~O~
The Mercy of the Living
Zero listened to the transmission.
It seemed that the Miraluka who had been imprisoned had scrambled most of it to prevent him from tracking them down.
But if the half-breed was with them, they wouldn't have gotten far without stopping somewhere. He knew she'd been harmed from him. They wouldn't risk going far if her life was on the line.
This would be simple.
O
Trilla was uncomfortable sitting with Kareena that early morning.
The woman was sharp; her perception regarding her wasn't like Sienna's, but more intrusive. Or that was what Trilla believed, anyway. Kareena seemed intent on helping her understand the strange feelings she experienced while Sienna was meditating nearby.
"There's a dance I was helping Sienna with," Kareena told her, "An old Miraluka form that she was eager to learn. I was planning to teach her. Perhaps you would like to learn as well? Maybe if you understood a little of our culture, you might find some beauty in it."
That was true; perhaps there would be something for her to learn from the Miraluka woman. Maybe understanding her ways would help her understand Sienna better.
She did want to understand her.
Trilla's mind began to wander as she searched for Cere shortly after the discussion. She thought about Sienna and was mortified that the woman was constantly on her mind now.
Cere was interested in sharing a story with several young children; they were sitting around her beneath a tree, awestruck by her tale and dramatic gestures. She even had the attention of a few of the parents who listened nearby.
"...and then..." Cere paused for dramatic emphasis, "The Wampa jumped down on Master Cordova!"
The kids let out a chorus of gasps, huddling closer to one another.
"What did Master Cordova do?" a girl toward the back asked.
"Well, he fought off the creature using - Oh, Trilla." Cere noticed the other woman.
"He used Trilla?" A child looked confused.
Trilla gave a short laugh and smirked down at the children when they turned and noticed her standing there.
"No, I would have brought down that silly creature sooner than he would, anyway."
A few laughs from the children; Trilla smiled with a little bow before approaching Cere. The older woman stood up and smiled at her now.
"I have good news, Trilla." she told her.
"Oh?" Trilla raised an eyebrow.
"Lucien has offered us a place here," Cere explained, "We can finally have a home. There will be no need to run from the Empire anymore."
Trilla's smile disappeared slightly. "You mean, hide away until we grow old and die?"
"Well, I wouldn't have put it quite like that." Cere looked a little confused by her abruptness. "This is where we can rebuild the Jedi order! Think about it!"
Trilla didn't care about that. She saw only the idea that they hid under a rock, waiting to die. She'd lived in a cage before and she had no intention on doing that again.
But then, she looked over when she spotted a large, Miraluka man being dragged away by two, heavily-armored women. She frowned curiously and noticed that Sienna was being led behind them, features ashen and terrified.
"Wait..." she said.
She followed them into the holding cells - a place made up of various Imperial class cargo ships. Sienna was standing there, grave as the two women who had been holding the Miraluka man led him down the dark corridors.
"Sienna?" she queried.
Sienna looked frightened. "It's him..."
"Who?" It took Trilla a moment before her eyes darkened. "Wait. It's him. Polemos, isn't it?"
Sienna nodded, letting out a strained laugh in response.
"I see." Trilla raised her chin, regarding Sienna for a moment. "Well? Are you going to face him now? He's right there, after all these years."
"I...I don't know if I can."
"Listen to me." Trilla urged, putting two hands on her shoulders. "You can do this. Your encouragement to move on...take that advice, Sienna. He is nothing but a cowardly dog who picks away at the bones of others. Face him. You are stronger now."
Sienna hesitated, took a deep, shaky inhale before nodding her head. "Alright."
O
Sienna was terrified.
She sensed it.
The creatures were distressed.
She made her way back home, welcomed immediately by the smells of blood and dimming colors of her father lying on the floor.
She nearly slipped on something, falling beside him.
"Papa?" Sienna whispered, frightened.
Victor gurgled softly. "Sienna, honey, please..." he begged, "Run. You have to run."
The sound of a lightsaber activating made Sienna jump; she let out a terrified whimper, felt the heat of the blade inches from her face.
"No!" Victor groaned, "Not in front of my daughter! Not..."
Polemos chuckled lowly. "To think that this little mutt wouldn't have to know her father dies if you hadn't taken Inanna-Shay from me."
Victor hissed through blood-soaked teeth. "Leave her alone!"
"Yes, I will." Polemos promised, leaning close to the frightened girl. "And she gets to live with that for the rest of her life."
Sienna screamed when it had happened.
She had laid by his corpse, crying; left alone in the dark with only the smells of blood and her sobs.
The Force around her had crackled, twisted when she'd forced herself to flee the very home she'd lived in all her life. Into the woods where nature fled from her.
She had cried, huddled into a corner of a nearby cave when the soft animal snarls had jolted her where she sat.
A Jotaz had approached her with curious snorts. Sienna could see that he held something in his teeth.
A large fish.
A rumbled, reaching out with one large hand and bumped his knuckles into her back. Sienna had stopped crying long enough to reach up with one hand and touch the leathery hide of the creature.
It was gentle, placing the fish at her feet and resting behind her to provide warmth.
"Thank you." Sienna said, softly.
Sienna stood there, swallowing thickly. She fought back her emotion as much as possible. She could see the swirls of color that made up Polemos; ugly twisted things with greys and tainted greens. The one who had murdered her father.
"Where was he?" she whispered, tone hollow.
Trilla noticed the man bound to the chair was wearing furs, several shapes and colors of armor fused together, boots made up of spikes and a head wrap of red colors. He had long, white hair tied up in several braids.
But he was truly watching them.
This was him? This was the monster that kept Sienna up at night?
"Polemos was found on a planet several systems away," one of the women said, "He fought, but the dirty coward wasn't strong enough for two of us."
Polemos smiled coldly with a show of teeth.
Sienna's eyes misted, her lips pursed. Trilla looked at her gravely. "Sienna."
"It'll be good of you to take him to Lucien, wouldn't it?" Sienna whispered, tone trembling.
She started to go, but Trilla stopped her hand. "Wait a minute, Sienna; you have a choice to make, don't you?"
Sienna frowned at her.
"Hm, yes, he's wanted dead or alive." one of the women said, "I get paid either way. This murderous scum won't last long when Lucien gets ahold of him."
Sienna looked at each one of them. Trilla smiled encouragingly. "Confront the murdering dog, Sienna," she told her, "Whatever you decide, we'll be here."
Sienna turned to Polemos, her eyes filling. She took a step toward him and sought answers. His features remained cold as stone when he faced the woman. Sienna smiled sadly, forcing resolve in her voice for a few moments.
"You're a lot smaller than I remembered." she whispered.
Polemos was silent, clearly studying her. Sienna's smile disappeared, twisting as she lost that resolve, the veneer of calm fading.
"Why?" she whispered, voice shaking, "Why did you kill my father?"
Polemos didn't answer. Trilla rolled her eyes at the lack of response and viciously kicked him in the midsection. He let out a high, pained shout and doubled over with a few coughs before he laughed hoarsely. Trilla smiled cruelly at the sight. She would have done much worse.
"Victor should have kept his distance," he snarled viciously, before spitting to the side. "I told him to. I warned him he had no place with our kind. He didn't take the hint."
Trilla could have easily killed Polemos right there and put an end to it. But she knew that Sienna needed to do this; she didn't want the woman to fall down a Dark path, but she had to understand what facing her father's killer truly meant.
Sienna's features crumbled and tears began to pour down her cheeks. She tilted her head, as if she couldn't fathom the depths of his cruelty.
"What?" Sienna gasped, "Is that all you have to say? For forcing me to grow up alone as a child? For everything you've done?"
She abruptly forced him back against the chair with a simple gesture of her hand, pinning him viciously to the wall. Polemos withered now and the others were stunned by the sight. Even Trilla blinked, eyes widening when Sienna shook, trembling with emotion.
"Wait, wait!" Polemos cried, "Look, you're a half-breed! Half-breeds are unnatural! Look at it from my side! Our species was on the verge of collapse! And I knew Inanna-Shay since we were kids! It wasn't fair that your father just took her from me!"
Sienna was uttering several seething breaths as she struggled to calm herself. Her hand was shaking and she was sobbing now. Trilla calmly reached up with one hand, took hers and she immediately snapped out of it, releasing Polemos from her hold.
Sienna looked at her, sniffled and every muscle relaxed in her hand. She smiled weakly, nodding once. The two women who had found the Miraluka looked down at Polemos.
"Well, looks like your fate is up to Lucien now," one of them said.
Sienna leaned close to Polemos, still in tears. "I Just want you to know that a mutt can kill you. But dealing with Lucien would be much worse than dealing with me and that's what you deserve."
Polemos was stunned by the words. "Wait, what?" he gasped. "Wait!"
Sienna was still shaking as she turned, leaving the cells, Trilla following behind her.
The woman was clutching her face with two hands, letting out several anguished, seething breaths. Trilla frowned, mildly concerned when Sienna's breathing came faster.
A distressed look came to her face now and Trilla noticed others had begun to see them. She scowled, bidding them away before making her way to Sienna's side the moment the woman dropped to her hands and knees.
"I - I can't breathe!" Sienna gasped, panic in her voice, "I can't - "
Trilla moved in front of her, cupped her cheeks and lifted her head, speaking severely. "You faced your fears and you looked at the monster hiding behind that man." she told her, "You could have crushed the life out of him, but you stayed the way you are."
Sienna was softly crying, lowered her eyes. "Oh, please..." she moaned.
Trilla hadn't realized she'd touched Sienna until the other woman's hands held her wrists in a feeble attempt for contact. It made her blink rapidly, a light gasp leaving her.
"Why am I so weak...?" Sienna quietly sobbed, shaking her head back and forth.
Trilla stared at her, brow wrinkling somewhat. Her lips parted, felt dry. She licked them somewhat before smiling.
"You're not." she said.
Sienna blinked, struggling to calm herself. She lifted her head, looking up at Trilla. This was the real Sienna; the one no longer hiding behind the barriers and the one in pain. This was the woman she had to be to live.
Trilla smiled hesitantly. The first time she'd felt this way was when she was younger; before the Empire had tainted her. The words were so strange, as if she spoke another language entirely.
Sienna furrowed her brow at her words, seemed to calm a little more before letting out a strained laugh, lowering her eyes. She suddenly seemed shy and held the hands at her cheeks, thumbs absently stroking them for comfort.
"You didn't let that evil change you." Trilla continued, gentle. She smiled weakly. "No matter what happened to you, you stayed the person you are. A kind, healing soul. So, no, you are not weak, Sienna." She hesitated again. "Not to me, anyway."
A timid smile lit Sienna's lips and she laughed quietly.
"Thank you."
O
Trilla practiced a few swings and stances that evening.
Greez was approaching her with a drink and he watched a few performances before clearing his throat, which didn't seem to sway Trilla's focus.
"Hey!" he said, "Brought you something."
"What?" Trilla asked, between breaths.
"A drink. I was working with that Aqualish guy in the kitchens. Has a few good tips!" Greez said. "This drink'll keep you hydrated."
Trilla sighed, stopped the movements of her saber and approached him. She took the glass, brought it up to her nose before sniffing it. She made a face, shook her head and frowned down at him.
"What is in this? Smells like the back end of a Bantha." she snapped.
Greez laughed dryly. "Yeah, don't say that too loud. Not like I got feelings or anything."
Trilla rolled her eyes. "Fine. I suppose I've had worse."
"Worse than the back end of a Bantha?"
A glare from Trilla and Greez grinned at her. "Kidding!"
She hesitated for a few moments before taking a careful drink from the glass. She made a face, smacked her lips before frowning down at it thoughtfully.
"Hm. It smells unholy, but it isn't that terrible." she remarked.
"Good! I'll let Po, know!"
He turned to go, but Trilla stopped him. "Wait," she said, "I need to ask you something."
Greez turned, looked up at her curiously.
"Do you see a place for us, here?" Trilla asked him. "A home?"
Greez glanced around them before laughing. "Well, I mean, home is where you hang your helmet, kid." he told her. "No matter where we are, as long as we got each other, that's home."
"That doesn't quite answer my question..."
Greez looked up when Cal and Merrin approached.
"Hey, what's..." Cal began. He noticed the drink in Trilla's hand. "Oh! Another one of Greez's drinks? Can I try it?"
Trilla smiled, speaking dryly. "Knock yourself out."
She offered him the glass and Merrin furrowed her brow, studying Trilla's distracted expressions.
"You're worried." she told her.
"Well, maybe," Trilla answered, "What do you think, Nightsister? The Empire will find this place. It's only a matter of time."
Cal took a drink of the glass, wrinkled his nose. "They've survived this long." he pointed out. "They were careful and - "
"What about those children?" Trilla interrupted, "Someone is bound to notice. Let's not forget that Assassin, Dillon. He nearly killed Sienna to reach me."
"That was an accident." Greez said. "Sienna was - "
"Nothing with Dillon is ever an accident." Trilla interrupted, with an impatient frown. "He hurt her to get to me."
"And why would he do that?" Merrin asked, with slight interest.
Trilla's frown faltered somewhat and she blinked, caught somewhat. "I..." she began. She sighed with irritation and shook her head. "Never mind why."
"The Empire hasn't found this place before." Cal reminded her. "We just need to stay low. Maybe they will lose interest eventually."
BD-1 let out an unconvinced noise that had Trilla glancing from him to Cal. "For once, the droid and I have an accord, Cal Kestis. You know as well as I that an Inquisitor will hunt their quarry until they themselves are destroyed."
"You think?"
"I would have."
O
The pack of Vornskr received Sienna's attention that evening near the waterfalls. She was petting them, listening to their thick noises.
"Yes, you're not so bad, are you?" she said, with a sad smile.
"Sienna?"
She tilted her head at the sound of Trilla's voice. "Trilla? Oh, hello."
Trilla walked up to her, frowned at the sight of the Vornskr resting around Sienna. They were growling softly at her now and Sienna calmed them with a few gentle pets.
"Those are Vornskr, Sienna," Trilla told her, as she rose.
"Yes, I know."
"They have been known to eat, Jedi."
"Fortunate for me that I'm not one, then, yes?" Sienna said, with a small laugh. She looked down at the creatures as one rubbed against her leg. "Misunderstood things, aren't they? I'm glad that Lucien is taking care of them."
Trilla frowned, studying the redness in Sienna's eyes. She hesitated, licked her lips before speaking.
"Are you...alright?" she asked.
"Hm? No, not really," Sienna admitted, with a quiet, miserable chuckle, "But I will be, in time. Polemos will be put to trial tomorrow morning. I don't want to be there when it happens. I can't look at him anymore."
"I see." Trilla agreed with that, to an extent.
They were silent for a moment and the air between them had grown warmer. Trilla watched her for a moment, then looked surprised when Sienna gestured in a small sweep of her hand.
"Could you...walk with me?" she asked.
"Yes." Trilla answered, nodding her head. She surprised herself with such a quick response.
Sienna looked happy with that response either way; she started to walk into the forest and Trilla followed alongside her.
They passed bioluminescent plants and Sienna's hand ran across one. Trilla marveled at the glow of life around her and Sienna chuckled, in awe of it as well.
"You can see the colors," she said, "How beautiful it makes everything in the dark."
Trilla made a small note of approval. Yes, that was true. Even she had to admit that there was a beauty to this world; broken things lost to time here, living and breathing. The Empire had not taken everything and there had been someone to preserve the lost and wretched.
It was admirable, really.
"This is such a wonderful place, isn't it?" Sienna said.
"Yes, I suppose it is." Trilla agreed.
Sienna seemed to be thinking of something. She hesitated once, then turned slightly to Trilla. "I understand you were troubled by my spending time with Kareena."
Trilla frowned intensely. "What did that woman feel compelled to gossip about?"
"Do you know why I spent time with her?" Sienna questioned, tone never changing. "I was learning a Miraluka dance. I want so much to get in touch with my culture. I've wanted that for a long time."
Trilla made a face. "Yes, I know..."
"But..." Sienna looked somewhat nervous now. "I had another reason. Perhaps I...was hoping to share that dance with you."
Trilla blinked, astonished by her words. She felt herself freeze, felt the warmth between them swell further. She stared down, watching Sienna's hands as they carefully took hers.
She saw the hopeful smile on the woman's face, smiled slightly in return.
She'd never felt so nervous before.
Why?
The woman looked so hopeful, so inviting. Something so simple, yet so sweet tugged at Trilla to grant her wish. She chuckled softly, watching as Sienna laced their fingers together and pressed their palms close. She stared at the woman and felt the dance steps as naturally as it was to bend the Force to her will.
They moved like they were meant to be one; the steps were simpler than Trilla was expecting them to be, but it was Sienna she was focused on the most. The way she smiled at her, the focus in her eyes only for her alone.
The warmth of her smile as she danced with Sienna in the night, the laughter, the peace that came with it.
She could be happy.
O
Note - The end of this chapter was inspired by the song "Only You" by Yaz. Sienna's flashback was inspired by the song "My Little Box" by Gabriel Mann.