"Tales of Enlightenment: No Such Thing as a Bad Customer" is a short story written by George Mann, and was published as part of The High Republic: Tales of Enlightenment in Star Wars Insider 217[1] on March 14, 2023.[2] The second part was published in Star Wars Insider 218,[1] on May 2, 2023.[2]
Publisher's summary
Piralli and Moona help to defend Enlightenment when the Battle of Jedha reaches its doors.[6]
Plot summary
Part 1
Moona shares her distaste of Keth spending too much time with his new Jedi companion to Piralli who does not seem bothered by it at all. Piralli reminds Moona that Keth is working hard these days on account of the peace treaty between Eiram and E'ronoh going south due to someone planting a bomb at the signing. The Jedi are working hard to make sure the planets do not spiral back into a war and Keth is helping. Moona shares her dislike for the Jedi, again, making it clear she thinks they are arrogant. Piralli thinks they do a pretty good job of protecting the galaxy. Moona accuses him of saying that because he likes their stories about action and adventure on the frontier. He says that it beats working at the docks. Moona warns him to be careful what he wishes for - adventure has a way of biting people on the backside. Moona prefers a quiet life.
After glancing at the door several times, Moona admits to having a new friend that she will be introducing to Piralli. She warns Piralli to be on his best behavior. The next person to walk through the door is not Moona's friend, but a stranger with a uniform she does not recognize. Piralli tells her that the human must be an Eirami soldier, he has seen a few of them at the docks where he works. The Eirami stranger catches them looking, gives a friendly wave, and takes it upon himself to join them once he gets his drink from Old Chanto, the bartender.
The Eirami soldier introduces himself as Paternok. He goes on to tell them how beautiful Eiram is with its crystal-clear waters and colorful sunrises. Piralli correctly assumes Paternok has not been home in quite a while. Paternok has been protecting the Eirami Ambassador, Cerox, who has been visiting various planets on the frontier for years. When he is able to return home, it is not the same because of the trauma of the war. Regardless, it reminds Paternok what he is fighting for.
Piralli comments on how the war must be over because of the peace treaty signing taking place in Jedha. Paternok is not hopeful that is true. He goes on to explain that the treaty and the heirs of both planets getting married is not going to erase the years of hate and fighting. People on both sides have lost so much because of the war. Paternok wants the war to be over, but that does not mean they will forgive or forget. Before he can explain how the war started, Piralli notices a new woman walks into the bar - An E'ronoh soldier.
She is a tall, pale woman with auburn hair and one sleeve of her E'ronoh military uniform pinned across her chest, suggesting she is missing an arm. Paternok tells Moona that the war started when E'ronoh started dropping bombs on Eiram. The E'ronoh soldier speaks up and disagrees. Her comment startles Paternok. When he turns and sees her uniform, he immediately goes for his concealed blaster. As soon as it is out of its holster, Kradon knocks it out of Paternok's hand.
Despite Paternok's protest, Kradon reminds him that everyone is welcome at Enlightenment as long as they abstain from violence and theological debate. Paternok relents and does not try to change Kradon's mind.
Kradon gets them another round of drinks. The E'roni soldier introduces herself as Kimbral. Moona asks if she fought in the war and if that is how she lost her arm. Kimbral tells them she lost it during the Battle of Salamento Bridge. It was a terrible battle, and many lives were lost. It was the worst thing she has seen. Paternok admits to having been there too. He also lost many people, including his wife and his brother.
Kimbral sympathizes with him for everyone they have lost and for everything the war has cost all of them. She believes it does not matter who started it (both sides accuse the other). What matters is that they find a way to make it stop. After some consideration, Paternok agrees and they drink to stopping the war.
Moona glances at the door again, but it is not her anxiety about her friend arriving that steals her attention this time. When Piralli listens closely, he can hear blaster fire outside. They all rush to the door and are greeted with a terrifying scene. Scores of enforcer droids are being released into the city and ships scream overhead. People scatter to escape their blaster fire while platoons of soldiers stomp through the streets. The two newcomers recognize them as Eirami soldiers and E'ronoh ships. The peace treaty must have failed and their war has come to Jedha.
Kimbral and Paternok exchange pleasantries before Kimbral disappears to join the fight. Piralli tries to stop Paternok from joining, but fails to do so. Before he leaves, Paternok thanks Piralli for entertaining him with the idea of peace, even if it was just for a moment. Very angry rioters begin to descend upon Enlightenment.
Part 2
Enlightenment is under siege by angry rioters and Enforcer Droids during the Battle of Jedha. Piralli and Moona hide behind the bar with Old Chantho and the Ikotochi electro-harpist , Madelina. Kradon fights back to defend Enlightenment alongside a Jedi Padawn Matthea Cathley (Matty).
Matty and Jedi master Vildar Mac, arrived with a group of refugees just as the rioters were descending upon Enlightenment. The two Jedi had rescued the group of refugees from a collapsed building. It turns out the refugees are members of the Path of the Open Hand. The Jedi attempted to lead everyone out through the tunnels but they collapsed, separating them from the Jedi master. Padawn Matty has stayed behind to watch over the refugees and help protect all those within Enlightenment. With an army of Enforcer Droids breaching the rear entrance and a mass of angry rioters trying to break through the main doors, she has her work cut out for her. She is aided by a wounded Sorcerer of Tund and Kradon.
Moona blames all this on the Jedi, claiming it is them the Enforcer Droids want and that the rioters at the front want to get to the Path of the Open Hand because they think they are the ones who started this all. Piralli disagrees, reminding her it was Eiram and E'ronoh troops that deployed their forces and started the battle. He argues it has nothing to do with the Jedi and they are just trying to help. Moona refuses to yield, arguing that it has everything to do with the Jedi. They are the ones who brought the warring worlds to Jedha and the Jedi are supposed to be overseeing the peace treaty.
Piralli worries over Keth's well-being and Moona worries over her friend Erta's—the woman that she was waiting for at Enlightenment. Piralli finds himself frustrated that he is doing nothing and starts to crawl across the floor to try and help wounded refugees. Moona reluctantly follows. Peering around the bar, they can see the dire situation better. The Enforcer Droids had blasted a hole through the back wall into the interior of the bar. The wounded Sorcerer of Tund appears to be holding them back with great effort using the Force. Matty continues to block blaster fire despite appearing weary and tired.
Piralli and Moona manage to make it to the clustered refugees. There, Moona reunites with Erta, a small human woman with brown skin. They embrace and kiss passionately. It turns out that Erta was near the almshouse when it collapsed. She tried to help the refugees and followed the Jedi to Enlightenment. Piralli introduces himself to Erta who has apparently heard a lot about him already.
A droid breaks through the Sorcerer's and Jedi's defenses. Piralli pushes Erta and Moona out of harm's way and just before he is about to be attacked by the droid, Matty intercepts with her lightsaber. She seems thrilled to see another Twi'lek, Moona, and promises they will talk later before rushing off to continue her fight. A male Dressellian refugee criticizes the Jedi, claiming they were supposed to keep them safe. Moona snaps back at him, claiming she is the only one allowed to criticize the Jedi here.
Piralli, Moona, and Erta begin to brainstorm how they can help Matty and the Sorcerer. Moona suggests they try to fry the droids with electricity by overloading their circuits. She determines that they can use Madelina's electroharp and the speakers. They can set them up near the hole with the Enforcer Droids, turn off the safeties, and when the speakers blow they will discharge excess electricity into anything nearby.
They get to work setting up their trap. Kradon works on fortifying the defenses at the front entrance while Matty continues to ward off blaster fire. A few stray bolts slip past her tiring defenses, one striking a civilian in the arm. Piralli and Erta set up the speakers and Moona takes control of the electro-harp.
Tarna, the Sorcerer of Tund, lets the Enforcer Droids pour into the bar from the hole in the wall. When all the droids are positioned between the two speakers, Moona strikes the strings of the harp. A thunderous sound and blinding light disorients them all. Electricity cracks out of the speakers and strikes the droids. Their circuits explode and they are reduced to nothing more than heaps of metal on the floor.
Kradon laments at the loss of his speakers that he imported from Coruscant and hopes Moona can patch them back up. The rioters finally break through the front entrance. After surveying the scene, they back out and disappear back into the streets.
Piralli watches as the patrons of Enlightenment start to pull together. They help the wounded and make sure everyone is alright. Old Chantho offers drinks and Prialli takes a shot of resta.
He joins Matty just outside and is greeted with an alarming scene. The city is in ruins and the battle continues on. Jedha is supposed to be a city of peace, faith, and sanctity. Instead, it is a place of death and violence. Overwhelmed, Piralli falls to his knees and begins to weep.
Continuity
In the second part of the story, Vildar Mac is described as a human, when The High Republic (2022) 1 established that he is a Kiffar. Since the story is written out of Piralli's perspective it is possible that the character mistook Vildar for a human.[1]
Media
Cover gallery
Collected in
- Star Wars Insider 217
- Star Wars Insider 218
- Star Wars Insider: The High Republic: Tales of Enlightenment
Appearances
| Characters | Organisms | Droid models | Events | Locations |
| Organizations and titles | Sentient species | Vehicles and vessels | Weapons and technology | Miscellanea |
Characters
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Droid models
Events
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Locations
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Organizations and titles
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Sentient species
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Vehicles and vessels
Weapons and technology
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Miscellanea
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Sources
"Tales of Enlightenment: The Unusual Suspect" — Star Wars Insider 216 (reprinted in Star Wars Insider: The High Republic: Tales of Enlightenment)- "Star Wars: The High Republic: Phase II Companion" — Star Wars Insider 221
Notes and references
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7
"Tales of Enlightenment: No Such Thing as a Bad Customer" — Star Wars Insider 217–218
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Star Wars Insider Subscription Information on Titan Comics' official website (backup link)
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 STAR WARS INSIDER #217 NEWSSTAND ED on Previews World's official website (backup link)
- ↑ The events of "Tales of Enlightenment: No Such Thing as a Bad Customer" take place concurrent with the events of The High Republic: The Battle of Jedha, which Star Wars: The High Republic Character Encyclopedia dates to 382 BBY.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Tales of Enlightenment: The Unusual Suspect" — Star Wars Insider 216
- ↑ "Star Wars: The High Republic: Phase II Companion" — Star Wars Insider 221
