A Tragedy in the Life of Warden Grimm

Warden Grimm leaned back in his chair, massaging his temples. For over a month now, pirates had been raiding the space lanes around Bakura. Even his newly revamped Defense Fleet hadn't had any success in catching them. He looked over the Smuggler Roster, wondering whom he could send. Kai was very capable, but Bopha Squadron alone wouldn't be enough...

"Sir?" His intercom sounded.

"What is it, Deanie?"

"Sir, someone left a message for you."

"Who?"

"He wouldn't say."

"Really?" Warden chuckled. "What'd he say?"

"He said, 'Remember that night on Ord Mantell? Meet me at the Lucky Lady at 10 tonight.'"

Warden's heart turned to ice. "Is that it?" His fingers tightened on the grips of his chair.

"Yes, sir."

"Thank you." He hit the kill switch and leaned back. He remembered Ord Mantell. He'd only been there once and that was more than he needed. Warden squeezed his eyes shut trying to fend off the memories that wouldn't be stopped…

Warden smiled down at Shaina. Her bubbly excitement was contagious. He looked at her twinkling eyes and wondered how he'd gotten so lucky. This beautiful woman (and a fellow smuggler to boot!) had chosen him to be hers. Her long black hair complemented his short black hair; they couldn't have been more alike.

"Come on!" It was Tresk. He yanked Warden to his feet and pulled him with him. "There's a sewer grate in the basement! Move!" Warden would never remember the flight through the sewers or even how he got off planet...

Warden walked in to The Lucky Lady, smiling as the proprietor greeted him. "Captain Grimm! So good to see you! Your table has been reserved right this way."

Warden sat, ordering his usual wine. He didn't have a long wait. A familiar rotund shape opened the doors, saw him and moved to his table.

"Warden! Been a long time!" Nek smiled and dropped into the seat opposite him. The years hadn't been kind; he had the blotchy face of a long-time alcoholic. Warden looked at him.

"Wish I could say it's a pleasure to see you, Nek, only it isn't. Where have you been?"

"Around. After Ord Mantell..."

"I don't think you should be mentioning that."

"Why?"

"You left us to die, Nek."

"You look mighty healthy to me."

"Go away, Nek, before I forget myself."

Nek rose, looking angry. "Well, with that kind of greeting, I wish that those Ubiqutorate guys I tipped off had caught you."

Warden stood up, pushing back his chair. "YOU tipped off those Imps?"

"Yeah, I knew Bregen was gonna cut me off, and now I wish…" Warden's fist crashed into Nek's face, sending him reeling. Warden didn't stop; he began slamming Nek's body with blows. Warden drew his blaster, the same one from that night five years ago. He placed the barrel under Nek's chin, his hand shaking. "I'm going to kill you, Nek."

"Why, man?" Sweat poured off of Nek's face. 'For Bregen? You barely knew the guy!"

"For Shaina. My wife. Your cousin."

"What the hell are you talking about?!" Panic filled his voice.

"She died because of you!"

"What, no way! I just saw her!"

Warden's knees almost gave away. "What?"

"I just saw her, on Goursh! Two weeks ago! She looked pretty damn alive to me!"

Warden nearly dropped his gun. "On Goursh? You're lying! Just trying to save your hide..." Dimly, Warden was aware of the other patrons watching them, of the proprietor shouting for police.

"No, I swear! I never knew what happened! They only had me identify Bregen!" Warden had interrogated enough men to know the truth when he heard it. "Get out of here, Nek. If I ever see you again, I'll kill you." Nek ran for his life. Warden sank into his chair, shaking, and downed his wine. He knew what he had to do, his conscience had decided that.

Governor Rush Draconas looked very bleary eyed when he opened his door that night. "Warden? What are you doing here at midnight?"

"I need a leave of absence, Rush." Warden sat down and told him the whole story. When he was finished. Rush nodded soberly, sympathy plain on his weary features.

"All right, you do what you need to. Kai can take over till you get back."

"Thanks, Rush. I'll check in every three days. If I miss three in a row, you may need to write me off. I'll be on Goursh."

"Plug, seal the hatch behind me." His R2 unit beeped affirmative and sealed the Corsair tight. Warden didn't think there'd be any problems, his ship had a Corellian registry for now. He walked to the subway and caught a shuttle to the Tavern District. That was where Nek most probably has seen Shaina, given his drunken habits. He strode in to a seedy bar called The One-Armed Sailor. He bellied up to the bar, pure space jockey. "Give me a pint of your house ale." While the bartender got his drink, Warden scanned the room. It was mostly full of seedy spacefarers and smugglers. The crew at the far booth had the unmistakable look of mercenaries or pirates. When the bartender returned, Warden laid a twenty down. "You seen a fat guy going by the name Nek?"

"Not recently. He owes me a tab. If he ever comes by to collect, I'm gonna take it out of his hide!" The bartender spat on the floor.

Warden laid two twenties on the bar. They were snatched up more quickly than he'd have thought the fat man could move."That should cover it. Ever seen a dark-haired woman in here? Short, long-black hair with green eyes, probably calls herself Shaina?" Warden laid another twenty on the counter, fingers tapping.

The bartender looked at him through narrowed eyes before replying. "Nah, sounds way too nice to come in here. What's she to you?" He snatched up the twenty nonetheless...

Warden looked him up and down, knowing he was lying and not missing the sweat on his neck or the furtive glance towards the back of the room. He smiled and replied, "She's my wife." He downed the rest of his ale and left. As he exited, he played a hunch and glanced over his shoulder. The bartender was hurriedly whispering to the pirates at the booth. Warden smiled tightly and left.

He kept walking, pretending to window shop, looking for the expected tail. Sure enough, one of the pirates, looking none too steady, was following him from several people back. Warden snorted and walked behind a store via an alley. He hid behind a dumpster, waiting. Not long after, the pirate hurried down the alley, craning his squat neck, trying to find him. As he passed Warden stepped out, blaster drawn. He delivered a kick to the back of the pirate's knee, and his wiry frame crashed to the ground. The pirate rolled over, scrabbling for his blaster, stopping when he saw he was covered.

"Hi," said Warden, smiling, "looking for me?"

"N-no." The pirate scrambled back a little, stopping when Warden frowned at him.

"Come on now, you should be a little bit better at lying if you're going to be a criminal. Why don't you tell me about Shaina? Where can I find her?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Sure you do. Short, dark hair, green eyes like mine, completely gorgeous. Doesn't ring any bells?"

"Rings a few of mine," a raspy voice said from behind.

"Shit." Warden turned to view the new member of the party, and saw at least five men dressed in rag-tag uniforms of an indeterminate sort and all carrying various nasty implements of doom. "Well, could you tell me where she is?" He put on his most charming smile, the one that had gotten him out of a governor's palace with the help of the governor's wife.

"Why do you want to know?" Raspy-voice was unimpressed.

"That's my business. You could say I'm overdue to meet her." Warden gauged his options, and slowly holstered his blaster.

"Our friend told us you said you were her husband." Raspy-voice and his associates didn't lower their weapons. "We all know she doesn't have a husband."

"Well, I'm sort of an ex-husband, you could say."

"Really? Well, this should interest the bosses. Jimnisl!" Warden had barely moved when a volley of stun bolts hit him and the world faded to black.

He awoke in a poorly lit cell with a terrible headache. He'd been stripped of everything except his clothes and boots. "Damn. Damn damn damn damn damn damn!" I hate being locked up. This is quite a mess you're in now, idiot. Damn I was so stupid. That twerp was so obvious, of course he was a freaking decoy. Well, time for a new strategy. Warden looked about his cell. Only a toilet, a sink, and a cot. Well, now that I've lulled them into a false sense of confidence... Warden thought sarcastically.

He turned as a light lit the cell and the door opened. Raspy-voice and that little wiry guy stood in the doorway. "The boss wants to see you."

"Joy." Warden took a step forward. "Let's go." After a long, twisting walk through corridors that looked like part of a dilapidated palace, they ended up in a large dining room where several men and two women sat about a huge table. The man at the head of the table stood up. He was gargantuous, with a great big belly and giant moustaches.

"Welcome! So this is our visitor? Puny isn't he?"

One of the women purred, "I don't know, I wouldn't mind a few hours alone with him…" She smiled at him with a leer in her eyes.

"Next to you, a Hutt would seem puny," Wardend shot back to the big man, who only roared with laughter.

"Who are you?" boomed the man at the head of the table.

"Who are you?" Warden countered.

"Why, I am Antal, and these are my Rogues!" A great cheer went up. Warden snorted. "So, who are you, my unimpressed prisoner?"

"The name's Warden Grimm. Freelance law-bender." That got a laugh from a few of the pirates.

"Fetiv tells me you say you're the husband of Shaina."

"Where is she?" Warden cursed himself for the eager response. Antal roared with laughter. "Let me see her, dammit! She can vouch for me."

"I hope so. Shaina, do you know this man?" Warden whirled around and stopped breathing. She stood there hardly ten feet from him. The same hair, the same beautiful face... but her eyes were cold. She walked up towards him, not really smiling.

"You're alive," whispered Warden, fighting for breath. "Oh, Shaina, how I've missed you..." Her slap nearly spun him around.

"Bastard!" she hissed. "You left me to die!"

"No!" Warden gasped, stunned. "I thought you were dead. The official report said you and Bregen were both dead!"

Antal roared with laughter. "Well, it seems you were telling the truth! Your version anyway! But our sources have told us something that you haven't!"

Warden didn't take his eyes off his wife, silently beseeching her to understand him. "What's that, pirate scum?"

Antal roared with laughter yet again. "Why, that you're none other than Smuggler Captain Warden Grimm, of the Smuggler's Band. Right hand man to Governor Rush Draconas of Bakura!"

Warden swung around at that. "How the hell did you figure that one?"

"When one's going to be attacking a sector on a regular basis, it's best to get to know who's doing the decision making! Shaina was most helpful in providing details about you once we had pictures." Warden looked at his wife unbelievingly. Antal continued, not noticing. "While she personally hates your guts now- isn't love grand!- she did say you were one of the best and your track-record certainly proves it. Our employers had to hike up his fee quite a bit more to get us to take the job!"

"Your employer?"

"That would be me." Out of the shadows stepped a man in the uniform of a Grand Moff, flanked by two stormtroopers. "Grand Moff Helsdager, at your service. You see, some of us in the Empire don't like the idea of some upstarts taking a system from us. So now you get to be my guest at a little question and answer session."

"Shit." Warden looked back at his wife as the stormtroopers flanked him.

Warden was strapped to a table in a stark white room. He had been given a smock to wear and he was freezing. The door swished open and he craned his head to see what was going on. Shaina stood by the table, looking at him, not without pity.

"Shaina, why are you letting them do this?"

"You left me to die."

"I didn't. That syndicate guy dragged me away. I looked for weeks to see if you were really dead or where you were. The official report said that you and Bregen were dead."

"No, I was alive, they interrogated me about everything I knew and then left me in a 'reeducation camp.' They told me they tried to contact you but you wouldn't come."

"They lied. I never knew. I saw you get shot. I didn't think anyone could live through something like that."

"They can't, really." Helsdager stepped into the room. His silver hair shone in the stark flourescent lights. "She was alive when the Ubiqutorate brought her in, but she was too badly hurt to save. But, the information she carried was too valuable to lose, for your wife was also a Galactic Republic spy. Your wife died soon after we had harvested some tissue from her."

"What are you saying?" Warden felt his stomach tighten. Shaina looked at Helsdager with rounded eyes.

Helsdager's smile was full of venom. "Why, the Shaina before you is a clone, dear boy. With all the memories and drives of the old one, with a few minor adjustments of course." Helsdager chuckled. "She has been very useful over the years. Most recently, she enabled me to contact Antal's Rogues, a pirate band. They now conduct raids into your beloved Bakura Sector."

Warden felt like he was going to vomit, and from the look of her, so was Shaina. "Why are you attacking Bakura in such a roundabout way? You're a Grand Moff, can't you just get a fleet or something?"

"It used to be so, but with all the confusion reigning since Tsogalii stepped down, that is quite difficult. When I and a few of my fellows out here noted that the Smuggler's Government and The Mining Guild had entered into agreements, we decided it was time to put you down. But mustering our resources takes time, so I increased taxes and have employed the pirates to keep Bakura off balance. I must say it's working like a charm."

"There's no way you can win. Lord Com Wedge is way too smart for you. He ate fleets alive when he was a Grand Admiral." Warden glared at the Moff defiantly.

"His day is past! I will lead the Empire in this area of space to a resounding victory over your Band! Ah, but that is where you come in. We need some intelligence about your friends. And where better to get it than one of their sector executive officers?"

"You think I'll just talk?" Warden grinned.

"No, that's where these come in." Helsdager gestured to the door. Two technicians wheeled in a load of equipment. They were followed by a man in a hooded black robe.

"You're subjecting him to an interrogation?" Shaina sounded horrified.

"Indeed. But you have indicated how stubborn he is, so this will be more of a torture session, really. And I have an old friend of his to help…" Again he gestured, this time to the robed man, who stepped forward to reveal his cruel, angular face.

"Jinn," spat Warden. "Why am I not surprised at the Sith get-up? You always were made for something more cruel than flying a TIE-Fighter or blowing up Republic depots."

"You could have been one of us, Warden." Jinn looked down at him without emotion. "We all knew you were sensitive to it. But I never realized how weak you were."

"Screw you, you…" Warden gasped as his air cut off, it felt like someone was squeezing his windpipe. That was when the technicians went to work, inserting needles and sending blinding waves of pain up his body. He vaguely heard Shaina trying to stop them, but it all seemed so far away. He tried to take his mind away from the pain, anywhere but where he was. It didn't work very well, he could feel Jinn hammering at his mind. He wondered how he could get out of this, then the pain increased well past his threshold. All he remembered was a scream, but he couldn't figure out if it was in his head or not.

Myra Jade shot bolt upright in her bed, gasping for air. The image had been so horrible: a handsome, dark-haired man strapped to a table, with a Sith Jedi presiding. She took herself back, remembering the man's features. Now she remembered him: a fellow Smuggler, Rush Draconas' XO, Warden Grimm. He was in pain and needed help. She nudged her lover, Lord Com Wedge, awake. "Wake up! I have terrible news."

Warden awoke in a small cell. He couldn't remember a thing except utter pain and humiliation. His eyes stung with tears he fought to contain. Warden wondered how much he had told Jinn.

Jinn... That piece of Bantha fodder had been made for torturing others. When the two had been in the Imperial Academy together, Jinn had always shown a penchant for following orders to the letter, and he had no qualms about inflicting extraneous damage on his targets. No surprise then, that the Sith had found a willing apprentice in him. He had a vicious streak a mile wide.

Warden remembered Jinn's attempts to rape his mind, how Jinn had hoped the combination of mental and physical torture would break Warden's walls. Now Warden didn't know who had won the battle of wills. Right there, Warden decided to kill Jinn, if it was the last thing he ever did.

The door hummed open and Warden turned, prepared to fight and die rather than be forced into another torture session. It was Shaina. He sunk down to the cot, not looking at her. She knelt by him, placing a bundle next to him.

"Come on, Warden, we've got to get you out of here." Warden brought his eyes up to hers and she flinched from the undisguised pain in them.

"What is this? Another trick so your masters can break me?" Warden turned away. "Let me be. I'll die before I let you toy with me anymore."

"That doesn't sound like the Warden I... that Shaina knew." Shaina's clone gulped and met his eyes. "I never knew I was a clone. I thought I was the real Shaina, your wife. I was hurt. They convinced me you'd abandoned me. I hated you for that. I should have known better."

Warden refused to look at her. "Warden, I'm sorry!" Shaina was desperate now. "Look, you're slated for another session in just an hour or so. You didn't tell them anything, you didn't break! Your friends are safe so far. We have to get you out of here so that they don't get what they want!"

Warden nodded numbly, then looked at the clone of his wife. After almost a minute, he nodded as if coming to a decision. "Yes, ma'am." He smiled and pulled on his clothes. She'd even gotten a hold of his blaster. She looked at him incredulously. "Look... Shaina, I don't care if you're a clone. Maybe you're my second chance, or my opportunity to atone for failing my wife. You're coming with me. My ship's at the docks near the Tavern District."

She smiled that radiant smile he remembered so well. "All right. Let's go, I can get us there if we can make my speeder."

He grinned down at her. "Let's go." On the way out, he caught his reflection in the burnished steel of the walls. His black hair had gone white, and a healing cut slashed down his forehead over the bridge of his nose. "Damn, Jinn. I am going to kill you." Warden glared at his image for a moment longer, then hurried along.

They made the speeder in record time, dodging Imperials as fast as they could. But their luck ran out as they were passing out of the gates. They passed a convoy of speeders, and one was carrying Grand Moff Helsdager. He took in their faces and began screaming at his driver. Shaina hit the accelerator and took them through the streets at a breakneck pace.

"YOU DRIVE JUST LIKE HER!" Warden couldn't help but grin in exhilaration like he always had when she drove. When they reached the docks, they noted an Imperial Trooper standing at the entrance. "I'll take care of him," said Shaina. "You stay here."

She sauntered up to the Trooper, who took the sight of her in with a leer that was still there when she knocked him unconscious. As they entered, the high-pitched whine of approaching speeders sounded.

"Damn," said Warden. "Get inside. Tell the computer the passcode is 'feisty nerf-herder' and order Lady to prep the ship for take off."

"Lady?"

"The droid brain I installed. GO! I can hold them off." She went. Warden drew his blaster and grinned. Some Imperials were going down! The blaster fire was thick when his comlink chimed. "What?"

"Corsair primed, sir," answered Lady.

"I'm coming!" he replied.

He sprinted in, locking the door behind him. He stopped short at the sight of Shaina in the grip of Grand Moff Helsdager, with Jinn and several Ubiqutorate soldiers flanking him. Warden gritted his teeth in frustration. How the hell...

"Well, Captain Grimm," smiled Helsdager, "Looks like it's time to surrender."

"You know what, Helsdager?" Warden gritted his teeth. "You might as well kill me, because I'll die before helping you."

"And what of your wife? Last chance for happiness and all that?"

Warden's shot Shaina an anguished look. She just smiled and blew him a kiss, mouthing "I love you!" "Flarg it." Warden went for his gun and screamed in pain as blue bolts of electricity slammed into him from Jinn's outstretched hands. He crashed against the wall, cursing. Somehow, he got his blaster out and fired at Jinn, hitting him in the arm. The Ubiqutorate men were prepared to fire when a number of explosions resounded outside, followed by the familiar whine of an A-wing fighter.

"What is that?" screamed Helsdager, as though anyone else knew.

"That," came a voice from behind them, "is Scout Kid blasting your troops from his fighter." Smuggler Captain Garath Lunaryes stepped out of the back, followed by Kai and Tololo. each held a blaster pistol and wore identical grins.

"Who the hell are you?" asked Helsdager.

"Krayt Squadron, of the Smuggler's Band, at your service. We take care of our own." Garath smiled. "Drop your weapons! Warden, get to your ship, we'll follow in a second."

"Right," Warden grinned. "Not your day, Helsdager." Shaina pulled free and followed Warden up the ramp, reaching for his hand.

"NO!" screamed Jinn, firing a blaster at Warden's back. Shaina looked back at the sound and pushed Warden down taking the blast in her back, collapsing. The Ubiqutorates agents fired on Garath and the others, allowing the Sith and the Moff to escape. Warden pulled his wife up the ramp, followed by the others. "Lady!" he yelled. "Take off! Escape plan Lambda!" The ship roared to life and lifted off. Tololo headed to the cockpit. Kai helped Warden set his wife on a bunk. She gasped and was still, eyes locking on his one last time.

"No, oh Shaina..." whispered Warden. "I've lost you again…" The tears fell without stopping. Kai and Garath stepped back, exchanging identical looks of pity.

Warden sat on a bed near the Bacta tank, after a couple hours of treatment. Lord Com Wedge, Myra Jade, Rush, and Garath all sat around him. Warden finished his story.

Warden took in a deep breath. "Thanks for coming after me, guys. How'd you find me?"

Myra smiled sadly. "I felt your anguish through the Force. I was able to locate you because you're Force sensitive to some degree. That's also why Jinn didn't get anywhere with you, despite all the pain he caused you."

They all stood to leave. Lord Com Wedge looked down at Warden. "Get some rest, young man. We're going to need you at your best from now on." As he exited, he turned and regarded Warden's newly white hair and the scar over the bridge of his nose and forehead. "And, son? I am sorry."

Warden watched him leave and bent his head. He felt like he should be crying, but his tears were all gone. There was only revenge. Helsdager and Jinn were going to die, if it took the rest of his life. But for now, he had only grief and rage.