Riordan sat in front of the terminal, the address for his home back on Hetzal waiting on the screen. For some reason, he felt nervous, like he'd done something wrong. He hadn't of course, in fact he knew he'd done the right thing by trying to take up for the terrorists on Anwer. But he knew his grandfather wouldn't see it that way. It wasn't like he'd be able to avoid the subject, after all, his mother always asked about what he'd been up to each time he called. Taking a deep breath to steady himself, Riordan pressed the 'Call' button, and waited.
Riordan didn't have to wait long, before a human woman appeared on the screen. "Hey mom." Riordan greeted with a small smile, and his mother practically beamed from the other side of the projection. "Rusty! Oh goodness hello honey! Dad! Dad! Rusty's on the call!" his mother squealed with excitement, referring to Riordan by the childhood name his parents had decided for him. At the mention of his grandfather Quinel, Riordan felt a wave of anxiety wash over him before another figure joined the call. He walked with a cane, supporting a bum left leg, but Quinel Huntru still stood as tall as ever. "Hello Rusty, been awhile." came his grandfather's greeting, Riordan responding with "Yes sir, it has."
"So, tell us what you've been doing! Where you've been, how many lives you saved! How many butts you've kicked!" His mother teased at the end, her unabashed and joyful nature a never ending source of secondhand embarrassment for the young adult. "Well, I busted some Pykes, and got to blow up their spice facility. I also apprehended some pirates that were stealing New Republic goods. And, just recently I got to deal with some terrorists." he rattled off, though his choice of words betrayed his hesitance, and he could feel Quinel's gaze on him. "Interesting choice of words Rusty. What do you mean you, 'dealt with them'?" he questioned. For a moment, Riordan debated not answering, or maybe even blatantly lying, but he chose to go with the truth.
"I mean instead of just taking them down for being terrorists I spoke with them. Got them to see reason, and figured out they weren't exactly in the wrong. They did cause some property damage and a few droids were destroyed, but they didn't kill anyone." he explained. His mother looked pleased, proud even, but she seemed to sense the tension in the air. "Wow, that's great honey. Isn't that great Dad?" she meekly offered, looking between Quinel and Riordan. "So you, what, let them go? I thought you wanted to be an upholder of justice Rusty, that means apprehending and prosecuting criminals. Doesn't matter how justified they were." Quinel questioned after a moment of tense silence.
"Well, no, but I didn't just rush in and cut them down. They didn't deserve it." Riordan protested, but it felt like a weak defense. "Riordan, I let you join the Jedi because I believed you wouldn't make their mistakes. I thought you understood how the galaxy worked. If you start going soft you're only working against justice, not pursuing it." Quinel lectured to his grandson. "Grandpa, I don't think the galaxy is as black and white as you say it is." Riordan uttered, at first uncertain of his defiance yet he could feel his courage building.
"Sure it is, why do you think things happened the way they did? It's because the Jedi stopped doing what they were supposed to be doing and got mixed up in a war they had no business being a part of. So they got wiped out, and we had that tyrannical Empire hanging over our heads. Who, need I remind you, destroyed our home. You'll never get to see Alderaan because of what the Empire did." Quinel began, seemingly growing more despondent the longer he spoke. "And because your father got mixed up in the rebellion, he left you and your mother alone." he added after a moment. "Some would say my dad was a hero for joining the rebellion, for fighting against tyranny." Riordan argued back, keeping his voice level and calm.
"Heroes don't leave widows and children without parents, Riordan. Your father was a technician, could scarcely fire a blaster without nearly jumping out of his skin." Quinel persisted, before sighing loudly. "You're a man now Rusty, I can't force you to come home. But don't forget the truth of the galaxy. You get mixed up in things you aren't meant to, and people get hurt, or worse. Stick to the facts, leave the feelings at the door." and with that, Quinel excused himself from the call. For a long moment Riordan and his mother didn't move, before Riordan simply disconnected the call.