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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Ankh-Morpork Guard" data-source="post: 3543248" data-attributes="member: 10079">Chapter 463: The Other Half“How many in your employ work for the Peace Brigade?” the question was direct, pointed, and also a very dangerous one to ask. But Marix had a way with words, and knew exactly how to talk with the scum of the galaxy. She showed no apprehension and made sure to keep an air of strength around her, using Venda, who was under claw and foot still, to her advantage that way.    Gorla’s jovial mood seemed to have passed, as his two large eyes narrowed and he responded with a question of his own, “Why would that matter to you?”    “Why isn’t important, Gorla,” Marix growled, “But thank you for answering truthfully.”    The fact that the question seemed to make him nervous meant that a great many of his men did...if not Gorla, too. She had him now. Now it was a matter of pushing hard enough without getting the Hutt so angry that he’d simply kill her. That meant she couldn’t be too threatening. Instead...she had to use a different angle.    Marix tilted her head up so that she was looking down her nose towards Gorla, “My organization has had its borders violated by Peace Brigade ships. We have allowed them to come and go for our own reasons but we will no longer tolerate it. I was sent to put a stop to this, one way or another. I would prefer this matter be settled peacefully...I believe you would agree with me.”    A long, slow look was leveled on her from Gorla. He was trying to read her; trying to see if she had been bluffing. Marix was no fool. She had kept some truth in the lie, enough that it might just prove to be real. The kink in her current plan, though, was if Gorla did decide to negotiate...she would have to tell him where this violation occurred. She would have to shown him where the Gateway was.    She realized how stupid that was, walking herself into a corner like that. It was a stupid slipup and now it was too late. Marix had cornered herself and...and what bothered her the most about it is that it was something she never did! Jyren had done that constantly because he didn’t think ahead, just going with things as they went. Marix realized, then, that she had been doing exactly that since she’d left Alraxia. She’d not planned ahead at all. It was why she had bounced from target to target with no real destination.    There was no destination.    There was just some damned loose connection of occurrences and she was following them like she was blind! Running around the galaxy when her children were back on Alraxia traumatized because their father was dead.    That was it.    He was dead.    She hadn’t accepted it and simply had...gone on. Their link had been cut off so many times that it was easy to convince herself that he was alive, somewhere. He’d do what he always did and show up late to the party, but at the same time exactly when he needed to show up. It wouldn’t make any sense...it never did, but he’d be there. And as Marix looked at the disgusting Hutt in front of her, she realized that Jyren wouldn’t be there. That he was really, truly gone. That running around the galaxy like he would without someone to guide her around, as she had always done for him, would not bring him back. Nothing would.    Nothing would bring Jyren back.    Nothing in the galaxy could make things the way they were again. Marix’s other half was gone. Jyren had been a moral compass, of sorts, for her. Idealistic and stupid to the end, but he saw things in a way she couldn’t. He always tried to do what was right, no matter what obstacles were in the way. He was so...different than she was. And yet, they balanced one another perfectly. Her faults were his strengths, and his faults were her strengths. And he was gone.    Marix was accustomed to death. Everyone close to her seemed to die suddenly, and this only added to why she had become so internal. What was the point in becoming close to someone if they were just going to die and leave her worse for wear after?  But...but Jyren wasn’t just another person. From the moment she’d brought him back in a new body, he was a part of her. And now she wondered what was the point of any of this. She was half of a person now...and had charged across the galaxy trying to find that other half but now, finally, realizing it wasn’t possible.The Force broke in, alerting her to movement behind her. Marix did not turn her head to look. That was it. She had pushed the Hutt too far. Blasters were being drawn and aimed at her all around. The two Trandoshan next to her had withdrawn large vibroblades. The worst part of it all was that Marix had been so distracted that she had not detected the signal that was obviously given.    Reacting quickly, she shifted her foot from Venda’s back to the ground, and yanked the Jedi woman up to her feet before letting go of her, extending her claws, and spinning to the side to slash the nearest Trandoshan across the face. He cried in pain, hissing like a snake as the claw slash blinded him, and Marix’s other hand grabbed the reptilian’s wrist, snapped it, then snatched the vibroblade out of his hand when his large claws let go of it.    It had only take a second, and she now spun to use her newly-acquired weapon on the other Trandoshan. A loud snap-hiss caught her attention and by the time she had turned to strike, a bright green slash nearly blinded her vision. The green-white light faded into the darkness and Venda stood there, lightsaber in hand and an angry look on her face.    Marix met her gaze, knowing there wasn’t time for conversation. Because of this, all she said was, “We settle this once we’re out.”    That was about the time the rest of the Hutt’s lackeys fired their blasters. But they were ready.    Marix was ready.    For a disturbing few moments, she had wondered why she should go on. Marix had wondered what the point of living half of a life was. But the moment passed, and an answer came. The reason was simple. There were two of them. They were on Alraxia. They were scared. They were alone. And now, more than ever, they needed her.</blockquote>

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