Whom Fortune does not Favor

[Zem-El Vymes]

A week after s'Ilancy lost her eye, I had a dream.

We were back on Schwartzweld, but everything was wrong. The sky was foreboding, and I was back on that damn yacht again. I knew exactly what I was reliving.

"No, no, noooo!!!"

My words made no sound, but I was inexorably forced to experience that freighter, falling into the sun. Only now I could see the dozens of emaciated men, women, and children, shrieking in terror as the temperature suddenly increased. They began to smolder, and then to burn, before the very air itself caught fire and blew the ship apart.

s'Il was there, reaching out to me in my despair. But she wore the fresh laceration that Decepis had given her.

"Why didn't you stop him? Why didn't you protect me? Why didn't you protect them? We all look up to you. You are only going to hurt us, betray us, and abandon us!"

My eyes snapped open.

[s'Il]

Another late night visit to the medics so that her bandage could be changed passed without incident. It also passed in solitude.

s'il knew that Zem needed rest of his own, and so she had quietly left the bed they shared, pulling on her clothes and letting herself out of their room without a sound. All told, the trip had taken slightly longer than she would have wished, and by the time she was on her way, an hour had passed.

The medics had fussed over the wound to an excessive degree in her mind. What could heal would, and what was lost would not be reclaimed; despite the fact, she still chose to remain aloof while enduring the attention by those in the makeshift medical housing.

Upon her return, the Lupine was careful to make her entrance silently, closing the door behind her with a muted click. She shrugged off her drab green overcoat, intent on gently draping it over the back of a chair the stood beside the bed.

She folded it once over her arm, looking down at Zem as she set it into the chair.

That was when his eyes flew open.

[Zem-El Vymes]

My breathing was still deep and rapid, and I felt the cool night air against perspiration on my head and chest. Quickly getting my bearings, my head turned in s'Il's direction.

"Are you okay?"

[s'Il]

"I'm well."

She sat on the bed, taking care to not disturb the fresh bandage while pulling her shirt off.

"It is healing as best as can be expected."

She kicked her boots off, and partially turned to look at him. Her eye became gentle, losing the dull look of sorrow that had been ever-present.

Leaning over, s'Il wiped at the sweat that'd formed on his brow.

"And you?"

[Zem-El Vymes]

"Just caught in a dream, I guess."

I really didn't want to get into it. I certainly didn't want to add to the heavy burden she was already carrying.

Sitting up, I wiped the sleep from my eyes, and reached to the side for a loose silk shirt.

[s'Il]

She would have rolled the rest of the way onto the bed, but his action gave her pause. There was no need for a shirt; the night air was warm enough.

"You're getting up... ?"

She'd expected to return from the medics and crawl back into bed, falling asleep beside him without disturbance. Of course, she'd also expected for him to still be asleep, but it seemed that that was not the case.

[Zem-El Vymes]

I paced to the window, and placed a hand against the cool pane.

"I can't sleep right now. Maybe later."

I looked back at her, wondering if I'd see that hurt that I'd seen in my dream. Thankfully I didn't. She was strong. Strong for herself, and strong for me. I knew how much it took for her to be okay.

[s'Il]

The gentleness in her gaze turned into concern, and s'Il slid from the bed to approach him. Her arms went out and she laid her hands on either side of his face. Locking her eye with his, she let her gaze study every inch of his face; every line that had formed to indicate the years that had passed.

Finally, without releasing him, she gave a whisper.

"What's wrong."

[Zem-El Vymes]

I gently took her hands in mine, finding comfort in her presence.

"It was just a dream."

I kissed her on the forehead, to wash the concern away. After all, it was only a dream. She was right. I'd done all that I could have done to save the refugees, and here she was after her battle with the Sith, my companion and my passion. She didn't waver from me. None of that farcical vision was true.

[s'Il]

Still not entirely convinced, but without any desire to pursue the matter further, s'Il wound her arms up around his neck, pulling him into a tight embrace.

Whatever dream it was that he'd had, she was fairly certain that it wasn't exactly pleasant, but he would tell her.

In his own time.

[Zem-El Vymes]

I looked at her face. The scar was healing up into a clean line. Very carefully, I ran a finger along the periphery.

"I wasn't there to stop him. I'm sorry."

[s'Il]

For a moment she looked distant, staring at his chest with an unfocused gaze. Surely he did not blame himself; what happened was unfortunate, and the repurcussions would be worn for the rest of her life, but s'Il placed the blame on no one but the Sith.

She looked to the window.

"I have a feeling that the outcome would have been the same even if you had been there."

[Zem-El Vymes]

I wanted to be able to fall in with that opinion, and to agree with her without regret. I pushed it to the periphery, but there was still that feeling of doubt lingering at the horizon.

"Maybe so. One thing is for sure, our enemy is probably still quite close to us. I must face him again."

[s'Il]

It was a fleeting moment, but she had seen it anyway in the moment that she'd turned to look back up at him; a sliver of doubt that he'd pushed away, into the back of his mind. She said nothing of it however.

"Both of us will face him again," she corrected while stepping back and lowering herself to sit on the bed.

[Zem-El Vymes]

I sat alongside her, thinking about what she said.

"No. Let me face him myself. I can't bear the thought of losing you to him."

Whatever it took, I would stand my ground against Decepis. The phantasm of the Dark Side had taken far too much in these dark years. I was beginning to believe that a stand had to be taken.

[s'Il]

Folding her hands in her lap, the Lupine let her eye fall. Her voice was just above a whisper.

"And what if I lose you... "

[Zem-El Vymes]

It was pointless to resist her counterpoint. I looked to her, and then away.

"The danger is so close. It's more than just us. We're a knife edge away from Oblivion. I haven't felt a glimmer of light since we were with Tam, and there's no telling how close the Jedi fire is from being extinguished everywhere in the universe.

We stand better odds together, perhaps. But we also stand to lose far more than just our lives if we fail."

[s'Il]

He was right, and she knew it. Despite all that they had endured, and what they felt for each other now, they had to be mindful of their own survival; whether it be one or both.

It did not mean however, that her heart could not ache for him and his decision.

"If that is what must be done, than very well."

She laid a tender hand on his cheek, and turned his head so that their eyes locked.

"There may be no light to feel just yet, but what we are in the middle of right now - I feel that those who survived are only obscured from each other by the dark. We might not be able to sense them, but they aren't gone. And until we can feel them again... "

The Lupine gave him a gentle smile, remembering his words on Hoth, "I find renewel every day, and you are such a large part of it."

[Zem-El Vymes]

"And you know that is true for me as well."

We leaned on each other so much, and I was starting to believe that our love, as much as the Force, had a hand in our survival and endurance in this insanity.

Feeling more at ease, I crawled back onto the bed, and once more laid down, beckoning her to do the same. I smiled at her as she did, longing for her company and a night in her arms. I needed to know that there was a truth out there beyond my dream, and she was my shelter.

[s'Il]

* * *

The rumble of a hovertank making its' way down the road outside heralded the coming of morning, and s'Il gave a slight groan. She was still very tired to be sure; a sign that her body was still working to heal her wound.

Propping herself up on an elbow, the Lupine stared at Zem's face as he still slept. It was peaceful, unfettered by any returning nightmares, and the normal lines at the edges of his eyes seemed less severe.

A hand went out then, to smooth down an unruly lock of hair.

[Zem-El Vymes]

My eyes opened slowly, and I was relieved that I had indeed spent the rest of the night in peace. I looked at my partner, and smiled an easy smile, as if there was nothing else that mattered.

"I feel like I've slept for twenty hours."

Sighing, I drew my head up just enough to tuck my hands behind it, all the while smiling at her as she played with my hair.

[s'Il]

"Well, at least one of us does," she smiled back.

Even if she had slept for far longer, she would've still woken up exhausted; such was the drawback of the Lupine ability to heal quickly. She suspected though, that the slower than normal rate coupled with her tiredness (despite a sufficient enough rest), was due to the silver introduced to her system. It seemed that the type of injury she'd taken was a bit more than simply an accidental brush with the detestable metal.

"What happens today," she asked idly, wrapping one of the longer strands of his hair around her index finger.

[Zem-El Vymes]

"That depends on you. How are you feeling?"

Dan and I had come to the consensus that s'Il needed to deal with her injury on her own time, and I didn't want to rush her. On the other hand, she'd feel it patronizing if I coddled her. I had been briefed on a mission that I had the option to lead today, and I hadn't really pressed the subject with her. Our time was better spent on other things, and I wanted to take full use of it.

[s'Il]

She unwound her finger and smoothed his hair flat before sitting up. Her body was still somewhat thinner than normal, as it had taken to consuming its' own available resources to heal her. Of course, in the first five days following the fight with the Sith, s'Il had sullenly refused the meals given to her. It was Zem who'd ordered her to eat, and grudgingly pulling herself out of her deppression, the Lupine had started to take in her meals once more.

Stll however, it seemed that her bones were a bit more pronounced.

Her back to him, the half-moons of her brand were easily visible between locks of hair.

"I'm still tired," was her admission.

[Zem-El Vymes]

"Rest."

I leaned in and snuck a kiss.

"Let me take care of breakfast."

I fancied myself a bit of a cook, and this lull in action had allowed me to express a genteel side of my life that otherwise didn't come out. It also helped that s'Il was finally eating. She still looked gaunt, but it was almost not noticeable at this point.

"What do you feel like?"

[s'Il]

A grin, and she returned his kiss with one of her own while grabbing hold of his hand in a tight grip.

Breakfast was certainly desired - at least if her stomach had any say in the matter - and in the last few mornings that he'd cooked for her, the Lupine had been able to see so much more of his nurturing side. It was calming to her, and she reciprocated with affections of her own.

"Sajoi," she started, "... and whatever it was that you made the other day. Not the grits," s'Il made a face at that, "... the other thing; I don't remember what you called it though."

[Zem-El Vymes]

I made a long face at her first request.

"How about an omelet?"

Her barbaric emulation of Cizerack culinary fare was something she could handle on her own time.

[s'Il]

s'Il thought for a moment before nodding.

"Ok, an omelette."

She would have settled for anything; well, anything except for grits.

She smoothed down a wrinkle in the comforter while giving him a sidelong look. They were still on Malastare, as the Rebels had opted to stay and help the locals in the post-battle effort of clearing away the destruction and rebuilding that which was lost.

"And you, will you be helping finish the cleanup still?"

[Zem-El Vymes]

"There's a briefing on that this morning, but after that, I've got something else lined up off-world"

I went into the kitchen and immediately got to work. Fortunately the large koro eggs made it possible to make an omelette from a single egg, and I took to my task with a whisk, stirring in a mixture of cheeses and spices as I worked the consistency.

[s'Il]

Off-world? She'd not heard of anything happening off-world; much less something that he would be participating in. Sliding from the bed, s'Il pulled one of the sheets with her and wrapped it around herself before following after Zem.

passing into the kitchen, the Lupine moved to stand to the side and out of his way.

"What is off-world?"

[Zem-El Vymes]

"The next planet, it seems."

She'd know what that meant. We'd been hopping from battleground to battleground for a while, and the Rebellion was picking up a little bit of steam lately.

I delicately poured the mix into a greased pan, turning on the heat.

"I'm not even sure which one yet."

[s'Il]

"We're leaving then?"

The Lupine knew that it wouldn't be long before they moved on, and had been mindful to keep herself in a state of readiness. Even despite the turn of recent events she knew that it would not be long until they were starting in on the next target; whatever it might have been.

She would've asked him where they were destined, but he had already admitted to having no such knowledge just yet.

"Does Dan know where?"

[Zem-El Vymes]

"I'm leaving. If you're up for it, you can come to. I didn't really want to ask until..."

I left it unsaid, as I began to cut up some assorted meats and vegetables on a cutting board.

"As for Dan, I don't think he knows. He was told to get an operator ready, and I volunteered."

[s'Il]

s'Il gave the back of his head a scrutinizing gaze, thought there was a large degree of softness to it. That he had not wished to ask her until she'd felt up to more able to be involved actively was touching in its' own way. As things were, if the Lupine was not asleep, than she was either at the med center being fussed at by physicians or with Dan if Zem was not available.

At this though, she would need a little more time to decide whether or not to accompany him, and perhaps a few questions to Dan.

She watched him idly, moving alongside and leaning against the counter.

"Do you want me to go?"

[Zem-El Vymes]

"I want you to get better."

It was a loaded response, and one that only she could answer.

I poured the diced toppings into the semi-liquid top of the omelette and spread them about with a spatula, careful not to tear the whole thing.

"It's just going to be another blue milk run anyway, I think."

[s'Il]

A snort.

"Of course I'll get better; it'll just take a little longer than normal."

Reaching out she deftly plucked one of the uncooked pieces of meat that he'd added to the pan and popped it into her mouth.

"But that doesn't realy answer my question."

[Zem-El Vymes]

She was being stubborn, which was standard. I paid her no mind as I flipped the ends of the omelette over.

"The question is all on you. Do I think I'm going into something that's going to be over my head and profound? No. Do I want to have you at my side if you're healthy enough to go? Of course. Do I want you to overextend yourself and risk getting hurt to help me? Absolutely not."

[s'Il]

"Fair enough."

She made the concession with a smirk.

Leaning a little more on the counter, the Lupine gave a look to the far wall.

"When do you leave, do you know?"

[Zem-El Vymes]

"Could be tomorrow, could be in a month. I was generally told to 'be ready', which basically means I wake up late, make big meals, and go running when I find out I have nothing else to do."

I shrugged, flipping the skillet suddenly, causing the omelette within to upend and land on the other side.

"I'm hoping somebody makes up their mind. I've tried to get a feeling of things lately, and I can't really feel a thing."

[s'Il]

His action caused her to look sharply back toward him, blinking at the omelette he'd flipped.

"Well," s'Il started, "I seem to recall someone telling me that trusting one's instincts is as solid as walking on rock; for a Jedi."

She leaned in a little closer, angling her head up to afford him a peculiar gaze.

"He looked more like a shrub back then, though."

[Zem-El Vymes]

A bit more work, and I at last slid my creation onto a plate with a spatula.

"My instincts are to sleep late, cook food, and to run."

I gave her a lopsided smile as I served her breakfast.

"It's a holding pattern, it's not a life crisis. I'm just waiting for something I guess."

[s'Il]

"I'll have to talk to Dan then," was her mumbled answer while she pulled the plate close and sniffing the aroma.

It seemed that every morning he prepared food for her brought with it a whole new range of smells that she'd never before experienced.

s'Il pulled an odd face; certainly not unsatisfied, but the look she gave him was more confused than anything else as she tried to pick apart each different scent.

"It smells... different."

[Zem-El Vymes]

I shrugged at her mention of Dan. She was entitled to, and I didn't feel like she was trying to play as my White Knight, but I didn't know how much she'd get out of him. He could be confounding in that regard.

Confronted with one of the galaxy's more finicky eaters, I paused, not sure if this was a problem or not.

"Is it okay?"

[s'Il]

Her confusion turned easily into mild concentration, as the Lupine took up a nearby fork, letting it hover over her meal for a few seconds as she tried to compensate for her new lack of depth perception.

"It might smell different, but I'm sure it's good."

The fork came down a little off to the side of where she'd intended, but s'Il was satisfied well enough, and cut away a small portion before bringing it to her mouth.

[Zem-El Vymes]

I smiled at her without another word, and went about making my own breakfast. We spent the morning in peace, in the deceptively calm shadow of a raging galactic maelstrom.

[s'Il]

~~~


The following week went by much the same as the previous; s'Il spent her days quietly in the company of either Zem or Dan, and her nights passed without incident. There was no word yet on when Zem would leave, and as the days wore on, she found herself hoping that it would never come.

It was when Zem had gone out to help the Rebels finish clearing out a demolished store front that the Lupine had made her way back to the Cizerack yacht so that she could remove her bandage. Away from the medics, she felt more at ease. Dan had gone with her, and provided his own brand of company; though the topic of their conversation turned to something that she'd not expected (http://75.126.43.122/forum/showthread.php?t=17875&page=8).

But, Dan had sworn to tell no one, and she found herself trusting his word. Still, it was a bit disconcerting that he knew. She'd hoped that by now her people would have passed completely into the realm of myth, without the presence of scholars who wiled away the hours and days trying to prove their existance. It seemed however that that was not to be; at least Dan was respectful enough about the whole matter however.



~~~


It was as she and Dan were leaving the yacht that she finally put her question to him. They had finished off the last of the Lupine liquor that she'd given to him, and s'Il found herself contently enjoying the warmth that it left in her stomach.

She stepped from the boarding ramp, waiting as Dan followed before closing it back up.

"Zem told me he volunteered for a mission."

It was a simple enough statement that opened up a world of possible responses.

[General Dan]

The air felt cool and pleasant outside. Dan hadn't realized how much he'd drank, and his skin was slightly flushed and warm. At s'Il's question, he turned his attention once more to her.

"It's a small footprint sort of thing. Alliance command wanted to use commandos, but he thought it would be easier if it was just him. I agreed."

[s'Il]

A half-nod. It was a vague answer, and to a degree unsatisfactory.

"I can't blame either of you for the decision; a Jedi has the potential to do more than commandos depending on the situation.

"And with that in mind I must ask what the nature of this 'small footprint' is."

[General Dan]

Dan dismissed any conspiratorial tip-toeing around with a chuckle and a wave of his hand.

"Nothing sinister. It's early reconaissance. We need intelligence on our next target, and having someone with a small footprint and a knack for stealth would be good for it. I just don't know where this mystery place is yet."

[s'Il]

"Reconaissance."

She mulled the word over, and what the basic intention of this mission was to entail.

"Doesn't the fact that you don't know where this is supposed to happen concern you?"

[General Dan]

Dan paused, kicking the ground with his toe slightly.

"Truth of the matter is that it does. I know the logic of it, and it's dangerous to have the leadership meet up at once, but something has to give eventually. We can't keep ducking and dodging into womp rat holes on the far flung rim, parsecs from the nearest rebel outpost. Eventually we're going to have to centralize."

[s'Il]

Being rather unfamiliar with the whole aspect of secrecy surrounding the more sensitive areas of the intelligence community, s'Il furrowed her brow while stepping carefully over a piece of durracrete that hadn't yet been cleared away.

"I'm afraid I don't see this 'logic' that you're talking about. Why not simply give you the information on this next target in the same way that you were told of the Kamino raid?"

[General Dan]

"I was inside on Kamino. For this, I'm out."

Dan took a long sigh, and shrugged halfway.

"I wouldn't get too worked up over it. I think this sort of thing is nearing the end. We're getting too big to be this scattered."

[s'Il]

"I'm not getting worked up over it," she groused.

"I'm just not used to this sort of cloak and dagger dealing."

The walked in silence for a short while longer before she went on.

"I'm thinking of going with him."

[General Dan]

Dan stopped, looking at her.

"Are you sure?"

He'd given Zem the discretion of asking her, and it seemed like he'd broken the subject. Dan would stand by her decision.

[s'Il]

He had stopped, and she came to a stop as well, though the Lupine found herself looking to the side.

"Not entirely," she admitted.

Zem's words, about their survival being so important, had weighed heavily on her and given her pause. Initially she would have preferred to accompany him, but he was right in that they needed to stay alive - the both of them or one, no matter the sobering nature of the latter thought.

s'Il scowled at the ground and reached up to scratch at the returning itch along her scar.

"Ever since this whole thing started, Zem has been saying that we have to survive no matter what happens.

"Even if that means only one of us."

She shifted in her stance, trying to explain herself a little better, and decided to simply repeat what he had said to her.

"If he and I are together, our odds at success would be better... but we would also run the risk of losing so much more."

[General Dan]

Dan sympathized with her situation and the decision that was in front of her. He placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I wish I could offer something to ease your decision."

[s'Il]

Letting out a long breath, s'Il shook her head and bit her lip in thought.

Finally, she looked up to him.

"What would you do?"

[General Dan]

"You Jedi can do so many things that I will never be able to do, but can you really predict the future? If you go, you both might die, true. But you also might die having a slip in the refresher. I don't think Jedi can really tell when their numbers are up. I don't know how a person could take knowing that."

[s'Il]

s'Il pursed her lips.

"I wouldn't look at it as predicting the future; more along the lines of considering all of the possibilities.

"Of course, that's my own personal belief. Other Jedi have their own opinions on the matter."

[General Dan]

Dan wasn't going to debate the metaphysics that he couldn't vouch for. He looked at her squarely.

"My point still stands. If you could know, we wouldn't even be having this conversation."

[s'Il]

Taken slightly aback, s'Il gave him a confused look.

"I'm not trying to argue, it's just..."

She hesitated.

"You've been doing this for longer than I have; I want your advice."

[General Dan]

"I thought I already gave it."

Dan squared himself and faced her, a knowing smile on his face.

"You could slip in the fresher and be snuffed tomorrow. He could bite it light years away, and you'd still both be gone. Despite the things you know about this universe that are leagues above my comprehension, you still don't know one way or another.

Go to him."

[s'Il]

s'Il gave a sigh a fixed him with an exasperated stare, then shook her head while turning to continue on in the direction they'd been heading.

"Well you should have said all of that to start with."

The words were grumbled, but there was no mistaking the good-natured tone.

"You need to practice speaking plainly."

[General Dan]

Dan quirked an eyebrow, and smirked.

"I would think you would read my mind. You've grown lazy as a hospital patient. Perhaps you're overdue for action after all."

[s'Il]

"Having a power doesn't necessarily mean that it must always be used," she laughed, "... and laziness has nothing to do with it."

Approaching the front doors to the hotel they'd come to call their temporary home, s'Il paused to look up at the scored and damaged placard above the doors.

"I do not pry into your thoughts out of respect for you."

[General Dan]

Dan looked at the sign as well.

"Well out of respect for that, I tried to load my response to make it obvious."

Looking back at her, he placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm just some old guy. There are about a hundred people here who could give you that advice, or better. What did Zem say?"

[s'Il]

"There are still some things that I'm not familiar with, humor being a rather large obstacle."

It was the Lupine - not the Jedi - that spoke now.

"As well, myself and Zem. I know what I want, but the fine lines of such a thing, and having to decipher words that deal with it are not exactly apparent. I'm learning though. It only takes time."

She mulled over his last question for a few moments.

"He says that it is up to me. He would like my company, but wishes for me to be well."

[General Dan]

"I always figured you for the natural comedian type."

Not familiar with humor was an understatement. She could be as dry as Ithorian hearth toast when she was determined to be aloof. Her heart was in the right place, she just wasn't natural at being a people person.

"Sounds like Zem and I are in agreement then."

[s'Il]

"It certainly does seem that way," s'Il agreed absently while stepping toward the front doors and reaching a hand out to the intricate metal handles.

Her aim was skewed however, and the Lupine missed her target. She furrowed her brow in a fit of sudden concentration.

"I suppose my aim should be practiced as well," she grumbled while fumbling a moment longer, and finally turning the handles s'Il pushed both doors open.

[General Dan]

Dan put a hand on her shoulder.

"I can give you plenty of practice for that."

He opened the flap of his retention holster and drew a blaster pistol.

"If you want. We can go down a block or two and pop some cans."

[s'Il]

Stopped short, s'Il looked back at him as she stood in the threshold of the doors. Her eye went from his face to the blaster he now held. Speechless for only the reason that his sudden invitation was unexpected, she blinked.

"... 'Pop some cans'?"

[General Dan]

Dan had to wonder if he had stuttered.

"And here I was thinking that every kid had a rite of passage involving plinking cans off fence posts. I suppose I'll also have to give you your first ride on a hoverbike too."

[s'Il]

Now what in the world was he going on about?

Her confusion was now written plainly across her features as she tried to fit in what he described as a rite of passage with her own understandings of such things. It wasn't working quite so well.

"The only rite of passage that I am familiar with is recieving the House Brand."

Of course, he would know what she was talking about, but it still remained that while he was somewhat familiar with the 'myth' of the Lupines, she was still woefully unable to comprehend the smaller points of human interaction.

[General Dan]

Dan looked at her as if she had gorgs coming out of her ears. He had to remember that she'd lived almost all of her life in one of the least known-about civilizations in the galaxy, and that she likely would know little about the rest of the planets. That said, perhaps he'd assumed too much.

"Right, I keep forgetting."

He smiled, flipping the pistol about so that the grip was extended to her.

"Well, I figured you'd seen enough of the Outer Rim in the Clone Wars, but I'll give you a crash course into my, er, more rustic upbringing."

[s'Il]

Rustic upbringing... not entirely what she was accustomed to, but still the Lupine was willing to indulge him if he so desired to show her how to 'pop some cans'.

s'Il extended her hand to take the blaster, but pulled up just short of it, looking at him with a ticked eyebrow.

"So soon after indulging yourself on Lupine spirits?"

[General Dan]

With a laugh, Dan again presented the pistol to s'Il.

"That's why you're shooting, not me."

[s'Il]

<"You're placing an awful lot of trust in giving a one-eyed woman a gun,"> she grinned, teasingly lapsing into Bast'yr with the knowledge that even though he wouldn't be able to understand her, it would be appreciated regardless. Dan may be a dedicated Rebel, but she suspected him to be a historical and (given his interest in Lupines) mythological junkie first and foremost. Of course, she could be wrong.

s'Il took the offered blaster finally, but kept it in a loose grip at her side.

"Very well."

Motioning with her free hand, she graciously inclined her good eye to him and her voice took on a mocking, student-like tone.

"Lead the way, Mr. ... " A pause, and an odd look as she ran through her memory. Her lips parted in minor confusion at the blank she was strangely drawing in her mind. She blinked.

"... I don't know your last name."

[General Dan]

"I intend on keeping it that way."

Dan smiled in such a way that it was impossible to derive anything from his expression. He was a doggedly private person at times.

On their way, Dan paused here and there, picking up a few junk cans and other assorted bits of rubbish. She'd spoken to him in a language he did not understand, which he wondered if it was Bast'yr.

"Is that Bast'yr?"

[s'Il]

She was slightly rankled at his answer, but chose to say nothing of his refusal aside from an uninteligable grumbling.

Watching idly as Dan gathered up bits and pieces of whatever he could lay his hands on, she ambled along at his side.

"It is," was her simple reply.

"Seeing as your mythology books had such a different account of our end, I have to wonder if they ordered the letter tables correctly; if they even had them, that is."

[General Dan]

"The only real thing known is that it's loosely related to ancient Corellian dialects, but no, there's never been anything conclusive."

Dan wondered if she would be even more forthcoming about her native tongue as they both approached a rubble-strewn spillway, far enough from others to not cause a fuss. He walked ahead of her, setting up a few bigger slabs of duracrete, and putting the makeshift targets on top.

[s'Il]

Still not entirely sure what to think of all this, s'Il stayed behind, watching him. It was easy to tell by the look in his eyes that he wanted more knowledge of Bast'yr, but the Lupine was more than happy to give no more; if he wanted to know anything else, he'd have to ask.

"I still don't understand how shooting rubble and trash is supposed to be a rite of passage," she called to him.

[General Dan]

"The Outer Rim has always been a bit lawless. Whether you're besting nature or a bandit, a man's always found solace in knowing how to shoot."

Dan shrugged, aware he was starting to sound a bit too philosophical.

"That, and there's almost nothing to do out there at times."

[s'Il]

She canted her head to the side.

"And did you teach shooting as well as mythology?"

[General Dan]

Oh, the keen blade of wit. Dan chuckled at the smart-aleck.

"I guess the closest you could say is that it was a non-credit extracurricular activity."

Of course he did no such thing as a teacher, but she knew that well enough. Squaring away his shoulders to face the target, he gestured at it.

[s'Il]

Turning to look from him to the myriad of cans he'd set up, s'Il lifted the blaster up. She sighted down the barrel, but without her right eye it seemed awkward. A few moments of quiet as she compensated, and she pulled the trigger.

The bolt missed one of the cans by at least six inches, causing her to pull a most unsatisfied face.

[General Dan]

"Don't worry about lining the posts up. Get that front post on the target and face your target square. Your body will fall in line, and you'll ease the rear posts to line up. You're going to have to learn to make your left eye dominant. Try the same thing, but left handed."

[s'Il]

A slight frown, and s'Il switched the blaster to her left hand. It felt awkward.

"I feel like I'm having to memorize all of the Houses all over again," she grumbled while lifting the weapon up once more.

[General Dan]

"Before you learn to walk, you learn to crawl."

Dan reminded her in a reassuring tone, gently putting a hand at her back.

"Keep your weight slightly forward. Attack the target, don't let it attack you."

[s'Il]

His words caused the Lupine to step forward away from his touch, lowering the blaster to point at the ground while in the same motion turning on her heel.

"I can't do that," she spoke, slightly flustered.

Her misunderstanding of Dan's choice of words showed how well Zem's teachings of never giving the first strike had taken firm root in her sensibilities; over even, the Form VII that she'd recieved from Master Windu.

[General Dan]

Dan looked confused.

"Can't do what?"

[s'Il]

"Attack first."

It was easy to tell that she was still a bit confounded.

"I can't do that, I was taught not to."

[General Dan]

Dan had to remember that he had to filter whatever he was teaching through her Jedi brain.

"It's a figure of speech, mostly. What I mean is that you want to keep your weight forward, toward what you shoot. This makes you more sturdy and helps reduce the chance of you getting off balance through recoil."

[s'Il]

s'Il blinked, suddenly feeling more than a bit foolish at having misunderstood him.

"Oh."

Returning to her previous position, she lifted the blaster once more in her left hand, leaning forward only slightly. After another moment's hesitation, she fired once more, the bolt grazing the intended can along the side.

[General Dan]

"Better."

Dan encouraged her in a warm tone, , and stood at her side.

"Now, try bracing your left hand with your right. Grip right over your knuckles."

Half of the problem was getting her brain to re-learn the stuff that she knew by muscle memory in reverse. Sometimes it was as simple as just being reminded of it, and appreciated the spatial differences.

[s'Il]

She obeyed wordlessly, doing as he instructed. Her right hand steadied the blaster well enough and she shifted her aim only slightly to the side. Her head tilted to one side, and the Lupine narrowed her eyes as she concentrated on holding the weapon as still as possible.

She could see the barrel move ever so slightly in concert with her own body's slight movements, and she found herself compensating, squeezing the trigger just before the sights lines up with her target.

The can flipped from its' perch, but aside from a bemused hmph, s'Il gave no other outward appearance of being satisfied with herself.

[General Dan]

"That's good. Now, go for the next two."

Dan watched her, making sure her fundamentals were sound. She'd get better with lining up the sights, and after a little practice it would be a fast movement again.

[s'Il]

Again she did as instructed, grazing the next can which teetered for a few seconds before it fell to the dusty ground. The second she missed by only a few centimeters.

She lowered the blaster to stare oddly at the missed target.

Pursing her lips, she turned to look at Dan.

"And you used to do this to pass the time?"

[General Dan]

Dan smiled.

"This was the definition of an exciting weekend for some. What can I say? You come from a planet with a few hundred people and a bunch of nerf farms, and it happens."

[s'Il]

Was the Outer Rim truly such a dull place at times? Of course, she had enjoyed the peaceful existance that she'd shared with Zem on the planet that they had called home for a year.

"What planet might that be, so that I will know to stop by in the future?"

[General Dan]

There was no harm in telling, so Dan did.

"Duravant. Don't worry, it's far enough off of most trade routes that I doubt you'd ever come across it."

[s'Il]

She'd never heard of it, but that mattered little. Curious more now about his home planet than the cans that still sat a distance away, she asked another question.

"Were there really only a hundred people there?"

It seemed odd that so few people would inhabit an entire world.

"What about sentient indiginous life?"

[General Dan]

"A couple of hundred. Don't play fast and loose."

Dan cautioned with a look of feigned injury.

"It was a clod in space. Grass, dirt, a few trees. Somebody came along maybe a hundred or two years ago, and got a notion to put some livestock down there."

[s'Il]

She lofted an eyebrow at his act.

"So you were a rancher as well as a teacher?"

[General Dan]

"I had to go elsewhere to be a teacher. But that's where I grew up."

Dan crossed his arms, looking up at the sky as he squinted.

"Most people out there don't stay. You get to be a young adult, and most become tumbleweeds, ending up somewhere in the Rim. Some do stay, but most leave."

[s'Il]

Digesting his words, s'Il followed his gaze upwards, wondering if he was watching something in particular. She could discern nothing, and so turned her attention once more to him.

"Galactic Anthropology and Mythology sounds a bit heavy for younger grades. Did you teach at a university?"

[General Dan]

Dan nodded.

"I doubt it would have rivalled any Core learning academy, but I was tenured on Sesimus. You probably don't know it either, but it's at least respectable."

[s'Il]

Indeed she'd never heard of it, but there were many planets that she'd never heard of.

"Was it always mythology that you taught?"

She had to wonder just how long he'd spent in that particular field, to be able to recognize the ruins on Schwartzweld as having been Lupine in origin.

[General Dan]

"I taught that, as well as Outer Rim history and archeology."

He paced over to the post, and stooped down to pick the can up, seating it on its spot again.

"Not all at once, though."

[s'Il]

Turning on her heel to watch as he made his way 'down range', the Lupine looked down to the blaster she still held. He seemed very history-centric, having taught so many related subjects.

With all of that in mind, s'Il had to wonder why he did not immediately approach her while they were still on Schwartzweld. But then, it also made sense that the suffering he had endured and his loss overrode any such curiosity.

"And your wife? Did you meet her there, on Sesimus?"

[General Dan]

Dan paused, holding his breath a bit. He exhaled slowly, and looked to her.

"Yeah, actually. Met her as an intern. We were both so young."

[s'Il]

It wasn't a hard thing to see his reaction, and s'Il paused for a moment, rethinking her words. In immediate hindsight they had been far too forward, as the only other time she'd asked about his wife had been before the Kamino raid; even then he'd not seemed keen on extensive talk of the subject.

Mind racing, she tried to think of something appropriate to follow with, but only managed to vocalize the question that she'd been wanting to ask since Kamino.

"What was her name?"

[General Dan]

For a moment, Dan was silent. He pivoted the toe of a boot in the dirt, shifting it to the sides and making a small hole.

"Nena."

[s'Il]

Quite aware of his actions being due to her own questions, s'Il blinked. She had expressed her condolonces many times over in the past, and felt that saying 'sorry' was merely a kneejerk reaction on her part by now. However, instead of stopping, the Lupine pressed on.

"What was she an intern for?"

[General Dan]

Dan got a faraway look as he dredged up his past memories.

"She was in outer rim history, like myself. We did a bit of work in our first year and hit it off toward the end."

[s'Il]

"You said that you'd only just been married before... "

She left the remainder of her sentence unsaid, choosing to go on.

"Did you wish to not be married so soon?"

[General Dan]

"There was always this notion that eventually, one of our careers would take one of us away. We were always close, but we didn't decide to marry until we realized that we were both in a position to settle together."

Dan sighed, and shrugged.

"I think sometimes about what would happen if I got a job on Coruscant, or she did. She'd be alive, but would she be happy?"

[s'Il]

"I'm sure that if you thought hard enough about it, you would know the answer."

She rubbed her forehead, mindful of the mostly healed scar.

"Will you continue to grieve then? Or will you go on to another."

[General Dan]

Dan closed his eyes.

"I really don't want to think about that right now."

[s'Il]

She nodded in understanding, letting her gaze fall to the rubble-strewn ground for a few moments. Reaching out then, s'Il took him by the wrist, turning his his hand so that his palm faced skyward. She placed the blaster gently in his grasp.

"You'll have to think about it at some point," she started, stepping away.

"Your soul will wither if you do not. From what you have told me of her, she would want you to be happy; not pine away for 'what might have happened'."

[General Dan]

"That's true."

Dan reluctantly reholstered his weapon. He had imagined she would do more shooting, but she seemed to tire of it.

"I guess I'm just not ready myself. Whether it's this war, or whatever. I can't think about what it was like to live in peace."

[s'Il]

"The Force moves where it will, and takes us where it chooses. You can't wait for peace to bring you anyone; if you do that then you will likely be waiting for a very long time. You simply must be ready and mindful. A conflict such as this war can destroy a person, whether it be through continued grief or relentless vengeance for something taken.

"But it can also expose something in one that you had not seen previously."

Turning on her heel to look back the way they had come, s'Il shoved her hands into the pockets of her pants.

"War and peace are only the stage. It is up to us to tell the stories on that stage."

[General Dan]

Dan didn't have anything to say to that, aside from a ponderous "Hrm."

He followed her along, thinking about what she said. Suddenly he wondered if she was referring to somebody specifically when she mentioned seeing something in another you hadn't seen before.

[s'Il]

s'Il slowed as they walked to allow him to step in beside her. She lifted her head to test the air; it smelled dry almost, faint tinges of smoke still weaving throughout.

In the quiet between them, the Lupine let herself meander without any real direction in mind. What she had said had surprised even herself, and made her think of Zem; if not for the Purge and this war, would they have come to know one another as they did now?