Aboard the Werda

Ethan walked onboard his old Firespray and started towards his arms storage to start putting a pack together. He had his fatigues on and made sure his carbine, assault vest and armor panels were in the pack as he started adding other weapons and tools into it. He looked up and saw Callista walking into the corridor from the room he had let her sleep in as he continued putting items together.

"Sleep ok?" he asked as he kept focused on his task.

Callista grunted and scrubbed at her face for a moment before she blinked up at him. "Alright, I suppose."

She was quiet for a few moments, her gaze wandering to the open hatch. If Ethan were Jedi, he would have sensed her thoughts turn to Xan. Shassa, it still felt like a burning blade was being driven into her heart every time she thought of him.

He saw her look towards the hatch and nodded softly. "It doesn't get easier..."

A soft sigh was her only answer as she leaned on the bulkhead behind her. "I just..." Her fingers clenched briefly, and she shook her head. Revenge wouldn't bring him back... She'd learned that lesson the hard way. Many years ago.

"I say it doesn't," he told her as he continued to check the items he was putting together. "I helped Jarius work it out for a while...were he here, he could tell you much more than I could." Thinking of his friend, he sighed heavily and leaned on the table his pack was on.

She closed her eyes for a moment, her left hand moving to rest on his arm for a moment. She felt... and saw his pain from Jarius' death. She knew Marin's too.

He looked up at her. "I take it you're still planning to go with this group to Coruscant."

She nodded, and sighed softly. "Aye. Myk asked me specifically." She paused. "It will give me something to do."

"I'm coming along." He said as he checked that last items he packed.

She opened her mouth, and then raised an eyebrow at him. "You'll have to talk to Myk on that one. It's his call. Though, I don't see as he would mind an extra pair of hands or two... I assume you're bringing Marin also?"

"She'll be along...and he has no say," he told her as he closed the pack. "I need to be close if something happens and you relapse."

She raised an eyebrow at him... almost in challenge. "He might have something to say about that..."

"We'll see about that when it comes," Ethan said as he looked at her. "I'd rather be around to support if you need it."

Callista frowned slightly, turning his words over in her mind. "You think he won't be able to...?" She was honestly curious, and hoped her question didn't offend.

He looked at her. "I don't see where else I'm going to be most good at in this. What's going to be happening here is largely a space battle...my talents might be better served there. Unless you just don't want me going along..."

She lifted a hand to silence him. "I didn't mean it like that. You're right about your skills being ill-suited for the fleet battle. Shab, I can fly a fighter myself, but that's not my main skillset. I'm honestly a little curious why he'd want me along on an intel mission. While I know a bit about that type of thing... that's more Marin's, Sharon's, or...Xa..." she trailed off and sighed as she looked away.

On impulse, he put an arm around her. "I know...I know..."

Callista bit her lip, closing her eyes for a moment. "Ni ceta... Still hard to believe he's gone..."

"Nothing for you to apologize for," he told her as he kept an arm around her. "Nobody can expect to get through something such as that in a few days time."

She sighed. "It's so hard..." she whispered. "There's still a small part of me that wants to find out what really happened... but I know the motivation for that isn't going to lead to a good place..."

"Master Karrde told you of the last moments he saw..."

She nodded. "Aye... and I felt it as well. He fought well, and died a warrior. His only thought was for their safety. That, to me is the core of being both Jetiise and Mando'ad..." She frowned. "I... almost feel selfish for wishing he was still alive.."

"That's not selfish," Ethan told her. "That's being human."

She looked troubled, for his words jarred something in her memory that Arie had told her many years ago. "Maybe I'm holding onto it too much..." She grunted and leaned her head back, staring at the ceiling

"You can't let emotion take hold, yes," He told her as he went back to the table and then turned to close the arms locker. "But, as Steffan Karrde would say, you are not devoid of it either. You let go of them...but only to an extent. If you let them fade entirely, then how much importance did they really have in your life?"

She nodded. "Exactly. How can we be compassionate to others if wee ourselves do not experience emotion...?"

Ethan just looked over at her and smiled. "Besides...he's not really gone."

She chuckled a bit. "I know. it's just hard to remember that sometimes. I can feel him near sometimes, but it's like there is a distance between us..."

He walked back over to the table and looked at her for a long moment. "You'll be alright...I can tell."

She tilted her head slightly and looked at him, a slight grin tugging at the corner of her mouth. "You seem rather certain of that…"

"I may not have the ability you do in the Force," he told her as he kept looking. "But I've gotten pretty good at reading people."

She leaned back against the bulkhead again, the metal cool against her shoulders. "So I noticed between you and Marin after Jarius passed." She paused. "This op of Myk's is pretty straightforward. There shouldn't be too much combat if we do it right, but it's always better to be prepared for anything."

"I've already heard that Karrde's youngest is wanting to go...I've seen that boy move, he's better at stealth than even Marin. If he can fight like he can sneak, he'll be a good asset to have. Marin'll be along, so I'd just about wager that one she's in love with will petition to come along." He laughed for a moment. "That boy and Karrde's feel good about their abilities after that jaunt they went on. But I see them not take pride in it too...good for them."

She smiled slightly. "They're confident... not cocky. That's a good thing. And I think having Jarod along will be good for Marin. I know she's been restless while everyone else goes out on missions."

"Restlessness is something she needs to weed out real quick," Ethan said as he checked weapons. "Doesn't really do any good...but I'm not really one to talk about it."

Callista frowned at him slightly, but didn't press for details. "I don't think it's...jealousy. More, I think she feels a bit... useless." She shrugged a little, hopping up to sit on the edge of the table and let her feet dangle. "I can identify with what she's feeling."

"Good thing I'm along then," he said with a chuckle and a grin. "Someone on this team needs a level head. I'm just along for the fight."

She tilted her head at him. "Marin's good, but she hasn't had much chance to use her skills outside of training... I think she needs the experience."

"She's going to get it, if Coruscant is as covered over with enemies that I think it might be."

Callista chuckled. "I'm still trying to figure why buir wanted me along..." she said almost to herself.

"Simple...keep you busy."

"I suppose.." she allowed. "But as I said, I'm more Healer than spy type.."

"Also pretty handy with those lightsabers too, from what I've heard."

She blushed slightly. "Sometimes, though Buir still can kick my shebs from one side of Mt. Adan to the other.."

"Well, he has the advantage of experience and training for a lot longer than you were. Some Cataani train with the blade from the moment they can hold it...Steffan's father being a retainer, you can bet he started early."

"Aye..." She paused. "I didn't start working with a blade till I was ten or eleven myself.."

He smiled at her. "We're all going to be needed for this one." He looked at her for a long moment again. "Anything you need from here to take along?"

She frowned for a moment, taking a mental inventory. "I gathered a medical bag before we left the house..." She glanced at him. "Could you spare a knife or two? It's always good to have a backup defense when sabers don't work..."

He pointed to a small cabinet. "Take your pick."

She grinned at him over her shoulder for a moment. And for the briefest of instances, he caught a glimpse of her true nature... not this brooding that she was dealing with right now, but her fierce determination to do her best to help those in need. Much like Xan...

He grinned and secured his pack. "Come on, that hotshot is probably waiting for us."

Cataan Forests

Marin lay with her back in the leaves. The breeze across her skin was cool. But, what Jarod was doing sent a tingle down her spine. She gasped as his warm lips grazed her exposed collarbone.

Jarod placed several more along her collarbone before he looked up at here with a warm smile. "Its good to be 'home'," he said softly as he traced his fingers along her cheek.

Marin's answer was to pull him close for a deep kiss, her cool fingers tracing his shoulder for a moment before they broke apart. "I'm glad you came back safely..." Her voice was slightly rough. Her fatigue jacket lay discarded in the leaves a few feet away, and her normally neat braid was rather disheveled. Her plain shirt had been pushed up slightly, and she sucked in a breath as he traced the bare skin beneath.

The robe of his attire was set off to the side next to her jacket, his vest and outer kimono not far from it. He kept tracing her lightly as he looked into her eyes more. "You're going to go with them." he said quietly...it hadn't been a question.

She closed her eyes briefly, her fingers closing over his as she nodded. "I am. Et'ika said I'm to come along. Master Cal'ika is going as well..." She looked up at him. "You want to go too.." She gave him a rather searching look.

"And let you walk into that wolfhound's den without me?" he asked her as he leaned down to kiss her. "What kind of person would I be if I did that.?"

She chuckled, but it was a bit lost in his kiss that followed. "Exactly. Though, I think you'd have to talk to Master Myk-ron for permission. Something tells me Et'ika...'invited' himself..."

"I'm sure they'd appreciate another person that won't be in the way," he said as he traced up her sides.

She raised an eyebrow. "How do you mean...?"

"Well, I'm not exactly a novice to some of this stuff now."

She nodded, though her thoughts wandered slightly as his touch did. "I still feel like I am.."

"I think that's why you're going," he told her. "I'll be right there too."

She sighed a bit. "I almost feel... like they're trying to protect me too much. How am I to learn like that..?"

"Well, you weren't exactly in a condition to fight in the last one," Jarod said as he nodded towards her arm before placing a few kisses along it.

She almost gave him a look at the mention of it, but his kisses distracted her. "It's better now, though..."

"Aye.."

The touch of his lips against her skin left her slightly breathless. "I... think we would work well... together.." she managed to say, trying to get back to topic.

"Am I distracting you, Marin?" he asked as he looked up at her.

"A little..." she admitted after a pause.

"Good," Jarod said as he smile warmly. "We can talk of what's coming later..."

Aboard the Firebird

It was as she was stowing her gear that she felt a familiar presence nearby. She'd felt it before, but only fleeting. As if the individual was just looking in on her. But now, if felt... so near... She finished putting her gear up, and turned slowly, feeling him ...right behind her. What she saw when she turned around caused her to gasp and swear softly. "X...Xan...?" she breathed, her voice shaking slightly. His form coalesced in front of her, and her eyes widened. He looked much the same as he had when she'd seen him last. his deep red and black beskar'gam was unmarked... at least as much as it had been.

His form was surrounded by a soft silver-white glow, and her breath caught in her throat as a glowing hand reached out to wipe the sudden tears from her cheek. "Don't act so surprised, cyar'ika.." Xan's voice echoed slightly in the Force... in her thoughts. She flushed slightly as he continued. "You know well that some Jedi chose to remain in this form. Their bodies may merge with the Force, but their essence.. it merges, yet still remains separate for as long as they wish it." She nodded, unable to tear her gaze from his face.

His fingers gently traced her cheek before he sighed and looked at her. "Cal'ika... I know how it... pains you... angers you... about what happened to me. You have to remember... I am with you always. As I have been, and always shall be. Do not mourn for me, cyar'ika. Celebrate me, and honor me. I made the only choice I could, and I am glad of it." He grew silent for a few heartbeats. "It hurts to see you like this, cyar'ika. What te Alor'aan and you did at the memorial... that was... mesh'la.." His voice grew wistful for a moment as he remembered.

"Remember me, my love... but do not push your aliit away. They care deeply for you. As I do. They love you, and support you. And, I think... they would lay down their lives for you if necessary." He brushed her cheek again. "You are stronger than this, cyar'ika. I know it hurts. Be strong for me, and help bring those chakaare to justice.. Not just for me... but for Mar'ika... for Jarius... For all those who have been lost to this war." She nodded, her vision blurring slightly as his ghostly touch sent a shiver through her. He looked away briefly. "I will always be with you, cyar'ika..." And as he began to fade, two words floated in her mind. "Remember me..."

She blinked a few times to clear some fresh tears, and when she looked up again, he was gone. But his presence wasn't It was still there... lingering, watching. She smiled a bit and sat back on the bunk in the spare quarters, reaching out to Myk and Arie.

aliit - family

alor'aan - general (Arie)

cyar'ika - sweetheart
mesh'la - beautiful
te - the