The High Republic Adventures — The Monster of Temple Peak 1

The High Republic Adventures — The Monster of Temple Peak 1 is the first issue of the canon comic book miniseries Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures — The Monster of Temple Peak. It was written by Cavan Scott, illustrated by Rachael Stott and published by IDW Publishing on August 11, 2021.
==Publisher's summary==
Follow former Jedi turned saber-for-hire monster hunter Ty Yorrick in her first comic appearance in this all-new High Republic miniseries by Cavan Scott and Rachael Stott!
Ty is a brave yet superstitious monster hunter, traversing the galaxy with KL-03 and her trusty rune-stones fighting the deadliest monsters on any world. After dealing with an escaped Drewen being transported to the Republic Fair, Ty heads to Loreth, where local pioneers have tasked her with taking on the fearsome Gretalax that terrorizes them. She takes the mission but can't shake the feeling that something is amiss with the Force.
==Plot summary==
===Chapter 1: Saber-For-Hire===
In Wyke Town on Loreth, a world on the Galactic Frontier, young Pela slips out of her home at night, avoiding a group of people gathered around a fire. Finding a spot in a field with some sleeping moofs, she adjusts a receiver unit until she picks up a signal. However, she is then discovered by her uncle, Layton Wyke, who is not happy about her using his receiver and snatches it away. Pela says she just wanted to hear the Jedi signal being broadcast from Starlight Beacon as a reassurance they are still out there, and the exasperated Layton reiterates what he has said many times before that she needs to toughen up if she is going to make it on the frontier, and there is no need to be so frightened all the time. An ominous sound in the distance leads Pela to ask her uncle if he is so sure about that.
On Blarrum in the Outer Rim, Ty Yorrick is being pursued by a gundark. Her admin unit KL-03 asks her if she has found the creature, and when Ty responds sarcastically, Kayel reminds her that their employer wants them to bring in the animal alive as it is extremely valuable. Dodging the creature's claws, Ty snaps that she will try to remember, although the gundark is not making things easy. Kayel responds to try harder, since they need the credits as there is only so much Rover can do before their ship falls apart. Firing a gadget at the gundark, Ty says it's the least of her worries right now, but Kayel says she's only thinking of the business. As Ty retorts that she's thinking of her skin, the gundark swats her away, causing her to land on the ground.
When Ty gets to her feet, however, she encounters a kid, asking who he is before deciding it is not important and passing on a warning to try and avoid being eaten. Promising to do his best, the kid runs as the gundark approaches, while Kayel asks Ty who she's talking to, since the area is supposed to be uninhabited. Watching the kid be pursued by the gundark, Ty suggests Kayel tell that to the kid. The droid asks what kid, and Ty, drawing her lightsaber, responds that she means the kid who is in trouble and needs saving, leaping at the gundark. Ty reports that the target is down, refusing to give comment when Kayel asks if she means unconscious. The kid thanks Ty for saving his life, gushing that she's amazing. Ty says she knows a droid and client who might disagree with the kid, but the starry-eyed observer is awed by how she used her "flashy sword thing" to take it down. Correcting the kid on the name of her weapon, Ty tells the kid to stop apologizing and asks what he's doing here. Assuming that Ty is joking, the kid says he came to see her, having heard at the spaceport that she was some kind of amazing monster hunter and wanting to see her in action. Collecting the head of the gundark, Ty tells the kid that he nearly got her killed wanting to see her in action, departing on her speeder bike, although the kid thinks it was worth it.
Back at Kul Kenada Spaceport, Ty tells Kayel that a Segredo stumbled into her hunt, but he's fine now, unlike her. When the droid asks what's going on, Ty says there are Jedi there, an Aki-Aki and Theelin who are speaking with a local, displaying a hologram of a Faust. Kayel asks if they've sensed her, but Ty, abandoning her bike and climbing up a wall with her prize, says that they haven't and won't. But the Aki-Aki Jedi's eyes track where the Tholothian has gone.
Triv Blago is displeased when Ty delivers the gundark's head to him, although Ty explains it was about to eat someone. Blago shouts that she was told to bring it back alive, shouting that he had buyers who were willing to pay a Hutt's ransom for the animal and she has cost him a fortune. He orders his guard to blast her as an alarmed Ty guesses their deal is off, but the two Jedi arrive, the Quarren declaring that Blago is wanted for illegally capturing and transporting dangerous animals. Taking this as her cue to leave while the Jedi fight Blago's guards, Ty kicks some cages over, setting some of Blago's creatures loose as he wonders what she's doing. She calmly explains that she's causing a distraction because the Jedi are after him, not her. Blago chases Ty as she retreats to her speeder, as she remarks that she should have known something was off when he hired her rather than go to the authorities. She flips Blago over onto the ground while suggesting that he and the Jedi deserve each other, before speeding off with a sarcastic "good luck" as Blago is placed under arrest.
Kayel asks Ty if she got the money as she speeds through the spaceport to her starship, and Ty responds in the negative before ordering the droid to start the ship's engines. As Kayel and Ty bicker over the lack of payment while Ty races onboard, the droid quipping that life with Ty is never boring, neither of them notice the Segredo kid in their landing bay before the ship takes off, racing away from Blarrum. The admin unit points out they needed those credits, and Ty quips that she's mentioned it once or twice. Kayel says that Ty never changes, and Ty asks about it, but before the droid can repeat herself, Ty says that Kayel just reminded her of someone.
On Alaris Prime, ten years before, two Jedi Padawans spar. One says that his opponent never changes, being meek and timid, and she needs to be more like him. Tylera sweeps Klias Teradine's feet from under him and beats him in the duel, leading him to compliment her, suggesting his brilliance is rubbing off on her. Jedi Master Cibaba, approaching, pointedly asks Teradine to remember what he has been taught about Jedi humility, and Klias quips that he's exceptionally good at it. As Tylera helps him up, she suggests that Klias was kidding, before whispering that he should tell Cibaba he was kidding. Cibaba tells Tylera not to worry, as he knows exactly what Klias thinks of himself, before reminding his apprentice that she needs to follow her own path rather than pretend to be someone she isn't.
In the present day, Kayel tells Ty they'll have to take another job as their ship is in desperate need of an upgrade, and Ty asks the droid what they have on the books. Kayel says things would go faster if Ty would just call her "Klo", but Ty says she doesn't do nicknames. Quietly snarking that she thought she was the machine around there, Kayel says they have a call for help from a farming settlement in the Loreth system, and an extraction operation on Toydaria. Kayel is exasperated when she realizes Ty is going to consult her "ridiculous" Verazeen stones to decide, but Ty responds that the droid knows how she works. Tossing the stones up, Ty says that moons will mean they go to Loreth, and suns to Toydaria. Kayel says that one day, Ty is going to have to make a decision for herself, but Ty doesn't feel the need when the universe can decide for itself. With the stones landing moons-up, Ty heads for Loreth.
Arriving, Ty is met by Layton Wyke, who introduces himself as the founder of the community and says he's heard she's the best. Ty asks why a colony of moof-ranchers needs a monster hunter, and Layton explains that they've been losing cattle, over twenty in the latest attack alone, not to mention the equipment. When she asks what kind of attack, Layton says he'll show her and asks her to follow him, saying she can bring her droid. Layton takes Ty to a cave where he introduces her to Tapel, who rhetorically asks if she's come to rid them of their Gretalax problem. Finding the name unfamiliar, Ty asks what a Gretalax is. The Boosodian says that none of them had heard of them until they found the cave paintings now being studied. Layton explains that Tapel is an amateur archaeologist, and that they had all thought the creatures were extinct until one rampaged through their camp, and they lost a lot of good people.
Ty asks where the creature is now, and Layton says it returned to its lair on Temple Peak, the very mountain they stand on. She asks about the name, and Layton says he named it after a temple back home on Naratar. Saying they will not survive another attack, Layton asks Ty if she'll take the job. Over comms, Kayel says that Ty should say yes, but the hunter feels she needs to consult her Verazeen stones again, saying something about the job feels odd, to Kayel's exasperation. As Ty pulls out her stones and asks for room, Tapel comments that they didn't think anyone outside the Cabarka Union used them. Ty's reading is interrupted by a smashing sound as Pela runs through. Layton grabs the girl and reminds her that she was told to stop. Tapel explains that Pela means no harm, but the girl was rendered mute in the attack by inhaling rhydon fumes, and she hasn't been right in her mind ever since. Ty asks if rhydon means rhydonium, and Tapel says the Gretalax overturned a pile of fuel canisters when it laid waste to the camp, Pela being just one victim. Tapel asks if Ty will help them, and she says she'll see as she tosses her stones.
The stones lead Ty to take the job, but Kayel thinks that Ty should take Rover with her. Ty says the astromech droid would just get in the way, and Layton asks if Ty is talking to herself. She explains it's just her secretary-droid getting her diodes in a twist, and Kayel retorts that Ty needs someone to look after her. Layton is grateful that Ty decided to take the job, and Tapel, apologizing that she won't be able to take a speeder up the mountain, explains that the lyuna mount they're giving her is a hardy beast and won't let her down. As Ty sets off, Layton hopes that the Force will be with her, but she blows it off. Pela quietly watches as Ty leaves. As Ty rides up the mountain, Kayel informs her over comms that there is no record of a Jedi temple on Naratar, but the signal breaks up and cuts her off. Ty tries to reach the droid, but after the signal fails decides she prefers silence. The shape of a mountain in the distance brings Ty back to her past...
Klias Teradine shows Tylera a hologram of Mount Bikja, telling her it's what they've been looking for. She thinks it's a way to get expelled from the Jedi Order, but Klias scoffs, telling her he's never heard of a Padawan being kicked out. He says that if he's read the local scrolls right, a Yallow sanctum is located there. Tylera points out the Yallow Fellowship was a group of darksiders, but Klias says that was a long time ago, the Fellowship is all dead, and the shrine will be full of interesting stuff, which he believes that they as Jedi are supposed to know about. Feeling uncertain, Tylera says she doesn't know about going, since Master Cibaba won't like it. Klias counters that Cibaba doesn't need to know, but that's okay, and he says he will go alone if Tylera is scared. Tylera finally agrees to go, telling Klias he is a pain in the backside, but he says they both are, feeling that the expedition is going to be great. She pulls her friend back before he can run into the path of a passing Jedi, and he comments that that was close. Tylera says it was too close, worrying about what the Masters will do if the Padawans are caught sneaking out of evening meditation. Klias says they won't and pulls Tylera along, saying they have a mountain to climb.
In the present, as Ty continues her journey, Kayel manages to reach her after changing channels, but Ty, dismounting, tells her to wait. Going over her trail, Ty finds unfamiliar tracks in the snow. Kayel asks what is happening, and Ty says she heard something and needs to focus, telling the droid to shut up. Reaching through the Force, Ty finds something and charges at the spot, igniting her lightsaber. She swings, chopping the trunk of a dead tree, only to hear a scream and thump. Realizing her pursuer is invisible, Ty chases the entity as Kayel wonders if she has altitude sickness. Ty insists that there is something present with her. The invisible person gets caught in a spider's web at a cave opening, calling for help, and Ty explains to Kayel that the "something" has got itself tangled in a mess of trouble. Kayel asks Ty why she is so melodramatic, saying she's not that scary, but Ty, confronted with a giant spider approaching, snaps that she wasn't talking about herself.
==Media==
===Cover gallery===
File:HighRepublicMonsterOfTemplePeak_1.jpg|Cover A by Rachael Stott
File:The_Monster_of_Temple_Peak_1.png|Reveal cover
==Appearances==
==Collections==
*Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures — The Monster of Temple Peak TPB
*Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures — The Monster of Temple Peak and Other Stories
==Sources==
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==Notes and references==
==External links==
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