"Spider what?"
I studied her more carefully. Why would someone dress like that? A tribal marking? A local custom? A lunatic?
Definitely not a threat.
I turned my head, dismissing her. That's when I felt it, a shift in air pressure. A surge of anger.
The roar came next.
The Lizard rose from the rubble with savage fury. His eyes locked onto me like blades.
He charged like a beast, ignoring everything else. His massive body lunged across the asphalt, tail sweeping cars aside, claws extended.
He was coming straight for me.
I moved instantly. I slid one foot back, pivoted fluidly, dodged his strike by mere centimeters, his claw slicing past my face without touching me. I didn't waste the momentum. I countered with my saber. A streak of blue light cut through the air, carving a deep wound across his scaled back. Dense, dark vapor hissed from the gash.
His roar was ear-splitting.
A faint smile tugged at my lips.
The girl in the suit managed to react, awkwardly.
"Whoa!" she shouted, leaping sideways clumsily, landing on her back and rolling across the pavement. She scrambled to her feet, dusting herself off. "Okay, okay, this is way more intense than alley training!"
I couldn't help glancing at her, raising an eyebrow.
"Your speed is decent," I commented neutrally, though slightly impressed. "But you lack experience. And proper training."
"What?! You look my age! What experience are you talking about?" she shot back indignantly.
I shook my head. "I've trained for nine years as a Padawan. I received the most elite instruction in the galaxy, completed numerous real missions, and my master is the great Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi."
"Padawan? Obi-what? Galaxy?" she said, confused.
I sighed.
A very primitive planet. How did I end up here?
Another roar cut off my thoughts.
The Lizard, back bleeding and fury overflowing, charged again, more violently than before. No calculation this time. Just rage.
"Well… time to end this," I muttered.
I inhaled deeply and propelled myself forward, toward him.
At the last second, I leapt with the Force, rising over his head. My blade sliced down his back again, leaving several clean cuts along his spine that made him howl in pain and fury.
But I wasn't done.
Still airborne, I pushed upward again, higher, spinning midair. I extended my arm, palm open toward him.
The Force gathered in my hand like an invisible, crushing pressure.
"Down, lizard," I said firmly.
And I released it.
The air trembled.
The Lizard was slammed into the ground with brutal force, as if a mountain had fallen on him. The asphalt shattered beneath his body in an explosion of dust and concrete, as though struck by an invisible train.
He lay embedded in the pavement, twitching weakly, until his body finally went limp.
Unconscious.
I descended gently.
I approached cautiously, saber still ignited, glowing blue with its steady hum.
And then I saw it.
His skin began to change.
The scales dissolved slowly, as if melting. His form shrank. His claws vanished. His snout retracted.
Within seconds, the monster gave way to an injured, naked man.
I frowned, lowering my blade slightly, but not deactivating it yet.
I studied his face. Human. Weak. One limb missing.
I have to admit, it's the first time I've seen a human transform into a four-meter lizard.
The hum of my saber vibrated in my ears. Ready to finish what remained.
But I didn't.
I deactivated it with a subtle motion.
Click.
And clipped it back onto my belt.
Jedi do not kill defeated enemies. In fact, the rule is not to kill at all, unless it is absolutely necessary and there is no other option.
My gaze lingered on the unconscious man for a moment longer…
Then I heard footsteps behind me. And a voice.
"Wow… you're definitely not a cosplayer. That midair spin was insane!"
I turned.
The spider-girl stood there, arms slightly open, covered in dust, her tone a mix of sarcasm, and admiration.
That word again.
Cosplayer.
Why did they keep saying that?
I was about to ask what it meant when we both heard it: Sirens.
Many of them.
Distant at first, then closer. Several. Police cars. Ambulances.
What caught my attention most were the vehicles in the sky.
I looked up instinctively and finally, I saw them.
Flying vehicles.
Not ships like those of the Republic, of course. These were crude. Heavy. Questionably designed. Slow, but airborne.
One had red and blue lights flashing. Another bore a symbol I didn't recognize, with a camera pointed downward.
Surveillance vehicles? Military? Civilian transport?
I wasn't sure. But they were heading straight for us.
The girl who called herself Spider-Woman saw them too, and I noticed her body tense immediately.
"Great…" she muttered. "The cops. And the news."
I turned toward her. "What's the issue? Is that a problem?"
"Mm… yeah, kind of. The police don't exactly have the best opinion of me," she replied.
Without adding anything else, she fired a web at a nearby building. "Nice meeting you, Padawan, or whatever you are. Don't let them throw you in a cell!"
And she vanished between the buildings, swinging along cables with impressive agility.
I watched her carefully as she disappeared.
And then it clicked.
Spider. Spider-Woman. Of course.
On many planets, I've encountered spiders. Some enormous. Some with extremely potent venom.
But one word echoed in my mind.
Cell?
I frowned.
Why would they put me in a cell?
I hadn't done anything wrong. I hadn't attacked civilians. I hadn't caused the initial damage. In fact, I protected lives. I acted as a Jedi.
They should be thanking me. Respecting me.
I looked up.
The first helicopter was descending quickly, and a powerful white spotlight snapped on, aiming directly at me.
And then I remembered something crucial.
No one here knows what a Jedi is.
No one knows what a Padawan is.
No one knows the Order. The Force. The Republic.
My expression hardened. This could be more problematic than I thought.
The roar of engines made me turn my head. Several vehicles, what appeared to be this planet's militia, were speeding toward the scene, surrounding the area from multiple angles. Within seconds, I was encircled by at least five patrol cars that screeched to a violent stop.
Doors flew open immediately.
Armed officers stepped out quickly, shields raised and weapons aimed straight at me. One of them, a tall, broad man with a badge hanging from his neck and an authoritative voice, stepped forward.
"You! Put your hands where I can see them! On your knees, now!"
What?
Above us, another helicopter circled farther out. This one wasn't militia, it had a different logo and a mounted camera. Through loudspeakers, a reporter spoke live:
"We're at the epicenter of what appears to be a confrontation between an unidentified monster and an unknown individual dressed in unusual attire… Sources indicate that Spider-Woman was also involved, but there is currently no sign of her."
The camera pointed directly at me.
All eyes were on me.
The crater at my feet. The dust. The unconscious man.
All misinterpreted.
I frowned even deeper. A mixture of frustration and indignation tightened in my chest.
What kind of planet is this?
I saved lives. I defeated a creature that couldn't control itself. On any civilized world, they'd be thanking me. Applauding me. Recognizing me as a protector.
But here, they aimed at me like a criminal.
I clenched my fists. I felt the Force vibrate around me, responding to my tension. The air seemed to grow heavier for a moment.
"You're making a mistake…" I said, my voice serious and tight.
The commanding officer's face hardened further, jaw clenched, eyes filled with distrust, as he raised his weapon higher.
"Last warning! On your knees!"
Ridiculous.
I took a step forward.
The air thickened. The Force churned around me like a restless sea.
And then, acting on pure instinct, one of the younger officers pulled the trigger.
Bang.
The shot cracked through the air like a heartbeat.
But I had already moved. With the slightest tilt of my head, the bullet passed close to my cheek.
My brow furrowed sharply. A vein pulsed at my temple, echoing my rising anger.
"Did you just fire at a Jedi…?" I murmured, dangerously.
I slowly extended my hand, fingers spread.
And in that instant, every weapon was torn from the officers' hands, one by one, as if an invisible force had ripped them away.
They flew through the air in a metallic whirlwind, spinning with sharp clatters, before stopping, suspended around me in midair, held aloft by the Force.
The officers staggered back in fear. Some tripped. Others simply trembled.
I remained still.
Watching.
Their faces. The fear. The confusion. The sweat.
They don't know who I am. They don't know what a Jedi is. What we represent. What we protect. They don't know the Order.
I exhaled slowly through my nose, closing my eyes for a brief moment.
They're civilized humans with limited technology, doing what they believe is right in the face of the unknown.
It isn't hatred. It's ignorance.
I remembered my training with my Master: peace, calm and control.
I've been on planets where we were greeted with spears, shouting, and fear. Even alongside Obi-Wan, we encountered savage tribes, beings who barely understood the concept of space travel or structured language. Primitive species, without technology, without political structure, without contact with the outside galaxy.
And even then we understood them. We didn't judge them. They were simply beings who could not comprehend us.
But these humans they are different.
Their technology is cruder, yes, but functional. Their city is vast, with strange vehicles, communication systems. They are intelligent, organized, with a defined culture. They are not barbarians. Not a primitive species.
And yet they don't know what a Jedi is. Or the Force. Or recognize a lightsaber when it's ignited right in front of them.
That unsettled me and irritated me.
Because if they are advanced enough, then they should know.
'What kriffing planet did I end up on?'
...
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