Acier Moonbound
Rogue Wolf
Location: Eshan
The battered Vanguard shuttle slipped into the pale skies of Eshan, its scarred hull looking thoroughly out of place against the world's pristine beauty. He'd been approved to land by Quinn herself, but truthfully didn't need to ask. Eshan lay within Mandalorian space, and with Aether serving as Mand'alor, there were few places his family's authority couldn't open. But this wasn't about what he could do. Quinn ruled Eshan, and he respected her too much to arrive unannounced.
His real destination lay elsewhere. Snowpeak Sanctuary. Everest Vale's abandoned enclave still concealed one final Hidden Path cache, one the Vanguard desperately needed. Recovering it was why he'd come. It just wasn't the first thing he intended to do.
He hadn't seen Quinn in months, back when he'd still worn black robes and answered to the Sith Covenant. Since then, he'd abandoned them, surrendered himself to the High Republic, endured imprisonment, and vanished once more beneath Lorn's banner. He wasn't even sure how much of that had reached Eshan.
It felt wrong to arrive on her world without checking in. The shuttle descended through the atmosphere before settling onto one of the palace landing platforms with a tired groan from its engines. Around it rose polished towers, immaculate stonework, and elegant architecture that made the old transport look even more out of place than it already had.
The loading ramp lowered with a hydraulic hiss and Ace stepped onto the platform. His weathered brown cloak shifting lightly in the breeze as his boots met polished stone. A second, smaller pair of footfalls quickly followed. Tic hopped down beside him, the little BD-unit straightening before tilting his head inquisitively. A string of curious binary chirps followed.
Ace glanced down with a small smile. "Her name's Quinn. You haven't met her. But she's family. Queen too."
The BD-unit froze for half a second before letting out a long, astonished whistle that somehow managed to sound like, Whooooa.
Ace chuckled under his breath. "Yeah."
Quinn Varanin
His real destination lay elsewhere. Snowpeak Sanctuary. Everest Vale's abandoned enclave still concealed one final Hidden Path cache, one the Vanguard desperately needed. Recovering it was why he'd come. It just wasn't the first thing he intended to do.
He hadn't seen Quinn in months, back when he'd still worn black robes and answered to the Sith Covenant. Since then, he'd abandoned them, surrendered himself to the High Republic, endured imprisonment, and vanished once more beneath Lorn's banner. He wasn't even sure how much of that had reached Eshan.
It felt wrong to arrive on her world without checking in. The shuttle descended through the atmosphere before settling onto one of the palace landing platforms with a tired groan from its engines. Around it rose polished towers, immaculate stonework, and elegant architecture that made the old transport look even more out of place than it already had.
The loading ramp lowered with a hydraulic hiss and Ace stepped onto the platform. His weathered brown cloak shifting lightly in the breeze as his boots met polished stone. A second, smaller pair of footfalls quickly followed. Tic hopped down beside him, the little BD-unit straightening before tilting his head inquisitively. A string of curious binary chirps followed.
Ace glanced down with a small smile. "Her name's Quinn. You haven't met her. But she's family. Queen too."
The BD-unit froze for half a second before letting out a long, astonished whistle that somehow managed to sound like, Whooooa.
Ace chuckled under his breath. "Yeah."
Quinn Varanin