STAR WARS: Gray Jedi

Chapter 15

HYPERSPACE. THE NIGHTHAWK.

Bozin laid in the final sequencing coordinates to Tormir on the nav-computer and switched The Nighthawk to auto-pilot. He slumped back in his chair, exhaling as he did so. He pinched the middle of his eyebrows between his fingers and rubbed the bridge of his nose, the onset of exhaustion reeling in. Destin entered the cockpit and sat in the co-pilot's chair.

"How's Neema doing?" he asked Destin.

"She's hanging in there," Destin exhaled, "but she took one hell of a beating."

"She's tough. She'll make it through."

Destin nodded his head, uncertain and with a guilty look on his face. Bozin believed Neema would be fine. She was strong and stubborn. This wouldn't be the first time he'd see her recover from unconsciousness. Still, Bozin's nerves never calmed anytime it happened. Sure, Neema could be abrasive, but they're time together still meant something to him. He never enjoyed seeing someone he cared about get hurt. He'd like to think Neema would feel the same way if something happened to him. He often hoped, despite getting on her nerves, that his wittiness and loyalty softened her at least a little bit.

"Hey...thanks," he said, trying to make Destin feel better.

"Of course," Destin acknowledged.

Bozin turned in his seat, spotting Neema laying down on the bunk in the main quarters of the ship. She laid on her side, her back facing them.

"So..." Bozin began, trying to steer the conversation to a topic he was most eager to explore, "You're a..."

Destin looked at Bozin, waiting for him to complete his sentence.

"You know..." Bozin continued, "you're a...I mean...are you?

"Am I, what?" Destin said with a raised eyebrow.

Seeing the hint wasn't coming across, Bozin decided to ask outright. He leaned in and whispered as if someone were listening in on their conversation. 

"Are you a Jedi?"

Destin crossed his arms and smiled.

"I saw you with your laser sword back there," Bozin said. "It was pretty awesome."

Destin gave a slight chuckle.

"So...you are?" Bozin smirked, hoping for the answer he wanted.

"Yeah..." Destin answered. "I guess. I mean...sort of. It's complicated."

Bozin's eyes widened. "Wow. That's just...Wow! I'm sorry. I just...I've only heard stories about the Jedi. I thought all they were all supposed to be dead." He paused. "Hey. Can you...you know...make things, like, float in the air and stuff?"

Destin looked at him, grinning slightly. Bozin watched as Destin's gaze focused onto one of his pilot wrenches sitting on the dash between them. It slowly lifted into the air, suspended as if in zero gravity.

Bozin's jaw dropped. "Awesome," he said.

 Destin gently floated the pilot's tool back down.

"Look, Bozin," Destin said, "I think it's best we keep this between ourselves. I really wasn't supposed to do what I did back there. The more people who know about me, the more dangerous it will be – the more people will come after us, I mean."

Bozin tried to collect himself. "Right. Got it. Consider me a steel trap. But..if you don't mind me asking, if you're so worried about people knowing about you, why risk exposing yourself back there. I mean, I'm not trying to sound ungrateful or anything but..."

"I don't know," Destin replied. "It's just...when I saw him - Maas I mean - I just lost it. Like I couldn't control myself."

"Maas...right." The mood went sullen. "He was the one who took your sister, right?"

"Yeah...when the First Order invaded my planet."

"Which one was that?"

"Nag Ubdur."

"That was one of the systems that got the worst of it. I'm sorry, bud." 

Bozin made sure to sound as consoling as possible. He remembered hearing stories of the first First Order invasions in the outer systems as a cadet in the academy. Supposedly, remnants of the late Galactic Empire had fled to the Unknown Regions after the destruction of the second Death Star and the death of Emperor Palpatine. It was said that it was there that they regrouped to slowly rebuild themselves, but nobody could've known just how powerful they had grown until they finally revealed themselves, slowly invading the systems of the Outer Rim and those invasions were never pretty. 

"It's ok," Destin said.

Bozin could see him trying to shrug off the painful memory. 

"Besides," Destin continued, "something tells me I'll get another crack at him. He hasn't seen the last of me." He paused, and turned the conversation round. "So, where exactly are we going?" he asked.

"Tormir," Bozin replied. "It's a backwater planet that the First Order doesn't really care for so we shouldn't have to worry about being spotted; and there's a doctor friend there who can help Neema. She knows we're coming. Get ready. I'm gonna bring us out of light speed."

Bozin slipped The Nighthawk out of light speed and the elongated stars outside the cockpit's windshield return to their normal appearance as the planet Tormir came into view. Bozin flew the ship towards the planet and began entering the atmosphere. He only hoped they'd be safe here, if even for a while.