Dxun: An Awakening

[Solidus]

A YT-2400 light freighter sat in the fog. It had sat there for nearly forty years, standing a silent sentinel in the jungle. Inside, it was dark, and the reactor ran at 0.05% of normal charge, dedicated to keeping only two things going.

The small autoblaster outside, and the cryo tube. The lights on it blinked green and amber, indicating the status of the person inside. The age of the canister was during the Clone Wars.

The lights went from the gentle blinking of amber and green, to red and solid, with the green lights indicating the coffin was checking it's inhabitant. There was a series of loud clanks, and a slow whirrrrrr as the lid of the tube lifted up, revealing a completely bald man inside.

A side effect of cryo technology, was that one tended to lose one's hair, as it became too brittle to withstand the cold. The eyes of the person slowly came open to the darkness, after forty years of slumber. The lights came on slowly, as not to blind the young man. He eased himself out of the coffin.

He made his way to his cabin, where clothes awaited him. The ship was dark, but the systems were slowly powering up. The young man approached the capatain's cabin, and opened it with a hiss of silent hydraulics. He walked in, and opened a drawer. He looked in at the Jedi Robes, and reached in, pulling out a pair of pants and a white cotton shirt instead.

He pulled on the blaster rig, and headed for the engine room. There was work to be done...

[Solidus]

Jeff was in the crawlspace underneath the floor of the freighter. The ship was a mess, and as it was highly and illegally modified, he had quite a bit of work ahead of him. The wires weren't damaged, thankfully, but he would have enough fuel to get off the planet and into hyperspace.

His tunic was messy, filled with grit, grime and oil. He climbed out of the crawlspace, and sat against the bulkhead. He raised a bottle of water, and drank it. He looked down the corridor.

He could remember when Master Erickson had given him this ship, made by her father from the Erickson shipyards. On the hull was Jeff's personal sigil, a pair of black wings with a sword thrust up the middle. The ship was the first of it's kind, a custom-made ship. It sported large engines, extreme manuverability, and an ample amount of firepower. The shields were pretty good too, but not spectacular.

It was a good ship, meant for getting into hostile territory and back out safely. Jeff's head lay against the wall of the corridor.

Master Erickson...

It had been many years since he thought of her. He didn't have any dreams while he was in cryo. Most people, when they hear that, think that the person doesn't have a soul...

[Solidus]

Jeff stood. He didn't have time enough to sit and reflect on the past. He was far enough in time for Master Erickson to be dead, and many questions that begged to be answered never had the chance to be.

To Jeff, it was better this way. Not knowing if something could have happened, or if he would have been rejected.

Besides, a Jedi should not think of such things.




Jeff continued to work on the small transport. He discovered a family of small rodents in the engine casing, and managed to shoo them out without giving them harm. The engines checked out okay, as did the manuvering systems. He didn't have to worry about weapons, but the shields were important.

The weapons locker on the ship was also in good condition, holding enough rifles, pistols and grenades to outfit a platoon for a planetary assault. Jeff also checked the lock on it, noting with satisfaction that it was in good condition as well.

The rooms also checked out, but Jeff was forced to get rid of the bedding and blankets, as they had become the homes of various animals.

Jeff sat down in the cargo bay, meditating. The day had been tough, but he was ready to go. He just had to clear his mind...

'No.' he told himself, and got up, his destination the cockpit.

[Solidus]

Jeff sat in the metal and plastic of the pilot's seat, the lights on the control board already lighting up. The glow was cast on his face as he lowered the blast shield covering the viewscreen.

Easy light filtered in, as Jeff began the startup sequence, the engines whining and sputtering, then catching with a cough, then a loud roar. Jeff kicked in the repulsorlifts, the ship hanging on the anti-grav system. He raised the landing gear, aimed for the sky, and hit the throttle, the YT-2400, the Raven's Wing escaping the planet that had held it prisoner for so long.

[Fallen Angel]

With a grunt of effort, the ship's captain pushed the last small crate onto the lifter. She wiped her forehead with the back of her sleeve, leaving a smear of grease on flesh and metal-rimmed optic. Straightening, she looked around warily.

The port was a bustling one, with the usual taste for smuggler's wares. Spice, glitterstim, and silver were traded openly, and young beautiful sophonts were at risk if they were unescorted.

Once, this would have mattered to her. Once........

She turned with a whispered curse, mentally condemning men long dead to the perdition that they deserved. She was not a guardian of anyone's morals, anymore. She hadn't been able to guard herself - shown by the optic that covered her right eye, and her mechanical right hand.

Shutting the ship, locking it and sealing it, she made sure her blaster was securely on her hip. Cargo lifter in tow, she set off for the local Bazaar, to find someone to buy her wares, wholesale or retail. Looking back at the ship, she noticed that its paint job was almost flaked off. Only the name. " Laughing Firebird" remained in proud letters over the entry hatch. She remembered setting it in, fusing it in contrasting metal with the help of a man doubtlessly long since slaughtered.

[Solidus]

Jeff breathed a sigh of relief as he saw the starport of Onderon. He tapped the blinking light indicating incoming comm traffic.

"Unidentified freighter, this is Onderon Control. We have a lock on your ship. Identify yourself." the deep bass voice was monotone, obviously having been on the job once in a while.

"Control, this is Raven's Wings, requesting a landing in your repair bay. My IFF is down, along with my transponder. Among other problems."

"Raven's Wings, this is Onderon Control. Permission granted for one week, if the damage is that extensive. We will notify the local mechanics of your trouble." the voice droned, and the target locks vanished.

"Thank you Control. Wings out." Jeff shut off the comms, and made for the landing bay.

One half hour later...


The white ship landed in the bay, bustling with a swarm of mechanics. They all stopped as the ship entered the bay, it's landing gear extending down. Dust flew as the ship set down, resting with a mechanical sigh.

The ramp lowered, and the young man, still bald, but with a stubble of hair, looking like a military cut, walked down. A mechanic, his skin VERY tanned and his hair dark and wavy, a pair of glasses resting on his nose walked up to Jeff.

"I'm Max. I heard that your ship had some problems." Max offered his hand to Jeff, who shook it.

Jeff rattled off the list of problems the ship held, Max nodding at each of them. Once he finished, the techie let out a low whistle.

"That's gonna cost quite a bit of money." he said dubiously, looking at the ship.

Jeff pulled out a cred chip, handing it to Max. "Use this to fix it. And a new paintjob."

Jeff walked out, and Max called out "WHAT COLOR?!"

Jeff poked his head in. "Black, with a feather pattern, but keep the sigil." then walked out, looking for a good tapcafe where he could find something to eat.

[Fallen Angel]

She shook her head as she counted the coins in her fist. What the hell was she supposed to do with this?, she wondered. Local currency - and the 'changers would get their bite - and she'd end up with damn little, as usual.

"Aw, to frell with it," she decided. Her dulled senses itched her - proximity to the moon of Duxn, she decided. It had an evil reputation, 40 years earlier.

It was like the misery from the moon had jinxed her, she decided. Food first, and then a liftoff - to ANYPLACE.

Anyplace except Corescant - or Corellia

She spat on the street, and quickened her pace. Rounding a corner, she knocked a man down.

[Solidus]

Jeff walked into the Tapcafe, dimly lit and smoky. It had a reputation for good food and drink, but also for bar brawls. He decided that it was worth the risk.

Taking a small table in the back, a waiter droid came up, asking for his order. He asked for some pasta and a nice wine. The droid trundled off to complete it's order. Jeff spread his arms across the back of the leather seat, relaxing. He kept his eyes scanning the crowd, in case a brawl would happen.

He shifted in his seat, his silenced slug pistol and combat knife poking him in his upper leg. He adjusted the belt to a position where it would be more comfortable.

[Fallen Angel]

Bar brawls generally start in bars.

That's why they're called BAR brawls.

How to classify a brawl that started outside a bar, and ended up rolling inside? Very simple - DUCK!

It had started with a woman and a man crashing in through the front window of the tapcafe. She had landed on him - momentarily - then was propelled by a boot in the stomach toward the back of the 'cafe. She had crashed through two tables before landing, and had landed hard.

Now,swearing in Corellian, she picked up a broken chair leg and started forward, past Jeff's chair, back into the braw. Red hair and blood streamed across a face half-human, half mech. The leg of the chair was slowly crushing in the grip of her metallic right hand.

She looked to be in a murderous mood, a vengeful goddess on a mission.

[Solidus]

The bar erupted in a fight. Jeff chugged down the drink that had been delivered to him, and started to make his way to the door, when a man, easily three times his size, in the center of everything, decided that Jeff looked like an easy target.

Can't go for the weapons, no time. Might hit someone... Jeff thought. Instead, as the man aimed a punch at Jeff, Jeff grabbed the man's wrist, and slammed his palm into the man's elbow, shattering it. The giant let out a bellow of pain, as he buckled over, and Jeff aimed a kick at the back of the man's head, knocking him down to the floor.

The brawl stopped, with everyone looking at Jeff, then the giant on the floor. Jeff tossed a cred chip to the bartender, and walked out of the bar, his face calm and serene as he headed for his ship's bay.

[Fallen Angel]

She looked up from where she had been slammed, to see him walk past.

All the past rushed her, stunned her, in the form of a person she had never hoped to see again short of death. She gasped, gathering her feet underneath her.

She had to see! Doubting her own sanity, the pilot rose, and ran after the exiting man.

"JEFF!" she yelled at the top of her lungs.

[Solidus]

Jeff reached the ship's bay.

"MAX! TELL ME YOU GOT THE SHIP READY!" Jeff yelled. The mechanic popped his head out from behind the ship.

"JUST FINISHING!" he yelled back. The YT-2400 now sat there, looking like it was covered in black feathers, the ship seemes like a live creature, ready to go at a moment's notice. The weaponry consisted of a pair of concussion missile launchers, eight apiece. The other weapons were a pair of quad laser cannons, meant more for point defense than actual offensive weaponry.

Jeff walked into the hangar, his hands running along the smooth finish of the ship.

[Fallen Angel]

After the first shout, she saved her breath for running.

She was a short length behind him when he went into the repair bay. Max spun around, a weapon suddenly in his hand, as she ran in.

"Jeff.............Jeff, wait!" she screeched hoarsely, sounding like a falcon in a dive. Not stopping, she tried to go around Max, and his weapon fired, loud in the repair bay, the ion beam spreading.

Her visor shorted, and her hand stiffened. Even more critical, her leg froze, and she came crashing down, skidding, the pants and shirt tearing on the rough deck, revealing metal limbs previously hidden.

"Jeff!" she cried again.

[Solidus]

Jeff turned just as she crumpled to the floor. He ran over to her, his mouth opening in shock.

"Master Erickson?" he asked, in disbelief, his hands holding her limp form close to his.

All the memories and feelings that he had for her came flooding in, overpowering his body control.

[Fallen Angel]

She looked up at him, crying. "Jeff, you're not dead......" was all he could get out of her sobs.

Max came up, clearly puzzled. "You know this cyborg?" he said. " 'Cause if you don't, I'll just throw her out...."

[Solidus]

Jeff pushed some hair out of her eye.
"I know her. I know her very well." he said, as he held his Master close to him, holding her, shaking himself.

"Forgive me for leaving master, forgive me..." he choked out.

[Fallen Angel]

"Nothing.....to.....forgive," she said, . "Jeff......Reset.....controls" her eye dimmed, and her breathing was sounding more hurting. "Right ....Side" she said faintly.

The torn shirt showed the right torso. Torn synthaflesh under the arm revealed metal below the breast, covering the ribcage. A small LED flashed an urgent message in red, blinking next to a rectangular patch on the ribs' sheathing. Her organic eye was closed now, and her skin was going bluer, breath slowed.

[Solidus]

Jeff looked at it, and poked at the rectangular area next to the flashing light, it pressing down like a standard button. All Jeff could do now was wait, and hope.

[Fallen Angel]

With a GASP, she started breathing again. Her eye opened, and she smiled. With a whine of damaged servos, she tried to push herself into a sitting position. Finally giving up, she lay looking at him.

"You're real," she stated, daring him to say otherwise.

[Solidus]

Jeff nodded, still holding her. He stood up, bringing her to a standing position. He pulled her arm around his neck, and dragged her to his ship, much to Max's confusion.

Jeff lay her down on the captain's bunk, lying her head on the pillow.

[Fallen Angel]

She groped at her left pocket. Finally fishing out a ship's key, she handed it to him, left-handed.

"Bay 22, level 6, sector B...... Tell 'Bird I'm O.K. Lie to her if you have to, I don't need her breaking her cover. Let her know who you are..... Oh hells, she's got a better memory than mine, SHE'LL remember you, Jeff. Tell her fuel up, we've got the credits to....." She stopped, and her face fell as her hand searched her right pocket, fingers poking out through the tears in the cloth..

"The chip......I lost it," she said numbly.

[Solidus]

Jeff kissed her on the forehead, and turned away so she couldn't see him turning red as the blood rushed to his face. But being bald has it's drawbacks...

"This one's on me." he said as he walked out of the cabin, and to where the Laughing Firebird sat.

[Fallen Angel]

Left behind, Astrid sighed. So many years....... She lay immobilized, staring at the celing.

The duel had been a fiasco she had barely survived. Bleeding, minus an arm, a leg, an eye, she had dragged herself back into the ship, blessing the foresight that caused her to leave Jeff checking out his new ship. He would have been slaughtered, a new-made Knight no match for an old Darksider. She could hear the air's bubbling whistle where it sucked in and out of the hole in her chest, blood slowly filling the lung that was collapsing from the outside air's pressure in her chest.

She had managed to slap coordinates into the nava'puter, and then fell into a bacta tank.

But the jump was figured wrong, and had brought her out here, five years previously. Somehow, she'd managed to go into a future she never dreamed, even in her worst nightmares, could happen.

She'd ended up in Huttspace. Only some fast talking by the 'Bird had saved them both, and 'Bird had sold everything she could from her cargo, had sold parts off herself, had sold lightsaber, blankets, emergency equipment, all - to get her captain repaired.

Had even entered into debt - to a Hutt - on the promise that Astrid would be fixed.

And so she had been - but cheaply. Cyborg parts cost less than organic, and even the cyborg parts were cheap and flimsy. And they were both into debt with a Hutt.

They had barely managed to stay ahead of the outrageous Hutt interest rates, and had not paid anything on the principle. At her last meeting with the Hutt's factor, the man had frowned, and said that if the repayment was not faster, she would be forced to run contract cargos - slaves, drugs, weapons.

"Or maybe," he had added, a look of greed on his face, "We will just take the ship."

[Fallen Angel]

Jeff headed off for the 'Bird immediately. He looked at her sorry state of being when he arrived at the docking port, noting the rough patches and the peeling paint, seeing the empty anti-personnel gun mounts.

"Hold it - who the hel are you?" snapped from the external speaker as he came near, the sound distorted and crackly. The empty weapons mount trained around at him, the wiring clearly - wrongly - indicating a working weapon there.

He ran his hand along the flaking paint, wondering how the Laughing Firebird had come to this state, battered and sad as an old tramp freighter. The gun mount continued to track him, silently, as he got to the lock.

He inserted the ship's key into the lock's receptacle, and the gun mount immediately trained off him, the lock snapping open.

He stepped inside, and the lock slammed shut behind him. "All right, Buster, where's my captain?," came out of the speaker growlingly, as he noted the monitor camera swinging by one wire. Before he could answer, there was a cry of "JEFF!" loud enough to rattle his eardrums, and the inner lock popped open.

Jeff fell to the floor on his knees, hands over his ears. Once the danger to his hearing was over, he stood and entered the spaceship.

Inside, the same sorry state of repairs was evident. Only a third of the ship's lighting panels were working, and there was grime everywhere, and no cleaning droids in sight. It was a shocking sight to someone who had known the fastidious Laughing Firebird. It looked like neither she nor her captain cared for appearances any more.

Panels hung open, or secured only with duct tape, speed of access apparently the only concern. Opening some of them, he saw evidence of hundreds of improvised repairs, some bordering on genius or insanity.

[Fallen Angel]

Flat on her back, Astrid stared at the ceiling over her former Padawan's bed.

Looking upward, she realized that there was just one more price the Force would demand of her.......

The Force had cruelly thrust her out and let everyone she loved (she had thought) die.

Now it presented her with another cruel paradox.

She could restore her ship - her friend. Jeff would help - she knew him. The young Knight - as she still thought of him - did not have a selfish bone in his body. He was generous to the point of recklessness. All she had to do was ask.

But that asking cut deep in her only possession - Pride.

As a Jedi Master, she had been the one to command resources that she had often taken for granted. Now, her ship and her body were equally starved, battered and worn, patched and mispatched. The Bird had not even spoken to her since the day she regained consciousness and cursed the ship and the Force equally for keeping her alive.

The Bird had been silent - and the Force was not hers to command. Not since the day she had learned of the Purge. The Bird, seeking to calm her cursing, had informed her of her miraculous survival. She had laid down, face to the wall, and began to TRY and sense the life threads, the links, to those she loved. In all cases, there had been no response. Then she had gone crazed, and trying to reach ANY Jedi, had stretched her senses further, and further. She had found none - only Darksiders.

She had not cried. She had merely fell unconscious, overtaxed and overstressed, and slept for three days. When she awoke, her ability with the Force was gone.

Now she cried, her tears flowing flowing from her one eye until the pillow beneath her head was wet. She cried for everyone she had lost, and the one who had come back to her, after all her hope was gone.

She cried for missed opportunity. For nobody, she felt, could love a cyborg.......and as to his kiss? It was from pity - and that scalded her worse than a blaster could do. He had blushed, she felt, from the embarassment of finding an old friend worse off than when she'd seen him last.

And she cried for love. The love she'd had for him - and suppressed - when he was her Padawan. The love that had burst openly into her heart when he had passed his difficult Knight's test. The love that kept her alive to drag herself back to her ship - so that she could keep her promise and return. The love that crumpled to ashes when she had learned of Order 66. She had been worse than a cyborg, she realized - and cried harder. She had been a robot..... not dead and not alive, just merely existing.

[Solidus]

Jeff looked aroun the inside of the Firebird, looking at the pieces of wiring, the open shaft covers, the grime and dirt. He immeadiately got on his comm, and ordered up some cleaning robots and astromech droids. It cost him about thirty thousand credits, but Jeff's half brother had left him a sizable amount of money, as Jeff was now the only survivor of the Quinn family line. And Jeff would use that money only in cases to help or in an emergency.

The droids had arrived, and Jeff told the Bird their function. Both approved of the situation, and the ship began to look like it used to.

"By the way Bird, don't tell Astrid where these came from." Jeff told the Bird. "Otherwise, she'll just give them back. But if she does find out, tell her my payment will be her taking care of this ship, the way it OUGHT TO BE."

[Fallen Angel]

"I ain't telling her nothing," snarled the ship, its tone bitter.

[Solidus]

Jeff stopped. He'd never heard THAT tone from the Bird.

"Tell her that these were for YOU then, if she tries to get rid of them. But if she doesn't try, don't say ANYTHING. Am I clear?"

[Fallen Angel]

"I ain't talkin'' to her, Jeff - not after what she said to me!" The ship's tone was sad and hurt.

[Solidus]

Jeff sighed, and walked to the lounge, the cleaning droids just having left it sparkling. He settled into the couch.

"What were her scan results while she was saying what she was saying?" he asked, in a polite and calm tone.

[Fallen Angel]

"She'd just come back from getting modified - they dumped her at the lock and I took care of her until she recovered. Damn it, Jeff, I'd sold pieces off MYSELF, sold her lightsaber, EVERYTHING to get her healed up. Even got a loan from a Hutt! And then she curses me out that she's alive!", the Bird said - and if a mech could cry, It would have been crying.

Before he could say anything, the Bird replayed the whole sorry conversation. "And then she laid down and ignored me for almost a WEEK!" it concluded. "I havn't spoken to her since!"

[Solidus]

Jeff nodded.

"She was under a lot of stress then." he concluded. "I need the name of the hutt, now. His possible location and where I could set up an appointment. There's no WAY you can repay a hutt. They always keep raising the price. " he grumbled. He sensed that the Bird was still fairly sad, so he sat crosslegged, and entered the Force, extending himself. He found the computer core, in actuality, a holocron, modified to hold a soul.

He walked in.

[Fallen Angel]

Lavinia sat there, in the rags of Jedi robes. Her 'room' was shattered, and a ghost wind ran through, wailing coldly. She looked up as Jeff entered. She looked old and gray and tired.

"Hello, Jeff", she said and rose to meet him. Walking over, she gave him a hug, hanging on to him as if for comfort. "We thought you were dead....." she said by way of greeting.

[Solidus]

Jeff held onto her, offering comfort.
"I tried to die. I had broken one of the sacred codes." his voice was sorrowful. He wrapped his own mental robes around her.

[Fallen Angel]

"Oh?' said Lavinia/the Bird. "Would it, by any chance, be the same one that she broke - at least in her head?" Her head was cocked to the side in a question.

He noticed that the room was steadily getting back to a more suitable appearance

[Solidus]

Jeff nodded, his face grim and repentant.
"It appears though, that I have just fallen into it again." he sighed to himself.

"Can't seem to escape it."

[Fallen Angel]

"Jeff, let me ask you........"

" - do the Jedi exist any more? NO"

" - is she acting as a Jedi Master anymore? - NO - she wants to survive - I don't say live, she hasnt been living for five years, since I told her about the Purge."

" - are you acting as a Jedi Knight anymore? - NO - not if you want to survive. The Empire still has Jedi hunters out there"

She stopped, and looked at him. "Q........E......D......." she said softly.

He saw the robes flow and shift, until she wore simple, practical Corellian garb.

[Solidus]

Jeff looked at her.

"What you're saying is that we don't have to act like Jedi anymore." he sat down on a mental cushion. "Seems strange, not having to act like a Jedi..." he sat there, looking at her.

"Are you saying what I think you're saying?" he asked, an accusing look on his face.

[Fallen Angel]

"Well, you'd better not act like a Jedi, if you want to remain alive," she said, sitting down on a similar cushion. "And what do you THINK I was saying?" Her old robes re-appeared, since she was not thinking about them. Master's Robes, he realized for the first time. She stared at him as intently as any teacher at the Temple would have.

[Solidus]

Jeff nodded. His own mental robes disappeared, now fallig back on the military training that his brother had given him, appearing in a set of BDUs. He nodded firmly. He looked at Lavinia.

"Exactly how real is this? Rather, what are we capable of in here?" he asked, gesturing to the room around him.

[Fallen Angel]

"We can communicate - although anyone talking with us will only see me - or the me that I show to the world."

"We can control any 'droids that are under my command," and she showed the ship from a mouse cleaning droids' point of view.

She stopped, then said, "However, you still did not answer my first question to you - where is Astrid and how IS she - that was her ship's key, and I was fully prepared to drop that airlock to Zero Pressure to get an answer."

[Solidus]

Jeff nodded. "Good thing you recognized me, then."

He turned to her.

"Astrid is on the Raven's Wing, and Horus is keeping an eye on her. She got hit with an ion bolt, but that problem is now fixed. Speaking of which, you need to refuel and move to my bay, dry dock twenty."

[Fallen Angel]

The 'Bird did so, communicating with Onduran Inner Space control and floating over to the same bay where Raven' Wing/Horus sat.

She made a very BAD landing, dropping from thirty feet when one of the repulsorlifts failed and the other two redlined. She landed with a bang - and a spray from popped dampers.

*************************************************

Horus silently observed Astrid, charting and measuring her. "She's not moving," she thought. "I wonder if Jeff knows that this cyborg, whoever she is, has fried parts. Maybe he should trade her in for another one....."

She noted that the cyborg seemed to be leaking fluid from one optic. 25% failed parts and leaking ......... definitely not a good investment. As an AI, Horus was not the sentimental type.

[Solidus]

Jeff was busy on the floor of the lounge of the Firebird. The tossing around had made the cabinets open and various items fall down. Jeff himself had caught the more important items, these being the bottles of Corellian Firewhiskey.

Jeff stood up carefully, cradling the bottles, and put them back where he had found them. There was squeeling and squawking as the droids righted themselves. Jeff sighed, as he saw more money being spent on the Bird and the Raven's Wing. But there was an excess of thirteen million credits in that account, and it grew with interest.

He lowered the ramp of the ship, going down with a whine. Max stood at the foot of it.

"Another ship for you?" he asked dryly.

"Fix it up the best you can. Repair it completely, with the best parts around." Jeff rattled off as he strode to the Raven's Wings, toolkit in hand.

[Fallen Angel]

Max shook his head.

"You're paying the bills, but I could get you a new ship for cheaper. This antique is only fit fot scrap metal," he said. He didn't notice the ship gunmounts train on him, as the 'Bird reacted to the insult.

[Solidus]

"Call it an affectation." Jeff called as he walked up the ramp into the Raven's Wings. Once inside, he walked to his cabin, opening the door.

[Fallen Angel]

Horus softly said, before he opened the door, "Jeff, I think you should get a refund on that cyborg - take her back and get your money back. She's got quite a bit of damage, and she's leaking fluid."

[Solidus]

"THAT cyborg happens to be an important person to me, so shut it Horus." Jeff said viciously. He walked in, closing the door behind him. He looked to Astrid who still lay there on the bed. Jeff calmly pulled a chair over, and laid out the tool kit.

[Fallen Angel]

Her one eye tracked on him, as she turned her head slightly to look at him.

"Jeff, you'll need cybersurgery to fix some of it - it's expensive. Fix the 'Bird instead, she's more important right now. I'll have to owe you........" she said, trailing off, flushing. He could hear her thinking, nerving herself to beg him for repairs to the 'Bird.

Then it struck him. She had no more defenses than an untrained Learner. The Dark whispered to him that - now - he could control her.

[Solidus]

Jeff pulled out the tools.

"Well, at least I can fix the systems themselves, and that's what needs fixing. The restart took care of the attachments to your nervous system. Now the easy stuff can commence." Jeff pulled on a pair of welding goggles, and set to work, repairing the damage done by the ion blast.

"As for the Bird, she's being taken care of as we speak."

[Fallen Angel]

She said nothing, concentrating on shutting down pain sensors ahead of his repairs.

As he worked, he saw the duel through her eyes. The Darksider had been a classmate and an old friend. He had gone Dark when she had, lured by the same Master. Unlike her, he had not come back.

It also answered, in Jeff's mind, where she had gone on the occasions when she had disappeared, leaving him in the care of another Master. She had been hunting her old friend-almost-love.

When they had finally met, she had given him a choice - return to the Brightside - returning to the Jedi Temple for healing and repentance - or fight her. He had chosen to fight, stating that he now considered the Jedi to be deluded fools.

It had been a close thing, he saw. In the end she had won - and had not died only because of her determination to return.

But the Dark had left its smear of guilt on her soul.

[Solidus]

Jeff shut down the spot welder, and lifted the goggles.

"That should be it." he said cheerfully. He put the tools back in the leather toolkit, rolling it up. He put it on his desk, then laid on the bed next to Astrid.

"I apologize for what I did, leaving you at a time when you needed me most." he apologized, his voice quavering slightly. Even a non-force sensitive could tell that he had worked himself up to this, talking to her about it.

[Fallen Angel]

She rolled, catching him by surprise, and laid her head on his chest. She said nothing, but his shirt was wet from the tears on her cheek, smudged from the soot-smears on her lens.

[Solidus]

Jeff looked down at her, then wrapped his arms around her. He rested his head against hers, breathing in her sweet scent.

"I'm sorry Astrid." was all he said as she leaned against him, his shirt getting wet from her tears. He continued to lay there and hold her. His right hand wandered up her head, carressing her hair.

[Fallen Angel]

"Thank you for getting 'Bird fixed," she finally said, her voice muffled against him. "I will have to repay you." He felt her tense as she said,"How much do I owe?"

'Only yourself ' some dark part of his mind whispered, riding on the speedup of his pulse as she laid against him.'Only your body, given to mine. " It danced in dizzying waves of power, the power he now had over a woman who had controlled his life most of his childhood and young manhood.

[Solidus]

Jeff looked down, and in the depths of his mind, he had a little talk with a man named Raven.

'You just don't know when to shut up, do you?' he asked the dark figure, who sat on a branch menacingly, his dark wings spreading.

'To torture you and tempt you is my lot in the afterlife, you know that.' the dark figure smirked.

'An honest darksider. I would've never thought...' Jeff ended the conversation, shielding that portion of his mind.

"Your payment to me," he replyed. "Will be for you to take care of that ship. There's a lot of good memories on it." he held her tightly.

[Fallen Angel]

"O.K., Jeff" she said quietly. She rested there, and he could feel her thoughts edging toward sleep. Sighing, she gave up the fight, and fell asleep, her last thoughts vague, warm and fuzzy, appreciating his closeness.

[Solidus]

Jeff heard her light, easy snores. He laid his head back.

'She's asleep now. Take her.' Raven taunted him at the back of his mind.

'**** you.'

[Fallen Angel]

After several hours, she finally stirred. He felt her tense as she awakened and a presence registered.

"Jeff?" came the muffled voice from his chest. "I need to get up, get fresh clothes from the 'Bird and let her know that I'm O.K." She blushed, and he heard her thinking about her damaged clothing, and how much was revealed, blushing still harder as she remembered what was bared when she was repaired.

[Solidus]

Jeff nodded, and rolled over.

"Need to pay the mechanic myself." he smiled at Astrid. "Where ya wanna go for breakfast?" he asked her, still fairly cheerful.

'See how she bares herself for you? What a bitch.' Raven taunted at the back of his mind.

Jeff turned around, and started walking into the shower, turning it on, and sitting down. With his clothes still on.

'Now you listen here. MATE. There are many things that you call my Master, but THAT IS NOT ONE OF THEM!!' Jeff roared mentally, and another fight between the two ensued.

[Fallen Angel]

When he headed for the shower, she blushed, and withdrew, saying she'd be back in a minute.

She was more than a minute, though. Scrounging through the ship, she finally found one outfit that was not worn to tatters - a fancy dress that she had kept as a memory of happier days, and the shoes to go with it. Staring at it, she finally shrugged. Everything else had splits or stains.

It took her an hour to get changed, finding that the dress now fit her loosely, and to do her hair. By then it was nearer to lunch than breakfast. Gripping her courage with both hands, she marched back over to the Raven's Wings . She did not have the makeup on that the dress was meant to have, but she could do nothing about that. At least it was clean, she reassured herself as she walked up the ramp.

[Solidus]

Jeff had won the mental battle, and reinforced his shields around where Raven dwelled. Raven himself was unconcious, and Jeff himself bore bruises and cuts, leaving a trail of red on the shower floor.

Jeff pulled himself out of the shower with a bit of pain. The cuts were already disinfected, so he set to bandaging them. By some fortune, there was none on his head or face.

Jeff pulled on a comfortable pair of pants and shirt when Astrid opened the door into his room.

[Fallen Angel]

She stopped, seeing the fresh cuts. "Jeff, what happened?" she said uncertainly.

He turned, seeing her dressed in the one formal outfit she'd worn as a Jedi to ambassadorial functions. He remembered the outfit - he'd knocked her into a pond to keep her from getting hit by an assassins silenced blaster bolt, the last time she'd worn it. Now it fitted loosely, making her look like a child playing dress up in her mother's clothes.

And she did not wear the formal Coruscanti makeup that went with it. She had no makeup on at all. Her lens over her eye contrasted and distorted the hairdo she had carefully pinned in place. Having seen what the lens hid, he could understand her attempt to disguise it. Most women would have hidden such a brutal scar.

[Solidus]

Jeff smiled.
"Slipped in the shower. And with that, I think we're going to someplace fancy." Jeff walked over to his closet, and thumbed through it. He chose the one military dress uniform that he had, since it went with his hairstyle, or lack thereof. It was black, with red trim, and a red beret.

He walked into the bathroom to change, and came out, adjusting the beret.

[Fallen Angel]

She was sitting when he came out. "Not if you have something clean for me to change into - unless you want to," she said carefully.

"This," she said - and he felt her shame at the admission - "is the only thing I had left unstained and unripped in my closet. It's just clothes."

[Solidus]

"It looks just fine." he reassured her. He hauled her to her feet. "Besides, unless ya want to wear Jedi robes, and I hear that's a danger to your health nowadays."

"If you want, we can have the cybernetics taken care of." he told her quietly. "At no cost to you and I'm not asking for anything from you, and you won't be susceptible to ion blasts this way."

[Fallen Angel]

She bowed her head, almost crying. "Jeff,"she finally said hoarsely. "I'll owe you. Yes, I would like that." He could feel her determination not to cry.

So, dressed for a formal function, they left the Raven's Wings.

Max and the other repair workers stared, as they walked carefully out of the bay.

[Solidus]

They left the bay, and Jeff hailed a taxi. They headed for one of the more upscale resturants. The sky was dark, and it was evening. To Jeff, it was morning for his body. But he was with Astrid, and that was all that mattered.

She could detect by his body language alone that he was relaxed around her. She customarily put her hand around his arm, and there was a tingle in his stomach, but he ignored it. It wouldn't do good for him to get nervous at this point.

[Fallen Angel]

They had an excellent dinner, high in the towers of Onduran. She finally relaxed and laughed, smiling and happy.

It was when they were exiting that he felt her hand stiffen on his arm. Her face, animated until that moment, went frozen. She walked with no grace to the taxi, relaxing only when they lifted away.

Then she shivered, her eye unfocused and thinking. "I've got problems, if he recognized me," she said finally, half to herself.

[Solidus]

Once they got in the taxi, Jeff thanked the Force that it had a droid driver.

"Who, dear?" he asked as he closed the door.

[Fallen Angel]

Ther was a flicker in her eye as she said, "An enemy," looking around like a hunted animal. "I'll tell you when we get back to the ships," she added, shivering. An image grew in her mind - a red lightsaber - and she shook, almost speechless as she fought her terror.

[Solidus]

Jeff nodded.

"If he comes around, I'll take him. Just need to get back to the ships." he nodded, and checked his slug pistol, and his vibroblade. If it came down to a car chase, Jeff would have to depend on the pistol. He appeared calm for Astrid's sake.

[Fallen Angel]

By the time the repair bay had appeared, Astrid had regained her control. She looked calm and collected as he escorted her to the Raven's Wings , though he could feel the turmoil she was in.

As soon as she entered, she asked,"Can you link this ship to the Laughing Firebird , Jeff? she will want to know what is going on, and I don't want to repeat myself. Oh, and can I borrow a pair of your fategues? I need to take a quick shower, I smell like my own fear." She looked at him.

[Solidus]

Jeff nodded, tossing his beret across the room and pulling off his over jacket. He pulled out two sets of BDUs for them.

"Might be a little tight on you. I always was smaller than ya." Jeff handed her a set, then went to pulling his on, regardless of whether she was there or not.

The Firebird had been repainted into her old color scheme, and been given her weapons back. It now sat, looking ready to take off, next to the Raven's Wings . Both ships looked deadly. The mechanics had taken their pay and left.

[Fallen Angel]

Astrid turned red, and ducked into the shower. He heard the water running.

'She's naked in there ', suggested his mind.It would be easy. She might even like it......

Raven, shut up he yelled mentally, as she appeared at the door of the shower, the fategues looking as if they were achieving new. interesting angles.

[Solidus]

Jeff shook his mind off of that. This wasn't the time to think about that. He pulled his pant bottoms into his boots, and started to severely lace them, letting the pain of them being tight distract him.

[Fallen Angel]

Looking at the dainty slippers, Astrid shook her head. Barefoot was safer than those innocent-looking foot killers.

She sat down at his lounge table, mentally calming herself and marshalling her thoughts, waiting for Jeff to come out. He arrived just as the old thread of her top button gave up its ghost and pressure sent the button flying, quickly followed by the second one.

'Pressure relieved, and cleavage achieved ,' said Raven, with some satisfaction.

[Solidus]

Jeff looked, and immeadiately his face went red, but he wasn't able to take his eyes off of her. His mouth hung open slightly. All in all, he looked like a *******.

'Ya like what you see?' Raven asked, his voice teasing.

Jeff's only answer was silence, as he was busy staring.

[Fallen Angel]

She gave a strangled gasp, turning red. Jeff could see the flush spreading down her neck, down between........

Her arm and hand came up, providing inadequate cover, and her blush deepened as this maneuver placed her top into further disarray. "Jeff, t-shirt, PLEASE?" she asked in a strained voice.

[Solidus]

Jeff snapped back into reality. He pulled off his own jacket, and handed it to her.
"This one should keep up."

'Dude! I wanna see!' Raven yelled, as Jeff blocked his sight.

[Fallen Angel]

She put it on backwards, covering the gap, but it was a few minutes before she could regain her composure, gulping and muttering, "Sorry" - still brick red.

Finally, she looked at him. "Is the link up to the Bird?" she asked, her voice still unsteady.

[Solidus]

Even at her level, she could feel that Jeff was pulling STRONGLY on the Force for something. What it was, she knew not. All he could do was nod.

He continued to stand there.

[Fallen Angel]

'Nice! ' said Raven casually, adding to Jeff's pressure.

Astrid, busy studying the table as she regained her own composure, didn't notice Jeff's flush deepen.

"Bird , are you there?" she said out loud. After receiving an affirmative, she said, "Transmit Jemm Snyder file, please"

"OH HELL, NO!" said the Laughing Firebird , evidently recognizing the name. An image built up on the holographic display of a distinguished-looking older man, a face Jeff had seen on their exit - a man who had stared at Astrid with interest. At the time, Jeff had thought it admiration of his companion. Now, in hindsight, he realized that the man's interest was that of a collector with a rare species in sight.. He had seen him before she had, courtesy of his half-brother's training - and his Force ability.

She looked at Jeff. "The Darksider whom I dueled..... Jemm Snyder was his primary Apprentice. The age difference threw me."

"......... and he'll probably have hunters on my tail, as soon as he can arrange it. " She grimaced. "And I brought him down on you. Sorry, Jeff....."

She shut up and sat staring at the image, broodingly.

[Solidus]

The blood drained from Jeff's face. He studied the picture.

"Horus. Retain file, find what you can on this man. Once you have, activate program Altron." Jeff rattled off to the computer.

"Ya got it Boss." was the only reply.

Jeff leaned across the table, taking in the details of the man's face. His face was that of a predator studying prey before it pounced, or that of a sniper just before he pulled the trigger.

[Fallen Angel]

Finally, she stirred. "Jeff, you cannot defeat this man. He's high placed in the current government - has dirt on half the officials. I'll take the 'Bird and go, and hope his hounds will follow me" Her face was that of a person who sees their last hope of Paradise slowly fading.

"Like hell," said the 'Bird . "Don't I get a choice in the matter?"

"No," said Astrid quietly. "If I thought it would help, I'd leave you here with Jeff and Horus, Lavinia. Unfortunately, I built too much of the Firebird's controls into your holocube. I never dreamed I'd have to separate you two, ship and soul. And the Laughing Firebird is too firmly identified with Master Astrid Erickson for you to be able to hide, since he knows I'm still alive. No, we die together, old friend."

[Solidus]

Jeff looked to her.

"Astrid, don't you dare ******** me. I'm more powerful than you are in the Force, so how could you hope to even beat him if he comes knocking?" Jeff challanged.

'Combat. I like this idea.' Raven added, licking his lips.

[Fallen Angel]

She looked up at him, tiredly. "Jeff, formerly I'd have called that a lie. But we both know I have no ability now. No, I intend to draw his hounds away from you."

She stood facing away from him, unconsciously in a teaching posture. "You see, there's something I never told you in all the years I taught you, all the years you were a Padwan learner, the short time we had after you passed your Knight test."

Jeff found himself holding his breath, and even Raven was silent for a change.

She turned, looking him in the eye, pain on her face. "Jeff, I love you. And now all I can do is keep you alive, keep the last Jedi Knight alive."

Raven's comment was immediate. "Does this mean she's gonna lay you," he asked interestedly.

"For once, I don't know," was Jeff's silent reply.

"So ask her, already," urged Raven.

"What, blunt like that?" Jeff asked incredulously. " You are as dense as you are Dark," he added.

He walked over, and sat down. "You and your damn martyr complex," he said scoldingly.

"No, not martyr complex," she said. "I'm merely trying to keep alive the only thing left of everything that I loved."

He reached up and touched her face, drawing his palm down her cheek to her chin. She sighed and leaned into it, tilting her face.

"Do you want to know why I left?" he said, his voice serious. She nodded, her face still against his hand. "Because you are in my every waking thought," he said.

She opened her eyes and looked at him. "Then you would have not been there when I returned," she said. The thought seemed to sadden her.

[Solidus]

"No, but I was the one who orchestrated pulling you out of Coruscant. And know that I wanted to be with you, but you were my master, and that you would say no to what I wanted to ask. But I am a Jedi Knight now, and what I do I do on my own. And for that reason, I apologize now, as you probably won't like what I'm about to do."

Jeff stood, and looked into her eyes.
"I want you to be safe as well, always have, and always will."

[Fallen Angel]

She was on her feet in a flash, face and eyes wary, in a defensive stance he well recognized. Bare hands, but he did not make the mistake of thinking her unarmed.

After a few seconds, however, the hands dropped and she looked at him, her face an impassive mask, listening and watching for what he would say, would do.

[Solidus]

Jeff turned around, and she was eclipsed in a blue light. A blaster pistol was in his hands, set for stun.

She fell to the deck, but her eyes remained open. Her body wouldn't react.

Jeff knelt beside her, looking into her eyes.

"I'm sorry Astrid. But this guy needs to be stopped. And if he is tracking you, then I don't want you to get hurt. He'll have to kill me before he gets to you. I'm sorry." Jeff kissed her tenderly on the lips, and holstered his blaster pistol, picking her up with a grunt, he carried her off to his room,, laying her down on a bunk. He closed her eyes for her, although he knew that she could hear him.

"Now, you'll be safe here. And if this does go sour, know that I love you, have always loved you, and always will." he kissed her again, and walked out, turning off the lights, and closing the door.

[Fallen Angel]

In her mind, Astrid fought a battle against her body, fought it and lost. The ray had taken her by surprise. Jeff's decision hadn't. Now, eye closed, she fumed in her own head.

"Martyr complex? What do you think what you're doing is, Jeff Raven? Charging into the teeth of an enemy isn't brave, it's STUPID. They'll take you and BREAK you. They were damn close to breaking me.... " She shuddered mentally. Her body still bore the scars of the Dark ones inventive tortures, and would until she died. The scarring on her mind was worse - and now he was making one of those nightmares come true!

And if this does go sour, know that I love you, have always loved you, and always will."

She fought harder against the stunner charge. Unregistered to her deadened senses, things began to fly in the room from uncontrolled Telekinesis, fueled by he fear for him, and what he was walking into.

For she had not put everything into the file, believing the matter to be settled. And it was not........... and the man she loved was walking into a Krayt lair.

[Solidus]

Jeff walked out of the ship, down the ramp. He had taken his two lightsabers and put them into his jacket. Several cars pulled up, all black in color. Various men got out, all in black suits. They noticed him, and walked towards him.

"You can stop right there." Jeff told them, his hands in his pockets. The men in suits stopped, and lifted their weapons to point at Jeff.

"Where is the cyborg?" one of them demanded.

"You see any cyborgs around here?" he asked, appearing flippant. "And put those guns away, I have more firepower than you guys have put together."

They all started laughing. "Nice try kid, but forgive us if we don't believe you."

"Horus, Bird, target lock and lower weapons." Jeff ordered, and the quad guns from both ships dropped down, and aimed at the men. The men in suits all hesitated.

"Personal firearms never did work too well versus ship weapons." Jeff smirked.

The long limo in the middle of the small convoy opened, and an old man stepped out. Like his bodyguards, he wore a suit, but red in color. He stepped towards Jeff, coming face to face with him. Jeff recognized him as Jemm Snyder, the man in the holo that Astrid showed him.

"Hello. I have a proposition for you, my dear boy." he said with a genial tone. Jeff's face went like stone.

"Whatever propositions you got I 'aint interested in." Jeff said coldly.

"Oh, I'm sure that you are. Come now, where is Master Erickson?"

"Haven't the faintest idea of who you're talking about." Jeff denied.

"Well, let's see about that." Snyder locked eyes with Jeff, and a mental battle between the two started. Jeff struggled against Snyder's will, and discovered that they were even. But Snyder had more endurance, and slowly, Jeff started to lose.

In response, Jeff lashed out with a booted foot, and Snyder went down, holding his crotch. "FIRE!!" Jeff roared, and both the Raven's Wings and the Firebird opened up with the quad guns, heavy laser fire stitching the convoy and making the bodyguards run for cover.

Snyder got up, and pulled out his lightsaber. "I'm gonna make you pay for that!" he roared.

Jeff responded by pulling out his two lightsabers, and igniting them. Snyder look surprised, then reevaluated his enemy. He initiated by making the first move, a low sweep aimed at Jeff's knees. Jeff parried with one blade and brought the other down at Snyder's head. Snyder jumped back, disengaging. Jemm rushed in again, and Jeff stepped to the side, and kicked Jemm in the stomach as he passed by.

Snyder fell to the ground, wheezing. Jeff stood above him.

"By the way, don't you remember me? Good ol' Jeff?" and Jeff grinned ferociously.

Snyder looked up, first in fear, then he sneered at Jeff.

"My master will have thine, as his bride."

"Well, I'll have to tell him that his proposal has been denied." and Jeff sliced off Snyder's head, the fire from the exploded cars warming him from his ice-cold demeanor.

[Fallen Angel]

Fire from the bodyguards stitched the bay, damaging Max's repair shop, shattering 'bots and hoists. The 'Bird and Horus replied in kind, splattering humans. The 'Bird was more selective, using only her anti-personnel weapons, while the Raven's Wings / Horus was more vengeful, taking out bodyguards with weapons meant to disable small starships.

Jeff regained the Raven's Wings airlock, breathing hard. He had not had to deflect so many blaster bolts since the day Order 66 had been implemented. The ship's weapons continued to hammer until the last opponent had retreated or was slain.

"Jeff!" yelled the Laughing Firebird into the ensuing silence. "We've gotta lift! They've got a cruiser incoming." Jeff knew from old that the 'Bird had many more communications scanners than his ship did. He entered his ship rapidly. He could hear things crashing in his room as he did so, could feel the terror-fed Force usage.

[Solidus]

Jeff settled into the cockpit of the Raven's Wings, and started up the engines.

"Bird, follow us out, and fire in self-defense only. We'll take the cruiser if need be. Plot several jumps, minimum of three, eventual destination Haven."

Both ships raised from the dock, and aimed for the night sky, leaving the burning inferno below.

As they got through the atmosphere, the cruiser filled his screen.

Astrid, continue with that racket and we BOTH die. he told her mentally.

Jeff flipped on the targeting systems for his heavy concussion missiles. Both turrets swung to face the cruiser, and the doors opened, revealing missiled upon missile. A solid tone sounded in Jeff's ears, and he kept his finger near the trigger, his eyes on the cruiser.

"Unidentified cruiser, we ARE leaving this system, whether you want us to or not. As you can tell, there are sixteen missile locks onto your ship. It won't kill you, but you'll be crippled. The choice is yours."

[Fallen Angel]

"Raven's Wings this is the Onduran Naval Cruiser Peacebride. Lock down your missiles and prepare for boarding, you are harboring a dangerous fugitive from the Empire's justice."

Meanwhile, other cruisers were rapidly closing. They had not, Horus reported, even bothered with the formality of hailing the Laughing Firebird. The other ship was already being fired upon by the cruisers' accompanying fighters, twisting and dodging with an agility seen in few ships its size, firing only at fighters along the run-to-jump path.

"Jeff, I gotta jump, or kill too many of these kids!" yelled the 'Bird over the ship-to-ship link. A tight burst of course navigation information and she was gone, running to jump. She achieved jump speed just as the firepower of a cruiser blossomed across her bow, and Jeff was unable to tell if she vanished in a burst of Cronau radiation, or was just dissolved into her component elements.

The Peacebride sat squarely on his jump vector, weapons trained on him but not firing.

[Solidus]

"Your funeral Peacebride." and there was an eruption of flame and vapor trails as the missiles left their tubes, aimed squarely at the cruiser.

The multiple impacts hit the cruiser's shields, taking them down, as the last eight missiles got inside the sihelds and wreaked havoc on the unshielded hull. The ship slowly drifted out of the way, leaking fire and oxygen.

The Raven's Wings jumped into hyperspace, leaving the battle and to safety.

Once in hyperspace, Jeff relaxed. He unbuckled his seatbelt, and stood, walking shakily to his cabin. Astrid still lay there, the various items still flying around.

[Fallen Angel]

As Jeff entered, the objects dropped, impacting the deck, Jeff, the bed, Astrid.

He heard a familiar voice in his head. 'Jeff!'' Slowly, she rolled her head and opened her eye, fighting the stunner paralysis, the Force in her surging, a wild strong beast out of her control. She looked at him, fighting to communicate, to suppress the Telekinesis that stirred objects, even now, in the cabin.

'Jeff - what's happening? ' she asked slowly, straining to form each word. Her eye dropped closed, and the communication strengthened. 'I heard the missiles fire - are we away from Onduran? she quietly asked, as objects continued to twitch.

He could feel her - in and out - straining to restrain her powers gone wild, unable to feel her own body......and fearing that she would trigger some energy manifestation of the Force. She feared the damage that the Force Blades would do to his ship, he realized. Better she should fear for herself, he thought, realizing that her hands - focal points for those blades - rested across her chest and stomach.

[Solidus]

Jeff walked over to Astrid, rubbing his shoulder as a lamp had fallen on it. He laid on the bed, and put his hand on her head, entering her mind so that they could communicate.

"We are away from Onderon Master. What I need you to do is calm down, and think peacefully. While you do that, I'll get you a mmhmm, decent shirt. Okay?"

[Fallen Angel]

He felt her sigh. 'The same thing I used to tell you. Damn ironic, isn't it? and I'd appreciate another shirt. It feels like the top one is constricting my throat, and it hurts!" He could feel the slow pins-and-needles of returning circulation all over her body.

[Solidus]

Jeff gently undid the button at her throat to help with circulation, keeping his eyes away from certain parts of her anatomy as he did so.

"Yes, fairly ironic." Jeff smiled gently, his hands working. Astrid came over with a feeling of warmth as he did so, warmth, calm and a feeling of safety.
"Looks like I'll have to protect you now."

[Fallen Angel]

She was grateful for the easing of the pressure of the collar away from her throat. Grateful, and embarrassed. She was also intensely aware of his hands, spreading warmth from her shoulders. Red flooded her face.

[Solidus]

Jeff gently turned her over, and ran his hand down the middle of her back and his other hand spreading warmth across her shoulders. The smile on his face was a small, gentle, content one.

Dude, take off her bra! Raven suggested to Jeff.
No. was Jeff's stern reply. He continued the easy massage, rubbing away the little cables of tension.

[Fallen Angel]

"Jeff, are you trying to put me to sleep?" she asked softly, blearily, her mouth still not working right.

Receiving no immediate answer, her mind drifted. She remembered the first time she had heard of Jeff Raven.

Her friend Kathryn had come in with a waif, she'd heard. In the closed society of the Jedi Temple, information exchange - also know as gossip - spread quickly. She asked Kathryn about him. Kathryn had cheerfully described how the young boy had tried to pick her pocket in Coruscant's Lower Levels. Sensing Force ability in him, she had brought him back to the Temple. "He's basically a good kid," Kathryn had concluded.

The next reports she had of Jeff, had him being blamed for the small petty misfortunes and thefts that occasionally plagued the Learners. Nothing had been proved, said Kathryn, but the boy was turning sullen under the constant suspicions. She feared that he'd never be picked up as a Padawan, and he was getting near to the cutoff age.

Astrid had not known the name of the small boy who had come blundering up to the Master's Level, looking for the bathroom..

She grinned at the memory. Turning her head, she asked him,"Jeff, do you remember when we first ran into each other?"

[Solidus]

Jeff nearly doubled over in laughter. By the gods, it had been years.

"Yeah, quite literally, as I recall." Jeff was grinning so widely, his teeth shone through.

It turned out that Jeff had literally run into Master Erickson when he was looking for the bathroom. His height was such at the time that his head ran in between her 'ray-domes', and he fell over with a shock. He was clad only in his boxers at that time, and recalled looking up at Master Erickson with something like fear.

[Fallen Angel]

She had just lost her first Padawan, and had returned from telling the boy's parents of his fate.

Now, late at night, she was tired. She'd showered in the Women's Restroom, and had stepped out, bathrobe wrapped around her, toweling her hair off, intent only on her bed.

Exiting, she had been run into. Her "assailant", it turned out, was a small boy, one of the Learners, and her greater mass and balance in the Force had knocked him sprawling. But for a second, before she'd gotten her hair out of her eyes, he had seen her War Face.

The small, skinny, frightened boy with blue hair and big blue eyes had melted her heart, and she had guarded the door while he had used the facility - since he was too near, she judged, to make it to the Men's side.

She had sent him off with a stern reminder to stay on the Learners and Padawan's levels, and gone to bed. She found out later that the plumbing had failed on those levels in the middle of the night, with a variety of creative solutions being employed by the kids. "At least, he hadn't done SOME of the things she'd heard of...." she thought, and promptly forgotten him.

[Solidus]

Jeff continued his easy massage, down her back, rubbing away the tendrils of tension and pain. He worked his hands underneath the top of her jacket to get at her skin, and spread the warmth more thouroughly.

"You remember the first time I was on your ship?" he said, a sudden grin on his face.

[Fallen Angel]

She snorted, then giggled, and finally found herself laughing.


But it hadn't been funny at the time.

[Solidus]

Jeff was young then, and was exploring the inside of the Laughing Firebird, as most kids do when they get bored. He ended up exploring a small access shaft, crawling around. He came upon a box in the darkness, and something light, silky and feathery inside.

Being the little kid that he was, and the fact that the shaft was warm, he fell asleep, his head on the soft item.

[Fallen Angel]

Astrid sat on her ship. She was a little drunk.

The Council session had been long and grueling. She had ended up screaming at them all, in a shocking display of loss of control.

"You wanted me to take a Padawan again, after I've already gotten two killed! The poor child's body was hardly cool, and you pressed the issue. And now you're upset about the one I chose. Well, damn you all!"

She had stood there, upset, blue flames crackling and hissing on her hands, sign of her rare Talent gone wild - Force Blade! Not Darkside, no. A rare manifestation of the energy of the Force, a Force Blade user could never be truly disarmed, for they manifested their use of the Force as a lightsaber-like blade, held in their hand - held unharmed.

At issue was the Padawan she had chosen. Summoned by the council, knowing what they would push her on, she had passed a small group of Learners. At their center was a small blue-haired boy, whom some of the others were taunting with being 'turned-off' into the Agricultural Corps, never to be a Padwan-Jedi..

She had checked, struck by the injustice being done in the middle of a Temple dedicated in theory to Justice. Then the boy had raised his big blue eyes to her. Help me. he had said silently, as one asks - confident in the Truth of the answer he would get.

[Fallen Angel]

She had taken the boy from their midst, saying, "Come with me, Padawan." At the door to the chamber she had stopped, braiding his feathery blue hair into a Padawan's Braid, tying it with a thread pulled from the hem of her robe.

She had walked in, telling the Council, "Meet my new Padawan." She had felt the boy's shock as it had finally registered that she had chosen him. Gry had taken one look at him, and sucked air, finally releasing it to ask Kathryn - made Council Master now - to take the boy out.

"Kathryn, take him to my ship," Astrid had said, aware of the currents underlying the chamber. Kathryn had collected the silent child and had gone, a troubled glance at her friend..

And then the firestorm had begun.......................

[Fallen Angel]

Finally, she had walked out on the Council. And now she sat on her ship - getting drunk like a Corellian, not a Jedi.

She threw the empty bottle of Corellian FireWhiskey against the wall, starting as she heard a noise in the wall itself. It occurred to her that she hadn't seen the boy anywhere on the ship. Automatically, she scanned the ship.

And felt her heart stop as she realized that he crouched in the dark, frightened, in a shaft near where the bottle had impacted.

A shaft that held the main power conduit - unshielded as it was on all Corellian ships.

A shaft that led to the 'Bird's' memory core, a secret she had shared with no one.

Shaken, she had popped the hatch.

.......and discovered him crouched, holding a negligee from a very EMBARRASSING undercover assignment.

She had yelled.................

[Solidus]

Jeff had ran. He left the soft item behind, and scrambled further down the tube. She yelled at him to come back, reached after him with her hands, then with the Force, trying to use TK to grab him.

A wild surge of the Force swatted the TK aside like a slapping hand, and had disappeared down the tube. He was frightened, and sitting in a corner of the shaft until he had calmed down. Once he regained his composure, he felt confident enough to sneak off the ship, or at least, to a room with a lock on the door.

[Fallen Angel]

He had disappeared, and she couldn't sense him. So she had stupidly gone back to drinking, brooding about the events of the previous week:

The death of her second Padawan.

A near-fight with her friend, Mace.

The screaming reproaches of the girl's mother, when she had brought the cremated body back to her.

The Council summons, delivered as she landed after the trip with too little sleep. They had wanted her "immediately - Master Erickson" had said their child messenger.

Her new Padawn

Ah, gods of Coruscant! What was she - the Jinx Master - to do with him. Only get him killed, as she had the other two.

She threw the bottle at the wall. The half-full bottle impacted, driven by telekinesis harder than her throw, exploding into shards of glass.

The boy appeared, fear on his face, trying to sneak..... someplace. She had missed him by two feet, and he was bleeding from small cuts.

Before she could move, he scrambled into a nearby cabin. She stumbled to her feet - meaning to apologize.

But he'd locked the door. " 'Bird' , unlock the door" she had said.

......and the Laughing Firebird had said no. Had advised her that she was drunk, and would only scare him more. In answer, she had sat down with a thump, her back against the door, and had passed out there.

[Solidus]

The young boy had gone into the room, scrambling as he slapped the door controls, effectively locking it. He went to the bathroom, crying the whole way, and started to pick the shards of glass out of his face, and started to put bandages on them when he stopped.

A Jedi could endure pain, and prevent damage. He concentrated and the bleeding stopped, the small cuts healing, but leaving small white marks where they were. He then curled up on the bed, trying vainly to stem his tears.

[Fallen Angel]

She had awakened inside of the door, drawn by his crying, with no idea how she had gotten there, and the door was still locked.

Aterwards, she had asked the 'Bird how she had gotten in, as she did not like the gap in her memory. And the 'Bird had refused to discuss it, claming when pressed that what she'd done was impossible.

All she knew, hung-over and feeling ill herself, was that somewhere near a child was crying in fear. He was on the bunk of the small passenger cabin, and she had gone to him, wrapping her arms around him, soothing him into sleep, falling asleep herself.

Feeling like she had finally done something right.

[Solidus]

Jeff was smiling as the memory faded. His hands still rubbed on Astrid's back. She now had the jacket off, and was laying there, his hands against her skin. She felt like she was in the state that was the border between conciousness and sleeping.

When she was almost asleep, he stopped.

"I think the stunner has worn off now." he said, sitting on the bed now, next to her.

[Fallen Angel]

Silver ribs showed on her right side, the synthaskin having peeled loose.

A silver forearm curled under her head.

And the visor had dropped from her face, showing an ugly scar that passed through her eye, blinding her. An induction link flashed at the outside corner of the eyesocket, its red LED telling the world that she could not use the link, that it malfunctioned.

She slept, dreamless, in no pain, walking through a world where all her friends were alive. And she said his name, softly.

[Solidus]

Jeff looked down upon her scarred body. "Horus, whatever it takes, we're gonna get her some replacement sugery. Or it that fails, the best cybernetics money can buy."

"Ya got it Boss. Whatcha gonna do now?" Horus questioned.

"Right now, I'm going to sleep." Jeff laid down on the bed, on Astrid's left side, pulled a big blanket over the two of themselves and held her close, finally letting the world become dark and peaceful around him as he fell into deep, deep sleep.

You're falling asleep next to a sexy, NAKED woman?! What's wrong with you?! Raven yelled at Jeff, but Jeff was already asleep, next to the woman that he had come to love.

[Fallen Angel]

Her dreams would have had her blushing, had she been awake. But she was not.

She woke slowly, and realized she was topless. After a few minutes, she shrugged. Her modesty was trained into her. On her parent's home world, she had gone topless as a child, the warm sun and gentle tropical breezes making it practical. She decided to tie the troublesome top into a knot - keeping it closed and covering her at the same time.

She stopped, feeling a warm body next to her, and an arm draped over her. With her right eye malfunctional, she had to slide quietly and stealthily off the bed so that she could se who it was.

When she saw him, she smiled. Asleep, he still retained the 'cute kid' look he has so ruthlessly exploited when he was a child. And she knew he had done nothing - it was not the way his honor worked.

A shower, and she tied the top together, covering her breasts, slipping on the tight pants. Now decent by her own, private standards, she reached over and carefully shook him lefthandedly, aware that the feedback was off on her right arm - she'd squashed the soap. A steaming pot of Caf sat on the table, and two cups.

"Wake up, Sleepyhead," she said cheerfully, her standard wakeup for him.

[Solidus]

Jeff smiled, his eyes still closed, and his hads blurred, grabbing hers, and pulling her into the bed, holding her, his stomach to her back. He breathed in deeply, taking in the sweet scent of her hair.

"Good morning." he muttered to her, kissing her gently on the neck.

[Fallen Angel]

She yelped, and landed on him a bit harder than she'd wanted to, metal providing an accelerant. But it was comfortable, being cuddled, although she privately blessed the cloth between him and her cold metal parts.

After a few minutes, she started to squirm. "We have to get up, and you need to brief me on what happened," she said in businesslike tones.

[Solidus]

"I can brief you right here." Jeff said, kissing the back of her neck, gently.

"The men came, the ships opened fire, and the man you showed me is now dead."

[Fallen Angel]

"And what about the "Bird ", she said, trying to ignore the warm tingly feeling spreading from her neck.

[Solidus]

"She went to hyperspace from what I saw, but she might be a bit damaged. She hit a turbolaser blast when she went in, but she went in, and should be all right." Jeff kissed her neck tenderly, and his hand wandered up her side.

[Fallen Angel]

She pushed the wandering hand back down, so that it rested on her hip, and rolled over and off the bed.

"Jeff! " she said impatiently. "I need a full briefing - not just being humored. I can't read your mind anymore and get the details"

[Solidus]

Jeff sighed, resting his head on the pillow.

"If you insist." he said, with a bit of disappointment in his voice. He rolled onto his back, and put his hands behind his head.

He told her what had happened since he stunned her, the fight, the death of the Apprentice, and the mad dash through the fleet of cruisers, and Jeff's having to take one out. Whether he did or not was unconfirmed, and he told her their destination, Haven.

Of the Bird, he didn't exactly know. He told her to get to Haven, and was grazed by a turbolaser when she jumped, so chances were that she was damaged, but not enough to throw her off the jump. Jeff backed this up with Horus providing the scientific details on a hologram, even showing that the Bird did, indeed, get to hyperspace.

"Satisfied?" Jeff asked Astrid, still on his back, his eyes closed, and his hands behind his head.

Awww, is someone disappointed? taunted Raven, from the back of Jeff's mind.

Raven, shove it up your ***. Jeff tossed back.

[Fallen Angel]

"Satisfied," she said, smiling. Leaning forward, she kissed him gently.

[Miranda Tarkin]

OOC- warning for this thread. in the last post and from what I saw in several previous posts you are trying to circumvent the swear filter. That is not allowed.

Please edit your post with the *** thank you.

edit - also, you can say hell. that is allowed

[Solidus]

Jeff kissed her back, but his heart wasn't into it. He fell back onto the pillow, his eyes still closed. He took a deep breath, and let it out slowly.

[Solidus]

Originally posted by Miranda Tarkin
OOC- warning for this thread. in the last post and from what I saw in several previous posts you are trying to circumvent the swear filter. That is not allowed.

Please edit your post with the *** thank you.

edit - also, you can say hell. that is allowed

Sorry, I'm used to more free boards. Will edit later today, after English class. THank you for the warning. Is there a rules board somewhere on this site?

[Miranda Tarkin]

OOC - here is the link to our FAQ

http://sw-fans.net/forum/misc.php?s=&action=faq

And thank you for taking care of this. Soon as you and Fallen Angel go through the entire thread and fix the censor problem, I will take the warning off :)