Chapter Text
I curse myself for not sending them with a holo transmitter instead. The pain of hearing his voice without seeing him, or feeling his presence is unbearable. I squeeze my eyes tightly, trying to imagine myself in front of him, hoping he’s imagining me there as well. I would hold his hands tightly in mine, offer him my undying devotion, and stare into his eyes until he believed me.
“Speak to me, gedet’ye.” His voice is thick as it travels through the com, “I reached for you… I couldn’t find you.” He confesses, tears roll down my face with no rain to hide them. I choke them back before speaking, “Phantom was on Nar Shaadda with us, he took care of me. They gathered what they needed for…” I lightly rub the scar on my neck with my hand, “repairs… then we headed for Kalevala.” I begin to recount our time apart, pausing every few sentences to see if he’s ready to talk. Between the other three people on the same frequency as us, I can’t discern whether his breathing is changing or everyone is messing with their volumes.
Bo is the first to cut in, “Corvid you have him held up in a corner. We’ll be taking our leave now.” Muffled sounds fill my ears, a clear hit is laid out, then Koskas voice comes on, “Screech will contact Pallid, then ready our own ship.” She pauses for a second, “I’m not leaving him like this.”
“Like what?” I ask, already afraid of the answer. “Buir… Chaajurkad.” Her words are soft yet they send an aching pain directly to my heart. I feel guilty that I didn't crawl into their ship. I could've been a stowaway, hiding in the drop seat bay, covered in bacta patches. I wouldn't have been in the best shape, but I would be there. “He likes company ad’ika. Let him feel you’re there.” I instruct her on what to do, unsure if he can even hear us speaking.
Phan tugs on my leg, patting the grass beside him, “Vercopyir buir, I could find us.” He offers a solution out loud, alerting Koska and Savage to his plan. “Vercopa’kemir, ke’nuhoyi.” He whispers in my head, reaching his hands upwards to guide me to the ground.
“Ad’ika, grab his hands, sit across from him, try to match his breathing.” I grab onto Phantoms hands, holding them tightly. I listen for his breathing through the com as it becomes more consistent, I slow my own breath to match. “Concentrate on us vod.” Phan informs Koska. The green smoke that flows out of Phans eyes reach my hands, curling up around my arms. I close my eyes before I can watch it engulf my head. I feel my body begin to lull, I straighten my back as my head hangs. I drift asleep the same way I always do, thinking of him.
I open my eyes to discover my legs are slowly sinking into a pocket of swamp. Bugs dart past me, laughing at my misfortune as I struggle to lift them out of the mud. I can feel he’s not here now, jate, I think to myself. I don’t need him to see me practically drowning. I shut my eyes, thinking of a nicer place to meet him. Flashes of light create long lasting white streaks on the insides of my eyelids. Once they fade I open them to see Vizslas training grounds. Anxiety swells up inside of me as I am forced to imagine the Dark Saber activating in his hands again. Savage shouldn’t need to talk me down from my own chaajurkad when he sees me. An ominous feeling floods the air, I can feel his presence begin to seep into my head. I’m able to isolate the feeling now, now that I know what, or rather who, it is. I look around, trying to spot him before he appears in front of me, the grounds seem to fade before I’m done scanning the arena.
I take a deep breath, taking a moment to visualize the pond before my eyes are fully closed. The streaks of light glow in a mix of aquas and violets. I feel the cool breeze coming down from the cliffs, I smell the water, and then I hear his voice behind me.
“Is it, you?” He utters, questioning my very existence, just as I question his.
He still seems so far away, just across the field, standing as still as always. His arms begin to float upwards as I speak to him, “Vercopa’kemir… You can see my dreams cabaara.” He hesitantly makes his way towards me, still not convinced I’m in front of him. He’s focused enough to find me, but his hands shake as they reach out to touch me. My helmet melts away so he can see my face. I don’t mean to worry him with my sorrowful expression, but I can only hide so much of myself. My gloves dissolve as I reach my arms out, wanting to feel him. The extra energy I’ve saved goes into filling the metal gap in my hand as I try not to stare at my covered wound.
Hushed sounds of waves crashing fill the air, accompanied by a faint electrical hum. The images of Zanbar disappear before they have the chance to be admired. The sky is dark, navy blue fades into oblivion, then waterfalls of light neon green fog fall down to fill the ground beneath us. As I look at the glowing green fog it dissipates, leaving us in some sort of void, letting me concentrate on him alone.
We approach each other cautiously, though I crave nothing more than to be lightly crushed in his arms at this moment. He comes to a sudden halt. His hands clasp together, they writhe, he shifts his weight uncomfortably, unable to look me in the eyes. “You hide still.” He whispers, looking down at my hand. I take a step towards him, he doesn’t mirror me, he copies me, taking a step backwards. The heel of my foot is still in the air when I freeze, I shift back, pulling my leg with me. I trace my thumb over my palm, revealing the mechanisms holding my flesh together. “It’s nothing to look at really, just some dull metals. A few wires.” I curl my fingers, trying to prove that my hand functions normally. I watch as my mind replicates what movements I can recall, the three main pins moving slightly up and down, reacting to my fingers. His hands reach underneath mine, ready to catch them as if they're about to simply fall off. He leans in closer to inspect the scarred burn on my neck, I take another step back, staring into the void we stand upon. “I heard you then.” I mutter, adjusting the collar of my shirt to hide the scar a bit better. “Your apology… I had already forgiven you, even if I couldn’t say it.” I force myself to look into his eyes, while trying to avoid reading his expressions. “I’ll forgive you as many times as I need to, until you believe it.”
He seems to avoid my words, his eyes leaving mine to stare at the scar he left. He raises a hand to my neck, looking to inspect the consequences of his actions, the consequences of my own.
A cooling sensation flows over me as he tries to touch me. His hands become nothing more than small clouds of mist, he seems like nothing more than my imagination. “Are you even here then?” I begin to prod at him, trying to find some part of him that’s tangible. The air around us becomes muddled as his body fades then rebinds itself. “Vercopa'kemir… Dreamwalkers.” I wrap my hands around each other, “Your kind are legends to us, spies used by the Jetii to win wars. Infiltrators. Tricking us in our sleep, stealing our thoughts. Betrayers.” I try to ignore his silence by recounting ancient legends, born from the time of the Taungs. He doesn't seem interested in myths as his eyes meet mine again. The bridge of his nose wrinkles as his brows move closer together. I can’t help but interrogate him, “Do you think I wish to work against you ner cyare?” I find myself stuck in place, the feeling of mud crawling up my legs tries to distract me from my questions. “Have you been working against me this whole time?” My heart breaks more and more as I keep speaking, watching his face shift with every syllable. My mind scours our memories together, trying to find a missing puzzle piece, one that doesn't exist. His lips part, his hands disappear as he tries to hold my face, “Can I not make you real?” I ask, reaching my hands up to hold his, slipping only onto my own face. “Even in my own head?”
“I don’t know what to think.” He finally admits, pulling away from me and crossing his arms. Only to wave them outwards again as he continues to speak, “I could’ve kill-” I cut him off, “Oyayc.” I pat my hand on my chest a few times, breaking off the dried mud on my legs and closing the gap between us. I try to catch his eyes as they dart back and forth on the black ground. “How do I convince you.” I beg him to give me an answer. My mind goes to the pond, where information flowed so easily between the two of us. Where it was simple to be honest, to be true. The bright blue illuminates us, grass gently unfolds beneath our feet. I take a seat next to a large stone, resting my head on its rocky surface. He sits next to me, facing the endless black, ignoring the visual I’ve created to ground us.
“I do forgive you.” I remind him. “As I do you.” He assures me, referencing my sudden departure after Vizslas death, or maybe my own attempt on his life. “I search for my own forgiveness.” He says softly, I turn to watch his head hang as his body relaxes onto his knees. “Ti ca’nara.” I say, letting my head rest on the stone beside me, trusting he’s still there beside me. “I’ll help you look.”
I focus on the sounds of the small waterfall at the other end of the pond, neatly tucked away behind some hanging vines. It's only accessible from the water, or the series of tunnels on the other side of the cliff. He lies down on his back, his head perched over the edge of the rock. Indulging himself in the glowing flora that grows tall, sprouting at the edge of the pond. I think of the bio luminescent bugs that laughed when I first awoke in my dreams, stuck in the mud. They appear over his head, keeping his mind company.
We let the honesty of our feelings settle before he fills me in on what has been going on since Nar Shaddaa. Leaving large gaps of time unaccounted for, I can’t help but think that he's made more memories too painful to speak of. Things shift once more as he infiltrates my mind, I get a glimpse at the inside of the stronghold as it flickers into view. We face each other as we speak, “My old Master, the hooded one that came for brother… They’re after me. Mother offered me guidance. Warriors.” His back relaxes and his shoulders hunch forward, “It won't be enough.” He sounds desperate for a way out as he speaks. “I am lost. I'm a warrior.” He emphasizes, tapping his chest and looking to me for guidance, for a solution. “Do what you can, Gar and Rook can handle the aliit. Me and Bo will strategize with you from afar. We’ll find a way.” I try to offer all I can, I don't have the authority, or the want, to risk the lives of our small reserve of verde. I know all too well where they stand, and it's not with him. “Rook will be with me in the skies. Mother believes we will find Grievous there. Gar will handle the Count.” He briefly explains the rest of the plan to me, “This will end on Dathomir.” For how proudly he stands, worry always finds a way out of his eyes. “I’m with you.” I tell him, turning his hands into a small cloud of mist as I try to grab them. His concern shifts into relief, his mouth curls into a subtle smile, appreciating my gesture.
The concern quickly returns as his head darts to the side, his other self sensing some sort of change. “A disturbance…” He looks back to me as his legs and horns begin to fade, “I will see you soon.”
His being is transformed into a puff of green smoke as I am left alone in the emptiness for a few brief moments before Phantoms hands lose their grip. My head hits the very real ground we sit on. He speaks in my ear once more, though his words aren't for me, “Vor'e, dralne'kara.” I can hear the sincerity in his tone as he thanks Koska before she has to disappear. “Gar'mayen.” She responds, causing another few tears to swell in my eyes. I look for Phantoms reaction, they stare into the waves once more.
Koskas feet shuffle across the ground before her transmission goes dark, I watch Phantom play with his earpiece in his hands. “I'll be with you whenever you need.” I reassure Savage one last time, “I'll see you soon.”
Another pair of muffled feet rush into the room, Rooks voice barely makes it through, “Mand’alor, the Nightbrothers have arrived, so have the droids. Gar has begun to move the aliit into position. The ships are ready, we must go.” He lets out a huff of air before confirming the plan, “Jor'lekir.”
I imagine how much of a shock it must've been when the verde discovered how much Mando'a I had actually taught him. If Maul had learnt any, either from Savage, or from being around us for so long, he certainly never let any slip.
His transmission is cut off. The feed becomes nothing but a numbing white noise, the comfort he provided is ruthlessly taken away, leaving me in my own uneasy silence. I make my ways towards Phan, carefully lowering myself down beside them. Our legs dangle off of the cliffs. “We thought Vizsla was in over his head.” They can't even fake a joking tone as he proves he was listening along. I emphasize the most crucial part of our mission. “We just have to get him out.”
I impatiently wait for the rest of the paint to dry, the lines slowly disappear, fading into the rest of the color. If I was smarter I would've left it all black and grey, making myself nearly impossible to spot at night. But if I’m to fight alongside him, I thought I should try to blend in a bit more. If I wear Torrens robe, now smelling less like sewer water, it hides the yellow pauldrons well.
The black elongated diamond, flagged by two curve daggers still stick out once they've dried on my grey helmet. I rub my thumb across the design, matching with my left pauldron, no need to remember how many years I've been with Death Watch now. Though I admire detailed work, there's not much time to create a more intricate design. I'm certain he'll admire my craftsmanship regardless.
Ord Mantell was a success in his words, they managed to capture General Grievous and Count Dooku. He couldn't tell me what his losses were, I doubt he would've told me, even if he was physically able to say the number aloud. He spoke of Mother Talzins want for revenge. She had given the hooded man a name, Sidious. In league with Dooku and the Separatists, a Darjetii. When he told me of Mother Talzins ambitions… I felt guilty asking him if she saw him as merely a tool for her own gain, “What she wants is what I want.” His voice sounding much more stern as he spoke of Talzins wishes. I only felt more concern as he briefly recounted his time around Dooku. He skipped over most of what happened on Stygeon, “Not important.” he claimed. It pained me to imagine his hands fidgeting, his body becoming rigid, his emotions being trapped behind his face. To have to be on the same ship as the Count seems to cause him grief. I wouldn't ask him to relive any of it, so I let the gaps be gaps. I care only about his future. For now they’re hiding out on an old supply outpost, not much there after Bo sent me across the galaxy in search of supplies. At least I knew it was empty.
Phantom sends me a message, letting me know Ursa's squad should be coming out of hyper space soon, with Bo and Koska close behind. I make my way to the Nest where Phantom is pacing back and forth, he waves me over as he walks up the ramp.
I slide into the chair next to them, flicking switches, pressing buttons, trying to help speed up the process. He take off recklessly, reminding me I need to replace the straps on the seats as I'm almost flung to the floor. “N'iviin'yc ad'ika…” I tell him.
They let me know I'm still being ignored at the moment, breaking atmosphere as fast as possible, eager to be in their vods company. “They still have to land.” I make myself clear with a raised voice outside of their head. The ship pulls back slightly in confirmation. Two ships lurch into the sector mere moments after one another. Bo-Katan is already requesting a holo transmission, I stand up to match what I know will be her pose.
With my helmet perched on my hip, I accept the call. She looks quite unimpressed as she glares at me. “I'm looking past this only because I'm about to take you out of your good mood.” Her warning brings my arms together, crossing over my chest as my helmet hangs in the air. “How so?”
“I've been working with the Jetii.” She states plainly. The shock is enough to cause a look of disgust to cross my face. “How closely.” I drop the friendly voice I put on. “They know about the asteroid base.” She admits, it's enough of a confession to fill in the rest of the gaps. The Republic has been accepting information, most likely pertaining to Maul, from Bo since her resistance started. “And you didn't see it fit to inform Savage? The very person you agreed to help?” I feel the anger start to build as I look for a better explanation from her. “With what time?” She drops the niceties as quickly as I do, “Speaking to you made him crumble, I wasn't about to put my life on the line by telling him that the Separatists aren't the only ones looking to stop him.” She attempts to justify her concealment with a stern voice, letting her own frustration be known. “We'll talk about this on the ground. Ke'rusu.” I switch the transmission off and sit back down.
The excitement Phantom had felt as we boarded the Nest has completely faded away as we land. Too angry to offer them anything but silence I stare blankly past the glass. “Maybe you should take a minute buir. The two of you will do nothing but yell, then we'll be stuck for another day until you get over yourselves.” They speak softly. I shift uncomfortably in my seat, “Lek.” I agree reluctantly, taking a few moments to gather myself, my thoughts. Rubbing a few tears out of my eyes, trying not to think of the worst case scenarios. “That night ad'ika. When Maul was arrested. Before Vizsla died.” I continue to stare straight ahead, watching Bo and Koska land their ship, the sun reflecting off of the glass blocking my view of them. “I planned to leave. I couldn't bring myself to ask that of him. Now… Now I wish I had just tried.” He takes his time responding, lowering the ramp in the meantime. “Not much would've changed. Maybe things would be worse.” Their feet pound on the ground as they stand up. “They probably would be.” He pats me firmly on my back, knocking my head out of my hands. “Ne'kaden. Ne'shu'shuk. Just buir.” I put on my best fake smile, which he finds quite repulsive, shaking his head to the side quickly before putting his own helmet back on.
We walk out to join Bo and Koska as they stride towards us. I get the sense the two of them shared a similar talk to Phan and I as they landed. Ner ad'ike quietly reconnect with each other on the side as I face Bo. We stand still, our arms glued to our sides. My stubbornness is reflected only in her, I know she would be pleased to skip this mess and challenge Savage for the Dark Saber herself. I tug my arm away from my side, raising it to my chest, pounding my fist on my heart twice. Telling her she’s still who I stand with.
“I had been working with them since we left, Kenobi extended a helping hand and I latched onto it.” I recognize the name as the man that took Savages arm, it leads me to worry they may have an encounter, one he might not be ready for. If he’s been in contact with Bo, directly, it’s likely he would lead the mission to confront Savage. She loses some of her posture, her form becoming less formal as she continues, “Since you came back the information has been given sparingly. The short of it is they know what I deem important. Only enough to help me keep Mandalore out of Separatist hands.” Her right arm crosses her body to clutch onto her left, catching herself she straightens her back, letting her arms cross in front of her chest instead. “He won't be in peril.” She begins to trail off, looking at the ground as she quietly lets out an apology, only for my ears, “Ni ceta… I should've said something.” I wave my hand out to stop her, “I can appreciate the benefits of the alliance, I wasn't in the headspace to accept their involvement back then anyways.” I lift my hand to my chest once more, drawing a circle with my fist. “We can use it to our advantage now, I'll let him now the Jetii are involved in this, that they'll know of Ord Mantell, of the station. He can prepare.”
As I try to figure out a way to tell Savage of the newest enemy inbound, Rook proves to be as nosy as ever. A few too many times she walked in on Savage “talking to himself”, after the third time in less than a day he let it slip that I'd been in his head. Once the initial confusion of his phrasing was cleared up, I listened to her peel the com out of his ear, then whisper to me to “hold on.”
Before I was returned to Savage, she tested the new upgrades herself. “Alor’aan.” Her voice carried a familiar tone of disappointment. “You know how to alter coms to holos?” She addressed me directly, Savage had just admitted to talking to me moments earlier, yet I still found it difficult to confirm my involvement. “Bold.” I respond, crossing my arms as I lean back into my chair. “No.” I clarify, realizing my tone is difficult to read when my body language is no where to be found. “Ad'ika… buir… ruug'jag. Gaa'tayl.” I call Phantom to help, they begrudgingly make their way down the hall. Displaying their displeasure with heavy, dragging footsteps. “Ke'shaadla.” They command, pushing me out of the way before I can move myself. I drop the com into his hand, he places it into his ear, “Hut'uun.” He says, with an astounding amount of confidence.
My face is thrown into a state of urgent panic, realizing my mistake by not giving any details. He turns an even paler shade of white, proving the impossible is quite manageable. He is undoubtedly quite furious with me as he begins to plead for forgiveness, “Ni'ceta, - Nayc! - Nayc, nayc! - Rook.. - Nayc, ni'ceta, - Ner buir, di'kut. - Nayc.” His face becomes an even tone of crimson red as he shoots me a deadly glare. “Ni'draar vorer.” He ominously whispers in my head.
I glue myself to the wall as Phantom works, being careful not to breathe too loudly. After a few minutes of profuse apologizing, Rook seemed to finally let the initial comment go. I was personally threatened only three times. They kept their side of the conversation quite hushed, with the rate they were going back and forth, it seems like the pair had become quite familiar with each other. He stopped in front of me before leaving, with the newly updated gadgetry in his hands, he looked me square in the eyes, not letting go of eye contact as he spelt it out for me, “Ni. Draar. Vorer.” Each word hitting harder than the last. He unfurled my fist to place the device in my palms before presumably going to meditate somewhere far away from me.
The small ear piece had been torn apart and carefully put back together. It felt even lighter in my hand as I placed it in my ear, Rooks voice came across a touch softer than before. “Though it took us a while to find the right lifts up to main city, we all appreciated the opportunity to keep breathing.” I am pleased to hear further confirmation I caused no casualties while avoiding my arrest, “Jate.”
She explains to me in quick succession how to use the new com, something Phan neglected to do. At first it was just her face in front of mine, her nose a little more crooked than I remember. She took a few steps towards the back of her room on board the supply outpost, making sure I understood the difference between audio and visual input and output. “I appreciate the upgrade, I really do.” I begin to tell her, “I am not that old yet.” I clarify, hoping she may cease her condescending lesson. “You've almost served your time with the aliit, Alor'aan, I see why you got out. Not typical for a verd to give more than thirty.” She reminds me, patting her left shoulder, her markings indicating sixteen years of service. “You seem ready to put that behind you.”
“I'm not the only one. We both know he isn't fit to be Mand'alor.” I cut to the chase, unsure of how long she is willing to talk with me. Though Savage may no longer see me as a traitor, I am quite certain that's how most of the aliit sees us all. She lowers her head, weighing her options, crafting a careful response, “No.” She says plainly. “He’s not.” She sits down, with just her blue head in front of me, she continues, “We all talked, constantly, back on Concordia. Not much else to do in our downtime.” She looks around the room, then back to me, “We all thought you would challenge Vizsla then.” I shift in my seat, trying to shake the memory of my sword already at his throat. “I had enough responsibility.” Her brows jump as her eyes widen, expecting a different response out of me. I move in closer to the camera, as if I have already forgotten her earlier lesson on audio and video, “The plan was always to put Bo on the throne.” I confess to her in a hushed voice. “Was?” She asks.
The time to be straight with her is now, “Is.” I correct myself, confirming her suspicions.
“You want to dethrone gar cyare?” She moves on quickly, interested in hearing the rest of our plan. I have to take a moment to gather myself after she referred to Sav as “ner cyare.” Though I was well aware that most of the verde knew, they also knew not to speak of it. It's beyond strange to hear her admit to her knowledge of our relationship.
Relief floods my body as I am finally able to share our original plan to dispose of Vizsla with someone other than Bo. She stays attentive as I explain our setbacks, how things shifted when the brothers joined us. “My loyalty will remain with the Dark Saber. Bo is a traitor,” she takes a pause, resting her chin in her hand, “though her strategies and combat prove quite superior. I would not be against her as Mand’alor.” She admits her intrigue, lifting her fingers off of her face. “Quite the opposite.”
She agrees to work with us in codes before introducing a familiar face. “You were there weren’t you? On Nar Shaddaa.” Gars voice stings my ears as he appears beside Rook in the holo transmission. “Vizsla was right, you’re hard to get rid of.” He doesn't wait for my confirmation before admitting to Vizslas want for my demise. “Nice to see you too vod.” I offer him a nicety that he can roll his eyes at, finding comfort in routine. “What happens to you when this is all over?” He asks the questions Rook hesitates to bring up, “I leave with Savage. We stay out of your hair. Whatever is left of it.” His hand rushes to his head as if I had given him a buzz through space and time.
“The-” He stands on his toes, mimicking looking over my head as if we were really in the same room, trying to remember how many of us actually left, “what? The few dozens of you are going to be able to fend off the Separatist forces?” Rook steps in to make things worse, “And the Jetii now.” I look to my side, trying to find the energy to put up with these two, “If you have Grievous and Dooku in chains, their armies will be unable to follow without their command. I have faith in Savage, he has faith in Mother Talzin. He already plans to leave the outpost, they're up to something even I'm not privy to.” They cross their arms simultaneously, sharing a look before nodding, “I suppose we can handle some Jetii.” Gar takes the piece of tech out of his ear and passes it to Rook. “Jor'lekir, Alor'aan. I suppose we'll see you soon.” She offers me a salute, switching off the transmission before I can tell her she'll want to keep the ear piece out of her actual ear, thinking of how sick Phantom got of me and Savage catching up.
The rain has started again. It barrels down onto the ground, pounding through the walls. It seems to melt into the stone, making the grey walls of the castle darker. It brings a cooler chill to the surface, it leaks through the cracks, it’s a cold I can find comfort in. I pace in the war room alone, the others making preparations to leave already. I wait for his call, Gar and Rook must’ve taken it into their own hands to give him an update. I should be grateful, but the waiting only makes me anxious. The uncertainty I feel leaves me in a conflicted state, if I’m to call him now, I fear I may face whatever conversation is being had unprepared, if I wait any longer for his call, my heart might give out.
I begin to think his existence may be theoretical, as he must mine. Leading me calmly down a spiral of reckless existentialism, the thoughts begin to gather themselves at the forefront of my mind, begging the question, did I ever really wake up?
As if he can read my thoughts, my head starts to beep. I tear my helmet off and pat down my hair as if he’s never seen me before. Accepting the call I suddenly feel more nervous than before, I can’t gather a simple hello as his blue face appears in front of me. The projection could be considered life size, though with only his head in view he seems much larger than life. His face moves so quickly, so seamlessly, I struggle to read any sort of emotion before he slips into neutrality. “The Jedi.” He states, putting me down on a table of sorts, bringing most of his body into view. He keeps his composure as he brushes his fingers over his metal arm. “Elek.” I confirm, “I didn’t know.” I worry he thinks me a traitor again, though he remains quite still, almost serene. “Rook? Gar?” I question if they listen to our conversation, “Lek.” They confirm in unison, giving some explanation to his restrictive behavior.
“Bring them up.” He commands them, turning to the side briefly, waving them away with his left arm, whirring as it raises itself into the air. “Jor’lekir.” They respond, clicking their heels before leaving us alone.
His shoulders relax as the airlock mechanism on the doors shift into place. Sealing the two of us in the room. I imagine I flicker and glitch as much as he does, the small blue lines shift, pulling him apart. “You seem…” I search for words to describe his current state, but at the rate at which he slips in and out of emotions I can’t seem to discern a single one. He agrees with my lack of description, nodding slowly. He brings me to the ground, crossing his legs as he straightens his back. I do the same. I raise the volume to listen to his breathing, following along but keeping my eyes on him. His voice gently breaks the silence, “It’s all, familiar.” His eyes squeeze themselves together. “Does that bring you comfort?” I ask, hoping for his face to reveal some sort of secret. Instead it shifts back into a neutral state. His chest continues to rise and fall consistently, his eyes stay closed. I listen to the humming of the outpost so far away from me, I let it drown out whatever emotions I’m feeling. His face twitches, his eyes open, now shining a bright white over the com. “I have to go.” He rushes to get the words out, wiping his hands on his chest. “Jatne’kara.” I wish him luck, “I await your command, Mand’alor.” I smile, placing my flat hand across my chest. “We will act soon.” He is barely able to form a grin as he switches off the transmission, his arms already crossing as he disappears.
I stare at the empty space in front of me. My own legs still crossed, my fingers scratching in between my armour. Left impatiently waiting once more.
I wait under the large jutting pillars that mark the entrance of the castle, just long enough to prevent the rain from reaching me. Not much time has passed since we last spoke, I try to remain calm but my nerves build up inside of me. I can’t escape the feelings of urgency.
The shrill beeping in my ears is somehow reassuring, I answer the request to hear his agitated voice, “Ke’jii.” He commands us to depart for Dathomir. I'm unable to confirm before the transmission is cut, their ship leaping into hyperspace. I feel the sweat begin to coat my palms, I worry the humidity might mess with my prosthetic, even with the covers. I make my way onto the platforms where the rest of them wait. Simultaneously they move into position, not wasting a moment.
“What should we expect?” Bo asks for information I don’t have, “Anything. I was left with silence, I only know we need to leave for Dathomir now.” I explain to her, feeling guilty I can’t prepare them more for what’s about to come.
“You don’t know anything??” Phantom seems to try and probe my mind with their eyes, forcing me to take control of our take off. “I know he sounded… disturbed. He didn’t have time to tell me why, none of them did.” I inform him, focusing on inputting the correct coordinates as we leave the atmosphere.
The planets orbit only hosts its four moons as we come out of hyperspace, a short trip, being only two sectors over. I feel a dread of sorts seeing only two of the moons as we approach the planet. The intensity of it is overwhelming, the shades of red swirl together, the lands masses seem to rotate instead of the planet itself. Clouds of white stretch themselves thin over large areas. Knowing that Savage is expecting me this time brings me peace, I feel at ease as I call for him, only to have Rook answer. “Alor’aan.” She stands taller as her heels meet. “Kota…?” The use of ner ad’ikas surname comes as a shock to me, I rotate her view to showcase a nervous Phantom as he struggles to figure out what to do with his arms. “Right…” I let out, trying to piece together the nature of their relationship. “Taap?” I ask for what I really want to know.
“Savage, Dooku, and a couple warriors have left for a temple of sorts, we have an eye on them now but we were told to stay back.” She sends me and Bo coordinates of where to land, Bo confirming she’s received them as they take off to reach the planets surface. “Vor’e.” I tell Rook, taking control of the ship as Phantom continues to be flustered. “Is there something you’ve been meaning to mention ad’ika.” I encourage him to open up, suspecting the pair is much closer than I previously thought. They avoid all contact as their feed starts to buzz, they stare straight ahead into the red planet, willing me to fly faster.
I feel my heart pound in my chest as we reach the ground, questioning if he can hear it already.
I open the ramp as Phan removes their helmet, patting down their hair before looking me in the eyes. “Ni draar vorer.” He points at me, eyes wider than they should be, before making his way to Rook and Gar. I step off of the ramp with the rest of my gear to see Phantom falling into Rook, crying out “NI’CETA.” the loudest they’ve ever been. He stumbles into her grabbing her face, planting a kiss before abruptly turning around. Now bright red and filled with dread, he tries to walk back onto the ship but is interrupted as Rook rolls her eyes, grabbing them by his arm and returning the gesture. The entire interaction seems to only make sense to Koska as she waltzes towards them. Gar, Bo, and I are stuck where we are as we watch Phan whisper something then disappear suddenly with Rook, leaving a cloud of green fog behind.
I look to Koska for some sort of explanation, feeling quite lost watching the two of them interact. She shrugs her shoulders, “I only know she's part of the reason Phan didn't completely lose his mind.” She moves on by handing Gar a new rifle, showing him how much of an improvement it is compared to the one he carries now. Neither of them seem phased by the fact they've been enemies for nearly a month now. I walk beside Bo-Katan, still in a state of shock, “No droids? No Jetii?” I inquire about our enemies as he looks over his new blaster. “It's like no one else is in this system, yet. We expect a wave soon, Grievous managed to escape the outpost, before the Jetii even arrived.” Gar goes over some of what we missed, trying the fill in the important gaps. “He knows of Dathomir?” His face contorts as I ask the question, “We… don't know. Best to prepare for jurkad. Nayc vod?” He eyes me before putting his horned helmet on. His visor glows yellow, matching the sky as the sun begins to set.
Bo boards the ship, inspecting every corner as Rook and Phantom reappear. “Ni ceta, ni gaa'tayli…” He pats her back as she lurches forward, the unexpected teleportation having made her sick. Phan turns into smoke once more as I make my way to Rook, offering her at least an arm to grab onto as she tries not to vomit. “He seems excited to show you around his home world…” I tell her, hoping a conversation might make for a good distraction. She groans as she regains some composure. “There's a scanner running on the ship,” she wipes some sweat from her forehead, handing me her helmet to carry in, “Gar refuses to check it.” Gar lets out a sigh in response, interrupted by Koskas hand in his face, telling him to gev.
Bo is standing with her arms crossed, “Nothing yet.” She says, having been watching the scanner for a few minutes already. Rook takes a seat next to her, “The important stuff,” she huffs, letting her head hit the back of the seat, “Grievous is gone, this Sidious guy seems to have it out for, Mother.” She waves her hands into the air. “Who seems to have it out for everyone. That's why we're here.” She recounts the brief meeting with Sidious, how Mother Talzin grew out of Savages chest to speak to the two men directly, the holo of Sidious seemed unconcerned with her appearance. Once he had shut off his transmission she confronted Count Dooku, revealing secrets about her sons, the nature of their relationships. More than just a clan leader, she claims Savage and Maul to be her own blood. The information that Rook provides gives clarity to her motivations, and the reason Savage trusts her dearly, regardless of the part she played in his transformation. Gar seems a bit offended to not have been entrusted with the knowledge Rook has just shared with us. “You got to have a chat with him while I had to deal with the Pykes and the Black Sun??” She rolls her eyes as Gar complains, “You may be loyal to the throne, but you have a big mouth and an unpleasant face.” Her insults bring despair to his posture, and silence to the ship. We watch him trail down the ramp, going out to do another patrol. Phantom smacks his arm into his ditch as he passes him, boarding the ship with a steaming cup of liquid floating beside them.
They pass the cup through the air into Rooks hands, she looks cautiously into the clear liquid, some settled leaves on the bottom. Phan motions for her to drink it all, waving his hand in a circular motion near his mouth. The cup evaporates as she pulls it away from her mouth, “The Jetii, Kenobi, he led the assault.” Rook pulls up a short holo recording of the Jetii charging at Savage, working side by side with Dooku. I begin to suspect the tea Phan made for Rook just transfers the sickness to someone else. Finally I'm able to put a familiar face to a reoccurring name. I've faced Kenobi before, he had been working with the duch*ess when the Concordia settlement was exposed, he had taken one of Phantoms legs in an attempt to disarm and escape us. I faced him again on Coruscant, when Vizsla had sent me to try and stop the duch*ess. I was filled with rage when he appeared to defend her, I lost sight of my objective, getting distracted with the want for vengeance. He is the Jetii who had taken Savage's arm. The same off worlder who tried to rescue the duch*ess from Maul. The same Jetii Bo had been feeding information to. I quell my anger, trying to move on, switching my focus to the even bigger shock. “They fought them off together?” I stare in disbelief as Savage is next to Dooku, both of their sabers raised, though not at each other. Savage is still without his pauldrons, his rage being let loose as Dooku stands firmly with an outstretched arm, preparing to unleash a force lightning attack. The Dark Saber dangles off of a second hook on Savs waist, it should look fitting, the shades of grey matching his light armour, but instead it sticks out like a sore thumb.
“Has he even activated the blade yet?” I look to Rook for an answer, “Nayc. It was only in his hands once, when I handed it to him on Zanbar.” She switches off the image, I can still see it flickering in my mind. I've never felt so focused, yet so overwhelmed all at once. I struggle to imagine all the emotions he must be pushing aside to accomplish this mission, for the sake of his Mother. I feel them all for him now.
Phantom slides over next to me, “I can feel I'm stronger here buir,” they tug at my sleeve excitedly, “I could show you so much…” He trails off, eyes scanning the ceiling, then landing on the scanner. “I don't think it's just us anymore.” They say, a small stream of light green fog falls over the holo display of the planet, revealing a ship already nearing the ground. “No need to hide yourselves from scanners if you're coming home.” Bo cuts in, putting her helmet on, waving Koska over as she makes her way to her own kom'rk. Rook contacts Gar, who makes his way onto their own ship again. “Coms to Savage are cut off, we'll fly overhead to scout the ship, you should make your way to the temple.” Rook motions Phantom and I off the ship. He lets go of my arm as I walk away, asking to stay, though doubting his own request. “Don't worry, you'll be there this time.” I tell him. They nod, placing their hand over their hearts and standing beside Rook as the three begin to take off.
The two kom'rks shoot into the sky, leaving me on the ground. I barely pick up on the sound of the nearby explosion as it’s nearly drowned out by the engines, I am filled with a sense of urgency once more as I see the smoke billowing from the back of the temple. Codes are passed between the split groups, Bo and Koska are to follow me, landing even closer, Rook, Gar and Phan are to continue their patrol before joining the rest of us. My chest is tight as I fly through the air, the dust from the surface clouding part of my vision from the explosion, remaining unsettled as I pass through it.
Once the walls of the building come into view I see the glow of two lightsabers, one blue, one green. The mechanical laugh of General Grievous pushes me to the main entrance of the building instead. The massive wooden doors seem crooked, about to fall off of their hinges. Two Nightbrothers are thrown out of them as I'm about to land, inside I hear more sabers activating, more than just his double bladed saber, a third person waits inside. I quickly check that the men are still breathing, Koska lands beside me as the gauntlet reaches the ground, clearing the rest of the dust in the area. “Go buir, I'll bring them out of the way.” Koska pushes me forwards, sensing my panic.
I wade through the smoke, seeing his figure outlined with a red glow. Time seems to slow as I get closer, I suspect Phantom must be near as my vision goes bright green, an unfamiliar voice floods my mind. “I've heard your heart beat, warrior.” Her voice booms in my mind, I feel her eyes dissecting me as I try to push forward, “Time rests for you, do the same for me.” I feel her long fingers wrap around my body as her face appears in front of me. My body comes to a halt as I look upon Mother Talzin, appearing as some sort of specter. “Leave the Count.” She instructs me, nearing my body to further inspect the help that's arrived. She squints her eyes, leaving small slits of glowing green lingering in the air as her she begins to fade, “Tjuv'aj vashe hērdca vkupě, cabur.” Something about holding his hearts near mine… My mind races to decipher the parts I can't translate. Phantoms Dathomiri lessons were few and far in between.
I'm thrown out of my attempt as I appear next to the Count, green flames bursting out of his eyes, accompanied by the red of his saber as it hums near his face. Savage stands strong in front of me, focused on the General who now circles us, trying to tease his prey. His left arm leaves his saber, reaching for his belt he unhooks the Dark Saber, passing it to me without losing his focus. “Olarom, riduur.” His choice of words are sweeter than hearing his voice in person, they fill me with certainly as I accept his offer. The Dark Saber hums brightly as the blade crosses my face, it sings as I twirl it, significantly lighter than the last time I held it, much lighter than my beskar sword. With purpose, I remind myself, looking fondly at Savage standing so near to me.
I let my body sink into a readied position, activating my shield to protect my free hand, not interested in losing another piece of me so soon. Grievous' sabers mark the ground as they drag behind him, Dookus voice travels through the smoke, “Now Sidious.” The hooded man seems unfazed as he is addressed, “You will pay for your betrayal.” Talzins power flows through Dookus body as she lunges forward, electricity crackles as their blades meet, their faces mere inches from each other. Grievous takes the opportunity to lunge towards Savage. He spins his saber, taking a step back and blocking the green blade. I take a step to his side, raising my own saber to block the blue saber falling down on him. Our legs are intertwined as we lean against each other, throwing both blades back into the air, sending the General back a few steps. He laughs before speaking, “A challenge!” his sabers creating glowing circles as he reconsiders his approach. “Two more for my collection then.” He charges towards us, suddenly growing more arms, launching his full being into the air in an attempt to separate us. His metal claws scrape on the ground as he breaks his momentum. Sidious speaks to Talzin as he pushes Dookus body backwards, the hilt of his saber clanking to the ground.
The air is filled with the sounds of jetpacks as Bo and Koska join us, flying in the sky, laying down blaster fire focused at Grievous. He groans as he uses his saber to ricochet the constant fire. Before either of them can land, lightning fills the air, Dooku is surrounded by blue streaks of light, his screams of pain echoing off of the walls. We stand still, watching the immense power flow from Sidious’ finger tips, the word “Enough!” struggles to escape Dookus mouth as his body writhes on the cement. The blue is overtaken by green smoke as Mother Talzins figure forms in front of our eyes.
Her red robes swirling in the mist, green energy crackling off of her body as she speaks, “I am whole. I am returned!” She stands taller than us all, a daunting figure in the middle of the temple. The giant standing stones look like mere pebbles near her. “You-” Sidious’ saber rescinds, the hilt disappearing in his large sleeves, “are about to die.” He predicts, lowering his head, letting his hood hide his glowing yellow eyes.
Bo-Katan lands beside me, leaning in while she picks up where she left off, shooting wildly at Grievous, trying to make time to talk. “Rook has picked up a massive Separatist fleet coming out of hyperspace, make this quick. Phantom is grabbing the Nest.” I nod to her, “Ke’slana.” I command her and Koska to flee, “Kalevala.” She confirms where to meet when we get out, taking off into the air, letting Grievous get another chance at us. Savage stops a blade from above, as I knock back the one going to slice him in half. I try using my leg to disrupt his balance, as if he had sensed it, his mechanisms whir, his leg raises as my own sweeps the ground underneath of him. As Savage pushes the upper blade aside I use the rest of my momentum to tumble into position behind the General. Now in the middle of us, we circle him, waiting for his next attack. He laughs once more, his back arms reaching for something underneath his cloak. His slow movements make me impatient, I deactivate my shield, unlocking my fibercord whip in my left gaunlet. I launch my arm backwards to shoot it out at his right arms just as he ignites another two sabers, the cord wraps itself tightly around his arms, locking them together. As I pull back on them, Savage takes a step forward, using the force to hold the left side of his body still as I cut through his metal arms with the Dark Saber.
The hilts fall to the ground alongside his metallic claws. Savages rage runs deep as he crushes the metal casing of his body, throwing him across the room. He is unable to stop himself from falling as he slides out of the hole in the wall he had made earlier. More lightning brightens the darkened space as the sun continues to set, turning the sky into a light purple. Thunder crackles through the room as Talzin and Sidious challenge each others powers.
I’m able to look him in the eyes now, a moment of peace for the two of us to connect as we approach Mother Talzin. His eyes glow just as brightly as Sidious’ before they disappeared, his connection with the force must be deepened on his home world, just as Phantoms is. His brows turn upwards for a moment as he lets his facade slip, showing his appreciation with a quick smile. We are at Mother Talzins side in mere moments, I follow his lead as he lays his hand upon her back, offering her some of his own strength. I watch his body tense up and I brace myself for a sharp pain as my hand reaches her. My hand lays flat on her back, I can feel the energy vibrating off of her, yet she takes nothing from me. My eyes follow a lone stream of mist to Dookus waking body, his hand grabbing at the wall behind him as he tries to balance himself.
I take off into the air, planning to begin my attacks from above. I feel Phantoms presence sink into the room as the green lightning intensifies. Dooku stumbles forward as he reaches out his hand, blue sparks forming at his finger tips, he takes a few steps to the side, shifting his aim for Savage instead. The overwhelming instinct to protect him takes over as I am filled with contempt, remembering how it felt when he shared his memories of his time as Dookus assassin. I drop out of the air, reigniting the Dark Saber as I fall to one knee, raising it just in time for it to absorb the strike. I want nothing more in this moment than to take him on myself, his body is weakened and his saber is no where to be found. I take only two strides towards him before Grievous reappears, blocking my attack with his remaining arm. I push him away only to watch Dooku join Sidious’ side, the thunder their attack creates rumbles through the walls of the temple. The stone begins to crack, sending pieces of debris onto the ground. Small rocks bounce off of, not my armour, but a faint green force field that engulfs my body, “Ke’slana buir.” Phantom commands our departure. Between the approaching army and the crumbling building, I agree it’s time to get out.
Grievous is much easier to handle with only one arm, his attacks are simple to defend while he only wields a single saber. His speed is slowed due to his broken mechanisms. I let him charge at me one last time, using my fibercord once more to tie his legs together, slicing through his last arm as he tumbles forward. With the last distraction now incapacitated on the ground, I look to Savage, his hands now clutching at his own chest as his energy is drained. He heaves on one knee, still trying to reach out to Talzin.
I rush to his side as Rook flies into the room, grabbing at his shoulders, confirming the droid army is nearing the surface of the planet. Mother Talzin steps forward, filled with determination she shouts back to us, “Go!” Her voice rivals the crackling thunder. She begins to falter as she steps forward, Dooku lowers his arms, he reaches a hand out, calling his saber forth.
“If I lower my defenses you will all die.” She spells it out of us, Rook looks at me for direction, the Dark Saber still pulsing in my hand. I nod to her, waving her back towards their ship. As she takes off, Savage stands up, trying to step towards his mother. If he fights, so do I. I take a few steps to be in front of him as he recklessly tries to muster up enough rage to regain some of his energy. Dooku activates his saber as he calmly steps towards us. Mother Talzins whips around, sending the two of us flying backward through the air, “Run!” she yells.
As our bodies hit the stone I ignore the pain, scrambling to hold Savage back as Dooku raises his saber. I pull his weakened body backwards, out of the broken doors where Koska and Phantom wait for us in the Nest. He gives in, clutching to my arm as Mother Talzins body begins to crack. Dooku pushes his saber deeper into her chest. Her body fades to the ground, the green smoke being split into sections as Dooku stands tall, Sidious joining his side, his yellow eyes blazing in the darkened room.
Once I haul his body onto the ramp Phantom takes off. I watch the two men become ants as we fly farther away from the stone buildings, the darkness of night having taken over the planets surface. What’s left of the temple crumbles, sending clouds of dust and green smoke into the small village that surrounds it.
The ramp closes, the dim light of the ship becomes glaring as I feel the weight of his body leave my arms. His body glows brightly in the air, though the mist is the colour of a Naboo forest. I reach to grab him as he floats before me, his body twitching. My hands can’t reach past the dark smoke, a similar shield to the one Phantom threw over top of me only moments ago. Panic begins to grip me as I imagine his death after we’ve escaped the peril. “Tjuv'aj vashe hērdca vkupě, cabur.” Her ominous voice haunts me once more, only intensifying my feelings of dread. I look to Phantom, hoping this is not their doing, craving a better explanation. Their eyes are fixed on the skies above us, no smoke surrounds them, not even in their reflection. Koska sits in the seat next to them, her body in the same state of shock as mine. The clover fades from the air, the bright white light turns into a dark mist as it rolls off of his changed body. He’s gently lowered towards the ground, I reach my arms underneath of him, accepting the weight of his being as I bring him down to the floor, resting him on my knees.
His metal arm, now too large to fit properly on his residual limb, rattles as it thumps to the ground, rolling over a few times before settling into place. Only to be disturbed as Phantom launches the ship into hyperspace, bringing us back yaim. Worry settles itself throughout my body, I scan him for any kind of movement as I try to steady my breathing. I tear my glove off with my teeth, not allowing my other hand to leave his body just yet. Taking his head into my hand, I lift him up gently while leaning in closer to his face. His breathing is faint, but consistent.
The relief consumes me. “Savage…” I say his name in a hushed tone, wiping off a clump of dirt from his face. My fingers trying to recognize his smaller horns, barely a quarter of the size they once were. The two that had been severed, appear whole, as they must’ve been before his transformation. Koska brings over a blanket to wrap him in, his armour having faded into nothing more than a thin tunic. His eyes flutter open as I tear off a piece of the fabric to wrap around his arm, a way to avoid chaffing the scar tissue. A pair of near translucent irises blink back at me. Already rushing to compose himself, unsure of his surroundings, he begins to sit up, his right hand rubbing his forehead. There’s no stopping him now, his legs already unfolding as he gets onto his knees. I offer my body for support as he tries to stand.
I wrap the blanket around his right shoulder, leaving his left arm free so I can wrap the extra fabric around it. I tie the ends carefully together, loosening the fabric so it’s not a nuisance to him. As I begin to tilt my head upwards, thinking of meeting his eyes, his hand stops me. Lightly holding onto my the edge of my helmet, he guides me towards where his head lies now, a whole foot lower. “Ner shu’shuk, Xander.” He grins at me, his hand slowly lifting up my helmet, still glued onto my head. My hands leave his back, rushing to take off the bucket on my head. I feel a bit of resistance as he traces his hand over the symbol on the helmet, the one that matches his own forehead. I place the helmet on the floor, trying not to add anymore scuffs to the new paint job. His hand lingers on my left pauldron, admiring my second tribute to him. I’m left in disbelief, trying to take in his new form, not used to being this close to his face without something to stand on. “To have you in front of me, to feel you, it’s a gift ner cabaara.” I divulge my feelings in this moment as I take his face into my hands, my fingers wrapping around his head. I pull him in as closely as I’m able, my lips finding his own. His arm wraps around my back, pressing my body into his.
Though I hold him now, tightly in my arms, some part of me refuses to believe he is real. I wrap my arms over top of the blanket, squeezing him as he would me. Tears leak out of my eyes as naturally as breathing, I grab hold of his face once more trying to convince myself he truly is with me now. His right hand joins my left, resting on his cheek. He leans into my palm, closing his crystal eyes, not letting his smile fade.
“I’ve missed you.”
