{"id":483,"date":"2012-08-06T06:00:04","date_gmt":"2012-08-06T11:00:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.writingunderduress.com\/?p=483"},"modified":"2012-08-06T11:18:50","modified_gmt":"2012-08-06T16:18:50","slug":"the-new-jedi-order-siege-champions-of-iridonia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.writingunderduress.com\/?p=483","title":{"rendered":"The New Jedi Order: Siege – Champions of Iridonia"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Sanshir clan gathered in Halyn\u2019s quarters aboard the Cathleen<\/em> a week and a half after the conclusion of the war on Iridonia.<\/p>\n

Kativie Lusp smiled as arms wrapped around her. She leaned back into her husband Hakk\u2019s embrace, allowing him to take her weight. It was a small comfort for the Jedi Knight\u2014resting in the strength of another, rather than always being the warrior, the pillar, the rock for everyone around her. Even Jedi Knights can\u2019t be strong all the time<\/em>, she told herself. I bet even Master Skywalker has moments where he allows Mara Jade to offer him strength.<\/em> She was grateful Hakk had arrived mere hours after the orbital battle had concluded; he had told her that he had been waiting outside the system in a freighter, watching for a moment he could slip through.<\/p>\n

The surviving children were playful but somber. It tugged at her heartstrings to see them so subdued, but she knew they were mourning the losses of their own. The pain opened her wounds afresh, threatening to overwhelm her. Instead of fighting it, she leaned even harder into her husband and allowed the familiar, deep pain to wash over her. Her eyes closed as she reached out to the Force and leaned heavily on it, too, for strength.<\/p>\n

Argus and Allanna were sitting hand-in-hand at a small table, conversing deeply with their eldest son. Kativie had been delighted to learn that her second-oldest nephew, stationed on the Maria<\/em>, had survived alongside his father in the disastrous Reecee battle.<\/p>\n

Halyn sat alone in a corner. Kativie stretched out toward him with the Force, trying to gauge his feelings in the Force.\u00a0 She was not as sensitive as others, like Kelta, and in spite of their familial bond, she could sense only the dark cloud that had seemed to hang over Halyn since the siege on Iridonia had lifted. Why has he been so distant since the Vong were destroyed?<\/em> she wondered, not for the first time. He should be celebrating the danger passing and the weight being lifted from his shoulders.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cAre your parents going to make it?\u201d Hakk whispered in Kativie\u2019s ear.<\/p>\n

She started for a moment, then settled back into his embrace. \u201cNo,\u201d she said aloud. \u201cThey\u2019re still out on the Zabrak colony on Talus.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry about what happened with my family while I was gone,\u201d Hakk murmured. \u201cIf I would have been here, I could have at least smacked my father around for you and Halyn.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kativie shook her head. \u201cIt\u2019s not your fault, and your father was just being himself.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, I\u2019ve been thinking about that pretty much since you told me what happened,\u201d Hakk continued. \u201cAnd I was wondering if you wanted to change your last name back to Sanshir.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBack to Sanshir?\u201d Kativie repeated in confusion. \u201cWhat are you talking about?\u201d Her hearts twisted in her chest. \u201cYou\u2019re not talking about leaving me, are you?\u201d<\/p>\n

Hakk chuckled. \u201cNever. Not for all the wealth in the galaxy, Kat.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen what?\u201d<\/p>\n

Hakk breathed in her ear, a warm feeling that sent shivers down her spine. \u201cI want to disown the Lusp clan. If the Sanshirs will have me, I would like to be a part of your family\u2019s clan, not mine.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kativie was so shocked it took her a few moments to gather her thoughts. \u201cHow much thought have you put into this?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cSome,\u201d Hakk replied quietly. \u201cI can\u2019t stand to stay with my clan after what they did. Their arrogance nearly destroyed Iridonia\u2014there\u2019s no way Jram would have been ready to lead, and my father does not have the experience in warfare that your clan accumulated in the Civil War.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd what does joining the Sanshirs accomplish?\u201d Kativie asked quietly.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt will show the surviving Lusps that their actions weren\u2019t acceptable,\u201d Hakk said. \u201cIf I leave them, it will be unprecedented\u2014no son born in the Lusp clan has left for the last thousand years. It would be a huge event that would force them to reconsider.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kativie didn\u2019t reply immediately; instead, she reached out to the Force for guidance. Her thoughts settled calmly into place, and when she spoke her words came with the absolute certainty she almost never felt. When the words emerged, they were the Force\u2019s, not her own. \u201cYou should not leave the Lusps, Hakk. If it\u2019s what you want, yes, we can formally leave the Lusps and join the Sanshirs, but it will not affect the Lusp\u2019s course.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d Hakk whispered, a little taken aback. \u201cHow can you know?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThink about it,\u201d Kat said. \u201cThe Lusps and the Sanshirs alike have gone through the most severe warfare in our space since the Civil War. If you leave now, it will be written off as a consequence of the war\u2014in open conflict, even Zabraks respond in odd ways to the stress.\u201d<\/p>\n

She could feel Hakk\u2019s disagreeing frown, but she pressed on. \u201cNow, clan Lusp\u2019s leader is gone, dead in a conflict that ravaged Rak\u2019Edalin. If you stay, there\u2019s a chance you can press for some real change. You may not end up as the head of your clan, but you don\u2019t need to if you want to make things better and prevent this from ever happening again. Imagine, you might even be the first Zabrak to finally settle this feud between the Lusps and the Sanshirs in millennia!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI hate it when you make sense,\u201d Hakk muttered. \u201cI come up with some grand gesture, and you tell me I\u2019m being stupid. And then you explain why<\/em> I\u2019m being stupid. And you\u2019re right<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter being married to me this long, I thought you\u2019d be used to it,\u201d Kativie teased as she wiggled against him.<\/p>\n

He chuckled and squeezed her tighter for a moment. Kativie smiled and closed her eyes, reveling in the feelings. She hadn\u2019t realized just how much she\u2019d missed it while fighting the Yuuzhan Vong.<\/p>\n

In the Force, she felt Halyn\u2019s dark mood lighten a little. At the same time, she felt another presence\u2014one far calmer and more powerful than she had felt before.<\/p>\n

Kat opened her eyes and spotted Kelta Rose slipping into the room. The other Jedi Knight unobtrusively walked along the wall, heading over to the corner where Halyn was sitting. He was watching her, his brilliant green eyes nearly glowing with delight.<\/p>\n

She reached out again and marveled in Kelta\u2019s presence in the Force. The red-maned Jedi Knight felt completely at peace for the first time she could recall\u2014ever. It wasn\u2019t just her serenity, but Kat could feel a new wellspring of power in her friend. She feels like a master<\/em>, Kat observed. The power and the peace. Only Jedi Masters have both, and she has them in abundance. She didn\u2019t just heal Halyn; I think she healed herself, too, of whatever was haunting her.<\/em><\/p>\n

There was a faint tink-tink-tink-tink<\/em> sound that drew Kat\u2019s attention. She turned her head and saw Argus was on his feet, a glass in one hand and a small vibroblade in the other, tapping the inert blade against the glass to draw the attention of everyone in the room. He continued to tap persistently, waiting until even the children had quieted and turned to look.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you,\u201d Argus said with a small smile on his lips. \u201cI\u2019m glad we could all be together tonight, for the first time since the siege ended.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kativie wondered briefly what her eldest brother was going to say.<\/p>\n

\u201cMore than thirty years ago, none of us had any idea what we would become. I was a security force member for the Iridonian government, my younger bratty brother ran off to see the galaxy, and my baby sister was just a child. Ten years after that, we three had led the efforts to liberate Iridonia from the Empire\u2014me with the Zabrak resistance, Halyn as a Rebel General, and Kativie as a renegade who forced both of us to work together,\u201d he added with a smile.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think we\u2019ve made Iridonia a better place. We\u2019ve done our best to protect it from threats both outside and inside our space. We\u2019ve sacrificed time and again to ensure our world survives. \u201c He swallowed. \u201cWe\u2019ve lost cousins, sons, and daughters as we\u2019ve tried to safeguard everything that means anything to our race. As warriors, we\u2019ve bled and died on the battlefield; as supporters, we\u2019ve sacrificed our time and energy to rebuild what has been lost and destroyed; as leaders, we\u2019ve made the hard calls to ensure the wars are won.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kativie felt something through the Force at the last statement. There\u2019s more than he\u2019s letting on<\/em>, she thought to herself. But now was not the time to speak up, not in front of the children.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd now we\u2019ve won yet another war, this time against a race desiring to utterly destroy us and every bit of our history and culture. Halyn was the key to that,\u201d he said, nodding at his younger brother, \u201cbut each of us has fought and sacrificed and, yes, lost much in this war. And while we won the war here, I don\u2019t doubt we\u2019ll need to sacrifice more to ensure the galaxy at large is safe from the Yuuzhan Vong.\u201d<\/p>\n

Argus raised his glass. \u201cSo, this is a celebration of Clan Sanshir and what we have accomplished. To all of us, whether you are born as a Sanshir,\u201d he said, locking gazes with Halyn and Kativie in turn, then smiling at the children, \u201cor whether you joined us afterward,\u201d he continued, smiling down at Allanna, then up at Hakk, and finally to the only human in the room, Kelta Rose, \u201cI raise a glass in salute. You are my family, and you are the reasons I continue to fight. With all of you as Sanshirs, our clan has grown greatly, and we may yet continue to guide Iridonia on a path of freedom from tyranny.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kativie picked up her glass with her fingertips and raised it into the air. \u201cTo Clan Sanshir, and Iridonia!\u201d she called.<\/p>\n

Others repeated the toast, and drank. Kativie sipped at her drink, hid her grimace as the alcohol burned all the way down. Drinking is not for the Jedi<\/em>, she thought wryly.<\/p>\n

For the first time in months, her family felt at ease\u2014the tension of months had drained away, taking with it the toxins and pain of loss. They were comfortable, relaxed, reveling in the bonds of family.<\/p>\n

With the exception of Halyn. She could still feel something dark eating at his peace. If we beat the Yuuzhan Vong, we can beat whatever is still troubling him<\/em>, Kativie thought. He won the war for Iridonia\u2014that\u2019s not too much to ask.<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Abi Ocopaqui was upright for the first time in two weeks. She still felt as though a part of herself was gone, and in some ways it was\u2014her severed head-tail was home to deep-seated memories, cultural memories passed down to her even though she hadn\u2019t ever lived on Ryloth.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you okay?\u201d Li Coden asked her for the umpteenth time.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m fine,\u201d the Twi\u2019lek snarled reflexively.<\/p>\n

Her head seemed to be pulled just a bit to one side, putting perpetual pressure on her neck. She knew it was a result of the now oddly-weighted lekku. Either I\u2019m going to get used to this or I\u2019m going to need a neck brace<\/em>, she thought to herself. Dammit, dammit, dammit.<\/em><\/p>\n

In spite of the discomfort and the sense of loss, she knew she had been very, very lucky. The Yuuzhan Vong amphistaff strike had only nicked the very edge of her brain\u2014enough to cause some damage, but not enough to lose her identity. It may take me years to figure out just what exactly I\u2019ve lost<\/em>, she told herself. And maybe it\u2019s not anything I\u2019ll ever miss.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m going to need to get a prosthetic,\u201d she muttered as she rolled her head back and forth, cracking her neck. \u201cThis is going to kill me if I don\u2019t figure something out.\u201d<\/p>\n

The door to the medcenter hissed open, and Halyn Lance slipped through, trailed by the red-maned Kelta Rose.<\/p>\n

Halyn was silent as he approached. Abi stroked her severed lekku unconsciously. This really is going to bother me<\/em>, she told herself as she waited for Halyn to speak.<\/p>\n

The Zabrak settled onto a medical cot across from Abi before he finally spoke. \u201cHow are you feeling, Abi?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow do you think?\u201d the Twi\u2019lek growled. \u201cA big part of me was destroyed. Thanks to you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Halyn accepted the blame without protest. \u201cI\u2019m sorry I brought you into this,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

The Twi\u2019lek raised an eyebrow. That\u2019s not what I was expecting.<\/em> \u201cOh?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Halyn said. \u201cThis war was between the Zabraks and the Yuuzhan Vong. I shouldn\u2019t have asked you to fight, and I put you in the position where you were wounded. Kativie may have sent you after the scarhead commander, but I placed you on the battlefield with the opportunity to do so.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, I heard we won?\u201d Abi half-asked.<\/em><\/p>\n

The Zabrak nodded. \u201cWe did. We wiped out the Vong to the last man and blew up every ship in orbit.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWith what fleet?\u201d the Twi\u2019lek asked sardonically.<\/p>\n

\u201cGarm Bel Iblis sent some warships with our fleet on the way back,\u201d Halyn said shortly. \u201cFew extra big warships made the difference in wiping out their blockade.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, what now?\u201d Abi asked.<\/p>\n

Halyn shrugged. \u201cWe beat the Vong off, and I don\u2019t think they\u2019ll be sending another invasion force anytime soon. Now that we\u2019ve got our HoloNet relay back up and running, I\u2019m hearing rumors that the New Republic has setup a government-in-exile on Mon Calamari, so we\u2019ll need to get a representative there to ensure Iridonia has a say in what happens next.\u201d He smiled just a bit. \u201cAfter all, we\u2019ve proved the Vong can be beaten.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s all well and good,\u201d Abi said, waving her hand, \u201cbut I\u2019m still waiting to hear how you\u2019re going to replace my Y-wing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Halyn froze, and Abi chuckled silently to herself. You weren\u2019t expecting that, were you? Everyone thinks you\u2019re so damned good, but I can always prove that you don\u2019t anticipate everything.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, that\u2019s all?\u201d Halyn asked casually. He dug in his pocket and produced a datacard, showing it to the Twi\u2019lek before tossing it across to her.<\/p>\n

Abi caught it. \u201cWhat\u2019s this?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I did some checking, and it turns out Bel Iblis had a few recon Y-wings on the Harbinger<\/em>. He was more than happy to sign one over to the Maria<\/em> in return for all the tactical data we acquired during the siege.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA recon Y-wing?\u201d Abi asked skeptically. \u201cYou\u2019re going to toss me some unarmed piece of junk and call it square? I don\u2019t think so.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI said it was signed over to the Maria<\/em>, not you. That was three days ago, which means the mechanics have had time to arm it with the latest laser and ion cannons we had in-stock from New Horizon Designs before their skyscraper was reduced to a pile of ash. In fact, there\u2019s even a full load of proton torpedoes in the racks\u2014or there should be, if they followed my orders.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI guess we\u2019ll call that even, then,\u201d Abi agreed grudgingly. Dammit. He <\/em>did anticipate me this time.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cAnything else?\u201d Halyn asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cGuess not,\u201d the Twi\u2019lek said.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo where are you going, then?\u201d the Zabrak asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cCheck up on my daughter, then head off to link up with New Republic Intelligence,\u201d she said after a moment of hesitation. \u201cWhat about you? Just going to rest on your laurels as the Hero of Iridonia?\u201d<\/p>\n

Halyn snorted. \u201cHardly.\u201d He shrugged, then added, \u201cI don\u2019t really know what I\u2019m going to do yet. Not sure if I\u2026just not sure,\u201d he amended. He looked past Abi. \u201cWhat about you, Li?\u201d<\/p>\n

The too-thin man smiled. \u201cWell, I\u2019m going to have a long report to write up for my superiors,\u201d Li said. \u201cThey\u2019ll want a full analysis of what happened here, especially in light of the fact that you won. After that, well, I\u2019d forgotten how much I enjoy flying. Maybe I can persuade someone to put me in a cockpit again\u2014after all, all those rookies will need a real squadron leader to show them the ropes if we don\u2019t want to see them all get killed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m glad you were both here,\u201d Halyn said with a small smile. \u201cThank you both for everything. I appreciate it. What you two did, well,\u201d he took a deep breath, \u201cit went well beyond the bonds of friendship. So thank you.\u201d He shook both their hands, then walked out without looking back.<\/p>\n

Abi watched him go. I don\u2019t think I\u2019ll ever understand that Zabrak.<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Halyn smiled at Kelta as they walked down one of the abandoned corridors of the Cathleen<\/em>. Since the conclusion of the siege, the upper decks of the destroyed warship, which had primarily been occupied by officers and warriors, were now largely emptied of life. \u201cI just can\u2019t get rid of you, can I?\u201d Halyn asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot as long as I\u2019ve got this,\u201d Kelta teased him, holding up the silver band.<\/p>\n

\u201cSee, that\u2019s why I tried to avoid that for two decades,\u201d Halyn smirked. \u201cSoon as I give you any trace of commitment, I just can\u2019t shake you off. You hang on tighter than a piranha beetle on a dead carcass.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kelta made a face. \u201cThat\u2019s really an image I wanted. You always did know how to flatter a woman, coatrack.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone knows how damned charming I am,\u201d Halyn said with a smirk. \u201cIt\u2019s all the silver tongue.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere are we going?\u201d Kelta asked, changing the subject.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy personal armory,\u201d the other explained. \u201cEventually someone will tear this ship down or clean it out and turn it into a museum or memorial. I\u2019d rather not leave all my personal gear there for someone to poke their nose into.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOkay, that<\/em> sounds like you,\u201d Kelta teased him.<\/p>\n

Halyn stopped before the correct door, tapping in his key code. Kelta just stood back and watched. He\u2019s probably got the equivalent of a proton torpedo in there and doesn\u2019t want anyone to know<\/em>, she told herself while she tried to hide a grin. There\u2019s just no way he can\u2019t play things close to his chest. It\u2019s in his blood or something.<\/em><\/p>\n

When the door slid open, Kelta was surprised to see the room was occupied.<\/p>\n

The big Wookiee growled a greeting. <Hello, coatrack,> he said. <And you, Kelta.><\/p>\n

\u201cGood to see you, too,\u201d Halyn said. \u201cNow what are you doing in my armory?\u201d<\/p>\n

<I thought I would ensure nothing important is left behind,> Anishor said. <I saw some of your weaponry in here previously and decided discretion was called for.><\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, the baradium is a bit illegal for private ownership here and, uh, everywhere,\u201d Halyn said with a straight face.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot just baradium,\u201d Kelta said with a smile. \u201cAren\u2019t those antimatter charges?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShush, you,\u201d Halyn said as he picked up several of the palm-sided explosives and slipped them in his pocket. \u201cBesides, I\u2019d hate for people to find out what\u2019s in my duster.\u201d<\/p>\n

<What kind of leather is<\/em> that?> Anishor asked.<\/p>\n

Halyn smiled with secret knowledge. \u201cYou\u2019ll never know,\u201d he said as he unhooked the floor-length duster from its place and slipped it on.<\/p>\n

<So what are your plans now?> the berserker inquired.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d Halyn shrugged. \u201cA few people have asked, but I\u2019m playing it by ear for now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Anishor nodded.<\/p>\n

Kelta felt the grimness radiate from both of them and knew she reflected it as well. It\u2019s not fair<\/em>, she told herself. Not after all this.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about you?\u201d Halyn asked the Wookiee. \u201cAre you going back to Kashyyyk to have another bunch of whelps?\u201d<\/p>\n

Anishor chuckled. <I think my skills will be needed elsewhere. My berserkers proved themselves very capable in fighting your war here. While I would rather be fighting, I will likely be training more Wookiees in the art of the rykk blade. We will need far more warriors than my few berserkers if we ever hope to take back Coruscant or any other heavily-occupied world.><\/p>\n

\u201cSo, nursemaiding young Wookiees for you,\u201d Halyn teased.<\/p>\n

<I thought I would train my berserkers the way you trained your bomber pilots during the Civil War,> Anishor replied. <By throwing them into combat and seeing who comes back alive.><\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t do that,\u201d Halyn denied. \u201cMuch.\u201d<\/p>\n

Anishor chuffed with laughter. <Well, if you need somewhere to go, you will always be welcome on Kashyyyk,> the Wookiee said at last. <We could use a commander who has fought the Yuuzhan Vong, as well as a pilot who has trained combat pilots.><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll keep that in mind,\u201d Halyn said. \u201cIt\u2019s better than a lot of alternatives.\u201d<\/p>\n

Anishor stepped over in one giant stride and picked up both Halyn and Kelta, squeezing them in a massive Wookiee hug. <I am happy for both of you, you know. It took you two furless far too long to come to this.><\/p>\n

Kelta smiled and wrapped her free arm around the Wookiee\u2019s back. \u201cWe don\u2019t all mate by clubbing someone over the head and dragging her off to our tree,\u201d she joked.<\/p>\n

<You have clearly spent too much time with the coatrack,> Anishor declared. <You\u2019re starting to adopt his views of Wookiees, as wrong as they are.><\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, he doesn\u2019t have a club,\u201d Halyn grunted. \u201cHe has to use the flat side of a rykk blade.\u201d<\/p>\n

Anishor squeezed Halyn a bit tighter, and Kelta felt as much as heard the breath go out of him. \u201cI know he has that effect on people, but you have to let him breathe,\u201d the Jedi said, hiding her smirk.<\/p>\n

<I know, but it\u2019s good for him to remember on occasion that he\u2019s not always on the top of the food chain,> the Wookiee said as he set them both down.<\/p>\n

Halyn and Anishor both turned back to picking up the more illegal bits of the Zabrak\u2019s personal arsenal. Kelta watched them both in amusement. You would think they\u2019re smugglers, not officers and warriors, let alone heroes.<\/em><\/p>\n

<Do you have regrets?> Anishor asked after a long but not uncomfortable silence.<\/p>\n

\u201cRegrets? Of course I do,\u201d Halyn said with a small, sad smile. \u201cA lot of Zabraks died following my orders. We held Iridonia by sacrificing lives. I ordered Rak\u2019Edalin razed and burned it to the ground. It may have been the only way to win this war, but it still doesn\u2019t feel good. I ordered friends to their deaths, and there wasn\u2019t anything else I could do.\u201d<\/p>\n

<I have heard speculation that those are the reasons the Jedi were destroyed by the Clone Wars,> Anishor said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought the Jedi were destroyed by Palpatine after the Clone Wars,\u201d Halyn commented.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, and no,\u201d Kelta said. \u201cThe Clone Wars rotted away the strength of the Jedi Order and left it vulnerable. Years of warfare left the Jedi unprepared for the actions of the Sith.\u201d<\/p>\n

<The Jedi were appointed commanders and generals of the army of the Republic,> Anishor continued. <They were forced into positions where people\u2014both troops and civilians\u2014died regardless of the decisions they made. It undermined their certainty and eroded their connection to the Force. When the Sith acted, they were utterly destroyed.><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat does that have to do with me?\u201d Halyn asked dryly. \u201cLast I checked, I\u2019m no Jedi.\u201d<\/p>\n

<It\u2019s not just Jedi,> Anishor pointed out. <You have sacrificed much of yourself in this war. If you\u2019re going to continue to fight, you will need time to recover.><\/p>\n

Halyn shrugged. \u201cMaybe.\u201d He lifted the last of his weapons from the rack, a small disruptor pistol, and holstered it inside his duster. He turned back to the Wookiee and hugged his old friend. \u201cThank you, Anishor, for coming to Iridonia and fighting. We couldn\u2019t have done it without you.\u201d<\/p>\n

<I know, coatrack,> he joked. <I know.><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Sanshir clan gathered in Halyn\u2019s quarters aboard the Cathleen a week and a half after the conclusion of the war on Iridonia. Kativie Lusp smiled as arms wrapped around her. She leaned back into her husband Hakk\u2019s embrace, allowing … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-483","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-njo-siege"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p52rlt-7N","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.writingunderduress.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/483","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.writingunderduress.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.writingunderduress.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.writingunderduress.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.writingunderduress.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=483"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/www.writingunderduress.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/483\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":491,"href":"https:\/\/www.writingunderduress.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/483\/revisions\/491"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.writingunderduress.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=483"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.writingunderduress.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=483"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.writingunderduress.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=483"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}