Old-Republic.com – Star Wars KotOR (SWKotOR) Fan Fiction – Star Wars TOR (SWTOR) Fan Fiction

The sun was setting in the western sky, bathing the landscape in warm, red light. The skyline of Taris’s capitol city, with its hundreds of tall, multi-story buildings, stood for a moment as a dark silhouette against the glow of the evening sky. Then the city lights began to come to life, mirroring the first few evening stars that had begun to appear. Crowds of people began to flood the streets as men and women left their homes and work to enjoy the Tarisian nightlife. The many Upper City cantinas began to crank up their music as customers flocked to their doors.

In one of the tall apartment buildings, a woman was standing in a large room before a long, wide window overlooking the western side of the city. The woman had long golden hair that was pulled back from her face and elaborately styled, and wore a richly decorated dress. Her face was very beautiful, with deep green eyes and smooth skin. She had a slender, graceful figure, and held herself with an air of aristocracy, but not arrogance. The room the woman was standing in was furnished with many decorative pieces of furniture and large green plants like ferns, all arranged to create a very welcoming, comfortable setting, which was enhanced by the soft, warm glow of the sunset shining in through the window. The walls were covered with ornate multi-colored paneling, and along each side of the room stood a row of tall marble pillars, connected at the top by several decorative arches.

As the woman stood looking out of the window at the sunset, a man entered from a doorway at the far end of the room. He was about medium height and had a thick deep chest, with a cloak thrown over his broad shoulders and the insignia of a lower counselor worn on his vest. He had a youthful expression in his eyes, but the few streaks of grey in his thick dark hair and bushy beard betrayed his real age. He quickly walked over to the woman’s side, his face radiating with excitement.

“Romana, it’s true! The Jedi have arrived!” he said. “I was at a high council meeting today when two of them came in; a Master Al-Zarr and a Master Jyr.”

“Finally,” Romana replied, turning to face him. “We have waited for them for so long. How long will they be staying, Luther?”

“They will be staying here few weeks at least,” said Luther. “And more Jedi will be coming soon. There’s talk of allowing Taris to enter the Republic. The Jedi may even consider setting up an academy on Taris.”

A wide smile spread across the man’s face as he looked at his wife. He gently embraced her, kissing her forehead. “I wish you could have been there to see them arrive,” he whispered. “After all the years we spent trying to change things and end the corruption and hardship here, this time we might actually see the changes we’ve been looking for. The Jedi will set things right. Our leaders may ignore us, and they may ignore the petitions of those suffering the lower quarters, but they certainly would not dare ignore the Jedi.”

“I hope so, Luther.”

The last rays of sunlight faded from the sky, and a still darkness fell on the city, as if even the sun was showing reverence for the arrival of the Jedi. The sky began to glow faintly again with the lights from thousands of buildings in the city. Most of the sky traffic had stopped, but an occasional freighter or transport could still be seen rising into the atmosphere bound for some distant system.

After several minutes of silence, Luther put his hands on his wife’s shoulders and looked into her eyes earnestly, and said, “Romana, I want to take our sons to meet the Jedi…to be tested.”

Romana’s jaw dropped and her eyes opened wide in shock. “Oh no!” she said, pulling away from him. “Please no, Luther! I couldn’t…they’re so young! I couldn’t bear to give them up!”

“But this is the chance of a life time for them,” replied Luther gently. “Marcus is already five years old, and Corin nearly three. They will soon be past the age when the Jedi would accept them for training. And you know how much Marcus wants to be a Jedi Knight; it’s all he talks about.”

He tried to take her hand but Romana turned away, her face set hard as she gazed out the window at the lights of the city. The sounds of the streets below her were drowned by the thoughts and emotions that flooded her mind. Not her only two sons, she thought to herself. How could Luther ask this of her?! A shudder ran through her body, and a large tear rolled down one cheek.

“Luther, they’re so young” she said quietly. “They won’t understand. The Jedi regulations forbid parents from having contact with their children once they enter training. We would have to send them to Coruscant, and we might not even see them again. They wouldn’t understand, especially Corin.”

“They would understand in time,” said Luther. “Besides, think of the opportunities they would have. As Jedi, they would be able to help more people than you and I could in ten lifetimes here on Taris!”

Luther walked up behind her and put his hands gently on his wife’s shoulders. “I don’t want to send them away either,” he continued, speaking softly in her ear. “I love our sons, and I would never want to lose them. But think of what a chance this is for them! We can’t be selfish and deny them this opportunity.”

Romana finally turned, and for a moment they looked at each other in silence, searching each other’s eyes. Then Romana sighed. “Alright, Luther. Take the boys to the Jedi…if you are sure that this is the right thing.”

Luther smiled and embraced Romana. “They will be fine, my love. You’ll see. This is the right thing for them!”

Taris was one of the many planets on the edge of Republic space, and had become a heavily populated center of commerce and trade. Although it was a wealthy and self-governing system, corruption and injustice had plagued its society for many generations. Most of the planet’s population was concentrated in the capital city, which was constructed in three levels. The highest level, the Upper City, had become the home for the wealthiest of Tarisian society. It was the center for both the planetary government and most of the larger businesses, and was populated by mainly humans. Large skyscrapers and high rises created a majestic skyline, pristine and impressive to any visitor. Its streets were spotless, and its buildings arranged in perfect order. Many merchants and traders had developed thriving businesses there, expanding commerce to many neighboring planets. Cantinas supplied many forms of entertainment, including famous interplanetary rock bands, dueling exhibitions, and Pazaak gambling tables. However, the magnificent appearance of the Upper City was marred by internal corruption and a government system which only looked after the interests of its elite business owners. The human population kept the other species segregated to specially designated areas, or restricted them from entering the Upper City at all. Only a handful of officials spoke out against the corruption, and little could be done to counter it.

The second level, known only as the Lower City, was the home of those who had been rejected by the citizens of the Upper City. The pristine existence of those in the Upper City was a stark contrast to the harsh realities of life in the Lower City. The streets were dark, with very few places that were open to the sky, and the most of the buildings were in terrible condition. Crime was prolific, and murder had become an everyday occurrence even in the most public places. The planetary government had little influence on those who lived here. This level of the city was instead controlled by swoop gang thugs or wealthy crime lords who battled each other for the rights to various sectors. Very few legitimate businesses could survive, and those that did often had to pay a heavy price for protection from some powerful “patron”. Smuggling and piracy abounded. Life in the here was hard and violent, and the powerful were quick to take advantage of the weak. Few, however, were ever able to escape its confines, and those who did were often outlaws or mercenaries.

As bad as things were in the Lower City, the Under City was even worse. Constructed as half sewer, half refugee camp, this lowest level was the home for the scum of society who filtered down through the other two layers of the city. Those who found themselves in the Under City did not live; they merely existed amid squalid conditions of poverty, starvation, and disease. Most could spend their whole lifetime without ever seeing anything beyond the metal ceiling which made up the foundations for the roads and buildings of the Lower City. No sun, no stars, no moon; only a vast darkness occasionally lit by dim artificial lights. Many people there died before reaching adulthood. Those who survived lived in constant danger of contracting the rampant Rakghoul disease, a disfiguring plague that mutated the victim’s body and mangled their mind, until it turned them into little more than a vicious, savage cannibal.

It was on this beautiful, hideous planet that Luther and Romana Daan lived with their two sons, Marcus and Corin. Luther was a wealthy member of the lower magistrates, and was one of the few voices for justice and reform in the government. Both Luther and his wife had spent their whole lives working to change the conditions on Taris, but had seen little fruit for all of their work. Now the Republic was beginning to show an interest in Taris, and the Jedi had come to survey the situation on this remote planet, which would later become the focal point for a series of wars that would ravage the galaxy.

The following day, Luther and Romana brought their sons to the government center where the two Jedi masters were staying. Many other parents had brought their children to be tested by the Jedi, and about thirty or more young hopefuls all gathered in a large circular room, awaiting their turns. Most of those present were humans, although families from a few other species had come as well. The parents stood by themselves along the edges of the room talking quietly, as was considered proper among Taris elite society. Their children, however, mingled and chattered loudly while they waited for the Jedi to call them. The room itself was brightly lit and constructed of something that looked like steel. It was mostly bare except for a few long cushioned couches set up in various places.

Marcus and Corin had joined the other young children, who were laughing and running around in various groups. Five year old Marcus was quite tall for his age, and had short black hair and piercingly blue eyes. Corin was almost three and, unlike his brother, was smaller than most of the other children his age. His hair was brown and had been allowed to grow out so that it covered his forehead and his ears. He was much shier than his brother, and he clung to Marcus’s hand for a long time after they had come into the large room.

At first they stayed together, but Marcus eventually got caught up in a game of tag with a few other boys, leaving Corin by himself. Coring stood near the middle of the group watching some of the other children, one of whom was trying to show the others that he could use the force to levitate a cup, but was only succeeding in spilling most of its contents on himself and making a large, wet mess. A girl Twi’lik walked up beside him. She was about his age and height, with olive green skin and large, black eyes behind thick lashes. Her twin head tails had grown out just below her shoulders, and each had a black satin ribbon wrapped around it. She smiled at Corin shyly, then said,

“Do you have a light sword?”

Corin shook his head without saying anything.

“I’m gonna be a Jedi. Did you know Jedi get light swords?” the girl said.

Corin didn’t respond. The girl continued, undaunted. “What’s your name?”

“Corin,” he finally replied.

“I’m Perisa. Are you a Jedi?”

“I don’t know,” Corin said. He looked down at his feet and bit his lip. Although he didn’t really understand everything that was going on, he knew that he didn’t want to be there. He felt that he would much rather be home playing hide-and-seek with his droid nurse, DC-95.

“My mommy said I’m going to be a Jedi. Then I can go to the stars!” Perisa said, ignoring Corin’s apparent disinterest in talking about the Jedi. “And we can get in a ship and fly! And we can go see trees and snow and everything!”

For several minutes, Perisa chattered on about being a Jedi, occasionally changing subjects to talk about her parents or her home or her pet Gizkah named Mr. Jibbers. As she talked, Corin became less distant, and actually made a few comments of his own. They had actually begun to have quite an enjoyable conversation when another boy walked over. He was two or three years older than Corin and much taller and bulkier. He wore very nice clothes and would have been a fine looking boy, except for the scowl on his face which made him look much more like a grumpy, overfed piglet. His dark red hair appeared as if it had been brushed at some point, but now it was sticking up in random direction, looking like he had put his hand into a power conduit! Five or six other boys were following him, all with the same refined, stylish clothes and angry, arrogant look.

“What are you doing talking to her, little boy!” the older boy said to Corin scornfully. “Don’t you know humans don’t talk to noodle-heads?”

“I’m not noodle-head!” Perisa protested, clenching her little fists.

“Oh yeah?” the boy replied. “What did your parents bring you here for, twiggle-tails? The only thing your kind is good for is working in cantinas; Jedi have no room for you!” His companions agreed, laughing.

“You’re mean!” said Perisa, stamping her foot as large tears welled up in her eyes.

“Go away!” said Corin. The look on his face showed that he meant it, but the older boy laughed at him.

“You’re going to stick up for a noodle-head?!” he jeered. “What are you gonna do, hit me?”

Corin tried to take Perisa’s arm and walk away, but the other boy grabbed his shoulder and spun him around.

“What’s the matter, scared?” the older boy mocked. The other boys began to circle them. “You can try to boss me, but you can’t make me go away. You’re just a little alien loving sissy!”

“I am not!” said Corin, pushing the boy’s hand away.

“Oh, you want to get rough?” The bully gave Corin a shove that sent him stumbling back. He sat down with a loud thump, but with all of the noise from the other children, no one seemed to notice. At the center of such a large group of children, Corin could barely be seen, and most of the parents were too preoccupied to pay much attention to what was going on. Looking around and seeing that no one was watching, the older boys were emboldened and began to press around Corin. Every time Corin tried to stand, one of them would shove him back down or trip him and make some comment about paying the price for being friends with an alien. Several other kids started to join the group, some just watching, some joining the side of the bullies. Perisa tried to get the boys to leave Corin alone, pounding her small fists on the boys’ backs and arms, but they only shoved her away.

Corin finally made it to his feet, his jaw clenched and his eyes full of tears. He doubled his small fists and was about to punch the oldest bully when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Turning around, he saw Marcus standing beside him, a fire in his eyes. He smiled at Corin, but then turned to the other boys. Planting his feet firmly, Marcus said coolly,

“Leave Corin alone, now!”

Some of the boys backed away, but the oldest boy laughed. He tried to step up and shove Marcus, but before he could even touch him Marcus’s fist slammed into his stomach. A second punch landed in chest, and he fell back, the breath knocked out of him. He lay for a few moments on the floor, trying to catch his breath, and Marcus stepped closer. Then one of the other boys slammed into him from the side, knocking him to the ground. Marcus struggled with him on the ground for a moment, finally succeeding in shoving him away and getting back on his feet. By then the first bully had also gotten back up, and the two stood glaring at each other.

“Want to play rough, huh?” the bully said, still gasping for air. “Ok then, get him guys!”

The bully and several of his friends jumped at Marcus. Corin cried out, “NO!”

Little could be seen of the fight. It looked like a mass of flailing arms and legs, and Corin couldn’t see make out what was going on. He and Parisa tried to jump in and help Marcus, but two or three of the older boys grabbed them and pulled him back, holding their arms. Corin struggled against the boys, but couldn’t get away. He finally saw Marcus in the middle of the fight. He had beaten back some of the boys, and the group of bullies had dwindled as many kids decided that this fight was too serious for their taste. But now Marcus was starting to get worn down, and the bullies were pressing in close. Corin screamed out Marcus’s name, straining against the other boys’ grip.

Suddenly there was a flash of brilliant blue light, and a shockwave ran through the whole room. The mob of bullies around Marcus all flew back several yards, sprawling on the floor. Marcus now stood alone, his arms stretched out in front of him as if he had just shoved something away. His eyes shown a brighter blue than Corin had ever seen before, and he even looked taller than normal. The boys who were holding Corin and Parisa instantly let go and ran away screaming in terror. The shockwave had finally been enough to bring the parents out of their places at the edges of the room and into the mix of children, who were now very frightened and more than a few were completely disoriented. No one, it seemed, had really any idea what had happened, and most of the parents were running about frantically trying to find which child they belonged to.

With a grin Marcus turned to Corin, winking at him. “You alright little brother?” he asked.

Corin nodded. They both turned to move out of the mob of screaming children and hysteric parents, and walked straight into the dark robes of one of the Jedi masters. Corin looked up, and saw the man staring down at them. He was very tall, and had a thin grey beard and tanned, wrinkled face. The top of his head was bald, and the few wisps of hair that he had left were sticking out in multiple directions and looking like a badly mangled feather headdress. He had a stern expression on his face, but a smile glimmered at the corners of his mouth. The Jedi looked at Marcus and said quietly,

“Well, young master Daan, I see that you have succeeded in turning an already confusing situation into absolute chaos. I hope that you are not planning on making such a scene if you are admitted to the Jedi Academy.”

“No sir,” replied Marcus seriously.

“That’s good,” said the Master. “Come, it’s time for your interview now. My name is Master Al-Zarr.” Then leaning down, he whispered to both of them, “We would normally not interview candidates who get into fights in the atrium, but fortunately for you I saw the whole situation unfold from over there. It was very noble to protect your brother, Marcus, but if you become a Jedi you must choose your battles more wisely.”

He rose to his full height and smiled at them. “Come follow me,” he said, and led them towards the doors at the opposite end of the room. Corin turned and saw Perisa, now standing with her parents and smiling at him thankfully. She waved after him and called out, “Bye, Corin. Thank you!” He smiled back at her then followed his brother into the next room, the Jedi Master closing the door behind them.

Some time later, Luther and Romana were ushered into the interview room by Master Al-Zarr. This room was smaller, and was lit with a soft orange glow that filtered in through several tall thin windows. There were several doors leading to other rooms, all of which were closed; a few chairs were set up on one side, and several boxes and other objects were piled near the wall on the other side. Marcus and Corin sat talking with the second Jedi Master, a middle aged woman with dark, curling hair. As Luther and Romana entered the room, the other Master got up and joined the older Jedi master.

“Welcome Mr. and Mrs. Daan,” said the older Jedi. “I am Master Al-Zaar, and this is my former padawan, Master Jyr.”

“Hello again, masters,” replied Luther. “I hope that our sons have done well.”

“They are by far the most promising candidates we have seen in many years,” replied Master Jyr.

“We tested them in many areas, and they both have a strong affinity to the force,” Master Al-Zaar said. “The older son, Marcus, has a particularly strong connection and is beginning to learn to control it on his own. He is enthusiastic and learns quickly. He does seem very protective, and can get into fights easily. But I believe that he will learn to control this with time and training, and could become a very strong Jedi. We would gladly accept him into our Academy.”

“Your son younger Corin is also strong with the force,” Master Jyr added. “But his understanding is not as natural as his brother’s. He is also not as eager to use the force. He has a strong attachment to you both, which may impede his training. It may not be a wise idea to send him into the Order.”

“Is he capable though?” asked Luther.

“Well, yes,” replied Master Al-Zaar. “He does show some promise, although he is not as strong as his brother.”

“And would you accept him into the Order?”

“If that is your wish; I could train him myself,” said Master Al-Zaar. “But that is a decision that you should think over carefully.”

“We have considered this very carefully, Master Jedi,” said Luther. “We want both of our sons to join the Jedi if possible.”

Romana’s eyes lowered, sadly, and the two Jedi looked at each other, both a little unsure. “Well, if that is your decision,” replied Master Al-Zaar, slowly. He motioned Marcus and Corin to come over, then turned back to Luther. “It would be best if you take the boys home and explain the situation to them. We will be returning to the Academy on Coruscant with the new candidates in a few days, after our fellow Jedi arrive.”

“Thank you, Masters,” replied Luther. Romana said nothing; they took Marcus and Corin and walked through the doors out of the room.

Master Jyr turned to Master Al-Zaar with a quizzical look on her face. “Master, you know that I rarely question your decisions, but do you really think that it was wise to allow the youngest son to join the Jedi? I think that taking him away from his parents right now will cause too many emotional scares, and he might not learn to control them.”

Torrin Al-Zaar sighed. “Bergen, I know what you say may be true. But I have a feeling about the boy. Call me foolish, but I am certain that he will become a strong Jedi, and will play a pivotal role in the fate of the galaxy. I did not want to influence his parents to that decision; however, I am sure that he will save the Jedi in some way, perhaps even from themselves.”

This entry was posted on Sunday, November 14th, 2010 at 2:29 pm and is filed under Knights of the Old Republic, Star Wars. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.