Between Two Worlds: A Prequel to the Mandalorian Series

Chapter 37: A New Hope - 1 BBY to 0 ABY

     The subsequent silence that followed told Kyra all she needed to know.

     "And Leia?" Kyra whispered.

     Kallus sighed, "The Tantive IV was intercepted by an Imperial Star Destroyer prior to reaching Tatooine and Organa was taken into custody. An escape pod was jettisoned, though Rebel Command has been unable to contact its occupants."

     Kyra excused herself and got to her feet, rushing into the bedroom and closing the door behind her as she slid to the floor and buried her face in her hands, her shoulders shaking as she wept. She wanted to scream, expel the anger and pain from her body, but she did not want to frighten the small boy that would surely hear her cry. She glanced over at her colorful armor that was visible through the open closet door and stood, taking the beskar off its stand and laying it out on the bed, along with her holstered WESTAR-35 pistols. Next she went to her closet and removed her Alderaanian uniform from the wooden rod it hung on, clenching her jaw as she suppressed the fresh wave of grief that washed over her.

     She laid her uniform on the bed next to her armor and retrieved the Medal of Bravery Senator Bail Organa had given her for rescuing Leia, running her thumb along its golden surface before setting it on top of her uniform. She unclipped her lightsaber from her belt and stared at the bronze, brown, and silver hilt for a moment before placing it between her Mandalorian armor and her Alderaanian uniform. As she stared at these items, Kyra realized that she was now a daughter – and princess – of two lost worlds, both taken from her by the Empire. Kyra had struggled her entire life to balance the two different cultures she had been born into, the Mandalorians and the Jedi.

     When her life had been thrown upside down because she belonged to both of these worlds, the Organas had taken her in and made her feel welcome, despite her conflicting bloodlines being completely different from the peaceful world of Alderaan and its people. Now she had lost the one family who helped her embrace all sides of her identity, and the one place where she did not feel obligated to decide between the teachings of her father and the legacy of her mother. Kyra closed her eyes as she began to meditate, an idea coming to her a few moments later. Standing, Kyra took her uniform and cut it apart with a pair of shears, modifying the cape and tunic to resemble the traditional robes of a Jedi Knight.

     She left the cape on her bed, having seen the number of cloaks that were discarded before battle during the Clone Wars. The uniform's pants did not need to be modified, and she pulled them on before trying out her newly made tunic, which fit perfectly. She slipped into her black, knee-high boots and cinched her belt around her waist, attaching the holsters and the pistols they contained. She considered attaching her shoulder pauldrons and chest-plate to her tunic, but decided against it, knowing the armor would hinder her maneuverability in the loose-fitting robes. After a moment, she clipped her lightsaber to her belt and walked over to the floor length mirror.

     She braided her hair and coiled her bright red locks atop her head, as Queen Breha Organa had taught her to do when she was a little girl. Satisfied, Kyra returned the rest of her armor to the stand and grabbed the Medal of Bravery before finally returning to the living room, where she found Kallus and Hera waiting with three shot glasses containing an Alderaanian brandy Kryze had been saving for a special occasion.

     Hera handed one of the small glasses to Kyra and said, "To Alderaan."

     "To Mandalore," Alex added.

     "To the Rebellion," Kyra finished, the trio holding up their drinks before tossing them back.

     Kyra crouched in front of Jacen, who sat on the couch, and gave him the Medal of Bravery, "Keep this safe for me, youngling."