The Jedi Purge: The Terror in a Padawan's Eyes

General Rahm Kota

As soon Kloji, Wyla, and Xero exited hyperspace the knew something was wrong. They felt a strong pesence of the Dark Side of the force surrounding the whole planet of Naboo. Then at least five or six Naboo class starships surrounded them. The three padawans looked at each other nervously. "What do we do?" Wyla asked with a slight sense of fear in her voice.

"Well, they have sent us a message over the holocom. I'll answer it and tell them that we are just visitors to the Naboo star system. They probably won't expect a thing, if we can keep our demeanor hidden and not show any fear," Xero says, looking at Kloji and then at Wyla.

"Okay, we'll just lie to an entire fleet of Naboo starships and risk getting killed for not telling the truth if they find out," Kloji says, thinking of what would be the outcome to them being found out.

"I guess that's a possibility, but, hey, look on the bright side. We might make it to Naboo before we get shot out of the sky!" Xero says with a hint of humor in his voice. He then looks at Wyla and Kloji seriously, "Are you ready?" He then glances at Kloji and Wyla. The two girls look at each other and both nod yes. Xero presses some buttons and then an image appears. 

When the image looked more clear the three padawan's eyes almost bulged out of their heads. The image over the holocom was of the Jedi General Rahm Kota. When he saw the three padawans he raised his eyebrows up in question. "It looks like you three are a long way from home, aren't you?" General Kota said with questioning in his voice. 

The three padawans were still in shock when Kloji slowly stumbled in her words, "You're General Kota, aren't you?" She looked at the Jedi with bright eyes, hoping that it was really him.

"Well, that depends on who you are," he answers, looking at the Padawans suspiciously. His eyes narrowed as he turned his head from one of them to the others.

"Um, well I'm Kloji Fross. I was a Padawan learner to Master Jai. She's Wyla Thorn, another Padawan," Kloji says pointing to Wyla, "and that's Xero Jakira, Master Collon's padawan," Kloji finishes as she points to Xero. Xero is looking at General Kato with a face that looked like stone.

"Oh, so, you three really escaped the attack on the Temple? How did you do that?" General Kota asked looking at the Padawans. His gaze went from each of the Padawans as if he could tell from looking at their faces. "Oh, it was team work! Kloji and Wyla got out of the Temple and Xero was already on the ship," he said locking eyes with Xero.

Wyla looked at Kloji with a look of suprise on her face. Kloji and Wyla then looked at Xero who continued to keep his eyes locked with General Kota. Xero's face was unreadable, his expression like stone. Kloji nudged Wyla with her elbow and then tilts her head toward Xero. The girls both looked at Xero and then General Kota. Finally General Kota started to speak. "Okay, I'll send a fleet to escort you to Naboo's surface and we can rendezvous there,' he says slowly, looking away from the Padawans.

The holocom then turned off and Xero walked away without saying anything. Kloji went over to Xero and started talking to him. "Why were you just staring at him? Have you met him before?" Kloji asked with questioning in her voice.

Xero avoided her eyes as he started to answer. "My master and him were good friends, we went on missions together a lot. General Kota's padawan was my, well, my brother," Xero continues, still avoiding Kloji's eyes.

"So, where's your brother?" Kloji asks curiously. She continues to try to look into his eyes, but his shaggy black hair is covering them. Kloji feels like he is hiding something from her and she still trys to figure it out.

"My brother, he was sent on a mission to an off world planet, and General Kota lost all contact with him. They still can't find him, so I've decided to go look for him on my own," Xero says. Kloji tries to say something to him but he interupts her, "And, I don't care if you say it's too dangerous, because I'm still going."

Kloji looks at Xero with an incredulous look. "Xero, I wasn't going to say that you can't, I was going to say that no matter what you say, or how much you protest, Wyla and I are coming with you!" Kloji exclaims. She had made a promise to herself that she won't let Wyla or Xero get hurt, and if Xero leaves, she might as well have been killed in the Purge.

"Thanks Kloji, you're a great friend,' you know," Xero says while getting up and giving her a hug. Kloji at first is shocked, but then hugs him back. They then both walk back to the bridge of the ship and sit down in their seats.

"Naboo, here we come!" Wyla shouts giddily, taking her seat in the pilots chair and having a huge smile beam across her face.

Kloji thinks to herself, "We're half way there." 

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Just as a little heads up, I didn't make up the character General Kota. He's actually a real character in the Star Wars series for the Force Unleashed.