When We Were Young

"Excuse me!" He couldn't see the speaker's face, but the voice was female, almost melodic. "Where can I find the repulsorlift entrance to Moonglow?" []

He was trying to process the voice, so warm and polite []. It startled him so much that he could only manage: "Huh?"

"Never mind," the figure said primly. "I'll find it myself."

With a whirl of her cloak, she headed off in the opposite direction.

Kanan, who had no mission in life, now found himself with one: seeing who it was that could be attached to a voice like that.

~

He found himself looking into her eyes.

"Ah," she said, seeing her cloak.

"Ah," he repeated. Kanan stood frozen, studying her under the bright light of the moon. She was shorter than he was, with deep green skin, full lips, and a chin that came to a pleasing point.

"I knew I'd forgotten something," she said, removing the garment from his hands so deftly he barely noticed she'd done it. Then she looked at him with concern. "You okay there?"

Kanan nodded.

"You speak basic?"

"Words fail me."

She smiled. "So they do." []

He looked back, "That was something back there."

"Yes," she said, still talking in that wonderful voice as she flicked mud from the cloak. "It's a good thing I was here to save you." [] Seeing him look back at her, slack-jawed, she bumped a gloved fist underneath his bruised chin. "You did pretty good though. I am impressed." [] He blinked as she pulled her hand back. [] "I have stops to make."

"Wait!" Kanan tried to follow, but his body rebelled. Wincing, he grabbed at his knee. When he looked up, she was gone again. Disgusted with the universe, he yelled into Gorse's endless night. "What's your name?"

For a long moment, nothing.

And then that voice again, calling back to him.

"Hera."

~

"What a woman. She was wearing a hood when I first saw her. But her eyes are *amazing*. And she's got moves. I'm telling you, Oke, if she were to walk in here right now—" []

[A voice came] from the far end of the bar. *The voice*. Kanan decided to play it cool, as he turned.

*They always seek you out, brother*.

"Hey there, Hera," he said, smiling confidently. "What can I get you?"

~

[Photo: a @lorna_ka Kanera pin masterpiece]