A Lot To Unpack

"Why should I make you anything? What's in this for me?" He inquired, tone low and growling with malice. "What if I refuse to help you?" A part of him knew it was a bad idea to antagonize this woman, but he needed answers.

Liden regarded the question, and the mess Jin'Lor was making, with a small smile. "You know the gravity of the situation. The galaxy is in a delicate state at the moment with The New Republic trying to establish itself as the new dominant power, and The Empire falling to ruin. However the Imperial Remnant is still a formidable force, should it have the proper leadership, and with your technology they would be able to meet this threat on equal footing.

"And what is in it for you? Unlimited resources to do what you wish, test subjects, unrestricted access to any and all Imperial research projects over the last thirty years. Anything you want, Jin'Lor. I don't care what you want. You will have it so long as you are willing to give me what I want.... However... if you feel the need to refuse me... I can always switch from the carrot... to the stick... But this would not be torture of your body. You are practically immortal, Jin'Lor. I am no fool. But I do know you have a mind and a soul that I will spend every hour breaking should I need to. I could toss you into a sensory deprivation chamber, no gravity, no sound, no light... no air..." Her tone came across as deadly serious.

"I could put you in my personal favorite device... the Aurora Chair... It will dig into your memories, rip them from your mind in the foulest way imaginable. I could have you repeat the most horrid moments of your life over and over, and make it feel like an eternity. And through it I will rip every last secret you think you can keep from me. That I allow you to keep from me. Or if need be I will rip them out myself with The Force. I could pull your soul apart if I so wished it, Jin'Lor. What remains of it anyways. Or you can take my offer, build me an immortal army, and a body so I can lead the galaxy to victory... or I can make you wish you had never met me..." She continued to stare at him, her stance was unmoving, unwavering. She did not show any sign she intended to attack. She merely stood. Waiting like the patient monster she was.

"Now..." She finally said after what seemed like an eternity of silence. "Shall we begin?"

----

"Don't. Just don't. I deserve whatever anyone throws at me." He snapped and walked over to Mar. "I am the last person you should say that to. What I've done means I deserve the worst. Just because I had no control over it doesn't mean I was unaware of it. If I had been a better man - a better father..."

With a sigh, he let the rest fade and shrugged. "If you're really sorry, do me a favor. Keep Ghost safe and make sure she gets the life she deserves: a happy one."

Looking to where Mar's mechanical arm used to be, he hid Ghost's earrings in a pocket and spoke up again. "I can build you a new arm if you want."

Mar understood. He had similar guilt festering inside him as well. Sins he would never be able to forgive himself for. He nodded at Ryze's offer. "Sure. I'd appreciate that."

From the cockpit Mira hailed the crew. "Okay folks, buckle up! This is gonna get bumpy!"

The Void Swift had to dive below the incoming storm beast as it made an attempt to bite at the ship. Mira banked right then up and pushed the engines as hard as they'd go to get them up and out of the storm. Now between them was nothing but three star destroyers and a small squadron of TIE fighters.

---

“ you not real you can’t be Iv never Sean a force ghost. My own masters ghost would not even apper to me” she said shaking her head and looking at the ground. “ I not a Jedi I’ll never be a Jedi. I didn’t even get to choose wether I wanted to be a Jedi or not. I’m never using the force again” she said bursting into tears.

Tal went to the girl and pulled her into a hug. "I understand you're terrified. I know none of this has been right or fair. You should've been given a chance to choose for yourself. Even I wasn't given the chance to choose to not be a Jedi. I was strong in The Force and the hidden collective of Jedi took me when I as very young. They trained me, told me I would help save the galaxy from The Empire... And then I met Mar... I wanted to stay on that jungle planet with him. Let the galaxy deal with its own problems. But they found us, and I had to make a choice... I chose to make sure he had the chance to make his own choice... He thinks he betrayed me, but I was the one who decided to turn myself in. We all have a choice, Serenity. The question is... do you still want to walk the path of a Jedi?"

Meanwhile Keran had untangled himself from Serenity and had gone to dry his fur off. However, he could sense a strange presence with Serenity. Yet it was inviting and kind. Whatever it was, he hoped it was helping her with her problems.