So’lek had planned to tell them.

He simply hadn’t planned for this.

The Sarentu emerged from the forest in easy silence, voices low, attention on the trail ahead—until they stopped short. Not at a threat, not at a trace of the sky people, but at the sight of someone unfamiliar standing where only allies were meant to be.

She turned at the sound, calm but alert, posture steady in the way of someone who knew the forest well. No weapon raised. No fear shown. Just awareness.

So’lek stepped into the clearing a heartbeat too late.

For a moment, no one spoke. The air tightened—not with danger, but surprise. The Sarentu read the details quickly: the way So’lek angled himself toward her without thinking, the subtle shift of his weight, the unmistakable claim in his presence. This was not a stranger under his watch.

This was someone he protected.

“She is not a threat,” he said at last, voice firm, eyes never leaving her. “She is with me.”

Understanding flickered across their faces—not curiosity alone, but respect. The kind reserved for truths revealed without warning.

So’lek exhaled slowly. He had survived battles, betrayals, loss.

But this—being seen, unprepared—felt like stepping into a future he could no longer keep hidden.