(Alrich Wren POV)
In one smooth motion, I lift up the lid with one hand and grab my lone piece of luggage out of the trunk before shutting the trunk and gesturing a goodbye to the cab driver.
The driver takes the hint and pulls away from the curb after a moment.
Finally. Home.
I adjust the handle of my bag in my hand before taking a few steps towards the house and pull on the gate, which creaks, prompting multiple barks to sound out inside the house.
Oh it's me. Hush.
"Oakley! Sarabi! Hush!" I hear my wife's voice call out just as I start up the stairs that both lead out to the pool and guest house as well as the main house.
"You're back! I heard traffic from O'Hare was a nightmare. I wasn't expecting you for another half hour." Ursa greets me.
"Found the right Uber." I smile, then peck her cheek.
Clinking collars notify me of Oakley and Sarabi's arrival. "I'm still working on the stew for tonight. Sabine is off at the store grabbing a few things."
"Are Tristan and Kayla here?" I ask before bending down to pet the dogs. "Hi! Did you miss me!?"
"No." My wife laughs in her normal, facetious tone. "They're off at the Aquarium."
Anything to get out of this house.
"Why am I not surprised?" I ask while petting the black lab while Sarabi just races around me, excited to see me.
At least she's stopped peeing out of excitement.
"Oh we were the same way at their age dear." Ursa reminds me.
"We didn't flee our parents every chance we got."
"They don't mean it poorly. They just like their space I'm pretty sure. You know Tristan wants to move out."
That he does.
"Anyway, how was Los Angeles? How were the negotiations?"
"They went alright. Medtronic is insisting on another hike, which I told them won't sit well with the board."
Those price gouging pirates will learn soon enough if they don't play ball.
"Another hike?" My wife repeats before chopping something up loudly. "Haven't they already increased prices?"
"Yes, which the company covered at the fed's request. I don't think that they'll subsidize it this time."
Meaning the cost is passed onto the consumer. Many of whom are struggling to pay for their insulin as it is.
"That's…shameful."
"I know." I nod to my wife before walking to the living room and setting my bag onto the couch. "The trip was a productive one however."
"I got a communication from the Duchess. Apparently your meeting with Sabine's friend went well. Ezra, right?" My wife calls out as I return to the kitchen.
"Right you are. He's a good kid."
"Are the connections to the Jedi as significant as they seemed to be?" My wife asks, grabbing part of an onion and moving to chop it.
"Yes." I nod before I pull open the fridge. "From everything they'll tell me his parents really haven't been around for years. Dooku noticed this and essentially scooped him up. And he's been in their care ever since."
"I thought the boy went to private school?"
"Yes." I continue spinning the story the Jedi laid out for me. "In Georgia, one controlled in large part by the Jedi."
"So their power base is further than Boba fears."
"This isn't about power cyar'ika." I counter. "From everything they told me at the lunch we attended, he's more or less a sort of agent." (cyar'ika = Darling, beloved, sweetheart.)
"A Jedi Agent?" Ursa hisses, turning to me in alarm.
"Of a sort. He has a variety or skills, diplomatic, martial, is quite brilliant and can think on his feet. And most important of all to them, is quite physically gifted."
My wife's alarm turns to a smirk. "No wonder Sabine likes him."
"It's not like that. You heard her."
"You really believe 'Bine Alrich?" My wife chides me. "You and I both know what she's been doing for years. First with B'ret, now with at least one other guy the night of that fight."
"She's a consenting adult. And it's none of our business."
"Very true." My wife agrees while continuing her chopping. "But I maintain that she likes this boy. Ezra. I have to remember that."
I laugh before setting the bottle of wine we opened last night on the island and move towards the cabinets.
You will, the boy is quite impressive in person."
"You saw him?"
"I did." I confirm, digging for a wine glass. "Did you run the dishwasher dear?"
"I did, but it's still cooling down. What happened? You're leading to something."
She knows me so well.
"If anything, he's more of an enforcer. He could snap B'ret like a twig if he wanted to." I tell her.
"So that report, and what Boba said is true: That he was pulling his punches."
He was being nice.
"He was. I got a little more detail on the man with the broken jaw? Moved into his punch."
Ursa winces before seeming to understand. "It's bad that I want him to find that little brat and knock some sense into him."
"Oh he might. You know when Kayla found Sabine in the bathroom at the airport?"
"Yes?" her head pops up again.
"They had a fight. Ezra doesn't know what he did wrong, but I don't think they've talked since."
My wife sets her knife down and tilts her head towards the ceiling before closing her eyes wearily. "Sab'ika…whyyyy do you do this?"
I don't know.
"But ever since she got home she's been nothing but complementary of him!" She adds.
"I know."
"It doesn't make any sense!"
"I have a theory." I say, returning my attention to the wine glasses.
"Shoot."
"You know the necklace Sabine wore to our pictures?" I ask, beginning to pour.
"Yes, the one that we don't know—OH!"
Yes.
"You think that…he gave it to her?"
"And that freaked her out." I finish the thought for Ursa.
She seems to mull it over for a moment. "I guess that makes sense. But why get her a necklace like that if he doesn't like her?"
That's the question.
"I think he does. But he's steps ahead of her and knows she's getting over someone."
"No way." She laughs. "No way!"
"He's practically a Jedi Ursa." I remind her. "The boy is quite smart, and very sharp. I bet he can read her ticks very well. We know they're close."
Because she won't shut up about him.
We've only heard a little about her other friends. But a massive amount about this 'Ezra'.
The chopping continues before my wife says "Shame about his parents. Lines up with what Sabine said."
"Not much love there." I add, sitting across from her before I sip my wine. "Not around much."
"Raised by emotionless monks, a majority of which seem to have an superpower from an unknown source."
"He's not Force-Sensitive." I lie. "Just good reflexes."
"Which is why I imagine they conscripted the boy." Ursa says before grabbing a potato and chopping it in half. "A pawn in their game."
Not really. I wish I could tell her the truth.
But she'd freak out. And the Jedi specifically asked me not to say anything at this time.
And how can I fight it? The boy should be able to tell Sabine, who he truly seems to care about, without me going behind his back.
He's…something.
"What?" My wife reads me like a book before loudly chopping up another potato.
"Ezra's just…he's hard to read. Looking at him, you wouldn't really be able to tell. But I got way more out of him at that breakfast than in Sacramento or yesterday."
Ursa's eyes dart up. "You think he's hiding something?"
"I just think he's seen a lot. And that he's complicated." I say just before the side door open and the dogs begin barking again.
"Hey! Shut up! It's me, I'm back. Calm down." Sabine says, arms full of green bags from the grocery store. "Dad!"
"Ad'ika." I smile at her while getting up from my seat. (Ad'ika = sweetie, darling, daughter, child)
Sabine quickly sets the bags down and rushes into a big hug. "Mom didn't think you'd get back so quick. How was LA?"
"Good. You'll never guess who I saw."
"Who?" Sabine asks while turning back to her groceries.
I don't reply immediately, instead unlocking my phone and scrolling over to my pictures.
I don't think he noticed me taking his picture.
When I look up, Sabine is loading up the fridge while Ursa is looking at me. "They invited me to their Temple. He was working their dueling tournament."
"Really?" She repeats, eyes widening.
"Yup."
"Who?" Sabine asks, head in the refrigerator.
"I think that's Ezra. Right dear?"
I nod as my wife smirks just before Sabine whips around. "You saw Ezra?!"
"I did. He says hi." I tease Sabine.
In a flash, the groceries are forgotten as Sabine races to my side and grabs my phone.
"I didn't get to see him fight, he was working as more of a bodyguard/security." I tell the two of them, then turn more towards Sabine. "Did you two have an argument?"
"An argument?" Sabine repeats after me, staring at the picture of the boy in his Jedi robes, looking out at the arena. "No."
"He seems to think you did. Said you two haven't been talking."
"Ezra and I are fine." Sabine says brusquely. "I know he's been busy, and I've been doing a lot too."
"Adika." My wife chides her. "If you two had a fight, you have to communicate. He can't apologize if he doesn't know what he did wrong."
"We didn't have a fight!" Sabine says, frustration in her voice. "He…we're fine."
Not what I heard.
"Dear." I soften my voice. "You told us he was on that flight before you came. Then Kayla—"
"I know Dad!" Sabine says angrily.
"Hey, I just want to meet the boy. We've heard so much." Her mother smiles. "Maybe he said something he shouldn't have."
"Darling." I moderate my tone again.
"No Dad." Is Sabine's response.
I wince, then glance at my wife. "Have you told him about B'ret?"
"No!" Sabine responds hotly. "He's never asked, I've never told him, and Brett's dumbass doesn't matter anymore! I don't want a boyfriend right now, and Ezra seems to understand that."
"And you've told him that?" My wife follows up.
"Yes Mom. And Ezra doesn't like me like that anyway. He's a robot when it comes to romance." Sabine answers wearily before marching back towards the back door. "There's more groceries in the SUV. I'll be back."
The door opens, followed by it slamming. Leaving my wife and I alone for an instant.
"The necklace." My wife smirks.
"I think he knows that." I counter before glancing outside and seeing Sabine unloading our black SUV.
Poor kid.
(Ezra Bridger POV)
"—and Jacen's bike came in this morning."
Master Dooku smiles as we sit in the turn lane on Long Beach, waiting for the light to turn. "That's good. What was the delay?"
"Kanan mistakenly assumed there would be bikes available to purchase the week of Christmas." I report, only for Dooku to chuckle.
"Oh no. He was mistaken."
"Very." I smile. "But he ordered the new one online for Cayle and I, then put it together today."
The light finally turns green and the cards ahead of us begin moving forward.
"How about you and this grill I've heard you're purchasing?"
"Haven't really looked into it. Been too busy." I answer while taking the turn.
Been reading a report on the history of the conflicts between the Mandalorians and the Jedi Order. Many of which I feel as if I could add something too.
Dad told Elias and I stories of how the Mandalorians could be a useful ally in time. They were one in the past, often manipulated into doing a Sith Lord's bidding.
"Your time doesn't have to be completely devoted to academic pursuits." Dooku advises me. "Do some research, then pass along the bill. Consider it a Christmas present."
I…It's pointless to fight him on this.
Master Dooku smirks as the car ahead of us changes lanes, opening up our path to Entrance Road. "And don't factor in the price point."
"I'll keep it—OW!" I yelp as Dooku smacks my right hand.
"No, you'll do as I ask. You know my wealth, and it's pointless to sit upon it as if a throne." Master Dooku preaches. "You'll put it to excellent use, which is all I'm looking for in an investment nowadays."
Investment.
He knows that his portfolio will make up any loss incurred by my purchase.
Benefits of being ninth on the Forbes Billionaire Ranking List. And being Count Dooku of Serrano's royal family.
Never had to work a day in his life. But dedicated his life to the Jedi.
Without another word I flip on my blinker and come to a halt so that the oncoming traffic can pass before I turn into the neighborhood. "Have you reached out to Sabine yet?"
"Not since Christmas. And I probably won't. She never replied."
I kind of thought that her Instagram activity and the necklace photos meant that things weren't as bad as I thought.
Nope. Five days later and here I am getting 'left on read' as Trey calls it.
"Perhaps she's waiting for you to make another move."
NO!
I bank my frustrations while turning into the neighborhood. "I've moved twice. Silence both times. Ball's in her court."
It'll be awkward as hell in that dance class, but oh well. Can't say I didn't try.
With a flick of my wrist I pop open the console between Master Dooku and I and grab the orange laminated card with Kanan and Hera's house number for the security booth.
When I pull up, the guard is expecting me to extend my card, which I do. He takes it, scribbles the house number before asking "Both cars?"
"Yes sir." I answer before glancing in the rearview mirror and seeing that Master Kenobi is indeed still behind us.
"Here you go. Have a nice night." The guard tells me, handing my card back.
"You too!" I smile and nod before the gate begins to open and I creep forward.
Once we're fully thru the gate Master Dooku takes the opportunity. "You seem rather frustrated about this."
"I just wish she'd say what I did wrong. And that I hadn't listened to Cayle."
"Cayle? What'd he do?"
"It was his idea." I explain. "He said I had to get her a Christmas present. Stupid idea."
I was the one who decided to take it a little further than normal. It's my fault. I wish she'd reply just so that I can apologize.
So maybe things can go back to normal.
"On the contrary. I think it was a brilliant idea. How were you to know there would be repercussions?"
"I know about the guy. That should have been enough."
Master Dooku turns to me and says "I wouldn't worry about him so much, as her."
I take my eyes off the road long enough to glance at him. "What's that mean?"
"I've heard you have so far refused to investigate into the matter, opting to give her the illusion of privacy?" Dooku begins.
"Yes."
"The two of them are not a thing. Far from it in fact. Her actions seem to indicate that she no longer wants anything to do with him."
"But it's still affecting her. And I don't want a thing with her." I remind him. "I just want my friend back."
…
…
Oh come on Master.
"You don't believe me."
Dooku finally chuckles. "Vader clearly believed otherwise."
"I'm not Vader. He twisted the truth."
"A twisted truth is still truth, even when turned 180 degrees." Dooku says as I pull up behind the SUV in the driveway.
"Sabine's too important a friend to consider that."
And even if I wanted to, I don't deserve to think about her like that.
I don't really deserve that kind of happiness.
Love, dating. A real, true girlfriend.
Without another word I pop out of my car and shut my door a little firmer than I intended before leading Masters Dooku and Kenobi up to the house, where the front door is unlocked.
No Ghost…
"We're home." I call out into the house before I hear movement in the kitchen.
"How'd it go?" Hera calls out to us as Master Kenobi closes the door behind us.
I respond. "It went alright. Moved on." then smile as I walk into the kitchen.
As soon as I'm within range, Hera pulls me into a hug. "Congrats dear. Good job."
"Thanks." I smile at Hera as Hera does the same.
Hera lets me go and turns behind me, allowing me to glance out into the backyard and spot Cayle, Ahsoka and Master Skywalker all sitting in the grass of the backyard while the sprinkler is going in one of the corners.
"—thank you for having us." I hear Master Kenobi say to Hera as a ball flies out, followed by Ghost racing after it.
They're playing fetch.
"Of course. There's wine in the fridge if you all want some. Kanan ran off to the store, he forgot green beans and lemon for the fish."
Master Kenobi laughs and Dooku says "Oh dear. Is young Jacen enjoying his new bike?"
"Oh yes." Hera smiles widely. "He's off riding with his friends right now."
"Excellent." Dooku smiles as Master Kenobi slips past all of us and moves towards the backyard.
Ghost jogs back to where everyone is seated before I glance back to Master Dooku and see that he's pouring two glasses of wine. "Do you need anything from me?" I ask Hera.
"No dear. You all go talk."
She knows I've wanted to know about this Kamino business since I got back. Only for the Council to muzzle Cayle and wait until the entire Council could discuss the matter.
Leading us to today.
Master Dooku slips my glass into my hand before leading me outside. As we walk, the ball gets clumsily thrown again before Ghost races after it, inducing a high pitched giggle.
Mira.
"Hello Master. Ezra." Ahsoka smiles at the two of us, causing the others to turn to us.
"Hello. Are we having fun out here?" Dooku asks as Ghost trots back, ball in hand before beelining for me.
I smile, then pet him and take the tennis ball out of his mouth. "Hey Ghost."
Good to see you too.
Mira vocalizes something before Cayle silently takes the tennis ball from me and gives it to Mira, who is sitting in his lap. "Here ya go. Show Ezra what you've learned."
Right away Mira does as she's asked, squealing and heaves the tennis ball out into the grass. Ghost instinctively bolts and chases after I, getting delirious giggles out of Mira.
"You're learning to throw! Good job!" I smile, only for Mira to turn at the sound of my voice, spot me then beam and babble excitedly.
Ahsoka and Master Skywalker's faces both soften as Cayle hands Mira over to me, who latches onto my shirt and moves to hug me. "Hiii. How are you? You playing fetch with Ghost?"
Mira repeats a single sound. "Ba-Ba-Ba" while banging her hand on my collarbone heartily.
"Her speech is progressing." Master Kenobi observes.
"Yup. She's crawling around and babbling right on schedule." Master Skywalker replies, sounding pleased.
Cayle takes Mira back as Ghost returns with the ball. "I'm even trying to stand! But I can't do that yet. I fall down."
A day or two ago she somehow used Ghost's collar to get to her feet and clung to Ghost.
It actually worked pretty well, Ghost didn't protest and she got from the living room to the kitchen before anybody realized what she'd done.
Only problem was when she let go of Ghost, she fell right down.
"So." Master Tano turns to her student. "What'd you tell him?"
"Nothing." He replies. "You told me that I couldn't' say anything per the Council until you discussed it."
Both Kenobi and Skywalker eye me before I answer "it's true. He didn't say anything."
"Well then would you like to begin?" Master Dooku asks him.
Cayle shrugs, then moves to turn to me. "They're weird man."
Weird?
"Weird how?"
"Well, for one they're completely albino. All white. Big ass, long necks like a giraffe. And the place is exactly as Dooku described it. Completely hidden, like El Dorado." He explains.
Dooku adds. "I believe that the genetic abnormalities are a result of their prolonged isolation."
"You said that these Kaminoans were quite advanced especially in the arena of genetic editing." Master Skywalker begins. "Perhaps the changes are deliberate."
"It is unknown at this time." Dooku says before turning back to Cayle. "Carry on."
"okay." He nods, then turns back to me. "Well the main takeaway I got is that they want to see you. They really, really want to see you."
"To see if their work paid off." I reply without thought.
They likely think like my father.
"Probably." Cayle nods. "They weren't thrilled about Master Dooku bringing me, despite the fact that the Order sent me along. But they accepted me a lot more when I explained that I know you quite well."
"And?" Master Kenobi asks.
"They asked a thousand questions." Cayle says as Mira throws the tennis ball again. "How tall are you, how much do you weigh, what do you look like? That sort of stuff. I showed them a picture of you off my phone, which really got the ball rolling."
"How?" I quickly ask.
"It appears that these Kaminoans are quite through." Master Skywalker reveals. "Extensive files, a complete genetic breakdown, DNA sequencing, the works."
Complete DNA sequencing?!
We don't even have that right now. If my father has it, it's locked up in his files that Alexandre is still trying to access.
I want that. It's mine. I have a right to it.
"Did you get it?"
"No." Dooku shakes his head. "Neither of us are a parent or guardian, and they refused to share the information."
"Master Dooku explained the situation, that both of your parents are unavailable at the moment and that you're in school. No dice." Cayle frowns. "Sorry."
Damn.
"It's alright. You said my parents are 'unavailable'?" I ask.
Master Kenobi nods. "We believe it best to keep you father's intentions quiet for the time being. And it would appear that your mother was barely involved if at all."
"Her name appeared on many of the medical documents required out in the real world." Master Dooku tells me. "Birth certificate, birth registration form, social security application, will, letter of instruction, et cetera."
"Do you think they'll give it up if I give you permission legally? Like sign something?" I ask.
Master Dooku shakes his head. "No, and we don't really know how their legal system works. They might not allow it."
"The Council believes it best for you to go in person, after we continue investigating." Ahsoka informs me.
"Continue investigating?"
"I'll be returning to Kamino in the coming weeks. Attempt to gather more information. The Kaminoans are a very reticent people. And even more so when discussing someone such as yourself Ezra."
They created me. Very illegally I might add.
I can see how they won't talk about it much.
"He's right. It was beyond pulling teeth just to get this little amount of information." Cayle says to me. "I'm sorry we couldn't get more. Half the time we were there we asked the same question, over and over again. Only for them to use their words to spin us in circles."
It's more information than we had.
"It's okay. Thanks for trying." I smile at him, then the others.
"No need to thank us." Master Skywalker says while levitating a few blades of grass. "You have a birth right to this information. And since your father actively obstructs our quest…we soldier on."
My father.
…
I feel like this wouldn't be a bad time to ask what he's up to.
Especially since I never, ever ask.
I know what he's doing. Sitting in a cell for twenty hours out of the day out in the middle of the stormiest part of the northern Atlantic.
Mira's laughter brings me out of my thoughts before I notice everyone looking at me. "Well, outside of that what is going on?"