He sat up, trying to be logical.

It was the guys and Shawn and maybe Yaoksi and Poliani.

The illogical, however, won out.

Slipping from the bed, making absolutely sure to remain as stealthy as possible, he reached for his blaster and held it pointed towards the floor but ready for a quick shot.

Like this would help with their luck.

But that didn't matter either. He stepped out into the corridor of the ship, and crept forward towards the hatch, all the while keeping his hand steady and his senses on full alert.

Footsteps. Coming in his direction.

He aimed.

About that time, Jasyn rounded the corner. His eyes widened, and he held up both his arms, with the injured one significantly lower than the other. "Good gods, DON'T SHOOT!" he yelled. "I've had my share for the day."

Oops.

"Sorry..." Terrin muttered. "I guess I'm a bit jumpy."

"A bit?" Shawn, who had been following Jasyn, quipped.

Terrin just shrugged it off. He wasn't in the mood. "Hello, Shawn," he said simply. "Sorry I wasn't around earlier when you arrived."

"Understandable," the Jedi replied.

"So, where is everyone else?"

"Headed for the Devil," Jasyn said.

Terrin cocked a brow. "I assume we are meeting somewhere?"

Jasyn seemed to hesitate. "Matt suggested that we meet on the Hornett."

That got a frown. "And exactly why does he think that is such a swell idea? Why don't we just paint a red "X" on her and let the Empire and the Sith come get us?"

"I kinda figured you wouldn't go for that idea."

Terrin nodded. "Allright, you go get yourself some bacta patches for that bite. I'll comm Matt. Shawn...don't go too far."

The three men parted ways, and Terrin reached for his comm to talk to Matt.

"Matt Stanza," the voice on the other end of the frequency answered.

"Matt, this is Terrin."

"Oh, hi. Are you going to give us some cooridinates?"

"Yeah, but not for where you think we should go."

"But where else is there to go?"

"Not to my Star Destroyer, I'll give you that much," Terrin answered. "I just don't think it's a good idea--it's too risky. That's why she's been hidden, and why we've been keeping a low profile. I'm not going to compromise that, and I won't compromise US that way. I want to make damned sure everyone is together when the time comes for us to go after the baby. I won't sacrifice helping her to make us all feel safe and secure. It's just too obvious, and it won't keep the Sith away from us or help us get to them. Trust me, I know."

"Allright, it's your call. But then, where are we going to go?"

Terrin considered a moment. "I think we should go where we were headed to begin with...the Bounty Hunter's Guild world."

[ 04-03-2002 06:47 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Terrin Danner ]

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

"We are getting off this dustball of a planet. I need a copilot."

Jasyn, who was sitting on a med table looking fairly glum with some bacta patches sitting next to him, started to get to his feet.

Terrin shook his head. "You, rest. I think Shawn and I can handle this."

"Fine..." Jasyn muttered as Terrin turned, not bothering to look back a second time to see if the Jedi was following him or not.

In minutes he was in the cabin, warming up the ship. "This is when I miss my lamby," Terrin muttered, mostly to himself. "I haven't flown a yacht in over a year, so...here's hoping this isn't going to be too bumpy."

Shawn remained fairly quiet, letting Terrin ramble. At length, Terrin turned to him, quirking a brow. "You sure you're up for this?"

"I suppose you are thinking of the fact that this might involve Shayla."

"Yes, that concerns me, I won't lie about it. The baby comes first, absolutely first, regardless of your sister's status. Shayla made her choice. My kid...she didn't have a choice in the matter. I'd love nothing more than to take my SSD in and blow up all those horrid Sith where they stand, if that would help matters. So don't think that if Shayla stands in the way she won't get the same," Terrin explained, more than merely a hint of his anger with the whole situation showing in his facial expressions. Shawn remained virtually impassive, so Terrin continued on.

"I know that sounds alot like the Terrin you used to know, but there is a big difference here, and that's an innocent little girl. Nothing...nothing!...can stand in the way of getting to her. Do you copy?"

Somehow, Shawn didn't seem all too surprised by Terrin's words. Somehow Terrin suspected he'd already thought this through before he ever offered his assistance.

Good.

"I copy," came the simple and honest reply. "I know the baby is important Terrin, to you as well as to the Jedi. You have my word that her rescue and safety will come first and foremost."

Terrin simply nodded, and turned his attentions back to the navboard. "Allright then. It's time we saw some sky."

[ 04-07-2002 05:29 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Terrin Danner ]

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

"Bee, this is Naisra'len on the Devil-May-Care, and am I ever glad to know you're safe! Head on back to the ship because I think we have a lot to talk about, flyboy. Over."

"Nassy, ol girl, is it ever good to hear you!" I began on a buoyant burst. "I assume the ol Devil is shipshape and you and the Cricket have everything under control...." I trailed off, wondering exactly what was prompting me to fill the void with such mindless blatherings. Clearing my throat, I cast a quick glance over my shoulder to where Cella sat in a glitterstim fog.

"I've got someone here who might be needing your special, ah... ministrations," I went on, still grinning. "Hope you can figure out the best approach for a glitterstim besotted Jedi. But we'll talk about this when I dock..."

...among other things, I finished the sentence under my breath. Amazing how being trapped kilometers beneath the surface and at the whim of rampaging poisonous creatures can suddenly set your priorities straight. Reaching to the navboard now, I fiddled with a control or two. "Get the docking bay ready; we're gonna be home in about 15 cycles. Oh yeah, Matt's along for the ride, too, so break out the Whyrene's if we got it.

"I'll be seeing you soon. Bee out."

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

Chasing after the lovely images forming in my inner eye was the discomfiting knowledge that I hadn't peeped one word of this to Terrin. I frowned to myself; surely he had every right to know my thoughts in this terrible matter before us. Then why was I keeping mum about it?

The answer to that immediately reared its ugly little head and laughed scornfully at me. Maybe you don't want Terrin to know about this dark little part of your personality, it taunted in a sighing whisper. Maybe you're afraid that if he finds out, he'll hotfoot it away from you as fast as his buddies can drag him....

I shook my head at myself and got to my feet. No, it wasn't that.

It's the fact that this isn't like you, that this is how your dearest ex-sister has come to be... and it's not just that you don't want him to see you acting in any way, shape or form in a similar manner to her.

Galen, ol gal, the answer is simple: you're running away from yourself.

I sighed with the realization, shaking my head once again as I headed off to the 'fresher to clean up and dress myself, fighting to keep my shoulders from slumping. For now that the underlying reason for my deep-rooted desire to murder my own sister had finally presented itself to me, all that I could respond with was the ensuing rush of depression I had up until now kept at bay. It fought to overwhelm me; I fought to push it back into realistic proportions.

It was no use; there was no way I could wage this inner battle alone without sinking back into the morass I had floundered in after that horrid Sith had had his way with me. A spark of warmth and light weaseled into my psyche with the further realization that I suddenly found myself needing Terrin more than I realized I did. I might pride myself on my independence, on the fact that I had gone through seven Hells in the few short years since Dad had been killed and had managed to come out on top in the wake of each event, finding myself stronger than ever, but--

But.

But a fact I thought I had already understood now truly came ramming home to me on a purely gut level. I was so tired of battling alone. I needed to share with someone, and surprise, surprise: I needed to share myself with a Mr. Terrin Danner.

What a strange time to find out, not that I loved him, but how deeply I did so.

It was as if a ronto's weight had suddenly been lifted from my shoulders. Hurriedly dressing myself, I fairly flew from our quarters, rushing along until I found myself at the bridge. There I found my love battling with the controls, and sitting next to a young Jedi who was trying not to smile too broadly.

Coming up behind Terrin, I wrapped my arms around him and lightly kissed his ear. "Looking for someone to fly this jalopy?" I whispered, then laid my cheek against the top of his head as I waited to hear his reply.

[ 04-11-2002 08:45 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Galen ]

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

Terrin quieted with that and gazed into her eyes for a long moment, sensing something therein. He knew she was worried. Beyond worried.

Who wouldn't be, in light of all that had transpired?

Somehow Terrin knew, as he looked into her eyes, that she really needed him. It was no surprise to find that he needed her to need him, but there was simply something sacred about knowing that someone with Galen's strength needed someone like him.

And that was how the circle between the two of them completed itself. He needed her; she needed him. They needed each other. Anyone could do the math and STILL get the wrong answer if they didn't understand the variables. One plus one in this case didn't make two, but one. And that one something was far more valuable than all the riches in the Universe. Even in adversity.

Terrin leaned down a bit and planted a kiss on her lips that was more of a reassurance than anything else.

"We'll find her," he said softly. Then, turning to Shawn, who was patiently waiting, Terrin waved a hand in the Jedi's direction. "This is Jedi Shawn Petrolu. He will be assisting us."

The Shawn simply nodded solemnly, his greeny-blue eyes radiating obvious concern at the mention of the task now at hand.

As Galen seated herself, Shawn looked to Terrin, standing and motioning to the copilot's chair as he did so. "She's your ship, and I'm no copilot, as you have found out."

Terrin smiled just a little. "Yes, indeed," he said. Still looking to Shawn as he took the seat the Jedi had vacated, he asked, "What do you intend on doing with the Starlight? No way are we taking that ship with the possible modifications Shayla might have on it."

"We could just leave it in orbit and let one of the Stargazer Corporation employees pick it up. The freighter rightfully belongs with them anyway, and there isn't ever a time when no one is available to do reconnasiance."

"Allright," Terrin said, nodding as he turned. "We need to make sure that they have the coordinates to our destination on the Devil-May-Care, then we'll be on our way."

[ 04-12-2002 10:04 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Terrin Danner ]

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

What he had begun he would now finish. Those aboard Devil-May-Care would need the protection of a fully-conscious and functioning Jedi.

Though Cella had only been in a trance for a small span of time, Shawn knew this was his gift. He had it, and his sister had it, and unlike some other talents Jedi might have, this was one gift he was never wary to use.

Stretching out, he touched the glitterstim-fevered mind of one Cella Poliani.

In an instant, she was healed.

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

Still in a bit of a daze, she attempted to get her bearings. She appeared to be strapped into the passenger seat of the Bee, and she could see the back of Matt and Yaoksi's heads from where she sat. Smiling to herself, she decided to conceal her consciousness just a moment longer.

Reaching out to the Jedi who had healed her, she sent a wordless message of humble gratitude. Thank you. And then, almost as an afterthought, Who are you? She had felt that presence somewhere, she was certain, but she was also certain that she had never met this man in her life.

Who are you?

Somehow he knew this would come up sooner or later. He and his sister, because they were twins, shared an extra special link between each other that was fairly obvious to anyone sensitive to the Force.

At least, they used to have that link. Now he wasn't so sure.

Returning his thoughts to the question asked, Shawn decided the best thing to do would be to be direct and straight to the point.

I'm Shawn Petrolu. Shayla Petrolu was...is my twin sister.

Unconsciously Shawn closed his eyes as a small bit of hurt crept through his otherwise serene Jedi presence.

Shayla. His one and only sibling, the one he'd grown up with and spent years at the Praxeum with after their parents had been killed. The one he'd begged to stay with him there...

...and the one who he ultimately was able to convince to return.

But to what end?

Maybe he'd pushed her too far. He'd been so certain that Jedihood was her destiny that he could never give up hope of her becoming a Jedi even when she had.

And Shayla had always wanted to please everyone. Maybe at the cost of being unhappy she'd hoped returning to the Praxeum would please him?

And now, she was gone.

An uncontrollable little sigh escaped him as Shawn opened his eyes once more, his clear blue-green eyes refocusing on some nameless point in the space before him.

Shayla was a grown woman. She'd made this choice of her own volition, and he'd have to accept that. He could only hope that someday that link between him and his sister would be enough to bring her back...

[ 04-19-2002 08:41 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Shawn Petrolu ]

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

In truth, the bemused smile had absolutely nothing to do with Whyrene's Reserve. Rather, it had everything to do with what his perceptive eyes and ears were witnessing. He wondered if Yaoksi was aware of this yet, or if he was merely not ready to admit it.

At any rate, the fact that the smuggler and the Twi'lek were at least interested in each other was more than apparent to him. And it was all Matt could do to keep his trap shut.

However, he couldn't help but let a small tendril of his musings creep forward in his next uttered statement. "Didn't think we'd make it back to see the Devil for a while there, or K'kihl and ummm...Nassy for that matter, huh?"

Then he let the question fall dead in the air, hoping to goodness he hadn't overstepped some sort of secretive line. But sheesh, if he'd learned anything in all this, it was never to take anything for granted.

And he wouldn't stand by and let a friend take something of this significance for granted either.

[ 04-20-2002 11:36 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Terrin's Crew ]

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

Knowing I had a few seconds to spare before final docking procedures would start taking up all my time and available limbs, I let a breath whoosh out between my lips. "Yeah buddy," I smiled back at Matt, lacing my fingers behind my head and stretching to unkink my shoulders. "It was looking pretty grim for a bit back there. Thank the Fates that this Shawn fellow happened along to help us out.

"And yeah," I switched rontos in midstream. "Whyrene's is going to go a long way toward getting out the dregs of glitterstim. You and I and a bottle are going to have to get into a serious discussion about this."

I shot a quick glance over my shoulder at the mention of glitterstim; her head limp to one side and her eyes closed, Cella appeared to still be sleeping. I couldn't help but sigh a little. Sure hope Nassy can mend her as well as she did Galen, I mused, now reaching out with both hands and my entire focus as the growing hangar bay door began hollering for me to get down to the business of coming aboard my ship in one piece.

For a moment I forgot about Cella and glitterstim and Matt and Galen and all the rest, lost in the pure joy of manually docking an infiltrator without any guiding system but my own eyes and gut. Matt appeared to realize we weren't utilizing a tractor beam; my grin broadened in direct proportion to the degree he raised up in his seat as we came closer and closer to the Devil. Just when I thought he was going to levitate off his seat entirely, Bee stuck out her figurative tongue and blew him some ionic raspberries, settling herself in her docking port with a dainty little shiver. All was momentarily silent, save for the clicks and wheezes as she outgassed and checked herself over for any aberrations I might have unwittingly dealt her. Inspection passed with flying colors: like oiled water her hatch slid open, revealing the interior of my hangar bay and a hovering insectoid.

"Hey K'kihl, ol Cricket!" I flashed a happy smile his way as I clambered out of the Bee. I gave his carapace a friendly fist, then shook it, along with the momentary discomfort the motion had caused. I jerked my thumb over my shoulder.

"Good to see ya, buddy, but there's something we have to take care of first. Know where Nassy is?"

The Verpine cocked his head to one side and opened his mandibles to speak, but I cut him short. "Never mind, I'll use shipwide comm. We need her here, and fast!" I said as I began moving to the nearest bulkhead.

"Do we?" came the chatter of my engineer. "And for why, I am asking?"

"Because we have a lady jedi who is in dire need of Nassy's nursing skills, that's why!" I growled, punching the comm into life. "Nassy, this is Captain Joao! Get your lekku to the docking bay-- no, make that the medbay. I'm going to be needing your assistance. Joao out."

From behind me came a funny-sounding chitter. It seemed half concerned, half perplexed... and 100 percent amused. "Boss Yaoksi," K'kihl's clackery voice announced itself. "Ummm... why needing the medbay are you?" His voice trailed off into silence, into which I whirled.

"I just told you--" I began as I turned, then cut myself short, my finger up in the air waving about somewhat stupidly. Standing at the hatch to Bee was Matt, and beside him a very much awake and totally sane Cella.

[ 04-22-2002 05:54 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Yaoksi Joao ]

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

I gave my short locks a quick toss, and laid my hands on the controls of the splendid little yacht. Even though I hadn't flown one of this line before, she felt as natural beneath my hands as does air beneath the wings of a Bespin cloud-dancer. I smiled, and just for a moment let all the worries and fears and even darker emotions I was harboring be overwhelmed by a briefly intense upsurge of joy.

We were going to get Jester II. Oh, sure as there's Treasure on Roon Terrin's gonna be in for a surprise when I show him my little ship! And once we get our hands on her....

The grin darkened for a split second; I masked it with a quick intake of breath. Then, after dredging the coordinates to the Bounty Hunter's Guild world from some dark recess of my memory, I reached out and flipped the ship-to-ship con switch. In no time I had sent those coordinates to Captain Yaoksi's sleek and deadly corvette where they were received by Nassy. After a short conversation, I closed the link and turned to Terrin.

"Captain Joao just came aboard with Matt, love," I grinned into his blue eyes. "They have the coordinates; what d'ya say we blow this dustball and go get us some teeth?"

Some of my old vim and sparkle radiated from me; I could see it in Terrin's baby blues. I flashed him my most devastating grin, turned back to the navboard, and in no time had us in hyperdrive.

Our destination: the secret world of the Bounty Hunters Guild. I wondered if Seus would remember me, or if any of my old cohorts were still about. I even managed to wonder about Sorben; my grin spread further when I realized that all of a sudden I could think about him in the same vein as I thought of K'kihl.

Which was as it should be, after all....

[ 04-27-2002 01:09 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Galen ]

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

Way, way too personally into my space....

An immediate war began raging inside me. Part of me wanted nothing more than to reciprocate, to sweep her up, to then bask in the knowledge that I was finally holding her in my arms as I had imagined doing from the first day I saw her sitting in the Blue Asteroid. The urge was so strong that I found my hands rising up of their own accord.

I couldn't help it. Neither could I help but feel the intense look my engineer was shooting in my direction... not to mention the one of surprise and something else shining in Matt's eyes. My hands, recalcitrant beasties that they were, rose upward, gliding up Cella's taut form, reaching her elbows, following them now to her shoulders, there to reach around behind her...

...where they patted her awkwardly, almost clumsily, on her back but only after first - and finally! - giving her a quick and almost embarrassed little hug.

I cleared my throat, removing my hands from her as I took a step back. Her hands seemed to clutch briefly at the back of my collar, then fell gracefully to each side of her as she too took a step back. I didn't know exactly what had passed between us; indeed, I really didn't have the faintest notion if there had been something there or not. Fates knew I had imagined this for so long, and to be honest I was a bit taken aback by my own reaction to what on the surface appeared to be a simple little embrace between friends.

For some odd reason her skin kept segueing into a glorious shade of green, her hair thickening and coiling like living vines, her eyes darkening into twin pools of liquid night....

I stood there in the expanding cloud of silence, working my jaw as words tried to escape me. Nothing seemed like the right thing to say; every usual flippant response seemed vapid and wan and inconsequential.

I didn't really know how I wanted Cella to feel toward me, but it certainly wasn't inconsequentially....

At last I settled on the only thing I really could say. "Any time, lady."

Then, before I could embarrass myself any further, I turned from her glowing eyes and headed out of the docking bay, uncaring as to how rude this act might appear to be. I suddenly had an overwhelming desire to see my gunner...

...and my feet were leant wings with the equally sudden realization that I hoped to hell she had the same desire to see me.

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

...or rather completely eradicated.

Shawn took in a quick sharp breath as the shock hit him.

Far too many lives had just been squelched. Possibly far more would suffer the same if whatever had just happened was allowed to continue...

...and who or what was behind all the turmoil he couldn't tell.

Nevertheless, suddenly the importance of rescuing this child had possibly tripled logarhytmically.

Shawn only hoped that they could get to her soon enough.

[ 04-24-2002 08:11 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Shawn Petrolu ]

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

Remind me to have K'kihl look into that, a little voice popped into my head from thin air. Then it was squelched as the doors finally yawned wide, allowing me entrance into the gleaming medbay which they guarded. I strode forcefully in, only to come to yet another halt at the sight of my gunner. There she stood by a recently prepared med-bed, bio-sensor in hand and wearing her most "concerned nurse" look. Her eyes seemed to widen in puzzlement to see me come into the room in such a manner, and so obviously alone. She strained her head a bit to one side, as though seeking to find the others who I'm sure she thought were right on my heels, bearing the unconscious jedi into her care.

For a moment I stood in the doorway, my mind filled with myriad images of the events I had so recently been subjected to, images superimposed upon a backdrop of silkily glowing green skin and radiant dark eyes. Then I jerked myself back to the realization that Nassy was still standing beside the med-bed, those very eyes filled with confusion. Berating myself under my breath for acting like a schoolboy, I finally spoke up. "Cella's all right," I said softly, now taking a little step toward her. "She's been healed."

I didn't think it was possible, but her dark eyes managed to widen even further. Damn, but I suddenly wanted to drown in them.... I took another little step toward her, hesitantly, as though expecting her to suddenly drop the medical device and hotfoot it back to her quarters.

She didn't. She stood there in silence, watching me approach. Her eyes widened further and her lekku seemed to tremble as, with a little clang the sensor slipped from her fingers and dropped to the deck. She didn't pay it one lick of attention; I did, however, and paused awkwardly.

Dammit, dammit, dammit! I didn't want her to think the wrong thing here... she looked like an ikopi caught in headlights, ready to run at the slightest provocation....

Then conscious thought melted into sudden assurance. Right or wrong: for the moment at least this felt so very, very right.

Two purposeful strides brought me to her. A little part of myself smiled to note how her head tilted up as I came closer; then that inner smile faded into seriousness as, awash in her eyes and the clean and pure scent of her, I reached out to her in a final dismissal of any lingering hesitation. Wrapping my arms around her, I pulled her to me and lowered my lips to hers, losing myself in an embrace I found to be far, far sweeter than I ever could have anticipated.

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

"Terrin!" the man blurted, drawing looks of startlement from everyone in the cabin, "Something is seriously going wrong."

Terrin frowned, then cocked a brow, signaling Jasyn to continue.

"I was on the computer...trying to waste some time and get some rest and mainframes connected with Eagle Enterprises suddenly started going down everywhere..."

Terrin couldn't hide the look of alarm. Force sensitive or not, he had a really bad feeling about this. "It's not a computer glitch?"

"Terrin, it's not just Eagle Enterprises," Jasyn said, nearly whispering. "the Datanet, the Holonet...it's everywhere...everywhere..."

A moment of complete and utter silence passed in the cabin, and all eyes turned to the one person who could possibly explain any of this.

Shawn remained irritatingly calm. But if someone looked carefully enough, they could tell he was working hard to remain thus. "I sense much devestation..." he said, his own voice trailing. "And it's widespread. I don't know what the source is, but there's something terribly dark about all of this..."

Terrin could feel a block of rock-solid ice form in his stomach.

The Sith...?

"For some reason...I don't think it's the Sith. I...don't sense my sister as part of whatever this is...not that I've had a wonderful track record with keeping tabs on her lately...

...but this is just...something else."

Terrin's frown darkened more as he realized that Shawn had just answered a question he'd only thought. "Stay out of my mind, Petrolu," he growled, pointing a finger for emphasis. Then, turning to Jasyn, Terrin said, "Contact Aaron, if you can via the scrambling frequency to avoid being traced. Tell him to implement operation Eagle. He'll know what that means, and that's enough to keep the company and her ships secure and close ties with other computer systems should this continue."

Once smuggler, always smuggler. He only wished he could keep his friends and those he loved as safe and secure.

As Jasyn nodded and headed back aft, Terrin turned again to stare blankly at the lines of hyperspace, millions of horrible conclusions flooding his mind. Then his gaze shifted over to Galen, and he allowed himself a moment to swim in the depths of her deep brown eyes. Reaching out a hand to place atop hers, he said the only thing that was coming to his mind at the time. "I hope this thing is fast..."

[ 04-28-2002 11:45 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Terrin Danner ]

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

Suddenly thoughtful, I drew back and looked into his eyes with a smile. This was so completely different from the way I'd felt about him in Dalius City. Then, I'd wanted just to get him into my bed.

Now, I wanted to get him into my life. Preferably for a long time. And I wanted him to see that I'd changed, to see that my intentions were good. I wished I could tell him all the things I was thinking at the moment. But I could only gaze at him in astonished bliss and murmur, "It's good to have you back, Yaoksi. I missed you."

Didn't think you'd see another one of these babies for a while, did ya?

Despite this humor, Matt's senses were still keyed into the quiet Jedi who sat across the table from him drinking a glass of blue pale-water. Taking his eyes from the blessed bottle of liquor, he looked at Cella a bit curiously.

Wonder what all that was about back in the docking bay just a bit ago? Does this Jedi lady have some sort of interest in Yaoksi?

Though they'd been together for several months now, with Galen's recuperation and pregnancy at the forefront of everyone's concerns, Matt hadn't really noticed if there was any true interest between the smuggler and the Jedi before.

A smuggler and a Jedi? Egads, that was like...

...like...

Terrin and Shayla.

Matt couldn't help but smirk a bit at the thought. He remembered Terrin and Shayla together; that had been a match made in Hell. Neither one of those two ever trusted the other, and while Shayla was a strong woman, Terrin needed someone who was strong yet still needed him. Shayla would have just as soon kissed a wookie as she would admit she needed someone.

And the more Shayla remained stubbornly independent, the further Terrin would step back. Prone to distrusting people from his smuggler's background, Terrin was unable to trust someone who wouldn't trust him.

And there were always Shayla's religioso ways. Completely Jedi or not, she always clung to those Jedi standards, as though she thought that was what she should do. And when you are a smuggler who is true to form, you always look out for your own interests and that of those who maintain your inner circle, regardless of what value system you are breaking.

And that was where the smuggler and the Near-Jedi had truly fallen short of ever possibly having a relationship. Terrin looked out for his own interests and the interests of those in his inner circle regardless of whether it seemed right or wrong to anyone else. Shayla, on the other hand, stuck fast to the things she believed in, never bending even when Terrin felt he had a perfectly good reason for doing things as he did.

Matt shook his head unconsciously, unheeding to if Cella noticed or not. A smuggler and a Jedi were NOT a match. A smuggler needed someone strong yet secure enough in herself to need him as well. A Jedi needed...well, quite possibly a Jedi needed a Jedi.

Matt refocused his gaze on the female Jedi again, somewhat irritated that she was mantaining that ever-annoying Jedi calm of hers. He never quite understood the logic behind this, but chose to ignore that for the moment.

"It's good that we have Shawn Petrolu here to assist us now," Matt said out of seemingly nowhere to her. Then, not really expecting a reply, Matt waited nevertheless.

[ 05-02-2002 09:25 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Terrin's Crew ]

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

"Yes, it is good to have the company of a Jedi, and I hope my path will cross Shawn Petrolu's again. I'd like to express my gratitude in person." Cella realized how sleazy that must sound and cursed herself. Instead of correcting her mistake, she reached for the bottle of Whyren's Reserve. "Hand me a glass, will you Matt?"

Shawn. He brought someone else to Cella's mind, someone that had been distressingly far from it over the past months. Jeroc had been long out of touch, and as much as Cella tried to deny it to herself, she was angry at him for it. She missed the long talks, the easy mental bond they had once had. He had given her freedom to follow her own path, but he hardly seemed to miss her at all...

Cella didn't at least sense something wrong around here? What gives? Aren't Jedi supposed to be able to do that?

"From what I know, which isn't much since Jasyn and Shawn only just recently dropped the bomb on me concerning the baby, she is on Khar Delba by some strange twist of Fate. We've gotta go back..."

Before he could finish, Matt was cut off by his wristcomm. "Matt Stanza here."

"It's Jasyn. We have a situation here."

Matt frowned. "A situation?"

"Something's amuck in the New Republic. Computer systems are going down."

"Are we going Operation Eagle?"

"Yes. Could be anything. Shawn doesn't think it's Sith though."

Matt nodded to himself glumly. "Allright, I'll take all precautions, and we'll meet you on the Guild World as soon as possible. We have lots to discuss, I am thinking."

"You got that right. But for now, I gotta find me some Whyren's Reserve. I had a bottle stashed somewhere around here..."

Matt couldn't help but laugh a bit at that.

Jasyn's voice went sour at that. "Oh...please tell me that you didn't..."

This only made Matt laugh even more. "You are down a couple of bottles, my friend," he finally said.

"Oh just you wait," Jasyn said "I'm sure when we get to the Guild World I can turn you in to a Bounty Hunter for thieving liquor."

"Go right ahead," the other replied. "But for now, get some rest and have a glass of the Whyren's I left you. Stanza out."

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...then drew back from her luscious lips with a sigh. Logic had managed to insert itself into my overactive id and beat it into momentary submission. Holding Nassy in a firm embrace, I leaned my forehead against hers, letting my gaze fall deeply into her own.

"Guess I'd better see what that's all about," I murmured softly as my lips strayed to kiss her nose. "It could be something important..."

I let my words trail off as I turned to the comm with a great inhalation of breath. Damn Skippy it had best be important! I scowled to no one in particular as I slammed the back of my fist and cowed the unit into finally silencing itself.

"Yaoksi here." My gaze wandered back to Nassy, who was approaching me; it began to grow vague....

"Successful insertion into hyperdrive, I am announcing," the comm unit chirped brightly. "ETA to World of Bounty Hunters, approximately 14 cycles, I am calculating."

"Thank you, K'kihl," I responded, my hand raising to click off the comm unit. Sounds like everything was under control; perhaps Nassy wouldn't mind sitting down over some nicely vintaged wine and... discussing matters. My fist was about to make contact with the unit...

"Hydrospanner." The wall comm chipped back to life. "On World of Bounty Hunters, this can be found, I am thinking."

I sighed in exasperation, turning my back to the wall and leaning against it now. "Yes K'kihl," I replied with another sigh. "Just remind me when--"

"Reminding you now I am," he clacked impertinently. "Once before hydrospanner you promised, did hydrospanner I receive?"

This was getting annoying, to put it mildly. I pursed my lips, my attention becoming drawn more and more away from that of my gunner, who was beginning to snicker a bit. Not that I could blame her.

"Look pal, I'm sorry that I didn't get you that hydrospanner at the time, but I promise..."

"Hydrospanner I am needing, if hyperdrive motivator to keep in peak operative mode I am achieving."

That little bombshell exploded in my ears into a thousand and one "what ifs" and "oh no's..." I frowned into the unit.

"Are you saying there's something wrong with the hyperdrive motivator that I should know about?" This could be serious; the thought of falling involuntarily from hyperspace in the middle of Kessel space was something I'd rather not contemplate at the moment. I had "been there, done that" once before; limping off to Honoghr in so ignominious a manner was something I did not wish to repeat... nor did I want to repeat my earlier performance hanging around their world while they chased down the necessary materials to repair the unit. I cringed at the memory.

The wall comm chittered back to life. "Hyperdrive motivator currently at 97% efficiency," the Verpine asserted with a shudder of embarrassment I could hear through the comm device. I knew he kept the ship running about 20-30 percent over one hundred; this was simply intolerable to him. Now I was beginning to snicker myself.

"Sounds like you have things under control, pal," I replied. "Look; when we get to our destination, the first thing we'll do when off-ship is go get that hydrospanner. Hell, we'll get two. But for now... is there anything else you have to report that I ought to know about?"

I waited... and the wall unit waited as well, blessedly silent. I nodded as though K'kihl could see me.

"All right then, let me know when we're about an hour or two from ETA. Yaoksi out."

The grin on my face turned serious then as, turning from the wall comm I found a certain Twi'lek repeating a lady Jedi's earlier tactic of invading my personal space...

...only this time I certainly didn't mind in the least.

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Better let everyone else know what's up. This whole computer thing was weird. And it wasn't like Terrin to go operation Eagle unless he was really concerned about something. Even though he tended to stay on the suspicious side, he was used to running the business on the fringes. That was the benefit of having a smuggler as one of the owner's of the company.

Sighing to himself, Matt hit the communit switch, somehow unconcsiously aware that he would be disturbing a reunion of sorts with this unpleasant announcement.

Buzzing into the medbay, he awaited an answer. The comm switched on, and a somewhat annoyed voice answered.

"K'KHIL, I told you that..."

Matt cut him off before he finished. "This is Matt."

"Uhh...sorry."

Matt grinned a bit to himself, then sobered. "Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but we have a problem here. Jasyn commed and said lots of major computer systems have gone down. We should be on high alert, I don't think this is a sign of anything good about to happen, although Shawn at least has said he doesn't think this has to do with any of our Sith pals."

Then, having nothing else to add, Matt simply waited.

[ 05-07-2002 09:20 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Terrin's Crew ]

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He had been following this ship at a distance for some time now, not concerned about its mission or its purpose, Veren was only concerned about killing the Jedi he senced aboard it. He was intent on pleasing his master by taking a Jedi's life before he left his master's guidance and thats all that mattered but if he thought that the ship's buisness could be stopped in a way that could benefit him, then he would do it.

He took the ship out of a silent follow and brought the ship closer so it was at a good enough range to hit the port stabelizer and retreat to watch the ship flail about as it dropped out of hyperspace before destorying it, Darth Veren always did love to torture his victims.

"now then Jedi, lets see how you and your friends fare against a REAL threat!" he snarled to himself as he brushed his hands over the hologromatic controls setting everything read to attack.

"now its time to kill my first Jedi, my master will be pleased!"

he placed his hand on a red spehere in the floating holo-controls eagerly and a beeping siren sounded as the energy built up on the ship's miniture Ion cannon, ready to fire 3 shots at the Devil-May-Care...

[ 05-08-2002 04:31 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Veren Mechanica ]

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