I had fun with this chapter. The latest KOTFE chapter gave me so many Theron-centric angsty plot bunnies, and I was pleased. Part One of two.
If I owned Star Wars, do you really think I'd be writing fanfiction?
A recruit to the SIS was not permitted field agent status until they had passed a strict set of criteria- unrivaled memory skills, the ability to keep quiet about sensitive details, a certain degree of slicing and weapon training, and (arguably the most important factor), tight emotional control that would impress even a Jedi. It was never ideal for an agent to let greed, lust, anger, or terror cloud their judgement on a mission that could have severe repercussions for the Republic, and the galaxy at large.
Theron Shan was one of the best field agents the SIS had ever had on their payrolls, even with his propensity for breaking the rules and raising hell virtually wherever he went (and the less said about the time he blew up an Imperial superweapon in nothing but his underwear, the better). And if he had been judged today for suitability as an operative for the Republic's spy agency, he would have failed miserably.
It's not encouraged for SIS agents to experience panic.
"You're going to let a bunch of grenade-happy bucketheads deal with this mission?!" came Kaliyo's indignant rant as Major Jorgan smirked at her from the other side of the holocom table. "That's throwing away our best chance at winning this thing. Let me handle it and I'll get it to you intact!"
"Havoc Squad has their task, Kaliyo," Xaja answered, somehow maintaining the straight face of a Jedi trying to keep their annoyance in check. "But they won't be able to get to the mission objective without someone causing a diversion, and you're the best one for the job." That at least seemed to get a proud smirk across Kaliyo's face.
Theron did his best to ignore the murderous glares Senya and Koth were throwing at Kaliyo's wavering blue form (apparently the necessity for Firebrand to turn up in a sarlaac's stomach in a thousand years or so was the only thing those two agreed on) and pretended to focus on the datapad in his hand. Hopefully this attempt at a diversion goes better than the last one… He was pretty sure his bruises still had bruises from the fight at the Knight outpost. The spy looked up again as Xaja gave the very stern order for Kaliyo to not rack up any civilian casualties.
"What about pets?" Kaliyo raised her hands mockingly as Senya snarled. "Kidding!"
"We'll meet you at the rendezvous, Commander," Jorgan saluted, and both Alliance operatives disappeared.
Theron started walking away to go finalize some other details for the operation, but slowed his steps when he heard Lana speaking to Xaja. "... I don't like it either, but it may be worth consulting Valkorion. He did build the Spire, and may have more information we could use."
I have a bad feeling about this… Anything concerning the two-time Emperor felt like a terrible idea to Theron, and his gut immediately clenched with the too-familiar feeling of impending dread.
Xaja didn't seem to have that same premonition Theron did, though. She thought for a moment and shrugged. "I suppose it can't hurt. The worst he can do is tell me what a terrible job I'm doing."
"And we all know he's just trying to make himself feel important again," Sorand added as he meandered over and casually draped an arm over Xaja's shoulders, earning an 'oof' from the petite Jedi. "We think you're doing a remarkably good job here, considering who you have to work with." He paused, then spoke a little louder, grinning broadly at Theron. "I mean, look at that guy, for instance…"
"Hey!"
"Well… you're doing a decent job, I guess," Korin added with a smirk as he appeared at Xaja's other side and mussed up his sister's hair.
"You two are the biggest twits I've ever met," Xaja laughed as she elbowed both brothers in the ribs (hard enough to earn yelps). Turning, the red-haired Jedi called her robe to her with the Force from where she'd previously set it over a railing, shrugged it on, checked to ensure both her lightsabers were attached to her belt (it never hurt to be careful, after all), and paused to give Theron a hug. "I should be back soon."
Something that Theron couldn't identify had set up lodging in his gut and insisted that she was wrong. But it's Odessen, we haven't even seen hostile wildlife yet. And Yuun's device is supposed to be hiding us from Zakuul's long-range scanners. What could she run into out there, besides a spider? The anxiety remained despite his rationalizing, and every instinct wanted to tell her to not leave the base or talk to Valkorion. But how could he explain that to a Jedi Master who spent most of her entire life in some form of danger? "Stay safe," he finally murmured, even though his eyes had the most pleading don't go out there expression he could muster.
It didn't work. Xaja brushed her fingers over his cheek and stretched up to kiss him lightly. "Everything'll be fine," she said with a small smile, probably trying to calm the unreasonable apprehension coursing through Theron's body. "I'll be back by dusk at the latest." Then she'd exited the command centre with a wave over her shoulder, and Theron forced himself to sit down and pretend everything was all right.
Sorand and Korin, the two Force-sensitives who knew Xaja the best (discounting the still-missing Kira Carsen and Lord Scourge), didn't seem to be unduly worried. Lana was giving Theron a strange look, but also appeared unconcerned about Xaja. And Senya was still too furious about Kaliyo's involvement with the operation to appear worried about the Alliance Commander's new gambit. Not even Reanden, for all that he was a protective father of all three of his offspring, seemed anxious. Maybe it's all just in your head. You've seen Xaja fight before and know she's one of the few who can hold her own against Arcann. And she'll be within comm range, and you yourself put security cameras everywhere around the base. She'll be okay.
Less than an hour later, Theron was jolted out of his musings on the operation by Reanden's oddly-frightened-sounding "What the-?!". The spy looked up to see Xaja's father bending over the computer connected to the security cameras, and the screen just indicated the exterior cameras. Xaja had gone outside to talk to Valkorion away from everyone else…
The dread that had been building in Theron's stomach came roaring back with a vengeance as he hurried over, crowding in with both of Xaja's brothers and Lana as Reanden furiously typed a replay command into the computer. The footage wavered as it rewound, then the small crowd watched Xaja walk into the camera's line of vision, seeming to be speaking although no sound came from the recording. The Jedi paused, said something else, cautiously turned with a frown, and glared at what to Theron looked like empty space. She once said he sometimes shows himself to her…
There seemed to be a short-lived argument, Xaja's glare deepening with every word Valkorion presumably said to her- then suddenly, fear flashed across her face, something Theron had rarely seen her show before. Then she was flying backwards on currents Theron couldn't see, as helpless as an old-styled rag doll, then there was a flash of light-
And Xaja Taerich had vanished without a trace.
Over the noise of his pulse roaring in his ears, Theron didn't hear Sorand's sudden terrified order of "Lana, with me!", or the sound of pounding footsteps as both Sith ran for the lift. He barely heard Reanden furiously typing into the computer, as though reviewing every potential angle of his daughter's disappearance would tell him where the Jedi had gone- no, been taken. Xaja hadn't gone willingly. This was Valkorion's doing, it had to be. Some SIS-trained instinct screamed at him to move, start mobilizing his extensive talents (and what could would those skills be against a mystery of the Force like this?) to find her, but his muscles were clenched and unmoving and he was barely remembering to breathe. He'd felt this panic before, the day he'd been told the woman he loved had been murdered at the hands of the invading Wild Space forces, and he was every bit as helpless now as he was then to do anything about it. She's gone, she's gone, she-
Pain flared across the right side of his face. "Focus!" Theron blinked hard, snapped out of his daze by the slap dealt by a rough, calloused hand. Nico Okarr lowered the offending appendage and pushed Theron by his shoulders to a chair- over the old spacer's shoulder, Theron could just see Koth trying to restrain Korin from running after his younger brother, and Dr. Lokin vainly trying to convince Reanden to leave the footage alone. "Kid, listen to me," Nico said once he'd gotten Theron sitting. "I know what they train you spy-types to be like, and panicking ain't on that list. It's not gonna help her and you know it. Take a breath… good, now take another one…"
Theron forced his chest to de-contract enough for him to take a breath in. Frack, it hurt worse than the broken ribs he'd suffered while a Revanite prisoner on Rishi all those years ago, and this wasn't a pain he could dull with the use of his specialized implants. This pain was deep and cutting into his chest like a lightsaber, and he couldn't get away from it. He felt like he was going to throw up.
"Breathe, kid. The Commander's the toughest lady I've ever met, aside from your mom. She'll be okay." Nico glanced up as Senya moved into Theron's line of vision- through the haze, the spy could still recognize the older woman's face was as pale as her armour. "Tell me you got a theory, lady."
"I… I don't… I've never seen this before, not from him- not even from Vaylin." Senya appeared shaken, as though she was finally coming to the realization of the capabilities of her ex-lover, even in death- and the fact that Valkorion could apparently hold a grudge like nobody else (considering Xaja had struck him down *twice* so far, it was probably a reasonable grudge match both Force-users shared against each other). "To use the Force to… teleport somebody? Is that-"
"Rare," came Reanden's shaky-sounding voice from the computer. "It takes an incredible amount of strength in the Force to be able to do it. I don't know that Xaja's ever been strong enough to do that, but it's reported that Revan did it once- and if he could do it…"
Valkorion could do it easier. The words hung unspoken, heavy and ominous. And if Valkorion had taken Xaja over and dragged her somewhere else (the Odessen wilds? Zakuul? Somewhere else in the galaxy? Considering the old Emperor's impressive Force-mastery, it wasn't unreasonable to take that into consideration.), away from the base where anyone else could intervene…
It took an almost-superhuman level of willpower for Theron to shove his horror down and stand back up, pushing Nico's hand off his shoulder. "Somebody let Sana-Re know what's happened," he bit out, his voice shaking despite his best efforts. "She might sense something that the rest of our Force-users miss." There was no denying that the Voss Mystic had her own impressive strength in the Force, and wasn't strictly aligned to the Dark Side or the Light. Maybe she could pick up on a tiny fluctuation in Odessen's balance that Sorand or Lana or Senya would miss. "What are Sorand and Lana doing?"
Dr. Lokin looked at the security feed over Reanden's shoulder and spoke up. "They're in the clearing where the Commander disappeared. I imagine Lord Duathion is trying to find her with the Force." Sorand had chosen the name 'Duathion' upon his arrival to Odessen to help further hide his former identity as Darth Imperius.
Theron nodded and started hurrying to the lift, just aware of Korin falling into step behind him. "We'll see if they've found anything. Call us back if you find anything on this end."
Reanden barely noticed their departure, so focused was he on the security screens, staring as though he could will his daughter back.
Both agents tore through the base, darting around the collections of soldiers, droids, and mercenaries congregating. Theron absently heard voices calling out to him and Korin, asking what was going on and why Lord Duathion and Lana had run through there not fifteen minutes earlier, looking as scared as a Sith could. He ignored them all, too focused on his destination and his worry to give heed to meaningless conversation as "Oh, by the way, the Alliance Commander was just presumably possessed by the ghost of Emperor Valkorion and teleported to Force-knows-where". Besides, saying something like *that* was likely to spawn panic and riots in the ranks, and there was enough of that in the command levels.
Theron and Korin ran into the lift leading to the back exit of the base, fidgeting impatiently as they were lowered to the forest floor. Theron usually could remain still for hours at a time, a skill taught to him during his early Jedi training, and still did meditate on occasion- not that he could sit still when there was a crisis like this involving the Alliance and the woman he loved in the middle of it. Korin, on the other hand, had never been the type to stay still for longer than about five minutes at a time, unless he was unconscious, and worry for his older sister sent him pacing anxiously in the confined area of the lift until dim sunlight finally reached them both. Normally, Theron could enjoy the scents of trees and earth, and frequently came out here for a moment alone to clear his mind…
Now the clearing a few metres away from the lift doors (and an impassive-looking Imperial security droid at the doors) was tainted by the knowledge that the love of Theron's life had been forcefully taken from here.
Sorand was kneeling in the middle of the clearing, roughly where Xaja had vanished, eyes closed and a tense expression on his young face. Lana was walking around the other Sith, yellow eyes narrowed and lips pursed in deep thought. Theron could recognize the crease on his one-time rival's forehead that indicated puzzlement and worry. "Anything?" he quietly asked, glancing back at Sorand as he did.
Lana shook her head at both Theron and Korin. "I can't sense anything. She was here, and so was Valkorion, and far stronger than I've ever sensed him around her before. He must have overpowered her."
"Considering how strong Vitiate is, it's likely," came Sorand's growl from the clearing. It spoke volumes to Theron that the former Dark Councillor was furious enough that he'd reverted to using the Emperor's former name. "And to hell if I can figure out where he's taken her to."
"Seriously?" Korin started pacing around the clearing again, staring into the trees and probably trying to find his sister himself with his own Force-abilities. Yet he'd never been strong enough to do more than have a vague sense of awareness of his siblings, a premonition of danger that rivaled Theron's own, and the odd spontaneous use of telekinesis. "Is there nothing you can sense at all? You're almost as strong as she is!"
"And he's stronger than both of us!" Sorand snapped at his brother. "I can tell she's alive, and I *think* she's still in the system. But I can't figure out more than that. If she's still on Odessen, and he's still with her, his Dark Side alignment is cancelling out her Light Side affiliation…"
"Which means you can't feel anything disrupting Odessen's balance," Theron finished, hands clenching into fists at his side as his heart plummeted to his stomach. Of all the Force-users in the base of any affiliation, Sorand had the closest bond to Xaja. If he couldn't find her…
The pale-faced Sith shook his head. "That's assuming she's on-world. I don't know of there's a range limit for a Force-power like what Vitiat- blast it, Valkorion used on her, but considering his strength, she could be anywhere. And I wouldn't put it past him to be cruelly ironic to her- he could have dragged her to, I don't know, Yavin or Ziost, Dromund Kaas… Zakuul…"
"Would he hand her over to Arcann and Vaylin like that, though?" Korin questioned, eyes narrowing.
"Depending how angry he is, he could just leave her in the swamp and let her struggle out there by herself." Sorand whirled and threw a burst of short-lived lightning at a nearby boulder, his face twisted in rage. "Dammit, why now?!"
Lana brought a hand up to her face, thinking hard. "If he was going to kill her, he would have done it before now. He's helped keep her alive for this long, we have to assume he still has a vested interest in not killing her."
"But how does kidnapping her help his endgame?" Theron muttered as he started pacing around, eyes darting about as he anxiously sought any clues that could lead him with a trail to Xaja, or at least uncover her fate. I can't let her disappear on me again. I promised her I wouldn't!
"Your guess is as good as mine." Lana scowled. "She's clever though, and not unskilled as a combatant, and her will is as strong as his. If anyone can escape from him and get back to safety, it's her. Until then, we'll need to track her from here to help her get home."
"Without spawning a mass panic," Korin added in a grumble. "You have any idea what the masses are gonna do if they find out details about her vanishing like this?"
Lana's face paled as she bit out a few colourful curses.
"It's a security breach triggered by… I don't know, wildlife," Sorand said, having finished alternatingly glaring at the innocent boulder and electrocuting it. "The Commander's gone to investigate… something Force-related, and everyone with questions can ask Senya." He raked a hand through his long dark hair and sighed heavily, worry replacing the anger in his eyes. "I don't know what else to do… I can't track her any further from here."
Tracking… Theron's eyes suddenly widened as he tapped rapidly on his wrist comm. "Yuun, get up here," he bit out as soon as the Gand connected to the channel. "Back exit to the base."
Lana nodded as soon as she understood Theron's order, a minute bit of hope showing in her eyes. "Good call. If anyone can find her, Yuun can."
Yuun was an incredibly good findsman, even by his own people's standards. It was why Havoc Squad had recruited him all those years ago (and the only reason he hadn't accompanied Forex on the new objective was because he'd been working on a new piece of tech in the research labs for Dr. Oggurobb). Yet for all of his skills, he was able to do no more than confirm the presences of both Xaja and Valkorion in the clearing, and agreed with Sorand's theory that the Jedi was probably still on Odessen. "The currents are strange, and the trails are hidden. This Gand is sorry he cannot do more to assist."
Theron felt the flicker of hope die in his chest at the alien's words. "Keep trying, Yuun. I don't care what you have to do to find her or where she's been taken."
"This Gand will try, Agent Shan. But promises cannot be made." Yuun shifted his electrostaff on his back and set back out to search the forests around the clearing for any hint of Xaja. "This comm channel will be left open."
Theron watched the Gand glide away into the trees, staring sightlessly until the alien had long disappeared. If Yuun, Sorand, and Sana-Re (who reported feeling a mild disturbance in the Force, but had been unable to pin down a location) couldn't find Xaja between the three of them…
He wasn't aware he'd fallen to his knees beside the creek that Xaja had been taken from, a hand clenching around a fistful of dirt. He was living the nightmare again, where Xaja had been ripped away from him and he was helpless to do anything to rescue her, and he wasn't sure if the faint hope that she wasn't dead this time made things better or worse. What is he doing to you out there? Why can't I do a damn thing to protect you ever?
And he'd still never managed to say the three words he wanted to her. They'd always stuck in his throat whenever he'd tried. He tried to show his love in his actions to her, and thought she understood, but now… Please… come home. I need you. We need you. I can't take not knowing what's happening to you!
A heavy hand rested on his shoulder. "Theron?" Koth's lower-pitched voice was hesitant and quiet. "It's getting dark, and you can't do anything for her out here." The hand gently pulled at Theron, trying to get him to stand up. "Come on inside. You need rest."
Dark… Theron glanced up as the last few rays of sunlight vanished behind the trees. Xaja's light words came back to him with a vengeance, as clear to his ears as if she'd been sitting beside him right now. 'Everything'll be fine. I'll be back by dusk at the latest.' Were those the last words he would ever hear her say to him? It's dusk now and you're officially MIA. Where are you?
Shoulders slumping in defeat, Theron let Koth pull him upright and back toward the shelter of the base.
Sleep didn't come that night to most people in the base. Theron in particular spent over two hours tossing and turning on the bed he was supposed to share with Xaja, having not known previously how much he'd grown dependent on having her curled up next to him to rest soundly. The bed wasn't terribly large, as far as beds went- it was only just large enough for the two of them to sleep or engage in decidedly-non-sleepy-activities without someone accidentally falling off. Tonight, it was entirely too large for one man, and so cold without her in his arms.
Theron finally groaned and sat up, flicking on the light as he leaned against the wall at the head of the bed. He'd only retired for the night because Lana and Senya combined had pretty much ordered him too- you're not going to do her any good if you're half dead from sleep deprivation, Senya had told him, already in a scolding mood after Theron hadn't been able to eat anything for dinner. It wasn't his fault his stomach was threatening to throw everything back up that he contemplated forcing down!
Raking a hand over his face, the agent looked to the unoccupied other half of the bed where a Jedi was supposed to be sleeping. C2-N2 was entirely too diligent with cleaning the Commander's quarters, as there was barely any hint of her scent on the pillows or sheets, and that simple knowledge that the droid's attempts to make life more comfortable around the base had taken a tiny comfort away made Theron uncharacteristically frustrated.
Giving up on any sleep tonight, the spy slipped off the bed, getting dressed again before letting himself out of Xaja's quarters. At this hour, the base was a ghost town, the only awake beings consisting of security patrols. The two soldiers on guard in Hylo's centre of operations knew Theron by face, and saluted as he went past them. Thankfully, neither one asked him where Xaja was or why he was up at this unholy hour.
Theron trudged into the command centre, unsurprised to see lights on- that was a constant state of being for the open chamber. What did surprise him was the dark-clad man sitting at one of the desks, poring over notes and typing into a datapad. Reanden Taerich was only in his mid-fifties, and considering his dangerous profession, he'd aged very well despite the grey peppering his dark hair- yet when he looked up at the sound of Theron's footsteps, he looked old and worn, with a sadness Theron had never seen in his eyes before.
Both spies looked at each other for a long minute before Reanden tiredly gestured with his head to a table behind him. "Full pot of stimcaf, still hot."
Theron nodded his thanks as he walked to the table, retrieving a clean mug (one of C2's more useful tasks) and pouring himself a mug of the stimulant. He drank it black, sometimes with a sweetener added if he felt inclined. Xaja was addicted to this substance, had been since he'd first met her before the ill-fated attacks on Tython and Korriban, and was fairly picky with her supposed perfect amounts of whitener and sugar to add to the drink. One whitener, two and a half spoonfuls of sugar, both added before the caf so they mix in properly- and she'd been quite pleasantly surprised the day Theron had had the idea to add a hint of a nutty flavour to her drink. Am I ever going to get the chance to make that for you again, or hear you grumble about how nobody in the military can make a decent cup of caf? Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, the spy returned to the desk and sat in the next seat, sipping at the drink and letting the hot stimulant warm his cold insides. His stomach seemed to accept this new contribution without rebelling, which was more than he could say for the protein bar he'd tried to eat earlier.
Reanden didn't say anything as Theron sat beside him, merely shoved a datapad at him and took a drink from his own mug of stimcaf. Taking the device, Theron had to read over the words on the screen a few times over before they finally started making sense to him. Schematics of the Gemini frequency location, detailed lists of defenses… everything Havoc Squad would need to get through to achieve their objective. The mission still needed to go on, even if the commander was missing. Xaja wouldn't want the Alliance to stop all anti-Zakuul operations on account of her absence.
Besides, maybe this would help distract Theron for a little while from the fear he was barely keeping at bay.
Sharing one look of mutual understanding with Reanden, Theron started typing into the computer, refining Havoc's plan of attack (and absently wishing that, for once in her life, Kaliyo's predictability could extend beyond 'shooting everything in sight' and 'blowing things up'). Both men were still there four hours later when Sorand trudged back in, Yuun at his side. The Sith had remained out to meditate on his sister's whereabouts, and apparently had only given up for now when Yuun returned empty-handed.
"This Gand cannot find any trace of the Commander or the ghost of the Emperor," Yuun apologetically said, looking as sorrowful as one of his species could. "Apologies are made."
"She's still alive, as far as I can tell," Sorand added, wearily slumping into a chair and stealing his father's cup of stimcaf. It said something that Reanden didn't even bother glaring at his younger son. "I can't tell where, or if she's injured, but she hasn't joined the Force yet."
Theron nodded, disappointment settling in his chest, even though he knew the odds of either Sith or findsman finding Xaja were slim. Odessen's unique Force-balance made it an ideal world to hide the Alliance from Arcann… but the flip side of that was that it was very easy for a missing Jedi to stay missing. "Go get some sleep, both of you." Yuun especially looked like he needed it, and excused himself without so much as a grumble of protest.
"Observation," commented the rebuilt HK-55 as the droid paused in his nightly patrol of the war base, eyeing the three humans. "You are all suffering from sleep deprivation. This is going to reduce your efficiency in battle and calculations to retrieve the Commander."
"We know, HK," Reanden tiredly said, glancing over at the silent, despondent-looking astromech droid in the corner. T7-01 had been as depressed as Theron felt since Xaja's disappearance the day before. Absently, Theron checked his watch, and blinked a few times at the projected time before it made sense to his tired brain. She'd been missing for fourteen hours already. Twenty-four hours is the standard window in which a kidnapping victim has the best chances of being found alive…
"Query: Is this a human form of protest to achieve a desired result? Commentary: It's terribly inefficient and increases target weaknesses."
"We know," Reanden growled out. "If any of us could sleep like this, we would. Set your patrol pattern to the exterior of the base and send an alert to the three of us, and Captain Korin, if the Commander is sighted."
"Acquiescence: Very well, Agent Taerich." HK turned and walked off to the lift, then paused. "Statement: You may be interested to know that Captain Taerich has not slept either. Last appearances put him at his ship approximately two hours ago."
"Thank you, HK." Sorand wearily pushed himself back up as the droid continued his route of patrol. "I'll go see if he's passed out yet."
"And then you sleep too," Reanden directed, stealing back his (now empty) mug. "You don't get adequate rest when you're meditating."
"And you do with this?" Sorand gestured to the table.
"Imagine if this was your wife missing, or your daughter," Theron muttered. He knew Sorand had married a Mandalorian girl not long before his faked death, and the two had a son and a daughter. Shara was still on Mandalore, helping keep the Zakuulians at bay there, and keeping her children hidden. Their son at least was Force Sensitive, although their daughter had shown no signs yet.
Sorand sighed heavily and pressed a hand on Theron's shoulder as he walked by the agent's chair. "Yeah, I know. Just… try to get some rest. She comes back and finds you've landed in the medical wing from sleep deprivation…"
… Okay, that was a valid threat to get Theron to try to rest. Xaja's protectiveness over those she cared about made her a force to be reckoned with, and she'd already been displeased over Theron's habit of forgetting to eat when he was in the middle of planning an operation (not, of course, that she was any better, but that was beside the point). "I'll try to get a couple hours."
It was all he could promise and Sorand knew it. He nodded, looked over at his father as though to reinforce the message given to Theron, then trudged off toward the military wing. He returned almost half an hour later, half leaning on Korin with weariness, half supporting the equally-exhausted spacer himself (apparently ship maintenance wasn't quite as brain-numbing and sleep-inducing as Korin had hoped). But by that point, Theron and Reanden had both left the command centre, walking toward their respective quarters for a brief sleep.
Reanden had paused in front of the door to Xaja's quarters, seeming to not know what to say to Theron. "... She's like her mother, you know," the agent finally said. "Strong-willed, tenacious… fire in human form, almost. She's got my cleverness and her mother's stubbornness and ability with the Force. If anyone can be in that situation and get out alive… it's her." He weakly smiled and patted Theron's shoulder. "Get some rest, son. Sorand was right about how Xaja would be if we both wound up ill from this."
It was the first time- no, second time- anyone had ever called Theron 'son'. Jace had once, not long after Xaja's reported execution- of course, Satele had never said anything like that to her only child. But to hear that term coming from his lover's own father… Theron returned the older man's gesture, feeling for the first time that he'd finally been accepted as more than a colleague by the other spy, then let himself into the room. That too-empty bed still awaited him, without a Jedi having been mysteriously teleported there by some random fluke of the Force to ease his aching heart, and Theron still had to force back a suspicious burning behind his eyes as he shrugged his jacket off, removed his belt and boots, and laid back down, holding Xaja's pillow against him. If he strained his imagination, he could almost pick up Xaja's scent from the fabric.
True to his word to Sorand, Theron did manage to fall asleep for a couple of hours. But the nightmares he endured were of an intensity that he hadn't experienced for five years.
To be continued...
(Fun fact: "Duathion" roughly means "son of shadow" in Sindarin Elvish. And you thought I could write a Star Wars fanfic without one nod to Lord of the Rings...)
