Enigma: Part 3

Chapter 17

At some point during the night Jolie awoke. She felt fully rested and the drugs had worn off so she couldn't fall back asleep.

After some deliberation on what to so from here she decided to go to the cockpit. She had no idea who was on flying duty right now, but she did know she'd only sit here and stew in her own pool of stress otherwise.

Her bare feet padded along the cold, metal flooring of the ship as she tried to sense who was in there. If it was Corr she'd have to prepare something to say. Fortunately for her she only sensed Flint.

She cautiously stepped into the doorway and let out a breathe. "Hey, Flint."

He turned with wide eyes but quickly relaxed back into the pilot's seat. "Hey," he said quietly with a smile. "Couldn't sleep?"

She shook her head and laughed. "I just woke up. Sedatives really throw off your sleep schedule."

Flint chuckled a bit, but also just found it very depressing. "I can imagine."

Jolie and Flint sat in a peaceful silence for a few minutes, staring at the blurred streaks of Hyperspace lanes passing them by.

Flint shakily broke the silence, looking over with concern. "We're going to fix this," he said with certainty. "You'll be okay."

Jolie looked over and crossed her arms, smiling sadly. "I don't wanna keep hearing that. I just want to enjoy the time I have while I still have control," she said with a pleading look in her eye. "If it comes to that," she added.

Flint smiled sadly to her. "Okay."

"So..." Jolie said, letting her voice drift. "Tell me about your time with Evander being the baddest criminals in the galaxy."

They talked and talked for a good hour about the time away from one another. It felt like old times.

Flint recounted the many near death escapes he and Evander had, the thousands of sketchy people they worked with, and the hilarious failures they endured as bounty hunters. They weren't very good at it.

It made Jolie really happy to hear this. Clearly he and Flint were very close, which is something Jolie had always been worried about. She was thankful to know that Evander was never truly alone after she went with the Imperial Sith Lord.

"You should hit the hay," Flint suggested. "Synyc will be here any minute to take over duties."

Jolie sighed. "Yeah, good idea." She stood and smiled. "Sleep well."

Flint smiled. "You too."

She padded quietly back down the hall but paused at Evander's door. She could sense some sort of distress from inside. A nightmare maybe?

She cautiously opened the door, not initially wanting to wake him up. He was tossing and turning, gripping at his bed sheets. She closed the door softly, but quickly, and scooted over. Kneeling beside his pillow she placed a hand on his arm.

"Evander?"

"No — I can't," be murmured to himself. He tossed again, turning away from Jolie.

She dashed to the other side of the bed and climbed in beside him, facing him once again.

"Evander," she said a little more forcefully as she shook his shoulder.

"Please... no," he whimpered as he turned his head into the dim light of his window. Jolie could see streaks of tears going down his cheeks.

"Evander, wake up," she said in a still hushed voice, now grabbing him by the shoulders and shaking him.

He sprung up and let out a shocked yelp, his eyes red and wide with fear. He looked around the room wildly, not even noticing Jolie next to him.