Current Events

[Kaili Talith]

Blood trickled down her cheek from yet another day of rigorous training. Kaili used the cuff of her collar to swipe it away with a frown. The Peacekeeper weren’t all nonsense when they practiced and in many regards it caused the Jedi within Kaili to worry. They acknowledged the training staves for what they were and they were not afraid to demonstrate on their students. The girl had returned home from Atrisia not long ago. She had spent some time at her parents’ home, but in the end she found it too easy to fall back into the girl she had been when she still lived there. Home was always where her heart would be, but recent events only had her thinking far too much about the past and present. She needed something to get her mind out of the loop. That was what the peacekeepers were good for. Beating the devils out of you while teaching you to fight all over again.

Allyson was around here somewhere. The house they had been built had plenty of things to do and then some. One could see the excess that went into building it. The walls reminded Kaili of her home on Borleias in many regards, yet there were significant differences in the overall feel and style of it. There was priceless Kiaran art along the hallways and the rooms hardly lacked for height. There were more open spaces now, more types of rooms that Kaili had never really thought there was a use for. Dining rooms, which was more accurately described as great halls. Study rooms filled with Kiaran literature and texts. There were more luxuries put into these rooms than the girl would ever be comfortable with.

And then there was the view. The backyard gardens filled with colors of all colours and smells that accompanied it and the patio overlooking all of Lake Klare. This was where Kaili spent most her days lately. Just staring across the grand view while contemplating what she was to do. This was where she dwelled when it wasn’t in her workshop. It was eitheror at this point as she seemingly wandered between the two trying to think.

The locals had offered servants, but Kaili had refused. The people didn’t necessarily listen. The flowers were far too well-kept and the lawn cut to perfection. There were scarcely any dust on the shelves and occasionally she caught at least someone sneaking across her premises. At this point she had given up on having her request denied.

They were allowed to sneak at this point merely because it amused her.

And so, once again, Kaili stood in the rain and let it soak her. She had trained. Today’s task was done. Now she just needed... Something. Anything.

[member="Allyson Locke"]

 

[Allyson Locke]

Allyson remained in the part of the house where she had her small garage/hanger. She spent most of her day tinkering away and keeping her mind from wandering. Kaili had her training and ever since Atresia - that’s where most of the other girl’s time had gone. Sliding out from under the modified x-wing, Allyson sat up on the small flat board and looked out the open garage door. She watched as Kaili stood staring up at the sky. Allyson sighed softly, something happened on that planet and she could feel it. Something happened and it utterly changed Kaili’s life. Bits and pieces were shared, but Kaili kept to herself most of the time. This of course caused a bit of a strain, but nothing serious that would worry Allyson in wondering if Kaili was going to leave her.

Laying back onto the wheeled plank, Allyson decided it was in her best interest to just slide under the x-wing and wait for Kaili to come to her. Sliding back under the engine bay of the X-Wing, Allyson began to tinker once again. Only a few moments passed before Allyson slide back out from under the fighter, this silence and awkwardness that had manifested between them was starting to get old. They both had seen things, they both had faced the death of loved ones, and yet they walked different paths to acceptance. Allyson had no one beyond Kaili and whoever was left with the Rekailis beyond that even Kaili was all that Allyson had left and feth - she won’t lose her either.

The rain bounced against the grease stained goggles that rested on top of Allyson’s head. Her footsteps splashed against the puddles until they stopped while she stood behind Kaili. The rain pattered against the blonde, soaking her and everything she was wearing, Allyson could feel everything that the other girl was feeling. Footsteps echoed again as she made her way to come face to face with Kaili, it was then she spotted the attempted wipe at the blood.

“You’re going to catch a cold…[member="Kaili Talith"]”

 

[Kaili Talith]

[member="Allyson Locke"]

Once again, Kaili didn’t respond. She just stood there and lowered her glance to level at Allyson. She wanted to smile, but it was as if something had just put up a lock and barred the doors. Things had quite simply hit a limit that forced Kaili into introspect and what she had found so far was that the one word that kept resurfacing when she pondered who she was, was the word coward. She had remained idle her whole life, never taken up a cause and fought for what she believed. She knew more of the sidelines than anyone else that she surrounded herself with. From Aela who had always been battling darkness with a sword, to Mara who battled evil with the pen. There was even Allyson, Kaili’s very own girlfriend, who battled it from the cockpit of a fighter.

Kaili had not done anything like what they had and it made her feel lesser. Sure, she had her company and that wasn’t something that many could have achieved in the small timeframe that she had, but what was that when compared to actively countering what was wrong in the galaxy? In the end the only person who gained anything from Kaili’s achievements was Kaili herself whereas her friends and family had all made life better for others on a scale that seemed so alien to her. The fear that she had experienced on Atrisia had opened her eyes to that. That was why she was out here in the rain with her girlfriend trying to find the strength to even smile.

“I am sorry.” Kaili whispered under her breath. “You shouldn’t have to see me like this.”

The kid wrapped her arms around Allyson’s back and gently placed her cheek on the Corellian’s shoulder. Allyson was right, they should have walked back inside to avoid the cold weather. Blood smeared against the fabric of Allyson’s top as Kaili let go and turned around to head back inside.

“I am learning how to counter and utilize staves.” She sighed. “I know you keep asking me for details, but…” A second sigh forced her to pause. “But I just don’t know what to say.”

“So much death that could have been prevented if someone would’ve just had the right skillset to combat it.” The warm air of the inside brushed against Kaili’s soaked skin and shirt. The girl shivered and threw her top layer off on the ground without a care.

“I need to be stronger the next time it happens.” Kaili proceeded into the kitchen. “I need to be able to stop them, I need to be able to help, to not flee the battle.”

“Things were out of my control, but next time it won’t happen. Next time I will be ready.”

Kaili put on a kettle of tea and began waiting for it to warm up. “I am… Weak.”

 

[Allyson Locke]

Allyson followed and listened to the blonde and what she was going through. At one point Allyson had felt like this. She remembered the moment when she found out about Corellia, she could even say that she had felt the death of the planet from her core, but that would sound insane. She didn’t interrupt nor did she try and force a calm feeling through the force like Kaili had taught her. Allyson let everything just be. They entered the establishment and Allyson made away with her outer clothing, leaving the slightly dry t-shirt and shorts she was wearing under her coveralls. The coveralls were covered in muck and gunk from the engine of the beaten x-wing, but she was sure she could remove it.

As the kettle warmed the tea, Allyson sighed softly once Kaili had finished speaking. “You’re the farthest thing from weak Kaili. You’re talking about being one person changing the galaxy - one person can’t do that. Mara can’t, I can’t, even Luke Skywalker himself couldn’t do it. He had people to help him.” Allyson shook her head as she wandered towards Kaili. She didn’t wrap her arms around her again, that was the last thing she probably wanted - that feeling of being comforted and coddled. “You can better yourself and make sure you’re prepared to face whatever is out there...to keep you safe and anyone who is with you - who can’t fight...but you can’t put the weight of the galaxy on your shoulders.”

“You do so much, you support those who need your support - you don’t have to be the one with the blaster shooting people to help change the world. You’re a rock for your siblings...for me, for Mara. Without you Kaili no one would be able to do the things they do. I wouldn’t be able to climb into a cockpit of an x-wing and face the karking hell I face if I didn’t have you. I do all of it for you, because I love you.”

Allyson couldn’t stop herself, she wrapped her arms around Kaili and held her. “You do what you need to do to protect those that you love, we all do that. I fight to protect you and our future...I want you to be safe. Learn what you can to protect yourself and me, but just make sure you’re safe...without you there’s no me.” [member="Kaili Talith"]

 

[Kaili Talith]

[member="Allyson Locke"]

“But I can also do those things,” Kaili wrapped her arms around Allyson’s waist and burrowed into her neck to block out the world. “And I have seen enough to know what the galaxy is like when people don’t get involved.”

“I can’t just sit by and let the Sith destroy all that I have ever held dear, I can’t just let the tyranny of wicked men be allowed to exert itself over those who have done nothing to deserve the deaths that they are so mercilessly provided.” Kaili eased her grip around Allyson. “Compared to all my friends I have done nothing, I’ve sat by and I have let horror after horror fall upon them without even organizing a response of my own.”

“And then I have this whole planet that looks up to me, a whole people looking to me for answers I can’t even possibly provide for a problem that I already knew from the start that I couldn’t fix. I am at the center of attention for a purpose I don’t know how to fulfill and I feel useless.”

“I want to tear something apart some days, roll up in a ball and cry other days.”

“I just want to DO something, but I have lost control over what that is. I just want to affect something, anything, that is within my grasp or reach. I know that I can stop bad people from doing what they do, that is what I was trained to do, but I’ve failed even that training.” Kaili started to sound angry, frustrated, irritated. “Instead I sit in a big empty office, full of big emptyheaded investors looking to milk my company’s worth of every single credit they can get out of it. Buy cheap, sell at overprice.”

“I have so much attention on me and I just want it all to go away.” Kaili grabbed her cup with a knuckle paling grip. “I want to go back to being unimportant, a nobody.”

 

[Allyson Locke]

[SIZE=9pt]Allyson listened to Kaili speak about her downfalls and how she wasn’t important. The thought that the woman she loved didn’t feel important stung. She understood though, she understood everything that Kaili was mentioning and Allyson had felt that way at one point. Instead though, she had ran away, caught a ride with a man and learned how to explore and essentially be a pirate. Even then, she wasn’t able to protect him and he perished like her family. So after that, she joined the rogue squadron and joined the front lines. Allyson would never dare to tell Kaili to fight on the front line, the thought turned Allyson’s stomach. Though, from what Kaili described about her own family, it was common for them to be there. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]When Kaili had finished Allyson looked at her and shook her head. “You’re comparing yourself to everyone else in this galaxy. You have to see the good that you’re doing. You keep those air headed investors at bay to keep your products safe, those products help people Kaili. You saved Bait, who in turn saves me when I get into trouble in a dog fight. There’s be several times that I would have been sho--” Allyson stopped. Kaili didn’t need to hear the number of times that Allyson had been just moments close to death, it would probably end up being too much for the blonde. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]The planet they were currently on got brought up. Allyson sighed, she knew this was possibly the root of everything. So many people looked to her girlfriend for answers and despite this grand prophecy, Kaili was still young and Allyson wasn’t much help either. “You can only do so much, you can’t be everything to them. Just do your best - what you’ve done now has been better than anything they’ve had in a long time.” A smile pulled at her lips as she put her hands over Kaili’s that held onto the mug tightly. “Even if you don’t have all the answers Kaili, you’re a symbol to them, just you being you has given them hope for a better tomorrow.” Tilting her head, Allyson felt a bit cheesy for saying what she was about to say next, “Hope is something that is required for change. If people believe its possible, they’ll find the answers themselves. They just needed something like their prophecy to come true, to believe that anything is possible.” Allyson kissed the cheek of the Talith girl and leaned back, “No one has all the answers, we can only do our best. Despite what you think Kaili, you’ve never been a nobody.”[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]Allyson braced herself and then hopped up to the counter to sit on it. She slouched over slightly and rested her hands in her lap. “You’re [member="Kaili Talith"], you’re Micah and Aela’s younger sister, you’re the owner of one of the best droid shops on this side of the galaxy, you’re Mr. and Mrs. Talith’s daughter, You’re Mara’s best friend, you’re my best friend and lover.” Allyson smiled giving Kaili the silliest of grins, “You’re my world - don’t say you were a nobody - because you never were.” [/SIZE]

 

[Kaili Talith]

Kaili caught where Allyson was going with that with a rather doe-eyed expression. This wasn’t the time to mention that at all, not ever. The blonde joined her girlfriend as she sat on the counter as her arms wrapped around Allyson in an awkward embrace that would force them both down on their feet. Kaili continued to squeeze her with all that she had, and once it was over the days turned to weeks, turned to months before a situation like this arose again.

---

Valentine’s Day.

Kaili was still not sure how to cope with it. Waking up that day had been one of the most romantic things she had ever dealt with but the emptiness it had left her with was heart shattering. Over the course of the time that had separated the two women Kaili felt herself falling deeper and deeper into a tangled up knot of anxiety. She had something that she wanted to ask of Allyson but she wasn’t sure if it was within her place to do so, she didn’t know if it was in anyone’s place to ask it of someone. Aela had supported the idea or at the very least suggested it, and in many ways Kaili had supported it as well.

From her visit to the Kathol Outback she had picked up a bottle of Whyren’s the day after the ‘farewell party.’ It had cost her, but from the night before she had discovered that something about it reminded her of Allyson, and the fact that it numbed part of her anxiety was an added bonus. From the day that she had returned home it had remained in her cabinet to gather dust, but with the imminent return of one [member="Allyson Locke"] it was hard not to think of it and reach out. Before the blonde stood one bottle of Corellian Whiskey and in her hand laid an half-empty glass. Two half-melted cubes swum around in the watered out contents as she kept her tilted head rested against the cushion of the couch and stared out the window at the sun setting over the great landscape of Kiara.

Allyson was coming home today. She had gotten the message. The girl was just making sure she was ready to talk when the Corellian arrived. She poured up another round and went back to staring out the window.

The anxiety would let go any second now.

 

[Allyson Locke]

[SIZE=9pt]The trip home was a bit longer than usual. She did miss when they were based on Yavin or Borleias. Mostly Borleias because of the beaches and the nostalgia that the place had. It was there she had met Kaili and they had discovered each other. Memories like that kept Allyson going especially when she was far from Kaili. The girl was the reason why she continued moving forward, everything that Allyson was belonged to Kaili and was for Kaili. Still, something in the air felt off as she approached the home they shared when she was on leave. Allyson continued up the pathway that lead up to their door, she adjusted the backpack on her back and winced as she accidently knocked the bandage that was on her bicep. Cursing slightly, she stopped and dropped the pack with her weak arm and adjusted the bandages that seemed to have slipped. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]Despite being pretty in tune with her X-Wing, she tended to go a bit too hard at times. She had done her best in this dogfight, but it seemed focusing on helping another Rogue, she got caught in a crossfire and ended up being shot down. She was able to land, but it was a bit rougher than what she would have wanted it to be. The pack returned to her back and she finally made it to the door. Again she got that bad feeling and she paused for a moment before she entered the house. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]Why did coming home today feel this way? Allyson took a deep breath to prepare herself for whatever was on the other side of the door. She had hoped it would be Kaili rushing to the door to greet her like she had several times before. Allyson turned the knob and entered the house they shared. Her bag dropped at the door and she slowly removed the bomber jacket and aviators. Everything found a home by the door and Allyson adjusted the bandages, attempting to hide them under her sleeve. “Kaili?” She called out to her lover, not hearing anything. Allyson continued down the hallway from the door and found the girl on the couch with a bottle of Corellian whiskey. Giving the blonde a half smile she opened her arms and spoke.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]“I’m home...I’ve missed you Kaili” Something was definitely up and Allyson instantly feared the worse. Was today the last day she came home to her? Was everything she had done and fought for meant for nothing? Allyson felt her heart beat heavy, climbing up her chest and choking her in her throat. Despite all of these feelings, she did her best to keep the smile on her face and her arms open - hoping for a sign of affection. [member="Kaili Talith"][/SIZE]

 

[Kaili Talith]

[member="Allyson Locke"]

The blonde turned to look at Allyson with a smile before she rose to her feet, approached the Rogue and wrapped her arms around her in a meek hug and kiss on the cheek. The blonde let go and looked to the ground to steady herself. There was no need to skip straight to the punch, she owed Allyson that much.

“I’ve missed you too. A lot.” Kaili smiled as she motioned for Allyson to take a seat opposite of her by the coffee table in an armchair that matched the couch. A weird kind of velvety fabric local to the area, hand-weaved by seamstresses from the capital city right below the base of their mountain on the opposite side of the river.

“Which, uh…” Kaili leaned forward and rested her forearms against her knees. Nerves tangled up again and she ran a hand through her hair to soothe it. “I just think we need to talk about that.”

“The Rogues, I mean.” Kaili swallowed air. “And you being away so much.”

“I... “

“I don’t like it.” Kaili frowned and focused on Allyson. “I haven’t liked it for a long time, but I haven’t had the heart to tell you that.”

“I miss you more than you would ever know when you are away, and with Valentine’s…”

“It’s hard, Allyson.”

 

[Allyson Locke]

The hug was warm and Allyson had missed feeling Kaili like this. It didn’t last as long as she had hoped which again worried her. There was something that was seriously bothering Kaili and Allyson of course feared the worse. After Kaili had left her hold, Allyson’s arms wrapped around her midsection in an attempt to comfort herself. The seat was offered and Allyson took it. She did her best to try and keep a smile on her face, but her heart raced as Kaili began to speak.

She mentioned the Rogues and then brought up Valentine’s Day. Allyson instantly regretted the gesture, but she wanted to give the girl something special that day. Allyson knew she should have attempted to stay, she should have extended her leave and spend the day with her lover. Her hands that rested against her sides as Allyson hugged herself tightened. Frustration filled her knowing that having duty and a duty to Kaili as her girlfriend was going to clash eventually. Allyson had done her best to keep them balanced and knowing that Kaili had missed her every time she left reminded her how lonely she got when she was away.

“Kaili, I miss you too. It kills me every time I have to leave. I extend my leave to the max so that I could spend as much time with you as I can. I--I made a promise to the Alliance, to the Rogues...they own a part of me.” Allyson wondered if she chose the right words, but right now she didn’t know what she needed to do. Being a fighter pilot was a huge part of who she was, she felt like she was doing something important - she was protecting Kaili, everything she loved and the galaxy. In her mind, it was the right thing to do, but to hear that Kaili was upset, Allyson felt as if all the good she had done meant nothing because the only person she cared about in this galaxy was unhappy.

“I don’t like being away from you, I’m sorry about Valentine’s Day, I wanted you to have a special day knowing that I had thought of you and that you were and are constantly on my mind. I--” She paused and inhaled deeply thinking about her next comment, “I stay alive because of you, because I promised to always come back to you and I do.” Allyson continued to plead, “What do you want me to do? Kaili I’ll do anything to make you happy.”

[member="Kaili Talith"]

 

[Kaili Talith]

[member="Allyson Locke"]

It felt horrible to see Allyson like this, but part of Kaili had prepared for it. It wasn’t exactly like one expected to come home one day and suddenly get hit in the face with the hard discussions in life. The pleas were heard, but Kaili just wasn’t sure what to pick from them. She started from the top.

“Don’t be.” She shook her head. “I loved it, but at the same time…” Kaili felt the words fade from her mind. Her mouth was left hanging in a brief moment of panic. “Is there anything else you would like to do?”

“To keep me safe, that is.” Kaili clarified. “There has to be more ways, better ways, to keep me safe.”

“And yes, I do understand that it gives you purpose, but I need you too. Here.”

“I would do anything to make you stay.”

“You say the word, and I will buy you a ship of your own. Something to start a life of your own outside of the Galactic Alliance with. Something that takes you in your own direction and lets you stay close to me.” Kaili panicked. “I’d even design it for you. I’d draw up a whole ship, right now, if that meant that you stayed here with me.”

“And with Kaeshana… And the coming war…”

“Please, stay.”

 

[Allyson Locke]

Everything sounded so perfect, but how could Kaili promise these things? How could she just make a ship form out of thin air and give Allyson something to do. She’d be able to keep flying, but at what cost? She remembered how she felt knowing that Asmus had disappeared and Cho is in prison somewhere in the First Order. The memory flooded her conscious and she felt the weight in her chest expand. The choices that were presented to her tore her apart. Allyson looked at Kaili and could feel the panic in her voice, she was just as desparate as Allyson to make this work.

She couldn’t run from her responsibilities, just like Kaili who was headstrong on becoming stronger and to make her gifts work towards the greater good. They had responsibilities in this war torn galaxy and even if Allyson had something else to keep her busy, the fact that she had abandoned her post would eventually drive her insane. Maybe things would be easier if Kaili left her responsibilities as well, if they ran away together forgetting everything that was filling this galaxy with strife.

Allyson calmed her panic and slowly stood up. Kaili had the funds to make whatever she wanted come true, but even if she bought Allyson a company, built her a massive ship or something else along those lines - she would be haunted every day knowing that she had left the Rogues to fight alone. Thinking everything through, Allyson knew that all of this sounded wonderful and magically easy to fix, but even with the billions that Kaili had at her fingertips, the simple fighter pilot wouldn’t feel complete. The youth of this galaxy’s generation was filled with a need to fight and a need to make this a peaceful place. Allyson walked to where Kaili was sitting and brushed the blonde’s cheek softly with the tips of her fingers.

The conversation they had before all of this, before Allyson left for her duty resurfaced. “We’ve seen what happens to the galaxy when people don’t get involved. Just like you Kaili...I just can't sit back and let the Sith destroy what I hold dear, to allow their tyranny be allowed to exert itself upon innocent people.” Tears rolled down her cheeks, it hurt to say something like that to Kaili, knowing that every fiber of her being wanted to just run away and stay beside the blonde. “I want to stay with you, I want to stay with you forever, I-” She choked a little on her words, “I want to run away from every responsibility I have and keep you as the most important person in my life...but-” Her hand fell from Kaili’s cheek and made a fist at Allyson’s side, “I can’t. Asmus is gone somewhere and Cho is locked up in a prison somewhere in First Order territory, Force knows what happened to the others. Some shot down, others being tortured.” Allyson shook her head and sighed softly, “I think of them and know if I just run away - I’d be abandoning them. Kaili - I love you more than life itself, but this is my responsibility, just know that I want to run away, I want to be with you...but I can’t…”

She wondered if this would be the last time they were in the same room, would Kaili decided that she couldn’t do this anymore? Allyson had seen some of the others lose spouses and partners over the Rogues and other military positions, she wondered when Kaili was going to be fed up with it. Every beat of her heart weighed heavy on the Corellian’s chest and she felt as if her world was on the brink of shattering. Kaili would feel the overwhelming despair that her partner was suddenly feeling, Allyson choked out one last thing before Kaili could interject, “I can’t lose you, Kaili - I need you more than anything…” [member="Kaili Talith"]

 

[Kaili Talith]

[member="Allyson Locke"]

It felt great to have Allyson’s hand brush against her cheek, but the burn it left her with when she let go stung worse than anything. Responsibility, not pushing back Sith, letting tyranny take over simply because she left the Rogues. Who was letting on which galaxy on their shoulders now? Kaili shook her head.

“Then,” She started, seeming far more calmer than before. “I will help get these people out.”

“If your problem is abandoning them in their hour of need, then I will help you find them again.”

“Asmus Janes, Choli Vyn. They are not names that would be hard to track if you knew the right sources.” Kaili seemed to know their names for one despite only having met one of them while wasted out of her mind. The other woman, not once.

 

[Allyson Locke]

This was a sudden turn of events, Allyson hadn’t expected Kaili to volunteer so easily to help her in this situation. A hand ran through her brunette hair, trying to think of a way to break it to the blonde that she had not clue where to even start to find the other two. She let Kaili do what Kaili did best and that was brain storm and get prepared to do the near impossible. Time was of the essence, but at this moment Allyson wanted to rest, she wanted to feel Kaili near her and for once feel like the galaxy was at peace.

“Kaili, I want to find them and yes it's a reason why I can’t leave the Rogues for you, but I don’t even know where to start. I was away when they had gone missing or left. I was with you - and honestly when I actually think about it, that’s where I want to be.” Allyson reached out and grabbed Kaili by the shoulders, forcing her to look at the Corellian.

“For now, I’m done with the Rogues. I need to be by your side. I will work on saving Choli and finding leads as to where Asmus went, but right this moment, I’ll take a long leave.” Pausing, Allyson knew if some crazy conflict occurred she wouldn’t be able to turn down the cry for help. “If something terrible happens though, I will go fight.” It was all Allyson could offer right now, the promise that for this moment she was done and once she found her old commanders - she would be finished completely. A part of her hoped that Kai could be eased into the idea of letting Allyson stay, but knowing how stubborn the girl was and knowing that there would be no convincing her - made Allyson smile.

Sighing softly, Allyson felt a massive weight lift off her shoulders. “I was scared you were going to break up with me for something crazy - everything was so dark and dreary…” [member="Kaili Talith"]

 

[Kaili Talith]

[member="Allyson Locke"]

And then so it was said, the two of them would help find those in the Rogues that had been lost. A weight lifted off of Kaili’s shoulders as well. She knew that Allyson wasn’t done with the Rogues and that she would never really be, but at least the Borleian kid had bought herself some time with her. It was as good of a compromise as it’d get and Kaili would be thankful for that. Even if it meant Allyson left herself with a window to return in case of ‘something terrible.’

“I would never.” Kaili offered Allyson a small smirk. “We work too well together for that.”

The blonde leaned in against Allyson and felt her chest against the Corellian’s. A careful kiss planted itself against Allyson’s lips to reaffirm that they were indeed not breaking up. In reality they were most likely closer to it than they had ever been, but they had avoided it and that was all that mattered. At least for the moment. Once it had passed, and once the final specks of doubt were gone Kaili eased her grip and placed her cheek against Allyson’s shoulder. A deep breath filled her lungs with air and a slow exhale helped her ease out of the steadily decreasing sense of tension and tangled nerves.

At least at home things had been the same. Kaili had been working on new prototypes for her company, but nothing really struck her as all that profitable. Several of the items were without a doubt nifty, but none of them profitable. It was something she had to consider at all times after having moved from local workshop to being an up-and-coming brand.

“It’s been a lonely few weeks, months…”

 

[Allyson Locke]

Kaili’s closeness brought relief to Allyson. The girl had no intention of splitting them apart, Allyson was trying to figure out how she would continue with her own life if they did. When she thought about it, it was hard to picture a life without Kaili, even when she was on duty, Kaili was always on her mind. The concept of having the girl waiting for her at home was something that had become routine for Allyson. To lose that, would be as if an X-Wing lost its wing. She wouldn’t be able to function and that grasp that Kaili had on her, scared her slightly.

With Kaili close to her, Allyson wrapped her arms tightly around the slender blonde. Drawing Kaili as close as possibly Allyson smothered the girl with a hug. Feeling her heartbeat through her chest reaffirmed that Kaili was still here and this wasn’t all some really messed up dream. Allyson inhaled, becoming intoxicated with the fragrance of the Talith girl. Her heart raced and she slowly released the girl, while running her lips gently against Kaili’s neck. Everything and anything terrible in the world was instantly erased and all that mattered was the way Kaili made her feel and vice versa.

“I agree, Force knows how much I’ve missed you Kaili. I’ve missed everything about you, your smile, the way you smell, feth especially the way you fit perfectly against me…” Allyson remembered the heavy heart she had as she left the Valentine’s day surprise. She wanted to so desperately to stay - to love Kaili the way she deserved to be loved for the rest of her life. Leaning forward the small distance between them, Allyson held Kaili’s face delicately as she kissed her, expressing every ounce of desire and love she felt for the other girl. The kiss felt like a lifetime and she broke away attempting to catch her breath.

Foreheads rested against each other and Allyson pleaded with her lover, “Please...Please let me make up this time to you, I’ll do anything and everything to make you happy.” Biting her lower lip she paused and then spoke quietly again, “Just tell me what you want.” [member="Kaili Talith"]

 

[Kaili Talith]

[member="Allyson Locke"]

Allyson held her tight and Kaili felt herself falling back into the blissful state of mind that always overtook her senses when the two women were together. The Corellian’s touch brought out a heat between them, an unquenchable ember that burned while their bodies co-existed as one. From the way her fingers melded against Kaili’s skin to the way the Corellian’s kisses made her heart slow to a crawl. There would always be ups and downs but at the end of the day there wouldn’t be anyone Kaili wanted in her life than the woman who had brought her out of her lowest low. She wasn’t a very religious woman but Allyson’s timing had her believing. They were together for a reason. Good or bad, they had each other and neither was letting the other go.

The blonde helped ease the brunette into the couch with a kiss. There she let Allyson rest her back against the cushion and feel the moment’s worry fade from reality. A hand traced against the Corellian’s waist as Kaili leaned down next to her girlfriend while another hand grasped at Allyson’s wrist to guide her into an embrace.

“I want you.” The blonde whispered. “That’s all I ever wanted.”

Her cheek rested against Allyson’s shoulder. She felt safe here. Against everything.

“You don’t have to do a thing.”

 

[Allyson Locke]

This was the feeling that she enjoyed the most with Kaili. The mutual love and affection they had for each other. Allyson felt her skin burn as she felt every delicate touch from the blonde Talith. She made it hard to breath, hard to focus, and really hard to stay true to one’s obligations. There were times that Allyson never wanted to return to the Galactic Alliance, if she could she would give everything up, just to insure that she was able to see Kaili more than a few months at a time.

Time away from her was criminal and Allyson needed to figure things out. She needed to find a way to have both things in her life, flying for the military and Kaili. Dealing with the woman’s requests were going to be hard, but when she thought about it - there was no denying where she’d rather be and who she would rather be with. Kaili urged for another embrace and Allyson gave in. She held the girl tightly, feeling their bodies meld together for the moment they shared. It broke Allyson’s heart hearing about how Valentine’s Day worked out. Closing her eyes, she sighed softly and then pushed Kaili’s back onto the couch.

Allyson climbed on top of the girl and held her arms down. She leaned forward, adorning the girl’s neck with kisses and affectionate nips. Leaning up, she smirked. “I do have to do at least something. I need to make up for valentine’s day and every day after that. [member="Kaili Talith"], I love you with every fiber of my being. I’ll do anything to make you happy.”

 

[Kaili Talith]

[member="Allyson Locke"]

The days came to pass, and with it came other and newer challenges…

---

Metal pegs clicked in a rhythm of eight across the hallways of the mansion as the smallest of Imperial-accented robot voices echoed. Her heart rate was climbing again and the girl needed her meds again but they had been displaced by the servants, mistaken for something that needed to be in the medical wing rather than her own bedroom. Henry rushed his way towards the bedroom…

---

They were all around her. Darkness started to descend as fields of green started to lose all color and as joy started to drain from everywhere she turned. The shadows were coming back, the whispers and screams, the eyes peering at her from beyond her reach. Blasters, fire crackling like demons devouring one soul after another. Faceless men and women turning her way, their skins ripping apart to expose their sharpened teeth. She tried to run but the weights in her boots kept her grounded, she tried to scream but the words in stuck to her throat. It choked on her, threw the woman off-balance as memory after memory passed her by from side to side in a hissed scream.

From the foggy mist rose a man. His bloodied armor decorated by nothing but the blood running through the cracks of his very own helmet, the life support crushing him within his suit for each passing second. It cracked, it dented until he was no more, yet his blaster remained raised towards the girl’s shape.

The trigger squeezed and she woke up with a scream. The covers of the bed was thrown off in a telekinetic blast that she had no control over. Tears ran down her face as her mind blurred her own perception of reality. Each plank of her bedroom was a dead body with the polish having turned into a dark red discoloration of her own making. Her feet sunk into the ground and for each step she took she felt the panic grow. She threw the looks around her. The walls tried to eat her, the rooms grew smaller.

Breathing grew even harder as Kaili threw her body around trying to find an explanation for what was going on.

Henry witnessed the girl’s wandering, stumbling rant. He knew he was too late.

“You must do this.” He dropped a syringe in front of Allyson. “It needs to be administered to her arm before her heart… Well, you need to be quick.”

 

[Allyson Locke]

Sleep wasn’t something that came easily now a days, with her connection to Kaili - Allyson could feel the girl’s troubles. Instead of having her be in the medical ward, Allyson had insisted that Kaili remain with her in their room. Tonight would prove to Allyson how terribly wrong she was. The waves of the nightmare flowed from the blonde Talith girl, Allyson as usually rode it out and attempted to stay asleep. Usually, the nightmare would fade out and sleep would come welcomingly to Allyson, but that didn’t happen.

The shift in the Force was sudden and the sheets were thrown off by the kinetic outburst, but with the sheets, Allyson found herself flying through the hair landing upside down hard against the opposite wall. She slid the few feet against the wall and landed slumped on her shoulders. Greenish eyes fluttered open as she groaned, remembering the pain she had felt when she was launched into a tree. It took a few moments for her eyes to focus and for her to realize what was going on. “Feth, Kaili - it's a nightmare, KAILI” Allyson let her weight fall as she rolled onto her knees and then slowly rose to her feet. It had been several nights without proper sleep so Allyson was starting to feel sick to her stomach.

Kaili moved and shifted through some sort of mental daze, Allyson on the other had was as awake as she could be and began to make her way towards her. It was in this moment that the small droid that Kaili had created made his presence known. Looking down, she noticed the syringe. Her lips parted wanting to protest as she reached down and picked up the medicine. Looking at it, Allsyon sighed. Drugging Kaili was the last thing she wanted to do. She was certain that she could snap her lover out of this - but Henry knew better, because Kaili knew better. “If this is the only way…”

Moving carefully, Allyson made her way towards Kaili. Quickly, she lunged forward and wrapped an arm around the confused woman to hold her as still as possible. Once there was some control, Allyson injected the syringe into Kaili’s neck. “I’m sorry Kay...I really am...please...please be okay…” [member="Kaili Talith"]