Neil

by Ferrum Requiem

Part Twelve

Once the hyperdrive finished charging, finally, Neil pushed a lever on the console, sending the ship blasting into hyperspace.

Glowing eyes widening in awe, Artemis watched through the Bridge's viewport as a tunnel of light enveloped the ship. "Ooh, pretty."

After sitting quietly for a while, Neil turned in his seat to Luka. "I saw the Ruusaan in the hangar."

"You just left your ship behind." She remained seated, eyes on the console, keeping track of the comm traffic in the battle still raging below deck. "Not very smart, ad'ika [Kid]."

Neil waved it off. "Things haven't been normal for a while."

"Is that such a bad thing, considering what you left behind?"

"Yes." Neil shrugged his eyes. "And no."

"Oh?" She glanced back over her shoulder to him, gray eyes locking with his brown orbs. She saw the wild in them. It pleased her.

Neil cocked his head at the uncustomary warmth in her eyes.

"There's something different about you." Luka cracked an ever so slight smile. "I like it."

"You haven't changed at all."

"I have no reason to." She answered frankly, then swiveled her seat to face him. Luka crossed a leg over the other, letting a few dirty ribbons of torn blue fabric dangle off her bare ankle at the ends of her ragged pants. The Trandoshan scum didn't even give her shoes to walk the filthy deck, not surprising from a race that enters maturity by killing their fathers then eating them.

Neil hadn't seen Luka out of her armor since Dxun when he was twelve. He noticed how the rest of her dirty slave garb draped over her in ribbons, loose fitting, with knots of torn cloth tied together to cover where posterity was compromised by the garb's miserable quality. There wasn't a bit of fat on her frame, just rugged tan skin over layers of iron muscle and sinew wrapped around weapons-grade bone, a well oiled machine, the body of a Warrior. She didn't belong in such miserable garments. Neil wondered where the pirates stashed her armor.

Her eyes smirked lightly, seeing the question on his distracted face. "They stashed my armor in the armory."

Neil realized he was staring, then averted his gaze. "I didn't say anything."

Now he's blushing, cute. "You didn't have to." She clasped her hands and rested them over her lap, also appraising Neil's... coverings. That's really a suit of chainmail, and true animal hide, hand made too. He looked displaced from a different age. Neil's grown quite a bit compared to last she saw him years ago, at least a foot taller, and his shoulders are starting to broaden pleasantly. The kid will wake up a man at this rate. Luka gestured to Neil. "Watching you fight back there reminded me of Dxun. Remember the Outpost?"

"I remember." Neil recalled his childhood dreams about the jungle moon, after he delved deep into Mandalorian lore. The more he learned, and the more parallels he drew between them and the warrior cultures of ancient men, the more enthralled he became. He never cared much for the rest of Star Wars, just the Mandalorians. They were so cool, he thought. Even without their technology, they were still resilient survivors at heart, independent, and flexible, just like Man in the Stone Age.

At eleven years old, Neil made his own suit of Mandalorian armor out of cardboard. Coloring it white with red accents, he would fly around his room with his jetpack made of large soda bottles and milk jugs. He recalled sweetly those days he pretend to crash land in the backyard of his house, losing all his technology, and relying on his training to survive, becoming a warrior caveman!

Neil smiled at the memory. "Everything started at Dxun." There he met Marduk and Luka with all the other trainees. Neil didn't invent them. Their tough as beskar Instructor happened to put them together, giving them the designation of Traat'aliit Rayshe'a, or Team Five in Basic. Neil trained with them in the consuming dark of Dxun's predator infested jungles. Upon graduating, they took on mercenary work together and went on many adventures in the Ruusaan across the galaxy. Such things constituted the imagination of Neil's early childhood, his little universe of survival, both of beskar and fire, a Warrior as a hobby, a Caveman by profession.

But, the realities of true survival, what Neil faced in the Everfree? Neil frowned as the sweetness soured. He wanted all his life to become something more, to be like a stone pillar able to hold up his own piece of the world. Neil wanted it, so he could be whatever he needed to be, and have the will the protect what little he had. Cavemen did that, and the Hunter loved them for it. Sure they had problems too, but they were free, and grew without restraint because of it.

Yet, what of little Neil? What freedom is there for someone who chose to serve a porn peddling jock supervillain out of fear?

None.

Luka noticed an unsavory shift in Neil's demeanor as his eyes went empty.

A month ago, Neil would've jumped at the chance to experience the life of a caveman, to get a taste of his stone age heritage, to triumph against nature's gauntlet, and attain that freedom he desired. Neil shook his head at such childish ambitions. "It's not freedom," he whispered to himself. "The real thing is... unimaginable." Neil rubbed his stubbled chin, reflecting back on his life up to this point, and hating what he saw.

Disregarding this Incubus nonsense, even if Luna returned him to Earth, should he make it out of the Everfree alive, Blake would still be there, who's held Neil in a death grip for years. Neil's grown so tired of fighting, of battle, and even survival. They really weren't at all like he imagined. There was no glory in it, no honor, no sense of accomplishment; only the right to live a while longer is secured in victory. They didn't change him, or set him free. He's still the same Boy, stuck in the same place no matter where he went.

Every time he tried to act tough, to believe he was, it failed, like with figment Blake or the timberwolves during his first dream just before meeting Luna, and like with Zeus.

Oh, lookie here: someone thinks they wear the pants in this dream.

That ended well.

Battle hasn't changed him, only wasted his time.

And yet, there was this part of himself which rebuked these feelings. The boy told himself that he could take care of himself before, and believed it for a time. But, these downtrodden feelings, however contradictory, are still happening. Neil asked himself why things turned out this way. How has life gone so wrong? Why did he have to sacrifice so much for so little in return?

Neil's self image twisted on itself, and the dead illusion he's lived in left him as stranded on the inside as he was in the flesh.

His dreams have failed him, and he's failed himself.

Artemis noticed with deep concern as he sunk in his seat, Wow, Dad just got real sad real quick.

Luna could almost taste the dank blue melancholy that swallowed Neil's aura.

Running a calloused hand down his face, Neil finally admitted to Luka, "I think my problem is I've been living inside my head for so long, reality has become my nightmare."

Luna watched Neil closer, identifying the instabilities within the human's psyche, and trying to establish their causality with his alter self's rebellion. Neil's aura shifted from dank blue, then warped and writhed on itself with a flurry of colors: sticky and muddled hues battled the other vibrant and light colors. A deep inner conflict rife with strong contrasting emotions has taken the human by storm. Luna figured Neil must be grappling with acceptance of something. Of what the Princess didn't know for certain. She sensed the truth would surface naturally, so she waited with the patience of a sage.

Disgusted by Neil's abrupt melancholy, Luka took another look at him to ensure she didn't miss something, like a head injury. He was filthy, with scars raking his stubbled face, and his dark matted hair nearly came to his ears. That primitive chainmail of some alien alloy reflected an iridescent blue in the bridge's artificial light. Mud caked his animal hide breeches and moccasins. The evidence of an alien environment failing to kill him stuck to his toned form like a badge of honor in Luka's eyes. It was hard to believe he still clung to doubt. Luka's eyes hardened at her crestfallen comrade, silence pervading her steely features.

Still seated behind him in the bridge, Luna got Neil's attention. "May I ask thee a personal question?"

Taking himself from his thoughts, Neil regarded the silver jeweled Princess with a shaking head. "You don't have to ask. Shoot."

"What are the aforementioned wounds between thyself and Mand'alor thou spokest of earlier?"

"I wanna know too." Artemis hopped down from the chair and sat closer to Dad on the floor to hear this.

Neil thought for a spell how best to explain the manner he's neglected his life up to now. "I let Blake Thompson happen."

Luna's ears perked up. "Blake Thompson?"

Luka muttered her summery aloud, "Hutuun, ori'jagyc, shabuir." [Coward, bully, twat.]

Artemis chimed in. "Oooh, yeah, that weirdo. He sets fires just to watch things burn."

The realization on Luna's face betrayed her familiarity of such a personality. "Ah, I see."

Neil asked Luna, "Do you have schools on this planet?"

"Yes."

"Alright." Neil explained: "A few months after Blake moved to my town and started school, he tried to sell me a hustler magazine." Upon seeing the question forming behind Luna's eyes, Neil tried to explain in a tasteful manner what that was. "A hustler is an article with nude pictures of Humans of the opposite sex, for provocative purposes."

"Nude? I've never heard of such a word." Luna tilted her head, her eyes scanning over Neil's clothing. "May I hazard a guess that nude is when thou art unclothed, as thy species art furless?"

Good guess. Luna was telling the truth when she said Alicorns had fits of insight. It also made sense she wouldn't know what being unclothed was, considering her species had no need for garments. "Yes. Nude is when humans are unclothed."

Artemis added unnecessarily, "I learned from watching Dad bathe that Humans have only small patches of fur, but are otherwise bare and pink all over, kinda like the belly of a mole I dug up once!"

Neil face palmed, and grumbled. "Artemis..."

The wolf shrugged defensively. "Whaat?" She gestured to the amused Princess to her left. "She's in our pack. It's okay."

Luka rolled her eyes at the turn of this conversation.

Neil just let it die there. "Let's get back on topic. So, I rejected to buy Blake's nude magazine. I didn't care, but he cared that I didn't. I guess not having control over me bothered him. A week later, the bastard blackmailed me by threatening Trisha. Apparently, he knew a guy that made a living helping people cheat tests. Blake somehow stole Trisha's essay for her chemistry final from the school, and had the guy counterfeit it in someone else's name. Trisha would look like she cheated the test if the school found Blake's copy, or helped someone else cheat. It would ruin her."

"Monstrous!" Luna exclaimed.

"Yes." Neil agreed. "Blake showed me the counterfeit, then said if I didn't want my girlfriend's test score to sink like the Titanic, I would enter a business partnership with him and supply the magazines he sold to my classmates." Neil shook his head solemnly, ashamed of himself. "I froze, and thoughts of fighting back rushed into my mind. But, I was horrified of what would happen to Trisha. I just let him walk over me, without even a shot fired."

Luka despised seeing Neil give in to weakness and despair. Fists gripped over her lap, she scowled bitterly into space as she listened. What is this surrender to softness? Has he not seen himself lately? Does she have to open his eyes for him?

Neil finished: "I caught Blake taking pictures of me buying the magazines for him at a store. I know he'll try to pin his business on me should the school find out about it. I was, no, I'm still trapped like a rat. Helplessness has dominated my life. I did what I was told, and kept my head down. After a while, I almost got used to it, you know, like a routine?"

Artemis really hated that Blake guy. If she ever gets her paws on him for doing that to Dad...

Luna saw now why Neil had reservations about returning home. He's made more progress being himself in the wilds of her planet, then the neighborhood of his homeworld. Running away from this problem, however, was not the answer.

Neil winced after seeing Artemis's conflicted sadness for him. He asked Luna, "Do you understand now? Mand'alor knows I'm no Mandalorian. I'm a coward."

How untrue! Luna intended to offer Neil guidance, but Luka's red swirling aura caught her attention. It looked as though the Mandalorian would explode. Oh dear.

In a dingy blue flash of tattered prison clothes, Luka shot to her feet, walked over, then smacked Neil with the palm of her hand. Tears falling from Luka's eyes as if she were the one slapped, she plucked stunned Neil from his seat at the helm and held him firmly by his shoulders upright, squeezing tightly. The sneering Warrior glared deeply into his widened eyes, the muscles of her jaw tightening wrathfully.

Artemis couldn't believe what she just did! Who the hell does this bold grabby woman think she is?! She's not even real! Intending to gnaw off her fictional ankles for that, the enraged Wolf shot to her paws, scowling murderously at Luka, growling to let Dad go.

Luka swiveled her head, casting a deathly visage down to the nosy alien. Teeth clenched, she growled back with a ferocity unbecoming of a human, or a dream.

Artemis didn't pause, feeling even more emboldened by the challenge. She wondered if Luka could put her head back on if she tore it off? Likely not.

Neil had to deescalate his daughter by gingerly waving for the wolf to sit and wait this out.

She respected dad's wish more than she hated Luka for hitting him, lucky for the grabby woman. Artemis cooled off and sat down on the durasteel deck reluctantly, butterflies racing in her wooden insides. She held her head high and just stared at the very angry dream lady with the cold focus of a T-800.

Luka regarded Neil again, practically hissing into his face, "How dare you call yourself a coward?! Do not ever say that again! Do you hear me?" She shook him. "Are you blind?! Have you lost it?! You were not a coward! You were a child. That ori'jagyc [bully] was twice your size and older. What were you supposed to do?" She almost lifted Neil off the floor, her grip tightening ever more on his shoulders, just to the edge of pain.

Sore cheeked Neil just hovered there pinned in his figment's grasp, stunned, unable to look away from those piercing, furious gray eyes. He's never seen this side of her. Where was this coming from?

"Only a fool challenges an unwinnable battle head on!" Luka insisted matter of fact, "You did the right thing." She shook her head, causing her blond bangs to sway over her reddened face. "You survived, didn't you? So did that girl thanks to your sacrifice. So what if nothing's gone the way you wanted since? Now you're lost on some backwater planet, and things want to eat you. So what? Deal with it! Stop moping. It's pathetic, and sickening. Stop acting like you're pathetic!" She shook him with every following word. "You. Are. Not. Pathetic!"

"Am I?" Neil pried his gaze from hers, and looked away, then saw Luna's hardened eyes on him. "This is one reason I hesitated with your offer: if I return home, everything will just go back to normal, because who I am here is not who I am there. I'm trapped no matter where I go."

Luna sympathized with him, but let Luka go on uninterrupted.

Luka grabbed Neil's face by the chin, forcing him to look back to her. "I've watched you act like a kid since your fall. I'm sick of it. That child died when you hit the ground." She let that sink in for a breath. "His bones lie picked clean and bleached in the forest. You are an idiot if you think you're still that kid. You woke up something else, and nothing will ever be the same again, Brother."

Then, Luna realized what Neil's working through: an acceptance of change and the reality of who he's become. She's rarely seen this happen in the flesh, let alone a dream. The Princess savored this opportunity to observe such a rarity.

"Dad." Artemis wanted to help, but Luna stayed her.

"Let thy Father have his moment, sweet one." Luna watched on, her eyes sparkling with an anticipation the wolf to her left didn't quite understand.

Luka let Neil's face go, moving to her next point with rolling eyes. "And what about Blake? He is a worm!" The passion drunk Mandalorian clenched a shaking calloused fist to her comrade. "The Everfree would've sucked his bones empty after crushing him like a bug." She jabbed a finger into the chainmail over Neil's chest. "But not you!"

Neil relaxed as he listened, his deepest feelings screaming their agreement, cheering his acknowledgement of them, finally. How could he have been so blind, so deaf to his changes since he fell into Helen's portal last month? My god, it's really been over a month already, marooned in the green alien sea.

Luka poked Neil in the chest again for emphasis. "You've survived and thrived in savagery and pain. To destroy weakness is the real purpose of battle and you have won many! You have been forged in battle and tempered by death." She held up three fingers to him. "Three monsters fought in that castle last night. You are the last one standing. You have tasted true glory, honor, and victory! Nature herself respects you, damn it!" She scowled. "Why can't you respect yourself?"

Luka dried her eyes, then narrowed them as she released Neil and crossed her arms. "This is what you've wanted, isn't it? To be a Survivor, a Hunter, a Warrior, to be in tune with your legacy? Congratulations! You've gotten your wish. Accept it!"

Neil stared off into space, then two green pinpoints illuminated in his periphery. The muscles of the Hunter's body tensed as he reflexively snapped his gaze to them, only to spy a set of green indicating lights on the power coupler in the bridge's far left corner. From a side glance, his nerves swore those were green savage eyes. Maybe she's right: things will never be the same again and he's lived a lie.

There! Luka saw it flash in his eyes: acceptance. To give him the last push, she asked, "Tell me what the wild has taught you."

Neil cursed the wild and regretted being lost in the Everfree since day one; but, in truth, the forest had helped him. The Everfree granted his one wish, to live like primitive man. They would be proud of their son, tried by fire.

The Everfree did Neil a favor... and so did Helen.

Neil answered his comrade. "Neglect kills."

Luka tilted her head, her blond bangs just covering the left eye, leaving half of her sharp features to question Neil further. "What have you done with this lesson?"

Neil thought about it for a breath. "Neglect nothing."

"Only a true warrior can neglect nothing." She smiled, not of sweetness, but understanding, an affection shared between fellow killers. "Kill your neglect, and fight for its opposite in all things." Luka placed both of her calloused hands down on her comrade's shoulders, this time gently, endearingly. "Brother, go all the way. The past is dead, but you're not. Never look back."

Never look back. He's carved a life for himself out of the great cannibal thing in the shadow of the feasting green. Survival of the fittest, might makes right, call it by any appropriate name. Neil has become strong enough to destroy monsters, because he is a monster.

If one carves out a piece of nature for themselves and guards it, they will watch as the wild itself makes war upon them to take it back. There is no rest, for the great cannibal never sleeps. It ate its own eyes to rid itself of the weakness. The beasts are its eyes, ears, its stomach, their instincts its feelings. Through them nature hears all, feels all, grows all, feeds all, eats all.

What hope does Man truly have against such a force, aside from his flesh joining the soil that maintained it?

Neil wondered if hope had any meaning in it? Ultimately, Neil managed just fine every time it failed him. He held hope that he was still on Earth; he hoped against reason rescue was coming; he hoped desperately that Luna was just a dream and not an alien sorceress that walked his mind; those aspirations, and the other hopes like them, failed in the end.

Neil realized those little illusions he'd clung to in the dark were merely phantoms he built to guide himself since the fall, as if they were a small candle being used to illuminate an abyss. Deep down he knew there was no hope, not really. Yet, he had the strength to carry on, despite inadequate light in the suffocating gloom of mere survival.

Strength, strength never failed him. It's all that mattered in the end. Strength of the mind, body, and soul carried Neil this far. Even when madness snuffed out his candle, and the dark swallowed him, Neil remained standing by his own power. He had the strength to save, raise, and protect Artemis, as she did for him without question. Their strength combined made them a force within nature not even the Terror of the Everfree could easily squash.

There is something stronger than hope out there, a strength that allows growth in spite of hopelessness, an unquenchable fire, an inner light that burns when called. One does not need candles when they are the flame!

Kill your neglect, and fight for its opposite in all things. Luka put words to what the Hunter from the Sky felt for the last week running in the brush, the roots, through the mists, and trudging the mud, fighting like a beast for life and limb in the shadow.

Luka spoke the truth: Neil the boy had died in the fall. The Kid he believed woke after falling from the clouds, who cried for his mom in the alien forest, was an illusion. Neil clung to his childlike ghost in the dark, even if it was murdered and cold. His friendship with weakness was the final comfort, the last familiar thing remaining. He refused to believe the forest took that too.

Losing his doubts terrified Neil. Doubt has been his friend. Without its weight to keep him down, would he float away into oblivion, unknown space?

Wait, what matter of insanity just crossed his mind!? That doubt had almost killed him several times. Neil's old friend has stood by, smiling down as he drowned in the green sea, waiting for him to turn blue and founder, thinking the shade would suit him well. Weakness is no friend, neither is doubt a shield. Combined they make a chain.

The true obstacle in Neil's journey wasn't Scar, or Patches, but himself. Neil's heart raced in his chest. That's it! The answer he's been looking for! Neglect had been his chain and he clasped the shackles on himself with his doubt.

The difference between modern or primitive man was not freedom as Neil believed, for all men are born free. It is the will to make that freedom mean something that separates them! Freedom is meaningless without the will to execute it, for men are slaves because they enslave themselves.

Just as Neil has enslaved himself.

The Hunter from the Sky swore to never be neglectful again, nor will he ever wait for hope to fulfill him. Hope is for the desperate, the helpless, and the meek. Candles cannot bear burdens, nor outlast an abyss. Those with the strength to make something happen are not helpless, and Neil has made many things happen, some incredible, others terrible. Killing his neglect will be his life now. Nothing will get in his way, not incubi, foul gods, or even Blake when he returns home.

Deep within the Hunter, still standing in the abyss, the Man discarded the cold candle smothered by madness, and saught instead to find the light to carry on within himself. For the first time the Man could see his path in the darkness by the light of his own Fire. A straight and narrow beam of sanity cut a path through the dark.

The path was clear and the will to walk it burned like a star. The Man took his first unhindered step towards his destiny.

Luka saw everything on Neil's face, and how it relaxed like his soul sighed. She nodded approvingly. Finally, he sees himself.

Zounds. There it is! Luna just witnessed the true rarity, the moment when someone accepts themselves! This constituted a huge step forward for Neil's rebalance, and Luna was happy for him. She remembered her moment, long, long ago, regarding its painful nostalgia like an old friend. She too had accepted herself once, until her nightmare betrayed her confidence. She swatted away those pesky distracting thoughts. Thou let thy guard down, Luna. She admonished herself for her own neglect. Thou hast indulged in the dangers of Nostalgia again. The silver jeweled Princess refocused on the moment and centered herself, for any imbalance may bring the nightmare back.

Luka's words surprised and impressed Artemis. This fictional woman's strange methods yielded good fruit? Artemis recalled the moment she dispelled her ridiculous worries after Dad killed the ambushing cockatrice. She asked Neil, "Dad?"

He looked to her.

Those eyes remained wonderful, but the tension Artemis grew accustomed to seeing around them, in them, had gone. In fact, his whole form stood relaxed in unfamiliar ways, and he practically radiated this sureness. Not even sleep compelled Dad to be so calm before, so certain, so unyielding. It was inspiring. Whatever Luka did helped Dad immensely. Because of this, the wolf forgave her for hitting him.

Artemis cleared her throat. "Remember when I stared into the river while we were on the run?"

Dad tilted his head. "Yeah. You spaced out over something, claiming it was a squirrel when I asked about it. I figured you would tell me the truth when ready."

"Yeah. I lied." Her ears pinned to her head in shame. "Actually, I blamed myself for being too weak to keep you from harm, believing every time it was my fault. If only I was stronger, I thought, you would always be safe." She grimaced, embarrassed to admit those ridiculous feelings.

Dad only smiled as she continued.

Dad accepted it without question, even this side of herself she disliked. The wolf can truly tell him anything, and it made her feel so lucky to be his daughter. Her grimace sweetened to a little wooden smile of her own. "After you saved us from the cockatrice, I found that your doubt had vanished, so did your worries. Death was nothing to you in that moment. Nothing mattered as long as I was safe. I knew then it wasn't about me, but us. If we stuck together, we were unstoppable. That was enough for me, and I haven't looked back since."

Neil's heart warmed, and he laughed. "Funny, I thought you were the stronger one." He leaned to a knee before her. "I noticed that sudden change in your eyes, then this wonderful adult came out. And I thought, Wow, if only I could do that. But, you see, I didn't realize I already had." He looked around the slaver ship's bridge like its alloy bulwark betrayed some secret he's saught. "Now I do, and I have to thank you."

She gestured to herself in disbelief with a paw. "Me?"

"More has happened to me in this month than in my entire life so far. And you were in every good thing that happened since I fell. I can't put to words how much you've helped me, and how important you are to me." Neil spoke from the deepest fathoms of his heart. "Raising you is the best thing that's ever happened to me, and it's helped me find who I am."

Artemis had to catch her breath. Dad just repeated what she said to him in the castle cellar! He said it back in his own way! If only the wolf could blush, her darkish mossy bark would turn blood red. Dad's broken the awesomeness scale, and achieved escape velocity!

Neil plucked his daughter off the floor with a big hug, which she returned in kind. "Love you forever, Kiddo."

She squeezed him tighter. "Love you forever."

Luna didn't have the words for how exquisite and heart warming that moment was. She sniffled, trying to hold back the strong tide of emotions such beauty inspired. The stoic Princess recited the code of control again, regaining her composure, if only just.

Neil let his daughter go, then moved to hug Luka. "Thank you, Sister. I guess I needed a kick in the ass."

Luka held her arms up, uncomfortably looking at the aliens, then around the ship. Hugs all around, she supposed. With no other recourse, she sighed, lightly wrapped her arms around him, and patted her brother on the back. "You can always count on my boot."

Letting go, Neil sighed a long breath of relief.

Luka asked with a smirk. "How do you feel?"

"Lighter." After soaking it up for a spell, he slapped then rubbed his hands together. "Let's get back to it. We've got a fire titan to free."

Luka regarded him with a furrowed brow. "Fire titan?"

Neil explained his situation with corrupt Olympus, and his mission to crush the dark pantheon, save the fire titan, and get his divine flame back. He needed to ask Mand'alor for help, which is why he's even on this slaver ship in the first place.

Luka listened with a mixture of disbelief, and interest. Is such a thing possible? Neil was many things, but never one to lie. It has to be true. "War with the Republic is one thing, but war against a sect of Gods? That has never been done. To achieve victory against such opponents, darasuum kote [eternal glory]." After a moment more of self deliberation, she agreed. "I can help you with that." She cautioned, "But, don't tell Mand'alor about this yet. We destroy the pirate armada first."

"Deal."

---

Neil stood close to the end of the helm, looking out the bridge's viewport to watch the tunnel of hyperspace speed over their ship as it cut through spacetime.

Luna approached from behind. "Neil, may I have a moment?"

"Sure." Neil leaned on the rail circling the helm to keep any crew from falling to the lower command deck.

"Quite some time has past since our last Oneiromancy lesson. I wish to give thee a quick one."

"Okay."

"Dreams are not random, everything in them happens for a reason."

Neil nodded on that one. "I think I've noticed that."

"Forsooth. Dreams are thus a statement, a literal or metaphorical dialogue between thyself and thy inner self. The meaning of that dialogue is for thou to decidest. Understand now the actions of thy figment moments ago? Luka embodies some aspect of thyself which helped thee workest through thy self deception." Her eyes and mouth curled in the smallest of smiles. "To course correct thyself is a virtuous achievement, good Neil. I'm glad to have witnessed it."

Neil had always believed dreams were like mental movies, things to enjoy while sleeping. He hadn't considered there was a serious side. What aspect of himself did Luka embody, or the Mandalorians as a whole? Sure, they were part of his childhood. That's obvious. What else could they be? Neil thought deeply on Luna's lesson. If everything here is a statement, an inner talk with himself... "Luna," he asked, "What is my Incubus trying to tell me?"

This profound question gave Luna pause, for she wondered that herself about Nightmare Moon, and still searches for the answer. Surely, there has to be one? "I know not of mine either," she answered transparently. "If thou findest thy answer, be sure to let me know, prithee?"

Neil nodded. "Deal."

"Thus ends our short lesson." Luna stared out into hyperspace from over the bridge's rail. "On a more somber note, as it stands, thou art caught in thy dream, unable to mold it as thy wills, so it goes on like a wild current. What a strange anomaly of the mind we find ourselves in. After all my years working it, the mind still finds methods to surprise me."

Neil agreed. "It's like a coma, trapped within yourself, living a second reality."

Luna nodded, still absorbing the view out the bridge stoically. "Yes." She drew some parallels based off what she knew so far. "Remember the chaotic sky thou reorganized after our first Oneiromancy session?"

Neil remembered a pink cloud shaped like a rampaging Squirrel gathering skulls for the skull throne. "Yes."

"Without control over thy skyline, it morphed and evolved of its own accord. We find this situation is similar."

"True, and it's not like I really don't have control. I do, but it's only the other part."

"Indeed. Such would imply thy Incubus is canceling out thy manipulations. Like it wishes thee to travelest a path of its own device. Frustrating, is it not?"

Neil was indeed frustrated by all this. "It wasn't this way with Nightmare Moon?"

The Princess shook her head. "Nay. I had my parts, as she possessed her's, liken to a chess game. 'Twas quite even in the beginning."

That brought some things into perspective. "Then we must take this path. I may not be able to form my dream to suit my desires, but it won't stop me." His scarred dirty face hardened. "The Everfree is worse."

Luna cast a sobering glare to the fiery Human. "Harken to me well, bold Neil, for this is a mind that made its home in the Everfree. Make not my mistake and take thyself lightly."

Neil breathed a long breath. He just wanted this distraction to be over with. His name is not Robert Paulson, and the Hunter didn't need this mentally ill shit in his life right now. He had better things to do, like waking up and going back to camp. He'd been asleep for too long as it stood. He's being neglectful and it pissed him off. His diet Tyler Durden is pissing him off.

After a moment of watching Neil lean on the rail and stew, Luna shuffled a forehoof on the floor, drawing some shapes, a circle there, lines here. This nervous tic of hers when she had something personal to say always annoyed her. Eyes cast down at the hoof, forcing it to stop, she finally spoke her peace. "I must apologize for laughing earlier upon learning this dream was based around a fictional story."

Neil just blinked at Luna for a spell, taken aback by her need to say that. "Luna, you have nothing to be sorry about."

She shook her head. "Nay, verily, I do. I failed to explain why sufficiently, and it seemed as though I was laughing at thy expense. Having never seen an alien being, I assumed all this was based in reality. I did not laugh at thee, but instead at myself. I was humored by my own disadvantage. 'Tis not a common thing when I find myself being the fool."

Neil cocked his eye brow, as he hardened his eyes. "You are many things, Princess, but never a fool."

She smiled. Her cyan eyes sparkled with the flowing light beaming through the viewport's glass as she looked back to the Human with a sly glint. "A little foolishness now and then is relished by the wisest Pony."

That sounded oddly familiar, Neil could've sworn he heard that from somewhere before. "Hmm, well, no worries. I never felt like you meant anything. In fact, I'd forgotten about it."

She breathed a sigh of relief. "Good."

Finally, the ship exited hyperspace and the planet Mandalore materialized through the viewport. A huge armada of Mandalorian vessels gathered in orbit: corvettes, frigates, battleships, cruisers, and both civilian and commercial ships retrofitted for war. Some of the formations had relics from the days of Mandalore the Ultimate, like one of the three ancient Kandosii dreadnoughts, or the two Kyramud battleships. They still bore the marks of the neo-crusaders that once crewed them. What gems those were.

"Look at all the ships." Artemis gawked.

Neil agreed. "Marvelous, isn't it?"

This dream continued to show Luna things she's never seen before, and she wondered if all humans were this imaginative. Luna took in the majesty of the alien planet below. Large arid patches dotted the surface, then mass jungles, oceans, mountain ranges, and grassy plains covered the rest. "Forsooth, Mandalore is beautiful!"

Luka stood besides Luna. "Mandalore seems like a paradise from a distance. But she's rougher than a bantha's backside and twice as ugly up close."

Luna wondered if this bantha creature resembled one of the Buffalo folk. Nevertheless, the planet's description sounded familiar. "Mandalore sounds similar to the Gryphon Kingdom."

Luka got Neil's attention, then pointed at the helm. "Check if we're broadcasting the friendly frequency." She returned to the comm station to double check the console there.

Curious Artemis asked Dad as he looked over the Helm's console, "Why is that important?"

Neil replied, "We're on an enemy vessel. If we don't want to get blasted into dust, we have to let the others know we aren't slavers."

"Oooh. Blasted like the smelly tentacle thing in the swamp? Yeah, let's not do that."

Upon the sorry excuse for a console, Neil saw they were broadcasting something. The crudeness of its mismatched instruments looked like an Ork Mekboy hobbled this together after too many fungus beers. Still, it had a blinking light that read brodcazt under it.

...

Neil deadpanned at the abomination of a word under the light, asking himself how he didn't notice it before.

Brodcazt.

Seriously?

Are these pirates good for anything except target practice? Neil told Luka, "We are sending a signal." He turned to her.

"Good." She saw a light blink on the comm station, indicating an incoming message from the fleet. Luka pressed a button.

A gravelly voice threatened over the intercom, Attention unknown vessel, this is Field Marshal Vossik Fett of the Dreadnaught Cassus. I received your friendly codes. They bought you a few extra seconds to explain your presence here. Fail to impress me and that eyesore you're flying will be disintegrated.

A burst from the lead Kandosii dreadnaught's turbolasers raked over the haul of their slaver vessel. Luna and Artemis held on to something as the rust-tub's superstructure shook, shuttered, and groaned from the glancing blow.

After their ship settled down, Field Marshal Vossik continued: That's your cue.

Unphased, Luka and Neil exchanged knowing looks.

Luka replied into the comm console, "Is this how you welcome us back after we covered your ass, Vossik?"

Sounding like he was hearing a ghost, the Field Marshal replied, Luka Awaud? We thought you for dead.

"Well, we're back from the dead with the slaver's ship."

Vossik grunted his approval. Roger that. A squadron of fighters will escort you to dock with a station. Welcome back.

Neil noticed even more Mandalorian ships exit hyperspace to meld with the fleets.

The pirates won't stand a chance.

A voice from below deck boomed through the comm system: Maldus to bridge, over.

Still at the comm station, Luka answered, "This is bridge, over."

The ship is clean. All cell blocks liberated, over.

"Casualty report? Over."

Three K.I.A., twelve wounded. All hostiles eliminated, over.

"Excellent. We've arrived at Mandalore and we're rallied back with Field Marshal Vossik. Friendlies are going to guide us to a station, so send up a team to fly this thing. Clear a space for the Ruusaan to leave the hangar. I must report to Mand'alor in person. " She glanced to Neil. "Over."

Maldus chuckled darkly. That explains why the ship nearly shook itself apart. You will have your clearing, and those pilots. Over and out.

"Let's go." Luka told Neil as she took her crude blaster from its place by the console. "Meet me in the hangar. I have to stop by the armory first. I won't be long."

Neil took Luna and Artemis to the hangar. They stood before his ship while Maldus and his men cleared the stacks of crates and piles of pirate corpses blocking its flight path. Neil appraised his old ship, and patted its hull with pride. He introduced it to Luna and Artemis. "This is the Ruusaan, meaning reliable one. This is the spaceship I mentioned when we first met, Luna. She's a MandalMotors M22-T Krayt gunship, if you wanna know. She's slightly modified with an extended power bank to feed a pair of QV-3 Disrupters in addition to the standard arsenal."

Luna liked it. "Quite impressive."

"Is it faster than this rust tub?" Artemis wondered aloud.

"She's plenty fast." Neil didn't have his wrist computer to lower the cargo bay door. No matter.

Luna eyed the vessel over several times. "I do not spy a way in."

Neil bent over and searched the landing gear of his ship. "There's only two ways in: with a wrist computer, or the panel." Neil located the hidden panel inside the port for the front landing gear. He squeezed between the gear and the hull, located the hidden panel, then input the code. The ramp hissed as it opened. Pure pazzak. He gestured to Luna. "You first?"

She appreciated the polite gesture. "Very well."

Inside the loading bay felt like a cozy cabin, as it had three cots sectioned along the walls, a small stocked kitchen, and some empty racks in addition to some nets for small cargo. Clearly, this ship was fitted to comfortably maintain a team of three during long voyages.

Neil pulled a lever on the right wall of the loading bay, and a flexible panel slid up into the ceiling next to the middle cot, exposing a large weapons cabinet filled with all manner of weapons. He took and held his prized mandalorian ripper tentatively. Good, the pirates didn't take anything. They obviously couldn't get in.

After he placed the priceless weapon back, Luna asked, "Thy relationship with the dream figment Luka runs deep and I assume the same of the Marduk figment. What was their purpose when thou created them?"

"Well, I suppose they're like the siblings I've never had; but, I didn't intentionally create them. They were just there on Dxun with the rest of the cadets. The instructor paired us together and we've been like family since."

"I see." Luna smiled. "That's sweet, good Neil."

Luka walked up the ramp behind them, her clanking boots on the alloy floor catching their attention. She stood dressed in her full suit of armor, holding the helm at her side. The faded symbol of Clan Awaud was sprayed on her right chest plate; the armor's paint had lost its luster with use and time, but it still bore the same deep purple with gray accents. Slung over her beskar paldrons was Luka's mandalorian assault rifle, an heirloom that's been in her family for generations.

Luna appreciated the exotic look of Luka's armor. Her cyan eyes settled on the jetpack. She knew of it from Neil's memories, but she wanted to see how that functioned for herself, as she found jetpacks were a truly novel technological concept.

Luka eyed Neil's primitive chainmail armor with an amused smirk before pressing a few buttons on her wrist computer. "I have something that belongs to you. It's time to ditch whatever that is you're wearing." A portion of the durasteel floor panel near the kitchen slid to the side, opening a secret compartment.

Neil saw his Mandalorian armor nestled inside the compartment with wide eyes. "You kept it?"

She gently struck his shoulder with her fist like comrades do. "You wanna talk, or suit up, Vod?"

Neil donned his armor. With the lucidity of this dream, it felt like he was actually wearing it. The weight was unreal. Was Beskar always this heavy? Considering Luna said his dreams would be more like sleeping awake until he resolved his Incubus issue, he shouldn't be surprised.

Luna appraised the beauty of Neil's suit, finding it as alien and unique as Luka's. The helm's eye piece was the same black T-visor, but with a blood red stripe down the middle of the helm and the chest plate. Both legs had one red stripe diagonal the thigh plates, and the paldrons held a solid red stripe over the top. The rest of the beskar, even the jetpack, was snow white with bare silvery metal showing in scratches and scuffs across it.

Bandoleers, utility pouches, and belts were spread meticulously across Neil's person. Every stitch of it had a purpose, nothing out of order. Two holsters were at his sides. One held a new pistol Luna didn't recognize, the other was the mandalorian ripper.

Neil donned his helm, and through his H.U.D. looked down to his gauntlets, then the rest of the armor, the targeting computer outlining him all the while. The feelings rushing through his body were a wonderful, bittersweet thing. He hasn't felt this way since his childhood. He gripped his fists. "I'm ready."

"Oh?" Luka cocked her head. "What of Mand'alor? You think showing up in desperate times has cleansed you?"

Neil coolly replied, "He would refuse a child, but not a Warrior."

He had Luka's approval. "You are ready."

Neil told Luna and Artemis to seat themselves in the hold of the Ruusaan, then went to the cockpit with Luka. He sat in the pilot seat, and Luka took her place at the comm station. The co-captain seat lied empty. That was Marduk's spot.

The ship took off and left the slave ship's rusty hangar once the massive metal doors screeched open. They flew gracefully into vacuum and down towards Mandalore. Neil relished how good it felt to have his old spaceship back, as Luka hailed the star port below in Mandalore's capital, Keldabe. Tower control accepted the request to land as vectors appeared on the ship's nav. computer

Neil followed the coordinates beyond the massive MandalMotor's tower, standing a hundred meters tall, a mythosaur skull on its side. He used it as a point of reference before landing in a space at the Keldabe star port. He left the cockpit with Luka then the ship with the others in tow. The capital was just as beautiful and bustling as always, and the surrounding Kelita river glistened in the sun light. The populace stood more militarized than last Neil remembered, as thousands of Mandalorian warriors gathered in groups spread across this side of the city alone, each bearing the sigil of their clan, all awaiting orders from their Mand'alor.

Neil ignored the looks from Mandalore's Warriors and Citizens as he walked the streets. He must have looked strange with the two odd aliens just behind. He asked Luka, "Is Mand'alor at the Oyu'baat [Universe]?"

"Yes." She turned with him down a narrow street to the old cantina, a shortcut from the usual way to Gem Cutter's street.

Artemis asked, "What's the oi-you-baat?"

Neil answered, "It's the oldest hotel and tapcaf on the planet. Mandalore's clan leaders have used it as a meeting place for thousands of years."

Down the alley they walked, until they crossed into the ancient square from Chortav Meshurkaane [Gem-Cutter's Street], where twice a week vendors and merchants would sell their wares, like gemstones, jewelry, leather goods, and other stuffs at their stalls.

Beyond the square the Oyu'baat stood in all its timelessness. Appearing like several different buildings of wood and stone were merged together to form it, the large three story structure had a sloped tiled roof. A massive wooden ridge pole jutted from both sides of the roof's eaves, while assorted windows of various designs and shapes not square dotted its exterior. Flaking plaster painted the outer wall, a sign that it needed replastering soon. Over its main entrance an aged wood sign read, Oyu'baat in Mando'a, and Universe in Galactic Basic, A.K.A English.

Near the entrance and around the hotel's perimeter, squads of supercommandos and veteran warriors gathered around and conversed, waiting on their leaders inside to finish their meeting.

One commando sitting on an old empty ale barrel sharpened an ancient curved blade over his beskar bracer. He watched Neil closely with his singular functional eye. The other was blind and white. A large burn scar over the right side of his face, jaw, and scalp betrayed some incident took the eye.

"Whoa." Artemis hovered closer to Dad, the commando's glare reminding her of Dad's look when his monster came out on the hill where the Strangle Hedges were. "That guy's intense."

Reconsidering what Luna told Neil about dreams, he recognized at once what this figment signified, Wrath. Her father replied, "Don't let him bother you. He has no warmth."

Her disquietude turned to pity for the scarred man. "Why?"

"Weapons have no need for a heart."

Luna thanked the Moon Neil still had control over his Wrath. Losing it to the nightmare's madness would've been very inconvenient.

They entered the Universe and ascended the stair case to the main hall. Constructed mostly of dark wood, the spacious hall held enough tables and booths for hundreds of patrons at a time. The booths had wooden screens that could be drawn for privacy. Two curved bars with stools for seating stood at the center of the hall, one for serving food, the other for drinks. Numerous paintings and tapestries of past events and prominent figures of Mandalorian history decorated the walls through the Universe, figures such as Canderous Ordo in addition to every Mand'alor in succession, Jaster Mereel, and even Cassus Fett could also be seen.

Many great battle scenes were also depicted by tapestry and mural alike, the Battle of Serroco, and the Battle of Duro, to name just two.

At the furthest end of the hall from the entrance, a large open log fire burned surrounded by a wide alcove. The newest decoration of the Universe was in the alcove's center, a painting of a simple palate of colors on the wall. The painting held little care for finesse. One could see the artist's anger with every brush stroke. A blackened outline of a single armored Mandalorian covered in raining ash stood amongst the embers of a smoldering Keldabe. Bold red blazes, black ash clouds, ashen gray clumps, and glowing embers fell around him. Inside the outlined figure, however, was a scene of a thousand Mandalorians gathered around; the landscape stood lush and the sky pure.

Despite the destruction of his home, this ash covered warrior remained unconquered, unbroken, alive; within one Mandalorian beat the resolve and strength of his entire race. Keldabe may burn, but the fire inside burned brighter still. Mandalore is not merely a planet. Mandalore lives within. It can never be destroyed. The Warrior can never be destroyed. Together, they are beskar.

Under the painting a single word written in Mando'a read, Redeem.

Luna took in all the rustic alien décor, finding in them an odd familiarity with a species on her homeworld. Then her sparkling cyan eyes spied the painting titled Redeem, and she subtly gasped, finding in it immediately a message from Neil's inner strength: even as his world came crashing down around him, he wouldn't fall with it. How very Griffon of him.

She mentioned to Neil after stepping closer to his right, "I cannot help but observe how akin to a Griffon in some ways thou art, good Neil, in addition to how alike Griffon culture is to these Mandalorians. I think thou wouldst get along with one."

Griffons? Neil wasn't surprised to hear Luna's planet also hosted those mythological beasts as well.

Neil noted there were Mandalorians throughout the building, sitting, standing, eating, drinking, talking, most of them officers and respected warriors. In the alcove behind the log fire, he spied Mand'alor himself seated at the largest table there. Seated with him were dozens of Clan Leaders, their Field Marshals, and even some Rally Masters, Mand'alor's war cabinet.

Suited in custom armor fit only for Mandalore's leader, Mand'alor's head swiveled to see Neil circle the fire pit. The modernized design of his armor was clearly inspired by the armor of Mand'alor the Ultimate, its unpainted silvery beskar plates shined in the comfortable lighting of the fire pit. A large red cape draped down his shoulder plates and across the bulk of the armor, stopping just above the armored shins.

The boy has finally arrived, Mand'alor thought. He's reunited with Luka Awaud, and two strange aliens accompany him. Mand'alor relaxed into the backrest of his chair, his keen deep brown eyes narrowing behind his ebony black visor, watching Neil approach with helm grasped at the side. Neil's stride, the edge in his gaze, the way he took his steps, it all betrayed a change in his spirit. Something's different about him. No, not a Boy, not anymore. Parting the crimson cape over his shoulders from underneath with his beskar arms, and resting the elbows on the chair's arm rests, Mand'alor placed his fingers together before himself in anticipation. If not a boy, then what?

The clan Leaders spied what entrapped Mand'alor's attention. Soon, all eyes in the Universe were on Neil and his party just a brisk walk from the table.

"We handle this first." Luka took out the holotape, then stayed the wolf and the Princess. "You two stay there. Neil and I will approach."

Luna acquiesced. "Very well."

"We'll be right here if you need us." Artemis reminded him.

Neil gave her a thumbs up, then approached the table with Luka.

One of the mandalorian protectors stood in their way. Drawing his deactivated vibroblade, the protector stopped Neil by placing the blade tip to his armored chest. "Me'copaani, dar'manda?" [What do you want, dar'manda?]

That word, dar'manda, it meant one who has lost his way, his heritage, soul, and identity, is out of touch with Mandalorian virtue, mandokar. That foul word cut Neil deeper than he liked. It's almost as bad as being called a traitor, almost.

Luka scowled with offence, the armored fist of her free hand clenching with anger. Neil does not deserve that insult. Luka waited to see how Neil would teach this one a lesson.

The protector payed Luka no mind, his attention locked solely to the dar'manda.

Ah, Neil recognized this one blocking his path, Disgust. There's nothing left to be disgusted about in his life, so Neil answered the living allegory coldly, "Ni copaanir at jorhaa'ir Mand'alor." [I wish to speak to Mand'alor.] Even through the mandalorian's helm, Neil felt the dirty look his Disgust must've given him for such an insolent request, considering his lack of honor as a dar'manda.

The warrior almost hissed in reply, "Nu draar, Hutuun!" [Not never, Coward!]

Hutuun, the worst insult possible, delivered with hostility and pure contempt, usually ended in blood.

Enraged, Luka almost shot the protector, but Neil stopped her hand grasping her blaster.

Neil deadpanned at his Disgust, seeing in it another example of his neglect. Grasping the protector's blade, Neil pushed it off of himself, and back into the chest of its foul owner. "You can't cut me anymore."

The protector stood still, stunned by Neil's complete indifference.

Luna smiled, cheering on the inside for the strides Neil's taken against his inner demons thus far.

Seeing enough, Mand'alor commanded the protector to stop. "Kelir durrmir kaysh." [I will allow him.]

Bitterly, but obediently, Disgust sheathed his weapon and stood aside.

Their final steps clear, Luka and Neil walked towards the table, coming to stand before Mand'alor and his large war table of every clan leader united under him.

With several protectors standing at attention to his right and left, Mand'alor looked Neil up and down, then gestured to him with a critical finger. "Ganar nayc aliik, dar'manda. Gar ijaat shuk'la." [You have no armor, dar'manda. Your honor is broken.]

His helm on the table just to his left, the leader of Clan Awaud cleared his throat and cast his hazel eyes to his leader. "Mand'alor, dar'manda mav birov ner aliit." [Mand'alor, this dar'manda freed many of my clan]

Mand'alor waved it off, wondering what compelled lost Neil to return home. Perhaps, the world killed the meekness within him and what rose from its ashes sought redemption? He replied to clan Awaud's Leader, "A kaysh mav kaysh?" [But, has he freed himself?]

The clan leaders collectively turned their attention back to Neil, now wondering the same.

Neil, still holding his helm at his side, addressed Mand'alor and his war cabinet in basic. "I have survived and done much, true, but even a coward can survive if he's clever. I have neglected too much in my life for too long. I don't want to just survive, I want to thrive. A stepping stool is not who I am."

"Mmmm." Mand'alor chewed on this appeal. Could it be true? Could his scars have changed more than his flesh? Has Neil deserted himself as a Boy, but returned home... a Warrior? Stirred by this possibility, Mand'alor gripped the arm rests of his seat with tightened armored hands and leaned forward; light from the cantina's fire pit danced over his ink black visor and silvery beskar helm. "You wish for freedom? To become what you are, not what others want you to be? You wish to live, not just breathe? To bathe in fire and walk away cold?"

Neil nodded slowly with utter agreement. "Anything else is death. Death is neglect. I neglect no longer."

A flush of excitement and pride rushed through Mand'alor's fiery veins. He saw it and now he's heard it. A wayward son of Mandalore has returned with the heart of a Warrior! "Only a true warrior neglects death." Mand'alor rose from his seat and approached to stand before the reforged one.

Luna recognized that Mand'alor saw Neil's changes with an unusual keenness. This one is sharp as a razor and deeper than the consuming black of his visor. What a powerful statement of a dream figure Mand'alor was! Luna wondered if he symbolized Neil's potential?

Mand'alor leaned over to the side to better see the two strange unannounced guests behind Neil. "And who are they?"

Neil explained one was a warrior princess from a world of sorcerers named Luna, and the other he raised from a pup, Artemis. They were his companions.

"I am an Alicorn, great Mand'alor." Luna added for context.

"Ali-corn?" Mand'alor cocked his head, never hearing of such a race before, and he made it his business to know all warrior races. He waved it off. "Very well." Neil looked as though there was more business to discuss. "I sense there is more. What do you have for me?"

Neil looked back to Luka. "Show him the holotape."

That caught Mand'alor's attention.

Luka presented the tape. "This is from the bridge of the slaver ship we captured, Mand'alor."

Taking it, he slid the disk to the other side of the table. The leader of clan Kelborn caught the tape, then fed it into a holodrive.

A holovid cast from a projector in the middle of the table. The cantina watched with growing anger as the Daveronian pirate spoke about the Republic and the Jedi funding the pirate fleet's raid on mandalorian space.

When the message ended, Mand'alor sighed. "I should've known."

The cantina stood deathly silent.

"Disgrace!" The leader of clan Fett slammed his armored fists on the table. "The Republic is bank rolling an armada of scum to destroy us! Those bloody cowards!"

The old enemy moves again. Mand'alor assured all present, "The hand that drove this outrage will feel our wrath." He reconsidered Neil. "So, you've finally cut your teeth. Good. Milk has never suited you. I accept your return, Cin Vhetin [White field], welcome back."

From what Luna gleaned after sharing with Neil's knowledge of Mandalorians, Cin Vhetin, or White Field, meant Clean Slate, or a fresh start. Neil's no longer a dar'manda, but refreshed, his identity restored, a Mandalorian again. More specifically, in a sort of self therapy, the Human forgave himself of his past sins, leaving the regrets that poisoned him against himself behind. Neil is moving forward, making his own path in life. What an amazing thing the mind is! Luna saw Artemis didn't fully understand the meaning of what transpired and explained it.

Artemis was so happy for Dad. He's finally realized how awesome he is for himself and moved on. She cheered for him.

Neil just bowed his head to Mand'alor, saying all required in the gesture. Deep in his heart he knew that some thanks are best spoken without words.

---

Still in the Universe, Mand'alor gestured to Neil and Luka. "Well done bringing this intelligence. You've done your people a great service." He asked the standing tech engineer, "Does the holotape contain the coordinates of its origin?"

The Tech did a diagnostic from the table's computer, and indeed found the location of where the transmission originated. Not destroying this data was very foolish. "The co-ordinates are right here, Mand'alor. But..." The Tech trailed off.

"Yes?" Mand'alor insisted.

"These co-ordinates lead to the jungle moon Dxun."

"It that so?" Mand'alor mentally tallied the implications of this news. "It's a little too close, too easy...."

"Here, here!" the leader of clan Vizsla, Sha Vizsla, agreed. "It's clearly a trap."

"Good. It saves us the trouble of hunting them down." Mand'alor turned on his boot heels, his crimson cape twisting around the bulk of his beskar armor with the momentum, and returning to rest at the shin plates.

The clan Leaders rose from their seats, as the surrounding warriors in the ancient cantina drew closer, eager for their orders.

Mand'alor addressed them, "Mandalorians, we leave to annihilate the pirate scum in one hour. Make all necessary preparations. Remember to visit your families if you haven't already. Clan leaders and their Field Marshals remain here for a moment."

Neil and Luka were about to leave with the rest of the foot soldiers, but Mand'alor stayed them, then called for one of his protectors. The armored warrior approached from the ranks standing at attention around the Universe. After a brief talk, the protector bowed to Mand'alor, then moved to stand before Neil and his party.

The warrior's armor had the markings of clan Fett along with the colors of the protectors and stood slightly taller than Luka and Neil. He took his helmet off, and Neil recognized the familiar tribal tattoos on his shaven head, and ash colored goatee. Those same yellow eyes smirked down at Neil as he said in his signature raspy, frigid voice, "When I heard a dar'manda freed a company of captured Mandalorians, and helped them take over a slave freighter, I had a feeling it was you."

Neil smiled upon seeing his teammate again. "Marduk!" Holding his arm out, a metallic clank resounded as they clasped gauntlets and forearms together in a brotherly greeting.

Marduk was also happy to see his old teammate returned. "It's been awhile, Vod [Brother]. Glad to see you're still alive; but you look like a vibroblade did a number on you. What happened?"

Neil shook his head. "If only these scars were just from a vibroblade."

"You'll have to tell me about it sometime." Marduk asked Luka, "Were you the one that found him?"

"Negative." She gestured to Neil with a singular nod. "He found me." Pride for him permeated her demeanor. "Returning home would've been a real problem if not."

"That sounds about right." Marduk leaned to the side and settled his yellow eyes on these strange aliens behind Neil. "I assume you two were on the slave freighter?"

"We were with Dad the whole time!" Artemis exclaimed, then to Luna with the wooden thumb of her paw. "She helped, I just followed along."

"Thy moment shall come," Luna reminded the wolf, then considered the gruff Mandalorian. "I have heard of you from Neil. Greetings, fair Marduk." Luna placed a silver hoof to herself, then to Artemis. "I'm Princess Luna, and this is Artemis the Timberwolf."

This Luna didn't seem all that tough to Marduk, no claws, blunt hooves, that horn seems sharp at least. She has wings, yet they look frail like a bird's wings; still, her being a sorcerer could mean appearances were deceiving. Her actions in helping Luka capture the slave freighter were worthy of acclaim. She had achieved some honor with it. He replied, "I appreciate you helping my people return home, your Highness."

Artemis grinned a wide wooden toothy smile. "Don't mention it. It was fun!"

The Mandalorian liked the boldness of this plant dog creature. "Fun, eh?" This one had claws, and teeth, but her bodily composition was mostly wood, with flesh-like bark, and small moss patches grew across the sides and back of the mid regions. This creature is living kindling. In combat, she would be at an extreme disadvantage to even weak blaster fire. Surely she knows it, seeing the battle on the slaver ship first hand? Despite this, her glowing eyes held no fear, or doubt. She even considered the fight amusing. Impressive resolve. Marduk reconsidered Neil after finishing his appraisal of these aliens. "I approve of your new team, there's power, and spirit."

"And I approve of yours. You're a Protector now!" Neil asked his old comrade, "What's the story there?"

Marduk put his helmet back on, its vocalizer adding to the natural intimidation factor of his raspy tone. "There comes a time in a man's life where he must serve something greater than himself." Marduk tapped on the Protector's symbol on his helmet. "After you were gone, Luka went home to Vlemoth Port, and I felt it was my time to serve Mandalore as a whole. I left my mercenary days behind, and after proving myself I joined the Protectors." He shook his head. "It wasn't an easy transition, but I survived."

Neil wasn't surprised he managed. "You always do."

He corrected, "We always do."

Luka asked Marduk, "So, Mand'alor asked you join us?"

"Yes. He said I would be more useful to him that way. We need every team at its full potential and I agree."

Luka placed an armored hand on each shoulder of her comrades endearingly. "Traat'aliit Rayshe'a [Team Five] is back!"

"Too bad for the slavers." Marduk moved to leave the Oyu'baat. "We shouldn't waste our time here. Let's join the fleet."

Neil followed him with the others out of the ancient Universe, then lead everyone back to the Ruusaan at the spaceport.

Boarding the Ruusaan, Neil, Luka, and Marduk strapped themselves in their seats at the cockpit, Luka at the comm station, Neil in the pilot's chair, and Marduk in the co-pilot seat, just like old times.

Neil switched the engines on, then asked Marduk to his right, "What ship are we docking with?"

"The dreadnaught Cassus, she's the spearhead of our battle group."

Such irony. Neil chuckled. "Of course it is."

Marduk understood why. "I heard about your run in with Field Marshal Vossik."

"He wasn't always on the cautious side." Luka input some codes into the communications console as the ship ascended to orbit, letting the Cassus know they were coming.

"Yeah, until he was." Marduk added, "Then cautious meant shoot it just to be safe."

Neil recalled when Vossik shot something he killed three more times once, then said something to the degree, "Now it's extra dead."

"Heh!" Marduk remembered that, then humorously added, "Remember back on Dxun when we found him marooned up a tree by maalraas after cannoks ate his blaster?"

Luka laughed, "Or the time when he showed us that Boma egg he stole for breakfast at camp, saying how sneaky he was?" She rolled her eyes. "The dumbass didn't think about the egg's scent."

Neil took the Ruusaan to orbit over Mandalore. "Big Boma was pissed!"

Marduk then imitated Vossik's high pitched yelp when the massive Boma mother charged into camp, wrecking everything.

For Neil, experiencing this so vividly felt beyond satisfying. It was like everything from his past dreams with these two from childhood culminated in this moment, as though they actually were the siblings he never had, almost filling that preverbal void. It felt real enough he could reach out and touch them and they wouldn't vanish the next day, but such was impossible. Luka and Marduk only felt real.

Neil was thankful he had his helmet on, so they couldn't see him tear up. Taking a breath to center his chaotic feelings, he will have to thank the Incubus for this moment, this wonderful thing.

As Team Five reminisced about the old days in the cock pit, Luna and Artemis remained in the ship's hold/living quarters, as the cockpit was ideally suited for three passengers, not five.

Sitting on the metal floor, Artemis thought about the progression of things so far, and old feelings she thought dead resurfaced, painful, heavy feelings. She asked Luna, hoping her packmate could help, "Hey, Luna?"

Standing near a viewing port by the kitchen, Luna regarded the confiding Wolf warmly.

Artemis took a breath. "I'm not complaining. I'm having fun, and I've seen things I never would've believed." Her evergreen ears pinned down. "But, flying ships, whatever those light shooting things that blow stuff up are, huge walking lizards? I'm completely out of my element here." She held her paws up. "Look at me, I'm all paws and teeth. What can I do? I feel like I'm just along for the ride."

Luna understood her meaning. "It may seem like we are, and contributing little in doing so. But, such is simply untrue. We are guests here, ultimately. This is Neil's dream. His actions are against his Incubus. He must take the lead in its course. 'Tis our role to follow, inform, and support him as necessary, else we may interfere and worsen things. That must not happen. I know first hoof the delicate nature of attaining balance." The wise Princess stood straighter as the Ruusaan docked with the Dreadnaught Cassus. "If being along for the ride is what Neil needs, then so be it."

Artemis hadn't thought about it that way. She was used to being at the front with Dad regardless of the situation; however, if she needs to fill a more specialized role to help him tonight... The wolf puffed her chest out proudly. "Okay. I'm good at support!"

Luna smiled at the wolf's earnestness. "Indeed. We shall both do our best in the coming battle." She stared out the view port again, narrowing her cyan eyes as she watched their ship land in the venerable Kandosii dreadnaught's hangar. The Ruusaan's super structure groaned as it settled to the durasteel deck. She muttered to herself, "I sense a critical moment approaches."

Still seated on the floor, Artemis confided in Luna's words, and tried to stay focused on supporting Dad instead. She conjured a few butterflies to stare at, hoping their beauty would distract her thoughts. Wait, what? She gasped at herself. What happened to Dad didn't affect her! What a scatter brain, of course her fire remained intact! This could be the edge she needs!

Upon seeing Dad come out of the cockpit with his beskar clad comrades, she dispelled the butterflies and put a mental pin on this for later. But, how exactly can she help herself help Dad? What does Dad usually say, all things in time? Yeah, that. She decided to wait for her moment.

The Ruusaan's loading bay opened, and Neil descended the ramp into the massive dreadnaught's ancient hangar. In the gigantic ship surrounding them were thousands of Mandalorian crew members moving, sorting, storing, and cataloging crates of supplies, ammo and weapon bins, and tons of spare parts for vehicles, ships, and weapon systems.

A little over a hundred ships lied docked all throughout the hangar, a mixture of new, old, and ancient. Notably, eight aged Shaadlar troopships hung by ceiling claws above, relics from the Mandalorian Wars. Fighters and bombers of all sorts were docked in their births in rows at all sides of the hangar, newly made StarVipers, antique Davaab starfighters, several bombers of various types, even a few M-12 Kimogila heavy fighters. Those beasts caught Neil's eye.

Artemis gawked at all the weird things around her, thinking this dream just got even cooler.

As the party approached the inner works of the hangar, Mand'alor approached from behind a crate of heavy blasters. Red cape flowing with his beskar clad hands behind him as a stacking droid flew by, he said to Neil, "Cin'vhet [Whitefield], war meeting in the bridge in ten minutes. I expect you there with your team." He gestured to Luna and the wolf. "All of them."

Neil furrowed his eye brows. How did Mand'alor get up here so fast? He bowed his head all the same. "Yes, Mand'alor."

Mand'alor turned and left for the bridge.

Luka slapped Neil on his armored shoulder endearingly. "Look who's moving up in the world, Cin'vhet."

Marduk crossed his arms. "A fresh start and a new name, good for you."

Artemis cocked her wooden head, "What's wrong with his old name?"

Marduk answered, "New warrior, new name. Simple."

The wolf found it unnecessary. "I guess?"

Luka said to Luna and Artemis, "Mand'alor gave you permission to move freely about the ship. It's massive and easy to get lost, so follow us to the bridge."

Artemis asked, "Is being allowed to move something special?"

Marduk replied, "Yes. It's unusual for non Mandalorian's to be on our ships in times of war. Your actions on the Slave Freighter earned you that right. Don't abuse this privilege."

Artemis wondered what counted as abusing said privilege. She'll have to keep her wits about her. "Promise!"

"Come on." Neil lead his party through the bustling hangar towards the elevator to the bridge, which took a few twists and turns down clogged ancient hallways and corridors to find. Once the ship finished preparations, things will decongest.

Artemis still couldn't believe how big the Kandosii was. "Just how many people are there on this ship?"

"Forty thousand total," Luka said matter of fact. "Ten thousand crew, thirty thousand troops."

"Whoa." Dad was still teaching the wolf numbers, and it was hard to imagine what so many looked like as she went into the elevator with the others. Still, the sound of it alone impressed her.

The elevator ascended to the bridge with impressive speed considering it was dozens of decks up. The durasteel doors opened, and before them lied the bridge. Surrounding Neil were crew members at their stations, all monitoring the ship status and imputing commands. At the helm stood Field Marshal Vossik Fett, staring into the starry void outside the ship's viewport. He actually wore a set of ancient Neo-Crusader armor, colored gold to match his rank. The rare-as-hen's-teeth armor must've come with the ship.

In the middle of the large command deck hummed a holographic wartable. Vossik Fett's father, Tubal Fett, and the other Clan Leaders stood around it in mid conversation with Mand'alor.

Neil stood at a distance from the table with his team and listened to their discussion.

Pointing a beskar finger to a glowing nav. mark on the wartable's starmap, Clan Awaud's Leader announced, "My scouts have confirmed the authenticity of the co-ordinates. The pirate armada has indeed converged at Dxun, and they know we are coming."

Tubal Fett added, "Now we know why the Dxun Outpost has been dark since the invasion."

"Indeed." Awaud's Leader continued, "We estimate the strength of the hostile armada at several battle groups comprised of a... colorful array of ships. They've been formed into three fleets, each lead by a large warship. Scrapping them should prove entertaining."

Sha Vizsla asked, "What does the report say about the ground forces?"

He checked the data pad for the probe report. "Little is known for sure, but with the size of the fleet, the standing force is likely in the tens of thousands. Since Dxun does not accommodate large forces well, it's unlikely the slaver defenses are spread out over the moon. So, wherever their holdout is, it'll be vulnerable to bombardment once the void war is won."

Sha grinned approvingly. "Perfect."

Neil mentioned a thought. "What if Onderon is helping them?"

The Mandalorian's looked to the renewed warrior.

"Ah, Cin'vhet [Whitefield]," Mand'alor waved him forward. "Approach the table and wait."

Artemis had grown to waist height with Dad, so she could just peer over the table as Neil, Luna, Luka, and Marduk stood at the table as the Leaders continued.

"Whitefield thinks as I do." Tubal Fett then slammed his fist into his other armored hand. "Let those cowards come! It'll be all the sweeter when their broken ships join the pirates, then fire will rain on Onderon just as it did millennia ago!"

The Leader of Clan Bralor laughed. "Ha! Whether the Onderonians are helping the scum or not, they're going to lose it when they see us."

Clan Beviin's Leader relished that image. "They'll scatter like scared wamp rats."

"We must be certain they are helping the pirates first." Field Marshal Vossik Fett descended the steps down from the helm and walked to the table. "Forgive my interjection, but it would be more advantageous if they saw us as emancipators instead of invaders."

Mand'alor agreed. "If Onderon proves to be occupied by the pirates, then freeing them would put us in a better tactical position in the Outer Rim." He made his decision and told Vossik, "Inform the fleet not to fire on any Onderonian ships without a confirmation, unless they are fired upon first, of course."

The Clan Leaders agreed, some without question, others knowing better than to.

Field Marshal Vossik bowed. "Yes, Mand'alor." He moved to relay the order to the communications officer.

Clan Leader Sha Vizsla frowned. "Let's hope for the former."

The Head of Clan Lok finally spoke her peace. "Mand'alor's right. We're not here to invade planets, but to settle a score. Honor demands only that."

Vizsla called her bluff. "Don't act like it wouldn't be icing on the cake. We had Onderon once; we can have it again. You know there are few better hunting grounds in the galaxy."

Mand'alor announced, "Sha Vizsla has expressed her eagerness; Clan Vizsla will spearhead the invasion should the pirates have Onderon's support."

Sha relished that idea. "It would be our honor, Mand'alor."

Mand'alor asked, "Is there anything else?"

Silence pervaded the war cabinet.

"Very well. Now get to your battle groups. We enter hyperspace within the hour."

The Clan Leaders and their Field Marshals bowed to Mand'alor and left the bridge for their ships.

Mand'alor left the table and motioned for Neil to follow. His team just behind, Neil did so.

Mand'alor took them to the highest point at the helm. Overlooking the expansive bridge of the Kandosii Dreadnaught, he peered over the rails with Team five at his sides.

"I have a critical mission for you all." Mand'alor explained, "You are to hunt down the Sith that's manipulating the Pirate's leader, that Daveronian."

Neil's brow furrowed. "Sith, Mand'alor? Not Jedi?"

He nodded. "Think of the histories between our people and the Jedi: they take a more hands on approach with Pease Keeping, just look at Reven. Marshalling an armada of scum to strip Mandalore bare with nary a lightsaber seen, nor a demand of surrender, but to instead sow chaos in silence? No, this is not peace keeping, but guile. Sith deal in guile. I heard the holotape, but pirates don't know the difference between Sith or Jedi. All they will see is the lightsaber, then they'll assume the credits come from the Republic."

Luna nodded, muttering to herself, "A most logical conclusion."

Marduk agreed. "There's a reason he's Mand'alor."

Mand'alor turned to face Team Five, his beskar helm and ebony T-visor looked especially menacing in the bridge's antiquated lighting. His armored gauntlet rose from beneath the red cape, and he gripped it with vigor before them. "We were manipulated into war with the Republic once by the Sith. I will not let that happen again! This problem must be removed." He relaxed the armored hand then placed it on Neil's shoulder plate. "Cin'vhet, you and your team are the only ones that can accomplish this mission. You will understand why when it's finished."

Finally, something simple Neil can sink his teeth into. He recalled his orders to be certain. "Find the Sith and kill it. Do we know if he's on Dxun?"

"Yes. Your target is with the pirate's leader. I'm giving you the privilege to requisition Nali Kelborn and her Raiders for assistance."

Whatever it takes to bring this aspect of himself back home. "Consider it done."

Neil, Luka, and Marduk donned their helms, and left with Luna and Artemis in tow for the hangar. They still had time to finalize preparations for the new mission as the ship and its crew of forty thousand made ready for battle.

Luna felt a wave of clarity wash through her mind as she rode the elevator down. She saw it flash before her mind's eye, the end of this maelstrom of twisted dreaming. She saw crumbling marble structures, blazing wrecks in vacuum, and misty jungles filled with alien savage things. Then, she saw Neil's Incubus as a black figure approaching him. They both turned into quicksilver just before embracing into one being. The elevator doors slid open and her vision broke. She bit her lip. What did that mean? Was that synthesis, victory, or defeat? Sometimes, these moments of random clarity left her more mystified than before. If she finds a moment, she'll meditate on it. One thing was for certain, the end of this nightmare drew near.

Author's Note:

Salvete, vode an!

Here it is! After much delay, I've pulled the time together and finished this intermediate part. The next chapter will be the last of this long winded dream.

On that note, I realize all this seems like an unnecessary detour from the main plot; however, I once again advise to hold on before leaving too soon. This mini saga has but one more chapter, and then you will see why things took us this way. Hopefully, the observant readers have spied the hints and glimpses of where we are going with this, more so than part Twelve alone communicated. If not, have faith. Just watch what happens.

Now, it seems like Neil made a massive personal breakthrough in this Part, deciding to stop complaining and just live his life to his standards. It's about time! Luka was the right part of himself for the job, for sure. And boy did she eviscerate his nonsense fast. Her boot can always be counted on in times of crisis, for endearing reasons, of course.

And I think Luna is beginning to notice more and more that Neil is truly able to take care of himself consistently. Not to take away from how helpful she has been, but I have to ask: if Neil didn't need her help as much as previously thought, then what purpose does her presence in Neil's nightmare serve beyond being a mere voice of reason? Who's helping who here, exactly? Hmmm?

And, it seems one hell of a fight is brewing. I hope you like burning orbits.

I am going to get started on finishing part Thirteen, which will be published soon.

That is all for now. Hope you enjoyed it.

As always, valete.

Comments

[Ferrum Requiem]

I found numerous little errors this third pass over: misspelled or misplaced words here and there. I've fixed those.

If anyone finds more errors from the moment I post this onward, please let me know and I will correct them.

[Ferrum Requiem]

10716651

[Ferrum Requiem]

10716733

Right? Lol.

[Orrm]

I have no idea what any of this is.

[Ferrum Requiem]

10716909

Part Twelve specifically, or everything in general?

If it's just this chapter that's confusing, then all is well. Just be patient.

[Orrm]

10716935
The whole dream sequence really.

On a side note, he's moving really, really fast when it comes to survival development.

The special chain mail that came outta left field, didn't help much.

Almost mcguffiny

[Ferrum Requiem]

10717547

Hmmm, yeah, the chainmail wasn't needed much for the fight in the castle. I hope it'll be useful later. I too do not like mcguffins.

I also agree that Neil has progressed exceedingly fast. There has to be a good explanation for it.

[ArcherStern]

While the sudden shift between forest survival to space sci-fi battles was a little... jarring. I am actually enjoying this little sci-fi arc. It could be it's own story in a way.

[Ferrum Requiem]

10718159

I'm glad you're enjoying it. Just wait unti I finish the closing part on this. It'll make sense why things turned out this way.

[Lupenndawolf]

It's alive! WHOOHOO!

[Hein des Nisseroi]

Artemis watched through the Bridge's viewport as a tunnel of light envelop the ship.

enveloped?

He's still the same Boy,

The Boy told himself that he could take care of himself

Neil had to deescalate his daughter by gingerly waving for the Wolf to sit and wait this out.

the Wolf forgave her for hitting him.

The Wolf can truly tell him anything,

If only the Wolf could blush,

so deaf to his changes since he Fell into Helen's portal

phantoms he built to guide himself since the Fall,

Neil the Boy had died in the Fall.

Even when Madness snuffed out his candle,

for all Men are born free, (...) for Men are slaves because they enslave themselves.

Luna regarded the confiding Wolf warmly.

I noticed that you seem to capitalize the first letter of what does not look like proper nouns a lot.
How come?

then saw Luna's harden eyes on him.

hardened?

for this is a mind that made it's home in the Everfree.

its

Luna shuffled a forehoof on the floor, drawing some shapes, a circle there, lines here. This nervous tick of hers (...)

tic?

Fail to impress me, and that eyesore your flying will be disintegrated.

you're

"Meet me in the hanger. I have to stop by the armory first.

Neil took Luna and Artemis to the hanger.

hangar?

I wont be long."

won't

Just one more thing to add to his crypto-beastiary...

crypto-bestiary?

[Ferrum Requiem]

10720772

Nice catch, Hein. Fixed!

Unfortunately, plain Jane human error are the reason these things happen. I've always had issues with words like Hanger vs Hangar. I know what the definitive differences are, but sometimes my brain has trouble with the spelling differences.

As for the capitalization, it's a bad habit that carried over from my formative writing years. When identifying people, or important things in general, I tend to capitalize the word I use to do so. I'm trying to kill it.

That's why I write on here: to work out my kinks!

[Hein des Nisseroi]

10722456
Here is a tip for if you are uncertain about which spelling to use: google the word and see what definitions you get. If none match with what you are looking for, google the other spelling and see if that one gives the definition you seek.

[Ferrum Requiem]

10723149

Cool. I'll try it.

[incogneto762]

Great, will they meet Rick and Morty in the next part? You've already made the jump from grounded reality, to meeting Greek gods, to going to the space Spartans(Mandalorians) for help fighting said Greek gods. Might as well keep this insane bullshit train rolling and make it as over the top and ridiculous as possible.

[Ferrum Requiem]

10873895
Anything can happen. We'll see where this goes.

[Ferrum Requiem]

11285412

💀 Alas, poor Neil! Cut down in the prologue, he was no match for the refined palate of your average Dr. Stone fan.

Goodnight, sweet Prince!

[DingoAte]

May I ask if this story is dead?

Never mind I just checked your blog. Hope you have a grate day:D

[Ferrum Requiem]

11712649
I am working to finish this story. It'll never die.

Thanks for reading.

[kykkoman4]

Absolutely Riveting
Never have I read a story that hyped Star Wars as good as this one, accept maybe the one where the MC is reincarnated as some sort of bird dragon thing. Pondering on it makes me realize this is much better. I take it back, the fanfic doesn't hold even a pebble to this one. It was all technical and shit. It had it's one or two highs, but was overall quite boring. This one made me realize why Star Wars is THE Space Opera. You, my good sir, have reawakened my love for Star Wars.
OH MA GAWD, THE HYPE
IT FLOWS THROUGH ME

[Ferrum Requiem]

11713735
I'm glad you're enjoying this little side arc.