MASRO FHIN
HOMECOMING
Star Wars Fan Fiction
Story by Robert Mason
Cove art by Ed Beck
Copyright © 2007 by Robert C. Mason
First Edition
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Story Timeline
32 Years before Star Wars: A New Hope
STAR WARS EPISODE I:
The Phantom Menace
27 Years before Star Wars: A New Hope
Masro Fhin, Homecoming
22 Years before Star Wars: A New Hope
STAR WARS II:
Attack of the Clones
19 Years before Star Wars: A New Hope
STAR WARS III:
Revenge of the Sith
Special thanks to George Lucas for sharing the Star Wars universe with all of us.
This book is dedicated to my very own Padawan, Branden.
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away….
Chapter I
Masro Fhin extinguished his lightsaber as he crouched patiently behind the downed frame of the battle droid as three more droids slowly plodded towards him. The smoke coming from the downed droid completely shielded Masro from the other oncoming droids.
Even with his weak Alconian hearing Masro could hear the droids communicating with each other as they each relayed visual information from their different vantage points. This coupled with the fact that he could see the infrared heat signatures of each of the battle droids allowed him to estimate the droids plan of attack and formulate his defense and counter attack.
The first droid stopped several meters to Masro’s immediate right and was holding fast. The second droid was directly in front of him, but slightly further away and slowly closing in. The third droid to his left was also maintaining its position several meters away as the center droid moved in towards the Jedi Knight.
Recognizing that the two droids on either side of him were holding flanking positions on him Masro concentrated his counterstrike on the approaching center droid. He knew that once he moved from his current position it would take the flanking droids several moments before they could track his new position and direct their fire at him. A few moments would really be all he needed to deal with the advancing droid anyway.
Using his strong toe claws to dig into the ground for leverage he pressed his tail on the ground for additional balance as he waited for the droid to get within two meters before he made his move. Just as he was about to pounce Masro felt a ripple in the Force. He thumbed the switch on his lightsaber and ignited the green blade just in time to deflect the blaster fire coming from the droid to his left.
Masro moved quickly, as the center droid increased its’ speed towards him, and leapt over the oncoming droid slicing the droid down the middle as he tucked and flipped over the droid. Upon hitting the ground he turned and jumped at the droid that had fired at him from the left.
Two quick jumps and the Jedi Knight was on the startled battle droid before it had a chance to focus the blaster atop its right hand at him. One quick swipe of his lightsaber and the droids right arm dropped from its body. Reaching out to the force Masro redirected the falling limb towards the third battle droid.
As the flying arm struck the third battle droid mid-torso, knocking it off balance, Masro felt the grip of the now single armed battle droid on his left shoulder as it tried lifting his meter and a half tall frame off the ground by his Jedi tunic.
Before the droid could lift him off the ground Masro raised his lightsaber above his head and sank the blade into the droids face. The tug on his tunic eased but the now deactivated droid did not loosen its grip on him. The last remaining battle droid had regained its balance and was now moving in for the kill as Masro tried to free himself of the droids grasp.
Realizing that the last droid was taking aim at him Masro threw his lightsaber at the approaching droid, its blade embedding itself in the droids chest ending the threat.
He breathed a sigh of relief as he reached out with the Force and beckoned his lightsaber back to his hand. The slight tug on the droid as the lightsaber was pulled out of its torso was just enough to collapse the droid.
With his lightsaber back in hand Masro reached back and sliced the droids hand off at the wrist joint causing the fingers of the hand to relax and release him.
As he switched off the blade on his lightsaber he sensed a familiar presence nearby. Before he could visually scan the room he was surprised to hear clapping coming from behind him.
“Well done Masro. I see you have not lost your touch.”
Masro immediately recognized the voice of Obi-Wan Kenobi as he emerged from the smoky haze to see his old friend Kenobi, Jedi Knight Kit Fisto and a young Padawan learner that he had never met before, but had a good guess as to his identity.
“Obi-Wan, it is good to see you my friend,” replied Masro as he shook hands with the Jedi.
“And you as well my friend,” Kenobi said with a smile.
Masro turned to Kit Fisto and bowed, “Master Fisto.”
“Impressive display,” Fisto replied as he returned the bow.
“I thought that Padawans' were prohibited from using the simulation chamber without their Master present Obi-Wan?” asked the young Padawan.
“Padawan?” huffed Masro, “Always judged by my size am I,” Masro said doing his best Yoda impression.
Obi-Wan smiled, “Anakin Skywalker, meet Jedi Knight Masro Fhin.”
Anakin’s face immediately turned bright red as he realized he had mistaken the small Jedi Knight for a fellow Padawan learner. “Master Fhin, my apologies. I did not mean to insult you.”
Masro grinned exposing the razor sharp teeth normally hidden under his long snout and then let out a good laugh, “Don’t worry my young friend. If I got angry every time I was mistaken for a youngling I would be long down the path of the Dark Side.”
Obi-Wan and Kit both let out a loud laugh at Masro’s comment.
“I am truly sorry Master’s,” Anakin said sheepishly, “I’ll return to my studies if that is alright Master.”
“Yes Anakin, I’ll be along shortly,” answered Obi-Wan.
Despite being only slightly taller then a Jawa, Masro was actually quite tall for an Alconian. Anakins’ assumption based on Masro’s small stature was a common, albeit a misleading one.
Alconians do not widely travel the galaxy and thus most humans have never seen one of their species. Many humans are more familiar with another reptilian species, the much larger Trandoshans.
In addition to his smaller then adult human size Masros’ purple reptilian skin and large blue eyes made it very difficult for humans to accurately gauge his age.
Masro Fhin watched as the embarrassed Padawan walked away, “Master of the Chosen One Obi-Wan. Great responsibility. The council chose well.”
“The council chose reluctantly. I made a promise to Qui-Gon that I would train the boy. I only hope I live up to that promise.”
Kit Fisto placed a hand on Obi-Wan’s shoulder, “Qui-Gon had great respect for you Obi-Wan. He would not have asked you to train the boy if he did not feel you were not
up to the task.”
“Master Fisto is right old friend,” agreed Masro, “The council thinks highly of you as well Obi-Wan.”
“Speaking of the council, that is why we are here my friend,” Obi-Wan replied. “You have been summoned before the Jedi Council. I believe they have a mission that you are uniquely qualified for.”
“A mission? I better be off then. It was good to see you Obi-Wan. Perhaps when I return from my mission we might have a sparring session? Show your Padawan how this little one stands up to a full fledged Jedi Knight.”
Obi-Wan laughed, “I look forward to it Masro. May the Force be with you.”
Chapter II
Jedi Masters Mace Windu and Yoda sat patiently in the office of Chancellor Palpatine as one of the Chancellors many assistants briefed the senior members of the Jedi Council on numerous topics requiring action on the part of the Jedi Knights.
“And lastly we have received a request from the Council of Elders of Alconia for mediation between the Alconians and the indigent species of the fourth moon the Domelans. The moon is a very harsh climate that the Domelans are very suited to live in and have always thrived on, but for unknown reasons they have been making an increased number of expeditions onto Alconia raiding several of the surface farming sites.”
Yoda rubbed his chin, “Very strange. Hundreds of years since Domelans ventured onto Alconia. Violating truce they are.”
“Master Yoda, you were the Ambassador that negotiated the truce of the Alconian War, do you have any insight as to why the Domelans would break the truce after all these years?” asked Chancellor Palpatine.
“Mmmm, confusing this is. Very short negotiation this was. Broken for no reason, 200 years of peace. Very strange indeed,” Yoda replied.
“I’m not familiar with the Alconian War,” stated Mace Windu.
The Chancellor turned to his assistant, “Please continue.”
The assistant bowed her head to the Chancellor and then turned back to the Jedi Masters, “The Alconian War took place 223 years ago. The Alconians live in the underground catacombs of the planet in large cooperatives. Everyone works for the good of all.
Quite different from the Alconians the Domelans of the Fourth Moon were cave dwellers comprised of numerous warring clans. Prior to the war the Alconians and Domelans had very little contact with each other until the Domelan clans were all united under one ruler, Ja’kan.”
“Ja’kan declared himself Lord of the Domelans and decided that his people, now united, should expand their empire and turned their sights to Alconia. The smaller Alconians were little match for the Domelans and thus turned to the Republic for aid which was provided in the form of Jedi Master Yoda.”
“Who negotiated an easy truce,” stated Mace.
“Easy, no. Short, yes,” Yoda responded with a saddened look on his small green face.
“A proud warrior Ja’kan was. My presence as a challenge to his rule he felt. Challenged to a duel I was for rule of the Domelan Clan.”
“A duel you no doubt won easily Master Yoda,” the Chancellor interrupted.
“Accept the challenge I did not,” Yoda replied, “Rule of the Clan want I did not. But fight we did.”
“Insulted Ja’kan was. Attacked me anyway he did. Much sadness in taking his life. As new ruler of clan, truce was easy.”
“And now the truce has been broken, as ruler of the clan you should be able to put an end to the attacks easily,” Palpatine deduced.
“No, ruler I am not. Ordered the truce did I and returned rule to the Domelans.” Yoda answered.
The assistant continued, “As part of the truce the Alconians and Domelans agreed to stay off of each others home world and to utilize the second moon of the planet as a trade port. The peace was maintained until recently.”
The Chancellor turned to Yoda, “Master Yoda, surely your presence would bring a quick end to this dispute.”
Yoda sighed and lowered his head, “To the planet I cannot go.”
The Chancellor and Mace exchanged puzzled glances.
“My refusal to rule insult the Domelans it did. After give up rule, banished forever from their world were all Jedi,” Yoda admitted somberly. “Serve as ambassador, I cannot.”
“Then who shall we send if they banished the Jedi from their moon?” asked the Chancellor.
“Know the right Jedi Knight to send I do,” Yoda responded confidently.
Chapter III
Masro Fhin returned to his quarters at the Jedi Temple anxious to change from his smoke filled clothing into fresh robes. He was greatly looking forward to another off world mission.
While he liked being on Coruscant and at the Jedi Temple he enjoyed traveling to new worlds and interacting with different cultures. Masro had always been an eager learner with his studies, spending countless hours in the Jedi Achieves reading about far away worlds and the different cultures.
Master Yoda emphasized early on in training that a Jedi Knight does not crave adventure or excitement, but that a strong desire to learn and grow thru experience was a good path for a Jedi to follow.
Masro always kept this in mind when he thought about traveling the stars or before leaving on a new mission. He reminded himself it is not adventure that I crave, it is experience and knowledge.
This reflecting back on his training was how he always prepared himself for his missions. Masro felt that by reflecting back on his Jedi training in the Temple with Master Yoda and the years he served as apprentice to Master Yarael Poof reinforced the lessons they taught him.
Masro owed so much of who he was today to Masters Yoda and Poof. Himself a small but powerful Jedi, Yoda was a role model for Fhin as a youngling watching his peers pass him by in stature. Every time Masro started to lose confidence in himself Yoda was always there to lend him support. It always amazed him when Yoda always seemed to know exactly when to be there for him.
When Masro was selected by Master Poof as his apprentice he was relieved to have been chosen, but also nervous about the road ahead. Master Poof stood almost a meter and a half taller then Fhin and Fhin worried that he would not be taken serious as a Padawan. Again Yoda was there for Masro.
“Good Master have you. Good Padawan has he. Learn much from each other you can. See things from a different perspective you will,” Masro remembered Yoda saying with a chuckle.
And Master Yoda was right. Fhin and Poof bonded quickly and made a formidable pair. Masro knew he would not be the Jedi he was today if not for Master Poof.
Yoda and Poof, his teachers. He would never let them down he thought as he clipped his lightsaber to his belt and headed for the Jedi Council.
Chapter IV
Masro Fhin stood at the center of the Jedi Council and bowed, “Reporting as ordered Masters.”
Mace Windu bowed his head in return, “We have an assignment for you Masro. You will go to the planet Alconia and negotiate a truce between the Alconians and the Domelans of the 4th Moon. The Domelans have been raiding the farming centers on the planet and taking crops and supplies. The Council of Elders have formally requested assistance from the Chancellor.”
“There has been peace on Alconia for over 200 years, what has brought this on?” Masro asked concerned for his people.
“Know that we do not,” Yoda responded. “Without warning the attacks began.”
Master Windu continued, “The Domelans have refused all attempts at communication coming from Alconia. You will have to make contact with them in person on the 4th Moon.
“Master Yoda, is it wise to send an Alconian to meet with the Domelans? They might look upon that as an insult. Would a more neutral representative be better to send?” asked Masro.
“Confident in its decision the Council is,” Yoda replied.
Master Windu leaned forward in his chair, “Do you feel you will be unable to handle the negotiations?”
Masro stood a little taller and took a deep breath before responding, ?
??No Master. I can handle the negotiations. Forgive me Master, it is not my place to question the Council.”
Master Poof raised his hand in a reassuring gesture, “The Council appreciates your thoughts on the mission Masro. It takes more courage to question then to stay silent.”
“Leave immediately you will. Confer with the Council of Elders on Alconia first before meet with the Domelans you will,” advised Master Yoda.
“May the Force be with you,” Master Poof said.
Masro bowed, “May the Force be with you Masters,” then turned and left the Council Chamber.
Chapter V
Masro Fhin stood outside of the Jedi Council for a moment hanging his head and thought to himself, that was foolish, questioning the council.
Masro collected himself and began walking to the hanger to prepare his starfighter when he heard a familiar voice call out to him, “Master Fhin”
Masro turned and found him self face to stomach with his old Master. Masro took a step back and bowed, “Master Poof.”