Star Wars: Commencement

Chapter 1 / The Mysterious Ship

KIFFU
19BBY

Jaa Vonden let his legs carry him through the dirt path. He ran past a married couple not before barely avoiding an old beggar who was laying on the right side of the dirt path.
"HEY WATCH IT WILL YA!" the beggar yelled.
Jaa still continued to run all the while a fruit merchant was hot in pursuit. A Kiffu Mango, was what the 13 year Jaa had stolen from the merchant. He had done this many times before and many times he had gone away with it. But the only difference this time was the merchant was hot on Jaa's tail.
"You're not going to get away from me this time boy!" The merchant said.
Jaa quickly turned a corner from the main dirt path which was crowded by people. Jaa moved from side to side, easily evading the large group of Kiffar villagers. The merchant however was unsuccessful, his leg had caught in between the other legs of the villagers causing the nearly 40 year old man to crash to the ground. Jaa turned his back to see the merchant was on the ground and he laughed as he rushed towards the forest.
When Jaa reached the forest he took a seat just underneath a large tree. It was one of his very hiding spots. He took a look at the large Kiffu fruit, it was the size of a melon and was as purple as a plum. Jaa took a large bite, the juice oozing from the fresh fruit dripping down to Jaa's tattered clothes. Jaa looked out towards the forest; it was quiet and peaceful. He had been to this forest many times before, it was the only forest that offered him any peace after all he was on his own. Jaa had been orphaned when he was 5, his father had left Kiffu when he was born and his mother had died when he was 9. Forcing Jaa to live in the streets. But he didn't care as far as he knew he was living the life he could ask for. Lawless and Carefree but every now and again he always needed some rush of excitement. That was either stealing, picking fights with other boys, and or flirting with the many women at the local cantina. It was always something he couldn't turn off. That was one thing he so desperately craved. Adventure and Excitement. Those two things would fully complete the lifestyle Jaa Vonden had always wanted.
Jaa had finished the fruit with two last bites and as he wiped his face with his right sleeve. He then leaned his back resting on the tree, he closed his eyes as he prepared to rest.
"Over here!"
Jaa eyes shot open as he heard a soft voice call out. He looked to one side then to the other. Nothing, the forest was empty except for him. Jaa shrugged going back to sleep not thinking much of it until he heard.
"Over here!"
Now Jaa knew he wasn't hallucinating, it was the same soft voice he had heard near minutes ago. He stood up looking around his surroundings trying to pinpoint the voice. Until he heard it again.
"Over here!"
Jaa had turned to the side and he started to run. He followed a small path of the forest, there were a few trees and other plant life that Jaa had passed. He could still hear the soft voice calling out to him. Telling him where to turn and when to stop. Jaa had heard this voice before; it was the same voice that either had warned him of danger or had guided him to his next location. Jaa never thought much of it, he just considered it to be his conscience. Jaa had continued not before stopping into a large forest clearing.
"Why had his consciousness brought him here?" He thought. Then he understood why.
Sitting there all alone was a large star ship. She had two large wings both armed with two cannons. She also had a back tale which was a back thruster. Which indicated she was fast. And there she was all alone, Jaa knew why his consciousness had brought him here, it was finally time for him to leave Kiffu and explore the Galaxy for himself. He was about to make his way to the ship but he stopped as he began to hear voices in the distance. He ran towards a large log that was a few distance away from the ship. The voices began to rise from the edge of the clearing. Jaa took cover behind the log keeping his head low.
Jaa could make out the voices to be two males. One was very familiar while the other was cold, chilling, and threatening. The third voice however was the opposite of the two, instead of the dark and chilling voice this voice was high pitched and metallic. Obviously it was a Droid. The group finally entered into the clearing, and Jaa lifted his head up from the log. He could see the same fruit merchant that had chased him earlier but only this time he was confined in binders. He was being escorted or in this case tugged along by a tall Duros. Jaa closely examined the duros. He was tall for sure and he clad a brown trench coat along with slick brown boots. Attached to the side of the boots were small rocket boosters. Jaa also noticed the duro's gun holster and wrist gauntlets. And to finish it off he had a large brown hat which seemed to cover the duros big red pupiless eyes. The fruit merchant whipped his body to face the duros.
"PLEASE WHATEVER THEY'RE PAYING YOU I'LL PAY YOU DOUBLE!!!" he pleaded.
"Hehe nice try, but I doubt a local fruit merchant could possibly have more than 4,000 credits." the duros responded.
The fruit merchant began to sweat.
"Come on! Please, I can't go back! Not there! Not now!" he said practically tugging on the duros coat.
The duros pushed the merchant off of him and he turned around towards the edge of the clearing.
"TODO!" he called out.
Suddenly a droid with a huge head, small body, accompanied by smaller arms and legs. Began to hover towards the tall duros.
"Coming Mr. Bane!" the droid said, finally making his way to the duros.
"Ready the ship and prepare for take off, the sooner we leave the sooner I get paid."
"Don't you mean we?" the droid retorted.
"Just get the ship ready!" The duros shouted.
The droid then made its way towards the ship. Jaa kept a close eye on the droid, the droid pressed a button on the side of the ship. Activating the ramp which lowered itself to the ground opening the ship. Jaa took this as his window of opportunity all he needed to do was go in, knock out the droid, steal the ship and go on his merry way. But where would he go? He would figure that out later but in the meantime he had to focus on getting that ship. Jaa slowly creeped his way around the log, making sure not to make a sound. By this time the droid had already begun preparations to take off. Jaa ran up the ramp making it inside.
Inside was a large open staging area, Jaa looked around in awe. He had never been in a star ship before and this was something he definitely wouldn't forget.
"Hey! Who are you!?" said the droid who was now facing Jaa.
"Uhh I'm nobody. But I am going to be stealing this ship." Jaa answered.
"What?" the droid said, confused by the statement.
Before the droid could respond with another order Jaa ran kicking the droid in the face plate. The droid spun, landing on its head. Before Jaa could have time to run towards the cockpit he felt his conscience again call out.
"Behind you!"
Jaa turned around to see a blaster to his face.
"Not so fast, kid," the duros said. Who was now standing in front of the ramp with the merchant which he was holding with his free hand.
"I would raise those hands if I were you." the duros commanded.
Jaa stood looking at the blaster, he obliged by raising both of his hands.
"You got some nerve trying to steal my ship."
"Well I was just passing through and thought why not?" Jaa said, smirking.
The duros took a step forward, the tip of the blaster was now pressed into Jaa's forehead. Jaa took a deep breath.
"You know who I am, kid?" the duros asked.
"Not really no."
"His name is Cad Bane, the most notorious bounty hunter in the galaxy!" The droid shouted across the room, still struggling to get up.
Jaa turned his attention to the droid.
"Bounty Hunter?"
"That's right!" the droid yelled.
"If he's so notorious how come I never heard of him?" Jaa asked.
"Well uhhh?" the droid stumbled.
The duros now took another step forward, the tip of the blaster once again pressing against Jaa's forehead.
"Either way, it's not a smart move trying to steal from me," Cad had responded.
Jaa tried to come up with a plan, he needed to get out of here but his gateway to freedom was blocked by this Cad Bane guy. Jaa looked at the fruit merchant and he was looking back at him. Funny how this was the same merchant that had chased him earlier and now there were both in a predicament.
"Look I'm sorry I tried to steal your ship but look I'm sure we come to some agreement-"
Suddenly before Jaa could finish the merchant swung both of his bondage hands slamming into Cad's open arm. The blaster fires missing Jaa's head, Cad turns and he struggles with the larger merchant. The merchant then hits Cad in the face and Cad lands on his back, Jaa is pushed to the floor in mist of the chaos. The merchant then takes off running out of the ship and back to the clearing. Jaa looks around to see Cad's blaster which was now sitting next to him. Cad quickly jumps up pulling out his second blaster aiming for the merchant's back but before he could fire, the merchant is struck in the back by a blaster bolt. Cad stunned turned to see Jaa who held the blaster with both hands. He was shaking, Cad slowly took the blaster from Jaa. Jaa looked at Cad who was too stunned to speak.
"Is he dead??" Toto had asked.
"Oh his dead alright." Cad answered.
"I was talking about the kid." Toto retorted not before getting himself off of the floor.
Jaa looked up at Cad, he was shaked.
"I...I dont know what got over me...he just ran and I picked the blaster up and...I...I fired."
Cad kelt down, the two were now face to face. Jaa now wondered if he was going to be next.
"You know I was supposed to bring him back alive. But accidents do happen," Cad said with a smile.
"Are you going to kill me?" Jaa asked him.
"Well you do owe me so no." Cad responded.
Jaa was now confused. Owe him? What did he mean by owe him? He should be thanking me. He thought.
"You gotta name, kid?"
"Jaa, Jaa Vonden."
"Well my boy, you got some skills but they could use a bit of fine tooning if you're interested?" Cad stated.
"Are you asking him to stay with us? Toto shouted in protest.
"I could use the extra hands."
Jaa thought about it because he had wanted to leave Kiffu and now he was finally given the chance to. He hadn't imagined being a bounty hunter that was for sure but in a weird way killing the merchant had given him the feeling of excitement he had been craving. He's thoughts then dwelled on his mother, though she had died when he was young he knew this wasn't the life she would have wanted him to go. But this was his life and it was his decision.
Jaa strapped himself in the co-pilot seat and looked to see Cad who was making preparations to go to hyperspace. Once finished with the calculations, Cad pulled the lever and Jaa turned his head to see the vast stars of open space. The stars then turned into a bright blur of blue which glowed into the eyes of Jaa Vonden whose adventure was truly about to begin.