Following a sudden ambush in the jungles of Ontotho, Young Padawan Cere Junda is left to find her own way on a hostile planet. But local freedom fighters are happy to take Cere Junda in – if she will fight by their side!
Around 14 BBY, an Inquisitor finds the source of a rumoured lightsaber wielder as she comes across an individual, on Ontotho, and attacks. The individual is slow and is easily being beaten by the Inquisitor when they are disarmed and resort to the use of their blaster. The Inquisitor realises that the individual is not a Jedi and, after she interrogates the imposter, learns that the individual acquired the lightsaber from the temple on Ontotho. Although the individual will not reveal the location of the temple, the Inquisitor is convinced there are more insurgents and that they will lead the Imperials to their destination.
En-Threelo looks over Cere Junda as she wakes.
A number of years earlier, Cere Junda wakes up to find a droid watching over her. As the droid talks, Cere sees her lightsaber outside her cell and pulls it towards herself with the Force. She easily breaks out with her lightsaber ignited but is quickly surrounded by the Fylar Freedom Fighters as the droid calls out towards them. Both sides ask the other to lower weapons but the situation only calms down when one of them, the individual who would later encounter an Inquisitor, who claims that it was not them who attacked the Daa Corporation . She also claims Cere's capture was only an overzealous freedom fighter and that they only kept her to protect her from whoever attacked the caravan. Cere and the apparent leader of the freedom fighters start over and the leader introduces herself as Neralli.
Neralli shows Cere around the region and explains they are a peaceful people who simply did want to be involved in the Daa Corporation and Ontothon government's deal with the Republic. They are interrupted by a child comforting a musk teave. Cere finds out from the child and Neralli that a number of the children have a special connection to the area, similar to the Force. Cere mentions she found it hard to reach out to her master due to the overwhelming presence of the Force, which leads Neralli and En-Threelo to tell her that everyone else in the caravan attack had died, including Eno Cordova.
Neralli takes Cere to the Temple on Ontotho.
To explain why someone might have attacked the convoy other than the Fylari, Neralli shows Cere the temple. Neralli explains that the Fylari has protected the temple for their entire known history and that they do not wish the Daa Corporation to go in, whether they wish to excavate or only explore. Neralli claims the attackers belonged to the Daa Corporation after recovering one of the masks of the attackers which bares the corporation's mark. Cere wishes to contact the Jedi Council, but the Fylari have no way to do so.
The next day, Cere, along with En-Threelo who is keeping tabs on the Jedi, move carefully into Ontotho City. Although En-Threelo insists he must stay with the Jedi to keep an eye on her, Cere forces the droid to stay put as she distracts a number of guards with a falling statue. Cere sneaks past the guards and moves into the ventilation system. She comes across the Ontothon government as they hear from Dylanto Daa about the attack on the caravan as he makes a plea for permission to continue the exploration. The government agrees as Cere pushes through the vent and lands near Dylanto.
Cere explains that she believes the Fylari are not responsible for the attack on the caravan and how she wishes to contact the Jedi Council. After Dylanto pushes her to say who she thinks attacked the caravan, Cere brings out the mask with the Daa Corporation mark and makes her point. The Ontothon government sides with Dylanto, calling him a friend to Ontotho, and instead asks the security to take Cere into detention. Cere resists and causes enough of a distraction to escape out the front of the government building to be met with En-Threelo. The security, as well as Daa's own security droids, catch up with the wanted Jedi as the security outside the building joins them. Cere convinces En-Threelo to warn Neralli and the rest of the Fylari about the Ontothon government siding with Daa and does her best to hold off the security forces.
A day later, and Neralli is arguing with Moroo about whether they are ready to fight a war with the joint forces of the Ontothon government and the Daa Corporation. As they prepare, Cere appears alive and well. She states that if they want to win the fight, the Fylari are going to need her help.
- UPC 759606094721; September 25, 2019; Marvel Comics