Auro Syrdash

[Auro Syrdash]

Core Worlds
Darpa sector
World of Val'Dora
Tropical Island/Resort:
Golden Coast
Republic Zeta-class:
The Arbiter
c. 2919 AOK

As Auro meditated with his trusty droid Nines nearby, he shut his eyes tightly and confronted an awkward truth. Were it not for his strong faith in the the Living Force, he could actually imagine himself reuniting with Cordelia and Pablo-Jill and discovering a remote, uncharted planet with a past long forgotten. On a world such as that, he could easily assume the role of Jedi Watchman, a sentry devoted to protecting the lives of indigenous inhabitants, animal, and plant species far, far away from the evils of war and the darkness with its unquenchable thirst for death.

I am a servant of the light, and the life which infuses it.

The words of Master Lumas, the Ithorian Jedi who had trained Knight Belatau, reverberated through his mind, through his heart, and through his very spirit. He whispered aloud, "I am a servant of the light, and the life which infuses it." As a sworn servant of both the light and life, Auro knew that his duty was to defend life by allowing the light to flow through him to become a shining beacon, shielding the innocent from the dark side.

As night fell, Auro, seated cross-legged on the floor toward the rear of the shuttle, emerged from his fifth and final meditation of the day. Gradually, he began to sense an icy, tenebrous, and familiar presence snaking its shadowy tendrils through the currents of the Force. He shivered involuntarily as he remembered all too well that the last time he had felt this same malfeasance had been on Alderaan. This presence had always loomed like a dark cloud somewhere in the Force, but one night it had seemed as though it was surrounding him from all sides.

Auro recalled Master Truer ushering Knight Passik just out of earshot. Older than the others, Mykala and Elden put on a brave face for the more sensitive younglings, some of whom were on the verge of tears. Mykala began to sing a cheery ballad that was a favorite of the younglings. When Elden added his deeper voice, other younglings began to sing along, momentarily distracted. Auro, however, walked over to his instructors.

"I wanna help you stop the bad things around us," he said bravely.

Master Truer knelt down on one knee and explained to him that the menace of the Sith was growing more powerful. However, he added that none among them must attempt to face that threat until they were ready. Nalan smiled weakly and squeezed Nontho's shoulder reassuringly.

Auro bowed respectfully and rejoined the other younglings but felt so powerless. Later, Master Truer and Knight Passik taught them what they had sensed could not harm them at the Alderaan Enclave. Both Jedi emphasized the importance of keeping a low profile so no one would draw attention to their family. As the younglings grew, they were eventually told that the wickedness of the hateful Emperor Palpatine and the brutal, masked Sith Lord Darth Vader that drove the Imperial war machine.

Breathing deeply and clearing his mind as he stood to gather Unna, Ashla, and the Jedi Knight Supreme Chancellor Praeta Syrdash had appointed to protect him named Duncan Starchaser. Having found the man to be direct and focused, Auro respected those traits and hoped Duncan would become his friend and a voluntary member of his team.

Tomorrow, Auro would face what would be one of the most daunting challenges he had taken on yet. A rebellious Antarian Ranger named Padmé Naberrie would test the limits of his diplomatic prowess, such as it was. However, if he could not arbitrate a truce and end the hostage situation without bloodshed, there would be repercussions for his mother, who Auro had reluctantly admitted she must be, at least in some biological sense if nothing else. He had defied the will of Chancellor Syrdash who referred to herself as Empress less than a day prior. It was up to Auro now to forestall the inexorable fires of war.