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Ninety Seven Percent


irishfino

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http://i.imgur.com/qhIuL.jpg

 

 

Ninety Seven Percent hit 20,000 views thanks to readers like you! Here's a picture of Malavai Quinn, tortured star, staring at something!

 

 

Thanks again to everyone who reads and everyone who comments! You are awesome! All of you made this possible through either reading (watch that hit counter rise!!) or commenting (and giving me the warm fuzzies!!). You are truly the best.

 

Read on, you crazy diamonds!

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  • 2 weeks later...

Far out.

 

Holy Sith.

 

I can't even.

 

 

 

I started reading this thread a few months back, got to about 1/3 of the way through it, then uni and finals and assignments hit me like a brick to the head so I stopped. I've come back to this in the last week and have been reading it non stop 'till now.

 

What a mind-blowing story!!! An absolute mind-f**k!!! LOL!!! But it's amazing! Definitely amazing. I love Quinn. He's my favourite character and not even the Quinncident could stop me loving him ... although it hurt hahaha. This story is just so ... so damn excellent!!! I just can't even ... I can't even believe it. haha.

 

I'll be reading the rest of your stuff that's for sure!!!

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  • 2 weeks later...
:):):):p

:D

 

:ph_welcome:

 

It's easy to return to this thread over and over again, since it's so much fun reading.

 

I still can't wait to see more :o

More is coming. RIGHT NAO!!

 

Far out.

 

Holy Sith.

 

I can't even.

 

 

 

I started reading this thread a few months back, got to about 1/3 of the way through it, then uni and finals and assignments hit me like a brick to the head so I stopped. I've come back to this in the last week and have been reading it non stop 'till now.

 

What a mind-blowing story!!! An absolute mind-f**k!!! LOL!!! But it's amazing! Definitely amazing. I love Quinn. He's my favourite character and not even the Quinncident could stop me loving him ... although it hurt hahaha. This story is just so ... so damn excellent!!! I just can't even ... I can't even believe it. haha.

 

I'll be reading the rest of your stuff that's for sure!!!

Wow, talk about making a girl blush! I'm glad you're enjoy the story so far. Part Two starts right the heck now!!

 

 

Thanks for reading and thanks for being patient. Part Two starts NOW!!

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Part Two: My Past, My Future

 

 

 

He woke up a day later with a worried Jaesa hovering over him. He wasn’t comfortable with her staring at him for long periods of time. It tended to make him nervous, but he allowed her, her staring if only because of his current condition. He allowed many things when it came to her. It both bothered and comforted him. After Taris, nothing on the ship was the same again.

 

“Malavai?” Jaesa asked quietly.

 

Her soft, concerned tone shattered his thoughts. He focused his eyes on her and said, “I am awake.” It was such a simple phrase, but it was a phrase used in great routine as of late. His dreams. His… condition. His state of mind when he was trapped. He would lash out, cry, scream, threaten, swing an angry fist if woken up incorrectly. Both he and Jaesa learned that the hard way. And he learned an even harder lesson when Syla caught sight of Jaesa’s face the one time – the one time – he had connected with his wild thrashings.

 

Jaesa moved away from him as he sat up and looked around. His eyes caught Barnabus’ and the older man nodded in greeting. He frowned. He wasn’t sure what to think when it came to the old man. The one from his dream or vision or nightmare or whatever had happened to him was different – enormously so. But he still had one goal he would repeat throughout their journey: he was there to help his grandson. And that held true no matter where he was, no matter what he was doing, or who he was killing, Barnabus was right there, watching, waiting, offering advice and assistance. He absorbed the darkness Quinn couldn’t handle. He balanced Quinn when he needed it most.

 

“Can you eat?” Jaesa asked softly.

 

He nodded silently and moved to stand. Slowly, he rose to his feet and did a stretch test. First his toes. Curl. Uncurl. Curl. Uncurl. Next his ankles. A gentle roll around one way then back the other. His knees he wobbled. His hips he shimmied. His back he shifted and popped. Now the fingers. Curl. Uncurl. Then the wrists, the elbows, a roll of the shoulder. Finally, his neck. One way round then the other. Nothing painful, nothing sore. All good. As Jaesa left for the kitchen, he left for the refresher. A day unconscious in the Tatooine heat made him feel sticky and gritty at the same time. The sand was everywhere.

 

Jaesa busied herself with a simple, yet filling breakfast: fresh cut fruit and croissants. She had picked up the skill to bake while she lived as a servant girl, but she enjoyed it enough to continue after joining the Jedi. She was pleased to find that Jedi were allowed some pleasures, as long as they served the greater good and a healthy breakfast made for a healthy training session. She let her mind wander as the croissants baked and, naturally, found herself thinking of Malavai, of what happened to him. From what she saw, he hadn’t been unconscious for very long, a few seconds at the most, but the effect on him was immediate and frightening. There was a sharp spike in his Force signature, something cold and something dark. Something she hadn’t felt since her time in the medbay during her meditations. Whatever it was appeared quickly then vanished as if never there. Barnabus felt the spike too, if his wide eyes and thin frown was any indication. She wanted to ask, she could tell he knew something, but she refrained and he did not offer the information.

 

In the shower, Malavai focused on organizing his “new” memories. He had prepared his mind for this or, rather, was forced to. While his mind focused, his body moved. He washed himself thoroughly, mechanically, quickly.

 

He had to look forward though his mind would be looking back. Focusing. Refocusing. Learning. Forgetting. Relearning. After all this time, after all these years, why was the time right, right this very instant? It didn’t matter, what was done was done. Still, he couldn’t help, but wonder at the purpose of creating new memories on top of old ones and erasing old ones with previous ones. He shook his head, thinking about this issue was bringing on a migraine. It wasn’t simple. He needed to type this out. Get his charts and diagrams going. Simplify this matter the only was he knew how.

 

He exited the shower and dressed in a set of streets. He hadn’t remembered bringing in the clothes with him, perhaps he had. It didn’t matter, his memory wasn’t the best right now and it was of no consequence. Unlike the other memories he would need to sort through. He dressed and readied himself for the day. After cleaning his teeth he focused his attention on his hair and his stubborn cowlick. He had always wanted a shorter hairstyle, but a cut closer to the scalp revealed scars that had held little meaning to him. Until now. Now, everything had a meaning – a new meaning. Everything he had believed, had thought he had known, everything was now disrupted. His balance, his precious and hard fought for internal, mental balance all shattered. Shattered, but patched. It didn’t make sense to him, but whatever had happened had fixed something within him, something he hadn’t known was broken. That was the point of the failsafe keyword, to fix what was broken whether or not he realized he was broken. Was there always the chance that he would be broken in such a manner that would facilitate the need for the keyword, the need to be fixed? Yes, he supposed the chance was always there. With great reluctance, he exited the refresher and took up a chair near Barnabus. Jaesa entered the room the moment he sat down, her arms laden with fresh, streaming croissants and tea. They ate in relative silence before Malavai broke it.

 

“Sartus,” he said quietly.

 

“Means ‘repaired’,” Barnabus supplied helpfully.

 

Jaesa arched a brow, but remained silent.

 

“Staff?”

 

“Removed,” Barnabus said quietly. “By you.”

 

Malavai blinked hard. “Cerrill?”

 

Barnabus sighed quietly and picked up his teacup. Malavai’s memories were being sorted and quickly. He must still be split somewhere. Damn, his methods hadn’t worked completely. His failsafe, his last ditch effort. His – damn it!

 

“She is alive,” Barnabus said finally.

 

Malavai stared at Barnabus expectantly. He wanted as much information as quickly as possible. He didn’t have much leave left and he doubted the Wrath would extend it on the basis of curiosity. The Wrath. A shudder ran through him at the thought of asking her for anything. He wanted off her ship. Away from her. And, perhaps, away from Jaesa. The other, the angry Sith version of himself had made arguments as to why staying was a bad idea. He hadn’t forgotten and he was right. He was attached to Jaesa and, in a sick way, attached to Syla. He snapped himself from his thoughts. Cerrill first, the Wrath later, and Jaesa sometime between then.

 

“She maintains a position on Hoth,” Barnabus said. “It reminds her of home.”

 

“Home?” Jaesa asked, finally voicing the questions in her mind.

 

“Cerrill is a Chiss,” Malavai supplied. “One of the staff from the facility.”

 

“Facility?”

 

“We don’t have time to go over this in great detail, Jaesa. We can talk on the way there,” Malavai said quickly. “Pack your things. I’ll head to the Cantina to close our ticket and inform Teala of our imminent departure.”

 

He was gone before she could reply. Suddenly, they were heading for Hoth to chase after someone from some facility who may or may not answer their questions. She shot Barnabus a look, but the old man simply smiled at her. She was not thrilled about this sudden change of itinerary, especially with Malavai on the mend from whatever had happened to him. Suddenly and inexplicably, an ice cold chill ran up her spine. This did not bode well.

 

 

 

Notes:

 

I found this under my Christmas tree this morning... weird. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it!

 

Edited by irishfino
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  • 1 month later...
Quinn reminds me of a gps system with outdated maps. Recalculating!

 

He can run seventeen different calculations simultaneously without flailing and bursting into flames. At least, that's what I think he can do. I'm sure he can do more. Because his brain is magic or something.

 

 

Thanks for reading everyone!!

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Cross-post from the Short Fic Thread

The Story So Far – NSP - Featuring Sith!Quinn in all his unholy glory

 

 

 

I am not “unholy,” madam.

Narrate our adventure, you evil creature!

I’ll narrate your face.

That didn’t make any sense. :D

…our journey began after a thoroughly brutal beating that most Warriors wish they had the ability to unleash upon the man known as Malavai Quinn. It departs severely from canon after this.

 

 

In Ninety Seven Percent, Malavai Quinn suffers from PTSD after being beaten to near-death by the Emperor’s Wrath, Lord Syla. Adding super insult to brutal injuries, Syla dumps him in a hangar on Balmorra. After three months in a Kolto tank, Quinn is released into the wilds of Balmorra to languish in career hell for the rest of his days. Luckily for him, he is picked up by Major Ovech within weeks. Unluckily for him, Syla shows up looking for a replacement for him. Pierce had been running the ship in the interim and things were slowly going to hell in a handbasket. Because fate really hates Quinn (and parts of Fino do as well, it seems), Quinn encounters Syla during her Meet and Greet with Ovech. He very nearly has a heart attack as he flashes back to the Transponder Station. Foolishly determined to prove his worth and redeem himself, he rejoins Syla’s crew. His first few weeks back are pure hell. He makes it his task to speak with the crew on an individual basis. He first speaks to Pierce who is oddly knowledgeable about Quinn having a keyword. He then attempts to speak with Jaesa who is oddly icy. Jaesa’s iciness later gives way as she finds Quinn suffers from nightmares from which he cannot wake himself. Things take a strange turn when the pair head to Tatooine to speak with Quinn’s dying grandfather, Barnabus Quinn.

 

During his time on Tatooine, Quinn rediscovers himself. He was purposely kept unaware of the shattering of self, but manages to piece himself together again. After spending what felt like years on Tatooine, Jaesa and Quinn head to Hoth to find a lead on Quinn’s freshly revealed past. A Chiss named Cerrill awaits with questions and answers and an impossibly sharp set of knives.

 

 

I’m still around, though, right?

Sort of.

So much hate.

:D

 

 

Notes:

 

 

Quinn's story will pick up on Hoth and introduce the lovely Cerrill. Look for it soon.

 

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I hope your "soon" is not a developer "soon". It's already been a long wait!

 

NSP refused to be written after that last piece finishing up the mission on Tatooine. I've finally broken through parts of the NSP writing block, but I can't guarantee constant updates.

 

And my "soons" are usually within two days. Life not included, of course.

 

 

Thanks for reading everyone!

Edited by irishfino
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Hoth

 

 

Hoth was a cold, miserable wasteland of ice, freezing winds, and wind chapped sensitive parts. It didn’t matter how much one wore while on Hoth, it was cold, it was miserable and it was a place of answers for one particular Imperial. Hoth suited him just fine in personality according to some of the lesser members of Imperial society. Plebeians.

 

Tracking down Cerrill had its share of challenges, but he was ready for them. They both were. They being he and Jaesa. She was with him, of course, following him, ensuring he was okay. She didn’t fully understand what happened to him on Tatooine. He didn’t speak on it. Not much, but it was enough to drive a spike of fear into her heart. She couldn’t shake the feeling that Hoth was the end; of what, she wasn’t sure, but it was an end to something and she couldn’t leave well enough alone. It bothered him on two levels. One level was best left alone, but the other was much more confusing. Really, they both were. They had him absolutely stumped. He liked her, to be sure, but as a friend, which, naturally, stumped him more than his budding romantic feelings for her. And those didn’t make a damn bit of sense either. Focus. Focus on the task at hand. Find Cerrill, find answers, and get the hell off this frostbitten ice ball before going mad from the cold.

 

As frozen and terrible as this place was, Cerrill was oddly easy to find. She was right at Dorn Base when they landed. It seemed too easy, too convenient, too much like Barnabus making a call while Quinn and Jaesa were en route. Damn that old man. She noticed him right away and smiled in greeting. This surprised him, though it really shouldn’t have and she seemed warm enough. He put himself on high alert and analyzed her movements. She wouldn’t try anything here, not in front of others. She’d want privacy. First step was to get rid of Jaesa. Cerrill walked toward them with a confident gait that made the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. This woman knew something, possibly everything, about him and his past. Things that he might not be able to recover without her. What would she want for that information?

 

“Jaesa, you are to stay by my side at all times,” Quinn said firmly. “Understood?”

 

“I had no desire to leave,” Jaesa replied.

 

“Did you understand or not?”

 

Jaesa nodded the affirmative then put on her best warm greeting face. Cerrill paid her little mind and that was just as well. It was a little hard to tell at first who she was focusing on, but it was obvious her red orbs were locked on Quinn.

 

“Malavai Quinn,” Cerrill said in greeting. “It’s been a long time.”

 

“You must be Cerrill,” Quinn said stiffly.

 

“I am, yes.”

 

“Barnabus contact you?”

 

“I can’t lie to you, Malavai. He did contact me.”

 

“Captain,” he said firmly, “Quinn.”

 

“Only Captain? I thought you would be a Moff by now,” Cerrill said with a frown.

 

“There were complications.”

 

“Broysc.”

 

“Among other things I was previously unaware of, yes.”

 

“And I’m to help with that,” Cerrill said with a smile.

 

“What’s your price?” he asked suspiciously.

 

“For you? Nothing, but your company. I’ve missed you, you know. After the facility was shut down, after everyone was dead and gone, it was just me. Just me and my memories. I wanted to contact you when I heard you were on Hoth those years ago, but I – I couldn’t. I wanted to, but my restrictions are very clear and very nearly complete. Until ol’ Barnabus contacted me, of course.” She laughed quietly then turned to Jaesa and offered her hand. “Hello there, you may call me Cerrill.”

 

Jaesa smiled and shook her hand. A spike of cold wariness shot into her chest, but she ignored it. At least for now.

 

“Is that your core name?” Jaesa asked curiously.

 

“You know about core names?” Cerrill asked in astonishment. At Jaesa’s nod, she beamed. “Smart girl. No, it’s not my core name. I am not a traditional Chiss. Neither was my sister, Pemeri.”

 

Quinn shivered subconsciously. That name put him on edge. He hoped to find out why, find out more of what was done to him.

 

“I have private quarters if you would like to accompany me,” Cerrill said with a smile. Quinn idly wonder if she always smiled.

 

“We would yes,” Jaesa replied.

 

Cerrill focused her eyes on Jaesa, her smile never wavering.

 

“Come along then. No time like the present!”

 

Jaesa and Quinn shivered in unison as Cerrill turned and marched away. There was just something so strange about this woman. So, so strange.

 

 

 

Notes:

 

 

Just a short bit on the start of the Hoth mission. Oh, the things I have in store. Assuming I can get them out of my skull and into a document.

 

Edited by irishfino
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She's insaaaaaaaaaaaaaaane.

 

... Not that I would know, of course. :D:rolleyes:

She's about to show a little of her crazy and the man who may or may not control that crazy. Mauhaahaahahaah!

 

Ain't no party like a Chiss party. On Hoth. Possibly with very sharp knives. Looking forward to seeing where this (further) strangeness goes!

It's going to get really weird when we take a trip into Quinn's experiments. So, so weird, lol.

 

 

Thanks for reading everyone!!

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***

Cerrill’s quarters were nice enough all things considered, but they weren’t here to admire the décor, they were here to talk about the experiments. And Cerrill was more than happy to provide that information. They sat around a small coffee table and drank tea while they chatted. The tea would provide motion in case of awkward silence. She did know Quinn oddly well.

 

“As you know, you were the test subject in a set of experiments to create Force sensitives. Had they succeeded, you wouldn’t be the only one like you wandering around,” Cerrill explained. She smiled when Quinn shivered faintly and sipped his tea. “Jadus was the one who ordered the experiments, the death of every staff member who was ever involved, and the end of your torment.”

 

“What was Baras’ role in all this?” Quinn asked. He sipped his tea again. He didn’t really want to know any of this. His past was best left buried, but the memories, the dreams were escalating in intensity. He could ignore them no longer.

 

“Baras, as you should know by now, is your biological father. I forget the name of the man you considered your father, but he wasn’t the man your mother married. I remember that much. As for Baras’ intentions, I don’t know much. I do remember overhearing him speaking with Jadus about a Child of the Emperor, but I never cared to find out what that was.”

 

“A Child of the Emperor is a Force sensitive who is raised in the Emperor’s shadow. They are his eyes and ears wherever they go.” He paused and shivered faintly. He remembered the room of screams, the dark shadows reaching for him, dragging him into darkness and pain.

 

Cerrill’s eyes narrowed slightly. “How do you know this?”

 

“The part of me that was sealed away, the experiment, is free now. And he’s controlled.”

 

“Barnabus?”

 

“In part. I went on a strange journey that, by all appearances, was real and took two and a half years. In reality, I was unconscious on Tatooine after Barnabus used one of my keywords. This state of unconsciousness lasted two seconds according to Jaesa and Barnabus.”

 

“And, yet, you remain,” she paused and gestured with her hand, “like this. Weak. Unfulfilled.”

 

Quinn bristled and felt Jaesa stiffened next to him.

 

“You may have the answers I seek on my past, but you will not insult me,” Quinn said stiffly.

 

“You need to be… devolvat,” Cerrill said, completely unfazed by his anger.

 

“No,” Quinn said fiercely. “Those don’t work on me anymore. Never again.”

 

“You’ve been reprogrammed?” Cerrill asked calmly.

 

“You tried to use a keyword?” Jaesa asked incredulously.

 

“I’ve been ‘unleashed.’ You’d be better served not trying to control me,” he said calmly. Then he spat her name as if it were acid on his tongue. “Cerrill.”

 

Cerrill smiled warmly. “I was testing something for someone,” she said calmly. “I have to follow his orders.” Her holoterminal beeped. “And he’s calling now. Shall we?”

 

Quinn and Jaesa stayed seated, both eyeing her warily as she moved from her seat to the holoterminal. She activated it and bowed to the blue image that appeared.

 

“My Lord,” she said respectfully. “I have found Malavai Quinn. And he has been healed.”

 

Quinn stood and swiftly walked to the holoterminal. He bowed to the masked figure and reigned in his emotions. He did not want to seem unbalanced. Not in front of him.

 

“Captain Malavai Quinn,” the figure said evenly. “It has been far too long.”

 

“I agree, my Lord,” Quinn said.

 

“Cerrill, take the girl and leave us. We have much to discuss,” the figure ordered.

 

Cerrill nodded and walked toward the door. Jaesa stood and hesitated, looking to Quinn for confirmation that it was okay to leave his side. He glanced at her from the corner of his eye and nodded. She didn’t want to leave, but the man on holo managed to drop the temperature in the room by five degrees and if Malavai – Captain Quinn said it was okay then it was okay. Right? She left with Cerrill and regretted leaving as soon as the door slid shut and locked.

 

“I have heard of your recent difficulties regarding the Emperor’s Wrath,” the holo said. “I offer you a chance to leave her service without repercussion.”

 

“That would suit me just fine, my Lord,” Quinn replied dutifully.

 

“Then meet me on Dromund Kaas. From there we shall travel to my flagship, the Dominator. Do this and you shall have your answers.”

 

“As you decree, Lord Jadus.”

 

 

 

 

Notes:

 

 

DUN DUN DUUUUUUUUUUNNNNNNN!!!

 

Edited by irishfino
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  • 2 weeks later...
Eeee, Jadus! Eeee, cliffhanger! :D

Jadus will reappear soon. Sooooon.

 

Nothing like out of the frying pan and into the fire :eek:

It's a cold fire. Because Jadus is cold. And icy. And... and cold. I don't know where I'm going with this.

 

 

Thanks for reading everyone!

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***

Jaesa was fretting. Her journey with him was coming to an end, short though it was, and she was painfully aware of this fact. They left Hoth with a specific purpose: deliver Quinn’s transfer papers, pack his things, and ship him off. She didn’t want to. She knew all about him, his special case, his dreams. She had to be there, right? Someone had to keep an eye on him, why not her?

 

She started pacing the medbay floor, chewing on the nail of her thumb. She’d already eaten the others to the nubs. She couldn’t help it. Perhaps she could appeal to Syla’s paranoia, let her spy on Jadus or – or something, anything to stay by Quinn’s side. She finally stopped chewing her nails long enough to track Syla down and approach her with her idea.

 

“That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard,” Syla said dismissively.

 

“Master, I cannot lie to you. I have an ulterior motive,” Jaesa admittedly quietly.

 

“I know you do, Jaesa, I’m not stupid.” Syla sighed and set her mug of caf on the table. “That man is not worth it, Jaesa. There are so many others in the Galaxy far more worthy of your attentions and affections.”

 

A light blush spread across Jaesa’s cheeks. “No one said anything about affections. I just… worry for him. He’s in pain, Master and so few people understand his plight. Please, let me do this.”

 

“You’re my apprentice. I’m supposed to protect you from things like this. Usually by killing them.”

 

“You tried that once and couldn’t go through with it,” Jaesa said offhandedly.

 

“Not making your case here,” Syla said stiffly.

 

“If you don’t allow me to go, I’ll pout all day, every day, every time I see you.” Jaesa put on her best sad face and stared at Syla unblinkingly.

 

“Stars, fine,” Syla huffed. “I should have made you be evil. Then I wouldn’t have to put up with this nonsense.”

 

“You told me I was too adorable to be evil,” Jaesa pouted.

 

“You are too adorable, but, if you were evil, you could kill Quinn and I’d get to keep you here.”

 

Jaesa giggled quietly. “Master, you are incredibly silly.”

 

“I am the Wrath, I am not silly,” Syla replied with a laugh, effectively ruining the effect of her statement.

 

“So,” Jaesa hedged, “you’ll let me go with him?”

 

“Have you asked him if you could go?”

 

“Not yet, I wanted to make sure I could go in case he agreed.”

 

“Jaesa…”

 

“I wanted my bases covered. I didn’t want to ask him and he agree only for you to say no. That would likely disappoint him.”

 

“Nothing would disappoint that man,” Syla replied with a huff.

 

“Master…”

 

“Yeah, yeah you like him. Fine, you can go, but I want you reporting in daily. On the holo, none of that quick messaging crap the younger kids do these days.”

 

“You sound like a mother,” Jaesa giggled.

 

“You’re my apprentice,” Syla said defensively.

 

“What if something prevents me from contacting you via holo?”

 

“Then I’ll board the Dominator, sabers ablaze, demanding your current location.”

 

“You’re serious.”

 

“Deadly.”

 

“Right, I’ll make it a point to holo every day, then. If I can go.”

 

 

 

Notes:

 

 

Pretty short. Jaesa and Quinn's... confron-sation (conversation meeting confrontation) will likely be longer. And then Jadus :D

 

Edited by irishfino
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***

“No, no, a thousand times no,” Quinn said firmly. He was packing, he didn’t have much, but he had enough to fill a bag and a half. All his worldly possessions right here. It was sobering.

 

“You don’t have a friend aboard that ship,” Jaesa argued quietly.

 

“Cerrill is there.”

 

“Cerrill hasn’t been part of your life for – for I don’t know how many years. Friends keep in contact with one another. She is not your friend.”

 

“You’re not my friend either,” Quinn snapped stiffly.

 

“I am your friend. I have been here through the nightmares, the sweat soaked nights, the screams. I have been here to wake you up, to hold you as you shivered and cried, to give you something to wake up to. I have been there when your composure shattered and you were exposed to fear and shame. I have been there, Malavai. I am your friend.”

 

Quinn didn’t respond. He didn’t know how to. He busied himself with his belongings, carefully packing each item into his bags. When he came to the last drawer he paused. She wouldn’t laugh at him, he was sure of it, but there was still the chance. He pulled a small metal case from a nearby shelf and set it on the desk. He could feel Jaesa’s eyes on him, probing him, begging for a response. He ignored the feeling as best he could and opened the drawer in the desk. From the drawer he pulled out a simple set of tools, nothing that would have piqued Jaesa’s interest. Then he pulled out figures of people, each about four inches tall, from the drawer. Each was meticulously painted and greatly detailed. They looked like real little people.

 

“That’s amazing,” Jaesa said quietly. “Did you make those?”

 

“I did, yes,” Quinn replied stiffly.

 

“Those are beautiful. Can I hold one?”

 

Quinn grabbed one seemingly at random and held it out for her. He wouldn’t turn toward her, but she didn’t care. She carefully wrapped her fingers around the little figure and drew it closer to her. She stared at the little figure then gasped quietly. It was her.

 

He watched from the corner of his eye as her face lit up in amazement. Then she smiled. He liked her smile. It always reflected in her eyes. When he was sure she wasn’t going to laugh at him he spoke.

 

“I made that some time ago,” he admittedly quietly. “Within a few weeks of you joining the crew.”

 

“It looks amazing,” Jaesa said in awe. “The detail, the form. It looks as if she could come alive at any moment. Is this your hobby?”

 

“Yes.” He continued packing his figures away carefully. “I have many, many more in storage. This is – this is the first time I’ve showed anyone a figure of them in… quite some time, actually.”

 

“Do you just make figures or do you do scenery as well?”

 

“I’ve made tombs, holocrons, ships, planets, and, yes, scenery. Some animals as well. I find my attention to detail helps considerably in making things… life like.”

 

“It’s amazing,” she said quietly. She held out her hand and handed the figure back to him. He grabbed it and set it upon the desk. “It’s good to have a hobby. And it’s better when you can share your hard work with a friend.”

 

“Jaesa,” he started quietly.

 

“I care for you, Malavai. You know that. If you go alone, I’ll do nothing, but worry. I’d holo you every hour just to check up on you and make sure things were going smoothly.”

 

“That almost sounds like a threat,” he said lightly.

 

Jaesa chuckled softly. “I can’t help it. I’m a worrier. Being a Jedi did not help with that at all. If you truly wish for me to stay behind, I will, but know that I will worry.”

 

“I-” He paused in thought. She was sincere in her plea, in her worry. He wanted her to come. He wanted to have someone who knew what had happened to him in the last few years, but he needed to get somewhat close to Cerrill to understand what had happened in the past. He could have more than one friend, couldn’t he? Friend. What a foreign concept to him. He had allies and enemies and people who hadn’t killed him yet, but never a friend. Now he had a friend and he was set to leave her behind in favor of stars knows what. “I’ll let you come,” he said quietly.

 

“If you change your mi – wait, did you say I could come with you?”

 

He nodded quietly.

 

She jumped happily and rushed to him, grabbing him for a brief hug. “You won’t regret this, I promise.” On a whim, she pecked his cheek with a light kiss then turned and ran from the room, presumably to pack her bags.

 

Quinn raised a shaky hand to his cheek. He could feel heat rising in his face in a blush. He didn’t blush. He couldn’t blush. He was implacable. He didn’t – he didn’t – but he did. And he felt quite silly for doing so. Bah. He shook himself from his thoughts and went back to packing his figures. He grabbed the little Jaesa last and held her up to the light. She seemed at home in the light and now… now she would make her home in the dark. He hoped beyond hope that she could burn bright enough to chase the shadows away. They would be drawn to her. They would want to snuff her out. Was the light inside of her enough to fight them or would she fall to madness? Could he help her maintain her light in the face of such overwhelming odds?

 

He hoped, for both their sakes’, she could maintain her inner light or they would both be snuffed out in the dark.

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