Chapter 31

The Celebrations on Naboo lasted for quite a while. People celebrated on the streets of Theed, and a parade was held in honour of the heroes of the battle.

Padme dressed in her queen outfit gave some speeches and presented an award to the Gungan leader Boss Nass to symbolise the improved relationship between the gungans and humans living on Naboo.

Renn and the others didn't want to be part of the award ceremony, they watched for a bit before returning to their ship. Padme had already given them their reward and Renn was now the owner of a plot of land in the Naboo lake country and quite a bit richer.

He was planning on using the land to make a private retreat that he and his family could visit whenever they wanted. But that was for later, for now he had more pressing plans such as modifying the captured Lucrehulk.

Renn was going to travel to Coruscant to attend Qui-Gon's funeral. Although he hadn't known the jedi very well he had seemed like a good person, so he wanted to pay his respects. He also wanted to support Anakin, who was quite upset about Qui-Gon's death.

Jedi Master Yaddle had also asked Renn to come to Coruscant as she had something to discuss with him.

-

"I think I've heard of House Dredd" Shae said looking curiously at Renn. Renn, Opal, Seela and Shae were currently sat in the Speedy Vagabond's lounge as they were waiting for the ship to complete its journey to Coruscant.

"Really? My clan usually kept to itself so not many people know about us." Renn asked with a curious tilt of his head.

"Yeah, I was always really interested in the history of my house, house Vizsla, and I read something in an old text that mentioned some members of house Vizsla one met some armoured warriors who called themselves house Dredd.

Apparently, the warriors of house Dredd were interested in learning about Mandalorians as some parts of our culture were similar to theirs. The members of house Vizsla who met them said they respected the warriors of house Dredd as they were very skilled in combat and honourable." Shae told everyone and Renn listened intently.

"I never knew anyone from my clan apart from my grandmother, but she used to tell me stories about house Dredd. She said our warriors used to travel out into the galaxy on missions so its quite likely some might have encountered members of house Vizsla." Renn said and Shae nodded.

As they talked Renn and Shae found out they had quite a lot in common, both being from cultures that valued martial ability highly and both wanting to be powerful warriors when they grew up.

Renn and Shae began talking about different weapons and fighting styles as Opal and Seela looked at them weirdly and had their own conversation, which they viewed to be on more normal topics. After talking with Shae for a while Renn asked her if she wanted to train with him and Alpha which she agreed to excitedly.

-

After they arrived on Coruscant Renn, and Opal went to the jedi temple with Alpha. Seela and Shae had never meet Qui-Gon so they stayed behind on the ship and would meet back up with them later.

Qui-Gon's funeral was short. The jedi claimed to be above emotional attachments so after a short speech from Yoda, Qui-Gon's body was laid to rest.

Renn spent most of the funeral either offering some words of comfort to Anakin or ignoring the glares that Mace Windu was shooting him. Windu was still annoyed that Renn had refused to answer any of his questions when he had been summoned by the council and was currently trying to demonstrate his lack of emotional attachments by glaring hatefully at Renn.

After the funeral Renn said his goodbyes to Anakin who was then lead of by Obi-Wan to begin his training.

As Renn watched his friend leave he felt a tug on his sleave from beside him and turned to see Yaddle looking at him with a sad smile.

"Hello young one, how have you been?" Yaddle asked Renn.

"I've been okay, how have you been?" Renn asked her back.

"I've been better." Yaddle said sadly. "Young Qui-Gon was a good jedi, and those are getting fewer and fewer."

Renn just listened as Yaddle exhaled mournfully before continuing. "I resigned from the council today, their treatment of you and Qui-Gon's death has shown just how much the order has fallen. I loved the jedi order but it is now a shell of what it once was and so I want some time away from them."

"What will you do now?" Renn asked, although he hadn't known her long, he was still concerned about her.

"Oh, I'll be fine. I'm planning on visiting some old friends and staying with them for a while." Yaddle said, her personality was starting to return to how it was when he first met her, and she was now looking at Renn with a small smile.

Yaddle continued to stare and Renn and her smile started to grow into a grin. Renn was confused at first but then realised she was hinting at something.

"You mean your going to be staying with us, don't you?" Renn asked her.

"Why thank you that sounds like a lovely idea. I wouldn't have wanted to be an imposition but since you have suggested it, I will gladly stay with you. Now come along and help me pack." Yaddle told him smiling and began leading Renn away to help her.

Alpha watched happily as Yaddle dragged Renn off and remembered the times Yaddle used to invite herself along to spend time with Renn's grandmother Lilk when she was still alive.

Opal and Alpha followed behind Renn and Yaddle and after a while Yaddle was striding towards the exit to the jedi temple, while the others followed behind all of them carry a big pile of luggage.

-

Yoda watched sorrowfully as the group left the temple. He had known Yaddle for a long time and had seen as she had gotten more and more disillusioned with the jedi order.

After they had learnt about what that jedi knight had done and the rest of the council had voted to cover it up he had watched as Yaddle had been furious. Since then, her separation from the rest of the jedi had increased every year.

Yoda wasn't just sad about Yaddle leaving, he was sad that apart from himself and Oppo Rancisis none of the council seemed to care about his friend leaving.