Private The Thunderous Drums

[Ayra Lowe]

"

// Padawan Lowe //
// Objective // Survive //
// Focus // // Kito //

---

---

The drumming of ordinance had been no stranger since the Empire began their march for dominance, and yet the girl seemed unable to harden her heart to them. Ayra's arms wrapped tightly around her legs as her hands attempted to block out the noise, the few soldiers left attempted to relieve the siege seemed similarly disheartened. In her heart, the Echani knew that she wasn't the Jedi that the soldiers had expected to save them, but the Order had already been spread so thin that the few bodies available to them need be thrown into war immediately.

Shan-cho, the master that she had accompanied here, died days ago. Gunned down by imperial forces that seemed to march forth with no end to their numbers. Ayra wished she could have summoned the bravery to at least die with dignity beside her elder, but that didn't happen. The Echani had fled with the rest of the soldiers as they watched their commander perish.

The Echani's small frame shook uncontrollably, a rhythmic suffering to the drums of gunfire that lit up the night skies above them. Her lightsaber lay beside her, only as useful as the one that wield it. Soldiers had checked to make sure she was okay, but the events had clearly shook the last Jedi they had remaining to them. And as they watched her breaths rise and shudder, they knew the girl was no replacement for the Zabrak they had lost.

"Alright men, we're in this one for ourselves. The enemy gives no quarter, and we have already lost more than enough." The commanding officer spoke confidently, no stranger to the comfort of gunfire, and yet resignation was all that remained in his eyes. "Our home lies taken, and yet this shelter makes for a poor grave. Whatever the Empire seeks to take, we shall make them take in blood. So with me, men. Tonight, we die for our home." The words were quiet and soft spoken, yet heard loudly above the ordinance. They all knew they were going to die, hope drained from their faces and hearts. But there was one feeling burning in their chests, and that was knowledge their sacrifice would be to the home they gave everything to defend.

The words didn't reach the padawan, still shielding her ears from the noise of war. As much enmity as the soldiers felt seeing her cowardice, the grizzled commander could only feel pity that one so young was flung into such conflict. A last act of mercy from him, the man knelt down in front of her and placed his knotted hand upon her knee in an attempt to comfort her.

Tears stained the corners of her pale blue eyes as she looked up to the soft smile of a man who knew his time in the galaxy had come to an end.

"It's okay, girl, nobody will blame you for not coming with us. I pray that war never becomes a familiar sensation to you, though I know that the path you're only leads to more." His green eyes, grayed now from age, turned to look out across the battlefield. "My time now comes to an end. It's been a good life, one I would have liked to end peacefully. But you have so much more left to do. Great things, I hope." He turned back to her, his face more stern in its demeanour. "But you cannot accomplish them dying here with us. So flee. Go now and don't look back, don't look back until you can use that fear to fight back."

The man pulled Ayra to her feet, her body unwilling but no match for the veteran's strength. She stood frozen as he clasped his gnarled hand on her shoulder, a grip so tight it hurt. And with a push, he sent the padawan towards the back entrance and the ruined streets past it.

Turning, she only caught one small glimpse of the commander before his men barricaded the door behind her, leaving Ayra only in the dark hallways of the building. Slowly, she shambled her way through the halls, her footsteps catching in the rubble as the tears well up once again. Her knuckles grew white as the tightened around her lightsaber as she silently plead for deliverance, that anyone would come save her.

"Please..."

 

[Kito]

//: Ayra Lowe //:
//: Attire ://

Things were looking bleak for the Jedi and their allies. Kito had been given a small mission: to infiltrate and gather information. The quiet Ronin was good at both of those things. Her face was pretty simple, easily forgettable, and she was a budding master at stealth.

Her footsteps were silent as she crept through the building. The battle had finally begun outside. She could hear the cries of the dying, the weapons firing, and the way the building creaked with each tremor. The padawan had hardened herself; it was something she had to do after the death of everyone she had ever known.

Survival and adaptation were her entire life up until now. She had found herself in the care of the Lightsworn; she had found someone like her within their ranks, where she could practice her devotion to Ashla, among others. Kito chewed her cheek as she crept along the hallways. Her mind wandered back to Malachor V. The planet had been her mission for some time now, but with the Empire now becoming more of a threat, she was called back.

Kito paused, her hand slapping her cheeks for a moment to regain her focus. She needed to keep her mind straight, steady on what she was doing. One hiccup meant a Sith could get a jump on her. Exhaling, she found her center and then continued moving.

It didn't take her long to get to the other end of the hallway entrance where Ayra had been wandering. Kito paused, and her ears twitched. There was a noise coming from the hallway — her saber was pulled from its hilt, the orange blade illuminating the shadows as she dropped the camouflage.

Wanting to scare whatever was on the other end of the door, Kito shoved the heated ion blade through the durasteel door. She began to carve a hole in it, in a grand circle. Unlike other Jedi, Kito used a blade that mirrored her fire shaping. And in some cases, it could look like the crimson of a Sith. She didn't mind being mistaken for such, as it meant that Sith were unaware of her alignment until it was too late.

The durasteel gave way like softened wax, and with a sharp kick, Kito sent the melted panel crashing inward before stepping through. She kept her saber ready until she was met with a pathetic sight. The Echani, which she deduced from their white hair and build, seemed terrified.

But she wasn't a Sith, which meant Kito put her saber back into the scabbard.

"Hi," she said, a little too casually for someone who had just carved a door apart. She waved, then extended her hand. "Um... Are you okay?"

 

[Ayra Lowe]

"

// Padawan Lowe //
// Objective // Survive //
// Focus // // Kito //

---

---

The darkness of the halls seemed to grow unending, but the weariness in Ayra's legs was no match for the fear of turning back to the battlefield. The sounds of blasters had only grown quieter, adding to the padawan's unending worry. If the gunfire had stopped, that only meant that they would be coming for her next.

Sense and tactics fled the mind of the silver-haired girl, all that she knew she could do was flee.

The path ahead was sealed off by a door, the only exit from the bunker that Ayra had fled. The Echani was unable to stop her hand from shaking as she grasped the handle, as fearful for what lay in front of her as behind. And yet, this remained the only hope for her escape, so she would try to calm herself before darting out.

The moment of concentration was violently killed as an orange beam impaled the metal door before her, it's heat drawing sweat from Ayra's brow as it lay only inches from her face. The shock caused Ayra to stumble backwards and fall, rather unceremoniously, on her ass, lying back from the door as she whispered a quiet prayer.

As the flaming beam carved its way through her only hope, the Echani fumbled for her lightsaber, catching its metal sheen against the amber hue of the blade in front of her. The rising and falling of her chest became rapid as the girl began to panic, the pale blue blade growing from her lightsaber as she held it carelessly without form.

Only death was on the other side of that door, she thought.

The blade finished carving its entrance, and a metal boot was all that was needed for it to give way. The scraps of the door flung mere inches away from the Echani, the heat of burnt metal growing on her legs. Pale blue eyes dart up to watch the figure clear through the steam of the door, expecting a Sith that had come to claim her finally.

Stepping through the smoke was a girl, raven-haired and no older than Ayra herself. Another forced into battle at a young age, but this one had the amber gaze of a Sith. Ayra crawled backwards, away from the ronin and her massive blade, fear blatant across her face. But what came next was not the final strike, instead a hand was extended towards her.

"Um... Are you okay?"

Tears welled in the eyes of the Echani once again, unable to sort the feeling of relief, fear, and confusion. The hilt of her lightsaber fell away from her hands as she tried to wipe the tears. Whoever this girl was, she hadn't immediately slain Ayra at the very least.

"How-" Her voice cracked with emotion as she looked up towards the raven-haired girl with hazy eyes. "How the hell do you think I'd be okay?! I've been fighting for days and it almost ended running into that fething blade of yours. What kind of girl goes around stabbing doors instead of opening them?"

Words rambled over one another as Ayra failed to control her emotions, still sitting on the stone floor. Her appearance dishevelled from the battles fought, she hardly resembled a Jedi herself. The black bodysuit she wore had been torn in many places, and bruises and cuts littered her uncovered skin.

"So..." She barely managed to squeak out through the tears. "Are you here to finally end this fight?" The look was defiant, but her body language was all but resigned. There was no fight left in the Echani, no movement made to reach her blade or fight against what might come.

 

[Kito]

//: Ayra Lowe //:

She started to cry.

Kito blinked and pulled her hand back. What was she supposed to do now?

The girl looked around, trying to see if there was a master or someone else who could help her in this situation. No one seemed to be around her as the Echani continued to wail and berate her for cutting through the door. Kito collapsed her hands in front of her as she bowed her head several times quickly, as she mumbled her apologies to her fellow Padawan.

She wondered why every time she ran into a girl, she managed to terrify her.

When Ayra finished, Kito shuffled forward and offered her hand again, trying to at least make amends for her foolishness.

"I—" Kito looked at the ground, then back to the girl, "I saw it in a holofilm — thought it would be a cool way to get through a door." The Padawan shrugged and gave a sheepish smile.

"I didn't think there was anyone here." Kito blinked, hearing the last bit of her question.

"No, I'm only meant for recon… were you with the front line?"

Her eyes trailed along the girl, mostly to check and see if there were any other injuries besides her courage. Frowning, she eyed her bodysuit, which wasn't in the best shape, and she was more exposed to the elements than was safe.

Leaning back, Kito realized that she was wearing a form-fitted bodysuit. This wasn't what she was used to. When did the uniform change? Kito's hand patted down her own loose tunic and tried to gather any thoughts that didn't include complimenting how well-trained and fit the Echani was. Kito took a step back again and pulled off the outer layer of her tunic.

She was left in her fitted tank top, but her clothing was in better shape than the ashen-haired girl's. Nervously, she offered the tunic and the belt that would hold it together.

As Kito held out the clothing, she remembered what trailed along her neck and collar. They were in various stages of healing, but she hoped that the Echani was too busy scolding her and was fearful of the battle that raged around them.

"I'm… Kito," she added quickly, bowing her head again. "Sorry for—uh—all of it."

 

[Ayra Lowe]

// Padawan Lowe //
// Objective // Survive //
// Focus // // Kito //

---

---

The ground became almost a comfort as Ayra sat there, her own tears beginning to dry from sheer confusion of the scene unfolding before her. Whoever the girl in front of her was, the sincere apologies had done their work in defusing the situation and instead replaced it with sheer awkward silence.

The Echani could only sit in disbelief as the woman apologised before admitting why she had done it.

"I—I saw it in a holofilm — thought it would be a cool way to get through a door."

A chortle escaped the lips of the silver haired girl, barely able to believe the admission with her ears. The scene had been a distant change than where Ayra found herself mere hours ago, before reality set back in with the girl's next words. The Echani hugged her knees and her eyes darted away, trying to hide her shame as the next words fell quietly from her mouth.

"There is no front line anymore, they're all gone. It's just me left."

The words hung in the air, the weight of them sitting heavy on the Padawan. There was no movement as the raven-haired woman eyed her down, only remaining defensive as the woman took her tunic off. It caught Ayra off-guard when the girl offered her own clothing, though it was comforting. Her own clothes had become ruined by battle, and any covering would be appreciated. A much as scars of battle were honoured, Ayra preferred not to bear the one she caught running away.

The clothes stayed in the Echani's hands as she looked over her counterpart, pale blue eyes catching on certain marks lying across the woman's neck and collar. A heavy blush came across Ayra's cheeks as she found herself staring at the bite marks. She didn't judge anyone for their... nocturnal activities, but damn.

"Oh... Umm..." Her stare did not break as she was unable to focus on the question. "It's no problem, thanks for the clothes..."

 

[Kito]

//: Ayra Lowe //:
//: Attire //:

Kito stared back at the Echani as she didn't hide her reaction. The Shaper knew precisely what she was looking at; there was no hiding them — well, once the tunic was gone. She wore a high collar for a reason.

Maybe she should have healed them, but she wasn't embarrassed by them as a whole. It was something that she could hold on to when they were separated.

What Kito was worried about was that Ayra was going to tell one of the Masters that Kito was having 'whenever the time was right' relations with a Sith. Her eyes stayed locked onto the Echani's. Her brain couldn't think fast enough; it was now distracted with thoughts of rendezvous and that stupid black bodysuit.

Also panic, so much panic that she was going to get caught.

Play it cool, Kito.

"What?" It was the only thing that came to the Shaper's mind. Everything else was horrible and would only dig herself into a bigger hole than she was already in.

This Echani was going to tattle on her, tell the temples that she did things with a Sith.

Just thinking of the thought, Kito pursed her lips tightly together. If she got tattled on, she didn't care — she really liked Valaine. She'd not deny it if it came down to it.

Her brow furrowed, her face shifting into a wide variety of emotions, from fear to frustration to almost a determined look as she mentally went through the speech she would say about how she had no regrets.

Realizing that silence had fallen between them, Kito continued to stare at the girl.

"What...? I can see your underboob, by the way."

There, Kito 1, the Echani 0.

 

[Ayra Lowe]

// Padawan Lowe //
// Objective // Survive //
// Focus // // Kito //

---

---

The first what softly pulled Ayra from her trance, realising that she had been staring for far too long. The woman didn't seem insecure about the marks, and honestly... all the power to her. It was nice meeting someone who was able to wear their confidence on their sleeve.

"Oh... Sorry it's..." Once again her words trailed off as she unfolded the gifted tunic. "It's nothing. I don't judge..."

Then came the comment about her underboob, and her free arm quickly crossed her chest to block the view as blush violently returned to her cheeks. As awful as the day had been, Ayra had never dreamed that her first encounter today would be with a pervert. Still, the girl was here to help her and it was difficult to condemn.

It was a nice body after all.

The raven haired Jedi was no less in shape, difficult not to take a peak as she pulled off her tunic. Apart from the marks along her collar, the woman was clearly a warrior from her build. It was nice to have certainty that the girl could take care of herself.

No underboob on her, at least.

"Maybe save it for when we aren't on a battlefield." The words were more cross than angry, but it was hardly the time or place. "For now we have to leave."

Ayra pulled the tunic over herself and tied it up with the best, hopefully covering whatever else the raven haired girl wanted to stare at. It was a decent bit bigger than her, but clothing was clothing. Her hands ran along the collar of the tunic, pulling it up to her face. As little as it mattered, some degree of anonymity would help her escape.

Something also caught her attention as she pulled the tunic up, there was a sweet smell. Ayra didn't even notice herself breathing it in, the sweet smell of a coffee perfume. It was a nice break from all the blood and dirt she had been smelling for the past months, and she took a moment to savour it before returning her attention to her counterpart.

"Thank you. It smells nice too..." Ayra tried to catch herself and move on past the awkward comment. "Now what is your plan to leave here?"

Hopefully the girl had at least a semblance of what to do next, because the Echani could not stomach another night of this god forsaken planet.

 

[Kito]

//: Ayra Lowe //:

Kito blinked. What did Ayra mean to save it? Save it for after? She didn't understand anything — maybe she hit her head? Kito raised an eyebrow, trying to let things process mentally.

She paused again, staring at the Echani as she brought the collar of the tunic up to her face. Why would anyone do that? Kito just watched and continued to listen to the funny nonsense she kept saying. It smelled nice? Kito hadn't noticed anything different about the tunic — it smelled like it always smelled.

Stepping closer, Kito pulled the lapel of the tunic and sniffed. She was reminded of the coffee perfume. It seemed her clothing now permeated it. The scent was typical for her, comforting in a way — but she didn't realize it was something that she carried with her now everywhere. Her cheeks flushed slightly as she pulled away.

"Stop smelling it," she murmured, suddenly wanting the tunic back.

She needed something else to focus on, so she began to look around. It seemed she had traveled to the base of the bunker, and on the other side of the doors, where she figured the Echani had come through, was where the fight was happening.

It still echoed, which meant some of their own were still fighting. Kito wondered why the other padawan had been left in here.

Her lips parted, preparing to interrogate her to find out more about what had happened. But the way she pulled the tunic over her face and the crying — Kito figured she probably had enough on her plate to deal with. She closed her mouth, letting a half smile linger for just a moment as she tried to seem friendly.

"I'm assuming we can't go out that way." She pointed towards the other doors. "So I guess we're going back the way I came. It was quiet, so we shouldn't run into any trouble." Kito grabbed the sleeve of her tunic and started to drag the Echani along behind her.

She refused to hold her hand. The sleeve would be enough to have the Echani keep up and not get lost.

Looking back at her, the Shaper figured she was the type to get lost easily.

"Do you have a name?"

 

[Ayra Lowe]

// Padawan Lowe //
// Objective // Survive //
// Focus // // Kito //

Ayra stared at the girl as she blinked, their confusion compounding one another’s. The next words that the Echani attempted to speak were quickly interrupted as the other padawan gripped the lapel of the tunic and pulled Ayra close, taking a smell of the cloak herself. How did she not know her own perfume?

The blush returned to her face once again as their faces drew close, Ayra softly pulling away as she was dragged in. But instead of being flustered, her face turned irritated. It annoyed her how confusing the raven haired girl was, how was the same person who violently cut down a steel door now getting upset?

“You smell nothing but dirt, dust, and blood for three months then tell me not to want to smell something nice.” She almost wanted to take another whiff just to annoy her saviour, but it felt petty.

Ayra looked the girl in her amber eyes as she did it anyways.

The pair somehow found a moment to refocus on the objective of not dying, a favourite past time of Ayra’s, as her new companion looked across the halls. A tinge of fear returned as the girl’s eyes looked back where Ayra had fled.

“No, everyone’s already dead that way.” It was said matter of factly, a defeated tone cutting through the words. “We need to find a way out, I hope you came on a fighter. It won’t take long for them to overrun the city now.”

The Echani’s eyes turned down in thought as she tried to remember the layout of the city. There were many underground paths that the freedom fighters created if the city had been taken, but Ayra struggled to remember them.

“We should look for-“ The words were cut short once again as the other padawan took her sleeve and dragged Ayra along with her. The fabric tugged at the back of her neck and forced the silver haired girl along. “Hey!”

As the pair continued through the hallway, a proper introduction would finally come instead of bickering. At least for a less annoyed Jedi it would.

“You don’t even know the name of the person you came to save?” Ayra let out a sigh before answering, trying to be the bigger person. “It’s Ayra Lowe, what’s yours?”

 

[Kito]

//: Ayra Lowe //:

Kito stopped and blinked. She did introduce herself; it was one of the first things she did. Was this Ayra girl not paying attention and consumed by her own misery? Kito turned and looked at Ayra, still visibly irritated that she had taken another whiff of the perfume that didn't belong to her. But now she didn't even acknowledge Kito introducing herself?

"I told you my name earlier. When I was apologizing." Kito reiterated.

Sighing, she reintroduced herself. "I'm Kito, I'm a padawan with the Lightsworn." Maybe Ayra needed the complete introduction, not just her name. Kito never let go of the Echani's sleeve and then continued again as she backtracked her path down to the bunker's bottom.

Remembering the complaints about the smell of her mission, Kito kept her face forward and remarked rather bluntly. "If you showered more often, you wouldn't smell bad."

She shrugged as if it were the simplest truth.

It surprised her to hear that Ayra assumed that Kito's mission was to rescue her. In reality, Kito had been sent to retrieve any recovered information before the enemy could snatch it. The group here had already been assumed lost, but Kito didn't want to tell the girl that. As much as she was annoyed with her existence, no one needed to know they were already thought of as dead.

"I um…" Kito pursed her lips again; it seemed to be a common thing around this girl. "I can't read, so I didn't read the mission briefing."

Of course, Kito could read. She often reads. But the lie was easier.

They continued along; the fighting seemed to quiet down. It wasn't a good sign; it meant that the forces that were left to defend were losing, and Ayra was more right than Kito wanted her to be. The Shaper's hand released the girl's sleeve as they came to a large wall. The ceiling had collapsed, and the only way to continue was to climb. It was steep, but they were both Jedi, so that shouldn't be an issue…

Kito hoped.

"If you're right that everyone is dead… we don't have much time before they overrun the bunker." Looking up, Kito really hoped the girl could climb; she didn't want to have to carry her.

"Can you climb? I don't think you're hurt despite the state of your clothing."

 

[Ayra Lowe]

// Padawan Lowe //
// Objective // Survive //
// Focus // // Kito //

---

---

A flash of embarrassment crossed the Echani's face as Kito reminded Ayra that she had already introduced herself, but the silver-haired padawan had been so caught of guard that she didn't remember. Not that she would allow the blame to fall on herself. No way would she give this girl the moral victory.

"You mean when you were mumbling after scaring me to death, I must have missed it."

The Lightsworn were a faction of Jedi that Ayra had been debriefed on, one of many Jedi factions but unique in their fierceness. Though she wouldn't let it show, Ayra was happy that it was one of their number that had come along to save her. It was her first time interacting with them though, but as decentralised and sparse as the New Jedi Order had become, it didn't surprise her that they sought outside help.

"Well, thank you for coming for me Kito."

The Echani would regret the compliment as soon as it left her lips, a comment about her lack of showering caused a fierce look of indignation that Kito would feel burning into the back of her head.

"I shower all the time, thank you very much." It wasn't as if there was much options in the ruins of a freedom fighter base. "I promise you it will be the top of my to do list when we leave this planet."

They needed to escape first before any such hope could come true, a plan from the shaper in front of her would be welcome. Her eyes sharpened, unconvinced that the girl couldn't read. But it seemed as if Kito had only just recently learned manners, so it didn't come as a surprise that reading escaped her.

Their path led to a crumpled wall, one that need be surmounted if they were going to escape. As Kito ensured Ayra wasn't hurt, the padawan almost felt like lying. Every part of her body was sore from the tribulations of the last month, her feet screamed at her spine with every step she took and her knees felt brittle.

Being carried up it sounded so much nicer, but even though Kito was the bigger of the two, she wasn't that much bigger. So the Echani supposed that she would have to manage the climb herself.

"I'm not in perfect condition, but I'll manage. Let me take the lead, I can do that at least."

Rolling the lengthy sleeves of the tunic up, Ayra gripped the rubble of the wall, searching for a grip that wouldn't immediately fall away. It wouldn't be an easy climb, the rubble carving away a few floors of the ruined building, but it was manageable. Pieces of rebar made the climb easier, though the grips her feet found send some debris falling downwards. At least a tiny part of the Echani hoped it wouldn't hurt her companion.

In no time at all, the girl had managed to scale the wall, the martial upbringing she had well suiting her to the task. As she looked down, Ayra saw the shaper climbing as well, and reached a hand to help her up the final portion.

"We don't have much time, they'll be here before long. The squad I was with were down to their last dozen men and women before taking their final stand. As much as I respect them, I can't imagine they would have been able to hold out long."

She tried to avoid the thoughts of their death creeping in, but a melancholy took the girl as she remembered their faces.

 

[Kito]

//: Ayra Lowe //:

Kito paused after the shower conversation. Ayra was right, she did smell off. This meant that her tunic was probably going to have a terrible smell. Sighing softly, she decided to cut her losses and just let the Echani keep the tunic. If anything, she'd be able to send for it the next time she's at one of the NJO temples.

As Ayra's mind worked over what she wanted to do, Kito had already mentally prepared to carry the Princess. The girl was already slowing them down, and she could tell that her time on the frontlines was starting to wear on her small frame. It didn't take a doctor to know this.

Her hand extended, but was quickly pushed through as Ayra decided that she was going to take the lead and climb the wall herself. Kito looked at the girl as she pulled her hand back, her eyebrows raised in surprise. She stepped back to give the Princess her moment to shine.

It was a ceremonious moment. Ayra rolled her sleeves up, positioned herself against the wall, and haphazardly worked her way up. Kito gave the Echani a slight lead, waiting till she was about a quarter of the way up before she stepped up to the wall herself. Her palms warmed as she shaped the fire, using the heat to melt the handles into the wall. If Ayra had given in and let her carry her — or let the Shaper take the lead her time up the wall would have been far easier.

Ayra seemed to be in her own world as she climbed up the wall; Kito easily scaled it past her and waited at the top. She didn't want to burst her bubble just yet as the Echani seemed proud of her efforts. Though when she moved to lean over to help where she thought Kito was, the shaper moved behind her and grasped the belt of the tied tunic.

"Careful." Her voice had an air of command in it, something she didn't do on purpose — more out of concern than anything.

As she grabbed Ayra, the foundation on which the top of the wall was built began to crumble. Kito pulled gently and kept the Echani upright as the ground beneath her gave way and she tumbled to the ground. She held Ayra for just a moment, then decided quickly to just throw her over her shoulder and begin to walk the way she had initially arrived.

Ayra was light, thankfully; even if she had been heavier, the Ronin would have been fine. She continued to walk, her pace picking up now that she wasn't dragging a reluctant weight behind her.

"Just let me lead, you're obviously lost, and yes — I have a fighter." Kito shook her head and adjusted her shoulder, aligning Ayra's body better over her shoulder. She probably should have just had her climb on her back, but there was an annoyance that steamed off of her. This girl was proving to be more problematic than she had bargained for.

"So why didn't you fight with those that you were sent with…?"

Kito was curious; she figured she knew the answer, but wanted to hear it. A part of her wanted to be wrong. Perhaps they left the girl because she was meant to tell their tale or had an important message to deliver.

She really hoped she wasn't just a coward… but then again, not everyone wanted to die in a blaze of glory.

 

[Ayra Lowe]

// Padawan Lowe //
// Objective // Survive //
// Focus // // Kito //

---

---

A short moment of panic held Ayra as her last bit of footing gave way, the debris sliding out from beneath her boot. A hand shot out to reach towards Kito, and thankfully the woman was able to catch her. The ronin pulled her up with less effort than the Echani expected, she was stronger than she looked. The raven-haired woman pulled her close, and Ayra took the moment to catch her breath.

Her pale blue eyes met the amber of the shaper's with a quick nod of appreciation, maybe she had been a bit quick to be annoyed.

"Thank yo-" Any attempt to repair the bridge of communication was cut off abruptly, and Ayra reaffirmed how annoying she found the dark featured girl as she was quickly picked up and thrown across the shoulder of her companion. "What are you-"

The indignant was clear in her voice, only worsened as the girl realigned her like a sack of grain. Part of her was relieved that she didn't have to walk anymore so, despite her tone, the Echani didn't fight back against being picked up. Not that she could anyways, it was clear the shaper was the stronger of the two.

The view from atop Kito's shoulders was about as interesting as the rest of the hallways, dull and hardly illuminated. So her eyes fell upon the one nice thing in her vision, unintentionally at first. Hopefully the shaper didn't have a sixth sense for people staring at her butt, because Ayra did it anyways. As annoying as the Lightsworn was, it made for a nice view.

"I'm not totally lost," She whispered unconvincingly. "There's an exit out this back way somewhere, the commander told me before he..."

Then came the question that the Echani hoped would remain unasked, about why she didn't fight to the end with the others. The answer was known to both of the girls, but Ayra's cowardice would remain whispered only by ghosts. Instead, she sought an answer that hopefully felt true enough.

"I thought I would..." Her words were weak and fearful as the half-truth parted her lips. Even now away from the frontlines, the fear of death still crept in the depths of her mind. "But that wasn't the intention of those I fought alongside. They had made the commitment to sacrifice themselves for their planet and they knew that-" The next words remained unspoken, and Ayra assumed the ronin would make of them what she would. "The commander made the decision for me to be the one to live. He took me and threw me in the tunnel, locking the plasteel door behind me. There was no way back to them."

Silence hung in the air for a moment after, even obfuscating her own cowardice, the shame was clear in Ayra's voice. Hopefully it was the end of Kito's investigation, because Ayra didn't want to answer any more.

She simply wanted to leave.

 

[Kito]

//: Ayra Lowe //:

Listening to the answer, Kito stayed quiet. There were days she wondered if her father had done the same — chosen her out of all his children to survive. At the time, she had been the youngest by far. Her brother was nearly fifteen years older. They often teased her that she was an accident, but she had been her father's favorite.

Her eldest brother had built the gate. Nothing had ever broken free from his craftsmanship. But that day, in that moment, one of the animals had gotten out. Kito was tasked to find it. She'd been gone long enough for the Sith to descend upon her home, her village, and burn it all away. Everything she ever held dear.

Like her, Ayra was a survivor — not by choice.

Kito didn't answer, letting the Echani's words ripen in the silence. As an Echani, Ayra would notice the shift: the way Kito's shoulders loosened, the way her stride shortened just slightly so she didn't jostle the girl she carried. A quiet "I understand," spoken without words.

They walked like that as the evening set in, the battle outside fading into uneasy quiet. Kito wondered if the enemy would push forward or pause for the night. At least the wall of collapsed stone gave them a reprieve, however temporary.

Dim light guided them to the makeshift shelter she'd cobbled together while scouting. It was part of the bunker's emergency network — small rooms meant for survival, for waiting until the world outside was safe again. But no one had lived long enough to use them.

The urge to flip Ayra off her shoulder was strong, but instead, Kito set her down with rough hands and walked past her. She paused just long enough to say, voice gentler than before.

"I get it. I was chosen to survive, too."

That was all. She moved into the camp without looking back.

Inside, the dim light revealed a cot with a thin sleeping bag, a smoldering fire with a cooking pot, and a hose leading to a rundown shower that was still intact.

"Make yourself comfortable, I guess," Kito muttered, waving a hand before heading toward the shower. Remembering the cold evening falling around them, she stopped, and with a flick of her fingers, the campfire came to life.

"I'm going to clean up, then I'll make us something to eat."

The Shaper pulled the tie from her dark hair as she walked, loosening it down her back until she vanished into the shadow of the stall. Water hissed through old pipes, echoing in the silence.

"There's only enough for one, so stay out there!" Kito called over the spray. A crooked grin twisted her lips as she added, loud enough to carry.

"I had to carry you, and you're heavy!"

 

[Ayra Lowe]

// Padawan Lowe //
// Objective // Survive //
// Focus // // Kito //

---

---

The silence of their journey continued into the camp, both of them dealing with their quiet regrets. The warmth of the camp greeted them, only able to be told by the feeling in her legs as she still faced out towards the dark atop the K'Paur's shoulders. Kito set her down gently, a surprise to the Echani. She half expected to be thrown into the dirt.

The raven haired Jedi then gave some more words to Ayra, a quiet acknowledgement of shared pain. The padawan wondered what had happened, but knew it best not to ask.

Taking in the encampment, the silver haired girl had hoped for something a bit more... nice. But it made sense that Kito was okay living like this. What didn't make sense to her was that the girl thought to take the only shower remaining, as if she hadn't been complaining about the way that the Echani smelt.

As Kito shout past the streaming jets, Ayra didn't even bother to wait for a moment to join her.

Stripping away all the dirty clothes she had been stuck with for the last few weeks, the Echani discarded them haphazardly with exception of the tunic that Kito had gifted her. There were surely more clothes that could replace the torn rags Ayra wore.

"I'm not that heavy," The silver haired padawan said as she joined her saviour in the shower, not bothering to wait for permission. "And the fact that you're trying to steal the only shower after complaining about the way I smell says much about your manners." She looked Kito in her amber eyes, trying her best to not let her eyes wander.

Not that they were tempted to, of course.

They were both girls after all, she had shared a shower room back in the temple with all the other female padawans. But something about this one felt different, probably because Kito was so forcedamned annoying.

 

[Kito]

//: Ayra Lowe //:

The shower was nice. Not hot, but enough. It wasn't about comfort anyway — just rinsing off the filth she'd picked up carrying the Echani through most of their path. She massaged the muscle in her neck, down across her shoulder, finally letting her body loosen in the small, private sanctuary.

Until that voice.

Grating, unwelcome — Ayra's. Kito's muscles tensed instantly. She'd ignored the order to stay out. Of course, she had. The earlier jab about showering and her smell must've gotten under her skin. There was a smug satisfaction in that, but it didn't outweigh Kito's irritation at now having to share the stall.

Kito wasn't used to this — she had been alone most of her life. Then, to suddenly have someone whom she had just met see her nude... her stomach twisted slightly. Though she thought quietly, this wasn't exactly the first time this had happened. Not the exact interaction, but…

"What are you doing?" Kito blurted, sharper than she meant. Her eyes betrayed her, wandering before she caught herself. Turning too fast, she nearly drowned herself in the spray, coughing as water hit her face. She dropped her head and stared at the wall, trying to will away the sense of embarrassment crawling over her skin.

"If you're going to stay here, turn around and don't look." She cast a glance sideways, just enough to check Ayra's reaction, then quickly faced forward again. Kito didn't know why this unsettled her as it did. Nor did she want to think about it.

"Just do it." Another direct order, she just wanted to shower and to get out as fast as she could. She wasn't even hungry anymore — if they went to sleep after this, it would be a blessing. It meant that she only had to spend a few waking hours with this pushy princess.

Kito exhaled softly as she tried to focus on her task. Her hand patted around the soap as she scooped some into her hand and began washing her hair. The faster this was done, the faster she could get out. She didn't bother to look and see if Ayra had done what she asked; a part of her was scared that the stubborn Echani had disregarded everything.

Now, who had the poor manners?

 

[Ayra Lowe]

// Padawan Lowe //
// Objective // Survive //
// Focus // // Kito //

---

---

"What does it look like? I'm showering."

The K'Paur quickly turned the other way, but not before her eyes managed to wander a little bit. Blush took the cheeks of the Echani, but she supposed it was a little natural. She herself found it difficult to hold her concentration. A small giggle escaped her lips as Kito choked on the water, before the raven haired girl once again tried to boss her around.

"Why?" While Ayra herself could admit the situation wasn't exactly normal, she had showered with other women plenty of times before. But it was clear from the ronin's body language that it was a universal experience. She would have fun with this. "Have you never showered with another girl before? It's not that strange."

Ignoring her instructions, Ayra instead allowed her eyes to wander a bit. It was an admiration of the girl's shape, she had clearly been an experienced warrior with a couple scars decorating her skin.

"Don't worry, no funny business." She ushered playfully through a smile, hoping it would irritate her companion. "How long have you been a warrior for? You're in really good shape, nothing to be ashamed of."

The little imp in Ayra's head thought of more ways to mess with the ronin as her eyes turned downwards, clearly not enjoying the whole situation.

"It's okay," A lithe finger made its way and poked the girl in the small of her back, wondering what type of reaction she would get. "I won't bite."