The Razorclaw rises beyond the planet of Naboo and fires its thrusters to propel away at high speed. Soaring away into deep space, the small, but maneuverable ship rolls slightly to the left as it heads for its new destination. Inside the vessel both Tinara and her furry co-pilot Mort work the controls and make their calculations for hyperspace. Sitting behind her in the passenger seat, Yoda gazes at everything she does with a happy grin. It had been a long time since he was in this ship. A fond memory of their first meeting and the rush of adventure he got from watching her pilot the craft with quick reflexes. Mort was also highly skilled, the ever silent partner that managed to work various controls as he kept all of his multi-black bug eyes watching each monitor. The boy let out a low sigh of joy of being back in this ship again.

“How long will it be before we can make the jump Mort?” Tinara questions as she keeps focused on the steering.

The creature scratches his head and speaks to her in his alien language that only she seems to understand. A clicking, low squeaking grunt of a voice that has a tone of frustration in it.

“What do you mean you don’t know?” She says turning to look back at him. “I told you to have it ready before we left.”

Mort just pounded on the console and bitterly argues with her again.

“Don’t give me that!” She moans. “You’re the expert at dodging the asteroid belt around the outer region. You never had trouble with it before…”

Mort just gave a sigh and shook his head negatively. Tinara rolls her eyes and spins her chair to direct herself at him.

“Look I know it was short notice and I’m sorry. I’ve been meaning to replace that navcomputer with an upgrade, but right now you’re calculations are next to the best thing. You’re the brains remember…so figure it out.”

Mort just gives another long sigh and begins to work the controls again. Yoda was never really sure where this species was from; to his knowledge he’s never seen the like. But then again, many could be said about his own origin. An orphan of some unknown, extinct race lost deep in the heart of the galaxy. Perhaps there were many worlds that shared the same fate as his.

Tinara turned to him and gave a beaming smile.

“Come on lil’ Jedi, lets see how your new friend is doing back there.”

Yoda nodded with joy and took her hand into his as he lead the way. As Tinara gave a quaint laugh at his youthful excitement, Mort quickly turned to her and spoke in a low tone. As Yoda was tugging away at her to follow, her eyes began to dim from the joyful state to that of a serious nature. Mort and Tinara locked in gazes, she gave a slight pat to him with her other free hand and smirked at him.

“We’ll deal with that when we come to it my friend. For now…just get those jump co-ordinates and get us there quickly.”

Sitting alone in the back of the Razorclaw, young Nevari stares at his new mechanical legs and curls them tight to his chest as he leans in to rest on them. His mind is racing with all that has happened. The seat is full of stitched repairs to the fabric; each color is different in look and texture as he studies it. Everywhere in the back of the ship is full of patched steel, scratched floor grates and loose wire and chains dangling about the room. It was a gritty and less then clean environment to be resting in. Still his mind wandered about what would happen if Master Oberon caught him aiding the enemy.

The joint corridor door opens up suddenly and Yoda rushes in with Tinara in his hand.

“Slow down lil’ man!” She laughs. “You’re pulling too tight on my arm.”

“So what’s the situation Yoda?” Nevari asks as the boy flops beside him.

“Situation…situation…” The child mimics. “To rescue my master we are…that is the situation.”

“I mean the Jedi Council…” He asks him again taking down his legs. “Did you give them the location? Are they on their way?”

Tinara lets go of the young child’s hand and leans against the wall of the ship as she stares opposite to Nevari. The young man keeps his attention focused on Yoda as he waits for an answer.

“Told them I did. Before take off of Naboo.” The green Padawan nods.

“And?” Nevari continues to ask.

“Arrive they will, but not before us. Closer we are to the outlying system…faster ship we have as well.”

“They must be there when we arrive…” The young man says in a frantic mumble. “They must.”

Yoda’s smile soon gives way to his look of concern as he notices Nevari’s impatience.

“They will be. They will be.” He simply states.

As Nevari looks up at Tinara staring directly at him. He gives a slight gulp and his eyes grow wide with a nervous panic.

“This whole thing must stop…it must…or it could mean the end of the Jedi Order.”

Tinara remains in her locked gaze with him; one hand now slips down to her side arm near her hip and taps the blaster lightly. He knows she’s got it in for him, but as long as Yoda is around, he’s safe…if only for the moment. Hard to believe he’s afraid of her, with all the killing he’s done and with the strength of the Force behind him. Still he can feel the danger that lurks around her, something that gives him pause and doubt to his ability to better her. Having witnessed her taking out a Sith Lord in a few shots, he knows her accuracy is one not to be tested, not even with the Force guiding him.

“Then I guess it’s lucky for you I was close by.” She replies to Nevari. “Funny on how you switched sides all of a sudden.”

Yoda glances back at her as if to disapprove of that remark and turns back to smile at the nervous looking young man.

“Clear his mind has become. Thinking more rationally he is.”

“I feel the Force…it has shown me the way.” Nevari says to him.

“All Jedi must…” The green Padawan nods. “With feelings the Force must be used, my master has said. Better to understand it, better to hear the will of the Force and not cloud thoughts it will.”

Tinara was very impressed with Yoda. She let go of her weapon and teased the boy’s hair playfully. Like a proud mother, she gave a pleased sigh and smiled as she took note that he was growing up. This small child she once met, a friend she had come to respect, was turning out to be a wise sole. She soon stopped touching his head and slowly retracted her hand. Her eyes gave away the weakness of knowing she was getting too attached again. Without saying a word, she left the room and headed back to the cockpit. Yoda turned his head away as the door closed; he could feel something, a slight tremor in the Force. A small glint of warning that gave him a moment of hesitation, as he rubbed his head and gave a confused look, Nevari broke his concentration as he spoke again.

“Master Jin Wan So’bal has taught you well, Padawan. He sounds like a better Master then mine ever was.”

“Oberon…” Yoda glances up. “Still a good teacher he is, but twisted in his view of things. Certain point of views they are.”

“A certain point of view?” Nevari questions. “What does that mean?”

“Noticed I have, the way Jedi Council and the Rebel faction view the Force. Questioned it I have in past, different answers given there always were, but always right in their minds they think.”

The young friend leans closer to the table and rests his chin onto his folded arms.

“Yes. Yes that’s been the problem. The Padawan Learners would always share what their masters had taught them, and found out that many of them had very different opinions about what was truly the nature of the Force. We became so confused on the matter, that is…until Oberon began to speak.”

Yoda watched the boy get up and pace in the room as he continued to share his thought.

“He knew we were lost and wanted us to focus on one thing. One thing that would bring us all back to a united harmony. He told us the only way to balance the Force was to embrace the dark with the good, to merge the two and make it a singular voice of the Midi-chlorians. One voice, one mind, one Force.”

The small green pointy-eared Padawan stoked his chin and shook his head negatively.

“But his view this is too. Balance, my master says, comes from sharing and learning with each other. Lost the Jedi have become…too many minds thinking about what is best for the Force, but not feeling the will of the Force.”

Nevari agrees and sits back down beside him rubbing his shoulder.

“All this time, I thought you and your Master were in the wrong. What a fool we’ve all been. Had Jin Wan So’bal returned back with this wisdom during our confusion, I’m sure things would have been different. Now….now it’s too late.”

Yoda gives a laugh, jumps on the table and raises his arms.

“Never to late it is! Go we will, rescue my Master and return home to share this knowledge with all Jedi. Stop the confusion it will and bring peace back to the order!”

Nevari laughs at the antics of this young one and joins him on the table as they both dance on it with joy.

“You and me Yoda! Together we will save the Order!”

As the two boys laugh away and jump around on the small aged metal table, it soon gives a sound of creaking and quickly collapses under them. They drop to the ground and let out a unified grunt in pain.

Coruscant

Rising from the planet, a large group of Jedi Fighters and borrowed Republic Carriers with more members on board leave world and head out into open space. Inside the closest Carrier, Jedi Master Fentaos, an olive skinned middle-aged man stands behind two of the younger Knights piloting the craft with his arms placed inside his sleeves. As he watches the mass of ships moving past the window in front, a faint holographic image appears blocking his view.

“Master Zen’tauk!” He gasps with concerned surprise. “You should be resting.”

“Make haste Fentaos…I feel...” The frail old man takes a moment to cough violently and sucks back the air to gain control of his voice. “I feel our young Padawan Yoda will be in need of our Jedi sooner then expected.”

“Master?” The man inquires back. “I’ve felt no warning.”

The old man coughs again and even holds out his hand to make Fentaos wait before he speaks again.

“A tremor in the Force…I felt it. Just before you left, I sensed a great disturbance…they will be out numbered and in peril. Go…quickly….speed is of the up most import…import….”

The old man wildly coughs with a shrill of pain in his actions. The holographic image instantly shuts off as it becomes too much for Zen’tauk to even speak anymore. Fentaos nods to the awaiting pilot looking back as a signal to do as the old master instructed.

“Prepare for lightspeed.” He commands.

Rushing over to his awaiting chair and griping the arm rests tightly. The Jedi Master gives one last look at the stars around him and closes his eyes.

“Lightspeed calculations ready sir.” The pilot states to him.

“Execute, all crafts….on my mark….now!”

The sound of the engines building up energy quickly snaps as the entire fleet stretches and zips into hyperspace. Like a flock of birds all diving into the night sky at once, the ships are gone in an instant, leaving nothing but the star filled space they once occupied.

Hijarna.

Still hovering in his bonds below in his cavern prison, Jin Wan So’bal hangs his head as he tries to focus in the Force to free himself. Struggling with all his might, he reaches a breaking point and gasps with defeat. The energy masks the Force to be heard and So’bal is not strong enough to keep calling out to it, the strain on him as been too much. But as he lets go trying to free himself, the prison door opens again. Looking up, he notices Oberon stepping inside once more, calm and collected since their last words, but with a serious gaze directed at the Jedi Master.

“The time has come Jin Wan. You will join our rebellion and become the greater good for all in the Order.”

“Please Oberon…” So’bal whispers to him with care. “Come with me…I’ll show you what I’ve….”

Suddenly, the multi-horned leader B’Taknor steps into the prison. His appearance causes the Jedi Master to silence himself. A strange smile on the being’s face makes So’bal give a curious glance. B’Taknor steps closer to him in slow steps and eyes him with the smile still in full.

“Brother Jedi.” He chuckles. “Oberon was most upset with your words and caused him much doubt that clouded his thoughts to me. I for one had to see that even now you are still trying to use your influence to disrupt the harmony I am trying to create here.”

“Harmony? HA!” So’bal laughs out loud. “There’s nothing I’ve seen of any evidence of that.”

B’Taknor leans in and grabs So’bal in the face. His hand squeezes his cheeks and forces the man to keep his eyes on him.

“Why do you fight me? Why do you deny the destiny of the true Force? You should be with me my brother. Can’t you see that our kind is on the verge of extinction? Hm? That we’ve become too over confident and distant that we no longer have focus in our lives. I want you by my side So’bal…I need to have you with me to show the others the one Force that guides us all.”

Jin Wan tries hard to answer back as the tightness of the being’s grip keeps his face contorted.

“What you want is chaos…” So’bal manages to sputter out. “Unbalance….these things are disruptions in the Force. In the end…it will make us as corrupt as the Sith!”

Letting go of him, B’Taknor paces around the hovering man and shrugs his shoulders.

“Sith? What of the Sith? They don’t exist any longer thanks to us…their time in the galaxy is over. But in doing so, we’ve created an imbalance...made one side too strong and now we are paying for that by becoming lost in our way. You say we will be corrupt as them? I say we are already corrupted, we’ve been so since their presence was wiped out long ago.”

As he finally comes back to face Jin Wan, the imprisoned Jedi Master continues to have a puzzled look and watches the multi-horned being smile again.

“The only way to correct that balance, to bring about harmony is to embrace both the dark and the good. One Force, one vision, one absolute power over all life. And if you will not join us willingly…then I’ll just have to correct your point of view to fit ours.”

Oberon bows his face away from looking at Jin Wan, who tries to stare back at the camel faced former Jedi instructor after hearing B’Taknor’s monologue. He knows there is no hope of him ever leaving, that he’s going to be subjected to something horrible. But as he gazes back at the grey horned being, he shakes his head with disgust.

“I am so sorry for you my friend.” So’bal sighs. “That it should come to this.”

B’Taknor’s eyes flare as he realizes that Jin Wan knows what is about to happen next. But rather then stretch out the moment any longer with more long-winded speeches, the being snaps his fingers loudly. The two white masked Jedi Droids come walking in and stand at either side of the leader.

“Then it is time to begin…time for you to become…one with us.”

The droids raise their arms and open the coverings on them. Extra thin limbs with various devices and cutting utensils spring out and activate as they slowly move in on him.

So’bal prepares for the worst as he holds his head back in a proud fashion.

Just beyond the planet, speeding out of hyperdrive, the Razorclaw zooms past the furthest moon and races in on normal thrust. Inside the cockpit, Tinara and Mort operate the craft while Yoda and Nevari sit in the chairs behind them with a nervously worried expression.

“We’ll come in on the far side of the planet and make our way to the location.” Tinara says to Yoda. “It should provide us with some stealth before they detect us.”

Yoda nods in agreement, but Nevari stares at the back of the woman pilot’s head, as he knows that’s a lie. She’s been here before, nobody is expecting her not to come, she’s an ally of the rebels and probably leading poor Yoda into a trap.

“I disagree.” Nevari states. “I think we should enter in full throttle and let them know we’re here.”

Tinara looks back at him and scowls.

“No. I said we’re going in on the far side and then we’ll land.”

“Why do you want us to do that Tinara?” He bitterly hisses back. “Why not just land us down and let them see us coming?”

“Because we’re trying to not to get caught…ok?”

“Don’t lie to him anymore Tinara.” The boy now says folding his arms. “The ruse is over and I’m not letting this go further anymore.”

Yoda looks up at him and back at Tinara.

“Speak of what does he mean?”

“Nothing…he just doesn’t trust me is all.” She growls as she spins back to the controls. “He never has…that’s why he’s being a jerk.”

“Has?” Yoda questions. “Met before have you?”

“We sure have.” Nevari muses sarcastically. “We’re good ol’ friends…huh Tinara?”

“Shut your mouth you brat!” Tinara screams to him with anger as she turns to give him a back handed slap.

Mort quickly addresses her attention by shouting and pointing at a flashing light on the right side of her controls.

“What now?” She grunts.

As she looks on the monitor and reads the information, she gives look out on the left side of the cockpit window.

“They’re here!” She shouts.

“We know.” Nevari grins.

Out of the darkness of space, the first wave of the Jedi armada comes out of lightspeed and flies towards the planet. Both Yoda and Nevari give a loud cheer and a high five to one another as they see the fighters gliding past them and entering the world’s atmosphere.

The Droids continue to come closer to Jin Wan’s face with their many devices and soon cause the man to twitch in a sweaty gaze of horror. But suddenly an alarm sounds throughout the caverns, a constant whine that shows a light blinking on and off in the outer corridor. B’Taknor and Oberon look about wildly, the two droids suddenly stop and fold the mini-arms back in as they two wonder at the commotion.

“What? What’s happening Master?” Oberon shouts.

“The Jedi Order!” B’Taknor screams in anger. “They found our location!”

“And not a moment too soon.” So’bal grins with relief.

B’Taknor snaps his fingers at the droids who quickly react and leave the room. The leader points at Oberon and growls at him.

“Take this Jedi to my ship…we’re leaving and we’ll finish converting him at another time.”

“But Master…” Oberon panics. “How can we escape? We’re not prepared, we don’t all have Hyperdrive engines fixed yet on the fighters!”

“Trust me my friend.” B’Taknor states as he leaves the room. “We’ve got help on the way.”