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queen-scribbles · 11 months ago

Text

Unmasked

Here we go, HERE WE GOOOO~ (Happy Valentine's Day❣😘💖)

----

Endrali was starting to wonder if the galaxy had it out for her.

That was silly, she knew, but it was a thought she couldn't shake when things somehow got even more chaotically busy right after she'd acknowledged she would need to talk to Arcann about...

Well. Aside from finding time, she should probably find the words. Just blurting I'm falling in love with you despite the history that should make that ridiculous was probably not the best way to drop it on him. Though if all else failed...

No. I'm not doing that, she scolded herself, scrolling through the compiled list of Things Demanding Her Attention. People were getting very comfortable asking for things now. Not having a unifying threat made them more honest, she supposed. Or greedy. Resources, recognition, neutral mediation, they were looking to the Alliance for it all.

Endrali nibbled her lower lip as she skimmed the list, allotting aid shipments, agreeing to deploy teams to help, (reluctantly) concluding some of these mediation requests she'd have to do personally. And under the circumstances, she probably shouldn't bring Arcann as her back-up, no matter how well they worked together.

So no half-a-day alone on her ship with the perfect chance for uninterrupted, uneavesdropped, conversation. The galaxy really is out to get me, she thought wryly. At least she hadn't had another of those dreams, either. Don't dwell on it or you'll manifest one. She snorted at the thought and went to find Lana so they could talk.

She'd barely gone three steps down the hall when she sensed a familiar presence and had to fight down an instinctive grin. Her pace had faltered almost to a stop by the time he rounded the corner and she let out enough of the smile in greeting. "Arcann."

"Endrali." His answering smile was small but reached his eyes, and that shouldn't have made her so giddy but it did.

"How's your day?" she asked.

"Fine so far. Nothing exciting." He cocked his head, examining her. "Not nearly as busy as yours appears to be."

Endrali huffed a wry laugh. "We are very popular right now, that's for sure. But I'm always h-"

Her comm beeped. Hylo. She sighed.

Arcann chuckled sympathetically. "I'll let you keep at it, Commander."

But I'd rather talk to you. "Thanks."

He nodded and continued on his way.

Endrali keyed on comms as she did likewise. "What is it, Hylo? I was just heading to talk to Lana..."

---

For all her hopes and intentions of talking to Arcann, various responsibilities kept her so busy they barely got to exchange five words over the next couple weeks. When she wasn't in meetings about Fleet deployment or resource reports, she was doling out what aid shipments the Alliance could to the (far too many) worlds that needed them, or sending her people to deal with the unrest still cropping up--Felix to handle a separatist faction on Brentaal, Gault to track down a con-man on Hutta, Lana to follow a tip about a superweapon on Iokath. There were some diplomatic requests she felt compelled to handle herself. Most stayed peaceful. A couple didn't. They were all draining. She missed Nadia, wished things weren't still so... sensitive she couldn't bring Arcann. At least he wasn't twiddling thumbs; according to Hylo and Aygo he'd volunteered to help handle a couple of the groups rising in opposition to the Alliance.

Endrali crossed paths with him on his return from Denova, bit back a smile at the sense of exhausted satisfaction radiating from him. "How'd it go?"

"We were successful," he said, clasping his hands behind his back.

"Of course you were," she chuckled.

"I would give no less than my best," Arcann said softly.

The conviction made her heart skip a beat. "I know. Thank you." Endrali smiled. "I'm also glad to see no serious injuries." She couldn't sense any, either. Deep breath. "Are you... back for a while?"

He nodded. "I should be. Why?"

"I have to meet with Theron; general update on how various things are going, but after that I'll be free for a bit. Hopefully." She worried her lower lip between her teeth. "If you want, we could sit somewhere and catch up. I feel like it's been ages since we got to just talk and I miss it."

She hadn't meant to let that last bit slip, but I missed working with you would be an easy segue into I missed you and... everything else she wanted to say.

"I do as well." One corner of Arcann's mouth tipped up faintly and something flickered in his eyes that made her breath catch. "I would like that."

"Alright, then. I'll let you know when I'm done." She looked forward to it, to hopefully having a chance to be honest. Give up hiding how she felt. She'd have to be careful with their friendship in the balance, of course. The last thing she wanted to do was ruin that. But it was a disservice to them both to leave this buried. After the update.

So close.

She should have known better.

Should have guessed something would happen, a new crisis on Iokath demanding her attention, now. She commed Arcann to apologize even as she and Theron scrambled for a shuttle. The galaxy really does have it out for me.

---

"Should I come along?" Arcann offered, more than willing to turn right around and go back out if he could help her. He'd rest on the trip.

"No, you just handled something, take the chance for a break," Endrali said, though he thought she sounded reluctant.

He did try to rest. But he couldn't, not with the vague information of some threat on Iokath Endrali had to handle. Anything that serious was... worrisome. She has both Theron and Lana to back her up, he reminded himself. As well as her own significant skills. She'd be perfectly fine.

Still. Not having details was torture. Arcann cleaned up but found rest both physical and meditative continued to elude him. So, with a soft growl of frustration, he instead settled himself at the workbench to do final detailing on the armor he'd crafted. If he was lucky, he could have it done by the time she got back. If he was very lucky, it would distract him from unnecessary worry in the process.

I wonder what happened... He didn't know much about Iokath, beyond what was in the Alliance reports from their involuntary visit while fighting Vaylin. But even with that limited knowledge it wasn't hard to figure the planet could conceal any number of alarmingly powerful weapons.

Arcann sighed and picked up etching more of the half-completed design into the breastplate, pen held with careful confidence as he worked. Endrali had mentioned, in her rushed apology, that the Republic and Empire were both also looking for whatever Lana had gone to find.

Full call for her diplomatic talents, he thought with a smile as he etched curling vines down the side of the upper breastplate.

He sensed his mother's presence at the door before she knocked, calling a half-distracted Enter, even as her knuckles rapped metal.

Senya remained standing once she entered, stance relaxed, and Arcann could feel her watching him. "I'm glad you made it back safely," she said. "Trench warfare is never pretty, and depending on how they're constructed, they can be especially brutal." There was a flicker of concern, likely her noticing the scrapes on the back of his head.

"You can thank Vette for that," Arcann said, not looking up. He needed to concentrate on the armor. "She is a very capable partner."

"Even if not your first choice?" There was a smile in Senya's voice.

It took effort to keep the etching pen from slipping. Am I that obvious?

To your mother? Who can read you like a 2-credit holonovel? Yes, probably.

He didn't answer to confirm or deny--he doubted she needed him to--instead focusing on making the design perfect. She deserves no less than my best.

"These seem to be happening more frequently," Senya finally commented as the silence stretched. "People rising against the Alliance, the Commander." A pause. "It must be keeping her terribly busy."

Arcann nodded absently. "It does." He huffed a small, wry chuckle as he etched an orchid into the design. "At least she's willing to delegate some things, but..."

"There's still a lot on her," Senya finished. She crossed the room to lean against the edge of the workbench, far enough down to be out of his way. "You worry about her."

It wasn't a question.

"I try not to," he demurred, biting his lip. (In concentration, of course.) "I more than most know what she's capable of."

His mother hummed a quiet laugh. "Logic, I find, frequently takes a back seat when it comes to people we care for."

Her phrasing was deliberate, he could sense that much, so he didn't bother protesting. "She does so much, for so many..." He sighed, setting down the etching pen to look up at her. "She comes and goes so quickly I hope she is getting time for herself."

He didn't mention how strongly he suspected she wasn't getting to meditate as much as she liked. At least, she hadn't joined him for a couple weeks and their schedules had previously matched for that. (He didn't dare dwell on if that was purposeful. Better to keep that hope masked and buried.)

Senya nodded thoughtfully, lips curved in a knowing smile. "I'm sure Endrali would appreciate your concern. As she will this." She slanted a look toward the almost-finished armor.

Arcann ducked his head, returning to his task with heat prickling up neck and scalp. "...I hope so. I have not crafted in..." Years. "...a long time. But she has done much for me." His left hand flexed. "Gave me a second chance few would have. Trusted me." He ran a hand over the armor. "This feels like a pittance in comparison, but I..."

I want her to be safe.

Senya rested her hand on his wrist. "Like I said, she'll appreciate it. As she appreciates and values you."

His head snapped back up to meet her gaze. "I merely wish to atone for everything I've done. Prove worthy of this second chance."

She chuckled softly, gave his arm a squeeze. "I don't think you have to prove anything to the Commander."

"I do to myself," Arcann countered. "I wouldn't expect anything... more."

"I think you already have it." His heart skipped a beat at his mother's gentle words. "I know she considers you a friend, Arcann, she's said as much. She cares about you, as you do her." A faint smirk tugged her lips. "There are some who believe you deserve more than spending the rest of your life in inescapable purgatory." Her hand slid up to his shoulder and gave another affectionate squeeze. "But I'll stop distracting you, let you finish."

Neither said it as she slipped from the room, but Arcann was fairly certain Senya knew the armor itself was a distraction from worrying, even if she was merciful enough not to mention.

---

Arcann got his wish; not ten minutes after the armor was completed and his tools cleaned up, the rank and file began returning from Iokath.

And with them came the rumors.

Machine gods with very familiar names ruled over the world. No, it was their prison. Iokath could unleash the apocalypse. Iokath was contained. The Commander had battled hundred foot tall droids. Empress Acina had broken faith with the Alliance. Empress Acina was trying to defend her people. Empress Acina was dead.

The Commander had died.

No, the Commander had almost died, stopping the apocalypse-superweapon-end of the world.

Arcann had to fight to breathe through mingled terror and fond of course she did. (risk herself in saving the galaxy. She did both with alarming frequency.) And he hadn't been there to protect her. He knew she didn't need it. But he'd sworn, he wanted to be her shield, watch her back, he felt he owed her that. Owed the galaxy protecting its protector.

He knew his voice would shake on comms, betray him. I love you, though I don't dare hope it's returned. So he sent a message instead. 'Come speak to me when you return. Our usual place. Please.'

Arcann nestled the armor in a case and brought it with him to the clearing by her ship as he tried futilely to meditate away his nervous energy while he waited. And waited. And waited, until the door from the main hanger hissed open and a familiar presence overwhelmed anything else he might've sensed.

Arcann was already pivoting as he pushed to his feet. "Endrali."

---

The tangle of emotion behind his smile hit her like a tidal wave; fear, relief, regret, a few that blurred through so fast they eluded her.

Endrali flashed a smile somewhere between sheepish and apologetic. "I take it from your message you heard what happened?"

Brief as it had been, she'd felt the worry in the words.

"A version of it." Arcann's voice was rough, that worry in his eyes and hands flexing at his sides as if fighting the urge to touch to her, reassure himself she was alright.

She wasn't sure what held him back, but she solved the dilemma by taking his hand. "Well, then, let me make sure you have the correct one..."

The way his hand tightened on hers made her heart skip a beat as she tugged him over to a boulder near where they usually sat to meditate. "Acina tried to claim the superweapon we were all after, and even if the attempt failed, it still triggered the weapon to fire, so I had to find a way to shut it down. While I was at the controls there was an electrical surge that, um," she cleared her throat, "did some serious damage--"

"How serious?" Arcann interrupted, almost as if he'd picked up her reluctance to tell him.

I don't want you to worry more. Endrali hesitated. "...Non-zero chance it could've killed me. But," she squeezed his hand to forestall the sharp spike of emotion, "it didn't. Few hours unconscious before I recovered, but I'm fine." She noted his staring at the faint burns on her forearms. "The medtechs are confident even those will clear up in the next few days. I'm fine, Arcann, I promise."

No matter how close it came to that not being the case. The other details could wait for later; the machine gods who echoed Zakuul's pantheon, the surge being sabotage, the revelation of a traitor in the Alliance. But even without all that, Endrali could sense Arcann's disquiet at her close call. She gave him a few minutes to process that, tamping down her curiosity at the storage case off to the side. If it was important, he'd explain, but that wasn't the focus right now. She would have let him have longer, but a thought occurred that pulled a laugh from her before she could stop it.

Arcann gave her a questioning look.

"Sorry," she winced. "It means a lot that you care so much, that you worry." She idly traced his fingers with hers. "But it's also a little funny given that a year ago you would've killed me soon as look at me."

"The irony did not escape me," Arcann said dryly, his gaze drifting off to the horizon.

"I know it isn't pleasant to remember-"

"But you aren't wrong," he murmured. His thumb traced back and forth against hers. "For so long I only felt... was only capable of feeling hatred for others. Especially you." He released her hand, pushing to his feet and pacing away. "And I would have continued that path until my demise, were it not for your compassion. Undeserved. Unmerited. But, as I know now, wholly in line with who you are."

Endrali bit her lip and remained where she was, sensing his need for space. "Don't forget your mother," she said lightly. "Forgiveness may be the Jedi way, but she was the first and most fervent advocate that there was good in you, and gave her strength for the ritual on Voss."

"I know." Arcann paused, staring out over the the forest with hands clasped behind him. "I owe her a debt as well, no matter her insistence to the contrary. But you..." He cleared his throat. "No matter the tenets of your order or how persuasive she was, you made the decision to spare my life, to allow me to pledge myself to the Alliance. To you."

"Arcann..." Now she did push to her feet and follow.

"Everything I am is because of you, Endrali," he said softly, turning to hold her gaze. "Everything I am, and everything I have the chance to become. It's... a far more generous gift than I deserve." He retraced his steps to the case and rested a hand atop it. "And on that note... paltry as it may be compared to what you've given me, I have a gift for you. If it's not too forward."

"Of course not!" Endrali smiled. "I was wondering what was in there," she admitted. Not that you owe me anything.

"And now you can find out." Despite the amusement in Arcann's eyes, she could sense his nerves as she stepped closer and loosened the catches.

Nerves that were wholly unfounded; her jaw nearly hit the ground when she got the case open. "Arcann, this is beautiful," she breathed, staring at all the detail, almost afraid to touch it. (Which was silly; it was armor, it was hardly going to fall apart from the brush of her fingertips.) "You made this?! It's incredible!"

The nervousness was easing now, replaced by a bashful edge to the sense of him through the Force. "Thank you. The Knights taught me to forge, when I was young. It's a skill I've let languish until recently, I'm afraid."

"I'd never've guessed," Endrali murmured wryly, finally daring to reach out and trace a delicate touch along the etched flowers and vines. "This must've taken months..."

"I've worked on it since arriving on Odessen," Arcann said with a nod. "They were months you gave me. It seemed appropriate that I do something for you, and that I finished today, when I heard about Iokath." He swallowed. "I swore to protect you, Commander. This allows me to keep that promise even if I am unable to fight by your side."

It was too much, too wonderful. Endrali turned from the case, from the incredible, beautiful armor, and lunged to hug him. "I love it!"

I love you.

She didn't need the Force to pick up how his heart pounded as she crashed into him.

---

He couldn't breathe through the rush of emotion; relief she liked it, strange shyness at her effusive praise, strangling warmth in his gut that he had so thoroughly delighted her. (a brief surge of hope, quickly hidden, at the thought she didn't entirely mask but he didn't entirely catch.)

His voice was rough when he finally found it, struggling to hide the true depth of how affected he was. "It's the least I can do for someone who has given me so much," he demurred. "My life, your trust, a second chance... everything." Arcann couldn't stop the tremor as he drew a breath, finally letting one hand rest awkwardly on her shoulder. "I'll spend a lifetime" --the one you gave me-- "thanking you for it, trying to repay--"

Her finger pressed to his lips, a surge of what he'd almost call nerves dancing along the edge of her sense as she stepped back to meet his eye. "There nothing to repay, Arcann," Endrali said with a smile. "Seeing you happy is enough for me. Getting to see the man you'll become..." Her fingers drifted to the side, tentatively brushing his scars, then with gentle deliberation when he didn't pull away. "Someone true. Someone better."

You make a great many things better. The thought stuck in his throat, his breath coming shallow.

Endrali's eyes searched his face, found something that made the shadow of nerves Arcann had sensed firm into resolve. "I care about you," she said, just above a whisper. "Very much. Maybe... maybe even..."

Love you.

His heart stopped, the ground seeming to fall out from under him. The second chance was more than enough, he'd never ask or expect more. His place here, her trust and friendship, they alone were beyond his wildest dreams. But if she meant what he thought...

"Why?" It came out rough and cracked with disbelief and Arcann had to step away from the beacon of warmth, of hope, she'd become. "After everything...." he said hoarsely. "Why?"

"Because I've seen who you are," Endrali said, following him with determination. "So much more than what anything--your father, your choices, your hatred and rage--had made you." Her hand came to rest on his arm, gentle but insistent. "Senya was right about the good in you, Arcann. She and I just brought it out."

Arcann turned to her, feeling the barriers that masked his wildest, more foolish hopes start to weaken. "I can't deny how much I've come to admire you, Endrali," he murmured. "Your strength, your courage, your heart. But I have done terrible things. To the galaxy, to you." His hands clenched and relaxed at his sides and he reached to trace the scar across her cheek.

His doing. Like so many other things, crimes innumerable against the galaxy, the Alliance, his own people.

"I never dreamed you would see me as anything but a former enemy," he confessed, his hand lingering against her skin. "But if you mean what you said..."

"I always do," Endrali said softly, covering his hand with hers to hold it in place as she gave him a playful smile. "And the way I see it, you've saved my life at least as many times as you threatened it now, so we're even on that account."

The airy comment startled a chuckle out of him. "I doubt the rest of the galaxy will agree. I cannot be absolved of my actions so easily. But if you can accept me" --love me, and his breath tripped on the improbable certainty of it shining unmasked in her eyes-- "I want to become someone you deserve."

An impossible task; she deserved the galaxy and more, but one he wouldn't shy from striving to fulfill.

"Arcann." Endrali traced a finger down over his lips and chin. "I already do. The good, the bad, when I say I care about you, I mean all of it. All of you. I... love you."

He'd never felt such nervousness from her, and it somehow made him feel better knowing the weight she gave such an admission.

"I... I didn't realize until just now how much I hoped to hear that from you," Arcann confessed, heart pounding and intensely aware of her hand still resting on his arm. "I care for you as well, Endrali. As friends, as... more."

I love you, too. The words tangled in his throat, caught on Scyva only knew what. But his sense must've blazed with them, because her grin and her joy crashed over him like a wave.

"Well, that's good to hear," she whispered with a giddy laugh.

He had to be dreaming. The best he'd had in his life, but... "Really?"

She pressed his hand closer to her check, smile brighter than the sun. "Would I lie about this?"

Arcann gave a breathless chuckle. "I suppose not." He shifted closer, swallowing hard. "I must confess this is... unfamiliar territory for me. I'm unsure what comes next."

"Well. Not that I'm terribly familiar with it myself..." Endrali grinned, biting her lower lip, and pulled him close to whisper almost conspiratorially, "I think this is the part where you kiss me."

---

The slowly rising warmth of hope and feeling the echo of her own burst forth in their full dazzling glory, filling her sense of him, as Arcann matched her smile.

"That I can do," he murmured, and made good, closing the remaining gap between them to press his mouth to hers.

Endrali grinned into it--she couldn't help herself--her arms around his neck for balance as he straightened and lifted her off her feet. Arcann wrapped an arm around her waist, other hand still cupping her cheek, and held her close until they parted, both all ragged breaths and thunderstruck smiles. He made sure she had her footing before he truly released her.

"How was that?" he asked, a touch playful but also genuinely checking.

"A very strong start," she said, tugging him close again. "Let me see if I can match it..."

She pulled him in for this kiss, hands cupping his jaw and trying to pour what she felt--the unchecked, unbridled joy running rampant--into it.

They broke with a gasp and Arcann rested his forehead to hers. "A likewise strong start," he murmured.

"Good." She didn't feel any inclination to move, perfectly happy to stand so close and try to wrap her head around one of her deepest wishes come true. "Oh! Thank you for the armor," she said after a moment, smiling sheepishly as she remembered. "I don't think I actually said that part out loud."

Arcann laughed--an actual laugh, quiet and deep. "You're most welcome." He smiled and linked his fingers between hers. "I would see you protected. The galaxy remains a dangerous place. I don't know what the future holds, Endrali, but I will face it by your side, if you'll allow."

"Of course," Endrali giggled and squeezed his hand. One thing she was sure about for the future, there would be challenges, for her, the Alliance, them. But they could handle it. Together. "Looking forward to it, in fact."

She pushed up on her toes to kiss him again, found him already moving to meet her, because they could. Everything was confessed, laid bare. And reciprocated, beyond all her hopes. Arcann loved her back. So Endrali giggled and deepened the kiss, because she could.

(At least until she started to lose her balance.)

(But he caught her.)

#queens fic #endrali jade #arcann #arcann tirall #endrali/arcan #ardrali #otp: undone by you #GOD #IT'S HEEEEEEERE #I LOVE THEM SO MUCH #swtor

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queen-scribbles · 1 year ago

Text

Unwise

Haaaappy birthday to the Blueberry Jedi, as I simultaneously embarrass her and write the last piece standing between her/Arcann and the official "begin a relationship" step. >:3 I've mentioned before that she can be surprisingly horny, right?

---

Her heart pounded in her chest, the pulses of emotion she could sense from him making it beat faster, faster. His fingers brushed the juncture of her hip and she twined a leg over his to keep them close, a kiss pressed to the hollow of her throat had his name falling from her lips on a gasp--

She jerked awake, heart actually pounding, heat still twisting in her core, and very much alone. No company, least of all him.

Stars above, where did that come from?! Endrali wondered. She ran both trembling hands through her hair, clenching them around fistfuls at her nape, then immediately let go as if it had burned her.

Not a good idea with that dream still fresh in her mind's eye. Not that he would ever...

Endrali sat up, tenting her knees, and willed all her focus into clearing her thoughts. Slow, deep breaths. In. Out. She was on a planet full of Force users, some almost as strong as she was; the last thing she wanted was for these emotions to linger long enough someone picked up on them. In. Out. Calm your mind.

The meditative quiet that usually came easy was elusive this time.

She'd never had a dream like that before...

Sparring. That's where this came from, sparring yesterday. Tank tops. More single blade practice for her. Arcann was more comfortable with it now, more convinced it was not an unwise course of action. (The fact she'd playfully shoved him halfway across the room with the Force probably helped. As reassurance.) He'd actually smiled helping her back to her feet when they finished. "You are improving."

That's what had done her in, that smile, she mused. That he was comfortable enough, relaxed enough, to drop his guard around her, if not on the base as a whole.

The--imagined, she reminded herself sternly--memory of fingers tracing skin mingled with the feel of his hand around hers as he hauled her up and Endrali bit her lip. This wasn't helping. She shoved the dream down and buried, but it kept poking through, heat shimmering in her thoughts.

That wouldn't do; someone--stars forbid Arcann or Senya--would pick up on it at this rate. She needed to do something off-planet today, and the sooner she could leave the better. Endrali flicked on the lights and pulled up Alliances messages on her datapad as she dressed.

Right at the first, there was an urgent alert, forwarded by Theron at an hour that tempted Endrali to yell at him about his sleep schedule again--a pirate gang ambushed a patrol and got their hands on Odessen security data. They were selling to the highest bidder, from their base on Tatooine.

Good distance for taking a whole day without keeping her away too long. She finished shrugging on the tan and ochre robes and turned her attention to the main conundrum.

Who did she ask to come along and how did she explain it not being Arcann?

She'd dragged him everywhere for months, because they were friends now, because he'd been first choice for watching her back ever since she realized how well they clicked, because she was comfortable with him. It was going to raise eyebrows if she took someone else along for 'no reason'.

(There was, of course, a very good reason--no way she could hide these emotions from the object of them. But she couldn't say that. 'You didn't do anything wrong, Arcann, I just had a really vivid sex dream about you--us--and need some distance to clear my head!' She valued his friendship and trust too much to blow it apart like that.)

So. She couldn't bring Arcann, for obvious reasons. Couldn't bring Senya, for equally obvious reasons. Lana and any other Sith or Jedi were probably also a bad idea; it was proving nigh impossible to banish the curl of lingering heat. Theron or Vette would notice her agitated state and badger her until she spilled details, Koth and Felix were handling something for Admiral Aygo...

Wish Nadia was here. That would be the perfect solution. She wouldn't mind spilling her guts to her best friend, and Nadia's Force sensitivity was such she'd catch the meaning of any emotion Endrali couldn't put into words.

But she wasn't here. She was Force only knew where, hopefully alright. Safe.

Endrali sighed and ran her fingers along the etched hilt of her dualsaber. Although, thinking of Felix and Nadia turned her thoughts to the rest of her old crew....

Qyzen. Qyzen was here, he wasn't Force aware to pick anything up, and he wouldn't prod for her thoughts. And they'd spent plenty of time fighting together, and he'd done several hunts on Tatooine, which gave him familiarity with the terrain.

Qyzen was perfect. Trusted ally, skilled warrior, perfectly happy following the Scorekeeper's Herald without needless personal questions. Now she just had to track him down and get out of here without running into certain people.

Fingers traced the curve of her spine, metal warm from prolonged contact--

Endrali bit the inside of her cheek, shook her head, tried to take a few deep breaths and push the thought away. And the faster she could get off planet the better. Lingering seemed unwise.

---

Qyzen was, thankfully, not hard to find. He and the Warstalkers tended to keep to the military wing. He did, however, seem surprised by her request.

[Something is wrong, that you need me?] he asked, examining her keenly.

Endrali shook her head, tucking hair behind one ear. "I have to get back some data a pirate gang stole, and they're based on Tatooine. You've hunted there several times, I thought your knowledge of the planet would come in handy."

[Whatever the Herald needs] He inclined his head. [I have all that is needed.]

Her brows twitched and she looked him over again. Sure enough, even for a quiet day on Odessen, he was armored and carried his techblade. "Alright, then."

She thought she caught a glimpse of Arcann as they headed for the Cadence, but didn't dare look, lest her tenuous, desperate grip on those thoughts unravel entirely.

The door whooshed closed behind them, the fresh air a welcome change even if she didn't slow to enjoy it. She did smile at the sight of her snow orchids bobbing in a breeze.

Scarred skin under her wandering touch, down jaw, neck, shoulder. Nails digging in to leave her own marks as they pressed close-

Stop. It. Endrali scolded herself, face hot. She wasn't sure what she'd do for all the empty hours between here and Tatooine, but hopefully she'd find something, or she was in trouble.

---

Arcann happened to reach the hanger bay just in time to catch sight of Endrali, fully dressed and geared, heading toward the door to her personal landing pad.

It was early to be starting for somewhere. Even if the purposeful stride of herself and her Trandoshan friend made it seem important. He hadn't even had time to process Endrali was going somewhere without him when a voice spoke next to him.

"Must be dealin' with the pirates." When he flinched and turned, he saw the underworld liaison. She took his glance as curiosity and elaborated. "Dust Vipers hit a patrol, stole security data. They went to ground on Tatooine while they try to auction it off. Commander must be dealing with it." She cocked her head. "Gotta say, surprised she didn't take you, way you two've been joined at the hip the past few months."

As am I. He buried the thought. "She is free to choose whoever she wishes to accompany her."

Visz snorted. "I know that. She'd just been pickin' you a lot. Guess there's somethin' makes Qyzen a better fit this time." She shrugged and kept walking. Arcann stared at the door that had closed behind Endrali and Qyzen.

He instinctively started combing his memory for anything he had done wrong, then caught himself.

Endrali was not Valkorion. On the--rare--occasions someone hurt or displeased her, she talked to them. The cold shoulder as a punishment was not her way, and it was unwise to let himself worry for no reason.

Driven by curiosity than anything, Arcann reached out through the Force for a sense of her-

-and ran into an impenetrable wall that made his brow furrow. Endrali was never so closed with her emotions. Protecting deeper thoughts, yes, but she'd never barricaded even the surface so tightly, not in all the months since he'd joined the Alliance. And even before.

The dull roar of her ship's engine came through the door, and Arcann waited for it to fade before heading that direction. He'd wanted to meditate(--with her, but that part was not meant to be now--)and she clearly wouldn't need the space.

---

However difficult it was to clear her mind during the journey, Tatooine's heat alone was enough to distract her once they arrived.

[Herald, where is our quarry?] Qyzen asked.

"Oh, um..." Endrali fumbled to pull out the datapad with information. She'd been in such a state she hadn't really focused on anything beyond 'stolen data', 'Tatooine', and that it was urgent enough to get her off Odessen quickly. She could sense Qyzen's concern as he watched her.

[To be unprepared, is unusual.] he said. [Everything is alright?]

"I'm fine," Endrali promised. "Just didn't want to waste time before leaving, this sounded urgent."

Both statements were true, even if the connection wasn't, per se.

Qyzen seemed to accept it, though she wasn't sure if his not pointing out the hours she could've read it en route was decorum or not recognizing the opportunity.

"The Dust Vipers are based in the Dune Sea," Endrali said, finally locating the info in Hylo's report.

[I follow you,] Qyzen said. [Are prepared?]

"Mmhm." She better be, heading into the Dune Sea. It would swallow the unprepared whole, and she didn't want that. So they were prepared, and she would stay focused on the task at hand. They didn't have much on the Dust Vipers and she didn't want to make assumptions of their capabilities.

Hope they're enough of a challenge to satisfy Qyzen and distract me, Endrali thought as the speeder headed out from Anchorhead.

---

She got her wish. While not as tough as Commander Tassar's forces, or fanatical as the Sith on Ord Mantell, the Dust Vipers were no pushovers--through sheer numbers if nothing else.

They must run some recruitment drives, she mused dryly before considering maybe they'd simply pulled all their forces to protect the base, knowing the Alliance would respond. Many of them hadn't been expecting her, personally, to handle it, if their panicked oaths and the ripple of shock in the Force were anything to go by.

It's their bad luck I needed the distraction. Endrali ripped a chunk of rock out of a precipice and hurled it at one set of hasty barricades. It knocked them aside and flattened the pirates using them for cover. Qyzen swept through the new opening to reach more pirates further up the slope.

The catwalks up to this point had been bad enough, doubling back repeatedly to climb the rock face in a zigzag that gave the Vipers a decided advantage. But more rock walls blocked in the climbing path, funneling them in one direction--toward a healthy scattering of pirates, beasts and barricades.

However, Endrali and Qyzen had quickly fallen back in sync, fighting together. (Even if it was a little odd fighting with someone not Force-aware after so long with Arcann--)

None of that, she scolded herself, flinging a pair of pirates into the canyon wall and spinning to cut down another behind her. Not a good idea to undermine the distraction.

They gained the summit and Endrali paused to catch her breath.

[Is all broodlings so far,] Qyzen commented, looking back at the bodies left in their wake. [Barely worth points.]

Endrali chuckled. "They do add up, though. And I'm sure we'll find someone worthy to fight soon; no way they'll let us just waltz inside the walls of their base." She fell silent, nudging the carcass of a sand tusker with her boot.

[What thoughts, Herald?]

"These are known for their hostility," she said half under her breath, "they should be attacking everything, not just us."

Qyzen nodded thoughtfully. [Agreed. Is odd.]

"Maybe if we can figure out what they're doing, we can wreck it, and then the beasts will go after the pirates, too."

[Whatever small prey uses, is unwise to stand against Scorekeeper's Herald,] he said, scanning over the bodies of men and beasts who had paid for doing so.

Endrali smiled and gave a rueful snort. "Am I still Her Herald? I did get captured, wouldn't that...?"

Qyzen paused, the scaly ridges that crested his head twitching, but the clouded eye turned toward her gave nothing away. She knew he still struggled to reconcile that she, the Scorekeeper's Herald, had suffered the highest disgrace--live capture. His reply was measured when it came. [Once, small hunter said to me, not to dwell on points lost, but on reclaiming. Now I say same to you, Herald. Not to worry for lost points--you earn many more. And defeat one who captured you, make him serve.]

She shook her head and chuckled. They'd had this terminology debate before. "He doesn't serve, Qyzen; Arcann's an ally now. A friend."

One she was trying very hard not to think about right now, so they really should change the subject.

[Is sign of strength, boldness, to trust one so long an enemy,] Qyzen said. [Let him enter your den, guard your back.]

"He's earned it," Endrali said softly, tracing channels through the sandy dirt with her boot.

[Have seen is so,] Qyzen nodded. [So I trust Herald's instincts.]

A deep, breathless kiss, her name mumbled low, started creeping back into her thoughts. Endrali shook them off and pushed to her feet. "Right now my instincts are saying to press on before they regroup." It wasn't like resting in the suns heat helped that much.

Qyzen nodded, taking his weapon in hand. [I follow.]

They found the compound gates nearby, guarded by a Kaleesh warrior and flanking pair of scyk. He summoned more beasts to his aid when those were killed, making Endrali think he might have that control method they needed to wreck. When a whole gang of wraids followed the scyk and sandtuskers, she was pretty convinced of it.

The one big change fighting with Qyzen rather than Arcann was Qyzen's penchant for attacking the biggest visible threat, meaning she handled the lesser ones. Her lightsaber hummed and crackled and the air smelt of burned flesh by the time she'd finished off the wraids. She barely had time to assist Qyzen's fight with a few strikes when the Kaleesh's cry of 'To me, to me!' had the earth erupting and a massive sandworm flung itself at Qyzen.

It slammed him into a boulder, he snarled and clawed at it in retaliation. Endrali took over fighting the Kaleesh, deflecting blaster bolts, flinging rocks, until she finished him off.

Qyzen gave a triumphant cry a moment later and when Endrali turned he was yanking his techblade free of the beast's head.

It was in rifling the beastmaster's pockets and pouches she found the small hexagonal transponder. Near as she could tell, this was how he'd controlled the creatures. Figuring Oggurobb would want to have a look at it, she tucked it in a belt pouch and turned her attention to the gates.

They were huge and sturdy. Impregnable, some would say. Endrali reached out with the Force, hefted a boulder thrice the size of her and Qyzen combined, and hurled it at the gates.

Durasteel shrieked and voices clamored beyond as the gates bent, snapped, and caved inwards. The debris and her boulder flattened a few of those closest. It was a good thing they got a moment's respite; throwing something that large so hard took an effort. Endrali swayed, paused for a couple heartbeats to recover before following Qyzen's charge.

She'd just deflected a small barrage of blaster bolts back at the pirates who fired them, the hum of her daulsaber's whirl in her ears, when the sense of danger tugged at the Force. Endrali lunged to the side immediately, tucking herself behind a shipping crate as something small hit where she'd been standing and erupted in flame.

"Guess Jai wasn't as tough as he thought!" a voice rang out. "I'll have to take a crack at ya!"

Endrali reached with the Force to sense where the woman speaking was. Grated ramp to an outbuilding all the way across the workyard. Too far to do anything direct. She still levitated a boulder and threw it in the general direction of the new threat as she curled around the crate to run for Qyzen.

There was the bark of blasters firing in unison, a shower of stone fragments that stung the backs of her arms, and the rapid spitfire of blaster bolts dancing behind her footsteps. Endrali pivoted as she reached Qyzen, spinning her dualsaber to deflect the attack.

"Hey, boys, we got the Commander's attention herself!" the pirate hollered, jumping down from her vantage point. She vanished as she hit the ground, reappearing on an overseer's platform in the middle of the yard, so close Endrali could see her grin as she fired again.

Short range teleport. That was enough of a problem with Force users, where you knew there'd be a short break between shifts so they could regain expended energy. She had no idea what limitation a technological version may or may not have.

[I will take broodlings,] Qyzen said, gaze on the cluster of men who had spilled from the building. [And you the mighty one.] He was moving even before Endrali's nod of confirmation.

She drew on the Force to rush the pirate's position, crossing sand and metal alike in a blink.

The pirate had good reflexes; she dodged the swipe at her chest. Her blasters each spat a shot as she spat a curse--Endrali blocked one, but the other grazed her arm--and she slammed a hand to her belt, vanishing from sight.

Endrali deflected a wild shot from the last of the group Qyzen was fighting and reached with the Force, sensing where the pirate would be even as she reappeared. The pirate flung something and Endrali jumped the railing to avoid it, the chill of flash-cryo at her back as she hit the ground and rolled.

The pirate's new position gave her a clear line of sight on Qyzen, and she grinned as she spun her blasters before lining up a shot. From the glow of the barrels, Endrali didn't need the Force to sense danger. Too far to reach him in time...

"Qyzen!" she hollered in warning, but he didn't seem to hear her. In a last-ditch effort to protect her friend, she threw her dualsaber at the pirate, guiding it with the Force as best she could.

(If it worked for Arcann, it should work for her, even if hers had an extra blade to worry about when catching it.)

One of the whirling blades cut deep into the pirate's back and her shot went wide. Qyzen spun as the large energy bolts slammed the sand next to him.

Endrali caught the returning dualsaber above her head as she ran to close in on the pirate. Qyzen got there first, swinging his techblade in a backhand strike at her gut.

Still reeling from Endrali's thrown saber, the pirate was too slow to fully dodge. Her cry, however, was more dismay than pain as she backpedaled into the bunker behind her.

He broke her tech. Endrali called on the Force for speed, not wanting to waste this chance. They had the door covered, but stars only knew if there were any sort of passages out of the bunker.

A salvo of blaster fire greeted her as she sped past Qyzen and she felt the heat of one she didn't deflect whiz by the side of her neck. Qyzen grunted behind her as another bolt found its mark.

Trusting in the Force, Endrali flung out her hand, throwing a couple of footlockers in the direction of the shots, following in a rush to cut down the pirate before she could fire again. Her blade cut deep into the woman's unarmored chest, and she let out a choked-off groan of surprise as she fell. Something dropped from her hand-

[Herald!] Qyzen's finger closed around her arm, yanking her away just as the detonator went off. She instinctively threw up her free arm, and the wash of heat made the skin tight.

"Thanks," she said with a grateful smile, breathing hard as she turned to Qyzen.

[Was owed.] he replied, still on guard until sure the threat was past.

Endrali winced at the blaster burn that cut through the brow ridge of his good eye. "Sorry I was a bit slow."

Qyzen shook his head. [Is mark of fine hunt, strong prey, even if points are yours.]

"Couldn't have done it without you," she said, shaking her head. "They're your points, too."

He'd traveled with her long enough to know protesting the unconventional sentiment was pointless. [I thank you, Herald.]

Endrali nodded a distracted acknowledgement even as she crouched to free the damaged teleportation tech from the pirate's belt. I'm gonna be Oggurobb's favorite person in the whole galaxy at this rate... "Now to figure where we go next," she muttered. Probably up. There were some other buildings scattered around, but since none of them showed guards or signs of being ready to spew forth more pirates, she wasn't inclined to drag this out by doing a door to door search.

So they headed up the sloping cliffside path, until they found a large warehouse with guards posted outside the loading bay doors. They were easily dealt with.

The walker waiting inside clearly intended to be a little more of a challenge.

"Wondered when you'd poke your head in, Commander!" a voice boomed from the walker. "I am Bel Nerodia, chief of the Vipers and soon to be destroyer of the Alliance!" He fired off a rocket salvo as he finished his boast, and Endrali and Qyzen ducked in opposite directions for cover behind shipping crates.

Endrali peeked around her to take in the scene. Not enough space or incline to use the same method she had for the Zakuulan walker on Rakata Prime. ('Course, there she'd also had a fellow Force user to help disarm it before her stunt.)

She ripped the end off a shipping crate and threw it at the walker cabin. It staggered but didn't go down. Not big enough, then. Time to try something a little crazy. Probably unwise. But those plans tended to work the best.

Endrali stepped into view of the walker, yanking with the Force to throw it off-balance. As Nerodia struggled to get it stable again, she darted in close, dodging the massive feet until she could get a good strike at one of the legs. She sheared halfway through on her first hit, then finished the job on the backswing.

"Hey! No! You can't-!" Nerodia's bellowing protests were cut off as the walker crashed to the ground. Between the impact and debris she'd thrown at it, the hatch looked jammed.

That should hold him while I get the data, Endrali decided. Theron and Lana--mostly Lana--would have questions for the man; she'd rather take him alive. She used the Force to crush the hatch release a little farther. Just to be safe. She and Qyzen headed upstairs, dispatching a few more guards and droids as they went.

The computers weren't heavily encrypted. The data stolen and list of prospective buyers were both easy to find. Lana and Aygo would appreciate knowing who was willing to pay--obscenely--for Odessen security data. Endrali downloaded and wiped the data, then jammed her lightsaber in the console for good measure.

"Time to go," she told Qyzen.

Nerodia was still hollering and banging on the walker's jammed hatch when they made it downstairs. "Hey! Hey! You can't leave me in here! HEY!!"

"Didn't intend to," Endrali called back, voice raised so he could here her. "Might want to scoot back!" She waited a few heartbeats for him to comply, then ignited her lightsaber and sliced open the hatch.

Qyzen reached in and dragged him out, scolding, [Struggle not wise, after Herald showed mercy.]

"Some mercy," Nerodia scoffed, still struggling. "Better you just kill me."

"Not how I operate," Endrali said cheerfully. "And by the way, if you make a walker to fight Jedi, should invest in cortosis plating. Makes it harder for us to do" --she gestured to the walker--"that."

They secured Nerodia's hands with binder cuffs, and Qyzen shepherded him along as they headed for the door. A warning sense rang through the Force, and Endrali used it to shove Qyzen and Nerodia to the side as a volley of mortars pounded where they'd been standing.

"Crush 'em to dust GeeNine!" Nerodia whooped before Qyzen stunned him with a thump from the hilt of his techblade.

Their opponent was indeed a very large battledroid, clanking and creaking as it struggled across the sand.

Well, we can use that, Endrali mused, zipping in to slash at a cluster of exposed wiring. The droid was so large; clumsy and slow, it was easy to stay at a range to avoid both its heavy limbs and the artillery mounted on its back. It did get in a hefty smack that sent her tumbling and spitting sand with ears ringing before Qyzen jammed his techblade into its center and ripped out enough vital components to render it inoperable.

"That wasn't so bad," Endrali said, despite the bruise forming on her shoulder and the reek of singed hair from a rocket volley that cut it a little close. And it wasn't; the mining droid she and Arcann dismantled on Ord Mantell had been worse. "Let's go home, huh?"

[Is wise plan] Qyzen nodded.

Nerodia was just beginning to revive his struggles when they returned to him, and for ease of traveling Endrali stunned him again with the Force. Better than listening to him yell and posture the whole flight back to Odessen.

Qyzen slung the insensate pirate leader over his shoulder and they headed to the ship.

Fingers tracing the lower edge of her ribcage, hers dancing lightly along his collarbone, hearts pounding in unison as-

"So how do you account points for droids?" she asked hastily as they walked. "Are they the same as organic prey, or is there a difference because they're programmed...?"

---

The trip back to Odessen was uneventful. she and Qyzen took turns watching the prisoner and the controls, and there were no incidents of note.

Endrali was proven correct on their return--Lana was thrilled to have a prisoner for interrogation, Aygo was thrilled to have data on the pirates' ambush tactics, and Oggurobb was thrilled to have new tech to examine.

She herself was just thrilled to be home so she could wash off the lingering sweat and sand, get some proper sleep rather than a catnap in the pilot seat--

She walked into something and her mental checklist came to an abrupt halt even as she did. Her reflexive "Oh, sorry-" when she realized it was a someone strangled off when it registered who.

Arcann.

The galaxy did have a sense of humor.

His smile reached his eyes(and made her lips curve upward as well) as his hand brushed her arm in an instinctive move to steady her if needed. "It's alright. I did not realize you had returned."

"Just got back," she confirmed, trying to ignore the gooseflesh prickling her arm, the curl of warmth in her stomach--and, above all, the previously banished images starting to swirl in her thoughts.

Tangled-together fingers, breathless-mumbled names, hips rolling--

Stop it, he's right there, she scolded herself, frantically pushing the thoughts away and hoping Arcann hadn't picked any of it up. From the fact he wasn't going red and avoiding eye contact, it seemed nothing got through.

"I, um, had some deliveries," she explained, tucking her hair behind her ear. "Captured the leader; Lana's very happy I got this one alive for her to question, and they had some tech Oggurobb's dissecting."

"I'm glad you had such success," Arcann said. "Considering your rushed departure, it seemed rather urgent."

She nodded. "Wouldn't've been smart to wait. And I'm also glad that if I had to go to Tatooine, at least it was successful. It's good Qyzen knows the terrain so well, that was a big help navigating the Dune Sea." A sheepish chuckle. "Though it was... odd not having you to back me up," she admitted, and cocked her head at the near-imperceptible twinge to his sense.

He exhaled in a hum that might've almost been a laugh. "It was odd not going."

"We'll, ah, we'll both have to look forward to next time, then," Endrali said playfully, and bit her lip at the sincerity radiating from him as he nodded.

"We shall," he said, studying her face.

"That'll have to wait, right now I need a nap," she laughed. "Well, shower then nap. We hit a couple duststorms and I feel like I'm still wearing half of Tatooine."

One corner of Arcann's mouth curved back and he reached--as if he couldn't help it--to lightly brush something off her cheek. His breath hitched ever so slightly as his touch passed over her scar.

Hopefully it covered hers doing the same.

Endrali had to clear her throat before she could joke, "That dusty, am I?"

Arcann's answering chuckle was stilted as he let his hand fall. "Perhaps it's just as well I did not accompany you."

She watched the fingers of his left hand curl and wrinkled her nose. "Mm, true." Sand and cybernetics weren't a fun mix, no matter how many precautions you took. "Hopefully the next malcontents will use a more hospitable planet. And hopefully you found things to do with me gone?"

He nodded. "I did. Sana-Rae needed help in the Force Enclave, I meditated and worked on a... personal project. My time was occupied." He swallowed as if holding back from saying more and she didn't dare reach for the sense of it.

"Good." Endrali fought back a yawn. Probably wise to make her exit before exhaustion and her pounding heart made her say something stupid. "I'm gonna go take that nap. But I'll see you around?"

Arcann nodded. "Of course."

"Good." She skittered for the elevator, heart still pounding and warmth of dream-memory filling her mind. So much for this being a distraction. She could leave things buried for now, but it was unwise to let such a development... fester.

Scared as she was of damaging their friendship, she was going to need to talk to him soon.

Stars help her.

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