Ask Onderon Picking up the Pieces

Hailee Lightwood

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She didn't quite know why, but her heart was beating faster. With her heartbeat accelerating, it someone also felt as though she was getting somewhat nervous. Was that because she had posed a question she herself couldn't answer at all?

Even though their talk had been peaceful and somehow even insightful, she was still on edge. She had been involved in a fight, possibly about life and death, but as he began to answer, his reply soothed her at least a little bit. This talk was calm and their words were both placed carefully, yet despite all peaceful reflectiveness, their exchange was intense.

Some did occur....they always did in war. She had seen the broadcast of this pink jerk...Cassian or something and it had felt terrible. Bombing an academy was horrible and she condemned his actions severely. Was that why their invasion was justified then though? No, not at all. Especially not because it had taken even more innocent lives.

"I appreciate your words" she softly began, even though she wasn't yet sure whether he belived him, regardless of how honest it sounded, but her mistrust ran deep, "and you have fought...honorably as well. Neither defeating nor possibly killing you would have brought me any joy though". Well, perhaps she had felt the slightest hint of pride, but she had immediately regretted hurting him. That had been exactly why she was even stupid enough to take him with her, to pick up the pieces she had shattered.

Even though her past had repeatedly taught her otherwise, the Jedi had helped her to regain faith. She was finally believing that there was always a hint of goodness in people. And that was why she was filled with a warmth as he had mentioned that he would have spared her life as well.

It hadn't been hard to tell that he was conflicted too, yet it felt oddly refreshing that she was right. He, too, was a decent person, perhaps standing on the wrong side though. She still smiled, her vibrant green eyes lingering on the blue eyes blonde that was just as lost in thoughts as she was.

Once he went on, however, it was as if the blood was freezing in her veins. She hadn't actually made up her mind about those things and she had literally no idea how this was supposed to continue. It seemed like they could still talk for hours and maybe either of them would then find some clarity, yet they were still not exactly trusting of one another.

She was pretty sure that if she would reach for her lightsaber, he would gather the last remaining bits of his strength to fight her, even if he would definitely lose again. She left his question unanswered for now, as the only thing she did know was that she wouldn't harm him unless he gave her another reason.

"I...would very much appreciate that" she replied, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear before she curiosity won once again. "Have you ever killed a Jedi?". The question was hard and she wasn't sure whether she would enjoy his honest answer, yet she didn't shy away to ask it.

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Caelian

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It was a curious question to pose, and it simultaneously said much and little in the mind of the Echani. To ask specifically if he would kill a Jedi, was there a hidden meaning behind the question, or was she attempting to discover if he had ill intent against her still? Did she assume that by being a Sith, he had already killed a Jedi?

Why did she not ask if he had taken a life in general, and instead ask only of her kind? Was this some kind of trick question, or was he simply over thinking it?

Caelian didn't take long to answer her pointed question, shaking his head. "No, you are my first Jedi." He left it up to her to decipher what he meant by that.

The quiet rumblings of machinery echoed through the walls of the spaceship in between their questions. When it seemed that Hailee had paused her line of questions, he shifted in his seat and begun his own. "If your order asked you to defend a people that you knew to be bad, would you do it? You might ask what have they done, but does it matter? Would your opinion change if their crime was simply dishonesty, slavery or genocide? Or would you do as you were ordered and accept the consequences?"

Her questions were deep and thoughtful, and so too were his, he hoped. While she thought on this, he continued to ask along her line. "To take a life is a serious thing, we are warriors trained to do such things, but I see you and wonder, could you cope with taking a life? If it is not presumptuous to assume that you have yet to."

It might not be something she wanted to think about, but it was inevitable that some day, she would be forced to choose between taking a life or losing her own. Perhaps she had already made such a decision, and it haunted her to this day, he did not know.

Choosing a happier question, he hoped to keep their conversation flowing, "Your methods intrigue me greatly, if you will indulge the question, I would ask what is your favourite memory? and why?" He sat in wait to see how she would answer.





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Hailee Lightwood

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She questioned her own question the moment she had posed it. Some people had tried to teach her that the Sith were indeed their sworn enemy and all truly bad people that had been deceived by the darkness.

She had never believed any of that. Unfortunately she herself had been confronted with the dark, slightly enticed even, so she knew that it was indeed alluring. And what definitely was true that most Jedi and Sith didn't get along well. However she was still surpised by how well their conversation went and there were more Sith that weren't terrible at all.

Ronan. Her mind briefly jumped back to him. Yet those memories were just too painful right now and she couldn't afford getting emofional. She had left to visit her master, yet she hadn't come back ever since because she had been attracted by trouble in different places.

She was almost slightly thankful for his surprising answer, because it was perfectly ambiguous and prone to being misinterpreted. "First Jedi for what?" she demanded an immediate answer, obviously startled by that response and her eyes narrowed in suspicion. First Jedi with whom he had started deep, philosophical discussions? Probably, but the way he had put it it sounded like he was a possible threat after all.

"I was never good at following orders" she instantly replied, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "I always question everything, so before I would act I would demand answers, unlike you...". Thanks to the tension that had risen again, she suddenly couldn't help but to snap. It still annoyed her that he had joined that invasion without even knowing why. It was not her plan to change his mind right here, right now, but she still couldn't assess whether his freedom would possibly pose a threat to others...that was why she was still completely torn and conflicted anyway.

Suddenly, her tone was ice cold and it was as if she was frozen. Unable to move, right back on Corellia. "I have killed before" a shiver went down her spine, the temperature seemed to have dropped vehemently inside this very room. Why did he have to bring that up? She owed him some explanations, but she could already feel he tears swelling in her eyes. "Terrible people made me...kill. And I killed some of them. It wasn't easy, but in the latter case I knew it was right". They had lied, cheated, raped, murdered and much more. She was not planning on going into further detail. Quite the contrary, it had even shocked her that she had almost blurted that out. Why couldn't she have simply avoided that question?

That was all before the order...that was when she had still been in their clutches. She had repeatedly thought she had been over all that trauma, yet this was just proving her that she wasn't. Had more people died at her hands? Her body involuntarily started to shudder, her throat went dry and the coldness inside her was suddenly back.

His next question got almost completely overheard as she was lost in her thoughts, lost in all the doubts and the conflict once again. After all that had been all it had taken. One question and it all went downhill. She stepped backwards without even noticing, her back already brushing against the wall as she slid down.

Her stare was slightly absent as those dark memories seemed to swallow her. She was pulled into the abyss all over again. Why? Just why? And why couldn't she escape this time? Normally, her mind and will was stronger than that, but this time, it wasn't. This battle and this conversation had shaken her in the very core. And so there was nothing to stop her from spiraling as the first tear ran down her cheek. There was no Sith right in front of her, it was all forgotten for the moment. How could she talk to him over what was right, when she herself had violated that mental code in the past. Was she any better? After all, it wasn't about being better, but doing what was right now, but the blonde, young woman had collapsed under the weight that was resting on her torn heart.

@Xorism
 

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In simple terms, the force wasn't a difficult concept to grasp if you were force sensitive. It is a natural concept, and at its core it provided the fundamental tenets that made up the galaxy. The light and dark act in tandem, a lover's duet, a complex orchestra that touches all yet fewer still know. It is a simple yet elegant concoction, its designs absolute and beautiful, where there is push there is pull in a wonderful balance.

But add sentience to the mix and there is no telling which way the dominoes of life may fall, their arrogance, patience, greed, calmness, deceit, compassion all shift the force in their own way. Micro manipulations become ripples, in turn becoming tidal forces of nature that cataclysmically alter the galaxy in one shape or another. Empires rise and fall, millions flourish and perish at the hands of these all powerful beings. It is both an immense privilege and responsibility, its users can create or destroy with impunity and leave a lasting legacy or be forgotten to time.

Despite this immense power, there still lies within the same vulnerabilities, the same struggles and damage that all other sentient life suffers. Perhaps with more impact, as within them exists this power, and yet they befall to tragedy all the same.

Caelian watched as only one could as the internal clockwork reduced in concerted rhythm within Hailee. The questions seemed to have a grand impact upon the blonde Jedi, and despite knowing very little of her, he could sense the bursting of emotion and fear that erupted. His words had carried out a far greater threat than his own weapon did, a metaphorical knife to the heart which brought the former opponent to the ground against the wall.

He stared in silence, watching as her own distorted gaze seemed to leave this plane of existence and face the terror and dispair of some hidden, horrible memory. Hailee's body language spoke more of why she hid, its armour laid bare and her worst vulnerability exposed. Caelian watched in shock, initially unable to move as the gears in his head attempted to pick up the pieces, so to speak, while trying to find the right words or action.

Caelian considered using the opportunity to escape, he barely knew her, they had only met some hours past, and he would be gone before she would even notice. It was clearly the right tactical choice his training taught him. He stood up in front of her, only a few steps between them. But there were no words, no action that he could determine would be suitable.

He paused, a powerful emotion lunged deep in his chest that he knew all too well. It was difficult to understand, but at the same time he could see the terrible pain that Hailee must have endured, its frightful hold on her life attempted to strangle her inner peace. He didn't know what she needed, but perhaps he also didn't need to know. It was then that the decision was made, his freedom would have to wait.

Caelian walked past Hailee for a short number of steps, reaching up and into the wall he left something and walked back toward her. Silent as the night, he leaned against the wall and slipped down sitting next to her, removing something from his pocket and extending his hand out in a peace offering. In his enclosed hand was a small dried flower that he had picked from Eshan, a memento to remember his homelands.

It was entirely worthless and yet invaluable at the same time. Its silky white colour had withdrawn over time, its texture damaged from abuse, but despite these incredible challenges it had refused to give up and remained true to itself the many long years.

This was Caelian's gift to Hailee, as they sat in silence.



@LadyRen
 

Hailee Lightwood

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She literally hated that those memories were still a part of her. It was as if her bosses' disgusting, filthy claws were still digging into her flesh and that there would never be an escape. Could she live with what she had done? Yes...after all it had happened many years ago and she could never reverse time, yet she hated the fact that all of those circumstances were always the very base for her internal conflicts.

Thanks to them, she often found herself drawn towards the dark. Thanks to them she had seen that she could exhibit ruthless traits, traits she severly despised. Thanks to them, she had seen so much pain and suffering that she always had a hard time when it came to believing in the good within people. Thanks to them, she was always slightly torn and mistrusting.

She had danced with the devils for quite some time, yet she had escaped from that dirt hole. The Jedi had shown her that there was hope and light, even in the darkest places of this endless galaxy. And yet she would never forget that there were true monsters out there. Monsters that would never stop, terrible people that would ruthlessly commit terrible atrocities without even thinking twice or showing any sign of remorse. Those experiences were still unbelievable painful, not even causing her to break down right in front of an enemy that could easily take advantage of her breakdown and there would be nothing she could do to help.

Her cheeks were already wet and the tears kept rolling, her gaze was unfocused and she would have prefered to just scream until the voices would get silent again, yet she couldn't even open her mouth. She tried to blink the tears away but they kept coming while her body was shaking. She had lost control quickly and right now she couldn't regain it. She couldn't find out that coldness inside her as she could not focus on any good memories right now, but as he suddenly began to move her blood seemingly froze in her veins.

The blonde on the ground couldn't even fully bring herself to look up and face him, yet she was already sure he would seize this chance and run. She wouldn't even blame him for doing what was best, yet she knew she would be frustrated for not even being able to stop him.

She felt helpless. As helpless and alone as back on Corellia, even though her life had changed so much. She was already aware of the fact that it would take a while until she would get herself together and push all those painful memories back into the unconsciousness. Only then would she manage to block out the cold and the dark within her. She had participated in that nerve-wracking game before to know what to expect, but as the Echani went past her, something changed.

There was something unfamiliar radiating from the Sith and as he silently slid down on the ground right next to her, it was as if the light washed over her. She could escape that almost paralytic state and blink a few times, the blurry vision fading as the tears suddenly stopped, that icy coldness almost immediately replaced with a subtle kind of warmth that felt like an early morning ray of sunshine on bare skin, but instead of bare skin it hit her heart.

She studied his face for a few seconds, pin drop silence filling the room while she recognized a familiar kind of pain in his features. As her gaze flicked down, however, that warmth inside her spread as she took in this fragile, yet beautiful flower he held in his hand. She was utterly speechless and now frozen in a different way. She was emotionally shaken, but that was also different now.

A slight gasp involuntarily escaped her as she still studied the delicate petals of this remnant of the past. It was just logical that this was no freshly plucked flower, yet she wondered where exactly this particular blossom came from and why he was in possession of such a pure, fragile sign of peace.

She interpreted his gesture as a peace offering indeed, not only because the flower was white, but mainly because he had chosen to run. The Echani had not onky decided to stay, even though there was nothing holding him here, but he had also chosen not to leave her alone. It was weird that this particular stranger had been someone she had even fought a few hours ago, and now he was the one person stopping her from spiraling further, stopping her unbridled descend into the dark.

She was emotionally confused, yet the confusion was dominated by an immense gratitude for this pure act of kindness. This Sith was nothing close to a monster. His action was a testament of goodness right now and no matter how strong the initial confusion, she slowly reached out, just to carefully brush against one of the delicate petals.

It was almost unbelievable how fast the mood had changed again, yet the tenderness shared between those two strangers that were normally considered natural enemies in this special moment was beautiful. It was as if the light caressed the dark and vice versa and there were no drawn lines. He had calmed that storm. There was just peace. He had been her silver lining in the dark, and she could never repay him for that.

@Xorism
 

Caelian

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Caelian watched innocently as Hailee's mind broke free of its terrors, her gaze now fixated upon the simple dried flower that he slowly placed in her hand. His azure blue eyes encouraging her to take it from his hand, its purpose for him now being at an end, could serve in a new way that he had just come to realise.

The wilted flower had retained its shape over the years, walking the razor edge of life between delicate and resilience. They sat together, sharing an incredible moment in silence while Caelian attempted to find the right words, anything that he could say that would tell her that everything would be okay. Whatever darkness resided within her was just that and no more, he could sense something was off, and yet he could feel her warmth return, with the flower in hand.

He began, almost whispering calmly, "It's an Eshani Tulip native to my homelands, my mother grows them. Some say they convey a message of forgiveness or worthiness. Their youth is tortured, in savage competition with everything around them, as they can only grow in a harsh environment. This pain and punishment would kill many others, but it is precisely this that gives them their bright white colour. The tulip suffers unimaginably but through trial and error, by sheer determination, they grow against the odds."

Caelian felt a lump edge itself in his throat as he tried to fight back his own emotional response. "I kept this one as a reminder of where I came from and that no matter what happens, to always try to do better. You are not defined by your past, but by your actions in the present and the actions that are yet to come. The past is a shackle, binding you to something that you cannot change, but yet each day that you live, each day that you grow, you shake yourself free from its tyranny."

Truthfully, he had not been home in many years, nor had he heard from his parents since running away. A painful wound bore its mark inside his heart, he had betrayed his parent's love and left them to pursue his own personal desires. The nagging shame had ebbed and pulled against his concious, and with each passing day it became harder and harder to reach out to them. He knew that someday he would have to face his fears and speak with them again, but deep down he feared that he would not be worthy of their love, if they would even still love him after all he had done.

He pooled his hands tightly together in his lap before continuing, "If you do not feel worthy yet, then it is the perfect gift. The flower will remind you to always do better, to always improve and that adversity does not hold you back, but instead reveals the path that defines your true character. And then one day, when you find someone that needs the reminder more, you can show them this flower."

Caelian had calmed himself by now, waiting and watching to see how Hailee would respond. He knew that whatever had been troubling her was significant, and he could only hope that, although an infinitesimally small drop, his gift would somehow help her.



@LadyRen
 

Hailee Lightwood

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While they just sat there in silence, everything around them just seemed so insignificant. In this tender moment, there were just the two of them and nothing else. There was no war raging in the galaxy, there were neither Sith nor Jedi and maybe not even the light and a dark side.

There had been no fight, no injuries and no deaths on Onderon. They were not on a ship and they hadn't just discussed their philosophies, as beautiful as it was. They hadn't shared parts of their own tragic backstories and had approached once another so gently after having found out that they shared more than their Force sensitivity.

There was simply nothing. Just two strangers and his unbelievably kind and sweet gesture. Hailee forgot about their surroundings and circumstances, but all just for a split second. The moment he gently poured the flower in her hand felt like an eternity and the galaxy stood still, but once her skin brushed against his and the delicate petal glided in her hand, time seemed to flow again.

The warmth spread, a slight, barely noticeable gasp even escaped her slightly parted lips as the light came flooding back in. She was unbelievably grateful for what he had done and she was pretty sure that he might not have even known what he had done for her with that. Still, he might have noticed this deep gratitude in her soft gaze as she glanced up to him, the delicate flower carefully held in her hand.

As he began to tell her about the flower's origin, a soft layer of goosebumps landed across her skin. His voice was soft, barely even a whisper, but his words deeply touched her. It moved her, but now in a different way. Her reaction was still emotional, but there was no single splinter of coldness left inside her. All the fear, all the terror was now again replaced with a familiar, pleasant warmth as he continued listening.

A soft smile even returned her lips as she looked back down to the flower in her hands, her thumb gently brushing against one of the whitish petal. This philosophical metaphor was so beautiful and touching and at the same time so relatable that it was almost hard to believe he carried such a peaceful, and perfectly fitting symbol with him.

The aspect of forgiveness could not only be applied to their situation, but also to her personal backstory and even if the tears of sadness and desperation had stopped at first, another one now came streaming down her cheek, but out of completely different reasons now. Even if his story was so beautiful, she could also sense that pain behind what he said. He too, was scarred by life, the scars not referring to visible marks but rather to the soul, and it was unbelievable how that somehow shared trauma connected those strangers.

"It's beautiful" she faintly began and it wasn't clear whether she was talking about the flower or the story, but he probably knew she was talking about both. She tried not to get too emotional, yet she was deeply touched by his words and the story he had entrusted her. "And you're right...I feel like what you have just outlined fits perfectly for the both of us" she then added before clearing her throat, trying to regain her composure.

This gesture and the flower had such an immensely high significance for her and she was overwhelmed by all of those emotions that it was hard to hold back. She cautiously closed her hand around the flower, knowing that what she was about to do was risky, perhaps even dangerous as she had no idea how he would react but even though he had managed to fill that dark, sometimes seemingly bottomless hole inside her, she ached for something more.

She wasn't feeling lonely at all anymore because he was here with her and it felt like this flower was anchoring her back in reality. She couldn't remember whether she had ever been given such a magnificent gift with such a deep symbolism to it before and it felt as though those new, much more positive, yet overwhelmingly strong emotions were too much to handle, and Hailee-being the usually affectionate, emotional and even impulsive person she was- couldn't stop herself from twisting her body and throwing her arms around the Sith's neck, collapsing against him, the flower still carefully protected in her palm while she held him tight for a moment.

She was dearly hoping he wouldn't jump away, assuming she was trying to assault him, but she just needed this bodily contact for a moment and she had learnt before that hugs could serve a thousand purposes. She was not only wanting to comfort herself, but she mainly wanted to thank him because she was lacking the right words to express her deep gratitude. Ironic as it was, but if he didn't manage to pull back in time, he would found the blonde Jedi in his embrace, her head placed on his shoulder and eyes closed while she was simply grateful. Grateful how that fight had ended and how Onderon was safe, but even more grateful that she had met this gentle soul that would definitely impact her all her life.

@Xorism
 

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All was quiet and calm in this little spaceship, the former seemingly hostile tension had relaxed and was replaced with a kindred sense of understanding. The unlikely pair, linked together by difficult choices and pained pasts, found some comfort in this knowledge.

Caelian could sense the mood change within Hailee, not just in a spiritual sense, but even physically, what he would assume was her usual more upbeat self returned. A small smile appeared on his tired face, a piercing through the tough veil of sadness that his face had been weathering just prior. He silently wondered if every Jedi that he fought would be this interesting, or would they parade behind their façade of superiority, inflated self-worth and determine that he as a Sith was an enemy and nothing more?

Before he could finish his thought, out of the corner of his eye, he caught Hailee moving in his direction suddenly. For the briefest of moments, his heart stopped as a doubtful thought flashed in his mind, had he been wrong about her? Was this her plan to lure him in and finish him off? His body moved every so slightly backwards but found itself still by merit of the solid wall behind him, It came to nought however as she leaned in and threw her arms around his neck in a sweet embrace, her head finding a resting place upon his shoulder.

Never in a million supernovae would Caelian have predicted what just happened, it was a surprise to be sure, but a welcome one. After a couple of moments of self reflection and candour with himself, he shifted his own body and allowed his own arms to slowly wrap around the blonde Jedi beside him, joining her embrace. An audible sigh could be heard as they shared this tender moment, as if what little tension remained between them escaped suddenly, marking the point where he chose to fully surrender into both her act of solace and kindness.

He couldn't tell who needed this more, they each wore their sins on their chest and clearly had been struggling with the weight of consequences pulling down upon them, but for this simple act, Caelian felt free of that burden for the first time in years. It didn't matter what they had done, their past was in the past - it was easier said than done, especially taking your own medicine, but there was just something about Hailee that made that feel just a little bit more manageable.

Time passed unannounced, no words needed to be said for each of them to fully understand the depth this moment had been for the pair. It was difficult to imagine walking away from such comfort, he wasn't in a hurry to leave, but the full weight of his life outside the ship awaited in the back of his mind, as if to remind him of all the things he sought to forget.

Caelian tried to ignore such thoughts, instead focusing on the here and now once more, looking down toward Hailee for the first time since they hugged. "I don't think I could ever explain how badly I needed that." He paused, smiling softly. "I don't know what I expected from landing on Onderon, but this definitely wasn't even in the top 5 - although I'm glad it was." He started sarcastically, finishing with a hidden amount of warmth behind the end of his sentence.

He wasn't a stranger to women, nor their soft embrace, but this was something more - something more powerful. Caelian didn't understand it fully, but he felt such a strong connection to Hailee. Perhaps in time he would uncover its meaning, but for now he was happy to enjoy the sense of tranquillity that they shared. He tried to say something, but fumbled over the words the first couple of times before finally getting it right. "What I meant to say is, when I came to Onderon we were enemies, but ...if you would like to, ....I want us to leave as friends."

Caelian looked down toward Hailee with a small tear forming in the corner of his eye, vulnerable as ever, awaiting her reply.



@LadyRen
 

Hailee Lightwood

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Wasn't that ironic? Most definitely, but it was the most beautiful, yet unexplainably marvelous kind of irony. Words could have never expressed what had happened here on this ship that was parked on the very planet that was contested territory not long ago. Their story might have even seemed like a fairytale and if Hailee hadn't witnessed it herself, she probably wouldn't have believed this admittedly magical story.

Two strangers that had even considered one another enemies just a few hours ago now laid in each other's warm embrace, arms tightly wrapped around one another while silently sharing this tender moment that both had obviously needed so badly.

Hailee was almost relived as he hugged her back, knowing that following her impulses had been the right thing to do. She wasn't the only one whose heart was torn and often shattered into a thousand pieces, but in this very moment each and every part had been back where it belonged.

As they hugged each other, all the broken pieces just clicked back, into place. The light and the dark created a beautiful, for Hailee now definitely bearable swirl inside her and her thoughts were finally clear again. She could push aside the sinister memories of her dreadful past while his tender, beautiful words still echoed in her head.

She wouldn't not forget where she came from, yet she wouldn't dwell on it. He was right. The past didn't define one and he was the best example for that. He, too, sacrificed everything with that pure act of selfless kindness and she still couldn't have been any more grateful.

While it seemed like an eternity had already passed, it still felt like she could stay in his embrace for ever. It simply seemed as everything in the galaxy was fine and there was nothing to worry about while she could simply be herself.

She definitely found herself in the most vulnerable position right now, yet she was not afraid of it. They had both opened up just like that by sharing both, the story if their lives and views on the future. It was an honest, thus intense exchange, but having it all of her chest felt indescribably freeing.

She still carefully held the white tulip in her hand, knowing that she would always protect this valuable symbol of peace and hope he had offered her. As he stated his slighlty sarcastic remark she pulled back snickering, tears, but this time tears of joy, in her eyes which she softly wiped away. "I...agree. That outcome was definitely unexpected", and that whas even an understatement, "But who could have guessed were both such softies in our core" she playfully added, shooting him a slightly teasing look as she straightened her back.

Leaning back again, she cleared her throat, trying to control the emotional mess inside her. The way in which he placed his next words was somehow adorable and she couldn't hold back another chuckle, but unfortunately her body betrayed her again by letting another tear of joy run down."Caelian...I would love that very much" she finally replied, her voice soft and her smile warm and genuine.

Looking back, it now almost felt stupid that they had fought...but that was also the past. She was wondering whether Maura and Wodan had shared a similar moment once they had been alone but she highly doubted that if she was being honest to herself. Encounters like that were probably so rare that no matter how endlessly large the galaxy was, this was probably something that barely ever happened. "Do you...want to drink something?" she asked him after a short silence, trying to lighten that super emotional, yet still rather pleasant mood, but her smile was almost a little sheepish now.

He was probably quite thirsty, considering that he hadn't had anything to drink in quite some time and she really wanted to stop crying out of whatever reasons, so perhaps a slight distraction wasn't too bad.

@Xorism
 

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There was something to be said about the way the universe seemed to bring people together, two unlikely foes turned friends within the day. A bond of sorts forged through violence, pain and acceptance. The peaceful way that her emerald gaze broke down the barriers between them was both alarming and yet soothing. The first chapters of their story, being written, lay in his arms.

Her answer brought a quick smirk to his face, his eyes saying, Softies? Keep that on the down low, I gotta keep up my big bad Sith cred. Caelian stretched his back as Hailee moved back, straightening and enjoying her company. He felt a tense grip on his throat wane suddenly as, to his relief, she agreed.

They had been so happily engaged that he hadn't even considered the length of time that had passed since he had eaten or drunk anything. As if by cue, his body responded with hunger pangs and his throat parched. Caelian looked around momentarily, realising that he had nothing with him nor any idea what might be available on this foreign ship.

Peering back towards Hailee, he responded, "I could go for something more, actually." raising himself up to his feet against the wall. "What do you have on this ship anyway? Dare I say, vegetables and water? Or something a little more adventurous?" Caelian couldn't help but make the friendly jab, no doubt there were the usual vacuum sealed meals most ships packed for rations. That was of course, unless Hailee had managed to hide a kitchen inside here somewhere, a small hope, perhaps.

Caelian offered his hand to pull her up next to him, if she would want it. A few moments later, He looked to the ship's door and wondered aloud, "If it's dark out, do you wanna go outside? I could use a walk, and I'd rather not go alone...you know because of the invasion and all that." Well, that, and he didn't have any weapons to defend himself should he run into trouble of some kind. He couldn't yet tell if they were somewhere urban or more out of the way, but it was all the same to Caelian.





@LadyRen
 

Hailee Lightwood

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Her emerald gaze softly remained fixed on the Echani for a moment longer, studying almost worriedly at the realization that she could have offered him something to eat or drink earlier after all...She just knew that he must have been thirsty as she herself had quite a dry throat and an empty stomach as well.

It was funny how the atmosphere had changed yet again. Right now, it felt like they had literally known each other for ages and they were just a pair of friends who had just decided to grab a bite to eat.

She smirked at his remark, pretending to consider his statement for a moment before she playfully jabbed back:"Oh definitely! Give me half an hour and I'll prepare the fanciest three-course-meal you've ever seen". She wasn't fully sarcastic. There were just dry rations on this ship, as far as she knew, yet she could surely make something out of it that looked fancier after all at least.

She still had an even better idea...After having gratefully accepted his hand, she smoothed down her robes for a second before making her way over to one of the viewports. "Funnily enough, I can already see it's dusky outside. Why don't we head out now? Get some proper food?" she suggested almost enthusiastically, with a big grin on her lips.

Was going out here on Onderon a good idea though anyway? The situation outside was probably still tense and they couldn't just walk around in their robes. "What if we jump to a different planet? I mean there are a few others close by and we've still got enough fuel..." she turned back to him with a smirk, expectantly glancing at him.

"This is no abduction!" she amusedly declared just to make that point clear, she still couldn't help but to chuckle. "Or...is it?" she added teasingly, raising a brow on him. She would check in with Maura first, that was for sure, but she was assuming she would stay in thr hospital for a bit.

Even though the sun was setting and it had apparently gotten quite late, it still felt like there story was just about to begin...

@Xorism
 

Caelian

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Humour was an interesting tool for the wounded, it served to patch holes and protect one's self from itself and worse. There was something delightful about seeing the mood change so positively, still one might feel a tenderness in the air, but the trials of their past were perhaps beginning to heal. Her sarcastic remarks drew a light chuckle from the snowy Echani, the idea seriously tempting.

Combining their ideas, to walk into a town to grab a bite of food, have fun and see the night out sounded great in theory, but Caelian wasn't convinced. His face bunched up a little as he thought about how his person might be received should any of the locals realise that he was with the Sith. It wasn't exactly a great idea to mingle with a conquered peoples and hope for a friendly reception, let alone a planet that beat off said conquering heroes.

Hailee seemed to come to the same conclusion, as she offered an alternative, to fly off the world to somewhere a bit more friendly to both of them. Somewhere they'd be unknown and could simply enjoy the night without the hassles of their day jobs interfering. This was an idea he could get behind, bemused, he nodded in agreement and began walking with her toward the cockpit in search of where to go.

Caelian gazed across the navmap looking for somewhere close and suitable. FWA space would always be less than ideal for obvious reasons, but that didn't leave many options. One planet did catch his eye however, a small but wealthy independent planet by the name of Vena, just in the Expansion region. "What about that one?" he said, pointing it out. It seemed to be an abundant world, full of amenities and vice, a perfect place to lie low for a little while until they could figure out what to do.

Her comment about an abduction caught him by surprise, his eyebrows raised and pupils dilated as a mixture of fear and suspicion raced across his mind. Caelian managed to remind himself to breathe after a second or two of holding it in, letting out a forced laugh. She was just messing with him, he concluded, well, he hoped. His own sense of humour returned as he replied in kind, "Well if it is, I better get the full package, handcuffs and all, or I want my money back."

He looked over to Hailee and asked humorously, "You wouldn't happen to have any nicer clothes on board? Doesn't have to be fancy, but ideally has fewer holes than this one." as he poked his fingers through the hole in the shirt.



@LadyRen
 
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Hailee Lightwood

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Her emerald eyes never left their target, even though her gaze was now rather playful and perhaps slightly mischievous even, with the immense emotional turmoil almost completely forgotten again...Of course, it was not just forgotten though. Their conversation, his immensely kind, tender gesture and that very special moment they had shared not long ago would surely have lomg lasting effects on the blonde's life. However now as humor had taken over, the mood was pleasantly lightened.

Admittedly and obviously not fully relaxed though, or else he wouldn't have questioned her intentions for the briefest moment. "I've seen that" she immediately remarked, eyes narrowed once she had followed him towards the cockpit. "Nothing escapes my attentive gaze...You're afraid of me? Good" she kept on teasing, giving a convincing performance with a dangerous tone this time, before she wholeheartedly started laughing.

Right after she had used the opportunity, she paid attention to what he had found, an excited smile immediately crossing her lips. "That looks perfect. I've never been there before, so let's go!" she enthusiastically replied before she bursted into laughter at his cheeky remark."Oh sure. The show is soon about to commence. I've got the shock collar stored right outside" she quipped amusedly, throwing him a smirk, but then she suddenly remembered that she had not come here alone. "Oh Kark...Maura" she whispered, biting her lip.

"Wait. First we're checking in on our companions" she reminded him with a sheepish grin before pulling out her comlink and contacting Maura. She wasn't quite sure what the young padawan would tell her, so she casually and inconspicuously wandered off into the direction of the cargo hold of the transport.

After a minute she came back, biting the inside of her lip yet again before she cleared her throat. "Okay so my young companion needs a ride...I feel like this throws our plans aboard as I need to pick her up right away. Wodan is still in the hospital but he's doing fine" she began before thinking for a moment.

"Okay that's not big deal. I've got an idea" she rushed over to the navmap, moving up to Yavin before placing her finger on Garos. "There. Perfect. Another beautiful indie planet near Yavin" she happily proclaimed before moving towards the supplies in the back, pulling out a two litre canister of water and a whole menu of rations.

"To answer your clothes question: We should have some fresh, basic clothes stored somewhere. I'll take care of it, I promise!" she handed him the supplies with an apologetic grin as her tone was becoming slightly more hectic. "To avoid trouble, I'd say you stay hidden in the cargo hold. It will be a few hours, but don't you dare filling up on rations! Dinner still stands!" she assured him before she couldn't help but to giggle.

It was funny how quick everything had changed yet again. Hailee would never leave Maura behind, but she also wouldn't just drop Caelian into the unknown, releasing him onto a planet that was definitely not happy to have him. "Once you've found a comfortable place to hide in I'll start the engines and pick Maura up in front of the hospital. I guess I would then have to inform you once we're off Yavin...". Admittedly, this was everything but perfect, but it would work out...right? She had thought this through and even if this change of plans was super spontaneously, she was quite happy with the plan she had drafted in her head. She didn't leave him much off a choice, because she had quite a guilty conscience for having forgotten about time for a while. "I'm soooorry. I've got responsibilities..." throwing him another apologetic grin, she grabbed him by the elbow and guided him towards the cargo hold already.

@Xorism @lizziie
 

Caelian

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There wasn't much that seemed to escape the ever so watchful gaze Hailee portrayed. Their whole conversation turned revelation had caused a seismic shift in how he saw miss emerald eyes, a complicated mixture of trust, confusion and excitement of the unknown. She played the role well, he didn't but also completely trusted her at the same time. Her teasing definitely didn't help, but he enjoyed it all the same, smiling along.

The excitement waned temporarily as reality set back in for the pair, it wasn't all just about their journey, but Wodan and Maura's too. The latter's name being dropped, causing Caelian to immediately think back to his injured companion. Barely a day had passed by, Hailee had assured him earlier that Wodan was being taken care of, which by now he believed her, but it remained an uncomfortable thought.

After some time, Hailee returned and brought forth the welcome news that Wodan was recovering well, still in the hospital. Caelian exhaled with relief, grabbing a chair with his left hand to steady himself, not realising how long he had been holding his breath for. "Well as long as he's being cared for, I guess I can't complain. Can Maura make sure that he's able to get out on his own without being caught up by the locals? It would mean a lot to me."

Whoever this Maura was, she most of been something special to Hailee to get a reaction out of her like this. Caelian felt that he might be a little cautious around the wild spawn considering what she did to his buddy, but Hailee figured out a way to deal with that too.

Well it was a half measure, but it'd avoid drama he thought. "Really? The cargo hold, like some kinda droid?" He pulled a sarcastic face. "Well, thank you kindly, I'll go enjoy my candlelight snack for one then...just don't forget me back there, alright. I don't wanna end up like one of those horror holovid victims!"

Whisked away, Caelian was at least happy that he wasn't being dumped on the planet and left to fend for himself, and from the sounds of it they still had some kind of plans for later. He'd just have to figure out a way to keep himself entertained without drawing attention from Hailee's companion. Her apology drew a neutral expression on his face, there wasn't anything he could do about it, but complaining wasn't going to make his lot any better, and so he held it in.

Looking around for something to do and completely bored already, he opened a packet of rations and prepared it for eating. In the meantime, he sat staring around the inside of the cargohold and started to count rivets. Oh, gods, this was going to be a long trip, he thought.


@LadyRen
 

Maura Starwalk

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There might be something to say about entitlement and Maura. She'd called Hailee asking her if she could pick her up and give her a ride home like it was nothing, even though she'd snuck aboard the woman's ship to end up here in the first place. But Maura was definitely not thinking about such a thing and was instead seated lazily on a box, kicking her legs while she waited for the blonde Jedi to show. Her Deats headphones, bright yellow and made of shiny plastic, were nestled into her rainbow hair and secured tightly over her ears. Despite this, muffled music could still be heard as close as two meters from the girl, and the people passing by her gave the girl worried looks.


"Are you waiting on someone, kid?" Someone stopped behind the girl to address her, then realized she probably couldn't hear them over the sound of the music seeping out from under her headphones. So they carefully tapped her shoulder, and she turned to look at them with a quizzical look. They repeated the question.

"Sure thing! Just waiting on my ride!" she answered happily. The girl certainly looked a bit frazzled, and the stranger looked like someone sent here to help find injured citizens or evacuate them. The battle was still going on in some places, though most of Sith forces had been driven away from now. Maura still looked really out of place.

"That's her ship right there!" Maura slung a finger toward Hailee's descending ship. Recognizing it as a Jedi vessel, the stranger nodded and left to mind their own business.

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Hailee Lightwood

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"Of course! Maura is not monster. She'll make sure of that...if I must I'll pick him up myself once he's allowed to leave...I'm not sure whether Maura would check in again" she replied with a grin, but she was being completely serious about it.

She didn't see the reason in having Wodan end up in the prison here, so if it must, she would escort him of the planet. "Ugh I'm a terrible Jedi...am I right?" she sighed, but her rhetorical question was more amusedly than serious, even though she was definitely unusual for her kind. She was dearly hoping that Thayd or the rest wouldn't catch wind of her covert doings...they would probably not understand.

"Stop pouting you baby" she playfully teased him at his sarcastic remarks, shoving him further into the back of the ship. "Don't make me feel bad now. I'm really sorry" she admitted apologetically, yet she couldn't keep her face straight and started chuckling again.

Once Caelian was safely 'stored away' she took a deep breath and focused on keeping her appearance. She couldn't let it shine through that her opponent was stored in the cargo hold and that she wwsntaking him off this planet too, so she tried to suppress that slightly nervous grin before starting the engine.

She immediately took off, internally ordering her thoughts in order to give Maura a convincing story if she would even raise any questions after all. As she was approaching the hospital, she noticed that someone was talking to her and this immediately brought Hailee into an alarmed state.

Maura was not actually her responsibility, yet she had grown oddly responsible and protective of the younger padawan and that's why her gut immediately told her to stay wary. She carefully but quickly maneuvered the aircraft down and noticed that the stranger was leaving, so she immediately forced the tension out of her muscles.

She patiently waited for her to board, all perfectly calm before she greeted her with a grin."Hey! Are you okay?" she immediately asked, half worried, half amused because she looked rather fine and Hailee had learned that she was great at handling herself anyway. She was still overly glad that Maura had made it out as unscathed as she was.

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Maura Starwalk

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Maura began waving as the ship descended, then hopped off where she'd been sitting and skipped over to Hailee. As the Jedi woman had already assessed, the padawan looked completely fine at first glance, but those who knew the girl well enough would recognize a faint aura of exhaustion around the girl. Her smile was more relaxed, her eyebrows didn't spring up to the high heavens as she spoke, and her eyes weren't quite as emotive as they could be. Maura was far from acting tired though. Her voice sang through the air as she approached Hailee.

"HI HAILEE!" she called out as she approached. Once the padawan hopped up onto the ramp and got closer to the Jedi woman, her voice would lower a bit in volume. "I'm awesome!" was her reply.

The girl made a beeline for the closest seat, chair, or couch she could find and promptly slumped into it, making her tiredness more apparent. "I'm actually really tired," she admitted. "I dunno how to describe it 'cause I'm not like, physically tired as much as I'm just tired tired."

In fact, the thrill of the battle was still fresh on the girl's mind. If need be, Maura was totally convinced she could run a marathon! It was, however, the last thing she wanted to do. The top of that list was finding where she put her bag so she could play Cupcake Run or Crush the Sweets.

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Hailee Lightwood

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] Maura's exuberant greeting soothed the blonde padawan as this meant that she was indeed doing rather fine, even before she verbally confirmed that. She started snickering at her usual enthusiasm, closing the ramp behind her. "HI Maura! I'm glad!" she replied with a genuinely smile before starting to take off already.

It was not like Hailee had plenty of time, but she knew she also had to be careful with how fast she decided to fly in order to avoid raising suspicions. Maura was quickly getting changed in the meantime while Hailee was already maneuvering the ship into the direction of space, so that they left the atmosphere after a few minutes.

She leaned back after she had switched on thr autopilot and made her jump into hyperspace, knowing that the rest of the journey would be rather relaxed. "Oh I know exactly what you mean. I feel just the same". Yes, the blonde felt drained after having healed her opponent...and the conversations they had started had also been everything but easy.

"Are you hungry? I'm sure you could also lay down in a cabin if you want to rest" she suggested with a smile in her direction, hoping to distract herself from drifting into thoughts again, but it soon turned out that the rainbow haired padawan was already busy again. Kids these days she thought amusedly, however knowing that she wasn't even that much older.

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Maura Starwalk

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Maura's ears perked up at the mention of food. "I'm starving!" she declared excitedly. "Can you help me find where I left my bag, though? I wanna play games!"

The padawan continued to squint about the room, and her eyes eventually settled on the ventilation shaft above her. Eyes sparkling with mischief, she reached out and moved the grate away, then leapt up to grab ahold of the ledge. " Maybe I left it up here!" she said, giggling as she did. The padawan couldn't quite pull herself up though, so she hung there for a few seconds before asking, "Can you help me up? Please?"

Little did she know, her bag had been haphazardly shoved under one of the seats nearby.

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Hailee Lightwood

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An almost immediate panic said in as Maura mentioned the bag. Uh oh...what if she found any evidence of her doings on board this very ship? Or even stumbled over the hidden Echani? From the outside, she appeared quite calm, but her thoughts were racing

"Oh sure thing!" she enthusiastically replied, perfectly inconspicuous, or she she thought. She let her gaze wander across the cockpit, however not spotting said bag. As Maura moved towards the ventilation, she let out a breath of relief as it made perfect sense that the bag was up there. "Yes, sure" she said to her as with a smirk before she moved over, offering her a lift up, however wondering why she didn't use the Force to aid her.

She amusedly shook her head while she let Maura search the shaft, still focusing on finding the bag. "Wasn't it already down here?" she curiously wondered while she approached a cabin nearby, rummaging through it to find a few rations. "Once we've found it, we can devour some of those" she then said to her, shaking the little bags while her face wasn't exactly amused. Oh she couldn't wait for an actual dinner...

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