**Chapter 458**
**Fractured Trust**
**Scene 1**
The training deck of the *Gray Wolf* echoed with the sharp *thud* of Erictia's fist slamming into the hull of a parked AT-AT walker. A visible dent formed in the reinforced plating from the sheer force of her strike, powered by frustration and the Force.
"How *dare* they!" Erictia shouted, her amber eyes blazing with anger. "We bled for Ryloth! Dagon nearly died saving us, and we liberated an entire planet! We exposed corruption in the Senate, and now they're throwing rotten fruit at the Temple steps?!"
"Padawan, control yourself," Shin Wren said firmly, though her own purple eyes reflected deep unease.
"I am *not* a Padawan anymore!" Erictia snapped back, breathing hard. "Dagon risked his life for Ryloth. So did we. We saved thousands from Zygerria's slave markets. We fought a war the Jedi Council seems content to manage from their ivory tower while the galaxy burns around them!"
Dagon stepped forward, placing a gentle but firm hand on Erictia's shoulder. A wave of calming light blue energy flowed from his palm into her, soothing the storm of emotions raging inside her.
"Easy, Erictia," he said softly. "I know it feels unfair. It *is* unfair. But anger alone won't change the Senate's mind."
Erictia leaned into his touch, some of the tension draining from her shoulders. "They're calling us incompetent. After everything we've done…"
Dagon nodded. "Stories keep getting twisted. I saved Ryloth. I saved thousands from Zygerria. Now we're on our way to liberate more worlds. The public sees only what the media and certain senators want them to see — fear, loss, and someone to blame."
Shin moved closer, brushing a strand of white hair behind her ear. "Still… we must be careful. The Order is already under immense pressure."
Erictia exhaled shakily. "Fine."
**Scene 2**
Later, in the quiet of Dagon's private quarters, the mood had softened.
Dagon sat on the edge of the large bed, rubbing absentmindedly at the faint kiss marks on the side of his neck, hoping his armor collar would hide them during the next briefing.
"Your Padawan is really a handful," he remarked to Shin with a tired but fond smile.
Shin, now wearing a loose robe that did little to hide her elegant figure, raised an eyebrow. "*My* Padawan? She's *your* Padawan too. Also your girlfriend. And your fiancée." She lifted her hand, showing the beautiful kyber-beskar ring on her finger that glittered with inner light. "So am I."
Dagon chuckled softly, reaching out to trace the ring with his black armored finger. "Yeah… I know."
Shin's expression grew more serious. "You know if any of the Jedi Order sees this, it might cause problems. I hate to think what my family would say if they found out."
Dagon leaned back. "What about *your* family? Ahsoka's Togruta clan doesn't mind harems. Zule and her sisters are all that's left of their line under my protection. Kayla and Visenya are Zeltrons — this is basically second nature to them. Flare is Pantoran, so I'm not entirely sure, and Stella… well."
Shin smiled softly, sitting beside him. "We've all chosen this. The Force brought us together. Even if the Council wouldn't understand."
Before Dagon could reply, the door slid open and Erictia bounced in, still flushed from training. She didn't hesitate — she jumped straight into Dagon's lap, straddling him with a playful grin.
"Hey! No getting too much cuddle time with Dagon without me," she declared, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him firmly.
Dagon laughed into the kiss, his hands settling on her waist. Shin watched them with warm amusement before leaning in to join, pressing a soft kiss to the side of Dagon's neck, right over one of the faint marks.
The three of them melted together naturally — hands roaming, kisses deepening, clothes slowly slipping away as affection turned heated once more. Erictia ground against him while Shin kissed down his chest, their bodies moving in a familiar, loving rhythm.
For a while, the war, the Senate, and the growing threats felt very far away.
In this moment, they were simply together — bonded by love, by the Force, and by the choices they had made.