Post by Lissa on Feb 24, 2019 22:52:41 GMT -5
As Jeryndi Trander walked the halls of the massive place-- the Yelora Dowen-- his heart was pounding... How did he explain this? He'd already finished the last trip to the Quintessence. Unloaded the last shipful of passengers he'd carried from the planet on his last run of the evacuation. He'd discovered something horrifying and unexpected upon finishing loading off the Mandals.
Medren Trander was gone. He knew it had to have been during the last trip down to Keldabe, but he wasn't entirely sure when his son had slipped away... But it had been between unloading the speeders for Solomon and departing for the Quintessence for the last time. There would be consequences if he found his son alive-- but mostly... he'd be grateful to have him back. He was thinking about how upset Kel'dan would be as he walked the halls. He had gotten here only moments ago. His daughter walked alongside him, two steps behind. Her black pigtails bounced with her haste to keep up with her father... Jeryndi had only one purpose in being here, aboard this station. That was to talk to Kel'dan.
* * * * *
Aboard the Yelora Dowen was where Kel'dan formerly Akir was...His ship was docked with the Battle Dragon, his advisors and aids had come with him. But the only one here in this room was Ti'ya Begran. He'd taken up a spot in the control room, watching as the scans and new information constantly poured in from the planet's surface. He'd had a sinking feeling ever since stepping foot in this room, but he didn't know why...
His whole body was tense as he looked at the screens. Among his people who'd come with his ship, some had worn their beskar'gam... He was sure that set some of the Hapans stationed here on edge-- but not even minutes after arriving, he'd given the order for them to take it off aboard his ship. He, however, had his in storage. It was on his ship, but he had not donned it before leaving the planet... He probably had not changed clothes since the Plume had happened. To everyone but his first in command, Ti'ya, he seemed calm... But she knew better. She could see the uncertainty and unease behind those green eyes...
Tiya's comm rang with a quiet beep and she rejected the transmission-- not wanting to talk to anyone right then... A moment later, another beep as she got a message.
Jeryndi Trander is here to see the Mandalore.
It made her click her tongue in annoyance... Kel'dan couldn't afford distractions right and that Jetii was about to do exactly that... But she walked towards the door of the bridge, going out to head off the man before he could get to Kel'dan himself... She knew Kel'dan was watching her as she left, but she didn't care. After going out into the hallway to speak to the Jetii, she curled her lip as she went back in.
"It's Jeryndi... He needs to speak to you. It's urgent." She told him. He gave her a look of dread, but turned to walk with her out of the bridge.
Upon getting outside of the bridge, Ti'ya offereed a hand and a smile to Marian. Marian took it with a smile back and gave Jeryndi a small wave goodbye as Ti'ya led her away... Jeryndi waved back, then looked to Kel'dan.
"Ren's gone," Jeryndi said, not bothering to beat around the bush.
"WHAT?!?!", Kel'dan said, exclaiming it in a harsh whisper that wasn't meant to carry, but did. "What're you talking about?" he asked, after taking a few seconds to compose himself...
"I mean," Jeryndi said slowly. "He snuck off the Lickity Split while I was loading refugees for my last run to the Quintessence... I didn't realize he wasn't there untiul we docked and unloaded... Marian didn't notice, either."
The look on Kel'dan's face threatened murder... "You..." He sputtered indignantly for a second. Jeryndi didn't quite flinch, but he jerked away from Kel'dan in anticipation of having a swing taken at him... "He's down there... in the Red," Kel'dan hissed... "How did you not notice?"
Jeryndi looked away, not meeting Kel'dan's eyes. "Every trip we made to the Quintessence, he sat in the back with the Mandals... He'd run the preflight checks and then go sit with them and Marian stayed with me in the cockpit... Eleven trips we made, Kel... Eleven. What reason did I have to think this was any different?" he asked. "And now it's too late."
When he looked back to the Mandalore, there were tears in his eyes. Kel'dan could feel it-- the grief the younger man had in him... It felt like the first time Kel'dan had seen him since returning from the dead. A kind of grief that clung to him, despite the smiles and jokes. For that moment... His anger faded. It was a long, drawn out silence between them... Probably 45 seconds as they stared at each other.
"Maybe not," Kel'dan finally said. He glanced around them as Jeryndi's eyes widened with hope. Kel'dan grabbed the former Jedi by the arm and led him off to the side, away from passer bys in the corridors. "The Red has stopped... There are places where it hasn't reached. It seems to have stopped altogether... You've got a chance to go after him."
Jeryndi breathed a sigh of relief and his hand tightened on Kel'dan's sleeve. "Really? You..." His mind was racing... The wheels were turning. The hamsters were hyper. There was hope. He let out a shuddering breath as he felt weak in the knees... "Oh gods," he muttered. He suddenly felt sick... And Kel'dan caught him right before he collapsed and puked all over the floor. Cleanup on aisle 4? Kel'dan sighed as he held Jeryndi, waiting for him to recover... Now he knew what that feeling of dread had been. What that feeling that had been nagging at him had been....
"Listen, Jeryndi," He said softly. "You'd better go down there and get him... I will never forgive you if you don't bring him back." There was a hardness to those words... They also doubled as, I will kill you if you come back without him. "He is our son... I very much still love him... This happened under your care. On your watch... Fix. Your. Mess." With that said, he stood back up to full height and pushed Jeryndi back up to his feet... They stood there again for several seconds in silence again....
"I will give you clearance to go back... But the Red has stopped. Get what you need. Go well-supplied. Be smart about this... Go and say goodbye to Marian... I promise, I will take care of her."
Jeryndi stared at the puddle of vomit he'd just left on the floor... How long had it been since he'd done that? He had no clue.... But he was listening. He met Kel'dan's gaze and nodded. "I know... I know you will," he said softly. Kel'dan simply nodded.
"Get to it." With that said, he turned to leave and go back to the Yelora Dowen's bridge.