Desperate Measures/Part 15

"Well, that could've been better," Narasi sighed as she and Tirien left the High Council chamber in the Jedi Temple.

"It also could have been much worse," he replied.

Packed wall-to-wall as it had been with frightened and exhausted former slaves, the Second Chance had not exactly facilitated private conversation, and once they had finally emerged from hyperspace at Coruscant, they had no sooner turned over all their charges to debriefing by Republic Intelligence, care by the Republic Medical Service, and relocation by the Refugee Service when the High Council had summoned the five of them. Tirien and Narasi had been called in last, still bearing the marks of their nightmare on Vjun, and their compatriots evidently hadn't waited.

Though she could no longer remember when she had last bathed, and she wanted nothing more than a shower and a long sleep, Narasi called on the Force for some focus; there were things she needed to say.

"I never got a chance to thank you."

Tirien raised an eyebrow. "You and Aldayr are the heroes here. And Mali and Slejux, for the rescue.  All I did was blunder my way into the castle at the right time for you all to give me a lift."

Narasi laughed, but shook her head. "You came after me. You came to rescue me.  Even if it…er…didn't go quite as planned…"

Tirien smirked with one side of his mouth. "Very tactful phrasing, Padawan."

"Well, it's been two and a half years, you've rubbed off a little." They both chuckled, then Narasi said, "But yeah, just…thanks. Thank you, Master."

Being able to call him that again in truth made her heart sing, but Tirien wasn't done with the topic. Looking thoughtful, he stopped, waited for her to face him, and said, "The Council was right, and it's important you understand that—you and Aldayr were in far over your heads. You should never have gone to Skorrupon, it was sheer madness to think that even both of you together could take on Darth Alecto, and—if you'll forgive me the unseemly use of the word—you're both very lucky you survived at all, let alone without permanent injury.  Tell me you understand that."

Narasi sighed, but nodded. On this side of the decision, knowing that Skorrupon had been a trap, with Tirien safe and his connection to the Force restored, it was easy to look back on her decision and see the astonishing arrogance of it. "I understand, Master."

"Never again, Narasi."

"No, Master."

He nodded, then started walking again. "Never throw yourself to the winds of fate like that for me, Narasi. But…I understand where your motivation came from.  And I'm touched.  So in that very narrow sense, with the understanding that this is in no way condoning your actions or commending them to you as a model for the future of your apprenticeship…thank you."

She smiled, and Tirien gave her a slight smile back before they took a marble staircase down. Across the grand corridor she saw Mali and Aldayr talking too, but their debrief had obviously not been capped by mutual respect and camaraderie; both Humans looked angry, and Narasi's sharp hearing caught the hardness in their voices. Tirien stopped her with a hand on her shoulder, frowning, but Mali noticed them. Taking a breath, he adopted a composed expression with what looked like enormous effort and gestured away. Aldayr grimaced and walked off without a word.

Tirien let Mali approach, and Narasi took a bracing breath. Forcing herself to meet his eyes, she said, "I'm sorry, Master Darakhan. I'm sorry for what I did, and for dragging Aldayr into it.  I know you were worried, and it's my fault, so…I'm sorry."

Mali frowned with one side of his mouth, but his eyes warmed a little. "Well, I'm not going to tell you you didn't screw up, kid. But if you've gotten through the High Council and Tirien without somebody telling you that already, then I'm a Wookiee.  And Aldayr's a big boy; he made his own choice, and that's on him, not you.  Just try to think a little more next time, hmm?"

"I will."

He clapped her shoulder. "I forgive you."

Narasi sighed, feeling lighter. "Thanks, Master Darakhan." Her eyes darted the way Aldayr had gone. "Do you both mind if I…?"

She trailed off, gesturing that way. Tirien glanced, then looked at Mali, who snorted once. "Ah, go ahead."

Tirien nodded, and so Narasi jogged off. She caught Aldayr in a short corridor; sensing his anger, she slowed as she approached. "Aldayr?"

He stopped, facing away from her. "What is it, Narasi?"

Once she might have hesitated at that tone, but after what they had survived together, she just rolled her eyes. "Don't be like that," she said, pushing his shoulder lightly to spin him to face her. "We just went through that nightmare, you can't just be all moody and standoffish now."

His blue eyes tightened for a moment before he snorted and shook his head with a reluctant smile. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

"Was Mali really mad?"

"He was mad," Aldayr grumbled. "Said I should have been a better influence as an older Padawan—that I should've talked you down, or told him or Slejux. And on Skorrupon…well, he had a lot to criticize, apparently."

"I told him it was my idea," Narasi offered sympathetically. "But I'm sorry I got you in trouble."

Aldayr waved a hand. "Nah, don't worry about it. We're going back to the northern front; everything's clearer there.  Bad guys and good guys, you know?"

"When are you leaving?"

"Mali told me to take a shower and pack my stuff, so I'm guessing pretty soon…what?"

Narasi sighed. "I dunno. If that's the order, you have to go.  It's just…I was hoping we'd both be here for a while.  Have some time to train together and talk, you know?  I mean without Sith monsters trying to eat us or people trying to torture us…"

She winced; the memories of Kai Latra's house of horrors were still fresh, and she would need time to process them. It would have been easier to do if Aldayr was here to talk through them. He looked like he understood exactly where her mind had gone, because he laid his real hand on her shoulder. "Hey, I didn't get the chance to tell you—ship full of panicked ali…non-Humans and all—but you were amazing back there. Tough, resourceful…"

"Yeah, I'm pretty badass for a younger Padawan," she teased, and Aldayr snickered. "You were pretty great yourself, especially with only one arm. Is it back to normal?"

He flexed his hand; he hadn't had an opportunity to get a new glove for it, so Narasi could see the metal digits working. "Seems to be. I'll have a tech on the Coronet's Jewel take a look at it when we're back."

There was silence for a moment, and Narasi was unsure what to say, but she didn't feel uncomfortable; something about fighting their way naked through a ghastly hellhole together had given her a new definition of awkward to which a momentary loss for words didn't quite compare. It had bonded them, too; their friendship had been developing since Milagro, but she thought two people just couldn't go through something like that and not emerge closer on the other side of it.

"You'll miss me," Aldayr said, smirking.

Narasi narrowed her eyes, but grinned back. "Yeah, I guess I will."

He gave her a rogueish smile, and for a moment he looked more like Mali than she had seen him since Taanab. But he wasn't the brash Padawan he had been then—he looked like he had grown into the role. "Well then, I guess I'll miss you too."

Narasi raised her left hand. "Keep in touch."

"Definitely." Aldayr clasped her hand, but he didn't let go, and neither did Narasi. Aldayr took a step closer, and Narasi did not back away. She looked up at him and saw that rogueish gleam in his eyes. They were dark blue, Narasi noticed again; she could really see them from this close. Much darker than her own, or even Tirien's skin—almost indigo, like the dark of a warm summer night.

"I…should get…" It was hard to focus; she couldn't understand why her heart was pounding. Stress for who knew how long, probably, so many close calls. It was hard to interpret Aldayr's expression, too, although she could sense his nerves and the spike in his emotions; it was like their touch had strengthened her ability to share his feelings.

Narasi heard other voices, a ways off but approaching. She squeezed Aldayr's hand; she was momentarily surprised to discover one of them had stepped again, and his knuckles were now against her chest and hers against his. It would be awkward for other Jedi to find them so close, but she didn't really want to let go. "I can hear somebody…we should probably…"

She trailed off, but Aldayr saved her the need to add any more, because he took a sudden, deep breath, wrapped his mechanical arm around her shoulders, and kissed her.