22 BBY, Month 10
Crosshair
Rylann was worried. Crosshair hated when she was worried. When she was fretting, it radiated off of her like a heater. He didn't even need her freaky force powers to know how she felt.
She was going through her training exercises on the practice mat, her forms more jittery each time she went through. Her Trials were next week so she was trying to prepare and this time Crosshair was the observer. But that also meant another whole week of her worrying. Cross couldn't take it.
"Ryle, you're talking to yourself again," Crosshair said, uncrossing his arms to stick his hands in his pockets. He was leaning on the wall near the door of the training room, watching her mutter about how many mistakes she was supposedly making.
Rylann looked over at Crosshair and his heart sank at the sight. She looked much like she did when he had walked in on her crying all those months ago when they first connected as friends—tears brimming her eyes and her hair slightly bedraggled.
"I can't do this, Cross," Rylann said, dropping his saber to her side. "These forms aren't crisp enough. They are sloppy and wrong and—" Her lips trembled. "Why can't I just quit the Jedi and become a trash collector. That would make life so much easier."
"That would also make your life so much smellier," Crosshair said, pushing himself off of the wall, sauntering over to his girl. He placed his hands on her shoulders, before they made their way to her face. "You are going to do fine. You are just thinking too hard."
Rylann clenched her jaw, making her temples move against Crosshair's fingers.. "I just don't want to fail Shaak Ti or myself."
"What would Shaak Ti say?" Crosshair asked, crossing his arms.
Rylann sighed, shooting him a look as she herself crossed her arms with a scowl. "Trust in my abilities."
"Then do that," Crosshair said, shrugging. "You're a fast learner. Use that to your advantage. And you have a gift. Use it even in the Trials."
"Oh," Rylann muttered, uncrossing her arms as thoughts seemed to swirl in her eyes. "That sounds so simple. How did I not think of that?"
"You were too busy taking up mental space with potential space trash, you trash collector wannabe."
Rylann smiled, her shoulders seeming to bear less weight. "Thank you, Cross. You always have the right words."
"Only because I've said all the wrong ones before," Crosshair said, recalling the times he had tried to get his brothers out of a rut, only to anger them more with his bluntness.
A pained look crossed Rylann's eyes for a moment, sending urgency throughout Cross's being. "Mesh'la, are you alright?"
Rylann shook her head. "I'm afraid the Council will find out about us." She frowned, waving around her closed saber hilt. "If you, someone who isn't force-sensitive, can tell how I'm feeling, how easy would it be for the Council to find out?"
Cross froze. She raised a good point. Though not much escaped his calculating eye, it was nothing in comparison to what he had seen Rylann do—being able to sense emotions, visions, dreams, and such was dangerous for their situation.
"And then there's you who I couldn't feel from twenty miles away—" Rylann continued only to pause. She tilted her head, eyeing Crosshair. He flinched beneath her inquisitive gaze. He could see where this was going. "Crosshair, you can do it...can you teach me?"
Crosshair sighed, knowing there was only one thing he could say. "Yes, Rylann. I will teach you."
【 ⌖ 】
Shaak Ti
Kenobi had returned. After injury in battle, the Negotiator had arrived on Coruscant for a debriefing not only about his battle on Geonosis but also his skirmish on Mandalore. Shaak Ti was curious to see what Obi-Wan would say regarding the latter. She had tried to warn him of the potential threat that lay there, but she had been too late. Pre Vizsla had revealed himself as the leader of Death Watch, risking the life of Kenobi's beloved Duchess.
Shaak Ti's eyes shot up as the door of the Council room swung open, revealing the man of the hour. Obi-Wan walked in, a limp evident in his gait. She wondered what dangers he had faced on Geonosis for him to return early. She had heard Skywalker and Undali were finishing up their mission there.
Obi-Wan bowed to them all, seating himself across the room and also across from her. So close and yet so far. Like he had always been. His laughter hung in the air with wonderful tenacity, his arm brushing against hers as he leaned forward in his reverie. She was in reverie. He placed his hand on hers, his young face beaming at her. But in one second the light was gone and he removed his hand, his eyes distant. Ever since that girl. Ever since Mandalore.
"Now onto Mandalore," Obi-Wan's voice called her back to the present. He crossed his arms over his chest, his mustache twitching upward in thought. "Shaak Ti was not able to get to me in time with the information, but luckily favor was on our side and all turned out as well as it could."
"How is the duchess?" Shaak Ti found herself asking without thinking. She looked down. "I know how hard it is to be betrayed by a trusted friend."
Hurt flashed across Kenobi's eyes. So he knew what she was referencing. Good, Shaak Ti thought at first but halted it. It would do her no good to ponder on bitterness. That was years ago. He was too young and foolish to know what he wanted and she was too young and foolish to realize the truth of how he felt. Shaak Ti met Obi-Wan's eyes apologetically. "And I am glad she had a trusted friend on her side."
Kenobi's gaze softened, staring at her for a moment. Though he didn't say anything in return, she knew it meant a greater deal to him than he was letting on. The rest of the debrief went rather fast so when they were dismissed, Shaak Ti was glad to be relieved of her duties. She had been spending the past few days getting to know Wynn Avunn and seeing where her progress was for her training. The girl had caught on quickly, but that meant that Shaak Ti didn't have a break. With Rylann's trials, bringing Wynn under her wing, and her many other duties, she wanted time for some rest.
"Shaak," Obi-Wan called after her as they left the room to each go their own way. Shaak Ti stopped, turning to face the man. He caught up with her, wiping his hands on his tunic. "Thank you for reaching out to help."
"I only wish I could've helped sooner." She continued walking down, gesturing for him to follow.
He kept in step with her, his stride matching hers. "It was still helpful to know someone had my back." He looked down at her, a sober look settling onto his features. "To know that you have my back."
Shaak Ti felt warmth creeping up to her face, thanking the Maker that her skin made it so that one couldn't tell she was blushing. "I always have had your back, Obi," she said as they rounded the corner.
"Shaak." He stopped in his tracks, taking her hand within his. She met his gaze, her stomach doing flips at his touch. His touch that she missed so much. He looked intently into her eyes. "I just hope it is reciprocated."
Shaak Ti gulped back the lump in her throat. "I hope so, too." She pulled her hand away, continuing in her trek to her room.
"Shesa," he called out, which made her freeze in her steps. He hadn't called her that in years. "You remember that?"
Shaak Ti didn't turn to face him. "Yes."
"I had almost forgotten the flowers existed," Kenobi said, slowly walking up to her side. "When I was on Mandalore on the run with Satine, we would find shesa in the deepest corners of caves, glowing in the dark to guide the lost. The flowers are strong, surviving and thriving in hard places—they always have reminded me of you." He now stood directly at her side, his fingers brushing against hers. "Not only for their resilience, but for their beauty and design." He placed something smooth within her hand, backing away right after. "It was almost like you were always with me when we were on the run, beckoning us forward to safety."
She looked down at what he placed in her grasp. It was a glass orb with a flower encased within. It was white with navy blue stripes cutting across it. It reminded Shaak Ti of an everlily, but with lighter colors and thinner petals. It looked a lot like her montrals and lekku.
"You told me the reason behind your nickname, but now I see what you meant by the resemblance—" Shaak Ti turned to face her friend, but he was gone.
Yo, who loves Kenobi's nickname for Shaak Ti? I might have stolen the name Shesa from an original character I will eventually write for a fantasy novel, but I needed a nickname. I had looked through all known Star Wars flowers for almost thirty minutes and I needed to publish the chapter so I can sleep.
Also, the backstory is finally coming together.
AND PLEASE LISTEN TO THE SONG. IT'S SO PRETTYYYYYYY
SO, byeee