### Chapter 187 – Fractures Beneath the Surface
*Dagon POV*
The doors of the Jedi Temple slid open behind me with a soft hiss, sealing away the weight of the Council chamber and everything that came with it.
For now… I was grounded.
No battlefield.
No fleet commands.
No immediate orders.
Just waiting.
"General," Ethan's voice came quietly at my side as we walked through the long, polished halls. "Your temporary reassignment to the Temple has been confirmed. No active deployments until further notice."
I exhaled slowly. "Figures."
"You are dissatisfied."
"I'm not used to standing still."
"That is statistically accurate."
I glanced at him briefly, then back ahead. "Anything else?"
"Yes. Ahsoka Tano has completed her bacta treatment. Medical clearance has been granted. Training may resume at your discretion."
That stopped me for half a second.
"Ahsoka's healed?"
"Yes."
A faint shift in my expression followed—barely noticeable, but there. "Good."
Because if she was ready…
Then things could move forward again.
Not war.
But preparation for it.
We turned down another corridor, the ambient hum of the Temple surrounding us. For the first time in days, there was no urgency pressing down on me. No battle calculations. No incoming threats.
Just… silence.
It felt wrong.
---
*Girls' POV*
"She should've said something!"
Visenya paced rapidly across the room, arms folded tightly as she moved back and forth, her green hair swaying with each sharp turn.
"It's been two days," she continued, voice filled with worry. "Two days! That's not normal!"
Kayla, leaning casually against the wall with her arms crossed, rolled her eyes. "You're overreacting."
"I am not overreacting!"
"You are," Kayla shot back. "Zeltrons worry about everything. It's like your whole species is built for it."
Visenya stopped mid-step, glaring at her. "That's not true."
Kayla raised an eyebrow. "You've paced that same spot at least fifty times."
"…That's different."
Flare let out a quiet sigh from where she sat beside Ahsoka. "He's strong. You've seen it."
Ahsoka remained seated, eyes closed, breathing steady as she meditated. Her voice came calmly, without opening her eyes.
"He'll be fine."
Visenya turned toward her. "You don't sound worried at all."
"I am," Ahsoka admitted softly. "But worrying doesn't help him."
That slowed Visenya down slightly.
"…I know," she murmured.
Across the room, Stella sat quietly, completely absorbed in the holoscreen in front of her. The projection flickered—battle footage, replaying the same scene again and again.
Dagon.
Standing in the middle of chaos.
Blaster fire everywhere.
Droids falling like waves crashing against a cliff.
Her eyes sparkled slightly.
"He looks so… cool…" she whispered.
Kayla glanced over. "You've watched that like ten times."
"…Eleven," Stella corrected softly.
Visenya groaned. "This isn't something to admire! He could've been hurt!"
"But he wasn't," Stella said innocently. "He won."
That single word hung in the air.
Won.
Flare opened her eyes slowly, looking toward the door.
"…He's here."
Ahsoka's eyes snapped open immediately.
Visenya froze.
Kayla straightened.
Stella blinked.
Then—
They all moved at once.
---
*Dagon POV*
I barely had time to step into the corridor outside their quarters before—
Footsteps.
Fast.
Too fast.
Then—
"DAGON!"
They rushed toward me.
And then—
They stopped.
All at once.
Like they had hit a wall.
Silence.
Their eyes locked onto my face.
The scar.
I watched it happen in real time.
Recognition.
Confusion.
Shock.
"…What happened to your face?" Ahsoka asked first, her voice quieter than usual.
Visenya stepped forward slightly, her expression tightening. "Dagon…"
Kayla narrowed her eyes. "That wasn't there before."
Stella just stared, wide-eyed.
Flare's voice was low. "That's not a minor injury."
I exhaled lightly.
"It's nothing serious."
"That doesn't look like nothing," Kayla shot back immediately.
"It's just a scar."
"From what?" Ahsoka pressed.
I paused for a fraction of a second.
"…A new droid general," I said calmly. "Hypori. When I rescued the Jedi."
That wasn't a lie.
Just not the whole truth.
"A droid did that?" Kayla frowned. "What kind of droid does that?"
"The kind that doesn't lose easily," I replied.
Ahsoka studied me carefully. "You fought it alone."
"Yeah."
"And won."
I didn't answer that.
Because they already knew.
Visenya stepped closer now, her eyes scanning me more carefully.
"…wait."
Her gaze shifted downward.
"To your arm."
I didn't move.
"…Dagon."
She grabbed my wrist before I could stop her, pulling it slightly upward.
The faint lightning-like veins beneath my skin caught the light.
Silence.
Then—
"What is that?" Flare asked sharply.
Kayla pushed off the wall, stepping closer. "That doesn't look normal."
Ahsoka's expression hardened. "That's not from a droid."
Visenya's grip tightened slightly. "You're hurt."
"I'm fine."
"No, you're not," she said immediately.
"It's nothing serious."
"That is not nothing!" Kayla snapped.
Stella finally spoke, her voice small. "…does it hurt?"
I looked at her.
"…No."
That didn't help.
At all.
"Even worse," Flare muttered. "Injuries that don't hurt are usually dangerous."
"Exactly," Kayla added.
Visenya turned back to me, her voice firm now. "You're going to the healing chambers."
"I already had a medical check."
"By who?"
"A droid."
Kayla threw her hands up. "Of course it was a droid!"
"It confirmed it's just mild radiation exposure," I said. "From the factory explosion and damaged droid batteries."
"That's still not normal," Ahsoka said.
"It's stable."
"That doesn't mean safe," Flare countered.
Visenya didn't let go of my arm.
"We're going."
"It's unnecessary."
"It's happening."
I met her eyes.
Determined.
Unwavering.
Concerned.
Too concerned.
"…you're overreacting," I said quietly.
"I am not," she replied immediately.
"You are."
"You came back with a scar across your face and something wrong with your arm!"
"I've had worse."
"That's not comforting!"
Kayla nodded. "Yeah, that actually makes it worse."
Ahsoka crossed her arms. "You always say you're fine."
"Because I am."
"No," she said firmly. "Because you don't want us to worry."
Silence.
That hit closer than I expected.
Flare stepped forward slightly. "You don't have to carry everything alone."
I looked at them.
All of them.
Visenya—worried.
Ahsoka—focused.
Kayla—annoyed but concerned.
Flare—steady.
Stella—quiet, watching.
"…it's just radiation," I repeated.
Visenya shook her head. "Then prove it."
"What?"
"Let the healers check."
I exhaled slowly.
This was pointless.
They weren't backing down.
"…fine."
Visenya blinked. "Wait—really?"
"Yes."
Kayla smirked slightly. "That was easier than expected."
"Don't get used to it."
Ahsoka relaxed slightly. "Good."
Flare nodded. "It's the right call."
Stella smiled faintly. "…good."
Visenya finally let go of my arm—but didn't step far away.
"Come on," she said.
I shook my head slightly as we started walking.
"Overreaction."
"Not even close," Kayla replied instantly.
"Definitely not," Flare added.
Ahsoka smirked slightly. "You're outnumbered."
I glanced at them.
"…yeah."
And for once—
I didn't argue further.