Before - Legends Child of Light: The Story of Jador Halkon (OCs, Obi, Qui, Yoda, et al.) Updated twice: 04/21

Hello everyone! This is the story of Jador Halkon, a young Jedi who was abandoned as an infant and rescued by Master Yoda. The main story begins shortly before TPM, while the prologue is some twenty years earlier. This story was begun on the old board, but I decided to move it here.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Star Wars, nor have I invented this universe and the characters that play therein, with the exception of the central character and a few others, who are solely my invention. This is just for fun, not profit, so don't take it too seriously.

 

Child of Light: The Story of Jador Halkon

By Master_Jador

Prologue

It was a warm evening on Coruscant. The wind blew lightly, and the sky glowed a beautiful shade of red. Master Yoda had decided to take advantage of the rare moment of natural beauty by having his driver take him on a tour of the capital?s parks. He visited the parks regularly. Amid the technological barrenness of the city-planet, Master Yoda found the quiet serenity of the public parks to be a peaceful retreat, a place where he could commune with the Force without the constant interference and bustle of the Temple. Sometimes he wished he could leave Coruscant and spend the remainder of his days alone on a distant planet devoid of civilization, but rich with life, rich with the Force.

Master Yoda told his driver to stop when they reached the Haran District, an isolated area of Coruscant where there was a park dedicated to the memory of the great Jedi Master Halkon, the Jedi who had instructed Yoda in his youth. The Master?s remains were interred there, and Yoda often visited the secluded park in order to be alone, and to feel closer to his old master. Yoda left the speeder and told his driver, an older padawan, to wait for him. He walked slowly over to the fountain that covered his master?s grave, sat on the ground next to it, and began to reach out into the Force. It surrounded him, binding him to every living thing. Dark visions had clouded his mind of late, but here, he seemed to be free of distraction. Here, the aged master was at peace.

Suddenly, Master Yoda?s meditations were interrupted by a piercing scream through the Force, a cry that could only have come from a Force sensitive child. Instinctively, the Jedi Master reached out with his thoughts, searching for the child. He knew only that the child was Force-sensitive and was in great pain, but compassion was an essential part of a Jedi?s life. Eventually, after an intense search, Master Yoda found a newborn human infant abandoned behind a bush. The child was small; he could not have been more than a few days old. His eyes were bright blue, and they quickly fixated on Yoda. Within seconds the child was calm, and soon he rested comfortably in the diminutive master?s arms.

Yoda took the child back to the speeder, and directed the driver to head for the nearest orphanage. There the child could find appropriate care, and, when he was several months older, then he could be taken into the Order. The Order did not take children under a certain age. It was impossible to detect Force sensitivity reliably until the fourth or fifth month, since newborns often displayed signs of Force sensitivity at first, and then ceased to be sensitive as they grew older. Master Yoda had trained Jedi for long enough to tell that this child would definitely grow up to be Force sensitive, but rules were rules, and it was best for the child to wait.

When they arrived at the nearby Hofper Orphanage, the largest on Coruscant, Yoda took the child and went to the main desk.

?What do you want, Jedi?? the receptionist asked in an unpleasantly nasal voice.

?I found this child abandoned in Halkon Park. Brought him, I have, to stay here,? Yoda replied, ignoring her rude demeanor.

?Is he an orphan??

?Know that, I do not. Abandoned, I said he was.?

?I?m sorry. We don?t take abandoned children here. You should take him to the authorities. They can do a genetic scan and find his parents.?

?Unsafe would it be, to return the child to parents who left him to die. Important it is, that this child survive. Force sensitive, he is.?

?Force sensitive? No wonder his parents abandoned him. You aren?t going to find any institution in Coruscant that will take in a freak child. Enough normal children need our help. Good day, Master Jedi.? Her voice dripped with sarcasm as she spoke the last two words. Yoda simply turned and left the building.

Master Yoda was disappointed by the woman?s prejudice, but not shocked. Such feelings were common among the lower classes on Coruscant. In any event, she w

 

Here the next part of the prologue. Enjoy!

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Prologue - Part 2

The next morning, Yoda left the infant in the care of the crèche attendants, while he and Master Windu headed for the Temple laboratory to run genetic comparison tests.

?Master Yoda,? Windu commented as the two entered the lift, ?I must confess that I am baffled as to why you brought the child here. You know the Code better than any of us. It is forbidden for the Order to take in abandoned children, not to mention illegal.?

?No choice, did I have,? Yoda replied. ?Care, the child needed, and no place else there was, for him to go.?

?I understand,? Windu said sympathetically. ?It is a sad situation. But you know as well as I that the Council will never allow the child to stay here.?

?That is why we must find his family.?

Windu nodded in agreement. Shortly thereafter, the doors of the lift opened, and the two Council members found themselves in one of the Temple?s many laboratories. Master Windu headed for the main computer, took a testing dish, and then inserted the tissue sample they had taken from the boy. Master Yoda, at a side computer, then commenced to run a genetic comparison check. The computer would examine all the genetic profiles the Order had on record, and then would most likely be able to identify the parentage of the child.

?While we are waiting, check his midichlorian count, I will,? Yoda commented to Master Windu.

?Yoda, that will not impact where the child goes. Midichlorian counts are infamously unreliable before the age of four months.?

?I know. Nevertheless, curious, I am.?

Master Windu was surprised when he saw the results.

?Over 17,000? The child is Force sensitive; there?s no doubt about that.?

?Told you, I did,? Yoda remarked with an air of self-satisfaction.

?Even if you take the newborn inflation into account, he will definitely end up strong enough to be in the Order.?

?Yes. A powerful argument, that will be, if confront the others, we do.?

A beeping noise signaled the end of the search. Master Windu headed over to the viewscreen. He looked at it in silence.

?Find a match, did it?? Yoda asked as he hobbled over to the screen.

?Yes,? Mace replied, ?but I doubt you?ll be pleased to see who the parents are.?

?Show me,? Yoda commanded, and Mace Windu lifted the diminutive master up to where he could see the screen. He was as surprised as Master Windu.

Match found, the screen read.

Mother: Tamar Renel.
Age: 24.
Place of residence: Telvori District, Coruscant.

Father: Jedi Master Nahor Vaziri ? DECEASED

?Master Nahor died on a mission four months ago,? Master Windu commented.

Yoda nodded. ?Believe him to be a hero, we all did.?

?He died heroically. Does this change that??

?Break the Code, he did, most severely. Deserve punishment he does, not reward.?

?Perhaps, but he is dead, and this complicates matters greatly. His friends on the Council will want to send the child off to an orphanage somewhere, and will try to cover up everything.?

?Yes, but the child is strong in the Force. Trained, he should be.?

?Nahor?s allies will not allow his illegitimate son to be trained. It would create a scandal.?

?Need rifts in the Council, we do not.?

?What then can we do?? Windu asked.

?Might I make a suggestion, my friends??

Yoda and Windu turned to see the familiar figure of Master Dooku.

?What are you doing here, my old padawan? What have you overheard??

?Master Yoda,? Dooku responded, ?Master Windu and I were supposed to meet five minutes ago, but I could not find him. I was told that he was down here with you, and so I came. I did not hear everything, but I heard enough.?

?What is your suggestion?? Mace Windu asked.

?I would suggest that Master Yoda bypass all this trouble by taking the infant as his kelhai.?

Mace had to smile. Leave it to Dooku to come up with the most archaic solution to any problem.

?But Master Dooku,? Mace r

 

Okay, everyone! Here's the first chapter! It's a long one. Enjoy!

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Chapter 1

Jedi Knight Kelso Fendor stood in a corner of the training room, quietly watching as his padawan diligently practiced his lightsaber techniques. In the twenty years since Master Yoda had brought him to the Temple, Jador Halkon had grown into a fine young man, a Jedi of whom his master was proud.

It hadn?t always been that way. Nine years earlier, when Master Kelso had taken young Jador as his padawan, the two had clashed. They had argued constantly, and Kelso had seriously considered terminating his relationship with Jador on more than one occasion. Since he hadn?t been raised or trained with the other younglings, Jador had virtually no skills with the lightsaber when he became a padawan. Furthermore, he tended to be a know-it-all, and was worse than Master Dooku at constantly bringing up insignificant trivia from the history of the Order. Worst of all, Jador had constantly criticized Kelso?s style, incessantly quoting Master Yoda in an effort to correct his master.

Of course, Kelso hadn?t been perfect either. Like many in the Temple, he had looked down on Jador?s background as a kelhai, underestimating his Force abilities. To him, Jador had been little more than an arrogant bookworm. In addition, Kelso had sorely lacked the necessary patience to deal with Jador's incompetence with the saber, and had been unduly harsh with him, sometimes forcing him to practice for hours without a break. To top it all off, Kelso hadn?t even wanted to take Jador as a padawan, and Jador had known this from the beginning.

Over time, however, the two had grown very close, and had learned a great deal from each other. Jador still wasn?t the greatest swordsman (that could be seen merely by watching him practice), but he was as good at meditating as anyone, and his telekinetic abilities were unsurpassed. He was an excellent apprentice, and Kelso was grateful that Master Yoda had asked him to take Jador as his padawan.

?Padawan,? Kelso called out, interrupting his apprentice?s practice.

Jador deactivated his saber and turned to face his master.

?We have been summoned by the Council,? Kelso continued. ?We need to meet them up there right now.?

Jador nodded and walked over to where Kelso was standing. The two then headed together towards the lift.

?What is it, Master?? the padawan asked. ?Do they have a mission for us??

?I believe so, Jador,? Kelso responded. ?In fact, I think we are going on a mission with Master Jinn and his apprentice.?

?Obi-Wan Kenobi,? Jador sighed, his face falling.

?Yes, that?s his name. Why are you looking so glum? I thought he was a friend of yours. Isn?t he the one that you and the other padawans threw a surprise party for last year??

Jador nodded. ?Obi-Wan is a nice enough person; he?s just too perfect. Everyone loves Obi-Wan, and he knows it, too. His saber technique is excellent; he?s brave and heroic. Everyone wants to be his friend.?

?As I recall, he is also the most frequently injured padawan in the Temple. You?ve never even broken a bone.?

?But that?s just it, Master. People don?t admire me; they admire him. He?s bound to overshadow everyone else on any mission he?s on.?

?Jador,? Kelso said sternly. ?It will not do for you to be jealous of anyone, much less a fellow padawan. ?Fame, glory: a Jedi wants not these things. To do the will of the Force is a Jedi?s only desire.??

Jador smiled. ?That was tricky, Master.?

?What was??

?Quoting Master Yoda at me.?

?Well, you?ve certainly done it often enough to me,? Kelso responded, trying to hide his grin. ?Turnabout is fair play.?

?Vengeance is of the Dark Side,? Jador teased.

?So is envy.?

?Point taken, Master.?

Moments later, the two found themselves in the Council chambers, standing in front of Master Yoda and Master Windu. Sure enough, Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan were there as well.

?The four of you must travel to the planet Maru Sha,? Mast

 

OK, here's the next part of chapter 1. At the current rate of posting, I should have the next new part up by the end of the week. Enjoy!

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Kelso and Jador got up early the next morning and headed for the docking bay. There, they found Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan already loading the ship.

?You two are up early,? Kelso remarked good-naturedly as he and his padawan walked up to the ship. ?I wasn?t expecting you for another half-hour.?

?I thought it best that we leave ahead of schedule,? Qui-Gon replied. ?The situation is so precarious that we cannot afford to wait much longer. I hope you don?t mind.?

?Of course I don?t mind,? Kelso answered. ?Though next time, Master Qui-Gon, you would do well to inform me in advance.?

?I thought I did,? Qui-Gon said pensively. Turning to Obi-Wan, he asked, ?Obi-Wan, did you contact Master Kelso as I requested??

?I tried several times last night, Master,? Obi-Wan said, ?but no one was home. I did leave a message, though.?

?That explains it,? Kelso interjected. ?I was out last night checking on Master Soluna?s padawan. Jador had an appointment with Master Yoda. We didn?t check our messages this morning before we left, so we didn?t find out about the change in schedule.? Not that that would have helped anyway, he thought. We left as soon as we woke up. If we had stayed to check our messages, we wouldn?t have gotten here one second earlier.

?Oh well,? Qui-Gon said, ?it doesn?t matter. You?re here. Now, would you like to help us finish loading??

?Of course,? Kelso said, and moved to help. His padawan followed suit.

Fifteen minutes later, nearly forty-five minutes before they were scheduled to depart, the ship containing the four Jedi left Coruscant and made the jump into hyperspace.

As it turned out, of the four, Kelso was the only one who enjoyed flying in the slightest, so he ended up in the pilot?s seat. Qui-Gon went in back to begin reviewing the necessary data for the upcoming negotiations, leaving the two padawans to entertain themselves.

?So Jador,? Obi-Wan asked in a friendly voice, ?how have you been? We haven?t seen each other for a while.?

?I?m fine, thank you. I suppose I?ve just been busy lately. I?ve had lots of assignments with my master.?

?Really?? Obi-Wan responded. ?So have I. Anything interesting??

?Well,? Jador responded, ?there was this one assignment, where we had to translate an ancient Jedi manuscript that some archaeologists found on Naboo. It was really fascinating, because the manuscript was in Old High Coruscanti, which I know, but had been written in Nubian script, which Master Kelso knows, so we had to work together in order to decipher it?? Jador stopped. He was getting excited just remembering the assignment, but it was clear that, despite Obi-Wan?s good intentions, he just wasn?t very interested.

?Do you and your master always do that sort of mission?? he asked.

?Not always,? Jador replied, ?but usually.?

?That?s too bad,? Obi-Wan said sympathetically. ?I bet you?re really looking forward to this mission. It?ll give your lightsaber a chance to see some action.?

?Actually, I enjoy?? Jador started to say before he was cut off by Master Kelso.

?I?ve set the ship on autopilot, so we should be able to get some rest now,? Kelso said. ?I know no one is tired, but we may not get a chance to sleep again for some time.?

The two padawans nodded, and headed for their bunks.

So, Jador, is it as bad as you feared? Kelso thought to his padawan via their bond.

No, Master, Jador responded. It?s worse.

 

Good concept I like how the lower class person mocked Yoda. It would be funny if yoda had said Short am I Stupid me not.

 

Thanks mogs! I glad you like the story!

All right, everyone, here's the first part of Chapter 2. Enjoy!

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Chapter 2

The ship carrying the four Jedi came out of hyperspace nearly three days later, finally arriving at the remote Maru Sha system. It couldn?t have too soon for Jador, who was tired of seeing Obi-Wan practicing his lightsaber. It wasn?t that he couldn?t bear to see how good Obi-Wan was, it was simply that Jador hated hearing Qui-Gon?s constant compliments of Obi-Wan?s technique. It was too much! Kelso had never said anything like that to Jador, and Jador knew why. It was because he didn?t deserve it.

Kelso was also more than ready to get off the ship, for different reasons. He was proud of his padawan, and they had grown very close, but, for some reason, they had never clicked the way Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon had. Kelso and Jador were like father and son, but Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan were like mind and body. They worked perfectly together, as one. Kelso always felt like there was a third person in his and Jador?s relationship, and the annoying, backwards voice of that third person, very short and very green, constantly whispered in the back of his mind, telling him what to do and how to do it. Sometimes it grew quite loud, and at those times, Kelso often realized that the voice came not from inside his head, but from his padawan. He desperately wanted what Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan had, and he wasn?t going to get it.

Master and padawan released their negative emotions and feelings into the Force as the ship entered Maru Sha?s atmosphere. They both knew that their minds had to be clear for their respective missions. They sat together in the cockpit, not communicating, Kelso in the pilot?s seat and Jador in the co-pilot?s chair. After a moment, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan joined them. Jador signaled the authorities.

?Maru Sha,? he said, ?this is the consular ship Raru, carrying the Jedi ambassadors for the upcoming negotiations. We request permission to land.?

?Permission granted, Raru,? came the reply. ?You may head for Platform 17.?

?Thank you, Maru Sha.?

Under Kelso?s skillful control, the elegant craft glided to its platform and landed softly. The four Jedi gathered their few belongings and left the ship. Dignitaries from the two leading noble families were there to greet them. Two in particular, one elderly man and one young woman, came forward to meet the Jedi. Both were dressed in elaborate and costly attire.

?Master Jedi,? said the old man, ?we are honored to welcome Your Graces to Maru Sha. I am Zimrai Tenok, Prime Minister of Maru Sha and Head of the House of Lasek.? He gestured to the young woman. ?This is Senator Keturah Zimri, Head of the House of Seba.?

?Welcome, Master Jedi,? Senator Zimri said. ?We are honored that you have come. We weren?t expecting four ambassadors.?

?Oh no,? Qui-Gon replied, ?only two of us are ambassadors. I am Qui-Gon Jinn and this is Master Kelso Fendor. Our padawans are here to search for Master Soluna, who disappeared last week.?

?Of course,? Prime Minister Tenok said. ?We will do everything in our power to assist your search.?

?Excellent. Now that that has been settled,? Kelso said, ?permit us to gratefully accept your generous welcome. It is an honor for us to visit your beautiful world.?

The prime minister and senator bowed slightly.

?Master Jedi,? Senator Zimri said, ?shall we go to the quarters we have provided for your use during your stay??

The four Jedi followed Zimri to a speeder, which took the five of them to a magnificent palace.

?The negotiations will be held here at the Palace of Samar,? she explained. ?Follow me, please.?

She took them into the palace and led them up a magnificent marble staircase to a suite of rooms located on the second floor. It was magnificent. The marble floors were covered with thick hand-woven carpets. Ancient paintings hung on the gilded walls, and the furniture was luxurious. Plush, overstuffed chairs, feather beds covered

 

All right, here's the last part of Chapter 2. Enjoy!

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Jador headed across the hall to Master Qui-Gon?s suite. He intended to find Obi-Wan there, and then for the two of them to begin their search for Master Soluna immediately. However, before he could reach Qui-Gon?s quarters, he was stopped in his tracks by a wave of intense pain flowing through his body. Jador cried out and collapsed on the floor. Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, and Kelso ran out of their rooms. Having seen what had transpired, they rushed to his side and tried to comfort him.

?What is the matter, Jador?? Kelso asked, a worried expression on his face.

Jador couldn?t say anything. He was seemingly unconscious, but he shook and moaned constantly. His pain was so intense that the Jedi had to block it out with their mental shields. Jador was a very powerful telepath, and it was likely that even non-Jedi who were nearby would experience some discomfort because of the pain signals he was thought-casting.

Kelso and Obi-Wan picked Jador up and moved him into Kelso?s suite and laid him down on the spare bed.

?We have to do something,? Obi-Wan said.

?Unfortunately, we can do nothing,? Qui-Gon responded. ?He is most likely suffering some form of telepathic attack. None of us is powerful enough to shield him from it; his telepathic ability is too strong.?

?But we can?t just leave him in this pain!? Obi-Wan exclaimed.

?Your master is right,? Kelso said. ?Jador has suffered things like this before, but he always survived. He?ll make it, but we need someone to stay here and watch him until he recovers. I?ll go first.?

?No,? Obi-Wan said. ?You and Master Qui-Gon have to take care of the negotiations. I?ll watch him.?

Kelso and Qui-Gon nodded, and then left, leaving Obi-Wan alone with Jador. Obi-Wan was genuinely concerned. He didn?t pretend to be close to Jador, but he liked him, and he didn?t want him to suffer. Obi-Wan sat down on the bed, and settled in for a long vigil.

He didn?t have to wait long. Five minutes after Qui-Gon and Kelso had left, Jador sat up straight.

?Obi-Wan?? he asked. Obi-Wan didn?t answer. He was already deep in meditation. Jador didn?t want to wait for him to finish. He sent a powerful but painful signal to Obi-Wan through the Force, jolting him out of his meditation.

?Jador!? he exclaimed, startled. ?You?re awake! Are you all right??

?I?m fine, but we have to go now.?

?Why? Do you think that?s best? I mean, you?re not??

?I experienced a thought-cast from Master Soluna. She is in terrible pain. It took all of her strength to do it, but she managed to let me know where she is.? He jumped off the bed, grabbed his saber, and headed for the door. He stopped, turned back to Obi-Wan, and gestured for him to follow. ?We need to hurry. She is very weak. Come on!?

Confused, but very concerned for the welfare of his fellow Jedi, Obi-Wan got up to follow Jador.

?Shouldn?t we let our masters know?? he asked.

?There isn?t time. She could die any time now,? Jador responded tersely.

The two padawans headed out of the palace and appropriated a nearby speeder. With Jador at the controls, they headed at maximum speed to an isolated warehouse on the far side of the city, where Master Kari Soluna was being held prisoner.

 

And here's Chapter 3...

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Chapter 3

Jedi Master Kari Soluna sat crumpled in a corner of the warehouse, watching helplessly as her kidnapper prepared to leave the planet. She had been severely weakened by torture. She knew it was not long until she became one with the Force. Nonetheless, she had to stop him. The fate of the Republic depended on it.

Her mysterious kidnapper had stolen from her an important data crystal, containing key information having to do with top secret negotiations on over a hundred worlds. If anyone got his hands on that crystal, he could use the information encoded within it to blackmail and pressure over two dozen prominent leaders, including Supreme Chancellor Valorum, Viceroy Gunray of the Trade Federation, Senator Keturah Zimri of Maru Sha, and Senator Palpatine of Naboo. The Jedi had access to much secret information, but kept it safe for the sake of peace in the Republic. In the wrong hands, it could shake the intergalactic alliance to its very foundations.

?You?ll never get away with this,? she managed to mumble at her enemy. He said nothing, continuing to load his ship. Soluna reached out with the Force, trying to draw her lightsaber to her, but it suddenly flew away from her and into the hand of her kidnapper.

?Don?t try that again,? he said in a low, threatening voice.

He?s Force sensitive, she thought. How is that possible?

A sudden crash interrupted her contemplation, as a speeder rammed through the door of the warehouse. Out jumped two Jedi. She was safe!

Her kidnapper let out a curse, dropping the load in his arms and leaping into the cockpit of his fighter. The shorter of the two Jedi ran to stop him from leaving, while the taller came to help her. As he drew closer, she recognized him. It was Jador, Kelso?s padawan.

?Master Kari,? he said as he drew nearer. ?Are you all right??

?You must stop him, Jador,? she whispered intensely. ?It will cause chaos if you fail.?

?We will, Master.?

?Jador,? she continued, ?I am dying. I want you to promise me something first.?

?Anything.?

?Promise me you?ll take Paran Aram as your padawan.?

?But??

?Promise me. This will be so hard for her.?

Jador hesitated for a moment, but then gripped Soluna?s hand firmly.

?I promise,? he said.

Master Soluna smiled weakly at him, and then fell limp, giving up her spirit to the Force. Jador knelt silently next to her body, not noticing when Obi-Wan came up behind him.

?He?s gone,? Obi-Wan said. ?I couldn?t stop him, but I did manage to place a tracking device on his hull.?

?Find us a ship,? Jador said. ?I?ll contact the authorities. We need to leave as soon as possible.?

?Shouldn?t we contact our masters first??

?There isn?t time; if he gets too far away, we?ll lose him. We must leave immediately. That?s what Master Soluna wanted.?

Obi-Wan nodded, and left to find a ship, while Jador sent a message to the authorities. He stood vigil patiently over her body, awaiting the arrival of the local Maru Sha personnel who would see that her body would be returned to Coruscant. Jador mourned the loss of Master Soluna; she had been a good friend to Master Kelso. In the end, however, he could not bring himself to weep. After all, he thought, there is no death; there is only the Force.

* * *

Less than an hour after Master Soluna?s death, Obi-wan and Jador were pursuing her killer, with nothing but a rickety old Maru Sha fighter protecting them from the dangers of hyperspace.

?Was this the best you could find?? Jador asked Obi-Wan.

?It?s hard to get a ship when you only have a few hundred credits to spare,? Obi-Wan replied. ?Look at the bright side; at least we are able to track him.?

?I guess you?re right,? Jador acknowledged. ?Where is he headed??

?He?s already in the Outer Rim, heading for a sector controlled by the Hutts.? Obi-Wan?s brow furrowed. ?Jador, I think we should have told our masters.?

?You?re probably right, but I did

 

Hey, I just wanted to let you know that I'm here! lol. I've been a bad reader lately and haven't checked the fics I read in a while, but strangely, so far none of them have been updated! lol.

 

(Up)

 

Satoshi I too have been a bad reader (and author) But I am getting back on track. I'll just active topic this one...

 

That's all right, everyone! I've been a bad author lately! I'm going to take it on a day by day basis. I'll finish transferring the story today, and maybe, if I get around to it, I'll put up a new section. We'll see...

 

Here's Chapter 4...

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Chapter 4

Outside the bustle and noise of the city, Jador Halkon sat cross-legged on the hot sand, his expression firm as he searched for his elusive adversary. He held his eyes tightly shut, focusing all his thoughts on locating Obi-Wan?s killer. Reaching out through the Force, he scoured the deserts of Tatooine, but found nothing. Not allowing himself to become discouraged, he tried again. And again. And again.

Five hours later, Jador opened his eyes. His meditations had borne no fruit, and the suns had begun to set. Soon night would fall, and Jador would find himself at the mercy of the barbaric desert-dwellers he sensed gathering around him.

The padawan stood up, shaking the accumulated sand off his clothing as he turned his back to the wilderness and began his journey to civilization, or what passed for civilization on this Force-forsaken ball of dust. Jador knew that he would not find Obi-Wan?s killer like this. The Force had fallen silent; it would not help him. In order to find the mysterious assailant, he would have to first find a means to contact his master.

* * *

Far away from Tatooine, trapped helplessly in his decadent suite of useless rooms, Kelso Fendor paced back and forth, wondering why the Council had yet to respond to his message. He continued to pace for another hour, until, at long last, a light began to flash on the communication panel.

?What in blazes took you so long to answer?? he yelled at the image of Mace Windu. The wise Master?s expression did not change in the least; he was as impassive as ever.

?Things have been rather chaotic here,? Mace said slowly. ?Master Soluna?s padawan experienced a severe traumatic reaction recently.?

?That?s to be expected, considering her master?s sudden death,? Kelso answered, drawing on the Force to calm himself.

?Yes. We got your message about the authorities finding her body, but what has happened with the two padawans? Were they not with her??

?No, Master. They have completely disappeared from the face of the planet.?

The Jedi Master frowned. ?Have you not been able to feel your apprentice through the Force??

?He?s still alive, Master, and Qui-Gon says that Obi-Wan is as well.?

?That?s good news. Perhaps??

Mace Windu disappeared from the hologram. Kelso moved to check the transmitter, but froze when Master Yoda appeared.

?Leave Master Qui-Gon to take care of the negotiations,? Yoda ordered. ?Find the two padawans, you must.?

?But how, Master??

?Use the Force. Allow it to guide you.?

?I?ve tried, Master.?

?That is why you fail.?

?I can?t sense Jador, Master. He?s out there somewhere, but I can?t tell what he?s doing or how he?s feeling.?

?Clouded, your thoughts are, obscured by emotion. Fear for your padawan, you do.?

?Of course I do, Master. I?m worried about him.?

Yoda pointed his holographic stick at Kelso, passing it through the knight?s body two or three times.

?Fear is the path to the Dark Side. If embrace it you do, then find your padawan, you will not. Clear your mind must be, if you are to find the padawans, as well as Soluna?s murderer.?

?I can?t do it, Master. I?ve never been good enough. I?ve always been a bad master to Jador, and now I?ve lost him for good.?

?So, failed you have at your task, before it is even begun! If incompetent, Master Kelso is, then find my own kelhai, I will. Known this, I always have. Train Jador myself, I should. Finish anything, Kelso Fendor cannot. A quitter he is. Always with him it cannot be done.?

?He is my padawan, Master,? Kelso interrupted, his voice suddenly resolute. ?I have a duty to him. Find him, I will! I mean, I will find him.?

Yoda smiled. He loved using reverse psychology, especially on Kelso.

?Return to the beginning; find your destination, you will. May the Force be with you,? Yoda concluded.

?And with you, Master.?

* * *

On that fateful day, nearly ten years ago, Kelso Fendor was in his quarters,

 

...and chapter 5.

*********************************************

Chapter 5

The noise of an iron door creaking open woke Obi-Wan from his stupor. He no longer remembered how long he had hung suspended from the icy stone wall, and, what was more, he no longer cared. He remained totally passive as the pig-like guard entered his cell, poured some slop down his throat, and then left, slamming the door shut, leaving the padawan in total darkness.

Obi-Wan had tried to use the Force, but it was unresponsive. Master Qui-Gon would have ordered him to focus, but how can one focus when one has barely enough strength to keep one?s eyes open? Even a fully trained Jedi would have difficulty under such terrible imprisonment. The guard brought food and water irregularly, and never both at the same time. Obi-Wan could not sleep because of the constant cries of torment from the other cells. The most he could hope for was that he would pass out.

At first, Obi-Wan had been overcome by waves of emotion and pain through the Force, but he had gradually come to block them out. He could no longer sense the strong Force presences he had felt earlier, but that meant little, since he was no longer capable of sensing anything at all. He had used to wonder why he was in the dungeon, but had long since accepted that the dungeon was, and that there was nothing else. Life outside the dungeon? There was nothing outside the dungeon.

* * *

Jador sped across the desert, his Jedi clothing concealed by armor that he had ?appropriated? from a drunken bounty hunter. The helmet limited his peripheral vision, so Jador used the Force to steer the speeder towards Jabba?s palace up ahead. He didn?t know exactly what he would find there, but he sensed that the Force was guiding him to that location.

Jador stopped the speeder outside the palace, and walked up to the door. After some confusion with a door-droid, he was allowed in, and was led by a couple of alien guards to the Hutt?s throne room.

The gangster sat enthroned on a large platform, surrounded by his court, made up of alien and human misfits from all across the galaxy. A band and dancers entertained the court, but Jabba seemed to pay little attention to them. All his attention was focused on Jador as he was led before the gangster.

?[What do you want],? Jabba asked in Huttese.

?[I am currently on a job, mighty Jabba, and I believe that my prey may have sought refuge here on Tatooine],? Jador replied while scanning the room for the mysterious black-cloaked stranger. ?[The bounty for his capture is considerable, and, if you assist me, I am willing to compensate you for your trouble].?

Jabba laughed. ?[Many people here have bounties on their heads. That?s why they work for me],? he said. ?[I need some more information before I tell you if I can help you].?

?[The person I seek has been seen in the city wearing a black cloak. His face is covered with red and black ceremonial tattoos],? Jador answered.

Jabba stopped laughing. ?[This person, if he does exist, may be very powerful. How do I know that, if I betray him to you, his friends won?t come after me]??

?[This person is powerful, mighty Jabba, but so is your greatness. I doubt that anyone could pose a serious threat to you. However, in case you need some added assurance, let me tell you that I am quite powerful myself, and have even more powerful friends].?

?[This bounty hunter is cocky],? Jabba whispered to one of his subordinates. ?[I like that].? He turned back to Jador. ?[I may be able to help you, but, if I do, I don?t need whatever paltry sums of money you can offer. If I help you, I want you to carry out a job for me, gratis].?

Jador hesitated. He hadn?t planned on actually carrying out a hit. That violated everything the Order stood for. On the other hand, this enemy had killed two Jedi, and doubtless planned to kill more. Surely such a threat to the Order merited certain ? compromises?

?[That sounds like a fair trade to me],? he said. ?[What sort of a job were you thinking about]??

 

?So, failed you have at your task, before it is even begun! If incompetent, Master Kelso is, then find my own kelhai, I will. Known this, I always have. Train Jador myself, I should. Finish anything, Kelso Fendor cannot. A quitter he is. Always with him it cannot be done

For once, Kelso obeyed immediately, not caring that his conscience was a wrinkled, tiny, old troll.

Finally, last week I sent a message to the Viceroy letting him know that he was bantha poodoo

 

Good news everyone! I have somehow managed to find a brief break in my hectic schedule of exams and graduation, and I intend to post this evening.

 

Well, in the past few weeks, I have written two major papers, graduated from college, and started a job with an hour commute each way. Obviously, I haven't been able to write. I do intend to finish the story, but you will all have to be patient with me for a little while.

 

I'm in a rush now so I'm gonna come back later and try to find out what of these past few posts I already read when this fic was on the Classic Fan Fiction Stories board.

-Up-

 

Ok if my memory serves me correctly then I've read all of that.

Congratulations on your graduation Jador!

 

Thanks Satoshi!

I've got most of the move done, and I've settled in at work, so I should get back to writing soon. There will be another big distraction coming up when I get married early in July, but after that, things should get back to normal, more or less.

 

You're getting married? Wow, you really have been busy! Congratulations! I hope it's a long and happy marriage.