Not with what happened to Loban... and Darra being gone... and the Sith....

I gulped at that, fighting down the combination of fresh grief and worry and fear. I rose to my feet and waved my hand, trying to appear nonchalant when Jebbua and a young lady came into the ready room.

"I wouldn't mind some hot tea," I said feebly, then fell silent, waiting for someone to lead the way. I mean, Khaandon knows I could take charge, it was my ship after all... but somehow the circumstances just didn't seem right for this. So I closed my mouth and stood there, waiting for someone to comment or move.

[ 05-13-2003 10:11 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Graysith ]

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"Wow! Someone sound hungry." I said As I walked over to where Alexis was standing. I put my arm around her waist.

"I'd lead us to the dining hall, but I haven't the foggiest idea how to get back to my Room! Let alone a place I've never even been to before."

I decided to make the first move for the door anyway. Ushering Alexis along with me. I just hoped everyone would follow me into the hall at least.

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"You know, I'm really not hungry. I-- I think I'm just going to go to my quarters and rest up a bit. There really isn't anything about Darra's situation that Jasyn or Captain Barnes doesn't already know, so my input isn't really necessary, at least not at this stage of the game."

I paused a moment, closing my eyes briefly. When I opened them again, the world around me wavered as though I was looking at it through a rippling sheet of water.

"Good night, everyone," I managed and left before I totally lost all control of myself.

[ 05-12-2003 09:10 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Galen ]

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Jasyn bit his lip. "I dunno, but I'm not gonna stand around to wait and find out. Would you mind if..." he started.

"Go and check on her," Aaron finished. "In the meantime, Matt and I will take everyone else up to Red Level private dining. You can join us there, or comm me later."

Jasyn nodded, and hurried off. Then, turning to the others in the ready room Aaron waved a hand expansively outward as he said "This way,"

With nothing more than that then, Aaron lead the way to the turbolift which would carry them to the private dining area in Red Level.

[ 05-12-2003 09:24 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Aaron Barnes ]

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I came to a stop beside him, reached a hand to sweep back his hair which had fallen across his face, stood there a moment with my hand laying lightly upon his brow. Inside me, I felt as if an inferno were exploding; now I lifted my other hand and swiped it across my eyes.

It wasn't fair... it just wasn't fair! I railed at the gods of time and space and punitive whimsy. They only smirked back at me from their high places, and for one moment I wished indeed that I did have the Force, for maybe then I could challenge those gods and kill them for the way they took such pleasure in keeping me removed from whatever joy I might find as I traipsed through their sorry universe.

I was still standing like that, a hand on Loban's cold and clammy face, the other held against my eyes, when I heard the door to the sick bay whoosh open and quiet footsteps enter into the room.

[ 05-12-2003 09:38 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Galen ]

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"Yes," she acknowledged solemnly, "Thank you. I will complete the task."

With that, she gave a slight nod that almost resembled a bow and then turned away, heading for the main engine room once again.

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...but Loban seemed of the more down-to-the-earth variety.

Could he and Loban have eventually become friends?

Jasyn frowned a bit at this thought as it triggered another which pointed out the fact that there were way too many images like this one in Jasyn's recent past. But Jasyn knew losing a friend wasn't nearly as devestating as losing a spouse or significant other...

...so he couldn't quite think of anything to say at the moment. Even an "Are you going to be okay?" at the moment sounded lame to him; of course she wasn't okay.

So he pursed his lips, standing quietly for a few passing minutes before at last breaking the silence. "They'll keep doing everything they can for him..." he started, "But in the meantime you should probably get some nourishment and some rest, cause we're gonna do everything we can to get Darra, and that means that we need you..."

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Once they all did just that, including the Captain and his assistant, Aaron then motioned everyone to join him at the large dark wood table at the center of the dining area. Then he motioned the one attendant who was waiting at the one corner of the room to the side of the chair he had taken. "My guests here are famished and I therefore would like a full-spread of food from various planets on the buffet. But before the food is prepared and delivered, I'd like the guests to request whatever it might be that they would care to dine on most."

Aaron quieted at that, and the attendant nodded, turning then to Dash, Alexis, and Jebbua so that he could recieve their requests. Meanwhile, Aaron leaned back in his chair a bit, taking a sip of the Alderaanian ale he had chosen, very interested in what these newfound-allies might request...

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I sat down in the seat across from the captain and waited for my meal, Then looking at the captian I asked him.

"So, what kind of matters were you all discussing back in the room?"

I thought back to the scene when i had entered they were talking about something and then Galen and all of a sudden just left. Waitng for an answer I picked up the Alderaanian ale that he had chosen and poured me some and drank it.

[ 05-13-2003 09:18 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Jebbua Dahutt ]

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Aaron paused, considering the prudency of divulging too much concerning what they knew about the Reborn. He decided to keep it to the very basics; no reason to give everyone here some information that could quite possibly get them into some serious jepordy later on. "We know that the Reborn will be very loyal to Actar and the New Empire, but we also know that they are trained to deal with specific situations, and might be caught off guard if something was presented to them they weren't prepared for. Along with that, we have some access to some ysalamiri, which may or may not prove useful.

"We've discussed sneaking our way inside Coruscant, and have concluded that this just won't work; Coruscant is simply too tight. I have some ship-power to contribute should it be necessary, but at any rate we're gonna need something very direct and well planned...

...and we're gonna need some major help. As a Jedi, what would your input be in getting safely past the blockade and dealing with the Reborn?"

[ 05-13-2003 09:48 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Aaron Barnes ]

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"Well, as for the first part of your question. You simply can't get past the blockade, trust me. I've tried it three times. And as for the Reborn jedi. I don't know what to tell you, but I'm willing enough to help in any way."

I picked my drink back up and took another sip and looked back across the table at the captian.

"I can tell you that Ysalmari won't work though, because instead of feeling something in the ship, they would probably just feel a big empty place, which they would probably think something fishy is going on, so I don't know what to tell you."

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What could that strangely insidious little box mean?

But Verpine are not built to display their emotions in the manner in which humans do, even though they themselves are extremely sensitive as a race. K'kihl chattered his mandibles and continued on his way, and soon gained Engineering, where a state of controlled chaos seemed to exist. Without preamble he headed to where the Head Engineer was standing, devilishly limned in the red emergency lighting, and told him what had been found, and why the Twi'lek hadn't returned with him. Then he headed to his department, there to begin the job of overseeing power return to his assigned section of the massive assemblage of machines and men who in toto made the great ship run.

[ 05-14-2003 05:57 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by K'kihl ]

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She entered the main engine room and quickly found the entrance to the tunnel she and K'kihl had previously been in--a simple task, seeing as how K'kihl had left it open in his hurry to find Captain Barnes.

The darkness which she had grown accustomed to not long before suddenly felt darker than it had previously. As she squinted to find her way along the tunnel, she realized that she had left her glowstick somewhere between Engineering and the Captain's office. It wasn't a huge loss, but it was something she could most definitely use at that moment.

Thankfully, she remembered that at her side was stored a small flashlight--not something used often anymore, but still useful for some things. This she turned on and held at eye level as she manuevered through the tunnel.

Soon she came to the vertical intersection and, with a bit more experience than the previous time, crawled onto the ladder and began climbing downwards. Within seconds, she was in the spot where she remembered finding the power drop. She looked more closely at the main power cable and saw the place where the resistor had been--and the broken wires dangling from the wall behind it.

How she was going to follow them, she had no idea. But somehow, she had the feeling that she was in the right place to start.

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Jebbua had just finished his input to the situation. SO I piped in, "I have a score to settle with General Ahem and his group of Reborn. Although I'm not really sure what a Reborn is?!? They act like semi-sentient beings, yet are very well adept in the uses of the Force. It will be very difficult to sneak by them. I suggest we assemble a small assault force. To each person goes a Young Ysalamiri, so the Bubble isn't at it's fullest girth. We smuggle ourselves in one at a time aboard transport ships, then wait for the others at a given rendezvous point. I'd say five to seven people should be enough."

I waited then for a moment for anyone else to make a suggestion on how to better my plan, or even chime in with a plan of thier own. No takers.... for the moment. So I continued on with a few questions. "Do any of us have any contacts on Coruscant? If yes, would they be willing to help us? And what type of resources are we working with here? Smuggling into Coruscant is not going to be cheap, if you know what I mean."

[ 05-14-2003 09:31 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Dash Kelderon ]

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They were going to need me. Well... what about my needs? For once, just for once....

I raised my head with a jerk, cutting myself off before I found myself literally wallowing in self-pity. Thoughts like that wouldn't get me anywhere, wouldn't get Darra... and could certainly wait for a more timely moment to give them rein.

With a little shudder I let my hands drop, and just stared down at Loban's silent form. Then after leaning down to kiss his unresponsive lips, I turned away and let Jasyn lead me back to where the others were meeting over food and drink in Hornett's posh Red Level Dining Room.

[ 05-14-2003 10:48 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Galen ]

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Hey, stupid, a shoulder being popped up and stated, If the sight of something Galen had lost once too many times upset her that much, how is taking her right back to that situation going to help? Admit it, if it were you, you wouldn’t want to be there either, not right at the moment. And when precisely has Galen really had the time to deal with how she might be feeling after she found out Loban was in a coma...?

Suddenly, as they were just about to the turbolift, Jasyn froze right where he was, and turned to Galen, who seemed surprised by the sudden halt.

“On second thought,” he started, “Would you prefer to get something to eat somewhere a bit more quiet? After all, I think Aaron and Matt can handle this part of the plans with the others on their own...”

[ 05-15-2003 06:41 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Jasyn Lancaster ]

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"Well, do you think its a good idea?"

[ 05-15-2003 09:20 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Jebbua Dahutt ]

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"That sounds nice, Jasyn, and thank you," I said in a low voice, content for the moment to just let him take the reins I had been holding so tightly and lead me where he may. Somehow, although pain and grief and worry and anger and fear were still rearing their ugly heads and stampeding about in my psyche, a little spot of comfort came into being, sending a tiny and warm glow shining deep inside me.

Strange what it took for me to realize the offer of friendship that had been held out to me for so long, I mulled as he nodded and called for the turbolift to come and take us somewhere quiet where we could eat and talk a bit. My smile widened imperceptibly and I loosened my stance, letting that little bud of warmth do what it could to push back, at least for the next few hours, that strange combination of fiery emotion and icy emptiness that had been raging inside me for far too long a time.

It didn't like being pushed away, and flailed out in a last ditch effort to maintain the upper hand.

This has always been the primal you, this is how you operate, this is what you have been destined to feel, always, get used to it!

Then it bowed down to that warmth and curled up for the time being, muttering ominously to itself deep in the corners of my being.

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Another awkward moment of silence....

I cleared my throat, and looked to Alexis. "Do you have any views on the matter?"

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"Oh were you talking to me. Umm, yeah. Sounds like a great idea." She said, even though she really wasn't paying attention.

"I think it might be safer for you Alexis if you stayed behind on the Hornett. Things could get pretty dangerous on the mean street of Coruscant, I don't know what I would do if I allowed any harm to come to you. That being said, Do you think I might borrow that lightsaber of your mothers again?"

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"Mom gave you her saber?" I said.

"No, but she said If I ever needed it that I would know where it was. She did teach me a few jedi materials you know. How do you think you got those messages?"

"But How..." I then relaized that Dash and the others ere watching us, so I got up and grabbed Alexis's arm gentlely.

"If you'll excuse us for a moment." I said to them.

When we got to the hall I asked her.

"But how did you know you had a brother? I never saw you once. I never knew I even had a sister until not that long ago,"

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"Well Captain Barnes, Mr. Stanza, do you see any flaws with my little plan? If so please do state them now. I will not take any offence. I want things to run perfectly and any techincal info you may be able to provide would be greatly appreciated!"

I looked to the doorway, and then back to Matt and Aaron. "They may be out there a while."

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