A symbol of the Jedi Order, the words rang through Shmi's head as she poked at her food, unable to stop dwelling on the new clue she had been given. What did that mean? Was she a descendant of a Jedi?
Shortly after Shmi had returned from her shopping, Ana had come back with her arms full of parcels. There were meats, canned vegetables, and other non-perishable foodstuffs. The arrival of the groceries had distracted Shmi from thoughts of the sweet roll she'd forgotten to buy, but not from the words Hena had spoken to her, Jedi Knights. She would be eternally grateful to that short, plump shop owner, and Shmi promised herself she would return the favor, someday.
"Did you have a nice trip into town?"
Shmi smiled at Ana and nodded, taking a bite of the food instead of moving it aimlessly around her plate.
Shmi wanted so badly to confide in the older couple, but felt a slight hesitation, a fear. Whatever it was, she wasn't ready to let them that far in yet. So Shmi sat silently at the table, answering their questions, but not directing any conversation. She didn't even care to find out where it was they were going next. All Shmi could see was the next few hours when Ana and Sky would be sleeping, and she could once again peruse the datapads for any information about the Jedi Knights. Now that she had a narrow field to focus on Shmi had a feeling she would very soon find out that which she desired most to know.
Where was she from, and who was her family?
Outside the Kianna's Dream, the stars of distant systems were gliding by, unnoticed by the occupants inside. The ship sliced through the silent black of space, reflecting the twinkling of thousands of stars and suns. In the far, far distance a dying star gasped its last breaths and collapsed in a soundless fury, pulling asteroids and space garbage into its vacant gravity field.
The sudden increased pull of gravity traveled through space and disrupted (if only slightly) the course of the Kianna's Dream. Inside the ship Ana and Sky were asleep and Shmi was seated in the small kitchen area, bent over one of Sky's datapads. She barely felt the waver of the floor beneath her as the intense gravitational pull altered the set course of the small ship. Her eyes were feasting on the rich and much lauded history of the Jedi Knights.
Shmi had heard stories regaling the powers of the mystical Jedi but she had never really believed these stories. Certain they, like other myths she'd been confronted with, were simply extreme exaggerations, tall tales. But seeing the stories she'd heard all her life in print before her, she began to believe in their truths.
It was a millennia-old Order, the Jedi Knights being Guardians of Peace in the galaxy. They weren't soldiers and they weren't police but they maintained a peace-acting as negotiators and mediators. The Jedi owned no possessions, and never married (when she read this Shmi felt her hopes of Jedi parentage die). They carried only a lightsaber as a weapon. It was a type of sword that they constructed on their own, powered by crystals from a planet called Ilum. Strength with The Force guided them in their duty to uphold peace.
Shmi devoured the information, the strong traditions and deep commitment these Knights must have to live such a life. But slowly her frustration was growing. She hadn't found anything thus far that offered information about the symbol she wore.
The necklace charm consisted of three hollow teardrop-shaped forms, all intertwined at the wide end, the points flaring outward. Each of the "leaves" was a slightly different shade of gray and where the three pieces connected a tiny but bright blue gem glistened.
Shmi tore her glazed eyes away from the harsh glare of the screen readout, and leaning back she closed them, taking several deep breaths. She sat there for several long minutes, until she started to feel herself slip into the heavy black of unconsciousness. Forcing herself to sit upright again, Shmi abandoned the datapad she had been looking through and pulled towards her the next in the tall stack she had on the table.
As the screen activated with the main menu Shmi was ready to start another search. First she typed in Jedi Knight, and as the screen filled with related entries Shmi yawned, readying herself for the next long search ahead of her.
Another long hour later Shmi was feeling very discouraged. She had scanned through hundreds of mention of Jedi, but nothing indicating reference to her necklace. Deciding to finish her search of this last datapad, Shmi entered a new search parameter, for symbol. She didn't have to wait long as hundreds of images started filling the screen.
Shmi leaned back and began scrolling through them, happy to see with just a glance that one image or another wasn't correct. Shmi's fingers were advancing the images so quickly that she almost didn't realize when she saw it. Shmi stopped, her breath catching in her throat, her finger poised over the forward button, frozen.
There it was; her necklace, or a photo of a symbol just like her necklace. The stone in the image glowed deep purple but otherwise it was the same. The same three teardrop-shaped leaves all intertwined and all the same gray color. Shmi was unprepared. She never really thought she'd find anything, and she was unsure what to do next. The bottom right corner of the screen showed a diamond icon, indicating there was written text to go along with the image.
Shmi slowly moved her finger from the forward button to the diamond icon, and pausing for another deep breath, she closed her eyes and pressed it.
She sat with her eyes closed for several minutes. Afraid of what she might find and knowing once she learned the meaning of the symbol there'd be no turning back. Finding strength deep within, she slowly opened her eyes. As the glowing screen came into focus Shmi almost laughed out loud. There was one line of text.
A symbol of the Jedi Knights, Sub-Order formed on Esnon.
Shmi tossed the pad across the table, frustrated. She grumbled under her breath, throwing every curse word she could remember towards the useless datapad. As she ran out of colorful expletives to use her frustration faded.
"At least I have a planet name," she whispered under her breath as she reluctantly pulled the pad towards her.
Highlighting the planet name Shmi waited while the history of Esnon was compiled. It was only moments before Shmi started reading the history of the planet she was sure she was from.
Located in the Certic system, Esnon, named for founder Rukis Esnon, was settled just over 100 years ago after an outbreak of Grift Fever forced residents off the neighboring planet Derar (see Grift Fever and Derar).
Esnon is composed of hard slate rock and harbors no native vegetation. Residents of Esnon were forced to trade for goods with neighboring planets and systems because the environment was unable to support farming.
The breakout of a civil war in the Certic system brought a small group of Jedi Knights to the system. They settled the conflict swiftly (see Red War) and decided to stay, forming a permanent retreat on Esnon.
Twenty years after the settlement was formed there was a mass-slaughter. All inhabitants of Esnon were murdered. It is not known who or what committed the gruesome acts. Since that time no other beings have inhabited the planet, the remaining residents of the Certic system abandoning resettlement of the planet.
Esnon is now thought to be a haven for smugglers, thieves and those wishing to escape justice for crimes committed in other systems and on other worlds. Occasionally historians will visit the planet looking for artifacts, trying to piece together the mysterious rise and fall of the short-lived civilization.
The mystery of Esnon is one of the most well-known throughout the Outer Regions. Historians and scholars have debated theories for years and the deaths on Esnon are greatly considered one of the 10 Mysterious Wonderings of the galaxy (see The 10 Great Mysteries).
Shmi sat in shock. All she could think was, they're all dead.
Feeling completely defeated Shmi silently put the datapads away and retired to her bunk where she cried herself silently to sleep.
"I found something out," Shmi blurted the next morning. "About my past, I mean," she added, seeing the confused looks from Ana and Sky.
The ship was silent, save the soft hum of the engines as they flew through space. Sky and Ana were looking at Shmi expectantly.
"Well…on Corellia I met this woman, and she recogni-," Shmi suddenly stopped as a loud, wailing alarm started sounding.
Sky jumped from his seat and hurried to the cockpit, Ana and Shmi following close behind exchanging worried looks. Shmi wasn't a pilot but she didn't need to be one to know that an alarm didn't mean something good.
Sky was already in the pilot's chair pressing buttons and examining readouts. After several minutes the alarm silenced and the streaks of stars out the viewport slowly shrank to twinkling pinpricks.
Sky swiveled in his chair to face the two women. "We're off course. Far off course."
Shmi exchanged another confused look with Ana.
"So, where are we?" Ana asked, moving to the co-pilot's chair. She swung her legs around and punched a few buttons, activating the controls before her.
"According to the coordinates, we're entering the Certic system."
Shmi felt her stomach lurch and her eyes bug out of her head.
It was impossible. How had they ended up almost on the doorstep of the place where any trace of her history might remain?
Shmi leaned back against the doorframe, her heart fluttering in her chest, her vision blurring.
What is going on?
"You okay, girlie?" Shmi heard Sky ask.
She nodded her head slowly. "It's Esnon," she whispered.
"What?"
Shmi felt gentle hands grasp her arms and shoulders and guide her to the third seat in the cockpit.
"What's Esnon?" Ana's voice quietly questioned.
"It's where I got this," Shmi raised her hand to her necklace, covering the exposed charm and pressing it against her skin.
"How do you know?" Ana asked, soothing.
Shmi just shook her head. She couldn't think, her eyes staring vacantly ahead. "I…I just found out," was all she could bring herself to say.
"What d'ya know about this place, Sky?" Shmi heard, as if through water, Ana ask.
"Nothin' much…," Sky trailed. His fingers were flying over different buttons and dials, the clicking pulling Shmi back to the present.
"I know something," Shmi finally managed to say. Slowly her eyes came into focus and she turned to face Ana and Sky. They were both staring at her, their expressions unreadable. Shmi paused for a breath, than told them all she had found out the previous night.
Shmi stared at her hands. There was silence in the cockpit of the ship. Raising her eyes Shmi saw Ana and Sky puzzling over the mysteries of Esnon.
Nodding his head, Sky turned in his chair and faced Shmi.
"We're going," he stated.
Shmi opened her mouth to protest but was silenced by the raised hand of Sky. He started shaking his head, "We've ended up here for a reason. I may not believe in much, but I do believe in fate. We were fated to end up here. We're gonna see it through."
Shmi looked from Sky to Ana, both offering supportive smiles.
"Okay. Thank you, thank you so much," Shmi breathed a nervous sigh, her stomach fluttering with anticipation of what they might find on the planet Esnon.
