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Moving House 2001 short story by Louis Turfrey Thirty
years after Episode IV – A New Hope “So what’s the
news?” Nera De’Athe waited eagerly to hear what her husband Blake had to say. “Well Ranth said
there had been some delays.” He smiled, holding Nera in suspense. She almost
jumped up and down in excitement. “Oh, come on,
where? Who’s going? When?” She had been accepted as a Jedi years previously,
but her excitement often broke through the surface of her calm Jedi veneer. “You, Me, Ranth,
Joah Qui Lan, Letitia, Master Zeboden and Maarsquith are being relocated to
the planet Rai. A supply ship, six worker droids and a defence frigate are
being shipped out there. The main part of the base has already been built,
and they are just waiting for us to occupy it. Satisfied? ” He smiled. “We
have two days to get organised and then we’re shipping out.” The newly commissioned Nebulon S Frigate Dawnrider sat
motionless in space above the planet Rai, her engines at station keeping. The
starship Dark Star III exited
her open landing bay and headed down to the surface. At the controls, Tarr
Ranth brought the craft down in an arc that would take the ship over the
equator of this ancient water filled world. Over ninety nine percent of the
planets surface was covered in water, with hundreds of small islands
peppering the equatorial regions. As the craft shot through the atmosphere,
one single large jungle filled island seemed to be growing towards it, out of
the ocean. “There it is.
Paladin Base.” Ranths voice came over
the intercom as the four remaining Jedi released their safety belts and
turned to watch the viewer. The lounge section of Ranths starship was
functional but small and allowed up to eight individuals to sit in relative
comfort. The main viewer showed the island in all its glory, and near the top
of the largest mountain, sat the newly constructed Jedi enclave. Nera gasped
despite herself. “It’s
beautiful.” She expressed what everyone else had been thinking. “It’s perfect
for meditation and training.” Blake exited the cockpit area, having abandoned
his co-pilots position, and put his arms around his wife. Nera grinned back
at him. “Business,
business. Is that all you think about?” He laughed at her comments. “Of course, when
I’m not thinking of you.” She grimaced, the face replicated on most of those around
the couple. Maarsquith rolled his eyes and raised himself from the couch. His
Wookie frame momentarily eclipsing the viewer. He grunted a comment in Wookie
and this caused Nera to laugh again. Blake looked nonplussed and turned to
his wife. “Did I get that
right?” Nera smiled. “Yes.” The Dark Star
III exited the entrance tunnel to the docking bay and slowed. Her
graceful frame rotated one hundred and eighty degrees, then
moved over to one side of the small expanse. She settled with only a slight
bump on to her landing skids. There was the hiss of escaping gas and the main
ramp dropped slowly to the floor. Four chattering Jedi walked down the ramp
to the decking below. “I didn’t think
it would be this big.” “I know! Did you see the size of those solar
collectors?” Maarsquith growled a jumbled sentence of grunts and
whines. “Huh?” Frowned Blake. “He said he’s
seen bigger trees. Really Blake, you should practise your Wookiese
more.” As the group of Jedi waited at the bottom of the ramp,
the large magnetic door to the left of the bay opened. A lone robed figure
stood there, his tall, broad frame carrying a presence that all in the bay
knew and recognised. Blake De’Athe separated himself from the rest of his
colleagues and moved over to the figure. “Master Zeboden.
It is good to see you again.” The figure called Zeboden smiled and grasped Blake by the
hand. “It is good to
see you also.” The calm voice that emitted from that giant frame boomed
across the bay. “Now, where are
Ranth and Master Arkensaw?” Letitia Arkensaw sat at the controls of the
communications unit and nodded as Ranth listened in. “I will inform
Master Zeboden, though I suspect he will be disappointed.” Letitia paused in thought. “Am I to assume that you are to replace
him?” The voice at the other end of the comm. unit sounded
tired. “I am not. You are to operate as a team, though I
would ask you defer to Ranth in matters of defence and sector knowledge.” Ranth grunted his acknowledgement at this. Letitia nodded
again. “Then I will
contact you again when we have further knowledge on the situation. Arkensaw
out.” She closed the comm unit and turned to Ranth. “What do you
make of that?” Ranth sat down opposite her and thought for a moment. “We are being
reassigned to help prevent a split between Setnin and the Galactic Alliance.
I assume they know what they
are doing. I’ll set course for Benesk.” Letitia nodded and exited the cockpit. She was surprised
to see Master Zeboden waiting for her in the lounge section. “Do not be
perturbed my child. I knew that I was only to be here for a short duration.
You have been granted the opportunity to shine. I suggest you accept it with
grace.” She smiled at the Master Jedi. “You have a way
of making us feel less humble and more like Jedi. Thank you.” The wizened Jedi Master smiled back. “Never forget
humility my child. Often times it is
all that stands between a Jedi and the darkness. But never waste your talents.” He smiled down at Letitia. “I will arrange my transportation with
Blake. Leave him in charge of Paladin Base until your return.” She nodded. “I’m always on
the move. I haven’t had the chance to look around.” Master Zeboden looked at her for a moment then answered. “Then allow me
give you the guided tour. Zelon and
Benesk will wait a while longer.” They exited down the ramp together. Ranth sat in the cockpit programming in the co-ordinates
for Benesk. He mulled upon what he had heard over the comm. Setnin was
returning to its roots, and if he knew the inhabitants of this sector well
enough, nothing would divert the build up of momentum. His only hope was that
he and Letitia would be around long enough to benefit from the changes. A
Jedi’s life was fraught with danger.
He smiled to himself. There was something to be said for the Setnin Way after all. Moving House 2001 short story by Louis Turfrey Thirty
years after Episode IV – A New Hope Histories – The
foundations of the Jedi
resurgence in the Setnin
Sector begin here, with the world of Rai being taken as a location for future Jedi
training in the sector. Set at the
very start of the Prelude to Invasion and before the Ki-Ki Invasion, this
Louis Turfrey tale shows the Setnin Jedi prepare for the darkness that
is about to engulf the entire sector for the next decade. Cast
of Characters Blake
De’Athe Nera
De’Athe Tarr
Ranth Letitia
Arkensaw Master
Zeboden Maarsquith |