Murphy's Law

[Jesimae Lawson]

Her heart was pounding and she was literally rubbing her hands raw. She had been gnawing at her lip for over an hour or at least it steemed that long because it was now numb. She smelled the cigarette that Taro was smoking as he sat across from her in the kitchen, staring at her with slit eyes, mouth dropped slightly showing her his bottom teeth. He was either thinking of how to respond, thinking of where he could dump her body, or thinking how he could get this marriage anulled. The news she had for him wasn't very good, then again nothing about this situation was going to be very pleasing to the ears.

It was something she had come to know as the Lawson Curse. Much like Murphy's Law (Anything that can go wrong, will) she had dubbed it 'Lawson's Law'. She grabbed the pack that hadn't been laying idle for very long, the ashtray was practically overflowing with cigarette butts and they had even ran out of lighter fluid. She pulled out a cigarette and lit it up, inhaling and blowing out quickly as she felt it was necessary to express her thoughts for Taro was still in shock and unable to speak.

"I could just go myself." She looked at the pack and played with the packaging then glanced up at him, referring to the only way she figured on how to allude officials and a death penalty sentence. "If I stay I will be arrested, crucified on trial, then I'll be dead within a month. I have to leave." Jesimae wasn't keen on the idea, matter of fact she'd rather die than leave Taro behind on Coruscant but she didn't want him to get hurt or arrested with her. She wanted him safe and sound and away from trouble. Sadly, he had married it.

[Taro Lawson]

Taro had been sitting, quietly listening to his wife, his eyes slitted just slightly. She had let the words pour from her so quickly that he hadn't had much time to process them all. He had smoked exactly fifteen cigarettes in a little more than one hour period--his throat was screaming for mercy--and Jesimae had at least matched him if not exceeded.

This was interesting news. There were people after Jesimae. His wife. The woman he loved and trusted above all others. They were crawling all over each other trying to get to her. Bounty hunters were on the loose, officials were even calling out the hounds to go after her. Seemed like every government wanted Jesimae dead and were willing to basically do anything for it.

Taro did not feel surprised. Well, he did, but not in the way that he wondered why people were after her. He was surprised that Jesimae hadn't told him this before--but she had clarified that she hadn't really known. She had been a bounty hunter herself, killing more people than Taro cared to think about, he knew that someone had probably been after her at one poing or another.

Taro reclined back in his seat slightly, taking the news much better than he could have been--considering his temper was not something he liked to talk about. He watched Jesimae pace and say that she could go alone. Taro almost laughed at this, but didn't.

"No, Jes. If you go, I go," he said with finality, his tone one that meant he didn't mean for her to argue with him. "We can get you out of here in a day if we play our cards right. If this is what you want to do."

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae laughed at him and stopped and stared at him, dropping her hand that held the cigarette and sighed. "Yeah, this is exactly what I want." Sarcasm was her way out of actually crawling into a ball and crying hysterically. She had been a tough girl back in those good days of merciless random killings, anger somehow fueling her need to kill people. It sickened her now to think of all the lives she had ruined, ended, and complicated. She had Taro now and thinking of someone hunting him down for a pretty penny...it made her want to throw herself off a bridge.

"God," She said lowly in a whisper. "Why the hell did I do this?" She wasn't asking anyone as he rubbed her sweaty forehead staring at the ground trying to piece together how many people she had killed, the faces still evident in her mind as if she had just killed them the day before. Her past was creeping up on her, well creeping was an understatement! It was more or less flying at her at top speed and not slowing down. She puffed on the cigarette and looked over at Taro who was in a relaxed position. How the hell was he staying so calm?

"You don't have to come. I mean I think I've ruined enough lives in a few years I don't want to have to ruin yours. Taro.." She walked to the table and pulled out the chair she had been sitting in and getting out of often. She looked at him with all seriousness.

"If we go, I don't know if we'd e able to keep in contact with anyone. If these people, hunters and officials, so much as know we are talking to our family they'll do horrible things to them! Bounty hunters especially! We are cold hearted people! We don't care about others, all we want is money." She groaned and rubbed her head again.

"I can't believe I was like that." She sighed out and looked at him. "I don't want you to do that to your brothers." Jesimae was definitely in a pickle and it seemed that she was dragging everyone down with her.

[Taro Lawson]

Taro sighed, setting his jaw and crushing out the cherry on his cigarette. He stood straight, walking around the table to face her. He looked down at her for a long moment, considering his options and his words before speaking.

"Why was anybody the way they were?" he asked, but it was rhetorical. He turned away, putting his hands in his pockets and shaking his head. He leaned his hip against the counter and looked back over at Jesimae. "I'm coming with you, Jesimae. My brothers are big boys, they can take care of themselves," Taro informed her he matter-of-factly. "Remember, Haruko himself was a bounty hunter. I am sure he could hold his own against them. And Jiro can take many more people than it looks like he can. They won't die without us, or without being in contact with us," Taro said.

"As I said before, I can have us out on the Angry Lady in one day and headed for open space, anywhere away from here."

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae watched him as she chewed the inside of her cheek, trying her best to find some goodness in all of this mess, but all she saw was how horrible this all was. Everyhing was just a recipe for disaster. She shook her head and felt the burn in her eyes to cry, but she wasn't really in the mood to feel hormonal or womanly, this was her time to get back in touch with her bitchy side like she had lived bac in the days before she had met Taro. She sniffed and looked at him.

"It's not that I don't think they can't fend for themselves, I just don't want them to have to do that." She was feeling her head ache with a dire need to explode into horrendous pain. She was good under stress, but this was just something she had never expected and she didn't have time to actually get into a mindset of how to be tough. She frowned and smoked her cigarette and shook her head.

"It's up to you. I know a place where we can go. It's a drifter colony where travellers can go or....people on the run." She flicked her ashes in the ashtray and leaned back and stared at him feeling as if she were being interrogated by the local law enforcement. "It isn't too far from Coruscant, any good ship can get there in a day or two."

[Taro Lawson]

Taro nodded. He backed away from her and nodded to the door. He went to the door of the kitchen and leaned on the doorframe.

"I'm going to call a few people up. Get a few things taken care of," he said with a nod. "You do whatever you have to to get ready," he glanced at his watch, then tapped it. "We leave here at five sharp," he said, giving himself a time window to work with because Taro wasn't any good without one. He turned and moved out of the kitchen his head burning as badly as his throat now was. He had all of Jesimae's words reeling around in his head and he couldn't set them all straight. All he knew was that she was in danger and that a funny feeling of desperate protectiveness was clenching his chest harder than ever before.

Taro had known for a long time that Jesimae had been a bounty hunter. Even though Taro had never exactly agreed with the profession, he knew that she hadn't done any jobs since they had met and it was good enough for him. The only details that he didn't know, were the types of people she killed. Were they people that wouldn't be missed? Grudge jobs, passion jobs, those sorts of things. Or had they been people who had mattered? Government officials, negotiators, the kinds of men that alot of people hated and a few had the balls to put a bounty on. From the details Jesimae had given him he was choosing that she had mostly been assigned the latter as a common man being murdered was no big deal any longer. But when a government official bit the dust, everyone knew, and everyone cared one way or the other.

Taro shut the door to his bedroom, grabbing his com to call some people, get his Naboo account opened so he could get into it while they were on the move. He didn't dare use his Coruscant account, not while he was sure there were people watching it and would know that he and Jesimae had bailed. He wanted to call his mechanic, get his ship checked before they got there. He wanted it in top shape before they boarded, or else The Lawson Rule was going to get some more exercise. Taro had a lot of things to close, start, and finish before he could haul himself and Jesimae off this planet and hurl them both towards the stars, towards this colony that Jesimae talked about.

He wanted to do it as quickly as possible, because the sooner they were off of Coruscant the safer they would be.

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae slumped further into the chair and gave herself two seconds to cry and then get ready to go into hiding, as she was accustomed to back in the pre-Taro days. Pre-life days was more like it. She shed approximately two tears, she counted, wiped them away pulled her hair into a tight pony tail and headed out of the kitchen and figured she, too, could call a few people.

She found her link on the table and she picked it up and sat on the couch, frowning as smoke got into her eyes. She pulled it to her mouth when a man answered in a very deep and raspy voice. She grinned, it being so long since she had dealt with her old friend who had given her fake identity cards amongst other things. This man was the man who helped her with aliases and helped her find spots that were safe to hide out.

"It's been a long time, Jackson." She said with a smile. The man laughed on the other line and agreed, calling her by her last named, which she was quick to correct.

"Married, that is interesting. He is either really stupid or really desperate to have married you." Jesimae laughed knowing that most people figured she was more dangerous as a date than as a bounty hunter. Luckily, Taro wasn't either. He was in love and by him going with her on this trip just showed her so. She'd have the rest of her life making this one up to him...if they made it.

"I need that colony location, I have a few phantoms on my tail and I need to hide out for a while. Also I need a nice room there. Nice as possible would be good. Put us under the name-"

"Us, Jes? You aren't dragging your husband into it are you?"

"After three years you are still trying to preach to me? Just get me a reservation and I'll mail you cash later." She bit her lower lip as the man agreed. This was going to be very interesting. In all the ways she could try to find good out of this new problem Jesimae was taking the approach as thinking this was a second honeymoon, a very long honeymoon. She smiled at that thought, it didn't seem so dismal. She hung up the connection and jabbed the cigarette out in an ashtray that was in front of her, the apartment never having a room without one. She smiled and tried to keep that mindset.

"Second honeymoon!" She said to herself. Hopefully she'd trick her mind into believing it.

[Taro Lawson]

"Mn, hello?"

The voice was high and slimy sounding, and if Taro hadn't known the man who owned it for most of his life, he wouldn't have trusted him as far as he could throw him. As it was however, the man was the very man who looked after all of Taro's accounts. He was the least spiteful man Taro knew. Also the oldest. Taro had never asked his age, but was continuing under the assumption that he was at least two hundred forty.

"Hi, Younou," Taro said dismally. The man on the other end coughed politely and then Taro heard him shift hands.

"Taro, my boy, what can I do for you?" he asked. Taro brought his cigarette to his mouth--holy hell, his throat was killing him--and drew in a deep breath, sighing it out before answering.

"I need my Coruscant account sealed, not closed, and my Naboo acount opened. The wife and I are taking a little trip," Taro said. The man, Taro had always only known him as York Younou, or simply just Younou, coughed again, and Taro heard him typing some things into his computer.

"A trip, Taro? You sound awfully unsettled for it to be a trip with the missus," Younou commented vaguely. Taro nodded.

"Yeah, well, we've been a little stressed lately," Taro said with a shrug. "I need you to do something else for me. Draw out three thousand credits from all off my accounts--excluding Coruscant--and send it to my address here. I'm leaving some mad money for my brothers should they feel the need to use it." Taro listened as the man typed again.

"Alright, Taro, my boy," Younou drawled. "Naboo account will be up and running in about four hours...Coruscant account is being sealed as we speak and three thousand credits is on its way. Should arrive by tomorrow morning. That is all, then?"

"Yeah thanks..." Taro heard the man hang up and he clicked off his com, not really wanting to call anyone else, but knowing he had to. He dialed his mechanic's number and prayed he was there.

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae sat in the living room for the longest time just starting at the com. It ws against her ways of bountying to get in contact with family, but she was half wondering if she should at least call Asher and Orange and tell them that she and Taro were going away for a while, knowing that neither of them had contact with the other Lawson's after certain incidents. Jesimae bit her lower lip and frowned. She was surprised that she had actually gotten out of the bed since Haru went AWOL. She was still confused as to why he did it and as to where he was and why none of the other brothers could get in contact with him. It was like he just upped and disappeared.

She looked over her shoulder and decided that Orange would just have to suffer without knowing. Asher, on the other hand, was Jesimae's good friend and she figured if anyone could keep a good secret it would be her, but...she figured she could do it later after thinking on the matter more. Then there was Mei-li. She was dying to call her, of all people. She of all her friends had the right to know, but she just couldn't. They'd have to disappear as well. She frowned and stood up and headed towards the bedroom where Taro had secluded himself. She was wanting to tell him not to tell his brothers where they were going if he felt the need to say something, but she wanted them to know. It was a hard choice that he was going to have to make.

Jesimae knocked on the door and waited patiently for a reply not wanting to interrupt a phone call he didn't want her to hear or if he just wanted to be alone to sit and think of everything.

[Taro Lawson]

Taro hung up the com when his mechanic didn't answer. He looked up at the door and tossed the com on the bed. He made his way over and grabbed the door knob, pulling the door open and looking up to see Jesimae standing there. He gave her a reassuring smile and stood aside to let her in.

"Called my money guy, we're good to go in that department," Taro informed her just to have something to say. He shook his head shutting his door and going to his bed. "Couldn't get a hold of my mechanic. I am going on faith that the Lady is up and ready. He was supposed to be taking care of her," Taro said. He sat down on his bed and rubbed some hair from his face. He shook his head again, then looked at Jesimae.

"Will you be ready by five?"

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae sighed out that sounding too early for her, but she knew that it had to be done and she could sleep on the ship later if she was dead tired. She knew that she'll be so paranoid tomorrow that she knew sleep was not going to be happening for her until all was blown over. She walked over to the bed and laid down on her stomach letting out a sigh of distress, seeing Taro's back and reaching out to play with a string from his shirt.

"Sure." She said in response. How depressing this was getting, but there was no other alternative unless she wanted to end up six feet under. "You going to tell everyone?" She asked biting her lower lip trying to just stay upbeat about this whole thing ,if that was humanly possible.

"If you do, you can't tell them why and where. In case someone decides to talk to them about it they'll be able to tell them the truth, you know."

[Taro Lawson]

Taro nodded in understanding, feeling the light touch of her fiddling with something on his shirt. He glanced back at her, then turned, laying down on his own stomach, reaching out a hand and brushing some hair away from her face.

"All they are going to know is that we are going away for awhile, husband, wife time," he assured her. "I've left them some money just in case something bad happens anyway. Jiro's a smart kid," Taro said with a nod. Then he sighed and leaned foward, giving Jesimae a kiss on the forehead. "It'll be alright. I promise, I won't let anything happen to you," he said, more because it seemed the right thing to say than that he knew what to say. He shook his head, dropping his hand. He knew that was an impossible promise to make, but he wanted to make it, because he wanted to believe that it was true.

Taro, in reality, didn't know how any of this could end up. He wanted to believe that it would end better, that all would eventually pass and that he and Jes could finally--finally--live in peace together. But Taro had never been more unsure of anything else in his life.

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae smiled at him. Any doubts she was having previous to this she could gladly say they were gone because Taro chased them away. He had a good way of doing that, whether or not he knew it.

"I've done this before...more than I care to remember." She stated as she touched his face out of good measure and because she loved touching him. "We stay gone for a while, all is well, and we can come back and live the rest of our lives together in peace." She smiled trying to reassure the both of them, but it not really working for her.

"We'll be fine." She said with a frown. "I love you." She said feeling it was appropriate. She sighed and scooted over to him and put her hands around his waist and kissed him and tightly squeezed him, putting her head in the cranny under his chin.

[Taro Lawson]

Taro wrapped his arms around her and rested his head on hers, taking a deep breath and letting it out, the air hurting his sore throat. He looked at the wall opposite Jesimae's back. He couldn't help but wonder if they really would be okay. He would do his best to protect her, but he didn't know how much good he would be against a fleet of money hungry bounty hunters.

He sighed again, and shook his head chewing his lip. He leaned back and looked at Jesimae.

"Don't worry about it right now, dearheart," he said, smiling reassuringly. "Go get ready. Push the time back to six. Make sure you get whatever you need for a long trip, I don't know how long we will be gone," he said. "Gamble for longer than shorter."

[Jesimae Lawson]

She looked at him and made a face and a groan at the time. She sighed and nodded reluctantly and gave him a kiss and moved out of the comfort of his arms and headed towards the closet to search out clothes that would last her a month. She looked over her shoulder and sighed.

"Pack what you need, babe." She said seriously. "If we need to flee the place then we'll not have to worry about anything being left behind." She felt like the worlds worst criminal and it was true. She wondered if Taro knew how many people she killed? Who she killed? She bit her lower lip and was wanting to just tell him how bad the situation was.

Before they met she had been on hiatus and it had been three weeks since her return when she met up with Jiro. The credits on her head were large and she knew that it had only grown since then. She figured it wouldn't hurt to ask.

"Taro?" She said grabbing a shirt from the hanger to turn and look at him on the bed. "Do you know why I have the officials after me?"

[Taro Lawson]

Taro heard her question as he dug around through his drawers, looking for a specific something. He paused in his search and glanced to the side before resuming his movement and nodding a little.

"I know you were a bounty hunter," he said. "And I know you killed people. Someone must not have liked it, or else there wouldn't be such a price on your head," he said, gathering up some clothes from the drawer and dropping it into the large blue duffel at his feet. He glanced at Jesimae as he crouched down to arrange them the way he wanted them in the duffel. He paused again before standing to dig some more in his drawers.

"But I'm afraid I don't know specifics, Jes..." Taro said.

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae nodded and glanced back at the closet and grabbed a few shirts and pants, tossing them lazily into the duffel bag she had become acustomed to recently. She smiled remembering their honeymoon and how she shouldn't have even brought clothes. Her face grew red and hoped to God they'd be able to have a little adult fun on this "vacation". She sighed and shrugged her shoulder.

"Well....I don't know if you want to know, but I think you have a right." She bent down and pushed a few things around in a more orderly way and looked over at him, pasuing in her task. "Damn." She said when she couldn't bring herself to tell him what a merciless freak she was back before they met. It was actually embarassing and she feared he'd think differently of her.

"200 people..." She said looking down for a moment. "Were within the Government." She sighed and rubbed her eyes. "God, I am sorry that I did it, really. But that is why I have officials after me."

[Taro Lawson]

Taro paused, not showing the stun on his face. Two hundred people? His Jesimae? He knew that bounty hunters killed many, and maybe two hundred was not alot in thier world, but knowing that his wife, the woman he married had murdered two hundred people. It was a little unsettling. But Taro had always believed in letting the past stay that way.

"Thank you, Jesimae," he said, looking over at her, genuinely glad that she had told him. Better late than never. "It was your job, Jesimae, you did it, you enjoyed it, and now you don't," Taro said, nodding. "The past has come back to haunt you, and I am gonna face it with you," he finished, turning back around to drop a pair of jeans into his bag. He looked up at Jesimae and nodded. "I understand it."

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae sighed out.

"God I have been wanting to tell you that for so long but I was scared you'd hate me or think less of me." She knew that it was stupid but she still couldn't be sure. Now though, she knew for sure he wouldn' t hate her or love her any less. She had killed more than two hundred, for she just gave him the estimate on killing government opertators. She figured that was a tale for another time.

"I'm glad you are comign with me. God I am just glad you are still married to me!" She laughed lightly as she folded a shirt and stuck it into her bag, turning and crawling on her hands and knees over to the dresser Taro was at to kiss him and reach into a drawer and grab some fresh underwear.

"I am trying to look at this at a positive angle. I'm saying this is a second honeymoon...but as different people." She said looking at him forgetting herself. "Oh yeah, once we get there...behind closed doors you are Taro, but to everyone else you have to be someone else."

[Taro Lawson]

Taro looked at her and nodded, shoving a few more things into his bag and thinking a moment.

"Alright, I can handle that," he said, folding up another pair of jeans and some exercise pants. God, he felt like everything was coming down around them both. First Jin, then Haruko leaving, then him coming back, and now this. At this rate, they weren't ever going to get a little while to breathe and be a happily married couple. But Taro knew that he and his family had been cursed with a horrid streak of bad luck. Drama followed he and his brothers like a little lost puppy. It never seemed to have anyone else to bother.

In marrying Taro, Jesimae had not only also married Jiro and Haruko, and most likely thier respective women, she had married drama in its worst form. And in doing so, the Lawsons had brought bad luck on her. That was why her past had come up now, as soon as they were married. The drama couldn't seem to dig anything else up about the Lawson boys, so now it was picking on the only Lawson girl.

[Jesimae Lawson]

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

Jesimae shifted feeling cold. It was that cold that one only felt early in the morning when the sun was turning the sky grey and letting everyone know that it was time for the day to begin. She frowned and shifted in another poisition feeling Taro right beside her. She opened her eyes slowly and saw the peaceful face contorting. She looked up at the ceiling finally realizing that it was that time, that time to wake up, take on a different name, and head to an unfamiliar place for God knew how long. At least she knew she'd have Taro...or...whatever he was going to choose as his false name.

"Mmm..." She groaned feeling her stomach suddenly yell at her. She was starving, but she felt sick like she was going to puke. It was that nice feeling she always got when she woke up this early. "Taro?" She said lowly in that morning voice she always had. Her throat burned from all those cigarette they had smoked last night, and she wanted more sleep for it was very hard to come by due to the two of them laying awake all night. Well, she did. Tossing and turning not finding any position comfortable for her.

"Baby? What time is it?"

[Taro Lawson]

Taro was aroused by Jesimae's husky voice beckoning him out of the land of the dead. He had been dreaming about spiders--he didn't know why spiders--and the sound of her voice had broken an image of a black widow crawling up Taro's arm.

He gave an involuntary shiver, half due to cold, half to the spider that he knew wasn't there, but was still eerily real. Taro cracked one eye open to leer at Jesimae for a moment before he groaned and opened both eyes. They had that horrible early morning ache, deep in the back, in the retina. They felt swollen due to how long he had lain awake, considering all the worst case scenerios. He shook his head as if refusing to awake before he turned his head to look at the clock.

It blared in block blue numbers 5:52 A.M. Taro rubbed a hand down his face and turned his head back to Jesimae.

"Five fifty-two..." he muttered, his voice husky and scratchy and his throat so raw from all the cigarettes it was almost enough to make him quit. But he knew in a few hours when more stress had set in he would want one. "God..." he said, rubbing his eyes furiously. He was trying to wipe the sleep out of them, but he certainly knew that that wasn't happening anytime soon. He slowly looked over at Jesimae.

"Everything's ready on your end?"

[Jesimae Lawson]

She yawned and moved slightly in the bed. This was by far the worst morning of her life and it hadn't even truly begun yet. She nodded and blinked away the tears and the sleep. She just wanted to curl in a ball and hold onto Taro like he were a teddy bear, which at night he usually was, and go back to sleep and dream of something else, something sweet and something without any stress.

"Yeah." She finally voiced as she slowly sat up, feeling the sheet fall off of her naked body and the air hit her so fast that she was almost mad at herself for falling into the habit of never wearing clothes at night. She blamed Taro. She sighed out and rubbed her head and slowly moved off the bed, tapping his thigh.

"Come on, baby. We gotta go." She saw the clothes she had laid out the night before so she could just get dressed and head out. She stretched and sighed glancing at him. She just stared for a moment and smiled. She prayed to God that having to live on a colony for an extended period of time wasn't going to be that bad. She knew that Taro being with her was going to make things a lot better, hopefully they'd allude the officials and all would be well.

[Taro Lawson]

Taro followed suit, sitting up and stretching. He threw his legs over the side of the bed stumbling slightly as his internal balance got thrown off. He grabbed the pair of jeans he had laid out the evening previous and pulled them on over his grey boxers, the waistband of which still stuck out slightly. He grabbed the dark blue t-shirt and pulled it on over his head.

He gave his hair a finger comb before kicking his duffel towards the door, brushing his teeth, and moving back out to pack a couple last minute things. He scratched his head, remembering Jiro. He glanced at Jesimae.

"I'm gonna go let Jiro know we're leaving," Taro said with a nod. He moved out of the room. Ever since Jiro had returned from Naboo without Orange and with Mei-li, he was rarely at the apartment anymore. But Taro had heard him come in the night before and go to bed. Taro moved to the boy's room, opening the door quietly and going over to where the little one slept peacefully, one arm thrown over his eyes, the other resting on his stomach. Taro couldn't help but smile as he went over and gently picked Jiro's hand up to move it off his face. He leaned down and kissed Jiro's ear to rouse him.

After a moment or two, Jiro stirred and looked up into Taro's face, the sleep evident on his face. Taro leaned down and kissed Jiro's forehead, tears trying to crawl up in his throat.

"Jes and I are leaving, baby," Taro whispered so as not to make too much noise. Jiro watched him for a long moment as if computing before nodding. He smiled.

"Okay, big brother. Have fun," Jiro said so sincerely, his dumbness to the situation exactly what Taro wanted. The less Jiro knew, the safer he would be. Taro nodded, giving Jiro the best smile he could muster. He leaned down and kissed Jiro on the mouth, then the forehead again. Taro leaned back and nodded.

"Go back to sleep. Bye, baby," he said. Jiro smiled and Taro turned, making his way back out of the room and to his and Jesimae's room again. He leaned on the doorframe, still fighting back a few tears. Taro had never not known when he was going to see Jiro again. And he didn't like the feeling one bit.

"Almost ready, love?"

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae allowed him to go without saying so much as an okay. She heard him leave and she glanced over her shoulder in time to see him walk out and turn the corner heading towards his room. She nodded finally and glanced down at her bag so unsure of this whole thing. Jesimae had done this before with ease, but then she wasn't so co-dependent on someone she had been independent and carefree, if she were to die nobody would miss her except a few friends who would eventually forget her in the long run.

Jesimae sighed out with anger as she tossed her toothbrush into the duffel bag. How could she have felt like she had nothing to live for? It made her sick and it also made her depressed, then again she hadn't been feeling her usual self since Haru disappeared. She frowned feeling the ball of tears crawl up her throat as her mind allowed her the time to think about Haruko more throroughly, as well as Jiro. She felt some tears fall and she figured she could cry for them now without Taro seeing her. SHe needed to be strong during this whole ordeal or she knew she wouldn't make it.

Jesimae hoped he was okay, hope that he wasn't dead for there had been so many people who loved and missed him, she especially. She didn't know why but had this unusual attachment to him and had they never known about him she wondered how her life would be. She smiled suddenly feeling better as she thought of Jiro and how much she loved him and how much she'd miss him. Although feeling depressed over the absence of Haru was a common feeling for her Jiro always brightened her up, he always having that way about him.

Jesimae finally realized she was spending too much time thinking about it. She zipped up the bag and sniffed away the tears and picked the bag up off the floor and tossed it onto her shoulder, just in time to hear Taro. She smiled at him and tilted her head and walked over to him and ran her hands up his chest and to his face. She gave him a kiss and ran her knuckles down his left cheek.

"Yeah." She said in an upbeat tone trying to sound happy and act as if this were some vacation when she knew that it wasn't. "Ready whenever you are."

[Taro Lawson]

Taro nodded, picking up his duffel and pulling it onto his shoulder. He took Jesimae's hand reassuringly. Carefully, and quietly, Taro walked through his apartment, glancing around for a last look in case it was the last time he saw it.

They left the apartment without a word, and Taro closed the door with a soft thud, locking it behind him and sliding the keycard underneath the door for Jiro to have, even though he already had his own. He knew Jiro might think it was an odd thing to leave his key, but by the time his brother found it, he and Jesimae would be long gone, and he knew that Jiro would probably just dismiss it as Taro's brain backfiring.

Taro lead Jesimae down through the building until they reached the street below, the only thing alive now being the traffic overhead. But then again, the traffic never stopped. Coruscant--even though it looked dead now--was never asleep. There was always something going on, people awake to party, or drink, or fight, or have fun, or stress about something. Taro hadn't ever known much else. His time spent on other planets when he had been younger had only given him the view of the seedy underbelly, not the normal lives of normal people. But Coruscant had always been his home, and would remain so, even if he never saw it again.

Taro was trying to stay optimistic, think that when this all blew over that he could come back and hold Jiro again, and find Haruko safely back home. He was trying to tell himself that Coruscant would be there and would wait for he and Jesimae to return. That all of this would eventually be like a nightmare that had passed and never needed to be revisited.

Yet Taro had never been much of an optimist. He had always expected the worst, so that if it happened, he wouldn't be surprised. He'd always considered the worst case scenerios, at times it was almost like an obsession. Trying to guess what could happen, trying to cover all angles, knowing he couldn't and letting it drive him nuts. He'd been doing it since the news was spilled to him and he was on the verge of going insane because he didn't know how things would end up, and he wouldn't until they did, in fact, end, whenever that may be.

Taro and Jesimae made thier way to a taxi platform, where a taxi was quick to show up. Taro opened the door, shoving his things in and then Jesimae's on top of it. He waited until his wife had gotten in, holding the door open. He glanced once around the cold, stale morning on Coruscant, not seeing a soul, before he followed suit and scooted into the taxi, pulling the door closed with a soft thud. He leaned forward, typing in thier destination to the pilot system, and leaned back as the taxi turned and began through traffic.

And Taro was aware that he could be leaving his life behind for good.

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae felt sick to her stomach once they were heading towards the port where Taro's ship was located. She was hungry for one thing, but it was hurting for fear. She looked over at Taro and couldn't help but see a blankness in his eyes like he was no longer feeling anything. She wasn't sure if that was possible for his eyes were very expressive and at the exact moment she was just unsure about everything, even what Taro was feeling. She looked out the window seeing the hover ways seemingly getting more packed every minute, morning commuters getting ready to go to work. She leaned her head on the seat and sighed out glaring around as if she had never seen it all before, but it was more or less a last look for her, she did everytime she went on a job or when she went to hide out for she was never sure when, and if, she'd return.

Jesimae was feeling more detached from everything in Coruscant the longer they were in the taxi, the sky kept getting darker by the minute due to traffic and the closer they got to the port. She leaned her head up to glance out of the front window to see it on the horizon and she was brought back to a world she thought she had long forgotten. She was going into hiding for Godssake! She was on the run...but a few weeks ago she was just trying her hand at being a good wife and living her life with Taro and the family, not alluding capture and trying to be a good fugitive. She frowned and leaned her head onto her left hand, pushing her fingertips onto her forehead. She closed her eyes and tried to think of some way to view this as a good break from everyhting, but that was impossible when one had to consider the fact that she and her husband could both die.

That thought forced her to open her eyes. What is something happened to Taro while on this trip? He said he'd protect her and there was no doubt in her mind that he would, but what if he did so at the expensive of his own life? How would she be able to come back to Coruscant and tell everyone that it was her fault their brother, her husband, was dead. She couldn't do it, wouldn't do it. She glanced at Taro and she was tempted to tell him she wasn't going to let him go along, but she couldn't. If there was one thing she knew she wouldn't be able to do was go through all of this on her own. She grinned realizing that she was luckier than most and having Taro by her side allowed her to have more optimism than she ever had previously and she felt safer as well.

Jesimae dropped her left hand and leaned over on Taro and put her head on his shoulder, grabbing his hand to hold. If there was anything she was grateful of it was having him there, she knew that if they both got back to Coruscant in one piece she'd definitely spend every day of her life letting Taro know that without him, no matter how small a task, she wouldn't be able to make it.

[Taro Lawson]

Taro started slightly when Jesimae put her head on his shoulder and took his hand. He had been lost in his own thoughts and had zoned everything around him out. He glanced down at her, then shifted to raise his arm behind her and wrap it around her shoulders, leaning his head on hers and sighing out.

Taro had had to hide out before. There used to be plenty of people who would have liked him dead because he ripped them off in a drug deal, or gave them faulty hints and tips. There had been times when he had not known if he was going to make it. But never like this. He had feared being hurt or killed, but never really believed that it would happen to him. Suddenly, he believed that it might. And not only to him, but to the woman he so dearly cared for, and the family he so desperately loved.

Taro squeezed Jesimae a little tighter, the fear that swelled in his stomach at the thought of losing her almost overwhelming. He had a fierce desire to protect her and would do so at all costs. Taro looked up as he saw the port drawing near. Soon, they would be on thier way to...somewhere. Taro still hadn't gotten the coordinates for the colony, but he would worry about those only when they were off this planet, and a fairly safe distance away.

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae felt so happy when she felt him respond, no matter how many times he did it she could never not like having Taro touch her. She grinned slowly knowing that no matter how tough the situation or outcome Taro would always be there. She looked up at the port and saw that they were near and her stomach turned and she felt as if she were going to throw up at any moment, which..in fact....she was.

"Taro?" She said to him sitting up and grabbing her stomach. "Baby...I think I am going to puke."

[Taro Lawson]

------

Taro did not think he could have been more angry than he was now. He certainly understand the urge to puke just coming over you. It had happened to him several times in his life. But really...

"I love her...I do...Ido!" Taro was growling to himself as he washed his shirt off in the sink of the bathroom. Luckily, she hadn't gotten him bad, just a little. But still, he had been puked on before in his life and it wasn't exactly something he yearned after. And added to the stress of having to leave his brothers behind, his life behind, everything behind. This was just not something he needed.

Taro had already told several people to beat it when they had needed to get into the sink. And they hadn't tried to stand up to him. Taro might have been a small man, but he was by no means nonthreatening.

He wet a paper towel and wiped off his sweating face. He was burning up, and now, he was going to have to wander around shirtless. He wasn't putting the wet shirt back on. He looked down, checking his pants. They had been spared, luckily. Taro washed his hands and face and moved out of the port bathroom and took a deep breath.

There were few people milling around. Taro wrung out his shirt and glanced at the women's bathroom just across the way from him. He had left Jesimae to herself in there while he had gone to yell obscenities at the bathroom mirror, the people who came in unsuspectingly, and nearly beat the hell out of a guy who had tried to tell him to stop. So far, the morning, what not one Taro was likely going to remember with fondness.

"I love her..." he said again, looking at his wedding ring to remind himself. "I love her a lot."

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae sighed out as she leaned against the sink, staring at her tired eyes and her frizzled hair. What was going on with her? This was the first time she had ever puked one someone and, of all people, on Taro! God he must've wanted to kill her when she did that. The look on his face was of sheer disgust, which it wasn't that much fun having to experience it coming out! Jesimae frowned trying to fight off the tears but couldn't. She looked down at the water pouring over her hands, bawling like a child who had just gotten a scraped knee. A young woman walked out of the stall to see her and immediately walked over, asking her if she was all right. Jesimae looked over at her with surprise, scared to death to even talk to anyone.

"N-No! I'm fine." She said to her, breathing heavily as she tried to breathe. "Motion sickness." The woman wasn't convinced and simply let her alone, Jesimae was thankful. She wondered if Taro was ready to kill her because she had been in the bathroom for twenty years, puking up nothing but her stomach for she hadn't eaten anything. She tried to clean her mouth out with water, her hands from touching the commode, and her hair that was messed up from how many times she ran her hands through it to keep it away from her face.

"God." She said to herself as she turned the water off and dried her face and hands off on a few paper towels. She sighed out when she tossed it into the garbage and walked out of the door, seeing Taro ringing out his shirt. Suddenly she felt sick again.

[Taro Lawson]

Taro looked up at her as she came out. He let out a long sigh, still repeating that he loved her dearly and that it was just something that happened. He was sure he would laugh about it in not long at all.

"Are you feeling okay, baby?" he asked, his voice sounding soft, even though he was agitated. He wasn't angry with her, he was just angry at the entire situation. He walked over to her and sighed. "When we get on the ship you can lie down."

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae pushed a piece of her hair behind her head and nodded, not really wanting to look him in the eyes cause she felt so bad for it all. She just wanted to get to the colony and try and live some sorty of normal life for a while. She was feeling paranoid here and she suspected everyone as a bounty hunter, an official, just someone who was going to turn her in and lead to her demise. She was feeling so sick to her stomach and it would come and go and it was very annoying. What had she eaten to have caused her stomach problems? She sighed out and nodded yet again.

"I just wanna get out of here." Jesimae hugged herself feeling so bad for barfing all over Taro, feeling bad because he was having to do this, feeling horrible for stealing him from his family, even worse that she was going to puke again at any given moment...she felt it.

[Taro Lawson]

Taro tossed his head for her to follow him.

"Come on, babe," he said. He turned and began down the ramp towards the Angry Lady. God, it had been a long time since he had had to use this thing. He saw Ren Wilcox waiting by it, moving something onto it. Taro smiled at him as he and Jesimae approached. The younger man eyed him.

"Got everything on there. She's ready whenever you are, Taro" he said with a nod. Taro smiled and waved. He turned back to Jesimae and moved behind her. He put two hands on her shoulders and kissed the back of her neck. "Go in and lay down, baby. We'll be out of here within ten minutes." Taro turned back to Ren and gave him a nod. "Thanks, Ren. Be back in a couple weeks. Do me a favor and drop by and see Jiro. He's been wanting to see you."

"Will do, Taro. Have fun."

And Taro disappered into his ship. The hatch closed with a hiss behind him and the lights flickered on. He moved into the cockpit and flopped down in the pilot's chair. The ship hummed like a crouching tiger between his knees. He hooked on his earpeice and heard the static from the control area.

"Alright up there, Angry Lady?" came the cheerful voice of the man who monitered the outgoing and incoming ships. Taro smiled a little as the view screen opened.

"Doin' good. We're ready in here," Taro answered, flipping for release of the ship. It shuddered and hummed.

"Alright. Have a good trip."

"Will do."

The ship roared to life and rumbled upwards towards the stars.

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae laid on her back staring up at the ceiling. It had been so damn long since she had been there in his bed, on this ship...it was clouded by bad memories. She didn't want to see this ship ever again in her life for it brought back too many memories. Although she had a lot of great memories of the bedroom, the pantry, the shower, the floor, the kitchen, the kitchen table, the captain's chair....any part of this ship had some good memory, but the larger ones just overshadowed it all.

Last time she was there in this bed it had been right after meeting Deacallion, his demise, and Jiro's recovery, and the meeting of Orange Diren.

Jesimae sighed out not wanting to think of the bad anymore, she was tired of it. She knew she could stop by thinking of something else, but it was like a train wreck waiting to happen. She held her stomach with her right hand, her left by her head holding a clump if white tissue paper from her crying after rushing off to the bathroom to go have nothing but dry heaves. She was so sick and she didn't know why. She hadn't eaten anything different, if she had eaten anyhting Taro would have been feeling the same thing she figured.

Jesimae wanted to get up and go see how Taro was doing, but figured she was going to stay away from him until she got some sort of control over herself. If this was still going on by the time they reached the colony...she'd have to find a doctor to get this stomach problem under control.

[Taro Lawson]

It didn't take long for the silence of space to take over the ship, and by that time, Taro was feeling a little more relaxed. Of course, he wouldn't feel relaxed totally until this was all over and he and Jesimae could finally live a normal existence somewhere.

Taro leaned back in the chair, figuring he ought to give Jesimae her space. She was probably asleep by now. He would be. And if he wasn't careful he would fall asleep right where he sat. Which he supposed wouldn't be a bad thing. He pulled his knees up to his chest and watched the stars go by the ship.

How were they ever going to get out of this?

[Jesimae Lawson]

It was too late, she figured as she wandered out of the bathroom. The clock read 11 pm. She hadn't been disturbed by Taro and they had been flying all day. She was starving now and she had slept for over 12 hours. She was so tired still and her stomach was upset, and she was hungry, and she was lonely for Taro. She didn't like waking up having him gone it made her feel unsafe, which she figured why she couldn't really sleep well for she had gotten so used to having him there.

Jesimae's chest hurt from all the heaving she did and she was wanting some hot tea to soothe her throat and it was a safe thing for her stomach. She exited out of the stuffy bedroom and was so happy to feel the cool air hit her face in the hallway. She groaned as she sighed out wandering down the hall towards the kitchen unsure of where to go first, tea or Taro?

"Taro?" She called out, not feeling like walking all the way down the hall to the cockpit. "Baby?" She called out again. "Come entertain me." She laughed lightly, hissing the second she realized her stomach muscles couldn't handle it.

[Taro Lawson]

Taro had fallen asleep eventually and had slept on and off for a long time. When he heard Jesimae call out to him he stirrred and sat forward, rubbing his eyes. With a stretch, he stood up and yawned, his eyes watering a little.

He turned and saw her standing in the hall. He smiled, making his way down to where she stood. She looked harried. And he couldn't blame her. He smiled down at her, moving a bit of fluffled hair from her face.

"Are you feeling any better, dear heart?" he asked curiously. "You might have caught a bug of some kind or another." He looked her over. She didn't exactly look sick, but then again, it was hard for him to tell. He shook his head. "Unless you ate something."

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae rolled her eyes not even wanting to think about food for her stomach hurt and yearned for it, but there was no way she would be eating anything that didn't taste as good coming back up.

"Well why aren't you in the bathroom on your knees? I could use some company in there." She smiled at him and walked into the kitchen and wandered around looking through some drawers wanting to find some green tea. "Sorry about earlier. Didn't mean to do that to you in the hover." She couldn't help but feel so sorry for him. Taro was being so good and the only way she could repay him was to puke all over his shirt and the taxi. Luckily the seat got the worst of it all.

"I just wanna know what it is. I think I'll check with the infirmary at the colony when we get there tomorrow, that is if I am still gagging up my stomach." She found a tin can and let out a noise of happiness, quickly take some leaves out followed by a mug, looking over her shoulder at Taro.

"Want some?" She asked him. The great thing about being married everything that was his, was now hers. It was kinda nice to be able to wander around on the ship knowing that she had no limitations anymore. Not that she was a snooper anyhow. It was just a comforting thought. "Sleep any?"

[Taro Lawson]

Taro walked around the the table watching as she searched through things, after something. When she found it, she made a pleased noise and asked if he wanted any. He shook his head. He watched her begin to make tea before she asked him if he slept any. He shrugged.

"On and off..." he said. "I came in at one point and you were passed out. I didn't want to wake you so I alternated Jiro's bedroom and the cockpit," he explained. He watched as she boiled the water and began to make the tea. He took in a breath of the leaves that he could smell from the open bag of them.

"We ought to be at that colony in..." he looked at the chrono on the wall and thought a moment. "Just about another twelve hours." He furrowed his brow. "If all the calculations are right. I can't believe this thing is that unknown. Especially being so close to Coruscant."

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae shrugged a shoulder.

"Amazing how powerful technology is. Then again this place is crawling with those who don't wanna be found. We are sly people." She laughed lightly and looked over her shoulder. The smell of tea made her feel good already and she was ready to take a drink and feel better, but as soon as she thought about it her stomach rumbled wanting to show how pissed off it still was with her.

What was the matter with her? She frowned and shook her head. Whatever she ate, she'd never touch it again for this was just horrible. She turned around and looked over at Taro.

"It isn't bad, although it has so many horrible people within it is relatively safe. People even have children running around without a care. People enjoy being a fake somebody than a real nobody." She cleared her throat and frowned remembering that they, too, were going to have to play other people.

[Taro Lawson]

Taro smiled.

"Yes well, you were an assassin, and I was Tatsuki. We are used to it," he said, giving her a wry smile. Taro wondered what the colony was like. He had honestly never even really heard of on before. Of course, if people went there to disappear, he wouldn't have heard of it, then. Taro knew that they would have to go by names that weren't thiers. They couldn't risk being recognized. Even if they had never been there before, Taro was sure they both knew people who wanted to disappear, and people who might go there to do just that.

Taro watched her continue to make her tea. He already missed Coruscant, and he didn't know how long they were going to be out here. By the end of it, he would be going through withdrawal for his home and his brother.

[Jesimae Lawson]

---------------
Jesimae felt like she were home, surprisingly. She had been there so many times in her past that it literally had been a second home to her. She had missed the wiring in the ceiling, the automated filtered air, the shops that were all over the place trying to make the place feel like a home. The cement floors a teracotta color, the place bustling with fugitives, vacationers, anything and everything stopped by there, if not to just refuel. ALthough most people who stopped there were on the run, some poeple had even lived there in the many floors of housing.

The drifter colony wasn't too big, it was just three levels, the bottom being reserved for ships, but it was very long. the housing was on the second level, the top being reserved for the shops, the makeshift playgrounds, the false plants, the fake outside of shops that were made to look like little towns with their brick inlay. It was very quaint and was a nice place, but after a while it would drive people insane. She knew it was going to Taro immediately.

No sun. No green grass. No real air. No breeze. Just people everywhere. Shops everywhere. No freedom. Yet somehow Jesimae learned to love it all. She glanced over at Taro as he paid the man in the lower level to dock his ship and secure it. Jesimae knew it was safe there, but she didn't know if Taro wanted to exactly leave it for quite some time. She sighed out, holding her stomach. It hadn't stopped, she was still sick, her head was throbbing, she was wanting to eat certain foods that Taro didn't have, she was hormonal, and she was so tired. Taro had told her to go sleep, but she couldn't, she didn't feel like it. What she wanted was a doctor to see if she had a case of severe food poisoning.

Already this trip was off to a bad start.

[Taro Lawson]

Taro rented an apartment in the housing level. All the apartments were the same, so he didn't have to worry about looking at it. They just needed somewhere to live until...well, indefinately.

Taro already hated it here. It was small, cramped, people everywhere. There was nothing natural there--not that there was on Coruscant either, but at least Coruscant had natural air. There were kids, teenagers, adults, people from all walks of life, people Taro wouldn't trust with a pen, and people Taro probably would have let take care of anything he owned. It was like the Nihongo District, except minus the real air. And most of these people weren't Asian. There were humans, and aliens alike. He'd seen one he didn't know the species of, and two Twi'leck teenage boys had walked by not long ago.

Everyone seemed to know eachother. It was like cities inside a city. People who lived and worked in one area knew all the people who lived and worked around him. But they didn't even know names of people who worked one section over. It was chaos like Taro didn't understand and he knew he wouldn't ever be able to feel at home here. He would never be able to like it.

"This is interesting..." he said as they moved to the second level, moving thier things to the apartment he had rented.

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae sighed out looking over at him as she put her last piece of clothing into the closet, feeling so sick and so sorry for Taro. He hated it, she could sense it, see it, feel it...however she was so completely comfortable. She'd make friends within ten seconds, he'd be a loner and people would want to stay away from him which seh figured would be a good thing, however she didn't know how it was going to affect how he felt.

Jesimae was worried already about herself and her husband. She was afraid she was going to die of something because she couldn't stop using the bathroom and Taro..she was horrified that after one day he was going to leave her to go back home. But she figured she didn't need to concern herself with too much. Taro was a grown man she was almost positive he could take care of himself.

"I know you hate it." She stated blankly sighing out asshe closed the closet door. The place wasn't trashy, it was very nice and clean, but there was still that feeling and that knowing that scum had lived there. "It'll be okay." She didn't know if he was listening to her or even cared for what she said because Taro had an opinion that could hardly ever be swayed.

"Not that long, okay? Just remember that." She smiled at him and frowned, holding her stomach. "I am going to go head to the pharmacy upstairs. The great thing about this place is that it has a public cafeteria and any kind of shop you'd ever need. They have some good stuff up there so I'll be back in a few, okay?" She walked over to him and gave him a gentle kiss.

"You going to be okay?"

[Taro Lawson]

Taro didn't have that much stuff that he had brought with him. Anything extra he might need was on his ship. But he didn't anticipate needing much of that stuff. He watched Jesimae and sighed.

"Yeah, I hate it, but I'll be fine..." he paused and smiled at her. "Do you want me to come with you baby?"

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae looked at him and smiled. "No, it's okay. Just something to calm my stomach. I'll be back." She gave him a kiss and was quickly out of the door.
______________________

Jesimae was holding her stomach, not out of fear of puking, but out of fear as to what this all meant. She was sitting in a hard uncomfortable chair looking at a tall woman in white, a doctor she had gone to see at the local infirmary.

She had gone to the pharmacy and spoke with an associate about he problem only to be directed in a way she did not want to go. Instead of purchasing a kit that was offered, panic stricken and fearful, Jesimae decided to go to someone who would know more about these kinds of things than a pharmacist. Jesimae swallowed the water the woman had given her after she requested it. Jesimae wasn’t sure what to do, but she figured she could at least answer the question the doctor asked.

“Well,” Jesimae stated after gathering her thoughts. “I’ve been feeling bad for a month. But it just now got worse.” The doctor nodded in response when she took the moment to look away from the water in the cup. “Umm...”Jesimae sighed out, rubbing her forehead, her right hand shaking so bad as she lifted it.

<i>”Have you been having headaches?”</i> Jesimae looked at the woman and frowned, nodding after a moment. <i>”Okay, what are some other things you’ve been noticing?”</i> Jesimae was so stressed out now that she was wanting to just go sleep and forget about this whole thing. She was sure it was just stress.

“I’ve been wanting to eat things I never through I would…” The doctor nodded and sat down her metal clipboard and sighed out. This made Jesimae even more nervous.

<i>”Answer me this, Mrs. Lawson.”</i> She nodded, fearful of what was going to be asked. <i>”Have you noticed whether or not your breasts are sore</i> Jesimae frowned and looked down at her chest and quickly grabbed them.

“A little.” She said unsure as to what this had to do with anything.

<i>”Okay, tell me about your monthlies.”</i> Jesimae was getting scared. She had heard rumors about what it was like to be pregnant. She had figured that all of this had a good reason, but as the doctor began asking these questions.

“I was supposed to have it a few weeks ago.” Jesimae sighed out and dropped her hand. She was going to puke. The doctor could apparently see her distress and rubbed her shoulder.

<I>”Mrs. Lawson tell me about the last time you had ‘relations’ with your husband?”</i> Jesimae frowned feeling weird to have ever been asked such a question. The doctor smiled and quickly rephrased. <I>”Was there any bleeding a few days later?”</i> Jesimae felt violated ad sick. These questions were too personal for her, but then again she was trying to deny the whole problem all together. Jesimae figured she had better answer honestly to get to the root of the problem. Jesimae recalled the few days after she and Taro had been rather active.

“Y-yeah. I’d say a week later or so?” The doctor sighed out and nodded and Jesimae suddenly realized the severity of the situation.

<i>”Mrs. Lawson, I think you know what I am getting at. Now I suggest you allow us, here at the office, to take this test with more accuracy than any take-home testing. There are several reasons why all this could be happening.

“The bleeding after intercourse can be from changes in contraceptives, sickness can be caused by stress, hormone imbalance can cause soreness…but those are a lot of coincidences.”</i> Jesimae prayed it was just all coincidences, there was no room in her mind for a baby, especially when there was a possibility she could die at the hands of bounty hunters or officials.

“Are you sure that I don’t have just…sickness?” The doctor laughed and explained she knew how hard this was to swallow, but it would be best if they went ahead and took the test before they went guessing in the wrong direction.

Before Jesimae knew it she was sitting alone in the small room, sweating bullets, praying to Buddha, holding her stomach, rocking forwards and backwards, biting her lower lip, and wishing she could go pee even though she just did ten minutes ago. This, by far was the longest day of her life.

[Kyoko Lawson]

Kyoko had been living on this colony for years upon years. She remembered when she had first gone there. Right after...but she didn't want to think about it. The only thing she could think about was that young man who had come onto the colony with a young lady friend. He looked just like...

But Kyoko wasn't going to pretend. Her sons were...long dead, or gone, or...somewhere else. Forty-eight, and she didn't know where her sons were. It was pathetic, and she wished things had gone differently. Especially after she found out her husband had died of S.D.S. It had killed her to find that out. But then to find out that her sons had been there and she had not been. Kyoko wanted so much to see her boys again. Wanted to see them grown and happy.

And that boy. He looked so much like her little Taro. She couldn't take the curiousity. She knew what apartment they had, for she had one just down the hall. And if she got the courage, she would knock on thier door.

[Jesimae Lawson]

"Oh god! Help me!" Jesimae was crying her eyes out in the bathroom at the doctors office, blowing her nose as she sat on the toilet trying to piece together her life that had literally just fallen apart in the last two days. She was wanting to tell everyone that it was wrong, that it was a mistake, that she wasn't...but...the test were 100% accurate. Jesimae Lawson was now a mother.

"OH god!" Jesimae let out a loud cry as she put her head in her hands. This was not true, this was not happening to her! She needed to wake up! She needed to realize that this was a dream! Jesimae looked up at the door and sighed out, trying to think of her options. She was a killer in her past but there was no possible way that she would kill this child, no way! She would not allow anyone to touch her or 'it'. Abortion was not an option. Jesimae sniffed and shook her head to all the things she could think of to fix this newfound problem, although her doctor sugested it was a blessing. Jesimae was not feeling blessed, but in fact tormented.

She stood up and sighed out, wiping her eyes with a piece of toilet paper before tossing it into the toilet and flushing the commode. She was pregnant, two months worth as well. Too late to take a pill to end it, too guilty to even think of aborting it, and too prideful to ever give it away to someone..however she just didn't want it.

Jesimae was having a heart attack, she knew she was. She was going to die, drown herself in the toilet, anything that would allow her to not have to tell Taro that he was going to be a dad. She was too young, he was too young...this was not how their life was supposed to be! They were supposed to be happily married, enjoying their new home, their new family, not on a crap colony, hiding from their own familes and friends, acting ot be someone else, and pregnant.

[Taro Lawson]

What was taking Jes so long? Was there something wrong with her? He was getting more and more worried the more time that went by. He was wanting to know if there was something wrong with his wife. But he knew that if there was something wrong, Jes would call him, or have the doctors do it.

So, in the meantime, to keep himself from going mad, Taro had ventured out in the makeshift streets. He was looking around at everything, getting used to the places. People were looking at him like he had something on his face. He knew it was because he was new there. No one had seen him there before, and to them, he was encroaching upong thier homes and lives. And they didn't seem to like it.

How Taro hoped they wouldn't be here long.

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae stepped out of the bathroom and found that there were three people standing outside of the bathroom stall, her doctor, a receptionist, and a technician all wondering if she was okay.

Jesimae laughed it off saying she was just sick and that she just wanted something to keep the nausea down. Unfortunately they weren't keen on giving her much excepts things she could buy anywhere. Jesimae had thanked them and scheduled another date to get some bloodwork done and to checkup on the little demon seed growing inside of her. She sighed out and thanked them all and told them that she was fine and that she would go home and tell her husband the 'good news' right way. Jesimae never felt so bad for lying.

She walked out of the office and saw people crowding around the streets, if she could so call it that. She was trying to piece together her hormones and get collected and calm. She was talking to herself nad people were looking at her, but she could have cared less. It kept them away from her.

"Taro, have you ever thought about starting a family? No..no..too frightful." She bit her lower lip and tried to talk it out. "Taro, you're gonna be a daddy! No, too blunt!" She looked around and saw a lot of people wandering about and it was surprising at how many families there were! Jesimae smiled at a few kids playing soccer in a little area. Jesimae was suddenly realizing that one day that was going to her her child. It slightly made her grin, but it quickly made her tear up.

"Damn it." She said to herself as she looked down and wiped her eyes free of tears, bumping into someone nearby. She looked up and smiled nervously, meeting eyes with the most beautiful woman she had ever seen. Tall, thin, asian, gorgeous. "Sorry." She said politely. "I wasn't paying any attention!" She cleared her throat and pushed a piece of hair away from her face.

"Excuse me." Jesimae moved away from the woman, frowning softly as her mind went back to the severe situation. She glanced over her shoulder at the woman who was staring her down. It slightly creeped her out, but she couldn't help but stare back. Familiarity somehow written all over that woman's face.

[Kyoko Lawson]

Kyoko knew that woman. She had come in with the boy. The one she was so interested in meeting. How beautiful she was. Small and tan, slightly curly hair, beautiful big eyes. How lovely. Kyoko couldn't help but wonder why she was alone on the street instead of with the boy she had come with. Kyoko would have stopped her and asked her about the boy, but the woman looked upset, angry frightened, like something had just gone terribly wrong in her life.

Kyoko couldn't stop her. Instead she watched her move away. She was going over something to herself, and Kyoko barely heard her trying to figure out how to tell someone something. She wondered what it was she was trying to tell.

[Jesimae Lawson]

"Taro, iru no?" Jesimae had screamed this about 80 times, waiting for him to pop out from somewhere, but so far she knew he wasn't there. "Thank god." She said to herself as she jogged around the room trying to find the phone to call the one person who would help her through this. She couldn't tell Taro yet, not without getting an opinion on how to break the news to him.

"Where...damn it." She was getting frustrated and sighed out, trying to calm down. She was going crazy with worry, stress, and anything else that could possibly fit into the category of 'Life is about to be ruined'. She finally found it in the kitchen area. She figured she could ignore its odd placement and she picked it up and dialed some numbers frantically.

[Jiro Lawson]

Jiro heard his com beeping frantically from his jacket laying on Ren's kitchen table. He glanced over at it, then leaned around the kitchen door to yell down the hall where Ren was in getting something from a spare room.

"'M on the phone for a minute, Ren!" he called. He heard the other man fumble clumsily with something before he laughed.

"Okay, Jiro!" he yelled back. Jiro went to his jacket and fished out his com, looking down at it. He pressed the open connections button and put it to his ear.

"Mn, hai. Moshi moshi."

[Jesimae Lawson]

"Jiro!" Jesimae's eyes waterd with excitement and joy that he had answered. Her heart was beating so loud in her chest that she swore he could probably hear it. "Jiro I-I'm-I..oh god! Jiro!" Jesimae was panicked beyond belief and she was sure that if she didn't snap outta it he was going to think something awful was going on, which..there was!

"I need to see you! We need to talk! Jiro, I'm sorry if I am interrupting you..." She frowned and smacked herself on the head, trying to breathe and trying to be calm, trying ot be normal!

"Jiro I'm pregnant!"

[Jiro Lawson]

Jiro's jaw dropped.

"You're what!" he roared in disbelief, not anger. His bottom lip was on the floor. No, there was no way she was pregnant! That didn't fit anywhere into Taro's concept of life! It didn't fit anywhere into Jesimae concept of life! Or at least...Jiro never thought it had been! Why would she be pregnant! Unless they wanted a kid...but from the sound of her voice, she didn't want that child. He shook his head and ran to Ren's front door, looking out the window as if he were going to see Jesimae standing out there.

"Pregnant! How did this happen?!"

[Jesimae Lawson]

"JIRO!" Jesimae screamed out. This was the first time she could actually share her sense of fear, shock, and anything else that could have been expressed! She was just as confused as Jiro was, but for godssakes!

"I don't think now is really the best time to go into detail as to how babies are made! I just need you to come here and help me!!!" She bit her lower lip and looked around the room as if Taro was there somewhere and that he was going to literally fly off the handle. her heart pounded and she sighed out. "Jiro, please, I will never love another man as much as you if yo ucome here and at least freak out with me!"

[Jiro Lawson]

Jiro's eyes widened and he looked around him. Suddenly he shook his head.

"Oh! Yeah, no, I don't wanna know..." he paused, looking up as Ren wandered back in from the spare room. He had a confused look on his face. Jiro waved his hand, indicating he would explain it to him later. Jiro ran a hand across his forehead. "Well...where the hell are you guys? Taro told me next to nothing about anything. God! A baby! I am gonna be an uncle!? Ah, hell..." Jiro's body was shaking, he felt like he was the one about to have the baby. He jumped in place then went back into the kitchen, grabbing his jacket and moving back in next to Ren. He moved the comlink slightly.

"Hang on, Jes...Ren, I need to go. You mind driving me home?" he asked, pulling his jacket on. The other man shook his head, picking up his keys.

"No, no problem," he answered, opening the door for Jiro.

"Thanks, Will. Jes...I am...can you tell me where you guys went? I can hitch a ride on Ren's ship, or on public transport, if you can just...give me all the information on where you're at..." Jiro said. He felt like he was going to puke. "God! You're pregnant?! Are you sure? Totally sure!?"

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae felt better already knowing that her best friend was on his way to her and was ready to share the horror of this news. Sure some people would be joyous about having a child, but in this particular moment...she couldn't bring a child into this world at such a time. She wasn't going to end up like her parents, dead before the child even reached 3 years of age. She couldn't. Suddenly Jesimae realized how bad she needed her mother at this point. Tears welled in her eyes when the initial shock moved on and fear replaced it.

"Jiro..." She said to him in the saddest voice she probably ever gave. "I'm so scared."

[Jiro Lawson]

Jiro furrowed his brow as he got into the passenger's seat of the hover vehicle. The door shut with a thud and he watched Ren get in the driver's seat. He leaned against the door.

"Oh, Jesimae..." he said quietly as Ren started the hover and pulled out of the parking frame it was in. He began down the hoverway towards Jiro's apartment. "Look, sweetie, it'll be alright. I'll be there in no time, okay? We'll talk it over together and figure out the best way to break it to Big Brother. Alright? There is nothing to be scared of, okay? Taro is gonna freak out, I won't lie. But he isn't gonna stop loving you, or divorce you or anything like that. Don't worry, sweetie, it'll be alright."

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae nodded as if Jiro could see it and she tried to compose her emotions.

"Okay." She said with a determined sigh. "Okay! No time! Right!" She stood up and jogged to the back bedroom. She wasn't feeling at home and it was driving her mad. The moment she entered the Lawson's home forever ago she was immediately at home, but this place was just cold and empty and it was killing her. She missed Jiro already, missed everyone in such a way that she was desperate to just send them all out here and pile into the small apartment.

"Listen carefully, Jiro," Jesimae warned as she grabbed the directions from out of her emptied bag. She gave him the coordinants and quickly informed him that they were on a drifter colony. She was skeptical on giving him the reasons why, but figured the moment he asked she would spill it all out onto the table. She sighed out when she was quick to state them once more so everyone got the directions.

"Call my com the second you get here. If Taro even finds out you are here he is going to kill me. God, either way I am a dead woman I am sure." She laughed lightly trying to lighten the mood, but ti really wasn't helping her. She wanted to see Jiro so bad! She wanted to bawl and snot all on his shoulder.

[Jiro Lawson]

Jiro grabbed a pen from Ren's satchel and jotted the directions down on his hand. Ren was turning down the hoverway above his apartment. Jiro tossed the pen down and leaned back in the seat as Ren pulled down out of the hoverway and pulled in front of the apartment building. Jiro let out a long sigh.

"Okay, Jes. This should only take me a couple days. I will be there in no time alright. I am at the apartment. I will call you when I get there. Love you, bye," Jiro waited for her to bid him farewell and he disconnected. He sat back heavily in Ren's seat. He glanced over. "Thanks for the ride. I gotta go!" Jiro pushed open the door and grabbed his bag, hopping out of the car. He leaned back down and smiled at Ren's confused face. Jiro nodded.

"Jes is pregnant, Taro doesn't know, I am heading out there to console her for awhile," Jiro filled him in quickly. He shut the door and ran around the other side of the car, leaning down into Ren's window. The other man rolled it down and peered out at him. "I'll be back in a couple days, I'll call you on my com sometime. Bye." Jiro gave him a kiss on the cheek and then ran up the steps into the building and into his apartment, hurrying to get things together so he could leave as soon as possible.

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae hung up and figured she needed to get looking a little bit decent in case Taro came in at even given time. She didn't want to lie to him, not at all, but she just coudn't tell him yet! She wasn't ready! She needed to guidance and some help, which is why she was having Jiro come see her. She was already anxious about him coming there, she was wanting him to be there in an hour, not a few days! Jesimae sighed out and washed her face in the bathroom and quickly changed into something more comfortable and put some eye drops in her bloodshot eyes. She was feelign sick already, but luckily the medicine she got from the doc was helping her keep food down.

Jesimae had made herself something to eat in the kitchen, knowing that it waws the colonies policy to keep certain items available at all times. It was quite a convenience. She sat in the living room watching the galaxy-wide broadcast seeing that there had been nothing on her, which was good. She then realized she had been home for over an hour. What was Taro doing? Where was Taro?

[Taro Lawson]

"I'm sorry, excuse me?"

"My name is Kyoko. Kyoko Lawson, I was wondering if perhaps you know, or knew, a Jin'la Lawson? Or perhaps his sons, Haruko, Taro, and Jiro?"

"Um...I'm sorry...who are you again?"

"Kyoko Lawson. I am...was Jin'la's wife. Before he passed away."

"Kyoko? Lawson. Jin'la's wife? I'm sorry...I think maybe you have the wrong person."

But she didn't. And Taro knew that. They hadn't been here a day and already things were falling apart. Taro's mind spun as the graceful older woman apologized and disappeared back into the door she had come out of as he had moved down the hall towards thier apartment. His mother? He thought she was dead! How did she know him? They hadn't seen each other in ages. Taro was now the one that felt sick. He wanted to puke and die and just...Taro had the uge to get high, he would always get that urge when something went wrong.

Gladly however, there were no drugs within many miles of him, and so he just went back to the apartment and slid the card, still looking at the door in which the woman had disappeared. Taro felt so sick at his stomach. Now he imagined he knew how his wife felt.

He closed the door behind him and leaned on it, wiping the sweat off his face as he took a deep breath and let it out. He glanced around.

"Jes? You back?"

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae's stomach dropped when she heard him call out to her. He was going to know! He would see! Jesimae hated lying to Taro although she wasn't technically lying, she was withholding some very important information from him! She felt better, thanks to that medication, but she was being torn apart on the inside. Jiro needed to be here!

"In here, honey." She said to him trying to sound much better than she actually was. She glanced over at the tiny little hallway where she would see him come through. Was he hungry? Did he want anything to eat? Jesimae just wanted to keep her mind occupied with other things, like food.

[Taro Lawson]

Taro smiled and moved into the kitchen. She looked better now than she had when they had arrived. He walked around the table and put his arms around her, giving her a hug and kissing her cheek.

"How are you feeling? What did the doctor say? Is there anything wrong?" Taro's mind was a rush of emotions and thoughts. He was trying to keep his mind off of what had just happened and on pressing matters like whether his wife was alright. He had been worried about her ever since she had left to see the doctor.

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae was almost ready to cry and tell him everything, but she remembered Jiro's words...Taro was going to be mad. She bit her lower lip and sighed out.

"Just a minor stomach irritation. She gave me some medication. I just ate so...all is well." She tired to be calm and tried to keep her mind on the good of this situation, unfortunately that was still unknown to her! She looked at him and smiled.

"Want anything?" She offered, keeping her mind of how good she felt. It was actually really good to not have to worry about puking what she ate back up, especially on her husband. That thought was now amusing to her. She grinned and looked at him. "You look funny?" She frowned, not really meaning to sound mean...she was just making na observation.

"You feeling okay? Didn't...didn't catch my uh...cold?" She was already lying. She wasn't sick! SHE WAS PREGNANT!!! Her mind wanted so much to scream this at him, but she somehow managed to keep it in her mind where he could not hear.

[Taro Lawson]

Taor shook his head leaning back away from her and smiling. He moved around the island and sat on one of the bar stools, wiping his face with his hands.

"No, I'm fine. Just stressed..." he looked up and smiled. "I am glad that you are feeling better. I was worried about you."

Taro ought to tell Jesimae about the woman--the woman who claimed to be his mother--who lived down the hall from them now. He should tell her that he didn't think she was crazy. That he thought she was truly his mother. But he couldn't bring himself to. Couldn't even bring himself to think that it was true himself. He would need to get into his father's records, and see what his mother looked like now. He barely remembered her, probably because he had tried to block that part of his life out of his mind.

[Jesimae Lawson]

She smiled at him and nodded, she was hungry. She wanted to eat even though she just warfed down a sandwich ten seconds ago. She didn't care, if she was going to eat it was now going to be for two people anyway. She felt her heart skip a beat when thinking that. Taro needed to know! She needed to tell him! Perhaps he wouldn't be mad, perhaps he'd be joyous? Happy? Oh, but she knew Taro! Neither one of them had ever mentioned kids, it was like an unspoken agreement when they had met. No kids. If they have had that conversation perhaps she'd have a better understanding as to what to do, but right now...she didn't even know what they were going to be doing in the next week!

"Did you see anything interesting while you were out wandering about?" Jesimae felt it was at least neccesary to make some small talk. They had to at least get feedback on how each other was managing on this piece of drifting metal. If Taro was unhappy, Jesimae might make a move to just go back to Coruscant for she didn't feel like giving birth to a baby on this stupid place. Suddenly Jesimae felt herself thinking of others instead of herself. How everything changed in a matter of hours.

Jesimae hated it.

[Taro Lawson]

Taro watched her begin to make something to eat. He just watched her for a long moment. Something was different about her. He didn't know what, it wasn't anything physical. But there was something...Taro didn't know how to describe it. All he knew was that there was something different. He guessed it was just the new surroundings. It would take them both time to get used to it, although Taro didn't think he would ever get used to it.


Nothing much," he said with a shrug. "Just scouted out places to get food and things we'll need here. Generally, this place isn't bad." He said with a smile. Of course, he was trying to be as optimistic as was absolutely possible. But it was difficult when he hated everything about this place, and he hated the reason that they had to be here.

[Hitomi Lawson]

__________

Hitomi was ready to claw her own face off. She was still angry about the goings on on Coruscant, how Phoenix had just up and disappeared on them. They had had to hunt down eight people before they peiced together everything that was going on in this one woman's life. Hitomi was ready to throw in the towel and just forget about her, move on to bigger fish. But she knew that Phoenix was the biggest fish there was right this moment, and if she and Dove passed up this oppurtunity, they would be passing up a lot of money.

Hitomi leaned towards the view screen. They had just set off from Coruscant and it would take them around a day and a half to reach that colony that the woman had gone to. Hitomi had been throwing things around and whining outrageously since they had boarded her friend's ship and they had set off. None of this made her a happy camper. Why couldn't things be easy for them anymore? She rememebered when she and her friend first started doing jobs together things just came naturally. Now? They were just...

"Damn it..." she said, flopping back in the co-pilot's seat and watching the stars streak by outside.

[Dove Goldman]

"If you say that one more time...I am going to throw you into my closet." Dove was just as annoyed as she was, but throwing things as well as tantrums was not going to make things any easier.

"Don't get your panties in a wad, Hitomi." He said to her as he relaxed, reclining in the captain's chair, closing his eyes knowing that she was probably going to make hideous faces at him, which only made him more amused at the entire situation. "We'll get her, and her husband, too. I think I deserve that much for the trouble they have caused us." He opened his eyes to find her staring him down. He couldn't only give her a grin.

"Now, now." He winked at her. "You've been in worse situations I am sure. Besides, while you were in your room screaming obscenities, I went and found out some wonderful information on her husband! He's no charmer either, in fact...I think the galaxy would like to be rid of him. Ex druggie. Ex hooker. Ex con. Hitomi....you always did have the best nose for finding the worst of the galaxy." Dove was excited. He was wanting in on the action and by god, not even a little girl like Hitomi was going to stand in his way of getting his kicks, especially after this little stunt they pulled.

"They are going by aliases on the colony, by the way. Apparently they intend on being there a while. Guess they are in for a surprise!"

[Hitomi Lawson]

Oh, Hitomi was ready to kick Dove. She loved him dearly, but every now and again she wanted to throw him in his cloest. She watched him talk and rolled her eyes.

"Oh, have at him, Dove. It isn't like we're getting paid for him," she said, shifting in her seat to cross her arms over her chest and staring back out the view screen. She knew Dove was morbidly fascinated with death and liked to get in on what he could, and she normally didn't begrudge him the oppurtunity if there was someone to spare, they always split the earnings anyway. But this time, they weren't going to get paid for the husband so it was neither here nor there to Hitomi what Dove did with him. Throw him in the closet for all she cared. She snorted. Dove would know all about being in closets. The thought gave her amusement. The only thing that had for hours.

"Well, you're just a smart boy, looking up things like that, I ought to throw you a bone," she said haughtily. Then she glanced over. "What'd the guy do to get ex-con smeared on his record? Kill someone?"

[Dove Goldman]

Dove couldn't help it, he loved it when she got mad! IT was the funniest thing to watch because everything seemed to make her mad, and her little quirky comments were so spiteful that it made all of the trouble worth it.

"Aww, boo hoo. Do we not like having to chase people around the galaxy even though that is what you are being paid for?" He stuck out his lower lip and looked at her with puppy dog eyes. If she didn't smack him he'd be surprised, but it was all for his amusement! He figured she would have guessed it by now.

"The guy was a druggie. He had some connections that mentioned his name and nobody can be friends with a bad guy these days without suddenly being under suspicion. Something about being a pickpocket, too, except nobody was able to prove anything.

"The guy is of ill repute, why not allow me to have my fun? You sure do know how to drag down a party." He chuckled and looked back at the control panel seeing that they had a good 15 hours left before they reached the god forsaken hell hole that he had heard of. The stories of the people who lived there were just sickening, yet somehow it was one of the safest places to be even though more murderers harbored there than anywhere else.

[Hitomi Lawson]

"God, Dove, it's no wonder you don't have a girlfriend. No woman can stand you," she snorted, standing straight. She let out a sigh and looked over at him. "Just kill him, Dove, and don't talk about it."

Hitomi stepped over his legs, whacking him on the shoulder and she leaned over the screen on the console. Carefully, she looked up the HoloNet. She looked up the woman, Phoenix and found the link Dove must have used when finding things about the husband. Yes, it was all there. Druggie, hooker, convict. Oh, also a fun little tid bit about a murder that no one could prove. She glanced back at Dove.

"Ask him who he killed before you kill him."

[Dove Goldman]

Dove frowned, the woman spotted something before he did? What crap! He snorted and pushed her away slightly and looked at the information he had skipped over. So the man wasn't as clean as Dove had thought, that made things even better! He laughed lowly, barely, and got a deep satisfaction out of this. He was wanting to do something! If he wasn't so bored then perhaps he wouldn't want to muder someone so bad! Who knows, he might just change his mind when he got there. He was just in dire need of some sick bloodshed.

"You know you love me and wouldn't want any other woman to touch my sexiness." He looked at her and gave her a wry grin. Damn it, if he didn't know any better he would say there was some truth to that for God knew he didn't want anyone else touching her! That thought made him mad. He was a bit of an obsesser, look at how he was talking about Phoenix's husband. He had known of his existence for a few days and already he was wanting to have his hands around his neck.

"Why does it matter who he killed anyway?" Dove questioned as he looked over at Hitomi with seriousness.

[Hitomi Lawson]

Hitomi gave a shrug, sitting on the console and watching her friend.

"I dunno. Maybe if he was someone important we can see if there is a bounty on the husband too," she said. That would brighten her days if that were true. After all, the more they got out of all of this the better. Phoenix had cramped Hitomi's plans all up and maybe if they got paid for the husband too, that would make up for the pickle the woman had put them in. She sighed. She was too tired to be angry anymore. She had wasted all her energy on throwing everything within reach at Dove and anything else that happened to be in the same room with her.

Hitomi didn't take kinks in plans very well. She liked for things to go smoothly. The smoother something went, the better chance there was that they would get more reputation among people who needed bounty hunters. If they got a job done in the time alotted or sooner, then the price might also go up as well. Sort of like a tip. But if Phoenix kept these stunts up, they'd never get to her.

"And you're right, Dove," she said with a mock flirty smile. "I'd be just be sick with jealousy if you ever got a girlfriend...luckily I never have to worry about that!" she grinned.

[Dove Goldman]

Dove looked at her with a serious glare. He wanted to do something to her right then, whether it be holding her down and tickling her till she wet herself or farting on her face. He just wanted to shut her up when she did that. God for her to be one woman he would kill to have, she was also the woman he would kill to get rid of! He rolled his eyes and pushed her knee always knowing that no matter how rude they got with each other there was no way in hell they'd ever get mad or hate one another. Well, at least Dove's side was like that.

"Let me see if I can't scrape anything up on their past encounters. Perhaps I can look at logs from their ship and their dockings. I got a friend who works at the shipyard at Coruscant who owes me one too many." Dove was quick to get underway on his search of who this Taro character killed. Dove was praying it was someone meaningful, someone with wealth, power, anything and everything that would make his bounty large. It would tickle Dove pink, as well as Hitomi he was sure.

"Why don't you go shower and hit the sack? It'll make these next few hours fly on by. You look like crap." He glanced at her and figured he could at least be nice to her for a few seconds. "I mean you look really tired."

God!, he thought at that exact moment. How I just wanna be the soap you wash yourself with! Dove needed to stop being in denial. He wanted Hitomi. Bad.

[Hitomi Lawson]

Hitomi smiled at him. No, it was impossible for her to be angry with Dove. For even an instant. He always did or said something that just made her melt and realize just how much she cared about him. She nodded in repsonse to him and hopped of the console. She stretched.

"Yeah...I think I'll do that," she said. She rubbed Dove's shoulder reassuringly. "You ought to get some sleep yourself. Be ready when we get there," she said smiling.

Hitomi moved out of the cockpit and down the hall towards the room she had claimed for her own. The door slid shut behind her and she showered, dressed and got in the bed. She was exhausted now that it came to it. She was just so preoccupied with everything that had happened. She was still a little miffed that Phoenix had avoided she and Dove so easily. She was interested to see if her Taro had killed someone who would be worth a bounty on his head. Hitomi's mind was preoccupied with all of that, and Dove too.

It was a little obsessive, but she always thought about him before she went to sleep. She supposed it was because she was alone to laugh about something he had said that she had found annoying at the moment he said it. Or maybe it was because she could truly appreciate his smile when she didn't have it there with her.

Either way, Dove and everything else were not making it easy for her to sleep.

[Dove Goldman]

Dove sighed out, annoyed that he was giving into the sleep that was trying to overtake him suddenly. He set the controls and realized that they would be there around 7 AM. He had his alarm set and he was ready to get the show on the road, but first he had to sleep, sadly. He stood up and dstretched hearing and feeling his back pop and he let out a groan of approval. He sighed out and turned around and headed back to his bedroom, seeing Hitomi's door a few feet away. He smiled to himself, always smiling when he wasn't being seen for he felt that smiles were too personal, too telling.

Dove walked into his bedroom and was quick to disrobe into nothing but a pair of boxer briefs and wash his hands and face. After putting on some nice moisture cream for his face he grabbed his toothbrush and covered it with toothpaste and began to brush hard and quickly, humming some unknown song in his mind as he thought about Hitomi and how much he loved her and how good of friends they were. He would die without her, he was sad to admit this, but it was true. He and Hitomi were best friends and there was nothing that had never been shared between them. Sure they had their moments when they really got mad, but after an hour or so they'd cool off, apologize, and go on as if it had never really happend.

Dove spit out the toothpaste and quickly rinsed his mouth with mouthwash, followed by water, then he went on to flossing, only to rinse out his mouth once more. He sighed out and smiled, viewing his teeth to make sure that he had gotten everything. When he was satisfied he turned the light off and crawled into his bed and let out a groan of happiness. His alarm was set, his mind was on the task for tomorrow, and before he slipped off into dreaming his last thoughts were Hitomi. As always.

[Jiro Lawson]

___________

"Okay, thanks..."

"You need a guide through her, mister?"

"Um, no, I got some friends here. I am gonna call them up. Thanks."

Jiro felt so harried. He wasn't liking this place already, and he had only been here two minutes. Ren had called him on the way there to tell him that he had seen two strangers hanging around thier apartment just after Jiro was scheduled to leave. Ren had agreed to watch the apartment for them and he had driven by later when he had spotted the two people. It worried Jiro. But when Ren said he had also heard about some strangers hanging out around the area where Orange worked, Jiro got even more bothered.

What was going on? Why would anyone wanna hang around his apartment? And what could be so important with he or his brothers that someone wanted to go bother a woman who didn't even associate with the Lawsons anymore? Sure Jiro and Orange practically hated one another, but still, Jiro didn't want harm to come to her. He had never wanted that. He feared, inside, that someone might go after Ren, or worse, Mei-li and Hana.

Jiro shook his mind free of the thoughts and pulled his comlink out, dialing Jesimae's number and looking around at all the people as he listened to it beep. Whatever was going on, Jesimae knew what it was and she needed to fill him in...right after they discussed this whole baby thing.

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae frowned and shifted in her nap. She groaned and looked at he rcom seeing it brightly light up at every ring. Suddenly she sat up quickly and her heart flew out of her chest. She grabbed the com and answered.

"Jiro!?"

[Jiro Lawson]

Jiro jumped at her voice and then laughed a little.

"Yeah, it's me," he said, wandering forward slightly into the crowd. He wondered where she was at, whether she was near him or farther away. He glanced around him. "Um...I'd love to know where the hell I am?" he looked up at a shop nearest him. "Says the Lost City here...you know where I'm at?"

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae smiled and jumped out of the bed, remembering that Taro said he was going to go someplace to talk to some people. She wasn't really in the mood to talk for she had had a small bout of stomach sickness last night and didn't get much sleep. She grabbed her jeans in the far corner and grabbed them and pulled them on in warp speed.

"Yes! I do!" She was so happy he was there! She was so happy that she was practically aboutto run out of the apartment without a shirt. She smiled and grabbed one nearby and pulled it on and sighed out. "You stay put. Don't move! I will be there in a flash!" With that she hung up, looked around and grabbed a key and pushed some strands of hair behind her ears that had fallen out of her ponytail. She ran to the door and jumped into the hall and locked it quickly. She didn't know why she was so eager, but she was. This place, already, was giving her the creeps. People here were shady, scary, and mainly stuck to themselves. It wasn't loud, lively, or anything like the Lawson home so she figured seeing Jiro would give her some comfort.

Like Jesimae had proclaimed she wa on the first level and was in the massive crowd of people. She dodged a few, bumped some, and apologized to most. She saw the bpoy looking around the crowd near a little shop tha sold coffee. It was the best thing she had laid eyes on almost all day, aside from Taro, of course.

"JIRO!" She screamed it so loudly that it echoed throughout the little area, people turned and looked and even laughed. She could have cared less. Withint two seconds of screaming his name she was bawling and literally jumping ontop of him and covering his face with kisses. The immense happiness she felt at seeing him, hugging him, smelling him...it calmed her far more than any drug.

[Jiro Lawson]

Jiro's things dropped to the ground as the woman tackled him. He laughed out loud as he caught her as best he could and wrinkled his nose slightly at her kisses. He hugged her tight kissing her on her cheeks and then setting her back down on the ground to kiss her forehead.

"Nice to see you too, Jessy!" he exclaimed, putting his hands on her shoulders so he could look at her. She certainly didn't look pregnant. No tummy to speak of, she was alive, her face reddened from smiling. She smelled like Taro and this place and she looked as lively and normal as Jiro could have hoped. He had been waiting for a hormonal pregnant woman. Of course, living with Taro all his life was almost identical.

"This place is not fun. Is Taro going crazy yet?" he laughed, leaning down and giving her a kiss. "How are you, Jes? You and I need to have a heart-to-heart."

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae let out a groan and just fell into his chest, putting her forehead right over his heart.

"Oh, Jiro! What have I gotten us into!?" She wasn't talking about the pregnancy, of course, but everything that had cuased all of this to happen. She leaned back and sighed out.

"You, Taro, Haru, everyone involved with this family is going to end up shooting me before all is over with." She ran a hand over her face as she looked him up and down, seeing a bag by his foot. She nodded and looked back up at him and drew in a deep breath.

"Heart-to-heart doesn't even begin to described what I am going to tell you." She grabbed his bag and pulled it over her shoulder and grabbed his hand. This was as lively as she had felt in the past three days. She was wanting it to last for as long as possible. She pulled him into the small cafe that she had figured was calm enough to allow the two to talk, and its atmosphere resonated just that. She drug Jiro, literally, by the hand to a small round table in the far off corner away from everything who mingled, nice music and lighting only adding to the oasis.

She fell into a chair, dropping Jiro's bag in the most caring way possible, and grabbing his hands as he sat down. She looked at him long and hard and figured how she could tell him what was going on and why they were there.

"I'm in trouble, Jiro. Big, big, HUGE, trouble. My past is catching up and I am being hunted by a lot of people. Bountiers mostly. Taro wouldn't let me come here by myself, so...that's why we are here." She looked around seeing nobody was paying any attention which was good. She leaned in and figured it would best to keep the setting very intimate and close.

"We aren't Jesimae and Taro, the only people who know my real name is the doctor I saw yesterday and we have privilege so she can't say anything to anyone. We told everyone this was a vacation. Married stuff." She shook her head and shrugged. "We're in hiding, I'm pregnant, Taro hates it here I know, I am going insane cause I don't have my best friends here, and I'm pregnant! God!"

[Jiro Lawson]

Jiro blinked rapidly as she talked. Bountiers? That was lovely. Probably who was now stalking Jiro's apartment, Orange, and undoubtedly Ren, Mei-li, and Hana in no time. He leaned his elbows on the table. And on top of it, she had a baby growing inside of her. The luck of the Lawsons strikes again.

"So..." Jiro said, thinking hard. "Bounty hunters, false names, drifter colonies...its all par for the course..." he said, then he paused. "But can you...in as few details as is absolutely possible, tell me...what made you get off the pill? Or, what caused Taro a big enough brain anurism to not use something to prevent this from happening. I mean...not that Taro tells me the intimate details, but last time I checked neither of you wanted a kid..." Jiro said. Perhaps he was a moron, but something wasn't adding up here.

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae couldn't help but laugh at Jiro, god she had missed him and she hadn't even been away from him more than 72 hours. She tapped his arm and laughed.

"Jiro!" She said feeling embarassed. "Well, we were both really...you know...stuff?" She didn't know how to really explain the situation. Matter of fact she couldn't explain most of the situations they put themselves in whenever it came to having 'relations', as the doctor had so blandly put it. She bit her lower lip and shrugged. "We were just..ready to go." She laughed and shook her head then made a very low groan.

"See if that happens anytime soon." She said disappointed. Taro would probably never touch her again without using something. "It was just...no...wait...no! Damn it." Jesimae had been racking her brain so bad that it was really hard to even get an exact answer. They had simply skipped the whole contraceptive process maybe once or twice, but those times were long ago before they realized that, hey! they could possibly get pregnant!

"Last time we...did it...Taro was complaining about how he hated wearing...you know...because I was out of my BC. He used it that time. But I remember, the next day, seeing that the condom looked a little...torn? I didn't really think anything of it cause Taro hates them so bad he literally rips them off." She let out a nervous laugh and looked at Jiro.

"Oops."

[Jiro Lawson]

Jiro raised his eyebrows and nodded.

"Yeah...broken condom would do it..." he said. Unlike Jesimae, Jiro was totally comfortable talking about sex and anything relating to it with anyone. He had lost his shame ages ago and it had never returned home as it would have with most people. He scratched his head. He didn't understand his brother's aversion to condoms. He had had it all his life. When he had been a stripper he would complain to Jiro because Jiro was the only one who would understand. Jiro had heard a hundred and seven horror stories about Taro's hate for the protection. Jiro had never understood it.

"Well..." Jiro thought for a moment. "Bounty hunters, code names, colonies, babies. Sounds like a normal day for the Lawson family...how were you planning on breaking the news to him?"

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae groaned and looked at Jiro while biting her lower lip. She stared at him for the longest time, all explanations, ways to gently put it, ways to just put it...alll of them had been discarded because of the fear she had of how Taro was going to take it.

"That's where you come in." She gave him a smile praying to god charm would work. He laughed and suddenly she was ready to just jump off into space. "God, Jiiiiiiirooooooooo...." She whined. This was by far the worst day of her life for she had relived all the drama and horror in less than fifteen minutes.

"What am I going to do? Taro is going to pass out, wake up, pass out again when he asks for clarity...that is all I know for sure is going to happen. The rest, to me, is just everything bad!"

[Jiro Lawson]

Jiro laughed louder than he needed to for he could see his brother doing those exact things in that exact order. He finally stilled and nodded.

"Well..." Jiro said, thinking for a moment. Then he sighed. "Well...there is no way around him being dumbfounded, maybe a little upset...but...I don't think he is so womanly that he will throw a tantrum or anything. Just..." Jiro paused. He shook his head. "Just tell him straight. There is no way to buffer this for him, tell you the honest truth. I think it would be worse if you tried to," Jiro said with a shrug. "And...I would like to be there when you do. Because in all likelihood, he is gonna shoot off in Japanese and it'll be a mess because you won't know what he's saying and he'll be hormonal..." Jiro sighed. Then he laughed. "Maybe I shoud tell him."

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae loved that last thought! So much that she was wanting to reach across the table and hug him.

"I would love that!" But then she realized that she would be telling Taro in a way that meant Jiro knew first and that could not be good. "I can't let you do that, really. He is going to be so furious that you know before he does I am sure." She then realized another major problem.

"Jiro! You're here! Oh god! Taro is going to kill me for putting you in harms way." She suddenly realized that death was looking like a very good outcome. "We could tell him together. I can tell him I called you because I wanted family here to tell..well..no...Haruko isn't here." Suddenly her heart broek.

"Haven't heard from have you?" Last time she knew Haru had disappeared and nobody knew where he was. If she was going to share this news with Jiro and Taro, Haruko definitely needed to be on this colony as well. Jesimae was beginning to fear the worst, that Haruko had gone and killed himself.

[Jiro Lawson]

Jiro sighed, the worry for his brother swelling again as it had randomly for weeks since he had disappeared.

"No. Neither has Asher or Orange, as far as that goes," he said, cradling his chin in his hand. He shook his head. "I'm so scared for him. I don't know what he will do. Ren tried to see if he could activate the tracker that is on his ship, but it looks like Haru deactivated it. I don't know what all that could mean, but it certainly can't be good. I tried to see if I could use the Angry Lady to locate the similiar mainframes. But, that didn't work either." Jiro sighed and shook his head.

"I don't know about all this..." he paused. "Well...I will go with you to tell Taro, certainly, if it will help you."

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae sighed, she hated thinking the worst of things, but that seemed to be her mindset recently. She looked at Jiro and smiled, she just stared at him for a moment taking in all the adorable features she could never get enough of. She reached over and gave his cheek a little pinch.

"I love you! Thank you so much for coming!" She sighed out and figured now is a better time than never, right? She stood up and sighed, feeling her stomach cramp. To think of what was actually growing inside of her body right now made her sicker than any morning sickness. She glanced at Jiro and shook her head, conveying her feelings on the subject of babies. She didn't like this one bit, but she was sillently happy.

"Taro is off wandering about. Come back to the apartment and I can make you something to eat." She smiled at him and put her hand around his waist immediately as he stood up. She loved her Lawson family, so much it hurt her inside. To lose any of them would be the wost thing ever in her life.

[Taro Lawson]

___________

Taro had gotten the balls to go see the woman who claimed to be his mother. And he knew now that she was. It scared him, made him angry--they had had words--and it made him ill. He had thrown up after leaving her apartment and he was thinking that maybe he had caught whatever Jesimae had had. He had never had the urge to puke so many times in such close succession.

He was wandering around the market now, hoping the exercise would clear his head and his stomach. It had helped his stomach immensely, he was starving to death now, but the thought of eating was not something he enjoyed. But his mind was still clouded.

Even when he returned to the apartment building, slid his card and entered the apartment, his hands full of bags with things they might need, his mind was still going over everything he and his...mother had discussed. Everything they had said to one another. Taro didn't know what to think of it all.

"Jes?" he called. "You in here?"

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae laughed lightly at Jiro, the two having been located in the kitchen eating some sandwiches Jesimae had made. She jumped when she heard the front door close then Taro's voice. She suddenly felt that she and Jiro had just ben caught redhanded doing something that was highly frowned upon. She stopped laughing and looked at Jiro and wondered what to do, what to tell Taro, what was he going to do, say? Jesimae glanced at the kitchen door and stood up and walked out into the living room to find Taro putting his key down on the table and holding a few bags. She smiled at him and walked over to give him a little kiss and take a bag.

"What'd ya get?" She said with curiosity as she peeked into the bag she grabbed. She looked up at Taro and felt that she had no excuses for why Jiro was there, but she was goign to have to think of something.

"Well, while you were out shopping, I happened to run across something I know you'd like." She smiled praying to God he wasn't going to freak. She grabbed his arm lightly and pulled him in the general direction of the kitchen. "I know you aren't really liking it here so far, so I figured this would cheer you up." She pushed the door open and saw Jiro standing at the island mouth full of food.

"Surprise!"

[Taro Lawson]

Taro furrowed his brow as Jesimae pulled him into the kitchen and he looked up to see Jiro taking a drink of something. The younger Lawson waved as he swallowed and gave a shrug like he didn't know what was going on. Taro stood for a moment considering his options. He could get angry, which he didn't really have the gumption to do, he could tell Jes she shouldn't have, but let it slide anyway. He could just get happy. God knew he needed it.

"Ji-chan?" he asked as if he didn't recognize his own brother. The boy smiled at him and nodded.

"Duh. Who do I look like?"

"Well..." Taro looked at Jesimae and raised an eyebrow. "You probably oughtn't to have brought him out here..." Taro said, but he couldn't bring himself to be angry with either of them. Jesimae was smiling and Jiro was smiling and why shouldn't Taro smile too? After all, he hadn't done so in what felt like ages. He sighed, smiling wide and dropping the bag.

"Fork over food, I'm starving," he said, walking into the kitchen and smiling over his shoulder at Jes. "You two are so damn sneaky, I swear to God."

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae let out a sigh of relief when he didn't get mad, or pissy, or bitchy, or anything that would make her feel worse than she already did. When he smiled and acted as if this were no big thing she wanted to just burst into tears of happiness because the stress she felt was mounding on her so quickly that she felt she would collapse at any moment because of the pressure. She looked at the two brothers and felt satisfaction at how well this turned out and that he wasn't suspicious of her already.

"You should have seen what we were doing ten minutes ago!" Jesimae joked picking up the bags that Taro happened to drop. She walked them over to the countertop and began to unoad the items he had purchased, glad to see he had gotten food. SOmething she wasn't really liking about this whole pregnancy thing...her appetite was ridiculous!

[Taro Lawson]

Taro watched Jesimae unpack his items, and he looked at his brother eating as much food as was possible, and Taro suddenly felt very much at home. Of course, this apartment was not home, and this colony was not home, and that woman down the hall...none of this was home. Yet, seeing his brother, the one person who had been there when no one else had been, and seeing his wife, the woman who married him despite his so many flaws, and loved him in spite of them...they made him feel at home.

Taro knew this probably meant Jesimae had filled Jiro in on everything that was going on and the deep mud they were in. But Jiro was a big boy, eighteen already, and nearly married himself, Taro was certain he had probably taken the news fairly well. But it didn't make things any less dangerous. It did mean that Jiro would probably be more in the line of danger than before. Yet, Taro was happy he was here. First of all, Taro loved him and was never quite complete without him. And second of all, he was Jesimae's best friend, and having Jiro there always seemed to make her happier.

And whatever made Jesimae happy, made Taro happy, too.

"So, you told Jiro about everything, yeah?" Taro asked, pouring himself a glass of water and taking a drink.

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae looked over at him and sighed out, if he only knew what she told Jiro! Things that Taro should have been the first to know! She felt so bad, but she knew it was for the best! She'd tell him....sometime soon she was sure. She just had to get over the initial shock herself.

"Yeah, I told Jiro about everything. I know this could put him in harms way, but I don't think anyone will bother him considering they don't really have any beef with him." Jesimae was suddenly realizing that the only person really in trouble here was her and that Taro needed to just go home because she knew he wasn't happy here. Who could be? Really? Jesimae's opinion on it changed every few minutes, she loved it here because of the memories, she hated it here because she know realized that this was no place to live...or raise a family.

Jesimae was dying to tell him now, she really did. The more she thought about it the more excited she got and the more she accepted the fact that there wasn't anything they could do except...not screw this up.

[Taro Lawson]

Taro nodded, digging in the bag after some bagged snacks he had purchased. He popped them open and began to eat them, considering her words. He nodded again.

"True..." he said, chewing quietly. "But bounty hunters are willing to do anything to get to thier bounty. Including hunting family and friends and killing them," Taro said, he glanced at Jiro and then looked around. "You bring anything with you?"

"Yeah, some clothes in a duffel, it's in your all's room," he said with a nod. Taro nodded back to him then looked at Jesimae.

"Well, you've been here before...what's there to do around here?"

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae shrugged and frowned.

"Well I haven't been here in a while. They still have shops, movies, casinos...nothing much to really do in such a limited space with a lot of people." She grabbed a cracker she had been eating earlier and chewed on it, leaning on the island right across from Jiro and Taro, her two favorite people at this exact moment.

"The thing I loved most was the viewing room. Its on the south side of the ship, its just this huge room with all glass. They have benches you can sit on and just stare at the galaxy. Its not really crowded because its such a long walk and people have grown old of it." Jesimae sighed out and shook her head.

"Not that exciting. Its just make shift."

[Hitomi Lawson]

_________

Hitomi could see the colony out her window. Although it would still be a couple three hours before they got there. She had slept most of the journey and was glad when she found that Dove had too. That was, when she got up and he was still asleep.

But she was restless now, ready to get this show on the road, ready to see her bounty face-to-face. She was ready to pull out the big guns and take the woman down. She had avoided Hitomi and Dove this long, but they had hunted her to this point. This colony was not huge, it shouldn't take them long to find them. Then again, if they were going under psuedonyms, it might be a little harder to find them. But Hitomi was a good tracker, Dove was even better than her, and together they were unstoppable.

Hitomi pulled on her favorite blue tank top and jeans and her boots and clunked to the cockpit so she could look out and watch the colony get closer and closer. The sooner they got there, the sooner they could leave and get paid.

[Dove Goldman]

Dove was so anxious to get out of the bed and shower so he could get dressed and find that little bitch who kept ditching them. They had been on her tail for so long and to have her up and run off in an instant, made him made. He was more angry about it this morning when he woke up because he now realized that this was it, it was time to get the show on the road and have everything happen. He wasn't willing to wait any longer, he was tired of chasing her, tired of hearing about her, and just tired of everything. Hitomi was agitated, which in turn made him agitated. If Hitomi wasn't happy, then Dove might as well jump off a bridge because he wanted the beest for Hitomi.

Dove sighed out as he put on some clean clothes, putting on some cologne while brushing his teeth with one hand. He was ready to get this done with. He didn't know how many times he had said this to himself. He was just repeating the same thing and it made him more ready to get on that colony, guns blazing. He had a plan, he had checked out the logs of people who had checked themselves in on the colony in the past three days. Luckily, only three people had, and two were by themselves.

They were going under the name Niikura and he had their apartment number and their dock number. He ws so glad his ship was capable of doing things to make his life a lot easier, his and Hitomi's. He pushed the door open and walked out, his boots clunking heavily on the metal grates in the hall. He made his way to the cockpit to find Hitomi was already up and ready, which made him very happy.

"Good morning. You ready to get this baby underway?"

[Hitomi Lawson]

Hitomi looked over her shoulder as Dove clunked in, looking especially chipper, and, might she so humbly add, especially handsome. She grinned at him and turned nodded emphatically, pushing her hands into the pockets of her jeans.

"God, am I ever," she said, shaking her head. She had lain all her equipment out when she had gotten up. Her blasters, trackers, gadgets of all sorts were tucked safely in her black duffel bag, looking more like a bag of clothing than of deadly weapons. Which was exactly what she wanted. She had done some research on the colony, and they did uninvasive searches. Which meant, they looked at you, and if you had no visible weapons, they let you by. It was probably because so many assassins, bounty hunters along with families and children were here. They had a 'don't ask, don't tell' policy of sorts. As long as no one asked Hitomi or Dove what they did for a living, Hitomi and Dove wouldn't have to kill them

"You find anything out about Phoenix and the hubby? You were up till all hours."

[Dove Goldman]

Dove let out a groan of satisfaction as he flopped into his captain's chair seeing that it wouldn't bee too much longer. He was excited and ready to go and the news of where their couple was staying only made things a lot better for the both of them.

"You know I did!" He said with a grin. "They are living in apartment 136. Their ship is docked in the luxury section, and the lovely lady went to the doctor upon their arrival." He sighed out, reaching into a small compartment near the CP which held Dove's records and documents on certain people, maintenance, receipts, anything of value that he could need at a later date. He grabbed the small amount of papers he had printed off and scanned through them, double checking his information.

"Oh, the guy...husband...get this, it is so dysfunctional that I cannot even comprehend it! The husband murdered a leader in a crime organazation back on Naboo. The man's name was Jabari Phoenix." He glacned over at Hitomi and gave her a very happy grin. "Yes, in case you were wondering, that is Jesimae's only brother." He snorted and shook his head.

"There is an independent group out there looking for him and his, uh, Widow. Her name is Mei-li. She has a daughter, they want all three of these peopel dead. They say it was a conspiracy." He sighed out and held them out for Hitomi to take. "This family is weird. Anyone that has ever touched the Lawson's...something bad comes to them."

[Hitomi Lawson]

Hitomi's eyebrows popped at that information. She reached out and took the file. Leaning against the console, she rested the edge of the papers against her hips and scanned through it. Sure enough, one Jabari Phoenix had been murdered by a Taro Lawson on Naboo not long ago. The organization was looking for revenge. They seemed to be having problems locating the widow, but Hitomi knew that once they took Jesimae out, then they could easily lay claim to Taro and hook up with the organization to see what they would pay for his demise as well.

She searched through the records...others that might be useful were listed in Dove's handwriting at the end of one page. Haruko Lawson, Jin Ji Lawson, Zhou Yu Luo, Ren Wilcox, Mei-li Yeh and Hana Phoenix, Saburo Imai, by association with Wilcox. It seemed to Hitomi that everyone alive was somehow was connected with the Lawson family. The father was dead, the mother was reportedly dead, but no one seemed to be able to confirm that. Jesimae had no family to speak of, besides her husband and his family.

The more she looked the more dysfunctional it. She couldn't believe some of this stuff. Both Taro and his younger brother had been hookers, the eldest was an assassin with a split personality, wanted on Naboo for killing several board members and trashing a palace facility. Dove wasn't kidding. Trouble seemed to follow the Lawsons like a lost puppy.

"Damn..." she said, putting the papers back together and handing them back over to Dove. "I wouldn't touch that family with a pole from here to Tattooine. We ought to look into that warrent on Naboo for the crazy one. If we branch off this family, likely we'll be able to retire in a year."

[Dove Goldman]

Dove laughed and took the papers and sat them down, letting out a sigh of relief and a sigh of satisfaction. This was the best morning he had ever had, this entire family was going to give them the biggest payroll.

"I know, right? Last night I talked to my friend at the ship port on Coruscant. He says that he knows exactly the people to talk to. Ren Wilcox works in and out of there and some foxy lady named Orange Diren. Apparently Diren dated two Lawson brothers. Also she was a prostitute." he shook his head.

"I am looking forward to meeting this family because I will never meet another one like it." He sighed out and looked over at Hitomi. "Too bad the whole family isn't there at the colony, we could retire tomorrow!"

[Hitomi Lawson]

Hitomi laughed.

"Well, our luck, they will all be here!" she paused and sat down in the co-pilot's chair. "What about the brother? Haruko was it? Said he's got some split personality thing going on. Said he's wanted on Naboo for screwing over a palace facility. And killing some board members. Sounds like he's got something we don't. I swear, the security at the palace in ridiculous. He must have fought his way in, only way I can see it happening," Hitomi said, looking back out of the view screen at the stars and the colony so close she could almost taste it. She looked back over at Dove.

"We ought to look in and see how big his reward is," she said. "Oh, and have your boy talk to Ren and Orange if he can manage, see what he can pick up."

[Dove Goldman]

"Babe, I'm already on top of that." Dove fgrinned and quickly picked up the phone and dialed the number. He was going to have the guy get as much information on those two people asap, then fax everything to him. The guy was quick about it, saying it would take all but ten minutes. Dove was off the phone in a flash and by the time he got back to the cockpit, Hitomi was already taking charge on her own finding out about Haruko.

"Haruko....I don't know if I'd actually wanna mess with a man who has a bad personality problem. Most people like that could care if they lived or died." Dove sat down and opened up his own computer system and figured while she searched for a reward he could do a background check.

Advancements on his ship and millions of connections got him many good things, and having some system that only the governmnet had made things a lot better. A few names popped up that had been named off previously, but one struck him as odd.

"Asher Perez. She was his doctor for a while it seems. Her records are public which makes me know what we are dealing with. Disassociative Personality Disorder. Goes by the name Mr. Lawson whenever he turns." Dove frowned. "Turns?" He looked a little further into the matter and whispered to himself. After a moment he glanced over at Hitomi.

"This SOB, when he goes nuts, one eyeball turns blue. He had some surgery forever ago to fix blindness. That man, Jin, that's his son." He snorted and shook his head, hearing the fax coming through and his panel beep showing them they were about ten minutes away from the colony. He was getting very excited by the information, the noise, the anticipation...he was loving every minute.

"Hitomi, girl, you've hit a gold mine!"

[Hitomi Lawson]

Hitomi cringed at the information and thought about it for a long time before she glanced over as the information began to come through. They were ten minutes from the colony and Hitomi could barely contain herself. She bounced in place and looked back out the window at the colony.

"God, this thing isn't moving fast enough!" she said, turning back to Dove to see what kind of information he had gotten. "Hey, you ought to look up Haruko's medical records. If he got a bionic eyeball then he would have had to have it upgraded every year or so to keep up with technology," she said, then she smiled. "And of course, with ever upgrade, they take stock of what has gone wrong, or anything else. Which might give us an idea of what we are dealing with in that department."

She looked back out at the colony, her mind racing now with possibilities. She couldn't believe they were finally gonna take this woman out. She had been avoiding them for far too long. Hitomi grinned and then looked back at Dove, ecstatic about the information he had found just like that.

"Have I told that I love you?" she laughed. "Because I do!"

[Dove Goldman]

"Everyday!" He said giving her a low laugh. He pushed a few buttons on the CP and heard his boosters charging. They'd be there very soon now that they were going and he too was ancy to get there. He looked over at Hitomi and nodded at her request. He typed fast on his computer trying to think of a way to get everyone in one spot for he wasn't wanting to have to do this galaxy wide search again. But he figured it would be worth it.

Dove saw the place getting closer and closer and the computer popped up with all the information on check ups. He didn't do it often, but there was a bit of info that made him jump for joy.

"Looky here! He was last seen on a low key planet with a young lady friend. He no longer has a personality disorder. He is cured due to a virus in his bionic brain system, hmm..lovely!" He looked over at Hitomi and shook his head.

"Guess what, his lady friend owns an illegal chop shop. What is it with the Lawson family that happen to date criminals?" He snorted again and looked back at the screen. "They are three hours from here. There is a tracker system on the ship from another ship called 'The Enigma' which is registered to a woman named Akasha, the owner of the chop shop." He looked at Hitomi and grinned.

"I can try to see if I can't pull him in to the colony! He is worth a lot of cash I am sure, so is the woman friend." Dove was loving this! Pretty soon the entire colony was going to be a bath house for death and destruction all because of this family!

[Hitomi Lawson]

Hitomi's jaw dropped. Really, what was it with the Lawsons? They were a family of criminals who dated other criminals and just got themselves into deeper mud. She shook her head.

"Lord in heaven," she said, the name ringing a bell. "I got Akasha's name on a sheet some five months back. Someone wanted her dead. I've been trying to keep tabs on her for them, but she is a slick lady. Small universe if she has hooked up with Mr. Haruko," she said, watching as Dove began to manuever them into the colony. She flopped back down in her chair and continued to think. This just kept getting more and more complicated the longer they looked at it.

Hitomi's mind was reeling with thoughts of the money and issues that would be involved in taking this family down. Yet, she knew it would all be worth it. That was if they could just get everyone in one place and simply take them all out as one entity. Hitomi could see it in the reports. Something like 'The Lawson Massacre'. It made her cringe slightly. She was sure there were people who cared about these people, who wouldn't want them dead.

Hitomi tried to ignore her conscious. At this point there couldn't be room for one.

[Dove Goldman]

Dove moved the large ship into the colony's port and was quick to shut the girl off and put up the security system and shields on the windows. He had grabbed all the printed sheets of people and paperclipped them together and grabbed a bag nearby and stuffed them into it. He figured they could find some place to sit and scout everything out before heading down to the apartment to take on the girl. Dove figured, in order to keep the peace, he'd let her go take care of Phoenix alone and if she needed him to call.

They were off the ship within ten minutes and already heading down the busy area on the first level, which by the map told him that was where all the shops were and the normal life people tried to have here. He was still contemplating on how to get everyone on this stupid little colony. He knew that if a few murders went down that nobody would dare stay to ask because this place was just for that. He figured mass hysteria would break out and everyone would flee, which was fine by him! He smiled at the thought, but not too long for it hurt his face.

"Wonder if they even know what is coming?" He asked Hitomi in a low voice.

[Hitomi Lawson]

Hitomi glanced over at him as she adjusted the duffel bag on her shoulder. She gave him a noncommital shrug. They were moving at a brisk pace towards a place where they would be able to sit and talk things over, get to know the place. Dove's memory was like a steel trap. Once he walked a street, he knew it by heart. Hitomi always needed his guidance in jobs. Whether it was being right next to her to do a job with her, or on the other side of a com, helping her with the best way to approach an area, he was the only person who could help her.

"I am sure if Jesimae dragged her husband here that they know the cat's outta the bag. Now, whether or noth they know they are going to go up against us is an entirely different playing field. I bet they don't think anyone is privvy to the information we have," Hitomi said, giving Dove and appreciative smile. It was all because of him and his wonderful ship and skills that they were where they were at. Hitomi didn't what she would have done without him there to console her after things had gone wrong. She probably would have imploded.

"So," she said, leaning over his shoulder a little to see the map. "Anywhere we can pop a squat and see what's gonna happen in the next twenty-four hours?"

[Dove Goldman]

Dove looked around and raised an eyebrow and saw a small little coffee shop that had little tables outside as if this were really a place for that kinda thing. He pointed and figured that was as good a place as any. He took a seat and sighed out, glancing at the map and seeing which way was best to get to the apartment.

"Let's see..." He said glancing at the map then around, making a mental map of everything so he could give accurate directions. He quickly explained that she could head to the right of this shop and down to the lifts and once she got off all she had to do was turn right and walk past two doors and she'd be there. It was very simple and fool proof.

"Thing we gotta do is figure out how to get you into that apartment and get her husband out." He was quick to revert to the documents he had printed. One had a photograph of the happy couple on their wedding day, retrieved from Diren's computer. It was nice photo, almost everyone in place. He didn't know everyone's names but he figured it had all the brothers in it, the two faces he had looked at for quite some time staring at him right in the middle.

Dove looked around at the faces and let out a sigh through his nose. Where were they now? What were they doing? How could he get them out of that apartment? He didn't want to stay there for more than a day, unless of course others started piling in. He frowned and flipped some pages and saw the documents that told him who had checked in the place. He saw another man had checked in earlier that morning and was intending on staying for a few days. He looked at the name and smiled. Apparently he wasn't too smart on giving aliases.

"Well, we got two brother's here." He said looking up at Hitomi. "But I have no beef with him." Suddenly, as if God Himself smiled down upon them, two men laughing loudly walked by the table. He glanced over at their general direction and saw that they were Asian and were speaking in fluent Japanese. He frowned and quickly reverted back to the family photo.

"Hey," He said lowly moving into the table and scooting the photo at Hitomi. "Is that those two in this photo?" He nodded at the two boys who were walking off. "Is that the Lawson brothers?"

[Hitomi Lawson]

Hitomi's eyes had caught the Japanese men at nearly the exact same moment as Dove's had. And immediately her brain went to Japanese so she could tune into what they were saying.

"Jesimae wasn't feeling well when we got here, she was throwing up,." It was the older of the two. The younger looked puzzled.

"That's odd..." and thier conversation faded as they moved on into the crowd. Hitomi stared after them, slack-jawed, Dove's words hitting her like a ton of bricks. She looked over at him and nodded.

"He said 'Jesimae'. The older one I mean," she said, suddenlt excited, the adrenaline in her body rising higher by the moment. She grabbed Dove's arm. "That must be Taro, the hubby. And that's..." she looked at the picture and pointed out the smaller one Dove had already identified. "Jiro, was it? That was him. That was them." She smiled. "Fancy running into them."

[Dove Goldman]

Dove was getting excited, they had spotted the men and they were so close he could taste it! He wanted to just smack Hitomi and tell her to go blow away the girl, but he wasn't sure how she wanted to go about this whole death and desturction bit, however he didn't want to wait too long!

"What do you wanna do, girl? We got a young woman alone in the apartment! Perfect chance. I can stalk those two and call you is they are coming back...I am at your command!" He wanted her to say she was going to go, get her now, but then again he wasn't exactly sure if the wifey-poo was wondering around in the shopping area. Dove figured that a husband wouldn't talk about his wife at such a clsoe distance. This might be their only chance...

"Well?"

[Hitomi Lawson]

Hitomi thought about it for a split second, then grabbed her duffel and dug out the comlinks. She pressed one into Dove's palm and then pointed at the retreating brothers.

"You watch them. I'll go to the apartment. If she isn't there, I'll take the time to stake out the apartment, figure things out, get settled. And if she is," Hitomi smiled, making a shooting motion with her hand. She snatched the map up and gave Dove an affectionate pinch on one cheek. "We'll be outta here in not time, babe! See you in a few!"

And she began down the street towards the housing district. The apartment was not far, twenty minutes walk, if not a little less. Hitomi kept glancing at the map, and she let herself slip and glance over her shoulder twice to see if she was out of Dove's sight. She was. Hitomi rounded a corner working her way through the slowly thinning crowds as she approaced the residential area, where few people would be. She knew Dove would call her if the boys looked like they were coming back. Dove tracked as well if not better than Hitomi herself, and he tailed people like no one Hitomi had seen. He could disappear into a crowd as easily as if he were not memorable.

Hitomi could see the lines of apartment buildings in the makeshift cul-de-sac, turning into a rounded courtyard in the center, a fountain marking the middle of the curve. It was a higher class area, but certainly not first class. Hitomi guessed the working class lived here. She stuck to the side of the road, moving into the curve of the cul-de-sac and towards building one where the happy couple was staying.

[Dove Goldman]

Dove was quick to follow orders. His stomach turned with excitement, adrenaline, fear, everything he usually felt before going in for a kill. He wasn't sure about whether or not the woman was there, but Hitomi was a good liar. IF anyone stopped to ask her what she was doing slinking around an apartment she'd be able to get herself outta a tight spot, that is one thing he loved about her, seh never sweated when the pressure came barreling down.

Dove skulked into the crowd, following the two men up head, watching the two hold hands, laugh, point at stuff, things that brothers did. It was kind of heart warming to see, but it was also sickening to Dove. He wanted nothing to get in Hitomi's way and at this present time those two were the biggest threats of this operation. He was surprised he wasn't worrying about money, credits, anything of the like, he was worried about his girl heading to kill Jesimae. It made him smile to think of her and know that she was going to be the winner of this situation, she always was.

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae sighed out as she decided now would be a better time than ever to start some dinner. Taro and Jiro had quickly made plans to go somewhere together, which was kinda nice for Jesimae because she wanted five minutes alone to freak out by herself over this entire situation. She knew that Jiro would scope out his feelings on everything asnd then reverty back to her as to what would be the best plan on dropping the bomb. The baby bomn that was.

Jesimae held a cutting knife in her right hand while chopping up pieces of chicken for a nice little Japanese dish she had learned from Orange. Rice was already going and the stove was heating up for her to put the chicken in after soaking it in some soy sauce. The apartment was already beginning to smell like home with the fresh cuisine and the smell of Jiro and Taro mingling together. It suddenly made her smile.

It was almost like old times, when the three of them had been thrown into a whir of things in one apartment, and how Jesimae had never tasted any Japanese food before in her life. It made her smile even bigger when she realized she had fallen in love with Taro the moment she watched him smoke a cigarette without a shirt and talk in Japanese to his brother. All of which had been made possible by peeking through an slit in Taro's bedroom door. Jesimae gave out a small laugh, surprised that she was actually this happy at that given moment in time given all the options that was before them.

Jesimae sighed out and moved a few items on the small counter space where she had her pan alraedy made out to put the chicken pieces in. It was nice to cook for two boys that she loved with alll her heart, it kinda made being a mom look appeasing.

[Hitomi Lawson]

Hitomi stopped at the door. 136. She slid her duffel off her shoulder and dug inside, grabbing out her sleek leather gloves and leather trench coat. It would keep the blood off of her clothes. She twisted her hair up into chopsticks.

Hitomi reached back into her bag and pulled out a small item with a red light on it. It could unlock any door, much like a universal skeleton key. Of course, high security areas were created to resist these, but a door like this was easy. Hitomi gently tried to doorknob first. As she had expected, it was locked. She slowly scanned the door. Nothing tricky, just a regular door.

Then, Hitomi pressed the Skeleton Key to the doorknob and pressed her thumb against a small button. The lock opened soundlessly. Ah, stealth, how Hitomi loved it. The girl dropped the key back into her bag and then pulled out her silenced sniper repeating blaster. Hitomi's heart began to speed as she quietly pushed the door open, holding the sleek gun up and checking the living room. Nothing. She heard something the kitchen. Humming?

Hitomi quietly shut the door behind her and moved towards the kitchen, the gun pointed at the ceiling as she moved. She glanced around her, making sure there was no one else in the apartment. There didn't seem to be. Slowly, Hitomi leaned around the corner into the kitchen and saw a woman, small and pretty, cooking at the stove. Hitom smiled, knowing that face by heart.

Hitomi moved to stand in the doorway and raised her weapon, kicking the charge and the sound hissed in the near silence.

"Hands up, Mrs Lawson. You've been caught."

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae clenched her jaw and looked up at the wall in front of her. Her eyes watered when she heard that familiar sound of the blaster charging. It was high tech, new, repeating. It was a sound Jesimae had heard far too many times in her life and it was also a sound she never wanted to hear again anytime soon. For a long moment she stood there, glancing at the wall and the chicken, the knife, knowing everything and what was going on. It was something she hadn't done in so long, only because she had never been held at gun point in many years.

"Bout time." She said lowly, in a sigh that was more or less frustrated, as if she had been wanting this moment to have hurried. Jesimae clenched her jaw and turned around to see a thing asian girl standing in the doorway holding the blaster that was a bit too big for her. Jesimae couldn't help but be dumbfounded by her beauty, but also by a look that only brought her memories of another familiar face. Jiro. How uncanny it was.

"You look familiar." She stated with a frown. "Have we met before?" Jesimae knew that this really wasn't the best time to go through past faces and past meetings, but she was at least wanting to see if they knew one another before she ended up killing the gril. "You have an uncanny resemblence to my brother-in-law, Jiro." Jesimae grinned and shrugged a shoulder.

"Doesn't really matter now, does it?" With that being said Jesimae knew it was now an all out war. Jesimae grabbed the large cutting knife behind her back and quickly threw it at the young woman, watching it slide by her right arm and quickly rip open the shirt she wore, blood soaking into the material very quickly. Jesimae was fresh out of options on how to defend herself, so this was definitely going to be an unfair fight, but Jesimae was more than ready.

[Hitomi Lawson]

Hitomi sucked in a breath and then shot, a little off target, but catching the woman in the leg, grazing it enough that Hitomi saw blood. Hitomi hooked the toe of her boot under the knife and kicked it. It skittered away from her and into the living room, catching in the carpet and coming to rest under the couch somewhere.

"Jiro Lawson?" Hitomi laughed, aiming the gun at the woman's head, standing her ground even though her shoulder hurt. "You mean the hooker? The pick pocket? And what about that husband of yours? A looker, he is, got my boy tailing them now. Something goes wrong here and, well...you can finish that sentence..." she paused. "He's a murderer too, Mrs. Lawson. And seems that he might have quite a bounty on his head as well. Not to mention that other brother of theirs, Haruko? The crazyass one. He's got a nice little price on his head too. You Lawsons are going to make me a very rich woman," Hitomi informed her, moving a little closer, her gun charging again as she aimed between the eyes.

"Any last words, Jesimae?"

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae hissed in pain when she felt the gun shot grazed her. It was a deep flesh wound, but she'd manage! She wasn't willing to give into pain at this exact moment for it was far too early in the match. This woman had a deep motivation to kill her off and apparently she had done her homework. But if there was one thing that Jesimae Lawson would not stand for was to hear how a man was going to kill her husband, THAT, was definitely not going to happen as long as she was still living and breathing.

Jesimae felt such an anger swell up so deep inside of her it kept getting worse when the woman kept moving her mouth and talking about Jiro, then Haru...oh...she crossed the line when calling Haruko a crazyass. No matter how much truth there was to that sentence, this woman had no right to even dare let those words escape her precious mouth.

"Not at all." Jesimae stated her eyes assessing the situation and finding the nearest thing to inflict pain, a meat tenderizor. "Perhaps you'd like to say a few last things?" Jesimae didn't really wanna give her the time. It was now or never. Jesimae jumped over the little island that she had dodged behind to not get hit by the blaster, even though she still did. She kicked the blaster out of the girls hand only to hear it hit the floor a few thuds aways, she grabbed the handle of the tenderizor and was quick to hit the girl upside the face, a nice indention of claw marks suddenly bleeding. But, to Jesimae's surprise, the woman didn't care and simply responded back with a nice jump kick to the arm and then followed by a nice clawing to the face as she grabbed her hair to pull her onto the floor.

This was not a good start.

[Hitomi Lawson]

Hitomi's gun was too far away now for her to get to it. She ripped the tenderizer from the woman's hand and flung it across the kitchen, grabbing the woman by her shirt and ramming her knee into her shoulder and neck, kicking her as hard as she could manage in her stomach and abdomen. She watched Jesimae hit the floor with the force and reached up, touching the deep cuts on her face.

Knocking back a little of her hair, she weighed her options and noted that the blaster she could no longer see--Jesimae had kicked it quite a ways--and the handle of the knife was visible not that far away. Hitomi called on her gymnastic skills and flipped backwards, grabbing the knife and advancing on Jesimae again. She slashed the woman across the face three times, matching the cuts Hitomi had from the tenderizer.

Jesimae was good, and she ought to be. Two hundred bounties was likely to do that to a person. But Hitomi wasn't bad either, and she was determined to win this fight.

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae was definitely not liking how this was going. She was critisiizng herself even in the midst of trying to win a fighrt for her life. She let out a few little womanly gasps of pain, but was quick to respond by punching, kicking, tugging at her hair, ramming into a wall. This was bloddy and it was getting worse by the moment. Hitmoi was good with her hands, hand to hand being something she fancied, it made Jesimae respect her a little for she too was that way for it wasn't always a given that weapons would be avaliable, which, at this moment, it wasn't.

Jesimae was taking a beating, Hitomi was as well, but it wasn't as good as normal. Jeismae had lost a lot of what she learned and being rusty was not a very good thing. Jesimae ducked a few kicks and punches, but was quick to get a surprise kick to the stomach. Jesimae went fllying into a glass bookcase as they had made their way into the living room by now. She heard, even felt, the bookcase break at the weight and force of the crash. She slid down into the pile of glass and figured it wouldn't hurt her anymore to grab a pile. She picked up the sharp shards and tossed them at Hitomi's face. The girl ducked, like one should, and Jesimae charged at her, tackling her midsection and tackling her onto the coffee table that broke into millions of pieces under their weight. The two rolled around on the floor, punching kicking, using as much as they knew.

Blood was everywhere, grunts echoed throught the room, nobody was really taking a moment ot breathe or feel the pain of the situation. It was just a massacre beating. Jesimae was flown onto the couch by Hitomi and felt it flip over. Jesimae coughed at the blunt force of a piece of the couch breaking into her back. She saw the knife nearby and she jumped at it, only to end up butting heads with Hitomi. They both groaned and were a bit dazed. Jesimae looked at her blooodied face and realized that they were both staring at each other. It didn't last long, but it was long enough to make Jesimae realize that this was something she never could have imagined wanting to do for a living.

They both reached for the knife, but it was only being slid furhter from them. Suddenly, they were no longer fighting each other, they were fighting for the knife, fighting to the death.

[Hitomi Lawson]

Hitomi wrestled a leg free and gave Jesimae a sharp kick to her jaw, grabbing the knife and rolling over with a scream of frustration. The kinfe sang in the air and plunged...it buried itself in soft flesh between two of Jesimae's ribs.

Hitomi stared down at where she had stabbed the woman. Blood spilled from the wound in time with her heart beat, hot, scalding blood dripped over Hitomi's hand and she could even feel the heat through her glove. She grunted and pulled the knife out, stumbling backwards, almost as if she herself couldn't believe what she had just done. It was just par for the course, yet Hitomi's gut wrenched slightly like she had stabbed one of her own family members. It was not a feeling she liked and not one she had ever gotten before.

Fumbling with her bloodied gloves, she tore them off, wrapping the knife in one and grabbing out her comlink. She fumbled with it a moment before opening the connection with her friend's.

"D--Dove? You there?"

[Dove Goldman]

Dove raised an eyebrow as he looekd to the left out of the corner of his eye pretedning to be immersed with a holo net as the two brother's laughed lively and loudly, annoyingly so! Dove was ready to just grab the blaster and kill them both for being so damn annoying. How he hated loud people, but how he hated two loud boys, holding hands, and screaming in a different language.

The buzz on this inside of his pocket made him jump, but it offered him a good break from the reality of wanting to just kill these two little punks. He dug into his cargo pants and felt the sleek little object slide by. he sighed out, aggravated that it was alluding him.

"Damn it!" He screamed, tossing the holo-net aside. He looked around seeing a few people glance over at him like he were crazy. He just nodded and grabbed the com and slipped out of the shop.

"Yo?" He said quickly, suddenly hearing a panicked breath of Hitomi. He frowned and suddenly he was ready to just go in and kill everyone in that shop! "Hitomi! Girl! You okay? Something wrong? Speak to me!"

[Hitomi Lawson]

Hitomi's heart fluttered against her ribcage half from the adrenaline of what had just happened, half from hearing the voice of her best friend. Hitomi shook her head and gathered her gun, gloves and knife, moving outside into the hall, dropping all the things back into her bag.

"I...stabbed her..." she said, glancing up and down the hall to make sure no one was there. She slowly closed the door behind her. Hitomi zipped up her duffel after stripping off the trench coat and pulling the chop sticks from her hair. "I think...I think she's still alive in there..." Hitomi paused, suddenly realizing the truth of the situation. How she hated this, hated admitting it to herself, hated admitting it to Dove, hated everything right now. "I d--don't think I can finish the j--job..."

[Dove Goldman]

Dove clenched his jaw. Damn it alll!

"Do you think she is dead?" he heard Hitomi consistently freak out that she couldn't do it, but Dove knew that this was not really the best time to walk down a hallway stating that she had almost killed a woman and that she couldn't finish it off. Dove sighed out and rubbed his forehead. He hated having Hitomi do this, really, but he knew that if she couldn't do it....he'd have to finish the job.

"Meet me up here. You watch the brother's I can go finish her off."

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae had never felt such pain in all her life. The moment that sharp end went through her chest it was a feeling she would never want to feel again. It sliced easily deep into her and it burned as the woman pulled it out. Jesimae had literally laid on the ground dying slowly as the woman cleaned up the mess and Jesimae could only try to breathe, live, but it was slowly sliding from her grasp.

She heard the door close to the apartment, the girl talking to someone about what she had done. Jesimae wasn't sure, she was slowly in and out of consciousness. She gasped to breathe, the low rasp in her throat. The woman had hit her good, she was sure. She looked down at her chest to see blood pouring out, Jesimae knew she couldn't just lay there and die...not without at least trying. She groaned in pain as she turned off her back, glancing down to see a string of blood fall to the floor. Jesimae held her would with her left hand, letting out a small noise of pain and horror at what she saw.

"H-h-help me." She said to nobody. She panted and she literally crawled into the kitchen, her legs suddenly trying to lose feeling, pain scorching through her body like needles in her veins. She kept wailing in pain as she felt the cold tiling of the floor. She slipped several times from the blood on her arms and hands and the blood pouring quickly out of her body.

Jesimae bit her lower lip, tasting blood on her lips. She grunted as she crawled onto her knees, failing a few times before she jumped to grab the phone. It crashed to the floor and she let out another raspy breath, crawling over to it as blood was now covered all over the floor, walls, tables, counters. She grabbed the phone and tried to breathe, but it was getting so hard. She wanted to just lay down and sleep, but she fought the urge. She heard the numbers being dialed and she put it to her ear, but she couldn't really hold onto it.

"Taro..." She said as loud as she could, which wasn't above a rasped whisper. "I'm dying."

[Taro Lawson]

Taro's body had gone preternaturally still. Was that Jesimae? It couldn't be! Not his Jesimae. She was rasping as if she had just been stabbed. The connection was lost and Jiro and Taro exchanged looks that would wake the dead.

And they both went sprinting as they never had before. Taro ran nearly full bodied into a younger man with a comlink looking frustrated, saying something about someone watching someone else. Taro coughed an "I'm sorry" before he and Jiro tore off towards the apartment like they had never moved before.

They skidded around the cornere and down the cul-de-sac, passing a woman with a big black duffel bag, also on a comlink. Taro tore into the apartment building, he had never been so terrified in his lifetime. He fumbled once with the key card before sliding it and shoving the door in. He stopped dead.

The room was in shambles, blood slung everywhere. He looked around before remembering his wife.

"Jesimae?!" he yelled. "Jesimae!?" He moved resolutely through the apartment and turned into the kitchen. The remains of what appeared to be food was still sitting on the stove, but more than that, Jesimae was laying on the floor, blood everywhere, looking pale as a sheet. Taro's chest wrenched in a pain he had never felt before as he sprinted in. He slid on the blood and crashed to the floor on his tailbone. But he was numb to the pain as he gathered his wife up into his arms, grabbing a rag from nearby and pressing it to the still bleeding wound. He leaned down to her face. He still felt her breath.

"Jes, baby!" he cried, watching her, waiting for something. "Jesimae, please baby, open your eyes, talk to me!" Taro begged. He looked at Jiro who, for the first time in his life, looked absolutely and totally horrified. "Call someone for God's sake, Jiro!" the boy didn't move. Taro picked up a spoon that was within his grasp and hurtled it at his brother. It knocked him hard in the face. Jiro looked at him, horror written in every line. "Call someone goddamnit!"

He obeyed this time, fumbling with his comlink, going into the living room to get ahold of medics. Taro turned his face back down to his baby, never feeling so dead in his life. He would never be able to live without her. Ever.

"Kanojo...please, baby, talk to me..."

[Dove Goldman]

Dove was knocked out for a loop when the man had hit him and barely said sorry. Dove was ready to punch a hole into the walla or into someones face....this was not going good. If this caused the both of them to end up in jail he was going to murder Hitomi, followed by himself. He let out a breath and jogged near the men, watching them run so fast. Apparently the woman was not dead and she had contacted one of them, by the looks of the husband it seemed that he had been the lucky one.

"Damn it, Hitomi!" He closed the connection and saw her a few feet away, having nearly been toppled by the two men. He jogged to her and grabbed her arm amd quickly made their pacing a lot faster.

"She called them...DAMN IT!" He clenched his jaw and looked over his shoulder to see the two boys enter the apartment. He shook his head trying to think of what they could do. If they left now it would be too suspicious and they'd be hunted down quickly. He knew he had to stay and see if that woman lived.

"Here's the plan..." He said continously looking around to see if people noticed how odd this all seemed. "We gotta make sure she is dead. If she tells Taro who did it...we're screwed." He sighed out and realized the condition that Hitomi was in. It was a shock that one of the two boys hadn't seen it. He grabbed her close to him and gave her a kiss on the head so glad she was alive and walking other than Jesimae. Suddenly he felt horrible. He shrugged it off quickly, but heard a few screams coming from down the hall. He glanced over his shoulder and realized the severity of what they had just done. He held her tighter to him and realized....better them than her.

"We'll fix it, Hitomi, we'll fix it." He said reassuringly.

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae was out of consciousness, she didn't know if she was alive or dead...she heard something in the far distance and she slowly tried to open her eyes, but it hurt. Everything hurt.

"T-Taro." She barely managed to say as her eyes opened. "Baby?" She was so confused. What happened? What was going on? Why was he so scared? She realized that it all rushed towards her. "Jiro..." She said pointing at nothing. "Girl looked like Jiro."

[Hitomi Lawson]

Hitomi clung to Dove. Why did this affect her so? His anger had made her feel worse, but after a moment he told her they would fix it. They would make it better. Why did Dove always have to clean up after Hitomi when she did something wrong? Why was she always so incapable of doing it herself.

Hitomi looked over her shoulder and grabbed her duffel bag. She moved back and looked up at Dove, thinking quickly.

"There...there isn't anyway that we can take the boys now, by now they have called the paramedics, the cops maybe, they'll be here in no time and then we're screwed..." Hitomi said, quietly. She chewed her lip as she looked down the quiet street and around the cul-de-sac. They might be able to have another go at her while she was in the hospital, but Hitomi thought it more prudent to watch until she got out and then see what they were planning on doing before making another move on them. Hitomi had been reckless, not planning this out at all. Next time, she intended upon planning every move she made so Dove didn't have to come to her rescue. How tired he must have been of saving her when she messed up.

[Taro Lawson]

___________

Taro had fallen asleep on Jiro's shoulder in the waiting room, his body totally drained physically and emotionally. Jiro had petted his hair for a long time, soothing him into a restless sleep before he too had drifted off, chin resting against Taro's crown.

The sound of the hospital door swishing open roused Taro into semi-consciousness, his mind realizing that he had fallen asleep and that he needed to wake up because his wife was in the emergency room. Or at least...she had been when he had gone to sleep...which...had been, how long ago exactly?

Taro moved his head slightly and felt Jiro suck in a breath as he woke up from the movement. Jiro stirred and lifted his head looking over as Taro also straightened, yawning and stretching out, rubbing his eyes. The hospital was fairly quiet, few people in the room with them, none of them seeming to be in the same stressful situation. Taro licked his lips and looked over at Jiro.

"Did the doctor come in?" he asked. Jiro shook his head. Taro sighed leaning back down in his seat. His heart beagn beating hard again, he couldn't help but wonder what he would do if Jesimae died.

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae was awake, but not really. She couldn't open her eyes, move her body in any way, she felt nothing, but she knew she was awake and she could hear things. She was struggling to speak, open her eyes, move, but she couldn't it. She wasn't exactly sure if she was alive or awake, but she figured that when a man and a woman were talking right beside of her about her condition she figured it wasn't angel's having chit chat.

[Dove Goldman]

Dove had lingered around most of the day, keeping tabs secretly from their apartment room seeing that nobody was allowed to go in and see the woman yet because her condition was still pretty bad. The place had been crazy, very crazy. Apparently this kind of thing hadn't happened in a long time. The police weren't called, which was a given considering this place was crawling with scum from all over the galaxy. But the cleaners had. As usual they had made the place spotless and made it look as presentable to anyone who was coming there. The technoloy of this place was nuts, but Dove knew nothing could be as good as what he had, for he literally had everything.

Dove sighed out as he got done scanning the area in the ship's holding level. He had scanned for security, scanned for anything that would cause him to get into severe trouble, and he also took the liberty of scanning the Angry Lady to check if he could somehow get a hold of that boy, Haruko. Dove wasn't calling Hitomi soft, he'd never do such a thing, but he didn't understand why she ditched the job, ran off.

Dove figured it was for her own personal reasons and he wasn't going to pry on that, not yet anyways. He was, however, going to finish everyone off to save their assess because he knew that he'd never make it on the inside.

He figured he could go on down to the ship here in a few minutes and check it out and see if he couldn't get in. He knew he could, he was just concerned as to what kind of security systems the man had installed. He figured he'd cross that bridge when he got to it.

[Hitomi Lawson]

Hitomi had been hanging around in thier rented room most of the time Dove had been gone. She knew he was angry at her, and she couldn't blame him. She had just fudged a job they had been trying to nail for months. She'd screwed not only herself, but Dove too. And she hated it.

Hitomi hadn't ever really done this before. Certainly she got a conscious every now and again when someone didn't die quite as quickly as she planned. But never before had she looked into someone's eyes and felt like she was killing her own flesh or blood. The feeling had made her sick at her stomach. She had thrown up that morning before Dove had gotten up to go scout out what was going on at the hospital and finish some other tasks he had preferred to keep to himself.

Hitomi wasn't sick now, actually, she was slightly hungry. But she was too busy cleaning up her equipment, fitting everything back into its place. glancing at her comlink, awaiting a call from Dove. A call she feared wouldn't come. Hitomi had never felt so guilty in her life than when she had seen the annoyance in Dove's eyes when he had told her he was going to have to finish the job. Not that he showed it, but Hitomi had known him too long not to recognize it.

Restlessly, Hitomi walked to the window, looking down into the street below, mostly quiet. She chewed her lip before grabbing her jacket and the comlink, stuffing it into one pocket. She pulled her jacket on and headed outside, walking towards the hospital. She thought she ought to check on the lady, see what was going on with her. Dove would probably smack her for leaving the apartment, but she didn't care. If she didn't get out of there, she was going to spontaneously self-combust.

[Dove Goldman]

Dove had gotten into the ship failry quickly, easily as well. It kind of made him mad to have seen such a beautiful ship with such a low security system, then again, Dove figured, Mr. Taro Lawson wasn't planning on having his ship stolen. His attention, he knew, had been on his wife and sadly he had given into temptation and tried to be normal and allowed his girl to sneak in and take of things..sorta.

Dove cringed at the thought. He wasn't angry, just so annoyed that it was beginning to cause him annoyance for being annoyed. He shook his head as he sat in the Captain's chair, playing with the controls through his little computer system he had connected to the CP through USB ports. He didn't have to turn the ship on, just hook her up to his laptop and be off.

Dove was surprised that he was taking everything that was going on in such a way. He had actually been happy that Hitomi hadn't killed her, he didn't know why, he just was. Seeing those two boys together, happy and clueless, made him feel slightly guilty. He didn't really realize how many lives jhe was ruining by having Hitomi end one. It was something he always strayed away from, getting connected with people he was going to kill. But he had been connected, he had suddenly realized that if he were in that position...he'd die.

Again he shook his head, hearing a beep from his lap top letting him know he could send messages through the Angry Lady. He had saved the coordinants of the ship called 'The Lawson Rule', the ship where his other brother was on. Dove wanted to stop feeling guilty for everything and figured he could just end everyone's life without problems.

Dove sighed out and rubbed his eyes and quickly typed in the coordinants of the ship and found it on the screen. He was quick to find the ISP to allow him to send him a message. He bit his lower lip as he got into the mindset of a caring brother and opened the message box.

He sighed out and quickly typed.

Dear Brother,
Jesimae might die. A bounty hunter attacked her yesterday and stabbed her in the chest. Jiro is here as well and we need you to be with us. We love you. Come quick!
Taro.

He added the drifter colonies coordinants and sent it with urgency. He sighed out and shut everything down and figured he'd give the brother two hours to get there for the letter was vague but filled with information nobody would want to hear. Dove figured he could at least go back to the apartment and wait.

[Haruko Lawson]

_________

Haruko yawned. And sighed. And yawned again. God, he was tired of this ship. Hm...and he was kind of getting irritated at Aiko too. Oh, yeah, and there was nothing to eat around here. Hm...he was out of cigarettes...whiskey too probably. Where was Akasha? That was a good question all by itself.

God! He needed to stop bothering himself. He still wasn't used to being without Mr. Lawson constantly being his thought processes for him. Now that he had a cleared mind...he could think literally dozens of things at once or in a row, but right this moment, when there was nothing in God's great universe to think about, he was bothered very easily.

The Lawson Rule was a special ship. It picked up messeges as a series of codes that could translate them into actual worded messeges. Of course, most messges sent by other ships were simply code and nothing else. Distress codes, greeting codes, assisstance codes. You'd have to be able to read code to know which was which. However, it just so happened that some other ships had the capabilities to send a worded messege as code that could only be translated by the ship it was intended for. It was good, especially, if you were in a combat situation and needed to send signals to the others in your group. Your enemy would only pick up nonsense code. You would get the actual messege.

This was what happened around that moment as Haruko was about to get up out of his chair and go get some more smokes. The computer beeped noisily, and Haruko started a little. He glanced over his shoulder at the computer screen. It was flashing sporadically. Haruko furrowed his brow.

"Aiko? Than an incoming messege?" he asked, watching the flashes. The young boy flashed up onscreen and gave a nod.

"No doubt. From the Angry Lady. Word Code," he identified. Haruko sat slowly back down.

"Translate."

"Dear Brother, Jesimae might die. A bounty hunter attacked her yesterday and stabbed her in the chest. Jiro is here as well and we need you to be with us. We love you. Come quick! Taro."

It was short, simple, unlike Taro. Taro would have been incoherent, yet the letter sounded very businesslike. That couldn't mean good things had happened. Haruko typed up the coordinates that were attached at the end of the messege and Aiko obediently showed the map of where they were at. Not far from thier current location. Haruko gave it a second's thought before typing it into thier destination.

"New objective, Aiko. We're going to that colony. Is there anyway in Hades you can locate Akasha for me? I need to tell her we'll be a little late getting her to her ship."

[Akasha]

Akasha danced around in the room to something she had happened to find on the floor. She was bored and wasn't wanting to go bother Haruko at the moment. She had taken a shower and she was wide awake and starving to death. Last night they had run across the predicament of there being little food left. It wasn't something she had wanted to hear since they still had a few days left before allowing her to be dropped off at her ship, but she wasn't really complaining because she was having too much fun being with Haruko and the unlikely company.

This music was foreign, Japanese she figured, either way she was enjoying it and it was allowing her some entertainment. But dancing around in a towel was highly dangerous and she figured she needed to go scope out some clothes in the small little dresser. She bit her lower lip as she let out a sigh and tried to undizzy herself from the huge burst of energy. She walked over to the dresser and pulled it open, only to be interrupted by that pesky little computer system.

The system informed her that there was situation that Haruko needed to handle and it'd be a little longer till they reached her ship. She had agreed, but immediately wanted to go see what was going on. Akasha dressed within seconds, finding a clean shirt and putting on the pants that Haruko had leant her. She walked out of the room and headed down to the cockpit to find Haruko staring out into space.

"Howdy." She said in a sigh as she plopped down in the co-pilots chair. "What's up?"

[Haruko Lawson]

Haruko glanced over his shoulder as the woman wandered it and sat down. Haruko reasted his mouth on his knuckles, thinking deeply about the predicament his brother and sister-in-law seemed to be. For a long moment, he didn't say anything, just thought about how he could say it.

"My brother sent me a messege, and I just got it a few minutes ago," He informed her. He looked over, crossing his arms over his chest. "He says that my sister-in-law has been badly hurt and may not survive. They are on a little colony about two hours away from here, along with my littlest brother. He contacted me to have me over there," he paused a moment and looked back over at Akasha. "Do you mind very much taking a detour with me?"

[Akasha]

Akasha was surprised by the news, she figured it was going to be something a little less...sterssful. She didn't really know how to respond for she wasn't at liberty too, but figured she could at least voice her sympathies.

"Oh." She said. She wanted to smack herself for that wasn't a very thoughtful thing to say after hearing such saddening news. "I'm sorry." She sighed out and nodded and looked away for a moment, this was awkward. Just a few days ago she was looking at his sister-in-law smiling, now she was going to probably see her on her deathbed. She glanced at Haruko and smiled trying to be reassuring of the situation.

"It'll be okay. You need to go see her. Perhaps I can hitch a ride back to Coruscant and find my crew so you can be together."

[Taro Lawson]

________

Taro was told that his wife was doing well, and that when she woke up that he and Jiro would be able to go in and see her. The releif he felt was indescribable. He had felt so emotionally exhausted already, and that news made him more so. But in a good way.

He and Jiro still sat in the waiting room, waiting for the doctor to come in and tell them that they could go in and see her. Taro wouldn't be totally at ease until he saw her face and knew she was still there, still with them. He had an irrational fear that the doctors had no idea what they were talking about and that they were lying to him, or that they didn't know whether or not she was alright.

But Jiro had been calming him down for the past hour and a half and he had fallen into more-or-less a state of peace. Though, he wouldn't be peaceful till he saw his wife.

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae hurt when she breathed, she hurt when she moved, hell everything hurt on her body and she was just wishing the drugs would pump through her body quickly, but it was taking its time. She couldn't remember what had happened in her apartment, but she knew it was bad because she had stitches up her chest and bruises on her face and cuts on her arms. It looked worse than it probably was, or at least she was telling herself that since she had completely blocked it all out.

She was annoyed with all the tubes hooked in her arms and hands, annoyed that she was in a bed, annoyed that she was groggy, annoyed that she was in pain, annoyed that she was there period! She let out a sigh of aggravation when she learned that the tube in her hand wasn't very long and it was preventing her from getting comfortable. She looked around after jerking her arms and tubes here and there and figured it was time she talked to someone who could supply her with answers. She pushed a call button nearby and a woman walked into her room rather swiftly, eyeborws raised and questioning what she wanted.

"My husband. Where is he? I want to see him."

[Taro Lawson]

Taro glanced up as a woman came down the hall towards them, smiling a little. He and Jiro stood as she walked over to them, a clipboard in her hand.

"Are you Taro Lawson?" she asked. Taro nodded. She smiled, holding out her hand. They shook. "I'm Doctor Mars, I was treating your wife, Mrs. Jesimae Lawson."

"Yes, Doctor Mars, is she alright?" Taro asked urgently. The woman nodded placatingly and smiled.

"She is fine. Moving around a little, responding, and asking to see her husband," the woman said. She held up her hand before Taro could head down the hall. "Mr. Lawson. Jesimae appears to have suffered one stab wound to her side. It missed her lung, thank God, but it severed some of the costal cartilage. We were able to mend it mostly, but some of it will just have to heal on its own. She has bruises on her face and other places on her body, and we had to laser some epideral lacerations closed," the woman explained. Taro cringed, but become wary when the woman didn't seem comforting. She pursed her lips.

"Mr. Lawson, here at this hospital, we receive a lot domestic violence cases, and though many people on this colony aren't quite reputable, we try to keep things as orderly as possible. So, when a domestic violence case is brought to us, we are obligated to call the authorities," the woman said, her voice low in veiled threat.

Taro's brow immediately drew down.

"Excuse me, Miss Mars, but I want to see my wife. And I don't appreciate being accused of hurting the woman I just married. Please get out of my way," Taro purred, moving past the woman and going down the hall towards his wife's room, Jiro trailing behind him.

He entered the room quietly and made his way to the bed, kneeling down next to it and kissing Jesimae's hand.

"Hey, baby doll. How are you feeling?"

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae laid her head on the pillow that was highly uncomfortable and groaned bored out of her mind and in pain. Where the hell was Taro? She should kick him in the shin for not being by her side, then again she figured, by surveying the damage, he was probably kept away from her for a while. She heard a few footsteps in the room and she looked up to see Taro and immediately the pain was gone as was everything else except for her baby.

"Taro-chan!" She said happily when he kissed her hand. She put a hand on his head and leaned over and gave him a kiss, hissing almost as soon as she leaned up, reaching to her side from the stab wound. She muttered a curse and looked at him and smiled so happy to see that beautiful face of his.

"Did you get the person who did this?" She prayed to god they did because if she ever saw that woman in her life....death and destruction would quickly be upon them and this time not at Jesimae's expense.

[Taro Lawson]

Taro sighed, shaking his head and standing straight. He pulled up a chair, sitting next to her, putting his hand on hers and gently brishing his thumb over her wrist.

"No. All we know is that it was a bounty hunter...full stop," Taro said, understanding the frustration. He would murder whoever had done this to Jesimae. No one touched Jesimae, and if they did, they obviously didn't know they were dealing with the Lawson Family. And Taro knew that Jiro, Taro, and Haruko together could get revenge. "We have some people on it, but whoever it was probably bailed off the colony. Especially if they thought they'd killed you."

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae let out a sigh and leaned her head on the pillow again, trying to remember what exactly happened. It was just small tid bits of information and spurts of what she looked like. Something she knew if she ever saw her pretty little face again she'd kill her on sight. She couldn't get over the fact that the woman looked like Jiro. A lot like Jiro that was so creepy.

She bit her lower lip and looked over at Taro and breathed in deeply, grimmacing slightly when she felt some pain surge through her. She nodded, a moment later, after Taro assured her that they had people on it. She was so upset that this had happened and that Taro had been there to witness the ugliest side of her job. How many times she had done this to people....it made things a lot worse now that she was on the other end.

"I'm sorry, baby." She sighed out and frowned. "This shouldn't have happened. Not now."

[Taro Lawson]

Taro shook his head, kissing her hand again.

"No, baby. It isn't your fault. I should have..." he paused, feeling a rock drop in his throat. "I should have been there...I should have protected you. But I wasn't there...I'm so sorry, baby..." Taro closed his eyes. He hadn't been there for her, but he swore, as he knelt there, that he would never leave her alone again. He would always be there to protect her. He shook his head, looking up at Jes, with a grim smile on his face.

"Doctor Mars thinks I did it," he said, chuckling a little. "She might call someone in to talk to you."

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae sighed out and groaned.

"Oh god! Can this get any worse?" She shook her head and frowned. "This is the luck you have passed on to me, thanks a lot! You better be glad you are good looking otherwise this marriage would be over!" She laughed lightly at her own joke, suddenly groaning at the pain, yet chuckling in between. These two were a mess, literally! They had no idea what they were doing and they were on this crazy place with crazy people and Jesimae was in the hospital after being beaten very good. She couldn't help but laugh at this horrible predicament, but suddenly she stopped laughing.

"Doctor...I need to speak to the doctor Taro! Right away!" It suddenly hit her, harder than anything ever had. "And Jiro! I want to see him, okay?" She bit her lower lip, panic going through her. Now really wasn't the best time to be telling her husband she was pregnant! Then again she figured it actually would have been best because he wouldn't be able to kill her, yet.

[Taro Lawson]

Taro furrowed his brow and stood straight. He moved over to the door and leaned on the doorframe. He peered down the hall and looked around for his brother.

"Jiro? Iru no?" he called, waiting for an answer. After a moment's wait, he saw Jiro round the corner, a worried expression on his face. He moved down the hall towards Taro, holding up his hands in a wonder.

"Nani?" he asked as he came down the hall. The doctor, behind him noticed them and also approached Taro. Taro waved them into the room and they followed him, both of thier brows furrowed in wonder.

"Jes wants to see you both..."

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae was in a huge panic, although she wasn't really showing it on the outside inside was a different story. Her mind suddenly went to the baby, she was going to see how it was, see if she and Jiro could find a way to tell Taro, and figure out what to do about this entire mess. She was frightened, she couldn't be so ill that something bad would happen to the bun in the oven. Which was why she needed to see the doctor, pronto!

She sighed out and felt her stomach whirl with anxiousness and sickness, she suddenly began to shake with fright. What the hell was the matter with her, she needed to get herself together! The sign of the doctor walking into the room made her feel like she was going to puke all over the place, especially when she realized that Taro was in the room as well. She smiled happily at Jiro and allowed a moment of embrace between the two before remembering the true purpose of getting the two in there. But she couldn't tell Taro to leave! Certainly not, that would be too suspicious, then again she didn't want him to flip out in the hospital. Jesimae realized the longer she waited to tell him the worse it would get. At least here she'd have doctors to pry Taro's hands from around her neck then have some drugs to sedate him when he went into panic mode.

"Doctor is everything...you know..okay with me?" The doctor frowned ath er question and looked over at Taro and wondered if he didn't tell her anything. He simply shrugged and looked back at her, leaning against the railing on the bed.

"Why, yes. Everything is fine. You suffered minor injuries, your stab wound was bad, but not too bad to cause any horrific damage. Few bruised ribs and other areas. Other than that you are fine! We want to keep you for a while to see how things heal." Jesimae let out a sigh of relief and looked at Jiro with a glance that perhaps only he'd understand.

"Good. I thought, for sure, that I wouldn't have been able to be a mother." The Doctor frowned and looked over at Taro then to Jiro. Suddenly Jesimae realized what she had said, out loud. Although it wasn't inquiring she was pregnant, it was certainly something someone for thought of when hearing that. Suddenly she felt her heart literally stop.

"Misses Lawson, are you expecting?" Jesimae's eyes grew wide and she clenched her jaw. She was unable to breathe, unable to think of anything but the worst. The Doctor apparently didn't know! Which was only reasonable considering when one was being beaten they wouldn't go poking and prodding around to see whether or not someone was pregnant. She looked over at Jiro, then to Taro, then to the doctor, then back to Jiro. Everyone had the same look. Shock.

"Wh-why? What are you saying that if i was something is wrong? Something would have happened?" Jesimae was suddenly in the state where she was about to go nuts. She couldn't keep it a secret anymore, she just couldn't! It was too hard to do.

"Misses Lawson, if you were pregnant we need to do some tests right away. Now, were you or weren't you?"" Jesimae moved her mouth several times but nothing came out. She kept looking at everyone in the room feeling immense pressure on her shoulders.

"I...well...yes. I was one month pregnant."

[Taro Lawson]

Taro's heart had never skipped a beat before. It did just then. His stomach turned into a block of ice that set so heavily inside of him he was certain he was going to go barf everything up he had eaten that day. His jaw was resting solidly on the floor and if his eyes got any bigger, they might fall out of his head.

Jesimae was...pregnant?!

"What the hell!" he blurted out before he could do anything else. Part of him was frightened, part worried, part confused, part sick, part furious. Not with Jesimae--well, sort of. Why hadn't she told him!?. A baby! In their life?! That was impossible! She couldn't be pregnant! She had always been on the pill, and when she hadn't been Taro had used a condom, loathe as he was to do so. He had never had any desire to have a child. It was not something he had even thought about. He had always thought that if he and Jesimae wanted one, they would talk about it first...

Assuming...the baby was his, wasn't it?

Surely...no, Taro knew Jesimae. She would never do something like that. Never. But what had happened? He couldn't ever recall a time when they hadn't done all they could to prevent this sort of thing from happening.

Taro's mouth slowly shut, and he swallowed several times in succession, shaking his head as if it would make the baby go away. Oh God. His wife was pregnant. Oh damn. This was...bad news. Very...bad news. Taro couldn't be a father. Jesimae couldn't be a mother. Jiro couldn't be an uncle!! What the hell were they going to do?!

"J--Jesimae?" he asked, his voice shaking slightly. "Don't you think...um...it's a little..." he shook his head, his fear and anger getting the best of him. "Why are you just now telling me?!"

[Kyoko Lawson]

Kyoko hurried down the hall. She had heard about what had happened. She knew her sons were in the hospital wing now, with Taro's wife, who had been stabbed. She knew that Taro hadn't wanted to tell his wife or brother about her yet, but she couldn't take it. She had to see her son and her daughter-in-law. Especially at a time like this.

Hurrying down the stairs, the woman caught a lift up to the hospital section of the colony. The lift took so long, her foot was tapping by the time she got up there. The hospital area was always buzzing with doctors, patients, anyone and everyone associated with a hospital. She glanced around, looking through the waiting area for Taro first before going to the front area where two cheerful nurses sat. One looked up.

"Can I help you, Ma'am?" she asked.

"Yes, please. Can you tell me what room Jesimae Lawson is in? I am her mother-in-law, Kyoko. Her husband is Taro?" she asked. The woman smiled, nodding and going through her files on the computer. After a moment she slid a data tablet across the counter to her.

"If you'll please sign that, she is in room 504," the woman said. Kyoko nodded, quickly signing and hurrying down the passage to the lifts. She hoped Jesimae was alright and that Taro would not be too angry with her for sneaking up on him like this.

[Haruko Lawson]

Haruko's shipped docked easily in the colony. He saw the Angry Lady parked quietly only a little ways away from his own ship. He sighed out of his nose and began to shut down the ship, explaining to Aiko to keep everything under control and to make sure that the defense system was in top order. Otherwise he feared the ship might be ambushed.

Haruko thought this whole situation was rather strange, considering Taro's letter had been so breif and not like him. He had called Ren Wilcox on his way and the younger boy had informed him that Jiro had left about two days previous because of something going on with Taro. Haruko had become even more suspicious when Ren had not been called about anything having to do with Jes being hurt.

He'd told Ren to get Orange and Mei-li and wait for further notice from either he, Taro, or Jiro.

Haruko felt bad for dragging Akasha into all of this. This Lawson curse they had dealt with. Over the time he had spent with her, he had grown remarkably fond of her, and to force her into all of this didn't seem right. Perhaps she could get a ride back to her ship, if all of this didn't clear up in a timely manner. Which he hoped it did.

The Lawson Rule shut down entirely and Haruko lifted himself out of his seat, asking Aiko get notify Akasha that they were there, that Haru was headed outside to check them in and pay fees and that if she wanted to she could stay on the ship. Haru thought it might be a little safer for her, if she stayed there, but he didn't know if she would be so willing to do that.

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae's mouth moved over a million miles a minute, but it was all empty words with absolutely no meaning...or sound. She didn't know how to explain anything because it had been suhc a whirlwind of events and now it was just all going to well..crap.

"Taro, baby, I am sorry I didn't tell you sooner, but I myself just found out! I mean I have been trying to think of ways to tell you and Jiro and I were-" Damn it! Jesimae hadn't wanted Taro to find out that Jiro knew before him. Although everyone would have found out eventually, she had snuck behind Taro's back to tell his brother about it first when normally the husband should have been first in line to receive the news, aside from all doctors. Speaking of which the one was speaking of getting her an ultra sound immediately. Jesimae sighed out and nodded when she finally found out that she could just tell Taro that she was going to tell him, but happened to be stabbed first. As soon as she began with a 'Taro I was going to tell you' type sentence the small phone on the side railing of the bed rang loudly and caused almost everyone in the room to jump. Jesimae was quick to pick it up before hearing Taro yell at her followed by an attempt to finish what the bounty hunter started.

"Yeah?" She said into the phone, biting her lip and trying to regain her breath and get that sickening feeling out of her stomach, but it only got worse. "That name doesn't mean anything to me, ma'am. I am kinda needing to get off here!" Jesimae screamed loudly into the phone frowning heavily. She glanced up at Taro then to Jiro. "My what!?" The room went silent for a moment, but then she screamed into the phone again.

"WHAT!?" Jesimae screamed again. "Why did you do that!? Oh! Nevermind!" She slammed the phone and before she could ask Taro who Kyoko was, a familiar face walked into the room. Such a beautiful woman she had seen a day or so ago, the woman who looked remarkably familiar, yet somehow still a face in the crowd. Jesimae looked at Taro and then to Jiro, but mainly at Taro.

"Oh well look! The whole family is here now! Taro are you going to introduce us to your MOTHER!?" Jesimae had never been so mad in all her life! She wasn't exactly sure why she was mad, but she just was without excuse.

[Orange Diren]

Orange never had never been the easiest woman to live with, that was for certain, and after certain events that had occured during her rocky relationship with Jiro Lawson it had been apparent to her that she needed to make some sort of change in her life. She had been doing so for quite some time now, being on her best behavior and getting some things worked out in her life both mentally and emotionally. She was much friendlier, as she had been when she and Jiro first met, less obstructive, less critical, and a lot less paranoid. But just because she had worked her butt off to be the person she once was didn't mean she needed to like the situation she had been suddenly tossed in.

Of course, nobody was putting a gun to her head and telling her what to do, but it was in her best interest to be there for her best friend and to at least show her support, no matter how much Jiro still hated her. She was over that now, she figured she owed him a huge apology and she'd serve it to him the moment they saw each other, but never could she be friends with the woman he had cheated with. Then again she had done some cheating, too. She sighed out and realized how dysfunctional they had been! It was nuts, but she knew she was over it now. Which was why she was keeping that happy face on and being extra kind to the lady she had simply known as Miss Yeh.

"I'm sure everything will be fine. I find it a tad bit off though that they are on some colony. Don't you think?" Orange was making such nice small talk with Miss Yeh, who was in turn being nice herself, and was hating the fact that she was slightly liking her.

"I do, too. But we will find out what is really going on when we get to colony. That was how the conversations went, they were short, simple, sweet, and friendly. Just the way Orange wanted them. She sighed out again and glanced at the wrist watch seeing that they would be landing soon. Ren had been kind enough to inform them of the situation and it was even a blessing he was willing to fly them there. Orange felt she had made ammends with Ren, although she couldn't be sure quite yet. Although she was wanting to see Jesimae, she was also wanting to mend bridges she had burned considering of all the people who were to be there alongside of Jes.

"Excuse me a moment," Orange smiled at Yeh,considering the Miss part was beginning to become an annoyance. She stood up after seeing the oriental woman smile at her, whether it was a real smile or not. Orange reached into her pocket and grabbed her small com and quickly opened a connection and walked out of the small room she and Yeh had been sitting in and out into the hall, closing the door behind her by touching a small panel on the wall. After she heard it close she sighed out and heard the ringing on the otherside. This was probably one of the most hectic days of Orange's life!

[Akasha]

"Thank you, Aiko." Akasha bit her lower lip as she zipped up the small jacket she had worn the first night she had met Haruko, the man she had become so fond of. She was enjoying her position on the ship and was enjoying her company and was just...enjoying everything. It was so shocking to Akasha that she had enjoyed herself so much and was more than willing to tag along with Haruko anywhere he went. She had barely thought of her life prior to their meeting and, as a matter of fact, she wasn't very happy with her position and her life since she had been away from it for so long and she had that window of time to really see what she did to people.

She sighed out when she flicked a golden lock out of her face to walk down the walkway and down the ramp into the open of the dirfer colony's ports. She inhaled the false air and the greasy stench of the area and scrunched her nose in disapproval at what she was smelling. She frowned and stuffed her hands into her pockets and drew in a deep breath, as much as it killed her, and let it out trying to get to used to not being in the ship. Pretty sooon she'd be doing this back home ready to face the problems of her crew members who abandoned her. Ready to be metaphorically marooned as a fellow Pirate and have everything stolen right from underneath her. Sad how she wasn't really caring whether or not that happened anymore.

Akasha looked around and saw a lot of people and lots of exits. She figured while Haruko did what he was to do with the port directors and what not she coudl get some info herself. She walked over to a nearby station where a young man was cleaning off a wrench or something to the effect of that tool. He glanced up when he saw her walking towards him and he got a wide smile, she could only return the favor.

"Hello! I am needing to know which direction the hospital ward is located. Could you..direct me?" The man was quick to respond by pointing and telling her where to go and what not. When he offered to walk her there she was suddenly feeling a bit violated, even more so when he was asking her what a beautiful girl was doing by herself. With a nervous laugh, never being hte one to really take a compliment, she waved a hand at him.

"Thanks, but...I am sure my...boyfriend and I can find it okay." She let out another nervous laugh and quickly turned and walked towards the ship where she saw him walk around his ship and into view, putting some credits into his pocket letting her know he had paid any fees for the dock.

"Hey!" She said to him with a smile, perhaps a bit too smiley for her own good, but after that guy behind her...she didnt think she'dever been so glad to see someone she knew! "From now on I think I'll let you ask for directions!" She laughed lightly and went to his side and smiled. "Grease monkey over there gave me directions to the ward so we can head there whenever you are ready...I mean....if you don't mind me tagging along? I mean...if yoou want to go alone, that is fine! I can stay here!" Akasha was getting all flustered, which rarely happened, but ever since she met Haruko that's all she coudl do. Smile like an idiot and be clumsy with her words and actions. Silly.

[Asher Perez]

"Roman? Oh, no, he is with Jorge, there was no way I could drag him to the colony and have him running around and trying to play with all the equipment that looked complicated and expensive." Asher laughed lightly and sighed out as she looked up at the ceiling of the ship.

"Yeah I am on the elevator now. I got here about fifteen minutes ago. I had to pay out the wazoo for that shuttle from another colony to here. I am telling you, Orange, this place is just...awful. I have no idea why they are here or why happened!" The doors to the elevator shaft opene and her eyes fell down to see a ward full of nurses, doctors, and many other things that had no name to her.

"Well, I am here. I am going to go see where Jessy is. I am telling you I hate it here already. Damn equipment and stupid technological-" Asher was cut off and suddenly she laughed and nodded as if Orange coudl see her. "Yes, I'll stop talking about my hatred for hospitals and go see how she is. Okay. You too. Bye." Asher closed the line and walked into the amazing ward and sighed out, not comfortable there. She talked to a few women nearby and learned that Jesimae was down the hall and that Jiro was there as well as their mother-in-law. Asher was almost floored by such news.

"Mother-in-law?" She questioned. The woman rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"You going to yell at me, too? The patient did so when I told her she was here. Asher frowned and shook her head and walked away leaning right as to peek around the corner of the door where she was fearing the chaos inside. She didn't know whether to go on in or just..wait till the officials were called. A smile crossed her lips and she figured she could wait a moment or so, at least until Orange and that other woman came.

[Ren Wilcox]

Ren's tailbone had never been so numb in all his life. He had been sitting the the cockpit of his ship straight since they had teken off. He had been on the edge of his seat. Jiro had promised to call, and had, but Ren was still antsy. He would be until he saw the littlest Lawson. Ren had always been that way when Jiro was somewhere Ren could not get to quickly enough.

Orange and he had all but kissed and made up. Even though he had not had a grudge against her in the first place, when Jiro had told him about all that had happened on Naboo, and about the letter she had written, Ren's hair stood on end against the woman. Even though he had bawled Jiro out too for cheating as he had.

He looked out the viewscreen at the colony approaching slowly. It would still be an hour or two, but at least he could see where Jiro was, and he could relax a little.

Getting up for the first time in...well, at all, he moved back to where Mei-li and Orange had been sitting. He glanced at the flame-haired woman, question on his face.

"We're nearly there, who are you calling?"

[Taro Lawson]

Taro's brow dropped, and he barely glanced over to see Asher walk in. He shook his head as he looked from his mother to Jesimae and back again.

"Look, I didn't think you needed to know until we were out of the mess that, might I be so bold as to point out, you got us into, Mrs. Lawson. She isn't hurting anyone, I didn't know she was alive until we got here and--" he stopped. "Look, mother-in-law or not, baby or not, you almost died, and that is what is most important. Get the doctor to check on you and the baby, I am going to talk to--" he looked at his mother. "my mom."

With a sigh he walked out in the hallway, beckoning for her to follow, seeing Jiro first and then...

"Asher!" he exclaimed, noticing the dark woman standing near the door. His jaw dropped. "What are you doing here? Who called out the guard? What other family members know?"

[Haruko Lawson]

Haruko grinned back at Akasha as they got on the lift to go up to the hospital wings. He shook his head and sighed.

"You can come along with me anywhere you like," he said, watching as the numbers ticked by and the lift dinged. He shook his head. "I hope Jes is alright. And I hope Ren, Orange, and Mei-li are alright. I can't believe Taro took off like this without telling anyone. It's..." he shook his head. "So out of character..." he paused, then smiled and looked over at Akasha. "I'm sorry. You're going to have to witness the dysfunction of the Lawson family and their extended acquaintances."

[Hitomi Lawson]

Hitomi was stalking Dove. It was ridiculous. She had spotted him heading back towards their hotel room and had followed behind him. It wasn't as much stalking as just that she was walking with him without his knowledge. She had gotten some files she thought would be interesting to him.

Once they reached the hotel, she sped up and grabbed his shoulder, stopping him.

"Dove," she said. "I went out after you left. I got some names. They called out the fleets," she explained. She hoped that he wouldn't hate her for the mess she had put them in. She had never done this before and she couldn't believe she had put him in this kind of a web. She hated making him angry with her. Hated disappointing him. Hated screwing up when he never did. She surrendered the files. "There were four calls made from the eldest brother's ship, about seven hours ago. To a com on Coruscant registered to Ren Wilcox. Another com call was made from a com on Ren's ship registered to an Orange Diren. It was made to a com registered in the name of Asher Perez..." she paused, glancing at a file she had not given to him. "An earlier call was made from Ren's com while they were still on Coruscant. It was made to a Mei-li Yeh. She's the ex of Phoenix's brother, Jabari.

"I can't, obviously, tell you what was said. But Ren's registered ship took off about four hours after he recieved the call from the eldest Lawson boy. It was entered into the system with one pilot--Ren, I'm assuming--and two passengers. Mei-li and Orange perhaps..." she stopped, taking a deep breath, giving him the last file she had been holding. "It looks like we're dealing with everyone in the world."

[Dove Goldman]

Dove had never cursed under his breath more than he did in less than three seconds. He didn't really realize the entire mess he had put the two of them into when he contacted the eldest of all Lawson's, then again he truly didn't know the extent of how far the Lawson family spread. He sighed out and looked around the place as he dropped his hand holding all the files Hitomi, the busy little bee, had just gotten for him. He had never wanted to shoot himself in the foot in all his life and at the same time kiss Hitomi so deeply for surveying the damage he had just done and what he had to deal with.

He looked down at Hitomi and gave his best grin that told her, he too, had been doing something. He lowered his head trying to piece it all in his mind. He had wanted to contact Haruko to finish off the entire family to get it all out of the way and just to fix his lust for blood, now...damn. He was dealing with the entire family tree. More than he had bargained, or was prepared to face.

"Thanks," He said looking back up to her. God, she was so beautiful. He had to at least give his mind that sort of peace. He shrugged and put his free hand on the small of her back and lead her down the way. "Okay we have a lot of preparing to due to fix the damage we both created." He looked around as if suspicious of everyone.

"We have a lot of people to get rid of, a lot of things to cover our tracks, and keep a very watchful eye on officials and anyone else wanting to get us for what we did to the Misses." He sighed out wiped the sweat that beaded on his eyebrow. "We have to do this soon. The only thing we have time for, and deserve, is a drink!"

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae was sitting there on the bed not looking at anyone, refusing to talk, partly because she had nothing really to say and partly because she was still mad at the situation in a whole. The stress she was feeling at this exact moment was something she didn't feel like dealing with, but every know and again she'd look over at the dark haired woman she could assume was her mother-in-law.

As angry as she was at Taro for not having him tell her, as bad as she felt for not telling Taro about the baby, she was so curious as to who that woman was. She had never really seen a mother before, never had anyone assume such a role, then again apparently Taro hadn't either. She bit her lower lip as she gave another glance to the woman sitting in a chair near her bed. Why was she sitting there? Why hadn't she left? Why was she sitting there while everyone else was out in the hallway talking.

"Got a name?" Jesimae thought it in her head and had not really wanted it to be translated into oral thoughts, but it did. She had just asked that woman what her name was and now that she realized it...she was really curious.

[Orange Diren]

Orange looked over at Ren and smiled.

"I was calling Asher, another friend of Jesimae. I wanted to see where she was." She bit her lower lip and let out a nervous laugh. Everyone was going to be in that port within...minutes or so. She was slightly humored that it was going to bring all the Lawson's together as well as a few exes, which...all go to Jiro. She could not help but find the irony and humor.

"She is there. She says it isn't a real nice place. Any idea why Taro and Jes are there, Ren?" She frowned softly wanting to know if he had any clue because not knowing was killing her. Something she needed to work on: Nosiness.

[Akasha]

Her face was still glowing a bright red from his comment made earlier about her going anywhere with him. She didn't know why such a nice comment made her blush so bright for and turned the heat up in this place a million times, but she was actually...enjoying it.

Haruko just kept getting cuter, hotter, sexier...it was ridiculous as to how someone just kept appealing to her more and more the longer she stuck by him. Then again she was susceptable to liking tattoos and piercings. Both of which Haruko wore...and wore very well.

They were in the hospital ward and he was talking with someone about Jesimae, his sister-in-law, but her interest was piqued when she heard a lot of voices, raised ones at that, coming from a small area in the ward where people could wait. It was closed off by two latching doors, but the large windows in each allowed her a glimpse of two men and a woman, all of whom looked ghastly familiar. She turned to look at Haru, but his attention was on the woman who was, apparently, clocking in and looking up the name he had asked for. She bit her lower lip and was so wanting to just go over there and walk into the room and ask them if they were related to the Lawson's, but didn't.

She frowned and continued to watch the scene play out. The man with the shortest hair was screaming at the one with the longer hair, then the young woman would get into it. She wasn't sure what was going on, whether it be an argument or just a very animated conversation, either way Akasha was enthralled and could not break her eyes off of them. She felt Haruko move slightly against her arm that she had propped on the high counter, which she was leaning against. This broke her stare and she found Haru's eyes and grinned.

"There is a very interesting scene going on in the waiting room right over there," She pointed with her chin. "They look like your brothers and one of the bridesmaids. Am I mistaken?" She touched his arm and then pointed. The look on his face gave her his answer.

[Asher Perez]

"I don't know!" Asher screamed back at the two brother's. Well...it wasn't really screaming, just raised voices. They were all in the midst of a discussion as to who knew about this mess, how everyone found out, what was going on, why crap was hitting the fan all of a sudden. Taro was apparently ready to pull his hair out and with good measure. Jiro was freaking out because he found out he had a mother and was freaking out even more over who all knew about this.

"Look!" Asher yelled feeling the stress and tension, as well as the temperature in the room, rise without stopping. "All I know is that Orange called me...she told me that Ren had called her, Ren got a call from Haruko, He, TARO, got a little e-mail-message-thing from you!" She sighed out and brushed a piece of her hair out of her eyes.

"So it goes like this: Haruko called Ren, Ren called Orange, Orange called Mei-li followed by me. I know Ren picked up Orange and Mei-li to bring them here to see Jesimae. I was on another colony with Roman and I got here ASAP. Orange told me that Haruko was the informant of all and that he has someone with him." Asher drew in a deep breath. Boy! This was so confusing! It looked like everyone that ever knew these people were here and it was really stressful on them all because...well...there were literally three ex's being brought along to face.

Asher wasn't really stressed, okay she was, but she was also very anxious and very excited. Haruko had dropped off the face of the planet, she hadn't seen him in ages because she never get a hold of him. She missed him every single day and was still in love with the man and had wondered if she would ever see him again. The tears she had shed were insermountable and the pain and suffering she put herself through were just too demanding. Somehow Asher had managed to put it all behind her, but now it was right back and riding her tail.

Her eyes ran over the two brothers who got silent just for a moment out of nothing better to do than stare out the window at the stars and the bright port entrance she looked over to the doors.

"T-T-Taro..." Asher's stomach dropped and she could barely breathe. "Mr. Lawson..." She grabbed Taro's arm and pointed at the man walking towards the door with an eye so blue that it literally brought fear into her heart. "It's him...he's here!"

[Haruko Lawson]

Haruko paused and followd her gaze. His bionic eye immediately read everyone and he was shocked to see.

"Jiro! Taro! Asher!" he exclaimed, grinning so brightly he thought his face might break. He took Akasha's hand and jogged over to them, looking at their faces. They looked horrified, terrified, mortified, and anything else a human face can look at once. His brow furrowed. "What's going on? What's wrong with Jes?" he asked. No one said anything. Taro looked like he was about to grab a large, and very heavy object and throw at him. Why?

"Kyoudai? Nani ka?" he asked. Taro didn't say anything. Neither did Jiro. It took another second for things to register and it was just as Taro was making a move for Haruko. Who promptly jumped back and covered his blue eye with one palm. "No, no, no!" he exclaimed. "I'm fine, it's Haru! Look," he said, pulling his hand down and blinking the eye.

"I don't really want to explain right now, but the long and short of it is that I had a virus in my bionic brain," he said, reaching out to put a hand on Taro's shoulder. His face was still frightened, but more confused now. Haruko motioned to Akasha. "Taro, Jiro, this is Akasha. She is the one who helped me get everything cleaned up. I'll have this blue eye, but Mr. Lawson is gone. Akasha showed me someone who could help me."

"Haru?" Taro said after a long moment of silence. Then he sighed out. "You and me and Akasha will need to have a longer conversation later," he nodded to Akasha. "I'm Taro, this is Jiro, we're his brothers. This is Asher Perez, she's a friend."

"This is Akasha, she's been with me for several weeks," Haru said, giving her a smile. He glanced at Asher, felt pain in his heart, and smiled at her. "It's nice to see you again, Asher," he paused after a moment. "So. Jes?"

[Ren Wilcox]

Ren shook his head as he had Prange follow him to the cockpit. He began navigating the ship towards the colony.

"Jiro...he called me a few hours ago while you all were still back there. He said something about a bounty hunter and being chased. I don't know, he was really vague. He was more worried about where we were and how soon we'd be there," Ren explained. In the pit of his stomach, he felt a certain fear because of the fact that he, Mei-li, and Orange would be in Jiro's presence again. Mei-li is the love affair, Orange is the ex, and Ren? Well, he was the almost-but-not-quite-boyfriend-again. It would be chaos.

"The only thing I can think is that maybe that whole Jabari thing came to a head and there are bounties out for Taro, at least, if not Jes, and Ji too."

[Kyoko Lawson]

Kyoko looked up and over at the woman. She gave her the kindest smile that she could and leaned forward a little.

"My name is Kyoko Lawson," she said. She looked down at the floor for a moment. She hadn't known that Taro hadn't told his wife about having a mother. She had thought that the whole family would know. But apparently, the man was not as open as Kyoko would have preferred he be. She looked back up. "I'm so sorry, Jesimae. That Taro didn't tell you. I should have talked to you all myself, I am sorry for that too..." she paused. Her face turned worried. "How are you feeling? Your injuries, I mean."

[Jesimae Lawson]

Kyoko. Jesimae looked at the woman and smiled with a little huff of laughter through her nose. She shook her head and sighed out and placed her fingertips on her forehead. When one thing went wrong, it seemed, everything else had to go wrong too. It was always how things went and she knew that she had to get used to it sooner rather than later. She looked up at the woman and smiled, her own causing Jesimae's hard barrier to melt quicker than butter on a hot muffin. She didn't know why but this woman....Jesimae was already loving her.

"I'm okay." Jesimae stated nodding her head once. "Every know and again I'll have a bit of break-through pain from the meds, but other than that all is well. This place is well stocked for people in situations such as these." Jesimae bit her lower lip and she knew that she hadn't said much, but she felt like she had read the woman a book.

"So," Jesimae said giving a smile to the woman. "why are you here? On the colony? And how did you know that Taro was...Taro?" She frowned softly and shook her head, softly asking Kyoko answers to questions that Taro must've presented to her already. It was for her own curiosity, but also she wanted to find out for the brother's in case they had missed certain questions.

[Asher Perez]

Asher bit her lower lip, her heart literally shattered into a million and one pieces by the sight of the pretty thin blond bombshell who had been holding Haruko's hand the moment they stepped through those doors. Naturally, still being in love with the man, jealousy was obviously going to set in, but she never thought it would be this evident.

Asher looked at Haruko and at his little 'hello' if she could even go so far as to saying that is what it was. How could he be so...heartless? She did nothing but nod in his general direction a bit let down at his wording and even more so when he had given the woman a smile before glancing over at her. She gave him a muted 'hi' and the tow brother's quickly began conversing about Jesimae's condition.

[Haruko Lawson]

Haruko's bionic eye picked up a change in Asher's body heat, even as he was talking to Taro. Anger, embaressment, and jealousy were the three emotions that generally caused a person's face to heat up like that. Haruko tried to ignore it as he listened to what had happened to Jesimae. It was a nightmare. But then...Taro got to the part where he asked Haruko why he was there.

"Well..." Haruko said, furrowing his brow. "You sent me a signal messege saying you wanted me to come..." Haruko said slowly, as if his brother had gone senile already. Taro's expression visually changed from wonder to totally baffled.

"I didn't send anything like that. I've been here the whole time..." he said, shaking his head. Haruko's jaw slackened a little, and he looked at Akasha, then back to Taro.

"Then...somebody's been on your ship."

[Kyoko Lawson]

Kyoko smiled and looked down at her hands. She shook her head, thinking about Jesimae's question for a long time.

"Well..." she said. "I was informed that my husband...Jin'la, had passed away and that three boys had been there, all by the name of Lawson...Taro, Jiro, and Haruko..." she paused a moment, nodding. "I knew that I should at least make my presence known to them. But Taro...he doesn't exactly broadcast his address," she said, smiling a little. "So I happened to be here when I found out that you and he were here. And I..." she paused again, shrugging a little. "I just knew him when I saw him...you have no idea how much he looks like his father at that age."

[Hitomi Lawson]

Hitomi sucked down the last of the alcohol she had bought and glanced at her watch then looked around the bar they were in.

"So," she asked, looking back over at Dove. "My guess is, they're all going to congregate at the hospital area. Are you planning a massacre? At a hospital?" she asked, leaning back in her chair. They only had to wait for the Ren boy to come in with Orange, and then everyone and his sister who knew the Lawsons would be there on that colony with them.

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae nodded as if she knew what Kyoko meant, and in a way she did. She hadn't seen Jabari in more than ten years yet when she saw him she knew immediately that it had been him. She figured that a mother knew her son's face better than anyone. She sighed out feeling so awkward that all of this had happened and that this was what brought the Lawson family together. Jesimae felt nervous for several reasons at that exact moment. For one she didn't know what the status was on her child, two she didn't know how Taro was handling this, three she was alone in a room with the only parental figure she had ever seen in person, and four...Jesimae was not ready to become a mother because she had never seen what it was like to be raised by one.

Jesimae looked away from the white blanket the hospital had offered its patients and stopped playing with a small hole and lifted her head to see the woman sitting nearby.

"Why did you want everyone to think you committed suicide? Why did you leave Taro, Jiro, Haruko?" Jesimae was confused at the mothers actions and was wanting some sort of clarity and knew that she would get it by asking the tough questions.

"Did you not think of what it would do to your children?" Jesimae wasn't judging, wasn't mad, just wanting to know. She bit her lower lip her heart succumbing to the feeling of liking the woman. She wasn't mad, but she remembered that before she had been, for Taro and his brothers. Now she was wanting to understand in a calm fashion, which was highly unlike her anymore.

"Sorry I don't mean to barge in on your lifes secrets. It's none of my business. I am just trying to keep my mind off of everything else." Jesimae let out a nervous laugh and looked back down to the blanket.

"Was it easy being a mother?" She looked bacl up at Kyoko. She couldn't stop the questions from coming and flowing out of her mouth. "I mean, I had no parents and I don't know what I am going to do! Taro and I aren't really ready for this." Tears slightly stung her eyes as she thought about everything.

They were financially stable, sure, but they weren't really in the most unselfish and paternal state right now. They were too wrapped up in themselves and their new marriage. A child was the worst thing that could happen.

[Dove Goldman]

Dove sighed out at Hitomi's questions. He knew what he wanted to do, what they were supposed to do, but he just wasn't really prepared to do it. He wanted this whole thing to be over quickly and he was willing to just set a huge explosive on the entire colony and get the hell out of dodge. It'd be brief, simple, quiet, clean. No suspects, no nothing to accuse the two of doing it. But he knew how long it would take to make such a creation and he knew that time was of the essence.

"I don't know." He growled as his mind suddenly went blank and hit a brick wall. He could feel his brain hurting and ready to spill out of his ears at the concentration he was doing on trying to come up with an easy solution to the very massive problem.

"I don't know!" He whined as if she had asked him a question. He leaned up off the chair and drew in a deep breath, wanting so much to pout, but figured it wasn't worth the effort. "We have to figure out what to do and at this moment in time I don't know and I don't care and I just want to get laid andn I want a cigarette." He leaned forward on the bar and ran a hand over his head, feeling his short hair slither in between his fingers, his mind realizing he needed a haircut.

"How much would it cost to get a prostitute?" He let out a grumble of what would be considered a laugh. He was just so annoyed at everything, so annoyed that he was becoming annoyed at being annoyed. His mind hurt at that transaction of words and he shook his head to rid his thoughts. He looked up at Hitomi sitting back in the chair, an eyebrow cocked waiting for a suitable answer.

Dove was short of one and figured the silence could be filled with him drinking down the rest of his scotch, which he did so as he looked at the beauty across the table from over the rim of the crystal tumbler glass. How bad he wanted to just sweep the woman off her feet, right into his bed, and show her what it was like to have a good time under such stressful circumstances. Hell, he always liked how it literally cleared his mind with the mingled pleasures of the body and flesh and how much better he thought post-coitus.

"How about you?" He said with a frown. "Wanna get laid?" WHo was he kidding, he thought to himself. Hitomi, as bad as she acted, was no where near as bad as he wanted her to be and that drove him insane because good girls were always the best to uncover. He knew that the good girls had the most deepest darkest sexual beings within. Dove frowned wondering how his mind made a switch from death and destruction to sex and pleasure. Who cares, he was liking it, especially when it was involving Miss Lawson.

[Kyoko Lawson]

Kyoko's brow furrowed and she stood up, sitting down next to Jesimae on the bed. She understood better than probably anyone at that moment what the woman was going through. She took a chance and put an arm around Jesimae's shoulders, and with her other hand she held Jesimae's hand.

"No one is ever ready to be a mother or father," she said quietly, smiling a little at the young woman. "And yes. It was very hard being a mother," she said. "When Haruko was born, it was the best day of my life. But I didn't know how to deal with a young child. And then, I got pregnant with Taro. After that, everything fell apart..." she paused, switching subjects a little. "I left my boys...because I had problems. I was mentally not stable to take care of all my children. I had a lot of problems, and my husband...he wasn't much better. I left them to protect them..." she shook her head. "I know I only did more harm than good."

She paused for another moment, thinking deeply about it. After a moment, she patted Jesimae's arm reassuringly.

"You are Taro--from what I hear, anyway--have been through hell and high water. And even though he looks like his father, Taro is nothing like him. Having children is the best thing that happened to me, circumstances just kept me away from them. But you and Taro will be good parents, and I am sure that your baby is lucky to have a mother and father like you two."

She smiled warmly.

[Jesimae Lawson]

Jesimae had never felt so relieved in all her life, nor had she ever felt such a sudden urge to hug someone, She had been uncomfortable when the mother had put a hand around her and on her hand, but as the moment passed it suddenly felt wonderful. The feeling she had deep inside of her was something that could not be explained, much like the feeling she got whenever she looked at Taro. It was a connection that could never be put into a category.

Jesimae swallowed the ball of tears in her throat and nodded, her words consoling her fear more than the mother probably realized. She looked at Kyoko and smiled wearily, although she had made her feel a bit better the fear that still established itself within her...it still had a good grasp of her feelings towards the whole baby thing, which she understood was going to be normal.

"Thank you." Jesimae stated with a low voice. "I am sure Taro will be a good father. Perhaps when we get out of here you can come stay with us." Jesimae was jumping the gun on everything she knew, but she wasn't about to lose that wonderful happy feeling she had inside. It seemed that a deep hole inside of her heart had been miraculously healed, all at the touch of a woman's hand and a few soothing words. Jesimae was already attached to Kyoko Lawson and that scared her for what if Taro wanted nothing to do with her?

Jesimae had lost both parents and Taro had made ammends with his father before he passed, hopefully he could do the same with his mother? A woman who was wanting to be in their lives, Jesimae hoped, and was still living and breathing?

"I don't know how Taro and I will do as parents, at least you could help us out a little?" Jesimae smiled at Kyoko and felt her body relax and accept everything. "I know I would really love it."

[Hitomi Lawson]

Hitomi furrowe her brow. She sighed, leaning forward as she pressed some money onto the counter to pay for her drink. Only hers. She slid out of the seat and shook her head.

"No, Dove, I can't say I feel that desire," she said in hurt annoyance. "Why can't men think with their brains instead of their dicks?"

She pulled her jacket on and grabbed her satchel, trying to ignore th niggling hurt that his words had caused him. She turned towards the door and sighed again.

"Look, I'm gonna go back to the apartment and try to figure a way out of this mess. When Dove gets back, can you tell him where I'm at?" she turned back and headed out the door, sticking her hands poutily in her pockets. She couldn't believe that had bothered her so much. So instead of thinking about it, she turned her mind back to the problem at hand.

The Lawsons and Company.

[Dove Goldman]

Dove sighed out with annoyance as he wandered around the colony with his hands in his pockets aimlessly wandering without any true direction. He hadn't done anything that involved sexual activity, simply because the one person he wanted to tango with had left in a tizzy. Dove knew that he annoyed her, said things that mde her scoff and look the other way, but never had he felt so different when she had responded hatefully and walked out.

He had been joking, she should have known that! The two said stupid things like that all the time he didn't get why she had gotten so uppity on him. He figured it all had been out of context since they did have bigger fish to fry than goofing off. But that was how he relaxed, playing was a way of making things not seem so bad.

Dove growled as he remembered how different she had looked. Like he had upset her, hurt her, offended her. He felt horrible and he wasn't even sure why. Dove wanted to go get her and apologize for...whatever it was he did. Hell, Dove wanted a lot more than that! He wanted to tell her how he really felt because he figured it would be the best thing to do for the both of them. He was tired of having to keep it inside, force himself to not say how much he loved her with every passing glance. He knew that walking around trying to figure it all out would solve absolutely nothing. Dove was so distressed over his feelings that it was suddenly becoming the front runner in the whole situation. He didn't even care about the Lawson's anymore, not until he told Hitomi how badly he wanted to take care of her the rest of his life, love her like nobody ever had, and give her everything she ever needed and then some. He was just so aggravated that he couldn't.

Dove turned around and headed back to their room, knowing she would probably wonder where he had been for so many hours, she'd probably be in bed or ask him if he had a good roll in the hay. He wasn't even wanting to hear her say that to him unless it somehow involved those two.

[Hitomi Lawson]

Hitomi had showered, farted around on her computer, hung around the window, and generally worried since she had arrived, after she had left Dove. As the hours had dragged on, she had felt worse and worse for the way she had acted--like a bratty school girl.

She let out a long sigh as she changed into a blue spaghetti strap shirt and darker blue short shorts, what she normally slept in. It was a little cool in the room, but it was only that way because Dove liked it colder than she did. She threw on a blue hoodie with faded seventy-three on the front and flopped down on the bed.

She wanted to wait until Dove got back so she could apologize, but then she knew she would have to explain why she had said that, and she couldn't very well tell him that it was because she hated hearing him say that. That she didn't like to hear him talk about getting prostitutes, or sleeping around, because she just...wanted him to want her. It was selfish, she knew, he was still a guy, and they had known each other forever. So to him, it would probably be like making out with his sister to be with her. But still...

"Uh, woman, you are getting on your own nerves!" Hitomi muttered in annoyance as she stood up and looked out the window again, trying to see if she could see Dove.

[Dove Goldman]

Dove closed the door softly after noticing that the entire living room was pitch black, save for the stars pouring bright light from the viewing window. He wanted to grin at the thought of knowing how he liked having a room with a view, it somehow made him feel a little bit freer and a little less constrained. Which is one of the reasons he loved Hitomis so much. They might have been like oil and water in certain areas of their personality but they had similar intrests and got along so way. He also loved how she made him feel free. It was corny and stupid to say out loud, he knew, but it was true. There were things about Hitomi that made his heart swell up, made him feel as if he couldn't breathe, gave him that butterflies in the stomach feeling. Dove sighed out lightly as he pulled off his dark jacket, placing it over the back of a chair that was a few feet away from the door. He ran a hand over his hair, realizing it was time for a haircut, and glanced to the left where the two rooms were.

Dove looked back out the window for a moment before turning and heading down the small dark hallway, opening the door without knocking, he was sure she was either passed out asleep or going to yell at him for opening the door. She should have been used to it by now anyhow!

"Didn't mean to make you mad." Dove saw her back turned to the door, her long legs shimmering lowly in the dark light. To be damned with prostitutes, if there were any pair of legs he wanted to touch and play with...it'd be the stems growing from under that baggy hoodie.

"You know I'm not good at apologies. But....I am makin' one, you know." Dove stuffed his hands into his pockets and leaned against the doorframe and looked at her. In all seriousness she was the most beautiful woman he had ever laid his eyes upon, and that ws saying something because he had laid his eyes upon many.

"I can be a dick. I don't mean to be...I just am." Dove didn't know really if his words were making any sense, but for some reason they were to him. He was apologizing to her for anything he had done wrong because for a long time he had felt like he had done and said many mean things to her. Things she didn't need to hear. He was also apologizing inside that he was too chicken to say something to her about how much he loved her and not in a sisterly way. He watched her stare at him over her shoulder, arms crossed, everything just so tempting.

"Have you ever wanted something and you just couldn't get it? Or were afraid that you wouldn't be able to get it?" Dove frowned and pulled his hands out of his pockets and wandered into the room, speaking his thoughts out loud.

"I'm not talking about anything in particular, you know, just...I have been thinking lately how I have been wanting certain things but I was afraid to get that certain thing because of repercussions or...problems." Dove bit his lower lip, his brow furrowing deeper and heavier. "I don't think I have been so torn up over something. I want it, I really really do, but I am not sure how things would work out. I like what I got now! I love it! But if I do something else, change things, I am scared it wouldn't work out. Do you know what I mean, Hitomi? Am I..making any sense?" Dove let out a sigh. He wasn't sure why he was talking to her about something that involved her without she knowing it. He was practically confessing how he wanted to have her and only her. Be more than friends. He figured, to himself, he could get somer reaction on changing things and if she was receptive and confident he might be bold, might tell her, might do things that they normally hadn't done.

Dove stopped a few feet away from her, that frown still heavy on his face, the confusion and tire of the choices probably visible in his eyes and expression. How he just wanted to grab her by the arms and pull her up to him and give her a kiss that would be wanted again and again. But he was chicken.

"God, what am I saying?" Dove sighed out and let out a grunt. "I'm sure you are thinking I am crazy. I guess I am just tired."

[Hitomi Lawson]

Hitomi's brow furrowed a little as she listened to the words her partner spoke. Somehow, even though they weren't exact, they mirrored the ones she had meant to say when he walked into the door. They were sincere--the most sincere she had ever heard Dove--and they were deep, almost like, for the firsdt time since they had known each other, he was giving her a look at that part of him he kept so guarded, so under the calluses.

Hitomi turned away from the window and dropped her arms, sticking her hands in her pockets, lowering her eyes as Dove kept talking. She wished she had the courage to speak up and tell him she thought the same thing. Well, she had the courage, but, at least for the moment, was choosing not to be brave.

When his words finally faded, they hung between she and he for a long time as Hitomi digested them and tried to come up with a reply. She looked up from where she had been staring onto the floor.

"I don't think you're crazy, Dove," she said, smiling at him. "At least no more than usual." She smiled a little wider, then sobered a little, shaking her head. "Look, I overreacted, I was just...you know, stressed about everything that has been going on..." she paused for a moment. "I know you and I have been in this a long time but...do you ever feel like...maybe it's time to get out? Have a real life? One that...that you don't have to kill people in? One that maybe you can share with someone that you love, without being afraid they'd be killed for loving you back?"

Hitomi sighed. Now she didn't know what she was saying. She was trying to get at things in a way that wouldn't scare Dove off. In a way that would allow her to feel him out, see where he stood on the matter. She shook her head again. Without thinking, Hitomi stepped forward and put her arms around Dove, hugging him tightly.

"Dove, you've always been my best friend..." she paused to lean back and look at him. "And if...if you think its time we change things then...I will be here to change them with you..." she smiled a little. "You aren't afraid of anything. How can a little change be so different?"

[Dove Goldman]

It just is! He thought in his mind, scared that this was a pivital point in thier friendship. Was she trying to say something now? Did she want out? Did she not want to do this anymore? Dove didn't know, but he had never been afraid of anything in al his life, but at this point in time...he was ready to just crawl in a hole and die.

"Hitomi..." He said in a stifled voice. He wanted to say so much, but he couldn't. "I just..." Without much more he grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her into him, rather forcefully, and kissed her lips. He had never liked kissing on the mouth for he felt it was too personal, then again he had never been in a relationship that lasted more than a few hours. This time, being older, getting tired of this deadly job, he wanted to just do something different and kissing her with all the strength inside of him made him feel extremely...better.

It wasn't anything but a hard kiss on the lips, breathing in so deep that he could hear the air hitting her skin. He wanted to kiss her so passionately that it left her drained, just as he wanted to be. Before that time came, he realized, he was kissing his best friend. He slowly pulled away as if doing it any quicker would cause his soul to leap out of his body. He slowly opened his eyes and let go.

"Oh...god...Hitomi." Dove ran a hand over his head, trying to regain the brain power that was lost. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to do that! I did...but...I am sorry!" Dove let out a growl of annoyance. For the first time in a long time he had let his mind go free and allow him to not think. Which, at this moment, he wasn't sure if this was a good thing or a bad thing.

[Hitomi Lawson]

Hitomi's eyes had never been so wide in all of her life. Dove Goldman had just kissed. Dove Goldman. The boy she had known all her life. The boy that had been there for here so many times it was dizzying. The boy she had picked on, and hugged, and cried on the shoulder of for years.

Hitomi found herself totally breathless as the man's face slowly moved away from hers, the heat from her lips tingling out into her face and dissipating into glittering warmth down her neck. Her brain slowly caught up with his words as she stared in disbelief. So...he had meant to? Or had he? She wasn't even sure what she thought about it, let alone could she guess what he had meant to do or not to do.

So she had to ask herself whether or not she had meant that kiss. As clumsily performed as it had been, as spontaneous...

"Dove, I--" No. Don't start that way. Don't say something stupid, Hitomi. Try again. "Don't be sorry, Dove. If you meant it...then...there isn't any reason to be sorry..."

Stepping forward to gain the ground she had lost in the initial shock, Hitomi reached up, a little hesitantly, to put a hand on his face as if to steady him--and also herself. Standing on her toes just a little, she kissed him right back, a little more gently, but with enough pressure that she didn't chicken out of it.

And she prayed to Buddha that he would kiss her back.

[Dove Goldman]

Dove, in turn, felt shocked beyond all reasoning. He had done a lot of spontaneous things, reckless things, things that no normal person should do, but never in his life had he ever kissed Hitomi in a manner other than friendship and here he was so happy inside that he wanted to just swoop her off her feet and just...do things to her that he only imagined doing in his mind. Her expressions at first made him a little scared for he wasn't certian if he just really screwed up a lot of things, which he had been discussing with her before the kissing, but happily and acceptedly the kiss she gave him that was a lot calmer and more gentle and more...sexy....furthered his beliefs that this was a very, very, very good thing. And...if it wasn't broke...he wasn't about to fix it.

Dove responded as best he coul without getting over crazy or over...feely. Dove stepped into her a little more and put his hands on her face and kissed her the way he knew she ought to have been kissed, Deep, gentle, calm, long, sensual. Emotional as well. For Dove to be overly so in work he figured he could at least keep this on a healthy amount of emotional and physical. At this moment he figured he was doing a good job at just keeping things uncomplicated, for the first time in his life mind you. He wanted to keep his mind out of this, wanted to keep things the way they were, sharing a miraculous kiss with the one and only person who knew him better than himself, the one person he loved more than life, and the one person who he would die for.

[Hitomi Lawson]

Hitomi could do nothing but just about melt into a puddle right in Dove's arms.

Hitomi had had many boyfriends. She had been kissed many times, she had been hald many ways. Yet, somehow, the way Dove kissed her, and the way Dove held her, and just the fact that Dove was there, and she was there too, made anything that was going wrong at that moment fall by the wayside and not matter to her in the slightest.

When they finally parted for air, Hitomi couldn't supress a stupid grin. She all but tackled Dove, hugging him tightly, and holding onto him as if for dear life. Because in the beat of her heart, her life had been totally changed.

And all because of the boy with the mouth phobia.

[Mei-Li Yeh]

Mei-li's stomach churned slightly at the sight and the sounds of all that had happened to her sister-in-law. She had to take a moment to gather her composure when she saw the tiny girl in the bed with the bruised face, busted lip, bandaged wrist...it was minor compared to what she had been thinking the entire trip, but now that she saw it and put it all together... Mei-li shuddered as if a cold pocket of air just burst around her as she washed her hands in the bathroom in the room. She was hungry, tired, sick by the multi colored patterns on Jes's face, and even what was worse she somehow felt a deep pain inside of her when she had seen Jiro and Ren hold onto each other for so long when they made their way into the hospital ward.

Mei-li didn't want to judge people, didn't truly like to for she found it to be incorrect most of the time, plus she hadn't been raised that way. But, as any woman would do, she began to compare herself to the beautiful man being held onto tightly. Even worse, by the one she was questioning her feelings over the past few weeks. Mei-li had ruined a romance between Jiro and Orange, her guilty conscience was not giving her rest and it was stirring up second thoughts about Jiro and his faithfulness. She was not doubting it, not at all, she was, however, doubting his heart. Jesimae had told her about the relationship Jiro had shared with Ren Wilcox and that alone was enough to cause worry, but Mei-li knew that there was nothing one could do against Karma, something she highly believed it. What comes around, goes around sorta thing.

Slowly Mei-li lifted her head glancing at her pale complexion in the faded mirror, watching tiny droplets of water drip from her chin. She licked her lips, tasting the salty water and sighed out looking away to grab a piece of thin paper out of the dispenser. She knew that the tire was showing under her eyes, but it was half due to the fact that her sister-in-law was in the hospital and the other due to a past love that was always seemingly within arms reach.

Folding the piece of paper and patting her face and hands dry she figured it was only what she deserved. She had taken Jiro from Orange, Ren was to take Jiro from here. Again. Karma. Mei-li rolled her eyes and let out a little sigh of a laugh as she put the papertowel into the trash dispenser. She was being silly. So what if Ren took Jiro? At least she still had her daughter, her life, her happiness, her family. Men came and went...right? So how come she wasn't truly taking the realization that Jiro was still in love with the curly haired man well? Heck, she didn't even know if her mind was overanalyzing a friendly meeting...afterall Jesimae was Jiro's sister-in-law, too! He must've been showing his understanding by a hug. But...for such an extended amount of time?

Again she let out a laugh, glancing back into the mirror to brush away some strands of hair. Then again there was the odd ending to the embrace...Mei-li watched her smile fade, the sparkle in her eyes going dim, the happiness turning to pure crushed. Her stomach turned and she paused in combing her hair with her fingers. She continued to look at herself, judging everything. The small beauty marks on her face, her slightly lazy eye, her slightly oily skin, her lips that were too large for her face, her flat and plain hair...he rail thin body...no breasts...no wonder! Mei-li frowned and threw a hand at her reflection. One thing she was never kind on was herself. A 25 year old, unemployed, widowed, mother of a 7 year old! What was their NOT to love? Every man wants that!

Mei-li bit her lower lip and took a seat on the toilet and put her left arm across her legs, putting her forehead on the palm of her right hand, her mind going nuts. She had been thinking of probably ending things with Jiro, romantically she meant, they were very happy with one another and got along great! However, the age difference was very hard to deal with, as was the fact that Hana was so much in love with Jiro and him still just a child himself. It was not very simpatico. Friends of the family was what she figured she could deal with when it came to Jiro. Hana would still be able to see him, Jiro would be able to date, go out, have fun, Mei-li would still be very close with him...what was there not to work?

Another sigh escaped her lips. This was very difficult for Mei-li. She wasn't sure why, perhaps because she had hoped so much that this would be her last try with men. But again she failed miserably. She wasn't the most confident of people, but she knew that she wasn't ugly! Certainly not...too bad. Mei-li was over analytical and this was a situation that did not need to be ocurring! Her sister was in the hospital! She should be more concerned with her well being than her own. Mei-li leaned up and dropped her hand and nodded with a determined frown.

"Yes." She said to herself, slitting her eyes as she looked at the wall in front of her. "This is about Jesimae! Not me." Mei-li nodded again and stood up, going back to the mirror to make sure she didn't do anything to mess up her make-up. She smiled at herself and tried to convince herself it was about Jesimae...but it failed.

"Big teeth." She said with a frown. "Who wants a girl with big teeth?" Mei-li stomped her foot and let out an aggravated sound. She turned her back to the mirror and leaned on the sink and again put her head in her hands.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

She brought her attention to the door and she looked to her immediate left to the shadow beneath the heavy wooden door.

"Mei-li? You okay?" It was Orange. Mei-li sighed out and smiled.

"Sorry. I'm fine. Stomach hurt me." Without much more being exchanged, Mei-li flushed the toilet as to not seem as if she were in there contemplating her looks like she had been. After a few seconds she unlocked the door and stepped out into the bright room, her stomach hurting horribly when she saw Jiro and Ren standing side by side. Too close for her own comfort. Again Orange professed her concerns.

"Thank you. I be okay. I think I need to go outside for a moment. I feel kind of...in need of air." Mei-li smiled at everyone in the room and nodded. "Excuse me, please." She saw a few smile and nod, but before leaving she gave one last glance to Jiro finding his frown quite a heart breaker. She smiled at him and then Ren and stepped out without much more to say. She was sure Jiro was going to understand the hint she tossed to him by giving Ren the last look, but if he didn't, for he did miss subtle things sometimes, she figured she could tell him later when they could have privacy.

[Evan Christianson]

"No, I didn't authorize that, Charlie, and I don't know what would have possessed you to--" Anxious chatter. "No, no, tell him I don't want them! Tell him to take them back, damn it! We aren't going to pay for that! Not when we didn't order them!" Annoyed banter. "Okay, you know what, Charlie? I don't have time for him right now! I am stranded on this Godforsaken colony until my damn ship is repaired. I have to send back everything that we recieved while I am up here, you think that's an easy thing to do? I didn't think so. Now. Would you please do your job and tell him to take the whole shipment back, that he and I can talk about it when I get back?"Pause. "Thank you, Charlie. I'll see you when I get back to Coruscant. Yeah. Okay. Tell Kate for me too, will you? Thanks. Bye."

The beep of the com ended the conversation, and, hopefully, all for the better. Evan swore that the more he worked the less other people did. It was why starting this business on Coruscant seemed to be getting harder and harder by the day.

Evan Christianson was married to his work. Or at least, he tried his hardest to be. Ever since his wife had been killed in a hovertaxi accident seven years previous, he had tried to work hard enough to never think about her. He had moved to Naboo then to Tattooine after her funeral, and then, couldn't take the sand anymore. After that he had moved his business back to Coruscant, but it had proven a bigger problem that was really necessary to try and get it on its feet again.

But at least it kept his mind off of other things.

Rubbing a hand down his face and over his chin--he needed to shave--he sighed and pulled out his cigarettes, lighting it and tossing the pack on the table he sat at. He was seated near the hospital complex in a little cafe because there was nowhere else to go. He had run into some trouble with his ship about halfway to Coruscant, and if this colony hadn't been here, it had been entirely likely he would never have made it to Coruscant.

Except that now he was stuck here. On this colony. Disconnected from reality, and people in general.

He had seen some brouhaha over in the hospital complex a few minutes ago. A bunch of people had run inside--they all seemed to know eachother--and he had watched them for awhile until Charlie had called and explained to him about a shipment of parts that had come in but hadn't been checked.

Evan sighed out a long, white line of smoke and rested his chin in his hand, watching people as they passed. He couldn't wait to get out of here.

[Mei-Li Yeh]

Mei-li sighed out as she somehow managed to make her way out of the hectic hospital. She was lost already and she hadn't walked out of that room less than five minutes ago. She wasn't the best when it came to directions, but she never forgot things immediately, then again she had so many things going on in her mind right now. She was getting dumped, although she wasn't really dumping anyone or vice versa, but it was the fact that she was losing out was slightly discomforting. She also was home sick. That long flight here to this hell hole made her sick to her stomach and she was missing solid ground, but more than anything else in the galaxy she missed her little baby girl Hana. She had left her for so long to go back to Naboo to put some closure in her life, only to open up the wound again, and leave her baby for such a long time. Now she turned around and left her girl again. She was going to have some severe story reading to make up for all this lost time.

"Crap." Mei-li said as she looked around the busy "street" of the colony, its filth easily seen wandering around, as well as the unsanitary roads and buildings, even the air smelled funny. She frowned and sniffed looking around seeing a few people located here and there smoking cigarettes. "Explains the smell." She said to herself. She scrunched her nose and then remembered what a few of her friends said back in Coruscant while picking up their children.

"Smoking soothes the soul?" Mei-li figured that it wouldn't hurt to try. She was a grown woman! She coudl smoke a cigarette like the rest of the girls, plus she wanted something to do other than think about things that weren't truly important at the moment. Mei-li bit her lower lip and slowly began to make her way over towards a man sitting idly at a table, she tried to be conspicuous, unseen, but she figured it made it more noticeable. She sighed out and rolled her eyes and figured she could just ask!

"'Scuse me? Mister?" Mei-li said as she ptu her hands behind her back, looking even more like a kid than she had meant to. "May I..." What was that word girls used..."bum...cigarette?" She slit her eyes praying to God she didn't tick him off. With people here it was untelling.

[Evan Christianson]

Evan's eyes widened at her a moment before he pulled his own out of his mouth and laughed, looking down and picking up the pack.

"Yeah, of course! Sorry," he said, offering them up to her. He smiled up at her. She was pretty, young, Asian--he hadn't seen one in a long time--and looked a little frazzled. Prehaps upset about something? Looking to calm her nerves probably. He pulled his lighter out of his pocket and proferred it. "A light?" he said, smiling.

[Mei-Li Yeh]

Mei-li felt her stomach flip, nervousness perhaps? This being her first cigarette and all? Or was it the dazzling smile that could blind any man, woman, creature in space? Either way the warm reception made her smile and for a moment chase troubles away. But then she took the thing stick of nicotine and glanced around. How did people do this? She had seen people up close and personal smoking, but she wasnt' a pro or very good at faking much of anything. She put the end in her mouth and frowned, seeing the man hold the lighter to her. She nodded and made a noise and lowered her head to the lighter when he flicked it on and a flame burst out. For a moment she felt her body temperature rise when she realized she didn't know what to do now. She remembered seeing her friends and told her to suck. So..she sucked.

The tip glowed red and she breathed in, feeling the cloud of smoke cake her throat and go into her lungs. She leaned up and pulled the tip out of her mouth and frowned, looking at the cigarette. "Thank...." Before the rest of that sentence came out the smoke did, as well a huge cough and a sound of death. She coughed and gasped, leaning forward and bracing herself on the table, watching it topple slightly at her weight. She gasped and coughed, her lungs sounding as if they were going to fall out of her body. She leaned up and covered her mouth realizing she didn't need to go spreading germs, although they covered the entire area.

"Oh...god!" She breathed in deep and coughed more, it becomming less violent as time passed. She looked at the man who had given her the cigarette and she felt extremely retarded and embarassed. She coughed again and covered her face that was red from being unable to breathe. How stupid she must've looked, walking up to his table all haughtily, like she knew what she was doing, acting like she was goign to suck this baby down like she were a pro only to fail horribly.

[Evan Christianson]

Evan's eyes grew wide and he tossed his own cigarette away, standing up. He couldn't help a smile and a little laugh as the woman choked. He took the cigarette from her fingers and stuck it between his lips, putting an arm around her shoulders and moving her towards his seat.

"Here, sit down, take deep breaths," he chuckled, blowing some of the smoke from her cigarette out of the side of his mouth. He sat her down and watched her a moment, her hands covering her face. He smiled, taking the cigarette out of his mouth and holding it between his fingers. He pulled the other chair around and sat down in front of her. "Better not to inhale your first time..." he said, reaching over to move her hands a little and smile into her face.

"Are you alright?"

[Mei-Li Yeh]

Mei-li felt her eyes water coming dangerously clsoe to spilling down her face from the pain inside of her. She coughed and looked at the man her face glowing such a bright red not only from the cigarette, but from the actions the man took to help her out. He moved her hands and she felt so stupid when he looked at her, instructing her on how she shouldn't inhale the first time. God! How ignorant she is! Why didn't she just take it in small amounts? It wouldn't have hurt that bad! She breathed in and sighed out, coughing still as the pain passed. She looked away from the man to other people staring at her like she were insane.

"Oh god...shoot me." She groaned and leaned forward and put her left hand on her forehead, shadowing her face from those other than the man who was still holding a hand and asking her if she was okay. That was strange, she thought, a stranger giving a damn about someone's well being and their ability to breathe!

"I'm sorry!" She said leaning back and frowning. "I cough all over you! I am so sorry! I didn't mean to bother you or anything!" Mei-li felt the temperature in the place go up to boiling points, lord knew her blood was already doing so inside. She turned towards him and cupped her hands over his own, looking him in the eyes and praying inside she didn't offend him or something. ANy moment she was expecting him to stab her for getitng on his nerves. Then she realized she was apologizing too much.

"Sorry!" She said in regaurds to the apologetic problem she had! She felt so stupid! She couldn't say anything else. "Sorry."

[Evan Christianson]

Evan laughed, leaning back, glad to see the woman was still with them. He shook his head.

"Look it's no big deal," he said, sighing out some more smoke and grinning. He shook his head. "Though I don't think I caught anything, you don't look diseased," he joked, leaning down a little to see her better. How cute she was when she was embarassed. He motioned to the cafe the were sitting at. "Do you need a drink or something? Are you sure you're alright? That first breath can be a doozy."

[Mei-Li Yeh]

Mei-li laughed lightly at his comments about her not looking diseased she laughed a little louder, covering her mouth with embarassment as she leaned back, air finally beginning to hit her face after what felt like a year of not being touched by it.

"I might not look diseased," Mei-li teased as she let her hand fall from her mouth. "but you don't know me that well." She looked over at the cafe to where he asked her for something to drink. She then realized her throat still burned. She frowned with discomfort and put a hand to her throat.

"Cigarettes are to make peopel feel better...why do I feel worse?" She sighed out and shook her head, her head beginning to hurt from all that coughing and crooping. "I think water would be nice."

[Evan Christianson]

Evan laughed out loud, tossing away his cigarette and pulling out his wallet, looking down in it, glancing up at her.

"I know, right? Doesn't make much sense does it? I'll be right back," he said, smiling reassuringly at her. He straightened his jacket and strode to the woman who was serving a couple in front of him. He waited for a moment, looking back at the woman seated at his table and grinned, looking back up as the couple moved on with what they had ordered. He moved to the table and smiled at the young woman who asked him what he wanted.

"Uh, water?" he said, watching as she nodded and turned, pulling a bottle out of a cooler behind her. She handed it to him and he surrendered the two credits for it. Evan picked up the strangely shaped bottle and walked back to where the Asian woman was seated. He sat back down in the chair in front of her. He smiled and handed her the water.

"There you go," he said. "I hope it's cold enough..."

[Mei-Li Yeh]

Mei-li looked up at him and was quick to move her mouth in protest to go get her water, but he left before anything came out, her throat not cooperating after that bought with the cigarette. She leaned back figuring she could get her composure together. She putcrossed her left leg over her right and leaned her elbows on the table, pushing back a piece of hairs that fell in her eye. She looked around her heart skipping beats from that nicotine rush, what had caused such a fit? She wasnt' an expert on cigarettes, but after that episode she didn't think she wanted to be, especially that odd taste in her mouth. She leaned her chin on the palm of her left hand, glancing around and finding the man in line. He was really nice! That was something she had never ran into before, even after she coughed all over him he was treating her to water. She bit her lower lip took him in with her eyes, but before she could stare too long she saw him turn. Not wanting to be caught staring she looked the other way...so quickly that it was obvious he saw her. She squeezed her eyes shut and felt her face grow red.

"Stupid! You are probably freaking him out!" She felt so...uncoordinated and unsneaky. She couldn't even admire a man without getting caught! She heard him sit the bottle down after she relished in her grace and looked over to see him sit down with a smile.

"Thank you!" She smiled and grabbed the water bottle. "I guess I can teach Hana about how smoking can kill your throat." She laughed lightly and looked up at the man, breifly, before suddenly struggling with the bottle cap. What the hell!? This was just not her day! The cap was slipping in her hand, the condensation on the bottle making things worse. This man was going to think she was mentally slow or something. She grunted and frowned, puttng the bottle down and looking at her hand, seeing it glowing a bright red and her palm being indented by the ribbed cap that wouldn't budge for her.

[Evan Christianson]

Evan laughed again, reaching over and taking the bottle. He tried to twist it, but it was stuck on there pretty tight. Making an annoyed noise, he held on tighter and heard it hiss open, the cap popping as it loosed. He smiled and put the lid on the table and handed it back to her.

"There you go," he said with a smile. He cocked his head a little. "Hana? Is that a friend of yours?"

[Mei-Li Yeh]

Mei-li was infatuated almost the moment he had given her the cigarette. His kindness was not at all spread thin and he was not limiting how far he was to stretch it. He gave her a smoke, gave her his chair, bought her water, opened the bottle, and making small talk. If this wasn't the gentlest person in all the world then what was? She smiled and took the bottle, feeling a bit stupid that she couldn't do anything for herself at that moment! What a first impression.

"Thank you." She said lowly taking a sip and slightly coughing at the cold liquid soothing that burn. She frowned and looked over at the man with the pretty blue yes, big pretty blue eyes at that! She smiled, not for anything in particular just because he was very pleasing to the eye. She smiled even brighter! She was being such an idiot! She put a hand over her mouth and tried to keep it contained. So, in order to keep things simple and on a good track she stopped smiling and looked at him and sighed out.

"Hana..." Suddenly she had forgotten who that was. The man's good looks were that distracting! She frowned for a moment and then let out a laugh. "She's my daughter." She smiled thinking of the pretty face then glanced up at the one in front of her. Crap. She thought, he was going to end it all now because she was a single mother. Like she had said before in the bathroom, just what every man wanted.

[Evan Christianson]

Evan's mood lit up even more. He loved kids! He always had. He'd grown up with baby cousins and had taken care of young relatives almost all of his life. It didn't feel right if there hadn't been a child around. It was why he and his wife had always had his younger cousins and her younger family members to their home all the time. Being unable to have their own children had been so painful.

"Oh, yeah?" he said, grinning. "I'll bet she's beautiful. How old is she?" he asked. He leaned back a little, trying to lay off it. She probably thought he was going to hunt down and rape them both.

[Mei-Li Yeh]

Mei-li saw the shine in his eyes and suddeny her mood had skyrocketed. It was the first time in...lord knew how long that a man was actually showing some interest towards a child. Jiro, of course, had been enthusiastic about kids, but only because Hana had hunted him down and forced him to love her. Mei-li was suddenly brought down by two seconds thinking of Jiro, but realized their relationship had never been set in stone or actually discussed. She realized that there wasn't really any attachment other than a few kisses exchanged and holding hands. Mei-li never being the one for pushign sexual activities since the last time she did so she wound up pregnant.

"She is soooo beautiful!" She elongated every single syllable she could in that sentence. She let out a laugh, her spirits being lifted to higher ground. It was probably the first time she truly felt happy since she arrived at this place. She stood up and slid her index finger and thumb into her back pocket of the slim jeans she wore. She plopped down in the seat and scooted dangerously close to the man, smelling the cigarettes on him as well as some manly cologne that had faded long ago.

"She is seven!" She unfolded the paper and revealed two pictures. One of she and Hana together and the other of just her little with a muddy and pouty face. She had grabbed the two she had seen from the house, not really looking at what pictures she had grabbed, so it surprised her to see the pouty faced girl. It wasn't very angelic. He probably thought she was a demon child who liked dirt now. She cleared her throat and glanced over at the sexy stubble on his chin and she grinned. How she wanted to touch it! Her husband had never liked beards or goatee's or anything hairy on his body, however Mei-li was quite fond of the scruff look on the face. Jiro usually kept his face superbly hair free. It was nice to see a switch!

[Evan Christianson]

Evan leaned over, gently taking the pictures so he could look at them. One was of the little girl and the woman together, grinning big and wide. Oh, the little girl was beautiful. Big, almond shaped eyes, sweet smile, pigtails. She looked just like her mother. And then the other. Evan couldn't supress a laugh at the little pouty faced girl, mud dotting her round cheeks.

"She's so sweet," he said, grinning over at the woman and handing her back the pictures. "I have a little cousin that's her age. He's a little less of an angel, though," he said, smiling over at the woman. She was a little closer than he had realized and he got--for the first time--a really good look at her.

She was beautiful. Pale, even skin; big, shining brown eyes; full, pink lips; a small nose, centered and comely. And the most beautiful black hair he had ever seen on a woman before. Long, and smooth and perfect, even though it was a little messy.

Evan smiled, leaning back a little so as not to make her uncomfortable. He held out his hand for hers.

"I'm Evan Christianson."

[Mei-Li Yeh]

Mei-li sighed out and nodded, her smile big and unfaltering as her eyes scanned hte pictures of the two, running her hands over it and remembering how much she missed being able to hear her and touch her whenever she wanted. She figured after this trip she was going to stay home and just smother the little girl with hugs and kisses. She hadn't been without her since she was born since she had never been able to go anywhere while with Jabari except stay with her daughter. The freedom, she thought she might have liked, was highly unhealthy for her. She was going through Hana withdrawal. Mei-li looked over at the man, smiling back at him as he leaned away from her. Do I smell bad? Does he want to distance himself? Great day! Mei-li's mind was over analyzing everything and it was annoying her. She needed to loosen up.

"Ev-oon Cu-ris-tu-yawn." Mei-li sighed out, annoyed at herself. Since being around Jiro and Hana her accent had suddenly slipped back into old habit and it was very agitating for her when she had almost lost it when Jabari had died, considering she had to practice english since she was to teach school, especially little children. "Sorry." She said with a sigh, scratching her head for a moment. "My english sometimes....slips from me." She let out an embarassed laugh.

"I'm Mei-li Yeh."

[Evan Christianson]

Evan couldn't help but laugh at her mispronounciation of his name. Hell, it was fine by him! She could call him "Hey you" if she wanted. She was adorable trying to sound out his name. He smiled and nodded.

"Mei-li," he said, grinning at her. "It's nice to meet you," he said. He crossed his legs and pulled out another cigarette, lighting it and sucking in the toxins. He sighed them out slowly before looking back at the woman. "So. What brings you to a place like this? And without your little girl?"

[Mei-Li Yeh]

Mei-li smiled feeling warm and fuzzy inside for no apparent reason, she figured it was due to that amazing smile. It was a very addictive thing to see. His smile made her want to smile and that was something that reminded her of Hana, who never not smiled.

"Likewise." Mei-li responded with a nod, watching him puff on his cigarette, the urge to ask him for another puff very tempting for that taste in her mouth was beginning to grow on her. She grinned and looked into his eyes, so gorgeous she thought.

"My sister-in-law is in the hospital here. She...I don't know." She let out a sigh of defeat the questions flowing back into her mind. Why the hell were they there? Why weren't Taro and Jesimae forthcoming with what happened? "I don't know." She stated again for good measure.

"She was attacked and I was on Coruscant when I got the call from friend." Mei-li bit her lower lip wondering if she had just said too much. She was sure this man didn't wnat to be involved with her personal and family issues. "I left Hana home. She had school. How about you?" She tapped his knee with a smile, glad to change the subject over to him.

"Why you here?"

[Evan Christianson]

Evan nodded, then smiled, shrugging.

"Well, my ship decided to get the flu on the way here. So I am stranded until the mechanics can get it up and running..." he said, shrugging. He glanced around. "Actually, my cousin's supposed to be here like..." he glanced at his watch. "Now...but who knows. I have you to keep me company," he said, grinning non-threateningly. He really like this woman. She was intelligent, kind, funny, adorable. She reminded him a little of one of his friends back on Coruscant, expect that Mei-li was cuter.

Evan cleared his throat and then crossed his legs.

"I'm really sorry to hear about your sister-in-law," he said apologetically. "I hope she gets better..." he paused. "So, you're married then?"

[Mei-Li Yeh]

Mei-li listened to his story teling her about his ship and the problem that had ocurred. She wasn't smiling at the situation, just...him. It had been Evan the entire time, he was the reason she smiled, felt good. She looked around and felt her face grow a bright red when he mentioned to her that she was keeping him company. It was good to know that someone was enjoying her company.

"Married?" Her stomach turned as she looked at him with wide eyes. That was a question she never got adapted to nor really knew how to asnwer. She bit her lower lip and tried to not show her true sadness and her true fear that she still felt when speaking about Jabari. She sighed out and pushed a piece of hair behind her ear and gave a low smile.

"Well, um...he...I was married once. He is no longer...he was killed."

[Evan Christianson]

Evan's brow furrowed. He felt a pang of pain in his heart. He understood. Finding out that his wife had been killed in a hover taxi accident had been the worst thing that had ever happened to him. Knowing that you would never see the face of your wife again, never be able to hear her laugh, or touch her face, or sleep next to her...it changed a person.

"I'm so sorry," he said, reaching over and touching her hand comfortingly. He smiled at her. There was nothing else to say but sorry. No one could ever take away the pain left behind when someone you loved was killed because of carelessness...then again, he did not know how her husband had been killed. Just that he had been. He smiled.

"Are you and Hana best friends?"

[Mei-Li Yeh]

Mei-li clenched her jaw as she slowly looked down at his hand that covered her own. She looked up at him and gave him another smile, she wasn't feeling uncomfortable or anything rather...too comfortable. Normally when a stranger touched her she kept it to a minimum, however with Evan Christianson...she had touched him many times in about thirty minutes to an hour. He was very lucky. Mei-li smiled a little bit brighter when she realized she too was lucky to have made a normal friend on this lonely desolate and dangerous colony.

"Hana...is my angel. She can be my life, my love, and at the same time she is my biggest fear." She sighed out feeling a little sad for the situation, always giving herself a few moments of pity like always. She was beginning to dislike who she was turning into anymore. "She doesn't have a father, I am afraid I am being stretched too thin. I am no longer able to be that Dad she needs, you know." She drew in a deep breath and let it out.

"Do you have a wife? Children?"

[Evan Christianson]

Evan smiled at her comments and nodded. He leaned back a little, swtiching legs and crossing the other one. The blood was being cut off. He shook his head.

"No, my wife passed away seven years ago. I take care of my little cousins, though. They are around my apartment all the time, looking for me to play with them," he laughed a little, and shook his head. "My place would be way too quiet without them there."

[Mei-Li Yeh]

Mei-li could sympathize with that, she laughed lightly and told him so. "My house is never quiet! I couldn't even bribe Hana to be quiet!" She sighed out and shook her head.

"You say your cousin is coming? Am I interrupting?"

[Evan Christianson]

Evan shook his head emphatically.

"Oh, no, no. He is so scatterbrained he probably won't even remember where he is supposed to meet me!" Evan laughed. "When he shows up, he shows up," he smiled again and laughed a little. "Just tell me if you need to go back to your family, Mei-li! Or if I get to be boring!"

[Raife Christianson]

In all honesty, Raife couldn't remember exactly where his cousin had told him to meet him. Evan was so vague about directions that he had merely said, "A cafe somewhere, and expected Raife to figure it out for himself.

Of course, Raife was a big boy, he was sure he would figure it out. It might just take him a little longer than was absolutely necessary.

"Computer, can you please tell me how long it is going to be until we hit that damn colony?" Raife said, rubbing his eyes with a fist, running his fingers through his hair. This trip had been nothing but claustrophobic. His ship was not small by any stretch of the imagination, but Raife got claustrophobic easily, and sitting in the cockpit for any amount of time made things worse.

And God knew he loved the man he was with, but trying to move around the one person kitchen with both of them in it was like trying to turn over in a peanut shell.

"We're coming up on the colony now, Sir. We should be arriving in less than twenty-five minutes," came the reply of Raife's computer. He looked up from his palm and nodded.

"Alright, good enough," he muttered, watching out the viewscreen at the colony inching closer and closer. Raife sat back in his seat and crossed his legs delicately, leaning one elbow on the armrest, and putting his fingers over his mouth.

Raife Christianson was a very wealthy man. He had money, power, and respect. He had always had them. Even when he was young, he had been wealthy. Somehow he had managed to grow up with a head on his shoulders instead of being the spoiled brat. But he was still used to getting the things that he wanted.

And he wanted the Lawsons.

Ever since one of them had murdered his employer, Jabari Phoenix, he had been out for their necks. Every last one of them. He would get them eventually, but he figured he would be able to step away from work--if only for a little while--for his beloved cousin.

[Lok Yeh]

Lok sighed out, annoyed that his hair was not doing what he was wanting it to do after that two hour long shower, the ship and regenerated air was making him go stir crazy. He wanted to be relieved of this ship, if only for a few minutes, which was why he was more than glad to tag along with Raife, the apple of his eye, to a colony to go help his cousin, whom he had never met before, nor heard of until recently.

Lok hissed at himself in the mirror and wanderd out into the bedroom and down the hallway towards the cockpit, the layout of his ridiculously massive ship never embedding into his brain even though he had been with Raife for years. He heard the man talking to the computer, as well as the computer responding. Luckily they were both to be out of this tin can in a matter of minutes instead of hours.

"How are we doing in here?" Lok questioned with a smile as the man's familiar scent filled his senses as he walked into the cokcpit to put his hands on the mans frail yet strong shoulders, massaging gently knowing how anxious and high strung Raife could get with his job and with travelling in space for long periods of time.

"I hear that we aren't that far. Thank god! My hair is not working well in this atmosphere." He leaned down and gave the man a loving gently kiss on the back of the neck, showing his happiness for the both of them.

[Raife Christianson]

Raife smiled up at Lok, reaching up to pet the hair he so often struggled with. He nodded emphatically, blowing some of his own hair out of his face. He never worried with the stuff, especially outside of the office. There was no reason.

"Evan said he was going to be at a cafe...so...I suppose we'll have to hunt him down. He isn't the directions type, apparently," Raife said with a shrug, leaning towards the control panel, typing in a few commands before a map of the colony appeared onscreen in front of them. He marked all the cafes with green dots. He guessed that Evan was probably nearest the docking bay, as that was where his ship was. He glanced at Lok and smiled affectionately.

"Besides the hair, how is your overall wellbeing?"

[Lok Yeh]

"It will be grand once we get off of this thing. I don't think I can handle getting lost one more time. I am going to have to have tracking necklace put on so I won't get lost for days on end." He laughed lightly as he gave the man another kiss, never not taking the time to do so. Affection was something he never got when he was younger, he felt he needed to make up for it every chance he got, which was why he put all fueds he and Mei-li shared and became close again.

Sadly, the two hadn't talked to one another in ages. A call was in order, it was Hana's birthday soon anyhow it would be very good to hear from them both.

"Well, your cousin has a phone doesn't he? What person in this day and age not have a com link to connect to people. He will just have to direct us where to go." He sighed out and put his arms around Raife's neck and leaned into him. "How long do you think we'll be on this colony? I didn't bring any of my work with me, so not long?"

[Raife Christianson]

Raife leaned his head back to lean it on the other man's shoulder as he studied the colony creeping closer outside the viewscreen. He thought for a long moment, taking a deep breath and sighing it out, appreciating the warmth of Lok's arms around him.

"I'm hoping that we'll be out of there within four or five hours...depending on what Evan wants or needs me for. If he just wants to be entertained, we can probably be off of the colony within an hour or two..." he paused. He was os unfocused today for some reason. He had tossed and turned so hard the last sleep cycle that he had barely gotten any sleep, and had probably kept Lok up half the night too.

He couldn't put a finger on why he was so distracted. He just knew that if he didn't get his mind back on track, he was going to shoot himself.

"In any case we should be off this Godforsaken place before the day is out..." he glanced up at Lok. "Think you can stand it that long?"

[Lok Yeh]

Lok looked down at Raife and frowned, rolling his eyes very dramatically. "Oh God! I don't think I can handle it!" He let out a little laugh and smiled at Raife and nodded.

"I think I can manage! Besides, you are my boss! You tell me what to do. And might I add, how much I like it." He leaned down and gave the man another kiss. He leaned back and frowned softly. "Anyway, a little time away from it won't kill me. The thing that will, however, is going to be this long haul back to Coruscant. I hate trips." He leaned up and stretched, hearing his stomach growl for need of food.

"I'm going to the kitchen. Want me to fetch you anything?" He raised an eyebrown and looked down at Raife. "I know you want me, but we don't have dessert until dinner." He winked and clapped his palms together and rubbed. "So...anything?"

[Raife Christianson]

Raife laughed heartily and rubbed his eye, swiveling in his chair and standing to stretch. He stuck his hand in his pocket and waved the other, brushing away the question.

"I might as well wait until I can get dessert," he smiled. "I like it better anyway..." he leaned over and kissed Lok. "I'm gonna go clean up and change before we get there. See you in a few."


Raife began down the hallways towards the bedroom and the showers, his mind still preoccupied with everything and nothing. He just couldn't get his mind to stop working for a little while. Maybe a showere would help him relax. He hoped so. He'd need his sanity for the trip back to Coruscant.

[Lok Yeh]

Lok laughed lightly and shook his head as he watched Raife wander down the hall towards the showers. He loved that man to death. He managed to find the kitchen, luckily that being one of the places he made sure to map out immediately since he loved to eat. He was just worrying nowadays for he thought all that eating and his high metabolism would someday catch up to him quickly and before he knew it he'd be weighing 400 pounds and be single.

"I need to go on a diet." He muttered to himself, glancing down at his stomach that barely had a pooch. He frowned and figured he'd start on that diet tomorrow.

[Mei-Li Yeh]

Mei-li smiled as she looked at Evan, taking him all in for the first time. They had been sitting and chatting for quite some time and she figured it was an appropriate time to really stare since they had reached that mark in their interaction. So far she knew his name, what he was doing there, a little bit of his past history, enough to get that free stare down. She grinned to herself and shook her head.

"Your eyes...so blue!" She didn't know why she felt that was appropriate to say, but she said it anyway. He was super cute! Well, cute really wasn't the preferred word, more like handsome. Sexy. Aged. Perfected. Hell, he was hot. She felt her face grow red. She was embarassing herself too much today! Most of it was due to idle thoughts running around in her head.

"Sorry!" She said letting out an agitated sigh. "You are going to have to excuse me today. My mind...not where it should be." She laughed nervously and drew in a deep breath. "Hopefully your cousin will find you!"

[Evan Christianson]

Evan felt his cheeks get a little red with embarrassment. He glanced down and smiled before looking back up at her and nodding.

"Thanks," he said. He wished he had the balls to tell her how beautiful she was. Everything about her was perfect and beautiful, not just her eyes. HE couldn't take her beauty. He nodded. "I am sure he can. He's got a good sense of direction, he'll find it."

And just as he said it, his com buzzed. He looked at it and sighed.

"I'm so sorry," he said, picking it up and answering it. "Hello...Raife? Yeah! No, I am at the cafe near the dock. No, it's small. I'm sitting outside you can't miss me. Alright. Okay, bye."

He laid down the com link and shook his head, smiling and looking up at Mei-li.

"Sorry, that was my cousin. He's on his way," he said, smiling. "You can stick around if you want. I think you'd like my cousin."

[Mei-Li Yeh]

Mei-li smiled at Evan and moved her mouth, a few small grunts escaping, the words not really coming out to oppose. However, she figured that she wasn't needed in the hospital ward right then since nobody was rushing out calling for her. Jesimae was a big girl and had a buttload of people around her keeping watch, Mei-li would just be a hassle and another body to avoid.

"Um," Mei-li looked around as if she were expecting someone to come beside her, but when she looked back she couldn't say no to a face like that! She also wasn't really wanting to leave just yet. His company was very refreshing and very enjoyable, as was his face! She smiled and let out a laugh and let out a sigh of defeat.

"You go it!" She waved a hand and leaned back in the chair. "If he is anything like you, I am sure I will like him." Mei-li clenched her jaw as she smiled. That was a bit...too flirty, too much. She suddenly felt like excusing herself and running back into the ward, but she managed to stick it out and take the embarassment, after all she had been doing it all day long!

[Evan Christianson]

Evan grinned.

"Good. He should be here in a few minutes, so if you hate him, or if you're bored, you can bail," he said, smiling. He shook his head. He wondered who else in the hospital was related to Mei-li. He had seen a lot of Asians running around in there, he wondered if any of them were he brothers, or cousins or anything at all.

He glanced behind him, hoping that Raife found his way. He was sure the kid would be fine, but then again Raife had gotten lost in simple places before, doing so would not be unlike him.

[Raife Christianson]

Raife waved to Lok as he headed towards the exit of the docking bay. He waited for the other man by the exit, looking around outside at the people walking around. He couldn't immediately see any cafe anywhere, but hopefully he'd be able to see it once they got outside.

He waited for another moment for Lok to get to him. He looked at the other man.

"He's sticking to his story that he's right next to the dock, so we'll head out and if you don't find him in fifteen minutes, we're getting off this hunk of metal..." he puffed, annoyed at his cousin for his vagueness.

[Lok Yeh]

Lok smiled at Raife and grabbed his hand.

"We'll find him I am sure." He jerked his head towards the exit and the two of them merrily walked out of the loud, smelly, hot docking quarters. If there was anything Lok hated it was those three things...mixed together. He hated anything having to do with ships, which is why he didn't even attempt to own one. He had the money, but he figured he didn't have the patience when it broke down. Hell, his damn hover vehicle was enough work for him and he barely drove it!

"This place is just...unaappealing in more ways than one." Lok expressed as he glanced around trying to pick out a certain cafe. Everything seemed to look the same to him, the faces only thing that differed from one thing to another. It was a large colony, much large than expected, and he could tell that nobody of good class or good upbringing came there, unless otherwise forced.

"What's he look like? Your cousin? He is as good looking as you? If so, you may have a run for your money, hun." He looked at Raife, who was concentrating on finding that cafe as much as he was. With a grunt as a response, Lok decided to keep the jokes aside, knowing how sidetracked the man could get. Lord knew they didn't want to get lost on this crap hole.

"Hey," He said with a frown, pausing and squeezing the mans hand to gain his attention. "That look like a cafe to you?" He laughed lightly seeing large canopy hanging over a door that had in huge letters 'CAFE'. He looked at Raife and smiled. "Search the area for him, I only pray that is it! Lord knows I don't think I fancy this place much."

[Raife Christianson]

Raife glanced over to where his lover pointed out and furrowed his brow, searching the many faces. There were human and alien alike and he couldn't pick out any. He tugged Lok's hand.

"Come on, I'm blind..." he said, moving closer to the cafe. He kept searching with his eyes, scanning over and over the crowd. Suddenly, he saw his cousin, waving his hands at he and Lok, a big grin on the man's face. Raife smiled and waved back. He looked at Lok.

"Right there, with that Asian girl," he said, motioning. "Come on."

[Lok Yeh]

Asian girl? Lok laughed lightly.

"Your cousin has good tastes!" He laughed lightly and walked right beside of Raife, the grin too large for words. It was actually kind of exhilirating to meet someone from Raife's family since he hadn't really been introduced to many due to work conflicts and what not. It was always exciting to Lok considering he loved meeting people, it gave him more people skills and allowed him to practice those skills. Always good to keep a certain quality updated!

Sadly, his smile faltered the moment he looked at the asian. Again, he had to at least say in his mind that the man had PERFECT tastes! Especially since it was his sister. He dropped Raife's hand quicker than a man holding a hot potatoe. He bit his lower lip. Suddenly meeting new people did NOT seem like the thing he wanted to do.

[Raife Christianson]

Raife's brow furrowed and he looked over at Lok questioningly, but before he could say anything, his cousin was standing and saying his name. Evan came around the table and put his arms around Raife.

"It's good to see you, Raife!" he said cheerfully. Raife smiled as his cousin leaned away. He glanced at Lok again before figuring he would ask the man about it later, and smiling back at his cousin.

"Hello, Evan. How are you?" he asked. He looked over as the woman stood. She was a pretty little thing...and familiar. Raife's brow furrowed again as he looked at her. He almost opened his mouth to ask who she was, but she seemed to know Lok, because her face brightened and she exclaimed his name.

[Mei-Li Yeh]

Mei-li brought her attention up to the small gorup that had formed. She smiled when she watched the two cousins embrace, how much she loved hugs! It was even better to see them being given and received. Man was she odd! She stood up out of respect and looked at the two men then to a third party who was rubbing his forehead and seemingly shadowing his face.

"L-Lok?" She said in confusion. She glanced at the cousin and then to Evan and then let out a laugh. "Lok!" The man dropped a hand and looked up at her and he smiled. He muttered a barely legible 'hi' and was quick to pass the cousins and embrace in a tight hug. She was almost beside herself with happiness. She squeezed her brother tightly and made squeal.

"I have missed you so much! I was just thinking of you the other day!" She leaned back and ran a hand down his face and brushed a piece of hair out of his eyes, the man groaning at her actions. "Oh shut up! You need it cut anyway!" She smiled and looked over at Evan. "This is my brother!" She said with joy.

[Raife Christianson]

Raife's eyes had grown much bigger. Mei-li?! What the hell? What was she doing here? And with his cousin. He shook his head and smiled a little.

"Mei-li...God, it's been forever," he said. "Raife, do you remember?" he asked, leaning over and shaking her hand. He glanced at his boyfriend. "I can't believe Lok hasn't told you about me..." he paused and smiled before turning and pulling Evan over. "Well, I guess you've already met my cousin," Raife looked at Evan who was smiling.

"Who's this?" Evan asked, looking around Raife at Lok. "How do you guys know each other?"

[Mei-Li Yeh]

Mei-li paused a moment and thought long and hard....Raife...Raife...Raife.... That name was ridiculously familiar! Had they met before? Were they friends? Had she...suddenly she jerked her hand to her side, a small pang of fear rushing through her body.

What the hell are you doing with Raife, Lok? She glanced at her brother and frowned softly. She then glanced at the man and gave him a forced smile.

"I'm sorry. I don't recall a Raife." She said lying. She was a bad liar and she knew he probably caught it, but she didn't care. There were two people in the world that frightened her, Jabari and those who worked with him. She wasn't wanting to cause bad blood between the two so early, after all her husband was dead and she was sure the man was trying to escape the horrors he caused. She knew she needed to calm down, this man was a good man, otherwise Lok wouldn't be friends with him.

"Sorry. I have been coughing in my hand..." She stateed to Raife not wanting to get on his bad side. "Don't think you need my germs. You can thank your cousin." She slightly hit Evan with her elbow, smiling at him.

"Yes! How do you two know each other!"

[Raife Christianson]

Raife smiled, but he knew that she recognized him. She was a smart girl. And Raife was trained to tell when people were lying. Granted, he hadn't had to use it since Jabari was murdered, but he still had the skills. He smiled at her and then at Evan.

"Oh," he said, glancing at Evan. "I thought I told you you?" he said. Evan shook his head. Raife shrugged. "We've been dating for a good year."

[Mei-Li Yeh]

Mei-li's smile faltered to nothing short of surprise. Her eyes looked at Raife as if his words had just hit her so hard she had no idea what her name was. She looked over at Lok who was rubbing his forehead and suddenly hiding behind it. She glanced at Evan, feeling he should be involved in her reaction. When her eyes made her way back to Raife she let out a laugh and she bent forward, holding her stomach as she laughed lively, loudly. When she leaned up she pointed at Raife and shook her head.

"Oh! Come on!" She laughed and hit her knee as she then pointed at Lok. "Did you put him up to that? Lok! You are so silly!" She laughed and sighed out, touching Evan's arm as if her laughter was going to cause her to fall over. "You are very funny!" She said shaking her head and beginnign to laugh again.

"Lok doesn't date boys!"

[Raife Christianson]

Raife's mouth was open for speech, but nothing was coming out. His eyes went from the woman to Lok. It was a "What the hell, you haven't told her?!" look. He smiled a little sheepishly and looked down at the ground, rubbing his own forehead.

Poor Evan was standing to the side, unaware. He was probably just happy that Raife had attached himself to someone. But Evan was also aware that Raife was gay. Apparently...Mei-li did not. Screw everything else that was going on at that moment, this was no time for Lok to be coming out. Especially to his own sister!

"Lok..." Raife said, looking up at his boyfriend. "Maybe you, uh, oughta take this one?"

[Mei-Li Yeh]

"Hahahaha!! You so funny!" Mei-li laughed loudly, perhaps too loud for her own good, but when she heard Raife speak to Lok she started to stop laughing, her eyes watering from the pain in her stomach from the laughter. Lok, who was enjoying scratching that spot on his forehead didn't do much but stare at his sister, biting his lower lip.

"Hahaha...haha...ha...heh...heh..eh..." Her laughter came to a halt and her smile began to fade. "Oh...come on..." She said trying her best to not make this more awkward than it was apparently becoming.

"You kidding...right? Lok?" She looked over at her brother who was still rubbing that forehead. "You serious?"

[Lok Yeh]

Lok dropped his hand, finally, and figured now was a better time than never.

"Surprise?" He said with a frown. Mei-li tried to laugh it off again, but this time it actually sunk in. He wondered about her mental state sometimes. She was cute, innocent, naive, and sometimes it really showed...like now. Suddenly he saw the shock in her face.

"I...we met back when you were...you know...on Naboo." He decided to skip around the word 'marriage' or the mans name for God knew how bad he hated that man even to this day for treating his sister as bad as he did. She laughed in more of a sick desperation to not feel so stupid, but it was to no avail.

"You serious?" She stated again, glancing over at Raife. "Oh, God! I am so sorry! I didn't mean to laugh in your face! Oh...Lok! You....damn...you!"

"We didn't talk for a while! You never asked!" Mei-li looked to the ground and sighed out, asking him if he was sure, that it was no problem, but she just wanted to be sure that he was sure. The woman had a problem with choosing words and tossing them into correct sentences, if anyone understood her then he would give them many kudos. "Yes! Believe me!" He said with a laugh. "Gay isn't even the word to describe to you how gay I am!" Mei-li laughed lowly and leaned into Evan and whispered if she could have another one of those cigarettes.

[Raife Christianson]

Raife couldn't help it, he had to laugh. First of all at how funny and awkward Mei-li had made things, and second at how cute his boyfriend became when he was embarrassed. He cleared his throat a little and pulled out one of his own cigarettes, quickly lighting and inhaling. He figured he would need a few of these before the visit was over.

He gave Lok another look, but it was a more relieved "You're gonna pay for this later," look. After a moment, Raife looked back at Mei-li and smiled.

"Sorry about that...didn't know I was sharing secret information, Lok," he said, unable to resist giving the younger man another look. Then he smiled, deciding to change the subject. "So, what brings you here, Mei-li? And why in God's name would you want to hang around with this bum of a cousin of mine?"

[Mei-Li Yeh]

Mei-li took a seat, knowing that if she stood any longer her knees were going to fail on her. She was too nervous now. Her brother just came out within a matter of seconds, she was meeting his boyfriend, an man that she wasn't too sure of at that moment, and because she somehow realized she might be seeing more of Evan Christianson more than she had previously thought.

"Me? My sister-in-law is in the hospital. Someone attacked her. As for your cousin..." She looked over at Evan and smiled suddenly forgetting everything for a moment. "I bum cigarette off of him and he and I...got to talking." She decided to leave out the part about almost coughing up a lung and expressing her love for his pretty blue eyes.

"I'm sorry, I have to ask, how do we know each other?" She slit her eyes and leaned forward. She wanted to size him up and see if she was considering him an enemy for no reason at all or if she should keep her gaurd up.

[Raife Christianson]

Raife nodded, listening to her. When she questioned him on how they knew each other, he sucked in a breath of smoke a little harder than he otherwise would have. After a moment, he sighed out the smoke and glanced at Lok as if the right answer might be written on his lover's face.

Needless to say, it was not.


"Oh," Raife said. "Well...I worked with Jabari," he said, dipping his head in silent recognition of his death. "We met on several occasions. Generally, you were caring for Hana and I was working, so it is no doubt you don't remember me. I just remember faces well," he said with a reassuring smile, taking another breath of his cigarette.

[Mei-Li Yeh]

Mei-li lifted her chin as she looked at Raife. The condolence he offered by the bow made her realize he probably didn't get to see what exactly went on inside the household, that or he was very fond of the man who enjoyed abusing people and family, such as herself. She looked over at Lok and was mentally scolding him for getting mixed up with Jabari's group and even worse, dating a man who had affiliations with the man himself. She wasn't judging...hard. She knew that anything Jabari touched turned to crap and she knew that a man who gave him that respectful bow was still very tied to the man and was probably still working for him.

Raife, that was a very familiar name and she wondered where she had heard it. Slowly, the harder she thought, the more it came together. Raife had always been the tall, silent, dark man who wore the crisp lean suits, the expensive cologne, the beautiful jewelry, the perfectly shined shoes...he had been the man Jabari heavily relied on. She slit her eyes and dropped her chin, her gaurd, she realized, was to be kept up.

"I see. You were close to Jabari." She revealed letting the man know she knew who he was. "Tragic what happened." She stated without a hint of sorrow. "Too bad it didn't happen earlier." Mei-li drew in a deep breath and closed her eyes. That, right there, was what got her into deep trouble. She didn't want Evan to think of her as a horrible wife who didn't care for her husband, but then again he didn't know him.

[Lok Yeh]

"Mei-li." Lok warned as he threw her a glance. "Let's not disrespect the deceased, hmm?" Lok slit his eyes when they made eye contact. If there was anyone in the world his sister listened to, aside from father Yeh, it was him and she didn't need to go blabbing her dislike towards her ex-husband. After all if there was anyone loyal to the man it was Raife, which was something Lok tried to always look over for his love for him was much stronger than could be explained. He figured they'd never have such a problem, which was why he kept his homosexuality at bay with his sister, evne more so when it came to his boyfriend for he knew that they might get along fine, but always have this hate for each other all because of a bad man and someone who was more loyal to their boss than anyone.

"So, you are Evan?" Lok turned his attention to the tall drink of water to his left. He smiled and extended his hand. "Lok Yeh, as you learned, Mei-li's very attractive brother."

[Evan Christianson]

Evan could have cut the air with a knife. It was tense between his cousin and the woman he had just met. How strange they all ended up on this stupid colony, all related somehow. Evan would just have to keep it a secret that he was getting a crush on Mei-li. For Raife's sake, at least.

He turned to the beautiful Asian man next to Raife and accepted the hand proferred to him. He nodded.

"And you must be, if my cousin likes you," Evan said, smiling. "He only likes the pretty ones." Evan winked at Raife and smiled at Lok good-naturedly. "It's nice to meet you, Lok. You and Mei-li, both. Raife told me he'd met someone, but he didn't spill who," he said. Evan glanced at Raife who seemed still a little unsettled by Mei-li, and then to Mei-li who still seemed a little unsettled about Raife.

Great. Now that she knew who Evan was related to, she was sure to run away screaming. Especially if she had that kind of opinion about her dead husband.

[Lok Yeh]

Lok laughed lightly and looked at Raife and gave his side a little lovey dovey pinch. "Oh I know. He was somewhat of a player I suppose back in the day. Until he met me of course." He looked at Evan and laughed. "See, he gave up when he met me! My face cannot be matched!" Mei-li gave a little laugh to join in on the little festivities, but Lok clenched his jaw knowing that she was not a happy little girl. He gave her a sideways glance and titled his head.

"What about you?" He said with a frown. "Meet anyone you fancy, Mei-Mei?" The girl sat up straight as a board and her face grew red, which was exactly what he had wanted. If there was anything in the world to straighten her out and keep her mouth shut and opions at bay...embarassment and marital questions did the job, especially when the guy she thought was cute was right beside her. Lok knew her better than she knew herself. Tapping men on the shoulder, pushing them playfully with an elbow, chatting it up with a stranger...oh it was typical 'I-think-you-are-cute' behavior from Mei-li.

She was just never brave enough to say it! Which was why, Lok figured, she was still single."Ah, I see!" Lok said with a grin, looking over at Evan.

"Appears you have a fan!" He knew it was a bit mean to embarass her even more than he already had, but he didn't need his sister slapping his boyfriend in the face in front of God and everyone. He realized it was real mean to do that.

"Anyway," He said taking a seat at the round table, feeling guilty for not watching his temper, "who wouldn't be! With a face like that!"