This Old Temple: New Jedi Order Reset Chapter 6, a star wars fanfic

THIS OLD TEMPLE: NEW JEDI ORDER RESET

by ardavenport

- - - Part 6

* * * * * * * * * * recording * * * * *

"Recording. Recording.

"C-3PO speaking.

"There has been quite a lot going on.

"7X-T0 and 7X-T1 have been very busy with communications. It's slowed down a little, only four thousand new ones a day now. Most of it's fairly routine. . . . . except for the disturbing ones.

"We've added some more recorded messages; Master Luke allowed me to do those.

"And after that awful download, Master Luke and Captain Solo went back to the Jedi Temple and found quite a lot of damage inside.

"The Jedi Temple Archives were completely destroyed. There was hardly a scrap of anything to be found. But they'll have to search it anyway. And certainly tidy up. The Senate has engaged a group of scholars and historians to help with the work. They're very well regarded at the higher learning institutions on Coruscant.

"But none of that can really be started until they take care of this funeral business.

"It's so upsetting for poor R2. He's actually been in the Temple. I've been too busy here, but the images are very disturbing. And of course R2 really was there before the Empire. Apparently all the droids that the Jedi had were destroyed by the stormtroopers. How horrible! There are whole sections burned and quite unrecognizable. All of that will have to be taken out and sent away. And while they don't think there's any serious structural damage, that will have to be checked as well.

"But before any of that can be done, they have to remove the Jedi. The emperor wanted to make an example of them. To show to people. So, he left all the bodies where they were. They just scanned them to identify them. They found those in the Emperor's Archives. They're a bit ghoulish, really. But Emperor Palpatine was quite an unpleasant person. Really.

"The stormtroopers apparently took the lightsabers and lined them all next to the bodies. Rows and rows of them. I suppose to identify them as well. You would think that if they were going to go to so much trouble that they would have tidied up the rest of it all. But no. After the Emperor was done with everyone looking at it they just sealed the whole Temple up.

"We have found that Jedi did cremate their dead at the Temple, but there's just too much damage; there are just too many bodies. They're going to have to take them to a city crematoria. It will be quite an event. Master Luke does not want anything special done, but Princess Leia and Lando Calrissian have said that it's unavoidable. Quite a few important people plan to attend."

"I'll have to go with Master Luke to help with the transport and the city droids. I'm not really looking forward to going to the Jedi Temple while they collect the bodies. It sounds like such a gloomy place.

"And R2-D2 insists that it's haunted. Not that I can imagine that any droid would think such a thing, but. . . . R2-D2 does say that Master Luke talks to himself there.

"More than usual, that is."

* * * * * * * * * * end recording * * * * *

* * * * * INSERT * * * * *

( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( holo-record ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) )

"This is The Day Cycle on Holo-Net News Channel Zee-Tu-Tu-Tem-Tem-Aye-Vod-Eight.

"And this is your announcer, Ebmet Kaquos, and we are attending the final funeral rites of the Jedi Knights who were massacred at the Temple on Coruscant when the then Supreme Chancellor Palpatine suppressed their 'supposed' rebellion just before he declared himself galactic emperor.

"I'm here with the Senate Liaison to the Jedi Temple, Lando Calrissian. Liason Calrissian, I understand you hold the title of 'General'?"

"Oh, that was back during the Rebellion. Liaison is just fine with me."

"Of course. We are hovering over the Jedi Temple and there is considerable activity below. Liaison Calrission, could you please give us some background for what is taking place?"

"Well, as you can see, the bodies are being loaded into the transports. It is quite a large operation with over 3,000 identified bodies of Jedi as well as several hundred badly burned remains of Jedi of all species and ages."

"That included quite a few younglings I understand?"

"Yes, sadly that is true. A whole future generation of Jedi was wiped out by the clone troops at the dawn of the Empire. The Emperor was quite ruthless."

"And I understand that the ceremony will be minimal, without any spoken tribute at all?"

"That's true. While they marked their own passing, the Jedi did not mourn their dead, or those who had joined the Force, as they would say. They preferred a quiet, dignified ceremony of cremation without any public displays of grief, before those who had been left behind moved on. An admirable sentiment."

"We can see Luke Skywalker directing the activities down below. I am told that he has resigned his position of commander in the Rebel Alliance. Should we address him as Knight Skywalker? I have spoken with several of the scholars on the team examining the Jedi Temple who have referred to him as Master Skywalker."

"Well, while Luke is honored by their deference, the rank of Master was reserved for those who had trained others to knighthood. Knight Skywalker will be fine."

"And I understand that Knight Skywalker will be training others to be Jedi?"

"Well, that does depend on locating suitable candidates, of course. And we have several open com channels on the Galactic Holo-Net through which anyone may contact us if they have any information about that or anything else about the Jedi. To date, we have received quite a lot data to work on."

"But there may be some leads on those 'suitable candidates'?

"Weeeeeeeellll, I can't say anything specific about that right now, Ebmet. But there may be some possibilities in the future."

"We shall certainly look forward to hearing about those, of course.

"It appears that the last the last transports are being loaded now and the procession is beginning to assemble. One whole traffic lane will be vacated for the trip to the Republica Crematoria. A rare instance indeed on Coruscant. While that is happening, perhaps you could tell us more about what was found in the Jedi Temple once it was unsealed, Liaison Calrissian?"

"Well, of course there were the bodies. They were left where they were. As an example of his power."

"Before he had the Temple sealed, Emperor Palpatine is rumored to have regularly taken people on private 'tours' of the Jedi Temple, to impress upon them the penalty for opposing him."

"He was ruthless. And he liked people to know it. No doubt about that."

"What other things have you found inside the Temple so far?"

"There is quite a lot of damage to repair; we had to reinforce the roof for one thing, but our primary mission was to salvage any information we could about the Jedi. Sadly, the famed Jedi Archives were found to be completely destroyed. There are few people who think they might be able to reconstruct some data storage, but it would be only a fraction of what was lost."

"That is uncharacteristic of Palpatine. To just destroy such a legendary Archives like that. He was notorious for hoarding information, a weapon he used almost as effectively as he did the clone troops,. Perhaps he saved a copy of it?"

"I suppose anything's possible, but Palptine's hidden treasures keep getting larger every day that passes. I'm not ready to pin my hopes on that."

"Of course.

"I see that the transports have assembled and the lead one is lifting off from the roof of the Temple. Our holo-scanners will be traveling with them in the entourage for the short trip to the Crematoria.

"Luke Skywalker is mounting the lead transport now. . . .

"And we begin.

"After this ceremony, what will be next for the Temple?"

"Then the real work begins. Our teams will begin removing the wreckage and start the reconstruction. We will carefully examine it for any useful information and in case we missed any remains. We'll still be operating with life-support masks for some parts of the Temple for awhile until we're sure the atmosphere's been thoroughly scrubbed for any toxins. The Sector Ecology Committees are pretty picky about what we might vent into the area. I understand they've been touchy ever since the Clone Wars, when things were dropping out of the sky."

"I believe the touchiness of the Coruscant Ecology Committees not only pre-dates the Empire, but the Old Republic itself.

"We are passing by the Senate complex now. Quiet a few dignitaries are standing outside at attention to pay their respects.

"I understand that Senator Leia Organa, representing the Displaced Persons of the Republic is present. . . . she is standing with Mon Mothma and all of the primary supporting worlds of the Rebellion, including, I understand the Senator and the newly elected Queen of Naboo.

"I understand that Senator Organa and her brother, Knight Skywalker, have familial relations on Naboo?"

"Yes, through their mother, who was a former Queen and Senator herself, but of course their birth at the time was kept secret because of the danger from the Empire."

"It is rumored that Senator Organa herself has Jedi potential, and will be trained by her brother?"

"Well, that is a little undecided at the moment. She does have the potential, but nothing will happen until the Displaced Persons are settled and that position in the Senate is dissolved. That will take a few years. Nothing will be decided for awhile yet."

"Senator Organa is involved in the reconstruction of the Jedi Temple?"

"Mmmmmm, only in a supporting role from her place in the Senate for now. She actually serves as an unofficial liaison between the Senate, Chancellor and the Jedi through her brother, just as I am serving as liaison between the Jedi and the Senate. And the holo-net community and the Jedi as well."

"Which at the moment has a membership of one, Knight Skywalker."

"True. Hopefully that will be changing in the near future."

"We will look forward to hearing more about that.

"We are now approaching the Republica Crematoria. The transports are slowing down. . . . .

"Knight Skywalker has disembarked and is speaking with the Crematoria officials now. . . . .

"This is the largest operation that any Crematoria has handled since the end the Clone Wars. . . .

"The first large transport is hovering into position now. . . .

Oooooooooom, Oooooooooom, Ooooooooom

"The Crematoria is sounding a mourning bell. Again, it has not been used on this world since the end of the Clone Wars. . . .

"Knight Skywalker is standing at attention as the bodies are taken into the Cemetoria fires. After that, the remains are to be sent to the nearest planetary recyclers. None of the Jedi remains are to be treated any differently from any other citizen of Coruscant.