The Jedi Adventure
--sparkvallen
Lucasfilm owns all the characters except those which are obviously original and based on – with permission – people from my life! So there.
Chapter Five
The Jedi trainees assembled in the antechamber to the Great Hall of the Massassi Temple. They had all been summoned this late afternoon day on Yavin IV from their various training activities. Spark and Sapharin had been uncovering secrets from a Jedi Holocron while Ebony and Z'Trooper were engaged in a lightsaber and verbal sparring session in one of the sparring rooms. Falco had taken to tinkering on R2D2 as the Droid seemed more agreeable about his technological touch than it had Z'Trooper's previously. Joni had spent much of his day poring over the philosophical nature of the Force and the Jedi.
When they arrived in the antechamber, the hope on most everyone's mind was that their families were at last joining them in this new part of the galaxy. This was the one hold-out to their peace – whether or not it was the Jedi Way, they'd been told that their families would accompany them, and truly, it was the reason why many had agreed to this adventure in the first place. As months ticked by and they did not arrive, emotions had come to run high on the topic.
And so, when Luke and Corran entered the room where the trainees stood, sat or leaned against the stone walls, they fully expected to hear good news about their families' arriving. Instead…
"I have a two-pronged mission for you all," Luke said.
The surprise and disbelief in their eyes and in the Force was palpable.
Without missing a beat, Skywalker continued. "The mission will require this group to split into two teams, one headed to Coruscant, the other to Tatooine. Communication between the teams will be essential. The team on Coruscant needs to learn just what the WayneTech technology corporation is doing with its manufacture of micro-chips for datapads. There's evidence that this work is being tampered with for some…" He hesitated, searching for the right word. "…larger gain. Getting access to these files or information will not be easy."
Immediately, Falco's and Z'Trooper's eyes lit up at the prospect of technology.
Corran explained the second team's mission. "The Tatooine team will be on-planet as a strike team once the Coruscant team has achieved their objective. WayneTech's leadership is rumored to be a Dark Jedi who is vacationing on – of all places – Tatooine. The team will need to corner and force the cessation of such wrongdoing and bring the Dark Jedi Valion into custody."
The trainees were deathly silent, staring at Luke and Corran. It was finally Sapharin who broke the silence. "Um… Masters Skywalker and Horn… aren't there fully-trained Jedi who would be better for these missions?"
Luke smiled knowingly and bowed his head to her. "Are you suggesting that you're not fully trained, Saph?"
Her brown eyes widened at the trick question, quickly trying to figure out how best to answer. "That's not quite what I meant, Master. And I think you're aware of that! I only meant that—"
Luke winked. "I know, Sapharin. And yet, I have the fullest confidence in this team of Jedi."
When we return, we'll be Knights, Ebony thought. She cleared his throat and looked around at the other Jedi. "Right, well, how shall we organize ourselves then?"
Falco and Z'Trooper immediately volunteered to go to Coruscant… just as everyone was expecting them to. Joni also offered his skills toward the mission to the city-planet, feeling his mediation skills might be of use to talk their way into the corporation.
Spark, Ebony and Sapharin exchanged glances. The women were thinking and communicating in silence as they had grown accustomed to doing – the bond between the trio was strong and the Force flowed between them easily enough that they could send thoughts and images from mind-to-mind. In their private way, they deliberated on which mission they would undertake together. Sapharin sent, /I want to see Tatooine where Luke was raised anyway. Are we game for the greater mission at hand/
Ebony was the one to nod and voice their intent to take on the mission to Tatooine. Luke and Corran nodded as though they expected it to fall out this way. Spark couldn't help but think about the irony of the boys' team and the girls' team in the way the mission was organized.
"Master Tionne has information for both teams in the archives. You're strongly encouraged to study up on the planets, the companies and regional politics in general before you go. A shuttle's been prepared for both teams but I'd advise you to depart together and stay in communication throughout your missions," Corran said. "May the Force be with you all."
Hours of study and preparation passed as the two Jedi teams learned about WayneTech, Valion and the climate in which the company had grown to thrive. The teams shared information since what one leaned about Coruscant was still relevant to what the Tatooine group needed to know… and vice versa. Z'Trooper and Ebony took care of supply requisitions with Kam Solusar's assistantce, gathering gear and likely useful equipment for the shuttles and missions in general. With the plan to meditate and rest at least one night before departure, the Jedi trainees returned to their quarters within the Temple to prepare for their first mission.
By dawn's first light on the jungle moon, the two teams had again assembled over a light breakfast. Anticipation and nervousness was etched onto each person's face as they ate in silence. As a group, they made their way to the landing pads where other Jedi had already taken it upon themselves to load both shuttles according to the manifests Ebony and Z'Trooper had put together. The trainees all looked to one another then hugged each person before offering a formal bow. They had come a long way together and each had the same feeling that Ebony had – this was going to be a time of proving, as Jedi Knights-to-be.
No words needed to be spoken as each team boarded their shuttles. They were being flown to Coruscant and Tatooine respectively by other Jedi who were seasoned pilots and used to hyperspace navigation. As it would take the Tatooine team longer to arrive on-planet, they departed first. Those on Coruscant would be using that extra time to prepare exactly how they'd be infiltrating WayneTech's information in order to learn more about the micro-chips…
On the ride to Tatooine…
Together in the main hold of the shuttle, Ebony was on a mild rant about the situation the Jedi trainees found themselves in. Spark and Sapharin were her captive audience as she got things off her chest.
"What I don't understand is why Skywalker continues to evade the question of our families! To the point that he sends us across the galaxy, separating our group?" Ebony exclaimed.
Sapharin mumbled, "It's the Jedi way" very quietly, not wanting to upset Ebony any further, but still needing to speak.
Brown eyes glared back at her. "And I suppose it's the Jedi way to keep information from us? You know as well as I do that something's not right about this!"
Spark bit her lip, trying to figure out how to interject. She always got quiet in group discussions, despite how the Jedi she'd always known online perceived her. "There's nothing we can do about that right now, Ebony. Can we just focus on getting through this mission for now? Please?"
A disgusted sigh was the reply she received. Sapharin shrugged at Spark, similarly not knowing what to say.
On the ride to Coruscant…
"To get a good look at upcoming technology! I can hardly wait, you know?" Falco was exclaiming.
"There is no emotion, there is peace," Joni replied, giving a wry grin from his seat.
Z'Trooper snickered and continued to fiddle with his lightsaber hilt. He was fine tuning the specs that they'd been given as students for the construction of their lightsabers, seeking to make his blade more variable. Z'Trooper had the idea that the blade could be used for many purposes beyond battle: a can opener, a pen light…
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Falco replied. "But just imagine what we're gonna like… see! And stuff. Dude, pinch me because I can't believe it!"
"I'm not going to pinch you," Z'Trooper replied without looking up.
"Um, you're not going to hit me with that, are you?" Falco asked.
"Might I suggest a little meditation, fellow Jedi? To prepare ourselves for the mission?" Joni inquired. He stood and made his way to quieter quarters aboard their shuttle.
Falco and Z'Trooper merely shook their heads, both geeked about what their end of the mission entailed.