Mandalore finished his debrief and closed the hololine with the Supreme Chancellor.  A few plans had been devised, but nothing could be determined until everyone knew what was going to happen with the Sith and who they were going to target. The Republic decided to not engage the Sith during their coup against Relsor, instead, trusting that their enemy would end up crippled. Emain had expressed hope that they could take advantage after the fact.
            Talyc looked at Usharr who was still looking through files and files of data.            ‘Are those records of some kind?’ he asked the old Sith master.
            ‘Sith database files,’ replied Usharr. ‘The Dark Council has privileged access to everything recorded by the Empire: from failed acolytes to the latest Hutt scheme that made its way into Sith space.’
            ‘But you’re not of the Dark Council,’ said Talyc.
            ‘Not anymore, because of my exile, but that doesn’t mean my access to these files was ever revoked. I still have friends in the Empire.’  Usharr looked up and winked.
            ‘Clever,’ said Talyc. He was startled when Nriwe came up behind him and put her hands on his shoulders from behind him.
            ‘So I’ve got an old contact on Nar Shaddaa looking for refuge,’ she began.
            ‘Refuge?’ asked Talyc.
            ‘She’s a good fighter, from back in my slaver days.’ Nriwe took a singsong voice and batted her eyelashes. ‘She needs to get away soon and would be a great asset to Clan Kandera.’
            ‘What did she do to need to get away from the Hutts?’ Talyc looked at the Mandalorians leaving the room. Many clans remained, but the room looked much less clustered now.
            ‘Refused to dance!  Believe me, she’s loyal and we can trust her. She needs transport though.’
            ‘All right, well let me run a quick background check on her. What’s her name?’
            ‘Alegna. Togruta, Kaki coloured lekku.’
            Talyc nodded and began looking through his datapad for a Togruta named Alegna via the Holonet. 
            He heard someone’s com chime.  Brenum yelped.  The small holoimage of Trylia came into view as Brenum took the holocall on his comlink.
            ‘Trylia, my sweet!’
            ‘Brenum, I’m all right.’
            ‘Where are you?’
            ‘In a shuttle, on my way…to you.  I’ll explain when I get there, it’s a long story.’
            ‘Oh, Trylia,’ said Brenum.
            Talyc saw a tear run down Brenum’s face, as the others exclaimed sentiments of joy into the transceiver so Trylia could hear them all. Talyc felt relieved, he could only imagine how Brenum felt.
            ‘So tell me where you are so I can enter the coordinates.’
            ‘Mandalore,’ said Brenum.
            ‘Hang on!’ said Talyc, approaching.  He looked at Nriwe and smiled. ‘Can you make a quick stop by Nar Shaddaa?’
            ‘Why, hello, Talyc,’ said Trylia. ‘It’s good to hear everyone’s voices.’
            ‘We’re recruiting a Togruta,’ Talyc explained. ‘Former dancer, greenish lekku. Her name is Alegna.’
            ‘I’ll be happy to. Tell her to meet me at the Promenade, near the market stands.’
            ‘Thank you!’ exclaimed Nriwe.
            Brenum chatted a while longer with Trylia before ending the call. The blue-haired Jedi sat back down sounding and looking very relieved.
            ‘I told you,’ said Shadie.
            Talyc noticed Wapita walking past.  He took his arm and stopped him.
            ‘We’re not done discussing, Wapita,’ Talyc told him.
            ‘There is nothing more to discuss,’ said Wapita.
            ‘So you’re going to keep denying sending your recruit to spy on us just because you want to keep tabs on the Jedi and our Sith compatriot?’
            ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about,’ said Wapita, shrugging and shaking his head.  ‘Mistrust you? Mistrust Clan Kandera? Maybe. But even Dargoza wouldn’t stoop so low as to spy on other Mandalorians. We spy, we win what?’
            Talyc shook his head.  ‘Where is he anyway?’  He looked around.  Vax had been there earlier, had spoken to them, and now he was nowhere to be found.  ‘It’s convenient that your recruit disappears the minute I’m confronting you about him. What are you plotting?’
            ‘I’m not the one who’s been to bed with him,’ said Wapita. 
            ‘Oy!’ Fane approached.  ‘Don’t talk to him like that.’
            ‘What? It’s true.’ Wapita crossed his arms. ‘Maybe the old lover has a problem with your new lover, Talyc. But I know nothing about it.’
            ‘So you never sent him to spy on us? To keep tabs on us?’
            ‘Mandalore’s honour,’ said Wapita. ‘I know nothing of it.’
            ‘I found it!’ exclaimed Usharr.  Talyc turned around, as the attention of all who were present – the Jedi and several dozen Mandalorians – turned to the old Sith. This one looked at Talyc and Wapita.  ‘Everyone is going to want to see this.’

Continue Reading Chapter Eight

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Several weeks later.

Brenum sat on the lounge in the Mandalorian bunker, staring at his datapad.  Shadie couldn’t help but feel sympathy for her friend.  He had sent messages to Trylia’s datapad, hoping she would reply.  They had all sent messages, at a few days interval, and had been consistent about it. There had not been any replies.
            Brenum sighed and put his head in his hands.  Knarf, who sat next to him, put his hand on his shoulder and rubbed gently.
            ‘Why is it I cannot shake the feeling that something is terribly wrong?’ said Brenum.  ‘I’ve meditated, done everything a Jedi should. This is why we’re not supposed to have any attachments. I can’t function like this.’
            ‘It’s all right, Brenum,’ said Shadie soothingly.  ‘Trylia will be fine.’
            ‘Shadie,’ her blue-haired friend said slowly, ‘it’s been weeks.’  He shook his head.  ‘No, it is not all right.’
            Shadie looked at the others who shrugged.  Mandalore arrived at the bunker.  He had been briefed about a potential coup from the Sith, he had previously explained, and that their coup was aimed towards Relsor, but who knew what the full details entailed. Lian had gotten no news from Lord Void since his warnings a few weeks prior, and no one knew when this coup would take place. Mandalore did not want to be caught off-guard perchance the Sith were planning something greater. Shadie had to agree.
            Emerick arrived with his clan; Nriwe went and sat next to Lashika. Nriwe had been communicating with Lian when Shadie couldn’t herself, keeping him appraised of the goings-on here on Mandalore. The Republic was also ready in case of any attacks from the Sith.
            Talyc shifted, looking about.
            ‘What is it?’ Shadie asked him.
            ‘Clan Dargoza hasn’t arrived yet,’ he said.  ‘Ever since we returned from the Crypt, they’ve been conveniently off-planet.’  He turned to face her.  ‘I have words to exchange with Wapita.  I mean, what was he thinking, having his newest recruit spy on us?’
            ‘You’re still going on about that?’ said Knarf.  ‘Forget about Wapita. He can’t hurt us. Just let it go.’
            Talyc opened his mouth to say something when in walked Clan Dargoza.
            ‘Well, well, finally!’  Talyc walked up to Wapita.  ‘Can I have a word, Wapita? From one clan leader to another?’  The two walked off to one side. 
            Vax saluted Shadie and the others. ‘Wapita tells me your clan is well informed. Got yourselves a Sith insider or something?’ He cocked his head in Usharr’s direction.  The old Sith Maser walked up to the Rattataki and sized him up and down.
            ‘The Jedi, like the Sith, never reveal their sources,’ said Usharr.
            ‘I heard that you were in exile,’ said Vax, ‘so unless you have been reassigned within the Sith Empire, I suspect you have an informant.’
            ‘And what would a Rattataki bounty hunter know about that?’
            Vax narrowed his eyes.  ‘You one of those xenophobes, aren’t you?’
            Usharr looked around.  ‘I aid the Mandalorians, do I not? They are comprised of all sorts of species. Not to mention Captain Zaereg and his companions over there, and I quite enjoy their company.’
            Vax looked at Shadie.  ‘You shouldn’t trust an exiled Sith master.’
            He walked over to join the rest of Clan Dargoza as Mandalore began his debriefing, bringing up battle plans, star charts, and the Mandalorian blockade. Talyc returned and sat next to Usharr.  Shadie took a seat between Brenum and Usharr.
            ‘I do not trust your old friend,’ Usharr whispered to Talyc.  The old Sith took out a datapad and began looking things over. 
            Talyc leaned in closer and whispered: ‘Right now, I don’t know if it’s him I can’t trust or if I can’t trust Wapita.  He denies all knowledge of Vax following Fane, Nriwe and me several weeks ago.’
            ‘One of them is lying,’ said Usharr.  ‘And several of us sense deception. Not just…our informant.’
            Talyc looked back towards Vax. Fane, who was next to Knarf, leaned over and looked at Shadie, shrugging.  Shadie shook her head, pointing at Usharr’s datapad.  Fane nodded understanding.
            Shadie turned her attention to Mandalore, as Supreme Chancellor Emain came in view via holoscreen.

Continue Reading Chapter Seven

Catch up on previous Star Wars Fan-Fiction from the Shadie story series.

Perhaps you’ll also enjoy Stardust Destinies I: Variate Facing; fantasy action-adventure taking place in a realm strong with magic where prophecies are dictated by dragons. https://binkyproductions.com/stardustdestinies