Chapter 2

Welcome Home

A shuttle landed without incident in one of the large hangers in the port used by the Jedi Order. The ramp from the ship lowered, then the door opened. The padawan came out, wearing a tan shirt clung to her chest, dark brown belt matching the color of her Jedi robe, tan leggings with matching miniskirt and ankle boots. She moved down the ramp, turning and moving her arms. Those looking at her would think she was relishing the moment. Those knowing about lightsaber dueling would think she was practicing lightsaber moves. Those knowing Furia Tormenta knew she was doing both.

As she came to the bottom of the ramp, Furia saw coming toward her three young women. To the side another shuttle landed in the hanger. One of the young women was dark haired wearing the official on duty hair bun, showing the fair skin of Alderaan. Another was dark haired with beautiful ebony skin from the island world of Amanzi Izihala. Last but certainly not least was a dark haired lady who wore her hair short, with numerous horns on her scalp easily indicating she was an Iridonian. All three had the braid of a Jedi padawan.

Furia did a little run up then jumped a short distance to her great friends, laughing as she landed by them. They hugged their exuberant friend as Furia hugged them back. “You should have seen the cubbies. They were soooo cuuute!”

Furia showed them the little wooden ornament made by the Wookie cubs that was tied to the end of her braid, showing tall trees and the bright day star up in the sky. She raised her arms up and beamed a smile. “Passed!”

“With you hon, was there any doubt?” Mecina Chanasa of Amanzi Izihala looked at Furia, the first one of the group that did the survival test of being left somewhere and trying to find the destination point without any help.

Laughing, Dantella Sidero of Iridonia pointed to the injured and dead bodies of the Sith squad brought out of the shuttle that just landed. “Now that’s extra credit!”

“You really did drop that fool of a bantha backside’s face into manure.” Stacy Organa, a princess from Alderaan, laughed as she noticed slight brown stains on the face of the Sith apprentice, taken on a stretcher as a result of no longer having his legs, not to mention no longer having his arms. “We heard some troops talking about it when we got here.”

“Hey. It’s me.” Furia stated calmly a fact her friends knew for most of their lives. She then saw at the end of the hanger near a door a middle aged Togrutan female. “I’m guessing we can’t dinner tonight with all of us having studies. Meet up for lunch tomorrow?”

“Got a plan” replied Stacy. The four friends did a group hug, then Furia’s friends walked out through the door, bowing their heads a little toward the Togrutan wearing a dark brown Jedi robe.

The Togrutan let the girls have their fun for a bit. Knowing them, they needed to do their welcome after hearing the stories of what happened at Kashyyykyon. Furia Tormenta, the daring padawan who on her own stopped a Sith squad intending to kill innocent Wookies, who slay a Sith Lord and maimed the apprentice, stopping two armored droids, killed or captured twelve Sith soldiers, jumped on a shuttle in the air and stopped it. The only padawan that would have fun by dropping a Sith’s face into manure after a battle. The padawan this Togrutan had to deal with every day.

The Togrutan and padawan walked casually toward each other. “I hope you enjoyed the greeting from your friends” stated calmly the Togrutan Jedi Knight Pricilli Tonna.

“You know I did Master.” Furia calmed down her excitement, bowed to her master. “That’s it?”

“You put yourself in grave danger. I’m responsible for you as your master. What if you got injured or killed? That wasn’t just some apprentice. That was an apprentice with his Sith Lord.”

“Ahhh, how bout Congratulations?” Furia kept control of her emotions as she did most of the time, able to control her frustration with her master. She looked at her own body. “Not a scratch.”

“So I heard from Procles. The troopers that came to the scene were amazed at what you did. And yes, Procles said how kind and caring you were to the Wookie children. I am certainly not doubting that Furia. You passed your survival test in the most unique way. You passed, which I expected.”

Furia was given a backpack from the shuttle with her belongings in it by one of the shuttle crew, and the women walked out of the hanger, with Furia slightly behind and to the right of her Togrutan master. “You know I gave report to Master Procles.”

“In the end four Sith troopers lived, an apprentice named Shou that is now without any limbs who was found with his face in a manure pile.” Furia tilted her head and gave her master a sarcastic smile. “Eight dead troops with one of them a severe skull fracture on the side of his head.”

“At least the first one lived.”

“A woman in the crashed shuttle with a rather large hole at the back of her skull that goes all the way down to the middle of what was once her spinal cord.”

“Saber started giving me problems. Blades retracted at times.”

“Furia, if this was anyone else, I wouldn’t believe it. Then there is Sith Lord Jian, who now has no back of neck or head, who of course is dead. The troopers never seen something like that before. A big space where some neck and head should be.”

“I missed a little bit. I was aiming for the lower head so the neck could be spared and he could breathe.”

Pricilli sighed. Her padawan learned well from the anatomy class a couple years ago, even though she used that knowledge in some most unusual ways. “So he can breathe without a brain?”

“Sure. Must admit Master it was a good thing I was there to save the Wookies.”

Pricilli thought that Furia did it again, subtlety diverting the conversation. “They were very appreciative. It was horrible what happened at the village, but they were most grateful all at the picnic grounds were uninjured. In fact, they invited you there during the upcoming winter for their Life Day Festival as an honored guest.”

“Honored guest? Me? I guess so. Wait. As long as no one is making a holovid. Remember that stupid Life Day show-“.

“Furia!” Pricilli once again got frustrated with her padawan. She was so talented, but came with such an attitude. “Let’s appreciate they kindly gave the offer, and accept it.” The two walked out of the spaceport, and Pricilli used a wristband comlink to order a ride home.

“There’s a holovid picture of you, acknowledging you passed the survival test. You’re wearing a mask. Furia, you look like some assassin.”

“Bugs. When walking, jogging, or especially running, it keeps bugs out so I don’t eat them. There’s a survival course, Master. Hang out somewhere for a few days and the only food you’re allowed is bugs you eat while moving since not allowed to wear a mask.”

“All right Furia, you made your point” the master stated to her padawan.

“It’s nice to be back at Coruscant, Master.”

“As I promised, you get a new outfit for passing the survival test.”

“There’s this outfit. Light tanned mid-thigh dress, matching belt with hidden pocket on the inside, with knee high boots. All white trimmed. Fits into Jedi regulations for attire.”

“You are such a fashionista Furia” the Togrutan said with a little smile.

“Nice to be back with you Master” the padawan answered with her own smile. A taxi came to take the two women back to the Jedi Temple.

* * *

Coruscant Prime, the star for the Coruscant system, was past its apex in the sky. The two ladies met after each had lunch with their friends. Going through the open doorway when the sliding doors moved apart, the Jedi Togrutan and her human apprentice walked, the Jedi a little slow from her age and the apprentice with a grace that on purpose was the same pace as her master and walking slightly behind and to the right of the Togrutan. They seated themselves on one of the sofas in the waiting room, the apprentice sitting after her master on purpose in deference. Both knew of an upcoming assignment. They both knew there was also the issue of the events of Furia’s survival test.

“Please stay silent Furia while I talk with the council. Focus on the conversation that transpires. By the way, have you examined your saber to see why it was giving you trouble?”

“I shall stay silent, Master. Aren’t they going to ask me questions though?”

“Then you can answer them.”

“As for the lightsaber, I went over the mechanism last night before bed, and so far can’t see any malfunctioning parts” stated the 18-year-old padawan, sitting patiently in her dark brown robe over a tan shirt with matching miniskirt underneath, her hood down showing her ginger hair in a bun with a padawan’s braid at the right side of her head. The wooden ornament the Wookie cubbies made was now off, her master thinking the Jedi Council may not think it was appropriate to have on the braid during official business. Idiots. She looked straight ahead with her green eyes.

“Studying men instead of the proper workings of a Jedi lightsaber”? The Togrutan said in a slight belittling way to her padawan.

“No, Master” she calmly replied to her teacher. Quite cognizant of the attitude her Jedi Master had towards Furia, the padawan kept calm her emotions. Pricilli must have heard numerous opinions this morning at how could Pricilli have allowed her padawan to put herself in danger with the Sith. In danger. During a survival course. Pricilli will probably have an irritable attitude for a couple hours, knowing her master all these years. Of course, Furia lied. She would daily enjoy studying people of all type, including men. That included those troopers she had seen recently. Nevertheless, Furia knew the parts and how a lightsaber works. “Wish I knew what was going on with the saber though”, she thought to herself.

The voice from the speaker told the two Jedi they could come in. “Master Ratcher” Furia thought to herself, knowing the man behind the voice. Waiting until her master stood up, Furia allowed her master to walk past her towards the door to the Jedi Council Chamber, then she stood up behind Pricilli. She walked lock in step again to the side and behind her master. This took no effort, she had done it for thirteen years.

The two women walked into the renowned Jedi Council Chamber on Coruscant. Pricilli, the Togrutan Jedi Knight teacher of Furia, was in her middle ages. There was nothing particular about her Togrutan look, and she never caught the attention of people throughout her life, to the chagrin of Pricilli when she was younger. She was found by the Jedi when she was five, like her apprentice. Pricilli Tonna was found at her school when some Jedi came there to talk with the students. Later that day they came to her home and talked with her parents, who eventually agreed for their daughter to go with the Jedi for training. A few days later Pricilli went with the Jedi and started the training to be one of them.

Furia, however, had a much different story, the teacher thought about numerous times. Furia’s mother noticed some Jedi on Stella III when they came to investigate possible pirate activities on the planet that interfered with shipping. The Force was felt in the five-year-old girl, and the Jedi took the girl with the blessings of her mother to get her away from harm. Furia’s mother Grace Tormenta worked as a bartender and waitress at a local tavern on Stella III. They didn’t meet her father. They were told by Grace that her husband Thomas Tormenta died at a construction site before Furia was born while Grace was pregnant with her. Grace talked about slavery done by the pirates on Stella III, although the group of Jedi didn’t notice it. After a few months at the Jedi Temple, Pricilli chose Furia to be her padawan. The Togutan Jedi accepted Furia, hoping to make the girl into a proper Jedi. Yet Furia became quite different from her teacher. She easily got the attention of others, which numerous times got the irritation of Pricilli. She learned her lessons, and became quite proficient with her lightsaber. Nevertheless there was something about Furia that troubled Pricilli, but she couldn’t put it to words. Perhaps it was her padawan’s engrossing interests in the thoughts and behavior of people, which was quite more extensive compared to the other padawans. She shouldn’t be so harsh on her padawan, she thought to herself, as she and Furia walked into the middle of the room. Furia had aided her master numerous times, and learned much in the classroom. Pricilli just wished Furia would be the model padawan with behavior inside and outside the classroom.

“Greeting Jedi Pricilli and padawan” Master Ratcher said while looking at the two women that came walking in. Master Ratcher, a grey haired Cathar, was considered the unofficial second in command in the Jedi Council, second to the Rodian Grand Master Wassach. Both women nodded their heads to the council, then turned to the grand master as he spoke.

“Pricilli, what is your report about the events on Kashyyykyon?” asked Wassach with the nasal sounds in his speech Rodian. The Rodian’s speech wasn’t the most difficult language to understand, although many languages were easier to comprehend, reflected the padawan. Master Wassach found it easier to talk in Rodian than Galactic Basic, but would speak Basic when needed to. Although she could understand Rodian easier focusing with her Force abilities, Furia preferred to try to understand languages without falling back on using the Force.

Because her padawan was part of the incident at Kashyyykyon, the council instructed the previous day for Pricilli to gather the information from all involved and give a report to the Jedi Council. The Jedi Knight Alviss was currently at the side of his padawan in the hospital, who was recovering from his injuries caused by the Sith. “That can be ascertained so far, the Sith were able to commandeer two civilian Ithorian shuttles without no one noticing in time. The crew are most likely dead. Darth Exatio was probably trying to make more of a name for himself by destroying a colony. Lord Jian was a friend of his, that we understand, and came to help out Exatio, and help build a name for himself.”

“The village took much damage, but the picnic grounds were unscathed? Also, I heard many people in the village were traumatized, but the Wookies at the picnic ground were able to enjoy the Summer Solstice after the attack?”

Without moving her eyes that were looking at the back of her master’s head, Furia noticed Master Wassach looked at Pricilli however occasionally looked at Furia, Master Ratcher looked back and forth at the two women, probably wondering if it is time for Furia to be tested to be a Jedi Knight, several seemed distracted and not focusing on the report, and Master Jeromia would focus fully on Pricilli so he wouldn’t look at Furia, the padawan surmised.

Pricilli waited a second before answering. The report to the Jedi Council was starting to get to the area she definitely did not want to talk about, Furia deduced. The padawan without a doubt knew her master.

“Yes Grand Master Wassach. All the damage to the Wookies occurred at the village. Both locations were a loss to the Sith. None escaped the picnic grounds, however at the village it appears Darth Exatio’s apprentice escaped after assassinating him, then left the system on his Corvette.”

Furia thought it was typical of her master to minimize her accomplishments. Furia got to see the report once Pricilli completed it. That apprentice was a good duelist and opportunist. Maybe as good or even better than Dantella with twin blades. Also that apprentice seemed like a typical Sith sleaze.

“Furia was the only one initially at the picnic grounds”? Wassach asked.

Now Pricilli waited a couple seconds before answering. “Without following anyone’s instruction, she alone went initially to the picnic grounds instead of the destination point for her survival training” answered the Togrutan. Furia thought typical for her master to put in a little dig, after Furia helped save the Wookies there.

Several of the masters had a concerned look on their face, bothered by the thought of a padawan appearing reckless. Grand Master Wassach kept a calm look on his face. Master Ratcher couldn’t hide his smile completely, impressed at what Furia did. Furia liked Master Ratcher. He was a fun instructor when she and her friends took Galactic Economics with him a year ago. He gave her honors on her report about how to get smugglers to unintentionally do legalize work transporting unique fabrics and attire.

Master Jeromia chimed in. “What information was gathered from the chip found on the Darth’s body?”

“Darth Exatio had an interest with the planet Templi, and it does not appear to be because of the new colony and Jedi Temple set up there. He may have hid his intentions from his apprentice and Lord Jian. As the council agrees, I will be part of a team to learn what this is about, and how to respond to this intention.”

“Why attack Kashyyykyon?” Grand Master Wassach was trying to get the full understanding about this attack from the Sith that failed.

“It was not a fortified target. It would be a good location to build a new base as a jumping point to try to attack the Galactic Core.”

“Padawan Furia, how did you know those shuttles had Sith in them? The villagers were caught off guard, as were Jedi Alviss and the troopers there. At least until the shuttles arrived” replied Wassach.

Pricilli eyes suddenly widened. “Master Wassach, you wish for her to answer”? The Rodian nodded his head.

Furia turned to look at the Grand Master, causing her braid to move in the air with the turn of her head. “I didn’t know, Grand Master Wassach. I simply noticed something. Unexpected shuttles arriving. These are Sith. Sith like carnage. We are in this war with the Sith. Kashyykyon is such a nice colony, but had no protection if attacked. It was not a military target. Yet there were numerous sentient beings there, the Wookies of the colony. If I wanted to cause carnage like these Sith, a great way to do it would be to slaughter the innocent Wookies. A great way to damage morale for that sector of the galaxy, and especially to the Wookies.”

“Furia, on your own stopped the Sith from harming those at the picnic grounds.” Master Ratcher made sure her actions were not unnoticed.

“I simply put my humble self to be a peacekeeper for these Wookies. With the dueling skills I learned from my wise instructors here, by the Force I was fortunate to be able to defend those honorable people.” Pricilli started to roll her eyes, but was able to stop herself. Furia put a little emotion in her shallow modesty of her skills with a lightsaber. She is currently one of the best padawans.

“I commend you, padawan” replied Wassach.

“Thank you, Master” Furia answered as she curtsied, showing her legs in the process as her Jedi robes parted.

“Furia!” Pricilli said slight angrily to her padawan as she turned to face her. Pricilli soon got back her composure and turned back to Master Wassach. “Was there anything else you wished to discuss Master Wassach?”

“No, the two of you have quite satisfactorily answered the council’s enquiries. The council thanks you for coming to this summons, and we hope the rest of the day is joyful to you. May the Force be with you”. The council bowed their heads to the two women as they bowed their heads facing Master Wassach. Pricilli and Furia turned to face the door, and they walked out with Furia allowing Pricilli to go first so the padawan could walk behind her teacher to the side again. The teacher and apprentice walked out of the room and had the doors close behind them as they continued to walk.

“Act appropriately when you are in front of the council young lady” Pricilli said to Furia in a stern voice.

“What?” replied the padawan. “Since when is a curtsey not appropriate? It’s not like I asked one of them for his or her number” Furia replied hiding her frustration. What’s wrong with a curtsy? So what if it’s not a typical bow that has been done for thousands upon thousands of years. It’s not like she took her clothes off. She was being respectful to the elder Jedi.

“Furia, keep yourself composed” replied her master. “You are strong with the Force, and I don’t deny your accomplishments in the classroom, passing the survival test, and your skills with lightsaber training, but you need to always compose yourself. Jedi don’t curtsey in a hint of seduction when they can bow in respect”.

No point to counter answer, thought Furia. She didn’t think of herself as seductive when she showed her respect to the council. She decided to pick her battles and not say anything. She continued to follow her master into the turbolift. Pricilli pressed on a screen to go to a lower level. The turbolift moved with the slightest of sound. Furia thought in the elevator that a better trainer could have picked her. Then again she knew she definitely could have gotten a worse one. The two Jedi exited on the main level. While walking the open hallway of the main level of the Jedi Temple, the two walked near a fountain with several people gathered near it. Furia noticed some troopers standing and chatting near the fountain. When a few looked at her, she winked back at them and nodded her head. She barely hid her smile as she noticed all raised their eyebrows in surprise at the friendliness shown by this Jedi. One stated to the others out loud “That’s her. She’s the babe. Should have seen what she did.” Furia then noticed some galactic senators talking to each other about how the Jedi could help their planets. “I bet” Furia thought; more likely how they were thinking of trying to use the Jedi to help themselves.

Furia calmly walked at the back side of her master, reflecting on what she needed to do for the rest of the afternoon. No slouching on a couch for a padawan. She had a nice lunch with her friends before meeting the Jedi Council. She would go to her last class to study metals conducting power, which she thought was something she totally did not know, like not knowing droid language with its beeps and whistles. She would also practice her moves going from one foot to the other in the practice area, which she was getting quite proficient with. She knew it would help with her saber work, and she kept to herself it helped with dancing. They walked the long hallway to another turbolift, which would take Furia to her class. Looking outside Furia was able to see Coruscant in the windows during the afternoon. Nice view if someone likes a massive city, but just didn’t have the nice look that Tython had, where she lived with Pricilli before coming to Coruscant.

“I miss Tython. That’s the place to study the ways of the Jedi, not some city planet”. Furia so missed the views of the mountains, trees, and the lakes.

“You know the council is trying to reestablish the Jedi presence on Coruscant so we appear more in connection with the citizens of The Republic, Furia”.

“I know Master” the padawan replied. “Still think it would be better back in Tython, then could always come to Coruscant once the training is done. Better yet, go to one of the tropical worlds”. Furia liked the feeling of the crowds of Coruscant, but she so much missed the outdoors feel of Tython.

Pricilli answered “It is one of the things you have to accept for being a Jedi, young lady”.

“Anything you need help with this afternoon Master?”. Furia looked at her master’s face, waiting for the answer. There were definitely a few wrinkles from all of Pricilli’s years she had been alive, especially the years as a Jedi taking part in the Galactic War with the Empire.

“No padawan. I will be spending the afternoon and evening at the library to help them out with some information gathering. Please work on your studies. I may be home late tonight”. No rudeness, Furia discerned, however seemed once again the cool distance without any friendly demeanor. Furia had accepted this for a long time now. Pricilli wondered if her padawan was planning something while she would be away. That girl can be sneaky. Yet when she says she will study, she studies.

“Yes Master. May the force help guide you in your studies”. Furia got on the turbolift when the door opened.

Pricilli walked towards the Jedi Library. She looked at a message that was sent to her comlink. There was a message about the Sith interest in the Arma Procul system. There is a little change of plans for the afternoon, however she is to still meet her group at the Jedi Library. She erased the message on the comlink on her wrist, then proceeded for the Jedi Library.