[ Stories ]

Denari recieved a message from Jedi Master Screetor to find her way to 'Training Room 3'. After a visit to Quartermaster Nishra, Denari went to Training room 3, following the Quartermaster's directions. On the way, she met Jaicen, who had been called to the same room by Jedi Master Screetor.

Training Room 3 is a large room with a 5m deep pit in it over the whole width of the room. Red padded mats cover the bottom forming a sparring arena. Several pillars can be used as a path to the other side, where a climbing wall leads up to a 20m high plateau. Jedi Master Screetor instructed the Padawan to make their way up there together, after which their training would continue. He cautioned them that some Jedi believe that the floor of the arena is made of lava.

Jaicen had his droids strap him to TG-100 and consulted his astromech if there was an elevator on the other side. Meanwhile Denari inspected the room and dropped a weight onto the mats to check if it was lava or not. As expected, the mats were just mats. Upon inspecting the rest of the room, Denari discovered handholds on the walls that could be used. Jaicen identified a route via hallways and an elevator to the door at the top. They went this route together.

Upon arriving at the other side of Training room 3, Jedi Master Screetor had been replaced by a hand-made cardboard cut-out, complete with a back-lit lightsaber prop. From the side door, an oily track lead away from the training room.

As the Padawan followed this trail, they noticed a suspicious person with a pet. The person identified himself to Jaicen as Thr'mshk, or Thomas, while Denari hid close by. He was hunting for an animal on behalf of Union City Zoological Garden, on orders of Jedi Master Screetor. After Jaicen had verified the story by calling security, the Padawan continued to follow the oily track.

Following the track they caught up with a Jedi Youngling who was pushing the barrel through the hallways to a basement. Denari inquired if the youngling had seen anything relevant when passing by training room 3, after which a roar could be heared from somewhere in the basement. After the noise died down, Jaicen pushed the youngling aside with TG-100 to open the barrel, without trying to ask for permission. As the younging had said earlier, the barrel contained meat, which attracted a Rancor that was hiding in the basement.

TG-100 kicked over the barrel and everyone managed to get out of the way. While the Rancor was eating, Denari used the force to befriend the Rancor. She found out that it used to live in captivity and was well cared for, but it lacked freedom and it's hunting instinct had been neglected. Because of this, it escaped when it got the chance.

The Padawans determined that it might have escaped from the UCZG, and decided to call them and offer help with the extraction.

As it turned out, the Rancor had indeed escaped from the UCZG and hunter Thr'mshk was sent to their location to sedate it. This went as smoothly as it could have gone and the people from the UCZG transported the lost Rancor home. They promised to have their experts set up something to satisfy its insincts in a safe manner.