Storms of the Eye - A WolfWren fiction

Chapter 2: No harm will come to you.

Some ill-advised general once claimed that hungry soldiers made for more ferocious warriors. The more scarce and horrible the food, the more rage they would show in battle. Though it had been largely disproved over History, it seemed that Lady Elsbeth still believed in the cruel principle. This was Shin's only logical conclusion as she put down her watery cup of stimcaf and stared at her frugal breakfast. Picking up her fork, she poked at the pale recomposed omelet in her plate, scrapping the driest lumps off of it, in search of more edible ones.

She'd been dwelling all night long on last evening's "talk" with Sabine. She hadn't expected the girl to be fully cooperative. Shin herself had driven a lightsaber blade through her guts, leaving her for dead, after all. Then Baylan had killed her Master, forced the girl into surrender, and taken her prisoner. Sabine was entitled to be a little salty about them. But Shin hadn't expected such a trivial interrogatory to blow up like that in minutes.

I should've pressed the interrogation then and there. That idiot was finally quiet. She thought. But retreating for the night had seemed the better choice. If Sabine's look last night was any indication, the girl would have resisted her out of pure spite after she choked and threatened her. She had underestimated how stubborn the Mandalorian girl was. Shin bet that there wasn't even any critical intel for Sabine to spill, but if she hadn't already been resisting out of principle before, she would now, for the symbol of it. Those fucking Jedis and their principles. You would think they'd have had enough of dying for the sake of it, she rambled.

"I take it that the so easy task of recovering mundane information from Miss Wren has defeated you, hasn't it ?" Toned Baylan's voice behind her shoulder.

Shin didn't jump, having felt him approaching a minute ago. Master Skoll never woke up exceedingly early, and she had hoped for a moment of peace in the mess hall, as she decided how to proceed next, before having to confess last night's debacle.

"I've set the tone with her, I'm just not... rushing it, is all." Mumbled Shin, nervously breaking apart and picking at her omelet.

Baylan sat across her at the table, setting down his own cup of stimcaf. He started to stir it mindlessly, not looking directly at Shin.

"If Lady Elsbeth's guard's report is any indication, I'd say you've set quite the loud tone." Her Master stated. He took a sip from his cup, casually, before putting it down again, then darted at Shin in all seriousness.

"Shin, I realize that I'm the sole person on that ship who sees an interest in keeping the girl alive. That's all right. I can't expect everybody to foresee things as I do. It is my burden to steer the present into the most desirable future, even when nobody believes in the path I discern."

He put his cup aside, leaning into the table to get closer.

"Nevertheless." He continued, in a grave tone. "It is important everybody believes in my word. And I can't seem to nurture the thought of a disobeying apprentice either."

Shin's breath shortened. Baylan's ice-blue eyes suddenly felt like the cold embrace of a frozen lake. Shocking, deadly, unequivocal. She shivered, desperately wanting to break eye contact, but not daring to.

"So when I give a prisoner my word she'll be unarmed, but she requests a medical kit to her guard after you visit her... then there's a contradiction of sorts". Rasped her Master, in cold anger.

Shin finally lowered her eyes to her plate, trying to find some composure in poking around with her fork, thoughtlessly shredding the poor omelet to a pulp.

"I... I misjudged the right approach. The girl is fierce, and things got out of hand. Nothing... too serious." She gulped, staring intensely at her fork, not daring to look up at Baylan again. He said nothing, obviously not yet content.