Author’s Note: Astute readers will
notice early on that what Veran is doing would be called “katas” here in our
distant galaxy. I had no idea what
the Jedi term for it would be, so I tried to describe as best I could.
The journey through hyperspace was even more peaceful than
our stay on Dantooine. In some ways
it felt good to be away from the Council.
I would never have admitted this to anyone, but the responsibility
my Battle Meditation has placed upon my shoulders was sometimes a heavy burden
to shoulder. I was never left a moment
of peace anymore, except to meditate, and even then I could not shake the
feeling of the masters always watching me.
In contrast, the trip to Kashyyyk was both chaotic and soothing. These people were far from the quiet, disciplined
Jedi I was used to.
Unlike myself, Juhani did not seem
bothered by this. She seemed to enjoy
talking with
On the ship, I kept
up my meditation, sometimes with Veran, and other times with Juhani. Unlike myself, for
him, it came with great difficulty. I
had heard that some Jedi require a “moving meditation” of repair work. Veran was different still; he meditated practicing
saber technique. It wasn’t the usual
combat drills and reflex tunings that Jedi commonly practice, but a kind of…
poetry in motion. He would move his
lightsaber in slow fluid motions, eyes shut, just letting the Force pass through
him.
The first time I witnessed
him meditate in this fashion, back on Dantooine, it made me uneasy.
I perceived at as focusing too much on the combative areas of a Jedi’s
life. But as I watched him, I realized
there was no violence or malice anywhere in his form.
The blade moved with a gentle grace that had none of the characteristics
of any combat style I had seen while studying at the academy.
I soon found myself mesmerized by his motion and fell into my own meditative
state watching his body move as he and his lightsaber danced across the training
room floor. Instinctively, our bond
widened and we found ourselves in a shared meditative state.
For a few brief moments,
our minds touched and I felt the serenity he had wrapped himself in, and I
knew he was strangely content, and yet anticipating what was to come.
I pulled back and put the wall I had built to shield the bond back
in place. I decided since that night
he talked me into sneaking out of the enclave that it was better to keep it
dampened until I learned how to better control this link we shared.
It was not unusual for a master and apprentice to share such an experience,
but I was not expecting it to happen with him.
Despite the Council’s warnings, it seemed I was unwilling to acknowledge
the bond on a conscious level, and as a result these little surprises kept
happening. I realized then that this bond was going to
be deeper and more long-term than I wanted, and the sooner I accepted and
adjusted my routine to account for this, the more surprises lay in store for
me.
Veran had tried to meditate
in the standard fashion, but he found it difficult to remain in one place
for so long. I chided him for his inability
to focus and his response was that the whole reason he became a scout for
the Republic Exploratory Corps was because he found peace in the journey,
not just the destination. It was easier
for him to focus his energies while doing something than it was while just
sitting still. It was Master Zhar who
suggested that he try some form of moving meditation, and Veran decided he’d
combine it with saber exercises. In
just a few days, he had worked out the routine I had witnessed that day. The master was pleased and even commented he
might recommend it for other students who had difficulty mastering the sitting
meditations.
In fact, Juhani had
come to him, our third night out from Dantooine and asked him to show her
how to meditate as he did. Of course,
I was invited to join in, but I refused, stating I preferred more traditional
methods. I did stop to watch once,
as I passed through the ship, on my way elsewhere, I don’t recall why. I watched as she stood next to him, and they
moved in tandem, paralleling each other. I
felt envious for a moment that she should so easily join with him in meditation.
Watching them move in sync together, I felt something stir in me that
I had not felt since I had lived with my parents:
jealousy. I made a silent vow to not refuse the next invitation.
Veran spent the rest
of his time with the others, and had started dragging me to what he called
“sabacc time.” Pazaak was the preferred
card game for gamblers, but was only good for two players at any one time. Sabacc was a new game that was just coming into
popularity. It allowed for more players
and did not rely on collecting and building a side deck. “Jedi do not indulge in games of chance,” I
protested, but Veran, as always, had a counterpoint.
“Jedi must keep their
mind sharp. Games of chance, sabacc
in particular, teach us how to read our opponents and to calculate odds. They can also teach us when to engage in a bit
of calculated deception and when to flee.
Can you honestly tell me these aren’t skills we should hone every bit
as much our ability to use the Force?” I
could see the impish gleam in his eye as he knew I could not easily refute
such an argument. He held out his hand
to invite me to sit. I ignored it,
but sat at the table anyway.
Carth was smiling as
he said, “C’mon, Bastila. I know you
Jedi need to meditate and practice all the time, but it’s good to spend some down time
with your comrades too. Besides, we
don’t play for real credits, just rations.
It’s just our way of bonding. Why
else would an organization that relies on military discipline permit it on-ship?”
“Yeah, Bastila! Besides, you can watch me take these old geezers
for all their worth in ration packs. There
hasn’t been a card game invented that I didn’t master.”
“Bah, youth and skill
is no match for age and treachery, girl. Just
because the stakes aren’t real, don’t expect me to go easy on any of you.
The tactics of the gaming table are little different from the tactics
of the battlefield: bluff, deception, feint, luck. Only the details differ.”
“Uh, thanks for that
rousing speech, Canderous. But why
don’t you put your rations where your mouth is?
Or are your glory days behind you?”
Canderous swore a few
choice oaths at the young girl. It
seemed like a fight was near to breaking out, but Veran and Carth looked unconcerned
and in fact seemed to be laughing at the whole exchange. I needn’t have worried, for as soon as Canderous
stood up, Zaalbar’s shadow fell across him, and his growls said what would
happen if Canderous laid a hand on the Twi’lek youth. For a moment, the Mandalorian and Wookie sized
each other up, and then Canderous sat back down and told Carth to deal the
cards.
I am loathing admitting
this, but I learned to enjoy these sessions.
While I lost much more often than I won, I began to feel somewhat at
home with this eclectic group. Somehow,
Veran was becoming the adhesive that kept everyone together. Carth and Canderous were both older and more
experienced, but they deferred to his judgment, though I doubt either really
realized they were doing it on any conscious level. Revan had always been said to have a gift for
inspiration and leadership, and this obviously held true for his reincarnation.
Our feisty
Zaalbar kept to himself,
but honored his life debt without hesitation. He had become even more withdrawn during the
trip to his homeworld. When we finally
touched down at the spaceport, he seemed positively furtive, for a Wookie,
at least.
As we approached the
arboreal planet, I had a dream of standing at the bottom of a great forest,
with trees so large as to defy belief. I
could hear the calls of strange avian creatures in the night air, and before
me another inverted tripod like the one on Dantooine opened in front of me. I could not, of course, make out any important
features of the map it displayed. I
woke up with a start, and quickly moved to the main passenger area.
There I found Veran coming from the opposite direction.
“Did you see it too,” he asked, as he tried to brush the sleep from
his eyes.
“Yes. The Star Map was obviously deep inside the forest,
on the surface of Kashyyyk, where not even the Wookies travel regularly.
We may learn more after we land.” I
stood there for a moment, trying to collect my thoughts when I noticed Veran
staring at me for a moment. It took
an instant for me to realize that I was so caught up in the importance of
the vision that I hadn’t bothered to pull on a robe, and I was standing there
only in my undergarments. Another heartbeat
and I realized he had done the same thing.
We both stood there in a moment of awkward silence.
While Veran’s were more
of a short-limbed bodysuit, I had always been fond of more elegant and flattering
designs. It was one of the few frivolities
I could indulge in as a Jedi, as personal effects were largely discouraged.
We were allowed to choose our own clothing, within certain parameters,
and none of the Jedi Council had even laid down stricture as to what undergarments
were acceptable and which weren’t. Perhaps
it was a conceit to wear ones that showed more skin than they covered, intended
for form over function, but something about them made me feel feminine, and
surely the Force would allow me one small private indulgence, as no one else
would ever know, since intimacy was forbidden.
I was the first to turn
away. “Such looks are not becoming
of a Jedi, Veran. Control your emotions.”
I chastised myself for appearing embarrassed.
A Jedi should not be concerned by such petty things as modesty, so
I stood straight and placed a hand on my hip, trying to show that the situation
had no erotic overtones, hoping to defuse the situation.
He stammered for a moment,
and then he seemed to collect himself. A
crooked smile appeared on his face as he responded, “Forgive me for saying
so, Bastila, but such a look is very becoming on you.” He bowed once, turned and walked back to the
stateroom. I stood there, looking indignant,
watching him walk away for a moment, before I noticed Carth, with another
look like he had during Veran’s duel with Bendak Starkiller, and looking back
from the pilot’s chair. He had the
decency to spin back around when I noticed him. Men… I
stalked back to my bunk, dressed and joined Carth back on the bridge. He wisely said nothing.
* * *
How to discuss the events
of Kashyyyk? I honestly am not sure,
even now. I accompanied Veran on his
search for the Star Map, this time with
Our shared vision indicated
that the Star Map was on the forest floor, and the only way down the kilometer
high wroshyr trees was with Wookie permission. Upon trying to enter the village, Zaalbar was
taken before Chuundar, and we of course followed. There, surrounded by Czerka Security, the treacherous
Wookie confirmed everything we had gleaned in the Czerka settlement. In fact, the only way we could access to the
area known as the Shadowlands was with his permission. He ordered us to kill an insane Wookie who had
taken refuge on the planet’s surface. Chuundar
held Zaalbar as a hostage to ensure our good behavior. Veran agreed to his terms, and we set out for
the surface.
After we left the village,
I turned to Veran. “Surely we are not
going to act as assassins for this Wookie. While we need to find the Star Map, we should
not allow ourselves to be used like this.”
“She’s right! We can’t just let that overgrown carpet do this!
We gotta help Big Z, Veran!” It was all I could do to keep
“Don’t worry, either
of you. I have no intention of leaving
Zaalbar in the hands of his sithspawn of a brother, nor will I do his dirty
work. We’ll find a way out of this. Trust me.
“Oh no, you don’t! You’re not leaving me on the ship while you
guys go down there, not this time!”
Veran took the upset
girl gently by the shoulder. “This
isn’t Taris,
“Well… maybe I don’t,
but I can handle myself!”
“I’m not saying you
can’t, but we need to stick with our specialties. We’re about to head down to into an exceedingly
nasty place, and we need the right people for the right job. We couldn’t have gotten off Taris without you,
but right now, I need someone who knows his way around a hostile outdoor environment.
Tell you what, why don’t you head back to the village and keep an eye
on Chuundar. He may try something underhanded now that we’re
gone. You’re the only one they’ll let
stay there. They only see a small alien
girl. They don’t know you the way we
do.”
“Frell! You’re right! That scum-sucking core-slime may try to knife
Big Z without someone to keep an eye on him.
You send Carth or Canderous and they’ll just toss ‘em right back out.” She looked up annoyed at him. “How can you be so obviously connin’ me, and
still make sense?”
“It’s a gift,” he said
with a slight smirk. “Go on. We’ll wait at the Y-junction of the Great Walkway.”
I watched as
Veran seemed to take
my sudden lecture all in stride. At
first I suspect him of humoring me, but he seemed to genuinely pay attention.
I wished I was merely being overwrought, but I had my orders as to
what I should do, should the Dark Lord threaten to return, and I found myself
hoping that I would never have to follow through on those orders.
Like Carth and the others, I had begun to grow fond of this man. His new personality had all the charisma of
his old. I knew who he was and what
he used to be, and yet I still felt drawn to him.
It wasn’t just the bond. While
it was far from gone, I had managed a level of control over my end of it. No, it was the way he seemed at ease anywhere,
no matter how alien the setting. It
was how he seemed to find something humorous in everything, even when it irritated
me. There was just, inexplicably, something
about him.
I heard the sound of
someone approaching from the Czerka camp and we turned, expecting Carth. Instead, a yellow-skinned Twi’lek was approaching.
I was about to resume my conversation with Veran when she spoke.
“Bastila?! Excuse me, miss, but
are you
I was shocked. I had not heard the name of my mother in many
years, nor was I pleased to hear it now. “Yes,
I am Bastila. How do you know my mother
or me for that matter? I came off as
a bit terser than I should have, but hearing that name set me immediately
on edge.
“Oh forgive me, I am
Silya and I worked with your parents on some of their expeditions. Your father kept showing off holos of you.
You’re much older now, of course, but I thought it was you.
Has there been any word on your mother’s condition?”
“Condition? What condition? What’s
wrong with her? Has anything happened
to my father?” A note of concern began
to creep into my voice.
“I’m sorry but I have
not seen your parents for some time. When
last I spoke to
The concern began to
evaporate, and a note of suspicion took its place. “No, I’m afraid I haven’t spoken to my parents
since I left home. Where did you last
hear from her?”
“The last transmission
I had from her originated from Tatooine. She didn’t give details, but she implied she
was very ill. I can’t tell you anything
more.”
“Thank you for this
information. It was a pleasure meeting
you.” I turned my attention inward
as I tried to puzzle out the possibilities of what I had just been told.
The woman bowed slightly
once. “I’m just glad I found you in
time.
Veran just stood there,
his eyes downcast. “Well that was one
of the most unusual encounters I’ve had since waking up on Taris. What are the odds that we’d not only meet a
friend of your parents, but that your mother is waiting on one of the worlds
on our list?”
“Her illness is probably
nothing more than a small virus that she’s milking as an excuse to get me
to find her. While I have little desire
to see her, I would like to learn of my father, and as you pointed out, it
is not out of our way. If we could,
I’d like to try and find her on Tatooine.”
“Of course, it’s not
a problem. We’ll simply head to Tatooine
next as soon as we’re done here. I’m
sure everything is fine,” he added, the concern on his face matching the tone
of his voice.
I just nodded once,
avoiding his gaze. It would not do
for him to see me overly concerned for parents I had not seen in years. This was the reason why Jedi are taken as young
children, to avoid these kinds of situations. How could I be an example to him if I could
not keep my own emotions at arm’s length?
“You’re lucky, you know.”
“What?” I turned to look at him, brushing a strand of
hair back into place.
“I never knew my parents.
They died when I was very young. The
state on Derallia took care of me. I
was raised in a private school, not too dissimilar from the enclave in some
ways. It was a lonely life. I never really had many friends until I went
to university. It’s one of the reasons
why I don’t approve of their recruiting techniques. Yes, a child may be easier to mold into the
perfect Jedi, but it’s also why we’re so alienated from the rest of the galaxy.
We should be a part of those we protect, not separate and aloof.
In many ways, I envy you. You
got a few years with your parents and with friends.
Its more than many of even your fellow Jedi had.”
My face softened a tad.
“Perhaps you’re right. But it’s that streak of emotion that has been
one of those things that Master Vrook has tried to get me to overcome. I know that I am headstrong and rash. I try not to be, but it’s difficult. He says I was right on the edge of acceptable
age for training, and that the Order took a chance in taking me. It is my obligation to show them they were right
to do so.”
“Have you ever stopped
to consider that the Council might be wrong? Yes, they are wise, but they are still mortal,
and everyone makes mistakes.”
“No, I haven’t, and
neither should you. The last Jedi to
question the will of the Masters were Revan and Malak, and we have them to
thank for this senseless slaughter that’s been perpetrated against Taris,
Telos, and a dozen other worlds!”
Revan shook his head.
“I don’t mean outright defiance of the council, and you won’t get any
arguments from me about Revan and Malak, but Carth made an excellent point
when you two were arguing about the Council’s inaction on the way here.
Without them, we’d have lost the war.
We have no way of knowing what would have been if Revan had listened
to the Council; maybe better, maybe worse.
I can’t be certain. My point
is that blind obedience is never the right answer.
Sometimes, you have to shut up and do what you’re told, but there are
other times when you need to question what you’re told. The Jedi and the military prefer it one way.
Smugglers and pirates prefer it the other.
What I’m saying is that there needs to be a balance between the two.”
“Perhaps, but I am not
so arrogant as to turn a blind eye to the centuries of wisdom accumulated
by the Order. They can see a larger
picture we cannot, and it would be wise of us to trust in that vision.” That sense of dread I had come to know so well
since I first this man was upon me again.
These were some of the same arguments Revan made to the Council back
on Coruscant. Please, don’t let him start down that path. I don’t want to have to hurt him… I found
myself pleading to the Force, flashes of the black-robed figure I confronted
a year ago playing in my minds eye.
“Bastila? What’s wrong?” I returned to reality in time to see him standing
closer to me, looking concerned. I
realized I had turned away and moved to the railing of the walkway, trying
to gather my thoughts. Earlier, he
had accused me of “scrunching up like a kath pup” when upset, which I vehemently
denied, only to be proving him right again. As a Jedi, my control over my “tells” should
have been better, and normally were. It
wasn’t just the bond, as I had hoped. I
was losing control of my emotions, the longer I stayed with him. I needed to redouble my efforts. I tried to find a way to explain away my reaction
when Carth walked up.
“Sorry I took so long,
people. You won’t believe this.
On her way back to the Hawk,
Revan pulled away from
me and walked over to the fleet officer. “Tatooine,
is it? Apparently that’s where Bastila’s
mother is too. I’m not one to tout
the usual clichés, but two long absent family members showing up on a world
we happen to be going to anyway, it can’t be a coincidence.”
Carth ran his hand over
the perpetual stubble he seemed to maintain. “That’s funny. I didn’t think the Force got involved in domestic
disputes.”
Veran lapsed back into
that crooked smirk he seemed to love when he thought he was being humorous.
“Never underestimate the power of the Force.”
I let out a sigh as I reached up to touch my temple.
The trek into the Shadowlands was going to be trying for more reasons
than just the native wildlife.
* * *
Despite having to put
up with some rather painful attempts at levity, the trip proved more interesting
than any of us had anticipated. Deep
below the forest canopy, we found an outcast old man, fending off a herd of
wild katarn with a lightsaber! He was
a man of dark complexion, bald, with a short beard. He introduced himself to us as Jolee Bindo.
I did not recognize the name, but it was obvious that he could feel
the Force. He was a bit… cranky, I
believe is the word, and he would tell us little about himself.
He had us drive off some local poachers in return for acting as a guide
into the dark heart of the Shadowlands. It
seems he had found the Star Map while stranded on Kashyyyk and could lead
us right there. The Force was with us.
With only a few hours
journey, we found a large computer that seemed to control access to the Star
Map. It utilized a holographic interface
that utilized the form of an unknown alien race, with a cone-shaped head and
two eye stalks that extended out on either side. Much to the surprise of everyone but me, it
recognized Veran’s brainwave patterns, even altered as they were, and put
him through a test to confirm his identity.
The questions were standard behavioral types, but the answers being
sought were better suited to a Dark Lord of the Sith.
The first one he passed
admirably, choosing to place his trust in friendship. The second one, which involved around a choice
between making crushing an enemy and protecting a friendly city, did not go
as well as I hoped. He seemed to agonize
over the decision, and tried to divide his forces for both goals, but the
computer would not permit such a response.
His answer was to permit the destruction of the city to end the war
more swiftly, resulting in fewer losses of life in the long-term. This was a standard tactic of Revan; during
the Mandalorian War, he would often abandon Republic systems of little strategic
value to reinforce his position elsewhere, leaving them to the tender mercies
of the Mandalorians. Despite the death
toll on those worlds, the Senate heaped medal after medal on the Knight-Errant
for his “brilliant strategies.”
The third question was
similar to the second, except that it revolved around a peacetime scenario.
This time Veran responded as a proper Jedi, which resulted in a failure
on the part of the computer, which triggered a pair of droids to try and kills
us. These were shielded in the same
manner as the ones in the ruins on Dantooine, but were better equipped.
It seemed that we might be overwhelmed this time, but Jolee had a knack
for using the Force to disrupt droid systems, and with his assistance we vanquished
them handily. The computer then reactivated
and allowed Veran access to the Star Map, stating that analysis during the
battle had shown him to be a valid user. Veran
and Carth seemed confused, though I remained conspicuously silent.
Strangely, Jolee didn’t seem very surprised either.
I made a mental note to talk to him when privacy permitted, about many
things.
The Star Map activated,
and we were able to fill in a few holes in the navigational data provided
from the one on Dantooine, but it was still not enough: key sections were still missing. Nonetheless, we had proven that a culture much
older than anything on record once walked the stars, and seemed to even be
responsible for the wroshyr trees and perhaps even the terraforming of the
entire planet and its biosphere.
Yet, one problem still
remained. We had the Wookie situation
to deal with. We agreed we could not
play assassins, but we needed to get Zaalbar back without having to slaughter
the entire Wookie village in the process. Jolee again guided us to our goal, which turned
out to be Zaalbar’s father, Freyr. He
attacked us on sight, thinking us Czerka slavers, but Veran managed to best
him without permanent injury. He told
us the story of Chuundar’s usurpation, and his regret at ignoring his youngest
son’s attempts to warn him. Veran persuaded
him to return to his village and overthrow his son, but the Wookie elder claimed
he would need the blade of an ancient weapon to make his case.
I would never have admitted this to the others, but I was beginning
to wonder why we seemed to be the only ones capable of performing some of
these tasks. I know the Force has a
destiny in mind for us all, but it seemed like an unusual number of items
required retrieval and that those that wanted them seem to lay in wait for
our arrival. I know it’s a very petty
stance for a Jedi, but as my tale continues, you’ll soon see what I mean.
To make this story shorter,
we retrieved the blade for Freyr who said he’d meet us in the village.
He had to go his own road, to find what allies he might have left among
the tribe. We made our way back to the lift back to the
Great Walkway. As we approached the
lift, we found Calo Nord and a group of bounty hunters laying in wait for
us.
The diminutive little
toad drew his blasters, grinning like a firaxan shark. “You’ve led me on quite a chase, but you’re
mine now. I owe you
for Taris, and Malak is willing to pay any price to have you all alive, but
not unharmed. I only regret that Canderous
isn’t here for this little reunion, but I’m sure I’ll find him with your ship.
Maybe I’ll say hello to that little Twi’lek you’re carting around.
Tell me something, boy, is she as tight as she looks?”
Carth was the one who
shot back first. “I knew you were scum,
Nord, but trash-talking about a girl? I
heard better snappy banter back when I was in diapers.” Carth drew his two blasters, as Jolee and I
pulled out own blades.
Veran just scowled as
he drew his lightsaber. “Jedi aren’t
supposed to give into hate, but forgive if I say I’ll feel a small surge of
satisfaction when this is over, Calo.” He
did take a moment to glance back at me and wink. “I will feel bad about your henchman though.” Insufferable male. I knew attempts at humor were a standard response
by soldiers to keep morale, but Veran seemed to take a little too much joy
in treating this like a cheap holovid.
“Heh, hope you still
talk that way when I deliver you to Lord Malak.
Take ‘em down, boys!” Arrogance
is always the failing of those who believe themselves the best. If he and his men had surprised us, he might
have won, but by taking the time for this little display of machismo had given
us all time to prepare. I knew we’d
make short work of them, as my golden blade extended to life.
Carth laid down a swath
of suppressive fire, driving Calo’s Rodian companions diving for cover.
Jolee unleashed a Force Whirlwind on one of the others.
I was making ready to throw my lightstaff at Calo, much as I had Davik
on Taris, when I felt Veran send me an image down our shared bond of us flanking
the bounty hunter. I had been assuming that Veran had little knowledge
of how to use our bond; something else I would have to re-evaluate.
Veran charged Calo with
me right behind him. His blade deflected
the barrage of blaster fire, until he did a back flip over the bounty hunter,
landing behind him, in a dueling stance. Calo spun to face him, dropping his blasters
for a pair of vibrodaggers. However,
he neglected to remember me, and left his back exposed. I cut him down just as he realized his mistake,
and was turning his head to put me back in his peripheral vision. Veran brought his single golden blade up in
a salute and a wink, and then turned to help Jolee deal with his Rodians,
as I moved to assist Carth. The battle
itself took less time than the banter that preceded it.
Jolee looked over at
me with a raised eyebrow. “Normally
this is where’d I’d tell you to be on your guard, but if this is the caliber
of bounty hunters in the galaxy these days, then I’d just be wasting my breath.
It’s not like you kids would listen to my warnings anyway.
Pah. That’s the problem with young people. You think you’re invincible.”
“And the problem with
you old people is that you think you’re always right.” Veran always had to be quick with a retort,
but to my surprise Jolee only laughed. “Good,
kid. Never take anyone seriously.
Not me, not her, and especially not yourself.
Now go on, scoot. Don’t you
have some Wookies to liberate?”
“Ah, thanks for reminding
me. I must be getting senile.
You coming, old man, or would you rather stay down here and admire
the flora for a few more decades?” Jolee only huffed grumpily, but the slight smile
on his face as he clipped his lightsaber back on his belt showed he may not
be as cantankerous as he liked to act. We
climbed into the lift and slowly raised ourselves out of the Shadowlands
* * *
Upon returning to the
Great Walkway, we learned that civil war had broken out among the local Wookies.
Freyr was confronting his son over leadership of the clan.
One of his supporters met us a short ways from the lift and escorted
us to the chieftain’s hut via a series of treacherous climbs across the wroshyr
branches to avoid harassment from Chuundar’s loyalists and Czerka security. We arrived in time to see Zaalbar and Freyr
rise up against him.
We did as he directed,
and within moments, Czerka and Wookie guards littered the floor. We stood in silent observance, as Chuundar dueled
with Freyr and Zaalbar. None of us seemed worried, and for good reason. The re-united father and son soon dispatched
their traitorous relation, though not before offering him several chances
to surrender, all refused. In the end,
Freyr reclaimed his position as chieftain, and welcomed his son home.
Zaalbar informed his
father that it was important to honor his life debt to Veran, now more than
ever. All he asked in return was for
Bacca’s Blade, the sword we had helped his father reclaim. It was the symbol of chieftains and it would
mean Zaalbar would one day take his father’s place. I knew
little of Wookie culture, nor was I in much of a mood to learn. All this emphasis on family had me thinking
about what, and who, was waiting for me on Tatooine.
To Chapter Six
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