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Ossus, 8,000 years prior to the Battle of Yavin…
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“Come one, come all!” bellowed an enthusiastic greeter for the many circus acts happening in Town Central,
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“Come and see the Mysterious Myk Leedo!” the crowd slowly began to develop around the large boulder.
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The young man by the name of Myk Leedo walked a calm stride from behind the boulder. The crowd was smaller than the last showing.
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Myk liked to say he depended on his special gift, but if he was completely honest with himself, he wasn’t at all.
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It was the people that Myk depended on. If he didn’t put on a good show, he won’t earn any money, if he doesn’t earn any money, then it’s back to Grotoe’s shaak stalls.
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“Grotoe’s stalls…” Myk grumbled, “anything but the stalls.”
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Myk stood nervously in front of the boulder. He closed his eyes, and his heart and his mind opened to the essence of the universe.
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Myk focused his soul on the stone. There is, was, and will be only the stone.
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“There is no stall…there is only the stone.”
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“There is no tension, no pressure, or fear, or enslavement. There is only…”
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“The Force!”
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His veins flowed with energy, his fingers releasing the gateway to the physics of gravity…
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The gate is opened, and it is time for Myk to leave the laws of the natural world…
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To open himself to the threads of reality…
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So he can bind the galaxy together!
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The crowd is silent with shock, they cannot believe their eyes!
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Myk can feel the amazement, but he stays the course of impossibility.
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“Look at it folks, this is the sum of all wonders!”
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At last, Myk lets go of the Force, and reenters the realm of reality.
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His energy has been drained from him, and Myk leans on the stone to ease the tension in his body.
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Myk slumps to the ground, feeling too weak to collect his earnings.
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“Another day of hard work,” Strat coughs, “I tell ya: talkin’ to crowds is hard work.”
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“It get’s easier every time, Strat,” Myk realizes, “this isn’t a gift like people tell me, it’s a strength; something I was born with from the begining.”
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“Yeah it’s pretty cool, Leedo. But look, kid, I think it’s time I let you go. I’ve gotten tired of talkin’. You deserve better than this. Go find a life for yourself.”
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Strat curled his lips into a slimy smile and rasped a heavy chuckle, “That’s good I guess, but I’ll tell ya: you should look into tryin’ ta teaching other people how to do stuff like this ya know what I’m sayin’?”
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Myk had never thought of that idea before, “Not a bad thought,” he said,
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“Not a bad idea at all.”
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For over a thousand generations, the Jedi Knights have been the guardians of peace and justice for the republic. They are keepers of peace. Not soldiers. They are empowered by the Force, an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us an penetrates us; it binds the galaxy together. It is a powerful ally. Life creates it, makes it grow.
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It is an ally for the light side: the Jedi, and the dark side: the Sith. The Sith are symbols of evil and chaos. They are the rivals of the Jedi, sworn to destroy them. Since the beginning of the two factions of the Force, the two sides have been at war. But the Sih have been long dead and destroyed, and the Jedi have been maintaining peace.
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The City Planet of Coruscant has served as the home of the Republic and the Jedi that guard it…
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…And it is the Jedi Temple that serves as the dwelling place for the Jedi. It is their home, their place of safe haven, and the realm of justice. It is also where the next generation of Jedi are trained and prepared for a future of keeping peace and justice for the galaxy.
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In one of the many training rooms of the Jedi Temple is the “Sarlacc Clan”, one of dozens of other youngling clans in training.
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One of the members of the clan is Keegan Jinnar practicing his basic light saber training with the rest of his friends…
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…Under the tutelage of Jedi Master Jay!
“Alright students,” he said in a raspy, gruff voice, “put away your training helmets and light sabers.”
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The students proceeded to do as they were told. The older younglings had finished their required year of using training helmets, leaving the three eleven year old trainees to put away their equipment.
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“Go on, Keegan,” Rez Fowler jabbed, “put away your helmet and your pacifier.”
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“Not now, Rez.” Keegan coolly replied,
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Rez’s eyebrows arched, “Shut up, Jinnar!”
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“Come, students,” gathered Master Jay, “I have some news for all of you!”
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“I am going to the Jedi Forest Temple on Bondo III,” he replies humbly,
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“But do not be sad, if it is the Force’s will, all of you will see me again!”
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Opening his arms for an embrace from his students, Jay chuckles as the younglings crowd around him tugging on his stringy beard and mustache and squeezing his waste.
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“We’ll miss you, Master Jay!” the Nikto Fe-Ek Sirch cries. Jay smiles,
“I will miss you too. All of you.”
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It is after school and training hours, which means the students have free time till eight o’clock that night.
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“Well what do you guys want to do?” asked Keegan,
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“We should go to the play room and play with the other students!” Julia Portay suggests,
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“Nah,” Kala replies, “we do that all the time.”
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“We should go to the library, we haven’t done that in a while!”
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“Are you for real?!” Rez interjects, “You know Master Nu doesn’t want me there anymore after I knocked over that holocron that one time!”
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The other students laugh wholeheartedly, remembering vividly that day of reckoning for Rez,
“That was the first…and last time I laughed in the library.” Kala recalled. He could still remembering the ear slicing tone in Master Nu’s voice getting onto him after getting onto Rez.
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“Oh yeah, definitely funny… Kala Mly ”Shorty“, I can embarrass you just as good, you little hairless-Whippid!”
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“Master Golza says not to insult your fellow students… or any body!” Fe states,
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“Shuttup, Fe, this isn’t your business.” Rez fired back, Keegan stopped in his tracks, knowing that things could escalate into a drastic situation,
“Rez, stop. We don’t want to get into trouble again.” but Rez ignored and continued,
“Yeah that’s right, Kala. Something was wrong with your mom; that’s why your so small and hairless. I bet your mom was a hooker!”
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“Shuttup, Rez!” Kala burst out, “You now I can take you any day of the week!”
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“Guys, calm it down, we’ll get in trouble for sure!” Keegan interrupted, “They’re serving mayloorun fruit in the cafeteria tonight and I’m not missing out because of your fighting!”
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“You wanna fight me, Shorty? Is that what your saying?” Rez growled,
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“Y-yeah,” Kala stammered, “that’s what I said.”
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Shoving Kala out of his way and walking to his quarters, Rez guffawed, “The battle room, five minutes. See you then, Shorty!”
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Keegan knows it’s too late. There’s now absolutely no way he’s getting any mayloorun tonight.
“Kala, I’m your friend, and I’m telling you right now you don’t have to do this.” Keegan warned, but Kala stood firm,
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“Yes, Keegan,” Kala grumbled under his breath, “I actually do.”
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Storming off to his quarters, Kala prepares his mind and strength for this duel that could determine the fate of Rez’s bullying of the Whippid. But Keegan can only watch.
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What can he do?
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Meeting Kala in his quarters, Keegan tries to help Kala prepare for the fight.
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“We should try meditating.” Keegan suggests, but Kala replies quickly after Keegan’s remark,
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“My mom did have problems.”
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“H-how do you know?” Keegan asked, not sure if he wanted to know the details.
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“I have a growth disorder, ok, Keegan? Three out of ten Whippids get them. It means that when they are all grown up they look like humans with hardly any hair and an ugly face like mine.” Kala states.
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“I’m…I’m sorry, I didn’t know. Did your mom give it to you or was she like that too?”
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“I don’t know, Keegan. I don’t know anything about my real parents just like everyone else. But I found out about my condition from the nurse last week. She said it’s called this weird name but she chose to call it a growth disorder.”
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“But I don’t understand why it had to be me.” Kala grumbled, “Out of all the people in the galaxy, I was destined to be a sick, punching bag. I could have been a great warrior…”
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“But I’m not special enough, Keegan.” Kala concluded. Just hearing what Kala had to say made Keegan’s heart sink.
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“You are special, Kala. Your my friend, and your gonna win this fight, I know it.” Keegan assured,
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“Come one,” he said, “let’s practice with the training swords!”
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Kala sighed before the corners of his mouth curled into a grin,
“Ok.”
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“Pretend I’m Rez, ok?” Keegan told Kala,
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The fight begins as the two lock their swords together, Keegan using his strength to overpower Kala…
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But the Whippid makes Keegan’s sword slip downward by spinning out of lock!
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Kala knows the next move by Keegan will require lifting his weapon, which gave him an opening.
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Arching his weapon and sweeping Keegan’s feat from under him, the human falls on his back!
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“Yield, Rez!” Kala growls. Keegan started laughing following Kala bursting into laughter as well.
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“I’ll win for sure!” Kala cheers,
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“Let’s not underestimate the enemy, Kala, that’s how people lose.” Keegan warned,
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“I know, I know.” Kala replied,
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“It’s time we teach Rez a lesson, though.” Keegan smiles,
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“’We’? You can’t sword fight to save your life, I’m gonna teach Rez a lesson.” Kala laughed, and the two left to go to the fighting room.
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In the Jedi Battle Room, the two younglings stand in front of each other, swords brandished.
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“You do realize you’re going down, Kala?” Rez growled, Kala smirked, “Oh, I don’t think so.”
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Julia nudged Keegan on the back, “Keegan, if Kala loses, Rez will continue to hurt him you know that. We have to be ready to stop it if we need to.”
“I know.” Keegan replied simply.
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There was a silent moment between the two rivals…
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Kala remembered Master Jay’s basic training and called upon the Force to guide him.
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Suddenly, Rez was on top of Kala ramming his sword against Kala’s!
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“My strength alone will be enough!” Rez sneers,
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But the blood of the Whippid was strong, and Kala was able to hold his ground!
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Knowing if he was going to defeat Rez, he needed to get out of the sword lock, so forcing his body weight forward he pushed his opponent away which bought him a split second to serve the next move.
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But Rez was too fast, and lashed at the youngling’s back, but Kala held his ground…
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…Before Rez used brute force to twist Kala’s sword out of his hand, knocking him in the back of the head at the same time.
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“No,” Keegan mumbled.
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“You have been beaten!” Rez roared as he swept his sword under Kala’s feat stumbling him to the ground.
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But even then, Rez showed no mercy, he raised both swords to bring down his final blow…
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…With one final attempt, Kala tossed one of the swords out of Rez’s hand via the Force.
“Brave but futile, Kala!” Rez laughed, and the Whippid braced for the last strike…
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…Only to see Keegan leap in from behind Rez tackling him to the ground!
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For but a moment, Rez wasn’t sure what happened, the air was tight in his lunges before he realized how he ended up on the ground.
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“Thanks, Keegan.” Kala grumbled, Keegan nodded in reply, understanding that now it was his turn to be beaten.
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Ready for his fate, Keegan stood firm, blocking his path between him and Kala.
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“That was uncalled for, Rez. You won at the first blow to the head.” Keegan reminded,
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“It wasn’t your fight, Jinnar!” Rez fired back, his teeth gritted behind his lips.
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“And it was a fight you had won, now let’s just head to the cafeteria and forget this happened.”
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“I can get my sword and make sure you forget everything!” Rez jabbed, “You know I can beat you, you will never be a great warrior!”
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“War does not make one great.” stated a green sentient species as he entered the battle room,
“Master Yoda?!” Rez gasped with surprise,
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“If so willing to fight others smaller than you…fight me you will.” Yoda commented. Rez gulped with fear,
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“S-sir?” Rez stuttered, suddenly a cold sweat began to develop.
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“Heard me you did, pick up your sword.” Yoda reordered.
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“Master…I-I don’t want to do this.” Rez shuddered, Yoda smirked,
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“A great warrior I thought you were, hmm?” Yoda returned, drawing his light saber!
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“Master, that’s not fair, I want to go!” the boy stressed, but Yoda reacted by standing in attack position,
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“If so powerful you are…why leave?”
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With that, Yoda destroys the boys weapon…
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…And tosses the boy to the side of the room with the Force!
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“Learned your lesson, have you?” Yoda interrogates,
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“Yes, Master Yoda, I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” Rez blubbered.
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“Guardians of peace and justice, you are. If divided we are, fall into chaos we will.” Yoda quoted,
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“To your quarters you will go and think of your mistake.” Yoda disciplined,
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“Yes…yoda.”
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Ignoring the young boy’s disrespectful comment in not recognizing the Jedi Master’s status, Yoda turns to the rest of the Sarlacc clan,
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“Understand I do, but not good it is. Brothers and sisters we are, in the Force. United we must be if peace we are to bring. A Temple divided against itself, stand it will not. Go to your quarters as well, dinner will not be served to the Sarlacc clan tonight, but tomorrow it will.”
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The younglings strutted their way out of the battle room and back to their quarters. Yoda watched. This is the birth of chaos. It is where it all begins, and it is how the Sith arose. The Jedi Order will be very watchful of the Sarlacc clan.
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