Star Wars: The Old Republic: The Mandalorian Wars
Chapter 20
The shuttle was quiet when Avner returned. Meetra was curled up under her robes, fast asleep. He moved around her, careful to not wake her, and into the cockpit. The day had been long and he had made it longer by staying to say farewell to Uncle. When he had been four, Uncle was the only one he had been unable to say goodbye to and thus it had just seemed right to do so.
Avner pulled up his hood and leaned back in the pilot's seat. He had managed to sleep some on the way here after it had become clear Meetra wasn't going to do him harm. But he still felt the drain of having been awake so long without sleep.
He closed his eyes. No sooner than he had than images burst into life around. He was standing on the street before the Capitol Building, the darkness of night was illuminated by the lights around the building and those held by the group coming down from the building. One among them he knew to be the senator and another, further back was Sera. She didn't seem to be with the senator or his group just having been out late and in the Capitol Building.
Below several figures moved into view. It took Avner a moment to realize they were mandalorians. The only reason he could tell now was because a few of them were actually wearing the armor of neo-crusaders.
"Capture the woman, kill everyone else," one of the neo-crusader's ordered.
Avner snapped awake. It took a moment to realize he'd been asleep and a little longer to understand what he had just seen. The senator was also now at risk. Avner was on his feet at once. He returned to the main part of the shuttle and knelt down by Meetra.
"Meetra, wakeup." He touched her shoulder.
"Hmm, wha—?" She opened her eyes a slit and yawned. "Master?" she asked, sounding more than half asleep. "What's wrong?" she sat up and rubbed her eyes.
"The senator is going to be attacked," he told her as he stood. "We need to get to the Capitol Building now."
"What?" She was fully awake in an instant. Meetra pulled back on her cloak as she stood. "How do you know he's going to be attacked?"
"A vision and," he paused, reaching out with the force, "a feeling."
She nodded, accepting his words without question. "I'm ready. Let's go!"
The two of them raced out of the shuttle. Avner didn't even care his hood was still up as they headed through the sleeping city towards the Capitol Building. Sure as his vision had shown the mandalorians were already surrounding the senator and his group.
"We want the farmer and you senator," growled lead the mandalorian. Her red armor gleamed in the light surrounding the building.
The force flowed through Avner as he raced towards them. It built until he leapt. The power behind his leap sent up high into the air. He flipped over the mandalorians, drawing his lightsaber and activating as he landed facing the mandalorians. Meetra landed beside him. She activated her double blades. The silver light mixed the purple of Avner's blade and the street lights.
"Revanchist," spat the leader. She drew her sword in her other hand but kept her blaster trained on the senator's group. "This isn't your fight, Jetti."
"What does Mandalore want with a farmer?" Avner asked in calm tones. He held his lightsaber underhanded, his muscles tense; ready for combat. He skimmed the group. They were outnumbered even with the aid of the few guards the senator had. Then Avner didn't know how well trained the senator's security force was.
"That's none of your concern, Jetti," she snarled at him. There was something familiar about her voice. It reminded Avner of the mandalorian commander who had captured him back on Tarnith. "Kill the Revanchist and his fellow Jetti. Without him his movement will fall apart. Then after the senator and the farmer!" She opened fire on Avner and Meetra.
Avner flicked his 'saber around him, deflecting her shots. Meetra charged forward. She moved with the ease and skill of countless years of practice. The force flowed strongly through her, strengthing her and allowing her to move with speeds and precision unmatched by all but her fellow guardians.
The commander charged Avner firing on him. Avner danced back, blocking and redirecting her shots away from the civilians behind him. She twisted her sword and slashed. Avner leapt over her and landed behind her, never once turning his back to her. This however left him open to the mandalorians. He was forced to dive in order to avoid being hit by their fire. As he straightened, his hood fell.
"Get the senator back into the Capitol Building!" Avner shouted at the security team as he blocked the commander's next attack.
The mandalorian commander pressed down on her sword. Sparks light the area around them. The force built in him. He shoved out his free hand. The raw energy caught her in the stomach. She was blasted away from Avner and skidded back several feet until she regained her balance.
Several other mandalorians took the chance to charge Avner. He leapt to meet their charge. Two of them went flying as the force slammed into them. Another fell to his lightsaber.
He flipped his lightsaber so he was no longer holding it underhanded. His blade sank into a mandalorian's armor and through their chest. When Avner next turned he was face to face with the mandalorian commander once more.
"It's you?" she breathed. "You're the Revanchist Leader? The meddlesome knight from Tarnith?"
"So, I was right. You are the commander from back then." Avner smiled at her. "My, the force does have a way of making things interesting. So Mandalore switched to assassination work?"
She snarled at him. "You're dead this time for certain, Jetti. I should have killed you when I had the chance on Tarnith! Die!" she leapt at him. In the same moment he sensed another mandalorian leaping at him from behind.
"Behind you!" the warning shout came from Uncle somewhere near the senator.
Avner was already moving. He leapt aside. The sword grazed his arm before he was in the clear. The two mandalorians collided and struck the ground hard.
They rolled apart and leapt back up before Avner had time to act on the fact they were dazed. He steadied himself, ready for the next wave attacks. The two of them charged Avner. He twisted down, sending a blast of the force towards them. They were thrown back. Avner leapt into the air and slashed through the closest mandalorian before landing and rolling several feet. Blaster fire followed at him.
He was forced to turn his attention on the rest of the forces. Avner lost count of how many he took down with both the force and his 'saber. The commander reappeared through the crowd. She lunged at Avner. He was faster and caught her with another wave of the force. She landed hard several feet way.
Meetra raced over to Avner and stood beside him as the Mandalorian Commander recovered. The commander glanced around her to see more than half of her forces had fallen.
"Retreat!" she shouted, growling the word as if it were something bitter logged in her throat. The mandalorians fell back vanishing into the night.
"Should we follow, Master?" Meetra asked.
"No." Avner sheathed his 'saber.
A small breath escaped Meetra as she did the same.
"Regretting stowing away now, young knight?" he asked in joking tones.
"You wish, Master!" she replied with a broad grin and shinning eyes. "This exactly what I signed up for!"
He chuckled before turning to see the senator and everyone else hadn't gone back inside. In fact the senator was walking over to Avner which was strange seeing as he had made it clear by arriving with his hood he was the Revanchist Leader.
"Meetra," – he turned back to her – "you may return to the shuttle."
"Thank you, Master." She bowed to him, an uneasy expression on her face as she glanced towards the senator. "Do you think they'll attack again?" she asked.
"Unlikely. Get some rest before tomorrow."
She nodded and moved off towards the shuttle. This left Avner alone with the senator and his people. This was the way he wanted it. He didn't want Meetra to be introduced to the backlash of the Revanchists just yet. She had such high hopes for their group and was a raw recruit. To learn not many viewed them in a good light could break her view of their group despite what they were trying to achieve. Avner looked Senator Tarvon in the eye. His eyes were a light brown and they stood about the same height as one another.
"That mandalorian called you the Revanchist Leader, is it true?"
Avner hesitated. "It's true enough," he replied, a part of him knew he would regret confessing this, but he couldn't lie to this man. "I apologize in advance if our being here causes an inconvenience, Senator Tarvon."
Before the senator could reply, Reca raced up to them and pointed her blaster at Avner. "Justin, you shouldn't trust the Jedi Crusader or anything he says," she growled. "He's been lying to us all day."
"Lying to you?" Both of Avner's eyebrows rose at this. "My dear Commander, if I had been aware the mandalorians intended to target the senator I would have told you. I didn't know they were going to until a few moments before Meetra and I arrived here tonight."
"Nonetheless," – another security officer had joined them – "we should have been informed the moment the Revanchists arrived here. How many are traveling with you?"
"Just Meetra," Avner told the zabrak officer in reply. "The others are in another system if that is what you're wondering."
"You came here with only one of your followers?" Reca demanded. "Why? For what reason?"
"The mandalorians targeting a civilian," he replied. He let out a long breath. "I'm still a Jedi no matter the differences the council and I have. It's merely my belief Jedi are needed in the war."
"That's not what—"
"Enough!" Uncle had come down to join them now as well. "Your family already owes this Jedi for more than just tonight."
"You owe me nothing," Avner said and held up his hands.
Senator Tarvon ignored Avner, his gaze now locked on Uncle. "Why do you say that, Uncle?"
At once Avner felt shock wash through him. He managed to keep his expression calm, but the realization began to sink in. Senator Tarvon was really the Justin from Avner's years on the streets. It was no wonder Reca and Meca both worked for him then. Also that would make the zabrak Zeel.
The senator's wife walked down to join them. "Because he's Little Runner," she spoke with a warm smile directed towards Avner.
"What?" Both Reca and Zeel exclaimed. "There's no way this Jedi is our Little Runner!" Reca finished.
Avner sighed. This hadn't turned out as he'd accepted it to. For one he had revealed the fact the Revanchists were here when he hadn't meant to and for another his family was also now aware he was here as well. But since Justin was the senator they had already been dragged into the war through the mandalorians. Now he could only hope the force would be with him in the fact the council would never learn he'd made contact with them.
"I would recognize him no matter the years that passed." She looked at Reca. "Look at him Reca."
It was hard not laugh at this. Avner doubted he looked anything like he had twenty-seven years ago. Other than the obvious fact he was now in his thirties, his hair was longer and he knew he hadn't shaven in the past day or so.
"I'm not seeing it."
"He's Little Runner," Uncle confirmed. "He spoke with me a few hours ago."
"In a farewell that seems to have backfired. I had hoped to pass through unnoticed."
"And charging in is unnoticed?" Zeel asked.
"As I said, 'had hoped.' I hadn't realized the mandalorians would attack outright like that." Though, now that he thought on it, their actions did make more sense than sneaking around. Mandalorians weren't really known for that method of thought.
"So you are Little Runner?" Justin asked.
"Hmm," Avner was pulled from his thought. "Yes," he replied, "though I would prefer not to be called by that name."
"What name then?" Justin's eyes narrowed as he looked at Avner.
Avner just smiled at the man. "Now there is the question." He turned from them. "We'll speak more in the morning, Senator Tarvon. For now, goodnight." Avner pulled up his hood and walked away from him. He didn't like the fact that they knew him to be Little Runner now or that they were involved in this mess with the mandalorians as well. However, since Justin was the senator and it did make sense for the mandalorians to target him there had been no way of avoiding this in the long run.
x – Twenty-eight years ago – x
Little Runner crawled over to where Reca and Meca were sleeping under the two blankets they shared. "Meca, Reca," he whispered to them. "Wake up," – he shook them – "we could go see Uncle today if we hurry."
Meca and Reca stirred. "Little Runner," Reca grumbled and glared at him from under the blanket. "It's too early." She curled back up under the blankets next to her sister.
"Is not!" Little Runner protested. "Uncle likes early!"
At his words Meca was up, grinning. "Let's go, Reca, before the others notice that's where we're going again."
Reca grumbled and opened one eye. "But I want more sleep," she complained.
"If you sleep more then we can't see Uncle today," Little Runner pointed out as he poked her. "Meca and I want to see him today. If you sleep then Justin will have a run for us instead."
"Fine." Reca sat up and crawled out of the sleeping area the three of them shared.
Little Runner followed her and Meca out. They were the smallest and youngest members of the group and thus they slept near the back of the building. Some of the others were already awake including Sasha. But Sasha was always the first to rise. While she didn't go on as many runs as everyone else she saw to the supplies and made certain everyone had everything they needed to be happy and healthy. Little Runner had seen what a mother was like and thought that if their family had a mother it would have to be Sasha.
"Where are you three off to?" she asked as they passed.
"To see Uncle," Little Runner told her without fear. It was Justin who didn't like the fact they spent so much time at Uncle's. Sasha had never minded it as much.
"Be careful and come back before dark this time," she told them before going back to the little food they had left from the previous day.
"We will!" Little Runner assured her before racing towards the entrance. The twins were only a step behind him.
As always Little Runner was in the lead of their small group. He darted between place to place, peering in through the windows at the shops he'd never been in or looking at something new that drew his attention before he ran back to the twins to check on them. He repeated this all the way to Uncle's.
When they arrived, Uncle was already in the alley waiting for them. "I figured you three would be here today." He led them into the store room of the diner. There was a small table near the entrance into the kitchen which held data-pads and other items. Meca took a seat at the table to learn from Uncle while Little Runner and Reca played around the store, careful just in case something fell on them.
Today Little Runner was curious about what Meca was doing so he crept on the table while Uncle was in the kitchen seeing to one of the costumers. Little Runner clambered up into Uncle's chair and looked at the data-pads.
"Little Runner." Reca moved over to them as well. "What are you doing? Reading is boring. Let's play."
"Reading?" Little Runner picked up one of the data-pads and stared at the strange drawings going across the screen. As he stared at the symbols, he saw patterns in the way they appeared across the screen. He blinked and held it out to Meca, "What this?"
Meca looked up from her own data-pad and what she'd been writing down on another. "History," she told him. "This one is about the founding of the Republic. It's really boring, but Uncle said it's important to know history. I rather like this stuff instead." She held up the one she'd been looking at.
"What it?"
"How our government is run," she told him. "Uncle says Justin also likes this stuff and that Justin wants to try and get into politics if he can."
"Without parents?" Little Runner's eyes grew wide. That seemed impossible. He knew it took a lot to make it in the galaxy as an adult.
"Yup," Meca nodded. "He said he didn't care, he was going to try and make it anyway!"
Little Runner was awed by this. If Justin had that grand a dream, did it mean even Little Runner could have a dream too? He didn't have a name that was like Justin's or Sasha's. Most saw it as strange, but that didn't mean Little Runner couldn't have a dream too.
"I see someone has taken my seat," Uncle said with a small laugh.
Little Runner turned in the chair and held up the data-pad to Uncle. "Teach, please?" he asked with wide eyes. He wanted to learn as much as he could and looking at things wasn't the way to do it.
"All right," Uncle pulled up another chair, "but only if you can sit still through the lesson, Little Runner."
"I will, I promise." Little Runner sat down. He couldn't see too well so he tucked his legs under him so he could see the top of the table.
Reca sighed and got into the chair next to her sister. "I guess playing is out now," she grumbled.
The rest of the day passed with Uncle, when he wasn't cooking, teaching Little Runner and Reca how to read. Little Runner picked it up faster than Reca was. By the end of the day he knew how to read some of the data-pad on history, but it wasn't much. He was rather disappointed by this. There was so much to learn and reading was hard.
"All right, here you three are." Uncle passed them three bags filled with food. "I hope to see you again," he smiled down at them.
"You will!" Little Runner promised.
Meca and Reca thanked him before heading off. Little Runner was a step behind them when Uncle called, "Little, wait a moment."
He turned back to Uncle to see him holding out two data-pads.
"Take these with you. If you have questions on them ask Meca or Justin."
"Okay." Little Runner took the data-pads in his free hand. "Thank you, Uncle." He gave Uncle an awkward hug before racing after Meca and Reca.
The trek back was all too slow for Little Runner's liking. He wanted to get home and start looking over the data-pads Uncle had given him. When they finally arrived back, Little Runner was the last one to slip through into the building. He blinked and glanced around. The building seemed emptier than normal.
"Where is everyone?" Meca asked she set down her bag.
Justin stopped talking with Zeel and Sasha when he noticed them. The older boy walked over to them. "The orphanages had more openings than normal. There was just enough for just about everyone here to be taken in. With any luck they'll be adopted by good families."
"But we were their family," Little Runner whispered as he glanced around at the few who remained.
"This isn't the easiest life, Little Runner. If not for your insistence on staying and the twins fear for any adult outside of Uncle I would have gotten you three to go as well."
"But the others," Little Runner started to protest. He couldn't understand why they would want to leave the family.
"They wanted to go, Little." Sasha knelt down before him and placed her hand on his shoulder. "They all wanted a chance at a real family."
"This is a real family!" Little Runner shouted.
"Little Runner." Justin sighed and knelt down beside Sasha. "This is your family and where you belong. No one will ever make you leave. I promise." He turned his gaze on the twins and Zeel. "I promise all of you I will never force you to leave."
Little Runner felt only a little better about this, but he didn't speak about how empty the home felt with most their brothers and sisters missing. With them gone, they would be able to survive almost completely on what Uncle gave them. But it still didn't fell right to have just given their brothers and sisters to the orphanage.
The space Little Runner and twins slept in was warmer with the extra blankets Sasha had given them. Little Runner sat up for a long time until the twins entered. "Can I ask something?" he asked when they had sat down in their sleeping spot with their extra blankets.
"What?" Reca asked as she made a nest for her and sister out of some of the blankets.
"Why scared of adults?"
Meca went pale at the question and hid under her blankets while Reca paused in what she was doing. "It's nothing, Little. Nothing, understand?"
"But," he started.
"It's nothing!" she snapped at him.
Little Runner flinched and hid his head under a blanket. "Sorry," he whispered. "I didn't mean…" He rolled over so his back was to them. He hadn't meant to upset them. Really, he hadn't. He just didn't understand why they were so scared of adults.
He clutched the two data-pads to his chest. His throat felt tight with an odd pain in his chest. Little Runner swallowed passed it and pulled the blankets up over his head. He turned on one of the data-pads under the blankets.
There in the quiet night, where only the soft breathing of the twins could be heard, Little Runner felt the pain ease as he started to try to read again. He would never ask them that again. Never, ever.
x – Present Day – x
Avner had woken after only a few hours of sleep. He was going through the latest reports from the front. Most of the reports were form days ago if not longer. The Republic didn't want to let the news come in as it was happening so most of the information Avner could get was reports on the battles the Republic was letting through and nothing more. Most of the, as it had been, were losses.
From what Avner could tell there had been two major battles following Serroco: the Battle of Nouane and the Battle of Dagary Minor. Both had been short and ended when the Republic had retreated resulting in the capture of the planets. Avner let out a low breath and lowered the data-pad holding the so called "latest news" from the front. He rubbed his eyes. There hadn't been a single win since the invasion had started.
At this rate the Republic would be overrun within the next year or two. Avner closed his eyes and leaned back in the pilot's seat. He felt drained and it wasn't from the fact he'd gotten little sleep the past two days. It was more a drain coming from the fact it felt as if no matter how dire the situation got the Council still refused to see they would eventually have to enter the war. The fact remained the Jedi were needed.
But now it was going further than the fact the Jedi were needed. The Republic Senate needed to elect a new Supreme Commander and unite their forces so as to stand on equal footing with Mandalore. Without a Supreme Commander there were too many differences from admiral to admiral for their forces to be fully unified. The lack of communication was destroying the Republic military just as surely as the Mandalorians were.
The comm. went off just then. Avner straightened, frowning. He accepted the call and the holo-gram of Darious appeared between the pilot's and co-pilot's seat.
"Sorry to break comm. salience, Master," Darious started, "but it's Alek."
"What about him? He should be heading back by now, shouldn't he?" Avner asked. Alek had gone start to the meeting place without delay. He would have arrived some time ago and sent the message to Darious that he was heading back by now.
"That's just it, we've not received anything from him since the message that he had arrived came through."
Avner frowned and spread out his awareness. "I don't believe he's dead," said Avner after several long moments. "We both would have felt his passing."
"I had a bad feeling about the meeting with Arkoh," Darious told Avner. "Perhaps the man wanted more than we could offer. Perhaps—"
Avner held up his hand to stop Darious from continuing on. "Look into the matter, but try not to leave Cathar. We can't afford to split the group further right now. Meetra and I should be heading back in the next several days or so."
"All right, Master."
"Contact me when you've found something," Avner instructed him. "I'll most likely be with Senator Tarvon for most of the day."
Darious frowned. "I take it the mandalorians are after him as well, then?" he asked.
"So it would appear."
Meetra entered the cockpit and took the co-pilot's seat without interrupting them.
"Master, I will look into the matter as you have ordered. If I can get through to the Senator then I will pass on whatever I find to you. If Alek makes contact I will also pass that on."
"My thanks, Darious."
"There's one more matter before I go."
"Yes?"
"Ferroh believes another city might hold more information than the one we're in. According to the records we've found here the cut off for supplies and goods was cut off after the other cities further from the capitol. The information uncovered also pointed to sudden decrease in supply as if more people came to this city. I was thinking of skipping several cities and just heading to the capitol."
Avner hesitated. There was a chance, no matter how small, that what they were looking for was in one of the other cities. Yet, he trusted Darious's view and Ferroh's console on this matter.
"Send a few to the other cities to check the records there just to make certain the pattern continues," Avner instructed. "If it does then move the entire group to the capitol. This time try searching in the underground as well in case the years have buried any of the evidence."
"It will be done, Master. I'll send if we've moved to the capitol or not in the next report."
"So much of comm. silence," Avner laughed and smiled at his old friend.
"True. May the Force be with you, Master." Darious bowed.
"And with you, old friend." The transmission ended with those words.
Silence fell over the cockpit. Avner looked out the window, his hand on his chin as he thought on the news Darious had just given. If Alek had ended up in a battle then what? The council could very well take that the wrong way, but more than that Avner was worried for his oldest friend. Even if Alek wasn't dead he could be injured or captured again. If he had been captured, Avner could never forgive himself for that. It would have been the second time an order he gave Alek had ended up with Alek being captured.
Alek still hadn't recovered from the last time he had been held by the mandalorians. Arren and Darious had told Avner in private that it was unlikely Alek would ever fully recover. His hair, for one, would never grow back.
Until he was told otherwise, Avner would assume Alek had escaped and was unable to make contact with their group. It was better than believing any of the alternatives. In believing this Avner would at least be able to focus on what he needed to do while here.
"So, you really are the Revanchist Leader."
Avner looked at the girl in confusion. He had almost forgotten she was in the room at all. "You still doubted even after last night?" he asked.
"I did," she confessed. "I guess a part of me was hoping you were just a fellow member of the group who liked being very secretive." She laughed at this. "What were you doing before Master Darious called?" she asked, changing the subject.
The data-pad was still in Avner's hand. He looked at it, most of his thoughts on the latest news had been forgotten in the wake of Darious's news. "It was the latest news reports from the front," he informed her. "Two more battles were lost."
"The war really isn't going too well for the Republic. Do you think they'll take Telos as well?" she asked.
"No. The pattern I see is that they're just trying to head for supply worlds and worlds that will cripple the Republic at this point."
"Then why do you think Cathar holds the key you're looking for?"
"Cathar has been quiet for too long," he told her. "The reason for its sudden and continued silence is a mystery. I fell as if it has something to do with this war and the mandalorians."
"But you don't know for certain?" she asked, both of her eyebrows raised at this.
"None of us will until what is there is found." Avner stood. "You're awake, we should return to the Capitol Building." He tugged back up his hood.
"What happened to keeping a low profile?" she asked as she followed him.
"After last night? I don't see a point in doing so."
(Author's Note: I will admit Little Runner is a lot harder to write compared to Avner. I know they're the same person but Little Runner is only three (in the flashback here) and it's hard to write that young of children. He will have a role for a few more chapters. Who knows flashbacks around Revan's younger self might be reoccurring throughout the story as well, but all of Little Runner needs to be done before we leave Telos (so chapter 24 will see the end of Little Runner telling the story).)