Chapter XXVIII – Brothers at Last

It was winter on the northern hemisphere of Eclipse, and the landscape was awash in white as our freighter touched down at a remote spaceport. The snow scrunched under our feet as we disembarked, muffling our footsteps and seeming to hush every sound. Large flakes of the stuff continued to spiral down around us as we walked to a nearby cantina, where we hoped to locate transport to Corusant.

"I love snow," Jessa said dreamily, throwing her head back to stare into the gray-cloaked sky. "Which is funny, since where I grew up we didn't get much of it. We'd go up to my Grandma's house in McCall for Christmas, though, and she always got, like, a foot of it…" She fell backward into a drift, holding her limbs out stiffly and sweeping them back and forth as if trying to clear a path with her body. Fett gave her an odd look.

"Don't look at me like that, I'm making a snow angel!" she told him.

"Good," he replied with some relief. "I thought you were having a fit of some kind."

"My first experience with snow was on Hoth," Luke noted, bending down and scooping up a handful of soft white ice. "It was like cold wet sand to me." He chuckled. "When Wedge found out about my ignorance, he had to educate me by burying me in a snowdrift."

I dragged my fingers through a layer of snow that had accumulated atop the hood of a parked landspeeder. My memories of snow were dim – I had only experienced it a few times as a Jedi, and even on those occasions I had been preoccupied with other matters. Now, isolated from the world as I was through my armor, the experience was lost to me.

Strangely enough, I felt no sadness as I contemplated this. I was wistful, yes, but it was hardly a tragedy. Perhaps life had finally been put into perspective for me. Perhaps, having truly empathized with others for the first time in years, I had finally found peace with myself and my own trials.

"I've been thinking of Nightwind," I murmured. "He never saw snow. He would have enjoyed being here."

Luke let the snow in his hand fall to the ground. "I wonder if it snows at all on Vendaxa."

"In the mountains," Fett replied. "But few acklays live on the mountains…"

The blow of an unlikely weapon cut off the rest of his sentence. The projectile struck his shoulder and sprayed his face with fragments, making him recoil with the impact. All our eyes turned to the attacker.

Tuck stood some distance away, clutching his sides and howling with laughter. "For the galaxy's best hunter, Fett, you've got the reflexes of a comatose Hutt!"

Fett wiped the snow away and growled. "You think you're hot stuff, Tuck? Try this on for size." And he bent down, hastily scraped together an orb of snow, and flung it at the trooper.

"Ha! Missed!" came the taunt.

"Get back here, you coward!" snarled Fett, and he chased Tuck across a vacant lot, pelting snowballs the whole while. Tuck whooped and dodged, turning every now and again to lob a retaliating missile at the hunter.

"You know something?" Jessa noted, eyes sparkling. "I think Fett's feeling better."

"He still limps," I observed. "He has simply forgotten the pain of his illness for awhile."

"They're brothers, you know," she said knowingly. "Come from the same source. Tuck's DNA's been fooled around with a little, of course, him being a stormtrooper, but they're still pretty much brothers. Fett the elder, and Tuck the younger."

"And now they seem to be fighting like brothers," Luke noted, smiling as Fett tackled Tuck and began rubbing his face in the snow, the trooper laughing throughout the ordeal.

Jessa turned to Luke, a mischievous gleam in her eyes. "Looks like fun out there. Shall we join in?"

"I don't know…" Luke began.

"Oh, don't be such a frozen stiff," Jessa teased, and she yanked open the neck of his tunic and dropped a fistful of snow down his back. He yelped with the cold and gave chase as she darted away, laughing hysterically.

I laughed a little as I watched their antics. Let them have a moment to enjoy each other's company a little longer. Let them be a family for a while. All too soon they would be driven apart, perhaps never seeing each other again. I had no desire to interrupt their leisure.

At long last, Fett picked himself up and brushed the snow from the seat of his pants. "Let's go in and warm up," he suggested.

"And buy something hot to drink," Luke suggested.

Tuck jogged up to join us, holding something aloft. "Did one of you drop this?"

"What is it?"

He extended it toward us. It was a credit chip, unlabeled and unmarked. Its pale color had camouflaged it excellently against the snow, but of course Tuck had found it without any problem.

Fett whistled. "Wonder how much money's on the account."

"Wonder who it belongs to," Luke added.

"Whatever, let's go in, I'm frozen solid," Jessa complained.

"I'll join you guys in a minute," Tuck told us. "I have to find the owner of this."

"Your funeral," Fett muttered.

While Tuck moved off to locate the owner of the credit chip, the rest of us retreated to the warmth and comfort of the cantina. Unlike its seedy counterparts on Tatooine and Corusant, this establishment was clean and seemed to service a reputable crowd. The musicians could actually carry a tune, the staffs' uniforms actually covered their bodies, and few if any patrons had intoxicated themselves to the point of volatility or stupidity. Pilots and smugglers abounded, but they seemed perfectly content to discuss business deals or play sabaac rather than pick a fight or leer at the waitresses. The locals even felt comfortable enough here to bring their children in for a meal, though they kept a careful eye on their young ones all the same.

"Get you folks anything?" asked a Twi'lek waitress.

"Something hot for us," Fett replied, gesturing to Luke and himself.

"No thank you," I told her.

"For hot drinks, we have caf, tea, or spiced ginta ale."

"Give me the ale," Fett requested. "Make that two, actually. We're expecting a friend."

"Just caf," Luke told her.

"Coming up." She bustled off with our order.

I scanned our surroundings, just to be on the safe side. We were close to the Galactic Core, and the nearer we got to Corusant, the more we risked someone recognizing Luke. Simply because the Empire was disintegrating did not mean he was out of danger. For all we knew, the Rebellion could have put a price on his head for treason – for did not helping an Imperial elude capture constitute betrayal?

My eyes rested on two young men at the bar, their eyes fixed steadfastly on our table. I did not recognize either of them, only noted that they were about Luke's age, maybe a few years older, and wore suits of burnished steel armor. One had a sharply angled, almost feline face, with slanted, cunning black eyes and close-cropped black hair; the other's features were heavy and thoughtful, his eyes a startling shade of violet, and his hair pale to the point of being almost white. The dark one possessed a jagged scar along his jawline from ear to chin; the pale one had a starburst tattoo around his right eye.

The waitress returned with Luke and Fett's drinks, and as soon as she had departed I pointed the two men out to the others. Fett gave them a studious look, then shook his head and turned away.

"Don't recognize them," he grunted. "Probably just gawkers."

"Well, they seem to recognize you," Luke noted. "Here they come."

The two men approached the table, and the dark one extended a hand toward Fett. "Boba Fett, the legendary hunter. It's a pleasure making your acquaintance at last."

Fett stared at the proffered hand, then at the man. "Who the stang are you?"

"My name is Seff Mereel," he replied. "Our fathers knew each other long ago."

Fett's eyes widened. "Jaster had a son?"

Seff nodded. "I've seen holos of your father, Jango. You look just like him."

Jessa made to say something, but I kicked her under the table to keep her quiet.

"Seff Mereel," Fett repeated, taking his hand and shaking it. He turned to the pale boy. "Who's this, then?"

"Tuari Redstar," the boy replied, an eager smile on his face. "And I've waited a long time for this moment!"

"What do you mean?" demanded Fett.

"What we mean," Seff explained, "is that we have waited a long time to meet another who is a link to the old Mandalorian Order."

Silence. Then Fett laughed derisively and drained his glass. "And what do two youths know of the Mandalorian Order?"

"We have researched it for years," Tuari countered. "We have even gone as far as to locate pieces of the original armor." He gestured to his own chestplate. "Do you know how difficult it was to achieve two complete sets?"

"The Order was once a great power in the galaxy," Seff added. "It can be great again. Especially if you would consent to being our new leader…"

"You've been blinded by romanticized tales of glory and riches," Fett said dismissively.

"No, Fett," Seff insisted. "We know the Order's past. We know of its mistakes, its fall, and the decay of its fortress. Stang, we've even been to Mandalore and seen what was left of the fortress there! We know there is little glory in the life of a mercenary… but we also know that this Order is something to be preserved, not forgotten and shoved into the vaults of history for the remainder of time."

Fett opened his mouth to fire off a retort.

"Our fathers fought long and hard to keep the Order alive," Seff said at last. "Let's not disappoint them. Let's make them proud of us." He extended a gauntleted hand. "Lead the Order, Fett. Help it rise anew. Let the Mandalorians soar through the stars again."

Fett looked gravely upon Seff, then his gaze moved to Tuari. He seemed to ponder their words. The two youths waited anxiously, hope gleaming in their eyes.

"Well," Fett said at last, "someone has to keep you two young scuts from killing yourselves." He set his glass on the table. "Are you afraid of hard work? If so, you can cut yourselves out of the Order right now."

Seff shook his head.

"I grew up in a mining colony," Tuari said proudly. "Hard work never scared me."

"Good," Fett replied sharply. "Because there's a fortress on Mandalore that needs some serious cleanup and restoration. There's armor to forge, weapons to secure, recruits to gather, supplies to obtain. And in your spare time, you will be required to pound the history and codes of the Order into your thick skulls and the skulls of your fellow trainees. Understood?"

"Yes sir!" they barked.

"Our first stop is Tatooine," Fett finished. "I have a ship to pick up. Do you have transport off this rock?"

"We have a ship outside!" Tuari said eagerly. "We can be ready to go in five minutes!"

"Thank you, Fett, for your aid," Seff told him with an exultant smile. "This would have been impossible without you. Come with us to the docking bay?"

"Give me a minute," he replied, waving him away.

The two men departed, talking eagerly between themselves.

Fett turned to face us. "I suppose this is goodbye," he rasped.

"So soon?" asked Luke. "I mean… I thought you'd at least come to Corusant with us…"

"My path has opened for me," he replied. "Why turn away from it now? Seff is correct – the fire of our Order has been gone too long from the universe. The galaxy needs the Jedi to keep from plunging into chaos… but it also needs the Mandalorian Order, if only to keep things from becoming stagnant. And besides, my father would have wanted it this way. For his son to follow in his footsteps and become a great warrior in every sense of the word."

"Does this mean you're stepping down from your Galaxy's Best Bounty Hunter position?" Jessa asked.

He shrugged. "I stepped down from that long ago. After the sarlaac, I'm not what I used to be. I'll never again be strong in the physical sense. It's time I took on a less active role… as a mentor and a leader."

I nodded at Fett's declaration. Even before the ring had bound him to our company, I had respected him as a cunning ally. Fiercely independent and unwilling to become a burden to our party, he had nonetheless been a steadfast and loyal companion. His shrewd mind and unwavering courage had seen us through many tight spots, and though he was hardly the outgoing sort, he had extended his friendship, a rare honor indeed.

"May the Force be with you," Luke told him, giving him a friendly punch in the shoulder.

"And with you," Fett replied. "Good luck in all you do."

"Take care, Fettster," Jessa chuckled. "Miss you."

"Stay out of trouble," he ordered her.

"Will you at least stay to bid Tuck goodbye?" I asked.

Fett shook his head. "I've said my goodbyes to him. It was always awkward being around him, to see my face mirrored in his. But I wish him luck in his journeys." He bent down and picked up one of the packs, the one that contained his armor and weaponry. "The mythosaur axe. It is mine by birthright. Let me have it."

I drew the weapon from the bag the Ky-Lin had given me and handed it to him. "May the Force be with you, Fett."

He took the axe, then pulled something from his belt pouch, a grayish carved figure, and set it on the table. "I made this on our travels. Do what you will with it." He hesitated, then gave a parting bow. "Remember me."

And he walked briskly away.

Jessa picked the carving up and handed it to me. "It's made out of griffon bone," she noted. "And it looks like the Mandalorian crest."

"Fitting," I replied, and I withdrew Ash's feather and Nightwind's tooth and laid them on either side of Fett's carving. "As everyone leaves the fellowship, they also leave something behind."

Luke touched each item in turn. "Something to remember them by…" He frowned. "Where's Tuck?"

"Dunno, wasn't my day to watch him," Jessa shot back.

I quickly swept the items back into our packs, then we hurriedly retrieved our supplies and set off in search of our wayward companion. Tuck had a knack for finding trouble if left to his own devices…

We did not have far to look. The trooper was in a nearby docking bay, talking and laughing with an enormous, tattooed Besalisk. The four-armed alien spotted us and waved us over, grinning delightedly.

"So these are the friends you told me so much about!" he thundered jovially, crushing us against him in a welcoming embrace. "Good afternoon to you all! Your friend here is something else, I can tell you that…"

"Where's Fett?" Tuck asked us, his smile vanishing.

"He has gone," I replied, and explained.

Tuck was silent for a minute. "He warned me he might not say goodbye," he said at last. "So I guess I'm not that surprised." He shrugged. "Happiness to him, though. I don't begrudge him in the least."

"Who's this?" asked Luke.

"Name's Zanipo, but friends call me Nip," the Besalisk replied. "Jack of all trades, if you will – smuggling, gunrunning, some minor prospecting here and there, maybe the odd hunt or two… you name it, it's on my resume somewhere." He slapped Tuck's shoulder good-naturedly, the weight of the beefy hand making the trooper stagger. "Your friend here found the credit chip I'd given up for lost."

"We are glad he located its owner," I replied.

"And he tells me he's got a knack for finding things. A gift." He laughed cheerfully. "A gift I could use badly. You see, I'm in need of a partner."

"We were discussing it when you arrived," Tuck explained. "He's an excellent strategist, and he knows the good assignments from the lousy ones. I'm a Finder, and I'm Force-sensitive enough to sense approaching danger. Together, we can be a pretty good team."

"Nip and Tuck," Jessa said knowingly. "Catchy."

"Fett's replacement as best bounty hunter, perhaps?" Luke suggested.

"Who knows?" Nip replied, waving his hands about. "All I know is this kid's got talent, but it does no good moldering away in his brain. I can put it to good use."

I hesitated. Would this Nip fellow use Tuck's gift for his own gain? Was Tuck merely a pawn?

But the ring throbbed approvingly, and I sensed that Nip's intentions were good. Yes, he needed to make a living, and Tuck's gift would make it easier for him to do so. But he also took Tuck's needs for employment and opportunity into consideration. And if nothing else, he would prove to be the mentor our friend would need if he were to succeed at his new occupation.

Tuck smiled. Ah, I would miss this boy. He had readily accepted our unlikely party and his induction into its ranks. His gift had proven invaluable on many of our adventures, and his keen eye for detail had also been of great worth. And unlike many of his clone brothers, he had developed a profound sense of empathy – not just for our party or for his comrades, but for many we had come across in our travels. He was a true friend, and he would be greatly missed.

"Good luck," Luke wished him.

"Same to you," he replied.

"Practice your aim," Jessa advised. "Stormie aim does a bounty hunter no good. And be safe."

"I'll remember that," Tuck laughed.

"May the Force be with you," I bade him, pulling the medal the Wayland boy had crafted for him from the bag and handing it to him.

"Same to you." He took the medal, then pulled something from his belt pouch and handed it to me – his stormtrooper ID card. "I don't need this anymore. You keep it." He saluted. "Remember me."

"I shall."

Together, the remaining three members of our company watched as Nip and Tuck boarded their ship and departed with a bellow of thrusters.

"Well," Jessa said resignedly, "guess we'd better charter that trip to Corusant."

Luke sighed deeply. "I'm next."

"What?" Jessa and I replied at the same time.

"Haven't you noticed?" Luke asked. "We're breaking up in the order of the binding. First Ash, then Nightwind, then Fett, then Tuck…"

And Luke would be next in line, of course. Suddenly I had no desire to find a ship bound for Corusant. I had no desire to have my son taken from me, not now! We'd had so little time together…

"It'll happen sooner or later," Jessa told us fatalistically. "No use putting it off. Let's go. I'm freezing my cyborg tush off out here…"