Chapter Text
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...
Park Seonghwa was determined to pass his jedi master trials.
There was just one little thing standing in his way, and that thing was Kim Hongjoong. Kim Hongjoong, a well known notorious, and feared space pirate. His reputation preceded him. Hongjoong and his feared pirate crew were known in the whole galaxy, not in a really positive way. They were known to be against the Galactic Republic but also the Trade Federation which made them enemies to almost everyone in the galaxy. Hongjoong had his own agenda and he wouldn’t bow down to anyone. He believed the politicians and even the Jedi to be corrupted. The side he took in the political battle didn’t really matter nor whether he thought the Jedi were corrupted or not since he was only interested in whatever favored him at the moment. If he would get the most credits by hijacking a Trade Federation ship and killing all inside, he would do that, in the blink of an eye. What made him dangerous was the fact that he had nothing to lose.
Hongjoong was a rebel, only playing by his own rules and loyal to no one but himself and money and on occasions, his mixed pirate crew of misfits and whatnot gathered from all around the galaxy’s regions. His crew consisted of six members including himself: a pilot faster than any other, a rogue mandalorian, a sweetheart ring fighter, a sassy pocket thief, a giant-princess mechanic, and of course, an arrogant captain to lead them all. It all kind of fit in a strange way, like something, call it destiny or a mystical force, had meant for them to find each other.
Due to Hongjoong’s long list of crimes he has committed over the years, he was the most wanted man in the galaxy. Posters reading “NO1 WANTED” decorated every street lamp and wall in the biggest planets like Coruscant, Naboo and Alderaan. Everyone was after him: bounty hunters, ready to claim the huge reward of credits for his head, the Galactic Empire’s own soldiers, ordered to bring him in to face justice in court, and now, a certain Jedi. But no matter how the Galactic Republic’s army or bounty hunters would search for him, no matter how generous amounts of credits the Trade Federation would give out for the smallest tips and hints of his whereabouts, he always seemed to be one step ahead. Almost like he had someone on the inside.
But Hongjoong wasn’t concerned. He was THE Kim Hongjoong after all. If the Galactic Republic couldn’t take him down, how could one Jedi?
Seonghwa could sense the tense atmosphere in the Jedi temple as he walked the hallways towards the meeting room, his Jedi robes flowing behind him. The place that had been his home for years had turned to something cold slowly over the years but only now had Seonghwa begun to realise it. He had been sensing that something was going on for a while now. The quiet whispers and hushed voices, everything that wasn’t said out loud. Seonghwa was sure something had been happening behind the scenes but he wouldn’t, couldn’t, ask because he knew no one would tell him anything anyway. It wasn’t his place to question his elders and he trusted at least some of them enough to not question them. It wasn’t like he was alone either, he had friends and the Force in which he trusted, one could say blindly.
That’s just how he was raised, to listen and obey. Questions were a sign of rebellion and disrespect and Seonghwa would rather retake all his previous tests than bring that shame to his family and the Jedi order. They had taken him in to train after all and the least he could do was to mind his own business and leave the difficult decisions to the elders. So, Seonghwa was content with his place in the Jedi order as a padawan with a brilliant master to guide him. On top of that, he was rising in ranks quickly so he had no need to sabotage that success as he was so close to becoming a master Jedi. He could leave the murmurs of others unnoticed and turn a blind eye to the Galactic Republic’s soldiers that nowadays also guarded the Jedi temple if it would guarantee Seonghwa the rank of a master and great honor to his family.
Seonghwa’s steps felt heavy as he got closer to the Jedi council room. He felt troubled for some odd reason even though he had a strong feeling that this meeting was about his master trials. And that was a good thing. Right? After years of work he would be rewarded accordingly but something in the back of his head kept telling him that bad news was coming. The feeling loomed over him but he pushed through to ignore it
Seonghwa took a deep breath to calm his racing mind before he knocked on the door in front of him. He waited a moment before stepping in and as he entered the council room, a heavy silence settled in the space. Seonghwa could feel it in the Force that this meeting wasn’t going to go well for someone, probably him. The Jedi masters eyed each other as Seonghwa stood before them, waiting for them to say something and release him from his cluelessness. And after what felt like forever, someone finally stood up with a sigh, it was Seonghwa’s master.
Seonghwa’s master spoke calmly: “We’re sending you on a mission, Seonghwa. If you succeed in this task we’re assigning you, we’ll grant you the rank of Jedi master.” Seonghwa’s eyes lit up at the words but he at least refrained from showing too much excitement on his face. He didn’t understand why he had been so worried before, this was fantastic news for him! He settled to just nodding, staying quiet as he waited for the master to continue and share more information about his upcoming mission. Seonghwa was already excited to go on this next adventure. It would be so easy, the missions usually were, at least the ones he had been a part of so he couldn’t wait to hear which politician he would be guarding over for a few days or maybe he would be assigned to go map out some unknown region in the Outer Rims of the galaxy. Both options sounded perfectly fine and dandy to him.
Seonghwa was so immersed in his own imagination, picturing himself as a Jedi master already before his master’s words brought him back to reality.
“The council has decided that you’re tasked to bring Kim Hongjoong to justice at Coruscant's court of law to be charged for his numerous crimes against the Galactic Republic. Chancellor Palpatine himself has given this order to us and we’re giving this opportunity to you. This is a chance for you to prove yourself to us and earn the title of a Jedi master while doing a favour for the whole galaxy”, Seonghwa’s master finished talking. The rest of the council sat behind the master and silently observed Seonghwa’s now a very different reaction to the new information.
Seonghwa didn’t even know where to start with his complaints. “But master- with all due respect- you cannot give this mission to me!” Seonghwa immediately objects to the plan. “Hongjoong is a low-life scum criminal and deserves to be imprisoned for the rest of his life, yes, but he is also a dangerous murderer!” He continues to be outraged. “This mission would be more appropriate for a high ranking Jedi master, not a padawan like me. I mean.. I’m not ready for this and I don’t wish to disappoint you but this is just out of my skill league”, Seonghwa ends with a more controlled tone of voice once he notices the disapproving glances, still puzzled by why the council would think he was the right person for a mission this important and meaningful for the whole galaxy. Even if the Jedi were ordered to search for Kim Hongjoong, how could they possibly send a padawan on a mission like this when tons of the Republic’s own soldiers had failed? The Jedi weren’t bounty hunters either.
“Seonghwa”, the warning tone of his master was clear in his voice, “the decision has been made already, please don’t argue with the council on this. Your refusal to do this is like straight up refusing an order given by the Republic’s Chancellor himself so I’d advise you to just take this chance that we have graciously given to you.” The master finished his speech giving a pointed look to Seonghwa, who lowered his gaze in resignation, shoulders slumped in defeat. It wasn’t like he had a say in this especially if he ever wished to be more than an apprentice to a Jedi. “Yes, master.”
The next thing Seonghwa knew, he was sitting in a small space ship ready to take off for his impossible mission. There was no way he could make it. Well, maybe after his inevitable failure he could get another chance at the trials. He sighed as he held a hologram of his master on his palm barely listening to what was said to him.
“Good luck, Seonghwa. We wouldn’t have given this mission to you if we didn’t believe you could complete it”, his master reassured him in his stupid little hologram form. It now annoyed Seonghwa immensely for some reason. Seonghwa himself wasn’t so sure of the master’s words but he nodded anyway, there was no use arguing now that everything was already planned and he was ready to go.
“May the Force be with you”, was the last thing Seonghwa heard from his master before the hologram shut down and Seonghwa was left alone in the small ship. Suddenly he and the ship felt so tiny. He didn’t feel prepared in the slightest. He had tried his best to read everything he could find about Hongjoong and his crew and he had spent days gathering information from the streets. Some of it was just time lost since a lot of the rumours were just impossible or impossibly stupid in general. For instance, there was no way Hongjoong had slain a rancor with his bare hands. That was just dumb.
Seonghwa checked the things he would take with him for the mission one more time to make sure everything was set. All he had been given for the mission was the small space ship, a hologram map of the galaxy with a planet marked as the last place Hongjoong had allegedly been seen and some “normal” clothes so he would be less suspicious looking and wouldn’t draw so much attention to himself. He needed to look the part if he was going to get any information from the other criminals Hongjoong usually acquainted with. They for sure wouldn’t help a Jedi padawan. The Jedi weren’t liked in every corner of the galaxy anyway, Seonghwa thought as he squeezed his lightsaber resting at his hip. It was somehow comforting just to make sure it was still there. It was the most important belonging to a Jedi after all and his lightsaber was passed down to him from his father and he wasn’t going to lose it.
Seonghwa set his destination to Nar Shaddaa, the hot spot for crimes and felony, and took off from Coruscant’s landing pad.
“He is gone.” Seonghwa’s master’s voice echoed in the almost empty private office of the Chancellor.
“Excellent…” A gravelly voice answered from underneath the dark cloak the Chancellor carried on his slumped shoulders. He slowly turned away from the window that was overlooking Coruscant’s now empty landing pad and faced the Jedi master instead. A silent agreement between the two males was clear.
The plan was set in motion.
After a quick hyper space jump, Seonghwa was already landing on Nar Shaddaa, a paradise for criminals and illegal activities. He had picked out a relatively abandoned spot on some wasteland where he would leave his ship. Anyone passing by would think of it just as abandoned thrash and keep going, or at least Seonghwa truly hoped. He really didn’t want to lose the ship even though he could make it here without it too. The ship was now his home on this strange planet for however long it would take to find Kim Hongjoong in this cluster of outlaws so he would rather keep it.
Even the Galactic Republic wouldn’t meddle with the business done in Nar Shaddaa nor did the Trade Federation want any claim on it either. The planet was a lost cause so crime was thriving there, had been for years. You could find anything there: a bounty hunter, prostitutes, a common thief, you name it. It was a fan favorite for some royals and politicians too since everything done on the planet was kind of in a grey area. Of course galactic laws still applied to the planet but there was no law enforcement to enforce them and deliver punishments for criminals. No one would dare to be the hero there and maybe the planet didn’t need one. It worked on its own rules and it was a mutual agreement between Nar Shaddaa and the rest of the galaxy. So the planet was the perfect place for a criminal like Hongjoong.
Seonghwa was feeling uneasy as he stepped out of his ship, dressed in a more fitting outfit for the planet. He was wearing leather pants and a dark hoodie. His lightsaber hidden under his oversized hoodie, concealed from any prying eyes. Seonghwa even hid his padawan braid in his long hair that reached his shoulders now. These small things that proved he was a Jedi made him feel safe even in a disgusting place like Nar Shaddaa. He was sure of his identity and it sure as hell wasn’t a criminal. He found comfort and confidence knowing he was better than the parasite living on the planet which streets he walked. He kept his gaze low to not draw any unwanted attention by somehow picking up a fight by staring at the wrong person for too long. His stride was quick and confident as he had only one thing in his mind: Kim Hongjoong.
Seonghwa stepped into the bar confidently. He had heard rumours from the Coruscant streets that Kim Hongjoong hung out here from time to time so he might as well check if the gossip was true. As Seonghwa walked in, he took a quick overlook at the filthy place, literally, it was so dirty. Trash on the floors and criminals at the tables. In the middle of the room was a bar counter and behind that a green creature that looked Seonghwa up and down judgementally. But Seonghwa didn’t let that get to him, he couldn’t care less what the bartender thought of him. Instead he kept looking around the tables at the sides of the room and finally spotted the person he had been looking for in one of the corner tables.
When Seonghwa had gathered information from the streets on Hongjoong, he had been directed to this bar and told to look for a man with short orange hair. He was a close acquaintance to Hongjoong if the rumors were true, which Seonghwa doubted. Kim Hongjoong was known across the galaxy but no one could really recall what he looked like. He was one of those criminals you knew to fear the name of but you would never know their face. So Hongjoong either didn't do his own dirty work or there was no one left to tell the tale. Whatever it is, was irrelevant to Seonghwa, he would still find Hongjoong. But the description of his friend was all he had for now so he started to make his way towards the man who was sitting all alone in the corner and sipping his drink. Before Seonghwa could reach him though, someone bumped into him hard.
“Watch where you’re going!” Seonghwa gasped with repulsion, he didn’t want to even touch anyone from here. He could catch some disease in the worst case scenario! The person that had bumped into HIM just flashed him an unapologetic grin and a quick “sorry” before hurrying off, leaving Seonghwa irked at the interaction. Seonghwa took a deep breath to gather himself because he wasn’t going to let anything ruin the next meeting. So he finally made it to the mystery man’s table, sitting down without even asking if the seat was already reserved. The stranger didn’t seem to mind that much since he just eyed Seonghwa up and down, but not with disgust or judgement but more like… interest. Still he did not seem impressed by Seonghwa or his confident facade at all.
The man’s eyes on him suddenly made Seonghwa feel very nervous for some reason. There was something odd about the man but Soenghwa wasn’t that interested to find out so he quickly cleared his throat awkwardly and started talking: “I heard you would know where I could find Kim Hongjoong”, Seonghwa almost whispered, leaning towards the other man like they shared some secret and he glanced around nervous that someone would listen in. He wasn’t sure how well liked Hongjoong was around here so he thought it was for the best to not go shouting his name everywhere, especially in a bar full of criminals. He was sure Hongjoong would fit right in here though as he eyed the man spitting on the ground at a table not too far from Seonghwa. They were all the same, Seonghwa scoffed mentally before turning his focus back to the other man.
The other man seemed amused to Seonghwa’s surprise. He wasn’t sure what was even funny about any of this. “I would know that, yes. One might say I know him very well”, the man confirmed as he slid his fingers around the rim of his glass like he was in thought but still keeping his sharp eyes on Seonghwa. “What’s in it for me to tell you anything?” he continued. Seonghwa rolled his eyes and slid a small pouch of credits to the other side of the table and the man caught it effortlessly, weighing it in his hand before sliding it in his pocket. Seonghwa let out a breath he didn’t notice he was holding, he was sure he would get some valuable information now but he was wrong. The other man seemed to be expecting something more which made Seonghwa confused. “Don’t look so puzzled. You think these credits cover the cost of my life which Hongjoong could take for basically ratting him out?” the man snorted. “No way.” he scoffed while getting up from the table when he realised Seonghwa wasn’t giving him anything more. He didn’t get far though before a hand grabbed his wrist which made him turn around, not surprised, to face a desperate looking Seonghwa.
“Wait! Please…?” was all Seonghwa could quickly stutter out as he held the other man’s wrist tightly. “I need the information. Take me to him?” He practically begged before shoving another pouch of credits to the orange haired man’s palm which made him intrigued although he tried to hide it but the glimmer in his eyes at the sight of the money gave him away. Seonghwa knew he had won.
“Let go and follow me”, was all the orange haired man said while rolling his eyes at Seonghwa’s embarrassing pleading. He shook his hands away from Seonghwa’s grip and shoved the pouch in his pocket before he started walking towards the exit, not even bothering to see if Seonghwa was following him. But Seonghwa did. He scrambled up from his seat and hurried after the man.
When Seonghwa finally caught up to the man they walked in silence. The other man didn’t seem to care for small talk which was fine to Seonghwa who himself was too busy pinning the route they were walking to his memory, just in case. The streets were packed. There were people offering different services, beggars begging for anything, food vendors, dealers… The shops’ bright neon lights made Seonghwa’s head pound. It was all too much for a simple Jedi padawan. He tried his best to keep up with the man that seemed to navigate through the crowd, he fit in like a fish in water.
To distract himself from all the hassle, Seonghwa finally turned to really inspect the man he was following. He wore an all black outfit and Seonghwa couldn’t miss the blaster that openly hung from the man’s belt. It made Seonghwa a bit nervous but it was also understandable to have a weapon in a place like this. Seonghwa himself had his lightsaber even though the other didn’t know that. If you could overlook the blaster and the fact that the orange haired man was undoubtedly a criminal, someone could say that he was quite handsome.
“You’re not from around here”, the other man commented suddenly, almost as if he had sensed Seonghwa’s eyes on him. Seonghwa just nodded quickly in agreement, feeling a bit embarrassed as if he had been caught checking out the other man. He was also too nervous to say anything else to the statement to not give himself away in any way. He didn’t trust himself to be able to come up with a clever background story. The other man hummed amused at the nonverbal reaction. “So, why do you seek out Kim Hongjoong? He is quite dangerous, isn’t he” the man asked Seonghwa with a weird look on his face which creeped Seonghwa out a bit but he didn’t let it show. At least he thought so before the stranger’s grin widened even more.
“We have… unfinished business”, Seonghwa said avoidantly, looking away from the other. The other man giggled, which was super weird to Seonghwa. “Oh, is that so? That’s interesting”, he commented but didn’t press on the topic more as they walked in an uncomfortable silence for the rest of the way.
The walk seemed to be done as the man Seonghwa was led to a dark back alley and through a back door into a building that looked like it was on the brink of falling apart. The orange haired man showed Seonghwa the way into one of the rooms after leading him through a bunch of hallways which made Seonghwa’s head dizzy. The room they finally walked in looked like a very messy and old office. The other man casually walked behind the desk and sat down on the chair. Seonghwa was confused as he looked around. Was this supposed to be some secret hideout for the most wanted and probably richest criminal in the galaxy? A moldy hiding hole where the floors creaked under every step and the smell would drive away any sane person? Kim Hongjoong wouldn’t be living in a place like this, Seonghwa was sure. “Where are we? I thought you would take me to Kim Hongjoong”, Seonghwa said frustrated as he looked down on the scattered papers on the floor and the damp walls. This must be some stupid joke which had unfortunately cost him a lot of credits.
“I did”, the man only smirked behind the table, leaning on his chair like he owned the place. Seonghwa was even more confused and upset now as he stared at the man who sat behind the desk. He shouldn’t have trusted the rumours he’d been told. When the other man kept quiet, Seonghwa grew even more annoyed, annoyed at himself for being so stupid for believing dumb gossip but also annoyed at the other man for misleading and tricking him. Now Seonghwa would need to start over with his search once again since this had been his only lead on Hongjoong. “Oh yeah? So where is he?” Seonghwa demanded to know, internally angry that he had wasted his time on this dead end. “You know what? Give me my credits back-!”
The other man’s smirk only grew as he interrupted Seonghwa. “Ah, you insult me, Seonghwa. Don’t you recognise me? I have to say I’m a bit disappointed.” The orange haired man feigned disappointment and shook his head. He was making fun of Seonghwa. Then he got serious again. “I expected more from a Jedi.” He almost spat the last word as his face twisted in disgust. Seonghwa was frozen in place at his words. How did he know Seonghwa was a Jedi…? “Listen, just tell me where Hongjoo-” Seonghwa started warily before the realisation dawned on him. The smirk slowly came back on the other man’s face.
“You’re looking at him, darling. Should we get to that unfinished business now?”