BALANCE | A Star Wars story

LXI

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The force is neither light nor dark,
master nor slave; but a balance between extremes.

-Lanoree Brock
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Days have passed since Arden and I's date, we are currently sat in the cockpit on the way to Anthan Prime. Arden needed money to fulfil his promise of getting Naz a bigger bar, money we didn't have because he never got his bounty. So to counter this problem I may of raided the Jedi vaults.... It's fine they don't need it anymore and most of the credits were going to go towards the new order anyway.

The blue streaks of hyperspace swirl together creating a peaceful atmosphere and I feel myself dropping off to sleep, for once I welcome sleep instead of fearing it. Nightmares still plague me from time to time but I know who I am now, that kriffing red wall will never haunt me again.

Arden wakes me a while later from my slumber telling we that we have arrived on the Spire, I grab my blaster and my coat. I have no lightsaber anymore, I don't know what happened to Lysa's and I left my red one on Zakuul and the guards one on Coruscant. I make a mental note to visit Illum at some point in the near future, maybe after I've been to Zonama Sekot.

We walk through the Spire hand in hand, I'm pressed close to his side and he buys me a Coruscant waffle as we pass that same stand we did all those months ago. It's weird to think about how everything has changed since then. We aren't the same people we use to be and that's a good thing. We've both come so far, I'm proud of us.

When we reach Nazaga's hidden bar, Netlin allows us in without a second thought. Netlin calls for Naz and they come out of their room smiling slightly.

"For a moment, I thought you'd forgotten." They say smirking as they hold up Arden's chain. "I'd say I'm surprised you're still here," they say at me "but I'm really not."

"Erm thank you?" I say confused.

"Your welcome," they smirk before turning back to Arden. By now the few people in the bar have gone silent, watching the interaction. "I knew you'd find someone to put up with your Bantha crap eventually."

"Ha ha," he laughs sarcastically before pulling out the bag of credits. "Here's your money, I'm sure you can buy yourself a new bar."

"Was your mission a success then?"

"Not in the way I thought it would be but yes, yes it was." Arden says, his eyes flicking to me.

"I'm glad, would you like a drink?" Naz asks, "on the house."

We spend the next few hours at Naz's bar, we fill them in on what happened since we were last there. Netlin joins in our conversation at one point and him and Arden begin messing about having arm wrestles and drinking competitions, both of which Netlin wins easily. Naz and I just sit there laughing at them, taking swigs from our drinks occasionally.

When Arden is beginning to get drunk I put a stop to all the games, saying that I don't want to drag his intoxicated body all the way back to the ship. They all boo but comply, thankfully Arden still has his wits about him and isn't as drunk as I thought but still it's time to go.

Arden and Netlin hug in parting and he promises to come back and see the new bar when it's ready, then he goes to Naz who smiles before bringing him in for a hug. She whispers something in his ear that I barely catch as;

"I forgive you."

They pull back from each other and Arden turns to go but Naz calls him back.