[HARD CONTACT] Chapter 6: Jinart's soothing touch

[mamuzzy]

|| Republic Commando: Hard Contact || 2004 || Book series || Military, Sci-Fi || 18+ for violence and harrowing themes ||

The system picked up something larger once, but it wasn’t as large as any humanoid in his database, and kept its distance before disappearing.

Get some sleep. You’re going to need it, son.

Darman wasn’t sure if it was his own voice or that of his imaginary commander. Either way, it was an order he was only too willing to obey.

I admit, sometimes I overthink some scenes, because I have the entire book in my head so much I forgot to pay attention to the immediate environment. Etain also gets these “inner-suggestions”, so is Darman. Jinart is inside Darman’s head to help Darman.

But also it really makes Jinart and the entire species of the Gurlanins so incredible and horrifying. They just KNOW their “preys” inside-out and how to connect with them. Jinart motivating Darman in a way that it feels so natural for Darman. Like it is so completely normal for Darman that there is a commander above him yelling orders. WHILE IT IS NATURAL FOR HIM.

Let's go back to Etain for a bit. Jinart soothed Etain's mind but also the narrative pointed out that Etain never a had something that is similiar to a family most people have: parents + children (or given we are writing 2004, and we are still talking about Star Wars: Father + Mother + Children). But maybe this is the first clue that maybe Etain yearns for something that couldn't be her life and Jinart used this as a comforting touch in her mind.

“You should be less suspicious,” Jinart said slowly, “and you should look at what you think you see much more carefully.”

Etain opened the barn door and the scent of straw and barq tumbled out, almost solid. She felt suddenly calmer, and even hopeful. She had no idea why. Perhaps Jinart was naturally reassuring, as comforting as a grandmother, despite all her odd talk.

Etain couldn’t actually remember a grandmother, or any of her biological family, of course. Family wasn’t familiar or soothing because she had grown up in a commune of Jedi novices, educated and raised and cared for by her own kind, and by that she never meant human.