A/N: New word translations at the bottom
Orbit around Tython
The Thunderclap
"Theron to strike team. You're almost to the temple, be aware that heavy artillery is blocking your way."
"Copy that," Fynta responded. "We've got a plan."
Cormac sat with his leg propped up at the central terminal on the Thunderclap. That blasted Sith had hit him with his own round, and the armor piercing, plasteel slug had done a number on the soft tissue in his leg. His toes still throbbed in time with his pulse, and the whole thing looked bloody awful. He should feel lucky after what had happened to Fynta, though. His leg would heal over time.
Cormac sighed. Since he was busted up, Balic had been left behind to guard the ship in orbit around Tython's moon. Elara had shown him how to bring up everyone's POV on the terminal and switch the comlink channels. The man had never needed to know those things before, and he wasn't sure his life was better for knowing them now.
So, the sergeant sat on his ass, watching his squad traverse the torn up landscape that used to be beautiful Tython. The Empire hadn't been any gentler with the locals than the Republic had been on Korriban. Bodies littered the ground, and Cormac noted a surprising number of Twi'leks.
"Cormac, I'm patching Verin through to the ship, so don't freak out," Fynta said over the comms.
"Why would I freak out?" Alarms blared, almost making Cormac dive for cover before he realized that it was just the ship's security program. Someone was trying to slice into system. "Ah, that's why."
"Type in override code 76-34-," Elara relayed calmly, but Cormac could barely hear over of the sirens.
The man leaned closer to the comm. "Repeat those numbers again, Lieutenant."
"765343."
The screaming finally stopped, and Cormac shook his head. He could still hear the damn things wailing in his ears. "How did you know about the code?" Fynta asked, keeping comms open until otherwise required. "I didn't even know about it."
"Yuun and I wrote it," Elara answered simply. "I thought we might need to bypass standard Republic security one day." She paused, then asked the question that had been on the tip of Cormac's tongue. "How did you plan on solving the alarm problem?"
Fynta chuckled, a nervous sound. "I was going to suggest that he shoot the console and ask Yuun nicely to fix it later."
Balic barked out a laugh as Elara huffed in annoyance. "Of course you were."
"Clever," Agent Shan chimed in, and Cormac winced, all merriment forgotten in the presence of the Republic spy. "Who's Verin?"
Before Fynta could answer, the line clicked, signaling that someone had patched in. "Don't mind us. We're just dodging blaster fire in an effort to get your troops out alive. By all means, take your time and have a chat," Verin growled.
Cormac had never met the man, but from everything Fynta had said, he sounded like a solid big brother. Cormac figured he probably had a few things in common with the bounty hunter, should they ever get the chance to meet in person. Both had raised their siblings, then packed them off to the military for a better life. Balic sighed and pushed that thought aside. Fynta's future had turned out a mite better than Cormac's little brother's.
"Ne'johaa everyone. I'm trying to fly." Cinlat ordered from the background. "ETA five minutes, Fynta." Cinlat remained calm even while complaining about the distractions. Cormac didn't have eyes on the sky, but if it was anything like what Havoc had encountered on the ground, she needed to concentrate. According to Fynta, the woman was damn near unruffleable, but that Verin gave it a good go.
A heavy sigh issued over the comms, and Cormac pictured Agent Shan rubbing his temples when he spoke again. "Major, is this one of those times where I should look the other way?"
"The direction you look is irrelevant. It is what you choose to do with what you see that affects the lives of those around you," Yuun added helpfully. Cormac slapped a hand over his mouth to keep from laughing too loud.
"Okay, seriously, can I keep him?" Shan asked again. "Hello?"
Fynta's voice came over the comms in a whisper, and the background noise had died down considerably. "Entering the Temple, signal might get a little patchy," she reported. "Meet us inside, ori'vod." As if on cue, the feeds began to sputter. The screens blinked out, leaving Cormac with only life signs to monitor their progress.
"So, Sergeant," Theron began conversationally. "How's the leg?"
Cormac looked at his swollen thigh and grimaced. "It'll heal."
"Good to hear. Since we've got some time before they come back online, anything you can tell me about the major's contacts?" Agent Shan fished for answers with all the subtlety of a rancor in an antiques shop. How did this guy survive as a spy?
"Afraid not, sir," Cormac answered. Fynta had warned him that Theron might try to wheedle information from him, and told him to stick to simple yes or no answers. Leaning heavily towards the no part of that combination.
"You know that I can make your life difficult, right, Cormac?" Theron replied. Balic smiled at the idea of being blackmailed by the spook ex-boyfriend. Fynta had also assured him that she'd handle it if Theron tried something like that too.
"No offense, sir. But, Fynta's scarier."
Theron sighed. "Yeah, I get that. Oh, the feed's back." Sure enough, the images all snapped on at once to show Havoc locked in a fierce battle with a Chagrian male. "That's Lord Goh. Our records say he's dead." He certainly didn't look dead.
A boloball sized chunk of permacrete slammed into Jorgan's back, causing him to stumble forward. In the same moment, Fynta tackled Vik to keep him from being flattened. Cormac leaned forward and pressed the comm button. "Uh, is he throwing parts of the ceiling at you?" Impressively, the Sith managed to shield himself and hurl debris at them.
The images sputtered again as what looked like an RPG exploded against the Sith's invisible shield. That's when Cormac noticed the Jedi. Master Kaeto Vaa, the Togruta Havoc had worked with to clear Makeb, launched into view as soon as Goh's defenses dropped. Their lightsabers hissed, sending a shower of sparks as they clashed. Kaeto had run most of her missions solo or with her Padawan, so Cormac had never seen her fight. Watching her through Jorgan's POV, however, made Cormac second guess the whole Jedi remain serene idea after she placed a well-aimed kick to the Sith's groin, then her knee connected with Goh's face.
Kaeto raised one of her sabers to finish him off, but the Sith threw his hand out, sending her flying into Jorgan. The impact took them both off their feet, and the Cathar landed with another grunt. Cormac winced in sympathy; Kaeto Vaa wasn't a small female. She stood as tall as Jorgan and showed off some impressive musculature in that black leather halter that she wore. Balic bet that even without extra abilities, the Togruta woman would be a force to be reckoned with.
As soon as the Jedi untangled herself from Jorgan, she fell on Lord Goh as Fynta lunged for him. Jorgan had just gotten up to one knee when Cinlat joined the fray. The three women attacked as if they'd rehearsed the fight their entire lives. Kaeto's duel lightsabers grazed as close to Cinlat's helmet as the huntress's vibroblade came to nicking Fynta's pauldron. Somehow, they never clashed.
Goh's lightsaber slid off the humans' armor, and he never came close to touching the Jedi. From what Cormac could see from the varying perspectives, it looked like both sets of beskar'gam were smoking. No one could get in a shot with the women so tightly packed around the Sith, so they waited and watched. Likely as transfixed as Cormac by the spectacle.
Cinlat finally landed a lucky blow to Goh's chin, staggering the Sith. Fynta sank her vibroblade under his sternum, and Kaeto finished him off with a quick sweep of her deep purple blade. The Chagrian's head toppled from his shoulders, leaving the horned tails to fall away separately. Cinlat declared victory by kicking the body away from them.
The three women stood over their enemy, panting, until Jorgan edged closer as if approaching a wild animal. He put a hand on Fynta's shoulder, and the major reacted, spinning towards the touch. Her fist connected with Jorgan's waiting palm, the impact echoing throughout the now silent room.
"Easy," Jorgan murmured, curling his fingers over the major's hand. "It's over."
It felt like an eternity before Fynta dropped her arm. Then, she looked over her shoulder at the Sith, voice monotone and exhausted when she spoke. "Mission accomplished, Havoc. Let's go home."
Korriban
The Jedi put a hand to his gut, dropping to his knees. Jensyn had been a large man, one of the biggest Zolah had ever seen. He still clutched his white lightsaber while the three Sith circled around. Darth Kozen, an equally large Sith Pureblood, and the Emperor's Wrath at that, had joined their campaign to retake the academy from the Republic. Between Xalek and Kozen's brutal onslaught, and the constant threat of electrocution, Zolah had kept at a distance for the duration of the battle.
The Chiss had found a perch on one of the broken balconies after the fighting spilled into the main foyer. Vector remained on the comm, watching the area immediately around Zolah, while she stared down her scope. He warned her which direction to dodge, and when to seek a better vantage so that she could focus on getting through the Jedi's defenses.
In the end, it had been the Cathar's lightning that had finally brought the Jedi to his knees. Kozen and Xalek had impaled Jensyn from opposite directions, and Zolah put a slug in his head, effectively neutralizing the last Jedi threat.
Solish had expended a large amount of energy in the fight as well, and bent double to catch her breath. Her display of power had been more impressive than anything she'd demonstrated on Tython. Xalek's chest heaved, though he showed no other signs of fatigue, and Kozen's eyes shown bright with the rush of another kill.
The Chiss activated her comm implant to hail the ship, "The Academy is secure."
"Understood. Might we suggest you return now?" Vector responded on her private line. "Lord Beniko is most insistent that you meet with her. Alone." He let his tone dip on the final word, indicating his unease with their situation.
"Please inform her that I will arrive presently." Zolah ended the call, then turned towards the gathered Sith. "My Lord Wrath, your assistance in this matter has been unrivaled."
The man dipped his head, gold encircled bone spurs and facial tentacles gleaming in the light of his red blade. The Emperor's Wrath resumed his calm demeanor, reminding Zolah of Darth Marr in the way he carried himself. Silent rage rolled off of the Sith, waiting to erupt, yet he spoke with an eloquence that belied the violence within. "Korriban is ours once more. You've done well, Cipher. May we meet again." With a nod towards Solish and Xalek, Darth Kozen excused himself to continue whatever duties awaited a man of his stature.
Once aboard the Red Blade, Zolah took her turn in the refresher, then retreated to her room before either of their passengers could seek her out. She had no idea what Sith did after a battle, but a massage and rest generally came next in Zolah's routine. She shut the door, then leaned back against it, drinking in the quiet serenity of her personal space. The Chiss had just closed her eyes when someone rapped lightly on the door. She could tell by the delicate knock who it was, and cracked the door just enough for Vector to slip in.
"Are you well, love?" Dark eyebrows drew together as he took in her bedraggled state. She'd dressed in simple shorts and a shirt, leaving her normally tidy hair a towel scrubbed mess.
Zolah straightened her spine instinctively, refusing to show any form of weakness, before remembering who stood before her. She slouched against the door again, knowing that Vector would keep her secret; that she was only mortal. "I feel drained."
Taking Zolah's hand gently, the joiner led her to the bed, encouraging her to sit. "That is to be expected after visiting a world such as Korriban." He knelt and ran his hands down her exposed calf, gripping her foot firmly to press his thumbs against the sole. "It is over now, you should try to rest.
Zolah leaned back on her hands, closing her eyes in an attempt to follow Vector's suggestion. She could tell by the tightness in the joiner's voice that he didn't believe his own words. Korriban might be under Imperial control once more, but this was far from over.
D-5 Mantis
Verin studied the four commandos as they all huddled by the airlock. Fynta had given them permission to remove their helmets, stating that most of their secrets were out in the open anyway. He and Cinlat had done the same out of respect. Fynta had a good group so far as Verin could tell. They were allies, and deserved the privilege of seeing one another's face.
Verin already knew Tanno Vik from their collar on Balmorra. The Weequay had obeyed Fynta's orders without question, only mouthing off once or twice. Elara Dorne sat on the floor messing with the inner working of her helmet, completely oblivious to the silent argument happening right next to her.
Fynta and Jorgan had their heads close together, both making jerky movements with their hands as they spoke. Fynta shook her head vehemently, and Jorgan put his hands on his hips, chest expanding in annoyance. Finally, she threw her hands up and stepped aside, waving at the stairwell. The Cathar put a hand on her shoulder, then headed for the stairs.
Verin watched the display, not all that thrilled that Jorgan appeared to be heading in his direction. Cathar and Mandalorians didn't belong together, the thought alone went against nature itself. However, Verin could find no other reason to object to his sister's choice of mate aside from the man's species, and it made him feel shallow. The hunter's gut twisted at the knowledge that such speciesism lingered inside him. Verin could have sworn he was better than that.
Unsettlingly blue eyes landed on Verin as Jorgan took the last step. The Cathar leaned against the banister next to him, turning his gaze towards his squad. "We appreciate your aid," Jorgan commented. He had a deep, growly voice that reverberated in the space around him.
Verin nodded. "It was the least we could do. I appreciate you contacting us when Fynta got hurt. Doubt I'd have known otherwise." He snorted a humorless laugh. "Cin and I keep watch on the obituaries, ret'lini. We figure a war hero like Fynta would at least make the paper."
The surgeon Cormac had contacted Verin about had done an impeccable job building Fynta's leg. He watched his sister pace without the slightest sign of an uneven gait. Then, she squatted next to Dorne with an unrivaled smoothness. Cormac had somehow found a way to contact him and Cinlat while Fynta was still unconscious, and they'd hatched a plan to find the right scientists. The soldier had Republic resources, while the bounty hunters had Imperial ties. Verin wondered if Fynta knew the people who had operated on her had been a former Imperial Intelligence agent, and a washed up resistance doctor looking for a good story to tell.
Verin had been sorely disappointed to learn that Cormac hadn't accompanied the squad this time. The man clearly cared about his sister, and had he not already been married to the charming medic, the hunter would have pushed Fynta to pursue that one.
Jorgan nodded, oblivious to Verin's inner grumbling. "I'll keep you apprised of anything that happens in the future. You have my word." It was confirmation of what Verin already knew. He closed his eyes, letting his head fall back, and counted to twenty.
Calming ritual complete, Verin turned back to the Cathar. Jorgan stood a few inches taller, built like a predator, as per his species. The patterns on his face did nothing to detract from that impression either. Captain Aric Jorgan carried himself in a deadly, serious manner, completely at odds with Verin's kid sister. Part of him wondered if Fynta had seen the Cathar as a challenge; something new and exciting that she'd never experienced before.
Verin glanced over his shoulder to where Cinlat sat in the pilot's seat, then sighed. He knew it was more than that. He'd had his suspicions that they were sleeping together, but after watching them on Tython, the hunter had developed a new theory. The two damn well knew what the other was thinking as they fought, which went deeper than simple comrades. That, coupled with the fact that Fynta had given Jorgan access to their emergency line, revealed enough for him and Cinlat to put the pieces together. Jorgan's promise that he'd be around long enough to become Fynta's emergency contact sealed the deal. Fierfek, he had to be a Cathar, Fynta?
"When did you marry my sister?" Verin asked, his tone more curt than he intended.
Jorgan's jaw worked as he mulled over his answer. Eventually, the Cathar sighed. "Just before the mission on Corellia. We were on leave in Coruscant. I'd only intended to propose, but getting shot at puts things in perspective," Jorgan continued, his eyes settling on the woman in question. They warmed visibly, causing Verin to wonder what a Cathar could possibly see in his punk little sister. "When she mentioned the vows. . . ." Jorgan trailed off. "It was better to leave things unofficial in the eyes of the Republic."
Verin straightened in surprise. "Wait. You said Mandalorian vows?" If Jorgan was willing to step into Fynta's tradition, then the hunter had seriously misjudged the man. He wondered what else the Cathar had given up, but stopped short of asking. The long separations brought on by the Mandalorian culture's lifestyle sometimes led to half brothers and sisters. As long as the children were raised properly, they were accepted usually adopted into the family.
"We discussed the implications for both of us," Jorgan explained quickly. Verin nodded, changing focus to his sister with a smirk. Cathar followed a vastly different code, remaining faithful even after death. Verin's father respected that about the species, even if he hadn't been able to follow their example all the time. Cathar had the fortitude and discipline to put aside their desires.
Verin chuckled, warming to the man beside him a little more. "You and Fyn'ika are really late starters. Think you'll adopt some kids?"
Jorgan's lips pressed together, brows furrowed, and Verin wondered if he'd tread on a sore topic. "We've discussed it in passing," the Cathar sighed.
"I'm impressed that you got that much out of Fynta. She swore off children when she was fourteen." Verin watched Jorgan out of the corner of his eye, catching the grimace that proved the Cathar knew exactly what he was talking about.
Changing the subject to one less fickle, Verin leaned against the wall that connected to the small galley. "Why her? She's supposed to be your enemy." Verin asked the question with a tone of curiosity, but Jorgan tensed all the same. The guy really needed to lighten up. "Did you know?"
"She told me right after I joined the squad. Said honesty was important." Jorgan laughed, more of a huff than a proper laugh really. "The blasted woman infuriates me sometimes, but she'll do whatever is necessary to protect those around her. She's got a good heart." Jorgan pulled his attention back to Verin. "Even if I don't always agree with her methods."
Verin chuckled. "Yeah, she's one of a kind, and a right pain in the shebs."
Jorgan smiled this time, his lips pressed together to hide his teeth, but his resolve remained unshaken. While the idea of inviting a Cathar into the family still felt odd, especially given Cinlat's history with the species, Verin saw no reason to hate Captain Jorgan. If he wanted to take on the burden of trying to keep Fynta from doing something stupid, then he was welcome to it. Not that it would help, but he'd try. His sister obviously trusted the man if she'd shared so much, and the woman might just have it in her to live up to Jorgan's expectations. She'd always been more loyal than smart.
"Take care of her, vod'ika," Verin sighed with a slap on the Cathar's shoulder. The man was going to be in Fynta's life for a long time, he might as well accept it. "She'll push you to your brink. But she's worth it."
Jorgan chuckled, and Verin thought of some advice that his father had once given him. "We've got a saying amongst our people that I think will aid you in the coming years," Verin offered, waiting until he had the other man's full attention. "The only thing a Mandalorian man fears, is a Mandalorian woman."
"If they are all like Fynta and Cinlat, I don't doubt it," Jorgan replied with another tight smile towards Fynta.
Verin did the same, his grin growing when Fynta looked up at them, eyes narrowed with suspicion. His little sister had found herself a man who was willing to commit his life to her, despite her more annoying tendencies. So, Verin would make a conscious effort to accept Aric Jorgan as his new brother. Cathar or not.
The Andromeda
Republic Officer's Club
A battleship as large as the Andromeda was a community in itself, a small city floating through space. Even boasting its own cantina. It almost didn't matter who they were meeting, because it meant Jorgan got to wander through the belly of the beast. Fynta humored him, purposefully getting lost twice to give him a better tour.
"I got a call from Supreme Commander Malcolm," Fynta stated as they walked down the hall that led past engineering. "Something weird is going down on Oricon that he wants us to check out. So, looks like no more down time."
"Oricon?" Jorgan tore his eyes away from the numerous ship schematics on display with some effort. "That's close to Imperial territory."
The two commanders continued in silence while Jorgan considered what the Republic could possibly want on the derelict Sith world. "So," Fynta queried with a poor attempt at tactfulness. "How did it go with Verin? He didn't shoot you, so it couldn't have been that bad."
Jorgan smirked, impressed that his wife had managed to hold off on questioning him as long as she had. Lowering his voice to avoid being overheard, the Cathar decided to end her suffering "As it happens, he welcomed me to the family, after asking the standard big brother questions of course."
Jorgan rubbed his chin. Truthfully, he'd gotten the impression that Verin wasn't pleased with their union. Since Mandalorian wedding vows were a personal matter, he'd kept his opinion to himself. Jorgan hoped that rift could be crossed one day, but knew that in the end, Verin's approval had no bearing on his marriage with Fynta. He kept these thoughts to himself, deciding to wait and see how things went the next time they met one another. "The man didn't even threaten to kill me if I hurt you."
Fynta chuckled, elbowing Jorgan playfully. "That's because he knew he wouldn't have to."
"Good point, guess I'll have to behave." Music reached Jorgan's ears, signaling that they'd found the cantina.
Fynta stopped outside and leaned closer. "Not too much, I hope." The heat in her voice reminded Jorgan that they hadn't had a chance to continue their conversation from earlier. Before Shan had interrupted. Something the Cathar planned to remedy once they got back to the Thunderclap. To avoid drawing unwanted attention, Jorgan replied with a flash of teeth, pulling a wicked grin from his wife.
When the two commandos entered the pub, Theron sat in the back facing the door, bent close to a small holoprojection of a woman Jorgan thought he recognized. A clip of the news behind the bar distracted him, however. A serious looking human woman read from a datapad while red letters in all caps scanned across the bottom of the screen announcing that she had an urgent report. "Continuing our coverage of the most recent breakout of the rakghoul plague, I'm joined now by Addalar Hyland, founder of the philanthropic organization THORN. . . ." The rest faded out of earshot as they passed.
Jorgan frowned at the screen. A rakghoul outbreak. That sounded disturbingly familiar, and he made a mental note to check into it when they reached the ship. A small part of him wondered if he'd made a grave mistake by letting Fynta destroy Dorant's serum supply on Taris. They should have turned it over to Research Division. Maybe the Republic could have found a cure by now.
Theron deactivated the holo when he spotted the soldiers, and all thoughts of Rakghouls were pushed to the back of Jorgan's mind. "That was Grand Master Satele, wasn't it?" Fynta asked as she took the seat that the SIS agent gestured to.
"Currently acting as emissary to the Drayvos League. Nowhere near Tython." He sighed, "We aren't exactly close; the Jedi don't much care for family dynamics." Jorgan openly balked as the information sank in. Grand Master Satele Shan. The Cathar gave Theron a harder look, he'd never seen the current leader of the Jedi order up close, so couldn't tell if they shared any similar features. Jorgan planned to ask Fynta more about this revelation later, but the uncomfortable look the agent gave Jorgan was confirmation enough. Those were some damn big boots to fill.
Clearing his throat, Theron leaned back and threw his arm over Fynta's chair. Jorgan swallowed his possessive growl while the agent plowed ahead. "You've made good use of your promotion I see. Havoc life suites you, Major." Fynta nodded, eyes narrowed as if preparing for an attack. "That tech they wired into you looked pretty impressive over holo, I wouldn't mind doing a more thorough inspection of it."
Jorgan opened his mouth to tell Shan to show some respect, but Fynta cut him off, looking more amused than annoyed. "That'll stay my little secret this time, Shan," she laughed. "Enough small talk, though. You're up to something."
The SIS agent nodded. "I figured you'd want in." Shan looked at Jorgan with the same measuring expression that he'd seen on Fynta's face so many times. The idea that she might have learned that from this man repulsed the Cathar on a primal level.
"First things first." Shan glanced at Fynta, "Full disclosure?" She nodded, and he leaned forward to look Jorgan in the eye. "Alright, you know about me, and you know about Fynta. I'm curious, how does a Cathar feel about working under a Mandalorian?"
Jorgan tried not to overthink the word choice. "Major Wolfe is as fine a commander as I've ever seen. Cathar was destroyed before either of us were born. No reason I should hold her responsible." He'd rehearsed that line time and time again in his head, knowing that eventually, someone would ask about their peculiar relationship.
Theron snorted, leaning back to cross his arms. "You know your commander and I have history, back to her days with Epoch." It wasn't a question, Shan was fishing for a reaction. Jorgan squeezed his fists in his lap, focusing on keeping his face impassive instead of laying the guy out.
"She told me," Jorgan answered, barely able to keep the growl from his voice. Fynta watched him warily, her arms and legs crossed to hide her own tension.
Shan's eyebrows rose a little. "Really?" His eyes slid back to Fynta in suspicion. "Wow, I didn't think you'd ever tell anyone about Epoch. I'm assuming the summarized version?" Fynta answered with a grin, and Theron rolled his eyes. "Yeah, you haven't changed much. Okay, back to why we're here." The SIS agent plopped a datapad on the table, displaying an image of the Sith Pureblood from the Jedi temple. After that, the three delved into a lengthy conversation about crossed timetables, missing operational data, and general conspiracy theories.
"The real question is," Shan said, wrapping the conference up. "Are you going to take your shiny medals and go home like Darok hopes, or are you ready to start digging?" Fynta lifted an eyebrow, her expression incredulous. "That's my girl," Theron grinned, and Jorgan wanted to punch him again.
The agent stood and dropped a credit chip on the table for the three untouched drinks. "Almost like old times, huh?" He smiled in a way that made Jorgan's blood boil. The Cathar hated sitting by while another man looked at his wife like that. "Been great chatting with you, we'll have to do it again sometime. I'll be in touch."
Jorgan waited until the man was out of sight before letting out the snarl he'd suppressed for too long. "Fynta, I—" She held a finger to her lips and reached under the table. A few seconds later, she came up with a small listening device.
Fynta smashed it between her fingers. "And he says I haven't changed." Jorgan didn't appreciate the nostalgic smile she wore either. "Just to be on the safe side, let's save this conversation for the ship." Fynta patted his arm apologetically as she pushed away from the table. "I'm proud of you for not killing him, Aric. I have a feeling we'll need Theron down the road."
Mando'a:
Ne'johaa! [Neh-JOH-hah] Shut up!
ori'vod [OH-ree-VOD] big brother