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Yes, Keegan Jinnar was an hour past his curfew, but he didn’t think about it. He simply left his quarters and started walking, wondering where his feat will take him.
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His mind had been all over the happenings of yesterday’s sword meet.
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“Why do we fail, Keegan?”
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“So we can choose to learn, and claim victory the next time.”
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The words of the Semblian Master struck Keegan right in the heart. It changed the way he looked at training. But even yet, he couldn’t find the motivation to be sure of his destiny.
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Suddenly he heard the footsteps of two Jedi walking down the halls!
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“Oh no!” Keegan gasped,
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Racing behind a corner to avoid being seen, Keegan listened on to the two conversing Masters.
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“The Rancor Clan has increased in its skills in all aspects, but still…” said Master Zorid Snowl to his long-time friend…
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“The Sarlacc Clan continues to best most of the youngling groups in every subject. However, every clan has their weak spot.”
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“Referring to Keegan Jinnar, do you?” Master Yoda inquired,
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“I do, Master Yoda. He is…average. Even for the likes of Jedi he is average in every standard.”
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“Unfortunate…but true.” the little green Jedi added. Keegan could only listen.
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“I do not know if he can pass trial of ”The 13th Year“, the three stones of Persilis will treat him just as every other youngling.”
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“Decide the Force will. The Three stones only inquire, it is the strength of Keegan’s will that will grant him passage into the character realm.”
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“If it is the Force’s will to accept the average into its order of peace keepers…then so be it.”
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“Yes.”
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As soon as the two Masters were out of sight, Keegan stepped out of the shadows, finding a new determination within him.
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“I’ll prove you wrong, Master Yoda. I promise.”
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The next day, Keegan decided to follow Master Snowl and his former Padawan, Petton. The day before, Keegan overheard Petton speaking of a mission they were going to go on to the Coruscanti underlevels. Keegan would follow them there and prove his worth.
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“It’s been months since we’ve done this,” Petton grumbled,
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“Are sure about this?”
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“We have to, it’s what we’re supposed to do.” Master Snowl reminded.
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“And it’s what I’m supposed to do.” Keegan whispered to himself.
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Keegan went over how he was going to avoid detection. He can hide from them like a professional Changeling undercover cop, but he was strong with the Force, the two Jedi will be able to sense his presence. Keegan couldn’t think of a way to avoid this great obstacle, so he just kept following them.
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To Keegan’s surprise, the two Jedi turned a corner and walked into one of the many abandoned rooms of the temple.
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“Hello, there!” Snowl greeted,
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“Wow,” Master Reep exclaimed, “you actually came to a meeting for once!”
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“We began to question your loyalty.” The shadowy individual, Oombra Saido added.
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“So then this is all of us together…” Petton mused, “this is dangerous.”
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Keegan stayed at the entrance, hiding carefully behind a pillar, listening closely to the conversation.
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“So have we received a message from the Trinity?” Snowl questioned,
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“We have,” one of the Jedi replied, “they say they have found a temple in the outer rim territories on an abandoned moon. All we have to do is meet there.”
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“That is easier said than done.” Master Noch Eel stated, “ the sudden disappearance of six Jedi would be a disturbing matter to the Council. They will try to find us…stop us.”
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“What if we had one of us every other month leave for a reason pertaining to a misuse of…justice.” Petton suggested,
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“I see where Petton is going at,” Snowl declared, “We can cause an accident that will end with a right and a wrong no matter how the crime is handled. This would cause a revolution…perhaps we can obtain more followers in the process.”
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Keegan couldn’t believe what he was hearing!
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“I have to do something…I have to tell someone!” Keegan mused under his breath.
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At that, Keegan escaped out of the room and ran to his quarters.
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“I can’t believe this just happened!” Keegan gasped,
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“I have to tell the council…they’ll know what to do.”
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“The Council will know what to do about what?” a familiar voice suddenly echoed through Keegan’s quarters…
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“What?” Keegan stuttered,
“You heard me, Keegan, what’s wrong?”
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“I…” Keegan began, “I saw something today.”
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“What did you see?” Kala questioned curiously,
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“I…I saw Jedi talking about leaving the Temple, and making the Jedi look bad by committing a crime and framing the Council!”
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“You have to tell Master Yoda,” Kala inisisted, Keegan nodded, with suddenly a dark look blanketing his face,
“Kala, I think they’re sith lords.”
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“Keegan, we’re not aloud to say that word! But if you think so then we have to tell Master Yoda!”
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“…Ok.”
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Exiting the assembly, the Head Master of the High Council did not expect to be confronted by younglings, which in turn would be a violation of the rules and regulations of rank privileges.
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As came Keegan and Kala, have already broken several rules pertaining to younglings in Master zones, pressed on for the safety of the Jedi, not expecting to be confronted by the Masters until they got inside the Council Assembly Room.
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Suddenly Keegan ran straight into Yoda!
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Surprisingly sending Keegan to the ground and Yoda firm as a pillar.
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“Younglings of the Jedi Order, dare do you to be in the Master zones?!” Yoda growled,
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Frightened by the frustration of the Jedi Master, and suddenly fighting tears, Keegan swallowed hard, struggling to find the words to speak…
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“There are sith lords in the temple.” Kala stepped in.
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“It…it’s true…Master Yoda. I saw them. I heard them. They plan to frame the Jedi so they can leave without making it seem like they are leaving so abrupt and sudden.”
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Suddenly found breathless, Yoda too struggled to find the words to speak,
“Lead me to them.”
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“Yes, sir.”
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Entering the same room Keegan followed the two Jedi into, Keegan and the Masters found Master Reep standing in the center of the room.
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“No,” Keegan gasped, “There were more, there were six of them!”
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“We felt your presence, boy,” Reep smirked, “So we set up the meeting between the Jedi and the Sith for the perfect framing: Three Councilors lead a curious Jedi to an abandoned cell and murder him.”
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“Your master’s plans, work they will not. Kill you, we will not.”
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“Very well, then I guess you will die today,”
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“Killing you will be the highlight of my day.”
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Yoda sighed, the weight of failure bearing down upon him as yet more Dark Jedi have fallen away.
“Masters,” Yoda ordered, “leave us. Escort the younglings to their rooms.”
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“Yes, Master.”
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“Come younglings, we must go.”
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So then the two stood in one room: both Jedi, but on either side stood the light, and the dark.
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“I ask why you do this, Master Reep…”
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“A good student you were to Master Chardonn, always respected you were…until now.”
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“There are things I just cannot share, Master, but I do this, because me becoming a Jedi was a decision of the Council. I was taken away against my will. Last I checked that is a crime. As a true guardian I will help not only in destroying the Jedi, but what I am destined to destroy if I survive this duel between light and dark.”
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“No, Reep. Wrong you are. Give the parents the choice we do, depending on the M-C rate. For those over ten thousand in their blood count we share reason with parents. Understand most do, as understand they do for you. Strong in the Force, you are, Reep. Don’t ruin what you are by tainting yourself.”
“No, you are a liar!” Reep growled,
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“Very well.” Yoda mumbled, igniting his light saber, “Dead you are.”
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In a blur of motion the small Jedi leaped in front of the Dark Jedi, Master Reep’s reflexes are too slow due to his expertise in Soresu.
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Yoda clashed blades. He knows that because he is small, and the strength of Soresu is too much for Ataru. Yoda must remove himself from this sword lock.
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Twirling over Reep’s head, Yoda knows that if he times it right, and in the right position, Yoda can disarm Reep before the Dark Jedi can react. Deactivating Reep’s light saber to slow him down, Yoda executes his plan.
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Yoda lands, Reeps still hadn’t fully reacted to the attack.
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Yoda has won this duel.
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With a flick of his wrist, the arm of the Dark Jedi falls from below his elbow.
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The limb bounces across the floor before rolling to a complete stop.
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The Dark individual chuckled dramatically as he lay wounded on the ground,
“You have lost…my little green friend.”
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“Mistaken you are, in the name of the Jedi, under arrest you are.” Yoda confidently countered,
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“Do you remember what I served as during the war?” Reep asked, “I was a bomb technician…”
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“…boom.”
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Two days later, Master Yoda has fully recovered from his wounds thanks to their bacta supply. Here he stands before Keegan, the young human who through Yoda’s eyes has been transformed.
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“The best we could we did to keep Reep alive. Died he did last night from his wounds.”
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“I…I’m sorry. What is going to happen with the other five?” Keegan questioned curiously.
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“Do the best we can, we will,” Yoda responded, he then changed the subject,
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“Keegan, two days ago, served the galaxy well you did. The way of the Jedi this is. Proud of you I am.”
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“Th-thank you, Master?”
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“But be careful, you should. This, I’m afraid, the begining it is. Two days ago, lost six we have, but more there will be.”
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“The Council, has called the fallen Jedi simply as: The Lost Six. Be careful, Keegan, add yourself to their numbers you cannot.”
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