**Chapter 642**
**Scene 1**
**Jedi Temple Hangar, Coruscant**
**Dagon POV**
The Warden gunship settled onto the private landing platform with a low, resonant hum. The moment the ramp fully lowered, I took exactly two steps onto the polished stone floor of the Jedi Temple hangar before I was hit by a storm of emotion and bodies.
Kayla, Aayla, Shin, Zule, Flare, Stella, Visenya, and Sakura all slammed into me at once in a chaotic, tearful dog pile. Arms wrapped around every part of me they could reach. Lips pressed frantically against my face, neck, cheeks, and even my white hair in a desperate flurry of kisses. Tears flowed freely as they clung to me like I was the only solid thing left in the galaxy.
"Dagon!" Kayla sobbed, burying her face in my neck, her Zeltron warmth wrapping around me like a blanket. "You reckless, stupid, wonderful idiot! We felt everything through the bond — the radiation, the pain, the fire… we thought we lost you up there!"
Aayla's lekku curled tightly around my shoulders as she kissed my cheek over and over. "Don't you ever do that again. Never again. My heart can't take it."
Shin gripped my arm so tightly her nails dug in through my robes. "We saw the explosion on the feeds. The way you held that bubble… you nearly burned yourself out for us."
I stood there, arms full of crying, kissing Jedi women, my newly white hair and crimson-black eyes drawing even more stares from the hangar staff and the remaining Jedi scattered around the bay. I could feel the jealousy radiating off several of them — a sharp, bitter mix of envy, confusion, and quiet resentment at the open, unrestrained display of affection from so many women at once.
"Yeah… I'm back," I murmured, holding them as tightly as my still-healing body would allow. "I'm sorry I scared you all like that."
The emotional reunion stretched on for several long minutes. Their tears slowly turned into relieved laughter mixed with more kisses and soft scoldings. Kayla refused to let go of my waist. Aayla kept brushing my white hair out of my face like she couldn't believe it was real. Shin and Zule pressed against my sides, their hands never leaving me.
**Scene 2**
We were finally interrupted by a familiar, amused voice.
"Well, you certainly seem to get a hero's welcome," Nhon Artaru said, walking up with a broad grin on his face. He laughed openly at the sight of my face completely covered in lipstick marks of various colors — bright pink from Kayla, blue from Aayla, purple from Shin, and others from the rest of the girls. "Look at you. You look like you lost a fight with a makeup factory."
I wiped my face with the back of my hand, smirking despite the lingering exhaustion. "Yeah, I'm back. And it seems there's still a break, huh?"
"Yep," Nhon replied, crossing his arms as he looked at the group with fond exasperation. "Apparently the Confederacy's shadow feeds are claiming they didn't launch the attack. A bunch of liars if I've ever seen one. The moment they heard you awoke, the denial report came flooding in across every channel."
I nodded slowly, my expression turning serious. "Of course they're denying it. Someone wanted to frame them — or force the Republic's hand into full-scale war. The peace conference is dead now. This attack was meant to push us over the edge."
The girls stayed close, their hands still holding onto me as if afraid I might vanish again. Nhon's gaze softened as he looked at the emotional cluster around me.
"You've got a lot of people who care about you, kid," he said quietly. "Try not to break their hearts next time, alright?"
I offered a tired but genuine smile. "I'll do my best, Master Nhon."
The hangar around us continued its quiet activity, but the weight of the recent attack and the uncertain future hung over everyone like a dark cloud. The war had come to Coruscant, and nothing would ever be the same again.