Attack on Trymant IV

The Elders of the Path was a religious sect which believed that living beings should not sense or use the Force. Best friends Zeen Mrala and Krix Kamerat were acolytes since childhood of one commune of the sect which moved around for the first ten years of Mrala's life, before coming to live in Bralanak City on the Outer Rim Territories planet Trymant IV. Mrala, however, was Force-sensitive. Terrified of her abilities due to the Elders' teachings, she attempted to suppress them, hoping to keep them secret from everyone, especially Kamerat. At some point during their childhoods, Mrala lied to Kamerat about having Force powers.

During the High Republic Era, in 232 BBY, the pirate organization known as the Nihil was growing in notoriety across the Outer Rim. A major part of their infamy was their ability to suddenly appear and disappear through the use of the Paths, secret hyperspace routes provided by the Eye of the Nihil, Marchion Ro. This knowledge allowed Ro to covertly orchestrate an attack which became known as the Great Hyperspace Disaster: the destruction of the freighter Legacy Run in hyperspace, which subsequently resulted in random Emergences across the Outer Rim which crippled hyperspace travel. Ro desired vengeance against the Galactic Republic and Jedi Order for something that had happened to his ancestors.

Eventually, the Trymant system was threatened by an Emergence. The staff of Republic Security Zone Monitoring Satellite 777B-Alpha, in orbit around Trymant IV, reported the incident to the Starlight Beacon space station. However, the only Republic or Jedi ship immediately within range was the Padawan Academic Cruiser Star Hopper, onboard which a class of Padawans was training in the Force under the instruction of Grand Master Yoda and Jedi Master Torban Buck. Nevertheless, the cruiser diverted to assist.

Amid the chaos of the Emergence, a Spider Cruiser commanded by Ro arrived in Bralanak City to pick up Tromak, an Elder of the Path whom Ro wanted the services of to find some information. The starship's arrival at the meeting house was witnessed by Mrala and Kamerat, who had been attempting to find the Elders due to the crisis. However, the pirates would not let the acolytes aboard their ship. Mrala and Kamerat were nearly killed by the pirates before Tromak spoke up in their defence, although the pirates had been ordered to only collect him.

In the middle of the dispute, a group of Padawans led by Lula Talisola arrived. Talisola and her friends Farzala Tarabal, Qort, and Bibs had been assisting civilians. They had seen the Spider Cruiser and considered that it would be a large enough ship to use for an evacuation. Talisola requested that the pirates allow their ship to be used for that purpose. The Nihil refused, instead suggesting the Padawans should have "asked nicely" before opening fire on them, who deflected the shots with their lightsabers as Mrala and Kamerat dove for cover. Both of them were shocked to see actual Jedi, and Mrala, recalling that she had heard that the Jedi used their powers to help people, began to think that she could be like them.

After routing the first wave, Talisola retorted that she had been asking nicely before she and her friends declared their intention to take the ship. As the apprentices charged in to fight the pirates, Mrala and Talisola both sensed a large piece of debris hurtling towards their position. The two girls, although strangers to each other, moved in unison, Talisola repelling the pirates while Mrala leapt out from cover and used telekinesis on the debris. The other Padawans were shocked, but Talisola quickly stepped in and helped Mrala with the debris, reassuring her the Jedi had her back. Kamerat, however, was shocked, asking how Mrala could have done that before screaming that she had lied to him as Tromak pulled him away. As the Nihil surrounded the Padawans and Mrala, Ro emerged from the Spider Cruiser and, noting that the Jedi were exactly where he wanted them, ordered their execution.

The pirates demanded that the Padawans and Mrala give up, and Talisola, in response to Tarabal asking what they were going to do, declared they must fight. Mrala, meanwhile, had lost track of Kamerat's location and was looking for her friend. The assembled Nihil prepared to crush the "tiny Jedi" only for Masters Yoda and Buck to arrive to assist the apprentices. The Jedi and Mrala charged into battle against the pirates. High above, at the entry ramp of the Spider Cruiser, Kamerat grew uncertain about whether he had actually seen Mrala use the Force. Ro coldly interrupted and stated they had all seen clear proof of Mrala's Force-sensitivity, reminding Kamerat and Tromak of their sect's strict rules against it and stating that he intended to leave Kamerat behind if the boy continued to defend his friend. Tromak insisted that it was imperative Kamerat be brought along, as without the help of his "assistant" he would not be able to do what Ro requested of him, and that Mrala meant nothing to Kamerat anyways.

Mrala spotted Kamerat at the base of the ship and asked the Masters for help as he had apparently been captured by the Nihil, although she realized that Tromak was likely siding with the pirates. Talisola backed her up, noting that the Jedi had a responsibility to help her because she had helped them by using the Force, and offered to rescue Kamerat herself. Yoda overruled her and said he would do it himself, ordering Buck to get the Padawans to safety. The Chagrian was concerned as he was a Jedi healer, not a fighter, but their conversation was interrupted by a warning from Tarabal as a Gigoran pirate hurled a projectile in their direction. Yoda quickly destroyed the projectile, and asked Mrala if he could borrow her pet cru, Cham Cham. She was surprised but agreed, asking him to be careful with the creature. Talisola assured Buck that the Jedi could handle the situation, and he hoped she was right.

Ro recognized Yoda as the diminutive Grand Master approached his cruiser and, recognizing the threat he posed, immediately made to leave. Boarding the cruiser, he gave orders for the forward team to push their assault and that it was time to get offworld as they had what they needed. He also ordered that Yoda be watched because he could ruin their plans. When Ro ordered Tromak to come with him, the Gran insisted that Kamerat had to come along as well. At the same time, the pirate Zagyar reported that Yoda had vanished, and Ro stated that if Kamerat was going to stay, he could make himself useful by finding Yoda. The Grand Master, who had snuck onboard the ship, overheard the conversation and Kamerat agreeing to the task. During Kamerat's search, Yoda revealed himself to the boy and told him that he had been sent by Mrala to get him, showing Cham Cham as proof. He gave Kamerat a holoprojector and told him that he would give Mrala the responder, advising him to contact her when he was ready. Kamerat was incredulous, however, as he was hurt that Mrala had lied to him.

In the streets of Bralanak City, Buck, the Padawans and Mrala fought their way through hordes of pirates. As Mrala used Force pushes while fighting alongside Tarabal and Talisola, the Zygerrian Padawan asked his friend how they were doing. Talisola responded that Mrala was a natural. Mrala was flattered, but Tarabal then spotted that Master Buck was in trouble. Talisola rallied the Padawans to come to Buck's aid, driving the pirates back. Just then, Buck exclaimed that they had been saved, as a Republic rescue fleet had arrived as backup.

Onboard the Spider Cruiser, a conflicted Kamerat raised the alarm about Yoda's presence, and the Grand Master retreated while grumbling about the boy's stubbornness. While the pirates mobilized in search, Yoda discovered a secret hidden onboard the ship and opened a crate to find a purple-glowing object inside it. He was surprised by it, but had to leave it behind as he intended to escape quietly, since there were too many pirates. However, Cham Cham foiled the plan by going on the attack, to Yoda's exasperation. The two were able to successfully escape, however, sending half of the crew to the medical bay in the process. During their escape, Cham Cham ate the fingers of several pirates, and might have eaten one Nihil's entire arm. Yoda merely sustained some tears to his robes.

In the city, as Republic ships began landing, the Padawans were questioning Master Buck about his nickname when they saw the Spider Cruiser take off, prompting concern from Talisola as Yoda and Cham Cham were apparently still onboard. As Buck reassured them the ship wouldn't get far as the Republic was setting up a blockade, Yoda arrived and stated that the ship had to be stopped, to the group's surprise. Mrala was shocked at the state of her pet, but Yoda reassured her that her cru was very well-fed and told her what Cham Cham had done. The Grand Master told the girl that it was imperative she accompany the Jedi to the Starlight Beacon, and she asked him why he had not rescued Kamerat. As Talisola comforted her, Yoda told Mrala that he could only rescue those who wanted to be saved.

The Spider Cruiser encountered the blockade, which included a medical frigate and nine Jedi Vectors, as it flew away from Trymant IV. The cruiser's pilot reported the shields had been raised and the starboard cannons were fully charged, even though the starfighters were approaching from the port side. As Kamerat looked on in complete shock, Ro ordered the medical frigate targeted with a full-power blast. The shot destroyed one Vector and inflicted significant damage to the frigate, which allowed the Spider Cruiser to slip past and escape into hyperspace.

Mrala was upset about the loss of her oldest friend, but admitted to Talisola that she likely would have had to leave the Elders of the Path eventually because they never would have accepted her as she truly was. The Mikkian girl travelled to the Starlight Beacon with the Jedi aboard the Star Hopper.

Kamerat, meanwhile, was in mental turmoil over what had occurred, as he was deeply hurt by the revelation that Mrala had lied to him, compounded by the beliefs of the Elders. He lied to Ro and Tromak that Mrala meant nothing to him.

• Star Wars: The High Republic: Chronicles of the Jedi