“The Rainy Day Beast”

A rainy day
At the Tenoo Jedi Temple, Lys Solay leads her friends Nubs and Kai Brightstar down the stairs and into the hallway. She hopes to see the wagaa birds before they migrate to the other side of the planet. When she opens the door, Solay discovers that it is raining outside. Solay and Nubs are despondent while Brightstar suggests that the birds would delay their migratory flight until the following day. Solay says that today was their last chance to log them into the Galactic Creature Guide and laments the missed adventure.

Brightstar suggests the three of them could find an adventure inside the temple. This cheers Nubs up and Solay agrees. Brightstar takes his friends into the Temple Library and suggests that they could read a book about Jedi adventures. Brightstar accidentally drops the book, which earns him a warning from Bren and the Rodian Jedi youngling Zotti to be silent in the library. Solay reads through the holobook but says it is not the same as finding an adventure. The three Jedi split up with Solay taking an interest in a holobook called the Legends of the Jedi Temple on Tenoo. When she opens a book, a holographic projection of a furry creature pops up.

Seeking an adventure
Brightstar notices Solay and the book but bumps into Nubs, who is carrying a stack of books. Resmia and Zotti remind them to be quiet. Solay explains that the creature in the book is a tazi sloth, which is the Guardian of the Tenoo Jedi Temple. The younglings learn that Tazi sloths are extremely rare and can hibernate for centuries. The book adds that the tazi sloth lives at the top of a tree at the center of the Tenoo Jedi temple. This excites Solay while Nubs speaks in Poobian. Brightstar suggests that it is still here, which prompts Solay to come with a plan to find the creature.

Brightstar expresses concern about awakening the tazi sloth but Solay is eager to go on an adventure. She persuades her friends to come along. They reach the base of the Tenoo tree at the centre of the temple where they find a dark-skinned human girl, an orange-haired human girl and a blue skinned Twi’lek boy, the first of whom tells them to shush. Climbing up the stairs, Nubs attempts to climb the trunk of the tree but falls near the other younglings, who tell him to shush. Brightstar proposes using the stairs that lead to the roof of the temple and the tree’s canopy.

Disturbing the Guardian
Using their Force powers, the younglings leap on top of the branches of the tree until they reach the canopy, which is inhabited by glowing insects. Continuing their adventure, they split up with Solay falling through some leaves in the canopy. She lands on the belly of the sleeping tazi sloth and finds herself in its nest. Solay is excited by her discovery. She is joined by Brightstar and Nubs, the latter of whom lands on the head of the Guardian. This has the effect of awaking the tazi sloth from its centuries-long slumber. The creature grabs Solay with one of its paws before chasing the younglings, deeming them a threat.

The younglings flee out of its nest. Outside, Solay regrets awaking the tazi sloth due to her love for adventure. The three younglings decide to make amends and Solay tasks Brightstar and Nubs with finding branches and leaves to repair the creature’s roof. Solays says she will distract it but the creature catches up with them. Nubs and Brightstar flee while Solay attempts to reason with the tazi sloth. The creature however tries to attack her with its claws, forcing her to flee. She tries to outrun the creature but the tazi sloth is fast and maneuverable. While Brightstar and Nubs attempt to find branches and leaves to mend the damage, Solay descends down the tree with the Guardian in pursuit.

During the chase, they accidentally dislodge a branch which crashes onto the roof of the Temple. This alarms the younglings down there and Jedi Master Zia Zaldor Zanna, who wonders what is going on out there. The tazi sloth corners Solay at the end of a branch, which snaps under pressure. Solay falls with the branch which lands between two branches. Solay survives the fall and finds that the sloth has gotten its tail stuck on the stump of the branch. Using her Force powers, Solay jumps upwards to aid the tazi sloth. She attempts to use her Force powers to levitate the creature but the creature is too heavy.

Making amends
She calls Brighstar and Nubs for help and they help levitate the creature, freeing its tail from the stump. After putting the creature on a branch, Solay apologizes to the Guardian for disturbing it and thanks him for protecting their Temple. Brightstar tells the creature that they have fixed its nest. The Guardian accepts their overtures and climbs back to its nest to rest. Before leaving, Solay waves to the Guardian and thanks it for the adventure.

Returning to the Temple library, the three younglings are cornered by Master Zanna, who asks them about the loud rainstorm above. Nubs faints while Brightstar tries to explain. Solay interjects that they climbed up to the canopy of the tree above the temple and met the Guardian of the Tenoo Temple. She explains that they were searching for an adventure on a wet day. Master Zanna is forgiving but warns them not to awake the tazi sloth. When Solay asks how she knew it was a tazi sloth, Zanna admits to meeting the tazi sloth when she was younger but says that it will be a long story. She begins reading the Legends of the Jedi Temple on Tenoo.

“Upgraded”

Investigating a crime
The Jedi Initiates Kai Brightstar, Lys Solay and Nubs travel with Padawan Wes Vinik and his astromech droid R0-M1 (Romi) to the planet Deppani in a Jedi shuttle. Upon landing at the village, they are greeted by a Twi’lek woman and a human man who lead them inside their starship factory. The man explains that they have been robbed three nights in a row. The Twi’lek woman explains that the thieves are very good at eluding capture while the old man fears that they will go out of business.

The Twi’lek woman gives the Jedi visitors a tour of the Deppani starship factory, which uses automation to build starship parts and assemble them into vehicles. The guides explains that the thieves stole metal plating, wings, cannons and several other parts. Solay believes that the ships are trying to build a starship or modify one. The male worker believes that the thieves are going to steal a thrust accelerator, which is capable of boosting engines. Vinik takes an interest in the precision of the flow conduits while the Twi’lek explains that the thrust accelerators give them an advantage in selling the starships. Vinik and Brightstar promise the Jedi will watch over the factory all night.

A former friend
Later that night, Brightstar is patrolling the grounds of the factory when he is startled by movement on the roof. Using The Force, he Force jumps to the top of the roof and corners the thief at a terminal. The thief reveals himself as his perennial foe Cyrus Vuundir (Taborr Val Dorn). Brightstar expresses surprise. Taborr explains that he is stealing parts to upgrade his starship Iron Talon and asks Taborr why he should not steal. Brightstar tells Taborr that he is a good person and a prince. Taborr counters that they are not friends as long as he is pirate. Brightstar pleads for Taborr to choose good but this angers Taborr, who attacks him with his electrostaff.

Brightstar fights back with his second lightsaber but is reluctant to hurt his former friend. Taborrtaunts him and maneuvers him towards the edge of the building. Brightstar fights back and manages to cut Taborr’s electrostaff into half. However, Taborr regains the advantage and knocks Brightstar to the ground. Taborr tells Brightstar that unlike him, he will do what needs to be done. Before he can strike Brightstar with his weapon, Vinik uses the Force to snatch Taborr’s electrostaff out of his hand, telling him that it is enough. Nubs restrains the young pirate while Solay handcuffs him with magnetic binders. Vinik thanks Brightstar for his good work but Brightstar is sad about arresting his former friend.

Taborr’s escape
At the factory office, Vinik sends Solay and Nubs to continue their patrol around the factory and keep a look out for Taborr’s associates Pord and EB-3. Vinik says that he will talk to the villagers and tell them what happened. He orders Brightstar to keep an eye on Taborr since he knows him best, reiterating that they cannot let him get away. Before leaving, Solay gives Brightstar a comforting hug.

While they are alone, Brightstar asks Cyrus why he is stealing from the factory but the prince is silent. Brightstar tells Cyrus that he wants to help him but he has to change his ways. Taborr removes his helmet and apologizes for stealing the starship parts, explaining that he wanted to take on the Ganguls gang and keep his homeworld of Vuundalla safe. Brightstar asks if he is doing this for his people. Taborr says that he wants to protect his people but expresses frustration with his parents’ rule. Unknown to Brightstar, Taborr is stalling while he uses a pocket knife to unpick his handcuffs.

The prince says that he is powerful as Taborr and tells Brightstar that they both share a goal of keeping the Bri’ahl sector safe from the Ganguls. He claims they are on the same side and always have been. Through a reflection in the glass window, Brightstar realizes that Taborr is unlocking his binders. Taborr pins Brightstar under a chair, knocking away his lightsaber. After donning his helmet and reclaiming his electrostaff, Taborr locks Brightstar inside the office. Through the window, Brightstar sees Taborr fetching the thrust accelerator from a shelf.

Round two
Taborr uses a grappling line to flee through an exhaust vent. Brightstar blames himself for letting Taborr manipulate him into believing that he was still a good person. With the control panel busted, Vinik cuts his way into the office and asks what is happening. Brightstar races after Taborr, intent on stopping him once and for all. Taborr flees on a speeder bike and Brightstar borrows one from the villagers. On the outskirts of the village, Taborr meets up with EB-3 and Pord outside their starship Iron Talon. Taborr believes that the upgrades will allow them to take on the Ganguls.

Brightstar catches up with Taborr and parks his speeder bike.Taborr tells his gang he will deal with the Jedi. Taborr asks if Brightstar is here to persuade him to be good. Brightstar responds that he has realized that Cyrus has decisively chosen not to do good. Pord gasps while EB-3 watches. Brightstar says that he has accepted that Taborr has chosen to be a pirate and vows not to let him leave with the accelerator. Unable to reason with Brightstar to see his way, he engages the Jedi in a duel.

Taborr tells his associates to fire up the engines. EB-3 evacuates Taborr’s speeder. As they parry, Brightstar uses the Force to snatch the thrust accelerator. Pord rushes for it but Taborr tells her to focus on getting them in the air. Vuundir retrieves the accelerator and flees aboard the Iron Talon. Brightstar follows him into the cargo section and tries to block him from entering the cockpit. Vuundir is frustrated with Brightstar for not accepting defeat twice and stuns him, causing his lightsaber to roll on the floor.

As Brightstar breathes deeply and meditates, Taborr charges at him with his electrostaff. Brightstar uses the Force to levitate him in mid-air, causing him to drop his weapons and fall. Taborr’s cape is pinned under a crate. As Brightstar retrieves the stolen thruster, he leaves Taborr behind in the cargo hold. The defiant pirate tells him that he is not sorry but allows Brightstar to leave his ship. Brightstar watches as the Iron Talon flies away.

Choosing to hope
The other Jedi catch up with Brightstar. Vinik is pleased that Brightstar retrieved the thrust accelerator. A sad Brightstar says that they won’t have to worry about Taborr returning. Solay leads the way back to the village. Back at the village, the male villager thanks the Jedi for protecting the factory while the younglings help move the speeders back. Vinik reassures the male villager that the Galactic Republic will dispatch security droids to protect the factory.

Brightstar watches the sea sadly. Vinik sits with him and asks Brightstar if he wants to speak about his tough night. Brightstar says that he had stubbornly believed that Taborr could still choose to do good. Brightstar asks if that is weird. The older youth reassures him that it is not weird to believe that people can choose to do good and calls it hope. He says he is proud of Brightstar for hoping for Taborr to be good. Brightstar thanks the Padawan for his advice.