Return to Base

Gavyn dropped from the cockpit of the gunship onto the icy hangar floor. The ride down was rough, in the early morning wind, but by the time they landed, there was still no word from the rescue crew. He could feel that they were close, however, safe and on their way. Gavyn looked and felt exhausted, but the living force was still clear as day. Reaching out to Tyro and to Ace was the only way he could connect to them. He couldn't help in the rescue, but he at least had that thread.

That connection didn't change the fact that Gavyn was extremely anxious to see his friends again and this ordeal over. He paced by the door to the hangar, snow sticking to his robes. As much as he could sense that the crew was close, he could also sense a disturbance. Gavyn couldn't put his finger on it, but part of him was terrified of what might return from the snow.

It had been the longest one and a half hour trip Tyro had ever been on. Everyone sat in total silence, staring straight ahead. The ritual was only interrupted momentarily as Ace exited the small medbay about an hour in. Tyro supposed he seemed well, and for that he was glad; in that regard, he had fulfilled the mission, but the Commander's attitude towards him had clearly not changed and Tyro found himself frustrated that he could not pinpoint why. As they neared the base Tyro couldn't help but reach out for Gavyn. He closed his eyes for a moment, and immediately he was there. Exhausted, but waiting.

"I can feel it, Master-" Tyro started immediately with the beginnings of a smile, "…er the General is back," he corrected, quickly curbing his enthusiasm. He had to be a professional about this. Still, hopefully the comment would serve to assuage some of Ace's anger.

Ace glanced at Tyro when he mentioned the General. Part of him was relieved that Gavyn would be at the base when he returned, not off on another jedi mission or soul-searching vision quest. Mostly it was just another sting that Gavyn and Tyro shared a connection in their minds. For Tyro, it was like Gavyn was already there, but Ace felt lonelier than ever.

As the ship pulled into the temporary landing bay, it didn't feel a grand return. After everything that had happened, it felt dark. When they landed Tyro would need to brief the General and any other relevant parties on the events of the mission. After that he would need to look into the search for Sparks. As much as he had to do those things-wanted, in the case of Sparks, all he felt like doing was getting as far away from everyone else as possible, as soon as possible. After losing Sparks, after how much that had affected him and the mission, he couldn't afford to be around people, let alone those he called friends. This was not the place for friends, he needed to remind himself of that.

Stitch appeared behind him, causing him to jump, leaving those thoughts behind. "We have a hoverchair for you, Commander," the medic reminded him with a stern look.

"No, I'm fine," Tyro quickly insisted, standing up but holding most of his weight with the force. "You guys focus on getting Champ to the medcenter while I brief them on the mission."

"Yes sir."

With that he put on a straight but strong face, devoid of any expression, as a Jedi should be, and holding his head high he limped off the ship.

Gavyn bit his lip as the ship landed, kicking up powdered snow in the hangar. The ramp lowered, and Gavyn could see the rescue crew emerge. Good, good, but where was Ace? Finally, Gavyn caught sight of him, searching over Tyro and Stitch's head. Ace's eyes sent a shock through the Jedi, and the chill from waiting vanished in an instant.

Ace was alive. On his feet and beaming at him. Gavyn had tried not to let worry consume him for the past two days, but he let the relief wash over him like a tidal wave.

He took a step forward to meet him. It turned into another step, which turned into a jog.

As soon as Ace caught sight of Gavyn waiting in the hangar he tried to squeeze past Stitch and Tyro. When Gavyn started walking towards him, he couldn't wait any longer. Sidestepping around the two, he dashed forward and into his Jedi's arms. As Ace buried his face into Gavyn's neck, he would've sworn he had never felt anything so warm in his life. There was nothing in the world that could make him feel safer than being in Gavyn's arms, and it had been too long since Ace had felt a minute of comfort. The Jedi was more than his General, he was his beacon and his foundation. Being alone for so long in the cold had sapped Ace of every ounce of patience and virtue he had left, and here he could start to rebuild himself.

Gavyn wrapped his robed arms around Ace as though they would do an ounce of good against the cold compared to the thick armor Ace was already wearing. Separated from the rescue mission, Gavyn had been completely lost. He had tried to find purpose in moment to moment tasks, but they only felt like distractions. It pained him to sense Ace's fear and not be able to act on it. This was finally his moment, and all he wanted to do was make his absence up to him. He brushed noses with the clone, every fiber of him desperately wanting to kiss him right there on the hangar floor. Everyone knew about them… right? They didn't talk, but they knew.

Well, everyone but one.

Gavyn let his hands fall from Ace's waist. Their breath slowly drifted apart until Gavyn couldn't feel it against his cheek.

Ace flushed, understanding immediately. They were too close. Too obvious. He stiffly stepped away, and marched briskly from the hangar, not daring to look anyone in the eye. He didn't want any questions. Not about Gavyn. Not about his health. Not about the crash.

Hesitantly, Gavyn looked up at Tyro. "Good work, apprentice." He said as cheerfully as he could muster, in an attempt to pretend his moment with Ace had never happened.

Tyro opened his mouth to say something but he couldn't muster any words. What he had just seen...what he had just felt from Gavyn was forbidden by the Jedi Order. Attachment. Deep emotional attachment.

He tried to think of a way around it, to give Gavyn and Ace the benefit of the doubt, but it all added up. Why Gavyn had been so concerned before, frenzied almost. Why Ace had been so needy, so angry. Nothing good could come of this...this was why it was said that attachment lead to the dark side.

His stomach churned uneasily, the sinking feeling in it spreading to the rest of his body. This was going to be like last time. His former master had told him it was fine, the rules were just guidelines, what was important was the ends, not the means, that by doing what he had done, he was doing good. People had been hurt.

Tyro stared at Gavyn, wide-eyed and hurt, not knowing what to say. The mission, that was right, he had to report on the mission, as was his duty. "The rescue operation was a success," he stuttered out. Then stiffly he gave the details.

Why was this happening again? The Jedi Council kept the code for a reason. What would happen to him now? Would he go back to Agricorps or would he be expelled for good? The force had its will, he reminded himself. It was all he had to go on, but why did it have to be like this.

Tyro took a deep breath and tried to let all his emotions out with it before meeting Gavyn's eyes resolutely.

"What do you think I am?" he asked, voice cracking. "Just because, I dunno, I have stupid hair or hang out in the Undercity, that I don't care about the Jedi Code or something?"

He took a step back, he was too close to Gavyn. "I thought you were different than everyone else, than him. I thought that maybe...just maybe, I could finally trust someone."

Gavyn had known that Tyro wouldn't approve of him skirting the Jedi Code like this. It was why he had not brought up the issue earlier, they were just getting to know each other. This… this was not how he wanted his apprentice to find out about him and Ace. Everything he had planned to say, each way he thought he could bring it up fell apart in an instant.

"I am sorry for not telling you sooner." Gavyn said gently. He couldn't bring himself to apologize for his feelings. That was a struggle that Tyro did not need to be a part of.

Gavyn glanced around the crowded hangar, an uncharacteristic flush under his frosty beard. He needed to have this discussion, but not right here. "Let's get you warmed up." Gavyn suggested, reaching out to put a hand on Tyro's shoulder. "And we'll talk, right?"

The last thing he wanted was Tyro to compare him to his master that fell to the dark side. Gavyn had his own darkness to deal with, but this wasn't it. He needed time to explain himself, and this relationship. It wasn't worth having saved Ace from the crash if he lost another Padawan over it.

Tyro stood there for a moment, studying Gavyn's face. He seemed sincere, but that meant nothing. His last master had seemed to care until the very end...just looking at him like that as they escorted him from the temple a final time.

Biting back another swirl of guilt and betrayal Tyro ripped his shoulder from Gavyn's hand. He stumbled back, tears welling up in his eyes as his feet painfully hit the ground. He wanted to run away. Hide...just get out of here. He looked around, searching for a direction or something he could take. Perhaps that was enough of a gap between those two soldiers...or he could scurry under the shuttle?

They were all watching him though. All the men here...and he was supposed to be a Commander. A Commander didn't run away. A Commander didn't cry in front of everyone. A Commander wouldn't tell a General the lines of wounded obscenities that were begging to be choked out at Gavyn right now. Neither did a Jedi.

So he took a deep breath, held his head high, and nodded.