Chapter 22- Art and Honor

Leia arched her eyebrows. "We're going to do what?"

Han shook his head. "Kid, have you been doing spice? Because you gotta be high on something."

Ezra's grin broadened. "Just the Force. I asked Sabine to work up a concept sketch. She'd love to join us on the Hill, but I know she'd overdo it. Chasing down Violet-Meadows yesterday was definitely not good for her recovery."

He spread out a large sheet of artist's flimsi.

"I know I'm kind of biased, but I think it's pretty great."

Leia leaned forward for a closer look. The painting was worked in the strange colors Ezra had brought back from the Force world, spreading a sense of calm through the room. Yet it was the image itself that warmed Leia's heart. A new take on Sabine's Firebird symbol, the picture showed a Purgil arcing to form a half-circle. A Loth-wolf sat, tall and regal, at the center of the Purgil's back, with a Loth-cat perched on its head.

Luke touched the Loth-cat, the Purgil and the Loth-wolf. "Faith, hope and love. Everything a Jedi needs. Or anyone else needs, actually." He tapped the interconnected background. "And the Force, binding us together."

"Exactly," Ezra beamed. "Now, who's up for some painting?"

"It's hardly the craziest thing I've ever done." Rex slipped his arm around Ahsoka and winked at her.

"That was Anakin's idea, not mine!" she protested.

"I'm sure it was," Whie gazed at the painting. "But I doubt very much that you disagreed with him."

Ahsoka chuckled. "Not at all. Let's get painting."

A few hours later, all the Jedi and their friends were spread across the Hill, working singly or in small groups on sections of the giant picture. In spite of her protests, Sabine remained at the Malreaux home, only slightly mollified by Ezra's promise to show her the finished work as soon as it was complete. Violet-Meadows danced through the paint next to her father. She and Grogu were liberally dusted with the living color. Nearby, helping Han and Leia, Chewie sported rainbow fur.

Talisbeth and Whie worked together on one of the Purgil's tentacles. With her fingertips, Talisbeth blended shades of blue and purple along the edge of the long appendage. Ezra had insisted that no implements besides hands, or possibly lekku, be used to fashion the symbol.

"My Love, you have been working all morning. You must rest."

Talisbeth finished with the paint on her hands, then slowly stood. "I am a little tired, Whie."

Whie lifted her up and placed her on a patch of soft, unpainted grass. "Solis, bring Mistress Talisbeth a cup of tea."

Talisbeth lay back and closed her eyes. Her thoughts wandered back to the vision she had had shortly before the other Jedi had arrived. You must walk, Yoda had said. Was she to be healed? Master Yoda had been unable to heal her before, could he do it now? You will see me soon. No, it seemed more likely that she was about to die.

Poor Whie. He won't know what to do without me to look after. Maybe he would join the other Jedi, traveling the Galaxy as a peacekeeper. That was his destiny, wasn't it? And she had been keeping him from fulfilling it.

Solis pressed a cup of tea into her hand. Tenderly, Whie embraced her and kissed her lips before kneeling down to continue working on the Purgil.

As the sun set on the Hill, Ezra proudly showed Sabine their work. The paint caught the final rays of the sun and glowed faintly.

"What do you think?" He gestured at the giant symbol that covered the Hill. "We followed your design."

"It's beautiful, Blueberry," Sabine held her original, comparing the two. "A completely faithful reproduction. Now what? Are you going to activate it the way you did with the Temple painting?"

"Something like that. Only not just me. All of us."

"Mama! Daddy! Me art!" Violet-Meadows dashed up. She held up a large piece of green bark discarded by a nearby tree. A smudged, lopsided painting of a Loth-cat decorated one side.

"That's good, Baby," Sabine stroked her daughter's hair as she examined her work. "I really like what you did with the blue on the ears."

"She takes after you, that's for sure," Ezra chuckled. "All right, girls. I know you two could talk art all night, but we've got a big day tomorrow, so we'd better get to bed."

Ezra scooped up Violet-Meadows and draped his free arm around Sabine's shoulders. "Come on, Sweethearts."

Admiral Nek Bwua'tu opened his eyes as his wife stirred in his arms. He gently rubbed her back until she returned to a deep sleep and her breathing evened out. Careful not to wake her, Nek disentangled her fingers from his silky mane and slipped out from under her. Tucking her more snugly in their bed, he hurried to the refresher to wash and dress.

In his uniform, he paused to check the bedside chrono set to Coruscant Capital Area time. Three hours until his fleet emerged from hyperspace. It was time to ensure that all was in readiness. Leaving a note for Natasi next to the bedside chrono, he made his way quickly to the bridge.

"Open a comm channel to the fleet," he ordered without preamble. "Have all ships check in."

He listened as all the captains confirmed their positions and readiness, then began a thorough sweep of the bridge. Finally, convinced his ship was in perfect order, he checked his wrist chrono. Fifty minutes. Enough time to double check the arsenal and, Force forbid that they should be needed, the escape pods. Before retiring for much needed rest ten hours ago, he had had a serious talk with his wife and children. He told them that he had prepared an escape pod especially for them. If the Lion Rampant were destroyed or taken, one his most trusted officers would see them safely to the planet Kyber, to join the Jedi in their brave stand.

To say Natasi had not been pleased was an understatement.

"Nek, I'm not leaving you!" Natasi's lips had quivered as her eyes filled with tears. "I can't go down there with the Jedi- I can't. If you die on this ship, I want to die with you."

"What about our younglings, Heart's Dearest? You must take care of them and keep them safe, should the battle go against us."

She had at last reluctantly agreed. The vessel he was now inspecting would carry his little family to Kyber if the need arose. Ascertaining that all was in order, he moved on to the well-stocked arsenal. All was in readiness.

Fifteen minutes, according to his wrist chrono. He switched on his comm and addressed his fleet.

"You know our battle strategy, so I won't bore you with the details of a plan that will inevitably change ten minutes after we engage. The main objective is to hold your assigned positions unless I order a withdrawal. The Galaxy itself is at stake. May the Force be with us all."

He returned to the bridge to watch his fleet emerge from hyperspace. Following orders, the captains spread out to form a flexible blockade. The battle was at hand.

"For duty, honour and the right," he softly murmured his clan's motto.