More KOTOR angst bingo!
Title: Walls of Fire
Summary: When Gann sleeps, he dreams of Taris.
Warnings: Rusty writing skills, angst, possible Nightmare Fuel.
Prompt: Shot Down
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
There are many things that Gann dreams of when he sleeps. For one thing, the images of Bastila fighting a Sith Lord, for example -- something he ever doubts will ever be explained. But at the same time, another dream is making its rounds, a dream about Taris.
In the dream, he sees Taris being bombed -- sees laser fire from Malak's ship above reducing it into rubble. He hears screams, pleas for help, the people trying desperately to run away, to escape. In the dream, he sees a pair of yellow, almost krayt-dragon-like eyes, coldly overlooking the damage.
And when he wakes, he can't even console himself with the fact that it was just a bad dream, because it already happened. They've stopped on Dantooine now. At the very least, Gann hopes they can get some rest there.
***
"Dantooine." Even now, Bastila sounds wistful as she looks at the view outside the cockpit. "It feels like a lifetime since I set foot on its surface. Hopefully, we can get some supplies here and recuperate. We should be safe from Malak here."
"Safe?" Even now, Carth sounds outraged. "You saw what they did to Taris -- there wasn't a single building left standing. He turned the city into a...a pile of rubble." He says the last one almost as if struggling to describe what he saw. Even now, Gann can't blame him. The Sith are ruthless; the way one of them slaughtered Trask like that should be proof enough. And yet even now...even now, Taris' destruction hurts. Everyone he met, destroyed in fire and rubble, the wrath of the LEVIATHAN showing no mercy.
Even now, standing there, remembering, he doubts he could hate Malak any more than he does now. Malak bombed a planet just to find them. Killed millions of innocent people as well as Sith troopers -- some of which were good men doing their jobs. Or at the very least, people who were doing their jobs. All because they were there.
How is he supposed to come to terms with that, let alone understand it? He doesn't want to understand it, and he doubts he ever will.
"I know, Carth." Bastila's voice is soft, almost sad. "I know."
"I'm sorry." Carth's voice seems to crack, and even Gann wants to find a way to reassure him, to tell him it'll be all right. "I guess it's just -- I thought I saw the worst after Telos. But this..." He runs a hand through his hair in agitation. "I just hope Mission's okay."
"She will find a way to come to terms with her grief, Carth. She is, after all, stronger than she appears."
Even now, though, Gann isn't quite sure. If anything...
***
It's later that he knocks on Mission's door, if tentatively. Mission's voice, near-inaudible (almost as if from crying), answers. "Come in."
Gann does so, and he finds Mission sitting on the edge of one of the beds of the crew quarters. She seems so subdued now, so much unlike the sunny, enthusiastic girl they first met on Taris. Zaalbar stands mournfully by her side, almost as if he's been keeping vigil. Gann doubts Zaalbar would have ever left Mission in a time of need.
Even now, as Gann asks, "Are you all right?", it's almost unfitting, even to the point of being unintentionally crass. And even now, the desire to stop Malak is even more potent than before. Malak will not destroy any more planets. Not if he bet his life on it.
"I...yes." Mission gives him a watery smile. "Just...what he did to Taris -- I lived there almost my whole life and now it's gone -- "
"I know, Mission. I know." Gann sighs. "But it won't happen to any other planets."
Mission smiles, if slightly. "I know. And both Big Z and I are going to have your back. No matter what."
Gann chuckles, in spite of himself. "I know, Mission. I know."
They may not be able to undo Taris, no much how Gann wants to. But at the very least, he can stop Taris from happening again.
Summary: When Gann sleeps, he dreams of Taris.
Warnings: Rusty writing skills, angst, possible Nightmare Fuel.
Prompt: Shot Down
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
There are many things that Gann dreams of when he sleeps. For one thing, the images of Bastila fighting a Sith Lord, for example -- something he ever doubts will ever be explained. But at the same time, another dream is making its rounds, a dream about Taris.
In the dream, he sees Taris being bombed -- sees laser fire from Malak's ship above reducing it into rubble. He hears screams, pleas for help, the people trying desperately to run away, to escape. In the dream, he sees a pair of yellow, almost krayt-dragon-like eyes, coldly overlooking the damage.
And when he wakes, he can't even console himself with the fact that it was just a bad dream, because it already happened. They've stopped on Dantooine now. At the very least, Gann hopes they can get some rest there.
***
"Dantooine." Even now, Bastila sounds wistful as she looks at the view outside the cockpit. "It feels like a lifetime since I set foot on its surface. Hopefully, we can get some supplies here and recuperate. We should be safe from Malak here."
"Safe?" Even now, Carth sounds outraged. "You saw what they did to Taris -- there wasn't a single building left standing. He turned the city into a...a pile of rubble." He says the last one almost as if struggling to describe what he saw. Even now, Gann can't blame him. The Sith are ruthless; the way one of them slaughtered Trask like that should be proof enough. And yet even now...even now, Taris' destruction hurts. Everyone he met, destroyed in fire and rubble, the wrath of the LEVIATHAN showing no mercy.
Even now, standing there, remembering, he doubts he could hate Malak any more than he does now. Malak bombed a planet just to find them. Killed millions of innocent people as well as Sith troopers -- some of which were good men doing their jobs. Or at the very least, people who were doing their jobs. All because they were there.
How is he supposed to come to terms with that, let alone understand it? He doesn't want to understand it, and he doubts he ever will.
"I know, Carth." Bastila's voice is soft, almost sad. "I know."
"I'm sorry." Carth's voice seems to crack, and even Gann wants to find a way to reassure him, to tell him it'll be all right. "I guess it's just -- I thought I saw the worst after Telos. But this..." He runs a hand through his hair in agitation. "I just hope Mission's okay."
"She will find a way to come to terms with her grief, Carth. She is, after all, stronger than she appears."
Even now, though, Gann isn't quite sure. If anything...
***
It's later that he knocks on Mission's door, if tentatively. Mission's voice, near-inaudible (almost as if from crying), answers. "Come in."
Gann does so, and he finds Mission sitting on the edge of one of the beds of the crew quarters. She seems so subdued now, so much unlike the sunny, enthusiastic girl they first met on Taris. Zaalbar stands mournfully by her side, almost as if he's been keeping vigil. Gann doubts Zaalbar would have ever left Mission in a time of need.
Even now, as Gann asks, "Are you all right?", it's almost unfitting, even to the point of being unintentionally crass. And even now, the desire to stop Malak is even more potent than before. Malak will not destroy any more planets. Not if he bet his life on it.
"I...yes." Mission gives him a watery smile. "Just...what he did to Taris -- I lived there almost my whole life and now it's gone -- "
"I know, Mission. I know." Gann sighs. "But it won't happen to any other planets."
Mission smiles, if slightly. "I know. And both Big Z and I are going to have your back. No matter what."
Gann chuckles, in spite of himself. "I know, Mission. I know."
They may not be able to undo Taris, no much how Gann wants to. But at the very least, he can stop Taris from happening again.