Private Freedom is Not for the Weik

[Kirie]

Location: Weik, approaching Cephis
With: Quinn Varanin

It was the day of her seventeenth birthday. She was wandering the forest alone, picking her way across the snow-strewn ground. Around her stood the remnants of an ancient building reduced to a few windblown pillars. Atop a hill at the centre of the structure, she kicked aside a large flat stone, revealing something buried beneath it: A strange glass sphere, warm to the touch, that bathed her face in soft light.
Without thinking Kirie knelt, and picked it up.

"Hey Quinn, come look."

Kirie carefully unwound the bandage around her arm, moving slowly. She needn't have been so careful. The skin was smooth and pristine. It was seeing what lay beneath the bandage that scared her. Scared her so much that she had refused to take it off after Quinn had healed it, and had instead sat, hyperventilating, while she gathered the courage to take it off. Eyes half closed, almost unable look, Kirie removed the final turn of the cloth, revealing...

Nothing. Just bare skin, a slight gap in Kirie's freckles where the new flesh had grown. There was no brand, not even an impression of it. Kirie let out the breath she hadn't realised she'd been holding. The mark of the Kainate was truly gone. Kirie looked up to Quinn, showing off her bare arm and grinning.

Removing the bandage was actually a welcome distraction from the spaceflight. Quinn's shuttle was beginning its descent towards the planet's surface, something that made Kirie feel sick for a number of reasons, chiefly because she hated starships. Kirie could count one one hand the number of trips she had taken since the crash of the Arkadia, and all of them she had spent shivering in a corner, or sick in a bucket. With Quinn by her side the whole time, this journey had been more bearable, but she still screwed her eyes shut and clung to Quinn every time the ship shook.

The other reason Kirie was dreading their vessel touching down, was due to a different kind of fear. Kirie had been left with nothing when she had been dropped into the Sith Empire, then she had desperately clung to the scraps of normalcy she had been able to find, and eventually managed to build something resembling a life there. But, Kirie's life in the Empire, her life with Quinn, was based on the pretense that her allies were helping her go home, even if it seemed the longer time went on that nobody really wanted that anymore.

And now, here she was. In a few minutes, the shuttle's landing legs would settle onto the icy ground of Weik's northern reaches, and then, like a spell being broken, she would be home. She had to come back, of course she did, and she would only be here for a little while before she returned to Jutrand with Quinn. But Kirie was terribly afraid that she was somehow ruining everything, and the heavy feeling in her gut was unshakeable.

What Kirie did not fear, at least, was what awaited her down below. Her town was a known quantity. She knew what she would face in Cephis, because every face was familiar to her. She knew what was coming, and she was ready for it.

"We're nearly there."

Kirie placed an arm around Quinn and leaned her head on her shoulder seeking comfort in her touch. The Princess was as collected as always, but Kirie knew she must be filled with worry and sorrow. Quinn had not wanted Kirie to go. She still didn't want it. Kirie hated making anyone feel that way, but especially not Quinn. It pained her, but it was her path. She just hoped that after this journey was completed she could take Quinn's hand and go home. Not to Weik, but Jutrand.

"Have you got your coat? It's going to be nighttime when we arrive, and cold." It was early autumn on Weik, which where Kirie had grown up meant near perpetual darkness and consistent snowfalls, which as winter approached, would become blinding whiteouts that nearly buried the town.

The ship shuddered and Kirie winced. She felt the artificial gravity shift slightly, a sign that they were slowing, coming in to land a short walk away from Cephis. It was nearly time.

 

[Quinn Varanin]

//: Kirie //:
//: Weik, Cephis //:
//: Attire //:

The flight from Jutrand to Weik was short despite the travel time having been several days. Quinn had dragged her feet planning the shuttle, knowing that the moment they boarded, Kirie was no longer hers. Quinn minded her time with the woman, enjoying the brief enjoyments of her company. Her heart ached after all of it, but she was happy she could share these precious last moments together. Kirie had become so embedded into her heart that it was hard to imagine the Princess without her handmaiden, a lady in waiting that was hard to replace. Especially one who cared for her Princess with precious intimacy.

The princess' amber gaze lit up from the excitement of her lady's exclamation. Slowly, the bandages fell away, and Quinn reached out to touch the delicate skin of her beloved. "It healed well; I'm quite proud of myself." she grinned and laughed gently, "Of course, you did a lot of the work as well." Quinn nodded, letting her hand reach and caress the Weikian woman's cheek. Her thumb brushed against the woman's cheek, and her hand fell away as her attention went to the small announcements from the small crew of the shuttle. While Quinn knew how to pilot, she wanted to allow them to share as much time together as possible.

"Still bothers you?" Quinn spoke, concerned, as she turned to face Kirie. She could feel the fear and the unease spilling from the woman. As much as she tried, Quinn couldn't fully ease the woman's suffering regarding the shuttle - at least it was as smooth as the pilot could. The shuttle fell from hyperspace, and they drew closer to the planet, as Kirie had mentioned. Having lived in space with her parents for some time, Quinn's resistance to space sickness was high - but her stomach now churned. Nerves rose as she could feel her throat drying. There was nothing to quell her distaste for what was happening, but the Echani knew the girl wanted this.

It was always the plan; Kirie was never to be hers forever, despite the woman wanting to return. Quinn's mind refocused as the landing gear crushed the ice and snow under it. Kirie had asked her something and suddenly was against her. The Princess had refrained from sharing their relationship with the personnel that had traveled with them. Quinn was one to keep her closest a secret, but right now, she didn't care. The group was a small, trusted guard from the Imperial palace, hand-picked by her mother to protect her cherished child. Quinn pulled Kirie into an embrace, sensing the need for comfort. Her fine silk shirt was thin enough for her to nearly feel the natural heat of the woman's body and the beating of her racing heart.

"I do," she whispered in response; her jacket was prepared along with travel gear. Kirie would be leaving with enough credits to last her a lifetime on Weik, along with gifts and clothing, so she would never be left wanting. It wouldn't be right not to allow Kirie to continue to live the life she had become accustomed to. Quinn held the brunette tightly, burying her face into her shoulder. "I'm going to miss you," Quinn whispered; she could hear the crew moving things off the ship and preparing to head to Kirie's hometown.

They had a moment, and Quinn pulled back to hold Kirie's face. Tears welled in her eyes but never fell - the Princess keeping her composure as her upbringing commanded. She wanted to try to persuade her lover to have one more night alone, to convince her she didn't need to be home, and one more night just for them to be without the reminder of their truths.

Quinn kissed her gently and rested her forehead against Kirie's. Pulling back, Quinn convinced herself to ignore what her heart wanted. "Looks like everything is packed up and ready. Let's take you home…" Quinn let her hands fall and grabbed Kirie's hand. Despite her desire to keep their relationship a secret, she would let it be known now in hopes that it would protect Kirie in her home.

"I can only stay a short time. With war on the horizon, I need to prepare; I will leave you with guards - to protect you and your mother. I'll come back for you when you're ready." Quinn paused as she wrapped the layers of clothing and jacket. "If I can't return, I'll send Anathemous." Her voice was quiet- scary as it was - she had to return. She had done once already for Kirie and would keep doing so.

Quinn didn't allow Kirie a moment to respond. She pulled the woman with her down the ramp while signalling the guards to follow. According to Kirie, the walk was short, so she allowed the woman to take the lead.

"Welcome home, Kirie," Quinn leaned over and whispered in the woman's ear.

 

[Kirie]

They placed the crystal in the square. A grey stone podium with metallic braces that held it aloft. The valley was dark in the wintertime, a land of perpetual shadow. Kirie had brought them daylight. They stood huddled on the flagstones, basking in the warm glow. The village head had declared the monument would be named after her family. The Corsell Stone.

​

"I'm going to miss you,"

Quinn released her, and Kirie felt the cool touch of Quinn's hand on her face, She closed her eyes and leaned into it. Like Quinn, she did not weep, even though she wanted to.

"I'm going to miss you too." said Kirie. She rose onto her tiptoes and gave Quinn a quick peck on the cheek, one that could be observed by the crew as merely a show of gratitude. Kirie wanted to linger in the kiss, to take ahold of Quinn again and savour the sensation of her lips, but she knew better, so she just settled back, and give Quinn a bashful smile.

But Quinn leaned forward, cupping her face in that way she did, kissing Kirie properly in return. Warmth flowed through her. It was so like Quinn to be brazen, bold. Kirie was grateful for it. The lingering feeling of their kiss gave her some strength, made her braver. She hoped she would be brave enough to let Quinn leave.

"I'm scared." Kirie whispered, her nose already reddening in the cold. She buried her face in Quinn's shoulder, her voice muffled. "Oh Quinn, I'm really scared."

The landing ramp opened with a hum and a whine. The loading dock was suddenly full of cool air and the smell of the mountains, the smell of Kirie's home. She hesitated, but Quinn's insistence kept her moving down the ramp. Another thing to be grateful for. When they emerged from under the shuttle, Kirie stopped, her eyes scanning the landscape beyond.

From the top of the small hill where they had landed, Cephis unfurled below. Little houses dotted the valley, their lights twinkling faintly, the only sign of life in what was otherwise a wild and empty landscape. The sky was a carpet of stars, and the moonlight shone bright enough to silhouette the tall staight trees which surrounded the town. The mountains hulked further back, overtaking the horizon. Formidible, yet comforting, as their shapes were so familiar to Kirie. The whole scene had been coated in a dusting of snow that crunched underfoot as they walked. There was no denying it was a spectacular place, and a beautiful night.

Kirie's hand gripped Quinn's firmly. Though she knew that she would soon have to make do without her for awhile, she couldn't make herself let go of her hand. Instead, she savoured the sensation of her touch, and did her best to commit this scene to memory, the scent of the trees' needles, the chill breeze, the dappled moonlight that played over their skin. She would hold it all in her mind until they returned to each other, and could make new memories.

"My house was- Um, is, on the edge of town." said Kirie nervously. "Not far." She started down the path, Quinn's hand in hers, with the precession of guards and luggage trundling along behind, keeping a respectful distance. There were many things Kirie had discussed with Quinn in her time at the house on Jutrand. They had talked about her favourite stories and songs, and Kirie's hatred of dessert had been mentioned many times. But, there were a few things Kirie never spoke of: the crash that had brought her to the Sith, and Cephis.

The path was not lit, but the night was bright enough for them to wind their way down the hill with ease. They passed a couple of houses. These ones were devoid of light, and one of them had been boarded up. Kirie swallowed. The town was unchanged from when she'd left it, and the abandoned buildings had been there for years. Now she was seeing them from a different perspective.

They turned a corner, and Kirie's eyes widened. She had been expecting it, but still the sight of her house was shocking. It was right there, at the end of a small branching path of small stones, a squat one-storey cottage, a dark tiled roof, natural stone walls, and dark, unlit windows. Concern gripped Kirie's heart. Why was it so dark inside? She pushed it down, her mum had probably gone to bed early.

"This is it." said Kirie, her voice barely louder than the freezing wind that wound its way around them. "Where I grew up." Kirie shifted from foot to foot, waiting a long time before she finally walked up to the dark metal door. "Would it be okay if you, uh, waited outside for a moment?" Kirie gave Quinn a reassuring smile, but she couldn't keep the worry from her eyes.

 

[Quinn Varanin]

//: Kirie //:
//: Weik, Cephis //:
//: Attire //:

Quinn followed quietly; she admired the houses they passed, not recognizing their style. She had never seen anything like the town Kirie had grown up in; the Princess wondered if more outer rim planets were built like this, being so far from modernized capitals like Jutrand. There was a charm to it, and despite the smoothing of Kirie's palm, Quinn could understand the reasons for the roughness. The town was very quiet and peaceful. Everything that Quinn missed about Eshan.

They walked, and Quinn listened to Kirie; there was a familiarity in her steps as they walked. Very different from when they walked around Jutrand. Quinn wasn't' used to being led, but it was a welcomed change from their usual outings. Hearing Kirie speak again, Quinn's eyes left the barred homes and to the woman beside her. "Oh?" She answered as it was mentioned that Kirie's family home was on the outskirts. Having the house be far from town but not that far would mean the guards wouldn't attract too much attention, and there would be fewer worries. There was a welcomed relief that came with the news. "It sounds wonderful." Quinn smiled as she continued to follow. Every step and crunch of the snow haunted the Princess - they drew ever so closer to the end of the road.

Quinn wanted to ask about the boarded-up homes. It seemed there was a darker story to this town than Kirie was letting on. It would explain the potential reason why Kirie had become a Kainite slave. Once again, the Princess took in the town—it wasn't particularly rich; in fact, it seemed to have had some struggle. Her brow furrowed, wondering if this forsaken town had sold the girl into slavery to pay for something.

Maybe Kirie's mother had debts that couldn't be paid only with coins. Quinn quelled the fury in her chest, especially when Kirie turned to her. They had arrived; the end of the road had come. "Stay outside?" Quinn asked, surprised. Never in her days had she been asked to remain outside; the Echani looked around to make sure she had heard the Weikian woman right. "I guess, yes?" The guards looked as surprised as the Princess. Still, she figured surprising one's mother with a princess, luggage, and a horde of guards after being away for so long. "I'll wait outside, but don't keep me waiting too long." Quinn feigned a pout as she refused to release Kirie.

The pout faded into a mischievous grin. A swirl of the Force gently pulled Kirie to the Princess, and an arm found its place in the small of the woman's back. Secrecy be damned for now; Quinn had it in her mind that their time on Weik was going to be the last time they would share these moments together.

Reality was their enemy, but at least for a bit longer, Quinn could have Kirie. The Princess' free hand gently caressed the smaller woman's face, memorizing its gentleness in her palm and the sight of her beautiful chestnut eyes. "Kirie," Her voice barely above a whisper, "before our dream ends, I just.." She paused, leaning in slowly, "I wanted to tell you - I'm in love with you…" The Princess gently kissed the woman with a smile before releasing her quickly. Before she could answer, she pushed her along to the door to see her mother.

 

[Kirie]

Everyone was sick. The kind of sick that made your blood sour in your veins, leaving nothing but a shell. It had started gradually enough not to notice. It took her girlfriend, then her father. Half the town by then. They had called doctors and miracle workers, but nothing had helped. Finally, a passing Jedi came to offer his wisdom. It did not take him long to find the source of the rot: The crystal, shining in the square. Some sort of Dark artifact.

'Who did this?' he cried. 'Who brought this here?'

And all their eyes turned to her.

​

"Stay outside?"

Kirie looked embarrassed. She was not usually the type to give Quinn instructions. Though she didn't really consider Quinn her superior anymore, or fear speaking out, Kirie still preferred to listen to the Princess and follow her lead. That had been flipped on its head after they had landed on Weik. It was her that led the precession into town, it was her who told Quinn to wait outside. That felt wrong.

"I won't keep you waiting." Kirie promised, "I'll just be a minute or two-"

Kirie felt the now-familiar disembodied yank of the Force pull her backwards, and she yelped, losing her balance as she turned, but falling smoothly into Quinn's arms as if she was leading Kirie in a dance and they had just finished a twirl. Kirie opened her mouth to protest- why couldn't Quinn just trust her to go inside first- but then Kirie saw the expression on her face and her irritation soften to amusement, and then, when she heard the whispered words, shock.

"Kirie, before our dream ends, I just... I wanted to tell you - I'm in love with you…"

Kirie's mouth hung agape, the admission had actually rendered her speechless. She struggled to make herself say something, but she couldn't do it. She let Quinn guide her into the kiss and that was enough to restart her brain. Happiness flooded her with such intensity it locked her muscles and flooded every part of her body, even before Quinn broke the kiss Kirie's hands were shaking and she was bouncing up and down excitedly. They broke away, and Kirie again opened her mouth to speak-

Quinn shoved her.

It wasn't very hard, but Kirie wasn't expecting it at all, so instead of gently pushing her towards the house like Quinn had undoubtedly intended, Kirie simply tripped and smacked into the metal door with a dull clang. She shook her head, slightly dazed, and turned back to face Quinn. Kirie had known Quinn long enough to realise what she was doing, pushing Kirie towards the house to avoid having to hear her response. Kirie gave her a sympathetic smile. It was a nice try, but if Quinn was going to be so vulnerable, then Kirie would be too. Everything else could wait, even Cephis.

"Princess Quinn Varanin." said Kirie, taking her hands. "Your Highness, Heir to the Empire. When this dream ends, I want to wake up beside you."

Kirie gazed unwavering into Quinn's hazel eyes. Standing on the stoop, she stood as tall to Quinn as the Princess usually was to her. She moved her arm, placing Quinn's hand on her jaw, thumb resting on her chin, just as it had been on that evening on Echnos. Kirie closed her eyes and smiled. She leaned forward, into a long, slow kiss, long enough to make her lungs hurt. When she broke away, Quinn would be able to feel Kirie's happy tears on her face. Kirie laughed shyly and wiped her eyes.

"I'm in love with you too." said Kirie. "I have been for a long time."

She could sense Quinn's doubt, her worry that this was the final time they could be themselves together. Kirie felt it too, but she did not believe it. Quinn was the best thing that had ever happened to her. She would never let her slip away so easily. She would claw and struggle her way back to Quinn's arms. Standing in front of the house she'd been raised in, she finally realised she no longer thought of it as her home. Home was back on Jutrand, in the large four poster bed she shared with Quinn.

"Oh stars" Kirie cried out suddenly. "Now I have to introduce you to my mum."

Kirie's heart was pounding. Her blood rushed with a mix of pleasure and nerves. Kirie felt shaky, like if she stopped, she would be unable to move forward anymore, so she gave Quinn another quick kiss and turned back to the door, reaching out to enter the entry code on the keypad. Her fingers danced across the keys, acting on muscle memory. With an electronic click, the door slid open, revealing a darkened front room.

"Be right back." Kirie murmured, and walk into the house.

​

She could tell something was wrong immediately. The air inside the house was stale, and when she'd stepped inside, Kirie had kicked up some of the thick layer of dust that coated the floor, making her eyes water. Her jaw set, Kirie walked stiffly forward, deeper into the house. The moonlit night was her only guide, her footsteps were so loud, making the floorboards creak horribly. Kirie wanted to turn and run, but she didn't, wanted to cry out, but she was silent. She just continued forward, past her empty childhood bedroom, to the end of the hallway at the back of the house. Her mother, Kara's, room.

It was empty. The bed was neatly made, the sheets giving off a musty smell. There was nobody home. Nobody had been home in a long while. She felt her knees give out, thudding against the floor and kicking up a fresh wave of dust.

"Quinn!" Kirie cried out, finally finding her voice. "Please!"

Kirie felt herself curling into a ball, all of her strength, all of her happiness and bravery leeching out of her, and into the cold wood. Something broke inside her, and she began to wail.

Quinn Varanin ​

 

[Quinn Varanin]

//: Kirie //:
//: Weik, Cephis //:
//: Attire //:

Kirie's words broke through the forced silence Quinn had put herself in. There was a fear that lingered with the feelings they had shared. Too many times before, Quinn felt love only to have it ripped from her. Only one love had remained steady throughout her life; she had loved her for longer than she could remember. Gentle touches along her hairline, soft, gentle, unspoken words, and protection the Princess knew would never falter. Srina Talon had been more than just her godmother; she was the steady figure that Quinn could lean on. She was more her mother than her birth parents, and no one could ever take the woman's place.

She had been the only love that Quinn knew to be true and unconditional.

Still, love terrified the young Sith. More often than not, tragedy struck the moment she allowed her heart to sing the melody of love. Her passion for the Zambrano heir drove her deeper into her madness. Vesta searched, unwilling to accept the devastating reason behind their meeting. A child devoid of affection finds it in the arms of her mother's murderer's offspring. Quinn's heart wasn't good enough. It wasn't enough to anchor Vesta to the reality they shared.

Quinn smiled as her hand rested gently on her chin, fingers dancing carefully against her lips. They had kissed, shared, and accepted the love that was there. Kirie had loved her for some time now - did Quinn miss it, or did she ignore it? She wondered how long the woman had held on to her feelings for the Princess. As she mused over the feelings of the brunette, Quinn paused as Kirie had been in her house longer than she had initially promised. The Force rippled and cried. Something was terribly wrong.

Before Kirie called out to the Princess, she had moved quickly, ready to deal with anything causing the emotional turmoil affecting the woman she loved. She nearly tore the door open as she pushed through the guards following her weapons drawn. The guards fanned out, and Quinn waved her hand; there was no danger, and Kirie didn't need to be startled further than she already was. "Kirie?" Quinn called to the woman; slowly, she walked into the room, seeing that it hadn't been disturbed till now. The dust had said it all, and she quickly understood the woman's cries on the floor.

"Oh, Kirie…" she moved to wrap her arms around the woman, knees taking the brunt of her fall. Quinn pulled the girl against her tightly, giving her any comfort she could. Without thinking, the room filled with her presence was one that Kirie would be familiar with. The calm warmth swirled around them, keeping Kirie tightly protected in their own world. Quinn wanted to bring Kirie back to Jutrand and return them to their dream where the Galaxy couldn't touch them.

"Kirie, what happened?" she whispered into the woman's ear as she continued to gently rock her, trying to soothe her.

 

[Kirie]

Even though she had found the stone years ago, even though she had just been a child, they still blamed her. There were cries for her to be tried in accordance to the Old Tradition- to be sunk into the depths of the frozen lake. Those were tempered by empassioned pleas for mercy. Couldn't they just banish her instead?

Ultimately, none of that happened. The town councillors ruled that since she had been a child when it happened, and had no way of understanding the crystal's danger, she had committed no crime against Cephis.

It didn't matter what they said. People had died. The damage was done, and there was nothing she could ever do to take that back.

She had to leave.

​

"She's gone."

"I don't know what to do now." said Kirie, her voice hollow. "I- had it all planned out, I had a speech and everything." Kirie pressed her palms against her forehead, curled up with Quinn standing over her. Kirie was silent for a while, no longer sobbing, but with silent tears still falling down her face. All at once, she stiffened, then went limp. She had realised something. "I knew." Kirie said. "Somehow, deep down, I knew for a fact something was wrong, that she wasn't here. I just deluded myself into believing something different."

It was just like she had known that Quinn had been in harms way on Susevfi, even when there was no news. Kirie had acted then, but this time, she'd ignored her own perception, and she was suffering for it. Now, she was on Weik, in the town that despised her, where she wasn't welcome, and the very last thread connecting Kirie to her old life had just been severed. She wished she had never came, she wanted to take it all back, to live in foolish hope and ignore what she'd known deep down for months. Kirie wanted to return to the dream.

"There is nothing for me on Weik, Quinn." Kirie whispered. "Not if she's gone." Kirie settled into Quinn's arms, letting the Princess rock her slowly back and forth. Kirie's whole body was cold, and she was shaking like a leaf, her lips trembling and breath coming out in little gasps that left puffs of condensation in the icy air. But, where Quinn's warm body leaned against her, where her fingers wrapped around her arms and shoulders, she felt some sensation flowing back into her skin. Kirie's reality had completely fallen apart, but Quinn, her world, she was still here. "I have something I've been meaning to tell you." said Kirie, her voice laced with guilt. "I would have- should have said something earlier but-" Kirie let out a sigh. "I didn't want you to think of me differently."

Laying her head on her shoulder as she often did when lying in bed with Quinn, recounting the day's events or listening to her lover tell a story, Kirie laid out the whole sordid tale. She explained how, as a teenager, she had found an artefact, how unknowingly, she had discovered something that would poison her town for years. Kirie told Quinn of the day that she found out what she had accidentally done, how after that she had been shunned. How a month later, she had boarded a ship to the Core, to a new life. That ship had never made it to its destination. It was shot down by the Kainate.

But, she had found her new life, in a way.

"There's nothing left for me here." Kirie repeated. "But I still have to stay for awhile. In case she's still al- Uh. In case she comes back." Kirie wanted to stay with Quinn, wanted to get out of this empty, dusty ruin that had once been her home.

Kirie wiped her tears away. She'd promised herself she wouldn't cry, but she could forgive herself for this. With shining eyes she looked up at Quinn, the way the moonlight filtered through the window and illuminated the silvery hair that framed her face. Kirie leaned forward and gently pressed her lips to Quinn's, holding herself there for only a moment before she pulled away. She wanted more, wanted to show Quinn just how much she loved her, but she knew it would be a bad idea. This wasn't the time to distract herself, not yet.

"Can we go back outside?" Kirie asked, her voice a little weak. Kirie felt faint. Her arm twinged and she rubbed it absentmindedly, frowning. She needed some fresh air.

Quinn Varanin ​

 

[Quinn Varanin]

//: Kirie //:
//: Weik, Cephis //:
//: Attire //:

The feeling was something she had felt before. Though, unlike Kirie, there was no coming back. Years ago, Quinn had felt the death of her birth mother. The unshakeable feeling of someone you had your life intertwined with suddenly fading from existence. Quinn listened, nodding and carefully offering supportive words as she held her lover tightly. Right now, she needed the support that Quinn had needed back then. While she rocked Kirie gently, the woman focused on the Force to warm them both through the frigid air of Weik.

After the story, Quinn smiled gently, the tip of her nose brushing Kirie's as her lips pressed lovingly to the woman's forehead in comfort. "I could never think any differently of you; don't ever be afraid to talk to me." Her words were quiet as she looked at the guards who were lingering. Without a word, they filtered out. This was a moment the pair should be alone—especially with no imminent danger looming.

Alone and without interruption, Quinn felt the desperation in Kirie's kiss. The woman had left no time for the Echani to process the words she had said, but gently, a warm hand cupped the brunette's face - till she broke the kiss. Quinn smiled at the woman, knowing that she wanted the distraction of their love to pull her from this horror, but blindly letting physical gratifications cover the emotional turmoil would only cause more harm. But, if that was what Kirie needed from the Princess, she would oblige. Quinn only wanted Kirie happy, even if it was temporary.

Nodding, Quinn stood and helped the other woman come to her feet. She remained close to her, giving Kirie's shocked frame the needed support. "Do you want to go back to the shuttle? Or should we look around the house a bit more? There might be more clues as to what happened." Quinn wondered why nothing had been said or why the house had just been abandoned. Was there no reason to get the word out to the next of kin? Even if she had been a slave, Quinn would have hoped something would have notified her.

Not wanting to push too far, Quinn looked about the house. "Maybe we can warm it up; you never know. She could…she could just be away." Quinn wanted to hope that this was a misunderstanding. Kirie had mentioned already knowing and having that feeling, that dread that only someone intuitive to the Force would feel.

She was curious about the matter because she had felt something during their intimacy that she had only felt with another force-sensitive. "Kirie, when you say you felt it deep down - what do you mean?" She asked gently, not wanting to cause more harm to the already distraught girl. "Did you have dreams? Nightmares?" Quinn wondered if something plagued the woman while she had been away. She knew nightmares weren't something new to the Weikian girl, but from Quinn's knowledge, sleeping beside her, things were alright.

"You can tell me anything and everything." Quinn smiled and pulled Kirie into a tight and warm hug. If her suspicions were confirmed, Kirie might be like her.

 

[Kirie]

A curtain of rain concealed the mountaintops and hid the valley that housed Cephis from view. The ship, the Arkadia, rose from the ground, and Kirie had a sinking feeling that she would not see her home again for a long, long time. When they passed into the clouds and she lost view of even the land, Kirie felt no relief. In fact, she felt as if a great and dreadful weight had settled onto her shoulders, as though her woes were only just beginning.

​

Having been released from the kiss that made her ache, Kirie took Quinn's hand when and stood, her circulation seemed to be better in the cold than the Princess', because Kirie's hands were still warm where Quinn's were like little icicles. It made sense, Kirie had grown up here, and few liveable planets were as cold as Weik. Kirie stood beside Quinn a few moments, letting the woman's hands warm in hers.

"Do you want to go back to the shuttle? Or should we look around the house a bit more? There might be more clues as to what happened."

"I don't know." Kirie said quietly, she put a hand up to her temple and screwed her eyes shut, leaning her bodyweight into Quinn for support. As she stood, leaning into her love, Kirie felt her mind finally slowing down. The comfort of Quinn's touch allowed her to stop panicking, but the fear and dread still crept at the edge of her thoughts. Something practical would help keep her focused. Kirie released Quinn and paced over to the control panel by the door, tapping a button to turn on all the lights in the house.

"Yeah." Kirie agreed, her voice still faraway. "Alright. Let's warm this place up and have a proper look around." Kirie stood in the kitchen, her face illuminated by the soft light emanating from above the stovetop. "There's a temperature control next to you." Kirie said, pointing to a switch next to Quinn. "I'm not sure what to do about the dust, though."

Once Quinn had set the temperature, Kirie led the way into the rest of the house. There weren't that many rooms to check- just an empty dining area, Kirie's old bedroom, her mum's room, and a cramped little office they'd always just used for storage. They started there, Kirie poking her head in nervously, but the old boxes and drawers were the same as they had been the day Kirie had left months ago. Kirie pursed her lips, but she was relieved in a way. She wanted desperately to understand what was going on. But part of her feared the worst. They stepped back into the hall.

"Kirie, when you say you felt it deep down - what do you mean? Did you have dreams? Nightmares?"

"Mhm." murmured Kirie, nodding her head, her voice barely above a whisper. "I guess I've always had a good intuition. All my life the things I have known in my gut have turned out true. I used to trust that... But I convinced myself not to." Kirie shook her head sadly. Just another in a long list of her mistakes, another flaw out of the many Kirie had noticed about herself since Quinn had rescued her. A worthless, secretive liar. She was lucky to have found someone generous enough to love her in spite of it.

"The dreams I had, leading up to the night I came to you." Kirie continued. "I saw this house, empty. In darkness. I was always afraid, searching for something. I'd open a door, I can't remember which—or it was different every time—but right before I saw whatever was inside, I'd wake up." The dreams were like torture, with the scene in her house commingled with other horrors, some that Kirie had witnessed and some her mind merely conjured. Once she had found her place in Quinn's bed, in her loving embrace, Kirie had learned to push the dreams away.

"You can tell me anything and everything."

"I should." said Kirie. "I feel like half the problems I have are because I didn't tell you something up front." she sighed, then gave Quinn a little smile. "At least I told you I liked you." She thought for a moment. "Well, actually I think I showed you." Despite their grim setting, she actually giggled, placing a hand on Quinn's shoulder. "I'm so glad you're here with me." Kirie said. "Even if everything sucks right now."

Kirie turned back to the hallway, gesturing for Quinn to follow her. They stood outside the last room they hadn't checked: Kirie's bedroom, the same one she'd had since she was a little girl. The wooden door was worn and faded, but she could just about make out the crude floral illustrations she had painted on as a child. Kirie set her jaw. She trusted her gut this time. This room held something within. With her breath held, she pushed it open.

The light was out in this room, but moonlight shone brightly through the half-shuttered window, it's pale white beams illuminating the old wooden bed pushed up against the window, with its soft white covers depressed by the heavy metallic object lying on top of them.

A pair of thick metal shackles, glinting in the moonlight. Kirie hesitated, then stepped forward, and once she drew closer, she noticed a design carved in to the shackles' surface, over and over again, a repeating pattern.

The seal of the Kainate.

Quinn Varanin ​

 

[Quinn Varanin]

//: Kirie //:
//: Weik, Cephis //:
//: Attire //:

Quinn quietly listened to Kirie, the woman who spoke of the dreams. Remembering the night they had first shared her bed, Quinn knew she should have pushed to understand the dreams. If she had done so, they could have prevented whatever had happened here. The Princess smiled softly, trying not to feel terrible for her misjudgment. She had allowed herself to succumb to her own desires that she had been putting off for so long. It was hard not to find the woman beautiful the first night she had arrived under Quinn's care.

Gently, Quinn cleared her throat, trying not to lose herself to the memories she wished they were reliving instead of the nightmare slowly unfolding. "It will be okay; we'll figure this out," she reassured, giving the brunette a gentle caress of her cheek. They warmed the home, and Quinn realized the differences in how they grew up. Another pang of guilt hit her heart as she realized the privilege she held. People lived and survived on less. She continued to follow, taking in everything in the small house. Something was charming about it, and watching Kirie navigate the hallways made Quinn smile.

If possible, she fell in love with the woman even more.

Stopping at the room, Quinn noticed the hesitation. Reaching over, she squeezed Kirie's shoulder a little. "It's okay," They both entered the room; Quinn was distracted by the designs on the door, and she ran her fingers gently over the grooves and faded paint. It was apparent they were drawn by a child with good dexterity. Quinn thought about Kirie as a child, how adorable she must have been, and how carefree and innocent she must have been. The thought of the trials the child would face made her smile fade.

A happier thought crossed her mind as she wondered if their child would be as artistic. Quinn stopped as the thought crossed her mind; she froze and felt her face twitch into a quizzical look. She had never thought about children until then and shook her head. Now wasn't the time. Looking over to Kirie, she noticed the woman had stopped. Quinn followed the moon's light; once again, she was distracted. The moon's light and the conversation earlier reminded Quinn again of the night Kirie had come to her.

Stepping into the room further, the Princess fought the urge to wrap her arms around her lover. She could read from her body language something was not correct. As Quinn drew closer, she noticed the shackles on the bed. Her eyes narrowed when she saw the symbol repeated on them. "Kirie?" she spoke quietly to the woman, "Why are those here and in your room? I thought you were taken after a shuttle crash?" There was no accusation in her voice, only confusion. If the Kainites had taken her after the shuttle, the shackles wouldn't be found in the girl's room.

Quinn found Kirie's hand, trying to offer comfort. "Kirie? Why are those here? Were they in your dreams?"

 

[Kirie]

With the starship suddenly listing heavily on its port side, the unfortunates who had been lingering in their doorways fell and slid into the left side cabins, which had all of a sudden become pitfall traps. Debris and furniture followed those who fell. Some were trapped. Others crushed. Kirie tore her eyes from the horrific scene. Those in the hallway who had not been caught were struggling to their feet. Cradling her fractured collarbone, Kirie followed them, trying her best to ignore the screams of those trapped and put one foot in front of the other. Go back. said a voice in her head. Help them. But Kirie's fear was stronger than that voice. So she continued forward, doing her best to balance with each step, the dramatic tilt of the ship forcing her to stoop as she walked.

​

It was hard for Kirie to keep her head clear of the regret that was flooding her body. If she hadn't have come here, if she hadn't have seen this, she could keep living in quiet, ignorant hope. Now, everything seemed stark and hopeless. It was hard to keep from despairing. Quinn helped, her gentle and reassuring presence behind her, offering words of comfort and encouragement. It spurred her along, and as long as Kirie kept moving, she wouldn't break again. Not as long as there was work to be done.

Kirie leaned into Quinn as she squeezed her shoulder. Then she felt her stiffen, heard her breath hitch as she noticed what Kirie had seen when she'd walked in: the shackled, shining in the moonlight that was oh-so-much like it was on Jutrand. The moon had always been Kirie's harbinger, it seemed. Shining bright at every pivotal moment in her life, from the discovery of the crystal's secret, to her crash, her first night with Quinn, and even now. The soft illumination of night followed her, prophesised her fate. If only she could read it, instead of stumbling blindly. She looked at Quinn, watching her face scrunch up in concern and confusion. She hated seeing her like that, seeing her worry. There were much better ways to see her love in the moonlight. When they were done here, when Kirie's troubles were over with, whenever that was, she hoped to never make Quinn worry like that again.

"Why are those here and in your room? I thought you were taken after a shuttle crash?"

Quinn's question dragged Kirie back to her grim reality. Kirie was silent for a while, just staring down at the chains, not really knowing what to say.

"A star liner crash." Kirie said softly. If it had been a shuttle, that would have been one thing, but the Arkadia, she'd had thousands of souls aboard. People like her, headed to the Core for a better life. Kirie's eyes seemed to darken slightly, and her mouth pulled down at the corners, but she continued, absentmindedly massaging her hands together.

"You're right though." Kirie went on. "I had never heard of the Kainate until after the ship was shot down, not until I got to my first camp." The memory was both fresh in her mind and strangely distant. A lot had changed in these past months. She was not the hopeless girl she had been then. But still the enemy followed her, relentless despite her attempts to liberate herself, despite her friends in high places.

"I think it's a message." Kirie said finally, "a warning, that I am not free yet." She pulled the bedsheets back, covering the shackles so she didn't have to look at them any more. "I don't care." Kirie declared with more confidence than she felt. She had faced worse before. If her slavers wouldn't give up their chasethen she and Quinn would just have to become hunters themselves, find those who wanted Kirie, and stop them for good.

"Kirie? Why are those here? Were they in your dreams?"

Her dreams. Kirie looked at Quinn curiously, a question forming in her mind and puzzlement showing clearly on her face. The pieces were slowly fitting together in her mind, and she began to suspect what Quinn was hinting at. She just needed to confirm it. She allowed Quinn to take her hand, taking comfort in the familiar interplay of smooth skin on rough.

"I don't know why." Kirie said, almost sounding distracted. "You keep asking me about my dreams, my senses." said Kirie cautiously. "Do you think they... Mean something?"

Quinn Varanin ​

 

[Quinn Varanin]

//: Kirie //:
//: Weik, Cephis //:
//: Attire //:

Dreams. They were the Force's sick ways of communicating with sensitive people. These dreams were easily warped by one's own desires or wishes. Quinn was curious about what the dark dreams meant. Were they playing on the fears of the young woman? Quinn often had dreams, mainly as a child in a different place and era. In these dreams resided the darkest of humanity's fears. They horrified her initially, but soon, she realized they were just dreams. Her mind learned to warp them into something else or use them to discover the nature of their source.

For most, the Dark Side influenced these dreams. To embrace them was empowering.

When Quinn held Kirie's hand, she felt the fear she held and the worry about what everything meant—her mother's disappearance, the shackles on the bedding, and the dusted and cold home. Gently, Quinn brought the woman's warm hand to her lips, pressing them against her rough knuckles—a gesture of comfort, one that the Echani had hoped was blatant enough to be heard by her lover.

"It's okay, we'll figure this out," Quinn reassured her as her other hand brushed back the woman's brunette hair. The moonlight against Kirie's face only reminded the Echani how much she loved and cherished the former slave.

Her face softened, knowing what was to be revealed would change Kirie's life. But Quinn felt it when she arrived and only confirmed it when they shared a bed. Even now, reality playing out the dreams only confirmed what the Princess assumed. "I think you've been touched by the Force." She started, her hands covering and holding Kirie's. "The dreams that feel like visions that have been haunting you are gifts or curses from the Force - depends on how you view them." She shrugged, "The first night you came to me, I should have pressed you about them - but-" Quinn bit her lip, pausing for a moment, "I was distracted; I had been wanting you to walk through my door every night since you had first come to me. Seeing my dream come true - I failed you that night." Quinn finished quietly, then leaned forward and kissed the woman on her forehead.

"So, I believe that you've been having Force Visions that have been influenced by your concern for your mother and your fear of the slavers. Unfortunately, while the Force can play on our feelings, which aren't always true, this time your visions were." Quinn didn't have an answer for the woman - hearing the news of being Force-sensitive wasn't something everyone wanted. To be told because your vision foretold terrible things only made it worse.

"You don't have to train in the Force like me; you can ignore this path if you want to. But if you want to embrace it - let me show you," A selfish part of the Princess hoped Kirie would embrace this power - to be like her and Kaila. "It's your choice, and we can see more into these dreams, but you'll have to let me into your mind - I can't promise it will be pleasant…but it's up to you."

 

[Kirie]

Her ears were ringing. She felt a warm breeze which stung the cuts on her face, and carried with it the acrid stench of burning fuel. With effort, she sat up and looked around, revealing a nighttime scene lit by the flaming wreck of the Arkadia. During the crash, Kirie had remembered the daylight pouring in from the portholes opposite her, but now it was dark. She had been... Gone, for some hours, but now, thanks to the stranger, she was alive.

Sounds began to filter in from around her. Crying and shouting, screams and distant voices. Survivors, who had fared better in the crash than Kirie had. From the bare, scorched ground where she lay, Kirie could see them, staggering around aimlessly in the dimness, helplessly trying to move the wounded, or comforting the dying. Kirie wanted to help them, but she had just been brought back from the brink. she was weak, drained, and injured. She couldn't stand if she tried. Instead, Kirie laid back, covered her ears, and tried to block it all out

​

"It's okay, we'll figure this out,"

Kirie felt Quinn's lips grazing the rough skin of her knuckle and she forced her shoulders to relax, allowing her worries to flow through her and into Quinn. She was stronger than Kirie, braver too, and maybe she was right. Together maybe they could examine the tattered remains of Kirie's life and together, figure out what remained. Maybe with Quinn's help, Kirie could finally understand her place in all the tragedies that befell her. For a few moments she felt better, the good and the bad feelings inside her finally balanced. Kirie saw Quinn's face change slightly, and gave Quinn her an encouraging nod to go on.

"I think you've been touched by the Force."

"The dreams that feel like visions that have been haunting you are gifts or curses from the Force - depends on how you view them."

But every word that Quinn said knocked her off balance, and by the time she had finished speaking, the many plates spinning in Kirie's mind, delicately balanced, had fallen and shattered.

"I don't know- I cant-" Kirie murmured, clinging to Quinn's hand. Her chest was tight, muscles clenched, and she was finding it hard to breathe, thoughts swirling around her mind too fast to keep track of. Releasing Quinn, Kirie lay down on the old, soft bed, balled fists covering her eyes as she groaned softly, shaking her head. Quinn's words sounded fantastical, so much so that they couldn't possibly be about a girl as plain as Kirie. But, they made a sick kind of sense. The more her thoughts circled the idea, the more the pieces fit together. Eventually, with Quinn beside her, she calmed enough to slow her body down, slowly taking in deep, shaky breaths. Kirie patted the spot next to her for Quinn to sit beside her, hoping the Princess would hold her, or stroke her hair. "Okay." said Kirie. "Sorry, this is just, a lot."

Kirie considered what Quinn was saying about the visions. Gifts or curses. Well, they certainly hadn't done her much good. But maybe if she learned to recognise them, to read them, to act on them. Maybe, she would stop losing, over and over and over. Maybe she wouldn't lose Quinn like she'd lost everything else. Kirie's hand rested on Quinn's cheek as she leaned down to kiss her forhead, lingering there.

"Don't blame yourself." said Kirie. "You didn't fail me. You saved me." Kirie thought back to the evening she had found herself in Quinn's bedroom, and it even brought a faint smile to her lips, despite the melancholy. "Besides we were both pretty distracted."

"I could be like you?" Kirie asked softly. She considered that. Quinn had all of the power, all of the strength of the most powerful Sith Kirie had seen since her capture, but with none of the deficits. Despite her endless potential for violence, or maybe because of it, Quinn remained poised, warm, and endlessly caring. Kirie didn't know if she could be like that, but having Quinn beside her gave her some hope that there was a path for her to walk beside her, one that was different from all of the horrors she had seen. For the first time in a long while, Kirie thought of the woman who had died saving her at the wreck of the Arkadia. Had this been why, if there even was a reason?

"Okay." affirmed Kirie. "I want to let you in. How do I do that?"

Quinn Varanin ​

 

[Quinn Varanin]

//: Kirie //:
//: Weik, Cephis //:
//: Attire //:

The Princess brushed her hand gently against the handmaiden's face, her touch delicate like a whisper. She let the moment linger, sensing the unspoken need in her paramour's eyes. If she could, the Princess would sweep her off the world and let her forget this place. So much sorrow bled from her as they sat there, worried about her mother and the pain from her encounter with the Kainites.

Another thing that sat ill with her was that she was never aware of the problems with the Kainites; she had always valued the men her uncles were. But seeing Kirie, feeling the fear, she had melted the Echani.

"You didn't fail me. You saved me."

Quinn felt her heart clench. She had always cherished Kirie from the moment she had arrived at her estate. There was a kindness that the Echani had longed for, and she found it within the handmaiden. Kirie made Quinn better. She brought forward the parts of her that were detached from the darkness. At times, Quinn believed that she could be good. Listening to Kirie broke her heart until Kirie found a little hope with the revelation. Quinn smiled and nodded.

"You can, yeah," Quinn reassured her, her hands slowly running through her brunette hair. There was always a gentleness she held just for the handmaiden. The woman was her precious treasure, someone the Echani never wanted to lose.

For Kaila, she would burn the galaxy.

For Kirie, she would rewrite reality itself.

"Just let me know if you want me to stop; we already have a bond building between us. I felt it the first time you came to me." A blush bloomed across her pale skin, "I wasn't sure, but I am now." Quinn nodded and sighed softly.

"Okay, to do this, I need you to focus on your memories and hold onto them no matter how painful. And you need to trust me," The hand caressing Kirie's head trailed down to cup her cheek. "Trust is the most important part," The Princess felt her voice almost break as she continued, "Doing this scares me, but I know this will give us the necessary answers. I'm willing to face the risks." Quinn knew she needed to be cautious; she didn't want her darkness to infect Kirie.

Quinn needed to hold back enough to prevent them from being tempted by her lover's thoughts.

Resting her forehead against Kirie, she inhaled her essence, calming her worries. "I love you; we're going to get through this."

Their minds would come together when her voice faded, and Quinn could feel her presence pulled through the void. It was an odd feeling; her soul was ripped from her body as she traversed the space between their psychics. No sooner had she felt her body leave her than she felt her feet land on the hard surface of a planet. The vision of Kirie's memory warped into view, and Quinn found herself standing in the middle of the wreckage of the Arkadia.

It was horrible; Quinn could smell the stench of death as she took it all in. Bodies were strewn everywhere, while the ship itself was in pieces, a burning carcass of its former glory. She panicked; the scene felt too real, and knowing that Kirie had experienced this reality brought tears to her eyes. Looking around, Quinn reached out for Kirie, but she did not immediately see her. "Kirie?!" Panic laced her voice as she shouted again, "Kirie!"

Quinn wondered if she had done this right; Kirie's self should have appeared next to her; they were to be watchers of the memories, not relievers of every moment of them. The Princess felt the panic begin to choke her as she started to look at the faces of the dead. She didn't want to find Kirie among them, but she knew deep down she was there.

"Kirie!" She shouted again until she stopped, feeling and seeing the twinge of movement from the corner of her eyes. Quinn froze, watching an elderly woman, her arms strained as she lifted a broken body. A jagged shard of wreckage pierced through its torso, threatening to sever it in half.

Quinn took a step forward, instantly recognizing the mess of brown hair. She couldn't interfere; the power of the flowwalk could change history if she got too close. Instead, she watched and hoped her Kirie would appear beside her and not be the body experiencing her death all over again.

 

[Kirie]

With a sombre smile, the woman signed good luck and gestured Kirie forward. She followed the woman's gesture. A door stood at the centre of the garden, tall and wooden, half open. It beckoned her. Kirie looked to the woman for guidance. She nodded and smiled gently. That was it then, walk through the door, back to the fear, and the pain. The fire and wreckage that awaited on the other side.

​

Kirie nodded. "I've felt that too." she said, voice slightly muffled as she leaned into Quinn's shoulder, Quinn's fingers running through her hair. "You understand me like nobody ever has." It was true, for a while, she thought Quinn was reading her mind, but it was more complicated then that, and now that she really thought about it, Kirie recalled times when she had sensed things about Quinn without needing to be told, the subtle interlinking of their emotions only reinforcing their relationship.

"Okay, to do this, I need you to focus on your memories and hold onto them no matter how painful. And you need to trust me,"

"Okay." Kirie whispered. What Quinn was suggesting scared her. Her mind was a secret place, full of strange dark thoughts and swirling with guilt. She liked to present a softer, more refined version of herself to Quinn. The idea that the Princess would see into her memories unfiltered was a bit worrying. Still, Kirie figured Quinn wouldn't ask if it wasn't important in developing her attunement to the Force, so she would do as she asked.
"I love you too."

Kirie took Quinn's hand, and she focused.

The feeling of leaving her body was indescribable, and oddly familiar, evocative of the floating feeling and the sudden detachment she had felt in the endless minutes after her crash. Her crash. The memory reared its ugly head in Kirie's brain and she couldn't help but focus on it. She screwed her eyes shut and felt the sickly rush as she was transported. Her only anchor was Quinn's hand, which she gripped tightly. Then suddenly the rushing stopped, and Kirie's fingers closed around empty air. Had she done something wrong, allowed her mind to wander?

Then the smell hit her. Burning fuel and singed cloth. Potent and chemical, spread by the breeze generated by the fires she could see from beneath her eyelids. Kirie knew where she was before she opened her eyes. It made sense why she had brought Quinn here. This was perhaps the defining moment of her life so far. But she wished she hadn't.

Kirie scanned the wreckage, but it was hard to recognise anything. The angles were all different from up here, a confusing mess of metal and flame and smoke. Where was Quinn? Had she left her behind somehow? What if that meant she was stuck here? Then, in the middle of it, Kirie spotted a figure she recognised. Grey hair and a kind aged face. She approached a figure lying on the ground, a figure Kirie recognised, even though she was greatly diminished. It was her. Her skin paper white, a pool of crimson spreading out beneath her, shaking a little, looking very small compared to the jagged piece of metal that pierced her through, pinning her to the wreckage behind her in a slouched position.

Kirie couldn't help but think about how it had felt, remember the thoughts that had run through her mind. All of a sudden, Kirie's vision was flickering. She had been transported. The kind woman from her memory was right in front of her now, and it was only when Kirie felt the numb ache in her gut and the sensation of her lifeblood pooling beneath her and soaking her ragged pyjamas that she realised where she was.

"Be still." Kirie cooed. "Allow me to help you."

She was trapped inside the memory, looking out the eyes of her past self. Maybe it was because she had been drawn by the potency of the recollection, she didn't know. Kirie instinctively pulled against the paralysing feeling, causing herself, and she supposed her past self too, to turn her head aside, searching for Quinn. The moment Kirie did, the world around her rumbled and stuttered, elements in the background blurring into each other and jumbling as if the very world was breaking. Immediately she snapped her eyes back to where they were supposed to be, where they had been in the past, and the scene arpund her stilled. She caught the eyes of her saviour, the older woman, glance curiously in the directly Kirie had been looking. It was like she was actually messing with the past. She didn't like that feeling.

"Kirie!"

Instead of moving, Kirie did her best to imagine herself standing and looking towards her past self. She tried to focus on Quinn, on her memories of her, on the connection they had, on finding her. When she felt ready, Kirie closed her eyes, and when she opened them again she was hand in hand with Quinn, still trembling.

"I'm here." Kirie whispered, clearly shaken. "I'm here."

Together, they watched as past-Kirie's dying body stilled, as the Jedi woman carefully removed the metal hunk with a sickening sound. Warm light suffused the woman's hands and then, as if she were a puppet with her strings cut, she slumped down, and Kirie struggled into life. And equal exchange. The Force power that had saved her had been an exchange. The life of one, to save another.

Kirie buried her face in Quinn's shoulder, quietly sobbing. I didn't deserve that. Kirie thought to herself. I didn't deserve to be saved. I have wasted it. A roaring sound filled Kirie's ears and she paled visibly. It was just audible over the crackle of the flames and the cries of the injured. She saw her past self stirring too, looking up at the sky.

"I wish you didn't have to see this part." said Kirie, her voice barely a whisper. She too turned her face skyward, in time to withness the arrival of a ship emblazoned with a red symbol.

 

[Quinn Varanin]

//: Kirie //:
//: Dreamscape //:
//: Attire //:

The moment she felt Kirie, Quinn looked at her and quickly hugged her tightly. The Princess had feared the worst, that Kirie was reliving a horrible moment in her life. I have to feel everything repeatedly, but I know it differently. Pulling away, hands moved, brushing the woman's brunette hair back from her face. "I thought I lost you." Panic laced the young Princess' voice, "I was so scared." Quinn pressed her forehead against Kirie's momentarily, fighting the urge to wrap the woman in her arms and leave the memory. Already, the moment was becoming too traumatic for both of them.

But they needed to see what the past held outside of what Kirie experienced. Something here had to be the key to what happened back on Weik. Quinn tore her eyes from her handmaiden as she glanced at the body and the older woman. She could see everything unfold and in that moment, she felt Kirie's thoughts echo in her mind.

Quinn's face softened, and she looked at Kirie, understanding her feelings. Both, at one point, were spared death by another's efforts.

Unlike Kirie, Quinn's life wasn't spared with the death of another. She couldn't understand that, but she could comfort the woman she loved so dearly. Holding Kirie's hands, she smiled. "Don't say that, don't think that." Quinn smiled softly, "Unfortunately, I can hear your thoughts since our minds are melded for this to occur." She hoped that it would be enough indicator for the Weikian woman to attempt to feel the amount of love and care she held for her. The genuine emotion that flowed from the Echani was unapologetic; it was love in its truest form, and it had been there since Kirie had entered the woman's estate.

"You've made something of your life, the one that she gave up for you," Quinn spoke quietly between them. "It might not feel like it now, but you've changed my life for the better…" Quinn mused, "I feel like the Force made you with me in mind - like a piece of me that was missing." She kissed the woman's hands gently to both soothe and reassure her.

Looking up, Quinn watched as the ships flew overhead; they were low enough for her to see the Kainite symbols. "This is where you get kidnapped," Quinn whispered, her eyes following the ship's land, and began to encircle the wreckage. She held Kirie's hand as she watched the figures move precisely; there was something in how they moved. This wasn't the first time they scoured a wreckage. They were looking for something, and Quinn fought not to turn away when they found it.

Her hand squeezed Kirie's, and she saw them descend upon Kirie's memory. They knew what they were looking for, making the Echani raise an eyebrow.

"It feels planned like they were deliberate." She chewed on her thumb while she watched the scene unfold. Her eyes moved away, focusing on the woman beside her. Quinn hated hearing and seeing the suffering that her beloved had endured before coming into her care. If she could have a guarantee that the woman beside her would be the same, she would slaughter them and rewrite the reality of Kirie's past.

The future was uncertain, and Quinn didn't want to risk losing Kirie.

Quinn squeezed Kirie's hand as she stood from their hiding spot. "I know it's a lot to ask, but I need you to focus on the shuttle ride and what came after. We can't follow, or we risk them capturing us as well." Quinn frowned. "Which would definitely change time, and I can't risk losing you because of something like that."

As the ship began to lift off, she could feel Kirie's pain through the Force—both the memory and the woman beside her. This was a tragic memory, one that she wished she didn't have to relive. "Focus on the sounds and the voices that you hear. If you could just hold onto it, maybe we can get what they were talking about."

Quinn was hopeful and prepared mentally for them to be sucked through another dimension for the next memory Kirie could think of. "Remember, focus on being you, but not being you - if that makes sense…" Quinn smiled sheepishly, knowing her explanation sucked.

 

[Kirie]

Kirie shrank back a touch at the realisation that Quinn could hear her thoughts. But, her fear flared for only a motion. After all, the power went both ways, and she could feel no reproach from her love, no judgement, only understanding, and a gentle push that said 'No, what you're feeling isn't true.' Kirie did her best to accept the words of comfort offered, and knowing Quinn believed them so fully almost made Kirie believe too. It brought her relief, and strength enough to do her part in the next segment of their journey through Kirie's memory.

"I feel like the Force made you with me in mind - like a piece of me that was missing."

"You complete me." said Kirie simply. "Without you, I would be lost, imprisoned, alone, unloved." She embraced Quinn tightly. "You have given me all that and more." When she released herself, Kirie's heart felt that much fuller, and she felt within herself the strength to continue. Kirie listened carefully to Quinn's next instructions, her hand never leaving hers, gripping the Echani tight. She frowned a little at the notion that the slavers actions were deliberate. Did she mean they had planned more than to merely pick up more bodies for labour. It was a disturbing notion, and it made her confused. But, they were here to investigate her memories, so she decided at least to keep an open mind.

Kirie took another look around the wreckage. The Sith soldiers were starting to round up the ambulant slaves and corral them into the waiting shuttles. Most of the wounded were left where they lay, though a few that stirred and begged to be 'saved' received a blaster bolt to the back, or a rifle butt to the head. She hadn't remembered seeing that at the time. Briefly, she wondered if those killed were the lucky ones, but she disregarded the notion. They were all victims in their different ways, of the crash, or the slavers. She wondered if there was a single person from this memory who was as free now as Kirie. Somehow, she doubted it. Most were likely dead, and the rest were being slowly ground into dust in the Kainate's secret work camps.

"Remember, focus on being you, but not being you - if that makes sense…"

"..." Kirie gave Quinn a sidelong glance. "That does not make sense." She offered a sheepish smile. "But I'll try. Close your eyes." Kirie did the same, and she tried to remove from her mind the feeling of the scorched soil beneath her boots, and the smell of burning fuel, and instead tried to focus on the hum of the shuttle engine, and the memory of it rattling. As she honed in on the memory, the sounds of the crash site faded out, and Kirie seemed to feel her feet leaving the ground. Still she held Quinn's hand, anchoring her, and operating blindly, she led her love into the memory of the shuttle ride.

"Present your index finger."

"CORSELL, Kirie. 20 years old today, per the manifest."

"Her count is 7000. That's not a bad find. Put her in the left hand line."

"I- What are-"

"Left hand line, girl. Move."

"Careful, Karath, you'll damage the goods."

"Tsch. She won't replace the apprentice anyway."

"Not our business. Get a Sensitive we get the reward. That's the deal."

"Next."

"VURGAN, Girta."

"1500."

"Right hand line."

"TALMAR, Skie"

"2100"

"Right."

"Told you this lot was a dud. Hardly worth the trouble of shooting it down."

Kirie's head was spinning. She broke her concentration just long enough to say something to Quinn, or was she thinking it? Either way her eyes were still firmly closed. They were in the shuttle but the voices of the slavers was fading to a dull background chatter.

"I didn't know what they were saying." Kirie told Quinn. "But there were two lines. Only me and a couple others in the left one. But they let it slip that the right side was going to Vestar, but mine was going to Dromund Kaas." She sighed. "Vestar was closer to home. Dromund Kaas is halfway across the Galaxy so- So when the guards weren't looking I switched lines." Kirie felt silent. "Why was I separated, do you think? I wonder sometimes where I'd have ended up if I have gone to Dromund Kaas. Probably would never have met you." A split second decision, a gut feeling to resist the will of her captors on the off chance it would get her that bit closer to home. It amazed her that it had unspooled into such a pivotal position. "It's like they were selecting me for something."

Quinn Varanin ​