The Lies that Bind

[General Dan]

His bags lay packed and set aside on the bed. By comparison to s'Il, he packed exceedingly light. He'd learned from his life as a Rebel only to carry what he needed to survive. The rest would sort itself out.

He'd sorted his business out the day before, and officially passed the reigns of his command on to a subordinate. He'd still be in the loop, only this time as a high level consultant, since he'd be a little difficult to reach at times. Everything had been prepared. Even that listless slacker Prent had seemed to redouble his efforts, and Dan didn't feel too annoyed at taking the tramp freighter out to their new home.

For the moment, he stood shirtless in the refresher, staring at himself in the vanity mirror. His face seemed somewhat older, and lines that hadn't been there before were now creeping into view. He wasn't put off by this unfortunate turn of events. Instead, he smiled. Everything would be alright. Soon, it would all be perfect.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

It seemed that, despite the thought of living somewhere other than Cathar or aboard the Dauntless, making any sort of preparations in regards to what she would bring with her was a rather small task. Certainly smaller than curbing Teagan's enthusiasm.

Since the early morning the little girl had been full of energy; much more than normal it seemed. After a quick breakfast, s'Il had sent her off to help Sanis. At least for a short while it would allow the Lupine to collect the few small possessions she'd left with Dan over the course of many year's worth of visits. Indeed there was not much to gather; some of her books that she had let him borrow so long ago, old pictures of the two, and even a few changes of clothes that she'd never gotten around to reclaiming - she supposed that it was always easier to simply keep such things with him for the times that the two were together.

But now it would be different, and as she sat at his desk, thumbing idly through the photos of Teagan she had brought him, s'Il gave a small sigh of happiness as she filed them into a small carrypack.

Standing then, she made her way to the bedroom, eye going to the bags that he had packed for himself. She knew that in contrast to herself, Dan did not carry much; the sparseness of his quarters was a testament enough to that fact. Perhaps it was the sight of his belongings waiting to be transported to a new home that finally drove home the fact that they were done with the way they had used to live. She stopped to stare at the bags, letting the finality of their future together sink in.

It was something that she had always wished for, but never thought would happen. And now it was.

She pulled her gaze upwards and towards the door of the 'fresher.

[General Dan]

Dan found her eyes on him, and he met hers, smiling.

"Do you need in?"

She wasn't the sort to take hours to get ready, and had a natural beauty to her. Still, it was early, and they were still in their routines. Dan still smiled, in awe that it was such a transition. His last day as the commander of the Dauntless, and his first day of his new life.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

The sound of his voice pulled her from her thoughts.

"No," she answered almost listlessly, "... not yet."

Slowly she sat down beside his bags, content to simply watch for a few minutes as he finished his normal morning activities. She had done such things many times in the past; watching him as he prepared himself for the coming day, watched the motions of his hands, the way he stood, the small movements he made. It seemed that observing him had become a morning ritual of her own that she performed without fail whenever they were around each other.

This morning seemed different though, and the Lupine canted her head to the side as she watched him. There was something in his movements that set them apart from how they'd been in previous years. It took a few more moments to recognize, but s'Il smiled at the revelation. He was happy.

Oh, she had seen him in such spirits many times before, but this happiness was something different. This was a happiness given life from the knowledge that something wonderful waited for him on the other side of the war.

"You're happy," was her soft observation.

[General Dan]

Dan smiled, affirming her observation.

"Feels good to get what I want."

He walked out of the fresher, drawing his hair back slightly before sliding a shirt over his bare torso.

"And you? Still remember what it's like to live for the moment? To lay your responsibilities down at least for a while and do something that you enjoy above anything."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

"It's been a long time since I've been able to do that," she conceded.

In fact, the Lupine couldn't remember any recent time that she had been able to stop worrying about the 'what-if's' and simply be content. There had always been some manner of shadow looming over her; whether it be the Empire during the Purge or the Sith, Darth Decepis. And even though she knew that he was still out there somewhere, there was a sense of ease that seemed to permeate her being. The threat of him was so distant now, as if he'd retreated from her thoughts completely.

s'Il rose to her feet.

"It's not something that I ever thought would come to pass."

[General Dan]

"Not ever? That's tragic."

Continuing to comb his hair, he watched s'Il as she in turn moved toward the refresher.

"That's what you learned as a Jedi? That there wasn't ever a real day in the sun? That you were always going to be pulling somebody else's weight?"

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

With an expression of feigned hurt, the Lupine passed by him.

"It's not 'pulling someone else's weight'."

She reached out to run a hand through his hair, effectively undoing his combing efforts.

"It's more like being reliable and trustworthy. Zem always taught me that to be a Jedi, one must be selfless and help others."

s'Il entered the fresher, but left the door open so the two could still talk. A cursory glance over the countertop, and her eye fell on an old flask; the same one that had once held - what did he call it back then... gunnery hooch? Now though it seemed that Dan simply kept it around for whatever purpose. The thought of him holding on to something like an old flask for so long made her smile.

[General Dan]

"Well it's too often unrequited."

Dan held a brief look of concern, and let it wash away.

"I'm not coming to this as some sort of selfish robber-baron. I've invested a lot of myself for the Rebellion, so I can at least understand some of it. I just can't imagine not letting the sun set on it, eventually."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

His words made her pause, and the Lupine looked up into the mirror with an odd face. What he had said jarringly reminded her of what she hrself had once spoken to Zem so many years ago. They'd been on Hoth, and she had still been his padawan.

She frowned then. For almost the last decade she had fallen far to the wayside of her teachings. She lived selfishly, becoming very nearly a hermit. But her solitary existence was one of selfish desire, as she had done so in the hopes that she would not be hounded by Decepis. Certainly not how a Jedi was supposed to act in the least.

She craned her neck back to look at Dan, but any words she'd planned to say were held in at the sound of the front door sliding open, and then closing soon after.

It wasn't hard to divine who had just arrived, as the sound of rapid footfalls heralded the coming of one very excited little girl.

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

The bedroom door was open, which meant that it was safe to enter, and that Dama and Daddy weren't talking about grown-up stuff. Grown-up stuff was boring, as she'd found out once before; all they ever talked about was the war that Daddy was fighting in, or other things that were just not interesting at all.

But with the door open, Tak knew that she wouldn't have to worry about them being in the middle of that kind of talk.

The little girl very nearly flew through the entry way, past the couch, around Daddy's desk, and in through the bedroom door.

She smiled wide as she kept on, scrambling up onto the bed and onto Daddy's back.

[General Dan]

"Heeey there you!"

Dan smiled as he looked back to his little passenger, and gave her a couple of enthusiastic bounces.

"Somebody's awfully ready to go on a trip! Did you get all of your things packed?"

He knew the answer before she even replied.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

The previous look on her face melted away to be replaced with a smile, and s'Il stole a glance back out at the two. Teagan gave her a wide smile, but it was the sight of both father and daughter's faces so close to one another that caused a mystified expression to befall her.

She was already more than aware of their matching eye color, but it seemed that while she and Teagan shared many features, so too did the little girl have with Dan. The sight was enough to elicit an amused huhn before the Lupine returned to her tasks of the morning.

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

Daddy smelled fresh and clean, and there was another scent mixed in with it, something different. It wasn't a bad smell, in fact it was nice.

She stared at the funny look Dama was giving to her and Daddy for a moment before deciding to answer.

"I did."

Sliding to the floor, Tak gave a look to Daddy's own bags. There sure wasn't much; she'd expected him to take more with him. Even if there wasn't much in his home, the little girl thought he'd have taken a little more with him than what she saw on the bed.

"Sanis said to come tell you that he's done getting ready, and that we can leave whenever we want."

It was said with a smile from ear to ear, as Tak was already imagining what it would be like to see Schwartzweld, and what their new home would be like. The thought was enough to make her jump back up to sit on the edge of the bed, then down again seconds later.

"When'll you guys be ready?"

[General Dan]

"Well..."

Dan looked from Tak, to s'Il, and back to Tak.

"...I don't suppose I can keep a lady waiting. I'll be your bellhop, miss. Just point me to your bags and I'll carry them."

He bowed deeply and formally to his daughter, and cast a knowing smile to s'Il on the way back up.

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

She sure didn't know what a 'bellhop' was, but she did know that Daddy was saying he'd carry her bag.

Scrunching up her face, the little girl gave him an odd look.

"I only have one bag, an' I already took it with me earlier when Dama sent me to go help Sanis."

She could hear Dama start the water in the sink, and knew that it was now only a matter of waiting. Good thing Dama never took very long in the fresher.

"I'll help you take your stuff, though."

A puzzled look to Daddy's bags.

"That's all you're taking with you?"

[General Dan]

"That's all I need, really."

Dan glanced to his bags as an afterthought.

"Some clothes, a few odds and ends. We'll have just about everything else we'll need, and what we don't, we can go get."

Dan imagined that s'Il intended on a sort of periodical supply run, with Sanis bringing needed sundries out every few months. Either that, or he could arrange something similar. It wasn't a hardship.

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

"Oh."

Testing each bag to try and find out which one weighed less, Tak settled on the one that she figured had some of his clothes inside; it was soft, and didn't have anything hard feeling inside. Had to be clothes.

She grabbed the handle then, starting to pull it off the bed. It was a bit tougher than she originally thought, and frowning, the little girl tightened her grip and pulled harder. It was still hard to move, and she gave an exasperated sigh while letting go and looking up to Daddy.

"Your clothes are too heavy. You'll hafta carry both bags.

"I can carry your old picture books though, if you haven't packed those yet."

[General Dan]

Dan glanced to his desk. True to form, they were still out and open.

"Good catch."

He gave her cheek an approving pat and went to the desk to close the book on top, and handed the three in total to his eager little girl. She braced for the haul with a determined look on her face.

Each with their own parcels, they stood ready for s'Il by the door.

"Ready to go?"

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

One last look in the mirror, and s'Il gave herself a fleeting smile. As an afterthought she palmed the old flask on her way out of the fresher.

A quick once over through the bedroom to make sure that any extraneous possessions had not been forgotten, and she plucked her own small duffel from the bed. Her gait was casual as she approached Dan and Teagan, and the Lupine nodded silently.

Depositing the flask on the small stack of books that the little girl was carrying, s'Il rested a hand on her daughter's blonde mop as Dan opened the door.

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

Giving the metal container a weird look, Tak still made sure that she was the first one out the door.

She waited patiently (a difficult thing to do for sure) as Dama and Daddy followed her out.

"Zem's coming too, right?"

[General Dan]

"That old thing? You're really bringing that along? I think it was an oil can in a previous life."

Dan tossed s'Il a funny expression when he saw the flask. She seemed determined, and Dan had always been talked out of ditching it in some way or another.

The three of them walked out of the quarters, heading toward the hangar bay.

Dan paused at the little girl's question, and deferred to s'Il to answer that one.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

She made no comment on his words regarding the flask. Many times before he'd said the same thing about it, but she seemed to take a strange sense of joy at seeing it survive so long and through so many different battles, and had always convinced him to keep a hold of it.

But it was at Dan's silence that s'Il stared openly at him. He was passing the buck to her? After being the one to ask that Zem stay back, and all of his talk of being jealous and wanting to spend time alone with his family, Dan was giving her the duty of explaining to their daughter that the old Jedi wouldn't be coming along for the trip?

s'Il knew that Teagan had taken easily to Zem in the relatively short time since he'd come back; no doubt helped in part by the fact that the elder Lupine had often told stories of the man to her daughter. For the first time in a long while s'Il felt a small bit of awkwardness at having to make an acceptable excuse for why Zem wouldn't be coming along.

It'd been hard enough to tell Zem despite his taking the news well enough, and she now found it just as hard to answer Teagan.

"Zem... " She frowned slightly, blinking.

"Zem has a lot of things he has to do here, and can't come with us."

Teagan stopped in her tracks rather unexpectedly, and s'Il sidestepped to avoid tripping over the little girl.

"He can't?!"

Looking up at both Dama and Daddy with disappointment, Tak started forward once more.

"But why?"

"He's very busy," s'Il's tone of voice was gentle, "... but he said that he would visit us sometime soon."

She cast a sidelong look to Dan.

"Didn't he."

[General Dan]

"That's right."

Dan quickly added with reassurance. He gave Tak's shoulder a squeeze.

"He'll be sure to drop in on us in the next week or so. Who knows, maybe you can get him to bring you a surprise when he does?"

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

Still looking unconvinced, Tak scowled for a few moments, staring at the deck in thought. What in the world did Zem have to do that was more important than going to Schwartzweld with her and Dama and Daddy?

At least he said he would visit, but even the thought of a possible surprise wasn't quite enough to excite her.

"It's still not fair," she finally sighed aloud.

[General Dan]

"It'll be alright. We'll still have Sanis and Cirrsseeto for company for a while."

Dan quickly added, continuing to walk along with Tak and s'Il. Eventually, they reached the expansive hangar, and nestled beyond a few rows of X-wings and A-wings, was a familiar Corellian freighter. Dan's smile lost its luster slightly.

"You'd think he'd paint it, you know, eventually."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

s'Il gave an odd look to Layla, not entirely understanding why there would be any need to paint the ship. It looked well enough to her, and it flew. As long as it got them to where they wanted to be, then paint was not entirely necessary.

Looping her arm through Dan's as they walked side by side, she watched as Tak picked up speed at the sight of Sanis' 'baby'.

"It's not so bad," she mused.

[General Dan]

"You see that? That's rust. How do you get rust on a space ship? How is a thing like that even possible?"

Dan screwed his eyes shut, and backed off. She was still serious about traveling on that ship, and he just let it all out with a smile and a sigh.

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

A loud bang echoed in the hangar as a piece of equipment flew out of the cargo doors and crashed onto the deck. A shirtless Cizerack was quick to follow it, and angrily expressed his feelings at the offending item by picking it up and smashing it onto the deck repeatedly.

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

The sight of Cirr made her grin wide, breaking her previous dark mood, and careful with the books and the flask that she was carrying, Tak sped up her pace until she was skipping the rest of the way to Layla. She made a serpentine pattern as she went along, a smile from one ear to the other.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

His grumblings were only met with a grin. It was amusing to listen as he complained in such a fashion, and s'Il gave him a sidelong look as she extricated her arm to reach up and trace a finger over the deep crow's feet at the outer edge of his eye.

"You see that?" she mimicked playfully, "... those are wrinkles."

Cirr's sudden appearance interrupted anything else that she might've wished to say, and she turned her eye to the big Cizerack in puzzled curiosity at the sight of his behavior.

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

A couple more energetic smashes, and just as he lifted the ruined item over his head, he saw Dan, s'Il, and little Tak approaching. His ears flipped forward, and his surly demeanor evaporated. Feeling a little conspicuous with a 200 pound destroyed starship part hanging over his head, he put on a broad grin.

"Hji!"

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

The sight of Cirr made her grin wide, breaking her previous dark mood, and careful with the books and the flask that she was carrying, Tak sped up her pace until she was skipping the rest of the way to Layla. She made a serpentine pattern as she went along, a smile from one ear to the other.

Her pace put her a short distance ahead of Daddy and Dama, and Tak eventually slowed her skipping until she'd stopped just in front of Cirr.

"You're not supposed to break the ship," she chastised him, "We're leaving soon, remember?"

[General Dan]

Dan said nothing, and simply rested his face in the palm of his hand.

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

Suddenly remembering he had a big hunk of busted equipment over his head, Cirr carefully eased it to the ground, and sighed.

"jIt's okay. jI have a rreplacement forr that one."

He paused to think, tugging on the end of one ear as he did, and then nodded with more enthusiasm.

"Yeah, jI've got anotherr."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

As she and Dan grew closer, s'Il gave the big Cizerack a genial smile while gently giving her daughter a shove so that the little girl would continue on the rest of the way into Layla.

"Are you and Sanis on speaking terms yet? Or are you two going to need a messanger so that you'll communicate with each other."

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

Cirr replied to that question diplomatically.

"We'll be alrrjight."

These flare ups tended to be seasonal between the two, who were otherwise nearly lifelong friends. In high times, they rarely happened, but with money as low as it was, it was a battle of will sometimes.

"He's trryjing to save money, jI'm trryjing to spend jit, we'rre gojing to sometjimes djisagrree. Can't stop that."

Cirr shrugged.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

s'Il gave him a slight nod of understanding, and moving to step around him, the Lupine gave him a gentle pat to a broad shoulder.

"Good to know," she murmured, on her way up the lowered boarding ramp.

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

A big paw came down on s'Il's shoulder gently, but with enough impetus to make her pause.

"Beforre you do that, let me uh...make surre he's awake."

A look of sheepishness came over him, and he held up a finger.

[Sanis Prent]

"I am."

I stood a little off balance, but covered up for it by leaning casually on the side of the cargo bay door. My hair was disheveled, but when was it not. The shiner I'd gotten the evening before was covered up by a pair of smart looking shades. Other than that, I wore only a pair of spacer pants cut off at the knees.

With a sigh, I cautioned a stroll down the gangplank. Every bit of me hurt, and I was looking for an excuse to get in a quick drink to get my day off to a start.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

If she was surprised at his appearance and the way he walked, the Lupine didn't let it show. She had a rather strong suspicion that Sanis and Cirr had shared words - among other things - the previous night, but she remained silent on that matter. The sunglasses he wore said enough. Watching as he came down the ramp, s'Il ticked her head to the side.

"You look rested," she started casually.

[Sanis Prent]

"Rested enough. I can fly."

I stretched, a grimace showing on my face as I did.

"So we've got three passengers. Welcome aboard, again."

I gave an exaggerated formal bow, with a little groan as I did so.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

She gave him a slightly confused look.

"Only three?"

Had he already forgotten about the Imperial?

"You've not already taken the liberty of perforating my guest, have you... ?"

t was plain to see that at some point during the night Sanis had taken the Cat, as it was now tucked up into its' docking pocket. She craned her neck to look up through the open cargo bay doors, but only succeeded in seeing the hold's deckplates.

[Sanis Prent]

"Right."

I glanced instinctively back at the Cat.

"Makes about as much noise as a doormat, I forgot all about him."

Shuffling my feet forward, I rested my heels on the gangplank and my toes on the flight deck, gently rocking back and forth slightly as I talked.

"Four then. If you have any luggage, uh, give it to this guy right here."

I jerked my thumb at Cirr with a blank expression.

"Anybody want breakfast? I'm cooking."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Whether Dan would choose to turn over his bags to Cirr was anyone's guess; s'Il found no reason to give the big Cizerack her own small duffel as it was. Tak also, it seemed, had decided against handing over the books she was carrying. Of course she was also already halfway up the gangplank, happy it seemed to be traveling once more.

The elder Lupine watched idly as her daughter disappeared into Layla's hold.

Sanis' mention of food brought her back to the here and now however, and s'Il gave him an odd look.

"You've not already eaten?"

[Sanis Prent]

"Should I have?"

It was a strange question, and I paused halfway back up the gangplank to answer it.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

For a few moments s'Il stood motionless, as if the absurdity of her own question had just smacked her in the face. In the next moment she gave a quick wave of her hand.

"No, I suppose not. Silly question. My apologies."

A glance to Dan to make sure he'd not say anything particularly nasty, s'Il started up the boarding ramp. Tak was already gone, having raced inside without so much as a glance at anyone.

Pausing as she passed Sanis, the Lupine gave him a genuinely confused look. Despite Dan's complaining and her own rebuttals, she still felt a nagging question coming to the front of her mind.

"How do starships get rust... ?"

[Sanis Prent]

I looked at her quizzically, then looked to the spot on the hull where she was pointing.

"Oh, that?"

I gave an easy smile and a wave of my hand.

"I wouldn't worry about that."

Not really caring to elaborate, I led my motley passengers aboard, scratching my behind as I went into the ship.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Choosing to ignore Sanis' more unseemly habits of self-gratification, s'Il turned to look up at Dan.

"See? Nothing to worry about."

Was she trying to goad him in anyway? Perhaps. But the Lupine spoke in a tone that was more flippant than anything else, and the lopsided smile she gave to the rebel commander was one that she'd picked up from Sanis over the course of their time together.

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

Cirr followed her up, offering his hand to Dan.

"Yourr bags?"

He smiled affably, and the Rebel Commander nonchalantly passed them on as he went aboard. He hoisted both easily onto his shoulder, grabbing a few other provisions in his other hand as he walked up the gangplank as well. He stretched a bit as he deposited the bags inside, pausing briefly to sniff his armpits, and made a face. Pulling a good four hour overhaul was a good way to get ripe, so he excused himself from the others to grab a quick run through the sonic refresher.

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

She was back on Layla!! It might not've been so big as Daddy's ship, but it still kinda felt like home. Especially since all of Dama's and her things were here.

Skipping through the cargo bay, Tak slowed for a moment to stare at the empty cot that Zem had always slept on, suddenly remembering that he wasn't going to be coming with them. That thought illicited another pout, but it wasn't long before she kept on, up the short staircase that would take her to the entry hatch of the Cat.

With a stack of books and a flask occupying both of her hands, the little girl took to voraciously kicking at the closed door.

"Open up! I need in right now!!"

[Colonel Karrnage]

The door slid open, and the Colonel stood upright in the threshold, a thin smile on his face to see his most special visitor.

"Do come in Teagan, I look forward to your visits."

The room was filled with books in various modes of being referenced, and a stack of cluttered material on the desk. Karrnage had a few bags under his eyes as a result of pulling an all-nighter on the treasure trove of information he had available to him.

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

She still had to get used to being treated in the way he treated her, but Tak figured it wouldn't be long before that specialness faded away. She stepped over the threshold and past Rasmuss without a second glance.

Depositing Daddy's books on the bed, the little girl made extra sure that the flask wasn't dropped to the floor.

That done, she turned to face Rasmuss, giving him a critical eye.

"You're gonna hafta sleep out in the hold. Dama and Daddy are gonna be in here."

[Colonel Karrnage]

This wasn't expected. The Colonel looked from the little girl, to the bed, which was cluttered across every inch with carefully-tabbed research. He had in no way considered that somebody might need that bed for sleeping purposes.

"Oh my. That's going to pose a bit of an inconvenience."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Only catching the tail end of Karrnage's words as she ducked into the Cat, s'Il was distracted momentarily by someone behind her, and she spoke a few low words to whoever it was that'd been trailing in her wake.

Satisfied that most was well, the Lupine started to turn about.

"An inconvenience... ?"

At the sight of her bed and the myriad of books scattered across the comforter, she found herself only able to stare.

"My bed... "

An exasperated look was given to the Imperial then, and she tossed her small duffel off to the side while moving out of the hatchway opening and allowing Dan to enter if he so wished.

[General Dan]

Dan took a step inside the quarters, looked at the mess, and looked to Karrnage.

"Clean it up."

Casually, he patted Tak on the head, and left as soon as he had arrived. By this time, Cirr was out of the refresher, wearing a pair of shorts as he slipped a short over his big frame that was about a size too small for him. Not feeling particularly chatty, Dan decided to park it in the galley, and took a seat at a small table. Sanis was just now putting something resembling food onto a series of plates.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

A palm came to her face, and s'Il gave a groan as she silently prayed to the Bloodline for patience. This journey it seemed would be trying for everyone in more ways than one.

"Do as he says," she intoned evenly while stalking out after Dan.

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

There was a moment of silence shared between her and Rasmuss, but it wasn't long before Tak was quick to break it.

"I think you made him mad."

And without waiting, the little girl began reaching for the books closest to her, snapping them shut. She knew that her Daddy wasn't mad at her, but it was unsettling all the same, and she knew that it would be best to obey him.

[Sanis Prent]

It turns out that I had turned into a pretty decent short order cook if you didn't mind a little greasiness. I was making some sort of fritters using flatbreads, and some hashed up meat & vegetable mix. I set a half dozen of them aside on a cooling rack, and powered down the heating element, serving up a carafe of tea as I did. It was fancier than dinner mix out of the box, at least.

"Eat up, ladies & gents. We're not pulling over so this is what you get for a while."

I made food enough for everybody but Cirr. It was an unwritten rule that he would take care of that issue himself. I sat plates out for everybody and let them sit at the table while I ate standing at the counter. Cirr followed suit into the pantry, his tail swishing back and forth as he contemplated what would be enough to take care of his morning ritual. Whatever it was, it involved six frozen numa breasts, a box of sweet crisps, pepper sauce, six numa eggs, hardbun, pickled gorgs, and ice cream.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Ever thankful that Cirr was not on duty as their chef, s'Il slowly settled herself into a seat beside Dan. He certainly didn't look entirely happy, but she knew that once they set foot on Schwartzweld he'd perk up. But still, the look on his face was enough to make her frown, and she looked off at a far bulkhead.

When she spoke, it was in Bast'yr so that only the two of them would understand the words spoken.

<"At least try to look approachable, would you?">

[General Dan]

He gave her a small smile.

"I'll be fine."

At least whatever Sanis made looked and smelled edible, or at least by chow hall standards. It was still quasi-food, that sort of all purpose space fodder that was designed to be easy to package and disperse when needed. He carefully bit a corner of the greasy fritter and chewed. It would do. A little too much salt for his liking though. He compensated for that by grabbing the carafe of tea and filling his glass.

Cirr, in the meantime, had thawed the filets, arranged them on the hardbun slathered with ice cream and pepper sauce. On top of that, he pulled the pickled gorgs appendages off, arranging them with the rest of the amphibian snacks on top of the rest of the meat, and then cracked raw eggs on top of that. Finally, the sweet crisps were arranged lovingly on top of that abomination before the other half of the hardbun was applied. If it was even edible, the portion size seemed enough for any five people, maybe more.

Dan tried not to make a face, and didn't really succeed. Cirr noted his guest's revulsion, smiled, and took the widest bite out of his culinary disaster he could manage.

Dan tried to mentally unsee and unsmell that as he took another bite, suddenly a little less hungry than before.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Dan might have tried to hide his disgust, but s'Il was not so tactful. She stared wide-eyed at Cirr as the hulking Cizerack tore into his breakfast. She felt repulsed, and instinctively pushed her plate away. She hadn't even touched her food.

The smell coming from that horrid sandwich was enough to make her lean back. Whatever scents that accosted Dan and Sanis were magnified tenfold due to her physiology, and the Lupine had to close her eyes for a moment. The combination of those smells did well to kill her appetite, and her shoulders sagged.

Eyes still closed, she pointed to the doorway.

"Out."

The tone of her voice left little room for argument.

"If you're going to eat that, it's going to be in the cargo hold."

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

In the midst of a second bite, Cirr looked over the sandwich at the disgust on s'Il's face. His ears drooped a little, and glanced across at Sanis for a second opinion. He shrugged.

"Best do what the lady says, man."

He stood up, looking a bit hurt as he slinked away to the cargo hold, taking his breakfast with him. His twitchy tail betrayed his hurt feelings at the small humiliation.

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

It of course didn't take long for Tak to grow tired of cleaning up, and so she happily left that boring task to Rasmuss. It was his mess after all. He could clean it up on his own while she sat on the one spot of the bed that'd been cleared away, watching him.

Every so often she would flip a book shut for him, but it seemed that that was all she really felt like doing.

With the door of the Cat still open, she could vaguely hear whatever small amount of conversation was taking place, and it wasn't long before a smell reached her nose.

Tak sat up a little straighter, her head tilting up into the air as she sniffed again.

What was that smell??!!!

It didn't smell bad, but it didn't smell very good either, except for...

There was something mingling in with all those other scents. Something that she recognized with only a moment's thought.

"Ice cream!"

In a mad dash to slide from Dama's bed, the little girl thoroughly cast about the books that Rasmuss had been trying to carefully put away in an order that he'd be able to remember.

Her bare feet hit the carpeted deck, and Tak was out through the door like a shot.

"Ice cream!!"

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

Cirr tossed the plate onto a palette and crate with reckless abandon, and stormed off to his quarters to fetch a liter of beer. He grumbled the entire way in Cizeri, at s'Ilancy for being so mean and Sanis for backing her play. This was discrimination, that's what it was!

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

The smell came from a plate that'd been set on one of the many crates in the cargo hold, and Tak found herself staring at it in fascination. Reaching out, she gingerly pulled the top slice of bread off. Careful no to get any egg on her, she plucked up one of the crisps and began scooping at the ice cream that'd been spread across the bun.

She took a bite.

It didn't taste like how ice cream was supposed to taste. There was something else mixed with it, and surprisingly the little Lupine found it rather enjoyable.

She took another crisp, trying to scoop more of the concoction up.

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

Cirr palmed the liter bottle of beer on the way out of his quarters, and passed the assembled gang in the galley without a word. He went straight back down to the cargo hold, and stumbled upon little Tak, right in the midst of taking his sandwich apart.

He had a funny look on his face. Despite the near-universal condemnation from above, the little one seemed to like it well enough. He didn't know whether to be happy to have a culinary ally, or to be dismayed that she was thieving his breakfast.

He settled on clearing his throat as he leaned against the bulkhead.

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

In the midst of lifting an ice cream and pepper sauce coated crisp to her mouth, Tak froze. And in the next instant stuffed the whole thing in her mouth before whirling around to stare up at Cirr.

Cheeks bulging, the little girl chewed slowly, then swallowed carefully, her eyes as big as saucer plates.

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

"What arre you dojing?"

He really wanted to laugh, but somehow maintained a straight, if not slightly bemused face.

He looked at the plate, and saw that she'd pried the bun away and was pilfering the crisps on top to get at the ice cream on the bottom. With a big laugh, he flicked about half of the crisps off the sandwich and onto the plate, and scraped off a healthy portion of ice cream too. She'd have her share, but it was still his sandwich. He ruffled her hair with a massive paw that seemed to stretch across the entire top of head, before replacing the hardbun top onto the rest of his creation.

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

With the realization that she wasn't in trouble, Tak grinned wide. Especially so that he was sharing with her!

He sat on the crate, the plate in his lap, and she sat happily beside him, reaching over without any sort of second thoughts to scoop up the ice cream he'd doled out for her. Each bite was better than the last!

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

There's something to be said about a mother's sixth sense, and s'Il had learned early on to listen to those occasional feelings that her daughter might be up to something. And it was with that feeling in mind that the Lupine slowly got to her feet. It was far too quiet.

Moving to the doorway, she paused to cast her eyes to either side. Nothing. Not a soul.

She stepped out then, careful to remain as quiet as possible as she rounded a corner to peer out into the cargo hold. What she saw was both endearing and disturbing. So much so that she simply could not find it in her heart of hearts to disturb the two who seemed to be so happily sharing one of the most revolting breakfasts she'd ever known Cirr to make. And Tak was right there beside him, joyfully partaking in that disaster filled sandwich.

Seconds later found her once again resuming her seat, a resigned expression on her features.

And without a look to Dan, she busied herself with her food.

"Your daughter is happily sharing that... thing... with Cirr."

She took a bite of a fritter, not really acknowledging its' taste.

"Just thought you'd like to know."

[General Dan]

Dan had managed to make a good experience of his breakfast, which was for the best. He knew that often times it didn't matter how questionable the meal was, it was just important to eat something.

He looked at s'Il in between bites of his fritter.

"Yeah, who do you think she gets that from?"

Only one of them fancied running after live food on all fours, after all.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

"I do not eat food like that."

s'Il returned his look, a fork in her hand. But, other than that she had no real argument against him, and so settled for simply eating. After a few bites, she went on.

"Scooping up ice cream and pepper sauce on a crisp like it was the best thing she'd ever tasted."

[Sanis Prent]

"That? Nah, that's pretty tame."

I'd developed a pretty hard resistance to being disgusted by Cirr food. That came with the territory.

"I think the award winner was when he filled a bowl with cake batter, raw oysters, fermented dut fish, caramel sauce, sandmaggots, and whipped cream."

I smiled coyly as I bit into my breakfast, not batting an eye.

"Mmmm."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

And that was it. No longer able to stomach her food, s'Il pushed her plate away for the last time.

She stood up, feeling very much beaten in a way.

"I'm not hungry anymore."

Taking her half-eaten dish to the sink, the Lupine set it on the counter-top and glared at Sanis.

"Would you like the rest of this."

[Sanis Prent]

"Sure!"

I shoveled her half fritter onto my plate, not quite considering what my idle chatter had done. My guests might turn their noses up at my food, but what self-respecting cook couldn't enjoy their home cooking?

I finished a minute or so later, and for want of a nearby napkin, I just ran my hands along my shorts.

"Well," I said with a grimace as I gave a full-body stretch, "guess I'd better get a clean shirt on, and get us outta here."

Looking self-satisfied, I removed my shades, not concerned about my shiner anymore.

"I'll have us out in five. Make yourselves comfy."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

The thought of approaching Tak and Cirr in the midst of their shared horror made the Lupine balk for the first time in a long while. Not since the morning after her and Taataani's little sajoi eating contest. That was the first time that she'd been truly sick of any sort of food. Ever.

Sanis stepped from the galley, leaving s'Il to stand alone at the sink, and she leaned back against it with an expression that still bore a small amount of defeat at not having any sort of control over what hers and Dan's daughter enjoyed eating. Which was, as time went on, very much in line with what Cirr found enjoyable.

She gave Dan a somewhat pleading look that was a silent request for him to go extricate their little girl from the clutches of a Cizerack breakfast.

[General Dan]

Dan even managed to finish his fritter and smile afterwards. But that smile dissipated with s'Il's plea. He dabbed his mouth with a napkin, setting it down gently on his plate.

"Oh."

He quirked an eyebrow at her, suppressing a grin.

"My turn to be the bad guy again?"

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

At that, the Lupine canted her head to one side, staring at him.

"Again? I don't recall you ever having to be the 'bad guy' so far."

Stepping away from the counter, the Lupine made her way to the table and gently picked his plate up. Returning to the sink, she spoke once more.

"This will be good practice for you, though."

[General Dan]

He gave a resigned smile, standing up from the table.

"Alright then. Practice makes perfect I guess."

Already the whine of the main engines warming up could be felt in the deck plating. Dan made his way to the ladder that led down to the cargo bay, and stepped into the door once he reached the lower deck. He could have found the place by smell. That very distinct sweet & peppery with those awful pickled gorgs.

Sure enough, he found both of them, snacking away and having a good time. Dan knocked on the bulkhead to get Tak's attention.

"Honey, lets not bother Cirrsseeto. I'm sure he needs to finish his breakfast in peace so he can make sure we fly safely."

It was more diplomatic than Hey, stop eating that awful junk you don't live in a dumpster.

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

In the midst of shoveling a chipfull of pepper sauced ice cream into her mouth, Tak look behind her at Daddy.

Bother Cirr? The little girl didn't really think that was possible at all. Cirr never ever told her to leave him alone! With a wave of her hand, she swallowed her food.

"It's ok, I'm not bothering him."

And reaching over, Tak pulled at a pickled gorg leg, dipping it in a small pool of melted ice cream before shoving it halfway into her mouth and biting down with a vengeance.

[General Dan]

"Teagan."

He firmed up his tone a little bit.

"Your mother and I would really like it if you came upstairs."

He winced slightly as she briefly continued her stubborn attempts at alternative breakfast.

"Now, young lady."

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

Now that was a tone of voice that she'd never heard him use with her before, and Tak again looked back at him, this time wide-eyed. Slowly she eased herself off of the crate, still munching on the gorg leg.

"But I'm not bothering him."

She was persistent, but otherwise did as she was told. Not without a rather withering glance up at him however.

[General Dan]

Dan stayed firm with her, but when she wasn't looking, he let the facade slip. He loathed the concept of being that person around her, and wondered how s'Il did it so easily when she had to.

He gave Cirr a parting glance, and a grimace as he looked at the Cizerack's sandwich.

"You just make sure you have a mint afterwards, okay?"

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

She took his hand sullenly, but soon enough perked up as they made their way upwards. So much so that by the time they walked back into the galley together, the little Lupine held out the last bit of pickled gorg leg to him.

It was something of a peace offering, in that Tak wasn't about to stand for him being angry with her, and if she could cheer him up by sharing what was left of her breakfast with him, she would.

Out of the corner of her eye she could see Dama, looking on with a mortified look on her face.

[General Dan]

Dan stifled a grimace, turning it at the last second into a smile.

"Oh no thanks sweety. I already had breakfast."

He shuddered inwardly, but he'd rather her dispose of the evidence than have to do it himself.

The deck plates changed the pitch of their vibrating hum, suggesting that the repulsorlifts were engaged, and the maneuvering jets were carrying them into taxi for debarkation. At least they were moving, he thought to himself.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

The sight of her daughter eating whatever piece of culinary disaster that Cirr had made was more than enough to make her frown, though she did take a healthy bit of amusement at the expressions that crossed Dan's face when the little girl offered up the last bit of her 'food'.

Of course, she used that moment to duck out from the galley, and making quick work of the access ladder that led up to the bridge, s'Il was soon enough lowering herself into the co-pilot's chair beside Sanis.

She said nothing, instead simply keeping her eye straight ahead, watching the interior of the Dauntless' hangar as they slowly moved closer to the lip of the bay.

It wasn't long before the thought of returning to Schwartzweld with her family overcame any disgust at having witnessed her daughter eat something so terrible.

Finally, she spoke to Sanis, her gaze still unmoving from the front viewport.

"Thank you for doing this."

[Sanis Prent]

I afforded her an easy smile as we cleared the hangar, and maneuvered away from the fleet to our jump coordinates.

"I gotta admit, it's gonna be different with you guys not here."

I looked at her features in between my jump prep.

"All I care about is whether you're happy. You deserve it. She deserves it too."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

"It is kind of you to say that."

She looked down at her hands, folded in her lap.

"It will be different not being around you and Cirr as well."

The Lupine gave a sigh then, as she looked to the side.

"But I'm tired."

It was more an admission of the trials in her life rather than her age, and she guessed well enough that Sanis would understand the meaning behind those words.

"Something like this... it is something that is not often given to a person like me. I have to take it."

[Sanis Prent]

I nodded.

"I may never understand that for myself. But I understand it for you. This is a good thing. It might not be how I'd imagine it if it were even up to my imagination, but that's not the point."

I put a hand on her shoulder, and nodded.

"Besides, I'm sure you'll keep me busy enough making sure you three don't get too cut off on that hick backwater of yours."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

" 'Hick backwater'?"

s'Il gave him a look of feigned hurt, as if he'd somehow greatly wounded her pride. Of course, such a look was one that she'd given him many times past, and he knew not to take it seriously.

"My homeworld used to be grand, you know. A beautiful place."

She thought for a moment, a light smile coming to her lips.

"We could always go to where Dan is from, but something tells me that even Duravant would be less to your liking."

[Sanis Prent]

I shrugged.

"I'm sure Schwartzweld is very pretty in that sort of solitary way. I'll acknowledge it, Nar Shadaa doesn't win any beauty contests."

Giving her a lopsided grin, I began the computations for jump, letting MARCUS spin his wheels for a moment.

"And Duravant? Seriously?"

I knew there was something stodgy and a bit old fashioned about Dan, but we were on the verge of a breakthrough here.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

She nodded, choosing to pick idly at her fingernails.

"Mm hmm.

"He once took me out to 'pop some cans' when we were both much younger. He said that it was a weekend highlight for many who lived there."

The Lupine turned a rather drab gaze to Sanis. "I thought it was boring and repetitive. But, that is beside the point.

"I'm only thankful that he sought to further himself and become a teacher. He was a professor of Mythology and Galactic Anthropology at a university on... " s'Il paused briefly as she pulled back the many layers of her memories.

It didn't take very long.

"Sesimus." She nodded to herself. "Yes, it was Sesimus."

[Sanis Prent]

"Yep, been there."

It was always a point of pride for me to know of some random backwater planet that was otherwise mired in obscurity. Helped for a sort of 'space cred' that was good for networking and making deals to ferry cargo or people.

But did I remember anything about it?

"Kind of a ho-hum, I guess. The usual stuff, a ten pad starport, maybe a dozen towns. One city of decent size. Climate didn't suck."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

"Oh I never visited the planet."

s'Il thought about what Sanis said, wondering exactly how far out the man had gone in his travels. For a moment she wondered if he'd somehow happened upon the Figaro System without knowing it, but pushed that thought away.

"This was all before he and I met, mind you."

It was cathartic in a way, to think of Dan down in the galley with their daughter, and her up on the bridge with Sanis, reliving some of her less painful memories. Or at least speaking of them in such a frank manner.

And in a strange way, it made her feel old all of a sudden. It wasn't anything that she could necessarily put a finger on, but talking of times past made her rather introspective about her own age and that of Dan's.

She didn't feel passed up in any way, it was more a sense of simply being so caught up in the passing of time that by the end of it all she felt as though she'd been deposited from some raging gale atop a mountain to survey all of the many places that she'd been taken.

[Sanis Prent]

Before I met you

To her, that was a stone's throw down the line, but I had a bit to think about that one, and where I was at that point.

"Wow."

It put a lot of stuff into perspective. I'd had Lok s'Ilancy's guiding hand in my life for a really long time.

"It really is a new era, isn't it?"

And I wondered how well I would fare now.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

s'Il conceded to his words with a slight nod.

"In a manner of speaking it is. For one like me though, I am nowhere near the end of my years. I'm still a very young person."

s'Il caught his look and smiled easily.

"There are times that I feel old yes, and act it as well, but I probably won't die until I'm far older. Almost two hundred years if I'm lucky."

She reached over to give his arm a gentle pat.

"So I'll be around for long enough that you won't need to find some other Jedi to pester."

Was it an invitation for him that she was giving? s'Il thought about that, inwardly knowing that yes, it was. She enjoyed his company no matter how difficult he could be at times, and she would always welcome his presence.

[Sanis Prent]

It was at least comforting to know that she was still there. I figured myself to be wildly independent, but was that the truth? She'd always been a sort of family I'd somehow never had. It was a silly thought, but it was the truth. I realized just how vulnerable and dependent at that point I truly was. I was simply navigating between the stars in my life. s'Il, James, and Cirr were the brightest, but they weren't the only ones.

"I think I'm afraid of being alone."

It was a dumb thing to say and I wish I didn't say it. But there it was.

"Let's face it, I'm not the most mistake-free guy in this sector. I'm in debt to more good graces than I can pay, but yet I still welch on the bill when it comes."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

s'Il turned a kind eye to him.

"We're all like that to some degree. It's nothing to be ashamed of. This galaxy would wither and die if it weren't for those people with good graces to give."

It seemed like such a strange time for him to be so honest, but she supposed that with her essentially leaving his crew, it made sense to some degree.

"The only thing you can do, is to return the favor to others who would need it once you're in the position to do so."

The Lupine turned to look out at the stars before them.

"I have faith that you'll find your place. It only takes time."

[Sanis Prent]

I knew she was saying the right thing. I knew I should nod along and agree and commit myself that way. Why didn't I do it then?

"Maybe."

The coordinates were nearly up, and I hadn't heard any curses from Cirr to foreshadow any problems, so it looked like a smooth ride.

"I've thought about the Rebellion. Every time I do I kick myself in the head because it's a death sentence."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

That made her pause, contemplating things in a quiet frown. It wasn't any sort of expression that radiated disapproval, but more thoughtfulness. She pondered his assessment in contrast to her own experiences, and felt more than a blaring discrepancy.

The Lupine folded her hands in her lap almost demurely, licking her lips and pulling in a low breath before letting it out just as slowly.

"Have you spoken with Dan about it?"

[Sanis Prent]

"No."

I didn't leave any opening in that that suggested I would. I didn't really care much for Dan, and if this was something I even decided on, it would be on my terms, and to hell with him. He hated me anyway.

"I know its the right thing to do, but the kind of person I am and the kind of people they are..."

I looked at her.

"After the war's over, what then?"

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Her frown deepened then.

"You keep drawing this line in the sand between yourself and them."

While she could understand his reluctance, it still cause her a small amount of frustration at times. In a way it hurt that she was able to detect such animosity between Sanis and Dan. Given the smuggler's roundabout revelation though the day before, she could see why he felt such a way. But, that was only in regards to Dan, and not to the Rebellion as a whole. Of course, she'd also been able to sense the same sort of feeling from the Rebel Commander towards Sanis, and that as well tore at her.

"I'm too old for you."

And that was when time froze.

Why had she said that?! Where had it even come from?? There had been no such reasoning for her to say such a thing, and the Lupine felt that sort of dread that crashed down upon a person when they'd said something so completely unnecessary and unwanted.

Her mouth felt dry suddenly.

"I mean... "

What in blazes could she possibly say now? s'Il rested an elbow on the armrest and let her face rest in her waiting palm.

"I... I didn't mean that."

[Sanis Prent]

She said that at about the same time I engaged hyperdrive. The cockpit brightened with the kaleidoscope of stars around us.

Did I hear that right?

I didn't say anything for what seemed forever. What she said hung thick as smoke in the air. I was still somewhere in the process of looking up at it, just hanging there.

I turned back to the controls, still trying to parse her litle outburst. I toggled the controls to MARCUS to keep the autopilot, and stood up from my seat.

"I need a drink."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

She was quick to vacate her own seat, following after him. How could she have said such a thing?!

"Sanis... "

She stared at his back, trying to salvage something that she almost knew for certain that she'd somehow destroyed.

"Sanis I'm sorry."

[Sanis Prent]

I paused against all sanity and looked at her again.

"Don't be. You've got me dead to rights."

I pulled a flask from my pocket. Empty.

"But it was never your age. With or without Dan, I'll never be good enough for you."

There was a strange sense of calm in saying that. In acknowledging my own failures, of which there were so many.

"I'm a smuggler. I don't think I'm good for anything else."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Never good enough for her? Her face fell at that, and she closed her eyes, head dipping toward the deckplates. Was that how he really felt?

Reaching a hand up, the Lupine pinched at the bridge of her nose.

"You have so many more open doors to you than I did when I was your age," she managed.

Her voice was low, but at least it still held some semblance on authority. He might have seen one thing, but s'Il saw something entirely different in him that she wasn't able to recognize. Unless he did, but was simply unwilling to acknowledge.

"Don't limit yourself to what you think you need to be; or what you think you're only good for.

"And certainly don't think that you need me.

"You're better than that, and you can do better than I did."

[Sanis Prent]

I massaged the periphery of my shiner, wishing that I could just get drunk and not deal with this right now.

"Let's just forget you ever said anything and let it ride, okay? I really don't feel like getting weird."

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

Jumping into hyperspace always felt weird. But it wasn't bad, just different.

And once given the opportunity to get out and about, Tak was quick to slide from her seat. She figured that it would be a good idea if she didn't go see Cirr. Daddy might get mad again. Especially if she tried to pester the big Cizerack for more gorg legs. Which by the way, were good in the pepper sauce ice cream. She would have to ask Cirr to make it for her again when Dama and Daddy weren't around.

But now she needed something else to do, and since Cirr was off-limits, it meant that Rasmuss was next in line.

Darting from the galley before her Daddy could ask her where she was going, Tak ran through Layla's corridors, bare feet pattering along the decks.

[Colonel Karrnage]

Exiled from the Black Cat, Karrnage had instead taken refuge in the back section of the cargo hold, and his clutter began to metastasize in this new environment again. Crates were covered with books in various stages of being opened, and others were spread across the floor precariously so that the Colonel could move about if he needed. Adjacent, the thrum of the engine provided a remarkably reassuring white noise that helped to keep his mind clear. That large Cizerack fellow had given him a funny look, but didn't demand that he pack up. That was at least a good turn of luck.

Karrnage found a good divit between one cargo container and the bulkhead wall, and slipped between, resting his back against the bulkhead as he propped a book on his knees.

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

Tak figured that Rasmuss had had plenty of time to move himself from the Cat, and so she passed by the still open hatchway and down the stairs. She was quiet though, being careful to walk on the balls of her feet like Dama had showed her once. Dama said it was the best way to walk without noise. Turns out the elder Lupine was right as the little girl quietly made her way to the back of the hold.

She could see a pair of legs sticking out from behind a crate, and wondered how Rasmuss got that line down the front of each leg of his pants.

Tiptoeing closer, Tak made sure that she was out of sight. It wasn't hard to see though that he'd scattered all of Dama's books around again. It looked like he'd taken every single on of them from the Cat!

Curiously, she peeked around the corner of the crate. He was so busy reading that she had to poke his knee to get his attention.

"Can I have my necklace back?"

[Colonel Karrnage]

Karrnage's eyes traced up from his book with the sort of earnest disappointment that children often had. Fortunately, he had taken rubbings and managed to even get a holorecord of the wonderful artifact. Still, those were always secondary to the real thing.

But there was no way he could refuse Teagan.

"Of course."

He reached into his pocket, retrieving the jewelry before lovingly draping it over her outstretched hands.

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

Tak didn't waste any time putting it back on. Dama had made it for her, and so it was very special to the little girl. She thought for a moment, not exactly sure why Rasmuss was sad to have to give it back.

Still thinking, she bit her lip while taking a moment to peer at the book he had open.

"If you want, I can ask Dama to make another one. For you."

[Colonel Karrnage]

His features brightened at that. Inwardly, he wondered what she'd think of that sort of proposition?

"That would be wonderful, Teagan."

Given a brief respite from his bookworm activities, Karrnage very carefully marked his spot and closed the book he had at his knees, giving his half Lupine visitor his undivided attention.

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

The little Lupine stared back without a care. After all, he was the one who'd started staring first. It wasn't like she was being rude. Dama was always sure to tell her that staring wasn't very nice, but Rasmuss didn't seem to follow Dama's rules.

"I heard you were there when Dama got hurt."

Which was true in a sense. No one had told her anything about what'd happened. She'd had to listen in secretly, sneaking about to piece together exactly what'd happened on Dantooine.

She still wasn't entirely sure how Dama had been so badly beaten.

[Colonel Karrnage]

He nodded to her question.

"Yes I was. She was fighting a man named Callomas Savoc."

Usually the types of villains that Director Esalis employed seemed beneath him, but that freelancer was a curious specimen.

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

"Oh."

The name meant hardly a thing to her, and Tak shuffled her feet for a second. She moved from where she stood, still half-obscured by the crate. Wordlessly the little Lupine wedged herself in beside him. It was a tight fit, and she was a little scrunched up at his side as she sat.

"Dama said that you tried to stop him."

She looked sideways up at him.

"Did you?"

[Colonel Karrnage]

"I did, but only with words."

Cowardice was a strong suit for the Colonel, and one that he'd given up trying to make excuses over.

"I'm not much of a fighter I'm afraid."

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

"That's ok, I'm not good at that kind of stuff either."

Playing with a lock of her hair, Tak tried to think of something else to say. At least he tried to stop Dama from getting hurt. It was better than saying nothing, that much she was old enough to know.

She looked down at her fidgeting hand for only a moment before leaning into Rasmuss. It was an awkward sort of hug that seemed nothing more than her resting her head on his upper arm.

"Thanks for trying at least."

[Colonel Karrnage]

He smiled down at her, feeling odd in the face of any sort of affection. He was used to being this sort of useful tool that people didn't really think about as a person. Even some droids were given more a stake of humanity at times. He was usually too preoccupied with study to notice, but sometimes he did.

"You're welcome?"

He felt at peace for once. This was a good feeling.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Knowing it best not to follow after Sanis, s'Il had felt it best to simply leave him be. She felt horrid for saying what she did, and needed space from his as much as he did from her. The bridge she'd left without a word, and even passed by the galley without so much as a word to Dan who it seemed had taken it upon himself to sequester himself in. Why he didn't spend his time in the Cat she couldn't fathom, but it seemed that even now the man caused her to wonder at times.

Teagan was nowhere with her father though, and the elder Lupine paused for a moment, backtracking a few steps to cast a sweeping gaze through the galley. Only Dan. With a huhn, she started off once more.

Onward she went, silently wandering through the short corridors of Sanis' ship.

She stepped out onto the catwalk that overlooked the cargo hold.

From the vantage offered, it was easy to see where Tak had gone, and s'Il leaned forward on the railing, staring at both her daughter and the Imperial.

And such a sight it was, too.

Unmoving from her perch, she let a ghostly smile tug at the corners of her mouth.

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

The catwalk bounced slightly at the introduction of more weight, as Cirr strolled across it. He carried a thermal canteen in one hand, and a satchel of tools in the other. Considering the eerily-serene condition of Layla of recent, Cirr found himself without any repairs to fuss and fret over. He leaned on the rail next to s'Il as well, unscrewing the lid on the canteen to dispense a hot, spiced brew, which he extended to the Lupine.

"Can't ask forr a betterr trrjip."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

She gave Cirr a genuinely happy smile. The lumbering Cizerack had a way of cheering most people up with his presence alone, and given that he was in a mood to share some of his more tolerable consumption habits, the elder Lupine took the offered canteen.

"I suppose."

She took a sip, a blank look on her face for a fraction of a second before licking her lips.

"I'm afraid that I've managed to send Sanis off looking for a stiff drink though."

A sudden frown as she said that, but s'Il was soon to cover it back up.

With her eye going back to Teagan and Karrnage, she spoke once more.

"I'm going to miss you."

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

"Ch'e rrajee'ai dojii"

Cirr let slip a common Cizeri saying about parting friends and chasing tails. He took the cap from s'Il and had a sip of his own before returning it to her.

"Frrjiends fjind each otherr. We'll have morre good tjimes ahead."

He looked at s'Il, and his blue eyes expressed his optimism.

"Don't let Sanjis worry you. jI take carre of hjim, even jif he doesn't admjit jit."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

The Lupine smiled at that. She knew the friendship that Sanis and Cirr shared was a deep one that had weathered more than a few rough spots.

"Warms my heart to hear that," she murmured wistfully.

It didn't take long for her to think once more on the revelations of the past few days however, and she shifted her stance. One arm resting on the railing, s'Il turned so that she was partially facing the big Cizerack. She still looked down at Teagan and Karrnage, but soon enough the canteen was at her lips again, after which she let her eye go up to Cirr.

"How long has he had these feelings?"

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

Cirr thought about it as he sipped the spice drink.

"You've known hjim longerr than jI have. He's felt thjis way as long as jI've known hjim."

He tilted the cap around, sloshing the liquid slightly to stir up the scant bits at the bottom.

"He hjides jit verry well. Neverr told me, anyway. But my people arre good at ljistenjing forr that."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Thinking about that, s'Il nodded. Sometimes Cirr surprised her, and now was most certainly one of those times. She found her gaze going to the deckplates, and offered him a rather self-deprecating laugh.

"Better than me it seems."

Another few thoughtful moments.

"I wish that I didn't have to hurt him like this, O'leh'o."

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

Cirr kept a small smile.

"You'rre dojing nothjing you haven't done beforre. One thjing I've learrned about Sanjis jis that he fjinds what he needs, whjich jisn't always what he fjirst wants."

He fluttered his ears.

"Hasn't made jit bjig jin all these yearrs ejitherr, has he?"

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

s'Il cracked a smile, glad for the Cizerack's mild humor. It was refreshing, and his reassurance did well enough to assuage her.

"He certainly hasn't."

She swirled the canteen a little, listening as the liquid inside sloshed around a bit. It wasn't an overpowering drink, and the Lupine found herself enjoying both its' spicy aroma and taste.

A bit of introspection on her part caused her to look past him, and her single eye seemed to glass over as she remembered times past.

"Before Dan, I had Zem."

A faint smile.

"He was not so gruff back then as he appears to be now."

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

Cirr could see pretty clearly where she was going with this.

"jI was betrrothed when jI was verry young. You rrememberr my motherr?"

He flicked a bit of peeling paint off the hand rail with a claw.

"She hated the gjirrl almost as much as jI djid. But, we'rre odd people. Thejirr famjily was rrjich and jit was an jimporrtant thjing."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Oh, s'Il remembered Taataani well enough. She also remembered the sajoi eating contest that the two had had. How could something that seemed like such a good idea in the beginning turn out so horrible?

The thought of Cirr set to marry someone was different though, and got her attention quite well. She pulled herself from the past, focussing on him once more.

"What happened?"

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

Cirr refilled the cap.

"She met Sanjis, who at the tjime had a shjip, but no worrk. She offerred hjim worrk, on the condjitjion that he would take me jin."

He smiled at the fond memory.

"Just sajid to take me farr away frrom Carrshouljis, and that was that. Of courrse, jit meant that Mama was denjied herr bjig openjing jinto hjigh socjiety."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

s'Il smiled at that, remembering Taataani with fondness.

"Your mother does not look like she worries about that too much."

A movement caught her eye then, and she paused, watching Dan step through the doorway that led out onto the catwalk. The Lupine smiled then, her eyes closing as she looked to the catwalk's decking.

"She did the right thing, sending you away."

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

Cirr lowered his eyes.

"Actually, Mama wanted that ljife verry badly. She stjill does."

His ears lowered a bit as he leaned against the rail a bit more.

"But she tells me, of all of herr seventeen cubljings, she's most prroud of me."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

She handed the canteen back to Cirr, stepping close to give him a gentle hug.

"She has a lot to be proud of."

Dan was making his way closer, and the Lupine held her hand out to the side for him to take.

As an afterthought, she went on.

"The next time you see her, tell her that she as more wealth than any sort of physical monetary status could give to her."

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

Cirr lapsed into a toothy smile, undone by her sweet words. His tail swished a bit more rapidly at that, and just as soon as it happened, he sheepishly screwed the lid back onto the canteen.

"Well, let me go check on thjings down below!"

Dan approached from the opposite end of the catwalk as Cirr exited, exchanging a bemused look with s'Il as he came close.

"I take it he makes better caf than breakfast."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

An easy smile descended upon her features. Over the course of their years, Dan had the sort of calming affect on her that she'd come to rely on. It soothed her and took away her worries so effectively that she couldn't ever help feeling more than a bit disarmed in his presence. Now was no different.

It'd taken a while for her to become as such, but regardless of that, s'Il had found it in her heart of hearts to be such a soothing thing. They had their arguments and disagreements, but they still shared the same bed, and the Lupine would not have it any other way. Even knowing that the daughter she'd given him was not expected n the least, she felt blessed to have been able to give him such a gift. And truly, she felt as though she'd been allowed that.

Whatever Karrnage may find in regards to the answer for that question, she still could not shake the feeling.

"I don't think it was caf. It certainly didn't taste like it at least."

[General Dan]

He gave her a nervous glance.

"You're taking your life into your hands, you know."

An easy smile. He gave her a look.

"You seemed a little preoccupied earlier."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Waving a dismissive hand, s'Il shook her head.

"Don't worry about that."

Pulling Dan closer so that he stood beside her at the railing, the Lupine leaned in to him, resting some of her weight against him. She angled her head so that it rested on his shoulder, and gestured down to both Teagan and Karrnage.

By now it seemed that the both of them were pouring through an open book, with the little Lupine nearly in the Imperial's lap and pointing out words. It was heartwarming in its' own way, to watch hers and Dan's little girl so enraptured in helping Karrnage make sense of the Lupine scripting.

"Look at that."

[General Dan]

Dan peered down to where she gestured.

"If you leave her down there, she's gonna get stuck. Our child is going to become a nerd."

He laughed and put a palm to his head at the sight of it.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

She gave an amused expression that he couldn't see, and wound an arm around his lower back.

"Oh I don't think that's a particularly bad thing. I wouldn't say that I was much better. Anyway, she's only helping him."

Her fingers lightly tickled at his side. It was an absent motion on her part, and when she spoke again, her voice held the smallest traces of sarcasm.

"What would you have her be?"

[General Dan]

He snatched her hand, giving her a little squeeze as he smiled.

"Would it be hubris to say just a little more like me?"

He pulled her in for a kiss, and returned to watching their daughter, his face beaming despite his light-hearted ribbing.

"I think she'd be just fine as a nerd though."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

"Oh she's plenty like you," the Lupine grinned.

Her free hand going out, s'Il extended a finger.

"She's stubborn," another finger, "... she likes to argue until I give up," another finger, "... she's always tell me I have too much stuff... "

She gave Dan a knowing, sidelong look, and interlocked the fingers of the hand he held with his own.

"Need I go on?"

[General Dan]

He laughed at that, looking down at the odd couple below.

"How long until we arrive?"

It was a roundabout way of seeing how long they would be on the ship. He hadn't quite retreated back to the Cat yet, but he was close.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

s'Il gave a shrug, unsure herself how long it would take until they reached Schwartzweld.

"I don't know. Sanis would though."

Stepping away from the railing, the Lupine moved around to the other side of Dan, running her fingertips along his shoulder blades.

"Where he is is another matter. You'd have to hunt him down."

She wasn't about to ask for Dan; if he wanted to know, he could find Prent himself. No, she would keep her distance from Sanis for the rest of the trip. With that in mind, she started for the Cat, deciding that their time spent on Layla would be best spent resting.

[Sanis Prent]

I made my way down to the cargo bay, seeing as the rest of my passengers were nowhere to be found. MARCUS had everything well in hand, and we were in for the long haul. It wasn't exactly hard to figure out where everyone went, since there were only a few options.

"Just wanted to let you guys know, we're in stable hyperstream, and we shouldn't have any surprises on the way to Figaro Favoura. Figure we'll be there in ten hours, so may want to get shut-eye."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

11 Hours Later


They'd landed during midday. The grounds of House Losstarot were expansive, and despite the overgowth and abundance of unchecked vegetation, it wasn't hard to imagine how things must've looked during the zenith of Lupine civilization. Great stone walls, lovingly carved statues that had barely withstood the test of time, orchards that had become home to wildlife, it all had a sense of granduer despite its' age.

Here nd there however could be seen spots that'd been cleared away; evidence that s'Il had made enough time to visit during her years. Unseen however, were the cellars. Fully stocked with aging barrels and dusty bottles. It was one of the things that she and Dan had worked tirelessly to restore, the great winery. It was certainly not as extensive or stocked as it had been in the far flung past, but it was a start. It was something that she took a particular amount of pride in. That Dan seemed to only drink wine from here and nowhere else was also something that gave her joy.



s'Il helped to guide Sanis to the remnants of a landing pad that perched off to the side of the Losstarot estate. It wasn't large, but it was enough to safely land Layla.

[Sanis Prent]

I flicked down the switches to begin the cool-down sequence. Through the metal body of Layla, a declining whine could be heard fading into nothing. MARCUS asked whether I wanted to take the power-down time to run a diagnostic, and I gave him something to busy himself with. We weren't leaving any time soon.

I stood from my seat and stretched, just wanting to get this all over with. My brain was stuck on last night, and how much of a jerk I'd come across as. I just wanted to make sure s'Il and Tak were okay, and then to push on.

It was the best thing for all of us.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

She was in the Cat, gathering a few random possessions and placing them in a leather shoulder pack. There was no need to begin any of the heavier moving just yet, as deciding where they'd be situating themselves was the best starting point.

She would allow Karrnage to choose where he wished to be, and had to wonder briefly if he'd try to insist on the great library. Of course that was something that she would forbid should he ask. The manor itself was large, and had more than enough rooms to choose from. She and Dan would more than likely be occupying the room that belonged to the House Sires.

Dan was with her in the Cat, the two alone for a few moments, and as s'Il plucked up one of Teagan's shirts, she paused. Holding it in her hands, the Lupine stared at it. Her eye unfocused, and she turned to face Dan, the shirt still in her hand.

"I want another one."

[General Dan]

Dan paused in the midst of his more modest packing, and arched an eyebrow.

"You do?"

He thought about that. Why not? Hadn't he wanted a son anyway? They were getting older, or at least he was. If it was to happen, it was either now, or never.

He smiled.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

"I do."

He'd not said anything more in acknowledgment, and s'Il slowly began to fold the small shirt, her head angling downward yet her eye still on him. His smile was a fairly good indication that he was receptive to the idea, and the Lupine felt a small smile of her own spread across her features.

"If I had one before, I think that it's safe to say that it wasn't a fluke, and that I can have another."

[General Dan]

"While the iron's hot, right?"

He still smiled. Why not have more children? Wasn't that something worth doing? The war was far away and going well, and they were in this paradise, far away from strife and struggle. Why not think about family.

He packed up his meager belongings and ran a hand through her hair.

"I'd love to."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

She'd expected a hesitation on his part, and a word that he'd be too old, but Dan had more than pleasantly surprised her. s'Il took his hand in hers, bringing it to rest along her cheek before angling to the side, gently brushing her lips against his knuckles.

The honesty in his eyes gave credence to his words, and she took a calm peace from that.

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

"You'd love to what?"

Tak skipped her way into the Cat, a grin from ear to ear as she moved toward the bed. It was unmade, and the little Lupine gave a funny look to Dama. Dama always made her bed; why hadn't she done so yet? But, made bed or no, Tak was quick to scramble up onto it and bounce her way towards Dama.

"What would you love to do," she asked Daddy again.

[General Dan]

"I, uh..."

He paused, giving a nervous little smile, before panning his eyes to s'Il.

"...maybe your Dama would like to tell you."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

s'Il gave a warm smile, one arm snaking out to catch her little girl around the waist as she bounced close enough. Sweeping Tak into her arms, the elder Lupine twirled her around in a circle. There was a sudden lightness to her now, and her gentle grin had turned into a wide smile that matched her daughter's.

"It's a surprise, Sweetheart."

Giggling, Tak grabbed Dama's sleeve as she was set down again.

"A surprise?! What kinda surprise?"

Without a word, s'Il only gave a grin while handing the little girl her own small bag and motioning for the door.

"Go tell Rasmuss that it's time to go."

"Ok!"

Hefting her bag over her shoulders, Tak skipped back out, just as happy as she came in.

[Sanis Prent]

I was headed down to the Cat now that the systems were powered down, and mindful to help s'Il move out the small horde of chotchkies and assorted items she'd painstakingly accumulated in the shuttlecraft in her long residence.

Before I got there, I ran into Tak in the midst of an energetic dash down the hallway.

"Whoa there!"

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

Tak nearly bowled into Sanis, her little backpack snug on her shoulders. She skipped a circle around him, grabbing one of his hands and spinning him along with her. She was all giggles and grins. They were home! She was finally gonna get to see everything Dama had told her about!

"Dama and Daddy have a surprise for me," she beamed.

Letting go of him, the little Lupine hopped her way down the stairs.

"But I have to go get Rasmuss now though."

[Sanis Prent]

"Damn."

I'd forgotten that the academic had cloistered himself in the cargo bay, and imagined a pretty dreadful mess to pick up. Hopefully I could get Cirr to turn on the grav jack and load the whole mess out in one go, but that was assuming he hadn't scavenged some parts out of it.

I followed Tak down to the hold

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

Since Sanis was following her, Tak again took his hand, towing him behind her like some piece of luggage.

She skipped a little, and slowed since his arm only went so far. Flashing him another smile, she matched her pace with his longer stride. It was always hard, since she had to take two steps to equal one of his.

"You're gonna come and visit us, right?"

[Sanis Prent]

"Sure am."

I smiled wistfully behind her as she sort-of towed me along. I never thought I could stay sane and have a little kid on my ship, but Tak had never caused much of a ruckus and was cute as a button.

"I'll be stopping by every few months to bring a few supplies that you guys might need."

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

"Months?!"

That stopped her, and she stared up at him as if he'd just accidentally stepped on her foot. She made a face and pointed a determined finger up at him.

"But that's too long. You'll have to visit more. Like once every week. That's alot better than once a month."

[Sanis Prent]

My smile broadened, and I dropped down to my haunches so that I was approximately at her eye level.

"Well, tell you what. If you're good, and if Dama says you're behaving, I'll try and come by every three weeks. I'll even bring you a surprise or two."

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

Tak thought about that. Three weeks was better than a month, and so she nodded her approval. Him saying that he'd bring her a surprise also helped.

"Ok, that sounds good."

She moved in to lean against his shoulder now that he was more down to her height, and picked at her fingernails.

She gave a heavy sigh.

"I wish you and Daani and Cirr could stay with us here."

[Sanis Prent]

I gave her a squeeze, and pulled back, holding her at each shoulder.

"I don't know if Dama would like that. I think she wants to have some alone time with you and Dan."

She didn't understand yet. I wasn't sure if she would. Maybe with a little time.

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

"I guess."

That never made any sense. Grownups did weird things though.

"But wait, if she wants alone time with me and Daddy, why is Rasmuss staying with us too?"

[Sanis Prent]

Good damn question. I wasn't sure about that one either.

"I think you'll have to ask Dama about that one."

With any luck, they would shoot the creepy bookworm out of spite. Somebody that close to the imperial inner sanctum couldn't be on the level. Then again, maybe he balanced Dan out? I shrugged, and tussled her hair.

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

A toothy grin, and Tak gave Sanis a little shove before backing away, swishing around on her heels and heading off once more in search of Rasmuss.

It wasn't hard to know where he was in the cargo hold. After all,he'd taken most of Dama's books and scattered them everywhere. It was messier in his little corner of the hold than her room back on Cathar was. And that was something! She was even a little jealous that he'd been able to do that!

"Rasmuss! Rasmuss you have to clean everything up, it's time to go!"

[Colonel Karrnage]

To practically everybody's surprise, the Colonel had the small library almost entirely parceled up and arranged on the grav jack. A half dozen books were still laying about and in various stages of being either open or bookmarked. The Colonel smiled at the two visitors, pushing his spectacles up on his nose.

"Good morning Teagan, Captain."

He clutched a book near to his chest as he spoke.

"I tended to the mess, so the work I imagine you are here to do is mostly complete. Your mechanic fellow is...persuasive."

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

Tak's mouth opened in a wide 'O', and her eyes opened up big. He'd for sure cleaned up! Last night, while she'd been helping and telling him some of the stories that Dama told her about Lupines, the whole area had been so messy! Books'd been everywhere!

"Woooow," she whispered.

Her amazement soon enough changed to delight, and she smiled up at Rasmuss.

"You're ready, right?"

[Colonel Karrnage]

The Colonel nodded his head with assurance.

"I am, yes. Quite ready."

He looked tentatively to the Captain.

"So we should be departing, then."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Stepping out of the Cat, s'Il hitched her duffel higher on her shoulder. It wasn't heavy, but she had packed a few things away for their initial scouting. The heavier lifting could wait.

Dan would follow at his own pace, she knew as much. Her step had a lightness to it that had not been there before, as thoughts of another child tickled her imaginations. Tak would have a brother or a sister - it didn't matter all that much to her - and she and Dan would be able to raise their children in peace.

A smile lit her features as she approached the three in the hold, and the Lupine laid a tender hand on her daughter's tawny mop of hair while answering Karrnage.

"Yes, we should."

[Sanis Prent]

I began to push the grav jack along the way from the cargo deck, down the gangplank, helping to deliver the bulk of s'Il's ad hoc library to wherever she'd be keeping it. The two Lupines and their bookish tagalong seemed to be in their own world, and largely kept quiet as I worked.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

She kept pace with Tak and the Imperial for a short time, but it wasn't long before s'Il moved to walk alongside Sanis.

The short trip from the upper landing pad into the manor was passed in relative silence. The interior of the place was strongly similar to her old home on Cathar; the architecture, the statues, the busts, and the tapestries. It was like the citadel on Cathar had been nothing but a carbon copy of the Losstarot estate. Of course here, on Schwartzweld, it was far larger.

She made no move to initiate conversation with Prent, instead simply directing him to where he'd need to go.

They would need to deliver the books to the main library before being able to use the jack for any of her other things.

Down long corridors, lit only by the sunlight that managed to stream in through age-old glass windows, and through grand halls and sitting rooms they went. Soon enough they came to a set of double doors, high vaulted and intricately carved with reliefs of her ancestors.

For only a moment she paused, and with a cryptic grin the Lupine stood to the side, allowing Karrnage a fair view of the massive doors.

[Colonel Karrnage]

The Colonel stepped forward, running his hands carefully along the decorative carvings at the door.

"These patterns are very old, and reminiscent of past Caridan works. Very compelling."

He gulped, and pushed the door forward to enter.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

It was yawning blackness that greeted the Colonel, an inky darkness that seemed to reach out and beckon those outside to enter. But there was another thing to notice as well; the smell. The scent of aged leather and paper, a musty odor that wasn't altogether unpleasant, just... old. There was history in that room.

But it seemed that the darkness was fleeting, as their eyes adjusted to the lower illumination offered in the room. Much like the rest of the manor, the only light to be seen was from the high-vaulted windows.

Until s'Il stepped forward into the room, uttering a soft word. Slowly the dark receded, chased away by the lamps she and Dan had long ago placed into the great library. Now every single book and parchment could be seen, as the shelves extended far back beyond where their sight allowed. Deep sitting chairs dotted the library, as well as small tables and a few desks.

It was a treasure trove of information and lore, and with an easy smile, the Lupine shifted her stance to afford Karrnage a sideways look, curious to see his reaction.

[Sanis Prent]

I was even a bit impressed by the show of it. Every inch of the old manor seemed to be painstakingly detailed in some fashion or another. It was certainly a sight, if not a little intimidating.

Pushing the grav jack along, I ran a hand on an edifice, brushing off a faint sheen of dust.

"Now I get it. The professor here's going to be your museum curator."

[Byl Laprovik]

<center> The edge of the Figaro Favoura system </center>

A tiny ship blinked into the fringe of the system from a short hyperspace jump. Barely large enough for a hyperdrive and life support, the craft began to carefully maneuver toward the outermost planet in the system, tracing along the dark side of the stellar body.

Byl briefly checked his ship's bearings, running a small data filament cable from his computer to a small cannister-shaped droid. The droid was unresponsive, put into a state of basic operation that allowed only certain functions, all of which were controlled by Byl's console. It was the closest thing to a zombie as a droid could get, and what the Rebel operative gambled upon exploiting to get close to his enemy.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

"Museum curator. That's cute."

s'Il gave a slight hmph to Sanis.

"No, I'm simply giving him the tools he'll need to answer my questions. Nothing so amazing as what you might think."

She smiled then, and her eye went to Tak. The little Lupine hadn't said a peep during their trip, and her eyes were wide. She looked all about her, transfixed by all that she saw. To the elder Lupine, it was wonderful to see; her daughter so enraptured by the home of their ancient family.

[Sanis Prent]

I gave the Colonel a flippant look as she spoke. The guy was weird, but beyond that, I still didn't trust him. I had half a notion to hang back and see if he'd sell her out within 24 hours. Still, I had to respect s'Il's wishes, even if I thought she was making a serious mistake.

I strolled into the foyer ahead of the others, and found a plush seat. Sitting down, I resurrected an aura of fine dust, which puffed from the furniture as I sat.

"I hope he's good at dusting too."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

"Yes well, I never spend much time in this part of the manor, so I'm afraid it's not quite so dust-free."

She smiled in spite of herself at Sanis, and soon enough went about unloading the books that had been stacked on the lift.

[General Dan]

Dan trailed up the group, standing in the doorway a moment as his eyes adjusted to the darker interior. The slightest nostalgic look crossed his face as he took the sights in again.

"It's been a long time since I last saw this place. Doesn't change much, does it?"

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

s'Il gave Dan a sidelong look, watching as Teagan was quick to skip over to her Daddy's side and grab a hold of his hand.

"Only the cellars seem to change," she jabbed playfully while still working to shift her small library of texts.

Tak brightened up at that, and gave a wide grin up to Dan

"Dama told me that you have lots of wine here!"

[Sanis Prent]

I glanced over my shoulder at that. Somehow, the notion of this place having a stocked cellar didn't seem at all surprising. I was already feeling like a fish out of water here, so I might as well eventually find my way for a drink.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

It wasn't hard to notice the look on Sanis' face, and s'Il suppressed a smirk.

"What's in the cellars isn't important right now."

With the Imperial's help, it didn't take long to unload all of her books, and soon enough the sled was empty once more. The elder Lupine paused for a few moments, her eye wandering around the library before falling on Dan and Teagan.

The next few trips would take them into the more habitable areas of the Losstarot estate; the areas that she and Dan had spent their time refurbishing. Their efforts had been only to restore a small portion of the living quarters; nothing beyond that as there'd never been any time for such a thing. But, what had been done was acceptable enough.

Another look to Sanis.

"Shall we?"

[Sanis Prent]

I finished hauling the last load of items from the ship, wondering how I'd drawn heavy lifting duty in all of this. Of course, Cirr was waist deep in some sort of recalibration drama that he wouldn't put off in any uncertain terms, so that was that. At any rate, a few hours of moving duty, and I was ready to take a sitter.

"Good a plan as any."

I glanced at the professor, who had long-eschewed any menial work and was already crammed halfway into whatever random book he'd opened. Dan had taken to occupying Teagan's hyperactive tendencies by running it out of her outside in one of the gardens.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

More or less alone with Sanis, s'Il had taken it upon herself to pour two glasses of from Dan's private stock. Handing one of them to Prent, she gestured for him to sit in one of the many chairs that dotted the interior landscape of what had once been a small den. Now it was a comfortable sitting alcove.

Lowering herself to sit in a chair adjacent to Sanis', the Lupine took a sip of her own drink.

"Where will you go now?"

[Sanis Prent]

"I've thought about that one for a long time."

I took a drink of the liquor, the tip of my tongue following slightly to briefly emerge between my lips as I swallowed the pungent vintage.

Easing the glass down, I swirled it slightly, looking away.

"I think I'm going to go my own way. I don't think the Rebellion is for me."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

She gave only a slight nod. She'd expected him to make such a decision. For a few moments the Lupine was quiet, thinking on her next words. She settled herself into the depths of the chair, looking almost like a fluffed up Ithorian owl in her own way.

"I can understand your reluctance.

"If you've no wish to cast your lot with the Rebellion, then what will you do?"

She drank from her glass once more.

[Sanis Prent]

"What I always do."

I replied flippantly, but well aware that I never exactly held the best employment options even in the best of times.

With a shrug, I took another drink.

"Plus, I'm sure you'll need somebody to keep you supplied. It'll be like Cathar, but different. I guess."

I looked ahead with a slightly distant expression. I had a few ideas where I'd end up looking, but I wasn't sure if she really wanted to hear them.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

She raised a single eyebrow at that.

"Like Cathar," was her soft repeat.

Indeed, it would be much like their previous arrangement.

The Lupine reached into a pocket then, pulling out a small orange stone. Regarding it for a moment, she held it up into the light to stare momentarily at the contours and edges.

Another moment later, and she extended it to him. It was the very same focusing crystal that he'd stolen from her when they'd first met.

She let a gentle smile fall across her features.

"For good luck."

[Sanis Prent]

I cracked a smile at that very familiar crystal, and took it from her outstretched hand. I didn't say anything for a moment, and just turned it over in my hand a few times before closing my fingers around it.

"You know, stealing this was one of the best things I ever did."

Looking back up to s'Il, I took another drink.

"The biggest heist of my career, I guess."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

At that she laughed.

"And now that you know what it is, will you be offering it up for sale to the highest bidder?"

She grinned at him from over the rim of her glass.

"You'd be a rich man I would imagine."

[Sanis Prent]

I didn't respond to that, except to smile. I think she knew that answer well enough.

"I hope, whatever happens, that you get your chance to finally settle down in peace. I don't know what's in store for me, or the rest of this galaxy, but if anybody's earned it, it's you."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

s'Il closed her eyes, her head bowed as she acknowledged his words. It was certainly kind of him, and she appreciated his sympathy.

And yet still she fussed.

"Oh heavens, I'm merely being selfish. I saw a chance and took it."

A sly grin then. She had still not quite overcome her excitement of having another child.

"Do not be surprised if the next time you visit, there is another little one on its' way."

[Sanis Prent]

"Well, in that case, I'll be sure to bring extra holocomics."

I tilted back the rest of my drink.

"Oh, before I forget."

I reached into my pocket, and pulled a holoslip out, handing it to her.

"Something from Zem. He asked me to give it to you."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

She took the slip, curious as to what it could possibly contain, but patient none-the-less.

Instead, she turned an amused look to Sanis.

"I do not need another child corrupted by your horrible comics, you know. It's enough to have to explain that Captain Coruscant is not anything like Melkhiah Losstarot in any shape or form with the one child I have right now."

[Sanis Prent]

"A little bit of the galaxy beyond Schwartzweld is probably a good thing. Guess that's just because I'm an interstellar tumbleweed myself. How you can stay on one planet with so little change, I'll never know."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

A self-satisfied grin.

"Perhaps it is because I was a tumbleweed much like yourself in my early years. I've learned that it's perfectly acceptable to stay in one place and live quietly. Not all of us are cut out for adventure, you know."

At that, the Lupine gave him an almost gleeful wink. As it was, she settled for burrowing deeper into her chair. She looked the very image of a satisfied matriarch.

"Give yourself some more time. I'm sure that after about ten or so years, you'll understand what I'm talking about."

A twinkle in her eye that could very well have been a challenge.

"That is of course, considering you manage to keep yourself intact until then."

[Sanis Prent]

I had an idea of what she was talking about, and I laughed.

"Sorry, not the family type of guy."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Still holding her glass, s'Il pointed a finger at him.

"You say that now. I would bet good money that when given enough time, you'll find yourself a woman to settle down with."

A smirk.

"And when you do that, you come back and tell me all about her.

"I would love to meet the woman who finally reigns you in."

There was a pause as she thought.

""... or at least, reigns you in to at least a certain degree."

[Sanis Prent]

"Well, I don't see it happening."

I shrugged off the doomsaying with a laugh.

"I met some hot little number back on Bespin, remember when we were back there? That's the closest thing to a regular committment that I've got."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Indeed, she certainly did remember when they were last on Bespin.

"Then will you go back there for work when you're through here?"

[Sanis Prent]

"It's the only thing I've got coming up recently, so might as well."

I yawned a bit, and topped my drink off.

"May stand to make a fair bit of money off it, if I don't wind up killed."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Setting her own glass on a small endtable, s'Il slowly rose to her feet.

"Well, I would appreciate it if you could keep yourself from having holes put in you. I'll be needing supplies once in a while still, you know."

She smiled at him.

"And let's not forget Teagan would never forgive you for being killed."

[Sanis Prent]

I waved off the concern, even in half-spirit.

"Don't worry about me. Maybe this is my big calling. Maybe this is where I make it big, eh?"

Taking another drink, I thought about it, not really sure if I believed it. It was that ever-distant goal that was always just out of reach. Who knew.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

A smile.

"Maybe so."

Her thoughts strayed to the dataslip that Zem had had Sanis give to her, and she pulled it from her pocket. Idly fingering the slip, s'Il gave a sigh.

"I'm going to miss you, Sanis."

[Sanis Prent]

I smiled.

"No you won't."

Standing, I set my glass aside.

"You'll have my holofrequency, don't worry."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

"I'm not worried."

And indeed she wasn't, but still. It felt like the end to... something at least. No more traipsing about the galaxy on Layla, no more wondering what Cirr had in store for their stomachs, none of that. The Lupine closed her eyes.

"... but a holofrequency is never quite the same."

And without ceremony, she pulled him into an embrace.

[Sanis Prent]

I held onto her, trying to downplay my conflicting emotions while I kept a cool expression. I didn't figure it would be much of a smokescreen for her, so I wondered why I kept up the facade around her. Then, I figured she'd been good enough of a friend to never pry, even though a Jedi was more than capable of doing that.

I withdrew from the embrace.

"Don't worry about the melodrama. This is your big day. Go and enjoy it."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

s'Il afforded him a quiet nod, but kept a hand on his arm for a brief second longer. She gestured to the open doorway.

"We should go find Teagan so she can say goodbye then."

[Sanis Prent]

"Let's do that."

I set my glass aside, following her along to meet up with Teagan again. By that time, Cirr had managed to find his way to the mansion, cleaning the filth off his hands with a work rag.

"Everything good?"

I asked my trusty mechanic, and he gave an indifferent shrug, which I had learned was pretty copacetic, considering how much I had to fight against his budget demands. We both followed s'Il along.

"Just about to see everybody off, good time to drop in."

The big Cizerack eyed the manor, and his ears flicked forward a few times.

"Njice place. Wouldn't mjind rretjirrjing herre myself."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

s'Il gave Cirr a smile.

"It'll always be here should you decide to."

It didn't take long for the three to make it outside, and the Lupine led the way to one of many stone benches that lined a small courtyard. It was overgrown of course, but there was still a beauty to be found in it. Ancient stone statues poked through wild ferns, and the sound of a small pond waterfall could be heard coming from somewhere in the small jungle.

There was no need to call for her daughter, as s'Il saw the little girl darting here and there in what the elder Lupine supposed was some manner of game that she and Dan were playing.

And for the briefest of seconds, she was reminded of the game of Monster that the Rebel Commander had played with the young ones at House Richter so many years ago.

s'Il smiled at that thought.

Teagan caught sight of them however, and abandoning her game - and wherever her Daddy was hiding - she bounded her way towards the trio.

There was excitement in her eyes to be sure, but one look at Sanis and Cirr and her face fell somewhat. Just the way they stood with Dama meant that it was time for them to leave.

[Sanis Prent]

"Hey there kiddo."

I dropped down to my haunches as she ran up, and gave her a warm smile. It was obvious that she knew what was going on, because her face took on a sort of pained expression that I wish I didn't see.

I caught her as she was slowing down, and wrapped my arms around her.

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

Pulled up into a big hug, Tak wound her arms up and around Sanis' neck, squeezing tightly.

"I wish you didn't have to go," she whispered.

[Sanis Prent]

I hated this. I longed for the ability to just blast off and to leave her behind. To leave them all behind, without a care. I'd just realized the full extent of the transformation that s'Il had put me through, because I couldn't. I squeezed on Tak even tighter.

"You know I'll be back as soon as I can, munchkin."

Pulling her away, I smiled.

"And maybe, if you're good, and your dama lets you, maybe you can be my co-pilot for a few days every so often."

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

That was enough to at least make her smile again, and Tak gave him an enthusiastic nod.

She kept a hold of his hand though, and only let go when Cirr's big hand fell atop her head. Looking up at the big Cizerack, Tak lifted her arms up so that he could take her up into a hug of his own.

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

Cirr scooped her up easily, draping his other hand easily over her head in an energetic tussle.

"Yeah, you gotta come vjisjit us too!"

He eyed s'Il, knowing that she wouldn't disapprove of the occasional excursion.

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

She grinned wide, reaching out to bat at his ears for a moment before running small fingers through the tufts of hair on his eartips.

"I know!"

A giggle, and she leaned back in Cirr's arms, then slid down to the ground. Keeping a hold of the big Cizerack's hand, she looked to Dama.

"Shouldn't Daddy say goodbye too?"

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

s'Il gave a light smile at that, gently tousling her daughter's hair.

"Only if he wants to."

She looked back to the courtyard, wondering where exactly he'd chosen to hide. There were plenty of places for one to disappear, that was certain.

Raising her voice then, she spoke to no one in particular.

"Sanis and Cirr are leaving if you'd like to say goodbye."

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

Cirr looked about, not seeing any sign of s'Il's beau. He shrugged, and gave Tak another squeeze before lowering her to the ground.

He looked at s'Il, and smiled.

"We'rre both so jin debt to you, forr so many thjings. Thank you forr the tjime togetherr."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

She gave the Cizerack a modest smirk and a light pat to his arm.

"You're not in debt to anyone.

"If anyone owes anybody anything, I'd say that I'm the one who is indebted to you."

Standing on her toes, the Lupine gave Cirr a quick kiss to his cheek.

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

Cirr's ears fell at that, and he blushed.

"jIs therre anythjing you need frrom the carrgo bay beforre we ljift off? Any suppljies?"

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

His reaction gave her a small sense of amusement, and s'Il shook her head.

"No, I think we'll be fine until the next time you two drop by."

Draping both hands over Teagan's shoulders, the elder Lupine gave her daughter a reassuring squeeze as both looked at Sanis and Cirr. There really were no more words to be said; it seemed as though their goodbyes would only be repeated. She had made a sort of peace with herself and with leaving Layla, and despite Sanis' revelation, she knew that what was happening now had to happen. She'd been deprived of her loved ones for too long. From Dan for too long.

Now she had the chance to make a new life and start a family.

[Sanis Prent]

I nodded with a small smile on my face, backing away as we'd all said our goodbyes.

"Come on, big guy. Let's plow some sky."

We turned, and headed back to the ship. It was a pretty long walk.

"You'rre lettjing herr go?"

Cirr had my number. I didn't want him to.

"Leave it alone, alright."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

She watched the two walk away, but it wasn't long before she scooped up her daughter into her arms. Teagan smiled despite her eyes still on Sanis and Cirr as they rounded a corner and disappearing from view.

"Come on, baby. Let's go find your Daddy."

[Byl Laprovik]

Far away, a figure could be seen leaning against a fruit tree, picking a low hanging sphere from its perch as he waited for two figures to approach.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Her gaze sweeping out past the overgrown borders of the courtyard, the Lupine spotted a figure in the distance. s'Il paused for only a moment, and her grip on Teagan tightened only slightly.

Now who in the world ould that possibly have been? Certainly not Karrnage; no, that man had ensconced himself in the library and was most likely not going to be leaving any time soon. It wasn't Dan; the way this one stood was nothing like the Rebel Commander.

And it wasn't a Guardian. She'd be able to feel it in the Force if it was.

She was torn then... should she find Dan first? Or approach this unexpected presence on her own?

[Byl Laprovik]

Byl turned his icy blues in s'Il and Tak's direction, and gave a friendly wave. It didn't need to be said that he expected to speak with the lady of the house without delay.

Pulling his hand down, Byl took a bite of fruit, watching a Corellian freighter lift off from the planet. Prent, no doubt. Good, less baggage.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Curiously, she picked her way closer. Teagan in her arms, s'Il at least made their short journey enjoyable for the girl, twirling her about and stopping to dip her a few times. All the while her smile never left her face. She was home, and even with the sudden appearance of the stranger, the Lupine felt no need to hide her true feelings any longer. She was overjoyed. She was free. She was home.

Drawing closer to the lone figure, she recognized Byl soon enough. Even his presence was not enough to sway her elation, and with one last twirl, she set Tak gently on the ground.

"Mr. Laprovik," she kept her hand in her daughter's as the little girl danced circles around her.

"Unexpected to see you."

[Byl Laprovik]

"That's the effect I strive for."

Another bite of fruit and a casual smile that seemed somehow perverted and diminished of genuine mirth.

He glanced down to Tak and gave a friendly wave.

"Took a bit of work, sorting out just where you were goin on sabbatical."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

An eyebrow tikked upward.

"Is that so?"

She remained pleasant however, wondering why the rebel would find it necessary enough to follow her here. But, that question could most certainly wait for later; it would be less than hospitable for her to not invite him back to the house proper, and the Lupine gestured to the aged and sprawling structure.

"It is not much, but if you'd like to come inside I can afford you that much at least."

[Byl Laprovik]

Byl changed the subject for the moment.

"Where's your beau, our brave commander?"

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

However slight, a frown slowly crept along her lips.

"We're not aboard the Dauntless. Dan isn't to be pulled into matters concerning the Rebellion right now."

Tak slowed her skipping and sent Byl a curious look before stopping completely.

s'Il went on.

"If you're here to visit and see the ruins then you're more than welcome. If you're here in such a capacity that would draw my family back into the War, I'll kindly ask you to leave."

It wasn't a harsh request, but more firm than anything else.

[Byl Laprovik]

A wry smile.

"You think the war stops all the way out here? Maybe just slows down so you can't see it move with a naked eye."

He glanced at Tak, and back to s'Il.

"Let's have a walk. Here, even picked you a snack."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

She knew the war had not stopped simply because she and Dan had chosen to step away, but for them, here, it had slowed down considerably; and would continue to do so. A pained expression was sent Byl's way, but s'Il ignored his words.

Tak eagerly grabbed at the fruit he held out, and with a cautious look to her mother, took a bite.

The elder Lupine nodded in the direction of her sprawling - albeit age-old - home. Even if the courtyards were overgrown, they still provided wonderful sights and a peaceful stroll to any who chose to.

"Very well. We'll walk."

[Byl Laprovik]

"Best to send the little one on, I think."

Byl spoke low so that s'Il alone could hear as they walked ahead, with Tak trailing behind. He was risking that the Jedi could handle what he had to say, but he doubted if the girl could.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

A strange sort of look, but the Lupine did as Byl asked regardless. Turning to watch her daughter draw closer, she sent the girl forward, a request for her to go find her father. Teagan, more than happy to do just that, skipped ahead of the two grownups, still munching away on her fruit.

Watching as the girl disappeared around a slight bend, s'Il then gave a sidelong look to the rebel, raising an eyebrow.

[Byl Laprovik]

"I've got something unpleasant to say and I don't gather you'd care for me to ease into it, so here it is. I strongly believe that Dan is deeply involved in a coup d'etat of some sort within the Alliance."

Byl kept his voice low as they walked, and his eyes panned about to stay on edge.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Her expression unchanged, s'Il only let out a bemused hunh. Now this was certainly unexpected; more so than Byl's presence by far.

And that was when she laughed. Nothing so mocking, but more laughter bourne from surprise and mirth.

"Dan? Involved in something such as that?"

She closed her eyes and gave a shake of her head. Idly, the Lupine reached up to scratch at an itch that'd formed along her scar.

"I truly don't know what to say to that."

Blowing out a long breath, she allowed another slight chuckle to escape.

[Byl Laprovik]

"I've suspected him for months now, and he's occupied my attention for far longer than that."

He looked at s'Il, searching her face.

"You've known him longer than most. Have you noticed anything unusual?"

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

"Unusual? Nothing of the sort."

If Byl truly thought that Dan had any sort of involvement in a play for power, she knew he would not be so easy to convinve.

"Dan has been a servant of the Rebellion for almost as long as he and I have known each other. He's dedicated himself to the cause. You're sorely mistaken if you think that he could in any way be planning anything other than the downfall of the Empire.

"Yes, I've known him for longer than most. And no. He would never do a thing like what you're suggesting."

[Byl Laprovik]

She was predictably defensive, and Byl had to tread carefully.

"I want to believe that's true. I need your help."

He handed her a dataslip.

"His comm data for the past six months has shown sharp increases to command-level sectors he isn't even in hierarchy with. That in itself isn't damning, but it arouses suspicion. Then, he sponsored a mission involving some manner of Sith artifact retrieval that refused to bear fruit at the end."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

She palmed the slip, but her eyes became distant at his mention of the Urns.

"Yes well. I'm afraid the issue of the artifacts and the lack of progression is more or less my own fault. I've been with Dan for a long time, and have done many things for him. And I did make an attempt to retrieve what he wanted, but after Dantooine... "

It didn't need to be said; many in the ranks of the Rebellion had already heard tale of what happened after Dantooine, on the frigate that she'd been taken to. It was not a sore issue, but simply a now known fact. She'd been laid bare to many in that medical wing. What she truly was became no longer the closely guarded secret that she held tight hold of.

[Byl Laprovik]

"What of the other artifact missions? All signed off by Dan, and all ended fruitless. Varix, Illum, and Korriban. None are of any tactical or strategic significance, but all are connected by another thread."

He looked at her, and was fairly sure she knew exactly what he was talking about.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

If she was surprised at the rebel's words, she did not show it. A small bit of confusion at first did invade her thoughts, but she only gave Byl a knowing smile.

"You said so yourself that he's a 'mythology wonk'. I don't find anything like what you're suggesting to be out of character for a person like that."

A deep breath, and she clasped her hands in front of her while lifting her gaze skyward.

"Before all of this, Dan was a professor. He taught galactic anthropology and mythology. Is it so out of character for a man with interests like that to satisfy his own curiosities?"

[Byl Laprovik]

"With a war on? That doesn't smell right. School's out."

Byl crossed his arms and glowered at the old estate up ahead.

"Bookish or no, that much interest in Sith artifacts sounds more up your alley."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Her calm demeanor changed then, and s'Il ground her teeth together.

"I'm no Sith, nor do I have interest in what they left behind. What Dan chooses to explore is his business, and no one else's."

The Lupine glared at Byl, quietly angered at his words, and her voice dropped to a hiss.

"I believe you are wearing out your welcome."

[Byl Laprovik]

"You want out of this war, fine. I can empathize. You won't be doing any favors by tuning me out, though. Can you handle the possibility that you're sleeping with the enemy?"

Byl's jawline tightened.

"I've taken a risk on you, and played my whole hand. I'm chancing that you'll do the right thing. I'm chancing that you're not bent. I know that Dan is."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

"I'm concerned only with living out the rest of my days in peace. With my daughter, and with Dan. There is more out there that the war that I'm tired from, and for you to arrive now - of all days - to lay at my feet something so reprehensible... "

She closed her mouth then, unable to vocalize her disgust at Byl. Yet, at the same time she still exercised a small amount of patience, and after a few moments of silence she let out a long breath.

"I will speak to Dan about the failed missions."