Self-surgery (Offshoot from Death Sentence, Ryla)

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

J'ktal stood still as Ryla untied the lacing of his collar. Usually he wore a buttoned shirt, but on an official occasion, he opted for a garment of his own world. "A pity," he commented, "This was an antique, older than I am."

Her touch was light, and careful, and he found himself smiling slightly as the Jedi Master tugged his collar open. Taking over, J'ktal pulled the shirt off over his head, wincing slightly at the pain in his arm and how the dried blood clung fur to fabric.

Tossing the wad of black linen into a mahogany wastebasket, the gray-furred mongoose stood shirtless in his living room. "The bathroom, I keep my medical supplies there," he said, then led the way, opening the biometric lock on his bedroom door on the way to the master bath.

Unlike the rich darkness of the rest of his dwelling, J'ktal's master bathroom was stark white, and a model of pure, sanitary efficiency. It had been enlarged from its normal size, and housed several rollign trays and toolkits usually found in operating rooms. Taking a seat on an injection-molded white plastic stool that was built into the wall, J'ktal opened a drawer and removed a scalpel, as well as a few other tools. Glancing up, he said, "I will need alcohol, and an antibiotic ointment. They are in the second cabinet to your left."

He lifted his arm to point, and a red smear spread across the side table where his arm had just been. In the bright lights of the blindingly white bathroom, J'ktal's normally smooth and thick lookign gray fur was now revealed to be scattered and riddled with scars of various shapes and sizes. His back bore a majority of them, and in some ares the fur was very thin. Death-Shadows often opted for long-sleeved shirts for a reason.

[Ryla Relvinian]

I had seen wounds before, worse ones than that which J'ktal now bore upon his arm. Only a year ago, I had been the recipient of far worse injuries, and though blood did not unsettle me, something in the way he bore it did.

"I'm glad you know what to do. I'm not much of a healer..."

Following his instructions, I removed the containers from the cabinet, along with some extra rolled bandages and bacta that was next to the bottles. Turning back to face him, I could not help but notice the fine way his body was contoured, even beneath the fur. I knew from experience that it would be soft to the touch, and slightly coarse if one rubbed him the wrong way...

I noticed that he was looking at me. When I spoke, my voice was quiet and reserved. "What?"

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

"The alcohol," he replied, holding out his right paw. He knew what she was thinking. You didn't have to be telepathic to figure that much out.

"Thank you," he said when she handed it to him, and he set it aside, pickign up a round, lighted mirror on a magnetic gooseneck stand. He stuck it to the wall and turned on the light, then adjusted the angle so that he could see his shoulder. "There's a steel panel behind the wall," he explained, uncapping the alcohol and pouring it on his arm liberally.

The yellow stream of liquid cascared red off of his arm, running in a small river down a drip tay into a catch pan on the floor. A second dousing was followed by a scrub with sanitary cloth, then a spray of sysytic to stop the bloodflow. He worked with uncanny accuracy with his scalpel, clipping off shredded flesh and clearing fur out of the wound, and removing tissue that would only scar. A third wash of alcohol brought another wince, and it was quickly followed by a cloth for drying, then a spray of bacta and a cotton pad.

The lamp was switched off and angled out of the way, and J'ktal began to wrap bandage around his arm, but he slowed down, seeing if Ryla would take over. In any case, it was perfectly clear that he was very used to patching himself up.

[Ryla Relvinian]

As he cleaned his wound with practiced ease, I couldn't help but wince in sympathy. Yet, in his face, there was very little emotion showing. How many years, how much had he endured, to keep him this stoic all the time? Most people would have gone crazy long before now, I thought to myself.

But then again, he wasn't most people.

As he bound his newly-cleansed arm, I resisted the urge to help him. No, he would only take that as an intrusion.

Or an invitation.

But wasn't I here in the first place? I could have gone back to the council rooms.

"What will happen to Sejah, if he agrees to... the punishments?"

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

As Ryla did not take the wrapping over from him, J'ktal finished, trimming the length of cotton gauze off with his scalpel, and using a butterfly tab to hold it closed.

As he lifted his arm and rolled out his shoulder, the mongoose replied, but he actually had a hint of care in his voice, "He will resist again, but at the urging of the Council, he will agree to the punishment that will save his life. He will endure one hour of the most savage beating I can deal unto him while ensuring that he does not die, or become paralyzed from his injuries. He will wind up in the medical ward for weeks, if not months."

Standing up, J'ktal paced over to the sink, pulling up the faucet head that was on a hose and turning it on. When the water was warm enough, eh rinsed off the area of his arm below his wound, watching the reddish water turn pink, then clear. Shutting the water off, he reached for a towel and continued, "But I cannot guarentee that another Death-Shadow will not be sent for him. I will be cleared of responsibility, but it by no means ensures his future safety."

As he spoke, Ryla approached him, and he turned to face her, his right paw reaching out to hold her left hand out of instinct. "I am sorry, I can do little more for him. If I were the second Death-Shadow sent, I would be able to infiltrate the Order and accomplish my task in a matter of hours. All we can do is hope that he cooperates, and pray that Garfife takes mercy on him."

[Ryla Relvinian]

I felt him take my hand in his furried paw, and saw in his eyes some measure of honesty that I was not sure he had shown in the council room. The wall had dropped, for now, and I knew that anything said here would not leave here.

"But he is stubborn. That is what got him into this in the first place. Reisting will only make things worse."

And then there was the problem of him being a Death-Shadow. The elite could never truly understand the plight of their 'inferiors,' as he termed it. That very word brought back years of memories within me. I looked back to his eyes, strange and pink like nothing I had seen before.

"You know how to beat someone so they live, but live in pain. if he agrees to this punishment, do not kill him, please. I cannot stand by and let a Jedi die, even one who has confessed. It is not a Jedi's place to say who lives or who dies."

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

"I will do what is required of me," he replied. "But he will live, if I may alter the course of these proceedings. His skill with a blade is far too pure to be destroyed, I cannot bear to do it. And he makes you laugh, too. I have seen it."

Smiling a chuckling a little, J'ktal lost eye contact as he tried to recompose himself. "You are right, it is not a Jedi's place to say who lives and dies, but that is the place of a Death-Shadow. For as much as I become a Jedi, I can never stop being a Death-Shadow, nor can I be one part-time. I am what I am, and will make no compromise about it, you have to understand that, Ryla."

[Ryla Relvinian]

"I do understand." I sighed, brushing back a stray lock of hair beind my ear. "And I respect your restraint in this matter."

Clasping my hands back in the sleeves of my robe, I stared out across his fine apartment, the echoing resplendence of a planet and a culture that I was sure J'ktal must miss. "So few of us were born here within the temple. We all have things in our pasts that we must deal with."

I turned my head to face him once again, unsure of how to proceed. "... but we cannot let our pasts determine our futures."

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

Following Ryla back into his bedroom, and turning off the bathroom lights, J'ktal pulled a long-sleeved loose shirt from his closet and put it on. "I have news that I am not supposed to share, but in light of the bad reputation my govenement is getting from this case, I feel it prudent that I give you advance warning," he said out of the blue while buttoning his shirt.

"Two more Nehantites are to be sent here to study. A female about two years younger than yourself, and a male in his early teens. There is the possibility that an infant who has tested highly for Force adeption will be brought as well and raised with the other children. I do not know exactly when they will arrive, but I know it is soon. The N.I.S.C. is planning to replace Sejah entirely, to remove him from the thoughts of all Nehantites. I believe the execution order might be connected to this new plan."

Crossing the room to pick up an ancient wooden sculpture that Ryla had been admiring, he held it up so that she could take it and examine it however she liked. "Would you be willing to take on another student, Ryla? I will help ease his or her transition to this lifestyle, and anything else they might require on an adaptation level, but I cannot teach them."

[Ryla Relvinian]

I let my fingertips trace the smooth contours of the wood, feeling the faint grain lines that had been softened as if by water, or sand. "Are either of them Death-Shadow?"

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

"No," J'ktal replied quickly. "We would never let a student out of training for any reason, and it would be dangerous to have two of us here, anyhow."

Picking up a ceremonial knife, the gray mongoose watched the reflection off of the Damascus blade and added, "We do not often tend to get along outside of the groups we were trained in. Things can get ugly."

[Ryla Relvinian]

I raised an eyebrow at his comments, intrigued more by what was not said than what was. However, I pondered his first question for a moment before answering it.

"I cannot give an answer just yet. My time is limited for training, and I do not wish to commit to a padawan without having met either of them first."

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

"Understandable," J'ktal replied, setting the knife back down and turning his gaze to Ryla's face. "But I do hope you will consider it. After all, of all the masters here, I believe you understand my kind best. I woild also be willing to help ease their transition to life here, as I know my own was a dynamic shift from what I knew before, even with my training."

Rolling out his shoulder that was injured, he winced slightly and turned away, reaching up a paw to rub it. The pain was still there, and he wandered to his bedside table. In a hidden shallow drawer lay a row of syringes, only labeled by a colored band around the tube of each. Selecting a small one, the Death-Shadow flicked off a sterile cap over the needle, then inserted it into the large vein in his left wrist, then emptied the contents into his bloodstream before removing the hypodermic and tossign it into a lidded refuse can.

A wash of relaxation flowed over his face visibly, and for a few seconds J'ktal seemed to completely relax, but that quickly passed as he turned back to face Ryla once more, offering no explaination.

[Ryla Relvinian]

I watched, amazed, as he injected himself with some unknown substance. Most likely, whatever he had just used was legal, or at least legal for him, granted by his goverment. The emotions I read from him, while still highly guarded as usual, were relaxed in a matter of seconds, and was quickly followed by his facial signs that echoed his mind.

"A sedative? Some sort of painkiller? You know, we do have healers here..."

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

"I can handle myself," he said, a slight edge to his voice. "Painkiller, a personal mixture that does not give my species a headache. Most pain relievers made for the general populce have an adverse effect on Nehantites. Until the medics here know as much about my species as I do, I will do what I can on my own."

He then realized his tone of voice, and he sighed. "I apologize; I am just... specific about my medical work. And I am unused to any medical care outside of the Laboratory."

The way he said laboratory made it clear that he was speaking of a specific place instead of a general location.

[Ryla Relvinian]

For some reason, I had no desire to know about this "Laboratory" he spoke of, yet I felt strongly not to let the matter drop.

"I understand. We know so little about your species, it makes sense to carry these things. But you know, our healers work mainly through the Force... Not very invasive, expect in very serious cases."

I could sense a strangeness of his emotions, a curious lack of restraint from the painkiller he had taken. It was difficult to resist the urge to dig deeper in his mind, but I did not think he would take it lightly, and especially in light of the attack on Sejah.

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

Brushing a long strand of headfur from his face, J'ktal closed his eyes and sighed. "Again, no thank you. I have not yet determined the full effects of the Force on Nehantite physiology, and know how to establish mental blocks will I seek outside attention."

It seemed rude and cold, but he had very valid concerns, especially after how he saw Sejah wind up in the medical ward after a simple telepathic message. He also held information in his mind that would be very dangerous if spread.

Opening his eyes once more, he took a seat on the foot of his bed. "It is not so much a matter of trust, Ryla, as it is a matter of security. I have made promises, and I must keep them at all costs."

[Ryla Relvinian]

"I understand. You have... responsibilities. More so to your government than to the Order."

"Sejah... well, he had that episode because someone weilded the Force like a weapon, lashing out. But I can read you, you know."

I crossed the room, approaching him and glancing down at the wound on his shoulder. Alread the swelling was going down. "I'm reading your emotions right now. Does it hurt you?"

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

"Emotions?" J'ktal echoed. "A Death-Shadow does not have emotions unless he chooses to."

It was difficult to tell what was his honest thought and what had been programmed into him. Even J'ktal couldn't tell sometimes.

[Ryla Relvinian]

"No, I can sense you. I don't even have to try, I sense everyone like this."

I smiled a wry smile at his response, and decided to press him, just as he has begun to press me when we first journied up to his quarters. Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes and concentrated on recieving his emotions, faint like waves of smoke over water.

"You're feeling... angry. Because you have to make a choice, and for once in a very, very long time, nobody is there to tell you what the right answer is."

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

J'ktal's eyes narrowed slightly and he took a defensive posture while sitting.

"I feel anger because there is no right answer," he said quickly. "I make my own decisions, but I weigh the outcome before making them. In this case, there are a great many factors, and I do not know all I should about all of them. Forgive me, I am unused to not knowing things."

[Ryla Relvinian]

"You have nothing to apoligize for."

I stared at him, incredulous. He was such a stubborn one... So full of pride and yet so full of secrets. I was distinctly torn between scowling at him and smiling.

Smiling won, but I still felt distinctly snarky for some odd reason. "There isn't always a right answer. Nobody can tell you what to do, and you need to learn to deal with that some time or another."

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

She smiled. He should ahve found it a little inslulting, but for some reason he knew she wasn't trying to be.

"I know how to make my own decisions, Ryla," he replied. "But this one is not soley mine to make. I will put it aside until the Council comes up with their answer, though. After all, I can do little about it from the confines of my quarters. About the best I can do now is prepare lunch."

Thinking for a moment, he scowled and knocked the knuckles of a balled fist against his kneecap. "Dang it, I forgot to get more black pepper. I have some fresh salmon, and now no pepper."

[Ryla Relvinian]

"Pepper?"

I gave him an odd look, sensing that, despite his attempts to reinforce a mental shield of some sort, I could still easily read his emotions.

"You're holding a death warrant for a Jedi, and you're worried about pepper?"

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

As if it were an equally serious matter, the Death-Shadow looked at her incredulously and replied, "Yes; you cannot sear salmon without fresh ground pepper, it just is not done."

Standing up, J'ktal headed into the kitchen and opened his spice cabinet, labeled much like his hypdermic needles had been. A gray-furred paw picked up a hermeticlaly sealed spice canister and shook the remaining half a peppercorn in the bottom, then set it down and leaned on his marble counter. "Do you know how hard it is to get fresh seafood on this planet? Something that was not frozen in transport, that is. I picked it up this morning, and I cannot believe I forgot the pepper."

When J'ktal put something out of his mind, he did it with a passion.

[Ryla Relvinian]

I rolled my eyes, a smirk of slight annoyance growing on my lips. "You are just too much."

Walking boldly over to the kitchen area, I stood beside J'ktal as he rummaged around in one particular cabinet. Like everything in his quarters, it was meticulously labled and organized in some obsessive way... most likely alphabetized by color or some such thing. "Hey, do you allways run from things when the get to be too emotional, or did you just start today?"

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

"I am not running, there is just nothing I can do right now, so I am taking advantage of the time at paw," he replied, putting the canister back in its home. "I will just have to pick some up before dinner. Looks like it will be leftovers for lunch."

Opening his fridge, J'ktal spoke as he pulled out a roasted chicken covered with aluminum foil, and some cranberry sauce as well. "I am afraid all I have is chicken at the moment. Care for a sandwich while you are here, Ryla?"

[Ryla Relvinian]

I gave up. It wasn't worth the battle, as it was apparent that J'ktal had spent entirely too many years training himself to be without faults... without emotion?

"Thank you, but I've... I've got to get back to the council. Likely there will be a long debate ahead of us."

No, he had emotions. The painkiller had lowered his defences, and I could strangely sense a different sort of emotion from him, an odd calmness. Perhaps this was just another duty for him, just like every other time.

"I'd appreciate any insight you have in this matter, anything at all..."

My voice trailed off, thinking over just what sort of life he had led before now. I knew, from what little he had revealed, that he had calmly killed many on the orders of his government. He was more disciplined as a Padawan than many of the Knights I had encountered, and yet lacked that distinct connection to the living Force, the tie that bound all life together. It was an odd paradox...

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

J'ktal set down the carving knife he was holding and sighed. "Mr. Haversh is in a great deal of trouble. He tried to kill me, and I will not forgive him for that," he said, looking up to Ryla.

"Haversh may have had a hard life, but he did know the law, and he chose to break it on many occasions. To appease Nehantite officials he must be punished, but I know that you wish to spare him as much as possibe. Lucky me, I get to be in the middle of this whole mess, and hear it from both sides. You believe I am dodging the issue, but I assure you that I know full well what is going on, and what I will have to do should you let me carry out his sentence. I will either need to remove his head, or give him the beating of a lifetime, then let him be humilated as two more Nehantites move in to fill his shoes, and excel faster than he has. And I get to be the bad guy in all of it because I happen to be a law official that cannot seem to show any feeling in all of this."

[Ryla Relvinian]

I remained quiet for a few moments, taking in all the information that he had presented. Though some would fear, by the nature of his words, that he was angry, I only sensed a measure of... frustration, mixed with a sense of distinct superiority, coming from him.

"I understand... Look, I'm not trying to put you in the middle of this, and I don't doubt your words. It's just... so much more complicated than a matter of crime and punishment."

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

"No, it is not. The law is irreproachable. Sejah has only been offered such leniency because my govenrment fears the backlash that the Jedi Order may have against them," J'ktal replied firmly.

"Spare his life and leave him to me. I promise not to cripple him, but that is as lenient as I am allowed to be. He tried to kill me, Ryla, and were it not for my training, he would have shot me through the heart, and I would not be here speaking with you. Haversh has demonstrated his willingness to break all your rules, you cannot hold his paw and protect him through this."

Relaxing, J'ktal closed his eyes and spoke softly, "This was not how I wished our next meeting to go, Ryla. I am sorry it had to be like this, and that I must be this way."

[Ryla Relvinian]

"Sometimes things happen... and you must make the best of your situation."

And for a brief moment, I let my guard down as well, letting him sense some portion of my own frustrations in this matter. Recently: Sejah's trial, his hospital visit, his attack in the council... and farther back, to unnamed pain from my own past...

"I don't blame you... I don't."

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

Stepping close to her, J'ktal reached up a paw to hold Ryla's cheek, and he spoke softly. "It will pass, things will go on. I am alive, and Haversh will live as well. We should not ask for much more right now, but be thankful for what we do have."

His pink eyes, though a cold shade of pink, looked friendly as he looked into her own. "Ryla, I know you identify with him, and as much as you say you do not blame me, you blame the authority I represent. For that, I can do nothing but try and earn your trust. Please believe me in that I am being as fair as I can with him, and with you."

[Ryla Relvinian]

"I identify with those who have no-one to speak for them..."

Without thinking, I gently pressed my cheek into his gentle touch. The strange combination of strength and fur was not unwelcome, and I found myself staring into his eyes, oddly colored but comforting.

"Sometimes, it is not what is legally right, but what is correct, that is the right path."

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

"In this case, I wish I could follow that path," the grey mongoose replied, letting his paw slide down the curve of Ryla's jaw to her chin, then let it slide down her shoulder and arm back to his own side. "But I am not afforded that luxury at the moment. Still, I will do what I can. And you had better get back to the Council. They will wonder what has kept you so long."

[Ryla Relvinian]

"Yes." I replied, resisting the urge to do many things at once, simply standing still. "I should."

But I did not move, and for the first time in a very long while, I found myself wanting to stay away from my duties. The Council was not going to be a very happy place to return to, and now the issue of priorities was clouded by Sejah's attack on J'ktal. I could not let my feelings alter the course of these events..

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

"It doesn't mean you can't come back here afterward," J'ktal offered with a smile. "I would enjoy your company again, if you could come back."

[Ryla Relvinian]

I smiled, slowly but surely. "I'd like that..."

Though I was reluctant to admit it, I had never felt this way about anyone, let alone a fellow Jedi. For some reason, J'ktal made me step outside of my usual role as a Jedi Master. Maybe it was because of cultural differences, or just because it had happened that way, but I was quickly becoming comefortable around him.

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

"As would I," the mongoose said with a soft smile. "I will put a bottle of wine in the chiller, if you would like. And we can enjoy a quiet dinner to forget some of what has happened today. You are welcome in my home any time, Ryla, I would like you to know that."

[Ryla Relvinian]

"Thank you."

I smiled, ever so demurely, and suddenly felt a rush of giddiness that I just had to get out of my system before returning to the solemnity of the council chambers. Playfully, I tilted my head to once side and gave him a very serious look that only thinly veiled my amusement.

"Padawan Anajii... If I didn't know better, I'd say you were trying to seduce me!"

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

J'ktal smiled back and replied, "Well then, I suppose it is a good thing that you know better, now isn't it?"

[Ryla Relvinian]

I crossed my arms infront of my chest, smiling in amusement at his sheer bravery. Not many padawans would even dream of admitting that.

"You know, you are really something..."

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

J'ktal paced to the door and opened it, "Yes, I am. But you will have to wait and see just what when you get back. I will see you this evening, Ryla, thank you for helping me with my arm."

[Ryla Relvinian]

I feigned ambivalence...

"Not like you needed it, anyway."

But I placed my hand on his arm just the same, willing myself to leave this part of my mind here, and already mentally switching back into Council mode. There was much that needed to be discussed...

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

By the time Ryla returned, J'ktal had made his qarters more comfortable, and he had some black pepper delivered.

A few candles were lit, and a bottle of fine white zinfandel sat chilling in a silver champagne bucket. The room smelled of gourmet cooking and jasmine candles, and the gray mongoose had cleaned himself up from the level of patchwork medicine he had before.

"Please, come in, dinner is just about ready," he said, welcoming the blue Jedi Master into his home, letting the door shut behind her. "But please, let us not talk about the Council matter. I believe we both would like some distance from that for at least a night."

[Ryla Relvinian]

I sighed, shrugging my cloak from my shoulders, and moved to rub my forehead, wishing away the small headache that was threatening to start.

"You're right, of course."

Then, the smell of something incredibly wonderful stole my attention, and I looked back up at J'ktal with a small grin.

'Did you... cook?"

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

J'ktal hung her cloak on his coatrack and then headed into the kitchen. "Yes, eight years professional training. Grilled salmon, with a light pasta salad and fresh sliced peaches. I hope you will like it," he said, dishing up her plate, then his own, garnishing each with a sprig of parsley and arranging the silverware on each plate in an elegant manner before carrying it back over to the living room.

"Please, have a seat on the couch, I believe you will find it more comfortable than the dining room chairs," J'ktal offered, setting both plates on his coffee table, then reaching around a corner to procure two wine glasses from a side rack. Uncorking the chilled wine, he poured both of them a glass, then took a seat himself.

"Thank you for joining me, I do grow tired of dining alone."

[Ryla Relvinian]

"Eight years? What haven't you been trained in?"

I followed him over to the couch, sitting down and feeling my tension from the day begin to subside. While the rest of us were back in the council chambers, deciding over the fate, and perhaps the life, of some of our members, J'ktal was cooking.

A small chuckle escaped my lips, unbidden, as I imagined him wearing a pink flowered apron, emblazoned with "Kiss the Cook."

"Seriously, what can't you do?"

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

Thinking a moment, J'ktal replied, "Well, I suppose I am not a terribly good trombone player."

Smiling and chuckling as well, he continued, "Seriously, there is little I have not recieved training in, or cannot truly do. The Death-Shadow are trained in all skills of life."

[Ryla Relvinian]

I laughed at his comment, and somewhat-nervously tucked a stray lock of hair back behind my ear.

"Everything? So... You were trained for, say, the treatment of a sunburn?"

The piece of hair was stubbornly refusing to stay put, so I drew the braid over my shoulder and unbound it, loosening the locks with my fingers, preparing to re-braid it.

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

"Vitamin E and aloe cream are best for treatment of over-exposed skin," he replied with a smirk, "Though I may not have skin like yours, it is a common treatment. Why? Would you like to go somewhere warm and sunny?"

Reaching his paw out, he helped to gently pull out the strands of the braid. "You ought to try your hair straight, I think it looks better on you," he said.

[Ryla Relvinian]

"I can't imagine you've been sunburned through your fur... Then again, I suppose it's much like our scalp getting burnt."

I was surprised at his second comment, but the attention was not unwelcome. "I've just kept it back for so long. It gets in the way... Maybe I should cut it."

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

"We adults do not often get sunburnt, but young children have much finer fur, and it is a common occurance for them to be burnt," he explained.

"Do not cut it too much, if you do. I like it a little long. It flatters you."

[Ryla Relvinian]

I blushed just a little, and then ran my fingers through my hair, from the root to the ends, pulling loose any small tangles. Though as a child, my hair had more than confounded my mother, (and understandibly so,) it had become a ritual of braiding it when it was wet every morning. Now, it hung in dark, loose waves, an unfamiliar weight on my shoulders.

"Thank you... That's very nice of you."

Blushing stil, I looked down at the couch, a strange display of shyness.

"I never wear it down..."

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

J'ktal let his paw run through the ends of it, and he smiled, "And I never wear mine up, probably because I would look quite silly that way."

"I was serious, you know. Would you like to go somewhere warm and sunny? Escape the Order for a little while?"

[Ryla Relvinian]

"Warm and sunny?"

The request had startled me, but after a few moments of thought, I could find no reason not to go.

"Why, the last time I was somewhere warm and sunny it was Tattooine, and that is hardly the vacation spot."

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

Realizing he was getting somewhere, J'ktal elaborated. "I was thinking someplace more... tropical. Small island on the equator of a sparsely-populated world. Blue skies, white sand, and clear water. A friend of mine owes me a favor, I could borrow the island from him for a while, if you would like."

[Ryla Relvinian]

Smiling slightly, I closed my eyes and tried to picture that scene in my mind. I wasn't geting too far, as the closest I had ever been to an ocean was flying in over one on some planet, during a mission quite some time ago.

"Mm, that sounds wonderful!"

Come to think of it, I hadn't left the temple in more months than I liked to count. Maybe a change of scenery would be good for me... Ah Force, I just wanted to see the ocean.

"You must have some group of friends, if they just own remote islands..."

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

J'ktal smiled, then took a sip of his wine. "A Death-Shadow must have a good network if he is able to get things. And I am able to get nearly anything," he said, his tone saying far more than his words did.

"I can contact him tonight, and we can leave tomorrow, if you wish. I doubt the Council would like me hanging about at the Order right now."

[Ryla Relvinian]

"Tonight?"

It was more than tempting, but although I had agreed not to talk about the council proceedings, there were certain matters I had to attend to before I was to go on any type of journey, let along a vacation.

"The council will want to... discuss things with me, but I will see if I can go."

I smiled again, knowing that there was no reason for me not to go.

"I do hope I can go. It sounds like a wonderful idea."

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

J'ktal nodded, the dug his work into his salmon and cut off a piece before replying, "Well, I could also arrange for later. It probably would not be best for me to go disappearing at this moment. That, and I believe that you might need some time to pack."

Eating his forkful of fish, the Death-Shadow swallowed quietly and nodded in approval of its taste. "I can pilot us there in my ship. I have recently had the hyperdrive serviced, so it should not take more than three days to reach the planet, though I am afraid that the living quarters inside it might be a little cramped for two. It can handle it, but one of us would have to sleep on the couch."

[Ryla Relvinian]

"Hmm..." I took a bite of the salmon, enjoying the delicate taste in my mouth. It was really quite exquisite. As I chewed and swallowed the bite, I considered his words.

"Let's see... Three days on a ship, and then to a private island?" I smiled, taking a sip of the wine, which, to no great surprise, was perfectly balanced to the fish, and continued, "I dont see how I could refuse."