22 BBY, Month 9
Shaak Ti
"Shaak Ti!" came Kenobi's breathless voice as footsteps pounded down the marbled halls of the Jedi Temple. Shaak Ti brushed off a memory that was very much like this one. A memory of a much younger Obi-Wan rushing to greet her with news, running through the halls without a care in the world.
Shaak Ti turned, facing her old friend, her hands hidden within her sleeves. "What is it?" she asked, sighing. "I really must be leaving for Kamino."
"I don't think you're going to want to go to Kamino," Kenobi replied, slowing his jog to a stop in front of her. He leaned on his legs, panting for breath. "Your padawan. She has been drugged."
Shaak Ti's heart plummeted in her chest. "Rylann?"
"She would probably be gone or dead if it hadn't been for that one friend of hers."
Crosshair, Shaak Ti thought immediately. She didn't know how he was able to save her when he was supposed to be on Kamino, but she didn't care at the moment. "Take me to her."
Without a hesitation, Kenobi brought Shaak Ti to the medical bay at the GAR headquarters. The whole shuttle drive there, Shaak Ti was restless. She just wanted to figure out what was going on with her padawan. All she was able to get from Obi-Wan was that she was drugged while fighting some Mandalorian. Crosshair intervened right before she was knocked unconscious. She was still unresponsive.
Before long, they reached Rylann's bedside and fear shot through Shaak Ti's body. It hurt to see Rylann there on the bed, her hair sprawled out in knots, eyes closed, and hooked up to monitors. Shaak Ti knew one day Rylann would be thrust into some battle and get injured—or worse—but to actually see her like that when she was supposed to be safe on Coruscant sent chills throughout her body. It was wrong. So wrong for anyone to expect children to fight in wars.
At Rylann's side was Crosshair, asleep in a chair. He was leaning back in the chair, arms crossed over his chest, but drool slid down his chin as quiet snores rumbled throughout his body. He had stayed for her. Shaak Ti's heart panged in remembrance of how many times she would wait for Kenobi to recover from a mission or vice versa when they were younger. Shaak Ti's eyes flitted over to Obi-Wan who stood at the door, stroking his facial hair in thought.
"The doctors had said she should awake soon," Kenobi said, stepping into the room to make his way to Shaak Ti's side. "But they did say that the drug is unknown so they don't know the full side effects, if there are any, once she awakes."
Shaak Ti nodded. "I understand." She gulped back the lump in her throat as she neared the bed to get away from Kenobi looming over her shoulder. She brushed the sweaty strands of hair out of Rylann's face, hoping that her rest was peaceful.
"It's all connected," said Crosshair, who was apparently awake now, though he remained in the same position.
Shaak Ti's eyes flickered up to his. "Excuse me?"
"My mission, her assassination attempt," Crosshair explained, leaning forward as he made eye contact with Shaak Ti.
"Assassination attempt?" she asked, heart fluttering anxiously. What has Rylann gotten herself into?
"What mission, soldier?" Kenobi asked, stepping closer as he crossed his arms over his chest.
Crosshair scratched the back of his head. "Sil—uh, Epsilon of the Proto-Clones had a mission here and she had us help her." He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "It was supposed to just be a quick excursion to find out who was buying bombs from some smugglers, but it happened to be the same group of crazies we dealt with on Mandalore."
"Death Watch," Kenobi muttered, once again stroking his beard.
Shaak Ti crossed her arms. "But what did they want with Rylann?"
"Some sort of file she was trying to access." Crosshair shrugged. "But, I don't know the full story. I saw that they were after her and disbanded from my group to stop the Watcher. He had drugged her and I barely had time to shoot him before she passed out in my arms."
"Thank you for being so quick to jump to help," Shaak Ti said, truly thanking the Maker that providence brought Crosshair in the nick of time. "You and your brothers are good soldiers."
Crosshair nodded, eyes drifting back to Rylann. "She was supposed to be safe here."
"I agree," Shaak Ti muttered.
"Me, too," said Obi-Wan. He placed his hands on his hips, very reminiscent of Qui-Gon. "I think this calls for a meeting with the council."
Shaak Ti blinked. "You do?"
Kenobi nodded, his eyes meeting hers as sympathy shot across them. "Your padawan must have stumbled upon something important. She must be protected."
Shaak Ti nodded slowly, mulling over his words. What sort of files did Rylann access?
"Shaak Ti?" came a small, withered voice from the bed.
"Rylann! Are you alright?" Shaak Ti exclaimed, rushing to her padawan's side, kneeling on the ground. Crosshair shot up to get a better look at her.
"I—I think so," Rylann replied, holding her head, eyes squinting. "Ugh, I feel like I was hit by a shuttle bus."
Crosshair shrugged. "You were hit with a drug."
"Why?"
"We were hoping you would tell us that," Kenobi cut in, making his way over.
"Hi, Master Kenobi," Rylann said through a grimace. "And I might need a refresher."
Crosshair lifted a datapad, waving it around. "This was on you when you fell unconscious."
"The files!" Rylann exclaimed, snatching it from his hands.
"What are these?" Kenobi asked, eyes narrowing at the device in Rylann's hands.
"I went to the Archives to look for some data on clone aging and found some other things," Rylann said, shooting a wide-eyed look at Shaak Ti. She knew what it meant. I'll tell you later.
"Kenobi, don't we have a meeting to attend?" Shaak Ti asked, standing upright to be face-to-face with the general, a smile plastered onto her face.
He backed away, clearing his throat. "I guess so," he replied, stepping aside for her. "After you."
【 ⌖ 】
Rylann
Rylann couldn't believe her luck. Not only was her graduation only less than a month away, but Shaak Ti would be staying on Coruscant to be with her during the process. Not to mention, her master had convinced the council to let the Bad Batch stay with her as her protection until the Death Watch things got cleared up. She could hardly believe it.
"I can't believe Windu agreed," Rylann stated, shaking her head at the thought. After the meeting earlier in the day, at least one of her friends was taking turns guarding her. Sometimes they all went together, while other times it was just her and one of the brothers.
This time, it was Crosshair. It was her favorite time.
"From what you've told me, it does seem that he has had it out for you," Crosshair said as they walked the darkening corridors of the Jedi Temple. Evening was falling quick and Rylann wanted to enjoy a nice stroll after her long day of jedi training for her upcoming Trials.
"Yeah, but I think that we understand each other better now," Rylann said, crossing her arms over her chest, thinking back to when she almost succumbed to the dark side while fighting Windu. It was not something she ever wanted to relive.
"What is that?" Crosshair asked, looking out the window.
Peering where he was gazing, Rylann spotted the tree in the courtyard—the one that reminded her of Omega's Genetian bonsai gift. "Cross, that's a tree," Rylann joshed, rolling her eyes as she playfully elbowed him.
He grunted, rubbing his arm. "I know it's a tree, Ryle," "I just haven't seen one up close yet."
Rylann blinked in shock. It hit her that the Batch's first time off the planet must have been Mandalore. Her fingers brushed against his hand at his side. "I didn't know. Do you want to see it?"
Crosshair's brown eyes flashed in uncertainty for a moment. "Yes. Please."
A smile wriggled its way onto Rylann's face. "Then let's go."
She walked him outside, showing him the little features of the garden and courtyard until they made their way to the other side of the tree. Rylann's favorite hideaway was to sit at the roots within the U-shaped tree and watch the sun set over Coruscant. And to relive her favorite padawan past time with Crosshair seemed like a wonderful idea.
Crosshair sat beside her, leaning back onto the bark, closing his eyes as he took a deep breath. "It's so...relaxing."
Rylann smiled. "I used to sit out here all the time and just think. Relive memories, ponder current matters, and think of the future. It was so freeing to sit in this peace and the stress would just disappear."
Crosshair's fingers intertwined with hers as he opened his eyes to look out across the scraper-silhouetted horizon. "You are so freeing."
Rylann didn't want the moment to end. Her heart swelled like the Kaminoan waves when she was around him. He was like a wave of peace that washed over her.
Crosshair sat there, meeting her gaze. She loved his brown eyes. His were darker than his brothers, but she found them all the more mesmerizing. Especially when they softened like they were now.
"Thank you for saving me earlier," Rylann blurted out, averting her gaze down to the tile pathway beside them. She looked past the path and stone railing, off into the Coruscant skyline. It was long past sunset now.
"You don't need to thank me," Crosshair whispered, voice low. Her eyes flickered back to his as he leaned forward to brush his fingers against hers in a friendly nudge. "You'd do the same."
"But without you, I wouldn't be here right now," Rylann admitted, pushing back the memories of almost dying earlier. "Please let me thank you, Cross."
Crosshair paused, not saying anything as he picked at the grass, the shadows of the leaves dancing across his face. "I can't be here without you, Rylann," Crosshair said. Finally, he looked up, something unexplainable stirring in his eyes. "You've given me something I've never had before."
"A thorn in your side?" Rylann asked lightly, a small smile tugging at her lips.
"Hope," he said intently, lip flickering up as he searched her face for some answer that she knew she couldn't say.
Rylann blushed at the thought. She wanted to look away, pretend her feelings didn't exist, but she couldn't keep lying to herself. She loved Crosshair. Deeply. First it was as a brother—a comrade. But her love for him deepened, taking root much like the tree they sat under. No words could express how she felt about him. Just a deep ache in her heart of love and gratitude and thankfulness every time she saw him.
"Say something," he asked, eyes pleading as he reached forward to take her hand. She knew she should withdraw her hand but she couldn't get herself to. His long, calloused fingers caressed hers warmly as he gave them a reassuring squeeze. "Please."
"I don't know what to say." She looked down at his hand in hers before letting out a sheepish laugh. "For once I'm at a loss of words."
"There are no words good enough to say how I feel," Crosshair admitted, tugging at her hands to get her attention. She looked up at him, eyes threatening to water as she struggled with her Jedi's honor and the longing in her heart. "But please let me show it."
Rylann couldn't speak, instead she just nodded her head. He leaned over, his breath hitting her face. She closed her eyes, though she knew just because she didn't see didn't mean it didn't happen.
His forehead gently rested against hers and suddenly, she felt a rush of so many feelings, almost identical to how she was feeling.
Then it hit her.
Crosshair had let down a wall and she was able to read him for the first time since the training incident before they had become friends.
She leaned into his forehead, not knowing what this touch was, but from how gentle and intentional Cross was being, she knew it was important to him.
Her hands found the side of his face as they separated. She opened her eyes, feeling the bittersweet feeling of longing and love radiating off of him. "What was that?" Rylann asked, brushing the scar beneath his right eye with her thumb.
"A Keldabe kiss," Crosshair said before pausing. "It is technically a headbutt, but it's also a sign of affection from my people." Rylann furrowed her brows. Weren't his people clones? "The Mandalorians. We were taught the customs of Jango Fett's people."
"It was moving," Rylann admitted, but guilt seeped into her being. She had gotten through his thick wall of emotions. She must have used her Genetian skill to read his emotions by accident. The last time she did that on Kamino, he was livid. "I—I felt what you were feeling. I didn't mean to—"
Crosshair placed his hand on her cheek. "I let you in, mesh'la."
Rylann blushed, leaning into his touch. "You said you didn't want me to ever—"
"But I gave you permission at that moment," he said, leaning his forehead against hers again, the same rush of emotions soaring around her. "Any time I put my forehead to yours, just know I have let my walls down and it is okay."
Rylann pulled away this time. "What does mesh'la mean?" she asked. "You had said it before."
"It means beautiful," he said. "So beautiful," he whispered, eyes searching hers. She looked away, blushing, though she could still feel his gaze on her. "Rylann, may I kiss you?"
Rylann's eyes shot up, meeting his gaze. She couldn't say any words, just nodding before she could think it through. Crosshair's hand made its way to the side of her face again, drawing her lips to his. It was soft, intimate, and wonderful. Sparks exploded in Rylann's gut as she pulled his face closer, deepening the kiss.
They finally pulled away and Rylann's heart soared. She had been wanting to do that for way too long. She met Crosshair's eyes shyly as her hair fell in front of her face.
He brushed her strands behind her ear. "Cyar'ika," he whispered.
"What is that?" she whispered back, eyes wide with hope and uncertainty.
Crosshair shyly looked down at his hands in his lap. "Darling."
"Can you be my cyar'ika, too?" she asked, pursing her lips.
Crosshair chuckled, nodding. "I'll be your cyar'ika if you'll be mine."
Rylann smiled. "I will. I'll always be here." She pushed back any idea of how it would or wouldn't work. She would make it work. Somehow. She loved him too much to not try.