Star Wars Republic Commando: Knight of Honor ✓

Chapter 21

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

Ba'vodu Gan: Uncle Gan

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

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Chapter 21

We found wreckage belonging to a ship that matched the ownership signatures from the bounty hunter, Qotan Hazar. It was found approximately one hundred and twelve miles west of the Tochin Grand Palace. By the scattering of the pieces and the burned damage it sustained, we can only assume that the ship had broken up upon entering the atmosphere. Sadly, we regret to inform you that there was no sign of survivors. However, the investigation crew did find broken seals from what could have been an escape pod. Unfortunately, the wreckage was too far destroyed to discern exactly how long ago those seals were broken and if an escape pod had been launched recently.

CC-2341, known as "Tarj," reporting to King Vollan Psach and the Republic Liaison, Jedi Knight Paxa Tener

Tochin Moon III, 785 Days ABG

Arlesse awoke to the sound of the wildlife softly chittering amongst themselves. She heard songs from the birds that she never had before. Their musical pitches ran through scales and notes as though they were part of some vast symphony that the forest performed regularly. She decided to lie in her blankets for a few minutes longer, allowing herself to get lost in the harmony and the accompaniment. Suddenly, she was struck with the realization that she would never be permitted the freedom to hear this kind of concert ever again.

Eyes blinking against the early morning sunlight, Arlesse tried not to dwell on the sights and sounds that would no longer exist to her after the men of Crimson Squad return her home. She had lived her entire life within the confines of her father's palace, and she had never wanted to venture into the unknown before. But, as her time with these soldiers prolonged further, she wanted nothing more than to enjoy every moment of this newfound freedom for all it was worth. She knew that she would never have survived these forests by herself, and if not for the Republic soldiers who were entrusted with her care, she would have perished days ago.

Lifting her head and sitting up, Arlesse scanned her eyes over the sleeping Republic soldiers wondering yet again if there would ever be any way to properly provide them the gratitude they deserved for everything they had done for her and the galaxy. Rubbing her eyes gently, Arlesse felt the thickness of humidity building into the air, and she was reminded that they would have another long day ahead of them. She didn't know how many miles they had traveled so far, and she wasn't certain she wanted to know how many more were left. She had decided that it was easier to just put one foot in front of the other rather than try to mentally track what could be an overwhelming distance.

Suddenly locking irises with Gath and noting that he was the only one of the four who was awake, Arlesse came to the conclusion that he had apparently acquired the necessary rest he needed and then took over for Dusty's shift. When he dropped his gaze from her, she took a few minutes to observe their camp. She saw that the fire from the night before was nothing but some smoldering embers, the firewood long burned to ash.