Like Herding Nexu

By Andrew J Talon

Yavin IV

"All right Rotta... Ready?"

"Ready, Master Luke!"

Luke wound up, and threw the plastic jug from the waste bin. Rotta swung his training saber and sliced it in half.

"Good! Okay, next one," Luke said encouragingly. He tossed the next one, and Rotta blocked that as well. "Good! We're going to go faster now!"

"Yes Master Luke!"

Nearby, Doctor Chelli Aphra watched the training session, sitting on the grass. She smiled softly as she watched Luke and Rotta at work.

"You're not fooling anyone, you know."

"Geh!" Aphra nearly fell over. She turned and glared at the smug Leia Organa-Solo. The Senator had her hands on her hips as she smirked down at Aphra.

"What are you-I don't know what you mean," Aphra said, looking anywhere but at Luke or Leia. Rotta had sliced through two milk jugs, and was beaming.

Leia sat down next to Aphra and lowered her voice.

"You should just talk to him about this, you know."

"What's there to talk about?" Aphra murmured, "I screwed him over. I screwed all of you over."

"He's forgiven you for it, and you've made up for all of it," Leia said. Aphra snorted, looking aside. Leia sighed.

"Honestly, it's getting a little pathetic."

"I am not pathetic," Aphra grumbled, wrapping her arms around her knees with a pout.

"Immature, then."

"That I can admit to," Aphra sighed. "I mean, what do you think we could have? A nice little house, a speeder van, two point five kids? That's not me."

"It's not Luke either," Leia pointed out, "But I have a loving husband and two wonderful children without being whatever you're thinking of."

Aphra bowed her head.

"... He's the only person who really, sincerely, forgave me," she said, "the only person I've ever wanted to... To do right by."

"So?" Leia pressed. "What's stopping you?"

Aphra stared at the grass. The sound of the lightsaber combined with Rotta's laughter and Luke's encouragement was a welcome change from what the sound usually made her think of.

"... I have betrayed so many people in my life, because I was always afraid they were going to betray me first," she admitted quietly.

"He'd never do that-"

"But I have," Aphra insisted. "Even when everything seemed right, I betrayed people. He forgave me once... Twice... What happens when he doesn't?"

"Then don't betray him," Leia said softly, "I did a lot of stupid things, and I justified it by saying to myself 'It's the Empire's fault. They blew up Alderaan. My anger is always justified.' And you know what? It wasn't. It was stupid, regardless of what I did. It wasn't easy... But I realized if I kept making excuses like that, I'd lose everything."

"They're not excuses-"

Leia's glare was a thing of legend. If it could be weaponized, Aphra faintly thought, she would be the richest woman in the galaxy.

"... Okay, they are," she sighed. She looked up at Luke. "Part of me thought I'd either make it rich and not have to worry about anything... Or I'd die, and same outcome. I never counted on... On growing up."

"No one ever does," Leia chuckled, "But if you don't... You'll grow old. I know he cares for you. I know you care for him. And despite everything... I think you can make each other happy."

Leia gave her an encouraging look. Aphra returned it with a skeptical one.

"Why do you want me to be happy?"

"Because I can see what Luke sees: The good in you," she said. She sighed. "Plus, the New Republic and his Jedi Order do owe you. As hard as I am on you, Chelli, I never hated you. You just needed someone who refused to let you run away."

Aphra again looked over at Luke, her eyes warm.

"It's terrifying," she whispered.

"I know," Leia murmured back, "But it's worth it. That, and..."

Mara Jade came outside, holding a data pad.

"Hey! Farmboy!"

"Mm?" Luke asked. Mara scowled at him, and waved the data pad in front of his face.

"Why are you using Booster for these shipments and not a Talon smuggler?"

"Well, Booster does own a Star Destroyer, and his daughter is one of my student's wives-"

"We could get things for way cheaper than that blowhard!"

"I appreciate that, Mara," Luke said with a sincere smile, "But Mirax asked first."

"Hmph," Mara scowled.

"But, Rotta and I are going to fix up the Idiot's Flush's hyperdrive," Luke said, "and we were hoping you could get us the parts?"

Rotta looked very hopeful. Mara sighed, tapping the datapad against her thigh impatiently.

"Fine. But I'm working with you two idiots. I know all about the Falcon, and you're not going to turn it into some kind of monstrosity that's the fastest in the galaxy, but never works when it's supposed to!"

"Hey, I haven't tricked out Daybreaker's hyperdrive like that," Luke protested, "I actually like my hyperdrive to be reliable!"

"You let Solo install those extra missile racks!"

"So?"

"They go right past the crew quarters!" Mara said in exasperation. "If you want to repair them, you have to tear apart the cabin you sleep in!"

"That's what the couch is for."

"Ugh..."

Aphra watched the interaction, her nails digging into her knees. Leia smiled gently.

"I happen to like her too," Leia murmured, "But I don't want you to be unhappy either."

Aphra very slowly nodded.

"Thanks... I-I mean it."

"So... Are you going to do something about it?" Leia asked.

Aphra smiled.

"I think I will."

Mara Jade sensed Aphra fairly easily. She was waiting outside of Mara's quarters, leaning against the door, as the former Emperor's Hand made her way to bed. Mara eyed the rogue archaeologist, while Aphra eyed her back.

"I'll cut to the chase," Aphra stated, "I know you care for Luke. And so do I."

"I don't know what you're..."

She trailed off at Aphra's scowl. Her face became an icy mask.

"If I did... What does it matter to you? I thought you were better off as friends? You said so yourself."

"Things change." Aphra stood up. She sighed... Then looked her right in the eyes.

"I know you could be good for him... But I want to be good for him, too. This isn't going to affect how we do things professionally. And I'm not going to try to kill you or anything. I just want you to know... I'm going to fight for him. And I aim to win."

The two women stared at each other for a long, tense moment. Slowly, Mara extended her hand. Aphra eyed it warily... Then took it.

"Then may the best woman win," Mara murmured, green eyes like durasteel.

Aphra nodded.

"Yeah."

They shook.

The next morning, the New Jedi Order went into their usual training routine.

It was fairly regular: One day of intense physical training, one day of study and Force practice, one day of rest, and the cycle resumed. Rotta. Streen, and Tionne struggled a bit with the exercise, but gamely kept up (though Streen complained a LOT). Lop was a bundle of never ending energy and always outpaced everyone else, giggling happily. Kyle, Mara, Kam, and Cilghal, used to military physical fitness, kept up without issue, though Kyle and Mara would bicker with sarcastic barbs sharpened to a razor's edge. Ezra kept up, as did Sabine: Her Mandalorian pride wouldn't let her fall behind, though she took many more breaks due to her pregnancy.

And Cal and Merrin trained diligently, as their daughter Trilla cheered from the sidelines. She did exercises too, but she tired out sooner.

After the jogging, they went through katas, weight training, and obstacle courses, taking breaks as needed.

As for Tionne...

Forward step, thrust. Parry. Backstep. Parry. Swing high, jump back-!

The training saber hit Tionne right in the gut, and she yelped at the shock. She fell back, trembling a bit as her saber fell from her hands. Luke frowned, and doused his lightsaber blade as he took in Tionne's exhausted state.

"I think we should call it, Tionne," he said gently.

Tionne took deep breaths, trying to regain her center. She looked around at the open training field. Streen and Kyle Katarn were still running saber drills. Ezra and Cal were dueling eachother with wide grins, as their spouses Sabine and Merrin watched from a bench nearby. Gantoris was working with Kam, the tribal leader focusing intently on how Kam swung his blade. Cilghal was tending to Rotta, who had taken some hits but was still going, while Mara Jade and Ahsoka sparred very quickly as Kyp Durron followed Lop's katas as best he could.

There was still sunlight.

Tionne narrowed her eyes, and knelt down. She picked up her saber in her shaking hands, and assumed Form 1's stance.

"I-I can keep going."

"No. You can't," Luke stated firmly. Tionne shook her head, ignoring how her hair stuck to her sweat-soaked forehead.

"R-Really, I'm fine-!"

Luke held out a hand, and her lightsaber flew out of her grip to his.

"Take a break, get some water," Luke ordered, with no room for argument. Tionne sighed, and nodded.

"Okay..."

She managed to get over to one of the many wooden benches the reclamation droids had set up, and sat down. Artoo rolled over, and presented her with a cool water bottle. She nodded gratefully, and sipped it slowly. Luke sat next to her, silent.

"Mm... Haa... Haa..."

She drank very slowly, letting every gulp warm up a bit before she swallowed. Luke watched her carefully.

"You've been running yourself ragged," Luke observed. Tionne shook her head.

"I... You said it yourself," she said, "My Force potential is lower than the others. I can't just take it easy."

"You also shouldn't destroy yourself trying to reach some imaginary finish line, either," Luke said gently. "Streen's better at weather manipulation. Mara, Lop and Kyle are trained in hand to hand combat. Kam was an Inquisitor, so he's better at lightsaber combat. Lop was trained by Tao assassins and has better hearing. Gantoris can do the energy absorption technique better than others because his planet was a volcanic wasteland. Ahsoka, Ezra, and Cal are all nearly fully trained Jedi. We're all over the place. There's no sense in comparing yourself-"

"Even without the Force, Rotta is good at finances and accounting, and Kyp reminds us all of what we're fighting for," Tionne said softly, "So... Where do I fit in?"

"You're a great scholar, a finder of Jedi relics and lore," Luke argued, "You and Aphra have probably found a hundred times more ancient knowledge than the rest of us combined could have!"

Tionne sighed, bowing her head. She felt exhausted.

"I know," she said, "But that's... That's no different from what I was doing before I began my training."

Her fingers flexed. They were such delicate but strong things, better suited for playing music than wielding a lightsaber. The knowledge that she had the Force had been overwhelming, and she'd happily joined Luke to try and rebuild what her grandmother had taught her. It was a dream come true.

But more than anything else... She wanted to do her part. She didn't want to sit around in a library or hide when things got tough. She wanted to help her friends. Truly help them.

Luke studied her for a moment.

"When's the last time you practiced your music?"

Tionne started. She swore one day she would get used to how easily he could read her. One day.

"I... I guess not for three weeks," she admitted, "Not since we started on saber forms."

Luke smiled and nodded. "Bring out your double viol. Play us something."

"I-I couldn't-"

Luke smiled, not budging. Tionne nodded, and after a minute's more rest, she got up and headed back into the temple. She went to her quarters, and picked up her double viol. She headed outside, and sat back on the bench. She tuned it up carefully, listening amidst the yelps, cries, and even laughter of her fellow students.

She thought about it. What to play?

"Trust your feelings," Luke said gently. Tionne hummed... And then smiled.

She had written and performed a song after she had heard about Endor. She had released it on the Holonet anonymously, under her pseudonym "Krayt Pearl". It had done very well, apparently-Not that she could get many royalties from it without complicated questions from Imperial authorities.

But it had always been one of her favorites.

"All right..."

She began strumming her viol, and the words leaped from her lips into the air, like birds taking wing.

The familiar tune soared through the air, and Tionne felt the Force flow through her, into the music. She stood up and began to just rock out, not caring who watched. She sent the music soaring, as though it would reach the very stars themselves.

She kept her eyes shut, letting the Force and the Music flow through her... But she could still see and feel. So much more than before.

She saw the small but growing star of light and joy in Mara's heart burn brighter, as she sparred with Ahsoka. She could see the pain, doubt and fatigue around Ahsoka's soul fall away like broken chains.

Rotta's self doubt and fear ebbed away, the Hutt teenager's soul now soaring through the Force. Ezra and Cal's physical fatigue vanished, as they fought at speeds close to that of real combat without fearing hurting one another. Sabine and Merrin's love for their husbands was magnified.

Kam's lingering guilt over his past as an Inquisitor, still so strong, faded away. Gantoris' worries for his people were soothed by the knowledge that he was growing strong enough to protect them and trillions of other innocents. Kyp's pain, loss and anger fell away as he embraced the joy of wielding the Force, and Lop's fears and guilt over her lost sister were replaced with the hope of one day finding and saving her from her own darkness.

Kyle remembered the joy of his bond with his Jedi father, and Streen remembered the wonder of open skies and his abilities. Cilghal remembered her uncle Ackbar and all the people she had saved, and would continue to save, rather than the patients she had lost out of her own failure or because of the Empire.

Luke's own mood brightened, his Force presence a veritable supernova, as he was filled with pride in his students, and clarity in his cause.

Tionne ended the song. She opened her eyes. Everyone was staring at her in awe and joy. She flushed, and bowed her head as tears fell down her cheeks.

She looked at her hands on her viol... And smiled as the tears fell.

Yes... She was exactly where she needed to be.

Omake: Krayt Pearl

Our New Jedi Order heroes are chilling out after a long training session in the common area. Which is when...

Streen: "So... You're Krayt Pearl?"

Tionne: sighs "Yes, I am."

Cilghal: "So, you disguised your identity as one of the most popular Holonet singers... As a less popular singer?"

Tionne: sigh "Why do you have to say it that way?"

Cilghal: smiles wryly in her Mon Calamari way

Kam: "Hm. Clever. Imperial Intelligence suspected Krayt Pearl as being some kind of artificial creation of Rebel slicers. But a singer posing as a singer?"

Mara: "Pfft. Isard always thought she was smarter than she actually was."

Luke: "All right, everyone, let's keep it quiet, okay? We already have reporters hounding Leia and trying to get to Yavin as it is, we don't need to add more pressure."

Tionne: nods "Thank you."

Kyp: "What could be bad about being famous? I saw the guards playing some of your music! Imperial guards!"

Tionne: "One, I want to be a Jedi. I mean, I'll still sing but I want to be a Jedi more than anything else. And two... The anonymity was nice. It protected me against the Empire... And from obsessed fans."

Gantoris: "Mm. Songstresses in my culture were often chased by demons and ghosts. It is wise to hide your true name."

Lop: "Wow! You have those on your planet, too?! Neato!"

Tionne: "No I..." closes her eyes "Sure, fine."

Rotta: "Don't worry, Miss Tionne! We'll all keep it quiet, promise!"

Tionne: "Thank you. I really appreciate it."

Mara: "With how her Force abilities might have affected her voice, it's not that surprising it would work on the weak-minded."

Tionne: "HEY!"

Luke: "Don't take it personally, Tionne. I mean, I like your music, really. But some of my old squadron mates could get a little... Obsessed."

Flashback to Home One before Endor. Luke walks into a storage room.

Luke: "Hobbie! Where have you been? We have flight briefing in-"

Hobbie Klivian, generally the most serious and quiet of the Rogues... Was sitting at a table lit with candles. A body pillow of Krayt Pearl sits in a chair opposite him. He is wearing a "Krayt Pearl" T-shirt.

Hobbie: coughs

Luke: "... Flight briefing. Fifteen minutes."

Hobbie: "Understood, sir."