Gui sat in his chamber, on the edge of his bed. His cybernetics were on full display as he sat there shirtless, his head between his hands as he was focused on a display case directly across from him. His heart sank every time he looked at it. Upon further inspection, one would see an Aurodium hair clip, a few strands of raven colored hair, and a piece of stone.

“Force be with me.” He whispered to himself as he stood from the bed and opened the case. He reached out with his organic left hand but paused before touching the first of the items. There were collectors throughout the Galaxy that were attached to their items. But there were few that collected trinkets for the reason that Gui did. A Kiffar, he was more attracted to the memories stored within, so to many, what he collected could be viewed as junk. To Gui, they were treasures.

Finally his fingers pressed against the hair clip and his eyelids slid shut.

“Hello my son,” He smiled a little bit, “I brought you a gift. It belonged to my father and his father before him.” His heart was heavy as he heard the voice of his father. The day he received the heirloom was the same day his father was gunned down in the streets of Menat Ombo. “Your of age now, take it. I'm so proud of you, what you've become, I love you.” Tears lingered in his eyes as his hand trailed to the lock of hair.

Soft, it smelled sweet. It still smelled like her. Like Oku flowers after the rain. He saw her porcelain skin and could feel her touch as her hand rested on his adolescent cheek. “My son, I know you've experienced a great loss. But this man, Liam, wants to give you a new life at the temple.” The tears rolled down his cheek. “You are destined for great things. You, my son. I can't go with you. This is your journey. But I will always be with you.” He saw her cut the hair from her head. “I will love you, always.”

It was almost too much to bear but He was always comforted by the happiness on their faces. The love in their eyes.

“The Force is with me.” He said again, his fingertips sweeping over to the stone.

He could hear laughter, the hums of lightsabers, the lessons from the old Masters. The grumpiness of Sa Ool was particularly recognizable as the Kel Dor was wary of humans but always seemed to motivate Gui whether it was his intention or not. “Kid, Kid, where are you, GUI!” A heavy Cathar accent caused him to flinch in the present as he heard his Master's voice. The Temple began to shake and crumble and fire broke out which caused him to open his eyes, his heavy breathing and the sound of his heart pounding in his ears reminded him of what he was fighting for. His family, for Odan-Urr. The Force.

He sank back onto his bed but at the door was a luxury droid he called Deeva.

“Master, forgive the intrusion, but the rest of the Council is waiting for you.”

“Thanks, D. Tell them I'm on my way.”

Haunting Melody

Wind whistled through the tall grasses of Batuu as a group of poachers gathered around a flickering flame. The glow from the control boards of cages twinkled in the night as the beasts inside rattled the doors, saddened and panicked by their capture. 

"This Braga bear will fetch a nice price on the market" One of the men laughed, kicking the cage. "Shut it in there!" 

The others laughed along but one was stoic and had a look of worry as he incessantly scanned the darkness.

"What'sa matter wiff you, eh?" 

"No-nothing, Gob." 

"Out with it, you should be happy we got all these critters. Think'a the piles of credits!"

"I can't think about that right now when my kind is elsewhere." He added

"Whaddaya mean, boyo?"

"I take it you've never heard the legend. The Ghost of the Plains, then?"

"Ghost of the plains." Gob laughed out loud. "That's rubbish, I ain't no kid!" 

"It's said that there's a phantom guarding the wilds of Batuu and they wi-""

"What was that?" Gob jumped as a ghostly whistle was seemingly carried on the wind. 

"Shh, listen, shut up and listen!" Gob smacked his rowdy companions on the shoulders and they all stopped, mouths agape. 

The whistle was a soft melancholy tone that cried throughout the grasslands. It came from one direction and when the group honed in on it, it came from another. Their heads were on swivels as they all stood up.

"Who's out there!!" Gob shouted, shaking his fist. "Come into this camp and I'll break your karkin' face you Gutter dwelling ho-" 

As Gob shouted profanities and threats, he was instantly cut off as a flask sitting on a stump next to him leapt straight up before a loud crack rumbled through the Plains. The four men jumped, two of them slipped behind Spires for cover and drew their blasters.

"Come out ya coward!" Gob pointed into the direction of the last whistle but when he did. His kneecap exploded with red mist and he buckled to the ground. There was another crack.

"Run!" one of the other three shouted, turning from the Spire to bolt into the darkness. Unwise. 

The Rodian entered a full sprint but it wasn't enough as  while he ran, a second later his chest cavity exploded and his lifeless body rolled into the grass. 

Gob spit from the agony and curled up behind a log as he tried applying pressure to his leg. 

"We have to get out of he-" Cried the second soul as he peeked out from the adjacent spire. "I'm gonna make a run for it Gob!" 

"No stay where you ar-" 

Crack, another round sliced through the veil, striking the man between the eyes. 

"Idiots!" Gob shouted, grabbing the storyteller by the arm. "we move and we're dead!" 

All was quiet except for that damned tune that haunted them. A whistle where death soon followed.

"Fight like a man!" Gob shouted and cursed some more, huffing and puffing in pain as he peaked out from cover. He saw nothing and time seemed to slow as the anxiety reached sickening levels of worry. 

"I-is it gone?!" 

"I-I don't know, I can't see anything!" The flames grew higher behind them and the yellow eyes of the bear in the cage never left the poachers, its snout sniffing the blood in the air. 

Just then, the lock on the cage exploded and sparks sprinkled the grass prior to another resounding gun shot. The cage door slid open and Gob and his storyteller quickly shifted focus. They reached for their guns but it was too late as the bear charged. 

—------

"Whats done is done, Cisco." A rugged man wearing a wide brimmed hat and duster leaned in and rested his head against the head of his Orbak as he patted its thick fur and slid his cycler rifle into the saddle holster. He pulled himself up to mount his trusted friend and gave a "Yip!" that made the Orbak spin and jaunt forward. The screams in the distance died down at the sound of a roaring bear and as Colton Kreed slipped into the darkness, what was left was a whistle.