Star Wars: Tales of the Hunter

The path to Ponyville was not dangerous. It was filled with small town aesthetics that no one would usually care about. For Hunter however, it was a different case. A lot of those things that would make anyone smile went over his head, as he examined the town. That tower right there would give a sniper perfect cover. That building had a poor structure, making it unsuitable as a base of operations. It wasn’t his fault, it was in his programming. In my programming… It was sad for Hunter to think of it like that sometimes.

“So where do Jedi fit in the war?” Hunter looked at the young filly he was escorting. Dinky had questions all night, but decided to pace herself. Hunter looked back at the road.

“In peace time, they serve as mediators and protectors. In the war, they’re generals and commanders.” Hunter looked up at the sky. “All Clones follow the Jedi without question. The only higher authority is the Supreme Chancellor of the Republic.” Dinky nodded.

“So they’re like the guards in town, but also like the mages in Canterlot.” Dinky smiled with satisfaction. “Can you tell me more about the Jedi?”

“Don’t know much, kid.” Hunter reached for his belt and pulled out a tablet. “Here.” Hunter gave the tablet to Dinky, who grabbed it with her magic. “This popped out for you when you were on my ship.” Dinky gasped.

“This has all the information on the Jedi? Can I really have this?” Hunter nodded.

“The information is going to be made public anyway. And there isn’t any information in there that will really affect things.” Hunter smiled beneath his helmet. Dinky was driven, something he admired about her.

“Thank you, Mr. Hunter!” Dinky hugged Hunter’s leg. He shook it a little.

“Listen, it’s just Hunter. I already have one nickname. I don’t need another.” Dinky nodded.

“Okay, Hunter!” She let go of his leg and they continued along their journey. “So why were Clones made?”

“Clones were made to be combatants in the war. It also makes people much more supportive of a war where the young don’t have to go out and fight. All they have to do is pay taxes.” Hunter looked down at his rifle. A weapon made for this war time. He thought about how he was just like it. He sighed. There it was again, the fault in his programming. He saw the pointlessness of it all. Yet he must fight.

“Do you get time off?” Hunter snapped out of his self trance. Dinky was smiling, waiting for an answer.

“No. I’m a full time soldier. I fight.” Dinky tilted her head.

“I read in history class about wars our soldiers fought in, and even they would get-” Dinky tapped her chin. “What did they call it? ‘Shore Leave?’” Hunter nodded, which made Dinky smile. “So why don’t you get leave?”

“I’m a soldier. It’s my life to serve the Republic. That’s who I am.” Hunter looked away. He felt sad saying that. Dinky wouldn’t know.

“Don’t the Jedi have a say in that? They respect all life.”

“They may have a lot of power, but even they can’t outrule what the Republic wants or needs. They need soldiers to fight.” Hunter knew of the opinions of some Jedi. That the Clones are no different than droids. But they were very few. Some Jedi left the order in protest of the Clones. And most Jedi viewed them as brothers and allies. It was a nice thought.

“I guess. Oh!” Dinky exclaimed. “We’re here!” The house was exactly what you’d expect to see in a town like this. Not extravagant or fancy. But not run down and dirty. It was a simple home. Hunter and Dinky walked up the path to the door. Dinky turned around and shushed Hunter. “I don’t want to wake my Mom up. If she did-” The door opened.

“If she did, she’d be very unhappy.” Dinky and Hunter looked at the fluttering grey pony with crossed eyes. She looked angry.

“Uh oh.” Dinky’s head hung low. Ditsy flew down and hugged her daughter.

“Don’t do that again. Okay? I was about to go out with your sister to look for you.” Ditsy looked up at Hunter. She smiled. “Thank you for bringing her back, Mr. Alien.” Hunter smiled. Even for a soldier, it was nice to see a moment like this.

“No problem at all, ma’am. She’s a very good girl.” Hunter turned and walked away from the house.

“Hunter!” Dinky cried out. “Can I see your ship some more?” Hunter turned around.

“You can’t go inside the ship, kid. But you could visit-” Hunter looked at Dinky’s Mom. “With your mother’s permission.” Ditsy nodded.

“We’ll talk about it more in the morning, Dinky. For now, get to bed.” Dinky smiled and yawned.

“Okay, Mom.” Dinky walked inside. Ditsy waved at Hunter.

“I’m Ditsy by the way, Hunter. Ditsy Do!” Hunter chuckled a little and waved back. They were close enough that they didn’t need to wave, but the gesture was nice.

“It was nice to meet you, ma’am. Have a good night.” Ditsy smiled and closed the door. Hunter shook his head, and headed towards the library. Inside the house, Disty was putting Dinky to bed.

“It was so awesome, Mom! There’s so much out there! I can’t wait to find out more!” Ditsy smiled.

“I’m sure you can’t. But even the greatest mysteries were solved with a little sleep.” Ditsy gave Dinky a small kiss on the forehead. “Good night, my little muffin.” Ditsy smiled and left the room, leaving the door a little open to let light pour in. Dinky, making sure her Mom was gone, pulled out the tablet.

“Tablet: Tell me more about, the Force...” The tablet blinked into life once ago.

“WOULD YOU LIKE TO HEAR AN AUDIO PLAYBACK OF A JEDI MASTER’S DEFINITION?” Dinky nodded.

“That’d be even better!”

“AUDIO FILE OF: ‘MASTER PLO KOON.’ PLAYING NOW.”

“The Force is a great mystery,” the voice was deep and muffled, but Dinky could hear a hint of kindness in his voice. “While scientists have been able to find the cell in the body that the Force acts through, we know very little about the phenomena itself.” Dinky laid her head on her pillow, listening to a new teacher. “What we do know, is that all living creatures, big and small, feel the Force in one form or another. A Jedi’s skill and power flows from the Force.”

Dinky frowned. Did the Force control her? Was everything that was ever done through the will of the Force? “The Force may partially control one’s actions, but one could also command it.” Dinky smiled. Many questions that she had in life were being answered. Her destiny was her own, and nothing was set in stone. Everything, even the future, was in flux. She closed eyes, starting to dote off, the words of Master Plo Koon seeing her off.

“With the power of the Force, a Jedi uses it for defense, never for selfish action. A Jedi is a guardian for the Republic, a champion of Justice…”

!!!!!

Dinky found herself aboard a pirate ship. The deck was filled with the worst scum Equestria had ever known. They had encircled her. She looked around rather calmly. She looked up towards the bridge and saw the leader of this band of villains. This pirate captain had a hostage.

“Surrender, Jedi! Or the Princess gets it!” The pirate captain held a cutless to the neck of Celestia.

“Master Dinky!” Celestia cried. “Please save me!” Dinky gave a smirk to the pirate band before her, and winked to Celestia. Words echoed in her ears.

The only physical weapon a Jedi uses, is a lightsaber. A construct made of pure energy, fashioned into a blade… Dinky, wearing the robes of a Jedi, used her magic to unveil her holstered weapon. She smiled and unleashed it. Her lightsaber ignited into a blade of green energy. The pirates jumped back in fear. Celestia also looked frightened. Dinky thought she shouldn’t be. For she, was a Jedi. Dinky jumped into the air and used the Force to push all the enemies around her to the ground. She used her sword to cut through the foes before her. One after the other went down until she came before the pirate captain, who had his hooves in the air.

“No! Please! Don’t!” Dinky was about to strike the final blow.

“STOP!” Dinky held fast and turned toward the new voice. It was the Jedi who she had seen on the holocommunicator. He was quite short.

“Master Yoda!” Dinky exclaimed. “I was just taking care of this pirate! He was going to kill the Princess!” Yoda shook his head.

“Dinky, on the deck of ship you should look.” Dinky looked back at the enemies she had struck down. They were suffering. Limbs were cut off. Ponies were screaming sounds she had never heard, and Celestia was looking at Dinky with pure horror. Dinky shrank down and dropped her saber.

“No! I- I didn’t mean to-”

“Dinky. Felt your curiosity through the Force I did. Also felt your desires.” Dinky looked back at Yoda. “Fully understand being a Jedi, you do not.” Yoda, with cane in hand, hobbled over to Dinky and patted her on the head. “But understand it, you can.” Yoda placed his other hand on his cane. “Communicate with you I can, since you are the creature on your planet, fully ready to believe in the Force.” Dinky blinked.

“But we have a huge population of Force Users, why wouldn’t they be able to see you?” Yoda hummed.

“Many good points have you brought up. Refer to the Force, as Magic, you do not. Interesting fact, is it not?” Dinky thought about what Yoda said. She did refer to her own people as Force Users. Not Unicorns, not Magic Users. She referred to it as an outsider would. Was it to be nice? Pleasantries weren’t on her mind.

“Why would I say that?” Dinky asked.

“More in tune with the Force are you. Have that gift, most do not.” Yoda changed the scenery to the Everfree Forest. “Feel it for what it actually is you do. In tune with other Force Users, you are.”

“Is that why you’re able to contact me in such a way?”

“Yes. With the Princesses, I cannot make contact.” Yoda smiled. “But with you, I can.” He touched a tree and closed his eyes. “The Force flows clearly on this planet. You feel it, do you not?” Yoda looked at the sky. “Arrive when I’m able to, I will. When the time comes, you will be tested.” Dinky shook her head.

“But- but I hurt those ponies. I caused so much pain!” Dinky was on the verge of tears, but she was stopped by Yoda.

“A lesson you learned. A Jedi does not harm unless necessary. More weapons than just a saber, a weapon you are not ready for.” Yoda created a doorway of light. “You will know when to build your weapon. Train in the ways of the Force. Learn the ways of the Jedi.” Yoda hobbled through the door and disappeared, leaving Dinky alone. She sniffled but words from the tablet began to form in her head.

A Jedi can receive clarity of the Force through meditation. Such times can lead to enlightenment. Dinky sat down and began to think. She thought and thought and thought. Images of her doing different things sank into her. Often look at the actions of others to see how the Force flows. Patience in training, is one of the most difficult things to master. Dinky breathed deeply, thinking about everything she’ll need to try- to do from now on. One must always stay vigilant, for the Dark Side is ever present...

Meanwhile, in another part of the galaxy, a Jedi awoke from a deep meditation. He smiled to spoke to himself.

“Begin the path of the Jedi, another has.”