Chapter Text

Rowena's Tale - Story 4 - Rowena Meets Walter - Chapter 1: Rowena Gains Respect

Scene 1: Bleriot’s New Inspector

Bars Bleriot had succeeded in the grain shipping industry, but now he found himself in charge of a fleet of eighteen deteriorating cargo ships. After convincing Mister Dofine and the Board of Directors to buy out Captain Balin Fahn’s aging fleet, Bleriot hoped to turn the investment into a profitable venture. Fahn, once a well-respected captain and businessman, had stopped maintaining his ships after the Clone Wars, leaving them in a sorry state. Worse, each ship was unique, with its own set of problems. But Bleriot, ever hopeful, believed that with effort, the fleet could be saved.

Rowena Whitstar, freshly graduated with her Mechanic’s Warrant, barely had time to celebrate before Bleriot thrust her into the mess. Her first task: to assess and organize spare parts for the ragtag fleet.

Although not technically part of the fleet, Rowena started with her father’s ship, the ‘White Star’, which was already under Bleriot’s contract. The ship was familiar to her—she knew every centimeter of it. During a delivery trip to the Sirpar Colonies with her father, Rowena spent her free time poring over the manufacturer’s recommended parts list, cross-referencing it with cheaper third-party alternatives she found on the HoloNet. By the time she was done, she felt more like a detective than a mechanic.

Upon her return to Mos Eisley, Bleriot led Rowena into the Cantina’s lower levels, a maze of tunnels originally dug out by the long-forgotten B’Omarr monks. The tunnels were a cheap, albeit eerie, storage solution for the parts and the Cantina’s liquor supplies. It was the perfect place for a mechanic’s nightmare, but Rowena had no choice. She cataloged, checked, and shelved the parts, spending long hours in the dark and damp catacombs.

Then came the dreaded assignment: inspect the ships in Bleriot’s new fleet to ensure they met Republic-era safety standards. Her stomach churned. Inspecting the ships wasn’t the problem. Convincing the veteran captains to respect her authority was. ‘I’m just nineteen,’ she thought. ‘Why would they listen to me?’

Her father’s words echoed in her mind: “You know your job. Don’t act like a know-it-all, but don’t back down either. Ask the engineers questions. They like to be helpful. Be confident. After all, you’ve earned this.”

Her first inspection was of the ‘Carga’, the largest freighter in the fleet. Orbiting above Tatooine, it was too big to dock, so Rowena took a shuttle to the ship. The Carga’s captain and engineer were professional and organized. The ship had some issues—outdated navigation software and worn seals on the tibanna tanks— but nothing catastrophic. After a thorough inspection, Rowena returned to Mos Eisley feeling more confident. She celebrated by treating herself to new clothes at Lups’ store, enjoying a moment of normalcy.

Her next challenge was the ‘Caroon-Saggil’, a rundown Gozanti-class freighter with a captain known for cutting corners. Rowena braced herself for what was sure to be a difficult inspection.

Scene 2: Rowena Inspects the Caroon-Saggil

Captain Rin Bikstol, the aging durosian captain of the Caroon-Saggil, sat in his dimly lit quarters, glaring at the inspection notice from Bleriot. He had hoped for a miracle, but there was no escaping it. Tomorrow morning, he would have to dock at Mos Eisley for a full technical review. He stared at an old photo of himself and Captain Balin Fahn, remembering the glory days when hauling cargo felt like an adventure, not a task weighed down by legalities.

Years ago, Fahn had mentored Bikstol, helping him secure lucrative contracts and grow their small fleet. But the Clone Wars changed everything, drying up markets and making travel to certain regions of space too dangerous. Fahn’s stubborn refusal to adapt caused the fleet to spiral into ruin, and now Bikstol was stuck with a barely functioning ship.

Bikstol had done everything he could to keep the Caroon-Saggil flying—cutting corners, installing cheap parts, and furloughing good crew members. The ship was hanging on by a thin wire. The looming inspection was the final blow.

He remembered the first time he met Bars Bleriot, his new boss. The young man had said all the right things, but Bikstol didn’t trust him. Bleriot was an accountant, a "numbers guy" who cared more about quotas than the cargo itself. Bikstol feared that if he missed a profit projection, Bleriot would cut him and his ship loose without a second thought.

His chief engineer, Warlo Mokk, shuffled into the cabin. The elderly ugnaught’s worn face carried the weight of worry.

“Captain,” Mokk said gruffly, “you wanted to see me?”

Bikstol handed him the inspection notice. “How bad is the hyperdrive?”

Mokk sighed. “It’s holding on, but the reactor core’s depleted. We need new seals for the nuclear cooling pump, and the combustion chamber is oversized and not from the right manufacturer. Fuel cells are almost shot too.”

Bikstol’s expression darkened. “We can afford new fuel cells. Why not replace them?”

Mokk looked down. “It’s not just the cells, Captain. We need a new core. The containment vessel’s riddled with micro-cracks. A heavy stressor could blow the reactor wide open.”

Bikstol frowned. “I saw no cracks yesterday when I went to engine room.”

Mokk snorted. “That’s because I patched ‘em with so much sealant, you can’t see the metal anymore. But the combustion chamber—that’s the real problem. Any decent inspector will fail us on that alone. We need a new one, but they’re too expensive. Honestly, a whole new hyperdrive might cost as much.”

Bikstol slumped in his chair, feeling the weight of their situation. “Bleriot will not pay for new hyperdrive. This ees the end, isn’t it?”

Mokk patted him on the shoulder. “Not yet, Captain. Let me handle the inspector. Maybe I can smooth things over.”

Bikstol nodded, though his faith in Mokk’s optimism was waning. “Clean up engine room. Prepare for inspector. I set course to Mos Eisley.”

<><><>
The next morning, Bikstol gave his crew planet-leave. He and Mokk stood outside the Caroon-Saggil in docking bay 30, sipping cold drinks as they waited for the inspector. The twin suns of Tatooine beat down on them, making Mokk uncomfortable, but he didn’t complain. They watched as a diagnostic droid buzzed around the ship, checking systems, when a thin, dark-haired woman appeared at the entrance, carrying a heavy backpack.

Bikstol squinted. “Could dis human be new inspector?” he muttered, nudging Mokk.

Mokk glanced at her, his eyebrows raised. “She’s just a girl. Can’t be an inspector... can she?”

As the woman approached, Bikstol remembered the name on the inspection notice: ‘Whitstar’. He realized she must be related to Jasper Whitstar, one of Bleriot’s more reliable captains. But this girl... she was so young.

She stopped a few paces away, dropped her backpack, and activated a device strapped to her waist. A synthesized voice spoke: “Hello, Captain Bikstol. I’m Rowena Whitstar. I’m here to inspect the safety systems on your ship.”

She held out her hand.

Bikstol shook it firmly, trying to mask his surprise. This was Jasper Whitstar’s daughter, the silent mechanic. He remembered hearing about her, but he didn’t expect someone so young.

“Welcome aboard, Mees Whitstar,” Bikstol said with a smile. “This ees my chief engineer, Warlo Mokk.”

Rowena extended her hand to the Ugnaught. “Hello, Mister Mokk.”

Mokk hesitated before shaking it. “Nice to meet ya, Miss Whitstar,” he grumbled, clearly uneasy.

“My name is Mokk, pronounced like smoke – not like walk.”

Rowena smiled politely. “I’m afraid the synthesizer doesn’t pronounce all words correctly. How about I call you Warlo and you call me Rowena?”

Mokk grumbled an agreement, eyeing the device strapped to her belt. “Fine by me. You mind if I take a look at that voice gizmo? I bet I can tweak the pronunciation chip."

Bikstol chuckled while holding Mokk back. "Forgive Warlo, he likes tinker with tings."

"No need," Rowena replied kindly while protecting her device. "It’s not the best device, but it works."

Inside the Caroon-Saggil, Rowena surveyed the ship with a critical eye. She had never been in a Gozanti-class freighter before. “This ship’s impressive,” she said, her synthesizer lacking the warmth of her thoughts. “You’ve taken good care of her.”

Bikstol smiled proudly. “The Caroon-Saggil has been my home for decades. She may be old, but she’s served me well.”

Rowena nodded, intrigued. “How did you come by such a ship?”

Bikstol explained how he had bought it from a sickly human merchant who had acquired it at an Imperial auction. “The Empire decommissioned ship because hyperdrive was damaged, but eet was too good a ship to pass up.”

He looked past Rowena, lost in memory. “The Empire designated ship as CS-929. I thought eet was a lucky number.” He paused a moment to see if Rowena appreciated the significance of the number ‘929’. “Eet’s prime, you know?” He paused, gauging her reaction.

“When human became seeck, I bought ship from him. He called dis ship ‘Vadecuhr’. Eet means ‘You carry my heart’. Eet vas from an ancient poem written by a Tythonian named Avimarivash. Have you ever heard of him?”

Rowena shook her head.

“I have translation of full poem een my quarters if you like to read. When I bought ship, I renamed ‘Caroon-Saggil’ after my hometown on Duro. A leettle piece of home.”

Rowena nodded, absorbing the information. “It’s a good name,” she said.

“I talk too much. I’m sure you vant to get on weeth your inspection. Meester Mokk will take you on tour of Engine Room. I’m sure you will find every-ting satisfactory.”

<><><>
In the cramped, greasy confines of the engine room, Mokk led Rowena through the propulsion systems. The space was huge compared to what she was used to in the White Star, but then so were the mechanical components. Her sharp eyes and sensitive nose quickly noted the mismatched equipment, dripping fluids, and lack of signage.

She forced a calm voice through her synthesizer. "This is quite the engine room, Warlo. Do you manage all this by yourself?"

"Yeah, I used to have help," Mokk grumbled. "But the captain had ta let ‘em go."

Rowena consulted her checklist, asking him questions at every step, frustrating Mokk’s attempt to gloss over problems. Despite himself, Mokk found Rowena’s curiosity and technical knowledge impressive. She wasn’t just going through the motions; she genuinely understood the systems.

But then came the dreaded question. "Why did you replace the matter/anti-matter combustion chamber with an odd-sized one?"

Mokk looked down at the deck and shuffled his feet. "The original chamber developed cracks, and Cygnus doesn’t market a replacement chamber anymore. I found a Corellian BlastBucket chamber that fit the space, so I swapped it. It works fine, but it ain’t standard. You gonna fail me over that?"

Rowena didn’t respond immediately. Instead, she checked her datapad. "What’s the hyperdrive class rating since you installed it?"

"One-point-nine," Mokk lied, rounding down, hoping she wouldn’t dig deeper.

"That’s not great," Rowena noted, her tone neutral but firm. "It should be below one."

Mokk grumbled again. "I did what I could."

Rowena made a note in her datapad. "I checked the spaceport’s storeroom. They have a more efficient replacement chamber from Kuat Drive Yards – a combustion chamber for the HD-2020 model that’s better and cheaper. You can get one here at the spaceport. Mister Bleriot will pay for it."

Mokk blinked, surprised. "I didn’t know about that."

"Let’s get one ordered for you," Rowena said, ready to dive into the repairs. “I’ll help you install it.” She pulled out a pair of overalls from her backpack. "Let’s get to work."

Scene 3: Walter Simpo

After secondary school, Rowena’s closest friends—Tara, Mariette, and Lilliah—had all decided to attend Galactic Capital University on Coruscant. Tara had received a full scholarship, Mariette relied on savings and financial aid, and Lilliah’s trust fund made tuition a non-issue.

The Galactic Capital University was contained within a mega-skyscraper that took up four city blocks. Visible from outer space, It was one of the tallest buildings on Coruscant but extended below ground twenty more levels.

GalCap provided undergraduate student housing in the sub-level dormitory apartments, and graduate housing in the near ground levels, while the teaching staff resided in the upper floors, and administrators in the top most reaches. Interspersed within the mid-levels were the classrooms, auditoriums, laboratories, and sporting arenas. The University boasted 260,000 full time undergraduate and graduate students living on-campus and over two million on-line students from across the galaxy.

No student ever had to leave their living space to attend a class since GalCap broadcast all lectures by state-of-the-art HoloNet transmissions, but it was University policy that all freshmen, and most undergraduates, attend classes together in a physical classroom space. However, professors almost never attended their own classes. Most taught remotely by short-range intra-office transmission. Some sent teaching-droids, while others used graduate students to teach the subject matter.

The girls found an off-campus apartment just a short walk from the massive university complex. To be sure, the apartment was rather shabby, but it provided a space where they could be together without the chaos of dorm life.

Despite their academic responsibilities, they always found time for social events and new friendships. GalCap hosted a variety of events—concerts, cultural performances, and guest lectures that kept the girls entertained. Political rallies were notably absent, banned by Imperial decree, a fact that made Mariette quietly resentful. Still, they formed new friendships with other students, particularly Senna Rasseni, a near-human from Alderaan, and her musician boyfriend Luter M’ran, a bith.

But it was Walter Simpo, Luter’s charismatic roommate, who fascinated Mariette. Walter, a political science student, had made a name for himself with his fiery anti-Imperial rhetoric. His goal was to expose the Emperor’s hypocrisy and the Empire’s mistreatment of non-human sentient species.

Walter first started to speak out against the Emperor when he was still in high school. He learned that by embracing the anarchist viewpoint, he could garner a group of followers, disciples that became a substitute for friends.

Mariette, sharp-minded and eager to challenge Walter’s views, often sparred with him over politics. One evening, after classes, she and several others discussed the Empire’s pacification efforts in the Western Reaches.

“There are planets whose Separatist populations are still fighting to be free of the Republic,” Mariette said, recounting what she had learned in high school history class. “The Siege of Mandalore, about four and a half years ago, brought about the effective end of the Clone Wars, but not all Separatist planets stopped fighting. The Republic Army and the Jedi defeated the Sith Lord, Maul, on Mandalore before the Jedi turned on Chancellor Palpatine. The Emperor had no choice but to put down the Jedi. That same year, on Mustafar, Darth Vader killed everyone associated with the Confederacy of Independent Systems ruling council. So, with no loyal Jedi, and no Separatist leadership, the Emperor was forced to send troops to the Western Reaches to keep those planets within the Republic – I mean Empire.”

Walter countered, “Those planets were no threat to the Empire, Mariette. Negotiations could have brought them back without bloodshed. Instead, Emperor Palpatine wanted to eliminate the remnant of the Clone Army. He believed they were too loyal to the Jedi, so he sent them to the Western Reaches to be slaughtered.”

The debate raged on late into the night, no minds changed, but perspectives broadened.

Mariette found herself drawn to Walter’s passion, but something about him troubled her. He blamed others for his failures and often spoke dismissively of those who didn’t share his views. Despite his idealism, Mariette couldn’t shake the feeling that Walter’s activism was more about ego than true rebellion.

Mariette prided herself at finding out what made people behave in certain ways but Walter was a puzzle.

Tara warned her to be cautious. “He’ll hurt you emotionally if you let him.”

Mariette heeded her warning, but Lilliah, ever uninterested in emotional attachment, found herself intrigued by Walter’s growing celebrity status. She enjoyed the attention he garnered and she wanted to share in his increasing popularity.

<><><>
The University’s Military Science department hosted an event to recognize Captain Martan Paust of the Republic Space Navy for his involvement in quelling an uprising on the Mid Rim planet of Feenix during the Clone Wars. Walter, hearing about it, immediately dismissed the official narrative. He argued that Feenix had always been loyal to the Republic, and the people never intended to separate. He petitioned the department to allow him to debate Captain Paust, and, after some persuasion, the Captain agreed.

Walter invited Lilliah to attend the dinner meeting, an open event. Mariette, Tara, and their friends attended as well, sitting at a table near the center of the room, surrounded by hundreds of spectators—many of whom were military supporters. Mariette expected Walter and Lilliah to join them, but when she looked up, she was surprised to see Lilliah seated at the head table, right beside Walter, Captain Paust, the department chair, and the student president of the Military Science club.

Lilliah, in her signature style, looked more like a debutante than a student. Her strapless pale-blue gown of shimmersilk was woven with sparkle-specks excreted by spiders to create a flawless design. Her ‘blue-diamond’ earrings and a matching bracelet completed the ensemble, the sun-crystal around her neck gleaming with ostentation. The dress cost a fortune, but Lilliah didn’t care—she had the money and wore it with confidence.

The dinner, catered by the University’s food service, was unremarkable, but no one complained. It was the conversations that began to stir.

Walter, ever the charmer, held Lilliah’s chair, poured her wine, and engaged her in light conversation. To Mariette’s eyes, Lilliah seemed to be enjoying herself. But after the dinner ended, the mood shifted.

The department chair introduced those at the head table, and when he mentioned Walter, he falsely touted him as the leader of the Political Science Debate Team. Mariette hadn’t even known such a group existed. It seemed Walter had created this title to inflate his image. But it was Lilliah’s introduction that shocked her. The department chair proudly announced her as the niece of the CEO of Tarascii Explosives, a family connection Lilliah usually kept private. Walter had used her name to promote his own agenda, and Mariette could see the tense set of Lilliah’s jaw. She was angry.

Captain Paust spoke first, recounting his military action on Feenix. He described the planet’s population as a “hotbed of unrest,” claiming their representative on Coruscant had always disrupted Senate proceedings. His mission, he said, was to bring peace—delivering medical supplies to a planet cut off from normal trade routes.

“When we landed, we encountered a militia near the Resurrection River,” Paust explained. “I feared they would seize our supplies, so I ordered my marines to attack. We decimated the militia and destroyed the bridge to prevent any Separatist advance.”

Walter’s rebuttal was sharp. “Captain Paust, did you ever consider the people built that bridge for survival? They lived on higher ground but farmed on the flood plains. You trapped them in a flood zone, and many died when the monsoon rains came. These were loyal Republic citizens, and you butchered them.”

Paust interrupted, defensive. “I had orders from the Chancellor’s office. There were no consequences for my actions.”

Walter pushed harder. “Or maybe the Emperor used your fears to exploit you, Captain. He made sure you took down a peaceful planet’s people—without any real justification.”

The debate escalated, tempers flaring, voices rising. Microphones stayed on even as they went past their time limits. By the end, the audience was left to decide: Was Paust a hero or a criminal? Mariette wasn’t sure but leaned toward questioning Paust’s actions, uncertain of the facts Walter had presented.

After the event, Walter excused himself from the table, leaving Lilliah in an awkward position. Tara and Mariette stayed behind, concern creeping into their voices.

“Where did Walter go?” Mariette asked.

“I don’t know. He disappeared,” Lilliah replied, worry hidden behind her calm tone.

“There’s an illegal anti-Empire rally on the fiftieth floor,” Tara noted. “He probably went there to gloat to his supporters.”

Lilliah’s face hardened. “I’m going to find him. You two go home.”

<><><>
Lilliah found Walter at the rally, surrounded by hundreds of students—mostly non-humans, though there were faculty members too. The rally quickly spiraled into chaos, with Walter stirring the crowd into a frenzy. What started as a discussion turned into a violent demonstration. Radical students, influenced by Walter, began destroying campus property. Some were injured, and it didn’t take long for campus police to intervene with force.

Lilliah, caught up in the madness, was arrested alongside Walter. Both were dragged to the Imperial Security Bureau office in Galactic City for interrogation.

Hours passed before they were questioned by low-level ISB agents. The University had provided legal counsel, but the ISB refused to allow them any contact with Walter or Lilliah during the questioning.

Walter, ever the opportunist, made the most of his detention. He embraced the arrest as a symbol of his fight for truth and freedom. To him, the arrest was a badge of honor.

Lilliah, on the other hand, was shaken. She had never been so humiliated. Dressed in a fancy gown, imprisoned with criminals—nothing had prepared her for this. Her family connections to Tarascii Explosives kept her from facing serious charges, but the whole ordeal left a bitter taste. The ISB released her with a warning, careful not to jeopardize the Empire’s vital contracts with her family.

Tara and Mariette waited for Lilliah in the lobby. When she was released, it was early morning. Her dress was ruined, and her face was pale with exhaustion.

“Did they hurt you?” Tara asked, her voice filled with concern.

Lilliah shook her head, but the weight of the situation was clear in her eyes.

“Did you hurt them?” Mariette asked, only half-joking.

Lilliah glared. “I just want to take a shower and sleep.”

Mariette bit her tongue, knowing this wasn’t the moment to remind Lilliah of her reckless choices. “What about Walter? Is he being released?”

“No. They’re taking him to a magistrate. He’s being charged with provoking a riot.”

Mariette’s worry deepened. She couldn’t shake the feeling that Lilliah needed to break away from Walter, but Lilliah was determined to stay by his side. She believed she could change him.

<><><>
Lilliah invited Walter to watch a presentation of a classic three-dimensional video entertainment sponsored by the Student Entertainment Club. The film told the story of a young couple who broke off their relationship during a planetary war, only to rekindle their bond once the conflict ended. Lilliah had seen the video as a child, but it was Walter's first time experiencing it. Afterward, they headed to a campus tapcafe for soft drinks and light snacks, eager to discuss the performance and its deeper meanings.

As they settled into their seats, Walter sensed a shift in Lilliah’s demeanor. Her eyes were distant, and he feared she was about to end things between them. Desperate to change the mood, he leaned in, his voice low and inviting. “Lilliah, how would you feel about escaping to Alderaan with me this weekend?”

Lilliah blinked, caught off guard. Alderaan had always been a dream destination for her, but doubt crept in. “How can you afford that? You barely managed to take me to this three-dee-vid.”

Walter flashed a boyish grin, his excitement palpable. “A friend of mine restores damaged spaceships. He fixed up an A-wing fighter and modified it for two. He said I could borrow it. So, what do you say? Want to see Alderaan with me?”

The invitation tempted Lilliah, but the thought of flying in a rebuilt fighter made her stomach churn. “Where is it?”

“Alderaan? It’s in the Core, in the Alderaan Sector.”

“No, not Alderaan,” she giggled, shaking her head. “Where’s the A-wing?”

“Oh, that? My friend keeps it at the Eastern Spaceport, right here in Galactic City.”

Rowena, a pilot, had told her that Alderaan was just a couple of hours away along the Perlemian Trade Route. Every day, cruise ships and freight vessels departed Coruscant for Alderaan. Lilliah realized she didn’t need to squeeze into a cramped fighter with Walter to visit her dream planet. She withdrew her hand from his, her voice steady but firm. “I can’t, Walter. I appreciate the offer, but I’ll pass.”

Walter’s expression darkened. He could read her intentions like a book, and anger bubbled beneath the surface. She was about to ruin his plans for political power. In a moment of spite, he decided to make her jealous. “Lilliah, I’ve been talking to Rowena over the subspace comm for weeks now. I like her, but I don’t know much about her background. Do you?”

Confusion washed over Lilliah. She knew Rowena wasn’t interested in a long-term relationship. “She was born on Corellia, but I don’t know much about her life there. Rowena is a private person.”

Walter pressed on, feigning curiosity. “What do you know about her childhood?”

“Her father took her away when she was six. It had something to do with her mother’s death. Rowena suspects the Empire was involved, but no one really knows. You’ll have to ask her for the whole story.”

Walter’s smile widened, a plan forming in his mind. He abruptly shifted the conversation. “Lilliah, I think it’s best if we stop seeing each other. Rowena has been keeping secrets from you. She’s attracted to me, and I’m no longer interested in being your boyfriend.”

Lilliah’s heart sank. “What do you mean? One moment you want to run off to Alderaan with me, and the next, you’re ending our relationship? Why? Because Rowena is interested in you? I don’t believe it. I’d be surprised if she even remembers who you are.”

She turned away, frowning. Had he found out something about her background? Walter would be furious to learn that her family supplied the Empire with deadly arms. She had kept that secret from him, but somehow, he had discovered her connection to her uncle, Jon.

A troubling thought crossed her mind: had Mariette spoken to Walter, turning him against her to claim him for herself? But that didn’t make sense; Walter wasn’t Mimi’s type. She preferred strong, caring men, while Walter was self-absorbed, despite his grand speeches.

“It started slowly,” Walter continued, his tone casual. “We’ve been talking for weeks. It all began when Nigel, my roommate, uncovered plans for an Imperial supersecret weapon on a HoloNet dark site. He asked me to have Rowena look at them. We’ve been in touch ever since.”

The admission shook Lilliah to her core. She ignored the fact that Rowena primarily communicated through sign language, a skill Walter lacked. Could Rowena have been secretly talking to him all this time? In the end, she decided Rowena was a sweet, thoughtful girl and didn’t think she would do something so hurtful.

Lilliah returned to her apartment hurt and confused. For the next several days, she refused to talk to her friends about anything.

Scene 4: Rowena Makes a Friend

Rowena was in the engine room of the Caroon-Saggil, struggling to loosen the bolts securing the old combustion chamber. Beads of perspiration dripped from her brow as she fought the stubborn fasteners. Warlo Mokk, the chief engineer, offered his help, his small frame awkwardly maneuvering into the tight space.

“Need a hand, Missy?” Mokk asked, already taking hold of the wrench over Rowena’s hand.

Rowena pushed with all her strength, but the bolt refused to budge. Mokk tugged hard, and suddenly, the bolt gave way, sending pain through her hand. She winced but didn’t make a sound.

“Sorry about that, Missy,” Mokk grunted. “I know ya need that hand to speak.”

Rowena gave him a small smile, shaking out her hand. “It’s fine. Thanks.”

After a few minutes of rest, they successfully removed the old chamber and installed the new one. Rowena’s precision with the micro-welding torch was impressive, and Mokk whistled in appreciation.

"That’s a damn fine weld, Missy. They teach you that in school?”

Rowena nodded, her eyes scanning the weld for imperfections. “This new chamber should boost the ship’s hyperspace efficiency.”

Mokk smiled. “Captain’ll be pleased. And it’ll save us a lot of credits.”

But as they finished, Mokk’s expression grew serious. He took Rowena to the top of the ship to show her the failing heat exchanger.

“The system’s shot,” Mokk admitted. “But replacing it’ll take days at a repair shop.”

Rowena’s mind raced. “We can rebuild it ourselves. Order some Heatalloy metal rods from the spaceport. We’ll insert new pipes into the old sleeves. It’ll work as a temporary fix.”

Mokk hesitated. “But a sleeve won’t transfer heat as efficiently.”

Rowena shook her head. “We’ll coat the new pipes with heat transfer gel. It’ll work fine.”

The materials were delivered quickly and Rowena and Mokk worked tirelessly to install the new unit. By the end of it, the heat exchanger was holding pressure perfectly.

When Captain Bikstol and Bleriot arrived, Mokk proudly explained Rowena’s work, and the Captain was visibly relieved. But Rowena wasn’t finished. “Your ship’s nuclear core is almost depleted. You’ll need a replacement soon.”

Bikstol’s face fell. “Well, Bars, it looks like we’ll need a new core.”

Bleriot, looking at Rowena, agreed. “If she says we need it, we’ll get you a new one.”

Rowena’s face brightened. “While the team at Kuat Drive Yards makes the repairs, could I take some time off? I’d like to visit my friends on Coruscant.”

Bikstol readily agreed, but Bleriot hesitated. “I don’t like sending you off with Bikstol’s crew…”

Mokk stepped in, reassuring Bleriot. “She’ll be fine. I’ll look after her.”

Rowena, grateful for the approval, packed her things, excited for her brief break from the grind. She couldn’t help but feel that things were finally looking up for her.

Chapter Text

Rowena's Tale - Story 4 - Rowena Meets Walter - Chapter 2 - Walter’s New Plan

Scene 1: Walter Entices Rowena

Walter Simpo had a plan designed to boost his recognition among the many political and military organizations that opposed Chancellor Palpatine. He wanted every insurrectionist in the galaxy to know his name. But he needed help with his plan – technical help. And he needed a scapegoat, someone to take the blame for his plan so he could vanish and remain blameless.

Walter used people. He lived with two roommates: Luter M’ran, a tidy bith musician, and Nigel Mander, a withdrawn engineering student. Walter tolerated M’ran, even letting his band play at his rallies, but secretly he despised M’ran’s obsession with cleanliness. In contrast, Walter’s attitude toward Nigel was friendlier. He’d once told Nigel he was his best friend. Nigel idolized Walter, basking in the attention since he had few friends of his own.

Two qualities made Nigel invaluable to Walter: his love for building explosives, and the fact that his father, a civilian contractor for the Imperial High Command, had unwittingly granted him access to the Imperial Military Network. Access to ImpMilNet made Nigel indispensable to Walter.

After his final date with Lilliah, Walter wandered Coruscant’s lower levels where no one recognized him, revising his plan to oppose the Empire by figuring out how to substitute Rowena for Lilliah. Hours later, he returned to his apartment, finding Nigel still awake, working on a program to increase the speed of his HoloNet connection. Handing Nigel a beer, Walter casually asked, "Remember Lilliah’s friend, Rowena? Dark hair, can’t speak?"

Nigel nodded absently, more focused on his coding. “Yeah, the mute one. What about her?”

Walter leaned forward. “The Empire had something to do with her mother’s death on Corellia. Think you can dig around in ImpMilNet? Maybe there’s something there.”

Nigel paused, wiping condensation from his fingers. “That’s a long shot, Walt. That’s not much to go on.”

“Her name was Roselyn Whitstar. Died in a Corellian prison, just before the Clone Wars.”

Nigel hesitated, uneasy. “That’s old information. Why do you even care?”

Walter knew Nigel couldn’t resist a challenge. “You’re the best at hacking ImpMilNet, and if there’s anything buried there, you’ll find it.”

Nigel agreed, eager to prove himself.

A day later, Nigel handed Walter a classified file: Roselyn Whitstar, accused by the Corellian government, killed by an inmate under ISB coercion, all to discredit Rowena’s grandfather, an opponent of the Emperor.

Walter read it with relish, enjoying the political intrigue. If he hadn’t been so self-absorbed in his own plans, he would have appreciated Rowena’s grandfather’s attempts to revive the weakened Republic government. “This is great stuff,” Walter grinned. “I owe you a beer.”

Unaware that he’d risked his freedom and future for a simple beer, Nigel smiled.

Walter took the next step in his Master plan. He sent a message to Rowena, knowing full well she wouldn’t be able to resist what he had found. He set the trap.

<><><>
Rowena was reading an engineering journal aboard the Caroon-Saggil when her comm chimed. She glanced at the screen and saw Walter’s name. Confused, she opened the message.

The message was hurried and full of errors, but the meaning was clear: he had uncovered a military report about her mother’s death. If she wanted to know the truth, she had to meet him at a rally on Coruscant the following day. He warned her to come alone and to tell no one.

Rowena stared at the message, her thoughts swirling. Her mother’s death had always been explained as an accident, though she always suspected something more. Walter’s message saying there was more to the story gripped her. Memories of her father’s vague explanations and her own long-buried feelings of loss and anger resurfaced.

Her mind raced with questions. Could Walter really have found something through his political connections? And why would he care?

Rowena hesitated, thinking about how her father would react if he knew. He would tell her it smelled like a trap. But curiosity gnawed at her. She had to know the truth, even if it meant stepping into the unknown.

She typed a simple response: "I’ll be there."

Scene 2: Palpatine’s Concern

Mas Amedda, the vizier of the Empire, rode through Galactic City pensively in his speeder-cade, concerned about his upcoming meeting with Emperor Palpatine. His destination: the abandoned Jedi Towers, where Palpatine had chosen to retreat from the public eye. As his vehicle stopped before the towering structure, his security team secured the site, and Amedda, adorned in ceremonial robes but without his customary staff of office, stepped out. His assistant remained in the speeder according to his command. Palpatine was not a man one lightly brought guests to meet—especially not someone as skilled at uncovering secrets as Amedda’s aide.

The turbolift descended to the sub-levels, and the further Amedda traveled, the heavier the air seemed to become. Rumors swirled about the powerful dark energy that lingered in this place, and as the cold silence pressed in, Amedda believed them.

He found Palpatine seated on a couch, wearing a simple, dark tunic, but the oversized robe only amplified the sense of regal authority he projected. His presence, even seated, was suffocating. Amedda knelt.

“Your Excellency, how may I serve you?”

“Rise, my friend,” Palpatine’s voice, smooth and calculated, cut through the stillness. “We need to discuss the delays in Project Stardust.”

Amedda stood, careful not to make a sound. The Emperor rarely mentioned Project Stardust—the top-secret weapon development. The mere fact that Palpatine was speaking about it directly caused Amedda’s hearts to race.

“Yes, Your Excellency, I am aware of the delay in funding for the hyperdrive engines. Senator Sor Fah managed to sway the Project’s Funding Committee against the allocation.” Amedda hated even saying the name of the aging senator who constantly meddled in the Empire’s affairs.

Palpatine’s eyes narrowed ever so slightly. “Money is not the issue. I can obtain funds without the committee’s approval.” His tone grew colder. “What concerns me is Senator Sor Fah’s persistent interference in my plans. She must be dealt with—permanently.”

Amedda’s mouth twisted into a sinister smile. “I have already taken steps to handle her, Your Excellency. She’s organizing a rally tomorrow in front of the Senate building. What she doesn’t know is that my operatives have incited to violence one of her own speakers, a young activist named Walter Simpo. He believes he’s acting against you, but he will murder his mentor, Sor Fah, instead.”

Palpatine’s gaze darkened. “You intend to allow a protest against my regime in the heart of the Capital?”

Amedda quickly clarified. “It’s just another rally for species rights, and officially, it’s directed at me, not you. By allowing this event, we can show the galaxy that Coruscant tolerates free speech—an illusion, of course. But when Simpo strikes, the chaos that follows will be attributed to the anti-Imperialists. Hundreds will die, and we will have the excuse to crackdown on colleges across the galaxy.”

Palpatine considered this, though his expression remained unreadable. “Very well. Proceed. But, Mas, I will not tolerate direct criticism of my name or my rule. Ensure that the spotlight remains on you.”

Amedda bowed low, his pulse quickened with dark satisfaction. “As you command, my lord. The plan will succeed.”

As he exited the chamber, Amedda allowed himself a moment of triumph. Soon, the Senator who had plagued him for so long would be gone, and the Empire’s grip on the city would tighten further.

Scene 3: Incident at the Gym

Captain Bikstol’s mood was upbeat as he burst into the recreation room aboard the Caroon-Saggil. Rowena and Mokk were playing Dejarik, their holographic game pieces resembling dangerous creatures from the seas and deserts of Duro. Bikstol had always known Mokk to be a skilled player, but Rowena seemed to be holding her own, her sharp mind evident even in a friendly game.

“We’ll reach Kuat in less than an hour!” Bikstol announced, his excitement palpable. “The hyperdrive performance has exceeded all expectations, Miss Whitstar! This ship hasn’t flown this smoothly since it left the shipyards twenty years ago. You’ve given her a new life.”

Rowena’s cheeks flushed at the compliment. “Warlo deserves most of the credit,” she replied through her voice synthesizer. “He’s kept this ship running against all odds. But he needs help, Captain. Please consider hiring him an assistant.”

Bikstol’s grin softened. “I’ll think about it.”

Later, after docking at Kuat, Rowena parted ways with the crew, finding a transport bound for Coruscant. For a mere twenty credits, the captain of an Alderaanian ketch agreed to take her aboard, and a few hours later, she was stepping off the vessel in the Garment District of Galactic City. A hover-train took her to the Financial District, and soon she arrived at her friends’ apartment.

Rowena’s friends had already eaten, but Tara, ever thoughtful, had ordered her a meal from a nearby fast-food establishment. Sitting among familiar faces again, Rowena used her hands to describe the near-disaster she had averted aboard the Caroon-Saggil.

“The engine felt like it could explode at any moment,” she signed.

Her friends, particularly Mariette, listened in awe, their admiration for Rowena’s skills deepening. But as they gossiped late into the night, Rowena found her energy flagging. After the long journey, she was too tired to focus on the latest stories about Lilliah and Walter. She crashed on the couch, while her friends retreated to their rooms.

The next morning, Tara left Rowena a note, inviting her to a mid-morning exercise workout at one of the University’s physical training facilities. After a leisurely breakfast and a shower, she looked up information on the Rally for the Rights of Species and found it publicized in a GalCap newsletter. She had second thoughts about meeting Walter at the rally because she knew it could be dangerous. Anyone could claim her presence at the rally was proof of her disloyalty to the Empire, just like someone claimed her mother’s purpose in teaching youngsters about the Diktat was to plant the seeds of distrust of the government in their young minds. Nevertheless, she really wanted to know what information Walter had about her mother’s death.

Rowena decided to join her friends in a workout. GalCap University was nothing like Rowena’s school on Darkknell. Where Cresh Piscator’s campus spread out over several kilometers of grassy hills, GalCap was contained within a gleaming tower, a behemoth in the heart of the political and business capital of the galaxy. After passing through a security checkpoint, a small droid escorted her to the fitness center on the twentieth floor across from a Grav-Ball Arena.

Her friends were already there, and Rowena quickly changed into her workout gear—simple canvas shoes, loose shorts, and a tee-shirt. Her casual attire earned a disapproving look from Mariette, who never failed to comment on Rowena’s less-than-trendy Outer Rim fashion choices. But Rowena paid little mind, focused instead on the workout ahead.

The exercise room was a state-of-the-art facility filled with configurable machines and gym-droids to assist the students. It was a place where students came to work off stress and frustration more than tone their muscles. Rowena considered the implications of meeting Walter at the Rally and wondered why she had to keep the rendezvous a secret from her girlfriends. She was deep in thought until she wrestled with one malfunctioning machine. Instinctively, she reached for her toolkit and adjusted a loose sensor bracket. The machine instantly performed better, though she earned a stern scolding from one of the gym-droids for tampering with the equipment.

Finishing her workout, Rowena sat on a bench to cool down. She caught sight of herself in a mirror—her normally straight hair had curled up from the humidity. She constantly paid attention to her appearance, at least when she wasn’t working, pretending not to care about her looks too much, but the bouncy curls were a surprise. She realized the lack of humidity on Tatooine kept her hair limp and lifeless, but the excess humidity in the gym caused her hair to spring up. As she admired them, a thin girl with frizzy orange hair passed by and smiled.

“I like your curls,” the stranger said, continuing her way before Rowena could react.

Lost in thought, Rowena wandered back to the locker room, passing one of the private training rooms along the way. Through the small window, she observed Lilliah inside, breathing hard, her eyes focused on the floor. A large trandoshan, dressed only in gym shorts, loomed over her, his yellow-green scales glinting under the lights. He had her in a hold that was clearly distressing her friend. Without warning, he shoved Lilliah down, pinning her to the mat.

Rowena’s heart pounded with fury. Without hesitation, she flung the door open and charged the reptilian, throwing herself onto the trandoshan’s neck, trying to pull him off her friend. The trandoshan, caught off guard, grunted, and with one swipe of his arm, sent Rowena sprawling across the room as if he was tossing a wet bath towel into a hamper.

Lilliah saw Rowena fall to the mat and wanted to aid her. She twisted her body, toppling the trandoshan effortlessly, and freeing herself. She sprang to her feet, calling to the trandoshan, while rushing over to Rowena. “Stop Aleg! She’s my friend.” Turning to Rowena with concern, she asked, “Roro, are you okay?”

Rowena, red-faced with embarrassment, nodded, though she accepted Lilliah’s help to stand.

“What were you thinking?” Lilliah asked, a bewildered smile on her face.

“I thought he was hurting you,” Rowena signed quickly.

Lilliah laughed. “No, Roro. Aleg is a martial arts instructor. He was just showing me some advanced moves. He wasn’t hurting me.”

Introductions followed, and the trandoshan bowed apologetically to Rowena. “Sorry if I hurt you,” he said in a thick accent. His face remained serious. He put his hand on Lilliah’s back. “Lilliah, your friend has got a lot of guts to jump me from behind. She must really care for you a lot to put herself in danger like that.”

“Oh, she was in no danger,” quipped Lilliah. “I would’ve beaten the scales off of you if you had hurt her.”

“I believe you,” Aleg said, grinning a grotesque smile. He held up his hands showing razor-sharp nails. “Why don’t I leave you alone with your friend, and we can pick this up some other time.”

“Sure Aleg.”

When Aleg had left the room, Lilliah hugged Rowena, grinning. “Thanks, Roro. You’re a great friend, but I can take care of myself.”

With the tension dissolved, Rowena decided it was time to bring up the real reason she had come to Coruscant. “Walter sent me a message,” she signed. “He wants me to meet him at the rally tomorrow.”

Lilliah’s face tightened, her smile fading as she realized there was a relationship between Rowena and Walter. “Is that why you’re here?”

Rowena shook her head. “I was already on my way when I got the message.”

Lilliah’s face turned serious. “I met with him a few nights ago to break off our relationship, but he beat me to it. He said that he wanted to dump me because he was in a relationship with you.”

Rowena’s eyes opened wide. “With me? That is not true. I didn’t think he even knew who I was.”

“I didn’t believe him,” lied Lilliah. “I know he’s not your type. He’s much too conceited. And besides, I know you’re still a virgin.”

Rowena’s face blushed, but she didn’t deny it.

Lilliah seemed unsure how to respond, her body language tense. “Be careful with Walter, Roro. He’ll use you.”

Rowena nodded, though a sense of foreboding began to settle over her. Something wasn’t right.

Scene 4: Mariette Confronts Walter

Mariette sat by the window in the campus eatery, the skyline of Galactic City stretching out before her, framed by the distant snow-capped peaks of the Manarai Mountains. It was a breathtaking view, but Mariette barely noticed. She and Tara were waiting for Lilliah and Rowena, and her thoughts kept drifting back to Lilliah’s recent silence about her breakup with Walter. Normally, Lilliah would have told her everything, but this time, something felt different.

Lilliah and Rowena arrived fifteen minutes late. Lilliah looked relaxed, but Mariette's keen eyes caught the slight stiffness in her movements—something was still bothering her. As the two sat down, Mariette couldn’t help but notice that Lilliah seemed closer to Rowena than usual. The two had shared a bonding moment, a connection Mariette wasn’t entirely sure how to feel about.

Lunch passed with light conversation, much of it revolving around Rowena’s misadventure in the gym. Lilliah playfully recounted how Rowena had thrown herself at a trandoshan martial arts instructor, mistaking him for a threat. Rowena, rubbing her still sore hip, signed her side of the story while the others laughed. But as the conversation flowed, Mariette felt a nagging sense of distance from Lilliah. Something was pulling her friend away; it had to be Walter.

When lunch ended, Mariette excused herself, saying she had errands to run. But her mind was racing about Lilliah, feeling that she was going to be hurt emotionally. She couldn’t let it go. If Lilliah wasn’t going to talk about Walter, maybe it was time to confront him directly.

Mariette entered the turbolift, her thoughts in turmoil. By the time she realized she’d missed her stop, she was already at the sub-level dormitory where Walter lived. The lift doors opened, and she hesitated. She hadn’t planned to visit him today, but now that she was here... something drove her forward. Her curiosity, her concern for Lilliah, and her suspicion about Walter's behavior urged her on.

She had not been to his apartment before and didn’t know where it was. She wandered through the maze of hallways until she found a door plastered with political posters and animated images—definitely Walter’s. She took a deep breath and knocked.

Walter answered the door in his usual casual attire—loose sweatshirt, baggy pants, and bare feet. His blond hair was a mess, but it was the surprise in his eyes that caught Mariette’s attention.

“Mimi,” he said, clearly not expecting her. “What are you doing here?”

“I was hoping we could talk,” Mariette replied, offering him a practiced, disarming smile.

Walter stood aside and let her in, the faint smell of Corellian spices and stale snacks hanging in the air. Mariette took in the cluttered living space—empty bottles and scattered snack boxes in the common area, and mechanical parts littering the kitchen table. The small apartment felt disheveled, a far cry from the composed image Walter projected at rallies.

“I’m alone,” Walter said casually. “My roommates are out.”

He led her to the kitchen, where a repaired beer sign flickered dimly on the wall, casting a grayish light over the table. Circuit boards and bits of machinery were scattered across the surface—clearly Nigel’s handiwork.

“Want something to drink?” Walter asked, heading for the cooler.

“Some tea, if you have any,” Mariette replied. She wasn’t thirsty, but she needed the conversation to feel civil, calm.

Walter set the dispenser to brew some Elba tea and grabbed a cold beer for himself, settling into a chair. Mariette watched him for a moment, noting how his body language changed—he seemed relaxed, but there was something guarded about him. Something beneath the surface.

“Have you ever been to Lorrd?” Walter asked suddenly.

Mariette blinked. “No, why?”

“I heard it used to be illegal for people to speak there,” he said, casually swirling his beer. “Something about the Argazdan invaders.”

“That was thousands of years ago,” Mariette said, feeling the strangeness of the topic. “Yes, they forbade the people to speak, but it’s all ancient history now. My ancestors emigrated long ago.”

Walter nodded, but his eyes were distant. “Interesting, isn’t it? How much control governments can have over people’s voices?”

Mariette tensed slightly. She knew where he was steering the conversation. “That’s why the Republic made sure speech was a protected right—so no one could silence us again.”

Walter’s voice shifted, losing its casual tone. “The Republic’s gone, Mimi. The Empire doesn’t believe in free speech, not really. Tomorrow’s rally is a perfect example. Sor Fah’s rally is about species rights, but everyone knows what it’s really about—defiance. The Empire allows it to happen so people think they’re free, but criticize the Emperor? That’s a crime.”

Mariette’s instincts kicked in. He was trying to manipulate her, guide her thoughts to align with his. But she wasn’t here to be lectured about politics.

“I didn’t come here to talk about the rally,” she said, her voice firm. “I came to talk about Lilliah.”

Walter’s expression hardened. He leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms defensively. “What about her?”

“I don’t like the way you’ve been treating her. She deserves better, Walter. She’s been through a lot.”

Walter shrugged, taking a long sip of his beer. “I know. Lilliah’s a princess. She should be treated like one.”

Mariette’s frustration bubbled beneath her calm exterior. “That’s not what I mean. You constantly belittle her, talk over her in conversations. You make her feel like her opinions don’t matter.”

Walter didn’t flinch. “Did she send you here to say this?”

“No,” Mariette shot back. “She doesn’t even know I’m here. I came because I care about her. And she deserves someone who treats her with respect.”

Unconsciously, Mariette picked up a cylindrical electro-mechanical component from the table and nervously began to fiddle with it. It had a rod protruding from one end that appeared to be spring-loaded because when she pushed the rod into the cylinder, it slid back out.

“In that case, you are just a busybody,” Walter said, raising the tension in his voice slightly. “How I treat women is my own business and not yours.” He reached over the table and pulled the device forcefully from her hands and set it in a drawer to hide it from view. Walter’s eyes narrowed as he leaned forward. “Look, Mimi, I’ll be blunt. I broke up with Lilliah. It’s over. You don’t need to worry about me mistreating her anymore. I’m surprised you don’t know that already.”

Mariette was stunned. She had suspected something was off, but hearing it confirmed hit harder than expected. “You broke up with her?”

Walter nodded, his tone indifferent. “She was becoming... difficult. Argumentative. High maintenance.”

Mariette stared at him, reading the lies in his voice. He wasn’t being honest—this wasn’t about Lilliah being difficult. “Is there someone else?” she asked, her voice cutting through the tension.

Walter hesitated for the briefest moment, then smiled—an unsettling, confident smile. “Yes. Rowena.”

Mariette’s jaw dropped. “Rowena? You barely know her.”

“I met her once,” Walter said, his voice laced with amusement. “But I want to know her better. I’m drawn to her. There’s something... mysterious about her.”

“Walter,” Mariette said, standing up slowly, her voice full of disbelief. “You’re using her to hurt Lilliah. You don’t care about Rowena.”

Walter’s smile faded. “Leave, Mimi. This conversation is over.”

Mariette’s heart pounded as she grabbed her things, leaving her untouched tea behind. As she walked out of the cluttered apartment, her mind raced. Walter’s confession didn’t sit right. It was too convenient, too calculated. Rowena was walking into something dangerous, and Mariette knew she had to warn her.

Scene 5: Jasper Looks for a New Traveling Companion

Jasper Whitstar sat in the cockpit of the White Star, staring out at the stars streaking past as his ship hurtled through hyperspace. The emptiness gnawed at him—not just the vastness of space, but the absence of his daughter, Rowena. Since Mister Bleriot had assigned her to work on fleet provisioning and ship inspection, she had been away for weeks, and though Jasper understood the importance of her work, he felt her absence keenly.

It wasn’t just the silence aboard the ship; it was the hole in his routine. Rowena had always been by his side, whether they were delivering grain or picking up cargo. Now, with no one to talk to, no one to share the small victories, no one to plan missions with, Jasper found the long stretches of monotony disquieting in a way he hadn’t expected.

The ship was on autopilot, following its course to Arkanis to pick up a shipment of supplies for Bleriot. Jasper checked the ship’s message files for something to do. He decided to replace the primary air filter in the crew compartment – a task he usually left for Rowena. It was a simple job, one he had done dozens of times, but today, as he struggled to loosen the dirty filter, his frustration grew. The old filter was stuck, refusing to budge.

“Come on, you kriffing piece of junk,” Jasper muttered under his breath, twisting harder until, with a metallic snap, the filter finally gave way. He pulled it free, noticing the yellowed, wheat-colored grime coating it. He let out a low whistle, realizing how long it had been since the filter had been replaced. Rowena would’ve caught that sooner.

He installed the new filter, the clean white cylinder sliding easily into place, and secured it with a setscrew. As he reset the warning light, a familiar pang of loneliness hit him. The empty ship was a constant reminder that Rowena had grown beyond their small adventures. She had responsibilities now—important ones. And though he was proud of her, the silence on the ship was too much to bear.

Jasper needed a new traveling companion. He couldn’t keep running missions alone.

Back on Tatooine, Jasper sat across from Bleriot in a dimly lit alcove of the Mos Eisley Cantina. The familiar din of the cantina’s patrons provided a strange comfort as Jasper explained his predicament.

“I need someone to travel with me, Bars,” Jasper said, taking a swig of his drink. “Rowena’s busy with her work, and it’s not safe for me to keep running these missions solo.”

Bleriot nodded, his grizzled face thoughtful. “You’re right. It’s dangerous out there, especially with the Empire increasing its patrols of the space lanes. We’ll find someone for you—someone who can watch your back.”

Jasper posted a notice on several HoloNet bulletin boards and spread the word among the mechanics and spacers at Mos Eisley Spaceport. Word traveled fast on Tatooine, and over the next few days, several candidates had come forward. Bars and Jasper interviewed dozens of them—humans, twi’leks, sullustans, dugs—but none seemed to fit the bill.

The most promising candidate was a man named Salish, a human in his thirties from Mos Espa. Salish had once been a pilot, but his life had taken a downward turn after his wife left him. He had moved to Tatooine to escape the memories of his failed marriage, but the weight of his past hung heavy on him. Despite his personal struggles, Salish was a skilled mechanic and a decent pilot, qualities Jasper needed.

They took a test flight to Arkanis, and at first, everything seemed fine. Salish knew his way around a ship, and his mechanical knowledge was solid. But as they prepared to return to Tatooine, Salish’s demeanor shifted. He became withdrawn, admitting to Jasper that he struggled with depression and tended to drink heavily when he was off-world.

“I’ve done things I’m not proud of,” Salish said quietly, staring at the controls. “Sometimes I end up in places I shouldn’t be—bars, gambling dens, with women I shouldn’t trust. One of them even drugged me once, took everything I had.”

Jasper listened, his heart heavy. Salish was broken, a man who needed professional help, not a companion for deep-space missions. Jasper knew he couldn’t take the risk of counting on Salish, not with someone so unstable. When they returned to Tatooine, Jasper gently told Salish that the job wasn’t the right fit for him.

Salish didn’t argue. He simply nodded, accepting the rejection with quiet resignation, and disappeared into the dusty streets of Mos Espa.

Days passed, and the list of candidates dwindled. Jasper found himself growing more frustrated with each interview. Every potential partner had something missing, some unqualified, others unreliable. His patience was wearing thin.

Bleriot, noticing Jasper’s growing irritation, pulled him aside one evening. “Jasper, you’re not gonna find another Rowena,” Bars said bluntly. “She’s one of a kind. You need to lower your expectations a little.”

“I know, Bars,” Jasper replied, his voice heavy with frustration. “But I can’t just hire anyone. I need someone I can trust.”

Bars sighed, leaning back in his chair. “Look, you’ve got two weeks. After that, I’m grounding you. I can’t have you fly solo anymore—it’s too dangerous. Either you find someone by then, or I’ll limit your missions to the Arkanis Sector.”

Jasper nodded reluctantly. “Two weeks. I’ll find someone.”

He returned to the spaceport, continuing his search, but his mind kept drifting back to Rowena. She had always been there—his partner, his confidante. And now, with her moving forward in her own life, Jasper realized that replacing her wouldn’t be as easy as he had hoped.

Chapter Text

Rowena's Tale - Story 4 - Rowena Meets Walter - Chapter 3: The Terrorist Threat

Scene 1: Mariette Confronts Lilliah

Mariette returned home after her final class of the day; her thoughts consumed about Lilliah. She feared a conflict was brewing between Lulu and Rowena, all because of Walter. Not wanting a rift to develop between her friends, she decided to act. Dropping her bag inside, she found Tara rummaging in the food cooler.

“Where’s Roro?” Mariette asked.

Tara, busy shifting items around in the food storage unit, replied without looking up. “She went to the IDC to visit with Kita Priss and see her friend Mech.”

“Mech?” Mariette frowned. “The clone soldier from her practical exam?”

Tara found a jogan fruit and turned, finally meeting Mariette’s eyes. “Yeah, that’s him. He works at the IDC now. Why?”

“I know that. When’s she coming back?”

Tara shrugged. “She’s staying at the Grand Brillantor Hotel tonight. Miss Priss arranged it for her.”

Mariette raised an eyebrow. “She can stay at a fancy hotel like that?”

“Why not? She’s still works in the shipping department for the IDC.” Tara took a bite from her fruit. “The room’s already paid for, so why not use it?”

Mariette paused, processing the information. She wondered if Rowena requested the room so she could be alone with Walter but quickly dismissed the notion. Rowena was not that kind of girl. “What about Lulu? I need to talk to her too.”

Tara looked concerned. “What’s going on? Why do you need to talk to both Lulu and Roro tonight?”

“Oh... nothing.” Mariette tried to play it off, but Tara wasn’t buying it.

“This is about Walter, isn’t it?” Tara asked, eyes narrowing.

Mariette couldn’t hold it any longer. “Walter broke up with Lilliah. I don’t think she took it well.”

Tara didn’t seem fazed. “So what? Lulu’s tough. She’s broken up with dozens of guys before. She’ll get over it.”

“Yeah, but this time, he broke up with her because he wants to date Rowena,” Mariette added.

Tara stopped chewing. “What? How do you know?”

“Walter told me,” Mariette said, grabbing the jogan fruit from Tara’s hand and taking a bite.

“You went to see Walter? Mimi, why are you getting involved? This is none of your business,” Tara said, shaking her head.

“Lulu’s my friend. She’s your sister. Don’t you care about her feelings?” Mariette snapped, wiping juice from her chin.

Tara sighed. “I do, but Lulu’s not the kind of person who lets people hurt her anymore.”

At that moment, Lilliah entered the room. “Who’s going to hurt me?”

Both girls froze. Mariette quickly returned the fruit to Tara, while Tara pointed at her accusingly. “Ask her. Miss Nosey here’s been doing all the talking.”

Lilliah stepped in, hands on her hips, her eyes on Mariette. “Well?”

Mariette took a deep breath. “I went to Walter’s place today.”

“Why?” Lilliah’s expression hardened.

“Because you wouldn’t tell me what was bothering you. You’ve been acting strangely. I was worried.”

Lilliah’s shoulders dropped. “I’m handling it. What did he say?”

Mariette hesitated, then blurted, “He said he broke up with you because he wants to date Rowena.”

Lilliah laughed bitterly. “He doesn’t want to date Rowena. He’s using her. He found something about her past, but it’s private.”

Tara cut in, “Found what?”

Lilliah paused, realizing she’d said too much. “It’s confidential. But Walter claims he found some superweapon plans and needs Rowena’s opinion.”

Tara scoffed. “Superweapon plans? Where would Walter get those?”

Mariette wasn’t laughing. “Rowena’s in over her head, Lulu. He’s going to hurt her.”

Lilliah sighed, sitting down. “You may be right. But Rowena feels like she must do this, and there’s nothing we can do to stop her.”

Lilliah stood and hugged Mariette tightly. “You and Roro both care about me so much. I’m lucky to have friends like you.”

Scene 2: Mariette Asks Mech for Help

On the morning of the rally, Mariette tried to contact Rowena at the hotel but received no response. Worried, she called the reservation’s desk at the Grand Brillantor Hotel and learned Rowena had already checked out.

Fearing the worst, Mariette headed straight to the IDC offices, thinking Rowena must be there to talk to Mech or Miss Priss before her meeting with Walter. She was determined to stop her friend from making a terrible mistake.

At the IDC main entrance, she approached the familiar security guard. “Morning, Mister Fareen. Remember me? Mariette Morell? I used to work here as an intern.”

The sullustan smiled, recognizing her immediately. “Of course, I do! What brings you back, Miss Morell?”

“I need a pass to see Miss Priss.”

He nodded and issued her a pass without fuss. Before leaving, Mariette asked, “Is Rowena Whitstar here?”

Fareen checked his monitor for the visitor log. “Yes, she checked in this morning.”

Mariette thanked him and took the lift to the executive offices. The moment the doors opened, she spotted Rowena heading toward the exit. She caught up, trying to keep her tone light. “Hi, Roro. I’ve been looking for you.”

Rowena’s smile faltered. “Hey, Mimi. What’s up?”

Mariette switched to sign language. “I spoke with Walter. He told me he wants to date you.”

Rowena frowned. “He doesn’t want to date me.”

Mariette stepped closer, her eyes narrowing. “I know you’re meeting him at the rally today.”

Rowena didn’t deny it. “I am. It’s no big deal.”

“Roro, you’re walking into something dangerous. This rally could get you into serious trouble with the Empire. Walter’s using you.”

Rowena’s expression hardened. She didn’t want to discuss her mother’s mysterious death with Mini. Not yet. “My relationship with Walter is none of your concern, Mimi.”

Mariette reached out, placing a hand on Rowena’s shoulder. “I’m your friend. If you ever need help, I’ll be there.”

Rowena’s resistance softened. “I know. But I need to figure this out for myself.”

They parted ways, but Mariette couldn’t shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong. Mariette lingered in the lobby, troubled by Rowena's relationship with Walter. She suspected something sinister was afoot, but Rowena seemed oblivious to the warning signs.

"Perhaps Mister Whitstar could talk some sense into her," Mariette thought. But she realized her own father wouldn't be much help in matters of the heart.

As she stood there, Mech, an old soldier-turned-mechanic and Rowena's friend, entered the lobby. Mariette approached him, her concern evident.

“Hello Mech. I’m Mariette. Do you remember me?”

The old man regarded Mariette with his piercing eyes. “Sure, I do. You’re Rowena’s friend. What can I do for you?”

"I'm worried about Rowena," she confessed. "I think she might be getting herself into trouble. I think she may get her heart broken."

Mech took Mariette into the repair shop, listening intently as Mariette explained the situation with Walter and Lilliah. He struggled to understand the complexities of human relationships, but he sensed Mariette's concern was genuine. "I may look like an old man, but age-wise, I’m younger than you. I’ve never been in love, so I don’t know what advice I can offer. What did Rowena say when you talked to her about this?"

"She accused me of interfering," Mariette replied, her voice filled with frustration. "I tried to tell her I just wanted to help, but she wouldn't listen."

"Exactly what do you think this fellow Walter is up to?" Mech inquired.

"I don't know," Mariette admitted, her voice trembling. "He's dangerous. He uses people for his own benefit. I don't want Rowena to get hurt."

Mech tried to offer comfort. "You know, in war, people get hurt. The jedi used the Clone Army to fight their war against the Separatists. I had a lot of brothers who died in that war, and more that were injured. I hated to see them get hurt, but in war, it can’t be helped.”

Mariette smiled at how Mech, due to his naivety, oversimplified the matter. “That’s different, Mech. Fighting to keep the galaxy free and unified was a noble act. The jedi created clones like you just to fight in the war. What I am talking about is different. How would you feel if I used you to talk Rowena out of seeing Walter just so that I could be with him?”

“Oh, I see,” Mech said. “Manipulating me in that fashion would not be an honorable thing to do. In fact, it would be darn right low. And Rowena would hate me afterwards. I get it.”

Mariette was pleased she was getting through to the old clone. “Would you talk to Rowena for me? Try to figure out what she’s hiding, and how we could best help her.”

“Wait a minute,” Mech said, holding up his hands. “I’m ready to do battle, but not without a battle strategy. We clones have a saying, ‘You never send a General to do the work of a Scout.’ I’ll be glad to talk with her, but I don’t see how I can be of any help. I’m not experienced with matters of the heart, Miss. Sorry.”

Mariette’s eyes showed her disappointment. His response was not what she had hoped for. “Don’t be sorry. It wasn’t fair for me to expect an ex-soldier like you to talk to a young girl about her romantic life. It’s just that I’m a bit desperate to find a way to keep Rowena from getting her heart broken.”

“Listen Miss, I’ve known Rowena to be rather levelheaded. If Rowena doesn’t want to talk to you about this matter, it’s probably because she’s still figuring it out herself. She doesn’t know what to say to you, yet.”

“But I can help her figure it out,” protested Mariette.

“Maybe. Some things you just gotta sort out on your own. Now this Walter fellow, he has everything sorted out. He knows what he wants from people. I think your best move is to get Walter to tell the truth about what’s going on.”

“I already tried.” Mariette felt helpless, on the verge of tears. “I spoke to him in his apartment, and he told me to leave. But even if he told me everything, why would Rowena believe me?”

“That’s a good point, but I can help you with that.” He opened a drawer in his tool chest and rummaged until he found a small rectangular box and held up a tiny device. “This is the audio/optical sensor taken from a droid remote unit used for scanning the outside of a spaceship. I had to scrap the remote because the propulsion unit burned up, but the sensing mechanism is in perfect working order. Hide this somewhere on your clothes when you speak to Walter, and it will record your conversation.”

Mariette removed the device from the box and examined it. “Is this legal?”

“Why? Are you taking him to court?” asked Mech.

“How does it work? Does it broadcast on some channel?”

“It could, but it would be best to record the conversation and re-play it later. Just take it to a compatible monitor, and it will connect wirelessly and automatically. It’s really easy.”

Mariette envisioned herself as a self-styled spy. “Okay, I’ll do it. I’ll go back and speak with Walter again. This time I won’t stop until he tells me the truth.”

Mech was glad he could help Mariette. “And if Rowena stops by again, I’ll make sure to talk to her. If she says anything about Walter, then I’ll report it to you. How’s that?”

“Thank you, Mech. I know you care about Rowena too. I appreciate anything you can do to help.” She rose from the chair and began to leave the room. She stopped abruptly, turned and said, “There is something else that I noticed in Walter’s apartment that I thought was strange. Perhaps you might help me figure this out.”

“What’s that Miss?”

“The kitchen table was covered with mechanical and electrical components. I thought Walter’s roommate might be working on a project, because Walter is not mechanically inclined. Anyway, I picked up one of the components and began to play with it. Walter pulled it out of my hands, but then he hid it in a drawer as if he didn’t want me to see what it was.”

“Well, what did it look like?”

Mariette made some gestures in the air with her hands trying to recreate the component in her mind. “It was about the size of my hand. It was mostly cylindrical with several electrical leads at one end – seven leads I think. The other end had a sliding rod, or plunger.”

Mech thought about what items might fit that description. “That could be almost anything, Miss. It sounds like it could be some kind of pressure regulator for an engine.”

“No, I don’t think so. Walter’s roommate is not so much into engines. He’s more of a droid guy. And he likes weapons, too.”

“It could be a servo actuator for a droid. You say it had seven leads? What was it made of?”

“I don’t know,” said Mariette. “It was hefty, to be sure. And it had a dull finish on the surface, a golden-brown finish.”

Mech’s eyes lit up with an idea. He turned to a nearby computer terminal and punched in the commands for a catalog of mechanical parts.

“Is one of these what you saw?”

Mariette examined the page and pointed to the image of the device in the upper corner. “This is it. I am sure. What is it?”

Mech zoomed into the accompanying text beside the image. “This is your standard, run of the mill, explosive anti-matter detonator,” he said. “In the wars, I saw hundreds of these things. They can be quite dangerous. I don’t know what you’ve stumbled on, but this could be a part for a bomb. I think you need to notify the authorities that Walter could have a powerful and deadly explosive device in his possession.”

“Where… where would Walter get anti-matter?” asked Mariette. “Don’t you need to produce some kind of nuclear reaction to make it?”

“You and I can’t get anti-matter,” Mech said. “It’s a controlled material, but university labs have lots of it.”

A sense of urgency overcame both Mech and Mariette. They now believed Rowena’s life was in danger, and possibly hundreds of other lives too.

As they parted ways, Mariette felt a renewed sense of determination. With Mech's help, she hoped to uncover the truth and protect Rowena from Walter's dangerous schemes.

Scene 3: Walter Reveals His Plan

Mariette arrived at the rally and saw droids and workers setting up the stage. She made her way to the front, searching for Walter and Rowena, but neither was in sight.

She spotted Senator Sor Fah, speaking to her administrative aide on the stage, and approached her. Like the Senator, the aide was a fosh, a non-flying, avian species. The Senator, about the same size as Mariette, wore a shawl over her brownish-red feathers. Her keen black eyes, circled in red, focused on her aide, but Mariette knew they saw everything that was going on in the square. The aide, slightly taller than the Senator, had more colorful feathers, but a dark trench coat hid most of them. She figured the aide must be a male fosh.

She asked the Senator if she’d seen Walter. The Senator’s aide pointed her to a room below the stage where Walter was preparing. Mariette made her way down the stairs, tension building in her chest.

Mariette noticed several security personnel in the area, some of them Imperial troopers. Municipal security forces, invited by Senator Fah to keep the peace, patrolled the area, while the Imperial troopers huddled off to the side of the stage waiting for Mas Amedda, the keynote speaker. Since Amedda had not yet arrived, they kept themselves busy by checking on suspicious people and keeping tabs on possible assassination points.

However, it was a municipal security droid that stopped Mariette at the top of the stairway, asking for her identity and destination. Mariette explained that she needed to see her friend, Walter Simpo, a presenter preparing his speech in one of the ready-rooms. After quickly verifying her affiliation with the school, the droid permitted her to descend the stairs to the level below.

Entering the small room, she found Walter fussing with some electronic equipment.

“Walter, we need to talk,” she said, her voice steady despite her nerves.

Walter turned, startled. “Mariette, what are you doing here?”

“You invited me, remember?” She set her carry-bag down, discreetly activating the recording device Mech had given her.

Walter smiled nervously. “I’m just practicing my speech. This smart monitor is amazing. You speak your commands in any language into the console and the monitor responds. I’d show you, but I’m busy. You should go.”

“Walter, are you going to cause trouble today? What are you really going to say?”

Walter turned his back on her so she couldn’t see his face. “I told you already. I’m going to speak about the galactic right to free speech for all species.”

Mariette’s eyes narrowed. “Stop lying, Walter. I know what you’re planning.”

Walter froze. “What do you mean?”

“I know about the bomb,” Mariette said coldly. “I saw the components in your apartment.”

For a moment, Walter’s face contorted with conflicting emotions—admiration, anger, and disgust. Then, he spoke, voice dripping with malice. “You’re right, Mariette. I have a bomb. After my speech, I’ll detonate it. Hundreds will die. Mas Amedda will die. And the galaxy will finally take notice.”

Mariette stared, horrified. “Walter, you’re insane. The troopers will kill you.”

“I won’t be here when it goes off,” Walter sneered.

“It doesn’t matter, Walter. The troopers will hunt you down. There’s no place you can hide.”

Walter smiled grimly. “They won’t even be looking for me. Rowena will take the blame. I’ll make sure of it.”

“Walter, that doesn’t even make any sense. Rowena’s not a student here.”

Walter didn’t seem phased by the objection. “That doesn’t matter. When Lilliah told me that Rowena’s mother died at the hands of Republic authorities - the same authorities who are now in league with the Imperial Security Bureau - I knew it had to be Rowena.”

Walter picked up a memory stick from the table and waved it in front of Mariette. “I had Nigel steal Rowena’s mother’s confidential dossier from the military files, and it’s true; her mother’s death was not an accident; it was murder. Everyone would believe that Rowena had the perfect motive for bombing the Senate building, AND she is mechanically inclined; she could build a bomb with her eyes closed. She’s the perfect patsy.” He put the memory stick back on the table and drew near to Mariette. “Imagine it Mariette, a bombing to protest the merciless policies of the Emperor, right here in the heart of the Empire. What a message that would send to the oppressed species of the galaxy – to the Emperor. Just imagine how many beings would flock to the Rebel Alliance. It will be glorious.”

Mariette’s heart pounded in her chest. “You can’t do this, Walter. Rowena isn’t your pawn. I’ll stop you.”

Walter advanced on her, his hand raised. “You should have stayed out of this, Mimi.”

Before she could react, his hand struck her across the face, sending her to the floor.

“You aren’t going anywhere, Mimi. You’ll stay here, trapped in this room, and witness the demise of Rowena seconds before you die yourself.” Walter collected his speech and fussed with the communication console. “I’ll activate the monitor for you. You can watch the rally go on above your head. Watch carefully because it is the last thing you will ever see.”

Mariette begged, “Walter, please don’t do this. This is madness. You have to let me go.”

Walter ignored her plea. From the doorway he said, “It is too late to stop this now. I’ve hidden the explosive device inside the lectern on the stage, which is exactly above your head. When it detonates, you and everyone in the square will die.”

Mariette burst into an emotional display of tears and rage. “Think about what you’re doing. You will die too,” Mariette whimpered, her weak voice barely audible. “Don’t be a martyr.”

“I won’t die. I’ll activate the device after my speech. Once activated, no one can deactivate it. I’ll leave the planet and send a remote signal to explode the device. Mas Amedda and everyone on the stage will die. People standing near the stage will die. I am sure the police will find Rowena’s body; I’m not sure anyone will find what’s left of you. The authorities will investigate her background. No one will even suspect me.”

Dazed, Mariette struggled to stand as Walter locked the door behind him.

As the rally began above, Mariette could only watch in despair, her mind racing for a way to stop the bomb.

<><><>
As Mech stepped off the crowded sky-taxi, he felt a surge of unease as he navigated the crowded square. There were a lot of people of a great many species attending the rally, most of them students. He'd promised Mariette to help her figure out what was going on, but his conscience gnawed at him for remaining at the IDC. If one of his cloned brothers were in danger, he wouldn't hesitate to act. And even though Rowena wasn't a clone or a soldier, she was his friend. He had to help her.

So, he lied to his superior, claiming he needed extended leave, and raced to the sky-port. By the time he reached the public square, the crowd was massive, and Rowena was just a lost face in the large crowd. He scanned the stage, spotting troopers stationed at every entrance and exit. They were armored like clones, but he knew they weren't.

Student volunteers escorted minor dignitaries to the front row, while news media personalities clustered around the stage, eager to capture Mas Amedda's arrival. Mech knew Rowena wouldn't be seated up front with dignitaries; she'd likely be with the public.

He tried to contact her comm unit, but she didn’t respond, probably because the noise from the crowd made it impossible for her to hear the notification chime. "This isn't working," he muttered. "Maybe she's in the disabled section?"

Rowena wasn't disabled, but Mech thought she might get a better seat there. He wandered over to the section, which was surprisingly small, just as Mas Amedda arrived on the stage.

To his relief, he spotted Rowena there, not as a disabled person but as a volunteer, helping others. She recognized his voice immediately and joined him.

"Listen," Mech said above the din, "Mariette told me about Walter. He has a bomb. She thinks he's going to detonate it and blame you."

Rowena was stunned. Had Mariette recruited Mech to keep her away from Walter? She started to complain, but Mech disregarded her. He was getting better at understanding sign language, but he still couldn’t use it to communicate.

"Mariette came here to confront Walter. Did you know he has a bomb?"

Rowena's hands froze. "What do you mean 'he has a bomb'?" she signed.

"Mariette saw bomb components in his apartment. I verified one of them was a detonator."

Rowena's face paled. "Mariette could be in trouble."

Mech nodded. "We all could be."

"What do we do?"

"We tell the authorities."

Together, they pushed through the crowd toward the stage. As patriotic music blared, Senator Sor Fah stepped up to the lectern.

Rowena spotted Walter sitting among the presenters. "There he is," she signed. But a trooper stopped them at the base of the stage. Mech tried to tell the trooper that Walter planted a bomb nearby, but the trooper dismissed the old man, insisting his team had swept the square for explosives and found none. Mech then explained they needed to talk to Walter, but the trooper was unyielding. "I'll pass a message along, but I can't promise anything."

Frustrated and scared, Rowena sent a message to Tara and Lilliah: "I'M AT THE RALLY. MIMI IS IN DANGER. WALTER HAS A BOMB. KEEP SIGNALING MIMI UNTIL SHE ANSWERS. I'LL KEEP LOOKING FOR HER."

Then she said a prayer.

<><><>
Mariette watched the rally proceed on the monitor from the locked ready-room. She tried to scream and call for help, but her voice was naturally weak, and security protocols blocked her comm from sending out signals. She knew she had to find another way to communicate.

As the rally began, she glimpsed Mech and Rowena in the crowd. She screamed for them to move away, as if she expected them to hear her through the monitor. Guilt consumed her as she realized it was her fault they were in danger.

As the rally unfolded, she could feel her heart pounding in her chest. Senator Fah introduced Walter in her broken Basic, praising him as a bright young mind. Mariette knew she had to do something to alert them of the danger.

She reached into her carry-bag, looking for something to use with which she could pick the lock, and found the recording device. It had the evidence she needed to prove Walter was a terrorist. She tried to use it to broadcast a message, but it’s signal was blocked too. Then she realized she could use the ready-room's intelligent monitor system. She fumbled with the controls on the miniature camera, and it connected to the monitor automatically.

Walter stepped up to the lectern and began his prepared comments. He talked about liberty, freedom, and justice, using all the words that excited his audience.

Mariette isolated Walter's recorded confession and played it on the monitor in a continuous loop. The display console in the ready-room operated by voice commands, so she commanded the console to display Walter’s confession on the large screen in the square.

Walter was still addressing the crowd when the monitor’s display flickered, splitting into two displays, one showing the scene on the stage, and the other playing Walter’s confession. She heard Walter's voice echoing through the crowd, confessing to hiding a bomb in the lectern. Walter stopped speaking and turned to see his angry visage and hateful words come from the stage’s display screen.

Walter tried to calm the audience, but panic erupted as people fled the square. Senator Fah moved toward Walter, but he ran off the stage and vanished into the crowd.

Mariette breathed a sigh of relief. She had succeeded at warning Rowena and Mech, as well as all the people in the square, but her life was still in danger. All she could do was hope her friends escaped in time before Walter detonated the bomb.

Chapter Text

Rowena's Tale - Story 4 - Rowena Meets Walter - Chapter 4: Rowena Saves the Day

Scene 1: Confusion in the Square

As soon as trouble started, Mas Amedda’s security team hustled him off the stage. Within seconds, he was gone—shoved into a speeder that zoomed away from the Senate building to safety. On stage, Senator Fah desperately tried to calm the crowd, urging them to exit in an orderly fashion, but the troopers nearby, under ISB orders, took her into custody, making a public show of it.

Her aide sternly insisted the troopers release the Senator, and they arrested him too.

A message from the municipal security team blared over the PA system, ordering everyone to leave the square immediately. The District Security Officer, overseeing the rally, ordered all troopers and plain-clothed personnel to clear the square and detain the media. Not wanting to deal with the fallout of a potential terrorist attack, he dumped the situation in the lap of the ISB and pulled his officers back, waiting for further instructions.

In the chaos, security focused on moving onlookers as far away from the stage as possible. Even the few onlookers remaining near the stage were scrambling to escape the blast zone.

Meanwhile, Mech and Rowena made their way to the stage toward the lectern. The young trooper assigned to guard the stage blocked their path. “You two. Off the stage! Now!” he ordered.

Mech whispered to Rowena, “You find the bomb. Don’t try to disarm it—just locate it. I’ll handle him.”

Mech turned to the trooper and tried to reason with him. “Hold on, shiny. I’m Tech-master Sergeant, Mech, former ARC Trooper. There’s a bomb hidden in that lectern, and you better get the civilians out of here.”

The trooper sneered. “Step aside, old man. I don’t take orders from you.”

“You’re too late,” Mech growled. “Didn’t you hear the broadcast? There’s a bomb, and it’s active.”

The trooper’s eyes narrowed through the slits in his helmet. “How do I know you’re not planting it yourself?”

Annoyed, Mech held up his hands, revealing no weapons. His arm bore the tattoo of his old squad. “You’ll have to trust me. We’re here to help.”

Unimpressed, the trooper raised his blaster. “Stand down. The Bomb Droids are on their way.”

Mech sighed. He knocked the blaster aside and swiftly dropped the trooper to the ground with a well-practiced maneuver. The weapon skidded across the stage. “We’re not the enemy here, son,” Mech said, leaning close. “The real threat is Walter Simpo. Get your commander to search for him, and you’ll be the hero.”

The trooper, winded but recovering, swung at Mech, narrowly missing. Mech dodged, knowing he couldn’t outfight the younger trooper in a straight brawl. He waited for the next move, closing in to prevent another strike. As the trooper tried to push him away, Mech reached up and pressed the air valve on the trooper’s suit—disabling his airflow to his helmet. Moments later, the young trooper collapsed, unconscious.

Mech pulled off the helmet, staring at the face of a boy barely old enough to wear the uniform. He slapped the boy’s cheek gently until he came to. “Listen, you’ve got two choices: explain to your C.O. how I knocked you out or help me catch Walter Simpo. Your call.”

<><><>
Rowena inspected the lectern, noticing the scant design and hidden fasteners giving it a sleek, artful appearance. The base contained the mechanism for raising and lowering the reading panel, which still displayed Walter's unfinished speech. A translucent post supported the panel, and all electronic information passed through it.

On her hands and knees, Rowena found scratch marks on the pedestal. She opened the case and discovered a cylindrical device, the size of a slim soda container. Two tiny indicator lights adorned the top; the red one was glowing.

‘Oh my goodness, Walter activated the bomb,’ Rowena thought. ‘It’s ready to explode now.’

Nervously, she removed the cover and peered inside. She identified the power source, transmitter relay, and logic controller. No explosive material was visible, but she realized the detonator held a small amount of anti-matter.

Rowena tugged gently on the circuit board. It slid out part of the way. She followed the wiring and realized the device was a hodgepodge of electrical circuits. ‘This doesn't look professional,’ she thought. ‘It looks more like a series of homework assignments.’ Then she saw something that made her lose all hope.

She turned to see Mech speaking to the trooper. She ran over to him, carrying the device. "This bomb has a quantum logic circuit," she said, waving her hands gingerly.

The trooper, still on the ground, upon seeing the bomb, scampered to the back of the stage, sliding on his armor.

Mech understood some sign language but was unfamiliar with "bomb" and "quantum", but he quickly figured them out. "A quantum logic circuit? Are you sure? Nobody uses those except school kids..." He examined the circuit board. "A quantum circuit is both active and inactive at the same time. It's a matter of probability. You can only determine its state by measurement, which is too late. Once measured, it will become energized and explode. No one can deactivate it once it's energized."

"What do we do?" Rowena asked, her face showing fear. "The bomb can explode at any second."

Mech shook his head. "That's not true. Activating the quantum circuit means it can't be deactivated safely, but that doesn't mean it will explode. Someone must send the detonation signal." Mech sounded confident but knew he wasn't telling the whole truth.

Rowena knew better. “It won’t remain in stand-by mode forever. It will detonate as soon as the radioactive isotope reaches its half-life.”

“Yer right, Rowena,” Mech said, feeling foolish for trying to mislead her. “I don’t know what isotopes they use in college, but I suspect we got about half an hour before it decays into an element that won’t sustain emitting anti-matter particles. Give me the bomb. I have an idea about how to dispose of this. I'll take care of this bomb while you find Mariette."

Rowena knew that without knowing the isotope and making some simple calculations, Mech had no way of knowing how long the device would remain in stand-by mode. Still, for most common isotopes, half an hour was a good estimated. She understood he was just trying to calm her fears. She now had a different task, and she resolved not going to fail.

The trooper now believed Mech's story and offered to help dispose of the device. He hurriedly followed the old clone off the stage.

Scene 2: Mariette’s Rescue

Rowena had no idea where Mariette could be. She hoped Tara or Lilliah had warned Mariette to escape in time. Municipal security still had the area surrounded, yet they hadn't stormed the stage to detain her. They waited for the ISB to take official control of the investigation. She needed to find Mariette before it was too late. Alone on the stage, Rowena frantically signed to the cameras, “Mariette, I’m coming for you.”

Below, Mariette watched the unfolding drama through tear-filled eyes. Her heart soared when Rowena uncovered the device, then nearly stopped when she realized Rowena was trying to disarm the bomb. Relief washed over her mind as Mech and the trooper exited with the bomb. Now Rowena could escape, too.

Mariette gasped as Rowena called out for her. Had Rowena been able to speak, Mariette wouldn't have heard her; the audio portion of the live feed had ceased. Though Mariette desperately wanted to be rescued, she never imagined Rowena would search for her. She assumed any sane person would flee.

"How… how can I talk to someone on the stage?" Mariette asked the console.

"VERBAL LANGUAGE WILL APPEAR AS WRITTEN WORDS IN GALACTIC BASIC. SPEAK NOW," the console replied.

Mariette took a deep breath. "Rowena, I am locked in the third room on the right beneath the stage. Help me.” Then as an afterthought, she added, “This is Mimi."

Rowena immediately noticed the large block letters on the screen. They could only have come from Mariette.

She rushed to the stairwell, only to be confronted by the floating security droid. It tried to detain her, but Rowena shoved past it, banging it against the wall, and raced down the hallway. She heard the droid call for backup as she bound down the steps.

Rowena found the ready-rooms below the stage. The door to Mariette's room was locked. Rowena pounded on the door, hearing Mariette's faint, desperate cries. She retrieved a tool from her toolkit and used it to short-circuit the electronic lock, burning her fingers in the process. Ignoring the pain from the ensuing spark, she pushed the door open and embraced Mariette. They collapsed on the floor in a mutual hug, tears streaming from their eyes.

A moment later, troopers and the security droid burst into the room, demanding Rowena's surrender.

Scene 3: Lilliah Stops Walter

Walter ran away from the Senate Square, cursing himself for not killing Mariette when he had the chance. His plan was falling apart, but he still had the opportunity to make his mark against the Empire. Sure, Mas Amedda was gone but he could show the galaxy that even people in the Galactic Center were protesting the Empire. And, he still had a way out. Once he reached his air-speeder, he could escape. He ditched his jacket and kept low, blending into the crowd.

Moments later, he slipped into the pilot’s seat of his get-away vehicle, the canopy still closing as he lifted off. Half a kilometer down the road, Walter eased the speeder into the air and merged with the flow of air traffic. Not relying on his proximity sensors, he twisted his neck around to see if any security vessel was tracking him. He saw none, so he believed he had a good chance of escaping.

Walter felt a tremendous sense of relief and laughed heartily. He had set his trap, and no one could stop him now. The Emperor and his crony politicians could not ignore the spilt blood of hundreds of his citizens. He was going to let the Emperor know that even in his own city there were people unwilling to put up with his ruthless domination. Even though publicly, Rowena would be blamed for the event, Walter could brag to fellow resistance fighters how he planned the entire incident. He believed his name would become synonymous with the resistance, and he had a vision of planning further attacks in the comfort of a hide-out on some Inner Core planet.

Walter headed for the Senatorial sky-port before the authorities thought to close it down. He reached into his shirt pocket and withdrew a miniature uni-frequency comm device, the status indicator glowing green, meaning the explosive device was armed and ready to detonate. He planned to detonate the bomb once he was safely away from the Senate Building. If he detonated it now, he might get caught in its blast radius.

He landed at the sky-port haphazardly, racing for the converted A-Wing fighter moored nearby. Lilliah appeared, stepping out from a crowd of tourists. Before he could react, she punched him squarely in the face, knocking him to the ground. Blood streamed from his broken nose.

“You tried to kill my friends,” Lilliah spat out a curse, standing over him. “You’re going to pay.”

Walter, desperate, lunged at her, but she easily sidestepped, using his momentum to throw him back down. Two security guards rushed over as Lilliah called for them to arrest Walter. “This is the terrorist you’re looking for.”

As the guards cuffed Walter, one of them found the glowing comm device in his pocket. “What is this?” the guard asked.

“Detonator,” Lilliah said, her voice cold. “He was going to blow up the Senate Square.”

Walter, groaning from his injuries, glared at her. “How did you find me?”

Lilliah smirked. “You told me about your A-wing. I figured you’d head here.”

<><><>
Mech cradled the bomb in his arms as he raced towards the Senate sky-port. The young trooper struggled to keep up with the spry old clone.

"Can you deactivate it?" the trooper asked, breathing hard.

"No. No one can," Mech shouted.

"Simpo's in custody," the trooper replied. “I just heard it on my helmet-comm.”

Mech changed direction and they hopped onto an empty baggage handler. Mech hoped the empty handler was heading back to the sky-port.

"If they have Simpo, they have the detonator," the trooper said. "Maybe they can use it to deactivate the bomb."

"No, it can't be deactivated once activated," Mech explained. "It's waiting for a signal, and it might explode at any moment."

"Why not just remove its power supply?" the trooper asked.

"It has a quantum trigger," Mech said. "Once activated, it's like a deranged killer inside a locked room filled with innocent people. No one knows when he'll strike."

As soon as they arrived at the sky-port, the officer in charge wanted to detain Mech until the clone showed him the bomb.

"I need to take that A-wing," Mech said, thrusting the bomb in the official's face. "I'll throw the bomb overboard at the edge of space."

"Take it," the official said. "Just return the vehicle here. It’s evidence."

Mech ran to the A-wing, where he saw Walter Simpo being detained. Lilliah was talking on her comm unit. She paused to tell Mech that Rowena found Mariette and they were both safe.

"I need your armor," Mech told the trooper while glancing at his chronometer. He had scant few minutes make his move. "I'll need it to protect me when I release the bomb."

Mech slipped on the armor and jumped into the pilot's seat, leaving the trooper in his underwear. He began the power sequence.

"Wish me luck, shiny," Mech said, taking off.

He contacted the Capital District Space Control Tower, informing them of his situation.

"Copy that," the controller responded. "All ships will be notified to stay clear."

Reaching the edge of the upper atmosphere, Mech reduced his forward speed, waiting until he fell back towards the planet. He cracked open the canopy, feeling the air rush out. Breathing from the oxygen supplied by his armored suit, he opened the canopy fully and tossed the bomb towards Coruscant, and watched it drift downward.

Closing the canopy, Mech restarted the engine and pulled back up towards space. He intended to make a complete orbit before returning to the surface. In the distance, he saw an old Dreadnaught-class Star Destroyer.

He saw the bomb burn up as a streak in the thin atmosphere. A moment later, an explosion flashed as the anti-matter containment field failed.

Mech decided he no longer needed to orbit the planet. He re-entered the atmosphere and, with the help of the Space Controller, returned to the Senate sky-port.

Scene 4: Aftermath

Walter’s arrest sparked an immediate ISB interrogation. While Mech, Rowena, Lilliah, and Mariette cooperated fully, Walter initially resisted, eventually breaking down after being confronted with Mariette’s recording. He confessed everything, including his collaboration with his roommate, Nigel, who had stolen the bomb’s components from the University and built the bomb in his apartment.

Nigel, oblivious to Walter’s true plan, was also taken into custody.

Despite the ISB’s attempts to link Senator Fah to the bombing, Walter insisted she had no knowledge of his plot, but that didn’t stop the Empire from using the incident to smear her reputation.

News of the foiled bombing spread quickly across Coruscant. Headlines framed Rowena, Mariette, Lilliah, and Mech as heroes for stopping the attack, while Walter became a symbol of treachery. In the aftermath, the Empire faced growing unrest from citizens questioning why some people had rights and others did not.

The bomb may have been disarmed, but the spark it ignited was far from extinguished.

<><><>
Several days had passed before Rowena and Mariette were able to convene privately. After a bit of window-shopping at a downtown arcade, they sat for a light lunch at one of Rowena’s favorite restaurants in a shopping district that featured an indoor waterfall. She loved watching how the water tumbled and splashed into a pool.

Mariette said, “I want to show you something, Roro. All that time we were interrogated by the ISB, they never actually searched inside my carry-bag.” Mariette withdrew the confidential electronic dossier that Walter had left behind in the ready room. “It must be a copy because they found the original file in Walter’s pocket. If they knew I had this, they would have arrested me too. I think you should have it.”

Rowena’s eyes widened when she realized that it was a copy of the official, uncensored ISB report on her mother’s arrest, interrogation, and death while under the responsibility of Diktat security. The documents contained all the terrible secrets of how the Corellian government murdered her mother. She wasn’t sure she could take the truth.

She regarded Mariette vulnerably. “Did you read it?”

“Just enough to realize what it was, so I stopped. I wanted to read more, but I didn’t. It’s not for me to read. This is for you.”

Mariette reached out and touched Rowena’s hand. “Rowena, why don’t you take this file and wait until you are alone with your father. You can read it together. The two of you can discuss what is says in the privacy of deep space on your way back to Tatooine.”

Rowena nodded her head and placed the file in her shirt pocket, snapping the pocket shut.

Mariette picked up a fried tuber and ate it. “You know, just because Walter was a jerk, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t date other boys. I know you think that no one wants to date you because you can’t speak, but that’s not true. You have a lot to offer other people. You bring a great deal of joy to any relationship. You are smart and attractive. Sometimes you’re even witty. I think you should reconsider your decision to live your life alone.”

Rowena crossed her legs and drew her arms close to her body. “I’m not alone. I have my father.”

Mariette gave her a look that indicated her response was not satisfactory.

Rowena smiled at Mariette. “You have given me a lot to think about. You really are a good friend. Let’s go.”

Scene 5: Jasper Hires a Companion

Jasper raced to Coruscant on the White Star. When he arrived, Rowena was packed and ready to leave. She hoped her father would spend the night before returning to Tatooine, but Jasper wouldn't consider it; he was as eager to take her away now as he was years ago.

After the White Star jumped into hyperspace, Jasper sat in the common area, listening to Rowena's account of what happened. She'd never mentioned Walter Simpo before, and he wondered if she was keeping her feelings about boys from him. Rowena had always been honest with him, but Jasper knew there were things a girl would tell her mother and not her father.

She gestured wildly; her face filled with emotion as she told the story of the rally. She admitted her naivety in being lured to the rally by Walter. She tried to make it seem like Mech did all the dangerous things, like handling the activated bomb.

Jasper listened patiently, sipping Elba tea and interrupting only for clarification. When she finished, he said, "That was a close call. I'm so glad you're safe." He hugged her and whispered, "You know you can talk to me about anything."

Rowena felt a comfortable peace settle on her soul.

Jasper told Rowena he was looking for a new companion for missions. "Ro, I've been looking to hire someone to travel with me. So far, I haven't found anyone. I think I'd like it if you told Mister Bleriot you'd rather fly with me than inspect a fleet of old ships."

The request struck Rowena like a knife. She wanted to utilize her knowledge to help Mister Bleriot maintain his fleet. She wanted to be useful to Mister Dofine and the IDC. She wanted to pull her own weight rather than allow her father to care for her constantly. However, she obediently deferred to her father's wishes. "Okay Dad. I only have a couple more ships to inspect. After that, I'll keep flying with you - just like always."

Jasper smiled.

Rowena took advantage of this moment of closeness to show him her mother's dossier. "Dad, I have a copy of the confidential file the ISB kept on Mom. I think we should review it together."

Jasper paused, regarding the cylindrical computer file as if it were a poisonous sand-snake. Emotions of sadness, anger, even rage returned when he thought about his wife’s demise, but he calmed himself. "Okay Ro. Let's see it."

Jasper plugged the confidential file into the ship's computer. "Ya know, the day your mother died, she agreed to let me bring you to the next visitation so you could see her again. She wanted to see you too."

Jasper did something he almost never did while flying with Rowena: he went to the ship's cooler and took out a beer. He sipped it right from the bottle as the computer started to display the contents of the file.

The first screen that came up on the ship's monitor was a security screen asking for authorization, but all that had been disabled when Nigel downloaded the file for Walter to read. The file was not very big, containing only an hour's worth of text, images, and videos. The dossier was compiled by Major Niles Tarry of the Imperial Security Bureau, and it relied heavily on the investigation started by Rowena's grandfather, Oliver Ross. Major Tarry had used his rank in the military and position in the High Command to gather information from civilian and political sources to piece together the events that led to the death of Roselyn Whitstar.

The computer read the file aloud to Jasper and Rowena, and they listened carefully to everything it had to say. The file detailed the plot to discredit Oliver Ross for opposing the re-election of Chancellor Palpatine. The main culprit seemed to be Ross's opponent in the Diktat, Parnassus Clakket, who orchestrated the false charges against her mother. The file laid out the corruption in the Corellian Judicial System and showed that the presiding judge, a besalisk named Carson Loridor, took a bribe to send Roselyn to prison, even though she was found innocent by a jury of her peers. It was not clear if Loridor knew that Roselyn might be murdered.

The file ended with the narrative about how Minister Clakket used his influence to hire a Corellian extremist group to kill the assassin, the only one left that might connect Clakket to the death of Roselyn Whitstar. The report concluded that the plot was successful in bringing down Oliver Ross because he resigned from his position with the Corellian Diktat within a week of his daughter's murder.

The contents of the file both saddened Rowena and made her angry. She wanted to lash out at the corrupt Diktat and the evil Empire for murdering her mother. "Dad, how much of this information did you know?"

"Almost none of it, but me and your grandfather suspected a lot of it. This file confirms what we believed - your mother was murdered for political reasons."

"Dad, I'm feeling angry right now. I bet you were angry too when Mom died. Now I unders7and why you wanted to leave Corellia."

"I had to, Ro," said Jasper. "Otherwise, I would have done some terrible and stupid things that would have left you an orphan."

Rowena hugged her father again.

Jasper said, "Listen, Ro, for your own safety, you should never discuss any of this information with anybody - ever. I mean, maybe if you have a child someday that wants to know something about what happened to their grandmother, you could tell them, but don't ever tell another soul. Hear me?"

Rowena nodded.

<><><>
Several hours later, the White Star docked at the Mos Eisley Spaceport across from a familiar durosian cargo ship. Rowena stepped out of the White Star and noticed Captain Temel across the way, speaking to a spaceport technician and attended by a young durosian male. She smiled at him and Temel nodded his head in recognition. Temel, a direct, narrow-minded trader, well known in the Arkanis Sector for keeping a tight ship, continued his business with the spaceport worker, and they moved to the rear of the ship. The teenage durosian remained at the access opening, fussing with two luggage bags in his hands and a duffle under his arm. He waited for Captain Temel to return, and the two of them headed for the Spaceport Hotel.

Jasper exited the ship, and he and Rowena made their way to Straight Street to rent a speeder back to their apartment. However, halfway across the tarmac, Jasper noticed that the struggling durosian boy dropped the duffle on the ground. Surprisingly, Captain Temel berated the boy and slapped his head.

Jasper stepped in and picked up the duffle. "Hold on Temel, give the boy a break. It's difficult for anybody to carry all that stuff."

Temel sneered at Jasper and told him to stay out of this because it was a family matter.

"He your son?" asked Jasper.

"Nephew," said Temel with a heavy accent. "He Jamae; seester's boy."

Jasper told Rowena to go ahead of him while he helped carry the duffle to a self-propelled baggage cart. Temel and Jamae jumped on the back of the vehicle and Jasper thought that was the last of it. Temel said nothing, but Jamae smiled and thanked Jasper for his help.

Later that day, Rowena and Jasper returned to the White Star to retrieve some more of their belongings. Rowena noticed Jamae crawling beneath his uncle's ship, helping some of the mechanics at the spaceport upgrade the sub-light engine. Jamae was not doing any of the work; he was simply handing the mechanics tools and parts, but he seemed eager to learn what they were doing. The boy reminded Rowena of herself at that age.

Rowena tapped her father on his shoulder and pointed at the boy. Jasper did not seem too interested.

Rowena said, "Dad, maybe Jamae could be your traveling companion. He seems eager to learn things."

"You're my traveling companion, Ro." However, as he watched the boy try to insert himself into the repair process, Jasper asked, "Do you know anything about Jamae?"

Rowena said she did not, but she offered to ask around about him.

Later, she confirmed to her father that young Jamae bothered a lot of the mechanics at the spaceport because he wanted to learn about engine repair, and he was desperate to pilot a ship of his own. Jasper said nothing, but Rowena could tell he was considering taking Jamae on as a companion.

The following morning, Jasper visited Captain Temel on his ship, bringing the durosian a cup of hot coffee. Jasper told Temel that he wanted to offer Jamae a position on the White Star as a junior mechanic. Temel found it hard to believe that Jasper was serious and wondered if Jasper was crazy or joking. Why would a human want to hire a duro? Who would want to hire a bumbling awkward teenage boy who could not follow the simplest instructions?

Jasper reminded him that Rowena used to take care of the White Star and now she was a fully warranted mechanic. He convinced Temel he was serious, so Temel agreed. After all, he only agreed to care for his nephew because his sister was temporarily recovering in a durosian hospital from a serious injury.

Jamae was eager to take on a position with Jasper'

Jasper and Rowena took Jamae aboard the White Star on a cargo delivery to Eriadu. Jamae understood and spoke Basic better than his uncle, but he could not understand sign language, yet he seemed anxious to learn, especially if he was going to communicate with Rowena. She taught him how to sign the Aurebesh. Once in hyperspace, Jasper naturally eased into telling the boy one of his stories, and Rowena rolled her eyes, knowing the boy was in for a long trip. Yet he listened eagerly and asked Jasper about some of the details of his story. They seemed to be hitting it off.

Rowena gave Jamae a tour of the engine room and cautioned him about what was safe to touch and what was not. He was already aware of the major components in the engine room and their operation.

After the delivery, Jasper encouraged Jamae to talk about himself. The boy said that his father and his sister died in a recent accident, and his mother was injured. He and his uncle made funeral arrangements since his mother was still in the hospital. Jamae wanted to stay with his mother on Duro to help her recover, but she required constant attention and therapy, and the doctors would not let him participate. Because he was too young to care for himself, the durosian authorities were going to force Jamae to live in a foster home. At his mother’s insistence, Uncle Temel stepped in and offered to care for him.

After Eriadu, Jasper set course along the Corellian Run for Coruscant, so Jamae could meet Mister Dofine and Miss Priss. At the IDC, Jamae was overwhelmed by the fact that humans and non-humans worked so closely together. Since it was the boy’s first time on Coruscant, Rowena showed him the sites of Galactic City and introduced him to her friends who had never met a durosian before.

Jasper detoured to the planet, Duro, so the boy could see his mother and tell her about his new job. His mother, who was still in a rehabilitation facility, was obviously not happy that Jamae was working for a human, but Jasper put her at ease. She gave the boy her blessing, and she gave Jasper a list of things he should do to take care of her son.

Every time Jasper tried to call the boy by his name, it came out sounding like ‘Jimmy’. The boy, tired of correcting Jasper, finally allowed his new boss to call him Jimmy and the name stuck. Soon everywhere they traveled, people referred to them as ‘Jasper and Jimmy’.

<><><>
Several months later, copies of the classified file on the death of Roselyn Whitstar appeared at the Corellian ranch of Jocelyn Whitstar, Jasper’s sister, and the doorstep of Oliver and Khulan Ross, Roselyn’s parents. They were each unaware that the other had received the file, and there was no indication as to who sent the files.

When asked, Jasper and Rowena both claimed no knowledge of how their relatives may have received the files. Jasper never questioned his daughter, and Rowena never asked her father about it, though Jasper believed that Rowena had one of her girlfriends send the information to Corellia, and Rowena believed that her father had somehow arranged for the file transfers.

Both Oliver and Khulan were quite elderly and required daily attention from a nurse-droid. However, her frailty and infirmity did not prevent Khulan Ross from notifying the local press about the dramatic revelations found in the dossier. It was too late to prosecute Parnassus Clakket for any wrong-doing because he had already died. However, the newly found information brought to the public’s attention the lengths to which power-seeking politicians would go to subvert democratic institutions and norms. The public cried out for an investigation into the corruption of the Diktat, and a great many politicians were forced to resign while others were put on trial for their illegal practices.

None of this had any bearing on Emperor Palpatine. By this time, he had moved on from being Chancellor to Emperor and had consolidated his power. No one, and no scandal, could touch him now.

Nevertheless, the incident had a profound direction on Rowena’s future.

By the time of the incident with Walter, Rowena had witnessed firsthand the cruelty and the oppression of the Empire. She needed no theoretical lecture on the Empire’s intrusion into people’s rights; she observed for herself how Imperial forces treated non-human sentient beings like slaves.

Imperial authorities listed Rowena as a loyal citizen of the Empire for her involvement in preventing an explosion at the rally and saving hundreds of lives. In space, when the Imperial Navy stopped the White Star for routine inspections, they readily allowed Jasper to continue with his mission based on Rowena’s loyalty status. Jasper and Rowena were able to transport food, medicine, and supplies to millions of starving beings in the Outer Rim, which helped to stave off Imperial occupations of some planets.

Furthermore, word of the attempted terrorist attack on Coruscant rebounded around the galaxy, giving hope to oppressed people everywhere. The Emperor sent his troops to crack down on planetary unrest, quashing uprisings and demonstrations. As a result, people from all walks of life joined the Rebel Alliance to stop the Empire before it was too late.

The End of Part 4