I sat back on my heels and heaved a sigh, running a hand through my hair when I thought of what lay at the root of all this trouble. My eyes widened a moment in trepidation... then my questing hand reached inside the front of my flightsuit, finding that hidden pocket with a comforting bulge outlining it. But my questing fingers found the pocket to be open; a frown crossed my face as I reached inside and hauled out the chips I had stashed there.

They were all there, save one. It must have fallen out somewhere. But a careful scrutiny showed that the most important of the color-coded chips was still with me, that one bearing the coordinates to the Valley of the Jedi. I gripped it in my hand, debating with myself as to whether or not I should simply destroy these things while I had them.

In fact, now that I was not planning on trying to use them for barter, perhaps that wouldn't be such a bad idea after all.

Quickly I rose to my feet and went to a hidden little enclave in the rocky wall of the tunnel. There I lay the chips down upon the cold stone floor, and proceeded to grind them into dust beneath my boot. I then began kicking that dust into the tunnel proper, where the ever present little breeze which accompanies such things promptly picked the remnants up and dispersed them into oblivion.

Then I went back and joined Dash.

"How is he coming?" I asked, indicating Lo Ban with a soft glance as I fell to my knees beside him to administer an even softer touch to his cheek. "Maybe we ought to get him out of here; do you think he's well enough to travel?"

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"Master Jebbua. Alexis." I cried out.

"Alexis is Master Jebbua alright? When I first arrived and surveyed the situation, I noticed that he has a wound on his shoulder. How is he now? Does he need GALENS Healing powers???"

I looked at the LIGHTSABER I had subconsciously hooked onto my belt. I unhooked it and gave it back to Alexis. "Thank you, but I beleive this belongs to you!"

"We had better find a place to stay until all injuries have healed. My ship is always open, but the accomodations aren't as nice as a hotel. I'm open for suggestions. But let's make them quick. That man could come back to finish the job he started."

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She went over to Jebbua and roused him and he finally opened his eyes slowly.

"Alexis, I guess you got my message." He said.

He stood up slowly and gave her a hug, Then walked over to where Galen was.

"Are you ok Galen?" Jebbua asked.

Alexis walked over to Dash.

"I want to thank you Dash for evrything you've done and now I think we should all get some rest. If you'll follow me to my house." Alexis said as she started to walk off.

If it hadn't been for the timely arrival of Dash and his companions....

"I told you it wasn't a safe place to hang around, kid!" I said, half lightly and half utterly serious. He looked at me, and something passed between us. My smile broadened at the look: it was that special one shared between soldiers who have gone into battle side-by-side, have been wounded but have come out again alive, together.

That thought brought me back to our real rescuer. I turned once more to Dash and simply studied him a bit. Once again he was just that affable blue-skinned being I had run into in the Blue Asteroid, pheromones and all.

But for a moment there....

I shook myself inwardly. Indeed, it seemed there would be much to discuss when the time was more appropriate. But this was definitely not it.

I laid a hand on his shoulder, stiffening in response to his natural body chemistry, and paused him in his tracks. We exchanged a look; then I turned toward the departing young woman and called out, curious as to who she was but realizing that, as before, now was not the time or place for introductions.

"Thank you for the offer, but I have a better idea...."

She stopped in her tracks, and turned to face us. I let my hand drop from Dash's shoulder and went to stand beside Lo Ban.

"Look, I agree we all need a place to go lick our wounds and debrief. But something is telling me to get away from here...." I stopped myself a moment and sent another look into Dash's eyes.

Later, friend. Later.

"I have a lambda and it's in great shape. I also have a place where we can go and be absolutely safe. If you would follow me..."

I trailed off, watching while Dash nodded and stooped to pick up Lo Ban's limp body. Then he nodded in readiness; I turned and led the way back up the tunnel until we came into the main Piriingisian travel artery. There I paused a moment to orient myself before pointing and setting off.

"This way, c'mon," I urged, picking up the pace a bit.

It seemed I had run far in my mindless panic, for it took about half a time unit to get back to the tunnel leading to the surface. But at least the crowds had lessened; as far as I could figure it was somewhere in the wee hours of the Sullustan morning, and most people had more than likely gone home to bed. We hurried through that final tunnel, at last breaking out onto the edge of the Sullustan space port.

I led everyone quickly to Eagle, let her scan my retina, and opened the hatch.

"Let's go!" I urged, suddenly feeling a greater need than ever to get away from this hellish planet. No one said a word in reply but trooped up the ramp behind me and settled into the travel seats. I fired 'er up, letting her engines warm a bit as I quickly scanned for any untoward probes or homing devices or anything that wasn't originally placed upon her by EE engineers. She was clean as a whistle.

"Time to go!" I announced when the scan was complete and my clearance vector came through. Moments later Eagle screamed up from the surface and not long afterwards came out into the cool beauty of space.

And in just a few moments after that we were safely amidst the starstreaks of hyperdriven space. Destination: unknown... for the moment.

Soon to be rectified, I hope.

[ 04-12-2003 11:04 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Galen ]

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"Galen, do you mind if I send a message to a friend? He still thinks I'm on Sullest i Beileve, so i should tell him I left."

While I was waiting for an answer I turned my head around and saw Alexis go into a cabin that was empty, probably to sleep.
Have a nice nap, Alexis, a nice nap. I thought.

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"Not in hyperspace, I can't send a message," I replied, turning to stare this kid in the eye. A thought struck me, and I continued.

"Look, I kinda grabbed up everyone in a hurry back there. If you had other plans on Sullust, tell me now and I'll turn us around and take you back.

"But I have to get Lo Ban to a medical facility and see if he'll ever recover; I don't know what that poison was...."

My eyes drifted from Jebbua's face and wandered to where Lo Ban was sprawled limply in one of Eagle's passenger seats. Then I turned back to the control console, waiting to hear what Jebbua wished to do.

It was only then that I finally noticed the message light which had been blinking there steadily, patiently waiting for my attention to be captured, so I reached out and enabled the readout of that message.

There were more than one, from none other than Jasyn Lancaster. I read his messages, commtting his communication frequency to memory, then flipped the message off.

Well, isn't this a small universe! I thought to myself as I then busied myself with a reply.

"Jasyn, this is Galen aboard Eagle. I'm in hyperspace, exiting Sullust. Things have taken a turn for the worse; Lo Ban has been poisoned... he's been, ahh-- stabilized for the moment, at least I think he has-- but I could use the medical facilities aboard Hornett about now.

"Not to mention a safe haven... I can't go into too much detail now, but if you could send me her coordinates over a private channel I'll head there asap.

"I've got some friends with me at the moment, too... but again, I'll explain later in person.

"I'll be looking for your reply. Galen, out."

I then took manual control of Eagle and in short order dropped her from hyperspace long enough to send that message along the private frequency Jasyn had provided. Then the stars streaked around us as once more I took my little lambda and her passengers back into the blessed haven of hyperspace.

[ 04-13-2003 01:35 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Galen ]

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Jasyn was so caught up in digging through some computer files in Terrin's office that he nearly jumped when his comm beeped, alerting him of an incoming message. Still half-caught up in whatever was on the computer screen, he punched "recieve" with his index finger. The voice and the words that came streaming forth finally were enough to gain his full attention. Almost immediately after the message was complete, he opened a private channel to the Eagle and with no further ado sent the coordinates Galen had requested. Then, after alerting the bridge of the incoming Eagle and requesting that he be notified when she landed, Jasyn turned his attentions back to what he was working on, hoping he could come up with something to help Galen get to Darra...

...no matter how small that something might be...

[ 04-13-2003 08:26 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Jasyn Lancaster ]

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No use ending up clear across the galaxy! I mused ruefully to myself as I slowed our pellmell escape from the volcanic world of Sullust. I had scarcely slowed us to a fraction of our former velocity when the communications board began singing for attention; I smiled and toggled a switch in response. That smile broadened as I listened to Jasyn's message, and it remained on my lips as I quickly typed in the coordinates he had sent me.

"Thanks, Jasyn," I said to the com-board as the message came to a close. "We'll be seeing you soon!"

I reached out to hit the hyperdrive lever... then paused.

"Hey Jebbua, who did you want to send a message to?" I asked, turning sideways in my seat so I could see back toward the rear of the shuttle. My eye fell across the too-quiet form of Lo Ban; I shuddered a little, then pushed that image to the back of my mind.

He'll be okay... he has to be okay....

I blinked and jerked my eyes back into focus, waiting to see if the kid still wanted to send a message as he had requested or not.

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I put in the frequency and then said the message.

"Hello Ruhatt, this is Jebbua, sorry i didn't go back to the ship. I sorta find some friends and we're heading somewhere right now. So until next time. Jebbua out."

I finshed the message and hit send.

"Now where should we go to get some rest? Some place nice and quiet."

[ 04-14-2003 07:01 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Jebbua Dahutt ]

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"Hello Ruhatt, this is Jebbua, sorry i didn't go back to the ship. I sorta find some friends and we're heading somewhere right now. So until next time. Jebbua out."

It was Jebbua, so thats where he was. Oh well, he'd just explore the gaxaly and find something to do.

[ 04-14-2003 07:06 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Ruhatt Luthan ]

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"We're going to the Hornett," I said simply and fell silent.

Then I shuddered a bit at the thought of all which had transpired to where I could make that statement, and turned my gaze inward once again. Hopefully once we gained the haven of my SSD--

MY SSD...!

--things would take an upward turn for us.

((OOC: Follow Galen and those aboard Eagle into It Can't Be Hopeless in the "Empire/New Republic" forums, thank you.))

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