Chapter Two:
Steam billowed around the shuttle's boarding ramp as the occupants descended. Three walked together, while the fourth remained apart.
"Well, another successful mission," Raythe said happily, grinning at the shorter but bulkier Whiphid beside him. "I think I even upped my kill count this time around."
Katu smirked in return. "I think you have almost caught up with my record."
Raythe chuckled. "One of these days, I will do so. Then things will get even more interesting."
"Indeed." Katu agreed.
Their Togruta companion eyed them. "I think both of you were beat out by our new friend here..."
Raythe and Katu looked from Kida to the final member of their group. The armored, masked figure said nothing, merely brushing past the trio.
"Oh, you mean Ignis," Katu said with a wicked smile, "our new, fearless leader."
Raythe nudged Katu in the ribs. "You mean our totally obedient leader."
The two snickered and followed Ignis as he continued to walk away. Kida came along, smirking at Ignis' back.
"I wish I knew what method she used on him this time." Katu mocked. "Because it finally worked."
"Indeed." Raythe commented, looking Ignis up and down critically. "Although I have to admit that I like the new outfit."
"You're welcome to join me in this new form of captivity; all of you," Ignis said coldly.
"Naw, I like my personal freedom," Katu said dismissively.
"Besides, you're not as fun to poke at since our Master did whatever it was she did to you." Raythe pretended to pout. "You're even quieter than before, and you never react to anything anymore."
"I'll bet he's just pining after his little girlfriend," Kida remarked with open disdain.
Raythe and Katu turned interested gazes on her, especially when Ignis stopped.
"What girlfriend now?" Raythe asked Kida.
"The little redhead Vexa had me tailing a while back," Kida answered. "Honestly I don't know what you see in her, Ignis. She's pretty plain and weak if you ask me. Then again, I may not be the best judge of human characteristics."
"Trust me; if Ignis fell for her, then she's got to be Hutt ugly." Katu jibed. "He's always been lacking in judgment anyway."
Ignis' hand curled into a fist, and Katu actually laughed. "Finally, some action! Come on, Ignis, take a swing at me."
"Careful Katu," Raythe said with snicker, "or the fearsome Fist might get you."
Katu leapt to hide theatrically behind his friend. "Oh no, save me!"
The two laughed openly, and Ignis took a deep breath, willing himself to remain calm. "I would not expect any of you to understand, and nor do I care if you do." He began to walk once more. "We need to check in."
"After you, Fist." Katu waved a hand and bowed mockingly.
Kida laughed with the other two, but followed Ignis to Vexa's throne room onboard her ship the Dark Mystery. While the outside galaxy and the troopers did not know who Ignis was, the acolytes who had known Ignis previous to his new role could sense him in the Force, and so were aware that it was him.
Thus, Ignis had swiftly become the brunt of many of the older acolytes' jokes and such. Ignis let most of it simply slide off his personal shields, though in truth nothing really affected him much since he'd allowed himself to go numb on the inside.
Ignis did not care to feel things anymore, as it made his new life a little easier to deal with. Still, it was taking a little more effort to ignore the jibes in relation to the things of Ignis' heart. Thankfully, those particular jabs were far and few in between. However, with Kida letting slip Ignis' feelings about Anya, that too would probably change now.
Just another day in my life, Ignis thought sardonically before he cleared his mind.
The quartet arrived at Vexa's throne room, and fell silent so they could focus on the upcoming report they were to give. Kida straightened her clothes and made certain she was presentable to the woman she esteemed above all other people in the galaxy. She did not care what anyone else thought: Kida owed Vexa Wran everything.
Katu and Raythe merely squared their shoulders and walked in behind Ignis, who didn't care enough anymore to show respect to Vexa. He obeyed, and that was the extent of it.
Once the four acolytes were at the dais steps, they genuflected, bowing their heads and waiting to be addressed by the woman in the seat above them.
"Welcome home, all of you," Vexa said after a long minute of contemplation. Her gaze lingered predictably on Ignis, but she addressed Kida. "Were there any complications?"
"Nothing out of the expected resistance from the locals, Master," Kida replied. "Eriadu is ours to do with as we see fit."
"Excellent. A new Baron is in place for the time being, so that we may preserve order on the planet." Vexa waved a hand. "Our next target will be Sullust. However, I have a task for Katu and Pai. Katu, you will fetch Pai— he is in the acolyte area of the ship— and return to me, but you will wait outside until I call you in."
"Yes Master." Katu bowed low again and left to find the male Rishii.
"Kida, Raythe, you are also dismissed. Get some food and rest, and prepare for our next attack."
Both young adults dipped their heads and also departed, leaving Ignis alone with Vexa. Once the doors were shut fully, Vexa turned her attention wholly to him.
"You have done well, Ignis, and I am impressed." Vexa reached down and tugged his chin up so he had to look at her through his mask. She wanted to see his eyes, however, so she indicated that he should remove the mask.
Ignis was unable to deny her, so he did what he was told, exposing his face to his master.
"You have proven to be quite the general on the ground," Vexa murmured almost thoughtfully. "You rather remind me of someone else I know."
Ignis kept his face emotionless, not caring who she thought he was like.
"Your grandfather was also quite the leader, both on land and in the air." Vexa continued, eventually releasing his face. "Perhaps once you have proven yourself further, I will divulge more of your personal history as a reward."
Ignis said nothing, keeping his face blank. He felt a probe from his master and allowed it, having nothing to hide from her anymore. Vexa ticked with her tongue and shook her head, retreating once more.
"It is a shame that you have chosen to become like a mere droid, Ignis. If you allowed your anger and hatred to flow, to fuel you, there is no telling what you would be capable of."
Ignis merely stared, not in the mood to talk about this. Again.
Of course Vexa had noticed the change in him, and had more than once made mention of it. But Ignis refused to allow any emotions to touch his heart now, and truly did not care if anyone else had a problem with it. Life now was simply easier if he didn't care and couldn't feel anything.
Vexa narrowed her eyes at him, but said nothing more for now. "You are dismissed."
Ignis replaced his mask, dipped his head as was expected and left. He skipped out on dinner and chose to merely go to his quarters. Once there, Ignis removed his armor and set it upon the rack intended for it.
Once he was done with that, Ignis went to the refresher and cleaned up for the night. As he stepped from the shower, Ignis drew a towel about his waist and moved to brush his teeth.
While doing this task, his gaze happened upon the mirror above the sink, which was still fogged from the shower steam. However, there was just enough visible for him to catch a glimpse of his eyes.
To say they were dull was an understatement. There was no longer any life to his gaze, and their color had faded.
Unable to hold his reflection's gaze, Ignis finished up and left the refresher to change. Only when he was settled into his bed did he allow his mind to wander.
Three worlds had now borne the brunt of the Fist's wrath. Or so the galaxy was calling it. As Vexa had no doubt counted on, word of Vexa's Fist was swiftly getting around, and many were now afraid of him. Nobody outside of the tiny inner circle of acolytes and Vexa knew Ignis' true identity.
Many were referring to the Fist as Vexa's Darth Vader, and with that comparison, fear of Vexa's Fist had doubled. Ignis had heard that many of the Rising's agents— who were scattered about the galaxy— that word of the Fist had spread like wildfire, and people were worried about who would be next on his list.
Ignis would have hated it all if he were inclined to feel anything nowadays.
Feeling the strain of the battle he'd just waged, Ignis closed his eyes, willed his mind to go blank and let sleep claim him.
00000
"You and Pai will visit the nearby planet Omwat," Vexa said to Katu and Pai, both of whom were kneeling before her. "The indigenous people have a certain outlook on the Force that I detest, and I will be certain to make an example of them in our quest to dominate the galaxy."
"Are you talking of killing them all?" Katu inquired.
"Not unless I have to," Vexa said. "I will of course give them a chance to join forces with me. If they refuse... well, things may get a little... dicey from there."
Pai ruffled the feathers on his arms. "What exactly, do you wish us to do, Master?"
"Offer them this proposition: join forces with me, or I will take over their planet and destroy their Force-sensitive community." Vexa looked upon them. "These Omwat do nothing noteworthy with the Force anyway: they waste their potential on a mere philosophical view of the Force, not truly delving into what is possible. They could become a thorn in my side, and I will not allow that."
"They may also be good allies." Pai pointed out boldly.
"Hence my offer," Vexa replied with a look at her acolyte.
"Are we allowed to negotiate with them at all?" Pai asked. "What if they request time to deliberate on the proposition?"
Vexa considered this. "I will give them a month's time. That is more than fair, and it will allow me time to decide just how I will... deal with them if they refuse." She waved a hand. "Now, go, both of you."
00000
"That was so much fun Dad!" Asher gushed as he and Han walked through the door to their home. "Can we go to shockball games more often please?"
Han smiled. "We can certainly try. You liked it that much huh?"
Asher grinned widely. "I did. Maybe someday I will play it too. Do the schools have teams at all?"
Han considered. "Probably not until high school, as it is a full-contact sport."
Asher sighed. "Well, I'll just have to wait until then to play it I guess."
Han snorted softly. "Be patient, Asher. You will find something else to do in the meantime."
Asher looked to Han, the pair of them now in the kitchen. Leia and Carmi were out also, having a mother-daughter evening since Han and Asher were having a father-son one.
"I have been trying to design my own video game, actually." Asher informed Han. "I've been writing notes and such, and I have a basic idea, but I need to work on more details."
Han blinked in surprise at his son. "Really? I knew you loved video games, but I didn't know you wanted to create one."
Asher shrugged. "I'm not very good at creating things, but I figured I would give it a go."
Han placed a hand on Asher's shoulder. "There's nothing wrong with that."
Asher was grateful for his father's support, and he assisted Han in preparing them a bite to eat.
"What do you already have down?" Han asked curiously as he began to heat some nerf meat in a pan.
"Well, I know I want it to be about a guy who has to go on a bunch of quests to find all the parts to complete a special build..." Asher continued to relate his idea to Han as the two finished meal preparations and then sat down to eat.
When Asher was done, Han considered the boy's idea. "That certainly has merit, though if you ask me, this main character needs some friends. It's rare that someone always does everything alone: even the superheroes on the comics you love to read. He needs someone to banter with, someone to argue with... maybe someone to fall in love with."
Asher made a face at the last and Han chuckled. Asher was not yet at the age where he was interested in members of the opposite sex. Thus the thought of romance was unappealing to Asher, though this quirk was amusing to Han.
"I'll... think about that advice," Asher managed to reply, and he did so with such tact that Han knew Leia would have been proud. The kid had the makings of a politician, if he chose that path. And if he did, Han would support his son in that goal.
"Well, just take your time and do it right." Han suggested.
Asher finished his bites and was excused from the table. He hugged his father and bid Han goodnight. Han smiled after him, his heart full after his time with Asher. Han loved his children with all his heart, and he could not imagine his life without them, now that he had them.
Han finished his plate next and moved to clean up. His mind began to work on its own as he went through the mundane tasks. Not surprisingly, Han found himself thinking about Ignis.
Han felt bad about failing to return in time to prevent Ignis from kidnapping Kodai; even though the young man ultimately took off. Blessedly, that had been after Ignis had chosen to leave the baby behind. Han was grateful that Ignis had made the decision to return the child: the smuggler actually felt like a proud uncle. Han knew that the decision to disobey Vexa had not come easily to Ignis. Han also knew that with the very real threat the scalpel squid presented Ignis, the young man had sacrificed himself for those he had come to care about.
Ignis had fled the chance of a life with Luke and his family, because Ignis had known he was a danger to them. Nobody had truly understood or believed Ignis, but Ignis hadn't let that stop him. He had gone anyway, protecting the rest of them by doing so. Or, at least he had saved them from the immediate threat of Ignis being in their midst.
Now, however, Ignis was being used by his master in the worst way possible: to help the Rising gain ground in the galaxy. And he was doing that by becoming a tyrant under Vexa's command. The Fist was apparently ruthless and seemed to show no mercy. He took no prisoners that the galaxy at large knew of, and he did not stop until his objective had been fulfilled, whatever that was. Han suspected that Ignis had been given his no-prisoners directive by Vexa Wran, who clearly wanted to be feared more than she already was.
But if Han was to be asked, he would say that she was actually generating fear of the Fist, and not of herself. It was similar to how the galaxy had once viewed Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine. Vader had been more feared because he had been the one on the front lines, the one actually enforcing Imperial law. And all the while, Palpatine had remained holed up in his palace unless he felt the need to leave it.
Han knew that the being everyone called Vexa's Fist was Ignis. Who else could it have been? The new guy had appeared just after Ignis had returned to Vexa, so it made perfect sense to Han.
Han had heard the Fist referred to as Vexa's version of Vader. Han had to admit that with the way Vexa was using Ignis, that description was beginning to fit. However, Han had lived through Vader's reign of terror, and Ignis had a ways to go before he fully filled in those shoes.
Still, Han felt sorry for the lad, and he wished he had been able to get home sooner. Then Ignis would have been able to truly let go and accept the Skywalker family. Han had seen how close Luke and Ignis were growing, how close the entire family had been getting with Ignis.
And how much Ignis had grown to like them in return.
The Ignis that had left a few weeks ago had been clearly different from the one who had shown up in their lives after Orinda. Or at least, that was Han's opinion, and others could disagree; he didn't care.
Han finished his clean-up and took a seat in his favorite lounger, still lost in thought. Han reflected on the directions that Tsu Mada— the Kaminoian scientist who had helped them get their own squid specimens— had given them on how to get the squid out of Ignis' head.
Place the other squid in a container, put the victim's face over the bucket and allow the squid in the boy come to the one in the bucket of water. Wait for the one inside to leave the victim's head.
Han frowned as he came to realize something. Would the creature inside Ignis be able to smell the one outside of him, if Ignis' face wasn't in the water? Also, Tsu had said nothing about whether or not the external squid would stay out of Ignis' head, or if the other creature would also try to enter. Could two squids infect a host at once? And if so... and they were of the opposite gender... would they breed?
Han shuddered in horror at the thoughts that were going through his head. Feeling his stomach churn, Han went to his communication's console and made a call.
Moments later Lando Calrissian answered. "Hi Han, what can I do for you?"
"Lando, do you remember if Tsu warned us about the possible side-effects of getting the squid out of Ignis?"
Lando blinked. "Ah... no, I don't think he did. If I recall correctly, he merely told us what to do. He offered no warnings at all."
Han nodded slowly. "That's what I was afraid of."
"Why?" Lando inquired.
Han ran a hand down his face. "I was just thinking: what if, while we are trying to get the one creature out of Ignis' head, the second tries to enter?"
Lando frowned, but before he could respond, Han went on.
"What about any other possibilities? What if, when we try this, Ignis ends up with two squids in his head, and they mate and have babies... where will those babies go?"
Lando was looking a little green, even through the camera feed. "Han, you are way over thinking this, Buddy."
Han blew out a breath. "I don't think I am." He paused when Lando offered him a pointed look. "Okay, maybe I am a little. But I'm serious Lando! How do we keep the second squid from also going into Ignis' head? We still don't really know anything about them. So we would be risking further harm to Ignis."
Lando pursed his lips. "Well, Luke could always hold the external squid with the Force. I am fairly certain he would want to be present for this incident anyway."
Han hadn't thought of that. "True, I guess. Still, I think it's way past time I paid Tsu a visit. I've wanted to thank him for almost ruining my ship anyway."
Lando snorted in amusement. "I'm surprised you didn't leave right after Luke did."
Han sighed. "We were all still reeling from Ignis' actions, and of course Shmi taking off. Now that things have calmed down, I think I can return there with a level head."
"I'll go with you," Lando offered.
Han nodded. "Thanks Lando. I think we need to do this."
"Why don't we take a bit more back-up this time around?" Lando suggested.
"Like who?" Han asked.
"I don't know, but we should plan for treachery a bit better on this trip, now that we know the scientist will do things like that."
Han nodded slowly. "You're right. Let's come up with a better plan this time. But I want to leave in the near future."
"I agree. We shouldn't sit too long on this. We may have already taken too long."
Han had to agree. "Yeah. I'll talk to you later, Lando."
"Bye."
Once Lando had signed off, Han sat back and blew out a breath. Perhaps Han was blowing things out of proportion, but the smuggler needed to be certain he knew all the risks also. Han considered Lando's advice that they take more help this time.
But who would Han be able to trust?
00000
Derek "Hobbie" Klivian walked through the halls of the building in which the Skywalker family kept a residence. Hobbie had come in to some unexpected time off, and he was determined to use part of it to see his young friend.
It was just Hobbie this time, though, as with the war effort happening, the entire squadron could not be given the time off. But Hobbie had been granted this time at home because his father had just passed away. The older Klivian had been quite sick for a long time, and so his family had known the man was not going to last. Still, the actual event had occurred without warning, leaving them all reeling.
Hobbie was still upset over that, and had thus asked for more time in which to properly grieve. It had been granted under the condition that he receive no further personal time for several months. Hobbie had spent the first day in his apartment, swinging between grief and boredom.
Now, needing to do something to get his mind off of his father's death, Hobbie had decided to pay Ignis a visit. He hadn't heard from Luke or the young man since their last bit of time together; and neither had any of the other Rogues. Then again, they were all very busy with the war, which had picked up pace in the last few weeks. There frankly wasn't time for catching up anymore.
Now that he had the chance, Hobbie wanted to see how a good portion of his chosen family was doing.
Hobbie arrived at the correct door and knocked. It wasn't long before the door opened, and Emry smiled up at him.
"Hi Uncle Hobbie!" She greeted him, offering him a quick hug. "What are you doing here?"
Hobbie smiled back, accepting her offer to enter the home. "I was in the neighborhood and thought I would stop by."
"Hobbie?"
The pilot looked up to find Mara approaching, the red head's face allowing her surprise to show. Mara offered him a hug, and then stepped back, eyeing him in an odd way that he knew well. She could undoubtedly sense his sorrow in the Force.
"What can I do for you?" Mara asked, skipping the inane questions that Hobbie didn't want to answer right now.
Hobbie gave her a grateful look and then cast his eyes about. "I actually came by to see Ignis, or perhaps Luke. Are either of them here right now?"
Mara looked away, her expression shifting almost imperceptibly. It was Emry who spoke, however, having not left the room.
"You don't know?"
Hobbie frowned. "Know what? Did something happen?"
Mara sighed. "Yes. Long story short... Ignis is no longer with us."
Hobbie looked between the two Skywalkers. "Did... he get adopted? Or moved to another foster home?"
"I wish it was that simple," Mara muttered, gesturing for him to sit. Once Hobbie had done so, Mara elaborated. "A few weeks ago, Ignis kidnapped Kodai..."
Hobbie's jaw dropped, and he felt his heart constrict. "Wait, he did what?"
Mara nodded seriously. "Ignis took Kodai while Luke and I were talking with..." Mara glanced to Emry, and amended her next words, "a certain young woman."
Hobbie knew she meant Samanda, and he indicated his understanding. Only a select few people knew of the Zabrak teenager, and it needed to stay that way.
Mara continued to explain to Hobbie. "Ignis almost got away, but Luke and I were able to find him with Kodai. He was clearly troubled, and somehow Kodai connected with Ignis in the Force, and Ignis decided to give Kodai back to us."
Hobbie relaxed somewhat, and he was grateful for that bit of good news at least.
"But then Ignis fled, and though I chased and eventually caught up to him, Ignis managed to get away." Mara looked pained. "I offered to help him, but he insisted that he was a threat to us, and he had to leave. And though I did not understand at the time, I do now."
Hobbie tilted his head. "What does that mean?"
"Ignis is a victim of what is called a scalpel squid, Hobbie." Mara informed him. "It's what he kept trying to tell us without actually saying it."
Hobbie was confused. "What is a scalpel squid?"
"It's a parasite that lives in the pole regions of Kamino." Mara explained patiently. "They can be used to infect a person's brain, and if they are activated by that person's handler, then the squid takes over their mind to the point where all free will is absent. The handler had full control over the victim and can make that victim do anything they want them to do."
At Hobbie's expression, Mara brought her datapad to her with the Force and opened a file she had put together. It contained Ignis' drawings, all the files that Han had looked up, plus anything Mara herself had been able to get a hold of. Mara had been forced to call in a favor or two for some of these bits of information, but it was worth it if it helped Ignis.
Mara was still a little upset that Ignis had taken Kodai, but she was drawing ever closer to fully forgiving him. Major contributing factors in that was that Ignis had given Kodai back willingly, second was that he had then left because he'd been trying to protect Mara's family.
Mara showed Hobbie the images she had, followed by a video clip she had attained through one of her used favors. However, Mara did not allow Emry to view the video, as it was quite disturbing. Still, it did prove what Ignis and Anya had both claimed.
Hobbie watched, and when it was done, he allowed his unease to show plainly.
"I know it's hard to believe: Luke and I had a hard time accepting it also," Mara said softly. "But it's true. This creature, somehow, is inside Ignis' head."
Hobbie's mouth hung open. "Seriously?"
Mara did not retract her statement, only lifting an eyebrow, and Hobbie knew then that this was not a ploy. In any case, that was not Mara's style.
Hobbie's head came up as he recalled the event after the battle at Bespin, the one where Ignis had lost control. He also remembered that Ignis had been convinced that his master had him enslaved.
"I believe you, Mara," Hobbie murmured. "When Ignis lost it on Bespin, I knew there was something seriously wrong with him. I can feel it in my gut that this is what that something was."
Hobbie looked to Mara again. "Why didn't he just say so?"
"Because," Mara replied, "he was forbidden from speaking of it and of his master directly."
Hobbie straightened. "So did you guys finally crack the identity of his master then?"
"Yes," Mara nodded, "it is Vexa Wran."
Hobbie paled. "Stars... that kid came from her?"
Mara thinned her lips, and then looked to Emry. "Sweetie, can you give us a few minutes alone now please?"
Emry nodded. "Yes Mom."
Mara thanked her, and waited for Emry to be long gone to go on. She turned back to Hobbie, who was listening intently. "Yes. Luke told me that he shared with you and the Rogues Ignis' basic back-story, so you know that Ignis has dark past."
"Yes," Hobbie said solemnly. "It's one of the reasons I like him so much: he is still a good kid with an actual heart after going through hell. It's also partly why I want so much to be his friend. I can tell that Ignis is a good person. Plus, he's intelligent, fun and witty... he fits right in with Wes and me."
Mara felt warmth touch her heart. "I'm pretty certain Ignis liked you both as well, from what I heard Luke describe of his time with you Rogues."
Hobbie looked down contemplatively, and then made a choice. "I don't care who his master is: Ignis is not a bad person. I could tell that he didn't want to be with his master anymore, and yet I could see how much he feared her."
"And he had every right to be afraid of her." Mara groused, indicating the squid. "I am sure Vexa put the creature in Ignis. I do not know when or how, but now she controls Ignis against his will."
Hobbie felt like there was something else he did not know yet. "So why haven't we seen or heard from Ignis since he left? Was he some sort of secret agent of hers?"
"More or less, although Vexa calls them acolytes," Mara said. "Samanda explained it to Luke and me: they are more or less on par with what I did as the Emperor's Hand."
"So he was already invisible, right?" Hobbie surmised. "And it would fit that he disappeared again."
"Well, Ignis has all but vanished..." Mara said leadingly, and Hobbie didn't need the Force to sense her discomfort.
"Where has he gone?" Hobbie asked, not sure he wanted to know.
"He's been replaced by a new figure, but only we who knew Ignis previously would be aware of that," Mara answered. "Ignis is Vexa's Fist."
Hobbie was glad that he was already sitting; otherwise he would have toppled over. The breath left his lungs and Hobbie found that his mouth hung open in shock. No, it couldn't be!
"Please tell me this is some horrible joke?" Hobbie finally pled quietly. "Ignis can't be that... that..."
"Monster?" Mara whispered so only they could hear.
"Yeah," Hobbie said evenly.
"He is, sadly, and it's thanks to Vexa Wran. The one good thing about this situation is that with his armor and mask, nobody knows his true identity. So when we finally get Ignis out of there, nobody will know it was he that did all he did as the Fist."
Hobbie considered that. "But what if it comes out later, and he's built up good relations with others? That would ruin everything for him once again."
Mara blew out a breath. "We will have to cross that bridge later. For now, we are trying to muster up a way to help him."
Hobbie looked about pointedly, noting Luke's absence. "Is that where Luke is?"
"Luke is on a mission to discover some truths about Ignis, himself," Mara paused, "and Shmi."
Hobbie eyed her openly. "May I ask what things?"
Mara pursed her lips, trying to no doubt determine if she should divulge that information too. "Normally I would tell you, since Luke and I trust you so much. But I think that bit should wait until Luke has confirmed his... suspicions."
Hobbie decided to accept her reply. "Alright Mara: I won't pry further on that. I'll bring the others up to speed when I return, if you don't mind. I promise full confidence, and I'll ensure our privacy when I do."
Mara hesitated again, but she had just said they trusted Hobbie and the original Rogues. "Okay."
"In the meantime, what can I do to help Ignis?" Hobbie asked with utter seriousness.
Mara honestly did not know, as she and Luke had yet to formulate a plan about that. "Would you keep your eyes and ears open for any leads on Shmi's whereabouts please?"
Hobbie frowned. "Why?"
"She and Anya took off after Ignis to try helping him, and we haven't heard from them in weeks." Mara informed him, a flash of motherly pain going through the woman's eyes.
Hobbie had to take a few seconds to make sure he had heard Mara correctly. "Shmi ran away?"
"No: she is trying to help Ignis." Mara corrected with a little warmth. "It hurts that she went rogue, but I can also understand why she did it. Luke and I were not in any frame of mind to listen to her then. She tried to talk to us, but we were closed off."
"This wouldn't have any relevance to Luke's current... mission, would it?" Hobbie asked.
Mara sighed. "Yes... and no."
Hobbie nodded very slowly. "Well, I told you I would not pry, so I won't. Consider it done. If we hear or see anything, you will know."
Mara smiled gratefully. "Thank you Hobbie."
At that moment the doorbell rang, and this time Mara answered the door. Han was on the other side and the smuggler let himself in with a hello to Mara.
"Hey, the guys and I are going back to Kamino soon," Han said, focusing on Mara. "We have some... questions for Tsu regarding how to get the blasted squid from Ignis."
Hobbie stood. "What did you say?"
Han blinked in shock to see the Rogue pilot there. "Hobbie? What are you doing here?"
"I had some personal time off," Hobbie replied with a dismissive wave. "Did you say you are trying to help Ignis?"
Han eyed the pilot thoughtfully. "Yeah."
"Count me in then," Hobbie said, already coming forward. "I care for the kid too."
Han glanced from Hobbie to Mara, who nodded once.
"Hobbie and Ignis actually were getting close," Mara said.
Han rubbed his chin. "Lando and I were just talking about taking an extra set of hands this time. Alright, you're hired."
Hobbie felt better at being able to do something for Ignis, especially after hearing about the young man's plight. Han filled Hobbie in on the smuggler's last trip to Kamino, and when he was done, Hobbie sat back to take it all in.
"I was planning to take the Falcon," Han said, sitting down now facing Hobbie.
"The same ship you took before?" Hobbie asked.
Han gave the pilot a piercing look. "Yeah, why?"
"Won't this scientist remember it and possibly run?" Hobbie asked. "You would get closer with a different ship, and by letting me do the talking, at least on the comlink. I did not go last time, so they don't know me yet."
Han pursed his lips. "That idea has merit. But that leaves us with what ship to take."
"We can take my father's ship." Hobbie offered, his sorrow returning momentarily. "He won't need it anymore anyway, and he willed it over to me since I'm the family pilot."
There was a moment of pregnant silence, and the other two adults looked at each other before Mara spoke gently.
"Your father, did he..."
"He passed a few days ago," Hobbie said softly. "It's why I am on leave. It's also why I can help Han and Ignis. I don't want to spend this time wallowing in my emotions. I need to do something that isn't the war, while also not wasting away for a week."
Mara's face softened further and she moved to sit next to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry Hobbie."
The pilot didn't immediately respond, even when Han also offered his own sentiments. He allowed his friends to comfort him a bit more before Hobbie turned back to business.
"We will use my father's ship." He stood. "It's not the fastest, but she is well armored."
Han nodded, also rising. "Thank you Hobbie."
The men bid Mara farewell and left together, already planning their next move.