“The Tale of Short Spire”

Visiting Batuu
The Jedi younglings Kai Brightstar, Lys Solay, and Nubs travel with Nash Durango and RJ-83 aboard the Crimson Firehawk to the planet Batuu, which is covered by rocky spires. Jedi Master Carver Drow and his Padawan Celesta Kami guide them to the Batuu Jedi temple, a stately complex of white towers. The younglings chat with Drow and Kami, who brief them about the Batuu spires and Jedi temple.

After landing at the temple, Durango and RJ-83 depart to run a supply run for Hap. Solay and her fellow Jedi Initiates notice that the Batuu temple differs from the Tenoo Jedi Temple, which has a giant Tenoo tree. Brightstar also invites Celesta to visit Tenoo, adding that they help people. Kami says she has recently become Drow’s Padawan and is busy. While Master Drow is obsessed with science, he agrees to let Celesta and the younglings visit Black Spire Outpost to both meet the locals and obtain special tools for an expedition to explore the far side out of Batuu. When Kami reminds him that the younglings are here to learn about science, Master Drow responds that sometimes the best science is out in the real world. Celesta shows the younglings her speeder.

The unscrupulous businessman
The four Jedi walk through the streets of Black Spire Outpost, crowded with beings of various species. They walk past a group of younglings playing a ball game. The group then stumbles upon orange-skinned businessman Ozon Nimbee attempting to convince a crowd to chop off the planet’s iconic spires to fund his plan to redevelop Black Spire Outpost into a fancier settlement. Though the locals object to his proposal, Nimbee sweet-talks them with his rhetoric about making “Batuu better.” While the locals respond warmly to his slogan, Kami and the younglings are suspicious.

The Jedi continue their search for tools in the marketplace. A Mirialan boy named Roka approaches Celesta, telling her he and his friends found several spires had been chopped down while hiking in the wilderness. The Mirialan says that spires are unique to their planet and that they would never cut them down. Investigating the damaged spires, Brightstar recalls that he heard the businessman in Black Spire outpost talking about chopping spires.

Nubs and Solay find three small sabotage droids slicing through spires. The four Jedi confront the sabotage droids with their lightsabers. Kami slices one of the droids with her lightsaber. The Jedi pursue the remaining two sabotage droids back to Batuu Outpost. They witness the droids flying back to Ozon’s ship at the local spaceport. Led by Celesta, the four Jedi confront the real estate developer. Nimbee justifies his actions by describing the spires as ugly eyesores that will be removed from Black Spire. He jokes about renaming the settlement “No Spire Outpost.”

Confronting Ozon Nimbee
Nubs and Solay protest. Nimbee explains that the spires will have to go because they will interfere with his proposed “magnificent skyline” for his rebuild. Kami warns Nimbee that the people deserve to know what he is planning. Kami addresses the crowd but is met with skepticism. Nimbee claims she is an outsider who doesn’t know what she is talking about. Solay reassures Celesta that she needs to connect with the locals to talk to them about the spires.

With Solay’s encouragement, Kami introduces herself as a Jedi who recently moved to Batuu. She tells them that she loves their beautiful planet the way it is. Before the locals can question her, Nimbee interjects and tries to talk about promoting a “better Batuu.” Kami counters that if they let Nimbee have his way, he would cut down all of their town’s spires. She describes the spires as beautiful. Nimbee tries to deny chopping the spires but is rebutted by Roka. Solay backs Kami up, saying that Nimbee was testing his droids on the spires in the woods before he could use them on Black Spire outpost.

Unable to sell his real estate plan to the locals, Nimbee instead deploys a swarm of sabotage droids, slicing through the town’s black spires. He claims that once the spires are gone, people will see that he was right. Celesta enlists the help of the Jedi younglings to stop the droids. While she asks Brightstar to accompany her, Kami sends Solay to handle the droids at Oga’s Cantina and Nubs to handle those at the milk stand.

Saving Batuu
The Jedi use their lightsabers and Force powers to destroy several sabotage droids. Overwhelmed by the sheer number of droids, Kami enlists the help of the local Batuuns to save the spires. One local vendor takes out two sabotage droids by hurling milkshakes at them, while the Mirialan boy and his friends take out more with their balls. Others take out more droids with tools and containers. Master Drow intervenes and takes out three droids with his lightsaber.

However, the Jedi cannot stop a droid from slicing the spire above the milk stand. Master Drow and the young Jedi use their combined Force powers to levitate the falling spire, saving the milk stand from being crushed. They land the slide on a nearby road. Drow uses his Force powers to capture the last droid.

A dejected Nimbee insults the residents, telling them they are guaranteed the Black Spire outpost will stay a dump. Celesta counters that the town is amazing. The Jedi younglings and locals voice their agreement. Nimbee says that he will build his fancy outpost somewhere else. Drow returns his last sabotage droid to him. Nimbee departs in his starship.

Building connections
Kami thanks the locals for their help. Roka says that the Jedi are welcome in their town anytime. Master Drow praises Celesta for connecting with the community and decides that they should spend more time with the locals to show them what the Jedi are all about. Kami apologizes for forgetting their tools but Roka offers to show her and the younglings where to get tools in the market.

“The Team Up”

Taborr strikes again
The pilot droid 0G-LC returns to Tenoo on the Star Seeker. He tells his Jedi friends Kai Brightstar, Lys Solay, and Nubs that he has collected artifacts and treasures from several worlds whose people have agreed to share with the Jedi Order. Before he can reach the Tenoo Jedi Temple, his ship is ambushed, and Taborr’s gang’s starship Iron Talon hits its thrusters. OG-LC tells his Jedi friends he will land his ship nearby, and Brightstar tracks the signal.

OG-LC manages to do a belly landing but discovers that the ship’s power has short-circuited. Taborr and his associates EB-3 and Pord force their way through the rear hatch. He orders his associates to seize a treasure crate, hoping to impress the pirates at Yarrum Tower. OG is devastated by the loss of the artifacts. The Jedi younglings arrive to support their friend. When Solay asks if he saw the pirates, OG-LC shows an image of the pirate ship from the ship’s scanner. Solay and her friends recognize the ship as the Iron Talon. Brightstar correctly predicts that Taborr plans to sell the artifacts at Yarrum Tower. OG-LC says he will repair his ship and wishes the Force be with the Jedi.

The Comet Runners
At Yarrum Tower, Taborr boasts of his recent heist of artifacts going to the Jedi. He attracts the attention of the pirate Corr Taldaan and his gang, the Comet Runners, who are regarded as the best pirates in Tenoo’s sector. Gossi dismisses Taborr as a kid and fanboy while Slegg laughs in derision. When Taborr boasts about his heist, Taldaan remarks that someone on Crescent Island would be interested in the contents inside his crate. Gossi says this crate could make them a ton of credits. When Taborr protests that the stolen goods are his, Gossi thanks Taborr and his gang for doing all the hard work. The Comet Runners’ droid laughs while Taldaan tells the “kid” to go home. Enraged at the Comet Runners belittling him, Taborr and his gang charge at the Comet Runners, but Taldaan quickly immobilizes them with ropes fired from his rope gun.

The Jedi younglings later arrive only to find Taborr and his associates tied up. When Taborr asks for help, Brightstar offers to release them if they tell them where OG’s artifacts went. Taborr is initially defiant but reluctantly tells them about the Comet Runners. EB-3 adds that the rival gang is terrible. The Jedi uphold their promise and free Taborr and his underlings.

A reluctant alliance
When Solay asks if he knows where the Comet Runners went, Taborr insists on returning the artifacts to prove he is a great pirate. Brightstar reminds Taborr that the treasures are not his, while Solay warns him not to underestimate the Comet Runners. EB-3 agrees with Solay, saying they cannot defeat the rival pirates alone. Sensing their shared interests in recovering the treasure for OG-LC and Taborr proving his worth as a pirate, Brightstar suggests they could help each other. While EB-3 and Pord express gratitude to their Jedi rescuers, Taborr reluctantly agrees to team up with the Jedi.

Taborr and his gang invite the Jedi aboard the Iron Talon, but he warns the Jedi not to touch anything. EB-3 tells Solay that the Comet Runners went to Crescent Island to sell the artifacts. Solay helps locate the island while Nubs befriends Pord. However, Taborr spurns their friendship and reminds them that it is just business. The combined group heads off for Crescent Island.

Walking into a trap
The Jedi and pirates find the Comet Runners’ ship parked on the beach but see no sign of the pirates. Solay thinks the Runners are waiting for their buyer, while Brightstar reminds them that they must recover OG’s treasures before the Comet Runners sell them. They stealthily board the ship, but before they can retrieve the crate, the pirate gang ambushes the six, who locks them behind an energy shield. Gossi tells the “kids” to stay quiet while they conduct business, and Taldaan dismisses Taborr as a kid who is not cut out to be a great pirate.

Taborr expresses frustration at being foiled by Taldaan again and accepts defeat, saying they are just “kids.” Solay says they may be kids, but that doesn’t mean they cannot do great things. Taborr has given up, but Brightstar echoes Jedi Master Yoda’s lesson about size not mattering. He says that size and age do not determine greatness. Taborr has an idea and tells the others they could take advantage of Taldaan regarding them as kids.

Fighting back
Putting their plan into action, Nubs feigns needing to use the refresher when the Comet Runners’ droid approaches their cell. Solay and EB-3 play along, with the latter claiming that Nubs is just a harmless kid. When the droid deactivates the energy door, the Jedi younglings use their Force powers to hurl the droid against crates. The six younglings rush outside the starship to confront the Comet Runners again. Taldaan asks if the younglings want to fight them.

The Jedi and Taborr’s gang draw their lightsabers and melee weapons, prompting the Comet Runners to draw their own. Taborr fights Gossi with his electrostaff, while Brightstar fights Taldaan, who draws his electrostaff. Solay fights against Slegg, who is armed with a bowcaster. Pord and Nubs team up to fight the Comet Runners’ droid, who proves more than a match for them. EB-3 fights the droid with his vibroblade and tells the two to grab the crate and return to the Iron Talon.

Meeting fierce resistance from the grownup pirates, Brightstar convinces Taborr to switch opponents. Taborr fights Taldaan, while Brightstar clashes with Gossi. Slegg attempts to shoot Nubs and Pord, who are moving the crate, but Solay deflects his bolt with her lightsaber, sending him scrambling. The Comet Runners’ droid knocks EB-3’s blade out of his hand, but the weapon boomerangs and strikes the pirate droid in the head. EB-3 cheers for victory. Meanwhile, Brightstar and Taborr disarm Gossi and Taldaan, respectively. Taldaan gains a new appreciation of his pirate foe. Taborr warns Taldaan not to underestimate him and introduces his name, “Taborr Val Dorn.” He warns Taldaan not to forget his name.

Aftermath
Back on Tenoo, Taborr returns OG-LC’s artifacts to the Jedi. He tells the Jedi he doesn’t need thanks and that the only thing he wants is for the Comet Runners to know he is great even though they are kids. After Taborr leaves, Brightstar and Solay ponder the motives for Taborr’s behavior and actions.