Conversations with the dead 2018

[imthepilot]

Bodhi suggests a hike up the mountain. It's starting to get chilly but Bodhi's use to the cold. With the warmth of Milliways' summer, he was almost starting to miss the feeling of cool, crispy air.

Leaving the cats in Teja's care for the night, Bodhi hefts his pack and takes Galen's hand. "Ready?"

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[galen_erso]

"Ready," Galen agrees, watching Kyber and Myrrh scamper off with the forge cats, presumably to hunt wrackspurts, demon bunnies, and generic small spoops.

Mountains! Hiking! Crisp weather!

He'd missed that.

[imthepilot]

Bodhi squeezes Galen's hand and sets out. There are well worn paths, dirt roads, lesser tracks, all going in different directions.

Bodhi picks a less worn track, glancing to Galen to make sure it's okay with him. "This looks more interesting."

[galen_erso]

"It does," Galen agrees. "Especially as there are no maps."

He likes the challenge.

[imthepilot]

Bodhi has a homing beacon to get them back. Just in case. But he doesn't tell Galen that. He just kisses Galen's cheek.

The path leads into the thick of the trees, Bodhi distracted by the earthy colours of the falling leaves.

[galen_erso]

"It's all so full of life, even if it's waning," Galen muses as he follows.

[imthepilot]

"So beautiful." Bodhi marvels, reaching out to catch a falling leaf. "I'm not sure I'll ever get use to being so surrounded by trees."

Even as they walk, the trees grow thicker, forcing them to find paths to slip through.

[galen_erso]

"I have visited worlds like this," Galen muses. "But never for long enough to become familiar with the woods."

[imthepilot]

"I like it, though. It's... soothing." Bodhi keeps walking, finding a path through the forest.

About an hour into their walk, they find a clearing - grassy and dotted with wild flowers. The air feels different somehow. Warmer, richer. Bodhi looks about, trying to understand why he feels different.

[galen_erso]

"Are you sure we are still where we were?" Galen muses, not certain himself.

You hear things about the woods in Milliways...

[imthepilot]

"I... no. I'm not sure." Bodhi looks around. "Those flowers. They're... from our galaxy." Delicate purple flowers in sprays of a dozen on each stem. Bodhi steps over to them, rubbing the tiny petals between his fingertips. "My grandmother planned these. In our garden at home."

[galen_erso]

"We might be back," Galen says, quietly. "But Jeddha, this is not. Nor Eadu."

[imthepilot]

"Maybe it's her home world." Bodhi muses softly, sniffing the flowers. "She was from the Core. She never told us where."

Behind them, there's the sound of a blaster's powerpack being clicked into place. "Hands in the air. Turn around slowly."

[galen_erso]

"We are definitely not in Milliways any more," Galen says, lifting his hands and turning, only to confront...

[imthepilot]

"Malika!" Bodhi drops his hands and runs towards her, only to curse as she drops the blaster on his foot as she rushed to hug him.

She's several shades paler than Bodhi but her face shape and hair are very similar - large doe eyes the colour of the flowers.

Bodhi hugs her tight, almost lifting her off the ground.

A second girl sticks her head around a tree, younger by a couple of years and cautious.

[galen_erso]

"Your sisters?" Galen breathes, keeping back.

[imthepilot]

"Pema?" Bodhi calls, too caught up in all this to answer Galen just yet. Instead he gathers the young of the two in his arms and holds her, whispering something into her hair.

Malika, one hand still wrapped around a strap of Bodhi's bag like she's afraid he'll run off, looked Galen up and down. "Who are you? A friend of Bodhi's? You're welcome here if you are."

She glances down at the blaster to make it clear what she'll do if he's not a friend.

[galen_erso]

"Yes," Galen manages. "I'm Galen. Galen Erso. He used to pilot for the station where I worked."

[imthepilot]

"He's my husband, Malika. My partner." Bodhi smiles over Pema's head. "I love him."

[galen_erso]

"As I love your brother," Galen says. "And I've heard so much about you, and about your grandmother."

[imthepilot]

"We thought you'd died, Bodhi." Pema says softly, face still buried in Bodhi's shirt. "If not on Jedha then soon after. We heard such terrible things."

He strokes her back and kisses her hair. "I... it's hard to explain. I did die. So did Galen. This is... I don't know what this is but I don't think we have very long."

Malika looks Galen over again. "Did you marry before or after you died?" She seems to be rolling with the idea.

[galen_erso]

"... after," Galen manages. "There was hardly any time for anything, before."

[imthepilot]

Pema looks up at Bodhi. "I don't understand." Bodhi kisses her again.

Malika shakes her head. "We have a cottage, just over the hill. Can you stay long enough for a meal?"

Bodhi looks to Galen and smiles. "I hope so."

[galen_erso]

"I'd love to," Galen says. "Especially as you probably learned to cook from your grandmother, as did Bodhi."

He gives them a happy grin.

[imthepilot]

Pema lifts her head for the first time, still cling to Bodhi. "Bodhi cooks better than we do." She tugs on Bodhi's shirt. "Cook for us again."

Bodhi gives her a long hug and tucks her under one arm, Malika under the other. He reaches out a hand to Galen. "Of course I'll cook for you."

[galen_erso]

Galen takes his hand. "He cooks wonderfully! First thing after we met, well almost, he fed me."