Javen

I entered the ship and started looking for Elara. Seeing she wasn't in the med bay with the patient, I headed over to crew's berthing. I quietly entered and saw Elara sitting on her rack, head in her hands, sobbing. I tried to slip out before she noticed me, but she looked up before I could.

"I'm sorry," I said quickly. "I didn't mean to intrude, I just wanted to make sure you were all right." I winced at my words, knowing how pathetic they must have sounded.

Elara gave a bitter laugh and said, "I am not sure if I will ever be 'all right' again."

"Did you want me to leave?"

"I would prefer it if you stayed," she answered quietly. "The silence does nothing to stop the horrid thoughts coursing through me."

I sat down on the bed next to her and tentatively put my arm around her. In response, she wrapped her arms around my waist and buried her head in my shoulder. When tears started leaking out again, she tried to pull away saying, "I apologize, Captain. I always seem to be crying around you."

I pulled her back to my shoulder and replied, "After everything that's happened today you deserve to shed a few tears. Just let it all out, I'm not going anywhere." As soon as I'd finished speaking, the few tears turned into body wracking sobs as she held on to me and wept. I spoke to her softly in my native language, knowing that she just needed the comfort of knowing someone was there. It seemed to help, and eventually she started to calm down.

I assumed she was too distracted letting out her emotions to really hear me, and was surprised when she said, "Your people have a beautiful language. It is a shame you have to speak basic to be understood."

"Well, if you're ever interested I'd be happy to teach you Cheunh."

"I would like that," she answered, still composing herself.

"Just to warn you, if you didn't grow up speaking it, it can be difficult to learn."

Elara sat up enough to be able to make eye contact with me. With a raised eyebrow and an over exaggerated Imperial accent, she replied, "This may come as a shock to you, Captain, but I can be rather persistent when the occasion calls for it."

I laughed, while thinking to myself what a shame it was to have been promoted to Captain. Whenever she called me 'Lieutenant' in that accent it never failed to cause some sort of reaction in me. On second thought, considering how close she was, it's probably a good thing she's not calling me that.

We sat together like that on the short trip from the star base to Coruscant. We finally separated when 4X announced our impending arrival. "I need to process the transfer paperwork for the patient," Elara said standing. "I would hate to see her survive all that just to be turned away at the hospital."

"I'm sure they'll accept her," I said, grabbing Elara's hands before she could leave the room. "Are you going to be ok?"

"I will be fine, eventually," she assured me. "As long as I have my work to distract me, although as soon as Kalor hears about this he will undoubtedly double down on his efforts to remove me from active duty…"

"That's not gonna happen."

"You cannot stop him," she said sadly.

"Hey, I'm a pretty sure bet," I replied with a cocky smile. I could see her fighting a smile even as she glared up at me. "Besides, considering Garza fought to get you on Havoc since I stepped onto Taris, you can bet she'll fight Kalor tooth and nail if he pulls anything over this. And you know how scary she can be when she's in full on general/mama bear mode."

This time she did laugh before squeezing my hands and saying softly, "Thank you Javen, for everything."

"I'm here whenever you need me," I replied. I took a risk and released one of her hands and placed it gently on her cheek.

She leaned into my hand as she looked up at me, and I could see in her eyes she was debating something. Before I could ask, she leaned up and softly brushed her lips with mine. The kiss was chaste and over far too soon, but I could swear it caused my world to spin off its axis. She broke away, placing her forehead against mine and releasing a contented sigh. I lightly stroked her cheek with my hand that was still there while I savored the moment. It was interrupted by Jorgan's voice from outside the room.

"If you two have finished up in there, Garza sent a message that she needs to see us."

"I'll be right out," I said with an aggravated sigh.

Elara gave me a rueful smile before saying, "I have paperwork that I must get to."

"I'll let you know what Garza says," I said. She closed her eyes and nodded, but not before I saw the sadness from earlier return. I leaned down to kiss her to try and banish the shadow I saw in her eyes. "Don't worry, they're not gonna ground you, too many people are willing to stand up for you."

"Thank you," she said with a soft smile, squeezing the hand that she still held. "Now you should probably head out before the lieutenant starts getting restless."

There was a mischievous glint in her eye as she spoke and it seemed her accent was thicker than usual. I laughed as I realized she had me pegged. "You know exactly what that accent does to me, don't you?"

"I would wager the same affect you speaking in your native tongue has on me," she replied with a smirk.

"I'll be sure to keep that in mind," I said with a laugh, finally releasing her. I headed out, meeting up with an impatient Jorgan.

"'Bout time you showed up," he grumbled. "You have no idea the BS I had to feed Garza about why we're running late."

"I'll make it up to you," I promised. "Soon as we wrap up this business with the Gauntlet we'll figure out what's going on with your old squad."

"I'm gonna hold you to that," he grumbled as we made our way off the ship and towards the Senate building.