Chapter Text
The hull vibrated in tune with the Reckless’s hyperdrive. In the common area, spare parts dotted the top of the workbench—an old power cell, a tangle of wires, piles of sparkling pink stones. Training remotes and a blast helmet had been pushed to the side. In the space that had been cleared, Katooni knelt, her new lightsaber hilt lying disassembled in front of her. One hand tightly clutched her light blue kyber crystal. It resonated in the Force—a thin, reedy voice that clashed against the dense warmth Katooni was channeling around and through herself.
Leaning against the bulkhead, arms folded, Ahsoka watched her apprentice. She’s learning quickly. It had taken months before Ahsoka’s own lightsabers had felt wrong in her hands, her crystals gradually growing more dissonant until she couldn’t use them. Katooni had brought up her discomfort after only a few weeks. But then, aside from a few helpful tips from Asajj, Ahsoka had needed to figure out the dark side on her own. Katooni’s eagerness to embrace it proved that Ahsoka was doing something right. I’m a good teacher. Ahsoka had explained to Katooni how she had poured every scrap of herself into her crystals until they’d drunk their fill and emerged transformed, singing with intricate harmonies that reflected her new identity. Now, Katooni was attempting to do the same.
The Force in the cabin began to shift. Pressure built in Ahsoka’s montrals, like she was nose-diving an Interceptor with the inertial dampeners turned off. Katooni’s jaw tightened, head tendrils pressing flat against her skullcap. Through their training bond, Ahsoka sensed a torrent of emotion: the terror of abandonment when Katooni’s clan-mates had left her to die; the aching need to belong somewhere, to matter to someone; the overwhelming desire to impress her master, to prove herself.
That’s it. Ahsoka pushed encouragement through their bond. Don’t hold back.
For a long moment, nothing changed. Katooni’s breathing grew ragged, her small body trembling with the effort of maintaining her focus. Ahsoka looked on, saying nothing, trusting her apprentice to find her way through. This wasn’t something that could be forced from the outside. The crystal had to accept who Katooni was now—or reject her entirely.
Then, all at once, the kyber’s song changed. The melody grew frenetic and bright, an excited tune layered with complex overtones. Katooni’s eyes slowly opened. “I did it.” Her voice was barely above a whisper, hoarse with exhaustion, but her face shone with triumph. She stared at the crystal in her hand like she’d never seen it before. “Master, I did it.”
Ahsoka pushed off from the wall and crossed to her apprentice, crouching down in front of her. “You did,” she said, letting her pride flow openly through their bond. “I’m impressed, Kat. That was excellent.”
Katooni beamed, but her arms shook as she levitated the components of her lightsaber. The pieces floated slowly into position, wobbling through the air more than usual. The focusing lens clicked into place before the hilt closed around the crystal.
Swaying slightly as she stood, Katooni ignited her blade. Fuchsia light blazed through the room, casting strange shadows across the dejarik table. The color was bold, bright, almost aggressive, nothing like the soft blue it had been before. Katooni stared at it with wide eyes, turning the blade this way and that.
“It’s beautiful,” she breathed.
“It’s you,” Ahsoka said. “That’s what this process was all about. Making your lightsaber reflect who you are. And now…” She nodded towards the beam of plasma. “Now anyone who sees that blade will know exactly who they’re dealing with.”
Katooni deactivated the saber with obvious reluctance, like she wanted to keep staring at it. Her exhaustion was evident in the slump of her shoulders, but her eyes were bright with excitement.
“I already like it so much better than my old lightsaber. Remember when I built it? We were on Florrum, the Separatists had just invaded, and Hondo wouldn’t help us escape until I showed him I could put it together.” A grin spread across her face. “Fighting our way out, escaping from General Grievous? That was so cool.”
Something twisted in Ahsoka’s stomachs. She kept her expression carefully neutral, clamping down on her mental shields to prevent stray emotions leaking out. “Florrum?”
“Yeah!” Katooni put on a pleading expression, her fatigue apparently forgotten. “Master, can we go see Hondo? I can show off my new lightsaber.” She bounced on her heels, her head tendrils swaying. “Maybe he would even let us on his crew! It would be so much fun to try to be a pirate for a bit. Please?”
Hondo.
The name stabbed through her like a vibroknife. For a moment, she was back there—trussed up, trapped in an energy field, displayed like a trophy while Hondo laughed and talked about how much someone like her was worth. The casual way he’d discussed her value. The humiliation of being treated like cargo.
He was going to sell me.
Nails dug into her palms as her hands curled into fists at her sides. The dark side responded immediately, a surge of hot fury that tasted like copper on her tongue. Had Katooni forgotten that the only reason she had been on Florrum in the first place was to rescue Ahsoka? That Hondo had tried to steal her kyber crystal, the one she was now so excited to show him? But Katooni radiated only earnestness. To her, Florrum was the site of her first adventure, her first fight—her first chance to impress her future master.
Ahsoka forced her hands to unclench. Forced her face into a smile.
“Pirates, huh?” She was amazed at how steady her voice came out. “That does sound fun.”
Katooni’s face lit up. “Really? We can go?”
“Of course.” Ahsoka reached out and ruffled Katooni’s head tendrils, the gesture covering the way her hand trembled slightly. “You’ve earned a reward, and if that’s what you want, then that’s what we’ll do.”
“Yes!” She jumped up, pumping her fist in the air. “Thank you, Master!” Her attention shifted back to her lightsaber. “I think I’m going to run through some forms, get a feel for my new hilt.”
Ahsoka couldn’t suppress a grin at that. “Just make sure you get some rest. Changing your crystal takes a lot out of you.”
The hum of Katooni’s saber faded behind her as Ahsoka walked towards her and Barriss’s cabin. Her partner lay stretched across their bed, propped up against a pillow, her prosthetic left hand holding a datapad while the right rested behind her head. She didn’t look up when Ahsoka entered, but her presence in the Force shifted slightly.
Ahsoka crossed the room and collapsed onto the bed beside Barriss, staring at the ceiling. Despite the upgrades and improvements they’d been making to the Reckless, the metal was still pitted and scarred, testament to the ship’s prior service before they’d stolen it from a group of mercenaries. She focused on the patterns, trying to find shapes in them like she used to do with clouds on Coruscant when she was young and supposed to be meditating.
“You’re troubled.”
Barriss’s voice was relaxed. She still hadn’t looked up from her datapad.
“We’re going to Florrum,” Ahsoka said flatly.
That made Barriss look up, one eyebrow raised in mild inquiry. “I thought we were headed to Raxus to deal with their finance minister?” Her eyes narrowed. “Using the Empire’s required reparations as an excuse to levy additional taxes on their lower class is despicable.”
“She’s already been dealt with,” Ahsoka said. “Some new squad out of Kamino took her out.”
Barriss pursed her lips. “Well I suppose that saves us a trip. But why Florrum? Isn’t it just a dustball in the Outer Rim?”
“Do you remember all the stories I told you about Hondo Ohnaka?” Barriss gave a slight nod. “Kat wants to go see him. She thought it would be fun to ‘try being a pirate’ for a while.” Ahsoka’s voice dripped with sarcasm on the last words. “It’s what she wants to do to celebrate changing her crystal.”
Barriss set the datapad aside, giving Ahsoka her full attention. Concern trickled from her in the Force. “I sense there’s more to this than you’re telling me.”
Ahsoka exhaled, long and slow. “The last time I was on Florrum… before any of this.” She gestured vaguely at herself, at everything she had become since the Jedi kicked her out. “Hondo had captured me. He was going to sell me.”
Silence.
Then, very quietly: “Sell you.”
“He already had a buyer in mind.” The words tasted bitter. “He had me immobilized, tied up like a prize nerf ready for market. Talked about how much a Jedi would fetch. A female Jedi.” She snarled, Hondo’s plans even more disgusting in hindsight. “Kat rescued me, and we were almost safe. Then the Seppies showed up, I had to fight off Grievous, and Hondo flew us away.” She growled. “The kriffing sleazeball probably thinks I owe him! That disgusting slick of Hutt slime was trying to save his own skin and hoping for a reward. But Kat remembers him as just some rascal, a minor annoyance who was secretly a good person all along.” Her lips twisted in distaste.
The mattress shifted as Barriss sat up. Her hand came to rest on Ahsoka’s arm, warm against her skin.
“And you don’t feel Katooni should know what you’re feeling? That she deserves to understand your pain?”
“No.” Ahsoka breathed out through her nostrils. “Just because I use the dark side doesn’t mean I’m a Sith, Barriss. I’m not using pain to teach her. Kat has her own emotions to focus on without dealing with mine.” Her rage at the memory of being trapped, being helpless, simmered beneath her skin. “I want to teach her that she deserves to get what she wants. But that means not getting what I want.”
Barriss was quiet for a moment. When she spoke again, her voice had a dangerous edge. “The galaxy would be better off without men like Hondo Ohnaka.”
Ahsoka’s eyes widened. She rolled over, her left lek pressing into the mattress, and looked up at Barriss. Her face was composed, but the Force roiled about her, turbulent and vicious, in tune with the fury churning in Ahsoka’s gut.
“Are you suggesting we kill him?” Ahsoka frowned. “Not that I don’t want to, but I don’t think that’s what Kat had in mind for this trip.”
Barriss lay back down, her metal hand moving to Ahsoka’s right lek. Her cool fingers traced the skin in slow, soothing strokes. Ahsoka’s eyes closed as she let out a soft hum.
“I’m suggesting,” Barriss said, “that perhaps this is an opportunity. You can give Katooni what she wants—the experience of playing pirate, the thrill of adventure. And while we’re there…” She let the sentence trail off meaningfully.
Without opening her eyes, Ahsoka smiled. “Being a pirate is dangerous. All sorts of things can go wrong.”
Barriss’s flesh hand crawled behind Ahsoka’s head, finding the sensitive spot beneath her rear lek and forcing a delighted trill from Ahsoka’s throat. “We can teach Katooni about how the galaxy really works. About what happens to men who think they can treat people as commodities. She’ll understand.”
The anger coiled inside Ahsoka unwound as the fire of her rage was replaced with a different fire. Opening her eyes, she gazed at Barriss, just inches away. “You’re very good at this,” she murmured.
“At what?”
“At making me feel better.” She ran a hand through Barriss’s hair, and was rewarded with a sigh.
“I’ve had practice.” A ghost of a smile crossed Barriss’s face. “So. What’s your plan?”
“Right now?” Ahsoka rolled, straddling Barriss. “I have a few thoughts.” She nipped at Barriss’s ear, earning a moan. “And after? We go play pirates on Florrum.” She kissed the tattoos on Barriss’s cheeks as Barriss tugged at Ahsoka’s tunic.
“I think Kat’s right. It will be fun.”
Starlines shortened and coalesced into a pinprick starfield as they dropped from hyperspace. A dusty orange-brown planet swelled before them, backlit by the system’s primary. Ahsoka guided the Reckless through the atmosphere, the hull rattling gently as they descended. Clouds parted to reveal jagged mesas and sandy basins. On the horizon, the burnt-out durasteel remains of a building sagged over the lip of a round canyon. Piles of scrap metal and broken ship parts scattered the canyon’s floor and rim.
“I can’t wait to see Hondo again,” Katooni gushed from the copilot seat. “He’ll be so excited to see us, don’t you think, Master?”
Ahsoka’s lips curved in a slight smirk. “I’m sure he’ll find our visit… memorable.” She felt Barriss shift in her seat, pictured the faint grin she was sure flashed on Barriss’s face.
With a hiss of repulsors, they settled on a bare patch of ground, backwash from the engines blowing sand up into swirling clouds that obscured the viewport. The heat hit them the moment the ramp descended—a dry wind smelling of sulfur and garbage. Katooni took the lead, practically bouncing with excitement, her new lightsaber strapped to her thigh.
“Doesn’t look like they’ve cleaned up much since the last time I was here.” Ahsoka nudged the head of a B1 aside as she stepped off the ramp.
“It doesn’t look like they’ve ever cleaned up.” Barriss cringed in disgust, then flicked her hand, using the Force to clear a path through the litter of empty bottles and trash that blanketed the ground. A single “guard” leaned against the wall next to the door, chin slumped to his chest, either drunk or knocked out. To the side, a throne-like chair was tipped on its side, riddled with blaster holes. Ahsoka froze, her lekku going stiff. Her pulse echoed in her montrals, drowning out the noise coming through the open door.
Hondo sat there, drunk, while I was forced to crouch at his feet!
A light weight on her shoulder brought her back to herself.
“Will you be able to handle this?” Barriss asked, eyes full of sympathy.
“Yeah.” Ahsoka looked around one more time then nodded. “Just have to remember how good it will feel when we destroy all this later.” She smiled weakly. “Let’s catch up with Kat.” Barriss squeezed her shoulder once before they walked inside.
Unlike the exterior, there were no signs of a Separatist invasion inside. The space was familiar—grimy walls, sticky floor, flickering lights, and a very well-stocked bar. Hondo clearly had his priorities when it came to repairs. The scent of spilled liquor and unwashed bodies hung in the stale air. Pirates of a dozen species lounged about, drinking, gambling, drinking, fighting, drinking. Shouts and yells fought with the music pounding from speakers for dominance. A pair of Twi’lek dancers swayed around the room, their movements languid and practiced. In one corner, a Sabacc game had devolved into a fistfight that no one seemed interested in breaking up.
Hondo leaned against the bar, deep in conversation with what must have been one of his lieutenants. Whatever he was drinking splashed from his goblet as he waved his hand around.
“—no no no no no. That is a terrible plan. Terrible! Have you learned nothing from me? Hondo Ohnaka would never in a million years—”
“Uncle Hondo!”
Before Ahsoka could stop her, Katooni had flung herself at the pirate, wrapping her arms around him in a crushing hug. Hondo swayed, nearly toppling sideways. The room went quiet, then burst into laughter. Hondo struggled to peel the girl off him, brow wrinkling, before his eyes went wide.
“Is that—could it be?” he sputtered. “Katooni? Little Katooni?”
Katooni beamed up at him, stepping back. “Hi!”
Hondo smoothed his vest, a mixture of confusion and delight on his face. “I don’t believe it! Katooni the Jedi, alive and well and here on Florrum. Tell me my girl, what brings you to my humble place of respite?”
“Oh, I’m not a Jedi anymore,” Katooni said brightly. “My master brought me as a treat.”
“Master? You mean another Jedi? Perhaps even someone I know?” He scanned the room. When he spotted Ahsoka and Barriss, he slapped at his leg, mouth open in shock.
“Of course, who else? Ahsoka Tano!” His face split into a wide grin. “My favorite young Jedi, taking it upon herself to mentor my favorite even younger Jedi. Ah, it warms my heart to see.”
“Hondo.” Ahsoka managed a tight smile. “It’s been a while. You’re looking the same as always.”
“And you are looking—” He paused, taking a closer look at her appearance, a slight double-take the only sign he noticed her golden eyes. “—different. But good! Very good!”
“I’m taller,” Ahsoka deadpanned. “I don’t believe you’ve had the pleasure of meeting Hondo before, have you Rissy?” Barriss stepped forward, distaste clear on her face. “Barriss Offee, Hondo Ohnaka. He and I have a… history.”
“History, yes, such a history of daring and adventure!” Hondo swept his hat off in a deep bow. “Any friend of Ahsoka Tano’s is a friend of mine.”
“Charmed,” Barriss said flatly, in a tone that suggested she was anything but.
Hondo’s smile flickered slightly, but he recovered quickly. “It is not a common occurrence that I have three Jedi visiting, especially these days. Please, come, sit!”
Moving to a nearby table, Hondo pulled out a chair. Before he could sit, Ahsoka yanked the chair away with the Force, dropping into it and kicking her feet up onto the table. With a wave of her hand, she summoned two bottles of Corellian whiskey from the top shelf of the bar, handing one to Barriss as she sat. Ahsoka uncapped her bottle and took a long drink, the alcohol burning pleasantly in her upper stomach. Next to her, Barriss sniffed at her bottle, took a small sip, and grimaced.
Ahsoka set her bottle down. “Like Kat said.” She leaned her chair back until it balanced on two legs. “We’re not Jedi.”
Hondo gaped, then shook his head. “Of course, of course! There are no more Jedi. Such a tragedy, you all made the galaxy so much more interesting.” He clutched his hands to his chest. “But seeing you, ah, it gives me hope that there are other not-Jedi still out there. Perhaps you have encountered some, eh? Like my good friend Kenobi?”
Ahsoka’s feet hit the ground and her elbows hit the table. “You’ve seen Obi-Wan?” She stared intently at Hondo, who suddenly looked unsure, rubbing a hand against the back of his head.
“Has Hondo seen Kenobi?” Hondo tugged at his collar. “Alas, I have not. I was merely expressing my desire for him to have survived all the unpleasantness on Coruscant that we have heard about even all the way out here on Florrum.”
For a moment, the Force flashed with Hondo’s unease. The dark side stoked a burning need to question him, a hunger to rip the truth from his mind. Her former grandmaster had always claimed to find Hondo insufferable, despite the pirate’s insistence on the strength of their friendship. I never even considered that Obi-Wan might try to hide on Florrum! Bringing Padmé here when he knows what Hondo is capable of? That self-righteous, hypocritical, back-stabbing excuse for a—
“Master?”
Ahsoka started. Her bottle of whiskey hovered a few centimeters above the table, shaking. Katooni shot Ahsoka a worried look, their bond rippling with concern. With difficulty, Ahsoka tamped down on the dark side until it was merely smoldering. Save it for later. We’re here for Katooni.
Grabbing the floating bottle, Ahsoka took another gulp. “We haven’t heard anything from Obi-Wan since the night of the Purge.”
Hondo shifted in his seat, then put on a theatrically mournful expression. “Tragic! The galaxy loses so many interesting folk. But we must soldier on.” Adopting a jollier tone, he continued. “Now, to what do I owe this pleasure, hmm? Just a social call? Here to reminisce about all the wonderful times we have shared together?”
Biting back her rage, Ahsoka nodded at Katooni. “Kat, tell Hondo why we’re here.”
“I made a new lightsaber!” She pulled it from her thigh, holding it out proudly for Hondo to see. “And I remembered how interested you were in my old saber last time, and how much fun we had—”
“Fun?” Hondo interrupted, incredulous. “Are you referring to the time when the Separatist army invaded my home? When that dreadful Grievous fellow attempted to kill us all?”
Katooni nodded energetically. “Yeah! It was great!” She grinned at him, apparently oblivious to his disbelief. “Anyway, I thought since Master and Barriss and I don’t really have any plans right now, maybe we could join your crew for a while!”
Every pirate that heard Katooni stared. Then Hondo threw his head back and laughed, and the rest of his crew joined in.
“Jedi pirates!” He slapped the table. “Now I have heard everything!” Hondo wiped his eyes. “My dear child, I am not certain your… delicate sensibilities would translate well to the life of a pirate. There is danger, and violence, and a general disregard for the law that I suspect might offend your Jedi morals.”
“We don’t have Jedi morals,” Katooni said, crossing her arms. “And last time, you said I could join your crew if I wanted to.”
Hondo looked thoughtful. “It is true that you have some very impressive skills. But Hondo is a businessman, and as such, must always think of the best way to maximize profits.”
Katooni tilted her head. “What does that mean?”
“It means,” Barriss said, sneer on her face, “that Hondo thinks he would make more money selling us out to the Empire than by letting us join his crew.”
“He would never do that,” Katooni said, looking questioningly at Hondo. “Would you?”
Hondo placed a hand over his heart. “I would never—”
“You absolutely would,” Ahsoka cut in, “if you thought you could profit from it. Go ahead and try. We won’t stop you.” She grinned, her fangs obvious. “We’ll even hang around to watch the show when the Empire shows up.”
“Show?” Hondo’s eyes narrowed. “What sort of show would this be?”
Barriss laughed. “The Empire doesn’t appreciate people wasting their time. If you bother to check the bounty lists, you’ll notice none of our names are on it.”
“Like we keep telling you, Hondo,” Ahsoka said. “We’re not Jedi. Besides, even if the Empire were interested in us, I doubt you want to draw their attention here.” She gestured to the room. “I doubt they’d be as forgiving with you as the Seppies were.”
Hondo frowned, tapping a ring-laden finger on his chin. “Hmm, that is a good point, a very good point. From everything I am hearing about this new ‘Lord Vader’ he does not sound like the sort of man I would want coming around here.”
Ahsoka kept the smile off her face at the mention of her master. “No. I don’t believe he is.”
“Then let us say no more about it. Now, as to the matter of you joining my crew…” Hondo sighed dramatically. “Unfortunately we are full. No vacancies! So I must decline your request. Regretfully, of course.”
“What?” Katooni’s smile dissolved. “But I really wanted to join up,” she whined.
Ahsoka arched a brow marking. “This is the perfect learning opportunity, Kat. What is it that I’m always telling you?”
“The only reason everyone is against the reverse grip is because it’s too hard for most people to learn,” she answered immediately.
“No, not that,” Ahsoka said, ignoring Barriss’s snort. “The other thing I’m always telling you.”
“Umm… always knock before coming into your and Barriss’s cabin?”
“Not that either!” Hondo smirked at her; she imagined driving his face through the table. “The other thing.”
Katooni’s eyebrows scrunched together for a moment before answering. “I shouldn’t let anything stop me from getting what I want?”
“Right. And what do you want right now?”
Katooni chewed her lip, thinking. “I want to be on Hondo’s crew.”
“And what’s stopping you?”
“He said there isn’t room.” Katooni glanced around at the pirates drinking and laughing, then back at Ahsoka, who gave a tiny nod. Katooni’s mouth opened slightly, and their bond flashed with understanding.
Katooni leaped, somersaulting over the heads of a group of startled pirates. Her lightsaber ignited mid-air, the fuchsia blade lighting up the dim space. She landed behind three Weequays who had been playing dice, and before any of them could react, her blade swept in a single, fluid arc.
Three heads hit the floor. Three bodies thudded after them. The music cut off. Gasps and horrified cries rang out. The dancers shrieked, ducking behind the nearest body. Hands moved to blasters, but no one drew.
Katooni straightened, her lightsaber humming in the sudden silence. She looked at Ahsoka, her head tendrils fluttering and her expression uncertain.
“Was—was that right, Master?”
Barriss snickered. Ahsoka’s smile was full of pride.
“That,” she said, “was exactly right.” She turned to Hondo, who had leapt to his feet. “Looks like three spots just opened up,” Ahsoka said. “I think we’ll take them.”
Hondo stared at them for a full minute, one hand hovering over his blaster, the other stroking his chin. The Force raced around him, fear being chased by intrigue, with something like hunger following. Finally, his shoulders relaxed, and he nodded.
“Welcome to the crew!”
Around the room, everyone settled back to their drinks and conversation. Katooni, the Force awash with her excitement at getting her way, went to watch a sabacc game. With a sigh, Hondo sat down, waving at the bartender for a refill.
“Not Jedi, eh?” He shook his head, chuckling. “Forgive Hondo his doubts, my dears. It is just that it is hard to believe. Still, I suppose things change. This new Empire…” He tsked. “Turmoil! Change! Chaos everywhere! Hondo should be swimming in profit, my friends. Swimming!” He slammed a fist onto the table. “And yet, instead, my feet are barely wet.” He slouched in his chair. “Opportunities for a shrewd businessman such as myself are getting harder and harder to find. Truthfully, even with Katooni’s, eh, eagerness to join, I cannot guarantee having work enough to support you.” He looked dejected, almost enough to make Ahsoka feel bad for him.
Barriss gave Ahsoka a knowing look. “That is surprising,” she said. “I would think the reparation shipments would offer an excellent target.”
“Reparations?” Hondo leaned in. “What reparations?”
“The ones the Separatist planets are being forced to make.” Ahsoka kept her voice light. “Millions of credits, precious metals, gemstones—whatever a planet has, the Empire wants. And all of it carried on lightly guarded courier vessels.” She inspected her fingernails. “You didn’t know about them?”
“Raxus will be sending their next payment in two standard days,” Barriss said. “As I’m sure you can imagine, the Empire is requiring sizable remittance from the capital of the Confederacy.”
Ahsoka smiled. “And we know the route they’re taking. Including where they’ll have to drop out of hyperspace to recalculate their jump.”
The greed in Hondo’s eyes was almost comical in its intensity. “It would be,” he said slowly, “a very simple matter to intercept such a ship.”
“Simple, and profitable.”
A sly smile spread across Hondo’s face. He wagged his finger at Ahsoka. “You. You I knew I liked. But never did I know how much. Hondo is not known to reject such an excellent idea when it falls into his lap! Perhaps your coming here, it was, as you not-Jedi say, the will of the Force, yes?” He raised his glass. “To friends, old and new, good business, and profit!”
The three clinked glasses. Ahsoka drank, and imagined she could see flames.