A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away
the first bunny, who was trained as a Jedi Knight,
started a low ranked mission towards a
Peaceful planet.
The task, which consisted of finding lost scientists
was given to her by her former Jedi Master
and one of the eldest of the Council - Bogo.
Meanwhile gathered a large number of Jedi
near the planet Anx Minor,
To investigate rumors about
Dark side force users
which were on the rise.
When the stories are true
Then the Sith Order has returned to the galaxy,
After 1000 years after their disappearance.
Curious and full of ambition traveled the young Jedi
to Telnas IV, not knowing which
danger lay ahead of her.
Chapter 1 - Suspicious Clients and Gambling Foxes
!FYI! The events in this story are taking place approximately one year before the events of the Phantom Menace !FYI!
Location: Republic Space towards Telnas IV
Annoyed about her first task and how she got it, Judy sat restlessly in the much too big Captain's chair and tried in vain to calm herself down. But no matter what she tried, her mind wouldn't come to rest and so wouldn't her right feet. She still thought about the words of eldest Bogo.
"You're not ready, Hopps. Your eagerness is still your greatest enemy. So, let it go. I see great potential in you but also the chance to destroy yourself," Judy mocked the voice of her former master in the empty space ship.
Those were his last words to her before he entered the command ship that was leading a large group of Jedi to Anx Minor, where they prepared for a fight against an unknown dark side force user. If the rumors were true Judy, on the other paw, was on her way to find some missing scientists, who probably got stranded on some lonely planet in the Outer Rim.
She wanted to prove herself, so why couldn't her former master understand this?
"Eagerness is maybe my biggest weakness but it's also what got me here. Without it, I would still be stuck on my home planet Lepori, not knowing what I should do with my life," Judy said into the void of the ship.
The stars flew by her cockpit, like thousand little white stripes of light. Judy watched them in a trance while memories came back to her about days that were long gone.
She thought about how excited she once was about everything new she saw, especially when she made her first trip through hyperspace. It was the flight to Coruscant, the one where she left as a normal citizen of the republic and began her new life. There, she could finally become what she always wanted to be - a Jedi.
All of that seemed so far away but there were still some connections to her past. Usually, a Jedi had to cut all ties to his old family. The Order and his duties were his new family from the moment she spoke the words of her vow until the second of her death. The contact with her own family should be kept to a minimum or better be not existing at all, but Judy couldn't do that. She was too much of a family mammal for that.
But now was not the time to think about her family, Judy Hopps, the first bunny who was ever trained as a Jedi and recently also promoted to the rank of a Jedi Knight, was given her first assignment to her first solo mission. She was supposed to go to Telnas IV and get further instructions to search for twelve missing scientists, that was all the elder Bogo had told her. Judy didn't completely understand what she should do there. Usually, this was the job of other institutions but not the right one for a Jedi, even though she knew that she was obliged to help all living beings who needed her help. But this? And right now? She could be on Anx Minor, preparing herself with the rest of the order for the upcoming fight...but no. She had to search for some missing scientists.
But it couldn't be changed, Judy sat alone in the Captain's chair of the Stargazer, a cargo ship that was known in the republic as the VCX-100. It was an old but reliable spaceship and luckily for her, it had only recently been renewed and equipped with slightly better technology. The ship itself had one deck and several cabins for crewmembers. All in all, there could be a crew of eight permanent members or up to twenty or thirty persons for short transports on this freighter. The ship was mostly round with some extended wings on the side and a little bridge for the captain and two more crew members. Elon the mechanic, who had just renewed the ship had a very specific opinion about the ship and thought it would be a good idea to talk to Judy shortly before she had to leave Coruscant, "If you have a fight with another spaceship, forget it. This thing is too clumsy and way too stiff to have a real chance of winning. So do yourself a favor, if you have any enemy in your neck while flying, search the nearest mountain or asteroid and fly into it, it's faster and less painful...Oh, you're also the first captain of this old beauty. So you still have to name the AI and the ship. Any ideas?"
Judy thought just for a second before she replied with a smile, "Stargazer."
Judy swallowed hard after she heard the words from her mechanic and hoped that there would be no combat during her mission. She was not a great pilot and Elon's joke did the rest for her current mood. To all of this came the weaponry, which was minimal at best than a real threat to potential enemies. It consisted of a blaster turret on top and two blaster guns for the captain, that was all.
With the last changes was now at least a hot shower possible and maybe a warm meal. The last point, however, depended on how talented the crew was and since the crew just consisted of the young doe and the board AI the chances were small for a warm meal and even worse for something tasty. The Jedi Order maybe taught you to fight with a lightsaber and move objects with the force, but they never thought about giving some cooking lessons to the recruits for bad times.
Judy inhaled deeply and leaned back in the captain's chair, her head resting on her left paw, watching indifferently as the controls in front of her blinked and showed different values. Judy was tired. Why? Because excitement for the first own mission was a way stronger neuroenhancer than caffeine or other drugs and she got a full portion of drama last night. But right now, she was in need of sleep, and she didn't know how long she could stay awake.
"Hey Patty, How long does it take us to get to Telnas IV," Judy asked the board AI, which responded with a warm and female voice, "Hello, Captain! The time until arrival is 2 hours, 16 minutes and 33 seconds. The weather at the capital of Telnas IV is sunny, with almost no wind and pleasant 27 degrees Celsius. Do you want to know anything else about Telnas IV?"
"Thanks, that would be all, but please tell me the arrival time every quarter, to keep me up to date," Judy replied and closed her eyes for a short moment.
"Task registered," Patty replied and remained silent.
Her mind was drifting slowly away and into the planes of dreams when a familiar sound came to her ears. As soon as her eyes opened, she saw the green communication icon on the screen to her left. Below him the short but meaningful word 'family.' Judy cursed at this moment about the technology of interstellar communication, and of course, the fact that she hadn't turned off her communication device before the mission had started.
'Oh, please, no. . . Not now,' Judy thought and rolled her eyes. Quickly, she tried to change her facial expression and put on a forced smile. The young doe exhaled deeply before she pushed the button to accept the call from her home planet.
"Heyyyy, it's my parents!"
"Oh! There she is! Hi sweetheart," Bonnie, her mother, exclaimed happily and tried to pull her husband, Stu, into the camera's field of vision.
"Hey there, Jude, how are you doing? How was your first day with the 'force,'" Stu Hopps said with a grin on his face. Actually, Judy would have liked to roll her eyes, but she tried to pull herself together and played the game for them.
'Come on, Judy, that was one bad joke. Normally he made more in shorter intervals.'
"It was great, I already got my first important mission . . . And yeah, what should I say, I think I really make a difference here," Judy replied, her parents were still watching her with high anticipation. To Judy's lousy luck reacted just now, Patty, with a current update.
"Hello Captain, the time we need before we arrive on Telnas IV is now exactly 2 hours and 15 minutes," Patty replied dutifully. Judy could just facepalm herself for this.
"Wait a second . . . Bonnie, did you hear that?"
"Oh, my sweet heaven. Judy, is your mission really on Telnas IV?" Bonnie asked with paws cupped over her muzzle.
"Oh, this . . . No! No, no ,no . . . Th-that's just the starting point. Who knows where such a crazy mission will take me?" Judy replied.
"Did you hear that Stu? Telnas IV! That's one of the safest planets in the Republic, do you remember we spent some time during our honeymoon there," Bonnie said and turned to her husband, who was furious with joy.
"She is not on a serious mission! Our prayers have been answered," Stu Hopps screamed through the interstellar communication device. Right then, Judy wished for any kind of distraction to end the conversation. Maybe a malfunction of the systems, an asteroid, smugglers, pirates, or really anything that would free her from this awkward situation.
"Oh, glorious day!" Bonnie shouted towards the camera and Judy sank more and more into her seat.
"Oh-ho! Telnas IV, Telnas IV, Telnas IV, Telnas IV . . . " Stew shouted until he had almost no more breath to keep up his singing. Judy was already too annoyed to keep calm, years of Jedi training or not.
"Dad. Dad! DAD! You know what guys, I have a serious mission in front of me, so if you would excuse me, I have to prepare myself," Judy said.
"That's right, prepare yourself, honey. And keep an eye open for xerulanic bed bugs, you know, they are the worst," Bonnie said and stepped back. Both parents shouted a last, "Bye-Bye," before the line went dead.
"Buh-bye . . . ," Judy replied more to herself and fell back into the captain's chair.
"Captain, you seem to be depressed. Can I do something for you?" the artificial intelligence asked from the depth of the room, while Judy tried to massage her temples. Sleep that is what Judy needed at the moment and the decision for a little nap was in the end not so difficult for her.
"Yes, wake me when we arrive," Judy said, snuggled herself in her brown coat and pulled the hood over her face. Smiling about the warm and comfy clothing, her eyelids dropped fast.
'Ahh nice and cozy, exactly how I like it . . . Well, what have I done that I deserve such a treatment? Bogo gives me a dull mission, my parents mock me for it...No, both of them just thought about what would be the best for me. And to be honest, it can only get better from here on, Judy. It can only get better, it can only...'
Telnas IV
"Captain?"
"Captain?"
"Wha…?"
"Captain, we are called from the planetary defense unit of Telnas IV. Should I respond, that you are still . . . unavailable?" Patty asked from the console in front of Judy. The purple eyes of the young doe snapped instantly open as she felt the lingering threat in front of her and recognized slowly the blue and green planet outside of her cockpit . . . And of course, the planetary defense unit, which consisted of two X-Fighter which had already activated their weapons and waited impatiently for a response from her.
"*yawn* . . . Stargazer, here. Judy Hopps ordered Jedi Knight from the Jedi Council of Coruscant. Validation code zero, four, alpha, nine, theta, sigma, six, omicron . . . *yawn*, Please respond," Judy said and waited for the static crackling to fade.
While she was still busy rubbing her eyes, she wondered why the whole procedure took so long. After another agonizing minute of waiting, both Starfighters closed their wings and the leading one reported via intercom.
"Excuse me, Miss, we will escort you to the Governor. He's already waiting for you," a young voice said via intercom.
"Did you just say, governor?"
"Yes, Miss. Everything else will be discussed with you in the palace," the pilot replied after a short break.
"All right, please go ahead, I'll follow. Hopps out," Judy replied and jumped off the captain's seat. After briefly stretching her limbs, the young knight set off to her cabin to smooth her fur once again, which was no longer in the right position after the little nap she took and which would displease a Governor for sure.
"Patty?"
"Yes, Captain?"
"Follow them, but scan our surroundings for suspicious things," Judy said. A little smile wrapped around her muzzle as she thought about the new information.
'Maybe this story is bigger after all? A meeting with the Governor?' Judy thought.
"Captain? Could you please specify your command?"
"Oh, yes. You're right. That was pretty unspecific. Mmh, I have the feeling that something's not right. So please, look out for anything that has no place on a peaceful planet like this," Judy replied and sank back into her mind and walked into her cabin, where she instantly started to brush her fur.
'Maybe all this is just my imagination or my mind trying to make more of it, but why would the governor of an entire planet want to talk to me and to find twelve persons? Are they so important? But if they are so important, why aren't they in every news report that you can see on every news station? That makes no sense,' Judy thought with her right paw cupped around her muzzle.
"I will try my best, Captain," Patty replied. The ship slowly started moving again and after a short flight began Patty to enter the atmosphere of the planet. Heavy vibrations shook the whole ship, but Judy didn't notice much of it. She floated, thanks to the force, cross-legged a few centimeters above the ground and patiently brushed the fur on her head.
'Sometimes the force is quite useful,' Judy thought and chuckled about herself. It took another five minutes until Patty talked to her again. This time, she was ready to go.
"Captain, we have arrived, I'm just setting down. Please be careful."
"Thanks, Patty," Judy answered and went to the exit of the ship that was located at the stern. As she stood in front of the grey door that would open any moment, she prepared for the sunlight and put the brown hood over her head. As always, Judy liked the mysterious look it created for others.
The steel door slowly opened and the light of an evening sun flooded the little room. Judy was not even entirely out of the ship as she heard somebody talking to her.
"We welcome you! Great Jedi master of . . . Wait? Who are you?"
The voice shifted in seconds from delighted to unpleasant, as he, a Gammorean with big black eyes, green skin and more or less Judy's height, saw and understood whom the Jedi council had sent.
A rookie.
Judy knew what would follow, she was used to it by now. The sunlight was no problem anymore, and Judy pulled her hood back, revealing her true identity and letting the mouth with the little sharp teeth from the alien drop.
"My name is Judy Hopps, and I am the send Jedi Knight from Coruscant. It's a pleasure to meet you," Judy replied without responding to his insulting tone.
"Ah . . . Well, we waited for someone more . . . Impressive. Anyhow, my name is Talek. Please follow me, Knight,"
"And I expected someone more friendly, but well, we can't all have what we want, right?" Judy replied with a smile.
For a short moment, Talek seemed as if he wanted to answer but his open mouth closed fast, all that was left now was a toxic smile on his green lips.
Talek wore a robe in white and red, the typical colors Telnas IV and he also looked arrogant enough to be the right hand of the Governor.
Around Judy were multiple other landing platforms. Most of them were already occupied by massive military transport units, which were currently in the process to be loaded. The governor's residence itself laid directly connected to the landing platforms on a rock, multiple hundred meters above the ground on a steep hill. There was no option to enter it without the use of a space- or aircraft. The residence itself resembled more a gothic church made out of marble and gold than a real house or Villa. Shining like a landmark, stood the palace high above the center of Artok, the capital city of Telnas IV.
Behind Talek walked two guards, also dressed in white and red. Both had an automatic blaster in their hands but didn't look willing to use them. Judy could feel no threat lingering in the near around her, and so she followed Talek over a small bridge, which connected the landing platforms with the residence itself. Patty hadn't lied about the weather, it definitely was more than enjoyable.
"We have been waiting a long time for an answer from the Order, so far without success."
"Well, I was told this question is very new and relatively incomplete. Most likely a mistake from the order...Anyhow, I was just told to find 12 people who seem important to this planet, that's all."
Without turning to Judy, all four entered the entrance hall of the residence. Everything in the building was just as Judy had imagined it. From beautiful stone walls that were clean and decorated in the colors of Telnas IV. White and red as far as the eye could see and armed guards everywhere.
'For a peaceful planet, however, there were a lot of military units stationed here,' Judy thought and looked further around to gather as much information and impressions as possible.
"Mmh, now Miss 'Knight', what we're looking for are twelve scientists. They disappeared on a research expedition into another system and unfortunately never reached their original destination. Oh dear, What a crazy and brutal time we live in. It's truly a shame." Talek replied and shook his head dramatically.
After the last corridor, Judy was sure that something wasn't right here. Everything had one very obvious thing in common and that were a lot of soldiers and not even a grain of dust. This place was on his feet. For what, Judy couldn't say.
They finally stopped in front of a massive wooden gate, which only Judy would pass. Talek stood beside the entrance and grinned at her one last time.
"Good luck, little Jedi," Talek said with a grin that showed his many teeth but Judy didn't react to him at all and just continued to walk in.
'Little Jedi! Pah! Master Yoda is called the greatest Jedi of our time and he's just as tall as...let it go, Judy and just remember. Your one with the force and the force is with you,' Judy reminded herself and exhaled deeply before she went on.
The gates closed behind her and Judy stood alone in the large conference room, with a wide circular table in the middle of it. There was also a wide window on the opposite side of the entrance, showing the surrounding landscape in all its beauty. Even from her current position, Judy could see large parts of the city below with its large buildings made of steel and glass. She felt that there was someone else in the room with her, but for the moment Judy just wanted to take a closer look at the city that lay to her feet. With a steady step, the young Jedi walked in front of the window and enjoyed the view over the mountains for a moment. The tall lion, who was sitting behind her in an armchair, also admired the city below and remained silent.
'He ordered you, not the other way around. Let him start the talking,' Judy thought.
"Beautiful. Don't you think?" Lionheart asked and looked down at the city.
"Definitely. But I usually don't have the time to enjoy something like this," Judy answered with honest sadness in her voice.
"Too bad, sometimes I only come here to enjoy the view. Very well, then . . . I'm honest, I expected. . . Someone else. Someone. . . ," Governor Lionheart began.
". . . Taller?" Judy replied with a smile on her lips.
"More experienced, I meant to say," Lionheart lied and both knew it. The governor sat in his armchair, also dressed in white and red, but additionally covered with a little it of gold to show his higher rank. He folded his paws and waited for an explanation.
'He's no better than Talek,' Judy thought,' but at least he's trying to lie.'
"As you know, most Jedi forces are bundled around Anx Minor. I am what the Jedi Council could send you to help," Judy said, watching the streets below her. Down there in the streets, a seemingly endless caravan of vehicles moved through the small paths of downtown with its high buildings of glass and stell. It resembled almost a metal snake, that was on its way through the city but would never end.
"In other words, you are on your own and in case of doubt, you can't even call for reinforcements, is that correct?"
Judy turned to Lionheart for the first time and looked at him extensively. No smile from the lion, just him staring at her.
"Now . . . . This is also a way of looking at the situation," Judy replied with growing suspicion.
"Alright, I will tell you what you need to know. Two weeks ago, twelve of our best scientists disappeared on their way to Vohai. We don't know where it happened along the way, but we know the name of the person responsible for this crime and his whereabouts," Lionheart said emphatically.
"I still can't quite understand where I stand in this story," Judy started to reply.
"The criminal responsible is a renegade Jedi named Nicholas Wilde. Unfortunately, the name is all I can give you as information. The private Jedi archives are not accessible to outsiders. But ... this should be known to you."
For a moment, Judi was shocked that a Jedi should be responsible for the abduction of twelve scientists.
'A renegade Jedi? As good as impossible, apostates will be prosecuted immediately and punished if possible, depending on what they have done. What is going on here?' Judy thought.
"What is with the information about the scientists and the whereabouts of the apostate?"
"All the information we have was already sent to your ship."
"Of course," Judy said and bowed briefly, "I will get to work immediately."
Judy, who was about to leave, turned around in direction from where she was coming from. Lionheart also got up and walked towards the window and stopped right in front of it.
"I wish you good luck, Jedi Knight Hopps, especially more than your two predecessors," Lionheart said from the window, his voice was loud and annoying. In fact, he was loud enough to send an unpleasant shiver down Judy's spine.
Half the room was already behind her when she stopped and tried to process what she just heard from him. Her voice felt insecure when she asked what made no sense to her at this moment.
"Predecessors?"
"Yes? Didn't Talek tell you that already?"
For a moment, time seemed to stand still for Judy before she decided to do what she liked least and that was to lie.
"Of course . . . How could I forget such important information? My apologies Governor. This little bunny mind could not keep all the information that was given to her."
Slow and steady, Judy walked to the massive gate. Nobody should raise suspicion, and so she tried to keep herself calm. Wordless, the Jedi left the hall and made her way back to her ship.
Lionheart stood at the window for a long time andseemed to be waiting for something or rather someone. While he watched the town underneath him, a shadow loosened from the darkness of the room. Without waiting for the question, the unknown creature began to speak.
"Why did you mention the predecessors? That wasn't what you were supposed to do," the shadow said audibly annoyed.
"I wanted to see how she reacts and what she showed was interesting…," Lionheart said.
"And what was that?"
"She lied . . . Because Talek never gave her this information, but she played along nonetheless. She had a suspicion and had it even before, so much is sure and shouldn't be taken lightly. Do you understand?"
"Yes," the shadow answered with annoyance.
"Good because if you don't make a mistake, their fate is already sealed. You heard her, right? No backup, nothing. She is alone."
Just a node and nothing else came from the listener.
"Follow her and don't forget we want both alive, as our final test subjects."
"Of course," the shadow answered and slowly disappeared back into the shadows behind him. A scornful laugh came to Lionheart as he thought about the whole situation.
'Darth Lepus, he should better watch out and do what his master tells him and don't go on my nerves. I really ask myself if Lord Ovis has him under control,' Lionheart thought and continued watching the town below him.
"Patty, start the engine and bring us away from this planet," Judy shouted as soon as she entered the Stargazer. The young doe jumped over the back of the captain's seat and landed softly on it. Immediately, she started to type commands into the console in front of her.
With a loud and heavy shatter, Patty started the old freighter and emerged quickly from the planet and entered space. As soon as Judy felt the change from gravitation to the artificial gravity of the ship, a deep sigh escaped her muzzle, and she leaned back into the seat.
"Did you get the information from our friends, Patty?" Judy asked in a sarcastic tone.
"Yes, Captain."
"Did you find anything unusual on the surface of the planet?"
"No captain."
"Blueberries…, " Judy cursed and cupped her right paw in front of her muzzle thinking about her current situation and what possibilities are left for her and how her chances would stand right now.
"But . . . I searched the local networks for news and information about the twelve scientists," Patty stated and raised Judy's attention even more.
"And. . . ?"
"Nothing. There are no news or reports about missing scientists or other missing persons. My apologies that I could not be helpful for you, Captain," Patty replied.
"Oh, that was very useful. Thank you."
Judy knew that the situation she was in was suspicious and probably dangerous, yet she began to smile. On the one paw because a picture of what was going on slowly emerged in her mind and on the other paw because Judy felt that this could be the mission to prove herself to the Jedi council and her master.
'Maybe I would have been a good cop, after all, not a meter maid but a real cop,' Judy thought and chuckled about the idea,' Well, too late Judy, you've chosen your path and now go for it.'
"Okay, Patty, where are we going?"
Judy sounded happy even though she knew it was life and death from now on but wasn't that always the case for a Jedi? Haven't you ever been exposed to adverse dangers, and wasn't that also a part of what drove the Jedi to this kind of life? Well, if not all Jedi then at least this bunny.
"Our target is in the Besh Gorgon system in the mid-rim. We need to fly to a space station called 'The Wheel.' According to my information, it is notorious for its casinos, excesses and the encounter of suspicious characters," Patty said.
"Can you give me some more information about that space station, Patty," Judy asked. Her right paw played again with her lightsaber, which hung from the right side of her belt, a habit she developed during long flights through the galaxy.
"The Wheel is a massive space station, which was built more than 40 years ago. By now it has about 300,000 residents. The name itself results from a huge ring that is one of the two main parts of the station. In the center of the ring exists a tower, which is over two bridges connected to the ring. That tower contains the two biggest casinos, the Grand Casino and the Crimson Casino, as well as the command and control center of the whole station . . . ," Patty explained.
"Thanks, that's enough...I think I've heard of it, but I've never been there...I mean why would I, but it sounds like fun," Judy replied and chuckled about the idea, how it would look when a Jedi would go to a casino.
"Captain?"
"Forget it...Please take the fastest possible course to this infamous space station."
It took Patty a while to complete the calculations for the journey through the Hyperspace. Judy used the time to write a message for the Jedi Council and signed it with her personal Jedi code. A contingency plan in case it fails, allowing others to complete the mission. After a while, Patty returned and confirmed the beginning of her journey in hyperspace.
"Route is set, entry into hyperspace in . . . 3 . . . 2 . . . 1."
Stars blurred in front of the cockpit and a slight jolt shook the entire ship, Judy simply loved it when the whole ship was going over into Hyperspace, she couldn't explain why. It was for her just an odd feeling that she loved, just like some people love the fall during a rollercoaster ride.
"Tell me, Patty, do you have access to the Jedi archives?"
"Yes, Captain. How can I help you?"
"Give me all the information you have about a Jedi, called Nicholas Wilde."
"One moment please," Patty replied, and Judy knew it was time to wait, access to the archives from outside Coruscant could take an eternity or be done in seconds, it always depended on your current location in the galaxy. This time, it took just five minutes.
"Here is all the information on Nicholas Piberius Wilde available in the archives. Age 32, species Vulpes, main coat color red, eye color green. Rang, Jedi Knight. His last known mission was a rescue mission on the Sarai Mine Planet, where he saved several children. Current condition deceased."
"Deceased? Are you sure this isn't a mistake?
"I'm checking . . . No, status deceased."
"Well, then I'm more than excited to see that ghost fox," Judy said and leaned back into the captain's chair with a smile on her face.
'Maybe this whole thing will be more interesting than I have thought and even bigger than I expected,' Judy thought and closed her eyes for a moment and decided to use the remaining time for another nap.
'Who knows when I'll get the next chance to take a nap.'
The Wheel - Bash Gorgon System
The Crimson Casino was named after the crimson debt which was a blood duty you had to fulfill if you weren't able to pay your debts and gave the common phrase 'That you lose more than money when you lose in the Crimson Casino.' a whole other meaning. The place itself was located in the highest tower of the Wheel. With its long and well-equipped bars, hundreds of gaming tables, slot machines, and other obscure gambling opportunities it was one of the best tests in the Galaxy how much greed could be good for one being.
Gold, glass, and marble were everywhere, artificial waterfalls let the customers feel the luxury of the space station. Even the roof was just one big window to let in the light of the nearby solar system, showing an asteroid belt that wasn't too far away and the sun which gave the Wheel a natural night and day cycle. As beautiful as everything seemed, in the end, this place was nothing more than a magnet for fortune-knights, adventurers and lost souls.
What Nicholas Wilde was? Well, he was a little bit of everything and because of that, he was more than perfect for this station.
One table stood out among the hundred of Sabacc gambling tables. It was placed upon a stage, with several hundred participants from every corner of the Galaxy around it. Carefully, they watched how the last three participants of a long game in an even longer tournament made their choices for the game. Only one of them still had a smile on his face.
"Welcome back, Ladies and gentlemen! The last round of the Grand Galaxy Gambling Tournament is about to go down in history as the one where one winner will receive the incredible amount of 100 million Republican credits! Yes, you heard correct! A one with more zeros than you will ever need in your life," the colorfully dressed host of the event exclaimed loudly into the cheering masses.
"But for now, let's give you a quick overview of the three remaining participants. On the left side, we have Selik Dray. Selik is the kind of guy who likes to drink a little bit too much during tournaments. For the fans, he's better known as the drunken Gambler!"
"To the right, we have a mysterious Sullustan with the name Yurt, who refused to give us any more information about him. I would say we're fine with that as long as he delivers us an interesting game!"
"And last but definitely not least, we have here the fox you all know and love. The smirking face, the red wonder of the crimson casino or to put it simply... Nicholas Wiiiiilde," the host exclaimed in an ecstatic tone, followed by a short break for the applause to die down, "Whoever played against him knows that a round on his table feels as if he could read your mind or trick you into doing some pretty stupid things."
'Am I ready to win the whole pot? Oh yes, I definitely am. The plan is set and if everything goes smoothly, Finnick could already place a bet a large sum on my head to win this tournament...An investment of a million republican credits and if my math is right, we could leave this place with 500 million in total. Depending on the odds...oh man, just imagine. With that money, I could buy myself a space station of my own. Calm down Wilde, it's not over. You still have to win these last games, before it is done,' Nick thought and made a little jump onto the table, followed by a bow to his loyal audience. The people around him applauded even louder about such a display of confidence. One member of the crowd even shouted something at him.
"Good luck, fox!"
Nick had to smile about this and gave the guy who wished him luck a thumbs up.
'Well, luck is relative for someone like me and to be honest, I almost feel a little bit sorry about those two beside me... but not too much. Winning against a professional gambler is one thing but winning against a professional gambler who was once a Jedi? Good luck with that.'
So it began and the cards were flying over the table, thrown to every participant by an android in pure gold.
"Come on, Yurt, pull or drop it, in three rounds it'll all be over . . . Maybe I'll buy you a little drink after the match is over? Ahh, heck. You know what? Drinks are on me but sorry Selik, the offer only applies to our Sullustan buddy over here. You drink too much for my taste. If I would invite you then my new fortune would be immediately gone," Nick joked and grinned at the faces of the two players who just gave him a scornful look back. They knew they couldn't win anymore but giving up was not an option.
"Alright, alright . . . I get it. You two are not having a good game, but you know what? From time to time, you might be happy for others and not just yourselves," Nick said and dropped his cards on the table, finishing the current round with another victory.
"Haha! Damn, I'm good!" Nick shouted out and the audience began once again to cheer for him. But this time, something else happened as well. Something he didn't notice and that was how a small and hooded person was walking towards him and the gambling table.
Quickly and without long words, Nick finished the next two rounds and was now almost at his goal.
"It is time, Ladies and Gentlemen! The last game of this tournament has begun and it looks very promising for our Vulpean participant," the host announced loudly and the game began. Ten more minutes of card dealing, until Nick held the last one in his paws. He had won.
'Just one more card and I'm done..., ' Nick thought and saw that someone was standing at the edge of the gambling table. The person was small, very small and definitely not a humanoid. But he could see clearly how her purple eyes were staring at him.
"Nicholas Wilde? My name is Judy Hopps, and I want to talk to you."
Nick, who already held the final card in his paw, looked up from them and into the purple eyes of a small fluffy creature he finally recognized as a bunny. With an appreciative look at the doe, Nick tried to understand what she wanted from him, but right now he was too deep into the game and couldn't even recognize one of his own kind — a Jedi.
"What's going on fluff, the massage that I ordered was originally planned for my victory party and not now. So hop along cutie." The fox said while holding his last card in his paw.
The doe's face darkened as she heard the fox's cheeky words and decided to show him what it meant to joke with her.
"Again, my name is Judy Hopps, and I'm a Jedi Knight from the Jedi Order of Coruscant, and I'm here to talk to you," Judy replied.
"Really, too bad I have no idea what you are talking about, fluff. I think you mistake me for someone else. Jedi? I have no business with self-proclaimed galaxy saviors."
"Fine, you want it the hard way. Nicholas Wilde, You're under arrest," Judy said severely. Nick, however, was still looking at his card not understanding or not willing to understand that the game was over.
"Oh, for what? Hurting your feelings?" Nick replied with a smug grin on his face.
The smile quickly returned to Judy's face when she realized that he didn't take her seriously. She liked it when other people underestimated her, it always was good for a big surprise.
"Unauthorized use of 'the Force' during a gambling tournament. Do you really think I wouldn't recognize your little mind tricks to win this game? And by the way, this ban has existed for more than a thousand years, and you should be aware of it. After all, you are a Jedi . . . Just like me."
Nick, who had already turned back to the game, looked at the female bunny standing in front of him with wide eyes. Finally, he understood what she played for a game and how severe the situation was.
Every other participant at the table and the host turned to him. Nick already knew that whatever followed, would be nothing good for him. Yurt looked at him particularly sinisterly and asked while pointing at a metal object hanging from Nick's belt, "I've been wondering the whole time what this thing is on your belt? Call me an idiot but couldn't that be a lightsaber?"
"That old thing? Pfft, that's just a flashlight, nothing more and if you ask me such brash questions, then no more drinks for you after my victory, Yurt. I thought we were friends, buddy? What happened," Nick tried to smooth talk his way out of the situation, but he began to realize that his grand plan started to vanish into thin air.
"Okay, you had your fun, Slick. Now give me your lightsaber and come with me," Judy replied and held her paw out to him.
Everything went silent around them, while Nick exhaled profoundly and began to speak.
"Fine...you wanted it this way, but if you think I would come back to Coruscant without a fight, then you don't seem to know me, Carrots," Nick said, still smiling to Judy.
"First of all, yes you will and second, you're going to refrain from calling me Carrots," Judy replied annoyed and began walking towards him. Nick, however, had put his left paw without anyone else noticing under the table. Without warning, she drew back and felt a wave of the Force rushing through Nick. With it, he flicked the whole table around and let it fly through the air, turning multiple times around its own axis.
The audience, players and host began to stumble back in fear. It didn't take long before the first people began to run and chaos began to spread fast in the large casino hall.
Judy who stood just seconds ago on the edge of the table jumped back but stood after the landing directly in the zone where the massive wooden table would crash.
Time stopped for a moment in Nick's mind and he recognized how everyone around them was running for their life. Fun became a serious business. The tournament was over, one way or another and with it the chance to win the money. With a deep sigh, he let go of the last card he still held in his right paw.
'Guess there goes my chance of early retirement,' Nick thought and concentrated back on the purple-eyed doe and what she would do.
Before the wooden piece of furniture could even touch Judy, the sound of a familiar buzzing echoed through the air. All it needed was one clear-cut for the young doe to part the table in two pieces. The remaining pieces shattered some meters beside her to the ground.
Nick awaited to witness a truly angry bunny but what he saw was far from that. Judy was smiling at him as if she had fun. In her right paw, she held a glowing purple lightsaber, which was precisely adjusted to her size and now where he inspected her recognized it — eye color.
"EVERYONE OUT!" Judy shouted to the visitors around them and the guards which came to help her. Panic took finally over in the crowd and the sound around the two was rising until most of the visitors had left the large casino hall.
As if she had all the time in the galaxy, Judy took off her brown overcoat. Tossing it to her right and showing the cream-colored robe of a Jedi Knight, that Nick wore just some years ago by himself. It had no similarity to the dark brown leather outfit he wore now.
'Oh dammit, she really is a Jedi, and with my current luck she's also a good fighter,' Nick thought and prepared for a fight he never wanted.
Both of her paws were already clasped to her lightsaber, which she held up to her face. She was ready to attack, Nick could not just see this but also feel it in his whole body.
"Draw," Judy said with emphasis.
"See Carrots, is there no other way to come out of this casino? Do we really have to fight? I would say we both turn around and pretend that we have never met each other. What do you say?"
"Uh-uh, Slick. Not gonna happen, I have a mission to fulfill and by the way, weren't you the one who said that you won't go without a fight?"
Nick sighed deeply and thought, 'What for a stubborn bunny . . . Oh boy, this will become ugly. I know it.'
"Fine," Nick replied and stretched out his right paw. The lightsaber levitated in a quick movement from his hip to his arm. A green blade buzzed now steadily from his right side, pointing to the ground.
"But don't say I didn't warn you," Nick said. Again, he put on his unique smile.
"Don't worry, I'm a big girl. I won't cry," Judy replied and started running towards Nick. Her lightsaber buzzed to her movements, as her feet moved fast over the wooden floor. Nick prepared himself for a massive impact from below and went into a standard defense position, even so, the bunny in front of him seemed light, but he knew to underestimate an enemy was the fastest way to death.
Judy didn't attack directly, she jumped to her left onto one of the gambling tables in order to have a higher position as her canine opponent.
She strengthens her jump with the force to deal a direct blow at Nick from above. The fox, however, had a hard time blocking the attack but Judy didn't stop there. She balanced her whole weight on her lightsaber which clenched directly against the green blade of Nick's sword. With her left paw, Judy charged another force attack but this time it was no quick force push. This time, Judy was determined to finish the fight by increasing the pressure on the fox.
The attack was like a heavy blanket that was put over him and became heavier with every passing second. He couldn't escape by force and there was no way he could start a counter attack.
Breathing, standing, everything became harder and harder under this condition. His bones and muscles started to hurt, and he could feel his legs slowly giving in. Even the wooden floor began to crack from intense power that struck it, Nick understood that he had still underestimated the bunny. Her height and speed made her even more dangerous as an opponent than he had thought.
Not knowing what to do in this dangerous situation, he looked up to her and saw that she was doing the same thing. Their eyes met and it didn't take long for the fox to lose himself in her eyes. He couldn't say what it was that he saw there but he felt without a doubt that his heart skipped a beat.
"Give up!" Judy said through her clenched teeth and Nick snapped back into reality. He decided to do what he could do best in such situations and that was to improvise.
"Okay, I surrender, Carrots," Nick said and looked with a smirk in the dazzled face of the bunny above him. The confusion in Judy's face quickly gave way to another smile. It was a victorious one. With ease, she used the two lightsabers as a stepstone to jump above Nick and directly in his back. In that position, she could end this fight quickly.
But this time it was on her to underestimate the sly fox. While she was still half a meter above the ground, Judy noticed that he was charging an attack against her. She was too slow to dodge it, so she prepared for the impact and the resulting damage.
"Dumb bunny," Nick said, grinning like a little kid who had just won a card game against his friends. The attack threw the light bunny through a large part of the hall and towards the bar. She had just enough time to block the most substantial impact with her crossed arms.
Nick who saw what happened regretted his move instantly and watched with widened eyes, how the little bunny hit the bar. Judy hit the bar and the result was an explosion of glass, liquor, and other exotic fluids, which spread now over the counter and the nearby gambling tables. Everything that was seconds ago a valuable collection of bottled booze from all over the galaxy, was now nothing more than a rain of glass and alcohol.
'From where came this explosion? Nevermind...there are other things important now. Dammit! I wanted to make her unable to fight, not unable to live,' Nick thought. In a blind panic, the fox ran to the shattered bar with the destroyed counter. Shiny glass particles and liquids reflected the light in every direction.
'Oh boy, what a mess . . . I hope the bunny is okay...'
' . . . Why do you care so much for her? She is just a bunny, you know her for maybe 15 minutes, and in ten of them we tried to kill each other. . . Okay, we are Jedi, so for us, this was more like...advanced talking . . . ,'
"Hey Carrots, I'm truly sorry . . . That's not what I wanted to do. I definitely didn't want to hurt you...Carrots?"
With light feet, Nick stepped over the puddles of liquor and glass. He tried to avoid the puddles at all costs because he knew that some heavy stuff was in some of those bottles. Stuff that could kill you if you took a deep breath. Right now, his mind was just concentrated on the little bunny which should lay somewhere between the mess he had created.
Nick jumped on the counter of the bar and took the first look down. Even more shards and liquid swam around behind the counter. It looked like a flood that had devastated a valley after heavy rain. Nick couldn't see clearly through this devastation of splitter and fluids.
"Carrots? Seriously Carrots . . . I'm sorry," Nick began to speak until a massive shock wave hit him and sent him this time flying through the room. While he was in mid-air, he suddenly understood what the explosion was, which he saw before.
'She fooled me too! She cushioned her own impact with a counter push. Sneaky little bunny! Not that I dislike such behavior.'
Unlike Judy, Nick had no more time to cushion his fall, and so he slammed heavy on the wooden floor right between the gaming table where he had played and won just half an hour ago and which Judy had cut precisely in two halves. Moaning and cursing, Nick laid on his hurting back and tried to control his pain.
Steady but not too fast, Judy walked with half-closed eyes over to the fox. She was angry and not even her long and hard training could keep her emotions at bay. With the buzzing purple lightsaber still in her right paw, Judy stepped with her left foot on Nick's chest. The fox escaped a huffing sound. Trying to raise his head, Nick stopped immediately after he felt the heat of the lightsaber in front of his muzzle. This was definitely too close for his own taste, and he decided that it would be best to keep those last inches between himself and the hot plasma.
"Stay down and don't move! You dumb fox ruined my robe, and now I smell like a distillery for every imaginable liquor in this galaxy," Judy shouted at him.
"Hey, Carrots. I told you I'm sorry . . . And by the way, has anyone ever told you that you're cute when you're trying to look serious?"
"Shut up . . . Dumb fox," Judy replied and turned her head away from him, but Nick could see that her inner ears took on a light rose-like color.
'You're also not as tough as you act, Carrots. Why does her blushing make me smile? You're getting old Wilde, that's probably the problem here . . . Maybe,' Nick thought and watched her from his position on the ground. She had just beaten him in a fight but he didn't fear here in any way. In fact, he even felt pretty calm, now where her lightsaber was deactivated.
The little communication device on Nick's belt activated itself, and both could hear the rough and deep voice of Nick's companion.
"Hey, Nick! Wat da hell ya doing up there? The entire military of the Wheel is on their feet and after us! They got our ship and now they're searching for us, man! What do we do now?"
With a sardonic grin, Nick looked up to Judy and waited for a decision.
"You heard him, Carrots. What are we doing now?"
The fight was over and Judy deactivated her lightsaber, put it back and tried to take the communication device from Nick's belt. It was complicated attached to it and Judy needed some time to get it off, enough time for the fox to crack another joke.
"Well Carrots, I didn't know we were already that close," Nick said with a dirty grin. It took Judy a moment to realize in which position she bowed over Nick. With glowing ears, Judy finally pulled the device from his belt and turned away.
"Jerk," was all she replied and activated the device to talk back, "Judy Hopps speaking, come in."
"What the hell . . . NICKY! If this whole trouble is because of a new girlfriend, I will bite your face off!" The deep voice said over the intercom. Right then, Judy's ears would have put even Nick's red fur to shame.
"NOBODY is here anybody's girlfriend! Now listen, if you want to make it alive out of this space station!" Judy shouted in the little metal box, her ears glowed like burning coals.
A burst of roaring laughter followed Judy's last comment. She looked baffled at Nick who still laid on the ground and who just shrugged about the behavior of his companion.
"Haha . . . I don't know where you found your new pearl, Wilde! But you should keep her, she has fire!" The voice roared through the little device, followed by even more laughter that echoed through the empty casino. Judy held the device away from her head to not hurt her sensible ears.
"Do we have a deal," Judy asked, her ears were still glowing red.
"Yes ma'am," the deep voice replied with a chuckle, "And by the way, my name is Finnick."
"Good, Finnick. Now listen! Go to hangar 42, there you'll find a VCX-100, that's my ship, the Stargazer. I'll also send you a code to enter. Prepare yourself for leaving and wait for us. . . Again, the name of the ship is Stargazer and the name of the AI is Patty. Oh and I warn you, be kind to her!"
"She? What the . . . And who the hell is Patty?"
"My ship's AI, but you will understand it as soon as you enter. So just remember to be ready, okay?"
"Will do. And you keep an eye out for that fox, will ya? He still owes me a lot of money!"
Without even thinking, Judy put the device into her own pocket and directed her attention back to the fox on the ground. She stretched a paw out to him and smiled slightly. Nick took the offered paw and got back on his feet.
He found his lightsaber some meters away from him and levitated it back to him. For a short moment, he checked to see if it was still okay. There were no scratches or other damages.
"Something tells me, that you are not here to bring me back to the Council, Carrots."
"No and I never said I would, you just jumped to conclusions . . . In fact, the Council doesn't even know that you are still alive. What I want is to talk to you because of my mission, which is to find twelve missing scientists," Judy explained and already saw the confusion on his face.
"I don't see where I fit into this story?"
"Our client accused you, for kidnapping them," Judy began, but Nick interrupted her abrupt, "What? Not possible, I was the last four weeks in this stupid casino. How? But more importantly who?"
Nick began to gesture like crazy or at least he did so until Judy took his paws in hers. Confused, the fox looked at the doe and did not understand what she was doing.
"I know, okay? I believe you, that's why I'm here. Something is wrong, and I have a bad feeling this could be a trap," Judy said and let go of his paws. Nick smiled and replied, "You're pretty emotional for a Jedi, Carrots."
A smile appeared on Judy's face when she looked up to the fox. "My Mum always called this trait of mine 'caring' but . . ."
The breaking of glass disturbed the conversation between the two, and both felt a great threat moving towards them. Without warning, all the lights in the hall went out. Whatever the danger was, it was only a few meters away from them, well hidden in the darkness.
"Surrender," a cold voice said right in front of them.
Nick looked down at Judy, and she looked back at him still with the same smile, there was just the light from emergency lamps but it was enough to see it. He didn't know her but had a good guess that she was thinking the same.
"Sorry, buddy, I already lost once today. Once more would be even more embarrassing in front of this Lady here," Nick replied.
"Very well, I see you've made your decision," the enemy in the darkness said. One enemy but two glowing red lightsabers, which pointed to the ground, appeared in the dark. The mysterious stranger was ready to fight.
"Damn...and I had such a good feeling about this day," Nick said.
"Oh come on, it can only become better from here on, Slick," Judy replied with a smile.
"I hope you are right, Carrots."
Both Jedi drew their weapons and prepared to fight. Four lightsabers, one purple, one green and two in crimson red glowed in the dark hall.