Chapter 9

The group made their way with care through a series of back alleys, heading towards one of Coruscant’s seedier entertainment districts. Rex was on guard and nervous the entire time with their traveling companions, but Malik and Serra seemed to know and trust these two. Still, he remained cautious; it’s what keeps a good soldier alive, after all. Soon, they arrived at a door that appeared to be the rear exit to an establishment of some sort. Jax stepped up to the door and knocked in a specific pattern. A moment later, a tiny window slid open in the door.

“Password?” came a rough voice.

“Coruscant has lovely sunsets,” Jax replied.

With a hiss, the door slid open, revealing a large, fat Besalisk.

“Jax, ya made it back I see.”

“Good to be home, Dex. Brought some friends.”

“Hmm ... ya sure ‘bout that? One of ‘em looks like a blasted clone,” he growled.

“Why you disgusting-”

“Rex! Stop!” Malik ordered. Turning to the alien, he continued, “Dexter Jettster, Master Kenobi spoke often of you. He considered you a great friend.”

Dex smiled at this. “Obi-Wan was one of the best, as was his master, old Qui-Gon. Oh, the stories those two could tell ... but all the same, what’s with this clone here?”

“He’s a fugitive like us,” Malik replied. “You really think Jax would’ve brought him here otherwise?”

“Suppose that’s true. Ah, but we’d better get indoors. Can’t risk those bucket-heads finding us.” He grinned at Rex. “No offense, ya understand.”

“Of course,” Rex grunted.

The group entered the building and found themselves in a dimly lit bar and lounge area. Malik could hear raucous laughter coming from the other side of the wall ahead of them, and surmised that they were in a VIP area of a bar or nightclub.

“Can I get ya a drink?” Dex asked, moving behind the bar area.

“None for me, thanks,” Malik replied. “Jax, mind if we chat for a bit?”

“I figured you’d want to,” he smirked.

The two men adjourned to a booth in the corner and sat across from each other. Malik flung his jacket on the seat next to him, and Jax turned sideways to prop up his legs on the bench.

“So, how’d you manage to survive Order 66?” Malik asked.

“I was lucky, even if there’s no such thing as luck. Was out running an errand for Master Drallig. When I returned, the attack on the Jedi Temple was already well underway. I couldn’t get in to help, as much as I wanted to. The clones spotted me before long, and I had to make a run for it. They chased me into this entertainment district, would’ve killed me if Laranth hadn’t saved my ass. She helped me go into hiding, change my clothes and appearance, and I’ve been hiding out here with her and Dex ever since. How bout you?”

“Serra and I managed to flee the Jedi Temple with Master Windu’s help. He got us to a secret hangar designed for emergency escapes. That’s the ship we used to come back here, got it hidden in a junkyard a ways from the Temple.”

“Awesome! So, Master Windu is-”

“He didn’t make it,” Malik sighed.

“Oh ... damn. I had hoped he might survive...”

“Most every Jedi is dead, to my knowledge. Aside from you, the only other ones we’ve encountered are Topal Blut and Barriss Offee. Thanks for that, by the way. How’d you know Blut’s message was a trap?”

“Didn’t know for sure, but had a strong suspicion,” Jax replied. “It all seemed ... a bit too perfect, know what I mean?”

“I do. We had that thought ourselves, but decided it was too important to pass up if it was legitimate.”

“I can understand that.”

“So are we safe here? You’re sure nobody tracked us?” Malik asked.

“Positive,” Jax said with a grin. “I took the most convoluted path possible to get here. Nobody knows about this place, I promise you that.”

“You always have been the over-thinker,” Malik chuckled.

By now, Serra had taken Dex up on his offer of a drink at the bar.

“Mind if I join you?” Laranth asked.

“Please.”

“Lemmie know if ya need anything else,” Dex said with a wink before sauntering off.

“So, Jax said your name is Laranth?”

“Indeed. Laranth Tarak,” she replied in her distinct Twi’leki accent.

“That was some impressive shooting out there. You’re quite the marksman ... or markswoman, I guess.”

“Thank you,” she replied with a giggle.

“What’s your background, if you don’t mind me asking? Bounty hunter? Smuggler?”

“No, I am actually a former Jedi myself.”

“Seriously?!”

“Yes. I broke from the Order some years ago, before the Clone War started. There were just too many things the Council demanded that I could not reconcile with my view of the Force.”

“I can understand that,” Serra replied with a sigh.

“So for the last several years, I have worked with a group known as the Gray Paladins. We are former Jedi that are still dedicated to the Force, yet we do not answer to the Jedi Council. Most of us even go as far as to refuse to use a lightsaber, and even to rely on the Force itself as little as possible.”

“Interesting ... I take it that your marksmanship capabilities are no coincidence then?” Serra inquired.

“Quite true. While most Paladins try not to use the Force so directly, I personally make use of the Force in the form of my shooting prowess. I am able to make shots that are considered impossible for even the best mercenaries in the galaxy. My awareness, prediction, and reaction capabilities are second to none when I am drawing on the Force with my all,” Laranth replied proudly.

“Impressive, though I will need to see a demonstration,” Serra laughed. “I take it the Gray Paladins weren’t targeted by Order 66?”

“No, but it is only a matter of time. All the Paladins I am aware of have gone deep underground into Coruscant’s underworld. I was to join them myself, but I became sidetracked in saving Jax from Order 66. We have been hiding out together since then.”

“Will the two of you join the other Paladins?”

“I have tried to convince him to join me, but he has since refused. He has such a sense of justice, and still wants to do good, even if he must conceal his true nature. I admire him for it, though his stubbornness does infuriate me sometimes,” Laranth giggled. After a few moments of silence, she continued, “May I ask you a ... personal question?”

“Sure,” Serra replied, cocking her eyebrow.

“Please forgive me if I overstep my bounds, but I could not help but notice the way you and Malik looked at each other during our journey here. Is there ... something going on between you two?”

Serra blushed in amusement, unable to speak for a moment.

“Again, I apologize if I have embarrassed you. I sometimes cannot help but notice these things. We Twi’leks are quite ... attune to these sorts of emotions,” Laranth said.

“Don’t worry about it, no embarrassment. But yeah, you could say there’s something going on between Malik and me. He’s my husband.”

“Your husband?!” Laranth whispered. “But I thought Jedi were not allowed to marry, let alone fall in love?”

“True enough, but he and I have had strong feelings for each other for quite some time, even back before we were knighted. We always seemed to bring out the best in each other, balance each other out, ya know?”

“Indeed, I know the feeling.”

“After the fall of the Order, there was no more Jedi Council, and we had to make our own path in the galaxy. Laranth, it wasn’t just physical attraction between us, though there’s plenty of that too. No, we are truly, deeply in love. So much so that we managed to conquer one of the primary weaknesses the Council always spoke of in regards to singular love: the fear of loss.”

“How do you mean?” Laranth asked.

“Well ... we don’t want to lose each other, but we know we probably will, sooner or later. It’s just the nature of what the galaxy has become. We accept that. In the meantime, we’re going to spend what life we do have left together, doing as much to help the galaxy as we can,” Serra explained.

“Oh my, that’s so romantic,” Laranth gasped.

As the women talked, Rex sat alone on the other side of the bar, cleaning and inspecting his weapons and equipment. After a few minutes, a glass slid across the bar to him.

“On the house, friend,” Dex said.

“Um ... thank you,” Rex replied. “Sorry about ... what I nearly said out there.”

“Don’t worry about it. I wasn’t exactly on my best behavior myself.”

“Still, I was out of line. It’s just ... the last Besalisk I met was a Jedi General named Pong Krell who turned for the Separatists. Tricked my men into fighting their fellow clones, just to see how much he could get away with before being discovered.”

“I hope ya put an end to him,” Dex said, clearly displeased.

“One of my men did. Executed him before he could do any more damage.”

“Good!”

“So what brings you here, Dex? Last I heard you were operating in CoCo Town.”

“Yeah, but war tends to affect things. Business started gettin’ bad, regulars stopped coming as much...”

“So, no truth to the rumors that you salted your food with addictive spices to guarantee repeat visitors?” Rex asked wryly.

“HAH! I knew that rumor was flyin’ about the galaxy! But naw, people kept coming back for my cooking, plain and simple. Anyway, when business trickled off, I couldn’t make the rent payments in CoCo Town and had to relocate. The rent’s easier to make around here, though the, er, clientele leaves quite a bit to be desired. Still, it’s a perfectly inconspicuous place for Jax and Laranth to hide out from those blasted clones.” Dex took a sip of his drink, continuing, “So, what is up with the clones? They’ve all turned military police on us, branded the Jedi as traitors. You appear to be the only one who hasn’t. What gives?”

“Order 66.”

“Order 66 ... Jax mentioned that once or twice, but I dunno what it means.”

“It’s a secret protocol implanted within every single clone trooper, ordering them to turn against the Jedi. Each clone is implanted with a computer chip at birth to ensure they will not hesitate to obey this order, or any order given directly by Chancellor Palpatine. The only way I was able to resist was by discovering my inhibitor chip some time ago and removing it.”

“Yikes ... maybe I’ve been too hard on ‘em,” Dex said.

“Hard to say. It’s impossible to know how any of the clones feel about Order 66 and the formation of the Empire. Opinions weren’t part of our programming.”

“Suppose that’s true...”

By this time, Serra and Laranth had made their way to the corner, joining Malik and Jax in their booth.

“Jax, I must say, I’ve learned some interesting things in chatting with Serra here. It seems that she and Malik are married. What do you think? Isn’t that interesting, Jax?”

Malik and Serra glanced at each other, hearing a tone in her voice.

“Um, yeah. That certainly is ... interesting,” he replied. “Malik? Married, eh?”

“Guilty as charged,” Serra giggled, throwing her arms around her husband and kissing his cheek affectionately.

“I know what you’re thinking, but at least hear us out, Jax,” Malik said, holding up a hand. “We’ve thought this through a great deal.”

“I can imagine it wasn’t too hard a decision, what with there not being a Council to punish your actions anymore,” Jax snorted.

“Jax!” Laranth admonished him.

“Just telling it like it is.”

“If you must know, we believe this to be the will of the Force,” Serra said. “We meditated endlessly about this before making a decision, and every time we tried to pull back, we felt a nudge in the opposite direction. The Force was telling us we are meant to be together.”

“Jax, Serra told me they have even conquered the fear of loss,” Laranth said.

Jax sat in silence for a moment before eying Malik. “If true, that’s quite an accomplishment. But you’ll have to forgive my continued skepticism.”

“I understand,” Malik replied.

“Malik, I think you’ll want to know about the group Laranth is involved in,” Serra said, changing the subject. “She’s a Gray Paladin.”

“Gray Paladin? You’re Force sensitive?” he asked.

“Indeed I am,” replied the Twi’lek woman. “I broke from the Jedi Order some years ago, as I could no longer follow the ways of the Council. We Paladins view the Force as something to simply be a part of our everyday lives, rather than a way of life unto itself. Many of our members have refused to use lightsabers, instead honing their skills with conventional blasters and martial arts.”

“She’s been boasting of her shooting skills, but I don’t believe it until I see a demonstration,” Serra giggled.

“Be careful what you wish for,” Jax said with a grin.

“It’s actually great that we’ve encountered you, Laranth,” Malik said. “Serra and I have been ... contacted by a former Jedi that many considered a Gray: Qui-Gon Jinn.”

“Qui-Gon Jinn? But he’s dead!” Laranth said.

“Very much so. But in his life, he trained in secret and somehow discovered a way to retain his consciousness after death. He contacted us, feeling our turmoil and conflict over our decision to marry,” Serra replied.

“At his suggestion, Serra and I have been studying some of the practices and teachings of the Gray Jedi. He feels that we could do a lot of good in this new galaxy with such practices,” Malik agreed.

“So what exactly does a Gray Jedi believe? I thought Grays were just rogues who went against the Council at every opportunity,” Jax wondered.

“That’s what the term Gray has come to mean in the modern Jedi Order, but in reality a Gray Jedi is one who answers only to the will of the Force,” Serra replied.

“I can relate to that,” Laranth said with a grin.

“Ultimately, a Gray Jedi accepts that both the Light and the Dark Sides will always exist, and that the Dark Side can never be completely destroyed. They consider it their purpose to keep the balance, not aligning with either side, yet still helping the Light whenever possible and ensuring that the Dark does not flourish,” said Malik. “We don’t like everything we’ve read about them, but some of their principles are quite sound.”

“I suppose knowledge is rarely a bad thing,” Jax agreed.

“So what’s our plan?” Serra asked. “We can hide out here for now, but sooner or later, the Empire will find us. We need to make it back to our ship and off this planet.”

“Hmm ... won’t be easy. Patrols have been stepped up as is, so you won’t be able to travel on foot,” Jax replied. “Where did you say your ship was?”

“In a junkyard a little ways from the Jedi Temple,” Malik said.

“I think I can help ya there,” Dex chimed in, pulling up a couple of chairs for Rex and himself.

“How’s that?” Malik asked.

“I do some mechanical repairs on the side, and I know the junkyard you’re talkin’ about. I go there a lot of mornings before I open the diner to look for spare parts to use.”

“That’s great, but how does that help us?” Serra pressed.

“Because I got a truck with a large, enclosed cargo area. It’s big enough to hide several people in,” Dex chuckled.

“So ... you’d be willing to smuggle us back to our ship?” Malik asked.

“Of course! It’s the least I can do for you Jedi! If I’da done it for Obi-Wan, I’ll do it for you.”

“That’s very kind of you. Thank you,” Serra said.

“Now, we’ll want to get an early start in the morning to avoid unnecessary attention, so ya should all probably get some rest. Got a few rooms with basic amenities on the second floor. Lemmie know if ya need anything else.”

“Thanks, Dex!” Malik said, adjourning with Serra to find their sleeping quarters for the night.

Dex saw Rex heading back over to the bar with his equipment.

“Ya doin’ alright?” he asked the clone. “Been awful quiet.”

“Just thinking. My entire existence has changed in the last week,” Rex replied.

“True enough. Got your whole life ahead of ya, but what to do with it? I know exactly what ya mean...” Dex sighed, taking a seat next to him. “I know you’ve had a rough life so far-”

“Comes with the territory,” Rex quipped.

“All the same, I think a soldier like you oughta be welcomed home as a hero, not just thought of as a genetic replication meant to do our bidding,” Dex continued. “It’s gotta be a lonely existence, bein’ a clone trooper.”

“Yeah, but I always had my brothers.”

“Well sure, but that’s not what I meant. It had to be awful ... lonely, if ya catch my meaning,” Dex chuckled with a wink.

Rex cocked his eyebrows, realizing what Dex was getting at. “Yeah ... that’s true. We clones aren’t exactly allowed to fraternize ... with anyone. We have one job.”

“Had one job, in your case,” Dex reminded him. “Nothin’ says you can’t find a nice woman to share your bed with ya. I mean, what are they gonna do? Arrest ya?! They’ll do worse than that if they catch ya regardless!”

“True!” Rex laughed.

“Listen, I happen to be friends with some stunning ladies, sweet and trustworthy too. They’re great at keepin’ the anonymity of their clients. If you’d like, I’ll ask one to come to your room. Ya interested? They make for great company,” Dex said, elbowing Rex playfully.

“I ... appreciate the offer, but I’m not ready for that just yet.”

“Ah, it wouldn’t be anything serious or long-term, what with you leavin’ tomorrow. Just a nice warm pretty thing to spend the night with.”

“Thank you, Dex. I’m floored by the gesture, I really am. It’s just ... I need to find myself, find out what I want in a woman before I start diving in, so to speak. Make sense?”

“I suppose so,” Dex said, standing to head to his quarters. “Still, if you change your mind...”

As the two disappeared up the stairs, Laranth and Jax sat alone in the quiet lounge.

“Are we ever going to talk about this?” Laranth asked, breaking the silence.

“What’s there to talk about?”

“Jax, you know damn well what there is to talk about! Are you really going to pretend that there is not something between us? Something greater than mere friendship?”