JEDI HoloNet

Ina’eo’nekri’s memories centered around his journeys with his mother. She rarely mentioned his father, deliberately leaving out his name whenever the topic arose. As a result, the young boy’s inquiries about his father gradually transformed into innocent questions. “Why do we have to leave?” “Why can’t we stay here?” “Where are we going now?” In response, Ina’ylee’nekri, his mother, would provide partial explanations, offering glimpses of the truth behind their constant movement and activities. “It’s an adventure, our very own adventure,” she would say, planting a gentle kiss on his forehead. These moments would temporarily satisfy the boy’s curiosity. He grew accustomed to their nomadic lifestyle, embracing the unpredictable journeys, and even received a commlink from his mother, instructing him to alert her whenever he “felt something.”

Despite recognizing her son’s “gifted” abilities, Ina’ylee’nekri didn’t hesitate to exploit them for their benefit. She would assign him the role of a lookout while she and her crew searched for valuable treasures. In case he felt uneasy, the child was instructed to press a specific button on the commlink, though this happened only on rare occasions. Whenever he did, his mother would rush to his side, embracing him tightly before swiftly taking them back to their ship to escape to another planet. Most of the time, they would retrieve large containers and load them onto the ship, only to transport and deposit them elsewhere.

As time went by, their thrilling escapades led Ina’ylee’nekri and her son to settle on Nar Shaddaa, a stark contrast to their previous nomadic life among ships and stars. They now had a small home, offering a different kind of adventure. Ina’ylee’nekri referred to it as a game of hide and seek. “You see, I receive a contract from my boss, and on that contract is a person who is hiding and knows the location of the treasure. If I find that person, I get to discover the hidden treasure,” she explained to her now four-year-old son, Ina’eo’nekri. He quickly realized that his mother excelled at this new adventure game compared to their previous endeavors.

While his mother worked, Ina’eo’nekri would spend his time at her friend’s house, engrossed in reading and learning how to draw. Although he wasn’t particularly skilled in either, these activities served as distractions from worrying about his mother and helped pass the time. Before long, the Chiss mother and son found themselves moving into a slightly larger home, complete with a security system. At times, Ina’eo’nekri was left to stay by himself in the house while his mother was away.

One evening, as Ina’eo’nekri observed his mother preparing to leave, a strong urge compelled him to make her stay at home. He desperately tried to show her what he had drawn, the new word he had learned, anything that would keep her by his side. That night felt different from all the others; it reminded him of the anticipation he felt during their previous adventures. However, this time, he didn’t have a commlink to signal her to come running.

“Mama, can you please stay home? I want to read to you,” he pleaded. “Look at what I drew today. I want to improve so I can draw a picture of you because you’re so beautiful!” Ina’eo’nekri attempted everything he could think of, even claiming that he didn’t feel well and might be getting sick. But nothing seemed to work. It was as if nothing could deter his mother from leaving that night. She would momentarily appease the boy, offering a smile and a kiss on his forehead, ruffling his hair before departing.

Ina’eo’nekri sat in a state of restless anticipation, his eyes fixed on the door, waiting for his mother to return. When she finally arrived, tears streamed down her face. Sniffling, she simply said, “Come, let’s pack,” as she walked towards him. The child began to gather their belongings, following the routine they had done so many times before. However, this time, his mother stopped him from packing anything other than his items. Sensing something was amiss, Ina’eo’nekri mustered the courage to ask, “Something’s wrong, isn’t there, mother?”

Ina’lyee’nekri tried to hold back her emotions, struggling to find the right words, while a cloaked figure stood within their home. The child’s anxiety grew, his heart pleading for answers, for his mother to stop crying. “You… you have a gift, my love. I don’t understand it, but I know that you have a gift, and you don’t deserve a life here with this lot,” she managed to say, closing his bag. “I want you to have a better life than this.” Tears streamed down her cheeks as she held his face in her hands, pressing her forehead against his after showering it with kisses. She slipped his arms into the straps of his bag and turned him towards the cloaked figure. “You will have to go with her, okay?”

Ina’eo’nekri’s eyes welled up with tears as he felt like he was being taken away from his mother by this stranger. It felt as if she was giving him away. The teary-eyed child looked at his mother, then to the robed woman standing in their doorway. Though the woman didn’t seem dangerous, the circumstances deeply disturbed him. The cloaked woman approached Ina’eo’nekri, kneeling softly and smiling at him from beneath her robe. Extending her hand towards him, a mild wave of calm washed over him as he looked at her outstretched hand. He glanced at his mother, who simply smiled and nodded, reassuring him to be strong and not to worry about her. Ina’eo’nekri decided to give his mother one last tight hug before she gently guided him towards the door, into the hands of his new caregiver.

As they stepped outside, the boy stared at his mother, trying to etch her face into his memory. “Your mother and I agreed that it would be best if you came with me, to a place where you can learn more about your gift, with others like you,” the hooded woman explained with a soothing smile. “But we must go quickly. We don’t want to miss our ride.” Venturing through the bustling streets of Nar Shaddaa, sticking to the shadows of alleyways, Ina’eo’nekri clung tightly to the woman’s hand as they hurried along. It was his first real adventure, a great escape from the life he had known.