Chapter Thirty-Four: Kind of Like Sisters
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"He believes you are a heretic."
Devnos' world ended there. What defence did he have? What careful, cunning words could he use against those of a High Priest? In what way could he save himself, and still keep his word to his father?
His world, his life, was over.
"Do you have nothing to say in your defence?" Gaffil asked, his voice made of ice.
Devnos stared at Rafintair's second-in-command, then came to a decision. What use was there in hiding? He was dead already; he could at least use this second to be a Klis thorn in the side. "I am my father's son, warftha. Where you force upon this world beliefs that make you and your brother into some kind of demi-gods, I was raised to believe in honour and – "
"Silence!"
"No! I will not be silent!" Devnos spat, rising to his full height. At seventeen, he was only beginning to come into his own, but it would have to do. Unknown to him, his bravery and outrage made him look older, and more intimidating, than his straightened spine. "We aren't done with you and your perverted regime yet, Gaffil: you will fall! Don't you doubt it! Your end, Pucijir's end, is coming – right from the ones you oppress! That I promise you. The Jir family has pushed too far; even the Force is involved, now."
Gaffil folded his arms over his chest as he watched Devnos with cold eyes. "Traitor's words. You are even more foolish than your father."
Devnos raised his chin, and he looked down on Gaffil as best he could. "I will not go to my death afraid to say something that might make it hurt more. I will die with dignity. Can you say the same for yourself?"
Ignoring Devnos' last taunting question, Gaffil walked down the stairs that raised him above those he allowed into his imperial presence. "Your death? Oh, no, Klis. We learned our mistake last time, with your father. We have something much more…effective planned for you."
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Jaina knew immediately that Krista had been crying. The cause was not necessarily so easy to recognize, but from the girl she sensed obvious loss and shock. And if that wasn't enough to clue her in, the red eyes and splotchy skin were a dead giveaway.
Miko threw out the strategy book, she understood after a moment's scrutiny. She wondered who she should sympathize with – Krista, who hadn't realized, or Miko, who couldn't fight it out any longer. In the end, she chose neither. That different connection she had received post-death encouraged a positive outlook on the couple's future.
Jaina let her friend pull herself back together, then spoke gently. "Sanar wants to see Devnos."
Krista straightened and kicked out a little, as if working out kinks in her legs. "Al—alright." Her voice cracked mid-word. "Control called me a little while ago, and it doesn't look like Kip's gonna make it to the interrogation block, so you can have as much time as you like. He's got nowhere to go but back to his cell."
Sanar studied Krista briefly, as if she knew that somehow this subdued air was not normal for this particular girl. After a second, however, Sanar shrugged and seemed to brush it off. Jaina figured Sanar had too much going on in her head to care about a stranger's abnormalities. "Just – just through that door, right?" Sanar asked, pointing to the left.
Krista turned and nodded wearily. "That'd be it."
"Do you want company?" Jaina asked, biting her lip.
Sanar shook her head before making her way into the room. Jaina watched through the view port, checking to make sure that Devnos wasn't in attack mode, before she let her eyes sidle over to Krista. "Are you okay?" she queried softly.
Krista's chin raised proudly. "Duh," she retorted. The indifferent façade was somewhat damaged when she sniffled.
Sometimes, Jaina found it very hard to believe that she was only two years older than Krista. She wondered, idly, if Miko ever felt like he was robbing the cradle.
That's why he left, she acknowledged. "I take it Miko told you?"
Krista's eyes widened. "That he… Does everyone know?"
Jaina chuckled. "Well, despite his work in Intelligence, Miko isn't a very good actor."
"He's a great actor," Krista defended. "Miko – "
"Cool it, Kris." Jaina smiled to soften the words. "I get it." She paused, then continued, "Usually, though, confessions of love don't make the recipient cry."
"He left," Krista answered stiffly. "He told me that he loves me, and then he just…left. He said he isn't coming back. And I wasn't crying!"
Jaina whistled under her breath. "Wow. Didn't see that coming."
"He left," Krista repeated miserably.
Jaina doubted the other girl had meant for her to hear that, but she responded anyway. "He is older than you, Krista, and he's seen a lot more. If he just hung around much longer, he probably would have settled for a lot less than what he needs."
Abruptly, Krista flipped her hair and crossed her arms over her chest. "Well, I don't care. If he wants to leave, that's his choice. He left me… But – " she hurried to regain her anger, "that's how life is. Who needs him, anyway?"
You do, Jaina thought sympathetically. "It'll be okay, Krista. I promise."
Krista looked down, rebuilding her defences with each breath. "I don't care," she insisted.
"Whatever helps you sleep at night," Jaina murmured in return.
The blonde ignored her.
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Sanar waited as the door hissed closed behind her. At the sound, Devnos looked up, and a tidal wave of emotions swept over his face when he realized the identity of his visitor. Hope, despair, relief, guilt, shame, and even a little pride – all mixed together, and quite visible in his eyes. But only for a moment; seconds later, his expression became impassive again.
Sanar had given up on understanding her brother a long time ago, but that didn't mean his behaviour did not continue to bewilder her.
"You're alive," he murmured, and she was almost certain he had not meant for her to hear. Although she couldn't hear his next words, only see his lips move, she caught the meaning behind it: Thank the Force.
Devnos, she thought sadly, will I never know you again? What happened? Refusing to try to unthread Devnos' confused motivations, Sanar spoke. "Right as rain, I guess you could say. Solo brought me here in time, and the doctors found the antidote."
Devnos nodded as if in a trance. "I see. Any…after-effects?"
She hadn't even thought about that, actually. "I don't think so, but you know heroes." Sanar rolled her eyes. "They don't screw things up, like us."
His response was to smirk, but still that relief lingered in his eyes. "I guess you'll last a few more years of this joke existence, after all."
"Looks like it," she agreed quietly. Narrowing her eyes at Devnos, she stepped forward a few paces so that they were only a few metres apart. "I had my last check-up before I came here. Nothing abnormal showed up on my tests, so they let me go."
"Well, that sounds like good news," Devnos said, appearing bored, and even his relief was now gone or hidden.
"Besides the poison," she continued, "they declared me perfectly normal." She skipped a beat. "They couldn't say the same for you." She stopped to gauge his reaction, but there was none, other than an ever-so-slight increase in tension. "For a brief period, the medics detected irregularity in your brain waves' pattern."
Devnos had become as still as death.
"It could be nothing," she pushed on. "But I don't think it is. And I think you know about it."
He did not respond.
She swallowed. "Is this something that needs to be checked out, Devnos?" she asked finally, very quietly.
Devnos' entire stance screamed, but his mouth said nothing.
Obviously, the weirdness most definitely was something – something that Devnos knew about, all too well.
She searched his eyes for some kind of positive sign, but found none. Devnos was gripping the arms of his chair so tightly that his knuckles were white. His face was pale, and his Force presence was more than just chaotic – Sanar could barely touch it without losing her centre.
It looked exactly like Devnos did not want her to check what was going on. In fact, he appeared furious that she would even suggest such a thing.
But he said nothing, and Devnos had no problems with being vocal.
And so Sanar would have staked her life on Devnos desperately wanting her to set a science team to work.
"Alright, then," she whispered. "I'll get Solo to look into it."
Sanar left.
Devnos stayed.
Desperately silent.
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Jaina had been watching the conversation through the viewing glass, and although the audio had not been on, part of her was already knew Sanar's decision. However, Krista's confused face was only a step away from wretched, and the girl needed the hold onto something as her defences built up, so Jaina waited for Sanar to speak.
Sanar bit her lip and fidgeted, prolonging the moment when she would uncover her dependence on someone else's goodwill. Finally deciding that she would never be good at sucking up, and that Jaina owed her enough that it was not Jaina who had debts that could be called in, she began. "I told Devnos about the brain waves; judging by his reaction…it is important. Very important."
Jaina leaned against a protruding divider on the viewing screen. "Did he say anything?"
"Nothing."
Jaina nodded; she understood. If it wasn't true, Devnos generally denied it. He had become something of a talker over the years. "So, what'll it be?"
Sanar began to speak; shut her mouth; looked down. Finally, she asked, "Could you…have your doctors scan him? For the cause of the anomalies?"
The Jedi smiled crookedly. "Of course, Sanar. Being a Solo has its advantages; I'm sure I can get someone to fit in a CAT scan. I'll let you know when the results come in."
Sanar nodded, twisting some of her hair around her fingers. Jaina ruffled Krista's hair comfortingly, then grinned reassuringly at Sanar. "Kris here will show you to the Solo quarters, okay? I'll meet you back there in about an hour. Just make yourself at home in the meantime."
Jaina was halfway out of the door before Sanar cursed herself and her pride. Solo didn't owe her anything, anymore. Just be gracious, like a normal person, she scolded herself. "Wait!" she called.
Pausing and turning, Solo raised an eyebrow. "Yeah?"
Oh, boy. Sanar recognized the softness in Jaina's eyes; it had been a very long time since last she saw it in anyone's gaze, but…affection was something Sanar had clung to. Remembering her previous confusion about her and Jaina, Sanar now understood. She and Solo were stuck with each other. Kind of like sisters.
Kind of weird.
"Solo…well, thanks. For – you know…everything," she forced out.
It was hardly a graceful admission of gratitude, but considering Sanar had sworn off manners a long time ago, it was a pretty good one. Jaina's smile seemed to agree with Sanar's decision of its worthiness. "What are sisters for, anyway?" she replied casually. "Anytime."
Sanar would always blame it on the fact that she was healing from a nearly fatal amount of poison being sent into her lungs. Sanar Klis did not get sentimental. That sort of thing was for losers and heroes.
But…she had to admit…it was kind of nice, when it all sank in.
When she realized that she wasn't alone anymore, whether she liked it or not.
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It was time.
On the other side of the River, Kyp could feel the tug at his navel growing in insistence with each passing moment. Time, which he had lost, was beginning to trickle back to him.
Kyp needed to find him. If he didn't, everything was just another wasted attempt. And Kyp wasn't going to fail. Again. Like him
No. Kyp had plans. Kyp was going to make this work, whether circumstances liked it or not.
But it would really help if he could find the other guy. Since, after all, it was the only way things could work…
Where are you?
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Please R&R :)
.Tjz