Chapter Three
"How much longer do you think he'll be asleep?" A voice said, drawing Killian from the dark. He recognized it, he realized through the fog, as Aola's voice.
"As long as he needs to," another voice said, this one belonging to Argyle, "His body needs to heal, and that only happens with rest."
"But I thought that was what the bacta tank was for?" Aola replied.
"Bacta can only do so much, Aola," Argyle said as Killian slowly opened his eyes and took in his surroundings. He was in the same room as before, thankfully clothed this time, and sitting across from him were Argyle and Aola. Upon seeing him open his eyes, Aola jumped to her feet and ran over to him, issuing a squeal of delight, before pouncing on him, making him cry out.
"Be careful, Aola," Argyle said sternly as he approached the two. "He's still weak."
"Where is Terra?" Killian asked as Aola continued her hug, bringing a smile to his face.
"She's settling our tab with the bartender," Argyle said with a smile. "He threatened to call out the guard until she told him how much those three pests were worth, bounty wise."
"You're going to let him keep it?" Killian said, surprised.
"Might as well," Argyle said with a shrug. "We didn't come here for them. And we did make a mess of the fellow's bar, after all. It'll more than pay for the damages. Maybe he can hire some security to ensure such scum doesn't frequent his establishment anymore."
Killian grinned at that as Aola finally released him, allowing him to sit up slowly. The door suddenly hissed open, drawing their attention, as Terra strolled in, followed closely by Doctor Megilla.
"Good morning, Killian," doctor Megalla said as she approached the screen next to his bed. "How are you feeling today?"
"Like I was shot," Killian joked softly, bringing a smile to everyone's face.
"Well, it seems the bacta tank worked," doctor Megalla said. "Your vitals are much better, though I would prefer it if we could keep you for a few more days to get your weight up. But your guardians here inform me that you have a pressing engagement that you must attend to. And I have other patients that need my attention, so if you will excuse me."
Killian's face went slack at that, as the doctor shared a nod with Argyle and then Terra before taking her to leave, the door hissing behind her.
Killian looked at them, then, unsure what to say, as Terra sat down on the bed and looked at him. "What did she mean?" He asked, confused. "Why did she call you my guardians?"
"Killian, we have something to tell you about us," Terra said softly. "The reason we were so intent on finding our ship had to do with what was on it."
"Your armor?" Killian said, "I heard you talking about it, but I didn't understand."
"We are Mandalorians, Killian," Argyle said simply, watching his reaction.
Killian went white as a sheet, at that, unable to speak for a moment. Here in front of him were his heroes, the space knights he had wanted to be for so long, made real.
Terra looked at him for a moment, misunderstanding his reaction, before speaking softly, "I can understand if you're scared of us, Killian. Unfortunately, our people don't have the best reputation in the galaxy."
"I'm not scared," Killian replied, finally finding his voice. "Your people are my heroes."
Argyle and Terra looked dumbfounded at that, allowing Killian to continue, "I've read about Mandalorians all my life and have wanted to be one for just as long."
Argyle began to grin as Terra stared for a moment at him.
"Well, here's your chance," Argyle said, making Killian's mouth drop.
"I don't understand," Killian said before Argyle cut him off
"The code of Mandalore says that we may adopt any foundlings we come across if we wish. You have no one to look after you, which makes you our responsibility, if you want to come with us, that is"
Killian looked at the three in complete shock; Aola was bouncing up and down in happiness at the prospect, while Terra looked nervous. Only Argyle stared at him with something like expectation, as though the choice was obvious.
More than anything, Killian wanted to say yes, but the more he thought about it, the more he realized he couldn't, not after lying to them"
"I can't," he said, sadly, looking down.
"Why not?" Terra said quickly, putting her hand under his chin and forcing him to look at her.
"Mandalorians are supposed to be honorable warriors, and I'm not," he said, fighting back the tears.
"I lied to you. I have been from the start."
At this, Argyle's expression grew serious, and he moved closer to him.
"What do you mean, boy?" He asked, his tone growing cold
"I'm not from Coruscant," Killian said, unable to meet his eye. "I'm from Earth."
"Earth?" Terra said, confused, "I've never heard of that planet before."
"Nor I," Argyle added.
"That's because it's not in this galaxy," Killian said softly, making them all gasp with shock.
"That's impossible," Argyle said, "You're saying you're from another galaxy?"
Killian nodded before adding, "Remember when you asked me what Star Wars was? Well, you are, this is" he gestured around the room at that. "On my world, we don't have space travel. We only barely managed to get to our moon a few decades ago. We don't have aliens, or droids in my world, just humans. Star Wars is a series of books and movies or holo-dramas, I guess you would call them. And you are all in it. Not you personally, I mean, but your race, the Twi'lek. As are the Jedi, sith, Mandalorians, all of this"
The revelation shocked the room, no one knowing what to say. Then, finally, Terra found her voice.
"That's why you reacted the way you did when we first met," she said, understanding flooding her. "And why you didn't know what planet you were on"
Killian nodded, mute for a moment, before adding, "This whole galaxy was nothing but a story to me before I woke up in that field. This era is called the old republic, but there are stories about things that will happen in this galaxy thousands of years from now, and I know them all. Those stories were my only escape from Mrs. Murray."
"So, how did you get here?" Argyle asked, his mind still reeling at what he had heard.
"I don't know," Killian said quickly. "The last thing I remembered is coming home from school and being hit by a car. I thought I had died and ended up in heaven."
"Heaven?" Terra asked, confused.
"On my world, heaven is part of many different religions. It's thought of as where good people go when they die," Killian clarified.
The room was quiet for several moments after that, even Aola going quiet with shock finally, when Killian could stand it no longer, he looked at them and said softly, "I'm sorry I lied to you, all. I never meant to hurt anyone. I just…"
"You just didn't know what to say when confronted with creatures that aren't supposed to exist," Terra said, cutting him off and making him nod.
She looked at Argyle for a moment; after that. And they shared a look for a moment as he attempted to get over his shock before finally nodding his head, making her grin in happiness.
"We understand your reasons, Killian," Argyle said. "Any other being would have reacted the same way, I'm sure."
"And we don't blame you for not trusting us at first, but I hope that you can, now," Terra said with a smile.
Killian looked at them in astonishment. "But…but I lied to you both. I've been lying since we first met! So why are you not angry with me?"
"Because we know the reasons why" Terra said in a comforting tone that made him feel worse
"And because we kind of like you, just a little," Argyle said, with a grin, bringing a smile to Killian's face. "So, I'll ask you again, do you want to come with us?"
Killian stared at them and suddenly felt happier than he had in his entire life. Finally, he was being given a chance at a family, the one thing he had always wanted. And even better, he was being offered an opportunity to become one of his heroes. Slowly, unable to respond, he nodded, causing Aola to squeal in joy and run to him, embracing him in a huge hug. At the same time, Terra and Argyle smiled in genuine pleasure.
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Unknown to all of them, two beings were watching the events through a data-pad, which they had used to slice into the medical center's security cameras.
"Are you sure it's him?" The young girl asked, her red and yellow eyes narrowing in suspicion as they watched.
"Oh yes," the older woman responded in a soft voice, her eyes a similar color. "A mother never forgets."
Both were dressed simply, wearing black leather under a light grey robe. Unseen to passersby, both had lightsabers attached to their hips, ready to be drawn at a moment's notice.
"I thought you said father had told you he died soon after birth?" The girl responded, her voice calm and low.
"The fool lied, it would seem," the woman said, her voice filled with anger and pain.
Her husband had once been an extremely powerful sith, and like she had relished in the power of the Darkside. Still, something had changed after the birth of their daughter. When their child had shown that she would rival them in control of the Darkside, she thought that he, like her, would be overjoyed. But he had seemed horrified at such a prospect. He had become less and less concerned with power after that until she hardly recognized him when their son was born.
"I wish he were still alive, so I could kill him for taking my son from me," she said, her anger rising.
"But why did he do it in the first place?" The girl asked, looking at her.
"I don't know. Perhaps he didn't want his son to be a sith."
"Then he was a fool," the girl sneered. "Do you want to take him, now? It would not be challenging to do so. I doubt those filthy tail heads would offer much trouble without their precious armor."
The older woman stared at the screen and was quiet for several moments, thinking. In truth, she ached to do precisely as her apprentice suggested. To take her lost son in her arms and kill anyone who tried to stop her, to take him back with her to Korriban and show him all he had been denied when her fool of a husband had taken him from her. To show him power! She had hardly believed it when she had seen the Twi'lek run past her carrying him, bleeding, and had quickly followed, needing to know for sure. As soon as she was, her emotions of rage at her husband's betrayal, joy at finding her son alive, and grief at the thought of losing him again threatened to consume her. She could very quickly go into that room and take back what was hers. But as soon as the thought entered her mind, she cast it away. It was not the right time; she knew and yet hated the truth of it.
"No," she said, making her apprentice turn to her, "He is too broken at the moment, too weak. Let the Mandalorians teach him the ways of battle, for now. Then, one day, when he is ready, we will fetch him and show him his true lineage, and then we shall be a family once more. If what he said is true, he has knowledge of thousands of years of events that could be useful. With him at our side, the sith could rule for eternity. With our family at its head."
"You do not believe his story, do you?" The girl said, turning to her, "It's not possible, surely?"
"There are a great many mysteries in the universe, daughter," The woman replied cooly. "Perhaps this is one of them."
The girl turned back to the screen at that, her expression thoughtful.
"All the more reason to take him now," the girl responded after a moment of silence. "The emperor would consider him priceless, were he to be told of this."
"And that is precisely why he won't be, understand? Killian is mine and no other."
Her voice was layered with power, making the girl wince in sudden fear. She had been on the receiving end of her mother's wrath before. Quickly, she replied, "I understand, mother" "
With one last painful look, the woman turned off the screen. Then, turning to leave, she saw the emotion on her companion's face and smiled at it. "Worry not, your little brother will return to us one day, I promise you."
"Yes, mother," the girl said with a bow. Quickly they left, fading into the crowd, the street too busy to notice the enemy in their midst's.
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AUTHOR'S NOTE:
I hope you enjoy reading these chapters just as much as I am writing them. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens to Killian in the future. I guarantee it will be amazing.
To the one who sent me a PM asking, "If he's from earth, how can he speak basic?" I like to believe that whoever or whatever sent him to the Star Wars galaxy wouldn't just drop him there without at least giving him a helping hand, lol. A kind of stupid answer, I know, but it's all I got.