"Hey, sweetie, there's someone on the holo asking for you."
Aravour glanced up, gingerly rising from her meditation mat to face her lover. "Thank you, I shall be along in a moment."
Saharaen studied her lover for a long moment before slowly nodding and leaving Aravour to dress.
The Jedi took her time, her mind working through the list of people who might possibly contact her. She wasn't on her ship, so they would have to know her lover's holo-frequency. Perhaps an enemy or an intelligent slicer?
She folded up her mats, carefully placing them in their corner and left the cargo hold for the lounge area of the ship. As she looked up to the holo terminal she instantly recognized the two women. The Pureblood stuffed into the most frumpy and unflattering robes Aravour had ever seen was her sister, Morgiah. The other woman... Aravour had not seen the Zabrak since her time in the Korriban Sith Academy. Judging by her armour and bearing, Hera had moved up in the world.
"Sister. Cousin." Aravour greeted them, bowing formally.
Morgiah shook her head, "I surrendered all ties to this contemptible family when I joined the order, Jedi Aravour. You should remember that you have surrendered familial ties as well."
"Then why have you called, dear sister?" Aravour inquired sweetly, smiling innocently at her sibling.
"I have called because this matter is important!"
"Enough." Hera snapped, shooing a pointed glare at Morgiah. "We did not call to bicker. Remember your code." The last line was said with a trace of humour and Aravour herself struggled to hide her smirk from the two. She could tell her eavesdropping lover was also giggling away somewhere in the background.
"You are right. Forgive my sudden outburst. This vision has me unsettled." Morgiah murmured, running her hands down the front of her robes, a nervous gesture.
Aravour's attention snapped fully to Morgiah, "What vision?"
Morgiah pursed her lips, causing the Zabrak to speak up, "She had a vision of one of the clan. We cannot determine who it is but if we understand it correctly, then it is one that must be fulfilled at all costs."
"Uh huh. So what is my role in all of this?"
"Given your behaviour in the past..." Morgia's tone soured with disapproval with her next words, "and behaviour at present, I have seen to it that the role is minimal. We shall not inconvenience you."
"With any luck, we will not need to make any decisions." Hera answered carefully, "However, there is someone I need you and your concubine to take care of."
Aravour flushed, stifling her protest at Saharaen being called a concubine. Instead she narrowed her gaze at the Sith, "Why should we?"
"This is not a personal favour. This is something that is fundamentally important to our survival as a clan... and to the galaxy."
"You're being over dramatic."
"No. I am not but the details of this vision cannot be relayed over a simple channel. All I can say is this: For someone in my position, it is treason to even think of it."
The meaning of the words slowly sunk in, leaving Aravour feeling vaguely queasy. Could they even do this? Who was the person from Morgiah's vision? She supposed there was only one to way to find out. "Fine. If it will get you off my back then tell us where to go."
----
"Run. Get away from this stars forsaken planet as fast as you can." Her saviour commanded as they tossed her the equipment they had confiscated.
Mierrik instead gave a wracking cough, doubling over as she rasped.
She would have dearly loved to run but each step sent a sharp stab of pain through her body. She couldn't even take a moment to recover, her throat was burning too much for her to breath beyond an occasional gasp. Her eyes stung with tears blurring her vision so much that she could hardly see where she was going. But she pressed on. Blindly stumbling to what she hoped was her destination.
She wasn't sure exactly when her body began to fail her, or when she collapsed, but the rubble felt oddly comfortable in that moment. It was so tempting to simply closer her eyes and drown in the pain...
It took a while but eventually Mierrik became aware of another presence close by. If she reached out though the Force she could sense panic, fear and determination within the person. She coughed again and pushed herself up. She managed to wheeze out the question, "Who goes there?"
"H-hello?" The stranger called out. Footsteps followed until eventually Mierrik felt him looming above her. A flashback to the Sith looming over her made her begin to retch. "Oh, no. Hey, easy there. Stay with me. You'll be ok."
Mierrik wanted to fight, swat away at his hands but she couldn't summon the energy. "Who..."
"Republic soldier, ma'm." The man answered, now probing the worst of her wounds. She could only hiss in protest. "You're in pretty bad shape."
Mierrik glared.
"Ok, ok," He laughed, raising his hands in an attempt to appease her, "I'm winning no points by pointing out the obvious. However, I don't think your wounds are life threatening. I might be able to carry you to an evac..."
"Don't. You. Dare."
He grinned, "Would you rather die?"
Mierrik thought long and hard on that question.
