The Wolf Pack

Chapter 75

"Well I would say you blew through them like a damn barrel but then everyone here would rightfully call me a liar, son"

Soap never thought he would hear a familiar voice ever again, but even before he rounded the corner of the hallway he knew who the voice belonged to.

Captain John Price was seated around a fire humorously chatting with the people around him and reminiscing on their most recent escape. He still had his old gear on, and his hat firmly on top of his head. The harsh Ryloth sun had made his face a field of freckles, and he looked a little worse for wear, but he was alive, breathing and in full possession of all of his limbs. Soap would have jumped the man if he hadn't known for a fact it would only end in a broken neck.

"Good to know you still call all of your subordinates 'son', Captain" Soap's voice boomed across the cave and got everyone's attention.

Captain John Price did not look up immediately, almost scared that the heavily accented familiar voice was a mere trick of his mind. But when he did look up, he nearly forgot himself with how fast he stood up. Sergeant John Mctavish was wearing odd clothing, but he still had all of his old gear and a rather weathered looking Scottish flag attached to the middle of his bulletproof vest. Not that the vest would do any good against blaster fire, but it was better than no armor at all.

Nothing was said for a few moments, and the cave was deadly silent as Price stormed towards Soap and embraced him in a fierce hug.

"It is good to see you, Johnny."

Kriari didn't need to feel the Force around her to know the amount of emotional discipline it took the man not to express his relief even further. She didn't need the Force to see how Price forced himself to release John. This was a man that had believed himself to be alone, probably for the rest of his life, away from everyone and everything he knew. The galaxy could be a scary place when you first realized how big it really was.

"Good to see you too, Captain." answered John honestly before turning to us.

The room went back to their previous conversations as Soap turned to introduce us to his superior officer and friend, John Price.

"Captain, this is Art, a former Clone trooper for the Republic, and This is Commander Kriari Foreas, who is now taking a break from her duties to help me find the rest of our task force."

Kriari could feel how Price was considering her differently when he was made aware of her rank, she couldn't really blame him, he had not been the first to doubt or underestimate her, and he wouldn't be the last.

"How did you get the GAR to lend you one of their precious Commanders to help you look for us?" asked Price with the right amount of skepticism "From what I've heard they are nearly wizards and priceless to the war effort..."

"Well, when your precious Commander tries to end their own life, you make allowances" Answer Kriari coldly.

She was done hiding, done pretending not to be a fighter at heart, done trying to be perfect and polite and politically correct. She had been told to suppress her identity her entire life. She had been taught not to show or feel "negative" emotions since she could remember. She was done. From now on, all introductions were on her terms. All doubts about her ability would be pointed out and shut down. She knew who she was, she had tried denying herself and it had not worked. She was now going to be unapologetically herself, and if that meant upsetting other people's sensibilities, then so be it.

"Not much of a Leader if you go that route..."

"You try dealing with religious trauma and suppressing yourself your entire life and be put in charge of other people's lives at the ripe age of 17, Captain" Kriari answered icily.