"Uncle Wil!"

Wil looked up from the last supply crate he had just settled in the Shadow Nova's rear hold to see Jake Redgrave running up the lowered ramp to meet him with an enveloping hug. Although caught off guard, Wil returned it just as fervently, laughing a bit at Jake's surprising strength at such an early hour of the morning.

"Morning, buddy," Wil greeted him, briefly glancing behind him for his parents who weren't even in sight yet. "You're not excited for our trip at all, are you?"

Jake beamed as he stepped back from him. "I'm so excited! I've never been to Corellia. What's it like?"

Briefly stumped, Wil shrugged. "Well, it certainly has...character. Lots of history. Lots of shipyards. Lots of riffraff. It's pretty fun, but you do have to be careful, especially as a Royal."

The light in Jake's gray eyes had only intensified despite Wil's warning as if he hadn't heard it at all. "I want to see all the ships, every single kind there is. Will we get to see them all? Can we fly them?"

Wil laughed again, not expecting such candor from the normally quiet and reserved boy. "You can definitely try. I'm sure Liaa would appreciate as many options as possible." Placing a gentle hand on Jake's shoulder, Wil gave him a more serious expression. "I'm going to be busy helping my dad with Bex, but I can count on you to help her pick out a good ship, right?"

Jake nodded emphatically. "I won't let you down."

"I know you won't. Can you do something else for me, too? I want you to promise me you'll stay together. Stay close to your parents, don't wander off, okay?"

Another strong nod. "I promise."

Wil smiled. "Good man."

"Jake Derek Redgrave!"

Wincing at his full name being called from the hangar outside the ship, Jake turned to face the ramp as his father's voice echoed up to him again. "Come back here and get your bags so your mother doesn't have to carry them, please."

Wil sent the boy on his way with a playful shove, watching him return to his parents with haste. The boy quickly and obediently slung several bag straps over his shoulders, seemingly taking on not only his own bags but his mother's, as well, despite Cordira's protest. As the Redgraves boarded, Ethan affectionately ruffled Jake's hair from behind him as they continued on inside to meet Wyliaa, leaving Cordira behind alone to talk to Wil.

"Hey, don't be too hard on him," Wil looked to Cordira with a grin. "He's just excited."

She gave a soft laugh, shaking her head with her gaze still following her son and husband. "He has never gotten out of bed so quickly or so easily. I feel like I've had to drag him by his toes for the past five years to get him to his Academy classes on time, but not today."

"Sounds like he's starting to take after his father a bit more now."

Cordira narrowed her eyes at him with an impish grin. "Don't you dare wish that on me. I don't need three of them."

The two childhood friends shared a genuine laugh together, a few tender moments of relief from his nerves Wil welcomed whole heartedly. The Redgraves' daughter Amalia had never met a stranger, following quite closely in her father's footsteps as a chatty charmer and often leaving her older brother behind on social outings. Jake had retained much of Cordira's modest and composed nature, making his sudden excitable behavior that much more amusing. As they quieted, though, Cordira turned to face Wil more squarely, studying his face with her full attention as her own expression fell.

"...you're tired."

Wil could only sigh. "It's that obvious, huh?"

"No, I didn't say that," she returned with sympathy, deep care saturating her words. "Wil, I've known you longer than anyone else on this ship has. What kind of friend would I be if I couldn't tell when you were distressed?"

Appreciative of her concern, Wil smiled. "You are a good friend. I was just hoping...that I had hidden it better."

"You did," she affirmed, returning his smile playfully. "Just not from me."

Letting go of another long breath, Wil allowed his fatigue to sag his shoulders, briefly afraid he could fall asleep at any moment, even while standing. Cordira's warm gaze didn't linger on him long, instead returning to the interior of the ship and distantly fixating on the reason he hadn't slept at all since they had last seen each other hours ago.

"...he's still here."

Her hushed words were merely a statement of fact, but he heard a subtle hint of pride for the tremendous feat she already knew he had accomplished. Had she read his mind? He hadn't told a soul what he and his father had discussed the previous evening, but somehow Cordira knew; Horatio sat silent and alone in the Shadow Nova's cockpit, having kept his promise to Wil to not leave for Corellia without the others. At times throughout the night, Wil didn't even believe it himself.

"...he's still here," he echoed just as softly, no longer masking his exhaustion. His weary mind easily amplified his frustration, expressing it to her when he otherwise might have stayed silent. He knew she understood. "I've known the man almost fifteen years now, and I still have to threaten him to do the right thing."

Cordira met his gaze with a sympathetic one of her own, her eyes tender. "Your father grew up in a constant barrage of life or death situations. He had to cope with everything by himself for so long, it became deeply ingrained in him. He's simply wired that way. I'm sure it's very difficult for him to overcome that thought process."

Wil sighed again. "Every time I think we've made progress..."

"He has made progress," she countered gently, lightly gripping his arm. "My mother comments on it all the time, and she would know. And this was a success, Wil, not a failure. He listened to you. You help him understand things in ways the rest of us can't quite properly get across. Your guidance is keeping him on track."

Her support was invaluable and always timely, but in his fatigued stupor, he couldn't respond with much more than a tight embrace to express his gratitude. He knew she could feel his muscles trembling despite his attempts to mask it, and she only hugged him more. His anxiety relaxed the longer she held him, soothed by her with the Force; she again seemed to already know that another difficult discussion with his father lay ahead of him.

"Thank you."

She stepped back from him after a moment, giving him an insightful smile. "Are you going to get some rest first?"

He still wasn't convinced she hadn't read his mind. "Not for a bit. Don't want to lose my nerve."

She shook her head with a faint laugh but didn't push him further, well familiar with his stubborn nature. It wasn't much different from her own.

"Let me know if you need anything, even if you just need to talk."

Wil nodded appreciatively, nodding to return her to her family in the main hold as he pressed the panel to lift the rear ramp and finish their preparations. He'd be taking his seat at the Shadow Nova's controls to guide her through the Leveyn Asteroid Field once they left Paneau, but until then, he'd have time with his own thoughts. He needed to be prepared for the important topic he'd be bringing up to his father, he just hoped his sleepless night wouldn't impair his words.