Disclaimer: Naturally I own none of this.
A/N: The idea was floating around and once I started doodling Wikus with a lightsaber, I simply had to. This takes place along the Clone Wars timeline. Speech within /\ indicates Poleepkwa. Comments, reviews, and input are always welcome.
Chapter Four
Poleepkwa, Palace of the Hive
The morning following their dinner with Queen Mald, the Jedi found themselves back inside the deliberation chamber of the Hive. They took their places at the back of the hall without a word to anyone as, slowly, the heads of the various tribes filed into the chamber. They mingled in small groups, and Maeyn didn't waste time speculating on what was being so hotly debated. More than a few of the leaders tossed the Jedi dark looks.
"I do not look forward to bringing this news back to the Council," Maeyn said so softly that her lips scarcely moved.
/Nor do I.\
With the impending arrival of the queen the Poleepkwa began to drift towards the risers. The circular chamber was lined with the risers which looked down upon the dais at the center of the space. The tribal heads of the Poleepkwa sat in the risers and each seat was assigned according the ancient enmities and alliances that had shaped the government.
The dais, with its three high-backed chairs, stood empty. But the risers were filling quickly and soon enough the chamber was full. The low susurration of whispered conversation writhed around the room. Though she couldn't pick out any single conversation Maeyn could sense the apprehension of the tribal heads. It did nothing to lift her spirits however. Though the queen was free to make her own choice, it had been the tradition for centuries to vote with the Hive. They so clearly didn't want the Republic involved with their affairs. It was the presence of the Jedi that stirred the feelings of apprehension amongst the Poleepkwa. And they were eager to have them gone.
That low hiss of conversation grew louder as the minutes passed. And when the queen did not appear at the designated hour the tone of the room became urgent. There were more looks at the Jedi. Accusing glances that made it clear the delay was being blamed upon her and Brpen. So it was that when the door finally swung open the silence that descended upon the chamber was a cold shock.
Queen Mald stood in the doorway, flanked by her generals. Yesterday she had entered the room with a solemn face. But now, even from the back of the room, Maeyn could see the exultation on Mald's face.
The queen took her place on the dais but did not sit. Neither did the generals, who stood at their chairs, watching Mald. She clasped her hands before her, suppressing a grin that momentarily escaped her. Then she opened her arms wide as though she might embrace the whole of the room.
/Great this morning is.\ she said, her voice ringing out. /Some twenty years ago we lost the pride of Poleepkwa. We feared all these years that our most beloved family and friends were gone, their light forever extinguished from our lives. Yet our hope, though it has been pushed many times to its breaking point, has been, finally rewarded. Several hours ago we received a communication from our mining vessel lost all those years ago.\
The chamber exploded with sound. The tribal heads spoke loudly, each trying to be heard over the din of their neighbors. Some had risen from their seats in an attempt to be heard. Maeyn looked to her companion, bewildered about the strange turn of events.
"Would this be the ship her highness mentioned last night?" Maeyn whispered.
/I would imagine so\. Brpen responded with a touch of impatience. Maeyn fell silent and waited.
On the dais the queen smiled, her gaze traveling around the room. She allowed the tribal heads a few more moments to talk amongst themselves. On some internal cue Mald raised her arms and pleaded for silence.
/It is now important for you to return home, pass this news onto your families. Tell them all that soon they will be reunited with their fathers and mothers, their brothers and sisters, and their sons and daughters. I am declaring the Hive suspended until further notice. General Raddi will be leaving to greet our returning heroes. Please, gentlemen and ladies go forth and spread this good news.\
The queen lingered on the dais as more than a few of the departing Poleepkwa stopped to speak with her. She looked radiant and tended to each tribal head with patience. The Jedi stood respectfully as one of the generals slipped through the crowd. For a man standing head and shoulders above the rest, he had no problem with clearing a path. He made directly for the Jedi, and Maeyn noticed that his expression wasn't as joyful as his queens. Politely they inclined their heads in the direction of the general, giving his approach acknowledgement.
/Welcome news this must be General Raddi.\ Brpen said.
/Thank you Master Brpen. But if you don't mind, I will not celebrate until this has been … investigated.\
/Of course.\
"And your queen has requested that we accompany you on this investigation?"
General Raddi looked a bit startled at that, but he overcame it smoothly and nodded. He clasped his hands behind his back.
/Correct Master Maeyn. I am to officially request the unofficial assistance of the Jedi in this matter.\ He allowed a small smile to flicker over his normally stolid expression.
/We are happy to lend our assistance.\
-.-.-.-
It was decided that the Jedi would accompany General Raddi's vessel in their Consular cruiser. Raddi escorted them from the deliberation chamber, his stern expression again clearing a way through the crowd. As they passed the dais the Queen looked up and smiled ever so briefly at the trio.
/The ship was found at the far border of our territory\. Raddi said as he walked the Jedi to their ship. He gave a huff. /If I am to believe the report from our scouts, the ship is occupied by only one survivor.\
/One?\ Brpen asked unbelieving.
"How many do your mining ships normally transport?"
/Over one million Poleepkwa were aboard this vessel at the time it went missing.\
"Did the report indicate what had happened?"
Raddi glared and shook his head. /Our scout ship was using all of their available power to broadcast the signal directly to us. We were lucky to get a full minute of their message before the connection was lost.\
The red cruiser loomed above them and they stopped in the shadow of the ship. The Jedi turned to face General Raddi, who nodded sharply in their direction.
/Farewell.\ Raddi said and left the Jedi. They turned to each other, exchanging a glance before making their way into the cruiser. They were greeted by the captain as they stepped on board. Captain Torill Nire was a young man who looked as though he had been poured into his uniform. He waited in the entrance forum, hands clasped behind his back. A nervous smile touched his face when the Jedi appeared.
"Master Maeyn, Master Brpen," Captain Nire said with a half bow in the direction of the Jedi. "We have received the co-ordinates of the mining vessel from General Raddi's ship."
"And is everything prepared for take-off?" Maeyn asked.
"Of course," Captain Nire said. The look in his eyes suggested the question pained him. Maeyn had come to learn the young captain was sensitive when it came to the execution of his duties. Constantly Nire was trying to foresee what the Jedi were going to request of him. Maeyn had considered pulling him aside and kindly suggesting that he didn't need to try so hard. But only briefly, Nire's promotion to captain was recent, and she decided he'd grown into it soon enough.
"If I may suggest, the Protector has a class 2 hyperdrive – we could easily get to the location ahead of General Raddi," Nire said referring to his ships capabilities. He had waited for three days aboard the Protector, trying to fill time until the Jedi finished their business, while all over the galaxy there was a real war going on.
/That will be unnecessary.\ Brpen said gently. The captain looked crestfallen for a moment but recovered quickly, standing to attention before the Jedi.
"As you wish Masters," Nire said and giving a curt nod left the Jedi alone.
-.-.-.-
Outer Boundary of Poleepkwa Territory
Home. Help. The two words shone beautifully in the Poleepkwa's mind. He checked the instruments again, hands moving over the controls, as the ship responded to his commands. For twenty years he'd scavenged in the trash heaps of District 9, collecting just enough of the fuel needed to get him to the other side of the galaxy in just a year and a half. Now the fuel was almost spent. Worse, the ship was on its final leg.
For months he had coaxed the ship into limping along, all the while, trying to hide the situation from his son. But, confined to the small command module, the young Poleepkwa missed little. And the boy was overly sharp. Sometimes too sharp for his father's comfort.
He'd sent out a distress signal weeks ago, hoping they were close enough to home that it would be picked up. Before that hope could fade they had been hailed by a scouting ship responding to the signal. The young soldiers operating the ship demanded he identify himself, the disbelief apparent on their faces. And, momentarily, he wasn't sure what to say. For twenty years he'd been known on Earth as Christopher Johnson. And with young Oliver bouncing around, clambering into and out of his father's lap, he had to dig into the recesses of his memory for a name that hadn't been used in two decades.
/Serth. First Lieutenant Athaka Serth.\
It felt so strange to hear his name, even from his own mouth.
/Are you – alone Lieutenant Serth?\
/There is only my son, Oliver. And myself.\
/Where is the crew Lieutenant?\
/We were stranded on a planet, I'm sending you the co-ordinates now. The creatures on that planet are keeping our people hostage.\ He hesitated on elaborating further in front of Oliver. It hadn't always been easy keeping the boy from the horrors of Earth, but he'd done his best.
/Please stand by.\
The connection was muted at the other end. Oliver, concerned by the sudden silence, grabbed his father's shoulder. He reached up and tenderly caressed the boys head to soothe the worry there. While the soldiers in the scout ship were getting in contact with their superiors he sagged into the chair and let his thoughts drift back to his name. Athaka Serth. He savored the sound of it, and the memories it conjured.
/Hello?\
He sat upright as the connection to the other ship was opened again. /Yes?\
/Welcome home Lieutenant Serth.\