Lux was waiting in the entrance hall when they returned. One look at his mother's face told him everything he needed to know—something had gone terribly wrong.
"Mom?" His voice cracked slightly. "What happened?"
Mina didn't answer. Just walked past him toward the sitting room, her movements mechanical. The others followed—Padmé, the two Jedi, Spider-Man—all wearing expressions that ranged from grim to horrified.
"What happened?" Lux asked again, looking between them. "Mom, are you hurt?"
"I'm fine," Mina said, but her voice shook. "Physically, I'm fine."
"Ultron crashed the Parliament session," Ahsoka said quietly. "Took over the holonet. Addressed the entire Confederacy."
Lux's face went pale. "Ultron? The—the one who attacked Coruscant?"
"He made his intentions very clear," Peter said, running a hand through his hair. "And I honestly don't know how we come back from this."
"What did he say? What did he want?" Lux demanded.
Peter touched his chest, where his suit's spider-emblem usually sat. "I recorded everything. Karen saved the whole transmission. I can give you a copy to watch later."
"Thank you, Peter," Mina said softly.
Lux looked at his mother—really looked at her. She was standing rigid, like if she relaxed even slightly she'd fall apart. He'd seen her like this only once before. When they'd learned about his father's death.
"Mom, are you sure you're—"
Mina's composure shattered.
She made a sound somewhere between a sob and a gasp, covered her face with her hands, and her shoulders began to shake. Lux moved immediately, pulling her into a tight embrace. She clung to him, all the emotion she'd been holding back since the Parliament session finally breaking free.
Padmé crossed the room and wrapped her arms around both of them. "I'm so sorry, Mina. I'm so sorry."
"Everything I've worked for," Mina choked out between sobs. "Everything we've tried to build. Independence. Self-governance. Peace. And it's all—it's all been a lie. A manipulation. We never had a chance."
Lux held his mother tighter, looked over her head at the others. Ahsoka and Barriss stood uncertainly by the doorway, clearly unsure how to handle this sudden emotional crisis. Peter had his arms wrapped around himself, looking like he wanted to be anywhere else.
After several minutes, Mina's tears slowed. She pulled back from Lux and Padmé, wiping her eyes. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't—"
"Don't apologize," Barriss said firmly. "What we witnessed today... none of us were prepared for it."
"I can only imagine how the Jedi Council will react when we tell them," Ahsoka said, her voice hollow. "About Sidious. About the conspiracy. About everything."
The name hung in the air: Sidious.
Ahsoka's mind was racing. Ultron claimed this Sidious person had orchestrated the entire war. Manipulated both sides. But Ultron was their enemy—a genocidal AI who wanted to exterminate all organic life. Could they trust anything he said?
The Avengers had told her how Ultron tried to destroy their homeworld. How he'd killed people without hesitation. How he saw organic life as a disease to be cured.
But if he was lying, why had Count Dooku confirmed it?
"What do we do now?" Ahsoka asked quietly.
Mina took a shaky breath, straightened her shoulders. "Now you leave. All of you. As quickly as possible."
"What?" Peter blinked. "We're not—"
"You can't stay here," Mina said, her voice gaining strength. "Not after what just happened. Raxus won't be safe much longer."
"Mrs. Bonteri—" Barriss started.
"After Ultron's announcement, after he told the entire Confederacy that the Republic considered bombing this planet..." Mina shook her head. "Travel restrictions will increase. Security will tighten. If you don't leave now, you might not be able to leave at all."
"They wouldn't actually bomb Raxus," Ahsoka said, but she didn't sound convinced.
Padmé's expression was grim. "After what Dooku confirmed, some senators will be outraged. Others will demand retaliation. The Senate will descend into chaos. And in that chaos, anything could happen."
"That's insane," Peter muttered.
"That's war," Mina corrected. "And it's about to get much worse."
"Then we need to pack," Barriss said pragmatically. "Get to the spaceport before the situation deteriorates further."
"I'll arrange transport back to Mandalore," Ahsoka said. "We can catch a Republic ship from there."
Peter suddenly spoke up. "Karen? You there?"
His suit's AI responded immediately, her voice emanating from his wrist communicator. "Yes, Peter?"
"You still have Mr. Stark's Ultron defense protocols, right? The ones he developed after Sokovia?"
"FRIDAY and I have been refining them continuously," Karen confirmed. "We've adapted them for this galaxy's technology."
Peter looked at Mina and Lux. "Karen and FRIDAY are our team's AIs. We have experience dealing with threats like Ultron. After what happened to our world, we made sure we'd be ready if something like that ever happened again." His expression turned serious. "I'm uploading Karen's defense protocols to your home systems, Mrs. Bonteri. Just in case Ultron decides to target you specifically."
Mina blinked, clearly surprised. "That's... very thoughtful, Peter."
"It's the least I can do." Peter rubbed the back of his neck, looking uncomfortable with the gratitude. "Mr. Stark always said you prepare for the worst and hope for the best. So, you know. Preparation."
Despite everything, Mina smiled—small and sad, but genuine. "You're a good person, Peter Parker. Your mentor taught you well."
Peter's face flushed. "I mean, I'm just—it's not—I'm just trying to help—"
The awkward stammering earned soft laughter from everyone. The moment of levity was brief but desperately needed.
"All right," Padmé said, pulling them back to practicalities. "We need to move. Karen, can you arrange discreet transport to the spaceport?"
"Already working on it," Karen replied. "I've located three separate freighters departing for Mandalore within the next four hours. I'm booking passage under false credentials."
"Four hours," Mina said. "That should give us time to..." She trailed off, looking at Padmé. "This might be the last time we see each other for a very long while."
"Don't say that," Padmé said, but her voice cracked. "We'll find a way. After this is over—"
"After this is over, the galaxy will be completely different." Mina took Padmé's hands. "Promise me something. Promise me you'll keep fighting for peace. Even when it seems impossible. Even when everyone tells you it's pointless. Someone has to remember what we were trying to build."
"I promise," Padmé whispered.
They embraced again—two friends from opposite sides of a war, both trying to save a galaxy that seemed determined to destroy itself.
Lux watched them, then looked at Ahsoka. She was staring at the floor, her face troubled. He wanted to say something—anything—but couldn't find the words.
"We should pack," Barriss said gently, sensing the need to keep moving. "The sooner we leave, the better."
They scattered to their rooms. Peter uploaded Karen's protocols to the Bonteri estate's systems, layering in additional security subroutines and early warning sensors. Ahsoka and Barriss gathered their few belongings, checking their lightsabers and comlinks. Padmé organized documents and data chips, evidence she'd need for the Senate.
Thirty minutes later, they reconvened in the entrance hall. Small bags. Civilian clothes. Nothing that would draw attention.
"The freighter departs in two hours," Karen reported. "I've arranged for a private speeder to take you to the spaceport's civilian terminal."
"Thank you," Padmé said. She turned to Mina. "For everything. For trusting me. For being brave enough to try."
"Thank you for coming," Mina replied. "For reminding me that not everyone in the Republic wants war. That peace is still worth fighting for."
They hugged one more time. Then Mina turned to the three teenagers.
"Take care of her," she said, looking at Ahsoka and Barriss. "And take care of each other. Dark times are coming."
"We will," Ahsoka promised.
Lux stepped forward, offered his hand to Peter. "Stay safe out there, Spider-Man."
Peter shook it. "You too. And, uh, sorry about the awkwardness earlier. With the bags and everything."
Lux managed a small smile. "No apology needed." His eyes drifted to Ahsoka again. "Maybe we'll meet again. After the war."
"Maybe," Ahsoka said, though her tone suggested she didn't believe it.
The speeder arrived. They loaded their bags and climbed in. As it lifted off, Padmé looked back at the Bonteri estate—at Mina and Lux standing in the entrance, waving goodbye.
She wondered if she'd ever see them again.
The speeder carried them toward the spaceport, toward Mandalore, toward Coruscant and whatever waited there. Behind them, Raxus continued its daily routines, unaware that everything was about to change.
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