**Chapter 363: Royal Welcome**
**Scene 1**
Falleen was a planet of striking contrasts in the Mid Rim: dense, humid jungles teeming with bioluminescent life, vast emerald plains that stretched to the horizon, and distant icy mountain ranges that glittered under twin suns. In the years after the Battle of Naboo, the world had experienced a quiet industrial boom. Corporations had flocked here, drawn by cheap land and even cheaper labor, erecting sprawling factories and manufacturing facilities far from the watchful eyes of the Core.
During the Clone Wars, Falleen had been represented in the Galactic Senate by Senator Zurros — a double agent secretly working for Count Dooku. The planet had only openly joined the Confederacy after a brutal land invasion and the coerced "agreement" of the Falleen King. Zurros, however, was already dead. From the fragments of information we had gathered, it appeared Quinlan Vos (or perhaps the Yuuzhan Vong hunter Saa Qalu working through him) had eliminated the traitor before he could do more damage.
Our small delegation descended toward the royal palace complex nestled at the edge of the capital's jungle canopy. The air was thick with the scent of exotic flowers and damp earth as our MAAT gunships touched down on the polished landing platform.
The Falleen King awaited us in the grand audience hall — a lavish chamber of carved stone and living vines. He was a tall, smug-looking male with the typical deep green skin of Falleen nobility, dressed in flowing silks that shimmered with embedded jewels. His servants — a mix of Twi'leks, Zeltrons, and other beautiful alien species — hovered nearby, eyes downcast. The king clearly had a pronounced taste for "exotic" companions.
I stepped forward with Zule at my side.
"Greetings. I am High Jedi General Dagon Marek, and this is my Padawan, Commander Zule Xiss. We have arrived to organize the defense of your planet and sector. Our hope is to use Falleen as a stable forward base from which to liberate fallen worlds currently under CIS control."
The king's golden eyes slid slowly over Zule, lingering far too long on her figure. A predatory smile spread across his face.
"Yes, yes… but first, could I see your Padawan more closely? She looks so… beautiful. In Falleen culture, it is customary for a returning daughter of the world to spend a night with the king as a sign of loyalty and… gratitude."
The loud, menacing cackle of my crossguard lightsaber igniting echoed through the throne room like a thunderclap. The crimson-white blade hummed dangerously, casting harsh shadows across the walls.
The king froze. His smug expression vanished instantly.
"What was that, Your Majesty?" I asked, voice deceptively calm while the blade continued its low, threatening growl.
"N-nothing," he stammered, taking a half-step back. "We are… most glad for your arrival. If you need anything, do not hesitate to ask."
"Thank you for your hospitality, Your Majesty," I replied, deactivating the saber with a sharp snap-hiss. "Also — if I ever hear such words directed at my Padawan again, they won't even find your corpse."
The hall fell deathly silent.
"Come along, Padawan."
"Yes, Master."
Zule followed me out of the throne room without a backward glance, though I could feel the mix of relief, embarrassment, and quiet pride radiating from her through our bond.
**Scene 2**
Once we were well clear of the palace and walking through the lush gardens outside, Zule finally spoke.
"Master… thank you for doing that. But why? Jedi are known throughout the galaxy for their diplomatic skills. They deal with individuals like him on a daily basis and it usually solves nothing."
I glanced at her, expression serious. "Yes, and with this war, everyone is now held accountable. The old games of polite words and quiet compromises are ending. Some lines cannot be crossed — especially when it comes to my people."
Zule's cheeks flushed a deeper shade of orange-green. "Yes, Master."
We walked a little farther before I added, "Now, since I am not overly familiar with your homeworld and I suspect we will be needed soon for its defense, let's go find your family home."
Zule hesitated. "Yes, but… where is it? I don't remember much. I was taken when I was very young."
Ethan Clairmoor's voice crackled over the comm from the gunship overhead. "Her family home is in the southern marshlands of the planet, General. Coordinates already loaded into your datapad."
Zule blinked in surprise. "How do you know that?"
Ethan chuckled lightly. "I have access to the entire Jedi holocron network when needed. Plus… you were the only Jedi taken from Falleen in the last sixteen years. Records are pretty clear once you know where to look."
Zule shook her head, a small, fond smile tugging at her lips. "You really are something else, Ethan."
I placed a hand on her shoulder. "We'll head there now. Quietly. No royal escort. Just us, a small security detail, and whatever answers the Force decides to give."
Zule nodded, golden eyes softening with a mixture of nervousness and hope.
"Thank you, Master."
As the gunship lifted off to take us south toward the marshlands, the twin suns of Falleen dipped lower in the sky, painting the jungle canopy in shades of gold and deep emerald.
Homecoming — for better or worse — had begun.