Chapter 6: Exile - Stygeon Prime

Luminara Unduli and Kanan Jarrus. Exiled Jedi Master and Padawan. For two wanted warriors on the run, Stygeon Prime seemed to be the perfect place to hide.

The planet was a cold, mountainous world; only one hospitable city occupied the planet's far side. Upon their escape pod crash-landing in the hinterlands of one of the mountains, Luminara and Kanan traveled on foot to the city of Ongrabah, disappearing into its lower levels. Wherever they went, they posed as aunt and nephew, renting out rooms here and there. During the days, Kanan took up work as a freighter pilot, now using a blaster as his weapon of choice. His Master, meanwhile, worked at one of the seedier bars in Ongrabah, picking up the latest gossip. The Empire was sweeping system to system and would soon reach the Outer Rim soon.

On days off from work, the exiled Jedi would sneak into the high peaks of the mountains, where even the clouds concealed them, and Luminara would continue Kanan's training.

Several years passed and soon, Kanan turned into a fine young man of 23. His nine years with Luminara had taught him much, and he held her in the deepest regard. One evening, the two entered a bar for a few drinks... and to eavesdrop. The gossip here was the most trustworthy news you could get on this planet, since many other outlets and holo-papers featured Empire propaganda.

Vader's forces had begun an assault on Stygeon Prime. There was little doubt that the Empire would soon overrun and occupy the planet. Indeed, it was rumored that some storm trooper battalions were landing in the mountains right now.

"Master, what happens if Vader does capture the planet?" Kanan asked. "Do we stay and help the locals fight? Or do we flee to another system?"

"The Force works in mysterious ways. I sense that our place will remain here. Wherever the Jedi are needed, we will be there - but only if it is necessary to reveal ourselves. Trust in the living Force to guide you on the right path, my young Padawan."

Kanan nodded. "Yes, Master."

Just then, a group of white-helmeted robots entered the bar. Storm troopers! So the Imperials had begun to infiltrate the planet. Even from far off, Luminara could see one of them showing the proprietor a holo-disk with an image on it. She gasped. It was an image of her!

Luminara lowered her head. "Go," she growled to her apprentice.

"Master...?"

"Go!" Kanan scrambled from the bar and headed for the back kitchens. Luminara followed through the crowd. When they reached the kitchens, Luminara proceeded to stuff her Padawan into the trash chute.

"This will take you outside. On your next piloting rounds, drop off any passengers you need. Then: don't come back. Keep going until you crash on a planet or run out of gas!"

"But, Master -"

"Kanan: do as I say! You have been a loyal apprentice and kept meaning in my life as a Jedi. Remember all I've taught you. The Force will protect you!" She closed the trash chute.

However, Kanan held on and listened through the metal door. At the front end of the kitchens, the stormtroopers had found Luminara.

"Hey, you! Stop!"

POW! POW! PING! PING! Luminara was likely blocking blaster bolts with her lightsabers. And then, everything went still.

"Take her to the Spire!" a stormtrooper ordered.

Kanan shook. The Spire was one of the most notorious maximum security prisons in the galaxy, and it was right here on Stygeon Prime! He couldn't stay any longer. He let go, and tumbled down the chute, landing outside in the bar's back alley. He ran.

That very night, Kanan clocked into the freighter service where he worked even though it was not his shift. Picking up some passengers, he ferried them over to a planet all the way in the next system. Then, like Luminara said, he did not return to his place of employment. Disabling the tracking device, he kept going. When the ship finally ran out of gas, it was pulled into the orbit of the planet Gorse and crash-landed there.

Selling the ship, a destitute Kanan met Janus Kasmir, a smuggler. As fate would have it, the space pirate originally hailed from Kaller, the planet where Kanan had lost his first Jedi Master. Janus taught Kanan the tricks of his trade, and even set him up with more employment as a freighter pilot with the company Moonglow-72.

In a tiny, locked safe he kept in his rucksack, Kanan stored his lightsaber and a Jedi Holocron Depa Billaba had given him. He would keep both hidden for years, abandoning the Jedi way.

Little did Kanan know that one day, he would be asked to take up his Jedi heritage again.