Thess stood beneath the hot, cascading water of the shower, steam enveloping her in a cocoon of warmth. Her pink skin glistened with moisture, but her thoughts were far from the soothing sensation.
She leaned against the cool tiles, her palms flat against the wall, trying to keep herself upright both physically and emotionally.
The events of the ill-fated mission replayed in her mind, each scene etched vividly. The chaotic ambush, the ferocity of the Sith Lord Ferus’ apprentice, and the final, heartbreaking moments when Sadao had been struck down.
A shuddering breath escaped her lips as she recalled the sight of Sadao, a fellow Jedi Knight and friend, falling in battle. Her heart ached with the raw pain of loss. She had been the one leading the mission, responsible for their safety, and she had failed to protect them.
Guilt gnawed at her from within. She had taken on the mantle of Barsen’thor, the Warden of the Order, with a deep sense of responsibility. She had believed in her ability to protect, to lead, and yet here she was, unable to stop the Sith, unable to save Sadao, unable to shield the Padawans under her care.
Tears welled up in her emerald eyes, mingling with the rivulets of water streaming down her face. Thess tried to hold back the flood of emotions, but it was a futile effort. Her shoulders heaved with the sobs that had been building since the moment she’d returned to the Jedi enclave.In the solitude of the shower, she let go. The weight of her loss, her guilt, and her sorrow poured out in a torrent of tears. The water from the shower seemed to wash it all away, but the emotional turmoil remained.
She had tried to remain stoic through the whole endeavour. To not let her emotions control her, to not let doubt and fear infect the others. But now, alone, with no one watching she allowed her self a moment to be something other than a Jedi. She allowed herself to be a person who lost a friend. As the frustration grew, she punched the wall, damaging the flesh of her bare knuckles. The crystaline water now tainted with the red of her blood driping from her hand.
And then, with a deep breath, she wiped her tears away.In the solitude of the shower, she knew that she couldn’t change the past, but she could learn from it. Her resolve was unwavering, and the weight of her guilt would be her driving force to do better next time. Thess was determined to honor Sadao’s memory by continuing to fight for the light, to protect the innocent, and to thwart the Sith. The path ahead might be difficult, but she would not give up.