Boba came to stand beside Din once everything went back to normal, the jovial music that had been playing before justice had been carried out, started up again as though nothing happened.
“Impressive” Din stated after a few minutes of silence between the two of them.
“I refuse to put up with disgusting laosr.” (scum)
“I agree, the covert would have made any laosr, who attempted such a thing remove their beskar. Then everyone would take a turn to strike once. Sometimes they survived, sometimes they didn’t. Either way, they would be left on the surface of Nevarro’s lava fields.”
“Interesting. Maybe next time that could be the punishment. Although, maker… please don’t let there be a next time.”
Din didn’t continue the conversation, Boba became quiet and reflective, as though he were somewhere else, reliving a moment in history. He shifted away from Boba, allowing his friend a moment of quiet contemplation.
Boba put away the painful memories of the past and returned to the present. “Come back to my office Mando, we still need to discuss the pilot.”
With new found respect, Din simply nodded.
He noticed Boba’s visor was turned slightly away from him, Din turned to face where his visor was directed and saw the familiar figure of Fennec returning to the throne room, at some point she had left to dispose of the offending appendage. Fennec was wiping her gloves clean with a rag, as one of the servants passed her offering to take the rag from her. Bowing with a notable thanks towards Fennec, the servant took the dirty rag and left.
Din sensed his friend’s breathing become slower and deeper the longer Boba kept his focus on her, once the servant had left her side, she glanced upwards to see them staring at her. She simply nodded towards the both of them, they reciprocated the unspoken communication.
Boba turned towards his office with Din in tow following behind, Din finally began to understand what he’d been witnessing between the two, yet he reminded himself, ‘Not my business’.
Once they entered and returned to their respective seats, Boba cleared his throat, “Why not stay tonight as my guest, Mando, then tomorrow you can meet the pilot. If you are in agreement of hiring her, we can then discuss working for me and what would be the best quarry for you.”
“Thank you”
Boba nodded in response, although the conversation was practically over, Did hadn’t moved from his seat.
“Something else on your mind, Mando?”
“Tell me why you are so adamant and confident in this pilot?”
“I’ve known her for many years…” the softness that Din noticed Boba speak with Aola returned, but there was something more than just gentleness to the tone, even through the modulator, Din could sense something but not sure what it was, kriff, he was the worst when it came to emotions. “… She is not only an exceptional pilot mind you but one of the best people I know.” Boba continued.
Praise? Something Din never heard before either from the older Mandalorian, genuine praise.
“Is she your riduur?” (spouse)
“Ha, no. I will tell you Mando as a sign of good faith, I do love her, I love her with all my soul, I would give her anything in a heartbeat if she ever asked, but she never would. Despite that I admire her abilities, she is a very skillful mechanic, she keeps the speeders and ships running at the palace, she also has a garage in Mos Eisley.”
“So ... because you are in love with her and your mechanic, I should be ready to hire her?”
“Careful Mando. You are my guest and friend, but be careful how you talk about those I love” Boba’s tone was gritted and the softness that had been there washed away with Din’s question.
“I apologize.”
Maybe he was wrong about what he noticed between Fennec and Boba, maybe this woman was Boba’s real love? He tried to get back on a good foot with Boba, “Please, tell me more about her, can she handle herself?”
Boba recognized Din’s olive branch and took it for what it was, and let out a chuckle. “She can certainly handle herself, almost as good as you or I, perhaps better to be honest.”
Once again his voice returned to one full of softness and pride.
Boba pressed a button on the desk, while he was speaking with Din. “We shall try to see her tomorrow midday at her garage in Mos Eisley.”
Din simply nodded and thought it was best he not say anything further, lest he say the wrong thing. The door behind him slid open and the young twi’lek, Aola came in, the bruise that had begun to form when she was standing before Boba earlier, was not as prevalent, bacta had clearly been applied to speed up the healing process, Din also noticed she changed her tunic.
“You summoned me, Great Boba?”
“Please see to it that my guest is comfortable, have food and drink brought to his room as he will not be eating with the rest of us, and make sure his room is in my wing of the palace.”
“Yes, Great Boba”
Din nodded towards Boba with a thank you, although Boba may not follow the creed, he clearly respected Din’s decision to continue living it. Even though he removed his helmet before Mayfield, Grogu and the Jedi.
“Aola,” Boba said in the same gentle voice from earlier, causing her to lift her gaze from the floor to the visor looking at her, “you can just call me Boba, you don’t have to call me Great Boba.”
“Yes, Great Boba”
Boba let out a slight chuckle and sighed, “Please also make sure a new tunic and sleep wear is left for him on his bed.”
Din nodded his appreciation to Boba at the thoughtful gesture.
“Yes, Gre… yes, Boba.” She stated.
Din could see it took a great deal of effort for Aola to stop using Boba’s official title, it almost looked like it pained her.
She turned her head towards Din’s visor, he’d been watching the interaction between Boba and Aola.
“If you would be so kind, good sir, and follow me.”
Here, some resources for Din and Amara in Sins of the Father because I don’t think they have enough🙄😂
Anyways, go read this amazing story by this amazingly sweet and loving human bean @imabeautifulbutterfly it’s so good!!!! As someone who struggles to get into character X character (stories that aren’t X reader) this one has managed to fully rope me in and encapsulate me!!! I’m finally catching up AT THE END OF THE SECOND SEASON😭😭😭 but I can’t wait for more!!!
Warnings: slight mention of child labour, slight mention of orphans, some name calling
If I have forgotten any warnings, just let me know
Masterlist | AO3 Link | Previous -> Next
CHAPTER 2: THE MECHANIC - PART VI
Adi spoke up after Amara had been in a contemplative state for a few minutes, “So ... a king is begging for help from the Great Ama.’’ he teased her, she turned to look at him, rolling her eyes, “Sounds like it could be a good opportunity for you Ama, and a way to help us out as well, allowing us to do more like we’ve always wanted. ho knows, maybe he will make you his official mechanic/pilot of Mandalore.” She couldn’t help but laugh when she saw Adi wiggling his eyebrows at her suggestively.
There was no denying his logic or Babeh’s, as much as she loved and respected Babeh, he wasn’t exactly the best role model for Adi.
Babeh and Adi were both right, the more she thought about it, the more she knew she had to help the new Mand'alor, not just for his sake but for the sake of future Mandalore.
“Come on Ama, you know it would be barely any work or time involved, you would fly him out for a day or two and then fly him back. Just give it a shot, if you don’t agree with anything he does or anyone he’s involved with, break the arrangement. Tell him you’ll take him on a temporary basis, who knows, maybe he’ll introduce you to some nice Mandalorian knight or something.” Adi chuckled, he had a bad habit of trying to find Amara a husband any chance he got, he wanted to see her happy and truly loved.
Amara found it equal parts endearing and annoying, she loved Adi as her own, but she couldn’t help thinking about what would happen if she was gone from the garage or from Adi for too long? What if something happened to the new Mand'alor? Would she be blamed for what happened to him? What if he died? What if she was killed by the Empire while helping this new Mand'alor? What would happen to Adi if she was killed?
“Ok Adi, I’ll do it on a three-trip basis, if I find it’s too dangerous, that it would somehow bring danger to you, to Babeh, or to the people of Mos Eisley, I‘ll end the contract. But if he pisses me off one more time, he gives me one more stupid remark, one more snide comment, or he has foul smelling breath or body odour he’s out of here.”
“That’s not fair, Ama! You know, he’ll definitely piss you off, before he even leaves the garage!” Adi whines.
She playfully hits his shoulder, how did she end up with such a lovable dork as Adi.
—— *** ——
Din waited nervously, he didn’t know why he was so nervous. Yes, he messed up, his temper got the best of him, after all she’s not the only garage on Tatooine, he was sure he could find someone who would rent their ship to him. Maybe it was his respect for Boba that made him nervous? He didn’t want to lose one of the few people he considered a friend, and one of the few who didn’t want anything from him. He certainly wasn’t nervous because of the warm smile, or the sparkling eyes that had presented themselves when she saw Boba. It certainly wasn’t the kindness she bestowed the old man. Definitely, wasn’t due to her thoughtfulness regarding the orphans that had been looking for work by the cantina. Absolutely, wasn’t because she had a foundling of her own, who she protected fiercely, or the rage she felt when he suggested she was condoning child abuse. And it certainly wasn’t because she held her ground with the fierceness of a Krayt Dragon… no not a Krayt Dragon, a Loth-wolf, she was ready to tear him limb from limb, when she heard he had handed Grogu over to the Empire, he’d seen that look in her eyes before, he’d even given that look to Moff Gideon when he had Grogu in his clutches.
Out of respect for both Boba and Amara, he felt like he should have left and waited outside the garage, just in case seeing him would bring Amara to a new level of anger and rage.
Boba eventually came back, taking his seat at the table, as before Boba didn’t say a word, he remained motionless, and stared at the empty fallen chair where Amara had sat all those minutes ago. He was content to wait in silence, even more content if he never had to see her again, and would be super elated if she agreed not to work with him.
Shortly after Boba had sat, Amara came back, followed closely and excitedly by Adi behind her. His unruly blonde curls were bouncing with every step, his big green eyes were sparkling, they had the same energy her’s had when she had seen Boba.
The giant smile on Adi’s face gave Din a clue as to what the answer would be, Amara’s face was as professional as before. The anger and rage that had been there half an hour before was now gone, the warmth in her eyes that had been there originally was also gone, she was stoic, her expressions unreadable, if it hadn’t been for Adi, Din would have resolved this was a lost venture.
Amara stood beside Boba, looking into Din’s visor, again it seemed as though she could see through the visor and find exactly where his eyes were, her eyes were intense, serious, no chance of wavering.
She took a deep breath, her chest rising ever so slightly, “Fine” she began, never wavering in her stare, “I’ll help you on a trial basis, three trips, if I find I do not like the way you work, you bring any kind of danger towards Babeh … I mean the Great Boba, Mos Eisley, the garage, or to Adi, I‘ll drop your ass so fast at the furthest spaceport I can find and you can hitch your beskar-wearing ass back to the Great Boba’s Palace, understood?”
“Yes”
“Oh, and we DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT deal in hunting children. You do anything I don’t approve of, step one foot out of line and I’ll blow you out of the sky myself. Deal?”
She held her hand out for Din to shake. Din didn't hesitate as he grabbed her hand and firmly shook it. “Deal.”
The older lady stood beside Boba, replacing his protective stance beside Aola, she moved her arm around Aola’s shoulder guiding her to the side closer to the crowd.
Fennec hadn’t moved since all three of them entered the throne room, but once Aola moved to the side, Fennec took her spot beside Din.
Both watched as Boba motioned to the Head guard to bring forth the human male. The Gamorrean dragged the man closer to Boba forcing him to kneel once again.
Boba kept his visor trained on the guard’s eyes the entire time, even as he began addressing the crowd.
“I set down basic rules, and I expect everyone to follow them, do I or do I not?”
“VEE” (aye) was the resounding answer from those in the throne room.
“What is rule one?”
One of the guards to the right of Fennec shouted “What Boba declares is law.”
“What is rule two?”
This time a bounty hunter closer to the Head guard shouted “Either you bring your quarry in or you die trying.”
“What is rule three?”
“All are equal under Boba’s rule.” A female servant shouted from behind Din.
“What is the final rule?”
Aola answered with strength and confidence “No being shall be humiliated.”
“What is the punishment for disobeying any rule?”
“Boba’s justice!” The crowd answered in one voice
All the while Boba had his visor trained on the human male before him, meanwhile the attacker kept his gaze towards the floor. Boba grabbed a fistful of the man’s hair, forcing his head back, making his eyes lock onto Boba’s visor. The kindness that had been there a few minutes before with Aola, was replaced with seething rage.
“WHY DO YOU DEFY ME!?”
Boba’s voice echoed in the throne room, the attacker tried to wrench his head away from the deafening voice right beside his ear. Instead Boba gripped his hair harder, forcing his head back even further, his free hand came up and gripped the human male’s jaw.
Even from Din’s position he could see the grip Boba had on the piece of osik was powerful, the man’s jaw began to turn white. He could’ve sworn he heard a crack from the human’s jaw, only for confirmation to come through a few seconds later by the man’s face contorting in pain.
“I ASKED A QUESTION!”
The man refused to speak, simply flinching in response. Perhaps his jaw was truly broken and therefore unmovable, either way Boba’s patience was running thin.
“I gave you one chance. Last week you were told to stop harassing Aola, she asked you to leave her alone. I warned you, I do not stand for any sort of violation. Did I or did I not?”
The man simply nodded.
Boba’s grip on his jaw tightened further, causing the man to let out a scream of pain, as tears began falling down his cheek.
“I will NOT tolerate the humiliation of any being or quarry!”
Everyone nodded in agreement. Fennec took a step forward, standing in front of Din and the crowd behind her.
“As is the custom of the wronged, Aola, shall choose the punishment for this kung.” (scum) Boba declared.
For the first time since Aola moved to stand beside the older woman, Boba moved his head to look at Aola as she stood to the left of him. Boba slowly released his hold on the man’s hair and stood straighter from his bent position from holding the man, his hand on the male’s jaw however seemed to tighten even more, and another whimper of pain came from the attacker.
Din looked to Aola who looked as her strength and confidence returned tenfold, she stood straighter and without fear as she began to address Boba.
“Let him lose what he was so desperate to use. Let him lose the power he thought made him a man.” Aola answered without wavering.
A smile formed across Fennec’s mouth as she slowly removed a vibroblade, from one of her many hidden spots.
Din’s mouth contorted into a small smile, seeing this young twi’lek woman with renewed strength and able to face her attacker filled him with pride, his heart swelled with respect and admiration at hearing her words.
Boba released his hold on the male before him, standing erect and powerful before the coward of a man and the crowd. His authority and leadership clearly present, exuding from every aspect of his being.
The respect that radiated through the room from seeing their leader defend even the lowliest among them earned him greater admiration from his people.
The attacker still kneeling on the floor began looking between Boba, Fennec, and Aola. Fear replaced the defiance in his eyes, as his eyes locked on the vibroblade in Fennec’s hand.
A faint chuckle came out of Boba, which soon turned into a boisterous laugh, “I couldn’t have thought of a better punishment myself, Aola. Very well, after the act of justice has been performed let him wander the Dune Sea. Leave him in the middle of the Dune Sea, where certain death in any direction is guaranteed.”
Fennec nodded towards Boba, and motioned to the Head guard to hold the accused. The crowd all took a step back for the act of justice to be performed.
The ex-guard tried to run, tried to fight the hold the Head guard had on him, but it was all in vain.
Fennec knelt before the man with a swift movement of her wrist she made one precise and brutal cut, the sound erupting from the accuser was that of a wounded animal. Blood seeped all over the floor of the throne room, surrounding her, the accused and the Head guard.
She stood with the appendage he clearly valued more than Boba’s laws in her hand. The Head guard dragged the human male out of the throne room still kicking and screaming, no one dared to raise a hand to help him.
Now that justice had been performed, the crowd began to disperse, servants came forward and moved to clean up the blood from the throne room.
Boba turned his attention once again back to Aola, almost at once his kindness and gentleness resurfaced.
Although Din didn’t hear what was being said between Boba and Aola, he noticed Boba’s posture was that of a father taking care of a daughter. Once again, Boba placed a gentle hand on Aola’s right shoulder, and sent her off with the older woman that had been supporting her through the ordeal. Looking at the older woman, Din tried hard to forget the face that reminded him of the warmth that had begun to brew in his heart all those years ago.
Boba eyed the younger Mandalorian, it was clear he wasn’t ready to hear anything regarding his potential as Mand’alor. He simply nodded and motioned with his hand for Din to forget about it. He changed the topic of conversation more for the younger Mandalorian’s benefit, “So tell me Mando, why did you come here? What is it I can do for you?”
Din was grateful Boba didn’t pressure him into talking any further about his responsibilities, he let out a sigh, “I need work.” He could probably go into more detail but that was unnecessary.
“If I’m not mistaken, don’t you usually ask Greef Karga for work?”
“He’s trying to make Nevarro legitimate, he doesn’t work with the Guild anymore. And trying to get work from The Guild without a facilitator is … annoying. I wouldn’t be able to get enough work on my own, not in the amount I need to purchase a new ship.”
“Hmmm, well good thing you have another friend who was and still is part of the Guild. Tell me how many credits do you currently have?”
“8,000.”
“That’s not enough.”
“I know.”
“I could provide you with a loan.”
“I would rather work.”
“Well what if instead of purchasing, you rented a ship?”
“Doable.”
“I know an excellent pilot, you could hire her and her ship.”
“I don’t need a pilot. I prefer working alone”
“Ha! She won’t let go of her ship. Maybe meet her first before deciding.”
Din simply mumbled a grunt of approval, despite the fact he wasn’t fully onboard.
As Boba opened his mouth in defence of the pilot, a beep came from the door behind Din. The door swished open, Fennec walking into Boba’s office.
“Boba, one of the servants wishes to speak with you regarding an incident that happened with one of the guards.”
Boba let out a frustrated sigh rubbing his forehead, he lifted his head, boring his eyes into Fennec’s, his anger clearly evident but restrained. “Is it the same guard?”
Fennec simply nodded in response.
His anger unleashed itself like a Nexu, no longer cage, clearly felt and seen. In one swift motion he snatched his father’s helmet off his desk and slid it back on, throwing the chair backwards with his legs as he stood up.
Din watched as the chair tittered back and forth; the amount of force needed to rock the chair was no easy feat.
“Follow me.”Boba commanded the younger Mandalorian, his voice modulated again by the helmet.
Din didn’t argue, he simply stood and followed Boba and Fennec back to the throne room. Standing in front of the throne was a youngish Twi’lek woman. Behind her the crowd from earlier had thinned out, yet those that remained were focused, and many held expressions of sorrow and empathy on their faces. Din slowly scanned her face, noticing the beginnings of a bruise forming on her left cheek. Her left sleeve also appeared to have been recently ripped.
Boba’s anger subsided slightly as he stood before the young Twi’lek. However, when he spoke his voice became the gentlest and softest voice Din ever heard.
“Tell me child, what happened?” Boba asked as he placed his hand gently on her right shoulder. It was a soft, careful touch, like a father to a daughter.
The fear that had been on her face when Din saw her initially, began to subside as she let out a shaky breath, knowing she was safe now.
She kept her gaze on the floor, refusing to look at Boba’s visor and in a soft voice, softer than Boba’s had been, began informing him of the event that led to her standing before him.
Din was impressed when no-one in the throne room dared to speak while she spoke.
She explained slowly and carefully: she’d been cleaning the rooms in Boba’s wing of the palace, when a guard came in and closed the door behind him. The young Twi’lek woman turned when she heard the door close, at which point he came upon her and tried to force himself on her. She fought back, scratching, biting and grabbing anything she could reach. She refused to let him have his way with her. He held her shoulder to create the momentum he needed to give a strong enough back-hand and strike her left cheek, subsequently ripping her left sleeve. Upon hearing the commotion from the fighting and screaming, the Head guard for that area barged into the room and forcibly removed her attacker before he could do anything besides strike her. The Head guard dislocated the guard’s shoulder in the process of detaining him.
Boba’s and Din’s fists clenched in anger, simultaneously, upon hearing the details of the attack.
It was so quiet in the throne room, a pin drop could be heard. The tension radiating the throne room was palpable, Boba’s anger poured out of him like an inferno.
Din shifted his attention, looking for the piece of osik who attacked her. His eyes focused on the human male being forced to kneel behind the Twi’lek girl. His face was covered in scratches, his hands were bound behind his back, his right shoulder clearly dislocated, pain evident on his face.
There was no doubt in his mind, this was the hut’uun who had the audacity to disrespect a woman.
The Gamorrean guard standing behind the human male, was using more force than required to hold the man there, as a new wave of pain became evident on the man’s face.
Watching the man’s face contort, and squirm beneath the hold of the Gamorrean guard brought a smile to Din’s face, he began thinking of a million different ways he could increase his suffering.
Once the young Twi’lek had finished speaking, Boba gently raised her head with his right forefinger to look him in the eye. Din was surprised by everything he was seeing, Jabba’s palace in the past was never known for looking after servants, much less treating them with respect.
Din’s respect for Boba increased significantly, here was a man who knew what it meant to be a leader; Din began viewing the older man as an example of what a true leader or ruler would be. The kindness Boba was extending to this young servant girl, his gentleness, it was almost as though this girl was his daughter.
“I’m sorry, Aola, that this happened to you.” Boba began, Din was shocked to know Boba knew her name, “Thank you for telling me everything and not holding back, I know this must have been difficult for you.”
Boba’s visor, moved from Aola’s face to peer into the very soul of the human’s eyes who had caused such pain, with determination resting upon his aura, Boba motioned with his hand to one of the servants that had been standing nearby to the young Twi’lek.
Din watched as an older human female came forward, her face was kind, a motherly expression appeared on her face, along with softness in her eyes. It was a face that reminded Din of another mother with soft eyes, a face that had been left on Sorgan.
Summary: Amara and Adi try to settle in on Kashyyyk
A/N: Hello Lovelies,
Ahhhh I AM SO SORRY! Life has a way of throwing curve balls after curve balls. As some of you know from my announcement post, things got a little out of hand recently. My mom is doing a little better, the pain is at bay, but they still don’t know what kind of bacteria she has, hopefully they’ll be able to find out soon and then she’ll be able to go home after treatment.
Needless to say, my life has consisted of work, hospital, sleep, repeat.
However, I am trying to write when I get a chance, to give me some thing to look forward to, a little escape from the reality.
Hopefully, this chapter still flows, and you guys still love it. THANK YOU for waiting for the next chapter.
LOVE OO
Bold & Italics - Shyriiwook translation
Warnings: mentions of slavery, deforestation, feelings of insecurity, lack of trust, trauma, memories of past trauma, discussions of predatory animals, disrespect, I think that’s it, if I miss any please let me know.
AO3 Link | Words: 4,527 | Previous -> Next
Main Master List | Sins of the Father Master List
CHAPTER 37: THE UNWANTED
There was a slight breeze blowing through the trees, it surprised her how pleasant Kashyyyk was, she had expected it be more like Felucia with all the trees on the planet. Despite the deforestation that had taken place during the Empire’s reign there were still a healthy amount of trees; the living trees held a special place in the heart of the Wookiees, after all they all believed the planet belonged to the trees.
She closed her eyes as Amara leaned against the railing of the tree-top village, feeling the breeze on her face. It was so different from Tatooine, peaceful its own right. If you ignored the dangerous animals, and the unwelcome ‘inspecting’ crew, it was rather a lovely planet. She took a few more minutes of feeling the fresh air against her face and through her hair, she was a little reluctant to put the buy’ce back on, but it had gotten better thanks to the environmental controls she and Din had tweaked.
The more she’d been thinking of her future with Din, the more she realized she had to make a decision, either to follow the creed or not, to leave Tatooine and follow him to Mandalore or not. She knew she wanted to be by his side, and that meant making changes to her life, such as trying to wear her buy’ce more, she had to say though she may not have been a fan of the buy’ce there was a sense of freedom from wearing it. After all while she was with Ca’tra she didn’t really need to wear the buy’ce.
“Lahaoaoanwo ohrarcrcahoorc” (Little warrior)
The voice pulled her out of her musings, she turned to see Krrishor standing as the magnificent warrior he was, his hair blowing slightly in the breeze, for being a sentient who was quite tall and weighed almost 160 kg he was very quiet on his feet. She had to admit being amongst the Wookiees made her and Adi feel at home, “Is it time?”
“Tacworo’rcwo caorarcaoahwhrr aooo rrraaoacworc” (They’re starting to gather)
They had been on Kashyyyk for only a few days, but things were ramping up, she could sense it; there was a certain electricity in the air, a sense of worry and caution. Adi had also noticed there was a growing feeling of tension in the air, one of the older ones told him it was the trees, they were just as concerned about the unwanted visitors.
“Do you think there will ever be a time when people won’t aim to hurt one another?”
“Iwh aoacahc rrraanrakro? Noo.” (In this galaxy? No.)
As unfortunate and hopeless as that answer was, it was the truth; Amara didn’t say anything else, she took in one more deep breath before putting on her buy’ce thinking of the man who had slowly won over her heart waiting for the moment she’d see him again. She’s not sure at what point it happened but somehow Din became someone she could rely, someone she loved, someone she could hope on, and knowing he was on his way gave her a sense of comfort and warmth that made her smile.
She followed Krrishor along the pathway, it was deserted not many people visited the lookout she had become fond of; she could see a portion of the mountain just east of the Archipelago village, surrounded by the lake and beach; she especially enjoyed spending time there just as the sun was setting it was a mesmerizing sight. However, for many of the villagers standing at the lookout was a painful reminder regarding the destruction caused by the Empire, although the planet was slowly beginning to heal, there were still areas of the mountain where the deforestation was prevalent, and now to see the Czerka group begin to act as though they had rights to the land, a right to enslave the population, bred an anger within her she wasn’t sure she’d be able to contain within her armour. She wanted to destroy not just the landing party that found itself quite at home, but the Czerka Corporation in itself. If she could somehow bring it crumbling to its very knees, it would be a relief to so many who have suffered under the hand of the Czerka group, but that was a dream. The Czerka Corporation was more corrupt than Coruscant, they had the backing of several powerful people, although the Empire was gone, some of those who supported the regime were still around.
There was no point dwelling on the past or on the cruelty the galaxy decided to unleash on itself, otherwise she would’ve ended in a swirl of misery and depression. It was beyond her control to fix the galaxy, but she was able to correct and help those in her immediate vicinity.
She focused her attention on the craftsmanship of the village, the details and the intricate work were paralleled to nothing she had seen previously, when she had pointed it out to Krrishor and Krrsantan they simply shrugged and said it was a necessity. Something she learned about Wookiees, they had over a hundred different words for ‘wood’ but no word for ‘artist’. Which was a shame because aside from being family-oriented warriors, they truly were magnificent artists.
The walkway was smooth, smoother than transparisteel. It didn’t detract from the picturesqueness of the woods, it moved with the landscape and accentuated its beauty. Each family dwelling unit was big enough to house one family of five, her and Adi were staying in one of the dwelling units, it was huge just for them, and definitely more than enough for Boba and Din when they arrived which should be any day.
The sound of Krrishor’s stomach rumbling pulled Amara out of her musings; she focused on the reason she and Adi were there on Kashyyyk, it was to sight see or admire the architecture; it was to make sure everyone was safe.
Her mind pulled back to the here and now, “Heard anything from the scouts?”
“Owhwo scoorcwo aorcrawhcakoorcao anrawhwawowa, rarhoohuao aoohwowhaoro scoorcwo Cufworcorra ohoorcorworcc ohraanorwowa oohuao, rrwoaoaoahwhrr aoacwosccwoanhowoc cwoao huak raoaaoahwhrr anahorwo aoacahc ahc aoacwoahrc akanrawhwoao.” (One more transport landed, about twenty more Czerka workers walked out, getting themselves set up acting like this is their planet.)
“The Empire messed everything up, it wasn’t bad enough they were power hungry and one hell of a destructive force, but no, that wasn’t enough they also had to repeal the anti-slavery laws and actually deigned to classify Wookiees as non-sentients. Now that the Empire is gone, all those fools who were all too glad to follow along with their nonsensical ideals are happy just to continue their idiotic ways.”
“I waoowh’ao ohrawhao oohurc rooohuwhrranahwhrrc aooo chuwwwwworc rawhro scoorcwo.” (I don’t want our younglings to suffer any more.)
“None of us do. You’ve all been through a lot, I heard from one of the villagers about the Pau’an who was kidnapping younglings; and now you have to deal with the kriffing Czerka corporation. We’ll get them to leave one way or another.”
As they walked closer to Chief Elghro’s meeting room, Krrishor slowed down his steps, holding on to her shoulder, he didn’t want her going in and causing any kind of trouble or to lose the respect of the village. He meant to do it earlier, but time seemed to have slipped away amongst the other duties he had.
“Hrahowo rooohu raaoaowowhwawowa ra hoahananrarrwo scwowoaoahwhrr rhwowwoorcwo, anahaoaoanwo ohrarcrcahoorc?” (Have you attended a village meeting before, little warrior?)
“Not one on Kashyyyk” Amara smirked under the helmet.
He nodded, smirking at her charm, “Tacworcwo ahc rawh oorcwaworc aooo aoacwo ohraro scwowoaoahwhrrc rarcwo acwoanwa, wwahrccao Cacahwoww Eanrracrcoo ohahanan ooakwowh aoacwo scwowoaoahwhrr, acwo ohahanan aoacwowh ooakwowh aoacwo wwanoooorc aooo acahc rcahrracao acrawhwa. Aao ohacahoaac akooahwhao, aoacworo ohahanan waahcoahucc aoacwo cahaohuraaoahoowh ohwo wwraoawo rawhwa acoooh aooo rroo rarhoohuao ahao.” (There is an order to the way meetings are held, first Chief Elghro will open the meeting, he will then open the floor to his right hand. At which point, they will discuss the situation we face and how to go about it.)
“I have some ideas about how to deal with them, to make sure they never come back.”
“Awhro churrrrwocaoahoowhc rarcwo ohwoanoaooscwo, shhucao ohraahao huwhaoahan aoacworo ooakwowh ahao huak aooo oohuaocahwawo churrrrwocaoahoowhc. Jhucao orwhoooh aoacraao ohwo rarcwo akrcwoakrarcwowa aooo oaooscakanwoaowoanro wawoscooanahcac aoacwosc wwrcoosc oowwww aoacwo wwraoawo ooww aoacahc rrraanrakro. Tacworo’howo waoowhwo scoorcwo acrarcsc aooo aoacahc rrraanrakro aoacwowh aoacwo Escakahrcwo rawhwa aoacwo Zrorrworcahrawhc oaooscrhahwhwowa.” (Any suggestions are welcome, just wait until they open it up to outside suggestions. Just know that we are prepared to completely demolish them from off the face of this galaxy. They’ve done more harm to this galaxy than the Empire and the Zygerrians combined.)
Amara chuckled a little to herself, “Wacraao’c coo wwhuwhwhro?”(What’s so funny?)
“I was just thinking if the Empire welcomed you with open arms as opposed to ostracizing your people; I doubt anyone would’ve survived.”
Krrishor chuckled along with her, “I oaoohuanwa craro aoacwo crascwo rarhoohuao rooohurc akwoooakanwo, anahaoaoanwo ohrarcrcahoorc” (I could say the same about your people, little warrior)
She glanced up to him tilting her head, “Ahhh, yes well that’s a complicated history. Mandalorians have always hard a hard time being a united front. It’s how the Empire was able to eradicate us.”
“Iao’c rhwooarahucwo aoacworo orwhwooh rooohu ohworcwo caorcoowhrrworc aoacrawh aoacwosc. Saorcoowhrrworc aoacrawh aoacraao coo oaraananwowa Escakahrcwo.” (It’s because they knew you were stronger than them. Stronger than that so called Empire.)
“Anything else I should be aware of?”
“Doowh’ao ahwhaoworcrchuakao aoacwo Cacahwoww. Ac rawh oohuaocahwaworc, rooohu schucao ohraahao aooo rhwo raoaorwhooohanwowarrwowa rhro aoacwo rcahrracao-acrawhwa rhwowwoorcwo oaoowhaoahwhhuahwhrr ohacraao rooohu ahwhaowowhwawowa aooo craro; rawhwa wwahwhraananro shhucao rhwooarahucwo rooohu scraro rhwo acworarcwa waoowoc whooao scworawh aoacraao rooohurc ahwawora ohahanan rhwo raoaoawoakaowowa. Iww aoacraao acraakakwowhc waoo whooao cacoooh rawhro waahcraakakooahwhaoscwowhao, ahao ohahanan rhwo hoahwoohwowa rac waahcrcwocakwooaao aooo aoacwo Cacahwoww rawhwa aooo aoacwo oowhwo ohacoo rhrcoohurracao rooohu ahwh.” (Don’t interrupt the Chief. As an outsider, you must wait to be acknowledged by the right-hand before continuing what you intended to say; and finally just because you may be heard does not mean that your idea will be accepted. If that happens, do not show any disappointment, it will be viewed as disrespect to the Chief and to the one who brought you in.)
“Understood. If I do have something to say, how do I go about doing that?”
“Sahscakanwo. Jhucao caorawhwa.” (Simple. Just stand.)
“But of course.”
They both walked on in silence, reaching the meeting room; as soon as they stepped in through the door a shiny blue helmet appeared from among the crowd. Amara couldn’t help but smile as one of the older Wookiee’s, Gwehul, was grooming Adi as he sat there, even though there was nothing to groom since he’d kept his armour on the entire time; however, that didn’t deter her from stopping. She simply sat there, picking off all the lint she could find, and adjusted his armour, shiny what she could with her fur.
“Ama!” Adi waved her over, hoping that the grooming would stop once his mother was sitting beside him. He could tell by the way her buy’ce was tilted, she was laughing at him, and he couldn’t really be upset about it, after all if it was him he would be laughing at her.
- - - - - - - - - -
Everyone sat listening attentively to Gwehul who had seen the pain her village had gone through first hand, giving their full attention to the weight of the words she offered, each word full of anger and pain as memories from the past reopened old wounds.
“… Tacwo coohuwhwac ooww aoacwoahrc coarcworascc ohahanan wwoorcwohoworc rhwo rhhurcwhwowa ahwhaooo scro scwoscoorcro, ohacwowh aoacwo canrahoworcc rrrascwo aooo oohurc hoahananrarrwo, aoacwo whwohoworc wowhwaahwhrr caorcworasc ooww aoworarcc oaooscahwhrr wwrcoosc oohurc rooohuwhrr oowhwoc ohacoo ohworcwo oaraakaohurcwowa, caohuwwwwwowa ahwhaooo oarcraaowoc aooooo cscraanan wwoorcoaahwhrr aoacwosc aooo rcwoscraahwh aoacworcwo wwoorc acoohurcc, cooscwoaoahscwoc wararoc oowh wowhwa. Owhanro wwoorc aoacwosc aooo wowhwa huak rhwoahwhrr cooanwa oowwww rac oaacworaak akwoaoc aooo ohworaanaoacro akraaorcoowhc ooww aoacwo canrahowo scrarcorwoao; huwhaoahan aoacworo whoo anoowhrrworc cworchowowa aoacwoahrc hucwowwhuanwhwocc. Ohurc ohooscwowh, oohurc scooaoacworcc, wwrcahwowhwac, cahcaoworcc … scro warahurracaoworcc, wwoorcoawowa aooo wwahrracao rhworacaoc aoacoocwo oaooohrarcwac, ohacoo acwoanwa oowh aooo oohurc anworacacwoc, ohoohuanwa whwohoworc wararcwo wwahrracao aoacwosccwoanhowoc. I ohraaooaacwowa rac oowhwo rhro oowhwo aoacworo ohworcwo canrahurracaoworcwowa rawhwa aoacwoahrc anahhowoc oahuao waooohwh rhwowwoorcwo aoacworo wohowowh acrawa ra oaacrawhoawo aooo wokakworcahwowhoawo 200 roworarcc. Ohurc scwowh, oohurc wwraaoacworcc, rhrcooaoacworcc … scro achucrhrawhwa rawhwa coowhc, hucwowa rac rranrawaahraaooorcc rawhwa aorcooakacahwoc wwoorc Trcrawhwaoocacahrawh rrrascwo achuwhaoworcc rawhwa Iscakworcahraan scoowhcaoworcc ohacoo wwwoanao aoacworo akrcoohoahwawowa ra cakoorcaoahwhrr oaacrawhoawo…” (… The sounds of their screams will forever be burned into my memory, when the slavers game to our village, the never ending stream of tears coming from our young ones who were captured, stuffed into crates too small forcing them to remain there for hours, sometimes days on end. Only for them to end up being sold off as cheap pets to wealthy patrons of the slave market; until they no longer served their usefulness. Our women, our mothers, friends, sisters … my daughters, forced to fight beasts those cowards, who held on to our leashes, would never dare fight themselves. I watched as one by one they were slaughtered and their lives cut down before they even had a chance to experience 200 years. Our men, our fathers, brothers … my husband and sons, used as gladiators and trophies for Trandoshian game hunters and Imperial monsters who felt they provided a sporting chance…)
Amara shook her head as her heart broke for all the Wookiees and for every single sentient captured by a slave trader. No one deserved to be treated as nothing more than sport and entertainment, to not even be recognized as a viable sentient.
Many in the village knew Gwehul lost her family, but she never spoke regarding how they died or even what she witnessed. As Amara looked around the room, she could see many were with saddened faces, some were angry, others were shocked. They obviously heard stories regarding what some had been through, but none from a first hand account. Everyone was clearly very emotional and overwhelmed by the account they just heard.
Amara glanced over to Adi as difficult as it was for everyone else there to listen, she could just imagine how hard it was for him to hear, especially since, he had his own traumas to deal with. She wished he’d never had to deal with his hurtful memories, the pain he had suffered and as much as she wanted to protect him, keep him safe, she couldn’t. After all, that wasn’t being a good mother, you couldn’t put those you loved into a box and hide them away, that wasn’t being loving or realistic.
She couldn’t help but watch as his hand clenched against his knee, she gently placed her hand on his, giving it a slight squeeze. He turned to look at her, she couldn’t see his face, since he decided to leave his buy’ce from the moment they landed on Kashyyyk. She wasn’t sure if it was because he was contemplating the creed or if it was because he didn’t want his expressions to be giving away his thoughts, or to give him a sense of security.
“… aooo acrahowo aoacwocwo coahusc anrawhwa oowh oohurc acooscwo rawhwa aorcro rarrraahwh …” (… to have these scum land on our home and try again …) a younger Wookiee named, Muhli, gripped her bowcaster, the anger within her fuelling her, “…ohwo ohahanan cacoooh aoacwosc aoacworo rarcwo whooao ohwoanoaooscwo acworcwo. Tacworo schucao anworahowo! Tacworo ohahanan whooao rhwo raananooohwowa aooo anworahowo ohahaoac wohowowh oowhwo rcoooaor wwrcoosc oohurc acooscwo!” (…we will show them they are not welcome here. They must leave! They will not be allowed to leave with even one rock from our home!)
Everyone agreed with Muhli, she was the daughter of one of the warriors and was coming into her own. Many of the younger ones looked at her as a potential leader, many of the older ones respected her views and her ability to handle herself especially after her coming of age ceremony.
Chief Elghro waved his staff, it was the sign the floor was open to outside suggestions, now that the situation at hand had been discussed. Amara stood gaining everyone’s attention, she nodded her head to the Chief, something she noticed the other Wookiees had done before speaking.
“Prcoooawowowa anahaoaoanwo ohrarcrcahoorc” (Proceed little warrior) Krrishor acknowledged as the right-hand.
“Thank you, I know this is the first time many of you are meeting me, and are weary of having outsiders here, but I want to thank all of you for making my son and I feel welcomed. We have a great deal of respect for all of you and want to do what we can to help. Which is why we are offering to do a scouting trip for you, and gather as much intel as possible, the more we know about their goals and ” she motioned to both herself and Adi.
“Wacraao oarawh aoohoo Mrawhwaraanoorcahrawhc waoo?” (What can two Mandalorians do?) A Wookiee who appeared older than Muhli and younger than Krrishor spoke up. The atmosphere changed in an instant, there was a mix of tension and revere as he stood there speaking.
“Yoohu rarcwo whooao rcwooaoorrwhahufwowa, Iwhanoowhor; rcwocaorcraahwh rooohurc aooowhrrhuwo” (You are not recognized, Inlonk; restrain your tongue) Krrishor’s voice roared in the meeting room. Amara was a little taken a back by the tension that seemed to appear seemingly out of nowhere, “Lahaoaoanwo ohrarcrcahoorc oaoowhaoahwhhuwo” (Little warrior continue)
“Although, yes, it’s true that as of right now we are two, however, even with just us,” Amara motioned between her and Adi, “we can handle those unwanted visitors. But just so everyone is aware, two more will be joining us, both experienced and seasoned warriors.”
“Oac! Tacwo cacahwhro oowhwo ahc oaooscahwhrr?” (Oh! The shiny one is coming?)
Amara couldn’t help smile at the mention of Din, “Yes. The shiny one is coming.” She could feel her face heating up and she really wished the environmental settings would be working extra hard to cool her down. She cleared her throat, getting her mind focused back on the task at hand. “Back to the subject at hand, though I may be young in your eyes, I am not a stranger to the battlefield or new to taking risks. I am teaching my son…” she motioned towards Adi, and somehow even though she couldn’t see his face, she knew he was smirking at her, “…what it means to be a warrior.”
“Wwo orwhoooh rooohu rarcwo rhooaoac oaraakrarhanwo, rooohuwhrr oowhwo,” (We know you are both capable, young one) Chief Elghor stated. “Krcrcahcacoorc ahwhwwoorcscwowa huc acoooh schuoaac acwo rcwocakwooaaoc rawhwa rawascahrcwoc rooohu wocakwooaahraananro rawwaoworc rooohu acwoanakwowa wwrcwowo acahsc wwrcoosc aoacwo Zrorrworcrcahrawh canrahowo aorcrawaworcc. Wwo waoo whooao oaraanan ahwhaooo rqhuwocaoahoowh rooohurc rarhahanahaoahwoc, ahwh wwraoaao ohwo orwhoooh acoooh corahananwowa Mrawhwaraanoorcahrawhc oarawh rhwo; oohurc akwoooakanwo acrahowo wwraoawowa aoacwosc oowwaowowh wowhoohurrac ahwh oohurc acahcaooorcro. Wwo ohoohuanwa anahorwo aooo orwhoooh ohacraao wokraoaaoanro ahc rooohurc churrrrwocaoahoowh.” (Krrishor informed us how much he respects and admires you especially after you helped free him from the Zygerrian slave traders. We do not call into question your abilities, in fact we know how skilled Mandalorians can be; our people have faced them often enough in our history. We would like to know what exactly is your suggestion.)
“My suggestion is very simple, gather as much intel as possible, you have all done a great job scouting, but we need to know more, why they are here? What exactly drew them here? How many more are coming? The Czerka Corporation is different from the Zygerrian group. For example, Zygerrians will often fall apart once their leader is killed, however Czerka … Czerka is all about the profits and whatever kind of profits they can get, either that be slavery, weapons manufacturing, illegal arms deals, I even heard a rumour they were looking into cloning technology. So just killing a bunch of them won’t guarantee they’ll never come back.”
“Hoooh waoo rooohu churrrrwocao ohwo rrwoao rcahwa ooww aoacwosc?” (How do you suggest we get rid of them?)
“I craro ohwo raoaao whoooh!” (I say we act now!) Inlonk stated, speaking out of turn once again, a few of the Wookiees nodded in agreement.
“Iwhanoowhor! I ohahanan whooao caoraaowo ahao rarrraahwh, acooanwa rooohurc aooowhrrhuwo oorc I cacraanan rcahak ahao oohuao!” (Inlonk! I will not state it again, hold your tongue or I shall rip it out!) Krrishor motioned with his head for Amara to continue.
“Before we get to that, I think it’s best if Adi, myself and two of your warriors leave tomorrow before first light, situate ourselves on the ridge closest to the Czerka site and gather as much intel as possible. I also …”
Krrishor held his hand up cutting Amara off, “Bwowwoorcwo ohwo oaoowhaoahwhhuwo ohahaoac aoacwo scahwhoorc wawoaoraahanc ooww aoacwo scahccahoowh, anwoao huc oaoowhoaanhuwawo aoacwo scwowoaoahwhrr.” (Before we continue with the minor details of the mission, let us conclude the meeting.)
- - - - - - - - - - -
“First things first we need accurate numbers, I know Krrishor, you said your scouts have reported several transports have arrived and delivered more personnel. We need to know exactly what type of personnel, logistics crew? Researchers? Guards? And what sort of weaponry they’re carrying or really any sort of equipment.”
“They could also be here for the salvage, there is still a lot of equipment left over not just from the clone wars but also from the Empire” Adi offered.
“Pooccahrhanro, rhhuao aoacraao waoowocwh’ao scworawh aoacraao aoacworo ohoohuanwawh’ao aoraorwo ra oaacrawhoawo aooo wowhcanrahowo ra wwwooh anoooaraanc, ahww aoacwo ooakakoorcaohuwhahaoro akrcwocwowhaowowa ahaocwoanww” (Possibly, but that doesn’t mean that they wouldn’t take a chance to enslave a few locals, if the opportunity presented itself) Muhli added
“True” he nodded.
“That’s the other thing we need to know, why are they really here? Are they just here to salvage, is it to steal the trees away, or enslave whoever they can?”
“Wwo’anan raancoo whwowowa aooo cwoao huak ra crawwwoaoro ufoowhwo, cooscwoohacworcwo aoacwo hoahananrarrwo oarawh rchuwh aooo ahwh aoacwo wohowowhao ooww rawh raanan oohuao raaoaoraoaor. Wacraao waoo rooohu aoacahwhor Krcrcahcacoorc, aoacwo ‘Oanwa Prcahwhoawo’ waohwoananahwhrr, aoacraao’c rarhoohuao aoacrcwowo oranahoaorc whoorcaoac-woracao wwrcoosc acworcwo?” (We’ll also need to set up a safety zone, somewhere the village can run to in the event of an all out attack. What do you think Krrishor, the ‘Old Prince’ dwelling, that’s about three klicks north-east from here?) The second volunteer, Wrruh, an older warrior who had trained many of the younger warriors offered.
“Excuse me …” Amara cleared her throat, “when you say Old Prince, are you referring to Katarns?” Krrishor nodded his head, “You want to use a Katarn’s dwelling?”
“Iao acracwh’ao rhwowowh hucwowa ahwh wawooarawawoc, raanscoocao ra oawowhaohurcro” (It hasn’t been used in decades, almost a century)
“Are you sure about that? If we are going to be using it as an escape route, we should make sure that it’s empty and no chance of …”
Adi held up his hand as he looked at his mother and the other Wookiees in the room, “Uh, sorry” he interrupted, “But what’s a Katarn or an Old Prince?”
“Tacwo Oanwa Prcahwhoawo ahc ra akrcwowaraaooorcro rawhahscraan, howorcro hoahoaahoohuc, howorcro warawhrrworcoohuc” (The Old Prince is a predatory animal, very vicious, very dangerous) Chief Elghor answered.
“Doowh’ao wwoorcrrwoao oahuwhwhahwhrr rawhwa rcwoanwowhaoanwocc.” (Don’t forget cunning and relentless.) Gwehul added, “Foooorcoa rcra raooraoaooooachuoarcraohacohra rcrcohooohacohoorcoarcraraooraacooooohacoa raooraoaohoo raoaraacrcrcraoarawhrcraohacohraoa ooooohoh raooraoaohoo ohohoooorcoaohoooaraoo ooacrcraoa raooraoaohooraacrcoaoa, raooraoaohoorcoo raoaachuohacraooohooohra achuoa. Pachuoaraoaraacohacrcrc achuoa raoooooo raooraoaohoo rcacrcoaraacohacoorc, rcacachuraoo raooraoaohoorcoo ohraraacohraohac’raoo ohraohoooaraoorcoaoooorcoo achuoa. Iohacoaraooohoorcraohra raacraoo’oa rcacohoooorarcraachuoaohoo ooooohoh raooraoaohoocoa ooacohoo raoarcraacooohoo ohohooooachuohacohra ooooachurcoa raacohacohacohoorcoa ohohraacrcoaohoo.” (For a thousand generations the highlands of the forest was theirs, they hunted us. Pushing us to the brink, but they didn’t destroy us. Instead it’s because of them we have found our inner fire.)
“What do they look like?” Adi couldn’t help but be impressed by how they all revered, respected, and yet were cautious of this animal.
“Tacworo acrahowo canwowhwaworc rhoowaahwoc, ohahaoac anoowhrr aoacahwh aoraahanc anahorwo ra rcoowawowhao. Nrarcrcoooh wwraoawoc, ohahaoac oararcaoahanrarrahwhoohuc rcahwarrwoc akrcooaowooaaoahwhrr aoacwoahrc whwooaor rawhwa cacoohuanwaworc. Tacwoahrc akraohc acrahowo ooakakoocrarhanwo waahrrahaoc, rawhwa aoacwoahrc anooohworc anahscrhc rarcwo oaoohoworcwowa ohahaoac cacrarcak cakhurcc raananooohahwhrr aoacwosc aooo oaanahscrh rawhwa acrawhrr wwoorcsc aoacwo aorcwowoc. Hrahowo rooohu cwowowh Trarcoaacahahrc ohraanorahwhrr rarcoohuwhwa ohahaoac rawh rawhahscraan oowh ra anworacac?” (They have slender bodies, with long thin tails like a rodent. Narrow faces, with cartilaginous ridges protecting their neck and shoulder. Their paws have opposable digits, and their lower limbs are covered with sharp spurs allowing them to climb and hang from the trees. Have you seen Tarchiir walking around with an animal on a leash?)
Adi nodded to Muhli as she described the animal in detail, he definitely had to remember to thank his Ama for putting in the translation app into his buy’ce and for teaching him what she could of Shyriiwook otherwise he’d be super lost, “Tacraao’c rawh Oanwa Prcahwhoawo, acwo orwoakao ahao ohacwowh acwo orahananwowa aoacwo akrarcwowhaoc wahurcahwhrr aoacwo oaworcwoscoowhahraan achuwhao wwoorc acahc oaooscahwhrr ooww rarrwo, rcraahcwowa ahao, waooscwocaoahoaraaowowa ahao; ahao’c coo cohwowoao, anahorwo ra scraccahwwww, shhucao ohrawhaoc coarcraaooaacwoc rawhwa anoohowo, acooohwohoworc aoacwo Oanwa Prcahwhoawoc ahwh aoacwo ohahanwa rarcwo rchuaoacanwocc rawhwa scworcoaahanwocc. Tacworo’howo rhwowowh orwhooohwh aooo aorcraoaor aoacwoahrc akrcworo wwoorc anoowhrr akworcahoowac ooww aoahscwo rhwowwoorcwo oaacoooocahwhrr aoacwo scoocao ooakakoorcaohuwhwo scooscwowhao aooo caorcahorwo.” (That’s an Old Prince, he kept it when he killed the parents during the ceremonial hunt for his coming of age, raised it, domesticated it; it’s so sweet, like a massiff, just wants scratches and love, however the Old Princes in the wild are ruthless and merciless. They’ve been known to track their prey for long periods of time before choosing the most opportune moment to strike.)
“Tacworcwo ahc whooaoacahwhrr aooo wwworarc, ohwo acrahowo woraoaac wwraoawowa rawh Oanwa Prcahwhoawo ahwh aoacwo ohahanwa rawhwa churchoahhowowa!” (There is nothing to fear, we have each faced an Old Prince in the wild and survived!) Krrishor roared pounding on his chest, “Iohoh ooacohoo ohraraacohraohac’raoo raooraoaraacohacoorc ooacohoo ooraooooachurawhohra ohraoooo raacraoo, ohraoooo rcooooooachu raoaooooohacohoooaraoorawhrcoo rcacohoorawhraacohooacooohoo ooacohoo ooacooooachurawhohra’acooohoo ooooohohohohohoorcoaohooohra achuraor raooraoaohoo rawhoooooorarcraraooraacooooohac. Wohoo rcrarcoaohoo rcrarcacrawhohoo raoooooo ohraohooohohohooohacohra ooooachurcoa ohohrcracoaraacrawhraacohoooa!” (If we didn’t think we could do it, do you honestly believe we would’ve offered up the location. We are able to defend our families!)
“Please understand, we mean no disrespect” Amara offered holding her hands up and open away from her body and away from her weapons, “I have simply heard tales of how formidable they can be. The last thing I want … any of us want” she motioned to everyone, “is to move your families, our friends, from one dangerous situation to another.”
“Tacraao ahc aoacwo anahwwwo ooww Kracacrororoor, anahaoaoanwo ohrarcrcahoorc.” (That is the life of Kashyyyk, little warrior.)
“Then I hope we will be able to honour you way of life.”
“I acrahowo whoo waoohurhao, anahaoaoanwo ohrarcrcahoorc” (I have no doubt, little warrior) Krrishor placed his hand on her shoulder, patting it. “Nooooooac rcrarcacooooachuraoo raooraoaraacoa raorrawhrcraohac ooooohoh rcooooooachurcoaoa, raacoa raacraoo rcraoa oorarcoarcrahuwwrcoo rcraoa ooacraoaohooohac rcooooooachu ooacohoorcoaohoo ooooohac raooraoaohoo Foooorcoaraoorcoaohoooaoa?” (Now about this plan of yours, is it as crazy as when you were on the Fortress?)
“I wouldn’t say as crazy, but close to the spectrum”
Summary: Adi makes a decision that will impact the rest of his life
A/N: Hello Lovelies!
I’m back, oh man I’m so happy not to be having any sort of migraines, still getting slight headaches here and there but nothing compared to what I was having in October. Nothing preventing me from writing at least so woohoo.
I’m already working on the next chapter for Gym Membership, hoping to get that out to you guys in two weeks. Thank you for sticking around and being patient.
Not to mention 300! I’m at 305 or 307 followers, I can’t believe it, that’s so amazing. I love you all.
I am going to come up with a 300 celebration, not sure yet about the exact celebration, but I shall let you know soon.
Italics - flashback
Warnings: Grief, kissing, slight make out, mentions of slavers, death, I think that’s it. If I miss any warnings please let me know.
AO3 Link | Words: 5,204 | Previous -> Next
Main Master List | Sins of the Father Master List
CHAPTER 35: THE INHERITANCE
Adi’s hands trailed over his father’s armour, he could still remember vividly the last time he had seen Ca’tra, he was almost three years younger, a lot shorter, but he could still remember the feeling Ca’tra always exuded: impenetrable, invincible, and everlasting.
He remembered thinking it was all some elaborate joke, when his mom came out of the Sintas telling him, his father wasn’t coming back. He was convinced it was only a matter of time before Ca’tra would miraculously appear behind his Ama, or simply jump out and yell surprise at the most random of times, or end up showing up in another ship. Even when he saw Ca’tra’s armour in the sack she was using to carry it home, he was unwavering in his belief it had been someone else’s armour.
It was about two days later, when his comms continually went unanswered, his mother’s unending tears, and the silence that had fallen in the house, along with the constant visits from Babeh, Gregor, Pelli and surrounding friends, was he fully persuaded in his heart his father was never coming back.
The family he had dreamed of for so long was gone, the father he looked up to, the man who trained him, who held him when he cried, who had treated him like a son from the moment he appeared in their lives had disappeared from his life permanently.
The ship was in hyperspace, only two parsecs away from Kashyyyk, he took a moment to really think about the decision he was going to make, was this what he wanted? To follow in the steps of his grandfather, mother and father? To follow the Mand’alor? Did he see himself as a Mandalorian? As a warrior? Was it right for him to put on the armour that would define who he was, where he stood in the galaxy, and how he connected to the creed?
He hadn’t tried it on, not even when his mother opened the cache and showed him the armour on Papsr. He was tempted. His eyes kept focusing on the helmet that had appeared so menacing and so comforting at the same time. He sat down on his bunk, holding the helmet in his hand, he took in a deep breath and put it on, almost instantly the HUD activated, everything looked different. It would take time to get use to wearing a helmet all the time, but not uncomfortable or impossible to adjust too.
There was a small yellow icon on the top right corner of the HUD flickering, his eyes focused on the icon. The screen went black for a second before what looked like their common room in their house appeared, the torso of a man appeared, as hands adjusted the helmet back and forth, until Adi saw Ca’tra sit down on the chair in front of the helmet.
He looked young, fresh, fit, a cheery smile on his face, his hand running through his hair, as he fixed himself.
‘Hi Adi’ he offered a small wave, as his face only brightened. ‘Not sure when you’ll be seeing this, but if you are seeing this, that means I’m not around.’
Adi felt his throat begin to tighten, as the voice he hadn’t heard in almost three years filled his ears.
‘It’s late, your Ama and you have just gone to bed. In case your wondering it’s the night of when I proposed to your mom.’ The dimple that only appeared when Ca’tra ever looked at Amara or when he spoke about her graced his smile.
‘You might not remember but we stayed up late partying and planning our future as a family; I made you some promises tonight, and I’m sorry I failed in those promises Adi. Ner ad’ika, I wanted to fulfill those promises with all my heart and might, but as your mother constantly reminds me, life’s a pazaak game, unless you can cheat your way through it, you never know the hand you’ll be dealt.’
His eyes started to water at seeing the man he missed from his life, there were no words to say how much he wanted to be by that man’s side right now. How much he wanted to feel his hand tussle his hair, like he use to do. To smell his scent of gunpowder, grease, dust, musk, and the metallic scent that always seemed to linger around him.
‘I just wanted to um …’ Ca’tra rubbed the back of his neck, ‘Ha! You know I’m not good with words, not really good with anything except your mom and you. You both have given me so much more than I ever thought I would get in this life.’
Adi could feel a tear slide down his cheek, he went to wipe it, only to feel the coldness of the beskar helmet.
‘Adi’ka, ner ad, I know you think I call you these things simply because of your mom, but that’s not the case. Ever since I met you, and you tried to punch me for hitting on your mom …’ Ca’tra smiled and let out a chuckle, ‘I knew I wanted you to be my child. You are my child. My little one. I love you Adi … maybe I should use your real name, Khoan Vel.’
Ca’tra took in a deep breath, ‘You are an amazing son, Khoan. There’s something I wanted to do, and I’ll do it at the wedding and make it official. Not sure if it’ll count if I do it this way, but in the event I don’t make it then, I want you to know how much you mean to me.
Ni kyr'tayl gai sa'ad, Khoan Vel (I know your name as my child - adoption rites).
From this moment on, you are my son Khoan Vel Gaan.
Ner ad’ika, my son, you are a joy and a light in my life I never expected. I know there will be times when we butt heads, and we may even end up getting angry with one another and never talking. However, I want you to know no matter what, I love you my son. I will always be here for you, and I will always love your mother and you.’
Adi watched as Ca’tra wiped away a tear, he wanted to run into his father’s arms, he wanted to tell him he would always be his son, he’d never let him down.
‘Adi, there may be a time when your mom will meet another man, someone who will make her happy, someone who will make her laugh, who will fill her life with love and joy. It may be hard for you at times to see someone else step in to my shoes, but if it’s for her, promise me you will take the time to get to know him, to see what she sees in him. However, if you think that he’s not worthy of being by her side, then make his life a living hell. You have my permission.’
Ca’tra chuckled at little, it made Adi chuckle along with him, he wondered how he would feel knowing Din was the one who had captured his Ama’s heart.
‘I’m kidding, well to a degree. Just … just don’t let him in too easy, throw him some curveballs here and there, although knowing your mother, she’d be doing that already. Son, there are so many things I want to tell you, so many things I feel I should impart.’
Ca’tra cleared his throat, his thumb and forefinger passing over his lips, pursing them together, “Okay, first things first, this armour, this is for you. Whether you decide to take the six tenets or not, this is your inheritance as my son. Some may say that you are not deserving of it, or that only those that are truly Mandalorian are allowed to wear the armour. Well tell them … you know what, tell them where they can stick their unsolicited comments, and make sure they shove it so deep it gives them …’ Ca’tra cleared his throat again, ‘Sorry, got a little carried away, what I’m trying to say, don’t listen to what anyone else tells you. This armour … is yours and yours alone.’
Adi wanted so much to have his father there, to have the man who took him in without a second thought, who taught him how to defend himself, how to be there for his mom in a way he never thought of. He wished above all else that he was there telling him these things in person, rather than in a holovid.
’Adi there will come a time in your life when you’ll meet someone who - ohh how do I say this … it’s different for everyone, it could start off as hate, it could be as simple as a hello, they could end up being your best friend. Somehow, in some way, there’s a moment when you look at that person and you realize in that moment your life will never be the same. Imagining your life without them beside you, without their smile, their jokes, their kindness, whatever it is that draws you to them, all of a sudden you will realize they complete you, they make you whole. When that happens ad, you have to promise me. Promise me you won’t push them away, you won’t make them feel less then they deserve. At the same time make sure they don’t make you feel less than who you are, or unworthy to be by their side. You are a brilliant kid, smart, stubborn like your mom, kind, quick witted, and you have a big heart Adi.
Love is a tricky thing, sometimes you think you love someone, fight to be by their side, only to realize you never stood a chance. And that’s okay. It’s okay to try and lose, because it means you were brave enough, courageous enough, and willing to do something most don’t have the courage to do.
Then there could be a moment, when your heart is breaking and you don’t think you’ll ever find the right one, and you stumble upon a garage with a pair of legs sticking out from underneath a speeder and you realize the love you thought you had for someone else, could never measure up to the love you really feel for the right one.
Just remember to always treat them with respect, treat them with kindness and compassion, treat them with the honour and dignity they deserve whether the relationship works out or it doesn’t. They opened their heart to you, that’s a privilege they grant you.’
It surprised Adi to see him wipe a tear, he let out a soft chuckle as he wiped a tear away ‘I know a grown man crying… these tears are because I am happy and blessed to have found you and your mother. Don’t be afraid to cry Adi. Don’t be afraid to show emotion. There’s nothing wrong with being able to show emotions and cry, there are some who would say it’s ‘unmanly’ to cry, ignore them. Tell them to stick their advice the same place as those who tell you, you can’t wear the armour.’
Ca’tra glanced at something on the wall behind the helmet, and then back at the visor, ‘Adi, I have so much more I need to tell you, however, I also have to get up in a few hours. I’ll be making recordings throughout of things that I feel I should tell you, they’ll all be stored in this helmet. Don’t worry you’ll be able to find them easily enough.
I’m sorry I couldn’t be there to tell you these things in person, son. I’m sorry I couldn’t make it back to you. I will try with all my might to make my way back to you, but if I can’t know that I didn’t give up easily, know that I gave it my all to make it back to you and your mom.
Even though I might not be by your side physically, at least you’ll have these holovids, and my own amazing wisdom.’ Ca’tra chuckled rubbing his hair, ‘Your mom will probably tell me that my wisdom is something that no one should listen to’ he let out another chuckle.
‘I love your mom, Adi, and I love you. You are both my family, and the day we will get to be united as one clan, will be the day that my world feels complete. You may not want a family of your own Adi, and that’s fine, you don’t have to try to live the life I lived, or to follow your mom’s footsteps either. You just follow your own path, whatever your decide or choose, we will be proud hakayrus (parents) because you are our son and we love you very much..’
Ca’tra stood from his seat and pressed a button on his vambrace, the recording finished, and the hud simply showed him his room. He took off the helmet wiping his eyes of the tears he had been shedding for the past while.
He looked at the helmet once his vision was back and no longer obstructed by the tears that were simply free flowing at hearing his father’s voice again. His fingers tightened around the helmet, as he pressed his forehead against it, “I miss you dad, I miss you so much. Thank you.”
He placed the helmet beside him, as he stood. The tears wiped clean. He opened his compartment, and pulled out a new flight suit, he laid it on his bunk beside the armour. He wasn’t sure if this was the right thing to do, but he felt he had to do this.
He took a knee in front of his father’s helmet, placing his hand on top of it, gently, reverently. He took in a deep breath, and closed his eyes bowing his head towards his father’s helmet..
“Teh ibic kusa'yr Ni malyasa'yr surya arsaor ti kar'ta be a Mando. Ni danija at oyacyir ner jibr miasa'iaru yaa mateh gotal'ur jid giarioa, buir. Ni vor entye par e'lyreu'anr ka bal par daorida at hbina ka. Ni malyasa'yr draar digur gar” (From this moment I will wear you armour with the heart of a Mandalorian. I vow to live my life in that manner that would make you proud, father. I thank you for teaching me and for continuing to guide me. I will never forget you.)
Maybe the rites didn’t count since it was via a holovid and not in person, however knowing that Ca’tra Gaan made the effort to do this for him, was willing to take him on in front of everyone as his son, meant more to him than he ever realized.
He stood changing out of the clothes he had and slowly putting on his new attire, he took his time adjusting the flight suit before putting on every single piece of armour, double checking all the weaponry on it like his hakayrus taught him, every time they donned their armour. He didn’t have any gloves, that would be something he could purchase later on. He attached his cuirass, took in a deep breath as he lifted the helmet and placed it on his head.
He took his time to open his eyes, viewing his world through the hud. It was a disorienting experience at first, there was a lot of information. He walked around his room, getting use to the new visuals. He was walking backwards, when a red light flashed on the left hand corner, showing him what was behind him, he moved his hand behind his head, seeing his fingers wiggling.
Seeing all the features the buy’ce (helmet) had to offer, made him realize how amazing Ca’tra, his Ama, Babeh and Din were, they were able to see all that information and still be the badasses they were. They absorbed, assimilated and acted on the information provided to them, within an instant. Although he had played around and been taught how a buy’ce works, it was very different to see it in action.
He felt like a new born fathier, trying to find his footing, it was very different walking around and dealing with all the added information, little icons popped up when he looked at certain items. He remembered his father telling him, ‘focus on what you need to see and what’s important at the moment.’
He practiced for a bit longer before he decided to venture out of his room.
- - - - - - - - - -
Amara was focused on the readout in front of her, she had noticed the hyperdrive was running a bit sluggish, it was still pushing an optimal output however, she never liked it when her ship dipped below her own acceptable levels. She smirked hearing Din’s voice in her head ‘Mesh’la you know, it will still run.’
She chuckled remembering their bickering.
’Sweetie, I know you loved your Razor, but if I ever saw your ship and how you attempted to repair it, you and I would’ve never happened.’
Din laughed, his jovial booming voice bouncing off the walls, ‘I promise you, I took a lot better care of the Razor than you think I did.’
‘From the way you describe it, it certainly doesn’t sound like it.’
‘The Crest was my home, my lady, of course I took care of her.’ He leaned over pressing his forehead against hers, ‘The same way I take care of you.’
‘Are you saying, you’re just finding the easiest and fastest fix for me?’
‘Never’ Din placed a gentle kiss on her cheek, as he shifted closer to her on the couch, Adi wasn’t home yet, he was sparring with Fennec, and Grogu was napping in the room he was sharing with Din. Din’s hand cradled her jaw gently as he slowly turned her head to look at him, ‘I’d use only the very best materials and the most exceptional mechanics to fix you’
‘Oh, so you’re saying I do need fixing?’
Din’s eyes widened as a confused look appeared on his face, ‘No, that’s not what I’m saying at all. I think you’re perfect the way you are.’
‘Oh, then I’m a mess you don’t want to bother with?’
‘No! That’s not … what I mean is …’ Din looked flustered not sure what was the right thing to say, he was ready to apologize to grovel, when he saw a smirk appear on her lips, as her eyes sparkled.
‘You’re so easy’ Amara laughed out, he let out a frustrated sigh, chuckling along with her as he pulled her towards his lips, kissing her with a passion he had forgotten existed within him. She shifted till she was sitting on his lap, running her fingers through his hair. When they both pulled back in order to catch a breath, ‘We should probably stop.’
Din nodded against her forehead, as his hands found their spot on her waist, ‘Yeah, we should otherwise I won’t be able to stop’
‘Not to mention, this is not something I would want my son or your son to walk in on’
‘True’ Din pecked her lips, pressing a soft kiss to her cheek followed by a kiss on her neck, ‘Yeah’ his warm moist breath flushed over her neck, ’I don’t think Adi would appreciate seeing this …’ he pulled back to look at her, his hand caressing her face, ‘You are so beautiful.’
‘You don’t have to do that’
‘I’m serious, cyar’ika. You have no idea how beautiful you are, every time you smile, you look at me, every time I see you take care of those you love, those who are in need, I am amazed by your beauty inside and out, you are amazing and I am honoured to be by your side.’
She pressed her lips against Din’s, deepening the kiss by tilting his head back, ‘You know …’ she mumbled against his lips, ‘We won’t …’ she tried to get out, as he chased her lips, ‘Be able to…’ his hand shifted to the back of her head pressing her lips back against his, chasing her taste as though it was the very air he needed to breathe, ‘For a while.’
‘Why do you think I keep trying to hold on to this moment?’ He quirked his eyebrow as he smirked at her.
Amara cleared her throat, this wasn’t the time to be lost in thought. Adi hadn’t said much since they arrived at Papsr and as soon as they boarded the Sintas he locked himself in his room with the armour. She tried to offer what she could as an explanation, but either he didn’t hear her or he wasn’t ready to listen was all she could determine from his silence.
She wandered to his door at least ten times since they took off from Papsr, however, she just couldn’t bring herself to knock on her son’s door. There were times when he just needed a moment to himself and there were times when he needed her, for right now, he needed space to deal with his grief.
The sound of the door sliding open behind her, gave Amara a sense of relief knowing that Adi was ready to talk, “How are you feeling?” She focused on the diagnostic report, giving Adi time to get his words ready. She didn’t want to force him or put him on the spot by staring at him.
“Ama” hearing his modulated voice, made the statement he was about to make all the more real. He watched as she slowly lifted her head and turned to look at him. She didn’t say anything, simply stood and walked over to him. She was visibly holding back the tears, as she stood in front of him.
“You put it on” Amara offered a smile through her trembling lips, he looked so much like Ca’tra in that moment, the way he was standing, the aura he exuded through the armour.
“I did” he cleared his throat, afraid his voice would start shaking.
“How does …” now it was her turn to clear her throat, if Ca’tra was there he would’ve been so proud of him, “How does it feel?”
“Good. Surreal. A little weird if I’m being honest.”
She nodded in agreement, “Yeah, I get that” her hand fidgeted with the wrist band she’d always worn on her wrist, it had belonged to Ca’tra. He gave it to her the morning of that fateful day, he wanted to give her something to help her realize he was always by her side.
“Is it okay if …” Adi motioned to the armour he was wearing.
Amara placed her hands on his helmeted cheeks, “Of course it is, that’s what he would’ve wanted. It suits you.”
“He … He left a holovid for me, he …” Adi cleared his throat, “He performed the Gai bal manda (adoption ceremony - literally ‘name and guardian’) on the holovid.”
There was a look of shock on Amara’s face, he never told her, he was planning to perform one via a holovid. The plan was to do it in front of all their family and friends at the onvior warasu’ir (wedding ceremony).
A smile spread across her face, “I’m happy for you. He loved you sooo much, not being able to do it in person really ate at him that day. I’m glad he was able to do it, even if it was via a holovid.”
“Does it still count?”
“Of course it does. Without a doubt. It counts.”
“The hud is hard to get use to”
“I know. It takes time. The trick is to keep your buy’ce on for as long as you can stand it, then take a break and try again, increasing the amount of time you wear it.”
“Is that how you learned?”
“More or less, except I played with Babeh’s helmet when he let me. Plus, I got really use to wearing the magnifiers I use while working on the engines. It’s a similar concept.”
“Oh true, no wonder it felt a little disorienting at first.”
“Are you going to paint it?”
“What?”
“The armour?”
“I don’t know. The white, black and blue just feel right.”
“I understand. Just know the option to change, is there. Do you remember what the colours mean?”
Adi nodded as he glanced down at his armour, “Blue means reliability, black signifies justice, and the white means a new start.”
Amara tugged him over to sit in the co-pilot seat, as she took her seat, her legs shifting on the chair until she was comfortable, she leaned her head back, chuckling to herself, “Do you know why he painted those colours?” She glanced over to Adi.
He simply shook his head no.
She smirked as she thought back to that moment, “He said he painted it blue, because even though he may be late, battered, and bruised, you could always count on him to show up. Eventually.”
“Yup, that sounds like him” he chuckled along with his mom, remembering the amount of times, he would arrive, bruised or just in the nick of time, “Why did he add the black?”
“Ahhh … that …” Amara took her time with that answer, she shifted a little in her seat, feeling the weight of the answer that was to come forth from her mouth, “When Ca’tra was a little boy, before he joined the fighting corp, he was living on Taris. It … let’s just say it wasn’t a nice place to grow up. After learning about what it meant to be Mandalorian, to see the way most valued honour and dignity, he understood what he wanted to bring to his life. Justice. Granted it was his own kind of justice, but it made him realize that was something seriously lacking in the universe.”
Adi was silent, nodding slowly, “No wonder”
“No wonder?”
Adi shifted in his seat, readjusting his flight suit, “Um … well Ca’tra made me promise not to tell you.”
“Not to tell me, about what?” Amara quirked her eyebrow as she looked at Adi, if Ca’tra was there she would have had it out with him, “Actually, how many times did Ca’tra make you promise not to tell me things.”
“It was just that one time…” he held up a finger, “Ok, maybe two times …” he slowly raised his second finger, before he shifted his head side to side raising his third finger, “Three. Definitely three times, but they were really good reasons”
“Mmhmm” she crossed her arms as she sat back, “What was it that he told you not to tell me?”
“This was about three months after we met him, you weren’t able to pick me up from school, so he volunteered.”
“Right, I think I remember this - - you guys ended up being half an hour late, and I was about ready to kill him.”
“Well the reason we were late, was because he … he was busy saving someone from a group of slavers.”
“What? He never told me this”
“He wasn’t sure how you’d react about him having to make a deal with slavers while your son sat beside him.”
Amara chuckled, “Well he had a point there, if I had learned about it then I would’ve probably killed him.” She settled in her seat, looking at her son, his coming-of-age ceremony was just a few weeks away, seeing him sit there in his father’s armour - - it all sunk in how much he had grown from that scrawny kid she saved all those years ago. “Well, what happened?”
“Ama you should’ve seen him, the way he reasoned with them, the way he tried to convince them to let the person go. He sat there only speaking when he needed to, and even though he had to eventually resort to threatening them, he was able to make sure the person was safe. He told me afterwards, all it takes to make sure justice is served is for one person to care. One person to offer help makes all the difference in the world.”
Amara couldn’t help smirking thinking about all the ways Ca’tra made an impact on their lives, from that first meeting, till the last moment he drew breath. “You know he added the white to his armour after he left the covert. He said it was his new start. A new start that led him to the best possible outcome. He always said the best choice he ever made was leaving the covert and finding his own way as a mercenary slash bounty hunter. He was glad his path led to us.”
“I am too” Adi smiled as he looked at his mom, even though she couldn’t see it he had no doubt she knew it was there. “I’m glad I’m his son; I’m grateful I have this as an inheritance” he motioned towards the armour, “It makes me feel in some way he’s still here with me … with us.”
She reached over holding her son’s bare hands, “Me too. I’m glad you have it.” She smirked at the fact he didn’t have gloves, he looked as though something was missing from his armour. “Tell me, does this mean you are going to take the Resol’nare or are you just honouring your father? Either way, I’ll support you.”
He gave her hand a squeeze before she shifted from her seat. He didn’t pay attention to what she was doing, as the console began beeping with an alert, “I’ve vowed to live my life in a way that will honour my father, and I believe taking the Resol’nare will honour him in the greatest way possible.” He reviewed the alert, “We’re coming up on Kashyyyk, we’ll be dropping out of hyperspace in about ten minutes.”
“Good” Amara took her spot again, passing Adi a small container, “I’ve been waiting for the right time to give you this.”
Adi glanced from the console to the container his Ama had in her hand, he took it carefully, opening it to find a pair of new gloves similar in design to hers and Babeh’s, it was made of the finest dewback leather. He put them on, flexing his fingers, listening to the creaking of the tension from the brand new leather. There was also a three-sided knife lying at the bottom of the container, as he held it up gently he recognized it as the one belonging to Ca’tra, “How…”
“I made sure that day, there was nothing of his left behind. I knew he would’ve wanted you to have it. After all, he inscribed your name on it.”
He turned it gently, to see the names of Ca’tra’s family, those of his biological family, and that of his adopted family. The last two names were the freshest engraved, Amara Vel (O’yare Fett), Khoan Vel Gaan. He couldn’t help smiling at their names, “I guess this makes it official, I’m his son.”
“His love for you made it official, that …” Amara motioned to the knife in his hands, as she prepared the ship to exit hyperspace, “Is proof of the love he had for you, the love he always felt for you. I’m glad you got to know him, Adi.”
