Fan Fic: Echoes of the Jedi

I started this one a while ago, not sure if I'll write anymore but figured I'd throw it in...

I’ll never forget that day on Corescant, I had been away from the Jedi Temple dealing with business on the other side of the city planet. The call to come home had sounded and I had immediately acted upon it. I had taken a fast cab through the upper city levels to get to a larger transport hub.

As I made it to the transit lounge the call changed to the stay away tone. To say I was confused would be an understatement. Something had to be very wrong. I had moved to the inner lounge were holo-casts were playing. I was distressed to see the Jedi Temple displayed under siege by Republic Clone Troopers. There were reports of the Jedi going rogue and I knew I had to get a change of clothing.

Eyes in the room were starting to notice me. They turned on me quickly and just as quickly turned away. What was I to do? It was pretty obvious that I was a Jedi. I wore my robes with pride. I may not be the most gallant figure of a man but I always thought I wore the robes rather well.

I moved swiftly out of the Inner Transit Lounge and found a small shopping district where I convinced the vendor to trade the clothing I wanted for what I was wearing. Colours had never been my suit and to be wearing dark blue slacks, a cream shirt and sky blue coat seemed very odd. I suppose the blue would bring out the colour of my eyes, at least that’s what the vendor kept telling me.

I kept my lightsabre in the jacket pocket. I wasn’t ready to give it up just yet. I knew that it marked me for a Jedi but I had been taught that my life would often depend on it. Somehow I had a feeling that now was one of those times.

I used the Jedi Mind Trick to convince the clothing vendor that I had never been there and I was so glad that I did. Only moments after I had left the stall I saw a squad of troopers begin inspecting all the stalls.

My master had once said to be that the best method of blending in was to act like those around you and to appear perfectly confident that you should be in that particular environment. I took that advice and browsed a shop only several metres away. The troopers passed me with little interest as they continued their search.

I moved away and sort out a different Transit Lounge. I didn’t want to be recognised in the one I had been previously occupying.

A shout echoed behind me as the Troopers found my discarded robes. There was a flurry of movement and shouting at the vendor but I just kept walking. Once at the Transit Lounge I checked for the next upcoming flights.

Since I’d been out in the field I had been fortunate enough to take one of my alternate passports with me. I would be travelling under the name of Jusken Webb, which was not that dissimilar to my real name of Jen’el Weaver.

The choices of destination were quite vast but for some reason I decided to go to Dantooine. It was as if the Force was guiding me in that direction as I had no other reason to pick the planet. I had not been there before nor did I know anyone there. It seemed a good place to hide.

I had some recollection of Jedi once having a base on Dantooine. But that was ancient history. I knew that no Jedi had been on Dantooine recently so there was little worry of the Troopers finding me.

It was so puzzling. Why were the troopers hunting us? What had provoked them to turn on their allies? As I waited for my ship I continued watching the holo-casts in bewilderment. Betrayal, mutiny and alternate agenda were just some of the stated reasons for the sudden turn on the Jedi. I watched the holo-casts with growing horror as I realised that many of my fellow Jedi in the field had been slaughtered by the soldiers they had been fighting with so intimately for so long.

I knew the Troopers were human, yes they were clones but they were also individuals in their own right. How could they possibly kill a being that had been fighting with them for so long? Was loyalty so fragile?

So many questions racked my brain. I felt as if my very world was turned upside down. I wondered how many Jedi had actually survived the slaughter. I couldn’t be the last, I felt it deep in my soul, the Force would have indicated it to me if it were so. I’d felt disturbances in the last hour or so. They had only increased until there was nothing but a feeling of emptiness. But I was not alone. I couldn’t be. Could I?

My contemplation was disturbed as I heard the Public Announcement state that my transport had arrived. I realised that all the other passengers that shuffled slowly to the terminal had some sort of hand luggage. Not wanting to look out of place I quickly moved to one of the in-lounge shops. I had enough time to buy a bag and a few articles of clothing along with some basic hygiene items. I packed the bag and quickly joined the decreasing line.

Once on board I was directed to my seat. I was sitting between a grumpy looking male Twi’lek and a human female who didn’t look that much younger than me. She smiled at me as I sat down beside her. “I’m so excited,” she gushed.

“Going home?” I asked as I buckled up.

“Yeah, is it that obvious?” She said looking slightly embarrassed.

“Just an assumption, my next would be that you’re seeing a loved one.” I informed her.

She grinned, “Well I will be seeing my family. It seems so long since I last saw them.”

“So you’ve been away for a while?” I asked to keep up the conversation.

“Eight months now, I came to the Core for work but I don’t really like it here. It’s too busy,” she started then gulped, “You don’t live here do you?”

“I have for most of my life,” I replied and watched as her face steadily turned red.

“Oh I’m sorry. You must think me so rude.” She said looking very flustered.

“Don’t worry about it. I think we all have some attachments to our home worlds.” I said in attempt to calm the girl.

“Oh no, it’s your home world isn’t it?” She said looking utterly deflated.

I chuckled to lighten the moment, “No it’s not my home world. But the last time I was on my home world I was too young to remember it.”

“So where were you born?” She asked seemingly glad to be talking about something other than Corescant.

“Ryloth,” I said simply.

Immediately the Twi’lek beside me turned and started babbling on in his native tongue, clearly disgusted that I was born on his species home world.

“Hey cool it buddy, I can’t help where my parents were at the time of my birth.” I said with raised hands.

The Twi’lek folded his arms and turned away but continued to grumble to himself.

The girl shrugged as I looked at her, “Somehow I think I’m glad that I don’t know what he’s saying.”

“Believe me you don’t,” I said as I listened to the multiple curses the Twi’lek rambled on with.

I quickly shout him a counter curse so he knew that I understood what he was saying. He quickly shut up.

“What did you say to him?” The girl asked.

I swayed my head to the side, “You don’t want to know.”

She cracked up laughing and I was glad for the lightening of mood. Humour was something I always found uplifting.