Distractions

[Jacen Voidstalker]

[member="Aela Talith"]

If there was a ship then they didn't have to send a group out across the empty terrain to retrieve their own. He looked up at Aela. Despite everything they had faced together she managed to make him feel small with that stare. His focus was coming back but his mental capacity only went so far and he kept his mind on his internal injuries. Right now he wasn't sure how he felt about Aela stepping up. Time would tell. You couldn't always plan everything out.

As she approached his fingers picked t the broken shard of rock he had pushed back through the bandages. Slick with his own blood his fingers slipped off before he got a grip and sent it skipping away along the floor. The lacerations up his side were going to scar badly. In a way, that he was thinking about the scars was a good sign.

Eyes widened as the thought struck him: Aela could not fly a ship full of children. Not with her luck.

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Jacen Voidstalker"]

As the children nodded and headed off to go collect the others Aela stepped up on front of Jacen.

”You're going to have to fly that ship.” She said quietly, looking over her shoulder to make sure that the children didn't overhear her. It wasn't like this was any sort of big secret, but she didn't want any of them to be worried about the fact that the near dead man would have to be the one to fly them out of there. ”I can't do it and I doubt any of the kids can…”

She trailed off. ”Are you feeling up to it?”

The question was posed in a mousey tone of voice, though it was obvious that Jacen was really their only hope at this point.

Of course this was all dependent on if a ship even existed. Just because some of the kids had come in a transport or something similar didn't mean that the vessel was just sitting somewhere inside the Temple. It could very well have been left behind somewhere else or even have gone out to collect more children.

Still, Aela decided to be optimistic.

 

[Jacen Voidstalker]

[member="Aela Talith"]

Reality sunk in slowly. It took slightly longer for everything to fall into place. The body tended to go into self recovery mode at times like this. He had to rally himself for a second time after failing to get to his feet the first.

"Fortunately a sadistic young woman gave me... A bit shot of stims. We'll see how I am by the time I get to the ship."

It wasn't the first time the road ahead had looked treacherous. Nor did he believe that if he survived this ordeal that it would be the last time. Staring peril in the face and walking into it had started to become the regular cadence of his life.

"Best check its operational before I get up though?" He suggested with a weak attempt at a chuckle.

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Jacen Voidstalker"]

"Best check it's even here." Aela commented quietly as she slowly squatted down besides Jacen.

In her left hand she still carried Luke's lightsaber, the oddly shaped handle cradled within her fingertips. The weapon felt strange, and not just because the hilt was far longer than she was used to. The weight of what it was, what it had likely represented to the boy sat on her shoulders quite heavily. She frowned for a moment as she glanced at the blade, then shook her head and slowly slipped it into a small spot on her belt where it wouldn't get in the way.

A sigh escaped her. "Going to have to be more careful from now on."

Aela said quietly.

"I don't think I'd want to meet Trextan for the first time to tell him his father has been killed." She frowned. "Maybe we keep you in a hoverchair after this."

 

[Jacen Voidstalker]

[member="Aela Talith"]

"Oh don't worry. If I go I'll already be haunting him by the time you get back."

Gabe would enjoy it if he was chairbound for a time. After he had been mailed to the ground in some weird ritual by Kaine he had been off his feet for some time. That same Dark Lord whose arm they had cut off recently.

When her arm was close by he gave her wrist a brief squeeze. Despite the jokes it belied how frantically he was paddling just beneath the surface.

"Yes, let's check its real first. Good idea." Jacen closed his eyes and took slow, deep breaths.

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Jacen Voidstalker"]

Almost as if on cue the children returned, more than a dozen of them. Some held determination on their faces, others fear, and a few even managed to look...bored. Aela eyed them for a moment, spotting Allara in the middle of the crowd and waving for her to come forward.

The young Jedi Master knew that they would have to be the ones to lead all of this, but to keep the gaggle of children from panicking she would need Allara and the other older ones to actually help. She frowned for a moment as she looked at the fifteen or so kids, then drew her attention back to Allara. She looked less afraid than she had before, something that Aela was more than a little thankful for. Perhaps she was beginning to trust the two Jedi.

"Do you know where the hangar is?" She asked quietly.

The girl seemed to frown for a moment, then slowly nodded.

"It's on the south side of the Temple. We were forbidden from going there...but I think I remember."​

That was something at least. Her slips thinned and she looked at Jacen. For a moment the Jedi Master lingered, then she stepped back towards her friend and leaned down besides him. "How about I help you up this time?'

 

[Jacen Voidstalker]

[member="Aela Talith"]

"Please," he replied simply. He didn't have the luxury of pride. Nor was he the type of man to eschew help when it was needed at the best of times.

He was a sight. Then again, for a group of young children their teacher with her chest burned out or Luke with his head screwed on the wrong way were probably more disturbing sights.

Jacen grimaced as he drew his knees upwards and placed one hand in the ground beside him. He offered one arm for Aela and hoped that his feet would stay underneath him when he became vertical.

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Jacen Voidstalker"]

Aela grabbed Jacen about as gently as she could, wrapping her hand around his and gently pulling her friend to his feet. As soon as he was standing the young Jedi Master slipped an arm around Jacen, shifting his weight above hers so that he could rest on her.

"Easy." She told him softly.

It was probably for the best if Jacen didn't try to move around on his own, particularly given the last time he had tried. For a moment Aela remained in place, simply making sure that Jacen didn't immediately fall over on his face. Once she was sure the man wouldn't collapse she half turned, taking Jacen with her, and regarded Allara.

"Alright." She said to young woman. "Let's find that ship, yeah?"

A small nod crossed the teenagers face, and then she slowly turned away.

Aela glanced at Jacen, shooting him an optimistic look, and then slowly began to follow after Allara and the other children.

 

[Jacen Voidstalker]

[member="Aela Talith"]

Despite her lithe frame she was a remarkably steady aid. There has always been a strength and resilience in her. If he hadn't tried to emotionally detach himself from the situation so he could try and provide sensible guidance it would have hurt to see her confidence so shaken. It hurt now to think about it.

He felt almost guilty when he realised just having a warm body against him was reassuring. Would she have held him as he had passed if the wounds had been more serious? It was a macabre thought, but he decided it would be more comforting to slip away knowing that someone was there.

Jacen's awareness of what was around them fades as he focussed intently on the ground ahead of them. He took each step in turn, trying to find a consistent rhythm towards their goal.

"I hope there aren't stairs," he muttered.

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Jacen Voidstalker"]

"We'll be alright." She assured Jacen quietly.

The pace she set was a slow one, mostly because she knew just how bad of a state her friend was currently in. The children didn't seem to mind it so much, though of course they used the time to quietly gossip among one another.

Most of them were still scared of course, if not downright terrified, but a few of them whispered quietly. Even without the force Aela could have heard them well enough. Children always thought they were whispering when in fact it was more of a toned down yell. The quality was endearing at times, even amusing, but right now it was just a handy way of learning what the group actually thought about the two Jedi Masters. Unsurprisingly, most of them were concerned, though trusting.

They thought Allara was right, and above all they could trust her.

So the little group continued for some time, wandering through the Temple until they reached a long, winding staircase. "Well."

Aela began quietly.

"We'll take it slow." She glanced at Jacen. "Or I can lift you with the Force"

 

[Jacen Voidstalker]

[member="Aela Talith"]

Emotional detachment was never perfect. There was still a core of pride deep within Jacen. One that was determined to take as many of the steps that he could on his own. He also didn't want to get dropped back down then if Aela was still getting her focus back. He didn't doubt her abilities, but the last few minutes didn't necessarily mean her connection to the Force was back and as stable as it had ever been. They needed time for reflection and practice.

"Just take some of my weight please," he asked. The stairs were narrow, particularly for two stood side by side. He had never felt as releived as he did to reach the end of them and see a very real ship in a flat, open hangar before them. Where could they even be? What had that portal been?

They were questions for another time. Moving in silence they took the ramp and finally he was settled back into the pilots chair.

"Can you get her running?" He asked. His face was screwed up into a grimace as he spoke. The children seemed to have become more vocal as they found seats and strapped in.

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Jacen Voidstalker"]

The ship was an ancient lambda class shuttle, though it's color scheme was far more bright than that of the old Imperials who had once owned it. The vessel seemed to be in working order, the inside was newly refinished and none of it appeared as though it were falling apart.

Aela guessed that the Miraluka had used the ship for dual purpose. Most people wouldn't pay attention to an old vessel like this, plus the inside was spacious enough to carry dozens of individuals comfortably. Aela had used this exact model of ship before, though that had been in an oddly more relaxing situation. She frowned for a moment as she looked across the command console, her eyes flicking around before she nodded slowly towards Jacen. "I think I can turn it on."

The implication there was 'without us exploding".

For a moment the Jedi Master poked around, until finally Allara stuck her head into the cockpit. Aela looked back, watching as the girl observed her. She flashed her a smile, then slowly reached up and flicked what she hoped would be the engine ignition. After a moment there was a rumble, and then the Lambda burst into life.

"There." She said looking at Jacen. "Kaili isn't the only one with mechanical know how."

From the sound of her voice it was apparent that Aela was rather pleased with herself.

 

[Jacen Voidstalker]

[member="Aela Talith"]

"Is that what you call....finding the 'on' switch?” he joked, but he didn't sound particularly amused. With a grimace he reached forwards to turn a dial to activate some diagnostics. He wanted to know it was in good order before trying this.

His gaze turned towards Aela. It was full of concern. For her, not for himself.

"I would like to meet your students when we get back," he said softly. It seemed like a very strange thing to being up right now. "Don't...don't let fighting and war became your centre to find yourself Aela. You're more than...that."

"Trust me on that one." Jacen saw green light. He didn't know where they were, but the ship knew which coordinates it was at. With a gentle tug on the controls they lifted up.

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Jacen Voidstalker"]

Aela strapped herself into the chair, motioning for Allara to do the same. "It's not the fighting."

The young Jedi Master spoke quietly enough that only Jacen would hear her.

"It's them." She didn't feel the need to make a motion towards the back of the ship, Jacen could infer that she meant the two dozen or so younglings that had all found their place within the Lambda. She smiled for a second, then slowly continued in that almost whispering voice. "It was Luke, what she did to him, and now...them."

She reiterated. "My students, these younglings. That's what I care about."

Funny that he had mentioned the padawans back on Wroosti. They had been a major part of why she had 'left' the New Jedi Order in the first place, why she had wanted to stop fighting. They had been a focus, a good one at that, but now she saw the irony of her decision. While she had been back on Wroosti living her insular little life, these younglings had been plucked from wherever to study under a madwoman. It wasn't her fault of course, but she couldn't help but feel somewhat...guilty.

 

[Jacen Voidstalker]

[member="Aela Talith"]

Despite everything clawing at his mind, clamouring for his attention, Jacen managed to push through it and offer Aela a smile.

"Good," he said firmly, the word accompanied by a firm nod. "Lifting away," he grunted. A grimace settled into his features as he eased back on the controls and gently took the ship up off the landing pad.

At the best of times he was not the most accomplished pilot and every spare ounce of mental capacity was dedicated to the task.

"Find out if...the spaceport has medical. Or else we go for hyperspace." Every second was a little battle to fight. The angular nose of the ship dipped and they pushed out if the shaded recess of the bay and into the bright light.

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Jacen Voidstalker"]

It wasn't too hard to pull up the ships database, scant as it was. The information that the ship records had kept were small and not at all detailed, but they at least listed the planet that they were on. She frowned for a moment, glancing at Jacen. "No mention of a hospital."

That was what he really needed, not some aid station.

The young Jedi Master considered their situation for a few seconds. The planet that they were on wasn't one overly populated by Humans, instead the Hyleans had entirely different physiology and make up. She doubted that any of them were really prevalent in the treatment of anything more than just minor wounds. Her fingers twitched over the keyboard for just a moment, and then she twisted so that she could look at Jacen once more.

"There's an Arceneau Trade Station not too far from here." She said quietly. "It'll have a hospital and everything else we need."

Aela thought that wouldn't be too difficult. As long as they got out of the atmosphere and into hyperspace Jacen could lean back and rest until they made it to the station.

 

[Jacen Voidstalker]

[member="Aela Talith"]

She would be okay.

That thought pushed through the haze as he leaned the hyperdrive lever forwards. It felt far heavier than it had before. He had been genuinely worried about her. Yet once again he had become caught up in the idea of the young making the same mistakes he once had. That was a disservice to their generation; they were more than capable of finding creative new ways to get things wrong. Trextan's artificial arm was testament to that.

With a sigh he fell back into the chair. He felt he had earned his reprieve.

"Did he just die..." a small voice echoed. Somehow it cut through the din of the cockpit and was followed by a series of shushes.

"Not done yet," he grunted. He lowered his voice. "Perhaps... You could introduce me to your students Wroostri," he whispered. But before she could reply he had dozed off.