Fan Fiction - G.E.N

GEN Presents:

BOOK I OF THE ORACLE TRILOGY

Jedi Oracle

by Patricia Spillane Smith

Lush jade vines hung from the thick rain forest canopy above Jostein Hakestad's head. He moved quickly, silently through the darkness of early morning, catching each breath as in wonder at its taking. This time of day was his favorite, the time before the sun burned the dew off the ground and left the air dry, the time he could inhale the pungency of the grasses and leaves and the fragrances of the jungle flowers. Feeling enervated, he quickened his pace, breathing as deeply as he could, and made his way back to the Jedi temple in a time he felt was near his own personal best. He slowed to a walk as he approached the temple, looking about at his fellow students all beginning their day of studies at the Jedi Academy. So many different, interesting beings.. . He recalled how overwhelming the feelings and impressions had been when he had first arrived, almost a year ago, from his home world of Kiria. How different it had been. So many unusual aliens, from different parts of the galaxy, all strong in the Force, and he, flooded with the impressions they were giving off...it had been like many different colors exploding on an inner mental viewscreen; he'd felt like hiding himself away in his room the first few weeks, just wanting the emotions and visions to stop, but, after his training had begun, he had learned how to shut off the unwanted impressions and concentrate on his assignments. The discipline had become, by now, a comfortable habit for him.

Several teachers at the Jedi Academy had remarked upon the unusual abilities of the eighteen year old Hakestad. Foremost among these abilities was his ability to see the future without summoning it. He had had no prior Force training, and yet, he could see plainly events that were yet to take place, and the results of courses of action yet to be decided upon. The Jedi who had discovered him on Kiria stumbled upon this ability accidentally during his testing; Jostein, after levitating a few small items and being able to analyze the intricate workings of a mechanical ball he had never opened, had suddenly, for no apparent reason, cried out in pain, complaining he could not see. The tester had come to his assistance, when Jostein spoke sharply, shortly, "your ship...weapons...malfunction...entering hyperspace...". He then fell, unconscious, to the floor. The tester, familiar with many forms of prescience, having ascertained that Jostein was in no danger, ran to her ship and checked the weapons system. Sure enough, there was a serious problem that, heretofore had gone unnoticed. Repairs were made quickly, and arrangements were made just as quickly for Jostein to be taken to Yavin 4 to be trained as a Jedi, as there was no time to be lost on one as gifted as he.

One of his teachers approached young Jostein now, as he was entering the main courtyard. Jostein held back, out of deference to her, and bowed. "Good morning, Jostein," the instructor, Mithra, spoke to him. Her green eyes danced and sparkled as she addressed him; he was one of her favorite students, and she had a hard time hiding this fact. He was so eager to please, and learned so readily, he was a true pleasure to teach. "Jostein, did you practice your meditation last evening?" she tried to address him a little more sternly than was called for. "Yes, I did," he replied, a little nervous. It had been a difficult exercise, concentrating on a place between his eyebrows as he had shut his eyes and visualizing himself in a specific place, only to find himself levitating off the floor when he opened his eyes. This was NOT supposed to happen! The idea was to focus one's energy on the here and now, on what one was doing, not to be all over the place, somewhere else. Embarrassed, he turned his crimson face away from his instructor. "Well, to class then, " she remarked briskly. "We have much to do today. And you have a surprise coming your way. You have been chosen for a special assignment." "Y...y...yes?" he stammered. "I will tell you all about it after class."

This was always the way, thought Jostein, as he struggled to pay attention to his day's lessons. What could this possibly be all about? He attempted to slow down his breathing and focused on Mithra's face, her expression, her voice. How he so wanted to please her, and let her know how much he was learning. The lesson ended and the students stood and bowed to their instructor formally, and filed out the door. "Jostein, come here." Now was the time. This was it. "Yes, Master Mithra?" "You have been progressing nicely. I am quite aware of your little problem last night." She smiled ever so slightly, and Jostein turned aside to try and hide the crimson that was beginning to ring his cheeks once again. "It is quite all right, my young apprentice. It will improve with practice, I assure you."

She smiled again, and proceeded. "You have been chosen to accompany me and two other knights on an unusual mission. There have been some problems in some of the Outer Rim Territories, with smugglers and pirates even, interrupting shipping. Normally, this would not be our concern, as the New Republic fleet polices the area well. However, the problem this time involves human cargo." "I don't understand…, " Jostein began. "Slave trading, " Mithra said quietly. "It is much harder to detect; when the fleet interrupts them, they always have 'legitimate' reasons for having various beings onboard. Unlike the Empire or the Hutts, we have no restrictions on travel for sentient beings in the New Republic. That is why the Jedi have been called upon, albeit it undercover, to assist in this matter. There is rumored to be a huge shipment of slaves being moved from the Outer Rim past Dantooine into the area of space near the Empire, for pick up. If we can interrupt this shipment, we will have the criminals we seek, and the evidence we need to convict them in New Republic courts."

Jostein was lost in thought, head bent, looking at the stone tiles of the floor. This was such an honor…and a responsibility. "May I ask you something, Master Mithra." "Why, yes, always, Jostein," she replied kindly. "Why was I chosen for this mission? I mean, I am not afraid of the danger; I know that being a Jedi will always be risky. I am just …" Mithra smiled at the awestruck youth in front of her, fighting back a motherly desire to take his face in her hands and kiss his forehead. Instead she replied, " Jostein, from the day we discovered you on Kiria, you were no ordinary Jedi candidate. Not only did you have the usual Force sensitivity, you also could sense the inner workings of various machines and ships. Then, there is your ability, completely unknown in any other Jedi, to have spontaneous visions of the future. Dear Jostein, we need you." Mithra sat down, dropped her hands into her lap and, for the first time since he had known her, looked tired, worn. He dropped to one knee and looked at her directly, earnestly, "I will do whatever you require of me, master; I will not fail you." "I know."

He had slept fitfully the night before, turning over black dreams in his head of dreary beings in chains aboard cramped, dirty ships, whimpering in pain and despair. …we need you, Jostein, we need you…the words haunted him as he continued to dream down the way of his night, as he traversed the path of his inner deamon…he awoke with a start, jumping out of bed and splashing fresh water all over himself. It was time to get some breakfast, pack his duffel bag and get to the landing field. He had stashed a couple of muffins, a native pava fruit and some juice in his room so he wouldn't have to wait on line in the cafeteria; these he quickly devoured, as he dressed and packed. He then ran out the door and towards the landing field, barely catching his breath and Master Mithra as he arrived. "Let's ride, kiddo," she smiled, almost laughing, as they boarded the sleek craft in front of them.

Jostein's breath caught in his throat as the ship took off, roaring into space. His heart thudded against his ribcage as if it would tear away from his body and take on a life of its own - he began his relaxation and meditation exercises, breathing slowly, rhythmically, concentrating with closed eyes, on the point between his eyebrows. The thudding of his heart slowed, his breathing slowed considerably, and he relaxed…he heard a musical laughter and he slammed to the floor of the spacecraft. His eyes flew open as he felt the pain in his bruised back and he looked up to see the grinning countenance of Mithra. "My young apprentice, you would do well to strap in before meditating." She smiled enigmatically, and returned to her seat. Blushing furiously, almost angrily, Jostein left the compartment, limping, and sought a bunk in the sleeping area, where he finally strapped himself in. Why did learning have to be so painful sometimes? And so embarrassing. He began again…

Ked'or was picking his teeth with a small axe as was his wont after a large, satisfying meal. Broasted womp rat. How they managed to catch the beasts was anyone's guess, but he could afford to eat well now. His large, pointed fangs dripped with juices and other flotsam and jetsam from his recent meal. Nodding his large, bristly brow to his servant, he set his plate down, and let his wings settle him down onto his couch. This was the life. Although his ship was fairly large, there was little room on board for much of anything. Just about every surface was littered with space junk of all sorts, as befitted a lower class Toydarian smuggler of his ilk. His crowded quarters were just large enough to hold his bed and a small comm station. The rest of the room's space was taken up with various asundry trinkets and bric-a-brac he had collected during his many travels. Ked'or never thought to truly organize these things into a collection; he merely threw them into a heap onto the floor when he brought them on board and covered them with new things when he found those. He got around the room by kicking the clutter out of his way and making small paths here and there. The dingy yellow walls and stained steel door rounded out the décor in the way one would basically expect, casting a rather depressing tinge upon the mood of anyone who entered. However, Ked'or was happy. He had a full belly, and had just made a turn around in record time, dropping off a sizable cargo in Hutt space at the station near Nal Hutta. His next destination was Tatooine, and the pickup was the same. Just drop off might be a problem. It wouldn't be long before the New Republic would find some way to put pressure on the entire outfit. At least the Empire and the Hutts were not concerned about how he did business or what kind of business it was as long as he paid his tariffs…so far no trouble, and the profits kept coming in.

The door chime rang, and a smaller Toydarian flew into the room. "Ked'or, we have a small ship on our scopes." "Anything we should be concerned about, Ban'ak?" "No, I don't think so. It appears to be an ambassadorial ship of some sort. Should we be concerned?" "Check them out. It can't hurt to be on the safe side…they could have weapons." "Yes, Ked'or. By the way, we are having the boiled dianoga for dinner. Your favorite." "How…erm.. thoughtful …very…thoughtful. You stupid fool, we just ate! Now, get out!"

Brynn Meredith rolled up her sleeves and began scrubbing the grimy deck. Taking brief glimpses over her shoulder to make sure the taskmaster was not standing over her , she would stop just for a few seconds to stretch her aching arms and back, then return to her task. At 29, she was the one of the oldest of the slaves on board the Brack Ked'or, and the most experienced at evading the guards and getting extra food rations. The forty others often looked to her for leadership and comfort, as they made their way through day after grueling day aboard the slave ship. The slaves scrubbed floors and refresher stations, moved heavy equipment and did pretty much everything for the crew's personal needs. Their living quarters was a dusty freight hold filled with straw, with a faucet available for water, and a refresher station for personal needs. They owned only the clothing they wore, and most were malnourished, barely subsisting on the one meal per day provided by the ship's master.

Crack! The whip came down on her side, the sting rising and abating just as quickly, for she called upon something she had been able to learn to do to make it not be there…to seem as if it were someone else feeling it. Again the whip…again ..the rising and falling of the sensation of pain…the feeling as if this sensation belonged to someone else. Or no one at all. She continued working as if it were someone else working as well. And thought about how this had come to happen…

She had been sleeping soundly, almost blackly, dreamlessly. A noise, then four arms had pulled her out of her cozy bed and had dragged her, half conscious, out into the main courtyard, where forty one people were lined up and dragged aboard a waiting craft. Without any introduction, the people were set at work at once, forced into scrubbing the main deck. Meredith had fought, bit, clamped her fingernails into the clawed arms of her captors, only to be thrown upon the deckplates and beaten savagely by the larger one who called himself Ked'or. After having the smaller one beat her as well, for good measure, he turned away and flew on his small wings out of the main bridge area into an adjoining passageway. And the days had come and gone, one after another, since then, with more beatings, starvation rations, inadequate shelter, ragged clothing, sleepless nights….but also with the stubborn vision that she would survive.

Mithra and Jostein studied the sparkling purple gem closely. It was perfect, without blemish, and focused any energy rays focused through it into one beam of purest light. She picked up the hilt of the saber and placed the gem inside carefully, snugly, and closed up the weapon. "Make sure you always place the gem in last, Jostein. It is the heart and soul of your lightsaber." "Yes, Master Mithra." " Now, you repeat the process." Jostein took the entire lightsaber apart, and proceeded to rebuild it, piece by piece. It was slow, tedious going. He kept slipping the focusing crystal in backwards, or had the other workings in the wrong order. Finally, he was able to get it all in the correct order. He picked up the gem and carefully, almost lovingly, laid it in the cradle of the hilt. "Jostein, that was perfect. Enough studies for one day."

Just as she was getting ready to ask him if he wanted some supper, a call came in from up front. "Mithra, I think you will want to know about this. And bring the boy with you."

Jostein and Mithra made their way to the front of the ship. The cockpit was actually fairly sizable, as this was a diplomatic vessel, rather than a true fighter. Jostein slid into a seat behind the captain, and peered out the front view. A small ship was directly ahead. "What do you make of this, Mithra?" She closed her eyes for a minute or two, and then spoke slowly. "There are two Toydarians, at least, on boards, and a few other life forms. There are forty six humans. The humans appear to be being held in cargo hold. I think we have one of our links in place, captain." "What do you suggest, Master Jedi?" From the other side of the cockpit, a quiet voice spoke, " Let us follow them and lead us to the rest of our quarry. It would be well to have all of these birds in the bush before we finally burn it." The cockpit fell silent.

The double suns filled the noon sky, as the ship landed on the outskirts of Mos Eisley. Mithra and Jostein were joined by the Jedi master Nor Al Haddar and the Jedi Knight Kirim, as they debarked from the inside of the ship into the light. The captain remained inside to close systems before venturing into town for some R & R, and promised to keep the ship on hand at the landing site in case of any emergencies. Jostein was already wondering just what those emergencies might possibly be. As he stepped out into the desert air, he suddenly began coughing and gagging to fight the dryness and decided this was the emergency. He grabbed his water canteen and sucked the cool liquid down his throat as fast as it would go. "Jostein, Jostein…it will subside…go easy on the water…it is VERY scarce here. Get some more from the ship's supply. Now," Mithra ordered sharply.

They had followed the Toydarian ship to Tatooine and had seen it land at Mos Eisley shortly before their own landing. It was a matter of getting a handle on where the traders were headed and following them to their headquarters, seeing who their associates were, and, hopefully, rounding up some of them here and getting names and locations of others to transmit back to New Republic officials. Long, tedious work, but well worth the time and effort when success was finally to be had.

The first step was to catch them leaving the Mos Eisley space terminal and see in which direction they headed. Mithra led the small party from their ship into the city. Jostein marveled at the variegated beings he was seeing for the first time; it was hard to stay concentrated and to avoid staring at each of the passersby as he trudged behind the others. Kiria was an isolated world, and, as such, its people rarely ever saw any but their own kind. Tatoone was proving to be quite different…and this was just the beginning.

The party arrived at the main space hangar, where they found the Toydarian ship locked down, and devoid of any passengers. It appeared to have been deserted for some time, with all of the viewports closed off and the hatches all battened. The Jedi opened the ship up, physically searching it, as well as feeling with the Force, looking for any clues that could lead them to the destination of the slave traders. Jotein focused on the mechanical parts to the comm panels, pulling them apart, tearing into the walls of the ship. He could find nothing of interest, just a lot of wires and connectors. He let it go, and concentrated on the feelings left over from the people who had been there earlier. Pain. Fear. Anger. And no small amount of hatred. Nearly writhing from these feelings, Jostein disassociated himself from them at once and walked back to the main compartment of the ship. Here, he felt nothing. Of course, he recalled his teacher saying, Toydarians were not susceptible to the manipul;ations of the Force, nor could one sense much about them through it. There was not much left to do but head back and meet with the others. Jostein took a few steps toward the main corridor, when he felt a sudden blindness come over him, along with a splintering pain around his eyes and sensations in them as if shooting stars were coming straight at him from point blank range. He stumbled, and landed in the chair, and lay, limp, in its arms, fighting the urge to scream out loud, and fighting what he knew would come next. The stars faded away, as did the blindness, leaving only the sharp, searing pain. His vision cleared, showing him a sandy desert terrain, a caravan of people traversing it, huddled together against the wind. One figure stood out against the rest, a woman, roughly in her thirties, brown hair, hazel eyes, struggling against the wind, but always looking forward…it was that looking forward that Jostein took note of as the vision faded into the glare of the ship's bridge.

"They are the people we seek," remarked Mithra, once Jostein had related his experience to her. "It seems they have begun a trek across the desert. What other details can you recall?" "M..m..mountains…I don't know," he stammered, with frustration. He never could remember the details anyone wanted to see, just what was pointed out to him. And what had been pointed out to him was a who. "Rocks, lots of them?" asked Kirim. "Yes." "And scraggly brush?" put in Al Haddar. "Yes…" "Tusken Raider country. We head there in the morning." Jostein was not comforted by this thought.

Jostein yawned and shuffled around in his cot on board the New Republic ship. The others were not yet awake, as he got himself dressed and went outdoors to catch the double sunrise. He fell into a dreamy state, feeling a swell of joy as he sat himself on a stone promontory some hundreds of feet above the ship. From there, he could see the horizon, a few scattered stars, and the hard terrain of a planet beaten down by millenia of elements pounding upon its surface. Yet this planet bore colors in its morning sky, reds, pinks, purples that held Jostein's breath much as a match holds the light of a candle just a split second before the wick catches aflame. A melody of Kirian opera caught up in his mind and flowed through his consciousness as the sky unfolded its secrets before him. The woman from his vision rose up before him, a phoenix from the purple red flames of the sunrise, her hazel eyes looking into his…

"Jostein, it is time for work," came Mithra's voice from afar. "Searching with the Force takes time," she spoke more quietly and softly as he came over to her. We cannot afford to be seen by the Toydarians, and we are not able to use any mind manipulations on them, as you know. Also, the Tusken Raiders are not averse to killing anyone who traverses their territory. We will be taking the landspeeder to the foot of the mountains, then traversing on foot, as we suspect that the slave traders hide their human cargoes in the caves there between runs. It will be dangerous going. You will need a weapon. Although we have not spent a great deal of your study on lightsaber building or training in its use, I feel you are ready to build your own saber; you have already shown me at the academy that you are more than capable of using it. We need to do this now, before it is time to go." Jostein caught his breath in one excited gasp, and just looked at Mithra, not sure how to react. He found himself feeling not a small amount of pride at how quickly he had progressed in his studies. However, he was quite humbled by her next remark. "Your greatest need is to be able to concentrate on the here and now; I realize that the visions you have are disconcerting, but you must use the disciplines you are learning to control them. Otherwise, you could place yourself, and others, in great danger."

The two Jedi set to work immediately on Jostein's lightsaber, with Jostein furnishing the parts he had brought with him from the Academy to study on the way, and Mithra providing the supervision. He carefully inserted the inner workings, the focusers, the energy cells, and then, finally the crystal, a lovely purple stone. He clicked the casing shut, and turned the handle around in his palm, gripping it for the first time, almost caressing it. He ignited it, and the light blade shot out, in a straight beam of purest violet. He stared at it for a few seconds; it was his first lightsaber…how he had dreamed of this day… "Jostein…keep your mind in the here and now. We have much before us." With that, Mithra and Jostein joined their companions and set off in their landspeeder towards the mountains on the horizon, where Al Haddar had first begun sensing the presence of the slaves and some of their captors.

The landspeeder took them to a point just south of the mountains. There, they disembarked, and left the speeder disabled so as to ward off would-be thieves. The group then partook of a small meal, before heading out towards the looming peaks in the distance. Jostein thought of how formidable they seemed so close up; the task of rescuing the slaves and bringing their captors to justice even felt miniscule in comparison to trekking the impregnable crags. He sighed to himself as he began to follow Mithra and the others along the bottom edges of the foothills. The rocky terrain was already beginning to irritate his feet, despite the stiff nerf hide soles of his boots, and his eyes were feeling filmy from having to fight the brightness of the twin suns. Sweat was beginning to seep into his loose, layered clothing, as he pushed further along with his companions. The group would pause just long enough to stretch out with the Force to sense the direction in which they needed to go, then they would start off again.

There were places in which the walls of the mountains were interrupted by small ravines and what appeared to be dried up streams, perhaps relics of an earlier period of the planet's evolution or simply areas where stones rolling down the mountainsides had created hollows. They came upon one such place at about the time the suns were beginning to lower somewhat in the sky. "I feel them close by," remarked Al Haddar, as he pulled his pack down from his massive shoulders and laid it on the ground. "Let's eat something, and then we can attempt to find their exact location…I think together we can pinpoint it."

Jostein set his pack down, as did Mithra and Kirim, unpacking a large blanket as he did so. He spread it on the ground, lay face down, and dozed off, too tired to consider eating, for the moment. Mithra regarded him quietly, longing to hold him, as a mother would her son. He seemed so young, so vulnerable. Had it been right to bring him here, not even a full Padawan to an experienced Jedi knight? The Force only knew what lay ahead in this barren rocky height. She let go of the thoughts, and ate her meal…he really should eat, she thought…"Jostein…wake up…you must eat…you need the energy." However, Jostein, exhausted from the climb, continued to sleep.

At last, after a longer than anticipated period of meditation, Al Haddar decided it was time to pack up and continue the trek. The suns were setting, and it would soon get cold. If they were to find the slave traders' lair, they had to make it before dark and cold overtook them. Mithra jostled her young charge, awakening him to a vastly different world than he had left. "It looks different as the suns set." "That it does." The group packed up and began to climb northwards again.

The party managed only a mile or two when they had to stop for the evening. Jostein threw his pack down on the ground and prepared to sleep again, as did the others. A fire was built from some brush and some of the fuel pellets they had brought with them, and they huddled close to it to ward off the cold of the desert night. Mithra used some of the water to brew a hot soup-like beverage, which was quickly devoured by the group. Blankets rustled and tussled, as the four Jedi attempted to become comfortable enough to sleep. Wishing he was back at the Academy in his bed, Jostein wriggled around for some time, until he finally gave in to the exhaustion he felt. His sleep was dreamless, black and velvet as the night surrounding him.

In the morning, the group smothered the last of the fire, ate hurriedly and commenced their northward trek once more. It took little time for the suns' heat to work its dreaded magic and break everyone into a drippy sweat. Al Haddar stopped the group only once before the noon break, saying that they were so much closer, it was imperative they keep going. The terrain began to be a little less rough as they plodded onwards, so they were able to cover a lot more ground much more quickly.

They reached a large valley along about noon, and settled down for a meal, the three older Jedi sitting down to eat, and Jostein taking his food with him so he could go on top of the next promontory and look off into the distance.

He was finally beginning to get used to the work of trudging through the mountains, and was drawing more and more on the Force to sustain himself. It was a powerful feeling; he felt he was finally beginning to understand why some Force users gave themselves to the dark side; the sense of personal power could overtake one easily. He gazed across the vast mountain range, taking in the haze of the horizon, as well as the swells of the closer foothills. He began to meditate, and felt himself becoming light, oh so light…he practiced levitating some stones in this state…they were feathery flakes, nothing more…he continued in this state uninterrupted for a few minutes, when he heard a crunching sound behind him. It was Kirim, motioning for him to rejoin the group and continue their journey. He broke the last of the meditative trance, and walked over to his companions. "I feel a slight disturbance in the Force," said Al Haddar quietly, almost in a whisper. We are very close, I think. We will walk in silence from now on."

Under the full heat of the midday suns Tatooine felt like a living oven, in which only the hardiest, the most resistant to the flames could survive. Jostein pulled off his shirt, tied it around his waist, and placed his cloak back over himself to protect his skin. It didn't help much, but at least it relieved the wet stickiness he found so annoying. The companions plodded on for several hours until Jostein thought he might give out from the heat. At last, about dusk or so, the group found themselves in another valley, this time one with steep walls, more like a river gorge, with large outcroppings of rock high above them. Silently, they unpacked just what they needed to have a small meal and to rest. The water was still in good supply, as they had drunk very little of it, so when it came his turn, Jostein gulped his share down gratefully. The food tasted delicious after so long a day's journey, and he settled back against a rock to sleep once more. Stars began to dot the sky as the suns disappeared below the horizon once more.

No sooner had the group settled down for their rest, a loud whooping noise was heard throughout the gorge. Lightsabers ignited as the four Jedi jumped up from their rest and took a battle stance. Al Haddar motioned for quiet, as he looked far above him. He could see no one; the rocks jutted out as lonely sentinels against a blackening sky. He led the others up one side of the gorge, moving stealthily, when the source of the noise became all too apparent. Several humanoid forms jumped out from behind rocks and brush, holding clubs and wielding various blasters and other weapons. Lightsabers ignited once more, this time atop the gorge. Mithra and Kirim fought off what appeared to be four Tusken Raiders while Jostein had joined Al Haddar in battling several of the humanoids.

The Jedi Force-pushed several rocks at their attackers, and rained various objects upon them; however, it did not take them long to realize that more were coming from whence these had come. About twenty more humanoids joined the fray, as well as aliens of various shapes and sizes. Al Haddar and Jostein had taken on several more of the humans and had slain or disarmed several of them. Mithra and Kirim were holding their own against their foes, using the Force to slam them against boulders when necessary to halt their progress. The battle raged on for some time, lightsabers slashing, blasters firing, the tell tale odor of ozone in the air surrounding the battlefield.

Jostein found himself a slight distance apart from the main fray, battling a particularly nasty creature, humanoid in appearance for the most part, except that it seemed to have no ears that he could tell. It fought fiercely, but with intelligence, and cunning. Suddenly, without warning, Jostein found himself off of his feet and in some sort of net-like trap. He attempted to cut it with his lightsaber, but dropped the weapon out of his hand to the ground below him. He attempted to use the Force to reach for it, but the creatures in control of the trap carted him off before he could manage this. He pulled and grabbed at the gathers at the top of the net, but it was clamped shut, so as to prevent any escape. He began to call out to the others. "Mithra! Kirim! Al Haddar!! Help!" But, try as he might, he could not get their attention. His last view as he was being dragged away was that of his companions driving off the last of their opponents. He cried out once more, then felt a sharp blow at the back of his head and saw mute blackness.

The babble of voices and the stench of crowded humanity awoke Jostein with a start. He pulled himself up, wincing a little, and looked about. It didn't take him long to get a basic idea of where he was and figure out who he was with. This had to be the headquarters of the slave traders and these had to be the captive slaves. And now he was one of them. He had been placed on a slab in a far corner of a crowded room, the darkest spot there. The walls were a dark gray brown, with only the barest torches for lighting, and the smallest of portholes to see out of. His head began to throb; he laid back down on the rock slab and let its coolness soothe his shoulders and head. He began to meditate, slowly, watching himself breathe, taking each breath as something precious, to be held onto for a moment, then released and waiting for the next one. He dragged the air into his lungs like this, beginning to enter the meditative state, then breathing more easily…the thoughts flowed…feelings…fear was here…but also hope…a sea of faces….then one face…the hazel-eyed woman…

"Welcome to the dungeon, sleepy head," Brynn Meredith addressed the ragged newcomer with no small amount of sarcasm. "Who might you be?" "Uh, I'm…Jostein." He looked at her without blinking, forcing himself to be steady as she took all of him in. "I'm Brynn Meredith Well, you seem none the worse for wear. Some of us weren't so lucky. There's some food over there. Get some before it disappears. And, don't try to be a hero. You'll get your chance soon enough." With that, she turned and walked away. Jostein got up slowly and walked over to the indicated food. Although it was nothing more than stale bread, he took a small share, and ate slowly, gazing at Meredith as she moved about the crowded room, stepping over people and around slabs and tables.

Jostein returned to his slab and sat against the wall, continuing to watch Meredith move about. He closed his eyes and reached out with the Force, attempting to get a glimpse of her feelings, her motivations…"Stop it." A voice above him spoke quietly, with authority. "Don't ever do that again." "I meant…" "Don't. Ever. Again." She walked away briskly. Angry with himself, and with Meredith, Jostein lay back on his slab, frustrated, and fell into a black, dreamless sleep.

"It appears they were Jedi, excellency." "The New Republic is finally on to us. We are finished, " sighed Ked'or in response to one of the lieutenants who had reported back from the battle with the Jedi the previous night. "They did not seem to know who we were, my lord. They will not come after him. Even if they do, what of it? We can defeat them. We did capture one of them. He is being held in the dungeon with the rest of the slaves." "Fool! A Jedi? Here? He cannot be sold as a slave. " "He is little more than a child. We can use him in the arena. He will not survive, but he will certainly serve as a night's amusement." "Perhaps. But, should the others come after him…" "He shall go to the arena this evening…the traders headed for Yaga Minor are coming in tonight from the Nal Hutta trade base. They would enjoy some festivities before their long trip…rich food…fine drink…a fight to the death."

There was dark laughter in a corner of the room once the lieutenant had made his exit. "Excellent. I have not seen such sport since the arenas and pod races on Malastare were closed down. You will see to it that this young Jedi does not survive." "Yes my lord." "And, Toydarian?" "yes, my lord?" "Get these slaves out of here soon. Those Jedi will come after them. Jedi are very persistent."

There is nothing like a rumor. It begins much like a virus, in a warm dark place, nurtured by the warmth of of innuendo, the food and water of ignorance and the anaerobic reactions of just plain foolishness. Such was the beginning of the afternoon in the slave quarters. Jostein blinked a few times, getting his bearings after napping for a few minutes, when one of the men came over to him, laughing evilly. "Soooo, young Jedi, it is you who is to entertain the masses in the arena tonight. Hah. It will be great sport to see you die." With that, the man turned away and went back to his slab, limping noticeably. Jostein reached out with the Force to try and gain some understanding as to what it all was about. He could sense some sort of anxiety that had not been present in the quarters earlier, but he couldn't place it. He attempted to reach beyond the walls of the slaves' area, and felt hatred, fear and evil all around, the evil of the slave traders, the cravenness, the ugliness of it all, but he could not get anything specific; he slumped over in frustration.

Lying back down on his slab, he turned towards the wall and stared in humiliation and frustration. Here he was, a Jedi trainee, wanting so much to heroically lead these people to their freedom, and he couldn't even save himself, couldn't even foresee whatever doom awaited him. He stared at the dark gray brown walls, with their faint torchlight shadows and began to choke back a sob, remembering the sunny courtyards and lush green surroundings of the Jedi temple of Yavin 4. It was entirely possible he would never see the place again. And for what reason?

He lay on his back again and stared at the ceiling, which was also a dark gray brown. He felt again with the Force. This time, he felt something entirely different, as if something, or someone were responding to that call. Closing his eyes, he reached out with all he had, grasping, pulling it into himself, the strength of that call. Feeling a touch, he opened his eyes to see Brynn Meredith's face just a little above his, her eyes intense, answering his call. "You need me," she said simply. "Yes," he answered. "There is no fear, only peace," she answered. "Are you a Jedi?" he asked suddenly. "I was trained in the Jedi arts. I left the Jedi order to marry and raise a family before my training was complete," she answered. Glossing over any further questions concerning herself, she continued, " You and I have a bond. You are to fight a krayt dragon in the great arena tonight. It is a large reptilian creature with five horns on its head, sharp pointed teeth and very sharp claws, as well as a whip-like tail that it uses to immobilize its prey. You will be given a spear to use as your only weapon. Use the Force. In that, I can help you, and I will." "I have seen you in visions since I first began my journey here." "No more talk, young one. Save your energy."

She placed a finger over his lips, and her other hand over his heart. He felt his heart slow down and his racing pulse become more peaceful. He placed his hands around hers, looking into her eyes. He felt lost in their colors, watching the faint lights dance in their yellow-brown irises. She smiled at him gently, and he felt even lighter, now feather-like, as the lights continued their graceful dance about her eyes. He reached up and touched her hair and pulled her to him, surprising himself; she did not resist, but kissed him hard on the mouth, bringing to fruition the desire his visions had first stimulated within him.

*************

The torches flickered on the walls of the slave quarters, giving an atmosphere of dusk. Jostein struggled to bring himself to consciousness, to remember what had occurred before he had fallen into a deep, restful slumber, but he could not. Yet, he felt rested, ready to face what must be. The keepers came almost as soon as he had awakened, and forced all of the slaves out of the crowded room. Perhaps I will not have to fight after all; maybe something else has been planned, he thought as he filed out with the others. This thought did not last long, as he was pulled roughly out of the line of humanity by a giant porcine guard with huge fangs and putrid drool hanging about its protruding lips. "This the one, boss?" "Yeah, that's the one, the Jedi kid."

The guards took him down the corridor away from the line of slaves to a holding cell where he was stripped of his outer garments, except for his pants and boots. He was given a small sharp spear and a sack of stones as weapons. Laughing, one of the guards prepared to throw him up against the wall when the other said, "leave this one; he won't last long enough to matter much." The guards then brought him out to the arena entrance and opened the sliding doors.

Although he could hear the roar of a huge crowd, Jostein could see nothing; everything was black around him except the dark green walls and the light brown dirt floor of the arena. He glanced above him: the lights were nearly blinding, so bright as to distract even the most experienced warrior. If I am to die, it will be as a Jedi, he promised himself. He closed his eyes, and took in a deep breath, concentrated on holding it and released it into the surrounding arena. He stood, facing the doors opposite of where he had entered, feet apart slightly, head upright, gaze straight ahead…

The doors opposite Jostein were opened to admit a large, hulking creature, easily ten feet tall, if not larger, and about twenty feet long, if not longer. It possessed five fearsome horns on its head, exceedingly sharp fangs in its mouth, as well as scales all down its spine, sharp claws on its hands and a giant whip-like tail. It made a sound most unlike anything Jostein could ever recall hearing before, something between a roar and a loud cough, and whipped its tail around, as if it were waiting for some signal from somewhere. This was not long in coming. A sharp sound emitted from above the creature, along with a red streak of electricity that struck the creature in the neck just behind its head. The crowd roared its approval and the match had begun.

The creature bellowed manically and charged at Jostein. He managed to just miss being ground into the dirt floor of the arena as it hit the wall opposite where it had entered. He jumped up and held his spear up as protection while attempting to get a good aim for a defense as the creature charged again. He managed to get off one stone at the creature's face, hitting it just above the right eye, but that appeared to anger the creature more, rather than injure it. Although the creature was not armored, and had no scales other than those down its spine, it did not seem to be easily deterred by the stones. I definitely have to try something else, Jostein thought.

Again, the dragon charged, as if possessed by fire, with Jostein the fuel it needed to keep itself alive. Jostein lifted his spear and attempted to thrust the spear into the creature's neck; he was thrown off to the side, and nearly crushed by its thick, clawed legs. Cheers from the crowd ensued. He noticed at this point that he was bleeding in several places where the creature's claws had scraped him; undeterred, he again attempted to jam his spear into the tough hide of the krayt dragon's neck. This time, he ended up under the creature altogether, and managed to grip its tail before being trampled underfoot.

Not amused by the sudden grip on its tail, the dragon began to whip Jostein around the arena, thrashing him up against the dark green walls; he could feel ribs crushing under the weight of its whipping. The crowd was on its feet, stamping, clapping, cheering voraciously. Jostein finally was able to jump down and roll away from the dragon, and run toward the far side of the arena. Panting for dear life, he quickly calmed himself and in that split second, Brynn's visage was in front of him: Jump atop it and jam the spear into its brain. That is the only way you can kill it. Use the stones to distract it. Yes. Yes. Jostein suddenly charged toward the krayt dragon and, in one sleek motion, flipped himself atop its back. He stoned its lower face, distracting it just long enough for it to become confused. As it dipped its head down in pain, Jostein jammed the spear straight downward into the base of its neck into the bottom of its brain, continuing to jab for several minutes. The crowd began to boo and hiss as they saw their favorite creature dying in front of their eyes. The krayt dragon gave a great twitch, and fell over in a heap, as Jostein leaped off of it and ran away from it to the far side of the arena. There was chaos all through the arena, as slaves cheered the victory of one of their own for the first time and the slave traders screamed bloody murder at the outrage that had been committed before their eyes.

I have to get out of here, he thought. They mean to kill me. Yes, they do, came the thought from Brynn. There is more here than you realize, young Jedi. You are very important to the future of the Jedi. And someone knows that and wishes to be rid of you. Why me? Jostein wondered. You tell me, came her answer.

Jostein felt with the Force out into the audience for the first time, and realized that Brynn had been so very close to him, in the front row, near where he had entered. Using the Force, he leapt into the stands and felt his way towards her. She met him with a quick hug, as did several other of the slaves. The guards were leading them back to the slave quarters for the evening meal. "Quick, pull this on," said an old man, handing him a brown hooded cloak. "Thanks," replied Jostein; he then looked at him in astonishment. "A.." "Shhh…no problem Glad to be of service."

************

The icy dark presence in the corner of Ked'or's office released his choke hold on the slave trader just as his partner, Ban'ak entered the room. "We are ready to move the cargo in the morning, as ordered, highness" he directed his remark at the presence. "Tonight. Things have changed." "Tonight?" "It is obvious you fools are unable to do anything I ask of you, even arrange to have a young Jedi boy killed. Stupid fools. I will find other ways to accomplish this mission." "As you wish, my lord." "Simpering idiots." The figure gave both of the Toydarians a warning choke for a few seconds, then released them and left the room as stealthily as he had arrived.

"Ked'or, I want out of this business." "But, Ban'ak, we are richer than we ever dreamed of being. So we are bossed around by the occasional Sith Lord? What of it? Every job has its drawbacks." "Well, this is just too much. After this run, I quit." Ban'ak relaxed his wings and sat down on a light chair especially designed for Toydarians, and began to pick at his dinner. "Yes, that is what I'll do. I have enough to retire. You can keep this crazy charade up, but I am through." The two looked back and forth for some time; they knew that the matter would not be resolved that night.

***********

Back in the slave quarters, several of the older slaves, including the old man who had given Jostein his cloak, met in the near darkness, whispering until way into the night. Jostein could hear their muffled speeches and complainings as he attempted to sleep. He struggled against the pain he felt all over his body, the welts left by the creature's scales and the slinging against the wall, as well as the emotional welts he felt, as he attempted to resist Brynn appearing in his mind's eye.

As if she had been summoned, Brynn appeared in the dimming torchlight, with salve for his wounds. She rubbed the ointment tenderly all over him with her hands, using the Force to guide her to where the healing was most needed. "I am a Force healer. It is what I did to make a living once I left the Jedi order and ad to support my children," she whispered. "Where are your children?" asked Jostein. "I don't know…"she drifted off. "I doubt I will ever find them; they were taken by the same slavers that captured me." She continued to massage his aching muscles, as well as reach into his mind with the Force to help him relax. He closed his eyes and found himself surrendering to her again…

***********

The slaves were on the move. It was well past the middle of the night when the guards had barged into the quarters, forcing everyone awake and to their feet. Jostein had risen groggily, attempting to recall exactly what had befallen him since he had left the arena after killing the krayt dragon. He pulled on his clothes, and boots, careful to also bring the cloak the old man had given him. He filed out with the others, aware of the old man's presence behind him. The slaves were taken out of the quarters, through the main corridors around the main arena entrances and outside the complex to Ked'or's waiting ship.

"Now!" From out of what seemed like nowhere, chaos ensued. Three lightsabers ignited, and the intakes of Ked'or's ship were neatly hewn off onto the ground. Jostein, confused as he was, knew that his companions had made their way into the compound and were rescuing the captive slaves. "Jostein...catch!" He turned, just in time to receive his lightsaber from Kirim, and ignite it. This will make my life here a little easier, he thought, as he hacked and slashed away at guards and slavers he could barely see in the darkness. Out of the corner of his eye, he just caught two silvery winged figures attempting to escape the mayhem. He pursued them to the rear hatch of their ship as they attempted to escape, and, jumping behind Ban'ak, cut off one of his wings. Ban'ak howled in pain. Ked'or whirled around, but, as he was unarmed, could do little to help his sibling. "Okay, you two, over here. Sorry about your wing. I don't usually go around hurting other beings," Jostein remarked to the pair while binding them tightly. "However, it so happens, I wouldn't want you two to be free to to wreak any more havoc on the denizens of this galaxy for a while."

At last, the battle died down; the surviving slavers were bound so as to not escape their captors. The victorious former slaves sat or lay exhausted upon the ground for the most part, a few of them returning inside the complex to find food and drink for their tired companions and themselves. The sky had a lightly grayish blue tinge to it, as the suns of Tatooine began their rise into the morning sky. Jostein walked over to the other Jedi who were talking among themselves. "It is good to see you are none the worse for wear, young man. You acquitted yourself well, against the krayt dragon and against these slavers this morning." " Why, if you were there, did you not interfere with the challenge in the arena.." began Jostein, more than a little bewildered that his teachers were capable of allowing him to fight such a monster when they had the ability to prevent the event from taking place. "If we had intervened, we would have given ourselves away, and our plans to free the slaves and capture the slave ring would have come to naught."

Jostein nodded quietly, understanding their reasoning, yet..still having his doubts. "Food, anyone? The others are bringing it out from the kitchen. It sure helps to be able to run things around here..." He began walking toward the men and women who were serving their compatriots when he began to stagger; he put his hands to his eyes, unable to see anything around him, just pointed lights, shooting into his brain, and the swirl of more lights taking him into the familiar fire of pain that always followed the shooting stars.

A black visage, of one so cruel, a handsome man, appeared to him…thirtyish…ice cold eyes, oh so cold…I will see you die, Hakestad… and Jostein awoke to find himself face down in the dirt. He stood up, only to fall once more, upon his knees, to face the grimacing visage again… it is not time now…much will take place between now and the time for you to die at my hands. You will become a great Jedi. Your deeds will be known throughout the galaxy. But your fall and death will be worth even more than your life, Jedi. Depend upon it. " Jostein found himself caught up in a great swirl of visions, seeing many faces, one of a woman with a cloud of brownish hair and green eyes, a knight of great prowess…and of great passion…other faces…a New Republic admiral with blonde hair and aquiline profile…an Imperial guard…the knight struggling against a creature so strange, yet beguiling to her…and he fell again, into the dirt.

Jostein opened his eyes, got up, and dusted himself off. It was time to leave, he knew, and there was no time to waste trying to figure out who or what the dark figure was. He nearly bowled over Brynn Meredith as he ran back to his compatriots. "Uhh…," he began. "You are leaving soon," she said simply. "yes," he said. She looked into his eyes, reached up and kissed him on the mouth. "Goodbye, Jostein." And she hurried off.

**************

Jostein was glad to return to Yavin 4 and the routine of his studies. He had remained silent on the journey home, meditating on his last vision, hoping to find some meaning to it, but receiving no clues. He had not seen the dark being in any of his meditations, something he was, if truth be told, thankful for. Although Jedi are prepared from their earliest training to meet the Dark Side, they do not go looking for it on purpose. Mithra finally called Jostein into her office one afternoon after classes had ended for the day.

"Something troubles you, young one," she addressed him. "Yes, " he responded tentatively, not knowing how to go about relating the most recent vision he had experienced. "You have experienced a troubling vision, have you not?" "Yes, Master Mithra," responded Jostein, still unsure of just how to go about describing the terrible things he had seen during his last few moments on Tatooine. Finally, in desperation, it all tumbled out, in fits and starts, from the description of the dark figure who had addressed him to the many faces he had seen in his experience. Mithra leaned forward, and, when Jostein had finished, peered at him for some time.

Finally, Mithra spoke. "Jostein, you are what is known as an oracle. An oracle is a person who is given knowledge of the future from an unknown source. There have been oracles in many different cultures. Perhaps there is a history of oracles in your own culture on Kiria. It may be worth looking into to see if you are descended from others who have this gift. For now, accept, revel even, in the fact that you already are gifted with what it takes many Jedi years to develop. Do not allow fear to prevent you from letting this gift take you where destiny leads you. Fear is of the Dark Side. This gift is not. Go, young one. Explore your destiny." With that, Mithra dismissed Jostein from her office, and he found himself alone in the courtyard of the Academy.

Once back in his room, Jostein lay down on his bed, thinking about all that had happened…he thought about the dark side…how frightening it had actually been seeing the dark menacing figure of his vision. And the krayt dragon of the arena. That, too had been frightening, yet, enervating; he had been able to summon up a power within himself to overcome the creature and prevail. Finally, he saw again Brynn's hazel-brown eyes…and their healing irises…and her smile…for the first time, he remembered all that had passed between them, and he fell peacefully asleep.

To Be Continued...