Celestial War 5

Chapter 5

(Jedi GrandMaster Yoda)

50 BBY
Core Worlds
Coruscant subsector/Corusca sector
Coruscant system/Coruscant
Senate District
Jedi Temple/High Council Chamber

The High Council Chamber, also known as the Jedi Council Chamber, was a circular room at the summit of the High Council Tower of the Jedi Temple. It was located at the peak of the southeast tower of the Temple, this circular chamber granted its occupants a rare glimpse of Coruscant. The room has always kept the basic circular shape accessed by a single turbolift, high arching windows, and a ring of twelve cushioned chairs for the members of the august body. Each of the stone seats were equipped with a holoprojector that could be used when a Council member was attending the meeting from a distant world.

Six beings were arguing in the circular room and Master Yoda was losing his patience, showing that it wasn’t infinite.

“Squabbling like younglings, again you are.” Yoda began to say loudly but calmly as he addressed the other masters of the High Council in the room.

He was tired of the other masters bickering, today's matter was about a young Padawan revealed to be gifted in battle meditation, a rare ability. All the other masters wanted the young man to be monitored and not permitted to take the test to become a knight unless they were satisfied with his development. Yoda agreed with them, the youngling did need to be watched but not so tightly; he needed to stop the masters from alienating another good seedling.

“Master Yoda is right, we can’t afford to be divided on this topic.” Tera Sinube, a tall male Cosian who was not often on Coruscant because of his duties sent a wave of appeasing force aura in the room. His presence was only due to the holoprojector in place.

Master Jocasta Nu was the first to speak and said after nodding, she fixed her blue gaze onto Yoda. “The boy is studious and thirsty for knowledge about the Jedi of old, he has an excellent disposition. Too much control would ruin his education.”

Yoda gave a nod to the middle aged woman; he approved of Master Nu’s plan, the human woman had always been good at nurturing younglings, her excellent result with Knight Jerec from the Jedi exploration Corps. However, some didn’t seem to agree with that plan.

“Dangerous, this is.” Master Yaddle disapproved of the suggestion of the Chief Librarian.

Master Yaddle may have been the same species as Yoda but they often didn't have the same opinion on things concerning the Jedi community. Yaddle was a compassionate being, and loved the younglings but despite this, she was more of the controlling sort than Yoda was and wanted the best for the younglings, that also meant that coddling them wasn't in her agenda. In their homeworld doing so was lethal due to the harsh conditions they lived in.

“Then why not use some light touch to guide him to the knowledge we want him to have.” Said Yarael Poof, a male Quermian.

Yoda didn’t like him at all…  He was both an expert practitioner of Jedi mind tricks and illusions. Poof was used to deception and hiding his agenda, though it was normal for him as he was a diplomat and politician; but he had his uses, he ascended the position of master thanks to his connections. Yoda knew the Quermian in depth, despite him appearing as a serene thinker among the Council members, Poof also had a mischievous side and enjoyed playing mind tricks on colleagues. The Quermian was considered a maverick amongst them.

“This is thinking like that which makes me glad that I am an itinerant Jedi, why are you so controlling?” Sinube, the white haired Cosian commented.

Sinube liked children and was an apt teacher, but his skill lay more in investigation. Sinube was an experienced detective who used the Force to assist him in solving crimes. This, along with his aptitude with deductive reasoning and interrogation skill.

“Since you’ve met Master Fay in your travels, you have chosen to emulate her too much, Master Sinube.” Yarael Poof said almost snidely.

Master Fay, a centuries-old, female near-Human Jedi Master who was known to have had an intensely strong connection with the Force which allowed her to retain a youthful appearance. The woman was a renowned legendary wandering Jedi Master whose exploits were known throughout the Jedi Order. Master Fay allowed the Force to guide her to where she was needed, and as a result, was known to have resolved many conflicts, and even ended entire wars.

Yoda didn’t blame Sinube for admiring her, he even started emulating her lifestyle; but most of the Master from Coruscant disdained his life choices.

The Cosian had an expression of disgust on his face as it glared at Master Poof, it bothered Yoda enough that he decided to intervene. But before Yoda could say anything… a powerful presence rippled through the Force, and everyone turned their head westward. The Grandmaster had never felt such a powerful presence in the force since… ever; it even dwarfed his own.

Yoda could sense that the presence came from a… youngling, wrapped in shadow by the Force, the Grandmaster couldn’t see what the youngling looked like. Another consequence of the darkening of the Force, the veil of the dark side was impairing his farsight. What he could guess, was that the youngling was female, skilled in the force and in pain as her suffering spread to every master in the room.

Master Yaddle showed distress as she felt how the female youngling was in pain, so much so that she exited her seat. “Something, we must do!”

“How powerful!” Master Poof couldn’t help but comment.

“Indeed.” Yoda replied.

How powerful was that little youngling? Yoda couldn’t imagine, it was like watching the sunrise on the horizon. The presence was not light, nor dark, a completely new feeling revealed itself from the force; the six masters continued to feel the presence of the youngling for another fifteen minutes until the waves of pain coming from her subsided little by little.

Yoda guessed that the youngling was healing herself with the Force. *Talented she is.*

Then as the youngling finished healing herself, she completely disappeared from his senses; it was as if she had become one with the Force and it was now quickly hiding her from Yoda and the masters’ senses. Yoda’s eyes widened and his mouth was left agape as it felt as if this youngling had closed a curtain and obscured herself from him. Did the youngling already have a master? She was already so advanced in her force training!

“Find her we must!” Master Yaddle commented animatedly as she sat back on her seat and lightly slapped its armrest.

“In danger she is, I feel.” Yoda added.

Wild, powerful, and slightly skilled were the impressions of Yoda about the shadowed youngling. The Jedi couldn’t afford such a seedling to pass them by as well. The Jedi Grandmaster’s intuition told him that he needed to meet this youngling. Fortunately, Yoda knew where she was, he had located her position on a planet full of life and not too far by ship.

“Did you pinpoint her location, Grandmaster?” Master Sifo-Dyas finally said something, Yoda wouldn’t forget how he let everyone argue like ruminants fighting for a patch of weedy lawn.

“Yes, on Kashyyyk, she is.” Yoda nodded as he continued to look westward.

“Send two knights and a Padawan?” Master Nu suggested.

“Yes, enough it is to bring her back.” Yoda turned toward them, as he taped his cane on the floor.

He hoped that no one with ill intent had designs on the youngling, but nothing was easy in this galaxy; Yoda learned that anything that could go wrong could happen after all. With this momentous find, everyone in the room forgot why they were arguing at the time and proceeded to leave; Yoda wanted to laugh, but he chose not to, he would discreetly make Master Nu take care of the Miraluka youngling showing so much talent.

----- CW-----

(???)

Location: ?????
?????

It was phenomenal, and worrying, how could such a powerful presence exist? How did he miss the birth of such a powerful force sensitive? And it was a girl, young, talented and… malleable. He almost regretted having taken an apprentice already. But if he took her secretly and raised her, she might become a better helper than that disappointment he has picked up from Naboo. The girl was on Kashyyyk, a life rich planet… the Muun understood why he didn't sense her before. Kashyyyk overflowed with life and it obscured her growth in power.

He sat at his workstation and opened his holo-communication to his favorite mercenaries. He chose to send two teams and put a sufficient reward to make them work together. The Muun was certain that the Jedi had sensed his future new secret apprentice, to be faster he had contracted the mercs from Narshadaa that owed him some favor.

“I want her alive and unharmed.” Was all the Muun said as he forwarded the brief description he had of the girl in a tight and unsliceable packet that he sent to his mercenary contacts on the Holonet. Only his contact had the key to decipher the data.

As he basked in the force, the Muun felt when the girl cloaked herself again. In his long life, the Muun had seen similar techniques used, but there were many force abilities that had similar effect to hide someone from other force sensitives. But it seemed that the young girl wasn’t skilled enough to use healing and that force cloaking technique simultaneously.

Laughing, the Muun thanked the force for this gift. Suddenly, he felt cold, was it him or did he feel animosity from the Force just now? It must have been his imagination…

----- CW-----

(Destiny)

50 BBY
Mid Rim/Mytaranor sector
Kashyyyk system/Kashyyyk
Wawaatt Archipelago/Kachirho
Holding facility

Power Buy Attempt. Mechanical Genius (Star Wars - Clone Wars) (600CP) -50% (300CP with reduction) Not Bought. Banked 250 points

The pain finally subsided, my arm was fully mended and I tested it by raising and folding it. It felt a bit sore but was okay now, no more pain and I was feeling hungry and tired. Smiling, I looked outside the gray cell's bars I was in and saw that there were a lot of eyes on me; the Wookiee guards and some of the prisoners in the facing cells all looked at me with different emotions going through them. I sensed something like awe, fear, interest and a myriad of other feelings.

"Greetings." I said in the guttural Shyriiwook language to the guards.

I noticed that the one on the left was female and the other wookiee on the right was male. The female wookiee had food on a plate in her hands. I smelled the food, it was right out of the food synthesizer.

"Who taught you how to speak, little one?" The female wookiee asked me while she opened the flap in the cell's door and slid the tray. It was loaded with food paste and… wookiee cookies.

Looking at the plate, I asked the force if it was safe to eat the food. There was no tingle down my neck or anything, just a positive response, as if I was being patted on the head. Then I looked up at the female guard and said, "The tree taught me."

This was a lie of course, I couldn't just say that I surfed through a wookiee scout's mind and downloaded the language she knew. The female wookiee roared a question as she looked at male wookiee at her side, "That’s possible?"

The bigger wookiee shrugged and said, "Who knows with those force users…"

The two asked me more questions about where I come from, to which I responded, "From the white tree."

Next question was what did I do to find myself in a cell, and I roared in anger, "They stole me from my home!"

I smiled at their surprised expression and added, "I will leave soon."

The shackle at my feet and the bars of my cell seemed strong enough to resist my telekinesis and I didn’t want to disintegrate anything and kill someone accidentally. How could I do this?

While sitting there and pondering about how to escape, the big wookiee sighed. "Listen here… wait, what is your name? Do you have one?"

Ah, they finally asked me, I cocked my head and smiled. "The tree calls me Destiny."

I looked around me and said in a whine, "I want to go back home, I don't like it here."

Instinctively I reached for the food on the plate. Took a cookie and bit into it. Munch. Munch. Gulp. My eyes shone at how delicious and crunchy it was.

"What is this? It's good!" I asked the wookiees, there's no way it was simple cookies!

"This is a cookie." The female wookiee growled and looked at me with… pity?

Who cares about her pity, there was delicious food to eat. I took another cookie, ignoring the vegetable paste block. "I like it."

As if I wasn't even here the female guard began to talk to her superior as she pointed a furry finger at me. "We need to do something about this, force user or no, she's still a child! And her place isn't in a cell."

“I know! I know! But we must wait for Erkituaa and Tree Carer Tikli.” The big male wookiee howled.

Power Buy Attempt. Field of Heart-Shaped Herbs (Marvel Cinematic Universe Vol. 2) (300CP) Not Bought. Banked 350 points

Huh, this isn’t a Star Wars related perk! How strange, didn’t the message from last time say that the Forge would be locked on Star Wars perks until I was old enough. I opened the forge’s menu and looked back at my previous messages…

Announcement:

Welcome to the Celestial Forge, Destiny. You have been chosen to become its owner by The Famed Witch herself. You’ll be able to create wonders!

Note: The Celestial Forge will be locked on the Star Wars crafting, utility and other setting survival oriented perks for the next 5 years due to the age of the user.

Name: Destiny
Current age: 5 years old and 6 months
Gray Force User
Tree Carer of Vawrrawn

Current universe:
Star Wars
Location:
Kashyyyk

So… I could get some survival perks, I didn’t pay attention before. My status changed as well, so I was now a Tree Carer, whatever that was. While eating, I began reading about my perks and their effects.

List of perks obtained:

Warehouse (Structures, utilities) (Free)

Gray Force, include:  Revan + Bastila Shan couple Holocron (locked until the holder reach 10 years old) (Free)

Computers (Star Wars KOTOR) (200 CP) -50% cost for in-setting situation

Hardware (Star Wars KOTOR) (200CP) -50% cost for in-setting situation

Medicine (Star Wars KOTOR) (100) -50% cost for in-setting situation

I see… I was not a doctor by any means, but I was at the level of a field medic; I could operate, repair and improve machines, that’s good! That must be why I was so frustrated with my computer workstation at home. It's so slow, it could become faster… but I need resources or new parts. I needed to test the knowledge implanted in my head farther.

What about the holocron in the warehouse? I didn’t see it anywhere, so the locked thing must mean it is hidden from me for now. Finished with eating, I slid the tray back to the flap in the door to my cell and ignored the wookiee guards bickering, closed my eyes and started meditating. I needed a way to get out of here and return home. Because yes, the white tree was my home now and I felt at peace there.

I didn't forget why I was doing this, I needed to get strong enough to break through the universal barrier to save my big brother and my parents and like the person who sent me to this world, Cerveza, would say ‘have fun’ while doing it.

Discarding any thoughts from my mind and focusing on the energy field that represented life in this galaxy. The Force was me and I was the force, it was as simple as that and I expanded my mind and then the Force showed me memories or… no this was happening right now I felt. People were coming for me, Jedi, at least three of them and… mercenaries. So the white current had protected me and me briefly lowering it now that I was so strong in the force attracted trouble.

The Force was telling me ‘I told you so’ basically, but I asked what should I do now? To answer me, the force showed me a woman with black hair, blue eyes and fair skin in jedi robes. She was silently following someone in their house and she… phased through the door that just closed. The vision stopped at this moment and then the force told me that I was strong enough to do the same, but that I needed to will it strongly enough.

Outwardly I smiled, the bare bones of a plan forming in my head. The force approved as it showed me that what I was imagining was possible. I remember that quote that my big brother had kept saying as we watched the movies, "The Force is a pathway to many abilities." Or something like that, it was completely true though.

I was going to put everybody to sleep and… I can't use pyrokinetics in the tree… at best aerokinesis and cryokinesis? Yes, I can do that!

What did Mrs Raine say in science class? Freezing happens when the molecules of a liquid get so cold that they slow down enough to hook onto each other, forming a solid crystal. For pure water, this happens at 32 degrees Fahrenheit, and unlike most other solids, ice expands and is actually less dense than water.

I looked at the water bottle that I kept before going back to the food tray. Focusing to slow down the water molecules…

Crrrrr. Crack. Crrrr. The water slowly began to freeze inside the transparent bottle. "Oh it works."

The two guards left long ago, I could now prepare to escape; first I spread my awareness around the cell's block. I thought about a song that I could sing aloud to put everyone to sleep with my intent. Then the perfect one came to my mind. "Don't Worry, Be Happy"

I breathed in and started singing the song in English…

Here's a little song I wrote

You might want to sing it note for note

Don't worry, be happy

In every life we have some trouble

When you worry you make it double

Don't worry, be happy

Don't worry, be happy now

The force fed the suggestion to sleep to everyone in the cells and the corridors. Oh so slowly as I continued to sing, everyone began to slowly fall asleep; the human in the facing cell slumped on his cot and started closing his eyes. I used my sensing abilities and realized that everyone around me was slowly falling asleep, just like I wanted. I continued to hum my song, not worrying about things around me.

When I felt that everyone was in deep sleep, I began to focus on the restraint around my right ankle. I glared at it and used my finger on it. I wished to pass through the material of the shackle. Nothing happened; I frowned… What was I missing? *Huh, ah!*

I made the same mistake as Izuku Midoriya! I need to spread the force all over my body and alter myself… I moved my feet.

Clunk. The shackle fell on the ground.

My leg was free! I could phase through things now! I stood up and grinned at the cell's door and  walked up to it and phased through it. I cackled and started up for the exit. But a slap to the face was given to me by the Force that warned me about the… cameras that were everywhere. *Oh yeah, I forgot about that.*

I noticed the device positioned everywhere at certain angles, and instead of destroying them, I focused on encasing them in ice with my new found power while strengthening the white current to become invisible. At the same time, I let the force guide me out of that prison.

Until everything darkened around me and the Forge attempted to connect to a big power…

Power Buy Attempt. And Where to Find Them| You Have Been Reborn (Invincible) (1000CP) Not Bought. Banked 450 points

This was different, and the first time that such an expensive perk appeared. Welp that's not going to concern me yet, let's get out of here first… ah here is the exit. I walked calmly outside, passing over the people who were asleep, going through the door by phasing through it.

Then I noticed a contingent of Wookiees walking toward the entrance of the facility, the scouts from the last time I recognized them, they were escorting a female wookie with green clothes and a red sash. I stopped and felt her presence in the force, she… was like me. A force sensitive wookiee, fascinating.

Anyway, I left and decided to go explore the new tree. But when I passed her, the female wookiee in green clothes caught my arm. "Please don't leave, little one."

This surprised me. "How?"

All the wookiees surrounded me and I felt their shock at seeing me here right now. *Fuck.*

----- CW-----

(Erkituaa)

3 hours earlier
Scout HQ
Captain’s office

Before going to Tree Carer Tikli, the scouts he had left at Vawrrawn reported a find. A crashed light freighter was found 2 km near the white tree into one of the neighboring trees, two bodies were found inside the vehicle. The make of the ship was clearly Corellian in design; there were marks of laser fire on the hull and the engine had been blown out. The ship wasn’t armed at all, those two were civilians…

The two people inside died on impact, but information from the CSI’s scout teams told Erkituaa that they realized that there was a third person onboard, they found children toys that a little girl would have. They quickly found the names of the two adults in the cockpit, Jayvern Sunrider and his wife Imra; a human and near-human interspecies marriage. The man and woman have a family resemblance with the little pup, Imra has red hair and blue eyes as well as a voluptuous figure; Jayvern Sunrider was a tough looking human with short black hair and sky blue eyes, taller than his wife as well. Some weapons were found on them as well.

Fortunately, some datapads survived, there were pictures of their daughter with them, a Nomi Sunrider. She was the carbon copy of the girl they took prisoner from Vawrrawn. Right now, DNA samples from the three individuals were given to the lab and Erkituaa was waiting for the results. He was already certain of what happened here, the little girl survived the crash thanks to the hole in the crew quarter module of the ship and the rest is history. The red haired pup didn’t die in her fall from the ship because of whatever force power she used.

“Who attacked them?” Erkituaa growled low.

It was clear that this was a conspiracy, they were killed as they were fleeing their house in the nearest tree city, the capital of the planet, Rwookrrorro. Erkituaa put a red bookmark on the file, it was an unresolved crime. But what happened to the little pup? How does she not remember who her parents are? Was she amnesiac as well? Erkituaa couldn’t answer that question as that sore loser Gwim robbed them from the occasion of having the pup examined by the medical droid when he deliberately broke her arm.

He was in a cell as well, waiting for his punishment; Erkituaa has never been more angry at a scout under his command. To be honest he was seriously thinking about dismissing the young scout on charge of his bad handling of their prisoner, even more so when it’s a child.

Stomp. Stomp. Stomp. The scout captain heard someone coming, from the steps he could hear he guessed that it was Mopua. The female wookiee opened the door and she roared, “Captain! Tree Carer Tikli is here.”

Erkituaa stood straight, and straightened his bandolier and combed his pectoral fur with his right hand.

Ping!

The holo-comm on his desk pinged and with a furry finger, Erkituaa was surprised by the swiftness of the lab team. The result arrived just in time, before his meeting with Tikli.

“How convenient.” Erkituaa was weirded out by how the situation with the young near-human pup was evolving. He opened the file that just arrived and Erkituaa smiled, DNA 99.99% match for Jayvern and Imra Sunrider, this girl was their daughter Nomi.

But something told the captain that the girl doesn’t remember her past at all. She had acted like a wild, territorial and strange red maned little female. Erkituaa turned off the datapads full of family holograms and pictures; put it in a box full of toys and clothes, he would give everything found in the ship back to the red haired pup.

Knock. Knock.

“Enter.” The captain found himself saying out loud with a roar.

The pretty Tikli and her golden brown fur entered the scout's office, and she didn't look happy at all, no she was wrathful. Erkituaa gulped, “Greeting… Tikli.”

The tree Carer didn't greet him back and bluntly asked with a growl resonating in the room, “Erkituaa, how can you explain having placed a child in the holding facility?”

The captain had been ready for this Tikli discovering what he did, but not for the roiling anger she showed. “Ah. I had to, she’s quite dangerous…”

Erkituaa then showed the video feed of their meeting with the little red haired pup; and she saw the white tree and the animals fight the intrusion. The little pup was revealed to be a force user like Tikli and she was dangerous, however to Erkituaa she didn't try to kill them, but to get them to leave. Tikli watched on as she saw the scouts being thrown around; but against all odds, they still won due to their teamwork.

However, Tikli took from this video feed that the scout mishandled the situation. “She asked you to leave when you confronted her.”

“Tikli… we couldn’t leave a young child alone in the wild.” Erkituaa began to defend himself and his actions.

BANG. The Carer slammed her fist on the dense wooden desk, rattling the computer and figurines on it. "You don't understand, you took the Carer of Vawrrawn, the white Tree and treated her like a common criminal!"

"What? That little pup is?" This was news to Erkituaa, and now he understood why Tikli was as enraged as a Banta.

With a derisive laugh and a growl, Tikli shook her head. "The trees are angry, one of yours hurt her as well."

She looked sad as she declared, "I might be forced to banish you and your scouts to appease the Trees if reparation isn't quickly achieved."

Erkituaa stepped back and then he thought about everyone who had accompanied him to Vawrrawn, they were all young Wookies with bright future, though not that bastard Gwim; the banta fucker caused this…. After some brief moment of introspection, Erkituaa looked at Tikli and roared and growled in panic, "I can make this right."

Tikli opened her arms wide and roared back, "You better do… Now, what did you learn about the little pup? We need to get on this and heal her."

Erkitua proceeded to tell his tree carer all about the investigation about what they found near Vawrrawn: A crashed ship, and the dead parents of the young Nomi. He eventually showed her the result of the DNA test and the Citizenship of the little one. It took a long time for Tikli to learn about the Sunrider’s legacy and that this family was historically known for producing Force users. Next they left the office for the holding facility, Erkituaa looked as Tikli was hurrying as if she had a feeling that she might miss her chance.

When they arrived before the entrance of the holding facility inside the core of three, in the big hollowed out cavern; it was to find the guard at the door sleeping, he was about to wake them up and reprimand them when, like lightning, tree carer Tikli caught something with her left arm.

“Gasp!” It was the little pup! How did she get out of her cell?!

----- CW-----

(Destiny)

Back with Destiny…
Present

Power Buy Attempt. Antimatter Manipulation Principle (Final Fantasy XIII) (200CP) Bought. Banked 250 points

I didn’t have the time to wonder at the new function of the perk I just received as the female wookiee held onto me. Fuck. FUCK. How did she see me? I didn’t show any outward sign that she surprised me at all and said calmly while looking into the female wookiee's big brown eyes, “Let go of me.”

I attempted to establish a mental link and make her release me, but it was like I hit a solid metal wall when I connected to her. Damn it, I really am not strong against other force users with my current skills. I was about to blast her with a force push when she put a knee on the plastcrete floor before me and quickly growled, “Wait please, we want to apologize!”

Even in that position, the wookiee was still taller than me. She can read my intentions as well,  just like I can, but why did they want to talk now? “Huh?”

I wrenched my forearm from the wookiee’s hand and glared at her. “You took me from home.”

The female wookiee flinched at the accusation, lowered her eyes in shame; as I sensed her emotions, I felt that she was truly sorry about what happened. And I sensed that she hadn’t wanted things to go this way when she sent scouts to my home tree. I had the feeling that she truly wanted to fix what had happened so far. Growling in annoyance a bit at her pitiful look, I decided to not vaporize her Starkiller style and released my hold onto the force.

The wookiee relaxed, I didn't even notice that she had been tense… she must have felt the build up of the force inside of me. The female wookiee growled this sentence, “I understand that you don’t trust us, but I’m sure you can read our feelings and know my intentions to be true. We will bring you back home right now.”

Looking around me, I spread my awareness over the entire area and looked for deception. I felt the nervousness of the scouts who knew what I was capable of; I didn't react well to their hostility and glared at them. It was at that moment that I felt arcs of electricity spread on my fingers. *Huh, this is new.*

Raising my hands and there were a lot of little blue sparks; I began to giggle and closed and opened my hands. The wookiees were suddenly alert, hands on their bowcasters. But the firm voice of the female wookiee cracked like a whip as she said, “Don’t use the force for violence.”

And that strict voice made the force lightning disappear from my hands as I obeyed.

She sounded a bit like my mother with her tone, it was so similar that I stopped what I was doing immediately. I glared at the wookiee, no one made me feel that way… “I want to leave. When I am home, we will talk.”

The wookiee smiled as if she found me cute and patted my head. I took her hand from my head and glared back at her again. She was lucky the force didn’t tell me that she was an enemy.

“Yes, follow me then.” She growled and took me in her arms and walked the opposite direction of the holding facility.

“Hey, put me down!” I whined.

But she didn’t listen and continued walking until we reached an elevator. I don’t like how people think just because I’m toddler sized that they can do everything they want! The force suddenly told me to stop being a baby and to listen to that wookiee… “Fine, do what you want.”

----- CW-----

Personal shuttle of Tikli
En route for Vawrrawn
30 minutes later

I could see the clouds and the big trees zipping by, it was amazing… This could have been a good trip aboard the vehicle shaped like a blocky plane with stubby wings, but the wookiees decided to throw a fastball at me and it confused me. I was sitting before Tikli and Erkituaa on the brown leather seat while I dubiously looked at the datapad in my small hands, I looked at the photos with my current body next to two other people, one was a gorgeous pointy eared woman with red hair like mine and a handsome dark haired and blue eyed man who had a bad boy look. They were hugging the little kid wearing my face with a lot of love and affection.

“What do you mean by those people are my parents?” I growled at Tikli, the wookiee female force sensitive.

There was no deception, I knew it to be true as the force told me she was right; but I was someone from a different universe, how can I have no memories of those people!? Did Bayonetta and the force insert me into the body of someone else who had the same face as me? Or was it a normal reincarnation like in those Light Novels my big brother made me read with him? I’m confused.

It must have shown on my face as Tikli said, “Your name is Nomi Sunrider, you were named after one of your famous ancestors. Do you remember anything from your past?”

I shook my head, my parents, those I recognized as such gave me my name and the white tree recognized me as Destiny; whoever this Nomi girl is, she’s dead I rationalized. “No, my name is Destiny, the tree calls me that.”

Tikli seemed to sigh and Erkituaa looked at me in frustration as I refused to acknowledge whatever identity they gave me despite the force saying they were right. Tikli looked at me as I was watching all the pictures on the datapad they gave me, between us there was a box full of items like toys and clothes that seemed to belong to me, or the previous owner of this body. Deep down I could feel familiar feelings rising from my heart as I watched the holo-pictures; the woman’s blue eyes in particular.

I don’t know why I started to cry and sniffle a bit. Did I still have the memories of those good times with those people?

“I see. Did you receive a big hit on your head?” Tikli asked me.

I had no idea if that happened when the ship crashed and I almost got squashed when I landed on the white tree. “I don’t remember.”

I kept silent and continued looking at the datapad’s screen, on it there was all my ID and documentation; it seems that I will inherit the house in Rwookrrorro, the capital and some of the money they had in trust. Big problem though, Erkituaa said that the house had been ransacked and burglarized. Yep, this looks like a hit on the family to me, but did I care? As I watched all those holo-pictures, it was like a dam had exploded and some things were starting to get back to me.

My emotions and the trickle of memories that were resurfacing told me that yes, yes I did care and the people who did this I will hurt them very very much. But I won’t give into hatred or anger, aggression won’t do anything for me; taking revenge should be clean like my big brother told me, involving unrelated parties isn’t good and is irresponsible.

Tikli walked up between our two seats and sat at my side and began to pat my head. Any negative emotions I had melted from my head as I gave in to her affections despite knowing she’s a perfect stranger. I was taking warmth where I could find it I guess.

I slept because of the overwhelming emotion gushing inside me, when I woke up we were already almost to the white tree. I can feel it calling to me, welcoming me as if our separation had been too long. When the aircraft landed on the pad on the first level I was already before the door which opened slowly.

"I'm back!" When my feet were on the landing pad feelings and images of birds caring for their young showed up in my mind and warmth filled me as the white tree hugged me mentally.

"Yes, I love you too." I found myself saying out loud.

I relaxed now that I was home, the force surrounded me like a cloak and my awareness spread. Some Draubirds from the Lowest level of the shadowlands have emigrated to the top level, the netcasters were again reproducing fast to make up for their numbers… so much to take care of.

Addressing the wookiee behind me, I said, "Follow me to the house."

When we walked toward the central house of the first level, I felt that there were other wookiees on the tree, they were killing netcasters and other nuisances. We entered under the arch leading to my house and I saw that there were two guards present before the doors.

"What are they doing here?" I turned to Tikli and Erkituaa.

My glare didn’t work on Tikli, she somehow thought of me as a little cute kid from what I could feel from her. Erkituaa wisely has some wariness toward me, I wouldn’t accept any patronizing feelings from him. Tikli proudly growled, "We had to secure the place for your safety."

It was a half truth, she wanted to have some people to guard me as my tree was an important discovery, why though? I pointed a finger at her and said, "I hope you didn't touch my stuff."

My eyes fell on Erkituaa in particular when I said that; the male wookiee raised his hands in placation, a common tell that wookiee had with humans. "No, but they cleaned the house and replaced some of the amenities and furniture. We also renovated the house."

My eyes widened, I’ve been thinking of doing just that! I jumped up and down. "Huh, that's awesome! Did you repair the Garment-fabricators?"

Power Buy Attempt. Providence (Duel Monsters - Duel Terminal Part 1) (400CP) Not bought. Banked 350 points

I ignored the prompt from the Forge as the perk didn’t get bought. Anyway, the Garment Fabricator has been one of the devices I've been meaning to repair since I found it in the little workshop in my house. I’ve been wearing rags for six months, you know! With that device I could create my own clothes.

Unfortunately, reality was cruel and Erkituaa mercilessly stomped all over my hopes. "Ah that’s what it was? We didn't touch it, this is a lost technology."

As if struck, I stumbled back and made a little whine that showed sadness. "I guess I will just have to fix it myself."

Tikli came to engulf me in her powerful arms, and patted my head. She was taking too much liberty as of late… I struggled a bit and she let me go while showing me a smug grin. I ignored her and entered my house, ignoring the tense wookiee scout as well.

I was already thinking about how to fix the Garment-Fabricator, the device's inner parts were all rusted over and the datapad connected to it was missing. While walking I saw how different everything was, the house was airy and well lit, the floor paneling had been replaced, the windows as well. There was now some kind of defensive barrier made of metal thread on them, surely to stop the disgusting spider-like animals from entering the house.

The solar panel and the water heater were completely replaced as well, they looked brand new as they shone under the sun. I was feeling like the wookiee were bribing me for something to make me more amiable? Or they were softening me up for bad news.

We then sat in the living room, some seats were adapted for wookiees and humans. There were wookiee cookies on the table with some strange smelling milk. But I reluctantly ignored the food and looked at the two adult wookiee before me. “I sense that you clearly want something.”

Erkituaa and Tikli looked at each other, but it was the female wookiee who spoke first. “We… wish to talk about your home tree and your future, little one.”

I frowned at that, my hand reaching subconsciously for a cookie. “What about it? And my future?”

It was Erkituaa who growled and howled this time as he said, “You can’t defend your tree alone… nor do everything yourself to take care of it, little one.” His tone was solemn.

Biting into my cookie, I began to think about what he said; there were limits to what a little girl like me could do, even with the Force. I glared at the male wookiee, “I know that… I almost died three times fighting against-”

Tikli stood up and roared, “What?”

I flinched back, letting go of the snack in my hand and looked at the angered female wookiee. Anger. Protection. Anger. Protection. Was what I felt from her through the force.

Then Tikli calmed herself down and sighed. Her eyes fell on me as she growled calmly, “I see that it is even more important now that you have some people around you to help you in your task.”

In the force I felt her desire to protect me and allow me to grow, but there might be deeper reasons for why they wanted to help a lone little orphaned girl who just discovered she lost her parents in this life. My brother and my father in my previous life taught that there was no free lunch.

The Home tree had saved me and fed me, taught me how to harness the force; I wouldn’t let it be imperiled. I wasn’t an ungrateful person, my brother had raised me better than that. "How can I be sure any of you won't take my home away from me?"

“We will not, you speak of stealing! We don’t do that!” Tikli looked horrified as she said this.

Huh, this was news to me; were wookiees more honorable than humans? This is what a human would have done on Earth, taken advantage of me and thrown me away when they got what they wanted. Despite the fact that the Force told me to trust them, I couldn’t do it because I was distrustful by nature  and raised an american.

I glared at Tikli and Erkituaa. “How can I trust you? You took me from my home and hurt me and threw me in prison. What if you do it again?”

Tikli turned to scout captain, growling at him in low tones. There were some things said like ‘it’s your fault’ and ‘you caused this’ that I could hear but there were some insults being exchanged and Erkituaa lowering his eyes in shame.

When Tikli was done ranting, she turned toward me and sat. “We promise that this incident will not happen again, Nomi.”

“My name is Destiny.” I crossed my arms defiantly. “I trust what you say Tikli, but not him.” I said, turning my eyes to Erkituaa.

The scout captain emitted a low whine of frustration. “What happened before… it was a mistake and one of my own hurt you. I wish to make amends, little one. Could you forgive us?”

Remorseful. Apologetic. Erkituaa, he felt really sorry. “Fine, I will. But what about the one who hurt me? This one, I will not forgive him. When I fought you, I tried to just scare you, not hurt you.”

Erkituaa’s eyes brightened at my declaration and his expression turned dark when the subject of the scout having hurt me came. He growled, “I was going to punish Gwim by dismissing him from the scouts actually.”

Tikli made a snort of approval and pointed at me with a furry finger. “Do it as a concession to her, Erkituaa. I don’t like him either. He has been trying to court Grikyw for a while now; if he was able to hurt a little pup out of spite, I want him nowhere near my daughter.”

The scout captain stood up and bowed with a hand on his furry pectoral. “It will be done, Tree carer Tikli.”

Tikli nodded. “Good.”

I cocked my head as I watched the exchange and couldn’t help but to ask, “You’ll really do that?”

It was the scout captain who tried to answer first. “Nomi…”

With a glare that speared him, I gritted out with a finger pointed at him, “Destiny!”

Gruff. The wookiee laughed, not at all afraid of me. “Yes, sorry. Destiny, like I was about to say… People here on Kashyyyk take their honor and promises seriously.” Erkituaa beat his chest two times and looked angry as he thought of something unpleasant. “We aren’t like those dogs from Coruscant, mired in corruption and stealing the money of their taxpayer and never honoring their duty.”

I had heard about the bad reputation of the Jewel of the republic, but hearing it from a wookiee was a confirmation. My research on the HoloNet’s Coruscanti’s forum showed me rumors of cannibalism, corruption in politics, and suspicious criminal activity and gang warfare. There was a drug called spice that everyone told to not touch as it rotted everyone’s brain and made people so addicted from consuming it that they would lie, steal, assault, and murder for a dose.

“I read about that on the HoloNet, do they really do nothing to fix the problems in the galaxy?”

“Only if it disturbs the status quo.” Tikli finally joined the conversation after filling her mug with some fruit juice.

I looked at her, she didn’t seem to have a good opinion of Coruscant. Meanwhile, I decided to give a chance to this partnership with Tikli and Erkituaa; I really couldn’t do anything by myself due to my physical age… and there were the kidnapping Jedi and Mercenaries coming for me.

I sighed after taking a bite of the delicious cookie. “Let’s try this partnership thing, Tikli.”

“Come again?” She growled as she looked at me.

With a tired expression I said again, “I said that I will give you all a second chance to put the circumstances of our first meeting behind us. There will be no third chance… I hope you never cross me.”

***

List of perks obtained:

Antimatter Manipulation Principle (Final Fantasy XIII) (200CP)

You understand the science at work behind Cocoon's technology. You may not have the equipment to reproduce it, but you can manipulate gravity to a limited degree even without it - enough to save you from falls. With suitable tools however, you could make all sorts of equipment and mechanical wonders, even up to graviton cores that can maintain giant aerial defense platforms.