GreatOne: I'm glad you like him! I like him too. :D
Saber Girls: Are you sure? Because Wedge Antilles did own 3PO and R2 at one point, and he does look a bit older than Luke and Leia, in my opinion. Concerning the flashback, you may find out a bit more about it in this chapter... Only a tiny smidget, though.
Anakan Skywalker-Darth Vader: Thank you. :DDD I try to stick to the movies.
Neassa: So flattering. D Here's a new chappie.
CHAPTER EIGHT
I feel a soft warmth upon me, and my eyes open, amazingly untired and unforced. I look slightly to my right, and squint. New-day sunlight is streaming through the clearing at just the right angle through the window of this cabin to hit me in the face. I sit up, stretching my arm, chest and shoulder muscles which were a bit cramp from sleeping on the cot in contrast to my feather-down bed at home (everything top of the line for Princess Leia's family, of course). I rub my right shoulder a bit, and slide my legs over the side of the mattress, wincing a little as my feet hit the cold floor that had not been bathed by the sunlight quite yet.
I walk out of the room, adjusting the oversized shirt from falling off my shoulder, and head to where my own clothes should have finished its washing cycle by now. To my relief, they are dry, I toss them on when I get back into my room, and sit cross-legged on the floor.
I don't like it, but I might as well meditate. Too many things have happened in the past day or two, that I need to clear out or organize in my head. Also, that strange dream I had last night... I don't know what it's about, or where I came from, but it stirs up a strange sense in me. Curiosity, as well as... something else.
Well, maybe my curiosity will make this meditation a bit more entertaining.
GR, Rebellion, captain, Ruth...
Only, flying... alone, apart, singly... deserted, forsaken, forlorn...
Love, hate, affection, compassion, rage, delight, annoyance, love, hate...
Rebellion, Death Star, Hoth, Endor, Yavin, Bespin, Tatooine, Vader, Emporer, Tantive, three... two...
One.
RuthI am jerked from my meditative state by the door opening and disturbing the peace and silence. I blink again, wincing in the sunlight. That solitary beam had moved across the room to my face again, and I shielded my eyes.
"I was just gonna to wake you up." says Tyl's deep voice behind me.
"I've been awake for a while." I reply, after glancing back at him. The sun hits my eyes again, and I squint, then get up. "Sun used to be on my bed." I mutter, jerking down the pants of my flight suit since they had ridden above my ankles.
"What were you doin'?"
"Meditating."
A snort. I ignore it, deciding that its best not to get in an argument this early in the morning.
"Are we heading out?" I ask brightly, slipping past him and through the doorway, turning and looking at him.
"Now? Can't we have something to eat, first?"
I shrug. I'm looking forward to exploring this moon more than anything, but I suppose that can wait fifteen minutes I head to the kitchen, pulling out two slices of bread and slopping spread in between them, proceeding to take a large, hungry bite. I look at my feet, frowning as I slowly chew.
The meditation was less than helpful. If anything, it caused me to become more than confused. Images, places, events, words were tossed at me. Although, my thoughts were a bit more organized that, and I recognized and placed a few words during the meditation. More than a few, due to the numerous places of the Rebellion, but I didn't realize their significance.
"What's up with you?"
I glance up at him, realizing that I had been oddly quiet for quite some time. Must have been strange, considering how he's known me in our past day together.
"Oh, nothing. Its just... nothing really. I guess." I stumble out, not keen on explaining everything to him. To my relief, he simply nodded. I smile weakly at him, finishing off my sandwich. He seems to know the meaning of privacy; I can give that much to him.
Olos seems to have followed suit with my choice of breakfast, as he was finishing off a sandwich as well.
"Ready?" I inquire, brushing off my hands. The look on his face told me he was less than enthused.
"Suppose so." he said heavily, following me. He pressed the keypad next to the door, and in its half-circular arc it slid open, and the ramp started descending. I start my way down it even before it fully hits the jumble of twigs and dry leaves that made up the uneven terrain below, and I hop down a natural step. I could hear Tyl ambling slowly behind me.
There is a crunch under my heel that is definitely not wood. I lift up my foot, revealing a crumbled piece of something charred black, and I pick up piece, examining it. A jolt of excitement flashes through me, and I break out into a run, then start to circle the tree line.
"What the hell are you doing!" Tyl yells at me, looking at me as if I've gone crazy and seeming not at all surprised by it.
"Shut up!" I yell back at him, stopping swiftly as I find my target.
There it is.
"Oh gods, Olos, guess where we are?"
"Do I look like I care?"
"We have landed at the site of the control center that was blown to bring down the shields to the second Death Star!" I shout excitedly.
I wait until he walks slowly to my side, examining the unmistakable site that his ship is currently atop. I have studied and studied every holo of this area in all the holobooks.
"Wow." he says dully. "That's great."
"You're not in the least bit excited? You were in the Rebellion yourself!"
"I didn't fight this battle, kid."
"So?"
"So? It bears no significance to me. None, whatsoever." he responds, before sullenly walking away from me and into the trees. I sigh, taking one last look, then following him.
"Bitter old man." I shoot as I reach his side.
"Spoiled miss priss." he retorted, and we each look slyly at each other, grinning. I look around, surveying my surroundings.
I feel a jab in my back.
"Stop." I say, annoyedly. Tyl gives me a weird look, but says nothing.
"So. Why are you here?" he asks, after a minute of crunching through in silence.
It takes me a bit to figure out his question. But then it hits me.
"Oh. That. I told you, didn't I? Jedi Right of Passage." I mumble, looking at my feet to get down a particularly rocky, sloped area. I suddenly feel a strong grip above my elbow, and I look at Tyl, surprised. He doesn't speak until we're past the area, and I take the final step off the rock.
"I think you're lying." he said, bluntly, looking straight at me.
I return his gaze, and suddenly find myself incapable of lying to those eyes.
"Fine." I mutter. "You win. No..." I sigh, refusing to meet his face. "'Right of Passage', its all a lie..." I mumble, putting my forehead in my hands, feeling it burning with embarrassment.
I feel him sit next to me, and I avoid his gaze.
"You're a Jedi, though." It was more of a statement than a question.
"Yeah, I just... ran away." I admit, feeling a clenching in my stomach.
"Why?"
"Lets get moving, shall we?" I say, false-brightly, not really wanting to get into it. He stands, following me.
To my annoyance, I feel another jab at my back.
"STOP POKING ME!" I bellow, and he looks startled beside me. "GODS DAMN IT! I'M NOT GOING TO TELL YOU WHY?"
"Have you gone craz - " he stops. Then he feels it too.
There is something sharp pointed at both of our backs.
"Dammit." he mutters, bringing his hands slowly into the air.