As they sat in the shuttle heading down to the planet, Jax couldn’t help but worry about An-Lok. It was easy to see that she was on edge, and he could feel how nervous and afraid she was. The reason why, however, eluded him. She had seemed fine last night, but she’d been asleep when he had left to do his morning training, and when he had returned to their quarters, they were short on time and she did not seemed to want to talk to him about whatever it was, so he hadn’t pried.<br/><br/>Still, he couldn’t help but wonder what was going on, why she felt this way. He tried not to focus on it too much or allow his emotions to run away from him as he had several weeks before, as he didn’t want to risk hurting Aeris in the process, so he tried to close his eyes and meditate for the remainder of their time on the shuttle. It wasn’t easy, though, and while he managed to control his emotions, as his senses stretched out in the Force, it was hard not to feel An-Lok’s fears and anxiety once again.<br/><br/>When they landed, he strode down the ramp and onto the landing platform. He looked back to see An pulling Aeris off to the side, piquing his curiosity again. He stood not far from Jek, glancing over at the other man when he approached and asked what was going on. He shook his head, a worried frown on his face. “I don’t know,” he answered honestly. “She seemed fine last night, but when I got back to our quarters after training this morning, she seemed a little preoccupied, though she didn’t seem to want to talk about it,” he admitted, his worry becoming more obvious on his features.<br/><br/>“Nothing happened that I can recall,” he replied as he tried to think back on the past few days. “Now that I think about it, she hasn’t wanted to go to the mess hall the past few days, and she seems to be more tired than before,” he said thoughtfully before shaking his head. “I don’t know if that is related, though,” he added and sighed. “I hope everything is okay,” he thought, looking over at them. He guessed that for the moment, he would just have to trust Aeris to help her with whatever it was, until she was ready to talk to him.<br/><br/>------<br/><br/>Aeris sat in her seat with her eyes closed, meditating as she always did on their way down to a planet, using the Force to expand her senses, to search the planet for those they sought. As they made their way down to the planet, she could sense a great deal of apprehension from An-Lok. It seemed that Jax could feel it, too, as he seemed worried about her. She was grateful that he managed to keep his emotions under control, though. It made it easier for her to focus, to at least partially block the emotions she felt from An while she sought the Force Sensitives, trying to pinpoint those that would be their best targets.<br/><br/>When they landed, she opened her eyes, watching as Jek strolled down the ramp and onto the platform, giving the soldiers orders that they obeyed without question, as if they now recognized him as one of them. It seemed that they had come to accept both him and Jax over the past few weeks, and they were now used to following their orders. She couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride as she watched him, seeing how well he had assumed his role. The tiniest hint of a smile had begun to tug at the corner of her mouth as they headed off the shuttle, but the moment she had stopped onto the landing platform, An-Lok had grabbed her arm.<br/><br/>She looked back, her smile fading back into her usual serious expression. Her features softened as she felt the other woman’s emotions as she asked to talk with her. “Of course,” she nodded, following along with her as she took them off to the side, away from the two men and away from prying ears. She tried to school her features, to maintain a softer, more understanding aura, but also to keep a straight face, to prevent her own emotions from showing too readily and further adding to An’s anxiety.<br/><br/>She tilted her head a bit when An-Lok asked if her period was late, continuing to explain the reason for her question and her fears before allowing Aeris to answer the question. Her face took on a look of understanding. “Oh, An,” she responded to her gently, pulling her into a hug. It was easy to see the tears she was holding back, and that she was very close to hyperventilating due to the anxiety and fear. It was also easy to feel that she was scared that she was going to be alone, among the many other reasons she had to be afraid. She used the Force to share her own emotions, to give the other woman even a little peace and comfort, and to let her know that she was not alone.<br/><br/>She didn’t immediately speak, both because she was trying to find the right words to say, and because she was using the Force to sense An-Lok’s presence, to see if she found another presence, another life force within her, separate from her own. “I wasn’t late. I take something every day, to make sure that doesn’t happen. I have for a long time,” she admitted quietly before pulling away enough to look down at the other woman, to meet her gaze before she spoke again.<br/><br/>“I can feel another life force inside of you,” she told her softly. “You’re pregnant, An,” she added, trying to break the news gently, but wanting to give her the straight answer rather than leave her with room to question what she meant. As she told her the news, she was careful to keep her expression soft and understanding, showing no trace of judgement or fear, and continuing to try to give her some peace through the Force. She gave her a little time to process what she had told her before she spoke once more, wanting to get ahead of the rush of fear and anxiety that was sure to follow the revelation.<br/><br/>“Hey. Listen to me,” she said gently, making sure that she had An-Lok’s full attention. “You are not alone in this. I know it’s scary—terrifying, even—but it isn’t something you have to face alone,” she assured her. “Trust in Jax. He won’t let you handle this alone. Neither will I, and neither will Jek,” she told her in a voice that was soft yet filled with conviction that left no room to argue. She paused for a moment and then added, “For what it’s worth, I think you will be great. Both of you. I know you can do this,” she told her confidently before giving her another hug.