Entering the helm, I slide into the seat next to Teya, who’s already settled into the pilot’s chair, fingers resting on the navigation controls. She glances at me, eyebrows raised, waiting for guidance.

“So, where to, Roan?” she asks, her voice light, but there’s a hint of unease in her expression.

I shrug, trying to disguise my own uncertainty. “Just… head toward the Outer Rim.”

“Any direction in particular?” Her voice holds a note of skepticism, already seeming to envision the wild, unmapped reaches beyond known space.

“Wherever we’re least likely to run into Imperial bases.”

Teya purses her lips, tapping her fingers against the control panel. “You know the Outer Rim is mostly unexplored. It’s not just blank on the maps for no reason.”

“That’s kind of the point,” I say, watching her as she works. “Less Empire, less of anything that’ll recognize us.”

She raises an eyebrow, folding her arms across her chest. “There’s a reason it’s unexplored, Roan. It’s dangerous, especially without a destination in mind. Systems out there don’t always have habitable planets; we could go on forever without finding one—and end up starving.”

I cough, gathering my thoughts. “That’s not likely. We’re all Force-sensitive, and it’s been known to guide its own, hasn’t it? At the very least, it’ll nudge us toward survival.”

Teya throws her hands up, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “Ah, the all-mighty Force, of course! It’ll save us from ourselves and our own foolishness.” She lets out a soft chuckle, shaking her head.

I frown, crossing my arms. “Well, what would you have us do, then?”

“Stay here and fight the Empire,” she says, a spark of defiance lighting up her eyes.

I let out a humorless laugh, my voice tinged with frustration. “And we’re supposed to survive endless waves of trained soldiers and droids… how, exactly?”

“With... the guidance of the Force?” She lifts her chin, a challenging gleam in her eye.

I can’t help but smirk, mimicking her tone. “Oh, with the power of the all-mighty Force, you say?” I raise my hands in mock praise, and she rolls her eyes, her reluctant smile breaking through.

For a moment, we share a genuine laugh, and the tension between us dissolves, if only briefly.

Teya’s expression softens as she glances back down the corridor leading away from the helm. “Where do we drop off our... passenger?”

“Well,” I begin carefully, “we’re going to have to find somewhere to resupply and pick up some work. But if you’re asking about Retra, the answer’s no.”

She turns to me slowly, her brow furrowed. “No?”

I meet her gaze, steady and resolute. “She’s staying with us, Teya. We’re not just going to drop her somewhere random. She’s part of the team.”

Her eyes narrow, skepticism and frustration simmering in her gaze. “She’s Sith, Roan.”

“No, she was an Inquisitor. And a double agent.” I correct her firmly, unwilling to let the assumption settle.

She crosses her arms, disbelief heavy in her voice. “And you believe her? Just like that?”

I take a deep breath, keeping my voice calm. “I overheard her mother talking to her about it. And yes, I believe her.”

Teya shakes her head as if struggling to absorb it. “So what if she’s a double agent? She’s still drawn to the dark side, Roan. She still uses its power, and we both know what that path costs.”

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“Just because she uses the dark side doesn’t make her evil, Teya. She’s made her choice to stand against the Empire, just as we have.”

“The dark side has a cost, Roan. Power is never freely given. It’s always taken, and it always comes with a price. You know that as well as I do.”

I lean back, arms crossed. “Retra is choosing how to use that power. She’s here with us because she doesn’t agree with what the Empire is doing. That means something.”

Teya turns back to the controls, her voice lowering. “I don’t know if I can trust her. Not after everything she represents.”

“Then trust my judgment,” I say softly, feeling the weight of my words. “If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that the Force isn’t just light and dark. It’s all connected. And I believe there’s more to Retra’s story.”

The silence stretches between us as Teya considers my words. I watch as her fingers tap the console, her mind clearly wrestling with my perspective. I can tell she’s not convinced, but maybe it’s a start.

Finally, she glances at me from the corner of her eye. “Fine. She stays... for now. But the first time she gives me a reason to doubt her intentions, I’m not holding back.”

“That’s fair,” I nod. “Just… keep an open mind.”

She lets out a reluctant sigh, clearly not fully convinced, but she returns her attention to the navigation screen. “Outer Rim it is, then. I’ll plot a course that avoids any Imperial patrols. Let’s just hope the ‘all-mighty Force’ really is looking out for us.”

I grin, feeling a flicker of relief despite my own doubts. “Agreed.”

She chuckles, rolling her eyes. “If you say so, Master Jedi.”

“Wise in the Force, you are, hmm?” I tease, imitating Yoda’s voice.

She swats at me, half-smiling. “Stop, that’s not funny!” She’s trying hard to stifle a laugh.

The moment feels lighter, but I take the opportunity to steer back toward something more serious. “Speaking of old teachings, there’s that technique you use to suppress your emotions. I want to talk about it.”

A hint of confusion crosses Teya’s face. “How do you even know about that?”

I tap the back of my neck where the Orchid resides, giving her a mock-proud look. “Magic flower.”

Teya rolls her eyes. “It’s a valuable technique. Jedi have been using it for generations.”

“It’s dangerous,” I counter. “It undermines your ability to actually understand and control your emotions. The more you suppress, the less you control—and the more susceptible you are to being drawn to the dark side.”

Teya frowns, her brows knitting together. “Says who? Your suspicious Orchid? How do we know it’s even telling the truth?”

I laugh, but her serious expression brings me up short. “Wait—you don’t trust the Murakami Orchid? You were the one who insisted we find one.”

Her tone turns defensive. “I don’t trust that Orchid. It’s different from the others, and I’m certain it’s the reason that Sith Lord is after us.”

“Maybe it’s part of why he’s after us,” I reply. “But D1k confirmed it’s symbiotic. It’s not a parasite, Teya.”

“D1k could be wrong.” Teya’s voice is laced with doubt.

At that moment, Retra strolls into the helm, her gaze shifting between us. “What’s going on? You talking about keeping or ditching the flower?” She arches an eyebrow, grinning. “For a second, I thought you might be deciding to get rid of me.”

Teya’s eyes widen, and she smiles nervously. “What? You? Never…”

Retra smirks, folding her arms. “You know you’re a terrible liar, right?”

Despite the humor in her tone, the tension in the room is unmistakable. I can feel the uncertainty between all of us, like a phantom presence, lingering in the helm. It’s a reminder of how far we’ve come—and just how much farther we’ll have to go if we’re to survive this.

Retra, sensing the shift in mood, takes a seat across from us. “So, the Outer Rim, I hear. A good place to get lost, if you’re looking to avoid the Empire.”

“Exactly,” I reply, her words serving as a reminder of just how little we know about what lies ahead. “If we’re going to make it, we’ll need to find work. Somewhere far enough to stay off the radar, but close enough to resupply.”

Retra raises an eyebrow. “And how exactly are we planning to ‘blend in’? Jedi and people like us aren’t exactly subtle out here.”

Teya gives her a pointed look. “We’ll manage. The Force can help us stay hidden.”

Retra snorts. “The Force, huh? Practical. But let’s hope it’s a little more than that.” She leans back. “Besides, if you’re right about that Sith Lord tracking us, he’s not giving up just because we’re hiding.”

Her words pull us back into the weight of our situation. We’re hunted, carrying secrets and powers we barely understand, with a Sith Lord somewhere on our trail, looming closer by the day.

I look between Teya and Retra, feeling the resolve settle in me. “Then maybe it’s time we stop simply hiding. We train and learn everything we can about ourselves and each other. If we’re going to survive, we need to become more than what we were on Jedha.”

Teya nods, her expression softening as she considers it. “That’s true. But Roan… if we’re all training, are we following the Jedi path? Or… something else?”

I pause, the weight of her question hanging in the air. “It doesn’t have to be one or the other. The Force is on both sides, and we each draw upon it differently. What if we strive for a balance of our own, instead of following the rules of Jedi or Sith? Each of us can use our path however we choose.”

Retra’s eyes glint with intrigue. “A third path. Not Jedi, not Sith—just us.” She turns the idea over, a small smile appearing. “I think I could get used to that.”