Left In Ruins.

[Ralaa Talus]

The Jedi Temple on Ossus had been a sanctuary to Ralaa in her darkest hour. It was the place that she called home when she'd had nowhere else to run. When she had been certain she was destined to spend the rest of her life on the run, they showed her relief. It was the Jedi Masters who protected the Order who had helped her to overcome the traumas of her past and taught her the importance of self-reliance. Though she often questioned her place within their ranks, she never questioned that Ossus was her home or that, however broken their Order may be, the Jedi still fought for all the right reasons. To be returning home to the Jedi Temple, even if only to deliver the students they had saved on Naboo, was a relief.

Ralaa crossed her arms, looking to the five children who were all curiously exploring the ship as they awaited Silas' arrival so that they could depart for Ossus. One of them, a blonde-haired human, sat in the pilots chair, his feet unable to reach the floor. He pointed to one of the controls on the panel in front of him, his tone full of excitement. "I wonder what this does!" The others surrounded him in awe of the buttons and levers that sat in front of them.

"I wouldn't touch that. I bet Silas would be mad if you broke his ship." One of the others warned before turning the others attention to one of the levers. "This one turns it on, I'm sure. Think I could fly us all the way back to Ossus?" He put his hand on the control as though he was about to take them to Ossus, pretending to press the different buttons in front of them. Each seemed curious about how the ship functioned and what each control was responsible for. It probably seemed impossible that one person could pilot it alone.

"Why don't you boys go and wash up before Silas gets here? Nan mentioned she'd pack some food for our trip and I'm sure you're hungry."

 

[Silas Rin]

It had been almost a week since Ralaa had left the hospital room. With the death of Mako, the gang had collapsed on itself in everyone's attempt to seize control. Other gangs had begun to try and move in as well. This had made the orphanage keeper and the Jedi things of the past. There were definitely rumors that a Jedi had been the one to kill Mako, but this was joined by a hundred other equally outlandish rumors that buried it.

Silas was conflicted when he heard all five children had chosen to go/return to the Jedi Order. It was silly of him to think of it as a competition but he found it difficult. He knew it was best for them and it was their choice, but his protective nature screamed at him to stop them from becoming warrior pawns of the Jedi.

He had finally received word from the minor noble on Andara who had invited Silas to attend a dinner so they could further discuss plans. They would travel to Andara, but first, they were taking the five Jedi younglings to Ossus.

He walked up the ramp of his ship, as it closed behind him. He moved slower than normal. While his wounds had healed quickly under medical care, it would still be some time before he was back to full speed. With any luck, he wouldn't need to do any fighting for several weeks.

He had forced himself to go through some of the Jedi exercises from his past every morning. The patches of lightly scarred tissue on his back scream as the skin was pulled tight from the exercises but he had been warned to fight through that pain so the skin wouldn't become even tighter.

He rounded the corner, five charging children almost colliding into him as they moved towards the back of the ship. The mention of food giving the energetic group even more reason to run about. He smiled as they passed before making his way to the front of the ship.

He smiled as he spotted Ralaa in the cockpit of the ship. "Sorry, it took me so long. You ready?" he asked her as he moved towards the pilot's chair. Even though it ended up not being needed, Ralaa had watched out for any trouble with Nan and the rest of the children in the week and a half since they had been attacked. Even though she had said Silas didn't owe her anything, he still felt a sense of a great gratitude towards the woman.

Starting the pre-flight checks he mentioned. "They seem only a little excited." he said knowing they had probably been a handful as they had waited on Silas to arrive.

 

[Ralaa Talus]

The last week and a half had been stressful. While Silas and Relin were in recovery from their injuries, Ralaa had taken it upon herself to help Nan with the other children and to protect the warehouse from further criminal activities. Of course, with the Dead Suns diminished to nothing more than a handful of petty criminals, it had been rather uneventful for which she was relieved. However, in the few days that had followed the incident, Ralaa had developed a new found respect for Silas and what he had given up in order to provide for his children. To chase them, help Nan prepare meals, and keep watch over the building had been much more of a task than she had anticipated.

"I have to admit, Silas. I don't know how you do it." Ralaa turned as he approached, a smile on her face. Though his movements were still slow and labored, it was nice to see that he had made progress in his recovery. It had been hard for her to leave his side after the fire, but she'd never be able to admit that to Silas. There was just something that seemed to draw her to him.

"I'm not sure my Jedi training prepared me for looking after children." She laughed, leaning against the wall of the ship. "Of course, it was all worth it. How are your wounds?" Ralaa gave him a concerned look as he sat in the pilots' chair, feeling the engine roar to life as he completed the pre-flight checks.

It would take them a while to reach Ossus and Ralaa was still anxious to have to confront the Council. There was a part of her that hoped she'd be able to return the children without having to speak to any of the Masters of the Order. It was easier to hide these anxieties behind idle conversation than to admit them openly.

In the few days since she had seen Silas, Ralaa had spent some time to reflect on her encounter with Mako; she'd sucked the life out of him purely out of anger for what he had done to Silas and the others, as well as executed an unconscious guard on her way out. Though Mako's death was inevitable and well deserved, it was the way she had done it that bothered Ralaa. To draw on those raw emotions wasn't something she was proud of and not a path she hoped to follow. There were pieces of her past that still troubled her, but she was inherently kind and her actions hadn't shown that.

 

[Silas Rin]

"That's not what I heard." he said looking down at the ships flight controls as it finished running through pre-flight checks. "Nan did nothing but sing your praises.." he said pausing slightly "well...in her own way." he said. Any type of praise from the elderly woman spoke volumes about how she felt about the Jedi Knight. It took Silas six months before the woman had said anything approaching pleasant to him, and Ralaa had managed to win her over in a little over a week. He turned to look at Ralaa "and the children have obviously fallen in love with you, but i'll admit they are not too tough of a crowd to win over. You keep this up and I'll find myself out of a job." he said winking at the woman before turning back in his chair and flipping the switch that brought the engines to life.

"I have never been better." he said greatly exaggerating his condition. He would need to take care for a few weeks still, but for now, he was alright. The doctors had urged him to stay longer, but he had "convinced" them to release him by sneaking out during one of their shift changes. So far, he was fairly certain Nan hadn't found out as she hadn't tried to kill him.

For the second time in two weeks, they made their way up through the many levels of Coruscant and out into space. This time the mood was different. Silas had hope for the future. Soon they would start over, hopefully on Andara, but if not there then somewhere else. Silas was determined to make this work.

He paused slightly halfway through typing the coordinates for a system he thought he would never return to. Ossus was where he had spent great amounts of time in his youth. "Are you sure its smart for me to accompany you to Ossus?" he asked, tone somewhat worried. The Jedi could just as easily mistake him as one of the exiles who had fallen to darkness. He was going against the will of the Jedi Council by returning to the Jedi Temple, even if he remained on the ship. The last thing he wanted was to get Ralaa in trouble. His hand rested on the lever to engage the hyperdrive, hesitating as he gave the woman a worried look.

 

[Ralaa Talus]

Silas had paused before he input the coordinates of their destination; hesitation was clear in both his tone and his movements. Ralaa realized that asking him to accompany her to Ossus was a harsh request, not only because of his past with the Jedi Order but the terms of his expulsion, which forbid his return to the Temple. To ask him to oppose the Council hadn't been an easy decision and it meant that she'd risk her own position within the Order if it was discovered that she had played a part in his arrival. Ralaa had carefully considered the consequences and, if it came down to it, she'd defend him no matter the cost.

"I've told you before not to worry about it, Silas." Ralaa moved away from the wall and stood behind him, her hand placed on his shoulder. Her expression was one of reassurance and, for once, it wasn't a ruse; Ralaa felt confident in her decisions. "I know I shouldn't speak out about the Council, but our Order is already divided. If one man can pose a threat to our entire organization, perhaps we aren't as strong as the Council believes. There have been so many individuals who have fallen prey to the darkness, the war is far from over, and I find it an absolute waste of time to worry about your emotional attachments. They don't even care enough to look after our students or else we wouldn't be in this mess. There has been such a plea for change but I don't think it will come."

Ralaa let out a deep breath and ran a hand through her tangled hair. It was hard to admit that the Order was broken when she considered that they were her home, but change needed to happen if they had any chance of survival. If the war continued as it did now and if the Order remained divided, they risked their very existence. Though they had tried to convince the Council of this when the Conclave had gathered, it seemed they hadn't cared to listen.

"You've risked your life to help me, Silas. I don't mean to dwell on the past or to sound grim, but without you, I wouldn't be here. I'm aware the tenets forbid such a passionate response but, if it came down to it, I would defend you against the Council. I cannot force them to change their minds, but I can plead my case, as is my right as a member of the Jedi Order. It isn't that I don't respect them, only that I wish they could see that we are not perfect and that emotions cannot entirely be avoided."

 

[Silas Rin]

He listened as she spoke, again voicing her concerns for the Jedi Order. He understood those concerns, even if he wasn't aware of the current state of the Jedi. He wished there something more he could do to ease her concerns about her people, but as an outsider, there was little he could say. For now, being there for her was the best thing he could think of.

He wasn't worried about himself but he still felt re-assured by her touch. He sat there for several seconds before his hand resting on the hyperdrive controls engaged the engine. The ship lurched slightly as the starfield of space stretched out into a tunnel of light.

It would take them the better part of a day to reach the Jedi System. He quickly glanced over the ship's systems to ensure everything was as it should be before he stood. Already close to the woman who had been standing behind the pilot's chair, he took an apprehensive half step forward, bringing them even closer. There were so many things he had wanted to say over the last week and a half. He had played conversations over and over again as he lay in a recovery room.

"Look." he said, now standing directly in front of her as the pilot's chair slid forward under the pilot's console. "whatever happens on Ossus and after, I am here with you." he looking down into her eyes and reaching for her hand. "No matter what that future looks like, I can't help but feel the Force has brought us together for a reason." he continued. "If this is what you think you must do, then I trust your judgment and we will simply go from there." he finished.

 

[Ralaa Talus]

The room was silent for a moment after she had finished, illuminated by the stars that surrounded them as they began their course for Ossus. Her passionate response to Silas' worries about the Jedi Council had presented a distance Ralaa felt in her heart, but the atmosphere shifted when he moved closer. It still felt alien to trust someone else; Ralaa had spent her entire life creating a distance to protect herself from the traumas of her childhood but Silas was different. Ralaa didn't feel the instinctual urge to pull away from him, even as he reached for her hand. His touch was comforting.

"Thank you." Ralaa watched him, her hand wrapped around his own. "I too feel like our paths were destined to cross and I don't want that connection to end after Ossus." Her cheeks were flushed, but she did her best to hide her embarrassment in her sincere expression. Of course, Ralaa knew that the way she felt towards Silas was wrong in the eyes of the Order, but she couldn't help that a part of her wanted to lean in and embrace him. However hard she tried, Ralaa may never be able to put into words how thankful she was for the lessons that she had learned in the last week and a half and how deeply she admired him.

"I hope I wasn't too honest in my response. I don't plan to confront the Council upon our arrival, I only meant that your worth cannot be measured by your status or by your past experiences with the Jedi Order. I meant to say that you're an individual worth defending if they decide to cause a fuss about my decision to have you accompany me to Ossus." Ralaa chuckled, her nerves shaken as she tried to maintain eye contact with Silas. She squeezed his hand, a soft smile on her lips as she took a deep breath in to calm her racing heart.

 

[Silas Rin]

He was glad her plan wasn't to storm off to the Jedi Council looking for a fight. He knew she had her disagreements with the leadership of the Jedi but...he lost his train of thought as she continued speaking. He found himself taken over by her bluish green eyes, the smell of her hair, the feeling of her hand in his. They had only known each other for several weeks, but Silas knew his feelings on the first night. There a distant voice in the back of his head warning him that he knew he didn't want to cause any trouble for Ralaa, and that this road would likely lead to trouble. While that more logical part of his brain pleaded its case, the rest of his mind screamed for him to go just a little further, to move just a little bit closer.

He moved closer, their bodies almost touching. His free hand moved to just below her chin. "I would go regardless." he said quietly. He leaned in towards Ralaa and...

An oblivious youngling stumbled around the corner, one of Nan's containers in his hand. He pulled on the lid that wouldn't budge for him. "Master Talus." he said still intent on the container "Can you help me open this?" he said finally looking up at the pair. Silas had already moved back, letting out several awkward coughs followed by a nervous chuckle. "Here. I'll take a look." Silas said recovering a bit of his composure. The lid slid off easily as he handed it back the young boy. "Here you go." he said as the boy turned to run back towards the others.

He gave Ralaa an embarrassed look, unsure how to proceed. "Uh..." he stumbled "perhaps we should go make sure your merry band of younglings is settling in alright?" he asked.

 

[Ralaa Talus]

The room felt heavy when Silas stepped closer, his hand rested under her chin. Ralaa could almost hear her heart race inside of her chest and felt only the warmth of his breath on her lips as he leaned closer. She knew the repercussions that could result from their emotional connection, but wanted so badly for him to kiss her. Ralaa wanted to melt into his embrace and to feel the soft touch of his lips on her own. She closed her eyes and took in a nervous breath, raising up on her tip toes to close the space between them..

"Master Talus?" Ralaa's heart skipped a beat, startled by the boy. He presented to them one of the containers that Nan had packed with food for their travels, unable to open it on his own. Before she could even respond, Silas had moved to help him. However disappointed Ralaa was that they hadn't actually kissed, she was thankful for the opportunity to calm her nerves. She wiped the sweat from her palms on her shirt and brushed her tangled curls from her face.

"I suppose w-we," Ralaa stammered, clearing her throat. "Yes, I suppose we better check in on them." Her eyes trailed back to Silas as the child took off towards the back of the ship with the open container. Ralaa had promised them that they could eat as soon as they departed for Ossus, it was only fair that she see them fed. Once they were returned to the Temple, they would be forced to survive off of the same bland rations that had been fed to her.

"Silas," She closed the distance between them, her voice soft and cheeks still warm and red. Ralaa parted her lips to speak, but the words were gone. She bit at her bottom lip and stared at him for several moments, unsure of how to proceed. Ralaa's breath was shaken and, in that moment, she didn't feel like the confident woman she knew that she was.

Unable to find her words, she stepped closer to him and reached out for his hand. This time Ralaa pushed their bodies close and stood on her tip toes. Before she could talk herself out of it, she leaned forward to press their lips together.

 

[Silas Rin]

He watched the doorway, listening as the youngling made his way back down the corridor. When she agreed they need to go back and check on the children he felt like the wind had been knocked out of him.

He moved towards the door when she called out his name. He turned towards her as she once again closed the distance between them.

As they locked eyes, the ship faded, their mission faded. It was only her. As she leaned on her toes, his hands moved to her waist as he pulled her gently towards him. Time seemed to freeze as their lips lightly touched. He wasn' sure exactly how long the kiss lasted, but a moment later he found himself looking into her eyes once more, still holding her.

He reached up and pushed a curl that had fallen in Ralaa's face, hand brushing across her cheek. "You are incredible." He said quietly. He knew this would complicate their situation immensely, but for now ,he allowed himself not to care.

He wanted nothing to stay here with her, but they would need to check on the children. "I guess we need to go." He said still holding her. He leaned down and kissed her once more before they finally moved towards the doorway.

 

[Ralaa Talus]

In that moment, her worries faded. Their mission to Ossus and her fading trust in the Jedi Council suddenly didn't seem to matter as much as they had before. Ralaa felt as though she could survive any trial as long as Silas was at her side. She melted into his arms, the warm touch of his lips luring her closer to him until their bodies were pressed together. Ralaa closed her eyes, wanting to savor every second, afraid that she'd awake to find that this was all a dream. Ralaa had spent her entire life afraid to put her trust in others, but now the wall that she'd built to protect herself had fallen.

"I don't ever want to lose you." Ralaa stared up at him, admiring his sea blue eyes. She had to take several deep breaths to calm her nerves before he leaned in to kiss her a second time. Her fingers twisted into the fabric of his shirt as she placed a hand on his chest. Ralaa could feel his steady heartbeat against her palm and wished she could move even closer to him, but there was no more distance to close. Ralaa was hesitant to leave his arms when he mentioned the children. Of course, they needed to check in on them but she didn't want this moment to end.

"Yes, we should see them fed before we reach Ossus." She let out a breath as they separated to make their way to the back of the ship, sparing one more look into his eyes.

A small table sat at the back of the ship, a few open containers of food sat upon it. The children had worked to set the table, despite the fact that the plates and cutlery were all disposable. It had been routine for them to help the other children set the table for supper, even once they'd been moved to the warehouse. There wasn't much for them there, but Nan had made sure that the children had little to worry over, even doing her best to keep them on their familiar routine.

"Why don't you boys wash your hands and we'll have a bit of supper?" Ralaa smiled, motioning to the small kitchen sink at the back of the room. The children lined up behind it to take turns, the smallest turning around to face them as he waited. "Master Silas," He chimed in innocently, still confused by the idea that Silas wasn't a Jedi like Ralaa and didn't necessarily need to be addressed the same. "Do you think we will be able to come and visit everyone when you build a new Orphanage?"

 

[Silas Rin]

He took a deep breath as they made the short walk to the common area of the ship. He looked back Ralaa smiling just as they entered the room where the children had congregated. The children had set a table even though it was not expected of them. "Nan would be proud." he whispered to Ralaa as he quietly chuckled. The woman was more strict than the most ancient Jedi Masters when it came to dinner time. Silas contributed a lot of the success they had with children to the routine that the elderly woman imposed on them. Many had come from hard lives with little structure, and he found that the children often longed for it. Consequently, he suspected it would also lay a decent foundation for the discipline needed to be a youngling in the Jedi Order.

He stood off to the side. These children were, or at least would be apart of the Jedi Order and it was good for them to look to Ralaa for guidance and instruction. He stood contently until the youngest of the children turned towards him and began talking to him. Silas squatted down and listened as the boy spoke. Silas didn't bother correcting the child on the incorrect title of Master. He would learn in time the difference between someone in the Order and someone outside the Order. As with the vast majority of questions children often ask, it was not an easy question.

He made it a point to try to never lie to the children under his care or make promises he had no intention of keeping. He glanced at Ralaa briefly before answering. "Well.." he said "I would very much like that." he said honestly "but you are going to be very busy!" he said "I'll tell you what." he continued. "If you can't come as soon we are finished. We will take a video and I will make sure Master Talus shows it you." he offered. The young child smiled. "Now, go on and wash up." Silas said as he pushed himself back up and the youngling made his way back over to the other children.

Within minutes, and after only a slight distraction from two of the boys throwing water on each other they sat down and began eating. Sitting across the table from Ralaa, he smiled at her as he poked at the food in front of him.

 

[Ralaa Talus]

Despite the rather obvious excitement surrounding their journey to Ossus, dinner passed without disturbance. Nan had prepared a small roast and packed some rolls and potatoes, a meal the children devoured in a matter of minutes. Their insatiable appetites came as no surprise after they had been starved out on Naboo, forced to hunt for their food in order to prime them for the Shistavanens indoctrination in darkness. Ralaa had hoped things would be better for them with Silas on Coruscant but her confrontation with Mako had proved a devastating loss, leaving them with little resources. The Jedi Order would be the best place for them, though Ralaa didn't have the heart to tell them that they would be eating rations from now on.

"We've got a few hours until we arrive on Ossus." Ralaa stood and collected her plate. "I would like you boys to rest up as I'm sure you will have a very busy day. Silas and I will clean up." She pointed down the hall towards the bedroom as the children placed their dishes in the sink and disappeared one at a time. Of course, Ralaa would have liked to rest as well but it seemed the closer they were to Ossus, the more restless she felt. It was heavy in the Force as if they were approaching danger and she wondered if Silas could feel it too, but Ralaa didn't want to startle him with her thoughts.

"I often wonder if they ever burn themselves out. I'd sell my life to have that kind of limitless energy." Ralaa laughed as the last of them disappeared down the hall, turning to look at Silas. It was easy to hide her worry behind words and she moved to distract herself with dishes. If they were truly approaching danger, the Jedi Council would have sent out a communication to ask for help, but she hadn't heard anything from them since she had first left for Coruscant. It made more sense that she was just nervous about what the Council would have to say in regards to her absence; It wouldn't have been fair to worry Silas over something so trivial.

 

[Silas Rin]

"You get used to the constant feeling of exhaustion." he joked as he helped clean up the damage that the younglings had wrought on the common area. "You should probably rest too, you know. Its not like you have had the easiest couple of weeks. At least I got to sleep for a week." he said as he wiped down the table.

She had offered to continue to Andara with him afterward, but they both knew it was just as likely she would be assigned some other task. While Knights were given a good amount of freedom, they still all had their assignments. He understood more than most the constraints that put on a person.

They finished cleaning fairly quickly. Silas returned to the cockpit of the ship and checked everything. He really should get a droid for this. It was just one of a million other things that clawed for the quickly dwindling supply of credits. The hours passed quietly, Silas thinking over the last weeks. It had seemed like ages but here they were finally at the end. With his children safe and the younglings returned to the Jedi Order, Silas could focus on where to go and what to do next. He let his mind wander today's events. He felt relaxed, the tension relaxed. In the back of his mind, he was still anxious. He had gone down this road with a Jedi before, it had ended disastrously. He knew it wasn't fair the let past events cloud current ones, but that small voice was still there.

Hours later, they dropped out of hyperspace on the edge of the Ossus system. Silas had given the planet a lot of distance so Ralaa could transmit the codes to notify the Jedi on the planet they were friendly.

Ralaa would find her comm device vibrating with an encrypted message that repeated over and over. It was an emergency beacon that had been placed. Warning Jedi that the temple had been destroyed. It gave the coordinates to Jedi Library on the far side of the planet or pointed Jedi towards the other bases.

He noticed Ralaa's look when she played the message. This was bad. He didn't know much about the current state of the Jedi Order but he thought they were out of the war. "What should we do?" he asked Ralaa as he brought the ship to a stop in space, the planet visible in the distance.

 

[Ralaa Talus]

Ralaa awoke to the sounds of her comm, warning her and other Jedi, of the destruction of the Temple on Ossus. It took several moments for the message to sink in, but when it did, it confirmed the dread she had felt in their approach a few hours prior. She had been reluctant to mention her unease to Silas, sure that the danger she had sensed was only due to the stress the both of them had endured in the last couple of weeks, but those assumptions had been incorrect. It would seem the war had found its way to Ossus, leaving her home in ruins.

"For once, I'm not sure." Ralaa turned her attention to Silas, eyes full of uncertainty. It was possible that the attack had left survivors in need of aide and Ralaa felt it was her duty to assist them, but she also needed to consider Silas and the welfare of the children on board. If the war had struck Ossus, it was also possible that the Exiles had set up base to await anyone who was brave enough to return and she didn't want to put anyone else in harms way.

"The Jedi Temple is demolished," She ran a hand through her tangled hair, clearly in distress. "I would say our safest option would be to take them to the Library, but who knows how old that warning is. It's possible the war has already found its way there as well and I don't really want to put you or them in that situation." Ralaa paced back and forth between the entrance of the cockpit and the window that looked out into the emptiness of space.

"I feel like I should have the answer, but I don't." She paused a moment to look over at Silas, taking in a deep breath. "We could possibly land on Nerit and I could make the trip to Ossus alone to ensure the Library is safe, but if something happened to me I wouldn't want you to be stranded there." Ralaa started to pace again, chewing on her bottom lip in panicked thought.

 

[Silas Rin]

Silas sat starring the display for a few long seconds before he spun and faced the pacing Jedi Knight. He listened as she played through several options out loud. There was no easy answer here, but he knew it wasn't his place to chime in. Ralaa was a Jedi Knight. She knew the current state of the Jedi and what would be their best course of action.

"I will of course help any way I can." he said glancing back at the viewport into space. "We can take a transport elsewhere from else where if needed while you search out the Jedi or we can find a group of Jedi down on the planet to take the younglings and see if there is anything we can do to help. Both options are appropriate" he said presenting several of the choices back to her. There were, of course, other options, but if there were people in danger below the quicker one or both of them could offer aid the better.

If the Exiles had done this, it made Silas' presence on the planet even more tenuous. He wasn't sure there would be much distinction between one Exiled Jedi from another. It would help that he carried no weapons, but still, it would be something they needed to handle very delicately. This did not mean an ounce of him wanted to not help, quite the opposite actually, he wanted to help them any way he could.

He gave Ralaa a sympathetic look. He knew it was painful news to hear of such an attack. These were her people, and not deserving of such acts of violence. There was no option Ralaa could choose to bring back those who had been lost, but perhaps they could be of some good down on the planet.

 

[Ralaa Talus]

Her heart ached for the Jedi Order and for those who had lost their lives, but there wasn't anything she could do to reverse the damage that had been done. The only option now was to move forward and to aide those who had survived, but Ralaa didn't want to put Silas or the children in danger. Ralaa wasn't sure what would await them at ground zero but after everything she had put Silas through, it was painful to think that she'd walked him into another treacherous situation. He offered to help, but she was reluctant to accept it.

"Ossus is my home and it wouldn't be fair for me to turn my back when there may be survivors who need my help. I'll be honest though, I worry about the situation that I've put you in and I don't want to see you hurt. Not that you aren't capable of providing relief or standing your ground, only that I'd be hurt to lose you." Ralaa's expression showed concern, her eyes filled with worry as she turned to face Silas. She ran a hand through her hair and frowned, adrenaline twisting her stomach into knots. "Let's make our decent towards ground zero and see what we are dealing with before I make a final decision. I'm sure that I'll be able to find some form of transport for the children. I'd like to ensure they at least make it to the Library; it isn't fair for them to have to see the Temple in ruins."

Ralaa made her way to one of the chairs that overlooked the window to space, sinking into it. Really, she wanted for Silas to hold her like he had earlier, but she wasn't sure it was appropriate to ask. Taking in a deep breath, she leaned back in her chair and focused her attention outside. Ossus could be seen in the distance; it looked like home, but she knew deep down that the Order had been displaced and there wouldn't be anything to return to.

 

[Silas Rin]

Silas nodded as she laid out a plan. They wouldnt know more until they got closer. The ship's enginea rumbled to life as they began moving forward again.

It was obvious that this weighed heavy on Ralaa, stress visable on her face as she sat next to him and looked at the approaching planet. He wanted to tell her it would be alright. That it could be fixed, but it would be a lie. This was the reward for war, death. There was nothing to do now but do what they could to help minimize it. He reached over the short distance between them and placed a hand on her knee, squeeing lightly. There were no words to ease this situation, so he settled for being present with her. He offered what he hoped would be a reassuring look.

It took some time to reach planet. They sat in relative silence as they entered the atmosphere of the planet. He changed their heading so they could make a slow approach to the temple. As it came into view, Silas tapped a button, bring a blown up image of the Temple on the main display. Where the great temple of Ossus had once stood, was now only a pile of smoking rubble. It hurt Silas to see such destruction. "There are people moving below." He said pointing to small objects moving amongst the debris. He continued to circle, giving Ralaa a few seconds to compose though on what they should do. "Do you want to land here, or go to the library first?" He asked. Not helping wasnt an option. Silas would stay with Ralaa once they got the children to safety, whether that be with a group below or by taking them to hopefully still standing library.

 

[Ralaa Talus]

There wasn't much left of the temple on Ossus. The entire structure had been reduced to a pile of smoldering ash, save for a lone pillar which had once marked the entrance. It looked as though piles of rubble had been pushed aside in search of survivors, but it was likely that anyone trapped underneath would have been suffocated by the heavy smoke. The chances that they'd recover survivors were small but Ralaa refused to abandon hope or to leave anyone to die. To turn and leave them behind wasn't in her nature, no matter her desire to protect Silas. Ralaa couldn't let her emotional attachment to him deter her from her responsibilities as a member of the Jedi Order, even if it was a broken Order.

"Let's make our descent." Ralaa tore her eyes away from the screen to look at Silas, her heart already heavy. "It looks to me like they've set up a search and rescue or at least working to recover the bodies of those lost. I'm sure they've set up some form of transportation, either to the library or to the temple on Jedha so the children should be safe." She offered him a faint smile, resting her hand on top of his own.

Silas' touch provided her comfort, but there was still a twisted pit in her stomach. Ossus had been her home for the last seven years and, while there were still other temples, she couldn't help but feel displaced. Her entire life she'd spent in search of a permanent home, but it seemed that each time she became comfortable, it was pulled out from under her. Ralaa may still have been a member of the Jedi Order, but the loss was still felt.

"Should we wake the children or wait until we've found them transport?" Ralaa looked behind her to the hallway that led to the bedroom. They had been asleep for quite some time, but she imagined their excitement to arrive on Ossus had made it difficult for them to rest. Of course, she'd retained a lot of information about how to care for children in Silas' absence, but they were still his area of expertise. Ralaa trusted he knew what was best for them.

 

[Silas Rin]

Silas brought the ship around in a wide circle so Ralaa could get a full view of the scene. It was pretty grim, but Silas nodded when she said they should land here. He looked for a moment before he spotted what looked to be a makeshift camp on the far side of the temple. Pointing his ship in that direction, they made their decent in a clearing not far from there.

As they landed, Ralaa asked him what he thought she should do with the younglings they had with them. It was not an easy question and one with no one right answer. He thought for a moment as they made their final approach. "I think you should tell them what you know. Any other children they are placed with will likely know, and they should hear it from you first, someone they trust." he said looking towards her as the ship touched down.

It was not ideal to pass the children off during such a time, but Silas knew why Ralaa made that decision and agreed with her. They could be more helpful to the remaining Jedi here if the children were somewhere safe.

The ship shook slightly as it touched down on the forest floor. Silas had been in this clearing before countless times as a young Jedi. His senses told him the Temple was just on the other side of the treeline, but he knew that not to be the case any longer. Despite the tragedy, it was a surreal experience for him to be back on the Jedi World.

Whether they brought the children with them initially or not, they would need to check in the camp that was nearby. Perhaps there would be more answers for them there.