By Creed or By Code

Prologue

19 BBY
Planet Coruscant
The Jedi Temple
Order 66 Initiation

At ten years old, Kia Starflier had been in the infirmary trying to jump from a height she was not yet prepared to do. She tried to use the Force to slow her fall, but failed and broke her leg as a result. Although she was still too young, yet she had already been selected to be the new padawan for Master Mace Windu as soon as she turns thirteen.

For weeks, she had been grumbling about missing her training, since she wanted to impress Master Windu with how well she could jump. Yet unknowing to her at the time, that being injured was what had saved her life on the night the Jedi Order fell.

The first thing she remembered was being startled awake by the sounds of blaster fire. Instantly she felt sick as well as a disturbance in the Force. She slowly gets out of her hospital bed, grabs her crutches and belongings before making her way out into the main hall. Around a corner, she sees a few older students and starts walking towards them.

She was about to call out to them when blaster bolts appear from across the hallway and shoots them. She stopped dead in her tracks and ducks behind a pillar against the wall. Peaking around the column, she sees two clone troopers up ahead as they march towards the younglings bodies on the floor.

"They are dead, let's keep moving," one of the clones says as they check to see if they were still alive, then walk in the opposite direction.

At this moment, she felt how hard she was breath and her heart was pounding in her head. She tries to force herself to slow her vitals, she knows panicking won't help her survive. She leaves her crutches behind, knowing they will only make noise and slow her down.

When she puts weight on her leg, she winced in pain but the adrenaline allows her to keep moving. She must work through the pain if she's going to have any chance of making it out of the Temple alive. While sneaking through the halls, she heads towards the location of where the Jedi starfighter ships were docked. As Kia rounded another corner she is met with Master Ilena Xan, who is one of the lightsaber training instructors.

"Youngling, it's okay. Child come with me," the older Jedi demanded.

"Master, what's going on?" Kia sobbed, wondering why the clones have turned on them.

"We have all been deceived, young one," Master Xan says in a terrified voice. They continue sneaking through the Temple towards the location of where the fighter ships are stored. Down another long hallway, they see an R5 astromech droid rolling towards them, beeping frantically.

"R5, come with us," Master Xan whispered loudly at the droid as they continue onwards to the docking bay. As they hide behind a cargo crate, they see two clones in the bay blocking their way towards the ships.

Master Xan spins around and says, "Youngling, forget the old ways. Go into hiding. The Jedi Order is gone. R5, make sure to take this child to safety in the Outet Rim. I must stay here to help the others."

"Master! Don't leave me!" Kia cried as she whipped her tears.

"Hush child, don't cry. Be strong. Be brave. And be safe. Your emotions can be your strength, but you must never allow it to overpower you, young one. Now go! I will distract the clones," Master Xan whispers as she leaps from the hiding spot and ignites her green saber.

"There's one over there, get her!" A clone trooper yells out as Master Xan begins attacking them with her saber.

The droid beeps frantically.