“The Girl and Her Gargantua”

Befriending Garganchie

Having been given leave by Jedi Master Zia Zaldor Zanna, Kai Brightstar, Lys Solay, and Nubs accompany SF-R3 (“Aree”) aboard a large freighter to deliver several creatures to Sil Gohtta’s Nature Preserve. The younglings, particularly Solay, are delighted to meet the furry creatures, which include a variety, bantha and a Gargantua. Solay befriends the Gargantua, whom she nicknames “Garganchie.” Aree thanks the younglings for helping keep the animals calm during a long hyperspace journey. He also notices Solay’s affinity with Garganchie, whose species usually fear strangers.

After a sensor beeps, Aree informs the Jedi Initiates that they will have to land on a nearby planet to refuel because the weight of the creatures has drained the ship’s fuel supplies. Aree’s ship lands on a desert planet with red sand. Before disembarking, Solay reassures Garganchie that they will be right back. After they land, two Besalisk siblings named Slaygh and Braygh take an interest in the animal roars emanating from Aree’s freighter and decide to check out. Braygh initially thinks it is a musk-mole, but Slaygh says it is a much bigger animal.

Braygh and Slaygh’s misadventure

Finding an open door, Braygh and Slaygh explore the ship and are interested in Garganchie. Braygh greets the creature, but the two Besalisk siblings are frightened by its immense size. While panicking, Braygh bumps into Slaygh, who pushes her aside. Braygh accidentally unlocks Garganchie’s pen, and the creature escapes the starship. After arguing who is to blame, the two decide to pursue the Gargantua before it can wreak havoc in their town.

The escaped Gargantua frightens the local civilians, whose cries alert Aree and the younglings. After seeing Garganchie’s pen door open, Aree and the younglings realize that Gargantua has escaped. The two Beslisk siblings said they had seen one but were reluctant to answer Solay’s question on how Garganchie escaped. Braygh vows that she and Slaygh will recapture the Gargantua before it hurts someone. While the locals murmur with approval, Aree explains that Gargantuas are friendly and won’t hurt a Bifflefly. A Nautolan resident voices his disagreement while Braygh promises to capture the creature. They then jump on a speeder and head off, looking for Garganchie.

Finding Garganchie

Aree fears that the Besalisk siblings will frighten or harm Garganchie. Solay resolves to find Garganchie first. When Brightstar asks how they will Garganchie, Solay searches, consulting their datapad for information about Gargantuas. She learns that Gargantuas are shy and avoid crowds, while Aree recalls that they are nocturnal. Brightstar suggests that Garganchie go somewhere dark where he can sleep. Nubs agrees in Poobian. Brightstar recalls seeing some caves when they landed and believes that the Gargantua might have gone to those caves to sleep. Aree allows the younglings to search for Garganchie while he stays behind to guard the remaining animals on the ship.

While running across the flat plain, the three Jedi younglings call for Garganchie. They use cables to abseil down a canyon, which leads into the caves. While searching the caves, Nubs finds him sleeping inside a cave. However, the ground that Nubs is standing on crumbles, and he falls into the cave. The Beslisk siblings also hear Nubs’ cries, so they turn around and head towards Garganchie’s cave because they think the Gargantua is hurting Nubs.

Having also heard Nubs’ cries, Brightstar and Solay rush to the cave but are relieved to find Garganchie cuddling Nubs with his massive paws. Nubs explains that he fell, and Garganchie caught him while Brightstar translated. Solay reminds her friends that Gargantuas are gentle creatures despite their massive size. Garganchie then picks up the younglings and hugs them.

Saving the town

Shortly later, Braygh and Slaygh arrive at the cave in their speeder, seeking to rescue the younglings. However, one of their land speeder’s engines backfires, scaring Garganchie. The Gargantua, startled, started running back to town. Braygh wants to stop the creature, but Solay tells him that Garganchie is harmless. Brightstar says he understands that people fear Gargantuas for their big size but reassures the Besalisk siblings that they are nice. Slaygh convinces her sibling that the children can help them. Braygh agrees but tells them to hurry up. Together, they head back to the town in their speeder.

When Garganchie arrives in the town, everybody starts to panic again. The Gargantua also panics in return and climbs on a circular building. The Jedi younglings and the Besalisk siblings arrive soon in their landspeeder. While Braygh still regards Garganchie as a threat, Solay explains that the creature is scared of people’s shouts and needs silence to calm down. The three Jedi younglings use their Force powers to save townspeople from being crushed by several crates.

Garganchie continues to walk over buildings and climbs on a tower belonging to a mushroom-shaped tower complex. Braygh and Slaygh grab electrostaffs and climb up the tower in pursuit of Garganchie. Garganchie jumps onto one of the mushroom-shaped platforms. While the Besalisk sibling’s corner Garganchie, Solay attempts to reason with the siblings. Braygh attacks the Gargantua with his electrostaff, prompting Garganchie to elbow him, causing him to fall off the ledge. Slaygh tries to pull their sister to safety but also falls off the edge.

Seeing other beings in danger, Garganchie jumps off the platform and catches the Besalisk siblings with both paws. He manages to land safely, cushioning their fall. Slaygh and Braygh are amazed and curious about why the Gargantua would save them. Solay approaches and Garganchie allows her to climb on him and stand on his shoulder. She explains that Garganchie is a gentle giant despite his scary appearance. Garganchie allows the Besalisk siblings to stroke his head. Slaygh surmises that Garganchie is a gentle sweetheart despite his formidable appearance. Solay addresses the townsfolk, telling them that if everybody stays calm and quiet, they can safely bring Garganchie back to their ship. The townspeople agree to cooperate.

Farewells

Following the adventure, Brightstar wonders how Garganchie escaped. At Slaygh’s prompting, Braygh admits that she accidentally pressed the button that released Gargantua but kept quiet because she was scared of the consequences. After Braygh apologizes for her actions, Slaygh says they will both repair the damage they caused. Garganchie then hugs the two Besalisk siblings, with Braygh saying that this is the greatest hug she has ever had. The two then said goodbye to Garganchie.

Aree thanks the younglings back aboard the ship for bringing Garganchie back safely. Solay says that they can now bring the creatures back to their home. The Besalisk siblings say goodbye to Garganchie after weeping. Braygh says they will miss him, while Slaygh asks if they can visit him. Aree reassures them they can visit the Sil Gohtta’s Nature Preserve anytime. Braygh praises Solay for being a good friend to Garganchie. Later, at the Nature Preserve, Solay and her fellow Jedi bid Garganchie goodbye as he explores his new home.

“The Show Must Go On”

Preparing for the concert

At the Jedi Temple on Tenoo, Nash Durango has planned a special concert to thank the Jedi for all they had done for Kublop Springs. Her trusty droid sidekick RJ-83 accompanies Nash while other residents set up stalls. Besides organizing food stalls, Durango has invited the Ku-Bops to play that night. Meanwhile, Nubs and Kai Brightstar attempt to hoist a curtain over the stage but have trouble doing it. For the second attempt, the two Jedi Initiates use their Force powers to hoist the curtain into place. Zia Zaldor Zanna will soon arrive with Lys Solay. Zanna thanks Durango for organizing the festivities before helping two human and Mirialan Jedi younglings who have tripped.

The missing band member

Durango tells her Jedi youngling friends that she has invited her favorite band, the Ku-Bops, to play that night. The band members consist of Metz (who plays the electric vioddle, Bruff (who plays the rumble bass), and Kit, their droid DJ. RJ beeps in Binary that he is Kit’s biggest fan. Shortly later, a frantic Metz and Kit arrive. Metz tells Durango that Bruff is missing and is incommunicado. Metz fears that they will have to cancel the show. When Durango suggests that Bruff is late, Metz replies that Bruff is never late. Solay asks when the last time he saw him was. Metz recalls seeing Bruff at their rehearsal last night.

Durango panics about setting up for the concert, but Solay says they must check if Bruff is fine. While Brightstar, Nubs, Kit, and RJ stay behind to finish setting up, Durango heads off with Solay and Metz to find Bruff. Brightstar wishes that the Force will be with them. When Solay asks where Bruff usually goes after rehearsals, Metz recalls that he usually goes home. They head for Bruff’s home on speeder bikes. Kai and Nubs then set up the speaker. At Brightstar’s prompting, Nubs tests it, but the volume is so loud that it knocks back RJ. Brightstar quips that it is working.

Looking for Bruff

Durango, Solay, and Metz travel to Bruff’s home on speeder bikes. They knocked on the door, and his younger brother Sep opened it. They asked if Bruff was home. Sep confirms that an unhappy Bruff returned home last night but subsequently left. Sep doesn’t know why Bruff is upset but tells Solay he likes her purple hair before returning to the house. When Solay asks Metz if Bruff is upset, he replies that Bruff might have been but was too focused on preparing for tonight’s performance to notice.

Solay says that when upset, she goes to her favorite Tenoo tree to watch the Tika birds feed. When Solay asks if Bruff has a favorite place to go when upset, Metz recalls that Bruff always goes to the Hap’s Sap Tap. They went there, but he wasn’t there. Instead, they find Hap preparing for tonight’s concert. Hap confirms that an upset Bruff visited his cafe and that he served him his favorite drink to cheer him up. While Hap cannot explain why Bruff is upset, he tells Metz and his friends that Bruff left behind his rumble bass. Metz believed that Bruff was so upset that he left his rumble bass. Durango asks where Bruff went, but Hap doesn’t know.

Back at the stage, Brightstar and Nubs finish setting up Kit’s station, and Kit tests it out. The sound desk works, and Brightstar is pleased with their progress. Brightstar says all that they need is the band. Meanwhile, Metz recalls that Bruff likes to relax by the river, where he finds inspiration for his music. Metz heard the band’s song, and he started to run toward the dock, where he found Bruff. However, Bruff is unwilling to perform because he resents Metz for not letting him sing in their band. Whenever he asked Metz, he always said later. Metz insists on singing, claiming it’s his job in the band.

Rescue and reconciliation

Durango suggests they can work out their differences while returning to the temple. Bruff insists on singing, or he will not come to the concert. Metz tries to persuade him by offering his rumble bass. While saying that Metz is too focused on the concert, Bruff steps back and accidentally falls into a nearby speeder. Metz tries to catch him, but he falls in too. Metz accidentally hits and breaks the controls, and they drift toward the rapids and the waterfall.

Seeking to rescue their friends, Durango and Solay jump onto the Crimson Bolt and go after them. Before Metz and Bruff’s runaway speeder can reach the waterfall’s edge, Lys uses the Force to wedge a log between two rocks, saving the two band members and their speeder. The Crimson Bolt then tows Metz and Bruff’s speeder back to port.

Back at the dock, Bruff and Metz argue about who was responsible for the accident. Durango tells them that they are not listening to each other. Solay says they are at fault and should forgive each other as friends. Durango convinces Metz to let Bruff sing tonight and suggests they take turns for future concerts. Metz apologizes to Bruff for being selfish and invites him to sing tonight. The two hug each other, and Durango reminds them about the concert.

The concert

While Hap is serving sap-shakes, Brightstar wonders where the others are. Metz and Bruff arrive at the concert, riding a speeder bike, followed by Durango and Solay. Kit hugs the two bandmates. At the stage, Bruff apologizes for being late before launching the concert. Bruff sings a song about teamwork, impressing Master Zanna. Out of gratitude, Bruff and Metz invite Durango to sing with them.