“Best Friends”

The wilderness exercise

The Jedi Initiates have landed their shuttle in a forest clearing on Tenoo to start their wilderness training. Lys Solay has been practicing with Djovi Resmia, while Kai Brightstar has been training with Nubs. Jedi Master Zia Zaldor Zanna informs the younglings that they will be venturing into the wilds of Tenoo. They will work together in pairs to overcome challenges and reach the finish line at the base of Kaliah Tower before sundown. Master Zia issues each pair with a holomap and tells the Jedi younglings that this exercise is not a race but an opportunity to learn how to work together. She dismisses the younglings, wishing them the power of the Force to be with them.

Getting lost

As the group of Jedi initiates split up and headed off in different directions, Brightstar and Nubs decided to take a different route than Solay and Resmia. They opt to go straight to avoid the hills. Soon after, they come across a river but argue about direction. During the argument, they tug at the holomap they used to navigate, eventually falling into the river. In a panic, the two younglings grab a log and some branches to use as an improvised canoe and paddle to try to retrieve the holomap. Nubs manages to retrieve the holo map with his branch, but they have pulled down a waterfall. The Force of the water separates them, causing them to row in different directions.

Thankfully, they both emerge safely and reach the river bank. Brightstar convinces Nubs that they should put aside their differences and work together. However, they discover that the water has damaged the holomap. Brightstar is determined to reach Kaliah Tower before sundown and spots a suspension bridge over a deep ravine. Despite Nubs’ reservations, Brightstar persuades him to follow him across the bridge. Unfortunately, the suspension bridge collapses under their weight.

Thankfully, they can use the planks from the bridge to climb to the other side before it completely collapses. On the other side, they find themselves in an uncharted part of the forest. Nubs takes the lead and convinces Brightstar to follow him through a patch of thorny plants and biting insects. Brightstar is frustrated that they seem lost, but the two eventually slide down a muddy hill and find themselves in a valley below Kaliah Tower.

Rescuing Kai

The two young Jedi initiate argue about directions and who is right. Unable to resolve their differences, they split up. Brightstar climbs a giant Tenoo tree but finds himself lost. Meanwhile, Nubs climbs out of the valley and reunites with the other Jedi initiates, including Solay and Resmia. Nubs informs them that Brightstar is lost. Together with Solay and Resmia, they head back into the forest to find him. They eventually find Brightstar clinging onto a vine as two ganguls circle him below.

Despite Solay’s warnings, Nubs rushes to rescue his friend. Nubs tries to scare the ganguls by growling at them, but they are not intimidated. Solay develops a plan for her and Resmia to distract the creatures while Nubs rescues Brightstar. One of the ganguls chases Solay and Resmia while Nubs faces down the second creature. At Nub’s suggestion, the three young Jedi initiates use their lightsabers to drive the creatures away. The Jedi celebrate, but Brightstar’s vine snaps. Nubs runs under him and allows Brightstar to land on him.

Nubs is unhurt and hugs Brightstar. The two friends reconcile. Resmia tells Brightstar that Nubs wouldn’t have crossed the finish line without him. After Nubs speaks in Poobian, Brightstar accepts that they messed up because they did not listen to each other. Brightstar promises that in the future, they will remain friends despite their disagreements. The two young Jedi initiates finally reach the finish line. The Mirialan youngling tells Master Zia that Brightstar and Nubs have arrived.

Lesson learned

In a display of good sportsmanship, Brightstar allows Nubs to cross the finish line first. However, Nubs insists that Brightstar cross first. After some discussion, the two decide to cross the finish line together. Zia praises them for completing their exercise before sundown, and Brightstar mentions that they learned about working together. Zia is pleased that the two initiates learned this valuable lesson. After his recent adventures, Brightstar decides to take a break. Solay, Nubs, and Resmia help carry Brightstar to their victory celebration.

“Happy Trails, Nubs”

Helping the farmers

Jedi Master Zia Zaldor Zanna informs a group of Jedi younglings that they will accompany a group of farmers led by Gab to the frontiers of Tenoo to start a new farm. Master Zia won’t be coming, but she tells the younglings they will be in Gab’s care. Gab briefs the Jedi Initiates about the pod wagons carrying their belongings and building equipment. Nubs arrives late to the briefing and joins his friends, Kai Brightstar and Lys Solay. Master Zia plans to rendezvous with the younglings in two days.

As the younglings board their pod wagons, Nubs attempts to join his friends but finds that a Rodian initiate has taken his place. Solay offers to give up her seat, but Gab offers Nubs a place on the last wagon pod next to their well-maker drill. Gab warns that it is not the most comfortable seat. Brightstar and Solay offer to trade places with Nubs, but he declines their offer. Gab leads the convoy with several younglings riding on blurrgs.

The Ganguls attack

During their journey, Gab’s convoy draws the attention of the Ganguls pirate gang. The leader of the gang, Sellaccc Orryak, is interested in the last pod-wagon, which contains a well-maker drill. Orryak wants to use it to buy a starship so they can leave the planet. To execute their plan, Toda-Joh uses a remote-detonated explosive to collapse a tree branch in front of the convoy, causing dust to stir up and block their visibility, making it difficult for the travelers to breathe. Orryak and Jooro Jarrot arrive on speeder bikes and circle the last wagon. Joh then separates the wagon from the convoy, and they escape with their stolen loot.

Solay and Brightstar realize that Nubs is in the stolen pod-wagon. Brightstar tries to contact Nubs via a holoprojector, but the signal is weak. He climbs up the wagon and then descends to the side. Nubs overhears the pirates discussing their plans to take the well-maker to their hideout to ensure it works. They plan to sell it to the people in a northern outpost where no one asks too many questions.

Nubs tries to detach the pod-wagon from Orryak’s speeder bike, but she shakes him off. When he lands, he draws his lightsaber. The pirates surround him, with Orryak wielding a vibro-ax and Jarrot a net caster. Outnumbered, Nubs surrenders his lightsaber and holoprojector. When Orryak calls him a furball, Nubs introduces himself. Orryak learns his name before ordering her associates to restrain him with binders.

Orryak’s web

Gab lends Brightstar and Solay speeder bikes to rescue Nubs while he continues to their new farm. Unable to contact Master Zia, the two rescue Nubs on their own. Nubs accompanies his captors to their hideout, located in the roots of a giant Tenoo tree. While attempting to unload the stolen well-maker drill, Jarrot loses his grip on the object. Despite his binders, Nubs throws himself between them and uses his strength to push it upright. Orryak notices Nub’s strength while a grateful Jarrot thanks him.

Recognizing his strength, Orryak suggests that Nubs could join their team. But Nubs rejects the idea since he understands that the Jedi and pirates are directly opposed. Orryak offers to share some food with Nubs, which he accepts. Meanwhile, Brightstar and Solay home in on Nub’s weak signal outside the Ganguls’ hideout. Brightstar attempts to contact Nubs via holoprojector, but Toda-Joh discovers it and terminates the device after learning that Brightstar is nearby.

Orryak serves Nubs, some fruits, and carbohydrates. She asks Nubs why he didn’t get a proper seat in the last pod-Wagin and suggests that his friends forgot to save him one. Orryak claims she will never forget a friend and offers him a place in their gang. While Nubs eats, Joh informs Orryak that the other Jedi are nearby. Since they need more time to pack up, Orryak tricks Nubs into believing that dangerous creatures are nearby.

Orryak convinces Nubs to use his immense strength to lift a boulder to block the entrance. But before he can block the entrance, he hears Brightstar and Solay’s voices. Nubs realizes that Orryak is manipulating him and drops the boulder to the side. Having lost Nubs, Orryak resorts to her backup plan of using her vibrio-ax to smash the earth at the mouth of their forest hideout, separating the Ganguls from the Jedi. The pirates rush to sell off their stolen well-drill.

Recovering the well-drill

Solay is relieved that Nubs is safe, but Brightstar asks if he is helping the Ganguls. Nubs explains in Poobian that he did not know they were coming. Solay deduces that the pirates tricked him into helping, while the Ganguls made him feel included after he felt left out. Brightstar and Solay comfort Nubs and apologize, telling him to let them know when something is wrong. They reaffirm their friendship and promise to help him.

The Jedi younglings then pursue the Ganguls, who will sell the well-maker. Riding on speeder bikes, Solay says she will distract the pirates while Brightstar and Nubs retrieve the well-maker with their speeder bike. Catching up with the pirates, she demands they return their stolen loot to the settlers. Meanwhile, Nubs and Brightstar fly their speeder bike above the stolen wagon. Brightstar lands on the wagon but is quickly detected by Orryak, who tries to shake him off.

Jarrot tells Joh to hit the youngling with the net caster. Before he can fire, Nubs rams into their speeder bike, causing them to crash into a bush. Brightstar manages to detach the wagon carrying the well-drill. Orryak protests but is confronted by the three Jedi younglings. Orryak tries to reason with Nubs, claiming they are friends. Nubs responds that he knows who his true friends are, with Brightstar translating. Brightstar and Solay draw their lightsabers. Defeated, Orryak concedes but warns that they will regret stopping her gang.

Friendship renewed

The Jedi initiates returned the well-drill to Gab’s new farm. With the farmers and Jedi, including Master Zia, watching, the drill managed to tap into a spring of fresh water. Gab thanked Brightstar, Solay, and Nubs for their help securing fresh water for their farm. Brightstar expressed gratitude and added that they got their friend back. Solay advised Nubs to speak up in the future if he feels left out.