With things settled here, Amir had no reason to stay longer. After installing the last power generator, he walked to the clearing outside. By now, it was a large open space. The trees and rubble between the peaks had been completely cleared, but this didn't affect the location's concealment.
The sky remained shrouded in thick mist, and many sensor arrays had been installed on the surrounding peaks to monitor nearby signal activity and mask their own.
"These children are in your hands now." Amir explained the reverse-brainwashing technique to Gulina. It wasn't to make the children loyal, nor was it a well-intentioned deception, but only to slowly eliminate the influence of their past conditioning and painful experiences.
Ahsoka couldn't stay at the base all the time, so this task was given to Gulina, who was more familiar with the Force. She was also very talented and gradually mastered the essentials after practicing for a while.
Amir walked up the peak. Veronica and Milisen were still watching over Yunyin. At some point, the creature had gone hunting and brought back a fat fish, which it was now slowly enjoying with its slender beak.
"I'm leaving, Veronica, Milisen." Amir had already said goodbye to Hak and Ahsoka. He came here to see the two of them, and then he would have Yunyin take him to The Traveler.
"Oh! You're leaving? Where are we going next?" Milisen shouted excitedly.
"You're going to stay here with the other companions and Sister Gulina," Veronica said gently, patting Milisen's small shoulder.
Milisen's little face immediately fell.
"Why?" Milisen stared at Amir.
Amir was at a loss for words. In his subconscious, he had already assumed all the children would live here. Mona liked it here too; she was currently helping tidy up the base. He hadn't considered that Milisen never intended to stay.
"Don't you like it here?" Amir crouched down to look at the blue-skinned Twi'lek girl.
"It's not that I don't like it..." Milisen said, feeling aggrieved.
"It's dangerous outside right now. People like those researchers are searching for us everywhere. So we need to hide here first, learn, and grow up. In the future, you can go anywhere you want freely," Amir patiently explained. "Mona and the others will live here too. I will come back often."
"No! You're leaving me behind?" Milisen's emotions suddenly became intense.
"Of course not." After a moment of surprise, Amir understood Milisen's thoughts. She hadn't been brainwashed like the others. She was different. In her eyes, Amir had saved her, saved Mona. Only Amir was someone she truly trusted. These Resistance people were just strangers she had barely met.
Milisen was different from Mona. Mona was more mature; she would actively try to understand, tolerate, and endure. So she would accept this imperfect environment and respond to the Resistance's help with enthusiasm.
But Milisen was more emotional, letting her feelings run free. More importantly, she felt insecure. Amir could feel the timidity and fear in her emotions. She must have experienced painful, desperate things in her past beyond just the physical experiments.
So Amir stopped trying to persuade her.
Hearing Amir's reassurance, Milisen's emotions gradually calmed, and her tone softened. She asked in a small voice, "We'll go together, right?"
"If you want to." Amir stroked Milisen's head. He could feel that Milisen's thoughts might be influenced by the dark side energy within her.
"I'll go get Mona!" Milisen cheered up instantly and ran toward Mona, who was helping Ahsoka cook for the children.
Amir felt helpless but followed her. Milisen's dark side connection had to be dealt with. He couldn't rest easy before then. When her power erupted, Milisen could be very destructive and would lose part of her rationality. Not to mention, she was still young, her mind not yet mature.
If he took her, his future travels would still be dangerous, and he might not be able to look after her properly. But if he forcibly left her here, unless Ahsoka watched her at all times, she was too unstable.
Walking over, Amir heard Milisen talking to Mona.
"Milisen... I..." Mona fell silent. She first glanced at Amir, then quickly looked down at the bowl in her hands, hesitating, not knowing how to answer.
She wanted to stay here. Even though it was foggy, always damp, and had nothing, she had already begun to see this place as her first real home. She didn't want to wander anymore. She preferred the feeling of being grounded.
So, just as her new life was beginning, Milisen ran over and happily told her they were leaving...
Mona was at a loss.
Fortunately, Ahsoka broke the tension.
"Mona promised me she would help us build this base together, Milisen. This is being built for you, too," Ahsoka said gently.
Amir silently gave Ahsoka a thumbs-up. She was so understanding.
"But..." Milisen hadn't expected to be refused. She was unwilling. She wanted to be with Mona; she was her only friend before this.
"Alright, little Milisen." Ahsoka walked up to her and rubbed her worried face. "Mona isn't running away. She's just helping us build a home. She will always be here."
"Hmph!" Milisen turned around in a huff and walked back up the mountain path.
Amir looked at the slightly guilty Mona. "You didn't do anything wrong, Mona. Just stay here and rest easy. I'll go talk to Milisen."
Mona nodded. Her expression softened, but most of her previous enthusiasm had been dampened.
"Milisen's dark side energy is growing stronger," Ahsoka said to Amir in a low voice, moving to the side. "We must do something, or there will be unimaginable consequences later." She had sensed it too.
"The dark side is already influencing her emotions and thoughts..." Amir was also thinking, searching for any possible solution.
In the end, Ahsoka said, "You should take her with you. Even with Mona here, this place feels the same to her as the lab—a cage. She only feels safe with you. Only you can help her."
"I know. I'll find a solution. I'll leave this place to you and Gulina." Amir sighed and chased after Milisen.
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