? ~PROJECT SAC-1~ ??

Chapter 21 - The Price We Pay ?

They all ended up accepting comfort in different ways:

📱 Tech 📱

When she sensed Tech's mood was at a really low point, Talla coaxed him out of his room to watch Holovids, finding the channel with the thriller crime drama they'd grown fond of. They enjoyed swapping theories and predictions while viewing it, even having some full-blown debates.

This time around though, Tech just huddled in the corner of the couch, wrapped in the cozy blanket Talla had purchased in the Coruscant Markets, silently sipping his cup of tea Talla also got for him. For the longest time, she didn't do anything but just silently sit next to him, which made her feel so useless.

Except, about halfway through their third episode, Tech said this: "Grief is a normal response to the loss of a loved one."

Talla jumped when she heard his small voice, but immediately recovered so she wouldn't miss a thing, and tucked her leg under her to twist in his direction, propping her arm on the back of the couch. She gave him her full, undivided attention. He didn't return her gaze, in fact it seemed like he was focused on the holovids, but even with the flashing kaleidoscope of colors within his glassy eyes from the projector, they still looked dull and lifeless.

It took him a bit to find the right words, which was weird because Tech ALWAYS knew what to say, but this was not a battle scene. Anxiously, he tapped his fingers against the cold mug for an inordinate amount of time. "Grief is ... unpredictable." He eventually stated, "It comes and goes, and the emotional variations and fluctuations on top of that... what I am experiencing makes me feel like I am violently twisting and turning through an aerial battlefield." Tech paused, then shook his head once, "No, a better example would be your first flying lesson, because there I had no control as what was going to happen, thus I was unable to prepare myself for the violent whiplash." If this was Crosshair giving a comment like that, Talla would have instantly become defensive because it would be said to make her feel bad. But Tech, he just stated facts. And for a fact, her first flying lesson was no picnic, and that was putting it lightly. It was a good metaphor. "The healing process is going to be long... and difficult." Tech continued, "... and it should not be done alone... in fact it is most effective with the help of friends."

Talla deduced that this was his own way of opening up and saying: "Thank you, for all your doing. You have really helped make this horrible situation more bearable."

💣 Wrecker 💣

When she sensed Wrecker hit a really low point, Talla approached him with a smile and asked if he wanted to work out, which she knew he did in for preparation for a battle, for fun, and also when he was stressed. After some hesitation he said sure, so she brought her gear into his shockingly still cleanish room and the two of them vigorously exercised, Talla with her heavy weights and portable pull up bar, and Wrecker with his own set of weights.

But as the two of them silently did their own routines, Talla secretly watched from the corner of her eyes Wrecker's deep scowl while he used his anger to push himself to his limits.

When he finally reached it, he growled loudly and ended up using the last bit of his strength to chuck the 450lb weight at the wall opposite from him.

Talla was doing chin ups on that same wall with her pull-up bar and flinched when it caused a big BANG! five inches away from her head. She dropped from the pull-up bar, and focused her attention on Wrecker, who was now sitting on the edge of his bunk, hunched over with his head in his hands. He was not going to cry in front of her, but he definitely was in deep emotional turmoil. The Agent was unsure what to do at first, just cautiously approached her friend while wringing her hands together, slowly lowerimg herself next to him.