A Match for the Mandalore

Canderous



The final destruction of my home world shook me more than I could express. Jennet felt it; she was keeping me from actually doing something embarrassing or stupid, like howling or crying. I didn’t speak; just went out to the garage and made sure the door was locked. I leaned against the bulkhead and tried to get a hold of myself. A moment of that, and I slammed my fist into it hard enough that I felt a knuckle crack.



The planet was dead; there was no doubt. No life except the perverted animals the Sith had imported; not a single human soul anywhere. Bao Dur had scanned the entire surface carefully when he had searched for Ladria and Mira. I saw it, accepted it, and knew what we had done had saved the galaxy. But it still hurt. My grief was deep, and I felt something break inside.



I heard the door open, and felt Jennet come in. She had picked the lock. Carefully making sure it was sealed behind her, she walked up behind me and slid her arms around my waist. Her head barely touched my shoulder blades. She didn’t say anything, or try to read my thoughts. She just hugged me, and leaned against my back. I felt a warmth, and my hand stopped hurting. I flexed it, and felt something else break free. I knew that my planet was gone, and I could live with it. My family were at rest, and I had a new future.



I turned around, and gathered my wildcat in my arms. She snuggled back, wordless, just giving me herself. I relaxed very gradually, and finally, I bent and kissed her.



“I’m all right, Wildcat.”



“I know…now.” She looked up at me. “I wasn’t trying to listen, but you were so upset I couldn’t help but hear. ‘I’m sorry’ just isn’t adequate.”



“It’s all right. Really. It died fifteen years ago, today was just the burial. In more ways than one.” My voice was regretful, but steady.



“So what now?” She asked, brown eyes grave and watchful.



“Now…we go in the common room, and find out how Ladria kicked Kriea’s ass. Then we plan for a wedding.” I kissed her again, and wished we had time and privacy to celebrate our successful mission more personally.



“I love you, ti kar’ta,” Jennet said softly.



“I love you too, cyar’ika.” I kissed her once more, this time more deeply. She sighed, kissing me back.



Before things got out of hand, I regretfully put her down and led her to the common room. Everyone was there, chatting and laughing. They stopped as they saw me, and I gave them all a tight smile.



“I’m okay,” I said gruffly, and sat down, Jennet on my lap. I needed to touch her. She didn’t mind, and snuggled shamelessly. I remembered the first day we’d met, when I was so angry with her for throwing the fight, and how I’d held her for hours on my lap until she told me why. She had felt so good, and even better now. She had liked being there even then, and I smiled at the memory. I rested my chin on the top of her head, and listened as Ladria told us of Darth Traya’s, whom we had known as Kriea, death.



We were all quiet when she finished her story. It seemed a sudden end to such a big threat, and we were all a bit doubtful it was really over.



“What of the rip in the Force?” asked Bao Dur quietly.



“It is mended, for now,” Ladria said softly. “It isn’t over, really. The Sith are out there, and need to be fought. But the biggest threat is gone.”



“What now?” Atton asked.



“Now,” Ladria smiled brightly, “We have a wedding to attend.”



Everyone looked at Jennet and me, and laughed.



“True,” I said. “But it’s going to be a while before we get there. We have tests first, and that can take some time, I think. If you’re all not busy for a month or so, Jennet would appreciate the company. And I would, too,” I added gruffly.



“I don’t have anything on my calendar,” Atton said easily. “Last appointment was ‘save the galaxy’. Done with that.”



“I’d love to hang with you guys for a while,” Mira said. “Not like I have better plans.”



Jennet smiled wickedly. “I think you just want to see some more Mandalorian scenery.”



Mira pretended to throw a glass at Jennet, and they both laughed.



Visas spoke. “I would love to celebrate with Jennet and Canderous,” she said in her soft voice. Jennet had not bothered to call me anything else since our first talk, and the crew had begun to follow her habit. “We all could use a celebration.”



“I agree,” said Bao Dur, and Disciple nodded as well. I was surprised at that; I thought he’d be panting to go off and catalog the Jedi archives. He didn’t seem to like me all that well; maybe he was just fond of Jennet.



“Thanks, everybody,” Jennet said, her eyes bright. “It wouldn’t be right if you all weren’t there.”



“You know what I could use?” I asked. Jennet quirked an eyebrow at me, twisting her head to look at my face.



“What?”



“A drink,” I answered. “I’ve wondered, with your metabolism, how much you can put away. Want to find out?”



She grinned. “You’re on.”



Atton laughed. “I got a hundred credits that says she puts you under the table.”



Mira jumped in. “I’ll referee.”



Ladria laughed, and we all looked around at the sound. She seemed younger than yesterday; more the young woman I knew she was than the quiet grave Exile with the universe on her shoulders. There was still responsibility weighing on her, but the load was much lighter, and it looked good on her. “This I have to see,” she said delightedly.



Visas looked a little taken aback, but game to watch. Bao Dur just sat back, looking serene and happy. Disciple, rather than disapproving as I had expected, looked interested.



“Jennet, I’d really like to run some tests on you one day. With Canderous’s approval, of course,” he added hastily at my look.



“Canderous doesn’t approve what I do,” Jennet said. “He’s my mate, not my keeper. But I’m not big on being a lab rat.”



Disciple’s face fell, but he said courteously, “Of course. I didn’t mean to offend.”



“I’m not offended. Tell you what, I promise I’ll answer whatever questions you have, and if the tests seem reasonable, I’ll consider them.”



“Deal,” he said, brightening. He stuck out his hand, and she took it. He bowed over her hand and asked, “So how does this drinking game work?”



“Well,” Mira said brightly, “We get a bottle of …well, what do we have?”



Atton hopped up and went into the galley. “Six bottles of Tatooine firewhiskey, two of Juma Juice, and one unidentifiable thing that smells like rotten kolto.”



“I’d just as soon skip the rotten kolto stuff,” Jennet called. “Make it whiskey.”



“Okay, whiskey then. Get two glasses…”



“Eight,” Jennet interjected. “Everyone has at least one drink; we just saved the galaxy, fer Gods’ sake!”



Mira poured around, and everyone raised their glasses.



“To saving the galaxy,” I said.



“To saving the galaxy,” everyone echoed, and drank. I drank mine off, and Jennet did too.



“That’s one,” she said, smiling. “Now let me sit in a chair, there’s more than one way to kick your ass.”



Chuckling, I allowed her to slide off my lap and sit across from me. She grinned, and Mira poured out two more glasses.



“We only have six bottles of whiskey,” Ladria said thoughtfully. “I’m not sure that’s enough, if I’m joining in.”



We all looked at her, open-mouthed, except Bao Dur, who was laughing. We all looked from her to him, and finally Jennet asked, “All right, I’ll bite. What’s so funny?”



“Nothing,” said the big Iridonian. “Everything.”



“Great answer,” Jennet said, laughing herself. “Or non-answer. Come on, give.”



“The General, here,” chuckled Bao Dur, “Can out drink all of you, hands down. I’ve never seen her even tipsy. And,” he added, “I have seen her drink.”



I looked at Ladria with respect. “That’s quite a testimonial. Zabrak are known for holding their liquor.”



“Well,” Atton observed, “after the first ten, the rotten kolto stuff will taste just fine. Mira, as referee, I think you should declare the rules, and the competitors.”



Visas spoke up. “I’m in.”



The night was just full of surprises.



Now if we can just get Disciple to join, it’d be perfect, Jennet said silently.



Disciple, why?



Oh, I just had a fleeting thought a while back about how he and Visas needed most to wake up with a hangover. I think it was actually ‘wake up in a strange place, naked, with a hideous headache and blackmail material in their friend’s datapads’.



I almost laughed out loud at that, especially when Disciple announced he was game at that moment.



Mira counted, “So we’ve got Jennet, Canderous, Ladria, Disciple, and Visas. Bao Dur?”



“How about I referee, so you can join? I know you want to,” he said easily. “Whiskey never did agree with me.”



“Fine by me. Atton?”



“I’ll join a round or two, but I know when I’m beat before I start. That bet is still on, though,” he said, looking at me, a huge grin on his face. “My money is on Jennet. But I’ll bet another hundred Ladria will out drink both of you.”



“You’re on,” Jennet said happily, and I echoed. Actually, I thought he’d probably win, but I didn’t care. We’d won, and we’d earned it.



“Bao Dur, rules please?” Atton turned to the Iridonian. “Seems we’re going to be the only relatively sober people on board.”



“Rules: Everyone drinks at the same time, no sipping. You’re out if you pass out, fall off your chair, or declare yourself done.” Bao Dur looked around, and everyone nodded. “All right, everyone playing gather ‘round.”



We crowded around the table, with Atton and Bao Dur in chairs nearby, the whiskey bottle in one blue hand. He poured ceremoniously, and said “Drink!”



Everyone tossed down the whiskey, and the game was on. Visas, astonishingly, got giggly after her third, and bowed out. I figured Disciple would stop after five, but hung in through seven. He had a dreamy look on his face, said “This is really quite…pleasant…” and fell off his chair. Everyone roared with laughter, and Atton helped him up on to the couch. Disciple was still conscious though, I gave him that. Mira held up for ten, then took herself out. She was pretty drunk, but not out of control; I was impressed. I took two more, then decided to watch Ladria and Jennet.



“You’ve won, Rand,” I said, and handed him my credits.



“Aw, man, I wanted to see you pass out,” he griped. I gave him a good glower, and he laughed.



“I really do want to see how much Jennet can drink,” I said easily. “While I’m sober enough to remember.”



They made it to fourteen before Jennet started slurring when she talked. She motioned me over, and I leaned down to kiss her. She got very enthusiastic; Bao Dur had to clear his throat twice before she remembered her next drink. I backed off, and looked over at Ladria. She hardly seemed affected at all.



“I’m impressed,” I said sincerely. She smiled. “What’s your secret?”



“That would be telling,” she said, still smiling.



“Sort of the point, don’t you think?” Atton broke in. “How do you do it? I’d have dropped at least two drinks ago.”



“Combination of Jedi and officer training; you have to be alert at all times,” is all she would say.



Jennet suddenly sat straighter. I felt her healing go off; and her voice in my head was clearer.



She’s a healer too, I heard her say.



You’re sober? I thought, incredulously.



Mostly. I can get drunk; it’s just a matter of letting myself. But I really don’t want to be shit faced; I’d rather go to the garage with you and celebrate.



Sounds like a plan, I rumbled.



“I’m out,” Jennet announced, with a convincing slur. “I bow to the Queen; she’s unbeatable.” She stood up, made a theatrical bow with a credible stagger. Ladria laughed, but I caught a look of understanding that passed between them. I put my arm around Jennet.



“Let’s go to bed, Wildcat,” I said, and we said good night all around.