But in the end it's only a passing thing, this shadow; even darkness must pass.

[Taheera Sollo]

[member="Valkyrien Aurelios"]

The mirialan healer was beyond exhausted. Her body had been broken and she was still healing. But Val did most - if not all - of the heavy lifting for her. It was a wonder they could both fit down the narrow corridor of the ship to the cockpit. Like Val, she had a blindside to operating ships. She just never had a knack for it and never found the time to learn when there were always public transports available.

Or military transports.

"I know," she said quietly. She released her grip from her friend as she slid wearily into the pilot's seat. Green digits moved along the instrument panel, going to her unit's comm. Static filled the audio. She adjusted the signal again, only to be met with static. A third. A fourth time.

Eyes squeezed closed, fingers going to cradle her forehead. She sat in silence.

A crackling voice suddenly drifted over the frequency and her head jerked up, scooching closer as if that would help clear out the disturbance.

"....First Order. All Alliance troopers are to evacuate and.....Order has taken over."

 

[Valkyrien Aurelios]

[member="Taheera Sollo"]

He frowned. "I could have told you that."

It was a depressing fact of reality, but it was the truth. The First Order had won the day in their latest battle against the Galactic Alliance. Val himself had never really cared much about Galactic Politics, as far as he was concerned most governments had their flaws one way or another. He'd even met a nice doctor in First Order space once, though he doubted that was really any sort of indication to how they treated their people. Still, war was never a pleasant thing.

He shifted slightly, sitting down his massive bulk next to Taheera in the co-pilots chair. The thing creaked slightly, moving beneath his weight. For a moment he glanced down, somewhat concerned about whether or not the damn thing could actually hold him. After a second passed he regarded Taheera.

"They don't have a fleet in orbit." He stated plainly. "No troops have found us."

A frown touched Val's lips, then he glanced out the viewport. "I think we're safe here."

For now anyway.

 

[Taheera Sollo]

[member="Valkyrien Aurelios"]

"I didn't know," she said quietly. Legs pulled up and arms encircled them. Her chin dropped down as she hugged her limbs to her sore and tired form. What happened to the one she'd consumed with force light? Had he taken other lives? Had he actually learn something and grown to be better?

Head tilted as her eyes closed. Lips trembled as chestnut strands of hair sprinkled across cheeks of tattooed-green. Alliance would, for the most part, be long gone by now. She had no idea how long she'd been out.

"This isn't working," she mumbled. "Alliance isn't winning against the First Order. Ever. We keep...failing."

She remained quiet for a moment.

"I...I need to report into the closest Alliance outpost. And then...," voice trailed off. She didn't know what to say even though she'd already made her decision.

 

[Valkyrien Aurelios]

[member="Taheera Sollo"]

Val shrugged.

War wasn't his business, not remotely. He had fought pirates, taken on outlaws, but soldiers? That just wasn't his lot in life. Val protected what was closest to him, he fought for those he loved, not nameless faces that scurried around on countless planets. It just wasn't what he did. A part of him could feel for Taheera, she was a good person who wanted to help, but the truth of it was...well it just seemed impossible for someone like him.

A frowned settled on his face. "Shh."

The Giant said quietly. He could see the pain spread on Taheera's face, the anguish. He supposed it was natural when you cared as much as she did, but Val saw the flaw in it. She was causing herself more harm than it was worth and in her current state...Val shook his head and slowly stood from his chair. He knew that she wouldn't make it if she stressed herself out too much, and right now she was just about as useless was a pilot as she would be a lumberjack.

Better to get her back to med-bay.

"I'll take you to an Alliance outpost." He had no idea where the nearest one was, but he could figure it out. "Don't worry."

Val smiled at her. "You just get some rest."

 

[Taheera Sollo]

[member="Valkyrien Aurelios"]

Her head didn't lift. Only twin pools of verdant green followed the movements of the giant. "Val," she said quietly. It was all she could say. What else could she? She wouldn't be surprised if the First Order took over every system. Five - ten years.

The alliance would be gone.

And what if her friends? Trextan Voidstalker. Gabriel Sionoma. Avalore. Spark. The kids. What would happen to them? Would they all have to leave Sullon soon?

Was all lost?

"Oh Val," she said a bit more quietly, unmoving in the seat, feeling like she had in the muck if the swamp, invisible strands pulling her down. Anchoring her in place. Holding her down.

 

[Valkyrien Aurelios]

[member="Taheera Sollo"]

"It will be alright." Val said with a bright smile. "The Alliance still stands another day."

Even with this disaster the government was still, preparing to move to Coruscant if he had heard directly. Those decisions effected him even less than the battles out here, but he supposed if Taheera was happy to hear it then he had no real concern to tell her. A part of him wondered if she could just...not care, but for some reason he found that rather unlikely. She had a big heart, and there was no denying that facet of her. Even when they had been fighting pirates.

With one quick motion the Giant leaned down and scooped her out of her chair. "Things will settle for a while."

He assured her.

"Just rest." He would have to find that outpost somehow. "I'll get you back to your friends."

 

[Taheera Sollo]

[member="Valkyrien Aurelios"]

Even if she'd wanted to fight off Val, she wouldn't have been able to. She was more than dwarfed by his form. She always had been - even in this Mirialan body that was slightly taller than her previous, human body. The only protest was a surprised grunt from the back of her throat. Chestnut-haired head rested against his broad chest, too tired to keep it lifted.

"It won't be alright Val. Not this time," she murmured. She knew what he was trying to do but she just wasn't there. Still, she was thankful for his attitude and she knew he was only trying to make her feel better.

He was a good friend.

The thought of going back to the small med-bay on that cold table was not appealing.

"Please tell me there's a real mattress somewhere on this ship. And I trust you Val. I know you'll get me back to them."

She had to get back even if she already knew she wouldn't stay.

 

[Valkyrien Aurelios]

[member="Taheera Sollo"]

"Oh." Real mattress?

He supposed that there was a bed, but none of the monitoring equipment was in there. He frowned for a moment, glancing down at Taheera and considering her. A sigh left his lips and slowly he began to shake his head. "Alright."

Val was reluctant to let her out of med-bay, but he supposed that if she was up and walking then a regular bed would be okay. Of course he would sort of have to make sure not to crash the ship or anything but...well hopefully the auto-pilot would take care of that. The Giant shifted slightly, turning on his heel to head down another direction of the ships hallway. He would take her to the master suite, a large queen sized bed having been placed there by the ships last owner.

He expected that would be comfortable enough.

"If you die in your sleep I'm going to be angry though." Val told her as he gently placed Taheera on the bed. "So keep that in mind."

The Giant flashed her a smile.

 

[Taheera Sollo]

[member="Valkyrien Aurelios"]

Limbs stretched out on what felt like a luxury after the war. The swamps, and everything else. Fingers fumbled to pull up a blanket around herself as she looked up at Val, head sinking into a pillow. "I'll try not to," she said softly.

"There aren't any pirate queens around to steal my soul this time." The faintest of smiles whispered across her lips. "You better wake me up if there's a problem." She tried to glare at the giant. But her eyes were already closing.

"Promise?"

 

[Valkyrien Aurelios]

[member="Taheera Sollo"]

"Sure." Val lied.

In ordinary circumstance he might have done as Taheera had asked, but right now? There was no way. Her injuries made her less than useless if there was a fight, and he didn't need her to be up and around so that he had to worry about something else.

Best to just let her rest.

"Just rest." He told her. "I'll take care of everything else."

He would too.

 

[Taheera Sollo]

[member="Valkyrien Aurelios"]

"Hmm," was all she offered as she drifted off, eyes happily closing. She felt as if she'd sleep for days. Any maybe she would. With the blanket wrapped tightly around her form, she turned and curled up, feeling as if the bed was a bit too big. But that didn't stop her from sleeping.

She was out the second she turned over.

Chest rose and fell steadily as her breathing became deeper and deeper. It would be sometime later when she woke. The healer and war veteran wasn't sure what woke her. Some sharp movement that cause her to slide on the mattress. She felt as though she were falling out of the bed.

 

[Valkyrien Aurelios]

[member="Taheera Sollo"]

Val was sitting in the cockpit, his body leaned back in the chair, his feet up on the console.

They were heading through hyperspace now, and the ride was admittedly a bit bumpy. The ship that Val had procured wasn't exactly the newest or the most elegant, and the Hyperdrive had a tendency to go a bit wonky once or twice during the journey. Every now and again there would be a slight "hop" and the ship would shake a little bit. Nothing that was enough to ring an emergency bell or anything of the sort, but enough that it was noticeable.

Val was used to it, though Taheera of course didn't know.

Still, The Giant didn't move from his place.

He was thinking about home, what crops he would plant this year and how he would help the village out. Things were simpler back home. There was no Alliance, no First Order, no Sith, and no...his lips thinned for a moment, his eyes closing as he remembered what he had discovered on his trip with Ryssa. His head shook slightly.

No point in thinking about that.

 

[Taheera Sollo]

[member="Valkyrien Aurelios"]

Orbs of verdant green opened. Her own healing skills within the force seemed to work while she was sleeping, a preternatural ability. One that most likely, saved her life. And allowed her body to scoot well away from the edge of death she'd been on only 48 hours prior.

Didn't mean she wasn't completely healed though. But getting there.

Slowly, she began to stir, untangling herself from the blanket. Green limbs stretched beneath her, toes gingerly reaching for the floor as her legs swung over the side of the bed. Leave it to Val to get a ship with a massive bed on it. Mud from the swamps still caked against her skin and clothes. A refresher was firmly on her mind.

 

[Valkyrien Aurelios]

[member="Taheera Sollo"]

He was quite comfortable in his little nook.

The Giant was used to not sleeping in a bed. For the past century or so he had made his home in everything from caves to tree stumps. It wasn't so bad really, sometimes he had even squished himself into tiny closet sized holes. There was always a way to sleep if you were tired enough, not that he was all that tired. This little trek hadn't really caused him much exertion, something he was really rather thankful for. He shifted just slightly, his wandering across the console ahead of him.

They were headed towards the nearest Alliance Outpost, just as he had promised Taheera.

Going there seemed like somewhat a waste to him, but...well Tahira had wanted it and he would keep his promise. Perhaps while they visited he would pick up some supplies for the farm, maybe a new droid to help out the village. He wasn't quite sure if he had the money, but if he sold the freighter he could probably scratch up enough.

In theory anyway.

Val mused as Taheera thought about a refresher, something she would find attached to the room he had put her in.

 

[Taheera Sollo]

[member="Valkyrien Aurelios"]

Tired but mending limbs eased toward what looked like a refresher door. It swished open as she drew near. There were several towels already hung up. Val or whoever he got the ship from did a good job in setting things up. Sealing the door closed behind her, green fingers began peeling and tugging on clothes caked with cemented mud from Dagobah.

She winced as the fabric and armorweave caught up on the healing wound from the sith's hydrastaff that had gone through her upper thigh. Exhaling slowly, she worked the fabric out from the dried blood and poisoned-dirt layers until she was completely free. With a flip of a switch the sonic turned on and in no time, the small, sealed space of the refresher began filling up with foggy-heat.

It felt glorious.

 

[Valkyrien Aurelios]

[member="Taheera Sollo"]

Ears twitched slightly as he heard the sound of the refresher.

Val had always had good hearing. His late wife had always told him it was something that annoyed her beyond everything else. His ability to hear even the tiniest whispers was something that annoyed her a great deal, and he'd more than once been called a Force User simply because he could hear better than most. It was an effective ability, and one that he treasured dearly. "Good."

He said to himself.

Taheera was up, that much was clear. The Refresher wouldn't just randomly start by itself. He doubted that she needed any help, and if she had made it to the refresher on her own that meant she was probably getting on better than she was before. Her recovery would no doubt he a slow one, Val was neither a doctor nor a Medic, but if his friend could stand and walk around before they made it to that Alliance Outpost then things would probably be all around better.

Stretching slightly Val made himself comfortable.

No doubt she'd come talk to him when she was ready.

 

[Taheera Sollo]

[member="Valkyrien Aurelios"]

It took awhile for the steamed bottom of the staniseam to go from browns and rust colored back to it's pristine white. And for Taheera to see her green, tattooed skin again. Fingers ran gingerly over the healing wound along her thigh. Val...or was it a medical droid? Had done a good job in patching her up. If the poison hadn't killed her, the blood loss would've.

Still healing, she found the trip to the refresher more exhausting than she would've liked. It took most of her effort to slip into a clean pair of clothes she found in a drawer. A pair of black leggings, a charcoal tunic, and a small, black belt. Though tired, she was determined to find Val. And bring clean did give her a short burst of energy.

Standing, she began to make her way to the cockpit.

"How close are we?" Quiet voice still sounded s bit hoarse as she slipped into the seat beside the giant. Damp hair left little wet imprints along the fabric of her shoulders.

 

[Valkyrien Aurelios]

[member="Taheera Sollo"]

Val looked back as Taheera came stumbling up. For a brief few seconds he considered standing to help her along, but knowing her she would take offense to him doing so. Best to let her move around on her own a little bit. Instead he shifted, taking his feet off the control panel. "A few hours yet."

He told her, drawing himself up in the chair.

"I didn't exactly get the fastest ship." The old rust bucket barely flew as it was.

The Alliance had outposts nearby, but the hyperdrive on this shuttle had barely managed to jump them in the first place. It was touch and go as it was, and he decided it was best not to push it. Of course, he also had to get back to his house, but for some reason he wasn't all that worried about it. Fate would return him home. There was never any question about that.

"How are you feeling?" He asked. "You were pretty rough."

 

[Taheera Sollo]

[member="Valkyrien Aurelios"]

A soft and brief smile flickered across her lips in her friend's direction. "Better. Death isn't so....close anymore." Verdant green orbs turned away from Val's face and to the stretched out stars before them. "With some more time I have no doubt my body will heal."

Other parts of her though? Like her faith in the alliance?

Not so much.

Taking her comm, she sent one short message to Maalik.

'We need to talk.'

Com slipped back in her pocket and the healer turned her full attention back to Val. "I haven't seen you in a long time, my friend. Any grand adventures you've been on I should know about? More pirates?"

 

[Valkyrien Aurelios]

[member="Taheera Sollo"]

A shrug rolled over Val's shoulders. "Not really."

It wasn't a complete lie. Since his little adventure with Ryssa Val had been doing...well nothing at all.

"Mostly just been spending time back home." With everything weighing on his mind it had been easier to go back to the simple life he'd once lead. It was what he preferred, easier and far more suited to who he was. At east for now. "It's been quiet."

The Giant offered his friend a genuine smile.

It was clear that he meant what he said, and that he was in fact rather happy about it. Val wasn't the type to enjoy the runnings of the galaxy, he didn't want to fight wars, he didn't want to win battles, he just wanted to live his life the best he could. Of course for him that meant perhaps an eternity alone, but he truly didn't seem to mind it.