Herding Nexu
By Andrew J Talon
The Force was strong with this man. So it was obvious what Luke had to do... Not that Artoo appreciated Luke approaching the armed man with ravenous monsters at his beck and call without a weapon in hand.
To his credit, the man didn't attack. His beasts growled, but he held up his hand and they stilled.
"My name is Luke Skywalker," Luke spoke, "what is yours?"
The man scowled behind his mask for a bit, before he answered curtly:
"Gantoris."
"You can sense my intentions, Gantoris," Luke spoke, his voice loud, clear, and calm, "that I do not come here to fight you. That I am not your enemy. You know this to be true."
Gantoris stared back at Luke, his mask and stoic face hiding his feelings outwardly. On the inside... Luke could sense a great deal of caution, but also a keen mind. Despite his speech and apparel, this man was not stupid. He was sizing Luke up, and comparing what he could detect with all of his senses to his experience.
Gantoris then slowly dismounted, sliding off the back of the reptilian beast. The pack growled, but another look from him and they fell quiet. Gantoris walked out, his vibroblade still in his hand... But not pointed at Luke.
"How?" Gantoris asked.
Luke remained perfectly calm, and weighed his answer carefully.
"We call it the Force," Luke said, "and it's why I've come to see you."
Gantoris, after a bit of thought, went with Luke into the Daybreaker. He looked around the interior of the ship, a bit confused, but not frightened. He accepted a seat, and some water. Luke sat across from him. Gantoris drank of the water, then set it down. And Luke did his best to explain the Force, the Jedi, and the Empire.
The Empire? Gantoris was unfortunately familiar with. Their patrols had been going out, attacking his people. They were the "sky people" he had referred to, and the images in Gantoris' mind, the anger and rage at all they had done...
Gantoris finished his water, and was quiet after hearing everything Luke had said. Then, he spoke his story:
"I was... Gifted with foresight, from a young age. I was able to sense when an earthquake would happen, or when a storm was coming. Better than even the elders. I became a hunter, and a warrior-We've had to defend ourselves from the other tribes for as long as anyone could remember. I grew up, took a wife, had a daughter... I was happy. My powers... I learned how to sense the intentions of others. To command beasts. I was made our chief, after my father died."
Gantoris trailed off. His face was like stone, but inside... His emotions were raging like the volcanos that dotted this world.
"I had a vision of doom. Metal ships, men in white armor... A Dark Man. All used fire and lightning weapons to slaughter my tribe. I had a vision of my grandfather's tomb. We buried our dead in the Resting Mountain, the only stable ground anyone's found for centuries. I saw... A metal box, in my grandfather's grave. I needed it, but I didn't know why. I left, my wife's brother taking charge of the tribe until I returned. I went... I found the box."
He slipped the box out of a leather satchel, and set it on the table. To Luke's keen eyes, it definitely looked Old Republic in origin-A hard lockbox, with a genetic scanner. The model was common, but it was built very tough.
Luke looked back into Gantoris' eyes.
"And then what?" Luke asked softly.
Gantoris' eyes hardened. Rage and grief billowed up inside him. Visions of burning bodies crossed via the Force into Luke's mind. A ruined, blackened camp, only the dead left behind.
"I returned and..." Gantoris fell silent, his face the stone mask again. Luke nodded, and conveyed his own memories of loss.
Of the Lars homestead, burning. Of the bodies of his aunt and uncle, burnt and blackened.
"You understand," Gantoris whispered. Luke nodded.
"The Empire has taken much from both of us," Luke said quietly, "but that is why the Jedi exist. To fight such evil. To bring justice to the galaxy."
"The scale... I can't grasp it," Gantoris admitted. Luke nodded.
"It's overwhelming... But I can train you to understand. To use your power for the good of the galaxy."
Gantoris fixed a stare on him.
"I have only known protecting my tribe, my family," he said softly. Luke nodded.
"I know. But as a Jedi... We must think of the innocent of this galaxy as our tribe. Our family. To stop those who would strike down the helpless."
"If I was a Jedi, I could have stopped it, I could have..." Gantoris trailed off, his face still stoic even as self loathing and rage burned inside him.
"Even the worst of the enemy tribes would never slaughter women and children," Gantoris growled softly, "would never butcher the elderly. The warriors... We competed, but to destroy those who can't fight back? What sense does that make?"
"They enjoy using their power against the helpless," Luke stated, "because it makes them feel more powerful. But to be a Jedi? With our great power? We use it to protect the weak, and the helpless. To defend them."
Gantoris looked down at his hands.
"I cannot leave," he said, "not until my family, my people, are avenged."
Luke considered immediately saying that revenge was not something the Jedi practiced... But Gantoris' emotional state suggested that was a bad idea. Instead, Luke drew upon the lessons he'd learned from Han on hard bargaining, and Leia in negotiation:
Find a different angle of attack.
"Destroying them won't bring back your family," Luke said carefully, and Gantoris glared fiercely, "however, the Imperials will keep doing this to the other tribes. Just like yours. Until they are stopped." He met Gantoris' glare calmly.
"The mission of a Jedi is to fight for everyone. Being selfish with this power? Is not an option. As a chief... You understood this, correct?"
Gantoris weighed Luke's words carefully. He slowly, reluctantly nodded.
"It is true," Gantoris murmured, "it was a great honor... But a great responsibility. Yours is... Even more so. Do you... Think I could do it?"
"The future is always in motion," Luke said, "but you have strength. And experience. What do you say?"
Gantoris eyed Luke carefully. He pushed the box to Luke.
"This box... Was important," he said, "I must know what is inside it."
Luke nodded. He hit a few buttons, and the genetic scanner opened up.
"Put your finger there," Luke said, pointing it out. Gantoris placed his finger on the scanner. The box clicked, whirred... And opened. Gantoris looked inside, and pulled out the contents:
A single, slightly bulky lightsaber, with a handle of leather. He turned it over in his hands, and looked questioningly at Luke. He smiled, pulled out his own lightsaber, and ignited it. Gantoris' eyes widened as he beheld the burning green plasma blade.
"This is a lightsaber," Luke said, "the weapon of a Jedi. Not as clumsy or crude as a blaster-Those weapons the Imperials used. An elegant weapon, for a more civilized age."
Gantoris found the power button, and ignited the blade. A burning yellow blade emerged. Gantoris stood up, and moved to the center of the recreation area. He swung the lightsaber around, in well practiced motions, getting used to it. He glanced over at Luke.
"There's no weight to the blade," he said.
"No. It takes a lot of focus to master it," Luke explained. Gantoris studied the weapon, practicing some swings and thrusts.
"My grandfather, then, was a Jedi?" He asked.
"Most likely," Luke said, "probably crashed here, long ago."
Gantoris doused the weapon, and turned to Luke.
"I have nothing left, Luke Skywalker," he said, "I will go with you... But the Imperials must answer for what they have done. Before they do it to someone else."
He knelt, and bowed his head.
"I ask you... Please... Teach me the ways of the Jedi," Gantoris asked.
Luke stepped over to Gantoris, and lifted him up by his shoulders. Luke nodded.
"I will... Welcome to the New Jedi Order, Gantoris. It won't be easy."
Gantoris, for the first time, smiled.
"Good."
Luke and Gantoris decided to take the long way to the Imperial base. While the Daybreaker could have taken then there in a few minutes, that would have been easily detected. Luke though was going to call on Artoo to help, make no mistake. The droid wasn't enthusiastic about that, but the prospect of getting to ride to the rescue was agreeable to the little droid.
Gantoris was somewhat amused by the little droid.
"A machine of metal has... Feelings?" He asked.
Luke nodded.
"Absolutely. You try to slight him, and he'll remember."
"I will avoid it then," Gantoris said. Artoo beeped smugly.
Gantoris brought his pack of reptiles to heel, with only a little difficulty. He called them 'rills', and his people had been using them as mounts for generations. He made one of them carry Luke, who rode bareback as he didn't have another saddle. They set off across the rough terrain, Luke rather enjoying the experience. The rill was eager to obey, not quite tame, but not feral either. It saw Gantoris and Luke as alphas, and would do as they wished.
There was something about riding such a graceful creature that appealed to Luke. Something majestic, like the tauntaun, or the wampa, or even the rancor Luke unfortunately had to kill in the depths of Jabba's Palace.
The journey took two standard days. During this time, when they took brief breaks, Luke would tell Gantoris more about the galaxy. He also did some light sparring with the giant man, and taught him a little bit about the Force. Gantoris absorbed it all with machine like focus. He took to practicing what he could as they rode. Luke was, frankly, amazed at the man's focus and drive.
Though, as he looked around the broken, ragged landscape, he imagined that those traits had let him survive here. And thrive.
Until the Empire.
They caught sight of the Imperial mining facility at twilight on the second day. They used the jagged landscape to conceal their approach, finally stopping about two kilometers off. Luke pulled out his binocs, and scanned the perimeter.
"It's pretty lightly defended," Luke said at last, "most of the defenses are passive... And..."
He zoomed in. There were simple tents inside the base. He could see dirty humanoids in rags being herded by Stormtroopers. He handed the binocs to Gantoris, who looked through the device. His grip tightened on them, as his anger rose.
"Slavers," Gantoris growled. Luke nodded.
"This is what the Empire does," he said.
"Then we liberate them. Tonight," Gantoris declared.
Luke hummed.
"Getting in through the sensors will be tricky," he said.
"These... Sensors," Gantoris mused, "they react to living things, yes?"
"Yes," Luke said. Gantoris handed the binocs back to Luke, and pointed out a spot on the wall, near the entrance.
Luke looked. A few wild rills were grazing on hard plants near the entrance. There were autoguns on the tops of the entrance, and Stormtroopers at the gates... All of whom ignored the big lizards.
Luke grinned.
"I see what you mean," he said.
Night fell. The pack of rills approached the gates. Luke and Gantoris had removed the saddle, and anything else that might indicate these were tamed rills. They clung to the undersides of the rills, their bellies swaying as they headed for the gates.
One of the two Stormtroopers guarding it watched, his feelings of boredom alleviated a bit by the presence of the creatures. He held up his blaster, ready to shoot one for amusement.
He fired two shots... And with two swings of his lightsaber, Luke deflected them both back. The trooper and his companion fell over, and the rills continued onward. The autoguns above remained silent.
Inside, there wasn't much. Just prefab buildings for the Imperials, the mine entrance, and the tents for the slave workers. About two dozen troopers came around to the rills as they entered, shouting in confusion and irritation.
Luke hummed. The garrison for a mining base of this size would be small, only about fifty troopers. Half of them were here... It would do.
"Now," Luke murmured to Gantoris. He reached out with the Force... And the Rills stampeded, roaring in fear. They trampled a dozen of the stormtroopers, the others panicking and firing.
This is when Gantoris and Luke moved.
Luke leaped out, ignited his lightsaber, and began to move through the Troopers with speed and skill. A Force Push sent one barreling into his fellows, knocking them all out. A swing of his lightsaber, and two lost their hands and went down. Three more tried to fire on Luke, but he deflected their blaster bolts right back at them, bringing them down.
It wasn't much of a challenge, so Luke was able to focus a bit of attention on Gantoris, and how he fought.
The man was quite quick despite his size, and very strong. Luke suspected he had figured out Force Might unconsciously, as he disarmed troopers by slicing their blasters in half, and then punched right through their plasteel armor with his bare hands.
Gantoris deflected a blaster shot back at a Trooper, then charged another. He thrust the lightsaber right through the trooper's shoulder, making him scream, before he slammed his head down onto the ground. His foe unconscious, Gantoris moved on, closing the distance between him and the Trooper and punching his lights out. He fell, his shattered helmet lying around his head.
The rest of the garrison soon came out, and while numerous, the chaos of the rills still rushing about and their fighting might made the conflict quick. Luke could sense the garrison commander's panic, and saw a nearby shuttle on a pad. He saw the commander rushing towards it. He hit his commlink.
"Artoo? Now," Luke stated, "the shuttle."
The Daybreaker flew overhead, firing its ventral laser cannons. The shuttle exploded, as the garrison commander fell away from it, covering the top of his head. He looked up, trembling, as Luke and Gantoris approached him. Gantoris pointed his lightsaber at the frail looking human with thinning hair, and growled.
"You... You massacred my tribe," he snarled, "you murdered my wife and daughter...!"
"It-It was standard procedure!" The man whimpered, "and-and you're Jedi! You-You won't kill me-I-I'm-!"
"You murdered my tribe," Gantoris repeated, advancing on the man. The commander curled up in a ball, and sobbed, as Gantoris stood over him. He raised his lightsaber, his eyes burning with the reflected light of the burning shuttle.
"I-I'll give you anything!" The commander whimpered, "money! Power! I-I have connections-Please! PLEASE! Just don't kill me!"
Luke was only a few steps behind, his lightsaber at the ready. Already, he was wondering if this was a mistake.
Revenge was the path of the Darkside. He had made that clear, in as subtle a way as he could, over the past two days to Gantoris. The man's anger was strong, and Luke couldn't blame him. His entire family, slaughtered...
Would Luke have to stop his would-be recruit? What would that do to their relationship?
Gantoris hesitated, glaring down at the sniveling little man. Luke could sense his pity, and his self hatred for feeling that way.
Gantoris looked back at Luke, briefly, and then down at the man. The garrison commander was weeping outright.
The pity... Won out, as Gantoris turned off his lightsaber. He shook his head in disgust.
"You are not worth killing," Gantoris growled, "you are a coward. Deprive of your power, you face your end with tears."
He took a deep breath.
"There is no honor in ending your life," Gantoris declared.
The commander looked up, relieved.
"Oh... Oh thank you... Thank you...!"
Gantoris shook his head, and turned to Luke. Luke nodded, approvingly.
"Your... Republic will punish him?" Gantoris asked.
"Yes, they'll-"
Danger flashed in the Force. Gantoris sensed it too, as he reignited his lightsaber and swung around. He batted a blaster bolt... Right back into the garrison commander's throat. The little man's savage grin turned into a horrified gape, as he crumpled to the ground.
Gantoris lowered his lightsaber, glaring in disgust at the corpse.
"Coward," Gantoris seethed, "you got what you deserved."
Luke nodded grimly. He really couldn't argue with that.
"Lords?"
Gantoris and Luke turned. The slaves had emerged from their tents, staring in confusion, and a bit of hope. An old man, leading them, immediately went to his knees and bowed to the two.
"Lords... Thank you! We will serve you, however you wish!" The old man cried. His fellow slaves fell to their knees as well-Twi'leks, humans, and many others. Gantoris... Was contemplative.
"You know," Gantoris admitted softly, "once... I dreamed of having followers like this. A long time ago."
Luke stared at him.
"And now?"
Gantoris stared back at Luke. He shook his head. He walked up to the old man, grasped his shoulders, and pulled him up to his feet.
"I am not a Lord," he announced loudly, "neither of us are. We are your liberators."
He paused for a moment, before continuing.
"We... Are Jedi."
Luke allowed himself a small smile. Maybe he wasn't a terrible teacher, after all...
It took some time for a New Republic ship to arrive, but thankfully, Luke's name did get the machinery of bureaucracy moving a bit faster here and there. The relief shuttles flew down, and as they did, the Daybreaker flew off. Luke let Artoo handle the piloting, as he headed back to the recreation area.
Gantoris sat on one of the leather couches, eyes closed. His emotions were clearer than they had been when they'd first met. He slowly opened his eyes, and nodded to Luke.
"How are you, Gantoris?" Luke asked, as he sat on the other side of the round couch. Gantoris was silent, contemplative.
"... When you found me, I was planning to die," he said.
"Oh?" Luke asked. Gantoris nodded.
"If you had not arrived... I would have gone into that base to die, fighting them with my last breath," he said, "my family... My tribe... All of it gone?"
He looked over his lightsaber.
"The tribe was everything to me," he murmured, "all that I was, went into serving it. Protecting it. I failed them. I thought... I had nothing left. Nothing but to join them in death."
"And now?" Luke asked.
"Now...?" Gantoris looked up at Luke, the ghost of a smile on his face.
"Now... I am alive. I do not know what awaits us, but... I am eager to find out what it is."
"As am I," Luke said with a nod.
"What is our destination?" Gantoris asked.
Luke smiled back.
"We're going to find another Force sensitive. He's an old man who apparently got rich as a gas mining prospector. He knows where to be for the best eruptions, always before they happen... And he lives alone. Completely alone."
"Sounds like an old shaman," Gantoris hummed, "crazy men who lived away from the tribes. Could speak with the dead. See the future."
"How did you deal with them?" Luke asked. Gantoris snorted.
"Stayed long enough to trade for what you wanted from them... And got out, before the fumes of the burning herbs got to you."
"Well, if he's got burning herbs? I promise," Luke assured him, "we'll get out quick."
Gantoris nodded.
"Good."
Tatooine, Anchorhead
Ahsoka could see why Anakin and Luke had wanted to leave Tatooine so much. Every time she visited, the urge to turn back and hop back on her starship got stronger.
It was so dry, so desolate. The people had to be wrapped up in tough, handspun clothing to protect themselves from every hazard, ranging from the sandstorms to the suns above. Every thing here was determined to harm you in some way.
She nestled deeper into her cloak, appreciating it's toughness as she walked out of the Anchorhead port building. Her companion, taller and broader, did the same.
It was especially taxing on him. Even among humans, his complexion was quite pale. It made his copper red hair stand out more.
"Gah," he muttered, "Tatooine. I hate this planet."
"Agreed," Ahsoka said quietly.
"Sure you couldn't have made Ezra come instead?" Cal Kestis asked wryly, "I'm sure he'd be ecstatic to be here again."
"He's fussing too much over Sabine, he'd be distracted," Ahsoka said reasonably, as they walked the streets of Anchorhead. With the defeat of the Empire, and Jabba's loss, the New Republic had stepped in with some funding for the dry, windy world. They'd been able to raise and fund some defensive militias, just like the first settlers did. These militia members now patrolled the streets, as people went about their lives.
It was subtle, but you didn't have to be a Force Sensitive to feel a sense of hope on the wind. With the Force, Ahsoka felt a lot less fear around.
Not much, but enough.
"I've got my own wife to look after too, ya know," Cal muttered, as he caught a pickpocketing child trying to run into him, and sent him off on his way. The child scowled, but ran off as the two Jedi watched him flee before they resumed talking.
"Yes, but Merrin's busy managing the grounds," Ahsoka pointed out, "she doesn't need you distracting her from that."
"Admit it: You're just jealous that you're single," Cal replied, giving her a teasing smile. Ahsoka huffed as they headed for the main city cantina.
"I am not jealous," Ahsoka stated, "you youngsters just lack self control. Besides," and as they stepped into the Cantina, Ahsoka gave Cal a wry look, "if I was single, I wouldn't feel the need to show off."
Cal grinned wryly, rubbing the stubble covering his pale face.
"That was a Nightsisters' Ritual. Had to be done outside, in the open," Cal said. Ahsoka snorted.
"Sure, keep telling yourself that," Ahsoka grumbled. She frowned and paused by a table full of rowdy Rodians. Cal frowned.
"What?" He murmured, his senses scanning around for a threat. He could sense two strong presences in the Force, but neither felt hostile.
"Someone... Very familiar," Ahsoka murmured, "almost..." She shook her head.
"How familiar?" Cal asked.
"Someone..." Ahsoka shook her head, "it's impossible. I'm... Let's get going."
"You sure?" Cal asked. Ahsoka nodded, looking straight ahead.
"Positive."
They headed into the back. Ahsoka held up a piece of flimsy, and the bartender waved them in to the back. They went past a privacy cloth, through a door guarded by two grim looking Trandoshans, and finally went downstairs into a well appointed room. The decor was nice, but restrained: Shadowsilk embroidered chairs and couches, around a holotable. All set upon what looked like an old but well kept Chandrillan rug.
It looked pristine... But the Force warned of eyes, and even people in the room they couldn't see. All ready to do them harm in an instant if commanded to.
"Well, well, well," said a familiar, scratchy voice, "look who survived Order 66."
Ahsoka and Cal turned to a hidden door, that opened from behind a nearby painting. A tall, pale Rattataki woman emerged, looking far fitter and athletic than her age would suggest. She was dressed in a dark blue top, and a skirt, embroidered with gold and other precious metals. Her hair was short and white, as she sat down and lounged on the couch.
"Ventress," Ahsoka said, nodding stiffly, "it's... Been a while."
"Surprised to see me?" Asajj asked, holding up a crystal glass. A being clad in dark fatigues and a balaclava appeared in a poof of smoke, poured her some wine, and then vanished with another burst of smoke. Ventress drank from it, as she waved her guests to sit on the other couch. Ahsoka did carefully, while Cal was far more casual in his body language. He leaned back, looking relaxed, while his senses were at high alert.
"A little, yes," Ahsoka admitted, "but after all we've been through? It would have been strange if you had died."
"Well," Asajj said, after finishing her wine, "it helps I made a lot of connections as a bounty hunter. Useful ones."
"So, you're the Scorekeeper?" Cal asked.
Asajj nodded.
"I had some issues with the Mandalorian-inspired trials to be recognized as such," she said, "but I achieved it. I think Jabba thought it was hilarious, given how high my bounty was."
"He always did have a twisted sense of humor," Ahsoka muttered. Ventress held out her glass, and the same mysterious being with the balaclava appeared, took it, and vanished-All in smoke.
"So, what brings you here?" Ventress asked, "I'm not taking bounties on any more Jedi, so you don't have to worry about that."
"We wanted to ask you to join us," Ahsoka said, "and help restore the Jedi Order."
Ventress stared in disbelief. She then began to laugh, so hard she wrapped her arms around her belly and nearly rolled off the couch. Cal raised his eyebrows, as Ahsoka remained stoic. Ventress finally calmed down, wiping her eyes, and grinned at Ahsoka.
"That's hilarious," she deadpanned.
"I don't mean full time," Ahsoka said, "obviously... But there are a lot of Darksiders out there. We have a better chance against them together... A chance to make the galaxy a better place."
"Like the Old Order did?" Ventress asked wryly. Ahsoka sighed. Cal leaned forward.
"The Old Order did make a lot of mistakes," Cal admitted, "which is why we're hoping not to repeat those. Reaching out to you is one of them."
"I was never actually a Jedi, you know," Ventress stated, "I was, at best, a Padawan-"
"Same for us," Cal said, gesturing to himself and Ahsoka, "and we've all had to survive in the real world. That's why we're reaching out to you: To make the New Jedi Order something that won't get so insular, it misses a threat like Palpatine again! One that does make life better in the galaxy!"
"You wouldn't have to quit anything," Ahsoka emphasized, "your position means you could do a lot of good... But we want to build a real community for Jedi. For Force users. To give them hope. To keep them from being turned into weapons... Like you were. Isn't that something you'd want to do?"
Ventress was quiet. She held out her hand.
"Funny you should mention that," Ventress said, "because I just got a very similar offer. Ruto?"
The mysterious balaclava clad figure appeared. Ventress nodded to him. He vanished... And another hidden door opened. A tall, regal looking Miralian lady in a dark cloak walked in.
"Ventress, I understand you're busy but-"
Her jaw dropped. So did Ahsoka's.
Ahsoka's eyes narrowed. She had her white lightsabers ignited and was on her feet in an instant. The Miralian woman drew and ignited a blue lightsaber and pointed it at Ahsoka. A tense silence fell, as Ventress grinned and Cal eyed the two enraged looking women warily.
"So... I take it you've met?" Cal quipped.
"Ahsoka, you remember Bariss, don't you?" Ventress asked, grinning like a hungry nexu, "I'm sure you've got so much to catch up on..."
Yes, Ventress employs Kage. Who are basically space ninjas. Wouldn't you employ them too?
And I hope I made Gantoris interesting. He is the most stoic of the New Jedi, almost comically so. I thought having him be like this would be a good way to expand his character.
And of course, I had to have Bariss and Ahsoka confront one another. Ventress couldn't pass that opportunity up.