Disclaimer: I own nothing that is LucasArts, Bioware or Disney. I do, however, own Samirah for she is my pride and joy.
Hello, faithful readers! I can't even begin to express my admiration to those who have stuck with me and messaged me over the time since I last updated. I know I keep saying I'll update soon and I wish that I could update sooner rather than later. Somehow, I keep pushing the next chapter further and further into back of my mind and when it resurfaces, I realize how much time has passed.
Consider this a special occasion. I have 2 Chapters written and ready for you all to read in a row! I'm updating them both, right now. They ended up longer then expected but that should be a good thing for you all, correct? Correct.
So enjoy and I won't take up anymore of your time with my little intro.
Enjoy, faithful readers!
It Is Greatness
"In my stars I am above thee; but be not afraid of greatness: some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon 'em."
"Carth, get us out of here!" Bastila shouted in a hurry as they boarded the Ebon Hawk. He didn't need to be told twice as he raced to the cockpit and jumped into his familiar seat at the helm. A momentary wave of relief washed over him as his familiar surroundings gave way to a short-lived reprieve of the dangers on Kashyyyk.
They were home. They were, for the moment, safe.
The fighting outside was loud. Fire was erupting at different corners of the landing zone and it was apparent that a warzone was breaking out on Kashyyyk's surface. The Wookiee's were reclaiming their home now that Chuundar was dead and his father reinstated as chieftain. Carth took control of the ship, flipping switches and disengaging the landing gears. He cursed audibly when he noticed the loading ramp was still down. What was taking them so long to get on board? They shouldn't be lingering here any longer than was necessary. He reached out for the ship intercom and switched it on, shouting into the speaker.
"Everyone better be on this ship, prepared to take off and holding on to something fast! Get that loading ramp up! We're getting off this planet, now!" He flicked the switch off and watched the indicator for a few moments, waiting for his green light.
A few minor explosions erupted off to the side as billows of smoke poured from the Czerka camp as a beacon of hope to the inhabitants of Kashyyyk. When the ramp was raised and he received the go ahead, he took no time pulling the ship up from the landing zone as a few stray shots from below hit the Ebon Hawks hull. He quickly maneuvered them out of harm's way before Czerka wised up and started firing at them from the anti-air craft guns stationed around the landing zone.
"Come on…" He grunted, wishing that the ship's engines would speed up just a little bit more.
When he heard the satisfying sound of the engines firing all the way up, he punched forward and lifted the Ebon Hawk out of harm's way. It wasn't until they were over the port, however, that he noticed the flames engulfing the guns. He smirked as he pulled out of Kashyyyk's atmosphere, the fighting below becoming a faraway problem, much to his satisfaction.
"That'll teach them…" A small voice sounded from behind and Carth's smile only widened.
"What did ya say earlier? That seems a little excessive, Mission. Excessive and unnecessary…" She wiggled her hands in the air as she approached him, her voice a mock impersonation of him. "How about a little credit here? It ain't easy doing what I do." Mission plopped into the co-pilots chair, allowing it to swivel around continuously with her in it. She crossed her arms, careful to keep her eyes on him as it turned in case he decided to roll his at her. She was going to catch him in the act if he did.
He opted for chuckling instead. He had to hand it to her: it was due to her expertise and penchant for trouble that they had such a saving grace. They weren't in the clear yet, however. It was highly probable that they could still run into trouble—space was a landmine waiting to catch you on the defensive. For now, luckily, they were away from the bulk of trouble. Kashyyyk was sure to be a hot zone for a while.
"Alright, Mission. I'll hand it to you this time—only this time though! You could have seriously been hurt." He gave her a pointed look, the smile still slightly in place. She rolled her eyes, tilting her head from side to side in another mock notion. She was keeping the chair in a swiveling motion as she made her faces, making her seem even more like a child than she already was. Disappearing and then reappearing as the chair turned, making new faces at him.
"Yeah, alright dad. I'll keep that in mind but for now, a little credit would be nice. Enjoy the moment of my success! You know, without my help, who knows what kind of trouble you guys would get in. Sheesh! Talk about underappreciated here! " She crossed her arms and Carth just shook his head.
"Zaalbar would have my head if anything ever happened to you. You know that as well as I do and quite frankly, he scares me more than you do." He said with a light smile. "I actually don't want to know what he'd do to me."
He kept his eyes set on the expanse of space before him as he focused on just getting them away from Kashyyyk for the time being. He took a deep breath, letting it out slowly as his hands tightened around the controls of the ship. "Samirah either…" Mission slowly stopped swiveling around in her chair, resting her head against the back of it and looking out through the glass window. For a moment, they were both quiet. They both were thinking along the same lines and worried about the same person.
"She's going to be okay, isn't she Carth?" Mission asked, turning her head to look at him. He didn't look back.
She wasn't there to see what happened. When Samirah left the Ebon Hawk, she was her usual self. Ok, maybe not all that usual. She was a Jedi so Mission assumed she was pretty stressed about being all Jedi-y. Even Mission didn't think she could do it. Too many rules and regulations, too many strings attached—it just wasn't her kind of life style, ya know? Did it suit Samirah? Of course not! Samirah and Mission were like two Antarian peas in a pod so she probably didn't like it any more than Mission did, right? That would explain a lot of things… but not everything. She wasn't the same when they emerged from the forest. She wasn't Samirah.
She looked like the weight of the galaxy was pinning her down, keeping her from being anything but a droid. Minus the all the circuitry of course, same difference.
She waited, silently, for Carth to respond. He seemed to have been lost in his own thoughts and at last he let out a deep sigh, looking at her slowly.
"I don't know, Mission. I really don't know… "
"Lay her there, lad. Lass, get me a bowl of water and a kolto pack just in case." Jolee ordered quickly as Canderous gently placed Samirah down on the table.
She was breathing heavily, her body shivering violently as if she had been lost on Hoth for days. Canderous laid her down flat, straightening her legs and placing her arms at her side while Bastila hurried from the room to get the materials. Jolee shook his head, pulling a dry cloth from the cabinet and drying the sweat from her face. She was in bad condition. He placed a hand on her head, closing his eyes as he searched out with the Force. What was ailing her so much?
He reached out, feeling the dark taints that clouded her mind and invaded her body. Jolee grimaced, feeling the effects through the tendrils of the force. He himself knew of the dangers in the forest. Not just physically, but mentally and spiritually. He had been a Jedi for many years, long before he even became stranded on Kashyyyk so his mind had been well prepared and well protected from its dangers. He was properly trained to fend off its influence. The darkness in the forest was nothing compared to the many agents of dark power he had come across in his youth. Childs play, really.
This girl, however… no, nothing would have been able to protect her from that exposure so soon. She was already working with a fractured will and spirit, her only shields against the dark side of the force. Against the dark powers at work. He knew that the moment he first saw her- he could feel the uncertainty. Yes, her resolve was there when it came time to make decisions but doubt was always at her heels.
Her uncertainties, her morals, her emotions- everything that made her who she was before becoming a Jedi was jeopardizing her very life. The Council allowed her to leave with these doubts, knowing full well what she may face. They didn't help her, they just gave her a lightsaber and said here, go save the galaxy! Jolee shook his head, grimacing at the very idea. To make it worse, her only guidance in this difficult venture was that hotheaded Padawan learner who fought with the same problems and in his opinion, was not an ideal mentor for her to follow. She needed much more training herself. They were in the dark. They were fumbling around in the dark, blindly feeling around for some direction, hoping the other knew what to do. The Council was foolish in their endeavors, under preparing her for such trials. Under preparing them both. It was one of the many reasons why he left that damnable order.
The reaction she received when she touched the map… there was an imprint left from it. An imprint on the Force from it. He had always known of the maps existence, or at least of an artifact that festered in the forest-he was a damnable Jedi for Force's sake, not that that meant anything to anyone these days, but the fact of the matter was still there. He knew that contraption was in the forest but he had never been sure of its influence until now. Of how much dark power was really left on it.
Samirah groaned, nearly whimpering as she tossed about on the examination table. Jolee opened his eyes, frowning as her ailment became clear to him.
"Lad..." He started, looking pointedly at Canderous who was hovering around in the corner. The Mandalorian wrinkled his brows at Jolee, stepping forward. "Now don't fuss with me about it but I'm going to need you to hold her down while I fix her up."
"You want me to restrain her?" He asked incredulously. When Jolee didn't respond he shrugged before walking around the table and holding her upper arms down. She flinched from his touch and he only held her more firmly. "... Don't struggle..." He muttered under his breath.
"She may thrash about. You can't let her, got it lad?" He instructed sternly and Canderous nodded. She mumbled under her breath, a grimace taking over her features as Jolee resumed his position.
Jolee could sense the impurities that had been building up in her. Impurities from stress, from taints, from thoughts and visions. She had been unknowingly letting little slivers of darkness into her heart... this was not a good sign. It had snaked around inside of her for too long but Jolee did not fear it, he only feared what it could do to her if left to worsen her state. The taint would be harder to remove.
Not harder for him, but harder for her.
He placed both hands over her body. One hand over her mind, the other over her heart and pressed them gently to her skin. She shivered beneath his touch before he called upon the healing properties of the Force. He allowed the Force to channel through him like a spring of fresh water, pouring out over Samirah to wash away the taint. This was not a healing of the physical body but of the mental state. He heard echoes in his thoughts, the same echoes that he was sure tormented her. He wasn't creating a bond, but a temporary link so as to better assess the damage with the Force. What he was discovering bothered him and he needed to mend her quickly.
He closed his eyes, focusing intently as he crossed his hands back and forth, waving them over her body as he directed the Force. It was like a puppeteer controlling the strings of a puppet- he was the puppet of the Force as it told him where to go to purify her of the dark energy. The two key points were her mind and her heart so he focused on her heart first. He planted both hands on her heart firmly, letting the warmth envelop his hand and her chest. She flinched as he focused and lurched forward as if she was going to curl up into a small ball. She opened her mouth to scream but no sound came out. Canderous pushed her back down, grunting as she struggled against him.
"Come on, kid," He muttered, "It's just me... keep it together."
Jolee knitted his brows together, moving from her heart to her mind in hopes of helping her. A small sweat broke out on his forehead as he concentrated hard, channeling the Force. The process was like pulling splinters out slowly. Splinters so far imbedded into her body that they had to slowly be forced out. He needed Canderous to keep his hold on her a little bit longer. She continued to thrash about and made it more difficult for him to keep healing her. She finally managed a weak cry when Jolee reached the heart of her ailment... the darkness that swirled around inside her like a parasite.
"Stop fighting me..." He muttered under his breath, his hand firmly pressing against her head while the other hand wafted over her body. He had to exert more energy to keep her head against the table instead of jerking about, making it slightly harder for him to keep steady.
"Your voodoo magic going to help her?" Canderous questioned, momentarily disturbing his concentration.
"Lad, it's the only thing that's going to help her so pipe down and let me work!" He snapped and Canderous shut his mouth.
After several more moments and more jerking motions, her body finally went still. Jolee fell back against the wall of the ship, wiping away the sweat that had been accumulating as he worked. He wiped his brow with the back of his hand as he breathed a sigh of relief. Canderous relaxed his tense arms but didn't take them off of Samirah's shoulders. Her head lulled to the side, her face relaxing ever so slightly. After a few moments, Jolee pushed himself off the wall and approached Samirah, checking her pulse. Canderous stood on standby as he waited for her to start resisting them again.
"What's the verdict, old man?" He asked as Jolee moved his hand to her forehead and cheeks.
"Well, I did what I could for the child… I healed as much of her as I could. Seems she only has a fever left to deal with. A cold maybe. That's what you get for venturing into a damp forest, underprepared." He joked, lightheartedly. He gripped the bridge of his nose before looking up at the Mandalorian at his side. "A little rest will fix that. Her spirit also needs to recoup." As he said it, he couldn't help but wonder about the kernel of darkness that was lodged in her. Had he really purged her body of its taint or was there something more to it? In order for something to grow… there always had to be a seed. Had he rid her of the seed or had it evaded him?
Canderous slowly took his hands off of her shoulders and let out his own sigh of relief. Strands of her hair were matted to her forehead and her breathing had become deep and strained. She was burning up. Canderous placed a hand to her forehead and flinched from how hot she felt to him.
"As I said Sunny, she needs rest. Plenty of it, I'll say. Take her to her bed and let her sleep. And when she wakes up, we need to ensure she stays in bed." He said, looking pointedly at Canderous. He only chuckled in response.
"I think that can be arranged, old man." He joked, sliding his arms underneath her and lifting her with ease. She shuddered, curling up closer to him instinctively. Jolee just grunted in response, looking out the door of the med bay.
"Where the blast did that lass go?" He muttered, turning around and opening up a cabinet to find the kolto packs along with the ships assortment of med-packs. He shook his head as he pulled one out. He opened a pack, pulling out a towel and submerging it in the healing liquid. After ringing it out, he turned and placed it gingerly on Samirah's forehead. She let out a small coo that made the old man smirk.
"She'll make a recovery, lad." He assured Canderous before ushering him out. Canderous didn't hesitate before maneuvering himself out of the room, Samirah safely tucked in his arms.
As soon as they were gone, Jolee fell back against the wall, letting his weariness take over. He was really getting too old for these things. He wasn't as young and as vibrant as he once was. He really did it this time, didn't he? He picked a winning team. He chuckled at himself, remembering his own youth but never remember it being as strenuous as it was for Samirah and Bastila.
"Hey, old man!" He looked up, a furrow in his brow. What the blast was it now? He pushed himself up from the wall, peering his head out into the main room to see Canderous standing off to the side, Samirah still cradled in his arms. "Seems our Princess needed her beauty sleep." When Jolee followed his line of sight, there she was. Bastila was crumpled on the floor, a bowl just barely out of her reach.
He let out a tired sigh before waving Canderous away.
"I'll see to her. Just get Samirah to bed, before she wakes up and starts arguing with you." Canderous nodded with a smirk, leaving Jolee to tend to her.
He forced his body to move, his weary old joints aching with each movement. He knelt down beside her, rolling her onto her back and briefly checking her for a fever or ailment. Her eyes started to flutter open, a low groan escaping her lips as her hand came up to the side of her head. Jolee sat back against the wall, rubbing his eyes tiredly as she stirred, slowly sitting up.
"Easy does it, lass." She looked at him slowly, wincing as she felt the headache slowly creeping on her.
"By the Force..." She groaned, squeezing her eyes shut. "What happened? I feel as though my head is on fire..."
"I imagine so." He commented slowly. "You and that girl have a bond, don't you?" Jolee asked, though he was already sure of the answer. It wasn't hard to discern. His hunch was confirmed by the surprised look Bastila gave him. He reached out, picking up the bowl she was supposed to bring to him and dusting it off as he spoke. "Well don't act so surprised, lass. I am a Jedi. Used to be a damn good one too."
She looked away, closing her eyes again as she rubbed at her forehead. The last thing she remembered doing was searching for a bowl before everything just went dark. It felt like the world around her had simply disappeared and she was suspended in a dark void. It actually frightened her. The dark tendrils that wrapped around her, the whispers... they were brief moments that both intrigued and scared her before being whisked away. Even with all of her training, all of her mediations, and all of her years under the guidance of the Council, she had never once felt such a thing before. Was it the bond? Was it Samirah?
Then the thought struck her. She turned her full gaze on Jolee, concern contorting her features.
"Where is Samirah? How is she? Why aren't you attending to her?" She demanded, only earning a reproachful look from Jolee.
"Oh, pipe down child. Canderous is seeing to her now. He's ensuring that she rest in bed until her body can repair itself. It's only a fever now, a cold perhaps. With some rest and time, she'll be as fit as a Mandalorian." He hoisted himself up, grimacing as his joints popped. Bastila was surprised when he held his hand out to her. "I think we could all do with a little shut-eye, lass. I know I could."
She smiled, taking his hand as he pulled her up slowly. Her head was still aching but she was sure she could manage. If Jolee was certain that Samirah's condition was no longer serious, she would take him on his word. What other choice did she have? He was the only one who could help her right now.
"I suppose you are right... If she is well taken care of, then we could all use the rest. I'll speak to Carth about our next destination first and then I'll see to some shut-eye."Her hand came back up to her head, messaging her temple. Jolee just shook his head at her with a frown.
Before she could react, he placed the palm of his hand on her forehead and an immediate cooling effect coursed through her mind. She gasped quietly, slowly closing her eyes as the tension in her body slowly released itself. It was only a matter of seconds before he relinquished his hold on her, the pain now gone. She opened her eyes to see Jolee rubbing his tiredly.
"Jolee, I-"
"Ah, don't start, lass. You need just as much rest as she does so get your business done with Carth and then rest. It's been a tiring journey thus far and I am an in need of a good nights rest. You know what kind of rest you get in that forest? None! All those Tachs, squaking at all hours of the night and keeping me from resting… Not tonight. Tonight, I get a bed!"He stated with finality before walking away, the bowl still in his hands.
She watched him slowly walk away, muttering about being too old. She smiled faintly at him before walking towards the cockpit. When she walked inside, she found Mission curled up in the co-pilot's chair, Carth's jacket draped over her as she slept. Zaalbar stood over her, contemplating something while Carth fixated his attention on the expanse of space before him. Bastila quietly approached, earning the attention of Zaalbar. His features were weary and strained, the events of the day clearly weighing heavily on him.
He let out a low growl, saying nothing before gently picking up the Twi'lek girl into his arms. Carth's jacket fell on the chair as she curled up closer to Zaalbar, his fur providing the necessary heat. He nodded to Bastila, quietly leaving the cockpit with Mission. Bastila turned, watching as he disappeared around the corner before turning back to Carth. He had gotten up from his chair and was now pulling his burnt orange jacket back on. He yawned, rubbing the back of his neck in an attempt to relieve some of the pressure. He looked up, surprised when he saw Bastila standing awkwardly.
"Bastila. Shouldn't you be resting?" He asked in confusion.
"You should be too, Carth. You've had just as much of a hard day as the rest of us." He motioned for her to sit and she quietly moved to the co-pilot's chair as he settled back into his own.
"Well, someone has to make sure we don't run into trouble. Seems the galaxy itself is out to get us." He joked but it was only half-heartedly. He rubbed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose as he waited for Bastila to speak. When she didn't, he looked over at her. "Not that I'm complaining, but you usually have more things to talk about than this. What's wrong?"
She leaned forward, her elbows resting on the control desk. She shook her head slowly.
"No... not anymore. It's been... stressful, as of late." When she looked over at Carth, she smiled faintly at him. "Samirah is finally resting. Seems it's just a cold or something. It's nothing a little rest shouldn't fix." She saw as Carth's shoulders slumped, his body nearly relaxing in unison. He rested his head in his hands, a low chuckle escaping in response to his relief.
"Thats-That's good. That's... really good." He breathed, wanting to just laugh at how relieved he felt. He didn't even realize how stressed he was until now.
"She's going to be fine, Carth." Bastila reassured him, smiling a little bit more at him. He nodded his head slowly, leaning back in his chair and sighing audibly. A big smile on his face. Only a fever. A cold. Something so easy to fix and yet, he was still worried about her.
"About our destination..." Bastila started, bringing Carth's attention back to her. "I believe we should make a stop on Dantooine before continuing our journey." Carth furrowed his eyebrows, turning his chair to look at her.
"Dantooine? Of all places? Why the sudden need to return? Weren't we just there?"
"It can't hurt to make a quick stop. It'll be a safe spot to make repairs, get more supplies and we could all use an extra nights worth of sleep. I sense we are all very weary." Carth couldn't argue it.
After a moment's thought, he got up and moved to the astrogation chart. He input the coordinates for Dantooine, Bastila staying quiet and thoughtful in her seat as she waited. When he finished, he leaned against the wall and crossed his arms. He looked at her, taking his time before finally speaking.
"Alright, we'll go to Dantooine. I'll see to it that we get there without any problems." He assured her, earning another brief smile from Bastila. "Now, do us a favor and get some sleep. You obviously need it and there's nothing more you can do until we land, ok?"
Bastila nodded, standing up and brushing off her robes. She was exhausted and knowing now that the rest of the crew was well on the way to recovery, she could rest easy. She started to leave, stopping right at the entrance for a moment. She contemplated her next words carefully, weighing the pros and cons of them before speaking.
"You should check on Samirah... should you find the time." And then she disappeared.
Carth stayed where he was for a moment, unsure how to take her words. He turned, looking out into the hallway where the rest of the ship was now resting. He was sure that he was probably the only one still awake. He went back to the pilot's chair, sitting down to check the controls. He really should rest some—he was as tired as the rest of them but he needed to ensure they made it to Dantooine without any trouble. Sure he could set it on auto-pilot, but should they run into trouble, they would be in a pinch. He felt better if he just piloted the ship himself or was at least at the helm, ready to do what he needed. Better safe than sorry.
He would stay awake. He rubbed his eyes, taking a deep breath. He would be ok. He had done worse shifts and really, he just needed to stay awake until someone could watch the ship for him.
"Now would be a good time to take up a hobby, Carth..." He mumbled to himself, leaning back in his chair. It would be a long night.
"Carth?...Carth... Carth!" The hissing in his ear finally stirred him. He popped up, his eyes going wide in alarm and his right hand swinging out around him, nearly smacking Mission. Luckily she had the sense to dodge, jumping back a few steps.
"What?! What's going on? Are we being ambushed!?" He shouted, louder then he meant too. When he realized there was nothing to be alarmed about, he looked over to find Mission leaning away.
"M-Mission? What are you doing in here?" He yawned, despite himself, and rubbed his eyes. He looked around the dash, noting that he drifted off for only a few minutes. Enough to make him feel much more tired and groggy. "Aren't you supposed to be sleeping or something?" She rolled her eyes, plopping down into the co-pilots chair as if it was where she belonged, her legs hanging over the arm rest.
"Geez Carth, have you been like this all night? You really need some rest yourself, ya know? You can't just not sleep at all. Let someone else watch the ship so you can sleep." He shook his head, stretching out and secretly wishing he was already in bed.
"I can't Mission...not yet." She shook her head, crossing her arms as he started to check his instruments for any signs of trouble.
"He being stubborn again, kid?" Carth couldn't help the groan that escaped as he turned around to meet Canderous' eye by the entryway. He was leaning against the wall, a smirk in place.
"Hey, I'm not a kid! I think I've proven myself enough for you guys to consider me an adult!" Mission argued, crossing her own arms and pouting in her chair. Canderous just waved her off, walking up to Carth instead.
"You know what I meant. Hey, soldier boy, I think it's about time you got some shut eye of your own." Carth opened his mouth to protest but Canderous stopped him. "Don't you argue with me. I know how to pilot a ship just as well as you do." Carth raised an eyebrow skeptically at him.
As well as Carth could? Carth doubted anyone could pilot a ship quite like he could. He had piloted more ships than Canderous had probably ever seen. Ok... well, maybe that was an over exaggeration but the point was still there. He was the best damn pilot there ever was, Canderous couldn't replace him.
"Don't even think about arguing." Canderous interjected, pointing a finger at him. "You need some time to yourself. I won't scratch your baby." He said, rolling his eyes. Carth didn't approve but unfortunately, had to agree. If he kept this up, he'd be of no use to anyone.
He grudgingly got up and moved to the side, allowing Canderous to sit in the pilot's chair. My chair, Carth thought quietly to himself. Canderous settled in, moving about until he was comfy. He looked back to Carth, grinning at him. He reached out and brushed his hand against the controls, his eyes still gleaming at Carth.
"Don't you worry about her. She's in good hands." He assured with a wink.
Carth frowned, his body tense at the idea of someone else at the helm but he had no other choice. They were right. He needed to rest. They still had a little ways before they arrived at Dantooine so a little rest wouldn't hurt him. Mission eyed him suspiciously, motioning for him to carry on and leave. He chuckled, lifting his hands up to show his defeat before slowly walking out of the cockpit. He turned at the entrance to look one last time to see Mission changing her sitting position. She swung her legs around until she was sitting upright, her hands on the console in front of her.
"Your co-pilot, Mission Vao, reporting for duty!" She grinned. Canderous chuckled, reaching out and rubbing her head. She swatted his hand away, shooting him a mean look as he began to tell her a story about one of his past battles. This one in particular dealing with him as the temporary pilot for the mission and Carth worried about the word temporary.
Carth smiled despite himself, walking away as he quietly maneuvered his way through the ship. He stopped briefly to note the silence that had befallen the Ebon Hawk as he approached the main room of the ship. T3 was off to the side, keeping to himself as he played with what looked like the food synthesizer. The droid stopped its work for a moment to turn and acknowledge Carth's presence. T3 hummed at him quietly, but Carth waved him off with a smile. The droid didn't question any further before resuming its work as if Carth wasn't even there. It was eerily quiet to Carth. No voices, no shouts, no games, no arguments… the silence was unsettling. Not a sound. It was all just stillness. Zaalbar was more than likely keeping to himself for the time being, recouping in his own way from the events. Jolee was off tending to Samirah and, well, Samirah was resting.
He decided it was time to pay her a visit, just to see for himself how she was doing. Instead of heading to the male quarters of the ship, he went the opposite way towards where Samirah was resting. As her reached the quarters he was met with Jolee sitting in a chair beside Samirah, his back turned to Carth. The sheets were pulled up to her chin and her cheeks were a flush of crimson red. A damp wash towel was on her forehead, possibly dipped in kolto to help bring her fever down. Her breathing had become deep and labored as her body fought off the cold. For a moment, he just stood there. He watched as Jolee removed the towel and replaced it with a fresher one, leaving his hand on her head a moment longer.
"Well, are you just going to stand there, Sunny? Or do you want to come in?" When he spoke, Carth was startled before slowly smiling at the old hermit. He was a Jedi, after all. He shouldn't have expected anything less than that.
"I just wanted to check up on her, is all. How's she doing?" He asked as the old man turned to look at Carth before looking back to Samirah.
"She'll recover. It's not the Balmorran flu or the Rojo fever, thank the force. She's just caught a little cold. That's what you get when you go rummaging through a forest, not knowing what you're doing." He snorted, slowly removing his hand from her head. "A little rest will do the girl good…" His voice trailed off into a murmur, his eyes fixated on her.
"Is there anything I can do?" When Jolee turned to look at him questioningly, he held his hands up defensively. "I know, I know, I need to get some rest. You'll probably tell me the same thing Mission and—" Jolee snorted again, interrupting Carth. He got up from his chair with a little difficulty, stretching his back when he finally stood. He walked over to Carth, putting a hand on his shoulder.
"Sunny, I'm too old these days to be staying up all night with you young kids. I don't have the body I did twenty years ago. Ha ha, I don't even have the body I had yesterday." He laughed to himself as he thought about it before fixing his gaze on Carth again. "If you want to stay up on patrol for this young one, be my guest! I could use a little more shut-eye. A bed, for once, would be a nice change from that old musty forest. And real food! No more jungle soup for this old man. I'd like to think I've had enough of that." He smiled before waving it all off as some story he'd one day tell.
Carth hoped not, at least.
"Bah! My point, Sunny, is that I don't have that kind of energy anymore. A break would be welcomed. All you have to do is keep that wash towel on her forehead cool and the rest will take care of itself." He instructed, waiting for Carth's nod before patting him on the shoulder. "Good lad. Now old Jolee Bindo is going to eat real food and sleep in a real bed." As he walked out, Carth heard snippets of his mumblings, but paid them no attention.
As Carth sat down in the chair, he smiled faintly. Jolee was probably used to talking with himself when there wasn't a Wookiee brave enough to see him. No wonder he was practically a chatter box. Carth surveyed the items Jolee had left him: a bowl filled to the brim with kolto and a few packs of it off to the side in case he needed more. Looking at Samirah, he placed his hand on her cheek, feeling for himself how warm she was. Her brunette hair was matted to her forehead and splayed out against the pillow in waves. She mumbled quietly, her brow furrowing as whatever dream she was having played out.
A soft whimper escaped her lips and she shivered under the sheets. Fragile. It never ceased to amaze him how fragile she sometimes looked to him. He almost had to remind himself that she was probably one of the most capable people on the ship. He gently stroked the side of her face, her body instantly relaxing at the simple sign of affection. He gently moved pieces of stray hair away from her face, tracing inconsequential lines with his fingers. That simple act seemed enough to calm her from thrashing about in her sleep anymore than she already was.
It's good to finally see you up… instead of thrashing about in your sleep… must have been having one hell of a nightmare...
He smiled at the memory. The last time he saw her in this state was when they first landed on Taris after the events of the Endar Spire... for the several hours that he waited for her to come too, he had time to think. Who was she? What kind of person was she? Friend or foe? Ally or traitor? How had she survived? What really happened on that ship? His thoughts were all muddled at the time and the more he thought about it, the more ashamed he felt.
He had thought several times over if he should kill her then or give her a chance. Take the risk or remove all suspicion? Save himself the trouble… or give her the benefit of the doubt?
In his defense, the evidence had piled up against her. The evidence was almost irrefutable. Almost. Out the entirety of the crew, out of dozens upon dozens of well trained officers… she, of all people, survived. The last minute addition. He wasn't one to believe in coincidences. Logic dictated, for the sanctity of their mission, that he kill her if she was a possible liability. It would have been the proper course of action... but that wasn't who he was. He couldn't do it.
I've never abandoned anyone on a mission and I'm sure as hell not about to start now...
He had meant every word.
He refused to turn into Saul. He refused to be Saul.
I'll tell you this much… I amnotgoing to wait around until I'm betrayed again!
Look, I amnotgoing to betray you! What's it going to take to prove to you that I won't betray you! I amnotSaul!
Well, we'll just see about that, won't we?
He buried his head into his hands. Wow. What a mess he had made. After putting out one fire, he couldn't help himself from starting another. He needed to get over himself. She wasn't Saul. She would never be like Saul. After the time he had spent with her so far, the sacrifices she was willing to make… No, it wasn't possible. Everything he knew about her told him that she could never do the things Saul did. She actually stood for something.
He lifted his head slightly, his hands still covering his nose and mouth as he looked at Samirah's sleeping face. He quietly replaced the cloth with fresh kolto, gingerly placing it back on her forehead. She flinched from the cool touch before relaxing slowly. She mumbled incomprehensibly, shifting uncomfortably in the sheets.
"I know… It's not the comfiest bed but it's the only one we've got. You'll be better soon… I promise." After a moment, she stopped squirming, settling back in with a sigh. He watched her quietly, an admiring smile in place. She was calm. Despite her fever, she almost looked at peace and Carth realized that he didn't get to see her like this very often.
"You know," He started quietly, aware that she probably couldn't hear him, "I really don't give you enough respect for the things you do. I make your life a living hell, don't I? I mean, it's not like the weight of the entire galaxy is on my shoulders. It's on yours. Everything is dependent on what you and Bastila do and I guess… I guess that scares me. More than anything, that so much is riding on you two and I can't do a damn thing about it. The rest of this adventure is going to be pure hell. We're—We're going to run into more danger than I want to even think about. Your life is going to be on the line. Your decisions are going to decide what happens. That scares me, a whole hell of a lot." He admitted more to himself than to her.
"It's going to get rough. And I'm scared of what the future is going to hold. If you're going to be strong enough to endure it. If you're going to be strong enough to stop it. If I'm going to be there to help you or if…" He trailed off, mussing his hair with his hand while the other rested on his knee. "I need to figure out if I'm going to put my faith in you and trust that you'll always do the right thing and make the right choice. I guess I just… forget sometime, you know? I guess I forget that you didn't choose this… it was forced onto you. You didn't get a choice, or a pat on the back… did you? You got an impossible mission while being filled with doubt, uncertainty and worst of all… my mistrust. Samirah… I…" He trailed off, taking a deep breath as she murmured again, incoherently. He just smiled, letting loose a strained chuckle.
So fragile. So small. But with such a big destiny ahead of her. How would he have ever guessed that by saving her life on Taris, by giving her a momentary benefit of the doubt that she would go on to save his life more times than he could count. How could he have known that the galaxy would be in her hands? He rubbed his eyes, the exhaustion getting to him. He pulled off the cloth from her head, refreshing it once more but stopped briefly before replacing it. He brushed away the pieces of hair that clung to her forehead, slowly brushing his fingers down the side of her face.
"Just get better soon, Samirah..." He whispered, placing a gently kiss on her feverish head. "We need you... More than I think you know…"
He gently placed the cloth back, causing her to shiver quietly before her head lolled to the side. He smiled, crossing his arms on the edge of the bed and gently laying his head down. He was extremely tired, the weariness nearly taking over completely.
"Just… get better…" He mumbled, his eyes slowly closing while trying to remain focused on her face. He didn't last long. After a matter of seconds, Carth fell asleep beside her.
He felt at peace the most, right before falling asleep.
Samirah slowly opened her eyes, groaning quietly as her head felt like it was a smoldering pile of coal. The light overhead made her flinch, forcing her to squeeze her eyes shut again. She brought her hand up from under the covers and rubbed her eye with the palm of it. Her fingers brushed against a warm cloth, pulling it away so she could assess it through one opened eye. Was there Kolto on it? She still felt groggy, wanting to turn over and go back to sleep. However, she needed to know what was going on and where she was. The last thing she remembered was being carried away from Kashyyyk after facing Chuundar. She allowed her eyes to open fully, blinking quickly to adjust them.
The Ebon Hawk.
She was safe. She was home. When she tried to sit up, she finally realized that there was someone beside her. Upon further inspection, she was surprised to see Carth hunched over and asleep on the edge. His head was nestled into his arms, his breathing slow and rhythmic. She gently moved herself into a sitting position, careful to not disturb him. She smiled, slowly shaking her head.
"He's been like that for a while." Samirah's head snapped over to the entrance way. Jolee was leaning against the metal frame, shaking his head at Carth. "I give the boy one job and he can't even do it right."
Samirah smiled softly at him as he came over, pulling up his own chair from the corner. He was careful not to make too much noise, allowing the pilot to sleep a little longer. When he awoke, he would have an awful crick in his neck that Jolee didn't envy. He knew it only too well. He sat down, wincing as his right knee creaked in the process. He rubbed it with his hand, a scowl in place. He was really getting too old. When he was comfortable, he returned his gaze to Samirah with a smirk. She seemed a little tired still, her hands politely folded in her lap as she sat up straight in the bed. Her cheeks still flushed from the lingering fever.
"So," He began, "How is our little patient this morning?" He smirked as he leaned on his good knee with his elbow.
"Better." She replied, her voice a little weak. She rubbed her neck, trying to clear her throat but Jolee reached out and put a hand on her lap to get her attention.
"Don't, lass. You may feel better, but your body went through a bit of a spell there, now didn't it?" He mused, pulling back his hand. She nodded slowly, her eyes casted down.
"I'm sorry," Her voice was rough and low. It wasn't quite working the way she wanted it too but she continued despite it, "I didn't mean to be so troublesome, I just—"He waved her off, leaning back in his chair.
"Bah, don't start with that now. Child, we all have our own demons. We all have our own fights and battles we've got to face. Now don't get me wrong, lass—we don't all fight the same battles or the same demons, but we all do face them at one time or another. This won't be the last time you come face to face with one of your demons." Samirah nodded slowly; sheepishly.
She didn't meet his eyes but could feel his gaze on her. They were quiet for some time before he finally spoke again.
"I've seen your demons." She slowly met his eyes. However, instead of seeing him, she saw Chuundar. She saw Malak. She saw Revan. She saw the Sith Empire winning. The Republic falling to ruin. She saw worlds crumbling to their might. She saw this entire endeavor as fruitless and meaningless.
She saw herself failing.
She saw herself being consumed by darkness.
"…And?" She asked quietly, wanting some kind of… of verification that she wasn't going crazy. Some assurance that it was natural to feel as she did. She wanted… to be normal again. As a scout, of course she had troubles but nowhere near the same kind as she did as a Jedi. She wanted this all to just go away. She wanted her old life back.
Would he, of all people, understand?
"And it's a bunch of hoopla!" He said forcibly with another wave of his hand and a grunt. The forcefulness in which he spoke caught Samirah by surprise, her eyes going wide. "You young people worry about the most senseless things. Why, when I was your age the only thing worth worrying about was not being eaten by a Nexu! That was something to worry about! Now a days, all you kids worry that your minds are going to break and boil like a Fambaan egg misplaced in the deserts of Tatooine!" Carth shifted around from where he was laying, getting comfortable again.
Jolee paused a moment, waiting for him to settle down before letting out a sigh and continuing. This time, with a softer voice and less yelling. He did, however, keep his face stern and his eyes low. This was probably the first time Samirah had seen him look so serious.
"What I'm saying is that the dark side is a peculiar thing to mess with, Lass. Whether the council wants to believe it or not, it lives inside us all. A kernel, if you will, waiting to root itself in your heart and sprout if you give it the slightest chance to do so. It doesn't just go away because you click your heels together and chant a few impressive words." He huffed, crossing his arms. "It's why that damnable Council is so blasted infuriating! They don't teach you young kids how to handle it. To handle any of it! They don't tell you the truth of it. There has to be this sort of balance, you see? You just have to learn to not give in to it. Don't fight it, but don't feed it either." He explained, reaching out with his finger to point at her chest and lightly pressing it against the top of her sternum.
She felt this warmth spread and it sent a chill down her back. She closed her eyes as a small burst of the force was being channeled through her like a splash of warm water. It felt like a ripple that coursed harmlessly through her. It was calming, refreshing and… it made her feel at peace.
"Don't let it eat you alive, lass. That's the last thing you want it to do. Fight your demons. Don't just fight them, control them. Know that that seed can't grow unless you water it." He leaned away, his face still stern as he watched her slowly open her eyes to meet his. "And most of all lass, don't let it drive you mad. I've seen it all before, but something tells me I have nothing to worry about when it comes to you. I have this feeling that you'll be all right." He said with a smirk before furrowing his brow.
"Or maybe that's just the food on this bucket of bolts." Samirah laughed lightly, rubbing the side of her face while he placed a hand on his stomach, grimacing. "It's nice to have free food, but by the force what is that gunk that comes out of the synthesizer on this bucket, anyway? Do you never clean the darned thing?"
"I can explain that one…" She reassured, mid laugh. It took extra effort for her to simply talk, her voice oddly feeling raw as if she had spent half the night doing nothing but screaming. "It's not like I haven't tried to fix that silly thing but…" He just grunted in response.
"The food in the forest tasted better and half the time I was eating tree bark!" He retorted and Samirah rolled her eyes. He was too stubborn to eat tree bark. He would have starved himself first and she knew it.
"Then why come with me? Why join up with us if you miss your humble home?" He just shrugged, watching as Carth made another attempt to get comfortable.
Samirah was careful not to move any more than necessary so he could continue to sleep. Jolee pulled a pillow from a nearby bed, trying to carefully slide it under Carth's head with the help of Samirah who lifted his head gently.
"Who knows, lass. You got yourself a fast little ship here... maybe I missed the old adventures." He smiled, leaning further back into his chair when Carth was settled. "Heh. I'd forgotten what engines sounded like. The closest thing to that on Kashyyyk is an uller in mating season. Ugh! Frightful." Samirah grimaced.
"I could imagine wanting to escape that." She said, fighting a smile as Jolee chuckled.
"You know, you remind me of someone else I knew ages ago. Pleasant enough fellow, great destiny… all of that. Breath—like a bantha!" Samirah started turning red as she slowly raised her hand to her mouth and breathed. It wasn't her fault she's been sick… brushing her teeth hadn't been exactly at the forefront of her mind.
"An Anduvian salt tablet would clear that right up, you know." He offered and she shot him a glare, only earning another rueful smirk from him.
"Was that the point? To comment on my breath?" He just shrugged with his smile in place.
"No, but it could be. Anyway, where was I?" He furrowed his brow again, looking off to the side until he remembered. Oh, how he hated being old. "Oh, yes! Andor Vex, was his name. The Force swirled around him like a hurricane, that's how great his destiny was."
"He must have been someone great for you to say that." She mused but Jolee just shook his head with a laugh.
"Oh no, lass. Just because someone has the Force swirling about them doesn't always mean they have a great destiny, but it doesn't hurt to check it out. Had to see for myself." He said, leaning forward again and resting on his knees. "So I traveled with ol' Andor, just to pique my curiosity. Well, it turned out that poor Andor believed a wee bit too much in the infallibility of that destiny. That overconfidence turned out to be his downfall."
"Is this your way of trying to tell me that I'm over confident?" She asked in shock, looking away. Jolee just snapped his fingers at her with a frown. She focused back on him, shrinking back into her pillow as he fixated his gaze on her.
"We're talking about Andor, remember?" Samirah nodded quickly as her fingers tightened around the sheets of the bed. He reminded her very much of a grandfather who was, one way or another, going to tell you his story.
Whether you wanted to hear it or not.
"Now, let's see… oh, yes. Andor's downfall." He continued, smiling at his own memories. "I was pretty young, myself, when it happened. At the time, I thought Andor's destiny couldn't be more boring. Believe it or not, lass, but I used to be a strapping young lad with a full head of hair! Coruscant was a small town with a well." He chuckled, stroking his chin and looking away.
"I was just about to abandon Andor to whatever the Force intended for him when his ship was overtaken by a Dimean warship. Now, you've probably never heard of the Dimeans, but at the time they were a nasty lot led by a nastier overlord named Kraat. Tall fellow. Big teeth." He moved his arms about to demonstrate as if Samirah was a small girl, entranced in a bedtime story. She liked it. Especially how he told the story with all his expressions. "Kraat has us hauled onto the bridge of his ship for questioning, and that's when I knew that Andor's destiny was at hand."
"Well, Andor decides that his destiny makes him invulnerable and starts making all sorts of demands. Free me now, I'm not answering questions, blah blah blah. Don't you know who I am?" His imitation made Samirah grin. She mildly wondered if he would ever tell story's of her like this. "Kraat decides he's had enough and begins crushing Andor's neck. I told the boy he should have kept his mouth shut. I think he agreed, too… or those could have just been gurgling noises. " He paused to think about it. Then again, maybe it was best he didn't tell her story. She couldn't be sure what version he would tell.
She wasn't sure she wanted to hear any version really.
"Well… well, anyway." He finally said with a shake of his head, returning his attention to Samirah. "Finally, Kraat has enough of Andor and tosses him aside into this giant energy intake shaft. Andor gets sucked in and starts… bouncing around, heh, screaming… heh."
Jolee had to stop again, laughing at the memory as he slapped his knee. Samirah sat, slightly horrified at his amusement and was contemplating covering her head with the sheets.
"Maybe Andor hit something sensitive on the way down or just didn't agree with the reactor core, because next thing I know, all the ship's alarms are ringing." Samirah slowly shook her head, seeing where this was going.
"You're kidding…" She gasped and Jolee nodded.
"Everyone panics and I run, barely making it to the ship in time before the explosion. Kraat dies horribly, and the Dimeans never quite recovered. Changed the political course of the entire sector for centuries to come. I'd call that quite a destiny, wouldn't you?" Samirah blinked a moment, taking in his story. She finally settled on looking at him with an expression of shock.
"Are you telling me that you foresee me destroying the sith by dying in a reactor? That's why you're here? That's what you're hoping for?" She asked incredulously as her voice grew louder despite it being sore, shaking her head quickly. Jolee shrugged with a smile as he leaned back in his chair, getting comfortable again.
"Well, hey, the chances may not be great, but when one has the opportunity to see something like that twice in a lifetime…" He trailed off, leaving Samirah to her own thoughts on the matter. When she didn't speak, he just chuckled. "Lass, I think you are destined for greatness. I think you have better odds then old Andor did." Her smile was small and faint but slowly found its way onto her face. Somehow, in some twisted, unbelievable way, his story made her feel better. Who knew that the old hermit in the forest would make things better again… well, at least sort of.
He did what he could.
"Thank you, Jolee." He just snorted, her voice sounding soft again.
"Ah, don't thank me lass. Don't get me wrong. If you somehow win this war like Andor won his… well, we'll just say that I wouldn't want to miss it. Would be a hell of thing to see again. A hell of a story, too." He said with a grin before slowly getting up and stretching his back out. "Now I'm going to go and rest. My throat is dry and these stories are making me cranky." He mumbled something else under his breath but Samirah couldn't quite catch it.
"Thank you for checking up on me."
"Well, someone had too. Flyboy here is sleeping on the job." He said as he started shaking Carth, despite Samirah waving her arms at him to stop. "Hey! Hey! Boy! Wake up, you ingrate!"
Carth jumped up, his arms flailing before he quickly started to scan his surroundings. His hand was at his hip, searching for a blaster that wasn't there. He grimaced when he realized he didn't have it on him and then even more so when he realized there was no immediate threat. He groaned, rubbing his eyes before looking evenly at Jolee.
"What's with the rude awakening, old man?" Jolee crossed his arms, lifting an eyebrow at him.
"Rude? I'll tell you what, I've earned the right to wake you up however I damn well please! If I decide that waking you up with Rishi eels is appropriate then you better bet I will! If the Force tells me that waking you up is—"
"—Just tell me!" Carth retorted, interrupting Jolee. Samirah cringed as back into the cot as she could. One should never raise their voice at Jolee… she was starting to learn that lesson very well.
"I'm old, damn it!" He snapped back with a fierce expression, pointing a finger at him. "I'm allowed to be enigmatic when I want to be, and don't you go telling me otherwise! It's your job to just listen to me and endure it! I've earned it, damn it!" Carth rubbed his face with both his hands in frustration.
Someone was going to have to remind him why they thought it was a good idea to bring this old man along with them. Carth was starting to get the distinct impression that the only reason this old hermit was joining them was because the Wookiees got tired of listening to his stories. He needed new naïve souls to listen to him. How long had he been lost in the woods? Twenty some odd years? It was a wonder why he was still alive.
"Is it that hard for a man to simply want sleep? I haven't had a decent night's sleep since we arrived on that forsaken planet and then to have Samirah—" He gestured to her, about to make a point when he finally noticed that she was wide awake and cowering in her sheets. "Samirah!"
He came closer, kneeling at the side of the bed to get a closer look at her. She leaned away, her face turning a bright shade of red at the sudden proximity. When her cheeks flushed, however, his brow furrowed in concern and he put a hand up to her forehead. That, however, only made her blush more. In her opinion, he wasn't really helping the situation.
"Are you ok? Do you have a fever? How do you feel? Light headed? Dizzy? Tired? Did you sleep ok? Did I wake you up? Is there anything I can get you? How is—" Jolee smacked him on the back of his head, making Carth wince.
"Sunny," He warned, "You're going to suffocate the girl. Give her some room to breathe, for force's sake. You young kids and your constant pestering…"
Carth rubbed the back of his head, looking away sheepishly. He retracted his hand and moved away to give her a little more space. She slowly let out an uneasy breath and allowed her blush to clear up.
"I know…" He murmured, slowly dragging his eyes back to her. "I was just worried, is all. You scared us for a bit there." Jolee rolled his eyes, looking at Samirah with an exasperated smile.
"What I think the lad is trying to say is that's it's good to see you awake." Samirah gave Jolee a big smile. She figured that's what Carth was trying to convey. Flyboy didn't seem to be very good with his words the majority of the time. A fact she was beginning to be accustomed too. Carth stood up, nodding his head in agreement with Jolee.
"Yes. Jolee's right. It's… good to see you awake. I, uh… well, you know… it was, uh…"Jolee just grinned, slowly turning his head to look at Carth knowingly.
"Lad, don't you think she's still a little tired? She is still sick and could use more rest, don't you think?" Jolee offered with a grin. Samirah shook her head at him in response.
"No, actually I'm—"He cut her off with a stern look, pushing her back down into her cot and pulling the sheets up to her chin. He even tucked the sheets in, securing her comfortably in the bed.
"Lass, don't argue with me. And I mean it. Rest. You need it, trust me." He said with a wink and she could only knit her brows together in response.
"Oh, right, yes… I'm sure you need some rest. Bastila wanted to make a stop on Dantooine before going any further so I guess that gives you plenty of time to rest. I guess I need to make sure Canderous and Mission haven't completely destroyed my ship yet, then." Carth said with a smile. "Rest easy, Samirah. I'll be back to check on you."
With that, Carth hurried out of the room with the hope that the cockpit was still in one piece. Jolee only frowned at the prospect of going to Dantooine. He jumps on a ship and the first thing they want to do is go back to the council. Humph. He had better things to do than play word games with those idiots. Damnable youths and their mystic ways. Ooooh, the sun is setting. Oooooh, bad omen. He was starting to think he should have stayed on Kashyyyk. When he looked back at Samirah, her eyes were a little droopy as she yawned. He just chuckled and shook his head at her.
"I knew what I was talking about, lass. You may think you feel better but a little more rest can't do you any harm." Samirah nodded reluctantly, despite knowing that everything he was saying was true.
"I don't like being bed bound though…" She groaned in her soft voice, making Jolee strain his ear to hear her. "I feel like I need to be up and helping." He shook his head, reaching for the light.
"No lass, you can help by making sure you are well rested. Even the greatest of Jedi need to know when to take a break. Besides, old Jolee Bindo needs his rest and he can't do it with you wide awake and making a ruckus!" She shook her head with a smile as he switched the light off and walked away, humming to himself.
She stared after him, looking down the lit hallway until all was quiet. She let out a relenting sigh before rolling over and pulling the sheets tighter. She hated this. She hated being sick and so utterly useless. Jolee's story replayed in her head and despite its humorous nature, she mildly wondered if her destiny was similar. Something the Council hyped up but would eventually end up as a dud. She hoped to the Force that there was more to it. Jolee had hope for her future. He had said there was a seed of darkness in all of us and perhaps that was all she had been experiencing.
She groaned as she pulled the sheets over her head. She was starting to feel the onset of a headache. The darkness of the room gave her eyes some reprieve but slowly the throbbing encroached. Perhaps she needed to rest some more, as Jolee said. She could, after all, sort it all out when she woke up. If she felt like sorting it out, at least.
Was there really anything to her destiny at all? Or would it end up like Andors?
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