"Hey hon, hand me the socket wrench please?" Cillian called from under his speeder bike.

Elena fished in the old toolbox for a minute before handing her uncle the tool. Cillian tightened one last screw before sliding out from under the bike.

"Try it now."

Elena flipped the ignition and after a few moments of sputtering the bike revved to life. Cillian moved Elena out of the way before unclasping the chains holding it up. The bike dropped but before it hit the ground it levitated itself up. Laughing in triumph Cillian shut the bike off.

"I told Aphras it was the fuel line. All it needed was a replacement and it works as good as new."

Elena nodded. Cillian wiped off his hands and looked over to Elena. Weeks have passed since she'd arrived at their home. Cillian's first instinct was to gear up and go searching for his brother and his family. But Aphras' objection kept him home. Instead, Cillian reached out to an old friend of his to call in a favor. That favor was to go look around the homestead and see if anything could be salvaged or investigated. That was a week ago. Understandable since it was a four day trip back and forth whenever Cillian and Aphras visited them. To think that Elena, even being the young woman she was, made that trip on her own without supplies. Cillian was just grateful she made it to them.

"How're you holding up?" Cillian asked.

"Okay...Uncle Cil, what do you think happened to-"

"I'm sure they're fine. You're dad's a tough nut to crack. You all are. I'm sure they ran those bandits off, and are probably on their way here." Cillian said, giving her a warm smile. His words seemed to reassure her as he nodded again; this time with confidence.

"Hey, Uncle Cil, can I ask you somethin'?" Elena asked.

Cillian took a swig from a bottle of spotchka. "Sure, what's up?"

"Well, you know how you said my dad was tough? Well, I remember one time I was in my dad's closet and I found this…"

Elena fished in her vest pocket and handed Cillian a circular badge. Cillian's blood ran cold as ice when he saw the badge. It was a ranger badge. A star inside a circle with the words RHYDELLIA RANGER across the band.

"I asked dad about it, he said he was a police officer, like you," Elena explained. Her pale green eyes stared at Cillian.

Cillian looked over to her and then his gaze shifted to Aphras who was leaning against the wall behind Elena. His eyes said, "Don't you dare."

"I remember your old man spent some time as a magtrain guard. But who knows. We didn't talk for a few years." Cillian shrugged.

"Huh, well I guess I'll keep this, it's a cool badge."

"Might be worth something, who knows?" Cillian shrugged again.

"I see you finally got that bike fixed," Aphras announced his presence as he slithered over to Elena.

"Yep, fuel line. Like I told you."

Aphras rolled his eyes. "Well, you're the mechanic. Anyway, let's go inside, I've cooked up some lunch."

"You guys go ahead, I'm gonna go to the store and grab some stuff," Cillian said.

Aphras nodded, taking Elena out of the garage. As they left, Aphras shot Cillian a look before heading inside.

"Now I'm in trouble," Cillian muttered to himself.

Cillian adjusted his hat as he walked down the main road. The sun was beating down today. But people were out and about anyway. He rounded the corner past the gunsmith and found the general store. He sparked up a cheroot and stepped inside.

"Aye, Cillian!" the store's proprietor Tu'zamak, greeted. Tu'zamak was an old weequay. He took over the store after he won it in a game of sabacc and since then he made it his mission to keep the people supplied. He even managed to get some rare goods for Cillian once upon a time. So long as Cillian footed the bill of course. "Long time no see. How's Aphras?"

"He's doing alright. I'd come more often but you're practically emptying my pockets with these prices." Cillian puffed his cheroot.

"Ah, the disrespect! Why do ya gotta insult me like that? In my store?!" Tu'zamak mimicked clutching his chest in pain. "Words hurt y'know?

Cillian chuckled. "Only when they're the truth."

Tu'zamak laughed. "So what can I get you? Offworld shipments may have stopped but I'm still stocked up."

"The usual, a bag of rolling tabac, a gallon of water, some jerky, a pair of small boots, a belt, and a bottle of spotchka." Cillian listed.

Tu'zamak nodded and went about the store gathering his items. "I saw you had a visitor!" he called from the backroom.

"Yup, my niece."

"Meadow?"

"No, Elena."

"Little Elena? What's she like, ten, eleven, now?"

"Nineteen."

"Nineteen! Wow, time does fly my friend. I remember when she was no taller than my hip!"

Tu'zamak walked back over to the counter and placed the items in a sack. "That reminds me, you have any Nopal juice?"

"That, I do." Tu'zamak nodded, reaching under the table and retrieving a clear bottle filled with murky-white nopal juice. "With the juice, it'll be four-fifty."

"Four-fifty!?" Cillian was surprised. "Since when? Even with the water, it should be at most two-fifty."

"Not anymore. Water is becoming more scarce. The caravans are carrying less of it. I could buy from Krasniy but they charge double. Not to mention the trouble they'd bring." Tu'zamak explained. "Aphras wouldn't be too happy to see them around."

"He'd be furious," Cillian noted. "Look, all I got is three-hundred, and I gotta stop by the butcher too.

Tu'zamak eyed him down for a moment, before conceding. "Alright, give me two-fifty and you owe me some of that buitrelote stew that husband of yours makes."

"Done!" Cillian nodded, reaching into his pocket, counting out the credits, sliding them over to him. "I'll get back to you about the stew."

Cillian took the bag and left, stopping by the butcher's to pick up some meat before heading home.

"I'm home!" Cillian announced as he walked through the front door.

"Welcome home." Aphras smiled as Cillian walked into the kitchen."

Cillian smiled. "Got us some water, jerky, meat, among other things."

Cillian placed the items on the table. "Elena, come here."

Elena stepped away from the counter and Cillian handed her a belt and a pair of boots.

"Figured you can use some good boots and a belt always comes in handy," Cillian said.

Elena hugged Cillian and thanked him, taking the items to the spare bedroom, leaving Cillian and Aphras alone.

"So…" Cillian sighed. "You wanna talk about it?"

"About what?" Aphras asked, pretending to be coy.

Cillian lowered his voice, "The badge? Her asking about Barak?"

Aphras' jaw shifted, "I don't want you filling her head with ideas."

"Ideas? What ideas-"

"The same ideas that led me to find you bleeding out in a ditch!" Aphras hissed. His eyes were welling up with tears. "You tell her about you and Barak and the rangers...what do you think will happen? She's always been an adventurous girl. She'll want to strap on a holster and go after her family, like you!"

"That's my bro-!" Cillian cut himself off to not be heard by Elena. "Barak is my brother. I can't just sit idly by while he and his family are missing and his ranch razed to the ground."

Aphras wiped his tears. "You made me a promise, do you remember?"

"I do, and that's why I called in a friend to check it out rather than go out there myself." Cillian placed a hand on Aphras' face. "As much as I would take it upon myself, I have a duty to you."

0600 Hours, 17 BBY

Governor's Quarters, Royal Palace, City: Petra, Planet: Rhydellia

Alexis shifted under the covers. She moved her hand and felt it run along a toned set of muscles. The daylight began to creep through the closed blinds, allowing a minuscule amount of light to illuminate the dark room. Alexis felt an arm shift and pull her in closer, her partner stirring in his sleep. She looked up at the peaceful face of her lover, Captain Deuce of the 76th clone battalion. Moving up from his torso, her fingers danced from one scar to the next. Delicately, she felt them, one by one, each one a story, whether it be an epic or a tragedy. Each scar was garnered from years of military service like his brothers.

"Good morning…" Deuce said softly.

"I didn't wake you did I?" Alexis said, scooting herself up and resting her head on his chest.

"No, you're fine." Deuce chuckled, placing his prosthetic hand on her cheek. "This is sleeping in for me. Before this, the best sleep I had was in a clear spot on the ground with a backpack for a pillow"

"Really?"

Deuce nodded. "Yup. I just wish I was able to enjoy this with all my being. Not the man I used to be."

Alexis grabbed his hand and kissed the prosthetic metal then moved up and placed a kiss right above his cybernetic eye. "You're man enough."

Their blissful moment was interrupted by someone knocking on the door.

"Madam Governor! The men from the Krasniy Company are here!"

Alexis sighed, "Duty calls."

"I should probably get up and tell the men to switch shifts too." Deuce yawned, stretching himself.

Alexis planted another kiss on Deuce's cheek and left to get dressed.

Stepping out into the hallway in her pressed uniform she was immediately met with two royal guards in ornate ceremonial dress.

"Madam Governor, if you'll follow us." one of the guards motioned for her to follow.

Alexis watched as one of the guards steered the land speeder into an open hangar. Inside were six large tankers each filled with water. Standing by the hangars were twelve heavily-armed men wearing brown combat armor under khaki fatigues. As Alexis exited the speeder she was greeted by one of the men.

"Governor Kessik, it's an honor." the man greeted. Unlike his grizzled comrades, this man was clean-shaven, his skin was less scorched by the sun, his brown hair neatly trimmed, and his uniform and armor clean. "Andrei Xeras, head of Krasniy water prospecting at your service."

Xeras bowed and then motioned to the tankers beside him. "Six heavy tankers full of drinkable water. The source of all life. Each one holds two-thousand gallons of water each."

Alexis was taken back by the amount of water before her. "How did...how-"

"Krasniy prides itself in its stocks of water. Despite how new we are into this trade." Xeras smiled pridefully. "But if you must know Madame Governor, we make direct deals with moisture farmers as well as our prospector teams scouring the desert for oases and water pockets."

Alexis nodded. "Right, so can you keep shipments like these coming?"

Xeras nodded, "Of course! So long as you...foot the bill."

"You will be duly compensated. My concern right now is alleviating this water crisis." Alexis continued.

"Then we have a deal!" Xeras smiled, extending his hand.

Alexis shook it and Xeras retrieved a canteen from his belt. "Let us toast to our new partnership!" He poured two glasses of water and handed one to Alexis. "Taken from the same stock as these tankers. Cool and fresh."

"Alexis took the glass, cheered, and drank." The water was cool and delicious. Despite being the governor, Alexis hadn't drunk water in weeks, surviving on Nepal juice and other drinks.

"I'll have my men take these tankers to the distribution centers and we can get these people the water they need!" Xeras declared, whistling to his men who mounted up and drove the tankers out.

"Who were they?" came Deuce's voice behind Alexis.

She turned to see him walking up, blaster in hand.

"Some men from Krasniy. They delivered twelve thousand gallons of water. They're headed to the distribution centers now." Alexis explained.

"Krasniy? I've heard sketchy things about these guys. Doing awfully well for a planetary crisis." Deuce expressed his concern. "Maybe we should explore-"

"All that matters is that we get the water these people need." Alexis interrupted. "We already have demonstrations occurring. If I do not act, this crisis can turn for the worst. Demonstrations now, then an insurrection later."

"Right," Deuce nodded.

(A/N: As some of you know I've been rewriting the first couple of chapters of RoR. I wasn't happy with how they turned out so I decided to rework them. I'm much happier with them now and I hope it shows! Some of you might recognize a familiar face in this chapter. If you've been around long enough to recognize them I salute you! Maybe they'll be a reoccurring appearance or maybe this is their one cameo, who knows? All in all, however, I hope you all enjoy this chapter and I hope you all stick around for chapters to come!

-SwingWatchaGot

-P.S. I have an Instagram! swingwatchagot where I post more in-depth lore about the worlds in my stories such as Rhydelliia and Heldia as well as other things in my day-to-day. I'd appreciate it if you gave me a follow! )