Before the Storm

[Romi Jade]

Click.

Chatter.

Click.

Chatter.

There she was in a daze...gazing into a damp bulb under the center holo-projector. The further she fell into her daydream the less and less audible everything around her became, besides that clicking sound she could faintly make out somewhere in the distant background.

"Alright! It's settled!"

She heard the ending of the briefing, so much so that it startled her and reality around her hit her all at once; it didn't sound like she was underwater anymore. She faltered back a bit, stumbling over her own feet if anything...but catching herself all the more. She was having one of her spells...

She fell in line with the other officials as they filed out of the room, the ship they were on held a good number of Alliance members...and they were in route to intercept the Empire on Mon Cala. Of course, Coren was one of those in charge...he was their hero.

She went through the door, maneuvering around loose bodies, before clinging against the wall. She would wait for Coren to exit...and they could walk together.

This was one of those days where she had to push through.

[member="Coren Starchaser"]

 

[Coren Starchaser]

They were heading into Sith space. But they were heading there with a team who was ready. The Alliance in Exile was jumping to the need and call of the Mon Calamari. The Sith were a target the group knew well, and even more so the General who was leading the team. The world was an allied world to the causes of the light side, to the rebels, and freedom.

That was why they were on the way. And with the briefing, Coren and his team had their tasks and assignments. It was going to be time to go.

Stepping out, the Jedi Master had his saber on his hip, and was ready to get suited up. It was going to take some time and he caught up to [member="Romi Jade"].

“You feelin’ alright, hun? Its Sith, its never easy.” Especially the way they fought, intensity, the dark side, and no care for keeping collateral damage restrained.

 

[Romi Jade]

She began to put on a smirk just as she saw him emerge, stepping forward, she laced an arm around his waist and began to walk with him at his pace. She fell into his body if anything, "Not feeling too well today...you know." Her eyes bounced around at all of the personnel, she took a minute to bite down on her lip, "I also don't have a good feeling about this..."

Sigh.

She broke away from her embrace, they had to file into a repulsor lift. "We've had over a dozen briefings...and the plan seems just like all the others but..."

First stop. Her stomach dropped just a bit, and when they filed out...the air grew easier to obtain it seemed. The next stop was it, and she exited first without even looking back. Feeling that Coren would be there...."There's just something off Coren." She stopped and looked up at him. "And...I don't know if that's because I'm going through one of those moods...or if my senses are trying to tell me something."

[member="Coren Starchaser"]

 

[Coren Starchaser]

The fact that they were going to war again was not anything Coren was upset with. He knew how to focus while he was in battle. It helped him funnel the Force and become the wall between the darkness and the rest of the galaxy. Having them in front of him, he knew that he had their attention for now. He wasn’t ever trying to name himself Sword of the Jedi, but it wasn’t a far stretch. He was never resting, always at war. Though he did have [member="Romi Jade"] with him.

“Anything I can do? You can stay up here if you want.” He was being sincere. Having Romi with him helped, and their connection kept them both moving. But the fact she wasn’t feeling it? It was better to trust intuition.

“Its always the same. We don’t have to dance with them long, just stall them. We need to gather more forces to do anything real.” He was allowing the frustration to hit his voice. His tone was definitely showing it. “What do you think it is?” He looked at her.

 

[Romi Jade]

They shared this bond, and it all went back to when she initiated that massive meld. It was like...they downloaded everything about the other person and boom...As much as they'd feel what the other felt and thought what the other thought, there were moments where she couldn't read Coren at all. He had a fiery passion...that he put into everything and every now and then she wondered if he saw anything other than this war...

When he was being sincere, it meant everything to her, but also hurt. In moments like this...there was absolutely nothing he could do and she wondered how it made him feel; honestly.

She knew her feelings for him were growing every day but...

She shook her head in response, "No..." And then he offered for her to stay behind. "I don't know about that Coren...who'd watch your back? Who'd -" She sighed, "The bulk of the Empires forces will be there...and you have one of the biggest targets on your back. I don't want you out there alone..."

Mmmhm

She gripped her stomach, digging deep into the pain she felt; it shot through her fairly quick. But, she could feel his frustration. "I've been having this same recurring dream...that I get down there and don't come back."

[member="Coren Starchaser"]

 

[Coren Starchaser]

The two always knew what they were thinking. It wasn’t really easy at all to keep thoughts from the other while they were in close proximity. As it was, they could still sense each other and track through distances, but at the moment, it was like being merged. The Corellian knew what he was about. He was the sword that struck into the Sith and kept them at bay. He was the one who jumped into the fray. Someone had to stand between the dark side and everyone else.

He had Romi, and that helped.

“I was fighting Sith before I met you, hun.” He grinned. “I can watch my own back.” Though if he didn’t have her during Endgame? Who knew where he’d be. He had a few things that he could do. What he was capable of, if he fell right into the light side, he knew he could become devastating. But what was the cost for that? He didn’t want to know.

Feeling the pain in her as if it was in him. “Its getting worse, the affliction.” Shaking his head. “You stick with me, and you’ll be fine.” They were always together, so he knew they could tackle anything. “Just keep your wits about you!”

[member="Romi Jade"]

 

[Romi Jade]

“I was fighting Sith before I met you, hun.” He grinned. “I can watch my own back.”

Her eyes and mouth opened in slight surprise, followed by her playfully slapping his arm; though it packed a little bit of punch, most of her hits did. "Fine...watch your own back then, Mr. Hot Shot." She paced off, shaking her head at their exchange. She'd only come to a complete stop after feeling the sharp piercing pain in her abdomen. Judging by Coren's reaction, he'd been feeling it to....

She dug her nails in her gut, trying to meet it at its source. Inhaling, she shook her head in response. "Yes. I mean...I can power through like always but...the pain does get worse each time I go through one of these spells. it's weird but...."

It was her spirit, her sheer strength in the Force that held the poison at bay, she was her own temporary cure keeping things dormant. This was akin to boiling water, seeping over the edge every now and then, and scorching whatever it touched.

“You stick with me, and you’ll be fine.”

Her head whipped around at his response, and then her gaze fell towards the floor. Quickly wanting to hide any sense of doubt, she suppressed it all physically and through their bond. "O-okay..." And in the next few seconds, she was shaking it off and she shot a look his way "As you wish General Starchaser..." She continued down the corridor.

[member="Coren Starchaser"]

 

[Coren Starchaser]

Now he wasn’t quite sure if his tone didn’t come across all that well. Sure, his statement was a bit demeaning, or over confident, more than he preferred. And hand went up to rub his arm as she stormed off. Shaking his head, he grinned. That hit meant she wasn’t totally mad at him. But then the spike in the Force hit. He ran up to her and put his hand on her back.

Not a healer, but he needed to find one. “We can get a healer to accompany us. We do need you on this, but we can make do… without.” He needed her. But it was foolhardy to bring her onto this battlefield. There wasn’t any telling her what to do, just recommending.

He was going to have to keep a watch on her. Do what he can. But when battle hit, he went into a … the Jedi wouldn’t call it rage. Battle mind, frenzy, focused assault? All sounded better than what Coren made it sound. “And its not General, not to you!” He looked at her, and for the first time there was definite worry over her condition and the coming battle. More so than even Coruscant.

[member="Romi Jade"]

 

[Romi Jade]

Through all the tension, she could feel Coren's soothing touch against her back. And, when she did turn around, they were well within each others personal space; her face closed in on his, but she still maintained a bit of space between them. "I think it'll be best if I step back from the initial assault. You take it to them, and I'll help coordinate things from up here and bring in the extraction." She sighed and stepped back before granting him a smile built entirely on warmth.

"I really don't want to hinder the process..." she turned, motioning around with her hands before reaching up to pull back a few stray strands of her hair. "And if you end up needing me needing me...I'll be ready for deployment."

Though, Romi knew Coren fell into a bit of a tunnel vision in the field...and more than often they were thrown right in adversity. Wasn't his fault...it was just the operation. Really, she wasn't so confident in having the energy to delegate to their team, the objectives, and watch his flank.

“And its not General, not to you!”

She looked up at him, failing hard at holding back a smirk. "Don't try to be all cute now..." she teased, before running her hand down and along his cheek. Soon she was gently tugging on both ends of his jacket, straightening it out a bit...

"I'll be fine. Things will be fine, I'll power through...we'll finish the mission. Then, I'll take a break."

[member="Coren Starchaser"]

 

[Coren Starchaser]

He didn’t exactly have that ‘healing touch’ down that some Jedi Masters did well, Starchaser wasn’t the best at that sort of support role. Defensive? Sure. Enhancing his comrades? Yeah, he could energize the best of them. The man knew that personal space was always at a premium, but without the Alliance regulations this far out into the war zone? He needed his team. And that meant he needed Romi at her best. And wherever she was going to be, and feel, the most useful. Looking to her, he nodded.

“We can do that. If you feel it’ll be best for everyone.” He didn’t want her running the risk of falling to a Sith if she could sense an issue. “We need to get the people out, having you top side will help get some of the Mon Cala moving off world. And if we coordinate the families moving? We need to get their ships out of the system, and to Kashyyyk or D’Qar.” He nodded as she motioned around.

“I’ll call if I need it.” He grinned. Knowing the curse that could be hitting him, the curse that followed the Sword of the Jedi, he wasn’t wanting to call himself that, though he knew that there always had to be one. And he was the closest the Jedi had to one.

A smirk found his features and he shrugged. “Not cute. Its true. Don’t need to make me seem the big bad Jedi General and get the line troops all terrified of me. And yes, as soon as we’re done here, you’re going on leave.”

[member="Romi Jade"]

 

[Romi Jade]

She broke out into a large smile, giggling afterward before concealing it behind a hand. "Big bad Jedi General?" She casually mocked, teasing him really. "I'm sure they'll be fine." Of course in the spirit of jokes and teasing, she leaned in almost as if she intended to lock her lips with his even if for a brief display of affection, but she pulled away before pacing off.

And yes, as soon as we’re done here, you’re going on leave.”

But she broke into a quick pivot, looking in disbelief but also admiring him for putting his foot down. Gasp! "Was that an order?" She glared at him through the subtle presence of a quite devious smirk. "Fine...if that's what you want." She gently tugged on his jagged before walking off again.

Though beyond all of this she was withholding information from Coren. It was necessary, otherwise he'd never allow it. But there wasn't anyone more capable than her of undertaking this mission...and it was for this reason that she was waiting to tell the jerk that she loved him. Because after this...she wasn't so sure their relationship would withstand it.

[member="Coren Starchaser"]