"Shield of the Jedi" represents a short story crafted by George Mann. This tale forms a part of the collection known as The High Republic: Tales of Light and Life. Its release occurred on September 5 of 2023.
Rooper Nitani experiences a sense of disquiet within the confines of the temple situated on Batuu. While engaged in meditation within the temple, seeking clarity, her Jedi Master, Silandra Sho, along with the droid P3-7A, disrupted her contemplation. Rooper communicates to her master the unsettling feelings she's been having, as if something significant is on the horizon. Master Sho then reveals that Rooper's intuition is accurate, and she is sensing her upcoming trials for promotion to the rank of Jedi Knight. Master Sho assigns her Padawan the task of recovering the shield that Master Sho typically carries with her without exception. Rooper initially expresses doubt regarding the task's suitability for her trials, but Master Sho assures her that it is a fitting test.
Rooper, accompanied by P3-7A, departs from the Jedi temple in pursuit of the shield, guided by Master Sho's instruction to trust her instincts. Her initial investigation leads her to a tree frequently used by her master for meditation. Unable to locate the shield and lacking guidance from the Force, she proceeds to the nearby Peka village, where she encounters Jerlyn, who anticipates the arrival of a Jedi from the temple. Recognizing that her master must have previously spoken with Jerlyn, she learns that Master Sho left her shield in a tree nearby, but it had been stolen by the Salmaca that had been causing trouble for the villagers. Jerlyn recounts how he neglected to secure his family's farm at night, resulting in the salmaca absconding with his family's droid, Dee-Twelve. Rooper commits to rescuing the droid and journeys to the cave inhabited by the salmaca, accompanied by several villagers, including Kaxx, seeking retribution for the death of his friend Tuntis at the hands of the beast.
Upon reaching the cave, Rooper discovers that the salmaca, despite its nuisance to the villagers, is likely preventing a greater threat: a gant spider infestation. Cautiously navigating the cave, she locates Dee-Twelve within the salmaca's "treasure hoard," primarily consisting of shiny objects. Employing the Force, she manipulates the salmaca into rolling over, freeing Dee-Twelve from its nest. She dispatches the droid with P3, but as she begins searching for the shield, the villagers, whom she had left outside, commence firing upon the cave and the salmaca within. Amidst the chaos, Rooper retrieves her master's shield and uses it to deflect the incoming blaster fire. She commands the villagers to depart and calms the salmaca sufficiently for it to return to its slumber, allowing her to retrieve the shield and leave.
Upon returning to the village and reuniting Dee-Twelve with Jerlyn, she informs everyone about the protective role of the salmaca, safeguarding them from the more significant danger posed by the gant spiders. Rooper successfully persuades them to leave out discarded items each night for the salmaca, eliminating its need to raid their homes. Rooper returns to the temple with the shield, where her master confides that the purpose of the trial was not to convince herself that Rooper was ready to become a Jedi Knight, but to convince Rooper herself that she was ready, and should trust herself. She attempts to return the shield to her master, but Master Sho tells her that it belonged to Rooper, having previously been passed to her by her master, and in turn by his master. Sho explained it was tradition for the shield to be passed down from master to apprentice after passing their Trials. Deeply moved, Rooper pledges to make her Master proud.