Woman without a Country

They walked into the remains of the library. Kreia sighed sadly at the destruction and the mess. Ludmilla looked around in shock, trying to understand why, shaking her head slowly. Bao-Dur was stunned by the bodies still lying on the floor here and there, the fallen Jedi and students that the scavengers hadn't bothered to give a decent burial.
Atton was looking at the man in the room, who was staring at Ludmilla in shock.
The man had set aside his armor, but still had a heavy blaster close at hand, and a blaster pistol at his hip. He looked to be just a bit taller than she was, but inclining to stoutness rather than muscle. He had soft, wavy blonde hair, with deep blue eyes, and a perfectly average face. Not too handsome, not too remarkable in any way. Except for the smile.
Ludmilla finally noticed him. "Oh, hello. You're not who I was expecting to find," she said in surprise.
He smiled at her, and bowed gracefully. "I was just thinking the same thing," he said in a rich and perfectly modulated voice, his pure Core World accent clearly showing an upper echelon upbringing.
"You're no scavenger," said Kreia slowly.
"Certainly not," he smiled. "I'm a historian, from Coruscant. I've been trying to recover some of the most valuable artifacts for the Jedi Temple." He sighed. "Sadly, it seems that the majority have already been taken, by someone who clearly knew what to look for."
Ludmilla frowned. "I wonder who would have – " she stopped herself. "My name is Ludmilla Sîvoš, by the way." She held out her hand in polite greeting, and he took it warmly.
"My name is Mical," he introduced himself. "I'm afraid that's really all the name I have," he laughed.
Ludmilla looked at him in confusion. "What happened to your family?"
"War," he shrugged carelessly. "It really isn't important, is it?"
Ludmilla looked at him again. "I guess not," she said slowly. She looked around at the destruction of the library and the archives, then back at Mical again. "Have we met?"
Mical smiled again. "I didn't think you'd remember," he said softly. "But yes, we have. It was a very long time ago," he said quickly.
"You were one of the students!" said Ludmilla suddenly. "You were – " It was times like this when Ludmilla wished that the Force had a physical manifestation that she could punch. "You were one of my students."
"Before you left for the war, yes."
"I'm so sorry!" she blurted. "What happened? Why didn't you finish your training?"
Mical smiled at her confusion. "I'm afraid I was rather stubborn as a child. I refused to accept the Master that the Enclave wanted to assign me, so I was sent to Coruscant while they tried to decide what to do. And then," he looked around at the ruins, "this happened."
"Who did they want to be your Master?" asked Kreia.
"Master Vrook," said Mical calmly. "He did not compare well to the Master I wanted to follow."
Bao-Dur grinned. "The Force really does have it in for you, General." He held out his hand. "My name is Bao-Dur, by the way."
"A pleasure," said Mical. He looked curiously at Kreia. "And you are?"
"I am Kreia," she replied calmly. "You will not have heard of me, child. I left the Order before you entered it."
"Left the Order?" said Mical in surprise. "Whatever for?"
"Heresy," smiled Kreia, and laughed at her own joke.
Ludmilla shook her head, and her eyes fell on a small petal that had fallen from her sleeve. Suddenly she looked around, trying not to panic.
"Is something wrong?" asked Mical, slightly worried.
"He's hiding," said Ludmilla, trying to fight down her rising panic. She looked around the ruins again, trying to find some sign of Atton.
"Who are you talking about?"
"Shut up!" she snarled, trying to concentrate on scanning the room with her eyes. "Stay here." She walked away from the others, still looking around the room. "Dammit, Atton, stop doing this to me," she whispered to herself. She looked around the room again, at the crumbling walls, the broken tables, the shattered terminals. Her heart was racing. She couldn't sense him at all, she couldn't see him anywhere. But when she looked at the computer terminal for the third time, he was there, sitting calmly and playing with the broken screen as if nothing was wrong. "Atton!"
She raced over to him, and pulled him to her before she could stop herself.
"What?" he said innocently. "Were you looking for me or something? I thought you were still talking to that guy."
She hated it, she hated that note in his voice. He was jealous, but wouldn't allow himself to be. "Of course I was looking for you!" she said fiercely. "Don't do that!"
"What?" he looked at her, his dark eyes wide and emotionless beyond a faint hint of surprise. "I didn't do anything."
"Atton!" She was trying not to be angry, but she had no idea how to explain herself to him. She held him tightly instead, trying to calm herself.
He felt her heart pounding in her chest, her breathing swift and unsteady. "You really were worried," he said quietly. Atton put his arms around her, and felt her hands dig into his hair, his back. "You really were looking for me." Atton could feel her emotions, and her struggle for control. It wasn't fear, not exactly - more a sense of acute distress. "I didn't think you would get so upset," he whispered softly.
"How could you think that?" she whispered, her voice low and strained. "How could you think I wouldn't care?"
"I'm - " he didn't want to say he was sorry, because he wasn't. How could he be sorry to see that she cared so much? "I didn't think it would hurt you," he closed his eyes and rested his head on her shoulder, reveling in her need. "I'm not very good at reading people, remember?"
She laughed shakily, and hugged him so tightly it was almost painful, but he didn't complain. "You need a leash!" she said, forcing herself to laugh, and then kissed him, wildly, possessively, and had to force herself to let go.
He smiled, and made a soft noise of agreement. "Cuffs, too." He laughed at the look on her face. "What? Then I wouldn't have to do any work. I could just lie there, and you could pet me all day!" He sighed happily. "What a nice dream." Atton kissed her, smiling to himself as he realized that his lips were actually bruised and slightly tender.
Ludmilla laughed. "Come on, you're going to meet Mical and you're going to be nice to him."
"Sure," Atton agreed. "For now."
She took his hand, intertwining her fingers with his, holding him firmly as she led him back to the others.