Chapter 7: A Spectre
-.-.-.-
At wintry dawn, where o'er the sheep-track's maze
The viewless snow-mist weaves a glist'ning haze,
Sees full before him, gliding without tread,
An image with a glory round its head;
The enamoured rustic worships its fair hues,
Nor knows he makes the shadow he pursues!"
—"Constancy to an Ideal Object" by Samuel Taylor Coleridge
-.-.-.-
"If all you do is fight for your own life, then your life is worth nothing." —Hera Syndulla
-.-.-.-
No one can say where his path will take him, even for the duration of a single day. More difficult still to see is where one's path will intersect that of another warrior.
A warrior must always be alert for such meetings.
"What did they do now?" Hera said as she slowed the Ghost to a stop.
A Star Destroyer was enveloped in a chain of explosions with a massive green glow emanating from underneath. Clouds of debris and smoke pockets expanded from the crumbling vessel. It was a display of pure destruction set behind a disabled Imperial shuttle. Sabine and Ezra were safe inside the shuttle, waving timidly from the cockpit in the direction of the Ghost.
"Those two can't go anywhere without blowing something up," Zeb said.
Kanan sat silent beside Hera in the copilot seat, grateful that Sabine and Ezra were found and okay after their mission with Saw Gerrera. He was disturbed though by what he felt in the Force. He felt a bleeding cry of immense power that was quickly diminishing to nothing.
Engineers rescued from the Star Destroyer stood safely in the cargo bay of the Ghost, grateful for the liberation from the Empire. They would have been sent to Jedha to use their skills for the Empire's new projects. Hera stood before them now, making sure they were comfortable and otherwise okay.
Ezra watched the entrails of hyperspace speed past the observation window of the gun turret from the balcony above. His hand harshly gripped the turret gunner's seat as he looked on. He was grateful to be reunited with his family.
"As soon as we are able, we will plot a course for each of your home worlds," Hera said.
"Actually," an engineer said. "We have all decided to enlist in your cause."
Hera's eyes widened.
"We figured if the Empire valued our skills, they'd be better put to work serving you and the rebellion," the engineer continued.
"I'm sure command will be grateful for your commitment. Thank you," Hera said.
Kanan listened from the balcony above and shook his head. "I don't like the sound of this Kyber Crystal. It's the second one we prevented the Empire from getting their hands on."
"Saw seemed convinced they're trying to weaponize it somehow," Sabine said, standing next to Kanan. "Is that even possible?"
"At that scale? I don't know…" Kanan said, a hand on his chin in thought. He was worried and still shaken from feeling the Kyber Cyrstal cry out earlier.
"What if Saw's right?" Ezra said turning and walking toward them. "And the Empire is already on the verge of winning a war most of the Rebel Alliance doesn't believe has already begun?"
Hera pulled her arms around her a little tighter at Ezra's words.
A sudden lurch and the Ghost dropped out of hyperspace. Lights flickered as everyone lost balance. Zeb and the engineers caught Hera, and they braced against the hangar walls at the sudden change of velocity. Ezra fell forward into the railing above the cargo bay. Kanan and Sabine grabbed his arms at the same time and stopped him from falling over into the bay down below.
"Whoa, hold on kid!" Kanan shouted as Ezra grasped the railing with a groan.
Sabine saw the trails of hyperspace beyond the turret viewport fade into static balls of light. "What's happening?"
"Chop!?" Hera yelled.
Everything was still, and the Ghost was quiet. Hera's heart dropped as she realized the engines were shut down. She pushed off a wall and ran to a ladder. "What's going on!"
After a moment of no answer, berating warbles sounded from the cockpit. Zeb helped some engineers back to their feet, his eyes wide.
Hera grunted with worry and rushed up the ladder to the main deck. She was followed closely by Kanan, Ezra, Sabine and Zeb. She scrambled to her feet on the main deck and ran down the central corridor of the Ghost, sprinting by the lounge and staterooms, and burst into the cockpit. Starry but empty space moved slowly outside the viewport as the Ghost drifted slightly off its axis.
Chopper was plugged into the main console, turning the control. He was rerouting system power to enhance communications range. Hera knelt and placed her hand on the droid's head. Chopper turned his head to her and emitted frustrated warbles.
"An automated distress signal?" Hera said.
Chopper warbles doubtfully.
"What?" Hera looked down in confusion a moment. She shook her head. "That doesn't make sense."
She rose and made her way to the pilot's console. She pressed a button sequence and pulled up a visual representation of the signal.
"What's going on Hera?" Kanan said. Hera looked back and saw him standing in the doorway, with Sabine, Ezra and Zeb looking on from behind him.
"Why the sudden stop?" Ezra said.
"I—," Hera hesitated, eyeing each of their faces. She sat down in the pilot's seat. "I don't know. Chopper picked up a distress signal and dropped us out of hyperspace to keep us in range."
"Could've warned us first," Zeb said.
Chopper warbles defensively and extends his mechanical arms in emphasis. Zeb frowns and crosses his arms.
"It's unusual though. The signal was coded specifically for Chop to decrypt here on the Ghost, and it's—" Hera mentally recoiled and shook her head.
Kanan walked forward and placed a hand on her shoulder. He felt disbelief and confusion from her. Hera began flipping controls and moved the throttle levers to minimal power, priming the engines for a restart.
"Hera? Are we safe here?" Sabine said.
"Yeah no no we're okay here," Hera said. The Ghost began to groan to life as its engines came back to power. She manipulated more controls and focused the holographic map with the distress signal for everyone to see. It was within reasonable distance.
"It just doesn't make any sense to me," Hera said. She shifted around in her chair to face everyone, glancing up at Kanan and then looked at Sabine, Ezra and Zeb standing next to Chopper near the cockpit door. "The signal has unique encryption ciphers that I loaded into Chop years ago and haven't used since… well a long time ago. No one should know about them."
Hera paused, looking up at Kanan.
"The transponder codes… they identify with Grand Admiral Thrawn's Imperial authorization."
"Oh no no no," Zeb said raising his hands. "That is definitely a trap for us."
Everyone was quiet, eyes wide. The only sound was Chopper turning his mechanical socket connected into the Ghost. Chopper updated the map with distance and fuel usage counts from their location to the distress signal.
Sabine walked forward to examine the signal's read out more closely and sat in the copilot's seat. "What if it's real?"
Ezra frowned. "But why encode it only for us to decipher if he's truly in trouble? I'm sure the Empire could find him faster than we could with their resources."
"And why not mask the authorization...," Kanan considered. "This is almost too direct."
Ezra crossed his arms. "Did Kallus ever mention working with someone else as Fulcrum on the Chimaera?"
Kanan hummed in thought while Hera started punching controls to vector the Ghost toward the coordinates.
"I don't think we can ignore this," Hera said. "At the very least, we should investigate."
Zeb was worried and crossed his arms. "We're actually doing this?"
Hera punched in a location of space near the signal. "Kanan, you, Ezra and Sabine take the Phantom and scout the area around the distress signal. Chop mark up a jump to these coordinates."
Hera turned and looked at Zeb. "Zeb and I will watch for an ambush and pick you up at the first sign of trouble."
"Alright… I'll go man the turret," Zeb said with apprehension. "I still don't like this for the record."
"What if it's Thrawn?" Ezra said.
Everyone hushed, apprehensive. But Kanan felt an unusual reassurance from the Force.
"No matter who it is," Kanan said, nodding. "We'll help them if they're in trouble."
"And apprehend them if they are trouble," Sabine said. "We could acquire valuable intel at the very least."
"Yeah…," Ezra said, doubtful. He watched Hera fly the Ghost to a new vector. He usually loved this part, jumping into hyperspace, but the thrill was mixed with fear of the unknown of what they would find.
Hera pushed forward on the throttle controls, and the Ghost leapt into hyperspace in a brilliant swirl of blue.
-.-.-.-
Rukh didn't want to move. He inserted his data chip and keyed the pre-coded signal on his console, but then his body started to betray his pain and exhaustion. He sat slumped in the Imperial shuttle's pilot seat unable to raise his arms anymore to maneuver. Too many broken bones, and just… tired.
The shuttle drifted aimlessly at the coordinates Thrawn made him memorize so long ago. Rukh could only watch the stars drift through his drooping eyes. It would have been beautiful were turmoiled thoughts not swirling in his mind. Is he still alive… Can they survive without him… How long will I have to wait here… How long will I last…
He had to able to tell—
Time became muddled. Rukh wasn't sure if he fell asleep or kept staring at the same set of stars for eternity.
A beeping sound emitted from the console. Rukh looked through blurry vision at a blinking light.
They heard it.
-.-.-.-
Sabine brought the Phantom to a stop beside an inactive Imperial shuttle.
"Hera, it was a little tough to find with its systems powered down," Sabine said into the comm. "But we found an Imperial transport at the coordinates from the beacon. No response to our hails, but no signs of any other ships."
"Yet," Zeb said over comm from the Ghost.
Ezra smiled and rolled his eyes.
"Okay I'll keep watch from here too, but nothing else we see from here either," Hera said over the comm. Her voice held apprehension. "Still, be careful… this is an odd situation."
"We need to get on board," Kanan said feeling through the Force. "Start the docking sequence Sabine, and Ezra and I can go check it out."
Sabine maneuvered them to dock with the Imperial transport.
"Can you tell if… they're human?" Ezra said.
Kanan rose to his feet and looked at Ezra. Even behind the mask, Ezra could feel his master's stare. Kanan understood the question below the surface. Is Grand Admiral Thrawn on that shuttle?
The Phantom's airlock hissed as Sabine connected with the Imperial transport.
"The seal is good and secured," Sabine said.
Kanan shook his head and put his hand on Ezra's shoulder. "Not human. Though… I don't think it's Thrawn."
Kanan squeezed Ezra's shoulder and smirked as he walked to the airlock. Sabine gave Ezra a questioning look. "You really think it's Thrawn?" she said.
"Maybe. It could be."
Sabine took an unsure breath. "I'll be on comm the whole time; talk to me if you can over there. Be careful."
Ezra smiled. "Aren't I always?"
Sabine raised an eyebrow, her expression making Ezra laugh. "Don't worry Sabine, we'll be careful."
Ezra turned and made his way to Kanan. As they went through the airlock, Ezra noticed Kanan was holding his lightsaber ready in his hand.
Kanan ignited it as they entered the Imperial transport. He was ready to defend Ezra and himself, but also used it to light the way for Ezra as the transport was powered down except for essential power. Ezra saw a slumped figure in the pilot's seat and put his hand on Kanan to stop his advance.
"There's someone there at the controls," Ezra whispered.
"Hello?" Kanan announced. "Can you hear me?"
No response, the figure didn't move.
"We're not here to fight," Ezra said. He laughed nervously, and his gaze drifted to Kanan's lightsaber... "Despite the lightsaber..."
Kanan slowly stepped forward, feeling through the Force. It was so quiet except for a beeping trill. Ezra saw a light blinking on the console.
"I should deactivate the signal," Ezra said.
"Good thinking," Kanan said. Kanan stopped behind the pilot's chair, and Ezra reached over to the console, punching a button sequence. The beeping stopped.
Ezra looked down at Ruhk with wary concern. Definitely not Thrawn... Rukh was unconscious and breathing softly. Ezra gently touched his shoulder.
"Hey, can you hear me?" he said.
"Is there a pack somewhere Ezra?" Kanan suddenly asked.
Ezra looked up to his master, confused, then scanned the shuttle around them. A pack rested on the floor to the side of the copilot's seat.
"Uh, yeah...," Ezra said. Kanan held onto the back of the pilot's chair with one hand and lifted his other carrying the lightsaber to further direct the light for Ezra. Ezra cautiously knelt down and opened the pack. He gasped and delicately reached inside.
Kanan rose his eyebrows, waiting for confirmation about feeling something familiar.
"It's... it's Hera's Kalikori!" Ezra said, delicately raising the totem, inspecting it. It seemed undamaged. Kanan sighed in relief.
Ezra glanced in the pack again and reached inside. "There's also some sort of data drive in here."
"Hmm, we'll need to bring that back to command."
Rukh stirred and grunted.
"Whoa, hey hey," Kanan said softly, moving his hand to Rukh's shoulder. "Are you injured?"
Ezra quickly put the Kalikori and data drive back into the pack and stepped over to kneel next to Rukh.
"My name's Ezra, and this is my master Kanan. What's your name?"
Rukh's eyes were tense, and he was apprehensive, as he gathered his senses. He blinked and focused on Ezra's face. A spark of recognition-
"Rukh," he whispered through quaking breath. Rukh shakily tried to raise his right arm toward the shuttle's console, but he grunted in pain. Ezra reached for Rukh's arm and held it gently.
"Must have a few broken bones," Kanan said.
Rukh stuttered a breath and nodded toward the console where the blinking light was flashing earlier. "The data chip, take it..."
Ezra gently lowered Rukh's arm to his lap and found the slot where a data chip was inserted. He ejected the data chip and beheld the clear, rectangular piece of technology.
"Give it to your droid... it will... explain...," Rukh trailed off as his eyes became heavy.
"Hey, Rukh, stay awake now," Kanan said.
"Kanan, Ezra!" Sabine exclaimed over their comm. Her voice was stressed. "Get moving, a contact just appeared nearby; it's scanning us!"
Ezra inhaled and looked up to Kanan. Kanan deactivated his lightsaber and hooked it to his belt. He started unfastening Rukh from the pilot's seat. "Grab the pack, Ezra; I'll carry him out!"
"Alright!"
Ezra slipped the data chip into a back pocket and hurried over to the pack. He glanced inside once more to make sure the Kalikori and data drive was inside and pulled it closed. He slung it over his shoulder and stood up, as Kanan heaved Rukh into his arms.
"Let's go!" Ezra said.
Sabine roared the Phantom's enginesto life and quickly disconnected from the Imperial shuttle once Kanan, Ezra and Rukh were on board.
"Who's our guest?!" Sabine said, glancing back.
"His name's Rukh," Kanan exclaimed, setting him down on the floor. "We'll find out more later!"
"What found us?" Ezra said, jumping into the copilot's seat.
"An Imperial light cruiser," Sabine said, maneuvering away from the shuttle. More targets showed up on the console originating from the light cruiser. "And some Ties..."
Suddenly another target flashed from hyperspace close overhead, shifting the Phantom in it's wake. The Ghost veered in front of them and lowered below the Phantom's vector. It's turret began to erupt in muffled rebukes, firing at the approaching Tie Fighters.
Hera's commanding voice filled the Phantom's cockpit. "Attach quickly Sabine! We need to get out of here!"
Tie Fighters began to explode as Zeb yelled in triumph. Sabine maneuvered forward, careful to avoid Zeb's firing solution, and set the Phantom down on the Ghost's docking apron.
"We're secure, Hera!" Sabine said as she power-locked the Phantom down.
They lurched forward as Hera propelled the Ghost toward a jump vector. Ezra and Sabine braced on the Phantom's console and passively watched out of the cockpit window. Laser-fire and Tie Fighters buzzed across their view. More explosions rocked them, and burning pieces of a Tie Fighter peppered their hull. They swerved and pivoted as Hera guided them through the skirmish.
They straightened on a vector, and suddenly the light around the Ghost brilliantly flashed in pseudomotion as the Ghost's hyperdrive powered up. It groaned in strength as the stars battled a pseudo-shift.
The stars eventually relented, and the Ghost, with the Phantom safe upon its back as its quarry, flashed into hyperspace.
-.-.-.-
The Chimaera broke through the swirls of hyperspace with a mastered elegance that spoke of measured countenance. Though, it was bereft of serenity. Its leader was lost… taken, its future unsure. She knew amongst a few… why.
Commodore Faro let go.
She sat alone at Thrawn's desk in a muddled mess of emotions. She held her head in her hands and let her tears flow freely. She sobbed in mental anguish, finally releasing the stress of her precarious position. She didn't want this.
The spherical statue of a world flanked by two reptilian creatures stood behind her in the dim lighting of the suite. The Jedi Guardian mask that stood to her right on its stand upon the surface of the desk, observed her trembling form.
The carnage from the struggle between Vader and Thrawn remained strewn throughout the room. Smoke still rose even now from the shattered torso of a Sentinel Droid. Faro left it all there. She didn't want to face the reality yet of what happened. She wasn't ready to face her shame resulting from her inability to prevent what happened.
Faro trembled in fear not only for herself but for the crew of the Chimaera as well. Surely, they would all be watched from now on by Lord Vader. The burden of the responsibility of command coupled with that scrutiny was too much for her to handle right now.
Faro must be careful to obey and fulfill her duty as the leader of the Chimaera.
But what of the Seventh Fleet? Who would take over…
A low hum began to reverberate from the ceiling, followed by a soft, blue glow emanating throughout the suite. However, Faro didn't notice as her hands covered her face in sorrow. She continued her internal battle to constrain her burdens within but was clearly failing to do so.
"Commodore Faro," Thrawn said. His voice was melancholic and smooth.
Faro immediately stopped breathing and whipped her head up. Her bloodshot and overflowing eyes found the life-size form of Grand Admiral Thrawn shrouded in blue light looking back at her in the middle of the suite. He was standing straight and unyielding in his pristinely white uniform, his hands behind his back.
It was like seeing a ghost.
Her heart raced as she quickly stood up, panicked, and took a deep breath. In the same motion, her feet instinctively stepped backward, and Faro tripped on her chair. Her left hand caught herself on the back of the chair while her right quickly tried to erase the tears and emotion from her face.
"Grand Admiral Thrawn! What…," Faro said. But Thrawn continued in his smooth voice.
"I apologize if this comes as a surprise to you, for the circumstances that would allow this recording to be delivered and released mean that— "
Thrawn paused, and his eyes narrowed. He pursed his lips as if he were reluctant to continue. Faro's heart dropped and broke again as a small hope was shattered within. She realized this was a recording and not a live transmission. Her breath stuttered with emotion and she stopped wiping away the tears from her face.
Thrawn's crimson eyes seemed to glisten in the holo-recording as he continued. His voice was more hushed than before.
"This message means that I… have failed my mission… and regardless of the finality of whatever fate has befallen me, I am otherwise unable to perform my duties as Grand Admiral aboard the Chimaera."
Faro's eyes widened as they slowly overflowed. Tears sluggishly trailed down her cheeks. Thrawn looked down.
"I hold hope that I needlessly prepare this message, but I would be foolish not to do so. I am not able to see like I once was capable."
Thrawn's eyes rose back up and glinted with a melancholy wisdom.
"I have had other messages prepared for you in the past, but I find myself preparing yet another should something unseen befall my fate after what we have discovered during our mission to Batuu and Mokivj. I record this message as we travel from the Unknown Region."
Thrawn took a deep breath, as if considering his next words.
"Vader has grown suspicious of my loyalties; he has, in fact, directly challenged me of it."
Faro's memories flashed back to their mission in the Unknown Region. The faces of the Chiss children are distinctly etched into her mind as they held terror when they emerged, rescued, from the shuttle in the Chimaera's hangar bay. And their relief when they saw Grand Admiral Thrawn walk to greet them…
She also remembered Thrawn and Vader standing alone at the command viewport many times, out of earshot of the rest of the crew, as Thrawn was always negotiating with Lord Vader. Vader and Thrawn had many meetings alone in Thrawn's office. Did Vader threaten him then? Perhaps she never realized the danger through which Thrawn had to navigate for himself…
"My people are dying, Karyn."
Faro recoiled. Thrawn's eyes narrowed with sadness; the same sadness she recently saw upon him in-person. His voice swam with contained emotion.
"And I fear the fault lies with me that their time grows short. I have received reports even now that the Grysks have begun operations against them."
Faro remembered the battle against the Grysks.
-.-
The battle against the Grysks raged outside the Chimaera's command viewport. Explosions and laser fire beamed nearby as fighters danced among the battle.
Faro watched Thrawn for guidance and orders, but she suddenly became worried. He was unfocused and his face became suddenly rigid. Was he going to faint?
"Sir?" Faro asked tentatively.
"Yes, Commodore?"
"Sorry, sir," Faro apologized. "The way you were looking out at Bogey One… are you alright sir?"
"I am," Thrawn said. "I was pondering the problem of mixed loyalties, and the decisions one must sometimes make. Lieutenant Lomar hail the Grysks."
The comm channel opened and Thrawn spoke in a language she couldn't understand. Though Thrawn spoke it beautifully.
"End transmission," he said in Basic.
"Sir?" Faro asked. "May I ask…"
"I gave my name and warned them to cease operations against us. The survivors of this battle may take the warning to heart. Their masters, unfortunately, will not."
-.-
Faro now realized that Thrawn's eyes were haunted in the memory. She wondered more about what exactly Thrawn said to the Grysks during that battle. Had he said something that endangered his people? And saved their own lives instead?
"All life in this galaxy is precious to me… but there are evil things in this galaxy Commodore. Things far more evil than what the Empire labels upon the insurgents and pockets of rebellion in this galaxy. I have experienced some, while others are only rumor."
Faro was shocked on instinct at his words. Was he implying the Empire was wrong? But then she thought of Lord Vader and what the Dark Lord did… perhaps she should examine the galaxy a little more closely.
A weary anger shimmered in Thrawn's eyes, masking the sadness. His voice held a clipped edge.
"The Grysks are one of those threats… but they are merely a branch toward another. At the expense of my own people, I have given the Empire and the rest of the galaxy time to prepare for their invasion… Though I fear my warning to Lord Vader will not be headed, or even passed on to the Emperor at all.
"I held the hope once that this galaxy could be united and confront those threats together in strength."
Thrawn shook his head and paused. He smirked after a moment and looked up again. What is he thinking? I wish I could speak to him now…
"As time grows short, I wonder that it might be Lord Vader or even the Emperor himself that may cause this message to be released to you Commodore Faro. Perhaps not; perhaps an accident or… battle has caused this, but… I may be required to choose once more between my people and the Empire, and I'm not so sure I will be able to make a strategic move that serves both in the future.
"There is only so much I can say here." Thrawn huffed out a bitter breath. "Time is short. In fact, there is something I think I must see before our return to Lothal. If it is safe, I will tell you of it."
Faro's face scrunched with sadness. She walked forward around the front of the desk to stand closer to his holographic image. As she rounded the front of the desk, she noticed his left thumb rubbing his right wrist. Faro recognized his habit, and her heart dropped further in sorrow.
She sat on the surface of the desk, supporting herself in front of the unmoving image of her Grand Admiral. Were it not for the blue hue, she could trick herself into believing that he was alright, healthy and standing before her now. She wiped at her face and left a fist covering her mouth as she suppressed the full measure of her grief.
Thrawn's eyes glimmered with a familiar sadness.
"I'm proud of you Karyn," Thrawn said. He paused and lowered his chin. "I hope that whatever has befallen us, and ended our time together, will not linger upon your conscience… that it will pass on… and not leave its burden upon you. The Chimaera and her crew will follow you. I entrust them to you and am comforted that it is you that lead them now.
"You will be alright. Do what you must to survive."
Thrawn took in a deep breath and paused. But he let out the breath and lowered his gaze to the side as if he had just decided against saying something. He blinked slowly and looked up once again.
"It's been many years since I've seen another member of my people… to see those children, frightened and afraid… nearly taken from me— my people—" Thrawn clinched his eyes shut and lowered his head. He furrowed his brow, huffing a breath, and visibly swallowed. Willing a memory away from his past? Faro had seen that same reaction on battle-ridden soldiers before…
"Do what you must to survive, Karyn," Thrawn said quietly. He slowly raised his head and opened his eyes.
He nodded and smiled slightly even though his eyes spoke sorrow.
"You'll be alright."
Thrawn stared for a moment longer, and then his holo-image fizzled away.
"No…" Faro cried, reaching forward into the air. Her balance was unprepared though, and she fell to her knees. Her right hand was cut upon razor sharp shards of plastoid and metallic debris as she tried to stop her fall. Faro hissed with a sob, as she yanked it to her chest. She cradled it with her left hand, covering the blood flowing from her palm. Blood oozed down her arm and dropped over her uniform and onto the floor.
"Ow," she murmured in pain, her tears beginning to flow like an unbroken stream. Perhaps the pain helped release her sorrow. She curled inward upon herself, gripping her injured hand tightly, and sobs wracked her body.
Faro knelt alone in her anguish upon the metallic floor, surrounded by the destruction of Vader's wrath.
-.-.-.-
The Chimaera's medical baywas pearly white and bright. It was in stark contrast to the dark and haunted thoughts swirling within the mind of its Chief Medical Officer. Zahara stood over a bed in the triage entrance lobby, as if in a frenzied trance, her ECM-598 Medical Backpack laid open upon it. The pack's medical contents were strewn in a messy pile across the bed's surface. She buried herself into the task of organizing everything again, making it new, and replacing items... replacing items used on her Grand Admiral.
No, don't think about it- Focus on the task-
Laser scalpel... here- Blood pressure regulator... here- Anti-venom... here- Bandages... here-
Her hands reached with practiced purpose, efficiently shoving items into place where they were meant to be. The medical staff gave her space, recognizing her stress. They had never seen her like this before. No one spoke to her since she returned from the hangar bay. Since she abandoned her Grand Admiral...
Oxygen mask... FLASH-
-.-
Labored breathing- Gagging- Thrawn's face in her grasp- Pulse weak-
"Let the machine breathe for you, sir"-
Shoulders heaving- "It's alright..."-
Tape ripping- Crimson eyes filled with pain-
VADER'S MASK-
-.-
Zahara fell away from the flashback with a muffled gasp and staggered to her right into a metal table. The table fell over with a loud crash, and medical instruments clanged across the floor. The medical bay stopped and fell into a crisp silence, everyone's attention redirected toward the noise.
Zahara was frozen. She couldn't look away from the oxygen mask in her hands. She was locked in a stalemate with her own mind, her breathing heavy and rapid. The mask's shape became distorted in her increasingly strained grasp.
White, armored hands slowly appeared and moved to cover her own. They hesitated expecting a reaction but tenderly enveloped her hands. Zahara flinched but otherwise didn't move, her anxiety and internal focus unchanged. They were gentle hands despite being armored and lightly increased their pressure.
"Hey..." The voice was soft and timid, trying not to scare her. The fingers of the white, armored hands slowly curled a little more around her own hands and squeezed twice.
Zahara's eyebrows raised, and her pupils focused, coming back to the present. She took in a stuttered breath and held it. Her hands started to shake and released their tension on the oxygen mask.
"Zahara... hey..." The voice was quieter than before, though filled with the same concern.
Zahara exhaled slightly and flicked her eyes up. She met the worried and tender eyes of Stormtrooper Commander Ayer.
-.-.-.-
"Dense fog was flying along everywhere. I had my hands cupped around a tiny light which threatened to go out at any moment... I looked back... my own shadow on the swirling mists, brought into being by the little light I was carrying."
—Memories, Dreams, Reflections by Carl Jung
A Brocken Spectre
-.-.-.-