The Deserter
Part IV: The Deserter
Bo looked out the window as they were leaving the airspace of the capital Taleucema. Saleucami was definitely a beautiful planet. They had seen dazzling cities made of elegant high towers and suspended gardens and colorful streets. It looked just like the pictures in the travel magazines she used to read when she was a child. She had dreamed so many times to travel across the galaxy; the little eight-year-old Bo would have been amazed. Now she just wished it would have happened under other circumstances.
“So…” began Bo-Katan. “Who’s this friend we’re going to see?”
“Well… It’s a long story. To make things short, we were chasing general Grievous one or two years ago, and followed him all the way here. I got shot during an altercation with commando droids and my brothers had to find a shelter so I could rest until the end of the mission. Cut took a great risk by welcoming me into his home.”
“And that’s why you trust him.”
It was an observation more than a question.
“Yes”
“What about your brothers? The ones who knew of this place? Don’t you think there’s a risk they could also come back?”
He briefly closed his eyes in an attempt to pull himself together before answering her question.
“No. Kix had been missing for weeks before we left for Mandalore. According to the last transmission of the ship he was travelling in, he was captured by the Separatists. Force knows where he is, now… Hardcase died on Umbara one year ago. He sacrificed himself so we could take the planet. And Jesse…” His voice dropped to a whisper. “Jesse died on the crash last week.”
Bo remembered what Ahsoka had told her about their escape after Order 66. She knew what it meant to lost a sibling.
“I’m sorry.”
He nodded silently.
They continued to fly over the countryside. This particular area of the planet was hilly and covered in a strange mix of palm trees and conifer. For the first time in weeks, Bo slowly began to feel some kind of appeasement. It definitively seemed like a quiet place where nobody would come looking for them. They finally approached what looked like a farm surrounded by fields of big flower-like plants she had never seen before.
“Here we are,” said Rex. “That’s the Lawquanes’ house.”
“All right. I’ll land on the field right there.”
She managed to bring the ship down without too much turbulence. On her side, Rex was finishing to turn off any switch and navigational instrument that needed to be.
“I hope I’m not doing a mistake,” he whispered.
They cautiously got out of the Gauntlet.
“Well, it’s remote enough, I guess…” said Bo-Katan, her voice muffled by her helmet.
“Just like I remember it,” added Rex, removing his own.
Almost instantly, two small heads emerged from the nearest field, startling Bo-Katan.
“What was that ?!”
The answer came quickly. Children. It was only children. “You really need to relax, Bo,” she thought before removing her helmet as well, in order to take a second look at the two little terrors. The tallest one was a blue-skinned girl about ten years old. She was accompanied by a boy just a few years younger that seemed way too excited to see the newcomers. Both of them had Twi’lek lekku but there was something definitively human about their features.
“Uncle Rex!”
The boy jumped from his hiding place and run towards them only to throw himself against Rex’s legs, causing the clone to sway slightly.
“Hey buddy!” answered Rex, ruffling his hair.
Bo looked at Rex in astonishment.
“Uncle?”
The clone looked at her and carefully answered.
“Cut is a clone deserter. Shaeeah and Jek are his children.”
He seemed to be waiting for her reaction but before she had the chance to say anything, the boy began to jump around them.
“Dad will be so thrilled to see you!”
His sister followed him and stepped out of the field.
“Don’t listen to him. He just learned that word, so now he says it all the time.”
“That doesn’t mean he won’t be thrilled to see him!” her brother protested.
Shaeeah rolled her eyes and Jek grabbed Rex’s hand.
“Come! Quick! Mom and dad are at home!”
He began to drag the soldier towards the house that was standing a few meters away and Rex followed the boy without too much resistance. Bo remained alone with Shaeeah that seemed to notice her presence for the first time.
“Who are you? His girlfriend?”
“Huh… Not exactly, no.”
“Your hair is weird. But I like it.”
“Thanks, I guess.”
“I’ve always wanted to have real hair. Mom says I should be proud of my lekku. She says human’s beauty is not the only beauty.”
Bo decided to make her way to the house, not sure she wanted to become the object of the girl’s questions for too long.
The front door was wide open when Rex and Jek arrived in front of it.
“Mom! Dad! Look who’s here!”
He didn’t have to say it twice as Cut appeared almost immediately in the embrasure. He had not changed much; aged a couple of years, maybe. He grinned at Rex.
“I knew you’d come back, someday.”
Rex smiled back.
“I’m glad to see you, Cut.”
The veracity of his own words struck him as he spoke them. Cut was probably the last of his brothers he would ever talk to again.
“Captain Rex,” Suu emerged from behind her husband. “I didn’t think we would ever see you again but it seems that my husband was right on this one.” She grinned. “Welcome back.”
“Thank you, Suu. I wish I didn’t have to come back to seek your help.”
Cut opened his mouth to answer, but suddenly noticed Bo-Katan that was approaching with Shaeeah.
“Oh… I see you’ve made a friend…” he said giving Rex a knowing smile.
It took a few seconds for Rex to understand.
“It’s not what you…”
He was interrupted by Shaeeah who clung to her father’s legs.
“Look dad! She has a jetpack!”
Cut observed Bo-katan more closely.
“You’re a Mandalorian,” the farmer said flatly.
He wasn’t smiling anymore; he had spoken with a mix of defiance and admiration. But before Bo could add anything, Suu took a step closer to her husband and spoke.
“You’re not any Mandalorian. I’ve seen you on the news. You’re their leader, the one that escaped the Empire.”
Rex glanced at Bo-katan, unsure how she would respond. But the young woman seemed to opt for the truth.
“I am,” said Bo-Katan. “My name is Bo-Katan Kryze of Kalevala. I left my planet after the Empire massacred my people and turned most of my allies against me. They burned our homes and killed our children. Some of us have managed to escape and I plan to join the others as soon as possible. But for now, I need a place to hide. That’s why I humbly ask for your help. But…” She glanced at Jek and Shaeeah. “I know it would put you and your family in danger. I would understand if you refused.”
Cut cast a questioning look towards Rex; seemingly eager to know his brother’s opinion.
“Lady Bo-Katan and I met a few weeks ago,” said the captain. “It was my company that was sent to help her retake her planet from the crime syndicate that had taken control of it. She had the trust of the Jedi.”
The young Shaeeah seemed to feel the need to choose a side.
“She has a jetpack, mom…” she repeated, whining.
Suu and Cut exchanged an amused look, before turning to Bo-Katan.
“Can you work on a farm?” Suu asked.
The question took the Mandalorian by surprise.
“Well, I’ve never… I mean… I could… I could try…” she mumbled, stumbling over her words for a brief moment. “I can learn,” she finally managed to say. “I’m stronger than I look.”
“Good, then. I see no reason not to help you,” Suu said. “I’ve lived with a deserter for three years, now. We would be in danger even if it wasn’t for you.”
“Thank you,” Bo said with relief.
Suu smiled at her and stepped aside to let her in.
“Come, we’ll find you something to wear. You will never survive the summer on Saleucami with this armor.
Bo followed her inside, flanked by Jek and Shaeeah, leaving the two clones alone.
“Thanks, Cut,” said Rex.
“You’ve never turned me in,” the farmer answered. “What kind of brother would I be if I didn’t return the favor, eh?”
At the word “brother”, an expression of grief crossed Rex’s face.
“Something terrible happened, Cut.”
“I know.” He sighed. “Come inside, I think we have a lot to talk about.”