Rise of the Skywalker

Farien Space Station suddenly filled Nelino's screen as his shuttle dropped from hyperspace. Farien Station or "The Tipping Point" as traders called it was literally the edge of "The Edge". It floated at the spot on the star charts where the "Outer Rim" gave way to the "Unknown Regions". Or at least that is where the station sat on charts with the Core Worlds as their center. Nelino had long wondered if beings not so fixated with "Republic Space" so readily distinguished between the "Outer Rim" and "Unknown" space. If "Unknown" space was that most of the inhabitants had ever known, then what made it so "Un"? The more time Nelino spent in these sectors of the galaxy, the less important those distinctions seemed.

Labels aside, as far as Nelino's fellow Jedi were concerned, this was the galactic boundary. Beyond Farien Station was empty space as far as most were concerned. Although most Republic charts did label Batuu in the Unknown Regions, few had ever been to it. Nelino was one of those few. He had been four times actually, and once even to a hidden pirate outpost on an asteroid even farther out. For a second, Nelino thought that he could be the only Jedi or even citizen of the Republic to travel that far out. Were he the prideful type, he would see that as something to brag about, but fortunately his training had purged such impulses from his mind. What's more, he quickly remembered that scientific teams had made contact with civilized planets as far out as Companion Aurek decades ago. At least one system was even trading with various Republic businesses. Of course, all of that went through Black Spire on Batuu and probably through Farien right along with various criminal elements, even further evaporating Nelino's fleeting vapors of pride.

Nelino had been tracking the traders who picked up the shipment that Eldrage's people acquired. His best guess was that "The Tipping Point" was just a rest stop before heading to Black Spire Outpost, but Black Spire was rarely a final destination. Where would the parts go after that? How deep into the Unknown Regions or Wild Space would this mission take him? How far was he willing to pursue?

Nelino docked his shuttle just a few pads down from his targets. He slipped out as quietly as possible and watched from a distance. To his surprise, a couple of loading droids arrived. The crates were unloaded. Eldrage's customers quickly entered a data disc into one of the droid's input ports and almost as quickly withdrew the disc, seemingly satisfied with their payment. The traders then took seats at a nearby snack bar.

Eldrage was actually telling the truth! Nelino was shocked. It seemed his customers were legitimate traders probably with no idea what they were hauling, just making a delivery. With that in mind, Nelino followed the merchandise. The loading droids hauled the crates a few more decks down to another ship. As the droids hovered closer to the cargo ship, a ramp lowered and a human descended to meet them. Nelino could not help but chuckle at how the human's clothes and mannerisms screamed Outer Rim cargo pilot. An official docking droid soon approached the ship as the cargo was loaded. The pilot traded codes with the dock droid and the loading droids. There seemed to be no drama in the exchange. The dock droids walked away as the pilot reentered his ship. He appeared to be in no rush as he left the ramp down. Nelino caught up to the docking droid. "Excuse me," Nelino addressed the droid for the sake of any observers as he stuck an extraction device on the droid's back, "would you tell me where that ship is headed?"

The droid and the device made whirling sounds as the device over-road the droid's normal response protocols. Nelino liked to think of this as an electronic mind trick. "The Fire Skimmer is scheduled for departure to Black Spire Outpost on Batuu in five hours, sir," the droid responded.

"Fire Skimmer, eh?" Nelino chuckled. "OK. Tell me about its owner."

"The Fire Skimmer is owned and piloted by Captain Azor Skywalker," the droid again answered.

Nelino raised an eyebrow. Everyone who spent any time in The Edge recognized this name. "Captain Skywalker? The one they call The Skywalker?"

Whirling sounds came from the droid again. "His last name is his nickname, sir."

"Thank you," Nelino retrieved the extraction device. "You have been very helpful." As the droid departed, Nelino weighed his options. He had dealt with enough Edge pilots to know Skywalker's reputation. He operated almost exclusively in the Unknown Regions and was willing to go farther out than any other pilots. At least farther out than any other Republic or even Outer Rim pilots. At least farther out than other legitimate haulers. From what Nelino had heard, Skywalker was not a smuggler, and completely honest in his business dealings. It seemed that the good captain made his money by going to the places that others were unwilling to go.

Nelino approached the ship. "Hello!" he yelled up the still lowered ramp.

Stirring sounds came from the top of the ramp, then a pair of work boots appeared at the top. The boots descended, gradually revealing the pilot who was wiping his hands from the remains of his food. "Hello, friend! What can I do for you?"

"Well," Nelino tried to sound reluctant, "I am looking for passage out to Black Spire. If you happen to be heading that way and have room for a passenger, I would be appreciative… and willing to pay for the seat of course."

Skywalker eyed Nelino peculiarly, "Of course, and yes, I have room, but the public transport heads out in the morning and is cheaper than my co-pilot chair."

Nelino grinned, "Well, I kinda need to get out there as soon as possible."

"Just one passenger? Some kinda law trouble?" Skywalker raised a warning eyebrow.

"No, nothing like that," Nelino reassured. "Just some business to be done and I want to get as much of a jump on the competition as possible. Even if it's just a couple hours."

"Fair enough, I s'pose," Skywalker paused to consider a price. "Two hundred. One-Fifty if you help me with the unloading when we get there."

Nelino was struck by the straight-forwardness and fairness of the offer. "One-fifty sounds plenty fair."

"Name's Skywalker," the captain extended his hand in friendly greeting.

Nelino grinned, "I know, Captain. It is a pleasure to meet you."

Skywalker allowed a sly grin to part his face. "Last name's, my nickname. Come on up if you're ready. Got a little lunch left over."

"Sounds good," Nelino smiled back.

XXXXXXXXXXX

Nelino rarely had traveling companions and he had to admit that he enjoyed the stories from this Captain Skywalker. "So how far out have you been?" Nelino shoved the last bite of the leftover lunch into his mouth between his entertained chuckles.

"Run a coupla science teams out to Companion Aurek a few years back. Did a coupla supply runs out to one of the far moons in the Urek system out there, that's about it," Skywalker reflected.

"Companion Aurek… part of me would love to see it. I hear it's hard to get to," Nelino offered.

"Nothin's hard to get to if you know what yer doin'" Skywalker replied. "In fact there's actually a lot of business to be had out there these days. One of them Urek planets is in the middle of some kinda civil war. But I don't much get involved in politics."

"Probably a wise move," Nelino agreed. "What about the gravity wells and such that I hear are out there?"

Skywalker grinned. "Again, if you know what yer doin' (and I usually do). You can manoeuvre around pretty much anything.

"Impressive," said Nelino. "I would love to see that."

Skywalker shrugged. "I got a few more runs in me, but I been saving up. Hope to retire soon. Take my family somewheres a little more civilized…like Tatooine or somewheres like that…"

Nelino tried not to laugh at the idea of Tatooine being civilized. A thought hit him. "Will I be able to send a message to Republic Space from Black Spire?"

Skywalker twisted his mouth. "Maybe, but it'll be costly. Best chance is to send it now, but depending on where you're tryin' ta reach, it still might not go."

"Syllian?" Nelino offered.

"Should work," Skywalker set the autopilot and motioned with his head towards the small lounge behind the cockpit.

The captain turned on the holotable, then turned to rummage through a cabinet. Nelino could tell that Skywalker was trying to offer him a little privacy, but still did not completely trust his strange passenger. The sentinel keyed in the information to send his message. After a delay, a fuzzy image of Granger appeared. "Master Granger," Nelino greeted. "Can you hear me?"

"You are a little blurry, but we are receiving," Granger conceded. "You have an update?"

"Not exactly," Nelino admitted. "I am on the way to Black Spire Outpost on Batuu…"

Nelino could not make out Granger's eyes in the blurry image, but he knew that they widened with surprise. "All the way out there? Are you sure you want to continue?"

"I am on the trail of something," Nelino assured the senior Jedi. "I'm just not sure what, yet. That far out though, it is unlikely that I will be able to send any additional updates. Just wanted to let you know which direction I was headed…and will continue to head until I have reached the end of…whatever this is."

"I and my team are grateful to you, Jedi Nelino," the image flickered. "I will inform Master Voudon and the rest of the Council. May the Force be with you."

Before Nelino could properly sign-off, Granger's image was gone. "So yer a Jedi," Skywalker chewed on a snack bar as he leaned against the cabinet in the corner.

Nelino shrugged. "Is that a problem, captain?"

"Nah," Skywalker also shrugged. "Seen a few a ya'll from a distance and heard plenty a stories. Just never met one a ya in person."

"Well, what do you think?" Nelino stood and spread his hands as Skywalker hopped out of his lean to go back to the cockpit.

"I never judge a man 'till I seen him in action," Skywalker called behind as he returned to his pilot chair.

XXXXXXXXX

Black Spire Outpost was not much more than its name suggested. It was surrounded by the remains of ancient trees that had somehow been destroyed leaving a spiral remnant. It was deep in the black of space (again from the perspective of someone from the Republic). And it was definitely an outpost. The last outpost of anything resembling civilization…that being civilization according to everyone Nelino had ever known.

Nelino stood with Skywalker by the ramp door as the Fire Skimmer automatically landed itself. "Does the load need to go far from here?" Nelino asked.

Skywalker shrugged. "Our guys are supposed to be here waiting for us."

"Any chance you can find out where they're headed?" Nelino asked as the ramp began to descend. Skywalker simply smirked as he started down.

Several cheers greeted the descending Fire Skimmer the cheers rose even higher when Skywalker appeared on the ramp. "Azor-mother-froshin'-Skywalker!" One of the men who appeared to be awaiting the Captain's arrival threw his arms wide in the air as he approached the ship. "Don't see you around nearly as much as we used to."

Skywalker shrugged, then took the hand of his friend in a shake. They patted each other on the shoulders with their opposite hands. "You know how it is, Dere. Gotta go where the money's at."

"It ain't around here, that's for sure. What-a-we got today?" the man pointed up the ramp as Nelino guided the first set of crates down the ramp.

"Droid parts of some kind," Skywalker shrugged again. "You takin' 'em off my hands?"

"Yeah Aze, I'm surprised they didn't just hire you to run 'em the whole way…" Dere replied.

"Where they headed?" Nelino felt a tingle in the Force at Skywalker's inquiry.

"Out to Oylinair. You know, the fourth planet in the Urek System. Lotta runs out there lately," Dere's response sent out a wave in the Force almost like when a person responds to a Jedi Mind Trick. At that moment, Nelino understood why Skywalker was such a great pilot. "Money's decent, but I hate the trip out there."

Skywalker glanced over his shoulder at Nelino and flashed another grin. "I 'spose you could subcontract out to me and I could run 'em out for ya."

Dere nodded in consideration. "I keep twenty percent, you take the rest?" He held up a data stick, indicating he could transfer the funds immediately.

"How's that sound, kid?" Skywalker turned to ask Nelino that way a senior pilot would ask someone he had taken on as a new trainee.

"Fifteen sounds better, Cap'n," Nelino cocked his head to the side.

A grin parted Skywalker's lips as he turned back to Dere with a shrug. Dere shrugged in return and Skywalker pulled out a data pad to finish the deal. Dere plugged in the stick and typed the transfer codes. "I thought you weren't making runs out to Urek because of the war and all?"

Skywalker sighed. "Times is tough and a man's gotta feed his family."

"Heard that," Dere shook Skywalker's hand again and nodded at Nelino before he turned to depart.

"That was impressive," Nelino grinned.

"I was going to say the same to you, but don't get too excited," Skywalker objected. "You gotta put these crates back on the ship. And since we're not unloadin', you owe me 200 instead of 150, but…."

Nelino completed the thought, "if I help you unload at Oylinair, it will only still only cost me 150?"

Skywalker scratched his chin. "Sounds okay, but why don't you buy me a drink and we'll think on it?"

Nelio grinned as he began to move the crates back up the ramp. "Yes, sir."

XXXXXXX

Nelino was not long into his meditations when he sensed Captain Skywalker was about to wake him up, even before Skywalker tapped his shoulder, "Mister Jedi?"

"Yes Captain," Nelino opened his eyes in response.

"We are about to pass our first gravity well. You mentioned that you would like to see it."

Through the Force, the gravity well felt like a tear in the fabric of the universe. For just a second, Nelino felt a falling sensation and needed to steady himself. The Jedi was able to stand and followed his new associate back to the cockpit. Nelino was amazed at what he saw- a round ball of swirling light that grew and grew and seemed as though it would soon fill the viewscreen threatening to swallow the ship. "I have never seen anything like it."

"It feels even more amazing than it looks," Skywalker said absent-mindedly.

Nelino knew exactly what the Captain meant, but he asked anyway, "Feels?"

"I don't know how to describe it," Skywalker began. "It's just kinda a gut feeling. Guess that's why I can navigate 'em so well."

Before Nelino could comment, Skywalker punched up a huge boost from the engines accelerating the ship even faster towards the ball of swirling light. Nelino fought the urge to shift nervously in his seat and reached out with the Force. From the gravity well, he sensed death and destruction, but no fear. Similarly, he sensed no fear in Skywalker, merely calm and clear sense of purpose. In that way, at that moment, the gravity well and Skywalker were exactly alike. Neither of them questioned their purpose in the universe, they both just existed. Nelino took a cleansing breath and tried to do the same. The ship continued to pick up speed as it approached the well. Had Nelino not felt such powerful waves sweeping through the Force through Skywalker, he would have panicked, but this was a sensation that he had never felt and a sense of peace washed through him. At the precise moment, Skywalker fired the thrusters, turning the ship at just the right angle. He punched up another acceleration boost from the engines that sent Nelino deeper into the cushions of his seat. The ship made several rounds of the well, gaining speed with each pass. On the last pass, Skywalker keyed in a set of coordinates, and what few stars Nelino could see stretched out before him as they entered hyperspace.

With the glow of hyperspace now filling the viewport, Nelino glanced over at Skywalker who actually had his eyes closed! Skywalker took a deep breath. His eyes popped open and he slapped the consol with a hoot. "Never gets old!" The master pilot turned to Nelino. "How 'bout a drink?"

"The Force is with you Captain Skywalker!" Nelino blurted out.

Skywalker shot a confused look at his passenger. "What do you mean?"

"I could feel it. Same as when you convinced the guy in the docking bay to let us run the load. You can use the Force," Nelino was shocked, but reassured.

Skywalker shrugged. "Instinct. The Force. Luck. What's the difference?"

XXXXXXX

"Master?" Holden reluctantly entered the chamber. He could not tell if his master was meditating or deep in thought. He was sitting cross-legged in a meditative position, but had a holographic star chart projected in front of him.

"What is it, my assassin?" Naklon was annoyed more at calling this saboteur an assassin, than the interruption, but the lad was useful and he desired to be a Sith assassin, if not a full-on apprentice, but Naklon had already decided that Holden was not the one for the apprentice position.

Holden suppressed a grin. "The shipment has arrived."

Even one as insensitive to the Force as Holden could feel the wave of anger that blasted out from the black robed figure. "You disturb me with trivialities? Why do you even concern yourself with something so simple. Have a dock worker or droid attend to it as usual."

"Of course, Master, but I believe one of the haulers is one of the Jedi from the Edge…" Holden timidly defended his actions.

Naklon shot to his feet and shut off the holoprojection. "Jedi! Here? Impossible!"

Holden bowed his head low. "I am sure of it, my lord."

"Come with me," Naklon ordered coldly as he marched out of his chamber.

Before he even reached the docks, Naklon could sense that his saboteur was correct. The pair found a distant perch to watch as the shipment was unloaded. Naklon could feel the Force emanating from the two men unloading the ship. One was definitely a Jedi. The other was leaving a strong, yet strange mark in the Force, but was no Jedi. Naklon eyed the crates. This was the next to the last shipment. "How many are we supposed to take?" Naklon asked his associate.

Holden glanced at his datapad. "There are seven crates in this run. We are to peel off one. The next shipment is the big one."

"Take two," Naklon instructed. "The Jedi will follow those. At a convenient location, take a shot at him. Don't hit him. The last thing we need is for more Jedi to show up. Let him see and pursue you. Have your men leave one crate, but continue with the other to our ship. Once you have lost him. He can retrieve the other crate, return it to the rightful owner, giving our people time to return to Bakuu."

"What if I can't lose him?" Holden swallowed.

"I will be around to make sure you can," Naklon reassured.

"What if he doesn't follow our crates when we take them?"

"He will," Naklon grinned. "But should he decide not to, then he simply follows them into the Oylinair civil war while we slip away."

XXXXXXXXXX

Holden followed his Master's instructions nearly to the letter. He knew that the Jedi may recognize him so he gave instructions to his men to separate two crates, then met them a few blocks away. If the Jedi saw him at the port, Holden may not be able to get the desired crate away from the rest, which was the point of the operation.

At the rendezvous point, one of the side streets off the main fairway, Holden stepped out from behind a dumpster, startling a couple of his men. He merely rolled his eyes and motioned for them to follow as he led them on an even windier path, seemingly away from the docks.

From the rooftops, Nelino sensed Holden before he saw him. A surge to jump into action rushed through him. This was the chance to bring in the man responsible for the death of a Jedi, but Nelino allowed the moment to pass through him. He inhaled the urge to act through his nose. From his mouth, he exhaled the wisdom of waiting to see where Holden was taking the crates. Holden was a saboteur for hire. The person who hired him to kill a Jedi was the much more important catch. And Nelino could sense that this person was not much farther down the trail.

The device in Nelino's ear cracked to life. "The Jedi is not taking the bait. He is above to your left rear. Send some shots in his direction, but do not hit him."

Yes Master, Holden did not answer aloud, but unhooked the rifle beneath his coat. "You have your instructions," he reminded his men as he spun around to send three shots in Nelino's direction. Holden's men dropped one crate. Four of them scattered in various directions while the others ran with the second crate in the pre-instructed direction.

Before the last blast hit its mark, Nelino was in the air halfway down to the street with the yellow blade of his lightsaber springing to life. The Jedi landed on top of the abandoned crate. "Give it up Holden. You will not make it out of here in one piece."

"We'll see about that," Holden turned to run firing several shots from his rifle. None of the shots were even close enough for Nelino to block as he hopped down from the crate.

Holden ran at full speed for several blocks. He would turn occasionally to see if he lost the Jedi. Although the Jedi appeared to be walking, Holden could not seem to create any distance. How is he keeping up with me? Holden fired as he ran in near panic.

From the shadows, Naklon sighed. He could see that the Jedi was toying with Holden, letting the saboteur tire himself out. Naklon saw no choice. His Master would not approve, but he could not allow Holden to be captured. Just as the physical shadow's hid Naklon's presence, the shadows of the Darkside had hidden the Sith from the Jedi for centuries. He would not allow Nelino to shine light into the darkness to find him, but to save Holden, Naklon would need to cry out from the shadows. The dark lord closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. He could feel the darkness crowd in around his heart. As he exhaled, a wave of darkside power emanated out from him in every direction.

Jedi. Nelino had just begun to jog to close the distance between him and Holden when he heard…no felt the icy voice in his veins more than his ears. Nelino stopped dead in his tracks as a cold shiver crept up his spine. He spun around, waving his lightsaber as if blocking an attack. He scanned the alleyway for any possible source of the disturbance, but found none. The feeling ebbed away leaving a dryness in his mouth. The feeling was familiar. Where had he felt it before? He felt it in that hidden base where he and Hector found Finly and those poor children. He felt it again when he interrupted Granger and Tristan's experiment with the Sith holocron. It was the Darkside, but not only the Darkside. A strong presence within the Darkside. Holden! Nelino remembered. He turned back to the direction of the chase, but there was no sign of the saboteur either. He reached out with his senses and searched the nearby areas, but neither Holden nor his men were anywhere to be found.

XXXXXXXX

Nelino approached the Fire Skimmer lazily and reluctantly. Part of him still wanted to be out there in the city searching for Holden, but the Force told him that the saboteur was long gone. His best bet was to exhaust whatever other leads he could manage to turn up.

Captain Skywalker descended the ramp, seeming to recognize the feeling in Nelino's heart. "Did you find your man?"

"Nah, he gave me the slip," Nelino sat at the foot of the ramp. Skywalker also plopped down next to his newest partner.

"Ya win some, ya lose some," Skywalker offered. Nelino smirked and shot a sardonic glance at the captain. "I know," Skywalker continued, "but what are you going to do? I'm about to load back up and head back to the Edge. You comin' with me or you stayin'? No particular rush, but unless you're hirin' on a more permanent basis, I gotta be gettin' on back at it."

Nelino sighed. "I'll hitch a ride with the remaining crates out to Oylinair. At least I can get some context for all this."

"Context matters," Skywalker offered in a tone of wisdom that made Nelino wonder if the Jedi were just wasting their time with all those years of training. "Good luck. I'll keep my ears open as well. Feel free to stay in touch."

"Thanks Captain," Nelino smiled sincerely. "I will do just that. In fact, when you reach the Edge, could you forward a message to Syllian for me?"

"Be happy to," Skywalker nodded.

XXXXXXXX

Nelino's recorded image flickered as it concluded it's report from Master Granger's holo-table. "…I don't quite know how to explain the presence that I felt, but it is worth my staying out here. There is a powerful Darkside user out here somewhere. Or… I don't know… a presence attached to something out here, but whatever it is, I feel compelled to stay on the trail. I intend to stay out here and follow this trail as long as I can, wherever it takes me. I'll send reports through Captain Skywalker as often as there is something to report. And speaking of Skywalker," the image paused and grinned for a brief moment, "I don't know either, but there is something about him. You'll know for yourself whenever you meet him. We can trust him."

The image disappeared and Granger sat silently for a moment in the darkness. Powerful Darkside user, Nelino had put it. He was briefly grateful that there was someone not eager to jump to conclusions, but perhaps, it was his turn to jump. "Finly," Granger cleared his throat with the command.

Finly's image appeared on the table where Nelino's had been. "Yes Master?"

Granger stood to approach the table. He punched a code into the consol. "I am giving you clearance to access the complete journals of Master Wagalog. Bring up everything related to Darth Bane and the 'Rule of Two' from his and Finly's databases."