Implicit Darkness...

[Cloud]

<span style="color:royalblue">Okie. I hope I can do this. I want this to be a story that deals with the Jedi and their struggles against the Yuuzhan Vong, but with no direct correlation to the books. I.E. You can have your own characters, or pick up one from the books if you want? If that's legal at least...hehe. But anyway. I'll just be using my character. And since I haven't been around since the old Galactic Senate (Some of you may remember me as Brad and Cloud_Ramza), I'm going to post a full profile of this character from what I can do in the short time I have right now. It would be nice if you could all do the same. If yer using a character from past strings, feel free to use the same descriptions if you like. Let's try to have fun with this! My only requests are that you stray from making this a conversational thread (make a About topic for it if that much discussion is need be, or keep it in pm), and that you have fun!</span>

<span style="color:crimson">Name: Andalin 'Cloud' Magere
Age: 17
Occupation: Jedi Knight
Eye Colour: Blue-grey
Hair Colour: Black with streaks of crimson
Height: 6'2"
Race: Human
Background: Andalin (or Cloud, as some of his friends have nicknamed him) Magere was born into a family with Diplomatic parents on Coruscant. Both his mother and father had seemingly insignificant positions in the Senate. His family believed he would take the same role in life and lead it diplomatically. However, a Jedi Knight from the Jedi Academy run by Master Luke Skywalker discovered the power of the Force bubbling within Andalin. He was taken to the Academy at age 5, where he learned to hone his abilities with the Force. His abilities were nothing out of the ordinary, nor did they attract much attention, and he remained unknown to the galaxy. However, as the dreaded Yuuzhan Vong reigned havok upon the galaxy, Andalin would soon have to put his abilities to the test, and awaken the power lying within...</span>
_____________________________________________

Andalin palmed the control panel next to the door and stood back as it produced a hydraulic hiss and whipped open. He stepped out into the musty air outside of the flat his parents owned in a discreet sector of Coruscant. Light coalesced across the sky over him above the city planet which never sleeps. The soft hum of passing hovercars nearly lulled him to sleep, but he managed to remain focused as he leaned against the wall of the flat.

His thoughts wandered for a while. He thought of Adi and wondered if she was alright. They had not talked since they were separated from each other in the middle of their joyride in their new X-wings. A low rumble bubbled inside Andalin's throat as he growled softly. Three Yuuzhan Vong coral skippers had ambushed them out of no where. Worrying that there might be more, they had both plotted blind jumps and failed to synchronize them in time so they would arrive in the same place. She had promised him that she would meet him on Coruscant at his parents' flat. But two days had passed and he had still received no sign of her.

A lump of ice formed in his stomach. Was she dead? No...that was impossible. With a bond like theirs, he was sure to feel her death through the Force. But something had happened to her, and he dreaded what it could mean. Closing his eyes, he opened himself to the Force and reached out for her, hoping for some sort of answer as to what had become of her.

A sharp pain spread through his forehead as a vision flooded his mind. Struggling to stay focused, he inhaled slowly and let the air out even slower. He could almost see through her eyes. But what he saw was too confusing for him to make any sense out of what it could be. He deepend his focus, reaching out for Adi, opening himself to the Force. But the vision slowly faded, and he was left with a feeling of helplessness. But he could not just sit back and wait for something to happen. He palmed the control panel next to the door again and dashed inside, heading for the terminal in his room...

[Jeianni]

I'm soooo in!!

Name: Detani Liko Keinay
Age: 21
Gender:Male
Occupation: Jedi knight, smuggler, general trouble maker
Eye Color: Brown
Hair Color: Dark Brown
Skin Color: light/medium brown
Height: 6'6
Race: Human/Mekan
Background: Seperated from his mother and baby sister (Jeianni Darklighter- The Academy Thread.)when he was three, Detani and his father moved to Corellia. There he picked up a multitude of street skills, as well as an education at the Corellian Security Academy. It was at the academy where he met Corran Horn, who introduced him to Luke Skywalker. Two years later, he's 21, a Jedi knight combatting the forces of darkness, and has a 6 year old growth, also known as his baby brother/ padawan wannabe/ joined at the hip attachment, named Koshi. He does not know anything about his sister Jeianni, nor does she even know of his existence.I'm thinking of Detani as a sort of laid back, almost lazy person. But fiercly loyal, and very intelligent, especially with literature. And he also has an odd force power, he glows, literally. He has a strange manipulation over light particles, and they're literally just drawn to him. He's a glo worm. This is genetic from his father, and is also prevalent in his long lost sister Jeianni. But she comes in later.
________________

More info later, must converse with Cloud. style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tongue.gif

[Admiral DaaLa]

I'm in too. Nice touch Jeanni. Do you mind I'm making an acedemy link as well. If you hate it i'll change her history.

Name: Damira Mitigan Perlos
Age: 18
Gender: Female
Occupation: Jedi Knight, student, part time waitress
Eye Colour: Green
Hair Colour: Dark Brown, shoulder length
Height: 175cm
Race: Human
Background: Damira or Mira as everyone called her from a young age was born on Coruscant. Coming from a broken house hold, her abusive father and some what submissive mother ensured that Mira was an independent young woman who always had a part time job to help pay the bills and keep up with her farther's drinking habit. At the age of 14, Mira left her house and moved into the upper apartment above her work place The Alley. Being a part time waitress and full time student was a very difficult lifestyle. Through her job Mira met the likes of Crys Sallas (Jedi academy) and Mazza. Sometimes joining into there antics and games, Mira soon discovered that these people were of a different nature especially when she got caught by the Courscant Authorities and they didn't. It was at this point in which out of sheer coincidence that Kyp Durron had been patrolling the skyline and not only saved her from juvenile detention, but also introduced her to the force. Three years of training with Master Skywalker left Mira with a sense of her own and the power to succeed. Mira only returned back to Coruscant 3 months ago, to resume her work at the Alley and studies in order to get a degree and to free her mother from her farther's tyranny.

[Adi Gallia]

<span style="color:crimson">Name: Adi Gallia/Akivaria Durothil
Age: 18
Occupation: Jedi Knight
Eye Colour: Royal Blue
Hair Colour: Black
Height: 5'8"
Race: Human
Background: Adi was born in a small city of Corellia, and lived with her parents. who were both Jedi, until she was eight years of age. Her Jedi training began with her parents, she building her first lightsaber, under her father's watchful eye, at only the age of 7. Even as a child, she developed a strong bond with animals, and used the Force primarily to speak to animals as a child. When her parents died from an attack on her home, she fled to Coruscant, seeking the Jedi Council. After extensive interviews, she was taken in for teaching by various Jedi Masters of the council. Upon finishing her intense training, she moved into a modest apartment in a quieter area of Coruscant (although any section of Coruscant could rarely be considered "quiet"), where she resides today. However, she still makes frequent trips back to Corellia, whenever she can convince Cloud to come with her.<span style="color:crimson"></span></span>





Adi was perched upon the hull of her new X-wing, the sleeves of her tunic were rolled to her elbows, her black jedi cloak was discarded lazily nearby. She had been working on the hyperdrive system of her X-wing, which seemed to refuse to work, all the while, her R2 unit furiously squealing commands to her. A laboured sigh escaped her lips as a frown of concentration creased her brow, she turning two of the upturned wires between delicate fingertips. Lifting her head, a single strand of her ebony hair fell across her visage as she cast a slight frown to her chittering R2 unit. "Don't ask me, I wasn't the one that disabled the hyperdrive." She said blandly, before the faintest trace of a smirk began to tug at the corners of her lips. Reaching up, she tucked the persistant strand of her hair behind her ear once more, before peering to the mess of the hyperdrive once more. "Work on this for a moment, would you? There's something I need to do." THe R2 unit blipped his affirmative as Adi slowly lowered herself from the X-Wing, grasping her cloak and drawing it around her slender form. She exhaled slowly, her eyes flickering closed as she simply calmed her mind, searching for any sign of Cloud. She was terrified that something could have happened to him, yet she refused to let her overwhelming worry get the better of her for the time being. Reaching out with the Force, she searched for Cloud, yet no success. Still, she tried, simply extending a message to him in hopes he would find it somehow...even though she could not sense him, she hoped he could sense her. The message told him where she was, and her situation. She was fine physically, yet she was rather frusterated that she managed to get herself stranded upon one of Coruscant's nearby moons. Her eyes flickered open, she wearily gazing out towards the vsatness of space stretched before her, she shaking her head lightly.



Adi

[Jeianni]

<span style="color:green">Detani dozed peacefully on his bed, covered in green sheets and a emerald green bedspread. The majority of his room was, not surprisingly, green. He had moved into the flat just yesterday, but his strange need to decorate overtook him, and his room was a specatacle of strange and unfamiliar objects left over from his journeys. Soft deep breaths emitted from his chest, as his force glow covered his presence in a light sheen. A smaller version of himself lay curled up in a heap next to him, neighing sotly like a colt, their force auras blending together, creating a luminescant night light.

The door to the flat burst open, and a warm breeze washed over Detani's face. His eyes flicked open and tracked a disturbed looking figure across the front room, and dissapear into the other room. Detani rose from the bed, his baby brother rolled over and lay on his back spread eagle covering the bed. Being rather tall for a six year old, Koshi easily took up the entire bed.

* I hope Ms. Horn gets here soon, Koshi's seriously going to hamper things. *

Detani made his way to the other bedroom, stopping at the doorway. A young man sat at a computer terminal, typing madly. Detani could see black spikey hair sticking up from the top of the chair.

"You must be Andalin."

The chair spun and blue eyes looked Detani up and down, inspecting and calculating.

"Yeah, that's me. You're Detani then?"

Detani smiled and nodded.

"Yup. Nice place you got here."

"Thanks, hope you like it. Sorry I couldn't be here to meet you, but I had a little bit of a problem getting here. I hope everything went smoothely?"

A small toothless Koshi appeared next to Detani, his eyes half open and sleep still evident.

"You're out of Fizzy juices, me'n Detani drank the last two."

Andalin looked at the small half human, half mekan boy standing in front of him, not quite sure how to handle things. Instead he looked to Detani. The boy looked just like him.

"I wasn't aware that you were bringing your son. Master Skywalker said that you were single."

Detani's visible light aura expanded.

"He's my brother, don't worry, he's on the way to Master Skywalker tomorrow. Koshi, this is Andalin."

The toothless wonder stuck his small and somewhat sticky hand out to Andalin.

"Pleased to meet you!"

Andalin smiled and took his hand.

"Hi Koshi, nice to meet you too."

Koshi grinned and turned and hopped out of the room, light particles trailing after him.

Andalin gave Detani a sheepish look.

"Sorry about that, it's just that he looks-"

"Just like me, I know I know. Don't worry about it, it's been said before. So what's up, you seemed pretty hell bent on destroying those terminal keys."</span>

[Admiral DaaLa]

Mira had just worked the longest ten hour shift of her life. After the academy working as a waitress no longer seemed dignified nor satisfying.

But right now I need money and a place to stay...
she thought.

Knowing that this was really the only place she could turn to. She decided to go for a wander away from noise and alcohol, the abhorrent smell of rot and dirt, and all the other things that she had once become accustom to.

Once... not now and not ever again

She had just rented out an apartment of her own with a landing pad for her beloved X-wing and her little connections had made sure she didn't pay too much and yet would still live comfortably. Unconsciously she headed towards her new home and went up the elevator. She new that a lot of work awaited her when she walked in, everything was still in boxes. Plodding down the corridor she ruffled through her bag looking desperately and carelessly for her key card. Her mind was set on one thing sleep so glorious and yet so unappreciated. Naturally, they had been at the bottom and she grabbed it with glee pulling it hard to dislodge it from her hair brush and other accessories.

Dammit, why do I have to be such a clumsy idiot thought Mira.

The contents of her bag had sprawled all over the floor. It was only then that she noticed the two young men at the door of the adjacent apartment. SHe grabbed her eye liner off the floor as one young man passed her her wallet saying "Miss you dropped this."

"Thanks alot, I didn't even realize..."

MIra looked down obviously ashamed at her state of mind and appearance. "Don't mean to pry but what's with your terminal?"

"It's jammed or something." replied the frustrated man with spiky black hair.

"Errr just press the 'open button'" added Mira with a smile "It tends to work sometimes."

After pressing the button it opened and he smiled at her thankfully and sheepishly.

"Goodluck" Mira muttered as she went to enter her own room.

[Cloud]

<span style="color:royalblue">Hehe...I don't know where you both are getting the spikey hair thing from. Oh! Cloud--Final Fantasy--Spikey hair. I get it! I guess it works, though.</span>

Andalin tilted his head as the woman dashed into her apartment, and turned back to the terminal, closing the door behind the two of them. "Hope your brother can reach the door..." he jokingly bickered. He tossed a hand back through his naturally spikey black hair, mindlessly fingering a few of strands he knew were streaked with crimson (as for how his hair remained naturally spiked was a mystery to everyone..).

He turned back to the keys and furiously pounded them, watching as screen after screen popped in front of him on the terminal. A distant feeling of warmth filled his fingers as the friction generated by the rapid typing gave way to heat.

Andalin turned to Detani and opened his mouth to speak...but nothing came out. Instead, he closed his eyes and struggled to hear the message in the Force which traveled to his mind. He could feel Detani eyeing him warily. "You alright, Andalin?"

A bead of sweat furrowed on his brow and dripped onto the terminal keys. He opened his eyes and took a deep breath, nodding, "I came in here so quickly because I started to have a vision of where Adi was...but it faded. Adi and I were separated on during a test flight with the new X-wings when a trio of skips caught us offguard and attacked. Instead of sticking around to fight, in fear of there being more skips waiting to ambush us, we both plotted blind jumps. And I managed to come here...but she never made it back." He closed his eyes and opened up to the Force again. "I know where she is, now. She's on one of Coruscant's moons. We have to go get her! What if a skip followed her there?"

Detani's eyes widened as he realized the danger this imposed. "Yes, let's hurry, then."

Andalin was already reaching into a closet near Detani's bed for a jumpsuit. He tossed one over to Detani and they both quickly changed. "Make sure to get your little brother back to bed while we do this. We don't want him to wander off somewhere."
____________________________________________

Adi closed her eyes and opened up to the flow of the Force, reaching out for Cloud. Cloud hadn't given a response, which didn't really surprise her because he was probably too preoccupied to get the message right away. So she sent out what she could through the Force, hoping that one of them would get his attention.

A sense of danger rippled in the Force, and she gazed around from where she was on the moon. She self-consciously fingered the vac suit and breather she was wearing, and let out a relaxing deep breath as she realized that it had been a false alarm. The only thing in sight besides the sun and the planet Coruscant was a few asteroids.

Asteroids... her throat constricted in terror. The Yuuzhan Vong skips! They followed me here!? Why would they risk their lives to chase down a couple Jedi?!

But she knew that the Yuuzhan Vong would sacrifice anything, including themselves, for the love of their radical religion. Adi narrowed her eyes and quickly unclipped the Lightsabre from her belt, readying it along with a blaster as she ducked low behind her X-wing, hoping that the skips would not see her there. She reached out with the Force to get some sort of idea of what their trajectory was, but she drew a blank. A void in the Force. She quickly remembered that the Yuuzhan Vong could not be felt through the Force. This was a concept many Jedi, including her, still could not understand. How could any living thing not be part of the Force? She knew it was impossible. They had to be connected somehow.

Adi closed her eyes and totally opened herself up to the Force as she had been trained years before at the Jedi Academy...
____________________________________________

Andalin dashed into the docking bay, followed by Detani. They found their X-wings both ready for departure when they arrived, just as he had requested. Sometimes having parents in the Senate isn't such a bad thing...

He climbed into his X-wing and flipped several of the switches on, beginning a warm-up readout of the ship's circuits and readying his astromech droid. Arilyn, as he called the droid, blipped a few times, acknowledging that the warm-up and preparation was complete. He looked over at Detani's X-wing, checking to see if he was ready, as well. Andalin turned his comm unit on and answered Detani's acknowledging comm click with a double-clicked reply.

He piloted the X-wing off of the ground and exited the docking port as its large durasteel doors parted a path for the two to exit. Detani followed in sync with his movements as they entered Coruscant's atmosphere and quickly broke away into space. Andalin forwarded the coordinates to which Coruscant moon Adi resided on and set the autopilot to take him there as his thoughts drifted...

He could feel the fear within Adi, and it grew stronger still as they drew closer to the moon. This can't be good...she's never encountered any Yuuzhan Vong before...I hope she can defend herself... Flashbacks and memories flooded his mind as he remembered all of the years he and Adi had been close since they met at the Jedi Academy. While there, they were practically inseparable. Even the past two days had been the longest span of time they had spent apart in two years. He yearned to hold her in his arms...

Detani's shouting over the comm channel jolted out of his daydreaming. "...asteroid-like figures landing on the moon!" He only caught the last part, but it was all he needed to hear to know that the skips had managed to track them down. A thick air of dread filled him and it didn't take long to realize that these emotions were not completely his own. They were Adi's and possibly Detani's as well. He drew upon the Force to calm himself.

Andalin took over the controls of his X-wing and quickly chose a course that would get him there in less than five minutes. He only hoped this would be fast enough. Adi would have difficulty fighting a Yuuzhan Vong for her first time. She wouldn't know about the thud bugs, razor bugs, or Amphistaffs, beyond what she had been taught. Encountering an actual Vong Warrior was a totally different situation.

A ball of plasma from the one skip which remained behind veered in his direction. Grabbing the stick, he rolled the X-wing to starboard and quickly dialed down his inertial compensator, banking to the side and cork-screwing wildly. Detani came over the comm, "Show off." The voice was filled with way too much excitement that Andalin half wished he could share.

Warning lights and beeps, including a flurry of both from Ari, told him that his shields were about to be stripped of their shields. However, this was of less concern to him than getting to Adi. He returned to his route and rapidly approached the moon, ignoring Ari's pleas.

The warning lights and beeps halted and a flash of light drew his attention away from the moon for a short time. Detani had penetrated the skip's defenses with his turbolaser quads. "Thanks, my new friend." He was returned with a comm click.
____________________________________________

[Seanakin]

I want in!

<span style="color:tomato">Name: Seanakin B. Pau'rant
Age: 30
Occupation: Senator, Bartender, and reformed Sith Lord
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Naturally Red
Height: 6' 0"
Weight: Unknown
Race: Human

Lord Seanakin resides on Coruscant. He is currently single after his wife, the Mandalorian Luthien Fett, left him after only two years. (Lightweight.) Her departure was so devastating that he collapsed and died of a heart attack that day. However, he was given a new chance to find happiness elsewhere after the spirit of his former Sith master, Darth Thernma, regrettably informed him that his (Seanakin's) death was a mistake. The error was his, apparently caused by a rare clerical gaffe on one of his myriad lists. After being brought back from the grave, Seanakin splits his time between his duties in the Senate (where he represents the interests of his home planet Dantooine) and tending bar at the Singles Cantina, which he says he does just for fun.</span>

*After another fun yet thought-provoking night tending bar at the Cantina, Seanakin trudged into his office over at Senate Office Building Room 321 to check his messages and get some rest before the Senate convened the next day. Sure, this is tiring, he thought to himself, but I've already been dead once and I'd prefer to do some more living before my name's supposed to show up on Thernma's list! He hung his trademark Sith robe on the coathanger in the corner, grabbed a blanket, and stetched out on the big leather couch given to him by some special interest group, one of many whose back he stabbed when it actually came time to vote. (The way he saw it, it was no problem to accept gifts from people, as long as there were no strings attached. Double crossing them come vote time was the best way to assure that.)

He used his Force powers to turn on some soothing rustic music, the kind he used to enjoy very often on Dantooine, back before the planet got overrun to the point he HAD to get off...becoming Senator was merely the most high-profile option. He closed his eyes and dreamed of once again finding the intense, ground-shaking feeling of love that he had gotten to know the last time around. He missed that. There was one person in particular who had caught his fancy, but he eschewed pursuing her for uncertainty as to whether he was after her or just another shot at that old feeling. Besides, it was too soon after the divorce, he felt, to be so sure. He knew that only time would allow him any further insight into the matter...

He was awoken from his rather pleasant dream by the sensing of....a familiar presence. He wasn't sure who, he couldn't quite recall who she was, only that she was familiar. The oddest part was that even though he could tell she was flying around on a nearby moon, her presence could only be intermittently felt, like radio signals got cut off sometimes as he commuted between tall skyscrapers on the planet.

He knew well enough, though, that she needed help, and fast. "My goodness, I am so unaccustomed to at once be a Senator yet feel so damned helpless!" Needing to do something, he donned back on his robe, ran down to his speeder, and flew like the wind back to HIS apartment....*

[Cloud]

<span style="color:royalblue">Great to have you here, Seanakin! Now I just need Adi or Detani to post something so I can continue...I just realized the age discrepancy for characters. But this is a new Senate...so I guess we can change things a little without anyone noticing...</span>

[Adi Gallia]

Adi widened her eyes slightly as she watched in anticipation as Cloud's X-Wing came into view. However, she was unsure whether to be relieved or more worried...even though Cloud was the skilled pilot he was, she wasn't exactly keen on him putting himself through so much danger merely for her. Yet, what other option did she have than to request his help? Despite her previous pleas for him to pull back, he persisted, which didn't surprise her. She couldn't help but smile momentarily...she could always count on Cloud regardless of the situation. Crouched low behind her X-Wing, she remained hidden from the Yuuzhan Vong for the time being, yet she knew that it wouldn't be long before they found her. She wasn't exactly in a prime hiding spot.

With her lightsaber clutched in her right hand, and a blaster in her left, she watched nervously as Cloud's fighter veered from the ball of plasma that hurtled straight for him. She had full confidence in Cloud's abilities...yet it didn't stop her from being extremely worried. However, she calmed her mind to the best of her abilities, her eyes narrrowing as she began to concentrate, reaching out once more to Cloud through the Force. She asked him to hurry...yet still, not get himself killed in the process. Pursing her lips, she watched the small battle unfolding...she just hoped it wouldn't last long.

[Cloud]

Cloud continued on his path to the moon with no further resistance from Yuuzhan Vong skips. It appeared as if only the same three that had ambushed them followed them this far. It still came as a surprise to Cloud that they would come this close Coreward. It was not a tactic that had taken place before. Then it hit him. They're after Adi for something...or trying to bait me!

Gritting his teeth, he quickly descended to the moon and landed less then one-hundred yards from Adi. He threw the hood of hi X-wing up and quickly unstrapped himself from the seat, clambering out of the cockpit and leaping to the ground. He didn't even wait for Detani to arrive, knowing half-Mekan would be not be far behind.

Andalin wrenched his lightsabre from the belt around his jumpsuit and thumbed the blade to life with a snap-hiss. A vibrant, green glowing blade extended from the hilt and emanated a resonating glow. He kept running in the direction of Adi, eyes narrowing into a hard stare just past her X-wing where he saw the two skips land and the scarred figures of two Yuuzhan Vong leaving their coral skippers.

These two particular warriors did not have as many scars as the usual warrior, and did not show any signs of being Shamed Ones. Shapers...? No, they were far too big to be shapers. Something didn't add up to him. He continued running in Adi's direction, observing the large humanoid form of the two Vong in the distance...

[Adi Gallia]

Adi quickly holstered her blaster, taking her reliance onto her lightsaber as she clutched it in her right hand. She flipped it on with its familiar snap-hiss, the vibrant, royal blue blade soon sparking to life. Both the Yuuzhan Vong advanced on either side of her at the same time, yet she stepped back, avoiding the first attack. Turning, she brought her lightsaber back and then slammed it directly into the mid section of the first Yuuzhan Vong, yet..nothing happened. Adi was baffled. How could her lightsaber possible not work against this armor? Ah...how could she forget? It was reaction, she supposed, and forgot the armor these beasts wore. The split second she was thrown off-guard was enough for the other Yuuzhan Vong to make its attack. It spun and sent its staff directly into Adi's torso, sending her to the ground in a heap. She gasped heavily, as the wind was knocked from her, however, she looked up just intime to see the staffo f the other beast, plummeting towards her head. She rolled to her right, narrowly avoiding the severe blow to her head. She staggered to her feet, inhaling slowly to regain her breath. In unison, the Yuuzhan Vong hurled a small object, that seemed to look like a bug to Adi, towards her. Without hesitation, Adi raised her lightsaber and deflected the two bug-like objects away. That was enough to convince her. She turned, and ran. There was no possible way she was going to wait for Cloud at the moment, when she knew so little about these creatures that were far too dangerous to battle alone.

[Cloud]

Andalin clenched his teeth as he watched Adi fall to the floor from a sharp blow to her torso. Growling, he reached out with the Force to alert her of the next swing the second Yuuzhan Vong made. Adi, rolled away from the Amphistaff just as it hit the ground, and leaped to her feet, running toward him.

Keep running back to the X-wing... he ordered her through the Force.

No! I'm fighting with you, Cloud! she argued.

It was nice hearing his nickname again... Adi...it's too dangerous. You've never fought the Vong before...

But a sense of persitence reached him through the Force and he knew that nothing he could say would make her leave his side. They both met up with each other only moments later, but Andalin wasted no time in spinning around her and catching the whip form of a Yuuzhan Vong amphistaff on the end of his lightsabre. He twisted the blade out of the Amphistaff's grip, narrowing his eyes into a hardened glare at the Yuuzhan Vong.

Sidestepping around the Yuuzhan Vong, Andalin brought his blade into a precise arc under the Yuuzhan Vong's arm...but was stopped short as an amphistaff cracked against his shoulder and he fell to the ground. He inhaled sharply and drew upon the Force even more, struggling to maintain consciousness...

Detani...

[Seanakin]

*Seanakin woke up to find himself on the floor of his apartment. Seems his nasty habit of sleep deprivation had caught up with him at last.

He stood up and at once grabbed his head, having sensed that same familiar presence through the Force...still on an outlying moon...only now, it was coupled with another familiar presence. I know these people, he thought, but I still cannot quite place the names. I wish I could remember...

He strolled over to his desk and started reading through all his old Senate files in an attempt to find a clue. Unfortunately, all those records were very recent, due to the fact he had only gotten that apartment after being reborn. The large house he and his now-departed wife had enjoyed in the residential section of the planet still stood, though mostly for the sake of his own sanity, he had avoided the place since his master brought him back to life. I hate the thought of what memories will be drudged up if I go back there, he thought, but still, there seems to be a situation brewing that could extend not only to two people I know, but to all of Coruscant, and thereby...The Republic!

He grabbed a datapad and a sandwich, then hopped back on his speeder bike, determined to get to the bottom of this. He KNEW he had to look for answers in his former haven, Luthakin Manor. The fate of the Republic seemed to be hanging in the balance, and no reminder of torturous heartbreak was going to delay Seanakin from his primary duty as a galactic Senator. At least not this day.

"Damn the bad memories, full speed ahead!"*

[Jeianni]

<span style="color:green">Detani reveled in the feeling of x-wing controls at his finger tips. In the distance he could see Andalin doing corkscrews and barrel roles at rediculous speeds. He tongued his comm unit,

"Show off."

But the response he got back was less than humerous. Andalin obviously meant serious buisiness. Detani looked around him, coral skippers flitting about him, and he got the jist of the situation.

*Okay, no more mister nice guy.*

Detani closed his eyes, sensing a void in the force perilously close to him. He snap rolled to the right, pulling into a tight loop. The skipper clumsily closed in behind him.

*What is this? The vong must be short on pilots to send out newbies like him.*

As the vong pilot urged his skip forward, Detani pushed forward on the throttle and engaged bow thrusters. The skip shot forward in front of him and straight into his sights. Quad linked laser blasts tore the skipper apart.

*One down, several hundred thousand to go.*

Detani checked his sensors for Andalin, and noticed him making a mad dash for the surface. A supreme sense of urgency came rolling off of Andalin, and Detani followed. The x-wing rocked as he entered the atmosphere, and the borrowed Artoo unit sqwaked something about his level of entry. In the distance he could see two X-Wings and two coral skippers, and four small figures. A beam of light was waving madly as short blaster bolt bursts bit at the Yuzhaan Vong.

*Sithspit!*

Detani increased his acceleration, switching to repulsors at the last possible moment. His wings retracted and landing gear appeared as he came down twenty meters away from the warring duelists. He flipped out of his cockpit, and hit the ground at a dead run.

*Detani!*
A force cry from Andalin reached him seconds before he could get to them. With a burst of Force aided energy, he vaulted over the Vong, bringing his lightsaber to bear. And emerald green blade shot from the handle and neatly decapitated the Vong in front of him. The other vong, caught by surprise, was quickly dispatched by two blaster bolts to the neck, courtesy of Adi.

Detani turned to Adi,

"You alright?"

"Yes, but Cloud-"

"Cloud?"

"Andalin, he's hurt."

Andalin lay on the ground, moaning softly, his shoulder slowly seeping blood into the earth beneath him.

"The amphistaff must have been laced with something, we need to get him to Cilghal, she's on planet for a few more days. Do you think you can take him? It'd be less heavy."

Adi quickly nodded her head, shaking all insecurity from her mind.

"Yes, I can take him in my X-wing. Lets hurry!"

Detani scooped Andalin into his arms, not in the least worried by the tall man's weight. Once gently crammed into the cockpit, Adi with Andalin streaked off towards Courascant, desperate for Cilghal's help. Detani stuck his head into Andalin's cockpit.

"Hey droid?"

[May I help you sir?]

"Your pilots been hurt, I need you to go the landing platform you came from, I'll arrange clearance for you alright?"

[I understand.]

"Good, get going!"

Detani barely had his head out of the cockpit before it began to close.

Jumping into his own x-wing, Andalin's x-wing shot across the sky, and he followed right on it's tail.

"Courascant Traffic Control, this is Detani Keinay, we've got a slight problem..."</span>

[Cloud]

<span style="color:royalblue">Wow...hearing Cilghal's name in our own Fan Fic gave me cold chills.</span>

Andalin was totally oblivious to everything going on around him. He could see Adi there, but was unable to piece any of his surroundings together. Everything was a complete blur. His head ached with excruciating pain which caused his vision to whirl around in wild pandemonium every few seconds.

He was barely able to keep his grip on the fabric of consciousness, but the soothing voice in the back of his mind gave him enough strength. He knew it was Adi's by the familiarity of the tone and the soothing it brought him. In minutes, he felt the stupor fade away from a little...enough for him to collect his thoughts and speak some. He wouldn't realize until later that it was Adi herself sharing her energy with him.

"Wh...at happened?" Andalin asked groggily.

"Nothing, hon," She answered softly. "Just close your eyes and rest...don't waste your energy. We'll be back on Coruscant and have Cilghal treat you soon."

Andalin nodded, a few tears welling up in his eyes, "I'm glad they didn't hurt you..." He closed his eyes and drifted off into sleep. Adi smiled softly at him and continued en route to Coruscant.
____________________________________________

[Admiral DaaLa]

Meanwhile, back at the apartment Mira had collapsed literally on her bed and was delirious with exhaustion. She closed her eyes and moments later her surroundings disappeared.

'Breathe in breathe out' Master Skywalker was saying.
'You can be whatever you choose to be'. Then a light saber ignited and moments later all hell broke loose. It was running directly at her it was a Yuuzhan Vong, so she immediately went into a defensive stance prepared for battle. All of a sudden it mutated and she wasn't fighting the warrior but her father. Drums started pounding in the background and Mira felt the pace of her heart increase and blood pressure rise.

That's when Mira woke up, sweaty and dreamy and yet so alert and with light saber in hand. The light saber would have been on the other side of the room with all her other Jedi things and now she stared at her hand. It was a master piece, her master piece she though lovingly. Mira's head spun around trying to get the senseless beating to go away instead it seemed to get louder with its origin being the adjacent apartment.Annoyed from losing sleep Mira walked over to the apartment, surprisingly the door was ajar and she looked around the room that hours before was spotless. All she could see were the numerous chocolate wrappers all over the floor. The beating was coming from some strange music from the radio, she walked over and switched it off saying

"Hellllloooooo is any body home...look i'm just from next door and well it was open and the music is kinda...."

Something moved behind the door and it was glowing. Mira stood defensively like in her dream with light saber in hand and shouted "Come you, whatever and who ever you are, this is private property."

To her utter surprise out came a little boy who looked about 9 but acted if he was younger. He walked out slowly, glowing from every angle, as Mira shut down her light saber. His face was covered in chocolate and he had a guilty look in his eyes as he clutched his stomach. Mira noticed the remnants of tears down his face and realized that he had eaten too much and now couldn't get to sleep. She began to laugh then she stopped and looked at the boy sternly and began talking to him in a gentle tone.

"I'm Mira from next door what's your name?"

"Koshi" came a brusque reply "and I'm 7 and i'm gonna be a Jedi too." He licked his chocolate coated finger after saying this.

"So who are you staying with? those two boys?"

So irresponsible, who leaves a 7 year old thought Mira critically.

"I'm here with my brother, Detani and this is Andalin's apartment. "

"Yer you do look like..... nevermind come on I better get you cleaned up before he comes back form his little adventure with the spiky dude, I mean Andalin."

The little boy followed her perhaps carelessly into her apartment where she cleaned him up and gave him some hot water to sooth his stomach. Too quickly the little Koshi had fallen asleep on her bed. Reluctantly and yet lovingly Mira covered the little boy with a blanket locking both her own and his apartment.

[Adi Gallia]

Adi piloted the X-wing through the bustling traffic of Coruscant, an arm protectively wrapped around Cloud's limp form as he leaned against her. She exhaled a sigh of relief as she saw the open docking bay of the lab where she had visted Cilghal only days before. Flipping on the com(n?) system, she spoke loudly enough for the receiver to hear, yet not too loudly...she didn't want to disturb Cloud.
"This is Adi Gallia. I have an injured Jedi Knight with me and we need to see Cilghal immediately, if possible."
After a brief pause, the response came from one of the workers of the lab.
"That won't be a problem. Someone will meet you at the docking bay to escort you to the lab."
Thankfully, due to the fact that Adi was flying a very distinctive Rebel fighter, she had no troubles gaining entrance to the small docking bay. Weaving her way through the steady flow of various ships, she made her way to the small dockingbay, which was rather discreet compared to the many other larger docking bays with rather elaborate, impressive star cruisers perched upon them. She carefully lowered the ship onto the docking bay, and almost the very moment the X-wing touched down, she opened the hatch, carefully getting out so not to disturb Cloud. Carefully balancing on hull of the fighter, she reached down, and lifted Cloud cautiously from the cockpit. She clutched him against her, an arm hooked under his knees, the other around his back firmly. It must have looked somewhat strange. Adi was rather small, and she held Cloud in her arms, without problem, yet she had a strength quite uncharacteristic to her size. Once again, another benefit to being a Jedi. She leapt from the hull, landing softly with aid of the force, so not to jarr Cloud within her grasp. Adi looked up to see their escort approaching, he offering to help Adi. She shook her head, holding Cloud's form closer against her, protectively. He instructed Adi to follow him, she walking briskly behind him into the building, into a narrow corridor. The corridor branched off into two different hallways, she following the man until they reached a set of double doors at the end of the hallway, he holding the door for Adi as she carefully slipped inside with Cloud. Cighal was waiting for her, in a smaller lab, she standing as Adi entered, Cloud's limp form within her grasp. Adi began to explain before Cighal could ask what had happened.
"Clo...Andalin was struck by an amphistaff of the Yuuzhan Vong. He's been drifting in and out of conciousness since, and we think the staff could have been laced with something, but we don't know what. Could you help us, Cighal?"
Adi asked, a hint of desparation audiable within her voice. Cighal nodded, as Adi turned to lay Cloud onto a narrow cot pressed against the wall. Taking a few reluctant steps back, she promptly folded her arms tightly across her chest, nervously watching the two.

[Jeianni]

<span style="color:green"> Harsh white hospital lights lent a pale tone to Adi, who sat hunched over Andalin's bed. Detani stood by the doorway, talking in hushed tones to Cilghal.

"He'll be okay in a couple of days, but he needs to repair himslef. I put him in a healing trance and he shouldn't be moved."

"Thanks so much Cilghal! I think he wont mind a coupe days rest. I'm going back to the flat if you need me."

"I'll send for you if anything happens."

Walking out of the room, Detani waved to Adi, and left, glad to give the two some much needed alone time. Walking into his appartment he wondered about the Yuzhan Vong and their unusual ways. The scars, tattoos , and implants that covered their bodies made Detani shudder with revulsion.

Walking into the flat he noticed something wrong. Koshi had not exploded into the room with a thousand things to tell him, and he was missing about ten chocolate bars from his private stash.

*Koshi.........*

" Looking for someone?" A female voice sounded from the couch. Detani whipped around to stare at the intruder he hadn't noticed.

"Who are you?"

"I'm Mira, you must be Detani. Little Koshi told me all about you."

Detani's eyes narrowed.

"Where is he?"

"On the bed asleep. And I don't pity you when he wakes up, ten chocolate bars could cause some excitement. But that's when you get when you leave seven year olds alone."

Detani's gow brightened defensively at the accusation.

"He's six, and he was asleep! Anyways, thank you Mira, for keeping an eye on him. But I'd really like to get some sleep."

Mira turned and rolled her eyes,

"Don't mention it. I'll see you tomorrow."

Mira left the flat, shutting the door behind her. Detani blinked a couple of times.

*See you tomorrow? What's that supposed to mean?*

Detani shrugged and headed towards his bed, leaving a trail of boots, socks, cloak and shirt behind. He climbed into bed, pushing his cumbersome brother out of the way, and quickly fell into dreams.

_________________________________



Leaves and branches whipped past his face, birds called out and small animals scampered out of the path as Detani went crashing through the jungle. The moon shone brightly overhead, and the sound of water in a stream running nearby came to Detani's ears. Ahead of him, covered by the trees, a faint light was moving away from him, as he raced towards it.

*Koshi?*

He sped up, calling on the force for more speed and quickly began to advance on the light. As he got closer, he could see that the figure was too tall to be Koshi. The figure was of moderate hieght, long brown hair, entangled with light flowed out from behind it. Detani got closer. The figure glanced back at Detani anxiously, and his breath stuck in his throat. A women, maybe younger than him, with such an air of familiarity that Detani couldn't believe it.

*I know her from somewhere, but where?*

The woman, breathing hard, summoned up the last of her breath and broke through the jungle into a clearing. A small stream coalesced into a good sized pond in the middle of the clearing. The moon's beams of light reflected off of the water, making the ripples on the surface sparkle. The woman stopped in front of the pool, and flipping off her sandals, got ready to dive into the water. Detani called out to her.

"Wait! Who are you?" He gasped out between breaths.

She smiled and shook her head, the odd glow that covered Detani and herself getting brighter.

"You know who I am."

She turned and dove into the water, her aura of light making a trail in the water. Detani quickly threw off his cloak and shoes and dove in after her. He swam after the light in front of him, not the least bit curious at how he could breath, and why the bottom of the seemingly small pond hadn't appeared yet. A voice floated throught the water to him, Detani............. Detani

"Detani!"
His eyes fluttered open, only to find Koshi sitting squarely on his chest.

"Yes Koshi?" Detani asked, surprisingly patient with his bothersome baby brother.

"I'm hungry and we're out of Fizzy Juices, and a lady named Mirax is at the front door."

Detni's eyes flew open and he gently shoved Koshi off of his chest and threw on his jedi robes. He grabbed up Koshi's bag, and Koshi struggled with his shoes. Detani stooped down and tying them tightly, he took Koshi by the hand.

"Come on Koshi, we're going to meet your new teacher."

*Thank god almighty!*

He pulled the six year old into the fresher and quickly washed the remnants of chocolate off of his face. Then, after quickly exchanging a dirty shirt for a clean one, they entered the living room.

A lovely vision of a woman sat on the couch in front of the holoscreen, idally munching on the nuts in a bowl in front of her. Long glossy black hair fell around her shoulders, and swayed nicely as she rose from the couch to greet them.

"Hello, I'm Mirax Terrik." She held her hand out to Detani.

Koshi took it before Detani got the chance.

"I'm Koshi! I'm going to be a jedi!!"

Mirax smiled brilliantly.
"I hope very much so!"
She looked back to Detani.

"Unfortunately, we have to leave very soon if we're going to make a rendezvious with Master Skywalker. Is Andalin around?"

Once again Koshi outspoke Detani.

"No he's hurt, in the hospital with his wife."

Detani looked at Koshi with surprise.

"How did you know that?"

"You talk in your sleep."

This brought a chuckle from Mirax.

"Thanks Koshi. I hate to say this, but we gotta go. I'll wait in the hall while you say goodbye, okay? Then we'll go check on Andalin real quick."

Koshi's smile diminished. The moment of truth had arrived. He was going to have to actually say good bye to his big brother, his best friend. Mirax left the room, and Detani kneeled on knee. Koshi ran into his opens arms, burying himself in Detani's shoulder.

"Don't worry Koshi. Mirax and Master Skywalker will take good care of you. And I'll visit you when I can."

Koshi sniffeled, and muffled words came from Detani's shoulder.

"I'll miss you DeeDee."

Detani smiled at his little brother's baby name for him.

"I'll miss you too Koshi."

Koshi disengaged himself from Detani, and smiled bravely.

"I'll be the best Jedi ever!"

"Goodbye Koshi."

"'Bye DeeDee."

Koshi turned around and left, shutting the door behind him, leaving the proudest big brother behind, and walking towards a new future.

_________________________

Detani went out onto the balcony, the hustle and bustle of Courascant keeping his mind busy.

"Dee Dee huh?"

Detani's head whirled to the unexpected sound on the balcony nearby. Mira stood on the balcony adjacent to his, dressed completely in black, blending in with the night.

"Do you always eavesdrop on people?"

"Only when my neighbors leave their windows open. Koshi sounds like a good kid though."

Detani's frown softened.

"He is, he's just a little bit hyper. When he was little, he couldn't pronounce Deitani, so he called me Dee Dee."

Mira smiled.

"Well don't worry, Mirax will take good care of him."

"How can you tell?"

"She took pretty good care of me."

It took Deitani a minute to comprehend her words.

"You're a jedi too?"</span>

[Cloud]

<span style="color:royalblue">Adi's actually Cloud's wife...I misstyped things early...*Sweatdrops and blushes a lil*</span>

[Jeianni]

<span style="color:royalblue"> *note* read the post directly below this first. thanks! </span>

<span style="color:blue">Koshi gripped Mirax's fingers tightly as they walked through the walkways. Mirax was nice, but she was new. Mirax squeezed his hand gently and smiled down at him reassuringly.

"I've got a son about your age. You two could be friends maybe?"

Koshi looked up at Mirax.

"Cool. I can't wait to find my sister."
Mirax frowned.

"I don't remember Master Skywalker saying anything about your sister. Is she your imaginary sister maybe?"

"I don't know, I dreamt about her last night. She was really pretty."

Mirax looked at the top of Koshi's head, knowing full well what a dream could mean.

"We'll tell Master Skywalker later. Ah, here we are."

Mirax and Koshi walked into the rediculously white hospital, headed towards Andalin's room. They walked in and Adi looked up, Andalin began to sit up but Adi wouldn't let him.

"Adi, Andalin, good to see you among the living!"

Andalin smiled graciously.

"Back at you Mirax. You takin' Koshi on a field trip or something?"

Koshi slipped from Mirax's grasp and appeared at Andalin's bedside.

"We're going to find my sister!"

Andalin raised an eyebrow to Mirax.

"Your sister?"

"Yup, you wanna come?"

Andalin chuckled, and then stopped abruptly, laughing was painful at the moment.

"No buddy, I gotta stay with Detani, make sure he's okay for you. Good deal?"

Koshi grinned.

"Good deal."

Mirax conversed with Andalin a few minutes, and then she and Koshi left the hospital, bound for her ship. Once situated, Koshi nestled up in the co-pilot seat, the controls locked of course, they rose from the platform. Koshi pressed his nose against the side viewport.

"Bye Detani and Andalin and Adi." </span>

[Cloud]

Bright light flooded even the extent of Andalin's peripheral vision. As it faded a way, he was forced to rub his eyes and blink several times to regain his vision. What he saw before him was a large group of Yuuzhan Vong. He tried to reach out to them to get an idea of how many...but came back with nothing. Just as expected.

Andalin backed away, hands brushing over what he could tell was the interior coral lining of a Worldship... What the...what am I doing on a Yuuzhan Vong Worldship?... He trembled, struggling to repress his fear as the group of Yuuzhan Vong advanced on him. A strange, feathery figure made its way through the group of Yuuzhan Vong, dividing it right down the middle. He felt her probing at his mind and narrowed his eyes... Vergere...

<span style="color:silver">..........</span>***<span style="color:silver">..........</span>***<span style="color:silver">..........</span>***<span style="color:silver">..........</span>***<span style="color:silver">..........</span>***<span style="color:silver">..........</span>***<span style="color:silver">..........</span>***<span style="color:silver">..........</span>***<span style="color:silver">..........</span>

Andalin's eyes flickered open, and he found himself staring into the eyes of a familiar and incredibly beautiful face. "Adi..." he mouthed, no sound coming from his throat. He realized the overwhelming sense of numbness he felt around his mouth. And then he remembered what had happened.

Sitting up quickly, he reached to his side for his Lightsabre...which was not there. He looked around and found himself in a room which did not differ greatly from that of a hospital, but he recognized it as one of Cilghal's lab recovery rooms. He must have been poisoned by the Yuuzhan Vong amphistaff.

"Cloud! You're alright!" Adi exclaimed, smiling and wrapping her arms around him.

Andalin mustered enough of his strength and felt the effects of Cilghal's medicine wearing off. "I'm fine, but you're going to be crushing my ribs next," he teased. She smirked and loosened her grip on him, then pulled away to look into his eyes.

"I love you..." she spoke softly, tears in her eyes.

"I love you too, Adi," he replied just as quietly, moving his head forward to kiss her softly. He pulled away reluctantly, "But...I had a vision...and it's worrying me. I think I need to tell Master Luke about it. Maybe he'll have some idea what's going on..." he trailed off in thought for a moment. "Where's Detani!?" he suddenly realized that the half-Mekan was no where to be seen. He hoped his new--partner?--was all right.
____________________________________________

[Cloud]

<span style="color:royalblue">Erk, I was midtyping that and had to go speak with my brother about something, so I had no idea you made a post...er...those conflict a little...can we switch mine before yours, please?</span>

[Admiral DaaLa]

Soz was at work all day...
---------------------------------------------

Mira smiled.

"I'm a lot of things and one of those things happens to be a Jedi..." she sighed murmuring " Isn't life filled with coincidences."

Detani smiled answering "Yes it is," and their eyes linked for a brief moment, then quickly they both looked out onto the Coruscant skyline.

"You know your out of fruit juices and pretty much everything else," began Mira hoping to change the topic.

Detani was still in awe that she was a Jedi and stuttered "So why haven't we met before, I mean if your a Jedi surely I should have met you somewhere. How old are you?"

"18 and you "

"21, so yes... the age difference does explain why I haven't...what?"

Mira was laughing at him, he had been speaking his thoughts out loud.

"I know were out of fruit juices and yes I'll have to do some shopping ... so why are you laughing?"

"Your such a Jedi!" Mira jibed satirically.

Detani was dumb struck he couldn't answer that he wasn't because he was a Jedi and yet in the tone that Mira had put it she had challenged him to disagree with her, which would have been his folly.

Instead he smiled and replied "As are you."

"Want to come over for some fruit juice Jedi, then maybe you'll remember me."

[Adi Gallia]

Adi watched Mirax and Koshi leave, she waving to Koshi with a warm smile as he turned to look over her shoulder, just before the door closed. She paused to remove her heavy black cloak, placing it over a chair, and removing her boots as well, neatly placing them aside.

Turning, she returned to Cloud's bed, reaching up to comb her slender fingers through her long ebony hair. Offering Cloud an affectionate smile, she slowly lowered to sit on the edge of his bed facing him, his back propped against the pillows. Her stunning, dark blue eyes lowered momentarily as she gingerly took his hand, lacing her fingers through his own. A gentle sigh escaped her lips, as she shook her head lightly, looking to Cloud with a smile still playing about her lips.

"Cloud...you scared me sensless." She said with a smile. Cloud lowered his head sheepishly, smiling as well. Adi continued.

"I hadn't yet gotten an oppertunity to thank you for helping me off of that bloody rock." She shook her head lightly. "If it weren't for you, I'm positive the Yuuzhan Vong would have defeated me within minutes."

Giving his hand a brief, affectionate squeeze, she leaned in, resting her free hand softly along his cheek. Adi pressed her lips against Cloud's forehead, allowing the kiss to linger for a moment longer before she drew back slightly, then resting her forehead lightly against his own, her blue eyes meeting his.

"Thank you." She whispered, angling her head to the side, slowly placing a light kiss on the corners of his lips. Drawing back ever so slightly, she simply gazed into his eyes, smiling warmly to him.

"Is there anything I can do for you? Bring you anything?" Adi asked, raising his hand, which was still within her grasp, to her lips, placing a gentle kiss along his knuckles.

[Jeianni]

<span style="color:green">Detani hopped the railing between their baclonies, and landed lightly next to Mira. She snorted and shook her head and said,

"Come on Jedi."
Mira turned and led the way into her apartment. Detani followed sedately behind her, taking time to view his surroundings. A small, practical table, a couch and a holoscreen, nothing on the walls, and a small utilitarian kitchen.

"I love what you've done with the place."

Mira shot him an indignant look and pointed towards a stack of boxes in the corner. Moving to the fridge she pulled out two fizzy juices, popped the tops on them, and handed one to Detani.

"You can honestly look me in the eye and tell me that you don't know who I am?"

Detani took a big swig of his fizzy juice and sat on the couch.

"I haven't the foggiest clue. Why don' you let me in on the secret."</span>

[Cloud]

Andalin shook his head wearily, staring into his lover's beautiful eyes. He had looked into them many times before, and they still radiated the same fierce determination, glistening brightly with unwavering assurance. He lifted his free hand up to her head and weaved his fingers through individual silky locks. "I love you," he whispered to her quietly, trying to control the urge to cry. They had been through so much together. They had seen so many things. And through all of it, they were still together.

As we always will be. She had heard his thoughts. They were always able to share emotions and outlines of thoughts. Most of the time they could be together without even speaking to each other. Everything was understood. Their relationship was <span style="color:darkred">implicit</span> (used to mean unquestioned or without doubt in this sentence...a little different from the title but still tying in) and everything was perfect. As it had always been. Forever...he couldn't tell it was Adi or he who had barely whispered that word into the tight-knit fabrics of the Force. But it didn't matter.

[Adi Gallia]

Adi smiled softly as she heard the word just barely within her mind, her eyes slowly flickering closed as Cloud's fingers slowly combed through her long, ebony hair. A contented sigh escaped her lips as her hand remained within his, her slender fingers laced through his own, her other lightly upon his waist.

Even though he was gradually gaining his strength, and still in the healing process, it didn't prevent Adi from worrying. If Cloud were even to get a small scrape or bruise, she definately wouldn't be happy. She was so protective of her husband, and still continued to blame herself for his injury on the Coruscant moon. It continued to haunt her that she could have done something...that she somehow could have prevented the blow to his shoulder by even taking the hit herself. If she had reacted faster, she would have taken the staff to the shoulder in an instant to protect him. She failed, and continued to be angry with herself for it.

Her eyes flickered open slowly, and as she gazed into the eyes of her husband, her eyes rimmed with tears. She was unable to prevent a single tear from rolling down her cheek, she quickly raising a hand to wipe it away. Her head lowered ever so slightly, attempting desperately to fight back her tears.

[Seanakin]

*To Seanakin, Luthakin Manor had never seemed so forboding, namely since the last time he had set foot in the house was the last time he thought he was happily married. (He was outside, standing near the landing platform and watching her ship leave the planet when he had that heart attack.) Despite all his Sith training, he still found all the shadows a frightening presence. I wouldn't be here if it weren't for a very important reason, he thought. Having mustered a little more resolve, he went further inside, heading over to his study room.

There, he turned on the lights and found all his stuff lying around just the way he left it. At once, he felt grateful, in a way, that she merely wanted to get as far away from him as possible, instead of just getting away but continuing to bother him post-breakup. He sat down at the desk and began searching through all the old files he had from the Senate back in happier times...

Suddenly, the thought occurred to him. Seems the nearby photo of the Senate wedding had finally jogged his memory...

"I felt those presences at the ceremony...and from the very first Senate wedding...wait a second."

He suddenly realized the two presences from that first wedding were actually the ones IN it. The ones named...

"CLOUD!!! ADI!!!"

Quickly, he grabbed his datapad and checked for any kind of messages from the Senate Security Committee on any new aggression in the Republic's central system. The most recent one mentioned something about a Yuuzhan Vong attack on a nearby moon having been beaten back by Republic Fighters...details sketchy about casualties.

Seanakin was stunned. "Vong HERE?" Remembering the destruction they had wrought to his home planet of Dantooine, he quickly headed back out and zoomed back to his office. "I fear this is just the beginning," he muttered as he sped away from what had become in his mind a truly dreadful place to visit.*

[Admiral DaaLa]

I'll post soon i promise so sorry

[Cloud]

<span style="color:royalblue">Er...JJ if you could be so kind as to post so I can continue...style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tongue.gif</span>

[Admiral DaaLa]

Mira smiled "You probably wouldn't remember me anyway." BUt oh boy, oh boy do I remember you.

"I came a little late to the academy under the instruction of Master Durron and later Master Skywalker. I'm primarily an empathy, I can feel what everyone else is feeling other then that I can perform telekenisis. I was in some of the advanced healing and ironically lightsaber classes. I think we battled once and there was that time you fell off your speeder in the middle of the jungle were i healed your..."

"I remember you now, but you have grown up into quite a woman since the last time we met."

Mira blushed uncontrollably as she felt Detani's gaze exam her.

"Well you 've changed alot too." she returned the gesture making him feel very self conscious.

Both of them were smiling as a news broadcast boomed over the set. They looked over at the screen as a story broke loose about the attack on the Coruscant moon. "Someone's been busy and you didn't even invite me." She winked as she finished the sentence.
Detani smiled and seriously replied "it was not a joking matter, the Yuuzhan Vong were trying to kill Adi, which is the wife of Andalin, the guy I'm living with. In truth that is why I left my brother alone, they needed my help."

Mira looked concerned saying "next time ask me to baby sit or even better help you fight them off."

Detani smiled releaved that he had a decent excuse.

"Well no need to baby sit Koshi now, so your free to join us anytime you like. Actually what are you doing for dinner?"

Mira smiled warmly replying "Anything you have planned would be wonderful."

[Jeianni]

<span style="color:royalblue">I thought you were with Adi, but cool, no prob.</span>

<span style="color:green">Detani sat on the couch, sipping his fizzy juice. Now he remembered her. Five foot five, fifteen year old Mira. Mira who had beat the living force out of him in a lightsaber duel, and who had healed his elbow after a nasty fall from a speeder. Mira........... She wasn't fifteen any more. And she wasn't five foot five anymore either. Standing at 5'10", she was up to Detani's chin.

"I should have remembered that at least. Now lest see, you had...... purple hair, or was it blue?"

"It was blue, Master Skywalker hated it!"

"Yeah, now I remember. I wonder why we didn't know each other better."

Mira smiled and tucked her hair back behind her ear.

"You were eighteen, and much too cool to hang out with the likes of me. I pretty much stuck with my other fifteen year old geek friends."

"You weren't really a geek, just a bit.......... eccentric."

"Whatever. Anyways, I still beat the poodoo out of you in a lightsaber duel, so it's all good."

"Ahh, now that I remember! You damn near killed me. I think I remember Master Skywalker almost having to pull you off of me by the scruff of your neck."

Mira blushed.

"I guess it was a little bit in excess."

"A little bit?"

"Don't push it."



</span>

[Admiral DaaLa]

They were grinning like crazy and Mira sat down directly next to Detani.

"So you still got the scar?"

He immedialty pulled up his right sleeve, showing off his scar like it was a trophy he had won in a battle not in a stupid speeder accident. She smiled eyeing her work, she had healed the skin in such a way that tissues had formed the shape of what seemed to be a light saber. Mira looked into Detani's eye's they were twinkling.

"You could of got yourself killed that day, you were so reckless and stubborn. I wonder if you've been acting the same way recently?"

Mira scorned at him thinking back to recent events were he left little brother alone.

As if reading her mind Detani answered

"He was fine and if he just hadn't gone for all the chocolate and slept like I told him too..."

"HE'S 7"

"6 actually'

"Oh and that's suppose to make it better?? On the contrary darling Jedi it makes it worse."

Detani looked at her sternly "I had to go"

"Your still reckless, one day you'll slip up again and then who will heal you?"

Detani smiled cheekily saying "That's why I'm friend's with you sweetheart, so what's for dinner?"

Mira's jawed dropped and Detani gently closed her mouth shut with his finger.

"Well?"

He looked her straight in the eye's, she pulled away scared of what those eyes beheld. Instead she remarked,

"I though you were cooking darling."

Both had become increasingly patronizing as the conversation continued.

Detani finally broke the ice "You were always a tough cookie. You had good morals, were really disciplined, and well your just as stubborn as I am."

"Am not!"

"Are too, sweetheart."

"Don't sweetheart me, you Jedi you"

They both looked away from each other and sipped there fizzy juices.

"You know I could really go for a spiced kawakian lizard and a pizza with the lot...." began Mira,

"oooooooOooo and we can get the pita bread and potato's and gravy on the side...maybe some salad." he lift an eyebrow as he reached for her comlink.

"I know a great place," Mira began with a grin.

"So do I" smiled Detani,

"Sheni's" they both said at the same time and started laughing.

"Your favourite too?"

Mira nodded smiling.

"You don't mind if I order for the other two?"

"Of course not" came a warm sincere reply.

"You know just because were haiving dinner doesn't make you and less reckless."

"And it doesn't make you any less stubborn."

On that note MIra left his side and walked into the kitchen to set the table. As Detani waited for connection he watched Mira get some plates and glasses. She was very slim and had grown into a beautiful woman, her body had evened itself out and was now well proportioned and toned and her bust was... Mira turned around catching his gaze briefly. Embarrassed at being caught he looked down blushing and ordered their meal.

[Jeianni]

<span style="color:green">Detani averted is eyes from Mira's mirthful gaze. What in the force was he doing? Calling her sweetheart and staring at her body, enticingly beautiful though it may be, was not professional. Instead he got up and walked out onto the balcony, putting in a orderfor dinner. Twenty minutes later a speeder arrived just outside the balcony and deposited steaming hot take out boxes of food.

"Mira, food's here, why don't we take it next door? Adi and Andalin should be back by now."

"Sure, no problem. "

Mira locked the apartment and Detani opened the door into his. Setting the food down he turned to tell Mira something and noticed tha t she was still standing in the doorway, an eyebrow raised, eyes roving over the apartment.

"Did Koshi do all this?"

Detani rolled his eyes at the remark. No doubt she was commenting on the dominantly green color scheme, and the various holo-pics of ships on the wall.

"Nope, just the holo's. Everytime we went to a new spaceport Koshi took a picture of a ship. The green was all me."

"I had always wondered why you always wore green robes at the academy. I just thought that was the only robe you had."

"I actually had two."

"Oh well, excuse me."

Detani smiled at their pretend mockery, it had been a long time since he had had a conversation that hadn't consisted of, 'Detani, I'm hungry/thirsty/tired/ can I keep it?'. He told Mira so.

"Well I'm glad I could be of service. Um, one thing I did want to ask you though, if you don't mind, why are you taking care of Koshi, do you have any parents?"

Detani opened the food and set the steaming plates on the table. His force glow began to swirl around him as it did when he was unhappy.

"We have a father. He took pretty good care of us for a while. My mother left us when I was three. Dad remarried when I was eight to Nimo, his second wife. She was really nice." Detani's mouth pulled into a smile, and the corners of his eyes wrinkled. "She died when Koshi was two, speeder accident."

Mira set a comforting hand on Detani's shoulder and smiled reassurinly up at him. "So that's why you and Koshi are so close?"

"Yeah, pretty much. We lived in the backwaters of Correllia for a while. But last year sometime, my Dad sort of dissapeared. He got up one night, told me he had to go, and kissed me and Koshi goodbye. So then it was me'n' Koshi. Master Skywlker agreed to train Koshi when he turned six, and he turned six a couple months ago."

Mira dug into the pizza, and spoke through it anyway,

"Sho do you mish him?"

"Yeah, a lot actually. He was Mekan. He never told me where his peple were from, only that they were special, and that mad me'n' Koshi special too. He's where I got my force powers from. You should've seen him. However bad my force aura gets, his was twice as bright! He could control it better though. And there was this trick where he would light things on fire with his fingers. I never could pull that one."

Their conversation was interupted as Adi and Andalin stepped into the apartment.

"Hey you two, feel like sharing that pizza?"

Mira and Detani grinned.

"Glad to see you back Andalin, have a seat."

"Thanks Detani. And as you are my roommate, call me Cloud. Only my parents call me Andalin anymore." </span>

[Admiral DaaLa]

Adi, cloud, jeianni what's going on here????

[Jeianni]

I can't really post anything more until Adi and Cloud post. Maybe something on Koshi and Mirax, but that would be a complicated side plot.

[Adi Gallia]

I'm waiting for Cloud to post. Not much I can do 'till he posts. Heh.

[Jeianni]

*Jeianni drums her fingers on the table impatiently......*

[Jeianni]

Helloooooooo?? Cloud? Adi? ANYONE??

[Admiral DaaLa]

Mira sat silently she had always been really shy about meeting new people and now here she sat in Cloud's apartment with her mouth half stuffed with pizza. She quickly swallowed her food forgetting to chew and nearly choking. After half a dozen coughs and wiping her hands on a serviatee Mira introduced herslef to CLoud.

"I'm Mira from next door, I'm the babysitter when Detani here leave's his 6 year old brother home alone."

She smiled as she looked at Detani who immediatley put on an apologetic look.

"Can I interest you in some pizza or anything to drink or eat."

Mira poointed to all the the take away they had ordered.

Cloud began laughing.

"Seeing that this is my apartment perhaps I should offer you something to drink or eat."

Mira felt incredibly shy and blussed bright red as Adi stepped forward playfully punching Cloud.

"Now you've made her all embarrased I'm Adi, Cloud's wife and we are starving so we'd love some of the food you've ordered."

Mira pulled out of her shell a little and offered Adi some of the pizza. Adi took a slice as Cloud grabbed the kawakian spiced lizard with some sauce. They alll dug into their food and the room went silent excpet for the occasional "Boy this is good." Finally Detani spoke up.

"How you feeling Cloud,? you had a close call back there."

Cloud still looked very tired but looked directly at Detani with a grin and then he stared into his wife's eyes.

"At least your alright," he muttered and then he looked back to Detani. "I'm alot a better thanks, those guys sure gave us a run for our money."

Detani nodded as he reached for a piece of the spiced lizard. Adi sighed.

"If only my stupid hyperdrive hadn't failed..."

CLoud didn't even wait for her to finish.

"Hunny, its alright and its not your fault the Yuuzhan Vong are warrior's that shouldnt' be trifled with."

He looked at Mira mid sentence.

"So Mira, what exactly do you do?"

Mira looked up from the pizza that she had carved into.

"Me, ummm I'm a waitress at this bar called The Alley."

Detani burst out laughing and MIra gave him a 'what look.'

"Let's not forget to mention the little fact that your a Jedi too Mira."

Adi and Cloud looked up from their meals immediatley.

"Your a Jedi" began Adi.

"And she's pretty good Adi, she was a couple of year's lower then me in the academy."

Adi smiled warmly as CLoud laughed.

"And I thought you were the nosy neighbour, well im sorry, you were trained by who Clara, Kyp, Luke???"

"Luke and Kyp" came a brisque reply. "but mainly Luke."

Cloud reached for the salad which Detani passed to him.

"Well in that case you know of the Yuuzhan Vong and the great threat they pose. They attacked Adi on the moon, I serously wonder what they were after in that quadrant we were in. You know this means we'll have to investigate."

Adi stuck a fork full of potato in her mouth and answered carelessly.

"I wouldn't have it any other way."

[Cloud]

<span style="color:royalblue">I am SO sorry for my long absence from the Senate, you guys! I'll try to make up for it, if I can! I had one heck of a month last month...I don't want to get into it right now. Maybe later, on the Outlander board or something. I won't be able to post as much as before, but I'll try to keep up with this fanfic at the best of my ability and stick around the OL board a little more. At least I'm back, now. Missed you all!</span>

Cloud took a bite of his salad and brushed a hand back through his hair, eyes closing momentarily as a sigh of confusion escaped his lips. "I just don't get why they would have chased Adi and I down so close to Coruscant...three of them alone? That doesn't really make a lot of sense...it's suicide."

Mira shook her head and answered ruefully, "The Yuuzhan Vong don't care about that. They willingly sacrifice themselves in service to their imaginary gods..." The notion sent a shiver down Andalin's spine, and he shuddered noticeably. The radical religious views of the Yuuzhan Vong were completely unnerving.

Adi reached over and squeezed Andalin's shoulder gently, "It's in the past now...no reason to further analyze it for the time being. We do need to make a decision for what to do next...as far as the investigation goes."

"Indeed," Detani finally spoke. "But how do we plan to do this...?"

Andalin and Adi exchanged glances momentarily, then focused their attention to Mira, who doubtfully shook her head. "What...?"

[Admiral DaaLa]

Mira looked up at the clock an had realized that she was going to be very late for work at the Alley. She finished chewing the kawakian lizard in her mouth and swallowed very quickly when she noticed Adalin staring at her. Innocently she wiped her mouth from the juices and started at him saying "what....?" Then it hit her she worked full time, she shouldn't have gotten so comfortable in Jedi surroundings, she was suppose to start in half an hour and she wasn't even dressed.

"Look guys I'd love to stay and chat but i'm due at work in half an hour, and I need to get changed."

She jumped up generally cleaning up after her meal. ADi and Detani similarly began helping her as they realized she was in a rush.

"Perhaps you guys could continue you this over a few drinks down at the Alley. On the house and there's a pretty good band tonight."

Then all her movements stopped as she took a deep breathe.

"Whatever you do Andalin i'm willing to help you and Adi to the best of my ability ooooh and Detani too." she added with a cheeky grin.

"But right now, I'm sorry I have to go....nice to meet you Adi and Cloud. See ya around Dee Dee."

Detani walked her to the door as the other too began to clean up after dinner. Mira left the apartment with a smile she had never expected to see him again. But fate had some other story in store for her they were neighbor's now and maybe one day they could even be friends. Mira grabbed her uniform, throwing it into a bag and run for the lift and a near by speeder. 10 minutes late she was at work.


----------------------------------------------

The Alley had a strange smell to it even though it was filled with drunken louts, cigarettes and sweaty patrons. To Mira it always smelt like chicken, that was because when the kitchen was open the ALley primarily served chicken as its main dish. The chef Karlos specialized in it. Mira walked into work with ten minutes to get changed running past the bar she pushed the door's open into the kitchen and began to change behind the door. Naturally Karlos who had finished his shift and having a few drinks had seen her run in and followed her. He stood there whistling, as she blushed and but on her dark jade singlet with tight black pants.

"Mira, MIra your always in a rush. Why you seem so happy today. Tell me the goss?"

Karlos had a knack of wanting to know every aspect of her life.

"Its nothing I swear I just met up with an old mate and had some food and sleep. So I 'm happy."

Karlos's eyebrow raised.

"Who is he?"

MIra jumped on the defensive.

"Why must it be a him, but he's and old friend."

She knew too well how red she was gong and turned around to face the wall as she put on her shoes. Karlos just laughed. As MIra walked through the door's she walked up to the bar and naturally assumed her position and began serving the patrons. KArlos followed her no doubt wanting to interigate her but instead he went and sat down with a mate and kept on drinking.

Two hours later, Mira was disappointed because Detani hadn't come to visit her at work not that she was shocked but still it would have been nice. She was mixing one her favorite drinks the hyer-jump as some glass broke on the floor. Her jedi instinct identified the source to her, so she rapidly finished the drink took the credit and went out to clean up the mess. The glass had broken close to were Karlos had been sitting two hours earlier, his place had no been replaced by a strangely secretive creature. As she cleaned Mira's eye's looked up and she caught the species gaze. Her heart began to pound as something in her told her to look away and yet his gaze seemed to draw her too him. The emotions he was emitting were ones of fear and curiosity and yet his eyes showed a fierce determination to succeed. Mira picked up the pieces of the broken glass as another patron yelled at the mysterious being in the corner.

"What yaaaaaa lookkkkin at?" came a slurred jibe.

Mira knew better then to stand in on a bar brawl, so she kept her gaze down and averted being noticed by either species. The mysterious being had a friend in the corner that Mira hadn't noticed. He stood up and said

"We have no dealing with you, rodian."

The mysterious man stood up and began to walk out of the room as all hell broke loose. It all started with one blaster bolt then out came a staff and MIra's lightsaber. Moments later there was more broken glass on the floor then anyone could pick up. The chaos only lasted a few minutes and to Mira's knowledge the mysterious man's colleague had disappeared. The drunk rodian at this point had been restrained by other patrons, but on the floor not far from where Mira stood was the body of the mysterious man, gasping for breathe. MIra crawled over lighsaber off but in hand. He was bleeding from the chest, shards of glass had carved through his body and carefully MIra began pulling them out. WIthout thinking MIra put out her hand s and began to heal the wounded creature in front of her, as she closed her eyes she became enloped in his pain and suffering in his quest for freedom and his pride. Tears stained her cheeks as she felt her self grow weak, that was when she realized what the creature was it was a Yuuzhan Vong warrior. Someone came up behind her and reached for her patient. The last thing Mira recalled after her complete shock was Detani's voice saying

"So where are the free drinks."

Followed by a flabbergasted

"Mira."

[Jeianni]

<span style="color:green">Detani got out of the speeder, Adi and Andalin following closely behind.

"This is where she works? I've seen prisons with better clientel."

"Relax Adi, we've seen worse."

Detani smiled and shook his had at his friends' banter. Being in love certainly did have it's advantages. Stepping inside the bar Detani's eyes widened as he took in the full measure of damage. Shards of broken bottles and glass every where, tables up turned, a couple slashed in two- Mira's lightsaber no doubt. He spied Mira kneeling on the floor next to a hurt patron.

"So where are the free drinks?"

Mira turned around, and Detani gasped.

"Mira!"

Her face and skin had gone ashen white, the blood had vanished from her skin. Tears flowed freely and unchecked down her face, falling onto the hurt and now
sleeping patron. Her body was weak from exertion through the force, healing a foreign body. Her eyes seemed to star at Detani as if not she wasn't quite comprehending his presence.

"She's going into shock! Andalin, Adi, take care of this customer, I'm going to take her to one of the back booths."

"Sure!"

Detani bent and put an arm around Mira's waiste, meaning to help her into a standing position, but swooped her into his arms instead when he found that she was to weak to stand. She folded her arms tightly and leaned her face on his chest, her tears staining his light green jedi robes. Detani set her down gently in a booth. She sat and said nothing as Detani got her a hot mug of Caf.
She sipped it slowly and Detani got a good look at her. Something had shaken her, deep down on the inside, something had scared her witless. He sat next to her and slipped his arm around her shoulder, propping her upright.

"What happened?"

Mira blinked away a few of the tears and looked up at Detani.

"Just a couple of stupid Rodians. They incited a bar brawl. One of the customers got hurt. I healed him."

Detani looked down into Mira's face, searching for signs of distress.

"That's it? What's got you so shaken up?"

Mira sniffed and leaned heavily into Detani.

"That guy I healed, he's not........ he's sort......

"He's a Yuzhan Vong." Detani and Mira looked up at Andalin standing before them, looking uneasy. "He says he's a 'shamed one' , and that he wants to help us. Seem's pretty strange to me, we put him in the back of the landspeeder, what say we go home right about now? Before people start asking questions."

Detani slid out of the booth and helped Mira to her feet.

"I get off work in three hour-"

"You're coming home right now, no but's . We need your help."

"Why? I have work to do, I have to feed myself somehow."

"You healed a Yuzhan Vong, which means you can sense him somehow. You can be our insurance that he's not trying anything fishy. But anywhich way you put it, you're coming with me. You need to rest anyways."

Mira snorted. "Fine. You always were a bossy snob. I'll go tell Karlos." She walked slowly towards the counter, taking off her apron as she went, and spoke to the head cook through the kitchen window. Turning she pointed to Detani and Adi and Andalin. Finally she returned.

"Alright, let's go." </span>

[Admiral DaaLa]

Maybe it was the way Detani smelled that made Mira want to melt in his arms, Or it could have been the way he clutched her protectively as she went into shock. Perhaps it was the way he stroked her face and gently pulled her hair away from her face, but it was defiantly his arm around her and his presence that made Mira never want to leave the booth again. She felt pain pass through her body as the lasts of her energy were directed on lying on his shoulder and complying to all his commands. FInally she got up got off her shift earlier and left the Alley with Adi and Cloud and the Yuzhan Vong following. ADi had picked up Mira's lightsaber as they had left the bar and handed it Detani for safe keeping he gingerly kept a tight hold of Mira and the group boarded their respectively speeder's. MIra closed her eyes as she clutched to Detani's warmth.

When she awoke she was in his bed, with a damp cloth on her forehead the others were in the living room arguing as the Yuzhan Vong was put to the grill and was being interrogated. MIra gently pulled herself up into a sitting position, Detani must have been monitoring her through the Force because as she tried to get out of bed he stood their at the door leaning on its frame.

"Were do you think your going?"

Mira wanted to reach out to him and hold him. She wanted to cry for hours with only his gentle touch to sooth her.

"I was going to join you."

She was still dizzy and as she stood up her center of balance seemed wayward as she nearly fell over. Detani took a few quick steps and caught her before she fell.

"Your so stubborn." he gently pulled her hair from her eyes.

"You should get your rest."

MIra looked out at the door way hearing Cloud's booming voice float in. Detani pulled her too him protectively like the sound was going to hurt her.

"They are a little loud aren't they, you can come just take this blanket with you."

He reached an dragged the downer from the bed wrapping it around her shoulder's as he led her out to the couch. They sat down on the couch and Mira lay her head against Detani's chest as he covered her with the downer. For those few minute, Cloud and Adi stopped interrogating the Yuzhan Vong instead they stared at the youngster's huddled on the couch. The two looked at each other a smiled as they both realized maybe before Detani and Mira what was going on before their very eyes.

Finally Cloud turned back to the Yuzhan Vong and Mira looked up at Detani.

"I though you weren't going to come to my work, thanks for being there."

Detani smiled as he kissed her gently on the forehead and she lay her head back on his chest.

[Jeianni]

<span style="color:green">Detani glanced at the top of Mira's head, nestled as it was right below his chin. He could smell the delicious scent that emanated from her glossy brown hair.She must shampoo with fruit juice or something. She sat curled up next to him, wrapped in a blanket with his arm around her.Strange and relatively unknown feelings began to stir in him. Sure, he'd had a few girlfriends in
his teenaged years, but he had never felt then what he was feeling now. Briefly he wondered if now was a particularly good time to start something new, it being the middle of a war and all. A small voice from the back of his mind spoke up, Now's the perfect time!

When he saw Mira on the floor next to the strange man, a strong protectiveness in him had come out of nowhere. He was bewildered at how such a strong emotion could appear where there had been none previously. He had certainly liked Mira, she was smart, beautiful, talented, but this was a new feeling. He wanted to keep her wrapped up next to him and keep her safe from everything forever. Never before had sitting on a couch, next ot a girl, felt so right. Briefly his lips gave in to his newfound affection and he kissed Mira gently on the forehead. He smiled inwardly as he noticed Adi and Cloud sharing a knowing look.

The Vong, he called himself Kehlo'Ray, sat in the center of the room. He wasn't bound, had he tried to escape, four jedi were certainly enough to quash his attempt.

"I tell only the truth. Though I am Shamed I still have honor."

Detani spoke up from the couch.

"What do you mean Shamed?"

"My body does not take to the Shaper's work. It is defective and unpleasing to the gods."

"Oh..... okay. Why are you here, why don't you help your own kind?"

The Vong took on a particularly unhappy expression, and spit out vehemently,

"My people have abandoned me, because I am different! They think me a disgrace when I know the gods still show me favor. They spit upon me and show me disrespect, they make me their slave, and others like me as well. The Shamed ones are discontent, we do not plan on being Shamed forever. If our gods abandon us, perhaps we will find others."

Cloud circled around Kehlo'Ray, looking pensive,

"What do you need our help for?"

"We have heard that jedi have special powers, ordained by your own gods, we have need of your help and your light swords. Your people have much to loose, we have nothing to lose. We are willing to give you our alleigance in turn for our freedom."

Cloud and Adi turned to Mira.

"Mira, you , me and Adi are giong to go and discuss this situation, Detani, you stay here with Kehlo'Ray."

The three went into the kitchen and spoke in hushed tones.</span>

[Admiral DaaLa]

The three of them had walked into the kitchen and Mira picked up a fork and began twiddling with it between her finger's. Adi was talking to Cloud with some concern in her voice and finally the two of them got really annoyed with Mira's playfulness and took her new found toy from her. She looked up a little annoyed and searched the table for more cutlery as Adi spoke.

"We ahve a rael situtation on our hands, Mira could you not?"

Mira stopped.

"I concentrate better when i'm fiddling with my hands sorry."

She tried to focus her attention on Cloud but her thoughts drifted to Detani. Finally she snapped out of it when Cloud said.

"What you reckon Mira, could you get some time off work?"

"Yer shouldnt' be too much of a hassle though I should warn you I don't have much money and this expedition is going to be expensive."

Adi and Cloud looked confused.

"We're only checking out the lower levels of Coruscant for now for more information, our friend over there seems to think there are more of his kind here."

MIra mused.

"I want to know who the other guy was?"

"what other guy?"

"He was with a friend and the friend was a lot more wary of his surroundings. I think he's lying to us, but then again i'm only an empath."

The two looked at her.

"I'll talk to him ," began Mira and Cloud finished "and I'll talk the Skywalker's and Solo's maybe they can give us some insight."

"Sounds good to me," said Mira bounding into the living room. There he sat, tall not afraid Detani had always had a special presence about him and there was the Yuzhan Vong a mear figment in his shadow. SHe looked at the creature.

"So who was you friend"

She felt the creature's hear t stop and begin again at a quickened pace.

"There was no friend."

"Then what was he your Master, you seemed in awe of him or at elast scared of him. Plus you practically hrough yourself in the line of fire, to save him."

The Yuzhan Vong started to sweat as he emmitted fear, she had hit the spot and put him in a catch 22 situtaion.

"Well?"

"He is a Master's son, one of the high ruler's."

Detani seemed to stiffen up, Mira froze no one had expected this.

"That's good, now how do we find him?"

The creature froze.

"You don't, he finds you."

Cloud walked over motiong the Yuzhan Vong to stand. "We'll take you Master Skywalker now maybe you can tell him more then you have told us."

As the creature rose it looked a Mira.

"Thank you for saving my life."

"No worries," left her lips as he left the apartment. She looked at Detani saying.

"Go with them they'll need you, I need some rest i'm tired as, oh and can bring back some food."

He looked at her with concern.

"Are you sure you'll be alright? I mean I don't want to leave you if you not well..." he paused watching her head for his bedroom witht he blanket. "I'll grab some food then on the way back."

She waited for them to leave, it almost killed her let him go but she needed some privte time. She climbed ther railing into her apartment and changed her clothes, putting on her jedi robes and cloak. Times were changing and she would help them if only she knew how. She left the building using the back exit and caught a cab to the other side of town. There she paid the driver and looked up at the house she had lived in most of her life. She pressed the door bell.

"Hello Mother how are you?"

The once beautiful woman filled with agrresive spirit and humour had grown old and tired and only her eyes showed the flame of a life long lost. It was times like these that mira hated her empathic abilities they would torture her into feeling the hardships of the people she loved and as the woman embraced her lovingly they both began to cry. Through the sobs Mira heard,

"You must go your father is home, but you look beautiful and I love you."

Mira stopped her Mother from leaving.

"I'm hear to see him."

Her mother's went into shock and began disuading her child from such folly. To only have Mira's father hear the banter and come down the stairs.

"Demira" came a sharp harsh voice "what's this attire"

"I'm a Jedi now," her tone was as cold as her glare.

"Welll well look at this hunny we have a Jedi in the family." He still smelt like a bottle of stale bourbon.

"I'm not here for you I'm here for mum."

He froze and anger filled his face. He hurdled the first hing he could grab which happened to be the bottle of bourbon on the bench. Mira stepped protectively infornt of her mother ignite her lightsaber and in one swift moevment cut down the bottle leaving no shards only two halves on the floor. Her father froze perhaps in shock then in a pitiful manner he knelt down on the floor and began to cry for mercy. Mira looked at the scum putiing her lightsaber away.

"I'm not your executioner, I'm your daughter if you ever want to contact us again here is a com box for you."

Grabbing her mother's arm she led her out the door, but before she left she turned around and threw some credit in front of her father.

"You wanted my mercy here it is now clean your self up and get a job."

The two woman ran out the door as her father picked up as many things as he could and hurled them towards the escaping woman. Entering the cab the two woman drove back to the apartment's both smilng. Finally her mother stopped embracing her and said

"So this is were you live its beautiful and who's the lucky boy?"

Mira blushed.

"I'm staying next door for a while mum, everything you want is here and if something's missing check those boxes or just grab some cred from the draw."

She walked back into Cloud's apartment, Detani had already returned with the food.

"Hmmmm food smells great."

"You lied to me you said you would sleep."

"Demira" her mother's voice floated in and Mira grabbed the food from Detani giving him a glare of give me a break.

"Yes, mum" Mira turned around to see her Mother at the door.

"Mum, meet Detani this is my mum. How did the SKywalker thing go?"

[Jeianni]

<span style="color:green">Detani, Adi and Cloud exited Skywalker's apartment.

Adi turned to Detani, " Me and Andalin have some research to do at the archives, why don't you go home and check up on Mira? Make sure she's okay, and then you two can wait and see if Kehlo'Ray comes back."

Detani nodded, "I hadn't thought of that, I'll head over there right now."

The group split and Detani walked back towards the apartment, stopping for groceries on the way home. As he walked, laden with enough fizzy juices to last a life time, he thought about his situation.

*Things are getting sort of wierd. Just a couple of years ago I was a Night Janitor at Corsec headquarters. Now I'm some jedi with responsibilty. I have to take care of other people, the galaxy. And now Koshi's gone, Dad's ......... somewhere. I'm in an alliance with three other jedi. Things just get stranger as time goes on.*

Detani entered the apartment, immediately noticing something wrong. No- not really wrong, but missing....

Mira! Where is she? She said she was asleep..... Detani scoured the entire apartment, and then hopped the balcony and searched her entire apartment as well. If those Vong came back when I was gone, heads will roll!!! He went back to his apartment and paced a couple of times. You know what? She's an adult, she probably just went out for a walk or something, she can take care of herself.....I hope.

Detani took the food out of the bags and started cooking. Meat strips sizzled in the pan as he pulled stuff out of the cupboards and put things in the fridge. Things certainly had gotten out of the ordinary for Detani. He pulled out a giant chopping knife and hacked at the veggies as his mind mulled over where Mira was and what she was doing. How she had gotten under his skin so quickly was beyond him, but nonetheless, the nagging feeling in the back of his mind woudn't go away. The nagging pushed at the back of his mind, the part that wanted so badly to kiss her on sight.

For goodness sakes! I've known her for what, two days and I'm already head over heels? I need to get out more!

As he thought this the passcode tone rang from the door and Mira and another woman stepped through the doorway. A wave of relief went over Detani, but he kept it from his face, not wishing to give himself away.

"You lied to me, you said you were going to sleep." It was the best he could manage without grabbing her into a bear hug. She narrowed her eyes at him and took the woman off to her room. He caught snatches of their conversation. Her mother? interesting.....

Moments later they reappered.

"Mum, meet Detani, Detani, this is my mum. So how did the Skywalker thing go?"

You scare me half to death and all you can say is 'how'd it go?'

Mira caught his indignant emotion and rolled her eyes.

"It went fine. Skywalker said he'd contact some 'Insiders', whatever that means, and that we should direct KehloRay to him next time we see him."

Mira visibly shivered and rubbed her arms. " Something about him bugs me, makes me want to cower under my blankets with Froffy."

"Froffy?"

Mira's mom spoke up, "Her childhood stuffed bantha. She slept with it everynight."

Detani raised an eyebrow and looked amusedly at Mira.

"Anyways Mira, I'm exhausted, I'm going to go back and take a nap."

"Sure mom."

"Nice to meet you Detani!" Mira's mom turned and left the apartment, at which point, Detani's reserve left with her. He turned to Mira and promptly scooped her into a hug, squeezing her tightly to him. She wrapped her arms around his neck, snuggling up against him, and they stood like that for a few moments, each understanding the need for the comforting embrace.

"Next time tell me where you're going."

Mira looked up into his green eyes and smiled as she tousled his hair, sparks of static shocked her fingers from his force glow.

"I'll do that."

Detani moved to the stove to stir some assortment of frying vegetables. Mira sat down at the breakfast bar and watched as Detani cooked lunch. Just exactly what attracted her to the overgrown, stubborn, half Mekan, eluded her, but she new it had started at the academy, and had never really ended. Detani turned around with plates and forks and set one in front of Mira, and then went into the fridge and got out a couple of fizzy juices.

"So that's your mom?"

"Yup."

"Cool. She gonna stay with you?"

"Yup."

"Cool. Mind if I ask why?"

Mira shook her head. "No, it's simple really. My father's abusive, I couldn't let her live like that anymore."

Detani looked at Mira as she munched along slowly, losing herself in unpleasent memories. To break her from it, he put a comforting arm around shoulder. She looked up from her food and a tear rolled down her cheek. Detani pulled her closer, so her head rested on his shoulder.

"Well it sounds like she's lucky to have you for a daughter."

Mira smiled and straightened. "Thanks."

Adi and Cloud entered the apartment and Adi snorted.

"I think we've got chronic food lovers here, do you two stop eating at all, ever?"

"Humm umm."

"Nope, can't say I do."

Adi chuckled and Cloud closed the door.

"Hey Mira, you know there's some noises coming from next door?"

"Yeah, that's my mum."

"Oh, cool. Well, uh, push over then, and hand me a plate. What is that, bantha?"

Adi mock groaned and went into her bedroom she shared with Cloud, as the latter dug into the midday meal.</span>

[Jeianni]

*Bump!*

[Admiral DaaLa]

Yer I'll post soon here promise my brains alittle tired with the festivities.

[Jeianni]

Wow, your birthday must be like Mardis Gras, it just keeps going and going!

[Admiral DaaLa]

hehehhehe my birthday starts the festivites off and well then everything tags along.... I know alot of sagitarians

[Jeianni]

bump, Hey Daala, Cluod, Adi, where are you guys??

[Admiral DaaLa]

It was definately a big change for Mira for once in her life she had a reason to live to move on. One was for her mother the other and probably the bigger one was Detani there was something about him that made every one of her breaths more important to her the anything else he made the air in her lungs pure, the atmosphere around her safe and her life complete. She new she was trapped or worse married but instead of banging for the walls of freedom she relaxed and went to see how her mother was handling the new surroundings.

Give her an hour and I'll have a decent apartment

Mira's mother had immediatley attacked the over following carton's filled with possesion's by the main door. The balcony screen was open and fresh air was flooding into the apartment. Mira smiled it did need a little spring cleaning she sat down at a box grabbing a blade she opened the tape. Ceaseless amounts of cutlery, pottery and tupperware seemed to flow out so Mira moved the box into her small kitchen and began to organise its contents.

One plate here another cup there, some forks and knives over here and this little angel crystal can...

She hadn't seen it in years and forgotten that it had ever existed. When times had been ruff, Mira as a child would hold the stones to her chest and close her eyes praying for protection. Every time her father had thrown a bottle at her mother, every time the kids at the acedemy laughed at her strange abilities and hair, the times when her boss had yelled at her fo rher incompetence at work while he was too drunk to stand. Mira thought she had lost it in a bar or brawl, she had never thought that her own self would put something so special away for safe keeping. She lifted the tiny stone into the light and it shone a clear translucent light as the tips of the wings were golden and its centre a shade of green.

Detani's favourite colour

She was smilng to her slef as she said that and he walked into the room seeing a first glimpse of happines in her eyes. She looked beautiful, still tired and yet her eyes were still strong and looked up at him in a gentle caring way as if he had solved all her lifes problems.

[Admiral DaaLa]

2 months later I thought i'd post soemthing maybe get this up again JJ what you reckon??

[Jeianni]

<span style="color:green">Detani strolled into Mira's apartment, looking to tell her about Adi and Cloud's assignment. She sat on the floor of her kitchenette, surrounded by various cookware, her mother making humming sounds in the other room. Mira's brown, glossy hair fell across her shoulders, and light from the balcony softly lit across her face as she turned a small crystal figurine in her hands.

Green, my favorite color-

Mira turned and tilted her face up towards Detani, a gorgeo