Alderaan: 19 BBY
"Mythos"
Lesia Mirri

Hyperspace was silent. Night had fallen when they'd left Zeffo and as soon as they were safely on their way to Alderaan, everyone had settled down for some rest. Oni had unceremoniously shown Les to the cabin she was currently sitting in.

Lesia watched Azie curiously. The silver droid was powered down in a corner, occasionally emitting a low rumble. She cupped her chin in her hand. The war affected so many, she thought. Even droids had friends stolen from them. Azie lost everyone, just like me. She closed her eyes. A sea of faces waited. Her eyes snapped open again.

No, I don't want to think about them, Les snapped at herself. It's too late now. I didn't mourn them then and I don't plan to start now. If I do, I don't think I'll be able to stop.

She slid off her bunk and grabbed her lightsaber. Lesia flipped it over in her hand and ran her fingers over the delicate engravings on it. A whisper of a memory clung to them. She relented and closed her eyes, allowing the Force to draw the memory out.

"Let the pieces speak to you," Ki Adi Mundi said gently. "They will guide you, just as you guide them. Bonding with your weapon will help you wield it better."

Les cracked an eye open and watched her master. "That makes no sense."

He turned her head back towards the hilt parts scattered before her. "Remember when we first began your training? You and I did not fit together well. You refused to listen to me. I would become frustrated with you. We wouldn't speak with each other unless we had to."

"Yes, I remember." She still hadn't apologized for her behavior towards her master. She had treated every member of the Jedi Order the same way for twenty one years. That's why she hadn't become a padawan until a few months ago. She had even refused to build a lightsaber and had simply used one of the Temple provided ones.

"But with time and patience, we learned to open up. We bonded, uniting our minds and spirits." Ki Adi knelt beside her and placed a small crystal into the midst of her saber parts. She had claimed the crystal only a week prior. "We bonded," he repeated, "and it helped us work together. The same will happen when you bond with your crystal and ultimately, your lightsaber."

Lesia nodded, understanding a little better now. She closed her eyes, opening herself to the Force. In her mind's eye, she saw the individual pieces of her lightsaber. In the center of them, her crystal. Les reached out and touched the crystal's presence with her own. A flare of light blinded her. She saw a glimpse of her finished saber, elegant and unique.

Les spread her physical hands above the saber parts and grabbed onto the image she saw. The Force spread from her to the pieces. They worked themselves together, clicking into place. Her crystal became sealed inside its chamber. When she opened her eyes, her saber was whole.

Lesia pulled it out of the air and stood. She glanced at her master. He gave her a small nod. Les ignited the blade. It erupted in a beautiful icy hue. Master Mundi smiled at her. "It will serve you well. This lightsaber is your friend. Treat it as such."

Lesia snapped her eyes open and shoved her lightsaber back in its satchel. "It's not my friend anymore," she whispered. "Now, it's just a brand, but one I can't part with."

She had tried. She had buried it on Mygeeto while the Lurmen tended to her injuries. In the middle of the night, she had returned to dig it up. She had thrown it over a cliff. Not even ten minutes later, she had scaled the rocks and recovered it.

Lesia left her cabin quietly. She made her way into the ship's galley and grabbed a small ration bar. She began to gnaw on it absentmindedly. "Stealing our food?" Oni entered the galley.

"You can have it back if you want it," Les mumbled. She opened her mouth, revealing the mashed up chunks. She wished she could've seen the disturbed look that Oni undoubtedly wore.

"You're disgusting," Oni snapped. She grabbed a ration bar for herself and sat down. Les's eyes widened as she lifted her helmet just above her lips and took a bite. "What?"

"I thought you didn't remove your helmets."

"We don't; not in front of people anyway. Besides, the rule isn't that we can't remove them. You just can't see our face."

"I just saw part of your face."

"Our whole face," Oni clarified. "Or, that's what I've been taught."

"Are there a lot of rules you have to follow?"

Oni shrugged and took another bite. "There's enough."

"Tell me some of them," Les prompted. Maybe she'll stop treating me like this if she talks to me. We'll work better together, like Master Mundi said.

"There are six core rules to being a Mandalorian, whether it's by blood or by creed," Oni began. "Wear the armor. Speak the language. Defend yourself and your family. Raise your children as Mandalorians. Contribute to the Clan's welfare. When called upon by the Mand'alor, rally to their cause."

Les arched an eyebrow. "What's the Mand'alor?"

"The ruler of Mandalore?"

"Who is that, currently?"

Oni gave a scoffing laugh. "I don't know. Ask Nakoa. He's the real Mandalorian here."

"I thought there wasn't a difference."

"There is. There is to me, anyway."

Lesia bit her lip as Oni fell silent once more. She continued eating, trying to think up a few more questions. "You said one of the rules is to speak the language. Can you?"

Oni nodded. "Galaar, the man who found me, taught me the basics. We use a rhyme to help us learn it."

"Will you tell me?"

Oni sighed, but spoke again. "Ba'jur, beskar'gam, ara'nov, aliit, Mando'a bal Mand'alor, an vencuyan mhi. Translated, it basically says, "Education and armor, self-defense, our tribe, our language, our leader, All help us survive."

"I see." Lesia pursed her lips. "What about the Code of..." she broke off as Oni stood and raised a hand.

"No more questions. I'm not in the mood." Oni swept out of the galley without another word.

Les heaved a sigh and rolled her eyes. "Fine." A few minutes later, she returned to her cabin.

Alderaan: 19 BBY
"Mythos"
Nakoa Sen

Nakoa deactivated the hyperdrive as they neared Alderaan. He had slept well, which was a relief considering his previous nightmare. There was no sign of Lesia yet, but Oni had taken her usual seat.

"We can't afford any more detours after this," Oni said. "We'll need to go straight to Lothal, then back to the Clan unless Les has figured out where she wants to go." She turned to him, her demeanor appearing hopeful.

Nakoa shook his head and started the landing cycle. "She hasn't told me anything. I'll tell her to think about it and after we take the beskar home, we'll drop her off somewhere."

"All right, but she stays on the ship when we get to Corellia."

"That's fine. Ketei wouldn't let her anywhere near the covert anyway."

They broke through the clouds and Aldera appeared below them. Nakoa narrowed his eyes, trying to plot a way to make it to the Senator's home. The cockpit door opened and Les and Azie entered. Azie gave a cheerful chirp. Nakoa simply nodded in reply.

"Do you know how to contact Senator Organa?" Oni asked. "There's no way they'll let us just fly over and land."

Azie whistled again and plugged into a terminal. A few seconds passed before a hologram of someone appeared on the ship's control panel. "Who is this?" The officer demanded.

"We have a droid who says he needs to speak with Senator Organa," Nakoa replied.

"A droid? Is this another prank transmission?" The officer moved to end the communication.

"No!" Les exclaimed, leaning  forward. "The droid is a...messenger from the Senate."

The officer paused. "What's its designation?"

"R2-B5," Les said quickly. "He was sent by Senator Mon Mothma."

"This is highly irregular. The Senator usually receives personal messages from Senator Mon Mothma."

"Yes, well..." Les broke off. Nakoa rolled his hand, gesturing for her to continue. "She was unable to come. She fell ill."

"Why would the droid travel in an unofficial ship?"

"He said the information is highly sensitive. He wouldn't even tell us what it is. All he said was it's an important message from Senator Mon Mothma and it was sanctioned by Emperor Palpatine himself."

"From the Emperor?" The officer gasped. "You should've said so earlier! I'll send you a set of coordinates. You can drop off the droid and be on your way."

A moment later, a set of coordinates flashed onto the navicomputer. Nakoa smirked and activated it, letting the autopilot steer them to the landing pad.

"Thank you for your help," Les said smoothly. Azie ended the transmission and she sat down.

"Quick thinking," Nakoa said.

He heard a huff from Oni. "Anyone could've thought of that."

He narrowed his eyes. Her attitude was beginning to annoy him, although he'd said nothing about it. "Well, I couldn't have. I don't know much about the Senate."

Oni swiveled her seat around to face Les. "How do you know so much about it?"

A disinterested look crossed Les's proud features. "You hear things when you're a smuggler. Even Senators have more private affairs."

"You mean Hondo told you?"

"I mean Hondo's other employees told me." Nakoa saw a flicker of guilt in Lesia's eyes. He said nothing and focused on landing as they reached their designated platform.

The four of them stepped off the ship as a door to the apartment opened. Senator Organa approached them, followed by a golden protocol droid and a blue and white R2 astromech.

"This is the messenger, I presume?" He gestured towards Azie.

Lesia rested a hand on his silver dome. "Yes. May we speak with you as well, Senator?" Familiarity flashed between them and Senator Organa nodded. He gestured towards the door and let them enter before him.

They sat down in an ornate office. Nakoa spied a picture of an infant girl and a beautiful woman on the Senator's desk. "What can I help you with?" Senator Organa asked.

"This droid stole Imperial information for you," Nakoa said. "We were originally taking a bounty on him, but we decided to bring him to you instead and collect our bounty another way."

"I see." Senator Organa stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Well, you certainly are a clever droid. You remind me of R2-D2 here." He motioned to the other astromech. "Unfortunately, I can't use your information right now."

Azie gave a hopeful, yet questioning chirp. Senator Organa shook his head. "I'm afraid not. There is no rebellion yet. It may be a few years before we even have the skeleton of one." Azie cooed sadly. "I still have a job for you, though. Keep collecting information. We may have a use for it someday."

"Where will he go?" Les asked.

"That is up to him. However, I recommend Canto Bight on Cantonica. There are many Imperial officials there and I send my agents there from time to time. It might be a good place for you to blend in," Senator Organa said. Azie chirped his agreement. "Very well. I'll have someone take you soon. Thank you all for bringing him here."

Nakoa and Oni stood. "You're welcome, Senator," Nakoa replied. He turned to leave, then paused when the Senator spoke once more.

"You, Twi'lek. Can you stay a moment longer? This droid seems to like you and I'd like you to help him get on his way," Senator Organa said.

Les hesitated, then nodded. "Of course." Nakoa continued to wait. She faced him, finally. "You can go on ahead. I'll be there in a minute."

"We'll be waiting," Nakoa replied. He headed out of the office, letting the door close behind him. Oni was several feet ahead of him. Nakoa furrowed his brows, thinking. It seems like the Senator knows Lesia. That doesn't make sense. He shook his head. It doesn't matter. So what if she knows him? Still, he found himself pondering Oni's theory about their new companion. What was she hiding? Was it worth investigating? Something told him to push the thoughts away. He obeyed and boarded the Mythos.