Chapter 10 – Revelations

"A-Atton?" Jena had started opening her eyes, but all she could see was a blurry silhouette bending over her.

"Shhhhh," soothed Atton. "You were knocked unconscious. I'm not sure what happened. I… I'm sorry I wasn't there." Jena could sense the guilt in his voice.

"It's okay…" She tried to smile. "I feel so weak. I just wish I knew…" She paused and remembered. "Kreia. Kreia! She… she killed the Jedi… She…" Jena looked horrified.

"Hey… hey… don't you worry about that right now… let's focus on getting you better first… Wait. Did Kreia attack you too?" Fury flashed in his eyes.

"No… no… Kreia… saved me. I think. The… Master Vrook… and Zez-Kai Ell and Kavar… Kavar! My… my friend… They re-exiled me… they tried… they were going to cut me from the Force."

"Cut you from the Force?" repeated Atton incredulously. "But why?" 'We will not harm her' he said… I guess it's my fault for believing him – for forgetting that Jedi lie. Anger continued to swell up within him.

"Wound… in the Force… I… Atton, we have to get back to the ship." She wobbly attempted to stand up.

"Oh! Hey… hey!" he said, forgetting his rage and flying to her rescue to help her keep her balance. "One step at a time… You're not going to be any good to the galaxy if you stand up, then kill yourself by falling face down on a rock. Are you sure you can even walk yet?"

"I… have to," she replied feebly.

He exhaled, determined. "All right, well, you're going to have to let me help you, then. There's no way you can make it to the ship by yourself… not in the state you're in. Here. Put your arm around my shoulders…" He frowned. "Wait… that's not gonna work. I'm too tall for you." This girl has got to be the shortest Jedi I've ever met. Yet somehow, she could still kick my ass any day. I'll bet the idea of having to depend on me is driving her crazy right now. "Just… just put your arm around my waist. There. All right, now you just lean on me and walk slowly." He carefully wrapped his arm around her to help her keep her balance. They took a few steps and Jena almost fell over.

"Okay, this is clearly not going to work," commented Atton, slightly provoked. "I'm going to have to carry you."

"Carry me?" she said blankly, a slight tinge returning to her pale cheeks.

"Sure. You're light as a feather, I'm sure. Why, do you have any better suggestions?"

"I… I suppose not…" she said, laughing a little.

"Well, then let me carry you," responded Atton, glad that she was beginning to be herself again. He put one arm behind her back, the other behind her knees, and picked her up. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders to hold herself up. His heart started beating a little faster. Inopportune thoughts began racing through his mind again. Dammit, why can't I do a simple thing for her without thinking about what I'd like to do to her? He scowled, angry with himself, fully aware of how aroused he was becoming. I don't understand why she has this effect on me. I really don't. She leaned her head down on his shoulder. He could feel her breath up against his neck. He closed his eyes and gasped.

"Are you sure this is okay? Am I too heavy?" enquired Jena, noticing Atton looking somewhat uncomfortable and misinterpreting the cause of his discomfort.

"No, it's fine… Like I said… light as a feather. Just… uh… just let me know when you start feeling better, okay?" Damn, she smells good…I have to stop thinking about this right now. But how am I supposed to do that when I've got my hands all over her?

He tried to avoid her eyes as best he could and stared right in front of him, carrying her a little while longer in silence, desperately trying to count cards in his head – and for the most part, failing miserably at it. He happened to turn and glance at her at some point, and their eyes locked. It dawned on him that she looked almost as awkward as he felt.

"I… I think I can walk now," she said hesitantly, looking away in an attempt to conceal the fact that she was blushing.

Atton felt almost relieved. "Are you sure?" he asked politely.

"Yes, I think so. Put me down, I'll give it a shot."

Accordingly, Atton helped her back down onto the ground. She took a few tentative steps. "Yes, I think I'll be okay."

"All right, well, I'll be right next to you, so lean on me if you think you're going to fall," he said, breathing a little bit more easily. He still felt the urge to put his arm around her to ensure she didn't buckle down, but he wasn't sure if it was such a good idea. His hand hovered around her shoulder for a moment, but he finally pulled it away after much hesitation. A moment passed, and upon seeing how well Jena could walk unassisted, he decided it was probably for the best he hadn't tried to help any further. I really need to stop touching her right now.

Around that point, the Ebon Hawk came into view. Atton drew a sigh of relief. However, as he and Jena walked up the loading ramp, they couldn't help but notice how… still the ship seemed. Nobody was walking around; nobody was talking. Atton and Jena looked at each other with apprehension.

"Mical!" called out Atton into the void. "Jena needs your help!" Nothing. Well, if that doesn't bring him running to the loading ramp, he's either not here or dead.

"What's wrong? Where is everybody?" asked Jena pointlessly. She walked past Atton and started calling out. "Mical?" Of course, that would be the first name she calls out… "Mira? T3?" They walked through the main hold, looking in every nook and cranny for any sign of life. There was none. Jena made her way to the medical room, where she and Atton finally found Mical on the floor, seemingly struggling to get up off the floor. Alarmed, Jena ran to his side to help. "Mical! What happened?"

"Jena! You're safe! Thank the Force… When those handmaidens came running in looking for Kreia…"

"Handmaidens? What are you talking about?"

Atton coughed uncomfortably. "Sorry, I forgot to tell you… I was too concerned with keeping you conscious. Some of Atris' handmaidens ran into the Enclave and left again with Kreia."

"Kreia? But why?"

"They know who she is now," replied Mical.

"What do you mean, 'who'? Where are they taking her?"

"To Telos," continued Mical. "To Atris. And Atris will do to her the same as she would do to anyone else she thinks is a Sith."

"A Sith?" asked Jena, incredulous.

"Are you really that surprised?" asked Atton grimly. "All she ever talked about was hatred and using people… it doesn't really get more Sith than that." And I should know…

"But… but… Atris will kill her!" exclaimed Jena. "Kreia and I are linked! If she dies…"

"I know…" muttered Atton. He felt a strong urge to take her up in his arms to comfort her, but he did not move. I'm pretty sure there's been enough of that today… besides… with Mical right there, it makes things at tad awkward. He stifled an inappropriate chuckle when depicting Mical's would-be reaction, were he to suddenly embrace Jena before him.

"Then we have to go to Telos!" exclaimed Mical.

"Well, of course we have to go to Telos, tach-brain!" Atton said impatiently, walking toward the cockpit.

They immediately left Dantooine, and the course was set. As soon as they were in hyperspace, Atton put T3 in charge of piloting. He wanted to check on Jena, to see if she was all right. After all, she had a lot to deal with right then. She might want somebody to talk to, and he wanted to be that somebody. He searched the ship for her. She didn't seem to be in any of the usual places. Suddenly, it dawned on him: Kreia's room; or rather, the portside dormitory, which Kreia had basically taken over. As he approached the room, he thought he heard voices coming from it. Jena's… and Mical's. Taken aback, he stopped dead in his tracks and debated whether he should still barge in or turn around and talk to Jena later. He took a few stealthy steps toward them, and saw them sitting on one of the beds side by side, but they did not notice him.

"But they said that I'm a wound in the Force… that I form connections through the Force, and that is why people follow me to their deaths," she said almost desperately.

"That is ridiculous," said Mical. "They only said that because they don't understand you… don't know you. Not like I do." He put his arm around her shoulders and Jena smiled wistfully at him.

Atton suddenly got the distinct impression that he had not business being there. He turned around before he had the chance to hear any more. As he turned, he almost walked right into Mira.

"Shut up," he said gruffly as he passed by her, before she had the chance to speak.

Telos was approaching. Atton sat dejectedly in the cockpit, having rudely relieved T3 of his piloting duties. He needed to be alone, and he especially did not seek the company of a droid.

Well, this is great… I've been such an idiot. What else is new? Mical's words had been harmless enough, but he had spoken in such a meaningful way. 'Not like I do'… What the hell did that mean, anyway? Did he mean…? And the way he touched her… He felt a slight pang of jealousy over the recollection. How could I not see it before? I knew he had a thing for her but I never thought that she might…He sighed heavily. I feel like such a… He laughed cynically. Well, a fool. Here I am, fearing for her life and carrying her all the way back to the flaming ship, and all that time, she was just falling for him. Well, enough of this. I'll stick around until my job here is done, then I'll just get lost on Nar Shaddaa again. It's much easier this way anyway. Women are nuts.

His thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of a presence in the cockpit.

"This better not be about her, Mira," he warned, not bothering to turn around.

"Well, it is."

"Look," he said, turning to face her. "You win. I'm backing off. I won't be in her hair again. She can have her Mical and her Jedi babies."

"Jedi babies?" Mira looked confused.

"Never mind. Like I said, I won't be anywhere near her again, I promise."

Mira looked at Atton curiously. "Atton, she doesn't care about Mical. Well, not in the way you think."

"Oh yeah? And how do you know?" replied Atton, frowning and turning around again to focus his attention to the control panel and begin landing procedures.

"Because it's obvious. Just as it's obvious that you're in love with her."

The ship gave a jolt, and Mira desperately grasped for something, anything that would prevent her from falling should Atton have any further shocks. She quickly reached for the copilot seat and sat down.

"What are you talking about?" blared Atton, struggling to regain control of the ship. "I'm not in love with her!"

The ship steadied itself and Mira drew a sigh of relief. She regained her composure and turned to Atton again.

"Aren't you?" she asked rhetorically.

Atton said nothing. Mira's eyes dropped and she stared at her hands. "Look, she told me how you took care of her on Dantooine… and carried her back to the ship. That was… good of you." She sounded as though uttering those words pained her. "I don't know, maybe I was wrong about you." Atton remained silent, dumbfounded.

Mira got up and started walking away, but before she disappeared from view, she added, "Mical's not with her anymore… in case you're interested."

Atton sat still for a moment. Was this the same Mira who had told him to stop looking at Jena? "I was right," he muttered as he landed the Ebon Hawk on Telos. "Women are nuts."

Atton sat still for a few minutes after landing; he was debating what he should do. I mean, sure, Mira thinks I should go see her, but does Jena want me to? And why did Mira tell me to go see her anyway? So I can tell her how I feel? What would be the point? He paused and pondered. She said she doesn't care about Mical in that way. Why would she tell me that, unless… Understanding slowly crept over his face. Unless she thinks… unless she thinks… No, that can't be it… Jena couldn't possibly… I mean, me? Maybe I should see her… maybe I should tell her… He deliberated for a moment. The hell with it. I'm going to see her. She has to know… She deserves to know… He got up and walked pressingly into the main hold. He looked around, expecting to see Jena come out of hiding. She didn't. He grew slightly concerned, because when they had left Dantooine, she had seemed in quite a hurry to get to Telos. He assumed she was still in the portside dormitory and decided to go look for her. All that greeted him was an empty room. Nonplussed, he turned back and started searching the ship. He walked by the medical room and saw Mical sitting there, rather dejectedly. He hesitated for an instant.

"Where's Jena?" he finally forced himself to ask.

Mical looked up at Atton slowly, having just noticed that he was there. He exhaled deeply.

"She left," he answered dully.