SWTOR:Dessa/Chapter I (Version I)

--3,654 BBY – Eleven months before Sacking of Coruscant--

Coruscant – Jedi Temple
Alec Madon ran down the hall leading to dormitories, huffing and puffing as went. Finally, Alec made it to his destination, the name by the door said: Nilim Firith. Madon opened the door, Nilim shrieked the expression on his face looked surprised, Alec laughed. Nilim grumbled and threw his book at him, Alec caught it with Force and gently placed it on the bed.

"Nilim, hurry up and get dressed, it's almost time." Alec said cautioning the Twi'lek.

"What for?" He question with a raised eyebrow.

"I'll explained on the way."

Nilim looked curious, hop into the refresher and got dressed, he slipped on his brown pants, boots, tan shirt and brown jacket. Nilim looked in the mirror then turned to Alec.

"How do I look?" he said smiling.

Alec looked at him up and down and snapped his fingers. "Like a poacher."

Nilim gave a forced laugh, grabbed his lightsaber off his bed, and followed Alec out of the room and down the hall. Alec and Nilim talked and laughed as they walked down the halls, Nilim was still oblivious to what was going on but his curiosity was quenched when they made it to the Jedi Council chamber, fellow Padawans and friends of Nilim and Alec were sitting outside the chamber.

Nilim's eyes went wide. "Jesse, Toph, Hali, Sev? What are you guys doing here"

They all looked at Alec. Hali sighed. "We're here for our Knighting ceremony," she said. "We're finally going to be Jedi Knights. I'm so excited!" Hali jumped up and down clapping her hands excitedly.

Suddenly the doors to the council chamber opened, it was dark. The Padawans slowly entered the room. The lightsabers of the council members illuminated the room as the young apprentices entered, as the last lightsaber activated, the face of the Kel Dor Grand Master, Zym, was visible. Each Padawan stood in front of their master, smiled and bowed.

"For your actions at the offensive at Minor Cluster, the council has granted your knighthood." Zym announced.

As the doors closed, Master Zym began reciting the ancient words handed down from Council to Council: "We are all Jedi. The Force speaks through us. Through our actions, the Force proclaims itself and what is real. Today we are here to acknowledge what the Force has proclaimed." Zym and the other Masters then called each Padawan by name: "Jesse Cyran. Toph Kesta. Hali Furin. Nilim Firith." With that the Jedi Masters lowered their lightsabers upon each of the kneeling students shoulder and said: "By the right of the Council, by the will of the Force, I dub thee, Knight of the Republic." Zym and the Masters then cut off the students Padawan braids. With the ceremony complete, the Knights took up their lightsabers and exited the chamber in silence, signaling the end of the ritual.

The newly appointed Jedi Knights walked to the nearest hangar and called for a air taxi.

"Dasi's diner. I'm buying." Sev said. The other looked at each other and said together: "You sure you can afford it." The cab they called came to slowing halt, the student climbed in and the taxi and the took off.

Dasi's diner, please." Sev said to the female Duros. The driver then dove into the mass of traffic that never seemed to cease and pulled up suddenly and pulled left to a perfect stop. "We're here." said the driver. The student piled out of the speeder and headed into the diner. Sev pulled out a leather pouch, handed it to the female driver, and walked into the diner.

Coruscant – Dasi's Diner
As Sev sat at the table where his friends were sitting, an attractive young Zeltron waitress with black hair approached the table, her name tag designated her as Aaida. Suddenly, she grabbed Sev head and Aaida knelt down and planted a kiss on Sev's lips. Sev blushed and introduced her. "Everyone, this is Aaida, my... girlfriend."

"Human-Zeltron love, how romantic." Hali cooed.

Sev stared at the Mirialan. Suddenly a silver flash flew past Sev's eyes and pierced the permacrete wall almost hitting Hali, missing only by a hair, who sitting next to him. Sev grabbed the silver projectile, it was a primitive knife with jagged edges, then looked around until he caught the eye of a male Trandoshan thug. The students begged and pleaded with Sev to no avail, Sev stood up and walked over.

"Sir, did you throw this?" he asked politely.

The Trandoshan stood a meter taller than Sev himself. The Trandoshan flexed both his scaly fist in an effort to scare thee young Jedi. Sev did not budge.

"Yeah, so." his voice was gruff and raspy.

"Sir, I would like you to apologize to my friend over there. If so you would so kindly, we can forget this whole altercation."

The Trandoshan bore his teeth and reached for his double-bladed vibroblade on his back. "You must not know who I am, kid, the names Taren Fess, I've killed more humans than I can count, I suggest you walk away before you wind up dead."

Sev chuckled. "You must not know who I am," he said activating his lightsaber, "I'm a Jedi!"

Concentrating on the Force, Sev pushed Fess through the window and onto the streets. Sev stood in the window, Fess already on his feet and armed started blasting. Moving with the blinding speed of the Force, Sev ran past the Duros air taxi, and hid in an alley. Fess attached his second knife to the barrel of his rifle and slowly approached the alley, as Fess turned the corner, Sev came up behind him grappled him and kicked him in the back of the leg pinning him. Fess struggled to get loose. Sev brought his lightsaber closer and closer to the Trandoshans neck until he heard his friends voice. Sev stopped but held his weapon in position.

"Sev, stop." Jesse said as he climbed out the window, "You proved you're stronger, now what? What's killing him going to prove?"

Sev hesitated, exhaled, then turned still holding down Fess. "Jesse, you know me better than anyone else. I would never kill an unarmed being." Sev smiled grimly

"Just let him go with a warning." Jesse cautioned.

Sev hesitated, then removed his foot from Fess' leg and let go of his arms allowing the Trandoshan to get up. Fess looked both ways––at the Jedi––and at the civilians gathering, before running through the crowd. Sev smirked, turned headed back into the diner. Jesse shook his head and whispered to Alec: "Sev is a great fighter but he needs to tone down the violence." Alec only nodded in agreement and followed the rest of his friends into diner.

The group sat down back in their, they sat there in silence for a long moment until Alec called Aaida over.

"Can I get a baked nuna, an omelette and tea."

"What kind?"

He smiled. "Surprise me."

Aaida wrote it down and turned to the others. "You guys want anything?"

"I'll take some lon ribs." Hali blurted out.

"Is that it for you guys?"

"Yes." They announced.