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

[Taheera Sollo]

[member="Valkyrien Aurelios"]

"Sounds like your style," stretching slightly, she turned back to the viewport, quietly watching the stars. The mirialan was happy for Val. It was nice that one of her friends was happy - not plagued by war and the losses it caused.

__________________________________________________________________________________

A few hours later, she stood on a landing pad bustling with activity outside Val's ship. Made sense. Evacuees and survivors were still pouring in from Dagobah. The Alliance was regrouping. For a moment, she wondered if she'd see [member="Trextan Voidstalker"] or [member="Gabriel Sionoma"] within the throng.

She turned back to Val and stepped forward, stepping in for a quick hug, letting her form be dwarfed by his. "Thank you. For finding me. Coming for me. You saved my life."

 

[Valkyrien Aurelios]

[member="Taheera Sollo"]

Big arms squished Taheera for a moment, a big smile creeping on Val's face.

"It wasn't a problem." The Giant said, his voice clearly carrying the fact of those words. He hadn't minded in the least breaking his routine, less so even to save her life. Taheera was his friend, one of the few that still survived. For him that was really all that really mattered. Releasing her he took half a step back, making it so that the young Jedi woman wouldn't have to crane her neck to stare up at him.

"Just try not to do it again any time soon." He told her. "I don't have money to buy more ships."

In fact he barely had enough to buy this one.

Val would likely have to sell the damned thing just to be able to get back home. Of course that would make leaving rather difficult...but he would cross that bridge when he got there. The Giant had no doubt in his mind that eventually the wind would carry him somewhere else, just how or when remained to be seen.

 

[Taheera Sollo]

[member="Valkyrien Aurelios"]

She smiled up at him. "I'll try not to." She and he both knew she couldn't promise anything. She looked back over her shoulder at the freighter. "You might be able to sell it." She'd be more than willing to offer to pay the giant back but Alliance stipends didn't exactly give out a lot of money. She didn't have enough for a ship and he'd probably get more if he sold it.

Someone around here might even want it.

"Alliance might buy it for parts. Maybe not the best offer but it'll get you most of what you probably paid for it."

She hoped, anyway, considering she was at fault for his cost.

 

[Valkyrien Aurelios]

[member="Taheera Sollo"]

A shrug rolled over his shoulders. "I'm not too worried about it."

He really wasn't. The Giant had a way of getting what he needed. At the very worst he could pawn the ship off on someone who needed it for a little less than it was worth and just catch a ride back home with a freighter or something of the sort. There were usually pilots who were more than willing to carry a good worker to their destination, especially in these parts. Val had done it more than once in his century and a half of living, though in these darker times it might be more difficult.

A smile touched his lips as he shifted slightly. He didn't quite know what else to say. Taheera was his friend, but she was also a Jedi. He knew that she had a duty to the galaxy, to be good, to do whatever Jedi did to keep people safe. She would likely never stop, but...

"You're always welcome at my home." He told her. "I have a few extra room from the kids still, so you'd be comfortable at least."

The sadness mixed with joy in those words was obvious, the kids he and his late wife had adopted were all adults by their own right now. Many of them saw him as a surrogate father still, but they had moved on to spread across the galaxy, some he had even outlived.

 

[Taheera Sollo]

[member="Valkyrien Aurelios"]

"Thank you, Val, that means a lot. More than you'll know." Hand grasped his hand tightly. "Travel safely." She didn't know what would happen. She was too focused on what she had to do next. Then from there? Who knew.

Maybe Sulon.

Maybe she'd head to the outer rim.

Maybe she'd go further into the core.

One thing was for sure. She was leaving the alliance. But she wouldn't do it like a coward. She'd report in. Check and see if any of her unit got back, then withdraw and say her final goodbyes.