The Returning Knight: A Star Wars Story

Chapter 27: The Knot Of The Noose

The rebel stint in the Hapes consortium lasted two months as crew of the Liberator and embarked soldiers finally rested after years of near constant naval and ground warfare. Their only rest in these times were the rest they got between the member star systems of the consortium.

The campaign reaped its toll on everybody including the leadership. Zi had died in action, fighting side by side with the her husband whom she met three weeks before the campaign on Mimban. Her death spelt the death of her unborn child as she was in her early pregnancy at the time of her death.

Following their victory, Hera had the ghost refueled and rushed back to Hoth. She wouldn't miss anymore time with Jacen. The Liberator stayed back however as she trusted it's command to Sigil.

Her husband Sigil, was the highest ranking officer oboard the Liberator and although the ship formally belonged to Hera, he was its and any other friendly ships commander until the conclusion of the consortium campaign.

He suffered from depression following the death of his pregnant wife at the hands of his sister. His heart was like a spaceship's hull which got pierced by a turbolaser.

Hera's deployment only began a month after her son, Jacen. He was the only reminder she had of her former lover, martyr of the rebel cause, Kanan Jarrus. So spending the first two years of her son's life awy from him was devestating but she was sure he was in the good hands of Sabine Wren.

The end of the consortium campaign saw attempts by Ta'a Chume to get close to the Admiral. Reminding him that the people of noble worlds only accepted a family member of the previous noble on the throne.

She had black mailed him into marrying her, likely wanting force-sensitive offspring to one day rule Hapes as opposed to her son Isolder.

Although succesful in making Sigil see marrying her as the only way to reap any reward from his two year campaign, he was still emotionally disconnected from her. His mind still on his first wife which she had assassinated by leaking intel.

Now was Ta'a Chume's chance to win over her soon to be husband's affection. She had to get him within a month until the palace was rebuilt and a further month on a honeymoon if she succeded in the first one.

"You like the food?" Ta'a asked, moving the food on her plate around, staring into Sigil's eyes. She ahd setup for them to dine every night on the grand balcony of the royal palace.

He took another bite of the food, as if he hadn't noticed it's taste before. "It is certainly wonderfull." He complemented. "Would you consider this to be the only food you would eat for the rest of your life?" She asked, a playful on her face.

"Well, there are others but this can surely be up there with them." He replied. "What are those then?" She asked further. "You got shredded bantha meat spread on a pole and cooked over high heat. That is something I would eat for every meal." He replied. "What about you?" He asked, suddenly finding himself interested in conversing with her.

"Well there is this stew made by frying blended up vegtables along with meat that has fat and beans. It is quite the treat." She replied.

Every single dinner, Ta'a found herself getting him more and more hooked into talking with her and getting over Zi. She woukd ask him about small things he enjoyed and would have them added for their next dinner.

By the end of the month, she had won over his affection and attraction to the point he didn't bother with sleeping in another room from her yet maintained a seperate bed.

Yet Ta'a knew she had to keep him away reminders of his dead wife for as much as possible. One too many reminders and he could lose his affection for her and undo all the work she put into him.