"Aborted Reunion, Part 2"
By: Maeren "Shiv" Shivral
Kaysa Zenarr-Tregat-Braston
Lerrah Breijal [NPC]
Vrax Draydge [NPC]

Location: Yesdol, New Plouton
Date: Eos 4, 4ABY

***

Nothing. That's what she was staring at. Her eyes were still working, but she was seeing nothing. But, since she was seeing nothing, she was staring at nothing. At least, that's what Maeren Shivral kept telling herself.

A gentle hand was placed on her shoulder, and she shied away. "Please don't," she asked.

"Maeren," Lerrah said. "They'll find her. Zale will do everything he can to find her. Please, just come with me and have something to eat."

"I'm not hungry right now," Shiv said. "I'll come in soon."

"But, you need something now," Lerrah added. "Please, for me?"

"Please don't do that, Lerrah," Shiv asked again. "I have to get through this my way. I should have gone with her. I should have been there to help her with whatever happened."

"And, then you'd be there too."

Shiv turned. "At least I'd be with her. At least she wouldn't be alone."

"They found ropes," Lerrah said. "They'll be able to use those to find whoever took her. They'll do DNA scans. Whoever was there also smoked a cigarra in her office. They'll use that too. It can't be Kaysa's because Zale says she doesn't smoke anymore."

Shiv frowned. "It could be mine."

"When was the last time you were in Kaysa's office, love?"

"Still," Shiv said with a grumble.

"It was when I was there, and there was no cigarra."

Shiv fought back a sob. It wasn't one of her usual sobs. There were no tears this time, not like the normal tears. There was only anger and the desire to tear whoever grabbed Kaysa apart. "I should be out there looking," she said. "I should be helping."

"And, they'd have a chance to grab you again."

Shiv looked up, her eyes burning with fury. "I'd like to see them try," she rasped. "I'll let them know just how pissed I am. I'll hurt them so bad, Dargus Fucking Kandran will feel it."

"You think Dargus is be-- Oh, yeah."

"Zale's got trackers on all of us, and usually the range is a kilometer. His people have been everywhere in the city using airspeeders. They haven't found her ID signal. Zale thinks that when she was taken, the tracker was damaged. We'll have to try a different way, and I can't just sit in here and do nothing. I love you, Lerrah, but I love Kaysa. I have to go to Kaysa. I can't just let him have her." She stood up before the desire for Lerrah's embrace grew too strong. "I need her."

Lerrah finally nodded. "Then me and Elf are helping you," she said. "We'll help you find her. The three of us are more effective than just him." She paused and smiled at Shiv. "You know Zale and Merrick told me to keep you here."

"You can't really keep me here if you're coming with me," Shiv said with a humourless smile.

"Exactly," Lerrah said.

Shiv's smile softened. "Thank you, Lerr," she said. "You don't know how much this means to me. Come on, I need to grab a few things, and then we're going hunting."

Lerrah smiled to match Shiv's. "Just like in the jungle."

***

Kaysa didn't sleep. She'd remained wide awake and attentive to the sound of Vrax pacing in another room, and remained so after she heard a door slam somewhere in the dwelling, then silence. Perhaps he was gone, and if so, she'd have some time to piece together her composure. She wasn't sure how long she could survive this, but she was stronger than he knew, and she'd certainly put up a fight like he'd never seen before.

She was still in the same room, still tied to the bed with his dried blood sticking to her breasts and stomach. She tasted some on her lip as well, but she wasn't certain if it was his or her own. Her jaw had at first hurt, then went numb, and now was stiff and difficult to move for the pain. She'd let her temper get the better of her, but she couldn't deny that he did deserve it.

From the filthy, disgusting state of the room, she figured he'd taken her to some slum in Yallder. It was a wise choice on his part, for if her cries were heard, no one would ask questions. That sort of thing was commonplace in a district inhabited by criminals and lowlifes.

The smell of Vrax's musk and his sweat had repulsed her at first, but now it was but a minor nuisance. She knew she'd have to acclimate to it or make herself sick each time he took her, and she had no delusions that he wouldn't take her repeatedly and roughly for as long he physically could. He believed he could break her if he demeaned her enough through rape, but he was underestimating the strength of her will. Kaysa Zenarr was as stubborn as they came, and he'd learned that today.

She wondered how long it would be before Zale broke down the door and rescued her, after killing Vrax of course. With his men keeping a close eye on her, it'd be anytime now. He loved her and wouldn't rest until she was found. But if he cared for her so much, why wasn't he there already? Kaysa closed her eyes and banished the doubt. He would come for her. Zale would come.

The door banged open again somewhere else. A moment later, it slammed closed. There was a tense moment as the angry footsteps paced around in some unknown pattern and then the door to the room flew open. There was some sort of dark curtain hanging in front of the door so Kaysa couldn't see out. He closed the door and moved to the end of the bed where she could see him better.

His nose was bandaged now. The smell of bacta was strong coming from the wound, and it was obvious he was using it to torment her further. "I see that you're still looking lovely," he said.

"Not for you," she replied bitterly. "Never for you."

"Oh, Kaysa, you wound me." He brought a hand to his nose and smiled. It wasn't a pleasant expression. "Literally. You do know you'll have to pay for that. Oh, but what to do. I could remove fingers. Maybe toes. Or I could brand you the way Kandran branded Shiv. Oh...what shall it be...?"

"Go ahead, Vrax. Scar me, maim your perfect, idyllic Kaysa." She laughed wryly. "It's the illusion you're in love with anyway. Maybe if you disfigure me, it'll shatter and I can go. So, come on, Vrax. Do your worst."

Vrax moved toward the head of the bed standing over Kaysa. He bellowed a laugh and slapped her. "Oh, you'd like that too much," he said. "You always were the masochist, Kaysa. Oh, I just had a thought. I imagine some of the boys in the neighbourhood would pay a pretty credit for the chance to get inside you, even if you are tied down."

Kaysa grinned smugly. "You won't do that either, Vrax. I know how much it kills you to see me with other men. You're lying. You always were a bad liar."

"Oh, then you'd better get yourself all prettied up, my dear, because you're going to have a very busy night. I imagine a lot of the boys around here might recognize you. I imagine a few may have been former evenings' entertainments. Oh, don't worry, I won't let anyone hurt you. Not at all. And, if you're good, I'll even make them wear protection."

"No need," Kaysa said confidently. "It won't make much of a difference considering I'm already with child." She chuckled at the momentary surprise that flashed across his features. "And if you must know, it's Zale's."

"Zale's?" Vrax laughed. Thankfully he'd managed to recover quickly. "Oh, I don't think Zale's. When I was working for you, I did some searching on the guy. Did you know he had his power cell drained about a year and a half ago? According to the report, Mr. Shac'Tae master had already gotten about three other women pregnant on various systems, and decided enough was enough. He wanted to have fun, but didn't want to have to keep handing out cash to the mothers' of his sons."

Kaysa laughed shrewdly, and did her best to look amused, despite being somewhat disturbed by his accusations. Some she knew were unfounded, like his inability to yield offspring, but she couldn't be so certain about the rest of it. "You're lying again, Vrax," she sang. "And even if it wasn't Zale's, Merrick's still very capable of producing children. Either way, Vrax, I know it's certainly not yours."

"That limp-wristed--? Oh, I'm sure he sticks it to you after he's buggered a few of his band-mates," Vrax said with a laugh. "Oh, but I guess you're right, he may be able to produce a child. Anyway, I guess that since you're already taken care of, I won't bother making sure any of them are protected. Doesn't matter anyway, right?"

"Exactly," Kaysa agreed with a sweet smile. "And who knows? I might even enjoy myself. I certainly haven't been so far, which is no surprise considering your inexperience. Perhaps if you watch some real men in action, you could pick up a thing or two."

Vrax slapped her hard, leaving a red welt on her cheek. "We'll see how you are tonight. I'm sure with your attitude, you'll make them all very happy. You want to take three at a time, or are you going to bite?"

Kaysa clenched her eyes shut briefly to refocus her vision, then opened them again and gave Vrax an impish smile. "I always bite. Real men like that sort of thing."

"Not when their dick is shoved down your throat," he snapped. "Snap anyone's dick off tonight, and I'll let them fuck you with whatever they like. Their dicks, their legs, their blaster rifles, a lamp post, a dead cat...I don't give a fuck."

"But you will, Vrax." She stared him intently in the eyes and nodded slowly. "I think you will, especially when I'm crying out with passion. You'll care so much, I wouldn't be surprised if you slaughtered them while they were still inside of me."

"We'll see, won't we," he said with a wild gleam in his eye. "We'll see tonight. You don't realize something, Kaysa. I'm changed. I don't worship you like I did. I worship you, but you hurt me. And, now I get to hurt you for hurting me. But, after I've hurt you, we can get better."

"Dargus Kandran hurt me. I only grew to hate him more." Kaysa looked away from Vrax and sighed with disinterest. "Do what you have to do, but your plan will have an undesired effect. Things will only get worse from here."

"At this point, you dead and all the people who love you suffering sounds like a good effect to me," Vrax said. "What better way to cause you pain than to cause them pain?"

"If you can get to them, which I doubt you will. And besides," she said as she turned her head towards him again. "You don't want me dead. You want to love me, even if it's against my will."

"But, you've already told me, dearest, that you can never love me back. For that alone you deserve punishment. Perhaps I should send your loves something to remember you by. How about an eye? Do you suppose they'd like one of your eyes?"

Kaysa hid her fear with a dry laugh, but she knew the sadistic bastard was capable of carrying out each of his threats. "You'd better watch your tongue, Vrax, or you'll end up with more than a broken nose."

"Which eye do you suppose they'd like, Kaysa? Or maybe they'd prefer a hand. They could use it as a back scratcher. There are so many possibilities."

"Get the fuck out of here!" she hissed. "Go find your buddies and bring them over here so they can screw me too. I always knew you liked to watch, Vrax. I bet you're recording this entire thing so you can watch it when this is all over. Maybe they'll even let you do so while you're back in Throntas...if you bend over for them again."

"I'm not going back to Throntas," Vrax snapped. "And, you can't order me around anymore, Kaysa. You fired me, remember. You jacked me off to prison, remember? This is your doing, bitch. This is your fault. If you hadn't been like you were, you'd be back with your loving family now. Instead, they're going to be so sick with worry that you're not coming home. Maybe...maybe they'll think Dargus got you. Awww...wouldn't that be a nice thought."

"They'll find out the truth soon enough, when they find me. And they will, Vrax. They will!" She tugged on her restraints, wishing she had enough strength to break free and throttle him. "When they find me, Zale won't settle for prison. He'll kill you, Vrax, and I'll be watching with a big smile on my face!"

Vrax giggled and almost did a little dance. "Oh, but the beauty of it is this: without you there to hold Zale back, who will stop him from going after Dargus? Now there's something to ponder during the long dark night."

"Get out," Kaysa whispered. "Get out! You don't know anything about anything! Just get out!"

"Oh," Vrax said, and moved around to sit on the bed next to Kaysa. "I think I've touched a nerve there. You only ever whisper when the situation is very serious and dire. Oh, I think you know that Zale will chew through his leash, and Dargus will cut him to ribbons."

She wriggled away from him as far as her restraints would allow, but she was only adding credence to how truly deep his speculations were affecting her. She knew Zale, and knew Vrax was right, and by the gods she hated him for it. "He'll come after you first. He has connections in Thanatos and it won't take him long to figure out you've been freed. Once he does, he'll know I'm with you and it won't take him long after that to find us."

Vrax chuckled low in his throat. "Yes, I'm sure he'll find me here. I have no doubt that you and he will do this the hard way. Think of all the problems that could have been avoided if you'd just cooperated with Dargus in the first place. Oh, but it's more exciting this way. So, Kaysa, do you want me to fuck you again, or should I go find some friends for you?"

"Why bother asking? You're gonna do it anyway." She grinned sardonically and added, "But thank you for asking."

He gave her a shocked expression. "I offered you the choice, Kaysa," he said. "Me or them. That means you're supposed to make a choice. I imagine even that son of yours could have figured that one out."

Kaysa snarled and surged from the bed, only to be thrown back down by the bindings. "Don't ever mention him. Don't even think about him! And your choice isn't much of a choice. I choose them, I'll only have to deal with you after they leave. So I say screw you, Vrax!"

Vrax shrugged. "Very well," he said. "I'll go round up some friends for you, Kaysa. Oh, by the way, do you have a favourite number?"

Kaysa glowered at him. "Five. Why?"

Vrax grinned. "Just wanted to know how many to bring back for you," he said, and then started toward the door.

Kaysa watched him go, at once both grateful and regretful for who he would be bringing back with him. She heard the door open, then slam closed. Kaysa jerked involuntarily at the sound, then sighed. At least she'd have some time alone, but she'd repay Vrax's kindness by providing entertainment later in the evening with his buddies. Hopefully Zale would find her by then and rescue her, but he should have been there by now.

Kaysa turned her head to the pillow and sobbed quietly. "Zale...where are you? Please...Zale..." If not today, he'd come for her tomorrow, and if not then, she'd hang on for another day and another until he burst through the door and scooped her up into his arms. And if he didn't find her before Vrax's insanity drove him to murder her, at least she'd know that she'd had some time to be with her love, with all of them. But they didn't deserve the pain that would be associated with such an atrocity. She loved them too much and even when she might wish for her own death, the last thing she wanted was for them to suffer because of it.

But, she was safe for now. As long as Vrax found her amusing and a useful tool through which he could enact his delusions, she would remain alive. And after she ceased to be useful to him, she hoped he'd grant her at least a quick death.

---

"New Skills"
by Alisson Blair - Jedi Knight
and Kael Selrid - Jedi Padawan

Location: Jedi Temple
Date: Eos 4, 4 ABY

***

"Good morning, Kael," Alisson said as he approached from behind her in one of the training rooms. She was on the ground, her legs crossed, meditating, and her lightsaber was placed by her right side. Morning light came in through the windows and a bird chant could be heard outside. "I hope you had a good night's rest."

Kael nodded as he stopped in a shaft of sunlight, one that Alisson hadn't claimed. It wasn't as strong as the light from the desert, but it was still wonderful. He could never be in a place without sunlight. He had too much desert in him to ever appreciate darkness. "I did," he said. "My night was very pleasant, actually. I hope yours was as well."

"A restful one." Alisson smiled as she exhaled and got up, grabbing her lightsaber. While she holstered it, she decided to make conversation of something she had to find out, but not through the Masters but by her own means. "Kael, I've been meaning to ask you something. It is a rather intimate subject, but one I need to clear up." She sighed. "Kael, what do you think of the rules about intimacy in Jedihood?"

"As the rules stand," Kael said, "the forbiddance is to attachment. Intimacy isn't outright forbidden, but a relationship of that sort is. I can understand the reasoning behind such a rule, but the practical side can be fairly depressing. I haven't thoroughly thought about it, but I do not see the tremendous problems that may have existed in the past. As long as there is no conflict in a Jedi's loyalty to the Order, then there should be no problem. As soon as there is a conflict between duty to Order and duty to attachment, then there are problems. When there aren't conflicts though, the attachment is very nice." He gave her a sheepish grin and had to look away.

"I was brought up in the ways of the High Prince's family," she told him. "I am sure you know about the open sexuality that was taught. However I was also brought up in the Jedi ways. I never grew with loving bonds other than friendship, Kael. But this is an important issue still. I am glad that you believe that it is of great importance that you embrace the Jedi ways fully and never break your commitment to the Order. And yet I hear about you and the other padawans, Dani and Nieme."

"Nieme and I got involved before we arrived here at the Temple," Kael said. "We're no longer romantically involved, though we are friends. Nieme and Dani are romantically involved, and very happy together. Master Koran Darr hasn't had a problem with their relationship, at least not that he's made publicly known. Also, Master Liam Zaneth is married to Yelara. However, we are still too disorganized on the whole, without a full council and barely any Jedi to speak of. We aren't bound as tightly as the old Jedi were. Perhaps that is because not all of us were trained in that fashion."

"Well, I believe in Liam's dedication but I'm not so sure about his romantic life. Perhaps one that should not be too intense. Alas he has a wife and a child, so what is done is done," she said. "As for Nieme and Dani, what scares me is that one day they are forced to depart each other's presence or mastery. I am not sure Master Darr would be able to have two padawans. Actually it is supposed to be one master per pupil only."

Alisson then took a few steps and patted Kael's shoulder with a smile. "Anyway, we should begin our training. I want you to do some exercises. Different ones that may yet save your life one day, but are not from the basic Jedi training. How is your awareness, Kael?"

Kael shrugged. "It's fine as far as I know."

Alisson smiled. "Then I want you do something. You see that door over there? I want us to walk in and, as soon as we do, I will ask you to shut your eyes and keep them shut. This will test your skills to notice the details of your surroundings in short time and without having to concentrate to feel the space, therefore saving time. You ready?" she asked him.

Kael raised an eyebrow and then nodded. "Yes," he said. "I'm ready."

Alisson led him through the door. As soon as Kael stepped inside, she told him to close his eyes, making it barely possible to even survey the room. She had placed dummies with suits and sticks and tables with several objects atop.

Alisson turned to face Kael, still with his eyes closed and waiting. "What did you see? Give me your best description of our surroundings," she asked.

"There are three dummies," Kael said, pointing. "The first two appear to be wearing business suits, the last was wearing a pair of Jedi robes with a blaster concealed at its left hip." That was the easy part, Kael thought. Assessing people had been necessary as a ganger in Thanatos. You got really good really fast at making that sort of assessment. The rest... "There were two, no three tables. The first had...uh...there was a ball, and a disassembled lightsaber. And, there was.... On the second, there was an old lamp...no wait, that was on the third table. On the second was... It...it looked lumpy." He sighed and then laughed. "That's all I can remember," he said.

Alisson had to laugh. He had done amazingly well, and for what she thought the worse part had apparently been the easy one for Kael. She removed the blindfold and showed him. "Three tables, a seeker drone, a plate with fruit, some junk to look like parts of a real lightsaber, some engine parts, a toolkit, a comm unit, and an old lamp," she showed him.

Alisson then turned to face Kael. "But I am still most impressed with your ability, specially with people and making out fast what they have, but you also forgot to look up." She smiled as a dummy was hanging by the ceiling with a force stick. "That could have been your opponent, in a place you didn't see him. But that was for you to fail and serve only as a reminder," she said. "I don't know anyone who can stand like that!" She laughed, as she pointed at the dummy who was all twisted and upside down.

Kael looked up and laughed as well. "Assessing them," he said as he pointed to the dummies on the ground, "was easy. When you run with a gang in Thanatos, you learn quick to scope someone out. There isn't much for someone to hang onto up above in the desert, so I don't think I would have thought to look up."

"Yes...well, outside Thanatos and in other systems you will learn that all sorts of things may happen. And some may even try to pick on you for no apparent reason. Violence is obviously not the answer but you may yet need to defend yourself, and when outnumbered only the gods can tell the odds. But you should strive for the advantage, of course." Alisson smiled. "A trait I learned when I was still very young. Come I want you to do another test. A different one."

They walked back to the initial room. "We will do one of those again sometime soon," she said, waving to the door behind them. "Now, I want you to practice on your invisibility."

Kael nodded and moved out along with Alisson. "I got some practice at that in Thanatos with Master Koran Darr." Without being asked to do so, he concentrated on masking his presence both from sight and the Force.

Alisson placed her hand in his shoulder, stopping him. She nodded with a smile. "No, you didn't let me finish my sentence, Kael. By invisibility, I meant not that you actually became invisible, but soundless as well. You see, before the sight you must train the sound..."

Alisson then used her Force training to push the windows closed, making the room dark. Taking her hand from her pocket she threw some small round bells onto the ground. "Now, I want you to walk all the way to the door and open it. I will keep my eyes closed and try to hear your presence. As soon as you are ready, Kael."

Kael nodded. Then, he slowly started moving across the room. He used the Force to detect the bells on the ground, and then carefully placed each step until he was at the other end of the room.

Alisson clapped her hands and walked over to him as if she was walking normally, only she didn't step on any of the small round bells. "These are the simple traits that will render you the advantage when you must pass unnoticed," she told him as she re-opened the windows, letting the light come back in. "Now, I wanted to train you in one last thing. This will be tough and will take long to learn but I am confident that you will do well," she said. "Hit me with your bare hands."

Kael raised an eyebrow. "Very well," he said. He centred himself, and then focused on what he would be required to do. And, then, as if a spring uncoiling, his fist lashed out at Alisson.

Alisson parried his fist to the side and used his own strength against him, tossing him to the opposite side, making Kael lose his balance and fall to the ground in a twist. Alisson then stepped back and kept her arms up and ready. "You'll have to try better, my Padawan," she said with a grin.

Kael kicked once and was back on his feet. "Consider it done," he said, and approached slowly. He let the moment linger, stretching into seeming infinity. Then, quick as lightning, his fist lashed out once more. Fast and accurate this one was, and it connected with Alisson's jaw before she could get out of the way or counter it. He caught her wrist as it came up to catch his arm and spun her around. He gave her a playful kick in the butt to send her sprawling before him. "Better?"

Alisson rubbed her jaw slightly. "Almost," she said as she somersaulted back and kicked the back of Kael's leg, sending him down to his knees. She then grabbed on his head and stopped. "You could have just been killed right now, with one simple snap," she told him. She then helped him back up. "These are martial arts that I learned for becoming the High Prince's personal guard. I want you to learn them." She smiled.

"If we were fighting to kill," Kael said with a smile, "I wouldn't have stopped at only one hit." He shook his head and brushed his clothing free of dust from the floor. "Why do I need to learn these martial arts? It is not part of the Jedi training, and the technique you would have performed is far more lethal than necessary. I am going to assume that you have killed before, and therefore know the reverberation the taking of a life sends through the Force. I can only imagine what that must feel like when done with one's own hands. If I lose my lightsaber and am forced to fight with my hands, I will use the techniques I learned in the desert, but I will not kill with my hands."

"Correction," Alisson said, putting her hand up. "For every attack there is a counter that will stop it. It is a defensive system, not made for attack usage. That is why I want you to learn it. Not to attack others but to prevent them from attacking yourself. I have never killed, Kael, and I do not plan to," she told him. "Now, in order to learn them you must practice it thoroughly. It must become natural to you. But, of course, you must be willing to learn."

"A moment ago you told me that you could have snapped my neck," Kael said. "And, just after you told me that, you told me that these were the martial arts taught to you as a member of the high prince's guard. So, is it a martial art designed to snap my neck or to defend against that?" He smiled. "When I lived in the desert, I learned to fight, to stay alive. The art we practice there is very similar to the Mon Calamaria Risadri'Do, or Open Water. However, in Thanatos we called it the Thanri'Ki, or the Way of the Sand. Both are fluid and graceful, though not very practical in the thuggish fights between gangs. Well, practical because they are effective, but no one appreciates the artistry."

"Like I said, for every move there is a counter. But in order to learn the counter you must also learn the strike move," Alisson explained. "Now, of course never would I snap your neck, or anyone else's for that matter, but others might."

She then took Kael by the shoulder and walked him out. "Listen, the eyes are only twenty percent of your whole physical body senses. Plus there are several nerve impulses needed to get the information from what you see to your reaction, but only half a dozen for body contact. If you learn this you will become much more a better and more skilled fighter, that much I can promise. But you have to be willing to learn. That I leave to your choice."

"Master," Kael said, his voice calm and his body relaxed, "I mean no disrespect, however you are incorrect. A man does not need to know how to strike to be able to block that strike. If you were to come at me in thri'kor, I could defend from that through ab'tan without ever even having learned thri'kor. If you strike with thri'sik, then I can counter with as'vren without ever having seen thri'sik performed. I do not need to know how to strike to defend. The same is true with lightsabers."

Kael sighed. "I assure you that I am an accomplished combatant. There are those where I come from who would claim that I'm an expert. I already know how to fight, Master. Please teach me to be a Jedi."

Alisson sighed. "Like I said, the option was yours to have. Perhaps one day you will change your mind and be open to new systems of open hand fighting. I respect your decision," she told him truthfully. "Let us move ahead then. Nothing more will we practice now. We will focus on Force healing tomorrow and you will need your best, both physically and mentally. Rest for this day and have fun..." she smiled will a slight bow.

Kael bowed to Alisson. "Thank you, Master," he said. "I shall see you tomorrow, if not sometime before. I will be ready to learn Force healing."

"I see great things for you, Kael. You will most surely become a great Jedi Knight. I am blessed that you are my Padawan, although sometimes I feel I am still learning myself." She smiled. "Have fun," she added with a bow.

"Thank you, Master," Kael said as he returned her bow. With that, he turned and headed out of the training rooms in search of Raeila.

Alisson turned around and headed out herself. She too felt the need to have some fun. Perhaps she would head out to town or walk in the forests for some free time and thinking.

---