Generations

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Her return to the Challenger had been quiet. Of course, it was always as such when she found herself among those in the Wheel. It was a rare occasion when her presence was necessary aboard the Whaladon, and so her time was spent aboard the old Venator.

Her short trip to Dac (http://www.sw-fans.net/forum/showthread.php?t=22505) had allowed her the time to put more of her affairs into order, and the Lupine felt herself able to ponder the immediate future. Out of the three units that she'd taken from Schwartzweld, one had been given to Marcus. One would be integrated into the ship that still rested beneath the waterworld's oceans. It was the third that she now considered. She'd had certain intentions for it, and though the reasoning behind her actions was sometimes disjointed, the end result was almost always to her satisfaction.

But now... now she had her duties. Duties that had been put on hold or given to her aide. Beren was capable, though in a strange constant state of exasperation; he claimed she was impossible to work with, though never failed to do as she asked at any point in time. He was a good man, though prone to cleaning her office during her times away.

Now was no different.

With a soft, self-defeating sigh the Lupine stood over the front of her desk. She lifted a hand to brush away at any unseen speck of dust on her uniform before both hands went out to the two neatly arranged piles of datapads that waited for her, and picking them up on at a time, thumbed through their brief contents. More supply requests, munitions forms that needed her thumbprint, and other various tasks that she was sure Vansen Tyree had foisted upon her in her absence.

One such request form - on its' own flimsi no less - was for a shipment of atmospheric coil reducers. Her brow scrunched in thought as she held the flimsi in one hand, moving away from the desk to one of the many bookshelves that lined the walls of her office.

She stood for only a moment, her eye going over the rows of technical manuals and specification booklets that had now suddenly become organized.

No doubt Beren's doing.

A hrmph, and s'Il let the flimsi fall to the floor as both arms lifted. One manual, two booklets, and a large parts binder were pulled down before being hefted back to the desk. Each one was opened in turn, and pages rustled as the Lupine worked her way through corresponding parts numbers. It was always a ritual, to take the number given by Alliance technicians and cross-referencing it with the company number. Time-consuming, but it was a system that worked well enough for her.

Some she had even managed to memorize; shield modulation packs were popular items to have apparently.

In the span of half an hour she had become entrenched in the back and forth of readouts, blueprints, and itemized lists. She had pulled down two more thick binders, and both now lay open on her desk. With a manual propped open along the length of one arm, s'Il ran a finger along lines of numbers and aurebesh, pausing every so often to take notes on a 'pad.

By now she had unbuttoned the top button on the neckline of her uniform tunic, and the rankplate she normally wore had been taken off and set on the single sidetable that also held a decantur of Ithorian spice rum.

She had even taken the liberty of pouring herself a glass, but after only a few sips she'd become so engrossed in her work that the glass was forgotten.

Even as the door chime sounded she did not look up. Her back to the door, the Lupine absently waved a hand in the air even as she continued to read.

The chime sounded again, and this time she added a grunt to the wave.

A third time, and s'Il made a face before finally breaking her silence.

"Come in."

No doubt it was Beren, coming to offload more reports and requisition forms, as well bemoan the fact that all of his hard work spent tidying her office had been a wasted effort.

And as such, the Lupine continued on, gaze shifting from manual to binder, to readout, to jotting down a few notes.

[Mr. Flux]

It had been a rather arduous task to assure the escort that had accompanied him to the Jedi's quarters that they would no longer be needed. But what could they truly do? He'd been nothing but kind and courteous to all those that had encountered him thus far. And his documents were -well- within order. In fact, in transmitting his codes to the ship he remembered hearing the balk and hesitation in the bridge staff's voice.

A member sent from The Guardian's Homeworld? Though his real intentions were veiled with secrecy, this was nothing diplomatic. Finally his entourage left him and those eye's of his narrowed at the door. Not once, not twice, but three times; until finally he heard that distinctive voice.

And there she was, engrossed in a datapad, milling over books. That small, lithe, child frame of his entered in all it's glory. He was so silent that it was doubtful she heard him, though the doors closed behind him.

"I wasn't aware they were training mindless, uncouth animals to read now. They most assuredly didn't teach you how to count. I was in cryostasis for nearly four decades."

And when she heard that high-pitched voice, she would know.

Someone done goofed.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

The voice that spoke to her now was most certainly not Beren's, and a strange, jolting shock coursed through her senses as s'Il jerked in surprise. She knew that voice. Knew each and every inflection.

Her stylus was dropped, as was the manual she'd been holding as she wheeled around.

It was him.

She was frozen, staring at him as though she was looking through time. She closed both eyes swiftly, pressing them closed before just as quickly opening them up again.

He was still here. Standing before her as though those terrible events of so long ago had never transpired.

Her footing gave way then, her legs buckling beneath her weight as the Lupine went down to her knees, one hand clutching at her chest as the other planted itself firmly upon the thinly-carpetted floor to keep her from toppling over so completely, and rocking back to sit none too gently with her back against her desk, Loklorien s'Ilancy felt her breathing quicken.

One word found its' way out.

One whispered word.

"D... Daddy?"

[Mr. Flux]

A pang went through him; something pulled at those heartstrings of his- and it showed on his face. He'd given her a moment, and as she leaned against that desk of hers, that chest rising and falling in what one might consider heaves now.

"Daddy"

The height advantage had been cut with her current position; and he was now walking to her as he brought a hand against her face. It looked so different- her tan skin and that of his own pale color. The back of his hand caressed her face, rubbing against her cheek bone..

"My child."

His touch was so gentle, so tender and loving. His eyes narrowed as his hand came open and she would feel his fingers against her scarred eye, tracing against it. It was shocking to him; and deep down he felt enraged. Who laid hands to her like this?

"Whatever did you do to yourself, my dear? I would've never thought I would see you marred by such things."..

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

"I... it was... "

She took in his face with a look that was nearly unbelieving. The shock of his presence had been enough to rob her tongue of any sort of explanation, and the Lupine merely stared at him. How was this possible?! How?!

Her chest rose and fell, slowly falling into a calmer rhythm as she blinked.

Again she made an attempt at an answer, and again she found herself just as speechless as she felt his hand on her face, tracing along her cheek before moving to run along the scar that cut through her white eye. With caution she reached up to close her hand around his. It felt the same as it always had.

She gripped him tightly, and the corners of her mouth ticked ever so slightly in the beginnings of a relieved smile. He was real; she could touch him. She could hear him. She could smell him.

He was real.

And in that realization she took heart.

"You're alive," she breathed as she leaned forward, her other arm coming around to pull him to her in an embrace.

[Mr. Flux]

It was one of things that he loathed most about his small, child-like appearance; it was being able to be moved around so easily. But this was not one of those times. She would feel his arms wrap around her and pull her close, and gently sway her back and forth. She would feel his warm breath against her ear and how it gushed into her hair before his small voice spoke.

"Yes, my dear, I'm alive."

Carefully he broke that wonderful embrace that had been so long in the making. As if blinking took him back to near-death experiences..He could see her in a much younger form. The years had been kind to her- and mayhaps she could tell that was what he was doing? Taking her in, as if she had been lost to him.

And in truth she had been. But no longer. Carefully he leaned in and pressed a kiss against her forehead. Be kind; ease into it.

"Though I believe it was a..few years off schedule."

Well..That's one way to bring attention to the elephant in the room.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Wiping away a forming tear with the back of her free hand, s'Il allowed her mind to catch up with what he was saying. With one hand still on his shoulder, she gave a light groan as she willed herself to find her feet once more, and rising to stand, the Lupine wavered only slightly.

She looked down at him. Down at her father.

"Off schedule... ?"

Confusion was now creeping into her voice, and she pulled an odd face as she met his eyes with a broken gaze of blue and white.

"I don't understand."

[Mr. Flux]

She was coming to her senses; good. And at her response he was taken aback. She had absolutely no idea, did she? Why would he think otherwise? He felt the side of his mouth twitch ever so slightly; apparently there was no elephant in the room. At least, for her.

"My dear."

He began as he looked up to her, a hand coming to that cortosis brimmed hat and carefully pulled it away, exposing that smooth bald head. His brow furled.

"I don't know how to better say this than to just come out with it. Why I was so sharp tongued when I came in...Until a month ago I was in cryostasis. I slept through everything. My people assumed that since their was a timer on the pod that it was not meant to be opened until that time."

That had to be a large pill for her to swallow in and of itself.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

At that she gave him a bewildered look that was quick to turn into one of disbelief.

"No."

She shook her head, taking her hand from his shoulder and giving a dismissive wave to the air.

"No no, that's not right."

Puzzlement clouded her eye as she moved to skirt her desk, and the Lupine lowered herself to sit in the leather chair behind it.

"When I had the pod sent to Leh'ben, I made sure to include specific instructions that you be woken after three months."

s'Il pushed aside the scattering of datapads, closing the two thick parts binders as well as the technical booklets.

"I could not travel with you for obvious reasons," she spread her arms at that statement, as the both of them knew full well the ramifications of a Lupine stepping foot on the Guardian homeworld.

"... but the directions that I sent with you were detailed enough to be followed with ease."

She looked across her desk to him, and she shook her head as if unwilling to believe the words he's spoken.

"No."

[Mr. Flux]

"Loklorien..."

His voice started off- she was indeed not taking this information well. Can you imagine how he felt? To wake up and to realize what had transpired over the last thirty plus years? Sleeping through the purge, coming to in a galaxy that was in absolute dis-array. To realize that most of his fellow Guardians at the time had passed..

But he was already no stranger to that. Death had become rather easy for him to accept- such was the price one paid whenever they were gifted with immortality. Though it was hard to fathom that his closest of comrades were gone..

All he had now, truthfully, was his daughter. And the beliefs that he lived by.

"Something must've happened. I have absolutely no explanation for you. My people received no further instructions."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

She slapped the glossy desktop surface as the last word left his mouth, and in frustration she leaned back in her chair, finally looking away from him with a deep frown etched on her features.

"It should've been three months. Three. Only three. No more than that."

Sneaking a sideways glance to him, the Lupine huffed out a breath through her nose as she fell into a very old, yet very familiar routine that the both of them had known well, and known to expect from one another.

"It seems my counting abilities are not the ones that should be called into question," she muttered.

[Mr. Flux]

His eyes widened at her presumption.

"Do you truly begin to insinuate that my people followed the instructions incorrectly?!"

Electricity crackled in those eyes of his, but only for a moment. As if he were experiencing a mini temper-tantrum. A deep inhalation solved that as those eyes cleared.

"Well, excuse them for being unable to understand the chickenscratch of a mutt! Don't try and shove this off onto competent and far superior beings as their mistake!"

Perhaps the 'young' Guardian had taken too long of a nap and had woken up on the wrong side of the cryo-tube. He'd been entirely docile while researching information to find The Wheel, and further the Challenger. And all he needed was to fall in that particular rhythm with her to..really let loose.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

She turned to regard him fully at that, and both hands came to rest palm-down - one on a pile of hardcopies, and the other on the surface of the desk. It was a familiar dance that she'd not partaken of in decades. It was like falling back into a step that she had never truly left.

And that was where her pride came in, and her back straightened as her voice became low and still.

"I am an Apex, not some over-branded and thrice-sired Changed One."

Slowly, she stood, and as her hands left the desk, they came up to button up the top clasp of her tunic.

[Mr. Flux]

"What? Want a treat for that?"

Okay, that was pretty low, even for him. If someone were to walk in they would no doubt think what was going on was insane. Pure -madness-. But this was the love that a father and daughter had with one another. Of course you throw in a few centuries of disdain for one race in him, and a born nature of defiance into her; and that explains everything. How the two became as entwined as they were truly perplexed both races.

He was standing right against that desk, pretty much bumping his chest against it. Those small eyes narrowed. It was an impressive sight! Well..as impressive of a sight as it could be for a nearly four foot tall 'child' to be standing his ground like that against an adult.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

When she was young, the Lupine would have bowed her head and apologized for her words. She would've asked his forgiveness.

But that was the past. It was so very long ago. In the time since he'd been gone, so much had happened to shape her into the woman she was today.

"I am not a little girl anymore, Daddy," her voice was still quiet and level.

"I grew up."

And indeed she had. Lok s'Ilancy cut a pristine figure of military power, under which rested not only a carefully controlled and noble animal, but a Jedi as well. Three strands of existence woven into one.

"Perhaps I should go to Leh'ben myself and see to this mistake," she growled out.

[Mr. Flux]

He gave her an incredulous look. As if all pretense of sanity had just left his daughter's mind. And it showed on his face...

"No!"

He came around her desk and stood in front of her. The height comparison was ridiculous; she was far taller than he. His heart was racing, he'd only just got her back! What was she thinking?

"They'd kill you! Rebel commander, or Jedi, regardless! You know that! Just stepping foot on the ground means death! You would never make it into the caverns! I just found you again!"

And in that moment, she would further glimpse into the psyche that her father had. He might be insurmountably old, perhaps one of the oldest living beings in the galaxy. And he may enjoy throwing barbs back and forth with her..But she was his daughter. He'd sacrificed so much to insure her survival those many years ago.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Looking down at him, the Lupine felt her resolve crumble. The sincerity in his voice and the tone of his words as he spoke did well to quiet her, and s'Il felt the muscles of her jaw clench in thought. Still though, she fought. She battled against an injustice that had been done, however inadvertent that it was.

He spoke truth however, in that she would forfeit her life by stepping foot on Leh'ben. Just as sure as if she stood atop the Gate of Souls in the twilight hours of Figaro and Favoura as they dipped beneath the horizon of Weit-Fällt.

Still though, a muted stubbornness remained, and she pulled her chair to the side so that she could sit once more, facing her father. She pursed her lips, and reaching out took one of his hands in her own. She gave a heavy sigh, locking her eye with his.

"Then what am I to do, if not make right the wrong that was done to you."

[Mr. Flux]

And that's what this all came down to. He should've seen it- and now that he did his eyes were opened. His freehand came atop hers as he stepped closer to her sitting body. He lifted her hand up with his and placed a gentle kiss against it.

"There is no wrong to right, daughter. It was a mistake. You can't change it. But what you can do, is tell me what happened. What I have missed. You are a grown woman now, I have missed so much time. Everyone I knew, except for you, is gone."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

It would take so long to even begin to tell him of all that'd happened, and for the first time in a long while s'Il felt a pang of apprehension. She opened her mouth to speak, but closed it just as quickly as she gathered her thoughts.

"It is difficult to- "

The unmistakeable sound of her office door opening cut through her words, and the elder Lupine snapped her head around to look at the whirlwind of a small, exasperated little girl who was now marching her way inside.

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

She'd become used to Dama's comings and goings, and used to having Mr. Tyree as a babysitter. In fact, she'd actually come to look forward to the times they spent together, as the old man liked to tell her stories, and she devoured each one he told to her.

But now, with Dama back, Mr. Tyree had sent her back on her way with orders to not dally too much, and of course, to not tell Dama about her piloting lessons. In fact, that was why she'd not been able to meet Dama in the hangar - Mr. Luka had given her an extra lesson that'd run a bit longer than normal.

But now! Now she could see Dama! The flight suit had been stowed away in Mr. Tyree's quarters where it was always kept, and once more dressed in the clothes that Dama had made sure to pack for her, she burst into Dama's office like a flurry of pure excitement.

"Mr. Tyree told me more stories 'bout you," the little Lupine began breathlessly, not even bothering to give any sort of greeting, "... and how he gave you a bloody- "

Halfway across the office, the girl stopped in her tracks. The glittering excitement in her eyes instantly turned into caution and a healthy amount of suspicion.

What was Dama doing with another kid?!

[Mr. Flux]

He lofted her a smile; it was odd and almost appeared misplaced on his face but there it was. Good- she was calming down, and now perhaps he would get to the bottom of what he'd missed the last couple of decades. Other than what he'd read in the archive on Leh'Ben, he was entirely in the dark. That wasn't to say he didn't do a bit of digging to get caught up in current events. It had been...difficult to locate the Rebels, after all.

And then a child entered the room. Lok seemed caught off guard and the young girl seemed entirely apprehensive about him, that much was easy to tell. That was whenever while looking at the girl, and then back to Loklorien he noticed something. His eyes went wide.

"Is this possible?"

He nearly hissed up to s'Il. Yeah- he'd caught on.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

In less than an instant s'Il had turned in her chair, releasing her hold on Flux to stand. His demand was ignored as her attentions fell fully on her own daughter.

"Teagan," she began, moving around her desk, "... Baby, it's ok."

A quick look back over her shoulder, and the Lupine stopped to kneel in front of the girl, taking her small hands in a comforting grip.

She smiled, hoping to dispel the look on her daughter's face.

"Dama missed you, you know. It's good to see you again."

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

For her part, Teagan let her face scrunch up into a look of curiosity laced with a careful dose of confusion. She stood on her toes to look over Dama's shoulder, and with a cursory sniff to the air, the little Lupine tested the scents now swirling all throughout Dama's office. It was a curious smell that she knew, but didn't know. It set her on edge; made her suddenly nervous for reasons that her young reasoning could not understand.

Suddenly she missed Wyl more than ever, knowing that he would know exactly what to do and what to say.

Without taking her eyes off of him, she blinked.

"He smells funny."

[Mr. Flux]

No. It wasn't possible. The ability of the Lupine's to procreate and produce offspring had failed. They were literally a dying breed; something many of his people heralded as a welcome future. Afterall, how advantageous was it that beings you've been locked in a near eternal conflict suddenly start to die off due to old age? Or those mangy animals that were put down was another step towards a bigger, brighter future.

Of course, this was the Guardian in him thinking. This was how he thought generally about most Lupine's. Not Loklorien, to him she had been that barely twenty year old girl who locked him in a cryotube, telling him she'd see him soon- that he and she would be safe.

"Dama missed you, you know."

Dama? No; this couldn't be! s'Ilancy, a mother?! A child! A lupine! How had the houses manage to surpass their own gene's failings?! His daughter had to see the horror on his face. Not a horror of realizing that she had a daughter, no. The fact that their was a puppy in the room with them. And there very much shouldn't be.

"He smells funny."

The stunned, perplexed look only seemed to deepen. It was real, this was true. His eyes looked to his hat, as if he felt he needed the cortosis that laced it.

"This..I...Do the others know? Of course they don't, how could they? They have to be notified."

A kneejerk reaction. Probably wasn't the best to say outloud.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

The sudden change in his tone did well to cause her a sliver of momentary panic, and s'Il shifted on her haunches so that she partially faced him - still crouched - and in the same motion she pulled her daughter close in a protective hold.

"No," her own voice held firm as she answered him. Teagan for her part thankfully, remained utterly quiet now as she watched, and the girl's arms snaked up to wind around her Dama's neck.

"You cannot do that."

[Mr. Flux]

He was in no man's land. At least that's how he felt. A couple of hundred years ago he would've had no problem reporting such a thing, and even further, sent scathing and disdainful comments her way to try and provoke her into a fight so that he could justify putting both of them down. It was the way of the universe; and further a way to prevent the houses from bolstering their ranks yet again.

But it was not that time; and he was not that person anymore. He never would be, ever since he'd taken Loklorien under his protection and come to love her the way that he did. He felt a bit light headed- he needed to sit down. He went to the desk, and found her chair and managed to hop up and to sit into it. It was far too large for his stature..

"You know what this means. You know what you are asking me to do, daughter?"

Either of his small hands reached out for the hat that he'd placed on her desk earlier. He allowed his fingers to trace against the fine cortosis fibers before setting it back down. She was asking him to not report this- now in some cultures that would not be the biggest thing in the world; to with-hold information because of a loved one. Many people no doubt did and still do it.

But it would mean that, for him it was a dereliction of duty. And that was not taken lightly. No matter who it was for.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

The two faces that looked at him now were like looking at the present and the past; one with the beginnings of overt concern, and the other with carefully guarded youthful curiosity.

In a smooth motion the elder Lupine rose to stand, taking her daughter up in her arms as she did so; the girl clung to her Dama as she was lifted.

For a few moments s'Il looked at her father, watched him and studied him as he sat in the chair that she so often occupied herself. A few steps brought her to stand before the desk, and slowly she lowered Teagan down to sit on a cleared part of the glossy surface, free of datapads and the other clutter that so often populated it.

"I cannot ask you to stay your hand," she finally said quietly.

Her eye went from him to the girl, and a hand came up to brush away an unruly lock of blonde hair from the little Lupine's eyes.

"... but I can ask you what made you stay your hand when I was younger than she is now."

[Mr. Flux]

By all rights he would be doing the universe a favor by reporting this..discovery. But in the same hand, those years ago, he should've put s'Ilancy down. Or at least turned her over to the proper authorities. But he hadn't. He took away one father figure and gave her another, as well as a life in the Jedi Temple with an appropriate Master, Mace Windu.

"You were a child. I could not hold ill will towards you for being something you could not help. And I very well could not have left you there, could I?"

That was her point. He allowed an exasperated sigh.

"You ask me to stand down regardless of actually asking me to. I've only seen you for twenty minutes and your causing me to break rules. Again."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

"Rules are not broken if you act with your heart."

Finally she looked from Teagan to her father, settling a hopeful gaze upon him, and the girl turned as well, swiveling a bit so that she could stare at this stranger.

"This is your granddaughter," s'Il offered quietly.

[Mr. Flux]

The heart; it was such a whimsical thing. Fleeting, and steering one into directions where the brain would never take them. That was how the woman before him was still alive. Centuries of slaying her kind, upholding the beliefs his people had in place. And when it came time for her, he couldn't. She'd been so innocent..

Like her daughter now. His granddaughter.

"That appears to be the case indeed. And for the record, little miss. I don't smell funny. That would be your flawed senses playing tricks on you."

He flashed s'Il a smile. All was well, for now.

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

With a furrowed brow, Teagan leaned forward just a small bit, as if the cautious act of positioning herself closer would allow her a better idea of his scent. It was so different, yet familiar at the same time, like she should've known it, and the instinctual parts in the back of her mind sent waves of apprehension through her.

Again she bemoaned the fact that Wyl was still back aboard the Whaladon.

Her eyes fell to the hat that rested on Dama's desk, then once more they went to the pale bald boy.

What Dama spoke of now was something that she'd never heard before, and the little Lupine scrutinized this new face. He looked as old as she was! She felt a stab of possessiveness as she stared at him, but other than a slight flicker in her expression, Teagan remained unmoving. She was still unable to grasp what exactly was going on here, and finally turned a questioning eye to Dama.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

For her part, s'Il knew that look well, and had come to be quite good at explaining the ins and outs of the way things worked to her daughter. She gave a small pat to the girl's hand.

"Teagan," she started, "... he is your hGet'ia."

[Mr. Flux]

Under that scrutinizing gaze he didn't waiver. It was an all too familiar gaze; he remember her mother having it ages ago. It had been hard for her as a child to accept the fact that he was much older than she. That was to be expected of children though.

"Mr. Flux, young miss. Though as you've no doubt deduced your mother calls me father, and subsequently you will be calling me grandfather."

He wouldn't be uttering the tongue his daughter used. No thank you.

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

hGet'ia.

She knew the word, and what it meant, but looking at the boy with suddenly narrow eyes, Tak couldn't help the flash of disbelief. Dama was playing a joke on her, and the little Lupine was wise to such tricks.

She gave a look to Dama, rattling off a string of words in Bast'yr that in no uncertain terms informed the elder Lupine that this practical joke was not good enough, and next time should be better thought out.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

A sharp word in retort, and s'Il cut her daughter off with a stern shake of her head.

"A'hga'na, Tak. A'hga'na."

With a furtive look to her father, s'Il lowered herself once more into a crouch, her arms resting on the desk, and steered the girl back into Basic.

"This is Dama's father," she tried again, giving the diminutive Guardian a nod.

[Mr. Flux]

"While I may not be too keen on the language of your forefathers; your mother speaks the truth. I do not look my age, my dear. It was a harsh realization for Loklorien many years ago, as well."

A humorous thing about this little situation, is that not even Lok knew his true age, and for that matter, she didn't even know his actual name, either.

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

Sliding from the desk, Teagan slowly made her way around the desk to stand in front of the chair that he sat in, and with intense curiosity, the girl peered at him through studious eyes, taking in each facet of hie face, the pallid color of his skin, the dark clothes he wore...

None of this made sense, and her mouth formed a silent word.

hGet'ia.

Finally, she crossed her arms over a puffed out chest, looking for all the galaxy like a nuna-hawk.

"How old are you then."

[Mr. Flux]

hGet'ia.

Ugh, hearing that tone, that dialect, that language. It was not something a Guardian enjoyed to have subjugated to their ears. But she was young; she didn't know any better. Inwardly he smiled at the question- it was one he'd heard before, almost the exact same tone, the exact same manner.

But it was her mother that had done so. And Teagan would receive the same answer as Lok had. He managed to remove himself from the chair and it rolled backwards with the motion as he stood right in front of his granddaughter for inspection as he replied.

"My age is irrelevant. I have lived hundreds of years; this should be sufficient enough."

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

She lofted an eyebrow at that. Hundreds? She highly doubted that.

"Right."

Skeptical still, the little Lupine stood toe to toe with him, their eyes on the same level as she pursed her lips. It was an expression she'd learned early on from Dama, and served her well now.

Her head snapped to look back at Dama then, disbelief clouding her eyes as she queried once more the validity of this new claim.

"hGet'ia? Are you sure?"

And just as quickly she turned back to the boy in front of her.

"If you're my hGet'ia, then where's hGemma," she demanded.

[Mr. Flux]

"Could you not have avoided instilling the same stubbornness that you have to her?"

He said this while facing Teagan, though it was obviously directed at her mother. He offered her a soft smile and answered her question.

"The relationship between your mother and I are not of a truly biological nature. I took care of her in a time where it was needed. Further, I have no wife, and thus, you have no grandmother."

It was all quite perplexing. His adopted daughter was able to bear children, and further the offspring was in front of him demanding questions. How unfortunate for the Guardian to have to go through this a second time. As if the first time with s'Ilancy wasn't enough!

"With that out of the way, I assume I'll be meeting your husband soon, daughter? Teagan's father?"

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

With an exasperated look to Teagan, s'Il remained where she was, though her knees had begun to lightly protest at their positioning and the strain being put on them.

"That I do not know," she answered truthfully.

But, she knew that her father needed some sort of reassurance over the matter of his daughter's life partner, and s'Il went on.

"He's a general," came Teagan's interrupted proclamation, and the elder Lupine shushed her with a soft word of warning before going on.

"We have been married for over twenty years, and known each other for longer still."

She rose to stand, and came around the desk to guide Teagan away.

"Do not fret, he is no one who would be unworthy."

At that, she gestured to the small shelf that lined the wall behind her desk. Sitting atop it were very few belongings, but those that did rest there were of the utmost importance - her saber gauntlet set upon its' cradle, flanked by two holos.

One of Teagan soon after she'd been born, and the other of both Dan and Teagan, each smiling and laughing.

[Mr. Flux]

Flux followed her to the shelf and looked at the holo. In particular of Teagan as a newborn. Something stirred in him; happiness? Warmth? And then to the image of Loklorien and her husband, this..alliance General. He'd yet to respond to what she'd last said, but instead allowed a menacing response..

"Oh whom is worthy or not is my estimation to make. However."

He smiled as he turned and look back to her..

"You've always done what you want regardless of what I say. I doubt this would be any different. As long as you are happy, that is good enough for me."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

She smiled, and with a swift movement hefted Teagan back onto her desk.

"I am happy," she assured him.

"I am a Commodore now - " another gesture to the rankplate that rested upon the single sidetable along with her still-full glass of spice rum.

"... I am a Council and adviser to the General. I am a wife and by the grace of the Bloodlines I am a mother."

Was it her own way of seeking his acceptance of her life choices? Perhaps. But it was also more than that. It was statement of fact that held little room for argument, and as she looked down at him, the Lupine seemed to straighten her back and stand as tall as her short stature would allow.

[Mr. Flux]

The young boy's eyes went to the rank insignia that was left behind on that particular article of clothing on her desk. The gaze went to Teagan; of the girl, his granddaughter, he was still struggling with emotions. If s'Ilancy was able to breed, then undoubtedly this girl, in many years to come, would be able to bear children as well. Though he would cross that bridge when he came to it.

"This is good, s'Il, really. You've done better than I ever could've expected. I wish I could've been here for more of it, though."

It hurt him that he wasn't. He had missed much, far, far too much. And that usually stoic face was uncharacteristically filled with the pain and emotion of that moment.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

"Oh Daddy... "

Against the protestations of her knees, the Lupine once more knelt down into a crouch.

"There is so much more that I can show to you, and give to you now that you are here."

She smiled a strange, jubilant smile that lasted only a half of a second before settling into something more serene.

"I have a project... "

She once more took his hands in hers as her pride stepped beyond her better senses.

"I have brought back a Khe'sa'ari ship... "

[Mr. Flux]

He wanted to tell her that he didn't need to have anything given to him. That having her, and this..That would be enough. As a Guardian you weren't used to having many things; that could probably be attributed to your society being forced to live in underground caverns.

He held her hands and looked at her. He found himself still infuriated over the long scar on her right eye that seemed to render it a useless thing. That would have to be a story for another time, it seemed. Especially with the words that came out of her mouth. He curbed his desire to let loose into a tirade. She was right- she was a grown woman now.

"Is this wise, Loklorien? You know of the fire that you play with, do you not?"

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

The carefully controlled expression she wore was unwavering.

"What I have done is brought us back from the brink of death," she whispered out.

"We have a chance now, to become a species worthy of galactic prominence once more."

A fleeting glance was sent to her daughter, still sitting atop her desk, before her eye returned to her father.

"I will bring us back. Back from extinction."

[Mr. Flux]

His hands released hers as he looked to her. He was..aghast. This was not what he expected. He understood her want to procreate, he could even excuse the resurrection of a Lupine Capital ship to further the means of The Rebels. But..this?

"You'd be releasing a plague upon the galaxy! You know good and well what another resurgence of your people would mean!"

His mind scrambled...

"You would see civilizations under the boot heel of your kind? Like it was mine, until we rose up. Another revolution? More hunting, more death? Loklorien this is not the way!"

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Her crouch shifted, and she allowed herself to fall slightly - to sit upon the thinly carpeted floor as she closed her eyes and shook her head.

"Daddy," she whispered, "... it is not like that... "

Though he'd pulled away from her hold, the Lupine felt compelled to insist at his close proximity, and she unexpectedly reached her arm out to keep him from pulling away from her completely.

"... it is something so new, something so rooted in the simple act of being a part of this galaxy... "

She angled her head to the side, looking at him with a pleading expression.

"We can be so much more than what we were in the past... "

[Mr. Flux]

Well, if any of the Guardians would understand what she meant, and what she intended to do, it would be him. And not just because of the parental connection that he felt to her. He knew what it was like- he was around for the early stages of the revolt, the wars, the initialization of the 'policing' process.

"My lovely daughter. If only this could be wholly true. If your people were like yourself, I would not stand to question this plan. But do you believe you can hold back the surge, the desire for wanting more?"

He wanted her to look through his perspective.

"I am not saying this as a member of a group that is meant to hunt down and extinguish the animals that your species can often times become. I am saying this as someone who was there near the beginning of it all. I've seen what can happen."

Why so sympathetic? Why was he not on that righteous high horse as he had been before? Well, if he wasn't going to report the fact that a Lupine had managed to give birth, he couldn't very well tell them of this without the knowledge of the former, could he? She had put him in an awkward position, but he realized something.

"If you are set on doing this, I will not be far from it. I will not enjoy it, but I would oversee this...Khe'sa'ari monstrosity."

God, saying it in her tongue. It felt foul. Wrong; as if a Neimodian and a Gungan might breed.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

She gave a slight frown as she listened, knowing the experiences that had shaped the words that he now spoke. Her brow knit as she continued to hold him in place.

"I can count on one hand the number of purebloods left, and on two hands the number of my people that are actually alive in this galaxy. We are not the same as what we once were; we have changed."

Finally she released him.

"I have been set to my task for a very long time, and much has been done already."

The Lupine slowly rose to her feet while in the process straightening her uniform tunic.

"My project leader could certainly use your advice, if you are willing to give it."

[Mr. Flux]

He'd been sleeping for the last thirty five years, hopefully she took that into account. He had no idea of the pains she had taken to fully enact her plan. He looked at her and he gave her a nod..

"Loklorien, I am not doubting your ability. As I have said, you have done well for yourself. More than a father could truly hope for."

Hopefully she might see that it was less him caring of another outbreak, and more him caring about the well being of someone he'd grown close to.

"I'd gladly give such advice, if it furthers your cause. I am here for you, daughter."