"You weren't kidding." Mae groans and I hear metal clicking as she releases herself. 

"I did my best." I undo the helmet and place in next to the seat. 

"Well we aren't dead." She reaches forward, picking up the droid from the dock. "And you actually landed somewhat close to what I had in mind."

"You're welcome." I smirk at her and notice for the first time that she's in Osha's clothes. "Nice outfit."

She looks down and smiles, "I had to get away from him somehow and keep Osha safe."

"Keep her safe?" She backs away, allowing me space to stand. "Sol wouldn't harm Osha."

She lifts a lever and the exit way hisses open. "No, but as you may have heard," she jumps down to the ground, "he did kill our mother. I don't trust him."

"I don't blame you for that." I jump down next to her. 

She looks me up and down, "loose the Jedi look." I raise an eyebrow. "I really am trying to see past the fact that I received help from Jedi Scum."

I chuckle lightly and take off my belt, "promise you won't kill me, if I hand this over?"

A smile cracks on her face, "well you did just kinda save mine." She teases and her smile fully forms as she holds out her hand. I hesitate looking down at my saber in my own hand. "We are going to have to trust each other to stay alive right now."

I nod and place my belt with my saber attached and begin undressing my upper portion. I toss the tunic on top of my brown robe inside the escape ship. "Better?" I ask her. 

"Do you have an undershirt? You look like a farmer." She eyes the white long sleeve. I roll my eyes and lift the white shirt off my head, exposing my arms and neck to the cool air. "Better." She states eyeing my black tank top. 

"Good, cause I'm not going shirtless or pantless." I reach for my belt back and fasten it around my waist. Thankful she didn't try to take my saber hostage. 

It feels weird to have my belt and boots on without the tunic and robes, and all the fabric that protected my skin. Part of me wonders if this is a set up, but what could my tunic save me from that I couldn't save myself from... a chill maybe. 

"We better get going." She turns looking through the trees.

"Probably best. I wouldn't doubt that ship has a tracker of sorts built in."

We trek through the trees, less dense than Khofar. After a while I break the silence. "How do you know Brendok?"

"It's my home planet where I grew up."

"Where do you call home now?"

Mae pauses a moment, "I'm not sure." She turns from where she led the way, to facing me. "I'm so used to training and traveling. I don't really think I have one." 

I nod slowly to myself, knowing the familiar feeling of not having a home. Sure, I always returned to the same room, but I didn't have anything in there to identify it as my room besides a holopad, some civilian clothes, and a small rock in the shape of what Qimir insisted is a star, but I disagreed... still do. I had the rock hidden under a corner of the mattress to remember him. 

"I don't have a home either... I mean I had somewhere I always returned to and slept each night back on Coruscant, but it wasn't my home if that makes sense."

Mae nods knowingly. "I just want my sister back." Her eyes lock with mine and I can see the pain as if looking at myself in a mirror. It's the same pain I had to bury when Qimir disappeared. "Osha and I will start a new life together. Travel, explore, settle somewhere. I don't care." She turns back to lead the way. "Let's go."

I return to following her in silence. We approach a tall structure of sorts and she enters through a ventilation shaft and walks until we are feet away from a ledge. "We need to be quiet. I know he's going to come looking for us here. This will be the safest spot to wait until he moves on." 

I nod and we both settle, sitting down to finally rest after the long trek. I can sense her unease. "You need to calm yourself." I whisper.

"What? I am calm." She hisses back. 

"I can sense your emotions. Take a deep breath and just focus on breathing."

Mae silently exaggerates taking in a deep breath. 

Foot steps, although quiet, approach above. I turn my head towards the opening and look back to Mae who sits across from me, raising a finger to my lips. 

Mae leans closer to the opening, pulling her now shorter hair away from her ear. She looks so much like Osha I hadn't even noticed the hair cut until now. 

The footsteps retract, slightly heavier, deciding that we weren't hiding here. I assume it's Sol. 

Softly getting to her feet, Mae stands up, and begins exiting. 

"What are you doing?" I hiss.

"Moving on."

I open my mouth to reply, but I suddenly feel it... him. 

As if he's nearby... in the same structure... 

I freeze, allowing her to move on without me, I steady my breathing and push out my force signature, risking us both if Sol knows mine. 

Qimir.

I feel his force signature grow stronger. His words on our last night, repeating. Never forget my force signature and I shall never leave you.

But he did leave me... I cannot be mad however because I was told he was dead, although I didn't believe it... there must be a reason he disappeared... and a reason the Jedi lied about it.

"Mae!" I faintly hear Sol yell as he searches for us. "Y/N!" 

I get to my feet. I have to get to Qimir.

A/N: Sorry it's a shorter chapter, but I thought it'd be nice to give a little bit of backstory here. Also I've been connecting with Mae lately, so I just wanted to give her character some justice. Which Acolyte characters do you relate to most? Personally mine is Osha and Qimir.