At least, it used to be his sister's office.

...waiting for Shayla's assistant to show her face. At last, Katrina entered the office, not looking too thrilled about what might soon take place.

Shawn turned to face her, his features betraying no sort of emotion at all. "Who was the last person to have contact with Erik Kartan?" he asked simply.

"So far as we know, a couple of Jedi and possibly Terrin Danner," she replied.

So far as we know?

"Didn't you think that after Kartan had been gone so long that something just might not be quite right? Or were you too busy making his and my sister's coorporation your own at the time?" Jedi or not, the words did have a certain amount of an edge to them.

Katrina fidgeted. "Erik wanted us to continue business as usual. And Shayla would want the same." Then, a frown crossing her face, she pinned Shawn with a cool look as something occurred to her. "Why haven't you realized that something was wrong? You are Shayla's twin, after all."

Shawn remained virtually impassive, but Katrina regretted what she had said as she noted the ever so slight tinge of pain in the young man's eyes.

"Shawn...I'm sorry...I didn't mean..."

"Yes you did," he whispered quietly. "I'm sorry, I am just as much at fault here as anyone else. Mission or not, I should have gone after my sister. She needed me..."

And now she just might be gone forever. Shawn had felt her flicker out through the Force. But then, that had happened at least once before, and she hadn't been dead. The Jedi that had gone after her...at least one of them anyway...had stated clearly enough that Shayla had turned. This just might be a new trick she had learned, or might be a device of the Sith.

Whether she had turned or not, Shawn just couldn't believe that all the good in his sister had been totally eradicated. But she was in trouble, deep trouble. If she was tangling with the Sith, she'd have people after her head. And indications were that this particular Sith she was with had a few people after her head as well.

And according to his sources, Terrin Danner just might be one of them.

Shawn just simply could not believe this. Terrin Danner, AGAIN? Hadn't Shayla just escaped that guy and his Moff? Wasn't Terrin the bad guy before? And now he was supposed to be the good guy and Shayla the bad one?

What was the Universe coming to?

"Shawn?" Katrina called, jarring him from his thoughts. "Shayla has ultimately made this decision, not you. You can't blame yourself for her choices. She's a big girl."

Shawn nodded. "I know." But just maybe I could have changed her mind, he added mentally. Although the other Jedi said they tried that.

But they had given up. He wasn't about to.

"I want Terrin Danner's comm frequency," Shawn said at length. "He seems to be the only one in the Universe, aside from the Sith and a couple of seperated Jedi, who knows anything about what's going on with Shayla and Erik."

He turned to leave, then stopped in the door, turning back. "And I think I'll find this Jedi Master the Council has told me is with Mr. Danner and his group. Something tells me I might want to have a talk with him as well..."

[ 03-13-2002 08:50 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Shawn Petrolu ]

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Keeping a REALLY low profile for someone of Terrin's usual bravado. Maybe the guy was hiding from his insane Moff. Maybe he was hiding from someone else, for all Shawn knew.

Then again, maybe Terrin had really changed. Shawn knew the recent news that had wafted through the Jedi Council. He knew who had Danner's company, as well as of her importance. The Council wanted to keep all the information highly secretive, but Shawn had fairly demanded to know the truth since this did all relate to his sister.

You'd best face it. If Shayla is going to act against ANYBODY, it'll be one of these two. And the child?

Shayla wouldn't. She just wouldn't.

At least the Shayla HE knew wouldn't.

Shawn frowned at the thought, not wanting to slip into that sort of thinking. Shayla was his sister. She might have stumbled upon a dangerous path, but it'd take a lot to change a person like her into something so evil.

Meanwhile, Terrin was STILL Shawn's best possible connection to finding Shayla. The Council's Jedi Master hadn't been in contact for months. Though he might still be with Terrin's group, no one seemed to know how to get in contact with the man.

But this was all of little consequence to Shawn. Shawn would find Terrin Danner. And with the information Terrin and this lady that the Council had talked of might give him, Shawn would determine his next move...

[ 03-15-2002 09:36 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Shawn Petrolu ]

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...Something was happening, somewhere. The Force was awash with a sea of emotions.

It was no small task for Shawn to sort all of those emotions into his own coherent thoughts.

But somehow he knew this was all interrelated somehow. And something inside of Shawn niggled.

The time is now. You are a part of this, whether you or anyone else is aware of that yet or not.

Shawn didn't know what would come of all this, however. Would he find Shayla? Could he turn her from this which she was now involved?

Or worse...would he have to confront her?

Shawn shuddered in spite of himself. Dear gods he hoped not...

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Shayla's ship.

Momentarily he wondered if she was still flying these days. Probably. Old habits die hard. And she was well known for skipping a lesson here and there at the Praxeum to take her X-wing out for a spin.

Shawn frowned. You could have used those extra few lessons, Shayla.

But, even though she had left, she had returned to the Praxeum. She did want to complete her training. Until this Sith had taken her.

Maybe, just maybe, Shayla's will had been bent? Maybe she had lost hope and saw no other way out than to give in?

There was still hope for her, Shawn just knew it. Shayla Petrolu was a good person. She'd just been dealt a miserable hand by fate and had been surrounded by those who, though their intentions were good, had taken too long to get to her.

It's a wonder she withstood any of this at all. The Universe knows what horrors she might have faced.

So she'd said she wanted to stay where she was when the Jedi had found her. Well, they didn't know Shayla like he did. She was his sister, after all. Never one to give in easily, was she. And never one to want to rely on anyone else for anything.

And that's precisely why she'd refused to return. Giving in to the Jedi and conceding her need of their help would be admitting that she needed their help.

Since he was her brother, Shawn was certain she'd be more willing to trust him and open up.

Giving the luster of the Starlight one final look, Shawn opened the hatch of the ship and began to ascend the boarding ramp. Shayla would forgive him for flying her ship when she would be able to fly it home...

[ 03-17-2002 09:58 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Shawn Petrolu ]

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Now or never.

At the bottom of the ramp, a man with bright eyes and brown hair stood waiting.

"Jedi Petrolu, we didn't expect you so soon."

Shawn extended his hand to shake the preoffered one. "My sister's ship is in top running order, Mr. Barnes. Nice ship you have here."

Aaron looked a bit wistful. "You'll have to give the credit for the Hornett to my partner. She's all his."

At the mention of Danner, Shawn turned serious. "I think we have alot of talking to do."

Aaron nodded. "Follow me."

**********

Sitting in a comfortable conference room with a bit of ale to drink, Shawn looked across the way to the green-eyed man who was now placing so much faith in him. "So where is your partner?"

Aaron seemed reluctant to reply.

Shawn pressed on. "I must know. I know of the child, and I know it will be born at any time now. This Master Rean fellow that is with them...his intentions are good, but the Council is frankly disturbed that they have lost contact with him. They haven't really explained why to me."

"Last time Terrin contacted me," Aaron said at length, a little disturbed about Shawn's obvious qualms concerning this Jedi Master, "they were on the way to Kessel..."

Aaron paused as a really disturbing thought slammed into him. "Some Jedi that was with them somehow ended up there. Terrin really didn't explain what happened to get her there but...seems like it had to do with that Jedi Master..."

Shawn frowned. And people talk about Force-weirdness... He couldn't help but think that he had a really bad feeling about all this. "Well, since my sister is involved with this Sith that your partner and the others have been dealing with, the Council has granted me permission to look after the group. I know Shayla best; if anyone is going to stop her from doing something to the child or the others, I think I have the best shot. Heck, maybe I can even save her from what she is into. But at any rate I can garantee my protection. I'll remain faithful to the task for as long as it requires.

But you've gotta link me in with Terrin, Mr. Barnes. The only way I can help them is if I can find them. This baby will need all the protection she can get."

Aaron seemed to consider, then finally nodded. "I'll give you Terrin's ID and comm frequency. If you can talk some sense into him, you should be on your way to rendevous with them within the hour."

Shawn nodded. "Thank you. I think considering the circumstances Mr. Danner and I will be able to come to an arrangement. Something tells me he'll be willing to take my help..."

[ 03-17-2002 11:15 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Shawn Petrolu ]

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