It doesn’t take long for them to get to Carrick Station, and even less time to be in line for boarding a ship from the station to Coruscant. All travel costs on the Republic Army of course. There’s always a priority on moving soldiers around the galaxy, After all, the tensions with the Sith Empire were still high and based on what she had uncovered, they were actively, but quietly pushing into Republic space. Military and Jedi ships had priority on every Republic station and most of the private ones too. Even then, it takes enough time to make their way down to grab a drink and food that isn’t rations from the cantina before boarding.
The serving droid rolls away with their orders, leaving the two in awkward silence. They hadn’t had a chance to talk much since leaving Ord Mantell. Nyaisa had been well enough to travel, but without enough energy for additional conversation, so beyond being blamed for her squad’s actions ruining Jorgan’s career and a few check-ins, there wasn’t much said.
After a minute or two of the silence, Jorgan speaks first. “So.. Havoc Squad. Best of the best. Can’t say that I’m happy about the demotion, but it’s an honor to be here sir.”
Sir? That was going to take some getting used to, coming from the tall Cathar. He’d loomed over her when they’d met, with him challenging her experience and skill and her trying to stand up to him without breaking protocol.
She leans forward a bit. “How are you holding up?”
“You mean after watching Tavus flush my career down the fresher? What do you think?” There’s a dark growl at the end of his sentence, a promise of violence towards someone. “Four years at the academy. Seven years in the field, decorations, commendations. Would have made captain soon if command hadn’t hung me out to dry.”
Years of work, destroyed in a matter of hours. If he was telling the truth that is. For all she knew he could be a skilled liar and working with Tavus and only pretending to be this angry. But that, that seemed unlikely. Emotions typically ran hot with Cathar in her experience and this kind of anger felt genuine. “You and I both know Tavus’s defection wasn’t your fault.”
Jorgan just growled slightly at his tray. “Tell that to the brass when they need a scapegoat. But hey, water under the bridge. Command put me in Havoc to help you find Tavus and I intend to do just that.” His voice held less of the venom now. He wasn’t warm, but controlled, strong, determined. “I’ve hunted imperials from one side of the galaxy to the next. Used to command the Deadeyes, finest sniper squad in the Republic.” The note of pride in his voice makes her smile just a little.
“I look forward to seeing what you can do, Jorgan.”
“You won’t be disappointed.”
“Good.” She’s quiet a moment herself. “Hunting imps is something I’m pretty damn good at myself. Been doing it for years. So we shouldn’t have much trouble with this once we get the go orders and a direction to search.”
The droid arrives then, interrupting their conversation. After taking their food, they both dive in. Too concerned with the prospect of tasting real food to bother with talking. Too soon for her taste, it’s time to line up for boarding, always a long process in an environment like this one.
It takes some time getting out once they board and longer than she’d like to get checked in on the ship’s roster and get her bunk assignment. However, finally, she and Jorgan are released to go to their bunks as the Jedi the ship is transporting start to board. She’ll pay attention to that later after she’s slept. She’s still not fully recovered from her injuries and it’s taking a toll.
The small bunkbed in the tiny room she had to share with the angry, grumpy Cathar, somehow managed to look good after all the travel and the painful realization that her squad’s betrayal was real and not part of some horrible hallucination. She quickly stows her gear and practically rips off her armor, though she takes care to stack it carefully, ready to be cleaned and cared for as soon as she woke up. Clad now in only her tight black undersuit, she collapses onto the bed, not bothering to think of Jorgan in that moment, only considering how tired she was. She was aware of him doing the same, settling in for the multi-day trip.
She lies in the bunk for a while, she quickly loses track of time, but as exhausted as she is, sleep will not come. She keeps replaying that moment in her mind, the moment she’d burst into the hanger, shooting down the imperials, ready to die trying to rescue any of her squad, only to find their blasters turned on her, the moment that her CO had given imperials the order to kill her. Shooting at the ship and catching Fuse’s gaze, his eyes filled with just a hint of regret, perhaps for leaving her to die.
She’d survived, against everything the imps and separatists threw at her, she survived and took most of them down. But the betrayal cut deep. Even the promotion didn’t dull that sting. She waits quietly in the bunk, occasionally swallowing hard against the lump in her throat until finally Jorgan leaves. She doesn’t say anything, just pretends to be asleep until the door closed behind him and she breaks down. She sobs quietly into her pillow, pouring out all the pain from her injuries, the exhaustion, the betrayal, and the renewed feelings of loss she felt from the strange idea she’d had upon waking after the kolto tank that her little sister, dead for years, had somehow saved her. It woke the emotions she’d thought long buried. She hadn’t cried for her sisters for years, since before she’d found her brother. The day she’d decided to leave the academy she attended on Mirial and join the effort to liberate her planet, that had been the last time she’d cried for her siblings. She’d only cried for her cousins one night and even now, the tears weren’t for them. They weren’t. She was stronger than that grief.
She only cries a few minutes, her already quiet sobs, muffled to almost silence by the pillow, her shaking shoulders the only sign a regular human would notice. So by the time she hears Jorgan enter only a few minutes after leaving, she’s already brushing away the tears. That’s enough sulking. She has to move on. She can’t break down, not now. There’s work to be done.
She takes a breath, stretching out the cramped muscles as she heard the click of the datapad they’d been given with the ship’s schedule being placed back on the footlocker and the quiet room slowly fills with only the sounds of her breath and Jorgan’s above her as they lie in silence. It only takes a few more minutes before his steady breathing, so different then the humans she’d become used to bunking with, lulled her into a restless sleep.
It’s several hours later when she finally wakes. The room is empty once again and she glances hurriedly around, her hand reaching for her blaster before she freezes and forces herself to exhale. She’s on a Republic Military ship. The traitors who turned on her weren’t here. She is safe. Or is she? Had the Republic known? Sure, the officers she’d spoken to acted like they didn’t, but what if they really had? What if they had just decided to write her off as easily expendable? What if it was all just some kind of test? Commander Tavus… of all people… going imp? It sounds impossible just thinking about it. And what about Jorgan? Was he really put in Havoc for the reasons she was told? Was he just there to spy on her? Or had he been working with Tavus and just waiting for the right time to betray her as well? Which soldier on this ship was going to try treason next?
She pulls herself out of bed and stretches, grabbing the datapad and checking the time. Just enough time to hit the sonic before heading to the mess. It wasn’t like anything would get solved or figured out by lying in a bunk. She makes sure to guard her back as she grabs a clean uniform from her bag and stuffs her blaster into her belt and tucking a blade into one of her hiding spots. The holdout blaster went into the armful of clothing. She wasn’t supposed to have the second blaster or the blade. They were supposed to be in the armory with her other weapons. But she was not leaving herself that vulnerable. She wouldn’t be caught unaware next time.
She’s careful to stay aware of everyone around her as she makes her way to the fresher and grabs one of the few free sonics. It’s a relief to step into the jets, laying her blade on the shelf where soaps would go if they were on a planet and water showers were allowed. As it was just the sonic was enough to push off most of the dust and leave her feeling a bit better. It wasn’t perfect. She would love a long, hot shower right now, but it would have to do.
Mostly clean, she redresses, taking care to tuck the blade and holdout blaster were out of sight and easy to access. The weight at her belt and the cool durasteel blade tucked by her back is comforting and helps her breath easier as she makes her way out of the fresher, drops her things at her bunk and heads to the mess.
The room is too big and too loud and too full. She hates it as soon as she approaches. A deep breath, forcibly steadying her hands and she walks in with her head high. She’s a lieutenant now. She doesn’t have an option to show any sign of what had happened. She was handling it fine after all. She glances over her shoulder ever few seconds as she makes her way through the line and collects her rations and heads back to the seating area. Lucky for her, she spots Jorgan already sitting at a table towards the back. She makes her way down and clicks her tray down on the same side as Jorgan, with her back to the wall while Jorgan was closer to the aisle. “Get some rest?”
Jorgan grunts in response, scowling down at his tray and the bland excuse for food. “Some. Bet those passenger ships we saw taking off had nerfburgers and ronto roasts.” Nyaisa shrugs and turns to her own food. “You’re in the military. We don’t get those fancy civilian meals during transport.” She pokes at the food before forcing herself to eat. She can’t lose her strength or the next attack would be her last. After a few minutes of them both eating, she hears Jorgan talk. “There’s a bunch of Jedi on board. At least four that I’ve seen, heard there’s more.”
Nyaisa glances over before returning her eyes to the room. “That’s interesting, there must be something going on for them. Know who they are?”
“No. Rumor is that they’re guarding some other Jedi who’s being kept out of sight.”
Nyaisa hums. “Interesting behavior for a Jedi. Might have to go check them out. See who’s there.”
“Know a Jedi or Something?”
“My older brother Tyrenic is in training to be a Jedi. Last time I heard from him he was heading off somewhere to take a test to become a full Jedi.”
‘Brother’s a Jedi. Of course your brother is a Jedi.” She barely hears Jorgan mutter under his breath. There’s not the same hostility she expected to hear. Though it’s so close to being out of her hearing that she can’t be sure. She’d sure be a lot angry at herself if she were in Jorgan’s shoes. The fact that they can have conversations is good, at least for now while they’re stuck together.
She continues to poke at her food, nearly finishing when she hears the room go quiet. Two Jedi enter the mess, their robes standing out among the uniforms and armor around them. The lightsabers at their belts draw as much attention to them as the robes as they make their way to the line and after a brief discussion, receive two portions each. As they turn with their food, Nyaisa is able to get a good look at them. The first, a small cathar female, her fur a softer orange then Jorgan’s and a good deal more white and black markings around her face and the other Jedi A tall, Mirialan man.
The Mirialan Jedi looks across the room straight at her and smiles, Nyaisa grins, her smile tempered with relief as she watches Tyrenic tilt his head in invitation as he and the other Jedi walk out of the room. Nyaisa stands and grabs her tray, she clamps Jorgan on the shoulder as she passes. “See you later.” She disposes of the tray and hurries out, ignoring, as much as she safely can, Jorgan’s intense stare as she walks away.
Hurrying into the hall, she manages to catch up to the two Jedi. Tyrenic nods as she falls into step. “Nyaisa, it’s good to see you’re still alive.” His eyes cut over her quickly as he can while walking. “You’ve been hurt?”
She nods. “Almost died. Whole thing’s classified and what isn’t is just weird or sad.”
Tyrenic nods at that. “Ah, introductions. Nyaisa, this is Jedi Knight Annilai Jhasis, Annilai, this is my sister Sergeant Nyaisa Shabre.”
“Lieutenant.”
“Got a promotion then that you haven’t told me about?”
Nyaisa chuckles for the first time since everything at the amusement in his voice. “Yes, it’s part of that story. She leans past him slightly. “Good to meet you Master Jedi. A question if you don’t mind.”
She might be more casual around her brother then others might be around Jedi, but that doesn’t mean she isn’t still more than a little scared of them and as polite as any other soldier.
Annalai nods “Of course, though I may not know the answer.”
“Any relation to Ikhirr Jhasis?”
The jedi hums in thought. “Perhaps. My parents are, as far as I know, still alive. It’s likely that they had other children after I went to the temple, however I have chosen not to seek them out and focus on the Order instead, so I truly don’t know.”
“Oh, well just thought I’d ask, he’s an old academy friend.” Nyaisa looks over at Tyrenic. “So how’d that test or whatever you had to do go?”
“My trials? Well, circumstances meant that I never actually got to complete the formal trials, but the council deemed the situation suitable for substitution and knighted me anyways”
“Congratulations. That’s a big achievement. I assume that means you are here on a Jedi mission.”
Tyrenic nods. “We both are. Myself and Annilai have been summoned to Coruscant by masters there and are assisting in the escort of two Jedi who are traveling in seclusion. What about you?”
“Seclusion?” She hadn’t heard of Jedi traveling like that before. She’s able to move on, reminding herself that her brother was a Jedi first and would keep their secrets. “Transport to Coruscant for new orders following my promotion.”
Tyrenic nods. “Yes, it’s not common, but it happens from time to time. If there’s time while we’re both on Coruscant, we should meet up and talk. I’d love to do so now, but I have my duties.”
Nyaisa nods at that. “I understand that. I’ll message you once I know what I’m doing while on Coruscant and we’ll see what can be arranged. It’s good to see you again.”
“You as well Nyaisa. It’s good to know you’re still around,”
She smiles and lifts a hand in farewell as she walks away from the Jedi and back towards their bunk. As Tyrenic disappears from sight, she feels that creeping sense that someone is watching her return, glancing around, she confirms that those who are around are all involved in their own business. But it’s still enough to have her walking faster and keeping her hand a bit closer to her blaster.
The rest of the trip passed slowly, there wasn’t much for her to do so she gave herself a routine. A cycle of meals, training and sitting on her bunk when she got tired of watching her back all the time.
It was halfway through the first full day when she gets tired of being afraid. There’s only one way to find out if Jorgan is going to stab her in the back too. And that’s to make him reveal himself and that would only happen with time and until then, she needed to at least act like nothing was wrong and that meant being the squad CO. If he isn’t and she can’t be a good leader, then they could end up dead anyways. So she schedules training sessions daily with Jorgan. It’s tough, the chemistry between them when they spar, like finding the perfect dance partner is still there. But the banter of before isn’t, and she can’t bring herself to relax enough around him to fall into the same ease that they’d had on Ord Mantell. There’s still some tension between them. What with the circumstances and rank changes and the fact that she doesn’t know if she can trust him not to betray her and he doesn’t yet know if he can trust her to lead. He’s still respectful and follows her lead, but she doesn’t put too much pressure on them, letting them mostly do their own thing when they’re on their own.
It does bring her some relief though, testing her muscles and helping her build up her strength again after her injuries and helps her to sleep a little easier at night. By the time their three day journey to Coruscant was over, she was feeling much stronger and physically, almost back to her old self. She still sat with her back to the wall in the mess and carried a blade into the sonic. She still wondered every night who knew that Tavus would defect and who let it happen and what had broken so much in that squad that they would betray a squad member. She couldn’t comprehend doing so herself, unless they turned traitor. Her questions were interrupting her sleep. She busied herself studying everything she could about the previous members of Havoc. Her rank and command gave her a higher security level and she was able to get a lot more information about them then she would have before, but not enough. She would need to ask General Garza for the full records when she got to Coruscant. The information would help her know how to approach things. She also spent some time skimming Jorgan’s record. Not so much for details, just to get a better idea of what his skillset was. She missed the days on Mirial where by the time she knew about someone, she already had a neat little list of what they could and couldn’t do. The slower days even gave her enough time to send a few messages to friends and to Nordan. Her partner of the last two years, it would be good to see him if she could.
Judging by the glow above her, Jorgan spent time doing his own research. He’d shown her a few prototype blaster models he’d been reading about one morning and that had led to a lively discussion of weapon preferences.
The arrival at Coruscant was announced a few minutes before they dropped out of hyperspace. As soon as the announcement was made, the ship fell into a flurry of activity. Those assigned to the ship rushed about completing their jobs for arrival and everyone else making sure they were ready to disembark. It wasn’t like either Nyaisa or Jorgan had much to gather up, so she took her time cleaning up after afternoon training and met Jorgan at the entrance to the training area. Together they walked back to their bunk and started gathering their things. There wasn’t a lot of talk between them. This was it. Once they touched down, they’d head straight to spec ops headquarters and start tracking down the traitors. They both were focused and mentally preparing for whatever they were going to face.
Once they had their things, they joined the other soldiers in line to disembark, early enough to be up at the front of the line. It took a good two hours to get close to the planet and get permission to dock. Eventually though, the doors opened and the ramp lowered, revealing a medical team waiting. She hadn’t heard of anyone hurt on the ship, but she and everyone else was being held back. Just as she started to wonder what was going on, she saw four Jedi carrying a stretcher towards the ramp. Tyrenic and Annilai were at the front. At the rear was a rather pretty togruta woman and a very large Mirialan man with a red tint to his skin, and spurs above his eyes and on his cheeks. On the stretcher was an older human woman. Her robes and the Jedi around her suggested this was one of the Jedi masters. Tyrenic and the other three carried the stretcher off the ship where the medical team took over, rushing her away as the Jedi formed what appeared to be a protective barrier around them.
As the Jedi rushed off, the rest were allowed off. “What was that all about?” She mutters under her breath. She sees the side-eye from Jorgan. “What? My brother doesn’t tell me everything!” She shifts her bag and picks up her pace, stomping ahead into the spaceport and over to the stations where they checked in. The machines had a large window nearby looking out over the city. It looked better than it had last time she was here. They both take a moment to stare at the cityscape.
“Wow, spend enough time on a backwater like Ord Mantell, you almost forget what a civilized planet’s supposed to look like. I did my officer training here. Back before I was deployed to Ord Mantell.”
Nyaisa glances over at him and hums slightly in acknowledgment listening as he continues.
“There was still a fair bit of reconstruction going on then. Rebuilding things the imperials destroyed. I still can’t believe the empire managed to sack Coruscant back in the war. The Capital of the entire Republic and they raided it like some outerrim mudball.”
“You’d think our capital would be better defended.”
Jorgan nods in agreement. “The Republic committed it’s forces to engaging the empire on outlying worlds. Defending Coruscant was an afterthought. Anyways, we should get moving- don’t want to keep anyone important waiting.”
She nods. “There’s probably going to be a bunch more people demanding answers we don’t have. That will be a fun mess to try and navigate.” She hrrmphs and turns. “Alright let’s go report Jorgan.”
He nods and falls in when she walks away from the window and all the memories attached to the disaster that was the war. There was a lot they had to do and there wasn’t any more time to delay.
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