The Mandalorian Chronicles

Elodie: I Can't Believe I'm Saying This, But I Miss My Mom

Korkie and I sat on opposite sides of our prison room, too nervous to approach each other. I don't know why he wasn't closer to me, but I know why I'm not going up to him. It has a lot to do with guilt. This is all my fault. I should've listened to Commander Cody and stayed at the Temple and waited for my father. Even if it meant humiliation. The Death Watch guard stood outside the room, peering in from time to time. I don't know how long we've been in here, but it's been long enough. I sighed. I'm slowly beginning to realize that I can't go through life alone, no matter how much the world hurt me. 

"Hey. Korkie." I whispered, hoping he could hear me. Nothing. No response from him. He just kept staring off into space, his head resting on the duracrete wall. I took a deep breath. I have to mend our friendship. I have to keep him close. 

"Korkie. Hey. It's Elodie." I said, scooting closer to him. He looked up. 

"I know," was his response. 

"Um, I just wanted to say I'm sorry." 

"For what?"

Now I had his attention. 

"I messed up. I messed up big time, and I got you into this mess. I'm sorry." 

"This was fated to happen. I messed up too." Korkie said, going back to staring. 

"You want to talk about it?"

"No."

"Okay." 

After a moment of awkward silence, I moved so that my shoulder touched his. He looked at me, a piece of hair falling into his eyes. 

"Whatever happens, I'm here," I told him. "It's not like I can go anywhere." 

He smiled a bit, leaning his head on my shoulder. "I lied. I do want to talk about it."

"I'm listening."

"My aunt—your mom—and I haven't been getting along. We kind of had a big fight and I feel bad, but I also don't. She deserved what I said, but she didn't deserve the way I said it." 

"I see." 

"No, you don't," he snapped. 

"Then I don't see."

Korkie's face scrunched up in that way that someone does when they're about to cry. His chin quavered and his blue eyes teared up. 

"I'm sorry," he sobbed, covering his face with his hands. I gently pulled him closer. He buried his face in my shoulder. 

"We can fix this." I assured him, smoothing his hair back. 

"Yeah, you can. I'm nothing to her anymore." 

"You are too something." 

"She doesn't care about me. It's all about work. Work, work, work. And then there's you." 

"What... what does she say about me?" 

I can't deny that I'm more than a bit curious. This was the woman I'd never known, but who knew me. I want to know what she says about me. I need to know. 

"Nothing usually when I'm around, but she talks to Padmé about you. She told her that you never should've been born—"

"I knew it!"

I knew it, I knew it, I knew it! I'm a mistake, and I hate life even more now! 

"And that she wishes she'd kept you. She misses you, Elodie."