Corellia: 19 BBY
Clan Covert
Nakoa Sen

    Nakoa smiled as they walked through the old tunnels. The Clan seemed to be doing well. As usual, the younger foundlings were playing games and running rampant through the tunnel. Oni broke away from him and headed off to find Galaar.

    Nakoa made his way to Ketei's chambers. The door was already open when he arrived. He narrowed his eyes, finding that rather odd. He brushed into the room and looked around. Ketei was sitting at her workbench, completely still.

    "Ketei," he called. Nakoa approached her and set the beskar case onto the bench. Ketei shook her head and straightened.

    "It took you longer than I expected. Did you find Baja?" She asked.

    "We did but we were sidetracked by another bounty." Nakoa dropped a sack of credits onto the bench beside the case. He'd already sorted out Les's share, although he hadn't given it to her. "I think you'll appreciate it." He opened the case, revealing the quantities of beskar.

    Ketei let out a small gasp and touched the metal gently. "Where did you get this?"

    "It was an Imperial bounty."

    She picked up one of the bars and inspected it. "This will serve the Clan well. Did you or Oni want some of it reserved for armor or something?"

    "I don't. Oni does, I think. You'll have to ask her about it."

    "Are you sure? Your armor is good but it's nothing compared to pure beskar."

    Nakoa tapped a finger to his helmet. "Mine may be mixed, but it's served me well. I don't want to part with it just yet."

    "All right." Ketei began to move some of the beskar over to her smelting vat. "How did the search for Baja go? Did it take you long to find him?"

    "It went well. We found a smuggler who knew where to find Baja. She helped us capture him."

    "A smuggler?"

    "She was a dancer at Jabba's Palace when I found her," Nakoa explained. "Her boss was Hondo Ohnaka and he traded her to the Hutt for spice. She made a deal with me. She'd take us to Baja if we helped her get some revenge on Hondo."

    "And did you?"

    Nakoa nodded. "We destroyed his spice warehouses." He thought for a moment before adding, "She's still traveling with us."

    Ketei faced him. "Why?"

    "She didn't want to go back to working for Hondo after what he did. I offered to take her somewhere. She hasn't decided where she wants to go. Honestly, I think she's afraid to. She doesn't want to go somewhere with an Imperial occupancy, but she also doesn't want to go anywhere that was touched by the Clone Wars."

    Ketei remained silent, waiting for him to continue. Nakoa sat down and sorted through his thoughts. "Oni doesn't trust her but I think that's just because she's jealous. Les has been helpful and if she was going to betray us, I think she would've already. She seems to know a lot about things happening in the galaxy now, too. She called us Children of the Watch. Do you know what that is?"

    "I do." Ketei moved some of the melted beskar and poured it into a mold. "In a way, she is right. We follow many of the same teachings that they do. Still, I don't believe we are as strict as they are. We follow the ways of Old Mandalore, but we adapt as we need to. They stick to the creed mercilessly. If a member of their Clan breaks the creed, there are usually consequences of some kind."

    "So we are but we aren't?"

    "Yes. As to your new friend, have you considered letting her stay permanently?"

    "I've thought about it. I don't think Oni would approve, though."

    Ketei nodded. "Bear it in mind, regardless. She has helped you, so you must help her."

    "Yes, Ketei."

Corellia: 19 BBY
Clan Covert
Oni Aleu

    Oni sighed and dropped her chin into her palm. The edge of her helmet dug into her skin, but she ignored it. "I want to get rid of her but Nakoa won't let me."

    "From what you've told me, she doesn't sound like a troublesome person," Galaar replied. He packed some more gear into a crate and set it down with a few others.

    "So far, she hasn't been. I can't explain it. I just don't like her. She doesn't know her place. She keeps...I don't know."

    "Oni, you've always been a headstrong girl. You're devoutly loyal to your friends and that makes your judgements biased. I don't think you've actually looked at her as a person."

    "Yes, I have. I don't like what I see."

    "All right, then." Galaar crossed his arms and inclined his head. "Tell me what you don't like about her. Five seconds ago, you said you didn't know."

    Oni felt her cheeks grow hot with frustration. "Like I said, she doesn't know her place. She just waltzed onto our ship like she owned the place. She does what she wants, when she wants, with no regard for anyone else."

    Galaar held up a hand. "How did you meet her?"

    "Nakoa was the one who found her. She was a dancer at Jabba's Palace."

    "She was a slave?"

    "It was only for a day. Her old boss traded her for some spice."

    "I see."

    "I don't think she'd be good at dancing anyway. She has bad ankles. They're covered in scars, like she was shot there or something. Nakoa mentioned that she has bad memories about the Clone Wars. I don't trust anyone who had any part in that blasted war."

    "There it is. You view her badly because she may have been involved in the war somehow. Perhaps she was but that is her story to tell. From the sound of it, something terrible may have happened in her past, just like yours."

    Oni looked down, refusing to accept Galaar's words. "Still, she doesn't know her place. You should see the way she acts around Nakoa. It's like they're best friends already."

    "Or, perhaps, you're the one who needs to learn their place. You have always been protective of Nakoa. I once thought you viewed him as a brother, but I have long since learned that it is much more. You need to tell him or you need to back down. He can have other friends, Oni, whether they're female or not."

    "I never said he couldn't."

    "Your behavior said it for you." Galaar returned to his work and packed up one final crate. "Come on. Help me load this onto my ship."

    "Where are you going?"

    "Geonosis. We wanderers don't like to stay put for too long."

    "No, we don't," Oni agreed. She picked up two crates and followed him out into the tunnels.

Corellia: 19 BBY
"Mythos"
Lesia Mirri

    It had been almost a full day since Oni and Nakoa left. Les was going through several star charts, trying to find a suitable planet to go to. None seemed appealing to her. She flipped to the next chart and scanned the planets listed there.

    She pulled one leg up into her lap and absentmindedly rubbed her ankle. They had ached particularly bad today. Les grimaced and eyed the scarred tissue. Despite the Lurmen's best efforts, she hadn't fully recovered from her injuries before she'd been forced to leave.

    Lesia rubbed it again. A memory flashed before her eyes and she gasped. Smoking blasters, a scream, snow...Les shook her head. This is why I can't be alone for so long, she thought.

    She switched off the star charts and hopped down to the floor. She crossed her legs and called the Force to her. Meditation might help. It used to. Her senses spread throughout the ship, then beyond, until she was one with the Force.

    "Commander Mirri, General Mundi wants you to greet the new troops as they arrive."

    Lesia turned, spying Commander Bacara approaching. "All right. Lead the way." Bacara nodded and they headed back towards a Republic landing zone.

    Gunships roared as they passed overhead. The droid army hadn't slowed their approach, despite the snowstorm that had come through the night before. The clones were exhausted, but the battle went on. New troops would be welcome.

    Les folded her arms and waited as another gunship landed close by. Four clones stepped off, all wearing the familiar 21st Nova Corps armor. They formed a line before her and Bacara and saluted.

    "At ease, Boys," Bacara said. "This is Commander Lesia Mirri. She'll show you around and help you get situated."

    "Follow me." Les waved a hand over her shoulder and turned. The clones grouped around her eagerly. She could already tell they were newer clones. She'd heard rumors that they would be younger and have less tampering than the others had. "What are your names?"

    They all removed their helmets before replying. "I'm Raptor." He still had his cadet hair cut and wore a stern expression.

    "I go by Ram," said another. "And this is Jess." He slung an arm around one of his brothers. Jess smirked and wiped some wavy hair out of his face.

    "And you?" She turned to the other clone. Lesia arched an eyebrow, noting a peculiarity about him. This clone had blue eyes.

    "I'm Cole," he replied.

    "Welcome to Mygeeto. It's cold and our only companions are droids, from what I've seen."

    "It's a good thing you wear unique colors," Cole said, gesturing to her tunic. It matched the ruddy purple paint of the clone's armor.

    "What do you mean?"

    "Well, we might lose you in the snow otherwise." Lesia's mouth fell open as he boldly lifted one of her lekku and smirked. She rolled her eyes, her cheeks turning pink. "That might help us find you too."

    Les cleared her throat and walked on ahead. In the background, she heard muffled laughs and scoldings. "Way to go! Why would you say that to a commander, and a Jedi no less?"

    "Oh boy, here we go."

    "Relax. It's not like I'll do it to the General."

    "We'll have serious concerns if you do!" They all started laughing. Despite herself, Lesia smiled.

    She opened her eyes back on board the Mythos and wiped away a tear that had managed to drip down her cheek. She hadn't let herself think about her friends since the Purge. She hadn't let herself think about what she did to them. Lesia especially hadn't thought about that particular blue eyed clone, who's boldness had caught her interest.

    She stood and made her way into her cabin. "That's over and done with. I'm here now and I have to focus on that," she whispered. Still, as she lay in the quiet room by herself, she couldn't help but cry.