Guilty feelings (D8 EA Aphrs room)

[Galen Sol]

"I don't know. Maybe he turned it off." he shook his head. "Maybe he doesn't want to talk."

[Aphr Ahaya]

"Well, we did leave him for dead" Aphr said with a sigh as she put the comms down "at least he's alive."

[Galen Sol]

"He could have turned it off for any number of reasons." he sighed. "But, he's probably just mad at me. But, I'm glad he can be angry with me."

[Aphr Ahaya]

Aphr just sighed in frustration, turning away and sitting with her head on her knees, hugging her legs.

[Galen Sol]

"He's going to be alright. If he survived that attack, he can survive anything Nal Hutta can throw at him." he assured her. "That's more proof that bringing him in was the right idea. I was the weak link out there."

[Aphr Ahaya]

"Stop it! Stop trying to take all the blame when you actually did something useful!" she finally snapped, shouting at Galen, before curling up more and finally giving in to the tears that were threatening to fall "I'm useless. I can't help anyone. I can't even stop that woman from influencing me. I'm weak, I'm worthless, I'm useless."

[Galen Sol]

He tried to pull her into a comforting hug.

"What woman?"

[Aphr Ahaya]

Aphr leaned in, shaking her head. "I can't tell you. It'll put you in danger...please forget that."

[Galen Sol]

He held her close.

"Aphr, I'm already in danger from that crime lord and, probably, Night's husband. Maybe even Zeno, now. Just, tell me what you can."

[Aphr Ahaya]

"She's stronger than all of them. Likely combined" Aphr shook her head "i can't..."

[Galen Sol]

"Alright." he agreed softly. "Don't tell me about her. Tell me about you. Clearly there's more going on than you've told me."

[Aphr Ahaya]

"What's there to say...I've screwed up again and again" Aphr replied, her voice shakey now "I don't want to be useless anymore. I don't know how anyone can think I'm something more than I am."

[Galen Sol]

"Tell me what else has happened." he asked. "I don't know what you've been through."

[Aphr Ahaya]

"The Force. Light and Dark...mostly dark" she repliec quietly "many different Sith."

[Galen Sol]

"I know you don't trust the Jedi. I understand why. But, I think you need to talk to more of them." he continued to speak softly. "This feeling of uselessness. Part of that comes from the Sith's philosophy of power, doesn't it?"

[Aphr Ahaya]

"They want to be strong, yes, but feeling useless has nothing to do with light or dark. Protecting people is light and I failed in that as well" she sighed

[Galen Sol]

"What I mean is that you don't have to be stronger than everyone else. You don't have to be the most powerful." he explained. "You have power. But, it isn't what I have or what others have. It may not even be something you've realized yet. You won't find that by overcoming every challenge."

"You've seen my scars, right? Do you know how many times I was caught and nearly killed by what the old man was hunting? I lost count." He sighed. "I put you two in that same position, without realizing it. I thought that, once the traps were set, we'd be able to support each other at range. Blaster fire could have distracted it, even without hurting it, making it easier to target more vulnerable areas."

[Aphr Ahaya]

"Why does everyone keep saying that. 'You have power you just don't know it'. It's annoying" she pulled away and moved to stand, walking over to her utility belt "I have power, I just don't know how to use it. I'm strong, I just haven't utilized it. Maybe I'm just weak. Maybe I have no power."

[Galen Sol]

"Why are you so convinced you're not?" he asked. "Because so many things have gone wrong? It's been a week since I told you you were Force sensitive, since you found your sister. You were mostly just learning whatever skills Xereau would teach you before all of this. This is all new to you. Is failure really that unexpected?"

[Aphr Ahaya]

"Because everyone seems to expect more of me, and I'm just letting everybody down" Aphr sighed, picking up her utility belt and slipping it on.

[Galen Sol]

He got up and moved closer to her.

"I think you're pretty good as you are. And, I think you will be pretty good at whatever you become." he smiled. "But, that's going to take time. I'm, what, eight years older than you? And, I'm still an idiot."

[Aphr Ahaya]

"I'm glad you think so" Aphr murmured to herself, fixing the belt in place and making sure everything was on there still.

[Galen Sol]

He hugged her again. "I screwed up, but I'm here for anything you need. If nothing else, I can listen."

[Aphr Ahaya]

Aphr sighed. "How many times are you going to say that?"

[Galen Sol]

"How many times do I need to?" he asked. "If you don't want me around, that's fine. Otherwise, don't keep me in the dark. Is there anything else going on?"