Chapter Text
Iris nearly crawled into her room and collapsed on her bed. She had saved the people of Makeb, but only barely. She preferred not to finish her missions by the skin of her teeth, but it rarely worked out. She shrugged off her blaster burned robe and threw it on the floor before removing her headpiece around her lekku. Just as she felt her muscles relax, there was a knock on her door. Iris did her best to ignore it, but it came a second time. She gave a halfhearted response before her padawan came into the room.
“Hey, just wondering where our heading was?” Kira wondered, peeking her head in. Iris glanced at her as she laid on her back and shrugged.
“Carrick Station, I suppose. We can hop down to Coruscant after we refuel and get the ship checked out,” Iris suggested. The Jedi closed her eyes as Kira hummed and left.
The silence healed her mind after being so alert and attentive for the past week. She and her crew had worked tirelessly to get the people off the planet. They deserved a well-earned break, and she knew that this would be one of few. The Empire and the Republic were at each other throats, and galactic war was about to break out once again. The Treaty of Coruscant had been dissolved for over a year, and things were heating up. Iris was only a child at the time, and she had only heard about the battle through elder Jedi.
Now she was facing war head on, and she wondered if she was prepared for it. Iris had interacted with a couple of people from the Empire, and she found that there were good people in the enemy’s ranks. The more she thought of those people, the more she worried about the cost of the confrontation. With a deep breath, she calmed her thoughts and cooled her emotions. She resisted a chuckle when she felt sudden irritation from below deck. Scourge was monitoring her emotions again.
Iris would be lying if she said that she wasn’t fascinated by the more intense emotions. She had felt happiness, sorrow, frustration, and the like, but Iris wondered what ecstasy, fury, and passion would give her. Passion was the mark of the Sith, not the Jedi, and she knew it well. Strong emotions led to mistakes and regret, which were exacerbated with those who could wield the Force. The Force fed off emotions, both tranquility and passion. Jedi were careful to mind their emotions while the Sith gave caution to the wind.
Soon, the irritation faded, and Iris wondered if her thoughts had given her away. Kira knew how Iris felt, and mostly agreed with her. As much as they would outwardly deny it, each had a little dark side in them. Nothing that would turn them against the Jedi, but just enough that could get them in trouble if they weren’t careful. She sighed as she felt relaxation taking her into a deeper sleep.
Just as Iris felt sleep about to take her, there was a loud crash. She startled awake and cursed louder than she would have liked. Where there was irritation, there was now amusement. Iris cursed again before she hit the button to lift the door. She heard the commotion coming from the conference room and quickly made her way over.
Doc was in the room holding a pot of freshly brewed caf with Teeseven close by, both surprised by the shattered mug at their feet and Iris suddenly in the doorway. She calmed her nerves as the amusement died down. With a deep breath, she leaned against the doorway.
“Hey gorgeous,” Doc greeted as the droid cleaned up the mess. “I thought you were going to be in your room for the rest of the night.”
“I was until I thought a nexu had broken into our ship,” Iris retorted, gesturing toward the broken dishware. Doc chuckled and leaned against the counter. Teeseven beeped an excuse, mostly blaming Doc. Iris grinned as he tried to defend himself. “Just be more careful, okay?”
“Why, your nerves still raw from battle? You know what would help that?” Doc offered with a playful wiggle of his brow. Iris shook her head, hiding a grin, and straightened.
“Goodnight, Doc,” she replied as she turned to leave.
“I was just gonna offer a light sedative,” he called after her before she walked back to her room. Iris laid back down, and this time sleep came easily.
Iris wasn’t sure how many hours she had slept, but she felt groggy and sore when she woke up. She groaned as she pushed herself up from the bed and walked over to the dresser. Finding a simpler tunic and pants, she quickly changed and walked toward the bridge barefoot. She must have slept longer than she intended as she found Kira at the helm, looking over her datapad. Kira turned toward her when she heard the soft footsteps.
“Sleep well?” her former padawan asked. Iris shrugged and smiled.
“As well as I could. How long was I out?” Iris yawned before sitting in the other chair.
“Half a day, maybe? Although, after the last few weeks, I’d say you’ve earned the rest,” Kira remarked, putting away the datapad. “We’re about to arrive at Carrick, so you woke up just in time.”
“That’s good to hear. I was hoping to talk to the docking crew about the repairs. The engine has been making a funny noise and I want to make sure that it’s nothing important,” Iris sighed, leaning back in the chair.
“I’m sure it’s fine. We should relax while we’re here. Maybe hit up the cantina or go shopping for something new. Just be normal for a day,” Kira suggested. Iris grinned and agreed. She loved the idea of relaxing and just having a nice day with her friend.
It wasn’t long before they pulled into the station, and the crew dispersed. Each had their own agenda, and Iris told Kira that they would meet in the cantina in a few hours. She had to take care of the ship and make sure that they were stocked. They had a track record of flying to every corner of the galaxy, and they found that they would run low on a few supplies. Mostly field rations and minor med packs. Things that they could supplement with local shopping, but she didn’t want to end up in Hoth with low food. Besides, she was tired of Doc forgetting to do his inventory only to tell her that they were out of something important.
Once the order was complete and the docking crew started on minor repairs, Iris went down to the main area. It was mostly a vendor area with a few restaurants and salons. She had put on more civilian-like clothes when she left the ship, hoping that no one would recognize the war hero without her traditional robes and headpiece. Iris wanted to blend in for a change instead of being ogled and whispered about. Her pale blue complexion and patterned lekku still gave her away to some people, but no one stopped her in the hallways.
Iris sat down on a bench as she pulled out her datapad, relaxing in the bustling shopping area. She liked the controlled chaos that were people trying to make their shuttles while others haggled for the best price. While she loved the calmness of silence, she also thrived in this environment. She crossed her legs to rest her datapad as she read the latest news.
It wasn’t anything she didn’t already know. There were a lot of articles still talking about the Battle of Corellia, with a few talking about Ilum and Makeb. Most mentioned her by name, fueling the war hero flame. She was no longer just the Hero of Tython. She was the savior of the galaxy in the Republic’s eyes. She also became public enemy number one in the eyes of the Empire. She scrolled past the news articles about her and went onto the tabloids. She laughed when she saw an article about her, Doc, and Scourge. Apparently, she was cheating on them both. Iris shook her head with a slight smile.
More articles appeared, talking about the coming war and what to expect. Several planets had people leave to avoid the war, many going to Coruscant and Alderaan. Iris couldn’t blame them, as most were families trying to live out a normal life. She sighed as she read that Balmorra and Ord Mantell would most likely be the frontlines in the renewed war. More were sure to follow, maybe even extending to Voss or Taris.
Iris closed the news section on her pad, having her fill of negative news and ridiculous tabloids. She checked the time briefly before sighing, realizing that she still had time to kill before she met up with Kira. She watched as people walked by as she fiddled with her lekku, wondering what she could be doing in the meantime. She nearly jumped when her holocommunicator buzzed. Iris pulled it out of her pocket and held it in front of her.
The holo was of a human man with implants in his brow. She raised an eyebrow at him as he folded his arms. She didn’t recognize him, and she wondered if she was supposed to. That feeling shifted when he seemed to recognize her. He straightened from his relaxed pose and almost stood at attention.
“Sorry, I thought I had the wrong frequency for a moment,” he informed. Iris only blinked at him for a moment.
“Who are you?” she asked, confused.
“Agent Theron Shan, SIS. I have a little mission for you, if you’re up for it,” Theron explained. Iris fought back an exasperated sigh. Of course, SIS would be calling her on her day off. She wondered if he was aware of her mission on Makeb and if that would make a difference in his decision to call her.
“What kind of mission?” she asked, pressing record on her communicator. Iris would have to run it past the Jedi Order before she could commit to something longer than a few days.
“It would only take a day or two at the most,” Theron reassured. “It’s a search and rescue mission, and one that I think only you could pull off.”
“What makes you say that?”
“This isn’t a normal search and rescue. I can’t tell you more over the holo. Meet me on the second sublevel near the shuttle docks. We can talk more there,” he explained before he ended the call. Iris grumbled in annoyance before she sent a quick message to Kira about meeting her there before their cantina time.
The Jedi stood from her comfortable bench before walking towards the elevator. It wasn’t long before she found Kira in the lower level, and they found their way over to Theron’s office. Iris knocked on the door before it slid open to reveal the SIS agent and a military man. She bowed respectfully, as was expected of a Jedi, before she entered. Kira mirrored the gesture as well before Theron motioned them over to the holotable.
“Welcome, Master Jedis,” Theron greeted. Kira hid a proud grin, loving that he thought she would be a master. “This is Colonel Darok, the one who is putting together the search and rescue.”
“Who are we rescuing?” Iris asked, getting straight to the point.
“We sent out a scout party to investigate enemy space, but they haven’t checked in,” Theron began as he brought up a map of the galaxy. “In short, we had tracked a few imperial warships close to our borders. However, they disappeared before they passed the Alderaan System.”
“Maybe they turned around?” Kira suggested.
“That’s what we thought until a fellow agent of mine found evidence of new imperial activity on Corellia. We thought that maybe they snuck through our defenses and somehow got back into the core worlds. I sent a small crew to investigate, but they haven’t checked in. It’s been twenty-four hours, and we need to make sure that we get them back. If we could find out what the imps were planning, then we could counter them.”
“The only ones who would know are on that ship,” Darok explained as he paced behind Theron. Iris felt nervous energy emanating beneath his calm façade.
“What was their mission?” Iris asked. She folded her arms and leaned to the side, watching both men.
“They were to find the warships in the area. The captain we hired has a knack for finding lost ships. If they found one, they were cleared to board and grab as much intel as they could,” Theron continued, leaning on the table. Iris glanced at Kira before Darok sighed. “If they grabbed the intel and were caught, we need to know. I’m hoping that you and your crew can get out there and help in any way you can.”
“You mentioned that we were the only ones who could pull this off,” Iris replied, thinking it through. “This sounds like a standard search and rescue, one that I’m sure Republic Special Forces has done several times. Why not go to them?”
“They are working on their own secret mission at the moment, and time isn’t our ally right now,” Darok informed quickly.
“Simply put, you are our best hope. You’ve beat incredible odds, and Darok and I have followed your career since you defeated Darth Angral,” Theron explained before Iris sighed. As much as she wanted to say no and have someone else agree to the mission, she found that she couldn’t. People were in danger, and they might have information that could keep the war in their favor. Kira waited for her friend to answer.
“Alright, send me the coordinates. It’ll need to be approved by the Order, though,” Iris reminded them as Theron grinned. It was standard procedure for Republic Command and the Jedi Order to work together and make sure that the Jedi weren’t breaking their code.
“I’ve already sent the paperwork to Master Satele, and I’ll send the coordinates to your navicomputer,” Theron instructed. Iris felt relief flood the military man as Theron typed at the computer. “I’ve also sent you the information on the crew we sent. That way you know who to look for.”
“Thank you,” Iris answered with a slight bow of her head. “I will inform you of the Order’s decision.”
“Sounds good. I’m hoping that it’s smooth sailing,” Theron replied. Iris bowed respectfully before leading Kira out of the room.
Once out of the room, Iris exhaled loudly and went back to the elevator. Kira raised an eyebrow and bit back a chuckle. Once the doors closed, she shook her head.
“Search and rescue, huh?” Kira commented, crossing her arms across her chest.
“I can’t say it’s standard practice for Jedi to lead these sorts of tasks,” Iris thought. “It’s strange. We’ve only ever done rescue operations for Jedi.”
“Maybe that’s why they asked us. We’ve done a few, but I will say there’s something strange about this one,” Kira remarked.
“You think it might be a trap?”
“No, I don’t think so. It could be that Darok needed a win or something, and we were his best option. Or maybe the SIS needs a cover story, and a rescue done by a few war heroes would beat any other headlines for a few days,” she theorized.
“You make a good point. Maybe it’s nothing,” Iris agreed. “After all we’ve done the past few months, I’ve been feeling like there’s danger around every corner.”
“It is wartime, and we’ve been on the front lines for a while.”
“After this, I think we should take some time and really relax. I’m sure the others can find something to do. I just need a few weeks on Tython, away from the fighting. I just need time to reconnect with the Force a little.”
“I’m sure we could convince the council. Satele would understand if you needed some time to recenter yourself,” Kira agreed before the doors swung open again. Iris nodded. “But for now, let’s spend an hour at the cantina, just like regular women. I still need a drink after Makeb.”
“Agreed. I need to unwind after that whirlwind,” Iris chuckled as they walked toward the bar area.
Kira went to the counter to grab some drinks as Iris found a table in a corner where they wouldn’t be disturbed. She leaned back in her chair as she watched the people go by. They were rowdier in the cantina, which was expected. The people were also much more entertaining. Iris watched as a few guys got drunk for one of their birthdays, a couple of women celebrating something she couldn’t hear, and a few couples enjoying each other’s company. It was a carefree zone, and it was just what the Jedi needed.
“Corellian whiskey?” Kira offered as she made her way back to the table. Iris thanked her as she grabbed the glass and took a sip. Kira sat down across from her. “When was the last time we actually relaxed?”
“Other than a few hours between crises? I think it was right after Darth Angral. I think we both took the week off after that.”
“Jeez, that was ages ago,” Kira groaned before slouching in her chair. “How many times have we saved the galaxy? It’s been more than when we’ve taken a break!”
“I’ll drink to that,” Iris chuckled. They toasted to vacation before finishing their first round.
The two jedi continued their conversation for a while longer, adding a couple of drinks between them. Both knew the consequences of getting drunk in public would be, so they kept their wits about them. They stayed for about an hour before Doc had found them, and they agreed that it was time to get back to the ship.
“Hey, don’t let me ruin your fun,” Doc laughed as Iris waved him off.
“No, it’s time to get back. I have to debrief you on a fun little excursion that the SIS and the military have recruited us for,” Iris explained jovially as she stood. Doc frowned at the mention of more work so soon.
“I thought we were going to pop down to Coruscant after this for a little R&R,” he replied, keeping the disappointment out of his voice.
“If you would like, you can still do that. This is only going to take a day or two,” Iris reassured as they made their way back towards the hangar. Kira messaged the other three to meet back at the ship when they were finished.
“I could never! Where would you be without me?” Doc protested as Iris rolled her eyes. “I’m the glue that keeps this crew together.”
“I’m sure you are,” Iris teased. “We’ll make a plan to go back to Coruscant once we rescue this crew. Then I’m going back to Tython and I’m going to sit in the woods for a week.”
“That sounds utterly boring,” he informed, making her laugh. “What would you do?”
“Meditate. Practice my combat form. Just feel the Force and let it flow through me,” Iris explained as she thought about the peace and serenity it would bring her. Her mind needed the stillness and quiet that Tython was known for. She just wanted to reset before the war started in full swing again.
“Like I said. Boring. I’ll never understand you jedi. You want to sit in silence just to feel the galaxy move around you?” he wondered.
“Don’t knock it until you try it. Who knows, maybe you’ll even like it.”
“Doc’s a man of action.”
“And Iris’s a woman in need of peace and quiet,” Iris countered. Doc held his hands up in mock surrender as he dropped the subject.
“It would be nice to have a vacation for a while,” Kira added as she glanced over her datapad. Rusk was on his way back to the ship while Scourge had returned earlier with Teeseven. “Looks like we should be able to take off when we get to the hangar.”
“Yeah, the sooner the better,” Doc sighed before he closed his eyes. “Although maybe we should choose a beach planet instead. Nothing like a beach for relaxation.”
“We can talk about it after we finish the mission,” Iris reminded with a grin.