Deep Into The Hollow

[Lief]

Tularan Marsh​

Taris​

​

The sweltering heat and humidity which lay within the air reminded her of Vendaxa; the swampy terrain, which threatened to engulf each step she took, brought with it all manner of lecherous creatures, but it was the gnats which bothered her the most.

Every exposed part of her body featured numerous bites from the tiny bugs, who knew something so small could cause such an unpleasant response? Itching, somewhat raised marks, she had in the end caked her uncovered arms in mud to keep them from her, in fact her cheeks were also covered in the same now-hardened-and-cracking substance, along with the bridge of her nose - though the latter was unintentional.

Doing so had also cooled her down, surprisingly, keeping the worst of the heat from touching her directly. That hadn't been expected, but it was definitely something to keep in mind for the future. If she ever made it out of the marsh, that was, she felt certain she was walking in circles, after all.

The sun was beginning to decline its way down to the horizon, though she knew that there remained several hours of sunlight before real issues began to set in. She had eaten well this morning in preparation, and the canister on her hip was still half full, but if she didn't find her ship by dark then her chances of acquiring further water, and sustenance, were slim.

And that wasn't even taking into consideration some of the beasties which lingered on the planet.

She sighed ever so slightly. The presence of a holocron kept her mind somewhat clear, the cube of data was run through with the peacefulness of Ashla - and in that moment she was grateful it had not been the pyramidal shape of Sith Knowledge burning a hole in her pocket.

It couldn't be too much further now, right? How long could marshland go on for, especially on a world like Taris which was shot through with urban interference...

 

[Valgærd]

The young Togruta huffed as she pushed through the marshes.

Sahna Te's pale orange skin was covered in hundreds of bites, tiny welts and lumps forming all over her arms. Right now she was sincerely lamenting her choice in clothing. Well... there honestly hadn't been much choice about it. In truth she had barely a dozen credits to her name, and what little she could scrounge went to food. So she had made do with the simple brown tunic, even if it only covered one arm and had to be tied around her waist with some old cord.

It wasn't unusual for her to be wandering the wilderness of some strange planet or another. Stowing away on ships for a living had meant that she would have to find and make do with whatever she could wherever she was.

She sighed heavily and pushed a large frond away from her face, taking yet another step deeper into this cesspool of a wilderness. But the moment her foot touched the ground she paused.

There was something up ahead.

Sahna immediately lowered herself to the ground, crouching amid the plants. She could hear... something, moving about up ahead. She closed her eyes and told herself it was probably just some local wildlife and that if she stayed low it might move on. But the pit of her stomach churned, she knew what she was telling herself wasn't strictly true. She listened, straining her ears, and realised with a coldness that whatever it was, was moving in her direction.

What could she do? If she tried to leave, she would surely cause the same amount of noise as whatever it was that approached her, likely drawing its attention. If she stayed... her orange skin and blue montrals would have been excellent camouflage on her home planet of Shili, but here? Here she stuck out. She squeezed her eyes shut, held her breath, and waited, praying that whatever it was wouldn't notice her... or at least... wouldn't care.

 

[Lief]

Had she seen that tree before?

It looked eerily similar.

A frown played over her lips, as she pressed on, and on, before halting. The sound of moving branches, cracking twigs, and then nothing. Her gaze lifted back up to the sky, to try and judge the time of day, it wasn't time for the nasties to be out yet, so what could it be? She frowned.

From this point on her approach was slow; truth be told she didn't need to listen to know, there were unchecked emotions close by and through that she deduced that the lifeform she had heard was sentient, likely a child or someone younger than she was given the apprehension and fear.

"Don't worry," Jyn began to say, putting her back to the girl that she knew was hiding in the shadows so that she didn't seem as frightening, "I won't hurt you."

Would it work? She wasn't certain. Her posture shifted, until she crouched toward the ground, finally turning to face the plants which had been used as a hiding spot.

"Come out, sweet one, before the bugs start to bite." They enjoyed hiding in the long tufts of grass which marred the swampland, after all, ticks especially. They were the worst.

[member="Sahna Te"]

 

[Valgærd]

She'd been spotted.

A woman had appeared in front of her. Her stomach tightened, but she didn't feel... the knot of dread she was used to. Was it... could it be that this woman... was not... dangerous? The thought barely registered. That didn't make sense, especially out here.

Then she spoke.

Sahna Te paused, crouching, watching as the woman put her back to the togruta. Did she even know what was crouching here? Sure, Sahna wasn't armed, but this woman didn't know that. Why would she take such a risk? Was she... trying to tempt Sahna out? Was it a trap? A ploy? The woman's words were soft, but... words often were.

The togruta continued to watch as the woman crouched, turning to face her.

She wanted to believe that this woman was dangerous, a threat, something from which to run or attack. It was... easier that way. But that feeling in her gut, the one on which she relied so heavily, told her that there was nothing to fear. Besides, whoever she was, the woman had made a good point. The bugs were indeed starting to bite. Her arms and chest itched at the reminder. Grimacing, she sighed with defeat, there was little point remaining in her hiding place.

With a soft sigh, the togruta pulled herself up from her spot. She took one tentative step towards the woman, then another, then another. Finally she stood before her, brown one-armed tunic damp with mud and humidity, pale, slender orange arms wrapped around her stomach.

"What do you want?" She asked, biting her lip nervously, regarding the woman before her with her large blue eyes.

 

[Lief]

She waited patiently for signs of life from the thicket.

And there it was, slowly but surely, the young girl in her crouched state brought herself forth into the waning light of day, and Jyn did little more than offer a smile of encouragement her way.

There were signs of undernourishment. That was perhaps the first thing she noticed, truly noticed, about the girl. She was older than she appeared, no doubt her growth had been stunted, there were enough of the signs there if you knew where to look. How old exactly was hard to say, but she'd guess around Asha's age. Maybe a little younger.

"Hey, it's okay," she said quietly, offering her hand out toward the girl who stopped just before the crouched Je'daii. At this point the girl was taller than she, and Jyn thought that perhaps that was for the best. Lingering over top of someone who was already frightened would likely lead to them fleeing, or doing something foolish.

"My name is Jyn," she offered, "You look hungry, Sweet One, are you hungry?" With an afterthought she swiftly added, "Don't worry, I only want to help... I have a salve that will help the bites, if you'd like some."

[member="Sahna Te"]

 

[Valgærd]

Food.

Sahna latched onto the idea immediately, her stomach growling with anticipation. She crept a little closer, just one step for now, and continued to study the woman. It was too good to be true, it had to be. If her years hiding and thieving had taught her anything, it was that she couldn't trust such an offer.

But... there was no churning in her gut, no sense of dread. Aranias had called it the force, and she'd heard the word several times throughout her life. Quite frankly, she didn't care what it was, she just knew it was never wrong. And yet, as she stared at the woman before her, it was telling her... nothing. Could it be that this woman truly meant what she said? She could truly offer these things... without demanding something in return?

"Jyn." the young togruta repeated quietly. It was a nice name, but it sounded better coming from her than from Sahna.

"Um... I'm... Sahna. Sahna Te, I suppose." she continued. That was unusual... normally she wasn't so forthcoming with her name. Why was this woman so easy to trust? "Uh... what... sort of salve do you have?"

Well her gut feeling... this force, had already decided that the woman who called herself 'Jyn' was worth trusting. She might as well trust it, for now at least. She stepped forward again, until she was only a few feet away. Jyn had caked on mud up and down her arms and across her face, a wise decision. Sahna had considered doing the same, but it would have been more difficult to slip unnoticed onto a ship if she looked like she hadn't seen civilisation in weeks.

"Why... are you helping me?" Sahna immediately bit her lip and dropped her gaze to the ground. She... hadn't meant to blurt out such a question or sound ungrateful. She cringed, her lips pulled into a grimace.

[member="Jyn Sol"]

 

[Lief]

She could hear the girl's stomach rumbling; even if she hadn't been an Empath, Jyn would have been able to tell just how deep the girl's hunger ran. That broke her heart. The little one began to creep closer, she could tell that she was being studied by the Togruta but did not let it bother her.

"It's okay," she repeated again, before the girl spoke, forcing a tiny smile from Jyn who was doing her best not to overwhelm her. "Sahna, such a beautiful name." The hand which lingered between them remained in place, still a gentle offer of companionship, protection, and most of all sustenance. Every bone in her body wanted to help, and she didn't need the Force to tell her that such was needed.

"Why are you alone out here?" she asked, "It won't be safe come nightfall. Come with me, we'll get you something warm to eat, somewhere you can rest, and we'll talk more in the morning. How does that sound?"

She had inquired about the salve, which was a good sign. One more step toward trust. "It's an antihistamine, if you apply it to the bites it will soothe them. But it's back at my ship. Don't worry, we don't have to go to my ship, I can grab it and we can find someplace in town to rest up. How does that sound?"

The young girl's skepticism made itself known then, and Jyn could not blame her for it. With the same smile still upon her lips, she reached out to tip up the girl's chin when she looked to the ground. "Don't worry, that is a good question to ask; I am helping you because you are somebody who clearly needs a break. Lost out here in the marshes... Tell me, if you were in the position to help someone in a similar spot, wouldn't you?"

Through the girl's fears she could feel the Force swirling, that was something else to be addressed but for now it was probably best not to overwhelm her. One step at a time, and the first was food! Jyn's own stomach rumbled at the reminder.

[member="Sahna Te"]

 

[Valgærd]

A beautiful name.

She'd never been exactly forthcoming with her name, but of the few that had known it, no one had ever called it "beautiful". She had never considered any part of herself beautiful. She was an urchin, a scoundrel, she wasn't beautiful... was she?

Why was she alone out here? She cringed at Jyn's question. Looking for someone on who's ship I can stowaway. She couldn't say that, this woman was kind, offering her food and protection even. She couldn't risk that.

"I'm... lost." She stammered. Technically not untrue, she supposed. She had started somewhere not far from a city, she had no idea where she was now. Sahna Te drew in a breath and let it out slowly. This was difficult. Kindness was... not something she was used to. She had expected cruelty, she was ready for that. This? This was... alien. Her breath came out in a shuddering sigh. Were those... tears stinging the back of her eyes? Aranias would have been ashamed of her. She hadn't cried since the day he'd faced down that sith.

But the woman called Jyn wasn't done.

An offer to come back to her ship. An offer to willingly bring her aboard her ship. Willingly. Sahna drew in another slow breath, her chest shuddering from the strain of holding back sobs. Why was she so weak all of a sudden? The Togruta raised her hands to her montrols, stroking them for a few moments before dropping her hands again to wring them together in front of her. Her face was growing hot, her eyes stung. Her shoulders ached.

"That sounds very nice." She replied, her voice now merely a choked whisper. It would have been obvious that she was speaking around a lump in her throat. She released another sigh, swaying on her feet a little. Now that Jyn had made mention of it, the fatigue that Sahna had been holding back seemed to flood through her core. Her limbs felt heavy and her head pounded. The woman was right. She needed a break. The children from Nar Shadaa would be ashamed of her, she never let them go out in such a state, why should she force herself to do the same?

But then Jyn asked her final question:

if you were in the position to help someone in a similar spot, wouldn't you?

The first hot, salty tear escaped her eye and trickled down her cheek, leaving a glistening trail. It was soon followed by one from her other eyes, then another. She opened her mouth to speak, but the lump in her throat ached, forcing her to close it again. Her shoulders heaved and she swayed again. Being this upset was exhausting. She shook her head, but it was so slow and subtle it was barely an answer. She fixed her gaze on Jyn's chin, unable to look into the woman's eyes. When finally she spoke, her voice was cracked and faltering, her words broken up by sobs she was failing to quell,

"If... if you want to leave me... out here. I... I unders-stand."

[member="Jyn Sol"]

 

[Lief]

Lost.

A sentiment Jyn could fully empathize with. How many times had she found herself stranded? Abandoned? Without cause or place, on some foreign world? It had led her down many strange paths, into frightening situations, and yet she had somehow come out on top. Why? Due to the kindness of a select few. [member='Moira Skaldi'] had plucked her from Teth during her time of need, [member='Siobhan Kerrigan'] had shown her compassion, and armed her when she chose to return to the Galaxy, [member='Jericho'] had come to her rescue during the Arthos incident... Could she had found another way without them? Perhaps... But she stood where she was right now due to them, and she did not know how to thank them enough.

"Where do you come from Sahna? Is there somewhere I can return you to? Family, perhaps?" Hopefully such a question wasn't a soft spot for the girl, she didn't look particularly well cared for, after all, and the signs did not point in a positive direction. Still, she wouldn't have it said she didn't at least try.

When the girl began to sob, it was all Jyn could do to stop herself from stepping forward and sweeping her off her feet. Instead she closed the space between them, and offered the girl a gentle embrace, one which she could very easily step away from if she so wished. "It's okay," she soothed, her voice little more than a whisper at this point, "You're okay." What was said next, however, made Jyn frown.

"Why would I leave you? Oh, sweet thing, if you think I will abandon you for being afraid and sad, then you are wrong indeed." It took every ounce of control Jyn had to push away the feelings that lapped against her from the girl, to shut out her empathy lest she set herself alight. Wouldn't that be a welcoming sight for an already spooked child to see? No, she inhaled and kept herself under control.

"Come on, let's get you somewhere you can rest."

Standing to her full height, she very gently took the girl's hand in her own and began to lead her away, back toward her ship. She knew she had to be close now, the trees here looked familiar, and not in the I just walked in circles for hours kind of familiar.

[member="Sahna Te"]

 

[Valgærd]

Sahna lifted a hand to angrily wipe away the tears that stubbornly clung to her striped white and orange face. She drew in a deep, shuddering breath and let it out slowly, turning her large blue eyes up to the woman's face.

"I..." she stopped. Saying it had always been hard. It made it just that much more real. "I don't have a family." She finished, her voice still cracked and faltering.

She had fought to regain a mote of her composure, but as Jyn told her it was okay, that control slipped away. Jyn opened her arms, and the togruta practically fell into them. She had been strong for a long time, finding her own way across the galaxy without so much as a thought for how it was all actually affecting her. It had been easy when no one cared, it meant that she didn't have to care either. But now this woman, this 'Jyn', had shown her something she hadn't seen in so long, something she thought she'd never see.

As Jyn comforted her, assuring her that she wouldn't be left here, Sahna merely leaned against her, sobbing. Eventually, she felt the woman draw in a deep breath, and she did the same. It felt good to draw air into her lungs. She hadn't let herself cry like that for some time. It was... cleansing.

Then Jyn mentioned some rest.

She might as well have flicked a switch. Sahna was tired, she was always tired; it came with survivng on precious little food. But after so long trekking through the marshes, and now sobbing as heavily as she had, her legs were ready to give out from under her.

"Some rest..." she croaked, "yes please."

As Jyn took her hand, she grasped back gratefully. She kept close to the woman as they walked, sighing as her shoulders slumped heavily with fatigue.

"Thank you." she murmured.

[member="Jyn Sol"]

 

[Lief]

The child was beyond exhausted.

She had practically collapsed into Jyn's offer of an embrace, and her confession at being alone in the Galaxy had revealed her truly fragile state, it was as though she had been holding on for so very long, afraid to show her own weakness, afraid to let the world know the truth of her situation, and to that Jyn could only empathize.

Had she not been in a similar situation herself? After Tirdarius first disappeared, had she not wandered alone in uncertainty? Afraid to show her true colours? Pretending to be fine when really she was hungry and cold and exhausted and so very much alone?

Nothing more had to be said. Jyn did not hesitate any longer, she picked the girl up as though she were nothing more than a babe and carried her through the swampland, it made the going tough, she had already been sinking with each step, but the girl was surprisingly light.

Just a few yards before the trees broke, and the sight of her ship graced their vision. "Almost there" she whispered, no longer concerning herself with finding another place to lay the girl down... No, the ship would do. This girl would not be walking alone again, not if Jyn could help it.

Up the ramp, which closed behind them, and into the main communal area. It was only a small ship, meant for a crew of five at maximum, though Jyn piloted it alone with the help of a droid or two. Without much thought she brought the child into the unused crew quarters and lay her onto one of the bunks, stepping to the durasteel storage trunk which was filled with blankets that had never been put on the beds.

Two were draped over the girl.

"I'll return with something warm to eat." Meat based would be best, she was Togorian after all.

[member="Sahna Te"]

 

[Valgærd]

Safe.

It was only while cradled in Jyn's arms, gently carried through the swamp, that the young togruta felt the word come to the front of her mind.

She couldn't remember the last time she'd felt safe. How many nights had she lain awake, watching over a group of slumbering children, just waiting for the sound of approaching footsteps? How many days had she crouched fearfully in some dirty cargo hold or beneath a metal grate, just waiting for the inevitable?

And yet it was here, in the arms of a stranger that walked through the swamps of some distant planet, that she finally felt truly safe.

She heard Jyn whisper to her, "almost there". She let out a gentle sigh in response. The woman was right. Not too long afterwards, she was being carried up a ramp and into the hold of a small ship.

The Togruta new her way around ships. Even in her current state, her eyes still habitually darted around all the nooks and crannies, mentally marking hiding places and the like. But she was so tired, so drained, that she let the information slip from her mind.

As she was laid onto a bunk in what appeared to be quarters of some kind, Sahna Te smiled. She was still sore, hungry, and tired. But here, on the ship of this kind soul, she found she was smiling all the same.

She reached up and tugged on the blankets Jyn lay over her, pulling them tightly around her thin frame. As the woman mentioned hot food, Sahna's eyes widened.

"Thank you," She croaked. Her voice was tired and cracking, but her tone seemed content, "I... I'll be here."

The blankets were so warm, the humble bed on which she lay so comfortable, the feeling of peace so strong, that Sahna's eyes began to close before she even realised they felt heavy.

[member="Jyn Sol"]

 

[Lief]

She did not linger long within the bunks, and instead ventured out into the rest of the ship. Down toward the galley, and a somewhat freshly stocked pantry. Okay, so it hadn't been restocked since she left Aurum this last time, but there remained a decent amount of non-rationed food, things that actually could be made into fresh meals instead of staples that had to be rehydrated. Those were not at all her favourites, and she did her best to avoid running out of fresh.

Giving the girl some time to catch up on rest, Jyn took her time as she prepared a hearty soup, with a meaty broth base. Chunks of bantha steak were added to a separate pan, quickly seered over a high heat before they too were dropped into the broth.

Pressing a button on the dashboard which lay just beside the stove, Jyn spoke into the cockpit where a droid worked away. "This is Jyn, set a course for Aurum." A child without family, lost in the wilderness, with latent force abilities? She knew she could not simply send her away, to do that might jeopardize her future, lead her into the clutches of the Jedi or worse the Sith. The girl should have a choice, the choice Jyn never received.

At least on Aurum she would find sanctuary until she made up her mind.

How long passed between the ship prepping for take off, and the soup reaching an edible point, Jyn did not know. Stars flickered past the viewports as she made her way back down the hall with tray in hand, and gently knocked upon the door. Then, and only then after the warning was given, she opened the door and stepped inside, setting the tray on a small table beside Sahna's bunk. Aside from a bowl of steaming soup, there was a hunk of fresh bread and a cup of tea. The same kind Asha had taught her to brew.

"Wakey wakey," she whispered, as softly as she could, "Dinner's ready, Sahna."

[member="Sahna Te"]

 

[Valgærd]

Sleeping on a starship.

It was something Sahna was very used to: the gentle thrum of the engines, the cool, recycled air, the artifical lights. The bed, however? Significantly less so. Her lodgings were normally a pile of coats and blankets on a cold, steel floor. The bed, in comparison, was heavenly.

A soft rapping on the door roused her from her slumber, and she greeted Jyn with a somewhat dazed expression as she blinked away the slumber. Those same eyes widened when she spied the tray in her hands. Those large blue eyes widened. Her mouth began to water and she swallowed as she pulled herself up into a sitting position.

The soup looked so inviting, soft tendrils of steam coiling up from the aromatic broth, and sitting next to it lay a hearty portion of bread. Not to mention the beverage beside it, some sort of... tea, perhaps? She'd stowed away on ships carrying tea before, but never had she tasted it.

She remained with her gaze fixed on the tray as Jyn spoke softly to her.

"That's... all for me?" She breathed, hardly able to believe it. She wanted to wait, to be polite, like the kind woman deserved. But the moment she caught the smell of the food, her stomach violently grumbled, reminding her of how long it'd been empty.

She reached for the tray, her delicate fingers enclosing around the bread. It was all she could do to not simply stuff it greedily into her face as her mind screamed at her to do. Her sharp teeth tore of a chunk of the bread and she made herself chew and swallow it as slowly as she could.

It was divine.

She couldn't remember the last time she'd tasted food so fresh. For a moment she seemed to almost forget that Jyn was there entirely, and scooted closer to the tray. She continued to devour the bread, soon adopting the practice of dunking it into the soup before each bite. While she had thought the bread was amazing, it paled in comparison to the soup. It was hot, meaty, and filling.

By the time she remembered that Jyn had been beside her, the meal had been almost copmletely devoured. Sahna glanced sheepishly up from her meal, a mouthful still in one cheek.

"Um... Sorry." she said quietly. She took a moment to swallow her mouthful and turn to face the woman, "Where... are we going?" She asked, "I felt the engines fire up."

[member="Jyn Sol"]

 

[Lief]

"All for you" she agreed, with a small nod of her head, and when the child took the tray Jyn reached back and grasped a chair which had been sat to one side, pulling it over to the side of the bunk to give herself a place to sit. She was tired, after all, truth be told she needed to see the inside of a refresher, they both did, but food and rest were more important.

Not that she had allowed herself either.

Patiently watching as the girl shoveled down the food, empathizing on a very visceral level, Jyn allowed just the smallest of smiles to play at her lips. It only grew when a tiny "oo" resonated through the chamber, from the bunk just above Sahna's.

"Ah, Kipo," she hummed, with a slight grin, as the baby fat monkey stuck its head over the edge to stare down at her. Apparently the scent of food had roused him from his sleep, not that Jyn had known he had taken to resting in here. Perhaps he had missed her, and wanted somewhere a little closed off to hide in.

"Come here, Kipo."

The creature leaped down from the bunk and landed in her lap, staring at Sahna with obvious confusion, amazement, curiosity. One hand lifted to pet the creature behind the ear, and it wasn't until the girl was done eating that she addressed her question.

"We're heading to a world in the Outer Rim, called Aurum. I don't expect you've heard of it, but that's fine. It is my home, and there you'll find safety, and knowledge. There you will have a future. I hope you don't mind that I presumed you would agree with this idea..."

[member="Sahna Te"]

 

[Valgærd]

Sahna jumped as something made a tiny sound above her.

The Togruta cringed, her sharp teeth biting down on her lip. She had fallen asleep in here, without even checking the room for anything else. How sloppy! She frowned, if this had been any other ship she'd have checked it thoroughly before allowing herself such a luxury as sleeping. Why had she been so careless?

Because you're not a stowaway anymore, she told herself, you don't have to do that now.

She watched as a furry creature leapt from the bunk above Sahna into Jyn's waiting lap. It was small, probably only a baby, and plump. After recovering from her initial fright, Sahna realised that she actually liked it. It was... cute, soft-looking, and it clearly liked Jyn very much. Perhaps she'd rescued this thing just as she'd rescued Sahna.

"Aurum?" She asked as Jyn finished speaking. The girl shook her head, "No... I haven't heard of it."

While not completely impossible, she thought it was a little strange that she hadn't heard of it, perhaps the planet didn't get a lot of traffic. It was fitting, she decided, that if she were to start a new life, that it would be in a place she had no knowledge of. It would be unable to judge her just as she would be unable to judge it, until they met.

"But, I would very much like to see it." She paused, "a future... I--that sounds like a nice idea."

[member="Jyn Sol"]

 

[Lief]

Seeing that the girl had finished off the entire meal, Jyn gently took the tray from her and set it aside. No sense in burdening her with the weight of it unnecessarily, not that it was heavy of course, just a little cumbersome.

"You'll like Aurum, I think" she said, with an easy smile, noticing the way she studied Kipo with curiosity. "We recently built an animal sanctuary there, for creatures like Kipo here who were wrongfully bred in captivity, and sold on the black market. I think you'll like Louie, especially, he's very affectionate."

Reaching up to take Kipo into her hands, she offered the fat monkey across to Sahna with an encouraging nod. Understanding what she had intended, after all Jyn had a natural way with creatures that was only heightened through the Force, the funny little guy squirmed from her hands and sat upon the girl's lap, looking at her just as curiously as he was being looked at.

While the little guy distracted her, Jyn took out a small metallic tin and opened it. Inside a creamy salve was housed, it didn't smell the best but that didn't matter. She took a very light amount of it and began to rub it onto the bites she had sustained in the swamp. Each time she had to get more, she used a different finger to stop the salve from becoming contaminated, before offering it out to the young Togruta.

"Apply this to your bites, it will soothe them and quicken the healing."

[member="Sahna Te"]

 

[Valgærd]

Sahna Te let a smile form on her lips as Jyn removed the tray and began to talk about Aurum. She couldn't help but feel something of a connection to the little thing the woman called 'Kipo'. The creature had been forced into a hard, unforgiving life through circumstances it couldn't control, only to be rescued by sweet Jyn and given a new start, a fresh start. The monkey looked content, happy even, as Jyn picked him up and held him out towards Sahna.

She chuckled as he hopped onto her lap, pausing a few moments before reaching out to gently stroke his soft fur. As he gazed up at her, she gazed back, moving her fingers to scratch behind his ears. He was sweet, innocent even. She found herself wondering what other creatures might be in the sanctuary on Aurum, what other strays and rescues Jyn had collected throughout the galaxy. She couldn't help feeling like one of those strays... a bedraggled, broken thing that had been given a chance for a better life.

The togruta glanced up as Jyn held out a small tin of salve. The sight of it seemed to act as a trigger for her bites, each of them suddenly buzzing and itching. Grimacing at the sensation, she reached out and accepted the tin. Holding it up and away from little Kipo, she gently reached in with a pastel orange finger, applying the cool, soothing balm to her bites.

"Thank you, Jyn." She said with a sigh, "uh... how much is this salve worth? I can work to pay for it. I'm... not terribly strong but I can get into the nooks and crannies in engines and machinery."

[member="Jyn Sol"]

 

[Lief]

The moment the young Togruta took the tin, Jyn reached out and gently plucked Kipo from her lap to give her a little more freedom when it came to applying the salve. As cute as he was, Kipo was gaining quite the reputation for being overly inquisitive, a trait which could end up getting him into trouble. Thankfully for now all he did was make a little bit of a mess rummaging through things, but it was better safe than sorry.

Petting the funny little guy, she watched the young girl curiously before letting out a small frown.

"That salve is worth your comfort, Sahna. Nothing more, nothing less. You do not have to work for anything, not here on my ship. You are my guest. When we reach Aurum you may find things to do to help out, but that's solely for the good of the natives and not myself. I belong to an Ancient Order known as the Je'daii, we study and utilize the Force. Do you know what the Force is, Sahna?"

There was a good chance she did, but honestly an even greater chance she did not. Either way, Jyn decided it was probably time to give her more information.

"We currently work for the betterment of Aurum, we study and train, learn all that we can, to grow into the best version of ourselves. You will be provided with a home, meals, equipment... Anything you could possibly require, and more. All that we ask in return is that you try your hardest to walk this path, one of Balance and Moderation, alongside individuals who care about you and your future."

[member="Sahna Te"]

 

[Valgærd]

Sahna let out an involuntary sigh as the soothing balm did its work. Jyn had plucked Kippo from her lap and the Togruta was able to move around and apply it everywhere. Already she could feel the itching subside. Between this, the food she'd been given, and the small nap she'd stolen, Sahna already felt better now than she had in days... maybe weeks. This alone was worth whatever Jyn might have asked of her.

However, she listened as the woman explained that there was no price, no exchange that needed to be made. She eagerly decided that if she couldn't repay Jyn directly, once they arrived on this... Aurum... she would do whatever she could to repay the debt.

"I've... heard of it." Sahna answered the question, "Arani--Someone I once knew taught me to use it." She finished, biting her lip. It was still difficult to say his name, every time she thought of him she could see only his outstretched hands, begging her to leave. She could hear only his desperate cries, before that awful shadow fell over him.

Sahna swallowed, clearing her throat as she cleared her mind of the thoughts. She turned back to Jyn, listening again as she spoke of Aurum. Silence befell them as Jyn finished speaking and Sahna considered what she'd said. This was the chance that Aranias used to tell them about as children. This was the "One day" that he promised them they'd all have. The togruta's heart felt heavy. She had only allowed herself the fantasy once or twice, but it had always been with the others. Never had she imagined that she'd be the one to finally see it... alone.

Finally, she spoke softly.

"A home? Equipment? In exchange for..." She trailed off, "If... if the Je'Daii would have me, I... couldn't say no." She finished with a lopsided smile.

[member="Jyn Sol"]