Herding Nexu
By Andrew J Talon
10 ABY, Yavin IV
Mara had woken up to a feeling of... Something missing. Like the brightness had gone out of the temple. It had become familiar, but... Unpleasantly so.
She made her way to breakfast, grunting in response to the various greetings from Rotta, Ahsoka, Katarn, Aphra, Bridger, Wren and Orrs. She took her caff, drained it, wolfed down her breakfast, and got to work training.
Which generally meant a spar with the only person who didn't have to hold back on her... Aside from Rotta.
She and Katarn sparred in the training grounds right outside the temple. Mara struck first, thrusting furiously for his chest. He parried the blow, countering with a sweep for her legs. She jumped over it, feinting for his head before twisting her saber for his chest again.
He maintained a very tight defense though, again deflecting her strike and continuing on with three quick thrusts-Two feints, and then a strike aimed for her head. She let him clash against her saber... Switched it off, ducked down and thrust for his belly!
"Woah!"
"ACK!"
A wave of Force sent her tumbling back, and she landed hard on her back. She sat up and scowled, as Katarn chuckled.
"First rule I learned when opponents pull that kind of trick? Make some space," Katarn said. He walked over, and extended a hand. Mara stared at it for a moment, before she slowly reached out to take it. Katarn pulled her up to her feet.
"Learned that from a holcron too?" Mara asked, her voice now carrying the hint of respect.
"Well... That and the ghost of my mentor," Katarn admitted. Mara stared, and Katarn sighed.
"Okay, yeah, I know how it sounds but it's the truth-"
"First Skywalker, now you?" Mara demanded, "how many Jedi Ghosts are there around here?!"
Katarn gave Mara a crooked grin.
"You have to admit, it's nice to have any kind of edge on the Darkside," he said, "if it's in the form of ghosts? I'm not complaining."
"That, or you and Skywalker are crazy," Mara sniffed. Katarn shrugged, flipping his blue lightsaber in his hand.
"Please. He and I are among the sanest people you will ever meet," Katarn stated.
Orrs, who was working on her datapad on a nearby bench, snorted.
"You and sane do not belong in the same language family," Orrs shot at him. Katarn rolled his eyes.
"And yet, we're both still alive," he shot back. Orrs shook her head.
"That is entirely thanks to the Force. There is literally no other explanation!"
"So in a way, it's all thanks to me," Katarn grinned. Mara shook her head.
"You two gonna need sound insulation like Bridger and Wren?" She asked wryly.
"Of course not!" Orrs stated.
"Absolutely not!" Katarn added.
"We're just just friends," Orrs contributed.
"Good friends," Katarn emphasized.
Mara got to wore her smug face for the first time in a long time. It felt very good, all things considered.
She spun around, lightsaber burning brightly, as she levelled it at HK-47. The assassin droid's face was, as usual, expressionless. However, the way it looked at her seemed... Approving?
"Observation: Good reflexes, Mistress Jade. You are becoming better at detecting me. Compliment: Of my master's harem, you are the member I approve of the most."
"I am not part of Skywalker's harem!" Mara growled, "get that through your processor or I'll tear you apart!"
Katarn and Orrs were both covering up their smiles. Surprisingly, Katarn was doing a much better job of it.
HK-47 nodded.
"Condescension: Of course, Mistress Jade. Statement: One of the other Jedi meatbags is approaching. They are using the appropriate security codes. Statement: They might still be infiltrators here to attack, so I might finally get some excitement."
"So that's what that was," Katarn observed, "that... Little niggling feeling in the Force. It's really annoying."
An A-Wing fighter descended through the clouds, flying to the temple. Mara extinguished her lightsaber and jogged over to the temple. Katarn and Orrs followed, both curious more than anything else... But alert.
They entered the hanger just in time to see the A-Wing land. Ahsoka was already out on the hanger floor, moving to meet the visitor. The hatch opened... And two long ears poked out, before the rest of a brown, female Lepi in yellow and red clothing leaped out.
"Hello Lop!" Ahsoka said cheerfully. The Lepi grinned back, showing off her buckteeth.
"Hey Ahsoka!" She replied, hopping over to hug Ahsoka. Ahsoka returned the good warmly, and Lop spun around. She blinked at Katarn and Orrs, then smiled.
"Oh hey! You're the new Jedi, right? Katarn?" Lop asked.
"That's me," Kyle said cheerfully. Lop beamed back.
"Great to meet you! I'm Lop!" She hopped over, and gave Kyle a hug as well. Which he took without too much issue, patting the Lepi girl on her back. "Mmm! This place was so lonely for so long!"
She turned to hug Orrs, who held up her hand instead. Lop blinked, then shook her hand. She turned to Mara... Who glared.
"I don't do hugs," she stated.
"That's a very sad thing to say," Lop declared. She then brightened, as Mara sensed two more familiar presences in the Force, "OH! Ezra! Sabine!"
The Lepi sped up to Bridger and Wren, who looked disheveled... As usual. They gladly returned Lop's hugs, and the Lepi paused by Sabine. Her eyes brightened.
"Oh my... You're pregnant?!" She cried happily. Wren beamed, glowing like a newborn sun. Bridger looked proud. Katarn looked about as nauseated as Mara felt over all this wholesomeness, while Orrs was just amused.
"Yup!" Sabine said happily, patting her stomach, "medical droid on the Nightbrother confirmed it a few weeks ago!"
"Ooh! Ooh! What are you going to name it?" Lop asked eagerly.
"Mira," Ezra said.
"Kanan," Sabine said, at the same time. The couple looked at one another.
"Kanan if it's a boy," Sabine clarified. Ezra chuckled and shook his head.
"It's gonna be a girl."
"We promised it would be a surprise," Sabine growled. Ezra held up his hands, smiling good naturedly.
"It is! I just know it's gonna be a girl."
"Force powers ruin the surprise!"
"I don't think it's a Force vision," Ezra replied, hugging his wife's shoulders even as she pouted, "I just know it's gonna be a girl."
"Boy."
"Girl."
"Ooh! There's so much to plan!" Lop gushed, as she led the happy couple away. Katarn grimaced.
"Urgh... I thought it was bad enough when they were banging all the time... Now this?"
"Dibs on not being a babysitter," Orrs volunteered.
"Same," Ahsoka stated.
"Agreed," Mara added.
"Don't look at me," Katarn said, holding up his hands and waving them, "that is a job for droids."
"Statement: Your prejudice offends me, Jedi," HK-47 stated, "addendum: Just try it and find out what happens, Meatbag."
Katarn was about to retort... When another Force presence lit up the area. Everyone turned to see a small, sleek shuttle approaching the hanger bay. Mara's keen eyes and memory swiftly identified it.
"A T-6 shuttle," Mara observed.
"I thought I was the only one with a functioning model left," Ahsoka murmured, "they were made for the Jedi Order almost exclusively!"
"HK?" Mara asked.
"Statement: The appropriate codes have been entered. The most recent, sent by Master Skywalker. Optimistic Statement: Perhaps some raider meatbags I could dispatch?"
The shuttle came in for a slow, easy landing, the wings swinging from vertical to horizontal position. On the side of the ship was the name in stylish Aurebek letters: Lore Seeker. A loading ramp dropped, and a very attractive woman with platinum blonde hair, pearl eyes, a blue dress and a wide smile descended. She had a double viol slung over her back, and was pulling along a large suitcase.
"Oh! Hello, Commander Tano!" She said in a bright, beautiful voice, "it's me, Tionne! We spoke on the holo?"
"Yes, we did! I didn't know you'd get here so soon," Ahsoka said, graciously shaking the young woman's hand, "is that T-6?"
"Oh yes! It is! I found her rotting in a used starship's lot near Lotho Prime! She's a genuine Jedi Order shuttle!" The young woman said excitedly. "I mean, the salesman tried to tell me that it was used by Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, but please. So did the last ten starship salesmen I met-Oh!" She bowed to Mara, Orrs, and Katarn, "hello! I'm Tionne! Uh, Master Skywalker invited me to join the Order!"
"Along with a former Inquisitor, right?" Katarn asked. Tionne flushed.
"Oh... Poor Kam's still recovering, but he said he wants to come. He just has to be cleared by the doctors-He's really very sweet, once he was freed from the mind control," she said.
"People usually are," Mara deadpanned. Still... Since they were probably going to be working together...
"I'm Mara Jade, former Emperor's Hand," Mara said.
"Kyle Katarn, former Stormtrooper, Rebel operative, current Jedi, sort of," Kyle said cheerfully.
"Jan Orrs. I'm actually employed," Orrs contributed.
Katarn and Mara shot her glares, as Orrs smiled innocently. Tionne pretended not to notice.
"Introduction: I am HK-47, human meatbag relations. And are you sure you're not an Imperial Infiltrator?"
"Very sure," Tionne said, eyeing the droid warily.
"Statement: Disappointed again. Excuse me."
The droid stomped off. Tionne looked back at the organic beings.
"It's very nice to meet you all," Tionne said, bowing again. "Sorry, really nervous-"
"TIONNE!"
Mara looked back. Doctor Aphra was grinning, and running up to Tionne. The beautiful blonde woman grinned back, and captured the archaeologist in a tight hug.
"Doctor Aphra! Oh, it's so good to see you again!"
"So, did that tip you sent to me for Luke get you in trouble?" Aphra asked. Tionne nodded.
"Well, yes and no... But he's going to be all right! I mean, both of them!"
"Great!" Aphra laughed, "come on! Let's start going through your collection, and start cataloguing everything!"
"Ooh! Should we start from Tython's colonization and move our way forward?" Tionne asked.
"Well, that's the traditional Vandreen method, but I was thinking we could try the Ziostian dating system..."
The two's excited chatter trailed off as they went up into Tionne's ship. Ahsoka glanced back at Mara, Katarn, and Orrs.
It was Mara who broke the silence first.
"Oh good. Now there's two of them," Mara deadpanned.
"Well, least she's enthusiastic... And healthy," Katarn observed, raising an eyebrow. Jan elbowed him. "Ow! What?"
"Nothing," Orrs said, all too calmly.
"Ugh," Mara grumbled, as Orrs and Katarn argued. She walked over next to Ahsoka, who was observing the fight with a smile.
"Mushy idiocy, romantic nonsense, overly enthusiastic morons..."
"It's great, isn't it?" Ahsoka asked, beaming. Mara snorted. She didn't say no... She wasn't going to say yes though, either. Instead, she changed the subject.
"Shouldn't Skywalker be back by now?"
Ahsoka shook her head.
"He said he's checking out two more potential Force sensitives. One is apparently on Eol Sha."
"Eol Sha's a doomed world thanks to its tectonic instability," Mara observed, "all that's left are some nomads descended from ancient settlers, and an Imperial mining operation. And Bespin has definitely seen better days. He couldn't have found any better leads?"
"One step at a time, Mara," Ahsoka said calmly, "any Force users out there have become very good at hiding themselves. Luke's got his work cut out for him."
"Please," Mara sniffed, "if I couldn't kill him... What chance does the rest of the galaxy have?"
The world was rich in metals and energy. Its surface was rough, like the shattered shell of a great egg. Yet even with endless volcanos and earthquakes, life hung on in this beautiful, violent world.
Very angry, very hungry, very ravenous life, an entire pack of which had surrounded Luke the moment he had emerged from the landed Daybreaker.
The lead monster had been saddled, and was ridden by a tall, broad, muscular man. His hair was long and done in braids, many adorned with beads, arranged like the wild mane of a great nexu. His face was stony, his eyes hard. His beard was ragged, poking out from behind a gas mask. He wore only a vest of animal hides, leather pants, and old looking manufactured boots. In one hand, he held aloft an ancient vibroblade.
"If you are of the sky people," the man boomed, with calm, terrible certainty, "you will die."
For some reason, Luke felt irritated with Mara. Not for the first time, and definitely not for the last.
Next arc, begin!