Ask Homecoming

[Leon Baudelaire]

”Son, I-I don’t know how to tell you this…”

Leon was suited up in his full gear striding with purpose through the packed corridors of the Jedi’s mobile fortress, Brighthome.

“Shit, I guess there ain’t really a good way to do this…”

Baudelaire had an extra sheath added to his gun belt. His blastsword. His father’s blastsword. Lionheart.

“Let’s just say… it’s not going good,” Isskai pinches the bridge of his nose, exactly the same way Leon is known to do when he’s trying to figure out what to say. “Don’t come back. Okay, we won’t be here.”

It was too much. It was all too much. He was frayed but razor sharp. He could feel his frustration looking for any reason to explode. Patchy stubble covered his chin and bags clung to his eyes. Couldn’t remember the last time he’d slept. It felt like his entire life was crashing down around him and he couldn’t think of anything else to do.

“I love you. I do. I promise you,” tears pricked the grizzled warrior’s bloodshot eyes, “Let us protect you this time, kid. Please.” the holoprojection flickers then winks out.

Peetwo climbed onto his shoulder, “I’m not okay, bud.” admitted Leon. The little droid’s antennae shifted uneasily as if wondering what to do. It warbled sadly then rested on his shoulder for a while as Leon made for the hangar.

@Sreeya

 

[Ezra Thorne]

Ezra wasn’t a fan of relocating to a space station. Even if Ithor had been on a herdship, there were still natural elements to it. On the space station there were no forests, no trees, no ocean. Everything was artificial and it was making him miserable. Since he returned to the Order with a renewed sense of purpose, he grew even more restless. He often found every excuse possible to take a mission off the station and down on an actual planet.

He was wandering around the hangar, looking for a ship to grab when he spotted Leon. Ezra was about to do their usual hour long greeting when he noticed his best friend was not himself. Leon looked highly distressed. Ezra recalled when he himself had been there and Leon and Dash didn’t ask questions - they simply showed up.

Ezra walked across the hangar and abruptly came to a stop in front of Leon. He quirked a brow, “So, where are we going today?”

@Zay

 

[Leon Baudelaire]

The shield door into the hanger slid open and Leon stepped through without slowing, he reached for his com and hailed Charlie, “ETA on take off Charlie?”

Baudelaire had commed the pilot droid as soon as he’d seen the holo and set him to prepping The Freebird for take off. Leon wanted as little chance as possible of being stopped, and with the Order, looking like you’re on a mission normally kept people out of your way.

Unless of course they were Ezra Throne. As soon as they locked eyes, he knew Ez knew something was up. Leon didn’t stop walking as the only slightly taller guy tried to bar his path. Peetwo, the dirty little traitor leapt from Leon’s shoulder onto Ezra’s and proceeded to say hi by nuzzling the guys neck.

“Ellora, then Adumar,” his tone was no nonsense. It lacked nearly everything that he was. No quip, no smirk, just to the point.

“I’ll tell you more on the ship,” for the first time since he’d left his room, Leon stopped. He turned to Ezra, “You got everything you need?”

If the other guy needed to grab something Leon would wait on The Freebird. Charlie came over the com, “Your ship is ready, sir.”

“Please stop calling me, sir,” replied Leon into the com.
“I’m trying, sir. It’s just my programming.”
Leon sighed, “Copy that, Charlie. Walking up the boarding ramp now."

Ezra would notice that Leon’s gear was updated. The change was subtle, but overall it was a step toward stylish Baudelaire wasn’t typically accustomed too. The Jerkin he'd added was a nod his Aduarian dueling roots. Then again, maybe hanging around the Squad was finally getting to him. His mind flicked to Ferrin. He was being selfish. He knew it. He was throwing a tantrum that could very possibly get himself and anyone else wrapped up in it killed. But he couldn’t stop.

Leon slid into the captain’s chair and Ezra would probably take co-pilot. They were unparalleled among the other Knight’s he’d flown with. The only way they could be topped is if Dash and Ferrin were in her manning weapons. The Freebird lifted from the floor and they took off.

Baudelaire didn’t speak until he’d plotted their course to Casa De Baudelaire. He looked over at Peetwo, and Ezra saying, “If I’m gonna fill you in, I’m going to need a drink.”

He stepped out of the cockpit, calling over his shoulder, “Don’t kill us, Charlie.”
The droid spluttered, “S-ss-sir, I would never!”
“Just messing with ya, we’ll work on it,” called back Baudelaire as he rounded the corner.

@Sreeya

 

[Ezra Thorne]

Ezra had a bantha in the headlights look when Leon asked if he had everything he needed, “Uh.. give me a moment..” Many things could change, but Ezra bringing an obscene amount of supplies for any occasion would not. It took a few minutes longer and delayed them a bit, but Ezra had a ridiculously big duffel bag and a backpack ready to go, “Now I’m good.”

He didn’t ask too many questions, walking with Leon into the Freebird. The ship had more or less become a mobile base for Scrub Squad at this point. Ezra playfully prodded at Peetwo when the droid nuzzled him, probably the only one outside of Dash to see actual affection from the Thorne. He was equally pleased to see Charlie back in action after he had been so rudely left for dead originally.

Ezra followed Leon when he went to grab a drink, finding the demeanor in his friend alarming, “You acting like me is unsettling,” He declared flatly, crossing his arms over his chest, “What the hell is going on?”

@Zay

 

[Leon Baudelaire]

”Alright, I’ll be on the bird,” he responded as Ezra scurried off to grab way too much shit.

Once they were surrounded by the mottled blues of hypserspace Leon started to relax a little. He made his way to The Freebird’s lounge. The new espresso machine he’d installed had been putting in overtime and it was about to clock back in. Baudelaire had fallen into the ritual of pulling a shot when Ezra entered.

Leon glanced in his direction, sighed, “Peetwo, show’em the holo…”

One Sad Holo Later…

Baudelaire was reclined in his booth one leg crossed over the other, and a tiny caf cup in his hand as he sipped the shot of spro he’d pulled. He pinched the bridge of his nose trying to muster the courage to say what he had to say, but all he could say was, “Shit’s fucked, right?”

Then it just started to spill, “Problem with what he said,” he swallowed trying to get past the immensity of what he was trying to say, “is… on Mortis, I saw the truth.”

Tears started to sting his eyes and he felt dumb because he knew Ezra was gonna clam up, but he didn’t stop, he just kinda powered through the emotion, “So, now I don’t know if I’m heading to Adumar in order to save the man I’ve called father as long as I could talk, or to kill him.”

Leon shrugged, “Sorry, that was a lot,” he said, tipping back the last drop of his Dantooine Single Origin.

“Got some gear I need to grab from Ellora,” he sighed again, looking back over to Peetwo, “Ugh, show him the other holo too,” Peetwo protested, Leon rolled his eyes, “Do you really think I can do this alone?!”

The little droid seemed to consider that then showed Ezra Toland Kor’s message.

Another Holo Later…

“That’s part of it too,” Leon would say, that distant look in his eye, Ezra would notice that there were coordinates for Adumar on the former Grandmaster’s list. “Totally understand if you wanna bail, this… well, it’s a lot.”

 

[Ezra Thorne]

Ezra was silent through the Holos. Finding out that his parents were Sith had been a punch to the gut. Finding out that Darth Raze was created from Pops’ mind was devastating. He could relate to the disgust that Leon felt more than he would ever know. Ezra couldn’t simply wipe his memories away of the life he had with his family. He couldn’t forget all those times Jaikus read him stories, came to every school event. He couldn’t forget his Pops teaching him so many things, listening anytime he needed to vent.

He saw the tears welling up in Leon’s face. Ezra wasn’t good at this stuff like Dash was. Nevertheless, he reached over and placed a hand on his shoulder, giving it a squeeze. Ezra drew back and smirked, “Are you kidding? I’m not missing my chance to ruin Motep’s day by showing up again,” It was astonishing that he and Leon weren’t banned from Ellora by this point for all the antics they pulled.

“We’ll figure out what to do when we get to Adumar,” Ezra said calmly, knowing slightly how the Knight felt. He himself had been avoiding family this entire time, “I think we need some questions answered first,” Why would Isskai have raised Leon after what he did? What was there to gain when Leon left home anyway?

@Zay

 

[Leon Baudelaire]

A million reactions fired through Leon’s head when Ezra put his hand on The Adumarian’s shoulder, but the only one he could manage was, “Thanks.”

Baudelaire felt the fear and anxiety of what was to come ebb, and managed a smile when Ez mentioned tormenting Motep.

“Motep’s moved up in the world, but I doubt we’ll have time to see him,” he chuckled.

After their adventure on the planet, Leon had fallen in love with Ellora. It had become a home away from The Order, a place all his own where he could work through whatever he was going through in private. Not to mention, the planet was heavily attuned to the light. He’d guarded the secret of Casa De Baudelaire jealousy, so if anyone was going to get to see it, he was glad it was Ezra.

He nodded as Ezra calmly came up with a plan. Another aspect Baudelaire admired about the guy. The fact that he’d even come given everything he’d been through spoke volumes to their bond, and it was a fact that Leon marked mentally. Of course he didn’t say that, he just nodded and said, “I agree.”

His wristchrono buzzed and he glanced down at the scrolling notification. Leon rolled his shoulders and stretched his neck to both sides, “Welp, looks like it’s time workout. We’ve got a few hours before we hit Ellora, your room is exactly the way you left it. Make yourself at home, dude.”

Ezra would know he was welcome to Join Leon if he wanted. The Routine was a bitch, but it had become so ingrained in Leon that he refused to skip it unless it was absolutely impossible to do.

A few hours later…

Leon slid into his captain’s chair, “Ready, Charlie?”
“Affirmative, Master Baudelaire,” replied the Droid.
Leon sighed, “Just Leon man, please?” The droid’s central processor clearly couldn’t handle the ask, and he shook his head, “Nevermind, on my count, three, two, one…”

Leon’s hand eased back on the hyperdrive as Charlie monitored the transition back to the ships sublight drive. The mottled blue miasma of hyperspace combusted into elongated starlines that snapped into place as the planet of Ellora came into view. Peetwo whistled and did his excited little dance. Normally, Leon would have joined the little droid's sentiment, but he was too focused on what had to be done to derive any relief from their arrival.

Thirty minutes later, they were setting down on a secret landing pad located near the top of Felwinter Peak. Baudelaire strode down the boarding ramp, calling over his shoulder, “Guess it’s obvious, but I’ve been restoring and updating this place since we found it,” he shrugged, “I could probably use your tech skills with some of the old equipment in here,” he said stepping on to an archaic lift.

“So, how you doing, uh, well, with everything?” he asked as the lift carried them down.

@Sreeya

 

[Ezra Thorne]

“Yeah I’ll spot you,” Ezra said before he walked away to change into some athletic shorts and a tank. He walked with Leon to the gym area, putting the other Knight through some of his Thorne Routine drills. The two were drenched in sweat and miserable by the end of it. Once the two boys emerged together shirtless and sweaty, Charlie cocked his head to look at them questionably but said nothing.

The Thorne showered and dressed by the time they arrived on Ellora. He stopped off the ramp and could feel that familiar sense in the Force he felt the first time on the planet. There was something about it that empowered him, and he instantly felt stronger.

“Finally it doesn't look like a dump,” He said with a grin, “What can I fix up?” He asked as he followed Leon in. He shrugged vaguely at the question.

“Haven’t talked to my folks at all,” He said, “I think you’ve been chatting with my family more than I have,” Ezra said with a raised brow. It was no secret that his best friend was spending a considerable amount of time texting his twin these days.

@Zay