C25 Kree-Nova War! & Escape!
C25 Kree-Nova War! & Escape!
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Months had passed since Peter had been officially designated as a Padawan, and his training under the tutelage of not one, but three masters had pushed him to limits he hadn't known existed.
His days were a relentless series of lessons, practice, and challenges that tested every fiber of his being. Yet, Peter thrived under the pressure, his determination fueled by a deep-seated desire to master the ways of the Force, not to mention the sword as well.
By day, the Jedi Temple's ancient halls echoed with the sounds of Peter's rigorous training sessions. Windu and Yoda, two of the Jedi Order's most formidable masters, guided him through the complexities of combat and the subtleties of the Force.
Windu, with his unparalleled expertise in lightsaber dueling, drilled Peter in the disciplines of Shii-Cho and Niman, refining his technique until it was sharp and fluid. The rigorous sparring sessions against his masters, who wielded their lightsabers with an awe-inspiring mix of precision and power, were both daunting and exhilarating.
Master Yoda, on the other hand, took the lead in deepening Peter's connection to the Force. The old Jedi's wisdom was boundless, and under his guidance, Peter began to explore the vast potential of his Force abilities.
Yoda introduced him to the intricacies of Sensing abilities, teaching him to attune his senses to the world around him through the force. He explained the concept in simple terms, likening it to expanding one's awareness to become one with the environment, feeling the presence of life, the ebb and flow of the Force, and even glimpsing the echoes of the past, if he was skilled and strong enough, of course.
Yoda's lessons allowed Peter to detect life in his surroundings and sense the Force in others. Both of which would come in handy in the future.
But sadly, he still couldn't get any glimpses of the echoes of the past, an ability that Yoda cautioned required great care and focus.
And though Peter really wanted to learn projected telepathy, the ability to communicate with others at long distances and relay words without speaking, as well as the Jedi Mind trick, which is basically a low-level mind control, both Yoda and Windu insisted that he wasn't ready yet, which was annoying to hear.
However, it was during the secrecy of night that Peter sought the teachings of his third master, Darth Revan. Hidden away from the watchful eyes of the Jedi, Revan embraced the aspects of the Force that the Jedi Order shied away from.
It was from him that Peter learned the subtleties of influence, the Jedi mind trick that Windu and Yoda had deemed him too young to wield. Revan, with his unique perspective as both a former Jedi and a Sith, saw no harm in arming Peter with the knowledge, or maybe he did see harm, but he simply didn't care.
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Revan was particularly fascinated by Peter's black lightsaber. So fascinated, in fact, that he stole it from his apprentice for an entire night just so he could meditate with the crystal, revealing its deep connection to Peter, a bond that intrigued Revan greatly.
Under Revan's tutelage, Peter also mastered Force Crush, which wasn't very hard as he seemed to have a natural affinity for telekinesis. This new skill, which allowed him to literally crush his enemies from a distance, along with his proficiency in various other telekinetic abilities, marked him as a formidable force user.
Peter's training in swordplay continued under Revan's watchful eye as well, complementing the lessons he received during the day. The combination of Jedi discipline and Sith pragmatism honed Peter's skills to a fine edge, making him a versatile and unpredictable opponent.
The balance between light and dark, day and night, Jedi wisdom and Sith teachings shaped Peter into a uniquely skilled Padawan.
…
During the downtime of his training, Peter surrounded himself with a sea of data pads. He sat engrossed in his studies, far removed from the physical rigors of his daytime training. His focus now lay on the practical skills needed for life beyond the Temple's walls.
The desire for self-sufficiency drove him to delve deep into the archives, seeking knowledge on starship piloting, maintenance, the galactic economy, and so much more.
But that wasn't all that he used the archives for, as a personal quest tugged at his heartstrings—the search for Earth, his home planet. It was a task he undertook in stolen moments, often late at night when the rest of the Jedi Temple was shrouded in silence.
But despite gaining access to the vast expanse of knowledge housed within the Jedi Archives, Peter's search for Earth, or as he also knew it from the MCU, 'C-53,' proved fruitless. The archives, comprehensive as they were, cataloging over 1.3 million major inhabited planets and countless more minor ones, offered no clue to the location or even the existence of Earth.
"It doesn't make any sense," Peter muttered to himself as he navigated through the holographic star maps and databases. "How can an entire planet just not exist in any records?"
The realization dawned on him that Earth's absence from the archives wasn't an oversight; it was indicative of Earth's isolation from the galactic community.
His home had never made contact with alien civilizations, at least not in a manner significant enough to warrant inclusion into the Republic or any other nation. The only noteworthy event, the invasion of New York led by Loki, was still years away by his calculations.
Peter considered the structure of the galaxy as he knew it: Core Worlds, Colonies, Inner Rim, Expansion Region, Mid Rim, and the Outer Rim. None of these vast regions held any mention of Earth.
The logical conclusion was daunting—Earth had to be located in the Unknown Regions or, perhaps even more troubling, Wild Space.
The Unknown Regions, mapped yet unexplored territories rife with dangers like hyperspace anomalies and black holes, were daunting enough. But Wild Space, the uncharted expanse that wrapped the galaxy, was an even more intimidating prospect.
It was in Wild Space that one might encounter the most perilous threats, far from the Republic or any other nation's reach.
Peter's thoughts drifted to the Marvel villains that might lurk in such uncharted territories. The Klyntar race, or perhaps the Mad Titan Thanos himself, were beings of immense power and malice. The prospect of them existing in Wild Space was a chilling thought, suggesting that Earth, if located there, was dangerously close to such malevolent forces as well.
"And what about Asgard?" Peter pondered aloud, recalling the majestic realm that was supposedly home to Thor and other Norse gods. 'Didn't the Earth technically fall under their territory as well?' He recalled, though he wasn't sure.
Despite his newfound access to the Jedi Archives, there was no mention of Asgard or its inhabitants. This absence supported his theory—Asgard, like Earth, must be situated in Wild Space, distant and detached from the galaxy's more civilized sectors.
As he shut down the archive terminals and prepared to leave, a determination settled over him. "One day, I'll find you, Earth," he whispered into the quiet of the archives. "And I'll come home just to eat a huge pizza…"
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Peter's footsteps echoed softly against the polished stone floors of the Jedi Temple as he made his way back to his quarters, his mind swirling with thoughts of his time in the archives. And just as he reached the door to his room, intent on catching a few hours of sleep before his nightly rendezvous with Revan, the data pad buzzed with an incoming message.
Blinking away the residual images of star maps, schematics, and walls of text, Peter glanced at the screen to find a message from Mace Windu, summoning him to the council chamber immediately. A surge of curiosity coursed through him. What could be so important that it couldn't wait until morning?
Upon entering the council room, Peter was met by the imposing figures of Windu and Yoda, both of whom regarded him with expressions that were inscrutable yet somehow reassuring. "You wanted to see me, Masters?" Peter asked, trying to keep his voice steady.
"Yes, Peter," Windu replied, his tone serious. "The Senate has tasked us with a mission of great importance, and you are to accompany me."
Peter's heart skipped a beat. His first mission. The opportunity to leave the Temple and put his training into action was something he had been eagerly anticipating. "A mission? What kind of mission?" he asked, his eagerness barely contained.
Yoda leaned on his cane, his eyes twinkling in the dim light. "Ambassadors, you and Master Windu will be, to the Kree and Nova Empires, hmm. End to conflict, the Republic has ordered. Peace, you must help negotiate."
Peter absorbed the information, a mix of excitement and nervousness bubbling within him. The Kree/Nova war was a conflict he had read about, and even slightly recalled from his MCU knowledge.
"Think you are ready, do you?" Yoda asked.
"Don't worry, I'm ready," he affirmed, nodding his head resolutely.
Windu placed a hand on Peter's shoulder. "Prepare yourself. We've already scheduled meetings with both sides of the war, so we'll be leaving within the hour."
As Peter turned to leave, a thought struck him. 'Should I bring my Walkman?' he asked himself before ultimately deciding to take it. After all, it's not like he has to hide it from Windu.
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Under the shadow of an unfeeling universe, a 12-year-old Nebula lay in her dimly lit bedroom, her body wracked with pain from the latest mechanical enhancements forcibly grafted onto her. Each surgery, a grim reminder of her failures, and tonight's operation left her with a left hand that was no longer flesh and blood but cold, unyielding metal.
As tears stained her cheeks, the harsh reality of her existence under Thanos's rule bore down on her—a supposed daughter to a monster, bound not by love but by relentless cruelty and ambition.
In the depths of her despair, Nebula reached a breaking point. The thought of enduring another moment under Thanos's tyranny, another surgery, another defeat, was unbearable.
With a newfound resolve, she decided to escape, to find a semblance of freedom in the vastness of space, away from the endless cycle of pain and humiliation.
Moving quietly, she gathered what little belongings she could call her own. As she prepared to leave, a moment of hesitation washed over her.
Gamora's room loomed ahead, a constant reminder of their complicated relationship—rivalry infused with a deep, unspoken longing for sisterhood. Despite everything, Nebula couldn't leave without offering Gamora a chance to flee with her.
Knocking softly on Gamora's door, hope flickered within her. Seconds later, the door creaked open, and Gamora's figure appeared, her expression quickly souring upon seeing Nebula.
Nebula's heart sank as Gamora's dismissive words cut through her, "Go away. I'm trying to sleep." No understanding, no compassion, just the same rejection Nebula had come to expect.
The door slammed shut, leaving Nebula alone in the corridor. The pain of rejection stung, but it solidified her resolve. There was no turning back now.
With silent tears drying on her cheeks, she made her way to the hangar. The absence of Thanos and his forces, off to spread more terror on some distant world, played to her advantage.
Slipping into a small ship, barely noticed among the fleet, Nebula initiated the launch sequence. As the engines roared to life, she cast one last glance at the only home she'd ever known, now a prison she was leaving behind.
With the stars as her witness, Nebula shot off into the night, leaving behind the agony and chains of her past, venturing into the unknown with nothing but a flicker of hope for a new beginning.
A/N: 2006 words :)