Talyc stood by a large transparisteel viewport in a large circular chamber. Leaning on the rail on the wall, he stared down at his ring. It was more symbolic than anything else. He didn’t know if Fane would want to wear his all the time, but to Talyc, it fit well even in his gauntlets. He knew Knarf always wore his, though Shadie seldom wore hers. Perhaps it was the novelty of it, or maybe what it represented, that comforted Talyc.
            He sighed. He put his gloves back on and looked out at the ocean. He heard a slow set of heavy steps behind him and, in the transparisteel viewport, Talyc saw the reflection of his hunter.
            He grabbed hold of his vibroblade, quickly spinning around to face him.
            ‘Awgro! What have you done to my husband?’ Awgro’s mouth curled up into a sneer. ‘Awgro!! He doesn’t even know who I am!’
            ‘Do you know who you are?’
            ‘Is that a trick question?’
            ‘Perhaps.’
            Awgro took a few slow steps towards Talyc. The Mandalorian gripped his weapon more firmly. Awgro raised his hand and lightning spurred from his fingertips, striking Talyc in the chest. Talyc screamed as the pain sent a shock in his body, jolting his head to the side, but he remained standing firmly on both feet.
            He activated the shield and the lightning danced around him instead. Awgro grunted his displeasure. Talyc opened his mouth to speak but was choked instead. Awgro used the Force to lift him off the ground.
            ‘Your shield can’t protect you from all my abilities,’ said Awgro. ‘It can’t protect you for too long. I’ll have to wait it out as you prolong your suffering.’
            ‘I…can’t believe the Kandera blood runs through your veins,’ Talyc struggled to say. ‘You give my clan a bad rap.’
            Awgro chuckled. He began draining Talyc, loosening the chokehold a bit. Talyc breathed in all the air that he could.
            ‘It doesn’t matter who or what you are,’ said Awgro. He dropped Talyc to the ground. Panting, Talyc fell to his hands and knees. His vibroblade clattered on the floor next to his knees. He looked up at Awgro defiantly. ‘Because soon you’ll be dead.’
            Awgro ignited his lightsaber and raised it high to strike at Talyc’s head.
            ‘NO!’
            Seemingly from nowhere, Fane came rushing in and blocked Awgro’s lightsaber, the aqua blade glowing almost the same hue as the ocean behind them.
            ‘Fane!’ cried Talyc. ‘He’ll kill you, don’t, you can’t deflect.’
            Fane cried out in pain as Awgro sent lighting at him. Fane went flying and hit the transparisteel hard. Talyc rushed over to his side. Awgro advanced on them. Talyc reached for his vibroblade, as Fane steadied himself, pointing the lightsaber at Awgro.
            ‘You may have been able to defeat Relsor, Jedi, but you are nothing without the Force. You cannot destroy me without it.’
            Fane hesitated and at that moment Awgro struck him before Fane could dodge completely, slashing his forearm. Fane screamed as his flesh cauterised.
            ‘And without the memory of your training, you do not remember how to heal.’
            ‘You’re wrong!’ said Talyc. He glanced at Fane; already the burn was fading and his skin was healing. ‘The Holocron’s powers still hold true. Fane is still more powerful than you, despite everything.’
            Fane leapt at Awgro, slashing wildly, his stance wide and his strikes aggressive. Talyc could recognise that his husband’s fighting was unrefined, and very much not how the training they underwent together on Coruscant had been. Still, Talyc placed himself beside Fane and guided him with quick subtle indications. Together they danced around the Sith, deflecting attacks and dodging the red blade, with aqua blade and vibroblade.
            ‘There is only one way to end this,’ Awgro sneered. ‘I know where to strike you, Fane, and then Talyc is mine to kill.’
            His blade was level and he ran towards Fane, ready to plunge the lightsaber into his heart. Instead, the Reformed Sith went flying across the room, hit by a large stream of lightning.
            ‘Awgro! Stop this right now!’
            Lord Void’s booming voice reverberated in the room, baritone and grave. Shadie rushed over to Talyc and Fane.
            ‘Hurry!’ she cried, taking Talyc’s hand. Talyc took Fane’s, and together they ran out of the room.
            Talyc heard more lightning crackle behind him and Void backed away from Awgro, following them.
            ‘You barve!’ cried Knarf, catching up. He was with Nriwe, Brenum and Trylia. ‘For all the times you’d needlessly put your helmet on, you chose now to NOT put it on?’
            ‘Sorry, I didn’t realise Awgro was here on Manaan!’ Talyc’s tone was sarcastic, but he let a small smile indicate his gratitude to Knarf.
            Several Reformed Sith ran towards them, coming out of an adjacent room. Shadie turned and levelled her lightsaber as she ran, blocking a red blade. The Sith had a vibroknife and slashed at Shadie’s face. She let go of Talyc’s hand and brought her hand up, batting the knife away. She yelped, then turned and sent lightning at the Sith. He bounded away, as the rest of the group sprinted towards a balcony that overlooked the first floor.
            Everyone jumped, the Jedi catching their Mandalorian friends and Fane with the Force to cushion their fall. Then they all hurried towards the main chamber, Void always close behind them, keeping Awgro at bay.

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During the days that passed, Fane expressed that he preferred to be left alone, though he also spent a lot of time with Brenum and Trylia rather than the others. However, he invited Talyc along for their discussions often, but Talyc could not accept, he could not bear to be in Fane’s presence in the state he was in. Meanwhile, Shadie and Knarf meditated by the Sphere, as it had closed itself up again, trying to communicate with it, trying to awaken it.
            In this way, the Jedi could lay low deep under the waters of Manaan, while Talyc and Nriwe outfitted some of the other submersibles with beskar armour, keeping busy.
            Talyc sat near a transparisteel pane, taking a well-deserved break, looking out at the ocean, and observing the little fish swimming by. Someone approached. Talyc looked over his shoulder; his heart skipped a beat.
            ‘Fane,’ he said. He looked back out at the ocean.
            Fane sat beside Talyc. ‘I’m sorry, you know. I wish I could remember you. I see the way you look at me, and…I quite like it, to be honest.’
            Talyc looked at Fane, his man’s smile was playful. ‘You’re so handsome, Fane. You’re my man, and yet right now you’re not.’
            ‘I’ll be honest with you, Talyc; I’ve never actually quite felt anything towards anyone. But with you…’ Fane seemed to struggle to find his words. He chuckled. ‘Look at me; I’m a nervous wreck. And it’s not because I know you’re my husband. I just, I can’t explain it.’
            Talyc turned back to look out the viewport; he held in his tears.
            ‘Tell me, how did we meet?’ asked Fane.
            ‘On Mandalore,’ said Talyc. His voice was low and filled with the grief he felt. ‘Shadie was training you while you were in exile. I tried to distract myself from my growing feelings for you, and I had almost successfully dismissed them. But it was on Coruscant when I realised that…that…’ His voice cracked. He swallowed. ‘That I was in love with you when you…  You saved my life. You keep saving my life.’
            There was a brief pause.
            Talyc reached for his datapad and showed Fane some holoimages of them together. Talyc retold the story of how they met for the very first time; about the night they both expressed their feelings for each other. Talyc showed Fane holoimages of their wedding night. He explained about his capture, the escape, about most of what had been going on.
            ‘That’s pretty amazing,’ said Fane. ‘You know, I’d be willing to start again if you’d like to go out with me when we get back to Mandalore.’
            Talyc stared at Fane. There was something in his eyes, a longing deep inside him that Fane probably didn’t understand himself. It was the look Fane sometimes gave Talyc, and all Talyc wanted was his Fane back.
            ‘I’m willing to try that, yes,’ said Talyc. Fane smiled.
            After staring at each other for another long moment, Fane leaned in to kiss Talyc, but Talyc quickly turned his head and stood abruptly.
            ‘I’m sorry, I can’t!’ He turned back around and looked at Fane. ‘I haven’t told you everything. I’ve done things, and I need to be honest with you before we…’ He paused.
            ‘It’s okay, whatever it is. I’m sure it’s not that bad,’ said Fane.
            ‘I kissed another man! And there is no excuse for it. I was angry, I was scared, I thought you might die. I drank, and drank, like I always used to do. I got myself more drunk than I think I’d ever been. And then I kissed Vax.’
            ‘And then I still married you?’ asked Fane. Talyc nodded. ‘I must be barvier than I thought, but it sounds like I forgave you, so why didn’t you forgive yourself?’
            Talyc didn’t know what to reply. ‘You said barvier,’ was all he could manage.

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Lian sat before the holo monitor, speaking with the Grand Master, his head bowed and feeling tremendous worry for his friend. The two children were resting in the far corner of the room, sleeping soundly after a long day of practice and exercises.
            ‘Well, Shadie says they are laying low for now, until she can figure out how to awaken the Sphere,’ said Lian in a voice that sounded monotone even to him. ‘No news on any progress regarding…Fane’s state.’
            ‘You are naturally troubled by the news, as we all are,’ said Master Herl’unik.
            ‘Troubled? I’m worried,’ Lian admitted. ‘Fane will need all the help he can get to regain his Force abilities. I think he should have access to the hidden chamber at the Jedi Temple with its hidden Holocrons. There will be some in there that will help him a great deal.’
            ‘I don’t think that would be wise,’ said Master Herl’unik.
            ‘And why is that?’
            ‘You heard what Talyc said, even if Fane regains his memories, he still has lost his Force power.’
            ‘Which is why we need to help him regain it,’ Lian insiste.
            Master Herl’unik sighed. ‘Lian, Fane is no longer the Jedi he was a year ago. He is back to where he was so long ago. He is not a Jedi Knight anymore.’
            Lian pondered a moment. ‘You’re right, he’s not a Jedi Knight. He’s more, and would be it also by title had you granted it when he defeated Relsor.’
            ‘Lian, we’ve been through this in the past. I know you’re fond of your friend, but there were trials and too much going on. But what’s done is done. I’m afraid I cannot grant Fane access to those Holocrons. Even Masters need special permission from the Council, and only Council members have access.’
            ‘I’m granting special permission, and Fane would already be a master had you granted him that title when he deserved it the most.’ Lian was feeling annoyance and anger towards the unfair rules the Order had imposed on his friend.
            ‘Perhaps once Fane regains his memory and has remastered the Force–’
            ‘No!’ Lian stood up abruptly. He could hardly believe he was interrupting and talking back to the Grand Master, but enough was enough. ‘I stood by and said nothing while the Council treated Fane like a criminal on probation for years. But this is enough. Fane deserves the title of Jedi Master and he deserves access to the tools that will help him regain mastery of the Force more quickly and more easily.’
            ‘Jedi Master Lian,’ Master Herl’unik pointedly said, ‘may I remind you that Fane killed a Jedi master and turned to the dark side. We take such acts very seriously. The Council cannot grant the title of Master to a Jedi who has turned, even if he has redeemed himself.’
            Lian narrowed his eyes. ‘Except he hasn’t redeemed himself enough, not to you. It’s always, when this happens, or, when that happens, but never now. And, if I recall, you granted Shadie the title of Master, did you not?’
            ‘That was different; she was different. Shadie was Sith and turned towards the light, not the other way around. Perhaps if Fane proves himself–’
            ‘How many times is he going to have to prove himself in order to be worthy of the title? You think I don’t know who he killed? He killed my father!’ Lian shook his head. ‘Master Herl’unik, Fane has changed so much, he has grown so much.’
            ‘He’s not the same Jedi anymore!’
            ‘He saved the entire galaxy and nearly died for it!’ shouted Lian. He caught himself, not wanting to wake the children. ‘Just because his memory has failed and he has been propelled back to where he was mere months before he turned to the dark side, doesn’t mean he will again.’ Lian took a deep breath. ‘I am petitioning the Council to grant Fane the title of Jedi Master retroactively; from the moment he defeated Relsor. I have already sent my letter of petition to all other Council members. This call was a courtesy, and it has not gone the way I had intended it to go. I apologise for my heartiness, but I feel very strongly about this.’
            ‘Fane was already given many permissions, many exceptions–’
            ‘And so was I, and I’m a Council member!’ Lian looked over at the children who stirred and began to wake. ‘I need to go. Please consider my petition, Master Herl’unik. If I can forgive Fane his past wrongdoings, I see no reason why the Council couldn’t either.’
            ‘That too was different.’
            ‘How? The way you’ve been regarding Fane, honestly sometimes… It’s not fair.’
            ‘Lian, nothing is fair. Look around you; the imprisonment that comes with your immortality is proof of that. Fane was a Jedi and he turned to the dark side and killed his own master. It will take a lifetime for him to regain our trust.’
            ‘How many times will Fane need to save the galaxy before he earns your trust, Master Herl’unik? Will he finally have your approval once he’s dead? Think about that.’
            Lian chimed out. He sighed, slumping on his chair.
            ‘Daddy, are you okay?’
            ‘Yes, sweetheart, I’m just a little angry,’ replied Lian.
            ‘A little angry, he says,’ Thera said, looking at Renvir.
            ‘Why does a title matter?’ asked Renvir.
            ‘Oh, so you heard?’
            ‘Just a bit,’ Thera admitted.
            ‘Well, the title will give Fane access to a few things that can really help him.’
            ‘But what does the title do? If he healed the Force and he is worthy, what does a title matter when the Force recognises his deeds?’
            Lian tried to suppress a smile. The Chiss child had a point.
            ‘Papa didn’t understand that. Papa wanted more power; he wanted more titles because he wasn’t well. Fane sent him back into the Force to become the healing to negate the illness he was when he lived. Fane doesn’t need power or titles. He just needs to be.’
            Lian pondered that for a moment. ‘“Well, what do you know, the apprentice teaches the master.” My father told me that. You’re right. Although my petition still stands, the Council has been treating Fane unfairly. Something needs to be done. But for now, we wait for more news.’

* * *

Talyc stared, mouth agape, looking as nervous as he had on his wedding day. Knarf donned off the underwater suit and walked up to his friend. He gave him a sympathetic smile. Shadie spoke to the Sphere through the Force, looking very focused, but the Sphere was not responding.
            ‘What’s happening?’ Mrs. Holt whispered. Brenum began explaining.
            Shadie, keeping her hands on the Sphere, turned her head towards the others.
            ‘It knows I’m here, but it’s still in defence mode. It won’t respond.’
            ‘But Fane’s in there!’ said Talyc. ‘He’s been gone all this time without…food or…’ Talyc swallowed hard. ‘What if–’
            ‘Talyc, that what-if game has only led me towards the dark side and towards fear and anger and hurt and despair,’ said Shadie. ‘Come.’ Talyc reluctantly approached. ‘Place your hands on the Sphere. It knows you. Speak to it.’
            Shadie removed her hands from the Sphere and backed away. Talyc looked unsure of himself, but he spoke.
            ‘Sphere, please, I need to know that Fane is alive.’ There was nothing.
            ‘This is serious business,’ said Mrs. Holt. ‘What altercation did your friend end up in to be in this situation?’
            ‘Please,’ Talyc pleaded. ‘Fane, my man, my husband.’ Talyc’s words could barely be heard. ‘Please.’
            Knarf wanted to say something encouraging, but he could not find the right words with which to comfort his friend. Before he could worry about it, the Sphere pulsed quickly, once, and everyone was thrown to the ground. Then, an opening appeared. Talyc ran in almost faster than Knarf could register, as though he had the Force. Knarf followed in, as did Shadie, Brenum and Trylia.
            Knarf heard Void speak to Nriwe and Mrs. Holt. ‘Probably best not to overcrowd poor Fane.’
            Talyc got down on his knees by Fane’s side. The Jedi was lying on a small mattress-looking platform that the Sphere had created, looking deep in slumber.
            ‘He’s in a healing trance,’ said Shadie.
            Talyc took Fane’s hand as Knarf crouched on the other side of Fane, across from Talyc. The clan leader placed a hand on Fane’s cheek. Fane moaned softly and moved his head. He breathed in deeply. Slowly, the Jedi opened his eyes.
            Talyc wiped his eyes and smiled. ‘Hey you,’ he said. ‘Fane, my man, you’re alive.’
            Fane narrowed his eyes. ‘Of course, I’m alive.’
            ‘Not lost your sense of humour then,’ said Knarf, relieved.
            Fane looked from Knarf to Talyc, and at Talyc holding his hand. He scowled. ‘I’m sorry. Do I know you?’
            Knarf felt a lump in his throat and saw Talyc’s smile fade, and could only guess how Talyc was feeling. The clan leader let out a few short exhales.
            ‘Fane, it’s me, Talyc.’
            ‘I’m pretty sure I’d remember you had we met,’ said Fane, propping himself on his elbows.
            Knarf didn’t miss the little flirtatious smile Fane flashed Talyc, but Talyc merely let go of Fane and fell back into a sitting position. The look of dismay on Talyc’s face was devastating to Knarf; Talyc looked more dismayed than Knarf had ever seen him in years.
            ‘Fane,’ said Shadie, ‘do you not remember what happened to you?’
            Fane snapped his head at Shadie, eyes wide. ‘What are you doing here, Shadie.’
            ‘I’m here because I’m your friend,’ said Shadie, keeping a calm voice.
            ‘You’re no friend of mine,’ spat Fane.
            Talyc shook his head. ‘This can’t be.’
            ‘Fane,’ said Trylia in a soothing voice, ‘what’s the last thing you remember?’
            ‘I remember sparring with Master Kloh,’ said Fane.
            Knarf bowed his head. ‘How many years have been lost?’ he whispered.
            ‘I’m sorry, you are?’ asked Fane.
            ‘Fane,’ said Brenum, ‘I’m afraid something terrible has happened and you’ve lost your memory.’
            ‘Brenum, how?’ Fane looked about. ‘Where are we?’
            Talyc stood abruptly and took a few steps back. He turned his back to the others, facing the Sphere’s wall. Knarf stood and walked to him. Talyc was shaking his head, tears filling his eyes.
            ‘I don’t know what Awgro did to him, but I’m going to kill him.’ Talyc clenched his teeth.
            ‘First, let’s find out what actually happened,’ said Knarf.
            Talyc turned back to Fane. ‘Fane, I may not be Force-sensitive, but I will do everything in my power to help you remember who I am.’ Talyc took a few steps towards him.
            ‘I’m sorry, I have no recollection of you.’ Fane frowned apologetically. ‘The way you speak… Your tears. Please tell me, who are you?’
            Talyc crouched by Fane’s side. ‘Your husband.’
            Fane’s eyes grew wide. ‘My husband!’
            Talyc nodded. ‘Do you not remember anything from the night they took you? We…’ Talyc looked down. ‘I’m sorry.’

Continue reading Chapter Six

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