27 BBY - Talos, Azterri

The cityscape that sprawled in every direction as far as Cye could see from the balcony of the suite she and Zam were using as a cover for their recces. Talos reminded her of Coruscant. It had the same, glossed over luster of the upper Uscru district. Shining resort towers and casinos like the one she was staying in rose high above the compact urban areas, their neon lights glowing brightly advertising the fun times in store for people there. Skylanes were neat and orderly, creating light trails in curving grids that disappeared into the lower levels.

It had the same type of social facade too. Zam and Cye had barely scratched the surface of it before the tendrils of the city's seedy underbelly broke through to entice them. It was easy to spot the cons, thankfully. The Talos underground wasn't quite as refined as the Coruscant undercity.

Cye's comm beeped from inside. She left the view behind, wondering if Zam had gotten distracted going out on her own and wanted to show off another bauble she wanted an opinion on whether to buy. Instead she saw Jango's encryption flashing on the comm. She snatched it up and activated it. Her brother's stern face appeared on the holo. His brow wrinkled with his frown, his eyes focused on something offscreen.

"Ori'vod, me'vaar ti gar?" she blurted out. She wasn't expecting a call after he'd sent his message earlier in the day. Had something happened to Boba? He must have recognized her worry, as his expression softened when he heard her voice.

"One more crossed off our list." Jango's eyes glittered with muted triumph.

"That was so fast," Cye said as she let out the breath she was holding. Guess he wanted someone to celebrate with. She set the comm down on the bar and leaned over to grab a bottle and a glass. "How did you manage it? How is Boba? Was he able to help?"

" Pare sol, Cye'ika," Jango replied with a small chuckle. "One question at a time, eh? Boba is fine. He's asleep right now. He took a bit of a tumble-"

"Jango-"

"- he's fine . He distracted the Jedi into helping him. I took out Valazos while he was busy using his sorcery to heal Boba's arm. It was all part of the plan, and everything went as planned."

"Jedi can heal wounds?"

"This one could. Boba won't even have a scar." Jango leaned out of frame for a moment, returning with a bottle of his own. "I think he expected me, but he didn't put up a fight. Strange how guilt erodes the will to live." He pulled the seal from the bottle and paused. "You can congratulate me at any time, you know."

"For what?" Cye asked as she popped the top off her own bottle. The sharp floral scent of spiced tihar hit her sinuses and made her eyes water.

"For killing mine first, obviously," Jango said as she poured a finger's worth in her glass.

Cye laughed as she set the bottle aside. "Should that even count if he didn't put up a fight?"

"I pulled the trigger," Jango grinned back. "And a dead Jedi always counts."

"Fair enough," Cye replied as she raised her glass. "Then congratulations, Ori'vod. To one more off our list."

Jango tipped his bottle up as she downed the tihar in one gulp. It's floral quality gave way to the spicy burn that warmed her throat. Small as it was, the weight she carried lightened knowing they were able to put down another bastard Jedi. She couldn't help the grin that spread as she let out a contented sigh. It was a good day already. Hopefully it would get better after Zam's meeting had finished.

"How's the search for Waikali?" Jango balanced the bottle on his knee as he raised an eyebrow at her.

"Slow," Cye admitted. "Zam has a lot of contacts here, and she doesn't want me scaring them off by strongarming them for intel. So we're doing it her way."

"What way is that?" A rare, knowing smirk brightened his scarred face. "In the bedroom? Or out on the balcony, maybe?"

" Ne'johaa, Jan'ika! " Cye blurted. " Copaani mirshmure'cye? "

Jango laughed and took another swig from the bottle. "So I'll take that as a no, then?"

"No! I still have a job to do here," Cye scowled even as her cheeks flared with heat. "Did you plan this with her? I'm not going to get myself -distracted- before it's done."

"I would expect nothing less," Jango said, his eyes glittering. He really was in a good mood. "And no, I don't talk with Zam like that. I just notice things. Like how you're always in a better mood after you see her, for one. And like right now, you tense your neck when you get defensive over your feelings."

"I do not ," Cye argued even as she pressed her hand on the back of her neck to work out the knot forming. Jango raised an eyebrow in response and Cye's bravado deflated. "Alright, fine. I like her. Happy now?"

"It's not about me being happy, Ika'vod." Jango's tone lost all its edge. "It's about you being happy. I don't need anyone in my life except for you and Boba. You were always more- sociable- adventurous- than I ever was. Zam brings out that side of you. She's a good woman. And don't you ever tell her I said that ," he added hastily.

Cye sputtered a laugh and nodded, pinching her lips shut and mimed locking a key. "Your secret's safe with me."

"It better be. I know where you sleep." Cye shook her head and poured herself another short glass of tihar. Jango was quiet for a moment, his face both pensive and hopeful. "Once this is finished, once these clones have done their job, our fight will be over."

"There's always another fight, Ori'vod," Cye said as she swirled the liquid around, causing tiny waves to crest on the sides of the glass, "another job."

"There doesn't have to be, though," he said, his expression distant and reflective. "You're still young, you could have whatever life you want. With whoever you want."

"I could tell you the same thing," Cye replied. Where is he going with this? It felt wrong to think about a life lived outside the Resol'nare. She was Mandalorian and she would follow the code, even in their small clan of three. "That doesn't change who we are though. I can't live dar'manda."

"No, of course not. That's not what I meant." Jango took another swig from his bottle and Cye sipped her drink. "I just think you deserve more. A full life."

"I have a full life, Jan'ika," Cye chinded gently. She set the glass and leaned closer to the holo emitter, wishing she could reach through and reassure her brother. "I have exactly the life I choose. I don't need you feeling responsible for my future. You've already got one life to take care of. I can take care of myself. And I can certainly take care of Zam if I chose to."

Jango let out a snort and rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah you can." His gaze focused beyond the holo. Cye had seen this before. Every time they made one step closer to their end goal. She offered a comforting smile as Jango was immersed in aay'han.

"What is it, Ori'vod?"

"Hmm?" His eyes flicked back to the holo. "Just thinking about Buir."

"He would be proud of you," Cye said softly. "Of us both."

She knew it in her heart, but that didn't stop it from aching for the loss of her father. Even after all these years, she still felt it just as she knew Jango did. Even from the manda, Jaster Mereel's influence was still a powerful guiding force in their lives. Her brother nodded slowly, taking in her words as he took another drink from the bottle. It took a long time for him to believe in himself again after Galidraan. After escaping slavery. He made a good show of it, good enough that the entire galaxy knew of him and his ruthless reputation. But Cye knew better. During nights holed away in their safehouse on Coruscant, when he thought she was sleeping, Jango would stare for hours at the holograph of him with their father. On good days he'd talk to it, talk to Jaster, asking questions, thinking things out loud as if the picture would give him the advice he sought. On bad days he'd cry in silence.

They'd both come a long way. Jango carried her through a lot of it, when they were just starting out again. Alone. He'd raised her just as much as her father had, maybe even moreso. He kept her safe, helped her recover from the horrors of slavery, ane encouraged her to become the sociable, adventurous person he pointed out earlier.

"I'm proud of you too, Ori'vod." Cye smiled, eyes sparkling as she held her glass up. "To the best brother I could have ever asked for." Jango's cheeks pinched as she finished her tihar. Even through the holo she could see his eyes glistening. After a moment he sighed, lifting his own bottle.

"To the best sister I have, and the only person I trust." He took a quick swing and then capped the bottle. He let out a sigh and rubbed the side of his nose, just below his eye as he tried to be discreet about his emotions. Cye chose not to call him out on it this time. "You be careful Cye'ika. I might have had an easy time with mine, but-" he stopped, choosing not to state the obvious.

"I will. Don't worry. I have a plan, and he won't know I'm coming until it's too late. We just have to find him first. Hopefully we'll have something soon." The door to the suite chirped as she finished, then swept to the side with a gentle swoosh. "Perfect timing."

"I'll talk to you later, Ika'vod," Jango said quickly. "Keep me updated."

"Will do."

Jango cut the feed before she had a chance to say anything more. He probably didn't want Zam to see him like that. Not that she'd notice he'd been letting his heart show a little with his carefully crafted gruff exterior. But if anyone else would notice, it would probably be her.

"Who were you talking to? Jango?" Zam called out as she appeared from the entryway. She was very perceptive. Her flushed and glowing skin gave Cye the impression that she'd ran all the way back there. The grin engulfing her pixie-like features promised great things. "That's too bad he didn't stick around to hear the good news."

"You found him?" Cye asked, Zam's excitement making her heart race with hope. Zam practically bounced across the room, stopping just short of barreling Cye over as she pressed her lips against her cheek. Cye could only react with a blush as she froze, wide eyes staring at the radiant woman before her.

"I found him!"

Mando'a Translations:

Me'vaar ti gar? - How are you? (Lit: what's new with you?) Can also be used to ask a soldier for a sitrep. If a Mando asks you this, they expect an answer; it's literal.

Pare sol - Hang on! (Lit: *Wait one.*)

Ne'johaa - Shut up!

Copaani mirshmure'cye? - Are you looking for a smack in the face?

Dar'manda - A state of not being Mandalorian - not an outsider, but one who has lost his heritage, and so his identity and his soul - regarded with absolute dread by most traditionall-minded Mando'ade

Manda - The collective soul or heaven - the state of being Mandalorian in mind, body and spirit - also supreme, overarching, guardian-like