Colloquially known as Outland Station, Outland Transit Station was a large outpost situated above a barren planetoid within the Outer Rim Territories.

The station itself is divided into districts attracting anyone from traders and mercenaries. It's key attraction, however, is the Fight Pit.

Legends say the bounty hunter Jango Fett once fought a borhek in this very arena. One might question how, given these arenas were used for bets on beasts fighting to maim and destroy each other from all over the galaxy.

The arena itself is circular in shape, large, especially for humanoids, and surrounded completely by an electrical fence that deliverers painful shocks to any who are unfortunate enough to touch it. The floor is flat and even, a blank slate for those competing.

Today, you are the main event for the evening. The crowd has gathered, bets have been made, and they cheer and jeer to see you win, or lose, depending on where their credits lay.

Will you be able to overcome your foe in whatever form it may be? Or will you crumble like so many before you? The crowd at least hopes it will be entertaining.

Uka, though she would not openly admit it, had spent as much time as any other initiate in the Jedi Praxeum wondering what kind of Master she would ultimately be assigned to, and what her first mission would look like.

Somehow… this was not quite what she had imagined.

“Ladies and gentlemen, tonight we have two newcomers, hailing from parts unknown!” the tinny voice of an ill-repaired droid boomed out into the cavernous chamber, somehow cutting through the cries and cheers of hundreds of sentients crammed into the seats surrounding them. The bright lights and crackling electric field cast their audience into shadowy silhouettes, but Uka thought she could make out a number of the species that she had glimpsed amongst Quorahi bands, and countless more she could only guess at.

This was the young Padawan’s first time outside of the Vatali Empire and she was determined to handle it with the grace and dignity befitting a Sephi noble and a Jedi.

Someone in the crowd threw an empty bottle towards them, and it crashed into the electric fence, shattering into pieces that were blown back into the crowd. She did not flinch. Absolutely not.

“Going by the names ‘the Hothfather’ and ‘Pink Princess’, tonight they will face the champions of the ring!”

Uka resisted the urge to glare at her new ‘master.’ “Pink Princess?” she asked.

The man who had introduced himself as Edgar Drachen shot her a smirk, before turning to face their opponents.

“Sentients from across the galaxy, you know them! You love them! You fear them! It’s Bonesaw and Hearteater!”

Emerging on the opposite end of the arena was quite possibly the largest Trandoshan Uka had ever laid eyes upon; what made him truly frightening, however, was the numerous cybernetic implants that seemed to permeate his body, including a pair of saws attached to mechanical limbs emerging from his back.

In his shadow crouched a small, nimble-looking Rattatak female, holding a pair of serrated whips wrapped around her forearms.

Despite herself, Uka felt a twinge of nervousness in her heart. This was not the controlled training dojos of the Praxeum, nor was it the dingy allies of a Quorahi settlement where she had faced common criminals.

“What is our strategy, Master?” Uka asked, looking up at Edgar, searching his face for some reassurance.

“Patience,” he replied simply, his face a mask of stone-cold stoicism and unwavering confidence. When she shot him an incredulous look, he explained: “You can tell these two are eager to put on a show for the crowd. Let them come to us, and then I’ll show you how a master of the Force wins. Stay behind me, and wait until the moment to strike is right.”

“How will I know when the moment to strike is--”

Uka’s words were cut off by a bass roar mixed with mechanical static, as the cyber-Trandoshan known as “Bonesaw” screamed with barely contained bloodlust, before charging forward.

“Trust the Force,” Edgar said simply, igniting his lightsabers.

Bonesaw continued his frontal assault, growling and making a spectacle of himself, the Jedi Master took a deep breath and focused not on the incoming attacker but on the attacker he didn’t see. Taking almost a moment, he realized that the second transduction was trying to outflank them and was heading towards his padawan. “ Uka, to our left!” he screamed as he moved up to deflect the oncoming saw blades from Bonesaw.

Uka quickly turned toward Hearteater, igniting her saberstaff, and was able to enter a defensive stance before the mechanical attacker was able to attack. He stopped a few meters away and hissed, “ssthe Princess isss not afraid to fight? Good, let’s see how strong you are.”

Lunging ahead, he took a swing at the young Sephi, only for her to dodge the attack and reach out with the force to pick up and throw some loose stones at her assailant.

Meanwhile. Edgar and Bonesaw were locked in a stalemate, neither one getting the advantage over the other. They seemed to be surprisingly even matched as they bounced around the arena, taking swings that were either deflected or missed entirely. Edgar was using all the tricks he could, using the Force to pull objects into the cybertrandosian’s path and even was able to knock him down once or twice, easily angering Bonesaw.

Uka was not prepared for this; she thought her first training session would be in the temple or practicing her lightsaber forms with her new Master. She was hoping to impress him, but to be thrown into a real fight with real opponents, she was caught flat-footed to start, and in the midst of face-to-face combat. She didn’t like this she preferred to fight from a distance, and she knew she needed to create some separation between her and her opponent.

She noticed Edgar was having his own trouble, and he wasn’t able to help. She was able to get some quick separation from Hearteater and followed her master and dropping a nearby pillar on her foe using the force.

This gave her just enough time to take a look at her surroundings and find the best place she could control this fight. Quickly cloaking herself, she made her way up to a stable platform a few meters away. Once she was ready to re-engage, she noticed her opponent was up looking for her. Not seeing her looked over at Edgar, who revved his blade up and was preparing to rush over to help his companion.

Uka froze as she saw Hearteater going to join Bonesaw against her Master. It was plain to her eyes that Edgar was already struggling to hold his own against one opponent. Two would surely overwhelm him!

She had to do something, but what? None of her training had prepared her for a situation like this? She could feel her heart begin to palpitate, her cloak flickering as her concentration wavered.

Trust in the Force, a voice -- a memory? -- whispered in her mind. That had been what Edgar had told her, but how did that help now?

She took a breath, and tried to center herself; she had heartbeats to come to a decision.

There is no emotion, there is peace. There is no ignorance, there is knowledge. she repeated in her mind, letting the familiar words anchor her. Her fear did not vanish, but it did loosen its grip on her heart just a bit.

She stepped from the platform and rushed to join her Master; she placed herself between Hearteater and Edgar and let her cloak fall away before the surprised warrior’s eyes.

Hearteater had raised his serrated whips to lash out at Edgar, who was struggling to hold Bonesaw at bay, only to find them sliced to bits by the sudden flare of yellow blades of light.

She pushed down the fear she felt and took advantage of her opponent’s shock, stepping into his space and delivering an amplified kick to his ribs, sending him sailing backwards.

Half-focusing on his opponent, Edgar sensed for a moment his padawan’s fear turning into a calm focus, but before he could turn toward her, he was surprised to see the young sephi jump in front of the second assailant. Knocking him clear in the ribs.

From the first time he met this young Jedi, he knew there was an inner strength within her he was happy to see his plan was working. She was never truly tested before now. She was always in the safety of the temple and the Clan, but here in way outside of her comfort zone, Edgar knew she would find her true self.

Deep in thought, the Master stopped paying attention and caught a solid blow to the head from his opponent, staggering him and almost knocking him down. Uka must have seen this, since by the time Edgar cleared the cobwebs from his head, she had already cut off his sawblades and kicked him square in the jaw, knocking him out of the fight completely.

She turned toward her master, extinguishing her saberstaff, and started to come over to check on him when they both heard a fierce, wild, and almost primal scream. While Bonesaw was out of the fight, Hearteater wasn’t. In her haste to save her master, she didn’t finish him off and then forgot about him.

Uka froze at the scream, and in the face of the charging tandoshin, she fumbled for a second to get her saber staff ignited. It took only a second for her to be ready to fight again, but there was no need. At the same time and when she turned to face the incoming threat, Edgar was already on him with a flurry of attacks that ended the fight quickly.

As most of the crowd was stunned silent watching their favored champions lose, the rest either cheered them or cursed them based on how they placed their bets. Edgar waved and played up for the crowd for a little bit, then walked over to his apprentice.

“Nice work, Uka. You impressed me very much. I knew there was more to you than just the quiet, shy padawan in the temple. I am even happier to know that you can be counted on if I fight every breakout.”

The Padwan, still coming down from her adrenaline high, looked at her master half and, in an annoyed tone, she questioned, “So you endangered our lives as a test?!”

“Well, how else am I supposed to know if you can survive on your own if I can’t see you fight?, Look, the temple is a great place to learn, but if you can’t defend yourself, then you won’t be able to defend the people that need you the most when the time comes. You did great, and now let's go pick up our winnings and get out of here.”