Beneath the Ways

[Aela Talith]

[member="Jacen Voidstalker"]

"Alright." Her answer was quiet, a near whisper.

Aela had spent their long silent walk in contemplation.

She had since ceased thinking about what had happened and instead had moved on to thinking about what would happen. She remembered the way that Jacen had been treated after his brief brush with the darkside. He'd been tossed aside, forced to move more slowly, contemplate, meditate and take a 'break' from the Order.

Would they do the same to her? Would they take her away from Wroosti? Force her to stop teaching the younglings? Would they make her go back to Sullust?

Her stomach dropped at the thought of all of this, the idea that she would have to leave the new life that she had built for herself, the idea that she'd have to go back to a place that she could only associate with times of war and fighting. She felt sick, her eyes glazing over again as Jacen pushed himself out and began to explore whatever was out there. Aela swayed for a moment, looking up for only a few seconds before she slowly leaned against the nearby wall.

For a moment she lingered, then slowly she began to fall to a sitting position, soft sobs echoing in the tunnel.

 

[Jacen Voidstalker]

[member="Aela Talith"]

Aela would be given a long, drawn out time on her own. Jacen didn't really want to leave her to her own devices, but he also didn't want to place her in harm's way. If that had been a sith shuttle passing overhead then it wouldn't be the best idea to have Aela in a situation where the dark side could try and worm its way into her thoughts again. In truth he didn't want to be in another fight. There simply wasn't a choice in the matter.

Approaching the clearing he found he was going to have to find some resolve for another skirmish. The shuttle dropped off a few speeder bikes who careened off in the other direction. Perhaps they were scouting for a dominion position. Had to act quickly or else the shuttle might move on.

Aela he would brush gently against her consciousness, certain to get an unwelcome response. Stay there I'll be back in a moment.

After Aela felt that she would see the trees light up red several times. A couple of seconds afterwards came the sound of blasters being fired. Then there was silence. If Aela stayed put she would see him emerge from the trees a short while later, shoulders drooped and head bowed or else she would cross his path in the trees. Two troopers were dead in the clearing. Two more and the pilots were cuffed around a heavy tree away from the shuttle, without their helmets or any equipment.

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Jacen Voidstalker"]

The sound of blaster fire made her flinch.

She stood and pushed herself up from the wall, tears wiped away in an instant as she pulled her second lightsaber free from it's holster. Aela didn't want to fight, she didn't want to run into combat, not again, not now...but she couldn't leave Jacen alone.

Shaking she stepped forward, her fingers latching around the ancient lightsaber. She didn't have the heart to draw the blade that her father had given her, she didn't want to feel that forceful calm the Angraal crystal pressed upon oneself. She just wanted to leave, she wanted to leave this world and she wanted to go home. With her head stooped Aela stepped free from the tunnel, her lips thin and her grip on the lightsaber white knuckle tight.

Then she saw him. Her eyes locked on Jacen's form, his shoulders lowered and head bowed.

A pang of guilt struck her, heart falling into her stomach.

Aela lingered for a moment within the trees, her eyes settling on Jacen for a moment before slowly she moved through the forest. She crossed the small clearing in just a few seconds, heading towards Jacen and then suddenly...enveloping him in her arms. "I'm sorry."

She whispered to him as she held him in her embrace.

 

[Jacen Voidstalker]

[member="Aela Talith"]

Jacen tensed up under the sudden embrace. It was the last thing he had expected from Aela right now. Truthfully after the walk up from the deep he had expected her to be collapsed in on herself for a good few more hours before wanted to interact with anyone. During his worst periods - and he hadn't had one for several years - he could go for days without wanting to interact with another person.

She would feel him relax. Hands worn from two decades of war and manual work slowly wrapped around her form. The strong and determined Talith felt slender and fragile in his arms. In some ways he had come to form the same perception of Aela as she herself had created. Someone who could do no wrong.

He drew her a little tighter and let her decide when to move on and get the shuttle running. He didn't tell her she shouldn't be sorry. He didn't tell her things were fine.

"Things will get better. Just tell me if you need anything," he murmured. There were no plans to lock her up. Not yet at least. In truth he hadn't considered what came next. That was for another time.

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Jacen Voidstalker"]

Did she need anything?

Did she want anything?

It was difficult for her to tell. Time seemed to be moving differently, everything looked a little more gray, and in truth she couldn't help but feel as though she were being a little bit melodramatic. Her entire life she'd fought against this, she'd argued against the darkside and she'd stopped dozens of Sith. Aela had taught her younglings about exactly this, she'd educated Jamie...so why was it any different for her?

She had made the mistake, that was why.

It wasn't someone else, it wasn't Jacen or one of her students, it wasn't anyone that Aela could forgive. She had done this, she had been baited into this. The trap had been set by...whatever they had encountered within those tombs and she had fallen for it. Her arms tightened around Jacen for a moment, her fingers curling into fists as she took in a deep breath. "I just...I just want to go home."

How would she tell her father about this, her mother, her siblings?

The prospect made her want to throw up.

 

[Jacen Voidstalker]

[member="Aela Talith"]

Home. He wasn't sure where they lived actually. Micah had been taken back by his parents once he had been safe to move. As a Marshal Jacen kept informed on such matters. The New Jedi Order had never formed the structure and cohesiveness of some of those Orders that had come before. Many came and went freely. That didn't absolve Jacen's responsibility for those Jedi and Force Users from the wider community that fought in the name of the Light for them. Kira Talith had been a Jedi with the Republic for many years. No real plan formed in his mind of how he was going to approach this, but he got as far as deciding that they he could do as requested and take her home.

"We'll go there now," Jacen replied. His eyes turned towards the sky. "As fast as we can. I'm going to get the computer to make a jump to Silver space." From there they could work out their options. For all he knew the shuttle only had the fuel to go that far. Heavenshield would take them in and see them on their way if they needed to. The Silver Jedi needed to know this was coming anyway. Preferably they could head on.

And then when she was in the care of her family what was there for him? Then came the nagging despair that he could still feel encroaching. Unlike Aela he had dealt with the worst of himself before, but just as he had told here there were no easy fixes. That assault had been more than just words. When there was no one else to look out for his thoughts would turn inwards and he would have to deal with himself. And he had always been his own worst enemy.

There was no telling if now or a few hours or days would be the best time to try and make their break. They needed to go before long, but he waited until she was ready. Just what they needed, he reflected. Another flight to draw out her anxiety.

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Jacen Voidstalker"]

She pulled away from him, nodding her head.

Home.

Mom and dad were there. Micah was there. Kaili and maybe even Maleah might be there. Could she face them right now? Her arms wrapped gently around herself, the pit in her stomach still lingering. Would she be able to talk to them about this? Tell them what happened? What would they think...how would it look like? Micah was still recovering from his injuries, still hurt...could she add this to the plate?

She frowned for a moment, glancing at the shuttle.

A deep breath filled her lungs and slowly Aela walked past Jacen. Every single thought running through her mind seemed to consume her, she became like a phantom. Her steps didn't have their ordinary gait, she wasn't the lithe and quick Aela, she was defeated, worn, tired.

It showed.