Present
Caden residence, Mandalore
4 years, 1 month ABY
"Tackle! Tackle!"
"What do you think I'm trying to do? And what are you doing, trying to tickle him to death?"
"What am I supposed to do, di'kut, break myself on him? He's like seven feet of pure muscle, and I'm like 130 wringing wet."
"Excuses, excuses."
"Break! Snacks!"
Xel's head whipped around to see Ytris and Iola coming from the house with a massive platter held between them. His face split in a gigantic grin, the back of one fingerless glove wiping across his sweat-stained forehead as he clambered upright and moved toward the new arrivals. Seven other similarly grimy figures followed him toward the pair as they set the platter down on a crate set up for just the occasion. What he found made his mouth water almost to the point of drooling.
"Oh…Iol'ika…" He reached down and took a small slice of thick, floury goodness, popping it into his mouth. A low groan of appreciation came from this throat. "You've outdone yourself, yet again."
The Jerun grinned and shook her head. "Had a little help. Ytris has shown to be quite a natural in the kitchen."
The Caamasi shrugged and grinned. "I'm a quick study. And it helps that I had such a good teacher."
Iola smirked and sampled a bit of her own creation, staring down at it in surprise as the others took their shares.
Alen chewed his over curiously. "Hm…this tastes a bit different than your usual recipe. What gives?"
She looked up at him (down, really) with a little apprehension. "You don't like it?"
He blinked rapidly and hurried to reassure her. "Oh, that's not what I mean at all. It's amazing. Just a little…nuttier than I'm used to."
Iola shrugged. "Well, you can thank my understudy for that." She gently nudged Ytris with her elbow.
He smirked. "Klee-klee nuts, fine roasted and ground into the batter."
"Not a terrible addition," Clyde said with an approving nod. "This batch of tizan might be my favorite yet."
"Yeah," added Kael with a grin, "if we ever get in a tight spot with food, you two are so becoming team chefs."
"Glad to be of service," Ytris said with an exaggerated bow.
Teras Caden groaned in approval as the large Zabrak sampled the cake. "Xel'ika, remind me why we haven't put this woman to work? Can you imagine the kind of revenue we'd take in from Keldabe alone?"
"That's not even mentioning what they've managed to rebuild of Sundari," added Elek Ordo. "Give it a few months, that city'll be back to its former glory."
"Though if we have anything to say about it," Teras said, "it will never be our capital again. Too cushy."
"Speaking strictly for True Mandalorians, I don't think it ever was our capital. Just a massive, bulbous eyesore against the otherwise barren terrain."
"Although," Cerril Ordo added, "to be fair, I suppose that was the point. A last bastion in an otherwise inhospitable place."
"They should've left that plain bare," his father said darkly. "As a warning against those who would defile our traditions."
"Which they did by attempting to turn us pacifist," Teras added. "And then trying to exile us when we refused to play along."
"I think Dad told me something about that once," said Xel. "Said something like, 'They realized rather quickly that attempting to push out a society of supercommandos with civilians was a very bad idea.'" He smirked. "Or something to that effect."
Elek snorted a laugh. "And then they came crying back to us when the Death Watch dominated them." His head shook, eyes turning skyward with wistful remembrance. "Ah…the glory won that day…"
"There's something to be said about coming home on a column of fire," said Teras, arms crossed. "Burning away all the garbage that'd heaped up in our absence." He turned to Xel and Alen, smiling. "You should've seen the look on Xander's face when we razed the 'Royal Palace' to the ground."
Alen frowned a little. "Was there anyone in it?"
Teras' head shook. "Not after your mother was done with it." His features shifted when he picked up on Alen's surprise. "Did she never tell you? Telia was personally involved with the liberation of Mandalore. She knew that any Republic interference would be seen as a takeover, so she couldn't engage officially, but unofficially, she already loved Xander deeply enough to want to help."
"So," Xel said, "she and Xander arranged about a week of shore leave for their division of the GAR and came personally. Xander rallied as many Mando friends as he could, and they in turn did the same with theirs."
Alen stared at him. "He told you the whole story?"
His head shook. "No. And he specifically left out the part about Mom being a Jedi. Up to the point where I found his datacron, I'd always assumed she was Mandalorian, separated from Dad for some reason, probably backwash from a job gone wrong. So hearing about them coming back together to retake the homeworld wasn't much of a stretch in my mind."
"I was proud of her," Teras said. "No one ever figured out she was a Jedi, or even associated with the Republic. Didn't pull her lightsaber once, and whatever she used of the Force was so subtle, you couldn't really notice unless you were looking for it."
"What about her robes?" Alen asked.
The Zabrak's head shook. "Didn't wear 'em. She borrowed a custom-fit set of old Phase-I clone armor, helmet included. Xander specifically repainted it to look less like a Republic uniform and more like customized beskar'gam."
Alen's head cocked. "I never saw it."
His head shook again. "And you never would have. The last day of the war, she took a shot directly to the chest to save a fleeing child. Xander was pissed. The guy who fired got his rather painfully, and the armor was effectively ruined. She never wore it again. Never had to."
"Huh."
The group fell silent for a while as they ate in peace, Alen eventually motioning to Iola and Ytris.
"Why don't you guys come in and join us? Make it an even ten instead of an even eight?"
"Sorry," interrupted Elek, "still an even eight." He sat down on a smaller crate hard, pulling a flask of tihaar from a pouch on his belt. "These old bones can't handle get'shuk nearly as long as they used to."
"Uh huh," drawled Cerril disbelievingly. "And this is totally not just an excuse to drink at one in the afternoon."
Elek smiled toothily.
"'Fraid that means I'm out as well," Teras added, slumping down next to his old friend. "Ytris, Iol'ika, why don't you take our places?"
Iola grinned and shot Alen a smoky look. "It'd be my utmost pleasure."
The Jedi flushed a little and gulped hard as she sauntered onto the nearby field and bent over to grab a slightly elongated ball with both hands, unintentionally (or quite intentionally) giving him a perfect rear view of her. So stunned was he that he failed to notice the other players taking the field.
Iola looked over her shoulder at him with a smirk and arched eyebrow. "Well? You coming?"
Alen blinked twice and coughed hard, hurrying to catch up and form up next to his three teammates: Pelem, Ytris, and Iola; while they faced off with Xel, Clyde, Kael, and Cerril. He caught himself staring at the shapely Jerun on his right, so distracted that he hesitated just long enough to get bowled over by Cerril when the game started up again. The raucous, musical laughter he got from Iola was well worth the point they lost as a result.
…
Teras chuckled to himself when he saw the looks Alen kept throwing Iola when he thought she wasn't looking.
"Is that Telia all over again or what?"
Teras glanced over at Elek and grinned. "Spitting image. Always trying to keep things on the down-low, even though everyone else already knows the deal."
"How long have they been together, you think? Two years? Three?"
"Two and some change." Teras' smile faded slightly. "Almost as long as Xel'ika's been single."
Elek gave him a short glance, then turned back to the match.
Teras' eyes flickered from one player to the next as the ball moved back and forth on the field, then focused on Xel as they came to a stop. They zeroed in on his upper torso as Xel bent over to coil up for a sprint, catching sight of the predominantly gray Mandalorian necklace that hung around his neck. Though initially frowning at the color, the sight of Xel tucking it back into his shirt prompted a memory that twitched his lips with a smile.
"Hey Elek."
"Hm?"
Teras grinned ear to ear. "You remember when Xel came back from that mission for the Rebels?" He chuckled compulsively. "Maila was absolutely livid. I swear she was gonna bust a gasket."
Elek laughed heartily at the memory. "Riiight, I remember. Damn near turned that gift of hers into a noose."
Teras chuckled again, eyes glazing over as his mind went back…
…
3 years ago
Makrin Star, Bormea sector
7 months ABY
"Mr. Jarrus—damn good to have you back."
Kanan nodded at Tobin and clasped his hand. "Good to be back. From what I hear, you outsourced our rescue."
The captain shrugged and mock sighed. "You know how it is, Kanan. You work with what you've got."
Kanan smiled widely and turned halfway around. "I'm very glad you did."
Tobin winced at the sight of Xel, wondering exactly what would have to have happened to give him that many visible injuries—and prevent him from wearing his armor, to boot. "I'm not sure he'd agree, given his current state."
"No."
Tobin turned to Kanan, who was slowly nodding.
The Jedi looked toward Xel with unseeing eyes, his expression solemn. "He would."
The captain gave Kanan a long, searching look, sensing something else at play, but saying nothing. Instead, he approached Xel, who was being fussed over by Sabine, Ezra, and his brother.
Xel straightened up upon seeing him come closer. "Sir."
Tobin smirked. "Thought I told you something about going formal on me."
The young Mando blinked and cleared his throat nervously. "Yes, sir." A hint of a cheeky smile tugged at his lips.
Tobin just grinned. "On behalf of the Alliance—"
"And the crew of the Ghost," Hera added.
The captain smiled wider. "And the crew of the Ghost, I would like to extend my sincerest thanks for the safe return of the Specters. And uh…well, this."
He motioned to a nearby assistant, who handed him a rather large briefcase. Tobin then offered it to Xel.
The Mando stared at the case for a while, eyes eventually drifting back up to the captain. "That's…much appreciated, sir. But not necessary." He smiled. "I was happy to help."
Tobin arched an eyebrow, beginning to understand why Kanan had said what he'd said. "All the same, I would feel…remiss if I didn't properly compensate you for your services. Professional perfection comes with a price, after all."
Xel's head tilted as he looked down. "Well, considering how much I owe you—"
"You don't," Tobin interrupted firmly, practically shoving the case into his chest. "Now take it, you stubborn bantha." At Xel's continued hesitation, he pulled the case back and smirked wryly. "Don't make me give this to your brother. Stars only know what he'll blow it on," he winked at Alen, "ascetic that he is."
Xel paled slightly and rapidly reached forward to take the case in the hand not in a sling, wincing when he felt the weight and carefully handing it off to Iola instead. She took it with an amused grin and slowly shook her head as the Mando straightened up in an attempt to preserve his dignity.
"Thank you, Comma—Captain Tobin."
Tobin smiled and shook his head slowly. "You're very welcome, Caden. Now, if you'll excuse me."
Alen nodded. "Of course."
…
The Kandosii'tal's reception as its crew left the Makrin Star was vastly different than when it had first arrived a week prior. Word of the Ghost's rescue had spread through the ranks like wildfire ever since they reached the surface of Mon Cala. Spies within the Alliance were exposed, an Imperial base completely annihilated, and some of the most skilled operatives in the galaxy were rescued from certain death. It was the kind of legendary story that brought back memories of a time when the Mandalorian ship and its crew were new and welcome additions to the Rebellion. Enough of the Makrin Star's current crew remembered that time that Xel and the others didn't leave the ship unimpeded.
Instead, they found themselves somewhat waylaid by flocks of soldiers, techs, and other Alliance personnel that lined the halls and filled their entire path with the deafening sounds of applause. Cheers followed them into the hangar, all the way back to their ships, as the rebels gave their longtime allies a heroes' sendoff. Moments from boarding the Kandosii'tal, Xel felt a familiar set of eyes on his back, and turned around to lock gazes with a badly burned figure in the crowd.
Eran Riilos' green eyes peered back at him intently. He wasn't clapping with the rest, nor was he glaring at Xel with disdain. No, his scarred features were firm and solemn, but approving as he gave the distant Mando a slight but noticeable nod of respect. Xel managed a small smile in return, his own injuries more than apparent, nodding back once and holding his gaze for another moment or two before turning toward the ramp and plotting a course for Mandalore.
…
Caden residence, Mandalore
The familiar roar of approaching repulsor engines snapped a smiling red-skinned woman from her absent busy work, bent as she was over a custom speeder bike Teras had been helping her build. Mandalore's oppressive summer heat wasn't helping matters any, given that the garage was exposed to the elements, but she'd compensated with a rather brief but functional mechanic's outfit. Given the sound of the approaching ship, Maila felt a grin creep to her face at the thought of the look on its owner's face once he saw her in it. Wiping off her grime-stained hands on a nearby cloth, she marched her way out of the garage, gravel crunching under her boots as she approached the landing pad.
The slate-gray form of the Kandosii'tal set down gently, the landing ramp taking longer than she'd expected to finally come down. When it did, one figure stepped off, in a gray synthleather jacket and dark blue pants. Maila's confusion at his apparel turned to shock moments later when she realized that jacket was only draped around his shoulders, and one of his arms was in a sling. In addition, the shirt underneath was a tank top that left his arms completely exposed, as well as the extensive white bandages wrapped all around them. When he reached the bottom of the ramp, Xel stopped short and just stood there, the couple staring at each other openly. Both of them were gaping, though for entirely different reasons.
Xel was the first to recover. "What…are you wearing?"
Maila blinked twice, then narrowed her eyes slightly in slowly building fury. "I could ask you the same thing? Why does it look like you put on half a medical kit?" Her arms crossed, one raven eyebrow arching.
Xel smiled and chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his head. "Well…funny story that."
Whatever he'd been about to say next was cut off abruptly as Maila snapped her arm out and yanked on the chain around his neck, her furious features up in his as she hissed her next words through clenched teeth.
"Spill."
…
About ten minutes later, Xel had experienced firsthand why his father had told him never to make a woman angry, especially one that he was close to. Add to that the misfortune of having Teras, Elek, and Cerril there to witness the verbal thrashing, and it was all he could do not to sink into his seat until he became an incoherent pile of mush. Of course, the fact that Maila was wearing pants practically as short as the length of his sleeves (which is to say, nonexistent) helped with this somewhat, only to become a double-edged sword when he accidentally let a pleased smirk slip, and she caught on.
Then she'd yelled louder.
And as much as it had made his head hurt after a while, the emphatic gestures and raging emotions she'd emitted had only made her more attractive in his eyes…or maybe that was all the pheromones she was exuding without even meaning to. Either way, Maila's fury was decidedly not having the effect she'd intended, a fact which she seemed to realize by the fact that she was now glaring at him silently, chest heaving with exertion as she stood over him. Her hands went to her hips.
"Well?" she asked. "What do you have to say for yourself?"
Xel's eyes twinkled with amusement, and he reached out suddenly to pull her into his lap, the woman gasping in surprise as he grinned into her face. "You're beautiful when you're angry."
Maila just stared at him like he'd grown a second head until he kissed her, practically crushing her against his chest with his good hand. That lasted about a second before he hissed at the contact against his injured torso, pulling away abruptly to cringe in pain, jaw clenching.
"Yeah, you might want to not act like an idiot," Maila scolded. Her features softened in concern. "Least until you can kiss me without wincing."
Xel smirked playfully. "I better hurry up then. It's been weeks, Mail." He grinned wolfishly. "I'm feeling a little deprived."
She snorted and arched an eyebrow. "You'll be lucky if I don't force you onto the couch after what you pulled. Detonating a nuke right on top of yourself? How did Alen let you talk him into this?"
"Hey, there were like half a dozen other people there and they didn't stop me either."
"Yeah, but he's your brother. If anyone can call you on your bantha dung, it should be him."
Xel rolled his eyes and groaned. "For the last time, it was not—"
Maila kissed him soundly but gently, taking care not to put any excess pressure on his chest or anything else. She pulled away a few seconds later with a frown, pressing her forehead against his. "I'm never going to get used to your crazy stunts, Xel," she said softly. "I hope you understand that."
"I know," he replied in the same tone. "But sometimes it takes a little crazy to survive."
She stared at him for a while, taking a deep breath and releasing it in a sigh before gently patting his chest and getting up. "Come on."
Maila held out her hands, and he took them with his one as she hauled him upright. Xel put his good arm around her shoulders as she walked through the house with him.
"You're gonna have to explain why I came home to find you practically half-naked, and you didn't even know I was coming."
She snorted. "Have you ever worked with a plasma torch out in the burning heat of this planet?"
He chuckled softly. "Fair point."
…
Present
It was with a great deal of built-up heat and sweat that their little get'shuk tourney had broken up and gone inside for a proper lunch—and minor medical attention. Given the extreme contact nature of the sport, a few bumps and bruises were somewhat expected, but given that most of the match's participants were Force-users, they were able to mitigate the worst of the damage rather quickly. The bruises were left, as per Xel's insistence. He claimed it "built character." Kael had to snort at that, and keep laughing at him, given that he'd been one of the most prolific tacklers on her team—and one of the most tackled.
He'd attempted (with limited success) to tank most of his team's punishment, for some reason, especially when Kael was the one with the ball. A brief thought that it was because she was a woman flitted through her head before he remembered how viciously he'd dragged Iola to the ground in one play—both laughing the whole time, but still. That and the fact that, apart from romantic context, Mandos didn't see male or female dissuaded her of the notion. Between her training on Athiss and what she'd learned from Karlaius while on the run, Kael had picked up rather quickly how to observe someone without being spotted, and right now, she was using those skills to analyze Xel.
Her contact with him over the seven months before they'd joined up for their hunt had been somewhat limited, and they hadn't met physically until Ne'tra Tor had brought his unconscious body to her home on Bakura. In the time since, she'd noticed that his attention to her, both in opinion and physical proximity, had increased by a relatively large amount, given his typical distance to most everyone else. The only exceptions to that distance seemed to be those directly related to him by clan or blood, Iola, and Clyde. And her. She, however, was receiving attention she hadn't seen him give anyone for…a very long time.
…
3 years ago
Gray Academy, Athiss
11 months ABY
"Deep breaths, Clyde."
He chuckled warmly. "I know." He dramatically stroked his chin for a few moments, irritating his opponent, then making a move that sent a grumble through the other man's throat. Clyde grinned. "Your turn."
Xel shot him a dark look, then looked down at his mostly-empty side of the Dejarik board and began to mope.
That is, until a slender red arm curled around his shoulders from behind, raven hair and a tickle of warm breath brushing the back of his neck.
"You got this," a sultry voice drawled in his ear, its owner smiling at Kael playfully when the other girl shot her a look.
Xel's face began to redden, but his expression was far from disoriented or disturbed. No, he was completely focused, a smile twitching at his lips as a sparkle of triumph flickered through his eyes. He reached for a dial under the table, and the Dansen siblings watched in surprise as he executed a brilliant move that took out one of Clyde's most powerful pieces. Clyde's eyebrows hiked upward as he slowly nodded in approval.
"Nicely done," he admitted as Xel leaned back into Maila's arms with a smug grin. Clyde stroked his chin again. "Here's my counter."
Xel's face fell completely when Clyde executed a gambit he'd been planning for six moves and fulfilled the ultimate objective of the game. It was Clyde's turn to lean back smugly, and in response, Xel sent him a thinly veiled glare and chucked a used food carton at his head. Clyde dodged it easily, laughing, and the others joined him a second later as they all got to their feet. Clyde shook Xel's hand and bowed his head slightly in respect.
"You put up a good fight, friend."
Xel smirked. "Yeah, well…I'll get ya next time."
Kael laughed. "You say that every time."
Caden shot her a smiling glare, and Maila laughed harder, sending Kael a wink behind his back. Maila looped her arms around his midsection and pulled his back flush against her, his attention immediately diverted and focused on the Zeltron woman. He turned around in her arms and pulled her closer, her head pressed against his chest as he stroked her hair, looking for all the world like the other two weren't even in the room. Sensing his intent, Clyde and Kael bowed out of the room, leaving Xel's dwelling in the Academy. Before she left completely, though, Kae paused in the doorway, glancing at the couple as they stared, completely enamored with each other.
A quiet, shuddering breath was drawn from Kael's throat as she felt a dull ache in her chest, forcing herself to turn away and focus on anything else.
…
"Can I ask you something?"
Maila looked over from her seat on an adjacent log. "Hm?"
Kael frowned and looked at the ground. "How…how did you and Xel meet?"
Maila blinked once, then took a deep breath as her lips slowly spread into a grin. "Not the old-fashioned way, that's for sure. He was on a job, and I happened to be working for the man he was hired to capture. He tricked me into revealing his location, and I found it so impressive, I invited him to contact me again."
Kae's eyebrows arched upward. "Seriously? You were enemies?"
Maila chuckled. "No. Never enemies. Just on opposite sides of an equation, in that particular situation. I made it up to him the next time we met." She frowned suddenly. "Though considering how that eventually turned out, I'm not sure I did him any favors."
"Why?"
She looked up at Kael. "Because that's the day his father died. Xel was ambushed by Darth Vader when he went to say goodbye and found me long gone."
Kael's eyes widened, a sigh coming from her throat. "Dang."
"Yeah." Maila stared absently into the distance, a bitter smile coming to her throat. "It's kinda funny. Looking back now, it seems I've been there for all of his greatest losses. Father. Mother. Girlfriend…ish?" She shrugged. "He cared about her, and she for him, but I don't think anything ever happened between them."
Kael frowned a little and looked up in thought. "Alen told me you made a two-sided deal with him…and he only cashed in the other side once."
Maila snorted a laugh, nodding. "When we met after his mother was first kidnapped. I was nervous at first, thought he'd blame me for what happened to his dad."
"But he didn't."
Her head shook. "Save when it comes to himself, he's always had good instincts about where blame really lies. No, he assured me I had nothing to worry about from him, and then proceeded to save my life—twice. Even took me to a secret safehouse to keep me safe."
"A safehouse?"
"An apartment they'd bought on Nar Shaddaa. It was…nice." She smirked. "Especially the bed."
Kael arched an eyebrow at her. "The bed? So he was gentleman enough to sleep on the couch?"
She grinned wolfishly. "No. But he is gentleman enough."
Golden eyes went wide. "Oh. Then…then you two—"
Maila chuckled. "No, we didn't. And we haven't. Or, at least…he hasn't."
Kael shot her a surprised look. "Really? I'd have thought you'd be able to convince him otherwise, or at least want to."
She laughed again. "I'm a Zeltron. Of course I want to." Her smile faded to a warm curve. "But he told me no, and made it very specific that's not what he wants…yet. I respect him far too much to press the issue."
Kael nodded, smirking wryly a second later. "Fair enough. But you guys have been together for what, like a year now? Two years?" At Maila's questioning eyebrows, Kae grinned teasingly. "Can't be easy having your needs go unfulfilled."
Maila chuckled deeply. "Oh, trust me—" her eyes went almost predatory, "—he has his ways."
Kael's face went red as a Laigrek's eye, much to Maila's enjoyment, and Kae couldn't help but laugh along with her, a small part wondering if she was just yanking her chain. Considering the desire and anticipation rolling off Maila when she spotted Xel approaching at a distance with his bare arms exposed by a tank top, that notion was completely dismissed.
…
Present
Caden residence, Mandalore
It never failed to impress Pelem how much food and drink Xel could put away seemingly without effort. As a man of his size and mass, he knew all about mass consumption, especially when bulking up, but Xel? The man was on a whole other level, and not just with food, either. The range of his martial skills was daunting enough, but in Force ability? As far as raw talent went, even Clyde couldn't comfortably compete on the same level without exerting a considerable amount of effort. Alen had always relied more on his skills with a blade, and Kael and Ytris' abilities lay in the healing arts.
Pelem himself was a master sniper, which was just about the only thing he had over Xel, and even then he was far from a natural at it; he'd worked his ass off to get to his level. Even his skills as an engineer were barely a cut above Xel's. And yes, he knew their team wasn't prone to competition, but he was, even back during his days as a Jedi youngling. Especially back then. Truth be told, to a degree, he'd felt intimidated by Xel ever since the younger man had started to find his center. Pelem considered it a stroke of just about the best kind of luck that he'd managed to gain Xel's trust as he did. Knowing exactly what the Mando was capable of, if they weren't friends, he would be downright frightening. As it stood, he was just unsettling at times, and usually only when someone close to him was threatened.
And that was something the older Gray Knight could certainly relate to.
…
2 years ago
Gray Academy, Athiss
1 year, 3 months ABY
Xel peered down the sights of a KiSteer 1284 rifle, slowly releasing a breath as he tracked a faraway target in its scope. He held that breath for a moment, then smoothly squeezed the trigger, releasing a high-speed tungsten slug that pierced the tough hide of a large creature, burying itself deep in the target and finding a critical organ. It was dead before it hit the ground, and the rest of the hunting party was quick to move in to collect its corpse as Xel handed the rifle back to its owner, one slightly slack-jawed Pelem Tercer. Slack-jawed because he'd taken the shot from more than half a mile away with a scope designed to cover maybe a third of that distance.
Granted, Pelem could've made the shot even quicker and more easily than he did, but still. Someone with that kind of skill at incredibly long range, and with a slug thrower instead of the typical particle beam rifle? That was impressive. Take also the fact that he'd had to contend with a fast-moving target shuffling through various tree cover and foliage, and that Xel had taken the shot from the top of the Academy's relatively low wall, and the engineer-knight was more than a bit shocked. He knew Xel had to have used the Force to kill the beast. There really was no other explanation. As one of his small circle of friends, he also knew that it was a shot he couldn't have made eight months ago. Hell, he probably couldn't have made it four months ago.
On the anniversary of the Death Star's destruction, Xel and his friends and family had met up with some old friends in the Alliance at one of their mobile bases and basically drunk themselves into oblivion, despite some of the personnel's concerns about the twins being minors. Xel had laughed himself silly at that, and Alen proceeded to reassure them that he would be abstaining from hard alcohol. Given that that night was barely a week away from their shared sixteenth birthday, Xel had removed his choice in the matter and spiked his Jawa juice with clear liquor. He hadn't used a lot per drink, just enough not to be detected but still have effect. Since Alen hadn't expected the move, he just kept getting refills.
He was the equivalent of three shots in before he realized what had happened, and then it was a battle for him to just stay standing. Xel had relentlessly teased his older brother about being such a lightweight, whereupon Alen had replied that he took after their mother—apparently, she'd been the exact same way. There had been a brief moment of sobriety for them both, and the room had fallen silent at the mention. Of the pair, Xel had smiled first after staring out a nearby window into endless space. It had been strange to Pelem's eyes, the way his expression had evolved.
A touch of regret, a hint of sadness, a bittersweet moment of realization, and finally, a wide grin that spoke of profound gratitude and affection. And the look in his eyes…there was a light there that hadn't been present even after his second experience in the Academy's temple. It was like he'd seen something in the void, something that had lifted a heavy weight off his shoulders and absolved him of whatever remaining traces of fierce shame and regret he'd carried. The brothers regretted everything come morning, but Xel's hangover was mild enough that he could laugh at Alen without that much of a headache.
Pelem smiled at the memory, looking over at Xel to see the younger man pulling off black fingerless leather gloves and wondering at them.
"Hey," Pelem called, nodding at him when he looked back. "What's with the gloves? I've never seen you with those before."
Xel glanced down at his hands, smiling wistfully before looking back up at Pelem with a twinkle in his eye as they started walking back. "Birthday gift from Maila. Since I usually just wear my crushgaunts, I kinda tucked them into a spare storage drawer on my ship and forgot about 'em. Ran across 'em while I was looking for replacement parts for one of my pistols. I figured they were more practical for daily use than gauntlets made of Mandalorian iron, thus why I'm wearing them."
Pelem nodded and hummed absently, scanning the academy as they descended from the wall and feeling something off. Distant sounds of a commotion reached them on the steps, and they strained to look over the buildings to see several robed figures carrying someone into the medical building. Exchanging a glance, the pair made their way down and half-ran to the med center, both stopping short once they saw who was hurt. Pelem's jaw dropped completely open, first at the identity of the patient, and then at the severity of his injuries.
"Ytris," he breathed, numbly approaching his friend's medical bed.
The Caamasi sluggishly craned his head to look at Pelem. "'Ey, Pel. Sup?"
At his side, Xel arched an eyebrow. "Since when does he talk like that?"
"Since he got injuries bad enough to merit two full doses of nullicaine," Kael answered as she moved in from a separate room wearing a doctor's coat.
Pelem's eyes widened in alarm. "Is it that bad?"
Her lips pursed as she glanced in his direction. "If Caamasi weren't so hardy, the damage would be much worse. As it is, I can't have you in here distracting me. Clyde—"
"I got it, sis," he replied from behind the newcomers, taking Pelem by the arm.
Once they were outside, Xel spoke up. "What happened to him?"
Clyde frowned and faced them. "Athiss was once a battleground in the Galactic War of the Old Republic. As such, there are areas where ordnance left over from that fighting lays dormant, and even after millennia, some of it still works. Ytris ran across one such object while investigating a ruin with his team, and he accidentally tripped it. He avoided the worst of the explosion, but a nearby tree was shattered and the shrapnel from that hit him dead on."
Xel whistled through his teeth and shook his head. "Almost taken out by a three-thousand-year-old landmine. Damn."
"Is he going to pull through?" Pelem asked tensely.
Clyde glanced at him. "Kael will do all she can once he's in a proper healing trance. At this point, the hardest part is removing the shrapnel. With their combined efforts, he'll be just fine."
Xel released a sigh. "That's a relief." He glanced between the building and Clyde. "Let us know how it goes, okay?"
Clyde nodded once, prompting Xel to turn away and move toward the residential buildings. He noticed Pelem was still standing there a few moments later. "Need something?"
Pelem frowned and looked down at him, eyes narrowed. "Ytris is entirely too light-footed and careful to set off a landmine, especially on artifact hunts where the target bounty is so delicate. So what really happened, Dansen?"
Clyde's expression darkened, lips pursing. "I couldn't speak with him here." He nodded at where Xel had disappeared to. "Come with me."
Pelem blinked in confusion, but followed Clyde. It took him a while to realize where they were going, but when he identified Fenrim's hut, his blood went cold. It would take a matter of deadly proportions to necessitate the attention of Master Uln.
…
Present
Caden residence, Mandalore
Alen Li-am found it hard to believe that he had known his brother for less than six full years. A little over half a decade, and there were things they knew about each other even their own parents had never learned. Although, he supposed that was what happened when your brother was also your closest friend. Like any close friends, they had their spats and disagreements, but ultimately always found themselves on the same side of virtually any situation. It was a testament to how far they'd both come that he could even say that, given how different they'd always been and continued to be. Though Xel seemed cocky and headstrong and rarely acknowledged his limits, there was a quiet humility to him—and a persistent streak of self-deprecation that annoyed Alen to no end.
Especially irksome was Xel's tendency to put him up on a pedestal, as if Alen was the perfect scion of goodness. Alen loved that his little brother looked up to him, but there was a fine line between respect and idolatry. One allowed them to learn from each other. The other gave one of them unreasonable expectations and set the other up for disappointment. To Alen's great comfort (and mild embarrassment), he had more than enough memories, many quite recent, of Xel saying and doing things that seemed very specifically tailored to keep the Jedi's ego in check. In truth, he realized that any fears of being turned into an icon in Xel's mind were absolutely unfounded. The only real danger was that Xel would somehow forget his own virtues, or allow them to be outshined by what he perceived Alen's to be.
Yes, Alen abided strictly by the Light, yes, Xel was prone and conditioned to bouts of fierce violence and other legally (and sometimes ethically) questionable practices. But did Alen consider himself better than his brother? Not in a thousand years. Alen didn't believe in ends justifying means, but nearly six years working and living with Xel and the Grays had shown him the darker, grittier side of the galaxy that the Jedi Code failed to mention. This was not an age where adhering to dogma would do anyone any good, and truthfully, Alen often wondered if the Order's obsession with that dogma had blinded them to the threat of the Sith during the Clone Wars and ultimately contributed the most to their downfall.
Based on his occasional conversations with Bardan Skirata, who had left the Jedi not long before Order 66 because of this, he was inclined to assume so. Life rarely played out in black and white; to assume otherwise out of some misplaced sense of self-righteousness would be a colossal mistake, one that Alen had made more than once in his younger days. It would not have been hyperbole to say that Xel had taught him the error of his ways in that regard. Likewise, Xel had learned the hard way the value of temperance with regard to his aggression. The more Alen thought about their fraternal history, the more he realized that they were two sides of the same coin.
On the one hand, Xel's inner fire had needed a counter, a means to control and properly direct his aggression without consuming everything in his path. On the other, until he met Xel, Alen's fierce sense of justice and belief in a firm right and wrong had been lacking the drive and, yes, a certain amount of fury to apply those values to the real world in a way that would ultimately make a difference. They owed each other a great deal, a fact that Alen had commented about to him once. He'd laughed heartily at that, then told his brother in no uncertain terms that barring extraordinary circumstances, they were, "perpetually even."
Of all the lessons they'd both learned over the years, though, there was one that had always stuck with Alen the most: no matter what happened, no matter where they went or what they did, they needed each other.
…
2 years ago
Gray Academy, Athiss
1 year, 4 months ABY
"A little late for a visit, don't you think?"
Xel frowned a little at the holocron's declaration. "I guess I just wanted to make sure we wouldn't be disturbed."
"By the other students…or your brother?"
Xel sighed and bowed his head slightly. "Both. It's not that I don't trust Alen. It's just that there's…a question I needed to ask you, free of outside opinion or judgment."
"And in this case, you only feel free to speak if we're alone."
Xel nodded.
Master Li-am pursed his lips and nodded solemnly. "Ask."
The boy took a deep breath. Here goes. "Did you ever receive…visions?"
The hologram stayed silent for a while. "I assume you ask this because it's a phenomenon you've personally experienced."
Xel nodded.
Li-am "sat" on the edge of the open holocron's center, frowning with a hand on his chin. "And is this experience what ultimately led to the massacre over Hypori? Or is it something different? Something more…" his eyes narrowed slightly, "recent?"
Xel started a little, then pursed his lips tightly. "That's what I'm worried about."
The Jedi Master took a deep breath. "Talk to me. What have you seen?"
The Mando leaned back in his seat, looking up at the ceiling of the library briefly before huffing and facing the hologram. "It's…I don't know exactly. It's not at all like Hypori. Nothing's anywhere close to clear."
"Visions from the Force rarely are, in substance or meaning."
Xel frowned. "Yeah. I learned that one the hard way."
"But this time feels different somehow."
A nod. "It's not about some great battle, or—or thousands of deaths because of some cataclysmic event. It's more like…I don't know. Like there's something on this world that I need to find." He frowned. "And something that intends to stop me from finding it." Xel could've sworn he saw a dark expression flicker over the hologram's features.
"If that is the case, then you will need your brother's help."
Xel sighed. "I was afraid you'd say that."
Li-am shrugged. "The simple truth is that although you're the one with the vision, you simply don't know enough about Athiss to find whatever it is you're looking for. Your brother? Your friends? They do. And you shouldn't want to go it alone. If I may deign to leave behind my humility for a moment…" he smirked, "not even the most legendary of heroes can accomplish anything of true value alone. Anyone who tries will find that even their best intentions can turn very sour very fast. Trust me, take it from someone who knows."
Xel frowned, jaw tightening briefly. "Yeah. I figured you'd say something like that."
Master Li-am shot him an amused look. "How so?"
He smirked. "Because you and my brother have a lot more in common than just a name. If your conversations with him haven't already proven it, he's the one person in the galaxy you can always trust to uphold your legacy."
"And you, apparently, are the one person I can always trust to undersell himself."
Xel blinked and stared at him.
Li-am smirked. "Evidently, you have more than a thing or two in common with my Xel too. Your trigger was the result of your actions at Hypori. His was over a decade of working for an empire he despised. You both share a fierce hatred of Sith ideology…and a love of Mando culture. Or…just love in general, really." He chuckled. "That bitter chakaar taught me a thing or two about what love really meant. In turn, I equipped him with every tool possible to defend the objects of that love."
Xel's eyes widened. "You...you taught him to use the Force."
The Jedi nodded. "He knew the Sith would only attempt to exploit him had he revealed his talents, and since we'd already worked together, he figured I was enough of an 'insufferable goody-good' that I wouldn't go that route." He smiled. "He was right."
Xel's voice dropped to a whisper. "Just like us."
Li-am's lips pursed. "If there's anything I can tell you about your visions, it's this: the Force never shows you anything without reason. If you think this thing, whatever it is, is important, then it probably is. Finding it will be critical to achieving your potential, and likely necessary for the defense of others. My Xel may not have believed in the coddling of others, but a fight without challenge was a fight without honor. I get the feeling you think on similar lines."
Caden frowned. "Similar. Not exact. I'm not him."
The hologram flinched slightly. "I apologize. That wasn't what I'd meant."
"I know. I just…still haven't quite figured out who I'm supposed to be, where I fit in the galaxy. And I sure as hell don't need anyone imposing expectations with that based on someone else."
Master Li-am nodded. "Yes, you're right. Of course. Regardless, if you find yourself in need of further advice," he bowed courteously, "you know where to find me."
Xel nodded. "I appreciate it. And everything you've done for the both of us."
He shrugged. "Hey, don't look at me. I'm just a glorified holobook now. You'd never have learned a thing if you hadn't found me and showed me a willingness and hunger to learn." He smiled. "It has been my honor to teach both of you the ways of the Force."
Xel smiled. "And I hope you'll still be teaching us for many years to come." He snorted. "Stars know we need it."
Li-am laughed. "The first step to fixing a lapse is acknowledging there is one." He smirked. "Your brother still has to learn that one."
Xel grinned at the stone tiles of the library. "He inherited our parents' stubbornness. It's a redeemable quality, when put to proper use."
"Just make sure it is."
He shrugged. "Why me? You're much better qualified to teach him than I am."
"Maybe so, but he has to come to me. You're there with him practically every day, and as such it's your responsibility to correct him when I, or anyone else, can't—or won't."
Xel pursed his lips and shrugged. "I understand."
He smiled. "Good. Then please, go with my blessing, and the will of the Force."
Xel bowed politely, watching absently as the holocron's parts floated and shifted back into one piece, and the image of the Jedi Master faded to nothingness. He stared at the empty space for a while, then turned toward the door, a smirk briefly coming to his face. He huffed out a small laugh, then made his way back home for some well-earned sleep.
…
Present
Caden residence, Mandalore
It was a decidedly pleasant ache that greeted Xel's body at the end of the day. He'd almost forgotten the feeling of a hard day's work without conflict. Well…armed conflict anyway. Shab, he couldn't remember the last time he'd had that much fun, just for the sake of fun. His body gently hummed with the effects of his room's attached sonic shower, allowing the vibrations to loosen and relax his taxed muscles as he rolled his head in slow circles. The muffled thumps and movement he heard through the walls alerted him to the nightly preparations by the rest of his team and family.
A smile slowly came to his features as he stretched himself out in the shower, gently laying his head against one of the chamber's tiled walls, eyes sliding shut. He could just imagine them in their respective rooms, their routines all too predictable. Uncle Teras would be ushering Cerril and Elek to their rooms for the night, claiming that sending them home would be poor hosting. Pelem and Ytris would engage in their nightly meditation, then separate to take one of the guest beds and the floor, respectively. Xel had tried to get the Caamasi to take a proper room, but Ytris would have none of it—he practically slept in meditation. Ne'tra Tor was back on the ship, by his own choice, of course, since he felt it would imbalance the get'shuk to engage and, well, he wasn't really feeling the festivities. Xel wouldn't begrudge him a day to himself.
Clyde would be executing one of around sixteen different Form V katas he'd invented or picked up from his studies, out in the open air of the clan grounds. Alen would be trying to keep a fierce blush from staining his cheeks at Iola's relentless teasing and flirting (it always got more intense at night), but eventually give in because, truth be told, he enjoyed that side of her. And Kael…well, she was another matter entirely. No two nights were ever the same. She might go for a caf and cake (she, like him, had a weakness for Iola's confections), or spend her last ten minutes awake performing a late-night workout to shock her body into feeling tired. He did know that of everyone in this house, she had the hardest time falling and staying asleep.
Xel had to wonder why that was, and stepped out of the shower resolving to get an answer. Slipping on his house clothes, a pair of sweats and nondescript shirt, he strode from his room and searched the house bit by bit until his nose picked up the familiar scent of Belsavian orchids, head turning toward its source and legs taking him toward it. He stopped in the doorway of the house's study, leaning against its frame and sighing gently as he peered inside. A soft blue glow tinted Kael's dirty blonde hair, a familiar deep voice filling the room as she stared at its source. Xel's eyes flickered to the hologram, then to the projector, a familiar small, cube-like object.
"Above all, I want you to know just how proud I am of you, how proud I am to be your father. My only regret is not being there to see the kind of man you'll become, but I know that whoever that is, he's going to change the galaxy. Ni kar'tayl gar darasuum, Xel."
A breath shuddered through Xel's chest as his eyes stung with familiar tears, closing so he could rub them. He took a deep breath and sighed audibly. "Ni kar'tayl gar darasuum, buir."
Kael started and snapped her head around to stare at Xel openmouthed. "Xel—I—um…"
Xel smiled gently and waved dismissively, sauntering up to her and turning to face his father's datacron. "It's all right." He took another breath. "This is…probably the closest you'll ever come to meeting one of my parents, after all."
Kael frowned and looked him over. "Maybe not."
Xel arched a questioning eyebrow at her.
She smiled a little. "Listening to your father's message…seeing his hopes and dreams for you and your brother...you're their legacy, Xel. From what you and Alen have told me about them, I see more and more of your parents in you two every day. They would be so proud of who you've become."
Xel stared at her for a while, turning back to the still image of his smiling father and adopting a smile of his own as his vision clouded over with forming tears. "That's all I've ever wanted…to be a good son to my buire."
"And you are that." Kael gently took his arm, gripping the crook of his elbow. "That and so much more."
Xel bowed his head and sniffed, letting the tears fall freely as he covered her hand with his own. "Ori'vore, vaar'ika."
Kae smiled and gently laid her head against his shoulder. "Be'gedet'ye, Xel."
AN: This was just about the last downtime chapter before this story ends. Things are going to pick up in the flashbacks big time. Not much to say about this chapter. Just hope you enjoyed the calmness to this one and a bit of character development all around.
The next chapter will be up soon, I hope. If not, I think this is a pretty decent let-off point for now.
Please review and recommend this story to your friends.
Oya, vode.
- CDrake
