Here's a fic I've been writing off and on for maybe 6 months now. Let me know how it's going, what you think of the characters, etc.
Chapter 1:
The Only Easy Day was Yesterday
Nova stepped off the landing ladder onto an unknown world. It was dark, nighttime. The dead of night in fact. The dark cityscape shone against the background of the mountains that could only be made out because of their snowcapped roofs. And there was not a single other person around, and Nova was in hostile territory.
How did I manage this?
Nova stepped down onto the frozen ground. It was cold, just above freezing. The sky had a dark pink hue to it. Another ship flew low overhead and around to Nova?s right. It was a scout ship, probably looking for Nova.
Time to get going.
Nova felt for his lightsaber on his belt and started walking. His R2 unit, Emir, closed the canopy behind him. ?Keep it warm, Emir.? The R2 beeped complacently as the canopy sealed shut. Nova picked out a city in the distance and headed towards it, leaping and bounding downhill with a little Force assistance. Even though he was only a ?rookie? Jedi Knight, he had still mastered many techniques.
I?m no rookie!
With one final leap Nova was at the base of the mountain, about half-way between his ship and the city in the distance. Nova continued at his self-defined Jedi?s pace, and arrived a few minutes later. He quickly found the establishment he was looking for. Nova flipped the hood of his dark cloak up and strode in. He was immediately aware that just about everyone was looking at him.
Not me, but the saber. I?ll have to work fast.
Nova sat down at the bar and ordered a quick, soft drink. He immediately started to talk up the young twilek bartender.
?What?ll it be, Jedi??
?Is that the first thing that everyone notices??
?No, they notice the big metal staff on your belt first.? She responded, her lekku twitching a bit.
?Good point.? Nova said as he took a gulp. The drink burned going down, and was quite obviously laced with something. He held onto it with the Force in his stomach for a moment. He took another gulp and pushed it back into the glass. It didn?t seem anyone noticed that one.
?Hear any good stories lately?? Nova asked the bartender.
?Jedi stories?? she asked.
?Yes, Kyra, Jedi stories.? Nova responded sarcastically.
?Don?t do that, and yes I have. Seems that last week a young Jedi much like yourself wandered in her, much like you just did.?
?And?? Nova asked.
?And what? She was killed, quickly too.?
?Funny, that?s not what I heard.? Nova responded, pretending to take another swing. He had already managed to neutralize most of the acid by bonding it with the air around it. What was left didn?t burn at all.
?Well then, Jedi, you tell me.?
?Well, for starters, I think this Jedi didn?t die. In fact, I don?t think anybody in tune with the Force has been in here for centuries. Except for yourself of course.? The bartenders face dropped.
?We need to talk.? She whispered.
?Glad you caught on.? Nova finished his drink and stood up. ?Meet me out back in 5 minutes.? The bartender nodded. Nova turned to walk away and ran into a rather large human wearing body armor all over. He stood a good foot taller than Nova.
?Excuse me.? Nova said as he stepped around the large man. Then he felt it, a spike of anger flying around at the left side of his head. Nova ducked and kicked his leg out behind him, sending the larger man up and over the bar. A blaster bolt hissed out at Nova. He quickly drew his saber and sent the bolt searing back at its owner, missing his head by centimeters. Nova looked around for a moment, reaching out with the force, his bright silver-blue lightsaber glowing brilliantly.
?Any other takers?? He asked. Nobody responded. He deactivated his lightsaber and clipped it to his belt as he walked out slowly.
Walking around back was an adventure in itself. All manner of life hide in the alleyways of Corellia. Nova found it easier to simply mask his presence to these beings. Arriving at the employee entrance, he found his young Twilek bartender friend sitting on a trash bin.
?You know of the Force.? Nova said.
?My mother was a Jedi, a long time ago. She died, during the clone wars. I was born in a laboratory using my father and mother?s DNA 18 years ago. I was the last of the Emperor?s Elite Guard?s to be born. Needless to say, I was never put to good use.?
?Where is my friend?? Nova asked
?Your friend is alive and well, but not here. You would find him in the wilderness surrounding the city, somewhere.? Nova closed his eyes and reached out in the Force, looking for his friend. A very faint trail was present, but well hidden. Only the bond between the two allowed him to see it.
?Indeed.? Nova said. ?Thank you, I need to go now.? Nova turned to walk away, but was stopped by the Twilek?s grip.
?I want to go to the Jedi Academy.? She blurted out.
?You what?? Nova asked. ?The Jedi academy is not for your average bartender you know. What makes you think you can make it?? She pulled a part of his clothing off of her leg, to revealed a lightsaber strapped to her leg tightly.
?Where?d you get that?? Nova asked as he reached for it. He got slapped.
?Sorry. Where did you get it?? he asked again.
?It was my mother?s.? She said. ?Emperor Palpatine gave it to me.? Nova almost laughed, but caught himself as he realized she was serious.
?Alright, you can come with me. Even if you?re not Jedi material, you will have tons of useful information for Master Skywalker.? Nova started toward the forest where he sensed his friend.
?Wait, I have a ship.? Kyra said. ?It?s in the landing bay right over here?? Just as Kyra finished her sentence, a dozen mercenaries turned the corner. Nova drew his silver-blue saber and donned a defense stance.
?I?d run.? He said to Kyra. ?Get to the ship. I?ll catch up.? The lead mercenary drew his blaster and fired wildly at Kyra and missing. ?GO!? Nova yelled. He jumped forward and sliced the first mercs blaster into two pieces, while ducking a blast from another. Two more set up across the street as Nova ducked and ran.
It?s time to go!
Nova set himself in the doorway to Kyra?s ship with his saber in front of him. He closed his eyes and began to focus on the incoming blaster bolts. He swung the saber around violently and sent it sailing toward the nearest group of hostile mercenaries, slicing off hands and arms. The saber came sailing back and continued to be an effective shield.
?Now would be a good time, Kyra!? he yelled over his shoulder. Suddenly the Starchaser fighter?s repulsorcoils activated, and the ship turned toward Nova. He jumped high and landed on the canopy. ?NOW!? he yelled. The Starchaser?s lasers fired and immediately caved in the door that Nova had been in. The blaster bolts could still be heard impacting on the metal. The canopy cracked open and Nova slid in.
?Jedi timing, Kyra. Head west.? Nova strapped himself in and brought up the targeting computer.
?I?m not picking up any fighters, I think we?re safe.? Kyra said. The fighter screeched skyward unchallenged. Nova picked up his commlink.
?Emir, get the fighter ready. I?m inbound, ETA 1 minute.? The R2 beeped a response.
?You have a fighter nearby?? Kyra asked.
?Yeah, an X-Wing. The newest model too. And no, you can?t ask how I got it.?
?Right. We?re coming up on it now.? Kyra added.
?Make a low pass.? Nova said as he hit the canopy release latch. ?I?ll be in the air in a moment.?
?Make a what?? She asked.
?A low pass.? Nova responded matter-of-factly.
?Right. Jedi. I?ll have to get used to this.? Even before she finished her sentence Nova was freefalling the 10 meters or so to his fighter. He landed without a sound and crouched down to a knee. Standing up, the fighter was already opened up with the engines running. Nova jumped from his landing pad on the ground onto the nose of his fighter and slipped into the seat. The fighters systems came to life around him as he closed the canopy and engaged the repulsorlift coils.
?Kyra, this is Nova. Do you copy??
?Of course! Where are we headed??
?I?m not quite sure, so just follow me. Take your ship up high so you can cover me if the need arises.?
?Roger.? Kyra?s Starchaser pulled upward lazily into the clouds above. Nova?s X-Wing dropped to withing a few meters of the trees. He reached out with the force and felt his friend. And then, nothing. She was gone. There was simply a shell where she once was. He pushed the throttle forward. As the little snubfighter raced over the tree tops, Nova could feel a presence in the void where his friend once was. A Dark presence.
?Kyra, I?m going to have to land.?
?You?re kidding right?? She responded.
?So are you.?
?Now you?ve got to be kidding.? She said angrily.
?No, I?ll land first. There?s a Dark presence down there, probably a Dark Jedi Knight. You should stay away from him. I want you to land and pick up my friend. He?ll be the one with the lightsaber I don?t want to kill.?
?Right, lightsaber, not killed. Got it.? The larger Starchaser swooped down and behind Nova?s X-Wing into formation.
?There they are.? Nova said over the comm. Two bright red lightsabers and one single green beacon of hope. ?I?m going in!? Nova yelled. ?Emir, bring us down to withing 5 meters, then bring yourself back up to about 50. I?ll signal when I need pickup.? The droid simply beeped complacently. Emir knew what happened if you agrued with Nova in a critical situation. The fighter dropped low to the ground and the hatch popped open. Nova jumped out and landed between the two Dark Jedi. His saber in his hand, he quickly activated it and with a loud snap blocked a quick shot to his bicep.
?Nice to meet you too.? He said swinging back hard to the lower leg of the first Dark Jedi. The blow connected, but not before the second Jedi realized what was going on. He began to bring his saber around at Nova?s waist with all his might, but Nova jumped high onto a tree branch.
?I?m only going to say this once, Sith. Leave now.?
?Or you?ll what, Jedi??
?Or I?ll kill you.? The Sith looked stunned by that remark. ?What? Wasn?t expecting me?? Nova lunged down at the Sith and plunged the silver-blue saber through his chest. The Sith fell over convulsing. The second Sith was backed against a tree, nursing his severed ankle.
?Remember this face, Sith. Fear it. Now go, before I decide I?m angry.? The Sith began to limp into the woods as Kyra ran out of her ship. Nova, using the Force, picked up his friend. She was badly injured, and needed attention desperately. She protested the seperation immediately.
Later. He told her. He lifted her broken body into Kyra?s ship.
?Kyra, follow me into orbit. I?ll give you the coordinates of a safe place for us.?
Moments later they settled into hyperspace, headed for a distant desert world.