A/N: These ficlets will focus on Lana and Vestra, but they will feature the Inquisitor crew and other Alliance members as well, including my Commander, Aelirra.
The chapters won't be in chronological order, and context will be given in each chapter's summary.
Chapter Summary: After years of laying its foundations with Lana, Vestra finally arrives on Odessen to join the Alliance proper. But their reunion is marred by one fact - that Vestra had died a few days prior.
"I'm going in."
"No! I told you, we can't–" Andronikos could barely get the words out before the transmission was cut. "Damn you, Avriss!"
"Cover her, Niko," Ashara said from the captain's seat.
"You heard me, Ashara! We can't, it's a bloody cluster–"
"Just do it." Ashara watched him jerk oddly in his seat, as if to turn around, but he couldn't afford the luxury at the moment – not with the chaos unfolding around them.
They had landed on Belsavis to rendezvous with an Imperial squadron, who'd chosen to join the Alliance's ranks after initial contact from Darth Avriss. Though the squadron had been confident that they'd gone undetected under the shadow of the Star Fortress, bolstered by their successful theft of shuttles from the surface to replace damaged ships, their extraction went sideways the moment they broke free of the atmosphere – and found a section of the Eternal Fleet waiting for them.
Cannon fire and explosions lit the dark of space like fireworks, throwing them into disarray. With Avriss piloting one of the stolen shuttles, Ashara found herself in command of the Fury – much to her growing dismay.
Ashara gripped the armrests as Andronikos pulled off impossibly tight maneuvers, avoiding crossfire while trying to close in on Avriss. Khem Val was quiet at his console as he rained fire on Zakuulan ships, distracting them from his Sith master. Amid the dizzying blur of activity through the viewport, Ashara tensed when she spotted a ghostly blue charge weaving between the Eternal Fleet's ships.
Ashara had reached for the button to open a comm channel, when Avriss beat her to it.
"All ships, jump to hyperspace! Now!"
"What is she doing!" Andronikos roared – for good reason.
Despite her own command, Avriss' shuttle streaked towards a cluster of Eternal ships that had detached itself from the larger grid formation, in pursuit of the fleeing Imperial squadron. Cannon fire from her ship barely slowed their foes down.
"Avriss, pull back! You're getting too close, when the Fleet fires–"
"Go, Ashara!"
The connection ended again, and Ashara gritted her teeth in frustration. "Stay on her, Niko."
"Hang tight."
The Fleet's blue glow vanished for a fleeting second – before their cannons flared with eye-watering intensity.
Andronikos sent the ship into a sharp nosedive, Ashara's stomach lurching with the motion. When he brought the ship around, they found fewer Imperial vessels in the field of battle. Some had escaped into hyperspace, a handful were destroyed by the cannon barrage, while the rest regrouped and flew on exit vectors, ready to enter hyperspace.
"Avriss, jump now!" Ashara's eyes tracked Avriss' ship as it circled two compatriots – which were bleeding smoke into vacuum, trailing sluggishly behind the others. What in hell did she think she could accomplish in that shuttle?
"I said go, Ash–"
Another blinding flash of blue interrupted them – faster than anticipated, but Andronikos' reflexes let them catch the deadly laser in a non-critical section of a wing. Ashara's stomach lurched again, but she hardly took notice – not when a powerful Force signature had been extinguished, torn from her consciousness.
"No. No!" Andronikos rammed a fist onto his console, a blue status icon turned red on its screen.
Ashara stared at the icon, blinking insistently among a dozen other alarms flashing onscreen. She moved her gaze to the viewport, and caught sight of Avriss' shuttle in the distance – a shattered wreck spilling debris, fires sputtering out in vacuum. A sudden sense of calm fell over her. Unbuckling the safety belt around her waist, Ashara stood.
"Niko, perform a fly-by of Avriss' ship. When I'm back, jump to hyperspace immediately."
"What?" Andronikos chanced a glance over his shoulder, hands still flying over the console. "Ashara, what are you doing?"
Ashara left the deck without a backward glance.
"I'm getting a spacesuit."
It was one of those quieter days on Odessen – the Eternal Empire and its Emperor were silent, giving the Alliance time to consolidate its resources and build upon its covert, ever-growing network of allies.
Focused on her datapad, Lana listened quietly while Theron chatted with the Commander, a twinkle in his eye as he recounted a misadventure he'd had while Aelirra was still trapped in carbonite. Laughs and friendly jibes filled the ops room as they waited for the specialists to arrive, and Lana was content to be the silent audience while she worked through a slew of reports on her datapad–
A muffled cry burst through clenched teeth, when fire swept across her upper back, melting fabric into her skin. Datapad dropping from her hands with a clatter, Lana set her palms on the table, steadying herself through sheer will as agony ripped through her body.
"Lana? Are you okay?"
She looked up with difficulty, meeting Aelirra and Theron's worried gazes. When she opened her mouth to speak, every bit of air was squeezed from her lungs – and she found herself unable to draw breath. Clutching at her own throat, Lana's head swam, clouded by panic. She took a few unsteady steps backwards before the world turned black.
When she came to, she was seated upright on the floor, thanks to Aelirra's arms around her. She could dimly hear Theron behind her, fiddling with the metal clasps of a medpac. Aelirra asked a question, but Lana couldn't hear it. All she could focus on was her bond with Vestra – which had blown wide open. But she couldn't feel a single thing; just a void on the other end. Where Vestra was supposed to be.
No.
"No, what?"
Lana jerked her head to Aelirra, but her stare was unseeing. Despite Aelirra's firm hold, all warmth had drained from Lana's body, leaving her with an icy, creeping horror.
No.
Reaching up with shaking hands, Lana gripped the edge of the table, and hauled herself to her feet – with Aelirra's steadying grasp on her hips.
"Lana, what's wrong? You look…"
"I–," Lana rasped, hollow. "I need to go."
She pulled away from Aelirra, and pushed Theron back when he approached with an open medpac. "Leave me," was all she said when she felt hands on her shoulders, and they retreated reluctantly.
Her feet moved of their own accord, carrying her to the lifts and across the base, into the barracks wing. She reached her private quarters near the end of the corridor, and made a beeline for the holoterminal installed beside her desk. With a few taps, she tried to open a line to the terminal on Vestra's ship – no answer. She tried again, and again, and again, until her fist slammed onto the terminal in a rare display of anger.
Breathing deeply, Lana sought to calm herself out of instinct – but stopped. The hot flash of temper had cut through her pall, and she clutched onto it, using its burn to thaw her frozen senses, driving her into action. First things first – she reached for Vestra through the bond, then recoiled. There was still nothingness on the other end, as if Vestra had been ripped from the very fabric of existence, leaving a gaping wound where she used to be. Lana knew what it meant, she knew, but refused to allow that fact to take root.
She moved to her wardrobe, sliding it open. Tugging out an empty bag, she started packing equipment and essentials with military efficiency, even as she hated this necessity that slowed her down. She should be on a shuttle right now, flying to wherever Vestra was, instead of–
Another wave of dizziness hit her, and Lana's hands shot out, gripping onto the wardrobe as she lowered herself to her knees. Where the air had been squeezed out of her lungs before, there was now a sudden, overwhelming influx of it. Her head swam dangerously, and her vision went dark again – but her sight returned much quicker this time. She found herself lying on her side on the floor, and rolled over to settle on her back instead.
Lana closed her eyes, trying to control her erratic breathing as raw emotion crashed over her, currents seeking to drag her into the depths of the ocean. With hands over her racing heart, Lana grounded herself and rode the waves of this maelstrom, trying to pick apart the clashing components within this chaos.
First was remnant fury and fear cut short by blissful nothingness, soon overshadowed by panic with a belated realisation of what that nothingness was. Her heart thudded painfully, and she had to breathe through her mouth, sweat dotting her forehead. The panic faded, replaced by confusion, then understanding. Lana could nearly taste on her tongue the sweetness of relief that washed over her. Over them.
Their bond was thrumming with vitality, where it had been dead moments before. A strangled, helpless laugh left her lips, and dampness trickled from the corner of her eye.
'Ves.'
'Lana.'
The reply was instinctive, akin to a gasp, and Lana could feel Vestra catching herself. A brief moment passed, before Vestra's presence grew fainter – she was fading, and drawing herself shut in the process. Lana reached through the bond quickly, and Vestra paused. A weak reassurance was the last thing Lana felt, along with a dash of regret, before their bond grew quiet once more.
She felt a surge of vexation, but released it in a single, slow sigh. Her fingers curled, digging lightly into the front of her robes, as she allowed the tension in her body to fade.
At least you're safe.
"Whoa, easy there! Easy." Andronikos caught Vestra by the shoulders when she jolted up from the bed. He guided her down, meeting little resistance from her battered body. "You're pretty banged up. No sudden moves, alright?"
Vestra's yellow eyes, still glazed, were darting all over. Her breathing was rapid and shallow, so Ashara reached for her through the Force, easing the panic radiating off her in waves. Vestra took notice of the effort, her head turning to Ashara as fear died down, giving way to momentary peace. Ashara smiled tiredly when Vestra's gaze came into focus, and clasped the trembling hand that reached up to her.
"Vestra, you're safe now. We've escaped the Eternal Fleet, and lost them in hyperspace. Do you understand?"
Vestra's eyelids fluttered, and her eyes wandered again, growing distant. She swallowed with obvious effort, taking another laborious breath, marred by hitches. Then her eyes grew a fraction wider, and she gasped, "Lana."
"Lana?" Ashara repeated blankly, watching Vestra's expression cloud over, before she slid back into unconsciousness.
"Figures." Laughter dotted Andronikos' voice. "We drag her back from the jaws of death, and the first thing she thinks of is her girlfriend."
Ashara laughed, more to release pent-up stress than anything. She glanced over at 2V-R8, who'd finished cleaning and packing their resuscitation equipment. He returned her grateful nod, and strode out of the medbay.
Breathing a sigh, Ashara looked back at Vestra – stripped of her robes, with a drip attached to her arm for pain-relief, and liberal amounts of kolto both injected and applied to her skin. It was hardly sufficient; Vestra had been exposed to vacuum for minutes after her ship disintegrated around her. Not to mention the burns she'd suffered, along with bruises and cuts from debris. Ashara had done her best with Force healing, and paired with 2V-R8's basic knowledge in emergency medical care, they'd stabilised her condition. But they needed to get her to a proper medical facility if she were to make a full recovery.
She stroked Vestra's hair, lost in thought, when she felt a hand on her arm.
"You alright?" Andronikos asked gently.
She flashed a tight smile. "I'm fine, Niko."
"Why don't you go clean up and rest. You already did the heavy lifting. I can watch over–"
"Master Ashara?" 2V-R8 appeared at the doorway.
"Yes, Arrate?"
"There are eleven missed calls on the holoterminal. All from Lana Beniko."
She shared a glance with Andronikos, bewildered.
"Talk about uncanny timing," he deadpanned. "You wanna do the honours?"
Ashara felt immensely tired at the thought. She'd just dragged one stubborn Sith Lord back to the living, and didn't have the energy to face another.
"I'll...drop her a message first."
Andronikos nodded with a grimace.
Despite building frustration – at Ashara's curt and vague holocalls, at Vestra's comm silence and reticence in their bond – anticipation was what drove Lana out of bed early, on the morning of Vestra's arrival at Odessen. The mere prospect of seeing her partner, of being reunited after months spent working apart to lay the foundations of the Alliance, was enough to let her forget everything that had transpired. Just enough.
"So, this Darth Avriss…" Aelirra said, as they left the war room together. "Do you trust her?"
"I do," Lana replied. "But you don't have to take my word for it. You should judge for yourself."
"If you trust her, then that is enough for me." Aelirra smiled, coaxing one from Lana in return.
"Really? We're talking about a former member of the Dark Council here." Theron cocked a brow. "I would have a few eyes on her, just in case." He peered at Lana, wearing a hint of a smirk only perceptible to her. "But not too many, I promise."
"You do that," Lana said drily, restraining the urge to roll her eyes.
Aelirra looked between them, curious. "Am I missing something?"
"No, Commander."
"Isn't she?"
"What do you mean, Theron?" Lana looked him square in the eye as they boarded a lift, and he broke away with a casual shrug.
"You tell me."
"Okay, seriously. What are you two talking about?" Aelirra asked, leaning in.
"I haven't the faintest idea. Theron?"
"Nope. Nothing here."
Aelirra frowned at them, then shook her head with a sigh. "Alright, keep your secrets. It's not like I'm dying of curiosity or anything."
Theron chuckled as they stepped off the lift, into the warm rays of Odessen's sun. Before they could turn towards the hangars, Lana held up a hand, stopping them.
"Go ahead to the ops room. I'll receive Avriss and bring her to you."
"Are you sure?" Aelirra asked. "It's a little impolite to send someone in my stead."
"Yes, it's fine. Don't worry."
"If you say so. Come on, Commander." Theron waited until Aelirra had walked ahead of him, then winked at Lana before following the Commander.
Lana considered releasing a worm into his datafiles to erase everything he had on Avriss and herself, but shook off the urge. Satisfying though it might be, it would serve no practical purpose. Besides, it was his – their – job to know everything, personal or otherwise.
Biting the inside of her cheek, Lana made her way to the private airfield where the Commander's ship was docked. It wasn't a large space by any means, notably smaller than the hangars they'd built, but it was just enough to accommodate Vestra's ship as well.
As she approached the Fury-class interceptor, her brows drew together in a frown. The damage it'd suffered was glaring – from the swathes of charred and torn durasteel, to the eyesore of a laser-blasted hole in one wing, and broken halves of cannons hanging from its underside, unable to retract into the ship's hull. 'Ran into some trouble', Ashara had said. What an understatement.
Lana waited under the shade of the ship for a few minutes, before the boarding ramp was lowered with a hiss. She climbed it and paced at the doors until they slid open to reveal Vestra – clad in her gold-trimmed armour, in the mien of Darth Avriss. It did little to deter Lana from flying forward, clamping her in a tight embrace. Vestra's arms wound around her in return, but as Lana buried her face into the curve of her partner's neck, she heard a faint, involuntary groan beside her ear.
Pulling back, Lana examined Vestra – only the thin lines of her mouth and the frown gave her discomfort away. A memory of blinding pain from days ago rose to her mind, and Lana moved her hands to Vestra's upper back – but was quickly stopped by a grip on her arms.
"Ves–?" Lana was distracted when Ashara, Andronikos, and Khem Val entered the airlock as well.
Ashara moved towards her. "Lana, we–"
"Lead us to the Commander, Lana," Vestra cut in, shooting a glance at Ashara, who bit her lip with obvious irritation.
Lana met Ashara's pointed look, then turned to Vestra, who had pulled Avriss' impassive mask over her features. She would not be swayed in this state, so Lana chose to step back for the moment.
Parting from Avriss, Lana straightened her robes, and gestured down the ramp.
"This way."
"Most of my followers have remained with the Empire since my departure from the Council. Many, however, have pledged their aid against Zakuul, and will leave the Empire's ranks to join the Alliance when I call upon them. But I would counsel patience in this matter, since a mass defection would turn Acina's eye upon us. Given enough time, we will siphon these forces from the Empire undetected."
"You said 'most' of your followers have remained?" Theron asked.
"Yes. There were a few who followed me when I left. They are with my Silencer fleet, currently hidden in the Outer Rim."
"Hm. We could use the extra firepower in space, but I don't expect there are many of those ships left. Their weapons have proved…" Theron trailed off, catching Avriss' stone cold gaze, but continued regardless, "...ineffective against the Eternal Fleet, haven't they?"
"Indeed," Avriss admitted, a slight tilt to her head. "But, if the spies you have aboard my fleet are worth their salt, they should have informed you that we have upgraded the Silencers with isotope-5."
Only a brief moment of silence betrayed Theron's surprise, before he covered his lapse with a smirk. "What a hurtful accusation."
"Merely a statement of fact. While we're on this subject, Shan, they are alive only because of my goodwill. You will remove your agents from my fleet within the week, or I will have them removed myself. Trust me," Avriss said, an icy smile on her lips. "I will not be gentle."
Theron's smirk was still in place, albeit stiff. "Noted."
Lana stepped in smoothly to ease the discussion from its awkward bump. "I believe that is all, my lord?"
Avriss nodded.
"Commander, I suggest allowing me to work directly with Darth Avriss. Our networks combined will prove more efficient at pulling resources for the Alliance, and we can work on our Imperial contacts quicker."
Aelirra nodded. "Of course. Are you agreeable, Darth Avriss?"
"I am."
"Excellent." Aelirra smiled. She looked over the room, eyes lingering on Avriss' crew standing to the side. "If there is nothing else, we can call this meeting–"
"I would have a word with you, Commander. In private." Avriss clasped her hands behind her back. "Lana, stay as well."
She didn't say more, and the rest took the cue to leave. When the door had slid shut behind Theron's red jacket, Avriss didn't speak immediately. Her eyes were fixed on Aelirra, though her expression was placid.
"There is a foreign presence about you." Avriss watched Aelirra, who cocked her head, unperturbed. "You're aware?"
"Yes."
Avriss' gaze turned to Lana. "And you?"
"Yes. Theron, Senya, and Koth know of this as well."
She looked back at Aelirra. "Who is it?"
"Valkorion," Aelirra said evenly. "The late Emperor of Zakuul. You may better know him as the former Sith Emperor."
A frown creased Avriss' forehead, and her eyes fell shut, a twitch in her jaw. Lana steeled herself for an argument, expecting Avriss to push for an explanation, or demand safeguards against Valkorion. But then she felt a dangerous waver on the other end of their bond, and concern crashed through her dam.
When Avriss opened her eyes, she was still stoic – but years of familiarity allowed Lana to identify the strain behind that placidity. "If Lana still trusts you, then I shall defer to her judgement. For now."
Aelirra inclined her head. "Thank you. If you wish to discuss this again, you may approach me any time."
Avriss' eyes flickered to Lana, who moved forward.
"Aelirra, if I may, I will show Darth Avriss and her crew around the base."
"Of course. Shall I accompany you?"
"That won't be necessary. Thank you." Lana smiled, and Aelirra returned it, leaving the room with a polite bow.
"She is such a Jedi," Avriss muttered, and Lana fought the urge to elbow her in the ribs.
Moving close, Lana cupped her cheek with one gloved hand. "Are you alright? You feel…"
"I'm fine."
Lana frowned. "Ves, we need to talk–"
"I would like to see the base first."
"Ves–"
But Vestra had slipped away from her, barely sparing a glance before moving to the door. "The others are waiting."
"Vestra Lenshe."
Vestra stopped at the door, one hand on the controls.
"We need to talk." Her frigid tone would've frozen anyone else in their tracks – but not this human embodiment of spite who shot a mild glare back at her.
Vestra palmed the controls, and the door slid open. But any intent she had of roaming the base was shot to the ground when she came face-to-face with Ashara. Staring back at Vestra with a set in her jaw, Ashara didn't look away as she spoke.
"Lana. She needs a kolto tank."
"Don't test me, Ashara," Vestra growled.
"But I will."
Before Lana could react, Ashara raised a hand – and hit Vestra with a measured Force blast. Vestra stumbled back, hip colliding into the table's edge. She had barely straightened herself, but her fists were already clenched, wreathed in a dark violet aura.
Lana lunged forward, setting herself between the two, and held Vestra's wrists down before she could do anything rash.
"How dare you," Vestra snarled. "You've been fighting me for the whole flight to Odessen. By all rights, I should've put you into the ground–"
"Yeah? You're gonna put in the ground the one who dragged your burnt corpse back to the ship? Do it, you ungrateful Sith!" She spat the title like an insult.
"Ashara!" Lana snapped, while Andronikos grabbed Ashara's arm in warning. "Stop provoking her."
"She doesn't respond to anything else!" Ashara retorted. "Look at her! She can barely stand straight or even breathe properly. Give her a choice and she'll parade herself around like she didn't just die in vacuum last week!"
Vestra's eyes flashed as she bared her teeth, but Ashara was right – she was still bent over, half-leaning against Lana's shoulder, breaths coming harsh and ragged.
"Andronikos, walk around with Ashara and Khem Val. I'll take her to medbay."
"Thanks, Lana. Come on, kid." Andronikos tugged at Ashara's arm, and she relented, breaking away from Vestra's glare.
When the door had slid shut behind them, Lana looked back at Vestra – who was trying to burn a hole through the floor with her eyes. Grasping her chin gently, Lana guided Vestra's gaze up. "We're going to the medbay. Can you walk on your own?"
Vestra clenched her jaw, and pushed herself away from the table and Lana. She swayed on her feet, before grounding herself, shoulders rising and falling in a deep breath. She straightened her back into a posture of invulnerability, held up by sheer, fragile obstinacy.
A touch on her back, and she nodded, refusing to meet Lana's eyes.
Lana brought Vestra to a private examination room, where she helped Vestra undress. A mote of dread sat uncomfortably in her gut when she unzipped Vestra's black bodysuit, pulling it from her shoulders, and her throat tightened as she unwrapped the bandages from Vestra's chest. The phantom pain that Lana had felt across her upper back – it was a large burn wound that spanned the width of Vestra's shoulders. Her skin was red and inflamed, with a worrying stretch of mottled purple-black. Every blister had been torn open, but they were dry, and scabs had started to form around the edges of the wound.
Swallowing hard, Lana pulled the bodysuit further down, and was relieved to find that the large burn was the worst of her superficial injuries. There were more burns and a few half-healed cuts, but nothing they hadn't seen in the course of war. That said…
"She has difficulty breathing when agitated," Lana informed the droid as they laid Vestra on the medbed, the patient wincing slightly when her bare back met soft sheets.
"That is helpful information. Thank you."
Lana stood aside, allowing the droid to work with its diagnostic equipment. She watched Vestra, who looked like she was in slumber, but Lana knew well she wasn't.
"What happened?"
A quiet, exasperated sigh, followed by extended silence, broken only by the quiet whirr of machines. Then she spoke, "You know we were extracting that squadron."
"Yes."
"We were ambushed by the Eternal Fleet above Belsavis. I was piloting a shuttle, and got shot down. My shuttle blew apart, and I was left floating in vacuum for a few minutes."
"A few minutes?" Lana repeated. "Then you should be dead."
Vestra opened her eyes, staring at Lana flatly. "Do you want me to be?"
"No! I–, why would you even say that?" Lana moved closer to the bed, glaring down at Vestra's plain expression. Part of her wanted to shake Vestra by the shoulders hard enough to force some emotion onto that vexing mask of hers.
Vestra held Lana's glare, then turned her gaze to the ceiling without a single twitch in her face. Lana took a step back as heavy silence fell over the room, and forced herself to calm down, opening her hands which had curled into fists. Minutes passed, before the droid finally looked up from its tools.
"The patient has multiple hairline fractures, burns, lacerations, and minor bruises. Scans indicate her lungs had recently collapsed and were healed, but have not fully recovered."
"Does she need surgery, or is the kolto tank sufficient?"
"The kolto tank will be sufficient – I will make a few modifications to the formula to accommodate the range of her wounds. But, if she still encounters difficulty breathing after her time in kolto, I recommend that she returns to medbay immediately for further examination."
"Thank you."
As the droid rolled its cart away, Lana helped Vestra up from the bed.
"Ashara launched herself from the ship to retrieve my body," Vestra continued tonelessly, as Lana guided her legs over the side. "Arrate resuscitated me, then Ashara healed me with the Force."
"You didn't go into your kolto tank?"
"It was depleted."
Lana shook her head in disbelief. "And you didn't think to contact me sooner? Contact me yourself?"
"And what would that have accomplished," Vestra replied, every note in her voice dismissive, and it snapped the thin, frayed thread that was Lana's patience.
"I would've known what happened to you!" Lana tried to grapple her voice down, but pent-up anger forced its way to the surface. "I felt you die, Ves!"
"But I came back!"
"Yes, I know – and it's no thanks to you! I needed an explanation, and you chose to keep it from me!"
"Everything turned out fine. Why are you making such a big deal out of this!"
"Because I don't appreciate being kept in the dark by my own partner! And don't you dare argue with me on this," Lana added when Vestra opened her mouth. "Not when you know how it felt to lose me."
Vestra's mouth clamped shut, and Lana allowed herself to feel a petty bit of vindictive satisfaction. Argument lost, Vestra's gaze fell to the floor. She looked smaller, sitting on the bed in her underwear with arms folded discreetly, trying to look like she'd crossed them in ire. But Lana noticed the faintest shivers in her body - her bruised, battered body.
Lana's furious demeanour cracked, and fell away. She laid a hand on Vestra's arm, squeezing gently – getting no response. With a sigh, she moved to a nearby locker, and retrieved a spare grey robe – not thick enough to retain much warmth, but sufficient for the short walk to the kolto tank. Taking Vestra by the elbows, Lana guided her to stand, and slipped the robe carefully over her shoulders.
Vestra remained quiet as the robe was folded neatly around her body, tied by the sash at her waist. Her gaze, still averted, was dead-eyed when Lana looked back at her, and she didn't move when gloved fingers grazed her jaw.
"My lord, the kolto formula is ready."
Lana bit back a curse, pulling away from Vestra. "Good. We'll use a tank in the back ward – it's currently unoccupied, correct?"
"Yes. I will prepare it immediately."
Lana laid a hand on the small of Vestra's back, guiding her out of the examination room. They followed the droid to the ward in the back of the medical wing, where it busied itself with the tank's controls. While they waited, Lana rubbed Vestra's back absentmindedly, then paused when her partner spoke.
"Lana." Vestra turned towards her, though still looking everywhere else but. Her fingers fidgeted restlessly with her sash. "I was...being difficult."
She'd muttered it with such effort, Lana was half-surprised she hadn't exploded from the strain.
"That's a gross understatement."
Vestra's eyes flickered to her, then jerked away again, as she let out a breath. "You have enough on your mind with the Alliance and...everything else. I didn't want to distract you. Not with something that was out of your hands anyway."
"Vestra, you are not…" Lana heaved a sigh. "You're right. I do have a lot on my mind. But you are my partner. We are bonded." She clasped Vestra's arms, tugging her close. "To me, nothing and no one is more important than you. Understand? If something happens to you, I want you to tell me. Even if you think I won't make it to your side, even if the entire galaxy stands between us. I will tear everything apart just to be with you."
A weak smile curved Vestra's lips, and Lana cupped her cheek, drawing her gaze. "Never keep me in the dark again. Please."
Vestra nodded. "I'm sorry," she whispered, barely audible above the mute hum from the kolto tank.
Lana smiled, soft, and drew her into a kiss. Vestra's hands hovered by her waist, uncertain, before circling around her in an embrace when Lana closed the sliver of distance between them.
"I love you, Ves," Lana murmured. "No matter how hard you try to forget it."
Chilled breath ghosted over her lips in a soundless laugh, as Vestra clutched tighter at the fabric of her robes. "I love you too."
Lana smiled, and gave her one last peck before pulling back, Vestra releasing her reluctantly. She looked for the droid, who was waiting patiently by the tank.
"The tank is ready, my lord," it said, with a bow of the head.
Taking Vestra's hand, Lana led her into the tank, squeezing gently before letting go. When she'd disrobed her partner, the droid stepped forward to hand a breather mask to Vestra, who secured it to the bottom half of her face. Her gaze never left Lana as the cylindrical transparisteel wall slid into place around her, securing the airtight tank, and allowing kolto to be poured in.
When the tank was full, she raised a hand, pressing it against the transparent barrier. Lana laid her own hand over it, watching Vestra's eyelids flutter as she fought a losing battle against the anesthesia being pumped through her mask. Her struggle spanned the next minute, before her eyes finally fell shut, hand slipping away from the barrier.
Lana sighed, lingering by the tank after she dismissed the droid with a wave of her hand. She watched Vestra in silence, alone, feeling a weight return to her chest, which had been forgotten since her partner's arrival.
Never again. You won't be taken from me, ever again.
