Private An Unexpected Ally

[Zinayn]

Zinayn saw Alina walk over from the corner of his vision, leaving dazed and newly healed in her wake. He brushed aside his annoyance, only for it to be replaced by more. This time though, it didn't concern her. "A bigger problem than one planet," she had said. He sighed, thinking about the worlds and their populations, all under the crosshair and durasteel fist of the Dusate. Out here in the Mid Rim, the Lilaste Order was the only group with the logistics to take them on.

Oh what a dream it would be to have the Galactic Alliance show up with an armada of ships, with battalions of men aboard, and kick the Dusate till they were down. Then, not only would this section of the Rim be free from constant fear, the Order would have a thorn taken out of their side. On the other hand, with the GA's rapid expansion, who knew if they wouldn't just take Lilaste territory?

The Order had an alliance with two powerful factions, the Empire of the Lost and the Mandalorian Protectors, however they were both fed up with each other at the moment, and couldn't risk a war with the GA. So the Order would have to handle this problem by itself. On low manpower.

He turned to face Alina, replying, "Yes, they no longer have to be afraid, and they should live like it."

Zinayn strode purposefully through the debris of the village's gate, cloak barely skimming the ground. Through the dust-stained windows, he could see faces peering through the curtains. Stopping in the middle of the main street, he cleared his throat and inhaled deeply before announcing in his outside voice, "You are safe."

At first, nothing happened. Wind swept through the desolate street, air chimes rang, and some pests in the field chittered. Until one door opened. A midager stepped out tentatively, doubting the stranger's claim. But when no blasters fired, he yelled in rejoice.

Slowly, the rest of the doors opened and grateful people poured out, surrounding their saviors. Zinayn felt a smile on his face. Maybe the Order was meant to defend these worlds. It was the will of the Force.

Alina Grayson

 

[Alina Grayson]

Alina walked alongside Zinayn as they made their way back toward the town. The air was thick with fear and apprehension no one knew if the battle was truly over, or who had emerged victorious. The silence that followed the sounds of violence was unnerving, leaving the townspeople in a state of uncertainty.

When Zinayn called out, Alina sensed a subtle shift in the atmosphere. Hope began to flicker among the people, small at first, but powerful enough to ignite into something more. Slowly, the townsfolk started to emerge from their hiding places, their faces lighting up with relief and joy. Alina smiled at the sight of their jubilant expressions and glanced over at Zinayn, catching a rare glimpse of the chiss smiling as well.

With a wry grin, Alina spoke softly, "It's a good look on you, Zinayn." several of the braver souls made their way over to thank their saviors, but what caught Alina's eye was a young shy girl who walked up to her holding a beautiful flower, not one Alina was familiar with at all but that mattered little, Alina knelt down and motioned the girl forward, she reached up and placed the flower in Alina's golden hair and tucking it behind her ear. She glanced out of the corner of her eye before asking the little girl. "Does it look good?" she nodded happily and ran off leaving Alina to laugh slightly. She stood up, leaving the flower in her hair, savoring the happy moment for the people.

Zinayn

 

[Zinayn]

Alina was right. Maybe he should smile more. If not for himself, then for the children who grew up knowing nothing but terror and war. A reassuring smile might work wonders. Zinayn watched the rest of the farmers gather around, cheering and hugging each other. It looked like their shoulders had less weight to them, and their eyes were gleaming with joy. It felt good to have such an effect on people, so good that it felt like his own shoulders were unburdened. From what, he didn't know, nor did he care. He would be present in the moment.

Zinayn laughed to himself, thinking about the High Commander Laphisto . No doubt he would take advantage of this moment and make some grand speech about protecting their world and warding off the Dusate, with the ultimate goal of gaining some recruits. But the Chiss was content with watching over this peaceful and hard-working group, and letting them be. If the Order really needed them, he was sure they were grateful enough to owe him a favor.

And speaking of recruitment...it would be a shame to see Alina go. She could do so much with the Order, save so many people. Perhaps she was happy being a freelancer, and that was fine. There was no harm in throwing out an offer. He turned to the woman, finding her interacting with a child. When she stood up, Zinayn could see the beautiful flower in her hair. "Alina, would you be interested in coming back with us to our HQ? You could meet the High Commander there if you want. Of course, I don't mean to pressure you into joining the Order; I understand if you'd be better off doing your own thing," he said.

Alina Grayson

 

[Alina Grayson]

Alina watched the townspeople celebrating, their joy palpable in the air. She could sense not only their happiness but also the contentment radiating from Zinayn. As he spoke, Alina turned to regard him, her gaze thoughtful. His request lingered in her mind. On one hand, he seemed like a worthy ally, someone she could trust and rely on. On the other, she was uncertain of her own place in the galaxy at the moment, torn between the pull of this newfound connection and the uncertainty of her own path.

She hesitated slightly before speaking, as if she didn't wish to offend. "While I appreciate the offer, Zinayn, I'm not sure I want to tie myself to an organization that might limit my independence." Her tone was gentle, and she offered him a warm smile to soften her words. "That said, I'm not opposed to meeting your High Commander and hearing the sales pitch. Besides more allies are always a good thing" She added a playful wink, hoping to convey that she was still open-minded and curious about his proposition.

Zinayn