Jester III popped out of hyperspace like a cork from a bottle, and took it upon herself to then sit where she was, humming quietly in wait for her next directive from me. The motion, small as it was, jerked me from the dream-haunted sleep I was trying to capture; with a little grunt I untangled myself from the position I had fallen to at the controls, groaning as I tried to work out the kinks, and then directed my attention to what my ship was politely showing for my contemplation.

There she was, in all her brilliant glory: Coruscant. The Scintillating Planet. The Hub. Ground Zero-zero-zero. She lay in the blackness of space like the most magnificent of jewels ever to grace the throat of an empress... a jewel encased in entirely too much metalwork, to my liking. I frowned now, reaching out a hand to lightly brush the screen almost as if by that movement the uncounted warships and destroyers encircling this center of galactic civilization would disappear as though they were but a dream. Unfortunately, a dream they were not.

More like nightmare....

Now I tensed, feeling myself preparing physically for battle. While I knew no visible sensor could find my wonderfully enigmatic little ship, Actar did have other means at his disposal. That I had to proceed delicately if I ever wanted to reach planetfall was nothing if not the biggest understatement to come down the pike.

Into the fray, as Sorben had been so wont to say....

I gently inched Jester III closer, keying into her quasi-sentient brain the absolute need that we maintain the greatest stealth in entering Coruscant proper. She immediately powered down her engines, transforming herself into the merest breath of something now coming to impact the atmosphere. I couldn't help but smile; with no engine signature to pick up on, the only remaining factor any sensors had to lay claim to was a thermal one. The only bit of heat about us at all was that tiny bit which was being emitted by my body, if indeed they happened to be glancing in our direction:

Yet another bit of galactic dust, captured by the gravity of the planet, destined to fizzle out in the atmosphere.

All power off, the barest of life support being maintained, Jester III simply let that most misunderstood yet most definitely felt of the forces take hold of her. Grasped in the arms of gravity, we just fell and fell and fell...

...until we had managed to slip through the blockade in its entirety, all four levels of it. Now the glittering lights of this unsleeping planet flashed beneath me as I let my ship gain control over itself. We shot through traffic lane after traffic lane, an unseen ghost, our passage hopefully being put down as wind shear in the navigation logs of those we accidentally buffeted as we moved on. Down and down we went, and the great hunt was on: to find a suitable place where I could land this baby completely unnoticed by the billions and billions who thronged upon this planet like the granite slugs I knew lived below.

My ship didn't let me down. It arrowed straight and true toward a thin silver band laying on the western horizon. As we drew closer, I could make it out for what it was, that being the only place on this entire planet not covered by layer upon layer of technology and habitats.

The Western Sea.

There was even a handy-dandy lil grove of ch'hala trees, probably spread by those originally planted at the old Imperial Palace. I took her down into their midst, then keeping the cloak engaged I quickly disembarked. I took a few steps toward the glistening water, then turned to have a look.

All that was there was a grove of trees, silently guarding its secret.

Now making certain that my own light-bending device was in full operation, at least for a time, I paused to determine my next plan of action. I was pretty certain that Sorben and I had last parted ways somewhere in Imperial City, which was to put it mildly, just a touch wee away from where I now was. I heaved a sigh.

Nothing for it then, I suppose, I thought to myself. I'm gonna have to find me a ride....

Girding up my figurative loins, I turned and headed off toward Invisec: the alien sector which crouched behind its walls, removed by choice from the rest of this remarkable planet.

[ 09-12-2002 01:20 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Galen ]

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Yeesh, but they build big walls around here...!

I straightened with a sigh as that thought rambled through my brain, cranking my head around to relieve a kink the unnatural position had produced in my neck. I had heard tales about this place, knew that the alien sector was isolated, but I didn't realize that it was because they really meant this much to be, well, alienated. The great palisade dividing Invisec from the rest of Coruscant seemed to stretch into the planet's stratosphere; I sighed again and hit what appeared to be a signalling device set into the wall next to a set of forbidding looking gates which towered frowningly over me.

Time marched on... when I was startled by the abrupt appearance of a guardian droid. It extended its metallic neck, opened its metallic lid, and glared at me. It's harsh mechanical voice garbled in my ears; with a little flick of my chin I hit the device built into the innards of this wonderful Sith helmet, and was rewarded when the raspy gurgle transformed into understandable, if yet raspy, speech.

"Species and destination." There was no room for evasion in the non-emotional tone. If this thing didn't like what I said, there'd be no way in Hell's Seven Circles that I could gain entry. I wiggled the switch again, and now my own words were transformed into Durosian. What the hey; the natives of Duros are known as the space jockeys of the galaxy; who else would show up in a weird-looking flightsuit such as I was now wearing?

"Duros, and I seek directions to..." I paused momentarily, my mind racing before continuing on with a mental shrug, "...the Blue Asteroid...."

Some time later....

Not too long a period of time had passed, taken up in hunting up Invisec's version of public transport, when I found myself striding into an establishment whose sole means of identification was what looked like a neon potato emblazoned in the very atmosphere above its entrance. Figuring I had the right place -- Great Khaandon's Ghost, it had better be; durn transport cost me nearly my last credit! -- I lightly rested my hand on the belt of the suit, and strode into utter chaos.

Thank Khaandon for this helmet....

Surrounding me, strobing lights and pounding rhythms. The roar of undecipherable voices, the clink of glassware. The dimming blanket of a strangely orangish-colored smoke, the hustle and bustle as myriad bodies wandered about here and there, often crashing into each other, once in awhile into me, their howls and squeals of offense adding to the general melee of the establishment.

And not a human in the bunch.

I elbowed my way to the bar, took a gander; what the hey. A vicious shove and I easily removed a Bothan female from her seat. She rounded on me with a muttered growl of disapproval, the dagger which appeared like magick in her hand leading the way.

All too easy; she and dagger soon went in opposite directions. The dagger twanged into the wall behind the bar, narrowly missing the bartender, who only looked mildly perturbed -- well, as perturbed as a Beskaliskian can look -- while the Bothan slammed into the nearest table, sending drinks and credits and occupants flying. I stood there, doing my best to tower over the female and radiate danger.

Bothans don't excel in espionage because they're stupid. I watched her eyes narrow a bit, and continued watching them with extreme care until they had regained their normal dilation. Introductions having thus been made, and having established myself in the pecking order of this little corner of the world, I stuck out my hand to the Bothan. She hesitated, trying to see through the utterly featureless and utterly black helmet which covered my head like a glistening, ebony egg. That maneuver having failed in its entirety, she cocked her own head a bit to one side, reached up, and took a firm hold of my hand.

I tensed, ready for anything.

Nothing happened but she rose to her feet, her features splitting into a wide grin. She whistled something at me; another wiggle of my chin, and the words came drifting musically into my ears.

"I like you, stranger!" she said, exposing her sharp, white teeth in a genuine laugh. "It is not many who can take me unawares, as you have. My error!" She now reached into her credit pouch and extracted a pile big enough to choke a wookiee. This she tossed in an almost offhanded manner to the occupants of the table, who were yet frozen on the floor. I guess they figured they'd be out of harm's way there....

She then draped an arm about my shoulders, and led me back to the bar. There she motioned to the bartender, who ambled over to hand her the dagger I had taken from her before turning to fill her drink order. For a moment she remained quiet, staring at the blade.

I tensed again, not trusting her in the slightest bit, but remained quiet.

Suddenly she flipped the blade end-for-end, and presented the hilt of it to me. It was a rare one, of Tuskan design, and utterly ferocious for its primitive simplicity. For a moment I kept my eyes glued to hers, then I reached out and accepted the blade.

"Yours by rights, my defeator!" she laughed, now turning to accept the drinks from the bartender. Handing one to me, she raised it to her lips, waiting for me to remove my helmet and drink with her.

It seemed like every eye in the place was poised on me... so just for the sake of being polite, I snagged a sipping tube from one of the containers scattered along the bar, stuck one end in the drink, and carefully poked the other end up underneath my helmet. I then quickly replaced the drink back on the bar, and stood up. In a move that was even faster, I grabbed her by the upper arm, and yanked her face up to mine, real close and personal. I could see the reflection of my helmet in her eyes.

"I need transport to Imperial City, babe," I said, damn near choking on the endearment. But I didn't let a hint of this come across in my "tough-gal" demeanor. "You can buy my heart there, sweetie."

Guess traipsing alone about the galaxy over the months I had before I had met Sorben finally paid off. I still knew how to read an alien... and this one didn't let me down in the least.

Wasn't too long after that, and we were on our way out of the walled sector in her personal flitter, heading for the lights of Imperial City. With any luck, I'd find Sorben as quickly as I had found transportation.

Sure hoped I could get rid of this Bothan as fast, though....

--------------------

He didn't know who to look for... just when, and where...

Then, someone wearing a sith pilot suit came in...

Could this be her?

Perhaps... but, the one in that suit was standing out too much... for one who was trying to hide...

He then noticed something... hesitation to remove the helmet... and using a straw...

This was Galen... and he knew it...

He followed the pair out of the bar, ever so discreetly...

Quickly jumped in his ship, and tailed them to their destination... keeping his distance in doing so...

Indeed, this place was just like the fifteen others I had trudged to, now forced to travel on foot as the first thing I had done upon reaching Imperial City was to stealthily turn on the light-bending device and escape from the advances of the female Bothan. Didn't take a soothsayer to tell me where it was she wanted to go; Khaandon alone knows how strongly I didn't want to go there. I shuddered at the thought, but placated myself that I hadn't had to actually fend off any advances on her part, or physically harm her. The thought of her Tusken dagger snugged invisibly into my flightsuit made me smile; at least I had gotten away from her with something.

I was getting to my feet, just preparing to leave, when it was as if my eyes had turned to steel and were caught in the grip of a magnet. They seemed to fly of their own accord across the room to the door of the place, said entrance which now framed an extremely familiar figure.

I see he's still gadding about fully armored, the little non sequiteur couldn't help but flit through my mind as I drew in a fortifying breath and headed through the crowd to confront the very person I had been hunting for. Bold as a brass bogey I strode up to him just as he was seating himself at the end of the bar, came up behind him, and tapped his shoulder.

Still the same ol Sorben... I thought to myself as he whirled in a flash, one hand on his blaster, the other grabbing the front of my flightsuit. I gulped away all trepidation, fought against the flood of emotions which were beginning the war to end all wars within me, and managed to squeak out,

"So hey, Sorben; how ya been? Can I have a lil word with ya...?"

--------------------

He took quite the short-cut, and hid himself in the crowd of the bar... when she arrived...

He then realized she was waiting for someone... and it appeared she had found him...

who is this guy... Tyberius should have mentioned this, she is no good if she dies...

I couldn't help but gape as the absolutely last person in the entire universe of universes came unexpectedly out of the woodwork and tapped me on my shoulder. Usually people who have the effrontery to capture my attention in the manner she did end up unconscious for their efforts, or worse; it was only due to the lightning reflexes I had honed over the years, combined with lightning thought processes so vital to any bounty hunter, that I stayed my hand at all. The reflexive blow was halted as I simultaneously recognized who it was; there was only one person I knew of who bandied about in a Sith flightsuit and knew me by name.

For a long moment I sat frozen, literally, as wishful thinking warred common sense within me. I couldn't even begin to figure which of the two emotions actually won that battle as, turning about in my seat, I holstered my blaster and carefully fished into my credit pouch instead. A couple thou worth of credits was retrieved from its bulging depths, which I tossed with an accompanying order to the bartender. Wonder of wonders: one moment he was clear on the other side taking a nice young Imperial-type's order, and voila! -- in front of me the next. He nodded his head shortly in my direction, then gave it a quick jerk toward a darkened little nook off to one side. I nodded in turn, rising now to grab my dear ex-wife by the arm, and steer her as gently as I could manage at the moment toward that little recession in the wall.

Once there, the civilian version of blast doors slammed around us. I raised a cautious finger, waggling it when Galen made a motion to remove her helmet. While I knew we were safe within from all audio sensors, I couldn't be certain as to visual ones. Better we speak within the protective confines of our helmets, within the equally protective confines of this room.

Now I forced my stomach back down to where it belonged, and settled back against the chair I had seated myself in. My armor creaked ominously as I did so, then quieted as I finally spoke to her.

"Why the hell are you here, Galen?" was all I could manage at the moment to ask.

--------------------

Quickly then, before I could change my mind, I spilled the beans to Sorben about everything I knew: about the Sith, their plans, the importance of the children in bringing them back, the need this galaxy had of their strength even though it held quite the opposing view concerning the Sith, not to mention the fact that as a whole it might not really consider needing that help if made aware of it. On and on I went, detail after detail, until ending up at length with:

"And so they are taking my daughter... our daughter... Sorben! Your daughter! off to this Sith valley on Korriban, wherever that hell that is, and plan to use her somehow, and I don't know if they'll be strong enough to stand up to that Lord Roan if he attacks. Khaandon only knows I know how strong he is...."

I stopped at that, choking back tears, refusing to let Sorben know of the raging weakness which flooded into me at the mere mention of Roan's hideous name. I could only sit there in silence, staring into the blankness of his Mandalorian helmet, my eyes pinned with hope upon the visor behind which I knew there were eyes of blue, hopefully beginning to ice right about now... and to make certain they did not harden beyond agreement quickly finished with,

"I just want you to take me to him, Sorben, so I can do what I can to help Darra from the inside/. That's all I want from you, is to take me to where he is and sneak me in. I know you know where he is."

[ 09-15-2002 05:34 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Galen ]

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Had they spotted me? I had better contact Tyberius, just incase...

Of course my first reaction was no. No way in Hell's Seven Circles; did she think I was nuts? I had actively turned against my ties with Roan to side with Admiral Actar, and at the moment I really didn't know which of the two of us he would most likely want to sink his claws into first. I opened my mouth to say as much, when I stopped.

That's when that one line she had said came scrolling back for instant reply:

Our daughter. MY daughter....

DAMMIT, Galen! I snarled to myself as I shifted slightly in my seat. I had almost forgotten, almost had the girl shoved to a deep enough corner of my mind where I could accept the fact that I would never, ever be able to hold her in my arms as her daddy. Yeah, even bounty hunters have something in the way of a heart....

...and mine was suddenly expanding exponentially in my chest. I refused to let Galen see this though, at least not now. Maybe there would be time enough for that later, but for now...

"You're not the only one to know how strong he is, babes," I began, stating my old endearment with a modicum of caution. Since she didn't come flaring across at me seeking my throat I continued on, somewhat heartened, an idea forming and expanding even as I stated it in words.

"But I know something else. I know what he was planning on doing with these kids; I know he has Graysith's and yeah, I know he's been skulking around to get ours."

Which maybe had been the straw breaking the ronto's back as far as my commission with him had been concerned, now that I thought of it....

I leaned earnestly forward.

"I also know what he has to do, in order for those plans to come about... as well as I know that he still plans on doing this quite soon, when he has managed to take our-- our little girl."

JhinDarra... little Jhindarra; wasn't that what Galen had once told me she had named her? A beautiful name, fitting for the daughter of the woman who I suddenly was finding myself falling apart inwardly for all over again.

Damn you, Galen Danner. Damn, damn, damn...!

"I think we can head him off at the pass... and yes, I'm willing to take you there Galen."

With that I reached out boldly and took up her hand, seeing the reflection of my helmet in the ebony smooth surface of the one which held her visage from mine.

--------------------

Slowly I rose to my feet, the realization that I would do anything ---anything in my power ---to save my little daughter. Then I took one step closer to Sorben, and stood there, my hand still held in his.

Thank Khaandon he was enough of a gentleman to not try to press anything on me, at least not at the moment. Fighting back a wealth of emotions I just used every bit of strength I possessed to remain steady as Sorben now rose to his feet, now taking a step up to me as well. His hand gave mine a little squeeze; then his gauntleted fist flashed out and slammed against the button inset next to the blast doors which held us in their secret grasp. They seemed to disintegrate at his touch, and he whirled about, an arm possessively about my shoulders now, and marched me from this place and through its front door. Once out in the streets of Coruscant, it didn't seem as though much more than seconds had passed when I found myself aboard his flitter, smoothly rising into the carefully choreographed snarl of the ever-bustling air traffic lanes. I had told Sorben that I had another Jester in my possession; soon the towering skyscrapers and skyhooks of Imperial City lay behind us, and a silver thread began to grow in our screens.

Time seemed to flit by at lightspeed after that; it seemed I had just left the sleazy club where I had finally found Sorben when I found myself taking a seat back inside my little Sith fighter, reaching out to bring her to life even as my once love and ex-husband seated himself beside me. The little ship whirled off in a cloud of invisibility, and soon gained the comparative safety of free space beyond the blockade. Once there, I reached out yet again to key in the coordinates to our next destination, settling back against my seat as ahead of us the stars smeared into hyperdrive and the little fighter took wing.

Then I felt Sorben's hands as they quietly removed my helmet from my head, and watched, swallowing heavily, as he slowly removed his own. It was then that I realized that I might be in for quite a lengthy stay with this man on that mysterious planet of cloners:

Kamino.

--------------------

"That shall be all the assistance from you, young one, you acquired all the information possible... I shall be making a visit to very old friends..."

With that, Tyberius sent orders to the bridge..."Make course for Kamino, at once... no need to inform them of our arrival... they have been expecting us..."

It was raining, as usual, when a whole opened on the very most top of the ship... the only part that wasn't under water...

A man in his mid 70's came up from within, and walked toward the entrance of the nearest orb atop the water...

"Greetings, we have been awaiting your visit..."

The tall slender being walked Tyberius to empty quarters, that have been waiting for his presence...

"Will there be anything else?"

"Make sure you lead them to the conference room... I shall do the rest..."

"Of course, Master Tyberius..." Said the slender being, as it turned and walked back down the passage way...

The home world of the mysterious cloners, purported to be completely encased in ocean, its population surviving its early period of extreme global warming now living in elevated dome-cities raised high above it's solid water surface. For generations since the old Clone Wars it had maintained the secrecy begun then not only by its remote location in the galaxy, but with the deliberate erasure of any coordinates in any archive which may have led a curious wanderer to finding it. The fact that Sorben not only knew of this place but had the coordinates in his hot little head to pass onto me more than impressed me; I shot him a sidelong glance.

What is it with bounty hunters and these cloner guys anyway?

I shook off that errant thought, now slumping into my seat to more carefully watch Sorben from the corner of my eye. He slumped in his seat in turn: feet up against the navigation board and crossed at the ankles, hands clasped loosely in his lap, to all appearances he was lost in slumber. I, however, knew better than that; no one knew better than I -- ok, and perhaps a few now dead adversaries, one slimeball by the name of Gravin Dark coming quickly to mind -- of this man's lightning reflexes and uncanny ability of seemingly able to be in two places at once. Not that I was going to attack him here, oh no, not by a long shot....

I sighed again, sending yet another heartfelt prayer up to Khaandon for the tight confines of this little ship -- hey, who knows what my ex would have tried to press on me, but room wouldn't allow such things -- when suddenly something niggled into my mind from seemingly nowhere.

I frowned, trying to collect my thoughts. I may have been drifting a bit; happens on occasion when there are too many thoughts roiling about in my head at one time, and sure as Khaandon made lil green worrts there was a ronto's weight worth of them there now! -- but somehow....

This was different.

I blinked, careful to make no outward motion as I waited to see what the niggle would coalesce into. Somehow it seemed familiar, as though this had happened to me before....

It was all I could do to remain absolutely unmoving when the deep bass voice of that head sorcerer guy -- what's his name? Oh yes, Aelvedaar, Lord Aelvedaar I believe -- came twining sinuously into my brain.

Galen. Galen. Fear not for your child. She is here with us in Phrinnchatka, safe and whole. You must trust.... Along with those words came a startling vivid image of Terrin asleep in a chair, our little girl quietly asleep in his arms.

Something in me froze.

No! It's a trick! It's a trap!...!

Then logic reared its little head, a head stuck away for far too long a time, and quietly pointed out the fact that, Idiot, your husband trusts these guys.

Why in Hell's Seven Circles aren't you trusting him? Because that's what it all boils down to in the long run now, doesn't it?

Now it was all I could do to keep from crying out, to keep from bursting into tears as the complete and utter unthinking senselessness of my actions came slamming headlong into me. I just closed my eyes, seeing once again the image of my sleeping husband and daughter implanted against the back of my lids.

He's been telling you all along. Everyone has been, by their actions, SHOWING you all along. But you've been too blind, too headstrong, too set in your own convictions and belief in your own supposed strengths... and strengths which really were as a puff of mist, if they did not have the ability to stand up and face all that everyone had been trying to tell you.

Most of all Terrin.

Slowly, not daring to even sniff, I slowly opened my eyes and once more slid them cautiously to Sorben. He hadn't moved a muscle; with any luck, he wouldn't have managed to somehow sense the epiphany breaking out inside me. I gulped quietly, now assessing my situation.

Here I was, in a Sith fighter with my ex-husband, the best bounty hunter in the galaxy, who no doubt was by now in the permanent employ of one of the most current and active threats in said galaxy, and that being one admirable Admiral Actar; here I was sitting next to him once more, heading off to a hidden planet of cloners with no better plan than to sit and wait there in case what Sorben was saying Lord Roan's plans were would actually come about:

That after kidnapping my daughter, he would then take both the children here, to...

Ridiculous. It couldn't happen that way, could it? He didn't have JhinDarra; he only had my sister's daughter. So what's wrong with this picture of me still speeding toward the ocean-world of Kamino?

Absolutely... nothing. I actually surprised myself with that thought... and surprised myself further when I reached over and shook Sorben awake with but a touch of my hand. Instantly his icy blue eyes were peering into my own brown ones, not a smear of sleep in them; they didn't widen a millimeter although he had to be surprised to hear me blabbing the info I had just received about JhinDarra, as well as how I had come to receive it.

For a moment he stared at me, and I at him. Then--

"Does this mean the date's off, babes?" he asked. His tone was light enough; the shadows in his eyes gave utter lie to the seemingly offhanded remark. He just continued to stare at me, not a smidgeon of an expression on the strong planes of his face.

I merely continued to surprise myself.

"Ummm... no. Actually, she's quite safe and everything... only there is still the matter of Graysith's daughter. You said Roan has her, we already knew this. I still think he's going to go through with what he's planning, only with just the one. If he could have taken Jhindarra he would by now; either way, I think a rendezvous -- well, of sorts -- on Kamino is still in order.

"Its my niece, Sorben," I finished with another little gulp, and then fell silent.

Sorben's unscrutable expression didn't vary. Then he nodded once, folded his hands together a bit more tightly in his lap, and settled back against his seat.

"Your funeral, babes," he now commented, only adding, "but I'll do what I can to keep you alive."

Then all was silent, save for the myriad tiny and exotic noises this Sith fighter made to itself as it continued to raven through hyperspace... that and the suddenly accelerated pounding of my heart.

--------------------

Again, my first reaction was an emphatic, No way in Hell's Seven Circles!

But then I thought about it... thought about Galen, with whom I had shared more adventure in the short time I had known her than a galaxy of sentients could ever discover in their combined lifetimes. Thought about our daughter, who I had never gotten to see, and at the rate I was going would probably never get to hold.

Clenched my jaw as heart warred once more with head, while through it all an insidious questioned twined and whispered, still awaiting an answer it had never yet found:

Why did you leave me that day, Galen Jhin'Dar? Why did I wake up to a cold lonely bed... and an even colder, lonelier heart...?

Perhaps... perhaps, if I stuck the course we had already set, perhaps I'd be able to actually meet the flesh of mine, my only living heir, er rather, heiress, so to speak. Perhaps something in Galen would soften, would remember the days before my universe -- and oh how I suddenly hoped hers as well -- turned a complete one-eighty, and perhaps she would begin to look at me as she used to. Perhaps she'd find it in her heart to forgive what I did in turn to her, to realize it was because of the pain I still carried -- yeah, didn't I say even bounty hunters have hearts? -- and perhaps she'd leave this Terrin guy and she and our daughter and I could go somewhere and settle down and do the family thing....

Of course I didn't let any of this out. No way; she had hurt me too deeply once before. I do have a heart, but I guard it jealously. So I just sat there in silence as she tried the guilt ploy on me, finally ending her words with,

"Your funeral, babes. But I'll do what I can to keep you alive."

Then I hunkered down and pretended to go to sleep, but all the while my gears were busily whirring, planning just what in the Galaxy I was going to do to actually assure that. And first and foremost was the question of just how exactly we were going to land on Kamino.

It just wasn't every day a Sith ship just pops up and says howdy....

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