After an hour of just sitting in the back-facing seat of an X-Wing fighter, Arene had discovered two things. One, when you can't move around, hyperspace gets boring, and, two, Spiff himself was extremely annoying. All the kid ever did was ask questions!
Finally, Arene had enough.
"Would you just stop already?"
Spiff fell silent mid-question, obviously surprised, and Arene immediately regretted saying anything.
Spiff sighed, but didn't seem too hurt by her annoyance. "Oh, stars. I was doing it again, wasn't I? Asking tons of questions?"
Arene breathed out a relieved, if not slightly exasperated, laugh. "Yes, yes you were."
Spiff groaned. "What is wrong with me?"
Arene chuckled. "You are a very inquisitive person, that is all, and you cannot help it."
Spiff stayed quiet, and Arene smiled slightly, imagining what he would look like at the moment, head probably down, face red. Her smile turned to a grin. "How about we do things backwards?"
"Huh?" He didn't get it.
"How about I ask the questions, and you answer them?"
"Yeah...yeah, sure!"
Arene laughed again. He was really cute. "Alright. Why did you want to leave with me?"
There was a pause before Spiff answered, and his tone was thoughtful. "To be honest...I don't know. I mean, I left the Empire because of what they did to the people who stood in their way, and if I had to pick and choose, I wanted to be part of something that would stand against them. But when you said you were leaving, I just..."
Arene didn't answer, hoping he'd go on, and after another long pause, he did.
"I didn't really want to be with the Rebellion. I mean, they were better than the Empire, but that wasn't what I felt like I wanted to do. So maybe...when I saw the opportunity to leave, I took it."
Arene wished she could sense what he was feeling, but everything about him was...clouded, unclear. "I see."
"Thank you." Arene could hear the smile in his voice, and it caused her to smile as well. "May I ask another question?"
Spiff chuckled. "I believe you just did, but go ahead."
Arene frowned slightly. "What is your real name? I mean, Spiff is only your nickname, correct?"
"Yeah, just a nickname. My real name is Ersin. Ersin Kero."
"Ersin." Arene tried the name out, and smiled. "It suits you."
Ersin laughed. "Not that I've been told, but...thanks."
Arene smiled. "Another question?"
"Ask on."
~//~
Ezra waited only for the door of his cabin to close behind him before he let his shoulders slump, and he ran a hand through his hair. Flying with Gold Squadron had been fun, and he'd been able to loosen up a bit. But now...now all he wanted was to have Sabine there, to hold her in his arms, and tell her how much he loved her.
He sat down on his bunk, pulling his imagecaster from his pocket. After a few moments of waiting, Sabine answered.
"Hey, you lothrat."
Ezra could only see her head and her shoulders, but the warm smile on her face made up for her absence, at least a little. "Hey, to you, too. I've missed you."
Sabine gave him a sad smile. "I know. I've missed you, too. How are things going? You didn't get to tell me what happened with Kallus yet."
Ezra sighed. "A bunch of things happened, he ended up staying with the Empire."
"What?" Sabine was not happy.
"Well, he thought he could do more good from inside."
"Of all the--did he know all the things we had to do to even get you in there?"
Ezra smiled softy. "Calm down, Sabine. He knew, but--"
"Then he should have known this was his chance! What, does he think the Empire's just gonna let him leave later? If we risk another mission like this, it could be our last, and cause the fall of the Alliance!"
"Sabine--"
"Ezra! I can't believe you're siding with him! We risked your life for this mission!"
"'Bine."
Sabine caught her breath and looked down. Ezra could feel her turmoil, and sighed. "Hey." She looked back up. "Tell me what you're thinking."
Sabine didn't answer, but even through the hologram, he could see the emotions flitting across her face. "I just miss you." Her voice was a mere whisper, and her eyes shone with tears. "I want to be--" her voice broke, and she looked down, shaking her head slightly.
"I know. I do too." Ezra sighed, scratching the back of his neck, a habit he'd had since he was young.
Just then, Hera's voice came over the comm. "Ezra, can you come to the cockpit?"
Sabine sighed. "I guess you have to go."
Ezra nodded sadly. "Yeah. I love you, 'Bine."
Sabine gave a small smile. "I love you too, Lothcat."
"Ezra! Cockpit!"
Sabine laughed slightly. "Since when did you become such a valuable piece to the Rebellion?"
Ezra gave a wry grin. "You just haven't been watching."
Sabine's smile softened. "I have been. 'Bye, Ez."
"Talk to you soon, 'Bine. Love you."
Sabine's image disappeared, and Ezra sighed before standing and moving to the door, opening it with the Force.
Zeb was standing on the other side of the door, arms crossed.
Ezra froze, eyes going wide, and Zeb scratched the top of his head. "Well," he said in a disgruntled tone. "This sure explains a lot."
~//~
Arene had never been to Ryloth before, but other than the dry, sandy feel of the planet, it seemed much the same to every other Imperial controlled world. There were very few Twi'leks still left on the planet, most of them sold into slavery, and the few that weren't had left the now-desolate system.
Arene quickly found a small clothing shop, tucked away in a small corner of an equally small street, and her and Ersin entered.
When they pushed the door open, a Twi'lek male in the back popped his head our of the room in the back for a moment, a cheerful smile warning his features. "If you need me, just call!"
"Thank you, we will," Arene answered, and walked down one if the narrow isles, Ersin following. "Why are we here, anyway?" he asked, and Arene smiled at him slightly. "Supplies, food, and a few other things."
Ersin snorted. "That wasn't vague in the least. Besides, this is a clothing shop. No food here."
Arene just cast another grin over her shoulder, and turned away.
She soon found what she was looking for, and sighed. It had been too long since she'd worn traditional clothing.
She quickly paid for the items, along with a few other things she'd needed, and walked our, Ersin still following. "What did you get?"
She smiled a little, more to herself. "Something I needed."
Ersin ran a hand through his short hair, causing it to come askew. "Again, not vague at all."
Making it back to the X-Wing, Arene climbed up top, opening the hatch. "Get in."
Ersin's eyebrows rise to his hairline. "You're flying? Why?"
Arene swung herself into the ship. "Because if I let you fly, you wouldn't take me where I need to go."
Ersin sighed and climbed into the ship. "That bad?"
Arene smiled. "That bad."

It's not the size of a Jedi or the amount of power running through her lightsaber, but the strength in her heart.
~Barriss Offee