The morning light spilled into the rehabilitation wing of the Tython Citadel, painting long amber lines across the durasteel floor and the warm-stone walls carved with Jedi sigils.
Barriss Offee stood with her arms crossed, silent, yet watchful, as her patient grunted through another set of controlled leg lifts.
Maul was shirtless, his crimson skin beaded with sweat, the newly regenerated organic lower half twitching with effort. His expression was twisted—not in rage, but in something worse. Frustration.
"I can feel every tendon," he growled, jaw clenched. "Every nerve fire like fire ants crawling under skin."
"You're pushing too hard," Barriss said evenly, stepping forward. "The tissue is only weeks old. You'll tear something."
Maul growled low in his throat, but obeyed, lowering himself slowly onto the floor mat.
"You forget," he said between breaths, "I've spent years crawling through filth with nothing but hate holding me together. Pain is... familiar."
Barriss knelt beside him, her hand glowing faintly as she passed it over the inflamed muscle in his thigh. "Pain isn't the same as growth. You've survived. Now learn to live."
Maul flinched—but not from her touch.
A moment later, the med-bay door opened with a cheerful hiss.
Soleia and Solari bounced in, both wearing matching training tunics, fresh from morning drills. They waved at Barriss but quickly turned toward Maul, who was wiping his face with a towel.
"You ready to spar, Mr. Maul?" Soleia teased.
"Just Maul" He mummer
Solari added, "We've almost perfected that leg sweep you taught us."
Barriss raised an eyebrow. "You weren't cleared for combat yet."
Maul groaned as he sat up fully, but offered a dry smirk. "I watch and correct them. Now correct footwork before you tear something."
The twins giggled and bowed.
Soon they were circling each other on the sparring mat, and Maul—now leaning against the wall, eyes sharp—was pointing out flaws in their balance and momentum, and technique.
Barriss stood a distance away, arms folded again. But this time, she was smiling.
There was something poetic in it. A Sith reborn. Two girls once broken now laughing. And through all of it.
Her datapad vibrated gently.
She opened it and blinked in surprise.
Message from: Jedi Knight Sha Koon
Subject: Medical Clearance – Cain
Attached was Cain's updated med-file. Vitals normal. Nervous system stable. No lingering trauma markers.
Fit for full activity.
Barriss blinked, then actually smiled.
She entered her personal quarters to deliver the news—and froze.
Cain stood shirtless in the middle of her meditation space, bathed in soft candlelight. His back was to her, his arms slowly flowing in deliberate motion. His body, dark brown and marked with faint silver scarring, moved like water—each step rooted, each breath audible.
Tai chi.
Muscle rippled along his shoulders and arms, sweat rolling down his back as he exhaled and extended both hands in a closing stance.
Barriss took a full five seconds before she remembered to breathe.
Cain turned slightly, only now realizing she'd entered.
"Oh—uh—hi." He smiled sheepishly. "I swear, I slept ten hours.
Barriss blinked. "No your fine , I mean your it's ok."
Cain winced. I didn't know you'd be back this soon."
Barriss's face was pink, but she masked it with a firm nod. "Right. Spiritual harmonics. Of course."
Cain reached for his towel. "This was just meditative tai chi—Plo Koon taught me. Helps with core stabilization and Force-body flow."
He finally wiped the sweat off his face, now giving her his full attention.
She crossed the room and handed him the datapad.
"You're clear," she said, trying not to meet his gaze directly. "Fully healed. No residual trauma markers."
Cain blinked in surprise. "Really?"
She nodded. "You're cleared for full duty."
Cain smiled—genuinely. Not just with his lips, but with the warmth in his eyes.
"Thanks to you."
She waved it off. "I'm just the one who dragged you back to bed."
Cain stepped forward, then without thinking, pulled her into a hug.
"Still," he said softly, "thank you. For all of it."
Barriss froze, her heart skipping.
Then slowly, tentatively… she hugged him back.
They stood there, two teenagers—wrapped in warmth that neither had asked for, but neither rejected.
When they finally pulled apart, Barriss cleared her throat.
"I—uh. You should go. I mean—you said something about meeting Seris and Anakin?"
Cain rubbed the back of his neck. "Right. Yeah. That's still happening."
He turned to leave, then paused at the doorway.
"Oh—before I go." He turned back. "Maul's progressing fast. You think he'll be cleared soon?"
Barriss smiled faintly. "Another week. Maybe two."
Cain's eyes darkened slightly. "Good. I have a plan for him."
And with that, he left down the hallway.
Barriss exhaled once more—and smiled to herself.
Codex Entry 048 – Breath Between Wars
Sometimes the path forward begins with a breathe in silence and feeling the moment.