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<blockquote data-quote="Ankh-Morpork Guard" data-source="post: 1811708" data-attributes="member: 10079"><p><strong>Chapter 12: Glimpse of the Past</strong></p><p></p><p>It was a two minute jump to the middle of no where. Nothing followed them, and so they were soon off on their way to meet up with the Claw. It would be an hour and a half stuck in the confines of the cockpit. Shadow had fallen asleep in Jen’s lap, and Akan had all but forgotten about the officer stuck in the cargo hold. He had closed his eyes and just rested for what seemed like most of the flight, but he heard Jen say...something. Eyes opened again with a sigh, he glanced at the chrono on the HUD. Still forty minutes left...</p><p> </p><p>“What did you say?” Akan asked over his shoulder in a strangely quiet voice. With the only noise being the hum of the hyperdrive, it was louder than even he’d expected.</p><p> </p><p>He heard Jen shifting slightly, “You’re a Jedi?”</p><p></p><p>Ah...small talk. At least it would pass time, “I try.”</p><p> </p><p>“Then you...fought against the Empire?” she was referring to the Galactic Civil War, no doubt. </p><p> </p><p>Memories slipped back through his protected mind...short flashes of flying his X-Wing. Mission briefings...infiltrating an Imperial base...somehow, they didn’t hurt like he’d worried. But perhaps that was because of the absence of the most painful ones. Slowly, he nodded, “A lifetime ago.”</p><p> </p><p>There was a long pause as she seemed to think about what else to say. After a moment, he noticed another sound...quiet, but constant. Purring. He tried to look over his shoulder but couldn’t see. Zaarin caught onto what he was doing, “Do you know what she is?”</p><p> </p><p>Akan shrugged, then remembered she couldn’t see that, “No. I just met her a few minutes before heading down to the planet.”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh...” Jen looked out at the tunnel of hyperspace that was cascading away from her, “You said you were sent to find out what happened?”</p><p> </p><p>“Don’t...not now,” Akan closed his eyes again, “Save it for Ansion. He knows the details...I just do the covert work. Not too well, obviously.”</p><p> </p><p>She laughed slightly at that, and somehow that surprised him. He hadn’t meant that as a joke. Her tone changed to that of curiosity, “You talk like you’re an old man, you know that?”</p><p> </p><p>Again, he shrugged. This time, though, he grinned at the natural reaction. He glanced up and out of the canopy through the fringe of his dark brown hair and opened his eyes, “Sometimes people grow up too soon.”</p><p> </p><p>He’d just said that. He didn’t even understand it, or realize the truth of it. It just...came out. Jen had raised an eyebrow at that, her hand that was scratching at the feline’s ear stopped for just a moment, which got a quiet ‘rowr’ out of the sleeping creature, “How’s the wound?”</p><p> </p><p>“It will heal,” Akan looked back down and to the deep black mark on his right shoulder. He could move the arm, but it hurt far too much to be worth it. The shot had hit hard, but something was still wrong. It should have killed him where it hit. Not just burned and scarred. </p><p> </p><p>Another long silence grew out of his thoughts. The purring noise had started up again, and Akan couldn’t help but grin very slightly at that. Shadow was a strange creature...silent and business minded from what he could figure, but then when she was like that. So much like a child. Ansion had been right...despite how much better at everything she seemed to be, Shadow’s skills complimented Akan’s very well. Suddenly he heard a noise...clicking. Something opened.</p><p> </p><p>There was a small compartment in the back section that used to hold personal belongings...”Who’s this?” Jen’s voice asked. That compartment was empty last he remembered. Maybe someone else put something in there. It was technically his Y-Wing, but the others used it from time to time.</p><p> </p><p>“Who’s what?” Akan asked, looking over his shoulder to see what she was talking about.</p><p> </p><p>Jen had moved some but he still couldn’t get around to see it, and she hadn’t handed it to him, “The girl in this holo. The other actually looks like you...younger though.”</p><p> </p><p>“What are you...” he trailed off as he managed to catch a glimpse of the small holo in her hand. At once he knew it, and he felt a deep pain returning. Something that had stayed hidden for so long that it had only gotten worse, never being given a chance to heal. Tears welled up in his eyes but Akan fought them back. It was himself...Raan...and Mare. Both wore their flight suits and it looked like they were about to leave. There was a distracted smile on his face, and Mare had almost the same look. Three years ago...</p><p> </p><p>His mouth opened to say something, but no words came out, only a croaked noise. He took in a deep breath and tried again, barely managing the words, “A friend...”</p><p> </p><p>Not any kind of fool, Jen noticed the reaction the holo had caused. She quickly put it down, and asked in a careful voice, “What’s wrong?”</p><p> </p><p>Memories slowly came back. Part of it was ironic to him...the void within him returned within the void of hyperspace. He closed his eyes and rested his face in one and, “She...I...she died.”</p><p> </p><p>There was a long silence, and he heard Jen shift again, hearing her voice closer to the seat now, “I’m sorry...”</p><p> </p><p>“Don’t apologize,” Akan’s voice was strangely harsh, not at all comforting coming from one who was supposed to be a Jedi.</p><p> </p><p>“How...long ago?” Jen asked, seemingly choosing her words carefully. Part of him wondered if she was just prying, but Akan was smart enough to know she was trying to help. Why...he didn’t know. But somehow it felt good to at least speak of it. </p><p> </p><p>He reached a hand back over his shoulder, open and waiting for her to hand the holo to him, “Three years.”</p><p> </p><p>Jen placed the holo in his hand and he pulled it back to look at it. He was so young then...a lifetime ago was right. That boy in the holo was no longer alive. He’d been replaced by someone who ran the risk of destroying himself even more. A Jedi with such deep pain was dangerous. To himself more than anything. Jen’s voice interrupted his thoughts, “I didn’t know they allowed people so young to be pilots...”</p><p> </p><p>“They were desperate,” Akan said, not able to fight back the grin that the statement had always gotten to his face, “And we...I was good enough that age didn’t matter.”</p><p> </p><p>“There are other things in here...” Jen’s voice was accompanied by her rummaging. Somehow, this didn’t bother Akan. It should...she was going through his memories as it were. Painful memories, at that...ones that he had gone through great lengths to forget. Maybe time had healed them more than he’d thought...no. No. Nothing could heal it.</p><p> </p><p>“The...the datapad is her diary,” Akan said very quietly, a hand reaching up to touch the holo gently, “The other is a holo from her home. After...,” something in him couldn’t let him say the words that he knew were true. So instead, he just continued on anyway, “After, I held onto her things. It was all she had...and they would have just gotten rid of it.”</p><p> </p><p>He reached back over again, handing Jen the holo of the two young pilots. She took the holo, but her hand held his for a long moment. It was...strange. Gently, she squeezed his hand, “I lost all of my family and friends on Alderaan. I know how you feel.”</p><p> </p><p>A sudden emotion, so close to rage it was almost tangible welled up within Akan. He jerked his hand away and looked to the chrono. It had reached zero. They were there. He reached for the hyperdrive switch, and pulled them back. They reverted back to realspace, and there sat the Claw, in he middle of the blackness of no where.</p><p> </p><p>“You have no idea,” Akan said low and dangerously, “The only way you could know how I feel is if you fired that blast that destroyed the planet.”</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Ankh-Morpork Guard, post: 1811708, member: 10079"] [b]Chapter 12: Glimpse of the Past[/b] It was a two minute jump to the middle of no where. Nothing followed them, and so they were soon off on their way to meet up with the Claw. It would be an hour and a half stuck in the confines of the cockpit. Shadow had fallen asleep in Jen’s lap, and Akan had all but forgotten about the officer stuck in the cargo hold. He had closed his eyes and just rested for what seemed like most of the flight, but he heard Jen say...something. Eyes opened again with a sigh, he glanced at the chrono on the HUD. Still forty minutes left... “What did you say?” Akan asked over his shoulder in a strangely quiet voice. With the only noise being the hum of the hyperdrive, it was louder than even he’d expected. He heard Jen shifting slightly, “You’re a Jedi?” Ah...small talk. At least it would pass time, “I try.” “Then you...fought against the Empire?” she was referring to the Galactic Civil War, no doubt. Memories slipped back through his protected mind...short flashes of flying his X-Wing. Mission briefings...infiltrating an Imperial base...somehow, they didn’t hurt like he’d worried. But perhaps that was because of the absence of the most painful ones. Slowly, he nodded, “A lifetime ago.” There was a long pause as she seemed to think about what else to say. After a moment, he noticed another sound...quiet, but constant. Purring. He tried to look over his shoulder but couldn’t see. Zaarin caught onto what he was doing, “Do you know what she is?” Akan shrugged, then remembered she couldn’t see that, “No. I just met her a few minutes before heading down to the planet.” “Oh...” Jen looked out at the tunnel of hyperspace that was cascading away from her, “You said you were sent to find out what happened?” “Don’t...not now,” Akan closed his eyes again, “Save it for Ansion. He knows the details...I just do the covert work. Not too well, obviously.” She laughed slightly at that, and somehow that surprised him. He hadn’t meant that as a joke. Her tone changed to that of curiosity, “You talk like you’re an old man, you know that?” Again, he shrugged. This time, though, he grinned at the natural reaction. He glanced up and out of the canopy through the fringe of his dark brown hair and opened his eyes, “Sometimes people grow up too soon.” He’d just said that. He didn’t even understand it, or realize the truth of it. It just...came out. Jen had raised an eyebrow at that, her hand that was scratching at the feline’s ear stopped for just a moment, which got a quiet ‘rowr’ out of the sleeping creature, “How’s the wound?” “It will heal,” Akan looked back down and to the deep black mark on his right shoulder. He could move the arm, but it hurt far too much to be worth it. The shot had hit hard, but something was still wrong. It should have killed him where it hit. Not just burned and scarred. Another long silence grew out of his thoughts. The purring noise had started up again, and Akan couldn’t help but grin very slightly at that. Shadow was a strange creature...silent and business minded from what he could figure, but then when she was like that. So much like a child. Ansion had been right...despite how much better at everything she seemed to be, Shadow’s skills complimented Akan’s very well. Suddenly he heard a noise...clicking. Something opened. There was a small compartment in the back section that used to hold personal belongings...”Who’s this?” Jen’s voice asked. That compartment was empty last he remembered. Maybe someone else put something in there. It was technically his Y-Wing, but the others used it from time to time. “Who’s what?” Akan asked, looking over his shoulder to see what she was talking about. Jen had moved some but he still couldn’t get around to see it, and she hadn’t handed it to him, “The girl in this holo. The other actually looks like you...younger though.” “What are you...” he trailed off as he managed to catch a glimpse of the small holo in her hand. At once he knew it, and he felt a deep pain returning. Something that had stayed hidden for so long that it had only gotten worse, never being given a chance to heal. Tears welled up in his eyes but Akan fought them back. It was himself...Raan...and Mare. Both wore their flight suits and it looked like they were about to leave. There was a distracted smile on his face, and Mare had almost the same look. Three years ago... His mouth opened to say something, but no words came out, only a croaked noise. He took in a deep breath and tried again, barely managing the words, “A friend...” Not any kind of fool, Jen noticed the reaction the holo had caused. She quickly put it down, and asked in a careful voice, “What’s wrong?” Memories slowly came back. Part of it was ironic to him...the void within him returned within the void of hyperspace. He closed his eyes and rested his face in one and, “She...I...she died.” There was a long silence, and he heard Jen shift again, hearing her voice closer to the seat now, “I’m sorry...” “Don’t apologize,” Akan’s voice was strangely harsh, not at all comforting coming from one who was supposed to be a Jedi. “How...long ago?” Jen asked, seemingly choosing her words carefully. Part of him wondered if she was just prying, but Akan was smart enough to know she was trying to help. Why...he didn’t know. But somehow it felt good to at least speak of it. He reached a hand back over his shoulder, open and waiting for her to hand the holo to him, “Three years.” Jen placed the holo in his hand and he pulled it back to look at it. He was so young then...a lifetime ago was right. That boy in the holo was no longer alive. He’d been replaced by someone who ran the risk of destroying himself even more. A Jedi with such deep pain was dangerous. To himself more than anything. Jen’s voice interrupted his thoughts, “I didn’t know they allowed people so young to be pilots...” “They were desperate,” Akan said, not able to fight back the grin that the statement had always gotten to his face, “And we...I was good enough that age didn’t matter.” “There are other things in here...” Jen’s voice was accompanied by her rummaging. Somehow, this didn’t bother Akan. It should...she was going through his memories as it were. Painful memories, at that...ones that he had gone through great lengths to forget. Maybe time had healed them more than he’d thought...no. No. Nothing could heal it. “The...the datapad is her diary,” Akan said very quietly, a hand reaching up to touch the holo gently, “The other is a holo from her home. After...,” something in him couldn’t let him say the words that he knew were true. So instead, he just continued on anyway, “After, I held onto her things. It was all she had...and they would have just gotten rid of it.” He reached back over again, handing Jen the holo of the two young pilots. She took the holo, but her hand held his for a long moment. It was...strange. Gently, she squeezed his hand, “I lost all of my family and friends on Alderaan. I know how you feel.” A sudden emotion, so close to rage it was almost tangible welled up within Akan. He jerked his hand away and looked to the chrono. It had reached zero. They were there. He reached for the hyperdrive switch, and pulled them back. They reverted back to realspace, and there sat the Claw, in he middle of the blackness of no where. “You have no idea,” Akan said low and dangerously, “The only way you could know how I feel is if you fired that blast that destroyed the planet.” [/QUOTE]
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