One: Padawan
18, Ninth Month, 5 ABY
Jungle, Yavin IV
Crash! Jeyda spun around, bringing her saber up in front of her in a perfect Shii-Cho high-block. Tal Krezik’s own blade came down hard against hers. He quickly pulled down, bringing both their sabers closer to the ground, and then kicked out at her centre. Jeyda rolled to the side, channelling the Force to accelerate her movements, rising two meters away from her opponent in a low guard of Form I.
“There is no escape, surrender” Taunted Tal, assuming the high guard.
Akim leaped up overhead into the canopy, pushing herself away from the planet with the Force, and coming to rest in a tree branch high overhead. She turned back to try and spot Krezik, only to find his blade moving swiftly, moments away from her head. A snap-hiss re-ignited her own saber just in time to deflect the blow, and she danced backward through the branches with Tal in close pursuit. Finally, she saw her opening, Tal had leaped to a far weaker branch in hopes of closing the distance. She didn’t hesitate. Reaching out with all of her strength in the Force she could muster, she pushed out at the weak limb on that powerful tree, separating it and sending Tal falling down to the surface. Jeyda wasted no time in following up, she jumped down to the jungle floor, using the Force to cushion her fall, and brought her saber to bear on her staggered opponent. Tal surged into an attack, striking out at her legs, and spinning to bring his saber to bear at her neck. Simultaneously, she lunged forward, hovering her own saber at his heart.
“You are beaten, surrender” Tal breathed, trying to sound confident despite his total lack of energy. “Look down, Krezik, from my point of view you are beaten.” She retorted, a half-smirk on her face.
“Well done, Padawan Akim, you as well Tal.” The voice came from their sides, where Master Elaiza had emerged from the jungle. The Padawans deactivated their training sabers, and Tal helped Jeyda to her feet.
“Always remember Tal, a single strike, no matter how effective it may appear to you, does not guarantee victory. Padawan Akim, Grandmaster Skywalker has requested your presence, hurry along.” Master Elaiza pointed with her outstretched hand back to the Academy at the Massassi temple.
“Yes master” obeyed Jeyda. She bowed a farewell to Tal Krezik and started making her way back through the jungle.
“I would have won…” muttered Tal as she left. Master Elaiza fixed him with a disapproving frown. “You must always remember Padawan, it is not about winning or losing, your place as a Jedi is to protect all life. That includes the life of your enemy.” Tal returned his training saber to his belt and nodded. “Yes, master.”
Elaiza relaxed, she had trouble on occasion adjusting to Skywalker’s new way of doing things, especially his acceptance of more aggressive forms of combat. “Now then, let us join the others. A general assembly has been called.” Tal looked curiously at his Master. “An assembly? What for?” She shrugged, “I know only that it is someone from the capital, beyond that, we shall see.”
18, Ninth Month, 5 ABY
Jedi Academy, Yavin IV
The Great Hall of the Jedi Academy was as full as it ever got. The Order didn’t have many disciples yet, but their collective Force presence was still staggering if you were unprepared. Jeyda entered from a side door to the chamber and found her way to Tal.
“What did Master Skywalker want?” he asked, quietly as they found their place in the room. “Nothing, I’ll tell you later” she replied. Tal could sense something was off with his friend but trusted her to open up about it when she was ready.
At the front of the room stood a Rodian man wearing the uniform of a Republic Admiral. “Greetings, Jedi. I am Admiral Crix Vor. We have intercepted transmissions from the Imperial Remnant at Basilisk which seem to give the impression of an impending assault of Chandrila.” While not strictly speaking murmurs, a wave of disruption was felt throughout the Force in the chamber.
“You all must know the dire state which our Republic is in, and the loss of our capital would be a devastating blow. Galactic Republic Intelligence is dispatching a small team to investigate Basilisk, and we are searching for Jedi to accompany the mission. I will leave you, to your deliberations.”
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Admiral Vor stepped down from the front of the room and left the chamber, as Master Elaiza took his place.
“The time has come for the first real test of our New Jedi Order. The Republic is, for the first time, entrusting a mission to Jedi supervision, and no small mission at that.” Jeyda felt a swelling of pride in her chest, which she knew of course was not the Jedi way, but she could not help it – their first real test! Master Elaiza continued, “While the Order is not technically a subsidiary to the Republic yet, this will go a long way towards galactic peace. Padawans Akim and Krezik, you will accompany Jedi Brood on her mission. The rest of you, continue your training, and be ready should your skills be needed pending Jedi Brood’s investigation. You are dismissed.”
Master Elaiza led the Jedi Initiates and Padawans out of the chamber, and Jedi Maris Brood found her way over to the two remaining students. Tal still found her Zabrak horns and tattoos a little unsettling, but he did his best to display his respect as she approached.
“Padawans,” she nodded a greeting to them. “If you’re going to be coming with me, you’ll need something more… versatile” She gestured to her twin tonfa sabers hanging from her belt. “Return to your quarters and rest now, tomorrow you will find loaned sabers outside your doors. We leave at dawn; May the Force be with you.”
As Jeyda and Tal left, returning to their quarters to try and rest up for the journey, Jedi Brood found her way to the launchpad where Admiral Vor and his transport were waiting.
“Admiral,” she nodded a greeting to him “I am Jedi Brood, and I have been assigned as the leader for the Jedi investigation of Basilisk. Two Padawans, Jeyda Akim and Tal Krezik will be accompanying me.” The Admiral fixed her with an inquisitive stare, an analyst’s eye trained by years of battle.
“Padawans, eh? Very well,” he began, “My mentor served in the Clone Wars alongside you Jedi, he claimed you could accomplish the impossible, I suppose we shall see.” He turned to leave, walking up the boarding ramp to his shuttle. “Rendezvous with my flagship: Justice over Wukkar to prepare for the infiltration.” Jedi Brood bowed a farewell to him and returned to the temple. She too would need her strength for the journey ahead.
19, Ninth Month, 5 ABY
Space, Wukkar
The bridge of the Justice was an impressive sight to behold. Up until now, the “grandest” ship Jeyda had ever seen was her ride to the Academy, and that was just an old Corellian transit shuttle. Tal was less easily impressed. Before joining the Order, he had been a Royal Guard of the planet Naboo. He had thus seen many an impressive Royal vessel. Still, the Justice was a formidable Star Destroyer, and far different from the light cruisers and yachts he was accustomed to.
Admiral Vor turned to address the arrivals as they stepped onto the Bridge. “Jedi, welcome aboard the Justice. Final preparations are being made for your transport, follow me please.” The Admiral made for a round holotable, Jedi in tow. He reached down and keyed in a code to the device, and the hologram flared to life.
“As you can see here, the remnant forces on Basilisk have recently been engaging in larger drills, and their troop movements suggest an attack is imminent.” The Admiral gestured to the structures symbolizing Imperial installations and defences.
Jeyda spoke up. “Do we know their objective?” The Admiral pulled up a secondary holo showcasing the starmap. “Our best estimate is they aim to strike Chandrila, as the capital of the Republic a strike there would be devastating, and all other Republic worlds in close proximity to Basilisk are primarily civilian.”
Tal jumped in “If we know where the enemy is, and that they’re about to strike our capital, what are we doing just standing around-” Maris placed on firm hand on his shoulder, quieting the Padawan.
“While Padawan Krezik speaks out of turn,” she cast him a disapproving look, “he does raise a pertinent question, Admiral. Surely, the New Republic fleet is more equipped to handle the Remnant than a Jedi strike team?”
Admiral Vor sighed. “I’m afraid it’s not quite that simple. The Republic fleet and various Defence Forces are spread thin. With more worlds applying to join us every day our security presence is occupied across the galaxy defending them from other Remnant forces. Furthermore, your task is not one of conquest, but reconnaissance. Republic high command wants to test out the usefulness of Jedi in the field on missions like this one.
Maris contemplated that, “I see, is there anything specific we should be looking for? A plan for the investigation?” she enquired, Admiral Vor keyed the holotable once more, switching to a hologram of a weapon of some sort. “As a matter of fact, yes, Republic Intelligence believes that the Imperial officer in charge of the Basilisk garrison has in her possession a prototype missile. It is believed that this missile is capable of penetrating the shields of our capital ships with one strike, yet lightweight enough to be transported and fired by something as small as a Tie fighter.”
The atmosphere around the table shifted noticeably, Tal and Jeyda’s eyes went wide. “That’s impossible!” Declared Padawan Akim, “Even a freighter-sized ship couldn’t have the power capacity to fire a weapon like that!” Admiral Vor’s face was set in grim determination. “We hope, to be wrong in our estimation. However, we must know for certain.” The Admiral’s commlink bleeped, “Admiral, this is docking crew, the corvette has been readied for departure.” Vor pressed the switch to reply, “Very good, inform the crew to begin boarding, Bridge out.” He turned to address the Jedi once more, “Your transport is ready in the hanger, it is a CR-90 Corvette which has been modified for enhanced stealth, it should be capable of getting you on the surface undetected.”
Jedi Brood nodded, “Thank you Admiral. Come, Padawans” She turned to leave the bridge with Padawans Akim and Krezik behind her. The Admiral called out before they reached the exit, “Oh, and Jedi, May the Force be with you.”