Lending a Hand

Lending a Hand

"Master! Their defense forces are being slaughtered! Master!" Obi-Wan had seen the brutal battle as well, and he could no longer sit still.

Especially when he saw those pilots flying clearly outdated fighters, yet still charging forward fearlessly in wave after wave of near-suicidal attacks, he was even more deeply moved.

"Sit down, Obi-Wan. Remember, do not let your emotions control your actions." Qui-Gon sat there as still as a meditating monk, his eyes closed in quiet repose.

"But, Master..."

"Sit down. At this point in the battle, we should not be the ones making this request. You only need to sense the emotions of those people in uniform to understand."

Obi-Wan looked toward Qi Jian. Through his Force sense, he seemed to touch a blazing flame. At last, he understood what his master meant. For those people, this was a transformation.

Some things had to be understood on their own. Some humiliations had to be endured on their own.

Only then... could they become stronger!

But then... Obi-Wan suddenly felt an inexplicable sense of dread. He vaguely sensed that this humiliating day might bring catastrophic consequences to the galaxy.

At that moment, he saw the middle-aged female Chief Executive Officer walking toward them. He stood and gave a slight bow, his lips moving, but no words came out.

"Master Qui-Gon, the Administrator told me before that you are Jedi Knights, guardians of the Galactic Republic... Faced with these cruel pirates, we hope the Jedi Knights will not stand by and do nothing. At the same time, in exchange for your help, we are willing to pay any price." Clement took a deep breath, lowered her head, and spoke to them.

Qui-Gon took a deep breath, rose to his feet, and said slowly, "It is our duty. But please understand that this galaxy is full of danger, and Jedi Knights will not always be present. I hope you can understand that."

"This is our new Homeworld. Even if we must stake every one of our lives on it, we will fight to the end." Daphne Clement still had her head lowered, her expression unseen.

But through the Force, Qui-Gon sensed the flame in her heart. He let out a long sigh. "Anger is a double-edged sword. While it burns others, it burns oneself as well. Take care of yourselves. I hope what those pirates have awakened is not some terrible beast."

"Believe me, when you visit again, we will be able to show you a better side of ourselves. Our leader, Tang Xiao, is also very much looking forward to meeting you." Clement bowed deeply and spoke softly.

Qui-Gon nodded. "Your black tea is very good. I look forward to tasting it again next time. All right, we shall depart now. May the Force be with you." With that, he pulled the hood of his cloak back over his head and took the elevator toward the hangar with Obi-Wan.

The hangar platform was nearly empty, with few aircraft present, though a group of pilots was already standing by. Qui-Gon went over to say a few words to them, only to discover that the language barrier remained. At present, only a small number of people in the Fourth Civilization were studying Galactic Standard.

The two could only board their ship, where their pilot was already waiting. Qui-Gon had the pilot leave the seat, then gestured for Obi-Wan to take it. "You fly."

"No problem, Master." Obi-Wan did not refuse, but once seated at the controls, he looked somewhat worried. "Master, this ship is only a civilian vessel. It has just one defensive turret. I'm still not very confident."

Qui-Gon laughed. "Now you know fear? Where did all that spirit from earlier go?"

Obi-Wan answered seriously, "As a Jedi Knight, helping innocent civilians is our duty."

Qui-Gon shook his head with a smile. "You have only seen their fragile exterior, not their powerful hearts. You think they are innocent now because they are weak. But... that may not always be the case in the future. Remember: trust in the Force, and use the Force. Only then will you see more, and farther."

"I understand, Master. Then what you mean is, what exactly should we do now...?"

"I mean these people need our help right now. Let's go. Do not waste the time those warriors bought with their lives." Qui-Gon took the co-pilot's seat and skillfully switched on the ship's instruments.

The Z-10 Explorer-class light ship lifted off from the broad hangar platform and flew straight toward the battle raging near the Endor gas giant mining station.

More than thirty Blade-class fighters had already been destroyed on the battlefield. Wreckage from the fighters and the bodies of pilots drifted silently through space.

Yet the fierce battle had not ended. Qi Jian, who was likewise commanding a battle for the first time, had become completely carried away. He still believed their numbers could stop those pirates, and under his command, the Blade-class fighter pilots launched attack after attack with fearless courage.

The Z-10 ship piloted by Obi-Wan sped into the battlefield. He opened a channel and said to Qi Jian, "Have your fighters coordinate with us as much as possible."

"Understood." Qi Jian's voice came through. The formation of Blade-class fighters immediately shifted, and they began operating around the Z-10 as their core.

"Let's go!" Obi-Wan shoved the control stick forward. The ship abruptly accelerated and shot straight ahead.

However, the three bounty hunter ships were no pushovers. A barrage of fierce fire came head-on, making the Z-10's shields flicker violently.

"No! Their firepower is too heavy!" Cold sweat began to run down Obi-Wan's temples.

"Remember what I told you. Use the Force," Qui-Gon reminded him. "Their weakness is obvious."

Obi-Wan took a deep breath and calmed himself. "I understand, Master. Though they modified their ships and added more turrets, their electronic systems and fire control systems are still outdated. They cannot fully make use of that powerful firepower."

"And then?" Qui-Gon guided his apprentice.

"Then watch me!" Obi-Wan's gaze sharpened as he accelerated again. This time, the ship carved a high-speed arc through space, its wings constantly rocking to disrupt the enemy's Fire Control Radar. Then he slammed a button, and the Pulse Laser cannon fired a brilliant beam of light!

Against a fighter piloted by a Jedi Knight, even an Ace Pilot would stand no chance!

For through the Force, a Jedi Knight could foresee approaching danger in advance.

A moment later, the Z-10 Explorer-class light ship flew out through the flames of the last exploding bounty hunter vessel. Cheers from Fourth Civilization pilots rang out over the comms.

"Master, we did it! We shot down every one of those pirates!" Obi-Wan said excitedly. "Are we going back to that giant ship?"

Qui-Gon merely smiled without answering. From the co-pilot's seat, he activated the hyperspace engine.

Obi-Wan understood. He smiled at Qui-Gon as well and initiated the hyperspace jump. The ship seemed to stretch instantly, vanishing from the void of space in the blink of an eye.

Bonus Chapter Illustration 1: Z-10 Explorer-class ship

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