Star Wars: Vergence III, Chapter Ten

 CHAPTER TEN

The Millennium Falcon, Naboo

As the Kintan Strider fell with an agonized cry, the mighty Chewbacca leaned back in his seat and basked in the glory of his victory.

Sitting across from the triumphant Wookiee, Finn stared forlornly at the static dejarik pieces on the hologame table, wondering if he had made a wrong move or if the game had been rigged somehow. Growing up in the humanocentric First Order, he had been conditioned to think of beings like Chewbacca to be little more than mindless beasts incapable of operating a hologame table, much less win a game of dejarik. Since deserting however, he had been introduced to a larger galaxy than the one he had been accustomed to and realized that non-human sentients were not as mindless or unintelligent as he had been led to believe.

Still, though, he thought for sure he would have been able to at least one game out of the dozen he had played so far against Chewbacca…. 

No doubt seeing Finn’s expression from where he sat at the Falcon’s engineering station, Han Solo said, “Trust me, kid. You don’t wanna win when playing with a Wookiee.”

“Why is that?” Finn asked.

“Best case scenario, he’ll accuse you of cheating and hold a grudge against you for the rest of your waking life. Worst case scenario… well, I don’t think you want to find that out.”

Finn frowned as he glanced back at the gloating Chewbacca. With a sigh, he turned away from the game to face Han again. “How long has it been?”

Han glanced at a chronometer. “About two hours.” 

“The wedding’s probably already started then. How much longer do you think we have to wait?”

Han shrugged. “However long it will take her to talk with her cousins. Could be a few minutes, could be several hours. Depends what mood they’re in today.”

“Have you met them before?”

“Only once. It was a long time ago, though. And I don’t think they liked me much.”

“Because you’re a smuggler?”

Han’s face twisted in annoyance but before he could retort, there was a loud crash coming from the direction of the Falcon’s front cargo hold. A few seconds later, a mangled training remote droid rolled into the main hold as an irate Rey stormed after it, followed closely by Toah Jarsan.

“Okay,” muttered the older Jedi. “Maybe we should phase out the training remotes.”

“Hey, if you want to trash your Jedi toys, be my guest,” Han said. “But find your own ship to do it on, all right? I don’t need Jedi throwing tantrums.”

Rey said nothing as she stormed past them and headed for the boarding ramp. Finn started to rise from his seat but Toah raised a placating hand to stop him.

“Let her go,” he said. “She probably just needs some fresh air. Not everyone can withstand being cooped up in a ship for hours at a time.”

“That’s still no excuse for trashing my ship,” Han commented, eying the broken training remote. 

Chewbacca made a sound and the Corellian pilot shot him a look. 

“When I do it, it’s okay. Because it’s my ship, right?”

The Wookiee snorted in dissent.

“That doesn’t count! That ship wasn’t even his!”

Finn sighed as he sank back into his seat. Thinking about, the idea of getting some fresh did not sound like a bad one after all….

*  *  *

“…And with the power vested in me, I hereby declare you bound in marital union.”

As the Pontifex finished speaking, the room erupted in applause, although it did not sound genuine to Leia’s ears. Her side of the aisle was perhaps the most enthused, with her cousin Ryoo clapping and audibly bawling her eyes out. Ryoo’s younger sister Pooja also joined in the applause, albeit more out of courtesy than genuine joy, something which she signaled to Leia with a covert glance. The Serennian nobles opposite of them seemed to share in Pooja’s lack of enthusiasm, politely clapping while exchanging uncertain glances with each other. Leia wondered if this had to do with the Serennians’ disapproval of one of their own marrying into a family that was not of Serenno, or if there was perhaps a different underlying reason. As Senator Darius Naberrie and Lady Valera Teramo began to walk down the aisle, arm-in-arm, Leia closed her eyes and reached out with the Force, trying to see if there was anything she could unearth.

A hand falling on her shoulder broke her concentration and she turned around to see a young woman with white face paint beaming at her.

“Princess Organa! I must say, it is quite an honor to finally meet you.”

Leia smiled politely as she bowed to the young Queen of Naboo. “The honor is mine, Your Highness.”

Queen Reneme waved a dismissive hand. “Oh, please. You’re the one who’s helped save the galaxy multiple times. I didn’t even exist yet during half of your accomplishments.”

“Even so, leading an entire people is no easy task, especially for someone your age.”

Reneme smiled, though it did not quite reach her eyes. “Perhaps,” she said softly. “Anyway, there is someone I would like you to meet once we are at the reception. You are attending that, yes?”

Before Leia could answer, a blaster shot rang out followed by a woman’s scream.

*  *  *

Rey pushed her way through the crowd of brightly clothed humans and Gungans, her eyes set on the Temple of Shiraya which they were gathered around. Leia had told her and the rest of the team to stay behind on the Millennium Falcon while she attended this wedding, but Rey needed to get away from the ship. Besides, she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off about this entire operation. It was supposed to be a simple rendezvous with one of Leia’s relatives in the hopes of getting more information on certain people of interest working with the Galactic Alliance; yet, something about it had put a voice in Rey’s head that told her things were about to take a turn for the worse. It was a voice that had started speaking ever since they had arrived on Naboo and had been what caused her to lose her temper while training with Toah.

She supposed she could have told Toah about her concerns regarding the mission… but would he have listened to her? If he did not sense the same things she was sensing, would he have simply dismissed her concerns? After all, she was just a Padawan learner while he was a Jedi Master; not only that, but a Jedi who had been trained by Luke Skywalker himself. If he didn’t sense any danger, then surely there wasn’t any, right?

Rey frowned to herself as she slowed down in her approach of the temple. Why was she even thinking these things?

Up ahead, she had a clear view of the Temple of Shiraya. Descending from the front steps to the applause of the crowd were two attractive, well-dressed individuals. Upon seeing the newlywed couple, Rey let out a sigh as she allowed herself to relax. Apparently she had gotten herself worked up over nothing; if the wedding was already over, then Leia was most likely safe and they would be leaving Naboo soon.

Too late, she felt the Force prick her mind as a bolt of plasma lanced out from somewhere up high and struck Senator Darius Naberrie directly in the shoulder. A chorus of gasps broke out from the crowd as Lady Valera Teramo released an ear-piercing scream. Two security officers rushed to the senator’s side while another two bolted towards the building where the blast had originated from.

Before she even realized it, Rey’s legs were carrying her all on their own and she got to the door well before either of the officers could. She zipped past them and began to fly up the stairs….

*  *  *

“Kark it, kark it, kark it!”

Remar’s cursing was mostly drowned out by Sharbrook’s howls of fury. Casting his rifle aside, Remar made for the door only for his Wookiee partner to grab him by the shoulders and shove him up into the wall, roaring furiously at him.

“I didn’t miss on purpose!” Remar protested as he struggled against Sharbrook’s firm grip. “I had the shot perfectly lined up! Something caused me to miss! I don’t know what—”

Unsatisfied with Remar’s excuses, Sharbrook threw him down to the floor with a snarl. As the Wookiee started to head for the door, Remar heard a loud commotion coming from outside the building, including what sounded like booted footsteps marching into the building. Sharbrook was already out of the room by the time Remar had found his footing, and as soon as he stepped out, he could hear the Naboo guards making their way up the stairs.

This is it, he thought. This is how I die.

Suddenly, a human-shaped blur dashed from out of the stairwell up ahead and charged towards him, pushing him back into the room and up against the same wall Sharbrook had been holding him against. He felt a heat against his neck as the dark-haired woman assailing him raised a blue blade of energy inches from his face.

“Why did you do it?” The words came out of her as a near-snarl, not unlike those that Sharbrook had just uttered.

Remar gawked back at this woman, not knowing if she was a Jedi or something else. While he had never encountered a Jedi before, he did not think for a second that this was normal behavior for them; not if all of the things he had heard about them were true. Looking into her hazel eyes, which had a hint of gold in them, he started to wonder if what he was facing was even human.

“Why did you do it?” she repeated, bringing the blade closer to his neck.

Remar swallowed hard. “I didn’t… I wasn’t aiming for him.” He knew that this did not help his case at all, especially when the woman’s eyes took on an even more golden tint.

“You’re going to pay for what you’ve done,” she said darkly.

“Look, lady,” Remar managed to croak out. “I don’t know who you are or what your relation with that guy is, but I swear to you that this is all a—”

“Nobody move!” Bursting into the room were a pair of Naboo security officers. Both of them had their blaster pistols drawn and pointed at both Remar and the woman.

“Let him go,” one of the officers said to the woman. “We’ll take him in for questioning.”

For a moment that seemed to drag on forever, the woman did not move, keeping one hand firmly pinned on Remar’s shoulder while keeping the lightsaber raised at his neck. Then, the golden tint to her eyes slowly faded away and she released him, stepping away but keeping her weapon drawn. The two officers then quickly moved in to restrain Remar, placing a pair of binders around his wrists.

“Is it just you or did you have an accomplice?” one of them asked Remar.

Before Remar could answer, there was a loud growl as Sharbrook charged back into the room, his massive furry arms raised high. The Wookiee proceeded to lunge at the two Naboo officers and Remar thought for sure the two would be goners.

Then there was a flurry of blue light and before he knew it, Sharbrook was lying on the floor, howling in pain with both of his arms beside him. Neither of them were attached to his shoulders.

As Remar gawked at the horrific state his partner was in, one of the officers reached for their comlink and slowly raised it to his mouth. “Escort One to Command. We’re, uh… we’re going to need some help here.”

Star Wars: Vergence III, Chapter Nine

 CHAPTER NINE

Amaxine Station—Twenty-one years ago

“Do you like this place, Ben?”

The young boy couldn’t help but blink in confusion as he looked up at the tall man standing next to him. Snoke had his hands sheathed in the large sleeves of his green robes, looking serene as they walked through his garden of bizarre exotic plants. Anyone else probably would have felt uncomfortable or even disgusted around these plants. But Ben had known this place for so long, nearly all his life, that he was used to them by now.

“It’s… interesting,” he said quietly, glancing at a dead-looking plant with long, thorned tendrils. “It’s home.”

“Home.” Snoke repeated the word, sounding as if he had never contemplated the prospect. “I’m not sure anyone has considered this place home before you. It’s had a rather dark and twisted history.”

“How so?” Ben asked.

Snoke was quiet for a moment, as if he was considering whether or not to elaborate. Finally, he said, “This station was created by a culture of warriors known as the Amaxine, for whom it is named. It was abandoned when they were driven to extinction by the Drengir.”

“The Drengir?”

“Frightening creatures that terrorized the galaxy over two centuries ago,” Snoke explained. “They were the thing of nightmares, terrifying even the Sith to the point that they forcibly confined the Drengir to this very station.”

Ben’s eyes went wide and he looked around the garden with a look of unease. “Are they still here?”

Snoke chuckled softly. “No, my boy. They are a thing of the past now. Echoes of them remain on this station if you know where to look, but they are nothing more than that. Just echoes.”

They continued to walk through the garden in silence until Snoke extended a hand and rested it on Ben’s shoulder.

“The reason I’m asking this, boy, is because I’m afraid that your time here must come to an end.”

Ben looked up at him with wide eyes. “What? Why?”

“I have taught you all that I can. You are a very talented young boy; more talented than any of my previous students. But my knowledge and expertise can only extend so far. You need a teacher who can help you realize your true potential.”

Ben frowned, unsure how to feel about this prospect. “Who’s going to teach me then? I don’t know anyone else besides you.”

Snoke smiled. “You need not worry about that; I have already found someone who can teach what I never could.”

Ben took a deep breath and exhaled. He did not want to leave Amaxine Station; this was his home after all. But he trusted Snoke, and Snoke knew what was best for him. He would do whatever his teacher asked of him.

“Where will I be going then?” he asked.

“I have arranged for a transport to stop by and retrieve you,” Snoke replied. “It will take you to the planet Varnak, where you will find a man called Ren. When you do find him, tell him that I sent you. Your life will then be in his hands.”

Ben looked up at Snoke, his dark eyes meeting his teacher’s blue ones. “Will I ever see you again?”

Snoke offered him a warm, fatherly smile. “What does your heart tell you?”

Mustafar—Now

Kylo Ren woke from the memory, breathing heavily as he knelt on the ground. Surrounding him were the abandoned ruins of Fortress Vader, its obsidian walls having collapsed after decades of abandonment, giving him a full view of Mustafar’s volcanic plains. 

As he struggled onto his feet, Kylo heard what sounded like breathing coming from behind him. However, when he looked over his shoulder, he saw nothing but shadows behind him. The breathing continued unabated for a few moments until it was joined by a booming voice that Kylo was intimately familiar with.

“Welcome, my grandson. Welcome to my birthplace.”

Kylo Ren felt his breath hitch. “Grandfather?” It was a struggle to even get the word out.

“You have come a long way.” The voice of Darth Vader shook the fragile walls of the fortress and yet the shadows themselves remained undisturbed. “Every choice you have made has led you to this moment.”

Kylo started to step towards the shadows, barely even thinking about it. It was like some string was tied around his feet, pulling him in.

“Come to me, grandson. Fulfill your destiny.”

“No.”

A bright light flashed before Kylo Ren’s eyes and he stumbled back onto his knees, landing face-first onto the ground. His mind spiraled away and he soon found himself falling back into a field of memories.

Then

“Bored now. Can we leave already?”

“The concept of patience is a foreign one to you, isn’t it, Trudgen?” The man known simply as Ren calmly drank from his bottle of port-in-a-storm. It was another quiet night at the cantina. It always was when the Knights of Ren were in town; no one wanted to get on their bad side, and the best way to avoid that was to lay low and keep quiet. No one made a fuss and no one got hurt. It was a simple formula, and Ren liked simple formulas.

“Besides,” he said as he set the bottle down, “we’re still waiting on someone.”

“You still haven’t told us who this ‘someone’ is,” said Cardo, tinkering with his arm-mounted blaster cannon. “Is it someone important?”

“Potentially,” Ren replied. “It depends on how our meeting with them goes.”

“Well, it looks like we don’t have to wait any longer,” said Vicrul. 

Ren glanced at him and the other Knight nodded in the direction of a young, dark-haired boy that had just walked in. The boy looked no older than sixteen and probably wasn’t even old enough to set foot in a cantina, let alone drink at one. Were it anyone else, he would have been roughed up and thrown back out onto the streets like all the other rapscallions. But this wasn’t just anyone else; Ren knew that much about the boy.

“Over here, kid,” he called out to the youth. The boy looked in the direction of him and the Knights and his eyes narrowed in uncertainty. There was no trace of fear though, not yet at least. That was good, Ren thought. It was a start.

Wading his way through the cantina, the boy approached the Knights at their table and said, “I’m looking for someone named Ren.”

“You’ve found him,” Ren replied.

“Snoke sent me—”

“I know Snoke sent you. We’ve been waiting for you.”

“You’ve gotta be kidding me,” muttered Trudgen. “This is who we’ve been waiting for? Just some kid?”

The boy glared at him, his hands rolling into fists. “I’m not a kid. I’m—”

Ren raised a placating hand. “Relax. Trudgen’s just egging you on. We’re all a bit restless. One too many drinks, yeah?”

The boy returned his attention to Ren and seemed to study him. While the other Knights were clad head to toe in full black armor, Ren left his face and heavily burnt chest exposed, his own mask resting on the table next to his drink. It was a handy tactic against enemies, luring them into thinking that he was vulnerable and that they could hurt him. Those who thought that often ended up never thinking again.

If the boy was thinking any of those things, he did not show any indication. Instead, he looked Ren in the eyes, brown meeting blue.

“Will you teach me?” he asked.

Ren smirked at him. “I’d say that choice has already been made for us, wouldn’t you?”

“When do I start?”

Ren reached for his mask and picked it up from the table. The mask was all silver and featureless save for the red markings that distinguished it. He then stood up as he slid the helmet over his head.

“You already have.” 

Now

“Ben. Get up.”

Kylo Ren groaned as he came back once more to reality. He felt himself being cast beneath a blue glow, though it hurt too much for him to get up and see what the source of the glow even was. All he knew was that he felt cold.

“Take off that mask. It’s weighing you down.”

Kylo’s hands instinctively went for the mask but the voice of Darth Vader stopped him.

“That mask is what makes you,” the long-departed Lord of the Sith intoned. “It defines who you are.”  

Then

“Why do I need a mask?”

The hairy creature made a disgruntled sound as it pulled the freshly made mask from out if its forge, slamming it down on the table in front of Ben.

“If you want to be a Knight, you have to wear a mask,” snapped Ushar, steam emitting from the breathing tubes of his own mask. “You think we wear these for the hell of it?”

Ben frowned. “But why, though? What’s the point of it?”

“There doesn’t need to be a point to it, kid,” Ren said, slapping Ben on the shoulder. “It’s just part of our identity; part of what makes us who we are. Besides, people respect you more when you wear a mask.”

“And fear you,” added Kuruk.

Ren chuckled. “The two aren’t much different, my friend.”

Ben continued to stare at the mask, studying the silver inlays surrounding the thin black visor. He could feel the others’ eyes on him, even through their masks, and so he picked it up from the table and raised it over his head.

Now

With a click and hiss, Kylo unlocked the seal of his mask and pulled it off his head, letting it clatter to the floor. He lifted his head up, pushing strands of dark hair out of his eyes, and stared at the blue spectre standing in front of him.

“Hey,” it said to him with a friendly smile. “You’ve got good genes. I wouldn’t hide them behind a mask.” 

Kylo blinked rapidly, unable to tell if he was hallucinating or not. “Who… who are you?”

“I’m the guy that other voice is claiming to be. I am your grandfather.”

“Do not listen to him,” the voice of Darth Vader boomed. “He is an illusion borne from the fumes of this planet. He is preventing you from achieving your destiny.”

“Other way around, I think,” the ghost of Anakin Skywalker countered. “This isn’t the first time I’ve had to deal with a lava-induced illusion of myself. Strange sentence, I know.”

Kylo Ren ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t… I don’t understand. What is happening? Is this my test?”

“Turn around, Ben,” Anakin Skywalker said. “Just turn around and leave this planet. Get off this path that your master has put you on. You will only find regret and despair. Believe me; I would know.”

“Those are the words of weakness,” Darth Vader retorted. “Words of an insolent Jedi.”

Anakin’s eyes narrowed as he turned to face the shadows behind him. “Ben,” he said quietly. “You should leave. Now.”

“No.” Kylo fumbled for his lightsaber. “You’re an illusion. A trick. My grandfather will show me the dark side, as he always has.”

“Ben… I turned my back on the dark side in my final moments. You would know that, had your family raised you.”

“My….” Kylo felt his heart drum against his chest. “My family abandoned me.”

“No. They lost you. They searched for you, but the ones who took you did everything they could to hide you from them. Even from me.” Anakin looked over his shoulder to look at his grandson, his eyes tired and sad. “It’s not too late, Ben,” he said softly. “It’s not too late to go back to them.”

“It is far too late,” Darth Vader hissed. “They will shun him for the monster he is.”

Anakin shook his head. “No. They won’t. My son never gave up on me. And my daughter would never give up on her own son. Not a single day goes by without her thinking about you, Ben.”

Kylo Ren swallowed hard, his eyes stinging from the water forming in them.

Then

Lightning crackled all around him, obstructing his vision, although he could still hear their voices.

“Go! I can only hold him off for so long!”

“We’re not leaving him!”

“You have no choice! If you stay here, you’ll all die!”

“If he dies, so do we.”

The words of his mother rang the loudest. Even after they had gone, after the storm had stopped and Starkiller laid dead at his feet, he could still hear them.

I love you, she had said.

He picked up his discarded mask from the floor and placed it back over his face.

I know, he had answered.

Only the Force knew if she had heard him.

Now

“She’s on Naboo.”

“What?” Kylo croaked out his, his voice choked with emotion.

“She’s on Naboo,” Anakin Skywalker calmly repeated. “You will find her in the city of Theed.”

Kylo wasn’t sure what to make of this information. He waited for the voice of Vader to respond, but the Dark Lord had suddenly fallen silent.

After a long, pressing moment, he slowly got up from the ground and back onto his feet. It was easier this time, as if a weight had been lifted off him, although he could not explain why. He gave one last look to the specter of Anakin Skywalker before turning around and walking away; away from the ghost and away from the shadows. He retraced his steps through the fortress of Darth Vader and soon found his way back onto the scorching plains of Mustafar.

It was not until he was well away from the fortress and on his way back to his ship that he realized he had left his mask behind.

Star Wars: Vergence III, Chapter Eight

 CHAPTER EIGHT

If Dax Goldam had to describe his life in one word, it would have been: complicated.

Even before his father’s death, things had never exactly been “easy.” For as long as he could remember, it had always just been him and Dad; his mother had never been part of the picture and his only memento of her was a golden chestplate with a mysterious symbol painted on it. When pressed, his father had always refused to elaborate on its meaning, and after his father was killed, Dax decided to don the armor himself as he set out on a path to avenge his father.

After receiving some training from an old friend of his father’s, Dax had been able to make enough money to buy himself a ship and a crew. Each one of his crewmates checked off a box that made for, in his mind, a perfect crew: a killer droid in 791; a fearsome Wookiee in Redclaw; and a fiery woman in Alyson. At the time, he didn’t think he could ever ask for a better crew… until they ditched him on Desevro after that fiasco on Lianna six years ago. He had had his chance to take out both of his father’s killers—Baron Salvan Tai and the rogue Mandalorian Kadar—and it had been snatched away from him. Everything he had spent the last five years of his life working towards had just gone in the blink of an eye.

Without a ship, without a crew, he had found himself wandering from planet to planet, crew to crew. He had thought he had finally found something a bit more permanent with Remar and Sharbrook, but that had also been taken away from him. All he had now was this mysterious woman and the vague promise of finally accomplishing of what he had failed to do back on Lianna six years ago.

To kill Kadar.

He had no idea what kind of life would be waiting for him after he had killed his father’s murderer. Perhaps this woman and her benefactors would give him a large enough reward that he could retire and never pick up a blaster again. Or maybe they would just ditch him as others had ditched him before and he would be forced to fend for himself as he always had, with his only comfort being that he had finally avenged his father.

Given how complicated his life had been up until this point, Dax could easily see things going either way for him.

The trip from Phaeda to wherever this woman was taking him had lasted several hours, perhaps even days, and Dax had largely spent that time sitting in the co-pilot seat in complete silence. The armored woman controlling the ship had not tried to strike up conversation, keeping quiet herself until she brought the ship out of hyperspace after their last jump and brought them into view of a frigid mountainous world.

“Here we are,” the woman said.

Dax furrowed his eyebrows as he stared at the approaching planet. “Kijimi? Why are we here?”

“You were expecting someplace else?”

“No, I was just… I just wasn’t expecting it. It’s not exactly that notable, even among the circles I frequent.”

“There are a lot more circles than just the ones you frequent,” the woman replied. “Go into the main hold; you’ll find some weather-resistant clothes to wear.”

Dax saw no point in arguing and proceeded to do as instructed. By the time he had put on the heavy coat that had been laid out for him, the ship had already touched down and the two of them were soon venturing out into the cold climate of Kijimi. 

Built atop one of the planet’s many mountains, Kijimi City was home to a variety of smugglers and spice runners that had made the planet their home. While it was hardly the safest place in the galaxy, Kijimi was also one of the few where their trade of work was accepted and they did not need to worry about repercussions from the Galactic Alliance. The only authority that they needed to worry about was that of whoever was running the city at the time, which tended to change every few years or so. The last time Dax had been to Kijimi, the city was ruled only by the anarchy of self-interested criminals living there. Who knew what could have changed in the seven years that had passed since then.

As he and his companion made their way through the shabby town, Dax could feel the eyes of many following them with every step they took. He knew better than to look over his shoulder so as to not give away his paranoia, though it did not make him feel any less uneasy. The feeling followed them as they approached a nondescript building situated at the very far edge of the town, unmarked and showing no signs that anyone even occupied it. Dax followed his mysterious guide as they stepped into the shack, wooden floor plates creaking beneath their feet. The room they found themselves stepping into was dark save for the glow of a furnace at the very end. The silhouette of an armored figure was highlighted by the flickering flames, their back turned to the visitors of their humble abode.

“It’s about time you showed up,” a gruff voice greeted them. “I was starting to think you had gotten lost.”

Dax’s mysterious companion said nothing as she shoved Dax Goldam forward, pushing him towards the armored man. The figure turned to face them and Dax saw that he was clad in all-black Mandalorian armor, his visor barely distinguishable from the rest of his helmet.

“So, you’re the boy who wants to kill Kadar then,” the Mandalorian muttered. “Must admit, I wasn’t expecting someone looking so… rugged.”

Dax snorted. “And who would you be?”

“My name is Argus of Clan Ordo. And it may surprise you to know that we have more in common than you would believe.”

“Yeah? Like what?”

“Like you, I also want Kadar dead. He was responsible for the deaths of my daughter and grandson.” Argus Ordo tilted his head to one side. “I understand that he robbed you of someone close as well, yes?”

Dax stiffened, his lips forming a tight, thin line. “Yeah,” he managed to say. “Somethin’ like that.”

“Then we have a common enemy. And with a common enemy, we will only benefit each other by working together.”

Argus Ordo walked towards Dax and put a hand on the younger man’s shoulder. Dax fought every urge to shrug the hand away.

“If you want to kill a Mandalorian, you have to fight like a Mandalorian,” Argus said in a low tone. “I will teach you how to fight like a Mandalorian. Only then will you be able to kill Kadar.”

Dax eyed the Mandalorian warily. “Are you sure it will be enough?”

“It will be,” Argus Ordo said darkly. “Or nothing will.” 

Naboo

“While I am grateful that you are here, Princess Organa, this is cutting things rather close. The wedding is in an hour.”

“I apologize for our tardiness, Pooja,” Leia Organa Solo replied, walking alongside her cousin through the Temple of Shiraya’s courtyard. “And remember, it’s just Leia. We are family, after all.”

Even after all this time, Pooja Naberrie was still coming to terms with that fact. While she and Leia had both been good friends during their times as representatives of their respective homeworlds in the Imperial Senate, it was not until much later that Pooja learned that Leia was not only the daughter of Darth Vader but that of Queen Amidala, who had been Pooja’s aunt. To this day, she still struggled to wrap her mind around this fact, though it had done nothing to tar the relationship she already had with the Princess of Alderaan. If anything, it had only made their connection stronger.

“I must admit,” Pooja said, “I was not expecting you to accept the invitation. I figured you would be too… busy with other things.”

“I have been busy,” Leia said. “But I can always make time for family.”

“That’s another thing; I don’t believe you’ve ever been close to Darius, have you? I know Ryoo had him over when you visited once, but he couldn’t have been older than five. I don’t believe he’s even met your children, has he?”

“No,” Leia admitted. “But I still feel an obligation to give your aunt’s branch of the family some form of representation.”

“And I thank you for that, Leia.” Pooja paused for a moment before lowering her voice to a more conspiratorial tone. “Of course, that’s not the only reason you’re here, is it?”

“No. But we can talk more after the wedding.”

“Indeed. Speaking of which, we should probably get back inside. Queen Reneme is rather eager to meet you, from what I’ve heard.”

Leia put on a smile. “Then let us not keep her waiting.”

*  *  *

“This is a bad idea,” Sare Valrisa muttered under her breath.

“You have a better one?” Kyla Kishanti murmured back. “Because I’m all ears.”

The Renegades were carefully making their way towards the Temple of Shiraya, where the wedding of Darius Naberrie and Valera Teramo would be taking place. Humans dressed in the bright colorful clothing of Naboo and drab grays of Serenno were beginning to file into the palace, with several maroon-clad security officers standing guard all around the grounds. Valrisa was positive that she and the other Renegades stood out like a sore thumb and would likely be kicked out on first sight. That was unless Kyla’s hastily made plan worked, which Valrisa severely doubted.

Sure enough, as soon as the Renegades reached the front steps, a burly Naboo officer stormed over to them, a grave expression on his face.

“I’m gonna need to see some identification,” he grunted.

Valrisa presented him with an identification card. “Here you go,” she said simply.

The officer snatched it from her and perused it with his narrowed eyes. “Sare Valrisa? As in House Valrisa?”

Valrisa nodded. “And I am Lady Teramo’s half-sister. Our mother is the late Sareth Valrisa.”

The officer grunted as he handed the card back to her. “You’re not on the invitation list though. So you’ll have to leave.”

“But I’m her sister.”

“Doesn’t matter. If you’re not on the list, then you have to leave.”

As Valrisa opened her mouth to object, Bedo let out a sudden squeal.

“Oh my stars, is that who I think it is?”

Everyone—including the guard—stopped and turned to see an entourage of Gungans approaching the Temple of Shiraya. Leading them was an elderly Otolla Gungan, dressed in ceremonial brown robes and green shoulder pads, while armored Gungan warriors flanked him on either side. The elder Gungan greeted those who gawked at him with a bright smile and a friendly wave.

“Oh my stars, it’s him!” Bedo whispered excitedly, bringing his pudgy blue hands to his face. “It’s Jar Jar Binks!”

“Who?” Wiskin asked, scratching his head.

“He was a general who served in the Invasion of Naboo! He’s a war hero!”

“Oh,” Wiskin muttered. “Of course.”

“Boss Binks,” the officer said as the Gungan and his entourage reached them. “This is, uh, an unexpected visit.”

Boss Binks nodded sagely. “Yes, meesa was invited by Queen Reneme herself. Meesa apologize for de inconvenience.”

“Oh, not at all. I mean, it’s not an inconvenience, sir. Boss Binks. Your majesty.”

Boss Binks chuckled as he patted the officer on the shoulder. “Yousa funny. Take care.”

“Wait!” Bedo jumped out in front of the Gungan leader, a move which cause the officer and several other nearby guards to put their hands on their blasters. “Boss Binks, I am a huge fan of yours! I’ve read up on all of your feats and accomplishments! I was wondering if I could have a chance to interview you? After the ceremony, of course.”

“Now just wait a minute,” the officer growled, putting his hand on the Ortolan’s shoulder. “If you think you’re getting in like that, then—”

Boss Binks hummed to himself as he tugged at the barbels hanging from his upper lip. “Meesa have no problem with that!” he said. “Yousa can join meesa for the ceremony, if yousa would like.”

“Great!” Bedo said. “Can my friends join you as well?”

“Meesa don’t see why not.”

Both the officer as well as Boss Binks’ bodyguards gave the elder Gungan surprised looks. “Are… are yousa sure about this, Boss Binks?” asked one of the warriors.

Binks nodded as he raised a placating hand. “Meesa certain. Come. Wesa must find our seats!”

Jaw hanging open in shock, the officer slowly stepped away and allowed Bedo and the other Renegades to join Boss Binks and his entourage as they headed into the Temple of Shiraya.

Nudging Bedo with her elbow, Valrisa whispered, “Hey, that was some pretty clever thinking.”

Bedo chuckled uneasily. “I’ll be honest… I wasn’t really thinking at all.”

*  *  *

“Is it done?”

“Yes. Leinad Tagge has been taken care of.”

“Good.” Lady Valera Teramo adjusted her earrings as she studied her reflection in the full-length mirror. “And what of the other five?”

“Well, Senator Valrisa is already accounted for on Coruscant. Lady Praji has also been sighted in the Core Worlds, advocating for full control of the Alliance’s financial sector. The twins of House Mecetti are presumably still operating in the Tapani sector, although their present whereabouts are currently unknown.”

“The twins will be the easiest to be rid of,” Valera mused aloud. “The galaxy will hardly miss them. Valrisa and Praji, on the other hand, will cause the most repercussions.”

“Indeed. Shall I instruct our assets to direct their focus on the Mecetti twins?”

“Yes, do that.”

“So it shall be done then.”

With a courteous bow, the protocol droid departed from the room. Less than a minute later, an older woman came barging in, flailing her arms in a theatrical display of excitement.

“Valera! You are supposed to be at the altar in fifteen minutes!” crowed the noblewoman. “Aren’t you ready yet?”

“Yes, Auntie,” Valera replied, admiring herself in the mirror. “I could not be more ready.”