looked up from the Holochess game board where he sat with the female human in red and yellow Republic armor, she must have been a military woman. The Trandoshan and Wookie began to exchange hisses and soft roars in their native languages.

"Hey hey! No need to fight!" Samal put his hands up and tried to get between them.

The Wookie put a big hair arm out in front of Samal and said several things in its language.

"I can't understand you," Samal said, trying to keep calm.

"He's saying you should stay out of this," the human woman said. "These two have their rows all the time. Don't worry about it though, they're enemies by nature pretty much. Vaug, Rororr! That's enough!"

"Fine!" the trandoshan said in basic.

Samal looked at him. "If you speak why didn't you say something to me?"

"Eh! I hate speaking this language!" he stated before stomping off.

"Sorry about him. Vaug is just here because the Republic felt he could be useful as a member of Saber Squad rather than remaining behind bars," the human woman said. "General Ogan and I have to do our best to keep him in line. Its not always easy though."

"I see," Samal nodded. "So he was a prisoner before?"

"Yes. But he hates the Sith. What I heard was he killed a few troopers but also some civilians in the process."

Samal shuddered at the thought of innocent people being killed. It reminded him of what he himself had nearly done. At least he'd managed to only kill the Sith and resisted the urge to kill the alcoholic. If only he'd been able to save that man. Still, he'd been willing to do for a moment. He knew that he had a darkness inside his heart, his hatred toward alcohol. But even though he'd not killed the innocent man, it felt as though the darkness had grown stronger.

Samal saw Malor's face in his minds eye, and felt as though a fire was lighting up in his chest. Anger. But he'd killed the Sith, why was he still feeling angry? Samal clenched a fist and grunted.

"You okay?" Casca asked.

"I'm not sure," Samal said. "I just feel angry for some reason."

"Well, perhaps the Jedi can help. They have a lot of gifted healers there in the temple," Casca said. "They have tended to me at times after battle. Its not easy fighting in war, the psychological effects can be devastating."

Samal exhaled. He didn't really want to get help, but he might just have to. If there was something wrong with him…

…

The Comorus Eagle eagled entered Coruscant's atmosphere soon enough. Samal went up to the cockpit where Master Ogan was piloting the ship with a Zabrak that had a astromech droid behind him. Samal looked out the front window and saw the hundreds of thousands of buildings out there.

"That's the senate building there," the Zabrak said. "And there is the Jedi Temple."

They headed to the building which had a rectangular base with long towers at the top. The ship descended into the a hangar bay far below and Samal was the first down the ship's ramp, pushing his speeder bike that had been loaded onto the ship before he'd left Naboo. He was here, inside the Jedi Temple. Master Ogan and his crew followed.

"Let me lead Samal," Ralon said.

"Right. Sorry, guess I'm eager to see the Jedi Temple," Samal said.

Ralon turned to his crew. "You all go out and enjoy yourselves."

"Finally, a little time off!" Vaug stated.

The trandoshan looked like he was the one most able to enjoy himself at the moment. The others looked a bit glum.

"I miss Jaster. He'll never get to try out that new sparring droid I was working on," the Zabrak said.

"You're working on a sparring droid?" Samal asked.

"Yes, I'm the technician on this ship. I work on droids and other things. My name is Baul Kur by the way."

"Samal Dicar," Samal introduced himself. "You work with machines huh?"

"Yes," Baul said before looking at Samal's speeder. "Nice bike. Maybe I could work on it a bit? It doesn't look like it has any weapons and you might need those."

"Thanks. Well, I'd like to give that droid a try when you get a chance."

"I'm not sure you'd be able to handle it. I'm working on a droid that is skilled in lightsaber forms as well as hand to hand combat and blasters. I plan on it being able to give Jedi a workout at least and be able to help out our squad in a firefight as well."

"Hey I'm not without any fighting experience!" Samal said. "I've trained in echani arts since I was ten, and I fought in the battle on Naboo!"

"Well you seem brave then," Baul Kur said. "I suppose I could let you try it out when you get a little training done. I'll keep an out for you at the temple and let you know when its done."

"Huh? I thought I was gonna be joining you Master Ogan?" Samal asked.

The Jedi Master looked at him. "I had considered that… but right now I'm not so sure. I… I think it might be a good idea for you to have a different master."

Samal looked at him slowly and shrugged. "If you say so."

Ralon nodded. "I am the Jedi Weapon Master, so I have to go to the more dangerous warzones. I'm not sure it would be a good idea for you to come along on those missions."

That made Samal frown. "I don't mind a little danger!"

"This is more then a little danger. Though I heard you managed to fight and kill a Sith right?"

"Umm… no. I fought one but I lost," Samal admitted.

"Still the fact that you're still alive is…

"Its only because he is force sensitive. They spared him," Ralon said. "Well, we best report to the Jedi Temple. They will test you."

Well I'm here at the Jedi Temple now and met all the Saber Squad members mostly. Me and Baul really hit it off a bit. Maybe he'll become my new friend here? Casca seems like a caring woman for a soldier. I can't understand the Wookie and the trandoshan seems mean huh? Well I will probably meet the Jedi Council next time. I'm working on four stories now, but don't worry I'll be rotating stories still so I won't put this one on hiatus again. Also, I am considering making the chapters longer. What do you guys think? Please review. Still hoping for more of those.