【ｍｉｓｓ ｔｈｅ ｍａｒｋ】| Crosshair x OC (BOOK 1 of the CHANGING WAVES series)

46 | Mentors

22 BBY, Month 9

Rylann

After a week on Coruscant, Rylann hoped she'd be back in the groove for training, but all she could think about was how much she missed training with Shaak Ti and the Batch. She felt like she was actually getting somewhere when she trained with them. Now, it just felt like she was going over the same content, not doing anything.

Sweat poured down Rylann's face and neck as she let out a shaky breath. Holding a ship in the air with the force was harder than it looked. Especially when it had been an hour. Her eyes had been closed for at least fifteen minutes, trying to regain the focus she had a while back. And now, she could feel the ship slipping from the force grip.

"Frustrated, you are," Yoda said, shocking her from her thoughts.

Rylann peeked open on eye, straining to hold the ship up with her mind, her hands falling to her side as the ship dropped onto the hangar floor with a crunch. "Yeah, I am," she muttered, pulling her sweat cloth from her back pocket, wiping her face off. "I have been doing the same training exercises for the past week and nothing is changing. I'm not getting any better."

Yoda laughed, leaning on his staff. "Say that you should improve, I did not. Keep your muscles trained, you must."

Rylann sighed, using the force to bring her water bottle to her. "Good to know," she said before taking a swig.

Yoda eyes her curiously. "Enjoy using the force, do you?"

Rylann shrugged, letting the water bottle in her hand fall to her side. "I guess it's the only thing that has really come naturally to me."

"A great potential and strength in the force, I see in you," Yoda stated, wobbling past her, moving the ship across the hangar floor with a flick of his wrist. "Meet with Windu for lightsaber training, you must now."

Rylann groaned. "Ugh, he hates me."

"Mislead, he is." Yoda turned to face her as he entered the elevator. "Prove him wrong, you should."

The elevator door closed, leaving Rylann alone in the hangar. She often felt that way on Coruscant. Alone and useless. She also wished she'd had more time with Ahsoka, but about as soon as they arrived on Coruscant, they were called away to an emergency on Rishi. And then, with all the new Corellian recruits stationed with their own legions, Rylann didn't have a job to do. Her only duty was to train all day and night.

【 ⌖ 】

Crosshair

The flight to Reannor City was quick thanks to Crosshair's reckless flying. Luckily, there was no traffic overseas at 10 o'clock at night, or else there surely would've been a wreck.

Once Reannor City was within his sights, Crosshair slowed the ship down, trying to dispel the memories of the last time he had been here with Rylann. Their conversation was enlightening and confusing at the same time. He just needed to spit it out and tell her.

Before it was too late.

After parking the shuttle, he descended the ramp only to be greeted by Sil who was walking out of the door, her Mandalorian helmet under her arm.

"Hon, I'm glad I caught you. I was just about to fly out," Sil said, pulling the tall young man into a hug. She examined him at an arm's length, a smile growing on her lips. "What brings you here?"

"I was hoping to check on Zeta and ask for some advice," Crosshair said, mumbling the last part.

Sil's face contorted in understanding. "Zeta is doing okay. And is this about that girl?" She took a step back, crossing her arms. "Did she break your heart?"

Crosshair shook his head. "No, she was sent away against her will."

A sad look crossed her face. "I'm sorry, hon."

"It's okay," he muttered. "Where are you going?"

"I have a new mission," she said, pointing to her helmet. "Coruscant."

"So, it's not undercover this time?" he asked, freezing. "Did you say Coruscant?"

Sil chuckled. "Alright, I can delay an hour or two." She placed an arm around his shoulder. "We need to talk about all of this and maybe I can find a way to smuggle you and your brothers to go see your girlfriend."

Crosshair flushed, flinching as they entered the city. "She's not my girlfriend—"

"Yet." Sil sent him a wink. "Let's go see Zeta."

【 ⌖ 】

Sil should've warned him. Zeta was not okay. He looked miserable. His once auburn hair had started to grey, his cheeks sinking into his skull. He looked sickly. He looked old.

"Snipes, so good to see you," Zeta exclaimed, wheeling himself over. He was in a wheelchair? Now two of the Proto-Clones were in wheelchairs. That made Crosshair's stomach sick.

"Good to be here, Z," he said, looking around the still-messy study. "How's your project going?"

"Oh, you mean finding a cure?" Zeta asked, dryly laughing. "I fear I am worse off in finding it than before. I've opened too many doors of possibilities. Too many ideas to track down."

Crosshair frowned. "I don't know if Rylann has looked into anything more, but I can ask her when I call her tonight."

Zeta smiled, looking between him and Sil who sat herself on the desk, absentmindedly scooting aside the book she almost sat on. Zeta grinned. "Any news on your girl?"

"She has been removed to Coruscant to finish her training there," Crosshair said, plopping down in Zeta's old leather chair. "I think one of the Council members doesn't like her very much so he just took her away."

"That's unfortunate," Zeta said, tapping his wrinkled chin. "What do you think will happen now?"

"Well, I'm going to have to wait until after her graduation to see her," Crosshair said.

Sil perked up. "When is that?"

"The end of the tenth month."

A smile grew on Sil's lips as she scratched her chin. "So she'll be back here after the new year?"

"I guess." Crosshair shrugged. He really hadn't thought out the details except for the fact he was mad this was all happening.

"I think I can take the lot of you up there with me." Sil grinned, standing up to pop her knuckles. "I need a large team to infiltrate a factory and I didn't want to have to hire randos."

Hope surged within Crosshair. He would see her soon. "When do we leave?"

Sil smirked, picking up her helmet to place under her arm. "Well, it all depends on how fast you and the boys can pack."