Herding Nexu
By Andrew J Talon
Bespin. Luke still had bad feelings over this world. He knew why. He'd talked it out with some therapists Leia had made him go to. He'd talked about it with Aphra and Mara too, but that had been... Less helpful.
But also helpful? Women, geez.
"City in the clouds?" Gantoris asked, his eyes slightly widened in wonder, "incredible... I almost want to call it magic."
Artoo beeped something snarky, and Luke shot a glare at his droid.
"It is... Pretty amazing," Luke admitted, "when you think about it."
Luke veered away from Cloud City, adjusting his course. He immediately felt better, though he tried not to think about that too much.
"Lando's coordinates should be accurate," Luke said to Artoo. The droid beeped back in the affirmative.
"Is this Lando not reliable?" Gantoris asked.
"He usually is... Nowadays," Luke admitted.
Another floating cloud city soon came into view. This one wasn't too different in concept from Cloud City, but the architecture was far different: More jagged and with far straighter lines. It was a harsh contrast with the endless clouds and streams of vapor.
"Who are we looking for?" Gantoris asked.
"He's an exceptional tibanna gas miner," Luke said, "like I said."
Luke closed his eyes, and focused.
He could sense one mind here. He let his shields drop, just enough to let the mind know he was coming.
The Force presence was... Alarmed. But Luke was able to narrow down where it was. He headed for a landing platform on the outskirts of the city platform. There was a makeshift repulsorlift raft attached to it by a metallic cable, cobbled together from several unrelated craft. Luke brought the Daybreaker in for a landing, smoothly bringing it down on the landing pad. He shut down the ship, and got up. He and Gantoris headed down the ramp, onto the landing platform.
Gantoris frowned.
"To live so far away from others... Will he be... Friendly?"
Several old Imperial probe droids began to float up, with stun beams charging up. Luke and Gantoris ignited their lightsabers.
"Doesn't look like it," Gantoris muttered.
"Don't worry, we're very persuasive," Luke said.
Luke took care to not destroy the droids-He could see a lot of custom modifications had gone into each one, and he was loathe to ruin them.
Gantoris wasn't as well versed in such work though, so he just smashed his way through them. They made it to the door to the landing pad, which was locked up tight. The droids tried to surround them, but it was really a losing contest for them-They just weren't made to fight.
After eight droids went down, a loudspeaker crackled to life above them.
"Go away! I don't have anything worth stealing! And I'm certainly not worth killing!" An older man's voice rang out, annoyed.
"We're not here to kill you, old man!" Gantoris growled, but he stopped further shouting when Luke held up his hand.
"We're not here to rob you, sir," Luke called out, "we just wanted to talk. And you may suspect why."
Luke doused his lightsaber, and he nodded to Gantoris. The warrior hesitated, but he shut off his own lightsaber. Luke held his hands out, spreading them wide.
"We just want to talk. We won't harm you. I promise."
Silence fell. The nearby door finally opened up, slowly rising. Luke and Gantoris watched the massive door slide up, revealing the sole occupant of the city bit by bit.
He was middle aged, with dusky skin. He had a beard that was going white from dark brown, and fast. His eyes were clear in a wan, aged face. Atop his head he wore a helmet with retractable goggles, which were currently held up over the brim of his helmet. His clothing was a simple but tough high altitude technician's suit, with a vest and belt covered in tools. He eyed them warily, as Gantoris sized him up and Luke assessed him.
"Mister Streen, I presume?" Luke asked.
Streen snorted, but nodded.
"Well! If you're here to talk, talk," the gas miner huffed, "I'll put some tea on."
The apartment was extremely nice, given the general state of the decrepit cloud city. But it was rather messy, Streen keeping his tools all over the place. Even so, he had a couch, which he allowed Luke and Gantoris to sit on while he grabbed a spare chair from somewhere and sat down. They all sipped their tea in silence for a time, only the sound of the automatic cooking droid filling the air.
Streen looked over at them, still wary.
"So... You wanted to talk, right?" Streen asked, "I'm not very good at that, I'm afraid. Haven't gotten much practice."
"You live alone," Gantoris stated. Streen snorted.
"Great deductive work there. You also know you broke my droids?"
Gantoris stared intensely at him... Then nodded.
"I apologize," he said.
Streen blinked, and sighed.
"Yeah, well... I may have overreacted," he admitted, "I live like this, well..."
"Because you can't stop hearing and feeling other's thoughts and emotions," Luke said. Streen stared at him, gobsmacked.
"How did you-?!"
"Because it's something we can do, as well," Luke said, "and other things. Through the Force."
"The Force?" Streen hummed, "I'd heard about it... Heard about... Jedi... Long ago..."
"That's what we are," Luke said. He held out his hand, and made Streen's chair rise up into the air. Streen yelped, and held onto the armrests in shock. Luke smiled apologetically, and slowly lowered the chair back to the floor. Gantoris watched, impressed.
"That... Wow... Hoo," Streen muttered, shaking his head, "wow... Okay."
"Before the Empire, people like us would have joined the Jedi Order," Luke said, "or been found, at least. Why weren't you?"
Streen shrugged.
"I... Well, I was born on Nar Shadda. Jedi were all for the Republic, right? Well, I guess I was outside the system. I'd barely heard of them by the time I was fifteen-And by then, the Clone Wars had broken out. I didn't want to fight... Couldn't stand being around other people... So I became a gas miner."
"A very good one, too," Luke said with a smile.
"Yeah," Streen snorted, "but all the credits in the universe can't make a man less lonely."
Streen leaned back, and considered Luke.
"You'd want me to join your Order? I'm no warrior."
"Many Jedi weren't," Luke said consolingly, "I'm not asking you to join us to fight through the entire Empire. But you have a gift, a great power. If it's trained properly, it can do a lot of good-For yourself, and for others."
"What makes you think I am a good man?" Streen snorted.
"Well, you could have tried to kill us," Luke offered, "but you didn't."
"You do not have the need to kill, to harm," Gantoris contributed, "you are... Kind, despite everything."
Streen was silent, contemplating his tea. He looked back up.
"If you can teach me how to... Control this gift," Streen said, "let me rejoin the galaxy? Then... Kriff it. I'm in."
Luke smiled and nodded.
"Start packing then. Let's get going."
Streen didn't take long to pack-Despite his wealth, his belongings were few and modest. He did insist on bringing along a few of his droids-They would come in handy.
Before he left though, he untethered his repulsorlift raft, and let it float away. Luke could feel a sense of relief radiating from Streen, as he watched the raft sail away into the clouds-Vanishing into Bespin's atmosphere.
"Won't need it anymore," Streen said, "and... Well... All the memories I've got associated with that thing? Were no different from my memories here."
"Now you are unfettered," Gantoris said with a nod, "a new man."
"A new man?" Streen smiled. "I like the sound of that..."
Streen went up into the Daybreaker, soon followed by Gantoris. Luke lingered a bit outside, smiling up at the sky.
So far, so good. He'd found two more Force Sensitives for the Order. Both eager to join, and decent guys as well.
He only hoped Ahsoka and Cal were doing as well in their mission...
Anchorhead, Tatooine
Mynar had been a bit delayed, taking a holocall in the waiting room of the Scorekeeper while his mother went to go see her. Since it was high priority, it was hard to avoid. Still, it was a tad surprising who was on the other end.
"Father?" Mynar asked. His father smiled.
"Mynar, how are you doing?" He asked.
"I'm all right, Father," Mynar said, "what are you calling for? Is it an emergency?"
"Potentially," his father said, "we got a tip that Ahsoka Tano is also on Tatooine: Probably for the same reasons you and your mother are. To recruit the Scorekeeper and any other Force Sensitives."
Mynar blinked. He definitely recalled Ahsoka Tano. The tall, beautiful Torgrutan had always seemed incredibly beautiful, even in her wanted posters. Okay, especially in her wanted posters. Yes she was the enemy, but she'd made quite the impression on his young psyche.
His mother had held onto some posters for some reason. He'd gotten part of the story from his father, and his own research: Apparently his mother had framed Tano for the bombing of the Jedi Temple. And from how his mother would go silent on the subject... It really hurt.
Which was terrible, but his young fighter pilot Jedi Knight brain couldn't help but focus more on the prospect of meeting her... Wow...
"So I suggest you stick with your mother at all times," his father continued, "any incident involving them might be... Unfortunate."
Mynar nodded.
"Of course, Father," he said.
"And no pining after Rebels, please?" Pelaeon asked. Mynar scowled.
"Father! I-I don't do that!"
"Just saying, you're barely out of your teens and... No, I'm sure you'll be fine," his father said, smiling fondly.
"Yes Father, we will absolutely..."
He trailed off as he felt his mother through their Force Bond. She was surprised, enraged... And guilty. There were similar flares of emotion from the room next door.
"And I'll be right back!" He stated quickly, shutting off his holocom. He dashed into the room, lightsaber at the ready...
And saw his mother and Ahsoka Tano standing off, lightsabers burning, as they glared hatred hard enough to melt durasteel. Some tall redheaded human Jedi was standing behind her, holding his lightsaber but keeping it unlit.
And the Scorekeeper, Asajj Ventress herself, was sitting on a couch between his mother and Tano, looking amused. She held up a hand, and a pipe appeared. She began to smoke cheerfully.
"Today's far more entertaining than I thought it was going to be," she admitted happily.
"Uh, Mother? Miss Tano?" Mynar tried.
Ahsoka shifted her glare over his mother's shoulder.
"Who's this? Your boy toy?" Ahsoka scoffed.
"This is my son," Bariss growled tightly.
"Uh, Lieutenant Mynar Pelaeon, Imperial Jedi Knight, Miss Tano," Mynar introduced himself, hoping he came off as confident.
"You married an Imperial Officer?" Ahsoka growled, glaring white hot death at his mother. "You spread your legs for anyone who would take you in, huh?! Pump out this whelp as insurance against being killed?!"
Mynar gaped. Yeah, suddenly Ahsoka Tano had become a lot less attractive.
His mother tightened, as her presence in the Force grew. Her rage was burning like a forest fire. Yet when she spoke, it was calm and controlled.
"Insult me all you like, Ahsoka Tano. You deserve to, for all that I did to wrong you," Bariss stated, "but you will not insult my husband or my son ever again. Understand?"
Ahsoka sneered.
"And what will you do to stop me, traitor?"
"Enough," The Scorekeeper sighed, holding up her hand. She snatched the lightsabers out of her hands with the Force, holding them up between them, "you two aren't going to wreck up my house with your spat."
She leaned back, contemplating the two glaring Jedi. She shook her head.
"Honestly, I don't see why you two can't work together," she said, "one learns to let go of debts and slights in old age. Or so I've heard."
"I fail to see why anyone has to fight here," the redheaded man finally spoke up, "or die. We're all Jedi, right?"
"No Jedi works for the Imperials!" Ahsoka spat.
"I'm trying to change the Empire for the better, from the inside," Bariss said, teeth gritted, "the more our two sides fight the worse the destruction will be!"
Ventress yawned, leaning backwards on her couch.
"Ugh... You two debating about politics is just as interesting as it sounds," she whined, "listen: You two will have to work your poodoo out somewhere else... But I'm in a good mood today. So I'm willing to compromise. All right?"
"I'm listening," Bariss managed, as Ahsoka scoffed.
"I'll work with both Jedi Orders," Ventress said, "you're going to need a neutral party to deal with your stupid drama. And it's very entertaining, watching you two posture. I don't see a need to be aligned with anyone in particular. Staying neutral but friendly to all works best for me. Besides, Jedi don't throw fun parties."
"Hey now," the redhead said, "you haven't experienced one of our parties on Yavin IV. Drunk Luke is hilarious."
"I'll take that into consideration," Ventress said, "but for now? Neutrality suits me just fine. Not until I have a better idea of what you two can do."
Ventress smirked, and cast the lightsabers back to their owners, where they were extinguished. Ventress pulled out two holo chips. She floated them over to Ahsoka and Bariss. Ventress took a long drag from her pipe, and blew smoke up into the air.
"To you, Tano? This is a bounty someone tried to post on Kam Solusar. He's recovering on Dac, where Princess Leia and her husband are going to visit him and a friend of theirs very soon: Doctor Cilghal: Niece of Admiral Ackbar? I rejected it, but some scabs took it happily. With so many targets in one place, they won't resist. You and Kestis here can help them out."
"When were you going to tell us that?!" Ahsoka demanded.
"When you two stopped bickering like a pair of unruly children," Ventress snorted.
Mynar's mother had the grace to bow her head, and clip her lightsaber back to her belt.
"My apologies for that," she said.
"Always the subservient one," Ahsoka grumbled, taking the holochip. Bariss sucked in a breath, but said nothing.
"And for us?" Mynar asked, as Bariss grabbed the holochip floated to her.
"There is a Jedi Master and her padawan on Felucia," Ventress stated, "they have been hiding out for a long time. They avoided an assassin of Vader's some time ago. They're good-I had to investigate myself. More scab bounty hunters will be trying to take them down. You can save them, then try to convince them to join your little order, despite them having every reason to reject you Pelaeon."
Ventress smirked, looking at them through the twisting tendrils of her smoke.
"I wonder which of you has the harder task?"
"Come on Cal," Ahsoka grumbled. She glared death at Bariss, "this isn't over."
"No, it isn't," Bariss agreed, "but for now... We both have important tasks. Mynar? Call ahead to the ship: We need to get going, now."
"Yes mother," Mynar said. He looked over at the redhead. "I didn't get your name."
"Cal Kestis, Jedi Knight," he said with a nod, "and uh... Good luck, kid?"
"To us all," Mynar said. He tried a polite bow to Ahsoka. "Good luck, Miss Tano."
"Hmph," Ahsoka grunted, "least she raised you with some manners."
"Unlike you," Bariss shot back.
"Get going, already," Ventress grumbled, shaking her head, "brats!"
How was that?