Two years later (22 BBY)
Watching the lights flashing in hyperspace was quite relaxing, Ronin thought as he watched millions of little streams of light zip by in the void darkness. A lot was on his mind, as they had just received word for the Jedi Council that a war had broken out in the galaxy, and a significant battle had occurred on the planet known as Geonosis. The Council had also informed them that the fallen Jedi Count Dooku was backing the Separatist movement. Ronin got up from the pilot's seat and looked at his master. Master Yothalt was not speaking much. He had a stoic expression as he stared at the Holo-table while listening to some strange audio clips that Ronin did not recognize.
"Is something wrong, master?"
"No, there's nothing wrong, Padawan Darius; I'm simply trying to interpret these audio recordings."
"What are they recordings of?"
"That's what I'm trying to figure out."
Master Yothalt played the recording once more, and the sound resumed. It was a faint screeching noise, like someone was trapped inside something, but barely audible.
"That sounds awful. It's as if the dark side had a voice."
"That is precisely what I was thinking, Padawan. I have to find out where this sound is coming from. If you'll excuse me, I must meditate on this.
Master Yothalt exited the central cockpit, leaving Ronin to fly the ship.
Ronin and Master Yothalt had been sent on a mission to investigate an old Jedi distress beacon that had been triggered in the outer rim. The Distress signal dates back to 222 BBY, during the early days of the high Republic era. The call had originated from Dantooine, but all the Jedi and his Padawan had been able to find were a crashed Jedi Defender, with no remains of crew on board, other than an old broken astromech. The two also recovered a small collection of the audio recordings Yothalt had listened to the past few days.
"I sure hope he's able to figure out what those recordings are," Ronin said to no one.
R5 beeped and whistled from the corner of the cockpit.
"You think so? I'm not so sure, R5. Maybe those recordings are just that. Recordings."
"But then again, I don't think Master Yothalt would be so honed in on deciphering these recordings if they didn't have some meaning," Ronin said as he rested his cheek against his fist.
"Hey R5, do you think you could give me a hand in repairing this old thing?"
R5 beeped negatively.
"Oh, C'mon, it's not that damaged."
R5 beeped and whistled again.
"Okay, fine, it's pretty damaged but not beyond repair. Now help me repair this thing. Maybe we can get some answers before Master Yothalt gets anything from those old recordings." Ronin said as he grabbed his All-kit and tested the droid's circuitry.
"Looks like it's an old K-Series. I've only read about these in the archives. This thing must be centuries old. certainly older than that Jedi defender we found." Ronin said as he blew some dust off the top of its head. "This thing will take quite a bit of work before it is functional again," Ronin said as he coughed from the dust flying in the air.
At that moment, Master Yothalt burst out of the back room.
"Master Yothalt? Are you al-" Ronin began, but Yothalt cut him off.
"Ronin. Let me take control of the ship. I need you to take this and play it on the ship's sound system." Yothalt said hastily as he held out one of the tapes he had been studying.
"Yes, master," Ronin said as he rose from the pilot's chair, took the recording out of his master's hand, walked over to the central console, and inserted the audio disk into its player.
"R5, take the K series droid back to the storage room. See if you can find spare parts for it to work again."
R5 whistled as he pushed the hunk of the droid to the back of the ship.
As R5 rolled down the hall, The shrieking sound returned, now even louder and more profound. Ronin clasped his hands over his ears as another shriek sounded throughout the ship.
"Ugh, what is that?" Ronin said, wincing.
"I'm not sure, but I believe it tells us something." Master Yothalt said as he rested in the pilot's seat and brought up the hyperdrive lever, effectively taking them out of hyperspace. Upon seizing control of the vessel, Yothalt promptly turned the ship around the opposite way from where they had been heading.
"Master, aren't we supposed to report back to the council?"
"No. We have not yet completed our mission, Padawan." Yothalt said.
"But were we not just heading back to Coruscant?" Ronin
"Yes. But that was before I knew where we were going." Yothalt said confidently.
"How can you know now?" Ronin said incredulously
"I believe the sound is trying to communicate something. And I think it is directions." Yotahlt said.
"Master, how can you understand what that scream is saying its-" SHRIEK! Ronin covered his ears as yet another scream sounded out. Ronin moved to remove the disk from the console but was stopped by his master's firm hand.
"No, Padawan. I'm still deciphering what it's saying. Go get the other audio disks." Yothalt commanded.
Ronin did as he was told and headed to the back of the ship where Yothalt had left the rest of the files. As Ronin was walking back, that horrid shriek sounded off once more.
"Can we not at least turn it down? Ronin yelled from the back compartment.
"Hush, Padawan. I'm listening." Master Yothalt said with what Ronin thought was the slightest sarcasm in his voice.
"More like losing your hearing," Ronin said under his breath as he reached for the remaining audio files and a training helmet on a shelf near them in the back compartment.
"Maybe this will dull the sounds a little," Ronin said as he placed it over his head, just in time for another shriek to sound out. It's not exceptional, but it'll do, Ronin thought.
"Padawan, the files." Yothalt said.
"Coming, master," Ronin said with a slight roll of his eyes.
"Ronin, I need you to put the other audio disks in. I only have part of the message." Yothalt said.
"Message? What Message?" Ronin said, now more confused than ever.
"Coordinates, now quiet yourself, Padawan. I must listen."
"Coordinates? But how-"
"Shush," Master Yothalt said.
Ronin was getting rather frustrated at this point but decided not to say anything.
Master Yothalt sat in the pilot's chair, meditating and talking to himself.
"Galactic grid S-4, -42, 23...Malachor." Yothalt muttered.
"I know where to go," Yothalt said suddenly.
"You do?" Ronin said, nearly falling out of his chair.
"Yes. We will make an uncharted jump directly to the planet Malachor." Yothalt stated.
"The Sith homeworld? You can't be serious, master." Ronin said, taken aback.
"I am. We must trust in the force, my young Padawan. It will safely guide us through if you put your trust in it."
"But master, and uncharted jump?" Surely you can't just blindly go uncharted. That's certain death!" Ronin said, obviously distressed.
"Calm yourself, apprentice. Do you trust me?"
"Yes, but master, wouldn't it be wiser and much safer if we chart our way back and then jump to Malachor?"
"Yes, but Padawan, you must know we lack time. I believe a war is upon us, and we will have much more to worry about than our little investigation here. However, I sense something more sinister is behind this and intend to get to the bottom." Master Yothalt stated confidently.
"Alright, master, but what about the blind jump? How can you put so much faith into it?" Ronin asked.
"Because of the coordinates the audio recording gave me. I believe the sound we heard may have been the Jedi in distress." Master Yothalt said.
"Wait, you think that shrieking sound from the audiotape was a Jedi?"
"Not entirely. But I believe that it was a cry for help. While I couldn't completely understand it, I am sure of it. I can sense it. I am also certain that the coordinates I received from the tape will lead us to what we seek." Master Yothalt said once more.
"Even so, how can you justify a blind jump?" Ronin said as he folded his arms.
The distance between here and Malachor is well-mapped. It has been since the days of the Old Republic. Most of everything is dead space. The only thing in our way would be a nebula.
"I sure hope you're right."
"Have some faith, my apprentice. Now again, do you trust me?"
Ronin wanted to say yes, but since Master Yothalt had listened to the old audio recordings, he had been acting really strange, as if he were in a trance. Deciding it was better not to cause another disagreement between the two of them, Ronin replied that he did.
"Well then, let us meditate together and let the force guide us, shall we?" Master Yothalt said as he raised an eyebrow at Ronin.
"Yes, master," Ronin said as he sat back in the co-pilot's seat.
The two sat silently in the chairs for some time, master and apprentice. As the two of them sat meditating, the ship began to align itself with the planet Malachor; as the ship was being aligned, Master Yothalt reached out through the force, causing the hyperdrive lever to fall downward, sending the two of them back into hyperspace.