The Survivor (EDITING)

Thirteen

Back Home 

"Someone take me home" 

"You ready for this?"  Jylo asked as the ship flew closer to the flat runway ahead of them.  

I brushed a hand through my red hair, still damp from the fresher.  It had grown in the last ten months, coming maybe two and a half inches past my shoulders now.  Not nearly as long as it had been before, but I wasn't complaining too much.  

My eyes were glued to the grand castle we circled as Jylo landed the ship.  It wasn't huge, being simpler than most royal buildings.  That didn't stop it from sticking out from the surrounding town, almost shining in the sun.  

"Ready," I mumbled, gripping the armrests of the co-pilot chair against my will.  

The ship touched down on one of the landing platforms.  Jylo insisted it was his personal platform, but I couldn't tell if he was being honest or just trying to distract my mind.  It was nerve wracking being back here.  The last time I'd been on this planet, it wasn't under the best circumstances.  

Gungi had requested to be dropped off on another planet, sensing he needed to go there.  I was hesitant at first but let him go.  Though I didn't have a clue what kind of threats would await us Force-wielders from now on, I felt a peace through the Force he would be okay.  

I think we were all still in slight shock from Coruscant.  Ursa and Nia were quiet, suspicious of both Jylo and I, but were as polite as they could muster.  My mind kept replaying the confront with Anakin.  The lightening... I'd never done that before.  I'd never felt desperate enough to draw power like that before.  

Jylo was quick to notice my unease ever since Coruscant and went out of his way to distract me.  From picking out what fruit to eat to spending twelve minutes trying to see if the ship smelled weird, he was finding any and everything to distract me with.  

The ramp extended and he walked out first.  I kept Nia and Ursa in front of me, not wanting them out of my sight.  This was the only planet we could think of that the younglings would be safe on.  Morsaund.  

My home planet.  

I'd come back only once since Mace Windu had brought me to the Temple.  With the Batch after a mission.  The Marauder had been damaged and we were yanked out of hyperspace, crashing on Morsaund.  When we'd made it to the village, we watched as they buried my parents.  

"Jylo."  

I froze briefly, recognizing the voice even a year later.  It was deep, full of authority, power, experience, but also kindness.  When the man walking over to us entered my view, I took a deep breath.  

My older brother looked exactly as he had before.  White Mandalorian armor with thin blue marks, helmet tucked under his arm.  His long brown hair had streaks of blonde in it, restrained back in a bun.  

"Aryan," Jylo greeted.  "Thanks for agreeing."  

"Anything," Aryan said, gripping Jylo's hand and pulling him into what I guessed was a bro hug or something.  After the two pulled apart, Aryan's eyes glanced at the young girls in front of me, then slowly to me.  "Jora.  It's been too long, little sister."  

Before I even knew what I was doing, I flung my arms around him tightly.  Trust was a dangerous thing; I knew that far too well.  Even with having trusted only to have it proved misplaced, something about Aryan made me relax, as though I could count on him forever.