Unsolved Mystery: Season 4, Episode 5

Jedi’s Test

Written by Justin W. Toner, Mina Skywalker, and Nekka Mallory

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Meanwhile, Justin Warren continued to search for Shelbs and the others. Justin was still a bit lightheaded, courtesy of the stun gun Jke'gad had used on him. He had been very careful not to be seen by Kromagg troops. As he came around the corner, and saw Shelbs running toward a Manta Ship with several Kromaggs right on her tail!

"That girl sure has guts," Justin said, and ran to help her.

Justin came up behind the Kromaggs, and with some well placed karate chops, they began to drop like flies. When the others realized what was going on they stopped and turned to face him. As Justin perpared to take them all on, two of the Kromaggs pulled out their lasers and fried their fellow troops!

Shelbs had stopped running and came over to join Justin. "Thanks, Justin, you sure have great timing; but what's going on?"

"I think we are about to find out," he replied as the two Kromaggs stepped forward.

One of them said, "Sorry, but we were trying to infiltrate the army, you blistering idiots!"

Shelbs immediately realized what had happened. "W.A.!" she said.

With that the two Kromaggs dissolved to reveal Lexie and W.A.

"Nice trick, guys," said Justin. "Do you do parties?"

"Very funny," said W.A. "We did it with my holographic emitter. Lexie came up with the idea of using it to infiltrate their ranks."

"Sorry if we scared you, Shelbs," said Lexie. "But it was necessary."

"That’s OK, guys," she replied. "Say, Justin, where is Mina? I thought she was with you."

Justin let out a deep sigh and said, "We were ambushed, I was knocked out, and the Kromaggs took Mina. By the time I came to, they had taken off."

"Oh, no!" said Shelbs. "How are we going to rescue her?"

Justin thought for a moment and looked at W.A.'s belt. "W.A., can that thing be able to create holograms for 4 people?"

W.A. pondered this and said, "With the proper tools, I could boost the power for 4 people. Why?"

Lexie looked at Justin and said, "You have a plan?"

"I do," Justin said. "We are going to become Kromaggs and sneak on board the mother ship."

"Brilliant, Mr. Warren!" said W.A. "I think I can get what I need on board the Manta Ship."

"Then let's get going!" said Lexie.

The two of them headed on board. As Shelbs began to follow, she noticed Justin still standing there.

"Justin?" she asks. "What's wrong?"

"It's my fault, Shelbs," he said. "It's my fault they captured her. I wasn't prepared. I should have known Jason and Alex would do something like this to get me."

Shelbs shook her head. "Don't beat yourself up; you can't be prepared for everything. Even people who use the Force can make mistakes. You are still a human being, Justin. Now come on; we have a rescue to make!"

Justin looked up at Shelbs and said, "You're right; let's get a move on!"

As they walked to the Manta Ship, Justin asked, "Are you sure you can fly this thing?"

"Yes" she replied. "But I may need a co-pilot."

"Then I am your man. I flew one of these things myself, when I escaped the Kromaggs the first time."

With that the ramp closed and the 4 of them took off to rescue Mina from the flagship.

Several minutes later, the Manta Ship they borrowed began its approach of the Emperor's ship, and it was huge.

"Look at the size of that thing!" said Lexie.

"I am all set, Justin," said W.A. from the back. "With some assistance from Kromagg technology, my belt can mask all of us."

"Good work, W.A.," said Shelbs, who was beginning to pilot the ship into the docking bay. She looked over to Justin in the co-pilot seat and noticed he had a strange look on his face.

"What is it?" she asks.

"It's Mina!" he cried. "I can sense her, but just barely. She...she's hurt!"

"Then hang on to your seats, guys!" Shelbs said. "Because we are going in!"

With that the ship entered the docking bay of "The Conquest."

Justin W Toner

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Nekka paced back and fourth in her cell, wondering how she got into this whole mess.

"Let this be a lesson to me: NEVER throw a shoe across the interior of an alien spacecraft," she mumbled to herself.

Nekka pondered the whole situation. How did Mina get here? Where exactly is "here"? What was that big red swirly thing anyway? And what were those awful ugly creatures? She shuddered, remembering her interrogation for the nonexistent information.

"At least I managed to get some sleep," Nekka said, holding her head.

"Mina, Mina?" she called over to the next cell. "Don't tell me she escaped and left me here!" Nekka paused, and realized they must have taken her somewhere.

Her head snapped around as she heard footsteps coming down the hallway towards her. Several Kromagg guards came into view brandishing laser weapons.

"Why me . . ?"

One of the guards pulled out a keycard and disrupted the field that kept her captive. Two Kromaggs entered her cell and grabbed her arms. Nekka tried to resist by planting her feet. It may have worked if she wasn't still hadn't been wearing high heels, minus the heels. The guards dragged her off down the hallway.

Before Nekka knew it, she was back on the interrogation wall, looking up at the control booth once again.

"Hi, Bob, Mary; nice to see you again," she said with a fake, silly grin.

"I'm not Bob," the Kromagg replied. "His duty shift's over. I'm Bar'ney. Bob's taller."

"Oh, OK. Sorry," Nekka replied.

"That's all right," Mary replied.

Nekka felt the pressure press down on her again.

Mary glanced over to Bar'ney with a stern look.

"What? My finger slipped!" he replied innocently.

"Down to business," the Bar'ney-Mary voice said. "What do you know of Mina Skywalker and Justin Warren?"

She sighed, "I told you, I barely know Mina, and I don't know who the other guy is."

"We don't believe you," The Bar'ney-Mary voice said. "You repaired and flew a Manta Ship from your dimension to here. You must know of them!" The voice was growing impatient.

"Well, I don't," Nekka replied, getting a little annoyed.

They seemed to finally accept that. Mary turned to Bar'ney and whispered, "This girl must be incredibly stupid, or she's telling the truth."

Bar'ney whispered back, with a snicker. "Or both."

They turned back to Nekka, and said, "Now, for a different matter."

Nekka breathed a sigh of relief that they were finally accepting that she didn't know anything. (Actually, she does know something. As you recall, Nekka accessed the Kromagg database and knows a great deal about the Kromagg defense systems, but to give that up now would make my character lose all value. A convenient plot oversight.)

"Does the name Logan St. Claire mean anything to you?" the voices asked.

Nekka thought for a moment, actually waited a moment too long, because the pressure came down on her once again.

"I'm thinking!" she cried out. "Oh, St. Claire was my mom's maiden name; Logan was my grandmother's name."

Mary looked at Bar'ney, and the Kromagg nodded. Suddenly, the pulse that was holding Nekka up was released, and she fell flat on her face on the floor. No sooner had she hit the ground, as two guards came in and hauled her up to the control booth where Mary and Bar'ney were. The room was filled with flashing control panels and display screens. One of the guards lead Nekka over to one panel where a personnel file was displayed. It was her face, only with much shorter hair, and the name Logan St. Claire at the top of the screen.

"I don't like my hair that way."

She leaned over the control panel pretending to be studying the picture. Nekka was very curious about the file, but that wasn't her first concern. While Mary and Bar'ney were whispering, and not paying a whole lot of attention to her, she pressed a few buttons on the control panel.

Nekka

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Justin, W.A., Shelbs and Lexie were in the docking bay of The Conquest. They all had their holographic disguises on. Justin felt Jason's presence right away. This place was steeped in Jason and Alex's Dark Force. But then there was also the presence of pain. Mina's pain. Justin felt everything Mina felt. She wasn't conscious, wherever she was. She was hurt. She was dying!

Justin reached out to her, but could not feel her presence. He could feel her pain, but not her. She must be around the ysalamiri, he thought.

W.A. spoke up. "Come on, guys. We have to find Mina!"

Lexie asked, "Where should we look?"

Shelbs thought a moment, then said, "Justin, can you feel her here?"

He shook his head sadly. He said, "I can't tell where she is exactly, but I can feel her pain."

Lexie asked softly, "Lead us towards her pain."

Justin, Lexie, W.A. and Shelbs, still disguised as Kromaggs, ran down the halls of the Conquest. Suddenly Justin stopped. "I can't feel her pain anymore. I must be to close to the ysalamiri, which means she is around here."

Lexie opened up the first cell. A man with no eyes yelled, "Is somebody there?"

Lexie knew who the man was right away. He was a prisoner from another world. His name was Conrad Bennish Jr.

Lexie asked, "We're looking for our friend."

Conrad nodded. "Well, I can't help you, but maybe my cellmate can. She has replacement eyes."

The four turned. It was Mom!

Gemmin yelled, "Get away from me!"

W.A. turned off the hologram. Gemmin sighed in relief to see her three friends, with another mysterious man.

She said, "Why are you here?"

W.A. said, "Mina's here, Mom."

Gemmin said, "She not one of us anymore. She's a traitor."

Lexie shook her head. "No, Mom, she is on our side. The Kromaggs put the essence of a dead Kromagg captain in her."

Gemmin sighed again. "Well, I saw her. She looked hurt. I thought you guys may have hurt her. I was worried."

Justin's voice shook. "Where is she, Miss Gemmin?"

Gemmin smiled at the young man; it seemed like he had strong feelings for her "daughter."

"I think she is in the cell next to us."

Justin ran out of the cell and opened the door to the next one.

"Oh, Holy Maker, no!"

Mina laid in a limp heap on the floor. He ran to her. She was breathing. Sure enough there was a ysalamiri in the corner. Shelbs, W.A., Lexie, Gemmin and Conrad ran into the cell as well. Justin looked at his friends.

"What are we going to do? We have to save her."

Mina Skywalker

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Shelbs stepped forward. "Let me help her; I was a doctor. I brought a medkit for her."

Justin replied, "Thank the Force!"

Shelbs knelt beside Mina. She opened the kit, pulled out a sensor and scanned Mina. "She's in bad shape: 4 broken ribs, her right arm is busted, she has a concussion, and she has some internal bleeding. It will take a while, but she'll be OK."

Justin let out a sigh of relief. Mina would be all right. Suddenly she began to stir. Justin held on to her left hand as she opened her eyes.

"J..Justin?......Is ...that...you?" she said.

Justin had tears in his eyes. He said, "It's me, darling; I'm right here."

"Just relax, Mina," said Shelbs. "You're going to be just fine."

"What happened to you?" Justin asked.

"Jason...tried to make...me fight him....Didn't...beat me up...but I beat up Alex.."

As Shelbs applied some painkillers Justin became angry; Jason had to be stopped, once and for all.

"All right, everybody, here is the plan," Justin said. "W.A., you, Lexie and the others find some computer access; see if you can arm the ship's self-destruct option. Then as soon as Mina is ok to move, get her, Miss Gemmin and her friend out of here."

"But what about you?" asked W.A.

"I have some unfinished business with my brother Jason, and Alex Starkiller. If I don't make it back in time.....then you leave without me."

"Are you crazy?!" said Shelbs as she put Mina's broken arm into a sling. "You can't take those guys on by yourself! And we are not leaving without you!"

Mina spoke. "Shelbs is right...you can't go alone!"

"It's the only way," he replied. "He is my responsibility."

"Justin...Jason still has good in him...." Mina said through the pain. "He didn't kill me...much conflict inside him....and beware the Dark Side's power!"

Justin gave Mina a kiss on the lips and said, "Thanks, and I'll be careful."

With that he got up and prepared to leave the cell.

Mina yelled out to him, "Justin......I love you."

"And I love you," he replied, and with that he was gone.

Shelbs continued to work on Mina as she said, "Well, you guys better get a move on and try to arm the self-destruct; I'll take care of Mina."

"Right" said W.A. "Let's go!"

And with Lexie, Gemmin, and Bennish, W.A. and co. left to do the job.

"I sure hope we get out of this in one piece," said Shelbs.

Mina said, "We will....and Justin will come back.....I know he will."

Justin felt Jason's presence nearby. It was like a beacon. He followed it to a large door. It was obviously a trap, but he had to go inside, and buy time for the others. He used the Force to pry open the door and walked inside.

It was the Emperor's throne room, and The Emperor himself sat on his throne.

"Welcome, Justin Warren, I have been waiting for you."

"I know you're not alone! Come on out, Jason! Or are you afraid to face your brother?"

With that, Jason and Alex Starkiller came out from behind the Emperor's throne.

"I am not afraid of you, Justin," said Jason. "It's time you learned that the Dark Side is the TRUE power!"

"You're wrong, but come and face me!"

"I think not; someone else wants that honor."

And as he finished Commander Jke'gad appeared, with a laser sword and a ysalimri on his back!

"YOU!!!" said Justin. "But I killed you, you bastard!!"

"You did, but they brought me back, so I could have my revenge!"

And with that he came at Justin. Justin rolled out of the way, and he realized that with the ysalimri here, the Force was useless! He had to think of a game plan, and fast!

"I am in deep trouble!" he thought.

Justin W Toner

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Mina breathed heavily. Her right arm was killing her. Her broken ribs made it hard for her to breathe. Mina looked over at the ysalamiri.

She whispered, "Shelbs.... get the ysalamiri out of here."

Shelbs left Mina and took the strange-looking creature into the hallway, then came back into Mina's cell. Some color had returned to her face. Her eyes were closed in concentration. Her eyes opened once Shelbs knelt next to her.

Shelbs said, "Well, kid, you were beat up pretty bad. Once we get outta here we need to get you to a hospital."

Mina spoke normally now. She said, "Can I go help Justin?"

Shelbs shook her head. "No. Mina, you're lucky to be alive. This is Justin's battle. He has to fight it himself."

Mina reached out in the Force to Justin. She couldn't feel his presence. The Force didn't exist where he was. There was a ysalamiri around him!

"Shelbs! Justin can't use the Force! I have to go to him!"

Shelbs shook her head.

Mina whispered, "Justin's in trouble. And there's nothing I can do about it!"

Mina Skywalker

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Justin ducked once again as Jke'gad tried to slice and dice him with the laser sword.

"Think, Justin, think! You can't use the Force, but you can still even the odds!"

And with that he ran over to one of the guards protecting the Kromagg Emperor and took his sword. He turned to Jke'gad and said, "Now....it's even; let's see how good you are!"

The two of them put on a display of sword fighting Jason had never seen before!

"My brother has learned well; even without the Force he can still fight!"

Justin backed Jke'gad up against one of the pits flanking the throne.

"You're done for, Jke'gad!"

"You humans are so overconfident!" he replied, and with a brilliant move he knocked Justin's sword out of his hands and sliced open his arm!

Justin was in incredible pain, and without the Force, he couldn't numb the pain or heal it. He backed up against the wall.

"Now....you will die!!" said Jke'gad and lunged at Justin. But Justin did a flip over Jke'gad and ended up behind him. Jke'gad's sword was stuck in the wall, and with fast reflexes, Justin ripped the ysalaimri off his back and threw it into the pit. He then used the Force to grab his sword and with a quick stroke put the sword through Jke'gad who was still behind him!

"No...it....can't...be," he said with his last breath, and fell to the ground dead once more.

Jason and Alex couldn't believe it! Justin had won!

"Enough!" said Jason. "Now it is time you and I finished this!"

He pulled out his own sword.

Justin was ready. "Yes, my brother, it all ends...right here!"

The two brothers fought with incredible savagery! With the Force back, Justin and Jason pulled incredible moves on each other, but Justin was still holding back.

"What's wrong, Justin?" taunted Jason. "Don't have the guts to kill your own brother?"

"I can't kill you, Jason" he replied. "I can feel the conflict inside you. A part of you resists the Dark Side. Let go of the hate! Come back!"

"NEVER!" he said. "If you won't turn, then perhaps Mina will instead!"

This enraged Justin even more and he lunged at Jason. Jason dodged him and cut Justin in the side! The pain was more that Justin could bear! He dropped to the ground, and Jason

hovered over him.

"If you won't join me, then you can DIE!"

Jason raised his sword to kill him, but Justin reached out with the Force, grabbed his sword and sliced Jason across

his chest. Jason staggered and fell to the ground. Justin knew Jason was hurt bad, but he had to made sure Jason's cut would not be fatal.

"It's over, Jason; you lost," he said as he stood over his brother, who clutched the wound to his chest.

"No, it's not, Justin," said Alex Starkiller and with a quick motion he launched Dark Side lightning bolts at Justin that knocked him off his feet!

THE PAIN! Every part of Justin's body was on fire! His brain was in confusion! He was too weak to fight back.

"You are such a fool, Justin!" said Alex as he approached. "You wasted your energy, leaving you so vulnerable for me to kill you!" And he continued to launch lightning at him.

Justin was hurting all over! He was starting to lose consciousness. He didn't know how much longer he could take this! He could only think of one thing as the onslaught continued--"I'm dying."

And with possibly his last ounce of strength, he called out to the woman he loved, Mina Skywalker, and said, "Mina...I will always...love you."

And as the lightning increased, Justin lost consciousness and the world went black!

Justin W Toner (Who is going to save me now?)

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Read Unsolved Mystery: Season 4, Episode 6