Prymax sank to his knees. His breath came in short gasps, and his whole body shook from exertion. Beads of sweat stood out on his forehead.
There was a groan and Jenyin sat up, holding his chest. Taking in the whole scene instantly, he left the still unconscious Reyzeb where she was and limped hastily over to Prymax. At his touch the Kiffar's eyes opened, and he got to his feet stiffly. He was pale, and, strangely, his tattoo seemed that way as well. He summoned his lightsaber to him and clipped it onto his belt, then looked over at me.
I gave him a weak smile. "All hail the conquering hero-" I joked, and then broke off, coughing up blood.
Jenyin was at my side in an instant, his own pain forgotten, and concern written all over his face. A moment later, Prymax joined him.
"You guys should go," I said, wiping the blood from my mouth. "Anakin's fall won't delay him long. He'll be back any minute now."
Jenyin immediately swung into action; he slung my arm over his shoulder so he could pick me up more easily. As he tried to help me up, repeated jolts of pain shot down my spine.
"Jenyin," – I gasped as my aching body continued to protest – "what are you trying to do?"
"Take you to the ship, of course," he replied, "So we can blast out of here."
I would have laughed outright if this hadn't been such a serious moment. As it was, I could only manage a slight smirk. "Put me down! There's no point in taking me with you. Can't you see I'm dying?"
Jenyin stopped and stared at me. "No, you're not." He said it as if he was trying not so much to convince me as to convince himself.
"Yes, I am. My spine is broken, I can't feel anything below my waist, and I've destroyed at least one vital organ. So put me down already." I was surprised as he was at the words flowing so easily from my mouth. I wished I could feel as lighthearted at that moment as I sounded.
He didn't move, but tears welled up in his eyes.
I threw Prymax a pleading glance. "Prymax, get this crybaby to put me down before he gets salt water in my wounds!"
Prymax looked at me for a moment – a little shocked, I think, at my light treatment of death - and then nodded. "Jenyin."
Jenyin lowered me down gently. "Thanks." Suddenly, I felt very tired. Realizing I didn't have much time left, I got down to the point.
"Here. Take this…" I groped at my belt for my lightsaber, and then remembered that Anakin – no, I had to remind myself, Anakin was gone now - he had thrown it somewhere. Prymax knew what I was searching for, and, with a flick of his wrist, summoned it from wherever it had been thrown. He put it in my hand.
I wrapped my fingers around the cool metal, closed my eyes briefly...
…And handed it back to him, using what was left of my force energy to clip it onto his belt next to his own lightsaber. "It's yours now," I said in a voice that was weakening by the second. "With what you're going against, you'll need all the extra help you can get. Take good care of it for me." I managed another weak smile.
Prymax looked down at his boots for a moment, and then laid his right hand on my lightsaber. "Meraven…"
He looked up. His face was the most emotional I'd ever seen it as; he looked as if he might cry. "Aliit ori'shya taldin. Family is more than blood." He knelt down and placed a hand on my shoulder; "Vod'ika. Mandokarla."
From what I knew of Mandalorians, they put great emphasis on family. By calling me his vod'ika, his little sister, he placed me within his clan, an honor that was not to be taken lightly. And he called me Mandokarla, meaning I had what it took to be a Mandalorian. It was, to him, the ultimate honor for me, and I was touched, knowing how unemotional the Kiffar was.
I didn't quite know how I should respond; "Thank you," was all I could manage.
"Take care of Reyzeb for me, and tell her I said hello – or goodbye…" I faltered, wondering how Reyzeb would take it. How would she cope with my death?
Then, on a more practical note; "Try to get off-planet as soon as possible. See if you can find any other Jedi survivors." I was thinking about Obi-wan.
I paused and shut my eyes for a moment, trying to think of something appropriate for a dying person to say. Nothing came up, so I just spoke what was weighing on my mind at the moment: namely, my former friend. "Anakin…there's still good left in him. The old Anakin's there, buried deep within this… this new Sith. Don't forget that. If you see him again, try to find him for me…" My voice dwindled to a whisper. Nothing I was saying made any sense to my ears. Was this what happened when you died?
I looked at my two friends. Jenyin, tears running down his cheeks, was trying in vain not to cry. Prymax remained dry-eyed, but who knew what was going on behind those eyes? His face was like stone; lacking emotion.
"You should leave now," I said. "Before someone finds you." Prymax nodded curtly, and walked over to the unconscious Reyzeb. I heard him mutter another curse as he lifted her up and carried her to a speeder. Jenyin stayed with me for another moment before Prymax called to him.
"Jenyin, come on!"
Jenyin still didn't move. "You really ought to listen to Prymax," I told him quietly. He bit his lip, nodded, and walked reluctantly away.
"And guys?" I called out, just as Jenyin was climbing into the speeder. Both he and Prymax turned to look at me.
"May the Force be with you." My voice choked up, as I looked with eyes blurred by tears at my friends for the last time.
There was a moment of silence, and then Prymax turned on the speeder. I heard him mutter these words as he turned his face to the hangar door,
"Re'turcye mhi…" Goodbye.
He took a breath, and then smiled through the tears that now streamed openly down his face, "Nu kyr'adyc, shi taab'echaaj'la."
There was the sound of the engine warming up, a brief glare of headlights, and then they disappeared into the coming dawn.
Remembering all these happenings of the last couple hours, I smiled slightly as death froze my features and darkness overcame me. Somewhere out there, Prymax, Jenyin, and Reyzeb lived. There was still hope for the galaxy. My death would not be in vain. Prymax's words echoed in my head, "Nu kyr'adyc, shi taab'echaaj'la. Not gone, merely marching far away."
I took my last breath and remembered. There is no death, there is the Force…
