The Runaways

Meeting with the Council

21 BBY, Coruscant

"Can you hold my comlink? I need to meditate."

"Of course, General." His voice reverberated through me. I pushed myself up gently and handed him my comlink off my belt. His eyes held mine for what seemed like an eternity. Spitfire's embarrassment must have gotten the best of him, because he broke eye contact, blushing profusely.

"You don't have to leave while I meditate." I tossed him his helmet. Now phase II, it still bore the same paint job as his last. My markings along the cheek, toward the back, and on the mouth area. The same color as my markings too. I remember how long it took him to color match the paint. 

"Thank you." Spitfire seemed genuinely happy to stay.

"No. Thank you." I turned away and crossed my legs to meditate.

***

My comlink beeped, shaking me from my meditation, but I didn't move. I heard Spitfire panic as I didn't move from my trance. He hesitantly answered it.

"Detta?" Master Fisto's voice blared.

"This is Commander Spitfire sir."

"Where's Detta?" Master Fisto seemed rushed. "And why do you have her comlink?

"She's meditating, sir."

"That answers both of my questions it seems."

"Yes sir."

"Are you in her quarters?"

"Yes sir."

"I'll be right there."

***

A hand on my shoulder told me my meditation was over. My last meditation had revealed something to me, and I was shaken. The hand wasn't Spitfire's either. I turned around to find Spitfire with his helmet on and Master Fisto right above me.

"The council requests your presence at the meeting in 5 minutes." Master Fisto didn't even smile or crack a joke. He simply walked out. I stood up stiffly and looked at Spitfire.

"I hope I don't get the answer I think I'm about to get." I wrung my hands together.

"Me too." Spitfire sighed. He took off his helmet and walked over to my small closet. "Hey, there's a case in here." To distract him from the case, I asked;

"Should I wear my robes?"

"It's up to you, I suppose." He tossed me the robes. I decided to wear them. They would make me look more mature, I would think. I was just almost as old as Skywalker, but they didn't seem to trust me like they trusted him. 

"Let's go." 

***

I hid my trembling well. I walked into the Council Chambers, radiating the same energy I did every day. I made eye contact with every Jedi Master, whether they appeared by hologram or in person.

"Detta Vann, Jedi Knight." Master Shaak Ti started off the meeting. I bowed lightly."The council has made a decision regarding your family." My stomach churned.

"Send you as a Jedi, or as a person of the Republic, we can not." Master Yoda broke the heart-shattering news. My composure broke. Hot tears began streaming down my face.

"So while my family is being beaten and tortured and maybe even killed, you guys are just sitting here on these fancy chairs playing politics?" My anger rose.

"I, Captain Rex, Ahsoka Tano, and Anakin Skywalker were just on Zygerria." Master Kenobi explained. I seethed at Skywalker's name. "It would endanger the Republic."

"This is absolutely egregious! Are you to do nothing? Sitting here with your rank of master and your clean robes?"

"Detta-" Master Fisto tried to say something, but I cut him off."

"No. I will do something." I stormed out of the chambers, brushed past the Runaways, raging. Rage soon turned to anger, anger to anguish, and anguish into lamenting. I collapsed onto my knees, sobbing. It was hard to breathe. Spitfire laid a hand on my shoulder to comfort me, but I shoved it off. Immediately regretting it, I turned to look at him. I soon realized the entire Runaway force sat around me on the floor. Spitfire gave a comforting but stern glance. Everyone was solemn, and angry. Even Crack-up, who still smelled of alcohol.

"We're going to do something, General." Ranahan smiled weakly. Through tears, I looked at my men. These people, who accompanied me on every mission through the past year. I had an attachment to each and every one of them. Ties to my head, my mind. And my heart. Vulnerabilities. I wiped my tears with a sleeve of my robe, took a shaky breath, and addressed my men.

"Let's go to my quarters. I have a plan devised."