Chapter 29

Lina refused to move until the sun came up, her eyes intensely set on the horizon.
Her Captain, Priam, had brought her a cup of tea.

"It will soothe your nerves."

"My nerves will not be soothed until my men are safe Captain."

"Very well, Commander."

Lina felt a tug at the pit of her stomach. It was a familiar one. It was the kind that meant she was supposed to retreat into meditation; the force was calling.

"Excuse me Captain," Lina said, now sitting on the ground where she had stood.

She could feel Priam's confusion, but he followed his orders, as usual.
Unlike usual, no images came to her, no flashes, no scents. Instead the tug in her stomach grew stronger.
Lina opened her eyes curious but trusting.
She began walking.
Captain Priam came beside her, "Commander what are you doing?"

"I am trusting in the force Captain. I will be back before dusk. In the meantime, strengthen the line."

~O~

Lina was sprinting, attempting to appease the pull in her abdomen.
The grasses thwacked her face and exposed shoulders. The sudden fear of being lost seized her mind.
Lina halted, skidding on the trampled grasses.

A violent rustling in the distance caught her attention.
Her pace quickened and she closed in on the swaying grasses that signaled an active lifeform.
She jumped, using the force to prolong it's extent.

She landed in a roll in front of her target with her hand inching toward her saber.
She raised her eyes to see an elderly Twi'lek woman.

Lina's eyes widened. She rose, embarrassed at almost drawing her weapon. The pull was at her back now tugging at her lumbar.
She looked behind her only to see savanna swaying in the winds. An old blue hand patted Lina's reddened cheek. Lina looked down at the woman- surprisingly short for a Twi'lek-and had a basket thrust into her arms.

The basket held fruits and packages. The woman walked ahead, and looked back at Lina.
It was the same type of look a mother would give her dawdling child. Lina pressed the comlink on her wrist.

"Don't wait up for me Priam. I'm gonna be awhile."

"Alright Commander. Be careful out there."

Lina looked to the slow moving woman. The Force often worked in mysterious ways, and how she hoped this was one of them.
Following the woman obediently, Lina began to use the force to assist her with the heavy bundle in her arms. Pity for the elder sat in her throat. She did not have the force. How much longer would her brittle arms have had to carry the hefty basket?

The sun was at its highest. It throbbed in the sky above, lashing out at Lina's pale and burned skin. She ran her tongue over the rough chapped surface of her lips. At times like these Lina was intensely grateful for the light coloring and flowing design of her robes.
The woman- with Lina following- turned to a clearing. It revealed a group of small huts in the grasses.

"Naina!" A small Twi'lek girl poked her head from a curtained doorway.
The child then looked at Lina and her eyes widened. She gasped. The old woman grunted at her and swayed her head to Lina's direction. The girl took the basket from Lina's hands and rushed back into the shack.

Lina hesitated but Naina raised her hand and beckoned. They walked deeper into the village and stopped at a slightly larger hut.
Meanwhile the pull in Lina's abdomen had returned.
It ached worse now, and a sweat began at her hairline.

She wanted to be frustrated, but some part of her knew she was on the appropriate path.

Naina drew the curtain back, and Lina followed her into the humid space.

Next Chapter

"I am the warrior of this village. We do not need the Jedi here."

I've decided to try to upload chapters biweekly to ease myself back into consistantly uploading. However the next chapter might be uploaded a little early as I'll be on vacation in two weeks. Thanks for reading! -Sarah