The Drought - Episode I: The Grand Betrayal
Location: Tython - Jedi Temple
Era: 1,000 years before A New Hope
Time: 01:02:27
“Stand up straight. If you’re too focused on what’s happening in front of you, you’ll never see what is happening behind your back.” An elderly human woman suggests, gesturing to her padawan’s feet with the wooden staff in her hand.
“But Master.. Can’t I just use the Force to see what’s behind me?” The padawan asks with genuine curiosity. The Jedi Master clicks her tongue against her teeth while shaking her head.
“You cannot rely on the Force to do everything for you, Kira. You must reach deeper than that. Deeper into yourself.” The elder remarks, waving a hand at Kira. The young woman’s eyes become glossy as the Master blocks her sight. Two small droids flutter down from the ventilation shaft above, both with built-in blasters.
“Focus. Put your trust into yourself. Listen to the droids hover and use that to your advantage.” The Master says, taking a step back. Kira holds onto her iron bo staff tightly as she still attempts to look around. Leaping forward, the padawan swings her staff upward, missing the droid completely.
“This is impossible, Master Liana. How am I supposed to kill something I can’t see?” Kira sighs, clearly irritated.
“I have taken your sight. Four senses remain. Use them.” The elderly woman suggests. One of the droids fires a blaster shot at the padawan’s shoulder, burning through her shirt but only leaving a minor bruise on her skin. With an angry grunt, Kira swings her staff backward, missing the other droid as well.
“This is ridiculous. What is this even supposed to teach me?” The padawan asks. “I’ve been training with you for nearly two years. I have been studying at the temple for six! You haven’t even taken me to build my lightsaber! All of the other padawans are so far ahead of me already… What am I doing wrong, Master Liana?” Kira slumps down to the ground, clearly defeated. The droids float back up to their home and Liana restores the padawan’s sight.
“We have had this conversation many times. A lightsaber does not make a Jedi, Kira. You must have patience if you wish to continue down this path. You should go out to the fields to meditate. Rid yourself of your anger and frustration. I can feel your emotions and you must keep them in order.” Liana explains, gesturing to the doors leading out to the exterior of the temple.
“Of course, Master. I apologize.” The padawan says. The two walk in opposite directions. Kira stops just outside of the doors and peeks back in to watch Liana. The Master walks up the steps to the second floor of the temple and into the Council’s hall. Curiosity getting the best of her, Kira follows after, being sure to keep things casual.
After slipping into the room, the padawan sees Liana standing before the council of five Jedi that lead the Jedi of Tython.
“Is the girl ready?” The Head Councillor asks atop his mighty throne. Liana simply shakes her head.
“Liana, you have been given years to train this woman… What excuse have you brought to us this time?” Another councillor asks.
“I will not apologize for what you perceive as shortcomings. She is the most powerful padawan that I have ever seen. That any of you have seen. She requires more discipline and training than her peers. If she were to give into her emotions… Into the Dark Side… It could spell the end for the Order, Councillor.” Liana explains, seemingly uninterested in the Council’s thematic intimidation.
The Head Councillor slams his fist into the stone in front of him. “Enough!” He shouts loudly. “Liana, we have given you over two years. The time has come. We cannot find more leniency to offer you.”
“Since she arrived in that dropship, you have all lost your nerve. You’ve been fearful. Countless times you say that time is running out. But for what? Why will you not tell us what is coming?” Liana asks angrily. One of the councillors raises her hand to interrupt the Master but the Head Councillor dismisses the attempt and stands up.
“The consulars have seen something that is to come. An event that will not just affect Tython but the entire Jedi Order. Something they call The Drought. We must-“ The Head Councillor is cut off by the shaking of the temple. Kira hides behind one of the stone pillars as the sound of lightsabers whizzing on and blasters shooting echoes from outside of the doors. The building shakes periodically as the temple is bombarded.
“Go. Find her. Get her off of Tython before it’s too late.” The Councillor says as Liana rushes past Kira and out of the doors.
There is a moment of silence before the council begins to speak. A mechanical whirring sound erupts from the center of the room before Kira peeks around to see a holocomm connecting the council to what appears to be a man cloaked in black robes. “Darth Kavar…” The Head Councillor bows his head.
“Where is the girl?” The Sith Lord asks. His voice is like that of a twisted demon.
“Master Liana has gone to find her. She was instructed to take the girl off-planet. The moment their ship leaves the atmosphere, they’re yours.” The High Councillor says. “But now that you have her… Please leave Tython. Let us live in peace.”
“Peace…” The Sith Lord scoffs. “This padawan was the only thing standing between us and victory. Now she is ours. There will never be peace while the Jedi Order exists. But I suppose that is something we will no longer have to worry about.”
The room fills with the indistinct whispers of the council before Darth Kavar glances to his left, clearly looking at someone who is with him. The holocomm violently cuts out before a deafening blast can be heard and felt from above as a massive ship fires a weapon at Tython. The projectile is a small blue orb that flies through the atmosphere and collides into the planetside, a few miles from the temple. After a few moments, the orb explodes. An incredible white wave of energy rushes through the temple and over the lands and seas until it covers every inch of Tython.
Kira drops to the ground as the wave passes through her. She crawls out from behind the pillar and struggles to stand. “What have you done…?” The padawan asks.
The Council sits in shock as if they are seeing a ghost before them. “We… We’ve doomed us all.” The Head Councillor admits. “The Drought…”
“The Drought? What is that? Why did the Consulars see this coming?” Kira asks anxiously.
“The Force… It is gone. A Drought in which the Force has abandoned the universe.” The Councillor says weakly.
“Abandoned? The Sith did this! You let them do this!” Kira shouts at them, mustering the strength to get to her feet. The doors behind Kira rattle before they both swing open and smoke begins to pour into the room. A teenage padawan that Kira had been studying with over the years wobbles in.
“They are here… They are going to kill us all…” The padawan reaches out towards Kira before a red lightsaber ignites through the boy’s chest. After the corpse falls, a young woman lowers her hood and places her saber back onto her belt.
“Hello, Kira. It’s been quite a long time since you and I have met.” She grins, taking a step forward. Kira gasps, raising her staff up. “What’s the matter? You don’t even remember your own mother?” She tilts her head, staring at the girl.
“My mother died on Korriban when I was eight. You are not my mother. You’re nothing more than a liar.” Kira growls at the woman.
“Is that what they told you? That I was fighting on the good side that night? Did they tell you that I murdered three Jedi? Or that I burned their encampment to the ground? No… I wouldn’t think so. That would have made you angry. It would have been a risk. You cannot give into your emotions. That is what they tell you, is it not?” She asks.
Kira looks back to the council and shakes her head. “Tell me this isn’t true.” She demands angrily.
“We did what we must to protect you, Kira. To protect you from yourself.” The Head Councillor replies.
“I have been lied to my entire life… I was born into a war that I never wanted to be a part of… I try and I try and I try to do better and all it ever results in is a waste of time and energy! I AM TIRED AND I AM DONE BEING LIED TO!” The padawan shouts, a burst erupts from her sending the Sith flying back out into the clouds of smoke. Kira looks back to the council and shakes her head. Reaching up to her padawan braid, she rips the hair from its root and chucks it upward at the council. “I will not be your pawn. I will not serve anyone.”
The padawan rushes through the smoke, death, and fire in search of Master Liana. Her master is nowhere to be found. Taking some survival supplies and food, Kira treks out into the forest in search of answers. There were not many people she trusted, but there was one. The person who found her in the first place and brought her to the temple was not a Jedi. Her name was Caithe, a lone grey Jedi that lives deep with the high hills of Tython.
*** All illustrations are designed and provided by Kira Karboski. Thank you for your hard work and talent! ***
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