CHAPTER TWO

Bishop? The Jedi? Ya I've seen him around, comes in every so often with an attractive Nantisian woman 𑁋flowing red hair, sometimes causes a stir with my other patrons…those women are …sought after, you might say. Usually sits in a booth at the back to keep her out of sight ya know… ?

-Bilgor Broba, Restaurant Owner, Naboo

Bishop couldn't imagine anything else, not another smell, not another bed, and certainly not another woman. Laying with his head sunk into the pillow and sinking further still, he gently ran his fingers through Shiri's hair. In the corner of his mouth, a budding smile, he couldn't help himself; every time just a helpless grin; there is nowhere else I'd rather be.

Snuggled in close with her head on his chest, Shiri gently pulled the sheets over her legs and nuzzled closer still. The quarters assigned to Jedi aboard Acclamater assault ships would not be described as lavish, but grey and cold to the touch and soul. These rectangular rooms with few amenities housed the Republic's finest for weeks and years, ferrying them from system to system to wage war against the Separatists and their endless droid armies. This particular ship, the Agitator, held thousands of Clone Troops and hundreds of AT-TEs. Even as Bishop relaxed, he could feel the shudder of the hull as they stomped far below to arrange themselves for the coming attack. A mission that should not even exist, how could this be? It had been four years since their first and only visit to the technicolored Tridexian world. We eliminated those things… those… Orks. Between then and now, dozens of battles had started and finished against the droid armies, the green skins a faded memory, replaced by dead friends and crushed enemies.

"Are you ok sweetie?" Asked Shiri, her head rising slightly in concern.

"Yes… why do you ask?"

She shifted beneath the blanket, pulling herself up a few inches so they were cheek to cheek. Still forbidden from any kind of relationship, they found each other between the stars on route to battle zones or shore leave on Naboo. Hiding in either of their quarters for nights on end, they renewed their bond, always careful to keep out of sight.

"I can sense your uneasiness." Her warm breath on his cheek, "what are you thinking about?"

"Just… those things. How did this happen?" He remembered waking in the medical bay aboard their ship in orbit all those years ago. The forests were cleared entirely of anything resembling the green infestation. Hundreds of clone troopers had deployed to the surface, reporting no sign of anything after a week. "The troopers found burrows and tunnels, and they went down there and killed the smaller ones, those Gretchin the squad called them. Do you remember?"

"Ya… this isn't our fault. We were in Bacta tanks. Why is this bothering you? Did Windu say something?" Sliding her gently off his chest, Bishop rolled to his side and out of bed to collect his clothes. "Babe, what did Master Windu say?" she repeated without irritation, just a selfless desire to help her love come to terms with his troubles.

"Well, after the battle of Geonosis and the start of the war, the Republic didn't really pay attention to the outer rim, right? I mean, the worlds that aren't caught in the conflict. The real outskirts." Shiri nodded in the affirmative, her eyes and ears paying attention to every word and gesture. "The Jedi Council stopped as well, and do you know why? Because of us-, well me. Because of me. I told them everything was taken care of. And now… well, Master Windu is questioning if we were thorough enough with our instructions to the troopers. Your master-" Bishop stopped to rephrase, "-sorry, I know you miss him. But before he was killed last year in battle, he and Windu wondered if a scouting party should head out and see if everything was ok. Apparently, some Jedi started to sense something."

"Is that why Master Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker are on the other assault ship? To make sure we don't screw this up again?" She asked, trying to piece together a narrative.

"No. No. I mean… well, it's not just them; there are twenty Jedi on eight assault sh-"

"Yes I know, but c'mon sweetie, we are talking about Obi-Wan and Skywalker. They fought Dooku on Geonosis, remember? And Kenobi killed that Sith on your home planet like…ten or twelve years ago."

Bishop nodded, trying to believe that his master trusted him to complete a mission without a babysitter. The Jedi are here to help wipe these things out, and Obi-wan and Anakin to bring some much-needed muscle. Not to watch me. Shiri slipped out of bed and stood close with her arms wrapped around his waist.

"I'm sorry, that was very stupid of me. We have fought for the Republic. They aren't here to watch us. They are here to help."

Despite the incredible odds that some of the Council's best were here on the same mission, Bishop knew deep down that she sought to appease him. A hundred battlefields on a hundred worlds, but they are here with me on the outer rim against a tribe of spear throwers? Those two should be finding the Sith, not facing cavemen.

Breaking his train of thought, the room's holonet receiver registered an incoming call. Shiri quickly darted out of camera view as Bishop slipped into his robe before activating the transmission from Coruscant. The shimmering blue image solidified into Master Mace Windu within a few seconds.

"Bishop," he began, his deadpan facing revealing nothing of his true thoughts, "...it is good to see you."

"As it is you, Master,"

"Forward scouts have reported back from Tridexian, and I wanted to bring you up to date before you arrive." His eyes glanced off-screen, "...which should be any minute… It is worse than we feared. The reports from last month originally stated that only one city was overrun, but that isn't the case. Five of the planet's largest cities and two spaceports are occupied with the same creatures you faced years ago. And…" he paused, looking at more screens before continuing, "there is fighting inside the Coruluton mining station along the equator. Its security teams are reporting ferocious attacks. Bishop. Now that Dooku and the Separatists have stepped up their attacks within the core worlds, the Supreme Chancellor has asked the Council to save that mine for the Republic war effort. How these creatures have returned, or how they could possibly capture so much of the planet, we do not know. As it stands now, this will be a planetary liberation mission rather than a routine rescue. All twelve Assault ships will be deploying their cargo. Padawan, are you certain your teams wiped them out four years ago? Did you return to the surface to verify this?"

Bishop's heart surged at the accusation, his breathing accelerating as he fought his first reaction to yell in frustration. Relax, relax, he's just asking,

"No my Master, I was in a Bacta tank recovering from my wounds. When I was discharged from medical care, the platoons returning to the ship indicated a thorough sweep had been completed. The Orks were eliminated completely."

Even through the interstellar distances of the Holo-network, it was easy to see the inner dialogue Mace Windu carried within his mind. His eyes moved ever so slightly as he considered the possibility that his Padawan did not error all those years ago, and that perhaps something terrible was loosed on the galaxy.

"If that is the case, then we must eliminate this threat once and for all. We might have foolishly dismissed them as a barbarian hoard from the unknown regions, but… you will need to rectify this. Obi-Wan and Anakin Skywalker are amongst you; trust their leadership. I need you focused and clear of mind. I know that your friend rides with the fleet, and her deployment to the surface might distract you as it did years ago. You must sever your connection with her or face-" Mace stopped himself as Shiri entered the Holo field, the image capturing her entire body wrapped in a bed sheet. Bishop felt her warm hand clasp his own, holding tight. "...I have warned you Padawan, the Council does not permit this…" his attention now focused on the beautiful Nantisian. "This behavior will bring you both to ruin, you understand this do you not?" Mace Windu couldn't hide his displeasure, his nostrils flaring and chest rising in anger.

You promised me…I love you more than anything. Bishop felt her thoughts, stress and worry jumping from her mind to his. Do not worry, we will be together.

-Alert One : Alert One - All personnel to their stations!-

Red alarm klaxons began to blare in the halls, and red lights spun in the corners of their rectangular grey room.

Reading an off-screen monitor, Windu turned back to the two young Jedi,

"Your fleet arrived in the system. Go and complete your mission. See that you save the population and recapture the cities and mining facility. May the Force be with you."

Shiri pressed closer, squeezing his arm with both hands to try and soothe her rising anxiety. Bishop felt it radiating like a heat pump and closed his eyes to send her a thought,

I've already told you, we will be with each other to the end.

Opening his eyes, he locked them with his Master, unwavering in his resolve and commitment,

"We will not fail."