Private In Her Name

[Acier Moonbound]

Location: Ord Cantrell - Flickerfox

Equipment:
Field Gear | Lightsaber | Tic

The Flickerfox rested easy on its landing struts, a hum of power running through her frame as the refueling hoses locked into place.. The Rebel Council had sent them to work a short assignment in the Mid Rim. A quiet piece of sabotage, a shadowy errand to keep the Empire's gaze elsewhere. It wasn't anything glorious, just work that needed doing.​

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Verse had slipped off into the port on Ord Canrell to barter for whatever they needed next. Food. Tools. Maybe something sharper if she found the right stall, and she would. He knew her well enough.​

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Ace stayed with the ship this time. The cockpit was quiet except for the faint buzz of the consoles and the idle clicking of gauges registering the slow refill. He leaned back in the pilot's chair, arms folded, the low light tracing across the scar at his cheek. Tic perched on the console nearby, one photoreceptor flickering faintly as he fussed with a loose screw he'd scavenged from somewhere. The little droid chirped, soft and distracted, before finally stilling. His eyes slipped shut before he realized it.​

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Tic gave a questioning beep, tilting his head too far to the side until he clicked back upright. But the rebel didn't stir, the dream had already taken hold.​

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It took shape in shards. The sky bled red. He saw Orryn's face, his mother's face, it shifted in and out of focus, her eyes were wide with a pain he could feel inside his own chest. Her lips moved, whispering words he couldn't catch, as if a veil hung between them. Every time he reached for her, the image tore away like smoke.​

The Force pressed down heavy, a suffocating weight. Beneath it, he felt the unmistakable pull of gravity, dragging him across stars, across time. The pull had a name. Dathomir.​

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The scent of ash filled his lungs. Feminine voices rose in chorus, overlapping each other until meaning collapsed into noise. Somewhere within it came a sharp cry, his mother's again.​

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He snapped awake, breath cutting short in his throat. The cockpit lights were steady, Tic's photoreceptor blinking faintly as the little droid tilted its head. This same dream had plagued him for weeks, always the same fragments, always the same pull. And always ending with his mother's face, caught in pain he couldn't reach.​

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Enough was enough... he had to go to Dathomir. Ace needed to find the source of these dreams, and if they were real or in his head. Dathomir was only a few short jumps from Ord Canrell's corridor... close enough that he couldn't ignore it any longer.​

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Ines Pen-Ar-Lan​

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[Ines Pen-Ar-Lan]

Trust Fall
Acier Moonbound ​

Agent Pen-Ar-Lan was capable of moving quietly, unnervingly so. Verse Melnau, however, did not. Perhaps she was capable of it - but it didn't seem to be something she did instinctively. Instead, she moved up onto the ship's ramp with a cheerful beat to her step. It almost made the heavy backpack she wore look light. The simple press of a button caused the machinery to start moaning. A stream of pressurised air shooshed out of the side-vents as the ramp was brought up to lock into its flight-ready position.

It wouldn't be long before she reached the cockpit where the little droid awaited her. Just like always, her perceptive gaze scanned the room with a subtle flick. A smile quickly formed on her lips as she waved at Tic before approaching Ace. With a bit of a strained grimace, Verse took the backpack off and strapped it to one of the passenger seats before chirping a bright "I'm back! Picked something up for ya!" She dug up a plastic bag from the pack before sliding into the co-pilot's seat.

Before handing it over, she stopped herself as her eyes sought his with a concerned gaze. "Ace, you look like you've seen a ghost." Her hand hastily put the plastic bag aside whilst she leaned in a little closer to him, tilting her head as if seeing him from a different angle would change anything.

She wouldn't give him much of a chance to answer before continuing with a friendly smirk. "Huh, you look like someone who really needs to blow an Imperial storage facility up. If it'll cheer you up, I'll let you pull the trigger" Kind blue eyes looked to him encouragingly but eventually, her eyes narrowed "That's not it, is it?" Verse shifted in her seat, crossing her legs and leaning her side against the backrest as if preparing for a proper chat. "Wanna talk about it?"

 

[Acier Moonbound]

Location: Ord Cantrell - Flickerfox

Equipment:
Field Gear | Lightsaber | Tic

Ace's expression was completely blank, soulless. Tic chirped once and stepped a fraction toward Verse, photoreceptor bright and expectant, as if the little droid could fetch whatever human words were missing. Ace let his mouth form a noise that wasn't quite a laugh and not quite a sound at all.

The rebel straightened up, flexed his hands once on his knees as if to ground himself. The scar at his cheek tightened when his lip twitched, Verse would get the short answer first:

"I'm fine." Was his first instinct, but he didn't say it aloud, a lie was worse than saying nothing. Instead he scrubbed both palms flat along the console and looked out past the landing lights to the dusty shape of Ord Canrell's port.

"Been having the same dream." he said, finally. "For weeks. Always her. Always Dathomir. She's… hurt. Can't get to her." The words felt bitter leaving his lips.

Tic gave a nervous trill and ran a little circuit over the console, leaving a faint trail of static light. Ace reached out and absently ruffled the droid's casing.

"I can't get it out of my head, and it doesn't leave me alone. I woke up and I--" He stopped.

He didn't want to tell her everything, not yet. Not where fear and concern raged through his nervous system

Ace folded his hands together and looked at her with something closer to honesty. "Dathomir's only hours away from here. I can't keep ignoring this. I gotta find out what's going on." His jaw clenched and fingers curled up, so tight his knuckles whitened and hands tremored.

"If you want to come..." He added, and even then it sounded like an offer more than a request. "Fine. If you don't, no judgment. But I'm not waiting around anymore."

Ines Pen-Ar-Lan ​

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[Ines Pen-Ar-Lan]

Trust Fall
Acier Moonbound ​

An attentive gaze rested on him as he tried to explain what was going on. The mentioned of Dathomir caused curious brows to raise with a slow and subtle motion. Still, she wouldn't interrupt him and simply stayed silent to let him say what he had on his mind. In the meantime, her fingers gently moved across the co-pilot's dashboard.

A nod was offered as soon as he aired the idea of having her join him. A soft smile formed across her lips as he opened the door for her to pull out. Verse simply shook her head and shot an indicative glance at her screen where the coordinates to Dathomir had already been located by the ship's navcomputer.

"Of course I'm with you." Her tone made it sound like an obvious fact. Her brows fell but her gaze lingered on him faithfully "You shouldn't doubt it." The girl then proceeded to complete the take-off procedures on her end and allowed Ace to concentrate on bringing them into hyperspace.

Eventually, the dominating sound would no longer be a bustling city or a busy space port. It would be the consistent hum of the hyperdrive, propelling them through space. Her eyes lingered on the blue hazed tunnel before she turned her head to look at him. "There aren't that many people who know the star charts well enough to tell that Dathomir is a few hours away from Cantrell. This dream must've been on your mind for some time. Is this a Force thing? I've heard that Jedi can have some funky dream stuff going on."

Ever curious, the question about the Force seemed to leave her mind as soon as it had entered. Analytical eyes scanned his features for a brief moment before she seemed to think of something. Verse crossed her legs on the seat to make herself comfortable before throwing another question at him. "Who's this woman you're dreaming about? Surely it can't be the noble girl from Naboo? Maybe it's someone you've lost contact with, like Pisti or Mira?"

 

[Acier Moonbound]

Location: Ord Cantrell - Flickerfox

Equipment:
Field Gear | Lightsaber | Tic

Ace's eyes flicked to her when she said it, steady and unflinching. There was no hesitation in her voice, no conditions. Something in his chest eased at that, though he didn't show it beyond the smallest shift of his jaw.

"Okay." He said bluntly, his own way of saying thanks.

Meanwhile, Tic gave a soft warble of approval before settling back on the console. He turned his attention to the controls, flicking switches in sequence. The Flickerfox's engines rumbled deeper as the ship pulled itself free of Ord Canrell's landing struts and toward the atmosphere.

The navcomputer's coordinates glowed faintly on the dash - already queued for Dathomir. He gritted his teeth behind his pressed lips, fingers curling once around the hyperdrive lever before pushing it forward.

As the stars stretched into lines, Verse spoke up again. Asking if his dreams were a 'Force thing'. Ace really wasn't in the headspace to explain to her the nitty gritty. He simply stared ahead, dark gaze burning through the viewport.

She continued talking - her usual curious and prying tendencies had reared its head. She listed off suspects ranging from Sibylla to Pisti, even Mira. Ace didn't move at first. He sat there in the pilot's chair, expression rigid.

"It's my mother."

His words came out quietly, but carrying his familiar roughness. Ace didn't elaborate, just let the confession hang as he slid out of the pilot's chair and exited the cockpit. Leaving her and Tic alone. The BD unit gave a soft, uncertain chirp as the door hissed shut.

---

Hours bled away as the Flickerfox drifted through the blue tunnel. Tic kept himself busy on the console, chirping quietly as he fussed with a loose wire, but Ace didn't return to the cockpit. The navcomputer's tone broke the silence, and the ship jolted as the stars snapped back. Dathomir loomed ahead.

Ace returned without ceremony, sliding back into the pilot's chair, wordless. His hands found the yoke and guided the freighter forward. The Flickerfox broke through the atmosphere, skimming low over a sea of dark forest and jagged stone. A clearing opened ahead, marked by weathered boundary stones half-swallowed by roots, and at its center stood a squat hut of wood and stone - Vinorl Kastan's old refuge.

He guided the freighter down onto the crimson earth. The engines faded into silence, leaving only the hum of the ship's systems and the red world of Dathomir pressing close beyond the viewport.

"This is..." He started, unsure of how to word it "This is the home of someone who was close with my mother. Hope that maybe he has some answers."

Ines Pen-Ar-Lan ​

 

[Ines Pen-Ar-Lan]

Trust Fall
Acier Moonbound ​

Dear Diary

Let me start this off with this: His mother.

The moment Ace said told me that his mother was the woman he dreamed of on Dathomir, I knew that he trusted me. It's not that big of a surprise, we've been on a few missions together and we've gotten out of a few sticky situations. I like the guy well enough myself - but this was a significant step. And to be frank, I'm happy for him. Hopefully, he'll have the chance to reunite with his mother. Being picked up by the Empire was the best thing that's ever happened to me - but the idea of meeting actual relatives feels so special. I shouldn't get too hung up on the idea though - Imperial camaraderie and kinship is stronger than blood. Regardless, I'm glad I packed a few extra koltopacks into the medkit - if his mother is truly in danger, we might need it.

I'm having a hard time telling whether it's me or Verse who wanted to follow him out of the cockpit. Conventional wisdom says that its best to leave him alone - and that's what I'm doing, right? But there's just this feeling gnawing at me, telling me that he'd need a friend to keep him company right now. Staying here should be fine in the grand scheme of things. In fact, it might even be good for the mission.

I've been reading up on Dathomir and its Clans, primarily the Nightsister population. Information's more scarce than one might expect - but then, they're a mysterious bunch. Blending in is completely out of the question. My pack is filled with stuff for attacking an Imperial facility on Ord Cantrell - not this. Still, I've got some insights into the local flora and fauna as well as a few of their customs and what they look like. Should take me a bit of the way. 'an if nothing else: I've got Ace to keep me safe.

It's probably time to get going. We're about to exit hyperspace and I wanna make sure to kit myself out properly before we go. Aside from the blaster, I'll see if I can hide a couple of knives on my person. I'll bring the jump boots and a couple of breathers, cuz who knows what might happen, right? Might as well bring the backpack - nothing I can't afford to loose in there.

!!!! Whoa
So we just left hyperspace and are closing in on Dathomir. This planet feels w e i r d I'm not a fan. This is the sort of voluntary op I'd abandon in a heartbeat if it wasn't so important to Ace. I'm starting to understand why so little information is leaving this planet.

Anyways, I'll head off. Next entry will probably be after this mission is over. Here's to hoping for a happy reunion. Ciao!

Verse had remained in the cockpit throughout the journey, When the door he had closed swooshed open, she had just completed the process of shutting her datapad down. Once he slid back into the pilot's seat, she turned to look at him with friendly eyes and a soft smile "Between the three of us, if there's anything to find in there, we'll find it. Focus on the Force where you can. Tic and I will cover the rest, won't we?" she offered a glance to the little droid.

It wouldn't be long before she stood up and briefly placed a hand on his shoulder. "We'll do this right, don't worry." Her hand slid off of his shoulder as fast as it was placed there. With a small sense of rush to her steps, Verse quickly towed her backpack to the bathroom - where she hadn't been since before she went out shopping all those hours ago.

When she came out, the girl quickly took the backpack on and joined her friend. "Sorry 'bout that. Really had to go. Let's do this!" Her ever present cheerful beat was still present in her voice as she spoke with a bright expression. "Oh, right, I did some reading on our way here, be warned, it's got some nasty predators and a whole bunch of them seem to be really good at climbing." She paused for a moment as if she just thought of something. Soon, she let out a low 'huh' before speaking up with a puzzled look "How did you know that the person here was close to your mother? Knowing that might be good for the search."

 

[Acier Moonbound]

Location: Dathomir

Equipment:
Field Gear | Lightsaber | Tic

Ace didn't move when her hand landed on his shoulder, but the muscle there tightened. Tic gave a chirp at her cheer, photoreceptor tilting like he wasn't entirely convinced about the "we'll do this right" part. Ace reached out, brushing the droid's casing. When she left to go to the bathroom, he exhaled through his nose, long and steady, and kept his eyes on the hut through the viewport before making his way to the loading ramp.​

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Verse exited the bathroom as he passed, seeming enthusiastic about the whole ordeal. He remained quiet, merely nodding as a form of quiet acknowledgement. When she mentioned the deadly fauna on the surface, Ace huffed through his nose.​

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"I've been here before."​

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Ace descended the ramp as it lowered, answering her follow-up question. About how he knew Vinorl and his mother were connected. His head turned, gaze looking past his shoulder and settling on Verse.​

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"Met him." He answered "Name's Vinorl Kastan. Jedi... or he used to be." ​

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When the sole of his boot touched the earth, his hand absently brushed over the hilt of his lightsaber. Talking about Kastan was a reminder that the weapon he used now, didn't always belong to him. Belonging to another, created by another. Really, the lightsaber wasn't truly Acier's.​

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"That's how I know. He's the beast lead we've got." He continued.​

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Ace took a few steps toward the hut, Tic trailing a little behind. Then, he cupped his hands over his mouth and hollered. ​

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"Vinorl! It's me!"​

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A few moments of silence passed, before a figure stepped out from the shadow of the hut. Weathered robes, the faint stoop of age, but the voice was steady when it came.​

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“Vayun?” Kastan’s eyes lingered on him, searching his face as though he expected it to vanish at any second. For a heartbeat there was only relief, the kind that softened even the weathered corners of the old Jedi’s mouth. Then he looked toward Verse, nodding in her direction. Then his brow creased, sorrow filling the gap where joy had been. “I thought… your mother told me you were dead.” His voice was low, roughened by the weight of it. “She came here some time after we last spoke, burning with grief. She believed... her clan had taken you. She believed she saw your death.”

Ace blinked once, then flicked his gaze toward Verse for a moment - then Vinorl again. Even Tic seemed puzzled, tilting his head before his photoreceptor rotated in Verse's direction, emitting a confused beep at her.​

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"W-what?" He asked, voice trembling.​

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“I tried to turn her from that path. I begged her to let the vision go, to let you rest. But she was resolved. Vengeance was all she had left.” His eyes lifted toward the forest, where mist coiled low and dark. Then, fell back to the trio stood before him. "But if you stand here now, then..." The elder's breath hitched "I fear your mother's clan have orchestrated something terrible.."

Ines Pen-Ar-Lan