Bad Day. (Open to any and all)

[Garrett Blade]

ooc: No real direction, just the basic plot thread I've described. It can go anywhere and anyone can get involved. And there are no parts taken for the characters I mention, so feel free to assume any npc role you like!

The plan was pretty simple: The Muse wanted her ship built within about a year. Garrett was going to get the parts for the ship by doing favours for the right people, and they would supply him with what he needed. His first contact was a Hutt. He didn't know who, he only knew where. He also knew that he had to deliver something so someone - but he'd forgotten what it was and who it was for. And the fact that he hated Hutt's didn't make this whole ordeal any easier. The only fortunate thing was that he was to meet his contact on Coruscant - and he was already on Coruscant. The hard part was getting off-world! This was going to be a reeeeally bad day! All he needed now was for DeVille or Hera to show up and complicate things!

Winding through the masses of pedestrians he finally arrived at the meeting place - a large comlink manufacturer's warehouse. Owned by the Hutt for some legal profits to back up his (or her) business. It was also a front for a narcotics factory in the lower levels. He was told that if he was followed then he would be penalised. And the hooded figure had been following him since he left his apartment!

[Geeda the Hutt]

As Garrett Blade stepped through the great bay doors of the warehouse, he was swallowed up by a surge of axe-weilding gamorrean guards - who were very careful not to get too close to him. It was widely rumoured that this particular darksider was insane. Not that the gamorreans thought all such as he were insane...but this guy was apparently more so - and certifiable at that, or so they had heard. They snorted and doted, watching for any suspicious or threatening movement by the new arrival.

Satisfied, they hefted the heavy doors shut along metal tracks and with a resounding "clang" the warehouse was momentarily engulfed in inky darkness.

First one, then another large floodlight flashed on, causing the motely crew of guards to duck and squint their pig-like eyes from the glare.

Out of the brilliant glow boomed the voice of Geeda - Hutt Syndicate Crime Lord and self-confessed Spice Addict.

"OOB NADA SOOM DOS BONNODA, MISSTOOR BLADE"
(At last you have arrived, Mr. Blade)

A dull and dented protocol droid (who needed a good polish and perhaps a little tweeking) approached Garrett . And despite his shoddy appearance, with much nodding and bowing, greeted him as if he were royalty.

"The Great and Mighty and Exceedingly beautiful Geeda welcomes you and asks if you would come this way, Sir."

[Garrett Blade]

Garrett rubbed his head. His headache was getting worse. As he had said time and time again - the best cure for a hangover is not to go out drinking the night before! Already he could smell the Hutt. The perfume she was no doubt dowsed in was not enough to fool his enhanced sense of smell. Even though he didn't have an enhanced sense of smell - he liked to think he did! The droid led him down several corridors and through several factory warehouses until he came to a large metal rusty door.

"Open Sesame!"

Nothing happened.

Just beyond the periphery of Garrett's vision, the droid pressed the OPEN button. Simultaneously, Garrett spoke out loud again...

"OPEN SESAME!!!"

The door scxreetched open slowly.

"I knew I'd have to say it twice! Damn doors!"

[Geeda the Hutt]

The droid hesitated a moment, puzzled by Garretts words. Should he explain that it was the circuit inside the button that opened the door? - but the good fellow seemed under the impression that he had somehow had a hand in it..

Looking back to one of the Gamorrean guards for support, only got a rude snort to hurry him up, the droid decided it was not important.

"Yes, very good, Sir. This way please, mind the step."


Once inside, Garrett could see a number of crates, stacked 5 high against the far wall.

Geeda slithered her weighty self over to the contraband and with a chubby hand, patted them lovingly.

"Boosda noos dom baddo Vargo dos Hutt, Mistoor Blade"

(You will deliver these to Vargo the Hutt, Mr.Blade)

Her amber spice-bleared eyes found Garrett and held him in her sights, her rough tongue sliding noisily along her painted lips.

"Inm numboor somm dobba sollda hyperdrive oo dasnosted"
(In exchange for the modified hyperdrive you requested)

[Garrett Blade]

One, two, three, f-bloody hell!

Garrett mulled over the job. That was quite a load.

"I just upped my price. In addition to the hyperdrive, I want you to conduct a raid on the morgue on level thirteen in the Pantena District."

He immediately saw a change in Geeda's facial expression (if you could call it a face!). He waited for the question of what to steal. Wasn't it obvious?

"Do we have a deal?"

[Geeda the Hutt]

Geeda's face went a deep shade of purple.

"DOONG SOOBE DOS NUDOOE WIZARD!! OOBASOON DOE LUBBNODDA!!!"
(This is what I get for dealing with this crazy wizard! I will peel him for tonights stew!)

She spoke quickly and loudly, and it was difficult for Garrett to follow what she said, though her displeasure at this change in the deal was obvious.

The droid turned quickly to Garrett Blade, its circuits recognising immediately that Geeda was teetering on boiling point. Which was bad news for everybody. Geeda was not too discerning which way her wrath flew...the dents in the droids head bore truth of this fact from previous incidents.

"The beautiful and abundantly generous Geeda is...er...alarmed that the Wizard Mr.Garrett Blade should change the agreement and make..um...demands of her illustrious Highness-ness."

He leant a little conspiratorily towards Garrett.

"May I suggest Sir, that we stick with the original plan? It will be um..." he looked over to see the guards levelling their blasters at the insane Sith (doubly convinced now of his poor mental status) "...it will be a lot pleasanter that way. For everyone."

"Goonsooda boss nimbodda drooid, doomba soonda dos uboss"
(You will go with him, droid and make sure he doesnt double-cross us)

The droid continued the translation.

"Um...the lovely and infinitely wise Geeda suggests I go with you to...er...assist you and make the task less arduous. Which, Sir, I would be honored to do." He nodded eagerly to encourage Garrett in this course of action.

[Garrett Blade]

The droid rose from the floor as Garrett's eyes flashed black and pink.

"No. The deal changes, or this place goes up in flames. I'll be honest - I don't like Hutts. If it were up to me then every last one of them would be boiled and smeared over Nar Shaddaa. But hey - I gotta get things done so I'm willing to compromise. The hyperdrive and the bodies from the morgue and I'll deliver the contraband. I'll find a ship for the bodies, you just get them out of the morgue. I can be reasonable but not if people tick me off!"

The droid's arms flailed about helplessly as Garrett began spinning it round in the air.

"And I don't have all day to play around."

[Geeda the Hutt]

"Oh my"

The droid was seriously distressed. The room was spinning...or rather he was spinning and he could see the guards had their blasters trained on himself as well as on Garrett Blade. Their uncertainty as to who they should shoot unnerved the droid a great deal. A couple of the gamorreans were dizzy also, and swayed on their stubby hairy legs - one or two toppling off balance.

Geeda watched in silence, and then bellowed a hearty guffaw.

"Oss Drooid us numbboda gimmbo. Ooos indos num booda!"
(The droid is turning green. Thats a good trick!)

"Umboo dos nooda Blade. Us doondo oode ur ded booddies"
(We have a deal, Blade. You will have your dead bodies.)

Geeda turned and slithered away towards the exit, her retreating back indication that the conversation was at an end.

She would arrange a raid on the morgue, get Garrett his corpses, and then see that he was waylaid and killed enroute for his insolence.

As she passed one of her twi'lek slaves, she whispered for him to contact SFF...she had a job for the Faene Mistress to do.

[Garrett Blade]

The droid was plonked back down on the ground, still spinning. Garrett made his way towards the crates to inspect the quickly. There didn't seem to be any booby traps or nasty surprises, so he headed for the door once again. The crates followed him, screetching unbelieveably along the metallic floor panels. He glared at the guards.

"Bloody Pigs!"

They grunted something back. But he didn't even begin to think what they could have said in their pig-language.

"Your boss needs her sponge bath!"

The doors were ripped off their hinges, or whatever the hell kept them up, and Garrett exited the warehouse - crates in tow.

[DarthHERA]

The transmission from Geeda on Coruscant had been relayed from ShadowFaene Fortress to the "Wolfsschanze" as the vessel made its return run through deep space towards her home base.

Hera wasn't in the assassin busines...and had told that fat slug time and time again. You want someone dead, you kill 'em yourself. But this job was an exception. This was different.

Geeda wanted the hit done once the target had delivered his cargo to Vargo the Hutt - after all, she was a buisness woman too, and Hera could appreciate that.

She altered her course and set it for Hutt space, Ylesia, and thought about the last time she had seen Garrett Blade.

A thin smile crept along her lips.

[Garrett Blade]

The crates were piled blatantly in an alley not far from a group of Republic Police. Garrett was around the corner hacking into the spaceport docking records for the day. There were three ships that were currently idle. A YT-2400 Freighter; a Mon Calamari Cruiser, and a Kuat Drive Yards KT-1000B light transport.

Almost an hour later, Garrett was in the crews lounge of the Mon Calamari Cruiser. His crates of contraband were stored in the cargo hold along with the rest of the passengers' luggage. He was wearing a blue blazer with several gold, bronze and silver medals adorning the jacket, and a crystal clear pair of white trousers slightly covering black sparkling shoes.

Captain Blade. Has a certain ring to it.

He thought to himself as the stewardesses chatted amongst themselves, completely oblivious of their true captains dead body lying on deck three in an electronically-locked...locker. As they were about to ask about their new captain, the lovely ladies were distracted by three ding-dong-dings over the tannoy system.

"Would all crew members please return to their posts as the ship is prepped and ready for departure."

Garrett's eyes lit up and a grin appeared across his lips. Playtime!

"Well my dears...shall we?"

[Geeda the Hutt]

The droid was doing his best to look inconspicous and that he belonged on the Cruiser, but as he passed the mess hall doorway for the third time in as many minutes, the fact that he had no idea where he was became quite apparent.

As he spun about for one more pass, a steward approached him, a rather large man - and short-tempered looking. Before panick boiled his wiring, the droid caught a glimpse of Garrett Blade exiting the crews lounge, and made a dash to catch up with him.

"Why sir! I nearly didnt recognise you - I must say, that blue is a very nice color on you."

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

Back on Coruscant, the Gamorrean assault team from Geeda's entourage made their hit on the morgue. They were armed to the eyeballs with all manner of guns and explosives, quite failing to see that the place they were attacking was already filled with dead people...

Half an hour later, they loaded and transported 8 corpses to Coruscant Space Port. The crates sealed and assigned to one "GARRETT BLADE ESQ." to await his collection.

[DarthHERA]

She was glad not to be heading toward Coruscant.

Since her latest exploits there, she needed to keep away from the planet city for the time being. The Coruscant City Watch, not to mention the Jedi, didnt look too kindly on the murder of a Senator and she would need to keep a very low profile towards that planet for a while to come yet.

Taking up position in the outer perimeter of Hutt controlled space, the "Wolfsschance" lay in wait for Blade's arrival.

Hera pondered what type of transport the Sith Wizard would take, while she scanned the local frequencies for any chatter regarding irregular cargo movements or suspicious traffic in the area. Which, obviously, would be many given the nature of Hutt enterprise in general. She definitely had her work cut out for her.

Poised like a wolf in the darkness, eyes watching, but teeth not yet bared - she fleetingly wondered if Garrett knew he was being hunted.

[Garrett Blade]

"You see...the thing is, right.........I want to tell her I like her. But then that means there's a greater chance of her finding out about....well...you already know what I'm on about, right?"

He sat in the third row of the fifth First Class Deck, next to the unresponsive corpse of a Miss Dela-Canne. Her lifeless eyes mocked his enthusiasm. Luckily for him, though of no use to her, the ship was on autopilot. The rest of the crew were now like their captain, and the ships passengers. Naturally, he blamed the droid.

"Anyway - I'm going off on a tangent. The point is that I lost track of things a long time ago. But look at you - you've got your whole life ahead of you. The skies your limit, you're free! I've got chains all over the place and I need to break them before I can get on with my life."

A loud beep began to sound from the bridge doorway.

"Duty calls. See you later my dear."

He stood and walked gracefully over to the lift doors, stepped inside, and ascended to the bridge. Once there, he hoisted the stewardesses dead body out of the captains chair and sat down himself, activating the tannoy system simaltaneously.

This is your captain speaking. Could all passengers please ensure that all overhead compartments are sealed tight, seatbelts are fastened and loungers are in their full upright positions as we are now descending to land!

A few seconds later, the Mon Calamari Cruiser ripped out of hyperspace and threw itself at the planet. But there was another ship directly in it's path.

"Unidentified craft, please get out of the way or lower your shields and prepare to be assimilated...into my hull!

[DarthHERA]

It wasn't the "move-or-I'll-kill-you" ultimatum that echoed into the cockpit of the "Wlofsschanze" that gave him away. Nor was it the fact the that particular Mon Calamari cruiser had originally set a flight path to Kuat according to Coruscant Spaceport logs hacked earlier by the Sith Mistress.

No. It was the odd tingling in her bloodstream - a residual side effect of an unorthodox healing remedy Blade had used on her back on Korriban.


She hid her prescence from him, for the time being, and adjusted her course without delay.

Garrett would deliver his cargo for Geeda. She had him in her sights now. She'd found him and the easy part was done.


Soon the fun would begin.

[Garrett Blade]

The planet was like a dirty sapphire as it lay against the endless blackness. The ship hurtled past the unidentified ship. Garrett looked out the side bridge window as he passed by.

"Pff! Women drivers!"

The Mon Calamari cruiser continued its descent towards the planets surface. Ten minutes later, Garrett emerged from the crater which had been created upon crash-landing into the crust of the planet.

"Where the hell are we?"

The sun beat down overhead. It was extremely hot and Garrett was still wearing the uncomfortable spaceliners Captains uniform. He retrieved a pair of sunglasses from his inside blazer pocket, folded them up, and held them to his lips enthusiastically.

"Captains log, stardate five-three-oh-four-point-I-can't-be-bothered! We've crash landed on a strange planet with no signs of visible life whatsoever! The air is breathable and the ground stable. The ship is utterly destroyed but the cargo is intact. |Crew and passengers all dead - cause of death unknown though I blame Command for lousy promotion procedures! MIssion parametres have changed - I now need to find my contact and shove a bat up his or her night dress, deliver the cargo and shoot whoever signed me up for this mission! End transmission!"

He dropped the sunglasses and returned inside the ship. Half an hour later he emerged from the rear docking ramp wearing a loose-fitting red dress complete with large-rimmed blue hat (as it was the only thing he could find in the passengers luggage that fit him) and made his way up the side of the crater, followed by a four-strong unit of binary load lifters which carried the crates for him. It was a long walk to the nearest settlement, and he had no idea who he was looking for. Once again he'd forgotten what the Hutt told him to do. Hopefully something would jog his memory before too long.

Eighteen hours later, Garrett and the droids were still plodding through the desert with no idea what was going on or what his job is.

A further seven hours later, Garrett arrived at the edge of a large settlement just as night fell. He proceeded into the urban sprawl to find a place to store the droids and cargo and perhaps get something to drink.

Nearby, a shadowy figure scaled a wall and entered a transport before it slipped off into the darkened backstreets. A transmission was sent as it left.

[DarthHERA]

Hera had leisurely made her way over to Vargo Hutts general domain, anticipating Blade to make his delivery, and that she then would apprehend him.

But Blade never showed.


This threw her into a slight kiniption. What did he think he was on - a sunday jaunt?

Annoyed that Garrett wasn't doing as expected, she was forced to take up the search.

Locating the wrecked Cruiser wasnt too difficult and upon seeing Blades deadly handiwork, Hera had problems figuring out just what he was up to.

She spent all day and half the night trying to trace the Wizards moves - which was not easy at all. No one had seen a man of the description Hera gave.

She stopped into one more tavern, the last of so very many, having covered the township and outlaying areas via a stolen speeder looking for Garrett. If she had no luck here she would return to her ship to regroup and rethink.

Another clueless shrug from the bar tender showed this effort also to be fruitless and fail to turn up any lead to go on.

Bloody hell

Ordering a drink and a meal "anything you got - as long as it is hot and isnt still moving." She found a clean booth and swung herself irritably into it.

[Garrett Blade]

It was late, and Garrett was restless. He should have taken the contraband to Vargo, but he'd forgotten that he was even on a job. So instead, he decided to have a night on the town. He'd stored the droids with the contraband in a dusused warehouse which he'd gained entry to by bypassing the security systems. And he'd installed a few "new" defences to there was no problems of the contraband getting stolen. Or at least he'd hoped so. And so he ventured out onto the streets to have a good time. A good, sane time. But the instant the doors were closed and secured, and Garrett was walking across the road, he receeded into himself, and Tel'Mah emerged.

How unfortunate! So much for a good night out for Garrett!

[Tel'Mah]

Crossing over, Tel'Mah pulled his hood over his head to hide his features. Madness was a dangerous foe. But when hidden, it was deadly! He entered the first bar he came to. It wasn't exactly a bar because it served food, but you couldn't call it a cafe or a restaurant either - this area wasn't good enough for a restaurant or cafe! He walked inside, concealed by his hooded black cloak. As he entered, the foul smell of alien smoke attacked his senses. It was probably worse for him given his height and the fact that smoke tends to rise. He tried not to breathe in too much until he was sitting down. Finding a seat near the bar, he sat on it and ordered a drink in a low voice. A woman sat nearby, sipping a drink whilst looking into a bowl of unknown food. It looked like soup; the heat rising off it gave colour to her cheeks. She reminded him of somebody he knew - but he couldn't place her face anywhere in his mind - probably because it was already packed full of other insane information and detail! She casually looked up from the bowl and glanced his way. Who the hell was she? It was beginning to iritate him a lot.

"I know who you are!"

He spoke in a deep voice - very different from that of Garrett's, who's voice was erratic, spontaneous and somewhat high-pitched and screetchy. His face was still hidden from her...

"You're looking for him aren't you!?"

[DarthHERA]

Hera got up out of her booth, her meal forgotten.

The fact that Blade had wandered into this very same bar was forticious in deed. But to have him sitting there acting like they were strangers and drawing ever more attention to himself was annoying. Did'nt the man realise he was in Hutt territory, and that he was overdue on his delivery by about 2 days. Not very smart.

The Hutts weren't exactly forgiving types, and if Geeda hadn't already put a price on Blade's head, she would have by now for sure. Surely Garrett knew this.

She closed the distance in three quick strides and pushed him roughly in the arm.

"Are you crazy?" She couldn't keep her irritation from her voice. "What do you think you are doing?"

She grabbed him by his arm and bustled him off his seat and toward the door. Hera had intended to mess with Blade a little, snatch him up, convince him she was taking him in for a bounty...just for oldtimes sake. But her sense of fun had evaporated over the long hours of searching for him, and had given way to frustrated worry.

The fact that Blade was acting like they had never met before only agrivated her already bad mood.

She kicked open the door and trundled him out on to the street. Blade twisted and shrugged her off angrily, drawing his blaster.

The outraged look on his face gave Hera pause. It was hard to find the man she thought she knew as she looked at him.

[Tel'Mah]

Tel'Mah aims at her head - the anger swelling behind his concealed eyeballs.

"I'll let that go for now! I'm gonna cut you a break! Let you in on a little secret! Blade's got to deliver something to the Hutts. Don't ask me what it is - I don't know! But he's been really annoying lately and so I thought I'd teach him a lesson and since you're after him you might as well do it on my behalf. I know the Geeda's hired you to find him, so to make your life easier I'll tell you where he is. There's a disused warehouse not far from here - the only one for several miles. The contraband's located there - and so will Blade be shortly!"

The last time Hera had seen Blade - she almost met Tel'Mah, but 'just missed him' when Garrett dived seventy metres out of a shuttle. All in the hopes that Hera wouldn't find out about Garrett. It seems she found out after all!

"Catch ya later hep chick!"

He threw the blaster at her feet, spun around and darted down the nearest alley.

[DarthHERA]

Looking into the face of insanity is an unsettling thing. Even for a Sith, who is used to bizare behaviour in its many forms.

But looking into Garretts eyes and having someone you dont even know staring back at you from behind them, is just creepy.
Its like looking at a speeder wreck. The carnage is so unbelievable, yet you cant help but stare.

Hera, quite literally, was dumbfounded. She was at a loss for words.

Garrett was talking to her a bunch of gibberish in the third person, and then dashed off to disappear from sight down an alley..

It was.....creepy.

And so Hera chased after him.

For someone out of his mind, Blade sure had a great sense of direction. He ran straight to the warehouse, who's location he had probably never been to prior than this night. He slinked into a side entrance, Hera close behind him.

It was dark inside...and cold.

"Garrett? You in here?"

[Garrett Blade]

"Oww! My head!"

Garrett sat up off the table, hitting his head against the overhead cabinet. The cutting disc was between his legs, but definitely turned off! Why he chose to sleep on a workbench was anybody's guess! His head was spinning and he didn't have a clue where he was. Then he heard a voice outside in the warehouse. He stood up clumsily and stumbled towards the window of the small office room, knocking over a pile of tins in the process. The woman quickly spun in his general direction.

"Hera!?"

Garrett stood up uneasily and joined her in the main room, the cloak and hood still wrapping him in darkness...

"What in Kinderfeld are you doing here?"

[DarthHERA]

"I would ask you the same thing Garrett"

She moved closer, though with caution.

"I know what you are supposed to be doing" she scolded "But honestly, that little rant of yours earlier has raised more questions than just why you have delayed your delivery to Vargo."

Blade looked different than he did out on the street - like he'd just woken up. But that couldnt be possible.

"Whats going on..What did you mean when you said 'teach you a lesson' And whats the big idea of pulling a gun on me?"

Her voice had a hint of concern in it.

[Garrett Blade]

He rubbed his forehead slowly. His mind felt like it had been cleaved in two with a vibro-axe. That wasn't entirely untrue! He closed his eyes as he tried to ease the pain, but it only got worse as he tried.

"Oww!!!"

He opened his eyes again and tried to focus on Hera. His vision blurry, his hearing muted but he could understand what she said well enough...

"I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about. What lesson? What - oh, Vargo. Now I remember. Um, I'll get round to it tomorrow, but I gotta have a drink or somethin' right now! Fancy joining me? I think there's a bar not far from here..."

He was mumbling. That meant he was hiding something. But what was he hiding? Even he didn't know!

[DarthHERA]

"Sure" she replied, eyeing him closely.

"When was the last time you ate?"

[Garrett Blade]

"Hmm...well, I left Coruscant yesterday - about 8 hours ago. And I hadn't eated in a good few days. I'd say - what - five days?"

He stood upright and grabbed his coat from the far side of the room. He stumbled awkwardly as he went.

"First rounds on me!"

[DarthHERA]

Hera opted for the first eatery they came to. She didn't think Blade looked so good. Quite aside from the fact he hadn't eaten for so long...he just had an odd vibe about him.

The flashing neon sign declared they had entered a diner that made the "Best Fried Chicken" in the universe. Hera was doubtful, but she wasnt in the mood to argue.

Garrett now sat opposite her in the patched vinyl booth and read over the laminated menu. Hera tried to hide her impatience. What was so hard? The choice was fried chicken, fried chicken or fried chicken!

She drummed her fingers irritably on the table as the server stood passively by, pen poised over her order pad, and both females waited on Blade.

Hera finally snatched the menu from Garretts hand, and pushed it at the server.

"He'll have the fried chicken burger with fries. Make it two and bring us something to drink. Doesnt matter what."

The girl left to place the order and Hera leaned forward locking eyes with Blade.

"What has happened to you since Korriban Garrett. You're not yourself?"

[Garrett Blade]

He looked at her as if she had neon breasts protruding from her shirt and a large Emo-Hawk perched on her head.

"I don't know what you're talking about. Okay, I haven't been dabbing in the necromancy malarky for a good few months but I'm feeling as great as usual."

He eyed her suspiciously. What was she up to? All these questions. Since when did she become an inquisitor?

"Perhaps I should ask you the same thing! Why are you acting so strangely all of a sudden. I highly doubt you've come all the way out here to ask me if I'm feeling alright!"

Fast food - literally. The woman returned with thier burgers and fries. A fork levitated above Garrett's plate, ready to impale his chicken. His eyes didn't move from hers.

[DarthHERA]

As she mulled over how she should approach this, Hera looked at Garrett blankly a moment. Not an easy task given the levitating fork. She wanted to snatch it from the air and demand Blade be serious.

Her food remained untouched and she sighed heavily. He owed her no explanation, of course. He was not accountable to her for what he did or didn't do. But she could not in all conscience sweep what had happened earlier in the street aside. Garrett had pulled a blaster on her and had acted as if he'd never seen her before. His ramblings caused a disquiet within her and the more she thought on it, the more convinced she was that something was really wrong.

"You're right, Garrett. I came after you to let you know Geeda wants you dead. She contacted me to do the honors. But when I caught up with you earlier tonight, I noticed....and forgive me for being blunt... something is wrong with you. Im worried you might be...sick."

Genuine concern was written on her face, and her voice was quiet and soft now.

"I'd like to help if I can."

[Garrett Blade]

His eyes widened at the news. One half of him was flattered that a price had been place don his head, but the other half thought "It's only a Hutt!".

"Geeda? Well well well - she's a crafty little bugger! Let me do the work and then she rubs me out eh! I guess I'll consider her a loose end!"

He grabbed the fork and went to dig into his food, when he realised what hera had just said...

"WHAT!? Me? Sick! Oh come off it! Look at me! I'm fine. I'm feeling strong enough to pull the ears off a Gundark! My health's fine! Stop being silly!"

His attention was diverted to a small bug that scurried across the table edge that lay against the wall. A smile crept across his lips.

[DarthHERA]

Reaching forward, Hera grabbed Blade by the shirtfront and yanked him half across the table. Some diners looked over at them surprised, others shrunk lower into their seats and pretended to notice nothing.

"Dont think you can play these games with me, Blade. I dont have the patience for them."

Her eyes flashed angrily at him.

"You pushed a blaster in my face and spoke in a weird voice like you were some wacked-out clone. You hearing voices or something are you? Has someone been messing with your brain? Just tell me, and I'll kill them for you."

[Garrett Blade]

"Now come on Hera! That's a bit uncalled for. This shirts brand new!"

Her grip tightened. Garretts head jerked slightly as his eyes suddenly turned black as they filled with some unknown liquid. Suddenly, Hera was thrown back into her seat and he leant forwards right across the table to her face.

"Watch yourself bitch! He doesn't even know I exist so it'll only confuse him even more! Do yourself a favour! Give up on him, he ain't worth it! I'm the real genious! He's got dreams, but I've got plans!"

Her glared at her. The knife was now firmly in his hand, and it appeared he had the balls to use it. But not Garrett.

[DarthHERA]

Her reaction was instinctive, reflexive.

Sure, she was shocked at the look that overtook Garrett as he was lost once more in anothers presence and that horrible voice erupted from his mouth. But a fighter had trained responses, and her fingers folded about the neck of the wine bottle sitting on the table next to theirs.

With one swift strike, Hera clobbered Garrett across the head with it, knocking him from his seat and onto the floor, and creating one heck of a mess of glass and cheap red wine.

She pounced on him, pinning him to bodily to the ground and stretching one arm along his to hold the knife he clenched in his fist against the floor.

"Guess what.." she ground out as she leaned down to his ear, the jagged end of the bottle in her other hand pushed up close to the side of his face, "plans have changed."

[Tel'Mah]

He jerked his head to the side hard. The broken bottle impaled the side of his head and face. With another quick jerk, the bottle smashed on the floor completely. They were causing quite a scene and everyone in the restaurant had stopped what they were doing. Tel'Mah's face was cut to shreds. Ribbons of skin hung from his bloody flesh. A shard of glass resided in the side of his face, and had actually gone through his left eye. He ignored the pain.

"Says You!"

He arched his back and thrust his legs upwards, sending Hera up and over the top of him. With the aid of the Force, he followed and landed on top of her.

"Just think of what he might end up doing if he found out he'd hurt you! Oh I can't even say it! I guess we'll find out soon enough, won't we!"

He sniffed up the blood that was now dripping from his nose, before spontaneously throwing his forehead into Hera's nose with a crack. It probably hurt him as much as it hurt her. As she was momentarily stunned, he disappeared back into unconscious. And he couldn't have picked a better time.

[DarthHERA]

"Oh, geez...gaws...."

Hera pushed the now unconscious Garrett from off her, as she touched her nose gingerly. Talk about a hard frelling head.

Her face felt like it had imploded and it took her some moments to gain her focus again. Her nose was bleeding a river and she reached up to grab the nearest thing handy to staunch the flow.

A yeowl of protest came from some bottle-red-head as the womans sweater became makeshift gauzing, but it was soon silenced by a harsh growl from Hera.

She rolled up and onto her knees, to look at the now still Garrett - his face a sliced up mess thanks to his insane alter-ego. Hera cursed under her breath.

A server had the presence of mind to bring some clean white towels from his linen supply, and pushed them on Blade's wounds to stop their gushing streams.

Well this is just great.. she thought as she got to her feet, fighting the wave of dizziness that rushed up from her feet to her head.

"You" she grabbed the server who was still bent over Blade "help me get him in a cab."

Hera deposited a hefty amount of credits on the table to cover the food, the damage, the red-head's sweater, and she and the waiter got Blade outside and into a hover-cab.

Sitting silent in the backseat, Garretts head craddled in her lap. With one hand she held the towels to his face, with the other she held his hand.

Calling over to the driver "Take me to a 24-hr medical clinic. Fast."

She looked down at Blade, doing so at an angle as her nose was swollen and hampered her view.

"Poor Garrett....how am I gonna help you......?"

She felt she didn't have any answers, and as the cab bobbed and weaved between the endless traffic, she wracked her mind for someone who might be able to help.

[Loki Ahmrah]

What the hell was that? It looked like some kind of dead.....thing. Either it was right in front of him and quite small, or far far away and huuuuuuge! The guns on either side were moving about on what looked like arms. He decided to go take a closer look. Walking forwards, he dropped down into the trench and began running towards it, being careful not to impale himself on any of the needles sticking out of the trench-walls.

[Garrett Blade]

What the hell was that? It looked like some kind of dead.....thing. Either it was right in front of him and quite small, or far far away and huuuuuuge! The guns on either side were moving about on what looked like arms. He decided to go take a closer look. Walking forwards, he dropped down into the trench and began running towards it, being careful not to impale himself on any of the needles sticking out of the trench-walls.

[DarthHERA]

The doors parted with an urgent swoosh as the hover stretcher conveyed Garrett into the sterile medical bay.

The doctor was asking all kinds of questions and Hera was getting annoyed with him.

"Just fix him up Doc, ya hear. The less you know, the better off you are - got it?" She moved her coat slightly to reveal her lightsaber clipped at her hip, and the man recognised her threat immediately.

With a nervous nod, the doctor turned and ordered his team to attend Garrett with utmost priority. Garrett, for his part was twitching in agitation, his eyes moving wildly under closed lids as if in a stressful dream.

Hera stood just outside the area where they tended Garrett, and before long he was brought out once more - his now repaired face bandaged up. "His face was severly lacerated. We have reknit the tissue and nerves and muscles and he will be as good as new. Just keep the bandages on..they are coated in bacta and will ensure he has minimal to no scaring. He paused and then looked directly at Hera. "He shouldn't leave. He needs rest and to be monitored as we used high doses of pain killers and antiotics to ensure no infection develops."

"He'll be fine. I'll look after him."

She got her shoulder under Garrett's arm to lift him off the gurney. He was still groggy and only semi-conscious, and Hera figured that was a good thing - she didn't know who he was gonna be when he woke.

Having left a substantial amount of credits in payment for services rendered, Hera exited the medic center and bundled Garrett once more into a waiting cab.

On the trip back to her ship, the "Wolfsschanze" Blade mumbled and garbled in his delerium but never fully woke.

Hera's plan was to take him aboard her craft, get him well, and then...well then...they would have to see. Hopefully his psycho alter-ego would not surface until she could get some answers from Garrett and some kind of direction to take in what to do next.

[Garrett Blade]

Garrett woke up slowly. His head hurt like hell. He was drowsy and felt sick as the stench of antibiotics and medical gloves and chemicals drowned his senses. Then, he was out into the open air. The morning light was slowly coming up over the horizon in the distance, behind the scycrapers and industrial mouths from evil factories, spewing filth into the air. His sense of time wa sin disarray. He had no idea how long he'd been out for. He asked himself how long ago Hera and he were in the restaurant. All he could remember was a strange conversation about him not being well. What was that all about? He couldn't make head nor tail of it, so threw it out of his mind. His walk was unsteady, like that of a new born lamb taking its first fumbly steps on uneven ground. Yet he managed not to fall down or bump into anything. And his arm felt strange - like it wasn't there, by his side. He looked over, and saw somebody's head emerging from his armpit.

How odd...

He thought to himself, generating a migraine in the process. The growth was familiar - and it had a sex. He'd seen her before. On some lost, buried planet in a nameless part of his mind. She glanced at him, smiling to herself. He tried to open his eyes more, but couldn't. His face was entombed in fabric, and bulged like an overweight woman in a dress too small for her. One side of his vision was blurry and made the advancing street seem distorted. He swallowed hard, and felt the taste of water and laudinite fall down into the well of his stomach.

"Hera?"

[DarthHERA]

"Hang in there Garrett, just a few more steps."

She had been repeating that phrase for the last 5 minutes, and was surprised when Garrett had responded with a dull and abstract, "Hera?"

"Shh, almost there" she encouraged.

Which was the truth, it was just a short way now until they boarded her ship. They had exited the hovercab just at the hangar entrance, but it seemed like an eternity before she finally was able to walk the unsteady Garrett the short distance to the haven of the "Wolfsschanze."

Finally inside, Hera laid Blade on the bunk in the compact personal quarters of her ship.

Leaving him there a moment, she closed the loading ramp and requested permission for departure. It was duly granted and prior to setting her pre-flight systems check, she returned to Garrett.

He had been starting to wake up, and thankfully it was going to be the Blade she knew who was returning to consciousness. Atleast that was the case a few minutes ago.

Garrett had groggily rolled up to a sitting position, but was listing dangerously to the left and threatened to fall off the cot.

Hera stepped forward quickly to support him and sat on the bunk beside him and helped prop him up.

He looked a fright. Huge gauze padding covered one side of his face, his hair was sticking out six ways from Thursday, and the front of his shirt and pants were covered in blood.

"Garrett?" she asked hopefully and with unusual softness, "You know who I am?"

[Garrett Blade]

Her face swirled and twisted in the colours and light of the room. Only a mental picture prevented her from draining away down a point in the centre of his vision. She weaved and bobbed laterally. His focus was terrible, but he knew who she was and his hearing was fine. He touched his head gently. His mind caved in upon contact, and he fell backwards onto the bed in pain...

"Aaarghh!!!"

It was almost unbearable. Almost, because of the simple fact that he actually was bearing it, though not out of choice. He grabbed his head and swayed it side to side, but it only increased the throbbing in his brain. A deafening orchestra played endlessly inside, with the distortion on maximum with the relentless drive attacking his cortex and nervous system. He felt the pain shoot down through his legs and arms before returning to his body where the sensations exploded inside, only to send more waves of pain back into his limbs. He let go of his head in defeat. But the pain never stopped. He began to cry. For the first time in twelve years.

"Make it stop. Hera. Please..."

[DarthHERA]

She leant down with him, helping to ease his fall back onto the bunk. She was talking softly but not really saying anything that she felt could possibly comfort him.

Hera was quite unprepared for what was happening. To see the torment Garrett was experiencing, the pain of it plain on his contorted face, only added to her complete sense of helplessness.

As a Sith, she was quite content - even happy - to inflict such agony as was evident before her on her enemies. But to see it in someone she cared about was a shock and stirred feelings she didn't like at all.

Blade was writhing beneath her hands, tossing his head from side to side and she could only look on. Afraid to touch him, and yet afraid not to try.

As Garrett yeilded to the strain of what he was going through, tears brimmed from his eyes and his plea to her for help invoked a profound response within her.

She took his hands in her own as he brought them from his head and placed as gently as she could a kiss on his forehead. His skin was burning to the touch.

"Trust me Garrett...You're going to have to trust me."

Taking his one hand, she brought it between them and placed it close to her chest. Opening his fingers, she brought them to take a hold of the Sith Talisman that hung from about her neck. A gift from her Master some years ago, the talisman had a healing ability once she tapped into its power.

Hera rested her head lightly against Garretts and looked down on his tear-streaked face.

"Do you feel its power, Garrett?"

The talisman began to heat in his hand and with Hera's own hand clasped around his, the power she drew from the link with her Master Ogre Mal Pannis and connected to Blade gradually emanated through into his pain riddled body.

Hera had no real idea what long lasting effect, if any, the healing properties of the talisman would have for Blade - considering his problem stemmed from the torment within his own mind and personality. But for now, it was all she could think to do.

Judging by the gradual relaxing of Blades features, atleast for now he was feeling some form of respite.

She released his other hand to fall on the bunk beside him, and reached up to gently brush the hair away from his face. It was wet with perspiration and he still felt very warm.

She closed her eyes and focused harder, feeling the awesome power generated through the talilsman as it flooded between them.

[Garrett Blade]

The heat of the talisman became cold to his touch, whilst the light glow became as black as his eyes to him. His physical senses were deadened, but his consciousness was ablaze and in agony. Every sensation his brain processed was like a pandora's box that shouldn't have been opened. He tried to let go of the talisman, but his hand would not relax. His entire left side was paralysed from the neck down. He strained to achieve some motor response, but it was useless and tiring. His breathing became heavier as his anxiety slowly turned to fear and panic. The perspiration on his brow accumulated into tiny streams that ran down his face; tiny tributary rivers of the tears from his crying.

He tried to sit up, but couldn't. His chest and head were too heavy. Yet he felt so very light-headed, as if there was nothing inside but emptiness and pain. His eyes would not close. He was so tired yet he could not sleep. He was helpless.

Then he sat up. As quickly as the pain had started, it went away. He could move his arms, the tears had gone, he wasn't sweating or breathing heavily, and he could blink again. Then, he stood up abruptly...

"Uh..."

Suddenly, his eyes flicked to movement on the bed. It was Hera sitting up again. His eyes widened slightly. His mind boggled.

"...where the hell are we?"

[DarthHERA]

Standing slowly, tentatively, Hera looked at Garrett.

No psycho-boy that she could tell, as yet anyway.

"We're on my ship, and preparing to leave Ylesia. Take your shirt off."


She didnt wait for Garrett's response. Instead she crossed to a locker and opened it. She pulled out a shirt, and held it up for sizing..It was one of Cyrus's. "Nope, too short in the arm."

She dug out another one, this one belonging to Silus. "Nope..all the front buttons are ripped off.." She bundled them back into the small space and shut the door again.

She then walked out and into the main cockpit area, to another locker. This one belonged to Remkah, the Captain of ShadowFaene and as he often travelled with Hera, he kept a change of cloths on board.

Snatching up a clean shirt and pants she took them back to Garrett. He and the SFF Captain were a similar build, and he could use these until she got Blade back home.

"You can get out of those blood-stained cloths. Im going to get us out of here."

With that, she went back to the cockpit, and within moments, had the "Wolfsschanze" reversing thrusters and banking away from the Ylesia spaceport.

[Garrett Blade]

He chainged without complaint. A thousand thigs raced through his mind and not one of them made any sense. One thing he had an inkling about was why he was on Ylesia in the first place. Perhaps Hera knew. And why was she on the same planet as him today? It was very odd indeed. He made his way to the command cabin, still feeling slightly drowsy from the medical drugs mixing with his own...

"Hello...er...how's things?"

He slumped into the other chair, banging his knee on the console as he did. he rubbed it whilst glaring maliciously at the offending metal corner.

[DarthHERA]

He looked terrible.


The big chunk of gauze on his face, aside, Garrett looked pale, with dark rings beneath his eyes. His hair had blood in it, and he looked at her with eyes that showed great confusion.

She sighed heavily.

The ship cut its path through space like a silent hunter in the night. Sure, confident and quiet. Hera always felt a sense of tranquility whenever she travelled like this.

But not today. Her mind was full of worry and...doubt.

"Garrett - Im going to ask you a question, and I want a straight answer. I think we have enough mutual respect for each other that you will be truthful."

He lifted his eyes from their repose on the offending metal corner and looked at Hera, expecting her to continue.

"You get yourself all messed up with glitterstim and spice have you?"

[Garrett Blade]

"Ouch."

Gazing into the blue madness of hyperspace, he avoided eye contact.

"That hurts, Hera. That hurts a lot."

What's brought all this on? It's not like he was acting strange or anything. Well, at least no stranger than usual. All this talk of glitterstim and spice knocked him sick. He didn't touch drugs anymore. In fact he'd been off drugs so long ago that his old addictions weren't even in circulation anymore. But thats going off the subject. Why did she think he was on drugs all of a sudden?

"No, Hera, I'm not on drugs. Now would you please tell me why all of a sudden you see me as some crazy crackpot with more money than sense."

Technically, that would be an accurate interpretation, since Garrett had roughly eighty-nine billion credits in his name and virtually no sense whatsoever. But she didn't know that!

[DarthHERA]

He didnt remember anything. Pulling a gun on her, threatening her, the little stunt in the diner, none of it. He wouldn't look her in the eye, and Hera wondered why that was.

"Im sorry, Garrett. I didn't mean to hurt you. Its just.."

She leant back in her chair wondering what to say. How do you explain to someone that you think their going off their rocker? That they've dropped a few links in the sanity chain and are ready for the white-coat guys to drive them to the big scary house on the hill?

"...You just seem really different than before and I know from being around you, that you have that whole "magic" thing going on. And to be honest, I never trusted such mythic arts. They screw with peoples heads too much. But you always seemed in control before, so I assumed...I figured maybe...you know, the spice got you or something. Im sorry." she finished lamely.

Oh this was a mess.

She rubbed her temples with her fingers as the silence hung between them.

Suddenly and surprisingly to Blade, Hera announced out loud the thought she had been dwelling on since returning to her ship.

"Garrett - I think you should stay with me for a while."

[Garrett Blade]

"Oh I get it! You're taking me to Dante's Point, that bloody totalitarianistic asylum on Klantooine! Over my dead body, sister!"

He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Hera was the last...second to last person he expected to act like this. Sure he acted different. He always had acted different. Hadn't he? Yes, he had. All those years ago, when he met Gav at The Sith Council. Oooh that Ital, he was such a hypocrit! And then Lady DeVille arrived. He didn't change. He'd always bene like this. For as long as he remembered. Hadn't he?

"I'm not sitting here whilst you insult me like this. I may be some wierd guy who studies Necromancy but I've got feelings you know! Obviously you don't understand me like I thought you did!"

He stood up abruptly and made his way to the door and, beyond that, the airlock. It had slipped his mind that they were in hyperspace. Maybe the airlock didn't operate in hyperspace. Some older ships didn't have such safety protocols. He wasn't thinking straight either way.

[DarthHERA]

Slapping her hands to her face in exasperation, Hera growled into her palms and then ran her hands up through her hair. She shouldnt try to help, she sucked at helping.

Garrett stormed out of the cockpit, but Hera was mentally ahead of him. Last time he was on her ship, he leaped from the airlock. She would not to allow that to happen again. She thought abstractedly that she never found out why he did that..

Setting the safety lock on all openings, Garrett would have to put a hole in her hull in order to get out...He was crazy enough to do it too, and the thought of which made her flick on the autopilot and jump from her seat to go after him.

Finding him prowling angrily in the lower deck, she confronted him in her not too tactful style, annoyance in her voice.



"Im not gonna send you anywhere...Have you forgotten the Hutts sent me to kill you?"

This atleast made him stop prowling.

"I'll let you in on a little secret, Garrett. I dont understand anybody. Frell, I dont even understand myself. I just see, and react and let the chips fall where they will. Most times Im right. Occasionally Im wrong." (she was generous to admit, she thought to herself) "I didnt mean to offend you. C'mon, Im sorry. You know I would never do anything against you."

She aproached him, slowly, cautiously...she had no idea what to expect from him.

"Ever think I might like to have you around for a while?"

[Garrett Blade]

"Well I don't know. After all you did accept the Hutt's job!"

He eyed the door seductively, winking at it, then turned to Hera.

"But if you put it that way...I guess we could chill out together for a while."

He sat down again. He was fidgeting with his feet. It wasn't his fault that anything short of a naked cabaret dancer couldn't hold his attention for more than a few minutes. He interrupted his self-centred world of whistling to stand, walk over to Hera and gaze semi-attentatively into her calming eyes...

"Two things. First - you've got to promise me that you won't try to kill me - no matter how much the Hutts are offering you. I'll handle any hassle they send your way - just promise me."

[DarthHERA]

She rolled her eyes.

"If I was going to kill you, we wouldn't be having this conversation in the first place, Garrett. I took the job so I could find you first, before someone else did. Im not worried about the Hutts. They arent anything I cant handle."

Now she held looked at him, her blue eyes clear, frank and holding his gaze, willing him to see the honesty in what she spoke.

"I already told you, I would never do anything against you. Ever. I promise. "

Hera had a sentimental attachment to Garrett. She couldnt explain it. It was something she held for very few people, and even then, would never admit to such. She sincerely wanted to help him, and didn't want to see him get hurt. She just liked him for some reason.

His twitchiness and sidelong glances at the door made her very nervous, but she fought to remain casual and calm in her voice.

"What's the second thing?"

[Garrett Blade]

"Show me this illustrious ShadowFaene Fortress of yours!"

Short and to the point. He didn't really have a reason to go. He just wanted to go. He just wanted to see the place. He'd heard it mentioned a few times when he'd eavesdropped once Hera's name had been mentioned in a cantina or bar or club or whatnot. It sounded very intimidating. He began to wonder just how big the place was, and whether or not it was an actual fortress like the traiditional planet-based ones, or if it was some station or even a really big ship. Whatever it was, he was sure it would be interesting to have a look around and spend a day or two there before they moved on.

"Pleeeeeeease!!!!!"

His eyes began to hurt as his vision blurred slightly. He rubbed his temples gently, eyes partially closed. He hated it when he got migraines. They always made his forget quite a lot of things. Luckily this one wasn't all that bad. In fact, the only thing he forgot was the crates he'd left on Ylesia that he was supposed to deliver to that Hutt.

[DarthHERA]

She flashed him a warm smile as he made his request.

"I'd love to show you."

ShadowFaene had expanded in the years Hera had the outfit in operation. Beginning as a large Space Station, she had recently cleaned out (with the help of the Nemoidian Trade Federation), and moved into a substantial land base as well.

In effect, she had 2 bases. One a mobile base that usually travelled the far reaches of the Outer Rim, with no fixed co-ordinates which made it nearly impossible to find. The other a hidden and secret location on the Planet Enton - even more unlocatable, protected by the natural geographical defences and the security measures that had previously been installed by the prior owners and improved upon by SFF.

It would be to the second she would take Garrett to see.

She wouldnt even try to explain what was what right now. There would be time for that later.

"Ill adjust course and you should get some rest. It will take some time before we arrive. You probably still feel shakey from the medications, I assume."

She stopped before turning away.

"Garrett, you have to make me a promise now...You cant go trying to jump out of my ship or anything till we land safely, ok?"

[Garrett Blade]

"Heh! Why would I want to go and do such a stupid thing like that!? You're such a kidder!"

He giggled momentarily before returning to his bed. The door was wide open and Hera could still se him, but he payed little attention to her.

"Yeah, I think I will get some rest, thanks!"

His migraine was really starting to act up now. He could hardly see. His legs turned to jelly and he collasped onto the bed, though to Hera he just fell lazily onto the sheets. The best thing to do, he thought to himself, was to sleep it off.

...just sleep it.....

As he drifted off whilst his brain screamed at him for being so complicated yet totally oblivious to everything that went on inside most of the time, he tried to relax his mind. It hurt even more than thinking did - especially thanks to the migraine. He thought about her. It usually made him feel better inside. It helped him relax. And it worked to an extent. But he found it difficult to even think about her right now. Something was distracting him. Something was forcing him away from her. It tried to make him think about something else. About destruction and pain and evil things. He tried to shake the thoughts away but it only increased the pain. Eventually he passed out, and the black paint swirled all around inside his head until there was nothingness.

[DarthHERA]

She twisted her head at almost a ninety-degree angle and frowned. Of course, it would have been just as easy to turn the magazine upside down, but somehow that didnt work the same the way the image was angled.

"They cant be real.." she observed doubtfully to no-one in particular. "No one has lekku's like that."

She shut the edition of "Strange but Blue - Twi'leks of the Unknown Region" and tossed it disgustedly across the cockpit so that its pages flapped like a sick bird in flight and crashed inevitably on the floor.


Hera was running out of things to do. Garrett had been sleeping for hours. It was a fitful sleep though, as he made weird noises every so often. Mostly low murmerings like talking in his sleep. Other times just noises. She had gotten up to check him everytime at every sound at the beginning, but that had soon given way to the glance over her shoulder in his general direction. Once it was obvious he was just having bad dreams and she confirmed he wasnt up to some maniacal activity involving explosions and the like, she allowed herself to relent a little. And no wonder he had restless sleep, Hera thought. Blade was one messed up guy. He had demons that he was wrestling with. Or one atleast, and Hera had met that one - and he was a jerk.

Stretching herself out in her chair, she yawned enthusiastically, and then leant forward to check her flight course and instruments. Again. She had never been so vigilant with flight control.

All was as it should be, and time - though moving slower than the digestive system of a sarlaac - was moving on.

Two more hours and they would be entering the orbit of Enton.

Another yawn, this one made her eyes water, and she shook herself to regain feeling in her legs.

Standing, she crossed over to a small cooler unit to forage for something to eat. Seeing nothing that appealed, she stepped to the small mess area and got herself some black steaming coffee.

Crossing back to her chair, she grabbed another magazine from a small holder kept for just such a purpose and slumping back into her seat, hunkered down to read a unblievable story who's headline cried "Who really was Luke's father?!"

[Garrett Blade]

He was running. From whom? It was incredibly dark and cold. The rain belted down against his face as it shot through the open windows. The wind rattled the curtains, threatening to blow them away or tear them apart trying. He clutched his sword as he ran. Sword? Where was his lightsaber? It didn't make any sense. The smell of stone was unbelievable. Then, the first arrow flew. It impaled a nearby pillar, draped in exotic cloth with golden and green designs on the purple base colour. The flaming arrow quickly ignited the entire decoration. The flames spread out of control, mystically leaping from pillar to pillar, curtain to curtain, carpet to carpet. The entire keep was quickly being engulfed in flames, and there wa sno sign of the black-clad man. Garrett carried on searching the upper levels of the keep. His hair flappe din the midnight wind as air rushed through the empty halls. The troops outside continued their barrage of flaming arrows. The majority of the missiles hit the outer walls and fell down into the damp undergrowth at the base of the walls. The minority that did enter the castle only added to the burning carnage.

Nothing made any sense. Where was Hera? Were was the ship? Where was civilisation as he knew it? Why did things look so.....ancient?!

"WHERE ARE YOU!?!?!?!?!?"

[DarthHERA]

The flames licked now about his feet..For some reason he had no boots on and Blade could feel the soft hairs on the knuckles of his toes singeing. The heat was unbearable and Garrett tried in vain to untangle himself from the burning drapes. He twisted and turned, but he only seemed to secure himself even more in the burning shrouds.

He clambered desperately to the stone window ledge - his only option to burn, or fall. Hera's voice called to him, and he could see her now standing below and holding an umbrella. Between blinding black smoke and the pounding of the enemies outside the room where he was trapped, Hera's voice drifted up to him. And she was laughing.

Garrett remembered being really annoyed about that. Hera was such a bitch sometimes.

And then the umbrella turned very dark and grew legs and became the man that Blade had been hunting and he was hovering in the air threateningly over Hera. But she didn't see him. She couldn't - only Garrett could, because he was up above.

He called warning to her, but she still was laughing. He flung himself out the window at the dark-clad man, the blazing drapes flapping behind him like flaming wings. Noooooooo!



**


Hera fell back against the ships gleaming floor roughly, smacking her head hard. "Uugh"

Blade was on her, the sheets thankfully tangled around his arms and legs restricting him enough so he couldnt wrap his hands about her throat.

His eyes were wide and fightened...almost as wide and frightened as Hera's.

Finally, thankfully, her voice peirced his fevered sleep-drunk mind.

"Garrett - its a dream! A DREAM!! "

[Tel'Mah]

"A DREAM!?!? You think I'm a dream do you!?"

He clawed at her feet momentarily, before turning his attention to the bedsheets constricting his movement away from the bed and towards her throat.

"I assure you, my dear - I am very real indeed!"

He struggled with an outstretched hand towards the cabinet, a vibroblade just visible over the edge from his low-down viewpoint.

[DarthHERA]

The instant he spoke Hera knew she was not dealing with Garrett again and so did not give the psycho other personality a chance to repeat the debacle at the diner.

As Blade stretched upward, Hera didnt hesitate to send a sharp quick strike with the base of her palm into his throat.

When Mah fell back, Hera rolled upward and pinned him against the cupboards.

"Im getting tired of this song and dance. You and me better learn to get along, or something very bad will happen to you...understand me?"

They had landed on Base now, and outside the craft Tel'Mah could faintly hear voices and movement, while Hera watched his eyes keenly for signs of his next move.

[Tel'Mah]

ooc: Sorry I haven't been online for a while. I've had exams. But my last one was on Friday, so I'm completely free from now on (unless of course I'm at work!) And as you know, I've got ADSL so it won't be a problem getting online.

It took some effort to push her away, but he managed to eventually. He rubbed his throat slightly, glaring at her menacingly. He had half a mind to lunge right at her again, but didn't.

"Fine. I guess we can hang out for a while."

He tidied himself up slightly. He looked Hera up and down a she did so. "Not bad!" he thought to himself. Well...not completely to himself. As he did, Hera opened the airlock. Outside, security personel and several droids were already gathering outside. Pretty routine for the arrival of a ship. Tel'Mah moved to join hera at the top of the ramp as they began to walk down; an uneasy silence seemed imminent.

"So where are we anyway?"

[DarthHERA]

"We're at my place" she stated curtly and moved past Garrett to lead the way from the ship. "No funny business, you hear?" She added as warning, catching his eyes darting about the place. "We're to be friends, remember."

Walking down the ramp and onto the familiar gleaming floor of the docking hangar of the Base, Hera was greeted by members of her crew as they went about the routine tasks of refuelling and overhauling her ship. They took in the man she had brought with her, eyeing him speculatively, and no doubt he they would discuss his presence here to great length once he had left the hanger and their hearing.

Hera gave orders for her ship to be gone over thoroughly - she had covered a great distance and travelled through many systems this trip, who knows what bugs or parasites could have latched themselves to the craft.

As to the day to day business of SFF, Hera needed no updating. She was consistently aprised of the comings and goings by either Remkah or Daiquiri and they were aware in turn of the visitor Hera brought with her, she having spoken to them in transit while Blade slept.

Making a direct walk to the turbolift, and on up to the accommodation levels of the Base, she intended to first show Mah where he would be staying. Hera much preferred to show Garrett around, and not his "other" self. His changes, though, seemed to have no real ryme or reason to them - not that Hera could so far tell - and the general living areas seemed the safest route to take while Garrett was in his present state.

Lifting a hand to touch an slightly raised panel on the corridor wall, she triggered the door to open to a spaceous suite.

"This is pretty typical of the living quarters here at ShadowFaene. It is quite generic as no one is staying in this particular one and thus no personal nic-nacks, items etc are around. You can use this while youre here."



ooc: Glad you will be around more :)
Its my turn though to apologise for taking so long to reply. Been hectic lately.

[Tel'Mah]

Tel'Mah sighed as he inspected the accomodation. It was quite nice and spacious. He liked it.

"I suppose it'll do. Beggars can't be choosers, right!?", he said with a grin. He began twirling around in the middle of the room, making "whoosh" noises and flapping his jacket up and down behind him as he spun. He then threw himself backwards and landed horizontally on the bed.

"I'll give somebody a holler if I get bored or hungry or something."

He then began singing some outrageously stupid song about singing in the rain and how it felt glorious and made him happy once more.

[DarthHERA]

Watching the song and dance, Hera hoped one day she would be able to tell Garrett just exactly what his alterior self had gotten up to. With actions and everything. A smile tugged at her lips at the thought. He would probably never believe her.

"You just relax and let your hair down. I'll be back after I get in touch with Geeda and advise her my crew are on their way to deliver the cargo you left in the warehouse."

She stopped at the doorway before exiting.

"Dont go anywhere."

As the door swooshed closed behind her, leaving Tel Mah singing lustily from his prone state on the bed, his eyes fixed on her retreating back, she hailed a droid and instructed it to stand guard outside and advise her of any..repeat any alarming movement.

[Geeda the Hutt]

Not for the first time, Geeda thought Hera should put some meat on those scrawny bones of hers. Atleast she would look a bit more attractive that way. A bit, but not much. The woman had a long way to go before she could hope to match herself in raw sex-appeal.

The Hutt trained her eyes on the wavering figure of Hera's holovid image as it projected into her Grand Hall at Ylesia and demanded to know if Garrett Blade was dead. And if so, was his death slow, painful and bloody. Especially if it was bloody.

The response was not the one Geeda had been expecting and did not make her happy. Seems the Sith had changed plans on Geeda and Blade was alive and well. Hera had made him her own personal slave or something. As for the shipment, that would be delivered to Gorgja, free of charge, by her ShadowFaene crew and was enroute as they spoke. Or so she said.

Geeda leaned forward, her slimey hand balled into a fist.

"Oom needa so bunda, Heera"
(That was not the deal, Hera)

"Bod dimbonaba oos Bod Doobanda. Ud ooso Blade BARG!"
(Bad business makes Bad friends. I want Blade DEAD!)


Hera had replied, but it had been as breif as it was abrupt, and then her image vanished as she ended the connection.

Geeda twisted her torso to laboriously swivel her upper body around to glare questioningly at her Twi'lek servant, having not caught the reply.

The Twi'lek searched for a diplomatic translation of what Hera had snapped back with and therefore avoid an untimely demise at his mistresses hand.."Your majesty...she..er..she has declined your request.."

The Hutt slammed her fist down, tipping a silver tray on a serving table setup beside her, hurtling live gorgs chaotically through the air. The Grand Hall minions ducked to avoid, or angled to catch the squeeking little critters, depending on their tastes.

Geedas amber eyes narrowed and her deep voice gurgled in her throat in anger at the Sith's insulting manner and duplicitous actions.

Hera had just made a very dangerous and unforgiving enemy.

[Tel'Mah]

Time for some fun. Twenty minutes later Tel'Mah walked over to the door and knocked several times. The droid guarding the exterior of the room opened the door, only to be subsequently dragged inside. It didn't take long for Tel'Mah to disconnect all the droids limbs and head, leaving them still wired and functional. He placed the droid on the bed with its head hanging off the edge, and left the room. He began exploring the current level he was on. Anything was more interesting than staying in the room. Although to be honest there wasn't much to do even on this level. As he mad ehis way over to one of the many elevators, Tel'Mah could sense Garrett's consciousness resurfacing. He acted quickly, not waiting for the elevator cabin to reach the level. he forced the doors open and threw himself down the shaft into the murky darkness below...

[Garrett Blade]

CRASH!!!

Garrett emerged from the elevator shaft with an enraged look on his face. He immediately initiated a flurry of random obscenities, directed towards nobody in particular yet clearly expressing his discomfort. A gash had been created across his forehead, causing blood to drip down the right side of his face. He ignored it and fell to the floor, rubbing his knees and elbows. He began moaning in pain, still continuing the swearing. And the worst thing was that he had absolutely no idea how the accident happened.

"This just keeps getting better and better!"

He then realised just how much it hurt.

"Heraaaaa!"

[DarthHERA]

At about the exact same moment as Garrett yelled out her name, a number of Hera's crew swarmed into the corridor, blasters and laser rifles trained on the intruder that had lately spilled from the elevator shaft after having triggered off alarms all over the base for his unauthorised entry.

The multi-level hums as the crews weapons powered up, poised for firing, and aimed at points all over his body, made Garrett roll over and lay flat on his back with arms outstretched in a show of non-resistance until Hera showed up. Which was not long.

Blades whereabouts were communicated to her immediately, and it was only moments before her familiar form made its way toward him down the corridor.

Rolling his eyes up in his head, Garrett looked at the inverted image of the blonde Sith as she peered over him, and even at the upsidedown angle he could read her face clearly as disapproving.

"Am I going to have to handcuff you to my side every minute you are here Garrett?"

Then she noticed his bleeding forehead, and stooped to gently help him up.

[Garrett Blade]

"Well I certainly wouldn't object to the idea!"

He rubbed his head soothingly. It stung like hell. He looked around the corridor as they walked, the guns still trained on him until Hera gestured them to stand down. He looked at everyone and everything with awe and confusion. He had absolutely no idea where he was or why he was here.

"Either your ships a lot bigger than I thought, or we've landed. Nevermind! Once I've sorted my head out, how about that tour you promised me!?"

They made their way to the medical bay, chatting as they went.

[DarthHERA]

Hera tended to Garretts wound herself. What she lacked in genteel medical skill, she made up for with good intention.

Blade tried not to wince at her rough application of cleansing gauze and then bacta strip, for each time he did so, Hera huffed at him irritably. She ways trying to be gentle for crying out loud.

Once her ministrations complete, Blade scooched of the medbunk, a little eagerly Hera thought. He walked around the med bay, looking at this, examining that, all in a studied effort to look relaxed.

For her part, Hera took a seat in a five-wheeled rolling swivel chair and watched him. Her keen eyes had a softness to them as she watched him. She was at home, and comfortable. Her own surroundings, her own domain. Here she felt no need to be anything but herself and it showed in her layback manner.

"Tell me what youve been up to since Korriban, Garrett. I was sorry we didnt get more down-time once we returned to your place. You know, to talk and stuff about those tombs and everything. Have you ever returned there - to find that artifact you wanted?"

[Garrett Blade]

"Hmff!"

Garrett half laughed, half sighed at the mention of the Korriban escapade. He certainly hadn't forgotten about it - he just hadn't thought about it in a while.

"After I got you out and onto my ship I went back for Fenix. You remember what happened, right? Anyway, when I got back the winds picked up and I had to take off. If I'd have stayed any longer it would have been too dangerous to fly in those damn winds. Once I'd treated you for the poison and whatnot I had to leave. There was an urgent matter that needed my attention. Anyway, after that wa taken care of I returned to my apartment but you'd already left. So a day or two later I went back..."

His eyes fell down to the floor and he began laughing lightly to himself, almost mocking himself. Poking fun at himself. Putting himself down.

"I still can't believe it..."

Hera sat up slightly as if concerned. He carried on without her needing to ask.

"I honestly don't know exactly what happened. I got back out with the artifact. I doubt I would have gotten out had it not been for Fenix. Anyway we er...we fought them off somehow. But we ended up back inside. I can't exactly remember. There was so many of them. I was getting tired. I remember..."

He began to stammer slightly, as if the memory was all too familiar and real to him now. His eyes watered ever so slightly as he recalled what happened in that temple of death...

"...I remember calling to Fenix. I told him to hold them back whilst I spoke the incantation again. He was great - ripping them apart one by one. They trickled out from beyond the darkness and still he fought valiantly. I supported him as best I could with the odd spell as I recalled the exact words. But.... but I...."

He brought his hand up to cover his eyes. The tears trickled down his face slowly, leaving behind them streams of sadness that glittered in the light of the medical bay.

[DarthHERA]

She remembered Felix well. Garretts pet had attempted to make a meal of her at one stage of their adventure on Korriban. She did not feel the same fondness for the creature as did Garrett, but she knew Felix was dear to him. And now, it seemed, he was gone.

Hera nodded sympathetically her understanding. Blade had gained the Artifact, but at a high personal cost. Covetous desires often brought us to such ends, and if anyone knew anything about covetousness, it was the Faene mistress. Greed was one of her strongest and most comfortable emotions. She understood it, in herself and others, and knew that nothing she said would help lift the sadness from Garrett's heart. Yet, clumsy as it was, she attempted some consolation.

"Felix had an end we should be lucky to have - to die for something, or someone, we love enough to give everything up for. You did right by him in this."

She stood, uncomfortable at Blade's sadness.

"C'mon, Ill show you the rest of the place."

And she lead the way from the med bay down to the receiving dock, then on to the Vault where a great horde of merchandise was stored for sale or barter as the need had it.

There were a number of small craft - ships that were fast and agile, a few larger cargo ships, speeders, there was even a classic twin pod cloud-car. Rows of weaponry such as laser rifles, detonators, disruptors, laser-canon, almost anything one could want or need. There were crates of precious ore, explosive minerals and circuitry. Garrett even saw some suits of Imperial Armor hanging in a recess of the wall, gained during a raid on a beleagured Cruiser that turned out to be over run with Yevethen.

The warehouse went on and on. And this was just the hardware store. The precious items, rare jewels and priceless antiques that had been nefariously gained over the years were kept in a further secured vault that they had not yet entered.

It was a cache that one would expect of a smuggling/pirate enterprise that had been successfully operating for a number of years - and one where business had been good.

Hera looked around expansively. "If I dont got what you need...(she grinned confidently)...I'll get it. No muss, no fuss."

[Garrett Blade]

Garrett smiled. He was glad she'd changed the subject. Maybe sometime later he'd finish his story if the opportunity presented itself. But not right now. His eyes glanced over everything he saw. He noticed a disruptor rifle on top of a large black armoured crate.

"Heh! I haven't seen one of these since I was a kid! They're so old now! The technology's outdated in comparison to some of this other stuff!"

As he walked around the nearest stockpile of weapons, his attention was caught by a large power pack attached to a large weapon. It was a Beam tube - one of the first military-grade laser weapons ever made.

"I stand corrected! This thing could very well be older than me!"

He continued browsing, making sure that he didn't wander too far away from Hera. After a few minutes, he broke the silence between them once more.

"So what do you do for fun around here?"

[DarthHERA]

"Fun..?"

Hera hadn't used the word "fun" since..well..since she couldnt remember when. She did not consciously seek out such a passtime. When she wasnt working (pillaging etc, which in itself was a rewarding activity on so many levels), she spend her down time in her bar down town drinking with members of her crew, there or in the solitude of her own quarters.

"What kind of fun are you talking about?"

[Garrett Blade]

"You know! Fun! Anything that gets you tired and sweaty yet really happy. Anything that makes you laugh for hours, and keeps you tittering during dinner the following evening. Anything two people do together that isn't business-related."

He picked up a small blaster and began spinning it around his index finger, adding the occasional throw-over-the-shoulder just to show off. He once again glanced over the weapons cache...

"Do any of these have stun-settings?" he said, with a mischievious grin on his face.

[DarthHERA]

As Blade prattled on of happiness and laughing at nothings, Hera darted a sharp look into his eyes to discern if the alter-psycho had returned. Seemingly, he had not.

Hera couldn't really recall when she had last spent any time as Garrett had described. Or that she had ever wanted to. It had been a long time, she knew that atleast.

He played with the blaster first spinning it, then tossing it carelessly, causing Hera to stiffle a groan in protest at his capers. At the last, it was too much as she read the intention from his last question.


She took it from him and put it back in its place on the rack.

"Many have stun settings. But they are not playthings, Garrett." She was quite stern and she had a sneaking suspicion he was laughing at her behind his crooked grin.


Leading him away from this particularly tempting cache of mayhem, she remembered having a good time on Praeor 3.

"They have that "pig-skin" game on the third moon of Enton." Blade's interest piqued slightly and so she went on to explain.
"Its a sort of Gamorean Gladiator sports. Very bloody. And funny as hell to watch. Even better to wager on. Would you like something like that?"

[Garrett Blade]

"Hmmm..."

Gamorreans. Disgusting creatures. Garrett's hatred for large intergalactic alien pigs was almost as great as his hatred for Hutts. Not that there was much difference between the two. It sounded like a great idea.

"Okeedokee. Sounds like fun. I guess the lasertag will have to wait until some other time."

[DarthHERA]

"Good" she smiled. Glad of the whole laser-tag-waiting thing.

"We can take the shuttle to Praeor 3 and arrive in time for the start of the games. I will see to getting you an overnight bag - I for one do not want to spend another all nighter in the confines of a ships chair."

[Garrett Blade]

2 days later, the shuttle emerged from hyperspace in orbit of Praeor 3. Thankfully, Garrett had remained himself for the duration of the journey. It seemed his alter-ego had grew tired after so much work lately. As for Garrett, he'd been in the pilot's seat most of the night. It was now early morning according to Praeor 3's standard time and he wasn't tired at all. He buzzed Hera, who was asleep in the shuttles lone quarters. It was a small craft but not too uncomfortable. The only other room was a small refreshment room near the pilots cabin and the engineering access room.

"This is your capitan speaking. We'll be sailing into port shortly."

He switched the intercom off and, once obtaining landing clearance from orbital control, set a course for the surface.

[DarthHERA]

Hera blinked open her eyes as Garrett's voice reached her through the squawk box on the wall overhead.

Her hand had automatically taken hold of her lightsaber - it was hard to truly relax with Blade's alter-ego appearing and disappearing on a whim. Hera never knew what she would wake up to. Shaking herself into awareness and replacing the saber on the side table, she realised grumpily the man was making her a nervous wreck.

After taking a turn in the refresher, changing her clothes and exiting into the main cabin of the shuttle, Hera felt revitalised enough to enjoy this visit to Praeor 3. She may even get lucky.

Last time she had left with her pockets a great deal lighter. Maybe this time, fortune would favor her.
"Mornin Garrett" she said as she placed a cup of coffee in his hand. Taking her seat beside him, she looked on through the viewscreen as Praeor 3's first city, "Attenan" loomed into view. The Great spires of its many famous Cathedral's stabbed skyward in the the brilliant morning sunshine.

Attenan was a city once rich in arts and culture - its architecture a stunning visual to all those who travelled to its center. Grand arena's and stadiums were once home to flamboyant theatre arts where players of fictions portrayed great drama's to adoring crowds.
Opera's and specticals of similar wonder were the major reason so many came to this wonderful city.

But that was a long time ago. Before the decadence that seethed beneath the cultural sheen of Attenan's people grew too strong, and in its rise, it overwhelmed and destroyed it, leaving only the dross behind.

And it was this dross Hera and Garrett had come to see.


The Gamorean Gladiator's were the Sith's personal favorites. But there were games for all tastes. One had but just to choose.

Sipping her own coffee, she watched as Garrett, quite expertly, set the shuttle down in the narrow spaceport bay.

[Garrett Blade]

Shortly after landing...

"...No, I don't want you to clean it, I just want it locked up safetly while we're staying here."

"No, just put two guys outside the door or something."

"I'm not paying that. It's be less expensive to buy droids to guard it!"

"Y'know what!? Why don't you go suck a duck!"

Five minutes. Five minutes of complete and utter tripe in a conversation with a peculiar little alien. Five minutes of his life that he wasn't going to get back. The spaceport was privately owned and the manager was a conniving little swine who irritated the hell out of Garrett. His accent was annoying. His high-pitched voice was annoying. Even his dialect wasn't anything to write home about. Garrett was about two frustrated, malevolent glares away from throttling the little bugger. Luckily for the manager, the looming fool walked away and blocked out anything else he had to say. He walked over to Hera, who'd be standing in disbelief at the two of them, laughing hysterically as Garrett lost his patience and even more of his sanity.

"Well, I'm glad you're having fun. I've just had the worst conversation of my entire existence. I've had a battle of wits with a stuffed jawa that was more interesting than that!"

She was still giggling, although now it was evident that she was trying to subdue her laughter in front of him. Garrett looked around the entrance. The floor was dirty; the steps were crumbling; the walls were grimy; even the germs were sick.

"Well now this is what I call paradise!", he said, with a sarcastic smile as he gathered his single bag along with Hera's three. "Shall we?"

And off they went, to find were they were staying.

"What was the name of the place again?"

[DarthHERA]

"Jabbas Trough"

Blade looked up at her sharply.

"Sounds worse than it is...its kind of a throw back to the glory days of Jabba. Great ambiance"

Garrett still didn't look too convinced.

Hera hailed a hovercab and the Dug at the wheel barely took a breath between hurling insults at other cabby's to welcome the pair on board.

"Dook tig non doo sub poodoo" he continued to curse to no one in particular as Hera and Garrett clambered into the transport.

Obviously, the Dug had better days, but on Praeor 3, probably very few.

Hera named their destination, and with a rough lurch, their driver stepped on the speed.

Hera then turned back to Garrett.

"Its clean...or at least, it used to be. Plus..we arent going to be there all that much. Its just somewhere to sleep."

[Garrett Blade]

Well Hera was right in saying that the place used to be clean. Garrett suspected their were half a dozen unfortunate souls buried underneath the dirt and muck on the floor. The walls were clinging to the supports and the ceiling was ready to drop on top of them. Only a minority of the lights worked and the staff looked like the walking dead.

"Cosy!"

They made their way over to the reception desk. A tall, thin alien spoke in very articulate basic, with a refined manner, although his tone of voice was extremely unenthusiastic. He seemed out of place, as if he belonged somewhere more upmarket.

"Good morning sir; madame. How may I help you?"

Garrett glanced at Hera momentarily, before speaking hesitantly.

"Er...reservation for......um...."

He looked at Hera once more, shrugging his shoulders simultaneously. She just laughed.

Fifteen minutes, and a mountain of stairs, later...

"Y'know what!? I think they've put us in the bloody cleaners sleeping quarters. Either that or its a flippin' storage cupboard! I've got half a mind to go downstairs and throttle that bleedin' manager! He's takin' the mickey out of us!"

Perhaps Garrett was exaggerating slightly. Granted, the room certainly wasn't what the brochure made it out to be. But it wasn't all that bad. The pillows were wafer-thin, requiring you to fold it over several times to get a decent thickness; by which point the pillow was too small for your head to rest on. The beds themselves were normal size. Fine under normal circumstances, but Garrett was almost nine feet tall. He contemplated knocking a hole in the wall for his head to stick through into the adjacent room. A little unorthadox, but he preferred that idea to having his feet sticking out of the bottom of the bed; for the rats and vermin to feast upon. That, plus he hated his feet getting cold.

There was a peculiar smell coming from the bathroom. The window gave a view of a factory that spewed vile green fumes out of a soaring chimney every ten minutes. If you climbed out onto the ledge and leaned out whilst holding onto the drainpipe, you could probably see a little bit of the sea and most of the main stadium. And if you squinted your eyes really tight you could probably pretend that the factory was actually something rather pleasant to look at.

"No - it hurts my eyes too much. I'll just blow up the damn factory or something! And look at this!"

He ran into the bathroom, exclaming out to Hera...

"Is that meant to be our bloody 'fresher!? Because if it is, I'm going to shove this handrail up that managers..."

*KNOCK KNOCK*

"Who's there?", shouted Garrett. His voice was angry and annoyed. His eyes told the same story.

"Room service."

"Room service!? We haven't ordered any bleedin' room service! Are you people deliberately trying to cheese me off!?"

[DarthHERA]

Standards had dropped, that much was obvious. Jabba's used to be alright - comfortable even in that kick-back-non-pretentious-scums 'R us-kind of way. But now, quite rightly panned by Blade, it was a hole.

Hera didn't care. She'd seen worse.

She crossed the short space from where she had been sitting on the spartan bed, bouncing on it, testing its "springy-ness" which was pretty much non-existant, but it did squeak loudly.

"I didn't know you were so delicate, Garrett" she tossed with a grin as she passed him.

Opening the door, she took the note that was folded on a wooden tray held out by the gamorrean bellhop, who stood as stately as his pudgy body allowed - aspiring to class and failing miserably. He looked like a stout, grubby little buddah. Hera slammed the door closed on his pug nose.

"Its an invitation, by the looks" she stated matter of factly, and Garrett snatched it up from her hand to examine it.

[Garrett Blade]

"So it may seem."

Its not every day someone like Garrett gets invited to anything more prestigious than an appointment at the doctors he booked himself. On that note - its not every day Garrett gets invited to anything. And nobody knew he was on the planet.

"Why's it got my name on it!"

Paranoia reared its ugly head as Garretts eyes darted from the so-called invitation to the door. Then to the windows. Then the walls. The bed. The chairs. The cupboard. The bathroom. Hera. Everywhere. Anywhere. The mirror.

"Aaaahh!"

He reached for something to throw at the mirror. He found a brush, and promptly gave himself seven years bad luck.

"Oh....it was just me."

He breathed deeply, took a moment to compose himself, then went and stood by the window, handing the card back to hera.

"Well then. Conspiracies, double-crosses, betrayals and backstabs aside...what are we invited to?"

[DarthHERA]

Hera watched the display as Blade's chaotic thoughts expressed themselves in his darting eyes and panicked actions.

Good lord, he was a wierd man

Hera took the invitation and opened it, reading perfunctorily and then closing it again.

"We've been invited to join Eb Dod in his box seat at the fights tonight"

Eb Dod was a Bounty Hunter turned Club Owner who had carved out his own niche here on Praeor 3. Being originally sent on a "hit" against the Club's previous owner, Bassilik, Dod had fancied himself one day as a legit (broad term) business man. Having cut a deal with his contractor, the hit was made and the club changed into Dods hands. A very congenial arrangement for all involved - with the exception of Bassilik, of course.

Dod had known Hera since the early days, and had at one time entertained ideas of the two forming a lasting partnership. Hera had never come to the table on that one, but Dod still harboured hope.

The fact that Blade's name was on the invitation along with hers was a bit of a worry. How did Dod know they were here? Hera's ship would be easily identified in this sector, but Blade's identity, or even his presence should not be general knowledge.

Garrett was waiting further elaboration on the invitiation so Hera obliged.

"He's an old friend"

She paused thoughtfully.

"Wonder what he wants with you.."

Belatedly, she realised that it was not a smart question to ask the agitated Blade.

[Garrett Blade]

"I've got one or two theories."

He cautiously looked out of the window. Not that there was any danger of a sniper catching sight of him - unless they were situated inside the opposite wall, or the factory in the distance.

"As for what he wants with me - its anybody's guess."

It was bugging him now. Why oh why was his name on the invitation. Whoever this Dod was - he knew far too much for his own good.

"What time does this wonderful evening commence? Do we have time for dinner? I'm hungry!"

[DarthHERA]

"We'll eat there"

She balled up the invitation and tossed it into the wastebasket, a perfect shot.

"Lets go"


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


Outside the stadium was a heaving, seething sea of bodies - everyone pressing, pushing against each other in the throng as they squeezed down to a handful of single lines, filing through the gateways into the arena itself.

Hera was leading the way, she'd been this way before and was familiar with the place. She took hold of Garrett's hand, partly so they didn't get seperated in the crush, and partly so she knew where crazyboy was at all times. All she needed was psycho-alter-ego to materialize in the middle of this lot.

Bullying their way through, Hera cuffing the odd hindering noggin now and then, they finally made it inside to the relative comfort of the temperature controlled stadium.

It was circular in design, with wide corridors and regular intervals of doors leading off to the various seating within. Row upon row of chairs looking down in an ever declining array to the center ring below where the fights were held. The box seats were down at ring level, close to the actual action - in some places, only an armslength away. Sometimes, the blood and spit spattered those who watched from the safety of their compartment - that was what the good seats were for.

Hera grinned and pointed to a stairway that led up many levels.

"Up there - theres a restaurant (good food, she assured Blade) and from there we can see over to where the box seats are. We'll do a little scoping out of things while we eat."

She looked at him.

"Sound good?"

[Garrett Blade]

"Peachy!"

The restaurant was quite nice. Waiters buzzed all over the place. It was as busy as thing that was busy at certain times of the year and it being that time of year! So I guess thats pretty busy! Luckily, Garretts size helped them in getting a table rather quickly. As they sat down, Garrett licked his lips in anticipation of some gourmet cuisine. Again, his size suggested exaclty the kind of things he would ask for. Glancing across the menu, he noted the choices available. Roast boar. Steamed boar. Brazen boar. (It seemed boar was a specialty here.) Roast Akkilan cattle heads served with fresh vegetables and a choice of sauces. Sautee'd potatoes with Bovilian chicken in gravy. The meats just went on and on. A raging behemoth with a taste for meat would be spoilt for choice.

After perusing the rest of the menu he looked across at Hera.

"You go ahead and order first. Since you're paying. Heh!"

Garretts attention turned to the sea of punters below. If there was someone after him, it would be difficult to spot them down among the crowds.

[DarthHERA]

"I'll have the potatoes with Bovilian chicken" Hera said mechanically. Her focus was on the box seats below.

"And rum" she added as the server turned his attention back to Garrett.

Dod would not show until the fight was about to start. He preferred the illusive aura he'd built about himself as a kingpin on the planet and liked to keep his public waiting.

For now there was not much to see, just the usual comings and goings of a crowd preparing to be entertained.

As Blade prepared to order, she turned her scrutiny back to him. Sitting tall in his seat, continuing to peruse the menu, mumbling now and then his own personal commentary on the dishes offered and their attributes, Hera wondered how he had ever gotten to the state he was now in. How the hell does a Dark Lord come to such a place with no control over his own sanity? She felt a wave of sadness touch her. What a waste.

[Garrett Blade]

"Hmm - I think I'd like to start with a side order of fish. Now whats the erm...the Crake like? Is it fresh? Is it mature? Or perhaps salted Goonaba eels in some sort of sauce!? And for the main course - well I'm spoilt for choice so I'll leave that for now. And your desserts seem to be lacking in choice and the ones on offer are hard to choose between..."

His eyes scanned the menu over and over again until his head hurt from concentrating.

"Oh to hell with it, I'll have a bloody salad!"

The bemused waiter took their orders to the kitchen. As he left, Garrett leaned over to see what Hera had been looking at. He then had a change of thought and lowered himself as best as he could. The top of his head was barely visible above the balcony edge as he lay low in his seat - his legs sticking beyond Hera's chair on the opposite side of the table.

"So who's this Eb Dod guy? He sounds like some kind of user-friendly stand-up comedien!"

[DarthHERA]

Hera laughed at Blade's description.

"Not exactly. He's a self-made success story - bit of a legend on Praeor 3." Her rum arrived, and she stopped speaking as the server placed it infront of her.

Continuing as the waiter departed, she sipped from the glass and relaxed back in her chair. Absently, she noted Blade's legs actually stretched right passed her chair.

"He was a grunt that did the wet-work for the local crime lords around here. Then, on one job, he decided to enhance his take in the pie a little. He whacked a club owner named Bassilik free of charge, taking over the operation for himself. From there, he had enough savy to play to the mob this planet had become, establishing the fights - small scale - and gradually building to what you see here. It dont look like it, but there's lots of money in this joint."

Hera's eyes scanned their surroundings with an appreciative eye.

"Lots"

Another sip of rum.

"Anyway - he has a lot of heavy hitters who are friends, and I dont just mean the fighters. Big backers. Thats what makes me a bit nervous as to what he wants with you."

Hera got very still, her fingers lightly caressing her shot glass being her only movement.

"Just who the frell have you ticked off, Garrett?"

[Garrett Blade]

"Beats me!"

He took a sip of the complementary water that was already on the table before they were seated. Under his breath, he mumbled something about messy, wasteful customers, then took another mouthful.

"The er...the subject was changed pretty fast the other day back at your..."

He stared at Hera for a moment. He didn't know if Shadowfaene was he home or her base or what. He hoped she'd jump to conclusions and shout out with an answer.

"Home? Workplace? Brothel? I dunno - that station you took me to - ShadowFaene. Anyway, it was. I never got round to asking you what you ended up doing after that incident on Korriban. Or even after that incident on Coruscant."

[DarthHERA]

Coruscant..

Hera was glad Garrett brought that up. He practically fled from her and s'Ilancy LokLorien - leaping out the airlock mid-take off. What the heck was that all about..? She had often wondered about that.

"After Korriban, once I was better, I just went back to my Base. You were not around and I didn't want to stay in your place alone.

Since then, basically, I have just been feathering my own nest, so to speak. Transport and Aquisitions" she said with a grin.

"Anyway, thats what I was doing when you showed up at Till Tower, Barry Manilow-ing in that flamboyant suit and singing your heart out. Did I ever tell you how freakish that was? Anyway - me and Lok had just swiped a priceless pair of Masterpeices for my own collection..well you know how it all went. Me and s'Il got the artwork, you sang a couple of showtunes, did some break dancing, we all shot the joint up, s'il blew a hole in the building, we all escaped in the ship, you jumped out the airlock.." she raised her eyebrows and locked her eyes onto his, "...any of this ringing any bells?"

[Garrett Blade]

'Oh yeah, I remember that!' came a giggle-muffled reply. He smiled as he thought back to that days events. He felt quite proud of himself and so sat upright once more. But a glance down below the balcony again caused him to retreat back to his almost-prone position.

After a few minutes of waiting in silence for their food to arrive Garrett broke the ice.

'I bet you're wondering why I'm so huge, right?'

[DarthHERA]

"Er...ok...?"

Actually, she had been hoping for an explanation to Garretts unorthodox exit back on Coruscant, but as she had been slowly forming her own ideas on that, she allowed the conversation to be diverted.

"I just figured it was your heritage. A genetic thing...?"

[Garrett Blade]

'Hardly.'

He sat up slightly, being careful not to have his head visible from the seats below.

'Its a curse! Bestowed upon me by some woman a few years ago. My memory's sketchy but I think it had something to do with me stealing something of hers. At least thats how she saw it. I saw it as taking back what she took from me.'

The waiter emerged from the kitchen with their food and began walking through the ocean of tables and chairs that separated them.

[DarthHERA]

Hera looked at Blade dubiously.

Because she did not really think being tall was such a curse, as far as curses go, but more whether she could believe such a tale or not.

"A...curse? Like, a gypsy or witch or something...?"

She watched him closely to see if he was kidding her.