Part 1:
Released
Chapter 1
"But I didn't do it!" The blond young Jedi insisted.
Cordell, almost fifteen, sat across from Luke Skywalker who was questioning him on his actions on Myrkyr. The Jedi Student crossed his arms defiantly, unwilling to change his answer.
"Your friends all saw you, Cordell. Some of which you injured yourself, and according to Todan, you threatened to kill as well." The Jedi Master replied calmly.
Cordell sighed deeply. "Look," he said. "When I fought Denz, I remember stopping an attack of his, and then the next thing I know, he's laying on his back with a long lightsaber slash from his hip to his shoulder. I was able to put two and two together and realized that I did it, but I didn't know why. I didn't want to hurt Denz, just beat him."
"Why did you run?"
"Isn't that obvious? The first chance I got, I hopped on a ship and got off of this planet. I knew I would get in trouble for doing what I did, so I planned to go somewhere else and try to do a lot of good things to make up for it."
"So you went to Myrkyr?" Luke prompted.
"Yeah."
"And you did some good in that city … Dryknar?"
Cordell nodded. "I was basically policin' the place. Nothing serious. Until I came across that creature with snakes for arms."
Luke raised an eyebrow at this. "Yes, the others described the creature to me in the same way. It was actually what our spies have labeled a vort; but that's beside the point. What did you do when you encountered the vort?"
Cordell blushed, "Truthfully, I froze. It wasn't until Jyo and the others arrived and snapped me out of it that I had the sense enough to draw my lightsaber."
After a moment of silence, Luke urged Cordell to continue.
"That's the strange part." Cordell went on. "I remember refusing their help, but I don't know why. Then I began to attack the … vort? Well, that's when it all gets blurry. I thought the vort had knocked me out, and when I woke up, I assumed that the vort had caused all the damage as well."
Luke leaned back in his chair and rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"You don't believe me do you?"
The Jedi Master shook his head. "That's just it. I know you're telling the truth. I can sense it. But that still doesn't explain…"
A rap on the door interrupted him.
"Come in."
The door slid open and Tahiri stepped into the room. "Master Skywalker," she began, "there's something you should see."
Luke sighed and rose to follow Tahiri, and when Cordell fell in behind him, Luke did not stop him. The trio exited the room into the hallway of the advanced students' Jome, or Jedi home. At the opposite end of the hallway was a small crowd of students gathered in front of one of the rooms.
The Jedi Students parted to let Luke through. The Jedi Master soon found himself standing in front of what he thought had been Denz Solo's room. He noticed Todan Ems, his long black hair pulled into a ponytail, tinkering with the control panel for the door.
"What did you want to show me?" Luke asked and startled Todan, who did not realize the Jedi Master had come up behind him.
Without a word, Todan nodded and pressed a button on the control panel. A life-size, holographic image of Denz appeared in front of the door. The image frowned as it began to speak. "If you are watching this message, that means I did not return from Myrkyr with Jyo, Zeek, Salah, and the others. If Zeek says he felt me die, then disregard the rest of this message; but most likely, the reason I did not return was because I could not trust myself. When I say this, it means that I could not trust myself not to act on my emotions and take revenge on Cordell for what he did; not only to me, but to my friends as well." The holographic recording paused as if thinking then continued. "I would ask you not to try to find me. I will return when I feel I am able to put the past behind me. And as for keeping out of danger … well I can't promise anything." The hologram grinned slightly as it began to fade, and then disappeared altogether.
Luke shook his head and asked, "When did you discover this?"
"When we tried to get into his room." Todan said.
Luke turned to look at Todan who now stood to the left of the door to Denz's room.
Next to him, a girl Luke recognized as Salah Jem continued. "Zeek asked us to see if we could find anything that would hint as to the whereabouts of his brother." She sighed in frustration. "But the lock was heavily encoded, and when Todan thought he had finally broken through, that holographic message played."
"Now all you have to do is push the 'open door' button to get the message to play." Todan finished.
Now that he was facing him, Luke noticed the scar over Todan's left eye; a wound he received from Cordell on Myrkyr. "And you still haven't been able to get the door open, right?"
Todan shook his head. "I don't know what he did to this thing, but it looks like the door has been completely rewired. It's going to take some time for me sort it all out and get it working properly again."
"Make it a project of yours." Luke said as the crowd of Students dispersed.
"I hope this doesn't become a trend." A voice said from behind Luke.
He turned and saw Zeek hobbling toward them on crutches, his right leg in a cast. "What do you mean?" The Jedi Master inquired.
Zeek's grin was forced as he answered. "Retrieve one Jedi, lose another."
"Don't worry, Zeek." Luke said. "Despite the message Denz left, I am still going to put together a small team that will go out and search for him. You just focus on getting better."
Zeek nodded and smiled, genuinely this time.
"I just feel awful knowing that Denz is gone because I let Jyo, Zeek and Todan go after Cordell." This came from Tahiri.
Luke shook his head. "It's me who's to blame. You were just following orders."
Luke and Tahiri, followed by Cordell, walked back down the hallway from whence they had come.
"Well, good luck with the door, Todan." Salah said.
"Where are you going?" He asked.
"To visit Tay at the medical dome."
Todan gave Zeek a sidelong glance and said, "In other words, she wants to go spend time with Jyo."
"TODAN!" Salah growled as she whacked him on the head.
"OW! What?!"
Salah huffed and walked away.
Todan rubbed his head and grumbled, "Why are redheads always so violent?"
Zeek laughed, and then his thoughts drifted to Denz. I wonder what he's doing right now.