*NOTE* Ari-Cana is pronounced with Ari sounding like the Eri in Erin, and the Cana sounding like Dana with a C. Ari, her nickname, is pronounced like the Ari in Ariel (the Little Mermaid). Just so you’re not confused, in Ari’s section, she refers to herself as ‘I’; and in everyone else’s sections, they do not refer to themselves.
Intro to prologue: After his failure training Anikan, Obi-Wan Kenobi found a new Padawan, with the approval of Yoda, for once. The prologue begins as Obi-Wan is giving Ari-Cana (her nickname is Ari) her final mission. She is to do it-Alone.
Prologue: "Ari, this is your final mission. I will not be able to guide you on it or even be there with you. You will be on your own as a Jedi knight is. You are to go to Tatooine where a messenger of the Senate is being held. A Hutt discovered him as he was buying replacement parts and now will not release him. Your mission is to rescue him and bring him back to the Senate. Than you will be a Jedi." All alone. I thought more than a little bit frightened. I will be all alone. But I’ll be a Jedi!
"See you in a week!" I called stepping aboard the star cruiser Galliant. Galliant would take me to Tantaga where I would board a cargo ship headed for Mos Eisley. Then, I would be on my own. I waved at Obi-Wan and entered the ship. Already I was preparing myself for my final mission.
A touch on his shoulder brought Obi-Wan Kenobi out of meditation. "Sorry to bother you, sir, but Captain Pauntwell very much needs to see you." Obi-Wan immediately rose and followed the officer out. On the bridge stood Pauntwell looking distracted until he spotted Obi-Wan and the officer hurrying toward him. "You wanted to see me?" Obi-Wan asked. "Uh umm, yes. I’m sorry to have to tell you this," he said in a rush, "but-" he paused, "the Galliant has fallen under attack. There was a battle and…" he trailed of into silence not wanting to continue. "And what?" Obi-Wan asked calmly. Oh,no. Something terrible has happened. "Well, the Galliant is unable to communicate and all nearby ships cannot see the ship on their scopes. I’m sorry, but I’m afraid all aboard are thought to be dead. No escape pods were found." No. Anything but this. "Thank you for informing me, Captain." Obi-Wan turned and walked quickly back to his room. There, he slowly sank to his knees. No. The Captain must be wrong. The ship must have just entered hyperspace. No. Not this. NO NO NO NO NO!!! He began to silently cry. No. No. Right there, he decided that he could never face loosing a Padawan again. Not after this. Not after the first. Never again. Not ever. No. No. No.
Chapter 1: A squad of stormtroopers trotted down the hall led by a cloaked figure. Darth Ticon stiffened. He thought he had seen a tiny movement in the cargo bay of the ship they had just captured. The star cruiser had just been sitting there in space, just out of hyperspace. An easy catch. It could have easily been a Republic cruiser. But it hadn’t been. All that it seemed to contain were the dead bodies of its occupants, killed in a fight from the looks of it. According to the last log entry, this battle had occurred 17 years ago. But the bodies looked as if they had been killed only minutes past. Probably a mistake in the log, it happens all the time. He again saw a small movement in the bay, and paused. Hearing a little mouse squeak he shrugged and moved on followed by the troop. He was going to be late. His master did not approve of lateness. But nothing unusual to report. In his haste to meet his master, he didn’t even notice the brown cloaked figure that followed in the shadows. No one noticed. Not even when the figure made off into hyperspace inside an Imperial shuttle.
"…and so I need to know if a person is so weak, that when exposed to the Dark side, they give in immediately. I don’t want to ever have to expel a student again Not with such a small number of creatures with force capability. I need to contact Obi-Wan. Only he can tell me how the masters decided upon students before the Empire." Luke took a deep breath. "I have to try to make contact again. This time alone." Han and Leia Solo exchanged glances. They wouldn’t stop him, but what were the chances he would contact Ben Kenobi? He hadn’t been able to contact him before, why should he be able to now, even with no one accompanying him. But they would not stop him. "Okay, kid. And this time, why don’t you try asking him instead of pleading. Who knows? You might get results!" Han glanced at Leia who was glaring at him, "What? Only some friendly advice."
The stolen shuttle came out of hyperspace and entered the atmosphere of Tatooine piloted by Ari-Cana. I’ve never been near here before, and I didn’t even have the sense to look at a star chart before escaping the cargo bay. And I don’t even know where Mos Eisley is. I guess I should head to the nearest settlement and ask. Turning to the rise in the distance, I felt something. It was just a wisp and was quickly gone. But there was no mistaking it. A presence. A presence I had feared I would never feel again. My master’s. I headed back toward the wastelands and landed by a huge dune. Yanking off my hood I cried, "Obi-Wan?!?! Master! Where are you?" I concentrated and felt his faint presence grow stronger. Replacing my hood to keep out the flying sand, I followed the Force until I saw a small hut. That was where his presence was strongest. Taking a deep breath, I stepped inside.
I saw no one, but still I felt his presence. I sat down next to the place where his presence was strongest and meditated. Taking deep breaths I thought back in time to the attack and my escape. We were being boarded. I still don’t know how. Giant humanoid creatures surrounded us. I drew my lightsaber and began to fight an already lost battle. It was 20 to 1 and soon the Captain and I were the only ones left alive. We locked ourselves in the cargo bay to rest. The Captain was badly wounded and I couldn’t stop him from dying. I tried to contact Obi-Wan, but communications were jammed. Then, a purple light began to fill the room and I fell asleep. I woke to find the creatures gone. The NAV computer said it was 17 years later. Years! That was when I figured it out. Sort-of. The purple light had somehow put me to sleep and preserved me for 17 years. I had not aged at all! That was when I heard people coming down the hall towards me. Where they friends or enemies? Using the Force I quickly sensed an evil presence. I dived behind some boxes. A man dressed in black entered the room with a troop of stormtroopers. I soon saw that my foot was in view. Quickly, I moved it towards me, but I wasn’t able to get it all the way in before the man froze. I stopped my foot. After a moment, he began to walk again. I moved my foot with a quick motion and got it out of sight. The man paused again. Had he seen me? I used the Force to help me make a mouse squeak. He shrugged and walked out of the room while I followed in the shadows. I left for the Imperial hangar and took a shuttle setting a course for Tatooine. After all, I might still be able to finish my mission and recover the messenger’s message. I entered hyperspace…and remembered I hadn’t even taken the time to look at a star chart. Now, I would not be able to find Mos Eisley and remain inconspicuous. I would have to ask a farmer for directions. I came out of the trance and felt week. I had no way to find my master and no way to find the messenger. And on Tatooine, there was no Republic to help me. So I sat there. Not knowing what to do. Obi-Wan had been right. I was on my own now. Alone.
"That’s right R2. We’re going to Tatooine." Piloting the small Republic cruiser off Courascant was made difficult by R2-D2’s frequent questions. Smiling, Luke answered R2’s next question before the little droid asked it, "Yes, I really do think I’ll find him this time. And no, you may not come. I’m doing this alone." Upon hearing R2’s next question, Luke’s smile turned to a frown. "I wish, R2. But he’s dead and cannot help us physically." Trying to smile again, Luke found he could not. If only.
For a while I just sat there. I wasn’t sure what to do. I knew in my heart that the Jedi masters who had survived the Imperial take-over would be dead by now. They were all to old. While I sat, I pondered the presence of my master. Why did I feel it? What did it mean? I thought for a while without coming up with any answers. Finally, in frustration, I cried out loud, "What am I suppose to do? I’ve been frozen in time for 17 years. Years! And now there is no one to help me." I broke down in tears. I hadn’t done that since I’d left home for the Jedi Temple. But then I had missed my family; now, I had no one. I was alone.
to be continued.....
It is now 17 years later. The Emperor is dead, both Death Stars have been destroyed, and the New Republic is flourishing. Obi-Wan Kenobi is dead by the hand of Anikan Skywalker, his first Padawan. Luke Skywalker, Obi-Wan’s final pupil, has successfully begun the Jedi Academy. But he has also been forced to expel a favorite student. For turning to the Dark side of the Force.