Present...
"Well, this is it..."
A soft exhalation made a stray blonde curl flutter back from her cheek, still flushed with a hint of color as it always was. The pink highlighted her delicate features and created a pretty backdrop for the bright cerulean-blue of her eyes as they peered into the spacious, luxurious cabin. Nearly every credit she had to her name had gone into this trip - most thought it was out of extravagance and a need to flaunt her family's wealth.
It was further from the truth than any of the other rumors that had begun, but she didn't bother trying to correct them. What did she care if the people she was leaving behind would believe her or not? Those she cared about, knew precisely why she was leaving Manaan. Everyone else was welcome to believe whatever outlandish tale they wished.
Sasha cussed under her breath as she stepped inside and tried to stop her mind from wandering. It had been a harrowing enough day as it was, without her thoughts wriggling about in careless circles. The door helpfully slid closed behind her, and with a murmured word, locked securely.
Fingers loosened from the small handles of her two duffel bags, dropping the pair at the foot of the four-poster bed on the upholstered bench. Her jacket was next, the supple, shell-pink leather cast across a nearby velvet chair, while she kicked off her heels and paid no mind to where they landed. The young woman sighed and sprawled across the end of the bed, setting off a hailstorm of falling pillows and ornate cushions. It brought a tiny smile to her glossy lips, the first favorable reaction to anything that had happened in what felt like an eternity.
Her mind wandering, she gently smoothed out her dark rose leather pants and off-the-shoulder silk blouse, letting her cerulean eyes close for a brief moment. Sasha hummed softly to herself as she tried to relax and push away the painful visions that lingered just at the edge of her awareness - lying in wait as if they were a predator stalking its prey.
One week prior...
She sat up in bed suddenly, eyes wide but unseeing, her slumbering mind lock in a nightmare of a vision. Death and destruction surrounded her as she picked her way across a haze-shrouded battlefield. Lightsabers blazed all around, blaster bolts slithered through the air, so many finding their marks and sending sentients toppling to the ground in bloody heaps. Sasha's breath caught in her throat as she moved, only half noting that she seemed to progress unnoticed, slipping by as if she were nothing more than a translucent wisp of energy.
Stopping beside an abandoned vehicle that had been tipped onto its side, she caught sight of what she assumed was a Jedi. A green lightsaber blazed as he stood his ground over a fallen comrade, deflecting bolt after bolt that never seemed to slow. She watched in rapt fascination, cerulean eyes following his every deft, precise movement, until the volley suddenly stopped. Blinking, she waited as he slowly turned to glance down at his companion, one hand rising to push back the hair from his eyes.
Sasha gasped as another volley of blaster fire commenced without notice, shredding through the air in deadly earnest. A bolt caught him in the shoulder before he could deflect it, making his features twist into a grimace. She found herself trying to move forward but unable to as the prone figure rose up, the lightsaber in her hand flaring to life as she pushed him out of the way. With imperfect technique, the azure blade flicked out to deflect the incoming bolts, giving him time enough to Heal his wound.
She couldn't hear a word that was being said...and noticed that all she could hear was a deafening roar, as if something was trying to warn her. But of what?
It took only a moment more for it to become blindingly obvious as the woman staggered back, and Sasha found herself unable to breathe. Clouded cerulean-blue eyes looked up and she found herself looking into her own eyes. Pain assaulted her senses, as she looked down to find her chest awash in blood and riddled with numerous blaster-wounds. She screamed, terror flooding her senses as she finally woke from the horrific scene, shaking, eyes wide and nearly feral looking.
Jaor had come through her door first, shatter-blasters drawn and primed, followed instantly by Adis, Rex, and Drake. On finding her alone, they all holstered their blasters and Drake approached her cautiously. Her identical twin, it was only he who could reach her in this state without suffering if she lashed out in her fear. Jaor and Adis leaned on either side of the doorway, while Rex grumbled under his breath and went out to calm the rest of the household.
"Sash?"
"S-saw m-m-myself d-die, this time...w-w-was a Jedi...fighting in a war...and....w-w-was sh-shot...s-s-so many t-times...so m-much b-blood..." Sasha stammered shaking like a leaf in a gale force wind until he settled an arm over her slender shoulders.
"You're fine, Sash...look, it was just a dream."
"I know...but it hurt this time..." she whispered, curling herself into his side and huddling against his familiar warmth and comfort.
Present...
Sasha didn't know how long she'd been asleep, but she woke feeling somewhat rested for the first time in days. Sliding out of bed, she stretched out her long, lean frame and padded barefoot into the bathroom. A few minutes saw her refreshed, and her long blonde curls pinned up neatly. Gazing at her reflection, she wrinkled her nose at the ever-present dark circles under her blue eyes and shook her head.
It took several moments to find where her heels had landed, and to step back into them, having grabbed her jacket as she passed its perch. Wandering out into the hallway, Sasha locked her door behind her and stuffed her hands in her pockets, taking the nearby 'lift to one of the shopping levels, to wander amidst the crowd.
"Well, this is it..."
A soft exhalation made a stray blonde curl flutter back from her cheek, still flushed with a hint of color as it always was. The pink highlighted her delicate features and created a pretty backdrop for the bright cerulean-blue of her eyes as they peered into the spacious, luxurious cabin. Nearly every credit she had to her name had gone into this trip - most thought it was out of extravagance and a need to flaunt her family's wealth.
It was further from the truth than any of the other rumors that had begun, but she didn't bother trying to correct them. What did she care if the people she was leaving behind would believe her or not? Those she cared about, knew precisely why she was leaving Manaan. Everyone else was welcome to believe whatever outlandish tale they wished.
Sasha cussed under her breath as she stepped inside and tried to stop her mind from wandering. It had been a harrowing enough day as it was, without her thoughts wriggling about in careless circles. The door helpfully slid closed behind her, and with a murmured word, locked securely.
Fingers loosened from the small handles of her two duffel bags, dropping the pair at the foot of the four-poster bed on the upholstered bench. Her jacket was next, the supple, shell-pink leather cast across a nearby velvet chair, while she kicked off her heels and paid no mind to where they landed. The young woman sighed and sprawled across the end of the bed, setting off a hailstorm of falling pillows and ornate cushions. It brought a tiny smile to her glossy lips, the first favorable reaction to anything that had happened in what felt like an eternity.
Her mind wandering, she gently smoothed out her dark rose leather pants and off-the-shoulder silk blouse, letting her cerulean eyes close for a brief moment. Sasha hummed softly to herself as she tried to relax and push away the painful visions that lingered just at the edge of her awareness - lying in wait as if they were a predator stalking its prey.
One week prior...
She sat up in bed suddenly, eyes wide but unseeing, her slumbering mind lock in a nightmare of a vision. Death and destruction surrounded her as she picked her way across a haze-shrouded battlefield. Lightsabers blazed all around, blaster bolts slithered through the air, so many finding their marks and sending sentients toppling to the ground in bloody heaps. Sasha's breath caught in her throat as she moved, only half noting that she seemed to progress unnoticed, slipping by as if she were nothing more than a translucent wisp of energy.
Stopping beside an abandoned vehicle that had been tipped onto its side, she caught sight of what she assumed was a Jedi. A green lightsaber blazed as he stood his ground over a fallen comrade, deflecting bolt after bolt that never seemed to slow. She watched in rapt fascination, cerulean eyes following his every deft, precise movement, until the volley suddenly stopped. Blinking, she waited as he slowly turned to glance down at his companion, one hand rising to push back the hair from his eyes.
Sasha gasped as another volley of blaster fire commenced without notice, shredding through the air in deadly earnest. A bolt caught him in the shoulder before he could deflect it, making his features twist into a grimace. She found herself trying to move forward but unable to as the prone figure rose up, the lightsaber in her hand flaring to life as she pushed him out of the way. With imperfect technique, the azure blade flicked out to deflect the incoming bolts, giving him time enough to Heal his wound.
She couldn't hear a word that was being said...and noticed that all she could hear was a deafening roar, as if something was trying to warn her. But of what?
It took only a moment more for it to become blindingly obvious as the woman staggered back, and Sasha found herself unable to breathe. Clouded cerulean-blue eyes looked up and she found herself looking into her own eyes. Pain assaulted her senses, as she looked down to find her chest awash in blood and riddled with numerous blaster-wounds. She screamed, terror flooding her senses as she finally woke from the horrific scene, shaking, eyes wide and nearly feral looking.
Jaor had come through her door first, shatter-blasters drawn and primed, followed instantly by Adis, Rex, and Drake. On finding her alone, they all holstered their blasters and Drake approached her cautiously. Her identical twin, it was only he who could reach her in this state without suffering if she lashed out in her fear. Jaor and Adis leaned on either side of the doorway, while Rex grumbled under his breath and went out to calm the rest of the household.
"Sash?"
"S-saw m-m-myself d-die, this time...w-w-was a Jedi...fighting in a war...and....w-w-was sh-shot...s-s-so many t-times...so m-much b-blood..." Sasha stammered shaking like a leaf in a gale force wind until he settled an arm over her slender shoulders.
"You're fine, Sash...look, it was just a dream."
"I know...but it hurt this time..." she whispered, curling herself into his side and huddling against his familiar warmth and comfort.
Present...
Sasha didn't know how long she'd been asleep, but she woke feeling somewhat rested for the first time in days. Sliding out of bed, she stretched out her long, lean frame and padded barefoot into the bathroom. A few minutes saw her refreshed, and her long blonde curls pinned up neatly. Gazing at her reflection, she wrinkled her nose at the ever-present dark circles under her blue eyes and shook her head.
It took several moments to find where her heels had landed, and to step back into them, having grabbed her jacket as she passed its perch. Wandering out into the hallway, Sasha locked her door behind her and stuffed her hands in her pockets, taking the nearby 'lift to one of the shopping levels, to wander amidst the crowd.
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