Junior Jedi Knights: Promises

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Publisher's summary

Anakin Solo is now eleven—and headed for the Jedi academy! The Force is very strong with him—he can feel it. And his uncle Luke thinks it is time for him to start his training…

Before she joined the academy, Anakin's friend Tahiri lived with a strange and dangerous tribe. She knows nothing of her real parents—or how she came to live with the treacherous Tusken Raiders. Tahiri knew the day would come when she'd learn everything about her past…and that day has come!

But first, Tahiri must prove she's worthy. And that means she must complete a deadly task that will test her skills as a warrior and a Jedi Knight. With Anakin by her side, she will have to use the Force like never before.

If Tahiri succeeds, she will learn how her parents lived—and died. But if she fails, she and Anakin may have to pay the ultimate price…

Plot summary

Prior to her training at the Jedi Praxeum, Tahiri Veila had lived with the dangerous Tusken Raiders in the deserts of Tatooine. The young Human remembers nothing of her parents and how she came to be with the Sand people. Despite this, she knew the day would come when she would learn about her past. At last, it has come!

Nine year old Tahiri has to make a choice. Before starting her training at the Jedi Praxeum, her adoptive father, Sliven—leader of the Tusken tribe—that raised her, demanded that Tahiri would one day return to Tatooine to decide if she would return to the life of the Tusken Raiders or continue training to be a Jedi Knight. Anakin, Tahiri, and Tionne Solusar travel to Tatooine. Upon reaching the planet, Tahiri reunites with Sliven who reveals Tahiri's history to her.

Tahiri's parents, Cassa and Tryst Veila, had saved a wounded Sliven and nursed him back to health. Sliven grew close to Tahiri's parents but they were accidentally killed by Sliven's tribe when they came searching for him. Sliven decided to raise Tahiri in recompense. Vexa, a member of Sliven's tribe, disagreed with his decision and exacted a deal with him. Tahiri was allowed to join the tribe if at the age of nine she faced a trial. If she succeeded, then Sliven would remain the leader of the tribe. If she failed, then Sliven would be killed and Vexa would lead them.

Anakin and Tahiri agree to take on the trial. The two are left in the Dune Sea and told to travel back to the tribe's camp within a week. The pair set off on their journey. Their first trouble comes when they must escape from a Sarlacc. Then they encounter a group of Jawas. Anakin managed to repair their Sandcrawler and in exchange they give them food, water, and drop them off at the edge of the Jundland Wastes.

In the Jundland Wastes, Tahiri and Anakin come face to face with a Krayt dragon. The Krayt dragon attacks them and kidnaps Anakin. Tahiri chases it back to its cave where she and Anakin manage to escape by using the Force to drop boulders on the Krayt dragon's tail to trap it. With little food and water left, Tahiri and Anakin call out through the Force to Tahiri's bantha Bangor. Bangor rescues the two children and carries them back to the Tusken Raiders' camp within the one week time limit. Tahiri decides to continue to work towards becoming a Jedi Knight and leaves Tatooine with a thumbprint pendant from Sliven as a gift to remember him by.

Back on Yavin IV, Anakin and Tahiri return to the Palace of the Woolamander to deal with the Golden Globe. Though Exar Kun's evil followers try to stop them through treacherous words, the two children bravely continue on. Using the Force together with Tahiri, Anakin is able to enter the Golden Globe and rescue the trapped souls of the Massassi children inside. The spirits of the children safely disappear and return to their people. Anakin and Tahiri leave the temple and reunite with Jedi Master Luke Skywalker and Jedi Master Ikrit, who was finally able to tell Luke about the momentous task the two children had managed to complete.

Appearances