Epilogue

The next morning, Kaleen awoke slowly. She was tired, but it was a good, well rested tired. She reached her arm out to put it on Dar, only to feel empty bed sheets. Her eyes shot open when she noticed he wasn't in his spot where he'd fallen asleep. His side of the bed had been neatly made up, with a small holodisc on the pillow.

Probably out getting breakfast, she rationalized to herself.

Getting up, she dressed in her robe and took the disc to her holoplayer. A hazy-blue image of him from the shoulders up came into view. She smiled seeing his face with his scruffy hair and 'chops coming down his cheeks.

"Kaleen," Dar's strong voice came out. As it began playing, she moved to the kitchen to start up a cup of caf.

"I know when you wake up, you'll think I'm out getting breakfast for us. I want to let you know now that I'm not. I'm gone and I won't be coming back this time."

She turned and froze, listening to Dar's words cut through her.

"I care about you, Kaleen. And that's why I'm gone. It might be a cop out, but it's something I have to bear with and unfortunately my choice is one for you to bear with as well.

"I have a new purpose in the galaxy now. You may not agree with me. You may want me to stay here and finally not have to go out looking for hurt. But I can't do that. That's not who I am."

Kaleen sat slowly into her chair as she listened. She wanted to cry and tell him to come back and not to say anymore. But she knew that would not happen with the holodisc. It also wouldn't happen, because deep down inside, she knew this was coming.

"I wasn't able to save my mother. And I wasn't able to save Marnaara. There are people who don't get the choice to survive and live happy. And I wish I could help them, but I can't. It's a hard galaxy, and unless your hard back, you'll only get crushed over.

"If you look in your credit account, you'll find a substantial amount to keep you going for a good while."

He appeared to click something, and her account information came up, showing the transferred amount. Her eyes went wide with shock.

"I want you to go to the core worlds. Find yourself a decent school to enroll yourself in, and get an education. Go be a doctor or a lawyer or what ever you chose to become. I know what you're worth, Kaleen. And I can tell you right now that the kind of man I am will never reach that value.

"Please know that I will always think about you. You saved me, Kaleen. And so to return the favor, and so nothing happens to you again, I'm going to protect you so you wont have to live with the fear of being used against me again.

"I'm sorry it has to be this way. But I'm doing it because it's something I have to choose. I love you, Kaleen. I always have. Take care of yourself."

The image then flickered and was left in a stand by icon.

Kaleen smiled to herself, and wiped the tears from her eyes.

"I love you too, Dar Kyram. Take care of yourself."