Star Wars Republic Commando: Knight of Honor ✓

Chapter 53

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

Aruetisse (ah-roo-ay-TEE-say): traitors, foreigners, outsiders

Buy'ce (BOO-chay, BOO-shay): helmet; Colloquially: pint, bucket

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

Kama (KAH-ma): belt-spat

Kaysh ret pirimmuy (kaysh-rayt-peer-im-OO-we): He might be useful

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Chapter 53

For centuries, the palace guards were responsible for the safety of the royal family. I wasn't too keen on the Republic Army stepping into our territory, but at least they knew their limits. The Empire took away the only employment I've ever had, and now that I've been removed from that honor, I find civilian life is much more complicated than I ever imagined.

Chora Wsau, former Tochin palace guard

Tochin Moon III, 82 Days after Order 66

"Sweetie, you can stay and drink until your heart's content," the bartender said to Dusty. Her voice was surprisingly feminine, entirely unfitting to her brawny body. She flicked her eyes quickly to Jas but kept her words at Dusty. "Your... friend, however... well unless he takes that contraption off his head and partakes in some drinking of his own, he's only taking up space for someone who would be willing to pay for my selection of spirits."

Dusty nodded and looked to Jas as though he had this conversation regularly with those who did not know the two of them. "Madam, I do apologize for my friend's lack of involvement, but I must warn you that I've seen his face only once. And, sad to say, there is barely a face to be seen. He was a victim to a horrendous homestead blaze when he was merely a lad."

The bartender glanced her eyes back to Jas and something that looked like pity flashed in them for a moment. Then, her eyes squinted as though trying to see into the T-visor. "Lost your face when you were young. I guess you've never been with a woman, then?"

Jas felt the color drain from his face at this barkeep's sudden curiosity, and he was even more grateful for the buy'ce that covered what he was certain was a look of shock and horror. He had no idea how exactly to respond, especially over a matter that was so deeply personal.

"Well, I can make... arrangements for you, if you'd like," the barkeep continued softly, almost conspiratorially. "I rent out the second story to a... fairly liberal group of entrepreneurs."

Dusty knew he had to intervene quickly, as he was able to see the embarrassed stiffness in Jas' posture, and he could tell that the barkeep hadn't noticed Jas' subtle discomfort. It wasn't something most people would notice, but growing up together and sharing battles beside each other for over ten years had given clones an ability to hone in on those nearly invisible reactions.

Dusty fought now to keep the neutral look on his face and avoid laughing over his brother's sudden predicament. "Madam, let's just say that my guardian is not distracted by the fairer sex... considering that there were other parts of him, well... also damaged."