Knights and Eros Bound
Chapter 30
There had been no sounds of joy from the back of the small ship, but Anakin knew all the same that Schurke's, for want of a better word, proposal, had been accepted. Schurke had stayed in the back with Kam, probably suggesting outrageous ideas only to be tempered by Kampher's gentle practicality.
Anakin, having nothing more to do until they neared Alderaanian space, checked the Senate message center. Although normally off limits to non- governmental personnel, Anakin knew ways around that particular obstacle. After all, Schurke wasn't the only one who was good at accessing data.
Suddenly, his heart leapt into his throat. It wasn't possible! It would be too much to hope for and yet.
There it was in plain Auberesh! Bail Organa was hosting one of his many Loyalist committee 'fundraisers' at the Alderaanian Palace! Without a doubt, she would be there.
Deftly, yet quickly, Anakin coded and sent a message to Padmé's private com. If she received it in time, which she undoubtedly would, they could arrange to see each other away from the prying eyes of the entire Council or the Senate. Hopefully.
"Anakin?" Kam called from the rear of the ship. Although the remnants of the bonding had faded, she still had the uncanny knack of picking up on Anakin's feelings.
"It's all right," Anakin replied, barely suppressing his joy. "I'm just hoping to meet someone."
"The Senator?" Schurke asked. He and Kampher had wandered up to the bridge, fingers delicately interlaced. Anakin nodded.
"There's a good chance she'll be on Alderaan," he said with a smile in his voice. "Committee meetings and all."
"It's a shame we won't have time to meet with her," Schurke said. "I mean, now that. well you know. That we now have something in common. But we should leave as soon as we are able. Get a few supplies and what not."
"Have you decided what you'll do?" Anakin asked pointedly and Schurke ducked his head almost bashfully.
"Correllia," Kam replied softly. "Schurke would be welcome on his home planet."
"As would my life mate," Schurke added, blushing to the roots of his dark hair. "Correllains have a more sensible view when it comes to Jedi, even former Jedi, and families." He trailed off wistfully. "Are you sure you won't come with us?"
Anakin just shook his head and turned back to the controls. Hopefully, he could coax a little more speed out of their little vessel. The sooner they reached Alderaan.
"Do you want me to take over for a while, Toboo?" Schurke asked, although he already knew the answer.
"Not for a while," came the predictable reply. "Go back and rest."
"I'll stay up here with you for a while Anakin," Kam said to him. "Schurke, you don't mind?"
Schurke bowed deeply, then kissed her hand and then leaned over and kissed Anakin on the top of his head before making his way back to the bunks.
Kampher sat down in the co-pilot's seat, and after a perfunctory check of the readouts, she turned to address Anakin.
"Why do you choose to fight this battle on your own, Anakin?" she asked softly.
"What do you mean?" Anakin replied, keeping his expression carefully neutral, yet looking away.
"Your own inner conflict."
"There is no conflict." Anakin began, but trailed off, resigned.
Kampher put a reassuring hand on his. "Anakin, we don't need to be bonded for me to see that you are deeply troubled. Why won't you talk to me?"
Anakin met her eyes at last and found them as they always were. Kind, understanding, and most importantly, non judgmental. He hesitated, but then pressed forward as if by telling just this once, by giving his demons a voice, he could exorcise them. Just this once.
"I'm. I'm. afraid." he admitted softly.
"Of becoming like Gris? Of giving in to the anger, the rage at the injustices of the Galaxy? Of. of failing.?"
Anakin lowered his head and nodded slightly, never taking his eyes off of her.
"Gris chose to give in to those things, Anakin. Our choices make us what we are. Our choices."
"Do you ever." Anakin started, and then faltered, unsure how to continue, Kam seemed to understand.
"Every day," she murmured softly. "Everyone does. Myself, Schurke, even the Masters at the Temple. it is how we choose to live that makes us who we are. We make our own destiny. Do you understand?"
Understanding washed over Anakin like a wave. Inner strength, the ability to command oneself would keep him strong for himself and his loved ones. He would not fail as Gris had done. He had to believe this.
He smiled at Kam, who had turned to look back towards the other end of the ship where Schurke had gone. She seemed puzzled, almost distracted as if a shadow had passed over her thoughts. For a moment, Anakin thought he sensed another presence, and it chilled him to the core but the realization passed almost as quickly as it had come. Now it seemed unimportant, almost trivial, and Anakin regained his composure once again.
When she turned back to look at Anakin, all she saw was the relief that had come from unburdening his soul a little.
"Go to him Kam," Anakin said softly. "I can handle things up here for a while." He offered her a reassuring smile, which Kampher, her mind now drifting towards thoughts of her new life, returned.
"All right," she agreed as she rose from the co-pilot's seat. "If you need anything."
"I'll have what I need once we reach Alderaan," Anakin interjected with a little laugh, and then he grew serious again.
"Kam." he called to her, and she turned to face him mid step.
"Thank you"
Kampher smiled again, and gave a little bow before resuming her journey to the rear of the ship, leaving Anakin to his thoughts.
Chapter 30
There had been no sounds of joy from the back of the small ship, but Anakin knew all the same that Schurke's, for want of a better word, proposal, had been accepted. Schurke had stayed in the back with Kam, probably suggesting outrageous ideas only to be tempered by Kampher's gentle practicality.
Anakin, having nothing more to do until they neared Alderaanian space, checked the Senate message center. Although normally off limits to non- governmental personnel, Anakin knew ways around that particular obstacle. After all, Schurke wasn't the only one who was good at accessing data.
Suddenly, his heart leapt into his throat. It wasn't possible! It would be too much to hope for and yet.
There it was in plain Auberesh! Bail Organa was hosting one of his many Loyalist committee 'fundraisers' at the Alderaanian Palace! Without a doubt, she would be there.
Deftly, yet quickly, Anakin coded and sent a message to Padmé's private com. If she received it in time, which she undoubtedly would, they could arrange to see each other away from the prying eyes of the entire Council or the Senate. Hopefully.
"Anakin?" Kam called from the rear of the ship. Although the remnants of the bonding had faded, she still had the uncanny knack of picking up on Anakin's feelings.
"It's all right," Anakin replied, barely suppressing his joy. "I'm just hoping to meet someone."
"The Senator?" Schurke asked. He and Kampher had wandered up to the bridge, fingers delicately interlaced. Anakin nodded.
"There's a good chance she'll be on Alderaan," he said with a smile in his voice. "Committee meetings and all."
"It's a shame we won't have time to meet with her," Schurke said. "I mean, now that. well you know. That we now have something in common. But we should leave as soon as we are able. Get a few supplies and what not."
"Have you decided what you'll do?" Anakin asked pointedly and Schurke ducked his head almost bashfully.
"Correllia," Kam replied softly. "Schurke would be welcome on his home planet."
"As would my life mate," Schurke added, blushing to the roots of his dark hair. "Correllains have a more sensible view when it comes to Jedi, even former Jedi, and families." He trailed off wistfully. "Are you sure you won't come with us?"
Anakin just shook his head and turned back to the controls. Hopefully, he could coax a little more speed out of their little vessel. The sooner they reached Alderaan.
"Do you want me to take over for a while, Toboo?" Schurke asked, although he already knew the answer.
"Not for a while," came the predictable reply. "Go back and rest."
"I'll stay up here with you for a while Anakin," Kam said to him. "Schurke, you don't mind?"
Schurke bowed deeply, then kissed her hand and then leaned over and kissed Anakin on the top of his head before making his way back to the bunks.
Kampher sat down in the co-pilot's seat, and after a perfunctory check of the readouts, she turned to address Anakin.
"Why do you choose to fight this battle on your own, Anakin?" she asked softly.
"What do you mean?" Anakin replied, keeping his expression carefully neutral, yet looking away.
"Your own inner conflict."
"There is no conflict." Anakin began, but trailed off, resigned.
Kampher put a reassuring hand on his. "Anakin, we don't need to be bonded for me to see that you are deeply troubled. Why won't you talk to me?"
Anakin met her eyes at last and found them as they always were. Kind, understanding, and most importantly, non judgmental. He hesitated, but then pressed forward as if by telling just this once, by giving his demons a voice, he could exorcise them. Just this once.
"I'm. I'm. afraid." he admitted softly.
"Of becoming like Gris? Of giving in to the anger, the rage at the injustices of the Galaxy? Of. of failing.?"
Anakin lowered his head and nodded slightly, never taking his eyes off of her.
"Gris chose to give in to those things, Anakin. Our choices make us what we are. Our choices."
"Do you ever." Anakin started, and then faltered, unsure how to continue, Kam seemed to understand.
"Every day," she murmured softly. "Everyone does. Myself, Schurke, even the Masters at the Temple. it is how we choose to live that makes us who we are. We make our own destiny. Do you understand?"
Understanding washed over Anakin like a wave. Inner strength, the ability to command oneself would keep him strong for himself and his loved ones. He would not fail as Gris had done. He had to believe this.
He smiled at Kam, who had turned to look back towards the other end of the ship where Schurke had gone. She seemed puzzled, almost distracted as if a shadow had passed over her thoughts. For a moment, Anakin thought he sensed another presence, and it chilled him to the core but the realization passed almost as quickly as it had come. Now it seemed unimportant, almost trivial, and Anakin regained his composure once again.
When she turned back to look at Anakin, all she saw was the relief that had come from unburdening his soul a little.
"Go to him Kam," Anakin said softly. "I can handle things up here for a while." He offered her a reassuring smile, which Kampher, her mind now drifting towards thoughts of her new life, returned.
"All right," she agreed as she rose from the co-pilot's seat. "If you need anything."
"I'll have what I need once we reach Alderaan," Anakin interjected with a little laugh, and then he grew serious again.
"Kam." he called to her, and she turned to face him mid step.
"Thank you"
Kampher smiled again, and gave a little bow before resuming her journey to the rear of the ship, leaving Anakin to his thoughts.