Star Wars: The Lost Soul

Silence in the Cockpit

The whole trip was silent. Not once did Kal bother to say how boring the flight was. He sat still, crouched at the back of the vessel, grasping the body of Master Garh. Mahlie was positioned in the cockpit as she was slightly educated in the technique of flying. Luckily the ship was largely controlled by 'auto pilot'. She remembers the lessons Garh used to give her while waiting for the clones to board. He would direct her on what each switch does, and what not to touch, even the troops would let her pilot at times. As a Padawan she loved this. Now she wishes she could have realised how important moments like that were. "Okay, Coruscant is ahead, brace for impact, I'm not too positive where or how to land this thing" screams the Knight. Kal nods in response but realises she wouldn't have seen, he remains silent. As the aircraft lowers the Zabrak peaks his head out the small window above him. To his relief he saw a familiar view. Coruscant! And even better, the Jedi Temple. "Thank the lord it's still standing" Mahlie pauses. "Barely" she adds in a sad tone. She was broken as her eyes adjust to the light and shadows that creep along the planet. Scattered along the floor, bodies, bodies of the Jedi. Tears stream down the girls face. Her life, her family, what happened to them. Kal breaks the silence. "We need to find Master Windu, any of them." Mahlie slowly nods her head, her shaky hands still grasping the control in shock as the vessel lands. "Beware, the cause of this apocalypse could still be here, we must hurry" he speaks. It seemed like every moment of his life he had been there for Mahlie, but now, he didn't know what to say. He was broken, shocked, and angry. "Master Garh, you are the only one who would know what to do here" he whispers to the lifeless body, hoping that any second he will pop back to life and respond. The Jedi wanted this nightmare to be over. Slowly the Knights emerge from the aircraft, first Mahlie then Kal. "Wait, Mahlie!" he shouts, quickly covering his mouth to not attract enemies. She turns to face him instead of answering. "We must leave Garh here, we don't know what we will face going into the temple, we can't risk anything else happening to his body." He speaks in a gentle tone trying not to upset the girl more. Mahlie's head moves down, staring at her own feet. Nodding in agreement her body trembles. It was hard for her to see him this way, her only father figure. She runs to the ship and kneels beside his dead body, silently speaking to it. Maybe she was saying they will make everything better. Maybe she was saying how she was grateful for their time together. Maybe she was apologising to the corpse that she could have saved. The night was still and quiet, only the sounds of raging fire could be heard, and the tears of a broken student. "Ok, I'm ready, let's find Mace" she cries. Kal embraces the body of his partner, he felt her pain. Wrapping his arms around her, he runs his fingers through her long black hair. Her soft head nuzzled in his coarse, pale chest.