Private Breath Between Stone

[Lumiya Dara]

Lumiya listened quietly as he spoke, her attention remaining on the final securing of the bandage around his leg. Her movements were smaller now; less urgent than before, but no less careful. When he thanked her, her gaze lifted briefly toward him. The softness in her expression shifted almost imperceptibly; not surprise, not quite relief, but something gentler in response to the sincerity she heard in his voice. “You’re welcome,” she said softly. The words settled easily between them. But the ease didn’t last long. Not truly.

Her hands stilled again as he explained about the one who had escaped. The weight of it settled immediately into the quiet space around them. More could come. Not eventually. Soon. Lumiya lowered her gaze for a moment, thinking. “A flare would be seen too easily,” she said after a brief silence, her voice calm and measured again. “Smoke too.” Her eyes shifted briefly toward the fractured opening of the wreck, toward the canyon beyond. “If they’re still searching…” A small pause followed. “We’d only be guiding them back to us.”

Carefully, she began repacking part of her kit, her hands moving automatically while her thoughts continued elsewhere. “The canyon walls are interfering with the signal,” Lumiya murmured softly. Not guessing. Reasoning it through aloud now. “Anything electronic down here would be weak at best.” Her fingers slowed slightly before continuing again. “But above the ridge…” Her gaze lifted back to him then. “It might carry.”

The suggestion hung there quietly for a moment before she continued. “I can go,” Lumiya said. There was no dramatics in it. No attempt to sound brave. Just simple willingness. “If you think it’s best.” Her eyes flickered briefly toward his injured leg, then back again. “You shouldn’t be climbing in your condition,” she added gently. There was no criticism in the words. Only practical concern. “And they’ll need someone here who can defend them if the others return.” A small breath followed. “I don’t think I’d get far if they found me alone,” she admitted softly. Honest, as she had been with him before. “But I could send the signal quickly.”

For a moment, she seemed about to say something else. Then stopped herself. Instead, her hands settled quietly in her lap as she held his gaze with that same careful steadiness that had carried them through the crash, the fighting, and everything after. “…unless you already have a better idea.”

Tag: Xuko Pagoi

 

[Xuko Pagoi]

Xuko mulled over Lumiya's suggestion, lapsing into silence for a few moments as he did so. His fellow Jedi was correct- he was in no shape to make the treacherous climb. Similarly, he saw no reason to question her logic as to where the signal needed to be broadcast from. Technology had never been his strong suit, and so he trusted her instincts.

Frowning, Xuko was forced to admit to himself that he didn't have a better plan. Using one of the mercenary's speeders to navigate towards the nearest settlement would take much longer, and that was assuming they could find a settlement to begin with; or that the trip to do so didn't involve running into more mercenaries on the way. "I do not" he finally said, impressed at Lumiya's willingness to volunteer for the mission. She had already saved several lives today, and if her climb was successful she would save many more. "If you are willing, that may be our best option" Xuko said.

After reassuring the other survivors of their current safety, Xuko accompanied Lumiya outside the shuttle and to the canyon wall, choosing a spot that looked relatively scalable on the side of the canyon that was in shadow. Not only would it be cooler, but Lumiya would avoid casting her own shadow across the side of the canyon while she climbed, which might help her climb go unnoticed.

"At least three points of contact at all times" he said, guessing that Lumiya knew this but not knowing what else to say. "And may the Force be with you" he added, meaning every word.


Lumiya Dara

 

[Lumiya Dara]

Lumiya listened to his answer in silence, though something in her shoulders eased once the decision had finally been made. Not because the task ahead was simple. But because uncertainty no longer sat between them. “If I’m quick,” she said softly, “they may not notice at all.” Whether she believed that fully or not was difficult to tell.

Once the survivors had been reassured and settled as best they could manage, Lumiya followed Xuko back out into the cooling canyon air. The shift from the fractured stillness of the wreck to the open desert felt strangely sharp after everything that had happened. Evening had deepened while they worked. The heat was fading now, replaced by long shadows stretching across the stone. She studied the canyon wall he selected with quiet concentration, her gaze tracing possible handholds and safer routes upward. It was not an easy climb. But it was possible. At least three points of contact at all times. The faintest trace of warmth touched her expression then; tired, but genuine. “I’ll remember,” Lumiya answered softly.

Her eyes lifted toward him at the blessing that followed. For a moment, neither of them moved. “And with you,” she replied quietly.

Then she turned toward the canyon wall. The climb began slowly; not from fear, but from caution. Lumiya tested each hold before trusting her weight to it, fingers tightening carefully against rough stone while her boots searched for stable purchase below. There was nothing elegant about it. No effortless grace. Only patience, balance, and determination carrying her upward one careful movement at a time.

Sand loosened occasionally beneath her boots, scattering softly into the canyon below. Each sound made her pause instinctively before continuing again. The higher that she climbed, the more exposed she became. Lumiya tried not to think about that. Instead, she focused on smaller things. Breath. Stone beneath her fingertips. The next movement rather than the distance remaining. Somewhere below, she knew Xuko was still watching the canyon floor, guarding the survivors despite his injuries. The thought grounded her more than she expected.

Halfway up, she paused briefly against a narrow outcropping to steady her breathing. Her hands trembled faintly now from exertion and exhaustion alike, but not enough to stop her. Not yet. Her gaze lifted toward the canyon rim above, where the fading light painted the stone in amber and deepening blue. Just a little further.

Tag: Xuko Pagoi

 

[Xuko Pagoi]

Time was of the essence, and Xuko tried not to think too much about his internal clock as he watched Lumiya begin to scale the canyon wall. The surviving mercenary's base, or reinforcements, could be anywhere, but Lumiya healing him had certainly ate into any time they'd bought by rebuffing the first attack. Briefly, the Zabrak wondered if he shouldn't have eschewed the healing in order to speed on Lumiya's descent, but then remembered that they'd only discussed their next steps after she'd tended him. Besides, Lumiya was right; should the mercenaries return, they'd all need to be as capable as possible.

XUko massaged a kink in his neck as Lumiya continued her ascent, checking their surroundings every so often for danger. The mercenaries had shown a surprising amount of cunning in their takedown of the ship, and even their assault on the downed ship had seemingly been done with some planning in mind. He had no idea what their Plan 'C' might look like, and willed Lumiya onwards and upwards in the hopes that he wouldn't have to find out....

Lumiya Dara

 

[Lumiya Dara]

The climb grew steeper the higher Lumiya ascended. The easier handholds had long since disappeared, replaced by narrower ridges worn smooth by centuries of desert wind. Her fingers ached now from gripping stone, small abrasions burning against rough rock each time she shifted her weight upward. Still, she continued. One careful movement at a time. No rushing. No panic. Only persistence.

Below her, the canyon had begun to shrink into shadow. She risked a glance downward only once. Xuko remained near the wreckage, small against the vastness of the canyon floor, his attention never settling in one place for long despite the obvious strain in the way he carried himself. Watching. Guarding. Readying himself for another fight if one came. The sight grounded her more than she expected.

Lumiya drew in a careful breath and resumed climbing. The final stretch proved the hardest. The canyon wall angled outward slightly near the rim, forcing her to search longer for stable purchase. Loose sand crumbled beneath one boot, sending a cascade of grit downward into open air. Her body pressed instinctively closer to the stone as she stilled completely, listening. Nothing answered.

Slowly, she continued. At last, her hand caught the edge of the ridge above. Relief arrived quietly; not triumphant, not overwhelming. Just enough to keep her moving as she pulled herself carefully onto the canyon rim and rolled onto the cool stone beyond it. For several long seconds, Lumiya simply remained there on her back beneath the deepening twilight sky, breathing hard and staring upward as the first stars began to emerge overhead. The galaxy felt impossibly wide from up here.

Then practicality returned. With effort, Lumiya pushed herself upright and reached for the small transmitter they had salvaged. The indicator flickered weakly at first before stabilizing now that the canyon walls no longer smothered the signal. A small breath left her. “…Please work,” she murmured softly. Her fingers moved carefully across the controls, boosting the emergency frequency as far as the damaged system would allow before transmitting their coordinates along with the ship’s distress code. Once. Then again, to ensure it carried. The signal vanished outward into the desert night.

Lumiya stayed still afterward, listening to the faint crackle of the transmitter in her hands while wind moved softly across the canyon rim around her robes. For a moment, nothing happened. But then a faint pulse answered through the static. Weak and distorted. But real. Her eyes widened slightly as she adjusted the receiver closer.

“…Repeat last transmission,” a distant voice crackled faintly through interference. “Unidentified distress beacon-signal unstable-”

Relief struck so suddenly she almost laughed from it. Instead, Lumiya closed her eyes briefly and exhaled a shaky breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. “We’re here,” she answered quickly, her voice quieter than intended from exhaustion. “Transport down in the southern canyon basin. Multiple injured survivors. Please-”

Static surged again. Then the response returned, stronger this time. “Coordinates received. Rescue dispatch inbound. Estimated arrival…” More interference. “…hold position.”

Lumiya lowered the transmitter slowly afterward, her hands trembling now from exhaustion more than effort. Below her, somewhere deep within the canyon shadows, Xuko and the others were still waiting. And for the first time since the crash, help was truly coming.

Tag: Xuko Pagoi

 

[Xuko Pagoi]

Slowly, almost painfully, Lumiya inched upwards, and Xuko watched with bated breath as she reached the final portion of her climb. This would be the toughest part, he knew; burdened by the strain of the ascent, with muscles beginning to crap and exhaustion taking its toll, the temptation to finish the last few meters quickly could prove almost overwhelming. Therein lay the risk; one mistake at that height would certainly prove fatal.

So it was that Xuko let out a breath that he hadn't realized he was holding as he watched Lumiya disappear over the canyon ledge, safely on solid ground once again. It was a truly impressive climb, and one that deserved as much thanks as Xuko and the rest of the survivors could give.

Assuming we got out of this alive.

Freed from the need to watch Lumiya climb, Xuko kneeled down facing the direction that the surviving mercenary had fled in and began to meditate, noting the way his injured leg protested at the movement. Not good, but it would have to do. The Zabrak placed his lightsaber hilt on the ground in front of him and rested his hands on his knees. It was a position that, to the casual observer, looked like surrender. But to a Jedi it was a position of patience. Serenity. Calm before the storm.

And so Xuko waited; Lumiya had done her part. Now, if the mercenaries arrived before their rescue did, he would do his.

Lumiya Dara

 

[Lumiya Dara]

The wind at the canyon rim had shifted. Lumiya felt it first as a change in pressure rather than sound; a subtle wrongness beneath the desert’s usual quiet rhythm. The kind of silence that didn’t belong to stillness, but to distance. Her fingers tightened slightly around the transmitter without her consciously deciding to do so. For a moment, she didn’t move. Didn’t breathe. Then she looked outward.

The canyon stretched wide beneath her, shadows pooling deep between fractured stone. From up here, everything looked smaller. Safer. But that illusion lasted only as long as nothing disturbed it. A faint flicker of movement caught her attention near the far ridge line. Not clear. Not certain. Just....a suggestion.

Lumiya’s posture shifted immediately. Exhaustion remained, heavy in her limbs, but something sharper threaded through it now; awareness returning like a reflex she couldn’t fully turn off. She lowered herself slightly behind a broken slab of rock near the rim, keeping low as she adjusted the transmitter closer to her side.

Below, the canyon floor remained mostly still. But not entirely.

And then she felt it properly. Not through sight. But through the same instinct that had carried her through the wreck. Presence. Faint. Distant. But moving with purpose. Her breath slowed. “....Xuko,” she whispered into the comm quietly, keeping her voice barely above the wind. “Something’s shifting down there.”

Her gaze narrowed slightly as she focused harder, trying to distinguish whether it was survivors, rescue, or something that didn’t belong. “....I think that we may not be alone yet.” The transmitter crackled faintly in her hand, still holding the open channel to incoming rescue. Still broadcasting their coordinates into the darkening sky.

And somewhere below, in the canyon shadows, something moved....

Tag: Xuko Pagoi

 

[Xuko Pagoi]

Xuko sensed the new arrival as well, just a couple seconds before Lumiya's hushed communication confirmed his suspicions. There was... something... nearby in the canyon.

Xuko resisted the urge to turn his head and search for the new arrival, remaining motionless in his meditative position; even if every sense was on high alert. Remembering how the mercenaries had set a trap for him earlier by drawing his attention in one direction and then attacking from another, the Zabrak waited as patiently as he could for this new arrival to either make its presence known, or move on. Although he didn't know what exactly was nearby, he hadn't ruled out "curious wildlife" as the culprit.

Hopefully, "curious" didn't also equal "deadly" on this planet.

However, as the creature's grunting sounds reached his ears, it was also accompanied by a vague sense of unease. The trepidation was only increased when the species' name surfaced through the fog that usually shrouded his memories; whatever this was, it wasn't friend-shaped.

Gundark.

Lumiya Dara

 

[Lumiya Dara]

Lumiya did not respond immediately. The word itself didn’t carry meaning at first; only Xuko’s tone did. The shift in him. The stillness that sharpened rather than softened. Her grip on the transmitter tightened slightly as she lowered it a fraction, listening harder than before.

Below her, the canyon seemed unchanged. Which somehow made it worse.

Then she heard it too. Not clearly. Not yet. Just the faint disturbance of sound carried wrong through the stone and wind; something heavy moving where nothing light should be. A dragging rhythm between the rocks. Followed by a low, guttural echo that didn’t belong to any human throat. Her breath slowed. “....I hear it,” she whispered back, almost soundless. Then, more carefully she added: “....how many?”

She shifted her weight slightly behind the broken slab of stone, pressing closer to cover without standing fully. The transmitter remained active in her hand, it's faint crackle now feeling far too loud in her grip. Lumiya glanced once toward the canyon floor again. Still nothing fully visible. Only suggestion. Movement in wrong places.

Her mind moved quickly, but her body did not rush. That was the only reason she stayed steady. A Gundark. She didn’t know much about them; only enough to know that alone was not a comforting word in the same sentence.

Her voice came again, quieter. “If it’s just one.... it might be drawn to the crash remains. And if it isn’t....we may need to change where we’re positioned.”

Her eyes flicked briefly to the transmitter, then toward the open sky above the canyon rim where rescue had promised to arrive. Still coming. Still too far away.“....Xuko,” she added softly, more grounded now, “tell me if it gets closer to you.” She didn’t move from her position. But her hand adjusted slightly around her medkit strap this time instead of the comm. Not ready to run. Just ready not to be surprised.

Tag: Xuko Pagoi

 

[Xuko Pagoi]

How many? Xuko couldn't help but feel fear as Lumiya raised the possibility of there being multiple gundarks. He'd forgotten that they could be found in packs, and he hoped that it wouldn't be the case, here. Even one was most unwelcome.

At least the other survivors were safely tucked away inside the remains of the ship. He and Lumiya had found a compartment in the ship that could be mostly sealed off from the outside, and had relocated the other survivors there with strict instructions not to open up for anyone other than the two of them. It wouldn't stop the mercenaries for long, given their ability to deploy modern cutting tools, but it might be enough to frustrate a gundark.

Xuko breathed out his fear as best he could and re-focused on the shuffling, grunting noises of the nearby gundark. The Zabrak remained completely motionless, still kneeling on the canyon floor with his lightsaber in front of him. Movement would only attract attention.

As it was, stillness wasn't enough- it must have smelled him instead. That made sense; Xuko was on the wrong side of a ship crash, a fight, and a blaster bolt; and the first thing on Xuko's list should they be rescued was a long, hot shower. If they were rescued.

"Lumiya" Xuko said, as the gundark softened its breathing and began stealthily picking its way through the boulders. "It is now hunting me."

Lumiya Dara

 

[Lumiya Dara]

For one terrible moment, Lumiya nearly told him to run. The instinct rose immediately; sharp, frightened, and human. But she forced it back down almost as quickly. Running from something already stalking by scent through a canyon maze would only turn him from prey into fleeing prey.

Her breathing slowed deliberately instead. The canyon around her felt suffocatingly still now. Even the wind seemed quieter, as though the desert itself were listening. Lumiya carefully lowered herself further behind the slab of broken stone near the canyon rim, forcing herself not to look too quickly toward where she imagined the creature moving below. Panic would make noise. Noise would make mistakes. “It knows where you are,” she whispered softly into the transmitter. “So don’t move unless you have to.”

Her eyes scanned the canyon edge around her instead; fractured rock, loose debris, narrow ledges. No weapon. No clear shot downward. Just terrain. Then her gaze settled on a fist-sized stone half-buried near her knee. An idea formed. It was small and fragile, but better than helplessness. Carefully, slowly, Lumiya reached for it without shifting enough to silhouette herself against the skyline. The stone felt rough and warm from the lingering heat of the day.

Below, somewhere in the canyon shadows, another low sound echoed upward; heavier now. Closer.

Lumiya swallowed hard. “Xuko,” she murmured quietly, tightening her grip on the rock. “The moment it focuses somewhere else, you move toward the ship. Understand?”

She waited only long enough to judge the direction of the creature’s last movement. Then, gathering one sharp breath, Lumiya hurled the stone hard across the canyon. It disappeared into darkness for half a second before striking the far wall with a loud crack that shattered through the silence and sent smaller rocks clattering loudly down the slope beneath it.

Lumiya immediately flattened herself lower behind cover afterward, pulse hammering violently in her chest as the echoes rolled through the canyon. Then she listened.

Tag: Xuko Pagoi

 

[Xuko Pagoi]

As Lumiya's voice crackled softly through his commlink, urging him to move at the first opportunity, Xuko's mind raced as he desperately tried to think of a different plan. It wasn't that he didn't think hers would work; it was that it would then be Lumiya stuck outside with an angry Gundark. The beast's presence would likely hinder any rescue efforts as well, which meant that simply hiding from it wasn't an option.

That meant that Xuko's two options were to either drive it off or kill it.

The Zabrak hoped he'd be able to do the former. Although it was clearly a fearsome creature, it was simply following its instincts- and that it was here at all meant that their ship had probably crashed inside its territory.

Any further thoughts were cut off by the clattering of a rock on the far side of the canyon. Clever. Lumiya had thrown it so that the sound would originate behind the Gundark and away from Xuko, giving him the best possible chance to run for the ship. It's attention would be pulled in opposite directions and the surprise of the new sound behind it would most likely startle the creature; a fact that Xuko hoped to capitalize on.

Xuko leaped to his feet, igniting his lightsaber as he did so and charging at the Gundark while yelling as loud as he could. He spread his arms wide and waved them wildly, trying to look as big as he could despite his size disadvantage; the glowing of his lightsaber would certainly help. He hoped that this second surprise in as many seconds would be enough to scare the Gundark off.

It almost worked.

Just as Xuko locked eyes with the Gundark and read terror there, Xuko's injured leg betrayed him. It was no fault of Lumiya's- he'd simply pushed too hard, too soon, and the sudden buckle was all that was needed for the Gundark to sense weakness as Xuko's loud charge slowed to a painful hobble.

Xuko cursed himself- he should've listened to Lumiya, and now he was listening to a Gundark scream its victory to the sky as it slowly began approaching its challenger-turned-prey.

"Lumiya" Xuko said, his voice tinged with a mixture of shame and regret. "Do you have any more rocks?" He didn't know what good that would do, but he couldn't think of anything else in the moment.

Lumiya Dara