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@naboospage​ // sache

Saché didn’t like any of this one bit. This new reality was coming back at her, way too quickly for her liking - she would have stayed in the shadows forever if she could. It would have been too easy if her peaceful life at the orphanage lasted that long, though. Her alternate had a lifetime here - friends, loved ones. More importantly she had a real network in the Alliance, that Saché had no clue about. Well. She knew what her alternate shared with Yané. Anything else was a complete void. When the holo-message ended, luck was with her. Sabine Wren was more friend than just another member of the Alliance, and Yané actually knew about them. The basics, at least, which where pretty useful anyways. After a quick briefing, Saché had sent a positive reply. She always made time for friends - and apparently that old habit hadn’t died in thirty years. Today was the day her friend was supposed to come, and Saché wasn’t ready for it at all. She had to be, though, because EP - the protocol droid aiding her at the orphanage - opened her office’s door to warn her of Sabine’s arrival. She left her office to find Sabine in the hallway, and greeted them with a warm smile, letting her nervousness aside. “Hello, Sabine,” she said simply. “It’s nice to finally meet you.”It had been a stiff reply, sent with a smile that conveyed more courtesy than amity. Sabine’s mind filled with panic, thoughts racing a system a second through her head. Haar’chak, they were stupid! How long had it been since they had tried contacting Sache? Months? Years? Out on the fringes of the galaxy, Sabine had focused only on herself and her own thoughts. What if her old friend had needed help? What if she had tried to reach them and found nothing but radio static? Did she even want to talk to Sabine? 

It was a stiff reply riddled with a smile that conveyed more courtesy than camaraderie. An influx of emotions swept over the Mandalorian. Haar’chak, Sabine had been stupid! How long had it been since she had tried to contact Sache? Months? Years? Had her friend tried to contact them, only to find radio static? Did she think they had forgotten about her? Did she even want to talk to Sabine?

Still, an invitation had been extended. So, it was with a nervous gait that they slipped through the building into the hallway outside Sache’s office. On the flight through hyperspace, Sabine had run through dozens of conversations in her mind, replaying the scene ahead of them time after time. None of those phantom words could have prepared them for what was actually said, though.

It’s nice to finally meet you. 

Surely this had to be a quip, a retort about how long it had been since their last correspondence. Sabine had been ready for tears, for an embrace, even for a slap in the bucket. But they hadn’t been ready for...whatever was happening here. It caught them off guard. She knew Sache would have changed over time, but how much had truly happened since they last spoke?

“Uh. Er, well.” They couldn’t seem to find the words to match the unease that had settled in the air. “Nice to see you, too, Sache. I-I’m sorry it’s been so long. I really don’t have an excuse, but I’m glad you’re okay, and happy to see you again.”

This was going to be an...interesting reunion.

@cravked​ // trilla suduri

her eyes rolled after the stranger’s comment, not quite believing it –– not that there was anything necessarily inherently wrong with what they were saying, but the mere fact that trilla did not think it was remotely possible that she could remind someone of a younger brother. there was nothing about them in general that would particularly be like that, she thought. nothing endearing or whatever else people thought about siblings. she didn’t know particularly much about what traditional family dynamics looked like. 

“i wouldn’t know, i never knew my family,” trilla answered with a shrug of her shoulders. it had never mattered to her as a child because that was just the way things were in the jedi temple. there were other younglings, the masters, but nothing by blood.

gaze tilted over toward them, her gaze narrowing slightly and looking at her a bit closer. “what about me reminds you of him?” she doesn’t care, if it were the truth –– but she doesn’t entirely believe that they were being wholly honest with her, and that was what she was much more interested in.

The answer Trilla gave wasn’t entirely surprising. Terrible, yes, but not unexpected. For years, the Empire had choked the galaxy from the innermost cities of the Core Worlds all the way to the Outer Rim. The time was a ruthless one, full of orphans and hungry hands. But something about the quickness, the coolness, with which she answered the question dug into Sabine. Still, Trilla expected a response, and Sabine wasn’t one to deny her that after the personal question she, herself had just asked.

“He was...a quiet kid. Incredibly smart, but sometimes he’d go days without speaking.” Sabine allowed themself a smile, stumbling through past memories. “He grew out of it, mostly, but even when we were still learning the six tenets of the resol’nare, he would listen more than speak. When he did, though, you knew that what he had to say was important. The most I ever heard from him was...” They took a breath, remembering the cold greetings back on Krownest years ago. The planet’s icy temperature hadn’t been the only thing to bring a chill to her skin that day.

“Anyways, you seem to share that similar stillness. The looking before jumping. The taste for observation. If you don’t mind my saying so.”

They looked over at their walking partner to gauge her reaction. The two were both hesitant of each other, but Sabine wanted to show that she could be open to trust. It didn’t come freely (not by a long shot) but Trilla had been nothing but helpful so far. The Mandalorian might as well attempt the same courtesy.

“And, he had a real sense of humor, though he didn’t always realize it.” They grinned crookedly. “The little mir’sheb. So, I’m sure you can understand the resemblance there.”

@cptfulcrum​ // Alexsandr Kallus

It  was  times  like  this  where  Kallus  thought  about  how  young  Sabine  and  Ezra  had  been  when  the  war  had  started.  They  were  not  much  older  than  children,  yet  to  the  enemy  they  had  been  heinous  rebels.  No  remorse  for  even  an  orphan  like  Ezra,  who  had  learned  to  survive.  He  had  chased  them  like  dogs.  As  they  spoke  to  him  he  sighed.  He  knew  all  about  that.  The  Empire  had  instilled  so  many  beliefs  in  him  and  it  had  taken  two  times  as  much  work  for  him  to  realize  that  the  brainwashing  was  just  that.  He  was  a  cog  in  the  machine,  no  one  special.  There  was  so  much  he  could  actually  do.  It  was  liberating  when  he  had  finally  started  asking  questions,  gaining  an  awareness.  The  cloud  had  been  lifted.  It  sounded  similar  for  his  Mandalorian  friend.  “  You  are  right  of  course…..  Not  everyone  has  the  same  idea  of  peace.  “  his  peace  had  been  sitting  on  his  porch  with  Zeb,  actually  able  to  take  a  breath  of  fresh  air.  A  home  that  was  his.  What  was  his  peace  now?  

It  was  easy  for  him  to  notice  how  Sabine  was  able  to  turn  things  back  to  him  and  how  poorly  he  was  doing.  But  he  didn’t  want  to  think  about  that  now,  Zeb  back  on  Lira  San,  abandoned  by  Kallus  to  go  on  some  self  serving  mission  to  capture  Thrawn,  only  stopping  because  he  was  worried  about  his  friends.  His  jaw  clenched  and  he  looked  away  again.  He  couldn’t  explain  this,  not  to  anyone.  “  Zeb’s  been  fighting  a  long  time.  Longer  than  many  of  us.  I  don’t…..  I  can’t  pull  him  back  in.  He  deserves  peace  more  than  anyone  I  know.  “  his  tone  is  guarded  now  and  when  he  looks  back,  his  eyes  are  colder.  No  one  would  agree  with  him  more  than  the  Ghost  Crew,  but  he  needed  to  make  his  intentions  clear.  Kallus  knew  that  Zeb  could  and  would  make  his  own  choice  if  need  be,  but  he  didn’t  want  it  to  come  to  that  point.  

He  shouldn’t  be  so  tense  with  Sabine.  The  Ghost  Crew  had  changed  his  life,  gave  him  something  to  actually  make  it  worth  while.  What  would  he  be  without  them?  Still,  Garazeb  made  him  question  everything  to  begin  with,  called  him  friend  when  he  deserved  anything  but.  He  would  protect  the  Lasat  with  all  he  had.  “  A  drink  sounds  nice.  “  he  agreed,  eyeing  them.  “  I  don’t  mean  to  be….  Harsh.  I  just  don’t  want  to  pull  him  back  into  this.  Not  unless  he  really  wants  to.  I  just  want  him  to  be  happy,  Sabine.  You  must  understand  that.  “  He  pulled  his  jacket  closer  to  him,  “  Do  you  have  a  cantina  in  mind?  “  

Tension permeated the air as her friend tightened his jaw. Sabine noticed the turning in his eyes, the shift from comfort to pain. They realized in that instant that their advice may have been too critical, could have come off as blaming this man for caring too much. That’s the last thing she wanted to convey. She knew how much Kallus meant to Zeb. How much they both meant to each other.

“Kallus, I think I...might not have explained myself well.” They took a breath, chose their words with more caution this time, careful not to seem judgmental. “I’m not blaming you, my friend,” they said with hesitancy as they reached down to wipe a smudge of dirt off the pigment of her armor. It needed a repainting soon, they noted.

“I understand how much you care for Zeb. For-- Well, for all of us.” They held his gaze, hoping to show him how much she cared too. “I just worry, is all. Well, I. And, I know-- I know we’ve been through...similar experiences.” They gritted their teeth through a smile and nodded. “I really don’t blame you one bit, Kallus. I just want you to be careful. For Zeb.” For all of us. They wiped the corner of their eye quickly, ignoring the moisture that had formed there. They’d both been through so much. This war had cost them both so much.

“C’mon, the Twisted Mynock Cantina is just a couple of klicks from here. Besides, I’ve gotta return this speeder bike to some old smuggler by sundown.”

As the two walked to where their bikes were parked, Sabine reached up, slowly, and placed their hand on Kallus’s shoulder. They had more in common than either of them cared to admit.

“I could really use that drink right about now.” 

l  closed starter  l @naboospage 

Part of the healing was re-acquainting themself with the people they used to know. Sabine knew that she couldn’t spend forever on the outskirts of the galaxy, hunting down dead-ended information and criminal bounties alike. Grief had pushed her to seek space, but they knew now that the time for being alone was over. The last few weeks, she’d been gradually talking to more people from their past (Iden, Ahsoka, Kallus). Though some of the conversations were painful, she knew that being vulnerable is what her family would want her to do. Ezra and Tristan would want this for her. 

“Sache, my friend! This is Sabine.”

They spoke with more enthusiasm then they actually felt, hoping their facade wouldn’t be read through the blur of the holo-message. The two had been good friends, once upon a time, when the Rebellion had been in its most desperate need for agents of all kinds (and Sache had proved more capable than most).

“It’s been a while, but I just wanted to check in and see how you were doing. I was hoping we could catch up sometime soon. When you have time, of course.”

They fiddled with the hem of their flight suit a moment before wrapping the message up with a pointed smile and a wink.

“Hope to hear from you soon, Sache. Safe travels.”

@cravked​ // trilla suduri

the sudden quiet that came from her temporary companion was easy to notice, but trilla doesn’t immediately bother to break it with questioning what had suddenly changed her mood. she appreciated the quiet, found it to be more comfortable, even if she did not entirely hate having another person beside her like she might have claimed to. the little witty retort still came as expected after a bit, but something about her demeanor had shifted. perhaps the little mandalorian was more observant about her than the former inquisitor had previously given her credit for. oh well.

“just over an hour, if you walk quickly.” trilla clarified with a simple shrug of her shoulders. “but i’ve got my own speeder about that’s about ten minutes west that’ll get us there much faster.” she hadn’t walked out here on her own, after all, but made sure to keep her own vehicle out of sight, in case the other had been a bit more slippery and would have tried for something like stealing hers.

not waiting for her to give much of a response, trilla began to head east toward her speeder, not saying another word about it. it was not until she reached the vehicle that she spoke again, though she doesn’t look at her companion.

“so what was it that shut you up?”

The crackling of their footsteps was all that filled the silence for a few moments, and Sabine paused in contemplation. She didn’t want to tell the truth, to admit what it was that had changed their attitude. Even though the stranger had been kind this far, she still didn’t know much about what had brought them out here.

“You just, uh, reminded me of my little brother. For a minute there.” They stumbled over their words as their breath became a little more hollow in realization. It was a loaded statement, and not at all entirely untrue. The brother she had grown up with, Tristan, had had a similar sense of humor as Trilla, the same guarded expressions. 

Something caught in her throat, and they had to look away before Trilla could notice the stiffness in her breath. It still hurt, to think about the family she had lost. Not just a mother and father, but two younger brothers for whom she still felt responsible. It was a pain they knew would never entirely fade.

“What about you? Do you have any siblings?”

@versios​ // Iden Versio

iden snorted when the suggestion was turned around on her. it wasn’t as though she and del hadn’t talked about that at all, but she didn’t like the toy with the notion too much with others. she had always been a private person by nature and breaking that with inferno squad was about all that she was incapable of. besides, she found her work to be refreshing. she was with her family, that was all that she needed.

“then consider it out of the kindness of my heart that i offer it to you first, wren,” she retorted without missing a beat. a break would come around sooner or later, perhaps once this business with hosk station had settled, or when she felt a little bit better about the progress on finding grand admiral thrawn.

“good, you should make your way over there, then,” she decided with a nod of her head. “i’ll make contact with a few others and see if i can get someone on the ground with you at the same time. the holos have it looked like a disaster down there, so i don’t want even you on your own. i’ll forward you information on who you’re meeting up with once i know.”

Sabine’s lips upturned into a crooked smile, and they nodded. A simple mission with plain objectives ought to clear her head. They’d spent too much time thinking about things outside of their control, too much time on her own. It would do them good to be in the scene of action, to help people again.

“Can do, commander. Got a few errands to run, but it won’t take long.”

She turned to the navi-computer and started working on the calculations. Out of the corner of her eye, they could see her Loth-cat slink back into the cockpit, so she stooped and gave him a scratch between the ears. 

“Thanks again, Iden. Take care of yourself.”

Hopefully, they’d be able to do the same.

@versios​ // Iden Versio

between the constant lag of living upon a ship and utter joys of only seeming to know artificial sunrise and sunsets, it’s not much of a surprise that iden had not been able to respond immediately to the younger soldier’s transmission. she’d gotten to as quickly as she could though, still smiling at the little quip that sabine had to offer about it. she wouldn’t have expected anything less, after all. she smiled, setting down the transmitter on the dashboard so she didn’t have to hold it, leaning back in her chair. 

“sounds like you need a vacation.” there was truth to her words, of course, was there usually was when it came to most in the rebellion. the war had ended, but their work had never actually stopped. there was always something to do, there always would be. it was an inevitable truth. it didn’t matter what any of them wanted. of course, none of them actually were eager to take pause to anything.

a sigh escaped at the mention of hosk, a deep breath coming a moment after. no, none of this was exactly what she had thought it would be either, but she doesn’t want to voice her own insecurities when it seemed like the other needed some… guidance, maybe.

“no, it’s not. the empire accepted defeat but not everyone in it did. the war is over legally, yet us soldiers are just as busy.” iden validated sabine’s feelings, taking a pause. “how close are you to the kalarba system? it’s mid rim, at least. i know there are still people left on the planet who need help with evacuation. the station crashing ruined most of its civilization.”

A yawn racked Sabine’s throat, and she shook their head. They needed caf, and soon. The ship’s autopilot system had been finicky lately, and she had already fallen asleep at the helm once. Best not to take more risks than absolutely necessary.

“A vacation sounds nice.” They stretched, raising their hands above their head. The tension in her muscles loosened, and their breathing deepened reflexively. “But if they were handing those out, I think you’d deserve the first one, commander.” 

Her friend’s words about the Empire and the work to be done were somber, but they knew it to be true. Even after the collapse of an official military, there were still thousands of Empire sympathizers, not to mention rampant crime syndicates and pirate crews. The fight for a better galaxy would never truly die.

“Kalarba, Kalarba...” Sabine mumbled, bringing up a holo map of the galaxy. They needed to refuel, and to grab supplies, but all in all, it “shouldn’t take me more than a rotation and half to get there. Will I be meeting anyone I know once I drop into orbit?”

@cravked​ // trilla suduri

it wasn’t that unusual, by all accounts, but perhaps her own standards had shifted with the way that she had spent the last two years of her life. any kind of contact with other sentient creatures was not quite as dreaded as it had been before. she was changing, whether she liked it or not. she couldn’t be miserable for the rest of her life. she realized that she didn’t want to be, either. that meant accepting some of the ways that she had changed.

“you’re lucky i took pity instead of leaving you for the thugs,” she offered, not quite willing to yet let go of her nature to underplay things.

standing up once again with the other, trilla drew her cape around her frame so that it was more hidden. “i suppose you would think that, with that armor that you’re wearing,” she remarked. her words weren’t particularly spiteful, despite the history that she was well educated on. “don’t count on learning too much. if you haven’t noticed, i’m not as chatty as you appear to be.” which was fine by her standards, really. she much rather the stranger do all of the talking.

A glint of light flashed around Trilla’s waist as she adjusted her cloak and Sabine sobered for a moment, struck by the image they saw. It was only a quick glimpse, but it was enough. A lightsaber. This stranger carried with them a lightsaber. 

They averted their gaze, instead focusing on the landscape before them, but she couldn’t deny that her curiosity about the stranger grew. Was she being assisted by a Jedi? Or a Sith? Or, could this traveler, like their friend Ahsoka, be neither? Was she the weapon’s original owner or, like Sabine’s experience with the Darksaber, had it merely passed into her hands over time? Was she here of good will, or did she have an ulterior motive? Sabine didn’t sense any danger from their travelling companion, but she could never be too sure. 

One thing she was certain of was this: as mouthy as she had been, Sabine’s sudden shift to silence would not go unnoticed. Trilla, whoever she really was, was very intelligent, that much they could tell. So, they threw out a quip in response to the other’s taunting.

“Well, that’s okay.You don’t have to say anything if you don’t want to. I’m sure these plants make excellent conversationalists,” they teased. “In fact, I bet they’re even better at being brooding and aloof than you are.” She checked their datapad, gathering a quick mental map of the surrounding area. “And it’s only an hour or two’s trek to the next settlement. Unless you know the area better?” 

She would hold conversation and accept what help was offered, for now. After all, it’s better to wait with sharp ears and eyes than walk into the jaws of a Rancor unknowingly.

@inspiringgreatness​ // ahsoka tano

ahsoka doesn’t need to reach through the force to be able to see the pain sabine is in. she can feel it of course, it’s something she’s always sensitive too even as a child, before she knew about the force outside of that of a togruta’s connection to it, to nature. she can see it on sabine’s face, however the woman might be trying to hide it, to stay strong and keep it all together. ahsoka can see it in the way she holds out her arm, the invitation for contact - something ahsoka’s become more comfortable with over the past couple of years.

she takes sabine’s hand for a moment, watching the young mandalorian with concern, before stepping in to engulf her in what she hopes is a comforting hug. “thank you for reaching out to me to begin with.” she says gently. knowing exactly what sabine’s feeling, ahsoka can only imagine how hard it was for her to do so. she’s just glad sabine isn’t set on suffering through this alone.

after holding her for a few moments ahsoka steps back, letting out a soft sigh as she watches sabine. “we should.. go somewhere quiet to talk, i think.”

When their friend wraps her arms around Sabine, they stiffen, then allow themself to melt into the embrace. It has been...so long since anyone has comforted her in such a way as this. It floods them with memories, of a cold and distant mother, and then a family that took her place. They remembered the way Zeb would lift her onto his shoulders after a particularly successful mission. How Hera would wrap her arms gently around Sabine when she was just a kid, scared and confused about the war she was fighting. Kanan wasn’t big on hugging, but on the rare occasion he did, you would feel as though you were truly safe in his arms. And Ezra...their affection was different. Instead, the two would fight just like siblings do, tackling each other and putting each other into headlocks and noogies just for the fun of it. To be vulnerable like that again...it was terrifying. But Sabine trusted Ahsoka more than most. When they broke away, she held her friend’s gaze for only a moment, sensing the same hurt in those cobalt-blue eyes.

“Yeah, I think that would probably be a good idea.” Sabine paused, considering the buildings in the area. “There’s a cantina nearby-- not too much business these days.”

Ahsoka had this unique ability, Sabine thought as they started their walk. The Togruta woman could see them for who they were-- past all lies and promises of being okay. That was rare, and perhaps one of the reasons she trusted Ahsoka so much. She could call them on their bluffs and help them when they denied needing help. When sending that message, she had thought maybe Ahsoka was going through similar emotions and experiences. She only hoped to be able to help her friend a little bit, too.

@cptfulcrum​ // Alexsandr Kallus

Kallus  knew,  just  as  much  as  the  rest  of  them,  how  easy  it  was  to  be  alone.  Solitary  had  been  his  comfort.  As  an  ISB  agent  they  were  conditioned  to  be  on  the  outside.  They  weren’t  in  the  same  chain  of  command  as  the  rest  of  the  Imperial  Navy.  They  were  internal  affairs,  never  trusted.  His  career  had  been  based  in  solitude.  He  hadn’t  realized  until  he  joined  the  Rebellion  that  maybe  he  did  prefer  the  company  of  others.  Others  like  the  Spectres,  like  Zeb  and  Hera  and  Sabine.  “  You  don’t  need  to  explain  yourself.  “  he  countered,  finally  relaxing  his  stance,  hands  moving  into  the  pockets  of  his  jacket.  “  But  do  not  feel  the  need  to  go  through  life  without  us.  We  are  here  for  you.  “  

His  eyes  studied  their  face,  watching  the  way  their  stance  relaxed  slowly.  Alexsandr  didn’t  want  Sabine  to  feel  the  need  to  assure  him  that  everything  was  okay,  but  he  understood  the  reasons  why.  It  was  easy  to  forget  that  they  had  been  at  the  Imperial  Academy.  It  was  a  lesson  ingrained  from  the  very  beginning,  to  not  let  emotions  cloud  ones  judgement.  It  was  something  he  had  taken  to  heart.  As  a  Mandalorian,  he  assumed  it  was  second  nature  to  them.  “  I  am  glad  then.  “  he  didn’t  believe  them,  but  he  also  wouldn’t  argue  now.  Not  when  he  had  just  come  back.  

“  We’ve  been  integrating  Lira  San  with  the  New  Republic.  Very  slowly.  Understandably,  many  are  apprehensive.  Some  survivors  from  Lasan  believe  that  another  attack  in  imminent.  “  he  spoke  mechanically,  not  allowing  his  own  guilt  from  the  event  to  break  through.  Sabine  knew  enough  about  his  past.  “  Garazeb  is  well,  if  that’s  what  you  are  wondering.  Though  he  misses  his  family.  “  he  met  their  eyes  again,  raising  his  brows.  “  If  it  can  be  believed,  we  have  found  as  close  to  a  retirement  as  possible  for  soldiers.  “  At  least  they  had,  before  Ezra  and  their  guilt.  Now  his  mission  for  Thrawn.  “  I  haven’t  heard  any  updates  on  you  as  of  late.  What  have  you  been  doing  ??  “  

Sabine examined Kallus’s face while he spoke, studying how he measured his words and weighed his expressions before speaking to them. There was more he wanted to say, she was sure, but they weren’t about to pry. His words echoed in their ears. We are here for you. 

Dank farrik, Sabine had been stupid. With their wandering about the galaxy with no contact, it was not surprising that Zeb had sent Kallus to check on her. The rest of the Ghost crew, they must be worried. That same feeling of shame boiled in the pit of their stomach, but they smiled to Kallus, nodding as he spoke about her old friend and his people. She knew how difficult it must be for Kallus to be on Lira San, how guilty he must feel. Still, they knew how hard he was trying-- and how much it meant to Zeb that he was there.

“I am...glad to hear you and Zeb are doing well.” She paused, wondering if they should voice their next thought. “You...deserve that, you know. A peaceful life away from the politics and danger of it all. You both do.”

When nothing was said to fill the silence between them, Sabine continued, finally answering the question she had been trying to avoid.

“I guess you haven’t heard from me because I haven’t really been in the action. I’m still with the Rebellion, just not in the heart of the fight. At least, not right now. I’ve been...” They hesitated, knowing that whatever she said would be repeated to her old friend. “I mean, you know how slow it is, trying to chase dead leads on information for the Rebellion. It’s an unreliable business. But, I’m glad you’re settled down now. Your days of action over, right?”

@versios​ // Iden Versio

although most of her time on new republic business was spent with the comfort of inferno squad and those that she knew best, iden still kept in communication with several other members of the rebellion. she was good at what she did, after all, and the rebellion’s strength came from its ability to work together. she happened to be rather fond of sabine –– she thought that the young woman was fiercely capable of quite a bit, and had a rather creative brain when it came to looking for solutions. if she were going to be truly self-aware, then she would have realized part of the reason that she liked sabine so much was the fact that she reminded iden of herself when she had been younger. reckless, but only in the most brilliant way.

“good to see you too, wren,” she remarked with a wry smile in response to the holo-recording. she grabbed her transmitter to get the other on the line, waiting for her to pick up before she spoke again. “it’s good to hear from you again, wren. what part of the galaxy are you in these days?”

The steady hum of the transceiver broke into a crackle, and Sabine’s eyes fluttered open sleepily. They hadn’t meant to doze off in the cockpit (that was risky business), but it had kind of just happened. Luckily, her little R-series droid had kept the flight path relatively consistent, and she gave the droid a pat on its dome before adjusting the frequency to match that of the incoming transmission. Finally, out came the familiar voice of their friend. So it seemed she had received their message.

“Commander, I was starting to think you’d forgotten about me,” they joked in between yawns. How long had it been since she had eaten something? Or had a proper sleep cycle, for that matter? Ah, that was a problem for another rotation. She turned their attention back to coming up with an answer to the question they had been asked.

“You know me, I love nothing more than enjoying all of the luxuries the Outer Rim has to offer. I mean, it just  doesn’t really get any better than the endless sandy wastes of Savareen or Tattooine, does it?” They pushed a piece of hair behind her ear, then glanced over their shoulder into the next room. It wasn’t like her to be distracted, but it seemed to be more and more commonplace over the last few days. 

“Sorry, uh, just looking for the cat. Blue seems to always be getting into trouble these days.” Where could he be hiding this time? “But, er, how have things been on your end, Commander? Anything I can help with? I...I heard about Hosk.” 

A heavy silence took its place on Sabine’s tongue then, until, with a deep sigh, they continued.

“If I’m being honest, commander, it’s not as easy as I imagined, this whole recovering-from-the-Empire thing.”

@inspiringgreatness​ // ahsoka tano

listening through the message, ahsoka can feel the uncomfortable ache in her heart growing. ezra’s death had shaken her more than she’s admitted to anyone yet, so she knows what it is sabine’s going through, the pain she’s feeling. none of this is easy for any of them who knew and loved ezra, but.. even without the message, ahsoka knew it was different for sabine. even more so than it is for ahsoka, it seems.

it’s not hard to figure out where sabine is going, where she’ll return to when she finishes her run. the togruta works in intelligence, after all - she’d be putting herself to shame if she wasn’t able to do that much. so she makes her way to the space port at the right time, the right place, and waits for the ship to land, for the ramp to lower, for the mandalorian to appear before she steps forward, careful to stay within clear line of sight so sabine can see her with ease.

her instinct is to rush in and hug her but she doesn’t want to crowd sabine, not when she’s clearly going through so much as it is. mandalorians aren’t.. the best at expressing their emotions as it is, ahsoka’s hardly going to make it more difficult for her to do so. “sabine,” ahsoka begins as she approaches the woman, doing her best to keep her expression set. she’s sure the last thing sabine needs is.. to watch ahsoka break down over ezra. “i got your message. i.. thought we could talk.”

Sabine landed the ship with ease enough-- after all, it was just a small transport, good for only a few people at a time. Nothing like those giant freighters or gunships other Rebellion members seemed to enjoy so much. She pulled on their boots, secured the straps on their armor, and got ready for another short rest on this backwater planet (as she had done so many times before). When landing, the platform had seemed empty enough, so you can imagine their surprise when she was greeted by an old friend awaiting their arrival.

“Ahsoka?”

The Togruta woman stood at a distance, then inched closer as Sabine realized it really was her. They could tell she was hesitant, being...not gentle, but concise and cautious, in order to avoid startling Sabine. They appreciated the consideration, and were amazed again at the former Jedi’s intuition. The Mandalorian had been rather uneasy lately. 

“It. I-- uh.” They couldn’t seem to articulate what it was she wanted to say to her friend. What is there to say after the holo-message they had sent a few days ago? “By the resol’nare, it--it’s so good to see you, my friend.”

Though they stuttered with their words, Sabine hoped Ahsoka got her message. It had been lonely lately, avoiding friends and family and enemies alike. So, to see someone they trusted so much after taking the energy to actually reach out-- it meant the world to her.

They extended their arm, hesitant to embrace the other, and instead just leaving the invitation of touch open. 

“Thank you for finding me.”

@cravked​ // trilla suduri

whatever it was that had led this woman out here, it must have been awfully important –– she couldn’t imagine what exactly it was, given that there didn’t seem to be anything of any kind of significance in the immediate vicinity. trilla stood up as the other seemed to give up on her task at hand, straightening back up once more and letting their hands clasp behind their back, a tall, militaristic posture though the situation was rather casual. even as a jedi, she’d still been trained to fight, to be an army. so much for being peacekeepers. she’d never rid herself of old habits completely.

“if you’ve got enough credits to pay for a decent meal on this place, then i can get you there.” it wouldn’t entirely be out of the kindness of her heart, after all. she could use the extra credits with how far out of society she’d been for a while. she had some catching up to do.

but the mandalorian’s words make her want to laugh, well aware of the reputation that they had. them and jedi were ancient enemies, but she wasn’t a jedi anymore. “well, if you try to kill me, then i will kill you,” trilla answered simply. “i can take care of myself, even against someone like you. you’re not a threat to me, even if you want to be.”

Sabine grinned at the other’s invitation. She didn’t even know who this stranger was, nor what they wanted, but they seemed to have a sense of humor, at the very least.

“A meal, huh? Well, you drive a hard bargain, Trilla.” They started packing up all of the supplies the two had been using. “But, I think I can manage to scrape something up for the two of us. This is a rather...unusual circumstance, after all.”

Sabine hummed quietly to themself while cleaning the makeshift camp. It had been a long while since they had had playful banter with someone else, and even longer since she had genuinely smiled.

“And, hey, I could be a threat if I wanted to! Even if you could kill me, I think it would be quite the fight. I suspect we would be pretty evenly matched.”

The Mandalorian shouldered their pack once again and nodded at the visitor.

“Well, come on, then, burc’ya. Time to learn more about the mysterious stranger who I’ll be dining with this evening.”

@cptfulcrum​ // Alexsandr Kallus

Kallus  wouldn’t  pull  his  own  weapon  on  them,  just  a  small  blaster,  something  that  he  felt  more  comforted  when  he  had  on  his  hip.  Just  another  Imperial  regulation  that  he  had  never  quite  slipped  out  of.  He  didn’t  carry  on  Lira  San.  But  now  that  he  had  slowly  been  working  outside  of  the  planet,  he  felt  the  need  to.  Especially  now  that  he  had  actively  started  tracking  Grand  Admiral  Thrawn.  But  he  knew  the  Mandalorian  understood  the  need  for  a  weapon.  He  watched  closely,  waiting  for  a  moment  where  Sabine’s  dominant  arm  would  aim  to  fire.  Thankfully,  it  never  happened.  His  shoulders  relaxed  slightly,  though  their  question  had  him  pause.  

His  own  justification  was  that  Zeb  was  worried  about  Sabine  but  trusted  her  too  much  to  actually  do  anything  about  his  worry.  He  didn’t  want  to  admit  that  he  was  worried  too,  worried  about  all  of  the  Spectres.  The  loss  of  Ezra  had  hit  them  all  hard,  just  after  getting  him  back.  “  Like  I  said,  we  were  concerned.  “  he  replied,  stepping  closer  now  that  their  weapon  was  holstered.  “  I  was  in  the  area.  Zeb  was  not.  “  the  area  was  a  very  vague  statement,  vague  enough  that  he  didn’t  have  to  explain  that  he  wasn’t  on  Lira  San  and  that’s  why  it  was  easier  for  him  than  her  fellow  Spectre.  “  I  thought  it  would  assuage  his  worries  if  he  knew  I  saw  you.  “  it  would  lessen  his  own,  certainly.  

Sabine  could,  without  a  doubt,  take  care  of  any  situation  that  arrived.  But  this  wasn’t  something  able  to  be  handled.  It  was  the  death  of  someone  very  close  to  them  all.  It  wasn’t  as  simple  as  planting  a  bomb  or  shooting  a  blaster.  He  wished  it  was.  “  You  should  come  visit.  I  know  Zeb  misses  you.  “  

She stood still, rooted to the spot by the mention of her friend’s name. It was a punch to the gut, an overwhelming sense of anxiety. Sabine had left Zeb (and so many others) in the dark for weeks, months now. They didn’t mean to cause any pain. She just needed time, distance away from everyone. It had always been easier to figure things out alone.

When situations started to tense and sour at home, Sabine had joined the Imperial Academy. When she realized just what they were using her for, they had defected into the Rebellion. Even after the Ghost crew had given them a home, a real family, she had left. And, here she was, running again.

At last they shifted their weight uneasily, heavy with guilt and shame.

“Thank you. I-I should have reached out sooner, I just...” needed to do this on my own, she wanted to say. But instead, they let the words hang in the air, taking up the uneasy space between the two. 

“I’m fine, Kallus. I appreciate you coming out here and all, but really, I’m good.” She stepped forward, stance relaxed now that they knew they were in the presence of a friend, not an enemy. Instead of expressing the emotions gnawing at her inside, they attempted to make light of the conversation.

“What are you and Zeb up to these days, anyways?”

l  closed starter  l  @versios

It had been a few weeks since Sabine talked with the commander, and they were starting to grow anxious. It had taken longer than usual to hear news lately (the ship’s subspace transceiver had been fidgety, especially in the Outer Rim), but she had finally found out about the tragedy at Hosk Station. They had frequented it during their travels and couldn’t imagine the toll it took, the millions of lives lost.They felt the need to help in whatever way the Rebellion would have her, and Commander Versio was one of the leaders she felt most connected with. Of course, they were not very communicative with anyone anymore, but this woman seemed to share similar experiences with the Empire and Rebellion as themself. It seemed that she had an outlook very similar to her own, and Sabine really did appreciate that. 

It was a quick message they sent, just a little holo-recording taken while in mid-flight. A short update about the course of events over the last few rotations, as well as a request near the end of the transmission.

“...Commander, if there is any way to aid the Rebellion at this time, I will be prepared to answer at your call.”

l  closed starter  l  @inspiringgreatness​

Sabine’s fingers trembled with the ship’s communication system, struggling to find the right frequency for their old friend. The last thing she wanted to do was bother such an important and busy figure with something as trivial as this, but they didn’t know who else to turn to. Finally, the hum of static softened into a dull purr, and she sat down with a sigh. The light on the holo camera blinked blue to let them know it had begun recording.

“H-hey. Hey, Ahsoka. It’s Sabine.”

Idiot. As if she couldn’t already tell. 

“Look, I really don’t want to bother you, and you don’t have to answer this message. But, I--” they sighed, hugging her knees to their chest.

“I just didn’t really know who else to talk to, I guess? I mean, I just don’t feel ready to talk to Hera or Kanan, or...well, anyone, about it.” 

(Or about anything, really.)

“ Look, I’ve just been thinking about Ezra a lot lately, and, I don’t know, I thought maybe you had too, and, maybe we could talk about it together? O-or not. That’s okay, too.”

Sabine paused, breath catching in her throat and stomach swelling with regret. Ahsoka didn’t need to be concerned with this. She was a Jedi once, and she had probably dealt with scenarios worse than this in the Clone Wars. What was Sabine even doing?

“On second thought, I’m sorry. I-I don’t mean to. To, uh. To take up your time.  you’re probably really busy. I really hope you’re doing well. Stay safe.”

Sabine hastily reached forward and switched the channel off then stifled the racking sob clawing its way up her throat. 

@cravked​ // trilla suduri

an eyebrow arched at the other’s clarification about the biker situation. it only made her wonder all the more how she had managed to get herself stuck out here with it again, but she supposed that if she didn’t have any other options, it made sense. trilla had gone from everything that she could have ever needed with the resources of the empire to fending almost entirely by herself. at least then, there hadn’t been so much of a need for technology or transport. sometimes, living like that really didn’t seem so bad. at least it had been easy, even if she had been somewhat crippled with loneliness.

a cough erupted from her lips as the bike burst out with some smoke, waving it away from their face. “get a better transport, perhaps,” she remarked dryly, resisting the urge to roll her eyes as she straightened up and wiped some off the dirt off her hands and onto her dark pants.

“where are you trying to go?” trilla questioned, gaze shifting back toward the human. they examined her armor closer for just a moment, refraining from commenting on it just yet. she was very familiar with what it was, even if the paint job was not what she would have considered predictable. “i might be able to help get you there. or at least get you to someone with the right parts to fix it.” 

Sabine let out a sigh of frustration then wiped their brow with the back of their hand. They never should have come all the way out to this desolate planet. They had been chasing one dead lead after another for weeks now, and she didn’t understand why she thought this one would be any different. All it got them was a busted bike and a raging headache. She hastily stuffed the tools into their pack, then pulled out a datapad, sitting on an outcropping of rock while typing. 

“Ya know, I sure would have gotten a better transport if there had been one available.” 

She grimaced as the screen displayed a glowing map, showing their destination at about 200 klicks northwest from their current location.

“I need to get here,” they said, while pointing at the outpost on the tablet. “I knew it would be too far a ride for this junker. I don’t know why I even bothered with this damned planet...” She muttered, then looked up at Trilla, just now processing the offer she had been given. “You would help me? But you don’t even know me. What if I’m some kind of...assassin or something?”

@cravked​ // trilla suduri

hindsight was twenty-twenty, or so people said, and there were a handful of ways in which trilla saw that to be true now. she had been a bit obsessive as a child, about the idea of being the best, and looked to improve her skills in whatever way that she had. although arrogance had plagued her as an inquisitor, it hadn’t been entirely blown out of narcissistic proportions. every skill that cere had, she had taken the time to master. she had learned even more with the empire. they may have still carried the red-bladed lightsaber with them, concealed underneath their coat, but their greatest skill would always be their brain.

trilla was well aware of the mechanics of most speeders, capable of fixing quite a few things when with the right tool. still, she did not expect the stranger to hand her a soldier tool. she hesitated, staring at it as it was extended for a long moment and debating walking away. but she was supposed to be better. she wanted to be better. she took it, but did not hold back the annoyed sigh.

“does my name really make that much of a difference, if it’ll fix this piece of junk?” for someone who did not have much money to their name, she could still be an occasional snob. the empire had many downsides, but she’d never had to deal with anything other than state of the art equipment as an inquisitor. a beat passed, stepping closer so that she could examine the problem with the speeder herself. “trilla,” she threw out after a few moments of silence. “you might be able to get it running for a bit longer, but that engine is going to breakdown on you if you pick up any proper speed.”

Sabine let out a short chuckle.

“Yeah, I learned that the hard way,” they responded. “About two times today, and once yesterday, actually,” she smirked. 

This visitor, Trilla, had an odd way of thinking about things. They allowed themself to wonder-- what could cause a person to maintain that attitude, while still being generous enough to help a stranger unprompted? Or, if not acting out of kindness, then what did Trilla need from Sabine? What debt would be owed?

Taking in the silence, they reached in their bag for another tool so the two could multitask at once. They worked in busy stillness, occasionally passing each other a tool or handing off a bit of cable or scrap metal to tie loose ends together. While it certainly was not neat (in fact, it was a quite messy job-- but, hey, she wanted to get the bike back before it was good for nothing but scrap metal), it appeared doable. When the silence seemed to linger in the air too long, she started humming an old song under their breath. It was barely more than a mumble, but it was all they needed to fill the quiet.The melody rang familiar on their tongue, just as it once had in the great halls of Mandalorian warriors long since fallen. They were interrupted when, with a loud POP!, the bike belched out a wisp of dark smoke.

“Osi’kyr!” She gasped, an exclamation of surprise, followed by a small mutter of disgust and frustration. “Haar’chak. What am I going to do now?”