Chapter Text
Korkie has never really been this far from home. In fact, he never left the Mandalore system, only a few times he visited the planets within the system while accompanying his aunt on diplomatic trips. And of course, he spent a lot of his childhood on the Kalevala, but it was still Mandalore. Now he was not just so far away, in a completely strange place, but also alone. Not quite, he had Orron and there was Trivinn, but it was still a little revolution. He felt a sudden rush of freedom, and it felt great
After all, he knew no one was controlling him and he could do whatever he wanted. He had dreamed about it for so long.
In fact, he paced the ship excitedly all the way before holing up at the controls, switching pilots. He liked to fly, it relaxed him a lot, especially when the flight was as calm as it is now.
Orron was about to take the tea cups and go hang with his boyfriend when Dalle stopped him.
-We need to talk, I fucked up the job.
The boy turned and immediately changed his plans. He nodded to him and they went to the couch.
-What happened? I thought you were doing well with the duchess - he frowned, wondering how much could've happened in the last few minutes before the start
-It's been going well until today. I thought things were going better and better and I wanted to take a step further, but she said that she saw me as a brother.
Orron suddenly started laughing, he probably shouldn't, the whole picture was that it might have delayed all plans quite a bit, but he just couldn't help laughing.
-Oh man, congratulations. The first getting dumped in your life?
- Stop, it complicates everything a lot. I will keep doing what I can, but I don't know how much influence I will have on her. I don't think she'll continue to trust me that much after that. You have to try harder with the young one.
The boy looked at him coldly, as if indignant at this suggestion.
-Dalle, I respect you, man, but don't come too far. I will not manipulate Korkie. I won't permit it. If it's his own decision, that's fine, but I won't lie to him or anything like that! This is my boyfriend, not any experiment.
-And so you report what Korkie is doing to Pre.
-that's different
-Is it?
-Yes. You know what, you fucked up, you're the one to explain yourself.
He got up from his seat and went now to Korkie with tea.
~*~
After a few days, they finally arrived at Coruscant. Just from orbit, one could see the eternal living, an illuminated city below. As they landed, all the details began to emphasize as the metal and glass buildings reflected the orange rays of the sunset.
Korkie and Orron rented a small apartment near the university. Supposedly, getting there with a speeder was not a problem, but they still wanted to save time and fuel, as long as there was an opportunity.
Immediately after landing on the planet, they went toward it. They didn't have much strength for any sightseeing now and they just wanted to unpack and relax, so that they could finally be completely alone, without the company of other people. They had only flown with Trivinn and the two pilots, but they were hoping for a moment of complete privacy and peace now before the semester started and they wouldn't have time for it anymore.
Their apartment consisted of a fresher, a bedroom, and a living room connected to a kitchenette, from which a glass door opened onto a large balcony overlooking the city.
-Everything is so lit up that we won't see the stars -Korkie muttered, resting his arms on the railing and watching the panorama.
-After all, you can't see at Sundari, it's just projections on the copula.
-Perhaps, but at least you can get that impression.
He felt the other boy's arms wrapping around him. Korkie turned his head so he could kiss him on the cheek.
-We'll find something else to do. If you want, they surely have an observatory around here somewhere, maybe even at the university. We'll figure something out. We can always fly to the moon for the weekend.
Young Kryze smiled as cheerful sparkles danced in his eyes.
-You got chops, man. Have I already told you how much I love you?
-You can always say again.
-I can and I'm going to -He turned to face Orron so they could kiss. -We have some time for ourselves and I'm definitely going to use it for that. I just promised my aunt that I would call, I wouldn't worry her.
Orron gave him a quick kiss.
-Call us and let me know how it's going. I'll make dinner in the meantime, how about a warm soup?
-As long as it has more flavor than the canned food we've eaten for the last three days, I don't mind.
-You know what? I always cook well.
-I know. You're the best, darling. It will definitely be delicious.
He kissed him once more, took the communicator out of his pocket, and went into the bedroom to shut up and talk in peace.
He dialed Satine's number, hoping the time difference wouldn't be big enough to wake her up or interfere with some important meeting. He might have called in the morning or some other time. He didn't really have anything important to say, all he had to do was send a signal that he was alive.
~*~
Satine had no meeting at the moment and was sitting in the apartment playing with Luke. The boy grew up so fast and now he was curious about the world. As he grew, the force in him grew, and sometimes objects in the area just started to float or turned on by themselves. As a result, problems started as to whether it would be safe to leave him with the babysitter, in the end, who knows what would happen, so Satine and Obi-Wan tried to arrange their work in such a way that they could personally be with the kid, or at least take him along. Kenobi also tried to start practicing with him to control these abilities, but the boy was so small that he did not yet understand his surroundings enough for any results to come out of it.
When her communicator beeped, she didn't have anything to do with the boy, but after seeing the number, she decided that it wasn't actually a problem, she played a fairy tale on the holonet so he'll have something to do and she sat down at the table, picking up the call on the way. The blue silhouette of Korkie flashed above the device.
-Hello, Auntie -he greeted with a smile.
-Hi Sweetie. It's good to finally see you. How was the course? Are you already there?
-Yes Yes. We recently arrived, Orr is making dinner, and we are about to unpack and go to sleep. Everything is fine.
-I'm glad to hear that. Are you sure nothing happened on the way?
- Certainly, long, peaceful, no collisions, no meetings with others. You don't have to worry so much.
-I know, I know -She sensed that the boy is already getting irritated by her overprotection. -Sorry, sweetie, I'm just worried, but if everything's alright, I trust you aren't lying.
-I'm not lying, Auntie. Really. -He laughed happily.
It was good to hear him feel so at ease after the last weeks of bad tension between them.
-Okay, okay, I know. I can still worry about what's going on with you, huh?
-Sure you can, but really there's nothing to worry about. I will tell you more when the classes start and something actually happens. I promise. On the other hand, you can tell what happened there during that time, because for sure more than on an empty route, now through the Empire the cosmos is already completely empty and nothing flies.
She hesitated for a moment whether to speak or wait, but Korkie was her closest family and since Obi-Wan agreed to come out of hiding even a little, she didn't want to hide everything from her nephew anymore.
-You know, nothing special, actually everything works as always, it's stable, there's nothing to complain about ... -She replied, a bit evasive, quickly wondering if it was a good time, or maybe it's better to wait for Korkie to come back to Sundari for some time off and he will meet Obi-Wan in person.
The boy, however, was more perceptive and began to inquire himself about what was going on. Satine seemed somehow happier than before, and it certainly wasn't because of the duchess's work.
-What aren't you telling me about? Something else happened, right? Come on, teeeeeeel me.
She took a deep breath, drawing the words into her head. It turns out that this is going to be this moment for good or bad.
-Actually yes. Something has happened, and it is quite big, but it is a private matter. I got engaged.
Korki's hologram flickered as he stared at her in shock. Who, how, and when? He didn't know she was even interested in anyone, not even speaking of dating anybody, for as long as he could remember.
-With Dalle?
No one else came to his mind at all. Did his aunt have any other friends than Orron's mother and some politicians she sometimes saw at diplomatic meetings? He had the impression that probably not. Of all this, Dalle was the only option that made any sense.
-No, not with Dalle. - She replied quickly as if not even wanting to pass through such a scenario in her mind. -Definitely not with him. You do not know him. His name is Ben.
If the younger Kryze was drinking something at the moment, he would surely spit it out. He was definitely not ready for such revelations.
-I'm sorry, but WHAT? How long have you been with him? Are you sure this is a good idea? Are you sure he's not using you? If I were you, I'd think about it, to marry some strange guy like that, it's rather reckless. Are you sure he won't hurt you? I'd rather know him beforehand and make sure he understands not to even try.
Now it was Korkie who started with his overprotection, unable to understand how something like this could have happened right next to him, without his knowledge. If he didn't know him, how was he supposed to know that this guy would be good for his auntie and if he really loved her.
Satine just smiled a little amused as she listened.
- Relax, sweetheart. I've known him since I was about your age, and we've been together for two years now when it comes to an actual relationship. You don't have to worry, I know he'll be good to me.
-But if you've been together for so long, why don't I know him? This is surely not some lame type.
-Definitely. Korkie, I know what I'm doing.
-But I don't know him
-It just turned out just like that. I'll introduce him to you at the earliest opportunity, okay?
~*~
Throughout the rest of the conversation, Korkie tried not to get at his aunt too much, and not to express his displeasure at the decisions she was making, which he found slightly frivolous. She had her life, yes, she wanted to be happy, but nothing stands in the way. The only thing that annoyed him was that it turned out that she hadn't really said anything to him. After all, if she had been with someone for so long that she was even planning a wedding, why did she not introduce them? After all, it wasn't so much. Sure, Korkie was the kid here and he couldn't really ask for anything, but it still irritated him a bit. Maybe unnecessarily, but that just didn't change anything in this situation.
As he ended the call and left the bedroom, his humor clearly deteriorated. Orron couldn't not notice it when he looked back at the door open.
-has something happened? Everything's okay at home? - He asked, naturally a little worried.
-Yes, everything is fine -he muttered, rather not very convincingly.
-for sure? -He put the ladle down for a moment to turn to face him.
-Yes, only my aunt. Nothing new. -He sighed.
As was his habit, he began to walk around the room to calm down and get everything in his head.
-I just don't understand why she keeps treating me like a kid who doesn't understand anything. It's like I stopped developing at seven years and that's it.
- Take it easy, what was going on? -Shei moved away from the stove a little and crossed his arms over his chest.
He had heard many stories of what Satine could be, some quite colourized, and he wasn't sure if he could trust everything Korkie was saying impulsively.
-You knew she has a boyfriend for several years? Because I don't, for example. I wonder when she wanted to tell me after the wedding? Or maybe never.
-Hey, take it easy, it's okay that she found someone, right? Maybe it just wasn't that serious.
Korkie laughed bitterly.
Is-Not serious enough? She just said they got engaged, and I don't even know his name. It's probably not very serious on her part how she does. What if this man is dangerous and only uses and harms her?
-When are they supposed to get married? Maybe before that, you can meet him and talk to your aunt if something goes wrong.
-I do not know when. Apparently, they have not yet agreed, I hope at least next year, although I will have time to check it.
He stopped circling and collapsed onto the couch.
-You think it's necessary? I think your aunt knows what she is doing and if she decided that she wants it, you probably won't stop her.
This induced an irritated glance, preceded by a theatrical sigh and rolling eyes.
-I know very well that my aunt has to get her way no matter if it's good for her or not. -Immediately his voice softened a little. -You know, I really know that she is an adult here and still has more authority, but I'm afraid that one day her actions will hurt her. Lately, she's been acting even weirder than she used to, it could be related to this guy. I don't want anything bad to happen to her, even if I don't agree with her, it's still my only family and I won't let her get hurt.
Orron sat down next to him so he could hug the boy.
-I know, I get it. And she must understand it too. -He was silent for a moment, wondering if he really wanted to say what he meant. He decided that this might be the perfect moment, there won't be better. -You know, I've found some traces recently, and maybe Satine isn't your last surviving relative -he began, carefully.
Korkie frowned in consternation.
-What do you mean by that? I know some other members of the clan are still alive, but we're not really too close.
-It's not about them. You know your father had two sisters.
-Yes, he did, but Aunt Bo died during the war.
-She's missing -Shea corrected. -That's a big difference though.
-Aunt Satine said that they searched for her long after the war. After a few years, she was deemed dead. Otherwise, she would've been found.
-You know, I've been searching around a bit lately, remember last month I was with my mother on a trip to the planets in the system? I didn't want to tell you sooner because I didn't have enough information, but I found some clues and information that may be Bo-Katan survived the war after all. For now, these are just clues, but you can always try to dig deeper. Maybe we'll find her eventually.
Of course, it was a lie. About the fact that everything was fine with Bo-Katan and that the woman had been working in Death Watch for years, he knew from herself, but he couldn't tell Korkie the truth. Not yet, even though he felt terrible hiding it from his boyfriend. But they couldn't risk it if the youngest Kryze was still totally devoted to New Mandalorian politics. He'll find out in time, soon. He just had to be sure he wouldn't hand them over once he was aware of all the facts.
For now, however, Korkie has accepted these explanations without criticism. Why would Orron lie to him? Especially in an important matter like this.
-Can you help me with searching? I mean more I'll help you at this moment.
-Of course, I'll help you, but tomorrow. For now, get up, because the dinner is getting cold, and before we unpack, we won't do much.