Private The Paths We Tread {Past}

[Raphael Gallustrade]

Jedha sucked. It was hotter than most planets that he'd been to and was the annoying dry heat that made you just constantly need water. He could still hear the sounds of battle all around him which, coupled with the burning pain on his neck, was only adding to his frustration. And, to top it all off, he was dragging a barely conscious Nouqai with him. He needed to find her water, which, in a desert, was damn near impossible, though he did know of an oasis, a fair sized lake, not too far away. She could at least breathe there, he reasoned.

But dragging her, in her armor, was a bit more than annoying...it was hard, she was heavy, it was hot... Even removing his jacket had only slightly alleviated the heat. He'd get a drink, from the cool waters, and then put her into the lake so she could breath, then he'd call his ship and take her back home... Hopefully the Council could find a way to actually help her, at least in a way that he, himself, could not.

He trudged towards where the oasis was supposed to be, hidden in a cave, away from the sun. It was nice and cool, it was a good place to restock on the pilgrimage... There was a lot of great things about it, at least that he liked. It would be nice to get away from battle, as well.

Thankfully the trip wasn't incredibly long, given the cave's location and the inside was being lit, naturally, by an opening in the ceiling. He exhaled, feeling the massive temperature shift from hellish to bearable. Thanking the Force, he took a quick drink from the water, in front of him, and gently lowered Nouqai into it, just hoping that her gills would start breathing, again. When he was certain that she was not only alright, but that the majority of the battle was over, he would get her to ship and they would get the hell out. Then it would be up to the Jedi.

Lady Falentra

 

[Lady Falentra]

Falentra didn’t know when she fell unconscious. Her body had forced itself in standby mode to preserve the remaining oxygen storage. No more fighting. Almost as if she was in hibernation. The heat was unbearable, it was not the right environment at all for the aquatic sentient, and so far it had proven dangerous.

She faded in and out of consciousness, feeling her limp body being dragged across the pale sands of Jedha. Her mind barely registering who was dragging her. Sands below turned into cool stone as she was brought away from the scorching sun. The water she was doused in was vitalising and rejuvenating as her body sunk into it’s depths. Her gills immediately working to filter in the water and its oxygen.

The aquatic quickly gained back consciousness, her eyes fluttering open. Falentra stayed at the bottom for a while more, allowing her wounds to regenerate before she swam up to the surface. Upon breaking the surface, she would see the familiar face of her old friend. The friend she fought and hurt. He had saved her.

“Raphael… I’m-” After everything that happened, she didn’t know how to start a proper conversation. She caught sight of the etchings at the side of his neck, feeling guilty. “I’m sorry…” It’s was the best she could find in herself to say.

 

[Raphael Gallustrade]

He watched the water, patiently, as she recovered, rejuvenated and swam back to the surface. The etchings, no, carvings on the side of his neck pulsed, both from pain and whatever dark side shenanigans she'd attempted to pull on him. His stare was stern and stoic, as he was trying to keep himself from being angry. She looked up at him. Thoughts swam in his head, angry thoughts, happy thoughts and, of course, exasperated thoughts.

When she apologized, he felt something well up in him: rage. Oh how he wanted to yell at her, in that moment, it would've been so easy to just let loose, to allow that feeling to take over for a few minutes. Instead, he took a deep breath, and exhaled frustrated. No matter how much he wanted to, he couldn't bring himself to be genuinely angry with her, and if he wasn't genuinely angry, then why shout at all?

Slowly, he reached up and massaged the bridge of his nose, as he exhaled.

"It's alright, No- Falentra... Look, I just don't understand why you did that." He pulled out a bandage from his side pouch, and slowly covered that spot on his neck. "Like... what was the reason that you carved that into my neck...? I told you about a lot of stuff, in confidence... Or, maybe a better question: Why did you become a sith? What happened there? You were so bright... I just don't understand, and perhaps that's an issue on my end..."

Lady Falentra

 

[Lady Falentra]

The sith felt the rage simmer within him, but only for a moment before it dissipated. There were some who just couldn't be swayed by the dark - she hoped he would have embraced it, to lash out at her but yet he remained calm and composed. Falentra felt that it was so much worse that way, she deserved all of his wrath after what she did.

"I was trying to help you, Raph. To see what I have. To see the power that you limit yourself from reaching." That voices in his head he had told him about... it wouldn't be such a nuisance if he listened and embraced them. "That is true freedom. " She explained. All she learned since the time she felt was so much more than the Jedi ever let them.

"You don't. Even after years with them, I could never be a knight - never pass the trial of spirit, and never gain that freedom. There is only the path of the darkside for me, Raph. For power... victory and to break my chains."