Demons

[Eisa Swan]

Waking up in a cold sweat, the young fiery haired female reluctantly pushed herself upright on her makeshift bed. Her gaze panning over the early morning light that had befallen the strange desert planet, her gaze focusing on the wing mounted heavy laser cannon of her fighter. Slowly she raised her upper body upright, using her arms to prop herself up before rubbing out the sleep of the corner of her eyes.

Slowly sliding her feet out from under the blanket retrieved from her emergency survival pack, and over the leading edge of her wing, the young Jedi stretched out her arms allowing a strained yawn escape her lips. With a reluctant movement she reached over for her rucksack that had acted as an improvised pillow, and retrieved a ration bar from one of the pockets. Slowly unwrapping the powdery block of nutritional supplements, Eisa cast another curious glance over her surroundings. Her mind thinking back to the previous day's encounter with the strange Force entity, as she raised the foodstuffs up to her mouth and taking a bite.

Shuffling her petite frame further up the wing, so that she was leaning against the fuselage of her fighter. The Jedi narrowed her eyes in thought as she bought her knees up to her chest, her mind reflecting on the previous day's experiences. From having originally set out to find a quiet spot to meditate and reflect, to encountering the towering Force entity and being cast into a black void full of her deeply rooted fears, and the subsequent proclamation that she had passed the first of the entity's tests!

Unsure as to what else the entity was looking to test her with, yet alone the purpose and outcome that the being had intended. The only thing that was for certain was that she had learned that Peace came from within and that she had to come to terms with who and what she was rather than try to hold and compare herself to the expectations of her title. The Entity had stated that should she wish to continue, she was to return at dusk.

Till then the intent was for the Jedi Knight to make the most of her isolation, unpacking her journal and updating the the entries in the bound pages with handwritten notes. Sitting and reflecting on the Force Entities' words, and at times being entranced in deep inward thought. Her gaze periodically looking up to track the position on the sun, as it passed by high above the planet's sky. When she had noted that the sun was tracking its way into the late afternoon, the Jedi refilled her cantine of water before sliding down from the wing of her fighter and making her way back to the small rocky outcropping she had encountered the force entity.

Arriving as the late evening light started to subside, the Fiery haired Jedi quietly made her way down to the small boulder that the entity had appeared in front of the previous day. Sitting crossed legged, Eisa took a passing glance over the surroundings before directing her gaze up towards the skies, watching as the light started to shimmer into a dark purple hue, with each passing moment as the light faded the countless stars in the galaxy started to become more and more prominent. Until the bright vibrant purple hue of light cast a final bright magenta flash of light before fully setting, leaving the area bathed in darkness and the small pin pricks of light in the night sky. Taking a deep breath, Eisa lowered her gaze down towards where the Bendu had appeared before.

@Nefieslab

 

[The Bendu]

The Bendu had expected the return of the one who brought noise; Eisa Swan.

It regarded her with a small frown even as it emerged from the ground in which it usually rested. Looking down upon her, it could see that improvements had been made. The noise that had cut through the Force before was still present but it was diminished; enough, at least, to show that pushing Eisa Swan could produce results, even if they were not the most drastic results it had ever seen before in it's time guiding those who came for aid.

In the end, it took only a few moments for the Bendu to make the decision that it would continue to guide the young creature further. It did the heart good to see people achieving their goals and dedicating themselves to their cause; even if the Bendu itself had never seen the appeal, nor the need, to dedicate itself to one purpose or 'side' in particular.

The young, mortal, races seemed to be doomed to decide between one side or the other and that was fine. It didn't bother the Bendu at all so why should it care too much?

"Eisa Swan."

It looked down at her imperiously.

"You have returned. Are you ready to face my second test?"

@Plebometer

 

[Eisa Swan]

A light smile curled over the Fiery haired girls features, as she watched the strange Force Entity emerge out from the ground infront of her. It was curious as to how it managed to emerge from the earth so seemlessly, without the dust or rubble being thrown up by the towering being's emergence. Eisas emerald hued eyes locking with the brilliant white orbs that made up the Bendu's eyes, even in the night sky they stood out like the distant gas giants that illuminated the night scape above them.

Once the Bendu came to a rest, and its attention focused on the Jedi dwarfed by its towering frame. Addressing her by name first and then questioning whether she was ready to face the second of his tests. Nodding in affirmation, the fiery haired woman acknowledged that she was ready to face the next of the Bendu's tests.

What that test would be, and if she truly was prepared, was another question altogether. But these tests seemed to be bettering her, not as a Jedi but as a person. Something that Eisa was willing to pursue, knowing that the outcome would put an end to the inner conflict that raged within her for so many years.

 

[The Bendu]

The Bendu stared, as it so often did during it's interactions with the mortal races, down at Eisa and regarded her coolly as she just stared right back at it. Seeing that she had signaled that she was ready, the Bendu paused for a moment as it considered what it was about to do.

It's expression softened ever so slightly.

"If you feel you cannot continue - call out to me."

With that hint of compassion given form, the Bendu reached deeply into the Force. Unlike before, it did not draw equally on the Light and the Dark to create. Instead it reached for the inky black power of the Dark Side almost exclusively and directed it towards Eisa. It wrapped around the young Jedi without actually exerting any effort of power over her.

Until it touched her heart.

In an instant of blinding pain, the Darkness reached into her heart and pulled. It pulled itself free from Eisa, dragging a form along with it as it went, landing six feet or so from Eisa herself.

The figure rose from the ground and turned to face Eisa. Raising it's right hand, the figure, a woman, looked at the Jedi with an almost vacant expression as she flexed her fingers at Eisa. It might take a moment for Eisa to realize what the woman was doing because it was such an odd way of expressing it.

She was waving.

"Hello baby girl - did you miss me?"

@Plebometer

 

[Eisa Swan]

A curious expression crossed over the Fiery haired Jedis features, as the Force Entity cautioned that should she feel unable to continue, she was to call upon the Bendu. She wasn't sure what the entity was implying at first, until it started to be come clear, as her emerald hued eyes widened as she could feel the icy sensations of the Darkside become more and more apparent. It was somewhat confusing and also unnerving that the being who up until this point she could only sense the Natural state of the Force flow through it, was now summoning the darkside in such a manner that it felt as if she were once again facing off against the unknown Crimson clad Sith on Alderaan.

The air had became oppressively thick and heavy around her, the small faint strands foliciles of hair standing on edge, as her exposed skin visibly became riddled with goose bumps, like someone had suddenly ran a block of ice down her spine. Through the moment of unsettling discomfort, paled in comparison to the searing pain that would errupt from within her chest. Her veins and nerve endings flashing with an intense pain, that was pulling away from her, the closest she could compare it to was the sensation she had felt when Azgarn had started to drain her if her connection to the Force.

Buckling over onto her side, the Fiery haired Jedis body curled up tightly as she resisted the urge to scream out in agony. Her hands tightly balling into fists as they were forcefully sunk into the corse grit like sand, forcefully Eisa slowed down and focused her breathing, drawing upon her past instances of having to endure pain, even though the sensation burning within her was no where near the likes of the countless blaster burns visible on her exposed arms, the technique did help her mentally block out the pain, if only partially.

As the pain subsided, or it had gotten to the point she had reached complete numbness - she wasn't sure. The Jedi slowly opened her eyes, before narrowing them at the female figure that had appeared. Pushing herself back upright, a slight groan escaping her lips, Eisa cautiously regarded the strange figure infront of her. Whilst 'she' studied the movements of her fingers, like it had been the first time she had seen or used them to wave. The presence was familiar, perhaps too familiar for comfort, she had felt it before on Hoth, moments after she watched in horror as the Old empire publicly executed her father live on the holonet.

As the manifestation spoke out to her, Eisa's brow furrowed, as she subconsciously gritted her teeth, that voice! The voice that rang out with those whispered temptations that resided deep within her, calling out in those moments of weakness, the thinly veiled attempts of the darkside seduction, to give in, loose control and unleash her torment upon those in her path.

Eisas brow furrowed for a moment before her facial expression phased into a stoic and firm look. "Hard to miss someone who has been relentlessly whispering into the back of my ear for almost a decade" she responded dryly as her hands reached to her sides to retrieve her lightsabers from their respective holsters. Suspecting that her reaction would be part of the Bendu's test, to see whether she would charge head first to vanquish her dark self as it were, Eisa tossed her weapons off to the side. Her gaze remaining fixed upon the manifestation, intently studying its form.

"But now that you are here, why not tell me what it is you want? Face to face"

 

[The Bendu]

The woman watched as Eisa reached for her lightsaber but didn't seem worried at all. Instead she just slowly began to walk towards Eisa, almost gliding forwards to cross the distance between them. At the mention of the whispering into her ear, the woman giggled a little bit and shrugged her shoulders as though it was no big deal.

To her, of course, it wasn't.

"Oh you know how life works baby." She purred as she got within arms reach of Eisa and reached out with one hand to stroke the side of her face, "Fish gotta swim, Sith gotta Sith and I gotta talk to you when no one else cares enough to."

She patted Eisa's cheek.

"I want what I've always wanted!" She declared with a wide smile, "I want for you, my bae, to be happy in who you are! You wanna know why I want that for you babe? It's because..."

The woman pulled herself in until she was inches from Eisa's face.

@Plebometer

 

[Eisa Swan]

A slight gasp passed through the Fiery haired Jedi's lips, as the manifestation caressed her cheek whilst it continued to speak out to her, waxing lyrical about life. A slight sliver of pleasure washed across her senses, forcing the young Jedi to close her eyes and savour the moment. Her gaze soon returning to regard the manifestation as it spoke out about talking to her when no one else would, furrowing her brow as the manifestation patted her on the cheek. Taking a deep breath Eisa, tried to regain her focus, the brief sensation of an affectionate touch fogging her mind and stirring a deep longing.

The dark haired manifestation drew closer, speaking to her like she was the Jedi's lover or sorts, declaring that it wanted for her to be happy, in herself and who she was. Right up until she was standing face to face, close enough she could feel the heat of her own breath reflect off the manifestation. Eisa's emerald hued eyes softening a little from the stoic gaze, watching as the dark haired form revealed that it was her, and she was the manifestation, a light twitch of her eyebrow coming in reaction to the little shimmying dance as the manifestation sang out the rest of its words.

"But how can I be happy with myself?" Eisa inquired as she cast the manifestation a knowing look, she knew as much as the reflection of herself standing barely inches away from her, the conflict that stemmed deep within her. They, no she had become a killer. Something that had not sat well with the Jedi for a long time, even before she was discovered by Leah Reach. During her earlier days in the rebellion, the words of her late fiend Alika 'I'd prefer you kept out of the line of fire till you're completely ready for what you're gonna see. I like the innocent Eisa I'm seeing right now' now seemed a long distant memory, things had changed drastically over the decade since she and Alika had last caught up over several boxes of junk food on an upturned container on Savareen. She had been in the fore front of most of the rebellion's efforts and offensives, long before she had even learned to channel the Force, her awakening only seemed to have increased the amount of blood on her hands.

"My choices and actions, they have cost the lives of so many" Eisa spoke out after a moment of silence, her gaze lingering over her reflection standing in front of her for a moment before looking over towards the Bendu sat over in her periphery. "I have taken so many lives. For the sake of peace and protecting the innocent" she continued, though her admission was likely wasted on the ears of her reflection and the Bendu, who would both be all to knowledgeable of the path she had walked. Slowly her gaze narrowed as she looked to the ground, her breathing slowing as she mulled over what it was that had set her along the path. Her emerald hued eyes looking up to regard the dark haired manifestation in front of her. "You, you where there!" she spoke as her head moved upwards to follow in the direction of her eyes. "You started whispering, when they executed my dad" she added, as the pieces started to click into place.

The manifestation had first came the Jedi's attention, well the lure of the dark side at least, came to prominence in her mind in the wake of her father's execution, when she was riddled with the blinding pain of grief. Clenching her hands slightly, the Jedi took a deep breath as she bit back on the emotions that were starting to resurface from that day. "You were born from my pain" Eisa spoke out, her voice trembling slightly as she looked into the dark eyes of the manifestation. Feeling the corners of her eyes dew up as small crystalline beads of tears formed. "And I became no different to a demon that uses my powers to rain death, upon those who would continue to oppress those I fight to protect" she continued, her voice trembling at the realisation, before she moved the edge of her balled up hand to wipe away at the tears that had started to build up within her. "What is there to be happy about myself now?"

 

[The Bendu]

How can you be happy with yourself?

If anyone ever found out the 'one size fits all' answer to that then therapy would be a dying art because no one would ever need to check themselves in ever again. As it was, the Bendu didn't have the answer to that and even if it did, it wouldn't share it with anyone, let alone Eisa.

The Bendu knew that therapists were people too and they needed their income.

The woman contented herself to play with a strand of Eisa's hair by her ear as she spoke. She didn't say a word as Eisa rambled on about how she had been born from her pain, when her father died. Sighing a little bit, she tugged at the strand of hair playfully with her teeth, almost reeling Eisa in towards her as she shuddered upon their skin almost touching.

"Oh honey... I've been with you since the beginning." she insisted, reaching in and threading her fingers in with Eisa's hair, cupping the back of her head softly, gently, "Been watching you. I've been so close but so far - you only seem to hear me when I'm screaming at you. When I'm mad. I just want... to touch you."

Closing the distance, the woman would place a tender kiss on the corner of Eisa's mouth.

"Finally I can be with you and wrap you up..." her free arm wrapped around Eisa's waist and held her close to her as she looked deep into Eisa's eyes, "I'm here for you baby girl. All the pain and all the suffering and all the anger? Let me protect you from it. Let me wrap you up nice and safe and loved?"

@Plebometer

 

[Eisa Swan]

Gasping a little as the manifestation, continued to toy and tease her senses, eliciting, the Jedis body to tremble slightly in anticipation of the next stroke and caress. If it could be said that her inner conflict couldn't worsen, it would be a underestimation. The discipline of the Jedi to fight and repress all base impulses, coming at odds with Eisa's own physical desires. Sighing deeply the Jedi found herself starting to give in, looking to be true to herself rather than the ideals of the Order, her hand moving away from her side and up to the dark haired manifestations waist, whilst the other wrapped around the females back, allowing their two bodies to press against each other. Not in a millenia could she have figured that the warnings about seduction by the Darkside could ever be this literal.

Closing her eyes, Eisa leaned her head forwards, pressing it against the manifestation's. Her mind was coarsing over the words spoken by the reflection of her darker self, the intent and the desire for the darker side of her to be there to protect and shield her from all the grief, pain and anger that she had felt. Was this all just a ruse? The Jedi teachings warned against the lure and the temptations of the darkside, for fear of succumbing to the corrupting effects that would lead a Jedis path down the path of darkness and destruction, she should be resisting the seduction of her darker self. But the lingering question lay within her mind, why?

She had kept as true to the path of the Lightside as much as possible, never drawing upon the Force out of anger or malicious intent, yet there was so much conflict that radiated out from her as a result. Was it that the Jedis teachings reflected the Order's ideals, and not that of the Force? Her mind turning towards the towering Force Entity, it was a presence of peace, yet going by the creation of her mirrored self the Bendu had pulled upon the Darkside, perhaps there was more than just the light and dark as she had been lead to believe. Slowly and softly the Fiery haired female raised her hand, wrapping her fingers around the manifestions arm just above the elbow, running her thumb back and forth in mid thought.

The teachings must all be interlinked, Eisa mused to herself even though she had figured it out already, she just needed to remind her self. Everything was circling around acceptance, of who and what she was, accepting the guilt and fears that she had carried over the decade, for so long she had been resisting the understanding that there was ultimately a duality to her being. She couldn't be a peace keeper, unless she was willing to take lives. She couldn't become one and at peace with the Force if she turned her back on the darker side of the coin.

In that moment, the Jedis eyes opened as realisation had set in, it was not the orientation in the Force that defined the who that person was, kriff she had worked with Hask, a pure blood Sith from which the darkside flowed freely through. But he was no monster! Pulling her head back a little so she could look the manifestation directly in the eye for a moment, before sliding a hand upwards to cup the back of the figures head, her own tilting to the side to place a soft and tender kiss on the manifestations lips. "I'm ready" Eisa whispered, as she pulled her head away. "I am ready to accept you as part of who and what I am" she added before pausing for a brief moment, reflecting just how the manifestation came to be standing before her "No matter what the cost is"

 

[The Bendu]

The woman stared into Eisa's eyes for a long moment as the red-headed Jedi seemed to realize what it was that she represented. It seemed as though Eisa was truly ready to accept that the Darkness had a hold on her, that it was a part of her. But the Darkness was not a cold thing.

Personal Darkness, the little voice that whispered into the minds of everyone, did not want to cause harm for harm's sake. It did not care to attempt to take over the Galaxy or anything so cliche. No, personal Darkness was oh so very selfish. All the Darkness wanted when it linked to a person was to ensure that that person got what they wanted, all their selfish little desires and all of their taboo dreams.

Everything they wanted but were afraid to ask for.

"Can you?" the woman asked softly, "I hope you can, baby girl. If you can't accept me then this is going to hurt you and you know I don't want to hurt you. I want to make all your dreams come true! But..."

The woman's eyes flashed to black.

"Hold still and remember what you've just said."

Lunging forwards, the woman's body lost all shape and a featureless black substance rushed at Eisa. It had the same consistency as tar as it flowed across every inch of her skin to coat her from head to toe. To make matters worse, it grew it quantity as it surged to push itself into her through any and all orifices it could reach. It forced itself into her mouth to begin to slowly coat her throat.

It would choke her to death.

Unless it was no longer separate from her.

@Plebometer

 

[Eisa Swan]

The Jedis features softened a little, as the manifestation revealed that if she truly wasn't ready to accept her own darkness, the manifestation was going hurt her. The grave reality becoming clear through the softly spoken words of her inner reflection, should she not be truly willing, then the concequences could be dire, be it she would become subject to extreme pain, or worse. Taking a deep breath, Eisa's features hardened with resolve as she nodded, she needed to find peace in herself, least her on turmoil consume her from within.

Watching the manifestation lunge forward, Eisa's eyes widened slightly at the curious sight, watching as its form seemed to melt into a thick tar like substance that wrapped around her body. The slick oily fluid running along the length and breadth of her, seeping inbetween the various folds and nooks, working its way in between the gaps of her fingers and everything in between down to her toes. Keeping deadly still as instructed, the Jedi could feel the manifestations liquid form sliver all over her unflinching body, her eyes remaining fixed on where her reflection had once stood, even as the tar like substance worked its way up her neck and to the underside of her chin.

Then there was nothing but darkness, as she could feel the swirling black mass cover the last exposed patch of her body. Furrowing her brow a little at the sensation of the now outer skin of her start to force its way into her body, applying pressure against her throat from the inside. The unfamiliar sensation was unnerving at first, if the Fiery haired Jedi was to try and explain it, it would be closely surmised to the sensation of drowning in the crushing depths of the Mon calaramari waters. Having never experienced or expected such a sensation, the Jedi was caught off guard initially, but swiftly steadied her mind to accept the sensations.

Surpressing her own natural and physical instincts to hold onto her breath and to try and free herself from the manifestations embrace, her body's physical instinctual reflexes would likely to have gotten the better of her during her training as a padawan, but she had long come to accept that the Force could sustain her body for durations of time without air or food. Eisa slowly spread her arms wide open, instantly feeling the strain of the weight being placed on her body. Followed by her legs parting, before tilting her head upwards increasing the availabile surface area of her body. As her head came as far back as it could, the Fiery haired Jedi opened her mouth as wide as she physically can.

Whether the change in stance would make much of a difference, to the ingress of the tar like fluid into her body or not. Eisa made herself open to accept her inner personal darkness, both physically and mentally, doing all she could to ease the manifestations return back into the core of her being. So they could finally become whole, as one state of mind, allowing Eisa to be true to herself after having for so long trying to suppress her own desires and needs.

 

[The Bendu]

A person was not smothered by their own skin.

A person was not suffocated by the air in their lungs.

A person was not attacked, was not killed, by something that was accepted as part of their body, not when there was nothing wrong with said body. So while Eisa had, at first, felt the experience of drowning in the tar of her doppelganger, there was no such sensation as she began to accept what the creature had been trying to tell her.

The Darkness, her Darkness, was not some external threat to be destroyed but rather a part of herself that needed to be accepted into herself. As Eisa came to terms with this, the tar began to seep into her body through her skin and her throat. Instead of coating her and blinding her, it sank beneath the surface and warmed her.

There was a phantom sensation of a hand cupping her cheek and the creature was gone.

Only the Bendu remained.

"Eisa Swan - do you know the definition of courage?"

@Plebometer

 

[Eisa Swan]

A light gasp escaped the Fiery haired Jedis lips, as the felt the passing caress of the manifestation run along her cheek, the darkness had gone, leaving her standing under the twilight sky illuminated by the countless stars above. Taking a deep breath Eisa reached into herself, taking a moment to reflect, she could feel that she was different, as if another burden had been lifted from her mind.

Her silent revier was broken by the towering force Entity that remained off to her side, questioning her about what she knew of the meaning of courage. Pursing her lips in thought Eisa turned her gaze and attention back towards the Bendu, her head craning back to look him directly in the glistening white orbs that were it's eyes.

After a few minutes of thought, the Jedi nodded. "its the ability to control your fears in a dangerous situation" she responded initially, though she had figured the Bendu would expect more than the text book definition. "But I feel there is more to it, courage also means you are willing to stand up for what you believe in and..." Eisa continued before pausing slightly, reflecting on the teachings from the past few days. "I've learned that it also requires the willingness to critically look at oneself"

 

[The Bendu]

"A decent answer."

Let it never be said that the Bendu did not give credit where it was due.

The young woman was truly becoming something better than she had been previously and it would acknowledge that. As it looked down at Eisa, it saw a woman who had made something of herself and was looking to continue that trend. It was exactly what the Bendu had been looking for in the young woman.

"To be a Jedi, you must resist the allure of the Dark Side by refusing to allow yourself to be controlled, to be ruled, by your emotions." the Bendu rumbled, "But being a Jedi is not about removing your emotions entirely. It is about learning to live with them, to accept them, but to make decisions without them being your guiding force."

It smiled.

"An emotional person makes for the best Jedi - emotionless husks rarely do." it waved a hand, "Return another day for your final trial, Eisa Swan of the Jedi Rebellion."

@Plebometer

 

[Eisa Swan]

Nodding in response of the Bendu's words and summation, the fiery haired knight reflected on her agreement with the Entity's sentiment, she had encountered Jedi who were incredibly stoic and devoid of all emotion, they appeared to be little more than drones. Which on occasion did make her wonder whether she was really a Jedi. Having been all to knowledgeable of the sensations of grief, pain, anger and even great excitement. "I Agree" Eisa spoke out as she cast a light smile towards the towering entity before her. "Without knowing what effects our emotions have on us, how can one be expected to not be ruled by them, without even understanding the impact they have on our decisions" she added, offering the Bendu her opinion, though deep down she figured that the entity would likely have heard it all before.

Taking a deep breath, Eisa reached out her hands and summoned her earlier discarded weapons back to the waiting palms of her hands, her emerald hued gaze taking a final look around her surroundings as they were bathed in the stary light, before looking back up towards the Bendu, as it gave her leave, to return another day to face the final of it's trials. Nodding in affirmation, the fiery haired knight, respectfully bowed to the being, before retreating a few steps and casting a quick wave as she turned round to face the long several mile trek that would take her back to her ship and makeshift camp so she could rest up for the next trial.

As she made her way through the sand dunes, the Knight's mind reflected back on what she had learned, not just from the Bendu, but also the manifestation of her inner darkness. As she looked back on the night's events, it seemed so simple with the clarity of hindsight. But had made her wonder just when it was that she had started to ignore her own wants and desires? When she was a teen, she acted on impulse, doing what ever she felt like, buying what she wanted, and consuming more than her fill. It wasn't until she had transitioned to a Jedi Padawan that she had put the needs of others before her own, granted she had faltered on a few occasions though it mostly stemmed around her insatiable appetite.

After what transpired into a pilgrimage of reflection, rather than a simple hike back to her ship and makeshift camp. Eisa arrived at the wing tip of her fighter, pulling herself up and climbing onto the air-frame, the Jedi made her way over the cockpit. Her eye catching sight of a flashing bulb on the ship's console, pursing her lips in thought the Jedi pressed a series of buttons, calling up a message that had been received whilst she had been with the Bendu. Her eyes narrowing as the holographic Form of Master Luy came into view, relaying words of an urgent recall of all able Jedi to assist with the cleansing of Ilum. "Oh Kriff" Eisa cussed, Ilum a planet corrupted many centuries ago by Exiled Jedi, was rife with the Darkside and Abominations. Pursing her lips in thought, Eisa took a deep breath as she closed her eyes, trying to visualise the manifestation as she had earlier seen. "Looks like we've got our first outing together" she whispered to herself, before packing up her makeshift camp, unceremoniously stuffing it all into the cargo compartment before getting into her fighter and prepared to depart for Ilum

// And Thread