The snowstorm outside raged in, buffeting the hull of the ship and rocking it slightly. Kestri's winds were violent, uncontainable. Just like those who called it home. Elise Viszla gazed out the window, at the intense, blinding snow whirling and dancing outside. Her elbow was propped against the wall, and her chin was plopped in her palm. She was doing everything she could to control herself, and to keep her emotions carefully hidden.
Of course, the person she was hiding them from was the worst person to attempt this with.
Elise's own gifting in the Force was inherited from her mother, who herself was Force Sensitive - and especially talented with her ability to Sense all things with it. Gwyneira Vizsla's ability to read Elise like a book was uncanny, frightening even. Elise had never kept a secret from her. It was useless trying! Of course, if Gwyn's potent Force Sense could not find her out, her ability to naturally read her own daughter was. She had given birth to her, and raised her the best she could.
Elise sighed. She had done a good job, and she was so sorry to let her down...
Keeping her mental walls up the best she could, Elise did her best to create an illusion of an unbothered, neutral mood in the outskirts of her mind. She tried to carefully think on lengthy, boring texts of Shamanic texts, or hologram voice recordings of Force Techniques. It was hard, however, to focus on anything else but what she was about to do.
From the pilot's seat, her mother grunted in frustration. Elise blinked slowly, looking over to where Gwyn was struggling to control her ship. Gwyn was a great pilot. To be struggling the way she was, this definitely was a volatile storm. Elise was silently thankful. It gave her something else to focus on.
Eventually, the ship made a sudden thud. Elise jumped, gasping as she lifted her head from her palm. Gwyneira sighed in relief, leaning back in her seat as she chuckled, "Made it!"
Elise chuckled alongside her, nervously. It was a successful landing, in Tor Valum's primary docking bay. Worry flooded Elise's head, as Gwyn now was able to fully pay attention to her daughter.
Gwyn stood up. In no hurry, she stretched and yawned. In casual clothes, she turned and walked to the door, "You really should ride this storm out, dear. I'm sure Archais can wait until morning."
She reached to par her head as she passed. Elise closed her eyes, doing everything she could to keep her mind locked tight. Gwyn's hand harmlessly ruffled Elise's hair as she passed. Elise opened her eyes. As Gwyn left, Elise let out a sigh of relief.
According to the holonet, this storm was supposed to rage on for another thirty three hours.
How was she going to last thirty three hours?
Dinner was torture.
With Mevia training with her new friend, Yael Kandar, Elise was stuck as the only family eating with her mom. The food itself was great. Gwyn had never been an amazing cook, like Elise's father had been, but she had certainly gotten good through the years. Eating in complete silence, however, was painful. Carefully guarding herself, Elise was completely silent as her mom sat across the table, devouring her food like she had not eaten in weeks.
Elise raised an eyebrow at that. Her mom must have forgotten to eat meals recently again...
"Buir..."
Gwyn looked up at her. Her cybernetic eyes were strong enough to pierce straight through her facade, but Elise was able to keep it up.
"When was the last time you ate?"
Gwyn only nervously chuckled.
"Buir!"
"I ate breakfast at least!"
"Today?"
"Yesterday..."
"Buir!"
The two burst out into a laughing fit. Suddenly, dinner felt more natural again.
"If your kids weren't here regularly to cook for, you probably wouldn't eat at all!" Elise pointed towards Gwyn with her fork, playfully jabbing at her mother's time blindness.
Gwyn put on an innocent face, snarky humor written on her mischievous smile, "Aw, c'mon! I would remember to eat! After finishing that two week long project."
"Buir," Elise shook her head, "What am I going to do with you?"
Yes, what are you going to do? Her thoughts jeered at her, And if you are not there for her, who will watch over your mother dearest?
With a sigh, Elise did her best to stay conscious. Unwilling to let her guard drop if she drifted into sleep, the Dreamseer continued to practice her Mandalorian Core technique in the empty cargo bay. Wearing a light training outfit, she continued to punch and kick an imaginary opponent. Sweat coated her body as she trained, staying active so her mind would not wander. She had... so much... before her. But she had to keep her mind clear, and not let her emotions escape her tight mental barrier. She grimaced, redoing a part of this kata she was struggling with, in her exhausted state. She had not slept in approximately fifteen hours.
At least, her mother was spending her time working on the ship's engine just outside. She was focused on making her rounds in ship maintenance, and that meant she suspected nothing. - Elise gasped, falling to the floor as she tripped. She tripped? She never tripped while training! The girl pulled herself up and sat on the floor, dazed. She must have been more tired than she thought! She grunted, pulling herself up. She wanted to train more, but her shaking legs were begging her to stop. And so, with a hefty sigh, she limped towards the refresher in her mother's quarters.
She peeled her training clothes off and leaned against the back of the shower, turning on the cold water - then setting it to hot. Steam rolled around her as her body relaxed, and she soon slid to the foot of the shower and curled into a ball. Her eyes dropped, but the isolation of being in this shower allowed her a sense of security. Tears clouded her vision, and they rolled down her cheeks. As her tears joined the army of water droplets pounding into her face, she sobbed.
I can't do this! I can't do this! I can't!
Her fist pounded against the shower wall next to her as she gritted her teeth, "Kark! Kark it! Kark it!"
The shower continued to run as Elise entered a bitter meltdown.
With a moan, Elise woke up. Wrapped in warmth, she felt a strange sense of peace as she snuggled further into some heavy blankets. Her eyes fluttered open, slow and lazy, as she gazed up at a ceiling. It was familiar, but Elise realized that this was not her own room. She stared up, confused for a moment, before the realization struck her.
This was her mom's bed.
She gasped, panicked, as she shot right up. Throwing the blankets off, she jumped out of the bed. She realized she still felt quite comfortable, and looked down to see fresh pajamas on her body. She paused, trying to figure out how she got here. She last remembered being in the shower! If she was in bed, comfortable, and fresh as a daisy, that meant...
"Buir..."
Elise darted out of the quarters, her mind racing. Her mother obviously had found her passed out in the shower and took care of her. But what else did she see? Had Elise's mind been just as exposed in her slumber? What did her mom read in her mind?
She skidded to a halt in the hallway, gritting her teeth as she teared up once again. She had been so careful! But she was also lonesome, ashamed, and scared. She stood in the hallway, her heart pounding, as the truth she herself had been avoiding screamed at her. Frightened and alone, she hugged herself as she contemplated melting into the floor.
"You know you can hide nothing from me."
The voice from behind her damned the girl. She closed her eyes, accepting her fate. "Yes..."
"You understand what I have to do."
Elise turned around, tears falling, and gazed into the barrel of her mother's cyroban blaster pistol.
She too was shedding tears of remorse.
"I am a Karjr, a marshal of Mandalorian law." Gwyn spoke in a melancholy, tired voice, "My duty is to protect the Enclave, and to bring down any threats to its wellbeing within its borders."
Elise shivered, feeling new sweat clinging to her clothes. Her clothes... Elise looked down at the soft, silk pajama top and pants that had been put on her with care. Care... and where she woke up. She looked back up to her mother, and she dared to speak up.
"Then why didn't you imprison me when you had the chance?" She accused, voice hoarse as her throat tightened, "I was asleep, tired. But I didn't wake up in binds."
Gwyneira remained still for a moment, her hand shaking as she gripped her pistol.
"Why didn't you arrest me then?"
Gwyneira stood there for a moment more, then she lowered her pistol. With a sigh, she slumped, and Elise suddenly remembered that her mother was not the spry, young woman she once was. Aged wrinkles bunched up around her eyes as she looked away, heartbroken. "I noticed way before you fell asleep in the shower."
Elise's eyes widened. She was far from surprised at her mother's telepathic capabilities, but instead shocked that she refrained from acting.
"I... was still hopeful... that you would talk to me."
As the pistol fell to the floor, Elise frowned. So her mother knew all along, what Elise was planning. Unable to look her in the eyes, Elise looked down at the fallen pistol. "I'm a traitor."
"You're also my daughter."
Elise felt the sting of remorse at her mother's stubborn refusal to give up on her child. Elise looked away from her mother's feet, away from her. She could not look at her mother, with the secret laid out between them.
"I may not agree with your actions, but you are still my baby girl. Just like Mevia."
Her mom sobbed, as Elise looked up in a fleeting moment. She wanted to hug her, comfort her, but she then remembered the reason for her tears. She held back. Gwyneira, however, took a step forward. Eyes wide, the Karjr spoke, "I don't even agree with my father, the leader of these crusades. Honey, I-..."
Gwyn took another step forward, another sob wrecked her frame. "I only-..."
She paused sharply and inhaled. Elise's eyes once again drifted to the pistol, untouched since it had been dropped. After a long moment of staring at the pistol, Elise was shocked when her mom's arms gently wrapped around her.
"Baby girl, regardless of what happens from here, I love you."
Elise's eyes widened.
Gwyneira hugged her tighter, "And I'm proud of you."
Closing her eyes, Elise gasped air in and choked. She returned the embrace. "Buir!"
The two Mandalorians, mother and daughter, held each other closely. They cried, clinging to each other as their paths edged closer and closer to separating. Elise never wanted to leave. She wanted to stay here, forget all her troubles, and be a little kid again. Her mother would hold her as she cried over a bruised knee or paper cut on her finger; and she would chuckle warmly as she kissed her and assured her all would be well. But those days were gone. Now, Elise was an adult. A full fledged Mandalorian, who had passed her Verd'goten, and was free to choose her own path. No matter how much that path caused excruciating pain... for both parties...
Elise felt more alone than ever when her mother pulled away. She was only left untouched for a moment, however, as her mom pulled her hair back and started tying it into a messy ponytail.
"Dry your eyes, my love. Face the future with courage. If I've trained you well, you will survive. You follow your convictions, and you fight as fervently as any Mandalorian with a mission before them.."
Gwyneira's hands moved slowly away, lowering. All the love, gentleness, and pride shone in her tearful eyes as she smiled, "Be strong, Jac'Eli'Serum. Stay safe. But most importantly, live a life you will be proud of."
Elise stood, mesmerized by her mother's words and actions. But she took a step back, closing her eyes.
"Now go."
Elise's heart skipped a beat, the dawn of her new life before her.
"Go!"
Elise turned and ran away, darting into the cargo bay. She paused, seeing her beskar'gam, weapons, and a backback with supplies laying in front of the door. Cursed by her mother's mercy, she approached her gear and reached out, placing a shaking hand on her buy'ce.
Now, there was no turning back.
