The Republic has fallen.
In the final days of the Clone Wars, Chancellor Palpatine died under mysterious circumstances. With the Senate struggling to retain a sense of unity, it was the perfect time for the Separatists to strike. And strike they did...
They were too high above the trees to hit anything, and the skies were clear; Lux dared a glance over at her, and stuttered into silence once again. Alynna had her fist pressed to her mouth, eyes screwed shut and exhaling in fits through her nose like she was trying not to snort. The laughter won out before long, and it was only with difficulty that she managed to gasp out, "My– my brother would love you. Stars, I see now why you always travel with a chauffeur. Who the hell taught you to fly?"
"I, ah... technically, I never got my license." At her raised brows, he added, "But I'd nearly finished the course before the uprising, and we're not going far."
"And where is that?"
Lux smiled. "That's for me to know, and you to find out in... about an hour."
"Tease."
"Tease? Me? Is that how you want to play?" He grinned. "Now who was it that kissed whom in order to retrieve a certain bottle of Chandrilan rum?"
Alynna slouched in her seat, crossing her arms. "Point," she said sulkily. Then she perked up. "But you're forgetting that I was drunk when I did that. You, sir, are clearly in your right mind. Demented laughter notwithstanding."
Lux shut his eyes for a blissful second, enjoying the moment. "I'm so giddy about the company I might as well have had half a bottle of rum."
Alynna rolled her eyes, but her lekku and montrals had changed color slightly – something Lux had decided was the Togruta equivalent of a flush. "Okay, that's it," she said. "Park this thing so I can take over."
"You don't even know where we're going!"
"Where are we going?"
Certain now he was fighting a losing battle in trying to keep their destination under wraps, Lux brought the speeder to a standstill, and whispered a single name:
"Iziz."
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The planetary capital of Onderon was beautiful. And not in the way Kyzeron was beautiful, either, with glitzy palaces erected side by side with slums that offered every hint to the indentures who had built them both. Iziz felt... right, to the feeble link Ahsoka maintained between herself and the Force. It felt good. Just by looking at them, she could tell the tasteful, orderly construction of the tall brick buildings and the bustling markets went far deeper than surface charm.
Ahsoka didn't need to hear Lux say this was his hometown. She would've known it in a heartbeat.
"It's wonderful to be back," Lux murmured as he hopped out of the speeder and stretched his legs. The scarf he'd draped over his hair to keep unwanted eyes off his face slipped as he flexed his arms above his head. Clambering out of the pilot's seat, Ahsoka went over to fix it for him, tucking his bangs carefully in place under the fine burgundy cloth.
His left hand alighted on her waist, present without pressuring, and he tilted her chin up with his right. Smiling, she answered the carefully inquiring look in his eyes with a kiss, leaning forward onto the tips of her toes to reach his mouth.
