⌜ ⌝
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
⌞ ⌟
ARTEMIS was glad to see Trask coming into view. Not that she didn't like the Frog Lady but Grogu always seemed to be trying to eat her eggs—something Artemis wanted to prevent.
As soon as they landed, the Frog Lady headed out of the Razor Crest and started looking for her husband. Artemis followed her with her eyes and was pleased to see the spouse reunited. Almost automatically, she smiled.
Grogu whined upon knowing he'd be separated from the eggs and he glanced up at Din.
"I know you're hungry," Din told him. "We'll get you something to eat."
"Me too," Artemis mumbled. "I'm starving."
Din laughed. "We'll get something for you as well."
The husband of the Frog Lady hurried towards them and shook their hands in gratitude.
"You're welcome," Din said. "We were told you could lead me to others of my kind."
The frog nodded and gestured at an inn.
"The inn?" Din questioned. "Over there?"
The frog nodded again and Din and Artemis exchanged a glance before heading towards the inn. Suddenly, Artemis felt as if they were being watched and she turned around as she peered at her surroundings. Nothing odd to see.
"You coming?" Din asked, having noticed she wasn't beside him anymore.
"Yeah," Artemis said absently, as she was still looking. "I'm coming."
With one last glance, she turned around and followed the frogs, Din and Grogu into the inn. The frog waved at a Mon Calamari server and gestured for them to go to him.
"Thank you," Din said again, before the three of them headed over to the server.
"Have a seat over there," he said, gesturing at an empty table. "What can I get you?"
"Nothing for me," Din said. "But two bowls of chowder for my friends," he added, nodding at Artemis and Grogu.
"These seats are scarce, buddy," the server said. "Everyone seated needs to eat."
"I can buy something else," Din said, pushing some credits towards the server. "Information." The server grabbed the credits and Din went on, "Have you seen others that look like me?"
The server filled their plates with chowder. "Others with beskar have been through here," he said.
"Who can take us to them?" Din questioned, as Artemis bowed over her bowl of chowder and started eating. She had not been lying when she said she was starving.
"I know someone who might help," the server said, before walking off to a Quarren boatman.
Artemis ignored whatever the server was telling the boatman and focused herself on her food. She stopped abruptly when she saw it moving. Next to her, Grogu was hesitating as well.
Suddenly, a cephalopod creatured surfaced from the soup and latched itself onto Grogu's face. Artemis pried the creature from his face and it fell back into the bowl.
"Hm," the Quarren boatman said, as he took a seat in front of them. "You seek others of your kind?"
"Have you seen them?" Din questioned.
"Aye," he said, nodding. "I can bring you to them," he added, chuckling. Something in the way he said it made Artemis frown. She did not have a good feeling about it.
"Where?" Din asked, too eager to question it.
"Only a few hours' sail," the boatman said. "It'll cost you, though."
⋆⋆⋆
"I don't trust them," Artemis said, as the three of them were standing onto the deck of a fishing vessel. "Something about it just feels off."
"You ever see a mamacore eat?" the Quarren boatman asked them, right before Din was about to answer. "Quite a sight."
Din did not reply and neither did Artemis. She didn't like where this was going.
"Child might take an interest," the boatman went on. "You should take a look."
Grogu cooed and looked up at them. Din glanced at Artemis, silently asking for permission, but she shook her head.
"We will watch it from over here," Artemis said coldly.
The boatman laughed. "Never took a Mando to follow orders from a woman."
He then tried to whack Grogu's cradle towards the opening into the deck, but Artemis was quicker. She grabbed both of her lightsabers, ignited them and slashed them into the spear.
Shaking her head, she sighed, "I knew this was a bad idea."
And then chaos broke out. All of the boatmen ran towards them with spears in their hands. Artemis ducked and slashed. Din kicked and swirled around them.
A coo was heard and for a moment, Artemis' heart stopped as she saw one of the boatman managing to get to Grogu before whacking him towards the opening in the deck. Using the Force, she pulled Grogu back to her right before the trapdoor closed over the opening.
Suddenly, blast shots were heard and three other Mandalorians joined their fight. The Quarren boatmen were quickly defeated and Artemis checked upon Grogu, letting Din greet the Mandalorians.
"Thank you," she could hear him say. "We've been searching for more of our kind."
"Well, lucky we found you first."
Artemis' hands hovered over Grogu as she heard the voice.
Well, lucky we found you first.
She turned around.
Well, lucky we found you first.
"Bo-Katan?"
The female Mandalorian glanced past Din and as soon as she saw the red headed Jedi, she removed her helmet—leaving Din in the uttmost confusion.
"Artemis?"
And then something happened Artemis would never have foreseen; Bo-Katan hugged her.
"It is really you. You survived."
Artemis awkwardly patted her on the back. "I did. What are you doing here, Bo-Katan?"
"Never mind that, where did you get that armor?" Din said, sounding slightly anger to say the least.
Bo-Karan turned back to Din. "This armor has been in my family for three generations."
"You do not cover your face," Din flashed back. "You are not Mandalorian."
"He's one of them," the other male Mandalorian said.
"Dank ferrik," the other famale Mandalorian cursed.
"One of what?" Din questioned them.
"I am Bo-Katan of Clan Kryze," Bo-Katan introduced herself. "I was born on Mandalore and fought in the Purge besides Artemis." Bo-Katan glanced at her, still not believing she was actually here. She cast her eyes down. "I am the last of my line." She looked back up at Din. "And you are a Child of the Watch."
"The Watch?" Din asked.
"Children of the Watch are a cult of religious zealots that broke away from Mandalorian society," Bo-Katan told him. "Their goal was to re-establish the ancient way."
"There is only one way," Din said, turning away. "The Way of the Mandalore."
"Din—" Artemis tried, knowing Bo-Katan quite well, but she was interrupted when he grabbed her by the waist and ignited his jet pack. She clung onto him rather clumsily as she tried to carry Grogu as well. As soon as they landed, she pushed him off of her.
"Would it have been that bad to listen to them?" she questioned Din. "Bo-Katan is my friend. She can help us."
"You don't understand," Din replied irritated. "She isn't a real Mandalorian."
"What is even a real Mandalorian?" Artemis exclaimed, losing her patience this time. "The fact is that she's my friend and I haven't seen her in over more than two decades and you didn't even have the patience to listen to her!"
Artemis sighed and turned around, not wanting him to see her anger, or frustration. Having seen Bo-Katan brought memories back to her. Good ones and bad ones. Satine's face appeared in front of her eyes, but she blinked furiously and it disappeared again.
"Fury—" Din tried, but they were interrupted by a Quarren boatman.
"You . . ." the boatman began. "You killed my brother.
Artemis took a step closer to Din as more Quarren boatmen joined him.
"Let us pass," Din said.
The Quarren chuckled and took a couple of steps forwards. "I don't think you understand." A gun was loaded behind them. "You killed my brother and now I am gonna kill your family."
Grogu whimpered and Artemis placed her hands on her sabers.
Suddenly, Bo-Katan and her companions descended from the sky and landed next to them.
"He didn't kill your brother," Bo-Katan said. "I did."
In less than five seconds, the four Mandalorians shot down all the Quarren while Artemis nodded, impressed.
"Can we at least buy you a drink?" Bo-Katan asked. She then glanced at Artemis. "We have lots to talk about."
⋆⋆⋆
"TRASK is a black market port," Bo-Katan told them as soon as they were back at the inn. "They're staging weapons that have been bought and sold with the plunders of our planet. We're seizing those weapons and using them to retake our home world. Once we've done that, we'll seat a new Mandalore on the throne."
"That planet is cursed," Din pointed out. "Anyone who goes there dies. Once the Empire knew they couldn't control it, they made sure no one else could either."
"Don't believe everything you hear," Bo-Katan said. "Our enemies want to separate us. But Mandalorians are stronger together."
"That's not part of our plan," Din stated.
"And what of you?" Bo-Katan questioned Artemis.
Artemis frowned, taken aback. "What about me?"
"Don't you want to retake your home world?"
Artemis shook her head. "I was born on Stewjon, not Mandalore," she pointed out, but she couldn't help but to feel the need to help them. It had been Satine's home world and she knew how much it had meant to her. How much Satine had meant to her.
Bo-Katan leaned forwards and placed her hand on hers. Her pale blue eyes bores themselves into her green ones.
"So they haven't told you."
"Told me what?"
Bo-Katan eyed her intently. "Artemis, you were never from Stewjon. You were born on Mandalore. You've always been a Mandalorian."
Artemis pulled her hands back. "No, I'm not. How would you know?"
"Artemis," Bo-Katan moved forwards and grabbed her hands again, preventing her from leaving. "Please, I thought she told you before she—" Bo-Katan swallowed "before she died."
"Stop it."
"No, you deserve the truth, even if you do not want it," Bo-Katan stated.
"I know the truth," Artemis stated.
"No, you know what you think is the truth, but it's not."
"It doesn't matter where I am from," Artemis said, standing up and pulling her hands from Bo-Katan once more.
"Artemis, my sister would have wanted you to know the truth," Bo-Katan said, standing up as well.
Artemis winced slightly as Satine was brought up again and a sad expression crossed Bo-Katan's face.
"She loved you very much, Artemis."
Word count: 1787
Hello everyone!
I am so sorry for the long wait but school was busy (and just life in general) but here's the chapter we've been waiting for!! Bo-Katan has finally arrived!! :)) any predictions for the next chapter? ;) something about Artemis' origin maybe? ;)
Anyway, how are y'all? I hope you are good!
Also be sure to read the prequel "RED" if you like the Kenobi series or want to learn more about Artemis & Obi-Wan's friendship :))
I'll see you in the next chapter! Bye! xoxo
Published: 30.11.2022