"It's ready go ahead. Bulk Cruiser Syndulla, right?" The voice scratched over the comlink.
“That’s right”
The Odan Urr had enemies enough without having to content with the First Order, so communicating with the Galaxy at large required special arrangements with the Sentinel Network. The scanner flashed and whirred, capturing and monitoring his image for the conversation. He checked his datapad to check he’d got the shipboard time and watch bills right.
The image flickered into life.
“Hyle?”
“Zyra.”
She was still in uniform. They hadn’t spoken since the morning he’d left, and the month since seemed like an eternity. His life had changed completely yet again, in ways he couldn’t have imagined, but this reminded him that this was all his life.
“How?” Well it least it was better than why.
“There are people here who know some people who know some people.”
“So?”
“So we can see each other.”
“We’re doing that now.”
“No, I mean really, see each soon as I can arrange it.”
“Really?” She smiled
“I promise.”
“But the Captain said you weren’t coming back.”
“That’s true, up to a point.”
“So are you still on Kiast?”
“You know where I am?”
“Shuttle logs.”
“How?”
“I’m the Deck Officer now.”
“Congratulations, Commander Tregoyne.”
“The Captain was planning on giving the position to you, then you and Commander Docker went off on one of your excursions, only you didn’t come back. All I got was some religious mumbo jumbo about how you’d found your path.”
“I’m sorry.”
“You said you didn’t know how long you’d be gone. A month and not a word.”
“I’m sorry, I had no idea, I thought I’d be coming back.”
“So what happens to us now?”
“I complete my training, and now I have the means, we keep in touch, see each other again.”
“When? I’ve heard rumours about what’s happening in that part of space, and we’ve got even bigger problems, the First Order is on the move.”
“And something’s happening here, looks like I arrived just when things are starting to get, well, interesting, let’s say.”
“What’s new?” She asked with a wry smile.
Their minds both drifted back to the time they had joined the Syndulla’s crew as pilots. Their first patrol had seen their flight stumble straight into an ambush. Hyle and Zyra were the only two who got out alive. Then he collapsed during the debriefing. First it had been put up to nerves, but their Squadron Commander, who was now First Officer, and had always been a devoted follower of the Church of the Force, believed it to be a vision, and the news of the Jedi Temple Massacre seemed to have reinforced that belief.
Although they’d been assigned to different units, they’d been all but inseparable off duty ever since. Even though she said time and again that he was a fool to listen to this nonsense about destiny and the force, she’s always listened, and always helped. In some ways her support had been more valuable than Yugo Docker’s. Hyle had travelled a lot over the years, and accepted that when things changed, he would probably never see anything or anyone he had come to know ever again. Now, for perhaps for the first time in his life, that truth had become difficult to accept.
Commander Docker said he had to find a purpose, but as far as he was concerned, he had found a purpose serving with Admiral Holdo’s privateers. Sure it was dangerous work, but it was steady work too. Now it seemed that Docker was right, and this purpose didn’t involve the people he’d grown to know, trust, care for, and even love over the past six years.
“Everything and nothing.” He said eventually.
“More Jedi philosophy?”
“No, you said yourself, things are changing, and not for the better and we’ll each have our part to play. The Syndulla might not be my life anymore, I accept that. But we were part of each others’ lives and still can be, it’s not easier now that we’re not living on the same ship, but when was anything ever easy, for either of us.”
“Everything’s changed and nothing has huh?”
“Excactly. Stay safe.”
“You too.”
“You know I can’t promise that.”
“And you know I can’t either.”
“True.”
She reached out to touch his hand. To each other, they were just holographic images, and he could see the outline of her hand superimposed against his own, and the only touch he felt was static. Perhaps for the first time in his life, Hyle Alihandross understood the pain of being truly alone.

Planet Daleem
1913 GMT

Staring across the courtyard from across his living quarters, Maximus Alvinius saw a woman of such beauty and grace that it stopped him dead in his tracks. He was unsure where he knew this woman from, but the feeling he had got was as if he had known her for years. Within seconds she immediately locked eyes on him and gazed back. All Maximus could see was this woman’s amazing blue eyes gazing as if to put him into a trance. He felt serenity and peace when he looked at her. After realizing he had been gazing too long for embarrassment he quickly shifted away.

Later that day Maximus ran into a local merchant who always seemed to know what was going on throughout the area.

“Who is that woman?” Maximus asked the man.

“Shes a new transfer from some other planet. I’m told she is skilled warrior in hand to hand combat. If her beauty is anything like her fight, she will be dangerous.” Exclaimed the man.

A few hours later while grabbing drinks in the local Cantina the woman reappeared. This time she was dressed in her armor and while still beautiful, there was something about her appearance to take on anything that really pulled at Maximus’s soul.

The bartender leaned over and said “Ah go saw something. You look like a puppy who just tasted food for the first time.

“Aright, alright I will. Just give me a second.” Said Maximus.

Getting out of his seat he quickly adjusted his outfit and lightsaber as subtle as possible. Maintaining his cool he attempted to walk as casually as possible to this woman. Right as he got close to her Maximus tripped over a stool chair and came crashing down on the floor. Immediately the Cantina was in laughter.”

“I thought Jedi weren’t suppose to be clumsy.” The woman said to Maximus.

“Ah yeah, just got back from the Bacta tank after a mission. My minds still getting trying to get straight.” Maximus replied.

“Ah yes and drinks at a Cantina are sure to help.” The woman responded.

“Yes something like that.” Maximus replied while standing up and brushing himself off.

“I’m Maximus Alvinius. One of the Jedi here.” Maximus said while out stretching his hand out to introduce himself.

“Wow, you really don’t remember. I knew the transformation did wonders on you, but to see it in person is challenging.” Ashlynn replied glancing at his hand.

Confused Maximus looked around not sure if Ashlynn had understood he introduced himself, or if she was speaking to someone around him.

“No I’m talking to you Maximus Alvinius, or Landon Cruise as you were called prior to you transformation in the temple years ago. I was your wife in your darker days, but I too have attempted to come to the light. It seems some of you Jedi really lose a lot of yourself when you transition” Ashlynn responded.

Within seconds Maximus had small flashes of memory of the two kissing, their marriage, and some past missions.

“How could I of forgot? I knew I felt I knew you from somewhere and the feeling of love I had for you felt it consumed me when I laid eyes on you. Why does this have to happen right as theres a war on the horizon. I have so much to ask you.” Maximus responded as Ashlynn jumped up and embraced the Jedi in a deep kiss.

Maximus opening his eyes brightly at first in shock and then slowly transitioning into embracing and enjoying the kiss back. The two lock for a good two minutes before finally ending the smooch session.

“Look I’ve got to get back to my new unit and figuring out what I can do to help this Clan in the upcoming war. We will catch up on everything afterwards.” Ashlynn said starring into Maximus’s eyes.

“I understand. I will be thinking of you everyday until this war ends. I know we are connected deeper than just our past even if I don’t remember all the details right now. Please be safe out there and if you need me I will always be here.” Maximus responded.

With that she disappeared off into the city and left Maximus with a million questions in his own mind. Who was he before? What dark place had she come from that he had been to? A temple that he transitioned to the light side? What was this? He knew his memory was hazy from his days before coming here, but now he had so much more information from the past that he wanted to find out who he was. Of course he thought that it would come right before a impending war. This was something he would meditate about before the war and find the right time to find his past.