Chapter 12 - Father
Edric couldn't tell how long they stayed in each other's arms—it could have been seconds, or it could have been hours. Time seemed to blur and lost all of its meaning. When they finally pulled away, he kept his eyes down, avoiding Lyra's gaze as if it could drill into him. His cheeks burned, and his heart pounded in his chest like a war drum, each beat louder than the last. What am I doing?
Fixing his focus on a random boulder outside the window, he tried to steady his swirling thoughts. He wanted to look back at her, offer a reassuring smile, something to break the tension, but a wave of fear gripped him. It wasn't the fear he knew from battle or from facing death, but a deeper, unfamiliar kind—like the childhood terror of darkness, where the unknown lurked just beyond the edge of the light. And right now, the unknown wasn't some monster in the shadows, it was the vulnerability he felt sitting there with her. This wasn't something he had ever been prepared for by the Jedi Order or by Max.
The awkward silence between them stretched, the soft hum of the ventilation the only sound. It was a calm rhythm, almost soothing, until the sharp beeping of their comlinks sliced through the air.
"That must be Rono," Lyra whispered, clearing her throat as she stood.
Edric's heart skipped a beat as he let out a long breath, letting the moment slip away like sand through his fingers. He forced himself to pull his thoughts back to the task at hand, the same way his master had always taught him. One step at a time, he recalled Master Asher's last lesson for him.
They walked back to the lab, but this time neither of them spoke. Edric could feel Lyra stealing glances at him every few steps, but he couldn't bring himself to acknowledge it. His movements felt awkward and rigid, as if he had forgotten how to walk. Each step was mechanical, stiff, like he was some ancient, rusted droid clunking through the halls of the old station.
By the time they reached the lab, Max and Edwin were already waiting. Max, as usual, couldn't resist a comment.
"Well, look who finally decided to join us," the bounty hunter quipped, chewing loudly on something from a crinkling packet. His grin stretched wide, teasing as always.
Edric shot him a hard look, but it only seemed to fuel Max's amusement. Across the room, Edwin stood silently, shaking his head just enough for Edric to catch it. There was a familiar judgment in that subtle gesture, and it grated on Edric's nerves. His brother's constant silent assessments were becoming harder to bear, but now wasn't the time or place to address it. Instead, Edric let his frustration wash over him like a wave crashing against the shore, and with a deep sigh, let it ebb away. For a brief pause, he found himself again among the tall grass, his sanctuary grounding him in the present.
"I thought you said this would take a while," Lyra said as she walked over to Rono's workbench. Rono didn't even glance up.
"I'm just that good," the Duros replied with a smug smile, tapping away at his console.
"Just play the message," Edwin grunted, his voice sharper than usual. There was a flicker of impatience through the Force, a crack in Edwin's usual composure. Up until now, Edwin was the more controlled of the two brothers, but their father's situation obviously rattled him more. For Edric on the other hand, that person was still a stranger. Someone in need, yes, but not a person he felt that deep connection he was supposed to. He wasn't even sure what he should be feeling about this whole family legacy.
"Right," Rono nodded, tapping a few buttons on his console. "Fair warning. I couldn't salvage much of the visuals. It's mostly static, so you'll have to rely on the audio. Here we go."
The holotable flickered to life, an indistinct image struggling to form amid a sea of static. What little did appear—a blurry outline of a face—was impossible to decipher to Edric. The features were vague, ghostly, like something half-remembered from a dream.
"Edwin, I hope this message finds you. For now, I'm in one of the safe houses. The Empire could find me at any moment, so I've hidden a data chip here with further instructions as a precaution. It has everything you might need to take over. I can't say exactly where, even on this encrypted channel. But we've been here before. You were a lot younger, barely reached above my knees—"
The audio hissed and crackled, cutting out for a brief moment, and Edric suspected more was lost in the static than just words.
"—you especially loved those insect crackers from the Ithorian's stall nearby. Remember what's at stake. May the Force be with you."
The message cut out, the image vanishing into static. The room fell silent again, all eyes turning toward Edwin. His brows were knitted together in concentration, clearly trying to process the cryptic message. Max's loud chewing echoed in the quiet, his crunching almost comical to Edric in the surreal moment.
He took a step toward his brother. "Do you know what he meant?"
Edwin winced slightly, as if pulled from deep thought, and met Edric's gaze before answering. "We had about half a dozen safe houses scattered across different regions."
"Sounds like a rich family," Rono commented, but Edwin just rolled his eyes.
"It wasn't just us. There were other families, too, protecting relics and artifacts of the Force from ancient times with powers that could cause chaos across the whole galaxy. As far as we know, we're among the last."
Edric tilted his head, curious about this new development, yet it also put another heavy weight on his shoulders. How did he even get swept up in all this? He suddenly wished they were on their next bounty hunting mission with Max, away from all this and in a simpler life.
"Like a secret society?" he asked, remembering reading about such legends in the Jedi Archives.
Edwin nodded slowly, though impatience flashed across his face. "There's a lot you don't know, and we don't exactly have time for history lessons right now, little brother."
That nickname again, Edric thought. He hated it.
Edwin turned toward Rono, pointing at the holotable. "Is there a map on this thing?"
Rono, not missing a beat, turned back to the device and tapped a few keys.
"Coming right up," the Duros replied, his fingers dancing across the controls. "You know, the Empire's been hunting Jedi and Sith relics, anything they can get their hands on. Word is, they're bringing all their finds to the Imperial Palace." He peeked at Edric. "Or what used to be your Jedi Temple."
Edric's jaw tightened, a bitter sting rising in his chest as Rono hit a button. The galaxy's star-filled projection shimmered to life above the holotable, casting an eerie blue glow across the room.
Edwin moved closer and began punching in coordinates. "These are the ones I remember," he said, highlighting eight locations. Two of them in the Outer Rim, two in the Core and four more in the Inner Rim.
"These are safe houses we have used and I've been to," he continued.
"So, which one's your old man hiding in?" Max asked between bites, his mouth half-full, clearly unfazed by the tension in the room.
Edric cleared his throat to signal Max to take it easy, but the bounty hunter either didn't notice or didn't care. He just shrugged as an apology. Edwin, on the other hand, was staring at the map, his expression uncertain. He looked down, a twitch of muscles flickering across his face in frustration.
"I... I'm not sure. I can't remember exactly," Edwin admitted.
Lyra, always quick to steady the situation, stepped forward.
"Okay, let's narrow it down then," she suggested. "Which ones have you been to most recently?"
"The two in the Outer Rim," Edwin said, deleting those highlights. "So it's likely not them."
"Alright, what about the ones you visited when you were a little kid? He said you barely reached his knees, so it must've been before you hit your growth spurt," Max asked after swallowing the last of his snack, gesturing up and down with his free hand.
Edwin's eyes narrowed as he focused, his mind tracing back through the years past. "That would be... Corellia and Daiyu," he said, his voice quieter now, as if searching for his own memories.
Edric could sense the Force subtly shifting around them. Memories stirred within him, too. Fragments of his childhood training at the Jedi Temple, the devastation of the Clone Wars and Tarnos. The same ripples were present in Edwin, his brother's focus sharpening and extending as he drew on the Force for help.
Then, Edwin spoke with firmness and certainty. "He's on Daiyu. We need to leave right away."
"Whoa, hold your banthas, big guy," Max said, pushing off the wall where he'd been lounging. "If we're walking into a trap, maybe we should plan a little better than 'run in guns blazing,' huh?"
Edwin shook his head, adamant. "We'll figure it out on the way. Every second we waste could cost us. Let's move." He turned toward Edric, gesturing for him to follow.
But Edric hesitated. Rushing in didn't feel right, not when there were so many unknowns. His eyes flicked to Max, who was clearly thinking the same thing. The bounty hunter raised his brows as if to say, Get your brother under control before he does something stupid.
Before Edric could respond, Lyra's voice cut through the tension. "I'll come with you."
All looks swung to her, and both Edric and Rono blurted out, "What?!"
Lyra crossed her arms, unwavering. "You're going to need help. If this turns bad, you'll want someone who knows the way the Empire thinks. And I've got just as much a stake in this as you do. And Rono, I might find some intel that the Partisans can use. Or a way to find my father..."
Edric blinked, caught off guard. "Lyra, this isn't your fight—"
"Isn't it?" she interrupted, her tone sharp but steady. "The Empire's taken everything from me, Edric. What little I had left... it's gone. If I can do anything to hurt them, even if it's just a small victory, I need to do it."
Their eyes locked, and Edric felt his heart race. There was a fire in her green iris, a determination that made him painfully aware of his own doubts. She had the resolve he felt slipping away from himself. He wanted to protect her, to keep her out of the mess that was his life, but... how could he deny her?
He let out a slow breath, the words coming out reluctantly. "Alright. But when this is over, we'll help you find your father. I promise."
Before anyone could respond, Rono leaned forward, frowning. "Whoa, hold on a second. You want to take her?" He gestured to Lyra, his tone a mix of disbelief and reluctance. "She's one of my best operatives. I'm not exactly thrilled with the idea of losing her to this... whatever you're about to walk into."
Lyra shot Rono a sidelong glance. "You'll manage without me. Besides, this isn't your call."
Rono crossed his arms, clearly torn. "I'm just saying, you've got talents I can't replace easily. Running off on a rescue mission—"
"This isn't up for debate, Rono," Lyra cut in, her voice firm. "I'm going. End of discussion."
Edric couldn't hide a small smile at the corner of his lips. Lyra was not someone who could easily be swayed for sure.
The Duros sighed, his large red eyes narrowing. "Fine. But if this all goes sideways, don't say I didn't warn you."
Max threw his hands up with a wide grin. "Well, looks like we've got ourselves a crew!"
Edric woke from his nap on the Beast even groggier than when he laid down for a bit. The journey to Daiyu was long enough for all of them to get some much-needed rest, but Edric's mind hadn't let him. Every time he closed his eyes, flashes of Edwin's revelations about their legacy replayed, followed by the lingering moment with Lyra on the station. It was like his brain was stuck in a loop, unable to shut off. Even when he reached out to the Force, seeking calm, the anxiety crept back in, gnawing at the edges of his thoughts. Then there was that shadow lurking around, the dark thoughts he kept shutting off and ignoring. How would he face them now, when he felt as fragile as glass?
He had managed to sleep, though how long he wasn't sure—time was hard to judge with the constant dim lights aboard the ship. Edric rubbed his eyes as he swung his legs off the bunk, stretching his arms overhead. A small pop in his spine sent a satisfying wave of relief through his body, like pressure released from a valve.
Quietly, he left his quarters and padded down the narrow halls of the Beast, keeping his steps soft so as not to wake the others. The ship's hum was ever-present, almost soothing in its constancy. As he approached the cockpit, a soft sound caught his attention—someone humming, with the occasional whistle thrown in.
"Couldn't sleep, huh, kid?" Max's gruff voice asked, breaking the quiet as Edric stepped into the cockpit. Even without the Force, Edric noted how sharp the middle-aged bounty hunter's instincts were. Max was lounging in the pilot's chair, feet propped up, casually scanning the ship's displays.
"Didn't think anyone else was up," Edric replied, his voice still rough from sleep.
Max shrugged. "Got my beauty sleep already, kid. Besides, someone's gotta keep an eye on things." He gave a knowing nod toward the viewport, the swirling blue of hyperspace rushing around them.
Max's smirk faded into something softer as he glanced at Edric, his usual teasing giving way to a rare moment of sincerity. "You holding up alright, kid?"
Edric blinked, surprised by the question. He opened his mouth to respond but hesitated. He inhaled long and deep and kept the air in for a few moments before sighing. There was something about Max's tone—something that told him the question wasn't just for show. He wasn't sure how to answer, so he leaned against the cockpit doorway, staring out at hyperspace for a long moment.
"I don't know," Edric finally admitted, his voice low. "I feel like... I don't know what I'm doing anymore. I'm barely holding it together. Between everything with Edwin, this holocron business, and... Lyra..." He trailed off, the name hanging in the air longer than he intended.
Max raised an eyebrow, leaning back in his chair with an amused grin. "Ahh, Lyra. So that's what's got you all twisted up."
Edric immediately felt a flush rise to his cheeks, but he forced himself to stay calm. "It's not... it's not like that, Max."
Max chuckled. "Kid, you forget I was your age once. I've seen the way you two look at each other."
"It's not—" Edric's voice cracked, and he quickly cleared his throat. "It's not about that. I shouldn't be... forming attachments. That's not who I am. Or... at least, it's not who I'm supposed to be."
Max snorted, propping his boots up higher on the console. "Let me guess, that Jedi code still banging around in your head? 'No attachments, no love, no nothing?'"
Edric shifted uncomfortably, his hands gripping the back of the co-pilot's seat. "Something like that. I was trained not to... you know, get too close to people. It's dangerous."
Max eyed him, shaking his head with a wry smile. "Dangerous, huh? Kid, you've already got attachments. Look at you—you've got me, your grumpy brother, and now Lyra too. Jedi or not, you're not a droid. You can't shut off feelings just because someone told you to when you were a child."
Edric sighed, sinking into the co-pilot's seat beside Max. "It's not that simple."
Max chuckled again, softer this time. "Right, because of the Force. Life never is. But let me give you a little advice, free of charge. If you spend your whole life pushing people away because you think you're supposed to... you'll end up like me. And trust me, kid, I've seen enough of the galaxy to know."
Edric didn't look at him, Max's words sinking in deeper than he wanted to admit. "I just don't know if I can balance it all. The Force, this mission, my brother, Lyra..."
Max sat up, his tone gentler now. "You don't have to balance it all right away. You're not some perfect Jedi from the holovids—hell, you are not even a Jedi. You are you, Edric. And from where I'm standing, you're doing better than you would ever think."
A silence settled over them, the distant hum of the ship filling the gaps between words. Edric swallowed, still unsure, but feeling a strange comfort in Max's words. There was a warmth there, a kind of fatherly reassurance Edric hadn't felt in a long time.
Max broke the silence with a teasing grin. "But, just saying, if you do end up with Lyra, I'll be the first to claim 'I told you so.'"
Edric groaned, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Can we not, please?"
Max laughed heartily, slapping his knee. "Alright, alright. I'll lay off for now. But just remember what I said, kid. You've got more strength than you think and I'm not just talking about your massive arms. You'll figure it out."
Edric managed a small smile, the squeeze on his chest feeling just a bit lighter. "Thanks for the pep talk, Max."
"Anytime, kid. Next one, you are paying me a thousand credits."
"Deal."
After a while, Lyra and Edwin joined them in the cockpit just as the Beast dropped out of hyperspace. The hazy, neon-lit skyline of Daiyu City unfolded before them, a jagged metropolis shrouded in mist and buzzing with activity. Towering buildings stretched upward, their rain-slicked surfaces gleaming under the glow of neon signs in alien scripts. The whole city seemed to pulse with energy, wrapped in a thick layer of fog, with streets below crisscrossed by blinking signs and distant speeders weaving through the grime.
Max skillfully navigated the Beast through the low-hanging clouds, keying in coordinates for a less conspicuous landing spot. Edric peered out of the viewscreen, watching as the roads below shimmered like strands in a vast, tangled web. The sight reminded him of Coruscant's Underworld—though Daiyu, for all its chaos, appeared to be a shade cleaner than the capital's murky depths.
"Lyra and Max should stay behind," Edwin muttered under his breath, breaking the quiet. "In case things go sideways."
Edric turned to his brother and nodded. He caught Lyra's frustrated sigh from behind him as Max initiated the landing procedures, clearly not thrilled by the suggestion but understanding the necessity.
The Beast landed smoothly in a narrow docking bay wedged between two towering structures, their surfaces littered with blinking lights and glistening with the ever-present rain that dripped down like tears from the rooftops above. As the engines powered down, Edric took one last look out the viewscreen, watching as the vibrant colors of the city reflected off the ship's hull like oil on water, swirling in unnatural patterns.
"Ready?" Edwin asked, his voice low but carrying a sense of urgency that Edric couldn't ignore.
Edric took a deep breath, feeling the tension build in his chest. "Yeah. Let's get this over with."
The ramp lowered with a soft hiss, and they disembarked in silence. The thick, humid air of Daiyu hit Edric's face immediately, hot and damp, sticking to his skin like a second layer. Sweat began to bead on his forehead, and he couldn't tell if it was from the heat or the nerves tightening in his stomach. The air felt oppressive, almost suffocating, as if the city itself was sucking up all the breathable oxygen, leaving behind only a stifling haze.
The streets below were a chaotic symphony. Speeders zoomed overhead, vendors shouted in alien tongues, and the neon signs buzzed like insects. The smell of soaked concrete and the metallic tang of industry fought for dominance in the air.
"Feels like we are baking in an oven," Edric muttered, wiping sweat from his brow as they descended the narrow staircase leading down to street level. His tunic was already clinging to his skin, soaked from the sticky humidity and light drizzle mixed with his own perspiration. Every step seemed to trap more of the suffocating heat.
Edwin shrugged, but he wasn't faring much better. He wiped his face on the sleeve of his shirt, his movements sluggish from the oppressive air.
Out of nowhere Edric felt a faint ripple in the Force. Familiar, but distant, like an echo he couldn't quite place. It vanished as quickly as it had come, leaving him uneasy. He glanced at his brother, but Edwin didn't seem to have noticed. Whatever it was, it had slipped away, leaving Edric with only a faint sense of something just out of reach. I have a bad feeling about this, he thought to himself.
After a few minutes of walking, they arrived at a bustling food market. Vendors barked out prices, haggling with the crowd of humans and aliens drifting between the stalls. The air here was thick with the mixed aromas of fried food, spices, and something sweet. The smells overwhelmed Edric's senses, making his stomach rumble despite the heat. Still, he knew he couldn't stomach anything right now. The constant sweating did little to mask his anxiety, and his palms itched. Whether in anticipation of action or something else, he couldn't tell.
The narrow streets soon opened into a larger square, still packed with vendor stalls. The noise was almost deafening, the chaotic sounds of commerce echoing off the buildings that loomed over them. Edwin gestured with his chin toward an apartment building across, its facade bathed in neon lights that flickered in different intervals. They weaved their way through the bustling crowd, brushing past citizens in a rush to get wherever they needed to be. Edric felt elbows and shoulders bump against him, but nobody even bothered to look at him.
As they stepped into the building, a blast of cool air greeted them. Edric took a deep breath, the dry air rushing into his lungs. The sudden shift in temperature sent a shiver down his spine, and goosebumps prickled along his skin. For a brief moment, it was a relief.
"This way," Edwin whispered, motioning ahead as they made their way down a narrow hallway. They eventually stopped in front of a door on the third floor. Edwin glanced over his shoulder at Edric, a small, knowing smile tugging at the corner of his lips. He knocked. Edric's heart skipped a beat. His sense sharpened and he could hear steps from inside, closing in. Locks clicking. Gears turning. And a small hiss as the door opened.
Standing on the other side was a large man in his late fifties. He had dark hair that was giving way to silver strands and a thick beard. His face was etched with deep wrinkles, the kind only time and hardship could carve. His dark eyes, heavy and sunken, reflected years of exhaustion, as if the weight of the galaxy had rested on his shoulders for too long. He had the same sturdy build as Edric and Edwin, though his belly had grown soft with age. Despite his weariness, his eyes gleamed as they welled up with unshed tears.
Without a word, he pulled Edwin into a short, firm hug, his voice breaking as he spoke. "Son…"
As they stepped back from each other, the man's gaze shifted beyond Edwin, and his breath caught in his throat. His eyes locked onto Edric, wide with disbelief. His trembling hand rose to cover his mouth, and his voice cracked into a whisper. "Edric?"
Edric froze, his mind blank, words escaping him. He had imagined this moment a hundred different ways, but now that it was here, all he could manage was a small, uncertain nod. His throat felt tight and dry, as if any attempt to speak would shatter the fragile silence between them.
His father stepped closer, his gaze intense as he studied Edric's face, inspecting every detail as though searching for the past in his son's mature features. He raised a trembling hand, gently placing it against Edric's cheek. His palm was rough and calloused, the touch surprisingly warm, as though trying to bridge the years lost between them.
"You look so much like your mother," his father whispered, his voice thick with emotion. The words were heavy with both grief and tenderness, as if speaking them brought back a flood of memories too painful to bear. His eyes shimmered, but there was a faint, bittersweet smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, like he was seeing a ghost from a life he'd left behind.
Edric swallowed hard, his chest tight. He hadn't expected those words to hit him so deeply, but they did. A lump formed in his throat, and he looked away, unsure of how to respond. He felt the lost history between them—years of absence, unspoken words, and the sudden reality of a family he hadn't known existed.
His father cleared his throat, the sound rough and strained, before stepping back and motioning for them to come inside. He quickly closed the door behind them, casting a wary glance down the hallway as if he feared someone might be watching.
The apartment was modest, almost claustrophobic. The entryway opened directly into a cramped kitchen with a small dining table tucked into the corner. The air smelled faintly of stale caf and recycled air. Ahead, a living room doubled as a sleeping area, a worn couch clearly serving as both bed and seating. To the right was a refresher unit, the door slightly ajar, revealing cracked tiles on the floor.
"I'm Doran Kane," his father said at last, his voice heavy with years of untold stories. He hesitated for a moment before adding, "Your father, Edric."
Edric stood there, still taking in the cramped space and the man in front of him. There was something about the way Doran said it, as if trying to remind himself of the fact, like the title felt foreign even to him. His resemblance to Edwin was uncanny, and it only deepened the confusion swirling inside Edric's mind.
"It's good to see both my sons after all this time," Doran began, his voice rough but warm. "I wish it were under better circumstances." He paused, glancing at each of them, his gaze betraying the years spent in hiding. "Hold on a second."
With that, he turned and disappeared into the refresher unit. The muffled sound of rummaging echoed through the apartment, accompanied by the clatter of items being hastily moved. Edric exchanged a look with Edwin. After a minute or so, Doran reemerged, holding a small data chip between his fingers. He extended it toward Edwin.
"Here. Take this," Doran said, his voice low but firm. "Go home. Retrieve the holocron. Move it somewhere safe. The chip has everything you need."
Edwin hesitated for a beat, casting a glance at Edric before reaching out to take the chip.
Then it happened again.
That ripple.
Edric felt it, an unmistakable tremor in the Force, faint at first but undeniable, like the first crack of thunder before a storm. He darted to the small window across the living room. Edwin and Doran mirrored him, all three moving toward it in unison, a shared tension crackling in the air.
"Karabast!" his father cursed under his breath.
Outside, in the square, Imperial soldiers were forming a perimeter around the building. The crowds were being hurriedly cleared, sent scattering into side streets as the troopers took their positions. And there, in the center of it all, stood a figure cloaked in dark robes, their face obscured by a mask. But there was no mistaking the cold, oppressive aura that rolled off him in waves. Edric could feel it. The Dark Side.
The figure's head tilted slightly, and though he was still a distance away, Edric could feel the Inquisitor's gaze locking onto them, as if pulling them into the void.