Should he move away to a more comfortable position? Or gently place her inside the tent using the Force? None of the above, apparently. He surrendered to the rhythm of her breathing to calm his nerves, carefully laying on the grass. Watching the makrins and ginxes swaying by the flowing water certainly helped.

And she was still in his embrace when he woke up from his nap. He noticed something wet near her head–his eyes translated it to her drooling on him. Must be one of a heavy sleep, he mused. 

The beeping of his holocom inside the tent startled him. His mind immediately assumed it was his twin on the other end. He couldn’t possibly answer that call with a woman sleeping on him, regardless of who was calling. If the beeping goes on longer, it would surely wake Vaylin up. His panic only lasted for a few seconds, however, once he remembered that he could just shoot a message back. He terminated the call telekinetically. The bag containing the device slowly floated towards him, opened by itself; and a holocom floated onto his palm. All done with the goal of minimizing the noise.

Even though the waterfall already covered that part up for him. 

It was his twin after all; inquiring about the droid shipment to Dubrillion. Before writing his response, he encrypted the message with a code only known between them. He described his status, the success of his objective, and estimated time of return–though that last part was subject to change. A lightbulb went off in his head–he moved the bag to use as a support so he could lean on his back. A holocron about lightsaber forms recorded by Master Ven Zallow in his right hand, while the other guarding Vaylin so she wouldn’t fall off of him.

It would be such a scandalous sight for anyone.

Two hours into his studying, the former Empress finally awakened. Hearing his heartbeat and inhaling his scent made her decide to stay immobile for a little while longer. Hoping that he didn’t notice her being awake just yet. Her eyes flitted towards his arm securing her. How badly she wanted to stay that way forever.

But she decided not to. He must be tired or sore from holding her that long, she thought. Once he felt her move, he quickly removed his arm from her waist, flustered. The holocron dropped at the same time his body scooted away. Vaylin was still rubbing the headache out–fingers brushing her implants sent tingles towards the back of her skull. 

“Sorry. Must have been a long nap...” she murmured, avoiding eye contact.

“Not at all. Um, no need to apologize.”

As soon as he tried to stand up, he heard a faint crack. Much as he tried to hide the pained expression, Vaylin noticed anyway. “Can I... can I help with that? Maybe I could massage you?”

Massage means too much physical touch, according to him. His face flushed a shade closer to a high fever, then shaking his head, tremor-like. Uttering a response was already a struggle, let alone meeting her eyes. Vaylin however, felt dejected by his increasing distance. His overly apologetic nature began infecting her.

“Sorry again. That was inappropriate.”

“No! I-I mean… Uh, umm, it’s okay. I can soothe myself,” as his hand began glowing a teal, wispy glimmer. Wondering why he was so nervous and foolish now when he was absolutely calm earlier. “I think you could use a drink. I’ll get you some water-”

“It’s fine. I can get it myself.”

Vaylin weakly stood up, slowly heading towards the pitcher on top of the folding table. The sight of Rio clumsily cleaning up his bag was ignored while watching the vrakes near the waterfall. Unfortunately, with a clearer mind came the words of the child she just met, echoing faintly in the background. It wasn’t only that–the sights of the ruined nursery and starving children struck her differently this time. The twisted joy she used to feel for the destruction became an iceberg crushing into her chest. The fleeting intimacy she just had was overshadowed by the pain.

There was also the matter of turning herself back in. The heavy sigh she let out did little to reset her psyche. Her mind was leaning more towards delaying it further than facing the music. Perhaps she could seek comfort yet again with that bumbling Jedi over there?

“Hey…”

“Hello, Vaylin! Do you need anything?”

Comfort, as the little voice inside her spoke.

“I… I understand that we need to return to Odessen soon. Can I… Can I ask for…”

Riornivo waited for the continuation, as it became puzzling for Vaylin over the steep difficulty to articulate her intention. 

“I need more time before we depart. I’m still… tired.”

Not entirely true, as his body proved to be quite comfortable to lay on. She was met with that classic smile again, agreeing to her request. By the next hour, the sun was setting along with the temperature. Wind generated by the waterfalls exacerbated the cold, as Rio did not plan on staying overnight nor did he predict that it would be a chilly one. Vaylin did what she could to reinforce the campfire, but the wind was against her efforts.

Suddenly, she felt his Jedi robe draped over her shoulders. “You seem cold.”

“Aren’t you? You’ll get sick,” as Vaylin tried to return the garment.

“Don’t worry, I’m not cold. You can keep it, if you want.” 

That last line was received differently, somehow. What could he possibly mean by that, as he said it so casually? What if she intended on taking up his word for it? She turned around, muttering a hushed gratitude before entering the tent. Her nerves almost defeated her there. When she sat and hugged her knees, the scent of him lingered around her–his robes enveloped her in a yearning comfort. As if returning to that embrace earlier that day.

“Might not return sooner than I thought. But I’ve succeeded in my objective.” Wrote Riornivo from a holopad to his twin, receiving a prompt reply.

“You and your endless honeymoons. The base is sniffing around and I wouldn’t be able to distract them for much longer!” Rionnic nagged.

“Just trust me. And no, it’s not a vacation!”

Moments after recollecting herself, she returned to wanting company. What she wished was to have normal conversations with him; unfortunately both of them weren’t making that possible. Sleeping again seemed impossible as she was still fully rested, but she had to keep those thoughts at bay, for her own sake. 

The Barsen’thor was just a few minutes into his meditation when he spotted the former Empress approaching. Like the dutiful servant of light he was, he asked if she needed his help. 

“I want… I want to talk. Just talk.” Her tone was aimless and vulnerable. 

“Of course. Let’s sit by the fire, it’s warmer there.”

It took her a moment to speak up when asked about what conversation suited her. “How do you handle it? After something horrible happened to you?”

A heavy question. He hesitated, shuffling the right words to say. “To be honest with you… I… I failed.”

“... Failed?” she asked for elaboration after his following silence.

“I succumbed to the dark side. I know you view and use the Force differently, but let me try to summarize it,” as he shifted in his seating position to face her. “We believe that achieving balance in the Force means the absence of the dark side. The dark side is something to be feared and avoided, because even when you escape it, traces of it stays with you. When I was younger, I lost many of my family, friends, fellow Jedi… and… and…”

“You don’t have to tell me if it’s difficult.”

“But I want to. I’m just not great with words...” His diplomacy missions required carefully arranged words that he had no problem utilizing and mastering. Perhaps it depended on who he was talking to. “Before I continue, please know that I don’t mean to make you feel worse than you already are. I trust you.”

The last sentence came out so naturally as they both smiled at each other, shedding that distance away for a familiar warmth.

“There was one point where I believed people like us shouldn’t exist at all… I left a trail of death and destruction not just once, Vaylin. The regret that came after makes me want to stop living. It’s such a dangerous point to be in…”

It was quite the revelation to her. To see him so vulnerable for the first time, and it wasn’t like his previous, many near death instances either. 

“But I clung on to… to love. The hardest part was to forgive myself, and that may be never, but I know I’m still here for a reason. I think I love too much to give up on everyone. Including myself. I… walk each day with the belief that I represent the fallen ones in wanting a better galaxy when they were alive.” 

She could see his eyes beginning to moist. His words were hard to digest due to how different their upbringing and lives were, as apparent by her zoning out with the campfire reflecting off her irises. Rio chuckled an understanding one while wiping his eyes. 

“I’m sorry. I know it probably won’t land as well with you. But my point is… you should afford yourself some grace, make peace with what has already happened, and accept the responsibility.”

“I’m not stupid, you know.”

“Oh! T-that’s-that’s not what I meant by–I’m sorry!”

Secretly, it amused her at how easy it was for her to unnerve him. But she steered the mood back by changing her expression to a sincere smile, making him blush over witnessing her genuine happiness. “Thank you for trusting me enough for you to be vulnerable with me. That’s some good advice.”

His classic smile was shining figuratively brighter than the flame, cherishing every word of her; of how developed they both were ever since meeting each other.

Which reminded her of that day. 

“There’s… something else. It’s… it’s about…” as she lowered her gaze, sighing at her lack of strength to continue. “I think I did something inappropriate again. I shouldn’t have said all that to you. Maybe–maybe it’s offensive to your… your Jedi culture?”

“What do you mean?”

That demand for elaboration worsened her anxiety. “The whole wanting to be with you… thing!” Vaylin cried out, her head turned completely away from him.

The conversation going into that direction was expected by him, but he malfunctioned instead when it was actually said. Possible responses that he had arranged vanished on the spot. All he could hear at that moment was the climbing volume of his pounding heart. Luckily for him, his brain decided to hop back on course.

“Um… it’s… not offensive. Compassion, it often leads to... to… love, and it’s one of our core tenets of operation, but requires the most amount of temperance… that being said…” He leaned to face her shy eyes, his face pleading. “I’m sorry for the way I reacted that day. I’m sorry if I hurt your… heart. I don’t ever want to do that to you…”

She could feel his words and tone stripping all of her strength away. Sweat began to cluster around her temple and neck. “Wh-why are you apologizing for that? How else are you expected to react? I am completely at fault here.”

“No, I–uh, I have to disagree,” as Rio rubbed his nose bridge, trying to get his point across. “I think those feelings are natural and I would never fault you for that. I appreciate being the recipient of your affection. I truly… do care for you. But I want to stay this way… if it’s fine with you.” 

It felt like a second rejection, and it hurt just the same. She closed her eyes, fighting off the tears. The last sentence she was about to say sounded insincere but necessary.

“You mean… as friends?” 

“Yes. But… I’m very sorry if this isn’t what you want.” “I understand. Stop apologizing. I… honestly, I don’t want our friendship to end after I said that the other day. So you have my gratitude for this. I hope we can still be like… like old times?”

His signature smile had a tinge of guilt over it. He hated having to break her heart again, especially considering how distressed she was earlier. While she was feeling more pragmatic about it. Knowing that she would end up behind bars and possibly dead later on wasn’t a promising start of a relationship. The confession morphed into a stupid mistake, one that triggered a number of consequences that she didn’t anticipate would be life-altering. But the yearning took advantage of her lowered guard.

She stood up, drained by a simple conversation. She wanted to spend the few hours left of her freedom to the fullest, regardless of the limiting circumstances.

“I’m going for a walk.”

Rio immediately offered to accompany her, fearful of her being spotted by someone. She declined, but after listening to his reasoning, she reluctantly agreed. Might as well converse further, she mused. However, both of them were cut off by each other trying to talk. 

“You go first,” Rio sheepishly stated.

“Um… so what's it like for you growing up? I heard they start training Jedi since they’re… babies.”

“They take in children from many different circumstances. Most of them were brought by their parents. It’s–um, hold on, I hope this isn’t too-”

“Familiar with my experience? I think this is what usually happens with people like us around the galaxy. They get trained, but I know that not all of them are done properly.”

“Perhaps… though, I wouldn’t say that our Order is the only acceptable way to go about it. In my studies, I’ve found colonies and ancient tribes practicing the Force in a different manner; some of them seemed to thrive.” 

Vaylin nodded slowly while their steps provided the background noise to the banter. They entered a cave illuminated by bioluminescence mushrooms and plants, keeping their volume low to avoid echoing around the walls.

“Oh, and about myself growing up–I digress! My mother was a Jedi herself, and my sister… She's a handful growing up. I was generally practicing and studying during my adolescence. Then I started joining my masters on their missions… mostly diplomatic. I remember them nudging me towards the enforcement ones. Combat, even. But I still feel like I’m not cut out for that… Still, I’ve always liked meeting other padawans from different temples.”

“You must have a lot of friends.”

“I do, and they’re not just the Jedi ones, and… uh… I have to say that as my newest friend… you’ve given me the deepest introspection I’ve experienced in my life. Thank you for that.”

What was he on about, her mind sneered. Was he flirting? She swiveled her head away, arms crossed to hide the blush. Then she attempted to divert the topic. “And what did you have to say earlier?” 

“Me? Oh, y-yes. Um… so what do you like to do with your time?”

“Sitting in my cell, of course.”

That resulted in his haunted expression, guilty and dreadful. It was a twisted amusement for her. 

“I’m just kidding. I like art. Maybe someday we can paint or whittle something together.”

“I’d love that!”

And thus they arrived at the cave’s exit to a display of an aerial view over Avesta’s estates. They were positioned just out of sight, as they spotted remnants of a sniper’s equipment next to the ledge. “Must have been taken out. No sniper leaves their gear behind like this.” Vaylin remarked.

“Hm, probably an Exchange employee. My sister was quite thorough, it seems.”

The former empress sat against the wall, enjoying the street lights below. The Jedi master standing next to her was stiff both body and expression-wise. She smirked, inviting him to sit. “I like traveling too… and it’s a newer discovery. This might be my last trip outside so I’m trying to absorb it all in…”

Riornivo nodded somberly, before switching to a desperate tone. “I’ll do everything I can to help your defense team. There might be deals to make, or at least-”

“Rio, it’s fine. I’m accepting it–my fate, or whatever my future is. You’ve certainly helped me in my introspection. You’ve done enough. I’d like us to spend this night without thinking too much of the future. Can we do that?”

His body deflated, sighing at the unfairness that was her fate. From birth, she had been a pawn of a monster, and sadly it possibly wouldn’t end with her escaping with her life. Though she herself has embraced accountability for her vileness, her victims never received that second chance that he thought she deserved. The rest of the night was quieter, with only surface level conversations between them. Once it felt like dawn was approaching, they made the short trek back to camp, when she noticed his eyes struggling to stay open. An adorable sight for her.

“You should sleep. I can stay outside to guard in case anything happens.” Vaylin smiled, looking quite angelic in his drowsy vision. 

“No, no… please use the tent. I insist. I’ll just…” as he yawned to his hand.

“Meditate?”

“Ha.. ha… err, yes.” 

Yawning proved to be contagious, with her being the target. The sleepiness came easy to Vaylin; it has been an eventful day to her. “Fine, I’ll take the tent,” as she began walking towards it. “You can join me if you want. Life doesn’t have to be so restrictive.” 

The proposition jolted him awake, and the way she so casually said it weakened his walls. He stood there stiff as a lamppost, meditation vanished from his agenda. A whispery voice kept chanting to him to accept her invitation. His feet betrayed the resistance of his heart and mind, moving as if he was on a puppeteer’s command.

And she looked just as surprised when his head poked through the tent’s opening. 

“Hey, you can sleep there if you want. I’m going to watch some news to sleep, I think.” Vaylin said quietly.

It snapped him out of his trance. “Oh… uh…” 

When the chance of escaping presented itself to him, did he take it? Apparently, his body was still divisive against his psyche. He entered, then wordlessly laid down on the edge of the tent, leaving plenty of room for Vaylin. It has been an eventful day for him too, so much that it didn’t take long for him to fall asleep. Vaylin stole a glance, once again surprised at how fast the Jedi crashed. 

She quietly joined him in her attempt to sleep, keeping a reasonable distance but never taking her eyes off of him. Her hands badly wanted to touch his face. She closed her eyes instead, wanting to respect his agency and follow his slumber.

But Vaylin was prone to stirring in her sleep. The crickets were loud as dawn was upon them. But what gripped her heart was how close Rio’s sleeping face was to hers that she could drink in his breathing. Carefully, she traced his skin with delicate touches. When would she be able to do this after her sentencing? The next thing she wanted was to steal another kiss.

No, she shouldn’t push her luck–the man she loved may be in her embrace at the moment, but his heart and consent were not. Though difficult, she finally resumed sleeping. That fleeting touch was enough for her.

The sleep was mysteriously better than the recent ones he had. The mystery changed into shock when he opened his eyes to a woman enclosed in his arms. Once he stealthily exited the tent yet again, he was dumbfounded by what happened last night. How could he lose control over his autonomy like that? Shaking his head, he began preparing breakfast to shake away the shame.

She woke up to the fragrance of a herbal soup, smiling at the thought of seeing him cook again. But he was nowhere near the campfire. Vaylin quietly went looking, and what she saw stopped her in her tracks. There were only a few strings covering him in the form of his underpants, showering under a smaller waterfall, facing away from her. Her mouth hung, before realizing that she was standing there just moments away from being discovered. 

Her legs shakily ran back to camp. Her brain scrambled trying to look for any distraction. It’s not like she hasn’t seen him that way before, so why the jitters? The soup starting to boil finally gave her an activity, while secretly enjoying what she just saw. Shortly after, he returned to resume cooking, refreshed by the shower and change of clothing. He greeted Vaylin, startling her. 

“G-good morning to you too. I saw your soup boiling so I stirred it.”

“Thank you! That should be ready now. Let’s put them in bowls so it can cool off a little.”

The two began eating their humble breakfast in silence before she spoke. “I’m ready to go back.”

To which the Jedi master nodded. “I’ll clean the camp up, then.”

“I’ll help.”

“It’s alright, if you want to explore further, I can wait.”

Vaylin took a moment to think about his suggestion, then accepted it. An idea flashed in her mind, needing to be done immediately. Looking around for the materials of her craft felt strangely calming. Rio took his time with the campsite, utilizing the Force for the heavier duty. When Vaylin returned, she had a beautiful smile on her face, with her hands behind her. Perhaps it was her smile that was the culprit behind the failure to control his actions. 

“I have something for you.”

Rio’s smile widened as he approached Vaylin, then turned into a grin when he saw a flower crown. He had never felt that ecstatic before, though still reserved on the outside. Seeing Vaylin on her tiptoe made him kneel, looking up with such adoration as she placed the flower crown on his head. It was akin to a knighting ceremony of some sort.

The shuttle jumped to hyperspeed. She slowly closed her eyes to take in the transitioning tunnel. Finding tranquility in hyperspace, as it might be her last. The Barshen’thor glanced behind to see serenity emitting off Vaylin, and not a blink occurred with his transfixed gaze. 

Imagine his surprise when her eyes were brilliant blue instead of fiery golden as she opened them. 

Vaylin smiled at him, quite shy upon realizing that Rio had been staring at her. Still, the Jedi was immobile–and it was beginning to make her nervous. She waved her hand in front of his face to shake him out of his trance. “Hey, you there?”

“Oh! By the Force! I’m sorry!” Rio quickly wiped his face in total embarrassment. “I must have looked like a buffoon, didn’t I?”

“Honestly, yes, you kinda did.” Vaylin teased.

His response was to chuckle shamefully. He turned back to his pilot seat, still in awe over witnessing her brand new, yet the original shade of irises she was born with. Like a teen experiencing his first crush.

But his mind automatically wiped off the sentimentality considering the situation they were heading in. There was another three hours of hyperspeed to go, as he sighed at the cluelessness on how to spend that time away. On the contrary, they both wished those three hours would be longer. They were quiet for the first major minutes, before Rio remembered something.

On our way back to base. Can you please empty the hangar to make it much easier for everyone? Thanks.

He received no reply from his twin but the hyperwave transponder confirmed the message was sent. Even if his request was ignored, he started mentally preparing to defend Vaylin once they landed. 

“Rio…”

She was met with his classic smile. “What do you plan to do for the future?” Vaylin attempted to open small talk.

“To be honest… At this point, it felt like my immediate future’s prone to unpredictability. But if you’re asking about my plan…” Rio shifted his posture to fully face her. “I want to help rebuild the Order. I think I’ve had enough adventures in my youth. I just wanted to be home.” 

“Of course. The Order is your home.”

“One of them, yes. There’s definitely other ways to define what’s a home to someone.”

She knew the hidden meaning behind his words. A cynical part of her thought that he was figuratively dangling that false hope. Or perhaps it was just her reaching. She decided to pivot the topic elsewhere.

“I’ve to ask… who’s the primary source of the aid your Alliance has been dispensing around? Or is that classified information?”

Riornivo smirked. “It is.”

“Ah.”

“But I’m talking to the relevant person, so…” Vaylin raised an eyebrow, having a small clue about what he was about to continue with after that brief pause. “Your vault… it will last us a few years, if spread around the galaxy for restorations. My brother’s handling the outsourcing, while I scout around for potential. We’re basically couriers. A shipping company, in a sense.” 

“One with an assortment of military forces?” Vaylin scoffed. “I heard that you divided the vault amongst yourselves. I’ll just say that I won’t be too happy if the thieves pocketed a large amount.”

“Well that… I can assure you that it’s a fair amount. My brother used his share to strengthen the Alliance. Mine was mostly used for reparations after Nathema. After… after we lost a significant portion of our forces.”

Nathema. The name put a stop to her train of thought. “I thought I destroyed that place. What were you doing there?”

“Hmm. Do you know a man named Vinn Atrius? He was a Horizon Guard.”

“Horizon Captain of the Seventh Batallion, Vinn Atrius?”

“He attempted to utilize, um, Zildrog… and managed to destroy almost half of our Eternal fleet. Nathema’s a completely different place now, and I think some of our Knights and scientists were still stationed there for further investigations.”

“Always knew that man was capable of this. He’s always struck me as somewhat shifty.”

“It was a well thought out plan. Perhaps my brother and I were too preoccupied with many things simultaneously that he managed to exploit a crack somewhere.”

And their conversation branched out, talking for hours with such familiarity. Counter to Vaylin’s bold mannerism was his mediator second nature, allowing for topics to meet a point before shifting to a new one. Until time felt antagonistic for having to end their bonding moments. 

“Would you… be open for future visits by your nieces as they grow?” Rio asked carefully, watching as her eyes became downcast.

“I… I feel it’s better if they don’t know me.”

“They already know you. Aside from being a regular topic there, I think you share a bond with them. Can you feel it?”

Vaylin sighed. “Yes… the moment one of them touched me.”

“Exactly. But of course, you can always change your mind later,” as the shuttle finished its hyperspace trek, displaying Odessen in front of them. “I’ll help them understand, whichever your decision.”

“Appreciate that.”

Relief washed over Rio upon seeing the military hangar empty through the cockpit window. She was the first to unbuckle the seatbelt, pulling the robe’s hood over, then swiftly proceeded towards the shuttle door. The Jedi behind her was still full of doubt and anxiety as he followed her lead.

Standing in wait was none other than the man with his face. The first word out of Riornivo’s mouth was gratitude for complying to his request. A quick glance over the security cameras prompted a response from his twin. “It’s all offline. Better make this quick and discreet. Go.” 

And he acted on Rionnic’s word by confidently grabbing Vaylin’s hand, leading her back to the isolated containment chamber. When the pair arrived at their destination, his hand tightened the grasp instead of letting go. It was quite the unusual sight for her to see him take the lead, intimidating yet somehow alluring. All they could hear was his heavy sigh, face agitated as he turned around.

“Can I… can I be allowed to visit you?”

She smiled a wistful one while shifting her gaze to their hands, moving hers. The Jedi bashfully released his clasp, embarrassed by how tight it was. 

“No.”

Her answer surprised him considering her body language before that. He wanted to argue his case, but decided against it as he wordlessly watched her return to her cell. The force field automatically closed upon her presence. His hand rested against the force field, eyes trained on hers, a phantom regret creeping beneath his psyche. But what exactly was he regretting?

“You should go help your brother. Or the Alliance. I’m not going anywhere anymore.”

Yet he resisted leaving. She decided to ease his tension by comically whipping her head away, eyes closed in a teasing manner of ignoring him. It inflicted the desired effect on him–that of endearment. He carved a parting smile, internally vowing to continue helping her.

The next step was to deal with his twin. Before he could utter a word after entering his office, Rionnic dropped his ultimatum.

“Don’t bother.”

“No, no. I just… want the capital off her. She… she must still face punishment, but…”

“Then don’t. I am merely following the law. I don’t do corruption, Jedi.”

“That’s–listen, I’m not asking you to sway anything. It’s…” Riornivo’s exasperation grew, displayed by a hand through his hair and a sigh.  “Nevermind.”

“Correct. There’s no telling what the results would be. You actually don’t have to do anything, lest you’ll jinx her fate.”

It was no secret that every word coming out of Rionnic’s mouth was true, but the possibility of her death was undeniable. The Sith looked up from his desk to his twin spacing out, brows furrowed. He could only smirk while shaking his head ever so slightly, amused by how much attachment this Jedi had for the former Empress. It was his turn to act on his attachment towards his twin brother, offering some light reassurance. 

“It could take years before court happens. Then–and if, unknown time before execution. This could also be said for your best-friend-in-white, but you don’t seem to have mentioned him once here.”

Riornivo’s expression matched the blush on his face, being caught in a memory hole. His brother’s reassurance seemed palatable, delivery notwithstanding. Both twins were then surprised by a doorbell buzz, revealing Senya on the other end. Their eyes locked in a knowing glance. The former Knight appeared weary.

“I heard from Arcann that she escaped. Have you both looked for her? I came to ask to see the recordings so I can start my search.”

“She’s here, I found her.”

Senya quietly sighed. “Then I want to ask for something else. A big… favor.”

Another moment of silence before she proceeded; her tongue heavy with doubt. 

“I can take her place. It all stemmed from me. I feel… wrongly unscathed from all the damage I’ve caused all those years ago.”

Rionnic smirked before politely retorting. “You know it doesn’t work that way.”

“Aren’t you the current Emperor? You can change any law as you please… I’m old and I don’t have much to live anymore. I want to at least atone for my sins towards her.”

“You still have a family who needs you. Forgive me if it sounds patronizing, but I think you deserve to live out your remaining years with them.” Riornivo coaxed, concerned by Senya’s depressive words. His twin however, had a different approach.

“You would be attempting to cheat justice away from her victims,” As Riornivo flashed a frown towards him. “I know the guilt you carry might be too heavy sometimes, but consider that your retribution. Vaylin and Arcann are getting theirs.”

“I’ve talked to her recently. She said she might be open to visits from her nieces once they’re older.” Riornivo interjected.

That seemed to change Senya’s mood a little. She recalled watching her granddaughters’ laughter and growth, counting her blessings, while her daughter rots in a cell. Again. Although Aryuni was always preoccupied with raising her twins, she had always made time to share in Senya’s sorrows and regrets, comforting her aging soul. The Barsen’thor continued reassuring her but at that point, it felt like background noise to her compared to her loud, internal grief.

“I think what everyone needs here is time. The most I can do is to promise you that she is under my protection, politically or otherwise.” Rionnic stated.

Senya decided to accept the card she’s been dealt with. Riornivo insisted on escorting her back to the shuttle pad, then proceeded to meet with Arcann.

“How have you been doing?”

“Amazing. Being absolutely idle has given me a new perspective in life.”

Was that sarcasm, or has Arcann gone stir crazy? Or perhaps he literally meant his words. “Um... I came to say that Vaylin has returned. Your mother was here too, just then.”

“Did they meet?”

“No, Vaylin’s rule of no visitors stands,” as he continued by relaying Vaylin’s words about his daughters. He was beginning to feel like a gossip, and perhaps the reason why Vaylin refused visitors. Arcann was receptive towards the news, stating that he would pass it along to the mother. 

He spent the next few weeks working with both defense teams, but deep down he knew he had much on his plate. From working on the Alliance itself, to helping the Jedi Order, maintaining diplomatic relations with allies, and distributing humanitarian aids, helping the Zakuulan siblings took a back seat for a while. A full month passed without seeing her. 

But Vaylin made a single exception to her visitor’s rule.

Her heart started racing as soon as she heard the name of her visitor. It was such a minimizing and subduing atmosphere, more than the near death situations she had been in, despite being completely safe. As she sat opposite to her guest, she kept her eyes on the table, somehow afraid of the ones fixated on her. The silence further weakened her resolve.

“Go on, speak to her. It’s okay, we’re all safe here.” whispered the guest’s guardian.

“I just want… I just want to show you my family,” As several recording devices were displayed on the table, Aulia began playing them one by one. Vaylin watched meekly–the recordings were all that of a happier time. A trip to the beach, baking desserts with mother, playing a traditional instrument, and other assortment of activities that seemed foreign to Vaylin’s family dynamics. The child recalled each recording wistfully, the tone of longing clear in her voice.

“And this is my father. He’s really funny but strict, and he worked as a miner… he loved tending to his little garden so much. But I watched him die... His last words to me were to stay alive. I couldn’t save anything from his garden. I couldn’t do anything because I thought I was going to die too. My crushed leg and all that blood…”

The mirialan guardian held Aulia closer to her, patting her shoulders with her arm, whispering further suggestions of leaving which she ignored. 

“That’s my little brother. He just turned three years old a week before he was killed… By one of those gold-and-black-plated Guards. I thought he was better off dead like how my father did, by bombardment. But seeing them tore him apart like he was… he was… by-by their own hands, how could someone do that? I don’t understand…”

As she should not be; she was not yet older than a decade. No child should have to experience such atrocities. When she noticed that Vaylin’s eyes were watery yet avoidant of her face, she demanded the former Empress to look at her. “Finally, my mother. She always wanted the best for me, she said. Even when sometimes it’s things I might dislike. I really, really want to tell her that I’m not annoyed anymore if she nags when I don’t wash my dishes... I don’t know if she’s dead or alive. I didn’t… see her die. But I’ve stopped hoping that I’ll see her again.”

And then there was that silence again. Vaylin knew she should have said something but the fear muted her completely. Witnessing the once fearsome Empress becoming a pathetic mess inflicted a mix of disgust and confusion for the little girl. Her guardian once again coaxed her to end the visitation which she complied to. 

“Thank you for listening. I hope… we don’t meet again.”

Vaylin’s mind was static for the first hour, her soul profusely bleeding. The regret of not saying anything came crawling up–she could have at least apologized, even if it was ultimately meaningless or outright rejected. Was her brother ever faced with something similar? Perhaps he could help in navigating this turmoil. But that would mean altering her own rule, and it seemed like a way back into her family, of whom she wanted to keep a distance from. Then there was still that fragment of pride.

But more importantly, that feeling again. Her tears were not of guilt from having murdered all of those innocent people, it was from being held accountable. She kept forcing herself to always think of the victims, to think of how much it would hurt to lose the ones she loved, while admonishing herself for failing to make sense at the end of it. Thexan’s death felt like a minor inconvenience to her back then, when it should have been devastating. It’s not as if the three of them lacked moments of a somewhat normal childhood.

“It’s alright, take a deep breath. How about you take the day off?”

“But Vaylin…”

“That’s my problem to worry about. I have just one thing I’m asking of you. Please don’t tell anyone else. We wouldn’t want the base to panic…”

“Y-yessir! Thank you–I think?”

The escape hit him in the nerves. He wanted to find her immediately, but Rionnic would know of this sooner than later. His twin was working on his usual paperwork in the office, seemingly unaware of the breaking news. Before telling it to him, he did confirm the Knight’s word by visiting her cell and retrieving the note she left.

“Red… Vaylin… Vaylin escaped.”

“Mm.” Rionnic acknowledged without glancing at his twin.

“You knew?”

“Surveillance told me.”

His lack of reaction wasn’t what perplexed Riornivo the most, it was his lack of action. He thought Rionnic hated her enough to keep her locked away, as evidenced by his attitude the entire time before this. When asked what he has done about it, nothing. The Jedi couldn’t help but to express his confoundment at Rionnic’s nonchalance towards the situation.

“You go find her, then.”

Deciding to not let the conversation turn into bickering, he exited the office and wasted no time on searching for her. Even though the note stated her intention of returning within a few days, what worried him the most was the possibility of her stumbling upon people and both of their hypothetical reactions towards each other. But he trusted her to not turn to violence, a faith he cultivated not out of naïveté, but something deeper . 

His effort started internally. The surveillance team couldn’t produce a clip as Vaylin destroyed every camera from a distance. Another perplexing matter was how she was able to do that, given the cameras were built with Force-resistant material. Perhaps she was just that powerful, or practical. He thanked his employees before proceeding to check the traffic records. It was quite a busy day for the Alliance fleet operating on both military and humanitarian purposes. He tried to narrow down his guesses by comparing the timing of the initial report and travel logs.

Two instances caught his attention. A military and humanitarian run. 

The military objective was to intercept a rogue Mandalorian faction aboard the Spirit of Vengeance. The humanitarian destination was Dubrillion. His mind weighed the probability of Vaylin being in either place and decided to choose the humanitarian option. While on the way there, he couldn’t help but to inquire with his twin about the passiveness.

“I’m busy. Vizla needs me elsewhere.”

“But I thought you were… I thought you wanted to stop her?”

“Do you want it to be blunt or sharp?”

“Wha-”

“Blunt it is. You take on a leadership role. You said you’re busy, you have allies to attend to. But this other urgent matter concerned your-”

“Alright, I get it.”

This time, it was the younger twin who ended the call abruptly. It produced a smirk from Rionnic. Perhaps this was his plan all along? But to what end, and for what, exactly?

“Aulia!” 

Vaylin exclaimed, hushed yet terrified. She dropped the Knight helmet out of shock, while Aulia remained stiff. The gradual change of the child’s face broke her heart, and both of them started trembling for different reasons. 

“You… you did this. Why? Why did our lives not matter to you? Wh-why… Why did you have to take away my leg? My family?” Aulia condemned with fearless tears. Every word out of the child’s mouth felt like blunt force trauma for Vaylin, who finally understood the concept of remorse.

“I… I’m…”

“No reason? For no reason then? Just because you can? If that’s-”

Aulia was cut off by a teenage boy–probably her relative–scooping her up then bolting away, while screaming at her. “Don’t talk to her! Do you want to die?!”

“Wait!”

But that was clearly pointless. Her mind immediately turned to flight response; the two children definitely alerted the others of her presence once they escaped. She needed to do the same, and the Alliance ship wasn’t a good place to hide, lest she would be recaptured. She wasn’t ready to return to her cell yet. Her legs took her to wherever it ran, as long as she disappeared from view. Perhaps she should steal a shuttle to go off-world?

She took a moment to regain her composure, trying to calm her breathing by leaning against a wall. She knew there were people inside of the building, but she believed that she was moving quietly enough. Tears were rolling down her cheeks, but she couldn’t afford to wipe them off by removing her helmet.

Before anyone could see her, she began moving again. Finding a vehicle without too much  presence around it was difficult, but eventually she managed to find one. The shuttle had an Alliance emblem on it, but what mattered the most was the lack of security. As she quietly approached her objective, a hand on her shoulder startled her to the point of stopping her heartbeat. “Ahh!”

Immediately she drew her lightsaber after stepping away from the person who caught her. She cancelled everything once she realized who it was. It was that smile again.

“Are you alright? Do you need hel-”

He wasn’t given a chance to finish speaking when she threw herself at him, squeezing tight. The armor pieces hitting his body were moderately painful, causing him to flinch. His pain however, wasn’t a priority compared to how tight her arms were around his ribcage. His mind jokingly thought that he should learn how to get better at catching surprise hugs.

“Yes! I need help!” Vaylin whimpered. She released her grip on his body–her hands were now doing the gripping on both of his arms. “Please take me away from here!”

“Y-yes, um, let’s go to my shuttle then.”

She was ahead of him, running in fear. It saddened him to see her this way, but a part of him knew that it was a natural consequence and what makes the journey difficult. But he was determined to help her. When he boarded the shuttle, she was already in the co-pilot seat. The shuttle departed Dubrillion without a single word exchanged between the two. Being in his presence was such a comforting feeling, proven when she unequipped her helmet to wipe the exhaustion off her face. 

“So… where to?” He uttered the first words.

The look in her eyes was empty, finally answering while still zoning out. “Where else… back to prison of course.”

He wanted to question her decision but decided against it. But when he was punching the hyperspace coordinates in, she spoke out again. “Actually, can we go somewhere else first? Anywhere but Odessen…”

“Hmm…” He made a gesture of thinking. Perhaps the waterfalls and beautiful vistas of Makeb could be a calming environment for her? The shuttle jumped to hyperspace shortly after; then landing on a mesa called Frinn. Despite not conversing much, both of them were past the point of awkwardness with each other. What actually silenced Vaylin however, was Aulia’s words repeating in her head.

She was startled into reality again when Riornivo got up from his seat, being stopped in his tracks by her reaction. “Want to explore around?” He softly offered; which was met with her empty gaze. Again, he had to wait for a response. Her eyes wandered around, inspecting the scenery outside, then comparing it to the ship’s interior. Better than to be cooped up inside, she thought.

“Right…”

Reluctantly, she stood up and slid her helmet back on. Both of them proceeded with him carrying a large bag of essentials–as if they were staying or vacationing. He pulled the hood of his robes over, tentatively shrouding his identity. Her sight hung around his hand, wanting to hold it while they walked, but she tightened the grasp around herself instead. The shuttle door opened to the bright weather of Makeb, and the first thing she saw was a house with average reconstruction after the damage caused by the groundquake years ago. 

The Jedi entered the house with a greeting to the elderly Zabrak couple living there. Warm conversations and gratitude were heard when he distributed the supplies from his bag to them. Vaylin’s decision to stay outside was challenged when Rio offered her to come inside, which she declined. Minutes later, he bid farewell and brought Vaylin to their actual destination.

“Those were your friends?”

“Yes, I’m just asking for permission to go to the spot nearby. They keep insisting it’s not necessary but it’s better to let them know.”

It didn’t take long to arrive at an abandoned encampment behind a wall of rocks, complete with the waterfall and some juvenile makrins harmlessly crawling around. Vaylin was awed by the beauty of nature, and the fact that it was secluded enough for privacy. Although she has been on this planet before, this hidden paradise was certainly a welcome surprise. She mentally thanked him for providing a healing environment for her heart and mind. 

“My sister recently cleared this area of the Exchange. They’ve been troubling the people here, including Tumbleweed over there.” As Rio waved gently at the oldest and largest makrin not far from them.

“Are we not… intruding?”

“Don’t worry, she’s a friendly one. She gets visitors every now and then.”

The Jedi started cleaning around the tent’s vicinity, setting up the site for their camping session once again. In her mind, a new dream of going to all of the camping trips with him was born, immediately becoming unattainable. To cherish in however long this one would be, she began stripping the armor parts, leaving only the dark outfit underneath. She felt so much lighter, and the child’s words temporarily vanished from her mind.

“Thank you for taking me here. I love the scenery… Is this secluded enough?”

“No one should be here since they haven’t been informed of the Exchange's defeat,” as he looked around, when suddenly Vaylin’s stomach performed a crescendo. The stale bread from earlier wasn’t enough to offset the amount of exertion she did using the Force. “It’s my turn to cook now!” Riornivo gushed, while pointing a finger up. Vaylin however, was more embarrassed than hungry. 

He began rummaging the supply bag, arranging wrapped vegetables on top of the table on the side of the tent. A small container held the meaty ingredients. Before starting, he washed his hands and vegetables on the nearby creek and flashed her a smile on his way back to cooking. She offered to help, which he tried to decline but ended up assigning her the task of lighting the campfire instead. The part that took long was gathering the wood, while the fire sparked instantly with her force lightning. 

Just like old times.

She chose to sit by the small fire, watching the sparks fly. In the figurative sense, she has stopped hoping for the sparks to fly between them, though the feeling was still deep. There was something bigger than the both of them weighing her down. The sight of him cooking on the fire pulled her away from the dark place she was slowly descending to.

“It smells so good.” She complimented quietly.

“I hope it’ll taste just as good, then.” 

Her smile was sheepish yet sad; while waiting for the soup to boil and meat to marinate, he fetched her water. She thanked him, then the next moment was just quiet. He didn’t feel the need to ask her anything because he wanted her to feel at ease. As for her, it was a mystery about why she was so nervous trying to talk to him, but she managed anyway. 

“How… How did you find me?” 

“I was told you escaped. I studied the ship logs and the humanitarian aid one stood out to me. When I arrived, they were recalling every Knight because someone spotted you there. So… yes, you were the only Knight roaming around.” As he lowered his gaze, displaying a reddish tint on his face. 

She wanted to say how glad she was that he was the one who found her but decided against it. Her mind couldn’t come up with topics to break the silence–what she wanted the most was physical touches of solace, but that seemed inappropriate. All she could take at that moment was watching him cook, looking so desirable yet so… unattainable.  

She shook her head. Riornivo was not an object to obtain, and she already played her hand with a heartbreaking result. But his silence was starting to become unnerving. Her body moved away from the fire, walking towards the rushing waterfall. Before she was too far ahead, he exclaimed;

“I’ll let you know when the food’s ready!” 

The sound of waterfalls around her weren’t enough to silence her mind. Her sadistic laughter upon seeing the mangled people in the recording she took of the bombings was echoing in her skull. She wanted to kill the Vaylin who laughed at dead children. Perhaps what the evil twin did to her was more than justified. Her fingers lightly sparked with lightning, contemplating her next action.

“Vaylin?”

That stopped her in her tracks. That gentle yet deep voice calling her name, caught her again from the abyss. 

“Let’s eat.”

Without words, she moved ahead of him, enticed by hunger. There was a plate already served for her, consisting of glazed meat, grains, vegetables, and a small bowl of soup. The flavor of the first bite was immaculate, increasing her devouring speed. The Jedi beamed upon seeing her seemingly liking his food, but advised her to slow down. He then joined her lunch experience. 

“Thank you for this. It’s delicious.”

Again, he smiled and proceeded to try taking her dishes, to which she declined. “I can wash my own dishes.”

He backed away, the smile replaced with a surprised expression. “Sorry, I didn't mean to be overbearing.”

“You weren’t at all. Don’t take it the wrong way, please.” Her tone was sweeter than usual.

“N-no, of course!”

Watching her eagerly creating a distance between them made him think that she wanted to be left alone, resulting in him choosing the other creek to wash his plates. When they met again by the fire, she quickly put away the dishes before heading towards her previous spot, reinforcing the distant demeanor he was sensing from her. If space was what she wanted, he’d respect that by staying around the campsite in case she needed him.

But the hours passed by without her presence. Concern started growing, as he put down the datapad he was writing with. He had to walk a little further away from the camp to find her. 

Her posture indicated distress. She was hugging her knees, burying her face in it. He slowly approached her, sitting next to the woman he loved. When she finally lifted her face up, he noticed tears on her cheeks. 

“Do you want to talk about it…?” He coaxed, whispery and tender.

“I do... but I don’t know how.”

“Take your time. I’m here.”

Those simple words were so comforting to hear, reducing the difficulty of her brain to articulate her heart. 

“I’m left with two choices, Rio. Either to go back to my old life of imprisonment, or live my life running away from everything…” As she sobbed, choking on her own words.

“And… and do I deserve to even… make those decisions? After all I’ve done? I still want a life for myself… which I don’t deserve! Which I took away from all of those people!”

“Vaylin…”

“I hated her. I hated that I used to rejoice seeing them dead. I hated that I failed to overcome my upbringing–to become something other than… than that. I… I’m ashamed. I’m tired…”

He put a hand on her shoulder, tentatively stroking it. She decided to let go of her self-imposed inhibition to seek shelter in his arms. Whether it was vulnerable or weak, she truly needed his touch and warmth. He was hesitant to close his arm around her, but he too, let go of his inhibition. His fingers lovingly ran through her hair, both of them basking in the wordless moment. The crying took what remained of her energy, steadily drifting off to a slumber.

“Thank you. I’m touched you thought of me. Um… how are you doing?”

“Shouldn’t I be asking you that? I’m fine, I just found a lead on my objective. Also, Arn’s going to be Knighted next week, just wanna tell you that.”

“That’s amazing! I’ll be sure to attend and give my commendations.”

Tau chuckled. “Look, don’t worry about it. I’ll try to holo you if you can’t make it.”

It always warmed his head whenever he was around Tau’s presence, for reasons unknown. Perhaps it was the way she carried herself, or her beautiful features. Further into their conversation, Tau looked like she just realized something. She hesitated for a second before delivering the news.

“Have you watched the broadcast? I can hardly believe that Vaylin is actually alive, after all this time. But I’m glad she won’t be a problem anymore. She and her brother might be sentenced harshly.”

To say that Riornivo was gobsmacked was an understatement. His reaction surprised her, and they were both speechless for a few seconds. The Barsen’thor snapped out of it, embarrassed by the figurative potential of a fly entering his gaping mouth. “I, um… she’s… alive?”

“You seem… surprised.” Tau could sense that wasn't the right word, but asking more felt like prying. The atmosphere turned awkward, when they were mingling with mirth just then. She bid farewell to her fellow Jedi after stating her intention of resuming her mission.

He had to take a moment to sit and digest the information presented to him. That was what his senses were telling him, he thought. Vaylin’s anonymity was never promised permanence, but he didn’t think it would be revealed this soon. Anxiety scoured his psyche, wanting to meet her immediately. There was another thought of how it came to this, which led him to phoning his twin brother. The first few dials failed with a busy signal.

“Red.”

“Can we talk later? I’m-”

“Please, Red. I know-” “I know you know. I think it’s best if we talk in person. I’ll come there tomorrow, don’t go anywhere.”

Rionnic quickly ended the call, feeling unprepared to talk about the situation. He was fortunately saved from follow up calls by his sister knocking on Riornivo’s door. Vyria immediately sighed upon looking at her brother’s facial expression. Before he could utter a single word however; “Hold on. Just… hold on a minute okay? Let me go get my tea real quick!”

Vyria returned as fast as she went. Seeing her face meek and frowny made Riornivo rein back on his intense desire for the truth. This would be a calm and rational conversation–the basics of being a Jedi. 

“Yeah, alright, okay, you’re going to talk about her. Look, before anything, I haven’t been on Odessen since I got here. This is all I’ve heard from Red. She’s safe with her brother. She turned herself in, no casualties–no fuss. I think her Mom’s with the grandkids. Uhh… what else is there…”

“Thank you. Please be at ease, Snowy. I see that you’re quite flustered.”

His observation was confirmed by her taking a big gulp from her cup. “Oh, oh yeah… one more thing. She uh, she doesn’t wanna see anyone. Including you.”

Riornivo nodded. Frankly, his reaction wasn’t what Vyria was expecting.

“Huh… okay, here's some advice you didn’t ask for,” as Vyria’s index finger shot up, her face relaxing. “Maybe this time, you should heed her request–leave her alone, and don’t play into your feelings for her, okay? Remember the Code.”

“W-what feelings? I’m just concerned–didn’t you say Arcann was there too?”

“Ugh, you’re so bad at lying. But you reaaaallly have to listen. Give her space and time,” and then Vyria got up from her seat to leave; “Oh, and… could you uh, bake me a Bestine Threeberry pie again? The one with the golden sauce.”

He gave his sister an affirmation with a chuckle, but not a second later it reminded him of the taste of Vaylin’s cooking. His smile faded. He couldn’t help but feel as if she was plunged back into the worst time of her life all over again, undoing the progress they both have been through. Whether the latter part was true or not, all he could do was nothing, and it corroded him inside.

Perhaps he should write her a letter. With ink.

The first few drafts stacked the refuse bin, but then he remembered to not leave any trace of correspondence between them. Every letter started with an apology. What he wanted was to clarify his feelings towards her, but the concept sounded a little too illogical for him. He tried rationalizing the resistance towards it by two fronts: that it was not what Vaylin needed at that time of strife, and he wanted to keep it to himself. Vaylin deserved more than a man such as him. He kept delaying finishing the letter, as life kept borrowing him away from her.   

But the letter was smuggled in anyway, now in Vaylin’s hands. She kept staring at it, almost going a full day without opening it.

For a cell so completely anti-Force, the lack of intense surveillance perplexed her. Was the Alliance undermanned or under-funded? But it was definitely better than her cell in Nathema. She recalled how there was no privacy inside the glass-walled cage–just another factor designed to break her will. There were no taunts, no torture, no experiments, no conditioning. It was more than she deserved, she thought. 

There were no visitors allowed as per her request, except for Serrus, who handed her the letter. 

Dear Vaylin,

I hope this letter finds you well, despite your circumstances. I want to apologize for the way we parted ways that day. I wish things would have been different… You’ve been an invaluable lesson for me, and I don’t want it to stop. But if you wish to not see me, I respect that. If it’s the opposite instead, I will eagerly fly to your side. You can always confide in me about anything.

Your nieces are healthy and loved. I visited Aryuni and Senya the other day. Understandably, they were deprived of the spirit and drive they once had, but I’m going to help them through it. I’ll make sure they’d always have everything they need without assuming Arcann’s role. Speaking of him, we talked recently about logistics and the reason behind your decision. Without talking to you directly, I can only take Arcann’s words with discretion. We’re working together with your defense team for the trial.

I know you want to be responsible for your actions, but I can’t help believing that you deserve compassion, or another chance living the life free of your father’s dominion and isolation. 

I apologize if my words offend you… or come across as patronizing. You are a strong, independent, insightful, and talented woman. The more I get to know you, the more I admire you. I treasure the times we spent together, and I thank you for being the person you are.

Warmest regards,

Riornivo

She scanned the letter repeatedly to look for something more obvious. It left her feeling rejected yet again, it was as if he was saying nothing while skirting around the subject they should be discussing between them. Of course, the news about her nieces and the outside world was a relief to hear, but it was nothing Serrus had not already relayed to her. She crumpled then threw the letter, annoyed at his empty yet honeyed words. It was unexplainable, but she didn’t feel abandoned this time. The people who mattered to her were all in her corner, and she was sure they’d understand her condition of wanting solitude. Especially that stupid Jedi.

She picked the letter back up, straightened it and kept it inside a cabinet.

Shortly after, a group of Knights and droids delivered additional amenities for her. Even without looking inside their helmets, she could tell that they were on high alert, some nervous, some afraid of her presence. The only words exchanged were that of the Paladin stating their purpose then excusing themselves.

There was an easel with art supplies, a holonet receiver, some gardening equipment, and a datapad. Most of these objects could hypothetically be used as tools for escaping, and she was sure Rionnic knew of that. But from her point of view, this generosity felt unusual for someone like him. Was it his twin brother instead? 

She ignored the new additions to her cell and went to sleep.

From the next day onwards, there were interrogations after another. She mostly spaced out during them, unable to disperse that foggy layer made of his words. Another part of her desperately reached around the darkness for the remorse she should be feeling. 

“Vaylin? Are you listening?”

“It was Arcann who ordered it. I’m just an observer.”

“And what about Voss? Exactly six months and twenty one days after the… five worlds.”

“That was me.”

She admitted to every single crime and atrocities. That wasn’t a popular move with her defense team, but they were aiming for damage reduction anyways. Those discussions with them were droll to her–she wanted to get it over with while leaning towards capital punishment. An instance stood out to her though; one of her lawyers had a wild idea of her seeking asylum in the Empire. He pitched the idea as a gamble: that maybe she would be feared and respected over there, instead of facing consequences. Another lawyer, a Neimoidian woman named Britu, laughed at that.

“You’re kidding, right? Don’t waste our visitation time. Focus on our case!”

She wouldn’t want that anyways; she’s had enough of being used as a weapon. When asked about Arcann’s choice, the lawyers responded by working towards a life sentence. Understandable, as his twin daughters still needed their father. The next days proceeded as usual for her; utilizing the tools she was given with. She painted an abstract piece depicting broken wings representing light amidst the blood and darkness.

Deep down, she felt a vague unfulfillment looming over her heart. 

She waited until there was a break from building her case to utilize the tools given to her for escaping. The note she left stating that she would return to her cell after a few days would probably be ignored, but that’s their problem. All of her escape attempts failed at Nathema, but Odessen felt like it was intentionally unguarded. Was this a ploy of the evil twin? To make her punishment even worse, perhaps?

Being a new master of disguises, she successfully got off the planet by sneaking into an aid shipment and landed on Dubrillion. The feeling of distributing aid to the people she massacred was indescribable. Her hands were shaking. A child amputee was among the ones receiving food from her hands. The girl smiled and thanked her.

“Auntie? Why are your hands shaking?”

It wasn’t just her hands, but her voice as well. “U-uh I, I just… haven’t had b-breakfast yet! Don’t worry about me!”

It wasn’t as if she hadn't seen an amputee before–the example was one of her own blood. But the sight and smell of the destruction did something different to her this time. The way the child hurdled back to wherever she came from, limping and alone. Her co-workers ushered her to resume the distribution upon seeing her idle, but she couldn’t function well due to the overwhelming feeling. She tried defining what it was.  

She was scared of those victims. 

Soon it was break time for the Alliance crew. Her coworkers barely ate anything, and instead spent the time preparing for more aid and helping the restoration effort–the latter had the most participants of the Force-wielding nature, including her. Her Knight disguise allowed her to freely utilize the Force, but cautiously so as to not alert the others of her power. Brick by brick, she reconstructed some destroyed houses and infrastructures. While most of the Alliance personnel retreated to rest their tired bodies, she kept on going. Throughout the process, anxiety never loosened its grip on her. It didn’t matter how many buildings she helped to repair, the dread would not go away.

As the day turned to dusk, she was again approached by the girl from earlier. 

“Hi auntie… we’ve been watching you for so long. Would you want to join us and rest? Please? Aren’t you tired?”

The sweetness of the girl’s tone made her finally stop. When the girl escorted her with the hand on her remaining arm, it made her weak. It didn’t help that the girl almost resembled her twin nieces. She altered her voice as best as she could to ask for the girl’s name.

“My name’s Aulia. What’s yours?

“Um… Syl. You can call me Syl.”

She didn’t dare say a word throughout their short journey to the encampment. There she saw children playing joyfully despite their circumstances. Some Republic soldiers were cooking food en masse, some medics applying tourniquets, some were preparing for a funeral not far from there. 

“He survived initially–for almost a year... Which is remarkable despite the lack of resources we have to help him. The last of his family. But we’ve let him know that he’s loved and remembered…”

The hushed eulogy she overheard distracted her from Aulia who handed her a bread. She apologized sheepishly, but couldn’t think of an excuse as to why she wouldn’t eat the bread yet. Undoing her disguise there would be like a death sentence, especially with how she was careful to stay in Aulia’s good graces. She prayed that the child would buy her next excuse: that she had to answer nature's call first. Luckily, it worked.

She planned to eat but not before finding a spot away from any eyes on her. 

Taking off her Knight helmet, she began eating the bread, which was stale. Every few bites, she kept rotating her head around, paranoid and jittery. It was such an effort to calm herself down–the helmet made things worse, but she had to put it back on before anyone saw her.