He leapt off the exit ramp and hit the landing pad running. Along the twisting streets he bolted, into his family's building, up in the elevator and past numerous doors before knocking his fist against his door numerous times.
It was Taren who eventually opened the door, pressed her finger to her lips and drew him inside the room. In her presence he felt so wonderful, so full that he could hardly speak, but he quickly focused on Rhianne.
"What is it?" he whispered urgently, though he was afraid of the reply. The room was dark, except for the flickering light emanating from Rhianne's room. As he walked through the door he saw Rhianne lying on her bed, surrounded by candles and the biggest assembling of his extended family he ever remembered seeing. Each was in a deep trance, no doubt focusing their energies towards the young woman's body.
"Oh, Taren… no…"
"She was attacked by an assailant on the Academy grounds. She fought them off, but not before they injured her severely. There's nothing else that can be done. She's sheltering behind the Force, using it to help her recuperation, but we don't know if she'll be able to waken even if her wounds heal."
"How long… when will we…" he didn't even know the question he wanted answered.
"She's been like this for four days, but it could take weeks. Not one of the family has moved for nearly eighteen hours. I was waiting for you," Taren managed.
He walked towards the bed and kneeled beside it. He and Rhianne weren't close, but at least she talked to him and acknowledged his existence. She was still his little sister.
He felt so insignificant and helpless, even now when she was so vulnerable, he wasn't able help her. He looked around the room, saw most of his cousins, his grandfather, his uncles and aunties as well as his mother, father and brother. Taren took Keller's hand and closed her eyes, fading slowly to a place Danyon was permanently shut out from.
And as he sat there staring at Rhianne, surrounded by every person that ever loved him, he had never felt more alone in his entire life.
"Danyon?"
Her voice called him from so far away.
"Danyon, wake up."
He lifted his head off his arms and saw Rhianne standing beside him.
"Rhianne… I didn't think you were coming back…"
"Me? Father told me about you. I wasn't sure you were coming back."
"I had to come back. For you", he murmured and Rhianne smiled.
"I realised that I never told you something Dan. I'm proud that you are my brother."
"Proud? You've had to watch out for me since you were four years old."
"You will never be a Jedi Danyon, but you will be a great man. You have to believe in yourself, and then others will too."
"How?"
"You must find your own path, but as long as it is yours, it will be the right one."
"Rhianne…"
"I can't stay any longer. There is much to do."
"Will you be all right?"
"The future is always in motion…"
Danyon woke with a start and lifted his head off his arms. Rhianne lay still on the bed, exactly where she had been since Rukar placed her there days before. Some of the family had left the room, but most had stayed where they'd been since he had drifted off to sleep. The early morning sun lit the room, and it took Danyon a moment to get his bearings and figure out the events of the previous night. He trusted that delivering her message had not cost her too much strength. The future is always in motion… he hoped that was her way of letting him know there was a chance she would make it.
He noticed the few people that had left Rhianne's bedside included Taren, Keller and his father and mother. Hearing their hushed voices outside, he left the room to meet up with them.
They stopped talking when he approached.
"Danyon. You made your mother sick with worry", said Rukar flatly.
"Hello, father. I'm sorry if I caused her to worry, but I was fine", he looked over at his mother, but she hadn't moved. She stared blankly.
"Mother?" He went to go to her and his father grabbed his arm.
"She's not well Danyon. First you left without a trace and then Rhianne was attacked… the emotional trauma has caused her mind and body to shut down. I'm taking her to the Jedi counsel this afternoon. Keller and Taren are going back to Yavin, as the threat to the Academy is increasing. You will stay here with Rhianne and the family."
"I want to go to Yavin. I want to find the person that did this!", Danyon protested.
"Someone needs to stay here. I'll be back soon, depending on Alinna's condition. I don't want to leave Rhianne and I need to know she's being looked after."
Strangely enough, it was the nicest thing his father had ever said to him. It showed he did have some degree of trust in his son.
"I can't do anything for her here! She is surrounded by our family and they can look after her body as well as help her mind to recover. I cannot sit here for days, watching her lie there, just doing nothing. I'm going to Yavin. I will find the person responsible."
His father looked at him almost curiously, then looked away, as if hiding something.
"Very well, Danyon. If that's what you need to do," he replied softly, before moving to sit next to his wife.
"We want to go in the next few minutes, if you could get ready quickly Danyon", said Taren.
He left to change his clothes and collect his things but not before he caught the look of annoyance on Keller's face.
Minutes later, Keller, Taren and Danyon and a couple of his cousins were aboard the Solo's shuttle, speeding towards Yavin and the enemy. He and Keller piloted the ship out of Coruscant's busy skies without a word to each other and when they were in the clear, Keller set it on auto-pilot and was about to exit the cabin when Danyon spoke.
"I know you don't want me here. I know you don't even like me. But I want you to know that I care about Rhianne just as much as you do. And I'm here until the end."
"Fine", muttered Keller, "call me when we're nearing Yavin" and he turned to exit, no doubt to talk to Taren away from Danyon's ears.
"Keller, wait. Do you know why father allowed me to come? Why did he give in so easily?" Danyon asked.
Keller looked straight at him. "I think I do. Since he's a lot younger than his brothers are, once grandfather forbade him to go on a mission with them, making him stay home with his mother. That was the mission that…"
"Uncle Torell was killed", Danyon murmured.
"Yes. And father has always felt, though he was only eight at the time, that if he had been there he could have saved his brother. I guess he didn't want you to experience the same feeling."
"Thank you. Sometimes I wish he talked with me the way he does with you."
Keller nodded once, before leaving the cabin.
Danyon turned back to the controls, checking various readings. His cousin Astan appeared at the door and took it upon himself to start up a conversation. Danyon stared out at the stars whizzing by, trying to block out both Astan's chronology of the Clone Wars and Taren's gentle voice that was coming from the other side of the cabin door.
Please leave a review to let me know what you liked and didn't like, which ideas you would like to be further explored and if you would like to read more about Danyon Solo. I will try to post the next chapter within a couple of weeks if anyone is interested. Thanks for reading!