Entertaining is an art. Especially if it lasts all night. (Ryla)

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

The door to J'ktal's living quarters looked identical to all the others in the Jedi Complex, but when it opened, it appeared to lead to another world.

In the month he had been at the order, J'ktal had renovated his room into somethign quite different, and far more opulent than how it had started. All the original furniture was gone, as well as the original carpets and moulding, all replaced with respective masterpieces of each kind. His furniture was all made of finely crafted and carved wood, covered in exquisite tapestry-like fabric, or soft leather. The walls had been repainted and several beautiful paintings hung on them, and items of sculpture adorned several areas of the room.

But for as opulent as it looked, there was a slightly ominous feel to the room, ans several aaniquated bladed weapons found their homes on racks and individual stands on the walls and bookshelves. Though antique books and other collectibles outnumbered them.

Even the kitchen was a minor masterpiece, everything in it top notch, and the floor and countertops replaced with black marble. At the moment, the bedroom and bathroom were not visible, though both had been spared no expense either..

J'ktal led Ryla into the room, taking her cloak and hanging it on a blackened brass coatrack, followed by his own coat and his umbrella found home in a nearby umbrella bucket, from which two other umbrellas and a few canes already bristled. "Please, make yourself comfortable," he said, turning the lights on, but keeping them dim enough to be cozy.

[Ryla Relvinian]

I was glad that he took my cloak, for at the moment, I could only stare, resisting the urge to drop my jaw, at the amazing transformation his quarters had undergone. I knew the layout of his place well, for it appeared to be the mirror image of my own quarters. That was where the similarities ended... all my quarters contained were a few pieces of furniture that didn't even really match too well. It wasn't that I never wanted to decorate my place, but just that I spent so little time in it to really notice.

"Wow."

Was all I could manage to say, noticing that he had dimmed the lights a bit. I settled myself on one of the couches in the main room, watching as he made his way into the kitchen area.

"You must entertain here often to have such a space..."

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

"No, actually," J'ktal replied, his voice exhoing off the darkly stained teak cupboard doors in the kitchen. "I believe you are only the third person I have invited up here since it was finished about two weeks ago."

As he spoke, J'ktal opened the refridgerator, showing several choice cuts of meat inside, as well as a variety of fresh vegetables and other cold goods. Withdrawing a sprig of mint, he laid it on the cutting board and closed the fridge with his footpaw while drawing a small, finely crafted knife and began to mince the mint into fine pieces. "Is brandy alright? I have most anything, and can mix quite a few popular drinks. What would you prefer?"

[Ryla Relvinian]

"Yeah, brandy is fine, thank you."

While he rustled about in the kitchen, I examined the contents of a nearby bookshrlf, which contained both objects of great beauty as well as some of a more serious nature: His sword collection. I had not the eyes to fully understand their significance in his life, nor his life and training within his culture, so I studied them like works of art... which, to my mind, they were.

"Your collection is very impressive... these swords are beautiful."

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

Scooping the mint pieces into a small metal mesh ball, J'ktal closed it and dropped it lightly into a short cut-crystal tumbler. A bottle of foreign brandy was fetched from its shelf, and he deftly uncorked it, pouring two glasses, adding the mint to the second glass at the end. Carefully, he placed both glasses on a small silver tray with a black leather padded inner surface, then carried it around to where Ryla sat, placing the tray on his coffee table before sitting down next to her, and offering the glass that had been infused with mint the longest. It had been his experience that others liked the bolder flavor, whereas he preferred only a hint.

"Toverian brandy, with fresh mint. I find it an interesting balance of sweet and savory," he explained. "And, thank you, I have spent a good deal of time aquiring them."

[Ryla Relvinian]

I tasted the brandy, finding it interesting and new to me. I had never tried this drink this way, and liked it very much.

"And your books here... Amazing. I don't know of many others who appreciate the written word. Most people just pull up the texts on a datapad, or down in the archives.

Smelling the mint in the air brought back a memory for me, but I could not remember what it was, only that it was familiar. I filed that thought away for further inquiry, and continued with a slight smile, shyer now than in the bar.

"I much prefer to read a book."

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

Sipping at his brandy, J'ktal set his glass down in favor of an old, leather-bound volume with uneven page edges. "As do I, though I doubt you would be able to read many of those in my collection," he said, and before it could be misconstrued as an insult, he opened the book to reveal the flowing script of his homeworld's olde language.

"Not many schoolbeasts from my home can even read them anymore, it is no longer taught. But, it was mandatory for me, and I do enjoy it when I have the time. There is just something about an object that is real instead of mass-produced or generated by machines. The feel for quality is sorely lacking, I find."

As he picked his brandy back up, he smoothly scooted closer to her in a disguised maneuver. "How does your drink agree with you?"

[Ryla Relvinian]

"Yes, it's very distinctive... It's good."

I smiled then, more full than before, and peered down at the tome that he held. He was correct, I had never seen this lettering before, but the elegant, fine script was truly beautiful.

"What does this passage say, here?"

I reached over, my finger hovering above, but not touching, the delicate parchment page. The section that I had selected was an ornate title piece, centered and accented with what looked like gilding, though it was now flaking away, showing the wear of the ages.

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

J'ktal scooted closer again, though that time visibly so that he could in in a better position to show her the page. Or, at least that was what he made it look like.

Clearing his throat lightly, he read aloud, "Te'jaas felt his hear shatter into a thousand pieces. His love had married another, and the betrayal, it stung like the venom of a score of scorpions." He paused and looked up to Ryla, "It is a tragedy, but it ends well. Te'jaas kills the male his love married, and publicly shames her for breaking her vow to him. She becomes a servant in Te'jaas's father's house, and he marries a beautiful countessa. Pure fancy, if you ask me, but the rhyme scheme in the original language is to be applauded."

[Ryla Relvinian]

I listened to him read, noting how his soft, deep voice changed to express a slightly more formal tone. I could not read the text, so instead I stole a glance up at him, head slightly bent, two long locks of his fur sharply framing his face. I glanced back down at the book, and he finished reading the passage, looking back up at me.

"What part of the story is pure fancy? The tragedy, or the happy ending?"

I gazed at him intently, letting a slight smile grow once again on my face.

"Or perhaps the rhyme scheme?"

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

"Oh, it is a true story, to be sure," he said in reply. "But how romantacized the author made it removed the true emotion Te'jaas must have felt."

A smile growing on his own face, he looked abck down at the book and almost chuckled. "Or, perhaps I read too much into it." Closing the volume, he set it on the coffee table as well, and turned his attentions back to Ryla. "I mainly own that one for the fine bindings it has, not the contents. I much prefer a book of good poetry to tragic, melodramatic drawls of words. What about you, Ryla, what do you like?"

[Ryla Relvinian]

"Well, most of my attention has been focused on books of the more historical nature. I've been doing some research for the Archives recently... Early history of the Jedi, that sort of thing."

I took another sip from my drink, beginning to feel the first hints of a pleasant warmth in my body. It wasn't enough to get me really drunk, but I was feeling a bit more relaxed."

"But normally, I go for the action stories, the ones you just can't put down. I don't usually have the free time to read them, though."

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

"I used to have little time to read before I came here," J'ktal said, then took another drink of his brandy. "But, I must say that life in the Jedi Order has been far less strenuous than life at home, so I have more time to entertain myself in. I have several adventure books, though I fear it would do you little good if I loaned one to you."

[Ryla Relvinian]

"Yes, I doubt I could read it..."

I looked at him, restraining the urge to ask him about his more strenuous previous life. There was something about the way he had refrained to elaborate about his swords that made me hold back.

"...Unless you wanted to teach me, that is."

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

Picking the tome back up from the table, J'ktal opened it once more and placed it between his lap and her own. "I am afraid it would not be easy. To learn the language of Nehantish, you would also need to learn what it means to be Nehantite," he said, looking into her eyes as she scanned the page out of curiosity. "But, I would be willing to help you with that learning, if you so desired."

[Ryla Relvinian]

I replied, somewhat hesitant still. I did not want to dishonor his homeworld at all by failing, but I still was interested.

"If you will teach me, I will do my best to learn."

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

J'ktal smiled lightly as he took a paw and loosened his tie, then removed it and unfastened the top button of his collar. "My apologies, even with a tailored shirt, ties sometimes feel a little confining," he explained, then returned his attentions to the book.

"Well, would you care to start learning some Nehantite right now?" he said, moving his paw over the surface of the book and closer to Ryla's thigh.

[Ryla Relvinian]

"Yes... Yes I think I might."

His paw was creeping nearer to my leg, and I did not move away. contrary to what I had presumed, he seemed slightly ill at ease without his formal getup, as if the mere loosening of a tie could shatter his defences. He was composed again in seconds, clear pink eyes staring into mine, asking without saying...

"Is it a very..." Don't say hard. "difficult language to learn?"

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

"Not terribly difficult," J'ktal replied, "Once you can wrap your tongue around it, it goes very smoothly."

Half of his paw now rested on Ryla's thigh, though it wasn't quite enough to be considered as a true 'move.'

"You see, the trick is in the pronunciation, as well as the application."

[Ryla Relvinian]

"Well, it sounds like you've had plenty of experience..."

Was it just me, or did everything here have at least a double meaning? Can I blame it on the brandy? I didn't know.

"How long have you known this skill? Did you study it from birth, or did you take it up later in life?"

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

"To read it is tought from an early age, but actual use comes much later, in the mid teens. After all, the mind is not able to comprehend what its truly important until it becomes mature," J'ktal replied, finishing his brandy and setting the glass down on the coffee table.

"That used to be the common language on Nehantish, but ahs rapidly died out with the inroduction of basic. Many old traditions ahve died. Children have little respect for their parents, and the classes are finding themselves blurred far too often. What was once a beautiful and rich culture is slowly slipping away into a modern way of life. A way of fast food and video games. Where true work is no longer appreciated, and money is held as the item of worship. No, this language will never be used to describe such a world, it is far too beautiful and proud to ever be anything than what Nehantish once was."

[Ryla Relvinian]

"Perhaps..."

I gently put my hand on the book, close to his paw but not touching. The leather beneath my palm was cool and smooth, with faint polished marks where it had been held one too many times. It felt good to the touch, like something solid and real in a world filled with the intangible...

"...You could tell me of the old days, the good times of your homeworld."

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

The conversation was not leading where J'ktal wished it had, but he felt compelled to answer Ryla's question anyhow.

The gray mongoose took a deep breath while formulating his response, and finally started, "The good days truly happened long before I was born, before Nehantish was discovered by outsiders, and we were blissfully unaware that other civilizations thrived as well as they do beyond the stars. Nearly seven hundred years ago, it was a time of great heroes and adventures. My many times great-grandsire, whom I am named after, was the Death-Shadow to the Sultan of Nehantish, and there was war beteween Nehantish and Mizraim. Through one of the greatest wars Nehantish has ever seen, the Sultan conquored Mizraim, and united the known globe. From then, a great era of prosperity and thinking followed.

It continued for hundreds of years, and as th populace grew, so did the need for the Death-Shadow, so a new form of training was implimented. The training I know today as standard. You see, a beast like me does not grow up like other children. I myself do not have many 'happy memories' to hearken back to, and those I do have you might find grim in application. Mine has been a life od discipline and order, with only limited time for personal life and reflection. I fear I am better at telling the stories of others than my own."

[Ryla Relvinian]

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked..." I replied, gently placing my hand on his paw which was resting on the book between us.

He seemed so distant while speaking, but when he stopped, he seemed to relax back into his previous mood. Perhaps it was his training that made him so able to switch like that, for I hadn't known him long enough to know if he was usually like this.

Something told me, however, that there were very few people he would have brought back to his room. I wondered again what his intentions were.

"But that is one thing we have in common then..."

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

She placed her hand on his paw, but made no attempt to move it away, only hold it there. Somehow, J'ktal had allowed himself to become vulnerable.

"It is not as bad as it may have sounded," he said, hoping to recover some kind of levity, but found his next words only making the conversation more personal. "There were genuinely good times, and I have not regretted my life. I met my wife while in training, and we were always quite happy together. Shortly after we wed, She became with child, and I became a father."

What was he saying? That wasn't what he meant to say! Something was wrong, but, he found himself unable to stop. "But, they are gone now, and I have moved on."

Shut up! Shut up you idiot! She doesn't want to hear that! Make a move, show her you're interested in her, don't ramble about your past, especially not about your wife! That all ran through his head as he then struggled to find some way to salvage the hole he was digging himself into.

Looking into Ryla's eyes, J'ktal tried to look as comfortable suave as he had been before. "Your brandy is almost gone, shall I get you another, Ryla? Or, have you any other needs I can fill?"

[Ryla Relvinian]

For just a moment, he seemed like an entirely different person... I wasn't sure why, but something I said must have touched a nerve.

"You know... You don't have to be strong all of the time."

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

An awkward silence passed between them, and finally J'ktal looked away. "I am sorry, I am not used to talking about myself, and took a side road that should have been left alone," he said. "Excuse me, I need another drink. Would you like one?"

He stood up, attempting to break off the attention he had drawn to his past, but knew it wasn't doing any good.

[Ryla Relvinian]

"Y... Yes. Thank you."

I watched J'ktal get up from the couch, striding back over to the kitchen area with his spine straight, his shoulders set. Had I bothered him that much? I had known him for only a few hours, and had no way to judge his behavior, or to compare it to anything else. All I knew was that I had seen something in him, if only for a moment, that he was not used to revealing.

I got up from the couch. "I think I need to make use of your washroom..."

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

J'ktal was about to tell her where it was, but then remembred that the living quarters all had a similar layout, and she was already halfway there. Hopefully he has remembered to actually hang up his robe this time, instead of dropping it on the desinged tile floor.

Once the door had shut, J'ktal immediately slapped his forehead with his paw. How could he be such a dolt? Ryla had said something, he wasn't sure what it was, but it made him lose his cool, and made him feel awkward, Perhaps he should have tried to remain in the bar, at least a disastrous result there would have been more tolerable.

Trying to clear his mind, the Death-Shadow poured out two more glasses of brandy, ignoring how much it cost, and that time decided against the mint. Taking a quick moment before Ryla returned from the bathroom, J'ktal removed his cufflinks and folded his cuffs back to halfway up his forearm. He never knew why, but he always found it comfortable, even if it didn't look all that good. Picking the glasses back up, J'ktal returned to the couch and had a seat, patiently waiting for Ryla. Perhaps talking about himself wasn't so bad, if she was actually interested. But the last thing he wanted to do was bore her.

[Ryla Relvinian]

I stood in front of the mirror, washing my hands quickly, feeling very... What was the word I was looking for? Here I was, in this fine apartment, with such classy company, and this was the way I acted?

He must think I am a social nightmare... I thought to myself, vainly hoping that I hadn't offended him with such probing questions, such strong statements.

After a few more seconds drying my hands with the towel, I opened the door and headed back out to the main room, and I saw J'ktal make his way back towards the couches with two glasses in hand.

"I'm sorry, that wasn't any of my business..."

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

J'ktal stayed her apology with a paw and shook his head, speaking in a softer voice than he had before, "No, please, accept my apology. I am... unused to casual conversation. I believe the error was mine."

Sweeping his paw to the side to indicate the seat next to him, the gray mongoose looked Ryla in the eyes and asked, "Would you care to sit down again? I would feel terribly awkward being the only one sitting, you know." A faint smile cracked his stoic face, and the long strands of headfur shook as he chuckled under his breath.

[Ryla Relvinian]

I smiled then, slightly relieved that he wasn't throwing me out, and carefully moved to sit beside him, sinking into the comfortable couch.

"I am sorry though." I continued, looking into his eyes and showing only the faintest smile. "And besides, you were doing such a good job entertaining me..."

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

"I was?" he said without thinking, suddenly slapping hismelf mentally for makign such a rookie slip-up. What was it with Ryla? How could she break down his defenses as he had? Or was he even putting them up? J'ktal could no longer tell.

"Your brandy," he offered her her drink, hoping to smooth over the moment of awkwardness. The faint sounds of soft music began to fill the apartment, though he apparently hit no remote control buttons, and as he took a sip of his brandy, J'ktal slipped a little closer to Ryla on the couch. "You had questions, and it was not right of me to not answer them," he said. "Please, if you are interested in me, ask whatever you like, and I will tell you all I can."

[Ryla Relvinian]

"Well..."

I took the offered glass and once again enjoyed the taste of the very fine brandy. It certainly helped to have some alcohol at a time like this.

"Ok, got one. Why did you want to become a Jedi?"

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

"It was my duty," he replied without even having to reflect on the question. "After the disaster of Mr. Haversh in the Rho'istaan, it was decided that a beast of higher integrity should be selevted to join the order as to save its face in the eyes of Nehantites. Many Death-Shadow were tested, and I was selected as first choice, and as a trial candidate. You may see more Nehantites arrive at the order in the near future, but it will not be primarily of their choice to come, and they will be monetarily compensated for it."

[Ryla Relvinian]

"But it was your choice to sign up for this... trial?"

It seemed like a curious reason to join the Jedi, but given what I knew about his previous life, it somehow didn't surpirse me. I also wondered for a moment whether Sejah had also been a trial candidate to join, but he seemed more the type to choose this life.

"Do you enjoy it here, so far?"

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

The gray mongoose took another draught of his brandy before setting the glass down and answering, "It was not a matter completely out of my control, no, but a certain amount of pressure was applied to get me here, if that is what you are asking."

Relaxing into the couch and turning on his side to more properly face Ryla from a casual position, J'ktal continued, "The Order has had its share of excitement and interest, but, quite honestly, compared to my previous employment, it lacks greatly in challenge. And, until tonight, the company has been somewhat lacking."

[Ryla Relvinian]

"Well, in that case, I'm not sure If I should be flattered or insulted on behalf of my comrades..."

I replied with a slight smirk, tilting my head to the side and trying to look as innocent as possible.

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

"Please, I meant no offense," he said, his eyes drifting away. "It is jut that... our cultures are so different, and even for all of my training, I feel unprepared to deal with the matters of becoming a Jedi, and that, in a way I cannot explain, you have made tonight easier for me. I hope that was not too bold for me to say, Miss Relvinian."

[Ryla Relvinian]

"No, I am not offended."

I took another sip from the brandy.

"In fact, there are still things about the Jedi that even I do not understand. It is a strange place, full of differences of culture and upbringing, and I'm not sure that I'll ever fully understand a lot of it."

I looked at J'ktal, trying to reassure him with a smile.

"But imagine how boring it would be if everybody had exactly the same experiences, or came from the same culture."

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

"Exactly," J'ktal replied. "If we were all the same, there would be no adventure, no mystery, no action and no love. And I would dearly miss all of those things."

His eyes returned to meet Ryla's, a sly slime on his face. "Tell me, is there anything more about myself you would like to know?"

In so gradual a way that it would not be noticed, the lights in his room had been dimming over the last few minutes until they had reached a comfortable, cozy level.

[Ryla Relvinian]

"What do you do when you're not training, J'ktal?"

...other than bringing up women to your apartment and getting them toasted... I thought to myself, glad that, although the brandy was starting to gloriously dull the edges, I still had my mental shields firmly in place. This evening was turning out to be much different than I had expected, and things were rapidly going somewhere I wasn't so sure about...

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

"At home, I would do other kinds of training, or read. Occasionally I would spend a night on the town, or take in a film, but much of my time was spent in private. there are few who would desire to eb close friends with a Death-Shadow, so we often distance ourselves from others," he explained.

"Here is not so different. Where there is not training in the Jedi arts, I will exercise or read. Sometimes I recieve communiques from Nehantish about work in my original field in the area, and I go about it. That is my greatest thrill, lately, the thrillof the hunt. Tracking someone in a city this great is quite the task, but I enjoy it. Still, a majority of my time is spent here, by myself. It is not a terribly exciting life, but it is one I am content to lead, and I would not give up the knowledge I have for a normal life anyday."

[Ryla Relvinian]

I shook my head, becoming aware only a few seconds later that the room was not cooperating by continuing to stay level in my field of vision.

"Somehow I have a hard time seeing you in a 'normal' life..."

An image of him as the manager of a day-care center flashed through my mind, reading to twelve squalling children of varying species, complete with a floral uniform smock and nametag...

Hello! My name is J'ktal!

It just didn't fit, and I couldn't help but giggle a bit.

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

Though he wasn't sure what she was giggling about, J'ktal took it in stride and took another drink from his brandy. "Oh, I assure you, I can be quite normal," he said, laying his paw over her hand between them. "You only have to gove me a try."

[Ryla Relvinian]

"Well first you have to define normal..."

But his hand was on mine, and I stopped, mid-sentance, and looked back up at his face.

"And what... sort of a try?"

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

"Can anyone really define normal?" he said with a smile, but his smile dissipated as he saw the look on her face.

Still his paw did not move, and he explained, "The same sort of try you would give any new person you meet. The time to determine who they are, and what they might mean to you."

[Ryla Relvinian]

"Hmm.... I see."

The room was moving again, but only J'ktal's face seemed to be in focus. I was suddenly conscious of the lowered lights in the room, and wondered how long they had been like that.

"And what... what might I mean to you?"

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

"I, I am not sure yet," J'ktal replied in a soft voice. Leaning closer, he said, "But I would like to find out."

The lean continued, and it soon became apparent that he was aiming for a kiss, even if only a slight one.

[Ryla Relvinian]

I felt, more than saw, his face come nearer to mine, and the one stray rational thought that was as yet unaffected by said alcoholic delights was sent to the corner and made to face the wall.

Ah, frell it.

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

The kiss connected, and though it was awkward at first, J'ktal rememberd the proper way to kiss a non-muzzled face. It lasted only a few seconds, but it was enough to tell him what he wanted to know. She wasn't entirely opposed to him.

Pulling back, he smiled and drank the last of his brandy. "You are welcome to stay the night, if you like." he offered, though not in a deviant way, instead gentlemanly.

[Ryla Relvinian]

The kiss was... fuzzy.

And so was my brain mere seconds before his lips connected with mine. It was a simple kiss, the kind that some would call chaste.

"I... We..."

For a moment after it, the impact registered on my brain, suddenly sobering me up.

"Oh force..."

I rubbed my hand on my forehead, suddenly feeling very faint. It had been quite a while since I had consumed this much alcohol, and I was beginning to remember why.

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

Immedately J'ktal's paws were on her shoulders to help steady her, his face concerned. "Are you alright?" he asked, focused only on her.

Guiding her back into the couch, he said, "Here, lie back, relax for now, don't try to move until you are ready."

[Ryla Relvinian]

"I'm so sorry..."

All that I could remember was the last time I was this drunk, I was a seventeen year old waitress with no family... wide-eyed and alone on a giant city planet for the first time in my life... It was not a pleasant memory.

"...I feel like such an idiot."

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

Though it was a rather compromising situation for Ryla, J'ktal tried to be a friend, and he changed form just bracing her, to wrapping an arm around her shoulder and holding her against himself, hopefully comforting her.

Speaking in soft tones, the gray mongoose said, "There there, it is jsut the brandy talking. Nothing to be sorry for, here. I just should not have given you that last glass." Massaging her shoulde gently he continued, "Stay here tonight, take my bed. I will sleep on the couch. Things will be better in the morning, you will see."

[Ryla Relvinian]

"I'm not even really that woozy..." I began to protest, voice slightly obscured through the slowing tears as well as the fact that my face was leaning against his shoulder.

It felt so good to simply touch another person, and be comforted in return, and I realized that I hadn't simply been held by anyone since... but the thought of that brought another wave sadness to my mind.

"Really... I'm fine."

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

Now J'ktal had accidentally touched a nerve in Ryla, and he wasn't quite sure what to do. Still, he remembered how his wife liked to be held, and how it soothed her, so he wrapped his other arm around Ryla, holding her snugly, and begain to rock gently.

"I somehow doubt that, Ryla," he said, then quickly followed it up with, "And I mean that in the most respectful of ways. I know we do not know each otehr that well, but, if you want to talk, I will listen."

[Ryla Relvinian]

I sniffled, somewhat amused at the sudden and unexpected change of this evening's progression of events. For some reason, however, I began to feel that I did need someone to talk to, but hesitated, still uncertain and more than a bit ashamed at the position I had placed myself in.

"No, it's all in the past... no sense in dwelling on it."

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

In a suprising change of tone, J'ktal replied whimsically, "Well, I guess not. I guess I will just have to start kissing you all over until I find the spot that makes the hurt go away."

It was a lie, and he'd never do it to a girl he jsut met, but, it was quite the amusing threat, and might possibly get Ryla to open up.

[Ryla Relvinian]

I looked at J'ktal incredulously, somehow dubious that he would hold true to his word and yet also convinced that he just might do it.

"That sure seems to be the answer to a lot of things around here, captain frisky-paws..."

And then, grabbing the closest pillow I could find, I batted at his arm playfully and cracked a slight grin.

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

J'ktal grinned, an actually happy smile that time, and let go of Ryla with one arm, but still kep the othe around her shoulders as he leaned back in mock defense.

"Well, from my experience, it does seem to work," he said, then bushed his heafur back out of his face again.

[Ryla Relvinian]

"Your experience..."

I looked at him, half curiously and half surprised.

"You mean to tell me you've had many other women end up crying in your arms?"

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

J'ktal cleared his throat a little indignantly and replied, "I was married, remember? And, I have had training on this sort of thing."

Grinning, he leaned forward and pecked a light kiss on Ryla's shoulder. "Hmm, still sad. Must have been the wrong spot. How about a little higher..."

[Ryla Relvinian]

"Training?"

I began, before smiling and shying away from his kiss on my bare shoulder.

"That tickles!"

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

Planting a kiss on her bare arm, J'ktal grinned and replied, "Oh, yes. We Death-Shadow are trained on a great," another kiss, a little lower, "many things."

After another quick peck, he looked at Ryla's smile and said, "Well, it looks as if this is working, now. Who knew?"

[Ryla Relvinian]

"Hmmm, is that so?"

The long white headfur was trailing down onto my arm, causing goose bumps to raise on my skin and making me involuntarily move again.

"Well, I'm not sure how many of those sorts of skills are useful for the life of a Jedi..."

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

"Well, you never know until you try them, Ryla," J'ktal countered, breaking off his kisses. "And, yes, that is so."

[Ryla Relvinian]

"And just what other skills were you trained in?" I asked him, half joking, half curious.

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

"Other things," he replied, looking up at Ryla from under eyebrows that spoke volumes. "Diplomacy, stealth, manipulation, assassination, weapons, pilotry, style, relations, and other more personal arts."

[Ryla Relvinian]

"Oh, those kinds of things..."

Dimly, I wondered just what, exacly, I should do, given this revelation. On one hand, I had kind of fallen into his lap... literally... but on the other hand, was this what I wanted? I learned long ago that trying to rationalize while in such a state wasn't a good idea.

"Well, sorry to dissapoint you. The only things I've been trained in are the usual Jedi-type things... nothing nearly as interesting."

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

"I am not dissapointed," J'ktal replied, holding her hand in his paw. "Far from it. But, the sun has long ago set, and a gentleman should not keep a lady up to so late an hour as we are."

Gracefully, J'ktal rose to a stand and helped Ryla to her feet as well, though had to move quickly to catch her as she was a little unbalanced from all the alcohol. "Hmm, it looks like you had a little more than I thought," he said as good-naturedly as he could. "Come on, I will lead the way."

Turning the lights back up slightly, J'ktal guided Ryla to a door, and opened it with a wave of his paw. Inside, the lights glowed to life, illuminating the bedroom with a soft glow. It, like the rest of the house, was quite opulent, and the bed was a true king size mattress. How he ever managed to get it through the door was a minor mystery all by itself. Fine food adorned the walls in low paneling, and the furniture seemed to shine in soft tones with reflections of the light off of their laquered surfaces. Numerous precious blades lined the walls, and a full suit of antiquated armor stood in one corner.

"I hope you will find it comfortable. I will be out here on the couch should you need anything," he explained. "And, should you need bedclothes, I cannot offer much, but whatever is in this drawer you may use." he indicated to his whites drawer.

[Ryla Relvinian]

I stood by the bed, amazed at the size as well as the offer he was making.

"Oh, no. The couch is fine for me, I can't take your bed!"

But he was blocking the door, a smile still playing about his strong features, and I had the strong sense that he was very used to getting his way.

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

"I insist," he said, not leaving much room for agrument. "I would not be abe to sleep knowing I had not offered a guest better than what I myself had. But, if you will pardon me for a moment, I do need to gather some things rather quickly."

Pacing over to his closet, he opened the fine wood doors to reveal a walk-in closet exquisitely decorated with antique shelves and paneling, and also displaying numerous sets of designer clothing, all tailored to his exact fit. And in one corner hung a set of Jedi robes, though they had only been worn once so far. The Death-Shadow opened a drawer and removed a set of sheets and a blanket, then turned around and headed back for the living room.

"Good night, Ryla, sleep well," he called over his shoulder before the door shut behind him.

Making the couch into a bed was simple work once he had removed the excess pillows, and as the lights dimmed, he undressed, laying his clothing neatly over the arm of a chair. When the lights had completely gone out, the gray mongoose made his way into his makeshift bed and pulled the sheets and blanket over himself, even though they were not terribly necessary because of the climate controlled room, and his natural fur. Still, within minutes he was fast asleep, and his alarm was set to wake him early the next morning.

[Ryla Relvinian]

The door to the room closed with the weighty thud that, had I been less tired, I would have realized was not the original standard doors in these apartments, at least not the one in mine. At any rate, I stood for a moment, amazed at the strange and sudden turns that this evening had undergone, and reminded myself to put the questions that so freely flowed through my mind onto the list of "things to ask tomorrow."

Taking one of the offered shirts from the dresser, I removed my t-shirt and jeans, laying them over the back of the nearby chair and pulling on the white undershirt. It, like the other things in his massive closet, was made of the finest material and attended to with the most serious details. The thought of what he would say regarding my usual sleep attire (a ratty old t-shirt, emblazoned with "Property of the Jedi Academy" peeling from the front) made me again wonder just what, exactly, had attracted such a classy man to me... I filed that question away as well, and walked over to his bed.

It certainly seemed strange to be sleeping in his room... in his bed, and wearing his clothing, no less. However, exhaustion soon won over propriety, and as I sunk into the large, plush bed, I almost instantly fell into a deep sleep.

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

J'ktal's left arm shook three times to wake him come the next morning. It was his alarm clock, and it always worked. There were benefits to having bionics, he had discovered, and as he rolled onto his back, the mongoose stared up at the cieling in the light cast by outside lamps and signs in the darkness.

Momentarily he had forgotten that he was not in his own bed, so when he shot up with a start, he nearly slipped off the couch. Then the memory of the previous night came over him, and he sat up properly, scratching the small of his back before stretching his arms and yawning. Bringing the lights int he room up a notch with a mental remote control, he stood up and looked back down at the couch, covered in sheets and blankets, then rubbed his eyes before heading back to his room. The motion sensors in it indicated that Ryla was not yet awake, so he opened the door quietly and stepped inside, dressed only in an undergament that hearkened back to days in gym class.

Ryla was asleep, he could see in the dim light, so he freely strode to his dresser and stood with his back to her while digging through it to find that day's clothes, trying to make as little noise as possible, though real wood drawers would never be as silent as one would hope when being stealthy.

[Ryla Relvinian]

A creak of wood on wood jolted me out of my sleep, and I looked around the room, dazed for a moment as my eyes ajusted to being awake. It must be early I thought, stirring just a bit under the sheets, [/i]It's still dark out...[/i]

It only took me a second to realize that there was someone in the room, and I could here soft footfalls as they walked from one place to another. I stayed motionless for a second more as my brain woke up, and I realized where I was. I rolled over in the bed, looking out into the darkness to see if J'ktal was nearby, but it was so dark in the room that I could only make out his outline.

Shyly, I spoke. "Good morning."

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

Even for being a Death-Shadow, J'ktal ws slightly startled at Ryla's greeting. Only then did he think about what he was wearing, and he wished he had gone to get his robe, first.

Keeping the lights out, J'ktal replied in the darkness, "Good morning, Ryla. Please excuse me, I was jsut trying to get a change of clothes for the day, I did not mean to disturb you."

[Ryla Relvinian]

"It's your room, after all. I'm not disturbed..." I replied, rolling onto my side in the bed, still covered both by the shirt and the covers, comfortable in the warmth of the last fringes of sleep.

As my eyes adjusted more to the darkness, I realized that, despite his composed response, he was more than likely in a greater state of undress than I was at the moment. "Although, I believe that If I turned the lights on, I just may be."

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

"That you may, and I apologize for it," he replied while closing the drawer he has been rummaging through. "Sorry to wake you, if you will excuse me, in another forty-five minutes I will be ready to entertain again. You may go back to sleep, if you wish."

With that. he snuck back out the door and headed to his bathroom, where he locked the door behind himself and turned on the shower. Getting showered and dried in under an hour was usually quite the feat for most Nehantites, but again his training had covered even the most unlikely of things.

True to his word, in approximately forty-five minutes J'ktal was already dry, his fur brushed, and he was dressed and ready for the day. While nowhere near as formal as he had been the night before, his clothing still looked quite expensive. A pair of finely tailored black trousers and a snug, sage gree silk-weave tee-shirt were his choice for the day, though he let his footpaws go bare for the moment. Folding up his bed linens and putting them in temporary storage behind the couch, he cleaned his living room up to how it had been the night before, then put the enpty glasses away. After which, the gray mongoose took a seat on the couch and turned on his televison to wait for Ryla. After all, it wouldn't be polite to wake a lady twice in the same morning.

[Ryla Relvinian]

As he readied himself, I lay there on the bed and attempted to go back to sleep. The truth was, however, that I didn't really want to doze off, so I simply lay there and listened to the sounds of the early morning in his apartment. Slowly, (and I deduced that I might have had something to do with last night's activities...) my brain woke up, and with it, my connection to the Force. It was a comforting feeling, the sense of being connected to the great web that encircled the Temple, so many thoughts and feelings, present like a memory of a scent, faint but still there.

After a few moments lying like that, my mind relaxed, I got out of the bed and went through my usual routine of stretches. Arms and head first, then the legs, alternately lunging and balancing on one foot. I heard the sound of the shower turn off, but remembered that he had slightly more of an obstacle in the way of drying, so I did not worry that he might walk in again. I did a quick series of simple hand-to-hand moves, block, lunge, kick, turn. It was simple and memorized, and usually woke me up.

I shrugged out of the sleep shirt then, and draped it gently across the made bed. Realizing that we couldn't share a bathroom at the moment, I got dressed in my clothes from last night, re-braided my hair, and, after making sure I looked passable, opened the door into the living room.

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

"Good morning," J'kal greeted Ryla as she emerged from his bedroom. "I trust you slept well, my apologies for earlier this morning, I did not mean to wake you."

Standing up from the couch, the gray mongoose padded over the the kitchen, his furry footpaws not yet encompassed in socks or shoes. Deftly he selected a shallow pan from his pot rack and flipped on one of the burner plate switches of his range. Fire code in the Jedi Complex prohibited him from having an actual gas grill, so a standard range top would have to suffice. "Have a seat, or, the bathroom is open, if you so need. Breakfast will be ready shortly," he offered, then turned to pull a half-full carton of eggs and something that looked like bacon from his refidgerator, followed by a nearly empty bottle of milk and a small block of cheese. One fresh green pepper and a halved white onion joined the mix before the cooler was closed once more.

If there was anything J'ktal liked for breakfast, it was cold, meat-laden pizza. But as he was currently lacking leftovers, and had company, a simple omlette would have to suffice. He was handy in the kitchen, which was something his wife always loved about him, and he cracked a few eggs effortlessly into a bowl, then poured in a bit of milk to make the eggs smoother before whipping them nearly to a froth with a salad fork. Sure, there were whisks for such things, but they tended to overmix the eggs, and were more of a pain to wash. With the speed and ease of a master chef, J'ktal diced some onion and green pepper, then sprayed his pan lightly with olive oil before setting it on the red burner plate. The bacon sizzled and popped, and had he not been covered in fur, several spatters of grease and fat would have burned his skin. As it was, he simply brushed off the drops when they dried, then placed a lid on the pan and fired up another burner.

Within minutes, the eggs, peppers, onions and cheese were folded into a nearly perfect omlette, and the bacon was ready. J'ktal selected two plates and dished up equal portions, but was a little dismayed when he realized he was out of orange juice. Though oranges were not native to Nehantish, he had grown used to the usual breakfast drink. It was substituted by iced tea, which didn't quite fit, but was better than wine, or just plain water. The Death-Shadow really hadn't planned on entertaining that night, so he had not stocked his larder properly. A problem he intended to remedy for future situations.

"Here we are," he said, placing the plates on his small dining table. "Organic omlettes and a type of bacon from my homeworld. I hope you do not mind, but it was once frozen. There is no way to obtain truly fresh meats or produce over such a distance. Would you care for salt or pepper, Ryla?"

[Ryla Relvinian]

"I don't think I've had a breakfast like this since..."

I took the offered spices with a shy smile, looking up at him and almost expecting him to be wearing a white chef's hat. It would have completed the picture.

"Well, let's just say it was a long time ago."

With the fork that sat by the plate, I sampled a bit of the unusual meal. For some reason, however, I could not remember what it was called, and chewed thoughtfully as he sat down across from me, starting in on his own meal.

"You know, I never tasted meat or eggs before I came to Coruscant. My mother... well, all Twi'leks, for the most part, are primarily vegetarians."

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

"I did not know that," J'ktal replied, cutting a nearly perfect square from his olmette, then speared it neatly with his fork.. "And it is a good thing your dining habits have changed, for I have little to make a vegetarian meal with in my larders at the moment." Placing the bite in his mouth, he chewed softly while pouring hot coffee from a caraffe on the table into an elegantly designed short mug, and extended it to Ryla. "Coffee?" he asked after swallowing his mouthful. "It is a roast from my homeworld, one of my favorites."