**Chapter 530**
**After the Storm**
**Dagon POV**
**Aboard the Gray Wolf – Private Captain's Quarters**
**Lantilles Orbit**
I stepped into our shared quarters quietly, the door hissing shut behind me. The lights were dimmed, but the scene inside was unmistakable. The girls were sprawled across the massive bed and adjacent couches in various states of disarray — robes half-on, hair tangled, faces buried in pillows. Empty bottles of confiscated senator wine and mercenary spirits lay scattered on the low table like fallen soldiers.
*Oh oh.*
Through the Force bond, I could feel the remnants of their collective misery — throbbing headaches, dry mouths, and a deep sense of embarrassment. They had clearly gone overboard last night while I was buried in fleet logistics and planning. I had chosen not to disturb them, sleeping in my office instead. Perhaps I should have come in and healed them earlier.
I moved to the center of the room and raised my hands. A soft wave of Force purification flowed outward — gentle white-gold light that washed over each of them. The alcohol effects vanished instantly: headaches cleared, nausea disappeared, and their bodies felt refreshed as if they had slept for a full cycle.
One by one, they stirred.
Ahsoka sat up first, blinking rapidly as the fog lifted. "Dagon…?"
Kayla groaned, pushing herself upright. "What… happened? My head was killing me a second ago."
Shin rubbed her eyes, white hair a mess. "We… drank too much, didn't we?"
Zule sat up slowly, looking guilty. "We had a drinking game after training. You weren't here, so we thought it would be harmless…"
Flare winced. "We didn't mean to pass out like that."
Stella, Visenya, Erictia, and Aayla all looked equally remorseful.
I sat on the edge of the bed, smiling softly. "It's alright. I'm not angry. The wine was strong — senator-grade stuff I confiscated during security checks. I never drank any of it myself, per the med droid's orders until my injuries fully healed. But I should have come in and healed you sooner instead of letting you suffer."
Ahsoka crawled over and hugged me tightly. "We're sorry. We lost the bond connection because we were too drunk. It felt… awful. Like we were cut off from you."
Kayla joined the hug, pressing her cheek against my shoulder. "We didn't mean to worry you. It was supposed to be a fun night after all the Temple stress."
Shin looked up at me, purple eyes soft with guilt. "We know you were working late on fleet plans. We shouldn't have been so reckless."
I wrapped my arms around as many of them as I could, pulling them close. "Hey… it's okay. Really. I'm not upset. You've all been through a lot. If drinking helped you unwind, that's fine. Just… maybe not to the point of passing out next time?"
Zule nuzzled against my chest. "We feel bad. You were organizing everything for the next campaign, and we were just… being silly."
Erictia, still a bit clingy from her recent bond episode, curled tighter against me. "We missed you when we woke up. The bed felt empty without you."
I kissed the top of her head, then each of the others in turn. "I missed you too. But I'm here now."
The girls gradually relaxed, the guilt easing as they realized I truly wasn't upset. We ended up in one massive cuddle pile on the bed — limbs tangled, heads on shoulders, hands gently stroking backs and arms. It was warm, comforting, and exactly what we all needed.
Ahsoka rested her head on my chest, lekku draped over my shoulder. "You know… sometimes I wonder if we're too much. All of us wanting your attention at once."
I stroked her back gently. "You're not too much. You're exactly what I need. After fifty years of solitude… this is everything I never knew I was missing."
Shin kissed my jaw. "We love you. All of us. Even when we do stupid things like drink too much senator wine."
I chuckled. "I confiscated that stuff from corrupt senators and shady mercenaries. It was never meant for casual drinking anyway. Consider it a lesson learned."
Kayla grinned against my side. "Next time we'll stick to something lighter. Or at least have you there to stop us before we pass out."
The conversation flowed easily after that — light teasing, shared memories from the Temple, worries about the coming campaign on Felucia, and quiet affirmations of love. The bond between us hummed warmly, stronger than ever.
For a while, the war felt very far away.
**Scene 2**
Later, as the girls began to drift off again in the massive cuddle pile, I lay awake for a few minutes longer, staring at the ceiling.
*50 years of solitude,* I thought. *Taking care of orphans, watching them grow up and find happy lives away from the war… that was the good part. But fame brings both fear and honor, and you lose any real warmth. Perhaps that's just how it works.*
These girls — my wives, though I still preferred calling them girlfriends even though we were engaged — had changed everything. They gave me the warmth I had forgotten existed.
I kissed each of them gently on the forehead before slipping out of the pile. They murmured sleepily but didn't wake.
*Good,* I thought. *Let them rest.*
I headed back to my office, the wide comfortable couch waiting. As I lay down, I felt the gentle pull of the bonds connecting me to all of them — even in sleep.
Tomorrow we would push forward again.
But tonight, I let myself rest, surrounded by the quiet comfort of knowing I was no longer alone.