Private A storm in the sky

[Choli Vyn]

Interacting with: Trextan Voidstalker
Gear - x x x x x x

Choli stood there, awkward as ever, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. Her left hand instinctively reached up to push back the thick strands of hair that had fallen into her face, revealing her slanted, color-shifting eyes -- an anxious mix of pale green and soft grey. She wasn't sure what to feel or where to even start.

"Yea-ah, she did," she said quietly, pulling her hand back from Trextan. His comment about Chloe leaving them alone for a bit to talk was too obvious, too direct. But what was she supposed to say? Everything felt messy, like she couldn't get her bearings.

"I'll be fine," she added, more for his sake than her own. The truth was, she wasn't so sure. Her olive skin looked pale, almost sickly, and even standing there felt like a battle. But hearing him say he wanted to catch up -- actually wanted to -- made her heart do a weird flip, throwing her further into the swirl of confusion.

When they'd first met, she'd been all in his personal space, more curious than anything, poking around to see how his cybernetic arm worked. There hadn't been any awkwardness back then, no heavy history weighing down on them. Just two kids trying to survive a med center escape on Polis Massa.

But now? Now there was history. Trextan had seen parts of her that no one else had, parts of herself she didn't even want to admit existed. The breakup had been messy, but she'd thought it was for the best -- for him, really. Yet, here he was, and despite everything, his presence still threw her off balance.

She cleared her throat, trying to regain some control. "Maybe I should change out of these clothes," she muttered, glancing down at the worn-out gear she'd been in for who knows how long.

"See if there's anything else I can do to help." Sitting still had never been her thing. Taking charge, staying busy -- that's where she felt in control. It was one of her flaws, but she hadn't quite gotten around to fixing it.

Choli shifted her gaze back to him,. "Besides, aren't you supposed to be off near Levantine space?" she asked, raising an eyebrow, unable to help the question, which she mentally chided herself despite continuing, "What are you doing all the way out here?"

 

[Trextan Voidstalker]

He watched her carefully as she started to process things. The colour in her eyes wasn't perfectly clear in the light, but he could see the shifts that revealed she was torn between feelings.

He hadn't needed to see her eyes at all.

"You must have been in an awful headspace on that ship," he said, not answering her question immediately.

"Must have crossed your mind that you were never getting out. And then you wake up in a medical pod with me and Chloe. Not what you expected."

"I think... That if you change and get out there to try and help that Tiny will just carry you back."

He took a step back and leaned against the wall, crossing his arms across his chest. Even though it had been constructed of phrik, there were now marks in his forearm from years of use.

"We came out here for Tiny," he explained. "I volunteered to fight the Ren. I don't some of them believed I could do that or really wanted to stop and considered how dangerous a few of their knights can be."

"Why don't you change, sonic and get some sleep?" he offered. "We can talk later. After what they did to your hands I can get your boot laces if you want."

He knew her own believes about her state of dress, idly wondering if Chloe counted as family and if he could get her to help Choli out of her gear.

 

[Choli Vyn]

Interacting with: Trextan Voidstalker
Gear - x x x x x x

Awful headspace...

Choli's mouth tightened, her eyes darkening as she looked away, avoiding Trextan's gaze. That was putting it lightly. No matter how many years had passed since her time as a prisoner of the First Order, that month still weighed on her like a shadow she couldn't shake. Even now, thinking about it sent a shiver down her spine. The memory of those interrogation drugs, the fog, the endless questions -- it was still all too raw.

She didn't bother responding to Trextan's comment about how she'd handled being in that room. That wasn't something she wanted to dig into, not here, not now. Instead, she focused on staying upright, putting one foot in front of the other.

"Yeah, you're right. Tiny would've come ready to nag at me," Choli said, relief slipping into her voice. Just knowing Tiny was still out there, somewhere, was a small comfort.

"Is he okay?" she asked, glancing at Trextan with a flicker of hope.

It made sense they'd come looking for Tiny. These routes were his domain, after all. She'd only tagged along because he'd offered to help her on some salvage runs -- she'd needed parts for her ship, and in exchange, she'd shown him some of the trickier paths through the Hard Roil. Seemed like a fair trade at the time.

"A sonic sounds good. But sleep?" She gave a small, humorless laugh. "Not sure I'm ready for that." Choli had never been the type to sit still, and rest felt like a luxury she didn't deserve right now.

Then Trextan mentioned helping her with her laces. Choli glanced up at him, too fast. Her head spun, the room tilting violently. Instinct kicked in, and she reached out, her hand catching Trextan's arm to steady herself. The world swayed, her fingers gripping hard, but she managed to keep her footing.

"Sorry," she muttered, blinking to clear her vision. Her heart raced, but she forced a smile, trying to play it off like it was no big deal. "Guess I'm not as steady as I thought."

 

[Trextan Voidstalker]

As she turned away he regretted openly discussing how what she this must have affected her. She was through it, she had been through it before. They could talk more later.

The machine had rescued her hands but it would take time for the painful memories to heal.

"Is he okay?"

"Yeah, once he was set free he would have torn that place apart to get everyone out."

Instinct kicked in, and she reached out, her hand catching Trextan's arm to steady herself. The world swayed, her fingers gripping hard, but she managed to keep her footing.

"Sorry," she muttered, blinking to clear her vision. Her heart raced, but she forced a smile, trying to play it off like it was no big deal. "Guess I'm not as steady as I thought."

His left hand snapped out, wrapping around beneath her arm. His hand flattened against her shoulder blade. There was enough strength in his grip to hold her stable.

"Got you. Take your time," he said. The way they stood was just close enough to embraces from the past to send a flurry of memories through his mind.

"Why don't you sit down. I'll stay and we can just talk about...nothing in particular?"

 

[Choli Vyn]

Interacting with: Trextan Voidstalker
Gear - x x x x x x

And there he was again. This time, Choli felt the warmth and solid strength of Trextan's body as he steadied her, her fingers gripping his arm for balance. They were nearly the same height now, making it all too easy to catch his blue eyes from up close. Her breath caught, and her heart leapt to her throat.

Yeah, he still affected her -- more than she wanted to admit. Three years was a long time. Plenty of time for people to change, to move on, to become something different. And they hadn't exactly parted on the best of terms.

"Sorry," Choli muttered, her voice a little rough as she dropped her gaze to the floor. She immediately regretted it, mentally scolding herself. What did she have to hide from him, after all? Why was she suddenly so self-conscious?

"...I should get to my cabin," she added, trying to sound casual. "Someone else might need the medpod." The idea of sitting down and having a real conversation with Trextan made her stomach twist. She still wasn't sure where her head was at, and facing all those feelings right now felt like stepping into a Sarlaac pit.

"Help me there, at least," she said, swallowing her pride. She wasn't about to let herself fall on her face again -- not in front of him. If there was one thing she didn't need, it was more embarrassment.

 

[Trextan Voidstalker]

"Sorry," Choli muttered, her voice a little rough as she dropped her gaze to the floor.

He might not have deciphered all of the colours of the spectrum, but Trextan knew enough. When they had first met, he hadn't understood that girls had very similar feelings that could be just as powerful.

That she felt such things in his arms didn't mean they actually had a meaning of their own at all. The attraction was still there, he couldn't deny that either. But it had to be taken in the context of what had happened in the past and the situation they found themselves in.

"It's alright," he said quietly.

"Help me there, at least," she said, swallowing her pride.

"Right."

Trextan turned slowly so that she could stay in place. She was tall enough that he could dip under her arm so that she could support herself across his shoulders. His phrik arm wrapped around her and kept her on her feet.

It wasn't far to the room she had once occupied. He hit the button for the door and guided her inside, setting Choli down on her bed.

Ignoring any complaints, he dropped to one knee and started to deal with her laces.

"We don't need to talk. I'm just going to stay and make sure you're alright and comfortable and I'll leave you alone, alright?" he asked softly.

 

[Choli Vyn]

Interacting with: Trextan Voidstalker
Gear - x x x x x x

"Alright," Choli said, more to convince herself than anything. She needed the help, plain and simple. There was no reason to make this awkward. Trextan had helped her before, same as Chloe, Tiny, Kol, or Xena. No big deal. It only stayed awkward if she let it.

With that in mind, she gave a small nod, as if agreeing with Trextan, though it was more for her own benefit. A mental pep talk.

"Thanks again," she added, trying to keep it light. "Pretty sure this wasn't the kind of mission you had in mind." Her eyes flicked up to his hair, that same dark mop flopping over his brow like it always had. At one point, she had the freedom to push it back. Not anymore.

She cleared her throat, trying to stay focused. "Could you let Tiny and Chloe know we need to figure out what the Ren were after?" The memory of the interrogation room twisted her gut, but this wasn't the time to dwell on it.

"They were hunting for a path through the Hard Roil, and whatever it is, it's not good. I'm not sure what they managed to pull from me, but we need to get there before they do. Check it out."

Her voice steadied as she spoke, her mind latching onto the problem at hand. A clear objective helped her shake off the lingering fog. She sounded more like herself now, more like the Choli who'd once led Rogue Squadron. The three years since that time had sharpened her, given her a new confidence. Now, she just had to get a bunch of independent Wardens to rally behind the idea of investigating whatever the Knights of Ren were up to.

It wasn't going to be easy. But that had never stopped her before.

 

[Trextan Voidstalker]

"Could you let Tiny and Chloe know we need to figure out what the Ren were after?"

"Of course I can," he replied.

Trextan was keeping his gaze fairly firmly at the floor as he undid laces and pushed her boots aside. It would have been easy to look up and try to study the differences.

Stepping back, he leaned against the wall. He crossed his arms over his chest.

"We tagged the Ren ship as they were searching vessels. They used an inderdictor to make a checkpoint and went from ship to ship."

Tension set into the line of his jaw.

"I should have brought one of them back with me."

 

[Choli Vyn]

Interacting with: Trextan Voidstalker
Gear - x x x x x x

If the ship was tagged, they could track it. That would help narrow down where it was headed and why the Ren had been so desperate to find a path through the Hard Roil to reach it.

But it was the way Trextan mentioned that he should've brought one of the Knights of Ren back that made Choli pause. She glanced over at him, noticing how his jaw had tightened, his mind clearly elsewhere.

"It might not have been the best call," Choli said softly, choosing her words carefully. "None of us -- me, you, or the other Wardens -- have the means to get much out of one of them. It probably would've made things messier, maybe even set us back." Her eyes searched his face for a moment, wondering what exactly he was wrestling with.

"Tracking them is a good start. We'll figure out more as we go, make a plan, and move forward with that." Choli's voice was steady, practical. It was her way of bringing things back to the now, to what they could control. There was enough uncertainty floating in the galaxy; she didn't need any more weighing them down.

 

[Trextan Voidstalker]

He briefly imagined how that situation would have played out. A knight of Ren in room. Even after what they had done to Choli, he wouldn't have crossed that line.

No matter how his time with the Sith had shaped him, his time with studying under Jacen with the Alliance and travelling with Chloe and Choli had a greater influence on who he was now.

"You're right. It would have been a bad idea, even putting aside that I'd have put everyone at risk to try and take one of them alive."

"I already had to kill one in the corridors," he admitted. "And the one in the room with you."

Trextan's expression softened. He offered a smile.

"I would tell you to get some sleep and worry about it later, but..."

He didn't need to say the rest. She was focussed and determined and they both knew it.

"I don't know if we could track them through the roil and maybe they'll be careful enough to find the tracker. If I was running a stealth prison ship in dark space I'd want to know how I was found."

His eyes narrowed as a dark thought crossed his mind.

"We should check none of you have a subspace tracker. Just in case."

 

[Choli Vyn]

Interacting with: Trextan Voidstalker
Gear - x x x x x x

Choli watched Trextan as he leaned against the wall, arms crossed, his face hard to read as he talked about finding her in that interrogation room. The surrealness of the situation hung heavy between them. She wasn't surprised he'd taken out a few of the Knights of Ren -- the same thing had happened in her own room. She would've done the same without a second thought. The real question was, how was he handling it?

"Well, I imagine that wasn't what you expected to walk into," Choli said, her tone dry but not unkind. She glanced toward the refresher, thinking about the shower she desperately needed. The Aurora had both a water shower and a sonic option in the main five crew suites. The latter would be safer right now, considering how unsteady she still felt. Taking a sonic shower fully clothed seemed like the smart move.

She slowly got to her feet, her gaze lingering on Trextan. "How you handling what happened then?" she asked, her voice blunt. Choli had never been one to dance around a question, even if she'd softened a bit over the years. But caution still wasn't in her nature.

"Do you need to talk to Chloe about it?" she added, her brow furrowing. She knew what it was like to have the weight of a fight on your shoulders, especially when it involved taking lives.

Switching gears, she nodded towards the subject on the subspace tracker. "Yeah, best we figure out what that subspace tracker's pinging first," she agreed, testing her weight carefully before making her way toward the refresher. There was a lot to sort out, but the tracker was a good place to start. They needed answers, and fast.

"Think you can do that?"

 

[Trextan Voidstalker]

He uncrossed his arms quickly as she stood. He had both hands open just in case she faltered. Trextan slowly lowered them both back down to his sides.

"You're the one who went through..." he paused. She didn't want to talk about that now. "...and yet you're asking if I'm alright," he observed kindly. "Thank you. I'll work it out. With Chloe if I need to."

He had spent too much time struggling in silence. That was not what strength was. His arrogance had also got them into trouble before. Had led to Choli being shot.

Right now, he could have spent time feeding his imagination of finding Choli too late. No matter what she might have been through, she was alive and it wasn't worth indulging those thoughts. Nor was it the time to focus on how he should have put more energy into reaching out to Choli over the last three years.

"Hopefully no one is being tracked but I'll go check and...leave you in peace."

It had been a pleasant few months travelling with Choli in a ship barely bigger than this room. The mattress thrown into the hold for them.

"Want me to come back and let you know what's going on?"

 

[Choli Vyn]

Interacting with: Trextan Voidstalker
Gear - x x x x x x

Choli froze the moment Trextan mentioned it. That she was the one who went through it.

Her lips pressed into a thin line, and she drew a slow, steady breath.

Yeah, I did. The difference now was that she wasn't some wide-eyed, sixteen-year-old Rogue Lieutenant from a desert backworld who had no clue what real interrogation or facing down the enemy like the Knights of Ren felt like.

"I know," she replied quietly, her long, thick black hair falling in a curtain that hid her pale olive features.

"At least this time, I remember." Her voice was low, almost more to herself. "I'm not a kid anymore -- don't have the luxury of being naive about what it means to end up in an interrogation cell. Being a Warden means knowing this sort of thing can happen." Choli inhaled deeply, squaring her shoulders like she was trying to wear the weight a little better.

She turned to Trextan, eyes locking onto his. "Could've been pirates, warlords, the Empire of the Lost, or Sith. Things like this... or worse happen to women out in the black." Her gaze darkened, the soft hues in her irises turning a hard, steely gray, emotions flickering through them like storm clouds.

"Doesn't mean I come out of it unscathed," she admitted, the words laced with bitterness, "but at least I have what Chloe and the other Force Master hermits taught me. What my time with Wraith and SIS did. At least it wasn't all just... black fog." She paused, her voice tight. "It's the things I can't remember that I hate the most."

Didn't mean that the things she did remember didn't impact her. They did. It just meant she had to figure it out some other way.

 

[Trextan Voidstalker]

"They didn't..."

It was the way she expressed what the worst could be that gave him pause, made him feel sick to the base of his stomach.

Trextan gave a small shake of his head. She didn't want to talk about it now - though they had managed to stray there anyway - and if the worst had taken place then that probably would have been worse than her memory gaps.

"You're stronger than me," Trextan said quietly. "Always have been. I wish we could get into your memories and open up that black fog but..."

"Well I guess your thoughts being closed off really pissed off several Knights of Ren so..."

He gave a small shrug and offered a little smile. Things were bleak, but they had been worse..

"I'll go talk to Chloe and leave you in peace for a bit," he offered. "It's good to see you. I wish I'd made this happen under better circumstances."

Trextan started to turn before he tripped over his own thoughts and regrets.

 

[Choli Vyn]

Interacting with: Trextan Voidstalker

"You're stronger than me," Trextan said quietly. "Always have been. I wish we could get into your memories and open up that black fog but..."

Choli paused, watching him go. People liked to say she was strong -- maybe she was, in some ways. She could take charge, push through, get things done when the pressure was on. But that didn't mean she didn't have her moments of weakness. Trextan knew. He knew how much that black fog hanging over her memories, over those years with the First Order, still gnawed at her.

But as time passed, she'd come to accept the hard truth. She might never know what really happened. As much as she hated it, some things were just lost to her.

She nodded at Trextan, then turned away, staring back at the sonic. When he excused himself and left, Choli let out a heavy sigh, the weight she carried pressing down harder. With a groan, she pressed her forehead against the cool bulkhead, the cold metal grounding her.

Focus. There were other things to deal with -- things in the here and now.

Not the past. Not what she couldn't change.



A little while later, Choli reappeared, drying her hair with a small towel. She felt steadier on her feet now, dressed in a well-worn dark blue button-up blouse and dark tan pants. Barefoot, her steps were light as she made her way into the communal area, where the low murmur of voices greeted her. Trextan, Tiny, and Chloe were deep in conversation about the Knights of Ren.

"It was clear they were after something specific," Tiny growled, his voice gruff and serious. "They kept asking about the routes through the Hard Roil, especially deeper into Rekali territory."

Chloe’s brow furrowed, but before she could ask, Choli interrupted and added something else.

"They weren't just after Rekali space. There was a name they kept mentioning. Rave Merrill."

Chloe's head snapped up at that. The older Corellian Warden uncrossed her arms, her blue eyes sharp with recognition.

"Rave Merrill?" she echoed, her tone laced with concern. The name hung heavy in the air.

After all, Rave Merrill was dead.

 

[Trextan Voidstalker]

A little while later, Choli reappeared, drying her hair with a small towel. She felt steadier on her feet now, dressed in a well-worn dark blue button-up blouse and dark tan pants. Barefoot, her steps were light as she made her way into the communal area, where the low murmur of voices greeted her. Trextan, Tiny, and Chloe were deep in conversation about the Knights of Ren.

Trextan looked up. There was something domestically familiar about Choli drying her hair as she walked in. He smiled at her vacantly, even as he spoke about to Tiny.

He was certain he saw Chloe react to his expression out of the corner of his eye and quickly returned his attention to Tiny.

Choli had been captured and tortured. He should be glad that she was recovering so well and be focussed on the mission. She wouldn't be thinking about what had happened between them anyway.

"Rave Merrill?" she echoed, her tone laced with concern. The name hung heavy in the air.

After all, Rave Merrill was dead.

Trextan gave a little shrug and shake of his head. The name seem vaguely familiar.

"We ask this Rave Merrill what they hid and have it moved? Or get ahead of them and wait to defend it?" Trextan asked.

"Rave is dead," Trix scoffed. There was a slight shift in her attitude since the assault. Trextan almost thought there was the start of some begrudging respect.

 

[Choli Vyn]

Interacting with: Trextan Voidstalker

Ofax ets burrin tehn...

Chloe pressed her lips into a thin line, confirming what Trix had said about Rave Merrill. Her mind was already spinning back to old memories -- Jorus, Rave, and the wild decades past. She could still remember the race to secure the Selab Warden's artifacts when one of Rave's vault ships had been spotted. And that terrible run-in with Sith poison. If Jorus hadn't found her...

"If this has to do with Rave," Chloe said quietly, her tone somber, "then this is more serious than I thought."

Choli's gaze snapped back to the older Warden, her brow creased as she listened. Rave Merrill wasn't just a name -- they were talking about someone who'd left a deep imprint on the galaxy.

"Rave was known not just for creating items of power, but for collecting and safeguarding them too. Anything could be in her vaults," The Corellian blonde Warden continued, her voice low but intense. "She had these massive vault ships on automatic navigation, jumping from sector to sector. Full of traps, security systems, knock-out droids… anyone foolish enough to try their luck salvaging those ships usually didn't come out so lucky."

Choli drifted over to the circular acceleration couch, leaning her right hip against it, her arms crossed. She caught Trextan's gaze for a brief second before her attention shifted back to Trix and Chloe.

"If we're talking about that Rave Merrill," Tiny growled out, his voice more serious than usual, "then we're also talking about Jorus Merrill's kin. And if he was involved…" He let the words hang in the air for a moment, knowing that Jorus was the kind of legend who stirred whispers across the galaxy, the most famous Warden of the Sky, more myth than man to most spacers.

Chloe gave a grim nod, her arms now crossed in thought. "Exactly. If Jorus was the one charting hyperlanes for Rave's ships, we've got a real problem."

"They are after one of Rave's vault ships," Choli added, putting it all together. "That's what they were after in that interrogation. The Knights of Ren were not just asking about the Hard Roil for no reason -- they wanted the jump routes, the charts, everything. And if I am right, they think one of Rave's vault ships is hidden out there."

 

[Trextan Voidstalker]

"Oh...Jorus...that's..."

He waved a finger thoughtfully and was about to continue. The looks from the others suggested that he was slow on the uptake. Jorus had been around during the early days of the Alliance. Trextan didn't think he'd ever met the man but Jacen had spoken of him. His name was raised by Wardens quite often.

"Seems like Rave should have flown those ships into stars and been down with it," he muttered.

"Would you burn your life's work to ash?" Trix asked. "And some say she enjoyed the chaos of letting people chase these things down."

"Right..." went Trextan, determined to push on, "...but we can find it first? Surely if we can't then the Ren can't?"

He glanced at Choli. He was glad that this time, she already had some answers. What would she think of the person he had become? That didn't matter right now, he lied to himself. They had Sith to deal with.

 

[Chloe Blake]

Trextan Voidstalker

Chloe's expression tightened, and Choli could see the weight of unspoken knowledge in her eyes. There were things Chloe couldn't share -- secrets bound by the Order of the Selab. And for good reason. Rave Merrill hadn't kept those vault ships drifting through the galaxy without a purpose. They weren't just treasure troves -- they were traps, built to protect ancient knowledge, powerful artifacts, and dangerous truths from falling into the wrong hands. Good or bad, those ships were meant to be hidden, far from the reach of people like the Knights of Ren.

If the Ren had figured out the importance of Rave's vault ships…

Chloe took a deep breath, her jaw tight as memories flickered in her eyes. She had tracked one of Rave's ships before -- she'd charted the same star routes as Jorus. If there was anyone who understood how Jorus thought, how he planned out hyperspace routes and obstacles to protect what was valuable, it was Chloe Blake. There was a reason the Merrill and Blake star map had become legendary.

Choli, sitting quietly but keenly aware, watched Chloe, reading her before she even spoke. She knew what was coming.

"We need to get to it first," Chloe said quietly. The words were simple, but they hit like blaster fire. Everyone in the room turned to look at her, the sudden gravity of the situation sinking in.

"I knew Rave. I knew Jorus. If anyone can get us to that ship, it's me." Chloe wasn't boasting -- it was just the truth. She had worked alongside Jorus and Rave. She'd even worked with Ember Rekali, the Witchmaster who worked with Rave and helped secure ancient lore. Chloe knew exactly what they'd be up against, what traps Rave had left behind, and how to disarm them.

"We need to secure that ship before the Knights of Ren can get their hands on it," Chloe said, her sharp blue eyes scanning the group.

"But let's be clear," she added, her voice growing heavy. "This won't be easy. It's going to be dangerous. Some of us might not make it. Rave's ships aren't playgrounds. Last time I was in one, I was infected with Sith poison. If Jorus hadn't gotten me to Rave in time…" She didn't finish the thought, but everyone could feel the unspoken end to that sentence.

Choli's gaze never left Chloe, feeling the weight of her words. This wasn't just another salvage run -- they were heading into something bigger, darker.

"Think it over," Chloe said, her tone softening slightly. "We can drop off anyone who wants out, get you back to your ships or crew. But those who stay… we go all in."

 

[Trextan Voidstalker]

"This is inportant," Arryk growled. "I will come."

Trix and Brassycc looked at one another just once.

"Yeah we're in," she said, it was followed by a soft growl of agreement.

"Can't do much about sith artefacts, but I can help if the Ren come," Trextan agreed.

"Maybe you got lucky last time," Trix said. Her attitude remained, but it had changed towards him. More playful that outright aggressive.

"I'll only be of help if we need more ships to comb an area," Sosa apologised.