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“Tea, Admiral?”
Carth Onasi looked up at the speaker. Visas Marr was as soft-spoken as ever, all quiet words and gentle with her speech.
“Yes, please.” Onasi nodded. “Sorry, I’m a little out of it. Requisition forms never get interesting, especially after 12 hours of it.”
“Admiral.” Marr chided softly. “You mustn't overtax yourself. What would she say to that?”
What wouldn’t she say to that? Revan was always happy to needle him, especially when the Ebon Hawk was travelling and there was only downtime. He could see it now- eyes sparkling with mirth, teasing the former man of action reduced to a bureaucrat.
“Shed all that paper yourself? Didn’t know you’d become a tree.”
“I know today is the anniversary.”
All his staff knew it, too. Somehow. They always asked for extra shifts on the day, insisted he use his PTO for the whole week, and were extra sure to leave him snacks and coffee for him in the mornings and evenings when he inevitably worked anyway. Dustil would always show up the day after, ready to drag his ass from the office to a ship and go for a fly.
More than once he woke up with a blanket covering him.
“It would be remiss of me to allow you to sleep in your office today, Admiral.” Marr said. “I do not think your companions would appreciate it.”
That was true enough, Onasi mused.
Canderous had shown up, a year after she left. He offered Onasi a drink, and didn’t say anything, just let him talk. Onasi was feeling resentful, that day. His mentor turned into a murderer and traitor, his wife had bled out in his arms, and when he had finally made something new, with Revan…
He thought he threw a punch. Maybe several. A year's worry had turned to bottled anger, and Canderous was there and willing to take a hit. It made him feel better. Hadn’t seen him since, except for a brief reminiscence on Peragus station during the Exile saga, but he got messages.
Mission went out of her way to let him know she and Zaalbar were doing okay and always happy to take him on vacation ‘whenever he got bored.’ Juhani would come to him, be all business at first and over the course of the day try and get him to open up. He appreciated the effort. Jolee, well, he had stayed in the shadows during the Dark Wars, and then went off the grid. HK and T3 had gone to look for Revan after Darth Traya was killed, but he didn’t think they’d be back with her. Or at all.
He shook his head out of reminiscing. “I know you have your ways of mourning, Master Jedi, and I have mine.”
“Yes.” Marr said. “But the false virtue of your own misery is not something I will enable, if I can help it. In fact-”
Onasi braced for a lecture. Usually if you let a Jedi talk themselves out you could wave them off. But Marr had stopped. Turned quiet.
Suddenly, ever so slowly, Visas Marr turned her head. Onasi raised an eyebrow. He didn't think she had realised the futility of her speech.
The emotions emanating from her exploded with such intensity even he, force sensitive as a rock, felt it. A smile, giddy, manic, spread across the Jedi’s face. There was vindicated hope in the expression. Years of it.
“Master Jedi..?”
Marr grabbed his arm and sped off with a burst of the Force, the wind leaving Onasi’s paperwork in a mess.
“Hey! I was doing that!”
They sped down the hallways, Republic staff bewildered by the sight of the Jedi swiftly dragging the Secretary of the Navy along their office.
“Help! I’m being kidnapped!”
His staff, the traitors, ignored him. They thought he was joking around!
Marr eventually skidded to a stop, at the head of a ramp leading to docking bay 2003. Carth clutched onto the wall, trying not to hurl. He hadn’t been a victim of a Force speed joyride since Revan… Revan…
“Sarcastic statement: What, no hello?”
HK-47 looked a little worse for wear. Deep grooves in his chassis had been hastily patched, and a chunk of his right thigh was missing.
T3 was screeching as loud as it could, damn near leaping as it sped down the ramp. He looked better, with burns and scratches seemingly more cosmetic than threatening. The droid was speeding right towards Carth, bumping into him full force, babbling binary so quickly he couldn’t understand it.
Meetra Surik was buried in two bodies, clutching onto Brianna and Visas Marr for dear life, crying silently as she was smothered with kisses.
Onasi would have noticed all that if it wasn’t for the woman standing just off the ramp of the Ebon Hawk.
“Amused query: It appears meatbag Onasi has had a cognitive malfunction. Shall we shock him awake, T3?”
[GO TO HER, YOU IDIOT!]
Carth wasn’t listening. He only had his senses trained on Revan.
She looked exhausted. Bone deep, only standing on pure willpower. This was worse than the Leviathan. This was worse than the manic paranoia consuming her in the weeks before her departure. She was wounded, clutching her side, and dried blood was splattered on her face.
Her eyes.. Her eyes were looking at him, or at least trying to. Her usual green, meadowy colour full of life and vigour had been physically dulled. It was more grey now, like a cool cloudy sky over the sea. The spark, the desire to seize the day, all gone.
What had they- it- whatever- done to her? She had been by herself for years, and even Meetra couldn't help if the power Revan fought did THIS to her. What had she suffered? How long?
The anger he felt shook him out of his numbness. Something had hurt Revan. Something had hurt Revan. Something was going to die.
Revan flinched.
Oh, He thought dumbly. She sensed his anger and thought it was at her.
Onasi didn't wait any longer. His stride across the docking bay took him to Revan in seconds.
“Carth-”
Carth kissed her. She tasted like ash and promises and hope against hope.
Revan gripped him like he was an anchor to the world and kissed him back with desperation. She ran her hands through his hair like she was learning how to feel again, a blind woman with sight once more.
They ignored the hoots and hollers of T3, the supportive roaring of his staff who had gathered to see the commotion, and Meetra, Marr and Brianna were too busy crying into each other to care about their compatriots. HK looked away for everyone's safety.
They broke apart eventually. It was almost worth it, because Carth got to look at her again.
“Tomorrow.” They both said at the same time.
Revan snorted. Then she started to giggle (She hadn’t done that in years, Carth guessed), and then full out laughed.
Carth laughed with her. He wanted to spin her around, even throw her in the air like a lovesick teenager, but perhaps medical attention was in order.
He swept up Revan in a bridal carry, the Jedi yelping as she was taken off the ground.
“For today, we’re just two fools in love, who’ve missed each other very much.” Carth grinned at her. “Two people who have a lot of anniversaries, life days, and birthdays to make up for.”
“Gifts? I brought myself, didn't I?” Revan smirked. It was a weak one, like she was trying to remember how to do a smirk. But it was there.
Revan rested her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes. She relaxed near immediately, Carth kissing her forehead and walking up the ramp to the cheers of his staff.
[Alright boss! If you got any technicians, could you send us their way? Me and HK had a hell of a trip.]
“Statement: Agreed. I have felt vulnerable for a long time now, and I am rather sick of it. I will be requisitioning your finest parts with or without the meatbags consent.”
“I can take care of em for you, Secretary.” A patrolman saluted. “You two follow me. I hope you find our repair berths comfy!”
“Hopeful Statement: Unlikely, I find no comfort in anything but battle. Unless you mean to tell me I can fight someone?”
“No fighting, HK.” Revan mumbled.
“Disappointed Statement: I suppose I’ll let the Master have her way just this once.”
[I’ll keep an eye on him.] T3 beeped cheerily, trundling off with the patrolman.
“We should join them.” Brianna murmured into Meetra’s ear. “You are also injured.”
“And why should we do that?” Meetra laughed. “I’m exactly where I want to be.”
One of her bandages fell off, revealing a throbbing, red wound.
"...Alright."
“Meetra,” Visas whispered breathlessly. “Allow us the joy of holding you to safety. Allow us to see you with all our senses-”
Meetra flinched.
“I- I am sorry. I don’t think I can do that yet. For today, I want it to just be us.”
“Tomorrow.” Visas nodded. “We can face the troubles tomorrow.”
“Agreed.” Brianna said. “Do not apologise. Me and Marr- we have waited together. Having you back is enough.”
The two Jedi looped hands, and hauled their beloved up.
“Is there a bed big enough for the three of us?” Meetra muttered. “I sure hope so. There’s plenty of large Republic species. Think a war hero can requisition one?”
“For you, love? We will work something out.” Marr kissed her on the cheek.
“I think the ladies have the right idea.” Revan said. “Stay with me. Please.”
“As if you ever had to ask, beautiful.”