Star Wars CLOSED Star Wars: Episode VI: Twilight of the Force III: A Son’s Destiny

IC: Arthur
Just after the attack on Taris

He hadn’t expected the clans to seize upon the beskar lode to commit to a show of force, but all he could say was that the speech had Palpatine would at least take the news attention from it - though Arthur doubted that anyone would have noticed with Nubia having just been eaten.

The Senate was in utter pandemonium at this point, and the Tapani Sector, with its pro-NR faction mysteriously assassinated, had petitioned to join the Eternal Empire in a reverse of the Imperial Remnant dedicating to the NR cause now Moffs Lecersen and Ecressys were dead.

But Arthur knew Madelyn would notice.

With the family in tow, he set a rendezvous in a safe part of New Republic space and headed to meet her. He was nervous - she wouldn’t be happy about the attack on Taris.

To say Madelyn was upset was an understatement. She was furious. She might be passing off the torch of Mand'alor to Tor, but she didn't need this to reflect upon them. It was like the Mandalorian Wars from ages ago all over again.

Currently Madelyn was waiting on a New Republic shift for her husband and son, and she wondered how he was going to talk his way out of this. Or what exactly had happened. She sighed, feeling the start of a headache coming on.

Their ships docked, and Arthur heard Alfred run in his unsteady manner to the docking port. Arthur hoped that Madelyn had brought Leia - they’d not been together for weeks now, and a lot had happened and indeed gone wrong. He heard the airlock cycle, took a deep breath and headed to greet his wife and daughter.

"You're angry at Papa." Leia remarked as their ships docked. She walked beside her mother as they went to greet them.

"Yes." Madelyn answered gently. "But adults have disagreements sometimes. I'm sure we will work through this one as well." She frowned a little, looking troubled. "I'm afraid you're father and I have...less then stellar communication skills with one another." She paused. "At least, lately we do."

Leia nodded, and looked thoughtful. "Well, you should at least give him a hug Mama."

Madelyn cracked a smile. "Yes, of course Leia." She sensed Alfred running towards them before she saw him and smiled at Leia again before greeting him. "Hello Alfred."

"Alfred!" Leia shouted, and she ran to meet her little brother to hug him tightly. "I missed you!"

Arthur smiled warmly as he saw the children draw each other close, and he stepped up, placing a hand on Leia's head as he was want to do. He squared up to Madelyn, shoulders slightly tightened as if was about to go into a bolo-ball tackle. Alfred had already looped out an arm to grab his mothers leg, and Arthur's composure was broken - he could only smile at them - they had survived.

At one point in the recent week-long Second Galactic Civil War, as they called it now, most of the family had been feared dead, killed by Zorn's Force attack on Mandalore. But they'd managed to escape in the refugee scrum, but it had taken three days before they'd all caught up with each other.

Madelyn glanced at Arthur with concerned before Alfred was hugging her leg. She picked him up and drew him into a tight hug, kissing Alfred on the top of the head. "I'm glad you're alright." She told them, and then placed Alfred down again.

Leia looked up at her father. "Hi Papa!" She greeted him. "I'm glad you came home."

Madelyn sighed. "Yes. It's nice that were all together again." She was still upset with Arthur, but did not want to show too much of it in front of the children. So she stepped forward and kissed her husband on the cheek. "Let's talk somewhere." Madelyn whispered to him as she pulled away.

Arthur gave Leia a kiss on the forehead. “Look after your brother, Princess.”

He headed off to follow Madelyn. Before the door was even shut he spoke up. “Yes I found a beskar lode, no, I didn’t think that telling Ka’rta would see her use it to armour an advanced starfighter and attack Taris.”

Madelyn smiled at Alfred and Leia before turning to lead her husband to a near by room. She turned to him and listened as the door shut, but she couldn't help but be angry as he admitted what he had done.

"You should have told me before you told Ka'rta. Now the rest of the galaxy is on edge because of what she's done to Taris." Madelyn shouted in a whisper. "What's stopping her from coming after the rest of the galaxy now that she has that power? I know the clans don't think I'm worthy to lead them anymore."

“I couldn’t have expected Ka’rta would do that, how could I? Nor that the clans believed it was the right thing to do - there’s this Venku character, he’s pushing a Mandalore First movement - I didn’t know, honest!” He spread out his hands.

Madelyn pursed her lips, and scowled. "I know I haven't been the best Mand'alor. But I still did what was best Arthur." She sighed and shook her head. "Mandalore first huh? That's not going to go well for them."

She drew on the force and tried to relax. Looked at Arthur again. "Well, I suppose that me being Mand'alor won't matter for much longer. I named Tor my heir. She has the darksaber now." Madelyn turned and sat on a nearby crate, putting her head in her hands. Anxious.

Arthur nearly had his own explosion - his voice was raised. “You gave away the Darksaber without speaking to me?! To Tor!? What about Leia - or Alfred!?”

He held out his hands, spread wide, and then took a deep breath. “Let me try that again.” He breathed it out, sat next to her, and held her. “What happened, honey. You love being Mandalore.”

Madelyn shut her eyes and sighed. She waited until Arthur stopped yelling and looked at him as he sat down and held her. "I gave it away because it was the right thing to do. I'm sorry I didn't talk about it with you first. But I never had any intention of naming Alfred or Leia my heir."

She shook her head. "They are both force sensitive Arthur. The clans would never follow them." Madelyn looked away, upset. "I did like being Mand'alor, but that only went so far. I'm sick of not being listened to or brushed aside."

Arthur took a few more breaths. "Sorry, Madelyn. I understand, I really do - being Mand'alor and being a Force user... it wasn't easy, not even with the Darksaber." He held her close. "So now what? Are we going to join the Jedi Order full-time."

He hesitated. "Leia has a Master, after all, now."

"It's okay." Madelyn said, although she realised her face was wet with tears. She hugged Arthur and rested her head on his chest. "I don't know. I'll have to see if they accept us too. Alfred will need to be trained." Madelyn admitted.

“Oh come on,” Alfred said, warming to the idea. “Your master was Zey, you fought at the Battle of Mandalore and the Battle of Kashyyyk and Exegol. You’ve shown you can lead, can teach, can have empathy, that you’ve faced diversity all your life and not once allowed it to break you.”

He nudged her with his shoulder. “I bet you get made a Master.”

Madelyn laughed. "You make it sound so glamorous." She told Arthur before raising her head from his chest. "Thank you for believing in me. And I'm sorry I was so sore with you." She apologised. Madelyn leaned in and kissed Arthur gently.

"I get it," Arthur said. "And I know you're mad with Ka'rta, too..." He hesitated. "But I don't think we should return to Mandalore anytime soon. It's getting bad. It's like Zorn wrecking the homeworld has radicalized the clans, as if beskar would have stopped a Force-eater..."

He shook his head. "I'd feel safer if we were in the New Republic. Maybe I can be a hand-to-hand instructor? The kids will need training anyway, after all." He smiled at the idea of teaching.

Madelyn nodded. "Yes, that would probably be for the best. I think you would be very good at that job." She tried to smile at him, but there was uncertainty in her voice. "We need to make the best of things."

Arthur was content they had a direction, and things would be sorted. There was a crash outside the room, and Arthur stood. "Lets see what Alfred has done..." With Leia there, he wasn't concerned, but he wanted to bring the children into the conversation anyway.

"Oh force." Madelyn sounded amused. "You're going to let this go to you're head aren't you?"

"Can I?" He said with a grin.

He squeezed her hand, and dove into whatever mayhem had just occurred.

Madelyn sighed and smiled at Arthur as he squeezed her hand before walking out of the room with him to see what their children were up to.

"Alright what did you break?" Madelyn asked gently.

Madelyn sighed and smiled at Arthur as he squeezed her hand before walking out of the room with him to see what their children were up to.

"Alright what did you break?" Madelyn asked gently.

Madelyn opened her mouth and then shut it. "Break up? I love you're father and he loves me. Why would we break up?"

“Because you argued with each other!”

“Yeah, we don’t do that in-front of you,” Arthur paused. “It’s completely normal to disagree with people you love, because they are so important to you - it’s about how you do it which matters.”

“Right?” He looked at Madelyn, smiling, and squeezing her hand.

Madelyn looked at Arthur fondly. "Yes that's right. And sometimes adults have a hard time communicating, but we learn new ways to do that all the time." She kissed Arthur on the cheek and looked at Alfred and Leia fondly.

"See, I told you they were fine." Leia looked at her brother.

“Fiiiine,” he said. “Can I have an ice cream yet?”

“Only if I can,” Arthur said, “and the glass is cleaned up.”

Madelyn gave them an amused look, and nodded. "Yes, let's clean up first. Then we can get ice cream."

"Come on Alfred. Ice cream." Leia encouraged him

The family cleaned up, and then they ice cream-d up. They were a single unit of four among the stars, and the Jedi did welcome them to the Order, and Cilghal, Corran and Tresina revealed the secret that Ood Bnar had been hiding in the library of Ossus for their darkest hour.

The secret location of Tython, the holy world of the Jedi Order. With Yavin 4 and Ossus compromised, and Coruscant so damaged, they had a new home, and all Jedi were to head there.

They were the new Jedi Council, and they wanted her to join as a Master, one of four, to prepare for the coming darkness.

They called it the Hidden Temple, and with it they would prepare for the Great War.

Empire Day was less than fifteen years away.

They had to prepare.

To fight, to defend, to be guardians.

There was a moment where the four of them stood in the Jedi Temple, looking out upon the stars. They’d passed half a dozen habitable but empty worlds here; there were plenty of mysteries and adventures to be had - Alfred needed a Master, Leia had her training to complete, an Order had to be rebuilt.

A galaxy to be saved.

Tag: @Sinrebirth

 

OOC: Combo with the GM.

IC: Nola and Delan Deidder, Winter, and Gallius Rax
15 ATA, New Nubia, then Oovo IV

It took a while for them to sit down together - a lot longer than Winter would have wanted. With all the tensions and dramatics over the speech and declaration from Palpatine, it was a miracle that the New Republic still existed.

But it turned out that Nola’s proposal to rotate the capital completely undercut any accusations that the Senate was going to try and repeat the failed formula of the Old Republic once again. The military spending and the extension of Feyna’s term meant that the government did not fall, not even with complete panic seizing the populace’s of many worlds wholesale.

But it had been barely controlled chaos, and that meant Winter hadn’t managed to see her, or Del. She’d wanted to, because Winter knew exactly how she felt.

Well, Alderaan had only been destroyed; Nubia had been made a monstrous cadaver that had been reanimated to serve Aryan Graul. Naboo had been glassed... Padme’s homeworld was gone.

Metellos remained dead, Coruscant was devastated, while Mandalore was restored, and causing all manner of commotion by just not cooperating with anyone. It didn’t seem fair.

But Winter knew that with the destruction of the government, the Senator usually ended up picking up responsibility for the survivors of the planet. Inevitably so, in-fact. The Nubians were just as scattered as any galactic population, so the people were not gone, but the Senate hadn’t the time to deflect from arming their half of galaxy to the teeth.

So by the time Winter had managed to nudge through a law about reconstruction grants for Kashyyyk and other dispossessed nations, it had been a year.

Winter came to New Nubia - a colony world set up by the refugees - and waited to be seen. She hadn’t expected an instantaneous meeting just because she’d said she was coming. Tycho was bringing Rogue Squadron and a convoy of supplies to the planet tomorrow - it was their year anniversary since they had began seeing each other in-fact.

But she put that aside; she was here for Nola.

The first thing she intended to say was ‘I’m so sorry’.

To say that the past year had been difficult was probably an understatement.

Nola had used all of her relief experience (from volunteering with her father during her teens, and she'd even resorted to using a few of his old connections) to try to get Nubia's displaced populace back on its feet. But it didn't feel like she'd been getting much help from anywhere, and it wasn't uncommon for her to occasionally skip Senate meetings now, too busy with her own people and their troubles to be bothered with the seemingly constant flow of military spending and construction bills. Some of those credits could have been going toward helping the survivors from the various planets that had been hit--Naboo, Coruscant, and Kashyyyk, as well as Nubia.

She tried not to be too bitter about it; everyone was scared after Palpatine had revealed himself, and it had taken a while for things to calm down again. And the New Republic's forces did need to bring up their numbers if they were going to survive Skelm and the Vong. They probably wouldn't manage another massive alliance like the armada that had gone to Exegol, and they'd been stretched to their limits after that battle.

But it was hard not to feel overlooked, from time to time.

Nola hadn't seen or really talked to Winter or Feyna in the past year. They'd all simply been super-busy, she wasn't nursing a grudge or anything like that; she did know now where Feyna and her group had been during the attack, but she also knew that everything that could have been done for Nubia, had been done. Their forces had simply been spread too thin, reinforcements too distant to make any difference, the enemy's weapons too powerful.

And Feyna had tried to reach out, to talk--the Chancellor was probably one of the only ones whose sympathies hadn't sounded hollow and empty, like they so often did. But Feyna, and Winter, too, had been in exactly Nola's situation before, and though she probably could have used some advice, or just someone to vent to, Nola hadn't had time for a more lengthy conversation.

The message that Winter was coming to New Nubia came as a bit of a surprise, but Nola managed to rearrange her schedule to fit her in as soon as possible.

"Come on in," she called, noticing the woman lingering outside of her office.

Of course, the first words out of Winter's mouth were condolences, but like Feyna, at least she really meant it. "Thank you," Nola's almost automatic reply, as she gestured to a chair. It was just the two women at the moment; presently Nola wasn't sure where Del was, off doing work somewhere, she guessed. It seemed like they scarcely saw each other sometimes.

"What brings you here?"

As she'd only been sporadically attending Senate meetings, Nola was a little behind on the political scene.

Winter swallowed, noting the automatic response of her words, and how Nola leapt right in. She clearly hadn't been able to spend much time thinking on things, and Winter had confided in Feyna her worries. She didn't know how many family members Nola and Del had lost on Nubia, but she knew it was likely they had lost many.

"I wanted to see how you were doing, actually," Winter said. "I don't think a HoloNet call is personal enough, though yes I also have news from the Senate if you want a full debrief." She fingered a datapad and put it down on a desk otherwise. It was encrypted with the Assembly code, as it had all manner of sensitive information on it.

"We could be better," Nola replied--Winter probably meant how was Nola doing, but she wasn't ready to get too personal. "It's not as bad as it was, but...well, baby steps, I guess. Even a little progress is better than none?"

She glanced at the datapad. "I've missed the last few sessions, but it's all been defense contracts and more ships, when I do attend."

“That’s all it is, at present. Balmorra is offering defence platforms to any world that can afford them; the Senate passed a law allowing individual sectors to field a full fleet group if they wish to; the federal fleets have been bumped up to targets of five thousand ships per deployment...”

Winter’s eyes glazed over. “But reconstruction grants are also being discussed and resources being put aside to assist damaged worlds and refugee states. Systems such as Ruan, Duro, Agamar and Ord Mantell have all volunteered to accept dispossessed peoples.” Ruan was a Core system not far from Coruscant, between it and the Deep Core, commanding the heartland of agricultural worlds that supplied the New Republic - the Core’s Breadbasket. “Oh and Shramar, in Imperial space, too.”

“New Nubia - and New Alderaan - they each qualify for reconstruction grants so you can apply and they should come soon enough.” Winter smiled. What had been given so far had been a trickle in comparison to what could have been sent, so it was all good news. The galaxy definitely seemed determined to be ready for what was to come.

Nola's eyes glassed over, caught between so much relief, and disbelief. The Senate had finally passed a relief bill? She'd been missing more than just defense contracts, then.

She did have a tiny moment of it took them long enough, but quickly dismissed the thought; it was ungrateful, and if she'd actually been attending the meetings, she might have known sooner, to try and help push it through.

"That's...fantastic..." She managed to find her voice again. "That's the best news I've heard in..." Weeks? Months? "I'll make sure the application gets sent as soon as possible.

"Thank you."

Winter smiled broadly. "You are quite welcome."

That was what she had wanted to say - to make sure that Nola knew they were here, and they cared, notwithstanding how mad it had been. "I genuinely do think that the New Republic is going to be ready for Palpatine. I can't imagine he expected we'd be this well prepared. The Mon Calamari are even working on a new Star Defender - it will be seventeen kilometers long. The prototype, the Viscount, will be ready in about a decade, but the keels are being lain for the larger variants."

Winter was feeling, impossibly, hope.

Nola nodded; as much as she'd been annoyed by all the military buildup, she knew that it was necessary, too. They'd barely squeaked by after Exegol, and Nola sometimes wondered whether it would have made a difference at Nubia, if they'd had more ships--

No, there'd been no stopping that flagship, and the path of 'what-ifs' was a road best not travelled again.

"That's good.

"I do wonder, though, what kind of game Palpatine's playing--why would he explicitly tell us when he's coming?"

It seemed like an odd move, to warn the enemy years in advance...

Winter nodded at the question. “It’s the same thing everyone else is asking. Is he planning something we can’t anticipate? Is he that overconfident? Is he lying about how he manipulated Zorn?”

She shook her head. “Let’s say he knew about the future... the one that was supposed to happen, or whatever. Surely at some point he’d lose the ability to predict things? The surprises that happen in the old timeline, sure.”

Winter’s head hurt. The HoloNet was rife with speculation about the Change. Before Qwi Xux and Beaumont Kin had vanished, a degree of his speculation has been passed to academics, and from there they had managed to map events to a degree.

That Palpatine was supposed to have avoided his death in his office fighting Anakin and Mace; that he was subsequently defeated later. There had been a few catalogued instances of people meeting their ‘other’ selves, people usually in mental institutes who were now sequestered in safe houses. But by and large it was known that Alderaan would have been destroyed in both instances, which was saddening to Winter... and Nubia apparently rarely featured, if at all.

A memory, long-buried and forgotten in the chaos that had ensued after the original event, suddenly occurred to Nola. "Ike and Arb--they were with Palpatine in his address--Del and I saw them at the old Jedi Temple on Coruscant, when we went there to find Jyn Erso, to get the remote to destroy the Death Star prototype. There was a Black-Coat there, too, I don't know who he was and we never saw his face; he'd captured Jyn and taken the remote, and he talked about the Change. He wouldn't give me the remote unless I promised not to use it then and there, because he didn't want the detonation to spook the GEMINI droids before Feyna could speak to them. He said that things had to occur in a certain order, which implies he knew what was going to happen...

"At one point, there were two of the Black-Coat, he said he could jump between realities"--since Norin had brought Arek over, Winter would know this was possible--"but when one of them touched the other, he...absorbed him?" She didn't know what else to call it. "They just became one Black-Coat again."

Nola wasn't sure what Winter or Feyna or anyone could do with the information, but she hadn't mentioned it to anyone else until now. She didn't even know who the Black-Coat was; she didn't think it had been Palpatine--probably she, Del, and Jyn would not have survived that encounter.

Winter hesitated. “That’s insane.”

She was trying to keep up. “So this... Black Coat wanted things to happen in a certain order, and then his allies turn up with Palpatine?”

The woman frowned. “Ike, the Black Sun Underlord, who was keeping tabs on Qwi and Pascale... Qwi, who was key to Thrawn’s Starkiller weapon... and Ike hired Boba Fett to keep us from getting Aryan...”

“... and Arb, who was working for Qi’ra, and then turns up connecting the dots between things... as well as here, on Coruscant...”

Winter shook her head. “I think I saw a Black-Coat, once... Fleet Admiral Rax had one... we took it into custody and it vanished... and Rax was hiding in the Maw with a Neo Imperial fleet... the same Maw that hid a Chaos creature, thing, that killed Grandmaster Ood Bnar... and we found the Death Star prototype in...”

Her eyes widened. This was big.

“This Black-Coat knows about the Change; he knew about it before the rest of us.” She hesitated. “But he still let Treen get blown up, still helped Aryan take the Eternal Fleet, and kept Thrawn from getting Qwi... what kind of plan is he running?”

Nola shook her head, unsure. "Ike also tried to stop me and Del when we left Norin's apartment that last time." When they'd been trying to get the unconscious Winter back to the Chancellor.

"And maybe the Black-Coat you saw was the double?" It would explain the disappearance, if he was one of the two Black-Coats at the Temple.

"If he's ensuring that certain events occur in a certain order, he's trying to steer the galaxy in a particular direction. If I had to guess, the Black-Coat either serves Palpatine--he did play both sides during the Clone Wars, before the Jedi found him out...or he serves something else we don't know about."

"Great," said Winter, pouting. "Another faction."

"We're a bit villain heavy with Palpatine and the Yuuzhan Vong, then Thrawn and the Empire of the Hand, then Aryan and his Eternal Empire... let alone whatever Ka'rta is doing..." she shook her head.

"Which just makes it more important we get ready for Palpatine, and keep Aryan from making any big plays..." Winter thumbed her chin. "Can we keep this to ourselves for now, Nola? I want to dig into a few things and work it out."

Nola nodded. "I won't say anything. I'd forgotten all about it until now; probably Del has, too.

"He also told us he was looking for a new 'Braata?' If that helps; I don't know what it means. He said the last one tried to kill him."

Winter twitched. This was an old memory. So old she had to go back to school days.

"Braata was one of the four Sages of Dwartii... they were Nouanese philosophers who gave advice to the human Core worlds before the Republic was founded... they're demagogues more than anything." She frowned. "Sistros, Braata, Faya, Yanjon..." Another twitch of memory. "Palpatine had statues of each of them in his office, and they, well, they vanished during the Empire's fall, as well as a fifth statue - an Atrisian demi-God named Wapoe, a trickster deity."

Winter frowned. "Nouane was where Pascale, Qwi and Ike were hiding out."

"This is above my head - I wish we had Beaumont Kin around. Arhul Hextrophon is an Aldereaanian I used to know who was deep into pre-Republic lore, but he's rumoured to have taken a research posting for the Eternal Empire somewhere..." Winter hesitated. "There's definitely something there we need to pick at..."

"... I remember now - the Vice-Chancellor's Staff of Office - it had Sistros atop it. That vanished too, until it turned up in Palpatine's broadcast..."

Connections and connections, but Winter had no idea what it meant. "Shall we go speak to Rax?" Winter decided. "If he's met the Black-Coat...?" She flipped open her datapad. "He's in a high security cell on Oovo IV."

"Okay." Nola wasn't sure what else she could contribute, but perhaps talking to Rax might jog her memory more.

And as much as she felt guilty leaving the refugees right now, New Nubia could handle itself for a little while; she didn't need to personally do everything.

"Should I get Del?"

Winter shrugged. "Girls trip, perhaps?" A quirk of a smile. "Is there anything we need to remember before we go?"

It was down to Nola if she brought Del.

Nola shook her head. "I don't think so, but let me tell him where we're going, and I'll get him on that grant application."

"Oovo IV," Winter said, smiling. "We can take my skiff. It's quick, after all."

She began to head off, and get the ship prepped for launch, giving Nola a moment to catch up with Del.

Nola dug her comlink out of the clutter on her desk, and punched in Del's code.

"Hey, where are you?"

“Behind you,” he said, coming into the hangar off-room from the other door. He grinned, cut the comm line before that double echo effect kicked in. He looked up. “Winter’s leaving already?”

Nola smiled, tucking away her comm. "We'll be back--I'm going with her to Oovo IV; we need to talk to Rax about that Black-Coat we saw at the old Temple on Coruscant."

Del nodded. “Well, that sounds positively unfun. Do I need to come?” He sounded like he wanted to be anywhere but. “I will, if you want, of course.” His second try was a bit more positive.

She shook her head. "No, you don't have to come, and I have a different chore for you, if you don't mind.

"The Senate finally got a relief bill through to offer assistance to displaced populations. New Nubia qualifies, but there's still an application process to go through...could you handle that while I'm gone?"

Del’s eyes lit up at the idea of relief aid, and narrowed at the idea of a form. “I think consorting with a mad Imperial Admiral sounds more fun than an application.” He stuck out his tongue. “But sure.” He leaned over to kiss her.

“Remember, insanity is catching. I don’t want any.” He grinned.

Winter was ready to go, peering out the viewport, engines keyed to go.

Nola smirked at his jesting, but kissed him back. "Thank you."

Seeing Winter was ready to go, she gathered up a few travel necessities. "I'll see you when we get back." She went to kiss him again. "Love you."

“Love you too,” he kissed her back, one more time. “Come home soon.”

It didn’t take long for them to reach Oovo IV, for it was still in New Republic territory. The Perlemian Trade Route was heavily patrolled by New Republic, Imperial and Hapan forces, connecting Mon Calamari and New Alderaan to the Core Worlds. There was finally a sense of security forming, especially now the fleets damaged at the Battles of Exegol and Coruscant had been fully repaired.

The prison warden had no problems with two Senators meeting with Rax. In the Ortolan’s words. “It keeps him from freaking out the other prisoners and I can’t keep him in solitary all the time.”

In short order they would be sitting in a room as the former Imperial Fleet Admiral was escorted in. He threw a quizzical look at them each as he was cuffed to the table. “Do I know you?”

Nola wanted to ask the guard about just what Rax was doing that bothered the other inmates, but perhaps after.

"No, but I believe we have a mutual acquaintance," Nola replied; she wasn't sure how comfortable she was with this guy, so the less information she had to share about herself, the better. "We're here to ask you about Black-Coat."

Rax shrugged. “What is there to say I haven’t already?”

“Tell us anyway.” Winter insisted.

A sigh. “He came to me with a wayfinder to Exegol, and told me to wrap it in a black cloak. He told me more about my role in the Maw - that I was sending diseased victims into the deeper-most zone to keep a Dark Goddess at bay - that my role had been Changed when Palpatine knew what he should not.”

He grimaced. “The barve hinted that Palpatine was dead, too, so he properly manipulated me. I spent fifteen years building the First Order, my rogue little part of the Contingency. To think, I met Palpatine when he was still Chancellor...”

Winter hesitated. It was logical that Palpatine found out about his defeat before his death at the hands of Mace and Anakin, having set up whatever dark mad science on Exegol to resurrect himself.

“Do you know about the Anzati?”

She kept her expression neutral.

"The one possibly connected to the death of Master Bnar?"

Nola had heard a mention of an Anzati causing trouble in the Maw; Winter herself had mentioned him during the group comm-call with Saxan and Sal-Solo, when Han Solo had brought Nola, the Chancellor, and their companions to Corellia after the Battle of Coruscant.

"His name is Bernael," Rax said. "He's terribly powerful - he consumed the souls of the Maw Colony - a million men and women, in an instant. He arrived from the Core, the Negs - where I gather you lost Metellos to a non-Zorn related problem."

"But yes, he certainly slew Master Bnar... and the creature that escaped the Maw, too, Abeloth, who your Jedi took down." He didn't know about her survival and subsequent rematch with Vhardia, Leia and Madelyn on Yavin 4.

There'd been some speculation, Nola'd heard, that an Anzati was responsible for Metellos, but unless Winter knew something she didn't, this was the first she'd heard that anyone had given any concrete statement to that effect.

"Where do Ike and Arb fit in?"

Rax shrugged. “That I do not know. First I heard of him was as Qi’ra Ananke’s second in command in Crimson Dawn. But shortly after she became Grand Vizier he vanished... next I heard he’d been shot up by those two Mandalorian Heroes - Madelyn Linnett and Ka’rta.”

“My criminal contacts knew of Ike as the reason head of Black Sun after Pascale Rouser vanished... and Arb was his fixer. But they were keeping tabs on Qwi Xux too.” The name of the woman who caught him caused his expression to acquire a sardonic edge. “And now she’s vanished and he and Ike are chumming it up with Palpatine.”

Rax leaned on the table, the cuffs noisily moving as he did. “I wondered if they were working with Palpatine - if Thrawn got his blue hands on blue Qwi, he’d’ve been able to finish that Starkiller weapon.”

Winter managed a diplomatic comment. “You’re very well informed.”

He laughed. “Not really. I’ve just had time to speculate and put ideas together. I try to talk to the inmates, but most of them are small time, pathetically so even, and are scared of the idea of a mysterious but charismatic Black Coat ruling our fate - or Palpatine having mastered time.” A shrug.

His head turned to Nola. “Very sorry to hear about Nubia, incidentally. It seemed lost in all the Palpatine hysteria and that wasn’t fair on you at all.”

Nola pursed her lips, not buying into his appearance of sympathy, and even wondering if he was using it in an attempt to provoke some kind of reaction from her.

She tried to steer them back on topic. "Is the Black-Coat connected to Palpatine?"

“I don’t know,” Rax said, honestly. “The Black-Coat seems aloof, but there’s no denying that his actions assisted you all in defeating Zorn and in stymying Abeloth, but also in dividing the galaxy before Palpatine makes his next big move. A relatively specific chain of events had to occur - even my bringing the prototype to Coruscant.”

He wondered aloud. “So he seems to be helping Palpatine, even if Palpatine would turn on him in an instant if need be.”

Winter snorted. “Which is why you served?”

“I stopped following Palpatine’s orders decades ago. I was never instructed to build the Maw Colony, or the First Order. I was supposed to lure the New Republic and Empire to Jakku.” A shrug.

Nola decided to take the bait. "What's on Jakku?"

Rax oozed amusement. “Why would I tell you that? I’m already servicing multiple life sentences, after all.”

“You’re haggling?” Winger said, unsurprised.

“You won’t find the Contingency on Jakku. Palpatine set it up while he was still Chancellor - he was already preparing for his death before the Clone Wars!” Rax shook his head. “He was sure it would be entirely hidden once it was finished.” His tone was prideful. “But I set up the facility, so of course I know where it is.”

Nola ground her teeth behind her carefully calm countenance. He was being less cooperative; probably they wouldn't get much more out of him. "I don't suppose you're going to tell us what the Contingency is, either."

"Well, that's me," Rax said proudly. "It was my job to chop at the Galactic Empire when Palpatine died and kill it. He is a spiteful one, after all, and it had failed him. But I changed my plans, as I didn't see the need to be a patsy to a dead man."

A shrug.

"I'd be interested in negotiating down my sentence, of course."

Winter snorted. "We could just not go to Jakku, y'know. It's more likely to be a trap, than not." She went to stand. "I think I've heard enough. Nola?"

Nola didn't rise, just yet. She was curious about what 'facility' Rax was talking about, but: "You said yourself, you're serving multiple life sentences. The most you'd probably get is a few more privileges, not a reduction."

And truth be told, Nola wasn't sure giving Rax more privileges was a good idea; he was a wily sort, from what she'd heard, what if he escaped?

"Privileges..." Rax went to steeple his fingers on his chin and realised he had to lower his head due to the handcuffs, instead settling for linking his fingers. "How about this. I'll tell you more if you let me speak to Qwi Xux. Do that, and I'll give you what you want."

He looked very satisfied with himself.

Nola stood. It appeared they were done. "Xux is long gone."

No one knew where she was now; Feyna had quietly pardoned her after last year's chaos--Han Solo, too--but Nola couldn't say whether the Republic was still looking for her or not.

Rax shrugged. "That's my price, I'm afraid."

"It is, after all, where Palpatine stored his Holocron of Prophecy. Y'know, the one that let you see the future... of the old timeline, that is." He smiled sweetly. "It's jet-black. I've seen it. Very weird."

If he was trying to tempt her with what could-have-been, well, Nola already knew what her life would have been in the other timeline--or Black-Coat's version, anyway, so its truth might be questionable, but she wasn't that curious.

"What is your interest in Xux?" She asked, bypassing the holocron.

“Secret,” Rax said.

Winter pulled a face. “Come on, Nola. He’s playing you.”

A guard tapped at the door and stepped through without another word; not even asking permission. He cast his eyes over Nola and Winter briefly, and then narrowed them at the former Imperial. “You are Gallius Rax?”

His voice was off, harsh and yet alien.

But he was clearly human -

Nola glanced to Winter, suspicious; she was fairly sure that wasn't protocol, and surely every guard in the prison knew who the high-profile inmates were.

She hadn't forgotten the Yuuzhan Vong, how they could disguise themselves enough to pass for human...

"Of course I am," snapped Rax. "How dare you -"

The guard squinted, and a gout of acid emerged from an eye -

Rax screamed -

Winter shouted out -

Yep, was afraid of that.

Nola grabbed her chair and hurled it at the 'guard,' hoping to get him off balance and throw off his aim before he did too much damage, then drew her blaster and started firing.

All the commotion would probably draw more guards--real guards, preferably; this one had better not have friends in here...

The Yuuzhan Vong - what else could it be? - shrugged aside the chair and snarled, flexing a hand to allow a sessile snake to flow down it's wrist. As Rax writhed in pain, still tied to the table, Winter drew her own weapon and fired at the amphistaff head before it became solid, and the creature went limp -

Nola's bolts took the enemy in the chest, sending him tumbling -

He didn't have armour on, and he was no more dangerous than a strong, oversized human -

He came up wielding the chair Nola had thrown at him, smacking Winter across her shoulder and sending her tumbling -

He threw it at Nola with the backswing, his body blackened and one arm no longer working -

Nola ducked the chair, still firing, aiming now for his head and neck--

The chair exploded with the impact - he was so strong! -

But the bolts caught him in the face, neck, forehead -

He toppled.

Rax stilled.

Winter took one look at him and shouted out as the door opened - too late - with reinforcements.

"MEDIC!"

Nola stepped over to check Rax. "Was he hit with the acid?"

Her gaze went to the dead Vong. "How in hells did he get in here?"

Somebody had a lot of uncomfortable explaining to do...

This was supposed to be a max-security facility, and after the embarrassment of three escapes from the Isard prison on Coruscant--Qwi Xux, Aurra Sing, and Arb Skyxnex, all within a few days of each other--Feyna had encouraged a crack-down on the federal prison protocols, both in security practices and vetting personnel and visitors. Nola had been surprised that she and Winter had been allowed to keep their blasters on them, but Senators did enjoy a certain amount of privilege, and Rax had been cuffed during their visit.

"We're still testing the sensors for their biotech," Winter said. "It's hard going but it's no worse than Force user security..."

A guard stepped over and checked Rax's neck, avoiding the rather gristly acid-burned face.

"He's dead, Senators. I'm sorry, we had been making sweeps, but we don't know enough about these masques..."

Winter hesitated. "But Yarmond is here?"

The guard nodded. "He is. I checked on him not five minutes ago."

Her gaze took in Rax, who was covered by a sheet. "So they came for Rax but not Yarmond..."

Nola scowled as she straightened. Whatever other information Rax might have had, they'd never know now.

"Probably because Yarmond hasn't talked much; I guess Rax became a liability."

As far as Nola knew, Yarmond hadn't been very forthcoming when he'd been questioned last year; just Yuuzhan Vong rhetoric, though he had been the one to spill some beans about Aryan Graul's meeting with then-Senator Treen.

"Or Palpatine finally caught up with him for not following orders." Rax had been pretty cavalier about abandoning Palpatine's plans.

Winter nodded. “I mean Jakku is in Eternal Empire territory. Inner Rim, but in the Western Reaches. Whatever investigation we’re going to pull off will have to be later, and with NRI help.”

She looked at Rax’s form. “I guess that’s all he’s going to tell us.” Winter looked to Nola. “I don’t know about you but I’m ready to go home.”

Nola nodded in agreement. She was ready to get back to Del, and start working on plans for what to do with the relief funds.

"Yes, let's."

TAG: @Sinrebirth

 

(OOC: A combo post between @Sinrebirth and myself)

IC: Ka'rta Mandalore the Vengeant

This call probably would have come a lot earlier, if not for the announcement made by Palpatine. When that had happened, pandemonium had ruled - the Tapani Sector, which had been wavering between the Eternal Empire and the New Republic, joined the former when House Mecetti realised that its rival House had been decapitated in the days before. The Bothans and Hutts declared armed neutrality, and there was a great clamour against the New Republic - a rumour that Coruscant was to be rebuilt again and become the heart of the Galactic defence caused member worlds to demand defences at the expense of the other - the Senate’s publication of their three proposals - to extend Feyna’s term, to double warship production every two years, and finally to move the capital regularly - completely undercut the panic and the half of the galaxy that remained loyal settled down.

In such circumstances, the destruction of Nubia and Naboo did little to concern the galaxy, and the attack on Taris - an unaligned world - didn’t even garner a mention in most HoloNews. But eventually word spread of the advanced fighter craft that had blown through the Taris defence line even though a trap was prepared, several fighters shrugging off intense laser fire, and then destroying the museum they had intended without a single missed shot or casualty apart from that building.

Three years after that showing, the Mandalorians had developed their beskar discovery into a full blown production line, arming a full wing of Bessies - seventy two fighters, within half a year. Those numbers didn’t increase - but they didn’t need to. Two wings a year was enough to overrun most systems defences, and the baradium contract they struck up with the Duros was paying out.

But that was why Ka’rta, still the Acting Mand’alor, strictly speaking, had this call from the Speaker of the Verpine hives of the Roche Asteroid Belt.

“Hello?” The Verpine didn’t speak with the confidence of a seasoned negotiator, but the tentative words of a child practising Basic.

Which, presumably, he was.

Ka'rta was busy, she always found herself busy these days. Between training Tor who was growing by leaps and bounds, and running a planet, it seemed the acting mand'alor didn't have time for anything but sleeping, and a few quick sessions with Mirdala. The Mandalorian Conquest, as some where calling it was moving along. Bandomeer had fallen in short order, a few other planets along the Hydian Way. The plan was to move all the way to the Celanon Spur putting as many planets as possible between Mandalore and the coming onslaught. Though she also wasn't neglecting Concord Dawn the the planets near it. It was so much to keep up with but she was doing it. It took a lot from her but, no one else was going to take this from her. She was leading the Mandalorians into a new age, she'd be damned if she was going to watch it from the sidelines.

When the call came in she almost scowled at the being on the other end of the line.

"Yes, who is this?" She replied terse.

The insect was as hesitant as one would expect of a hive minded creature. "I am Speaker Sass Sikili, I speak on behalf of the Queen of the Verpine, her great benevolence, ruler of the Roche Asteroid Field, from Nickel One to Carbos Thirteen." It didn't blink as it rambled, of course, because insects didn't have cues like that.

"We have heard many things about your beskar, and we wish to purchase some... or, perhaps, come to an accord." Roche was on the Perlemian Trade Route. The New Republic had spent the last three years reinforcing it heavily, turning the hyperlane into the galactic government's spine.

The Hydian Way, otherwise, was a contested link to the independent Corporate Sector, and so far the Senate hadn't given them any explicit instructions to clamp down. Nobody had tried to speak to the Clans since Palpatine's announcement; Madelyn's family had quietly departed, and that was that...

... but if Ka'rta went for Roche with warships, the New Republic would bloody her nose. Comparably, the territory rimward of her - Ord Radama, the Gordian Reach, Ruuria, Almania - the New Republic wasn't making any effort to defend.

Roche and the Verpine were both of interest to her but, so deep into Republic territory that it would be madness to try and make a move on it. Her first instinct was to turn down the thought of exporting their precious beskar, the life blood of their society, but the offer of a partnership was alluring there were still plenty of planets that needed to be brought into the 'Protectorate'. She'd heard of the skill of Verpine engineers, they could prove a boon to the Mandalorians.

"I'm listening, what partnership are you proposing?" She would listen for now.

“Mandalorians have an outreach mentality; the hives have no interest in being collected by your kind. We would instead seek to wholeheartedly contribute to your efforts.”

“Technical support for the clans, mutual-aid...” the Speaker hesitated. “We would also ask if you would ground a factory on Murkhana into dust. They are copying our patents. They must pay, and we would be encouraged by such actions to be more inventive on your behalf.”

The Roche asteroids created a great deal of munitions - and were neutral in the current Cold War, selling to both the New Republic and Eternal Empire. Murkhana in the Tion Cluster however was a New Republic member, but created little safe for HoloNet relays and comlinks. It did however have a rivalry with the well armed Kem Stor Ai, which was a world nearby.

Ka'rta thought about it for a moment, weighing her options. Destruction was something that came natural to her and all mandalorians. However the protection of the New Republic on Murkhana did give her pause. They were strong but, not strong enough to take on one of the more dominant forces in the galaxy, not yet. Though with the support of Verpine, maybe they could.

On another pad she looked up the military capabilies of Kem Stor Ai, with an eye towards mimicking their tactics. Make it appear that it was their old foes that destroyed their factory, no the mandalorians. While subterfuge was not her strong suit there was a time when a hand had to be hidden.

"How inventive would you be feeling?"

The Verpine made a chittering noise of excitement. “We have been working of ways to increase your fuel efficiency, we can offer you exclusive products, access to defence technology and quality control...”

The Speaker drummed his chest. “... and our metallurgists are confident they can produce lighter beskar structures.”

“But mainly we don’t want to overran by you.” Verpine kept on and on and on until they reached their point, especially when nervous.

Ka'rta nodded her head taking in the information. More efficient fuel usage would free up a lot of credits, and extend the range of their fighters, the backbone of the Mandalorian navy. Making lighter weight beskar without losing any of it's strength would be of great use to them.

A cruel smile moved over her lips, good they were afraid of Mandalorians. It was what Ka'rta had wanted, a galaxy in fear of the rain of beskar that would fall upon them should they be displeased.

"Then I believe we can come to an agreement, a long term agreement."

The Speaker drummed it's chest, communicating with the hive. "We agree, Mand'alor."

His tone of voice had not changed whatsoever. All that was left for Ka'rta to sort out a single factory, and it would be hers. The New Republic had ignored her aggression so far, but a thousand neutral worlds in the borderlands were watching, desperate for an indication of what Mandalore intended long-term.

When she signed off, standing behind her, arms folded, would be Rook Kast, looking as steely as ever, determined to be a good Hand for the Vengeant.



The 'acting' Mand'alor was quiet for a long moment, she hated this, these political machinations but, somehow she'd become a deft hand at it. She turned her head slightly to her second, the woman filling the role she once did when Madelyn held this seat.

"I want options for a covert strike on that factory. I don't want to tip our hand just yet." She said direct and to the point. The former Dar'Manda didn't get to where she was by beating around the bush. "The New Republic has given us a pass for now as they consolidate. But a brazen move within their territory would invite them to counter attack. Though a limited show of force could have it's advantages. We are only destroying a factory. Two options then, one covert, one overt, and I want them soon."

Kast nodded. "We can dress up as Kem Stor Ai pretty easily, but sounds like the Verpine want us to plant a flag..." she considered aloud. "I'll set it out for you, ma'am." In short order, they had the option of seizing a Kem Stor Ai light cruiser - an old Carrack-class scow - or a lightning fast pinpoint raid like at Taris, complete with warning.

"The warning idea worked when we hit Taris... it made sure we were 'humane' and the auretiise don't tend to get as worked up about the destruction of property. Lives though, they notice that. Venku was right."

That was true, in many ways.

Ka'rta nodded her head listening to the options. It did seemed the Verpine wanted to make a statement, to show that they had powerful friends in the pocket. And as long as the Mandalorians got out of there before anything could be done about it, the New Republic couldn't raise too much of a fuss. They're still in a bit of a mess, as long as she didn't try to take it over, they would be fine.

"Ready a strike force, give them warning, long enough to evacuate the people but not the equipment, I don't want to have to do this again in a year. If any casualties are reported it will be there fault. We gave them time to escape, they did not heed our warnings."

Rook nodded, and did what she was told.

The warning was given to Murkhana, and the factory was in-fact evacuated in-time.

The New Republic still wasn't at the point of dealing with crises beyond the one they already had; Kem Stor Ai heard of the attack and threatened to invade Murkhana if they let the Senate know about the pending attack. Privately, they offered an alliance with the Clans too, notwithstanding that they were inside New Republic territory too.

When it came to launch, Venku was ready to lead, but went out his way to track down Ka'rta. "Did you want to take the Bessie in my place?" Venku had been flying the prototype for three years now, after all. He hesitated. "You did well by the clans, Mand'alor. I hope you get that. You're a true Mandalorian."

The Mand'alor loved it when politics worked out in her favor. Kem Stor Ai was on their side, gave them a foothold in the New Republic. Not a strong one but something. It was nice when people understood her language not Mando'a but violence. It was her first language the mother tongue she learned from two angry Dar'manda that were fighting to make their way in the galaxy.

She was in the hangar in her armor walking towards Bessie when Venku intercepted her.

"If you don't mind, I'll lead this attack myself." she said with a nod. A smile grew over her face but under her helmet. "Not bad for a being born Dar'manda..."

Venku hesitated. "You've not been Dar'manda for years, 'alor."

He walked with her. "Do you think people hold that against you?" He took off his helmet, putting it under his arm.

"Not anymore..." she said keeping her helmet on. "I made them see my worth, saving the planet has that effect." Her armored hand ran across the thick beskar hide of the fighter. "But in my heart I still feel that pain, the pain of my buir, the people that gave birth to me, and trained me for the first few years of my life. I can't change where I came from. But I can change the place that first rejected me. And I have. I got rid of everyone that had a problem with it..." She wasn't completely serious but, there had been some rather convenient disappearances when Madelyn took power. Not many, it wasn't a purge, just one or two that didn't want to work with a Jedi and a Dar'manda.

Venku wasn’t perturbed. “I would have done the same thing, if anyone had an issue with me being the son of a clone...” that was pretty obvious, he looked like Jango Fett, “... and a Jedi.”

Now that was a revelation. Venku shrugged. “A Knight, she fell in love with my father - Darman.” He suspected that would reverberate with her - his father’s Mandalorian name was based on Dar’manda. “She died in Order 66,” the words tumbled from Venku’s mouth as if they had happened to someone else. They had, for all intents and purposes; he’d been a toddler when it all happened. “My father apparently opted to stay behind and fight in the Empire, he died somewhere - nowhere, actually, on Mimban.”

Venku stared at her, daring her to say anything about it all, but his anger was merely masking his deeper emotions on it.

Ka'rta nodded solemnly, she knew about losing parents, lost her's when she was just a teen, was lucky to be picked up by Owen and Jerrod. Though his parentage did raise her eyebrow, a clone and a Jedi, quite the pair, though it mattered little to her, she picked the first guy she thought she could get with. Turned into a long term relationship. The mention of Mimban did give her pause for just a moment.

"Then I hope it wasn't I that killed him. I was a very different person back then. I didn't care about anything but credits and anyone that got in my way of them...I changed on that mission...a lot changed." She stopped for a moment giving her vode a chance to say something or do something...not that there wouldn't be consequences for his actions.

He froze; but relaxed. “I did wonder, if you’d killed him, but it can’t be confirmed, and it’s been eighteen years if so. Time to move on.” He did however step closer to her, and placed a hand on her shoulder. ”Chin vhetin, Mand’alor.”

His eyes were piercing; those, they did not belong to Fett. They belonged to his mother.

"Chin Vhetin, Vode." She replied letting the past be the past. Venku had been an invaluable ally in her fight to keep control of the clans. It would be foolish of her to cast him aside or let these issues between them rot and fester. She'd allowed Death Watch to return, such as it was. She could allow a Clone/Jedi child fight alongside her. In the end, the more people you had on your side the better.

"Alright," she called out, "mount up and take off, we have a tree to shake, see what comes loose."

TAG: @Sinrebirth

 

OOC: A combo with @Sinrebirth

IC: Qwi Xux, Beaumont Kin, Taalon
Location: Kesh

What had been an act of defiance became against High Lord Taalon, a spark, when word traveled around Kesh.

On Alanciar, the larger of the two capitals, that spark became a fire, and recruits joined the resistance in greater and greater numbers.

Beaumont oratory and research skills, and Qwi’s literal existence - as an Omwati she was living proof that their words came from the stars - fanned that fire into an inferno, and a resistance became an uprising.

An uprising became a civil war.

Keshiri against humans.

Force against Force.

Soon Alanciar was theirs, and Qwi, Beaumont and other Keshiri commanded a vast effort to construct an armada of ships to invade the smaller continent - though it was expected that Keshtah Minor would be a much, much harder fight, what with the Sith having ruled it for considerably longer. The fervent faith the Keshiri had over there was much more terrifying.

It was fully expected that the surviving four High Lords would galvanize their remaining seven Lords to prepare an immense defence, but notwithstanding the losses Grand Lord Vol continued to rule unopposed.

After a year of preparation, they were ready to go. Aboard the flagship of the seafaring fleet, the Orielle, Beaumont and Qwi would be resting in their cabin, taking one of the few moments of peace they had been able to carve on a Sith world.

They were naked, of course.

It had been a rough five years but they had made it.

Two years for Beaumont's recovery and another three establishing a firm and fiery Resistance movement. The Sith had been defeated on Alanciar, now it was time to move on to the next phase. The big one.

Qwi had been there throughout her lover's recovery, the spectre of Palpatine's message with his newly formed alliance with the Vong scaring them both. But there were bigger things happening on Kesh.

They found solace with each other using their mental safe space and when Beaumont was able again their physical connection.

They took every quiet chance they could get to be with each other. Of course being in a Resistance it was always busy but that didn't stop them from expanding on their love for each other.

And so here they were after years of preparation about to sail into Hell once more. Of course this cabin was nothing like her cabin on Firenze (she still missed Pascale's yacht) but they were together.

"You know" Qwi said lazily stroking Beaumont's chest "If anybody had said to me that I would be helping a Resistance movement on an unknown planet, I'd say to them they were mad".

She looked up at him "And yet here we are, about to take on basically the most powerful Sith here and about to maybe create some big waves. That the people of Keshtah Minor deserve to know there is a galaxy out there. That the Sith are not all powerful".

She grinned at him "And we are doing it together".

Beaumont held her, listening to her voice. Not quite dozing, but definitely allowing his mind to wander across the contours of their meeting flesh. He smiled at the idea of them as swashbuckling heroes, leading an uprising against a dictatorship.

"How romantic," he murmured. Long gone were the injuries to his body inflicted by the Circle of Lords, and his mind had healed completely. But his movements were still hesitant, marred by the memory of what had happened. He was slower than he used to be, as if expecting a blow or a cut or to trip and fall. "I can't believe it either, though. We're the leaders of a planetary resistance."

The ship bumped along in the sea, but it wasn't anything to concern themselves with. The Thoughtcriers - the Keshiri homegrown Force-users- were deployed at the prow of every boat of the seventy-two ship fleet, all hundred-meter longboats carrying fifty traditional warriors apiece. Among them were speedy corvettes, a hundred and twelve of them, each piloted by paired thoughtcriers. The Induction Board identified young Force users, and trained them up beneath the Wardmasters, twelve of which commanded the overall organisation, named the Protectors from ancient Keshiri religion. Beaumont and Qwi had supplied much of the information about the Jedi after all, and it became a full fledged alternative to the Lost Tribe on Kesh.

The Alanciar Keshiri of Keshtah Major had their own brand of technology - frontier signal towers, semaphore transmitters, fireglobes, ballistae filled with glass weapons - even concrete, would you believe, copying but also improving upon what was on Keshtah Minor. It was a truly formidable force.

Beaumont kissed Qwi deeply, and the Force flowed between them, allowing them to sense and feel the nearly two-hundred strong Force using deployment. Without Uvak, they had to rely upon boats anyway, but even an Uvak couldn't fly the distance between the two continents.

He ran his fingers gently across her cheek -

Qwi kissed Beaumont back, she could hear their bond singing away gloriously and she could feel their Keshiri warriors ready on their ships. Ready to go to war.

Let's hope they know what they are up against though. These are no ordinary Sith…

Qwi herself was nervous. Nervous for herself, nervous for Beaumont, nervous for them all. But it seemed Beaumont had other things on his mind. Perhaps it was good to have a distraction before the battle to come.

"When we came here, I thought it would be a quick stop off then back into the galaxy. Now we are responsible for these people, this movement and perhaps it can prepare us for when maybe we do return".

She maneuvered the top half of her body on top of Beaumont's so she could look at him in the face "I'm glad to share these moments with you Beaumont, and I love you so very much. And this time we will fight together and show them what we can do".

She moved her face towards Beaumont's with a smile "You have your distracted voice on, now what are we going to do about that" she purred before brushing her lips against his, inviting him.

He leaned in to to kiss her as the Force exploded into panic -

“AIRSHIPS!”

That wasn’t possible; the Keshiri didn’t have any air power outside of the Uvak, and everyone knew the reptiles couldn’t reach them out here -

They were easily three hours out, how could this be -

There was a dark wave of power in the Force - Sith falling from the sky -

Ambush!

Qwi snarled as she heard the call go up. Of all the times to interrupt her and Beaumont's private time.

She jumped off of Beaumont scrambling to pick up her jumpsuit, socks and boots trying to get dressed as quickly as she could. Last to go on was Rax's cloak, still as useful as ever.

And she could feel the darkness swarming towards them all. Time for their warriors to shine.

"Well I guess private time will have to wait" she said with a sigh "If the Sith have built airships then I guess they were more prepared for us and advanced than we thought. So I guess we will do what we can to take them down".

She stood near the door to their cabin her hand held out "Ready?"

Beaumont rushed to get dressed, tripped over his shoe, and then managed to get himself sorted a few moments after her.

There was a series of thumps outside the ship, and exertions in the Force.

Beaumont pulled out a captured lightsaber, passed it to Qwi. They had managed to turn several Keshiri Sith away from the Tribe so far, so the thoughtcriers had comparable weapons to the Tribe. But whereas the Tribe was largely human now, the Protectors were largely Keshiri.

As they tumbled into the fray, there were already three Sith on the upper deck, and the warriors were already engaged.

Hanging from the mast was a dead Keshiri, and standing in the crows nest -

"Why hello my friends," the musical voice was unmistakable.

It was Taalon.

That bastard Qwi growled inwardly.

She reached with one hand for Beaumont's and ignited her blade with the other. Qwi no longer had her gloves on, there was no need for them anymore but she had the cloak of her hood up in case Taalon decided he wanted to have a probe.

"Well well have you come to try and finish us all off" she said "You'll find a lot tougher fight than you expected, we won't just bow to your will".

Of course with Beaumont unprotected Taalon would go for him, but Qwi was ready to protect him with her life if needs be. They always had the bond too so long as they stuck together.

She prepared herself with a defensive stance, ready to unleash the bond.

Taalon released a bolt of lightning at them immediately, driving a blast at the space between the two of them - at the deck.

The crew was struggling with the Sith, and indeed the Force sung with dozens of such battles. Dropping down from the clouds were airships, essentially balloons of hot air over massive platforms that Uvak were attached to - no, wait, some were resting too, allowing them to rotate Uvak.

Smart.

Maddeningly so, in-fact.

The High Lord leapt down, blade ignited -

Qwi brought the blade down to try and block the lightning, unfortunately that meant letting go of Beaumont's hand for now whilst she concentrated on the lightning.

Meanwhile she could feel all the struggles going on but she had to concentrate on the here and now.

The Sith's airships she thought, we need to take them out. Hopefully someone would get the idea.

With Taalon coming down Qwi reached for Beaumont again, her blade back up and on the defensive.

Taalon landed and a booted foot took Beaumont in the chest, sending him tumbling off the deck -

There was no splash -

The Keshiri High Lord sprang to Qwi’s side, lashed at her neck, and manically, carnivorously grinned as a warrior rushed up the steps to attack him from behind -

Taalon spun out of his attack at the Omwati and removed the attackers head, leaving himself exposed for a moment -

She saw Beaumont take the kick and disappear but she could'nt think about that now, not with Taalon aiming his blade at her neck causing her to to lean backwards and raise the blade to try and parry.

But seeing Taalon exposed she swept her blade forward and down intending to slice him in half or at least slice something off.

Taalon pivoted, her blade missing by an inch but he grinned anyway. A fist snaked out and took her in the shoulder, her clavicle snapping loudly - Omwati were fragile, after all. Without anymore effort, he crooked a finger and slammed her with a Force blow that would knock her off the upper level of the ship into the melee below if she didn't deflect it -

Qwi felt her shoulder go, luckily not the one containing the hand that held her blade but still a cry of agony escaped her lips.

The Force blow didn't help either, she went flying but raised her blade and pushed all of her ramining strength into trying to deflect it so she wouldn't fall.

Of course with no bond she did'nt know if her shove back would work. And who knew where Beaumont was.

I think I might be about to fail….

There was a noise of exertion, and Beaumont swung back aboard, midair when she fell - he reached for her -

Taalon’s eyes widened as he saw them near and he released a bolt of lightning at them that was too slow -

Beaumont was already looking back Taalon’s way, anger colouring his expression -

The moment their skin would touch, he would channel that intent -

They were also falling down, of course, towards the lower deck and scrum-

Qwi felt like she was floating, time was beginning to slow down and she knew if she hit the deck below her body would break.

She felt Beaumont return through the bond...and his anger was palpable. It was scary.

The lightning Taalon unleashed didn't touch her but as she fell she saw Beaumont. She dropped the blade, with only one working arm she would have to use it to grab Beaumont and try and slow their descent.

Qwi reached out, grabbed him and closed her eyes, her light flooding the bond and concentrating hard on slowing them down, the pain in her broken clavicle making it hard to concentrate.

Beaumont wrapped her in his arms and held out a hand - a blaze of emerald energy ripped through Taalon’s attack -

The High Lord interposed his lightsaber and pinwheeled away, as Beaumont used the Force to cushion their landing and placed her feet down -

His eyes took in her broken bone, and glanced around at the other fighters - the Protector thoughtcriers and Sith Sabers were matched for the moment. A Keshiri took a few steps and leapt at them, firing glass-shards at Taalon, keeping him busy -

“Are you alright? I can try and heal you?”

Qwi sagged against Beaumont, the pain in her clavicle excruciating now, the drain from using their bond also evident. Beaumont seemed alright and she was grateful for him catching her.

She had probably also helped in turning his attack into a light one instead of a dark one.

"Thanks...for..the..save" she gasped then pointed at her clavicle "Broken...Taalon..did..it. Don't...use..all..your..energy..on..me. Do...what..you..can".

She looked around and prepared herself just in case Taalon attacked again.

Beaumont handed her a Crystal-blaster - it had a single stock of glass fire. He smirked. “Shoot him if you see him, then.”

He closed his eyes and drew on their bond, using the Force to heal her -

On the upper deck, a lightsaber appeared from the Keshiri’s back, and he toppled. Taalon leaped down, planting his feet. Other thoughtcrier’s with lightsabers rushed him, their white-blades singing, and he danced around them.

It was all too easy for him.

Beaumont strained as he concentrated -

Qwi knew that she had to distract Taalon as Beaumont healed her. Unfortunately she could'nt share her energy with him as she couldn't touch him. Well not unless she kissed him of course.

I haven't held one of these in years she thought. Of course she and Beaumont had left their blasters in the now wrecked Firenze.

And she had to do something as their warriors were putting their lives on the line for her.

As she felt the sensation returning in her other arm she pointed the blaster backwards and started firing shots at Taalon leaning her head against Beaumont and keeping one eye on where she was shooting.

The single shot of glass daggers rang out, and Taalon raised a hand, catching it, and then sending out the daggers at -

His own Sabers.

They were stabbed, and died, the seven Keshiri warriors that remained surprised. “They failed me; they die.”

The Keshiri and their glass and wooden weapons charged -

Taalon hacked away at them, one at a time. Qwi had no more shots; Beaumont was concentrating -

One died; split in two lengthways.

Another had her neck snapped with aplomb.

Taalon was showing off.

Qwi couldn't believe what was happening. Taalon was not just killing their warriors but his own.

And loving it.

He just won't go down will he.

They needed to work together for this next bit, Qwi shook her head at Beaumont.

"We need to take him out together or we will both die. The clavicle can wait for a little bit, but this guy needs to go down, he's hacking every one to pieces."

She tiptoed up, she knew that this would affect Beaumont's concentration but they needed to share the load.

She kissed him pressing her body against him and throwing her good arm out throwing the blaster away and concentrating her energy at Taalon

The bone knit as she kissed him, and Beaumont nodded, holding out his hand too. His intent was different to hers though - he wanted to kill Taalon - their bond couldn’t connect all the way.

Another Keshiri was felled to a lightsaber through the heart -

Qwi was shocked at what she was feeling from Beaumont. Anger, hatred the intent to kill. Of course she wanted Taalon dead too but to give in to dark emotions would undo all they stood for.

She took his hand with hers, wrapping her healed arm around his waist and spoke to him "No Beaumont, not like that. I know we have lost a lot but let us not lose who we are. We are not them, we will never become them. Because if we do they win,".

She tightened her grip "Remember what we did when we fought Gorog. Our light and love defeated the dark. And it will do so again. Show him how we can defeat the darkness within".

She opened herself fully to him through the bond, her love for him flooding it and concentrated all of her remaining energy at Taalon.

He took a deep, deep breath, and nodded. "I'll try."

He did, he really did. He sought the calm place within him, and ended up searching for his Qwi place. Her strength and compassion flooded him as Taalon finished off the rest of the crew and turned, lightning nimbus in his hand, ready to target another embattled Alanciar ship -

NOW!

He shouted across their connected mind, and emerald energy slammed into Taalon, stunning him, not burning, pushing him to his knees -

It was incredible, and Taalon moaned, tumbling to the edge of the ship, gritting his teeth as he struggled to stay conscious, his lightsaber clattering to the floor -

He reached back, blue murderous fire battling with their attack -

A great male voice sounded within their headspace at that moment -

Hm. I sought the Sith here, and find you stronger than them.

It was a sentient; in their mind's eye, they could see that it identified as Ship; a Sith Meditation Sphere commanded by great Force strength, rather than the dark side itself…

It was amazing what you could do together.

Their bond was fully unleashed and she was proud of Beaumont for throwing away his dark thoughts and centering on the place they shared together. Taalon was still fighting back and Qwi was struggling. If they both kept this up they could both end up unconscious or worse.

And then that voice….a Sith Meditation Sphere?

Ooooooh not good.

It had come for the Sith, but it seemed their bond had commanded it's attention, whether that was good or not remained to be seen. But if it could help….

Just make sure it has no dark intentions for you both….

She thought at Ship I don't know what your intentions are or what you plan to do but we could use your assistance. Of course that depends on whether you are entirely dark or whether you can help the light siders out…

I am merely looking for allies. But you are not powerful enough to help me. The Orphan has taken me, and the Sith are too weak, or too far... you are the only one I could reach.

It sounded disappointed.

Taalon, for his part, had both hands out, blue fire driving back their emerald lances as the battle continued around them. Their competing energies were causing a disruption, rocking the seas and turning the skies -

Qwi was beginning to feel the strain, unconsciousness beginning to tug away at her. She didn't have long as this Ship seemed disinterested.

Not powerful enough? Can you see what we are doing? This Orphan must be pretty powerful to hold sway over you.

Why are you even talking to us if we are not powerful enough for you? Our bond is strong but our bodies cannot take the strain for much longer. Do you want to see such a powerful bond wasted? I think not.

But if you want to leave us to die then so be it. Let that Orphan control you and you will probably get nowhere.

Ship smirked.

You are a funny one. Maybe I’ll see you if anyone ever kills the Orphan. But he is a child of Goddess and a God... I doubt he will die soon. Farewell, funny one.

The connection severed.

Beaumont called to her. “Concentrate, Qwi! We can do this!” He squeezed her hand, and pushed harder, drawing on his love for her -

Not his fear of losing her -

Qwi felt the connection go and inwardly cursed that blasted Ship. All it was here to do was torment them both, torment her in a sense. It thought they were not powerful enough even with what their bond was doing.

And who the hell was this Orphan?

Qwi could hear Beaumont encouraging her, feeling his love for her shine clearly through the bond. But her body was failing, she knew it. She was trying very hard to keep herself standing to keep the darkness calling her from taking her away.

One last push Qwi, for Beaumont….

She dug as deep as she could go her love for him clear to see on her face and through the bond…..and PUSHED.

The light erupted from them, replacing their green fury with pure energy, which cut through Taalon -

He gasped, and his torso fell from his hips -

The explosion outward wasn’t sufficient to upend the heavy ships of the Alanciari fleet, but it was enough to send the airships into a tumble, the entire attack force falling from the sky -

The storm of their confrontation had already shattered their formation, but now the Tribe attack was undone. In short order the surviving Sith surrendered - or died. The armada was damaged but not crippled - they had plenty of ships and they’d even fished some Uvak out of the water, giving them an air element they’d never managed to secure.

Their victory was total.

Beaumont for his part laid on the wet deck, breathing in and out. “That was fun. Let’s never do it again.”

Qwi collapsed on top of Beaumont as their energy dissipated. They had won but at what cost? Were there many survivors from their side? How many had sacrificed themselves for them?

"I quite….agree" Qwi said gasping for breath. She felt weak both in body and mind and was not sure what was going to happen next. She had spent all of her energy in battle.

She tried to keep herself conscious knowing that if she sank into oblivion...she may never return.

"Trying...to...hold...on. Energy...gone. But...we...did...it. We….beat...them. I don't….know...what...we...will...do...next..but...am..glad..we..are..together"

They hung on that edge between life and death for some time.

Hours, days, weeks.

They missed much of what happened next, but they'd given the Alanciari the chance they needed.

The Lost Tribe of the Sith were on the run, routed by the landing force and then retreating to the mountains and Ragnos Lakes, even for other, lesser, continents. When they came to, the capital city of Tahv had fallen and the Grand Lord had fled to the top of the mountain peak - reinforcing the Omen for one final stand - or to defeat them in such detail that they could recall the surviving Sith from across to Kesh.

The Keshiri woman, the petite Sashal and a powerful Thoughtcrier in her own way, smiled at them as they came to - in the crystal palace on Tahv. "Welcome back," she was seated at the end of the bed, and they were both in separate ones, but kept together. "You gave us quite a scare."

Qwi woke up, groggy but conscious. She had finally succumbed to the darkness and sunk hoping that she would see Beaumont again and that he would pull through.

She saw the Keshiri woman at the end of the bed and smiled back. Qwi was happy to be alive but she would only be truly satisfied if Beaumont was alive and well too.

"It was touch and go there" she replied, her voice gravelly from not being used. She looked around, the room seemed made of crystal "I assume we won? Because i'm sure we would not be in this very nice place if we didn't"

"I think our bond might have helped too. If we hadn't have dug so deep we would all be dead".

She looked over and saw Beaumont hoping against hope that he would wake up.

Sashal nodded. "High Lord Taalon is dead, as well as most of the surviving Lords too." She told them how the airships were crushed in the storm their power created, and the winds were behind the armada, allowing them to reach Keshtah Minor in record time - smashing a hastily assembled army on the beaches. They marched on Tahv and the Sith collapsed, retreating into the Ragnos Lakes, and the rest to the Sith Academy atop the mountain -

"So we've basically won? With Keshtah Major and Minor?" Beaumont interjected.

"It could take years to hunt down Sith guerrillas, and we don't have the forces to march on the Omen. We'll have to besiege it, and we have evidence that the Grand Lord withdrew with ample supplies... he could last years, if he can keep Uvak supply drops... we didn't capture many Uvaks."

It was, nonetheless, a massive win.

The war was all-but when, notwithstanding what Sashal said. She embraced them each, tears in her eyes, and gave her thanks before heading off. Beaumont sat up in bed, peering down. "I'm naked, are you?" He looked at Sashal's retreating form as the door closed. "I feel violated," he said, amused. There were other single beds in the ward, all pristine, unused. Eight in total, two taken by them. He slid out his bed and into hers. "Nudge over." The feel of his skin was warm against hers.

"Before we lose track of things - have you felt that voice again? Ship, he called himself?"

Qwi blew out a breath at the news and smiled. Of course the Omen held bad memories for them both. It was where they had fought the Sith Academy and lost. Qwi thrown out the yacht, Beaumont captured and Firenze wrecked. Perhaps the wreck of her former yacht was still there unless the Sith had fixed it…

Can’t think about that….

She hugged Sashal back thanking her for helping bring her and Beaumont back and then looked at Beaumont as he made his way over to her moving over so he could fit in the bed with her. The feel of his skin on hers felt so good.

“Well since I can feel your skin against mine I would say yes I am naked” her smile grew wider “Plus I'm a scientist. I used to poke things when I was younger so people poking me is a change” she laughed at that.

At the mention of Ship he smile faded “I didn't know if it was just me who heard it, guess he was speaking to the both of us through the bond but I was the only one who could respond as you were concentrating bless you” she wrapped her arms around him looking up at him “I haven't heard from him since he last spoke to us aboard the Orielle but what concerns me was that he said he was under control of someone called the Orphan. Who even though we showed quite a display of our bond is more powerful than us. And could be a darksider”.

She sighed “I’m glad we have won this war, but if this Orphan arrives we could be dragged back into another. Until then I guess we might as well enjoy whatever peace we have”.

That peace would drag on for years, in-fact, but they wouldn't know that.

The Tribe became the defeated Tribe, just known as The Lost, a yearly shrinking organisation, and the Protectors became the Force using order of the world. Skirmishes occurred often, but with less and less frequency.

Eight years from now, they felt the Orphan die.

And that Ship, damaged, crippled, was on its way...

... the Omen still stood; still held off the Protectors, a bastion and fortress of the Sith.

Time would pass.

TAG: @Sinrebirth

 

IC: Feyna Organa-Chume, Isolder, Doman Beruss, Triebakk, Nola Deidder, and Winter
20 ATA, Senate chamber, Hosnian Prime

It was the end of her term.

For six years, the Senate had passed law after bill after order that the galaxy militarise and prepare. The New Republic had Kuat, Mon Calamari, Corellia and Bilbringi, as well as the Hapan shipyards in the Mists. They hadn’t retained Fondor, Sluis Van, or the Bothan construction facilities, but they had plenty to prepare. Tens of thousands of warships were being launched, and the First, Second and Third Fleets had swelled to five thousand ships a piece. The Fourth was expected next, with new warships proposed by the time they reached the rebuilt Fifth.

By and large the mood was high, notwithstanding the Nubian bridgehead, nor the massacre at Naboo. The capital had shifted from Riosa and eventually to Hosnian Prime, a process that had made the entire New Republic feel represented and the Coruscant-centric focus of Feyna’s administration had been undermined; weakening separatist inclinations.

With that in mind, Winter Celchu expected the Senate to vote to extend Feyna’s term, and she expected Feyna to oppose it. So that meant Winter had to divert the tension, as the faction around Doman Beruss grew more and more radical in its opposition to Aryan Graul and of course Palpatine and his coming horde.

Doman called the session to order. The Chancellor was expected to speak first, as the decision as to her term was to be dealt with in her presence - rather than mostly decided in her absence, as it has been six years ago. Winter wondered if she’d attend in person or by hologram, what with the family situation.

Feyna stole a quick look at her datapad one more time before heading into the chamber, checking in on her son, via the camera set up in his room. Kalen was asleep on his stomach, one arm dangling off the side of his bed, the nanny droid off in one corner, keeping watch.

Three-year-old Prince Kalen, named for Isolder's late brother, was the perfect miniature of his father, and the center of Feyna's world. She knew that Ta'a Chume had been disappointed that Feyna and Isolder's first child was male, but Feyna was not particularly bothered by her mother-in-law's displeasure, on that matter. Hapes was a matriarchal government, with a very skewed gender hierarchy, and he would be passed over for the throne if Feyna and Isolder did have a daughter later (Feyna did want to try for one more, in a few years perhaps), but Feyna had no intention of treating her son as though he was 'less than,' simply because he was a boy.

Technically, it was Isolder's week for in-person Senate meetings; they took turns at physical and hologram attendance, so one of them could stay with Kalen (yes, they had the droid, but Feyna didn't like to rely on it too much). But considering the main topic of today's session, she'd thought it best they both actually be there. The droid could watch Kalen for that long, and more than likely he'd nap the whole time anyway.

The Senate was voting whether to once again extend her term, and from the feelers Winter had been putting out, it was not looking good. Feyna did not want her term extended again, and given that things had settled in the past few years (yes, Skelm, Sidious, and the Yuuzhan Vong were still a concern, but there'd been no new attacks, and the New Republic was beefing up its forces), she saw no reason for it.

Pocketing her datapad, she took her place at the podium as Doman called for order.

"We know why we're here; the term extension granted to me has expired, and I would personally prefer we spent this meeting discussing nominations for my successor. It is my understanding, however, that the majority of you would prefer to keep me in office for another number of years, despite the concerns that I myself voiced to you six years ago. I've made a point not to abuse the powers that were granted to me, but by upholding a questionable precedent, we are leaving the future of the New Republic vulnerable to more corruption, the likes of Palpatine and Amedda.

"In the past six years, since Nubia, and Naboo, there has been no further escalation of the conflict with the Eternal Empire, nor have Sidious and the Yuuzhan Vong shown themselves. Our military strength continues to grow, and I believe the situation is stable enough for a transition of power. Our troubles are not over, I know, but at present, there is nothing I am doing, that cannot be done by someone else."

There was a rumble; the Senate clearly had been hoping to elect her anew, but they could see Feyna wasn't agreeable - and she was arguably right, though a hear, hear snarled from the edges of the room by Fyor Rodan went down about as well as expected - there was a rebuke from her supporters, and then a counter from those that supported him - Chasin, the Bimms, Altyr, Las Lagon, Beris, Obreedan, Jabiim, Adumar, Katraasii, Atzerri - their little Commenori Confederation, as they called themselves.

They were a small but irritating faction, but with nowhere near the pull of the so-called Graul Conspiracy, which had included the Senators of several affluent Core Worlds, Imperial Moffs, and recently joined independent nation states. They weren't even the B-team of irritants; most of them had almost zero military or political pull outside of Commenor itself, who had created - legally, under Senate restrictions - a single fleet of its own. With the Bothans reportedly raising three fleets and the Remnant now wielding four, it was a small concession in the greater scheme of things - one that even her veto power would have been unable to stop.

Doman called for order, and Winter grinned slightly. The Senate had been like this for over a year now - but it was an improvement on the mass-hysteria of the first two years after Nubia fell. Rodan signaled for his supporters for silence, and they did pipe down, though Caserfo of Riosa had to shout down one of his party members to resume decorum and let the issue go.

Doman nodded, and looked to the Senate. "I think we can all thank Chancellor Organa-Chume for her calming hand in the years since Palpatine spoke to us all. Without her strength and resolve, and even while raising a family, I wonder if we would still have a New Republic." There was a rustle of agreement. "But the Chancellor's authority under her Emergency Powers is absolute, and as such we must respect that - and even if we did not, forcing anyone to remain Chancellor against their will is surely a war crime."

There was a chuckle across the floor.

"I would ask the Chancellor who she intended to nominate to take over after she steps down. I note the Prince is your Vice Chancellor, and he has often deputized for you, after all."

Winter could see what Doman was doing; if Isolder took the reigns, the wily Corellian Senator would keep Feyna around in a leadership capacity.

Feyna wasn't falling for it. "I don't know that he would accept," she replied, glancing toward her husband; he'd know that she meant no slight by it, and hopefully he'd also recognized what Doman was trying to do.

Nola wouldn't take it either; she was still focused on helping her own people, though they were doing better now than they had been.

"Senator Triebakk served between my second and third terms, and is still eligible for re-election." Feyna had spent that gap term mostly on New Alderaan, but she hadn't heard anything bad about Triebakk's performance.

"And you yourself, Senator Beruss, have often been trusted with leading the Senate in my absences."

She had indeed left Doman in charge in the past, when neither she nor Isolder could be available; the weeks around Kalen's birth, for example. Isolder had still checked in from time to time, so they'd stayed informed, but the couple had mostly been focused on settling into their new reality as parents.

And Feyna hadn't heard anything else on Han's cousin in a while, but if he was still stirring up trouble (Nola had privately voiced her concerns to Feyna that he might encourage Corellia to secede)--well, having Corellia's Senator as Chancellor might secure the planet's position in the New Republic for however long Doman served.

"I will hear other nominations as well."

She kept her tone and her expression neutral, but the prospect of finally getting out of office...the thought made her almost giddy.

The Senate dove into speculation and discussion and there was a lot of noise, but the Senators were heading towards Triebakk, and then their was a human bend towards Doman, during which Isolder kept silent with a knowing gaze. Winter wondered to herself where it would go.

Both candidates accepted, Triebakk being translated by his protocol droid, and Doman being gracious as ever.

The vote was called, and Winter voted for Triebakk, and Isolder voted for Doman. There was all manner of division, but Ransolm corralled people towards Triebakk, and Rodan towards Doman.

Feyna had expected that the Senate might put up a few more names, or reject one of her two suggestions, but both Triebakk and Doman accepted, and were accepted by the Senate.

That Rodan's circle was throwing its support behind Doman might be a little concerning, but that might be humanocentrism rearing its head. Or Core-centrism. Feyna might have abstained, considering that she had nominated both, but for her desire to ensure that Corellia did not secede.

She voted for Doman.

Nola was in attendance, via hologram; things were much better on New Nubia now and she'd been back to regular Senate work for the past few years. She hadn't involved herself in the nomination debate though--not that there'd been much, the Senate had latched onto Feyna's two candidates fairly willingly.

If Doman hadn't been suggested, Nola probably would have voted for Triebakk; a non-human Chancellor was another progressive win. But Nola also knew that Corellia's continued membership was still uncertain, as long as Thracken Sal-Solo remained a prominent figure.

She also cast her vote for Doman.

Doman won, and by a decent margin, which was good for all involved. Most of the Senator lost - or won - graciously. Though of course Rodan’s lot loudly crowed victory. Doman held up her hands and silence followed.

Her pod headed to the Chancellors podium as she spoke. “Thank you, my friends. I will do what I can, and what I must, for our great Republic. In my four year term I will look to strengthen our defences, repair our few remaining wounds, and win the peace so we can fight the war.”

There was polite applause. When Doman reached the podium she stepped in, smiling warmly at Feyna and squeezing her hand. Turning back to the audio mike floating after her, she spoke on. “My first act will of course be to thank Princess Organa-Chume for her service, and her graciousness in nomination of me.” More applause, this time stringer. “I would also ask Prince Isolder to continue on as my Vice Chancellor for now, for the sake of continuity and handover.”

Isolder sought Feyna’s eyes in respect of that. He was hoping their husband-wife bond could communicate what she thought well enough!

Damn her. Feyna managed not to make a face, but her smile might have slipped just a fraction. She suspected this was another subtle ploy to keep Feyna around--poor Isolder would essentially be the middleman, ever coming home relaying messages from Doman to Feyna, asking her advice on this, her opinion on that.

She wouldn't stop him from accepting, if he chose to, 'for now,' as long as he set some boundaries with Doman. His continued presence would help with a smoother transition, but once Doman was settled in, she shouldn't need his help anymore, and he could step back.

Isolder managed to just about catch the slip of a fraction. "I can accept, of course, but for no more than a year. I am the Hapan Prince, after all, and my people will want me to attend to them as my mother ages." His words were smooth, and he also smiled in his typical roguish way. "And I might even accept only if Triebakk agrees to become the Vice Chancellor after I depart."

Doman nodded immediately, without missing a beat. "That sounds sublime to me."

The Wookiee roared his agreement.

"Now," she turned to the Senate itself. "I shall call an end to this session so I can get started, and I shall reconvene... a week from today." With that, the Senate was done for the day. A short amount of work, nothing urgent to pick up, and Doman was accosted by the special interest groups.

Winter moved her pod over to the Chancellor's podium to take Feyna and Isolder. "Well that went well I'd say."

"You're free, honey!" Isolder kissed her on the cheek.

Feyna smiled--for the sake of decorum, she didn't literally dance for joy, but it was a huge weight off her shoulders.

She reached for Isolder's hand as she stepped off the podium for the last time. "I won't miss it much," she admitted, just enough that only they would hear.

"And yes, that went much better than I'd expected."

"It really, really did," Isolder beamed. Winter was happy for them, and docked the pod.

Isolder walked together back to the kids, and he reached for her hand. Winter wondered how Tycho was doing, patrolling the Perlemian, otherwise. But she trailed slightly behind, enjoying the happiness on their faces. With her identic memory, she would remember this for a very long time.

Feyna affectionately leaned into Isolder a little as they headed back to their quarters, gently grasping his arm with her free hand. They walked in silence for a few minutes, Feyna simply enjoying the moment while she mused to herself.

"I've spent more of my adult life in office, than out of it," she noted, thinking aloud more than anything. "Sixteen years, combined." Almost as long as she'd lived on Alderaan.

"I know I'll still have other official responsibilities--" She didn't know whether Ta'a Chume intended to abdicate any time soon; Feyna hoped she'd hold off for at least few more years, and she didn't think the Queen Mother would need much persuading on the matter, but Feyna would eventually be expected to start shifting her attention to Hapes.

"--and there's Kalen, of course, but there's still part of me that doesn't even know what to do with myself."

Isolder nodded. “But we should take our time with it, Feyna. A year for me to do a handover and a year for you to disentangle.”

“It sounds good, actually,” Winter nodded. “We could get in a decent break before you get subsumed into Hapan politics.”

"It would be nice," Feyna agreed.

They would probably have to stay on Hosnian Prime while Isolder was working the handover, anyway--theoretically Feyna and Kalen could go Hapes to get settled in, but Feyna didn't want to leave Isolder behind, and given the occasionally dangerous rivalries amongst the Hapan noble families, she wasn't sure how safe it would be for them to go without him.

Isolder shrugged. “The thing is, Mother is pretty much fond of you by now - especially as she personally hated Treen and you blew her up.” He grinned. “She has the marriage and grandchildren now, so she’ll hold back on the manipulations until they’re old enough to succeed her.”

Isolder held up a hand. “But it would be nice to have you nearby. Do you intend to go back to being the New Alderaan Senator? Or be Delaya’s?” He referred to the second planet in the Alderaan system, that also represented the other planets in their home sector. “Or are you retiring for now...” he was thinking of the children, too.

Feyna nodded. "I was considering stepping back from the Senate. As Winter said, a little break would be nice, before I start shifting my responsibilities to Hapes."

She had served as New Alderaan's Senator during Triebakk's term, and she still liked to make sure the colony was doing well, though sometimes she felt guilty, wondering if she'd been doing enough for them. As horrible as Nubia had been, at least Nola had been able to prioritize her people, to just be focused on helping them recover; Feyna had had an entire galactic government to rebuild, and sometimes she felt like she'd abandoned her own people.

And she might have to set them to the side again, if she was to eventually rule Hapes. She wasn't sure how well it would go over with her Hapan subjects if her attention was divided between them and New Alderaan.

Isolder hesitated. "I mean, to Hapes doesn't mean away from your people."

"I must admit that I have always thought that Hapes would have been perfect for Alderaanians. I just didn't want to rock up and undermine your efforts there." Isolder was thinking aloud. "I mean, New Alderaan is way out in the Outer Rim. I know the refugees couldn't afford a world closer to the Core, not even with the Thul conglomerate helping out, but -"

"It's a bit exposed, and if the New Republic is going to reinforce anywhere, it will be Mon Calamari and the shipyards there, not New Alderaan." He pulled a face. "And with the Tion Cluster basically bullied by Ka'rta into being a good neighbour..."

They hadn't spoken to Ka'rta, but the alliances Mandalore had wove using it's beskar protection had been a pain. Much of the borderlands between the Hydian and Perlemian had been impacted, as far north as Roche. No formal territorial acquisitions had occurred, but the clans had a lot of influence and it included within the Corporate Sector and Tion Hegemony. It wouldn't take much for Ka'rta, if she so wished, to sever the Perlemian - the spine of the New Republic as they called it. The fleet had taken to calling the Rimward stretch of the Hydian Way the Thunder Alley, because it was a risk ever heading that far Rimward.

"I just wanted to formally offer space in the Hapes Cluster for the Alderaanians, because of, well, the Vong."

Feyna could see his point. New Alderaan was distanced from most of the more heavily trafficked areas of the galaxy, and though it was sentimentally important to Feyna, it was primarily a simple safe world for refugees, without much political or strategic value. Perhaps that might make it less of a target, but at the same time, it was minimally protected, and help might not arrive in time in the event of an attack.

She squeezed his hand again as they arrived back at their quarters. "Thank you...I will let the Council know." New Alderaan was run by a ruling High Council; though Feyna retained her old title, it was mainly ceremonial.

She didn't know if or how many of the refugees might wish to relocate to Hapes, but at least they'd have the option.

Isolder hesitated at the door to the kids - he loved being a parent, but he was also conscious that they didn’t have much time to be themselves nowadays - he hoped that they would do now she wasn’t Chancellor.

Before he opened the door, he kissed her. With a smile, he looked at her, hand over the controls. “Shall we? Or do we take that trip to Hesperidium we had planned? Nanny can handle Kalen for the afternoon...”

Isolder smirked.

Feyna hesitated, raising a brow at him. "I'm unpleasantly reminded of what happened last time we tried that..." She was partly teasing, though. True, she wasn't Chancellor anymore; it would be Doman's problem if anything happened now--though she might still try to rope them in. But surely things couldn't go wrong every time they took a day off.

Her eyes shifted to Kalen's door. "Is he still asleep?"

Isolder peeked. “Looks like.”

He glanced back to her, whispering. “You’ve earned this, Feyna. We can take a break, hell, I can work remotely 100% and Doman will have to put up with it. She does have Triebakk to hand after all.”

He closed to the door, and held her hand. "What do you say?"

She glanced back toward their son's room, a bit anxious; she didn't think they'd both ever gone to a completely different planet without him before. And Hesperidium was on the other side of the Core from the Hosnian system.

But Isolder was right, it had been a while since they'd had any real time to themselves. The nanny could manage Kalen.

"Okay."

-------------------------------------------------

The two of them had a wonderful second honeymoon on Hesperidium. There were no crises, no disasters, none of the madness which had plagued their last trip here, or even their wedding day. It was cathartic, and it was a sign of things to come.

Chancellor Doman Beruss proved an adept woman, masterfully managing the competing interests of the Senate, and Triebakk wanted to get involved, leaving Isolder to do less and less. They started a peaceful year where the tense balance between the New Republic and Eternal Empire calmed, and there was not a single issue to speak of beyond the existing ones. The Bothans and Hutts continued to play both sides against each other, and factions within the Remnant and Hapans campaigned to break existing treaties and secede but were far too weak to be anything but bothersome. If anything, the Moffs and Hapan nobles had to be roped in to avoid purging malcontents. Even then, Ta'a Chume kept her distance, if only because she already had a grandchild but wanted a girl...

... the only negative was that as Chancellor, Doman's seat as Senator had to go for election - a seat which Thrackan Sal-Solo won, maddeningly. His little negativity merged with the Commenori, though, and the group acquired some punch with a Core representative on-side, but Sal-Solo was marginalised by Prime Minister Saxan, even if she didn't have the support to recall him. Thrackan for his part was suspiciously good, but the NRI could find nothing to pin on him, not even another assault fleet planned.

But as I say.

Feyna and Isolder and Kalen had an incredibly peaceful year in the middle of the Second Galactic Cold War.

-----------------------------------------

IC: Isolder, Feyna, and Kalen
21 ATA, Hosnian Prime; night

It was a typical morning in the Organa-Chume household.

On Hosnian Prime, which seemed to be settling in as the capital - having been again voted into be so, they had acquired a sense of permeance on the Core world, even as their new home on Hapes was slowly - but inevitably - shaping up. As Isolder extricated himself to the point of non-existence from the Senate - even considering appointing an entirely new Senator for Hapes - and more Alderaanians moved to Hapes itself, they were between worlds.

For now.

Isolder be woken by a comlink call which would wake Feyna too -

Feyna had been sort-of-awake already; it was a little early still to be actually getting up, though, and Isolder had still been sleeping. These days, she often didn't officially rise for the day until he did--or until Kalen came bounding in.

So she'd tried to doze for a little bit longer, only to be jolted awake by the chime of her husband's comlink.

Who would be calling this early, she wondered, turning over and propping herself up so she could hear.

“Thank you for letting me know,” he said hesitantly. “Have any of her sisters made a move yet?”

“Of course not, they want to see what I’ll do.” Isolder closed it down, emotions combating across his face. Concern won out. He turned, looking for his pants on the floor, hesitating, not quite able to meet her eyes yet.

It was bad news, clearly.

Feyna frowned, pushing back the covers and sitting up, tentatively reaching over to put a gentle hand on his back. "What is it?"

He settled, stilled. "Mother has died."

She drew back for a second, stunned, before crawling over to his side of the bed and taking his hand. "I'm sorry." She kissed his cheek, trying to be comforting.

"Do they know..." She swallowed, not quite comfortable asking; he might not know, or he might not want to talk about it yet. "Do they know how?"

Ta'a hadn't been young, but it still seemed a little sudden.

"She had a brain hemorrhage," Isolder said. "She was at a spa and was having a treatment... when they came in, she'd had a stroke."

His words were a bit hoarse, but he was coming to grips with it all.

But still, he stared into space.

Feyna put her arms around him, just being there for him. She hadn't been particularly well acquainted with her mother-in-law, but it hurt that he was hurting.

After a few minutes: "What do you need me to do?" Her hand came up to cup his face. "What can I help with?"

She could start making comm calls; she could get Kalen up and start packing; there were probably a dozen other things that needed done...

Or they could just stay like this for a bit longer, if that was what he needed.

He held her close for a moment, kissed her softly. He looked at the time, realised it was early here. Kalen would be deep asleep. Easy to move when he was, but not so easy to pack. “Can we say here for an hour or two? And then we’ll go to Hapes... stop whatever my aunts have planned... and then, well, we’ll be a lot busier when we get there...”

“... and I want to be ‘just’ Isolder and Feyna for a bit longer, to be honest. Before...”

Before she was Queen Mother.

The unspoken words hung between them; Feyna wasn't blind to the ramifications of Ta'a's death, but she was more concerned about her husband at the moment.

Feyna nodded at his request to just stay in bed for a while more, and kissed him again before starting to climb back under the covers. "Yes, we can."

He kissed her, held her under the covers, hands on her, on her skin, lips upon her, and the moment lasted for as long as it had to.

For as long as it could.

For as long as forever could be.

Feyna let him determine how far their intimacy progressed, but she returned his affections in kind, content to lose track of time, to erase the rest of the galaxy for a while.

....

It was an hour later, and Isolder was draped across her leg, dozing slightly, and for a moment his face was not slack but contented, glowing from their love and exultations. When he let his worries go, he was the most beautiful man in the room, especially with the web of crows feet around his eyes, all laughter lines that he had earned with Feyna.

Feyna hadn't gone back to sleep after, but she was quite happy to let her husband rest against her for a while. He looked peaceful for the moment, having successfully shut out the world beyond their bed...Feyna was rather reluctant to disturb him.

But the sky outside the window was getting lighter, and at some point, they'd have to get up and face the challenges ahead of them.

And Kalen would likely be waking up soon; better he didn't walk in on them in their current state.

She reached over to brush her fingers along his cheek, then through his long hair. "Honey? As much as we'd both like to just stay here, we probably ought to start getting around."

Isolder stretched. "Yeah, I know. We need to get to Hapes before my aunts marshal the nobles to launch a coup. At least those long and painful meals with Ducha's Galney and AlGray and Archon Thane will finally pay-off..." He was referencing a few Houses they had hosted - the key ones. As a constitutional monarchy, it was important to be seen to listen and be listened to. Feyna would have experience of dinner meals back on Alderaan, whenever Bail and Breha hosted the local nobility.

He stretched, looked down at her form. Isolder's smile broadened. "Why hello."

She leaned to kiss him, not exactly discouraging his flirtatious attentions, but trying not to get distracted again either.

"In other words, we should maybe call those Houses first, before your aunts do?

"And Doman and Triebakk probably need to know why we're off in such a rush."

Triebakk had pretty much taken over the Vice-Chancellor position, but Isolder was still very-minimally involved in a few things, hence why they were stull on Hosnian Prime.

“I’ll handle Doman, we need to get, well,” he grinned at her form. “Dressed, and all.” He kissed her bare shoulder. “I’ll let you sort Kalen, and I’ll speak her and arrange a face-to-face on Hapes with the Houses. Sooner we go - the better.”

He leaned over, and kissed her - hard.

“I do love you, Feyna. Let’s do this.”

Feyna kissed him back. "I love you, too."

Choosing a simple dark purple gown from her wardrobe, she suddenly frowned as she started to dress. "Isolder, how do we explain this to Kalen?"

Four seemed a little young to grasp the concept of death. And Ta'a had only seen Kalen a handful of times; he might not even remember her as he got older.

Isolder hesitated as he tugged his shirt over his head. He was so wound up in getting to Hapes that he'd forgotten about that. "I don't know, to be honest." He looked at his comlink. "Together, is how we do it, at very least." He tucked the device into his pants.

"Shall we?"

There was a clatter from his room; Kalen was already awake, playing with his things as he did.

Feyna nodded, finishing with the clasps on her dress and running a comb through her hair, before taking Isolder's hand and walking with him across the hall to their son's room. She could hear Kalen playing happily inside.

She tapped lightly on the door before entering. "'Morning, Kalen."

Kalen hesitated. “You’re both already dresseded.” His ‘ed’ endings had a habit of repeating themselves. “Are we going somewhere?”

Isolder stepped over him and picked him up. “Daddy was called home, Kalen.” He was sure to hold him low enough that he was level with Feyna, but not so low he strained his back.

“We are home?”

Feyna smoothed Kalen's hair, still messy from sleep, and kissed his head.

"We've lived here while Mama and Daddy worked here," she explained. "But home is at Hapes, where Daddy is from."

She glanced to Isolder, before nudging forward. "Something's happened to Grandma Ta'a."

“Oh?” Kalen said. “I don’t think she likes me.” He sounded a bit baffled. “I’m not a girl.”

Isolder pressed his lips into a grimace. “Your Grandma loved you, Kalen.”

“Oh, okay then,” he said, and wiggled free. He immediately began to bundle his blocs into his arms. They adhered to each other and reshaped themselves when prodded to go slack, allowing Kalen to make all manner of shape. “Can I bring these with me?”

The Hapan Prince was struggling to stay on topic. Kalen was four, you had to make sure he was paying attention but also that he didn’t have anything by him to draw his focus elsewhere. Nor did Isolder really want to say the words; referring to his mother in the past tense was hard enough.

And Kalen remembering Ta’a Chume’s obsession with a female grand-heir was painful enough.

Feyna mentally flinched at Kalen's awareness of Ta'a's preference, though she was careful not to show it--no four-year-old should have to concern himself with whether his grandmother liked him or not, and certainly not for that reason.

She had a sudden and terrible feeling that Isolder might have had a similar experience with his mother, growing up; she'd never dare ask, though. His relationship with her had been complicated, but Ta'a was still his mother, and the loss was still hurting him.

She gave Isolder's arm a comforting squeeze, then went to sit down on Kalen's bed, tugging her son along. "We'll pack your toys later," she said gently, taking the blocks and setting them aside, then pulling Kalen onto her lap.

"Kalen...Grandma Ta'a died this morning." He wouldn't know what that meant, so she tried to elaborate, in words he would understand. "She's gone away, we won't be able to see her or talk to her anymore."

She glanced to her husband again for help; her own words sounded ridiculous to her, though maybe not to Kalen. She couldn't remember how Bail and Breha had explained death to her--had it been when they'd told her about her birth parents? She'd been older then, than Kalen was now.

Kalen blinked. “Oh. So she’s gone? Gone away?” He looked sad. “I liked her hugs. She always has the best perfume. Even better than yours Mummy.”

He seemed at a loss. “Can’t I say goodbye?”

Isolder’s voice caught, but he pushed on. “We would have a service to say goodbye, called a funeral. It’s up to you if you want to come - there will be lots of sad people there. Your grandmother was very loved by lots of people.”

“But we’re her family, we love her most.”

“Exactly so, which is why we’ll get seats at the front.”

“Good,” Kalen said. “Because I don’t want her to miss my goodbye because I’m only four and little.”

Isolder couldn’t respond to that.

Feyna gave her boy a squeeze. "We'll make sure you get to say goodbye."

She set him on his feet; she couldn't think of anything else to say on that, but if Kalen still had questions, they'd try to answer them. "Let's get you dressed and start getting ready to go."

Kalen nodded, and promptly began to get himself together and whatever he needed to travel; his blocks, yes, but he also squeezed his favourite clothes and cuddly into a small backpack.

They were up and running and heading into hyperspace in short order; Hapes was their destination. Their future, it was there. The Prince did a handover and promised the Vice Chancellor he would check in.

Isolder held Feyna’s hand as they watched Hosnian Prime and he said goodbye to their old life. “Queen Mother Feyna Organa-Chume,” he said the words for the first time.

Feyna's hand tightened gently around her husband's, as Hosnian Prime shrank away in the viewport.

For the last twenty years, home for Feyna had been wherever the Senate was based--Corellia, Coruscant, Riosa, Hosnian; the only time she'd spent any significant time off the capital had been those four years between her second and third terms. Even this past year, even though she'd held no official office, they'd had to stay while Isolder worked on the handover with Doman and Triebakk.

The idea of finally, permanently settling somewhere, with her family, was both exciting, and a little scary.

As soon as they arrived at Hapes, Feyna would have to take over the duties of her new position. She was already forming a mental list of things that would need to be done once they arrived: planning for Ta'a's funeral, checking security arrangements, contacting the major Houses, meeting with the Court, a public announcement...just to name a few.

She'd known, as long as she and Isolder had been together, that if she married him, she would eventually have to ascend the throne, upon Ta'a Chume's abdication or death. And aside from running the New Republic for most of her adult life, Feyna had been raised under the assumption that she would have eventually ruled as Queen of Alderaan. Having to do the job didn't worry her terribly--a little, yes, as Hapan culture was rather different from Alderaan's, though there was a small colony of former Alderaanians within the Consortium, now, and she had spent the past year doing her homework on Hapan laws and customs.

But she expected the transition to be a bit of an uphill battle. Feyna was an outsider, and though she did intend to try to respect the customs and traditions of Hapan culture, it wasn't likely that the people would find her reign to be like that of Ta'a Chume, or Ni'Korish before her; there might be some initial resistance, and not just from Isolder's aunts.

She'd manage, though. She had Isolder to help her, and they'd gotten through so much in the past; they'd get through this, too. Together.

Feyna leaned against her husband and beckoned her son to come and sit with them, enjoying these last few hours to themselves, as the ship jumped into hyperspace.

TAG: @Sinrebirth

 

Between Combo - Madelyn II - 9 years later

The Jedi Council was summoned.

Well, what passed as the Jedi Council.

In the years since the Battle of Exegol, that had been the healer Cilghal, the spymaster Tresina Lobi, the Corellian Corran Horn and more often than not Madelyn, especially as her skill with battle meditation made her key to any Jedi contribution to the anticipated war effort against the Yuuzhan Vong.

Now however, they were gathered in the Jedi Council chambers on Tython - a world chosen for the innumerable black holes protecting its secret location - and the three of them turned to look at Madelyn. They were all here in person, and they all smiled to greet her as she arrived.

“Master Linnett, thank you for coming on such short notice.”

Her ties to the Mandalorian sector had grown more and more limited over the years, especially as the clans had turned further and further away from the New Republic - with their new beskar lode, which was still providing them with a great yield, her former home had became a powerful network of alliances and ‘protection arrangements’ with a thousand worlds stretching as far coreward as the Roche hives and as far rimward as Almania, with accords with the Tion and Corporate Sector too.

“There’s no new crisis, I promise,” Corran said, holding up a hand.

“We just wanted to discuss your role in the Order, and an expansion to the Council’s membership. We have over five hundred Jedi now, after all,” Cilghal said, in a conciliatory tone.

“So the sooner we formalise the Order, the better, I am sure you will agree,” Tresina hedged.

They were clearly building up to something.

Madelyn Linnett always felt nervous going into the Council Chambers. Even though she was a member of the Council itself. She had come a long way from being Mand'alor. Madelyn had grown even more as a person. And she often wondered if being a Jedi had something to do with that.

"Of course. I'm happy to help." Madelyn replied. She moved towards her seat and sat down. She glanced curiously at them, wondering if thetr was something wrong. But Master
Corran's words quickly calmed her. Instead she listened, and thought.

"Sounds like were about to have our hands full." Madelyn said with a smile. She looked at the other council members. "I've helped to train a few Jedi, but expanding the council is a big step. Who did you have in mind to join our ranks?" She asked curiously. There were plenty of Jedi to choose from.

"And what about my role? Have I not been doing a good job?" Madelyn added, a little worried.

"We were thinking about Kyp Durron, of course, but also potentially Renn or Vhardia, when Leia is fully trained," Corran said, slowly.

"The old Council was twelve Jedi, after all," said Cilghal.

"And that would confirm that our recovery is well on the way if we can at least reach half that number," Tresina added, and then glanced to Cilghal, who half nodded.

"We have no issues whatsoever with your role," she continued. "None whatsoever, but we would appreciate your view of the nominees the Council has in mind. We do like unanimity in our decision making process, after all."

Madelyn nodded. "Well thank you for you're faith in me. I do think that Kyp Durron would be a great candidate. He would do well on the Jedi Council." She paused, "Could we not have both Renn and Vhardia on the Jedi Council once Leia has finished training? Or would that be too complicated?" She asked.

“Both would work,” Corran said, nodding. “Especially Renn - I wanted to make his connection to the Order even more than just his tie to Vhardia.”

Cilghal smoothed her lips. Jedi should not have attachments. The Mon Calamari didn’t believe the words, but she knew them - but since the Jedi had been decimated, they had absorbed members that were adults, with established relationships, and realities had changed.

Tresina paused then pressed on. “But we wanted to know what role you envisioned in the future. Many Knights respect you, and your role in the end of the First Civil War, as well as your heroism at Kashyyyk and Exegol and Coruscant.”

“And your battle meditation is a once-in-a-generation gift,” Corran said. “The practical applications in the war to come cannot be understated.”

“We just want you to understand your importance in the Order.”

Madelyn looked curious. Then let's have both join the Jedi Council. Attachments or not.

"Do they?" Madelyn asked with uncertainty. "I'm not so sure that's a good idea. I was never good at leading people. And I initially only accepted this position out of formality." Madelyn admitted. "I enjoy it don't get me wrong." She paused. "But even having the gift of Battle Meditation can be hard to handle."

Madelyn smiled at them. "I hope you understand I am grateful to be here though."

“That’s the point,” Corran said. “You understand your responsibility, and the duty that comes with it.”

He looked to the others, each of which nodded. “Which is why we’ve have a proposal in mind for you. We’re all in agreement that the position needs to be filled to project confidence in the Jedi Order - something that is going to be needed in the years to come. That once the Yuuzhan Vong, Thrawn and the Eternal Empire are defeated, we can return to stability.”

Cilghal took up the lead. “With that in mind - the Jedi Council has voted to make you Grandmaster of the Order.”

“And we would like for you to accept, even if you don’t believe you are worthy of the role - because you truly are, Madelyn,” Tresina said, softly, warmly.

Their faith in her would buoy her in the Force.

Madelyn swallowed hard, not sure what to think in the moment. Instead she stood up rather abruptly, pacing for a moment as she considered their words.

"I don't know what to say. I'm honored of course, but this is a big step." Madelyn told them nervously. "I know I won't be alone in making decisions for the battles to come..." Madelyn looked at Tresina and the others. "I'm just...I'm sorry. I'm in a bit of a shock." She admitted. "You have an awful lot of faith in me."

“Faith that has been proven many times over,” Corran assured her. “You are our greatest warrior, our keenest empath, our softest diplomat, our warmest teacher.”

The Force was gentle; approving even.

Cilghal stood up and took Madelyn’s hands in hers; they were friends, the whole Council were, and the Mon Calamari kindly looked into her eyes. “You really are the best Jedi for the job.”

Tresina made a joke. “And if you could run the clans for fourteen years, I’m sure you can handle us.”

Madelyn smiled, warmed by their faith in her and the force. "Thank you. I accept the title of Grandmaster of the Jedi Order." Madelyn sounded a little embarrassed. They were her friends and she knew deep down they wouldn't do this unless they completely trusted her.

She looked at Tresina and raised her eyebrows, "Are you sure? Because the handling the clans amd handling you are two different things." Madelyn joked back.

The three of them smiled, and Cilghal drew Madelyn into a hug. "Congratulations, Madelyn."

Corran leaned forward in his chair; he wasn't a hugger. "You will need to pick a Senior Master to be your second, of course. Like how Master Windu used to be the second to Grandmaster Yoda."

"But not right now," Tresina said with a flutter. "We need to let the Order - and the Senate - know."

Madelyn looked pleased, and hugged Cilghal back. "Thank you." She pulled away, and looked over at Corran as he spoke. "I'll have to think very seriously about who I want as my second." She admitted, unsure of who to pick.

Madelyn looked thoughtful. "I suppose we had better let them know as soon as possible."

Tag: @Sinrebirth

 

Between Combo - Leia, Vhardia and Renn - 10 years later

Inevitably, this was going to come. Leia had faced a trial of the spirit against Abeloth, and at such a young age. The death of her first Master had left no scars on her soul, and her bond with her Kyber was stronger than ever.

She had become the quintessential Jedi Knight under the tutelage of her Master, Vhardia, and a Council member had recalled them to Tython - the hidden Jedi world - to finalise it.

In short, the Council was ready to Knight her. Master Corran Horn would have care of her final trial, and Vhardia as her Master, and Renn, as Vhardia’s Jedi partner, would be welcome to attend. In the decade since the Battle of Exegol they had all grown in many ways, but the Force had not demanded they rush off to confront Bernael.

Instead, it has settled into a balance of sorts, as if the darkness dominating a third of the galaxy, and the light a half, was completely acceptable to the Force - baffling Jedi philosophers.

And so they wound their way into the Deep Core together, needing to work together to traverse the winding paths and gravitic traps of the region.


Tython awaited.


And with it, their future.

***

Ten years, had it truly been ten years. Leia had grown from the six year old girl she had been into a very well trained Jedi, or so Renn believed. He had aided Vhardia as much as possible. He and the Light had bonded deeper and his growing power in it had assisted in her training.

Their time on Hoth had been then well spent. He and Vhardia had ‘danced’ around what they both felt, in that time. It was there and neither denied it but they had chosen to try to not delve deeper because they were who they were. It was, however, part and parcel of a bond that couldn't be measured or ignored by the Jedi or themselves, not for much longer. Of course their little droid BB-8 had his own thoughts on the matter and, on many occasions, attempted to get them together, face to face, alone.

But this was not that adventure, this adventure was Leia’s. She had reached that stage of her training where it was time to test how well she was trained. She, and Vhardia, had been summoned to Tython for her to pass her Trial and become a Knight. Renn had been extended an invitation to witness it as well. His status with the Jedi was one of mutual respect, they recognized what he was, had chosen to call him a Master as a sign of respect.

He had gathered what was needed for the voyage, settling it in the cargo hold of the freighter. Once the ship was prepared he returned to them both, ”Ladies, our chariot awaits. And, BB-8, be good.” He didn’t expect the droid to do so, that same comment had been ignored for years as it was but it was worth a try.

The initial launch and departure was uneventful but they would have to work together to reach their destination. And there was no guarantee that their, several, foes wouldn’t attempt to stop them along the way.

Leia knew she shouldn't be feeling a little arrogant about everything. But she couldn't help it.

She was on track for completing her Jedi trials at sixteen. A relatively young age to do so. She knew it was thanks to Master Vhardia and Master Renn's training, and she was thankful for that. But Leia knew she didn't get this far with training alone.

Now though, Leia was facing her final trial. And she felt a little excited at the anticipation of their mission.

"So what will I be facing? A rancor? A dark Jedi? A hundred battle droids?" Leia asked eagerly.


Vhardia raised an eyebrow at Renn.

"Chariot? Really? It's been ten years, you should know we travel in nothing less than a carriage," she teased.

Ten years of hiding in the snow. She thought to herself. She stood and pulled up the fur-lined hood of her cloak, glancing over at Leia as she did so. "As for what your trial is, only the council know, and even they might be shaky on the details. It's a highly personal thing, a journey of discovery, not a tick list." She noted, wrinkling her nose.

"Quite honestly, the thing I'm most looking forward to is seeing some greenery again, especially the type of plants that don't talk back." Her eyes twinkled mischievously at Leia.

Leia made a noise of mock disgust.

"Do you really have to act like that in front of me? Just hold hands already, before BB-8 welds your belts together." Leia told them with a laugh in her voice. She glanced at BB-8. "Besides, I've spent years discovering who I am. What's one more trial? It won't change me that much, Masters."

Renn had begun to chuckle at the carriage remark, opening his mouth to retort, a back and forth that he and Vhardia had gone through for years when Leia spoke up. His mouth closed with a ‘clop’, turning and raising an eyebrow at the droid who seemed to radiate amusement, if a droid could, with it’s welding torch already out and slowly moving toward he and Vhardia.

Glancing down at her, ”I think they’re both serious, my Little Curious one. Your Padawan is too smart for her own good.” he said as he stepped closer to her.

A grin formed, his hand reaching toward hers, ”Although...it may cause quite a stir if two Masters show up physically welded to one another.”

In ten years, Vhardia had become somewhat used to Leia's jibes and BB-8's prodding but her neck went bright pink nonetheless and the flush threatened to invade her entire face when Renn held out his hand.
She smiled softly and rested her hands on his one, gently curling the barked palm closed, with hers around it for a fond moment before letting go.

We'll talk later. She thought to him.
"Honestly, you're as bad as they are." She told him aloud, reproachful but teasing still.

Renn's gaze turned toward Leia, ”We...we’ve only done what we thought needed to be done so we could focus on your training. You’re like a daughter to us, in a way, and we wanted to be sure you are as fully prepared to face the dangers to come as possible, even at the expense of other things.”

He sighed, a mixture of emotions in it, ”I cannot say I know what the Trial will bring but I’m sure you will pass with flying colors.” His smile returned, ”Let’s get this ‘carriage’ moving so we can celebrate your achievement, when you do so.”

Leia threw her head back and laughed at the situation, before calming herself enough to speak. She was happy they liked her sense of humor and that they had cared for her like parents would all these years.

Of course, Leia had her biological parents; but it was nice to have an extra set to watch out for her.

"I know. And you've been like parents to me. Somewhat overprotective ones." She teased. "I just hope you're right about my trial." Leia added as she boarded. She frowned a little. Especially if I want to be on the Jedi Council one day.

***

The Master who stood before them was Corran Horn.

He smiled in greeting as he stepped forward, the Corellian Jedi nodding. "Padawan, I am to be your guide through your final Trial."

"The Jedi have five Trials: Skill, Courage, Spirit, Flesh, and Insight," Corran said, clearly and carefully. "Many of these Trials you yourself faced in the Second Galactic Civil War," he referred to the week long series of skirmishes fifteen years ago, "and have passed since."

Corran felt it important to confirm what she had passed so far.

"The Trial of Skill against the Tu'kata on Yavin 4..." he indicated Renn, who had been present then and had previously spoken of her skill, "and the Trial of Courage facing Abeloth in the Maw..." he allowed the memory of the loss of Grandmaster Ood Bnar there to rise up between them all, and pressed on. "The Trial of Flesh in the loss of your first Master, Kyle Katarn," as he spoke those words his eyes focused on the Padawan, though he knew that the events that had seen Vhardia instead become Leia's Master were ones which haunted her, too. "The Trial of Insight, when you followed the call of your Kyber crystal across the surface of Ilum and crippled Starkiller Base, saving the galaxy."


He waited for them each to absorb what he had said, to react, to lament, to harden, to emphasize.


Corran would be watching them all.

The Trial was as much a judgment on the Padawan as the Master, and Vhardia's Jedi partner Renn was part of that process.


Leia bowed to Master Corran Horn as she approached him in greeting, but did not get a chance to say hello as he started to speak to her, and her Masters about the trials she had faced.


It was true, although Leia felt shy about what she had achieved. It had been hard back then, to be separated from her family, and go up against the dark side. She had been a little kid after all. Hardly understanding what was going on half the time.


She had also passed four of the trials, but the one on spirit remained. Leia wondered what that would entail.


Renn and the Light listened as Master Horn spoke. They, he, as the two had bonded on every level in the last ten years, listened and his head nodded in understanding as the Master of the Trial explained to Leia about every Trial she had already partaken of. Memories rose, some painful, some filled with pride at Leia, filled him and he let the remembered emotions of those events flow through him without disturbing the peace he’d found as the three of them had grown, learned, and lived together.

He did not speak, letting Leia take the lead as it was her Trial but he could sense that, in a way, they would all be tested in this final Trial. He nodded to Corran, his eyes brilliant with the Light filling them but stayed at Vhardia’s side, although a wave of support flowed from him to Leia, more to reassure her than to aid her, but they would soon find out what this Trial involved.


Vhardia appeared reserved, possibly even troubled, as she brought to mind her own trials but she said nothing.

She couldn't help but worry for Leia, and felt it her duty to do so, both knowing some of what could be ahead and that, twenty five years ago, she'd had no-one to worry for her, as she faced the last of her trials alone, with the council as neutral witnesses.

Surely Leia was too young to be doing this, what if there was something she had forgotten to teach her?

She took a low breath and kept her emotions in check.


"The trial of spirit is what's left. Right, Master?" Leia looked at Master Corran Horn.

"That is correct," Corran said, his investigators' eyes noting that Vhardia took a breath, even if her emotions were still. Renn was more of an open holobook, as ever, but he was older, and with age a degree of certainty was inevitable.

He refocused on Leia. "So, I would have you face the mirror."

Corran pointed out the hangar. "About a klick west of here there is the Tythos Ridge, a mountain range that at the base includes a small cave. If you go there, you will encounter a vergence in the Force; there - you will see."

Renn glanced over at Vhardia, before turning to Leia. He stepped forward, a deeper sense of calm coming over him. ”You have all the skills and training we could give you. I have faith in you.” he told her before turning back to Vhardia.

”I believe this test is for us all. For Leia a test of facing the mirror, for us a test of being able to let Leia do this on her own. So we must have faith we’ve given her every tool she needs.” he said softly.


Leia looked confused. "A mirror?" She sounded skeptical. "Well okay, if I have to do that." She frowned a little and glanced back at Master Vhardia and Master Renn.

"I'm glad you have faith in me. And I appreciate everything you both have done for me." Leia admitted. She turned to Master Corran. "I'm ready to go now. Can BB-8 come with me Master?"

Vhardia agreed silently with a nod at Renn's words. This would be Leia's quest, her quest alone. But...

She smiled as Leia mentioned BB-8 before she had even spoken.

"I was about to suggest the very same thing. While this trial is yours, there's nothing wrong with taking some company. Sometimes the perspective of someone who is not a jedi can be helpful."

Leia smiled at Master Vhardia. "Thanks Master!" She turned to BB-8. "Let's go BB-8!"

BB-8 beeped triumphantly, and rolled off with Leia. Master Horn watched her go and regarded the two older Jedi.

“So, Madelyn had a request of you both, now Leia is facing the Trial.” As the Jedi Grandmaster for over a year now, there was no point Corran referring to her as the Grandmaster - Leia was her daughter, they would know who Madelyn was. “Obligatory question - what role do you see in the Order in the future?”

Vhardia looked surprised at the question and put a finger to her chin in thought.

"I'm not really sure," she admitted. "I was hoping to have a break from training a padawan for a bit, maybe do some meditation, travel the galaxy and do some good, but if there are others who need it..."

Privately, she didn't really see herself as a Master or a member of the council, despite Renn's likely affirmation otherwise.

Renn looked over at Vhardia, a small smile crossing his face before he looked back to Corran. ”Tests, always tests. And tests often have multiple answers. The Order has had ten years to accept what I am. The Jedi work in harmony with the Force and the Light. Which means I feel your energy whenever any of you utilize the Force. Being what I am I stand by the Order but…”

He moved slightly closer to Vhardia, ”Leia has made a point, again and again. I am what I am but whether we work here with the Council or make our presence felt more in the galaxy, I will no longer deny how I feel about Vhardia.” he hadn’t discussed it with her but it was past time that they stopped dancing around how they felt, especially among the Jedi. There were great and potent threats out there and this was one that was truly not a threat, to anyone, especially to the Jedi.

”And because of that, if the Order rejects what might be between us I will be saddened. Neither of us desire the politics of being on the Council, I would think. We want to bring the Light to a galaxy that is thirsty for it. But I want to have the air cleared about us so that we can do so most fully and joyfully.” He sighed, knowing she’d possibly want words with him later.

For Leia, BB-8 led her down the swiftest route to the cave in question, and tootled into it when they arrived. The sound echoed out, but no creatures emerged. He looked back at the Padawan, and wondered aloud with an interrogative whistle.

The Force did indeed feel odd here.
Leia paused at the entrance, feeling uneasy about something she couldn't quite put her finger on.

"I agree BB-8. It feels strange. Like there's smething under the surface?" Leia said out loud. She took a few steps forward. "Keep an eye out buddy."

***

On the other side of the valley, Corran’s fighter sat next to the shuttle Renn and Vhardia had been using for the last ten years, and in the light of the twin moons, Vhardia burst into tears.

The emotions wrapped up in leaving her padawan to face her final test and then having Renn publicly declare no less than undying love for her was too much for someone who had spent the last ten years keeping her feelings to herself. Forty years old and assaulted with choking sobs, she suddenly felt no older than Leia had been when she first met her.

Renn could feel the emotion in Vhardia and while he hadn’t meant to make her cry he also couldn’t have done other than he had. Kneeling down, he lifted her in his arm, a gentle but close hug, before he stood again. He held her closely and let her cry against him. His eyes lifted, calm but challenging as he looked at Corran, as though saying ’Say something against this I dare you.’

Corran watched the two Jedi, concerned by Vhardia's reaction, gauging whether she had just broken, or it was relief.

Renn's gaze merely caused him to quirk an eyebrow, and the green-robed Jedi Master stepped to the edge of the hangar and peered after Leia with the Force to augment his vision. "She's just entered the cave."

Leia's senses were heightened as she entered the cave, the Khmer Crystal's reflecting on her face as she walked deeper into the darkness. There was a strange, heavy feeling as she walked; until she saw movement out of the corner of her eyes.

Indeed, she had; the darkness wasn't all that deep, actually, for crystals lined the way, natural formations, not Kyber ones, and they gently carried the light deeper into the cave. However, as Vhardia progressed, BB-8 cautiously scanning but finding no danger, the crystals gave way to a mirror-effect on the walls...

... at some point, the difference between the mirror and Leia ceased to be...

... and she was talking to Leia.

Or, rather, the Leia that would become Eleanor.

She was having the selfsame mirror moment that Vhardia had once had... with her Sith alter-ego, Darth Helinith…


"BB-8? We aren't alone anymore." Leia said nervously. "Who's there?!"


***

What brought Vhardia back to herself was the nice mossy-grassy smell that she had caught a few times previously when Renn was near. She cried silently a little longer, but it was merely the deep breaths of a heart previously suffocated by the owner's prudence.


Finally she wiped her eyes on her cloak sleeve and leant against Renn's trunk.
"Sorry, don't know where that came from." She admitted, feeling a little sheepish.


Renn kept his attention on Vhardia, suppressing the chuckle that threatened to erupt at Corran’s look. Before the Jedi turned away he favored him with a wink, letting him know he’d caught the response. He shifted his grip so that Vhardia was comfortable as she leaned against him, enjoying the warmth of her in his arms.


The arm that had less of the support of Vhardia reached down, the hand dipping into the pouch at his belt. It came back up, depositing a fruit roll surreptitiously in her hands, another held in the closed hand that slipped back under her to support her.


Vhardia’s head turned to Corran as he spoke.

"Is she okay? What's going on?"


Renn looked up and paid attention to Leia again as Vhardia spoke and his eyes narrowed. Two Leia’s stood there, theirs and another, that felt different, older, more hardened to the galaxy. ”Is that Leia as well? Another version of her, a darker version, Corran? That was what you said, wasn’t it?”


Corran shook his head. "Not every Changed version is improved, or worse... just different. Sure, Luke fell, but Anakin didn't, and Mace was supposed to have died long before, so..."


He glanced at them. "I mean, the chances are that Vhardia would have been caught up in Order 66, or the Empire that followed. I might not have ever made it off Corellia, out of CorSec." He shrugged. "I couldn't say if or when you would have woken, Renn."

***


"Hello!"

Leia screamed and fell back onto the ground in a sitting position.

"Why are you on the ground?" A girl, not quite Leia's age but who looked exactly like Leia was standing there; curious.

"I fell over..." Leia said, embarrassed. She frowned a little. She looks like me. But she feels different.

"What did you do that for?" The other girl said laughing.

Leia shrugged, nervous. "Who are you?"

"I'm you silly. What you might have been." The other Leia said, but she seemed more thoughtful. Wiser.

Leia didn't say anything for a moment. "That's impossible."

"You use the force and you think this is impossible?" The other Leia asked. "You don't have to call me Leia anyway. It's Eleanor now."

"Why am I here...Eleanor?" Leia asked quietly. "Why am I talking to you?"

"Because you need to realise the galaxy doesn't revolve around you." Eleanor told her plainly. "You're pretty arrogant sometimes."

"So? I'm just confident." Leia replied, a little angry.

"Arrogant." Eleanor repeated. "You're lucky you still have your parents in that life. Lucky you're not a refugee..." She argued, "You need to grow up."

***


Back at the ships, Renn had to keep his eyes from widening at Corran’s words. He did look down at Vhardia, his mind touching hers, ’Do you think they know we know of our other selves?’ he thought.

He looked back up, watching the exchange between the two Leias, ”Corran, this is but one of who knows how many realities. There is every possible version of ourselves so I am sure what you say is correct. The question is how we react to meeting other versions of ourselves, which Leia is now experiencing.”

He grinned wryly, ”Some versions may be as close as a twin, some so distant in form and belief as to be a complete unknown to us. I just hope that what Leai learns here will enlighten her, teach her, make her think and choose what her path will be, in the future. Either way, I know Vhardia and I will support her just as much as Madelyn will.”


Vhardia looked thoughtful and kept a look of concern from crossing her face.

Of course, if Helinith had been born in a world where the Jedi were extinct then she likely would have been found by the Empire.
For the first time since meeting her, instead of feeling disgusted, Vhardia felt a little sorry for her alter ego.

Since meeting Helinith, I had suspected that the council might have known that I was supposed to be some sort of dark-sider; they kept a very close eye on me when I was younger. She sent Renn back. Master Ood was always really kind though.

A sad smile crossed Renn’s face as he thought of Ood. Neti had been a relatively sparse species when he’d gone into hibernation and now he had no idea if he was the last or not, especially after losing his friend. He leaned his head down close to hers and hugged her a little tighter.


’I think the Council as a whole would have suspicions if they knew of our bond across timelines, let alone how close this Helinith’s question shows we are in at least that one. Which also tells me the Renn of that reality is as dark as you have said she is. But Ood would never have judged you on that, only on what or who you yourself are.’ he sent her.


Corran looked at them. “You’re not the quietest, y’know. I’m not listening, guys, but I’m trying to focus on Leia. If you want to be official, go for it, just keep in mind that you’ll have to declare an interest when you’re on the Jedi Council.”

He casually dropped that in.

***

Meanwhile, in the mirror cave, Leia looked at Eleanor with a frown. "I am a grown up."

”You're sixteen. Even if you become a Knight, you still have a lot to learn." Eleanor told Leia. "I had to learn how to help take care of my family, and I'm younger than you."


Leia sighed. "Well, I don't sense anything untruthful from you."


"If course not I'm you." Eleanor explained. "Just stop being so arrogant and you'll do fine."


"Yes well, I'm afraid I don't know what the difference is." Leia cracked a smile.


"Just be truthful to yourself. Trust yourself to do the right thing. And stop thinking you can do everything by yourself." Eleanor told Leia. "No one gets too far by themselves."


She's right. I think I can do everything on my own. Leia thought. "I guess I do think that. That I have to do everything by myself."


***


Vhardia, who had been mid-way climbing out of Renn's arms, choked and almost tripped at Corran’s words. She stretched out an arm to steady herself but felt Renn’s hands catch her almost immediately and he set her down, gently, on her feet. So Corran was here to ask them to join the council. Seems this wasn't just the padawan trial that it had first been made out to be. The council were sneaky like that. She hadn't been intending to join them because she didn't think they'd want her but now...


Her thoughts were muddled by realising exactly how near Renn's face remained to her own, his golden eyes quiet but very real, very close. There seemed to be something there, in them or behind them, that she couldn’t quite read but perhaps if she got closer, she would be able to work out what it was.


“Renn…” she murmured, and then she realised she didn’t know what it was she was going to say.


Corran began to speak again but Renn ignored him, for the moment. All that filled his vision was Vhardia, her deep brown eyes gazing into his. He knelt down until they were at eye level, the space between them unchanging. ”Whether we accept what the Council wants or not, we do so together, yes?” he whispered. And then, only then, his mind kicked out what Corran said.


Corran held up a hand. "I don't expect an immediate answer, but it was a request by the Jedi Council, unanimously - even the Grandmaster agrees." The Grandmaster was Leia's mother, after all.

"We are sorting through the idea of permanent and temporary seats like the old Council, so if you'd rather grow into the role, you can. With the Yuuzhan Vong coming, we need the views of every capable Knight and Master... each of you are unique, moreso than a fuddy-duddy Jedi like myself who thinks more narrowly than not."


Renn never looked away from Vhardia but he responded to the Jedi, ”You have incredibly poor timing, Corran, in when you say things, you know that?” he smiled slightly, lost in Vhardia’s eyes. Leaning slightly closer he spoke again, ”If you are going to enforce us taking part, yes I do believe we will do so as we see fit.”


He’d never known Qui Gon Jin, that Jedi had died while he still slept but his Force ghost was probably somewhere, chuckling and cheering both he and Vhardia on. ”And…” he began before the reverberation played out in the Force.


Vhardia flushed. For a moment there, she had thought Renn was about to kiss her. And then she realised she was blushing about the thought of someone kissing her and blushed even more.

Look at you she told herself sternly. Forty years old and you're as red as a teen with her first crush.


But Corran turned, frowning.


The moment between the two in the Cave, it changed.


The Force whisked it into a premonition of sorts.


A voice that Eleanor would recognise; someone that Leia would not.


Let the past die. Kill it, if you have to. That's the only way to become what you were meant to be.


It reverberated hard.


Only then did Renn’s eyes move from Vhardia’s, flashing up, brilliance erupting from them, as he took in the scene of the two Leia’s once more, He knew he could not reach out, could not aid her, that she had to face this herself but he prepared himself either way, and moved so that he was in a not so obvious position to guard against harm to Vhardia.

Vhardia shook her head to clear it.

"What do you sense?" She whispered.

The neti was almost bristling, from the Darkness that had filled the scene of the two Leia’s. He could sense the great power of whatever, whoever it was. He heard a name but it made no sense to him, he’d never heard the name before, so perhaps that being only existed in that reality.

He turned his head slightly so he could see Vhardia, ”I don’t know who it is, but someone has intruded on Leia’s Trial. And he’s about as dark as possible.” he said, in a low voice.


Looking over to Corran, ”This part of her Trial too? That something outside of her other self can cause her more damage?” he asked sharply.


Corran hesitated. “I don’t know, these vergences show the Jedi what they need to see.”

In the cave itself, Eleanor's face fell at the voice, and Leia gave her a confused look. Although there was something different in the force.


"Who is that?" Leia questioned.


"Someone who you shouldn't underestimate. His name is Kylo Ren." Eleanor looked afraid.


"What does he want?" Leia asked, frowning.


The darkness grew stronger and the words Kylo Ren spoke exploded across the region.


Let the past die. Kill it if you have to.


It touched Corran, Renn and Vhardia as well as flowed through Eleanor and Leia.


You have to.


He seemed to be pushing through, a crimson blade appearing from the hand of his silhouette, small pinions on either side. The flame spitting as if unstable.


Thats the only way to become what you were meant to be.


Eleanor flinched as Kylo seemed to explode with darkness and looked back at Leia. "He's wrong! He's become so twisted with the dark side that he doesn't know how to ask for help when he needs it!"


Leia fell to her knees, feeling sick. She could hear what Eleanor was saying, and tried to get up. The dark side was overwhelming. "I don't have to kill the past to become who I am. The past made me who I am!"

Corran decided enough was enough.


With a touch of the Force, he rushed towards the distant cave.


Renn’s head whipped back to Vhardia, ”Something’s really wrong, we have to help her. Corran wouldn’t go if she didn’t need it.”


As his head swung back forward he shifted into something long, sleek, and fast, his skin glowing brightly with the Light. He roared his defiance to the Dark and surged forward. It took only a few moments, even with the time he’d taken to speak to Vhardia, to catch up with Corran.


”Neither of them had better be hurt by this…” he muttered to the Jedi as he picked up speed to reach Leia in time.


Vhardia felt something primal speed through her veins, an automated reaction to hearing, no sensing, Leia was in trouble.

Her jaw set into a hard line and she had left the area hot on the heels of Corran. Her lightsaber hilt jumped into her hand and a violent pink blade lit up beside her.


Whatever was in that cave, was about to meet a mother's wrath.


***


The past made you who you are... Jedi Knight.


Kylo Ren’s mask was suddenly crisscrossed with angry red, and he reached for them. Let the past die.


He turned to Eleanor.


Kill it..


He turned back to Leia.


If you have to.


He looked at Corran, who had arrived a few moments before Renn and Vhardia, as Kylo Ren named Leia a Knight. Kylo looked at the three.


You have to.


You have to.


You have to.


He had said what he needed to say.


The vision faded, and Eleanor was going away too. Leia had refused Kylo Ren, had pushed back against the future...


... or the past.


Eleanor smiled faintly as Kylo Ren named Leia a Jedi Knight, and glanced at the others as they arrived. She didn't say anything as she started to fade away, but raised her hand in goodbye as Leia stood stared in shock.


Corran hesitated. “Well, a Sith spirit naming a Jedi Knight is a new one, but...” He quirked a smile at Eleanor. “The test of the mirror, but not so literally....”


He looked at Renn and Vhardia. “Seems you did well with Leia.”


“Do you accept?” Corran said to Leia.


"What?" Leia looked confused. She didn't understand how a Sith spirit could name her a Jedi Knight. She raised her hand in farewell to Eleanor as she faded away, and glanced at Master Corran as he spoke.


"I accept Master, as long as this doesn't cause any complications." Leia told him. She glanced at Master Vhardia and Master Renn, wondering what they thought about this.


Renn skidded to a stop beside Corran, his bark glowing as he shifted back to his normal form. He saw and heard as the Sith Spirit named Leia a Knight, felt the rightness of it even as Corran agreed but let his senses quest out further, cleansing the area around them even as the alternate Leia, the Eleanor, discorporated.


Vhardia almost crashed into Corran and Renn as the two stopped in front of her, Renn having overtaken her seconds before. Looking around and understanding the threat had passed, her lightsaber hilt returned to its belt as she sighed in relief.


"You're alright. She's alright, we're okay. Oh thank the force." She resisted the strong urge to dash over to the sixteen-year-old and pull her into a hug. Instead, she stood and smoothed her robe. "Now there can be no doubt the rest of the order will recognise the capable jedi you have become, and will continue to become." She smiled.


Renn slowly drew the light side’s energy back into himself, sighing as he let go of that aspect of himself. And then he heard Leia’s answer and smiled broadly. ”Well done, indeed Leia, welcome to being a Knight.” He could feel the burning worry of Vhardia slowly fading beside him as he turned, dropping to his knees, and wrapping her in a big hug. ”We taught her well, you taught her well, my little Miss Curious.” he said happily. Without realising, his lips softly brushed Vhardia’s own. She felt her cheeks burning but with the way he held her against him, it just didn’t seem to matter any more.

As the momentary kiss ended a different sort of light filled Renn’s features. His head shifted for a moment, looking at Corran, ”We accept, both those things you put to us, Corran, as long as Vhardia agrees.” he said softly before turning back and kissing her more deeply, no longer caring if the others knew or saw.

Leia looked ecstatic as her braid was cut off, and she desperately wanted to jump for joy. Instead, Leia stood there feeling proud. She had become a Jedi Knight!

I can't believe it! Wait until mother hears!

TAG: @Sinrebirth

 

Tor 'Fett' Dar'Solus
Twelve years after Twilight of the Force II

Twelve years was a long time, but when you had established yourself as the most ruthless and efficient bounty hunter in the galaxy - Tor Fett, was the nickname that the Guild gave him - it wasn’t a big surprise that the time went pretty quickly.

There was easy money to be made in the Cold War between the Eternal Empire and the New Republic, especially when New Republic Intelligence floated contracts through third parties and the Eternal Councillors did the same. Never again did a contract surface against Aryan Graul, nor against the Chancellor’s. To do that would have triggered a war that neither side could guarantee would be won before Palpatine arrived.

There were three more years to go when Tor, fresh off a spate of payouts for contracts, suddenly lost control of Slave I. It turned, jumped, and arrived at Tatooine, refusing to obey, and, eventually, settled at a blank spot in the Dune Sea. The ship turned as it did, landing perfectly to open the ramp to the person waiting for it in battered Mandalorian armour.

It was Boba Fett.

The di’kut had faked his death - somehow even tricked Madelyn too.

He waited for Tor to emerge.

Well, wasn't this just perfect. She turned in a few bounties made a pile of credits and was moving on to the next when all control was taken away from her. The new best bounty hunter found herself stuck, trying to override the controls, as it whisked her away to an unknown location. If there was one thing she detested, it was control being taken away from her. She had worked very hard to be able to chart her own course, to make up for the looming day, she would take her place. After an hour of trying and failing to regain control she just sat in stewing anger.

She wasn't just going to let herself greet this interloper unprepared. Leaving the cockpit she moved down to her personal quarters. It was a small space, though it was big enough. Enough space for her to sleep, get dressed and take a shower. The walls were covered in holos and drawings. Some of her mother, her father, and of her sister, Leia. It had been rough for the pair after the war ended. Tor went through her mother's hellish training for a few more years before they young woman was thrust into the life of a bounty hunter. It wasn't much better for Leia, being cooped up far away from her, trained to be a guardian and protector. She was rarely let out on her own, not with the looming threat of Palpatine in the future. They would need every light they had to face him. Though they did steal away a few moments, precious few. Often with Tor showing up out of nowhere and offering Leia a joy ride. That grey medallion Tor continued to wear granting her some protection against the senses of the other jedi.

It was fun for those few moments Tor had grown up a lot, had seen a lot of the galaxy. They didn't go on crazy adventures, not like they did so many years ago. Mostly they just hung out, talked, moaned about their lives and maybe went to a dinner or some random place just to be together.

Often Leia would mention the need to work together, the darkness on the horizon would need everyone in harmony.

Meanwhile Ka'rta, Mandalore the Vengeant, continued to amass power, and systems. Through force or intimidation. Tor let out a breath, this was not the cooperation Leia kept espousing. Tor and her mother hadn't spoken in a while. The Mand'alor being far too busy to take a call from her own daughter.

One day that would change, one day Ka'rta would listen.

On the wall opposite the holos were an armor stand, and a weapons locker. Just like her mother Tor kept a truly impressive amount of weaponry. Though it wasn't all heavy ordnance, there was some of that, but also glop grenades, stun grenades, riot guns, and net launchers. Tor was a hunter, not a killer, her choice or weapons showed that.

This time though she didn't take any less lethal weapons. Her hands drew out a high explosive warhead for her wrist launcher and a frag grenade. On her belt was the pistol Fett had given her all those years ago, well maintained, well cared for.

As she armed up her hand brushed over a metal hilt lacking a blade. Ever just touching it she felt the power held within it. Her arm quickly recoiled, not wanting to take up the Darksaber.

It wasn't time yet and she'd be a fool to carry the thing around so openly. No it remained locked away for the appointed time.

Armed to the teeth she heard the alert that she was dropping out of hyperspace...time to meet her phantom.

As it came down she saw a familiar looking mandalorian, one that should be dead...

As the ramp lowered she came charging down the ramp, his father's blaster drawn, ready to fire.

"Give me back my ship di'kut and maybe I'll let you live."

Fett didn’t move a muscle to the blaster targeting. He was in his own beskar; he wasn’t concerned by blasters.

“I think it’s time you gave it back, Tor. I’m taking you in. Taking you home.”

He slowly reached for his hilt, telegraphing his intentions, not acting remotely threateningly. He held a lightsaber hilt.

“Fenn Shysa wanted me to be Mand’alor once. He asked enough times. I don’t him where to stow it. I reckon if I beat you for that Darksaber I’ll have proven I should have it.”

A challenger.

How did a man who had been dead for years know about the Darksaber?!

"You gave it to me, with your dying breaths." Tor reminded him. "You have no more claim to it. And good luck bringing me in. I'm not the same scared twelve year old ad'ika just getting out of her buir's wing." The bounty hunter stood her ground aiming for the small spots on the armor, the neck, the armpits.

She watched his hand move towards the lightsaber hilt on his belt.

"Really," she remarked quickly swapping the pistol to her left hand. "You want to challenge for it now? How do you even know about it old man." This was going to be interesting, seeing how the Darksaber is locked up on the ship behind a lock only she knew the combo to...It was the day her and Leia first said goodbye as the latter went off for jedi training. Though she wasn't unprepared. Her right hand reached to her lower back drawing a long knife from the sheath she kept there. The edge shimmered with beskar, a gift from her aunt back when Madelyn was Mand'alor.

She was thankful now for the lessons Auntie gave her in fighting against lightsabers. Even more thankful for Leia, even in her arrogance, in teaching Tor a few counters. Leia loved showing off, displaying her skills and proving just how good a jedi she was.

The challenge had been laid, and Tor would answer.

With a quick step she let off a few quick shots to distract him and closed the distance. Her reach was shorter and she knew she had to get in close, and quick. There would be no circling each other, waiting for the other to strike. This would be fast and violent, just like her mother trained her to be.

Boba didn't see the need to elucidate on his control of the Slave I all these years later, which would also speak of cameras and scanners he had access to aboard it. He simply allowed the bolts to splatter across his beskar and stepped forward, turning the hilt and using it like a knuckleduster, driving a fist at Tor's neck -

Tor tucked her chin setting her jaw to take the hit at the same time she thrust her blaster at his armpit which was exposed with his punch. Her knife moved across her body slashing at his wrists. They were small targets but it was all he was presenting to her, and she would take them, and not give any ground. He'd let her get in close, and she'd be damned if she was going to give up her position inside.

Fett turned into his punch, altering the angle sufficiently to ensure the knife caught his gauntlet, preventing a death stab, but he was nicked across his underarm by the blaster shot. The old man winced, folded his arm to make his elbow a point, and drove it forward -

He gunned his jetpack, intending to drive her off her feet with his sheer mass, if he could -

Now she was caught, he had a few kilos on her in and out of their armor, he would win with the aid of his jetpack. Though if she let him fly past her she would lose her distance. Taking the lesser of two evils she wrapped her arm around the back of his neck. Turning her body just right his elbow glanced off her breast plate. As his body slammed into her she wrapped her legs around his waist, looking to fall into Full Guard and work from there. She wasn't passive either taking the opportunity to try and shove her blade into the side of his neck.

Boba hadn't expected her to swing up, but she had, and he had to shift his weight to spin himself around, but she still caught his neck, slamming to the ground and his jetpack scraping off -

He tumbled, trying to get her off him -

Tor didn't let go, holding on for all she was worth, without letting go of her blaster and knife. She felt her edge meet flesh and she wasn't going to give up her advantage. Her armor protected her from the worst the tumble could give her but a still rock into her side might have left a bruise, but she didn't let that stop her. Behind the faceplate the fire was lit. The rage that fueled the Dar'Solus women, she was hurt, and in danger she would keep fighting. She tried to pull her knife back and drive it in again. Pressing herself close to him she pinned the lightsaber to his chest hoping it would prevent him from using it.

"Die," She shouted.

Boba held his palm up and took the blade through it, wincing and howling. It was stuck in his hand, however, and he closed his fist around it. The jetpack blew, showering them in fiery debris, and Boba could only adjust his pinned lightsaber arm slightly where pinned, and a gout of flame burst out at her shoulder -

She twisted the knife in his hand trying to overwhelm his senses with pain. The burst of flame forced her to move out of the way freeing his saber arm. With no other option she dropped the blaster, it was either that or get a jetti-kad to her gut. Her hand slapped the flame projector to the side while she reached for his wrist securing it in her grasp. A stalemate, for the moment.

Boba was breathing heavily by this point, and not just at the pain. The flame stopped, and he simply stared at her. "I wondered if you taking my title was a boast," he said, referring to the informal best bounty hunter ever commentary. "But looks like you're as good as I was, as good as Cad Bane before me - as good as my father, maybe."

He kept up the pressure so she couldn't get loose either, but they could talk, it seemed.

"Someone had to take your place." She grunted still twisting the knife, still trying to wrest the saber from his hand. "Might as well, be me. And I didn't take it, it was given to me." She said, sure she might like the accolade but, it was never one she just gave herself, she'd earned it. "Why did you come back now?" She growled. They might as well get these questions out of the way.

Boba winced as blood dripped from his palm. "Because - someone has to stop your mother."

"You are my," he gasped a little at the pain. "My living legacy, Tor. I didn't train you much, but you beat me, stopped me from doing something against my conscious - Aryan would have been dead if not for me taking that job."

He sniffed. "I got a heart, kid."

And then he headbutted her - hard.

he wasn't expecting it, the slam of metal on metal. It rattled her senses weakening her grip on the lightsaber but she didn't let go of her knife.

"What about my buir, she's just leading the clans..they need a strong leader..." she was lying to herself. She knew her mother had gone cold, thinking only of the survival of the Mandalorians, and casting everyone else to the side. Regaining her composure she cracked her helmet against his, returning the kiss he'd given her.

Fett’s slammed into the ground, and he winced. “Whatcha training for, kid?” He struggled, tightening their deadlock. “To be the best hunter, or you hiding? Because soon you’ll have to train to take down your buir.”

He tried to shrug her off him, but his head was ringing, that neck wound was bleeding, and he had a burn on his underarm...

“I’m getting too old for this.”

He was flagging, and the gap between him and Tor would widen - Tor had enough space to do whatever she needed...

Regaining her senses seeing the gap between them she acted ripping her blade from his hand. The sharpened beskar came down quick and on a deadly arc for the exposed neck of elder bounty hunter. It would be a killing blow but, just before metal met flesh she stopped. Her grip on his other arm held fast keeping his lightsaber pinned.

"Yield," she growled out, "You've lost..." she didn't want to think about what she had to do. The reckoning that was coming for her and her mother.

“Sure, fine,” he sagged, looked at his hand. “That’s gonna sting.” Fett shrugged. “Can I get up?”

“Oh, you can keep Slave I,” he said. “I got a Slave II anyway.” Fett sighed; he may as well come out with it. “Look, I’m dying, Tor. I’m a clone - we’re not built to last.”

The young woman let out a breath getting to her feet grabbing Fett's good hand and pulled the man to his feet. She was glad not to have to kill him. As a bounty hunter she was trained not to kill, to disarm, disable and detain. Can't get paid for a dead body.

"How fast are we talking? Months, days?" She asked coming down from her combat high.

"No more than three years, four if I sit down in a bed." Boba snorted, and tugged free the knife, binding the hand. "So let's say three; I don't know if I want to live to see Empire Day, mind you. Seems Palpatine's pretty serious this time." He snorted.

"Yeah old wrinkle face seems determined to be the bad guy this go around." Tor took the blade from Fett, it was a gift to her after all wouldn't do to have it go missing. "You think the New Republic is at all ready for it? You think the Imps are going to stand and fight or just join up with him? I don't have the head for political allegiances." A bit of a lie, Madelyn had made sure to give Tor some lessons in diplomacy, of finding a middle ground of compromise. Something that her mother would never consider, well, if the compromise in any way harmed Mandalorians. Unconditional Surrender Mand'alor, the nickname told around bounty hunter and mercenary circles.

Fett sat up, huffing. "The Imps could swing anyway - towards Thrawn, towards Graul..." He shrugged. "I think two Moffs are in favour either way, and four of course are solidly committed to the New Republic, including Head of State Sarretti."

"But the New Republic seems pretty committed. If this carries on, they'll have a Defence Fleet something like fifty thousand ships. Big numbers, and some big ships coming off the line - Viscount-class Star Defenders, even some Kuati 'Super Star Destroyers', I hear." Fett flexed his fingers, testing the nerve damage. "But do they have the guts for it? Feyna Organa, she did, sure, but the new one, Doman Beruss? Not sure. Lots of interesting Senators on the Advisory Council nowadays - that human from Neimodia, he's scum, but a Rodian is usually pretty good in a fight."

By the new one he meant the Corellian Chancellor who had replaced Feyna now she was Queen Mother of Hapes. "But at least Madelyn is Grandmaster - she's got guts... and Leia is a Knight, too, which is a good sign." He didn't know if Tor knew these things; the core relationship between Madelyn and Ka'rta had soured, in theory. Refocusing on the question, he turned his head slightly. "Is that why you've not gone back to Mandalore - so you can take hits on politicians and bad guys?"

Fett wanted to mention the things Doman Beruss had hushed up - atrocities by the Eternal Empire that would have caused the war to ignite again. That was pretty gutsy, admittedly, but he didn't want Tor to try and start a war on her own either.

Tor tightened her fist, Graul, that monster, he'd evaded her for 12 years. She waited for that contract to come up again, almost begged the bounty hunting guild to put one out on him themselves. But he was too important, would trigger a war they said. It didn't matter to her, she still wanted the man dead, he had escaped her clutches and she could do nothing. The young hunter had kept tabs, did what she could to be ready for the call to kill him, watched him when she could. She could almost know what he was thinking. But she couldn't do anything with all this information because no one would support her and she needed that support.

"The New Republic couldn't agree regularly on the color of a Meloorun. Much less a war." She looked away with a huff, a life spent with mandalorians hadn't left her with much respect for the Republic system. "And do we honestly think that Grand Fleet of the Republic won't wither and die the moment they meet the Vong. Or that they'll even survive first contact. You and I both know there's going to be a superweapon, it will destroy a majority of the fleet leaving the Republic with a hand full of ships and they will immediately retreat and give ground to the invaders. It will fall to everyone to band together and push them back. That's how this story always goes. Darth Ameeda, Darth Zorn. I've seen this holo got the scars to prove it."

Tor was quiet on Madelyn being Grandmaster. It was something that hurt her mother, when her sister chose the jedi over the Mandalorians. Mand'alor the Vengeant took it as a betrayal, a rejection of everything she had ever done for her Vode. The relationship between her mother and her aunt was cold from there on out. Though she couldn't help the smile on her face when he mentioned Leia.

"Yeah, I heard she'd finished her training." Tor said trying to be nonchalant but, Fett could hear the smile in her voice.

Her head dipped thinking about going back home. It wasn't the loss of contracts on politicos and evil men with good connections that made her stay away from the throne of Mandalore. It was the current occupant, her own mother...

"No...I...I just...how can I fight my Buir?" She was shocked at the words leaving her mouth... "You didn't..." letting out a sigh she stopped fighting. "I know what will happen when I return. What must happen. And I don't want to do it."

"Well," Fett said. "You'll need to go back one day. She'll twig that you're avoiding her - if she hasn't already. You've three years left, Tor."

He did agree with the estimation of Tor about the New Republic's chances, but the Yuuzhan Vong they had managed to kill a few of - at highly publicized victories clearing infiltrators from the Core Worlds, Colonies and Inner Rim, almost always Jedi-led, who could apparently detect the Yuuzhan Vong warriors due to an absence in the Force. Their biotech was odd, but it didn't seem all that special - but nobody had seen their ships and nobody had any idea what they would be like.

Fett seemed to be reading her mind though, or perhaps he just knew how it felt to be robbed of a kill. "Do you want to go after Graul now? Or are you gonna plot it around 'Empire Day'? You'll need a pretty big distraction to get by that expanded Eternal Fleet and all..."

The droid ships were easier to build and crew than a New Republic or Imperial equivalent, after all. There was no training, none whatsoever needed - the metal bodies were simply filleted out by the GEMINI hive mind.

"Believe me, I want to, I want to kill him now, but I need support and no one at the bounty hunter's guild has the guts to help me." The dismissiveness in her tone was palpable. "And I can't turn to my people, they answer to my buir, and she is more interested in being ready for the Vong, and keeping another possible antagonist to them on the board then getting rid of a Genositist." She crossed her arms looking down. "And if I become Mand'alor I'll have to focus on the Vong too. I can't just settle a personal Vendetta when there's a galactic conflict going on."

Fett tapped his chin. “Well, how about we layer up a plan. Build a team, I’ve some money, maybe I’ll hire you to kill him.”

The bounty hunter grinned. “Do you think you’d take the commission? It could take us a while - there are a lot of flakes out there, but I can think of a few guys that have an axe to grind - or a conscience we can use.”

The man held out his hand - his injured one, probably to emphasise the point. “I tried to kill the Jedi who struck down Dad twice during the Clone Wars. I nearly got him, too. But he’s dead now, which works. I’d rather you get to kill Graul before someone else gets in there though.”

He snorted. “Especially as I doubt Graul is going to turn out to be key to beating something like Darth Zorn. He’d abandon the entire Eternal Empire if Palpatine gives him a sniff of the ladle.” A shrug. “He’s tough though - you should look at the list of things the NR has hushed up to keep the peace - so we’ll have to get smart.”

"I know it won't be easy." Tor said casually wiping the blood of her blade and returning it to her sheath. "I'd do it for free if I knew I would get some help." She looked up thinking about what she could do, an idea coming to her. "I'm sure I can get my sister on board, she loves being a hero and is one of the best pilots I've ever seen, even better than Granny Jerrod." She said referencing the woman that took care of her mother when her blood parents disappeared. "While I would like to have Alfie along, he's a little more timid, likely wouldn't want to get involved. I can think of a few other hunters and former mercs that might help. My Buir made a lot of friends, that might help...and if we make a good case I'm sure Gand Master Auntie could lend some help." Tor was feeling a little excited, finally feeling like this was a possibility. "It will take some time but if I can get buy in from at least Leia that would be a start."

She fiddled with her medallion the one Fett and made for her it had been her good luck charm against the few force sensitive foes she'd faced.

"And I still have this. Could give me an edge...you got any other sources for this stuff? Could really help the other non-force sensitives in our little kill team."

Fett grinned. “I met a Mando with some skill years ago - Din Djarin. A clan of one, he is, keeps to himself, doesn’t like the way the mainstream Mandalorians run things; you’ll never see him without a helmet.” He slapped his gauntlet, showed a hologram of the man. “We’ll have to track him down though.” He flicked the hologram along.

“Fennec Shand,” he showed the woman. “Dangerous, especially so, but she owes me. She never misses a shot. Ever.” He moved along one more time. “I know how to find her.”

“Aurra Sing,” his voice was a bit grim. “She’s in prison at the moment - Oovo IV. But she hates Force users; it her specialty.” A shrug. “We’ll have to break her out, but what’s the harm.”

He closed down the hologram. “Let’s go make our Murder Squad, Tor.”

"If anyone can find him," she smiled under her helmet gesturing to herself, the best bounty hunter in the galaxy. She looked over the others, they had long range support from Fennec, and force user expertise from Aurra, mix in three mandalorians for hunting skill and brute force, and they had a team, a damn good one if she thought so herself. "I'll make a few calls, see if I can get anyone else...maybe a jedi with an axe to grind as well. Never hurts to try." She was really hoping to get one particular jedi...

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