SP-87 could only watch in amazement as the swirling blue light outside the window transitioned into lines of white light before fading away as the ship emerged from hyperspace, a flicker of light in the swirling darkness, his eyes widened with awe. The vastness of space seemed to shrink as the planet Coruscant filled the viewport, an immense orb of shimmering light, like a jewel set against the backdrop of the cosmos.
He pressed his face against the glass, tiny fingers splayed across the cool surface while his tail wagged in excitement. Below, the planet's surface gleamed, a continuous sea of golden lights and towering structures that reached skyward, their tops lost in the thick clouds. It was a city that covered the entire planet, more vast and grand than anything SP-87 could have imagined.
Barely a few minutes had passed as the ship descended into the atmosphere, revealing immense metal spires and towers as far as SP-87's eyes could see. The towering spires became clearer, each one different yet all sharing the same sense of grandeur. Air speeders zipped between the buildings, streaks of color in the twilight, and the child gasped at the sheer number of them, each carrying beings from all over the galaxy.
The sky above the planet was a deep blue, tinged with hues of orange and pink from the setting sun, casting long shadows across the cityscape.
Looking down, he could see the lines of traffic, like rivers of light winding between the skyscrapers. His eyes were drawn to an enormous plaza, open and wide, a stark contrast to the packed forest of skyscrapers. In the center of the plaza, rising almost as high as many of the other buildings was a massive drum-shaped building, its immense dome unmistakable even from this height. It was a symbol of power and authority, yet simultaneously it felt so small compared to the rest of the city that seemed to stretch endlessly in all directions.
The ship continued its descent, and the child could now make out individual buildings, each more intricate than the last. Some had gardens on their roofs, tiny patches of green amidst the steel and glass. Others had landing platforms, where ships of all shapes and sizes were coming and going, like insects buzzing around a hive.
After several deft maneuvers, weaving through the city's bustling airways and dodging streams of traffic, the ship locked onto its destination—a grand ziggurat with five imposing towers that loomed over the surrounding skyline. Unlike the more ornate structures nearby, this building exuded a simplistic grandeur, a quiet declaration that it transcended the flashy displays of the other buildings.
The temple quickly grew larger in the window and not long after, their craft slowed down, aiming to land on a pad that extended outwards from the building. The ship announced its landing with a quiet thud as the landing gear contacted the surface of the landing pad.
SP-87 jumped for a moment when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Looking up he saw it was the man who rescued him from the lab, Kelleran Beq.
The man kneeled in front of him and his face adopted a serious expression. "Before we go young one there is an important thing I must ask you. You have the potential to wield a great power. One that if misused can bring about great suffering. Not just to those around you, but also to yourself. Here we can train you to wield that power and be a force for justice in the galaxy. If you choose not to, then I can arrange for you to be looked after by some acquaintances of mine. You have a bit of time to decide before you will have to make your choice."
SP-87 nodded to the man as he made the first real choice in his life. He never wanted to feel that helpless again. "I want to learn."
The man smiled and stood up. "Then come little one, let's get you settled in. Welcome to the Jedi temple."
After a quick visit to the infirmary for a health check, SP-87 was given quarters, clothes, and even a new name, Adrien Vec. Adrien was soon assigned to a clan of similarly aged children and quickly adapted to life with his new family.
Mornings would consist of meditation and learning how to use the Force. During the midday, teachers from the education corps would teach them a variety of subjects, ranging from history to sciences to galactic law. Afternoons, which were Adrien's favorite, would consist of physical training as well as instruction in six of the seven lightsaber forms.
Despite his best efforts, Adrien could never forget his previous life at the lab. On the occasional night, he would find himself waking up in a cold sweat, having had nightmares of the lab.
Life like this continued for a few years. Then one day, many of the Jedi Knights around the temple were sent on a rescue mission, and shortly afterward it was announced that the galaxy was at war. The Clone Wars had begun.
Mega-corporations like the Trade Federation and the Corporate Alliance, frustrated by the regulations, taxes, and corruption of the Galactic Senate, seceded from the Republic to form the Confederacy of Independent Systems. Thousands of star systems, each harboring their own grievances against the Republic, soon followed, hoping this new government would address their concerns and provide the security that had long been lacking in the Outer Rim. Tensions rapidly escalated, plunging the galaxy into a full-scale war.
Led by the fallen Jedi Count Dooku and the cyborg General Grievous, the fearsome battle droid armies of the Separatists spread terror throughout the galaxy. To counter this, the Jedi were called upon to lead armies of clone soldiers on battlefields throughout the Republic.
While the galaxy was engulfed in war, Adrien and his fellow younglings continued to grow, train and learn. Life remained similar, though there were a few changes. The temple halls, once filled with Jedi knights and masters, had since emptied as the warriors were scattered across the galaxy, having been called away to fight battles or lead fleets.
Security was also much higher, white armored clone troopers and the robed temple guards soon became familiar sights as they patrolled the temple, searching for threats and intruders.
Lightsaber training started to shift away from forms that had proved ineffective in large-scale battles such as Form VI 'Niman' towards more successful forms with a special emphasis on Form III 'Soresu' which had proved to be a reliable option while fighting the hordes of battle droids.
As the war progressed, tales and stories from the battlefields filtered back to the Jedi Temple and captivated many younglings who wished they could be in the action. For Adrien, he was enraptured by the deeds of one particular Jedi Knight, Anakin Skywalker.
The accomplishments of the so-called 'Hero with No Fear' were astounding. Leading the 501stLegion to countless victories, Anakin Skywalker quickly became a favorite for the propagandists and Adrien aspired to be just like him. Adrien even attempted to read the thesis Skywalker had written. That proved to be a mistake, and Adrien would adopt a thousand-yard stare whenever he heard someone say the word dichotomy.
Driven by renewed determination, Adrien intensified his training, and his hard work soon paid off. Among the seven top younglings, Adrien was selected for the next batch of Jedi Initiates to undertake an important rite of passage:The Gathering.
The door to Adrien's room opened with a hiss as an impatient youngling rushed in.
"Get up Adrien, we're going to be late!" The human boy shouted.
Adrien was lying on his bed, still fast asleep, and let out a garbled mumble.
"Fine, if you're going to be like that, I'll do this!" The youngling said as he reached down and pulled Adrien's tail which was poking out of the bedsheets.
Adrien's eyes opened in shock as he felt his tail pulled so hard, that it yanked him out of the warmth of his bed and onto the cold floor. He let out a yelp of pain before glaring at his fellow youngling. "What the hell was that for Petro? You know I hate it when people do that."
Petro stood there with his arms crossed and was impatiently tapping his foot. "Forget that have you forgotten what day it is, Padawan Ahsoka is waiting for us. We are going to be late!"
Eyes widening in realization, Adren swore before scrambling to get ready. Quickly throwing his robes on and grabbing his bag, he ran out of the room and followed the Corellian. They dashed through the halls of the temple and quickly met up with the other five younglings waiting for them. The Tholothian girl Katooni, an Ithorian Byph, a Rodian named Ganodi, the Nautolan Zatt, and a Wookie named Gungi were the other younglings beside Petro and himself chosen to conduct the rite of passage.
Without saying a word, the seven Jedi initiates ran for the landing bay where their chaperon was waiting.
Passing by two parked LAAT gunships and a few Aethersprite interceptors, they ran towards a large transport where a young female Togruta and a blue R2 unit were waiting for them.
"Hurry, younglings." Ahsoka called out.
The younglings stopped in front of her and lined up, Gungi let out a growl, letting her know all the younglings were present.
Placing her hands behind her back, Ahsoka started to pace in front of them. "You have proved to be the top of your class. And so now is the time of 'The Gathering'. For a Jedi, there is no greater challenge or honor.
Gungi let out a growl in response before Petro stepped forward. "What is 'The Gathering', Padawan Tano?"
Ahsoka stood with her arms crossed before speaking. "Petro, Ganodi, Adrien, Byph, Katooni, …Zatt," pausing at the Nautolan in annoyance as the youngling looked up from his holocaster. "And Gungi, the time has come for you to build your own lightsabers." She said while holding out one of her lightsabers.
Ahsoka paused as the seven younglings quickly let out a cheer in excitement. "Be warned: this is no simple task, and many perils lie ahead of you." She then crouched down in front of the younglings. "Where we are going, there is no place more sacred to the Jedi. Now everyone get in the Crucible, and let's get going."
The younglings quickly followed Ahsoka into the transport and not long after, the ship lifted off and departed into space.
Excitement soon turned to boredom as the younglings sat in the ship growing impatient while transiting through hyperspace. Eventually, they started playing a game of Sabacc to pass the time. As they played the popular card game, the younglings returned to an ongoing debate they had been having over the last month.
"I still say Adrien's tail is softer than Gungi's fur, it's like a fuzzy pillow. I just want to hug it all day. Ah, it's so fluffy." Katooni declared while rubbing her face in the soft fur of Adrien's tail.
"Will you stop that, it feels weird," Adrien yelled, trying to get away from Katooni. "Why are we still having this debate, Gungi's fur is softer than mine, go hug him instead."
Gungi let out a roar in response.
Adrien could only sigh. "Ya I know Gungi, I thought we already settled this too."
Eventually escaping Katooni, Adrien decided to flee before his tail could be grabbed again and headed towards the cockpit. The door hissed open revealing Ahsoka and R2. The Togruta glanced over at Adrien before looking back at the controls.
"Ah, Adrien. Let me guess, you want me to tell you more about my adventures with Skyguy right?" She said knowingly.
"You saw right through me. How do you always know?" He responded.
R2 beeped a few times as Ahsoka replied with a smile. "Because every time you see me, you always beg me to tell you." She then reached out and patted his head.
Adrien froze and started to blush as his head was patted. Having his head patted made him feel warm and tingly inside and was disappointed when Ahsoka pulled her hand away.
"Alright, I'll tell you about the time me and Skyguy went to Onderon to help a band of rebels fight the Separatists occupying the planet."
Adrien listened to the story attentively as Ahsoka told him about some of the more recent battles that took place.
As Ahsoka was finishing her tale, the navigation computer beeped. "We are almost there; you better go back and tell the others. I suggest you all put on some warm clothing. You're gonna need it."
The Crucible exited from hyperspace shortly after and flew towards a small moon. Soon the transport was flying through a dense blizzard as it made its way to the surface and landed.
As the younglings exited the transport, Katooni stopped and looked around. "Not the most hospitable place." She observed.
Petro stopped beside her and replied. "I think that's the point."
Adrien shivered as he glanced over at Gungi. The Wookie had chosen not to wear additional clothing, relying on his thick fur to keep himself warm. "Hey Gungi, are you sure you are fine? There're extra jackets on this ship."
The Wookie let out a growl in response.
"You know, one of these days, we're going to get you to wear actual clothes. Just you wait." Adrien replied.
Ahsoka led the seven younglings through the storm towards a wall of ice and crystals. She then knelt and started brushing snow from a plaque.
"It's a dead end." Shout Petro.
Adrien let out a scoff. "I think Ahsoka knows where she is taking us Petro."
Before Petro could respond, Ahsoka stood up and addressed them. "Younglings, outstretch your hands and focus the Force. Together, and only together, can we enter." She then turned to face the wall and lifted her hand towards the wall of ice.
Following her instruction, the younglings also raised their hands and added their power to their chaperones. Not long after, shards of ice broke off from the wall in front of them, revealing a passageway.
Turning back to the younglings with a smirk, Ahsoka gave out instructions. "Now hurry. The sun has already risen, and we must begin."
The group soon entered a grand circular hall with massive statues of ancient Jedi and waiting at the center of the chamber was the Grandmaster of the Order, Yoda.
The group of younglings stopped in front of ancient Jed. "Master Yoda." Zatt greeted him before lowering his head in respect, the other younglings followed his lead.
"The Force made physical; a Jedi is. Comes great responsibility with that, yes?" Yoda said. Watching as the younglings nodded in agreement. "Protect others, how does a Jedi, hmm?" The Grandmaster pulled out his lightsaber with the Force, activated it and rotated it in the air in front of the younglings. "Build your own lightsaber, you shall. But first, harvest your crystal, each one of you must."
Yoda paused for a moment as the group muttered amongst themselves. "The heart of the lightsaber, the crystal is. Focuses the Force from the Jedi, it does." The small alien deactivated his lightsaber and put it back into his robes.
Raising his hands upwards, Yoda used the Force to open the skylight high above them. The light shined into a glittering crystal array that focused the light into a beam that struck a frozen-over doorway. The ice quickly melted away and the water cascaded onto the floor, revealing a small doorway.
"If Jedi you are to become, enter the crystal cave, you must. Trust yourself, trust each other, and succeed, you will."
As Adrien and the rest of the younglings approached the doorway, Ahsoka spoke to them once more with a warning. "Once you have found your crystal, do not remain inside. As daylight ends, the door will freeze over again, and you will be trapped."
"For how long?" Ganodi cautiously asked.
"For one rotation. There will be nothing anyone can do for you." Ahsoka answered
"How will we know which crystal to pick?" Said Petro.
"Only you can know which one is yours. Now hurry." She instructed.
With that, the seven younglings turned and entered the passageway. Orlen glanced upwards and saw high above the doorway, the ice was already beginning to form, slowly descending to reseal the passageway.
It did not take long for the group of younglings to scatter in the labyrinthian crystal caves. Adrien walked through the passageways with a sense of urgency. Zatt explained earlier that the sun on Illum only rose once every nineteen Coruscant standard rotations and Adrien had no intention of being trapped for that long.
Adrien stopped when he saw something glowing. Looking closer, he saw that something was giving off light and was being reflected around the corner. He started running with a smile on his face as he rounded the corner. Deep down he knew that the source of the light was the kyber crystal he was looking for.
But as Adrien rounded the corner, his smile vanished. Instead of the expected crystals and ice, he was confronted by a sterile, metallic lab—a perfect replica of the place that still haunted his dreams. The sight sent a chill down his spine, freezing him in place. Memories of his past flooded back, stirring up the pain and nightmares that still haunted him.
Adrien took a deep breath, forcing himself to swallow his fear. Cautiously, he moved forward, determined to find the source of the glow he'd glimpsed earlier in the cave. As he navigated the familiar corridors, the initial shock began to fade. Perhaps there was no need to fear this place anymore. It had long been abandoned, and he was no longer a helpless child.
With newfound resolve, Adrien pressed on, searching the old lab for the kyber crystal. He could feel it—he was close. Soon, he arrived at a familiar steel door. Narrowing his eyes, he recognized it as the entrance to his old room. His old cell. The place where they had kept him between experiments, taking blood samples, and running tests.
His hand slowly crept to the door's control panel. With the press of a button, the door hissed open. Standing at the threshold was the security droid that had tried to kill him four years ago. Adrien stumbled backward, falling to the ground as fear gripped him once more.
The droid slowly advanced, and all Adrien could do was close his eyes, waiting for Master Beq to arrive and save him, just as before.
But the droid has already been destroyed, I have no need to fear it or this place anymore.
Opening his eyes, Adrien pushed himself to his feet. The droid stood silently before him, but it no longer held any power over him. "You don't scare me anymore. I won't be held back by this place any longer."
The droid dissolved into a puff of mist as Adrien walked through the illusion and into his old room. On the table before him, glowing softly, was the kyber crystal.
As Adrien reached out for the crystal, he saw movement in the corner of his eye and quickly turned to look. Standing before him was a beautiful woman with fox ears and four tails waving behind her. Yet something was different from his memories, her entire form appeared blue and translucent.
His eyes widened as he looked at the woman. "Mom?" He cautiously asked.
The woman smiled at him before kneeling and gently embracing him. Adrien let out a quiet sob and momentarily could no longer feel the chill in the air.
The woman soon ended the hug before touching both sides of his face and tenderly kissed his forehead. Adrien closed his eyes momentarily and felt a warm feeling flow through him. When he opened his eyes again, the woman was gone. Looking at his surroundings, he saw that the lab had vanished and that he was standing at the end of a tunnel and was once again surrounded by glittering ice crystals.
His eyes then drifted to the crystal in his hand. Questions started piling up in Adrien's head. How real was that vision, was the ghost of his mother actually her or was it just another vision conjured up by the Force.
At the end of the day, Adrien decided it did not matter. He had his crystal, and he could sense a gentle warmth coming from it.
Deciding he had lingered too long and there probably was not much time left before the entryway froze over, Adrien started running through the caverns and made his way back to the central chamber.
The wall of ice had almost descended to the floor and Adrien and to duck down to get past. Waiting in the chamber were Yoda, Ahsoka, Gungi, Byph, Ganodi, and Zatt. Only Petro and Katooni had yet to arrive.
"Well done, Adrien." Ahsoka praised. "But two still remain." She said with concern.
The younglings nervously waited for their friends to arrive. After a tense few minutes, Katooni arrived just as the wall of ice was reaching the floor, sliding under it. A few seconds later, the wall had reached the floor, sealing the passageway, and trapping Petro in the labyrinth of ice and crystals.
"Give up on your friend, do not." Master Yoda quickly reassured them as they continued to wait.
A few tense minutes later, the wall of ice burst open as Petro stumbled through the hole in the ice. Seeing their friend had made it, Adrien and the other younglings let out a cheer.
Ganodi quickly turned to question Master Yoda with an accusatory look. "How did he break the ice?"
The Grandmaster smirked and chuckled. "Only water made solid was the door. Easy to break if you have the will."
"You… You said we would be trapped." Katooni questioned.
"Not by the cave you were, but by your mind. Lessons, you have learned." Yoda began addressing each of the younglings on the trials they faced in the cave and what they learned. He started with Byph followed by Ganodi, and then Gungi. "Find courage, you did, hope, patience…" Soon it was Adrien's turn. "Resilience." The Grandmaster finished with Zett, Katooni, and Petro. "Trust, confidence, and selflessness. Yes?"
"Take your crystals back to the temple and keep them safe, young Jedi," Yoda instructed.
Thinking back to his life at the Jedi Temple brought a smile to Orlen's face. Life was good back then. Finding his kyber crystal and the ridiculous events that followed was a highlight of his time at the temple. Back when he was Adrien Vec, a promising young Jedi initiate far from the horrors of war. Before everything came crumbling down as the Republic died and the Jedi along with it.
Before he was forced to change his name to Orlen to hide from the Empire.
That smile disappeared as he felt a throbbing pain in his head. He was now feeling the consequences of overexerting himself with the Force yesterday. His muscles were aching, his body felt heavy and stiff, and he felt lethargic. Orlen knew that he needed to get up and get moving. Eating and drinking will help him recover faster.
Right now though, he wanted to enjoy the warmth of his blanket for a bit longer.
Blanket?
Orlen cracked an eye open to see that at some point in the night, Kitsu had curled up beside him and covered them both with her tails. He closed his eye and winced as another pulse of pain struck his brain.
Sithspit, the birds chirping around him was reverberating through his skull. A woodpecker nearby was pounding away at the trunk of a tree, but to Orlen, it felt like the bird was striking him on the side of the head.
He could feel Kitsu start to stir as she started to wake up. Orlen felt her unlatch from his side as she got to her feet.
"Ugh, what was that hard thing poking into me?" The girl complained
"That's my blaster, I swear." Orlen slowly groaned out. A cup of caf would do wonders for him right about now. A shower too.
Kitsu chuckled. "Is that what you call it? Must be pretty impressive then."
Orlen rolled onto his side, feeling his muscles protest at the movement, and pushed himself to a sitting position.
"Are… Are you okay?" Kitsu asked in concern, having noticed the state Orlen was in.
"No, no I'm not. I overexerted myself last night. By the Force, can someone dim the sun? It's far too bright." Orlen complained before glancing at Kitsu. "Also, young lady, you are a few years too young to be making those kinds of jokes."
Kitsu's ears drooped and she looked down at the ground while feeling ashamed of herself. "Is, is this because you had to save me last night? I'm sorry. I should have been more careful."
"It's okay," Orlen said. "I only saw the web because you were stuck in it. it would have been almost impossible for someone to spot it normally. Besides I owed you for helping me the other night."
"How did you know that was me?" Kitsu questioned.
"I have my ways, from time to time I have flashes of brilliance and pieced together the clues," Orlen said, doing his best to grim despite his headache
"You saw one of my kunais." Kitsu flatly stated.
"I saw one of your kunais," Orlen confirmed, assuming that was what she called her style of throwing knives.
"I've been meaning to ask, who was that scary man who attacked you? I saw you use what looked like the same power he did when you were fighting that spider."
Orlen frowned, wondering how he was going to explain it to Kitsu. "That can wait for later. Listen, I'm sorry for doing this to you, but I'm going to meditate for a bit, that should help make me feel better. I promise I will tell you once I'm done." Meditating tended to help relieve the symptoms of Force exhaustion, it would also give him a chance to further exercise his 'Force muscles'.
"I know, I'll make some tea for you while you do that. That always makes me feel better." Kitsu said as she jumped to her feet, reaching into her pouch to grab her tea leaves before freezing in embarrassment.
"You don't have cups, do you?" Orlen said, not even bothering to open his eyes
"Nope." Kitsu replied.
While Orlen meditated, he could sense Kitsu watching him for a while. She must have gotten bored at some point. Having sensed her wander off.
He took his time and went over everything he learned in the past few days in his mind. This planet must have been where his mother was from, based on the technology level he had seen, this planet was most likely not a colony, nor is it probable that they launched colonies of their own. The presence of humans here indicated that at some point there was cross-planet contact, maybe a generation ship that went off course and crashed here.
It was either that or perhaps the humans were brought over by the ancient Rakata as a slave population before the Infinite Empire collapsed twenty-five thousand years ago.
That seemed more likely. This planet could have been a biological laboratory, it would explain why there were so many mono-gendered near human species here.
The Rakatan's also heavily used the dark side of the Force and Force-based technology. That was likely the source of all the strange abilities he had seen so far.
As for how his mother ended up in a lab, Orlen guessed a slaving party of some kind encountered this planet, kidnapped her, and sold her off. Was his mother pregnant with him at that time?
Orlen decided it was best not to dwell on this line of thought further and cleared his mind.
"Um, Orlen!"
Orlen continued his meditation, oblivious to the voice calling his name.
"ORLEN, STOP!"
Orlen's meditation suddenly ended as a small rock hit him on the side of the head. Opening his eyes, he saw several stones floating around him as well as one unfortunate Kitsune.
"Oops," Orlen said as he lowered Kitsu back to the ground. Looking past the girl, he saw a small fire with skewers of fish cooking near the flame. "You've certainly been productive."
"It's a sempai's duty to look after her kouhai," Kitsu replied in a smug tone before her face look on a concerned expression. "But what about you, are you feeling better?"
Seeing Orlen nod, Kitsu relaxed slightly before narrowing her eyes. "Is meditation really that effective? I saw Luka heal his wounds by meditating, and the same thing happened when he fought Nanabi. Plus, you can make stuff float when you do it. So why doesn't it work like that for me?" She complained. "Maybe I'm doing it wrong? No, clearly Minamo must have taught me wrong. If she did it as a joke, I swear I'll pull her tails.
"All I can say is that I'm a special case, I can't speak for Luka," Orlen said.
Kitsu crossed her arms. "Is it because of your powers?"
"It is," Orlen replied
"Oh, well. Let's eat, I'm starving." Kitsu said, changing the topic as she ran over to the fire and grabbed the skewers.
As they sat down to eat, Orlen decided to address Kitsu's earlier question about the inquisitor and give her a bit of context while he was at it. Deciding to have a bit of fun, Orlen was going to only drop hints and see how long it would take for Kitsu to realize he is not from this planet.
"I was found and rescued when I was just a toddler by an organization called the Jedi." Orlen began, his voice thoughtful. "They took me back to their temple on Coruscant where they raised me to become one of their own.
The Jedi were an organization of warriors who could wield a power known as the Force. For thousands of years, they stood as guardians of peace and justice throughout the Galactic Republic." As he spoke, Orlen unconsciously traced the outline of the Jedi crest in the sand—a vertical lightsaber flanked by two wings that curved gracefully outward and upward.
"What is the Force?" Kitsu asked, curiosity evident in her eyes while she watched Orlen draw in the sand.
"Basically, it is an energy that is created by life and binds everything in the universe together. Those who are sensitive to it can use it to interact with their surroundings and…" Orlen paused, realizing he was struggling to explain it in simple terms. Seeing Kitsu's confusion, he simplified.
"I can enhance my body and senses and move stuff with my mind."
"Oh, why didn't just say it like that earlier?" Kitsu said as her expression shifted to one of mild annoyance. She then brought a finger to her mouth as she recalled something she heard in the past. "Move stuff with your mind? I think I remember Lady Tamamo saying something about people who once could do that. I think they were called psycho espers or something. She also said they were all hunted down and killed hundreds of years ago."
Orlen considered this, filing the information away. "I'll keep that in mind. Maybe I should find this Tamamo and ask her more about it." His voice took on a darker tone as he continued, "The Order was betrayed. Most of us were wiped out, and the survivors scattered, hiding wherever we could. That man you saw the other night—he was once a Jedi. But after the purge, some of them fell to darkness and joined those who betrayed us. They're called Inquisitors now, and they hunt down and kill their former comrades."
The memory of Order 66 and the fall of the Jedi stirred sadness and anger within Orlen, especially as he recalled the man he had once admired murdering his fellow younglings. Overcome with frustration, he kicked away the sand drawing he had just created.
Staring at the ground, Orlen did not notice Kitsu get up and move over to him until he felt her hugging him. "That must have been awful, I'm so sorry." Orlen flinched a bit when he felt Kitsu pat him on the head.
He should not be sitting here wallowing in self-pity being comforted by a child. Orlen closed his eyes and took a deep breath. The two of them had long since finished eating and they probably should get a move on. "Thanks, Kitsu." He said as she released the hug.
As Orlen stood up, he saw Kitsu's face adopt a serious look. It was very out of place on her. "Orlen, we should go to Yamatai and find Lady Tamamo. She and the other Kitsunes there can protect you from that scary man."
"I don't know. From what I have heard, Inquisitors leave a trail of destruction in their wake and show no mercy to those who harbor their prey. I don't want to lead that sleemo to your home."
"You don't need to worry about that, Tamamo is the strongest, there is no way anyone can hurt her. She is the strongest Kitsune ever!"
"I'll think about it," Orlen said.
Kitsu stood with her hands on her hips looking unimpressed. "Fine, where do you plan on going then?"
"I…. I'm not sure." He knew at some point he needed to backtrack to where he stashed his equipment. The rescue beacon in his bag was likely the only chance he had to get off this planet. That or stealing the inquisitor's fighter, which would be insane to attempt.
He decided it was probably best to wait a few days before going back to get his bag, that should be enough time for any remaining villagers to go back to their homes.
"In that case, at least let me take you to Grand Noah." Kitsu said, interrupting Orlen from his thoughts. "We can at least buy some supplies and get some actual food, sleep in a warm bed together… Also, get you a new shirt."
"Separate beds," Orlen corrected, with a firm tone. "And what's wrong with my shirt?"
Kitsu raised an eyebrow, giving him a look that said everything. Orlen glanced down at his shirt and saw the damage. His left sleeve was bloodstained and nearly torn off, a burned gash marked the side where the Inquisitor's lightsaber had struck him, and the front was ripped open, transforming his shirt into a makeshift V-neck that extended all the way to his belt.
Orlen looked to the side and scratched the back of his head. "Now that I think about it, I could probably use a new shirt as well…" Grand Noah seemed like a good idea, he assumed it was friendly to Kitsunes based on the fact Kitsu was suggesting they go there. It would also be a good chance to leave the girl with someone responsible.
Kitsu leaped in excitement before turning to the north. "Alright let's go! Let your sempai lead the way."
"Follow you, this humble padawan will," Orlen replied with a small smile, mimicking of Master Yoda's speech pattern.
"Pada-what?" Kitsu questioned.
"Don't worry about it," Orlen responded.
Kitsu shot Orlen a puzzled look but quickly shrugged it off, her focus shifting back to the path ahead. She took the lead, her confidence and energy infectious as she moved with purpose. Orlen followed closely behind, his senses alert, yet a faint smile lingered on his lips.
If Orlen was still in the Star Wars universe, his theory of Rakatans being involved in the MGQ planet would be a sensible theory. Unfortunately for Orlen, he still does not know he is in another universe/galaxy and is 100% wrong and needs to stop trying to apply logic to everything.