Lost Jedi
Part 1
The Republic has FALLEN. The newly formed EMPIRE, ruled by the cunning Emperor Palpatine, has scattered all forms of light and hope throughout the galaxy.
Darth Vader, formerly Anakin Skywalker, destroyed the Jedi Temple and Order-66 ruthlessly dispatched nearly every Jedi serving in the Clone Wars. Those who survived, remain lost.
Hunted by agents of the Empire, Jedi knight Djaf-Rae remains on Tarin-Kaut, a moon in the outer rim and far away from the Empire’s reach….
Prologue
The Battle of Coruscant was a decisive victory for the Republic, but the fighting was far from over. Once Djaf-Rae received the news of Count Dooku’s death, he and his clone troopers were almost certain of the war’s end. Serving in the Tarabba sector, they were tasked with finding and destroying all separatist factions in the outer rim planets. Intelligence came in showing that General Grievous had established a sizable force on the Utapau system and Obi-Wan Kenobi, Jedi Master and General in the Grand Army of the Republic, was dispatched. Grievous was defeated in single combat; signaling the end to Separatist resistance.
Djaf-Rae was leading a platoon into Utapau’s main spaceport when his Clone troopers turned on him. It wasn’t until he heard the voice of the platoon leader, Commander Fox, did he believe the Clones were trying to kill him. It happened so fast he almost didn’t realize that blaster fire came from all directions. Hearing Commander Fox give the order, an order that wasn’t meant to be “heard”, was heartbreaking.
The Jedi Code discouraged personal attachment, but combat seemed to bring it out anyway.
The barrage of blaster fire was unlike anything he’d ever experienced before. The blinding lights of a thousand soldiers hailed down on him and he deflected what he could before running for the nearest ledge. He’d rather have taken his chances falling than fight his own men. But before he could reach the edge, a Clone trooper tossed his blaster aside and ran to intercept him.
He was quick and powerful, holding his standard-issue knife in his right hand. The way the Clone moved told him it was Corporal Lance and he knew he was in for a real fight. The two clashed and collided, wrestling forward in a dance of hand-to-hand combat. Djaf-Rae didn’t want to die, but he wouldn’t kill his men. He kept his focus on the ledge and kept advancing with defenses. They remained locked at the wrists when Djaf-Rae managed to break Lance’s concentration.
“Why?” he struggled to ask the Clone, but only silence followed. The two continued to struggle and the next thing he remembered he was falling, with Corporal Lance’s lifeless body alongside him. Landing in the river below, they were carried out and away from the fighting.
Djaf-Rae hid himself under the lifeless body of the Clone trooper as he swam. It wasn’t long before he found a nearby starship and was able to escape.
* ** ** ** ** ** ** *
Tarin-Kaut proved to be a safe place, at least for the time he’d need. It turned out though, he didn’t know how much time that was. Arriving on the small moon was uneventful. No military campaigns were being carried out there and the Separatists hadn’t seemed to influence the crime-lords who controlled it. Nearly three months had passed since he escaped Utapau and just as long since he’d felt anyone through the Force. Looking outward felt empty.
He’d been accustomed to hearing the voices of his comrades throughout the Galaxy, but now there was nothing. Pain filled his chest and he stopped meditating. He saw no point in continuing to search when there was nothing out there-
“No,” he interrupted his thought. “I’ll try again later. Someone’s out there,” he hoped.
Remaining nameless on Tarin-Kaut wasn’t difficult. It was outside the Republic, even before the Clone Wars. Preferring to deal with the Hutts than any diplomat, Crime lords held a sort of shadow government and acted as the Overseers. If you kept your head down, you got by just fine. Taking the name Daron, Djaf-Rae found a mechanic shop to begin working and keep a low profile.
Jinn Farrow specialized in repairing all sorts of mech and he was eager to have another set of hands to help with the work. He was a heavy-set Gungan, with large eyes and the longest ears Daron had ever seen. Curiously, Jinn spoke without the typical Gungan accent they were known for; though traces could still be heard. The shop had plenty of work to do, much of it centered around fixing broken cooling systems and rerouting power couplers. The jobs were easy and kept Daron busy throughout the day. He walked into the shop and found that his bench was already filled with new projects, accumulating overnight it seemed.
“Daron!” Jinn said. “What took ya’ so long? Work’s buildin’ on ya’ desk. It’s not gonna fix itself!” It was the same story everyday and had become a sort of greeting by this point.
“I’ll start now,” Daron replied. He sat at his workbench and began working with his tools on the nearest tech. A genset for a Corellian Dual Fuel System. Normally, he’d just order a new part from the logistics unit, but that was impossible out here. There were no supply lines and no replacements. He’d had to learn to fix things the old-fashioned way, even without using the Force.
He’d spent his entire life freely able to use the Force. As the war grinded on and each mission blended together, he regularly found himself relying on his connection with the Force to hold his composure. A subtle shaking had developed in his hands and without his connection to the Force to help him, he often felt clumsy.
And alone.
The back door opened and someone walked in from the wreck lot. She had spare parts in each arm and set them down on her workbench with a
plop.
“Well, it’s good to see you again,” she said with a smile. Kell was the only other employee that worked for Jinn and she was good at her work. She was the first Kessurian Daron had ever met, which she found hard to believe. She walked over to his desk to inspect his project.
“How’s the work goin’?” she asked.
“Not really sure, just started. It looks like it’s just a bent tube. Nothing too complicated.”
“Not for you, no.” She continued to watch as Daron worked on the genset. While he didn’t need her help right away, he found himself enjoying her company.
“You’d better get back to work,” he said, with a smile. “Before Jinn sees you over here again.”
“Yeah, you’re right,” she said. “I’ll see you in a bit.” Leaving his side and walking to her table, Daron pretended not to watch her walk away. She sat at her table and began to work, briefly looking up to catch Daron’s eyes darting down to his table. He felt his heart begin to thump as he tried to focus on the work in front of him.
His mind raced and he thought about his life as a Jedi, which only seemed to make things worse. Forbidden to have any personal attachments, this was the first time he’d had to confront feelings of desire like this. The war made it easier to distract himself and not develop a love interest.
"You’re no Jedi," he thought to himself. "Not anymore, they’re gone...all of them." He tried not to think of his friends, but it was impossible. He thought of all the faces he’d never see again. He thought of all the voices crying out as their men betrayed them and gunned them down on the battlefields they’d fought together on-
“Daron!” Kell’s voice cut through his thoughts. She stood in front of his workbench again with a smile on her face.
“Would you like to go out for drinks with me tonight?”
* ** ** ** ** ** ** *
They agreed to meet at
Rimdall’s, the local hot-spot, and the largest cantina of the city. It’s what passed as respectable in this part of the Galaxy. Daron arrived a bit early and wanted to get a nice seat before too many people arrived. Though only just after sunset, the catina was already busy. The band blared on the main stage and serving-droids bumbled around with drink trays for paying clients. Smoke hovered at just above head level and gave the entire place cloud cover.
Daron found a small table in the back corner, away from the other patrons. He had a clear view to the front entrance to flag down Kell when she arrived. His heart began to race again, thinking of what he’d say. With everyone talking and the band playing so loud, he’d figured he’d have to yell for her to hear him.
"Or we could just sit closer together," he shrugged, trying not to feel nervous.
Cutting through the noise and straight into his mind, he heard a voice calling his name. His true name.
"Djaf-Rae," it called, getting louder with each echo. He looked around to see who could be calling out his true name but saw no one. Confused, he decided to reach out with the Force, when a man sat at his table.
“I wouldn’t do that,” he said. “That kind of thing could get you killed nowadays.” He had broad shoulders and was at least a head taller than Djaf-Rae. Piercing through the tan blast-helmet’s removed eye-shield were a pair of ice-gray eyes. He removed his helmet and sat down.
The man was bald, with a close-cut beard and a small scar over his left eyebrow. He was formidably big and looked impossibly strong. His hands looked like they could crush Djaf-Rae with no problem whatsoever. He had a power, though, that was beyond the physical; carefully concealed with a kind face. Djaf-Rae couldn’t help but feel disarmed at how familiar he felt, even though they’d never met.
“Who are you? What do you want?” he asked.
“My name is Shar-Na Dinn,” he said, quietly using the Force. It was a whisper in his mind, but louder than the music. “Jedi Master and former member of the Council. There isn’t much time. I’m leaving shortly and would like to ask you for help.”
“My help? For what?”
“Finding other survivors,” he said, using his voice. The statement hung in the air as he waited for Djaf-Rae to respond.
Moments passed before Djaf-Rae looked up at Shar-Na Dinn and agreed to go with him. The two men stood up without saying a word and proceeded to the back of the cantina. Looking over his shoulder, Djaf-Rae could see Kell entering the bar and start to search for him. He wondered what drink she’d order for herself while she waited for him to show up, but he pushed away the thought with difficulty.
Stepping outside, the streets were silent compared to the cantina. The sun had fully gone down and night set all around the two Jedi, heat dissipating off the streets and shops.
“It’s a shame,” Shar-Na Dinn said. “She was very pretty.” He gently smiled a ‘thank you’ and began walking to the spaceport.
* ** ** ** ** ** ** *
Master Shar-Na Dinn’s ship, Ghoster, was deceptively large. Outside, it looked like a small cargo ship, designed for carrying intra-sector goods between systems. However, with some reinforcements and upgrades throughout the engine, Shar-Na Dinn had modified it into a
fast-runner.
After exiting the moon’s atmosphere, they jumped to Hyperspace and within the safety of the cockpit, Shar-Na Dinn felt comfortable enough to tell him more information.
“We’re traveling to the Adega system,” he said. “To find a Jedi Master named Mykl Anthon.”
“What makes you think he’s still alive?”
“Master Mykl Anthon exiled himself and took the Barash Vow, just before the Clone Wars began. But to be honest, I don’t know if he is still alive. I hope he is.” The uncertainty of their mission sank in, growing silent between them.
“Why would he take the Barash Vow?” Djaf-Rae asked, hoping to break the silence and learn more about what was ahead of them. “I don’t know of any living Jedi who’s done it.”
“There are a few throughout the Galaxy,” Shar-Na Dinn said. “But the Order liked to keep them quiet. Mykl Anthon was considered one of the best teachers in the Order and his leaving was a major blow to us all. His many padawans did great things and contributed greatly to the glory of the Jedi and Republic alike. Each one was simply fantastic, whether it was knowledge of the Force or their lightsaber skills. He’d put all of his energy and focus into each one of his students. Even a few of the Jedi Council members were once his pupils. He was truly a remarkable teacher, until his last padawan.”
“What happened? Who was his last padawan?”
“Jaecel Ashara,” he answered grimly. “She was taken on by Master Mykl because many of the other Jedi Masters would not teach her. As an Initiate, she was unremarkable in her abilities and showed almost no promise. Some even think she was accepted into the Order by mistake. It seemed only natural for her to end up with Master Mykl. So, when she continued to show no progress in her training, Master Mykl devoted more of himself to help her. Years went by, much longer than it should have taken and she still remained a padawan.
“Then, seemingly overnight, her power grew exponentially. She became quick as lightning and her ability to use the Force was astonishing. Truly, it was as if she’d completely transformed overnight, reborn with the spirit of fire. To many of us, it was a testament to Master Mykl’s greatness as a teacher. But we were all proven horribly wrong. It turned out that Jaecel Ashara had been turned to the Dark side and accepted the teachings of a nameless Dark Lord. Sadly, Master Mykl volunteered to hunt her down and defeat her since he’d taught much of what she knew already. The cost, though, was much greater than he anticipated.”
“What happened?”
“I don’t know exactly,” continued Shar-Na Dinn. “He defeated his former student and he removed the Darkness from her lightsaber. Upon his return to the Jedi Temple, he relinquished his title to the Council and took the Barash Vow. He immediately left the Order, keeping his padawan’s lightsaber instead of his own.”
Djaf-Rae wondered what that must have been like. He’d never had a padawan, but the loss sounded painful. He’d experienced loss before, on the battlefield with his Clone troopers, however, he also knew that the bond shared between Master & Apprentice runs deeper than comradery. He thought of his own Master, Plo Koon, when Shar-Na Dinn interrupted his thoughts.
“We have some time before we arrive at Adega,” he said and ignited his lightsaber. “I haven’t dueled in a long time and it would be good to practice before we land.”
The cargo hold filled with a fire-orange glow, the familiar
humm radiated off the walls as Shar-Na Dinn took a fighting stance. The heat of the saber permeated around them and the air began to warm Djaf-Rae's face.
“I wish we could,” he said, feeling somewhat embarrassed. “But my lightsaber was destroyed during my escape from the Clones.” His voice trailed off as he unwillingly remembered the fall and the lucky blaster shot that hit his lightsaber instead of him. The lucky shot that sent them both over the ledge and into the river.
“I'm sorry,” Shar-Na Dinn said, turning off his lightsaber. His hand then pulled at something around his neck, breaking the leather strap that secured it. When he brought it up to his face, he lowered his hand but the item stayed suspended in the air. Shar-Na Dinn sent it over using the Force and Djaf-Rae held out his hand to receive it.
“A
Yellow Kyber crystal!?” he exclaimed. “How did yo- Where did-?” He fumbled with his words, barely able to finish a question before the next one was out of his mouth.
“An old keepsake,” he said with a smile. “From my early days. I was a Sentinel, tasked with protecting the inner-sanctum of the Jedi Council’s meditation chambers. The Clone Wars changed that, though. I grew tired of being a guard and wanted to help end the war in any way I could. I resigned from my post and constructed a new lightsaber, but kept my old crystal. Leaving the Temple Guard, though, has its consequences.”
“Consequences?”
“Yes, sort of." Shar-Na Dinn said. "You see, when I left I wanted to be on the front lines, leading troops into battle. My skills, however, were needed in...other ways.” He paused before beginning again. “For much of the war, I was conducting espionage for the Republic.”
“You were a spy!?” Djaf-Rae exclaimed. “I didn’t think Jedi could be spies. It’s against our way.”
“I said the same thing to the Council when they asked me to do it. ‘Terrible, War is’ Master Yoda said in reply. It was exactly what I needed to hear, and it always stayed with me. Once I agreed to the work I was sent far into the Galaxy, beyond the front lines, with only two Clone troopers as support. When Order-66 was executed, I was able to get away without injury. Honestly, though, I regret my decision to leave.”
“Why would you regret it?” Djaf-Rae asked.
“If I’d have stayed,” Shar-Na Dinn replied. “Maybe I could have stopped
him. If I were still guarding the Temple, maybe I could have stopped the massacre. I could have saved them! Maybe I would have even stopped the entire-” he trailed off under grinding teeth. He took in a deep breath to recenter himself.
“We’re here now, alive,” Shar-Na Dinn continued. “And we have each other. I kept this crystal for a reason, that’s all that matters. I’d like you to have it, please.”
Djaf-Rae rotated the crystal in his hand and admired its beauty. He could feel its age carried in its weight. Clear rutilations shot out from deep within it’s core, dancing in the light when he turned it in his hand.
“I’ll let you get to work,” Shar-Na Dinn said. “We have some time before we arrive. Feel free to use any tech you find throughout the ship.” He climbed the ladder that led across the bay to the crew’s quarters and looked over his shoulder.
“It’s good to have you here, brother,” he said, before leaving the bay.
Djaf-Rae wasted no time and set himself loose on all the equipment in the cargo hold.
* ** ** ** ** ** ** *
To be continued...