Before - Legends Trouble in the Jedi-temple Kessel run challenge

Trouble in the Jedi-temple Kessel run challenge
Author: Earlybird-obi-wan
Timeframe: 85 BBY – 24 BBY
Characters: various OC and canon
Genre: challenge
Summary: various moments in the life of masters, padawans and initiates
Disclaimer: Star Wars belongs to Lucasfilm and Lucasfilm belongs to Disney.

Week 1 Trouble in a garden
Week 2 Lost family
Week 3 A worthy opponent for Vlad Dooku
Week 4 Dooku contra Teack
Week 5 A padawan for Dooku
Week 6 The angry archivist
Week 7 Dark meetings
Week 8 Revenge of Shaurkoo
Week 9 Losses
Week 10 roses are red
Week 12 From Death star to tetrahedron

 

Week 1

He had not been courageous. Padawan Lenk Norala was shivering and sitting on a snow-covered log in the garden. He gave a small smile when he saw his master Drew Erolin hurrying to him to take him to the healers. He was in the snow covered garden at the top of the Jedi-temple. The weather controllers had programmed colder temperatures followed by snow and with the gardeners just letting that snow into the gardens the trees with their red leaves became a magical scene for some fun.

Lenk had gone to the garden where initiates and their crèche masters were having fun. He had been expecting to see his friends L'Lacielo Sageon and Jadin Finn. But at the entrance of the garden was senior padawan Vlad Dooku and his master Thame Cerulian. Vlad – looming over him and boring dark eyes close to his face – taunted him to climb to the top of the amara-tree.

He couldn't resist. He had to do.

The tree with its black bark and red leaves and thick branches was unforgiving when he got a hold on the seventh branch to the top. It broke and he tumbled down. And being the padawan of a nutritionist and wanting to become just a cook he was weak in the Force-powers of lifting and sailing down. He tried to avoid the rocks near the tree, now covered with snow but hit one rock with his left foot. A cry.

A crèche master – busy teaching the intricacies of Force lifting of a snow-ball had taken out his comlink and alerted master Erolin. Vlad Dooku just smiled and walked away with his master.

 

Oh, Dooku, always the bully.

Great start to the challenge; I'm excited to read more Jedi temple adventures!

 

Looks like Dooku got what he wanted. Dirty rotten no-good excuse for a Jedi. He'll grow into a fine Sith one day, though.

 

I have a huge soft spot for Dooku, especially given that he's such a cardboard cutout obvious foil for Anakin that they never even bothered to give him a first name - but I'm amused beyond words that you chose assigned him one here. Inspired by Christopher Lee's Dracula?

 

Oh, Dooku, that is not the way.

I love your glimpses of life in the Jedi Temple! Great start and I can't wait to read more.

 

Aw, poor Lenk, that would be an awful situation to be in

 

Sheesh Dooku! What a little brat! Somebody please give him a spanking!

 

And more canon and OC will come depending on the prompts

He got it but in the next part...

Inspired by Dracula and a certain leader now waging war. More will revealed in the next post

You will see why Dooku became like this. And more Jedi will appear.

Lenk is but Dooku too.

Maybe Master Yoda or his master.

Week 2

Lost family

“Vlad Dooku pay attention.”

The smile on your face disappears when your master adresses you like this. Only twice he had done this. Normally it is just Padawan.

“Padawan Norala isn't strong in the Force. You knew when you...”

“But master,” you begin.

“I know. I am to blame too for not stopping your taunts.” your master shrugs his shoulders. “And I didn't pay attention when padawan Norala began to climb. I continued with you to the far end of the garden to watch the traffic. When more snow began to fall we returned to the exit where we saw the padawan waiting for his master. Let's go to the training salle.” You see him revealing his lightsaber.

Your lightsaber. It had been after you had constructed it on Ilum and showed it to your master. He had a dark look on his face when he said “Vlad Dooku why this design.”

At that moment you remembered when you lost the compassion, the light and embraced the dark.

It was when you lost your family.

It was when you were a four month old boy with piercing fathomless dark eyes. You were nice, giving smiles to everyone. Seeing the light, feeling the compassion coming from your older brother. Gentle Renolfo, always having fun, playing with you.

Your father, mother, brother remained to stay at the Dooku estate.

You knew that you lost your brother. He was destined to become the heir and next Count of the great Dooku estate on Serenno.

The last you saw of your father were the scorched hands when he put you in the crib.

You knew his name. Ren Dooku. He told you when he was showing you his beloved roses in the large garden.

The last you saw of your mother were her smiling eyes glowing yellow-red.

You knew her name. She whispered it to you when she was feeding you.

Anka Dooku is your mother.

You once saw her receiving a dark visitor calling her Darth Dynonichus.

You heard her answer. “Yes my master. Yes Darth Plagueis.”

You were put aboard a transport by the droid servant.

You didn't know your destination.

You did know that destination when a shining city-planet became visible. You felt a power now known to you as the Force. Through the viewport could it be seen. The Jedi-temple. Five large spires atop of a huge building.

The first being you saw was little. Gentle eyes in a green face. Welcoming you. “Vlad Dooku you are. Master Yoda I am.”

You met more beings of different races. One was your crèche master. Others were teachers and members of your clan. You learned the ways of the Force.

You met Master Yoda many more times. You like to duel with him. He is more than your equal, showing the intricate moves.

You became the padawan of your master Thame Cerulian.

“Padawan en garde.”

Your musings are interrupted. You bow before your master. Smiling because you know you can defeat him.

 

Ah, Dooku, you will learn "Pride goes before a fall." Great continuation.

 

I'm not a fan of Dooku (although I do like his taste in personal spacecraft -- I find the solar sailer concept fascinating), but this promises to be an interesting character study. Love the judicious choice of names, "Vlad" and "Dynonichus," which tell us a lot about the people who hold them. Looking forward to the rest of this story.

 

Wonderful response to the challenge! Even as a child, your Dooku is already a complex and fascinating character.

This part breaks my heart. Poor kid.

I'd be interested to know more about what happened with his family, too. Looking forward to reading more!

 

Great entries! I hope Lenk will be all right. On top of the physical injury, I imagine it stings to have been goaded into climbing the tree by the older bully.

The second entry was a poignant look into Dooku's past. He has lost a lot, and that can leave a mark on a person. Looking forward to next week!

 

Before I say anything else, I want to mention that I love your idea of naming Dooku Vlad "after Dracula and a certain leader waging war." Serves them right, all of them, and especially the latter

If I understand your intentions correctly, this is a thread where you intend to expand Dooku's background, and I'm totally here for this – for his dubious attitude towards his fellow padawans and initiates in the Temple, but also for the place and family he came from. Very interesting to make his mother an apprentice of Plagueis, and I suspect that the loss of his family isn't unrelated to that. I'll have to wait to find out, aren't I?

I also loved the detail of the weather controllers deciding upon a snowy day, as well as the idea of a padawan of a nutritionist who wants to become a cook. Of course there would be Jedi who aren't swashbuckling heroes, and we don't see enough of them.

 

These were really powerful lines.

I love this look into Dooku's early life. Nobody is born evil, they are shaped by people and events and so many other things. And here it looks like the Sith played a part in Dooku's background right from the beginning.

Awesome work, and I'm looking forward to more.

 

And will he learn from my new OC?

More will be revealed as these fics come with the end....

Having a mother like this, yes poor kid but he will make the choises eventually

Yes with Dooku meeting my new OC

Dooku it is for the entire Kessel-run with the last long story revealing more.

Dooku has a nice father but that mother....

And now introducing Hessy Teack, padawan of another OC of mine teacher Jaydi Dool

Week 3

A worthy opponent for Vlad Dooku

Padawan Hessy Teack was large for a 18 year old human. And he was handsome with wavy brown hair, a long padawan braid with numerous beads and brown eyes set in a fair face. That had earned him comments from girls he met on the few and limited missions with his master Jaydi Dool, a teacher at the Jeditemple. The usual training missions to Rangoon and Anaxes had been followed by one to Ilum where he had constructed his lightsaber with the golden orange crystal and the dark ebon hilt. It had earned him comments from his master and even Master Yoda when he came to the training salle. 'Dark it is. Careful you should be.' Hessy remembered this. He had shown it in the first duel with the master that he could use his lightsaber to defend, being full of joy and friendly. He was careful. Being the padawan of a teacher he paid regular visits to the archives to retrieve data-disks or even holocrons for the lessons. As an initiate he had become intrigued by the history of the Jedi of the high republic and before that. Revan, the Rakata, the infinite empire became his main study and the reason for master Dool to ask him to become his padawan. Hessy could grow to become one of the great archivists and historians.

The day had begun with the usual request. Bring data-disk this and that to the classroom. He had gone to the archives where Master Amoel and Jocasta Nu had greeted him. But on his way out with the huge amount of data-disks it happened. He couldn't avoid one of the pesky mouse-droids cleaning the floor of the archives and hands trying to hold on he couldn't prevent the shattering of two disks. Jocasta Nu had given him a dark look before giving him two replacements.

Lessons had followed with him giving the initiates of the various clans instructions. And with Magin Bhik and Marcho Rorima being busy with making paper planes and using those to send messages to their friends Morrin Miwert and Qui-Gon Jinn the history lesson had become quite challenging. Master Dool had ended the lesson by confiscating all the paper on the desks of the four culprits and telling 'Padawan Teack bring those four back to crèche-master Sol-Bonaydara and tell him what has happened. You can find me at Serinka's.'

Lunch at Serinka's restaurant had been a disaster too. He had given his comments on the baking of a pancake. And Serinka with a reputation of kitchen-disasters happening with pancakes had tried to sail the plate with pancake on his table. A Force-push and the pancake had ended on the stove, creating smoke and the arrival of the Jedi-temple fire-department.

Eyes still watering from the smoke Hessy followed his master silently.

“No lessons but we can go for some training.” Master Jaydi Dool entered one of the elevators.

Hessy followed.

No Yoda. Hessy entered the training salle. But he got a smile on his face when he saw a master and his padawan. The padawan was wielding another lightsaber with a dark design, having a curved hilt.

“Padawan Dooku will be a worthy opponent.” Master Dool observed and waited for the duel to end.

Hessy took one step forward.

Dooku looked his way. He had never seen the padawan but the design of the lightsaber intrigued him. He took two steps towards the padawan. “And you are?”

“Hessy Teack, padawan of master Dool and I like to spar with you. And you are?”

“Vlad Dooku, second son of Count Ren Dooku and Anka Dynarsk, born on Serenno and transported by a droid servant to Coruscant where I became an initiate in the Jedi-temple. I have been the padawan of master Thame Cerulian for 4 years and ...”

“Vlad Dooku attention.”

Dark eyes flashing. Vlad remembered that from only three days ago. He had been taunting padawan Norala and had had been reprimanded by his master. Going to the training salle he remembered when he lost his family, his innocence and now there was Hessy Teack, another padawan wielding a lightsaber with a dark design. He sure wanted to know the colour of the blade and took position. “En garde. Training mode.”

Hessy activated his lightsaber. Golden orange tinted with red was the blade.

Vlad activated his lightsaber with a dark smile on his face. This was a worthy opponent.

Very worthy because after a long duel Vlad was tiring and deactivating his lightsaber before Hessy could come with another move.

“Well done Hessy Teack.” Vlad shook hands. “I like to meet you again in another duel.”

“For me it is the same.” Hessy said. “Well done Vlad Dooku.”

“They were great.” Master Jaydi Dool smiled.

“Sure but now something to drink.” Master Thame Cerulian proud look on his face came to Vlad. “Padawan. You fought well. Come let's go for a nice cup of chocolate to Serinka's.”

“Yes master.” Forgetting that he was tired Vlad walked with springy steps to the exit following his master.

“And we have to bring back those data-disks after you have taken a shower.” Master Dool smiled. “I will help and after that we can do some study in the archives.”

“Something was bound to go right sometime today.” Hessy smiled when he went to the exit of the training salle with his master.

“And it did after that archive disaster and the mayhem in the class-room and Serinka's restaurant.”

 

Oh dear, Hessy Teack was having a bad day until he ran into Dooku, didn't he? And he's a perfect foil to Dooku: he had a dark-ish lightsaber too, but he's friendly and unassuming, as opposed to Vlad who's so full of himself, and yet he's still gifted with the sword. I'm very curious to see how these two will interact again!

 

Hessy sure did have a bad day and meeting Dooku. We will see who will become the dark-sider

 

So, Vlad met another padawan who intrigues him? Perhaps he is formulating an idea to turn this young mind toward his own goals?

 

A whole morning to read, ahhhh ....

A good idea to vary the climates.

Ew, a nasty, self-satisfied smile, I'm sure.

What a cold send off!

I'm so glad you included Rangoon, a favorite planet of mine!

Funny visual.

Now this is Mastering, to paraphrase Anakin's podrace comment.

 

We will see but not this time with just a lot of action

Dooku has to be a nasty guy from the beginning but he will become a Jedi-master first.

Week 4

Dooku contra Teack

“You know what happened a few days ago?” Master Cerulian was walking with his padawan towards one of the training salles.

“I do and I like to meet him again.” Vlad Dooku stopped before the entrance where he saw a large man inside standing at attention near the various obstacles in the training salle. 'I cannot use these obstacles to help me in the fight. I tried this fighting against Master Yoda but that little green gnome was just too fast dodging them and swinging them aside as if they were weightless.'

“I know you are a master of moving objects but in you go and only lightsabers this time.” Master Cerulian had an amused smile on his face when he sensed the thoughts of his padawan. “Master Yoda had you working and showing you every corner. I will watch from the observation deck. Master Dool is already there. In you go.”

“Yes master.” Vlad entered the training salle with a smile on his face.

“En garde.”

“En garde padawan Teack.”

“Now we have to prove what we have learned.” Hessy ignited his lightsaber. The golden orange blade tinted with red sizzled and hummed.

“Let's give them a show.” Vlad had his green blade out and parried the first move with ease.

Step, step, step, step
Halting before padawan Teack.

Step, step, step, step
Swish
Szing
Run, twirl, run

A jump. “Teack you can do better.”

Flying.

“Don't you see Vlad.”

Swish swish szing szing

“It's called Ataru you know.”

Blocking. Orange against green.

“Trying to talk me out of this.”

Jump

Swish szing swish szing

“It's frustrating. Hey Vlad.”

“Talking again Hessy.”

“Yes.”

“Boring Hessy. Attack.”

Swish, swish, zinnng

Zinngg

“You are impatient, reckless and gifted Hessy. Twirling around me.”

Swish, zziing, swish, zziing

“Hey now you are talking.”

Zzziiiing

Swish, zziing, swish, zziing

Zzziiiing

Swish, zziing, swish, zziing

“Only for a moment. Take this.”

Zzziiiing

Swish, zziing, swish, zziing

Zzziiiing

Swish, zziing, swish, zziing

Zzziiiing

“This was fun Vlad.”

“Sure.”

Swt. A green blade disappears.

Swt. An orange blade disappears at the same moment.

Vlad Dooku bowed.

Hessy Teack bowed. “Let's go for a drink. Our masters are coming.”

“Sure I can use one.” Vlad wiped the sweat from his face.

 

Really good action writing!

They are well-matched.

Excellent use of sound, really got me into the scene.

 

This was such an amusing way to answer the "action" prompt! And now, Hessy and Vlad are going out for drinks together. Oh, this can't be good for poor Hessy...

 

They are well matched. Excellent. I expect Dooku will be happily thinking of revenge against Master Yoda, too...

 

Excellent responses to Weeks 3 & 4!

They may be Jedi, but they're still kids too.

That honestly sounds like a really pretty color for a lightsaber. As long as it's not used for dark side purposes!

A lightsaber duel is a great way to use the prompt, and you did a fantastic job writing it! I wonder what will happen as Hessy spends more time with Dooku, though.

Can't wait to read more!