Shadows of Tomorrow

Chapter 38 - A Call From The Past

The method they used on Onderon was extremely effective and thank the Force for that. So far, neither side has been gaining ground. Now, there might be hope. After everything that happened, the planet decided to join the Republic after all. Lux was appointed the Senator, which means that there's a chance he and Ahsoka will be able to see each other from time to time now.

Beep! Beep! Beep!

Theseus looks down at his comm. The frequency isn't one he's ever seen before, which is weird. He generally doesn't get calls just out of nowhere like this. It could be something important, or it could be a wrong number altogether.

He reaches down, pushing the answer button just in case, instantly freezing at the sight of the holographic figure who appears in front of him. What – what – He'd recognize those armor markings anywhere, even if he hasn't seen it in months.

It's hardly a surprise – given that he's just standing there, staring stupidly – when Bo-Katan is the first to speak. "Marr?" That name. His Mandalorian name. He hasn't heard it in so long. It's not something he ever told anyone else about.

"Bo?" he blurts finally, "What's..." Why is she calling? Yes, he gave her his frequency for a reason, but he still doubted she was ever going to use it. Why would she?

"You said I could call if I wanted," she replies, removing her helmet, "And there's a bit of an emergency going on right now."

Theseus stiffens. An emergency? What sort of emergency could make a terrorist call a Jedi? "What's going on?" he demands.

"You've heard of the Sith named Maul and Savage, right?" she asks.

Of course. How could he possibly not have? Shortly after the Hardeen incident, Maul had shown up again, determined to get revenge on Obi-Wan for... Theseus isn't sure, even. He never heard all the details. Didn't ask. "Yes..." he answers cautiously.

"They've taken over Death Watch and are now in control of Mandalore."

They did? Then what happened to Satine?! Something tells him that that's not why Bo is calling him, though. This is what she always wanted, after all. "I thought that's what you want? I mean, shouldn't you be glad?" Theseus queries instead.

"After our initial alliance, something I was opposed to from the start," Bo responds, "Maul challenged Vizsla to a duel... and won." He can sense the grief and rage swirling in her, even if her expression doesn't change. "He's the so-called leader of Mandalore, now."

"What?" Theseus breaths, the implications of what she just said not wanting to sink in. He learned enough about Mandalorian tradition to know what happens to the person who loses duels like that. And that means... that Vizsla...

His father is dead.

He doesn't want to believe it. He almost wants to ask in the stupidest, slim hope that she'll say he's still alive, but he doesn't. He already knows the answer, way inside, if nothing else.

Yes, he might have left Carlac with the intention of never going back, but a part of him always expected that someday, he was still going to see his family again. At the very least, he knew they were still alive.

Vizsla might have been a terrorist, and a terrible person, but in the end, he was still his father. Theseus cared about him, far more than he probably should have, and he never realized until this moment just how much.

For a moment, he thinks of that last time he saw him and his sister, right before he snuck out of the tent that night. He'd wanted to say goodbye, all the while knowing that there was obviously no way he could. And to think that it was the last his father heard of him, knowing that he left everyone anyway... A surge of crushing guilt rushes through Theseus, and for the first time he'll actually admit to himself, he misses his father.