Star Wars Republic Commando: Knight of Honor ✓

Chapter 46

Author's Note: If you have any tips writing tips, please feel free to comment.

As always, I continue to hope that I am doing justice to the spirit of Star Wars as well the respective authors and characters from which I borrow. Again, I gratefully accept constructive criticism as a means to help me develop my skills further as a writer.

Mandalorian (Mando'a) words

Aru'ela (AH-roo-AY-la): hostile, enemy (adj)

Ika (EE-kah): diminutive suffix written as 'ika - also added to a name as a very familiar or childhood form, e.g, Ord'ika - Little Ordo

Ner vod (nair-vohd): "my brother/sister"; colloquially also "my friend"

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Chapter 46

I think about you every day and hope that you are safe. I know that the war had ended some time ago and I was told it was at the cost of the entire Jedi Order. I haven't heard from you consistently for a few weeks now, and I can't help wondering if you and your brothers survived. My heart aches without knowing what has happened to you, and I worry every moment I receive no reply. I know in one of my previous messages I had told you that we had newcomers settle on Tochin who were assigned here by Emperor Palpatine. They undermine my father's authority and find ways to twist his words against him. Papa and Janelle have shared heated debates with the one who has taken the rank of moff. The new legion of stormtroopers that they provided is not personable either. I'm growing impatient for your response, even a single line of text will...aru'ela.

Princess Arlesse Psach's final comlink transmission to RC-1147 "Jas"

Mandalore, 63 Days After Order 66

Jas paced back and forth over a small section of the main gathering room, replaying the last message in his mind that Les'ika had sent him. The desperation in her words had him far too wound up to consider settling himself onto the accommodating couch or into any of the chairs. Although the room was far from decorated, there was something familiar-seeming and even relaxed about the structure of the housing. It was like the house itself was inviting and warm, openly accepting anyone who had managed to earn the trust of the gatekeeper named Kal Skirata.

Jas thought about this most unusual clan for a moment, and he almost believed that if he wasn't so worried about what had happened to Les'ika, he might be able to consider this place his home as well. Everyone gave the impression that he and Dusty had earned their right to be amongst them. The clan had invited them to every meal and to partake in household activities. Jas had tried a few times over the past couple weeks to enjoy some of the sports recreations that many of his distant brothers were so adept at undertaking. However, Jas was just unable to submerge himself entirely in the entertainment. At one point he had even tried helping with the household chores, but he found that he was just far too restless to keep his concentration on the tasks he was given.

He wasn't intending to dwell so hard on Les'ika's absence and now that he was free from the GAR, the obligation he felt to return to her had been consuming him. He wanted to start their lives together and hated that it had been weeks since he and Dusty had fled the GAR. Jas was growing impatient with his need to be certain that Les'ika had remained safe, especially with the speed at which the Empire seemed to be devouring the galaxy. Upheavals that appeared insignificant in the grand scheme of the universe had sparked the Emperor's wrath, and the Sith Lord had taken no mercy with some of the worlds that had tried to protest the new regime. Even peaceful protests were laid to rest efficiently with many individuals arrested, maimed, or killed. The Emperor was taking no chances with his expectations of the galaxy's citizens, and he was ruling through fear to keep everyone where he wanted them.