Chapter 29: All Jedi are Bad (AJAB)

I swirled the amber Corellian rum in my glass, watching it catch the light of the dimly lit room. Zenna's laugh, slightly slurred but still rich with victory, filled the air. Sola clinked her glass against mine, a mischievous twinkle in her sexy eyes as she toasted to Zenna's triumph over Ya-ta.

'This is what I always wanted in my last life. Debauchery with friends. This is really nice.' My drunken smile is as warm as my face.

"Here's to Zenna," I said, my voice steadier than I felt. "Who'd have thought that you'd take down the fifth year Ya-ta?"

"HAH!" Zenna snorted, tossing back her drink with an ease that belied the turmoil I could sense simmering beneath her surface. She set down the empty glass with a precision that spoke of her training, despite the buzz from the rum. She didnt even seem to remember Ya-ta right now.

There was something about Zenna tonight, an undercurrent of sadness that didn't quite match the celebratory mood. I could tell she was trying to mask it with each sip, trying to drown whatever was weighing her down in the sweet burn of the rum.

"You okay?" I asked, leaning closer. The familiar scent of her dark hair filled my senses. It was grounding, a reminder of countless shared moments, both tender and tough.

"Never better," she lied, her words not quite reaching her eyes. "I'm with my best friend and brother, after all. What more could I want?" Her attempt at a smile didn't quite reach her eyes, but it was genuine enough to tug at my insides.

'She must be devastated I ran away from her earlier.'

"Right." I took a deep breath, letting out a chuckle. "We're the unstoppable trio, huh?"

"Always," Sola chimed in, her measured tone laced with warmth as she looped an arm around both our shoulders. It was a moment suspended in time, the three of us lost in the haze of our camaraderie and the numbing embrace of the rum.

"Unstoppable," Zenna echoed softly, her gaze lingering on me for a heartbeat longer than necessary. I couldn't shake the feeling that there was something more she wasn't saying, some shadow lurking behind the celebration. But for tonight, I pushed aside the questions, choosing instead to bask in the glow of her happiness, no matter how dimmed by unspoken thoughts.

"Let's have another round," I suggested, pouring the golden liquid into our glasses once again. "For Zenna, the conqueror of champions, The next generation of Sith champions!" I spoke semi-sarcastically.

Their laughter rang out, mingling with the clinking of glasses, and for a brief moment, the weight of expectations and hidden secrets lifted from my shoulders. Tonight was about Zenna, her incredible victory, and the bond we shared. Whatever tomorrow brought, we'd face it together.

The room spun a little, and I gripped the edge of the table to steady myself. "You ever think if we just... I dunno, made up some scandal, we could shake the Republic's faith in the Jedi?" The words tumbled out before I could stop them, my voice betraying the absurdity of the idea. "Like an AJAB campaign or something, All Jedi Are Bad."

'I mean, this kinda shit worked wonders at dividing the masses where I'm from.'

Zenna snorted, the sound so sudden and sharp it cut through my tipsy fog. Across from me, Sola's eyes went wide before crinkling at the corners, her laughter bubbling up like a spring. They were both beside themselves, laughing at me. Certainly not with me.

"Wait, no, this is a good idea." I panicked in my drunken state.

"Vex, that's the dumbest thing I've ever heard," Zenna gasped between fits of giggles, slapping the table with an open palm. "Imagine the holonet headlines: 'Local Sith Lord Claims Jedi Kicked His Loth-cat' or 'Jedi Mind-tricked Me Into Buying Useless Droid Insurance.'"

I watched, a grin creeping across my face as they laughed harder, tears streaming down their cheeks. It was infectious, this joy, and for a moment, all my worries about identity and expectations faded into nothing.

"Seriously though," Sola wheezed, wiping her eyes, "Think about it. A smear campaign? It's not the worst strategy I've ever heard." She leaned back, the strategist in her surfacing despite the alcohol-induced mirth. "Not that we'd need to. But hypothetically, it could work. Create doubt, you know?"

Her suggestion hung there, and I nodded, considering it. But the thought that it wasn't entirely ludicrous brought a twinge of satisfaction.

"If we could only channel a Uvalde type situation." I drunkenly stammer out something from my past life.

"Uvalde?" Sola asked

"Ahhh… never mind. Let's just stick to celebrating tonight, yeah?" I raised my glass, a toast to victory and wild ideas. "Tomorrow can wait."

'Should I add this to my list of growing pet projects?' I wondered internally.

*****

The room spun faster than before, a carousel of hazy visions, each more amusing than the last. We were sinking deeper into our cups, the Corellian rum casting a spell of giddiness over us. I caught Sola's gaze, her eyes twinkling with a mischievous light that seemed to dance in time with the stars outside the viewport.

'I am gonna smash tonight.' I chuckle into my glass as my machinations for the night are set.

"Sure is something," Sola slurred, tipping her glass in my direction. "Imagine, Vex, just imagine if you ended up being Darth Relic." She let out a nervous chuckle, and I could tell by the twitch in her brow it was one of those 'Let's test out to see your sister's reaction type things.'

I burst out with an awkward laugh. The sound echoed in the small quarters, mixing with the clink of glasses. "Me? Darth Relic? That's richer than a Hutt at a slave auction."

Zenna, whose laughter had been a constant soundtrack to the evening, threw her head back, her throaty cackle filling the room. "Oh, thank the maker, that's good. If you were Relic, I'd…." She looked deep within my eyes. "I'd gobble you up, seed and all! I'd have to steal you away from your little girlfriend there." Zenna drunkenly pointed to Sola, smirking and wobbling like a little kid.

"But I'm your brother, Zenna." I responded with dead eyes.

"Ahahah," Zenna giggled drunkenly into her goblet of depravity.

As she giggled, I noticed the change in the air immediately. Sola's laughter died on her lips, replaced by a tight smile that hid an intense grimace. Her posture stiffened, and though she said nothing, the brush of her hand against mine felt like a silent warning.

"Alright, alright," Sola said after a moment, standing unsteadily. She offered me her hand, her grip sure despite the tremor in her voice. "Time for bed, I think."

"Goodnight, Zenna," she added with a forced cheerfulness, steering me towards the bedroom.

"Night night, you two!" Zenna called after us, her voice laced with drunken affection. She staggered forward and wrapped her arms around us in a clumsy embrace. "You're gonna make such a wonderful future sister-in-law, Sola. Just perfect."

Sola mumbled a curt "Thanks." Her face was a mask of strained civility. As we slipped away to the privacy of the bedroom, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of unease as I noticed Sola carrying the bottle with her.

Gripping the bottle tightly, Sola used the force to whip the bedroom door closed behind us. Her eyes shone with a strange intensity as she studied me in the dim light. "Vex..." she began, her words slightly slurred. "There's something I've been meaning to ask you."

I tensed, unsure of where this was heading. "Y-yeah?"

'Please don't ask why I like the vibroblade, please god, don't ask about why I like vibroblade.'

Sola took a long swig from the bottle as if it was the only way she could muster up the courage to ask me this terrifying question. "Why do you think clown girls are so sexy?"

I sputtered, caught completely off guard. "W-what? I never said that!"

'HOW THE FUCK DOES SHE KNOW! SHE MUST HAVE BEEN THROUGH MY DATA PAD. FUCK NOW SHE'S GOING TO HATE ME!'

"Don't play dumb, Vexxy bear," Sola drunkenly spoke, swaying closer. "I've seen it through the force. You clearly have...a thing for them."

'She's had clown girl visions? Is my will that strong?'

My face burned crimson as I scrambled for a response. "I mean, I don't... it's not..." I trailed off helplessly.

Sola was right in front of me now, her eyes burning with liquor and something more dangerous. With surprising force, she grabbed my wrists and pushed me back onto the bed. Holding me there tightly. It's hard to feel calm in a situation like this.

"It's okay, Vex," she purred, her long hair tickling my face as she leaned in close. "You don't have to explain."

I swallowed hard, pulse racing. Sola was so close I could smell the sweet alcohol on her breath. I couldn't help but look into her eyes with wonder.

"But you know," she continued in a sultry whisper. "If you want your own personal clown girl..." She trailed a fingernail down my chest teasingly. "All you had to do was ask."

My mind reeled drunkenly even as my body responded. I had dreamed of a moment like this but never imagined it would come to pass. 

'Is this okay? It feels like this is a trick by god. Is this my Icarus moment?'

Still, as Sola gazed down at me with lust and promise, I knew I was helpless to resist. Heart pounding, She brought her lips down onto mine. It was a collision of worlds, a meeting of souls that left me breathless and trembling, lost in the sensation of her warmth and aching for more.

"Bet Zenna wouldn't do this for you." Her thoughts trail off, and her lips twisted into an evil smile. "Shall I get the vibroblade?"

I nod meekly.

'How the fuck is this even Star Wars anymore?'