Muzzle: Dearest Sister [Xazor]

[Vega Van-Derveld]

“Dear Xazor,

Word travels fast to me from your colleagues of your terrible injury. I heard only yesterday of your concussion and subsequent memory loss and was terribly saddened by it. Were I not so far from Coruscant I would have been at your bedside in an instant, sister, but my duties with the Republic held me elsewhere.

I do hope that you have not been bed-ridden. I know how wild your spirit is, how the beast within you longs to roam free at all times. You always said that the only thing you feared was being locked away from the world. I trust, of course, that the Jedi see this in you and allow you to remain active.

Perhaps it will brighten your spirit to know that within the next two days I can be at your side? My superiors tell me that my post can be held by another for a short number of days, though they ask that I tell no one aside from you of my arrival – not even your father. My business is of the utmost importance, and I am afraid that whilst on Coruscant I will have to dabble into some private affairs pertaining to my duties.

You understand, I am sure, that the highest degree of confidentiality is needed.

I have arranged already a hotel to sleep in. To ensure my anonymity it is on the lower east side of the city, and is far from the grand walls of the Jedi Temple – it is named The Brass Bucket Inn. I look forward to seeing you there in two days time, sister.

All my love,
Your brother, Vega.”

***

Two short days after the departure of the letter, written in smooth hand, there sat Vega in the aforementioned hotel. He was in the lobby, and sat reading a large broad-sheet newspaper, whose headlines changed from time to time as new stories broke out. In keeping with the charade he was performing, he wore similar attire to the Garou peoples. His hair was untamed and hung shaggily around his cheeks. A large fur cloak draped around his shoulders, despite the heat in the hotel. It looked as though he was prepared for a trek into some snow land. When he parted his lips he made a special point of baring the long canines he bore, and gave the occasional grunt – remembering all the while, of course, that he was a Republic representative, and as such was meant to be fairly gentile and kind.

This was almost too perfect.

[Xazor Elessar]

Xazor sat upon her bed and read the letter in her hand once over before rising to her feet and looking at herself in the full length mirror against the wall. White robes adorned her body and clung close to her smooth skin. Her waist length blond hair was pushed behind her head and done up in Garou Warrior Braids with silver coins woven into them. Atop her head a few single braids rested in a circle, held with bobby pins and atop the braids was a silver ring with more silver coins upon it. She smiled toothily at herself and pushed the long sleeves out of the way of her hands.

"I have a Brother....I wish I could remember him."

She said softly, thinking to how pieces of memories about other men she called Brothers entered her mind. Alpha and Chaos...as well as a few other Blood Brothers. Why she could not remember Vega was beyond her, but she accepted it, hoping to make new memories with him. Glancing at the letter one more time, she left her room, closing and locking her door behind her. It would be interesting to see him, nonetheless. Her journey was not long and she deboarded a speeder right in front of The Brass Bucket Inn. Inhaling the cool air around her, she let it go in one breath before pulling open a door to the lobby and going inside. Her silver speckled cyan eyes glanced about quickly before they came to rest upon a man who dressed like her people. That must be him, she thought to herself before advancing a few paces forward, still unsure. Finally she cleared her throat and spoke up.

"Excuse me...sir? You wouldn't happen to be waiting for someone, would you?"

It was a safe question in case he was not Vega....at least she would not look like an idiot. Smiling, she folded her hands together at her weapons belt and eyed him curiously. He held a warm aura, and perhaps...at least she hoped, that this was him.

[Vega Van-Derveld]

The story of a freak cult murder on Corellia had just caught his eye when a voice spoke. His mind shifted from being that of Vega Van-Derveld, to Vega Dawnstrider, and he sprung up with as much enthusiasm as his hefty clothing would permit. Without allowing an initial reaction, he threw his arms around Xazor.

“Sister!”

When he spoke, he spoke in a thick growling tone, which was anything but threatening. Really, for this trick, he had gone out on a limb at making himself look totally unlike he normally would – and it worked wonderfully. He looked more like Xazor’s father than her constant tormentor. With a broad smile, he pulled back away from the Garou and smiled little happy tears stinging at his eyes.

“It has been so long… you look so changed, so much older… much more a grown woman than the young girl I grew up with.”

In his little fantasy story, Vega was sizeably older than Xazor. This would fit, what with his being a bulky weight and also having such a ragged appearance about him. No longer was he radiating a thick Darkside signature, but instead a white light pulsed as his aura.

[Xazor Elessar]

Xazor embraced Vega and somehow, false memories entered her mind. It was the strangest thing, but somehow, she pictured herself growing up with him.

"Indeed, it must have been a great long time....I am not sure, but I take your word for it! So how have you been, dear Brother?"

It was strange to call someone she had just met 'Brother', but she did so anyway, noting that he did indeed look like her Father...and so he was very truthful in all he said and wrote. Her hands grasped his and she smiled, sensing the light glowing from his aura. Her heart skipped a few beats as suddenly a warning seemed to nag at her mind. The Knight's warning sense was very sensitive indeed, but she pushed the thoughts aside, assuming that perhaps it went a little south after her concussion.

"I wish I could remember you more clearly....but alas, I have lost many important memories due to my head injury. I am sure you understand though."

She said softly, looking into his eyes. The resemlence Vega now held to her was uncanny, and his eyes seemed to match hers perfectly. A woman who had been sitting nearby smiled to herself and walked over to the pair.

"It is so good to see siblings reunite and actually get along!"

The old woman laughed to herself and then left the Inn. This brought a smile to Xazor's face as she turned to face her 'Brother'.

[Vega Van-Derveld]

A slow laugh passed through Vega’s lips at the woman’s comment, as he turned from her to look back to Xazor, grinning toothily. A lot of the people in the room were now staring at the two, and though it didn’t bother Vega at all he wasn’t intending on spending the whole evening as entertainment for the locals. This in mind, he motioned off into what appeared to be the hotel’s lounge and bar area.

“Bartender, two glasses of Garou Ale, Eden vintage if you have it!” Vega called out as he thudded down into a large armchair.

All around the room was buzzing with a friendly atmosphere as civilians shrugged off the day’s weight with a good pint and a long night of laughs. There was a drum band of some kind playing a jolly tune, just audible above the singing patrons and dancing youths. Compared to a lot of Coruscant, it was heaven – a little room in which all your troubles faded away.

Within a second a tray holding the two mugs of ale had arrived, and a friendly tender had handed one to Vega and the other to Xazor.

“It is terrible to hear that you’ve lost your memory, sister… is there any chance that your Jedi friends will be able to get it back for you?”

[Xazor Elessar]

Xazor took her drink in one hand and smiled as she brought the frosted glass to her lips. Taking a sip of the cool liquid, she smiled as it ran down her throat. Perhaps it was against her better judgement to be drinking while pregnant, but she ignored that for her natural healing abilities kept her from getting completely wasted. Smiling sadly, the Knight set the mug down on the table and eyed Vega for a moment before shaking her head.

"No -- being a Healer myself, I know already that there is nothing they can do for me. My memory was erased once when I was little, taking away the first four years of my life so that I could not remember Daddy or our family. Then this natural memory erasil -- I do not remember many things and it pains my heart."

She dwelled on this momentarily but shrugged it off with an inward sigh. Perhaps someday everything would come back to her, but for now, all she could do was hope and wait.

"At least I am getting to know those I have forgotten. Unfortunatly, some things will never come back. But with each passing moment, I am beginning to remember more."


*****

Suddenly a hand gripped her forearm and forced the woman onto a bed. His bright eyes gleamed with malice as he held her fiercly and forced himself upon her.

"You'll remember this for a long time, Xazor!"

He growled and shoved her frail body down, baring his weight atop her. Shoving him with all of her might, the young woman got aside him before finally calling upon the depths of the Force and sending the man into the wall. He growled deeply before returning the favor, sending her onto the floor and into the bed frame.

"You cannot hide your true feelings forever!"



*****

The scene flashed across the young woman's mind, brining a great deal of pain. She winced ever so slightly as she recalled the man's face from the vision. Something was not fitting together though, for he looked awefully familiar. Not able to understand at the moment, Xazor pushed the strange thoughts aside, perhaps ignoring the fact that it was a rememberance of sorts.

"I will remember with time -- I hope."

[Vega Van-Derveld]

For the briefest moment doubt had appeared on Xazor’s face.

Vega frowned, full of concern, at her hesitation to speak and seeming lapse into some mental faze. As any good brother would, he set his hand down on hers and furrowed his brow.

“Are you alright? You seem to have paled a little?”

His eyes travelled downwards, as if noticing the rather large bulge the Jedi bore for the first time. His mind put two and two together.

“I hope you aren’t getting pains and nausea from that? … If that’s the reason,” he added, almost smiling, “I don’t imagine you’ll be having it much longer, by the looks of things!”