hands down favorite SW trope is marriage of convenience (which has gotta be at least 95% due to your fics 💞) and favorite character is.. probably agen 😍
“Jedi,” Alpha says, on the edge of an insult.
Agen doesn’t even waver, just rises to his feet, breath gusting white in the cold air. His cloak is heavy, but the moon the clones have settled is arctic at the best of times. They won't be able to last long here without the Republic’s help. It’s one of the reasons Agen is here.
“High Commander,” he says politely, and bows, shallow but respectful. “I have word of the Senate’s decision.”
Alpha's expression twists, and he takes a threatening step closer. There are no soldiers behind him, but Agen isn't foolish enough to think that being alone makes him vulnerable.
“Don’t bother,” Alpha says, a warning. “We already heard. The clones were built for them but they won't even help keep us alive.”
Agen inclines his head, doesn’t move. “Kamino is outside of the Republic, and there is no record of any official member of the Republic authorizing the creation of the clone army,” he says. “Kamino selling the contract is a private matter and does not involve the Galactic Senate.”
Alpha's fists are clenched, so tight that Agen can see his knuckles are white. “The contract that they sold was us,” he snaps, and one hand lashes out. It’s not too fast to follow, not for a Jedi, but Agen doesn’t move. He lets Alpha grab him by the throat of his cloak and drag him close, boots crunching in the snow. “They sold us like we were a load of off-spec blasters, Jedi! And if you're not going to take responsibility—”
Agen puts a hand up, curls his fingers over Alpha's. Not trying to pull his hand off, just—touching. Soothing, even though it’s the very last thing Agen is good at. They should have sent Shaak, maybe, or Eeth, but—
But Agen was willing, and he stepped forward, and he won't turn his back on his decision now.
“Yes,” he says levelly, and meets Alpha's narrowed eyes without wavering. “One of our members was responsible. The Jedi take responsibility. I am here to offer you another option, though it is not as straightforward as recognition by the Senate.”
There's a long, long pause as Alpha evaluates that for subterfuge. Finally, deliberately, he opens his hand and lets go of Agen's cloak. “Yeah? And what option is that?”
“Marriage,” Agen says. “You already control this sector. Take a Jedi consort and force the Senate to negotiate or face the threat of losing their hold on the Jedi Order due to outside influence.”
Alpha barks out a laugh. “Marriage,” he repeats, and reaches up. Grips Agen's chin, pulling it up, and it’s not often Agen has to tip his chin to look at someone, but—Alpha is huge. “To you, I'm assuming?”
Agen tips his head, watching Alpha's eyes narrow. “If I intimidate you—” he starts.
Alpha shoves him back, right into the trunk of a tree, and pins him there. Agen calculates a dozen ways to break his hold in under ten seconds—twice that if he doesn’t mind causing bodily harm—but he doesn’t use any of them. Just waits as Alpha leans in, until they're nose to nose, and obviously, deliberately drops his hand from his lightsaber.
“You couldn’t intimidate me if you tried,” Alpha says dismissively, as if Agen can't feel the pace of his heart, the edge of undercut adrenaline from the threat Agen almost offered and then chose not to. “Fine, Jedi. I’ll take your bargain.”
“Then we have a deal,” Agen says calmly, and sweeps Alpha's feet out from under him, dumps him on his ass in the snow, and steps past him. Tan will want to hear the good news.
