Chapter 57 – Return to Kashyyyk
D203/0 ABY
Aboard the newly repaired Ghost were all the spectres, along with Odin, as they were heading towards the planet Kashyyyk. Chopper was currently beeping something at Odin, to which he gave a hearty laugh, "I like this one. He might be able to withstand Loki's flyting."
Thor groaned at this, "Can we please not talk about that. Loki flyted all of us so horribly that it took nearly a decade for us to get our bearings back."
"Yes, it was a horrible flyting.", Odin said grimly as the others wore a confused expression.
"I thought flyting was banned.", Fenrir said.
"I had it banned after Loki flyted everyone. We were almost on the brink of war thanks to that.", Odin said.
"What is flyting?", Hera asked.
"It is a ritual of poetic exchange of insults.", Odin said.
"Really, that doesn't sound so bad.", Zeb said.
"Oh, but it is, my friend. Words are more powerful than any weapon. When someone's pride is wounded then the consequences depend upon the power that person holds.", Odin said.
"How come no one ever told me about this?", Fenrir said.
"There never was a reason to bring this up before.", Odin said.
"Really? You told us so many tales, why not this one?", Fenrir asked.
"The flyting occurred on a day when Aegir had invited the leaders of each realm.", Odin said.
"Oh boy!", Fenrir and Tarre said immediately.
"I myself had arrived at a later time, much after the feast had begun.", Thor said.
"Who is Aegir?", Hera asked.
"A powerful Jotuun deity – 'God of the Cosmic Sea'. Very proud and very dangerous.", Thor answered.
"He commands full control of all hyperspace lanes, and that is only a brief display of his full might.", Tarre said.
"Your father,", Odin spoke pointing at Fenrir, "was unhappy with how things had been unfolding at that time."
"What time was it?", Fenrir asked.
Odin looked at Thor and asked, "15 million years ago?"
"Yes.", Thor answered.
"I wouldn't go into the full details, but Loki and another god – Bragi got into an argument. From there things spiralled out of control and it turned into a flyting with Loki insulting everyone. He had raised good points about how we all had behaved in the past, and it would have been acceptable. But he went too far and insulted our host – Aegir.", Odin said.
"What happened next?", Ezra asked.
"Aegir's insult was the last straw, and he rose threatening war.", Odin sighed, "A war with him would have been much like the Apocalypse, as he is one of the few gods in existence who can kill an Archangel."
"All of this happened in your presence!?", Fenrir asked with a shocked expression.
"It did.", Odin sighed, "Thankfully Thor's timely arrival seemed to calm Loki down, but it was after Loki had insulted Thor as well. Your grandmother – Frigga,", Odin said while gesturing at Hera and Fenrir, "and I were able to negotiate peace with Aegir. His demands were that Loki be his servant for a millennium."
"Dad agreed to this!?", Fenrir asked.
Odin then turned to Thor and asked, "Well Thor, did Loki agree to that proposition?"
"He did.", Thor answered.
"I find that hard to believe.", Fenrir said, "Not the flyting part, the part where he agreed to work for someone."
Thor and Odin laughed at this, "Loki found a way to weasel out of it, without violating the agreement. At the end of it, Aegir had his thousand years of service, and Loki had barely spent a day of his life in servitude.", Thor spoke.
"What!?", everyone asked.
"You do know Loki's title, don't you?", Thor asked.
"The God of Mischief.", came the answer.
"Loki is also known as the 'The Trickster'. Fenrir, would you like to tell his motto.", Thor said.
"If you can't beat them, annoy them until they surrender.", Fenrir spoke boringly.
"Exactly.", Odin said.
"Yikes. He seems to be a handful.", Hera said.
"Hey!", Fenrir said indignantly.
"So are you, sometimes.", Tarre mumbled. Fenrir looked at him with an irritated expression.
"As a child he was a handful. But as an adult, Loki resolved more conflicts than anyone. His wit and his words were able to bring peace to troubled worlds. The flyting incident was a slap in all our faces, it was to help us realise all the times we had been hypocrites, proud and arrogant.", Odin said.
"Onto some new business then. We're about to reach.", Thor said as the ship started to beep indicating their arrival.
After reaching the planet's surface, Hera, Kanan and Zeb had met with the Wookie leaders. All the other crew members had separated to do their own thing, with Ezra and Sabine requesting a sparring match with Odin, who happily obliged. Meanwhile, Thor, Ahsoka, Fenrir and Tarre were onboard the ship. As Tarre and Ahsoka prepared to leave, Thor called out to his apprentice.
"Am I to understand that you have Death's ring with you?", Thor asked.
"I do.", Tarre answered and proceeded to give a complete account.
"Unbelievable.", Thor said shaking his head.
"What?", Tarre asked irritated.
"That you had trouble with Cain Marko.", Thor answered.
Tarre sighed impatiently, while Fenrir said, "Well to be fair, Cain Marko nearly killed him all those years ago."
"It was because he dropped his guard.", Thor answered, his eye narrowed at Tarre.
"There is no pleasing some people.", Tarre mumbled, as Death's ring materialised in his right hand, before he threw it at Thor.
Catching it almost immediately, Thor proceeded to inspect the ring and spoke, "Is it true that Balthazar took part in a soul trade?"
"Yes.", all three of them answered.
"Then why is he not in chains?", Thor asked, while he and Ahsoka looked at Tarre and Fenrir.
"I had turned him into a popsicle, but Uncle Issho decided to have him freed.", Fenrir answered.
"Why?", Thor asked.
"Well, he managed to steal Pestilence's ring. I think it's with Lord Bor right now.", Fenrir said.
"I am aware of that. But that is not the answer to my question.", Thor spoke. Turning his gaze towards Tarre he asked, "Are you certain of his intentions? Do you have faith in him Tarre?"
"I do.", Tarre answered.
"Hmm.", Thor nodded and spoke, "Bring out the hammer."
Tarre knowing fully well the reason behind Thor's request, brought out Mjolnir and held it above his head.
"Very well. Tell him that his crime has been pardoned.", Thor spoke.
In the wilderness, Odin was sparring with the two youngsters, with lightsabres in training mode (Odin had borrowed Thor's lightsabre). 'Why did we ever agree to this?', Ezra thought. His complete attention was towards Odin, so much so that he didn't notice the change in Sabine's force signature.
'Her connection to the force is deepening. Odd though, that she nor anyone else has realised this.', Odin thought as he easily blocked their move, and evaded the next one. He then quickly swiped Ezra's legs tripping him and used Sabine's momentum against her.
"We need a lot more training.", Sabine said, as she and Ezra wheezed.
"Hmm, given your age, you are very skilled.", Odin said to the two.
"Yeah, but it's nowhere near your level.", Sabine said.
"I wasn't always this skilled. I followed a training regime for many years.", Odin said.
"How many?", Ezra asked curiously.
"Half a billion years.", Odin answered, at which Ezra gave a low whistle.
"I don't think I'll ever get used to this. I still have trouble believing Tarre and Fenrir's age.", Sabine said.
As they started to spar again, Ezra told Odin about when they had seen Bor smack an old man into an ocean. Odin then laughed at this and stopped, which allowed Sabine to nearly land her attack at Odin. But he evaded at the last moment, "Please sit down. Now we meditate."
"But I am not a force user, so why do I have to meditate?", Sabine asked.
"Consider it as a new experience.", Odin answered as Ezra smiled.
As they sat down, Sabine asked if Odin if he knew who the old man was. "Yes, that old man is my elder brother – Rayleigh, 'God of Destruction'."
Looking at the shocked expressions, Odin said, "He rarely destroys anyone or anything. Rayleigh enjoys life to the fullest. He had even once wielded Mjolnir. But now we meditate."
Following this, he sat down cross-legged, and Ezra followed his lead, choosing to sit on his knees. Sabine was still a little apprehensive and asked Odin, "What are you the god of?"
"Many things. I am the God of travellers, battle, poetry, wisdom and above all else – creation.", Odin replied, his eye closed.
After this, Sabine reluctantly sat on her knees and followed Odin's instructions, "Clear your mind and focus on your environment."
A moment passed and Sabine sensed something, she could sense the immense power of Odin. It only lasted for a moment as her concentration was broken. She then tried it again, but it didn't work.
Ezra opened his eyes and said, "Hey, it took me many days to sit still."
Sabine then opened her mouth in order to ask Odin about how Tarre could have survived being beheaded on Naboo.
Odin listened to this intently, stroking his beard, "That is Tarre's secret to share. When he is ready, you will know."
Back in the Ghost, Fenrir and Thor were talking about various things, from Bilgesnipes to Balrogs, from Goblins to trolls, when at last Thor sighed, "As always, you have an overactive imagination."
"So, did you know that Hera is strong with the force?", Fenrir asked.
"Yes, I do. I have known ever since we were reunited.", Thor answered.
"Then why not tell her?", Fenrir asked.
"Should she realise it, then her connection to the force will strengthen and she would end up attracting the attention of our enemies.", Thor answered.
"Oh.", Fenrir said.
"I am also aware that you and Bruce tested her.", Thor spoke, his eye at Fenrir, who had visibly gulped at this.
"So, do you know about Tarre and Ahsoka?", Fenrir asked trying to change the subject.
"Yes, but they are very subtle.", Thor answered.
"How do you think she will react, when she learns of his condition?", Fenrir asked.
"She already knows.", Thor answered, "It has not changed her feelings for him."
"That's good.", Fenrir said.
"Back on Kashyyyk.", Tarre sighed as he leaned back against a tree, while Ahsoka sat in the spot between his legs, leaning against him with his arms wrapped around her.
"I wish it could be the same.", Ahsoka spoke.
"Is it not?", Tarre asked.
Ahsoka turned to look at him, "Last time… you…"
"I may not have eyes anymore, but I still have sight.", Tarre said, cupping her cheek as he gently kissed her. "I am not completely inept.", he said after the kiss.
"Really?", Ahsoka asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Ok maybe sometimes.", Tarre said. "Although, since I can't see colour anymore, you could have warned me about my hair."
"It suited you.", Ahsoka said.
"Ugh! Really?", Tarre grimaced.
"What, it did!", Ahsoka said in defence.
"I have something for you, and fair warning it's not pink.", Tarre said.
"Then I hope it is mysterious.", Ahsoka said with a smirk.
"Well, I certainly hope so. Had to use Talia's help for carving it.", Tarre said as he produced a white -orange wrist band with intricate designs on it and handed it to Ahsoka.
Looking at it, Ahsoka was speechless – the band was so detailed, depicting patterns that were a trademark of her people. "I…I don't know what to say."
"Then say nothing.", Tarre smiled.
"Thank you, but why?", Ahsoka asked.
"Ahsoka, never say thank you to me.", Tarre said, "As for why – it is because I wanted to."
Ahsoka sighed and tried on the wrist band, seeing that it fit her perfectly, "How did you guess my size?", she asked.
"I had started working on it, before Naboo, when I still had my eyes.", Tarre said, "Since it is made out of Beskar, it is very difficult to destroy."
"Really. I have another question, you said that you had asked for Talia's help.", Ahsoka asked.
"Yes.", Tarre replied.
"Does she… know about us now?", Ahsoka asked.
"Well… yes.", Tarre answered, "It was either asking for her help or never having finished the band."
Ahsoka smiled at this. "I take it that the band is to your liking?", Tarre asked.
"It most certainly is", Ahsoka answered as she produced a band from her own pocket – intricate patterns laced with green and blue paint, and slipped it on Tarre's hand.
"Wow!", Tarre said surprised, "Talk about – never seeing it coming."
"Don't ruin the moment with such a joke.", Ahsoka said.
"Apologies.", Tarre said.
"We'll have to thank Sabine and Talia.", Ahsoka said.
"You asked for Sabine's help?", Tarre asked.
"Yes.", Ahsoka answered, as she leaned back into Tarre's embrace. Once they had both settled down Ahsoka spoke, "Mhi solus tome, mhi solus dar'tome, mhi me'dinui an, mhi ba'juri verde (We are one whether we are together or apart, we will share everything and we will raise our children as warriors)."
"Mhi solus tome, mhi solus dar'tome, mhi me'dinui an, mhi ba'juri verde.", Tarre spoke after a moment. "Minus the raising our children as warriors' part."
Ahsoka laughed at this, "You should be a new mandalorian."
"Maybe I am.", Tarre said.
"I feared that you may not have…", Ahsoka started to speak, but was interrupted as Tarre bent down to kiss her again, but ended up yelling, "Ahh! Damn neck."
Ahsoka then turned around and looked closely at his neck and massaged it a bit. "Well, this classifies as ruining the moment.", Tarre said.
"No, it doesn't. Just please don't do something like this in the future.", Ahsoka said, "Fortunately, it seems to be alright."