Fane watched in dismay as the dreadnought fired. Then realised it was firing at Awgro’s ships. He looked at the others, puzzled.
            ‘The dreadnought’s hailing us,’ said Mrs. Holt.
            Fane walked to the station where Void stood as he took the incoming call. A familiar male Rattataki face appeared.
            ‘Fane! Lord Void. I’m glad to see you in one piece.’
            ‘Vax?’ Talyc walked up to the station.
            ‘Our sources told us there would be an attack at Manaan. I’m glad we got here in time to save your necks, again.’ Vax smiled.
            ‘Vax,’ said Fane, ‘we appreciate the assistance. I owe you once again for aiding me.’
            Vax waved a hand dismissively. ‘I brought some friends, given the alliance, it was an easy sway.’
            ‘Thank you!’ said Talyc.
            Vax seemed to hesitate. Fane could see the unease in his eyes. ‘I’m glad you’re alive, Fane.’
            ‘Yes, yes,’ said Lady Gofaylia, walking over to stand next to Vax, ‘we’ll take over from here. We heard you had many injured onboard and few medical supplies. Now get going, this victory is the Empire’s.’
            ‘We’ll keep you informed if we manage to capture Awgro,’ said Vax.
            They chimed out.
            ‘Well you heard him, hyperspace time, to the Crypt,’ said Nriwe. ‘And maybe we can heal the Sphere while we’re there.’
            Shadie nodded. ‘Awgro is likely going to get away, but we can let Lady Gofaylia take this one for us. We’ll owe her, but I rather that than becoming flotsam.’
            The ship lurched a final time, as starfighters still streaked laserfire at them, before the ship went into hyperspace.
            Brenum entered the coordinates for the Crypt.
            Knarf walked to Storimbu. ‘So are Vax’s sources…?’
            ‘I have Protectors everywhere,’ said Storimbu, a small smile curling on the edge of his mouth. ‘After recent events, I’m probably not welcome in Imperial Space much anymore, but Protectors are there. There are many even Shadie doesn’t know of, all awaiting my commands to know where to be next to protect the Force.’
            ‘Remind me never to get on your bad side,’ said Talyc.
            Storimbu chuckled. ‘I’m here to protect you, aren’t I?’

* * *

Continue reading Chapter Ten

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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.

Continue reading Chapter Eight

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