Star Wars: The Padawan Years
Book 3: Mission to Kashyyk
15-year-old Nexus Vor-Cal and his best friend and fellow Padawan Jade Monek were in morning meditation with their Masters. The object of this was for the young Padawans to become one with the Force, maybe even discover what their special Force talent was. Jade cleared her mind and focused on becoming one with the Force. Suddenly, she saw herself as an adult. The adult Jade seemed disappointed, almost angry. "Kristo Ferr is holding you back, Jade. You'll never become the Knight you want to be if you remain his student." She said. Jade opened her eyes. "What was that?" She wondered. She looked over at Nexus to share her vision, but she saw that he was in solitary meditation.
Nexus had closed his eyes and focused, letting the Force flow through him. Then he was shown a vision. He had his lightsaber raised, its orange blade casting a fiery glow across the dark chamber. "Jade, stop. You shouldn't do this." He said. Jade ignited her teal bladed weapon. "My destiny is mine alone, Nexus. No one can keep me from it. Sorry, but not even you." She said. Then she lunged.
Nexus gasped aloud as his vision ended. His Master, Bant Eerin looked at him curiously. "Nexus, are you alright?" She asked. "Yes, Master." Nexus lied. "Maybe you just need some rest. You and Jade have just returned from a very tough mission. Why not take a walk through the temple, maybe into the Room of a Thousand Fountains? It might help you to relax." Master Kristo Ferr said. Jade and Nexus bowed to their Masters and walked out of the Meditation Room.
"Alright, Mandalore, spill it." Jade said as the two friends walked to the Room of a Thousand Fountains. "What do you mean, Jade?" Nexus asked. "You know what I mean, Nexus. During Morning Meditation, what did you see?" Jade inquired. "Nothing. Just a weird vision." Nexus said. "Nexus, I can tell you're lying to me. Just tell me what you saw." Jade said.
Nexus sighed. "In my vision, I was trying to stop you from doing something that I knew you would regret. Then, you raised your lightsaber and attacked me." Nexus said. "Did I harm you?" Jade asked. Nexus shook his head. "The vision ended before any damage could be done." He said. As the two young Padawans entered the Room of a Thousand Fountains, Nexus couldn't believe what he saw. It was beautiful. Waterfalls cascaded from high altitudes, collecting in many different pools. "This place...it's so breath taking and amazing." Nexus said.
Jade took off her boots and dipped her feet into one of the pools. "Come on in, Nexus. The water's fine." She said, using her toes to lightly splash Nexus. He didn't move. "I don't think I can rest right now, Jade. I'm still a little weirded out by the vision." He said. Jade walked over to Nexus and put her hand on his shoulder. "Nexus Vor-Cal, what are you so worried about? I'm your best friend. I would never do any harm to you. You have to believe that." She said. Nexus sighed. "I know that, Jade. It's just...when has a Jedi's vision ever been wrong?" He asked. Jade had to admit that Nexus had a point. "Maybe it means something else. It may not be a real fight. We could just be doing a friendly sparring match. Maybe what you knew I'd regret was handing your butt over to you." She said, smiling.
Nexus looked at Jade in shock. "Exsqueeze me, Jade? What did you just say?" He asked. Jade shrugged. "Nothing except your saber skills aren't exactly the best." She said. Nexus smiles slyly. "Oh ho ho, you are so gonna get it, little lady." He said. Nexus Force jumped into the air. Jade got scared. She thought was gonna hurt himself or worse, cause the place to crumble. But as he plummeted, Nexus discarded his tunic, boots, and lightsaber. Wearing nothing but his pants, Nexus rocketed down into the pool. Jade looked away, sure that this was gonna get ugly. As the pool came closer, Nexus used the Force to slow his descent. Jade looked back and was surprised to see Nexus floating an inch above the water.
Jade also noticed how muscular Nexus was. Though he was lean, muscles he had. Lightsaber training must've really paid off. Nexus smiled as Jade looked at him in amazement. Suddenly, Nexus waved his hand, using the Force to send a small wave of water at Jade. Jade looked too late at the oncoming assault. She got soaked. She sat there motionless for a moment, then stripped down to her undertunic and dove in. Quickly, she tackled Nexus, causing them both to go under the water. They surfaced, looked at each other, then laughed.
After drying themselves off and reclaiming their attire and lightsabers, the two friends walked out of the Room of a Thousand Fountains. Just as they turned the corner, heading to the Padawan Dormitories, Master Bant Eerin walked up to them. "Jade, Nexus, come with me. The Council has given us a new mission." She said. The two Padawans walked with Master Eerin to the High Council Tower. Nexus stood with Master Eerin while Jade joined her Master, Kristo Ferr.
"Master Eerin, Master Ferr, we are sending you and your apprentices to Kashyyk to aid Jedi Master Ki-Adi-Mundi and his Padawan Crashagga. They were sent to the Wookie home world to help settle a dispute between rival kingdoms. We recently recieved transmission from Master Mundi, saying that Crashagga had been captured by Asajj Ventress. We need you to rescue Crashagga, defeat Ventress, and bring the Jedi home safely." Master Plo Koon briefed the two teams.
Nexus felt anger grow inside him. Crashagga, or Crash for short, was one of Nexus's closest friends. Training together as Initiates in the Squall Clan, The young Wookie had taught Nexus to speak Shyriiwook. Most of the time, Crash had a small translator droid, SPKR-017, who would translate Crash's roars and grunts for Nexus. After about a year, Nexus could speak Shyriiwook just as well as any Wookie. The last time the two saw each other was when Crash was chosen by Ki-Adi-Mundi to be his Padawan.
As the Jedi boarded a praxeum rescue ship, Master Eerin took Nexus aside to talk with him. "Nexus, I can sense your anger. I know that you are worried about your friend, but let the anger go. It won't help you save Crashagga." She said. Nexus looked down at his boots. "Yes, Master." He grumbled. While the Praxeum flew into hyperspace, heading for Kashyyk, Jade put her arm on Nexus's shoulder. "Don't worry, Nexus. We'll save Crashagga." She said. Nexus looked at his friend and smiled. "You really think so?" He asked hopefully. Jade nodded.
A few hours later, they arrived on Kashyyk. They touched down in a Wookie spaceport, where Jedi Master Ki-Adi-Mundi was waiting for them. The Cerean Jedi Master greeted them warmly. "Master Eerin, Master Ferr, I am glad you have come." He said. Then he turned to Nexus and Jade. "And your Padawans, no doubt. I am pleased to see you." He said. Jade and Nexus bowed and introduced themselves. When Nexus introduced himself, Master Mundi chuckled. " Nexus Vor-Cal... Yes, Crashagga speaks very highly of you." He said.
"Do you know where Crash is being held captive?" Nexus asked. Master Mundi frowned and then nodded. "Come with me." He said. He lead the Jedi teams through the spaceport, past a Wookie settlement,and through dense shrubbery until they found a Separatist Venator-class Star Destroyer. "Crashagga is being held prisoner on that ship. But I think the Padawans can handle that while we engage Ventress." Master Mundi said. Jade smiled. "Don't worry, Master Mundi. You just take out Ventress. Nexus and I will have Crashagga freed before you can say gooey gliding Gungans gush great grey goobers." She said.
Nexus and Jade silently snuck into the ship's ventilation shaft, careful not to make too much noise and alert any droids to that presence. They crawled left and right, this way and that, until they heard a cold female voice from right below them. "Tell me where your secret supply is, Wookie, and I promise not to harm you...too much." "Ventress." Nexus whispered, his anger rising. Suddenly, they heard a defiant roar. "Crash." Nexus whispered, his anger ebbing slightly. Then, they heard the unmistakable hiss of a lightsaber activating. "Very well, Wookie scum, you leave me no choice." Ventress said. Suddenly, the high, tinny voice of a battle droid could be heard. "Mistress, three Jedi have been spotted 2 cliques from here." Ventress deactivated her lightsaber. "Very well, then. When I return, you will tell me the location of your secret supply, or I will gut you like a fish." She said. Then she left.
When Jade and Nexus were sure Ventress was gone, they dropped into Crashagga's cell from the shaft. "Nexus! Holy Sithspit, you scared me." Crashagga roared in Shyriiwook. Crashagga was a tan haired Wookie with green eyes that twinkled whenever he had an idea, a bandileer draped across his torso, and a chipped tooth foman Initiate sparring duel. Nexus hushed his friend. "Be quiet, Crash. We're trying to rescue you. Can you cut a hole on the cell door?" He asked. Crash shook his shaggy head sadly. "I cannot, my friend." He growled. "Ittu!" Nexus cursed, then looked at Crashagga. "Can I ask why?" He asked. Crashagga reached into the burlap sack attached to his leather bandolier and pulled out parts of an incomplete lightsaber. "I haven't built my lightsaber yet. I could never find the right crystal." He growled.
Nexus's hand went instinctively to a pocket on his belt. He pulled out a rare smokey grey sapith crystal that was given to him on his 14th birthday by Master Eerin. "Here, pal, use this sapith crystal. It's my gift to you." He said, tossing it to Crashagga. Crashagga caught the crystal, placed in into the crystal energy chamber, then, using the Force, connected the pieces of the under handle, then incased it into the outer handle, which was made of Brylark tree wood, which was the only wood tough enough to use in lightsaber construction.
When the lightsaber was complete, Crashagga pressed the button. The smokey grey blade elongated. Crashagga roared triumphantly. "Nice going, Crash. Now let's get out of here." Nexus said, cutting the door down. As the young Jedi escaped, they heard the sounds of sabers clashing outside. They hid in some shrubbery and watched as Asajj Ventress battled Master Eerin, Master Ferr, and Master Mundi. "C'mon, Master. You can do this. "Jade said. As Ventress crossed blades with Master Ferr, he looked over his shoulder and saw the young Padawans. He smiled, as if he knew something they didn't. Suddenly,he raised his lightsaber. But Ventress was too fast. She used the Force to push Master Ferr back and before he could recover, Ventress plunged her lightsabers into his chest.
"No! Master Ferr!" Nexus said, running from his hiding place. But Jade just stood there, frozen. Nexus ignited his orange blade and attacked Ventress. She blocked his attack easily. "Sending a mere child into battle? Really, Eerin, I thought you were better than that." Ventress taunted. As Nexus clashed blades, Ventress lashed out and kicked Nexus in the chest, sending him over a nearby cliff.
"Padawan!" Master Eerin yelled as Ventress hopped aboard her ship and got away. The Jedi Masters jumped down the the forest floor below. Jade and Crashagga followed. Nexus's body looked broken, like a glass figurine. "Is he...gonna die, Masters?" Crashagga whimpered. Master Eerin checked Nexus's vital signs. After a few seconds, she breathed a sigh of relief. "He's still alive. Just unconscious. A few hours in a bacta tank and he'll be fine." She said.
Back on the praxeum ship, Nexus was placed in a bacta tank, Crashagga was sent to a cabin on the ship to relax, but Master Eerin left Jade be. Master Eerin knew what Jade was going through. Master Eerin lost her first master when she was still a Padawan. And in her mourning, she pushed away the help of her good friend, Obi-Wan Kenobi and it almost ruined their friendship. She didn't want Jade to repeat her mistake.
Jade couldn't believe it. Master Ferr was dead, killed by Asajj Ventress and Nexus was in a bacta tank with critical injuries. The Jedi code was all about balance and sacrifice. "What haven't I sacrificed already?" Jade wanted to scream. Jade that Ventress would pay for what she did. Jade would find her and make sure she never bothered anyone again. No matter what it took.
As the Praxeum ship docked in the Coruscant spaceport, Nexus came out, his injuries healed. As soon as he approached Jade, he immediately sensed dark thoughts of hate and revenge. He hoped Jade wasn't falling to the Dark Side. He'd question her later. The teams reported to the Council. When they told of Master Ferr's death, Nexus couldn't help tearing up. Master Ferr was like a father to Nexus, since it was Master Ferr who brought him to the Temple after his parent's death.
Grand Master Yoda nodded. "A terrible loss this is. Need time to mourn and reflect you do." He said. Jade ran out as soon as Yoda dismissed them. All day, Nexus tried to talk to her, but she ignored him. After being shut out for a fifth time, Nexus sensed that Jade wanted vengeance...and she would sneak out tonight to hunt down Ventress. Nexus could not let that happen.
Late that same night, Nexus was meditating, fending off sleep, when he heard footsteps at the end of the hall. Quietly, Nexus grabbed his saber and opened his door. Jade was sneaking out, her back to Nexus. Nexus raised his lightsaber, its orange blade casting a fiery glow over the dark chamber. "Jade, stop. You don't have to do this." He said. Jade turned, igniting her teal bladed weapon. "My destiny is mine alone, Nexus. No one can keep me from it. Sorry, but not even you." She said. Then she lunged. Nexus raised his blade and deflected Jade's attack. His vision had come true. He was fighting his best friend.
They fought for a while, no one gaining the upper hand. "Give it up, Nexus. You know I'm the better saber master." Jade said. "Maybe so, Jade. But I'm a stronger Jedi than you. I do not let my anger control me. And I certainly don't fight my friends." He said. "Shut up! You don't know what I'm feeling!" Jade said, her moves becoming harder to block. Suddenly, Jade swept Nexus's leg, causing him to trip. Jade pointed her blade at Nexus's throat. Nexus looked up at her. "Look at yourself, Jade. Would you really kill me, your best friend? All because Master Ferr is gone? I thought you were stronger than that. Master Ferr thought you were stronger than that. Do you really want to tarnish that belief?" He asked.
Jade froze, taking in Nexus's words. Then, she sank to her knees, and wept. Nexus hugged her. "That's right, Jade. Just let it out." He whispered into her ear. The next day, a funeral was held for Kristo Ferr. Jade took his lightsaber, his robe, and the warming crystal he had given her on her 14th birthday,and placed them in the coffin chamber. Then, she placed her lightsaber, which Master Ferr had helped her build, among the other relics. "Farewell, Master. May the Force grant you peace." She said, a tear rolling down her face. Nexus gave her hand a comforting squeeze.
After the funeral, Jade retired to her dorm, giving Nexus a hug and thanking him for saving her from the Dark Side. Soon after, Nexus was called into the High Council tower. When he entered, it was all dark. Suddenly, a circle of sabers blazed to life all around him. Master Yoda told Nexus to kneel. "Nexus Vor-Cal, because of your bravery in battle and because you helped a friend return to the light, a Knight, you are to become." Yoda said.
To continue this tale, check out my past story "Star Wars: Jedi Journey"- Poseidon 01