In the years following the Battle of Endor, the Bakuran Jedi Academy is visited by many large events. The Ssi-Ruuk threat is dealt with, but leaves them in severe disrepair. Council Member Vikro is plagued by visions of a young boy, who could save the Order, and defend it against the encroaching Sith, or joing their enemy, and leave them in darkness.
Destiny Eclipse follows a young Xander Vos and Jysek as they search for the Jedi Academy, at which they both hope to enrole, although Jysek has little if no Force Sensitivity.
In the years to come, Darth Revenous' forces will invade, an iconic Sith shall arrive at Kroprulu, and the Galaxy's biggest ever battle will be fought. Xander must make a choice: stand with his Jedi allies, or follow his grand father, and plunge the Jedi into darkness...
Xander Vos
PART ONE
I was but a boy, younger then you are now, when I began my journey...
-Xander Vos to his Apprentice, Lanik
Chapter One
** 4 ABY – 1 Month after Endor **
Tatooine – Vos Homestead
Heat, nothing but heat, the harsh rays of the twin suns, beat down upon the fragile dwelling below. The dwelling was a rare sight out amidst the sand dunes and valleys on Tatooine. The intricately carved surface helped to keep the heat off, allowing the residents inside to remain at least partially cool in the sun.
Korto Vos, a moisture farmer, toiled steadily upon the stubborn earth and sand that he lay claim to, trying hard to dig away a patch to plant a new moisture vaporator. The family’s last one had exploded in a puff of highly charged steam last night, the heat finally having taken its toll on it.
Korto Vos did not look any different to the other farmers in his area. He had shoulder length black hair, the touches of grey – a symptom of living on Tatooine, greys before your time – hair beginning to set in, leathery, tanned skin, and wrinkling skin. He wore a short brimmed cap over his head, the brim tugged down low, as to conceal his face. This was partly to keep his face out of the sun, and partly because he still felt the need to hide, the need to run, and stay as far away from the evil might that was the Empire.
For Korto, despite his appearance, was not a normal farmer, not even having been born on Tatooine, but on far away Nar Shaada, a planet in stark contrast to the world he had chosen to spend the rest of his life on. The bleak conditions of Tatooine were in severe contrast to the noisy crowdedness of Nar Shaada, as much as a womp rat was from a Hutt. Korto was not a farmer. He was the son of a Jedi Master.
Quinlan Vos, famed Jedi Master, and assumed dead as of the Battle of Kashyyyk, had, in fact lived on, witnessing the birth of his son, and then relocating them to the beautiful world of Naboo. Korto still had faint memories through the Force of Nar Shaada, even though he had left before he was even a year old, indicating his power in the Force.
The Force. The concept, even now, was laughable. The Empire had all but destroyed the Jedi, though every year there was yet another report of Jedi who had survived the Jedi Purge, with most proving to be nothing more then over-dramatised holo-net reports. They ranged from people having been witnessed at casinos with long winning streaks, to people who actually possessed a lightsaber. Even when proved unable to use the Force, these individuals were put to death for fraud, and for treachery to the Galactic Empire.
Korto suppressed the Force every time he felt a vision oncoming. Recently, his visions had been getting worse, showing, what he assumed, a Temple on a remote world, Jedi milling around, and a Council, strong and proud. He knew this was impossible, the Empire would have tracked them down long ago, and so knew that it was from the past. Yet still... he felt something in the vision, as if his son, his only son, belonged there.
After having grown up into a striking young man on Naboo, under the name of Xander Antilles, Korto had met a beautiful young woman. He had been shocked to learn, under the strictest of confidences, that she herself had once been a Jedi Knight, serving on the Outer Rim world of Maridun.
The two had been unable to deny their feelings for each other, that had grown stronger every day, and the two had wed in a lovely location, far from the prying eyes of the Imperial garrison posted on the Emperor’s home world. Then, terror had struck.
Even now, thinking back to that moment, Korto’s eyes still clenched shut in pain, the horrible image upon arriving back at his house had been too painful to ever die away.
Returning from their brief honeymoon to the Gallo Mountains, the largest mountain chain on the planet, Xander, who had not yet assumed his true identity, and his newly wedded wife, had discovered Xander’s hovel smashed and destroyed, raided by Imperial Stormtroopers. His mother, by now a feeble old lady, lay dying in the wreckage, unable to see or to attempt to call for help. Rushing to her side, Xander had received her loyal blaster as he cradled her in his arms, watching her die.
According to later reports, a Jedi Master’s family had been discovered and executed for crimes against the Galactic Empire, hiding on Naboo, of all places. Xander, assuming his original identity, Korto Vos, and his wife, travelled through the Galaxy, barely staying in one place long enough to settle down.
Before long, his wife fell pregnant, with their one and only child. They soon realised that they couldn’t keep running from the Empire when they now had a child to be fearful for. Scouting the Outer Rim, Korto finally decided on Tatooine as the last planet he would ever see, vowing never to leave, for fear of bringing Imperials down upon him and his family, as his father had done just by allowing his mother to relocate to Naboo.
They had decided to name their child after the man Korto’s wife had fallen in love with, Xander, and giving him back the surname Xander’s grandfather had worn with pride, Vos.
By now, the twin suns were beginning to set in the sky above Korto, who paused in his work to watch them cast a rosy glow across the land, the one time of day Tatooine looked even remotely desirable.
Shaking off the emotion welling in his gut, Korto returned to his work, knowing he would never see any other.
Tatooine – Mos Hurga
“Wowee! You’ve got an astromech! Your so lucky,” Xander Vos gushed, watching as the rusty R4 droid spun in its own tracks, digging into the loose sand, and spinning it up into the air.
“That’s not all I’ve got,” Xander’s friend and confident Jysek Talore said smugly, “I’ve got a speeder bike. My papa gave it to me as soon as he knew I was old enough to ride it.”
Xander sighed in disappointment. He longed for a speeder of his own, but knew his father thought it was dangerous, despite his abilities that Korto had begged him not to mention. Even at the age of ten, Xander felt like he was a small baby, presided over by his over-protective parents, who would never allow him to do anything on his own.
Jysek was four years his senior, already a teenager, and allowed to go out at night with only a Defence Droid to halter any unfriendly contact he could run into in Mos Horga. He was a friendly boy, a head taller than Xander, though always quick to Xander’s defence if ever trouble arose in his father’s centre.
Jysek was born from a rich family, which Xander was jealous of, having always known that poverty was a constant in his life, and that it would never change. Jysek’s father owned a large shuttle business, allowing people transport wherever they desired with no questions asked, though there was a hefty sum of money involved, Xander was sure of that.
“A speeder bike? Woah, your so lucky Jysek, can I take a ride?” Xander asked, hopefully, as he looked up into the hazelnut eyes of his friend, searching for an answer buried in them.
“Sure,” Jysek said, after a moment of consideration, “In a month or two, I wanna make sure its at optimum safety levels first, don’t want to have to explain to your Papa that I caused your death, now would I?” He asked, nudging Xander in the ribs, a grin splayed across his face.
Xander grinned ruefully, “Ah, ok. I guess I can wait,” he said, secretly disappointed that the only speeder bike he would ride would be the one he rode in his dreams, “But how awesome would it be to have your own star cruiser?” He said, changing the subject.
“Yeah,” Jysek said, smiling, pretending he didn’t notice the abrupt change in tempo, “My Papa says he’s set aside two. One for you and one for me.”
Xander’s eyes lit up, his heart lifting, “Really? My very own star cruiser?”
“Well, not exactly,” Jysek admitted, “Its a one man ship, a salvaged X-Wing fighter, from one of the battles the Rebels had against the Imperials.”
They both paused for a moment, their dreams of joining the Rebel Alliance soaring through their minds, as fast as the X-Wings they both imagined they were flying. Luke Skywalker, a now famous Rebel Pilot, had left Tatooine only a few years ago, and Jysek claimed to have met him once or twice, though Xander discounted that as hopeful wishing.
“Wow,” Xander murmured, “My very own ship.” Immediately, his heart sank, “But my Papa! He might not let me! After all, he doesn’t want me ever leaving here, because of the Imperials. He thinks I might get hurt,” Xander said, rolling his eyes. He still didn’t understand what the Imperials could want with him that they wouldn’t want with someone like Jysek, who had a rich family.
“I’m sure my Papa can talk to your Papa, and sort the whole thing out,” Jysek said, gently. He looked glum, realising that mentioning the ships, that his father had only just begun working on, may have sparked false hope inside Xander, and he instantly regretted it.
“Well, I gotta get home, or my Papa will get mad,” Xander said, glancing out at the setting sun, and the patiently waiting protocol droid.
“Oh, ok, nice seeing you again Xander, talk to you tomorrow,” Jysek said.
“Yeah, see you Jys!” Xander said, using his friend’s nickname, as he backed away, towards the waiting speeder, piloted by the Protocol droid that his father called his protector, but Xander saw through it. The Protocol droid was his nanny.
“Greetings Master Vos,” the droid said, bowing dutifully to his master, as the young boy clambered into the speeder.
“Yeah, yeah, thanks Ty,” Xander muttered to D-40, as he gazed up at the shining stars far above his head. As the speeder sped along, back to his hovel of a home, Xander wished that one day he would be able to fly amongst them.
Kroprulu – Sith Commander Minious’ Private Office
Commander Minious toiled dutifully in his office, working hard to compensate for recent losses in battles with blasted space pirates. Three Star Destroyers had been damaged, their aft engines had been forced to shut down for fear of starting a chain reaction and blowing the craft out of space.
The Empire’s ship yards on Felucia, usually only used if Rhen Var’s were over taken by an invader, were working over time, producing resources to accommodate for the growing fleets. Recently an extra fleet had been put under construction, as well as the need to put more TIE squadrons in the Star Destroyers.
As such, the battle against the pirates had been taxing in more ways then one; several Golan stations over Dargon had lost power, and so also needed repairs. Darth Minious’ rarely used office had seen a lot more frequency in the last few days as he calculated what they could use to make up for the materials needed.
The Super Star Destroyer orbiting Rhen Var was nearing completion, with half its compliment of Star Destroyers already complete. The other half was nearing completion, for many only needing the shield generators added, others requiring engines installed and others needed small systems installed.
Once they were complete, the three Star Destroyers in his fleet would be repaired, and he could once again return his fleet to maximum capacity.
Rubbing his eyes as they struggled to remain open, Darth Minious sighed, staring out the grand window in his office, glancing up at the shining stars, longing to be amongst them again.
Xander Vos
Chapter Two
** 4 ABY - 1 Month after Endor **
Tatooine – Vos Homestead
The creaking of their old speeder indicated her son’s return from his daily visits to his friend Jysek. Lysa Sornfree sighed, watching as the speeder came to a rumbling halt, her son dutifully hopping off as the droid returned it to its hangar, before exiting the craft itself, returning to shadow Xander and make sure he remained out of harm’s way whilst Lysa made the family’s dinner.
As a Jedi Knight, she had served in the Clone Wars on Maridun, seeing the deaths of her friends, feeling the gut wrenching betrayal as she had witnessed from afar the Clones turning upon their allies, cutting them down with cold precision. She had been lucky they had not found her, and to this day, no one knew she had served on that planet, had become the one branded the “Maridun Mystery” by the Empire’s officials as they searched for her. Not even her husband or son.
The cold bleakness here on Tatooine was a harsh reality she forced herself through. Her husband, twenty years her junior, though age mattered not to the pair, more in love then anything, and unable to deny their feelings for one another, slaved away all day. He returned to the hovel at night for a meal before curling up in their bed next to his betrothed, before awakening early the next morning and returning to set up the moisture vaporator.
He continued to promise her that before long he would be able to hire droid hands to do the work for him. He promised he that that would mean that he would be able to spend all day and all night with her, the two would finally be able to live out their dream. But then there was Xander. It was obvious to Lysa that her son didn’t belong on Tatooine, that the rest of his life belonged elsewhere, not here, slaving his heart away just to put a few scraps on the table.
Having a friend like Jysek didn’t help matters, the rich boy befriending Xander under innocent conditions, the two being true friends. He was slowly, unintentionally putting dreams and longings in Xander’s head, of flying away from this barren world, of fighting in the Rebellion, of becoming a Jedi.
That last thought caused a stone of dread to drop in Lysa’s stomach. Since Xander had been born, it had been clear that the descendant from the two famed Jedi was powerful in the Force, more attuned to it than she had ever been.
Since he had been four, he had begun finding lost things by levitating them, and revealing them. Desperate for him to have a normal life, she had begun scolding him and punishing him when she caught him using these powers.
Slowly, over time, he had stopped using them, genuinely believing them to be bad for him and his family, seeing it just as he saw being toilet trained, as a necessity for young children, assuming all children had gone through the stage he had.
When news had filtered through of the Emperor’s death at Endor several days ago, Korto and Lysa had seriously begun discussing allowing him to venture out into the Galaxy, and find his destiny, for it was clear he belonged amongst the Jedi, or at the very least the Rebellion. Korto still refused to think of ever letting his only son leave them forever, and venture out to find the Jedi, even though Lysa knew that at heart he knew it was inevitable. He knew that when Xander was old enough and began hearing about the Jedi of old, he would understand that his parents had lied to him and leave regardless.
Lysa snapped out of her reverie, as the tone on the cooker went off, and she rushed to pull the food from the cooker as Korto walked in, talking and laughing with Xander, who looked especially excited. He had obviously not told Korto the news, though, as he was basically ignoring Korto, as if wishing to get a word in to tell his news.
The smell of the settling food reached Lysa’s nose, as Korto and Xander sat at the table, awaiting her and her delicious home recipe. She quietly sat down as a droid put the finishing touches on it and brought it to the table on a hover-trolley.
“So, I got some great news from Jysek today,” Xander chimed in, his eyes shining brightly, as his father’s eyes snapped to cover Xander’s face, his attention riveted to the boy.
“What is it son? He got some new toy from his father? That man spoils his son in my opinion,” Korto said, sniffing haughtily, showing his distaste for the family he so regularly called snobs.
“Korto,” Lysa said, placing a placating hand on her husband’s arm, reminding him that, while the fathers didn’t get along, the sons certainly did, and that meant that Korto should try, at least when Xander was around.
Korto sighed, in resignation as much as in defeat, “I’m sorry, go on son,” he said, trying to sound genuinely curious, though failing by Lysa’s mark. Xander continued oblivious.
“Jysek said his Papa found two rusted X-Wing fighters in the desert, that hes gonna try and fix them, and give me and Jysek one each,” Xander said, “Can you believe it? My very own ship!”
Korto’s head snapped around to Lysa, a glare evident on his face, “Let me get my hands on that George,” he muttered, hands wringing the flimso-napkin in his lap, as if demonstrating what he would do to Jysek’s father. “Putting false hope in my son’s heart, and encouraging him to leave the planet, even though he knows where I stand on it.”
“Korto, the man can do what he chooses. It was Jysek who told Xander, not George, so taking your anger out on him would be pointless,” Lysa said, a small smile creeping onto her face. Even though the news saddened her, it also gave her delight, that finally Xander may have a way to escape this wretched world, and make a name for himself in the Rebellion, or in a new Jedi Order, if ever one would re-appear.
Xander glanced between his two parents, confused by their emotions. His father looked as if he wanted something to hit, to vent his anger at what Xander thought would make them happy. His mother looked as delighted as he had hoped his father would be.
“That’s wonderful,” Lysa said to Xander, a smile beaming across her face, “I’m sure your father will teach you how to fly it, won’t you Korto?” She said, giving him a small kick under the table.
“What? Oh, yes, of course I will teach you son. Did I ever tell you that tale about the time I flew a YT-2400 craft from Mos Horga to Mos Eisley? I flew half way around Tatooine followed by a group of pirates...” Korto droned on, Xander burying his face in his hands, as he’d heard this, seemingly, only exciting tale his father had to tell countless times.
Lysa saw the look on her son’s face and, noticing he had finished, took his plate and put it on the tray, “Perhaps you would like to go to bed, son? Its been a big day.”
Glad for an excuse to leave the table, Xander nodded enthusiastically, hopping down, and running to his room, probably intent on playing another game of Speeder Chase, though Lysa had no doubt that if she walked in, he would be speaking of arming the Torpedos, and linking lasers.
She turned to her husband, “Korto? When are you going to let him go? When are you going to let him live his life?”
Korto turned to her, in surprise, “Lysa, hes ten years old. Hes barely begun at the local school, so why should we even be discussing this? Other boys his age have no desire to leave home yet, they just want to get on with work, and perhaps start noticing girls, or boys, depending on who they are,” Korto said, in a gruff voice indicating he didn’t want to pursue the topic.
Lysa pressed him anyway, “But you know as well as I that Xander is no ordinary boy, that his abilities far surpass even your own.”
Korto glanced around, as if Imperial spies could burst from the adjoining rooms, stun cuffs at the ready, “Hush! Don’t you remember that we agreed never to speak of that?”
“Oh come on Korto, the Emperor is dead, the Empire weakened beyond repair. Perhaps the Jedi Order is on the mend. I have heard rumours that Luke Skywalker was the one to defeat Darth Vader, that he may be the son of Anakin Skywalker. That means he may have the Force running through his blood, that the Jedi could return.”
“Nevertheless, I don’t want my son making a target of himself for some Imperial hotshot assassin. If that Academy I saw in my visions was a current one...” Korto voice faltered, realising he had said to much already.
Lysa perked up, her attention riveted upon her husband’s face, “Academy? You mean a Jedi Academy? Where? Korto Vos, if you refuse to tell me...”
“I don’t no where,” Korto snapped, with uncharacteristic tension in his voice, “But yes, it had a Council, upon which the Force was strong, several initiates who practised lightsaber skills, what else could it be? I feel that the vision may not have been present, but it was not far in the past, and only perhaps one or two years in the future. It exists as a possible Academy for our son, but I fear that if he develops his skills, he will never see us again, that he will thrust himself into danger again and again, merely to prove himself to us, to his peers and Apprentices. He would do it as easily as you to your Master, like I did to my father,” at that point, Korto choked on his words, emotion welling up, as it did every time he mentioned his father. He had never known his father, the man having left him when he was very young, either to try his luck against the Empire, or find Jedi on the Holonews and warn them into hiding.
“You can’t see yourself as your father. Your son loves you, and would never think that you pushed him out into the galaxy, all alone. We should at least ask him if he wishes to go. George won’t have finished repairing the craft for a month or two tops, so we would have plenty of time to farewell him if he did choose to go, and so much the better for you if he chose to remain here by your side.”
Korto nodded, finally accepting the choice that he had denied to choose for years, “Very well, I will tell him in the morning. Until then, lets just be a family, not Jedi, merely people, enjoying the ones they love, and rejoicing in the time we have with each other.”
Lysa smiled gently, rubbing his arm, “I know it will be hard for you, my love, but it is his time, as it was for all Jedi children. His time has come later then most, but remember, the Chosen One was brought into the Order at the age of nine, and died heroically trying to save it at the Temple against Darth Vader. Our son is merely one year older, and not from the emotional scarring that Skywalker was from. He will achieve great things, that one.”
Bakura – Jedi Academy
Chaos reigned at the usually calm Academy. Ever since the Emperor’s death, loud rejoicing had torn through the facilities in the remote regions of the mountains of Bakura.
Jedi Council Members Vikro, and Koras had been frantic, trying to boost security measures around the area, worried that the Imperial outpost that had been stationed on Bakura for the last ten years may have heard these thunderous celebrations, and may attempt to investigate.
More problems had ensued in recent days with the Ssi-Ruuk invasion of the world, and the grand amount of attention the world was receiving throughout the Galaxy. The lizard-like race had burnt away large portions of the forest around the Academy, destroying, pillaging, and stealing all they could find.
The shield-generator and cloaking device surrounding the Academy had been strong enough, and the Ssi-Ruuk had moved on. Finally, the Rebellion had arrived, beating back the monsters, and Koras just hoped that all would return to usual soon.
He stood on a mountain peak near the Academy, surveying the capital city of the region, and the smoke billowing from it. He shook his head silently, his ears grace fully moving in the light wind, the pain in his heart immense, as he sensed each death come as a crippling blow to him.
“How are you, my friend?” Vikro said, from behind the Togrutan, a small, sad smile appearing on his face as he saw the small tear sliding down Koras’ orange cheek.
“Oh, hello Vikro, I apologise, I didn’t sense you. The chaos is causing me so much pain, I’m afraid I have put a barrier up, trying to block the Force’s impressions on me, each death is too crippling for me to bear for much longer.”
“Don’t apologise, Koras, I’ve done much the same,” Vikro said, moving to stand next to Koras and stare out into the sea of green forest in direct contrast to the orange and black flames billowing throughout the city.
“Have you had any more visions following yesterday’s one? Koras asked, not taking his eyes from the devastation.
“Only one,” Vikro answered, “The boy from the first was boarding an X-Wing, leaving his sandy home, and searching. Searching for what, I don’t know,” Vikro said frowning, his forehead wrinkling in confusion, “We must keep watch, for its possible his destination was here. He is a powerful being in the Force after all. I could feel that from here.”
Koras nodded, his voice seeming distant, “But is he destined to bring about greatness for our order, or leave in shadows?”
“I wonder that with every powerful recruit,” Vikro said, thoughtfully, “We must trust that the Force will guide us down the correct path, and not lead us astray. For without the Force, what do we have?”
Xander Vos
Chapter 3
** 4 ABY - 2 Months after Endor **
Tatooine – Mos Hurga
A month had passed since Xander had been told he would be allowed to leave Tatooine on completion of the craft Jysek’s father was making him, every day since having been one full of joy and happiness, nothing able to bring his mood down, or upset him. Even Jysek’s ignorant bragging did not upset him, only gave him cause to be happy for his friend’s good fortune, knowing that to him, he preferred the opportunity given to him, than to have a father who owned everything upon Tatooine.
The morning his father had told him the truth, had been the happiest day in his short life. The truth had stung, that his parents had lied to him hurt over everything else, but that they were giving the opportunity to leave Tatooine left that pain in a forgotten realm of his heart.
The following days had been a whirlwind of excitement, as Xander had told Jysek the excellent news, and inquiring how much longer his father would need to complete the repairs on the two craft. Jysek had said it would take nearly a month, and Xander had awaited the day that Jysek announced their completions anxiously.
“Xander? Xander? Xander Vos, can you hear me?” Jysek said, waving his slender hand in front of the ten-year-old’s face.
“Huh? What?” Xander said, waking from his daze of happiness.
“I said that my father has almost completed the craft. Do you want to go down as he finishes up? You can say your fare wells for your parents, then we can head down. Ok?” Jysek said, full of energy as he bounced around, anxious to see his very own space craft, and test it out.
“He’s ready? Why didn’t you say so?” Xander said, scrambling to his feet and racing to the door, glancing around, expecting the craft to be sitting right there, in the middle of Jysek’s father’s work shop.
“I have said it before, over and over, but you seemed spaced out, and wouldn’t stop smiling. You looked like a nerf herder,” Jysek said, with a teasing smile on his face, “Come on, I’ll race you there.” He said, racing off around the corner.
Xander complied, though they both knew it was an unfair challenge; Jysek knew where the craft were, and Xander didn’t, so Xander’s only chance to take over would be at the very end, giving Jysek more then enough time to win.
Extremely agile for his age, always having been one for agility, Xander quickly caught up to the unfit Jysek, who had already begun to pant and slow.
“Tired already?” Xander said, grinning as he too slowed. Jysek soon came to a halt, gazing up at something in front of him. Xander was still looking at him, “What? A thousand credit bill falling from the sky?” He taunted, glancing around to see what had caught Jysek’s attention.
The breath left his lungs as he stared up in amazement at the sleek, shiny T-65 Incom X-Wings standing on their landing struts in front of him, a thin layer of dust from the sandy floor having already begun to coat them, only adding to their mysticism.
George Talore, Jysek’s father, wiping an oily rag over one of the X-Wing’s wing’s, laughed as he saw the two wide eyed boys staring up at their very own craft.
“Thought you’d like it Xander, you can guess which is yours,” he added with a twinkle in his eyes, turning to gaze at his handy work, having turned two, rusty and incomplete X-Wings into these two works of art.
Xander nodded excitedly. One of the X-Wing’s painted instead of the customary orange and white, was almost purely green; strips of yellow running along the wings and cris-crossing over the cockpit. Xander had always preferred the colour green to any other, unable to explain it, though perhaps it had something to do with the fact that when he slept at night, some nights he saw glints of green, laser swords flashing from side-to-side. These laser swords, he had recently learnt were light sabers, the weapons of the Jedi, and the weapon of his Kiffu grand father, Quinlan Vos.
He looked questioningly at George, who nodded approvingly, and Xander quickly scrambled aboard the craft, running his hand softly over the controls, which were already blinking, flashing, and throbbing. He couldn't believe it was all his, and he owed nothing to George.
He leaned out of the open cockpit, and shouted above the noise of Jysek starting his craft, the noise crashing around the room. “Are you sure I don’t owe you anything George?” He asked.
George smiled, and spread his hands placatingly, “I’m sure. Seeing the smile on your face, and knowing this will let you achieve your dreams is payment enough,” he said, as he turned, “Just remember, allow Jysek to teach you how to fly it before trying on your own, I don’t want your dreams to lay amongst the dust.”
“I will sir, I promise.” Xander said, powering up his own craft as Jysek quickly ran over the basics via the comm unit in his craft. His craft. Xander felt a shiver of excitement run down his spine. This wasn’t a fantasy he was about to wake up from, this wasn’t someone else’s craft, this was real. This was his.
He goosed the throttle, and nudged his yoke down, letting the craft slip up into the air, and out through the recently opened roof by George, and out into the blue, cloudy sky. The sky was so free. There were no boundaries in the sky, no mother to call you in when you went to far, no father to punish you for not telling him where you were going. The sky was his.
Tatooine – Vos Homestead
Korto had finished packing Xander’s bags, an ordeal he had thought would reduce him and Lysa to tears, but both of them remained dry eyed, as dry as Tatooine was hot.
His possessions rested at the door, to be sent ahead of him to wherever he wanted to go, as they were to many to fit with him in his snub fighter. Fighter. Korto hated the fact that Xander would be flying a craft suited for war. He hoped George had not repaired the proton tubes and lasers and refilled them, but had decommissioned them and added more to the cockpit.
Even though his father and his wife had been Jedi, fighting viciously in a war manipulated from the start, Korto couldn’t stand the thought of fighting. He knew in his heart that if he had become a Jedi, he would have been one of the Healers Lysa used to talk about when in a mood good enough to disclose a bare amount of information about the Jedi, and how they used to live.
Lysa moved over to stand by her husband, slipping her small hand in his large, callused one, her tender skin rubbing against his hard skin. “He’ll be alright, you know,” she murmured, “Last night, I had a vision, not one from a changeable future, but one I knew in my heart would take place. It was our son, a grown man and wielding a lightsaber, padawan by his side, fighting in a bitter conflict, that takes place decades from now, on a far off world.”
Korto nodded, uneasy that Lysa had confirmed her son’s survival, only to fight in a war he may not come away alive from, “Then we must hope the Force guides him to victory in battle, and allow him to die at peace with himself and the Force.”
“As it should always be,” Lysa said, ending their phrase. Ever since Xander had been little, he had been unable to understand the deaths of his small pets. Once, when Xander had caught a wild Ibian, rare to their parts, he had fallen in love with it, nurturing it as it grew. When it had died, he had been distraught, but Lysa, allowing one of her rare mentions of the Force told him the creature had been at peace with itself and the Force, as it always should be. Xander had understood, and had rejoiced that his pet had moved on into a greater place.
Lysa knew her son would become a powerful, and wise man. He had had an understanding about life and the Force from such a young age, and would never fear the bitter selfishness that came often with attachment if he understood what happened to life after death.
A roar in the distance from powerful engines signalled the fast approaching vehicles of Jysek and Xander, and Korto squinted in the distance, watching as the small black specks slowly grew into round orbs, then split into the X that gave the craft its name.
Soon the craft touched down outside the small hovel, and Xander hopped from his craft, racing towards his parents, already almost as tall as his father, and still growing at a rapid rate.
“Dad! Mum! Did you see me? I raced Jysek all the way here from the Jundland Wastes! That’s almost four klicks away!” Xander said, his eyes wide with excitement as he reached up to hug his parents, kissing his mother on the cheek.
“Yes, we saw you,” Lysa said, trying to suppress the grin that was spreading, try as she might, around her face, tears of joy at seeing her son so happy finally entering her eyes, “You, my son, are quite a pilot, and only a beginner at that.”
“Aww, your just saying that mum,” Xander said, turning to his dad, as his grin began to falter, “Well, I guess this is good bye, dad,” he said, a tear glistening in his eye.
“I told you,” Korto said sternly, almost angrily, “Call me papa.”
Xander, who had begun to stiffen, relaxed, and grinned, grabbing his father in a bear hug, holding him for what seemed like hours, as if he would never hold him again. He turned again to his mother.
“See you mum, I’ll try to visit if I ever become a Jedi,” Xander said, hugging her to his body again, kissing her on the cheek as he tasted the salt from her tears as they ran freely down her cheeks now.
“Good bye son,” she said, proudly, ruffling his hair as she stepped back, glancing at Korto again as Xander picked up his things, depositing them in a nearby transport, and giving it his hyper-comm code.
“Xander,” Korto said, drawing him back to his father. “My mother gave this to me, and she told me the tale of how she used it to help save my father’s life,” Korto said, producing a sleek DH-17 Blaster Pistol.
Xander’s eyes bulged. The fact that his father was giving him a weapon, much less one so valuable to him was unprecedented, but he looked back up as he realised his father hadn’t finished.
Korto turned, and picked up a pair of scaly boots from the side of the home stead, “These I made from the hulk of a Krayt Dragon’s hide. They are powerful, and will last through pretty much anything, even a direct blaster shot. I made them specially for you,” Korto said, looking at his only son, emotion welling in his eyes, “They are adaptable as well, and should fit you for almost your entire life.”
“Thank you papa,” Xander said, his voice barely a whisper as emotion welled in his throat, turning his voice husky, as he hugged his father fiercely again, unwilling to let go of the man he saw as the only role model in his life.
Jysek stood patiently by his craft, shuffling uncomfortably, clearly awkward in such a scene of emotion, unsure whether he should turn away, or if that would just make it more awkward.
Xander walked over to him, grinning, and taking one last look at his home. Shocked at the scene before him, one of flames, pain, and death. Blinking rapidly, the vision fell away, his parents and his intact home replacing it. Feeling dazed, he waved his parents off, climbing into his craft, as Jysek climbed into his.
Checking all pre-flight systems were alright, he set off, watching as Jysek, much less clumsy then Xander, also set off, doing a few spins and dives to show off as usual.
As Xander reached the outer atmosphere, he turned to watch Jysek’s craft. “Well, this is it Jysek,” he said, for some reason more emotional to say good bye to Jysek than to his parents.
“See you Xander, have a good life. Might see you again some day,” Jysek said, wiggling his wings in respect for his friend.
“Well, don’t want to start crying now,” Xander joked, “See you.” He pulled back the lever that he had pre-set with co-ordinates, and watched for the first time as the stars elongated and turned into blue swirls, as he made the jump into Hyperspace that he had always wanted.
Tatooine – Outer Atmosphere
Jysek watched Xander go, knowing where he was going, having calculated the jump for Xander before transmitting it to his nav-computer. His hand rested on the Hyperspace lever, battling with inner demons.
If he left to follow his friend, he left his family behind. If he stayed with his family, he let his long time friend, and almost brother, in a sense, go out and explore the galaxy on his own.
Jysek sighed, his brown eyes searching amongst the stars, as if looking for an answer amongst them. Finally, making up his mind, he pulled back the lever, making the jump to Hyperspace.
Bakura – Jedi Academy
Vikro sat in quiet contemplation. Weeks ago, the Ssi-Ruuk had been beaten back by the combined Rebel Alliance and Imperial remnants. Now their world had returned to peace. He breathed in deeply, as if soaking in the harmonious feelings.
He heard footsteps behind him, and glanced up to watch Grand Master Abba sit down besides him, her eyes closed in meditation.
“What news of the boy?” She asked simply, not opening her eyes, or falling out of meditation.
“He has left, his destiny brings him here,” Vikro said, his forehead knotting in confusion, “And, somehow, I feel a connection with him, as if his destiny and mine are intertwined, like twine on a ball.”
“You must be careful with that one,” Abba said, turning to her friend and opening her eyes, “I sense much darkness in his heart, whether that be now, or from events in the near future. If he is to come to the Temple, he will need a wise and just Master, to help him turn that darkness into light.”
The klaxons awoke Xander in a jolt from his doze. They signalled that he was nearing the gravity mass of Naboo, and that he needed to exit Hyperspace soon. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he blinked, quickly becoming alert. Pulling back the lever slowly, the engines began to slow, reducing their speed by hundreds of kilometres a second, next to nothing compared to how fast they were going.
Soon they reached the cut-off point, and as they slowed further, the blue spiral of Hyperspace sucked into the distance, as if it had encountered vacuum, turning the stars back into the familiar pinpoints of light, and surrounding Xander with darkness, as well as a lush, quiet world in front of him.
He ran his hands lovingly over the controls of his ship that had brought him to this world, the world he had heard of in tales from his parents. The world where his father had married his mother. The world where his grand mother had been hunted down by the Empire and killed. Naboo.
Swiftly cutting his thrust, he spun gracefully in toward the planet, Jysek’s quick and brief lessons coming in handy as he quickly began to learn more and more about his craft.
As his craft entered the upper atmosphere, his comm unit crackled like a Worrt suffocating from its own tongue, and Xander jumped, “Yes? Who is it?” He demanded, his voice high-pitch with fright, thinking of who it could be: Space Pirates, Smugglers, Thieves, Rogues, or worse.
“This is Theed-Space Docking Bay immigration control,” a drawling voice said, “Please state your name, and be sure to disembark at one of our several Docking Bays, and check into our Immigration Centre for your City pass, thank you.”
Xander chuckled embarrassingly, unable to believe he had over reacted, “My name is Xander Vos. I’ll only be staying in Theed for a short time. I’m on a sort of trip down memory lane. I need to learn more about my past.”
There was a pause over the comm, then something that sounded like a chocked gasp, “Xander Vos? As in The Vos? Quinlan Vos’ descendant? You aren’t welcome here,” the voice said, loosing its drawl and becoming tough.
“I only want to set down for a while,” Xander said, confused as to why Vos was such a bad surname to have, and what his parents and grand parents could have possibly done.
After what seemed an eternity to the mind of the ten year old, the Controller came back on, “Fine, you may land, Vos, but only for forty-eight hours, no more. We will search all baggage you carry with you, and any that may arrive addressed for you. Count yourself lucky we’re even allowing you to land at all.”
“Oh, I am,” Xander said graciously, switching off the comm, and turning into a descent softly, towards the capital city, Theed, which was only a few hundred klicks from Keren, the important city his parents had lived in.
His craft cruised to a stop in Docking Bay 2781, where he switched the engines off, listening in wonder as they crackled, the heat leaving the metal casing readily into the atmosphere. He still couldn’t get over the fact that this craft was his own.
Walking briskly over to the customs control office located near the Docking Bays, Xander surrendered the pass-code to the X-Wing, with the information the code would change in three hours, so they should hurry their search.
Changing the pass code on craft was common after a customs inspection and check of a person’s luggage, otherwise a pilot ran the risk of allowing a corrupt officer to make off with their craft and never return.
Xander gazed off impatiently, as he awaited the confirmation his craft was clean, and the all clear from the customs for him to fly around Naboo, in the form of an ID tag he would attach to the end of his craft’s unique tag.
As he gazed through the sky, he thought his eyes were playing tricks on him, because, as he watched, a familiar X-Wing set down in a Docking Bay near his.
Bakura – Jedi Academy
The Council flowed into the room like a smooth river gliding into the ocean, as they spread out, taking their seats and nodding at each other in respect, as was customary at the start of every Council Meeting.
“First order,” The Grand Master of the Order, Abba said, speaking forth, “The recent invasion of Bakura by the Ssi-Ruuk is over, but the damage is still being fixed. We need to send a Jedi team to help them, usual procedure applies of course.”
As the Jedi Academy on Bakura was secret, any contact the Order had with the rest of Bakura was as a group of devout monks, of a religion so dull that so far no one from the main cities or towns had investigated their “monastery”. If Jedi were sent to mediate an argument, or defend them, they always appeared in brown robes, using the Force to convince locals they were with the local armed forces.
If anything more serious arose, their were recorded instances in the Order’s history where the Jedi had taken an active role in the planet’s defence, even going so far as to use their lightsabers in public. Afterwards, they were forced to wipe the short term memory of any witnesses, in order to preserve the Order.
This had become a much more serious reality in the recent years with the Jedi Purge initiated by Emperor Palpatine, and carried out by Darth Vader, a Sith, and legions of Clones. Several prominent Jedi in the Order had been killed whilst out on field missions, and more had been tracked to Bakura, where they had had to make sure all Inquisitors were dead, and could not relay the reports to Darth Vader or the Emperor himself.
“I agree,” Vikro said, his mind still focussed on the peculiar boy from his visions, “Perhaps Padawan Urwen Udeseesie and his Master Jorkath Hant should be sent. I know Urwen is nearing Knighthood, with only a few years to go, and it would serve to remind him how cruel and unforgiving the world outside these walls can be like.”
Rive Caedo, sitting next to Vikro, was a Senior Council Member, and the one rumoured to have been next in line to be Grand Master before Abba was brought onto the Council. When Abba had been put on the Council, the unanimous vote for the next Grand Master was in her favour. He nodded his head, “Interesting idea, Vikro,” he said, with his customary grin on his face, “Urwen has been a tad arrogant, and it will do him good.”
After the customary vote and predictable unanimous decision, they moved onto the next, and only other issue, a much more serious one.
“Kinyen, home to the peaceful Grans, a planet in Bakura’s vicinity, has been witnessing untold acts of horror in the past few months,” Abba said. “We need to send one of the Council to mediate the situation and bring the ring-leaders of this terrorist group calling themselves Black Haven into custody.”
“I will go,” Vikro said, speaking up again, “I am without a Padawan, and so would be perfect for this mission without disrupting the flow of life around the Temple. When would I leave?”
“In a month or two,” Abba replied, “I am still fixing the agreement with the Kinyenian Government, and they seem hesitant to get us involved.”
Although they remained secret on Bakura, the Order was known throughout the Galaxy as the “Peace Bringers” a group of fanatic individuals trying to bring peace to the Galaxy, and to heal wounds left by the Empire. All communication to the Galaxy was through triangular signals, so as to never be able to trace them back to their Temple on Bakura.
In generations past, when the Coruscanti, Corellian, and Dantooine Orders had been strong, they had been another Jedi Order, known as the “Phantom Order” their location a secret. In the lead up to the Clone Wars, the Order had retreated, and the Purge had further confirmed that the “Phantoms” had disappeared.
“Very well,” Vikro said, “I will be ready to leave as soon as possible.”
Naboo – Theed Docking Bays
Xander rushed to the craft, his heart in his mouth as he watched the canopy slowly hiss open, steam expelling as it rejoined its natural environment. The pilot glanced around before swinging over and onto a ladder that had moved over to magnetically attach to the side of the craft.
As he reached the bottom rung, he reached up and took his helmet off, allowing his long locks of golden hair to swing free, revealing the face Xander had dreaded to see: Jysek’s.
“What are you doing here?” He demanded, rushing forward to shake Jysek roughly by the forearm.
“Woah, steady on, I thought you’d be glad to see me,” Jysek said, frowning slightly, unsure as he faced his friend’s steely face, “My Dad doesn’t need me as much as you do. You’re so young, and haven’t ever been off-world alone before. You need someone to help you. If,” he started, as he saw Xander open his mouth to protest and say he didn’t need help, “you don’t need help, then at least you have a friend by your side when things get tough,” he said, his eyes twinkling merrily.
Xander’s tough face studied Jysek for a few seconds, before a reluctant grin breaking across it, “Alright, you can come,” he said, turning to leave the Docking Bay. What was left unsaid was Xander’s immediate assumption of leader, despite Jysek being his senior by three years in age.
“So, ah, where are we going?” Jysek said, jogging to catch up. He glanced around nervously at the shadowy figures lurking in slimy walkways and shadowing corners of the space port.
“To Keren, a city a few hundred klicks north of Theed,” Xander said, “But first I need to get my ID tag for my craft. They’re searching it, so I guess we just wait in the main office,” Xander said, heading back to where he had been upon seeing Jysek’s X-Wing touch down. “You’ll need one as well,” Xander remarked, “My X-Wing won’t hold you as well.”
“Yeah, ok,” Jysek said, obviously not fussed about having his new craft searched roughly by customs, “So what do you want to do in Keren?”
“That’s where my grand parents lived, and my parents for a while,” Xander said softly, having not spoken of this subject yet with Jysek.
“Oh yeah?” Jysek said, “Do you know what your Grand Parents names were?”
“My Grand Father was Quinlan Vos, a Jedi Master of the Old Republic, my Grand Mother was Khaleen Hentz. My mother was also a Jedi, back in the day,” Xander said, not slowing to catch the slight bulge of surprise in Jysek’s eyes.
“Your relatives were Jedi? That means you-”
“Yes,” Xander said, cutting him off, “I can use the Force. I was planning on trying to find some sort of Academy where I could hone my abilities. You’d be welcome there, I doubt anyone who uses the Force for good would turn a good pilot away,” he said with a wink.
“But isn’t,” Jysek said glancing around, before lowering his voice, “Isn’t the Empire still in control, sort of? I mean, look what happened to the Jedi at the end of the Clone Wars. Their arrogance got ahead of them, and the Empire vowed to slaughter them all.”
Xander didn’t bother correcting him with the details he had learnt from his mother, because he knew Jysek didn’t believe what he had just said anymore then Xander did. Jysek had always romanticised of being a Jedi Knight and travelling the Galaxy, doing good deeds, though he knew he never could, with the oppressive presence of the Empire.
Jysek’s father had been a pilot working on Coruscant, occasionally running supply lines for the Jedi, and had always been soft for them, sharing plenty of stories with a young Jysek, against Jysek’s mothers recommendations.
Naboo – Theed Custom’s Control Office
A few hours later, Jysek’s craft also cleared for lift-off, Xander and Jysek were ready to leave Theed, Jysek not anxious to hang around after several lumbering drunks had sworn at him, telling him he was the “son of a liver-bellied nerf-herder,” and that he had no purpose in life.
Splitting up again, Xander watched as Jysek’s craft glided into the air, and he rose as well, following Jysek. Although Jysek personally didn’t know where Keren was, he probably knew how to operate the nav-computer a lot better then Xander, and so was going to lead the two of them to the city.
Xander dutifully followed Jysek, soon tiring of what he had once thought would never tire him, flying his very won craft, and he set it on auto-pilot. Instead, he took the time to soak in the luscious views of Naboo’s landscape, with the cliffs and waterfalls found commonly around Naboo. Although they were a common occurrence, no one ever took them for granted, always amazed by their dazzling beauty.
Drifting off to sleep for the first time in over twenty-four hours, Xander awoke to Jysek’s voice over the comm.
“Xander? Xander?”
“Huh? What?” Xander said sleepily, pushing in the button to activate the comm.
“What were you doing?” Jysek said, almost exploding in anxiety, sounding a lot like Xander’s mother.
“I was sleeping. Relax Jysek,” Xander said.
“Relax? How am I supposed to relax? You could have been dead, for all I know! I’ve been trying to talk to you for over ten minutes! Do you know how worried I was?”
A quick comment about how he sounded like Lysa, and Jysek shut up with an embarrassed grunt, and a change of topic.
“Anyway, we’re almost there, so get ready,” he said, “You’ll need to press the blinking orange button to turn off your auto-pilot, then pull back on the green-striped lever to revert to human control.”
“Alright,” Xander said, complying instantly with Jysek, eager to get down to Keren, and find the rumoured cave in which his Grand-Mother was buried, Korto having buried her minutes before escaping the world with Lysa.
Xander Vos
Chapter Five
** 4 ABY - 2 and a half months after Endor **
Naboo – Keren
After touching down side-by-side, the two boys had asked for directions, and had purchased hiking gear. Xander knew the cave was somewhere in the mountainous regions, and was intent on finding it.
After several hours of marching, and un-ending complaining from Jysek, Xander stopped, also beginning to become short of breath, and took a small break, gazing in wonder at a spectacular waterfall. It always amazed him, coming from the arid planet Tatooine, how much water was taken for granted, but was guilty of the same crime, having slipped into the routine of expecting water, and not caring if he wasted a small bit on cooling the back of his neck.
The mountains were steamy, the humid air sending rolls of sweat down Xander’s neck, and the lack of oxygen in the air made it hard for him to breathe, his breaths coming in short, shallow gasps. The path was a perilous one, with small bits of shale falling away from where they placed their feet, and sometimes causing Jysek or Xander to stumble, perilously close to tipping over the edge and into oblivion.
The summit of the mountain, a few hundred meters above them, was pitted with a cave, and Xander knew in his heart that that was where his grand mother lay, eternally at peace with the world around her, here in this beautiful place of nature.
Pushing forward with the last reserves of his energy, despite Jysek’s protests, Xander clawed his way up towards the summit, finally making it, before rolling over and panting for breath. What had begun as a small break had deteriorated as the sun beat on, and now as he lay at the summit, he could feel the heat washed over him, and despite his resistance to it from growing up on Tatooine, he was still exhausted from it.
The cave felt like a yawning pit, drawing Xander in to find the truth, and to put his grand mother to rest properly. He shakily managed to find his feet as Jysek flopped onto his belly at the summit twitching as he lay there, his life of little exercise finally proving to be his downfall.
The cave was like an energy source, drawing Xander closer, as he peered in, blinking a few times to adjust his eyes to the dim light. Inside, a small headstone sat at the far end of the cave, rustic in its appearance, but the most powerful symbol Xander had ever seen; the small, quiet area and the humble headstone resonating a large amount of emotion in the young boy.
Kneeling by the head stone, his head dipped in respect, Xander removed material from his bag that he had brought, adorning the small tomb with flowers and a small plaque he had written, paying his own respects to his Grand Mother.
Jysek stood at the entry way, subtly clearing his throat as if to suggest they should leave soon. After all, Xander had less then six hours to leave Naboo under the terms dictated to him by the Space Control officer.
Sighing in disappointment that he didn’t have more time to spend with his grand mother, Xander slowly got to his feet, walking slowly back towards the entrance of the cave, and back to his adventure.
Kroprulu – Military Headquarters
The darkness was encroaching, and Darth Minious stood atop his Order’s bulb in the Sith Temple, allowing the soft wind to blow wisps of his hair out of his strictly tight arrangement as he soaked in the calmness of the evening.
He turned, as he sensed a young presence behind him, in the form of his Apprentice, Ackin, who was approaching her trials at which she would be named Darth Actir.
“My Lord, the Council requests an update on the repairs to your fleet,” She said, dutifully bowing before her age-old Master.
“Tell them my Super Star Destroyer has been repaired, and that I plan to leave in my personal craft for a while. It could be a month, it could be a year, it could be ten years, but continuously here I have felt alone, as if I have not a single friend in the world.”
Ackin shifted uncomfortably, knowing that as his Apprentice, she was his confidant, but still feeling unworthy of carrying such information, “But my Lord, the Empire loves you, the Council respects you greatly, the Empress is always happy to confide in you.”
Darth Minious turned to her in sadness, “But those are titles, you have mentioned, the Empire, the Council, the Empress, not people. I have been a part of this Empire for almost four thousand years, and have never felt the touch of a woman as a husband does of his wife. I have never felt joy in having a friend who is one not because of my position or my legend, but because of who I am. For that reason, I need to be alone, contemplate how I seem to be to the rest of the Empire, if I am doing my duty correctly. You must understand.”
Ackin nodded, her heart full of sympathy for her Master, “Of course I do. But what about my training?”
“It is taken care of,” Darth Minious said, turning once again to watch the sunset, as the three moons orbiting the wonderful world began to appear in the darkness, “I have suggested your trials be commenced, and Lord Tontie will be partaking them for you. I see you becoming a powerful Sith Lady, with far more respect from the individuals of the Empire then i ever could. Because you see what is truly important. It isn’t how much power you hold, or how much you try and help others, but your compassion for the individuals, your sympathy for their problems. With the Empire as your loyal friends, it is much easier to lead them into battle, then those who respect what you represent.”
“Thank you my Master,” Ackin said, her eyes almost spilling forth the tears that they concealed, “You have been wise to me, and I will always remember you, whether or not you return.”
Darth Minious nodded, “Thank you Ackin. And may the Dark Side be with you.”
Naboo – Keren Starport
Xander approached his craft again with loving care, as he examined it for scratches or any small signs of damage from the journey here from Theed. Jysek, at his own craft, was doing the same.
It was still hard for Xander to accept that he had once been just a small farmer boy. Now he felt like he had the biggest opportunity in the Galaxy. Nearly eighty percent of the Galaxy’s population were born and died never owning their own star ship, and Xander had been given one in the first ten years of his life.
The space controllers had given him permission to leave the world on his own accord, a little to eagerly for Xander to feel as if he had ever been wanted on the usually accepting world.
Jysek, his loyal friend, had been with him since he had been four, and Jysek eight, a young, street-smart kid, with a strong desire to show off for the young boy. Xander had first met him when Korto had taken him to the Talore workshop to show him how they repaired moisture vapourators, but Xander had gotten bored almost immediately, and had wondered off.
There he had been beholden to the most wondrous sight: a young boy programming his own translator, and checking every few seconds to see what words it could translate. The boy’s carefree attitude and disregard for his father, as Xander assumed George Talore to be, and what was going on around him.
The two had been friends ever since, with Xander gazing on in amazement as Jysek moved on from the translator to a small laser gun that fired harmless beams for a short distance, and from the gun to the astromech droid he had received a few months ago.
Xander couldn’t remember a time that he hadn’t had such a good friend and confident, someone he could be himself with, and at ease with the world around him. He couldn’t imagine the horrible life beholden to someone without a friend such as Jysek.
The craft checked out, and Xander clambered eagerly into the cock pit, willing to leave the world behind, though always wondering if he could somehow procure a fake I.D and return for a longer amount of time to see his Grand-Mother.
Naboo- Outer Atmosphere
Darth Minious’ craft, the Torturer, had made the journey quicker then he had expected. Leaving only hours after speaking with his Apprentice, Darth Minious had arrived at Naboo, hoping to find solitude in the mountainous regions, away from civilisation and the judging gazes of the people that accompanied it.
As his craft flew into the atmosphere, he watched in amusement as two X-Wings left the atmosphere from Keren, their jerky steering testament to the fact that Darth Minious could sense young boys in the cockpits of each.
“Amateurs,” he sneered under his breath, as he guided his craft gently and artistically into Keren, where the boys had just left, discarding them from his mind almost immediately as he thought of the excuse he could come up this time for the Sith Council as to why he killed the Customs Control Officers.
Xander Vos
Chapter Seven
** 5 ABY - 6 Months after Xander’s Capture **
Kinyen – Black Haven Base
For months now, Xander had done nothing but kill people, organise clients, and make sure spice operations had gone through correctly for Black Haven. After awaking from his injury, he had been forced into service, with the knowledge that their craft had been tracked down and sold for parts.
Jysek had been coping a lot better than Xander. With his added muscle, that Xander, now approaching thirteen, was only now getting, Jysek had been put to work as a bouncer for the base after the security alert that had been Xander and Jysek’s intrusion.
Xander sat in his meagre quarters, quivering, the frightened gaze of the woman he had just killed under the watchful gaze of Torga Rand, the Black Haven’s lieutenant, would haunt him to his death day. She had pleaded and cajoled him, but he had been forced to kill her for not paying her protection fee.
“Are you ok?” Jysek said quietly, walking into the room, and placing a comforting arm around his friend, trying to stop him shaking so.
“I... I killed her,” Xander said, trying hard to hold back the tears of shame he could feel were welling behind his eyes. He reached out a hand to push his friend away, and was shocked to see how much it was shaking.
“We need to get out of here,” Jysek said, glancing around. “Just yesterday I managed to grab a Disrupter Rifle off one of the other guards before they noticed anything. If they have personal shields, they’ll stand no chance against the weapon. I’ll try and pinch you one tomorrow, but until then hang tight. If anything, I need you to find launch codes for a craft, and a flight chart.”
Xander nodded aimlessly, having taken in every word Jysek had said, but unable to respond, knowing as soon as he spoke, the tears would come, his throat already choked up with emotion. Jysek gave him one last pat before standing and moving to his own quarters before they attracted unwanted attention from the other guards.
Kinyen – Surface
Vikro moved like a shadow, darting between buildings, his lightsaber deftly concealed in his robe. Even the slightest hint that he was a Jedi would have Black Haven swarming on him, overwhelming him, and he would be dead before he knew it.
Walking quietly down an alley, he heard a muted sobbing, and on closer inspection, discovered a Devaronian, reduced to a quivering mass, in the shadows of the alley.
“Are you alright, friend?” The Jedi Master asked, softly, examining the man for any sign of physical injury. He was shocked to discover that this Devaronian was a member of Black Haven, the group he was trying to find.
The Devaronian muttered quickly in an incomprehensible tongue that wasn’t Devaronian or Basic, to Vikro’s best knowledge. He caught some words, like “boy” and “Jedi” and knew, with a shiver down his spine, that he had found his first physical link to the boy he had been seeing in his visions for years.
“Which way did he go?” Vikro inquired, his hazel eyes emphatically searching the quivering Devaronian’s face. Whatever this boy had done, whether wittingly or not, had reduced the Devaronian to the mind of a child, a powerful Dark Side ability.
Another string of garble, in which Vikro was able to catch, barely, the words “2B” “Lower Levels” “Fourth District” “Safe House”, before the Devaronian collapsed, the strain on his mind to great, as he fell into unconsciousness. Vikro propped him up, and covered him in his cloak, before slowly standing.
“By the Force boy, you need to be stopped before you do any more damage,” he muttered, as he walked swiftly to the Fourth District, taking a creaking turbo lift to level 2B.
As the doors creaked open, he saw several guards snap to attention, bringing their rifles up. Vikro chuckled and walked jauntily towards them, acting to the guards as if he were an arrogant upper class merchant.
“State your business here stranger,” one of them, a young man said. Vikro could sense through the Force, strangely, that the boy was afraid of him, and wanted to be anywhere but there.
“I wish to speak with your leader,” Vikro said, gently, knowing full well that this boy had gotten into something over his head, and that he didn’t deserve to face the crimes that the rest of the gang inevitably would.
“Name?” The other guard said, walking over to glare down at Vikro.
“Vikro,” Vikro answered honestly, “Now, I wish to speak with your leader.” He said, waving his arm smoothly to subtly influence the man through the Force, pressing gently on the man’s brain.
“Of course,” the man said stiffly, turning abruptly to unlock the door, as the second guard, the young boy, turned, and sprinted in ahead of Vikro in a move that looked completely unprofessional.
Kinyen – Black Haven Base
“Quick, Xander, wake up!” Hissed Jysek, roughly pushing the younger boy awake, as he glanced around nervously.
“What is it?” Xander said sleepily, as he slowly sat up in his bed, rubbing the small crusty sleep from his eyes, as he quickly became wide awake.
“A man just arrived, and he looked like trouble. Now’s our chance to escape! Torga has a personal craft ready and primed just a few levels above us for a quick escape in case of trouble. If we can make it to it, we could get out of here. Lets go!” Jysek said, pulling Xander to his feet as he raised the Disruptor Rifle, checking it was properly loaded and charged.
“Alright,” Xander said, nodding fiercely as he pulled his boots on, and slid his blaster pistol out of the hidden compartment in the sole, as Jysek looked on in amazement.
“You never told me you had that! We could have left earlier!”
“I didn’t feel the time was right before,” Xander said, as he primed the blaster, before creeping over to the wall.
Jysek crouched and jogged over to join him. He turned to Xander, and held up three fingers. He closed one, then the other, then clenched his fist closed, and the two darted out, spraying fire into the two nearest guards, before barrel rolling over a desk, and into a private turbo lift, slamming the door shut as return fire slammed into it.
Jysek rapidly punched commands into the control pad, and the lift began to rise, creaking slowly from the strain it had been put under from the laser bolts slamming into its casing. He stood there, staring into the closed door, breathing hard, as it ascended. He turned slightly, to face Xander, and double taked as he saw Xander’s burnt, scorched hands.
Xander stared dumbly at his scarred, disfigured hands, still in shock at how he had, unthinkingly, raised his hands and projected some barrier which blocked the twenty or so blasts that had been fired at them before the lift doors had closed. He had stopped them harming Jysek or himself, but at the cost of his hands. They would be write in a few weeks, but at that moment, they burnt as if he had been plunged into all seven Corellian Hells simultaneously.
“Are you ok?” Jysek breathed, as the lift hurtled up, drawing close to their destination.
“Yeah, fine,” Xander said nodding, breathing in deeply and centering himself as the lift slammed to a stop, and the doors opened to reveal a luxurious YT vessel. Glancing both ways to check for guards, Jysek and Xander sprinted for the craft, ripping off the manual control plate, and slicing into the system to lower the ramp manually, before scampering aboard as it closed behind them moments later.
Jysek rushed to the cockpit, settling himself down heavily, as his fingers flew across the system controls. He breathed a sigh of relief, “We’re lucky, my dad was repairing one of these a few years ago, and he took me into the cockpit and told me how it worked, and how to fix parts when they went haywire. I could probably fly this thing with my eyes closed.”
“Lets not test that theory,” Xander said, as he buckled himself into the co-pilot seat, gripping the armrests tightly as Jysek brought the ship into the air, sending sharp shudders throughout the craft.
“Relax Xander, everything will be fine now,” Jysek said reassuringly.
Suddenly, shield read-outs began flashing, and a loud, warbling siren began rising up and down through the frequency range an average human ear could hear.
“Somehow I don’t believe you,” Xander said, “They’ve got multiple missile locks on us, and several turbo-laser turrets are powering up in the cities west. I’ll take the top turret if you don’t mind.”
“Sure, I’ll try and loose them,” Jysek said, nodding, as he twisted the yoke right, left, and down as he tried to shake the locks. “Missiles launched!” He yelled, “Try to pick them off!”
“Easier said than done,” Xander muttered, from the top turret casing as he spun around, trying to spot the missiles both on the radar and visually. He first spotted them only seconds before the first hit. He managed a snap shot and melted the second and third out of the sky, but the first, a concussion missile, slammed into the Hyperdrive casing, smashing the shield, and damaging the Hyperdrive itself.
“Are you doing anything up there?!” Jysek called out as he fought the controls, spinning the craft as he watched in satisfaction as the fourth and fifth missiles smashed into each other whilst attempting to follow him through the manoeuvre.
“Relax, we’ll make it, only two more left!” Xander called back, as he lined up his sights, sending fiery bolts through one of the two, but watched in despair as his bolts missed the second. He tracked it across the sky, anticipating a sudden drop it made, and finally caught it. “I did it!” he exclaimed, joyfully letting out a cheer.
“We’re not out of this yet, turbo lasers are still ready just out of range, right where we need to go,” Jysek said grimly, as he tried to gain as much altitude as he could, hopefully to remain out of range of the turrets. Almost as soon as he was able to see the turrets visually, he felt smashes against the vehicle, as it shuddered in the air. “Obviously not,” he muttered to himself.
Xander took a deep breath, spinning the turret casing around, and firing three rapid fire shots at the centre turret, and watched in satisfaction as it blossomed a beautiful orange in the setting sun as his shots found their mark.
“Nice shooting for someone who’s only ever practiced in an X-Wing before,” Jysek said, not allowing anything into his voice other than relief that they now had a free shot into space. He had practiced for years, and he was nowhere nearly as good as Xander, who had practiced for only a few weeks.
He flipped a switch by the yoke, and examined a read-out, a frown creasing his forehead as his eyes darted over the figures. “This doesn’t look good,” he said over the comm to Xander.
“Why? What’s wrong?” Xander asked, as he began unbuckling his seat belt in the gunner turret.
“The Hyperdrive has been pretty badly damaged, it’ll take us a few months at least to get even as far as Lorta, and that’s the closest planet with any form of fuelling station. We can’t go back to Kinyen, so its our only choice.”
“Lorta it is then.”
Kinyen – Local Security Forces Headquarters
“Shut up you filthy crim,” an officer said, shoving the last of the Black Haven criminals into their cell, before slamming the door shut and activating the force-field surrounding the eight dangerous men and women who had only hours ago been running a highly successful and illegal base of operations.
“Thanks again,” the man said, turning to Vikro, who stood at the other side of the room, his arms crossed, and barely breathing irregularly after half an hour straight of fighting the leaders of Black Haven. “What did you say your name was?”
“I didn’t. I represent the Phantoms.” Vikro said, turning to leave, as the man gave an audible gasp, “We’re back.”
Personal Craft of Jedi Council Member Vikro
Vikro breathed out, watching as his breath fogged up the transparisteel in his passenger seat. The operation had been successful, but something still puzzled him. The boy he had seen leave his post and race inside had been found no where inside, and there had been filtered reports of Kinyen Security attempting to apprehend to criminals who had stolen a personal freighter craft
In his mind’s eye he raced over the events of the last two days. The Devaronian, distraught and babbling, and a sure sense that the boy had been there. The Black Haven criminals, grumbling about cowardly allies. The boy abandoning his post, and then disappearing. The stolen craft. The sense of familiarity in one of the dormitories in the base.
Suddenly Vikro sat bolt upright. The boy had been in the base. He wasn’t sure if the boy at the post was him or not, but the reports had said two people had stolen the craft, so it may well have been a companion of his.
The boy who had plagued his visions and dreams with darkness. The boy he had desperately been trying to find for the last two years. He had missed him by mere minutes. Vikro breathed out frustratingly, as his pilot pulled out of the atmosphere, lining up to return them to Bakura.
He would find the boy, and bring him to justice for what he had done. He would either be forced to kill the boy as he had his brother, sister-in-law and nephew all those years ago, or bring him to the Temple for training in the Jedi ways, and hope to the Force that none of those incidents ever repeated themselves. Vikro remained deep in thought as his shuttles made the jump to lightspeed, leaving Kinyen far behind.
