One of the five padawans at the Jedi Academy on Taris, Zayne Carrick fears that he will not be promoted to knight along with his classmates. And for good reason: his mission to capture Gryph, a low-level Snivvian con artist, remains unfinished.
Zayne finally captures Gryph, but the chase delays him for the graduation ceremony at the Jedi Temple. He hurries, hopeful that the completed mission will help his cause.
But nothing can help him understand what he sees when he arrives: his four padawan friends lie dead at the feet of their own masters. "You are late," says Lucien, Zayne's master. Zayne runs... but where can he go?
The narration begins
Years ago, before the padawan's escape and the massacre of the masters in the Outer Rim Territories/Raioballo Sector/Dantooine System, on the planet Dantooine
On Dantooine, a pleasant world tinged with olive, blue, and brown, there were seas and continents that contained pastel-colored prairies dotted with trees, rivers, and lakes. It was quite distant from most of the galactic traffic and was home to a small population of human settlers. They were largely engaged in agriculture and lived in single-family homes within small communities, some with larger landholdings. This planet was also home to the Dantari, a primitive race of tall and strong humanoid beings. Likewise, this world was full of fauna and flora.
On this occasion, one could see a place in this previously described world that was an academy known as the Jedi Enclave, a complex of buildings with both artisanal and technological appearances, made of local stone and masonry, distinguished by the large stone structures in the shape of fins that surrounded the main buildings. Near the aforementioned location, one could see a member of Yoda's species named Vandar Tokare, wearing dark blue robes and sitting on a gliding chair (Members of Yoda's species, most of whom are less than a meter tall, can live for many centuries. They are characterized by pointed ears, crests on their foreheads, three-fingered hands, and three-toed feet with one toe at the back. Their skin is tough and they have sharp teeth) and also a human woman in white clothes, with long light brown hair, named Reiva Carrick.
- Master Vandar! They have been with Zayne all morning. Do you know anything else? The one with brown hair asked, catching the Jedi Master's attention to find out more about how her son was doing.
- The knight who referred to your son on Dantooine was correct. Madam, Zayne has a marginal proclivity for the Force. The reptilian explained the situation of the human's firstborn within the order.
- Marginal? I doubt it, Reiva said, puzzled and curious upon seeing the Jedi's response.
- Don't be alarmed by the term. We do not fully understand the way strength manifests in young people. With training, he can become a valuable addition to our ranks. The master explained, clarifying and calming the woman's doubts about her son.
Both trained in the enclave where they walked thru the halls in silence until the Jedi spoke.
- And we already admire how he has formed relationships. I praise the reptilian for the friendships or bonds Zayne has made with other apprentices.
- He has experience with that... His father and I have four more at home. The mother stated, clarifying her son's social skills.
- But is the Order a safe place for a child? Those dark jedis... Will they be alright? The one with brown hair feared for her son's life; dark forces could harm him.
They both walked until they reached a room with a window where they saw the initiates Kamlin, Oojoh, Shad Jelavan, Gharn, and Zayne Carrick playing with various toys.
- The Sith? We have fortunately been free of them since the war ended. And we remain on constant watch for their return. I assure you, madame, your son could not be safer. After all, we are not just their teachers. We are their protectors. The teacher explained, dispelling the doubts and worries from the woman's mind.
In the present.
Zayne was fleeing from the assassin masters of his fellow padawans, but Lucien stopped him to say something.
- Zayne, wait! The blond master demanded of his apprentice as he walked slowly toward him.
- You never took punctuality into account. Please. Save us some time now. He joked lightly and asked the blonde with an ironic tone.
In response to that, Carrick turned around and ignited his lightsaber.
- Ah. One last exercise then. Draay joked again as he continued moving toward the young man.
The cornered brunette cuts the elevator door of the tower, opening it to escape thru the shaft.
The blonde, upon seeing that, used his communicator to speak with the academy's security control personnel.
- Lucien to the control tower. Close the doors, close the doors. He ordered the master in the white tunic to prevent his student from escaping.
Then the master, along with his comrades, jumped into the elevator shaft while Carrick broke thru another door at the bottom and managed to enter a cargo room full of loader droids. The brown-haired one jumped among them until he saw a box exit area on the floor and leaped into it.
While Master Lucien destroyed the droids to make his way thru the room using his Force powers.
Meanwhile, in the academy hangar, Marn could see how the gates were closing, but he didn't care: he pulled the handcuffs tied to his captor's motorcycle to try to escape, but it didn't work.
- Stupid durable. He's about to skin me alive. He couldn't finish complaining, Hierogryph, upon seeing several Jedi Masters chasing his young adversary.
- You! And someone in charge! Finally! This inmate of yours has violated all my civil rights. The Snivvian complained again while continuing to struggle with his handcuffs.
- Are they all behind me? Dudo Marn watching as the teachers were running toward him.
- No, from me! The brown-haired padawan corrected as he got on the motorcycle and started it.
- What did you do? I question the smuggler, doubtful of his captor's actions.
- Nothing! It's what they did! "Hold on!" Carrick clarified and ordered his prisoner as he accelerated and drove in the opposite direction to the exit.
- The entrance is closed, Zayne! There's no way out! Lucien assured while following the vehicle with his saber still activated in his hand.
- Wait! What are you doing? He asked, puzzled, Hierogryph, watching where the padawan was heading with his motorcycle.
From one moment to the next, the bar where the smuggler was imprisoned broke, which made him happy, but he still had his handcuffs.
The Togruta master Raana Tey lunged with her lightsaber in hand toward the fugitive padawan's vehicle.
- No! Don't do it! I plead with Hierogryph to avoid the Jedi's aggression, but inevitably she continued her attack. Luckily, the smuggler jumped and landed in the driver's seat of the vehicle while the passenger seat was sliced by the Jedi Master as the pair of fugitives escaped.
Carrick reentered the cargo room where he had been before and went thru the elevator shaft, moving along its walls.
- Wait! Where are you? The smuggler asked, bewildered, as he saw the unusual route as his captor's risky way to escape.
The padawan reached the top floor of the academy and broke thru a window to escape. Marn had his clawed hands on the back of his captor, which annoyed the latter.
"Stop doing that so I can drive!" Zayne complained, feeling how the smuggler's hands bothered his back.
- I'm still chained up and my hands are bound by the cuffs, you're crazy! Likewise, Hierogryph complained as he passed his hands so the young Jedi could enter the handcuff code.
- Just let me enter the code into the cuffs. He declared the brunette to his captive while pressing buttons until he finally succeeded.
- Hurry! We have company! He exclaimed and informed the one in purple clothes as he could see the Jedi masters on motorcycles, also approaching the pair of fugitives.
Unbeknownst to them, they were heading toward a large window of an institutional building and unfortunately couldn't change direction, inevitably they were going to crash.
Meanwhile, inside that institution, a somewhat old educator, wearing purple and white robes, with small glasses and sparse gray hair, was giving a lecture to his students.
- And whether you pursue your civil engineering career here or elsewhere, you will rely on the DX-300 traffic package. With the 300, the signal regulation indicates a better route. Nothing like the chaos we had to endure in my days. The professor explained to his students, which made them yawn or fall asleep.
- Now, students, if you pay attention to the next one. But the educator couldn't finish, because one of his students pointed to the large window behind him and the one in purple clothes. The student saw the padawan's vehicle and his captured smuggler heading toward the building where he was.
- What is that? He asked, bewildered, as he tried to visualize the motorcycle, but he could barely see it before it crashed violently and noisily against the glass.
- Down and take cover. The professor shouted as he threw himself to the ground to avoid being hit by the motorcycle.
- Jedi business! "Back off!" shouted the padawan as he passed thru the room toward the exit on his motorcycle, causing chaos.
Then the 4 masters appeared on their motorcycles.
- Jedi business! Stay down! Lucien ordered those present as he descended with his comrades.
The 4 Jedi ran thru the hallways, following the trail of destruction left by the fugitive. They arrived at a school cafeteria and asked upon seeing that one of the cafeteria windows facing outside the building was broken. The Togruta teacher spoke with one of the students carrying a tray of food.
- You tell me, which way did they go? The Jedi asked the student to know the direction in which the fugitive went.
- All I saw was the speeder! I passed by here so quickly. The student assured, pointing a finger at the shattered window.
- Enough! Let's go! The Togruta concluded as she left with the other masters.
When a student opened the hatch of the trash chute, they could hear a whisper, but they didn't see the hands that were inside the chute as they watched the Jedi pass by.
"Who was that who spoke?" Marn asked curiously, wanting to know the identity of the voice.
- It's the Togruta Jedi Master Raana Tey. The padawan replied, resolving the doubts of his smuggler comrade.
- His name rhymes with escaping, maybe we should. But he didn't finish his dialog because he saw how the student who opened the waste hatch was going to throw the contents of his tray where they were.
- Hey, don't do that. Hierogryph asked too late, but it was already done. The student threw the contents of his tray down the duct, causing the liquids from the leftovers to make the pair of fugitives slip, letting go and falling down the duct.
Luckily, the garbage at the bottom of the waste bin cushioned their fall.
- Well, the compactor wasn't on. He thanked his lucky stars as he stood up from the trash.
- Yes. You are a lucky charm. He joked, the one in purple clothes, as he stood up.
"I think we found a new path to the lower city." The brown-haired one stated, looking around at their surroundings.
- Forget it. Those jedis were trying to kill us! What have you done? He complained and asked the smuggler, wanting to know why his captor was being pursued.
- I didn't do anything! I entered the temple and found all my friends dead! I clarify the situation, Zayne mutters in a low voice with anger because it happened to his comrades.
- Dead? Curious, Marn doubted, pondering the situation he had gotten himself into.
- Murdered! Their teachers killed them! Their own teachers! And now they are behind us! Carrick kept clarifying the matter they both got into.
- Oh, no! Behind you, rather! I'm leaving this place! Marn concluded, annoyed, as he walked away to avoid getting involved.
- Dead Padawans! As if I needed that. He hadn't finished uttering those words when the Snivvian began to ponder the young Jedi's words.
- Wait! How do I know you didn't do it? He questioned the one in purple clothes while pointing at him with his index finger.
- Me? I couldn't have done it! He asserted indignantly at the words of his fugitive companion.
- I couldn't have done it! They are my friends! You have to listen to me! I plead desperately, the chestnut-haired one, as he placed a hand on Marn's shoulder.
"Let me go!" The smuggler demanded somewhat annoyed as the padawan removed his hand from his companion.
- Now get out of the way! I have to think about it! Marn asserted doubtfully as he abruptly took the young Jedi's lightsaber while looking up, noticing something that only he saw.
- Please, you have to listen! I'm telling you the truth! I would never have killed them! I couldn't have done it! Desperately assured Zayne, thinking that the one in purple clothes was going to attack him.
- You couldn't have done it. The smuggler asserted again as he ignited the lightsaber.
- You're right! I couldn't have done it! How many times have I tried to capture you? Eight? The padawan doubted the number of times and insisted on capturing him.
- Nine. He corrected the one in purple clothes, the number of times he tried to arrest him.
- They were almost Jedi! I couldn't kill any of them, much less... To all of them, concluded Zayne, saddened and depressed by the loss of his comrades as well as the futility of it all. He closed his eyes, thinking that his companion would attack him, but he heard the saber didn't touch him, but it did destroy something. When he opened his eyes, he saw Marn destroy a surveillance droid with a thrust of his weapon.
- What? I ask, bewildered, the brown-haired one as he watched his old rival tear the droid apart.
- City surveillance droids. Not only your teachers are after you, now the civil authorities are in on it. The Snivvian said, observing the automaton he had destroyed and its characteristics.
Both left the waste area and walked down an alley until they almost reached the street where they chatted.
- How do you know about that? Maybe they are after us because we damaged the building. The chestnut-haired one deduced it from the weight of his actions in the accident he caused.
- Haven't you taken a look out of the window of your ostentatious tower yet? The law here doesn't have time for traffic violations! I assure Gryph knowing how things worked in this world.
- Those over there are patrols, cruisers, and probably more droids. It seems the sheriff is out tonight. He, dressed in purple, pointed with his hand and observed the skies and the surroundings where they were, where law enforcement forces could be seen.
"Look, I'm sorry for getting you into this, just go, it's a big planet, you'll disappear, I will too." But he couldn't say his goodbye, the chestnut-haired one to his companion because they saw a police announcement on a building.
- Can you hear what they're saying? The padawan asked Marn to see if he could read what was displayed on the announcement.
- No... But the announcement is in Sullustese. We must be in the Sorosuub area, and I can tell you that it is written in it. Assured the Snivvian, seeing that he could read the announcement in a language he recognized.
The poor young Jedi lamented as he saw the announcement that was surely a wanted poster, dead or alive.
In the announcement, it says, Zayne Carrick, missing padawan, murdered his classmates, the fugitive is armed and is. He didn't finish reading Gryph the crimes his unexpected comrade was accused of.
- Dangerous? Carrick hesitated, thinking they would say that while lamenting being in such a horrible situation.
- No, they call you disturbed. Well, that certainly sounds and applies to someone like you. The delinquent sneered, laughing softly and watching the next ad.
- Let's go alone, let's go alone. He stated while grabbing a hood thrown among the trash to see if he could use it to hide his identity.
- Yes, I think that... He couldn't finish pronouncing the one in purple clothes because he saw a new ad.
- What? Zayne hesitated, bewildered, because his escape companion didn't finish his words.
Both looked at an advertisement where Marn Hierogryph was featured.
- I hate this poster, it doesn't capture my good side in the photo. Let me see what it says, it says that I am. Accomplice? A hooded little thief?! Exclaimed the Snivvian upon seeing the charges brought against him.
- I am not an ACCOMPLICE! I am a BRAIN! They can't demote me to being a second-rate. The trafficker shouted indignantly, frowning very angrily.
While with the Jedi masters in their tower, Lucien and Q'anilia could be seen talking as droids carried the students' bodies on stretchers.
Has the sheriff returned? The blond asked his comrade while watching the droids remove the corpses.
- Yes, Lucien, she said they should get Zayne out of his hiding place soon. I inform the Miraluka about the officer's presence.
- Although I'm not sure. I'm not at ease with so many strangers involved in something so delicate. The teacher in purple robes said worriedly, with a somewhat embarrassed look.
- Well, I'll just tell you what I told our partners on Coruscant. The civil authorities would always have to be involved one way or another. That was expected. That was to be expected. There must be a show of justice, Q'anilia. We owe so much to the families. Draay explained, clarifying the situation and their duties to his comrade.
- Of course, you're right. I just, well, I never thot Zayne would be the only one. I doubt the teacher in purple clothes is confused.
- He may not be the only one yet. He is my padawan. I don't think he's the only one. But we have to be sure, right? The blonde assured while looking directly into his friend's face.
- Sure. Are you sure we can find him? We know Zayne's mind, but the Snivvian's we do not. I question Q'anilia, thinking about the possibilities of the pair of fugitives.
- He's in this for himself and won't be a factor for much longer. He will abandon Zayne. Or he will get tired. They might have already separated. No, Zayne is very lonely. And he will crawl into the darkest hole he can find. The blonde explained to his comrade the possible situation of his padawan.
"Let's see if we can give the sheriff a little help by burying him there." Draay concluded with a somewhat mocking tone as he watched the droids take away the bodies of the dead apprentices.
Meanwhile, with the pair of fugitives, they both went to the Kedorzhan tavern, a place frequented by the same specimens of that same species (The Kedorzhans were a burly species with characteristics similar to a mole, with two legs and two arms, they had an excellent sense of smell but were virtually blind after hours in the dark). Considering that, Marn took it as an advantage; they could listen to the music and see many holographic tables, card players, screens, and lights, as well as a bar where they could sit and have drinks.
- This is madness! There's no way to hide! The padawan complained, seeing so many customers frequenting the establishment.
- What were you planning to do, hide in dark cantinas? That's the first place they'll check! But it's always payday somewhere in Taris! The trafficker reasoned to his unlikely companion while calmly observing the people around them.
"But someone might recognize us!" Carrick protested, thinking that the Snivvian had chosen the wrong place to hide.
- You haven't come to the lower city very often, have you? This is the Kedorzhan tavern. After working in the mines, the Kedorzhans can't see anything for hours. You are a "big stain," I am a "small stain," Gryph reported while walking around the place without anyone recognizing him.
- If the news broadcasts start transmitting your smell, then you'll have a problem. However, their bartender droids serve good drinks! He joked and mocked, the one in purple robes, but then noticed a holographic table where several people were displayed.
- Hey, what is that? The smuggler asked, looking more closely at the table, and sat next to his companion at the bar, noticing that his young brown-haired friend was among the holograms.
Marn gave some credits to the automaton and as soon as he asked for two tall glasses of beer, it handed them to him.
- Ohh! Are these the dead guys? The Snivvian assumed as he could see each one in more detail.
- They are my friends. They were my friends. The young Jedi clarified, implying that they were his fellow Padawans.
- Oh, look how they are talking with their families now! A pair of siblings, a young girl and a little boy, buddy, this is unfair. Describing the one in purple clothes to the people appearing on the screen while complaining a bit about his friend's situation.
- It's my best friend's family. The girl is Shel. Anyway, I'll never talk to her again if she thinks I did this. Explained the depressed yet disheartened Carrick as he covered his face with his hands.
- Oh, come on, Big Spot! Have a drink. He offered, Gryph, while holding the drink and bringing it closer to the young Jedi, trying to cheer him up.
The padawan stood up with a look of embarrassment, almost defeated, as he turned around and his comrade did the same.
- No one would believe that you did that. It's like we were saying. If you weren't the worst apprentice they've ever had, it's only because all the files were lost when the planet at the bottom of the list exploded. Hierogryph exposed while mocking him to try to change his mood as he placed a hand on his friend.
- You are quite comforting. He replied with irony and sarcasm, the brunette, while putting on a small smile.
- It's just the golden heart of Marn Herogryph, my friend. Now, if only we could prove that you are a plague in the court of law. The trafficker stated, then turned to see several races that could indeed be seen in the distance entering thru the other entrance of the establishment.
- Get down! He ordered, dressed in purple, as he threw his drink and tossed his partner to the ground.
- Hmm. They are not Jedi, but some of them can see us. There will be bounty hunters soon. Anyone with eyes will be a problem. Bounty hunters! I guaranty Marn was cautious given the situation they were in.
- Bounty hunters! Boy, I hope the Vulkars and the Beks are watching. This should do wonders for my street reputation. I imagine the Snivvian in which direction the prestige of his past actions would lead him.
The glass he dropped on the floor shattered into pieces due to a blaster shot, which alerted the pair of fugitives, who ran to the tavern exit.
- Hey, it seems they already know who we are, these people are blind but they can hear us. He stated, dressed in purple, as he fled with the young Jedi.
- How could they do this? We trusted them! He suspected and doubted indignantly, the brown-haired Jedi, while running.
- The Kedorzhanos? Gryph asked his comrade as they continued moving away from the establishment.
They both hid in an alley.
- Our teachers! We have been with them for years! They are supposed to protect their apprentices, not massacre them in cold blood! He exclaimed, vociferating a bit irritated, looking Marn in the eyes.
- Ooh! Oh! Maybe your teacher is a bith! I theorize the trafficker is considering that possibility and the reason behind his actions.
- A Sith? Zayne corrected him seriously, clarifying the term his comrade was referring to.
- Whatever, you know, those guys messed up all the good trade routes a couple of years ago. He complained and informed Hierogryph while thinking about how the Sith had ruined his business.
- No. No. There are no signs of that. The brown-haired one confirmed, dismissing that possibility from his mind.
- These are the teachers we've had since we left childhood. I've heard what they talk about quite a bit. They hate the Sith. They... The Jedi reflected, then thot for a moment that something was not right, and that was the hatred of his masters.
- They hate the Sith! The brown-haired one declared to his friend, informing him of this flaw.
- Really? The Snivvian hesitated, thinking about what his companion said.
- They are Jedi. We do not allow ourselves to hate. I assure you, Carrick is explaining one of the principles of his order.
- Something is wrong here and it was already wrong. Whatever happened to the teachers to make them do what they did. What they did. They wanted to do it with all of us. What had we done? What had we seen? What were they afraid of? Intrigued and doubtful, the Jedi was filled with uncertainty about the questions in his mind.
- Gryph! You have to try to get us off this planet! Carrick asked his fugitive comrade very nervously while grabbing him by the shoulders.
- Not just any world. I need to go to where we were trained. To all the places where we were trained, I have to rewind our lives. Anything that brings us back here. The only way for both of us to get out of this is to find her. He demanded and explained, somewhat desperately and embarrassed, the brown-haired man.
- Future in the past, huh? Well, that fits. In my personal escape plan, going up means first going down. The trafficker said with a slight smile to his companion.
- I hope you like mutants, monsters, and diseases, intern. Because our only way out of Taris is to go to the lower levels of the city! I joke and explain to Marn how things worked on this planet, as well as the dangers and risks they would face.
While at the Jedi Academy, the Jedi Masters were seen meditating, except for Lucien.
- To the lower levels of the city. Xamar pronounced in the midst of his meditation.
- Lucien, we saw it. The Miraluka reported to his companion what he could see in his meditation.
- I heard. Get ready to depart. Draay ordered the other teachers to get ready for their journey.
- Ah, Zayne! The more you run, my padawan. You will only prove that our actions are correct. I declare, while looking thru the large window, observing the great city, thinking about what would happen in the future.
- The end -