Last time: Kyr and Nova returned to the 19th, but with no clue where Cien is.

Now: Jayne meets the owner of the voice.

Chapter 9- The Woman in the Dark

Jayne was quietly humming to herself as she made a light lunch of sandwiches with a side of salad for Lara and her. Taner was back in school, so it was just the two of them. This was Lara's first day back, taking a break after a marathon of treating patients for the last two and a half days since the mine collapse. Thankfully there had been no deaths which felt like a miracle after how terrible the accident had been. Several of the patients would face very, very long roads to recovery, but the entire town had seemed to have breathed a sigh of relief that all those who had been caught in the collapse would take that journey to recovery rather than the alternative.

That was due in no small part to the efforts of the staff at the medical center. All the doctors, the staff, the orderlies and nurses had worked tirelessly to ensure that all the patients under their care had been safe. Jayne still felt a persistent nag of shame for how little she could do to help, and how little she had done even compared to that. Lara had assured her that she was perfectly fine, and all the staff had seemed to greatly appreciate her running around and making sure that they all had food and drink to keep them going, or mother them into taking a break if they truly needed it.

She smiled slightly at the thought that she had been the one to mother them, her only experience having been these few weeks of carrying the twins for as far back as she could remember. Jayne wondered, as she often did about this or that, if she had been the kind of person to do that before in her old life. Perhaps she was some kind of manager or administrator, she seemed to have taken well to the job at the front desk of the center, and it felt natural to run about ensuring the staff was taken care of. She had balked at the sight of the blood and injuries, and the persistent fog of the suffering and pain had stayed at the back of her mind the entire time. And for that she was grateful to be back home. Or Lara's home, rather. Even though she thought of it as home. Here, in this beautiful cabin she was at peace. Far away from any hint of pain or suffering or fear. And since she had been drowning in it the last few days, its absence made this pleasant place seem all the more tranquil and serene.

Jayne furrowed her brow, realizing she was humming. She stopped, trying in vain to recall what it was from and shook her head. Maybe she might discover what the song was if she ever recovered her memories. She took the two plates in hand, after drizzling a little bit of some homemade vinaigrette she had whipped up over the top of the salads, and walked into the accompanying living room where Lara had collapsed into her favorite chair.

Lara looked up from her light reading on her datapad and smiled. "Thanks for making lunch," she said as she set her pad aside and held her hands out to take the food. "I would have helped, but my feet are so blistered from running around the last few days, I don't know if I can stand again." She chuckled lightly.

"You're welcome." Jayne said with a smile as she handed Lara's her plate and sat in her own chair. "And no need to help, you've done enough of that over the last few days."

"Yeah, well," Lara said as she grabbed half of her sandwich and took a bite of it. "You're my guest. I feel like I should still be a good host even if my feet hate me right now."

"Lara," Jayne started, looking at her incredulously. "You've done nothing but take care of me for the last few weeks. The least I can do is make you a sandwich after all that and the collapse."

Lara smiled at her. She then looked towards the window as she took another bite of her sandwich, her smile fading away slowly. "I'm sorry you had to see all of that. But I am grateful you were there to help." She said quietly.

Jayne took a bite of her salad before she spoke after a moment. "It wasn't so much seeing everything." She started slowly, now having a chance to talk to Lara about it. "It was just the… the overwhelming feeling of being caught in all the pain and suffering, like I couldn't shut it out. I'm sure you've learned to block that out." Jayne said, feeling bad that she was complaining about that oppressive feeling when Lara had to stay in the middle of it, probably drowning in it the same as she had, and keep treating patients while Jayne had run away.

"I understand what you mean," Lara said quietly. "When I was first working at the hospital, there was a minor collapse that happened. So imagine it like this one but with half the number of patients and less severe wounds. I was overwhelmed by all of the blood, pain and suffering that I threw up in the hall outside of triage. The whole thing was just too much for a kid. I was only eighteen when that happened." She paused. "Over time, I learned to deal with it and block it out. It wasn't until…" She hesitated then swallowed a lump in her throat. "It wasn't until there was the mine collapse that happened a year ago. Then…" She trailed off, getting a bit emotional.

Jayne looked at her, failing to hide concern for her dearest friend. "Your husband?" She asked quietly.

Lara nodded, trying not to frown as tears came to her eyes. "I was in triage, helping a patient. When one of the nurses asked me to come take a look at this one case. So I did." She lowered her chin. "I thought it was like a bad broken limb or something. But seeing it was my husband, my Enzo, I tried to help him, but another doctor pulled me away, not willing to allow me to treat him, and let Akk-jul do it instead. But he was too late. His injuries were just… too severe." She put a hand to her mouth as her voice broke with heavy emotion.

"I'm so sorry Lara." Jayne said, she reached out and offered her hand to the other woman. "The last few days must have been a constant reminder of that."

"They were," Lara said as she reached over and took Jayne's offered hand. She squeezed it. "But I couldn't let anyone else go through what I did last year. But when you called and said that the mine had collapsed, all I could see was his face again." Tears started to fall now. "Oh, I miss him so much." She wept as she finally broke down after staying strong for the last few days.

Jayne squeezed Lara's hand, not knowing what to do. Just trying to be a comfort for her friend who had done so much for her these past few weeks. All her life, as far as she could remember, Lara had been there for her. And she had no idea what to do for her other than to stay at her side while she wept for her husband. "I'm so, so sorry Lara. He must have been a wonderful person."

Lara nodded after a moment. She sniffed as a small smile came to her face. "He was. He was kind and loving. He loved Taner with all of his heart and wanted him to chase his dreams. Everyone in town loved him too. So when he passed, it seemed like every person in town was at his funeral or stopped by to check in on us," she said, wiping her face. "It got a little overwhelming after a while having so many people stop by here. But if it wasn't for Lacie and Taner, I don't know if I would have ever been able to heal. Or at least start the healing process and move on." She then looked at Jayne. "And he would have adored you." She said, wistfully as she squeezed Jayne's hand again.

"I'm sure I would have adored him as well." Jayne said with a troubled smile. She could feel the sadness, the emptiness in Lara as she held her hand. The feeling she always had whenever she accidentally or purposely touched someone, that everyone else must have, of being able to feel their emotions so keenly. It hurt, deeply, as Jayne felt the pain of losing someone she never even knew as if she herself had been married to the man for years. She sniffed and held back tears as the feeling threatened to overwhelm her. But this was only the sense she had as she held Lara's hand, Lara had to live with this all the time.

Jayne took a deep breath, concentrating, trying to send what warm thoughts of comfort she could to her friend using the touch empathy that everyone else seemed to take for granted and never mentioned. She concentrated on the twins, their innocence, drawing strength from their kind presence as she tried to fill that void. Not replace that grief or that pain, but trying to suffuse it with something filled with kindness and comforting as Lara herself had done for Jayne all these past weeks.

Lare smiled softly and squeezed Jayne's hand. "Oh sweetie. I didn't mean to make you cry too," she said, sounding a bit better. "Thank you for everything you have done for me these last couple weeks. You being here has been a wonderful blessing. So please don't cry." She said, offering Jayne a warm smile despite the tears that still stained her face.

"Thank you." Jayne said, smirking despite holding back her own tears. "I'm glad it wasn't my cooking that made us cr -" She started before she was cut off.

I am ready. Are you or shall I just meet you in the dining hall? The voice called out.

Jayne looked up suddenly, looking around the cabin, out the window as she heard that woman's voice again. This time it sounded darker, angry, more aggressive.

"What? Did you leave the fridge open or something?" Lara asked, confused. "And don't worry about your cooking. The sandwich is really good." She assured her before taking a bite.

Cien, are you ready? The voice asked, impatiently.

Jayne's mouth opened, agape slightly as she looked around, "No, it's that voice -" She started.

"The voice?" Lara asked, curious. "What's it saying? Is it calling out for that person again?" She asked as she straightened up in her chair.

Cien. Answer me. Do you still want to go eat? If I don't hear from you, you are on your own. The voice said harshly.

"No, well yes, it…" Jayne said, taking deep breaths and recoiling into herself. The voice sounded so angry, so dark.

Cien I am going to get food. You are welcome to join me or go on your own. I'm not waiting for you. Now answer or I am going. The voice demanded.

"What?" Jayne gasped out looking around in terror and incredulity at such a ludicrously mild request filled with such venom and hatred.

Everything around Jayne suddenly flashed to black, she looked around in terror and fear, trying to figure out what had happened. Where she was. She was surrounded by infinite darkness and the only light seemed to shine lazily down upon her, and there were two dim lights over her shoulder.

"Cien, what the hell is going on? Answer me. Stop ignoring me!" Jayne's head whipped around to see who was yelling. A woman she didn't recognize, and Jayne looked on in growing horror. Her short brown hair was cut savagely, her black outfit belied nothing but malice and death. Her eyes were a sharp yellow that seemed to glow in the infinite blackness around them.

A terrified figure came before Sinya, with two other lights distantly, vaguely in the void behind her. Cien's straw colored hair shimmered in the dim light that shone down upon her. But it was loosely tied behind her in a ponytail, not the usual, severe braid that she had always worn since Sinya had known her. And she was wearing a simple, pale blue dress, like something a peasant might wear on a simple, underdeveloped world.

"What is this?" Cien asked as she looked around terrified. "Who are you? Where is this?" Cien asked as she recoiled away from Sinya's terrifying visage.

"Cien? What is this, a joke?" Sinya asked, confused and angered.

No, that is the real Cien! She's scared! Leave her alone and return to normal Sasha! This is not who we are!

"Please! Don't hurt me!" Cien pleaded as she recoiled, terrified as she tried to find somewhere to run to, looking around at the infinite blackness about her. She had her arm protectively around her stomach and looked as if she was about seven months pregnant with twins.

Sinya hesitated as she wasn't sure what she was seeing. However, the voice did know. Cien! It's me! Please recognize me! Sasha, come back! It sounded closer. In fact, it almost sounded like it was behind her. Sinya turned to see nothing before looking back at this Cien before her. She looked her over, very carefully.

A woman who looked just like Cien. Who was pregnant. Pregnant? Pregnant with what? A boy? A girl? A future acolyte? No, twins. Your niece and nephew. The voice answered, hearing her thoughts. Twins? Sinya looked past this Cien and saw the two lights in the distance. They seemed familiar. Actually, all of this seemed familiar. But why? Why did all of this make sense, like she knew what was before her?

And then suddenly, everything rushed back to her mind. Everything from that dream. Her family. Her memories. Her adventures. Her trauma. And her pregnant sister who was now cowering before her. Her pregnant sister who was still missing, was most likely taken by Selina.

Selina.

That sparked the memory of her reaching out and grabbing Selina's wrist aboard the Taipan in the gallery and pulling her into the mindspace only to find a darker version of Cien, one that was trapped here.

And Sinya… no, Sasha came back.

With that last spark of reminder returning to her, Sasha was back. Immediately all of the darkness that consumed her soul for the past two years dissipated as if it was ice melting in the hot sun. The light that was Sasha Monroe-Zeb returned in full force. Sasha staggered back as her heart lightened and no longer felt broken. And tears escaped her eyes as the light returned as if the clouds parted to let the sun shine in once again. She looked at Cien as her clothes in this space turned back to her normal Jedi robes, the black robes disappearing. Her short brown hair cascading back down to the small of her back to its normal length, and her staff turning back into Master Redika's old blade.

Sasha looked at herself in awe at what just happened as a smile played at her lips. It felt great to feel the light again as the dark ichor of the Sith vanished. She looked back to Cien, her real sister.

"Cien! It's me! It's Sasha!" She called back to her, thrilled to see her again. "Where are you? Are you okay? We're coming for you! I'm coming for you!"

"Please, please." Cien pleaded quietly. So terrified that her knees couldn't support her. She collapsed to a kneeling position on the ground, supporting her stomach as she folded her legs underneath her. "Whatever I did I'm sorry. Please just leave me alone." She pleaded miserably as she started crying.

Sasha felt a sharp pang in her heart at seeing Cien cry before her, but something felt wrong here. It was almost as if Cien didn't recognize her or her presence. She furrowed her brows and was about to answer when someone approached from behind.

"So." An ice cold voice said from behind Sasha. Cien's voice. Acolyte Cien. "We appear to have a problem." She said as she stalked out of the shadows.

Sasha turned and stepped protectively in front of her sister, standing her ground against the acolyte. "What have you done? You lied to me. You turned me into a monster."

"No, you did that yourself." Acolyte Cien said as she stalked forward. "Well done, I always knew you had it in you, Sasha. Or should I say Sinya?" She asked, smirking darkly.

"No, this was all a lie. It was always a lie and I should have never listened to you. And that is not my name. I am Sasha Monroe-Zeb. Jedi Knight, mother, wife, and sister to Clan Xiv and the New Republic," Sasha said, putting her foot down. "And nothing you have done here will change me. Now get out of my head. I'm done sharing it with you." She hissed before Force pushing the acolyte back. Acolyte Cien braced herself, but was blown backward, out into the darkness of the mindspace. "I'll come find you and bring you home. Just hang on," Sasha said over her shoulder before sending her sister back to wherever she was to protect her.

Jayne woke up in the living room in the chair next to Lara, gasping for breath as if she had just been running, sweat on her brow and tears in her eyes for how terrified she had been. She looked around, trying to collect herself and terrified she would be pulled back to… wherever that had been.

"Jayne, are you okay?" Lara asked worriedly. Her face was etched with concern. "Jayne?"

"I…" Jayne started, her eyes darting to Lara, then down to the floor as she tried to get her breathing under control. She could feel the twins squirming and she put a hand across her stomach. "I…" She started again, not having any idea how to describe what she had just experienced to Lara.

"Shh, it's okay," Lara said as she put a comforting hand on Jayne's shoulder. "Just take deep breaths and calm down. You're safe. Just breathe." She comforted her in a soft tone.

"I was taken someplace." Jayne said, she swallowed as she closed her eyes, afraid to open them again lest she wake up there. "Someplace dark. That woman was there, but this time she was…" Jayne started, trying to describe it. "Does this happen to other people? Do they hear voices and hallucinate like I do?" She asked, terrified. "Is there something wrong with me?"

Lara didn't know how to answer at first as a frown came to her face. "Does this happen to others? I don't think so. Not like how you described. But there are people who can hear voices from time to time or hallucinate. Usually, there is a medical reason why. You lost your memory, hun. Even though you didn't have any sign of a brain injury, this must be your memories trying to come back. It's the only explanation I have." She said with a hint of uncertainty in her voice. "But it'll be okay. Just breathe." She repeated.

"I don't know how to describe it." Jayne replied, unconsciously reaching for Reginald and holding him close. "It was like I was taken someplace. Someplace infinitely large and infinitely dark. And there was…" She stopped, realizing who the girl was. "It was the same woman I've seen before, the one whose voice I kept hearing. I saw her at the festival as well. She had turned into someone evil and terrifying. I…" Jayne paused with a hitch in her voice, "she said she was coming for me." Jayne said, terror in her voice at the prospect.

Lara moved from her seat and knelt down in front of Jayne, placing both hands on the young mother's shoulders. "I won't let that happen. I won't let anything happen to you. I promise," she said, assuredly as she squeezed Jayne's shoulders gently. "Just like what you do for those children," she gestured to her swollen belly, "and what I do for Taner, I'll keep you safe like any loving mother would her family."

Jayne looked up at her and then back downwards. "I don't know if we can keep them safe." She said softly, her memories kept drifting back to the terrifying visage of the woman she had encountered. And the ensuing argument with another figure. But she had been too terrified to really focus on what had been happening, who the other figure had been. All she remembered was that they were coming for her.

"I promise you we will," Lara said, determined. "You have my word. If it'll ease your worry, I can call Lacie and have her keep a close eye on things. Just to make sure that things are safe, okay?"

"Okay." Jayne said in almost a whisper.

"Alright," Lara nodded. She stood up and leaned over to give Jayne a comforting hug for a moment. "I'll be right back. It'll be okay, sweetie." She said softly as she pulled away.

"Okay." Jayne repeated quietly.

Lara then moved off to call Lacie, but gave one last look back at Jayne with a frown before she stepped away from the room.

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