#tracinyad

Torian noticedher the moment she entered the bunker, she wasn’t exactly being quiet afterall, chatting with the astromech that was rolling along beside her. He kneweventually someone would come, they weren’t a formal military but even theMandalorians took an issue with people going AWOL. He’d be surprised they sentan aruetii after him, judging by the lightsaber hilts on her hips she was definitelynot vod, but then most Mandolorians would use the same word to describe him.

That was whyhe had to do this, it was the only way to be seen as one of them. To stop the accusationsthat he was every bit the traitor his father was. He didn’t know who she was,but he couldn’t afford to let her stop him.

Carefully hefollowed her though the bunker until he had a perfect opportunity to get thedrop on her. He stepped out of the shadows quickly, leveling a blaster at theback of her head.

“I assumeyou are here for me,” he said, finger on the trigger but wanting to confirm hisassumption before pulling it. Ask questions first, you could always kill anenemy later.

He heard hersharp intake of breath, but if her reaction was one of fear it didn’t show inher body language.

“You thesniper killing the Republic troops outside?”

Torian’s bloodran cold. No, he thought, this can’t be happening. Not now.

“No,” heresponded when he realized he was just gaping at the back of her head. “The manI’m hunting is.”

She turnedaround slowly, giving him his first good look at her face. “then I am not herefor you, at least I wasn’t.”

He loweredhis blaster and looked away from her, he couldn’t meet her gaze while hedebating over asking or just leaving. Would he regret asking?

Would heregret it more if he didn’t?

While he wasdebating she was already pulling off her left glove and bracer, letting the lightarmor piece fall to the floor with a clang. She didn’t show him the inside ofher arm, the spot most people kept covered until a moment like this, andinstead pressed it against her chest. He watched her fingers play nervouslywith the edge of her tunic.

She clearedher throat, drawing his attention from her arm to her face and she lookedpointedly at his arm.

I guess weare going this, he thought. He had a feeling he knew where this would go, heractions all but confirmed it, but he needed to see with his own eyes. He pulledoff his own glove and bracer, letting them join hers on the floor. Normally hewouldn’t drop his armor so carelessly but now that he didn’t have to make thedecision he was anxious to know for sure.

When his armwas bare he looked back up to find her gaze fixed on his arm.

She took adeep breath and smiled hesitantly at him, “on three?”

“On three,”he agreed.

“One,” shesaid, stepping a bit closer to him.

He mirroredher movement, “two.”

“Three,”they both said in unison as they held their left arms out for the other to see.

Torian heardher gasp and felt her grab his wrist with her other hand, but his attention wasfully focused on the inside of her left arm. In thick blue script, written inhis handwriting, were the first words he had said to her.

He alreadyknew her’s were written on his arm in a shade of purple that matched her facepaint. Her gloved hand traced carefully over the letters and he looked up tosee the expression of amazement on her face.

“I didn’tthink it would look so much like I wrote it,” she said, her voice soft like shewas thinking aloud more than speaking to him directly. She looked up at him,her pale blue eyes searching his face before she spoke again.

“What’s yourname?”

He almostwanted to laugh, they had spent their entire lives with the other’s words imprintedon their skin – a sign that they belonged together – and she still had to askhis name.

“Torian Cadera.”

She smiledat him, repeating his name softly before looking him over. “You are aMandalorian, aren’t you?” He nodded, and she frowned, “that’s interesting. Huh.”

“What?” Heasked, “who are you?”

“My name isNoara. I’m a Jedi Knight.”

His soulmatewas a Jedi.