Star Wars Republic Commando: Knight of Honor ✓

Chapter 47

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)

Ba'vodu (BAH-vod-oo): uncle (plural bavodu'e) or aunt (plural bavodu'e)

Ba'vodu Gan: Uncle Gan

Di'kut (DEE-koot): idiot, useless individual, waste of space (lit. someone who forgets to put their pants on)

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

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

Shab (SHAH-ab): Mandalorian word for excrement

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Chapter 47

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

Ordo turned on the datapad so that it brought up images and text in a holo-projection above the tabletop.

"The Imperials have pretty much taken over Tochin," Ordo started. "We've got information that a young moff named Gillard Harkin is in charge now, having all but disbanded the monarchy."

"What does that mean?" Jas asked, fearing the worst for Les'ika.

"It means he did a clean sweep of the royalty," Skirata explained. "There was supposed evidence that members of the royal establishment were planning to overthrow the Imperial involvement."

Jas leaned back against the wall, feeling his face go pale and rubbed his forehead with the palm of his hand. "So, she's dead, too?"

"Not yet," Ordo offered. "There were a few royals who had kept to themselves, avoiding the politics of the Imperial invasion. We found some Imperial propaganda, holo-recordings that they released about a week ago showing the expected punishment for traitors to the Imperial cause."

Touching a key on the datapad, Ordo said nothing as an image filled the area above the table. Approximately fifteen people, a combination of male and female humans were standing in the vast courtyard at the palace on Tochin. They were placed in an execution line, surrounded by masked stormtroopers. A small stage had been set behind the prisoners where a man no older than thirty-five stood. Jas presumed that this man was the moff, and he took a few moments to silently assess him. The blonde politician was accustomed to wealth and privilege from what Jas could see. Just the high-quality material that was used for the gray suit and boots he wore spoke volumes for his familiarity with credits. Harkin also spoke with the refinement that Jas remembered hearing in Duchess Janelle's voice, and the moff's eyes could capture his audience, portraying to them a sense of concern. Jas briefly wondered just how much of this man's intentions were truly honest and how much was manipulation to be certain that the Empire expanded the way Emperor Palpatine wanted.