Location: New Plouton
Date: Lythe 16, 4 ABY

***

"Welcome back to Tae'Karada," Moril said with a smile as he embraced Kaysa. "You don't know how happy it makes me to see you looking so well." He placed a hand on her belly and smiled. "Very well, indeed. You'll be happy to know that profits at Zenarr are up by twenty percent. I took a special hand in making sure things went well." Behind him stood another clone of Shiv and at her side Oot Kovan and her one-eyed bodyguard. "This over here is Saris. She and Kimara were rescued at the same time."

Kaysa nodded to Saris, her smile engaging. "It's a pleasure, Saris. You look just like your sister."

"Thank you," Saris said with a smile. "We are nearly identical, even our decorations. I have heard much about you, Kaysa, and I am very happy to meet you."

"You don't know me just yet," she teased the girl, then addressed Oot. "Keeve's told me of all you did. Thank you, Ms. Kovan."

"I am happy to be of any assistance," Oot answered with a gracious nod. "You are looking well, Kaysa. Life on Agarra was good for you." She glanced past to see Cadwin and smiled. "Extremely good, it seems."

Her cheeks coloured vibrantly and Kaysa ushered Cadwin forward. "My husband, Ms. Kovan. Estranged for some years...but still the man I married."

"Cadwin Tarrel," Oot said with a nod to Cadwin. "It is good to meet you." At his and Kaysa's surprised expressions: "It pays to know things about people. Your estranged husband was the clue I needed to put the pieces of the puzzle together."

Cadwin laughed. "Clever."

"And feisty," Kaysa added with a smirk. "Watch her closely, dear."

"Oh, no need to worry about me," Oot said with a knowing smile. "I've found someone to hold my fancy...for a time."

Kaysa's eyebrow crawled up her forehead. "Oh? If it's Zale, you can have him."

"Oh no," Oot said. "There was a time when he'd held my fancy, but not any longer. No no, I've found someone else, but it's unlikely you would be familiar with him. I'll have to introduce you."

"Oh?" Kaysa nodded slowly and with intrigue. "Perhaps later, you and I can spend some time alone and you will tell me?"

"I must say that sounds intriguing," Oot said with a smile, "though it probably won't be as intriguing in reality as it is in my mind. Now, I'm certain you're anxious to get home."

"Yes," she said, her brow creasing. "But...I wanted to speak to Moril first." She turned to the man, so loyal to Zale yet still her most trusted associate. "May we?"

Oot inclined her head and backed away, while Moril pointed to a small, nearby alcove and led Kaysa to it.

Once they were alone, he put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I made sure he stayed away for your arrival."

"Thank you." She sighed and accepted the seat on a bench protruding from the wall. Staring at her hands folded neatly in her lap, Kaysa asked, "Is he...well... How is he?"

"As well as can be expected," Moril answered. "He's alone, but surviving. I think the reality of what he did is hitting him hard. Though, fortunately he hasn't turned...suicidal. He's committed to getting through this from what I can tell."

"Alone?" Kaysa looked up, her expression filled with sorrow. "I still love him, Moril," she admitted. "I don't want anything to happen to him. You'll...you'll watch him, won't you?"

"Of course," Moril said. "I'm making sure he has plenty of work to keep his mind occupied. Don't worry, Kaysa. I won't let anything at all happen to him. And, I know you love him, or you wouldn't care so deeply. But the pain and anger are still fresh. It'll be alright, and he'll be there when you're ready to accept him back, I'll make certain of it."

"What if I'm never ready?" she asked. "Gods, Moril...I want this baby to know his or her father. How can I just keep him away?"

"Give it time," Moril said. "It's still too fresh. But, maybe soon, you'll want Zale in your life again. Maybe not. But, time will reveal the answers far more certainly than fretting."

"Do I look like I'm fretting, Moril?" She laughed softly and embraced her old friend tenderly. "It's good to be back, if only to see you. I missed you terribly."

Moril held her close, a smile curling his lips. "Only when you talk about whether you'll see him again or not. But other than that, you're perfect."

"So are you," she murmured, then leaned up to kiss his cheek. "Come to the house tonight. We're having a dinner."

"I wouldn't miss it," Moril answered. "Do you mind if I...if I bring Saris?"

Kaysa grinned slyly. "Oh my... Sounds like someone has a crush. Of course you can bring her...if only to give me an opportunity to interrogate the girl about her feelings for you."

"Very well," Moril answered, then added, "as long as you don't scare her off. She's been helping me around the office, and we've been getting to know each other."

"Not too well I hope," she said with a nudge from her elbow. "She looks sweet. Don't take that away from her just yet."

"We're going slow," Moril answered. "She's so much like Maeren, but still so different. She's got Maeren's artistic talent too. You should see some of the portrait's she's done around the office."

"A perfect clone," Kaysa mused. "At least Dargus did something right." Cradling her swollen stomach, Kaysa pushed herself up from the bench and sighed. "We have to go get settled in again. It's been a long time away."

"Come on," Moril said, extending an arm for her, "I'll walk you back to the speeder."

She gladly accepted and strolled at an easy pace through the milling travellers and workers of the bustling spaceport. Outside, the entire family, consisting of Keeve, the three Shivs, Oot, Merrick, and Cadwin were waiting by the speeder, all engaged in a lively chat. The sight brought a warm laugh from Kaysa's lips. "It's good to be back." Moril chuckled. "I can't believe there are three of her," he said. "I fear for anyone who gets stuck in a room alone with all three."

"Fear," Kaysa asked skeptically, "or envy?"

"Oh fear," Moril said with a grin. "Though, they'd die with a smile on their face. You know what one is like, can you imagine all three...at the same time? I don't think the human heart is capable of sustaining a body under that."

Kaysa giggled and leaned into Moril as they continued their lazy approach. Keeve's eyes found them, and he offered Moril a genial smile and nod. "Ready to go, Mom?" he asked her.

She came up behind them all and grinned. "Of course. Who's cooking us dinner, then?"

"Me!" Zari shouted as she came racing up to them. "I will!"

Walking at a much more leisurely pace, Kallia laughed. "No, Zari, we'll be going to the Temple tonight to meet the others."

"Oh," Zari said, then nodded.

One of the three Maeren's grinned. "We can cook."

Kaysa and Keeve both raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure, Shiv?" Kaysa asked. "I mean...have you cooked an entire meal before?"

"Well, no," Shiv answered, "but there are three of us. If we prepare three courses, then we have a whole meal."

"And Saris and Kim know how to cook?" Kaysa chuckled. "This should be interesting...."

"They know enough," Shiv said with a grin. "Don't worry, Kaysa, it'll be edible. Trust me."

She narrowed her eyes warily at Shiv, humphed, then strode for the nearest hatch. Keeve opened it for her. "Everyone in," Keeve told them.

As they were all climbing inside, Zari looked around, then said, "Since there isn't much room, can I sit on Keeve's lap?"

He frowned at the girl. "While I'm driving?"

"I can help you," Zari said with a vigourous nod. "Please?"

Keeve looked questioningly at Shiv, who giggled and encouraged him with a nod. He relented with a sigh and motioned for Zari to follow as he walked around the vehicle towards the driver's hatch. "No fidgeting," he told her.

She shook her head, indicating she wouldn't. Once he climbed in, she followed, settling herself onto his lap. She turned back, a big grin on her face. "Is this alright?"

He cleared his throat, and grumbled, "Fine." Then toggled the thrusters on with a harsh, jerky motion that had Zari lurching. "Everyone in?"

Various calls confirming that they were in followed, and then the sound of all the hatches sealing. "Ready to go home," one of the Shiv's said, then giggled.

With a heavy sigh, he kicked the speeder into acceleration. Zari swayed into his line of sight and he motioned with his head for her to lean out of the way. "It's a long ride," he told her. "Keep steady or we'll never get there."

Zari leaned back against his chest, with her head against his shoulder and out of the way. "Is this alright?" she whispered as the speeder bumped again, though she managed to steady herself before sliding off his lap.

He glanced down at the girl suspiciously, though with her sweet smile, he could hardly suspect her of any dissolute intentions. Keeve simply nodded slowly, warily, then fixed his attention to the road ahead. Behind him, there were definite, hushed giggles. Keeve grumbled.

***

"Okay," Shiv called out as she backed through the kitchen door holding two plates filled with steaming food. Behind her, Saris and Kim followed carrying food as well. "I hope we didn't make too much here, but if we did...we can finish it tomorrow. I hope everyone likes it."

"It smells wonderful," Merrick said, as he glanced over at Kaysa, who was grinning at the three young women as they began laying the spread of food out on the table.

"Hopefully it tastes just as good," she quipped, though the rumbling in her belly wouldn't mind either way.

"Oh, I'm sure it will," Shiv said. "Each of us tested it and we're still alright..."

"That's debatable," Merrick said with a laugh. "I've seen some of the things you eat, my love, and I know I'd have a difficult time surviving after them."

Shiv giggled. "You just have a tender tummy. Now, it's not too spicy, so you should be fine."

"You didn't make it too sweet either, did you?" Keeve asked with a visible grimace as the steaming bowl of food was set down in front of him. "You know how I hate when you do that."

"Not too sweet," Kimara answered. "We debated that for awhile, and we don't think it's too sweet. It should be just right. But...you'll have to taste to know for sure."

Keeve grinned wryly. "Next time, I'm keeping a close eye on you three..."

Kimara glanced over at Keeve and grinned. "Promise?"

He sighed defeatedly and spooned a heaping serving of the stew onto his plate. "You know I'm not answering that, Kim. It could get me into trouble with my wife."

Kim giggled. "Would it?"

Looking across the table at his wife, Keeve raised an eyebrow and asked, "Wouldn't it?"

Maeren looked at Kimara and then at Keeve. She gazed into his eyes for several long moments before finally shaking her head. "No, it wouldn't. I know where your heart is. And, even then, if you do end up loving Kimara, I know your heart is more than big enough to love us both."

"Shiv!" Keeve whispered harshly and abashedly. His gaze flickered to all at the table, Kaysa trying to stifle a laugh, Merrick appearing envious, and Cadwin proud of his dashing son. Finally he shook his head and focused only on his meal.

"So," Merrick said after a moment of silence, "Zari is going to become a Jedi? It's so strange to have them here, on Tae'Karada. Every once in awhile, I'll see one on the streets. And, we've practically got one in the family."

"We'll have four soon," Kaysa noted around a mouthful of salad. "Kallia's due in a few months."

"Wow, Kallia, Yara, the new one, and Zari," Merrick said with a laugh. "We could practically be our own Jedi Academy."

"We could," Shiv said. "Zari will be our first family member who will become a Jedi, unless Yara just races ahead. Or her crush on Keeve doesn't distract her."

"She doesn't have a crush," Keeve exclaimed, his head snapping up to regard her with a narrowed gaze. "She's just a kid." Sullenly, he jammed another spoonful of stew into his mouth.

Shiv just looked him, then slowly nodded her head. "Oh," she murmured. "If you say so." Kim snickered.

"Poor Keeve," Kaysa said consolingly, "there's three of you now to tease him. Don't make him cry, now." The petulant stare he gave Kaysa caused her to snicker.

"Oh Keeve," Shiv said, "I don't know why you're so distraught that Zari may have a crush on you. It's really cute."

"And what of Kim's crush?" Kaysa asked. "And Oot's? Oh, I've seen the way she looks at him...hungry and ready to tear at his clothes."

"They're all very cute," Shiv said with a giggle. "Especially the way he blushes because of them."

"I do not," Keeve snapped, setting down his spoon with a clatter. "Do you always have to be so childish, Maeren? It's almost as if you want me sleeping with all of Tae'Karada!"

Maeren frowned and her mouth tightened as she stared at him. "Why do you always have to be such a humourless grouch? It's like Dargus Kandran removed your sense of humour when he turned you into a man."

"And he removed any sense of modesty and sexual restraint from you," Keeve riposted.

"Now, now," Kaysa chided. "Stop this. This is our first dinner together in a long time. Let's not ruin it."

"Too late," Keeve cut in, glowering at Shiv, "she already has." His chair was pushed back with a grating scrape, before he stormed from the table. Kaysa sighed and watched him swipe at his jacket from the rack.

Kimara quickly pushed away from the table and chased after him before anyone could stop her, including Shiv who was halfway pushed away from the table.

"Definitely Home, Part 2"
By: Kaysa Zenarr
Moril Astren [NPC+]
Saris [NPC+]
Merrick Braston
Keeve Shivral [NPC+]
Maeren Shivral
Kimara [NPC+]
Cadwin Tarrel [NPC+]

Location: New Plouton
Date: Lythe 16, 4 ABY

***

She caught up with him as he was reaching the street. "Keeve," she called. "Keeve, stop!"

"Maeren, I don't--" The quick glance over his shoulder was enough for him to identify the woman following him, and it certainly wasn't Shiv. With a sigh, he stopped for Kim. "What are you doing? Go back to the dinner."

"What's the matter, Keeve? Was whatever she said worth running out of the meal? What is it? It can't just be that she said how you react to someone flirting with you is cute."

"She knows I hate being teased," he grumbled, though seeing Kimara had done much to quell his anger. He stuffed his hand into his pockets stubbornly and made a valiant effort to pout as she drew closer.

Kimara slipped her arms around him and pressed her cheek to his shoulder. "Do you really hate it?" she asked. "Is it really that bad? What about it bothers you, Keeve? What about the teasing don't you like? Because...her teasing isn't done to hurt you...it's because she loves you so much."

He sighed. "I know that," was his gentle reply. "I just hate it because--" Keeve closed his eyes as he pressed his lips thin and wound his arms about her waist. "I hate it," he finished in a whisper, "because I know some of it is true, and I feel guilty because of it."

Kimara looked up into his eyes and sighed softly. "Do you think she would be upset if she saw us here like this?" she asked, her gaze steady. "I don't think she would. I think she'd be happy, because if being here with me in your arms makes you happy, she's happy."

"But it's wrong," he told her. "She's my wife. There shouldn't be anyone else, especially not her clone!"

"Why is it wrong, Keeve?"

"Because I'm married to Maeren," he stressed, though the words seemed to be worth little as Kimara stared up at him with soulful, adoring brown eyes. "I can't love two people," Keeve whispered. "It wouldn't be right."

"Maeren does," Kim said. "So does Kaysa and Merrick. In the end, it's up to you, Keeve. You can tell yourself you can't, but in the end it's your heart that will truly decide for you."

"And what about you?" he asked. His hand had come up to stroke her silken cheek. "What is your heart saying right now?"

"My heart tells me it cares for you very much," Kimara whispered, "and it hopes you care for me too."

Keeve swallowed the lump in his throat forming at the sight of Kim's innocent, hopeful smile. His other hand cradled her cheek now, and unconsciously his face lowered to hers. "I shouldn't," he murmured, "but I think I do." And in a moment where the ambient sounds of speeders passing, and the birds in the trees twittering faded, their lips met, and Keeve was left with not a doubt in his mind.

She collapsed against him, her body melting against his as the dream she'd dreamt for so many nights seemed to come true. When at last their lips parted, her eyes found his again. "Wow," she whispered. "That was...wow..." Her lips curled into a smile that was filled with joy and hope and love. "That was nice."

He grinned and nodded. "It was. Should we bother going back to dinner, or did you want to walk with me?"

"I'd like to walk with you," Kim said. "I like being with you, Keeve. I feel like I'm...it's nice to be with someone who does care about me and wants to be with me. I know you've been nervous with me, but I never got the impression you didn't actually want me around...just not trying to seduce you."

"I like having you around," he admitted hesitantly. "It's just hard. I love Maeren...I can't hurt her." Keeve caressed her cheek lightly and added, "But I can't hurt you either and I just don't know what to do."

"Could you love both of us?" Kimara asked as she turned her head to kiss his palm. "The only way you could hurt her is to stop loving her. If you could love her and me, then I think it would be alright." Keeve smiled pensively. "I could," he answered. "But I'd worry." At her puzzled expression, he clarified, "Well...what if I find out I love one more than the other?" He paused to kiss her brow, and murmured against it, "And what if that person isn't my wife?"

"You love each as much as you can," Kim said, "and that's really all you can do. And, if you love one more than the other...I don't know." She brushed her lips against his chin. "I guess we'd just have to see what happened."

"I don't like just seeing what happens," Keeve said curtly and pulled away with a sharp sigh. "Why do you have to look like her, Kim?" he asked in anguish. "And...and why do you have to be everything in her that made me fall in love with her in the first place?"

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I...I don't mean to be so much like her...but...do you want me to try to be different? I can wear my hair different or...or dress differently...or do things to be different from her."

Keeve smiled wanly and shook his head as he wrapped Kim in his embrace again. "I'm not blaming you," he told her. "Don't change, Kim. I'll just have to figure it out, okay?"

"If you need any help," she said, "I'm here. I don't know how I can help, but if I can, I want to."

"Good." He kissed her temple, then grinned down at her. "You can help by having a frazzy with me. Beebleberry."

"I think I'd like a beebleberry frazzy very much," Kimara said with a smile. She slipped her arm into his and snuggled closer to him as they started down the street. "I don't know if now is the time...but...up until now, I've just been with you...what...what happens now that everyone is back here?"

Keeve sighed. "Good question. What would you like to do?"

"I don't really know," Kim said. "I would...I would like somewhere close by...unless there's room in the house. I don't know. What do you think would be best for us? Where will you be living?"

"Well, until Maeren and I find our own place, we'll be living in the mansion." Keeve shrugged. "You and Saris, you can live there too...unless you prefer the palace."

"I think we'd like to stay close to you guys," Kim said. "I like Oot and the people at the palace, but they're always so busy. I like it...near you. You make me smile."

Keeve smirked. "Don't know why.... I think you girls just like to tease me, that's all."

"It's fun to tease you," Kim said. "But it's only because I care about you...we all do. I hope you don't think we're ever doing that out of spite."

"No," he admitted, "I don't think that. I just think you little seductresses are trying to cajole me into doing something I'm not ready for yet." He grinned down at Kim. "You know what I mean...."

"Then there is hope for you," Kim said with a giggle. She pointed across the street. "Oh, frazzy stand."

Keeve held her by the waist and led her across the now-deserted roadway to the small, canopied stand. "You ever had a frazzy before?" "I don't think I ever have," she said. "I saw them before...I think. I guess I have a memory, but..." She laughed. "No, I haven't."

"Life on Dargus' Cruiser must've been horrible then," he joked. "What'd you guys do for fun anyway?"

"Mainly it was just Saris and I," Kim said. "We were forced to entertain his people. He was very...he was a wicked man. But, we were treated well enough and always had enough food."

Keeve masked his grief and rage with a thoughtful smile. "And do you remember when you were born? I mean, do you have a birthday?"

"I remember it, but it's fuzzy. I remember being born...it was...it was really cold. I remember moving to Agarra. Details though...they're difficult."

"Moving to Agarra?" Keeve gripped Kim's arm and gently pulled her back. Confusion was clear in his expression. "Kim...you've never been to Agarra. How do you remember going there?"

"I--" She frowned. "Maybe Dargus implanted...implanted memories...so I'd remember it. I...I can't think of any other way for me to know..."

"Well why would he want you to only half-remember something?" Keeve asked. "That's a little odd, isn't it?"

Kim was silent for a moment, then nodded. "It is," she whispered. She looked at him, then added: "When I think about things, I remember more, but...but mostly it's kind of blurry."

"Well...one possibility is that Maeren's memories were implanted during the genetic sequencing...but maybe they didn't take," Keeve suggested. "If you really want to retrieve the memories, Kim, I'll help."

"I'd like that, Keeve," Kim said. "I'd like it very much. Remembering only bits and pieces...it's...it's so frustrating."

Keeve's charming, crooked smile was there to provide reassurance as he answered, "If we don't get them back, we'll just create new ones. Like...your first frazzy." Taking her hand into his, and with a wink, Keeve led her towards the stand again.

"Oh, even if we do get them back, this will be one of my best memories." She raised his hand to her lips and kissed it gently. "Thank you, Keeve, for being so wonderful."

He shrugged, as if bothered by the compliment. "You caught me on a good day, that's all."

"My lucky day, I guess," she whispered and snuggled against his arm. "I think things are going to work out for the best. With all of us."

"So optimistic," he mused, miming to the vendor for two frazzies, beebleberry. "Maeren was like that...still might be." He sighed. "After meeting you...I guess she paled in some ways, and I feel bad for saying that because I love her. It's just...you're brighter somehow."

"Despite what I've been through," Kimara said, "I think she's been through more. If you're feeling adventurous, we might be able to...brighten her up together." She kissed his cheek. "I'm only kidding, Keeve." Then she added with a grin, "I think."

"It better remain just a thought," Keeve warned her playfully, nuzzling his lips to her throat. "I don't share Maeren...not while I'm in her bed."

"Alright," Kim said. She smiled then. "I guess that means I can have you all to myself when you're not in her bed."

"Wishful thinking, isn't it?" he joked. "We're barely past holding hands."

She looked up into his eyes, her large brown eyes hopeful. "Are we?"

Keeve stared down at her in ponderous silence. His finger idly stroked her cheek, and as he opened his mouth to answer, the words "Two Frazzies" seemed to replace whatever he had planned to say. Appreciative of the convenient intrusion, Keeve broke the visual connection with Kim and nodded to the vendor as he accepted the treats. "Thanks," he said, tossing him a credit chip. The man snatched it from the air and turned it over. He grinned at the large denomination of currency as Keeve departed with Kim. Her question still remained unanswered. "You know," he told her after a long stretch of silence, "we should all go to the beach before it gets too cold. It'll be good for you girls to get acquainted better."

"I'd like that very much," Kim said. "Maybe Zari can come with us too, if the Jedi can let her go. I think she'd love to go to the beach too."

"As long as she's not bouncing in my lap - intentionally!" Keeve sighed. "I swear, she was trying to..." He cleared his throat uncomfortably and glanced at his groin. "You know...during the speeder ride."

"You looked a little uncomfortable during that ride," Kim said. "Though, not entirely discomforted. Are you...are you upset because it makes you uncomfortable, or because it felt good?"

"It didn't feel good," Keeve snapped and yanked his hand free of Kim's. "You three just think everyone has an uncontrollable urge for sex, no matter what the situation." He shook his head. "Gods...what's wrong with you?"

"Perhaps it's the fact that I was nearly bred as a sex slave by Dargus Kandran," Kim said, her eyes showing the pain he'd caused. She crossed her arms over her chest and looked away. "I'm sorry if I offend you, Keeve."

"Oh, don't be stubborn," he chided, and he gripped her arm to turn her towards him. "You don't offend me, Kim," Keeve told her gently, leaning forward to peer directly into her eyes. "Zari's just a kid...and I don't exactly want people thinking I get off on a kid, okay?"

"I never thought you did," Kim said. "But I know that if someone plopped themselves down in my lap and started squirming and rubbing against me, I'd get aroused. There are certain things that, when done to the body, will get things going. And, it doesn't matter who's doing them...it's just a physiological reaction to certain stimuli."

"Well, I'm a little more disciplined than that," Keeve told her. "And I know she has a crush on me...and if I allowed myself to give into her, wouldn't I be as bad as Dargus was?"

"Not even remotely," Kim said. "From what I understand, Dargus was about control. You're not that way, Keeve. If you allowed yourself to give into her, you would care for her and love her and it would be so completely different. Same with me. Same with Saris. She's a cute, wonderful girl, and she likes you. If you were like Dargus, you'd use her for what you could get out of her, and then leave her. I haven't known you long, Keeve, but I feel I know you well enough that that's the last thing that would happen to her. If you allowed yourself, she'd never want for love and affection because you would shower her with it, same with Maeren, same with me. Dargus only cared for what he wanted and desired, not anyone else."

"But don't you see," Keeve whispered, "he created me to be just like him. What if I am? What if, no matter how hard I try, I end up like him?"

"When I first met him," Kim said, "he had his dick inside me within the first five minutes. How long have you known me, Keeve? He may have created you to be like him, but you ended up with some very good qualities too. Qualities he doesn't possess. You have a big heart, Keeve...that alone sets you apart in ways like you can't imagine. You're like him in some ways, Keeve, but not his worst ways. You're a good person, a caring person. Don't think that enjoying sex, craving and desiring sex, is going to make you like him. I love sex, Keeve, and I hope I'm nothing like him. I love it because of how I feel during it, and what I can share with the person I'm with. If you're thinking about the person you're with while you're loving them, then you're nothing like Dargus."

Keeve watched a droplet of melted frazzie plummet to the ground from between his closed fingers. Before it could splatter, he was convinced of all Kim had said. "I'm not like him," he stated fervently. "And I won't ever be. He was cruel to you, Kim," Keeve said softly, brushing fingertips against her arm. "I promise, I'll never be like that."

She looked up into his eyes and smiled. "I know," she whispered.

His mouth quirked into a lopsided grin. "Yeah," he responded thoughtfully, his eyes locked with hers. "I really think you do. You understand me, Kim." Leaning forward, he kissed her cheek, though his lips caught the corner of her mouth. "Thanks," he whispered against her ear.

She grinned, and fought back a giggle. "You're welcome," she said. "Keeve, whatever it is we have between us, I like it. I like knowing you."

"And I like knowing you," he replied earnestly. "You're like Maeren used to be...before everything. It's a nice memory." Detecting a fresh trickle of melting frazzy roll down the back of his hand, Keeve chuckled and raised the frozen treat. "So...that bench?"

"Yes," Kim said as she led the way over to the bench and they settled onto it. "Maybe we can help her find that person she used to be again. I think I'd like to try. She's a wonderful person, and...and I'd like her to be happy too. Because I know I am."

"She's not happy?" Keeve asked, perplexed. "Did she-- Has she said something?"

"I think she's happy," Kim said, "but...there is something different between us. I can feel it when I'm around her, sort of. I think she is happy, but...it's like something is missing or changed...or maybe just jaded."

"Jaded? Do you think she's jealous?" Keeve frowned. "She thinks you're getting in the way, doesn't she?"

"I don't think so at all," Kim said. "I don't think she gets jealous. It sounds like she's happy to share you with whoever makes you happy. She doesn't think it's fair that she's allowed to have others and you're not, and it doesn't bother her at all if you do."

"Well, I told her she's the only one." And looking at Kim, now, Keeve couldn't help feeling it was a lie. "I-I have to make it up to her," he mumbled, hanging his head.

"Do you really think she'd be upset with you if you told her that you realized you like me a lot? Or anyone else? From what I've heard, in most languages, the words for forgiving and accepting translate to Maeren."

Keeve grinned. "Really? I've never heard that before."

"Well, I've only just heard it," Kim said, "but it must be true."

"We'll see," he answered significantly. "I know for sure she's going to give me an earful or three when we get back." Grasping her hand gently, Keeve raised Kim's frazzy to her lips. "So...enjoy."

She took a big taste and her eyes widened with delight. "Oh, that's yummy," she said. "I think I really like frazzies." She looked up at him, then grinned. "And, don't worry about her. If she gives you an earful, I think she'll also manage to make it up to you. She loves you very much, Keeve."

Sighing, Keeve wrapped an arm around her waist and gazed distantly at the downy clouds drifting across the azure sky. "Yeah...I guess she does." He grinned. "I'm a lucky guy." And, glancing aside at Kim as she lapped at her frazzy again, he added softly, "Really lucky."

***

Little had been said since Keeve's rapid departure. Merrick and Cadwin had talked about jobs and finding things to do on Tae'Karada. Cadwin hadn't wanted to go into details about the work he'd wanted to get involved in, but when pressed finally admitted that he didn't really know what he could do now...especially since he wanted to remain on Tae'Karada rather than racing around the galaxy. Kaysa had been pleased at that, and mentioned seeing if she could find something for him to do at Zenarr Inc.

"I've been thinking," Shiv said when the talking subsided again, "that I'd like to go back to dancing. The Palace was nice, and except for a few problems, I really loved dancing there. I think with Zale's brothers out of the way...it should be alright now."

"And Keeve?" Kaysa asked with a pointed look. "What do you think his reaction will be?"

"I don't know," Shiv said. "But as long as I'm safe, he wouldn't have a problem, would he? He seemed very proud of me dancing...it was just when things went wrong he didn't like it."

Kaysa nodded slowly, but wasn't convinced. Clearing her throat gently, she pushed back her chair. Merrick and Cadwin both started to rise, but she stayed them with a soft laugh and a shooing gesture. "I'm pregnant, not incapacitated. I just wanted to move to the couch." As she stepped away from her chair, she motioned for Shiv to follow.

Shiv slipped out of her seat and followed after Kaysa. "I'll talk to him about it before I go back, of course," she said. "If not, I may see if I can get some work at The White Noise."

"Do you think working anywhere you're exposing yourself, performing for men will please Keeve?" Kaysa sighed and settled gracefully onto the sofa despite her bulk. Shiv took a seat beside her. "Shiv," she whispered, "things are alright with you two, aren't they? I mean, what happened today was just one of his usual turns of childishness, right?" Kaysa moved her hand to Shiv's knee, bracing herself and Shiv for her next question. "Shiv...he's not falling for Kim...is he?"

"I think he's trying not to, but...but I think he may be. They're very close, and...I mean, she's me, Kaysa. Me without a lot of the stuff I've been through. Despite having been a pleasure slave on Dargus' ship, she still seems to have some of her innocence left." She looked at Kaysa and sighed. "Have I changed that much?"

Kaysa smiled tenderly and slipped an arm around Shiv's shoulders. "You have...but you're still my star. Keeve still loves you...it's just that Kim is a little more...tractable. You, on the other hand..." Kaysa chuckled.

"Completely incorrigible and with two other lovers," Shiv said with a laugh. "Though, I think if he's not careful, he's going to have to watch out for Zari."

"Cadwin would be so proud," Kaysa mused, then snickered. "Keeve is just as big a brat as Cadwin ever was, though he would never admit it."

Shiv giggled and slipped a hand into Kaysa's free hand. "I've told Keeve that I don't mind if he has other lovers. I'm happy if he does...because I do. As long as I know about it and we're honest, it's alright."

"Well...then as long as he tells you about Kim, it's fine." She smiled and added, "And about Oot."

"Oot? He and Oot?" Shiv rolled her eyes and shook her head. "He's as bad as me."

Kaysa grinned questioningly. "He never told you?"

"No," Shiv said, "I think he neglected to mention that. Oh, he acts all pure and innocent, but I think he's really far more wild than we realize."

"Or trying not to be, so he's ashamed of his lack of self-restraint." She kissed her lover's cheek. "He's becoming more like you and I think it scares him. He hates being carefree."

"Well, I'll just have to make him realize it's possible to be both," Shiv said. "And, that if he wants to be carefree, I'd love him just as much that way. And, I think we could have a whole lot more fun."

"Oh, I bet we could have some too." Kaysa's smile was mischievous as she slowly rose. "Come on. Let's go grab Saris and hole up in bedroom and just gossip. Hm?"

"Oh, that sounds like a great idea," Shiv said as she followed Kaysa to her feet. "I think I'd like to get to know my other twin much better."

Kaysa narrowed her eyes playfully as she chided, "Not in that way, dear."

"Not in that way," Shiv said. She grinned then. "Though, that way could be really fun later."

"Stop that," Kaysa told her with a giggle. "Moril's got his eye on her. Let him have this one thing, please?"

"They looked so happy together, didn't they? And, so cute. Which means, I guess I looked cute with him too. But, I'm happy with you, Merrick, and Keeve."

Kaysa hugged her lover close. "And I'm happy too...considering." Zale was quickly shoved out of her mind and replaced only with thoughts of those around her, those who truly loved her. "Well," she whispered with a hint of sadness, "let's have that chat now. What do you say?"

Shiv leaned close and kissed Kaysa. "I say that's a wonderful idea," she said. "Hopefully Moril won't mind us stealing Saris away for a bit. It'll give him a chance to chat with Merrick and Cadwin, and...with the way he and Saris look at each other, he may be part of the family soon."

"What's one more?" she asked with a shrug, and both laughing softly, they stole Saris away from her admirer and scampered like young girls towards the nearest bedroom for an evening of gossip.

Merrick listened to them as they retreated and then laughed. "Not sure if I like the sound of that," he said. "It sounds...mischievous." He looked around the table and then grinned. "But damn it's good to hear laughter again. It's good to be home."

As they settled back into their conversation, each felt that same sentiment settle in. It was definitely good to be home.

"Taking A Hot Bath"
by Quistis Knox
Even Akesha (NPC)

Location: Quistis's Home in New Plouton
Date: Lythe 16, 4 ABY

***

Akesha arrived home; it was an early morning. The sun had risen marking a new day. Quistis slammed the door and put her weapons above her bed.

She then took her coat off slowly since her back hurt like hell to Quistis. She then seated herself on the bed and took off her knee boots. She sighted for a moment to the wall in front of her. Thinking in nothing.

She then got up and walked to the bathroom and turned on the hot water of the tub. She put little of foam on the water.

She then slowly undressed her suit, revealing her beautiful legs and her form of the thorax, but few bruises were visible on her legs.

She looked to her legs and saw how many bruises she had on the legs. A few minutes later she was naked in front of the glass and examined the bruises that she had. Slowly and gently turned to the tub and turn off the hot water.

She entered the tub and sat on the tub, giving a huge satisfaction and little orgasm while she set on the tub.

For a few minutes she laid there with bruises hurting like hell. She didn't quite fight hand to hand, but that stunt she pulled put her body with a lot of bruises.

A comm started to beep, like incoming transmission. "Perfect timing as always." She yelled to an inside robot to patch it through the bathroom.

A screen on the wall in front of her activated and appearing was Akesha.

"Oh... Sorry, I didn't know that you were taking a bath." Akesha gave an embarrassed smile.

"Don't worry. What I got you also have in yours. I was trying to rest here, since I had a really bad day."

"Oh... Bad day... May I ask who was the unfortunate rival of yours?" Akesha said with smile.

"Don't know. It was a woman by the name of Lady Ammut. Either she has extremely powerful allies or we have a leak!" Quistis said as she sat her head on the tub, but kept looking to the videowall.

Akesha paused to think. "A leak? No... If there was a leak the Triumvirate would know about our plans." She paused. "This Lady Ammut has powerful allies or friends - either one it is not good... The Intel? The Intel reached its destination?"

"I don't know, Akesha. The contact met me as arranged but Ammut's thugs appeared... She did mention about the price of failure is death. It seems that the contact was able to flee, but I don't know if the Intel reached its destination. If the Rebels make a move on the underworld, the Intel reached its destination." Quistis nodded.

"I guess your right..." Akesha looked to the other way and then to the camera. "I received your report about Jadda and his fellow friend. What intrigues me is that you said he is a Sith?"

"Yes the rumors are confirmed, but it can be our secret if Jadda betrays us we will tell the Triumvirate about him. That pompous imbecile still thinks that the Triumvirate will be afraid of him." She laughed.

"Yeah... The triumvirate started as a small crime organization, but Jadda don't know about this new Triumvirate. Not even me that I have contact with them don't know who they really are. Jadda thinks he is unbeatable...to think of it all Hutts think they are unbeatable."

"Yeah it's weird Jadda's entire family accepted our proposal when we talk about Jadda. I still wonder what he has done to his family, that they react as they did." Quistis nodded and saw that Akesha didn't know either.

"Don't remind me about that, Quistis I thought that we were almost sure as they ordered their guards to kill us when we spoke his name."

"What ever he has done, his family's rather pissed about it. Luckily your skills at diplomacy were rather good as always. Either way it goes has plan for now." Quistis smiled.

Akesha was not as happy as Quistis was, this new woman made here uneasy. "I do hope that this Lady Ammut will not ruin our plans; if so be prepared for war, Quistis. I don't like the way it sounds about this Ammut."

"She also puts me uneasy; she is hiding something rather big. What ever it is be very secure. Word on the street is she is preparing to move against all crime syndicates or organizations. To make this kind of move she had a very and extremely powerful friend or ally. Also about her bodyguard makes things difficult. He knows the ways of a cleric. He was once a cleric."

"What...?" Akesha said, surprised.

"That son of a bitch is still alive, but we can use this to our favor." Quistis dived on the water and went back up and wiped her eyes with her hands. "High cleric has still unfinished business with him, if we can only use it to our favor."

"Well we still have a lot of time for that, Quistis. If she becomes a threat to us or other organizations, will be a huge war on the streets. This will call the attention to Tae'Karada and will sent clerics to defend our buildings and warehouses. Which becomes extremely difficult to win the Cult of Assacis' trust on me. You have to stop for that ever happening! Do you understand!"

"Yes I do, Akesha. Did I ever let you down?" Quistis spoke quite angrily.

"No. And I do hope that you don't. Just keep sending reports and use encryption just to make sure," Akesha said after she turned off the connection.

Quistis looked to the ceiling and glanced at it for a moment. She was thinking about that Lady Ammut and Aeolus. The words of the street were never wrong; she had to plan quickly a way to stop Ammut from striking. Whatever it was she really had to plan it extremely fast. Time was of the essence and she could not waste any time.

"Old Friends Found"
By: Kallia Brael
Laedra Vorrel
Zari Zathmir [NPC+]
Orn Gham [NPC+]
Ydora [NPC+]

Location: Jedi Temple
Date: Lythe 16, 4 ABY

***

The cycles of life were intriguing, a fascination that had never before seemed so until that moment. Her first arrival at this place had been many months ago---though now it seemed an eternity. Things were so very different now, yet there was a sameness. She could sense pain and suffering through the Force, battles fought and lost, but there was a joy that overrode it all. The presence of life had never felt so strongly at this place as it did upon this new arrival. Any doubts that had existed in her mind or in her heart vanished.

When she had left, she had just gone from Learner to Knight, and upon her return...Knight to Master. She looked to the young one beside her and smiled. It had been the same for her not so very long ago. Though she'd had no Temple to go to. They'd been forced to hide, to remain out of sight of the watchful eye of the Emperor, who would have them put instantly to death for what they were, what they stood for.

Times had certainly changed. She put a hand to the swell of her belly where her second child continued to grow. I've definitely had my share of change recently.

A figure ahead of her caught her eye, and she smiled. "Over this way, Zari," she said and moved toward the robed figure who was looking over the garden. Sensing the arrival, she turned. "Laedra Vorrel, it is good to see you again."

The woman appeared not at all surprised by Kallia's presence - she had detected it when the speeder pulled up - but her eyes grew wide when they fell to the bulge of Kallia's abdomen. "Jae Dyn Brael," she breathed, and looked up at her friend again, this time smiling. "When--" Laedra laughed softly and carefully embraced Kallia.

Kallia laughed and returned the hug. "I'm not absolutely certain," she said. "But...but I believe it happened during my captivity aboard Dargus' cruiser. I haven't yet sought medical counsel to know for certain, but given my stay there...that would be the most likely. But, even if it was Dargus again, Yara is nothing like him and so very beautiful. But, we shall see the truth of it in a few months."

Laedra attempted to appear as hopeful as Kallia, but time certainly would tell. Still with one hand resting gently upon Kallia's shoulder, Laedra turned her attention to the young woman standing tall beside her, but shifting nervously from foot to foot. "Greetings." Laedra bowed her head, and as she raised it again, she glanced briefly at Kallia, sharing a knowing look. It seemed young Force-sensitives were popping up everywhere. "And, what would your name be, young child?"

"My name is Zari Zathmir, Jedi Master," the girl said, a hint of shyness in her tone. "I have come here to become a Jedi Knight like Jedi Jae Dyn Brael."

Laedra smiled. "I hope it wouldn't be too much of an imposition," she told the girl, "but perhaps we should start you out as a Padawan first."

Zari grinned. "I've been practicing," she said, then bowed respectfully to Laedra. "I hope to become as wonderful a Jedi as Jae Dyn someday."

Regarding Jae Dyn sidelong, she answered, "I'm sure you will be. Though," she told Zari, "would you care to get settled in before that?"

"Yes, Master," Zari said with a nod. "I would like that very much."

Jae Dyn smiled at the girl, then looked to Laedra. "I'll require a place to stay here too."

"You'll be training her, then," Laedra surmised, though she appeared only slightly perturbed. But for Zari, she continued smiling. "Well, then, if you'll follow me...." She extended an arm towards the gateway of the garden. As they filed out, Laedra took the lead with her arms folded into the sleeves of her robe. "There have been many changes during your absence," she spoke to them. "As you can see, there are many more occupying the Temple, with a few exceptions." The gaze she cast Kallia was at once meaningful and troubled. There was much Kallia had missed. "However," she continued with a heavy sigh, "we are managing."

"I sense both the life and the absence," Jae Dyn answered. "I would like to train Zari if the Council will allow it. I know I've been away, so if they would prefer for another to take over her training, I will understand. Perhaps while Zari is getting settled, you can update me with what I have missed."

"I would gladly do so," Laedra responded. "And while Zari meets Orn. You are hungry, are you not?"

Zari grinned from ear to ear. "I am," she said. "We haven't had anything to eat since we were on the ship to get here. It was hours ago."

"Then after we find you a room, I'll introduce you to Orn, our chef. Beware, though," she warned the girl playfully, "he'll wish to fatten you up, so don't be afraid to reject his extra helpings."

Zari looked down at her belly then giggled. "I don't want that," she said. "I'll be extra careful so my belly doesn't look like Jae Dyn's."

Laedra shared a chuckle with Kallia and turned a corner with them both. Zari's quarters were located the third door on the left, one she would share with Aurra Sgall. "It isn't very large," she told the girl as she took a slow circuit of the room, "but it will suffice, I hope."

"It's perfect," Zari whispered. "Thank you so very much, Master Vorrel. It's wonderful. I look forward to meeting the other girl I'll be staying with. It'll be nice to have a friend here."

"You'll have many, I'm sure."

As they made their way to the dining room, Zari opened up further to Laedra, who was surprised how much such a tiny girl had to say. She gave Kallia a sympathetic smile, wondering how she was going to manage such a handful. "Orn should be in the kitchen," Laedra told Zari once in the doorway of the hall. "You may go introduce yourself and he'll take good care of you."

"Okay!" And, with that, she rushed off toward the kitchen.

Once she was gone, Kallia laughed. "She's a handful, but she has a big heart. She's settled down considerably since I first started instructing her."

The warmth fled from Laedra's features as she touched upon the topic that had troubled Laedra from the start. She stepped aside for Kallia and gestured into the hallway. "There is much to discuss, Jae Dyn Brael."

Kallia stepped out into the hallway ahead of Laedra. "I sense I am not going to like what I hear," she said with a sigh. "If only it were possible to just make all that is wrong in the galaxy go away."

"It will be even less possible now that Dargus Kandran lives," Laedra told her, and studied her face as she awaited a reaction. "You did know this, I presume? You two were close at one time, were you not?" She motioned her eyes to the child growing within her.

Kallia paled. "No," she rasped. "I...I did not know. I thought him... I thought him dead." She looked down at her belly and sighed. "We were never close emotionally, though he forced himself upon me physically. Resisting was...useless. He would have done whatever it took, even if it meant harming me or those I loved, to get my compliance. That he lives is...is distressing. He shall not know this child. Ever."

"But he already does." Laedra's expression was as indecipherable as her comment. They walked for a time, Laedra not deigning to clarify her words until they'd reached a secluded corridor. She slowed to a stop and faced Kallia, her face still stern. "You may not have known it, but he has cloned your daughter, Yara. One of the clones is now under Liam Zaneth's care. The others are with Oot Kovan. I thought you should know this."

"Oh gods," Kallia said. Were it not for the Force, she probably would have sat down then and there. "Thank you for telling me. I...it's a lot of surprises today. How is Liam? Or rather...where is Liam?"

"He departed a few months ago," Laedra replied. "After Yelara's passing. We have had no word from them since, but I'm certain they're alright."

"Yes," Kallia whispered. "I believe I would have sensed if anything happened to him. If there is a way to contact him, I would like to...to try, if I can, to see her. Do you think that would be acceptable?"

"It would," Laedra answered hesitantly, "but there is still more to discuss, Jae Dyn. Such as your desire to train Zari." She raised an eyebrow at Kallia, and said, "You can see why myself and the other masters would frown upon this, can you not?"

Kallia frowned. "Not exactly, no," she said. "Please explain, Laedra."

She sighed and placed her hand amiably on Kalla's arm. "You were with Dargus Kandran, you're carrying his child, you disappeared for months without a word... Kallia, you abandoned the Order, and now you wish to return, train a Padawan, and live among us when months ago you were sharing a bed with the enemy?"

"You make it sound as if I had some choice in the matter," Kallia said calmly. "Trust me, as someone who knows, the words sharing and Dargus Kandran should never be used together. He takes what he desires and does not ask for permission ever. I did not share his bed; I was forced into it. I carry his child because he forced himself upon me many times. I went with Yelara to Corellia, but we were captured there by Dargus Kandran. I am a Jedi Knight, Laedra. And, I'm here because I want to be, not for any malicious reason. I want to see Zari trained as a Jedi, and I know here is the best place for it. I may have walked away for a time, but my heart is still true."

Laedra Vorrel allowed a smile for Kallia and tenderly squeezed her arm. "That is what I feel, Kallia," she told her softly. "But it is what you will be forced to convince the other masters of. Though, if it is any consolation, I will be by your side, defending you."

Kallia smiled, then bowed to Laedra. "Thank you," she said, then straightened. "It is good to be back. I've spent the last four months in the company of friends, protecting them from some very vile people, but it is nice to be back among my friends here."

"And I'm glad you still consider me one," Laedra replied. "I know we were sometimes at odds, but things are very different now, Kallia. I believe a fresh start is in order."

"I welcome a fresh start," Kallia said with a smile. "Thank you, Laedra. For everything. It feels very good to be home."

"Then let me reacquaint you." Laedra slipped her arm through Kallia's and steered her back into the corridor. "There is so much you've missed," Laedra began. "Nieme and Dani...we lost them. They abducted Ferrig and Rae, and the two are still under their possession." She sighed. "Times have been difficult."

Kallia shook her head. "I will help however I can to get them back...and in stopping Nieme and Dani."

"Well," Laedra answered with a humourous smile, "perhaps once the little one is born."

Kallia touched her belly and laughed. "Yes," she said, "I don't believe I'll be too active until then. So, is there any good news?"

Laedra's demeanour brightened and her grin broadened. "We have many new Padawans, some very talented. I have hope that our Order will thrive yet."

Kallia smiled and nodded. "I have every faith that it will," she said. "I should probably arrange to meet with the others, to speak on the matter of Zari's training."

"I can arrange it for you," Laedra offered. "You need rest, as does the little one." And on that cue, Laedra led Kallia to her quarters, the ones she had occupied before her departure, and ones she had shared with Liam and Yelara. "I hope," she said gently, "this doesn't bring back painful memories."

"There's sadness," Kallia answered, "but no pain. Thank you, Laedra. And, it is very good to see you again."

"I'm glad." Taking a chance, Laedra embraced Kallia, and briefly centered a kiss upon her cheek. "If you need anything, I'll be in the library." And with a bow, Laedra took her leave.

Kallia watched Laedra go with a smile, and then slipped inside her room. It was nice to be home.

***

"You know," Orn's booming, jovial voice commented, "you could use a little more fat on those bones, little one. Do you eat?" He shoved a spoon full of stew in front of Zari's face, encouraging her to taste.

Zari covered the spoon with her mouth, slurping up the stew that filled the small curved utensil. When she tasted it, she grinned. "That is very delicious, sir," she said. "And, I eat a lot, but when you climb as many trees as me, you don't have much chance to get chubby."

His rotund stomach jiggled as he laughed, one fat hand coming up to support it. "If I had your energy, I'd be one man now instead of four! I guess you're right at home here in the forest, then."

"When I saw all the trees here, my eyes almost popped right out. It's so wonderful. It's like being back home again. Though, it's not as hot here, or wet. I like it though."

"Well, if you're training, you'll be here a while." He dipped the spoon back into his brew and stirred through the thick liquid. "So, you want to be a Jedi, do you? You sure it's the life for you?"

"Yes," Zari said enthusiastically. "Master Jae Dyn has told me a lot about what being a Jedi means. I'll get to help people. I know it will be a long time, but there aren't that many kids who get this chance. I don't want to mess it up."

Orn sighed, and shook his head ruefully at the stew. "It's a hard road, Zari, and I've seen some people I love fall off it. When that happens..." His shoulders rose and fell heavily with another sigh.

She looked up at him with large blue eyes. "I'll be very careful," she said softly, almost secretively. "Master Jae Dyn is a really good teacher. She'll make sure I don't fall off the path." She grinned at him. "Besides, I'm really good at not falling."

Orn chuckled wanly. "Well...we'll see, won't we?" Clearing his throat of its knot, Orn turned with a bowl filled with stew and handed it to Zari. "Your first meal here. Welcome, Zari."

She accepted the bowl of stew gratefully. "Thank you, Mr. Orn," she said. "And, you can call me Zeezee. That's what all my friends called me back at home."

Orn's mirthful laugh returned and affectionately he grabbed a pinch of Zari's cheek between his thumb and index finger, and squeezed. "And you call me just 'Orn'," he told her.

"Thank you for the stew, Orn," Zari said. "And, I will try to get a little more chubby for you."

His large hand covered her cheek as he patted it. "That's a girl. Now, go on. There should be some friends you can eat with in the hall."

She hefted the large bowl of stew, gave him another big grin, then walked carefully to the door that led into the dining hall. So far, it looked like it was going to be very nice here.

At one of the tables nearest Orn's kitchen, a young girl with coppery hair pulled back into a braid looked up, then quickly back down at her plate as Zari approached. She shoveled food into her mouth quickly, hoping she would appear occupied enough to be left alone.

"Hi," Zari said quietly. "I'm new here. Do you mind if I sit next to you? My name's Zari. Zari Zathmir. I'm from Agarra."

The girl kept her head lowered, but her eyes peeked at Zari sidelong. She slowly pulled the fork from her lips and mumbled, "Hi." Then she shifted over on the bench to make room, or to cower away from Zari.

Zari slid down onto the bench next to the girl and set her bowl in front of her. She took a tentative bite, chewed it, swallowed. From the corner of her eye, she watched the girl. Finally, she said, "Mr. Orn makes good stew."

The girl seemed to brighten and her attention grabbed. "Oh, he's a wonderful cook," the girl whispered, as if afraid she would draw undue focus to herself. "You should try his homemade creamy ice. It's so yummy."

"Maybe I can have some when I finish this," Zari said. "You have very pretty hair."

The girl shook her head vigorously, tossing her braid to and fro. "It's too bright. I-I always feel like everyone's staring."

"I'm certain if they do, it's not to be mean. It is very pretty. But, if you don't want people to stare, you could wear a hat."

"Oh, I couldn't," the girl insisted. "It's against regulations. P- Padawans have to wear their robes when they train. No decoration."

Zari thought about it for a moment, then nodded. "But if they are training, they should be concentrating on their training, not your hair."

The girl's freckled cheeks dimpled as she smiled. "You're right...they shouldn't!" She giggled finally and bowed her head in greeting. "I'm Ydora. I've only been here one month."

"It is good to meet you, Ydora," Zari said. "If you'd like, you can call me Zeezee, that's what my friends called me on my world. I came here with Master Jae Dyn Brael, and I really like it here already."

"They found me in a bar," Ydora explained, suddenly growing candid with Zari. "I was cleaning tables and the kitchen and the bathrooms... They found me and brought me here." She swung her feet happily beneath the table and grinned. "I like it here better."

"Master Jae Dyn had come to Agarra with my friend Maeren, and when she saw me, she told me I had talent with the Force. I like it here better too."

Ydora nodded at Zari and affirmed, "Much better, now." And bashfully, her speckled cheeks blushing, she turned back to her meal and stuffed her mouth full of her eggs, all the while keeping an eye on her new friend.

Zari took a bite of her stew, chewed it thoughtfully, then (after swallowing it with a gulp of her drink) turned to Ydora. "Was it really bad before here? For me, it was nice before I came here, but I like it here much better."

Ydora's face paled, and her thin lips were drawn downwards. "It...it was very bad. I was always so hungry, and dirty, and sad... I had no friends and my step-father was so mean. I don't ever want to go back there, so I'm going to be the best Jedi I can be so I won't have to."

Zari smiled and patted Ydora's arm. "I am certain you will be the best Jedi ever. And, I'll be here to make sure you never have to go back either."

"I believe you," Ydora said in a tiny voice. "Thank you...ZeeZee." She giggled timidly and quickly looked away.

Zari gave her new friend a quick hug. "You're welcome, Ydora...my new friend."

"I'm glad," she answered in a whisper, "my first friend."

Zari giggled. "I definitely like it here, now."

And, so they continued eating and talking and giggling. To both, it was a hopeful beginning and a friendship that would endure.

"A Bounty What?"
By: Kel Deneb, Bounty Hunter

Location: Arcadia
Date: Lythe 16, 4 ABY

***

Kel Deneb sat in the pilots seat of his space vessel, coming back from a much needed rest for the past few weeks. Luckily he had enough credits he could almost take a year off, but he hated to be bored for that long. He saw the planet approach, and smiled for a brief moment at the prospect of being back home. To what, he had no idea, but at least it was home.

Setting his craft down at the docking platform, he stepped out into the sunlight of the star, and looked around at the pleasant day. It was a bit odd how leaving for a time always made you appreciate the smaller things just a little bit more. Kel walked to the nearest public transportation unit, and caught a ride to home.

Walking along the platform suspended high in the air, which was also the street, Kel saw the building within which he dwelled. Stepping inside, Kel noticed only a few messages were waiting for him. Thankfully, he didn't want to have to worry about much except his next hunt or slice.

Tossing his bag into his room, Kel came back to the main living area and took off his jacket, setting it on the back of one of the chairs. He turned on some music, a composer that used mostly stringed instruments to produce a very thought evoking sound. He smiled slightly, then sat at the computer to retrieve his messages.

The first few were nothing more than garbage, but then he came across one that was interesting. It came from one of the contacts he had made on planet. He read it, raising an eyebrow. It discussed some sort of Prince Ronar fellow who was haphazardly going around and collecting "bounties" on small time people, but proclaiming them as something grand. He was creating a name as someone dangerous, one that most businessmen would stay away from due to his unorthodox and very roughshod way of doing things. Kel sighed, noticing a few other messages the same way. All of them were in agreement that they could not possibly continue to operate business as usual if he continued on his way, as their people would end up dead just from looking at this fellow.

Kel leaned back in his chair, thinking. This Prince Ronar seemed to think he was the best of the best at what he did, yet he went around proclaiming this, that, and vaunting his title. Kel did a quick look up, and found that actually, this 'prince's monarchy was destroyed along with the Empire, as its citizens opted for democracy instead of a single ruler. He let out a snort. What sort of person kept his title of a defunct set of systems? One who was self absorbed, or one who was stupid? Generally you want to keep a low profile, especially if your father's rule was not exactly fair.

Kel did some additional investigating, and found out that Ronar had a considerable amount of money, and that he also had a droid and someone else as sidekicks, he wasn't sure what else to call them. He needed to confront this person, before he destroyed all business for bounty hunters in the sector.

But Kel would need some help. He put in a call to Laedra asking her to meet him later that evening at the last place they had, hoping she would respond.

"Meeting Over Drinks"
By: Laedra Vorrel
Kel Deneb

Location: Pink Monga, New Plouton
Date: Lythe 16, 4 ABY

***

A less than choice locale in general, Laedra Vorrel could at least concede that the Pink Monga was an appropriate location for a clandestine meeting. She was but one among hundreds of patrons indulging in the jizz music and spirits offered, both no doubt leading to much of the lascivious dances she witnessed during her trek towards the club's bowels.

Laedra kept her cloak closed around her and her head sufficiently concealed. The last thing a Jedi needed was to be seen frequenting a nightclub, no matter how respectable was its repute. They were protectors of the peace, paladins of justice for the once lawless planet, and certainly could not afford the reputation as drunkards stumbling through Tae'Karada's various drinking establishments. Before she could worry too much, she reached the small, round table occupied by the solitary figure and positioned in shadow, away from the strobing lightbeams slicing the air above the revelers. She was glad for the concealment it provided and unobtrusively took the vacant seat. "Mr. Deneb," she greeted the man with a bow of her head.

"Ms. Vorrel," he said, looking across to her. "How have you been of recent?" Kel asked, having watched her since she entered the place. She seemed...preoccupied with something.

She smiled tightly beneath her cowl. "Busy is the only word to describe how things have been of late." Glancing aside briefly, she gauged that it was safe enough to reveal her identity. Sighing, she lowered her hood. "And how have you been? Though I imagine catching up wasn't the reason you commed me."

"No, but it is nice to talk to someone," Kel said to her, taking a drink. "Being alone on a planet such as this can get.... Well...lonely," he said with a wry smile to her. "I have been well, I just returned from a vacation," Kel added, pushing a drink over to her. "It's non-alcoholic, I figured you didn't have real drinks," he added.

Laedra raised a skeptical eyebrow, but imagined Kel hadn't laced her drink with poison. "We may drink," she told him after accepting the glass, "but many of us choose not to. It is a form of self-discipline, which is important to all Jedi." Sniffing the beverage at first, she then took a sip. With a smile, she nodded her approval. "Sweet. It's a pleasing taste."

"I hoped you might like it," Kel said, his face breaking into a smile, the rare ones he gave these days anyway. "So out with what is bugging you. Who knows, maybe a simple non-Force user might be of assistance. Then we can get to what called you about," Kel said to Laedra.

She chuckled. "We're normally quite good at masking our emotions," Laedra informed him. "I guess I'm slightly transparent. Though...just worried, I imagine." Sighing, she pushed her drink aside and folded both arms atop the table's surface. "Two of our pupils rebelled...in a way, and abducted two friends in the process. We attempted a rescue, but it failed." The admission was difficult to swallow, and Laedra paused to exhale deeply. "They remain in their custody, unfortunately in Jadda the Hutt's palace. We are currently devising a strategy to retrieve them, but it will take time."

Kel thought for a moment, nodding. He liked these Jedi. For some reason, the thought of helping someone flickered an emotion in him that he thought had died long ago, after some...well, some things happened. "I see," he said with a nod. "Well...I'm on the not hated list with Jadda, so I can get in anytime I want, if you would like for me to do anything," Kel said to Laedra. "I'm offering my help in any way possible, I'm not sure what just one person can do, however," he added.

"At times," Laedra philosophized, "one person is all it takes. Don't discount yourself that quickly, Mr. Deneb. Your help would be greatly appreciated....though, what would be your fee?" she inquired.

He thought a moment. "Nothing," Kel said to Laedra, getting them some food to eat, and another round of drinks. He looked to his plate for a moment. "Not a thing..."

She nodded thoughtfully. "Then why am I here, Mr. Deneb?"

"Have you been hearing anything about a Maximillian Ronar?" he asked her, nodding for her to take a bite of the cheese sticks when they arrived.

Laedra heeded his gentle urging and took a dainty nibble of the appetizer. She swallowed fully before replying, "I have not. Should I?"

"I'm sure you would have in a while. Some sort of bounty hunter that's making quite a name for himself. Seems that he's starting to get a little.... How do I put this.... Roguish in his approach," Kel said, taking a bite of the food. "And frankly, it's starting to look like he doesn't have a huge care in the world, but hey, what are first impressions for anyway?" he said with a smile.

"There have been some brutal slayings lately," Laedra agreed. "Is he responsible?"

"From my understanding from some people who send things my way," Kel said to her. "I was wondering if you could...help me. I just want to talk to him, and make him realize that what he is doing is not the correct way to do things, not since the Empire fell. All he's going to do is turn a good majority of the bounty hunting world against him."

"So," Laedra reasoned, "this is a quest to spare the reputation of honest bounty hunters everywhere?" There was a touch of sarcasm in her tone and in her smile.

"Hey now, we do have a code of conduct, and leaving innocents out is one of them," Kel said to her, raising an eyebrow, but grinning a little.

Laedra's amusement was snuffed out with that. "How do you mean?"

"I mean that bystanders should never get in the way of the quarry. Entrap the lawless person you're after, or fight it out against them and their people, but avoid injuring guards, people walking by, police officers. We are, after all, abiding by laws here, not just ruthlessly killing people. Everyone with a bounty on their head is a criminal, at least the ones I get are."

"And this man is not abiding by those laws?" Laedra surmised. "And you want my help in stopping him?"

"He's not abiding by planetary laws, not as far as I can tell," Kel said, shaking his head with a sigh. "Not necessarily stopping, I want to give him the benefit of the doubt for now, but at least talking. But, I don't want to go in alone...that's just stupid," he said, looking across the table to Laedra. "You can say no, and I will completely understand."

"I cannot say 'no,' " she answered plainly. "It is my duty as a Jedi to investigate such violations of law and disregard for human life. I assume, however, you have evidence of this man's deeds?"

"Just the reports I have received," he said, sliding a chip over to her. "This has everything I've dug up so far, feel free to look for yourself," Kel added. "One thing not in there is that I found his main area of operations is the shipyards."

She smiled, but it was hardly filled with mirth. "The shipyards... Yes, it is notorious for harbouring such criminals. Would it not be wise to contact the administrator and alert her that such a man is inhabiting her station? I would gladly go with you if you require it."

"I could, but what would it accomplish? For all I know he might run at that point," Kel said to Laedra.

She sighed, nodding her understanding. "Then you wish to hunt him down. And you wish to do that with my aid."

"Hunting down is such an...evil word. I just want to talk to him," Kel said. "No guns, no...well, your weapon," he said, being discreet. "Just a face to face chat, with some backup in case things turn ugly."

"This is a very difficult position for me," Laedra admitted. "The Jedi are normally not meant to intervene in such affairs. We maintain peace, but we do not deal it out." Fingers laced and hands folded before here, Laedra studied them, and reflected on the difficult decision. Stretch the boundaries of Jedi interference in the affairs of one planet for a greater good, or adhere to the strictures of the Jedi principles and turn a blind eye. Laedra Vorrel was a Jedi, but had never claimed to be a good one. "I will help," she said finally, gazing up at the man. "But I cannot intervene directly. I will, however, stand by your side."

Kel smiled. "Thank you. I don't ask for you to intervene, but to help in case he decides I'm better off dead than still walking around," he added. "I know this must be a hard decision for you. And, well, if it means anything coming from someone like myself, I owe you a lot."

"You owe me nothing," she insisted. Then, raising a cheese stick, she smiled and added, "These will do."

Kel laughed a little. That was something else he had not done in a while. "If you say so," he added, smiling to Laedra. "I will get things in order, and attempt to contact this Ronar and arrange a meeting. I will let you know the details when I get them. And, let me know about the Jadda stuff, I will do what I can."

"I will do so." Setting down her breaded stick and brushing her hands free of residue, Laedra pushed back her chair. "I should get going, however. Unless there was something else...."

Kel shook his head, and stood up as well. "Not that I can think of. Mind if I walk you back to...wherever you're going? It's a nice evening out, and I'd hate to waste it just sitting in my place," he said to Laedra.

"You wish to walk me two kilometers to the forest?" she asked with a single raised eyebrow. "It's quite a trek, Mr. Deneb."

"Are you implying I'm not in good shape?" he asked with a kidding snort. "I'll have you know that I hiked 10 kilometers vertically in 3 days time, I bike about 5 days a week...." he said. "I can continue?" Kel added, grinning.

Laedra raised a hand to stay him, though she was chuckling. "Well...you'll simply have to show me, won't you?" Extending an arm, she gestured for Kel to do just that.

He smiled, and walked outside with Laedra. "I suppose I will," Kel said. A short time later, they left the city. "So, tell me more about yourself," Kel said to Laedra.

Laedra shrugged delicately. "I am a Jedi. What more is there to know?" She glanced sidelong at Kel, smiling amiably. "I am not that interesting, Mr. Deneb. Aside from my abilities as a Jedi, I'm just an ordinary woman." Leaning towards him slightly, she stressed, "Very ordinary."

"So ordinary it hurts?" he said with a smile. "Come on, no one is that ordinary," he said with a laugh.

"Well, I am," she insisted. "I was taken under the wing of a Jedi master at five, trained for the next twenty-five years and had no adventures along the way. Hardly as exciting as your life, I imagine."

He smirked. "Uh huh, sure.... There's a part of you in there who likes adventure if you can find it," he said as they continued to walk along outside of the city. "Everyone has something that they like, they enjoy."

"Oh, well a hobby, you mean," she interpreted. "Of course I have those. I read," Laedra told him. "And train. And swim and...." She blushed at her own daring. "And other things that are hardly fit to be mentioned."

He laughed a little. "Oh I seeee..." Kel said, nodding. "Gotya...but you have fun at least."

She grinned. "For the most part. There isn't always time for fun and games. We have many Padawans, and not enough teachers. It's a daunting task, but we're determined to persevere. We must if we are to rebuild the Order to what it once was."

Kel nodded to her. "I'm sure you're up to the task, however daunting it may be," he added. "At least, to me it seems you are always up for a challenge."

"You know me so well then?" she inquired with a teasing smile. "Do I look so daring?"

"Well, uh, just from what I have been able to garner from you in talking, and how you carry yourself. Remember, I make a living at reading people..." he said with a smile to Laedra.

She smiled in return. "And so do I. But I admit, you certainly are a difficult one to read, Mr. Deneb. You're not what I've come to expect from a bounty hunter. In fact...I'd say you almost had a heart."

Kel looked down slightly. "Yeah, well...it's my job to not be read," he said to her. "And...heh, a heart you say? Something I haven't heard in a long time...a long time indeed." Kel walked along in silence for a moment, thinking back when he actually did show emotion a lot, until that dark day, a few years ago....

Laedra's gentle words interrupted his inner reflection, and with them she said, "Everyone has a troubling past. I am no different, you aren't... One must seek a resolution to such things or they will only grow worse with time. I've learned that firsthand, unfortunately." Smiling softly, Laedra added, "And I imagine you have, too?"

He nodded to her. "Anger and hatred, cold and calculating replaced everything I was when she was killed," Kel said as they walked along. "In the wrong place at the wrong time.... Gunned down by criminals in a firefight, not a care for who they hit..."

"She?" Laedra inquired. "Someone you loved?"

"Very much so," he said with a heavy sigh, one borne from years of carrying the guilt and anger every step he took, every bounty he hauled in. "I was going to ask her to marry me, but before I could, she was killed. It drove me to seek out those who did it, and bring them to justice...and...well, here I am because of that..." Kel explained.

"And did you find justice?" she probed. "If so, did it help?"

"I found them, and...turned them in," he said to her. "And no, it didn't. I found myself wanting to right all the wrongs in the world, but on my own terms, not hiding behind a badge," Kel replied, walking along. He kicked a pine cone, sending it sailing off the trail.

"Revenge," Laedra counselled, "often provides one with little consolation. I've discovered the same. I, too, loved - many times." She thought fondly upon Liam now, and even Ina. "It was an all-consuming love, and it led me astray. After realizing I was losing myself as I gave my heart to another, I chose to, instead, let go, no matter how painful it was." Smiling, she told Kel, "In the end, it did me the most good."

"Easy for you to say," he mumbled. "Sorry... Sorry.... It's just I have nothing else, except being a bounty hunter. No real skills in other things, except slicing obviously," Kel said. "And, well, I don't want to lose her memory."

"You don't have to," she explained simply. "But the memory of her will be a lot brighter if you can leave behind the anguish and desire for retribution. As with Ina, my master. I hated him for so long, but I now realize that if he truly could have loved me, he would have. How can I hate him for that?"

"You can't..." Kel said, shaking his head. "I see what you mean, but it won't be easy..." he added, looking over to Laedra.

She smiled sagely and responded with, "I didn't say it would be, but if you're not up for a challenge...."

"I never said that," he said, his head snapping over to look at her. "I would like to," Kel said to Laedra, smiling a little bit.

"Then tomorrow," she told him, "as we search for this Ronar man, perhaps we can speak more on this topic. And maybe we can even learn a thing or two from one another. Hm?"

"Sounds great," Kel said, nodding as they approached the temple. "I suppose this is where we say good evening," Kel said, looking up at it in slight amazement.

"It is," she answered, "unless you wished to spend the evening." Looking back into the dark forest, she was slightly apprehensive about letting him wander off alone. "It's late," she told him. "You can depart with me in the morning."

"Um, ok.... If you don't think it will be an imposition," Kel said to her, deciding to accept the invitation.

"I wouldn't have offered if I thought that," she replied with a nearly chiding smile. At the large doubledoors, Laedra pushed one open and gestured Kel inside. "The halls have quite good acoustics," she whispered. "Most of the time, you can hear conversations occurring at the other end of the Temple if it's quiet enough." Stepping past him, Laedra guided him through the winding hallways. "This place is likely the oldest standing building on Tae'Karada."

"Impressive," Kel said, looking around. "Get many non-Force powered visitors?" he asked, keeping up with Laedra.

"Not usually. Not that they aren't welcome," she appended with a warm smile for her guest. "That means, however, that there aren't many guest quarters available." Laedra stopped before a single door and held it open for Kel. "This is my room, or at least it was at one time. It can be yours for this evening."

"Thank you," he said to her. "When is breakfast call?" Kel asked, stepping into the doorway.

"Don't worry, I'll summon you." Laedra bent forward, as if meaning to bestow him with a kiss; instead, she bowed at the waist. "Sleep well, Mr. Deneb."

"You too," he said with a slight smile, and headed into the room, hearing the door shut behind him. Kel looked around, and sat down on the bed, then laid down, thinking about everything.

"Obligations"
by Aurra Sgall
Kal'Aran
and Quinlan Vos

Location: Jedi Temple
Date: Lythe 16, 4 ABY

***

She was gone. She had saved her but she was gone. And the way it was, it seemed there was no turning back on her part. Had she lost her friend forever? She had to wonder if she was ever going to see her again. Even worse, she had to wonder if she would fall off to the dark side one second time.

She could tell that her Master had entered the room. She turned to face him, and could tell that he saw the sorrow in her heart. In truth she felt that every friend she had, she lost... It seemed it was just a matter of time.

"I need you to be strong, Aurra..." Kal'Aran said. "We need you to be strong. Don't worry about Daemor'rah. We will find her, and she will return."

"How can you be so sure, Master?" she asked.

"I can't..." he admitted. "But she went after you, and from what I understood she also knew that she had to find herself once more. Find balance. A small sign of being still conscious of her actions and that bad actions will lead her astray."

His sureness made her smile ever so softly. "That is good. But I hope she makes it back or that we find her before she buries her heart ever deeper."

"She will," he reassured her. He then bowed and left the room, off to the grounds outside. There, Master Kal'Aran found his old friend, Quinlan Vos.

"Perhaps it would be wise to take company with you?" Kal'Aran suggested.

"She is my Padawan, and thus my own responsibility. My obligation..." Vos answered. "I'll be fine and I will bring her back," he answered.

"May the Force be with you," Kal'Aran bowed. Quinlan left the scene in a swoop, off to the woods.

"Making Friends In Odd Places, Part 1"
by Quistis Knox
Garnet Seifer (as Ammut)
Aeolus (NPC)
and former High Cleric Zorlar Zaeder - Human (NPC)
and High Cleric Nawera - Half Human\half Twi'lek (NPC)
and Colt Slane (NPC)

Location: Somewhere in a dungeon
Date: Lythe 16, 4 ABY

***

Quistis woke up and she was in chains. What is happening? Where am I? Quistis thought. She gazed where she was and saw a cell with bricks. The chains were chained on the wall. She remembered being at her place and then she woke up in this place.

She got up and saw that the chains were not only on her wrists, but also on her ankles. Her head rushed with her different thoughts; she was like a prison animal - she had to get out of there as fast has she could, but how?

Noise from outside the door began as a sound of keys. The door opened and two guards appeared; from behind appeared a shadow - it walked inside the prison, revealing her face.

"Who are you? What I'm doing here?" Quistis asked, quickly demanding and menacing.

"She looks like a wild Nexus, when it's inside a cage. Scared and angry to his captors. It's this way I like to see my enemies."

"Do you want me to sedate her? My lady." A man's voice was heard from behind the woman.

Quistis knew that voice very well, extremely well. "Aeolus!" Quistis spoke very coldly.

"She can remember your voice. No matter, let's make this quick I don't like this place as much I used to."

"Yes, my lady. Quistis, Lady Ammut has an interesting proposition for you..."

"I will tell her, Aeolus." Ammut interrupted Aeolus, as she entered the cell, revealing her mask to Quistis. She kneeled to look at Quistis' face. "Aeolus said all about the Cult of Assacis and the Triumvirate. My wheels of my head rolled as he spoke and came with a brilliant idea. If I cease control of the Triumvirate I will become more powerful than ever and with the Cult Of Assacis under my orders, no criminal syndicate or organization would dare to defy me and you will help me." Ammut spoke as she raised Quistis' face to see in her eyes.

"Over my dead body!" Quistis spoke very slowly to Ammut, reading her lips.

"Very well, a little time in here and with a little torture you will agree to this." Ammut raised up and walked back, as Aeolus approached Quistis.

"I will claim for the friendship that we once had to accept her deal."

Quistis rose her eyes and spit on Aeolus' white face. "The Aeolus I once knew is dead, mark my words. My oath that I made two years ago still stands, I will torture you before I cut your fucking head off, for what you did to Zorlar Zeader."

Aeolus cleaned his face and then punched her in the mouth. "Zorlar was weak and was going to destroy The Cult with his pathetic dream, but you seemed to screw our plan."

"Our plan? You're saying that it was more than one leader who planned the death of Zorlar? TELL ME NOW!"

"Aaaaaaaaaah..." Aeolus said, like he was thinking, but he was only joking. "No!" He laughed at her face. "You think you're so smart, Quistis, but you don't know even one third of the full story." He walked out, following Ammut.

The guards exited, closing the door of the cell. Quistis looked around and there was nothing she could free herself with. "I wonder!" Quistis said in low tones. She took out one of her gloves with her mouth and grabbed the chains that she was chained with.

She entered quickly in a trance. A flash appeared and then suddenly saw herself being carried by two guards to the cell she was now in. The guards used the chains - a mechanism that was like some handcuffs.

She came back to reality has she was somewhat tired, then looked to her handcuffs she approached the wall and started to hit her hand cuffs hard enough to break them; she knew that the sound would alert the guards.

The guard opened the door and saw Quistis laying on the floor. He approached her, trying to see if she was dead, but before he could check, Quistis grabbed his feet and throw him to the floor, hitting hard. She then grabbed him by his neck with her free arm and squeezed. The soldier raised his arm, trying to reach for something, but Quistis had a good grip on him.

After a while the soldier's arm fell to the floor, lifeless. She quickly searched the soldier and found the keys for the handcuffs and freed her other arm and ankles. She then saw that she made a wound on her arm; she ripped part of the death soldier's cloth and wrapped it around her hand.

She then looked to either side of the wall and saw another soldier at the end of the corridor. She then looked to the dead body and saw a melee weapon on his belt. She took it and saw it was a small vibroblade the size of a big knife.

She looked to the corridor and saw the other guard standing there with his back towards Quistis. She stepped to the corridor and she saw that she only had a black top, black pants and black knee-high boots. She walked silently near one of the walls with the vibroblade in her right hand.

She covered with her left hand the guard's mouth and with the vibroblade penetrated the guard's heart. The guard felt a sharp pain moving his arms franticly like in panic. His heart ceased to function and Quistis took the vibroblade out of the dead guard's body.

Quistis dragged the body to her cell and searched him for anything that could be worth use, but found only a sword and a blaster rifle that had no ammo. "Great what kind of guards don't carry ammo?"

She looked to the corridor and saw that it was empty. She wondered where the exit was, she had to take a chance to take one of the ends. She decided to go the other end were the guard she killed was standing.

She walked to the end of the corridor with a vibroblade on her belt and with the vibrosword on the other. Has she reached the end of the corridor she looked and saw it was cleared, but it was a dead end, only an entrance of a sewer was on the floor big enough. She decided to take the other end of the corridor since she was in a dead end, but two other guards appeared looking for the other two. She quickly hid behind the wall.

One of the guards noticed that one of the cells was open, he ran to the cell and saw the missing two guards laying there dead. "SHIT." Hitting on the metal door. "We have prisoner missing, call everybody now!"

Quistis saw that she was in big trouble, but then she looked to the entrance of the sewer. She acted quickly taking her sword and to elevate the grid that was prohibit her to enter. To open the entrance of the sewer made a lot of noise that called the guards attention. The two guards ran towards the noise and saw the entrance of the sewer open, but Quistis charge against them with her sword the first one didn't have time to react, the vibrosword hit his chest, killing him instantly.

The other took his vibrosword and charge against her and she defended his attack, as a counter attack, but the guard defended against her attack. They changed attacks and defended, but Quistis was more prepared for fight like this. As the guard attacked from above, Quistis stepped to the side and waved her sword from down to above, hitting his face and slicing the front of his face, killing him. The guard fell like rock on the floor.

Quistis saw that other guards were showing up and coming on her direction. They started to fire, hitting her vibrosword. She reacted quickly, jumping inside the sewer.

The guard approached and saw that both guards were dead. "Tell Master Aeolus that the prisoner in cell 89 escape! Worry." He turned to another guard. "Prepare to scout the forest and see where this fucking sewer leads or Master Aeolus will have your head."

The sewer led to a water fall. She exited the sewer and she was thrown a few feet from the floor. Falling inside a water that was created by the water fall. She swam to the shore and saw the height that she fell. She looked around and saw that she was at least some part of a forest in Tae'Karada.

Sound of blasters firing towards here started, Quistis looked and saw that the Guards were on her tail. She ran inside the forest to hide from enemy fire.

Aeolus saw Quistis entering the forest and disappearing, but the soldiers kept firing. " Cease fire, that's a fucking order!" Aeolus screamed, the soldiers act quickly, looking to Aeolus for further instructions.

"All guards search the forest in that direction. She still thinks she is in Tae'Karada, and that can work in our favor. Search parties right now, find her and bring her alive, and I don't have to remind you, captain, that she mustn't find out about this planet!"

"No, sir. We will capture her!" the captain spoke.

"Good or it will be your head, Captain," Aeolus said has he walked away from the place in the direction of the building.

He entered the throne room and kneeled before Ammut. "I'm sorry, my lady it was she who escaped."

"She is beginning to give me headaches, Aeolus. If she finds out what we do here, we will have not only the New Republic at our door, but also the Empire Remnants. Is that clear?"

"Yes, My Lady! Our guards are taking care of the subject, but with your permission I would like to use our mercenaries to find her more quickly."

"Very well! Now leave, me I would like to be alone for a few hours."

Aeolus bowed and exited the throne room. This was now the real test for her. "Let us see how good you were trained by Zorlar."

"Making Friends In Odd Places, Part 2"
by Quistis Knox
Garnet Seifer (as Ammut)
Aeolus (NPC)
and former High Cleric Zorlar Zaeder - Human (NPC)
and High Cleric Nawera Preston - Half Human\half Twi'lek (NPC)
and Colt Slane (NPC)

Location: Somewhere inside a forest in some remote planet & aboard a Corellian Transport
Date: Lythe 16, 4 ABY

***

The forest was dense and the heavy rain and the wind didn't help on the search to find the escaped prisoner. The guards that were all wet and didn't help with the search parties were made by five guards spread in different sectors surrounding the building.

The five guards were spread to cover more ground, but the forest was too dense. The guard that was in the far corner of the line was climbing a fallen tree. When he passed the obstacle he was attacked by Quistis. She penetrated her vibroblade up to his throat. He screamed in pain that was heard all over the forest.

The captain looked to the other guards and saw that one of his guards was missing. "Where is Arer?"

The other nodded negatively, as he went to investigate, as he was examining every bush possible, but little did he know that Quistis was above him in a tree. She jumped, trespassing him with a long pointed wooden stick. The guard screamed in pain. The other two started to run in the direction of the scream, but before they could arrive to the one screaming they activated a device that had different pointed wooden sticks attached to a large wooden branch. It hit them directly on their chest; they screamed also in pain, spilling blood from their mouths.

The Captain ran towards the last two men, screaming that they cease and when he reached to the two men, he saw two dead guards trespassed with little different pointy sticks. He looked around and saw that everybody was missing. He then started to run to the other that was still screaming, but out of nothing Quistis appeared and put her vibroblade near his throat. She had some kind of brown cape of some sort, covering her thorax to her knees, with some tiny rope tied holding this brown cape and her face was dirty with mud.

"Where am I?" Quistis said in a very hoarse and cold voice.

"I...I...I don't know I...I was brought here...I really don't know."

"How do I get out of this planet?"

"I...only know that there is an improvised landing site five clicks west of here... Where they load and unload merchandise."

"Take me there, and I will let you live." Quistis looked around, seeing if the screams attracted uninvited guests."

"Su... Su... Sure!" The captain was not very confident with himself, in fact he had no experience at all in this. Quistis could tell he was afraid so much that he almost peed on himself. She took his blaster and hid her vibroblade.

After a while they arrived to the landing site that the captain spoke of. An old Corellian Transport was there and was boarding some stuff inside it. There was few guards, but it would be tough to enter the cargo unnoticed, because the entrance of the Corellian Transport of the cargo bay was too wide open.

She then looked to the Captain and examined his clothes. "Take your clothes off, quickly!" The Captain nodded in strange and only obeyed her, when she threatened with the blaster rifle.

Minutes later she was dressed with the captain's clothes and walked to the landing site. The captain was tied up on a tree with gag on his mouth. She had no problems to reach to the entrance of the Corellian Transport, she looked around and when the guards were not looking she slide inside the cargo bay and hidden.

The doors of the Transport closed and she blasted out of the planet. She took this time to took the helmet off, taking out the jacket and looking to her wound that she had on her hand and arm. The ship shook very strongly and felt her body being pulled to the side. "We are in Hyperspeed!"

She meanwhile examined the cargo contents she remembered her beloved master.

The day was hot, the air was hard to breathe, the only place to be was indoors where the fresh air remained. She remembered that her Master was on the balcony looking to the city down below. She approached him and smiled. "Master, come inside! Where it is hard to breathe."

"Oh, Quistis it's you. No, I'm fine, I always liked the hot air; reminds me of the afternoons I spent with my father."

"It's hard to imagine you with a father!"

"What? Are you implying that I'm old?" Zorlar said with a smile.

Quistis giggled. "No, master... I see you are much older than you really are. You're so... So intelligent, so cultured like you lived for more years than you really are."

"Yes, I know. It has to be how I was raised, being the youngest of five and the only one not to be Force Sensitive, it took me hard work to be up to my brothers and sister, may them be with the Gods." He sighted the city down below. "I, from very young age, had a hard education, from very young I could do and knew things while most children at that age were interested in toys."

"I lost my family too!" Quistis joined him in sighting the city.

"Come on, Quistis. Your brother and sister are still alive and you gain another father. I lost my family when I was 17 and to survive I did things that I now I'm most ashamed."

"I didn't know that... Sorry, I know it's hard to talk about them."

"Hard...? Yes it is hard, but it's good for us to talk about them, since it makes it easier to remember them. Do you want to talk about your family, Quistis? To ease your burden?"

"No... I don't want to talk about them. It's better not to since I'm never going to see them." Quistis looked kind of sad, avoiding eye contact of her master, but he touched her chin and pulled to see her eyes.

"You know where I stand about your family. Whenever you want you can easily exit the Cult."

"No, master. I made my choice. I will continu training and to take the place as the next High Cleric. I will help you to make your dream real, like I promised."

"Very well..." he said with a long breath. "We once were has mighty as the Jedi Knights and we lost our way. Now we are going to retake that way and continued the work of the Jedi as Keepers of peace. You, my apprentice, will mark a new age to the Cult..."

Her memories faded way, since she was interrupted by a man.

"Hey, you, what are you doing here..." He saw Quistis to pull out a Blaster Rifle. "Whoa, Miss... Take it easy, we are outside where Ammut has control."

"Where are we going?" Quistis said, putting away her Blaster rifle.

"We are going to Proxima IV, but first we are going to stop by the Drogen Shipyards in Tae'Remok System to refuel. Jeezus, Miss... What happened to you?" he said as he turned off the lights of the cargo bay. "Wait a minute you were all that commotion back there on the planet?

"Yes and yes." She paused as she got up with some difficult since her body hurt like hell. "Just leave me at the Drogen Shipyards, if you please."

"Sure no problem. Do you want some pain killers?"

"No! I prefer to let my body hurt, thank you. Builds more resistance. What do you carry in here?" Quistis pointed to the boxes.

"Who knows? I get paid to carry them, no question asked. What I don't know doesn't hurt me," the man said.

"I agree... Can I do a comm call? It's not traceable."

"Ok. I will help you out," the man said has helped her to get to the cockpit. As she set on the controls the man smiled. "While you talk through the comm I will check something on the back and bring you my first aid kit to treat those nasty wounds, OK?"

"Ok!" She smiled at the man. As he disappeared she pushed some buttons and appeared a twi'lek with yellow skin, over painted on her eyes.

"Quistis? What the hell happened to you?" the twi'lek said with surprise.

"It's your little friend Aeolus and his new Mistress Ammut's doing. They found where I lived... It's the fucking second day that I escaped from their fingers. If this keeps up my body is not going to last longer I hope!" Quistis spoke has she looked to her wounds.

"Any way. Aeolus is a dangerous subject, so leave him to us," the twi'lek said.

"High Cleric Nawera, I don't make you a promise I want to kill him has much as you want. Your father was my master, and I loved him as much as you do, but why he chose me as his apprentice instead of you is still a question to be answered, that puts me in every right to avenge your father's death."

"I know! Let's make a bet? The first one to catch him will vengeance my father, deal?"

"Ok, deal. I have to go, I'm not exactly using my comm." Quistis said has Nawera shut off her comm, first. The man entered with the first aid kit and open it.

Quistis saw that he exactly knew what he was doing. "Where you a field doctor?"

"Am I too obvious?" the man said with a warm smile.

"Yes, most people don't know how to start treating, you were different, you picked up right away like you treat something like this before," Quistis said, with a smile and containing the pain that came from her wound.

"Come on, it doesn't sting that much has you face does... Women that think they are tough are such bad patients." He looked ironically, with a look like he was joking.

She caught the joke and laughed. "I'm not that kind of woman, I suffer much worse pains than this one."

The man looked and with a serious look. "Like the death of that master of yours?"

"How... Where..."

"I installed a communicator back on the cargo bay. It was for me to get calls when I was doing something back there. I overheard your conversation, sorry!"

"No problem... At least Nawera didn't know that you were inside the ship," Quistis said and it was strange the way she was talking to this man.

"Yeah, but your body looks like hell! You really have to pick up the right fights."

"That is an unusual saying, my master said we have to strike when the time is right and he was raised by the ways of the Jedi... That is a saying of someone that was raised by Jedi philosophy." Quistis looked to the man.

"Gods, you're really good! I met you a few minutes ago and you probably know more about me than myself. No, really. My father served the Jedi. He was the really good friend of one, hell he was raised by one, that's probably way I picked up that saying." The man smiled as he picked up Quistis' arm and took the small piece of cloth off her hand.

Quistis didn't say anything; the man caught her full attention. Am I feeling something for this man? No it's impossible, but... No! I'm not feeling anything for this man. Quistis really didn't want what she was thinking to be true.

"By the way, my name is Quistis Knox!"

"Pleased to meet you Quistis, my name is Slate, Colt Slate." He gave a warm smile. This was probably a beginning of beautiful friendship.

"Touring the Temple"
By: Koran Darr
Kel Deneb
Laedra Vorrel

Location: Jedi Temple
Date: Lythe 16, 4 ABY

***

"Don't worry," Laedra Vorrel assured Koran, "he's harmless." Wearing only the tunic of her Jedi robes, still hanging open, she reached back to tie her hair. Looking upon Koran as he sat up in bed, she continued. "He's a business associate, that's all, and he only stayed the night."

"We're not a secret society," Koran said, "but a little warning before strangers stay the night would be good. We do still have some enemies out there, and there are some who can mask themselves in the Force. But, despite that, it's just nice to know if I'm going to be seeing a strange face in the halls before I see it."

"Then next time I'll ask your permission, Master." She laughed softly at him and wrapped the loose ends of her robe around her waist. "You should meet him. He's an interesting man."

"I'm certain I will," Koran said. "So, do you mind talking about your business association? If it's none of my business, that's alright as well."

"No, it's completely your business," she told him. "It has to do with the Jedi." Laedra settled onto the mattress' edge, next to Koran. "He wishes me to help him track a man. In return, he's willing to help us infiltrate Jadda's palace."

Koran nodded slowly. "I see," he said. He moved to sit beside her. "So, do you want to tell me more about it? Or should we talk to him together?"

"He's a bounty hunter," she answered, sliding her hand over his and lacing their fingers. "He's innocent enough. And--" She sighed. "And...he helped me discover Ina's location."

Koran raised an eyebrow. "You know where Ina is? Is he...? He's still...alive?"

Laedra nodded. "He's on Corellia, or so I'm told." Her hand squeezed his. "I've thought about going...but I can't."

Koran raised her hand to his lips. "If you'd like, when you do go, if you do, I can accompany you."

"I know." She smiled at him fondly. "We're both needed here, however. It isn't the right time to go chasing ghosts."

"Not now," Koran said with a smile, "but perhaps sometime in the near future. At least you know he still lives, and where to find him if you need to."

"But I don't," she answered confidently. "I'm no longer tormented by my past. Why should I be, when I have such a bright future to look forward to?" Still grinning at Koran, she leaned in and kissed him softly. "I love you, Koran Darr," she whispered. "That is enough."

Koran touched a hand to her cheek. "And, I love you," he said. "You have grown so much stronger in the time I've known you, Laedra. I am very happy for you, and happy to share in that growth with you."

"And I'm glad that you can. I know leaving was the hardest thing I've had to do...but it was the best thing for us both. Though," she added, grazing his lips with hers, "I don't plan on doing that ever again."

"Sometimes, solitude is the greatest solution," Koran said. "I know my greatest self-peace comes during meditation. Though, I am also learning to find peace in your presence as well." He smiled. "It's actually quite comforting."

"Well, then I bestow upon you the privilege of further comfort by allowing you to join me in breakfast." Laughing softly, she patted his bare thigh and rose to retrieve her pants. "I'll go wake our guest."

"That sounds perfect," Koran said. He began fishing for a set of clean robes. "I'll go let Orn know so he can prepare the breakfast for us."

"Perfect," she declared, then, with a blown kiss, she slipped out of the room.

Koran smiled to himself as he began pulling on his clothing. Perhaps things were beginning to fall into place again. Perhaps.

***

The knock on his door was gentle, yet rousing. It ceased after a moment, then returned. There would be no escaping it.

Kel raised an eyebrow, then stood up after waking from a not fully restful sleep. Wiping some of the bleariness from his eyes, he walked over to the door, and opened it. "Yeah?" he asked, the bright light not exactly the most welcome sight in the world.

"Mr. Deneb." Lae smiled. "You asked me to inform you of breakfast? Well...it's breakfast."

"Mmhmmm, or it's some vicious plot to make me tired," Kel said with a slight smile. "So what's for eating?" he asked, yawning and walking out of the room. He was still trying to shake the dream he had had during the night, but it was not working too well.

"I'm not certain," she answered. "We'll find out together, though. And while we do, you can meet Koran Darr, another master at the temple.

"Excellent," Kel said, walking along side of Lae. "I like surprises," he added.

"Well, I do as well, depending on the surprise," she told him, "but being a Jedi, one finds you aren't surprised very often." Grinning at Kel, she explained, "The Force is with us, after all."

"Ahh, yes, that's true," he said with a slight eyeroll at her joke. "Sometimes I wonder if you Jedi have any fun at all, really...." Kel said with a slight grin of his own.

"Oh, we do," she assured him, and her smile was a touch mischievous. "Come on; the mess is this way." Walking ahead of him now, Laedra led her guest to the dining hall, now occupied by the many Padawans of the temple, and the rich aroma of Orn's repast. She spotted Koran sitting between two vacant chairs and guided Kel through the maze of tables towards him. "Don't be intimidated by all the Jedi surrounding you," she teased him. "They're just children...even though many of them could likely conquer you in hand-to-hand combat if they desired to."

"That's what blasters were invented for," he said with a smirk as he followed her. "When you're losing a fist fight, blow them away...kidding!" Kel said, seeing her scowl, then he smiled. Kel nodded slightly to the other Jedi. "Greetings, I'm Kel Deneb," he said.

"Koran Darr," the Jedi said as he adjusted his arms to allow his sleeves to fall back away from his hands. "It's good to meet you, Mr. Deneb. And, I believe you'll find that most of the younglings here wouldn't even be intimidated by a blaster. Not all of them have begun to learn to use the lightsaber yet, but those who have are showing particular aptitude."

"Figures," he said with a slight smile. "I want to thank you both for letting me stay the evening," Kel said, sitting down in one of the seats.

"With dangerous creatures prowling the forest," Laedra answered, "how could I possibly have let you go back on your own?" She settled beside Koran as Kel settled on his left. Some of the older children were serving the younger, and in the kitchen, Orn's lively humming could be heard. "So, Mr. Deneb," Laedra asked, "what do you think of our temple?"

He smiled, and looked around. "Very nice," Kel said. "I really never expected to see the interior," he added.

"Not many have," Koran answered. "Though, we welcome all who come without malice in their hearts."

"Only towards those that deserve it," Kel muttered at the comment, thinking of what those people did those years ago, a burning in his heart that still festered, even to this day.

Laedra frowned. "We welcome all, but it is dangerous to allow any with impure intentions to enter the Temple. We have impressionable Padawans here, and it would be negligent of us to expose them to such...dark emotions."

"I see," he said with a nod, and smiling a little. "Well, I'll keep my thoughts in check, then, like I usually do anyway," Kel said with a wink.

"No need," Laedra assured him. "You're free to say whatever you like."

"The Temple will judge your intentions," Koran said. "If your heart holds malice, it will protect itself and those under its protection." Kel nodded, not completely sold on everything, but then again, he never had much dealing with Force users. "Ok..." he said. "So, how long does it take someone to get through here and graduate?" he asked.

"There is no established length of time," Laedra explained. "Some take longer than others, and it depends on how old they are when they first enter the Order. For example, I was five when I began training. At 18, I was a Jedi Knight, and now, I'm a Master." She smiled. "Though, I hope my age isn't required, Mr. Deneb."

He grinned a bit. "Seems the universal worry about your age is continuous no matter who you are," Kel said. "Seems fairly...intensive, then. So what exactly are they taught?"

Koran laughed. "To be Jedi Knights, Mr. Deneb. They are taught to be Jedi Knights."

Laedra grinned. "They are taught, Mr. Deneb," she explained, "to follow the Jedi Code, to open themselves to the Force and explore its nature in the universe. Of course, they are taught to manipulate it when needed, and that is how our awesome physical feats are accomplished, but fighting, Mr. Deneb, is always a last resort. We do not train them to be warriors; rather, we teach them to uphold peace, and sometimes, that requires physical intervention. But it is always with great reluctance that we engage in battle. Any loss of life, no matter how evil an individual is, always has an effect on the Force, and through it, we are all affected." She exhaled slowly, and finished, "That is what they are taught, Mr. Deneb."

"I see," he said, nodding. "And then they go out to other places or planets once that happens?" he asked them.

Laedra shrugged. "They go where they're needed. And right now, Tae'Karada needs us, and its people." She smiled knowingly at Kel.

"Excellent," he said to the two of them with a nod. "It seems that there is a lot of... craziness going on here," Kel said with a furrowed brow.

She glanced around at the crowded room, and shook her head. "This is normal for us. We--" She paused to thank the young girl delivering their meals, and she bowed in return before hurrying off. "Well...we might as well begin eating. Master Darr and I would like to speak with you on a matter of concern. But, this is hardly the place to do so."

"Ok," he said, nodding and eating the food.

The conversation throughout was light and brief, their focus on their breakfast and finishing it expediently. After it was complete, and following an introduction to Orn, Laedra and Koran led Kel to the conference chambers. They were all seated and Koran nodded to Laedra to proceed. She did.

"It is fortunate you chose to stay with us last evening. I have spoken to Master Darr about your offer of help, and he has agreed that it is a fine idea. What we are speaking of is your connections with Jadda the Hutt, the creature who is currently in possession of two individuals we care for very much."

Kel nodded, listening. "Not necessarily connections, so much as I'm allowed in the door and I'm fairly free to do what I want," he said with a smile. "But, most likely I can figure out something, more specifically where they're being held, and in what capacity they're being used."

His choice of words pained Laedra. She knew precisely how they were being 'used.' "That would be much appreciated, Mr. Deneb," Laedra answered. "If there is any risk involved, one of us would be glad to accompany you. However, I am not certain how welcome we'd be."

Kel shook his head. "It'd look a bit suspicious if I walked in with someone. The people there are used to seeing me alone. Plus, someone might recognize you," he said.

"I understand," Laedra said. "The people you are searching for are listed here." She handed him a datapad with images and information on Dani, Nieme, Raeila, and Ferrig. "Beware, however. The first two are dark Jedi. If they even suspect you are doing this for us, they will kill you."

Kel nodded, taking the PADD. "I will be. I think I've seen these two wandering around the place before," he said. "Not to mention my will is strong enough that they won't be able to get a read without practically pulling it from me. I was trained in mental discipline," he added.

"I wouldn't put that past them," Koran said. "They don't really try to influence people through the Force, though Dani has a particular talent for it. You'll need to be very careful around them, because they have no sense or propriety."

"Hmm, ok," Kel said to them. "I'll just be inconspicuous, like normal."

"A wise course," Laedra commended. "Whatever you require of us, it is yours, Mr. Deneb."

He nodded to the both of them. "I can not think of anything at the moment," Kel said.

Laedra looked to Koran, and both nodded, satisfied. "Well, then, Mr. Deneb...now that that's settled, would you care for a tour?"

"Certainly," he said with a nod to them, smiling a bit.

"Some of the architecture," Koran said, "is really quite astounding. We've been deciphering some of the glyphs and pictograms, and the lives led here previously are really quite fascinating."

"But," Laedra added, patting Koran's thigh unseen to Kel, "I think it's the waterfalls our guest is more interested in."

"Most likely," he said with a wink.

She chuckled and rose smoothly from her seat. "Just this way, Mr. Deneb." Laedra gestured to the door with one extended arm, and followed behind Kel. She shot Koran a quelling smile and motioned for him to rise.

Koran rose from his chair fluidly and fell into step beside Laedra. "I think the falls are definitely one of the nicest features on the entire planet. Well worth seeing, to be sure. If you're ready, we can take you down."

"Certainly," Kel said, nodding to them.

"Have we shattered your illusions of who and what Jedi Knights are, Mr. Deneb?" Koran asked as they walked along.

Kel smiled a little. "You're not quite as aloof as I once thought," he said to them.

"Because we required seclusion," Laedra asked, "we were deemed aloof?"

"Standard thoughts on the street. Jedi are 'bringers of law, but too aloof to actually live amongst the people'," he said, repeating the thoughts of most people.

Laedra nodded pensively, sadly. "It was necessity," she explained. "Only months ago, we were hunted for being who we are - the Temple was our only safe haven. Now...it's become a home. We simply couldn't bear to leave it."

"Ahhhh," he said with a nod, smiling a bit. "At least you're not hunted anymore."

She smiled ruefully. "There will always be enemies, Mr. Deneb. We aren't letting out guard down yet."

They'd passed the courtyard and entered the forest without notice; it was only the thundering crash of the waterfall that brought it to Laedra's attention. With a contented sigh, she pointed to the natural wonder. "A favourite place for meditation, and as you can see" -- she gestured next to the laughing, splashing children in the reservoir-- "enjoyment."

Kel smiled. "I see that," he said to them. "It is quite nice, I didn't now something like that existed."

"It does," Laedra assured him with a chuckle. "Come any time you like, Mr. Deneb. You're welcome to visit."

"Thank you," he said, nodding a little to them.

"You're welcome," Koran said with a chuckle. "As you see, we are very welcoming to non-Jedi. The last generation of Jedi had a reputation for setting themselves apart from the people they protected, and we wish to change that."

"So far, so good," Kel said, sitting down on one of the rocks near the waterfall. "Any hiking trails around here?" he asked.

Laedra laughingly answered, "Anywhere you can set foot on. If you'd like, feel free to wander about. Koran and I have students to attend to, so I'm afraid we won't be able to give you quite so detailed a tour."

"That's ok, I don't want you hanging around here on my part. I'll let you know when I find out some information," Kel said to the both of them.

"That would be greatly appreciated, Mr. Deneb," Laedra answered. "Enjoy your walk...and when it is time for us to return the favour" --her knowing gaze reminded him of the promise she made-- "don't hesitate to ask."

"Will do," he said with a slight nod to the two of them as they headed off.

"Aimless"
By: Kel Deneb
Laedra Vorrel

Location: Jedi Temple
Date: Lythe 16, 4 ABY

***

Kel decided to go for a walk in the forest, having a want to explore the lush, green area of the planet, instead of the cities. He might have to come here a bit more often, just to get away for a while. At least it would let him clear his mind.

Heading out, he began walking, just listening and observing what was going on around him. Smiling to himself, Kel figured things would go fairly well, and maybe he might even be relaxed after a few hours' walk in this area. He continued on, just picking his way along.

At a fork in the path, a disembodied voice sounded from amidst the trees - a forest sprite bidden to protect hikers, though the voice was a familiar one. "If you go that way, you'll likely come face to face with some unpleasant, large-toothed creatures, Mr. Deneb."

"Huh?" he asked, looking around for the source of the voice.

There was musical laughter, then the rustling of foliage as the white-robed figure appeared before him. Laedra Vorrel was smiling genially. "Trying to find your way home, Mr. Deneb?"

"Nah, I was mostly just wandering," he said, smiling to Laedra. "I didn't expect you to be out here, I thought you went back," Kel said, looking to her inquisitively.

"I had," she explained. "But I didn't feel comfortable allowing you to wander without guidance." Laedra stepped aside and extended an arm towards the opposite path. "The safer route...although I'm not so sure it's the one you prefer."

"What do you mean by that?" he asked, walking with her down the path she indicated. Kel was not sure why Laedra would say that, but expected to find out.

"You're a bounty hunter," she answered plainly. "Is that not a dangerous profession?"

"Yes it is," he said to Laedra, nodding. "But no more than you protecting the planet," Kel added, looking over to her.

"This is not a profession, however," Laedra pointed out sagely. "This is a calling. Jedi do not join the Order because we crave danger; we simply accept that it is sometimes a part of what we do."

"True," he said. "Well, self destructive moods tend to lead to dangerous professions," Kel indicated, winking.

Laedra's green eyes sparkled as she smiled. "Are you self-destructive, Mr. Deneb?"

"Only sometimes," he said to Laedra, getting caught by her smile.

She nodded thoughtfully, and turned her gaze to the verdant corridor of trees ahead. "Why are you self-destructive?" she asked gently.

"At times, it's how I deal with problems," he said. "The more danger, the better," Kel explained, trying to rationalize some of the things he did.

There was silence as Laedra sought to understand his reasoning, but she sighed and relented with a shrug. "I cannot comprehend that, Mr. Deneb. It seems...illogical." Her piercing gaze studied him sidelong, but her expression remained neutral. "Mr. Deneb," she asked softly, "what are you punishing yourself for?"

"Failure at protecting those that I had loved," he said to her. "As I explained," Kel added. "Logic sometimes fails, and emotion takes over. I'm learning to control it however..."

"Even if you do, will the pain truly vanish?"

"Nope," he said. "But it feels better in the short term," he said with a smirk.

Laedra laughed dulcetly. "Temporary contentment is easy to achieve," she agreed. "But to be truly happy, one is sometimes required to suffer through many trials. Myself, for example." She sighed wistfully, and turned her face up towards the sky as she reminisced. "I always searched so thoroughly for true love...and when I believe I'd found it, I settled." Laedra smiled wanly. "I hadn't. It was an unhealthy relationship, the two of us deluding ourselves. In the end...it wasn't love, and it took much time to realize it - it wasn't until Koran Darr came along that I did." There was a lingering pause before she spoke again, her voice soft and tinged with restrained sorrow. "You'll find your way, Mr. Deneb. We all do eventually, even though it sometimes hurts."

"I've heard that before," he said to Laedra, looking to her, wondering if there was something more that she was not explaining. "I figure I will, the more distant I get," he said to her.

"Distant from whom or what?" she inquired.

"The person who was killed, the woman I loved," Kel explained. "I mentioned that before," he said, looking to Laedra with a smile.

She stopped suddenly and turned to face him with confusion painted clearly on her face. "Why would you do that?" she asked. "Why would one wish to forget a person who they felt so strongly for?"

"At least push it back, so that it stops hurting," he said, turning to her.

"You cannot ignore it forever," she explained. "Mr. Deneb...you must face it. Are you afraid to?"

"No," he said to her.

Laedra chuckled. "Just can't be bothered, then?"

"Pretty much," he said, raising an eyebrow. "Or a continuation to my life would be nice as well."

She smiled and bowed her head. "A noble prospect." They continued walking. "Are you close to achieving it?" she asked after a time.

"I'd like to think so, but every so often, I feel her missing," Kel said to Laedra.

"That is natural," Laedra assured him. "My master, Ina, the man I had you find.... I miss him even today. That never fades."

"I suppose, but how does one move on, even after years?" Kel asked. "It's harder than it seems. I've tried a few times, but they just never catch my attention like she did."

Laedra laughed softly. "Oh," she said knowingly, "that sort of moving on. Well...perhaps you are unable to find another because you are attempting to replace her." Her voice softened. "You never will, Mr. Deneb. You mustn't try to."

"I see..." he said to Laedra. "And call me Kel, would you? Mr. Deneb makes it sounds like my father, and I'm not that old."

Laedra smiled aside at him, and chuckled as she nodded. "Kel it is, then." Her gaze broke away from his as the distinctive sound of rushing water tugged at her perception. She grinned and increased her pace. "It's just up ahead. The view is spectacular, Kel, I assure you."

"What is it?" he asked, keeping up with Laedra easily, having kept in the peak of physical condition ever since he started bounty hunting.

Instead of replying, Laedra weaved through the trees, parting wayward branches for Kel with the Force as they progressed. They reached the clearing moments later, and were met with the thunderous roar of a waterfall, and assailed with the feather-light spattering of its spray. Laedra sighed as she looked out over the cliff at the sea of green trees extending for kilometers. "This is what I wanted to show you," she breathed.

"Wow," he said, going towards the edge, and looking over. He felt the mist spraying against him, and smiled. There wasn't another person around except for Laedra, which was fine with him. It was a fairly large waterfall, something he wouldn't have expected. You didn't really notice the large hills or mountains when approaching, probably due to the trees and vegetation.

Laedra was loath to break the silence, to disturb the sanctity of the moment by speaking, but she did to whisper, "Everything seems to gain perspective after only a moment atop this cliff. Don't you agree, Kel?"

Kel turned, and nodded. "Indeed," he said to her, smiling. "That it does," he added, feeling his clothing getting wet, but he didn't mind.

Laedra smiled. "Well...I'll leave you to enjoy it. If you need me, I'll sense it and return to escort you back." She bowed to Kel, and retraced her steps towards the trees.

"Very well," Kel said with a nod to her. "Have a safe trip back."

"I will," Laedra called back, smiling. "It's you I worry about." And she disappeared into the forest.

Kel grinned, and sat down beside the waterfall, letting time just pass.

"Always Read the Fine Print, Part I"
By: Cirran Tyris

Location: Hyperspace point near Alphar system, Outer Rim
Date: Lythe 16, 4ABY

***

Cirran checked the readings again and frowned. The monitor told him that he was at about docking speed, although a glance through the cockpit bubble at the hyperspace lines streaking past all around told him perhaps the reading wasn't an accurate reflection of reality. Still, he knew how fast the 'Hope' was going, even if the 'Hope' didn't, and after this job, he could afford the proper repair parts, and then he would get out of this backwater part of space and on to...well, another backwater part of space, he supposed. But backwater systems were where hunted men spent a lot of their time, and he should know. If you were a known criminal, it was normally the New Republic that wanted you, or the Empire (although the Empire had its hands pretty full, what with all the falling apart it was doing these days), or in the worst case scenario - both. In that case, as Cirran knew, heading for some barely life-supporting rock that neither of them took the time to bother with much was generally a good idea...

His thoughts were interrupted by the blinking of the nav console, which was one thing that was functioning fully at least. Cirran dropped the ship out of the hyperspace and was confronted by the pirate - sorry, freedom fighter - squadron forming up on his port side, 6 heavy fighters in 3 standard wings, and a troop transport at the rear. Pretty dicey numbers for any raid on your standard Imperial convoy, but the attackers did have surprise on their side. "They also have us on their side, old girl," Cirran announced aloud to his ship, allowing himself the vanity, and perhaps seeking to boost the confidence of the 'Hope'. Talking to your ship, he immediately thought. You need some more time planetside. He opened a local channel in time to hear Rhakar broadcasting his demands to the yet unseen convoy somewhere nearby.

"Lower your shields, and prepared to be boarded!" The Imps always loved that one, Cirran reflected. He suspected that there would not be a lot of shield-lowering going on until the last TIE was an expanding ball of gases, and probably not even then. He smiled grimly to himself: that was fine by him. He fell into escort formation with the ship full of soldiers he was assigned to protect, and mentally dared the inevitable first wave of TIEs to come after it.

There was the convoy now up ahead, 4 medium transports and a token bulk cruiser bringing up the rear, all heading too slowly for their own good towards the next jump point. Cirran primed the guns and flipped the safety off his torp launcher, hoping that he'd sorted out that problem with the second tube properly, and noting as he did that they must have indeed caught the convoy snoozing: the cruiser had not even begun to move to a defensive position yet, let alone launch any TIEs. Probably they had stuck some incompetent officer in command, thinking it was a milk run. The Empire needed the good officers at the frontlines these days, and in an unimportant system like Alphar it was likely some over-the-hill, former (probably sub-standard) Interdictor second-in-command in charge, or a bureaucratic desk jockey that had never even laid eyes on an X Wing. He'd heard that officers in some of the Empire's more remote outposts were sure that the 'Millennium Falcon' was a myth...Cirran frowned again.

Was the tactical readout on the fritz as well? His target information showed the cruiser, rather than being bristling with turbolasers, was in fact unarmed. Unarmed, and with a great deal of solid looking hull in place where should be a fighter launch bay. He's seen similar conversions before, but couldn't imagine what military purpose they served...he scanned the readout for possible signs of hidden weapons clusters, but as the pirate formation neared the convoy, his eyes decided that this time round, they were in agreement with the 'Hope'. Not so much as a DL-44 apparent on the cruiser. What was going on here? The Empire was getting so desperate they were sending arms shipments out in unarmed, unescorted convoys?

Rhakar was making more demands again. "Stand down or be destroyed!" Not one of your great lines, Cirran thought, but certainly a real enough threat for the commander of 6 gunboats and a freighter that packed a fair punch to deliver to 4 strangely unprotected transport vessels and a warship that wasn't.

"Please!" came the reply from a frantic and distinctly un-military sounding convoy commander. "These supplies are needed desperately on Alphar! People are starving! You have to let us through!"

Light dawned on Cirran - the convoy's lack of protection, the raider's small numbers, the familiar cruiser conversion. I'm an idiot, he thought. He jabbed the comms switch. "Damn it, Rhakar, I thought you said we were hitting an Imperial arms shipment!" he objected.

"Shut up and do your job, Tyris!" snarled Rhakar, witty as ever.

"This is an aid convoy, famine relief for Alphar!" Cirran said. "That cruiser isn't even armed, it's been converted for use as a medical vessel! These ships are carrying medicine and food!"

"That's right! And Durga's gonna get plenty of creds selling that stuff to planets that can afford to pay for it! So back off and do what we're PAYING YOU FOR, merc!" came the retort, and as it did, the lead pirate vessel unleashed a missile salvo that effectively ended any hopes that the lead transport's captain might have had for getting his deposit back on the rental. The impact slewed the transport sideways, and 2 of 3 engines flamed, flared and went out.

"Son of a gundark," said Cirran, adding a few choice Rodian words he had picked up for good measure. He knew that most likely the crews of the transports would be permanently silenced so that Rhakar and his crew would not have to fear eventual governmental reprisals. And the already high death toll on Alphar would only mount if this shipment never arrived. Was Durga paying him enough to not care? Cirran knew he was kidding himself to even think the question. He sighed as he realised that those console repairs looked like they were going to be postponed - again.

Six gunboats. Well, he'd gone up against worse. Forget the console repairs, he thought, I need military class shield upgrades. Every self respecting flyer-for-hire made them a priority. You could only rely solely on the fact that you were good for survival for so long, and then you came up against someone who was better. Still, being good had got him this far...he would have to hope that Rhakar had hired a pilot outside his own crew for good reason. He accelerated away from the troop carrier, rolled to the left, and dropped in behind the third wing of pirates, following them down their attack line onto the big cruiser.

Cirran lined up the rearmost pirate and let both tubes go, taking a sense of pleasant half-surprise at the sight of a warhead actually emerging from the right-hand tube. Preoccupied as he was with his attack run, the pirate barely had time to register his surprise at the fact his vessel was exploding. His companion in the lead was a bit more alert however, and as Rhakar announced, "Sithspit! He's turned on us, get him, GET TYRIS!" to the system at large. His lieutenant managed to corkscrew out of the way of at least half of Cirran's volley of laser fire, his strong shields allowing him to escape with minor damage.

Bringing the 'Hope' around in as tight a turn as she would make, Cirran cursed and made a mental note to add '...and just what is your organisation doing with assault gunboats, anyway?' to a list of very pointed questions he would be asking Durga the Hutt afterwards, if he survived this...

"Always Read the Fine Print, Part 2"
By: Cirran Tyris

Location: Hyperspace point near Alphar system, Outer Rim
Date: Lythe 16, 4ABY

***

Cirran took a glance at his radar. On it he could see the other pirate wings breaking their attack runs and circling for attack positions. For some unknown reason, the pirates had decided the 'Fool's Hope', currently flying out of the debris cloud produced by their erstwhile comrade, represented a greater immediate threat to them than 5 unarmed ships on a mercy mission. "Damn, these guys have a screwed up sense of priorities," Cirran said, as the first energy blasts went crackling past him from the rear.

The second pirate wing had dropped in behind him quickly, and now the 'Hope's autoturret was hammering away at them in a largely ineffective manner, the computer unable to get a bead on the following ships due to the evasive maneuvers Cirran was using to keep both it and him in one piece. A co-pilot, thought Cirran. I need shield upgrades and a co-pilot. He glanced at the radar again; ahead, Rhakar and his wingman were turning to angle for a chase position. Oh yeah, and a new console as well, added his brain, his gaze arrested for a moment by the ever-so-slightly ludicrous claim of the faulty speed readout: that he was in fact stationary. Not a bad idea, thought Cirran. He took a glance at another display and smiled: yup, rookies. Reaching out to the controls, he cut the throttle to virtually nothing.

Three entities were taken by surprise by this turn of events: the two pilots behind him that had been following far too close, not trusting their gunnery at longer range, and the ship's computer, which suddenly found the problem it had been facing - how to hit one moving object from its own position, which was moving around in (in the computer's opinion) a most illogical manner - reduced to the rather easier set of computations needed to hit something moving in a straight line from a fixed point in space. As the lead gunboat hopelessly over-shot the 'Hope', the auto-turret lit it up like the Death Star had lit up Alderaan, stripping its shields, melting little bits of hull, and leaving Cirran the relatively simple task of making a slow turn up and to the right and putting a torpedo into the back of it. The second gunboat peeled left and away from the explosion, its pilot thanking his lucky stars he hadn't been in the lead.

Two down: but they weren't going to fall for that one again, thought Cirran. Gwila, Rhakar's Twi'lek second-in-command who had survived Cirran's initial attack, had been a bit behind the following group of two, and took the opportunity to put a couple of shots into the 'Hope' as Cirran got up to speed again. The ship shook as Cirran wheeled it out of immediate danger. This is no good, thought Cirran, if they all get behind me, I've had it. Got to take Rhakar's wing head on. He turned to intercept Rhakar and his wingman, Gwila testing the integrity of his rear shields. He had flown a bit before, too, thought Cirran. Damn again. Where was the predictability of Imperial pilot training in the opposition when you needed it?

Suddenly loud alarms in the cockpit told Cirran that Gwila had had him in the crosshairs long enough to fire a brace of concussion missiles in his direction. "Not good, not good, not good!" said Cirran, fully aware that the rear shields were in no kind of state to do their job of protecting him from the somewhat cold and oxygen deprived depths of space, if the missiles were to hit. He pushed the stick forward, heading for the troop carrier full of Durga the Hutt's thugs, who had been tasked with the job of boarding the convoy. He opened the throttle up ('Hyperdrive engaged', stated the deluded readout) and pointed the nose straight at the troop carrier.

Cirran's assessment of Gwila's experience had obviously been right, because he had flown enough at least to see this before. "Pull it up!" he screamed over the commlink. "Eamus, pull up!" But troop carriers were not designed for emergency evasion. Cirran dipped the 'Fool's Hope' just under the carrier and back up and above it again at full speed, as the unfortunate Eamus struggled vainly to pull it up out of harm's way. Cirran saw the glare of the explosion behind him at the edges of his cockpit, his radar showing Gwila pulling away from a tailing line to avoid the debris cloud. "Hard luck, Gwila," he said into the open channel. "You know, Eamus might have made that if you'd loaded torpedoes today. But as everyone knows, concussion missiles course-correct faster." He allowed his smirk into his voice.

"You're dead, Tyris!" came the reply, not from Gwila, but from Rhakar, finally now almost in range of the action, with his wingman in tight formation. "Suits me," muttered Cirran, swinging round to come face-to-face with the two approaching gunships, as they flew towards the big cruiser from the opposite end. Cirran looked at the cruiser hard, guessing distances. This probably wouldn't work, but if the four remaining gunboats just flew smart from now on, he was dead anyway. He adjusted the comms system, scanning for a secure channel for the cruiser as the pirate ships closed the distance. Locating a frequency, he said, "Cruiser captain, this is freighter the 'Fool's Hope'. Not sure if you've been paying attention or not, but..." He was interrupted by an excited voice.

"Yes, captain, this is Captain Daris of the 'Angel of Alphar', we're most grateful to you for..."

Cirran cut him off. "You're welcome, Captain, but we can save the thanks for later. What kind of shape are you in?"

"We're undamaged," Daris acknowledged. "Shields at 100 percent. Your intervention prevented their attack. But I'm afraid we have no weapons in service..."

"That's OK, Captain," said Cirran. "But I need you to give full power to front shields, and come about to heading 047 at maximum speed when I give the word. Can you do that?"

"Yes, understood, freighter captain," affirmed the nervous sounding Daris.

"Oh, and Captain Daris?" added Cirran. "Brace for impact."

Rhakar and his wingman were now almost within firing range. Cirran headed the 'Hope' straight at them, their line running under the nose of the cruiser. Cirran flipped back to the open channel. "Hey, Rhakar," he said. "You wanna play this game, fine."

Rhakar chose not to reply, but instead opened fire at maximum range, his wingman doing the same. few blasts at maximum range splashed off the shields of the 'Hope'. Cirran took his hand off the firing button. "You might want to recall our conversation planetside though, Rhakar," Cirran said to dead air, as the rain of fire on the front shield intensified. "Remember? You told me this mission might be dangerous, and I said I didn't care." Warning lights were now flashing in the cockpit of the 'Hope' as the shield neared failure. Cirran still did not return fire. "You know why I said that?" Cirran said. The forward shield went down. Cirran felt lasers impact on the hull. Sparks flew from several of his instruments. He let go of the stick as the ships began to pass under the nose of the cruiser from opposite ends. "It's because I don't really care about staying alive a great deal." He flicked the comm channel over to Daris. "Now!" he said.

As the ships neared collision, Rhakar buckled. He pulled up and over the 'Fool's Hope' and her seemingly suicidal pilot, only to find that where there had earlier been plenty of space to pass, there was now a very great deal of bulk cruiser. He managed a brief yell before laws of mass and momentum demonstrated themselves to him in a spectacularly fatal fashion. Rhakar's wingman reacted wisely by going down instead of up, but respite was brief, as Cirran first held his line to just scrape under the rapidly dipping nose of the cruiser, and then pushed the nose of his own ship all the way down in a 180 degree turn, bringing the Hope up right behind the panicking pirate. Cirran linked the turret with the forward guns and produced a stream of concentrated fire that burst the gunship open like a firecracker.

He flicked the commlink on again. "Well, Gwila," he said wearily, looking disinterestedly at carbon scoring about a metre away from the cockpit on the front of the ship. "As your computer is no doubt telling you, I don't have much in the way of shields left, so we can tangle if you like." He glanced out the canopy and saw something which confirmed his hopes. "But as your computer is probably also telling you, it doesn't look like your buddy is up for it..." he said, following the progress of the other remaining pirate ship as it headed at full speed for the jump point, "...so I'm afraid it'll be a fair fight." After a brief silence, the commlink crackled to life.

"I'll be seeing you again, Tyris," snarled Gwila. "Count on it." Gwila turned his ship and followed his comrade towards the jump point.

"I'll look forward to it," said Cirran.

Daris's voice appeared in Cirran's cockpit. "Thank you, captain, that was incredible! We owe you our lives," it said.

"Yeah, well you might not still be so grateful when you're scraping bits of Rhakar out of your sensor array," said Cirran. "Are you and your flight OK to get to Alphar from here? Did you come out of that impact all right?"

"Yes, no damage to major systems, and our journey is only two more jumps. We can make repairs on arrival," Daris confirmed. "We, and the people of Alphar are indebted to you, captain. Might I ask your name?"

"Well, Daris," Cirran said, "I'd love to stick around and fill you in on all my intimate personal details, but I've got to go and have a chat with a Hutt. Good luck." He turned the battered "Fool's Hope' around, made jump calculations, and engaged the hyperdrive, looking for curiosity's sake towards his velocity display. Having overloaded in an energetic manner, it was in several pieces on the floor.

Cirran laughed, and sat back in his chair.

"The New Jedi Apprentice"
by Koran Darr
Kal'Aran
Laedra Vorrel
Alisson Blair
and Taran Kinneas

Location: Jedi Temple
Date: Lythe 16, 4 ABY

***

The counsel regrouped once more, all of its members sitting in a full circle. There was a chair missing its occupant, as Master Quinlan Vos was absent at the time being. Kal'Aran looked at the empty chair and, for a brief moment, wondered how long it would take for Vos to return, and whether he would return along with Padawan Daemor'rah or not... He then glanced at the others.

"I'm sure you all know the reason why we stand here today. There is need to find someone to train a new Padawan. One that I myself came across and brought here," he stated. "It seems our numbers are growing to an extent where one Master will have to abide with more than just one Padawan!" he smiled.

"In time, it might benefit us to seek out more masters," Laedra thought aloud. "Especially if the Padawans arriving continue to be so old."

"I'm sure that with time we will have more Masters, as Padawans evolve into Jedi Knights and start to become capable enough to teach new ones themselves. I'm sure Kael Selrid is a good example," Alisson commented with a nod to Laedra's words. "But I've learned that we now have Jae Dyn Brael back with us, although even she brought a Padawan of her own. Perhaps us being united is a good time to discuss the training of young Zari as well as Jae Dyn being her tutor..."

"Perhaps it would be wise to assess Jae Dyn before we decide anything on young Zari..." Kal'Aran suggested as he looked at the others. "After all, if there is already a link between Jae Dyn and this new Padawan, and if Jae Dyn proves to be balanced enough to train her, then I don't see a reason to break that link."

"Jae Dyn Brael has turned her back on her rebellious ways," Laedra told them all. "She is a fitting master for Zari. If she were not expecting a child and could not afford the added exertion, I would recommend her for our newest Padawan."

"Then perhaps young Zari should continue her training with one of the other masters until Jae Dyn is able to take her as a Padawan once more," Kal'Aran suggested with a nod. "But the question remains of who will be training Taran Kinneas..."

"Zari will remain under Jae Dyn's tutelage," Laedra stated firmly. "As for Taran Kinneas...is Quinlan Vos not without a Padawan for the time being?"

"He is also not present," Kal'Aran commented. "Having gone after his padawan to prevent her from falling in the wrong path and hoping that she returns, there is no way to tell when he will return. Until then, there is a question that remains to be answered. Should he be initiated by someone else or do we have him wait for Master Vos' return?"

"There is no point in having him wait if we don't know for how long he will have to wait. Besides, Taran is already rather old, so maybe he should begin as soon as possible," Alisson stated. "And as for Zari, I believe she already has a Master and I see no reason to change that, although I must confess my surprise in Laedra Vorrel's firm attitude..."

"I am simply defending a woman who is not here to defend herself," Laedra pointed out calmly. "As for this Taran...Master Kal'Aran, do you believe yourself willing to take on another Padawan?"

"I believe so... Aurra Sgall is at an advanced stage already and she will surely be good support for Padawan Taran Kinneas in his training," Kal'Aran nodded. "But if you will pardon my sincerity, Laedra, the Counsel is not a trial and thus one would not need defense. I know you mean well, and I know you believe in Jae Dyn, but she has been away from us for a long time."

"Still, her coming back to us proves a lot of things," Alisson intervened. "And Jae Dyn was already at the Temple before even you or I came to stay here, Master Kal'Aran. If she states that she has abandoned her rebellious days, then I say we trust her. Even Laedra left us once and yet she sits here with us as part of the counsel..."

"You say it's not a trial, Kal'Aran, however it has been suggested we take her Padawan away from her, yet has not been suggested we discuss the matter in any way with Jae Dyn Brael. I believe Laedra has the right of it. I have spoken with her, and she is a competent master. Zari is progressing as a Padawan without incident. I see no need to upset that balance now. However, if the Council wishes to speak with Jae Dyn about her return, I am certain she will be happy to come before us, and easily put our minds at ease."

Kal'Aran raised his hand gently. "Perhaps I chose the words wrong and was misunderstood... What I meant was that maybe one of us could assist Jae Dyn with Zari's training when she has her child. She won't have much free time then, so maybe Zari could practice with one other master in the morning, for example, so Jae Dyn may rest. Or we could help her take care of her child so that she has free time to train Zari. I didn't mean that Zari should be taken away from Jae Dyn's tutelage forever, nor would I suggest to break the bond that is already shared between the two."

"Then that issue is settled," Laedra stated with finality. "The matter at hand is still that Taran Kinneas requires a master. If no one will volunteer... must we resort to a game of sabacc to choose the lucky winner?" she smiled blandly.

"If the counsel permits it, I would take Taran as my second padawan..." Kal'Aran stated.

"I have no objection," Koran said, then looked around the table to the others. All voiced their agreement, and Koran turned back to Kal'Aran. "Then you shall take Taran Kinneas' training upon you. If there is anything this council or any of us here can do to assist you, you only need say so."

"Thank you," Kal'Aran said with a slight bow of his head. "I take it that no more matters are pending? If not, then I would go tell young Kinneas that the matter of his training has been decided. Or would you like to assess him as we did for Padawan Darasar?"

"From your preliminary report," Laedra explained, "it does seem as if he has had an eventful past. It would be best to speak with him before accepting him for training."

"I shall go call him then," Alisson stated as she got up and walked out of the room to go find young Taran. It didn't take her long to find him. "Taran Kinneas? My name is Alisson Blair and I'm a Jedi Knight with the Jedi Counsel. We would like to speak with you if possible..."

Taran got up, showing he was higher than Alisson. He blinked and gave a brief smile. "Of course, Master Blair, please show the way."

Alisson led Taran back to the room where the counsel was gathered. As she entered, she stood by her seat with Taran by her side. "Taran Kinneas, I introduce you to some of the Masters here at the Temple. Masters Korran Darr, Laedra Vorrel and Kal'Aran whom you have already met."

"We have heard much about you," Laedra began, "yet we still know very little, Mr. Kinneas. For example...why you desire to become a Jedi?"

Taran bowed. "As much as I desire to become a Jedi, I'm a mere instrument of the Force. My destiny will lie in your wisdom and the will of the Force."

"But why are you here?" Laedra pressed. "Is this your calling, or are you simply following what you believe your destiny to be?"

"I'm here to learn the ways of the Force, Master Vorrel. It was the will of the Force to meet Master Kal'Aran in Mon Calamari. It also the will of the Force to bring before you," he gave a smile, at least it was his way of smiling, to show is teeth.

"Tell me something, Taran. Do you really mean those words or are you simply telling us what you think we want to hear?" Alisson asked. "After all, how can you believe something when you have yet to commence your training?"

"It is possible to believe in something without fully understanding it... Take love for example. How would you define love or prove that it exists?" Taran asked. "But I can assure you that I wasn't speaking with the aim to please you or that I was trying to get for myself your approval to begin my training. Whether you wish to accept me or not, I will respect the decision of the Counsel," Taran stated, then blinking his black eyes twice and standing there, waiting for any replies from the Masters.

"How much do you know of the Jedi, Taran?" Kal'Aran asked. "What do you think being a Jedi means?"

"Well... I know that they were defenders of peace and helped the weak against those who sought to oppress them. Also, they had duties to the Old Republic... But these are simply rumours that spread across the galaxy." Taran glanced over the masters. "I think being a Jedi means to serving the will of the Force."

"And what do you believe the Force to be?" Alisson asked, as she leaned slightly forward, interested in finding what Taran Kinneas would reply.

Taran thought for a brief moment. "I believe the Force to be something greater, something to guide us and that binds us together."

"And you wish to learn of its power, of the power you can gain from it?" Laedra inquired.

"I do not wish to gain power from the Force, but only to serve the Force's will and defend peace from those who try to destroy that same peace." Taran stood there showing his big height, but humble attitude.

"You do realise that the faith to becoming a Jedi is a very arduous task, that will require full commitment from you? Many times you will find yourself in hard and possibly even dangerous situations in which you may have to make choices for which sometimes there seems to be no right answer..." Kal'Aran warned. "You will be tested on your inner strength at those times, and even though we are here to help one another, you may still find these tasks a heavy burden."

"I don't know how big the burden is, but I can say for sure that I'm prepared to fully commit myself to learn the ways of the Force and to do my best to make the right choices, Master. And if those dangerous times come, I will accept any fate or destiny that lies head of me, even if that means to die." Taran looked, as his body moved left to face Kal'Aran. He knew he had chosen heavy words.

"You will learn with time and experience that it is not good to have overconfidence..." Kal'Aran commented as he looked at Taran. "But it is also bad to have a lack of it. Some fates, my friend, you will have to help them become a reality. And in order to do so you will have to be alive," he added, then taking a small moment to think and study Taran. "But I believe that you are a suitable candidate for training into the Jedi ways, or else I would not have brought you here. Alas, the decision is not mine alone... Anyone in disfavour?" he asked the other Jedi Counsel members.

Koran studied Taran for several moments. He closed his eyes briefly, searching for additional answers from within. Finally, he gave a nod. "I have nothing disfavourable to say," he said. "I believe, in his heart, Taran Kinneas is starting on the path he desires to be on."

"I have no objections," Laedra told them, and bowed her head at Taran.

Kal'Aran looked at Alisson who smiled back gently and gave a nod as approval. "Then it is decided," Kal'Aran said. "You will be trained to become a Jedi, Taran, and I will be the one to teach you. But if you have any questions or need any help, know that you can always count on any of us."

Taran simply bowed and blinked towards the Jedi Masters and exited the room.

"Opportunities"
by Hiroshi Kan-Ba - Freelancer

Location: Thanatos
Date: Lythe 16, 4ABY

***

The musty stink of the Blackbird cantina was thick. Various customers had entered and left during the hot midday, few rarely staying long. It was blistering outside and the stale almost unbreatheable air seemed to make it even hotter inside. Walden, the fat human bar keep, could be seen dousing a rag into a cold container of water and patting his brow to keep cool. The one low ceiling fan only aided in moving the heat around, doing little to cool the place down.

In the back of the circular room Hiroshi laid his Sabacc cards on the table. He rubbed the stubble on his chin as he spread them in the usual pattern. The game he played often by himself was a simple one but it kept the mind busy and helped to clear his thoughts. Lining up the suits of cards he sat back and took a deep breath. He'd lived here in Thanatos his entire 29 years and he could handle this heat somewhat, but sometimes it even bothered him. Sabacc usually kept his mind free from his troubles but not at the moment. Jobless and almost broke, Hiroshi was having a hard time finding a job. Of course being a jack-of-all trades didn't help since most people here in Thanatos were suspect of anyone without a real job. The impression was you were either a smuggler or a thug. Hiroshi was both and neither.

Hiroshi leaned across to take a sip of his drink when he noticed a woman talking to Walden. He couldn't pick up what was being said but he noticed Walden gesture his way. The woman, a middle-aged human, looked his way, then thanked Walden and turned to head over to Hiroshi's table. Instantly his instincts perked up. This was most unusual.

Hiroshi looked down at this Sabacc cards and pretended not to notice her approach. He could feel her presence in front of him, her eyes burning the top of his head but he refused to acknowledge her. He heard her stop next to his table and shift her feet. She remained silent for a few seconds before her low smooth voice rang his hears.

"Excuse me Mr. Kan-Ba...hmm...may I sit?"

Slowly Hiroshi looked up at the woman. She was perhaps 35-40 years of age. Not unattractive but also not totally comely. She had dark golden skin and light green eyes that seemed to pierce through him as she looked at him. She was dressed in a long loose fitting robe and he noticed each of her fingers wore rings of various designs on them. Wealthy? he thought.

"Business or Pleasure?" he asked.

The question definitely bothered her but she kept her composure. "I see you get right to the point. Well it is about business. I hear you are one that is skilled in many areas and you are available for credits and that currently you have no employer?"

Hiroshi nodded. "That is partly true."

Then he motioned her toward the opposite chair. Shifting her long robes, the woman sat down. Hiroshi noticed she looked tired, her eyes were slightly puffy, maybe she had been up hours or possible crying. He couldn't tell. Crossing his arms he waited for the woman to continue.

"My name is Allura. I am wife to Yammick Zennel, he is a merchant and works between Thanatos and New Plouton. We live here mostly since my husband does not like the oversized population that resides in that large city. His business takes him there most of the week but he prefers the isolation of Thanatos.

"I have never done this before, you know, hiring someone. This isn't something my husband would allow me to do but I have to do something. You see he...well he is missing."

Hiroshi's eyebrow twitched. "Missing? Exactly what do you mean? And how can a freelancer like myself help you?"

Allura took a deep breath. "Yes...well he has been missing for weeks, in more detail he hasn't been back from New Plouton since his last business trip there. I fear something terrible has happened. I have tried to hire several...well, questionable people to help but all turned me away. You see I don't have much money to give since my husband controls all of our credits."

"It will be hard to hire anyone in this town without credits. What can you offer?" Hiroshi asked.

"Erm...well I have 1500 credits I can give but that's all I have. Also my husband has an old ship that I can give you. It is an old Corellian ship and needs some slight repairs but I do believe it is serviceable. Are y...y...you interested?"

Hiroshi was unemployed and the offer of a ship, no matter how old, was a good incentive. With the 1500 credits added to his remaining savings, it might be enough to get the ship running. Of course he'd need to inspect the old bucket first. Plus how hard could it be tracking down some merchant in New Plouton? He'd never done this type of work but it didn't seem too difficult. He made his decision.

"Okay, Mrs. Zennel, you have a deal. But first I'd like to see the ship and I'd like the credits transferred to my personal account within the hour. Also I'll need to know your husband's last whereabouts and what particular merchandise he was selling. Understood?"

Allura bit her bottom lip then nodded. "I can transfer the credits no problem and of course you can inspect the ship. I can take you there myself. As for the my husband's last whereabouts I can't help you other than he was going to New Plouton and I haven't a clue on what he was selling. I'm sorry."

Hiroshi expected as much but he nodded and stood. "Well, I say we get going so I can inspect the ship. If repairs are needed I'll need to do so before I leave for New Plouton."

Allura stood and headed for the exit. Hiroshi followed behind her out into the hot sunny day. Across from the cantina was a speeder, and from what Hiroshi could tell, a fairly new model. There was a rail thin driver with a dark flight suit on with large goggles around his head. He was standing next to the speeder quietly. Hiroshi wondered just how rich this Yammick Zemmel was and why did his wife only have 1500 credits. Something seemed wrong here. Hiroshi ignored his negative thoughts as Allura gestured him inside the speeder. Hiroshi stepped in after Allura and sat next to her in the back. The driver got situated and started up the repulsor engines and in a matter of seconds they were off.

"Simon, take us to the hangar please," Allura shouted over the wind.

Hiroshi remained quiet but on guard the entire ride. He watched the road and the landmarks to make sure they were heading where they needed to be heading. So far everything seemed to be fine. The ride from the cantina to the hangar was short since the hangar area was just on the edge of town. The speeder slowed down and stopped in front of hangar 957.

Hiroshi climbed out and stretched, then looked around. He saw several different species walking to and fro, some with flight suits or traditional garb. Overhead he could hear the distinct sounds of ships exiting into the atmosphere. He also noticed a few New Republic military roving around on a large repulsor lift.

Most likely searching for smugglers and criminals of all sorts. Hiroshi wasn't worried - he didn't have a price on his head. At least not with the New Republic. The price he did have was with the Imperials and they were all gone.

"Please, Mr. Kan-Ba. Follow me," Allura said as she motioned toward the hangar. They entered the hangar and Hiroshi noticed immediately there was only one ship docked here. He looked it over and it wasn't very pretty. It was definitely Corellian with the side mounted cockpit.

He looked at Allura and she remained silent but nodded her head as if to say go ahead. Hiroshi did. He spent several minutes checking the hull plating and the various exhaust ventricles and so far he was impressed. The ship was ugly but the hull was in great condition and the overall outside looked good. He was also glad to see that the ship had some armament onboard. At the top center of the ship was a dual laser turret. As well he noticed torpedo launch tubes that looked like they hadn't been used in years.

Finally he placed the model of the ship. It was a YT-2400. One of the smaller Corellian cargo ships. Not much storage holds on it but it was adequate for small shipments and it was fast, very fast from what Hiroshi could recall.

"Mrs. Zennel, I'll need to see the inside and check the flight controls and onboard computers."

Allura nodded, "Off course." She lifted her arm slightly and her hand contained a small remote. She pressed a button and the ship's entrance hatch, located on the bottom, opened and landed with a thud.

Walking around to the entrance Hiroshi entered. The inside was dusty and the air a bit stale but it was relatively clean. There were a few empty containers stacked along the corridors but nothing he couldn't get rid of relatively easy.

He made his way to the starboard cockpit and sat down in the pilot's chair. He took a quick look at the panels to familiarize himself then he got to work. He fired up the power generators and the ship hummed to life. He booted up the onboard computer and instantly ran a diagnostic on the ship's systems. The computer quickly displayed the diagnostic results and there would be some work to do. The main problems were the rear right stabilizers were off-line, the inertial dampeners were only working on the aft end of the ship and the dual laser had a bad power line. Hiroshi made some quick estimations and figured it would take 2-3 days to have the ship ready for flight. He grinned. Not a bad deal at all, he thought.

Exiting the ship's off ramp he extended his hand. "We have a deal, Mrs. Zennel. I should have her ready in about 2-3 days and then I'll head off to New Plouton. By the way does she have a name?"

Allura returned the hand shake. "Thanks so much for your help, Mr. Kan-Ba, and yes my husband named it Gambit's Run. I was never sure about the name but it seemed personal to him."

Hiroshi grinned. "I like it. You sure when I find him he isn't going to want her back?"

Allura shook her head. "No, of course not. He gave it to me so I give it you. If that is all I will leave you to the ship."

Nodding Hiroshi responded, "Of course. I'll contact you in a few days to give you an update from New Plouton."

Allura smiled and exited the hangar. Hiroshi watched her go then entered Gambit's Run again. He shrugged and took off his vest. Time to get to work. He smiled and said out loud, "Opportunities...."

"Strange Training"
by Auron Ronso
Ellemiek Vermolen
Kyra Ronso
Tifa Alexandros Lionheart - NPC+
Aeris Strife - NPC+
Admiral Aknor - CRS Concordia CO (NPC)

and

Jubey Khaanor - NPC (Black Hawk pilot)
Kilgara Saaknor - NPC (Black Hawk pilot)
Gaarto'or - NPC (Flying Blazes pilot) - Twi'lek
Finchawaca - NPC (Flying Blazes pilot) - Wookie
Zendel Agamo'or - NPC (Flying Blazes pilot) - Human
Yert Yeglor - NPC (Flying Blazes pilot) - Givin

Location: CRS Concordia
Date: Lythe 16, 4 ABY

***

Aeris was eating in the mess hall with Tifa and Zendel. They were laughing out loud and telling stories. Of course it was an amazing friendship, but their table was also a big mess since they had papers with sketches and everything. The others around gave a look of surprise with the confusion and the loud voices of the three people, but they didn't do any reprisals against them since they would do basically the same with their friends.

"... and he looked at me with a surprised face for what I had done and then he said: give her a raise!" Aeris said has she tried to imitate a co-worker when she was on a trading party that she had joined.

Tifa and Zendel laughed loudly. "He actually believed that bogus story?" Tifa asked.

"Yes, it was absurd and he believed it... Those were good times, but this is far better!" Aeris smiled, eating the last piece of meat on her plate.

"Come on, if this was like during the rebellion days, I could live it. We are almost on vacations. No worries about enemies on our door step and everything." Zendel smiled, although he somewhat broke the mood.

"Yeah, and if the rumours are correct, in no time we'll be called up. I'm not saying that can be true, but I feel that he have a lot to fight," Tifa said and looked at Aeris.

"What... Ha... Well, first we live the present and if we are called up we just do what we've been training for."

"Yeah, that reminds me... I encountered Auron last night and he seemed worried..." Zendel commented.

Both women looked at each other and winked one to the other. "Auron was supposed to meet with his wife after she finished a mission, but she didn't arrive nor reported yet," Aeris said with a smile. "Of course it's understandable because it was going to be those catching up conversations."

"Why? They don't see each other that often?" Zendel asked.

"No..." Aeris paused to think of how to say it very shortly and clearly. "Two years ago Auron was declared dead near Hoth along with his squadron, but Kyra was the only survivor and she was declared a spy. She joined the Empire during those two years. I served in the Empire with for at least a week, when she found out that he was alive. We decided to desert the Empire and I joined the Alliance along with Kyra a few weeks later, but during this time they were apart since they were doing different missions. Well anyway, Kyra was supposed to meet Auron yesterday, but she didn't give a word if she is alive or not. In these cases the worst can be expected..." Aeris didn't finish what she was saying since her portable comm sounded. She turned it on and saw it was Auron.

"Aeris, she is en route here, but she has been hurt."

"What?" she said, surprised. "Ok, I'm on my way. Which hangar?"

"Ours and the Black Hawks!"

"Ok, I'll meet you there!" She turned off her comm and looked at the others. "Kyra is en route and by the sound of it, she's hurt. I have to go," she said as she started to catch the sketches.

"I'm coming with you..." Tifa and Zendel said at the same time. They looked to each other and helped Aeris.

Moments later Aeris, Tifa and Zendel joined Auron as Kyra's ship landed. The ramp opened and from inside of it, Kyra walked out looking tired and smiled at her friends.

"Kyra..." Auron said has he walked quickly to help her out. Aeris did the same.

"No, guys! I'm fine, really. I'm a little tired, that's all, but I got energy to fly with you, if the Admiral lets me, of course!" Kyra said with smile.

"What happened? You didn't show up yesterday and didn't report in?" Auron asked.

"There was a security breach. Someone knew where the meeting was going to take place. I fell in a trap and got myself wounded for a stupid mistake of mine. Don't worry, my love. I'm fine and you can take care of me as much as you like." Kyra smiled and kissed Auron briefly on his lips. Auron smiled at her when Kyra saw Admiral Aknor approaching. She saluted immediately.

"Admiral, I'm sorry if I worried anybody..." Kyra said with a smile.

"Glad to know you're alright..." the Admiral saluted back. He had brought some physicians with him and had them help Kyra out. She was seated in a hover chair to be taken into the medical wing. "What happened?" Aknor asked.

"Well, I met with the contact that had the info about Underworld and all was going well, but then we saw these individuals on the bar and decided to split up. I was ambushed on the back doors and was able to eliminate my foes, but I got myself wounded. I don't know who they were, and I would like to find out, but they seemed motivated and well trained."

"Trained?" Auron asked.

"Yes, they could be there like for quite some time, but the contact and I were able to see them since a Nikto with a Dug is a very unusual friendship!" Kyra said, as she was a little uncomfortable on the chair.

"That was a good call..." the Admiral nodded. This was not at all what he expected. Aside from the Empire remnants, there were no factions that he could think of that would oppose this meeting. Perhaps they were mercenaries, paid to do the job. "Anything else you can tell us? Who they worked for?" he asked.

"Well... I noticed something familiar on them, the way they fought... It's like they took it out of the Empire training book. That means that either some ex-Imperial officer is training them or we're facing a new Imperial Remnant that we don't know of. Which comes to the important question: how could they know where and when the meeting was going to occur?" Kyra asked.

"We'll need to investigate this," Aknor concluded. It seemed it wasn't going to be easy finding out who they were up against. "I'm glad that you are safe. I want you to rest for now, and your orders are to be taken care of at the medical wing. When you are well we'll discuss this further on," he smiled gently.

"Very well, Admiral." She took a datapad from one of her pockets. "Admiral, here is data about Underworld," she said as she gave the datapad to the Admiral. "Auron, it seems that I won't be joining your training, but you can do me a favor..." she said with a smile. Auron approached his ear to her mouth, and she said something that gave Auron a smile.

***An hour later***

"So, Ellemiek, do you agree with this training? I know it's an odd one, but it would test how serious our pilots are taking the training."

"You call that serious? I ran them through an asteroid belt once!" Ellemiek grinned. "I thought the Admiral was going to discharge me for that one! Anyway, this sounds good enough, and I think the Admiral will abide to this one," she nodded. "I'll talk to him. Meet me in half an hour at the recreation room."

Auron give a brief smile. "No, Ellemiek. I'll do that, if you let me, of course! I have to talk to the Admiral anyway!" Auron paused and looked at her beautiful face, and that made him feel something inside him. He then looked at the chart to make the feeling disappear, and, for a brief moment, he looked again with a sarcastic smile. "Oh... By the way, I arranged something that would be rather serious. Something that is going to test our pilots."

Ellemiek crossed her arms and smiled playfully. "And what is that, may I ask?"

Auron smiled and teased. "Oh, I definitely caught your attention, didn't I? Well, first I need to ask permission to the Admiral, and then I will tell you," Auron said kissing Ellemiek's cheek. He saw that she blushed with what he had done.

***A few minutes later***

The pilots of both squadrons were gathering in the briefing room, talking to each other. The room was full of laughter and teasing, and Ellemiek was at the entrance of the room waiting for Auron to come from the bridge.

"Good, you're here!" Ellemiek smiled as he approached her. "And by the look on your face, I'd say that the Admiral approved!" she added.

"Yes he did and more. He agreed that we are the ones that are facing our pilots." He smiled and nodded affirmatively.

"That's good!" she smiled. "I'd like to be the one to evaluate and see how well they perform... Come on, we better each go to our squadrons to give them the briefing for this run."

Auron walked inside and everybody started to take their seats. He connected the datapad with the holoprojector. Auron looked at the pilots. "Settle down, people! Come on, take your places..." He paused while the pilots sat in their respected places. "Now, Wing Commander Vermolen will tell what this training consists of. Ellemiek..."

"Thank you, Commander Ronso. This training run is a small test of your capabilities as pilots. As you're aware of, we aren't always successful in surpassing the skill of enemy pilots. Many pilots have died in the galactic war against the Empire..." she said, then taking a few seconds to pause and think. "Ratios have gone for the best, and we have been losing less and less pilots in wars. However, we don't want you to slacken up now that we're sitting on peace time. Many remnants have been spotted on several key locations in the galaxy and we may yet have to face them. Because we want your skill to the utmost, we will be facing you one by one, against myself and Commander Ronso on a two to one match. Commander Ronso..."

"Thank you! As Commander Ellemiek told you, it will be two against one and you will be evaluated by your performance. This will train you for when you are in a disadvantage and we will be able to see how serious you are taking these mission trainings. Commander Vermolen and myself will be your foes, so we can't evaluate you ourselves. For this, I asked the Admiral, as well as Commander Vermolen, permission so that Commander Kyra Ronso of the New Republic Intelligence will be the one to evaluate your performances."

He paused and he saw the mumbling between pilots. "The reason of her as a choice is that she graduated as top of the class in the Empire Black Operatives Academy, so she knows how good the Empire pilots can be. Let's impress her, people! Get to your fighters, and may the Force be with you!"

Ellemiek stood while the pilots got up and left to their fighters. She then turned to Auron and gave him a wink. "I'll be seeing you out there in the rally point..." she said as she wandered off.

Auron left the briefing room and walked to the hangar. He approached the ship and saw someone standing there. As he came closer he saw it was Kyra. "Hey! You came here just to see your old bird or to see me?"

She smiled and kissed him softly on his lips. "Let's say a little bit of both, so that none of you is left behind. So, who's the R4 unit helping you?"

"It's sort of an R5... Well, it's the old Whinner memory inside a new R5 unit." Auron smiled as the green droid approached, whistling happily.

"Hi, Whinner. It's good to see you too. Sorry if I got you worried about me," Kyra smiled as she knelt and kissed the droid's metallic head. The droid spun around whistling happily with the kiss. Kyra and Auron laughed.

"So which one is yours?" Auron asked.

"You see that one with the curve design? It's mine. It's a Kuat System Engineering Assault Ship t-One. I called it the Hell Breaker," Kyra smiled, pointing to the ship that was on the far end of the hangar.

"That's yours? Well that solves the mystery of the Assault Ship with the missing owner! Well, I would like to chat but we have pilots waiting. See you on rally point!" Auron kissed her profoundly and then climbed up the ladder and sat on the cockpit.

Whinner occupied its place on the X-Wing with the help of the X-wing mechanism to pull up the R5 Unit.

"This Blaze leader requesting permission to take off!" Auron said after the cockpit closed.

"This is Control, permission granted, Blaze Leader. Good training, and may the Force be with you!" the voice from the comm unit of the X-wing said.

"That is a roger Control, have a nice day!" Auron said as he activated his engines. The X-Wing elevated softly from the ground as the ion engines screamed more loudly. As the X-wing approached the exit, Auron punched his throttle and his fighter exited the hangar and onto the rally point.

After a few minutes he approached the rally point as about 23 X-wings were there, so was the Hell Braker. "I see everyone is here and I see how fast your ship is, Hell Braker."

"Thank you, Blaze Leader. Shall we begin?" Kyra spoke through the comm.

"Yes, we shall! So, who would like to be first?" Auron paused. "Black leader whom you would like to catch first?"

Ellemiek looked at her radar and prepared herself. "If you give me the choice, Blaze Leader, let's have as first opponent, Jubey Khaanor..." she said. "Do you concur?" she asked Auron, just to make sure.

"Yes, I concur. Let's see if he's as good as you say..." he said with a sarcastic tone.

"Jubey, you're up!" Ellemiek said over the comm.

"Right on!" Jubey replied as he thrust his X-Wing forward. It wasn't easy doing a two on one, and most especially considering that his two opponents were the squadron commanders. This was where the true training would show.

Jubey's X-Wing was up front with Auron and Ellemiek, and he was running on full speed. He passed right in between the two squadron leaders and came over on a half loop with a twist.

"I lost him on my visor! Turn and flank him out! He's bound to take advantage on this stunt!" Ellemiek told Auron over the comm, only to hear him agree shortly. And in fact, there was Jubey, coming straight at them again. A very nice tactical move, to keep him out of their shot radius, especially considering that he was running on a disadvantage.

But both Ellemiek and Auron were able to clear Jubey's shooting path and immediately turned 180 on him to cut him off, and just like that, the game was turned over against the Black Hawks' pilot. But Jubey was a calm pilot and not one to go berserk over tough situations like these. He was flying criss-cross and out of their lock on him. He could read that Auron was going on a path to outflank him, so he twisted and decreased his speed to catch sight of Ellemiek. He would have very little time to catch her before Auron could get back in attacking position, but if he could get her things would be much easier...

"No, you don't!" Ellemiek grinned as she took Jubey in for a catch game. She just had to make enough time for Auron to get there, and then, either Jubey would be caught or he would get the hell out of there. But in such a position it wasn't easy to stay clear for long and Jubey was no regular pilot. The sound of her radar beeping with Jubey's targeting system trying to lock on her was constant and more and more constant, which meant that he was closer and closer.

Alas, all was over when, all of the sudden, Jubey's radar gave the signal that someone had a lock on him. It had been Auron, who seemed to come back into it from nowhere. Ironically, Jubey had just got Ellemiek about a second after he was caught by Auron. Jubey relaxed and even laughed at himself.

"That was some impressive flying, but you're out of here!" Ellemiek said over the comm to Jubey.

"Copy that, Black Leader!" Jubey replied as he left the scene to the rendezvous point.

"Black Leader to Blaze Leader. Call in the second of the pack..." she told Auron.

"Aeris, you're up!" Auron said over the comm.

"Cool!" Aeris said, as she gave a thrust to her X-wing passing near Auron and Ellemiek's X-Wings.

Auron and Ellemiek quickly engaged Aeris. Her X-Wing was fast, so Auron had to adjust his speed to try to get the lock on Aeris, but her X-Wing quickly avoided to be locked on. As he almost had her on his lock, Aeris stalled her X-Wing.

"I lost the lock..." The sound of nervous beeps came from Auron's droid, Whinner. "What...?" he said, surprised. He looked behind and Aeris was right behind him.

"I have one on my tail, Black Leader. It seems our hunted is now the hunter!" Auron said through his comm.

"Copy that, Blaze Leader. Engaging your pursuer!" Ellemiek said. She rolled her throttle to the left as she was able to put herself right behind Aeris.

Aeris heard loud and clear what her droid said. She knew that Ellemiek was engaging in behind, so she had to make one of two choices, either stay behind Auron's X-Wing and try to get a lock on him and making the odds against her favor, or give up the chasing and try not to be targeted sooner than she wanted.

The choice was clear and she decided to continue to pursue Auron. She gave more speed to her X-Wing and tried to lock on Auron's X-Wing, but it was being difficult, because Ellemiek was right on her tail. She turned left, following Auron's trajectory, but closing herself in Auron's X-Wing. The reason for this was that if she could quickly get a lock on Auron she might confuse Ellemiek's targeting system.

"Auron she's closing in on you! I can't get a lock on her! My targeting system is confusing both X-Wings. Gain more speed or instead of having a lock on her I'll get a lock on you!"

"Roger that, Elle!" Auron replied as he tried to gain more speed. Auron knew it was a matter of mere seconds before Aeris had a lock on him.

Aeris saw the he was gaining more speed and she tried to maintain her current distance, but the more speed she gained, the more she felt her X-wing getting heavier. "Rive, the X-wing is getting heavier! Put the gravity of the X-Wing to a half of a G!" Aeris said to her R-5 unit.

Aeris felt the X-Wing becoming more easy to control, but after a few seconds she felt it extremely easy to control. In fact, so easy that she lost control of her X-Wing for a second or so. Auron went in one direction as Aeris went to the other, but as just Aeris gained control of her X-Wing, Ellemiek had the time to get a lock on her.

"Blaze two, well done. I must applaud your thinking, but I'm curious. Why did you lose control of your X-Wing?" Auron asked as he placed his X-Wing next to Aeris'.

"I asked my droid to cut a half G on my ship and something in this ship didn't agree with my thinking, sir. I would like to ask the Verpine maintenance to check if everything is in the right order, sir."

"You have it. In the meantime, join you teammates," Auron ordered.

"Yes, sir!" Aeris said has she joined her other companions.

"Next is Tifa," Auron said. "Blaze Six, you're up."

"Well, sirs, catch me if you can..." Tifa gave full speed to her X-Wing as Auron and Ellemiek engaged her.

Tifa adjusted her engines to give her more speed. "Give me a warning when their locks are almost getting to me," Tifa said to her R-2 unit.

Tifa flew, trying to maintain distance, she waved around her stick to every direction in order to not be locked, but it was too hard. She then noticed that only Ellemiek was after her. "Shit!" she said outloud on her cockpit. She hadn't noticed where was Auron which meant that he could come in from just about any direction. Just as she was going to decide where to move, Auron came from her left side and desperately she stalled her ship.

She pulled her throttle to reduce speed, so that Ellemiek would go right past her. With her little speed she turned right and down, facing Auron. She pushed her throttle and her X-wing passed by her two foes extremely fast before they could have a lock on her. She gained a few seconds of free maneuver, after which Auron and Ellemiek re-started the chase.

Tifa had tried almost everything she knew in those mere seconds, so she decided to go in circles to gain a few more seconds, because minutes in this exercise were extremely necessary, and Tifa knew that.

"Auron, she's obligating us to go on and on in circles forever. I'll have a lock on her, manually. Move out the way in Auron in five... four... three... two... one... now!" Ellemiek said.

Auron pulled the stick down and a second later Tifa was locked by Ellemiek.

"Well done, Tifa, join your teammates," Auron said as he paused to see Tifa's X-wing joining the others. "Ok Elle, it's your time to choose."

"Kilgara, it's your turn," Ellemiek said.

"Acknowledged, Black Leader!" Kilgara replied as she made her run. She had seen the others through her radars, and knew that their approach had been a good one, although not enough. But then again, things never repeated themselves and it seemed that all pilots had come by with difficulties.

As the run started, Kilgara made her max speed and looped to cut the chase into both Auron and Ellemiek. Of course what happened next was only what she had expected. Auron went one way and Ellemiek the other. She would have to choose one of them, which meant she would have to give the other one the chance to get a lock on her tail.

Kilgara went after Auron, who was slightly closer, but getting a lock on him was proving to be harder than most pilots she had come across. Nothing short of what she'd expect from the man who had initially taught her! Well, he's on the run, so let's run this game in a different way! she told herself with a grin. And just like that she gave up on Auron and turned 180� on Ellemiek.

Ellemiek and Kilgara crossed face to face, leaving the Black Leader to follow Auron's tail, while Kilgara had turned to go after Ellemiek. "What the hell?" Ellemiek exclaimed to herself as she had never expected such a behaviour. This was totally new. And she liked it!

Auron had already moved out of the way and was coming hard on Kilgara's right side. But Kilgara increased her speed and got really close to Ellemiek. She knew she couldn't get a lock this close, so she changed to manual.

"Auron, she's changed to manual! Get her off me!"

"I'm right on it, Elle!" Auron replied.

But before Auron could in fact get a lock on Kilgara, she had increased her speed even further and had twisted her X-Wing. With a short maneuver she was flying above Ellemiek, both cockpits faced the same way.

Ellemiek looked up at Kilgara, surprised to say the least. But Kilgara was not cleared from Auron just yet, so she went right in front of Ellemiek and turned hard right and then hard left, circling around both team leaders.

But Ellemiek had seen this one coming and had looped and almost stalled her X-Wing. When Kilgara was coming around, she almost got her. But now, she was the one chasing Kilgara. The only problem was that Kilgara was chasing Auron.

"I can't get a lock on her, so move to your left when I say go... Go!" Ellemiek said.

And as Auron moved to the left, so did Kilgara, who was almost getting to him. But Ellemiek had already been ready and finally got Kilgara on a lock.

"That was very surprising, to say the least!" Ellemiek said over the comm to Kilgara. "Join the others, and well done!"

"Thank you, both of you," Kilgara replied as she flew out to meet the others.

All the others went well, although some were caught easily than others. Finally, the last one remaining was Zendel...

The young pilot came in strong and full of confidence in himself. He knew the others had all failed, but he would do his best and would do well.

The final run began and Zendel didn't even wait to get a good position. He was starting to get a lock when going heads up on both Ellemiek and Auron. But when he passed them both he twisted and turned up to go after them.

Of course that neither Ellemiek nor Auron were sitting ducks and had already moved out of the way, also going after him, but he circled them and moved about. He got to a point where he was charging both of them from above. And as crazy as it was, he placed his X-Wing right between Auron and Ellemiek.

But as he tried to get a lock on Ellemiek she had moved out, and Auron was almost getting to Zendel. And Zendel was no fool to know that such a stunt could be used for more than a few seconds. He cursed himself for not getting his lock and flew out to try and get an interception on Ellemiek's path. But Auron was way too close to him, so he looped once and simulated one second loop, only stalling his X-Wing and letting it come straight down to his squadron's leader.

Auron was almost gone with Zendel's trying to lock on him, but got away with it. He then flew out against Ellemiek, who was coming back into the chase as well. Zendel then decided to try to go against the lady and placed himself chasing her. It was then that he heard a beep. It was Auron, tracking him down for a lock. As good as Zendel was, he couldn't keep up with Auron's flying style and eventually got caught.

"That was some impressive flying!" Ellemiek said. "One of the best ones I've seen so far, right up to the point where you got caught. You should never leave your foe behind like that when you have no backup."

"Well done, Zendel. Meet the others and move out!" Auron ordered.

Zendel thanked them both and did as told. The training exercise was over. Now to know what Kyra had to say of the whole thing...

All fighters returned to the hangar and the Hell Braker was the last one to land. The engine sounds diminished as it landed and completely shut down. Kyra exited and the pilots of both squadrons were there.

Kyra approached them with a smile. Auron and Ellemiek were talking when they saw she was approaching. "Hi. We decided that you'd let them know the top ten scores," Auron said, smiling as he and Ellemiek walked towards where the pilot stood, talking to each other.

"Settle down, people," Kyra said. She waited a few seconds for the pilots to have focus on her. "Ok. In general you did good since it's hard to fight in a two to one situation. Both your Wing Commanders are extremely good in their skills, but also in improvising. So, I'm going to say the top ten that had the highest scores, but may I remind you this will not say that you're an easy target on a battle! The ones who scored less need to practice more... Trust me when I say this. On a real battle, if you do any errors of any kind, I guarantee that those errors will be the last ones that you will ever make because you will be in a place far more better than this one..." Kyra saw that she had made the morale go down. "But most of you won't be in a situation like this training. You will have your wingman to cover your asses. Now, without further delays, here are the scores." She paused, with a smile on her face.

"10th place is Saben Lertin of the Black Hawks with 7456 points. In the 9th place is Zendel Agamo'or of the Firing Blazes with 7564 points. In 8th place is Yert Yeglor of the Firing Blazes with 7601 points. In 7th place his Ladi Hasd of the Black Hawks with 7623 points. In 6th place is Gaarto'or of the Firing Blazes with 7892 points. In 5th place is Tifa Alexandros Lionheart of the Firing Blazes with 8345 points. In 4th place is Stenfas "Locker" Partes of the Black Hawks with 8986 points. In 3rd is Kilgara Saaknor of the Black Hawks with 9023 points. And the last two with a difference of only five points are, in 2nd place Aeris Strife of the Firing Blazes with 9502, and in 1st place and winner is Jubey Khaanor of the Black Hawks with 9507!" Kyra smiled.

All pilots applauded the pilots in second and first place, and Aeris smiled towards her companions and at Jubey. She approached Jubey with a smile since she felt good with her place. "Jubey, congratulations! It seems you beat me..." Aeris extended her hand towards Jubey.

Jubey shook Aeris' hand. "Not by much though!" he said with a grin. "Some impressive skills out there!"

Kilgara approached them both and gave them a pat on the back. "Yeah, you guys can be my wingmen any time!" she winked.

Jubey laughed. "Bullshit! You can be mine!" he told her while still laughing. "Come on, I'll buy you guys a drink!" he said as they started to walk off.

"Reluctant Reveller"
By: Jadda the Hutt
Vorgoth
Jukwon Thallos
Raeila Selrid

Location: Jadda's Palace
Date: Lythe 16, 4 ABY

***

The sinuous, entrancing warbling of the reed pipe married with the dense miasma of burning spice and the jangling of writhing, bejewelled dancers to transport them all to an exotic setting existing within Jadda's stifling fortress. A motley of aliens were in attendance, conversing in a din of discordant languages that magnified the exotic air established by both music and decor.

Large, fringed pillows of richly coloured purples, reds, and blues were scattered about the room's perimeter, many others pooled at the base of Jadda's dais. Upon some were perched ladies of various ages, cultures, and states of undress - Raeila's proposal to Jadda had obviously been put into action judging from the number of girls occupying laps of the Hutt's affluent guests, whose hands deemed themselves free to roam.

Booming like a thunderous storm was Jadda's laughter, expressing his delight in the celebration before him. A raised, pit-fighting ring claimed the center of the hall, and had attracted many of the revelers in a frenzy of bloodlust. A gamorrean and a twi'lek were the current contenders, though the latter appeared on the losing side if the numerous gashes across his chest and bruises on his face were any indication. Raeila had opted not to witness the brutality, too disturbed by the thoughts of how her new friend, Jukwon, would fare during his bout.

She had been allowed temporary respite from dancing to entertain Jadda's lecherous guests, and remained half-concealed among the rippling curtains lining the back wall to avoid doing so. Peering out at the crowd, Raeila recalled how much she'd enjoyed parties in the past, but now wished for the calm and simplicity of life at the Temple. She even yearned for Kael, despite his infidelities.

Sighing, she leaned her head against the wall behind which she hid her scandalously clad body. She could attempt an escape, but Jadda's Zabrak had his eyes always on her - she could feel them burning holes into her back. All that was left was to remain strong and never let them see her weakness. Never let them see you cry....

"Not enjoying the party?" Jukwon asked from behind her. He had just arrived himself, having been invited due to his recent winning at the Tae'Sollar Gauntlet Podrace.

Rae tensed, but when recognition hit her, she relaxed and turned to face her new friend with as cheerful a smile as she could muster. "Oh, no...it's really wonderful, Jukwon. Though much better now that you're here." Grinning genuinely now, Rae said, "I missed you after the race. I wanted to tell you you were great! I cheered for you."

Jukwon chuckled. "Well, in that case, you must be my most beautiful fan!" he smiled. "But to be honest, I almost lost it. But at those speeds you can't really take too much time to consider things, so I kind of relied on hoping that my new cooler would work as I expected. I was lucky it did or I'd be in a bacta tank or worse by now!"

"Well you still could end up in there," she reminded him, and glanced pointedly towards the pit-fighting ring. "Are you really going to go in there and fight?" Rae smiled hopefully. "I'd rather if you stayed with me... so I wouldn't have to be alone all night."

"Yeah... I guess that's the price I get for winning! An invitation to a party with all the food you can eat, all the women one could desire and the awesome opportunity to entertain Jadda!" Jukwon said with a sarcastic tone. "But it's not all too bad. I hear that my match is sort of a set up. Apparently Jadda has the match somewhat arranged so I won't get too hurt. He can't afford to lose his winning pilot! Besides, I'm not sure you're aware that you're the prize! If I win I get the night with you!" he grinned.

Raeila's smile faltered, and she surreptitiously attempted to disappear behind the drapes. "The prize," she muttered. "Oh. I see." Chuckling weakly, Rae added, "But spending the night with you wouldn't be so bad. We could...talk. Right?" Her tone was hopeful.

"Oh, sure!" Jukwon chuckled. "But... that would be considering that the winner could take the prize. You see, you've been claimed by Jadda, meaning that the winner has to decline the prize offered. Unless one of us would want to lose our heads!" he said. "And that doesn't sound too appealing to me..." he added in a whisper.

Raeila's sly grin returned as she leaned in to quip, "Not even for the honour of a night with me?"

"At least I'd die a happy man!" he laughed. "But it would be sad if I were to die and not be able to look back and remember our premium night, eh?" he grinned as he looked about. His turn to bout was just coming up. "I'm next..." he sighed.

Raeila's features marred with worry, and with a soft gasp she flung herself into Jukwon's arms. "Good luck," she whispered, nestling her cheek to his chest. He was the only friend and ally she had; losing him would severely reduce her chances of escape. "I promise to give you the biggest kiss ever if you win."

Jukwon smiled and parted from Raeila's side to enter the ring. There weren't walls or ropes to form the ring, however. Just a bunch of thugs and people who cheered and placed bets on the winner. Jukwon was the sole person inside the ring and he didn't know who he was facing...yet.

Suddenly, someone jumped over the mob of people and into the ring. Jukwon turned to see who it was and he gasped. He was facing Jadda's personal guard, Vorgoth.

Vorgoth grinned wickedly, his piercing yellow eyes fixed on Jukwon. He had his lightsaber on his belt, but even Jukwon knew that he didn't need it to beat the crap out of almost anyone. He was a trained cold blooded killer, and one who excelled at that. Plus he was into arcane arts. Jukwon had seen some of that on previous occasions. Some called it Sith skills... But what Jukwon couldn't understand was why he was facing this particular opponent. He thought he would have an easy one.

As Jukwon brought his fists up to fight, Vorgoth had his hands up, palms open. This would prove most fun, and he didn't even have to use the Force to win. It was a simple plain ass kicking. Vorgoth had moved fast towards Jukwon, but it was just to see his reaction. He then tricked Jukwon into defending a phantom punch and kicked him in the shins instead.

Jukwon yanked in pain, but only for a split second as Vorgoth punched him hard in the nose and again in the side of his head with a mighty strong blow. He was down and it had only been about two seconds since the match had begun.

Vorgoth grinned, but he wasn't about to have this one end so easily, so fast. He was pleased to see that Jukwon was getting up. But before the man could stand on his two feet, Vorgoth moved to his back and yanked his hair, then swept him off his feet and punched him in the stomach while he was in mid air. Jukwon was down again, but Vorgoth still decided to step on him as he passed over him.

The crowd cheered and yelled as Jukwon was down. Of course, almost all the bets were on the dark assassin but they still wanted more of a show. Jukwon tried to get up, knowing that it wouldn't finish this easily. But Vorgoth jumped and kicked his chest in mid air.

Jukwon went backwards, falling on top of some thugs. But they merely pushed him back into the ring and the dark assassin punched and kicked him yet again and had him completely beat. Jukwon was down on his knees and he hadn't even been able to touch Vorgoth at all!

Vorgoth then grabbed his lightsaber and placed it near Jukwon's head, looking at Jadda for the final verdict. Alas, the Hutt merely declined Jukwon's life being taken. Fact was that Jukwon was too much of an asset to be decapitated, even in spite of how much fun it would provide to him and his guests. He needed the podracer pilot.

Vorgoth let Jukwon go and immediately came two of Jadda's slaves to take him away. The Hutt's majordomo had him taken away at once and taken care of, meaning he would be well treated for his wounds, so that he would be able to race the next podrace circuit. As for Vorgoth, he glanced over at his prize, fire glazing in his eyes.

Raeila was horrified and trembling badly, those infernal, blood-red spheres like portals into the wretched fate that awaited her. Tears blinding her vision and lower lip quivering, Raeila sobbed and dashed through the curtains to escape that penetrating stare.

She scampered down the passageway, weeping loudly and miserably. Two of Jadda's Gamorrean sentries were waiting to seize her at the hallway's end; despite recognizing how impossible escape would be, Raeila hastened her sprint and screamed as she threw herself at the opening. Her body slammed into two solid bodies of pure muscle, followed by two thick arms closing around her waist. Raeila kicked and thrashed as she was carried back, freedom now drifting farther away.

"No!" she cried plaintively, reaching out with both arms for the doorway. "No," she sobbed.

Passing through the curtains once more, but in the utterly opposite direction to where she wished to be, the din of Jadda's throne room engaged her again. Raeila knew she would be doubly punished, for attempting to flee, and for catching the eye of Vorgoth. She whimpered when the two Gamorreans deposited her on her knees directly before Jadda's throne.

Jadda's yellow spice smoke filled the surrounding air as he looked at Raeila. He wasn't happy about Raeila trying to escape, especially not in front of all his guests. Jadda's slaves were supposed to be submissive and to obey, and Raeila had just gone too far. The large Hutt looked at her, and silence was made in the adjoining crowd, only a few people whispering comments to each other.

"Chuba goola koochoo shag!" Jadda's voice boomed as he spoke. "Chuba hagwa pushee, stoopa! Jee panwa umo mikiyuna lust shag! Je moova!" he said angrily, only to hear some who could understand huttese mumble as they looked at Raeila. The protocol droid looked at Jadda and then at Raeila and finally translated. "His reverence, Master Jadda, states that you are his slave and that you do not run away! For your actions, you will be punished by becoming everyone's slave of lust, beginning with Master Jadda!" the droid said. It was obvious that what was happening was a massive rape on Raeila. People were mumbling and commenting, some quite content with the punishment.

Raeila's eyes were wide and panicked. With a loud wail, she prostrated herself before Jadda, pleading frantically. "I'll do what you ask...I swear it! I-I'll reward your victor, Master...but please, not all of them. I was impetuous, Master...and I'm sorry." She sobbed. "I'm sorry!"

The men in the crowd were making comments in whispers and it was obvious that some were hoping that Jadda would have this girl take her punishment, since that meant they too would have a chance at her...

"Bona nai kachu! Stoopa tinka jee boo chuba bolla da eesi?" Jadda laughed. "Chuba yatuka huttu koga!" he then sneered angrily as two guards came to take the girl by the arms. But before they did anything to her the droid translated. "Master Jadda states that you are in trouble now, and that he would be a fool to let you go that easily. You are to be taken to the Hutt bed chamber."

Raeila stifled a scream, biting down onto her bottom lip hard enough to shed blood. She fought against the urge to struggle, but there was little use in trying to free herself from the painful grip of two Gamorreans. There was approving laughter, measuring gazes that were far too lecherous for her roiling stomach to tolerate. Then, there was Jukwon, having recovered from his loss and now standing on the edge of Jadda's dais. He could barely glance at her.

"Jukwon," she whispered feebly. "Please...help me." Hot tears scorched trails down her cheeks. "Jukwon," she begged desperately. "Claim me...please!" Now, she pulled against the restraining arms, seeking out Jukwon. "You're Jadda's champion...let me be your prize...please!"

Jadda laughed outloud, his booming voice echoing in the whole room. "Hees chuba champio! Vorgoth na!" the Hutt said, pointing at Jukwon, who knew better than to say anything. He wanted to help Raeila, but to speak above Jadda was certain death for both himself and Raeila for sure. Jadda's droid translated. "Master Jadda states that Jukwon is not the champion. You are the prize of Vorgoth."

Vorgoth grinned wickedly and looked at Raeila from top to bottom for a few seconds. "Don't want her! I say she has her punishment... I give her to you, my master..." he said in a low cold tone.

Jadda laughed and so did some in the crowd. Things were bad for Raeila as it seemed. But Jadda's twi'lek majordomo approached the Hutt and whispered something in his ear. The Hutt stopped for a while to think and simply gave a nod, and thus, the female twi'lek came down in front of Raeila and the Gamorrean guards.

"Take her this way!" she told them coldly. And they knew better than to disobey, or they'd be turned into Rancor food in no time! Once they were in one of Jadda's chambers, she had the guards leave the room, leaving both women alone. "You are lucky that I saved you back there, lest you prefer to be raped by all the mob," she said bluntly. "But I don't want your thanks! You're still not in the clear... All that I managed to get you was a cut on your penalty. Instead of serving as pleasure to everyone you merely have to pleasure Jadda."

Raeila, still shaken by the commotion, watched the Twi'lek in counfoundment. "But...you saved me... Why? I-I'm grateful...what do I owe you?"

The female twi'lek laughed outloud. "You don't owe me anything! I didn't do it so you'd owe me anyway! But understand one thing. There's basically three people here who can give orders. Jadda is the most powerful one, of course. And then there's Vorgoth who can do pretty much what he wants. And the third person... Well, you're looking at her! So, when one of us tells you something, you don't ask questions. You just do it!" she told Raeila angrily.

The female twi'lek then moved more towards the bed and touched its soft silk. "As for me taking you out of there... Do you know what was about to happen to you? You'd be raped by anyone who wanted to rape you for as many times as they wanted to do it. And if any of Jadda's guests weren't satisfied you'd be fed to Jadda's rancor afterwards!" she told Raeila, then grinning and shaking her head. "Let's just say that I used to be where you are now, and it wasn't any fun, for me at least. But remember, do as you're told from now on because my bargain for your life with Jadda was that he'd have you and that I'd personally see to it that you became obedient. And you better not let me down, or you'll be at the hands of Vorgoth or worse!"

"But he's...sickening!" Raeila sulked, and curled her legs in toward herself for solace as she sat upon the bed. "How can anyone pleasure that slug without becoming nauseous? How can you!?"

The female Twi'lek laughed again. "I don't need to pleasure him. Not in physical manners, at least! I'm not one of his slaves anymore. I'm his Majordomo, the one who sees that things go well!" she told Raeila in a rather cold manner. "But I have known some slaves who chose to lose their olfactory senses to be with him. Personally, I think that's ridiculous! When I was in that position, all I had to do was to pretend I was somewhere else, and breathe through my mouth rather than through my nose!" she said. "Besides, Jadda does not mate often with his sexual organs. Most of the times he just licks the girls. So, if you're lucky, that's all you're going to get from him."

Raeila smiled hesitantly. "Really? Well...licking's not so bad. I used to get worse when I was working the trade in Thanatos. But...but what about that Vorgoth man?" She shuddered and pulled in her legs tighter. "He creeps me out. What is he anyway?"

The female twi'lek smirked. "You better not get to the worse side of him! But come to think of it, he hates almost anyone and everyone, even though I fear no one has seen his real worse side so far. Or at least none lived to tell the tale..." she laughed. "That one's a killer of the worst kind! No emotions, no fear, only hatred. Plus he can do certain things. Some say he's Sith..." she commented. "I wouldn't upset him, even though you should be safe as long as you please Jadda without upsetting him."

Raeila nodded numbly. "I'll try...but all I want right now is to get out of here. Is...is there any way? Can you help me? I have a husband and friends...they'll all be missing me right now."

The twi'lek laughed. "Silly girl! You should have understood by now that the only way you're going to get out of here is right next to Jadda. I doubt very much that he would let you go anywhere by yourself... And you should certainly not run away, unless you want to have a price on your head! Or worse, have Vorgoth hunt you down! No...you should forget them. Unless you can conjure a miracle of being the first woman to be set free by Jadda for nothing in return!" she laughed.

"But...you must know a way!" Raeila pushed off the bed and rushed towards the Twi'lek, hands held out in a plea. "Please...I'll give you anything if you just help me!"

"If you do what I say for some time, I might be able to get you out of here..." the Twi'lek told Raeila in a rather cold way. "And it will cost you a price, of course! But this we will not discuss at this point. I want you to do what Jadda tells you to do, and maybe I will help you later on. And I want no questions asked, are we understood?"

Raeila appeared crestfallen, sullenly nodding her head. "No questions," she repeated morosely. "I've got no one to trust... I hope I can trust you...." Raeila watched the Twi'lek inquisitively. "What's your name again? I like knowing what to call my new friends."

The female twi'lek pushed Raeila back. "I am not your friend! And you have no need to know my name! I will call upon you or find you when I want to and when the timing is right."

Raeila frowned peevishly at the woman. "Fine!" And she stomped over to the bed to sullenly plunk herself down upon it. Her mood changed drastically as the woman whirled to stalk away. "W-Wait! I have a favour to ask."

"What is it?" the twi'lek asked simply.

"Well...could you maybe...tell Jukwon I'm okay and that I'd like to see him if I could?" she asked timidly and with doleful, wide eyes.

"I'll tell him you're ok. I can do that much..." she assured her. "As for seeing him. If you want to risk your neck, you do it yourself. But remember, you best not annoy Jadda again, or even I may not be able to help you!"

Raeila sighed and sullenly backed away from the Twi'lek. For as brash as she was, Raeila hoped she could gain some sympathy with the woman. The more allies, the better. "May I rest? Jadda won't call for me, will he?"

"He will be here shortly... You probably have a few hours until he comes to visit you," she answered bluntly. "I will leave you to rest, and would take a bath and dress in something nice. You may find clothes in the dressers over there," she pointed out as she made her way for the doors.

Raeila nodded obediently. She sighed. "Thank you for your kindness, miss," she said softly. "I will remember it." Though it was her cruetly Rae would remember most, and when she was free, she would be one of the first to suffer.

"Servility"
By: Raeila Selrid
Jadda the Hutt

Location: Jadda's Palace
Date: Lythe 16, 4 ABY

***

She had never bathed in anything so luxurious as rosewater, and as enchanted as she was by the extravagance offered her as one of Jadda's concubines, Raeila knew better than to believe it changed a thing. A slave she still was, and one who would be forced to Jadda's bed shortly.

She slid lower in the tub of tepid, fragranced water until her mouth and nose were nearly submerged - there was a fleeting thought urging her to do so, to take her life by drowning, a most ironic death for a desertbred whore. There was still hope, however, and it was the only thing keeping her from carrying through with suicide. She had to see Kael again, no matter how dearly she resented him for his betrayal. He had lain with Nieme, she knew, but Raeila couldn't help the love she felt for him still. There had to be at least one last moment alone, if only to chastize him for breaking her heart and destroying her trust in him.

She sobbed, the tears lost in the pool of water as they trickled down her cheeks. "Damn you, Kael," she whispered. "Damn you for making my heart still ache for you."

The knock on the refresher door jolted Rae upright, unsettling the water and sending a wave splashing over the tub's edge. Could it be...?

"The Master is awaiting you," a muffled, feminine voice told her through the door. "Please prepare for his arrival." Then there was the sound of bare feet padding away.

Take me with you, Rae wanted to cry out, but instead she froze with fear that locked her fingers around the rim of the tub in a deathly grip. She'd spread her legs for all types in the past, but a Hutt was a whole other thing. His rancid odour...she wrinkled her nose at the very thought of it. She wondered why she had bothered to bathe if even one moment with the slug would foul her.

The Twi'lek had insisted that he preferred to lap at his girls with his far-reaching, slavering tongue. Raeila could suffer through that much. It was just a tongue, after all - nothing a little water couldn't wash away. She pondered, then, if Jadda had ever seen the inside of a tub himself...

Water cascaded down her tall frame as Raeila rose from the bath's depths. Thin rivulets of the liquid wound a path between her breasts and curved around the slope of her hips and thighs while droplets from her hair trailed down her back to follow the roundness of her rear. Leaving the warm comfort of the water and exposing herself to the cool air raised goosebumps and hardened her nipples; she crossed her arms quickly over her chest and rubbed herself briskly to generate heat. She'd be even colder once she was in Jadda's presence, and she planned to be clothed when she was.

Her bare feet contacted a soft, dense rug when she hopped out. She tugged a towel from the rack and wound it about her hair, then obtained another to secure around her torso. The rosewater had scented her skin faintly, but it was still so magnificent and familiar, reminding her of the desert rose found in Thanatos when the climate permitted. Ferrig had made a habit of plucking one from the sands for her each year, the first to bloom, he'd always insisted, and even if it was a fib, at least it was a heartfelt one. There were no flowers now, though, only the pale, worthless imitation drowning in a pool of cold water. Raeila tore the wet towel from her hair and flung it into the bath with a shriek of despair and rage. Its impact sent up a gout of water before it was dragged down to the bottom.

"I'll have flowers again," she declared fiercely. "Flowers and happiness, and no chains or smelly worms drooling over me." She stomped her foot and upturned her face to the ceiling, yelling, "I'll have it, you big fat slug! And you won't stop me!"

Imbued with a surge of determination and resolve, Raeila marched from the refresher to her wardrobe. The doors were flung wide in her fervour, but Raeila stopped short of tearing the garments from their hangers when the riot of colours and motley fabrics caught her eye. There was not one outfit that would potentially cover more than a modicum of flesh, but even to have leering eyes upon her, Raeila would don one of them in an instant.

There were luscious reds and deep purples, blues the colour of Kael's eyes, and golds that put the desert sands to shame with their richness. Her fingers brushed across the various dresses, her senses nearly overloaded by the multitude of textures. There was velvety, silken, or those made rough by the jewels studding them in patterns of swirls and angular shapes that held no definition but much appeal. Many of the fabrics were sheer and translucent, but Raeila held no modesty that risked compromising if she were to garb herself in such daring attire.

She selected one at random and pulled it free. Holding it up to the light, the blazing red reflected onto her face. She breathed in awe of the diaphanous cape flowing freely from the hem of the strapless brassiere to swirl around the matching panties. There were gold accents to the chiffon train, ornate spirals running on inward parallel biases, matching the ornamentation on the undergarments that consisted of whorls all seeming to direct any prospective admirer to the treasures hidden beneath. Raeila was giddy with excitement and eagerly slid the ensemble on.

She moaned happily at the sensations arising from such fine, delicate fabric gracing her flesh and contouring to her perfectly. Spinning round and round, the short cape flared outward, slapping cold wind against her bare abdomen and legs. It was a glint from the top shelf of the wardrobe that ceased her frenzied dance, and when her eyes made out the shapes, she squealed and rushed forward. There were coronets and tiaras fashioned from gold and silver, as far as she could discern. For a Hutt, Jadda had great taste in jewellery.

Bracelets, armbands, chokers, and earrings were neatly arranged, but not after Raeila was through hauling them down from the shelf. Laid out upon the floor now, Raeila selected from the finery and chose a winding armband, complementary ruby-encrusted choker that spat flecks of red onto her bare chest and shoulders when the light caught the jewels, then an anklet that jangled when she moved. As she stepped into sight of the mirror, Raeila was overcome by the sight before her.

"I'm beautiful," she whispered, smoothing hands over the gorgeous material. She would rather have been so for Ferrig or Kael...but it would all be wasted on the Hutt. Still, if she pleased the creature with her appearance, it would be easier to seduce him into cooperation.

Before Jadda could arrive, Raeila raced back to the spread of jewels upon the carpet and snatched up a thin golden circlet to adorn her. She twined her unstyled hair around the band, creating a crown of golden locks atop her head, then quickly collected the rest of the pieces and stored them again within the wardrobe. Just as she closed the doors, the ones to her chambers creaked open. Raeila gasped and jerked around at the noise. His sickening stench preceded him as Jadda the Hutt slithered into the room. She pressed her back into the wardrobe, hoping to disappear from sight.

Jadda's large eyes caught Raeila at once. She not only smelled great, but she looked even better. Just the way he wanted his slave girls to look. Oh, this was far too good, and one of the things that Jadda liked best was to spend time with his girls, especially the new ones... "Ahh, you look very good!" he said as his eyes took a stroll down her body. "Come... Sit on the bed."

Raeila shifted her gaze to the large canopied bed, then back to Jadda warily. Willing her legs to move, Raeila padded slowly across the room, keeping Jadda always in sight. "The Twi'lek said you...you wouldn't...the first time," she told him timorously.

"She said I wouldn't what?" Jadda asked as he moved towards Raeila slowly. "What did she say I would or would not do?"

"She...she said...." Her voice regressed to a squeak as Jadda loomed over her. For every step back she took, he slid twice the distance towards her. Raeila felt the edge of the mattress hit the back of her knees, but she remained standing until Jadda's proximity forced her down to avoid contact with the slug. She hastily pulled her feet onto the bed and scrambled towards the other end of the mattress. "You're not going to lie with me," Raeila whispered unsteadily, "are you?"

Jadda laughed. "Why do you think I have slaves? What do you think you are to me?" Jadda asked. "Yes, I am going to lie with you... And you better like it, or you can very well take the other punishment that was predestined for you!" he added.

"But...wouldn't you rather have willing slaves?" Raeila asked hopefully.

Jadda laughed. "Do you know anyone who takes the life of slavery willingly?" he asked her, amused by her sentence. "Is there anyone who is deprived of their liberty do to things because they choose to? In all the centuries I have lived, I have never heard of such a thing! But of course, some are ill-treated, whether I treat mine well enough. After all, you cannot say that your accommodations here were bad, can you? No one has ill-treated you! I can think on some much worse conditions, I assure you!" he warned her. "As for if they mind being with me or not... I couldn't care less of that!" he rasped.

Rae whimpered as her back finally pressed against the headboard. She had nowhere further to crawl to, though Jadda seemed to; he was slithering closer to her already. She held her hands out before her, futilely hoping to hold him off with the gesture. "Please...I have a husband....Why would you want a slave whose heart could never belong to you?"

"Because no slave would ever want it anyway!" Jadda answered sharply. "I grow tired of talking, so either you shut up or I'll have your tongue removed!" he told her seriously. And with that said he grabbed her hands with his own and forced her near him. He tore off her gown, leaving her breasts exposed, and with his eyes wide open from the lovely vision he had of her, he licked them slowly with his long tongue.

Raeila's screams were mingled with repulsive groans as she desperately fought to wrest her arms from his grip. He jerked her closer, forcefully enough to toss her head forward and send her crown skittering across the floor, while her hair tumbled around her shoulders. His foul stench rose from the drool lathered over her chest; it was nearly as vile as the slurping, rasping sounds of his tongue lapping her flesh. She shuddered audibly and twisted away as the long, groping serpent from within his abyssal mouth curled around her jaw to lick her cheek. Again she screamed.

Raeila's screams only made Jadda all the more content and excited. He licked her well from her cheek and down her neck and around her breasts and her nipples. He then touched her lower parts, massaging her private area as he continued to grab her with one hand and lick her. "Take them off!" he commanded her. There was no need to tell her he meant for her to undress.

Rae growled and jerked away from Jadda. "I don't want to!" she hollered at him, her fire returning despite the fear. "Lick all you want...but you're not going inside me!"

Jadda growled. He would not be told what he could or could not do, and most certainly not from a slave! He laughed and slithered even closer to Raeila. "You are lucky that we Hutts only mate for procreation reasons and not too often at that! For pleasure we have taste and feel..."

Raeila reclined on the bed as he pressed in towards her. She caught sight of a saliva droplet plunging from his tongue and quickly turned her head before it splattered onto her chest. It was just a tongue...and she could always bathe again. The alternative - being taken by a room full of men - was hardly appealing, not that Jadda himself was any more so....

"You...you'll just touch?" she whispered, and hazarded a glance up at the creature.

"Yes..." Jadda hissed.

Raeila found a spot on the ceiling to concentrate upon, to usher in memories of Kael and Ferrig and abolish the very presence of the creature drooling upon her. She felt his weight bear down upon the mattress as he settled onto the bed. Raeila held onto a gasp and only barely flinched away as his warm, slick flesh pressed firmly against her thigh; there was momentary relief as the fabric of her undergarment slid between the point of contact, but panic replaced discomfort when the fabric continued downwards to her knees.

Bared to him fully now, Raeila searched frantically for some all-consuming memory that would transport her completely from this room - a joyful time when she and Ferrig ruled the desert, when no one would dare cross either of them. Now, they were apart and suffering greater tortures than they had ever inflicted. She sobbed as Jadda's stubby fingers probed and touched, weeping from the sheer repugnancy, from the sense of loss, but most of all, weeping for home.

Jadda amused himself with Raeila for quite some time, and even though she was slowly crying, he still got her wet and made her moan. Fact was, Jadda knew women and their bodies, which wasn't all too surprising for someone who was over five centuries old. When he let her go she was obviously exhausted, whether if from crying or from his fingers and tongue, Jadda didn't know. But then again, he didn't care. He licked her womanhood and its juices and slid back from her.

"You are most tasteful..." he told her. "You may have the rest of the day off, but I shall return sometime soon."

Raeila sucked in a convulsive breath and rolled unsteadily onto her side, away from Jadda. She curled in on herself tightly. His stench was everywhere, but it sickened her most to remember the involuntary arousal she'd experienced - her body had betrayed her and now it was rebelling. With a thick groan, she clambered out of bed and ran headlong into the refresher. The violent retching coming from within was enough to inform Jadda his ministrations had been unappreciated.

Jadda slithered away, his laughter propelling itself through the room as he left.