Second Chance/Part 2

Aldayr kept the Zygerrian in his peripheral vision, letting her lead by a step. He knew Tirien Kal-Di was a good Jedi, and Tirien had vouched for the Zygerrian, but he had seemed a little hesitant when he said it. Maybe he was just tired, but Aldayr wasn't taking any chances.

Besides, the girl didn't seem too interested in talking. She trudged across the square, looking down, until they reached a simple brick building with a curving façade. Noticing the sign, Aldayr couldn't help asking, "The Museum of Agriculture and Roba Husbandry?"

The girl didn't turn. "They let us use it. Not a lot of tourists these days."

Inside, two Republic troops had replaced a Taanabian docent at the welcome desk. Following his guide, Aldayr saw several information displays about Taanab's colonization and farming efforts carefully set to one side. The museum was built simply, with scrubbed stone floors and brick-and-mortar walls.

"Some of the Jedi set that up as a meditation room," Narasi commented, pointing out a side room with a circle of depowered holoprojectors.

"Do we have time to meditate?" Aldayr asked. "I thought we were fighting the Sith."

"My…Tirien told me that Jedi should always take time to meditate when they can, for all the times when they can't."

"Hmm. I'd rather be out on the front lines.  My master says that's where Jedi can do the most good."

"Yeah, that's what I said," the Zygerrian muttered; Aldayr wasn't sure she was talking to him.

She led him to a room filled with outdated farming machinery where the Jedi had put together everything from sleeping bags to nests in the pockets between vehicles. Gesturing to a hammock strung up between two centuries-old harvesters, she said, "This is mine."

It was wide enough, with just a little bit of give in the center, that Aldayr thought she would be unlikely to roll out in the middle of the night, and it looked more comfortable than trying to cushion the stone floor. A little impressed, he said, "Did you rig this up yourself?"

"I—" She stopped, and Aldayr felt a flash of anger in the Force as she bared her fangs and snarled, "What's that supposed to mean?!"

"What's your problem?" Aldayr snapped, bracing himself. Then he thought about what he was talking to and his eyes widened. "Oh. I just meant it looked good, I didn't mean because you're a…you know."

She glowered at him, but then just exhaled sharply through her nose and shook her head. "Whatever. Anyway, you can sleep wherever there's floor space."

Aldayr dropped his pack and his master's in the farthest spaces from Narasi's hammock he could find, taking his time unloading his pack. When he turned, though, the Zygerrian was still there, leaning against one of the harvesters holding up her hammock. Imagining what his master would say if he knew Aldayr was getting in a fight with another Jedi, he walked back and said, "So…where are we supposed to be?"

She shrugged. "Tirien went with your master, Master Cazars went to defend Salkalae, I don't know where the other Knights are…I guess we just wait until someone comes back and tells us what to do."

Aldayr stared at her. "We're never gonna beat the Sith doing that! Is Tirien your master?"

"I…" Aldayr was baffled at the way she hesitated over such a straightforward question. "Yeah, for now."

"For now?" he asked, but she didn't seem to want to go on. Leaving it alone, he walked out past her. After a few paces, he sensed her falling in behind him.

"How long have you been Master Darakhan's Padawan?" she asked.

"Three years," Aldayr replied.

"Is he as great a Jedi as they say?"

"Absolutely," said Aldayr, warming to the subject. "He's…well, maybe I shouldn't say this when we have all the Council Masters, but I think he's the greatest Jedi I've ever seen."

She nodded. "Bet you've done a lot with him."

"Oh, definitely," Aldayr said. "Just a couple months ago we saved Ord Mantell from Lord Aresh's fleet. And there was this battle at Yag'Dhul, too; that was Lord Lakalt.  Oh, and we rooted out a bunch of saboteurs on Alderaan!  I couldn't believe they got that close to Coruscant.  And there was this time we went to Hutt Space…"

He could have gone on, and would have too, had Narasi not looked so downcast. "Do you do a lot? I mean, are there things for you to do?"

"Well, yeah," Aldayr said, staring at her. "I'm his Padawan, of course I help him. Don't you help your master?"

"I…try to," Narasi said quietly.

"I mean, he doesn't let me do everything," Aldayr went on. "I wanted to help him fight that Mirialan woman—whatshername, 'Allana' or something—but he wouldn't let—"

"Alecto?" Narasi demanded.

"Yeah! Oh, that's right, it was your master who wrote the report!  I thought Master Darakhan would have her for sure, but she got away somehow.  We'll get her next time."

As they walked back out into the afternoon light, Aldayr saw their masters approaching. The Zygerrian hung back a step, a little farther away than seemed natural for conversation. Ignoring it, Aldayr said, "Good to go, Master."

"Excellent," Mali replied. "What do you say we check out the front lines and see if we can't ruin some Sith Lord's day?"

"Sounds good to me, Master," Aldayr replied with a grin.

Mali smiled back, then clapped Tirien Kal-Di on the shoulder. "Get some rest, Tirien. We'll hold the line."

The Pantoran Knight nodded. Aldayr had heard a lot of things about him, but at the moment he thought the man looked a little worn-down, especially next to his own master. "Call if you need me. Narasi, we'll—"

"Be on standby until the next call," the Zygerrian recited. She looked at Tirien briefly, then away. "Right."

Mali and Aldayr exchanged a glance, but Aldayr didn't give it any more thought. Leaving the glum Zygerrian and her exhausted master behind, he followed his own master toward the battle lines, where the Jedi belonged.