Episode IX The Legacy of the Sith

The Lost Hope of Ben Solo

 Kaller, a planet located in the Outer Rim of the galaxy, was known for its diverse ecosystems, from forests to mountains. The trees were not as immense as those found on the forest moon of Endor, but they were still vast and thick.

The cold humid air wrapped the forest of Kaller, the insects having now exhausted their songs for the evening and burrowed into the ground to sleep. The thick foliage did not allow sounds to travel far, and for that reason they were known to be places of secret meetings and nefarious dealings. This night was no different. 

The major city, Plateau City, was far away; so only those who wanted to escape or hide from society frequented these woods. One could be within twenty yards from another and have no indication. It was the perfect place for a group of young Padawans planning to do what their master had forbidden.

Five of them moved through the underbrush quickly, nervous and excited. They were not more than a quarter of a mile from the open glade where they had come from, where they had left the rest of their colleagues.  Each watched the dark shadows with trepidation, eyes flashing in the dark; eyes of men or beasts, no one could tell.  

There was no definite leader, but one was carrying a package that the others wanted to stay close to. He was a young man, but the oldest of the group, being sixteen standard years old— a ruddy headed youth who knew for tonight he was the most important because of what he carried.

The five of them whispered to each other in a not-so-subtle way, then nervously laughed a little too loudly. Then they hushed each other and got quiet again. This pattern repeated. Occasionally one would trip, and another would cast a playful rebuke.

The brunt of most of the rebukes was the youngest, a dark-skinned boy about twelve standard years old. He was goofy and always trying to impress the older ones with his mock bravery.

"This reminds me of back home when I was hunting a sand panther. Nasty creature," the youngest said.

"What are you talking about, Darren?" the oldest asked. "Sand panthers are desert creatures. How could you hunt one in the woods?"

"I chased one into the woods, Tanut," Darren replied.

"You? You chased a vicious, venomous animal probably twice your size out of the desert into a forest?" Tanut countered. The group of them climbed over some fallen trees.

The only female of the group, a dark-skinned girl with black hair braided behind her, spoke up. "Sounds like a tall tale, from a short kid." She smiled and roughed up Darren's hair.

"I'm serious, Sakiah," he replied. "I hunted it by myself—and I caught it too."

"And you ate it, I bet," Tanut roasted.

"No, I let it go," Darren replied.

"What for?" Sakiah asked.

"I just wanted to see if I could," Darren said, tripping again.

"What do you think about this, Jax?" Tanut asked.

"Huh?" Jax was a blond, freckled boy who was not paying attention but had his face planted in a handheld HoloNet device while he walked. "Whatever. Did you guys know that Plateau City's power grid can be altered so that the public lighting can strobe? I can do it from here . . ." He fidgeted with the device and then started laughing to himself.

"Anyway, I don't think you are fooling any of us, Darren," Tanut said.

"Fine, believe what you want. I know I did it," Darren replied.

"I believe you," the fifth boy spoke up. He was a dark-haired boy with a quiet countenance, about fourteen standard years old.

"Really, Ben?" Sakiah questioned.