The Clone Wars

by Lou Anders

  Falta released Bug from the hug, but she kept her hands on the girl’s shoulders and gave her one of her long, yellow stares. “You’re right, of course. I’ve been looking so long already, and when you want something so badly, you forget that other people want and need things, too.” Her voice softened as she asked, “What do you want, Bug?”

  “Well, first of all, I want that monnok.”

  Falta laughed, pulled the piece out of her cloak, and handed it to Bug. “Done. But be careful with it. It’s not just a monnok piece. It can be whatever you want, if you learn the trick.”

  “That’s the second thing I want. To learn.”

  The witch paused, but then a look of understanding came over her face. “And the third thing is, you want to come with me. See the galaxy? Help an old woman who has a way with mud but no talent for tech find her daughter?”

  Bug nodded. They started back down the stairs together. There was just one thing that worried her. “What about Rank and Leera?”

  Falta made a little noise somewhere between a choke and a laugh. “Never you mind. I’ll handle them. I still have some tricks up my sleeve. I hypnotized you, and you’re smart. I’ll have those two thinking they’re ash-beetles, and you’ll be gone a week before they remember who or what they are.” Falta stopped short on the stairs suddenly, and Bug looked back at her.

  “What is it?”

  “Just, ‘who they are’ made me think. Do you want to know your name? Your real name. I can draw it out, you know.” She tapped the side of her head with a long finger. “Only if you want me to, of course.”

  Bug thought a moment. Her name. It was just another insult slung at her, she supposed, by Rank and Leera. And there wasn’t anything she wanted from them now. “Thank you, but I don’t think so. I think…I think maybe”—she looked up to the sky and swept her arms out wide, as if she could hold the whole galaxy—“somewhere out there, I’ll find my own.”

  LOU ANDERS is the author of the novel Once Upon a Unicorn, as well as the Thrones & Bones trilogy of fantasy adventure novels and the novel Star Wars: Pirate’s Price. He has also done role-playing game design for Kobold Press, River Horse, and 3D Printed Tabletop. In 2016, he was named a Thurber House Writer-in-Residence and spent a month in Columbus, Ohio, teaching, writing, and living in a haunted house. When not writing, he enjoys playing role-playing games, 3D printing, and watching movies. He lives with his wife, children, and two goldendoodles in Birmingham, Alabama. He is one with the Force and hopes the Force is with you. But Jedi or Sith, you can visit Anders online at louanders.com and Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @LouAnders.

  TOM ANGLEBERGER is the author of the Origami Yoda series. He got hooked on The Clone Wars after kids started showing him the origami clone troopers they were folding. Origami versions of Ahsoka, Ventress, and General Grievous soon joined the clones in the book series. Tom has also written two in-universe Star Wars stories: a novelization of Return of the Jedi called Beware the Power of the Dark Side! and The Mighty Chewbacca in the Forest of Fear! Many people have noted his resemblance to Babu Frik.

  PREETI CHHIBBER is a young adult author and freelancer. She’s written for SYFY, Polygon, and The Nerds of Color, among others. She usually spends her time reading a ridiculous amount of YA but is also ready to jump into most fandoms at a moment’s notice. She’s currently living her dream come true writing characters like Spider-Man, Kamala Khan, and Yoda. Her first picture book, Star Wars: A Jedi You Will Be, comes out in October 2020. Also, she’s a Fanakin. A Fan of Anakin.

  E. ANNE CONVERY would describe herself first and foremost as a Californian and has lived up and down the state. When she’s not teaching or writing or guessing people’s astrological signs, she’s trying to get the neighborhood crows to bring her shiny things, or watching Mel Brooks movies with her dog and trying to get him to sing along with the musical numbers. Star Wars changed her life.

  ZORAIDA CÓRDOVA is the author of nine fantasy novels for kids and teens, most recently the award-winning Brooklyn Brujas series, Incendiary, Star Wars: A Crash of Fate, and her debut middle grade, The Way to Rio Luna. Her short fiction has appeared in the New York Times best-selling anthology Star Wars: From a Certain Point of View and Toil & Trouble: 15 Tales of Women and Witchcraft. She is the coeditor of Vampires Never Get Old: Eleven Tales with Fresh Bite. Zoraida is the cohost of the podcast Deadline City with Dhonielle Clayton. She was born in Guayaquil, Ecuador, and raised in Queens, New York. When she’s not working on her next novel, she’s finding a new adventure. Visit her at zoraidacordova.com.

  SARAH BETH DURST is the award-winning author of over twenty fantasy books for kids, teens, and adults, including The Girl Who Could Not Dream, Drink Slay Love, and the Queens of Renthia series. She keeps her lightsabers beside her writing desk and will begin her Jedi training as soon as she can find her way to Dagobah. Sarah lives in New York with her husband, her children, and her ill-mannered cat. For more information, visit her at sarahbethdurst.com.

  JASON FRY is the author of more than forty books and short stories set in the Star Wars galaxy, including The Weapon of a Jedi, The Essential Atlas, the Servants of the Empire quartet, and the Del Rey novelization of The Last Jedi. He is also the author of the Jupiter Pirates space-fantasy series. He lives in Brooklyn, New York, with his wife, son, and about a metric ton of Star Wars stuff.

  YOON HA LEE’s debut novel, Ninefox Gambit, won the Locus Award for best first novel and was a finalist for the Hugo, Nebula, and Clarke awards; its sequels, Raven Stratagem and Revenant Gun, were finalists for the Hugo. His middle grade space opera, Dragon Pearl (Rick Riordan Presents), was a New York Times best seller. He lives in Louisiana with his family and an extremely lazy cat, and has not yet been eaten by gators.

  REBECCA ROANHORSE is the New York Times best-selling author of Star Wars: Resistance Reborn and winner of the Hugo, Nebula, and Locus awards. Her other novels include Trail of Lightning, Storm of Locusts, and the middle grade novel Race to the Sun (Rick Riordan Presents). Her latest adult novel, Black Sun, comes out in October 2020. Find her at rebeccaroanhorse.com or on Twitter @RoanhorseBex.

  ANNE URSU is the author of several fantasies for young readers, including Breadcrumbs, The Lost Girl, and the National Book Award Nominee The Real Boy. She has been a Star Wars devotee since she saw A New Hope in the theater when she was three, though is still scarred by the deaths of Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru.

  GREG VAN EEKHOUT writes science fiction and fantasy novels for audiences spanning middle grade to adult, including Norse Code, California Bones, Voyage of the Dogs, and COG. His work has made the New York Public Library’s Best Books for Kids list and has been nominated for the Nebula and Andre Norton awards. He lives in San Diego. You can find more about Greg at his website: www.writingandsnacks.com.

  KSENIA ZELENTSOVA is a visual artist currently based in Moscow who specializes in 2D illustration, character art, and comics. Utilizing varied media in her work, from digital tools to traditional watercolors, Ksenia has been professionally creating artwork for commercial companies and publishers as well as for independent projects since 2010. Driven by her passion for telling stories through visual art and inspired by popular culture, Ksenia strives to make art that is impactful both emotionally and aesthetically.

  JENNIFER HEDDLE is an executive editor at Disney Publishing Worldwide. She edits Star Wars books for children and adults, working out of Lucasfilm’s headquarters in San Francisco.