Temporary asylum

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Thyferra


The woman stepped from the transport with a smooth stride; she wasn't in any hurry at the moment, and making her way down the gangplank, she felt the hard tarmac beneath her boots. With a deep breath she cast a metallic gaze around the spaceport, and letting out the breath, she began heading for customs, weaving through the throng of bodies that littered the area. She had nothing with her; needed no weapon of any kind... she herself was the weapon, and had never really needed to carry a blaster or other form of weapon. Her posessions at the moment included simply a credcard, and the clothes on her back. And even then what she had on her wasn't impressive by any means. She looked like a third world transient, a black duster covering her from shoulders to ankles, and her hair pulled back; it was longer than the last time she'd been to Thyferra, the last time she was here being after the attack by Barrok... she'd been contracted to do a job for Grand Admiral Telan Desaria.

And now she was back, but for reasons entirely different.

Lok s'Ilancy was seeking asylum, and as she stepped into the terminal, she made her way to the military section of the spaceport.

She only hoped that Desaria would grant it.

[Telan Desaria]

The woman's trip through customs was quick, and her time in the Imperial Armed Services Public Relations Office not anywhere close to brief. After waiting in a line, she had to speak to at least a dozen different officials, repeating the same thing over and over again.

It was not until she grew tired and mentioned Grand Admiral Desaria as a personal acquaintence that her questions were listened to, and her time then valued.

After much explanation, she was taken to the Imperial Plaza, the most expensive and fanciful hotel on all of Thyferra, deep in the heart of the capital city. There she would wait, in full luxury, until the Imperials contacted their Supreme Commander.

* * *

" You do realize that we are in the middle of a battle. Does the name Eriadu remind you of anything?"

The black uniformed Intelligence officer at the Thyferran end of the conversation blustered. The Lieutenant Commander that he was speaking to aboard the Grand Admiral's flagship, the Interrogator, was less than helpful.

" Yes, I know that. And I would not be making this call if it was not important. This woman-"

" I don't care who it is!.."

The comm channel was muted as the Commander turned off screen to speak with another. Within seconds, the pasty faced, Academy fresh officer was replaced by a man of late-middle age in the uniform of Captain. He was as recognized in the military as Grand Admiral Desaria was in the Sovereignty. It was Captain Voltaire, said to be the Grand Admiral's right hand.

The volume was returned to normal.

" You have something to say to the Grand Admiral?"

The Intelligence Colonel straightened himself. " Yes. A woman claiming to be Loklorien Sil'ancy has arrived in my command is demanding to speak with the Grand Admiral. She matches the files we have on her, so I am sure it is her."

" Wait here."

Another period of waiting ensued, this at least an hour. The Colonel dared not move.

While the clock ticked by, the Coloenl grew impatient, but showed it little. When the visage of the Grand Admiral appeared, the Colonel was full of zest and enthusiasm.

" Admiral." He saluted.

" I would return it, but I am trying to direct a war. Please, make it fast."

" Yessir! A woman named Loklorien Sil'ancy has arrived and would like to speak with you."

" Silancy? She is who she claims to be?"

" Scans have proven it, sir."

" Hold her at the Plaza. Let her leave if she wishes, but stop her from leaving Thyferra on my orders. Inform her I will arrive at my earliest convenience."

" Yes sir."

" And Colonel.

" Sir?"

" Treat her well. She outranks you."

The screen went blank and the Colonel gulped, now regretting the way he adn his subordinates had treated her. With those musings in his head, he slithered towards the Plaza where the madam had been taken.

[Javier Enfer]

Javier, being a Vampire, was not exsactly dressed in the etire that would best suit the Plaza. However he managed it well so far and thus he was where his prey was, that is all that he wished. She had been on the space transport sitting only seats away from her preditor and yet only looked at him once to turn her nose up...foolish girl..how he would use her and treat her once the time was right, which however was not yet, not in the presance of armed gaurds.

Javier had quickly reached the resception to the grand hotel with only a few faces looking discusted in his frankly grotty looking garb and in a voice that sounded husky he spoke to the snooty resceptionist that was lucky not to have died there and then.

'What do you want?'' She said in a high pitched posh voice.

' I am here on a meeting, i wish to be notified when a woman named Miss Loklorien Sil'ancy is handing in hery key to leave the hotel, i am to give her a item of great importance...' Javier said looking down on the woman.

'You are a tramp and not wel-'

'You will do it or i personaly will rip your throat out and stick it somewhere i doubt youwould find comfitable' He said in a evil smile revealing his fangs for the first time to her.

She squeeled and nodded and buised herself with other matters, javier however sat down on one of the comfitable sof'as in the large reception hall.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

"Nice place," s'Il mused silently to herself as she stood in the foyer of the room she'd been given, and shrugging her overcoat from her shoulders, she let it drop to the floor. After three days on the transport, she was ready for a hot shower; after that she'd romp through the alleys of Thyferra Prime in search of dinner.

Opening the door to the bathroom, s'Il let out a little whistle; it was as big as the bedroom, or at least almost as big...

Shucking her clothes, she headed for the shower.

less than a minute later she had the shower running, and was standing beneath a steady stream of hot water, letting it wash the dirt and grime from her body. It was the next best thing to heaven, and she relished every minute of it. Steam filled the bathroom, fogging the expansive mirror over the sink, and as she turned the water off, s'Il stepped from the shower. Shaking the water from her hair, she ignored the towels hanging from the bar along one wall, instead wringing the last bit of moisture from her locks while walking back into the room.

Being a Lupine, she'd lost whatever shame of being naked she'd ever possessed... and walking stark naked through the bedroom into the living area, s'Il let her eyes melt into a tawny yellow...

[Telan Desaria]

Twenty hours later.



The Lobby of the Plaza was a white corridor leading up to the receptionist's desk. On either side were massive marble columns stretching high into the two hundred story-tall tower. On an entering person's left was a dining room, on the left chairs and stands. To the extreme left was a smoking room, where gentlemen discussed politics, sports, and of course, all matters financial.

The last thing anyone had thought would happen on the Sveneteenth day in the Month of Rell was that the Regent of the Sovereignty would arrive. Thus all were quite suprised when the white uniformed Grand Admiral strode in with only two black uniformed Fleet guards, both as tall as the Admiral and their uniforms almost bursting at the seams to contain their rampant musculature.

Cigarras fell from mouths and papers dropped to the floor as people stood to look. It was not everyday one saw one's leader.

The Grand Admiral strolled up to the front desk, a sweating conceierge and a nervous receptionist there to greet him.

" Good d-d-day, Sir," stuttered the female.

The male was more relaxed, though only slightly. " How can we help you, Grand Admiral?"

His voice was steady, but filled with anticipation and angst.

" Nothing great, I;m afraid. I need to know where the Madam S'ilancy is."

The two shared a moment of horrified glances. The male spoke up.

" She stepped out for the night. She will be returning shortly."

The Grand Admiral nodded. He spun about, his hands still clasped behind his back and a genial look on his face, and headed for the smoking room. With the exception of the hotel personal he had just met, no one spoke a word.

Awe or fear was thick in the room's cathedral-like air.

Inside the oak paneled room, the Grand Admiral took a seat, crossed his legs, and lit his own Kuati cigarra.

" Tell me, gentlemen, what have I missed?"

[Javier Enfer]

The inside of the smoking room was a sea of white mist in which a handful of men including Javier sat. Javier had no intention of joining in with there pointless arguments and discussions about politics and the like, in fact he thought it to be fruitless. The Vampire had only come in to hide from the light earlier that day and it had worked since the smoking room had no windows and only one double door that was closed for privacy.

Javier sat away in solitude to keep away from there endless banter but then the doors opened even to Javiers suprise, a man in a clean white uniform strolled in, pipes dropped, ash treys flipped, it was if they were meeting the there dead mother as a ghost. The man sat down and lithis own pipe as the men around his stuttered and stumbled...he was ovbously of great importance...not matter..Javier still awaited the word from the desk pretending to read a paper.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

The vornskr padded silently up to the massive front doors of the Imperial Plaza, her slivery pelt covered in the dirt of the previous night; Thyferra Prime was a good place to hunt, and the whole night had been full of breakneck chases through the city, sometimes s'Il was the predator, and sometimes she was the prey; local animal control was unfortunately quite zealous in their pursuit. Fortunately she was smarter, and the whole night had been exhilerating.

Charging up the steps, the animal barreled through the doors as one of the bellboys held it open for some other guest, and as the vornskr slowed to a trot, she cast a tawny gaze behind her at the dumbfounded man. Soon enough, however, the call went out that a wild animal had made its way inside the hotel, and another chase was on.

s'Il broke into another run, claws scratching along the surface of the marble floor as she sprinted through the lobby, and right past the smoking room.

[Telan Desaria]

" My stocks rose fifteen percent this morning!" added a rotund gentleman donning a top of the line business suit.

" Which ones are those?"

" Bacta shares, of course!"

The room broke into a chorus of laughter, the Grand Admiral joining in without reservation. His guards were on either side of a glass door leading in from the lobby, smoke being sucked into ventilation shafts above the doors.

The laughter had died down, the Grand Admiral lit another cigarra, and a pair of large Etti entered, also finely attired, when a sudden commotion erupted in the Plaza.

Some sort of animal had charged in head first, causing a great stir. People were tossed aside and citizens yelled in fear.

The senses of the guards reacted without thought or hesitation. One took a knee by the door, his blaster out and aimed into the lobby, while the other pushed the Admiral into his chair and bodily protected him.

All was over as quickly as it had begun, a team of Police arriving seconds later.

The Grand Admiral pushed off his protector and gave him an icy glare reserved usually for those about to meet a terrible fate.

" What the frell do you think you're doing??? If you ever try that again, you'll be serving in the grounds maintenence units of the Demonstration Company! Imperial officers do not cower in the presence of danger. You would do well to remember that."

The guard nodded, and the Admiral walked over to his long standing personal protector, Matthis. Desaria's pistol was drawn and primed in his right hand.

" What was that?"

" Some type of Skr beast, sir."

Desaria thought, then had a pang of recognition.

" A Vornskr."

" Sir?"

" They have the ability to repel, or track the Force. Some sort of Jedi nonsense. But I know that Madame S'Ilancy has some latent Force potential. Some one must be trying to kill her."

The Admiral removed his comlink from his belt.

" This is Desaria to City Control. Dispatch the 7th Regiment in its entirity. I want this city combed and Madam S'ilancy found. She is to be taken into protective custody and escorted to the Imperial Command and Control Complex. Anyone who attempts to harm her is to be shot without question."

The Grand Admiral replaced his comlink, kept his blaster drawn, and moved quickly into the street where four more guards and a repulsorcar were waiting.

" To Command!"

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

She'd almost reached the elevator when two security officers appeared around the corner before her, and turning as best as she could, clawtips scraping along the hard floor, s'Il skidded across the floor, crashing into the two men and sending them to the floor in a tangle of flailing limbs and grunts; both from man and beast.

She looked up just in time then, to see Desaria stride out the door, and with a final surge, she pulled forward onto her feet, letting out a growl begin in the bottom of her throat, then a sharp bark that filled the lobby...

And then she was driven to the floor again, the two men she'd 'tackled' pushing her down. Muscles shifting beneath a pelt of silver, the vornskr rose beneath their weight, and eyes shining with an intelligence not seen in a beast such as the one now standing in the hotel lobby, she huffed out a snorted breath.

Tail whipping side to side, the vornskr stood staring at the circle that was forming around her, and taking in a deep breath, she utterel one monosyllable word...

"hhrrrrsstop..."

[Telan Desaria]

The garbled word could have been anything. The noise in the lobby was loud and almost audibly suffocating.

The trampling of boots, the sum total of a platoon of Imperial soldiers now in the hotel, the running fo still freightened citizens, and the busling of the oblivious people created a knell that few could hear over.

The two khaki uniformed Army troops, however, before them stood a four legged beast that had made a grotesque udulation. That mangled sound, however, could almost be considered speech. Above the din of their surroundings, it almost sounded like the creature had implored them to stop, as both were ain the process of drawing their sidearms.

Such was not an everyday occurrance, thinking that an animal has just said something.

The pair stopped. Almost dead in their tracks. They blinked, and when they opened their eyes, the creature was gone. Neither soldier was quick to give chase, instead allowing their comrades to deal with it.

Slowly they strode out of the hotel, reported in, and walked to the nearest cantina to empty its stockroom.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

As soon as they were distracted she'd bolted, darting to the right for the door to the stairwell, and rearing up, she rammed her body into the crashbar, opening the door with a thunderous reverberation through the entire lobby. She could hear the pounding of bootfalls behind her, but all went unheeded as she took the steps four at a time, her lithe body propelling her forward with great strides.

Breath coming in huffs as the animal leapt forward up stair after stair, she stopped on the 15th floor to catch her breath, tongue lolling out to the side as she stood panting, head lowered to the ground, watching the stairwell as the sounds of pounding feet echoed up from below. A minute later she was off again, sprinting upward at a dizzying pace until she reached the 27th floor, once more barreling through the fire exit and into the posh hallway of the hotel.

Plush carpet depressing with each footfall, s'Il padded her way silently to her room, and with an otherworldy sigh, she curled in on herself, feeling as bone shifted, muscles realigning over a new structure as she reverted back to her human form.

In less than a minute she was lying in front of her door, gulping in lungfulls of recirculated air before rising unsteadily to her feet, her nude body dirty from the night's 'adventures', and reaching out a hand, punched in the code on the keypad by the door, and with a whoosh the door whisked open.

Stepping inside, the door closed once more, just as the mass of soldiers and guards burst through the same fire exit she'd come in through...

[Telan Desaria]

" In d' heir!" yelled a Caridan native officer, one of many rotated into the Thyferran garrison since the admission of the former world. A lieutenant quickly moved up, his weapon at the ready and several of his men following.

The door chime was sounded, but there was no answer. Again they tried with a like result.

" Open it." the officer commanded, and two stormtroopers came forward and grabbed the blast anchors at the top. On the count they wrenched the doors apart and the team filled in. The lieutenant having the point, was first to spot one of his two prey.

The Madam S'ilancy.

She was unconsciousness or barely alive, either of the two was unsatisfactory. They were too far from the top to signal for an airlift, and going down the steps with her may have endangered whatever had befallen her.

" We need a shuttle at twenty-one. The Lady's room. we'll knock it out."

Less than five minutes later, the troops had blasted the windows from the wall and placed the Madame on a slab of wood ripped off of an elegant dining table. A Lambda-class Shuttle was outside to mee thtme, a ganway stretching from the hull to the hotel front, the only thing between them and falling to their deaths.

Nothing happened. The Lady was moved onto the transport and taken to Imperial Command and Control. She would receive medical attention there.

Grand Admiral Desaria would be waiting.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

s'Il opened a single eye, her Lupine attributes speeding along her body's natural healing process, and when her other eye opened, she found herself staring at the roof of a shuttle. In less than a second she'd bolted up, the blanket that'd been placed over her falling down a little. She payed little attention to the fact though, staring around at the faces that littered the shuttle with an odd look before finally pulling the blanket back up to cover her chest, and looking at the man who appeared to be in charge of this little band of soldiers, she let out a sigh.

This is gonna be interesting to explain...

"Umm... hi?"

[Telan Desaria]

" Madam. I am Captain Vincent D'la'Marcio. I am the Grand Admiral's Thyferran attache. You are aboard an Imperial shuttle. One of our rescue teams found you......wounded....on the floor of your suite. There is a vicious beast about. Luckily we found you, the Grand Admiral believes it may be working to kill you.

" Teams have been dispatched to search for it and destroy it.

" Is there anything I can do for you? We will be at Command in less than five minutes."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

She tried. She really did.

But, the effort to keep a straight face was too much, and s'Il couldn't help the grin that crossed her features.

"A... vicious beast... trying to kill me... "

She shook her head then; it'd be easier to explain everything to Desaria himself... in person. First she'd ask him for asylum, and then... then she'd show him why... it was something she knew had to be done. At the man's inquiry if there was anything she needed, s'Il nodded while brushing a strand of hair out of her face.

"Yeah... some clothes would be nice."

[Telan Desaria]

" We are sorry for that. The medics gave you some preliminary attention and it was required. I will go into the pilot's cabin. There is a jumpsuit in the bag you are using for a pillow. "

The man departed.

A minute later, the shuttle had landed. The ramp hissed down...

And Grand Admiral Desaria was standing there, bereft of guards and support personnel. Just his presence against the backdrop of the Imperial Citadel in the fading daylight.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

s'Il padded down the ramp on bare feet, almost swimming in the jumpsuit she'd been provided, and as her eyes caught sight of the Grand Admiral, she set her jaw, teeth grinding as she got closer. She didn't know how he would take what she was going to tell him...

Stopping in front of him, she looked up into his face, staring into his eyes. With a deep breath, she turned to look at the shuttle, then once more cast her gaze back to Desaria.

"I need to talk to you," she said simply. "It's... kind of important... "

[Telan Desaria]

Formalities be damned, Desaria thought, noting the situation was not exactly the time for courtesies.

" Of course, lady S'ilancy. Come this way."

The Admiral saw the lack of footwear on his quest, and beckoned a repulsor car over to her. The pair stepped into the backseat, where they stayed until arriving on level 8, where the Grand Admiral's Thyferran office was located. The windows were tinted dark, which allowed the suns to shine through as a blue hue. There was plush carpeting and fishtanks along the walls.

A pair of slippers fitting the Lady perfectly according to her Intelligence file were waiting for her by a high backed chair across from the Admiral's chair.

For some odd reason,the Admiral felt at home with the female of long standing. Instead of assuming his typically threatening position behind his desk he took up the chair next to hers and relaxed. His back was straight but his arms were flacid and his legs almost drooping. That, to him, was relaxed.

" I understand your importance. Outside of battle, no one has tried to kill me. Though I do not doubt there are those that would. Your intended killer is very inventive, I must say, allowing a Vornskr to track your movements. But feel at ease. On this base there are seven thousand combat troops and fifteen thousand staff officers who are no slouches with a pistol.

" Feel safe, my lady. How my I help you?"

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

She let the slippers sit where they were, and lowering her small frame into the chair, s'Il leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees. Reaching a hand up, she wiped it across her face as if to wipe away the grime of the previous night before letting out a long breath.

"Look. Don't worry about the vornskr; I'll tell you about... her... in a second. But first, I need you to do something for me."

She sucked in a breath then, locking eyes with him. "I... I want to request asylum... "

[Telan Desaria]

The Grand Admiral's world halted in the span of a few words.

" Asylum? Wouldn't you be...more suited to ask for that from Grand Admiral Millard? I can certainly protect you from any attack by any galactic forces, but a permanent home would be suited in the terriotry of you.....confidant."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

She winced a little at the mention of Millard, and through gritted teeth, she answered him.

"That's... who I need to get away from."

She didn't move. "A week; that's all I ask."

[Telan Desaria]

The Grand Admiral was speechless. But he compensated as good as any line officer could.

" You are trying to get away from Grand Admiral Millard. Hmm. Well, that puts me in a tight spot as it were. It is no secret the Empire has fallen on hard times. I want to see us back under banner. But if I were to take you in against the wishes of the Balmorran's Military Commander, I may very well start a war I have been trying desparately to avoid.

" On the other hand, as Regent of the Sovereignty, I have learned some diplomacy. And I gave you my word as an officer that whatever you needed, I would help in any and every way I could. That is an oath I do not take lightly.

" That said, I relent. You shall be granted asylum here. Low key, if possible. Many months ago, I offered you the ennobled title of Duchess of Warwik. That is an island state on Thyferra, and is among the leading tourist resort areas on the entire planet. You shall be guarded by the 152nd Fleet Infantry Regiment.

" Before you object, these are my terms. You will accept my hospitality and call me directly if you suspect anything or anyone. You will relax and enjoy your time as much as you can. The war I am engaged in is far away, and will not reach Thyferra. My commanders are competent and do not require my micro management.

" Before you go, I will treat you to dinner and bring yuo some more...fitting..attire. And remember, you are, forever, or at least the remainder of your stay here, an aristocrat."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

The relief from the stress over the last week fell from her shoulders, andd she let out a tired sigh. For once she could rest. But she wasn't finished. She still owed Desaria an explanation as to why she was coming to him now. He deserved it in her mind, but she only hoped that he wouldn't fly off the hook, so to speak, and react in the... wrong way.

"Thank you. I'm sorry if I put you in a compromising situation, I really am."

She sucked in another breath before going on. "Before you ask why I left Millard, I want you to know that since the last time we met, I've... changed. I'll show you why I left, if you promise me you'll be calm. Don't call for any guards, and no matter what happens, just remember that it's... it's me."

s'Il leaned forward, using the momentum to rise to her feet.

"Ok?"

[Telan Desaria]

The Admiral was perplexed, but nodded nonetheless. His fingers had formed into a steeple before his chest without his awareness.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Her shoulders slmped then, and she gave him one last look, her normally metallic eyes swirling into a tawny yellow.

"This... is why I left him... "

And then her whole body shuddered, and she craned her neck upwards, arching her back in the process as an otherworldly sigh sounded from her body. She curled inwards then, falling to her knees at the Grand Admiral's feet. And then the first sounds of dislocating bone joints became audible as her skeletal structure changed and her muscles shifted over her new structure. Her head narrowed, ears coming to points, and as she opened her mouth in a pained gasp, it was easy to see that her teeth were growing, canines elongating into vicious points. A hand raked over the plush carpet; a hand that was steadily transforming into what could only be construed as a paw while a sheen of silver fur sprang up along her arms, traveling over her body like wildfire. As a tail grew from her spinal column, her groan turned into a low, pained howl.

The jumpsuit had been discarded in mid-change, and lay crumpled on the carpet beneath her bulk.

Laying still for a few moments, the vornskr only breathed deeply, her ribcage rising and falling with each intake of air as her silvery pelt rippled over muscle and bone. And then she rose to her paws, shaking her body to rid her senses of the pain that came with every change, and turning her yellow orbs up to Desaria, the animal whurffled softly, then let out a slight whine while taking a slight step back from the man.

What his reaction would be; what he did now, was out of her control.

[Telan Desaria]

Grand Admirals did not panic. The did not show fear.

Telan Desaria, seventeenth person to don the Imperial uniform of a Grand Admiral rightfully, was having great trouble living up to that unwritten mandate.

The creature that now stood on four legs before him had just moments before been the breathtaking personage of the Lady and nee Duchess S'Ilancy. Now she was a beast, every bit the animal Desaria himself had ordered hunted and executed. He had thought it was here to kill her. He never would have guessed it was her.

Thrawn and Palpatine could not have guessed.

The Grand Admiral held true to the dictate, keeping his fingers steepled ahead of him and his face emotionless.

His eyes, however, betrayed him. In them burned fear.

" I see."

That was all the Grand Admiral could utter. His guards were not called and his pistol not drawn. But there would be many questions to be asked.

Most of all, could she turn back into the stunning vagabond-vixen he had known?

[Javier Enfer]

In the confusion of the beast prowling the hotel, it was easy to wade through the sea of panic stricken bi peds and slip behind the desk to obtain s'Ilancy's key,so,so easy...it was as if she had no clue what hunted her or incidentally hunted her love. Heh, Javier was cruel of course but it was his job to be was it not?...a killer, a stalker trying to drink the blood of the Millard leader himself, Taylor.

So far it was easy, Millard would not know what hit him when his love would be transformed into nothing but a pile of flesh, his life would fall and he would give himself to Javier...yes...that would be the way.

Javier took the snatched the key from the shelf after searching alphabetically for the name of the woman and then quickly slipped up the stairway towards her room. After a small journey the room number on the key "557" was in view,and Javier slipped the key card into the slit, a light bleep and a green light later the door swung open and he had access. He was now in heaven to him anyway, she was a beutiful woman indeed and he...HE had been able to walk into a private sactuary of hers, which if she had known, was not the first time.

And then he had spotted it, what he had ventured up here for, an item of her possessions...but NO!..nothing more, something more rewarding. Her cloths were laid neatly on the bed, he took her shirt in his paws and felt the softness of its texture he could feel her. He then brought it to his nose and inhaled deeply to smell the womans sweet scent....how he longed to taist her flesh,how he envied Taylor!. The shirt was quickly stuffed into his large cargo pockets along with the other cloths including underwear. That would be a treat for later. Taking a last look with a smile, he exited the apartment....triumphant.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

His fear.

She could smell it.

It was as tangible as his normal air of regality, and s'Il stared up at him, her vision a monochrome world in greyscale. His eyes showed a fear she had hoped wouldn't be there, and with a whuffled groan, she lowered her head to the carpeted floor, staring at him over the tops of her golden eyes. It was more than evident that he wanted her to change back; to revert to her human form, but she hesitated. Her body followed her head, and she knelt down.

It always hurt. The change always hurt. Letting out a whine, she lay motionless for a few minutes, simply staring up at Desaria. He no doubt had questions that she would be grilled with, and snorting a breath, the animal sighed. He was entitled to an explanation. And it would do her no good in putting off the change that she'd sooner or later have to make.

Ah well...

And then her entire body seemed to sigh, her morph smooth in its transition from vornskr to human; from quadruped to biped... head broadening out, s'Il folded in to herself, feeling as every bone and muscle changed, shifting and moving beneath skin that was quickly losing its soft silver coat. Tail merging once more into her spine, she jerked slightly, feeling the last bone thwok into place.

And so she simply lay there, nude and breathing deeply before reaching a hand out; a very decidedly human hand, amd grasping at her discarded flightsuit that'd been given to her, she sat up. Her shame was nonexistant; what the Grand Admiral saw of her she didn't particularly care, and slowly, meticulously, she began pulling the suit over across her shoulders.

Finally looking up at him, she locked eyes with him, every trace of yellow gone from her eyes which now shined metallic once more.

"I... suppose... " she began a little haltingly, "... you want to know what happened... "

[Telan Desaria]

There were many officers that would have used the pretense of fear and horror, not to mention bemusement, to hesitate in an answer. Such would only be a facade, their true intention to gleefully gaze over the near perfect physical form of the female in front of where the Grand Admiral sat.

A Grand Admiral, however, had the task of epitomizing all of the Empire's virtues and none of its faults. Being an aristocrat did not hurt in that.

Civalrous to the last, the Grand Admiral did not answer Lady S'Ilancy's question. Instead, he practically shrugged off his tunic in one swift motion and before any time had passed, was behind the stricken Lady, placing his pristine uniform top over her exposed shoulders, mid section, and chest. There was nothing he could do about her bottom half, for it would have been highly inappropriate to hand her his breeches: even Grand Admiral's had modesty.

Instead, he gave her what was left of the jumpsuit.

" Tell me, Madam, whatever you can. And I shall do all I can to shield you from it. "

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

She sat back, leaning against his desk while pulling his tunic closer around her body, and with a tired breath, s'Il lolled her head to the side to look at him.

"Thanks..."

She sat up a little straighter then, leaning forward and letting blonde/brunette locks of hair to fall forward, into her face. She ignored them for the moment, still regaining what remained of her strength from what had been three changes in less than an hour. Each time had been painful, and she had no more plans to be changing any time soon; she only hoped nothing would happen that demanded the transformation.

"I guess the technical term is Lupine; a shapeshifter to a degree, though the only thing I can turn in to is a vornskr."

Crossing her arms, she felt the outline and weight of Desaria's rank plate, and bringing up an idle hand, lightly scratched along its surface with a fingernail. She looked sidelong at him, through strands of her hair; he held himself in complete check; always seemed to, the only exception being when she had just seen, moments ago, the fear radiating from his eyes.

s'Il regained a little of her suredness once more; the fact that she'd just opened an aspect of her life to him giving her more of a sense of familiarity around him, and brushing away some of the strands in her face, she leaned back, letting her head thunk dully against the wood of the desk. "A business trip to Naboo; that's all it was. A trip that turned into a new life."

She wouldn't tell him of Millard's secret; the fact that he had the force; that was for he himself to tell if he so desired. "I just need to be away from Millard... I can't see him anymore.

"Ever."

Finger still scratching along the rankplate, she cast a stare at him.

"I don't know what else to say; what do you want to know?"

[Telan Desaria]

There was only one question Desaria wanted answed now, a person in distress before him.

" I command the largest Fleet in the galaxy, aside from the New Republic. At my call are millions of soldiers and officers, as well as a Corps of Commandoes unparalleled in most the settled regions. That said, I ask only this:

" Who did this to you?"

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

She let out a little laugh then, inclining her head forward. Funny, that when she thought about it, she was actually enjoying running with Diego; he'd taken her in, and was teaching her everything about her still relatively new life.

"He's an alpha male; you wouldn't know him. Not many people do, but that's mostly because he likes it that way. Not that I blame him, and even if I told you his name was Diego, I doubt you'd recognize the name."

s'Il rocked forward then, rising to her feet. In all actuality she was greatfull for what Diego had done for her; and to her, for that matter. He was showing her a new aspect of human nature as well as a side of living itself, and she was glad he'd taken her in; let her run with him. Being who she was now, she was able to see reactions she wouldn't normally be able to see; emotions that when she was changed, seemed to stand out so much clearer. Aiden's naive innocence back when she was on Coruscant, Hera's surprised revulsion while they'd decided to raid the Superior after a Yevethan attack, and Desaria's fear...

"I don't want you to be scared of me; please. I'm still me... just... " she shrugged then, words failing her, and so she simply reverted to her old mannerisms. "I guess you could say...

"I'm the new model."

[Telan Desaria]

" Perhaps," Desaria replied, his hands steepled ahead of his face. " But I am correct in assuming whatever happened against your will. The ends do not justify the means in some cases. I promised that I would help you. And I shall."

The Grand Admiral reached for his comlink, which he switched to the Command and Control watch officer.

" Colonel Waelen. Inform Intelligence of a Scale 10 importance. They are to run and track all names Diego. He is...an alpha male. Investigate all occurances on and off worlds of Vornskr/human activity, male. When he is located, put several agents on him. When they are sure, send in a liquidation squad."

There was only a humm of static as the watch officer complied.

Desaria turned and looked at Madam S'ilancy, only imagining the pain she must be going through. How angry she must be. Perhaps his actions and that of his troops would cheer her up and make all that was wrong somewhere closer to right.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

"No wait-"

But it was already done, and s'Il could feel the almost near horror spread through her chest. She hadn't wanted anyone to hunt Diego for what he'd done; farthest from that matter. She'd only wanted to spend some time away from the constant running, and the offer that the Grand Admiral had made to her, about the estate on Thyferra, had seemed ideal. A calm place to simply stop, to rest for a while.

She hadn't even expected anything would happen that could possibly result in a hunt for Diego.

She stood then, silent for a few moments, simply staring at Desaria.

"Please, call them off; don't look for him. I only came to you because I needed to rest. I've been... " she breathed in, then let it out in a hissing breath, "... running from Millard; I need to stop for a little while. I thought coming here would provide that distraction I needed, that time to slow down and simply sit and not worry about if someone is going to try to take me back to Balmorra.

"I just want to forget about everything for a week; two if I possibly can.

"But I don't want anything to happen to Diego. You may think I hurt; and in some ways you'd be right. But my life now as it stands, running with Diego, is good. He's teaching me things I would've never known, and for that, I owe him everything. So please, don't send anyone after him...

"He's all I have left."

[Telan Desaria]

The Grand Admiral pursed his lips.

" I trust you, Madam. I would entrust my life and my Empire to your....other half. But how do I know that what you say is what you mean? How od I know that in this transformation, this...Diego..did not implant those feelings into you. Breaking some one apart from the person they love is not the action of a friend, or a confidant. You and Millard are so. I ask you again, how do I know what you say is what you would truly want done??"

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

She lowered herself into the chair beside his, leveling a steady gaze at him.

"He doesn't control my thoughts; he simply shows me what is set before me, tells me which facet must be considered, then allows me to choose for myself. And each time, the outcome has always been clear; If I stay with Millard, there's always going to be the possibility for something to happen... it... already has. And what happened proved to be the catalyst; the thing that showed me that he and I could no longer coexist.

"Being with Diego though, I have no worries, I don't have to hold myself in. He's the same thing I am; made me who I am today, in fact. He's taught me so much, that there's no way I could leave him. I just don't trust myself as much with anyone else as I do with him."

She sat back, pulling her legs up and curling them beneath her, seemingly cutting her body mass in half. "As for you knowing whether or not I'm saying what I think or what Diego thinks, I suppose there's really no way for you to know. I've told you what happened. You say you trust me. Can you trust me now?"

[Telan Desaria]

Any other man may have said no. But the sentence she blurted out before her question stung the personal honour of the Imperial Grand Admiral. An officer and a aristocrat, his word as as sacred to him as his life...more oft more so.

" Of course I can. What then, can I do for you?"

Desaria was about to yield to her, but then he realized his fellow Imperial may have something to say about it.

" If you would indulge me...what happened between you and Grand Admiral Millard? And why would you not be safe with him???"

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

That stopped her, and she looked away briefly.

"A... force user visited... " a stretch of the truth she knew, but Millard's secret was for he himself to tell if he so desired.

"It wasn't anyone's fault... it just happened." s'Il looked back to him. "When anyone uses the force, I can't tell you how much it hurts; like a spike driving though my mind and setting my whole body on fire. The change is involuntary; I can't control it... it just happens, and when it does... " she shook her head a little, "... I go insane.

"And that's what happened; only Taylor was the closest person to me... "

Her eyes closed; while the circumstances of what she'd just said happened were different, the outcome was very much the same. "I broke his collarbone, dislocated his arm, and tore every muscle in his shoulder open. He was in surgery for almost five hours."

[Telan Desaria]

Things were beginning to fall into place for the Grand Admiral. One was not able to wear that uniform without the small ability of sophisticated deduction.

" Allow me to summarize. Correct me if I am wrong. Millard used the Force around you, and your change could have hurt him. So you fled."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

"No," the word nearly flew out of her mouth, and she leaned forward a little, intensity burning in her eyes. "Not Millard... someone else; he just happened to be in the way.

"I wasn't even able to look him in the eyes when he came to the cell they'd thrown me in. Do you know what that's like?" She held up her left hand then, fingers spread to show Desaria the ringmark; burned into her flesh by the silver engagement ring Millard had giving her. The red band of scarred flesh was easily discernable.

"Do you know what it's like to not be able to wear the symbol of someones love because it burns and scars your flesh?"

[Telan Desaria]

The Grand Admiral lowered his head and muttered yes, hoping she would not hear him.

Quickly he returned to his regal self and continued.

" Madam, I am very close to considering you a friend. But I must tell you that you lie badly. I did not receive that tunic by my ineptitude. So, tell me the truth.

" Before you do, you may say nothing and leave everything as it stands, and it shall affect your stay none. You may tell me the truth, and nothing shall change my mind. I know Millard can use the Force. He does not know that I know, but he and many other people underestimate my dedication. Being bereft of love makes a man passionate about other things, my direction was the Empire. I know many things about many Admirals they would want me to.

" So, the tetherball is in your corner, as it were."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

s'Il looked away. So he already knew. I suppose that makes things easier. Slowly her hand fell back to rest in her lap. His mumbled affirmative to her question caused her to pause for a moment, but placing the thought to the back of her mind, she decided that it would be best to inquire about that later.

"Fine." She turned back to stare at him. "So he does use the force; I was only trying to protect a secret that he wishes to remain quiet. If you know than you know.

"We were enjoying a quiet evening; I don't know how it happened, but somehow he let it slip, lost his normal control over it, and the next thing I felt was the pain as his use of the force drove in to me. Everything after that is a blank; I don't remember anything. The only reason I know is because his bodyguard told me when I woke up in the detention cell after being gunned down."

s'Il stared at him then, her eyes locked with his.

"Right now, my old life is chasing me, trying to drag me back. And that's something I can't let happen. I've moved on. There's other things for me to occupy my time with."

[Telan Desaria]

The Grand Admiral felt very, very badly. He had used an Intelligence trick to support a theory, making Madam S'Ilancy believe he knew something already, and having her confirm his suspicisions.

The matter, however, was not dire. An Imperial Admiral had control of the Force. That was insignificant. The fact that he had deceived her hurt badly.

The dignity and survival of the Empire took precedence over one man's feelings, however. No matter of rank.

" Other than the estate I offered you, is there anything else I can do to help."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Sitting back, s'Il looked down at herself. She hadn't had any chance to clean up after the previous night's romp, and holding her fingers up, she examined the grime beneath her fingernails with lazy eyes. A shower and change of clothes was definately needed, and raising her gaze once more to Desaria, she unfolded herself from the chair.

She hadn't really eaten the night before; it'd been simply a night for running around and getting a good look at the local nightlife from the shadows; of course that was punctuated by an occaisional romp through a crowded byway which of course elicited many call for animal control. In fact, the last time she'd eaten had been yesterday morning; and the food on the transport she'd taken looked more regurgitated than anything else.

"... you said something about dinner... ?"

[Telan Desaria]

Desaria chuckled.

" All right."



* * *



The Imperial Command and Control Center on Thyferra, deep in the heart of the capital city, was far from expecting to entertain a non hostile guest. As such, Madam S'Ilancy was sent back to the Imperial Plaza and given the Imperial Suite, a four floor condominium on the very top of the massive complex. There was only one Imperial.

The new Duchess of Warwick had been given a wardrobe fit for her noble standing, and an army of servants waited to attend her.

There was no time, however, between her arrival at the Plaza and her next appointment to get acquainted with everyone. They simply did their duty, as she did hers...whatever that may have been, the Madam new to the life of an aristocrat.

In little time at all, she was dressed for a ball of sorts, a sparkling ivory dress upon her body. On either side of her nimble legs were long slices in the material, allowing, hypothetically, for ease of dance. Given to her was a matching handbag and a crown of emeralds, true to the form of a Thyferran Duchess. Fortunately for her, the revival of the Thyferran Nobility had not included the female uniform dress present millennia before...barely anything at all.

She was quickly spirited away to dine with the Grand Admiral, an aristocrat as well, a man with holdings both on and off world. On Thyferra, he was the Archduke of Vallinn. On Centaur, he was the Baron of Serronia.

The estate on which Desaria resided was rarely visited by him, most of his time spent aboard warships and other worlds. But it lacked not in amenity or lavishness. There were pillars of pure Caridan ivory, with greel wood doors, oak walls, and not an unpolished surface to be seen. Paintings, frescoes, and lavish trim was everywhere.

For the evening in question, the Grand Admiral's personal guard cadre had been requested to attend and not turned down its strong invitation. They lined the halls in Imperial blue, their tunics decorated and boots glossy. As the Duchess arrived, they greeted her, escorted her to the dining room, and sat her.

In the dining room itself, there was a three meter long rectangular table with the trimmings of station and the best food obtainable, legal and not so. Around the room on the sides of both the high wood separated windows and the mosiaced west end, stood the elite of the Grand Admiral's guard. They heard nothing, their ears blocked by thick blast padding, so the Admiral never feared speak his mind in their presence. That, and they were more fiercely loyal to him than the Empire.

The Grand Admiral entered in a white suit, double breasted and with silver clasp buttons. In his breast pocket was a handkerchief of blue, as was the silken necktie around his neck. Like his Imperial uniform, the trousers, shirt, and jackte were spotless.

He moved quickly to the Lady, puleld out her chair for her, and only seated himself when she appeared comfortable.

" Does this suit you?" he asked.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

An odd look had been on her features the entire time; from the moment she'd been ushered to the suite till now; even looking at the Grand Admiral she had what had to be the strangest, most out of place look on her face that anyone had ever seen. The handbag she'd been given sat on the table, and reaching up, she pulled the crown from her hair, laying it next to the handbag.

Gazing around, she let her eyes wander the lavish decorations that littered the area, unable to help the curiosity that was clearly evident in her gaze. It was easy to tell she'd never really seen anything this... lush before.

"Well... umm.... " she shrugged just a little, once more reaching a hand up to run over the locks of hair that'd been pulled up into some local hairstyle. "I thought we were just gonna get takeout or somethin'... "

[Telan Desaria]

Desaria laughed.

" You must remember, that you are a Duchess now. Everything you do sets a trend. If you wear your hair to the side, overnight you will find every female down the street with the same thing. If you stroll down a boulevard with a garbage pale over your breats, then a week from now the refuse industry will be shiek and waste removal specialists the in crowd. You are the pitome of grace. Conversely, a young person, you are the role model for everyone under thirty. They look on you, and whatever you consider...in...is the same to them."

A platter of phosenisian ham was served.

" Now that we are alone," Desaria said, looking at the guards about," some things about your self. If you are to reside on Thyferra, even for a brief while, I insist on getting to know you better. And in return, I shall tell you anything you wish to know about me."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

s'Il looked at him, then at the guards.

"About me?" she finally ventured, turning her eyes back to Desaria, "well... "

What did you say about yourself when you're sitting in the home of someone like the Grand Admiral Telan Desaria? That you skipped CorSec, stole an X-wing, then abandoned your family for a life of what was considered by most of the galaxy as crime? How did you tell that to someone who'd spent there entire life a noble? Or at least she figured that's what he'd been born into.

"Well... umm... I have a younger sister who lives with me off and on; she's usually with Khendon now, or at least last I heard they were together. I like to steal artwork, I shockbox, and I dropped out of CorSec to be a smuggler. I've died twice now, and both times it wasn't fun." She grinned then, picking up a fork. "I like blades, long walks on the beach, and turning into a vornskr.

"But that's just kind of a basic rundown of my life; nothing special; just doing my best to stay alive."

She shrugged again. "I never really thought about what I've done in the past; I've just done it."

She took a bite of the ham, swallowed, the looked to the side. "I'm a thirty-one eyar old Lupine, drug addict, and fugitive. Now, apparently I'm a duchess." She looked to him, that same odd look descending over her features once more.

"Who knew?"

[Telan Desaria]

The Grand Admiral chomped heavily on his ham, doing his best to keep his mouth shut and manners at their peak. He succeded, but barely so.

He could see the look on her face, seeing how she was riddled by her surroundings and trying to adjust. It was true that Desaria had never been through anything but the best in his civil life...in matters of material things at least.

" The universe holds many turns and twists in the paths that have been set for us. We know not what they are, but everything has its place and its reason. We do what we want, and what we don't, but either way, no matter what we think we decide, it has all been written. So to speak.

" I imagine you would like to know something of me?"

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Her brows rose. It was easy to see he was accustomed to the sort of furnishings that encompassed them, and with an idle tap of a fingernail against her glass, she supposed that it suited him; he certainly looked the part of a noble.

"About you?" s'Il sat back, setting the fork down. "Well... I guess where you're from, why you joined the Empire, what you like to do in your spare time... ?"

[Telan Desaria]

" I am from Centuar. A world full of nothing but arisotocrats. Ther are over five million on her alone. Any deed worth writing, any action noble any proponderence of honour, and one can attain a title. However, that is still a minority on a world of one hundred billion.

" My family is from Raenoria, the region to which our barony lords. My father is also a Grand Admiral and commands the Centaurian Defense Fleet, a squadron of eight Destroyers that aptrols their holdings, about the size of the Sovereignty. In the military I also have ten borhters and two sisters. Four of my brothers are in the Imperial Fleet, and two have disappeared from the galaxy with the Diktat and the rest of the fleet.

" I joined the Empire out of the teenage spirit for adventure. The Centaurian military was proud and large, but had not mounted an offensive for three years when I was commissioned. So I served my term after my Academy graduation at 16 and by 18 was an officer in the Imperial Fleet. I was a Destroyer commander by 20 and a squadron officer by 25. Then, I moved up the flag ranks and have been a Fleet commander for three years. I am thirty now, though Centaurian's age differently than standard humans. I will not exhibit the regular signs of age until I reach fifty.

" Spare time. I wish I had more. I write. Mostly technical documents and essays, but romance and short stories I like more. I have not had a mate in ten years. Since then, the Empire has been my other half. An existence quite different from you's and Millard's."

The Grand Admiral choked back a tear, hoping the new Duchess would not notice.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Her eyes narrowed a little, but she said nothing as he finished what he had to tell her. It was easy to tell; at least to her, that he'd buried himself in the Empire; or that's how she saw it.

"When I died the first time," she started slowly, "I realized that there were other reasons for doing things... and now when I steal art, it's not because of the credits it can offer; it's because of the way it affects me; I'm always looking for something to rise to the beauty of what I saw away from this plane of existance... it was so beatiful, I can't tell how wonderful it was to not have to worry about anything anymore. And then they beat me with the science stick until I came back." She looked to the side then. "I cried for so long... "

Once more she returned her eyes to Desaria. "Don't wait until death to do what you want; I learned the hard way... twice... that things can't be taken lightly. You need to actually do them; live your life how you want to.

"Take a break; do what you want for a while, and then you'll see how much you really want to live, how much you need to live.

"So you haven't had a mate in ten years? So what? I've had my fair share of men who want me until they find out I can't have kids, but that doesn't matter; hasn't stopped me from doing what I want." She looked hard at him. "If you want something bad enough, you need to go and get it.

"... don't wait until the Reaper comes for you."

[Telan Desaria]

" To..potentials...I am quite intimidating. I am the Regent of the Imperial Sovereignty. Over a hundred billion civilian lives rest in my hands. I cannot just stop to find love again. I am not a cadet. I suppose I am waiting for the winds of fate to bring me someone who wants me for me, rather than me for the power that I have."

The Admiral chuckled.

" Arian was together with me until he lead the wrong boarding party."

" Funny the way the galaxy works. If he was still alive, I would never have transferred to the Imperial Navy. With him gone, I had no reason to stay on Centuar."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

She rolled her eyes. "You're waiting??? Good grief, don't do that.

"I got news for you," even if she was dressed like a Duchess, even if she was a Duchess, s'Il had no intention of acting or talking like one, "If you wait around for "Grand Fate" to give you something, you're gonna be waiting a real long time."

She rested her elbow on the table and pointed a finger at him. "Take a week off; now. Forget about whatever it is you mostly think about and let me show you what it's like to live."

If he was trying to surprise her to the fact that his former lover had been a man, it didn't work. s'Il didn't care.

"I dare you."

[Telan Desaria]

" You dare me? The last person to dare a Grand Admiral became canon fodder during the Third Battle of Coruscant.

" I accept. Admiral Laran is capable enough to run things if I take a sabatical. "

The Admiral straightened his tux, proud he had called her bluff.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

"Well, I've been 'canon fodder' too many times to count," she countered. "Hazards of my job. I'm used to it."

s'Il sat back, smirking at him. Normally, for someone like him, she would have suggested a race; she and Diego had done it so many times before, though the outcome of their little bets usually resulted in their victims being torn limb from limb. s'Il had no intention of opening Desaria up to that venue yet; that she'd become, in the deepest part of her soul that only showed during certain situations, bloodthirsty. The word, to some, was ugly; to her, it was wonderful, a beautiful thing.

She'd tasted of blood, and she loved it. But there were times for that. And now was not one of those times.

Her smirk grew. "Starting tomorrow then, I'll show you my world."

[Telan Desaria]

" It's a deal. But tonight, I shall show you mine.”

The Grand Admiral stood, buttoning his white jacket over his blue tie and white dress shirt, and began walking. To where the Duchess sat.

As he strode, he looked at a guard and snapped his fingers. Before Desaria arrived beside the Lady S’Ilancy, the blue tuniced NCO has departed the room. Desaria bowed before her, and a eight sting ensemble entered.

“ Tonight, you learn about the joys of nobility.”

The ensemble struck up a Caridan waltz.

“ May I have this dance?”

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Her brows rose once more, but she took his hand regardless and lifted her small frame up from her seat. Her dress, smooth to the touch, flowed gracefully around her legs as she stood; her body unfolding from her chair with smooth motions; one gained a sense of fluidity when hunting, and it generally carried over to her human attributes; especially when a change had been so recent.

"Your world, eh," she ventured, letting a grin play across her features. "I don't know whether to be anxious or nervous. I seem to remember a little problem a while ago that you had," she remember, clear as day, staring at the group of Imperial warships as they sat dead in space, "... thankfully it was resolved before my ship could drag me into that particular mess."

[Telan Desaria]

Desaria wrapped an arm around her midsection and took her left in his right. They slowly waltzed away from the table.

“ Ah yes, that. I have tried to forget that. It was one of those zealousness over reality occurrences. Speaking of which, where is MMU?”

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

As they danced across the room, she grinned. "He's with Millard; most likely drawing on your fellow Grand Admiral's office walls... " she gave a small laugh, "He loves to do that."

And yet, as she uttered Millard's name, she could feel the tightening in her chest as it constricted just a little. She brushed it aside though, willing herself to enjoy the closeness of another body; even if it was simply a platonic relationship. And truth be told, she was grateful to Desaria for what seemed to be his support.

"And if he's not doing that, I'm sure he's running around with his capguns, wreaking absolute havoc."

A sigh.

"I miss that ship."

[Telan Desaria]

“ He is definitely…unique.”

The tune changed and the waltz picked up to a tango.

“ Tell me, Duchess, what plans have you concocted for the morrow?”

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Usually, saturation was a way to instill in people a sense of familiarity. And that's what she wanted Desaria to see her as; only with a few more additions. She'd already known what she wanted to do for the next day; A hunt, though not in the way he might have thought it to be. No small animals would be chased after; instead, it would be something much more valuable; something very much worth keeping.

"Tomorrow?" She grinned. It would be fun to see the look on his face. "Tomorrow we're going to rob a museum."

[Telan Desaria]

" So, you want to take advantage of the calculating sense and keen intuition of an Imperial Grand Admiral?"

Desaria laughed out loud, though not over the music.

" As long as it is not in Imperial territory, I suppose I could."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

s'Il let him lead her across the floor. It was an interesting experience, to even be here, now a part of something that she'd never even considered as being connected to her in any way; with a man who seemed to revel in this type of life. She gave a mental shrug; she'd let him show her whatever he wanted; have his way with her, so to speak.

He was hers for the week anyway; why not let him have his fun this one night.

"Not so much that," she answered, addressing his first question, "... as it is the chance to dirty those clean fingernails of yours."

She grinned then.

"And as to where; when was the last time you visited Cathar... ?"

[Telan Desaria]

The Grand Admiral took great delight in her amusement, and took the brevity of tempo to spin her before rejoining their bodies in a swift movement about the table. It was not seen, but obviosu, that the guards had broken their iron gazes to look on their Supreme Commander having fun.

" Never, I am afraid."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Her grin remained, and as they continued dancing, s'Il let the stress from the last few weeks wash from her shoulders. Things finally felt somewhat normal; how they'd been before being a Lupine; before she'd met Millard even.

With one hand in his and the other on his shoulder, she let her body flow with the music. It was actually... gawd forbid she even think it... fun.

"I think you'll like it," she ventured finally, then gave a small laugh. "I hope you don't get motion sickness."

[Telan Desaria]

" Madam," the Grand Admiral replied with a humoured sarcasm," I command a fleet of Star Destroyers. If ever I was motion sick, that feelings died when I took my place int eh Admiralty."

The feeling of being out of uniform, for the first time, did not feel odd. It was almost...fun.

" Well, as I have given in to your demands, with the asylum and my week sabatical, this evening I should like to show you some other things that a noble may do."

With the ease of command, the Grand Admiral stopped dancing but bade the music finish. He took the Lady S'Ilancy's hand in his and lead hr out of the large glass windows and doors which lined a side of the manor. Outside, the suns were down, and all traces of dusk had disappeared. Instead, a sky filled with stars and three moons towered above, the faint outlines of ships crossing the distances of space just noticeable.

On either side of the noble pair were tall pined trees, space evenly on either side of what had become a marble and quartz bridge over softly running water. The stone path turned on the other side into gardens and continued along side of a pond. The view was fantastic.

" Tell me, Madam, what is it like? Not having any decisions to make that affect millions, or worry that every action you take may lead to war and death? What is it like," The Admiral asked, almost at a whisper," to be free?"

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

The view was gorgeous, and s'Il found herself staring at the terrain before her, thoughts of tearing through the pristine gardens and jumping headlong into the pond flooding her mind, and she felt the constant restlessness swell within her chest. She inhaled deeply, taking in the night air, however she pushed any thoughts of changing to the side as Desaria spoke.

Her mind digested what he'd asked, and reaching up to pull the pins from her hair, she felt as the locks of blonde/brunette hair fell over her shoulders.

"That's a funny word... 'free'." She gave a shrug. "I've never really thought about anything like what you're asking, hadn't even considered it.

"I... ran away from a lot of things to do what I'm doing now; my family being one of those things. When you enjoy doing some of the things I like doing, it's kind of hard to find support from loved ones; a shockboxing, smuggling, art thief isn't exactly what my dad had planned as my profession.

"It all depends on what you're willing to give up to be 'free', as you put it. I left a lot of stuff behind. It's all what you think is worthy enough to sacrifice. Me? I gave up my family. It's a two edged sword, is what it is."

She bit her lip. "But... to me, it's worth it. I can do what I want, when I want, and how I want. No one expects anything from me unless I've already told them I can deliver what they want. I don't have people running after me telling me I did something wrong. I do it enough to myself that I don't need the added aggravation.

"But as far as what it's like to be free? I woudn't know how to really describe it; the best I can do is to show you what it's like."

[Telan Desaria]

Desaria smiled.

" I cannot wait. Homestly."

The Grand Admiral strode to another side of her, and looked out over the sparkling pond. For Thyferra, the night was unseasonably cool.

He merely stood and waited. He enjoyed her company, but would not hesitate to answer anything she asked. It was not everyay that a civilian spoke to a Grand Admiral.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

"The only thing I've known is breaking the law; if I wasn't out picking pockets when I was a kid, I was jacking credcards... "

She looked up at him then.

"... so why is it you would ask someone like me what it's like to be free? I've got people after me for numerous things I've stolen over the years... I've even already gone to Kessel... " her hand went up to the tattoo on her right shoulder, rubbing the green-inked serial number stained into her flesh. "I was there long enough to decide I didn't like mining."

"I mean, I'd say you have it pretty good here; you just need to learn how to loosen up once in a while."

[Telan Desaria]

" That, Madam, is the problem. I cannot lighten up as it were. Every action I take is in the public spotlight. Every move I make can be scutinized. While I do helm the Empire, even the ISB cannot stop thought. What I do must inspire confidence, and therefore no softer side can exist. While it may endear me to a few of my own people, it would allow the enemy to wage a war of propaganda. That is why I am coming with you tomorrow. So I can be away, out of the spotlight.

" I ask you about freedom, because for many years I have had none. I have had the opportunities for fun and romance, but duty precluded them. For just one day, I want to be able to make a decision for me, rather than fifty billion people."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

s'Il mulled over his words, letting them sit in her thought processes for a few minutes. She almost wanted to start the week early, by pushing him into the pond. Lord knows he'd have never expected it, and the look on his face would've been one for the holos.

But... tonight was his night. She'd have plenty of time to introduce him to what she deemed her life. Right now he was showing her his.

"So," she started once more, wrapping her arms around her body, "What else do you do around here?"

[Telan Desaria]

" Actually, this is the first night I have spent on Thyferra without pressing business. Since the Fragmentation of the Empire, I have been on ships and shuttles, going about the galaxy. I can not think of anything.

" But, I have no doubt you can be a woman of refined tastes, I know Admiral Millard is. You must like something of a high class. What do you wish, anything at all, and it shall be yours."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

s'Il had to think over his offer, but eventually she shook her head.

"I... really don't need anything. Nothing I can think of... "

Shifting her weight to one leg, she let out a breath. The night air was refreshing, and for once, she was glad with the decision she'd made; coming to Thyferra had apparently been a good idea, and even though it would only be for a week or two, it would still be nice to rest and go back to doing what she was used to doing.

"Well," she went on, looking up at the Grand Admiral "... since you haven't been back in a while, what is something you'd like to do? You said you'd show me what it is nobles do... "

[Telan Desaria]

" We seem to be at an impasse. I wish to please you, and you cede that to me, hoping to please. But I belive that I should have you as first, and you do the same. I guess I will pull rank, Archduke being higher than Duchess.

" We shall attend the theater. I do not know what you like, but in the last fifteen years of Imperial control, Thyferra has grown to include millions of beings. What do you want to see?"

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

s'Il let out a breath, letting her mind roll over what she knew of the theatre... absolutely nothing. Never so much as once in her life had she taken the time to actually sit, watch, and listen; not even when she was with Millard did she actually go to something remotely like the theatre.

Unless you took into account the countless holos she'd stay up watching at all hours of the night.

But s'Il figured Desaria wouldn't be up to staying up late to watch the Duke beat the piss outta some poor group of soldiers and drink cheap beer, so she kept that particular idea on the downlow.

"Well, seeing as how I don't really know what's playing, I'm not the best person to ask... " she took a small step backwards, letting her arms fall to her sides. "But if there is something in particular you want to see, then I'm all yours.

"Take me wherever you want."

[Telan Desaria]

The Grand Admiral thought how he could be a gracious host. Then the thought struck him to act more genial.

" Perhaps I would be taking you to the wrong theatre. The holofilm Vendetta is playing this evening at the Royal Cinema. It is about a rogue VSD shortly after Endor that has resigned its charter and goes about slagging planets in te Outer Rim until pirates band together and eliminate it."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Her brows rose a little, a smile gracing her features as she reached out to gently pat his shoulder.

"It's a nice gesture, but dinner and a movie is a little too cliche, don't you think? I'm up for seeing an opera or whatever they're called here; never seen one once in my life, so there's always a first time for everything.

"I don't not appreciate stuff like that; I mean, I have... well... had a collection of classical music. Used to be one of the things I collected. I can appreciate stuff like that... " she gave a shrug, laughing a little. "Hell, I rob museums for the art, not the money. I can enjoy music."

[Telan Desaria]

The Grand Admiral tried to repress a smile and failed.

" Very well, Duchess,, we shall see De Oberrahnheim. It is a classic Corellian opera opening this evening. The cast is genuine and the seating rare. I believe, however, I can get in."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

s'Il rolled her eyes, once more resisting the urge to simply push him into the tranquil body of water laying out before them, and turning away from him, she made her way back away from the pond.

"Suuure," she grinned wryly, "... I bet you can; you'll probably just call in your stormtroopers and forcibly eject everyone out. Bingo bango. Works every time."

s'Il looked over her shoulder, her grin remaining as she stared at him, metallic eyes shining. With the backdrop of the pond, he cut an impressive figure, standing tall in the light of Thyferra's moons; both from above and reflected on the water's surface.

"Go on, tell me I'm wrong," she laughed.

[Telan Desaria]

The Grand Admiral smiled again. Secretly, he was resisting the urge to do something spontaneous.

" Actually, I like to save my stormtroopers for boarding parties and assault missions. I have found the Imperial Army does things better with the civilians. They have a higher...ejection rating."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

ooc: sorry it took so long; work has decided to take over my time and I'm fighting a losing battle to regain some semblence of a life :)

ic:

s'Il rolled her eyes, shaking her head a little. "I bet they do."

Shifting her weight to one leg, she wrapped her arms around her body once more. The soft breeze over the water had seemed to feed the already somewhat cold night air, and while the dress she'd been given might have been the 'in thing' on Thyferra, right now it wasn't exactly the 'warm thing'.

"Now. Are we gonna go see this wonderful opera of yours?"

[Taylor Millard]

"I'm about as happy to use the Superior, as I am to lose s'Il," the man grumped as he buttoned up the white military tunic. It was much easier looking for Lok wearing civilian clothes, not his Grand Admiral Uniform.

But to a degree when one visitted another military leader it was easier to wear his Imperial garb than civvies. Somehow, the uniform did not have to be let out...Millard thanked whoever it was who designed these uniforms for that.

"I understand your concern about this, Taylor," Thomas said standing near the door, "But if you're going to meet with-"

Millard interupted him, "I know I know...Telan Desaria is almost, if not more, formal than I am. And if I need to get any information on s'Il and her status as 'Duchess of whatever it was she was given' it's best to ask him as an Imperial, not sneaking around Thyferra attemping to find information."

The doors to Millard's Study hissed open.

OKAY I'M READY!

Millard turned his head and couldn't decide whether to laugh to be angry.

Standing there was MMU, his constant companion in the hunt for s'Il, wearing almost an exact copy of Millard's Grand Admiral Uniform, down to the golden appelets on the shoulders.

"I see you found yourself a sewing machine, MMU."

UH HUH INNIT GRAND!

Taylor only nodded, as MMU seemed disinterested and walked towards the desk.

Thyferra

The hailing frequency at Desaria's home blinged. As the communications officer opened the frequency he saw a wide-eyed silver robot, with a single antenna, wearing what looked to be an Imperial Grand Admiral's uniform staring at the screen.

The droid waved then said, in a voice which caused the technician to remove his headphones and rub his ears.

HI! I'M A GRAND ADMIRAL! OBEY ME! GET ME TELAN...what was it...oh yeah...DESARIA!

NOW!

[Telan Desaria]

Imperial Command and Control was a massive complex on Thyferra, separate from the High Command on the Ilse of Orrl lest one be attacked. In it were housed the greatest communications systems the Empire was issued.

Even then, the men who operated them were unsure of what they were hearing.

" Say again. I repeat, respond with proper code clearance."

While the Imperial Communications Officers hovered over their panels, an Admiral, Markarius Vaalt, stood over them, seeing the strange phenomenon. He had dispatced the newest addition to the Imperial Thyferra Sector Fleet to investigate: the Illustrious-class Star Destroyer Malignant.

[Taylor Millard]

YOU HEARD ME! GET ME TELAN DESARIA! NOW! I'M A GRAND ADMIRAL AND YOU OBEY MY COMMANDS! the droid yelled as he banged his hands on the communications console.

"MMU," a voice came from off screen, "What are you doing?"

NOTHING! I MEAN...THOMAS MADE ME DO IT! HE MADE ME SIGNAL! HE....

The droid was whisked off screen then the communications console was filled with the face of Taylor Millard.

"This is Grand Admiral Taylor Millard of the Balmorran Empire. I wish to speak with your leader please."

I WANNA TALK WITH HIM!!! LEMME TALK WITH HIM!!!

"Later," Millard hissed.

He stared at the rank plate of the Imperial on screen.

"We are here on a peacful mission, not in any interest of any sort of combat."

[Telan Desaria]

The visage of the Balmorran Armed Forces' Supreme Commander alarmed the Technician who had received the transmission. he angst of the officer was seen by Admiral Vaalt, who proceed to the station and relieved the Warrant Officer.

Vaalt was a short man, but built thickly and with more muscle than average. His hair was blond, and while not thinning, it was slowly being faded to a pelt of silver.

On a holoscreen, he remained imposing.

" Grand Admiral Millard. It is an honor. We fought together some time ago when you commanded the Guild Sector Fleet. I am Vice Admiral Markarius Vaalt, then only a Line Captain.

" I overheard that you wish to speak with Grand Admiral Desaria. I am pleased to inform you he is on planet, but is otherwise occupied. I shall make arrangements, however, to have you taken to his mansion where you may wait for him. He will not be distracted for long. Your escort is of your chosing, as your crew is free to enjoy shoreleave if you so wish."

[Taylor Millard]

"My crew is only here briefly, Admiral," Millard replied, "As what I wish to ask Grand Admiral Desaria is simple.

"I believe a simple shuttlecraft and TIE escort will do."

CAN I COME!!!! PULEAZZZZEEEEE!

Millard looked irked, "Yes MMU you may come.

"What time shall I meet Desaria?"

[Telan Desaria]

" I shall contact the Admiral and inform him of your arrival immediately. It is evening in the capital city. You should be waiting him for no more than an hour. The Grand Admiral's estate is by far luxurious, you shall not even realize the time has passed."

Admiral Vaalt cut the audio for a moment and recorded a brief message to his Supreme Commander:

Millard is here.

[Taylor Millard]

Millard nodded at the Admiral.

"Very well, I shall await to hear from Grand Admiral Desaria."

He shut the connection down and sat back in his chair, taking a bit of tea and sipping it.

"Now...we wait. Hopefully Desaria will be prompt in responding."

Tomar looked at Millard, "And if they're not?"

Millard's face was grim, "Then we go about it our own way."

[Telan Desaria]

The opera was going well, Madam S'Ilancy enjoying the music and the Grand Admiral her liberating company.

Their seats were well away from others, the balcony surrounded by a phalanx of Army soldiers.

All was going well, more people watching the balcony and what they considered to be the Admiral's beau than the opera, when a thin aide to the Army company's commander entred, bowed, and waited in silence to be noticed.

His recognition was not long in coming, the white tuxedoes, blue tied Admiral standing to speak. He bade the Lady to await his return, and the pair of officers moved into the corridor.

" Yes, Lieutenant. This had better be good."

" It is, Sir. You have received a priority message from Command. They say Grand Admiral Millard and his flagship, the Superior is in orbit."

" You're saved," the Admiral replied, and walked away to a mobile transmitter.

Admiral Vaalt was awaiting. He informed his commander of what had transpired, and then was patched through directly to the Superior. The view of a Grand Admiral in an all white double breasted tuxedo, save for an aqua and neon silken tie and handkerchief was no doubt odd to the Balmorran crew.

" Admiral Millard. I apologize for my attire, but the opera demanded a good suit. Welcome to Thyferra, and the capital of the Imperial Sovereignty, headquarters to the Thyferra Sector Fleet. How can I help you?"

[Taylor Millard]

Millard nodded, "I understand the need of a good suit, so you won't hear any complaints from I.

"I am searching for information...specifically a person. Loklorien s'Ilancy. I was wondering if the Duchess had come by Thyferra recently?"

[Telan Desaria]

The Admiral grimaced inside, outwardly he remained motionless.

" Grand Admiral Millard, this is not a secure line. I have feared that the Federacy has placed some unseen probes in system to monitor comm traffic. I am told my High Command watch officer offered you a visit to my home. I should like to renew that. We may speak in person there. And we could catch up, man to man, rather than warlord to warlord."

[Taylor Millard]

Millard nodded, "That is acceptable, Admiral Desaria. I shall give you time to finish your opera and be there in the morning 0700 sharp. Is that acceptable?"

[Telan Desaria]

" Of course. I shall see you then. Transmit to my manor your favorite food. I shall have it prepared for breakfast. we shall speak over a meal. Discussions waged on empty stomachs are oft fruitless.

" Desaria out."

[Taylor Millard]

"What do you think?" Millard asked over his shoulder, as Desaria signed off.

"I'm not sure, Taylor," Tomar answered his arms crossed, "Grand Admiral Desaria seems to generally want to have discussions...but he might be hiding something."

"I got the same feeling," Millard agreed, "Notice how he avoided the question about s'Il with the excuse it was a secure channel. Either he was generally concerned or he knows something."

Tomar bit the inside of his lip, "And his comment on your favorite food?"

"He was simply trying to be friendly...although to be safe...it will be a light breakfast. That way...the discussions won't go too far into the morning."

Tomar nodded and exitted the room. A few minutes later the transmission of croissants, buttered was sent down to the planet.

[Telan Desaria]

The transmission was ended and the die was cast. Desaria would now have to chose: honor his word, or honor his Empire. The choice was his, but it was also a decision he would not take without the approval of the person whom one might betray.

Desaria returned to the balcony and allowed the Lady S'Ilancy to complete the aria in peace without bother. When the intermission came, the Admiral ordered for himself a bottle of brandy, and a chaser of whiskey for the Duchess.

He then spoke.

" Madam, we have a problem. Admiral Millard has arrived."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

The whiskey was already traveling down her throat as Desaria spoke, and at his last words, she choked a little, coughing. She shouldn't have been surprised, but it was still a little disheartening to know that Millard had shown up; either he somehow knew she was here, or it was just dumb luck.

Probably dumb luck; always is.

"Here? Now?"

[Telan Desaria]

" I am afraid so. He is above, and I have invited him to my manor for breakfast in the morning. He and I shall be dining together. It is imperative that you stay for the duration of his visit in my manor with me, out of his direct sight. "

Anticipating her question, he continued. " I have no doubts that accompanying him will be security agents and Intelligence operatives. I have no doubt that he will inquire about your whereabouts to less than reputable persons, as he will doubtless think my entreaty to dine as a stall.

" I know because I would do the same, and he is as good as me on the field, and better off. There is no way into my manor not monitored and guarded. If you remain there, we can protect you from the prying eyes of Balmorra's best.

" It is for your security. I can accomodate a woman, though as host, I shall be somewhat rusty."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

ooc: someone delete that up there please; I'm on Taylor's comp and it keeps resigning in as him

As the whiskey settled in her stomach, s'Il narrowed her eyes, thinking. He wanted her to stay here? at his home? To her it ws odd, but he seemed to think that it was best for her, and while normally she would have argued the point, at the moment s'Il knew it'd do no good. She rasied a metallic gaze up to meet his eyes.

"Fine. I'll stay with you."

Finishing off the whiskey in one long swig, she set the glass down.

"As for you being 'rusty', as long as I get a bed I'll be happy."

[Telan Desaria]

" Excellent," the Grand Admiral replied, moving aside her as the curtain went up for the commencement of the second half of the Corellian Aria.

The opera was finished, and both the Duchess and the Baron adjourned for the evening and the following day to Desaria's palatial manor.

The Duchess was given a suite in the east wing where she would have acces to a holo theater, private dining quarters, a massive room, and a library filled with thousands of ancient bound books.

Desaria made his preparations for the arrival of Millard, which would happen all too soon, less than a dozen hours hence. A uniform change would be in order.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

She'd shed the dress, opting instead for a loosefitting pair of infantry trousers which she'd managed to bribe one of the guards into getting for her. It'd taken a lot to get the man to even move, but eventually (and not without a little incentive), he'd done what she asked.

And so, lounging on the bed, she let her mind go over what she would do with Desaria over the course of the week he'd given her. First off, a ship had to be aquired; and not something provided by or built on Thyferra.

She needed to make a few calls. Regardless of whether she gave over her shares or not, Hyde had still promised to provide her with anything she should need, no matter what she would need it for.

Still laying sprawled on the expansive bed, s'Il grinned. She knew exactly what toys she'd ask for.

[Taylor Millard]

"You sure about this, Taylor?" Tomar said as he walked followed Millard towards the hangar.

The Grand Admiral nodded, "I only need Thomas for this mission. If anyone else were to go down, and we were to find her...there'd be an incident I'd prefer to avoid. This is a simple meeting and we'll go from there."

The duo walked into the main shuttle bay where Millard prepared to board the Lambda Class Shuttle.

"And what of MMU?"

Millard stopped, "He should all ready be on the shuttle. Keep an eye on The King. I have a feeling I've found what I'm looking for here."

[Telan Desaria]

The descent of the shuttle holding Grand Admiral Taylor Millard, military commander of the Balmorran Empire, was monitored in every aspect by Imperial Command and Control. At a moment's notice, a hundred different commanders had the freedom of action to bring the shuttle down, ranging from linked flak batteries, surface based torpedo launchers, TIE Patrols, and the Imperial System Patrol Fleet above Thyferra and into the depths of her high atmosphere.

The shuttle was escorted to the private landing pad on Grand Admiral Desaria's Thyferran estate by two squadrons of blue-wing tipped TIE Defenders, signifying them as components of the 7th Fighter Wing, training, built, and housed on Thyferra, as well as crewed and commanded by its natives.

The shuttle landed and rows of blue tuniced Thyferran Imperial Guards flanked a slowly descended grey brick walkway towards the southern entrance to the manor. On either side were gardens, pools, and geometic pattersn of coloured plants. Every bit the manor looked aristocratic.

At the fare end of the walkway was Grand Admiral Baron Telan Desaria, now dressed in his white duty uniform, pristine and pressed. His rank plaque gleamed and his boots shone. His hair was cropped, freshly cut as the Balmorran craft descended.

Behind the Grand Admiral stood the olive uniformed General Maxim, his chief of staff, summoned from High Command.

The Fragmentation of the Empire had left Desaria paranoid to anyone not offering the appropriate salute of rank to a superior. As such, despite the opposite Grand Admiral's reputation, an entire heavy armored division had been scattered about the city. Every soldier was called to active duty, armories were emptied, and ships placed on alert. Thyferra buzzed militarily, in case the Balmorran's appearence was the presage to an assault.

Hence Grand Admiral Desaria's loaded and ready side arm.

Desaria strode off to meat Millard as his counterpart walked towards him.

Today is a good day to die.

[MMU]

The Lambda-class shuttle set down gently, the pilot of the craft obviously well practiced at the task, and as slim jets of released steam issued from various vents, the shuttle slowly powered down. With a snap-hiss, the ramp disengaged from it's retracted position to steadily lower to the landing pad, and as it touched the ground, a small form shot from the interior, racing down the length of the gangplank on short legs, and hitting the end of the ramp, continued on a direct course for Grand Admiral Desaria.

MMU had opted to not wear his makeshift uniform, complaining that the strain of having to keep both Millard and Thomas in line was too much to handle. After a very public 'ceremony', in which he handed over his responsibilities to the pilot, the little avatar skipped back to scramble into Millard's lap and wait patiently as the shuttle descended into Thyferra's atmosphere.

And now, running headlong at Thyferra's resident Grand Admiral, he spread his arms wide, ready to give Desaria a nice big hug. Which he did. To one of the Grand Admiral's legs.

And bless his heart if he didn't give his all into that hug, his antannae not even coming up to Desaria's knees.

I missed you!!!

[Telan Desaria]

Grand Admiral Desaria arched an eyebrow at the very second the small machine came running towards him, knowing the small device was a harmful, and playful...thing...the Grand Admiral kept about. As did the Duchess S'Ilancy.

His guards did not, however.

" Bomb!" yelled Lieutenant Mackenson, the blue uniformed Thyferran in charge of the Grand Admiral's detail of the Imperial Guard. Four of thr troops broke ranks and ran at the Grand Admiral, grabbing the avatar; one dove over the side of the walkway into the garden, while the others pinned the Grand Admiral to the ground, hoping to cover him from lethal shrapnel.

The other guards had on command brought their weapons to the ready and had them training on the Grand Admiral from Balmorra, himself at the end of the ramp as MMU went flying.

He maintained his Grand Admiral's calm, but was doubtless shocked.

Desaria remained pinned to the ground as MMU presisted to giggle, refusing to explode.

" Let. Me. Up."

The Guards at first refused, but all knew his wrath was unsurvivable, and let him up. The guard over the side of the stone terrace had MMU pinned under his back, his pistol pointed in the direction of the shuttle, its dorsal wings viewable from the edge of the embankment.

Desaria sighed, wondering how he would explain this to Millard.

Efficiency

[Taylor Millard]

"Grand Admiral Desaria, you will release MMU at once," Millard said, humor in his eyes. It appeared Taylor's leg wasn't the only one MMU liked to hug.

"He is not a bomb. He is a droid. And I do not think he'd appreciate your men holding onto him much longer."

[Telan Desaria]

The Imperial Grand Admiral smiled, adjusting his uniform. Millard was brave, a hundred men with powerful blasters pointing at him.

We do not wear white because we are cowards.

" Of course."

Desaria motioned to the blank faced trooper who had the wiggling droid below him. He leapt to attention and the small avatar rushed back off towards Millard, he had continued towards Desaria.

By the time they were within arms length of each other, the Imperial Guardsmen had returned to their positions, heightened in awareness but unnoticeable in the events of seconds past.

" Grand Admiral Millard, I apologize. My men are...loyal and zealous. My security is their top priority, despite my orders of relaxation. I am as you know Grand Admiral Telan Desaria, Baron of Raenoria, Supreme Commander, Thyferra Sector Fleet. Welcome to Thyferra."

Desaria bowed slightly, the only authorized salute a Grand Admiral could give. While the rest of the Fleet up to High Admiral could perform hand salutes, it was thought by those that wrote the regulations that it was below the Twelve.

Undoubtedly Grand Admiral Pitta's hanywork.

[Taylor Millard]

Millard returned the short bow, then gave a rough smile.

"So...shall we go then? We do have things to discuss after all."

Inwardly, Millard felt something different. As he'd made his way down towards the planet, the Force senses he shut off suddenly disappeared. It appeared Desaria either A) Knew Millard was a Force user or B) Wanted to keep the Sith from ever attacking Thyferra. A look at the nearest tree answered his question. An ysalamiri sat on the branch, housed in an nutrient frame.

Although Millard had never seen the orders Darth Viscera had given, he had a feeling they were the same as his. Protect, in this case, Thyferra at all costs.

As the group began walking towards the estate, Millard turned to Desaria.

"Tell me Grand Admiral, do you fear the Sith Order? After all...Darth Viscera was a member of their ranks. Why have fear towards a group the Diktat was a member of?"

[Telan Desaria]

" Of course I do."

Perceptive, as he should be.

" They share in our belief that the attainment of galactic order is our utmost priority, but their twisted sorcery disturbs me. I do not want anyone to have an advantage over my men they did not earn on the field of battle. Men battle with their bodies and minds: not just a third option that can alter both."

The pair of white clad Supreme Commanders entered the southern hall of the Baron's manor. On either side were entryways into various rooms, their small Venetian doors closed giving the hall a mirrored effect. On either side of the doors were tall ivory columns adorned with platinum and Perrvian Gold, as well as emeralds, the state jewel of Thyferra.

" This way," Desaria motioned to the end door. Inside was the same dining hall where a day earlier he had been dining with Madam S'Ilancy.

" What is your positon on the Force, Admiral?"

[Taylor Millard]

"It is something a part of the galaxy," Millard replied, "I don't necessarily like it, but I don't dislike it.

"Perhaps having a Jedi Master as a father will do that to you."

His blue eyes flicked around the dining room.

"But I am not here to discuss the Force, Grand Admiral Desaria. I wish to inform you of something. You see, I am looking for a woman, Loklorien s'Ilancy.

"I believe you know her, after all, she did steal a Star Destroyer from Admiral Lebron for you. I believe you gave her a duchess position for it. The Duchess of Warwick, I think."

[Telan Desaria]

Desaria motioned to a seat on the right hand of his.

" I know of her, yes. The Duchy of Warrick, actually. And the Destroyer she acquired for me, through methods I chose not to think on, was fully operational and had a full compliment of fighters. That was my payment, as I thought her too modest to take the thirty-five billion credits I was willing to pay: fifteen below the production cost, you know.

" If this Destroyer was taken from you, Grand Admiral Millard, I apologize. I was informed it was Remnant in origin. I apologize. I will compensate you accordingly.

" If I may be so bold, Admiral, what does this woman warrant? has she transgressed the Balmorran Empire? Has she insulted your honor? I can gladly offer to you the service of Imperial Intelligence on Thyferra to help you correct whatever was done."

The Grand Admiral buttered a croissant.

" Is it to your liking? I tried to find your favorite spreads on the Imperial Informaton Net. It is still operational, you know."

[Taylor Millard]

You're stalling Desaria...what are you hiding?

"No," Millard remained pleasent, "The Star Destroyer is not mine. Instead she is my fiance. And I am simply here to bring her back home."

He took a bite of the croissant, "I believe Commodore Tomar sent what I like along with this message. Butter is butter, as far as I am concerned. Although...I do prefer Blue Bonnet the best."

[Telan Desaria]

Something is not right.

Grand Admiral Desaria stood, leaving his half eaten croissant on the table, and paced over to the tall glassed window looking over the south lawn. His eyes were averted out, his hands clenched together behind his back.

The black sleeve cuffs and trim on his neck was all that separated the two Grand Admirals in appearence.

" Millard, let us dispense with the pleasantries. There are no listening devices here: this is my home. So let us speak as men.

" I have worn the uniform of an officer in two different Fleets for the past fifteen years of my life. Since I could crawl, I found myself matching wits with droids and playing with Destroyer models when my peers were playing football in the field. War is all I have known.

" I do not remember what love is like, so I will not pretend to understrand your request. But you must understand my reluctance to speak on this. I gave some one my ord of honour that I would not, and I have yet to break a promise I had the ability to keep.

" Madam S'Ilancy is here, on Thyferra. At her own request. And it is here she wishes to stay. She is a citizen of Thyferra now."



The last words almost dripped out of the Grand Admiral's mouth, his voice trailing off into space. His eyes drouped shut and snapped open, his lamentation of past love come and gone in the time it took a turbolaser to turn an armor plate in molten durasteel.

It is done. Honor is all I have left. And I will be damned before I let it disappear.

[Taylor Millard]

"I wonder, Mister Desaria," Millard replied, "Do Thyferrans have to take an oath of citizenship before they become a member of the planet? Balmorrans do, unless they are born on Balmorra.

"I highly doubt Loklorien has taken any sort of oath. I am here simply to bring her back to Balmorra to marry her. The necessary arrangements are being made back on Balmorra to prevent the accident which happened earlier from happening again.

"Unless, of course," he raised an eyebrow, "You are stalling to let her leave now."

[Telan Desaria]

Desaria had a fire in his eyes that could only be called smoldering rage.

" I have shed the blood of the Empire to further its glory! I will not be called mister! Telan I offered you, but do not dare insult my ability, Millard!"

" Any one who has been screned by Imperial Intelligence is welcome here, an oath is not neccessary. People are bound by actions, not words.

" Madam S'Ilancy is here on her own chosing. She expressed a desire to stay. She may until she wishes that changed. Until then, she will go where she will. If you are to marry her, you must accept her independent spirit. She will go and come as she pleases. She wishes to stay for now. And stay she shall!

" I may not have flet love for a decade, but that does not mean I have forgotten the general principle."

[Taylor Millard]

"And I didn't know love until last year, Admiral," Millard said quietly, "If Lok has made her choice to stay here, then she may tell me herself. In person."

He was treading on dangerous grounds, but Millard continued.

"Tell me, Admiral, do you find s'Il as...refreshing as I do...her ability to say what she wants, when she wants. Her freedom. Her...spirit.

"Do you hope to capture that for yourself? Is that why you will not let her leave here?"

[Telan Desaria]

Millard had a control off the field Desaria had on.

" I have no interest in your female companion, Millard.I am Centaurian. Romantically, women are beneath men. You should study my culture once before meeting me.

" I am not keeping her here. She is here on her own will. And she will tell you what she will."

Desaria turned.

His rage became uncontrollale.

He drew his sidearm and moved towards Millard, his arm stifly at his side. He slammed it down on the table ahead of the other Grand Admiral's croissant.

" You doubt my word? Then here. Exact your vengeance. But do not call me a liar."

His chest puffed, his eyes aflame, Desaria stood towering over Millard.

A glorious finish to an inglorious existence

[Taylor Millard]

"No Admiral Desaria," Millard said quietly, "You chose your life. I now choose mine.

"If you wish to end your own life, that is your own choice. I will not prevent you from doing so. Although...there are Imperial commanders who would want to take your planets from you if you did die.

"Can you see Centaur under another banner other than your own? I certainly cannot see my home under a different banner. Will you end your own life to prove a woman does not have control over you? Hmm?

"The choice is yours Grand Admiral. I will not make it for you."

Millard turned to leave.

[Telan Desaria]

" You may preach your insolence somewhere else, Millard. Do not forget, I outrank you. I received my promotion before you did yours.

" You are a man I though would understand honor. Perhaps I was mistaken."

Control now reigned, rage given to logic.

" Wait one moment, Grand Admiral Millard."

Desaria turned towards the window.

" Captain Lawrence, bring the Duchess to the dining hall."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

She'd put off making the calls to Hyde for the ship she'd need for the week; instead, she'd procrastinated quite wonderfully, playing a mindnumbing game she'd played before. The last time had been when she and Prent were contracted out to move ice for Mr. Amber Shades, and now, she was holed up in some room while Desaria had his little breakfast 'get-together' with Millard.

1... 2... 3... 4... 5... 6... 7...

"Damnit!"

The last card she'd thrown glanced off the rim of an upturned stormtrooper helmet... a quite empty stormtrooper helmet. For the last half hour she busied herself with tossing playing cards into the thing, and not once had she been able to get anything into it. She cursed once more, glaring daggers at the helmet, and finally, with an exhasperated sigh, she tossed one more card.

It fell neatly into the helmet.

"Well it's about time- "

The door opened then, and an imperial captain strode in. Lifting an uninterested gaze up to stare at him, s'Il only gave him a bland expression before turning back to her game.

He stopped at the foot of the bed, hands clasped at the small of his back, and stared down at her. "You're to come with me to the dining hall."

Unmoving, s'Il continued tossing her cards. "No. I'd rather not, thank you very much."

[Telan Desaria]

" This is at the personal request of the Grand Admiral. There is a matter which requires your immediate attention."

The Captain knew of the current situation.

" I will remain with you, Madam. No one will attempt to spirit you away. I am trained in unarmed combat, and I doubt Admiral Millard is as well. If he is, I carry this," he said, moving so she could see the sizeable pistol attached to his belt.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Without missing a beat, she flicked one of her cards at the captain. It bounced off his chest to tumble into the helmet.

"Well how 'bout that," she mumbled absently, plucking another card from the dwindling deck.

s'Il paused then, looking up to the Captain. "Look. If Millard is down there, then I, am not. Simple as that."

She tossed the card, cursing as it missed the helmet completely.

[Telan Desaria]

" Madam, the Grand Admiral gave me an order: to bring you to him. If you do not go willingly, I will sedate ypu and carry you to him."

To hell with this

Instead of waiting for a flippant retort, he drew his blaster, placed it on stun, and shotn the Duchess. She went limp and unconscious. He hefted her over his shoulder and carried her to the dining hall.

When he arrived, he placed her on a high backed silken chair at the entrance to the hall, the two Grand Admirals embroiled in a battle of wits and words.

He waved a small package under her nose so she would awaken, unharmed and his mission fulfilled.



And wake she would.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

She surged forward, eyes snapping open; yet instead of their normal metallic hue, they were a tawny yellow that radiated near hatred as a gutteral growl formed in her throat. Hands shot out, clamping around the captain's throat as she leaned into him, pushing him back. Color began draining from her vision as she glared at the man.

She would not go into the dining hall, it was as simple as that, and s'Il was willing to o anything to make sure it didn't happen. To think; on the other side of that door was Millard... she could smel him...

As she pushed the captain back, she changed, eyes taking on a wild anger as the bones of her face shifted, narrowing as muscled moved beneath her skin to cover her new form. A silver sheen of fur grew like wildfire, rippling over her body as she continued to drive the captain into the ground, and her hands came away from his neck... instead going to his chest as they too began to transform. Fingers broadening and nails becoming thicker and more pointed, she now pinned him to the marble floor with massive paws.

Tail whipping back and forth, the vornskr stood atop him, her muzzle lowering to brush along the side of his face, and curling her lips back, let a fang slide along his skin. With a snort, she growled once more, a low and menacing sound.

All this happened in a matter of seconds, the unfortunate captain unable to do anything; not even cry out in shock, and as she pinned him down, her eyes glared into his own, their intelligence unmistakable and their silent message deadly clear.

I'm not going in there...

[Telan Desaria]

Line Captain Zien Lineius had more than planned for such a contingency, having been fully apprised of the current situation.

More than that, before he donned the field grey of the Imperial Navy, he had worn the black of Imperial Intelligence, something he had no dearth of.

When he did not exit the room in one minuite as scheduled, a full squad of Imperial stromtroopers entered, flanking the pair on every side, two per flank. Their bone white armor was a stark contrast to the oak panneling of the room.

They all fired several volleys into the center of the room, hitting both the Vornskr and the Captain, a risk he had planned to take. The blasts were heavy stun, and the Captain would not rouse for a few days with a severe headache.

The Vornskr went down like a triligram of ferrocrete blocks.

She would be carried to hall, where she would hopefully revert to her natural state.

If she did not, another platoon of Stormtroopers and the manor's Imperial Guard detachment would be waiting. There was no way out of there.

The Grand Admiral would not be disobeyed: the captain had seen to that.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

With unconsciousnous came reversion, and as she lay atop the line captain, she changed once more, her body transforming back to her original, human form. Lancing her back and sides were red semi-burn marks where the blasts had caught her at near point blank range.

Thankfully the guards had the foresight to clothe her once more, dressing her in her discarded clothes. They'd also tied her hair back loosely, the sight, if anyone had seen, must have been an odd one; one squad of stormtroopers essentially playing 'dress-up'.

And then they hefted her, two troopers on either side grabbing each arm to drag her into the hall.

[Telan Desaria]

The Lady S'Ilancy entered the hall quietly, her arrival heralded only by the click of stormtrooper boots on the polished floor.

The pair of Grand Admirals noticed her and moved towards her.



" There you are, Admiral Millard," Desaria said. She is here. And she wishes to remain so. Before you ask as to her state, a Vornskr is hard to control. I do so prefer the company of her as the Duchess, rather than a game animal."

[Taylor Millard]

Millard ignored Desaria's comments and ran to where s'Il's uncouncious body was draped on the chair.

"I know all about controlling vornskr's, Desaria," Millard almost spat as he placed his hands on her face.

"Not like this, s'Il," he muttered to her, "Never like this..."

[Telan Desaria]

Desaria turned and returned the window from whence he had earlier looked.

" The decision is hers. If she chooses to stay, then the Thfyerra Sector Fleet shall stand to defend the rights of its citizens, and not one ship shall pass.

" If she chooses to leave, then she may. Her account will remain open, and the Duchy will remain hers. She will retain her citizenship."

Desaria nodded to a nearby stormtrooper who placed a package under the Duhcess' nose, and she arose to see the face of Grand Admiral Millard ahead of hers.

She may not have felt safe in his presence; the stormtroopers and Guardsmen would alleive any fear she had if words came to actions.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

For a second time her eyes flew open, again beginning to shift from metallic to golden, but she froze at the face before her; the face of Grand Admiral Millard. Caught in limbo, she remained unmoving, her eyes a raging storm as tawny yellow threatened to take over.

Emotions played out across her face as she stared at a man she hadn't seen in a long time.

And the only sound to come from her was the beginnings of a deepthroated growl... this wasn't how it was supposed to be... Millard shouldn't have been here...

... yet he was, and staring at him, she was unable to move, not even to acknowledge the still burning sensations of the stun blasts.

[Taylor Millard]

"Desaria," Millard said, as he stared at s'Il, "Explain to me why you did this? Either you were holding her prisoner, or you stunned her to bring her to me.

"Release her...now. And let her run."

He lowered his voice so s'Il could only hear it, "This wasn't my idea at all."

[Telan Desaria]

" She is not a prisoner. I did this to rpove my word to you, that she was on Thyferra and here of her own free will.

" The guards are not here to keep her motionless.

" They are here to stop you from trying to abduct her. At her request."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

"Don't ever have me shot again," came the low voice direscted at Desaria, laced with a gutteral growl. She remained motionless though, refusing to stand. Instead, she shifted her gaze from Millard to Desaria's back.

Her vision had been caught between phases, the color saturationn of the world she saw low almost to the point of having no color, and she could feel her muscles screaming for the change. And yet, with all of her anger came confusion; why Millard hadn't taken her already was a mystery, and even though he claimed to not have planned this, she still didn't understand why he wasn't taking advantage of the situation.

"If I'd known you would've had me forcibly dragged in here, I would have... " she trailed off then, still staring at his back.

[Taylor Millard]

"And if you do have her shot, Desaria," Millard's eyes flashed, "You will have to deal with me.

"Now...I suggest we see what s'Il has to say. If she chooses to go, you will give her a new ship...a ship I haven't seen, nor will see...I want no technical readouts either."

LOK! LOK! LOK! LOK! LOK! LOK!

And with that...the droid, MMU made his grand entrance.

[Telan Desaria]

Desaria did not exchange glances with either of them. He was the largest figure in the room, his silhouette nearly blocking all of the single greel-paned window.

" As Duchess of Warrick, you have a personal Fleet yacht, five personal shuttles, and a cadre of Thyferran landspeeders. And rest assured, I did not plan to have you shot. This action was taken by a subordinate, a capable officer. I merely ordered you brought here. Obviously, you refused. My men do not like disobedience, inside their ranks or out."

The Grand Admiral allowed Millard's comment to pass, unnoticed. He was no longer in the mood to battle.


The affection the officer shared openly towards his beau was reminiscent of a brighter period of Desaria's personal history. Perhaps that is what set him off, the reminder of what he once had.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

MMU had scrambled into her lap faster than she could have expected, but it still didn't stop her reaction...

In one fluid motion s'Il had swung out of the chair, causing the little avatar to crash to the floor, and as she backed away from both Millard and the droid, she shook her head.

"Just... just go away... I want to stay here... "

The antannae atop MMU's head fell like a rock, and she would've swore that he was about to break down in utter tears.

She couldn't even look at Millard.

She backed into a stormtrooper, the man unmoving incase she bolted once more, and her motion halted, she stared down to the polished floor, unable to say anything else.

[Telan Desaria]

Desaria gulped silently, drifting apart from the room's happenings and occupants.

His eyes were shutting slowly, and rising with great pain and deliberation. Pain emotional left scars physical could never match.

" You have your answer, Admiral. You may enjoy the capital, or you may leave."

[Taylor Millard]

Taylor opened his mouth, ignoring Desaria's comment. But MMU beat him to the punch, by half a second.

LOK WHY!?! WE'RE HERE TO HELP YOU!! I....I....miss you....BESIDES...UNCLE TAY DOESN'T PLAY, CHASE THE RANCOR! MMU was besides himself.

Millard stifled his emotions, but listened to MMU as he started begging.

Uncle Tay?

[I]just...the piano...

[Telan Desaria]

Desaria rightied himself into a parade ground worthy attention.

" You will want some time to yourselves."

He motioned to his men to leave. They would wait in the hall. Grand Admiral Desaria was calculating and efficient, but he was not heartless. His men would stop Millard if he tried to abduct the Duchess. They would allow them to meet and part in peace. They would want to speak without the presence of ten Thyferran Guardsmen and a dozen Imperial stromtroopers.

I know I would


The Grand Admiral spun on his heel, the doors being parted ahead of him and closed behind him.

In the hall, he slumped in a large chair, where he placed his head in his hands.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

She only stared at the floor as Desaria had his men leave, then left himself. He'd left her alone... with Millard. MMU had latched himself onto her legs, refusing to let go as he lightly beat his head against her knee.

Don't leave me, Lok, please... don't leave me...

Her eyes remained downcast, half closed.

"What do you want," she finally mumbled, absolutely miserable.

[Taylor Millard]

I WANT YOU TO COME HOME! AND BE WIH ME! PAPA TAYLOR DOESN'T MIND!

So now I'm Papa Taylor? Millard kept the chuckle to himself.

He sighed and regarded s'Il, "You came back once. I wanted you to come back again. But permanently. But not like this...not forced into it."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

She let Millard's words run over her as she knelt down, hands going out to the little droid still firmly attached to her leg.

"MMU, sweety, let go," she spoke softly, and as the avatar complied, she tinked his belly with a fingernail. "Remember the argument I had with Uncle Silus?" He nodded, so she went on. "This is like that almost, it's just that instead of me and the Grand Admiral being too much alike, we're too different... "

s'Il cast a glare up to Millard before returning her eyes to MMU, "I can't live with him anymore... I left you because I didn't want you-"

You didn't want me??!! The droid was visibly shocked, and fell to his rearend, completely shattered while staring up at s'Il.

"MMU... " she reached out then, picking him up, and as she stood up, held him like a child. "It's not like that; I had to leave everything behind... it's not that I didn't want you; I did. But I couldn't live with myself, with any reminders of what I'd lost... "

She placed a little kiss on his forehead before setting him down, and straightening up, she gave Millard a dull stare. "I can't come back. You know it.".

[Taylor Millard]

"You're wrong though," Millard replied, "I did some checking...there are several ways around it.

"Notice how you're around me now and not going crazy? That's because there are ysalamiri here. And they hold back certain things. They're installed in my chateau and in the new castle.

"Oh that's right...you didn't know," he saw the look on her face, "Castle Millard got destroyed. And both Kyry and your father came looking for you."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Her eyes remained bland, devoid of their normal fire as she continued to stare at him.

"No... I know it was destroyed...

"... I... was on Balmorra last week... "

[Taylor Millard]

SEE! SHE DID COME BACK FOR ME! I don't care if she said she wasn't...but SHE DID LAST WEEK! MMU hopped around all happy-like.

"Why were you on Balmorra?" Millard asked kindly.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

She turned away from him, head lowered and eyes once again downcast.

"I... went to see someone I hadn't seen in a long time."

Her arms crossed, hugging herself tightly as she took a deep breath.

"... he told me what happened."

[Taylor Millard]

"You saw Silus didn't you?" Millard inquired, "That's the only one on Balmorra who you have any sort of connection..."

He paused, "Outside of me."

[I]AND MEEEEEEE!!!

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

That was it; she couldn't listen to him anymore. This was getting her nowhere, and s'Il knew that the conversation would only progress into him asking her over and over again to come back... and she'd already given him her answer...

Her arms went to her sides then, and clenching her fists, she cast a look over her shoulder at Millard.

"No, not you. I shut you out of my life the moment I found out what I'd done to you. Get that through your head."

[Taylor Millard]

"I don't understand why, is the problem," Millard said, "And even if I did...I wouldn't stop hunting you.

"I know you are not the type to just run away from all your problems, as your father said you were. I fought him vehemently over that subject.

"You know we have a solution. And you needn't run from it."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

She rounded on him.

"Shut up," was her only growled response. "Just shut up. I hurt you once, I won't do it again."

Her chest heaved as she sucked in a breath, and with a last, enraged look at him, turned and headed for the door.

[Taylor Millard]

NOOOOOO! DON'T GO!!! MMU reattached himself to s'Il's leg, then glared up at Millard.

Grand Admiral Cucumber up your butt, that's what you are, Papa Taylor

"You realize he won't let you leave here," Millard said as crossed in front of her, ignoring MMU's comment.

"I wouldn't be surprised if Desaria wants you as some sort of truce between he and I. The man who reunited the Grand Admiral with his one-true love."

He smiled tightly, "And of course you won't do it again. I've taken the necessary precautions. Plus...I've rejected the Force before...I can do it again."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

"I don't care if you can reject the force, and I don't care what Desaria wants me for," she growled, prying MMU from her leg, "I know what I want... and... it's not you... "

Gods it hurt to say that...

She refused to look at him any more; she couldn't. In her mind, she'd just burned the one bridge that she never wanted to burn. Giving him a wide berth, s'Il once more made for the door, and her hand reached out to grasp the knob.

[Taylor Millard]

"There's a problem though, s'Il," Millard replied, "You don't mean that. I can tell by your eyes, you don't mean that.

"What are you afraid of?" he got close to the door again, placing his hand on hers.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

As soon as his gloved hand touched hers, she pulled away from him as though he had the plague, and backing away, she stared up at him...

He stood there, white Grand Admiral's uniform as spotless as the day she'd met him.

"I'm done talking to you," she replied stonily.

[Taylor Millard]

"What...are you afraid of, s'Il?" Millard said matching her tone.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

She closed her eyes, not saying anything for a few momenst; instead digesting the silence that reigned between the two; even MMU was quiet, staring up from one to the other. The muscles of her jaw twitched, and she let out a hissing breath. This was over. She had to end it. Now.

Stepping forward, her hand reached out, turning the knob and throwing the door open. She stopped halfway out the door then, pausing for a brief moment before looking up, locking eyes with him.

"I'm afraid of you."

And then she turned away, starting forward once more.

[Taylor Millard]

He caught her arm, this time, and both looks the two got were almost feral.

"Tell me, Loklorien. Would you ever say to me...stop...if you loved me you'd stop?"

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Not in a thousand years...

She only stared coldly at him, his arm halting her movement, and slowly reaching a hand up, proceeded to methodically pry his fingers from her arm.

"Stay away from me," she only answered, her molars grinding.

[Taylor Millard]

He leaned forward, looking into her metallic eyes.

"That's my girl," he almost whispered. Then he mouthed, 'I love you. Always.'

The he let go.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Fury was the only thing that she returned with her gaze, and whirling around, s'Il stormed down the hall, away from Millard. Her eyes caught sight of Desaria, sitting in a chair with his head in his hands. She grimaced, and nearing him, slowed her pace before stopping in front of him. Her bare feet had made no noise, and she waited until he would notice her.

She stood motionless until he looked up at her. And with a snarl of rage her fist cocked back... only to rocket forward, connecting solidly with Grand Admiral Desaria's cheekbone in one massive punch.

She stood back then, to survey the damage while holding her fist.

"Don't ever do that to me again."

[Telan Desaria]

The Grand Admiral had been removed from his personal musings by a thrash. A violent thrash that would have elicited the reaction of his cadre of guards, had Desaria not have anticipated such a reaction and briefed thme on inaction.

His face sat to the side, his set square jaw red from where she hit.

He returned his head to standard and looked up at her.

" I am sorry. Honor is all I have left, and I could not allow your husband to stain it. His ploy worked, and I fell prey to his guile. I take my cap off to him.

" Is the Grand Admiral still here? What will become of you? And he? Shall I ready my fleet for war?"

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

s'Il only glared down at him, her teeth grinding as her fingernails dug into her palms, nearly drawing blood.

"He's not my husband," she growled, "... so don't say that ever again."

She leaned forward then, her hands going out to brace herself on the armrests of his chair as she stopped her face inches from his. "And yes, he's still here. As to me, I'm here; that's all. I don't care what he does, just as long as he leaves... and he knows how I feel...

"Now. War? Telan." She called him by his first name to get his attention even more than she already had... it was a slight gamble on her part that not many people called him that... "Get your act together. As far as war is concerned, I think you're looking to die early."

Her metallic gaze remained steely.

"I'd rather that not happen."

[Telan Desaria]

" so be it. If the Admiral is finished with you, I will escort him away. You may remain here, or you may depart now that he knows your location. You will receive full use of your private transport fleet and the accounts registered under your name."

Desaria stood and moved to walk back to the dining hall, where MIllard remained.

[Taylor Millard]

Millard was all ready moving, carrying MMU this time as the little droid was squirming in his arms.

NOOOO!!!! LOK! DON'T LEAVE US! PLEASE!

"Come along MMU, we're going. I've got a plan."

REALLY? WHAT? TELLMETELLMETELLMETELLMETELLMETE-

"All in good time, MMU, all in good time," Taylor continued his walk from the dining hall towards the exit.

[Telan Desaria]

Desaria reached the dining hall in time to see Grand Admiral Millard being escorted from the Manor by a cadre of Thyferran Guardsman.

To a man nearby, the Sovereign Supreme Commander leaned and whipsered only one word before strolling out after the Balmorran Supreme Commander to ctahc his ear one more time.

The black uniformed Intelligence Captain clicked his heels and rushed off.

[Taylor Millard]

Millard turned his blue eyes flashing as he stared as Desaria.

"What can I help you with Admiral?"

[Telan Desaria]

" Much," Desaria replied, taking a gait customary to Millard's and striding next to him, their jackboots hitting the pavement in tandem.

" Admiral, your visit here was personal and my actions previously were likewise. Neither of has acted today as the Military Commander a potent fighting force.

" We are both Imperials, sons of the true Empire. Let us not remain parat for too long. My Intelligence department has provided me extensively witrh reports of the happenings within the boundaries of Balmorra. And from what i have read, I have heard that trouble is not too far away.

" With that, I place myself and my fleet at your disposal. I will be there to help if you need it, in any way, one officer to another."


* * * *



On the other side of the Imperial Manor-Landing Pad

There was a cadre of blue uniformed Thyferran Guardsmen lining the walkway to the Grand Admiral's shuttle. The day was light and night would not fall for six hours.

It was very plain to see the black uniformed Captain of Intelligence stroll away from the craft and disappear from view as the pair of Supeme Commander's came into view, one holding a small droid with drouping antennae.

[Taylor Millard]

Millard nodded, "I have been kept abrest of the situations in Balmorra. If there is trouble, I can handle it.

"We didn't fight the Rebellion to see ourselves destroyed did we?

"But tell me," he asked, "What have you been told?"

[Telan Desaria]

Desaria pursed his lips, for he was indeed entering uncharted territory. He knew that there were politicial machinations in the works his fellow Grand Admiral could not comprehend: Desaria did not pretend to either, he merely knew of their existence.

" Admiral, everything. I know of your would be Emperor, Kiterix. I know that while you are here, others are replacing you. You are considered expendable, and once the limit of your strategic grasp and intellectual as well as tactical knowledge has been fully exploited, you will find yourself adrift towards a black hole.

" I give you this advice: reel in the politicians. Let them know you command the Fleet. The last thing you want, the last thing I want, is to see an already splintered Empire deteriorate any more. Agaian I say, if you make the call here, the Thyferra Sector Fleet will aid you in way. Simply because you call yourself Balmorran and I am called Soveregin does not mean we not all still Imperials."

[Taylor Millard]

"I can handle Kiterix," Millard replied, "But I appreciate the offer, of assistance."

The two had reached the shuttle by now, and Millard paused outside the entrance., to give his last good-byes.

[Telan Desaria]

Millard paused before he would stride down the soldier lined walkway to his shuttle. Desaria extended a hand.

" Admiral, I look forward to seeing you again, under different circumstances."

[Taylor Millard]

Millard regarded the extended hand.

"I hope so as well, Admiral," he simply nodded at Desaria.

"Who knows what the future will hold for the Empirel."

Then he shook Desaria's hand, with his gloved hand, and left.

[Telan Desaria]

Grand Admiral Desaria watched Millard depart, watched his soldiers grab their rifles and stomp into the stone decking as he passed, watched Millard enter and disappear. He then watched the shuttle ascend into the atmosphere.

As he watched, the Grand Admiral muttered a soft warning to his gone ally and comrade.

" Let us hope we do."

[Taylor Millard]

Millard sat in the shuttle as it rose from Thyferra's surface. MMU was silent, his antennae drooping as he lay on Taylor's knee.

The Grand Admiral's mind was racing though.

Loklorien was lying when she said she didn't want to see me again. And she never told me to stop...what if... he pursed his lips.

"I got it!" he said aloud, a smile on his face.

What? MMU said despondantly.

"Nothing," Millard replied, "We'll discuss it later."

Oh...

Taylor tousled MMU's head, "Don't worry...we'll see her again soon enough."

The shuttle travelled on towards the Superior.

[Telan Desaria]

Imperial Command and Control center, Xucphra City

" Admiral, we have the Balmorran courier shuttle returning to its Star Destroyer."

A figure from the shadows stepped forward, the low light of the cryptoanalysis chamber barely shining on his rank plaque.

" Activate."

The technician nodded, barely catching a glimpse of white illuminated by an amber control console as the other departed.

[Taylor Millard]

Millard pressed the buttons, bringing the shuttle up towards the Star Destroyer.

He wasn't happy, even if he was certain s'Il would return to him. He was so caught up in his thoughts, he didn't even hear MMU pulling at his tunic, with the urgency of a small child.

Umm...Papa Taylor? Papa Tay-lor...

Millard still hadn't said anything.

PAPA TAYLOR!!!

He turned his blue eyes shooting a withering look at MMU.

"What?"

MMU held something in his hand.

What's this?

The Imperial Grand Admiral's eyes widened as he spun towards the controls, his hands desperately pressing at buttons.

"MMU, throw that away it's a bo-"

Suddenly...the shuttle exploded.