wow this chapter just kind of took off and carried me along with it. I blame Lagos. She was a little angrier than i thought she'd be about being left out of the loop. so umm yeah still during Shades of Reason but i promise the next chapter will follow the events of Lawless, finally! that being said this is really the last day of innocence for the Royal Academy cadets. They've got the run of the Academy with no supervision and they're going to make the most of it.

Soniee had no idea what day of the week it was but she was fairly sure she didn't have any early classes today. Even if she did, she was totally skiving off because she was entirely too comfortable to get out of bed. She was wrapped in a cocoon of warmth and sure that there could be nothing at all wrong in the galaxy on a day like this.

That is until her roommate's voice broke the stillness. "Oh, really? What is this?"

A deep chuckle hummed against Soniee's ear and Korkie drew her a bit closer. A month, or a week, or even a day ago she might have been embarrassed at their discovery, instead she just smiled, "Five more minutes, Mom."

From the sounds she was making Soniee was sure Lagos was going through her normal morning routine, gathering her things to head into the 'fressher for a shower. "I do hope spooning was all you two got up to while I was right across the room." said the blond. "Though if you wanted privacy all you had to do was ask. We've got the run of the place. I can have my things moved into another room after breakfast. I was actually thinking about moving into one of the staff rooms..."

"Oh how I wish she would shut up," Soniee sighed.

"Not a bad idea though." Korkie kissed the back of her head. "I could move my things in here, wake up like this every morning?"

"Mmmm. I like that idea."

The door swished open and Amis walked in without ceremony. "Ah, I thought that might be where he ended up. Lagos, you were supposed to be chaperoning those two."

"Hey, I was asleep." Lagos defended herself. "But I'm fairly sure they're both fully clothed under there."

Korkie looked back over his shoulder at the other two. "Now, how do you know that? We might have been silently kriffing here all..."

"Korkie!" Soniee sat up, blushing and pushed him out of the bed.

"Ouch!" he landed on hard on the floor and they all laughed. "Does this mean you don't want me to move in?"

"Are we moving rooms?" Amis asked.

"I am." Lagos winked at him on her way into the 'fresher. "After breakfast, I'm gonna see if the rumor is true that the director's room has a hot tub."

"Ooo breakfast!" Amis headed out the door. "Will there still be breakfast?"

"We'll have to make it ourselves." Korkie stood and offered a hand to Soniee. "What's your pleasure, My Lady?"

"Cake!" She answered standing and kissing him. "I overheard one of the instructors say something about having one ready for Prof. Matak's birthday today. It'll be in the staff room cooler!"

And thus began a full day of frivolity for the four cadets. They went through all of the staff and cadet accommodations to see if anyone had left anything behind and if there was a room that they'd like better than their own. Lagos never found the hot tub she wanted but the director's suite did have a lovely view of downtown Sundari. Amis settled in the assistant director's rooms across the hall from her. Soniee decided she liked her own rooms well enough and it would have been a pain to move all of the electronics projects she had going on in there anyway, and Korkie moved in with her as promised. Lagos, however, raided the med cabinets of every other dorm room and presented the couple with 57 boxes of contraceptive strips, proclaiming that this fulfilled her job as chaperon.

At midday the four of them decided to search the kitchen and found that as much as they hated to admit it Bo-Katan had been right. They would have to find other accommodations eventually, because although there was plenty of food now, it wouldn't last forever.

They weren't going to think about that now. They piled a hovercart high with everything they wanted for lunch and brought it back to their own common room. There the boys began an epic hologame battle. Amis lost and was forced to shave his head. They all knew he'd been wanting to do this for a while, though, so it wasn't really a loss, and Lagos did the honors.

He looked so much older with no hair, Soniee thought. And as she looked back and forth between Amis and Korkie she realized how much both of them had grown up. They were both so tall now, and their shoulders were so broad.

Korkie noticed her staring at him and winked at her. Soniee blushed. She stood and put a hand to the now empty hovercart. "I think I'll go and start checking out the classrooms, see if anyone left anything interesting there."

"I'll come with you," Korkie grinned.

On a sudden inspiration, she grinned back at him, "You'll have to catch me." And she ran from the room pushing the hovercart with Korkie hot on her heals. That is until they were out of sight of the other two and she put on a burst of Force assisted speed and bounded ahead of him.

"Hey that's cheating!" he called after her.

Soniee only giggled and turned the corner into a random classroom. She hopped up onto the top of the instructor's desk and surveyed the rest of the room. Then she began idly levitating datapads and holobooks from the other desks onto the hovercart, waiting for Korkie to find her.

Soon, he rounded the corner and entered the room, panting a bit from the sprint.

"Took you long enough." She didn't look at him and tried not to smile, as if she had been there all day.

He walked purposefully around the desk and placed himself directly in front of her demanding her attention. He set his hands on her knees and parted them slightly so he could stand between them. "You know." His hands ghosted up her outer thighs to her hips and then scooted her forward to the very edge of the desk. "We don't have to wait till curfew to go to our room."

Soniee had to resist the temptation to wrap her legs around him and lock her ankles behind his back. She wanted to slow down a bit. She leaned back on her hands hoping to put a little more distance between them but this seemed to only put her chest at a more pleasing angle because his gaze dropped from her face.

"I think," her voice cracked and she swallowed before continuing. "I think this is the classroom we were in when Padawan Ahsoka came to teach us."

Korkie looked up into her eyes and his were so full of passion she thought she might drown in them. He blinked twice and then glanced around the room, "I think you're right." He smiled. "Why didn't you ever contact her? Tell her about what you can do? Might be easier than talking to one of the Jedi Masters." While he spoke his hand slowly roamed up her side until it was just high enough for his thumb to graze the side of her breast.

Soniee gasped and her hips involuntarily thrust forward against him.

"Kriff," he groaned through his teeth. The offending hand slid sideways to cup her whole breast and his other arm snaked around her shoulders to pull her into a kiss.

She embraced him as well pulling him closer and deepening the kiss.

When the kiss ended, nervous words flowed out of her. "I thought about contacting her but they've all been so busy with the war I didn't want to intrude. It would be easier to talk to her than that General Skywalker or your father." Suddenly she stopped and pushed him back enough to look him in the eye. "That's it!"

"What's it?" he chuckled.

"We need to contact the Jedi! They'll come and help us! I know they will! Kenobi will come and rescue your mother!"

It took him a moment to switch gears and then Korkie's eyes lit up with a completely different kind of excitement. "You're right! He would do anything for her!" He lifted Soniee from the desk and spun her around.

Then the heard a deep cough of a throat clearing in the hallway outside the door. "I didn't want to disturb you." Amis sidled into the room.

Korkie set her down and he and Soniee rushed over to their friend. "No, it's alright. We have a plan now." She smiled excitedly.

"That's good." Amis frowned. "Because there's something on the holonews you need to see."

They walked down the hall way back toward the common room, Amis solemn, Korkie and Soniee holding hands and practically skipping.

"You, er, said something about your mother?" Amis asked.

"I'll explain when we get to Lagos. It'll be easier than having to do it twice." Korkie grinned.

"And you." Amis looked at Soniee warily. "You were going to talk to the Jedi because you can..."

She stopped walking and looked from one boy to the other. "I can use the Force, a little. I've been able to since I was a baby, didn't want to make a big deal about it."

Amis turned back to Korkie. "Your mom is the Duchess and she's" he pointed at Soniee. "A Jedi?"

Korkie answered uncomfortably, "Something like that."

Amis took a moment to process the information and then nodded. "Good because we're going to need all the help we can get." He started walking again toward the common room.

Korkie and Soniee looked at each other and then followed, more worried now about what they were about to see.

When they reached the common room. Lagos was sitting in front of the holoscreen ready to replay the story that she and Amis had already viewed once. She didn't speak as she activated it.

Pre Viszla was standing on the steps of the palace again this time with a horned Zabrak at his mercy. "The violence is over." He told the crowd. "The last of the parasites infecting Mandalore has been caught. The duchess has abandoned her duty to protect Mandalore. Her political dream only encourages aggression against our planet. We have learned from this beast the consequences of pacifist principals. It's now time to restore the traditions of Mandalore! No one will ever threaten us again!"

No one spoke as Lagos switched off the holo and went to stand next to Amis.

Korkie finally broke the silence. "We definitely need to contact the Jedi." He reached forward ready to activate the comm but Lagos grabbed his arm.

"Wait! Why are we getting the Jedi involved in this?" she asked.

Korkie shook her off. "Because my mother is in danger and the Council need to know."

"Your mother?" Lagos was incredulous.

"I can't quite believe it either." Amis shook his head. "Turns out Satine's not his Aunt after all."

"The Duchess is your mother." Lagos threw up her hands and stomped a few steps away and then back. "Well that explains a few things, but it doesn't explain why we need to get the Jedi involved. A Mandalorian took over the government from a Mandalorian. As repulsive as he might be, this is an internal matter. And we're neutral in the war so the Republic can't claim to be saving us from the Separatists!" Her points were sound just like when she debated him in class.

Korkie remained seated his head in his hands as he explained. "The Jedi Council sent protectors for her before, during our Civil War. Kenobi will come again if she needs him."

"You make it sound like..." Lagos's eyes grew wide as the truth dawned on her. "Oh Osik!"

"What?" Amis looked back and forth between them, confused.

"Show them." Korkie waved a hand at Soniee and she knew what he meant but she didn't want to comply. Slowly she pulled up the vid of the young duchess's arrival in Sundari after her exile.

Lagos watched the images shaking her head. Then she rolled her eyes and turned away. "A kriffing war orphan, right! Well, now we know why she doesn't acknowledge that you're hers."

Soniee could now feel the anger radiating from Korkie but he was trying hard not to rise to the bait.

"Wait." Amis finally caught on. "General Kenobi is your dad?"

They all looked at him and the expression on his face would almost have been comical if the situation had not been so heated.

"So." Korkie was whispering but it felt like a yell after the awkward silence. "Are you going to sell us out to the new Mand'alor?"

Lagos didn't answer right away. When she did she sounded more hurt than angry as if they had betrayed her by revealing the truth. "I honestly don't know." She walked out of the room without looking back.

Amis got up to follow. "I'll go talk to her."

"I'm sure she didn't mean it," Soniee whispered after they had both gone.

"Are you?" Korkie asked. "Because I'm sure her reaction is exactly why Mother kept my father's identity a secret." He reached out and Soniee hugged him.

"Do you still want to try and contact him?"

"Yes, of course. I'm sure he'd want to know even if no one else can come."

Soniee nodded and turned to the holotable to initiate the comm but the signal was unavailable. She frowned. "The comm system isn't coming up."

"Here let me try." He knew she was better at this sort of thing than he was but he couldn't leave it be. After his own failure he slammed a fist down on the table and growled.

"Come on." Soniee offered him a hand. "Let's go see if it's all the comms or just this unit. There's another one in the staff lounge."

They tried the second unit but it too failed to pick up a signal. Soniee found a portable unit in one of the staff lockers. "We'll try outside and see if it's just a problem in the building."

He followed behind her but he was sure this plan would meet the same results. Before they got to the door Soniee stopped. She put her hands to her head and grimaced. The emotions of the crowds out in the street suddenly overwhelmed her. "They - they love him. He's their conquering hero and - and they've already forgotten everything she did for them."

Korkie wrapped his arms around her protectively and tipped her head up so she would look him in the eye. "That's why we need to do this. You can do this."

Soniee nodded and closed her eyes, focusing her thoughts on Korkie and his encouragement and the task at hand. After a moment a sense of calm settled over her and she smiled. They stepped out the door and tried again to get a signal on the portable holocomm projector. No luck. "They've got to be blocking the transmissions somehow."

"Maybe you have to be outside the city to get a signal."

She nodded, "I'm sure that's the case."

"Well then, we'll go to the garage and borrow a speeder." Korkie smiled.

Soniee stood on her toes and met his lips with hers. The kiss ended sooner than either of them would have liked.

"When all this is over..." He whispered and she trembled at the promise in those words. Then they ran to the garage, eager finish their mission.

Even though Soniee had made it her personal project to keep the academy's swoop in prime condition she still did all the usual pre-flight checks before she would take Korkie out on it. Just as she had decided it was ready to go and stepped astride waiting for him to climb on behind her she sensed it. "Someone's coming."

Then he heard the jetpacks, also, and hopped onto the bike. "Let's go. Maybe we can slip past them."

Soniee didn't like their chances against the Night Owls but she started the engine and turned toward the garage doors.

Bo-Katan landed directly in their path. "Now where do you two think you're going?"

"Running away. We're gong to elope." Korkie told her.

"Not today, little Duke." She took off her helmet and shook out her red hair.

"How did you know?" Soniee asked calmly.

Bo-Katan looked back over her shoulder so see that her followers were still a ways away. "I know she's not your aunt because I am."

"You're sisters?" Korkie asked.

"Yes, now come on and get inside. Where are your friends?"

The other night owls landed one by one covering their landing from possible enemy fire.

"They're in the staff wing," Soniee answered, puzzled by the actions of the one time Deathwatch allies. "What's going on?"

"Yeah," Korkie fumed. "I thought you would be celebrating with your buddy Viszla."

"Pre Viszla is dead." There was a catch in Bo-Katan's voice when she said the words. "He was murdered by that monster Maul! But that's not how they're going to spin it so we have got to get inside now."

Soniee nodded, took Korkie's hand in hers and led the way into the building.

Lagos met them in the hallway with Amis hurrying a few steps behind her. She looked coldly at Korkie for a moment and then back towards the Night Owls. "Saw you coming. What's going on?"

"Maul killed Viszla. I saw it myself." Bo-Katan caught them up. "Do you have a holoscreen? I'm sure it'll be all over the news. I need to see what their cover story is."

"In here." Lagos ushered them into the common room and activated the screen.

A familiar figure rose into the image. "Silence! Please! Silence! Hear me now!"

"Almec?" All four cadets exclaimed at once.

"Duchess Satine, the so-called pacifist who could not protect you when your lives were at stake, has murdered Pre Viszla, the true hero of Mandalore." The former Prime Minister lied.

"That's absurd!" Korkie yelled.

"K'uur!" several of them hushed him.

"Satine is now under arrest, and it was Pre Viszla's last command that I be reinstated as Prime Minister. I know my past is checkered, but I promise you I take full responsibility for my people. And my heart now bleeds for your pain. However, from this point on, Mandalore will be strong, and we will be known as the warriors we were always meant to be!"

Korkie looked over at his real Aunt. "I guess this means we're on the same side now?"

Bo-Katan raised an eyebrow, "So it seems."