Hangin' with Papaw 'Essar...(Marcus)

[Hunter Kincaid]

It was storming, not just a little...alot. A flash of lightning and a crack of thunder woke the child.

Four-year-old, Hunter Kincaid, didn't like storms in the least. It reminded her of the night her mommy died, but mommy was alive now...she still didn't quite understand.

Flash-crack!!! The thunder boomed, she flinched. Throwing back her covers and hugging her little dolly close, she looked in the upper bunk.

Ry-Obi was sound asleep, it seemed he could sleep through anything. So, the little one padded into her daddy's room....he was gone. The next room was Mama Xaz, but she was gone.

There was one person left as the boom of thunder made her whole body tense within her little, white floor-length night gown.

Papaw 'Essar. Or so she called him, no one else could get away with calling him that, but Hunter. It was what she had begun calling him a few months back for she couldn't say Elessar. It was dark out in the hallway, with the exception of the flashes of lightning, the child stopped at the top of the stairs.

Papaw Essar would be downstairs, so on slient padded feet she started down the stairs, careful not to jump when the thunder boomed in her little ears and long strands of blond hair hanging in her eyes.

As she reached the bottom step, she glanced about, but it was dark, too dark for her. So, she began calling to him through the Force, the only way the child could talk.

Papaw! Papaw Essar! Where are you?

[Marcus Telcontar]

What a rotten evening it was. Marcus was back to Coruscant on a flying visit from Trillith, he would be gone before dawn. Not much of a rest time....

Since when did it storm on Coruscant? It bothered him somewhat, but still, it was noce to see the crap of the streets sunk down a gutter. The stink would remind, but it wouldnt be as bad. Still not like home.

He was still in the clothes he wore to the ball that evening. He smelt distantly of smoke and the ruckas he has caused secretly. Right under everyone's noses! And no one knew anything other than an accident. Damn, that was so funny. It had been hard to keep his composure as the Senator got flattened by a drinks trolley that somehow went haywire. Oh and the Senator's coat catching fire.

But more than that, he was thinking of Quay. Not as a male interested, but as a Jedi Master, pondering a new Padawan. Indeed, there was something in her attitude that matched his well. She had ability too.... and that she was Helenias' Padawan too. Indeed, some of the information he had managed to wheedle out of her by innocent questions really made him wonder. He had sworn not to take another real apprentice... but... he was seriously having second thoughts.

I really could make something of her.

There was alos the word he had given to Figrin that he would not recruit out of the Jedi ranks. Marcus was honourable. But Quay was showing signs the Jedi were not for her.

This was something to think about.

But while he was thinking, somethign to eat would be be good. He was stirring some soup on the grill of Dexters, when he his thoughts were broken.

Papaw! Papaw Essar! Where are you?

Huh?

He took the soup off the heat, poking his head around the corner. A chance glance at a mirror reminded him - he closed his eyes and in a few seconds, the horrible morph began. Skin crawled, muscles reshaped as the incredble nanotech took over, changing his appearence from Telcontar back to his own true self. Back to the wild haired untidy ranger from Arnor. He checked that no one else was about, then went to the dark passage that was for upstairs to where The Lost based themselves.

Much to his surprise as he turned on the light, there was River's daughter.

"Hey... aint you supposed to be in bed? Xazor's not here, if that's whom your looking. Just me"

Even with looking after Jina in the past, he was deeply uncomfortable with children, having little dealing with them. He was more than a bit uncertain what to do here.

[Hunter Kincaid]

The little girl looked up at him, with her innocent amber eyes. Me scared, Papaw Essar. I no like storms... Hunter nearly jumped out of her skin as another boom took place.

Before she even knew it, she ran over to him and attached herself to his leg and hide her face.

[Marcus Telcontar]

"Hey ... umm...... "

Okay, so there was a small scared girl hanging onto his leg. Nothing much to be concerned about. He could deal with that.

No he couldn't! This was a looooong way out of his experience

"River.... RIVER?!?! Are you there? Help? anyone? Ahhh crap, this is not good. What the hell am I supposed to do?"

[Hunter Kincaid]

Hunter had keen little ears and a very good vocabulary, she picked up instantly on many things. Papaw Essar, daddy gone, Mama Xaz gone...what the hell am I 'posed to do? She kept her face buried in his leg and started shaking. No yell, Papaw Essar! No yell! Her little mind pleaded with his. Peez, no yell...

[Marcus Telcontar]

By the Force, they didnt teach you thinkgs liek this in the Jedi Order. Jina wasnt any preparation either, she was always so quiet and nothing really tripped her out. at least, that's what he remembered.

"Oh all right" he said, untangling the young girl from his leg and pickign her up. "I'm not yelling. I'm just seeing where your daddy is"

Frell. Frell frell frell. Where was River?!?

[Hunter Kincaid]

Hunter felt warm and safe in his arms. Daddy not here, Papaw. Where's my daddy? I no wanna go back up there, no...peez, no go.

[Marcus Telcontar]

Crap.

He glanced at the young girl.

Crap.

What the hell was he supposed to do here?

"You scared of the lighting lil one?"

[Hunter Kincaid]

Hunter nodded. Me scared, Papaw...I no like lighten' or big boom...
It flashed and boomed loudly, the little girl trembled and squeezed her eyes shut.

[Marcus Telcontar]

"Oooooh, okay. we'll go downstairs then. would you like to do that? My cat hides down there in storms"

Stig was such a coward. Marcus loved storms, loved watching their power and spectaclar energy.

[Hunter Kincaid]

Kitty? Now, that caught her attention and she nodded with a small smile. I like kitties, Papaw.