'A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots.'
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Qui-Gon Jinn looked on, curiously, of the holographic display of the Calminrath political fallout, lines drawn where civil war will likely descend between the twin-kings of the system.
"And one of the kings has purchased a group of mercenaries?" The jedi master asked.
"Sunguard." The Jedi watchman T'ra Saa answered, "Infamous. Brutal. Efficient. Almost as bad as Mandalorians." The noseless being grimaced, odd wrinkles popping up from the expression. "Thankfully, Ulneth has kept them away from the frontlines. He's cautious with them. Still uncertain if either he should not fight and talk to his brother or if he attacked now, he may lose."
"Let's hope it's the first one." The shuttle gave a sharp jolt to the left that sent both Jedi to the ground. Qui-Gon quickly jumped up, clicked the intercom on the wall and asked, "What's going on? Are we under attack?"
"Oh! Master!" He heard his Padawan speak in surprise, "Was hoping that didn't feel as bad back there as it did here..."
Just as the teenaged Koribani finished her sentence, the helmeted, jump suit clad pilot of the vessel walked through the portal that led him to the hold that housed the pair of Jedi, "Whoa, crazy kid ya got." He chuckled before going to the lavatory just behind the hold's ladder.
Qui-gon blinked, "... Junas... why is the pilot back here?"
"I-I said I can take over for him as he relieves himself and gets some food." She then hastily added, "I-it isn't as bad as it is! How hard can entering an atmosphere be?"
Qui-gon and T'ra exchanged a single, panicked look before they both started sprinting up the ladder to the cockpit, feeling the rumbling, rocking and sudden increase of heat as the shuttle began to skim the outer reaches of the world's atmosphere.
"Junas!" Qui-Gon yelled up the narrow neck that led the cockpit to the hold, "Get off the controls!"
"Everything is alright master!" She tried to soothe, "Just some... what's it called? Friction from the air rubbing against th-" a loud banging was heard as something off the beak of the shuttle flew off and smacked against the viewing screen, causing a crack that hissed fiery air into the compartment.
Qui-Gon practically hefted Junas over his shoulder off the pilot seat, thankful that her small stature gave accompanying ease from the effort, and pulling the controls back, forcing the ship back up into the empty void, T'ra Saa using the Force to pull an emergency sealant capsule from the wall and spraying it across the crack, preserving the ship's atmosphere.
Qui-gon sighed in relief, shrugging his apprentice off, whom began to protest him hauling her out of the way.
He looked down at her and closed his eyes, "What in the name of the Force were you thinking?!"
She visibly recoiled slightly, her expression saddening from the harshness of his voice, "I was helping the pilot. You told me 'Jedi help all in need'. He was needing to use the restroom."
"You twisted my words so you can try and pilot a ship and nearly get us killed?" Qui-gon glared at her.
"It-it really sounded easy, from how the pilot described it." She crossed her arms, expression turning regretful.
"Whoa, whoa!" Almost being beckoned from the mention, the pilot rushed past the trio of jedi, running a hand over the fresh crack that was only recently plastered with the clear emergency repair liquid. "What the hell did you do to my shuttle?!" He yelled at the padawan, but Qui-Gon was instantly in between the two of them.
"I apologize for my apprentice's actions, I had no knowledge of what she was planning, and she will be punished."
"The hell should I care about what you do with her?! She busted my livelihood! She had better pay for it!" He snarled.
T'ra Saa placed a reassuring hand on his should, "The Order will reimburse you what it will take to repair the vessel, happily."
The pilot looked to the Watchman, before giving a quick, "Get her to the hold for the rest of the trip. I don't want to see or even hear from her."
"Thank you, that won't be a problem." Quigon wrapped an arm over Junas's shoulder, quickly guiding his charge back the small corridor leading down to the cargo bay.
Junas took a gulp of saliva that had been nervously been gathering in her mouth, "Master..." she looked away, "How will you punish me?"
"You shouldn't focus on how I am punishing you, but why." Qui-Gon massaged his temples, "You nearly not only got yourself and me killed, but T'ra and the pilot who was doing nothing but his occupation. Now I want to know why? Why was it so important for you to pilot?"
"Umm..." she tapped the tip of her foot against the floor. Sure, she can try to lie but he knew her far too well to take it. "I uh wanted to try piloting... something. It looks interesting, fun even."
Qui-Gon's eyebrow twitched. "I think I have a punishment in mind." Looking to his padawan who was wide-eyed and practically shaking in her robes. "But! It will have to wait until we get back to Coruscant."
Junas breathed out in relief, "Oh, thank you master!"
"You'll take that back when I tell you what I have in mind. Until then; we have a mission, stop the people on the planet below from killing each other."
"I can do that!" She slammed her fist into her open palm confidently. "We just have to get people to talk! That's the beginning, middle and end! Like you said, master!" She smiled, the action pushing out sharp teeth at the edge of her lips.
Qui-Gon, despite her recent actions, couldn't find himself staying mad at her, smiling himself and putting a hand on her head and ruffling up her hair. "That's right but be adaptable and do not cling to my words as law of the universe." He chuckled as she frustratingly pushed his hand away. "Speak to T'ra when we are on the planet and she will inform you of what you need to know, in the mean, I'll need to talk to someone, so stay by her side."
"Trying to get rid of me so soon?" She mockingly frowned.
"Certainly, can't have you embarrassing me further in front of royalty, can I?"
Her face took a tone of earnest curiosity. "Seriously?"
He didn't answer, just smirking at her before saying, "We should be down soon, get ready."
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Junas was perhaps a little too close to T'ra as she opened the rear hatch to the outside world and the quick, complete spread of bone-chilling cold swathed through the hold, wrapping her cloak closer to her body as they stepped out onto the snowing landing pad and quickly being guided to a nearby speeder by one of the starport guards, mostly through hand movements due to both the din of ship engines and the roaring snow-storm. As soon as the pair were inside, a capsule flew closed from the sides of the hovercraft and quickly sealing and insulating the compartment much to the relief of the occupants before lifting further off the pad and speeding away from the area as fast as it could.
"Seems these gentlemen couldn't wait for summer to make their little war." Junas muttered as she looked down from the speeder.
"Yes, well war is inconvenient like that. And it's a possible war, if we do our job right, no war." T'ra forced a smile, keeping her hands together in her lap, rubbing them back and forth.
'A cold war?' Junas smiled lightly at her internalized pun, "While I understand that the people here hathp- has some difficult sort of dispute, why send for jedi to settle it, and why is a watchman here to help?" Junas looked back to the senior jedi, one brow higher than the other in confusion, and drew T'ra's attention to the light, black fuzz of brow-hair beginning to grow of the young sentient.
"We are here both to facilitate diplomatic relations as a third party and as a last defense for Fasel, Ulneth's brother and true-heir apparent. The jedi are highly respected on the planet, but if that cannot hold, we get Fasel out and take him to Coruscant, safe and sound and let the Senate continue from where we left." T'ra explained, seeing the Padawan fidget slightly.
"So, do you know why master was separated from us to see one or both of them? He could be in danger if they want to kill one another over something so stupid as an inheritance of some bloody title." Junas inquired further.
Despite the deep concern of the young-one, T'ra's curiosity seemed momentarily greater in need then to sate her companion's worry. Of course, everyone at the temple has heard of the red-skinned Korribani being accepted into jedi training years ago, but it was one thing to imagine what such a being looked like only after limited historical data, then actually meeting her. A short, jaw length set of tar black hair that was of less length then the trainee-braid, some crimson skin, bushy eyebrows that seemed almost comical in there size, no glowing eyes, no snarling teeth and nothing to denote that this creature was at all related to the Darkside. Blinking back into a sober state of mind, she shook away her 'thought drunkenness' and quickly replied to the Padawan, "Oh yes! I believe Qui-Gon met Fasel when he himself was a Padawan under Master Dooku's tutelage. Of course, that's what I've heard but… ah, I shouldn't gossip, it is unbecoming!" She quickly cut herself off and waved lightly at Junas.
Junas herself audibly huffed in annoyance, "Oh come on, don't lead me off with that." T'ra herself shocked at the impertinence of the freshly made Padawan, many of her rank were quiet and passive to a fault when it came to communicating with others of greater standing.
"Patience, Padawan, patience." T'ra replied cooly, "We are not here to speak of hearsay, but to do our duties. In this regard leave the heavy talking to your master and I, but pay attention, the skills you learn from this negotiation will serve you well when you're a knight yourself."
Junas opened her mouth, but then quickly closed it, looked away and bowed her head slightly as she said, "Of course, I am eager to learn whatever you can give to me."
T'ra placed her hand on her chin as she observed the child, expecting only further, though not untolerated, disrespect towards herself in some manner. She brushed it off, instead asking, "Do you know of a knight called Mace Windu?"
Her eyes bulged just slightly at the name, T're saw she recognized it in some manner but quickly looked away, "I…" She scratched the back of her head, "know him only in passing, why?"
"It has been a long time since I was last on Coruscant, it would be nice to hear news of my former Padawan." She explained while the speeder steadied its trail towards the fractured Calminrath's neutral territory, towards a city of snowy towers and tense nerves are blended with terrible ambition.
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"Go on, you have absolutely nothing to be afraid of." Qui-Gon smiled, nudging Junas gently forward with a pat on her back.
Junas hesitantly began to walk towards the green creature. Despite its wizened appearance, it was even smaller than her. "H-Hello."
"Greetings, child." The green-thing hobbled over, cane clicking lightly against the temple floor, smiling at Junas.
Despite herself, a glint of fear managed to peak through her elementary discipline and felt a sudden need to return to Qui-Gon's side. This creature picked up on this, and held out a hand, "Oh, afraid of me, are you?" He inquired with an impish chuckle.
"You're…" The Sith pureblood stuttered, "J-jedi. Not Qui-Gon."
"I am not Qui-Gon, yes. Good too. Very ugly, he is." Pointing at the human with his cane.
This made Junas look sideways at the green-jedi, but then she hissed lightly and laughed, "Yeth, ugly like butt." Her lisp causing another chuckle from Yoda.
Qui-Gon was surprised at the jest at his own expense but was glad to see the girl smile. "Come." Yoda gestured to himself with his free hand to Junas, "Walk with me some? Talk with you, I would like."
Junas's gaze instantly snapped back to Qui-Gon some paces away, looking at him in worry and seeking any hint of apprehension on his part so she can return to him and not go with the goblin.
Instead, she drew a smiling Qui-Gon to her, whom knelt and placed a hand on her shoulder and spoke, "Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere, you can find me again soon."
Junas was reassured but had to hug him anyways. As soon as she retreated from the embrace, Qui-Gon turned and left the two alone in the massive hall of the Jedi Temple. The child then mustered her courage, faced the green-jedi and walked towards him, "Where we going?" Forcing that cursed stutter from her voice and stood as proudly as she could.
"In particular, nowhere. Just a walk." They began their slow pace down through the monolithic building, like leadened cells in the veins of some enormous beast, and while the creature said nothing, it was in a mix of relief and growing stress, Junas fearing that if she didn't answer the Jedi quickly if he did happen to talk, he'd have her killed, recalling all the stories her parents told her and brother of these beings.
"Like Qui-Gon, you do?"
"Y-Yeth!" She answered immediately, the volume mixed with the intense stress and… seemingly abject terror was carried out from Junas and smacked the Grand Master's empathic abilities like an enraged, wild herd animal to a fence, forcing his mouth to open slightly in concern.
"So scared of me, why are you?" He asked, concern leaking into his tone.
"Jedi hurt people. Hurt Mami tho thpe thleep a long time, hurt tho many Papa took me and Aru from home and… and…" Junas at first started strong but then her emotions got the better of her and began to sob from the memories.
Yoda couldn't help but feel sorry for the child. Despite her ancestry, she was just that: a child. Left homeless, drifting through time and space for thousands of years only to awaken to being orphaned and alone. Yoda sighed softly at the turmoil radiating off Junas, before he spoke, "Hurt you, we will not."
She sniffled and ran her sleeves across her nose and mouth and shook silently.
"To the Gardens. Make you feel better, it will." Yoda smiled, and again detecting that hesitancy, but quickly adding, "Something to eat, there will be, hmmm?"
She nodded eagerly and smiled with sharp, cumbersome pointed teeth.
"My name is Yoda, what is yours?" He asked as they started their walk anew.
"I'm Junath of Houthe Batha."
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Qui-Gon smiled despite the frigid reception he has received from the camp's staff, seeing Fasel at the massive holotable, empty mugs of caffa scattering its surface as the, trying to coordinate his forces as best he could with the commanding officers at hand, the people about quickly relaying orders to their units or authorizing various elements of a possible campaign.
Fasel was leaning into the table, blue eyes rimmed with dark circles and face covered in straggles of blonde facial hair and irregular patches of fuzz popped up every so often on top of his predominantly bare scalp, sheer neglect and fatigue plaguing the planetary leader to barely monitor his grooming, let alone recognize the new but old face as he looked up from his tactical display. Where weariness existed trying to recall summoning the man at the tent's opening, but then Qui-Gon saw the man relax before standing up, staring at him then grinning broadly as Fasel almost ran towards the jedi.
"By the Force!" Fasel cried out as he approached Qui-Gon, "You've gotten bigger than me you scrawny bastard!" Having to restrain himself from hugging the jedi in front of his men, Fasel extended his arm and Qui-Gon grabbed it happily.
"Indeed! And been blessed with more hair!"
"That's what's growing on your face?" Patting the jedi's cheek playfully, "Could have sworn a wookie sneezed on you! How long do you think it'll match your master's mystique?"
Qui-Gon rubbed the beard himself, smiling almost embarrassingly, "Not sure, but it's a small tradition I hope to carry on from him; it'll take as long it'll take."
"As much as I would love to continue just talking;" Fasel's face receded into a stern grimace, almost darkening the room with it to Qui-Gon's senses, "We don't have the time, my brother has just established a series artillery batteries around not only my frontline positions facing the equator, but suspiciously close to cities and civilian infrastructure."
Qui-Gon'a eyes widened, "We mustn't escalate this, please don't tell me you-""
"Unfortunately, yes, I did order my forces to move all available long-range weaponry to the front to challenge him." Fasel sighed, "Your word may be respected as a guardian and knight-protector of the Republic, but my brother has… changed. Almost a completely different person. Ever since he made friends with a band of unsavory freelancers, and I'm not even referring to those blasted Sunguard… Ulneth is unpredictable to such an extreme I doubt if he'll see reason of any kind." Fasel walked around the holographic display on the table with fatigued familiarity. "I believe, however, mutual destruction will still ring a familiar bell in that man's head."
'Fratricidal stalemate.' Qui-Gon breathed out bitterly, "That's why we're here. Call for parley, and I will do everything in my and the Force's ability to try and stop this before it gets anyone else hurt."
"And if you fail?"
"We retreat, go to the Senate, get support there and return in time."
Fasel bit his top lip before saying, "I'm not leaving, regardless of what my brother decides."
Qui-Gon looked at Fasel as if he suddenly grew a second head, "Then he would take you prisoner, and if what you're saying is true; he may not even want to do that… we can't allow the legitimately recognized official of your world to perish or be captured due to appearance's sake, your people will understand this."
"All the same." Fasel shook his head slowly at Qui-Gon, not saying another word on the subject.
Qui-Gon felt a flurry of frustration swim through his mind, and the idea of simply knocking the man out, loading him on a shuttle and calling it a day was bizarrely intoxicating for several moments, before he leant back on his training, 'This is no emotion, there is peace…' the mantra almost waved counter to the darker thoughts he had and they washed each other away. "Very well. I'll do all I can, old friend."
Fasel gave a small, brief smile that made Qui-Gon think he was going to cry from joy before nodding and turning away from the jedi. "Good, very good. I'll try and talk with my brother, bring him to the palace."
"Get some rest too while you're at it," Qui-Gon strode to his friend's side, "you're starting to look older than my former master."
"How is mister fancy fencer, by the way?"
Now it was Qui-Gon's turn to appear sulky to his friend…
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Well, I finally got the motivation to start my Star Wars thing again. It's been a while since I've had the passion to do anything SW related, just from sheer reviling, broody pique. I won't say what caused this sudden and near all-consuming vexation, as it is not important to this story. Unlike this;
Okay, it has to be said, I do not support Grey Force stuff.
There. I said it.
It's annoying, cure-all wish-fulfillment in the Star Wars Universe.
I like questions about the Force, how it works and why it works the way it does, but it will be following its rules. I do like the idea of certain people suddenly becoming Force sensitives due to very specific circumstances where before they were incapable of such.
My god just imagine someone like Thrawn being a Forcey. He'd conquer the galaxy in a weekend.
This is not a Grey-Force romanization, it is about choice, individuality and the effects of the past on the desires of the future, but also showing what the Force could be. Plus, STAR WARS! F $& YEAH!