Star Wars: The Other Young Jedi Knights

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

Okay, so I couldn't think of a better title. Trust me, I've been trying, but that one just stuck in my head and fits too well. So here we are, my second Star Wars SH(the first is Star Wars: Heroes of Another Kind and is still being updated! Check it out ). This story is set during the same time of the series as the Young Jedi Knights series of books, which is roughly about twenty two years after the Battle of Yavin. The PCs are all Jedi in training(or close to it), and it follows their little adventures that occur during their time at the Jedi Academy on Yavin IV. Note that there will be a Rogues Gallery for this SH in the next few weeks, and also some art based on the SH(with depictions of the characters) to come soon.

Probably something important to note is that I plan to update this on Tuesdays and Thursday, with my other SH being updated the other three weekdays. There IS the possibility of weekend updates, but that will come down to whether I have the time to or not.

Here's a breakdown of the PCs:

Cira Thane: A 19 year old Human female from Bastion, the central planet in the Imperial Remnant. While she technically grew up in the Empire, her mother was a diplomat for the Remnant and as such, Cira spent much of her youth traveling the galaxy. She displayed a great deal of potential with the Force as a young child, and when her parents heard about the Jedi Academy that Luke Skywalker had set up on Yavin IV, she was given the chance to attend. Though her deep connection to the Empire alienated her from most of the students early on, this quickly changed over the years she spent at the Academy thanks to the fact that she was nothing like the Imperials the other students had heard about.

Cowan Bynar: Also 19 years old, Cowan is a Human male from one of the Noble Houses on the planet Thyferra. His family is one of the many Houses that controls the distribution of the amazing healing agent, bacta, and they are rich because of it. His family had strong connections to the Rebellion during the Galactic Civil War due to the fact that many of their line were Jedi Knights during the Old Republic. Even though he was raised with everything he could have wanted, his parents did their best to keep him from becoming a stuck up brat like most kids in those situations seemed to turn into. This did nothing but good for him when he made the decision to attend the Jedi Academy, though he does do his best to keep to himself just as he used to do back on Thyferra.

Gant Sekel: At 20, Gant is the oldest in the group. He is not, however, Human. This would be easily missed if he was looked at from a distance, as he looks exactly like a Human except for the fact that he has no eyes. Gant is a Miraluka, a species of eyeless near-Humans who literally see through the Force itself. Because of this fact, most all Miraluka have been Jedi Knights or at least Force Users for all of the species' history. After the Empire nearly wiped out the Miraluka during the Jedi Purge, the species went into hiding on their homeworld and moved to a new Force Tradition...one that was, essentially, the Jedi Way, simply less agressive, as the Miraluka saw the Jedi's focus on war and their lightsabers as the reason for their fall. This persisted even after the fall of Palpatine, and while Gant learned the ways of the Force from his own people, he heard about the new Jedi Academy being set up by Luke Skywalker. He couldn't resist, and decided to attend...though he still clings to his people's beliefs, and so is the only student studying only the ways of the Force, and not to actually become a Jedi.

Esah Reenin: 18 years old and the youngest of the group, Esah is a blue skinned, female Mon Calamari. From a very young age, she displayed potential in the Force, moving her toys around without actually touching them and other signs that she wasn't exactly normal. With the Galactic Civil War over, and the Empire being beaten back from the Core Worlds, this potential was seen as a gift and not something that had to be hidden. So her parents did their best to encourage her, while at the same time doing their best to teach her the more artistic crafts of her people's culture. Esah embraced both, though when she made the chioce to attend the Jedi Academy, she had clearly made a choice between them.

And off we go...hope you enjoy.

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

Part I
Chapter 1: Jungle Sunrise

Twenty two years after the destruction of the first Death Star at Yavin. Eighteen years since the defeat of Emperor Palpatine at the forest moon of Endor. The Imperial Capital of Coruscant had fallen fifteen years earlier for the first time, and retaken again by the New Republic three years later. And then, not long after, Luke Skywalker returned to the fourth moon of Yavin. It was then that he set up the first foundations of his Jedi Academy to rebuild the Jedi Order after years and years of darkness. Since then, two generations of students had already passed through the new Academy, and old students had returned to assist Master Skywalker as teachers.

And this third generation of the new Jedi Knights looked to be the greatest yet. Though most of the attention seemed to be on the bigger names within the class, such as the Solo twins and, at least according to rumor, a member of the Hapan royal family, there were other promising students in the class. And it was also the largest group ever to attend the Academy, so much so that Master Skywalker divided up the students into groups of four. There was a method to the division, though that was only known to Master Skywalker himself. He did, at least, seem to know what he was doing.

Sitting on top of one of the smaller temples in the main complex of the Academy was a young human. He sat on the edge of the ancient flagstone step pyramid, looking out across the jungle beyond. The distant sun was rising and the orange gas giant, Yavin, was already taking up a huge amount of the sky above. And, as usual, it was hot. The human, no older than nineteen standard years, ran an already sweaty hand through matted, slightly scruffy dark brown hair. It hadn’t always been that way.

In fact, it used to be clean cut and perfect, as with the rest of him. But now...well, the jungles of Yavin were much different than lavish apartments on Thyferra. His parents would likely have been amazed to see him wearing a dirtied, grey and brown tunic instead of all those perfectly neat and clean clothes they always had back home. But that was Thyferra, and his parents were nobles in charge of one of the largest Houses on the planet. As with all of the noble houses on Thyferra, they dealt in bacta, and were rich because of it. The amazing healing qualities of the bacta was prized everywhere in the galaxy, and rarely found anywhere but on Thyferra. To say the planet had a monopoly on the substance was a grave understatement.

But Yavin IV did not lend itself to lavish apartments and expensive clothing. That was something that he had learned very early on after arriving at the Academy, right along with getting up early and going through the more strenuous training activities before the heat of the day really kicked in. He let out a deep breath and leaned back some. It had been a long morning. He hadn’t come to train as a Jedi expecting so much physical exertion. But then again, he hadn’t actually known what to expect beyond the stories his parents had told him as a child about his grandfather who had been a great Jedi Knight during the Clone Wars.

“Up here again, Cowan?” a familiar voice sounded from behind him. Cowan smiled and turned to look to the human...or rather, near human who had found a way up onto the roof of the temple. And he could very well have been seen as human unless one looked up at his face. And Cowan found that it was very hard not to look straight there, despite having known the other man for a few years now.

“Every morning, Gant,” Cowan said, turning around completely to look at his fellow student. He was tall, and wore a simple tan colour tunic over his equally tanned skin. Long, white hair hung over much of his face, but the majority of it, from the bridge of his nose and up to his hairline, was covered by a thick grey cloth. With most, that would have meant his eyes were covered, but Gant Sekel was a Miraluka, a species of near humans born without any eyes at all. All of their vision was through the Force itself, and they simply wore the cloth(or something similar) over their eyes because they found it was easier for other species to deal with them.

Gant smiled and nodded, calmly stepping over next to where Cowan sat and looking out across the jungle. That still looked so odd. Cowan knew that the Miraluka could see...but it wasn’t the same! Did he really see all the colours and nuances or was it simply like a sensor sweep of the area? It wasn’t something he could ask, as obviously, Gant would not be able to compare the two...or would he? It was something Cowan was still battling inside over what to do about.

“I still wonder how you get up here,” Cowan commented off hand as he got to his feet.

Gant simply smiled, a somewhat unnerving gesture without seeing any eyes added to it, “The same way you do. I climb,” he paused, then the smile became a somewhat cruel grin, “Except I do not take two hours to reach this point.”

“Oh, shut up,” Cowan rolled his eyes, a mixed message that he hoped the Miraluka caught. Standing up and stretching, Cowan attempted to ignore just how weak he looked when compared to the nearly two meter tall Miraluka. Not that Cowan was at all short at 1.8m tall, but somehow another centimeter seemed to make so much of a difference.

“Master Skywalker wants to see us,” Gant said, nodding towards the ground far below them.

That was interesting. Very, very interesting, “Master Skywalker? He hasn’t wanted to speak with us since he got back from Coruscant last month.”

Gant nodded again, but this time as acknowledgment of the truth, “I know. We...we think it might be something important.”

“Why wouldn’t it be?” Cowan asked with at least a hint of sarcasm in his voice as he started the long climb back down to the ground. The two of them got down two large steps on the large pyramid structure before he realized that Gant had hesitated while saying ‘we’. Which meant... “You meant all of us, don’t you? Not just the two of us?”

There was a hesitation again before Gant said, “Yes, all of us. I would have thought that you would be past your prejudices by now, Cowan.”

“I’ve got no problem with Esah,” Cowan answered a little too quickly, “I just can’t believe that an Imperial is here for any legitimate reason.”

“You’ve been saying that ever since we were all put together,” Gant grumbled as they continued the climb down. The Miraluka was keeping an obvious slow pace, though whether it was to speak with Cowan or simply not to get too far ahead, Cowan wasn’t sure. But now that they were about halfway down to the ground, Gant stopped and grabbed Cowan’s arm so that he wouldn’t go on. Gant then looked him straight in the eye, something that should not have been possible, and said firmly, “Cowan, I don’t care what you think the Imperials did to you or your family. I’ve heard it before, and yes, it was bad, but look at Esah. Her entire species was enslaved, Cowan. All of the Mon Calamari were treated as nothing but tools for the Empire. And my people, Cowan! We were hunted down and nearly completely wiped out. Tell me. If we can trust Cira, why can’t you?”

Cowan did not answer. He couldn’t. Gant was right, of course. There was no arguing with that. While Cowan’s family had been cheated and stolen from...the Mon Calamari had been enslaved and the Miraluka murdered. But still...Cowan didn’t trust the other human that was part of their training group.

“Lets just go,” he finally said under his breath before turning and continuing the climb down to the jungle floor.

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

Chapter 2: Under the Trees

In the greens and browns that made up the training grounds of Yavin IV, a blue skinned Mon Calamari was fairly easy to spot. Especially sitting against a one of the trees that lined the empty area between the jungle and the largest of the ancient Massassi temples. Esah Reenin sat back against the tree and looked up to the morning sky. She smiled...or at least, as best as a Mon Calamari could smile. She loved Yavin IV. It was warm, comfortably humid, and isolated. Though she did enjoy the company of others, and in fact, since her parents had been diplomats, had been constantly around others, it was very calming to have time to herself.

Or at least, mostly to herself. These days, she was rarely actually alone. Though, to be honest, Esah still considered herself to be alone while Cira was around. Not that Cira ignored her, but they simply seemed to get along without having to say much. Today, though, the human was pacing. Esah’s large orange eyes idly followed Cira as she paced.

Cira normally had a dignified look on her strong features. But today, her black hair was as much of a mess as her usually pristine uniform. Why she wore that was anyone’s guess, but at least she had removed the Imperial insignia from the shoulders. Esah didn’t have to look down to know that Cira’s boots were muddy and in horribly shape compared to the usual shining black. Even though the woman(or girl? Esah really didn’t know when that changed for humans) had never been in any kind of military school or had any of the training, she seemed determined to remind everyone of the Galactic Empire...or what was left of it.

This was, surprisingly, not a problem for Esah. Cira had not once shown any of the usual Imperial traits, other than some obscene attention to keeping her uniform far too clean. She was not against non-humans, nor was she for any kind of oppression, or even any of the other things that people seemed to associate with the Empire these days. Of course, their generation had never seen the Empire as it had once been...but their parents had. That should have counted for something, but didn’t seem to affect anyone here at the Academy.

“You should not be so nervous,” Esah finally said in a watery voice that all her species shared in one form or another.

Cira stopped her pacing, glared at the ground, then sighed, “I know! I know...I just...I don’t like Master Skywalker trying to work us up like this!”

Mon Calamari had no eyebrows to raise, but Esah preformed a gesture equivalent to this by raising her entire eye very slightly, “I do not believe telling us he would speak with as here in an hour is working us up for anything.”

Again, Cira sighed. She ran a hand through her hair and then wandered over to sit down in the dirt next to Esah. In a quieter voice that was definitely the result of a short calming technique they had all been taught very early on, she said, “I know. I’m...sorry I yelled at you. I just...there is only one thing I can think he would want to speak to us about.”

“I doubt any of us are ready to be Knights yet, Cira,” Esah’s reply came back quick enough to cut down the rising ego that thought brought in the both of them.

Eventually, Cira nodded before looking down at the grass-pocketed dirt under them, “We didn’t do anything wrong, did we?”

Esah shook her head, “I do not believe so. We have followed the training schedules very well and suddenly throwing a reprimand right away is not something I have ever seen Master Skywalker do.”

“Well, then I don’t have any ideas,” Cira grumbled, glaring idly at the dirt. Esah truly did not understand why the human got so upset when she didn’t know exactly what was going on. Some might have put it down as a personality trait, but Esah was starting to wonder if it was just a human thing...so many of them got worked up when they didn’t know every little tiny detail. Patience did not seem to be hardwired into their brains all that well.

Footsteps silence any response that Esah was preparing to make. Both of them looked up and, in obvious disappointment, found that the source of the sound was not, in fact, Master Skywalker. It was just the two other trainees, the eyeless Miraluka, Gant Sekel, and the human, Cowan Bynar. The latter of the two also had an annoyed look on his face, not all that unlike the one on Cira’s when she saw the two approaching...though they were likely for different reasons.

“I see you did not fall off the Temple,” Esah commented with a smile as she got back up to her feet to greet their two companions.

Cowan shrugged, the annoyance fading as he nodded to the Miraluka, “I don’t know how he does it either.”

Esah blinked, thought about it a moment, and then returned to a smile very unique to the Mon Calamari species, “I was referring to you.”

There was a short laugh from Cira as she also stood up, but Cowan’s only response was a look of blank surprise. How he managed it was beyond any of them, but he did. When some sense of normality slowly began to return and it looked like he had found some witty response to that, Cowan opened his mouth to speak, but was silenced by more footsteps.

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

Chapter 3: Our Test

This time, when they turned to look it was, in fact, Master Skywalker. He was wearing the usual black tunic that they had all seen in the holos before even meeting him(which was, of course, an amazing thing as he’d been a childhood hero for pretty much all of them...even Cira). The Jedi Master nodded to them with his usual calming warm smile and motioned for them all to sit.

That was another thing they’d all noticed about him right away. He seemed to enjoy sitting in the actual dirt. Not that it really bothered any of them(though it had taken time to get used to, of course), but it seemed strange when there were obviously rocks and even chairs that were easily moved around.

When they had all sat in a circle on the ground, Master Skywalker looked across the four of them, “I can easily sense how eager you all are to know why I asked you here this morning, so I won’t waste your time with long speeches about how well you are doing in your training. Instead, I’ll prove to you how well you are doing,” he paused, a carefully timed moment that created such a silence that a ship could have been heard coming out of hyperspace three systems away, and then went on, “It is time for you to construct your lightsabers.”

Another pause. This one, though, was not so silent. Instead, it was filled with at least two sharp intakes of breath. Seemingly enjoying this, Master Skywalker’s smile grew slightly before he nodded, “I will provide you all with the technical details required in the actual construction, however I urge you not to simply follow them completely. Use the basics, expand from there. Your lightsaber is not simply a weapon, it is an extension of yourself, and it should reflect that in its construction. Of course, all of the necessary parts will be provided. All except one. Each lightsaber requires a main focusing crystal in addition to two smaller crystals. You must acquire the focusing crystal yourself. There are many locations here on Yavin IV ripe with compatible crystals, so there should not be any problem in finding one.”

He slowly trailed off into silence, picking up on a somewhat nervous feeling to his left. After a moment, Master Skywalker turned his head to look to the eyeless Gant, “Yes?”

At being caught so easily, the Miraluka smiled. He nodded to the Jedi Master and then spoke quietly, “Master, you know that I...have certain concerns.”

Before he could go on, Master Skywalker nodded and said, “I know, and I understand. However, everything I have learned about the ancient Jedi Order shows that the construction of a Jedi’s lightsaber is the crucial point in their training.”

“You will have to excuse me, Master, but I am not a Jedi,” Gant said somewhat flatly, and then continued before the Jedi Master could get a word in, “We spoke of this when I first arrived here. I welcome training in the Force, but my people were nearly wiped out because of our dependency on the Force. The Jedi lost their way during the Clone Wars, Master, they became far too focused on their weapons and ignored the will of the Force.”

Silence. A sigh sounded from Cowan, though the other two apprentices wanted to join in. They’d all heard this before. They’d come to a truce on the whole thing and it never came up anymore...but the Miraluka seemed to enjoy bringing it up anytime it seemed convenient to.

After collecting his thoughts, Master Skywalker nodded politely, “I understand your position on this, Gant. I will not require you to do this, but there is more to constructing a lightsaber than simply building a weapon. It is a deeply important part of one’s training to connect with the living Force through the galaxy around us. I would like you to still find a crystal and even attune it as your fellow apprentices will.”

A pause. Then, after a moment in which the three others wondered if this would turn into something more, Gant simply nodded. Everyone breathed a silent sigh of relief at that. Even Master Skywalker looked relieved when he smiled and looked across to the rest of them, “Well, then, I won’t hold you here any longer. But be careful in the forest, and take a comlink with you just in case. I would also like it if you did not venture too far on your own.”

They nodded, and then Master Skywalker was gone. They all knew why he didn’t want them going alone. There had been at least two incidents with other students having wandered off too far on their own and either ran into some of the indigenous predators or simply gotten lost in the vast jungles. There were also...other threats they were all aware of. Namely from some of the other ancient Massassi Temples, none of which were expected to house any Dark Side Spirits as one of them had contained once...but it was better to be safe and not be alone.

 

[Mirage_Patrick]

haven't read yet...but exciting to see another story hour from ya. If this is half as enjoyable as your other I will be happy

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

Chapter 4: Jungles and Lakes

“I am not sulking!” Cowan yelled over the rock. He couldn’t see Cira, as she’s just climbed over it, making a comment over her shoulder in the process. Grumbling something to himself, he did his best to follow, climbing up the rock and then sliding back down the other side to the jungle a meter below. When he hit, he only landed on his feet due to his back being against the rock.

“You are sulking,” the Imperial girl said with an emotionless face before turning back and leading the way through the jungle again. When he’d caught up, again, she added, “You don’t like me and since Gant went with Esah, you got stuck with me and now you’re sulking because you didn’t get your way.”

They were headed north. North to the forested mountains that weren’t too far from the Academy Temple. There were some caves up there that many students had found crystals in, and so it was a fairly common area to head go. They also both had blaster pistols with them...which had been a point of contention with Cowan. He didn’t like the idea of an Imperial with a weapon behind him.

Of course, that just meant he was forced to follow. Though forced wasn’t exactly right, as Cira was in much better shape than he was, and so was leading the way by sheer physical ability. At least she seemed to know where she was going. Seemed.

“You’re sure you know where to go?” Cowan asked as he stepped over some of the underbrush that littered the wild jungles and forests of Yavin IV.

The dark haired human looked over her shoulder at him, but didn’t even respond. She just rolled her eyes and kept going. He really was impossible to even speak to. She couldn’t believe that someone hadn’t killed him years ago with that attitude. But she wouldn’t kill him, despite those dark urges that told her just how easy it would be. That would only encourage that kind of attitude towards her, and that was the last thing she needed.

One day, Cira figured he’d either get passed his blind idiocy and treat her like he did the rest of the students or someone would kill him for making a comment at the wrong place. Not that she would do it, of course, but say the wrong thing to the wrong person and its bound to cause consequences.

Five minutes more of walking through the thickening forest passed in uneasy, yet peaceful silence. They could both hear the skittering of small animals here and there, but the creatures stayed out of sight. Even the predators had a habit of avoiding the students most of the time. Though, it was the most part that caused them to carry blasters. Both were also attempting to reach out with the Force and feel the surrounding area, both for protection and because Master Skywalker had implied it was a good way to find exactly the right spot where their own crystal would be.

And then, almost out of no where, Cira stopped. This meant that, because Cowan wasn’t paying attention, he walked right into her and they both fell. She went forward and face first into the dirt, and he went back, the back of his head slamming into a tree root thanks to her instincts causing her to automatically push him away. Two thuds were followed by two groans.

Still groaning, Cowan sat up and rubbed the back of his head. At the same time, Cira was getting up to her knees and trying to get the dirt off of her face. She took a moment to turn back over her shoulder and glare, “Thank you.”

“Well, you shouldn’t have stopped!” Cowan argued, catching the sarcasm and deciding to go straight to the defensive.

“And you should have been paying attention!” she dusted her tunic off before getting back to her feet again. Stepping over to him, she offered a hand.

Unsurprisingly, Cowan didn’t take it, and just go to his feet on his own. Though there was a glare from that, his eyes locked on the reason why she had stopped. He couldn’t help saying, “Oh.”

“Yes, oh,” Cira said with a sigh. She then turned back around and carefully started down the steep drop that she had almost fallen face first down. It was a clearing. A huge one, at that. About ten meters down, the grass became a sprawling, clear blue lake. There were a few ancient pillars here and there, most on the grass but a couple sticking out of the water. Despite that, there was no sign of any actual temple in the clearing.

It took care to get down the dirt and rock drop to the lake below without killing oneself, but somehow, they both made it. Or rather, somehow, Cowan made it. It was beginning to become obvious that his supposed lack of coordination had more to do with the need to prove himself than actual stupidity. That was comforting, at least...it meant he might eventually figure out how stupid it was and he wouldn’t get them all killed because of it.

When they were down, Cira idly walked over to the water’s edge and looked across the huge lake. She let out a calming sigh. She loved this place because it was so unlike Bastion. The Imperial capital was not a sprawling city, but it sure wasn’t paradise either. Places like Yavin IV were just so rare in the galaxy...uninhabited and, generally, untouched. But there was something else...

“I thought we were going to the mountains,” Cowan’s usual annoyed tone cut off her thoughts.

Cira turned around to see him idly wandering back and forth. Amazingly, he was ignoring the dirt covering his brown and grey tunic. Maybe he wasn’t such a brat after all. But she didn’t say anything in response. There was something else, and it was starting to bug her. Cira bit her lower lip and looked out across the lake again. What was that?

An idea struck her suddenly. And in a moment, she was pulling off her own dark blue tunic. That got a yelp of surprise from Cowan, “What are you doing?!”

“I’ll be right back,” she said flatly after stripping down to her underclothes. His surprise was only evidence that he hadn’t been to any of the nearby lakes with other students. No one way dumb enough to swim in their clothes, were they?

Not waiting for a response, and deciding it was best he didn’t stare at her like that anymore, Cira turned to the water and jumped in, swimming out for a short distance before finally diving down. There was something down there. She couldn’t see it amongst the rocks and muck at the bottom of the lake not far below, but she could feel it. Feel...yes. Not far though. After coming up for air, Cira took a deep breath and dove deeper, using the Force to feel out where exactly it was calling her to...

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

Chapter 5: The Clearing in the South

In all honesty, the fact that Cira and Cowan had gotten ‘stuck’ together was not a random occurrence. It was the fault of their two other training companions, who were getting sick of the infighting between the two humans and decided to disappear into the forest before they could even ask who would go with who. And they had also gone south, deeper into the forests and away from where most of the students went. An hour and they hadn’t been found, so it looked like the plan had worked out well enough.

“Is it normally so quiet out here?” Esah asked, using a fin-like hand to move a larger branch out of the way to keep up with Gant’s pace.

He shrugged, and said over his shoulder, “The wildlife generally likes to stay away. They are...close, but far enough away.”

“Ah...right,” she stepped over a root and looked around. She couldn’t actually see anything beyond trees, leaves, roots, and dirt. Not counting her Miraluka companion, of course. Reaching out with the Force, though, she could feel the creatures that were keeping their distance. And he could ‘see’ them. Esah smiled to herself as she thought about what that would be like before asking, “So where are we going, anyway?”

“Well, the only others I know of that went this direction as far as we’ve gone so far were those Solo kids,” Gant said as he ducked under a large tree branch.

She followed, bending farther to make sure not to hit her larger head, as she remembered the rumors that had been flying around the Academy in the last couple of weeks, “Right, right. Found some old TIE fighter, didn’t they?”

“Something like that.”

“Then why are we going this way...?” the Mon Calamari asked just as she started to notice that the trees were separating and becoming far less dense.

At her question, Gant actually stopped and turned his head to ‘look’ at her. Or rather, probably to show her the smile on his face, “Because no one else does.”

Esah laughed and nodded, but couldn’t help shaking the feeling that this was the ‘right’ direction to go. They continued on for another ten minutes in silence. All the while, the trees began to separate more and more until, finally, it opened up into a large clearing. Sure, they could still see trees on all sides, but any clearing at all was large on Yavin IV. They walked out into the clearing, and Esah couldn’t help looking up. The overbearing orange of the gas giant, Yavin, hung there, outshining most of the sky’s blue. It was...still something she was getting used to, but always a constant reminder that Yavin IV was a moon, and not an actual planet.

“What does it look like?”

The words surprised Esah. She even jumped slightly and looked down from the sky to where Gant stood. His head was turned up, ‘looking’ at the sky but definitely not seeing it like she did. After a moment, she looked back up and said quietly, “It looks beautiful...what does it look like to you?”

There was a pause, and it was obvious he was trying to find a way to describe it. Probably in the same way she had tried to figure out how to explain the scene without describing colours. He didn’t know what colours were...or did he? But Gant cut off her thoughts by saying, “It looks beautiful.”

She smiled and laughed slightly, “One day I want you to explain to me just how the world looks to you.”

“Only if you explain the same to me,” Gant said with a grin, finally turning back down. His mouth opened to say something else, but no sound escaped. He turned around and looked back towards the direction they had originally been going in.

Esah took a step to the side and looked the same direction, but only saw the tree line, “What is it?”

“Something...close. I can...see it like I see Master Skywalker.”

That took a moment to translate, but when she figured it out, the Mon Calamari girl didn’t like it, “Strong in the Force, you mean?”

“Not that strong...but not like you or the others,” Gant clarified before kneeling down and seeming to ‘look’ harder. She could feel him reaching out with the Force.

Deciding it was a bad idea to just stand around, Esah also did her best to stretch out and feel the nearby area. It was a basic task, but something she found difficult, for some reason. Perhaps it was the ‘clear your mind’ part that always got her. But that didn’t matter...it worked, and she could feel something.

“Predator?” she asked, having the sudden feeling that they had been tracked and watched the entire time.

But Gant shook his head, “There aren’t any Force Sensitive predators on the moon...or at least, there shouldn’t be.”

“Another student then,” that time, Esah didn’t ask. It was the obvious next logical step.

But again, Gant shook his head, “You can feel it, too, can’t you? It feels like...like a predator.”

Esah sighed and nodded. Not only did it feel like a predator, but it felt like a very dangerous thing. Something that was waiting for just the right time to strike. And she could feel that...feel the need to strike. It was almost terrifying.

“Should we go back...?” despite the watery quality to her voice, Esah was very good at expressing worry so that everyone around her, no matter what the species, would get the message clearly.

“What does a predator do if you turn your back on it?” Gant asked, though it was definitely a question that did not need to be answered. It attacked. Which left one option.

“Master Skywalker’s going to kill you when we get back,” she was suddenly whispering, but just as Gant was back on his feet and slowly creeping towards the presence, she was doing the same. She wasn’t about to let him charge into this alone...and besides, she was just as curious.

Gant nodded, but then pointed ahead to where they could both feel the presence, “Stay alert...and don’t get separated.”

Ahead of them, just against the tree line, something moved.

 

[Kylara]

I always really liked that series of books, I'd just about kill to play in a game in this setting. Keep up the story hour.

What were the character creation guidelines, out of curiosity?

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

I always really liked that series of books, I'd just about kill to play in a game in this setting. Keep up the story hour.

What were the character creation guidelines, out of curiosity?

Pretty normal character creation...4d6 drop lowest for stats and all start at 4th level. I'll post up the PC stats within the week, and then add NPCs and such as they pop up in the story. Hopefully I'll keep up and not get behind...

Glad you like it.

 

[Animus]

I'd have to day that I've always liked your work, be it your story hour or PbP stuff (I lurk there from time to time). You have a solid handle on the Star Wars universe.