CHAPTER 15
Heroes No More
"You either die a hero – or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain."
Katarr, 14 BBY
Dead City Wastes
Trilla descended the loading ramp of the Fury for the first time in an increment she had no knowledge of. Despite what had transpired during her bout of madness, she had cleaned herself up, knowing that projecting dominance could mean the difference between defeat and victory in a duel. Her stride was composed, nonchalant, but also with structured purpose in each step she took.
All of that faded when her boots hit the ground.
This world was dead…perhaps even worse than dead. Her hand twitched towards a wounded heart at its core, but she could not even feel the Force surrounding it. Even the greenery surrounding her had no connections to each other, all of them damaged by an incomprehensible menace. Not even a breeze blew across her face, leaving nothing but a stark silence across the world.
Something horrible had happened here. She felt sickened just walking its surface, as if whatever had happened was ongoing, attempting to sever her connection to the Force as well.
But she pressed on. Her ultimate quarry was here…she could feel him among the shattered remains of this dead world, but as to why he would choose this place was beyond her immediate knowledge. How anyone could survive here was an excellent question for another time.
What she did know: her imbalanced ended here…today, once and for all. With Eon dead, she would never again question herself, and she would finally be able to become the Emperor's Wrath she was always meant to be.
"Rava, stay with the ship," she ordered.
The VI stopped her roll per Trilla's command, just as she hit the ground. "As you wish, Trilla Suduri."
Trilla snorted. "What? No Wrath?"
"No," Rava shook her domed head. "I believe this may be your greatest test thus far, and you will not emerge the same woman you are now."
Trilla's eyes paced away, locking on the setting sun at the horizon…the only visible body that projected the Force back to her. "That much is certain."
Rava's head angled towards the ground in a bowing motion. "Good luck, and may the Force be with you."
Trilla watched Rava roll back up the ramp, processing those words she had not heard in a very long time. In her trance, she spotted her Jedi avatar standing behind the ramp, her arms crossed, before disappearing behind it, out of view. Grimacing and smacking the side of her head, Trilla turned on her heel and set off down the only path she could determine.
What lay ahead was a collection of city ruins that had been consumed by vines and plants, some buildings towering many stories until their tops gave way to destruction. The architecture was very classical, similar to what she had seen in the city of Theed on Naboo, minus the over-extravagance of the lake-centered city.
Walking the empty streets was slightly unsettling, especially with the all-consuming silence that surrounded her, and the roaring of the engines had left her ears ringing against the sudden change in volume. Occasionally, there would be a distant sound of whining metal…but that was all. There were no animals to be found…not even insects.
Every living, breathing thing was gone.
"What's your game, Eon?" she whispered to herself. "Why come here?"
"He's trying to make you the prey," the Second Sister answered for her, keeping pace at her side.
Trilla ignored the figment of her imagination and picked up the pace, trying to outrun herself, only to find that her reflection followed her exact movements. "You must break them before you engage them," Second Sister recited. "Don't you remember those words? He's using that against you."
She brought up a good point, to be honest…but then again, how could her imagination make suggestions that she hadn't considered? Unless of course, she had thought of it, and then it was projected via the image of her previous self and perceived as an idea suggested by another.
I'm losing my mind.
Although, when Trilla turned back, the Second Sister was gone, conveniently right after her mind had made that distinction.
Ignore them. Xur Eon is out there.
The zabrak's signature was distinct among the emptiness of the planet, and its radiance was much more obvious than she was used to from him…which meant he had to be purposely projecting it. Xur had always been good at hiding himself…she of all people should know…and for him to be this easy to detect had to be more than accidental.
Trilla walked through the city and came to a tree line that spread into a forest. The trees were perfect in a sense, arranged in an almost symmetrical pattern one by one. It was odd, but all of that was a moot point against Xur's prominent presence. She spotted her Jedi self once again, darting from behind trees one by one, her hilt in hand as she peeked over.
Just like Ossus.
To her left she spotted herself as the Second Sister, her helmet donned and pacing through the trees with a savage tenacity, blade ignited. Eventually, she noticed that as she pressed through the trees, her two avatars were approaching on a collision course, until the three of them came together in a circular clearing.
On a tree stump around the center was Xur Eon, sitting with his inquisitor hilt on his lap. The inquisitor in her screamed to ignite her blade and approach, but she instead analyzed what played out before her, slowly approaching him with a guarded stance. She wasn't on home turf, and as it seemed, she would be playing by his rules.
His blue eyes locked on to her, and he shouted over the distance. "I wondered how long it'd take you to get here!"
Trilla probed the area but sensed no danger. "You knew I was coming?"
Xur smirked. "Of course," he answered, slowly rising to his feet. "I always know when you're coming."
The taunting was already infuriating her, and the closer she got to him, the angrier she became. Before her was the source of all her misery, all her imbalance…just a fallen horned-headed Jedi with a quick wit and unmatched deception. However, she caught herself in that moment. Underestimating his cunning and skill had been her downfall, and Trilla was never one to be fooled twice. To charge in now, like last time, would result in her hilt knocked out of her hand, and her on her knees.
They both stopped, a measurable distance away, probing each other. Xur let his hands fall to his hips. "I like the new getup. It's fancy."
Trilla grimaced. "I've had enough of you infecting my mind. Your continued avoidance from Imperial justice ends here."
"Imperial justice," Xur scoffed. "You sound just like all the others…a drone. Has your collective consciousness given you your orders yet?"
"Has First Sister finished suckling you?" Trilla shot back, and his expression lost its smugness. "Oh yes, I know. Being the Emperor's Wrath allows me privileged access to most Imperial information."
It was a bluff, mostly. She had no knowledge of the First Sister's true identity, but with Xur's reaction, it wouldn't much matter.
"So that's why you're all dressed up," he mocked. "You're the Emperor's Wrath…" he snickered to himself. "Oh, you're adorable."
"Mock me all you wish. I have evolved far beyond what you could possibly imagine."
The zabrak fell into a guarded stance, losing the nonchalant pace he adopted. "Listen to me, Trilla. Here's how this is going to go. You're going to put down your lightsaber and come with me, now, or the two of us are going to fight, and only one of us will make it out of here alive."
Trilla sneered. "The ladder sounds perfect to me."
"Dammit Trilla, don't be stupid!" Xur urged. "This doesn't have to be like Zeffo. The two of us can throw down our weapons and figure this out. I don't want to fight you."
"Oh?" Trilla questioned. "That is unfortunate," she growled, her double blade igniting with its purple-green hue. "Because I want to destroy you!"
Xur's expression fell, his desperation becoming more apparent. "I've seen what you've been through, and I've seen where it leads. There's nothing for you on this path Trilla, nothing! You'll become like this planet, visibly beautiful on the outside, but within…cold, dead and lifeless."
His words were like a plague upon her mind, stabbing at her walls with a tenacity unrivaled. Her continued resistance to them deepened her hatred and tightened her grip on her hilt.
And then he said it. "I know what it's like to break."
That…now that drove her insane.
"You could never understand!" Trilla shouted, spit flying from her lips. "You have not suffered as I have…you could never comprehend what it means to break."
"You think all this time, all those people – Kaidan, Effa, you – all becoming inquisitors didn't happen for a reason?" Xur questioned, approaching slightly. "Has it ever crossed your mind? They tortured you, all of you, to get to me."
"Bullshit," Trilla spat. "What does the Empire care about you?"
"Oh, you have no idea," he shook his head. "If you truly believe that all of us wearing that uniform is some kind of coincidence, then you really are lost."
"I was lost long ago," she shook her head, angling her blade in a ready stance. "That pain has made me stronger than I ever was before…and now…you shall experience it, cut by cut. And then, maybe, you can say you know what it's like to break."
Xur shut his eyes, accepting the inevitable as his bleeding blade snapped to life. "You're deranged, Trilla, and I want you to know that despite all of this, I still care for you…but I will do what needs to be done. You're a threat, and if you persist as one, you will leave me no choice."
Trilla held her blade steady, and her ears had tired of his words worming into her skull. Pooling her energy within the Force, she fazed forward and attacked.
As the two of them engaged in their collision course, Xur's perception slowed to a crawl. Despite the rage they both had bottled up within each other, the initiation of their hostilities was undeniably quiet. Trilla's unmatched speed met no resistance in the non-existent wind, cutting through space like a hidden blade, even with her intense ferocity. He held his blade in a defensive pose, held back with two hands as he prepared to swing, timing it to the moment her speed would grind back to a halt.
Trilla appeared before him in an instant, and he swung with battering-ram power, crashing into her blade as she swung, only this time it remained in her grip. There was surprise on his face as she already felt stronger than before, their next exchanges leaving distinct cascades of sparks as their blades clashed together with burning intensity. Xur recognized her masterful use of Form II Makashi, utilizing much better footwork to maintain her leverage and project an illusion of superior strength. He knew better of course, since strength could be enhanced through the Force, and his connection to it was stronger than hers.
Dialing it up, Xur parried her final swing of a recognizable attack pattern and went on the offensive, increasing his strength and falling into Form V Djem So, forcing Trilla to defend herself against the growing onslaught. She held up well, but the pain and strain were beginning to show on her face as her teeth grit with each deflection. Striking at the opportunity, Xur swung sideways and then overhead, resulting in a cross-guard saber lock as Trilla held him off, her stance and leverage enough so.
Trilla eventually relinquished the hold and kicked off his chest, backflipping away from him to finally earn herself a moment to refresh.
"Too much for you?" Xur said, holding his blade at the ready.
"Seen it before," she shrugged, and then zipped to the left, vanishing from existence for a moment before reappearing.
"Run all you want," he taunted. "Your fancy disappearing act doesn't work on me."
"Only has to work once."
When she fazed forward again, that was when Xur was caught off guard, as she began a relentless athletic assault on his defenses with only one blade ignited. This was Form IV, Ataru, something he had never seen her pull off. In fact, as an inquisitor, he had witnessed her many times attempt it in their training duels, only to either become too engaged in executing attack strings or simply lose her balance. Practitioners of Makashi had an especially difficult time adopting Ataru, since its aggression couldn't give a damn about proper leverage and methodical attacks.
But with her unnatural affinity for extreme speed, Xur found it extremely difficult to keep up with her, and she hit home with a cross slash that grazed his back. Instead of reeling from the pain, Xur pooled it, just as he had learned, batting her blade with a powered swing and pushing her away with an outstretched hand.
The zabrak rubbed his back as she cartwheeled back onto her feet. "Same damn spot."
She said nothing and reengaged, only this time Xur parried off her first swing and kicked her away. As she stumbled, he marched forward, pressing the attack and forcing her to backpedal in defense as they exchanged, falling back into the trees. Their blades cut through bark and seared the trunks as errant swings fell out of their duel, Trilla trying to earn back the offensive turn as Xur relentlessly continued. To her luck, she was finally able to regain proper footing and force a saber lock.
Through the sparking contact of their blades, she saw his eyes filling with that same rage she had seen on Zeffo. The longer they continued…and frankly, the more she hurt him…the more he would become immersed in the Dark Side. Knowing that and seeing the despair that worked its way over his expression, she smirked his way. He didn't react, his eyes only flashing to her blade momentarily, and she realized too late that his attention had already refocused.
She ignited her second blade and slashed across, only to see him deactivate his and watch her miss him entirely, stuck in an exposed position from her overswing. Trilla only watched in shock as his hand rocketed forward and wrapped itself around her neck, his other hand holding her hilt back. Her lungs screamed as they were deprived of air, his grip tightening as he pushed her backwards, folding her body in an improper position. Gasping with her mouth gaping open, she felt her vision tunnel through his yellowing eyes, his growing anger terrifying in every right.
Trilla thought fast and desperate, dropping her hilt and freeing both hands, pulling him into a headlock and planting her boot on his chest. Flipping over, she forced his grip from her neck and slammed his body into the dirt, knocking his own hilt free. Utilizing her flexibility to keep her leg across his chest, she pinned him and swung her fist at his head, only to see him grab her arm by the wrist and toss her off with a heavy heave.
"Look at you," she gasped, finally regaining her normal breathing pattern as she scrambled back to her feet. "So much rage!"
"I told you," he replied, wiping blood from his mouth. "All your hatred, I get it."
Trilla stood at the ready, eyeing her hilt behind him, as he was surely eyeing his behind her. "How could you possibly?" she spat. "You've never been betrayed as I have been."
"No," Xur shook his head. "I've had it worse."
She clenched her fist, threatening to crush her own bones. "You're a liar. You've always been a liar. Every time I see you, it's under another guise, another deception at work. All that time you spent at my side, and for what? What could you possibly hope to gain?"
"I may have deceived you, but not once did I lie to you," he insisted. "Everything I told you was the truth, and I did it to help you. Even now, you're fighting the only fight that has ever truly mattered, and all I ever wanted…was to help you win it. That's why I stayed, and that's why we're standing here now, and I don't care if I have to drag you to the finish line."
"There is no fight," Trilla shook her head, pacing him in a circular motion. "There is no conflict. There never has been. All I've ever dreamed about is killing you, and once you're dead at my feet, I will finally be free of your corruption…finally free of the imbalance that you have placed upon me!"
Xur realized it in that moment. He had let the Dark Side take over when he had latched onto her neck, and if he continued at that rate, he would only fuel the darkness that was tearing her apart inside…and one of them would surely be killed. His mother had trained him to embrace his darkness, to control it if need be…but his master had taught him how to utilize it and expel it when necessary. There was no control in his embrace, in fact all he could equate his darkness was with chaos, and chaos would not bring Trilla back.
He could not watch her die again.
"All this time…all that confidence you had. Where did it go?" he asked. "Before me, you were perhaps the most lethal of them all, literally toying with your prey. I heard the stories…how many Jedi you killed, and how you killed them. None of them even compared to you.
"Then I come in, and all of that is gone. Your order became chaos, your systematic thoughts tangled and shattered…you even let a little Padawan get away from you."
"And you, slayer of many of our brothers and sisters, were reduced to an emotionally shattered shell of your former being," she retorted. "All because of your superficial obsession with my fate. You never cared. Not even then. Not even now."
Xur shook his head. "That's not true."
"Oh?" she questioned. "How long until you crack and betray yourself? Is that what you want the galaxy to remember? All those resistance fighters, partisans and insurgents…what would they think of a man who cares so little about the others around him?"
Xur scoffed. "You…are lecturing me about being selfish?" he asked, chucking in disbelief. "Oh, that's just fucking perfect."
"Tell me this: what went through your mind when you saw my face?" she asked. His tone adjusted, and she spotted his fist clench, feeling his mind race and recall his emotions at the time. "Ah…yes," she snickered, her eyes closed. "The anger…the rage…and most importantly the disappointment in yourself.
Her brow slanted. "Yes, Xur. You should be disappointed, because all of this is all on you. You discarded me like ruined rubbish, and while I suffered, you continued in comfort."
He cocked his head. "Is that why you hate me? Because you think I failed you?"
"No," Trilla spat, her chin shivering. "I hate you…because I loved you, and you did nothing! Because you never cared…you never bothered to search for me! You were content with believing me to the dead when I needed you most!" she shouted with a bellowing rage that echoed in the Force itself. "I hate you because you were the only thing I had left, and they used that against me. Cere's betrayal paled in comparison beside your transgression."
"I know…" Xur admitted, his eyes shutting in despair.
"No you don't!" she bellowed, her hand reaching out and glowing a sickly purple. There was a deep hum in the Force as Xur clenched his heart and fell to his knees, crying out as he felt his own soul being ripped from his body.
Trilla didn't sneer. All she felt was retribution as she pulled the life force from Xur's body…and the words returned to echo in her mind.
He has forsaken you.
He has abandoned you.
He has betrayed you.
Trilla's eyes shut as he felt his life pour into hers. "Yes."
He cannot save you here.
"No one can."
You are mine.
"I…I am…" something within her fought back, and she grit her teeth. In that moment, her Jedi spectre returned, pulling at her hand.
"Let him go!" she begged. "He's all you've ever needed; all you've ever wanted! Don't let him die!"
"Silence, Jedi scum!" the Second Sister appeared, gabbing the spectre by the neck and hoisting her into the air. "Come now, say the words! Give in!"
Trilla's eyelids shut with more intensity. "I…I am yo-…I am…!"
Her attack retaliated, the death field cut off and filling her hand with intense pain, eliciting a scream to erupt from her mouth as she fell to one knee. When her eyes finally opened, she saw Xur breathing heavily, and one hand latched onto a tree trunk.
"What…what is this?" she seethed, fighting through the pain.
"I chose this place for a reason, Trilla," he heaved, slowly forcing himself to stand. "Everything here…this entire planet…is a wound in the Force. Someone with your power has already consumed it once, and with no Force to feed on, your power begins to feed on you."
Trilla could feel that in her hand, and it was a pain she had never before felt, even with all that she had experienced. This place…it all made sense now…her power could assimilate the energy of all living beings if she so desired. With enough training…she now saw the potential of her own power.
Her eyes met his, and she sneered. "Watch me," she declared, and conjured another field, sapping whatever life remained in the tree beside her, fighting through the pain that came like just another bout in that chair. It shriveled and died, and she felt her power intensify with all that she absorbed.
Xur looked on in horror, but thought quickly, calling his hilt back into his hand, while she did the same. With both blades ignited, they clashed, and immediately Xur felt himself being pushed back. With her raw power, it was nearly beyond his superior connection, and it was at this moment that he finally began to worry. If she could pull life even from wounds in the Force…then she would be the most terrible thing in the galaxy.
There was no choice. He had to stop her.
"This is where you die!" she screamed, pushing him back. "This is where the story of Xur Eon finally comes to an end!"
Xur grunted. "I can't…let you…become…this!"
Trilla laughed. "You cannot stop me!"
She pressed forward, and his poor positioning was beginning to tear at his back, his previous wound no help. Xur could feel himself crumbling under her power, and it was taking everything he had just to match it. Desperation set in, and he looked into her eyes, trying so hard to find any bit of the old Trilla he used to know within them. Even with her blinding rage, he saw that bit…the edge of her irises that had still not been consumed by the Sith yellow that had covered the brilliant emerald they used to bear.
A spark of hope.
Xur shut his eyes and reached out to the emotional side of the Force, projecting himself into her consciousness, sifting through the broken pieces that riddled its foundation. He stepped over it like shattered glass, seeing reflections of lost memories…her life as a Jedi, time with Cere, her training…all of it cast aside. However, in that destroyed wasteland of her past remained but one, conceivable construction.
Their time together. It was breaking…cracks glistening as they fought, but it was intact, nonetheless. Amidst all of that was the web of the Second Sister, that who had come for that last piece of Trilla that still remained…and through the web, he saw it playing out before him.
The Second Sister had Trilla, dressed as a Jedi, held by the throat. She saw him, her eyes bulging from the lack of air, desperately begging for him to save her.
"Help…me," she gasped.
Xur consciously reached out, emitting a low boom that froze the Second Sister momentarily, enough for Trilla to worm herself free.
"I can't beat her!" she called back, while the Second Sister tried to break herself out of the stasis field.
Xur shut his eyes, focusing his connection to her as his strain mounted, and shouted back. "Remember your training! Remember us!" he shouted
Trilla looked back, fear stricken as she backed away from her perverse form, but the words hummed true through her consciousness. With renewed resolve, her Jedi self nodded, and faced the menace that she had become.
Her durasteel hilt appeared in her hand, just as the Second Sister was freed, and charged.
"You will never own me again!"
Trilla screamed, and her yellow blade clashed with the crimson of the Second Sister.
Xur's consciousness returned to reality, and he felt Trilla's oppressing motion begin to falter, her eyes glossing over as she tried to regain her focus. Seeing his moment that he had gained, he pushed off her blade and spun. The Emperor's Wrath moved her hilt too slow to stop his motion, and his crimson blade cut through the hilt, rendering it useless and continued to bury itself into her side.
Trilla screamed in pain, falling to her knees as her ruined hilt cascaded over the grass, hunching over as her hand covered the wound…and her consuming glow dissipated.
He just stood over her, letting his breaths slowly run their course, and let his lightsaber deactivate.
She felt her wound…it was plenty worse enough to end this fight, but not to kill her. Trilla tried with everything to rise to her feet, but something was wrong within her mind. The conflict within her raged like never before, and her eyes witnessed it in the form of both her spectres of being dueling each other in an even match, both pleading for her to side with them.
But she could see it, and she knew it. The Second Sister was losing.
How? The Dark Side is far stronger than the Light could ever be!
They disappeared again, and she whimpered as her wound pained her. When she looked up again, she saw his face, the face of a man who looked down upon her in victory.
"It's over, Trilla," he said.
It's over.
You've lost.
He's won.
No.
"No…" she denied, and insanity wrapped her in a vice grip that she could never escape. "No!"
Her hand dug into the ground, and Xur watched her scream as the surface glowed around her, and he was thrown backwards by a repulse in the Force, not stopping until he slammed into a tree. Another burst sent him back even farther, and he finally regained his bearings enough to land on his feet, shielding himself from another burst. Trees cracked and fell around him, each burst of power destroying everything as she screamed, his conjured Force barrier holding it off.
He had felt it within her. He was so close, and through the trees he saw nothing more than a broken woman who had lost everything, her rage transforming into sadness as she desperately reached for anything to save her. Her screams of pain became anguished cries, and he could not bear to hear them any longer.
Xur, through each burst, stepped forward, inching towards Trilla through her outburst. The planet itself began to rumble, an earthquake shaking the ground as he momentarily fell back. Never before had he experienced such strain upon him, and for a moment he was sure he'd be blown away, lost like the rest of the planet.
Then she screamed again.
He planted himself to the ground, conjuring every bit of power that remained within him and advanced through each wave. "Trilla!" he called. "You have to stop!"
She just screamed, and her glow was beginning to consume her entirely.
Xur wouldn't lose her, not when he was this close.
Every step was another memory: when they first met, the sabacc game, the day he showed her his lightsaber under the moonlight, the time he left her for Geonosis…the day they reunited on Ossus, her sealing his wound, saving his life not once, but again on Tranbir IX. He saw himself take her for granted, over and over, and in the end, he had paid for it. The Second Sister had been his own doing, and now was his chance to rectify that mistake.
Trilla was inches away, and the harshest burst came as he reached out, but he remained stalwart. Through the unquantifiable strain, he reached out, pulling her hand from the ground and clasping it into his. Just as he would with Force lightning, he absorbed that power, pulling it from her as he shared her burden, freeing her of that pain that the wound inflicted upon her. Xur embraced her suffering without hesitation, condensing that energy from within her before pulling it completely, and with a pained scream, he dispersed it back into the Force, spreading his arms out wide as he stood.
Through the chaos, Trilla's sense returned, and when she looked up, she saw him, his arms spread wide, open…vulnerable.
She grabbed ahold of his hilt from his belt and drove the blade straight through his heart.
Silence followed.
The energy dissipated, and all that remained was a desperate gasp as Trilla pulled the blade from his chest. Xur looked down, his eyes spotting the smoldering hole, and with apologetic eyes, he met hers.
"I'm sorry," he said, barely a whisper, as his body flopped onto the dirt.
Trilla's eyes widened as she heard the words, and within that moment, she witnessed her Jedi spectre drive her Jedi blade into the Second Sister…before they both faded away, out of sight.
She'd done it. She'd killed Xur Eon.
Her expression was blank, looking upon his body with confusion…and she repeated that same sentence in her head.
I killed Xur Eon.
She expected balance. She expected happiness, but she felt…
I killed Xur Eon.
Trilla dropped the blade in horror, letting it deactivate as her mouth gaped open, shocked, stunned…and most of all…
I killed Xur Eon.
Broken.
"No…" she breathed, looking down at her hands, before returning her gaze to his limp body. "No…no, no, no!"
Crawling across the grass, she cradled his head into her arms as tears began to fall from her eyes. He looked up at her, barely remaining…barely clinging to life.
"I'm sorry!" she begged. "Please…please don't go!"
He rasped, barely able to breathe, but he looked up to her, finding the strength to caress her face. "I'd…do it all…again…for you. Anything…for…" his breath echoed from his mouth, and she felt his body go limp in her arms.
"I…" she cried. "I forgive…" then it set in. His eyes…there was nothing left within them. That fire he always had was snuffed out…the fire that she had fell in love with. The balance she had been searching for…with him gone…it was unachievable. "No, no, no, don't go!" she wailed, her tears flooding her eyes as she plunged her head into his cold chest. The agony that she felt now…not even ten Imperial torture chairs could simulate it. This hurt…this wound…was forever.
Trilla's head whipped towards the sky. "Why?! Why must I be made to suffer?! All I ever did was love him! That's all I ever did!" she screamed, before crying again, profusely and without relent. She cupped his dead face into her hand, and she kissed his forehead, trying to find some relief from her agony, but it only intensified. "Why…why can't we live together?" she cried, barely a whisper as she ran her fingers through his hair.
"Trilla Suduri…so quick to lose faith, you always were."
She looked up, and though her sullied vision via her tears, she made out the misty vision of Master Yoda…sitting on a tree trunk on a planet she couldn't recognize.
"Master…Master Yoda?" she sniffled. "Why…why are you here?"
Yoda grumbled, holding his cane before him. "Watched him, and you, for a long time I have."
Trilla's brow arched in sadness, and her face fell back into Xur's chest. "Have you come to say I told you so? Have you come to tell me that attachment is against the way of the Jedi? If you are, I suggest you fuck off," she spat. "And let me embrace what I have done alone."
Yoda sighed. "And still, now you ignore what disagrees with what you previously conceived. Convinced, you have been, that hope has eluded you, and yet there it stood, right before you."
She raised her head and screamed. "You have no idea what I've been through!"
"Suffered greatly, you have," he nodded. "900 years old, I am. Think suffered, I have not?"
Trilla only looked upon him, before letting her face fall back into Xur's chest. She had no strength to retort, nor the will to continue any longer.
Yoda hopped down from his stump, trudging over to her. "Wrong, the Jedi were. In all my years, still, I had not learned. Unfeeling, stoic statues we had become…out of fear…fear of what you allowed yourself to feel."
She whimpered.
"Individuality, the Jedi had lost…consumed with our arrogant sense of self-righteousness," he answered. "For that, Trilla…I am sorry."
Trilla finally looked up again. "Sorry doesn't bring him back."
"No," Yoda shook his head, now standing over Xur's body. To her shock, he was able to grasp her hand and place it on his wound. "You can bring him back. Finished with this one, the Force is not."
Trilla shook her head. "Master, healing wounds is one thing, but resurrection? That's impossible!"
"Only upon those who feel the Force strongly, is this possible," Yoda insisted. "Let go of your hatred, your anger, and bring him back, you will."
Her eyes shut tightly, trying to stop herself from crying, and through his words, she found a spark of hope flicker within. With a breath, she nodded. "Alright…I'll…" she opened her eyes and Yoda was gone, leaving just her and Xur's body alone.
Trilla looked down upon him, caressing his face for what seemed like the last time, and shut her eyes, trying to clear her mind of all thoughts…all distractions. As the sounds of the planet disappeared, she was left with only silence, trying desperately to search for that hum she remembered from so long ago.
She whispered to herself. "Let go of my hatred…my…"
Cere.
Trilla grimaced at the mere mention of her name, and almost just then she declared it impossible…but she wanted him back more than anything in the galaxy. If she had to swallow her pride for only a moment, just to get him back…it was worth every bit of it.
"Cere…if you can hear me…know that I…" it was so difficult to say. Years of bottled anger bubbled from below, and not once had she ever heard her apologize for what she had put her through. "Know that I…forgive you…for now."
Huummmm.
Her eyes bulged wide as she heard it, and quickly she focused her mind, feeling the tidal lock of her hand to his wound, and unleashed all the life force she could. It was a heavy effort, but she continued, emptying whatever she could spare, and before long, she felt herself fainting, and the flow stopped.
Picking herself up, she opened her eyes and watched for him, letting her hand run over his face as she waited for that moment. She had exhausted everything she had, knowing that any more would simply kill her.
Trilla waited…and waited…
Nothing.
He didn't stir, and her tears returned as hope faded away once again. "Xur…if you can hear me…know that I love you…I always have."
She kissed him atop his forehead and waited again…
Xur desperately gasped for air, his eyes flashing open, and Trilla's eyes bulged in shock as he reanimated, breathing heavily as air refilled his lungs. He looked around, taking his surroundings in again as Trilla corralled him into her arms, crying tears of joy at the sight of his life returning.
Once his frantic movements ceased, his eyes fell on Trilla, and the warmth she felt with his gaze was indescribable.
"Trilla…" he gasped. "You…brought me back…didn't you?"
Her tears leaked onto his chest as she nodded, gently running her hands over his face. "I'm so sorry…Xur, please, if you find it in you to forgive me…"
He shook his head, a tear-filled smile spreading across his face. "You kidding me? That's three I owe you now."
She laughed, as did he, and he reached up to touch her face…her eyes closing as she took his hand into her own. "This one's on the house," she said.
He sniffled, letting his thumb rub the back of her hand as he lost himself in her gaze. "You're…you're the most beautiful thing I've ever seen."
Trilla smiled. "Enough of this," she shook her head and pressed her lips against his, and for the first time they kissed each other equally, with a livid madness that neither of them cared to control. Keeping their lips locked as their tongues intertwined with each kiss, Trilla positioned herself atop him, letting her legs spread over his hips, igniting a passionate euphoria within the both of them. Xur picked himself up, wrapping his arms around her as he showered all of his emotions upon her as she wrapped her legs around him, keeping the two of them locked together.
When they finally pulled away to catch their breath, neither of them looked away, despite their persistent breathing.
"I love you," Xur gasped.
Trilla cupped his cheek and let her eyes express her every emotion coming to the surface. "I love you too."
They kissed again, but this was with less madness, more serenity and ease, letting each other feel the comfort of their presence, instead of the intensity of their lust. Both of them had never felt such happiness, such bliss, in their entire lives. When they pulled away again, Xur reached for the button atop her suit.
"Why are we still dressed?" he asked, but she gently grabbed his hand.
"That's a good question," she giggled. "Come now, General Eon. Our chariot awaits."
Xur breathed, finally catching his breath from their heated and lustful exchange. "Chariot? The fuck?"
The sound of engines ripped through the air as Xur looked past her head and into the evening sky, and the Fury came in for a landing not far from the clearing their battle had created. Xur's eyes glistened at the sight of it, and Trilla giggled with his reaction.
"You're shitting me…is that…?"
"Razor-Class Interceptor," Trilla answered for him, falling forward and kissing him again, to which he obliged, letting his hips shudder between her legs. Their excitement was like a bonfire within the Force, threatening to spread all around, destroying everything in its path until nothing remained.
Trilla pulled away suddenly and grabbed his hand, helping him to his feet. "Let's go, love," she enticed, and the two of them jogged with their hands locked, coming up the loading ramp with the obnoxious stomping of both their boots.
"Whaaaaaat…" Xur reacted, his hand over his mouth in awe at the interior of the ship. Trilla pulled him along through the first hall and into the central cabin, the holotable present in the middle. "This is…this is too much."
"You're telling me," Trilla smiled, letting his hand go to let her cape drop to the floor.
"Trilla, I-," Rava rolled around the corner, and as soon as her red optic looked upon Xur, she quickly brandished her shock prod and charged forward.
"Woah, woa-," Xur protested, ready to move away, but Trilla jumped in between their paths.
"Rava, stop! He's alright!" Trilla insisted. The spherical VI gave her what equated to a confused look, letting her domed head swing between the two of them.
"How did this come to pass?" Rava asked, her shock prod still out.
Trilla realized she didn't have enough words to sum it up, which resulted in an incomprehensible blob of speech, to which Xur was happy to translate.
"Hey droid, name's Xur," he greeted. "What Trilla is trying to say is we're friends now."
Rava paused, angling her head downwards. "I am not a dr-."
"We know, Rava, just…put the prod away…" Trilla insisted with her hands raised in an easing motion.
Eventually, Rava heeded her command, slowly propping herself back up and letting the device hide itself back in her compartment. "An…interesting turn of events."
Trilla huffed. "Yes, yes. Now, could you afford us some privacy?"
Rava's optic flashed on and off for a moment, and Trilla couldn't understand why…what she couldn't see was Xur winking to the VI from behind…until Rava spun around and headed to the cockpit.
"As you wish, Trilla Suduri."
Once Rava was finally out of sight, Trilla let out a sigh of relief, while Xur patted her back. "That was a close one, huh?" he joked, wrapping his arms around her stomach from behind. "Now what?"
Trilla chuckled in a deep tone that was almost maniacal, turning in his grip to face him, her hands plastered against his firm chest. "Do you remember…on Bracca," she began, slowly pushing him back as he nigh begged to press his lips against hers again. "I told you that I would deal with you later…?"
Xur gulped. "I also remember punching you…should I be worried?"
Her nose exhaled off his neck, resulting in goosebumps of pleasure from her closeness, the feel of her curves against his body. She laughed again, and every chuckle increased the size of one of his own. "Maybe," she teased, her lips just beside his ear, and her whispers shivered his spine with a fierce excitement. She then groaned when his bulge grazed in between her legs, and Xur could hardly contain himself any longer. His heartbeat was fast enough to conjure sweat, and when he let his hand glide up to feel her breasts, her heart was beating just the same.
With sudden fierceness, Trilla pushed him against the closest wall, the impact rumbling the durasteel as she kissed him hungrily. Pressing her body up against his, her arms wrapped around his neck as she lifted one leg, Xur reaching down to pull her knee such that no space remained between the two of them. The taste of her was so sweet, even if there truly was none at all, and when he had enough of her mouth, he moved to her neck, in which she pulled her head back to expose it for him to do as he pleased. Her moans were like music, and her hands pressing against his muscles elicited a comfort that was both exciting and soothing.
Trilla placed her hand on his head and gently pushed him off her neck, rearing her head forward like an apex predator, slithering her tongue down his throat. After her exquisite tease, she was suddenly almost too much for him to handle. The love she showered upon him reflected years of holding herself back…years of being trapped in a persona that was not her own and was now finally graced with the chance to show him how much she really cared about him.
It was undeniable. She loved him, and he loved her.
She pulled back to catch her breath, biting her lip once it returned. "You're all mine, Jedi," she sneered. "There's no escape from me."
Xur chuckled. "For once…I'm okay with that."
When they kissed once more, Xur took his chance to pull the button out from atop her suit, revealing a front zipper that he struggled to find as Trilla continued her onslaught of affection. Before long, she caught the craze, grabbing ahold of his belt and unbuckling it with ease, keeping their lips together and tongues entwined.
Fed up with him getting nowhere, Trilla pushed herself off with a smirk, letting Xur smack back into the wall and watch as she unzipped her suit and relinquished it, revealing just the tight black underlayer that covered her body. Xur followed, removing his robes so that his upper body was exposed, and they kissed again, Trilla leading him to her quarters as she removed her pants and gloves.
Left with only her under suit, and Xur only his pants, Trilla moved to shove him onto her bed for two, but he momentarily ended the exchange.
"Wait," he breathed, holding her arms. She looked at him with slight dismay, trying to push forward so that their lips could be linked once more, but he let his hands work themselves along the side of her body, and the calming effect he had searched for was achieved. Trilla finally let herself breathe, shutting her eyes and placing her hand on his face.
"I want to…" she heaved, begging to continue. "I want you to-."
"I know," he eased, and he could feel the sweat begin to show itself on him. "But let's…do this right."
Her eyes looked at him longingly, but eventually she caught his point, nodding slowly. Their next movements were eased, caressing each other and relishing in the sight of their partner's physiques. A soft kiss followed, and in this they felt the love they had both held back pour out from their levies, and soon they knew the time had come.
Separating for a moment, Trilla unzipped her under suit and Xur watched as each inch of her skin was shown to him…her scars and also her beauty, before there was nothing stopping him from looking anywhere, he wished. When her suit dropped to the floor, she looked unsure of herself, and he sensed her insecurity blossom once again…for reasons truly unfounded. She had to have been sculpted by a higher power, as every inch of her body was nothing less than perfect, beyond even what his previous visions had ever detailed; lithe, chiseled and toned in the form of a woman who could achieve any feat.
He stepped forward, and the awe on his face loosened her expression to show that of confidence…and she reached down to his leggings. In one swift motion, they were both presented in all their glory, and once she had her turn to see him for what he truly was, she leaned forward and kissed his cheek softly, holding his head in both hands while he worked his fingers over her back. She placed more kisses on his face, those that healed, not hurt, and slowly eased him onto her bed, letting themselves position in the manner they best saw fit.
Trilla looked down from atop him, her eyes as emerald as ever, and then let their hips lock together. Each of their breaths became longer, drawn out, sorting out the pleasure like a surplus, and they both felt as if their bodies would burst if they continued. Falling onto his chest as their breathing quickened, Trilla looked directly into his eyes, and they kissed, needing occasional breaks as their bodies seized from waves of ecstasy.
When the end came, neither of them wished it so.
Multiple rounds passed, taking an amount of time neither of them cared to wonder or keep track of, and eventually Trilla was simply staring at his back as he breathed, letting her finger trace over his various scars left by wounds of a forgotten war, her sweat running its final cycle. Xur let her, as the sensation was soothing, and her touch was rivaled by no previous experience. He felt her finger trace a cross slash that went the length of his back, and she sighed.
"I gave you this one…" she trailed off.
Sensing her growing dismay, he turned over, removing it from her gaze, gracing her with the sight of his face. "Trilla…it's over. That time has passed."
She looked no less comforted, and he took it upon himself to cup her cheek and kiss her tenderly on her forehead, to which she gripped his wrist tightly. However, in his forward motion, he discovered three circular scars on the side of her forearm, all spaced out equally. With ease, he let his fingers glide over them, and he felt her tremble.
"Before the death fields…I had a lot more skin deformation," she explained, and she felt herself falling back into that memory, the sounds returning…the voices.
"Hey," he called, and she felt herself being dragged out of the abyss…but not by some unseen benefactor…by him. "No more apologies…we embrace who we are, Trilla…and know that I will never let you down again."
Trilla's brow arched, and she let her hand brush over his face. "You have never let me down, Xur. If anything…you're the only one who has always looked out for me, even when I didn't think I needed it. Please know that I will never take you for granted again. Wherever you go, I'll follow, no matter where it may take us."
Xur smiled. "I love you, Trilla."
She pulled herself closer, letting her skin rub against his once again.
"I love you too," she answered. "With all my heart."
So I updated the romance scene, since I felt it ended somewhat suddenly. Hope you guys enjoy the changes.
See you guys soon for what comes next…
