Private An Extended Leave of Absence

[Thirdas Heavenshield]

Ranger Compound
Silver Rest
Kashyyyk

Colonel Braden raised a non-existent eyebrow from behind his desk. The Togrutan officer inspected the young lieutenant before him, yellow eyes switching between him and the request form sitting on his desk, all filled in by the applicant. "You are sure about this, Lieutenant?" Thirdas seemed absent for a second, before offering a distant nod and whispered his reply. "Yes, sir."

"Son, is this about Dorn Company on Nar Shaddaa? About Tulan Kor and the others going AWOL? I told you, you've nothing to worry about; you weren't present when it happened. Your records remain clean." He gave a soft shake of his head. "No, sir."

"I heard about Yavin. What a sh*tshow..." Braden sighed, studying the datapad one more time. "I just... need some time, Colonel," came his meager explanation. His weary gaze told the Togrutan all he needed to know, and he nodded in response.

"Very well," he returned to sit behind his desk, grabbing the datapad and signing it. "Extended leave of absence approved, Lieutenant Heavenshield."

The Togrutan got up and walked around the front of his desk to stand before the tall blone. "You know, with Dorn Company no longer in action Task Force Raider is effectively disbanded. I had hoped, once you were out of the hospital, to ask you to head up a new task force of your own choosing, but then this lands on my desk."

"I am... honoured, sir. I guess you will have to wait a while longer. I'm not yet ready for such a command."

There was a look of genuine concern from the Colonel, who placed a hand upon Thirdas' shoulder. "You're a hell of a soldier, Thirdas. One of the best. You go do what you need to do, and then return to us. We need you." Count on Braden to care for the men under his command. Thirdas saluted his superior officer, a slight tremble in his hand. "Thank you, Colonel. For everything."

His stance relaxed as he exited Braden's office and strode through the busy hallway. Alone with his thoughts, everyone else he passed by appeared as little else than ghosts, blurry shadows floating past. Hands in his pockets, Thirdas reached the exit and took a deep breath in the fresh air. In his troubled mind, those walls he'd once felt so at home within now felt like a prison, closing in on him. He needed to be free of the shackles of the very organisation he loved so dearly.

He made for his apartment to collect his things, all packed and ready. He didn't expect a knock on the door.

Kyra Perl ​

 

[Kyra Perl]

Dreams.

They were everywhere lately.

In her sleep, her meditations, her wayward thoughts. Echoes of moments that shouldn't be kept reaching out to Kyra, haunting her. She didn't know how she knew Thirdas was leaving, the feeling had been coming to her over the last week, growing stronger until today. Today she couldn't let it go.

She jumped into action without thought. Images of Nida Perl and Romi Jade floating through her as she quickly packed a bag. It wasn't much, the bare essentials. There was very little her mother's money couldn't afford and no reason for Kyra to think she wouldn't be able to access it. Her family was falling apart. A month ago the concept of working with Thirdas willingly would have been ludicrous. Today?

She wasn't letting him go without her.

She flew down the stone steps leading to the Ranger compound, the beauty of the rich green forest lost to the girl as moved with single minded focus. The urge to reach Thirdas pulled tight on her chest, her expression severe as she scattered to his door.

Knock knock knock.

The door wooshed open to reveal a disheveled, ill groomed, tired Perl with an arm still trapped in a sling. For once in her life, Kyra looked nothing like the person they had both lost.

Nida took showers.

She tilted her chin up at Thirdas, a sense of stubbornness to her tone as she asserted, "I'm coming with you."


Thirdas Heavenshield

 

[Thirdas Heavenshield]

Kyra was likely the last person he'd expected to find on the other side of his front door, looking like a lost puppy. Much like himself, probably. Thirdas leaned against his doorframe with his arms crossed as she stated her reason for coming to see him. It was a blunt statement, one that made him pause.

His gaze then fell upon the mangled arm resting in its sling. There was no way.

"No. You're not," he was forced to conclude, knowing his answer would not sit well with her. He then turned around and walked back inside his apartment to fetch his bag and swing his mother's sniper rifle around his back to meet her at the entrance again. Rather than just leave it at that, Thirdas stopped outside his front door while locking it using his keycard to elaborate on his answer.

"Going after Nida is extremely dangerous. Suicidal, even," he turned to her with a sympathetic look before heading down the stairs with her in tow. "I'm sorry, but I can't do my job while also having to worry about you keeping up all the time. That arm of yours is only going to slow both of us down."

Having reached the bottom of the stairs and facing the front door to the entire apartment building, Thirdas turned to her and even kneeled down to her level and placed his cybernetic hand upon her shoulder. He wanted to let her know how serious he was, old grudges be damned. He owed her that much after she saved his life on Yavin.

"Please listen to me, Kyra. I'm just another soldier, all I know is how to kill and kill well. But you are a Jedi, capable of so much more than I ever could. Besides, if I knew you were back here safe and sound while I'm out there... It would feel like a part of Nida remains preserved. And should I fall to the enemy, nothing of significant worth will be lost."

He stood and pushed the door open, stepping out into the sun. He basked in it for a moment, then turned to her one last time.

"I've hired a smuggler to ferry me into Sith space. He said he'll take me as far as Ossus, after that I'll be on my own. Gotta start looking somewhere, right?"

Before she had a chance to plead with him further, Thirdas simply offered her a mock salute and even a genuine smile. "It's been an honour, Princess Pink," he referred back to their first meeting at the Ranger cafeteria. He then turned and walked away, heading for the space port, likely having offered his last smile for a long time to come.

Kyra Perl ​

 

[Kyra Perl]

Kyra stood rooted in place, her breath ragged as a small tremor ran through her.

She would have yelled and run after him-- hit him in the chest until he was forced to stop and take her seriously. How dare he dismiss her. How dare he think she was so incapable. She had been working her ass off for weeks since the loss of her sister. She was not helpless. She wanted to yell about all the meditation sessions she had done! But... She did none of that, one thing he said cutting her to her quip and leaving her.... frozen.

You will just hold me back.

Her blood rang cold, her tear ducts pricking for tears that had dried up that day at Romi Jade 's bedside. The moment felt hollow, the sounds fuzzing out around her as step by step... the last person she could depend on walked away.

And she was alone.

Left behind.

Too weak to help.

Because he was right.

About her arm.

Not that she wanted to say it.

The truth rang loudly through her body as she stood there-- a ring of clarity that grew louder and higher with each moment, revertibrating through her at a such a pitch she could just--

"Ahh!!"

A lash of energy whipped off her body, exploding the cast into shreds that floated down with the gentle forest wind. Kyra turned on her heel, storming home.

This wouldn't do.

 

[Thirdas Heavenshield]

On route to Ossus

Barely a word was shared between Thirdas and the captain hired to smuggle him into Sith space. Neither was looking to make friends; after all, their acquaintance was based purely on business. Captain was a man by the name of Brosk, an independent merchant by trade and the occasional smuggler when it suited him. If someone wanted something bad enough, he was the kind of guy to deliver the goods for the right price. The swaggy, girl-in-every-port type of guy.

"Course laid in for Ossus, should be there in a day or so. This baby's got the best hyperdrive in this sector, I guarantee," the man bragged as he left the cockpit and joined him in the passenger lounge to whip up a drink at his private bar. "Thirsty?" Thirdas looked less than interested. "Suit yourself, partner."

The alcohol swirled around in his glass as he threw himself into the sofa opposite of his, assuming a relaxed stance as he sipped on his drink. "Yep, I can't tell you how many beauties I've had the pleasure of knowing throughout my travels. I must've had one of every skin colour imaginable. Twi'lek, Togrutan, Mirialan, Zeltron--"

"Shut up," he snarled like a wolf at the mention. "I'm not paying you to share tales of your conquests, Brosk. Just get me into past the Sith patrols and you'll have earned your credits." He was too busy sharpening his combat knife to even look at the slick guy across the room.

"Easy there, Blondie, no need to feel jealous! I could offer you some tips and tricks on how to make the ladies swoon around you, but it'll cost ya!"

His offer was rudely rejected by way of a knife being flung at the glass in his hand, shattering it into pieces and drenching him in his own drink. "Bloody hell, mate! Why, you...!"

Thirdas wasn't worried the man would retaliate, even as he reached for the knife embedded in the wall of the ship. The thing wouldn't budge no matter how hard he tugged and pulled. As he gave up, he instead took to licking his own fingers clean of any leftover liquor. "That brandy was priceless, you big oaf! The civilisation that produced doesn't even exist anymore."

Thirdas said nothing, going back to preparing himself for his mission. "Alright, soldier man. Have it your way. Just don't break anymore of my stuff!"

Brosk grabbed the whole bottle and took it with him into the cockpit, leaving the young man to his brooding. Thirdas remained where he sat, rubbing his eyes for a bit. He then gazed across the room at the knife stuck in the wall. Extending his arm and focusing on the knife, he attempted to summon it to the palm of his hand. It didn't work, no matter which hand he tried or how much he concentrated. Frustrated, he slammed his metal fist into the circular table, putting a dent in its hard surface.

"Hey! I said no more destroying my stuff," Brosk shouted from inside the cockpit.

Thirdas took a deep breath to calm himself and lay down on the sofa, staring up at the ceiling. Sleep did not come lightly to him, but he closed his eyes all the same. As always, he would dream of Nida.

Kyra Perl ​

 

[Thirdas Heavenshield]

One month later...

His quarry was on the move, bounding through the dimly-lit streets of Knossa in a hurry. His escort comprised of several armed thugs kept up with their boss as he attempted his escape, sometimes turning and taking poorly-executed shots at the dark rooftops surrounding them whichever way they went. They knew that, somewhere up above, he was in pursuit.

Foolishly, they ended up turning the wrong corner and now found themselves stuck in an alleyway with nowhere to go but back the way they came.

"Keep him away from me, damn you," the terrified man shouted at his lackeys while frantically looking for a way out of their predicament.

The crack of a sniper rifle rang through the narrow alley, the sharp sound bouncing between the surrounding buildings creating a deafening effect. One of the goons fell to the ground, dead. As did a second following another crack. The rest panicked and opened fire on the rooftops, but the darkness of night and heavy rain made it impossible to tell whether they hit anything.

As they ceased fire and silence overtook the scene apart from the nervous panting of the group, a thud drew their attention to the end of the alleyway. From the darkness came a metallic sound, followed by a large object swirling through the air at high speed until it hit another of the goons. Lodged in his skull was a strange-looking axe clearly not native to this world.

The others panicked once more and opened up a barrage at the opposite end of the alleyway, wasting more rounds at the blanket of darkness before them.

This time the specter hunting them made his move, leaping into action and rushing one of the men, knocking him off his feet with a shoulder charge before deflecting a few rounds with his metal arm. The next guy dropped his gun and pulled out a vibroblade, swinging wildly at their attacker but with little success as the specter got a firm grasp of his arm and promptly snapped it in two, leaving him screaming in pain on the cold ground.

The remaining two now attacked together, hoping to overpower the lone warrior through a combined assault of fists and bladed weapons. They were quickly made to realise their hubris as bones were broken and limbs were rendered useless.

Emerging from the shadows, the masked vigilante approached the quivering Imperial liason and did not skip a beat as he took a choke hold on the poor excuse of a man and forced him on his knees.

"Tell me about this man."

In his other hand he revealed a holo-display of AMCO , the man he'd identified as the one who was with Nida Perl that day on Yavin. The one responsible for her abduction.

"Tell me now, and I will allow you to spend the rest of your existence in the warmth of a hospital bed, rather than on a cold slab in the city morgue."

They were cold words, uttered from behind a cold, expressionless mask and goggles. The dumb fool then decided to shake his head.

Reaching behind him, the masked man summoned into the palm of his hand the axe he'd only moments ago used to split someone's skull. Raising it to strike the man down, the Imp fell to the ground helplessly and cried out "stop".

"I'll tell you all I know...!"

The vigilante tilted his head to the side ever-so-slightly as he lowered his axe. "H-his name is Vandiir, Adrian Vandiir! He's a Sith Lord, one of the Emperor's lackeys!"

"Tell me where to find him," the masked man spoke more aggressively.

"I have no idea, honest! I'm just a lowly informant working for the Imperial government! Even if I did know where he is, you still won't find him!"

"And why is that?"

"R-rumour has it he's... he's a shapeshifter. That he can change his appearance at will. Please, I've told you all I know!"

Seemingly backing down, instilling some semblance of hope in the poor man that he would actually be left alone, the masked man lifted his right foot and stomped on the Imp's leg, shattering his shin into pieces. The informant wailed in pain before being punched in the face to knock him out, and the masked vigilante slipped back into the shadows.

Finding a quiet spot far away from that alleyway as Imp law enforcement closed in on the scene, Thirdas removed his mask and threw it in anger. He'd spent weeks cracking down on the local scum in search for any lead on where to find Nida, and the one time he thought he'd found the right guy, it wasn't nearly enough to go on.

Pulling out another holo-display, this time depicting him and Nida making funny faces at the camera, he closed his eyes to better recall a better time.

Kyra Perl ​

 

[Kyra Perl]

Kyra was not an adept tracker. She was not skilled in the ways of a shadow. She did not have connections to the underworld. She was a small fish in a big pond with absolute no experience to direct her. But she did have the Force. It had been haunting her dreams-- visions of Thirdas running circles, dark paths with fruitless endings. Loss. Loss. Loss.

It echoed through her mind, pulling her forward. It guided her hand onto the streets of Knossa, the dim streets as oppressive as the dreams as she descended upon it.

Her slender form stepped into the mouth of the alleyway, her hair the only spark of color in the otherwise gray night. She was cloaked in a simple bomber jacket, the tight fit of black pants showing more of what made up the girl than her padawan clothing ever did. She was near unrecognizable. The metal hand at her side glimmered ever so slightly. She skimmed the alleyway, frowning as she tried to locate the nudge that drew her here.

Her severe expression lit up at once, the croaked figure curled up on the ground sending a wave of familiarity through her. The tug on her chest released, a spark of excitement hitting her voice. "Thirdas?" She took a step forward, glad to see him.

Thirdas Heavenshield

 

[Thirdas Heavenshield]

"Thirdas?"

The mere mention of his name had him on edge, for he had not heard it uttered once in all this time he'd spent on Ossus trying desperately to find a clue concerning Nida's possible whereabouts. As of yet, he'd barely anything to show for it.

He shot up from where he sat alone in the dark, hand going for his sidearm thinking her some Sith assassin sent to hunt him down. Couldn't be too careful when you're one man against the whole of the Sith Empire. His guard was soon lowered as the person stepped into the dim light of the streetlight positioned between the two, and Thirdas did the same. He now recognised who the voice belonged to.

Having been on his own deep in enemy space for the last month, seeing a familiar face almost had him reach out and embrace the Zeltron girl he'd intentionally left behind. He did not, afraid he would end up hurting her. All he'd done was hurt people since his arrival.

"I... I had hoped you would not follow me here, Kyra," he looked down at the ground between them, unwilling to meet her gaze. He'd not interacted with a friendly being in weeks, so his social skills were left somewhat wanting.

His hair, now long and unkempt, lay matte against the back of his neck soaked with the heavy rain. His face had become etched in a perpetual state of grimness from all the killing that he was surprised she'd even recognised him.

In the moment of silence that followed, he eventually caught a glimpse of what appeared to be the metallic surface of a cybernetic prosthesis. Her mangled arm had been her weakness last he saw her. Coming to the realisation Kyra had finally given up on its dead weight, Thirdas took a step towards her to be able to see her face more clearly.

He glanced down at his own metal hand, then looked her dead in the eye and nodded. Suddenly he understood and accepted her presence.

"I am glad to see you, Princess Pink," a faint smile tugged at his lips.

Kyra Perl ​

 

[Kyra Perl]

"I... I had hoped you would not follow me here, Kyra."

Kyra swallowed hard, the sting of rejection biting through her. Her chin rose as she braced to defend herself. She was not going. Someone had to get Nida back, and if it wasn't Romi and it wasn't the Silvers, then she would do it herself. He had had a month. Clearly, he needed help. Her lips opened to tell him just that, but his next words cut her short.

"I am glad to see you, Princess Pink," a faint smile tugged at his lips.

Kyra blinked in shock, disarmed by his words. The rough edges to his being reached her then, singing through the force as his presence told a faint story of what he had endured.

So the dreams were true then.

Weird stuff.

"I'm not going back," she told him, her voice wary and tense as she looked for the trick. He had never been happy to see her before. Never. That being said, neither had she. "I thought about what you said, and you're right. I'm a jedi. I can do more than you can ever do. Which is why you need me here, and I'll kick your butt to prove it if I have to. Not that you'd want that. It'd waste time. Besides," she snuffed, crossing her arms and tucking the cybernetic out of sight.

"I know where we can get a lead on Nida."

Thirdas Heavenshield

 

[Thirdas Heavenshield]

Kyra stated her reasons for staying, well-thought-out and concisely. A far cry from her panicked, indecisive self he'd been used to seeing. It seemed, in her newfound resolve, Kyra had grown up. Considering his failure to locate Nida thus far, Thirdas found himself unable to decline her request to join him. There was only so much one person could do against an entire empire.

Stepping over to where he'd thrown his mask, he plucked it from the ground and made certain he hadn't damaged it. She then revealed she knew where to start looking, which made his head turn her way in disbelief.

He was about to say something when sirens could be heard in the distance. Local law enforcement. Must've come across his latest work back in that alley.

"Hold on to me," he sidled up to Kyra and wrapped his arm around her waist, keeping a firm grip of her as he pulled out a grappling gun and took aim for one of the rooftops. The hook found its target and the strong steel cable hoisted them up onto the roof, away from the streets.

Releasing Kyra, Thirdas then knelt by the edge of the roof to watch a patrol on speeders pass by below where they'd stood, using searchlights to light up the dark corners and alleyways. They didn't think to turn them towards the rooftops, yet.

Joining the local law enforcement in their search were several squads of Imp troopers wearing their distinct armour.

"This is getting out of hand. I've already got two bounties on my head; the Law wants me taken in alive, the underworld wants me dead. And now, even the Sith are getting involved," he stated as he turned to Kyra, shaking his head. "I cannot remain on Ossus."

By now a patrolling gunship roared above their heads, scanning the rooftops with a searchlight of its own. Thirdas pulled Kyra into cover behind a large vent just as the searchlight went past.

"My time here hasn't been a complete waste. I've learned the name of Nida's captor, the guy who was with her on Yavin. His name is Adrian Vandiir, a Sith Lord and, apparently, a shape-shifter of some sort. If we find him, he'll know where to find Nida."

Granted, finding one specific Sith in an entire empire of Sith made that next step seem rather impossible. Especially one who can alter their appearance at will. Looking over his shoulder, he watched as the gunship disappeared behind another building and out of sight. For the time being, they were safe.

"Tell me about this lead of yours."

Kyra Perl ​

 

[Kyra Perl]

Kyra pressed against the grate, unconsciously holding her breath in tightly as the searchlight flooded the space across the roof. Whoa, this was like a movie. She did her best to keep her expression serious, the girl working to calm what could only be described as overexcited nerves. They had grapple hooked onto the roof.

He wouldn't take her seriously if she acted enthused by that.

The lights left them, moving onto the next street. Kyra relaxed with a puff of breath, listening to Jawline catch her up. "Well we're not gonna stay on Ossus, you're not gonna find info on Nida in here." she spoke with such confidence, it was hard not to believe her. In truth Kyra didn't know much about this planet, but she did know about Kadavo.

She looked over at Thirdas, cocking her chin stubbornly at him. "Sure. Once you're on my ship." Her terms were leveled clearly, though the reason for her stubbornness would take a little more tact to fuss out. She didn't trust him not to kick her back home yet. Truth be told, she didn't trust him at all. She stood up, leaving him and his disheveled form to follow after. He really didn't have another option, did he? She glanced once over her shoulder, her eyes abruptly widening as she halted at the edge of the building and realized something. "How are you gonna get down?"

She had never worked with a nonforcie before. I'm sorry, what was that he said about her slowing him down?

 

[Thirdas Heavenshield]

As Kyra turned to leave, Thirdas blinked dumbfounded before following her to the edge of the roof.

"Wait, you have a ship?" Who the heck was foolish enough to lend her something more advanced than a butter knife?

As they made ready to make their way off the rooftop Thirdas put his mask back on and reached for his grapple gun once more, this time firing it at the building across the street. The hook found its mark and he gave the cable a few tugs to make sure, then turned to Kyra.

"See you at the bottom, Pinky."

Stepping over the edge, he swung across the street below and landed with his feet against the opposite wall, then began to rappel down the side of the building. A few moments later he was groundside, and with a press of a button the hook and cable retracted itself.

"Alright, which way to this ship of yours?"

Kyra Perl ​

 

[Kyra Perl]

"Oh now you're interested in my ship," Kyra scoffed, landing lightly at his side. Sans grappling hook. She fussed with her wind-blown hair, making him wait a full stop moment before she turned on her heel and started walking.

"This way."

The confidence was a mask, but Kyra wore it well. She could feel Jawline's eyes on her back, sizing her up. She had no intention of giving him anything to dig his heels into about. With quick steps she led him through the streets, her shoulders risen with tension as they dodged the small teams of law enforcement looking for Thurion.

What'd he do anyway? Step on someone's rose bush?

She waisted no time with her questions, her chest not relaxing enough for a deep breath until she twisted the last corner and led him to her ship, tucked onto a space pad. With a glance over her shoulder and a single jerk of her head, she led him inside, the doors opening to warm light that washed over them.

"Sir Bumkins, get us in the air asap." She called out. A faint beep of acknowledgement from a driod echoed through, the modest X wing carrying enough space for one to live in short-term trips on. Or was it a U wing?

Kyra had no clue.

As the door closed and the ship rumbled softly to life, Kyra fumbled to strip off her coat and steady her own breath. "See," she finally said, turning to look up at the mess of a man. "People trust me with things." And before he could say anything further, she tossed her jacket besides a stirring fluff ball and went to help herself to a mini fridge.

A cat uncurled, its sharp blue eyes alert as it yawn and regarded Thirdas reservedly.

"This is better than what you had, which was nothing by the way. How could you hope to find my sister without a ship?" She turned, tossing him a nice cool can of cola. It went too far and too fast to the left. Oops.

Thirdas Heavenshield

 

[Thirdas Heavenshield]

He could see now just how much she took after Joza Perl , however not without the occasional hiccup in her attempt to play it cool. Probably thought herself hot poodoo with her new arm and newfound confidence, and perhaps she had managed to grow up some since last he saw her, you never know.

That all went out the door as she uttered the name of her co-pilot. "Mr. Bumkins?" He snickered as he got his things stowed away for the journey. This vessel may very well be their home for the forseeable future, so best make yourself comfortable for the long haul.

Her snide remarks went by unnoticed as Thirdas was far more interested in the small feline that now stirred from its nap, watching the stranger carefully. Removing his mask and setting it aside, he approached the ball of fur and kneeled before it where it lay, reaching out to pet it. At first it seemed hesitant to allow him, but the purring gave its true feelings away and soon closed its eyes to enjoy the petting.

"That's a good kitty," he smiled, reminded of his own pair of cats back home. "Don't be so surprised," he cast a glance over at Kyra by the mini fridge while scratching the feline under its chin. "I grew up with cats, I know what makes them tick. Must be the lion in me, huh?"

Another snide remark from Kyra just as he stood and was about turn her way, only for a poorly-aimed can of soda being thrown somewhat in his direction. It was about to hit the wall and likely make a tremendous mess, and so acting purely on instinct he reached out to catch it, even though several meters out of reach.

The can made a hard turn and found its way into the palm of his hand. It all happened so fast that even he was surprised to find it in his grasp, and he looked over at Kyra with momentary astonishment in his dark eyes. It wasn't the first time he'd been capable of such a feat, but until recently it had only been complete luck and in the midst of combat that he'd even considered trying it.

Hoping she would not dwell on it, he promptly pressed his metal finger through the top to create an improvised opening from which he could sip its contents.

"So, this ship of yours... Your father's? I'd imagine Joza would travel with more... sophistication than this," he chose his words carefully. He had every respect for the Perl matriarch and did not want to risk Kyra reporting back to her mother with secret recordings of him potentially speaking ill of her.

Kyra Perl ​

 

[Kyra Perl]

Kyra glanced back, her expression crumbling into a glaring pout as the cat's reservations slowly melted away. The fluffy thing accepted Thirdas' attentions, purring happily as it tilted his chin up for better scritches.

"Popsicles lets anyone pet her," Kyra sniffed, blowing a strand of hair out of her face.

"Your fingers probably smell like lunch."

But that wasn't true. The force sensitive feline was a better judge of character than most. She held no grudges over Thridas' love for Nida. Thought Kyra clearly believed the kit should. "S'cheating," she grumbled, the soda leaving her fingers. The metal limb tossed it far and wide, a fact she caught in the corner of her eye. And then the can snapped into Thirdas' hands. Kyra's head snapped his way, the girl blinking.

What. She glanced down at her metal hand, her brain quick to slide blame to the unfamiliar limb she still struggled to moved. A weird throw made a lot more sense than Thirdas using the force. His follow up question hit its mark, her attention leaving the small conundrum.


"It's mine," Kyra snuffed. "My ship." She emphasized the possession, something the rich girl never often felt the need to do. "My father made it for me. With his own hands." Ah, the pride in her voice spoke volumes. Love tainted her view of the starter ship. It wasn't rich and it wasn't grand, but it made for her. And just for her. By him.

Her lips pursed, a sudden thought hitting her. "Wait. You know my father?" A wary edge hit the girl's face. Coren was likely keeping tabs on Kyra in more ways than one, but through Tattle-Tale Number Jawline? Well that reality would be unacceptable. Gravity pulled at them as they shot up through the atmosphere. Kyra clutched at the fridge, keeping srtaight.

"New rule. What happens between us, stays between us."

 

[Thirdas Heavenshield]

Mr Bumkins. Popsicles. Those sure are names one associates with droids and pets respectively.

"Didn't mean nothing by it," he said as he downed the last of his soda, having emptied it in just a few large gulps before crushing the can into a metallic ball and tossing it into a nearby trash bin.

"Who, Coren? Can't say I do. I only know of him, but never met him in person. All the guys back at HQ know the name Starchaser." While speaking he unzips his leather jacket and pulls it off, drenched from the rain. He also removed his shirt underneath, likewise drenched, exposing his upper body to the dry and temperate climate of Kyra's ship. Across his abdomen was the scar Nida had inflicted back on Yavin. He shied away from Kyra as he realised, not wishing to upset her.

Instead he sunk down into the nearest seat, hunched forward while fiddling with his prosthetic hand.

"You know, us grunts tell stories of you Jedi all the time. Some are more believable than others, granted, but I've seen enough out there on the field to know even the most absurd stories have at least some truth to them. Back when I joined the Rangers those few years ago and people found out I was the son of Thurion Heavenshield, former Grandmaster of the Silver Jedi, there was no end to the nonsense. But having seen my old man in action since, it doesn't seem so farfetched anymore."

A smile found his lips before looking up at her across the room. "It's funny, trying to imagine the people we look up to were once in our shoes. That they were probably just as lost and confused as we are now, once."

He got back up and stepped over to her, arms crossed.

"Look, I'm not looking to take charge, Kyra. You want your sister back, I want back the woman I love. We're in this together, from now on. You watch my back, I'll watch yours. Deal?"

He extended his hand to her, offering to bury the hatchet if it helps getting Nida back.

"Do you... feel like talking about it," he glanced down at her new arm, showing genuine concern. "I know what it's like, Kyra. I was lucky to have Nida around to talk to after... you know."

Kyra Perl ​

 

[Kyra Perl]

Kyra thought about her father's name for the first time. She had always been aware of it. I mean, I guess he was popular and stuff, but so was her mother on Zeltros. She hadn't really thought about what that popularity had meant before, or how it would leave others responding to her. He was a fairly new addition to her life, after all.

You could call it an adjustment.

Thirdas' words left her suddenly uncomfortable. Would she begin to experience such expectations and commentary too? She squirmed, her palms growing clammy as the stress began to grow. But before it could begin to overtake her, she caught herself. With a deep breath and an intentional shake of the head, she discarded the thought then and there. She didn't have time for such concerns. She wasn't even on Silver Rest anymore.

"It's funny, trying to imagine the people we look up to were once in our shoes. That they were probably just as lost and confused as we are now, once."

Kyra swallowed hard, trying to picture Romi Jade feeling as small and lost as she did today, starting out on this impossible mission to save Nida Perl . It didn't compute. Her mental image of her role model remained too strong. She didn't tell him this, his words came without pause as he stood up.

She wrapped her arms around herself, taking a step back into the wall as he approached in all his damp, shirtless glory. Or in her case-- grossness. Jawline? Try Abs. What the Netherworld , Nida shoulda dragged the knife around in there more. That's just cheating.

He struck his deal, extending his hand. She did not take it, looking down at it with that same wary mistrust. They had never had a good moment together, not one. Kyra didn't start liking people that fast, so naturally she assumed he didn't either. If this was a trap, she wasn't falling for it.

His amicable words were met by a wall. And his offer to talk about what she had gone through to get to this moment received a firm shake of her head.

"Kadavo is far." Her dodge of his question was blatant. "You should get some sleep before we get there. We need to be sharp." Mostly because she had no clue what she was doing, but she didn't tell him that. Kyra's field experience was near none. But she knew the where's and the hows, and hopefully that would be enough to get them in and out with the information they needed. If it was even there at all.

The ifs and the could be circulated through her. She embraced the chaos of the uncertainty. It was better than answering his questions.

She swept past him, picking up Popsicles and propping her on her shoulder as she went. "You can use the bed, I'll be in the cockpit."

Gone was the light and absentminded Kyra he had known, in its place something else filling her: Determination. Focus.

Thirdas Heavenshield

 

[Thirdas Heavenshield]

His jaw visibly clenched when she rejected his peace offer made in earnest. Fighting one another will accomplish nothing, even he realised that. So why couldn't she? It frustrated him to no end.

Thirdas said nothing else that night, leaving her to pout in the cockpit. He instead stepped into the one bedroom to find a rather luxurious bed taking up most of the cosy space. Didn't even need to touch it in order to know it was the most comfy bed he'd ever set eyes on.

But he was a soldier, used to discomfort and the harshest of elements. Even back home, on Midvinter and certainly in his own apartment on Kashyyyk, he was not used to such soft sheets and pillows. Besides, he could not bring himself to accept Kyra's generosity when she had so rudely accepted his proposed truce.

So he exited the room, pulled his wornout bedroll from his duffle bag he'd spent each night of the last month on, and rolled it out in the corner of the main area where he could observe the rest of the ship, just as he'd been used to having to ever be mindful of his surroundings, and went to bed.

Kark her generosity.

He had no idea how many or how few hours had passed by the time he woke up with a jolt, sweating and breathing heavily and with his fingers locked tight around the handle of his knife, brandishing it as if under attack. He'd dreamt of Nida, and the dreams were getting worse, each night morphing further into nightmares.

Putting away his knife and wiping the sweat from his forehead, he pulled on a fresh tank top and got up, walking barefooted over to the kitchen area for a cup of caf. Once brewed, he brought his own as well as a second cup over into the cockpit. He found Kyra having dozed off in the captain's chair.

He considered, for a moment, to make this a rude awakening. But his inherent good nature got the best of him, begrudgingly so.

Instead he placed the cup of fresh caf in front of her, letting the aroma alone stir her from her slumber. He took a seat next to her, sipping from his own cup and putting his feet up on a nearby console, careful not to hit any buttons, and waited. He gazed out towards the stars, wondering which one of them housed Nida at this very moment.

Only when Kyra showed signs of waking up did he utter a word.

"I brewed you a cup of caf," he gestured with his own towards the one sitting on top of her command console. "Didn't poison it."

Kyra Perl ​

 

[Kyra Perl]

It was Popsicle that stirred first, her lithe body coiled inside Kyra's pulled-in legs like water slipping through rocks. The feline yawned and looked expectantly up at the visiting human, a slight purr warming the air. Kyra stirred to the words of Thirdas, her blurry vision clearing to the cafe placed before her.

She rubbed her face, a hitch of disbelief catching in her chest as the atmosphere around her reached her. Had she really found him? Were they really doing this? The events of the month started to catch up to her in that moment, the hair on her one good arm standing up. "Thanks," was all she said, her voice thick. She straightened in her seat, Popsicles taking her leave and padding expectantly out of the cockpit. Kyra gave the space a blurry look around again, everything about the situation new and ...and...

She couldn't place the feeling in her chest.

She shook it off instead, reaching out to grab the cafe. With slow and intentional movements, the cybernetic managed to wrap around it and pull it back to her, shaking erratically the whole way. By some miracle none of it spilled. Kyra was left blushing as she clutched the limb close to her chest, blowing on the cup to hide the struggle she had with the untrained limb.

"You smell," she stated, prodding him to distract from her. "There's wipes in the bathroom." But no shower. Not that comprehensive. You could almost live in here comfortably. Almost.

Thirdas Heavenshield

 

[Thirdas Heavenshield]

"Don't mention it."

What followed was a bit of an awkward silence as both just sat around enjoying their caf, watching the stars. As pretty as they were to look at, they did not distract him from the way Kyra handled her cup, all shaky and erratic. When compared, his own mastery of his mechanical limbs far exceeded hers.

In that moment, perhaps for the first time ever, Thirdas took pity on the girl. Everything she was going through, he'd gone through it too.

He could only let out a faint chuckle when she commented on the state of his personal hygiene.

"I guess it's been a while since I bathed," he confessed. Emptying the last of his cup, he swung his legs around and got out of his seat, offering to take hers too. As he was about to exit the cockpit, he stopped and turned.

"I can help you cope with your implants, Kyra. Those shakes you're experiencing, I had them too for a long time. It will pass, but not on its own."

Stopping by the kitchen sink to wash out his used cup, he then made for the bathroom. Tiny, especially for one so large as he, but it had the bare essentials. "Huh. No shower." Growing up on Midvinter without the luxury of running water constantly at their fingertips, it wasn't the end of the world. A ship of this class though, you would expect both a shower and a bathtub.

Filling up the sink, he began by washing his face and hair as best he could with what was provided. What had previously looked muddy and gray slowly turned to shining gold framing his face. A far cry from the cropped military cut he'd worn throughout his service.

Looking into the bathroom mirror, he wasn't sure he liked what he saw. And it wasn't the hair.

Once washed and refreshed, he was making his way to the cockpit when he stumbled across the cat Popsicles. Silly name.

"Good kitty," he knelt down and gave it some more pets, then plucked it off the floor and let it settle upon his metal arm while the other hand resumed petting it. At least there wasn't any chance of getting scratched.

The door to the cockpit slid open as Thirdas and Popsicles peeked inside.

"We need to plan our next move. This... Kadava, how to we find it? I've never heard of such a place."

Kyra Perl ​