Author's Note: Special thanks to TheCarlosInferno for his assistance and ideas with this chapter!
-Chapter 126: A Special Task-
Location: Coruscant
"Intentions meant for good can sometimes have a contrary effect."
The lightsabers collided in a brilliant display of blinding color, green and yellow crossing with blue in a temporary clash. The two combatants rebuffed one another before drawing close and swinging their blades around again, quick and rapid strikes ensuing as the duel continued. The participants were talented and skilled, masterful in their own respects.
Within one of the Jedi Temple's many sparring rooms, the sound of sizzling strikes accompanied by feminine grunts of exertion filled the open space. Their movements were fluid and graceful, their focused concentration unbroken by anything. Of the participants, Ahsoka Tano was all over the place, her modified Shien Form allowing her to be as acrobatic and agile as necessary to cover all angles of the fight. The other participant was a friend of hers, a fellow Padawan who excelled in Soresu Form and was a prodigious duelist, staying still as she steadily fended off each leaping and lunging attack. The two had known each other since they were Younglings, having been a member of the same Clawmouse Clan while growing up.
Many suspected that if Ahsoka Tano was the Jedi Order's number one Padawan for her warrior exploits and pioneering of two-bladed reverse Shien technique, then Myri Lachiec was number two for her disciplined and rigorous duelist combat training.
While the Order had a fair share of Twi'lek members, there were hardly any Lethan Twi'leks in that count. But Myri was one such creature; a young woman of strength and courage but also burgeoning beauty and indescribable looks, she had captured the minds of many a male Padawan and Youngling during her time as a Jedi. Like all Twi'lek's, Myri had something of an accelerated development process, looking more like a woman in her early to mid-twenties while still possessing the height of the seventeen year old teenager she really was (something Ahsoka was slightly jealous of). Her flawlessly smooth red skin, soft facial features and gorgeous blue eyes drew many looks and turned many heads.
But Myri ignored all of them, determined to be faithful to the Jedi Code and having never given to the desires of the flesh. All in all, senior masters deemed her a very noble and promising Jedi, destined to become a Knight and maybe even a prestigous Jedi Weapon Master if she kept this attitude up.
With Ahsoka's attack exhausted, Myri lunged ahead with her saber, using it like a fencing blade as she thrust and jabbed with only one hand. She was very skilled, talented at single-handed saber combat, and it showed. Ahsoka parried and deflected each pointed attack, her twin blades held in a defensive grip ensuring she could control each moment of impact. Yet Myri's reach and persistence was seemingly unending, almost more than what Ahsoka could handle. But the Togruta was planning. She'd battled Ventress and Grievous, who had employed similar one-bladed techniques. Her experience with them was about to come in handy.
Myri was slowly working at driving her back, so the moment she aimed to try again, Ahsoka struck with a several spinning hits that forced Myri to go on the defensive. She kept her calm and her cool, watching with a calculating gaze as she worked to plan ahead of her Togruta friend. Her spinning slash concluded, Ahsoka harnessed her momentum and drove both of her blades down hard. Myri defended Ahsoka's two-handed strike with a quick parry and attacked with a hard sweeping slice which her Togruta friend lept over with ease. While she was overhead, a sudden yet light shove with the Force was enough to cause Myri to stumble forward a little. The Twi'lek swiftly gathered her senses and whirled about to continue, only to find herself facing the tip of Ahsoka's lightsaber. For a moment, they paused, both women breathing a little harder due to the physical exertion. Racking every possible way out, Myri soon concluded she had no choice but to surrender. With a sigh, she deactivated her lightsaber.
"I concede." She said reluctantly. Ahsoka grinned and powered down her lightsabers too.
"You almost had me a few times there, miss duelist." She teasingly replied. Myri couldn't resist a laugh.
"Coming from the 'pioneer of reverse Shien', I'll take that as a compliment." The Twi'lek responded. Their sparring was most amicable, no feelings of jealousy or resentment to be found between the two friends. They clipped their lightsabers to their belts and made their way over to a bench where towels and water bottles could be found.
"Did Master Ty'ga teach you that triple thrust?" Ahsoka wondered, referring to a maneuver Myri had pulled.
"She did. It's a coupling of the usual at-arms-length technique but coupled with a use of the Force." The Twi'lek explained.
"Ooooh, fusion. Not bad." Ahsoka mused with a wiggle of her brow markings, always keen to learn something new about lightsaber skills.
"How's your 'spinning salvation' coming along?" Myri asked.
"I keep tripping over my feet." Ahsoka revealed with an embarrassed chuckle.
"You'll get it. But it sounds like you need to use the Force a little more." The Twi'lek suggested as she unscrewed the lid of her bottle and taking a refreshing sip.
"I"m trying but it's a lot of coordination, I confess." Ahsoka continued as she also reached for a bottle. Myri hummed in agreement as she finished her drink.
"So? How's life treating you?" She wondered. Her Togruta friend continued sipping her water and only answered once she was finished.
"Oh, you know. It has its moments."
"You've been pretty busy lately." Myri observed.
"Yeah, don't I know it." Ahsoka affirmed. "Anakin says we're gonna go with Xur Eon on a mission to the Outer Rim and track down some more super-soldiers. No front-line engagements, just a there-and-back trip to thin their ranks." She revealed.
"Provided they can actually be stopped." Myri mused. She, like all the Jedi and the rest of the Republic, knew about the notoriously 'invincible' nature of the Separatist super-soldiers. And that caused her to remember something. "You we're obsessed with one for a while there... that 'Wraith' character." She commented.
"I wasn't obsessed." Ahsoka quickly said, her thoughts drifting to Dynnal. It had been over a week since she last saw him...
"The masters made it sound like you were." Myri clarified.
"Of course they would." Ahsoka scoffed, rolling her eyes. "I just thought there might be some way to redeem him is all. Everyone wanted him dead and I was the lone dissenting voice." She explained. "I'm not the only one they talk about, though, I've heard a few of them deem you the 'next Master Secura'." Ahsoka quickly pointed out. Now it was Myri's turn to roll her eyes. While she assumed that was a compliment in some regard, Myri also figured it was because Aayla was a beautiful Twi'lek and so was she... apparently. But unlike Aayla, who wore a slightly more revealing outfit for personal reasons, Myri wore the traditional conservative robes that hid her body instead of showing it.
"Oh, enough about me. Rumor has it Wraith saved you a couple times." The Twi'lek went on.
"Eh, turned out he had a crush on me, who knew." Ahsoka dismissively replied, actually caring a lot more about his feelings than one would've suspected. But she had to downplay things, even around her friend, in order to sound like she was being a good Jedi. She hadn't expected her offhand remark to send Myri into a fit of laughter, though.
"Oh my! Oh... Oh stars above!" She gasped between giggles, finding the very notion of a super-soldier being attracted to Ahsoka so ridiculously possible. "Of all people. Wonder what you did to catch his eye." She said, calming down after a moment. Ahsoka smirked.
"Don't know, there's a lot to love here." She remarked, holding her arms out in a gesture towards her entire body.
"And do you have a crush on him?" Myri casually but teasingly asked. Ahsoka paused for a moment. She did and she didn't... but that was because she didn't just have a crush on him, but actually loved him.
"Pft, no." Ahsoka lied, waved her off. "Obviously. He's a Seppie. We'd be like... oil and water."
"Right," Myri chuckled, taking another sip of water, "what about Anakin?" She wondered. Ahsoka cocked her head, somewhat confused.
"What about him?"
"Come on, I know you had a crush on him when we were younger." Myri ribbed, Ahsoka having been very vocal to her friend about that in their younger years.
"Yeah, I know. But... now that he's my master it's... weird to think about him like that, you know?" Ahsoka responded.
"You sure there's not a tiny little part of you that still thinks he's handsome?" Myri wondered. The truth was, there wasn't. Dozens of missions and nearly two years of being Master-Apprentice had wiped out any shred of attraction Ahsoka had once had towards Anakin.
Besides, there was another man she was attracted to who occupied that spot in her heart. A man she was currently dating, who was her lover and boyfriend. A man whose name was Dynnal Karn... not that Myri would know, given the secretive nature of their relationship.
"Nope." Ahsoka honestly replied, sipping her water. "What about you? You draw a lot of attention, surely there's a guy for you out there."
"What do you mean I 'draw a lot of attention'?" Myri replied, almost sounding offended.
"Oh, like you don't know." Ahsoka sarcastically continued. "Let's face it Myri, you're a Twi'lek. You're naturally beautiful. To top it all off, you're a Lethan Twi'lek with rare red skin. Obviously guys are gonna look your way." She explained. "I just wanna know if there's anyone you've looked back at." The truth was, Myri had, more than once. But in the end, she had fought off any desire in an effort to remain pure in accordance with the Code.
"Ahsoka you know as well as I do that's against the Code." The Twi'lek responded.
"Obviously. Then why were you bugging me about Anakin?" Ahsoka pried.
"Because... I know you. You live 'loosely' by the Code, like he does. You're a little more... open about your emotions. I was... just curious if they'd changed at all." Myri elaborated. At that, Ahsoka crossed her arms.
"Are you, uh, trying to insinuate something?" She wondered, trying to sound offended in her own right.
"No! Not at all!" Myri spluttered. It was then, given her various vocal tics, Ahsoka grinned like a cat.
"You're hiding something, aren't you?" She point blank asked and Myri stayed silent. "You've got a man, right? It's okay, I can keep a secret." Force knows she had a few million of her own.
"Oh don't be ridiculous!" Myri huffed with a smile, trying to downplay Ahsoka's question as nothing more than would-be gossip.
What Ahsoka was unaware of was that Myri battled nymphomania, and not with much success.
While outwardly she seemed like the perfect Padawan, always obedient to the Code, dutiful in her studies, faithful to her master and the Council, inwardly she struggled with such intense desires that would be enough to make even the most stoic of masters blush if they knew the true extent of them. It might be a self-diagnosis, but Myri's symptoms matched the recorded definition of nymphomania almost perfectly. Yet she told no one else about her issues and dealt with them by herself in private, trying to deny them by being as faithful a Jedi as possible in her daily life. To that end, she had been successful and had never once slept with a man. While many had an interpretation of the Code that forbade relationships but not 'physical pleasure', Myri simply could not grasp the Jedi Code in such a manner. In her mind, it would be counterproductive for a Jedi to engage in anything like that.
"Yeah, well, if you're not careful some super-soldier might have a crush on you next." The Togruta teased.
"Yeah right!" Myri shot back with a giggle. To think some Separatist could ever crush on her... that would be the day!
Her wrist comm suddenly beeped and she answered it. "Myri, I need you to meet me over at the Republic Sciences building, right now if possible." The voice was that of her master and it seemed to be urgent.
"On my way, Master." The Twi'lek affirmed, shutting down her comms. "Guess we'll pick this up another time." She mused to Ahsoka.
"Hey, this, studying, drinks, food, if you're game I'm game." Ahsoka promised. Myri smiled warmly, her friend returning it.
"Then I'll see you around." She replied, collecting her outer robe and making her way out of the training room.
Myri hurried over to the Republic Sciences building, taking the route she deemed fastest by employing a hovercab to take her most of the way. Once it dropped her off at the edge of the grounds, she jogged through the courtyard until she arrived at the main entrance, where she had sensed a familiar figure waiting for her. She was a member of the Cathar species, a very feline people in every regard from their behavior to their biology. She was also dressed like a member of the Jedi Order, someone who Myri happened to know very well.
"I got here as soon as I could, Master Ty'ga." She announced upon arrival. The Cathar looked to her, brown eyes friendly and inviting.
"Thank you for your prompt response, Myri. I have a new task for you." Ty'ga replied. Myri dutifully nodded. Time and experience proved she could trust her master and, as always, Myri was unafraid of whatever challenge might lay ahead.
"Anything, Master. What would you have me do?" She wondered. Ty'ga motioned for her to follow and together they entered the Science building.
"The Republic's Titan mercenaries have recently returned from a job in the Outer Rim," the Cathar began, "and they have brought with them a potential Separatist super-soldier." That stunned the adolescent Twi'lek.
"They did? Why? Their mission is to kill them, isn't it?"
"It is likely because this one was a youth, about your age." Ty'ga revealed. "He had yet to be commissioned like the others and the Titans returned him to spare him such a fate." The pieces were slowly coming together for Myri.
"A rather... humanitarian gesture. For a mercenary group." She mused.
"Maybe so, but one that the Republic might yet find beneficial." Ty'ga went on. "However, his mind is scattered as his fear is vast. He's skittish and not talkative, shying away from anyone who tries to approach him." She revealed. Myri caught the key word 'his' but soon forgot about it given her master's description.
"What cruel horrors have the Separatists inflicted upon him?" She said aloud, questioning what might've forced him to act like this.
"It is hard to say." Ty'ga responded. She stopped walking and Myri did too, looking to her master as the Cathar turned to face her. "Seeing as I was overseeing this return, I thought of you as my first choice to help reach out to this young man." Myri was surprised.
"Me? Why me?" She asked, genuinely curious and a little confused. Ty'ga rested her hands on the Twi'lek's shoulders and smiled warmly.
"Because of your skill, your talent. You have the heart of a Jedi, if there is anyone person I know who could reach out and help someone, it would be you." She answered. Myri blushed a little, humbled by her words.
"I am honored you think so highly of me, Master." She quietly responded with a small smile.
"Your work has earned you such praise, Padawan." Ty'ga assured her. Myri nodded bashfully.
"You... want me to connect with him?" She wondered, mouth feeling a little dry.
"Yes. Show him what he's been lacking in his life: kindness, concern, gentleness. Let him know that we care, unlike the Separatists." The Twi'lek nodded in understanding.
"Will you come with me?" Myri hesitantly inquired.
"I cannot. I've already tried to approach him and failed. He has been left alone in preparation for you." Ty'ga told her. Myri nodded again, plucking up her courage as she realized she would be doing this by herself without her master's assistance. Ty'ga stretched out her arm towards the door Myri would be going through, ushering her Padawan onwards towards her patient.
Swallowing nervously, Myri went on her way and passed between the double doors. Inside, her fear was slowly escalating. She would be left alone with a man?! That was not a good recipe, not with her rampant sexual urges. She would have to control herself as much as possible. Inhaling deeply, Myri quickly recited the Guardian's Mantra. "I am one with the Force and the Force is with me." It calmed her nerves and she opened herself up further, letting it bathe every emotion and every thought, ensuring she was completely surrounded with the Force. She couldn't afford to crumble, not now. Not when her own master was depending on her.
She walked through another set of double doors, finding herself in a medium-sized room with silver walls and a white floor. It seemed pristine and sterile, like the kind used in hospitals or possibly in laboratories for handling sensitive experiments. It occurred to her that perhaps this room was not ideal for handling someone who had just escaped being experimented on, and made a mental note to pass that on to Master Ty'ga. It was then that she found an adjoining room to her right... and someone was in it.
Drawing closer, the young man she saw within was, for lack of a better word, handsome. Incredibly handsome.
A crop of dark brown hair lined his head, shaven on one side where an alpha-numerical tattoo could be plainly seen, reading 'C11-I'. But the shape of his body is what drew Myri's sapphire eyes. He appeared to be the definition of physical perfection; muscles toned and pronounced, thick and well-defined, no Jedi man Myri knew even came close in terms of physique. Even with a shirt on, Myri could tell he was very fit and very muscular. She took a breath, beating back the welling heat emanating from her core. She had to be professional about this.
Taking a few tentative steps closer, Myri reached the doorframe wordlessly. The sound of her footsteps suddenly prompted the young man to look up, allowing Myri to get a good look at his face. His complexion was certainly that of a youth, but there was a sense of maturity about him despite the tangible nervousness in his sea-blue eyes. His overall appearance was... somewhat enamouring and Myri called on the Force to calm her nerves again. She could feel the heat rising, the need and the want bubbling up within her, threatening to consume every fibre of her being. She already felt desperate for this man, desperate to feel him...
But she couldn't let that consume her. Not now.
Putting on a friendly smile, Myri gazed upon the young man with a warmth in her eyes. "Hi there." She softly greeted. He seemed taken aback but soon found his tongue.
"H-Hi." He stammered back. Myri took a few steps into the room, drawing a little closer to him.
"How are you?" She asked, hoping she sounded genuine.
"I-I... O-Okay I, uh, I-I guess." He replied, tripping over his words. His eyes darted back and forth, flickering from sizing her up to steadily holding her gaze. He seemed nervous, fidgety even, acting as though he were rather uncomfortable. A man of such muscular build, Myri suspected he had access to much physical strength. To seem him so... disturbed was humbling in a way.
"May I join you?" She quietly asked. He did not speak this time but simply nodded. Finding a spare chair, Myri took a seat across from him, still smiling sweetly. But inwardly she was struggling, she had to come up with some way of keeping his attention without losing him entirely and her billowing desires were slowly getting out of hand. She needed something that would relax them both. "I know you're probably wondering why I'm here." She began, his gaze darting towards her the moment she started speaking. "I came by to see how you were doing. I wanted to make sure you were comfortable."
"Uh... W-Well, this... is more comfortable than a bacta tank." He replied, a nervous laugh tail-ending his sentence. Myri smiled a little more, his awkwardness tangible through the Force. What she sensed was a roiling storm of tumultuous feelings, this young man clearly struggling with something possibly beyond him. His every move radiated nervousness and worry, from rubbing the back of his head to fidgeting while he sat. He was trying to be open, or so it seemed, yet wasn't having too much success. The Twi'lek leaned forward, her two lekku resting over her shoulders in a passive sign of openness.
"I'm not here to poke and prod. I want to make sure you're okay." She promised him. He nodded again. "Has anyone else come to see you?"
"J-Just a... couple doctors... at least, I think they were doctors." He slowly answered. "They said they wanted to check my blood for, um, a-abnormal synthetic proteins." He quoted. Myri was impressed.
"Sounds like you have a good memory." She complimented. He smiled sheepishly and offered a nervous laugh, looking away. "Do you remember your name by chance?" She gently inquired. His eyes lit up at the mention and he looked to her again.
"Y-Yeah! Yeah, uh, m-my name is Arec. Arec Drayson." He responded. Myri nodded slowly, processing the name.
"Nice to meet you Arec." She greeted with a smile, subconsciously pressing her legs tighter together to stave off her urges. "I'm Myri. Myri Lachiec." She introduced.
"H-Hi Myri." Arec timidly greeted. She thought his stammer was kind of cute.
"What else do you remember, Arec? What can you tell me about yourself?" She wondered. Feeling his tumultuous feelings ease a little, Myri listened as Arec told her that he was an orphan from Concord Dawn and that he was picked up by Separatist scientists approximately two months ago, although he couldn't remember exactly. As he kept talking, his eyes never left Myri. Arec had a good memory, that was for sure, and he'd never met a young woman as beautiful as her before. Everything from her face to her skin... Force, even her smile. That, he thought, was the most beautiful thing about her. "So, you're a Mandalorian." She surmised, now rather interested. The Clone troopers were made with Mandalorian DNA, that of Jango Fett's to be precise. He had also come from Concord Dawn, or so the reports claimed.
"Y-Yeah, technically." Arec agreed.
"What about the Separatist scientists? What do you remember about them?" Myri softly asked. At that, Arec fell silent and his expression fell. The glimmering light that was slowly coming to his eyes was suddenly dim again. Myri sensed his turmoil rise up again, something about that experience clearly bothered him.
"Th-They drugged me. I-I can't remember much... s-something about..." He stammered, stuttered, tried in vain to say but he couldn't find the words. Arec finally held his head in his hands and exhaled a shuddering breath. "I-I don't know!" He exclaimed in frustration. Myri rose from her seat and moved beside him, crouching down as she gently rested a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"It's okay, Arec. It's alright if you don't know." She assured him. Myri dropped a little lower, getting tangibly close to Arec. He let out a sigh,
"I... S-Sorry." He mumbled in apology.
"You have nothing to be sorry for." Myri gently promised, her voice soothing and comforting to the young man. Arec nodded slightly, rubbing his temples as he struggled with himself. Myri could sense his trouble and realized she would need to consult her master about this. Something was bothering him and it appeared to be a combination of physical and psychological ailments. Myri concluded, based on his current state, that she could gain no further information from Arec. "You should rest." She suggested, subtly using the Force to promote her idea further. Arec turned and looked to her, his eyes locking with hers in their close proximity. Myri felt a fresh heat bloom in the pit of her stomach and fought back the sudden urge to lock lips with him and shove her tongue into his mouth.
"Yeah... yeah, okay." He quietly agreed. Myri stood and made to leave, forgetting about any pleasantries in an effort to vacate his presence so she could deal with her pulsing desires. "W-Will you come back tomorrow?" He asked, stopping her at the door. Rather taken aback by his query, Myri smiled internally at the thought of a man wanting her around. Looking over her shoulder, she caught Arec's pleading gaze and knew she couldn't refuse him.
"Of course." She promised, smiling again.
Outside the Sciences building, master and apprentice conversed as Ty'ga was most curious as to how Myri fared.
"He told me his name is Arec Drayson and that he's from Concord Dawn." The young Twi'lek quickly explained. "He says he was an orphan when the Separatists collected him. I don't know if they stole him from an orphanage or pulled him off the street."
"Even still, this is valuable information." Ty'ga mused. "Well done, Padawan." She congratulated.
"Thank you, Master. But that wasn't all I learned." Myri revealed. Ty'ga cocked her head and dutifully listened as Myri continued. "He has a good memory, he could recall many things about his prior life in detail. But it seems like there's some sort of... block that's causing him stress. I asked him about the Separatist scientists and he suddenly acted like he had a headache." Taking that information into account, Ty'ga briefly pondered the various possibilities.
"Perhaps a form of post-traumatic stress is blocking out his memories." She suggested. "Which would go to indicate that he must've endured something terrible by their hands."
"That's what I thought too." Myri quietly agreed, casting a glance back towards the building where Arec was being held. Her gaze was longing and sorrowful for his sake...
"There may yet be a way to learn the truth," Ty'ga continued, "there is a Force technique that allows you to peer into one's mind and remember their suppressed memories for them. You could see everything Arec endured on his behalf, but it will take a great amount of dedication to perform." Myri nodded slowly, the idea appealing.
"I guess I have some practice to do." She noted with a slight smile. But it faded shortly when a thought came to her. "Master, I. I-I don't think it's such a good idea to keep Arec in a lab-like place. He's been through one already and likely suffered horribly. Maybe he should have a room... somewhere." She suggested. Mine would do just fine. A naughty part of her mind determined.
"Yes, an astute course of action." Ty'ga agreed. "I will inform the scientists responsible for him and see to the transfer myself." Myri's smile returned.
"Thank you, Master." She said again. "I'll go back to the Temple now and research this technique." And do something about these urges... She thought to herself.
The next day, Myri returned to the Sciences building and found Arec had been moved to an upper level into a much more homely room, much to her satisfaction. She found him sitting by the door again, seemingly waiting for her. The moment she entered, the Twi'lek felt his spirit brighten and he jumped up to meet her. The moment she caught his eyes, Myri could see they were brimming with excitement and happiness.
No one had ever looked at her that way before, so expectant and hopeful for her presence. It warmed her heart in ways so pleasant and assuring, a far more genuine feeling than her shallow nymphomania.
They spent some more time talking, Arec a little more open about what he could remember about himself. Myri attempted to use her newfound Force technique to views his memories, but was met with limited success. All she could see were a few scattered images of being strapped to a table, with a bright light shining down from above, as Skakoan scientists worked. The aftermath of her attempt induced such stress in Arec that she had to use the Force to calm his nerves before ensuring he went to bed to rest. Seeing his immensely distressed state was enough to convince Myri that something had been done to his mind and questioned if it was some failed brainwashing or something else entirely. She needed to consult her master and did just that, leaving Arec be for the rest of the day.
Myri herself was also in desperate need of some time alone. Such close proximity to a man her age, an admittedly handsome and well-built man, was enough to send her sexual tendencies into overdrive. In the end, the Twi'lek spent more time in the privacy of her room than she did actually researching Arec's problem...
The following morning...
Myri was awakened by a prodding at her senses through the Force and a soft knocking at her door. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she sat up and yawned, her crimson lekku flexing a little as she did. It seemed too early for someone to need her and she couldn't help but feel a little annoyed.
"Who is it?" She called to her closed door.
"Padawan, I need you up and dressed as soon as possible." It was Master Ty'ga, it had to be important. Eyes wide, Myri threw off the covers and reached for her clothes.
"Coming Master!" She was ready to leave within minutes, the Force helping her speed up getting dressed as well as becoming more awake. Sliding open her door, she stepped into the hall where a fully-dressed Master Ty'ga was waiting. "What's going on?" She asked.
"You are needed at the Sciences building, it's urgent. Arec has specifically asked for you." The Cathar revealed. Myri blanked for a moment. She didn't realize Arec had, or could, request her presence. Something must be up...
"He... has?" She hesitantly wondered. Ty'ga nodded and Myri decided she better not waste any more time and made to leave, but was suddenly stopped when her master laid a hand on her shoulder.
"Before you go, it seems like that boy might be slowly developing an attachment to you." She said in a low, cautionary tone. "Be on your guard, Myri. Do not forget your oath to the Order and the Code." Ty'ga charged. Her sleepy mind still trying to wrap her head around today's situation, Myri could only nod in numb obedience.
"Y-Yes Master, I understand." She quickly replied, turning and jogging off moments later. While she knew she needed to heed her master's words, Myri could not ignore her pressing need to see what was going on with Arec. Why had he asked for her like this? Was something wrong? What was happening to him?
Myri did not stop moving until she arrived at the Sciences building's turbolift, which she quickly entered and rode up to the level she knew Arec to be on. Flicking her lekku over her shoulders, she appraised the subtle patterns running along the tendrils for a moment. Most Twi'leks had some form of a subtle, intricate design along the length of their lekku, in Myri's case a kind of striping like that seen on wild Nexu. Briefly running her hands along them sent a pleasant shiver through her that threatened to ignite her sensual desires again, way too early for her liking. Summoning the Force, she surrounded herself in a calming aura and forced her senses to go deaf to her primal desires. She would indulge them later at a far more prime opportunity. Giving her head a shake, her lekku disappeared over her back, the source of temptation removed for the time being.
Myri knew she had to steady her breathing as the lift neared its destination, otherwise she really would look like a wreck before Arec and that was the last thing she wanted!
Moving a a brisk walk down the hall, Myri sifted her focus from her physicality to her branching senses, seeking out Arec as she neared his room. She could feel his every emotion, how withdrawn he felt, how nervous and afraid he was, how many questions tumbled around in his mind. Then she briefly sensed two other beings in the room with him and quickened her pace to find out who they were. Finding his door, she used the Force to slide it open and stepped in, only to be taken aback by who she saw within.
"Oh! Chancellor!" She exclaimed, recognizing one of the people in the room with Arec. "I-I'm sorry, I didn't know you were here!" She quickly apologized. Palpatine, who had turned to her, nodded slowly.
"It's quite alright, my dear." He calmly responded. "And who might you be?"
"I-I'm Myri Lachiec, Jedi Padawan." She responded. "I was told Arec had sent for me. I-If that's not true, I can always go-"
"No no, my dear Padawan. In fact, you are the young woman we've been waiting for." Palpatine replied, cutting her off. "Do come in." He urged, and Myri did so, striding over to Arec's side. She sensed how great his relief was and how he was internally beaming at her presence, feeling somewhat flattered. "My colleague, Commander Thrawn; our resident expert on Separatist super-soldiers." Palpatine introduced, gesturing to the black-clad Chiss in the room with them. Thrawn regarded Myri with his characteristically quiet and thoughtful demeanor, tilting his head in acknowledgment. "We understand you've been visiting Arec recently." The Chancellor continued.
"Y-Yes. That's right." Myri slowly replied, taking a seat next to the handsome Arec. "You'll pardon my asking, but I'm not entirely sure why I was summoned here."
"I-I asked, Myri." Arec timidly revealed. "I... I-I just felt l-like I needed you here." Myri's sapphire gaze was on him now and Arec could not help but feel embarrassed about what he needed to say next. "I... I feel better when you're around." He shyly confessed. Briefly taken aback, Myri could sense his subtle feelings for her, but did not have any time to process them before Chancellor Palpatine spoke again.
"We were attempting to speak with Arec about anything he might've learned about the other super-soldiers. Yet he was... struggling with his memories." He explained. Myri knew of what he spoke.
"There seems to be some sort of programming block put in place." Myri told him. "I'm afraid only time and aid will be enough to tear it down."
"Perhaps they attempted to program him early." Thrawn theorized. "Yet were unsuccessful or only completed the first few phases."
"I have seen some of his memories, albeit briefly." Myri revealed. "He has been on a lab table with Skakoan scientists all around him. But I can't see much more past that."
"Then it may be time and patience are what we need." Palpatine mused, seeing as Arec was not much help to them at the moment. "Commander? Your thoughts?" He inquired, turning to Thrawn.
"Given his condition, it seems we were somewhat hasty in our hopes for information." The Chiss quietly determined. "We underestimated the effects of what the Separatists had done to him."
"Quite right." Palpatine agreed. "Mister Drayson," Arec sat up and his eyes widened a little at the mention of his name, "I apologize for pressing you for information so soon. We were wrong to suspect your time with the Separatists had minimal influence."
"I-It's alright. I, uh, understand." Arec meekly responded. Palpatine nodded.
"You do seem a little brighter, though, especially now that young Myri is here." The Chancellor observed. Myri shied away to hide her blush as Arec slowly nodded. "You enjoy your company?" Palpatine pried.
"She's... S-She's one of the first people to really be nice to me." Arec admitted and Myri felt warmed again. Palpatine took that under consideration.
"I understand." He simply replied. A thought came to his mind, a simple lesson he learned a long time ago: give them what they want and they will be loyal. Like a returning dog thrown a piece of prime meat every time it was hungry, the same could be said of a potential super-soldier. "Padawan Myri," he spoke, gaining the Twi'leks attention, "who is your master?"
"Master Ty'ga, sir. She was the one overseeing Arec's initial transfer." Myri replied.
"Ah, yes. Thank you, I will tell her that I am putting you in charge of young Arec. You are to help rehabilitate him but also to protect him should the Separatists attempt to recapture him." He commanded. Myri was momentarily stunned. While surprised by his order, she was somewhat delighted to be paired with Arec full-time. He'd somewhat dominated her thoughts, both public and private ones, so to be attached to him so formally was a bit of a welcome promotion.
"I... I-I... don't know what to say." She sputtered, smiling a little. "Thank you, Chancellor. I-I'll do my best." She quickly promised. Palpatine nodded with a smile of his own.
"I'd expect nothing less." He responded, rising from his seat along with Thrawn.
"I will check in from time to time for a report on his progress, Jedi Myri." The Chiss commander stated. "Anything he can tell us about the super-soldier program would prove most useful."
"I'll keep that in mind, Commander." Myri replied with a nod. The two saw themselves out, sealing the door behind them and leaving Myri and Arec alone. The Padawan could sense his astonishment as well as his subtle exuberance at having Myri around permenantly. She turned to him with a bright expression. "Well... how about that!" She remarked with a smile. Arec returned it, still shy and withdrawn but slowly emerging from his shell. "Guess you'll be seeing a lot more of me from now on." She commented, a subtle thrill forming a weight in her core.
"Th-Thanks for coming Myri." Arec said, suddenly growing rather soft and emotional. "I... I-I really do feel better when you're around. Y-You're so nice a-and helpful." This time, Myri did nothing to hide her blush as her bright red skin turned a deeper scarlet. "I just... wish I could remember things on my own. But every time I try it hurts," He admitted, expression downcast as he rubbed his forehead, "I feel like I need to sleep it off."
"If you need some time, I'll happily give it to you." The Twi'lek promised, rising to leave.
"No, M-Myri please," he suddenly begged, grasping her hand. Her breath hitching with his unexpected move, the young Twi'lek turned around to see Arec looking at her with desperate, pleading eyes. "I... need you. More than you realize." He confessed. His words registered with her in more ways than one, and Myri fought back a blush as she chose to interpret them in a less intimate way. Through the Force, she could sense his every emotion. Her presence was comforting to him and he wrestled with a trauma she could not yet place. But her being around soothed him and she also sensed a measure of attraction in him. He was attracted to her.
Normally, Myri would brush that off. She'd felt the attraction of males before, coupled with their lingering gazes. Those were always wrought from desire, sometimes even lust. But Arec's was different... his stemmed from affection and knowing he felt that way about her made her heart flutter.
She decided, somewhat selfishly, that spending more time with Arec would be a good idea, so she squeezed his hand and slowly sat back down beside him. "I'll stay." She whispered, a simple affirmation of the truth. While she also wanted to say that she needed more of him as well, she needed to maintain her image as a Jedi. But... maybe one day, Myri hoped, she could be more honest with him about her feelings.
The relief that rolled off of Arec was quite astounding and Myri's blush was unavoidable as she sensed his desire to either hug her or kiss her. He didn't notice, though, especially when he compulsively reached out and hugged her. He cared not that she was a Jedi, for in this moment she was his peace and his comfort. She soothed his seared soul and he wanted to stay there, just like that, forever.
The thing is, Myri did too.
Author's Note: RANDOM FOLLOWER SHOUTOUT - this one goes to 0S9, thanks for clicking that button friend! Until next posting!
