Chapter 73 – In Between
Author's Note: On the last chapter, there were a number of comments expressing dislike for Athea. And for those of you who feel that way, whether you said it or not, I completely understand your feelings. You're not wrong to dislike her; she did abandon Theseus and choose the Dark Side, and the power of saving Caleb (even if he would have died without her intervention), over her son. She is... a complicated character, and I think/hope that y'all will like how her arc closes in this fic.
But there is... more about her that y'all don't know yet, explaining her current actions, or sort of, at least. Those details will come out in time. :)
To Hbc: We update weekly on Mondays. ^-^
~ Amina Gila
It's longer than Marr hoped before he actually finds a chance to meet Bail. He's on a mission with Ahsoka, where they're delivering important information to some top people in the Rebellion. Even knowing who's here is dangerous, but he's taken on a more and more active integral role in the Rebellion as time goes on.
"Senator?" Marr asks, approaching Bail. "Do you have a moment?" He's naturally in a hurry to leave, but he doesn't need long.
"Yes?" he queries. There's no hint of recognition in his eyes, but that's no surprise. It's not like he really knew him as Theseus anyway.
"I know you were well acquainted with my former master," he settles on, finally.
"You're a Jedi?" he asks, curiously.
"I am," he agrees, "I was Master Kenobi's padawan."
"Oh." There's an obvious hint of sadness on his face at the mention of the name, and it makes Marr's heart clench suddenly. Does he know what happened to Obi-Wan? Suddenly, he finds he doesn't have the courage to ask. It would be better to just know, to let go if he has to, but he can't...
Maybe he'll just get to the point now and hope he's given Bail enough of a reason to trust him. "I met your daughter," he continues, after a moment.
"She mentioned it," Bail replies, "You are... well known as the Mand'alor."
Right. The title again that, even after all these years, he still isn't fully sure fits him. He can't even take down Sidious. How could he lead an entire planet? But... more and more, he's getting certain that this is connected to how he'll overthrow the Empire. It would take an enormous amount of planning, though. "I understand if this isn't something you wish to discuss," Marr begins, "But I noticed she greatly resembles Senator Amidala."
For a long moment, Bail is quiet. "Yes," he says, finally, "But we do not speak of it."
It's not a confirmation, but Marr know some things are best left unsaid. He was right. Leia really is – Anakin had a child.
"Does Anakin know?" he blurts, without really thinking. He can't believe this. He suspected, but actually hearing is different.
Bail frowns. "He's dead."
Is that what he believes? It's – he should have expected it, but then, obviously Leia was telling the truth. Does that mean Anakin doesn't even know he has a child?!
"No," Marr objects, quietly, "I'd rather word about this not get out right now, either, but he's still alive."
"I have heard nothing of him," Bail replies, "The less we each know, the better, but if he was helping with the Rebellion, I would have expected to hear about it."
"That's because..." Marr draws in a deep breath, struggling to control the surge of emotions that hits him every time he thinks about it. Should he tell this to Bail? Is there a reason not to? He's one of the Rebellion leaders and if anyone can help them find Anakin, it's him. Besides, he's raising Anakin's daughter. Leia should know this, at least eventually. "He's – he's with the Empire. Ahsoka and I are trying to find out more information. We don't know anything for certain. But... he's a Sith."
"A Sith?" the Senator echoes, an obvious note of surprise and confusion in his voice, "Why would he have joined the Empire?"
"I don't know," Marr replies, "But he was... manipulated by the Emperor. I... imagine he Fell to save someone, and one thing led to the next." It's his best guess.
There's a look of... something like understanding on Bail's face, and Marr gets the feeling he's thinking about someone. Maybe.
He wants to add that Anakin could easily become an ally, if they could find him, but decides better of it. The less everyone knows, the better. "If you hear anything about... any Sith, I would like to know," Marry says, finally.
"I will let you know if I find anything," he replies, "But I believe Fulcrum is more likely to come across this information first."
Marr nods, ignoring his swell of disappointment. He expected it anyway, but still. "Thank you for your time."
All he knows the moment he walks away is that, suddenly, there's a million more things he thinks he should have asked him, like how Bail got Leia in the first place. It probably wouldn't say much, but maybe he'd be able to put a few seriously missing pieces together to figure out what happened. Maybe.
**w**
"I may have a perfect shortcut," Sabine declares, as Rebel command stands gathered around a holotable, discussing the newest difficulties in the Outer Rim. It's becoming harder and harder to move transports around without being found. "The system of Concord Dawn."
"That's Mandalorian territory," Marr declares.
"Yeah," she agrees, "But not Imperial territory yet."
"Why not?" Ezra objects, "They've grabbed up just about every other place."
"Concord Dawn is... a more radical group of Mandalorians," Marr cuts in.
"They're elite warriors who were brought in to train the clones back in the war," Rex interjects, "Bet even the Empire thinks twice about a fight with them."
"They could have a deal with them, though. We need to consider possible Imperial presence," Marr suggests.
"So go in with strength," Sato advises, "Scout the system for defenses to see what we're up against."
"Or why not try diplomacy?" Hera objects, "Ask permission to use their system as a shortcut?"
"Diplomacy? Warriors like these only understand strength."
"I could go," Marr offers, "They aren't fond of Death Watch, but they might respect that I'm the Mand'alor."
"No offense, but you're also a fugitive from the Empire," Sabine objects, "And if they are aligned with the Empire..."
"It's a chance we'll have to take," he decides, "I should go alone."
The others are most unenthusiastic about the idea, but they reluctantly concede, after ordering him to call for help the moment he needs any.
The ship comes out of hyperspace above the purplish planet, and he directs it down for the surface, jamming their scanners and approaching as discreetly as he can to avoid detection. There are so many ways this can go wrong, and they need this alliance for the Rebellion. Tension hangs almost tangibly in the air as he exits the ship, darting up to the edge of a ridge overlooking the camp.
Mandalorians move around down in the camp, going about their normal lives, and for a sudden agonizing moment, he misses his life on Mandalore enough to take his breath away. He misses when he and Bo were a family, just raising Vizma with nothing else. Is she alright? What's happening to her? When will he see her again?
Out here when he's been constantly confronting his Jedi past, he's spent a lot more time focusing on that. In some ways, it's harder to think about Mandalore, because that loss was much more recent.
He's still dealing with the loss, and seeing the Mandalorians like this... He forgot how hard it was at the beginning. And... in some ways, it feels like he's found a third family now – while slowly picking up all the members of his first two, and no matter what, he's not going to let the Empire take that again.
(He thought the same the second time, too.)
Marr jumps over the edge, landing lightly on the ground and ducking in between the ships, making his way to the entrance of the tent. He can only hope this is going to work, because if it doesn't...
Pushing the door open, Mar steps into the room. All heads immediately whip towards him, and Fen Rau – the leader – rising from his seat, eyes narrowed. "Who are you?"
"Marr Vizsla," he replies. He doesn't remove his helmet. It's not a risk he can take, in case they attack him.
"The Mand'alor?" someone asks in surprise, further in the back of the room.
"You're a fugitive from the Empire," Fen Rou accuses, hand resting on his blaster. "And you're part of Death Watch."
"My father was," he replies, "I am not."
"But you're still a traitor to the Empire."
"And as a Mandalorian, you support the Empire?" he asks, bluntly.
"We have an arrangement," Fen Rou retorts, "We stand with them."
"You know the Empire is suppressing the rights of our people. They seek to control Mandalore," he responds, "No one rules Mandalore but another Mandalorian."
He can feel his uncertainty. "They don't rule us here," he retorts, finally, but Marr thinks maybe the words are getting through to Rau.
"But they will in time. If we don't stand united, they'll destroy all of us eventually. Now may not be the time to act, but we can't stay quiet forever. It's our duty – your duty as the Protectors – to defend Mandalore, not stand with its oppressors. I won't ask you to be a part of this if you don't want to be, but the Rebellion needs passage through your system. If no one reports it, the Empire will have no way of finding out. We will use it as infrequently as we can to avoid drawing any attention. Now is not the time, but eventually we will have to unite against the Empire if we don't want the last of our culture to be destroyed."
"I'll consider it," Rau says, finally. Murmurs run through the people gathered behind them, and he can hope he's gotten through to them or he might not be making it off the planet. "Let us discuss this privately."
"As you wish," Marr replies, standing. He slips outside of the building, staring up at the dark purple sky above them. He can feel the currents of the Force, how something is changing. Things are going to change massively again soon, whether for better or worse, and he has to be ready.
It isn't long before he's called back inside.
"We agree to your terms," Rau decides, and he reaches into the Force to sense the other's intentions, enough to determine his sincerity and make sure it's not a trap. It isn't.
"The Rebellion is in your debt," he murmurs.
"We're doing our duty," he replies, "As Mandalorians."
**w**
"Alright, we're back," calls Vizma, lugging a much-too-huge crate into the main room of the Ghost. "Sabine, I took a detour to find more painting, explosives, whatever that is. Hope it's enough for a while."
"I'll take it," Zeb says, the first of the crew to reappear. Something about him seems... lighter, happier than she's ever seen him.
"What's up?" she asks, twisting a little to soothe the muscles in her back. Force. How does lugging a crate around make your back sore? Oh whatever. She'll just sleep it off is all, though she wishes her father was here. He got caught in some Rebel... something or other that she didn't need to be there for. BD is with her, at least, so she wasn't alone.
"Well," Ezra says, sliding down the latter. "We were on a mission, and we found a few surviving Lasat."
... Oh. Vizma had always tried not to think about it too much, about how Zeb was probably the last of his kind, which means their species would become extinct upon his death, and to know that the Empire failed to wipe them all out is more than she could have asked for. It gives her hope – it means the Empire isn't nearly as infallible as they believe, and its proof the Rebellion is making a difference. The Force will never permit darkness to win and rule the galaxy, of course.
Ezra waits until Zeb is out of earshot to tell her the entire story, about how apparently Zeb was the captain of the royal guard. He was the only survivor he knew of – though Vizma can't help thinking she's unsurprised there was more. It seems unlikely that Zeb would be the sole survivor, but she truly doesn't know the details of the entire situation.
"I'm glad for him," Vizma replies. Suddenly, she finds herself thinking of her own family. She misses her mother and both her aunts. It feels stupid to complain about when she's around people like Kanan, who had his entire Order destroyed, and Zeb, who had his whole planet and species destroyed – he lost his entire way of life. It's no wonder he's so... violent sometimes.
And of course, he'd been a captain of the royal guard in the past, so he's a very experienced fighter. The Lasats are warriors, from what Ezra said.
A sudden prickle of unease runs through her as she thinks about Mandalore. There's no way the Empire could every destroy their planet, but... her father had been worried about something of that nature. He never talked to her a lot about the details, but she knows it... concerns him. And she also knows that he always warned her to never overestimate the power of the Empire.
"So am I," he replies.
"I miss Mandalore," she blurts, suddenly, "But Dad is afraid if we go back, what the Empire did to the Lasats might..." Happen there too. She can't imagine it. It seemed so impossible, but so did the thought of losing Satine.
Ezra gives her a sympathetic look. "That's why we keep fighting out here," he replies, "I want to go back, and free Lothal too, but maybe now isn't the time yet."
"Maybe not," she agrees, "But when is?" And... now she finally truly understands her father's explanation for why he didn't get involved in the Rebellion long ago. It feels pointless until the government itself is gone.
"Kanan would say the Force will guide us," Ezra offers.
"Dad would say that, too," she replies, then grins for a moment, "But sometimes, I'd just prefer to fight. I want to see that we're making a difference."
"Me too," he admits, "I can bring it up again to Hera."
"We need to go on the offensive. Stage something major," she grumbles.
"Like freeing Lothal," Ezra agrees.
"Or destroying the Inquisitors. Anything."
"Well, you might have that chance sooner than you think," Hera announces, walking up behind them, "Come on. I have another mission for you."
"What kind of mission?" Vizma asks.
"A supply run."
She groans quietly. "This is what I mean." Of course, supply runs are necessary, but it's just... boring. And it feels like she's accomplishing nothing.
"We are making a difference," Hera assures, "The Rebellion is planning to make larger moves on some planets eventually, but we're still collecting resources."
"Like the ones you want us to get?" Ezra chirps.
Vizma rolls her eyes. "Let's get going."
**w**
"What is that?" Vizma asks incredulously, leaning against the doorway to Sabine's room. The other Mandalorian is busy painting on the wall in front of her, adding a new addition to the collection, except this time an enormous... something.
"It's a purrgil," Sabine grins.
"A what?"
"Space creatures," Sabine clarifies, "Apparently, they can travel at lightspeed. We ran into some during our last mission."
"Cool," Vizma exclaims, stepping into the room, approaching Sabine "Whatever happened? I thought you were going to get fuel?"
"Well... they were in the area because they apparently use the fuel, too, and Ezra was connecting with them, or whatever you Jedi do."
"I'm not a Jedi," Vizma corrects.
"Force users," Sabine amends.
"There's a big difference," Vizma insists.
"I don't see one," Sabine retorts, "You all use the Force... and occasionally do or say strange things that don't make sense to anybody else."
Vizma rolls her eyes. "Well, if you want to put it like that..."
"Ezra kept getting distracted by them," Sabine comments, "And abandoning his post when he was supposed to be using the guns to cover for us. And then the next thing we knew, he came riding up on one of those things."
"Would you like to paint him falling off the top of it screaming?" Vizma grins.
"I heard that!" Ezra calls, appearing in the doorway.
"Now that you mentioned it, it doesn't seem like such a bad idea," Sabine replies, smirking.
"Hey, that's not what happened!" he protests.
"What did happen?" Vizma inquires.
"I might have... fallen off a ledge and landed on top of it?" he admits sheepishly, "But it gave me my helmet back and –"
"Gave back your helmet? Are you sure you weren't hallucinating? How could it even pick it up?"
"With one of its tentacles," Ezra protests, "Like Sabine said, I was connecting with it. I could feel what it wanted, and we... helped each other."
"Niiiice," Vizma drawls. "We're helping space monsters now."
"Hey, you should have seen them!" he protests, "They were amazing."
"Be sure to invite me next time."
"We won't forget," Sabine chirps, "But I think Hera's hoping we never see them again."
"Why?"
"They can... create serious problems in hyperspace lanes."
"They're just doing what they do!" Ezra protests, "And... they were here first."
"True," Vizma concedes.
**w**
"I won't be able to come on this one," Marr comments, watching as Kanan yanks at his shirt for the tenth time, for some reason. And why does he feel so much nervousness from him right now?
"How do I look?" he asks.
What? Marr gives him an incredulous look. "Like you always do. Why?"
"No reason," he mutters.
"You're just going on a typical mission. What are you so nervous about?"
"I'm not nervous," he denies.
"And I'm not Mandalorian."
Kanan huffs, and Marr sighs. "Seriously, what is it?"
"Did you know that Cham Syndulla is the head of the rebel movement on Ryloth?" Kanan asks, finally.
"... no, but I'm not surprised," Marr replies. He'd fought on Ryloth for a short time, when Obi-Wan and Windu were there. He hadn't actually met Cham in person, but he'd heard plenty about how radical he is. It's not even a surprise that he's fighting for the rebellion
But why would that make Kanan nervous? Wait, Hera's a Syndulla too, and...
"What? You're nervous to meet your girlfriend's dad?" he asks teasingly.
"She's not my –"
He struggles to withhold a smirk. "Whatever. The idea is the same," he interjects, "Yeah, I suppose I can see why you'd be nervous about that. I never had to meet mine." Bo's parents were dead before he was even born, although he can't imagine such a life. In many ways, she'd looked to Vizsla as her father.
"I don't know what he's like," Kanan grumbles, "Hera never talks about him, except to complain."
"That might actually make him more inclined to ignore you, if that's what you're hoping for," he replies, unable to suppress a chuckle anymore.
Kanan scowls at him, and he doesn't miss the slightest hint of embarrassment on his face. "What is amusing about this?"
"Nothing, I suppose," Marr replies lightly, "Good luck meeting your father-in-law."
"You're not helping."
The Ghost crew head out for Ryloth after that, and Marr leaves on his own mission. They're looking for a location of a new secret base, and they still haven't gotten anywhere. He's just beginning to think that maybe this planet might be an ideal spot – it's not populated, and no one travels through the sector much, so any activity would go relatively unnoticed – when he suddenly senses the Dark Side.
Marr turns around sharply, scanning his surroundings. He hears the sound of a branch snapping, and instantly spots movement in the trees. The presence... it's familiar. Too familiar. "I know you're there," he calls, voice level.
"Observant of you," his mother's voice retorts, as she emerges from the brush, "Seeing that I have been watching you almost the entire time you were here."
"I know," he retorts, even though he didn't. Well, he thought he felt eyes on him, and someone... familiar, but he hadn't been certain until now. Nor is he fully sure she's telling the truth. A long time ago, she had been the only Jedi he was willing to trust blindly. Now, look where that's gone? He forces away the surge of bitterness that follows. This just means he needs to leave before things get messy. There is no need or time for a drawn-out fight.
His mother reaches up, pushing the button on her helmet; the visor snaps back, revealing her face. "You can join me, Theseus," she requests again.
No, they do not need to have this conversation again. "We already talked about this," he retaliates, "And that's not my name anymore." He almost feels bad about that a second later when an unreadable look flashes across his mother's face. He did kind of indicate that he prefers his Mandalorian heritage to everything she gave him. But she's the one who walked away first. She left him, not the other way around.
"You took the name given to you by a terrorist," she spits, "But I suppose that isn't a surprise when you yourself act like one now, while you claim to be a Jedi."
He didn't know his mother's opinion on anything could still sting so hard, but it does. "I'm helping the galaxy," he snaps, glad he has his helmet on, "While you destroy it."
She scoffs. "You'll come with me, one way or another. It's up to you if it's by choice or not."
"And what would I come with you for?" Marr retorts, "So you can take me to your Emperor? So I can swear my blind loyalty to him? I'm Mandalorian. We bow to no one."
"Unless you join us, your pride will only lead to your fall," she warns ominously. As though she suddenly cares now. Or maybe she does, but he can't forget how she'd been so willing to fight him that day she attacked the Temple. She could have killed him. Although, he doesn't know if she would have, but still.
"Who's 'us'?" he retaliates.
"Someone you once knew," she retorts.
His breath catches in his throat. Is she talking about – "Vader?" he asks, voice coming out shakier than he would have liked.
She inclines her head. "So, you do know who he is."
"I sensed it," Marr snaps.
"Come with me," she repeats again, and for an agonizing moment, he considers it. Is she seriously making an offer that would lead him right to Anakin... or Vader as he goes by now? Could he really meet him again if he goes with her? Could he?
It's likely, but he still can't trust her or that she won't betray them. As much as he hates to admit it, he has no idea if he can trust Anakin right now, and even thinking that feels like a betrayal, but he doesn't know,because he has no idea what Anakin's mental state is. No, he won't surrender to her. He'd much rather meet with Vader on his own terms, without her around, as much as it hurts to admit.
"And you won't tell Sidious I'm with you?" he says flatly.
"We operate under the Emperor," she retorts, which is an answer in an of itself, "But there is nothing more we can discuss here."
Again, he wonders. But no, he can't just go with her, especially not if she does promptly betray him and take him captive. He can't leave his daughter all alone, especially not without telling anyone.
"I'm not turning myself over to you," he replies, at last.
Her expression darkens and he only has a second of warning before she lashes out with the Force, throwing him back against the tree. He jumps to his feet, Force-shoving her backwards as hard as he can without taking the time to hear what she was about to say, before he fires up his jetpacks, streaking back for the waiting ship.
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