Are we there yet?

[Valkren Calderon]

Open fields, golden wheat-like plains going for miles on miles, as far as his little eyes could see. Little? Why was he so short? He could barely see over the crops, even standing on his tip-toes.

"Valkren! What are you doin' out there kid? Get in here and get some food little man!" Valkren spun on his heels, following in the direction of this familiar voice. He'd catch a glimpse of a face.

"Matthew?"

All of a sudden, the wheat closed in on him, strangling him, jabbing at him. He'd try to fight it away; pushing, punching, clawing at whatever he could. He couldn't breathe, he was dying.


And then Valkren woke up.

That was disturbing.. [member="Sha'do"] was sitting next to the Sergeant, poking at his right arm. She was in the window seat of the rather large Republic transport ship, attempting to get his attention. They had just stopped by the Republic intelligence office on Nar Shadaa and dropped off the rest of his squad to let them catch some R&R. The pair was now on their way to Ossus, and the Jedi Academy to meet his Jedi friend, Travot. The young man lifted his hands up to his face, rubbing his eyes and letting a yawn slip out from his lips. He'd lower his hands, placing them on the arm rests of the chair. "Enjoying the flight?" He'd ask her, lifting his hand up to flag down one of the attendants. "Corellian whiskey, please!"

 

[Sha'so]

Sha'do shrugged. Being in space was a first for her, so she supposed it was alright. What was not alright was her new tunic! It itched, and she sat rigid like a cat with an adhesive strip stuck to her back, she didn't know what to do with so much clothing on! But she didn't want to appear ungrateful, so she made an effort not to make a scene by freaking out over her clothes.

When the attendant came around with Valkren's ale, Sha'do tapped the woman on the arm to get her attention. Then she touched her lips and sort of mimed drinking from a glass. The woman seemed to understand that Sha'do wanted something to drink, but was oblivious to the fact that she couldn't talk.

"You're thirsty? What can I get for you?" the attendant asked politely. Sha'do just gave the woman a withering glare and huffed. Some people!

[member="Valkren Calderon"]

 

[Valkren Calderon]

Valkren smirked as he watched the two. "She'll have a glass of water." He nodded as the attendant eyed the pair, catching Sha'do's glare and her pouting attitude. She would walk back down the corridors of the transport, moving through other rooms where other groups were sitting. The Sergeant moved his left hand down, pulling out a datapad from the duffel bag at his boots. He'd slid it onto the table infront of them, incase Sha'do wanted to say something. There was a reason she woke him up, maybe she was just lonely. Maybe she just wanted to flirt, he was quite handsome after all and she had been a slave at one point.

Stop thinking like that, you karkin' dog. She's a valuable asset to the Republic, and you've got a mission on your hands. You have no time for that.

Valkren leaned forward abit, looking past his companion and gazing out the window, trying to think of something to say. He shouldn't have thought like that at all, she's free now..He did something good, he saved a life. Atleast that's what he thought he did. "Been in space before?"

[member="Sha'do"]

 

[Sha'so]

Sha'do shook her head 'no' in response to his question as she took the datapad and started to write. At least he seemed to have some sense in him! More than could be said about the attendant, who returned a moment later with Sha'do's water. Part of her wanted to growl at the woman, but she also knew that such a simpleton wasn't worth the energy, so she took her water and ignored the woman. She slid the datapad over to Valkren, then took a sip of her water.

'What were you dreaming about?'

 

[Valkren Calderon]

Valkren was slightly shocked. Even if he had given her the datapad, this was the first time she had actually spoken to him in some way. Valkren shook his head, smiling as he lifted the short, stubby glass to his lips and took a gulp of the Corellian whiskey. As he lowered the glass down to the table, licking his lips in satisfaction, he spoke up.

"​Nothing, just a reoccurring nightmare. Silly thing, really."

His hand was still around the glass, his fingers tapping on the side gently.

[member="Sha'do"]

 

[Sha'so]

'It's not silly. Do you want to talk about it?' the datapad read when Sha'do gave it back to him. She could tell it had bothered him even if he hadn't said so. His sleep hadn't exactly been restless, but his heart had been racing and she could sense his distress. Reoccurring nightmare or not, she could recognize when someone was haunted by something.

[member="Valkren Calderon"]

 

[Valkren Calderon]

Valkren's icy blue hues would be watching the whiskey in his stubby glass shimmer every time he moved the container slightly to one side or the other. "It's weird." He sounded like a child, calling his nightmare that. What it was, was insane. Besides, he probably shouldn't be telling the person he rescued just days before this his problems. She'd have more problems of her own at the Jedi Academy. The soldier grasped the glass tightly once more, raising it to his lips and taking larger gulp. He seemed to enjoy the drink.

[member="Sha'do"]

 

[Sha'so]

Sha'do shrugged. If he didn't want to talk about it, she certainly couldn't make him, but at least the offer was there. She sipped at her water and continued to write. 'Thank you for getting me off of Nar Shadda. I'm sorry I messed up your plans to infiltrate my Master's base. You and your team seemed quite coordinated and efficient, I'm sure it had been a good plan. And I'm sorry that I threw your guy into a wall and broke his arm. That was an accident, I don't exactly have the best control over what I can do. Oh, and I didn't mean to get you shot at, so sorry about that too.'

[member="Valkren Calderon"]

 

[Valkren Calderon]

Valkren smiled and let a chuckle slip out from his lips. He seemed entertained with her apology. He'd release his tight grip on his beverage, shifting his body around to lean into the corner of his chair and face Sha'do slightly. "Listen...you don't have to thank us for something we're expected to do. Plans fall apart, it's bound to happen to even the most foolproof plan. As for the injuries? That's what we're made to do. Go into dangerous places, and if we die..We die. Soldiers like my team are expendable."

Expendable. He said that with such ease. That was terrifying. He tried to change the subject quickly, he'd rather not get onto the subject about what happens when the soldiers die.

"Besides, I'm just glad we got you out of there..Alive."

He quickly thought of something smart to say to get them out of the gloomy part of the conversation.

"And, I was kinda' impressed at how far you threw Watson, well..After I learned that he was okay for the most part."

[member="Sha'do"]

 

[Sha'so]

'I tried to heal him, but I was too tired and he needed the bone set first...' Sha'do looked a bit small as she wrote. She was still feeling guilty about how things went down, she couldn't help but feel responsible! She tried to push it from her mind; she didn't want to think of those men as expendable because to her they weren't, but they had made it out alive, and with how poorly things ended up it was nothing short of a miracle.

'And I'm glad we all got out of there alive. Though I'm still afraid. I know a lot of Nikto were killed, but I couldn't sense if my Master had died. What if he comes after me?' More sadness was etched into her features, more guilt. His team had killed a lot of Nikto, but she had no doubt that she killed more, and she did it slowly, painfully... That was the reason why she hadn't even tried to sleep during this trip, she was afraid to close her eyes and see the life leaving those men. She tried to tell herself it had been self defense, but she had done a terrible thing!

[member="Valkren Calderon"]

 

[Valkren Calderon]

"Please, after seeing me..He's probably still pissin' his gigantic pants." He'd say before lifting the glass to his mouth again, trying to lighten up the mood.

"Besides, you need to forget about that..That's the past. You've got a great future ahead of you..The Jedi Academy is great..Really." He seemed to hesitate on that last statement. In truth, there were few Jedi he didn't hate. The friend they were meeting was one of the few.

"In about a year, you'll forgot all about the events of three days ago. You won't even remember the faces of little ole' Saber Team." He'd give her a gentle smile, nodding his head.

[member="Sha'do"]

 

[Sha'so]

'Why would I ever want to forget about the people who saved my life?' She knew she could go on and on about how dangerous her Master was and how much she had every right to fear for her continued safety, but somehow she didn't think he would understand. Besides, he was just trying to lighten the mood and she couldn't blame him for that. Then before she could hand the datapad back to him, she remembered something and quickly added, 'Oh, and my name is Sha'do.'

 

[Valkren Calderon]

"Sha'do..Beautiful name.." He'd smile, readjusting his body to sink back into the chair. "And trust me..You'll be a Jedi if you choose the 'right' path, you'll forget about all the soldiers you command. They all do." The statement got darker then he meant it to, lifting the glass to his lips as he looked down the corridor.

[member="Sha'do"]

 

[Sha'so]

'Then those Jedi are not very good Jedi. Anyone who is willing to risk their life for someone like me deserves to be remembered. I will remember you. All of you. And if I'm expected to forget you, then I would rather not be a Jedi.' As Sha'do passed the datapad over to Valkren, she reached out and put her hand over his. She didn't know why she did that. Maybe it was to let him know that she was serious or that he was worth remembering. Or maybe she just wanted him to know that they were connect by this. Whatever the reason, she offered him a meek smile, then pulled away and leaned back in her chair.

 

[Valkren Calderon]

That same, gentle smile tugged at his lips as he looked down to her hand, then back up at her. He'd keep his hand where it was, almost hoping she'd reach back over to put it there again. How long had it been since he'd had a real connection like that? Months? Possibly a year?

..Too long..

He remained quiet, for there wasn't much more he could say at this point. He'd lift the glass of whiskey to his lips again, attempting to take another large gulp; but, to his surprise, it was already empty. Why was he surprised? He always downed bottles fast, a stubby glass was no match for his liver.

[member="Sha'do"]

 

[Sha'so]

Sha'do could sense... something. An emptiness? Whatever it was, it was eating him up inside. Sha'do didn't know what to say or do to make it better. She could barely manage her own problems, but she wanted... no, needed to help him. He had helped her in ways he could not even imagine, it just seemed the right thing to try to return the favor. But how?

In the end, she settled for pulling the glass out of his hand and letting her hand rest on his again. With her free hand, she pulled the datapad back to her and after the last entry added, 'Please don't drink so much. I would like for you to remember me as well.'

[member="Valkren Calderon"]

 

[Valkren Calderon]

The Sergeant couldn't help but smile again at this gesture. It was almost as if she was reading his mind. Doubt it, although he was never sure of the extent that went to the Jedi's powers. He'd reach back over with the hand that was taken with hers to try and take the empty glass back again.

"You think I'd forget a face like that?" He was doing it again, flirting. You karkin' horndog. Stay focused!

If he'd succeed in getting his glass back, he'd attempt to once more wave down the attendant for another fillup of whiskey.

[member="Sha'do"]

 

[Sha'so]

Sha'do let him have the glass, but it was with reluctance and a frown that she did so. It wasn't her place to make choices for him; if he wanted to drink then he was well within his right to do so. She leaned back in her chair with a sigh, gazing out the window to watch the stars go by.

[member="Valkren Calderon"]

 

[Valkren Calderon]

Valkren would wait until the attendant had returned, letting her tip the oddly shaped bottle downward toward his glass, letting the contents transfer from one container to another. He'd nod his head in appreciation before lifting the glass up to his lips again, relieved that the cool sensation of the drink was once again hitting his lips. The commando would lower the glass to the table, looking back over to his companion. However, before he spoke up, he was cut off by a booming voice.

"One hour to entrance of Ossus' atmosphere" The captain came on for a split second, broadcasting to every room so every traveling group would hear it.

[member="Sha'do"]

 

[Sha'so]

Sha'do looked to Valkren. She looked as though she wanted to say something to him, the very words were poised at the edge of her lips ready to fall, but she chose to keep them to herself. With an air of disappointment, she looked back out the window to get a glimpse of this planet that he was taking her to. She wondered about this Academy and the Jedi and if this was the right place for her to be.