She had felt it, when it happened. Not sharp nor defined, but like a sickness in her chest. Still, the holonet broadcast made her stagger. Cold hands pressed against the countertop as wide golden eyes stared numbly at the broadcast and the Chief's sorrowing face, and an emotion pierced into her chest, making her gasp shallowly in pain and shock.
Grief.
She could almost feel the pitying stares as she staggered numbly away from the Temple, and out for the Galahad, taking off. First instinct was to find out where he was when he passed, but that... didn't feel right. Instead, she entered different coordinates, allowing the astromech to pilot the ship while she closed her eyes. The Pantoran didn't sleep, however.
By the time she reached her destination, it was sunset. On a lonely strip of beach, waves rolled in, touched with gold. She stood alone until it went dark, and then she unwrapped his gift. Within the box she had tried to give him at the Ranger social, a lightsaber hilt glinted. A new home for the one I purified, she wanted to tell him, but it was too late now. Inscribed on the grip, like on her left shoulder, two white Rook serpents coiled together, on a blued steel shell for what would have been his. She swallowed thickly, sinking down to the sand, and put her head in her hands.
Though there wasn't a cloud in sight, rain ran down her cheeks and the waves roared on.
Later on, she would get up, go back to the Temple. Attempt to marshal up some semblance of moving on, not 'letting him down'. But not tonight. Not for a long time.
Grief.
She could almost feel the pitying stares as she staggered numbly away from the Temple, and out for the Galahad, taking off. First instinct was to find out where he was when he passed, but that... didn't feel right. Instead, she entered different coordinates, allowing the astromech to pilot the ship while she closed her eyes. The Pantoran didn't sleep, however.
By the time she reached her destination, it was sunset. On a lonely strip of beach, waves rolled in, touched with gold. She stood alone until it went dark, and then she unwrapped his gift. Within the box she had tried to give him at the Ranger social, a lightsaber hilt glinted. A new home for the one I purified, she wanted to tell him, but it was too late now. Inscribed on the grip, like on her left shoulder, two white Rook serpents coiled together, on a blued steel shell for what would have been his. She swallowed thickly, sinking down to the sand, and put her head in her hands.
Though there wasn't a cloud in sight, rain ran down her cheeks and the waves roared on.
Later on, she would get up, go back to the Temple. Attempt to marshal up some semblance of moving on, not 'letting him down'. But not tonight. Not for a long time.