Corellia: 18 BBY
"Mythos"
Nakoa Sen

    He woke with his arms still wrapped around Les. She was still asleep, her blindfold half off. He blushed as he watched her. Nothing had happened, exactly. She'd just fallen asleep and he hadn't bothered to wake her up. Nakoa smiled to himself and brushed his knuckles across her lekku. He slid off his bunk and threw his armor on quickly.

    "Where are you going?" Les murmured.

    "To talk to Ketei. I want to let her know I'm feeling better."

    "Are you?"

    "Almost back to my old self," he replied. Nakoa lifted his helmet just above his lips and kissed her. "I won't be long."

    She nodded, her eyes closing once more. Les was asleep again when he stepped out of the room. Nakoa quickly made his way off the ship and started walking towards the covert.

    The streets were unusually quiet. Only a few people walked around. Clouds loomed thick overhead, promising rain later in the day. Nakoa stiffened as he heard the muffled garble of stormtroopers. A platoon of them stood up ahead. They broke off in separate directions and began searching for something.

    Nakoa ducked down an alley and ran the rest of the way to the covert. He reached the entrance and caught sight of a familiar figure. "Ketei!"

    She turned and sprinted towards him. "I was just coming to see you. Oni contacted me before she left and told me you were sick. I didn't get any updates so I thought I should come check on you."

    "I'm feeling better," Nakoa said. "I meant to contact you sooner but I got distracted."

    She released a sigh and dropped a hand onto his shoulder. "Let's talk in the covert. There's too many Imperials up here for my liking."

    Nakoa nodded his agreement and followed her into the old storm pipe. Thunder boomed as they disappeared underground. The covert was silent as they made their way towards Ketei's chambers. Nakoa guessed that everyone was still asleep. They entered Ketei's room and she closed the door behind them.

    "Do you know why you were sick?" She asked, sitting down beside him.

    "Les thought that it might've been brought on by what happened with Tarek. It messed with my emotions and made me physically sick."

    Ketei nodded. "That's possible. Les was with you then?"

    "Oni didn't want her to come along for the bounty so yeah." Nakoa's cheeks grew warm. Imagine if she had gone along.

    "What is it?" Ketei prompted.

    Nakoa bit his lip, thinking. "I'm falling in love with Les," he said at last.

    "I wondered."

    "I told her that."

    Ketei seemed faintly surprised. "And what did she say?"

    "She didn't really say anything at first. It was an accident and I think I scared her, honestly, but..." he clasped his hands, his face growing warmer. "She let me kiss her."

    "She saw your face?"

    "No, she blindfolded herself."

    Ketei tilted her head curiously. "She blindfolded herself so that you could kiss her?"

    "Not exactly. She's done it before when I had a nightmare about my parents. She had blindfolded herself to take care of me while I was sick." Ketei was nodding slowly. Nakoa looked down. "I wanted to take her blindfold off but she wouldn't let me. She told me I had to be sure first, because she knows what that means for me."

    "She respects your beliefs." Nakoa nodded. "What do you plan to do now?"

    He shrugged. "Figure out a way to tell Oni without her killing Les, first of all. Then, I guess we'll just see where things go." Nakoa swallowed, another thought popping up in his mind. "Would you be mad if I chose to forsake the Creed for her?"

    Ketei was silent for a long while. She covered his hand with her own, after a moment. "I could never be mad at you, my son. If you truly loved her and felt like it was what you had to do, then I would be proud of you for choosing that path. I just don't want you to make that decision on a whim. I think this is something that can't be decided in the moment. You must be certain."

    "That's what Les said too. I don't plan on doing anything yet, but I'm keeping my mind open."

    "Good. Oh," Ketei perked up suddenly. "When Oni comes back, I have another job for you. One of our other wanderers found some possible foundlings on Batuu. I want you to check it out and bring back anyone who is interested."

    Nakoa gave her a firm nod. "We'll take care of it." He stood. "I should get back. Hopefully the storm will drive away the Imperials for a while."

    "Take care." Ketei watched him for a moment. "Your parents would be proud of you, just as I am."

    Nakoa smiled faintly. "Thank you, Ketei." He left her chambers quickly and returned to the surface.

    Rain poured from the sky and thunder boomed as he walked towards the Mythos. He contemplated using his jetpack, then decided against it. He didn't want to attract the attention of any lingering Imperials.

    Nakoa reached the ship and ran on board, sealing the ramp behind him. He hovered beside it for a moment, letting any remaining rain drip off his armor. He continued into the ship and found Oni seated in the galley.

    "You're back," he said, joining her.

    "You're better?" Nakoa nodded. "I told Les you'd be fine." Oni stirred the cup of tea that sat in front of her.

    "It's because of her that I'm better already."

    "What do you mean?"

    "She took care of me."

    Oni cocked her head. "Well, good for her...and you, I suppose."

    "How was your mission?"

    "It went surprisingly well."

    "Good. Let's hope this next one works out too. Ketei said they've located some possible foundlings. We're supposed to check it out."

    Oni let out a groan. "I hope it doesn't turn out to be a dead end like on Kashyyyk."

    Nakoa nodded his agreement. "Where's Les?" He asked, half afraid she'd still be in his room. He would have a fun time trying to explain that to Oni on top of everything else.

    "She's in her room sleeping. She said she didn't sleep much last night."

    Well, that's true, he thought. She was still waking up and checking on me every few hours. He stood. "I'll get her up so we can be on our way."

    And plan how we're going to tell Oni, he added silently as he walked back to Lesia's cabin. He knocked on the door but there was no reply. Nakoa entered quietly. Les, sure enough, was asleep on her bunk.

    He crossed the room and crouched down beside her. He touched her shoulder. She made a small sound but simply rolled over. Nakoa huffed in amusement. He looked down, then paused.

    Something metallic gleamed beneath her bunk. Nakoa grabbed the object and pulled it out of her satchel. It was just a slender metal tube. Brown leather was wrapped around the center of it and there were a few added accessories on the object. He turned it over in his palm and found a button of some sort. He pressed it.

    A cyan beam shot out of the weapon with a steady hum. Nakoa's mouth dropped open in shock and horror. He recognized the weapon immediately. It was a lightsaber.

Corellia: 18 BBY
"Mythos"
Lesia Mirri

    Les snapped her eyes open, hearing the familiar hum of her saber. She bolted upright and twisted. Nakoa held her saber, his stature telling her everything. He deactivated the weapon and tightened his grip on it.

    "Let me explain," she said. Nakoa stormed out of the room without a word. Les scrambled off her bunk and chased after him. "Nakoa, wait. I promise I'll tell you everything. I..." she paused as Oni entered the lounge and moved towards Nakoa.

    She snatched the lightsaber from his hand. "What is this?" Oni activated it, then turned it off again. She whipped her head towards Les. "This is a lightsaber, isn't it?"

    "It is. I can explain."

    Oni chucked the saber across the room. Les didn't see where it landed. "You're a Jedi!" She accused, shoving a finger into her.

    "No," Les protested. "I mean, yes, I was a part of the Order but I'm not a Jedi."

    "You're wanted by the Empire. You've put us and our Clan in danger!" Oni seethed. "I was right! We never should've trusted you. I can't believe you were so blind." She hurled the last statement at Nakoa.

    "Please, let me explain," Les pleaded again.

    "You've had months to tell us!" Oni's voice grew louder. "But you hid it. You lied to us!"

    "No," Les shook her head. "I didn't lie." Her gaze flickered to Nakoa. "I was going to tell you, I swear."

    He'd been silent so far. Les stiffened as he approached her. "When?" His voice was dangerously quiet. She wished he would just yell at her like Oni. "When were you going to tell me? That clone didn't mistake you for a Jedi. He knew you were one."

    "I..." Les could barely form her words. "I was going to tell you," she said again.

    "Get rid of her," Oni spat. "She's a threat to us. If the Empire ever found us with her, we'd be dead. Stars, if they send their Inquisitors after her, they'll find the Clan! Besides, Jedi and Mandalorians are enemies. Everyone knows that."

    "No, I would never lead the Empire to your Clan. I promise, I'm not a threat. Just let me explain. I'll tell you everything." She turned to Nakoa again. He was shaking his head.

    "You've had every opportunity to tell me," he growled. "But you lied. You just..." he threw his hands up in exasperation. "I thought..." Nakoa's hands shook. "After everything that just happened, you still hid this from me? This is something we needed to know when we met you! Baja was right to warn me about you."

    "I wanted to tell you." Lesia's eyes burned as she blinked back frustrated tears. "I hid it to protect both of you."

    "No," Nakoa shook his head. "You hid it to protect yourself."

    Oni shoved her backwards, suddenly. "Get out."

    "Just wait a minute," Les pleaded once more.

    Oni hit the ramp's button. It opened, revealing the pouring rain outside. "Get out!" Oni shoved her again. Les cried out as her ankle twisted. Pain ripped through her leg, worse than before. She hit the mud outside of the ship and glanced at her ankle. She couldn't see it through her boot, but the pain told her enough.

    Nakoa's shoulders slumped as he watched her. Lesia's eyes widened as Oni closed the ramp. "No!" She scrambled towards the ship. "Wait! Just listen to me for a minute!" She tried to stand but her ankle gave out once more. Her chest heaved with sobs as she heard the Mythos' engines start up. Not even a minute later, the ship took off, leaving her behind.

    Les managed to sit up and pry her boot off. Her ankle was red and already somewhat swollen. She touched it and immediately gasped in pain. Les wiped her tears away angrily. They didn't even listen to me! Nakoa didn't listen to me. She gritted her teeth, anger clamping down on her mind. "I knew better," she snapped at herself. "I knew this would happen. First Cole, now him."

    Les waited a minute longer, then pushed herself to her feet. She slid her boot on and limped towards the marketplace. Rain continued to fall, mixing with the tears that she couldn't stop. She reached the old woman's booth and stepped around it.

    "Hello!" She shouted.

    A door cracked open close by and the woman poked her head out. "Stars, Child, what are you doing out now?"

    Les hobbled towards her door, biting her tongue to keep from crying out. The pain in her ankle was steadily worsening. "You said to find you if I needed a friend."

    The woman ushered her into the small house. She grabbed a blanket and threw it around Lesia's shoulders. "What can I do?"

    "Can you get me off Corellia?"

    The woman nodded after a moment. "I know a pilot."

    "Good. I want to leave first thing tomorrow." Les squeezed her eyes shut. Her head was throbbing with rage and hurt. "I need to get as far away from here as possible."