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Chapter Twenty Nine Sitting
at the controls of the
SkyDancer, Jae-Lee
Reklaw absentmindedly plays with the stitches in the back of his head; his face
a mix of relaxation and contemplation. Preoccupied
with his current task, he fails to notice the arrival of a certain fair-haired
woman. “How
are those things doing? . . Do they itch yet?” She
gently pushes his head forward to get a better view. “I say they look about ready to come out.”
Turning his seat around to face her, “So, are you ready for it, tough
guy?” Her face betraying the
delight she is taking in the prospect of removing those stitches. With
a little trepidation, “Sure, why not? But
I should wait for someone to sit at the hel-“ “I
got it, fly-boy.” Nija comes in
from behind Mees with an even bigger smile on her face. “Well,
I’m glad to see my friends taking so much joy from my pain.”
Jae gets up form the seat and storms past both of the women. “Gee,
what’s got into him?” Mees gives Nija a wink. “Must
be what’s comin’ out of him,” and the two women laugh out loud. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ “Ouwwwwwch!
Watch what you’re doin’ with those sharps, Mees!
This isn’t the least bit funny,” Jae skulks down into the chair: his
face in a full on pout. “Oh,
quit your bell-aching, that’s just the first stitch, you big crèche baby.”
Mees grins a bit and prepares to remove the next stitch, when Master
Mussiri comes into the room. “Perhaps
you should allow me to perform this task, Meesahran?”
With his words she moves away from Jae-Lee.
“I am afraid my young pupil is allowing her relationship with you to
interfere with your medical treatment.” Master
Mussiri takes the sharps from Mees’ grasp and deftly begins to remove the
stitches. “Thanks,
Master Mussiri. I guess our horsing around can be a little disconcerting to
others, but we really don’t mean any harm by it.”
Jae-Lee blushes at the treatment that Mees has received because of his
yowling. “No
apologies are necessary, young one. I
may be an old man, but I do know what youthful spirit is about, and the two of
your certainly filled with it.” Falion
nods to Meesahran and she leaves the room.
“There you are, stitches gone.” “Wow,
that was quick, and I never felt a thing. How’d
you do that?” Jae stands up
carefully rubbing the back of his head. “It
is a simple technique, and one that you could learn, if you so choose.”
Falion places the sharps into the washbasin and begins to clean them, not
acknowledging the ominous statement he has presented to Jae. “What
do you mean? . . Train with you?”
Jae’s puzzled expression grows. Falion
continues to keep his back to Jae-Lee, “Of course, it would be your own
decision, but I would like to present you with the opportunity.” Jae
stands in utter shock for a few more moments, before he attempts to speak again,
“Master Mussiri, I really do appreciate the offer, but I have some unfinished
business to take care of before I can enter into something new.” Falion
only stands taller, and turns around, eyes closed, but with a look of
contemplation on his weathered face. Taking
a deep breath, “Ah yes, your ‘personal mystery.’”
He takes a few more breaths before opening his eyes.
“I cannot offer you answers to the mysteries of anything, young one,
fore those answers are answered only by oneself... But I can offer you the tools with which to uncover such
things for yourself... However, it
is your choice to make. I shall not
pressure you to a decision in either direction, but I shall simply say this:
your path is not so different from that of myself of Meesahran, for we all seek
answers to unanswerable questions in the pursuit of truth.” Jae
lowers his head, knowing that the old man is speaking the truth, as usual, but
there is something in him that is calling out to him to deny the man.
And another that is begging him to throw his arms around the man and beg
him to take him into his circle of knowledge and wisdom. As
Jae-Lee struggles within himself, Master Mussiri moves to leave the room, “I
shall leave you to your thoughts and I shall not ask you again until we should
have cause to separate our company. Think
well on this, young one, there is a great dawning coming to the galaxy and it is
the beings who seek this higher knowledge that will benefit from its coming.”
And with that he is gone and Jae is left with his own thoughts swirling
around inside his mind and tugging at his heart. A
place to call home, with a family... But
is it the right family? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ “Coming
out of hyperspace in ten, nine, eight...”
Nija calls out the countdown from the last jump over the ship’s comm system. Throwing
down her cards, Mees gets up and stretches, “I guess I better get up there and
double check to next jump coordinates. You
win by default, fly-boy, but I expect a re-match.”
Mees turns to walk toward the cockpit. “You
say that every time we play Sabacc, but I’m still waiting for you to win.”
Jae smiles broadly with his remark. “Mees,
there’s a high priority comm transmission waiting for you on the net.”
Before
Nija can even finish her comm, Mees is rushing up to the cockpit with Jae-Lee
and Master Mussiri not far behind her. Punching
the receive codes into the comm console, Mees brings up a recorded holo-vid of
Xaxan. My
Dear Friend Meesahran, I am contacting you in the hopes of asking you a great
favor of dire importance. Please
contact me immediately upon receiving this transmission. Your
most devoted servant, Xaxan Tryashoenu “Well,
that sounds intriguing...” Mees
strokes her chin a moment. “Nija,
can you grab me the reflector and a groomer.”
Nija immediately turns to leave, “Oh, and a clean shirt, thanks.”
Turning to the two men standing in the cockpit and staring at her with
questioning looks, “A girl has to look her best.” Mees bats her eyes at the two, but seeing their disapproval
of the tactic, she changes course, “Look, Xaxan has a soft spot for me,
nothing bad, but soft none the less, and I need some info from him, and if I
play up his weakness; what harm can come from that?”
The two men exchange knowing glances and return their focus on Mees, as
Nija returns with the requested items. “So,
you’re gonna flirt with him, get your info and find out what’s so urgent
with him, then what?” Jae is the
first to question her plan. “Then
we give Toman the bad news, continue to Chandrila, drop off the
‘package,’” Mees winks at Nija, “and then head out like lightning
through a solar sail to Master Mussiri’s people. Simple.” Jae’s
face turns sour, “Whose people?” Mees
looks to Master Mussiri and something unseen passes between them, “I thought
you were going to tell him?” “Tell
me what?!” Jae is now becoming
upset. Master
Mussiri places a hand on Mee’s forearm, He is not yet ready, my child.
Perhaps later. “Sorry,
Jae, I thought maybe you had signed on for the full assignment...
Nija, his ship will be up to snuff by the time we reach Chandrila,
won’t it?” Nija
hands the retrieved items to Mees and nods her head, “Yeah, I just have a
couple more things to finish up and she’ll be ready to fly, better than
ever.” “Okay,
then I guess we can swing by Corellia on the way to Chandrila to let you off.
And that way I can give Toman a more personal message.
Can’t say much on Hyperspace transmitters, since everyone can pick them
up nowadays.” Mees turns around
to put the things in the co-pilot’s chair when Jae grabs her shoulder and
spins her back around to face him, finding instead a blade at his neck. Daring
not to move a muscle, he speaks, “Mees what are you doing?!”
His words shake her from her reflexive action, and hers eyes and facial
expression change as quickly as she had moved. Dropping
the knife, “Look, just don’t grab me like that, okay...
I’m sorry.” She turns
away from them and places her hands on the back of the pilot’s chair, trying
to regain her composure. Master
Mussiri motions for Nija to follow him out the door, and leave the two to
attempt to resolve their impasse. Not
noticing the departure of the other two, Jae starts in, “What is going on with
you Mees?! That’s the third time
you’ve come close to lashing out at me, and it’s become a little unnerving.
One minute you’re elbowing me in the ribs and horsing around the way we
always did before, and the next you’re about to cut my throat with a
vibroblade... What’s that all
about?” Her
breath coming in a heavy rhythm, Mees tries to maintain what little hold on her
sanity she can, with images of pain and torments swirling through her mind, her
grip is loosening. So much that she
fears a complete collapse, and this is not the time for it.
This is not the time to let loose the nightmares that threaten her in
every waking moment, and it is certainly not the time to reveal them to Jae-Lee
Reklaw. “Just
back off, Jae... This is not the
time nor the place... I have a job
to do right now, I just do not have the time to get into this with you.”
Her words were quick and precise and deceptive. “What
have I done to deserve this, Mees? You
don’t freak out every time Mussiri comes near you, or puts his hands on you.
Why me?!” Jae-Lee will not
be deterred; he feels he must know this dark, secret hatred that Mees appears to
bear towards him. “It’s
not you, okay? . . Just drop it,
okay? . . Not now, Jae, I just
can’t get into it right now, please?” Her pleading tone causes Jae-Lee to feel pangs of guilt for
the pain that her words seem to be causing.
Knowing
that something is wrong, but also feeling the pain his questions are causing
makes Jae-Lee relent, “Okay, but you have to talk about this sometime, and
soon. I want to help and I don’t
want to cause you anymore pain, but I just can’t understand your behavior, and
I need to understand it, Mees. I can’t just leave you in pain and not try to do something
about it. I don’t have it in me,
ya’know?” Mees relaxes a
fraction and nods her head in affirmation. “Thank
you... Now, I need to get
ready...” Taking a steadying
breath and setting her mind back to the task at hand, “I’ll set the comm to
broadcast, so you guys can hear it down in the cargo hold, but I don’t want
anyone else in the cockpit... I
want Xaxan to feel he can confide in me, and that won’t happen if he thinks
anyone can hear him.” She
turns around to him, “Got it?” Jae
nods and retreats from the cockpit: leaving her to prepare and to get a grip on
herself once more. On
his way to the hold he passes Nija, “She doesn’t want anyone else in the
cockpit for the transmission, but she’s gonna set the comm to broadcast in the
hold.” Nija
pauses for a moment and then returns in the direction of the cockpit, “Okay, I
just have to grab my data-pad real quick...
See you there.” Upon
reaching the cockpit, she finds Mees doubled over with her knees drawn up to her
chest in the pilot’s chair. Walking
slowly up to the young woman’s side and crouching down at her side, “Are you
all right?” Mees looks up into her eyes and Nija can see the terror in
them; a terror that mirrors her own. “Don’t
worry, I won’t let on.” Her
knowing words meet Mees’ ears and she looks back with a puzzled expression.
“We can smell our own.” Hearing
her own words echoed back, Mees realizes what Nija is saying. “How-.
I mean, when was it for you?” The
frailty in her words is all Nija needed to hear. “Long
time now, but not long enough. I
don’t think it is ever long enough... One
of the many reasons why I don’t work well with others.”
Nija gives her a wink, trying to relieve some of the attention. “Yeah,
I’ve heard that, too.” Picking up the reflector and staring into it, “Aw, man, how
am I supposed to work with that!” Nija
picks up on her switch in subjects and chooses to play along.
“Well, I’m not really good with hair myself, but I can help with the
dirty face. I’m well experienced with those.” Taking a cloth from the
pile in the co-pilot’s chair, Nija begins to wipe the smudges from Mees’
face, bringing a smile to both of their faces. Within
minutes, the two women have turned Mees from a disheveled mess into the radiant
beauty that men seem to find so pleasing. “Some
of my best work, maybe this partner thing isn’t so bad after all.”
Nija takes the soiled clothes and gets up to leave, “I’ll get out of
here so you can put on some of that charm and get us the hell out of here,”
smiling as she departs. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ “Yes,
what is it?” Xaxan Tryashoenu
answers the comm station connected to his receptionist. “Master
Tryashoenu, you have an incoming Hyperspace transmission, from the secure
channel, Sir.” This is the call
he has been waiting for all day. “Put
it through immediately and return to the outer office, please.
I wish to not be disturbed, until further notice.
Is that clear?” He knew it
would be, but he felt that saying it would impress upon the girl that he was
quite serious. “As
you wish, Sir.” As her comm
clicks off, his vid-screen crackles to life in anticipation of the transmission. Positioning
himself before the transmitter cam, Xaxan prepares for his coming conversation.
He need not to wait for long. Soon
an image of a luminous, golden-haired, young woman is filling his vid-screen.
She appears to have been sleeping, as she seems to be wearing only a
simple, sleep shirt. However, even
in this state, she is an absolute beauty. If
only age were not my enemy, this lovely vision could be within my reach. ”Xaxan,
my Dear Friend. What has you
sending me such urgent transmissions?” “My
apologies for waking you, my Dear Friend. It
was not my intention.” “I
actually woke when the Hyperspace inversion bell sounded, and when I noticed
your transmission I thought it best to respond right away.
Of what service can I be to you, my Dear Friend?”
She brushes away some of the golden hair from her shoulders.
Xaxan cannot remember a time when her hair was down in such a manner
before, and it strikes him that she is even more beautiful in this natural
state. “I
fear, my Dear Friend, that the spaceways are becoming evermore unstable.
I have had two more transports assaulted, and I am in a precarious
position.” Xaxan pauses in an
attempt to gauge Meesahran’s reactions to his admission.
“And my Dear Sister is quite insistent on returning to Chandrila...
Fetè Week is fast approaching and she is adamant that she be present for
the celebration. Apparently she is to give an oration at the closing, and she
will not be deterred-.” ”And
you would like it if I escorted her to Chandrila? . .
Of course, my Dear Xaxan. I
would consider it my privilege.”
Looking about the cockpit, Meesahran appears to be searching for
something. She picks up an
astro-navigation chart and then continues, “And as luck would have it, I am
only a few hours out from Commenor. I’ll have to make a few more jumps to re-direct my course,
but I could be there by-,.. evening
by the looks of it. There will not
be any time for pleasantries, simply to board and exit.
I have obligations on Corellia and Chandrila that I must keep, but I can
certainly get Xana to her celebration in plenty of time.”
Meesahran puts the chart down and returns her gaze toward the vid-cam as
she reaches around the back of her head and pulls all of her hair together and
lays it down across her right shoulder. “Was
that all you needed, my Dear Xaxan?” Her
words shock him out of his daydreams and he wonders whether or not he should
make his other feelings known, “I would not wish to impose upon you any
further, my Dear Friend, but I have concern for you.” ”I
have always valued your council, Dear Xaxan, and I would think that nothing has
changed that fact. What are your worries, my Dear Friend?”
With an inner smile going from ear to ear, Mees knows that she has Xaxan
Tryashoenu right where she wants him. “From
your dress, it appears that you have a great deal of familiarity with your
traveling companions.” Xaxan
waits for her response with baited breath. “You
mean, Master Mussiri? Of course, he is-.” Xaxan
stops her, “No, Dear Friend, I am speaking of your other companion, Reklaw.” “Oh,
him? . . I haven’t seen him
since we dropped him off on Kuat. It was only a short partnership, only while it was useful.”
Mees stops a moment, thinking she has just found another weakness, “Besides,
Jae-Lee is a good friend, but far too much of a rogue to suit my tastes...”
Deciding to go all the way, “And it’s not like he doesn’t
already have a girl in every spaceport.” “WHAT?!”
Jae-Lee Reklaw jumps to his feet at the slight to his character, as Nija,
hearing the remark, looks up from her task and starts to laugh. “Calm
yourself, young one. She is merely attempting to draw the space-slug out with a
bit of salt-bait.” Falion puts a
reassuring hand on Jae-Lee’s shoulder. “I
am certain you are secure enough in your friendship to know that.”
Falion cannot help but chuckle at Jae’s offense, knowing that his
affection for young Xana is the reason for his pains. “Yeah,
it’s just-... Oh, nothing.”
Jae-Lee turns away from Falion, trying to hide his frustration and his
embarrassment. “Fear
not, young one, Meesahran will let nothing disturb your reputation once we have
concluded this task. All will be made right in the end, of that I am certain.”
Falion pats the younger man on the back in an attempt to bring him some
comfort, but is still terribly amused by his discord. “I
am pleased that you are still quite careful in your dealings, my Dear Meesahran.
I must admit I was a bit concerned, but hearing your words has given me
great comfort,.. especially if you
are to transport my Dear Sister. I
do not wish to expose her to the underbelly of this torrid business that we seem
to be involved in, my Dear Friend.” Xaxan
has now hit upon the topic that Mees was hoping would come around. “I
understand your caution, but my Dear Xaxan, how have you been coping with these
attacks? I know that so much of
this business is dependent upon reputation, and these slights cannot be coming
at an opportune time.”
Mees decides to take the risk and draw him into a discussion about his
troubles, “I was pained to hear of your recent strife with the Kuati
Shipping League.” Now if
he will just open up, I can find my answers. Closing
his eyes, Falion’s face takes on a serene look, “I believe we shall have
completed our task in a moment. Meesahran is about to tie together our loose ends.” Jae-Lee
and Nija just look at each other, questions filling their eyes. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Seated
inside The Burn, Jae-Lee Reklaw and Nija prepare to launch from
the bay of the SkyDancer. “So,
all you need to do is sit out here and wait for us to jump back to these
coordinates in just under two hours. I
just can’t chance Xaxan seeing you guys, or even suspecting that you are
on-board, okay?” Meesahran calls up to the pair. “For
the last time, Mees, I get it... I
just don’t like it!” Jae-Lee
hollers down at the young woman. “I
think you give this guy way too much credit, and have a lot more trust in him
than I ever could. There’s just
something about him that I don’t like...” Jae scratches his chin, “I
can’t put my finger on it, but there’s just something not right about
him.” Mees
puts a defensive hand upon her hip, “Look, I know how to handle Xaxan
Tryashoenu. And who says I have
ever trusted him? I just know what
to expect from him, and that’s what I use him for...
Got it?” Her tone warns
Jae that he has crossed over the line once again. “All
right, Mees. I trust you, and I
guess I’ll have to just live with that.”
Just as the canopy begins to close, Master Falion Mussiri strides into
the bay. Offering a simple nodding
of his head in salutation, Jae responds with wave of his hand. The
gray one calls up to the craft’s inhabitants, “Safe journey to you both,”
and the canopy snaps shut while The Burn powers up.
Master Mussiri puts a reassuring hand around Meesahran’s shoulders and
they turn to walk out of the bay. Soon,
the two-person fighter is maneuvering out of the bay and into realspace, to
await the return of its partnered freighter.
Still uneasy, Jae-Lee looks back at the SkyDancer, “Man, I hope
they’re gonna be all right.” Speaking
to himself more than anything, Jae is surprised to get a response from his
travel companion, “Mees seems like a girl who can handle herself pretty
well... I wouldn’t worry too much
about her, just about us if they don’t come back.
This thing still isn’t ready to make it very far.” “Then
why don’t you make use of the time and work on her, Nij?”
Jae pulls out the tool kit from under his seat and throws it into the
backseat. Chuckling for a moment, but his worry returns, “At least
she used to be able to take care of herself, but now...” “What’s
that?” Again, Jae has forgotten he is not alone. “Ahh,
nothing...” I hope. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Gliding
into the private port, the SkyDancer makes a graceful entrance into the
Tryashoenu Landing Field. At the
helm, as usual, Meesahran throws up the throttle on the repulsor jets and makes
a smooth and perfect landing onto the marked pad.
Glancing over her should for approval, Master Mussiri is happy to provide
it to her. Landing not being one of
his more favorite activities. “Okay,
time to put on my Sabacc face.” She
smiles broadly as she leaves her master to tend to the cockpit duties before
their quick departure. “Give
my regards, to young Master Xaxan.” His
quick and uncharacteristic jibe at Tryashoenu catches Mees off-guard, but she
recovers quickly. “I
will be sure to do that for you. Anything
else, Master?” Mussiri
only shakes his head and Mees departs the cockpit. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The
boarding ramp lowers with cautious slowness, but the man standing on the side of
the pad can see that there is someone waiting at the top for it to finish.
Taking
a deep breath, and offering his arm to his young sister, Xaxan Tryashoenu begins
to make his way to the craft. “My
Dear Friends! So good of you to be
ready for my arrival. My Master asks that you pardon his absence, but he is
preparing the ship for our departure.” Mees
gives a small dip to the advancing people as she reaches the end of the ramp. “No
need for apologies, my Dear Friend. It
is I who should be asking for your grace. I
fear I have overstepped the bounds of our friendship in making such a request of
you. I know that your time is
valuable and that you have already given so much of it on our behalf-...” Mees
holds up her hand, stopping him, “Please, I would consider myself less of a
friend if I were to refuse such a gracious and worthy request.”
She turns to see to servants carrying Xana’s bags into the ship.
“Please just leave them in the bay.
I will figure out where they go after we take off.”
Smiling, Mees takes Xana’s hand in hers, “I hear you are to speak
following the Children’s Day Parade? Most
impressive.” Xana blushes a bit with Mees’ comment. “Well, please forgive my brevity, but I have pressing
business to attend to, and I do not wish to make Xana any later than she will
already be.” Mees gives Xaxan a
firm hand and then turns to ascend the ramp. “My
apologies once again, my Dear Friend.” Turning
to his sister and taking her into his arms, “Please Xana, be very careful.
I fear for anyone traveling the Chandrillan spacelanes right now, but
most especially for my Dear Sister.” “Thank
you Xaxan, but I will be just fine. Meesahran
would never allow anything untoward to happen to me.
Besides, I am perfectly able to handle myself as well, my Dear
Brother.” Her dismissal of his
concerns worries Xaxan, but he knows that this is not an argument that he can
win, and it he allows it to pass. Placing
a final kiss upon her delicate forehead, Xaxan Tryashoenu bids farewell to his
dearest sister. Hoping that it will not be their last meeting. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Xana
timidly pokes her head through the door of the cockpit, “Is this okay?” Mees
turns around and greets the young woman with a smile, “Yeah, did you get all
of your stuff stowed away in my cabin?” She
just nods, standing uncomfortably in the doorway.
“Good. Here, have a
seat...” Mees turns back to the
console, “Master, have we got the right coordinates?
I’m not picking it up on the sensors-...
No, wait. There it is, must
have a been a bit more drift out here than I anticipated.” Mees
gets up from her chair in a flash, “Can you handle the controls while I
prepare the docking bay?” “I
believe that I have been piloting this ship for a great many years longer than
yourself, young one. I am certain
that I will be fine.” Master
Mussiri gently moves into the pilot’s chair in Mees’ absence. As
Mees is about to exit the cockpit, she turns back to Xana, “Can you give me a
hand? The docking bay door has been
giving me the fits.” Xana, though
surprised at her request, rises and departs with her friend. “Thanks,
I hate playing with that door. Probably
why we rarely use it.” Xana
continues to follow her friend down the corridor, wanting to ask her so many
questions, but remaining silent, instead. ”Docking
sequence has begun.”
Comes out from the comm system. “Great,
now I’ll have to hear about being slow...
C’mon, let’s step it up.” Mees
breaks into a trot and Xana mirrors her. Reaching
the doors, Xana is surprised to see a ship going past the transparisteel window
of the largish air-lock door. “Are
we meeting with someone?” Xana
finally asks. “Oh
yeah, we had to make a pick-up before we could jump out of system.
Some pretty important equipment, if I’m going to finish this job.”
Mees’ tone is somewhat suspect to Xana, but she continues helping her
friend, knowing that she has always trusted her. As
they struggle with the large door, knocking can be heard coming from the other
side of the door. “Bhesh! Keep
your shirt on!” Mees’ curse
catches Xana off-guard, but she keeps working to open the door. Suddenly,
the door seal begins to separate and air is finally exchanged between the two
sections of the ship, and Xana and Mees fall back into the opposite wall from
exertion. “Jeez,
Mees, ofax ets burrin tehn.” Jae-Lee
Reklaw strides through the still opening door; not seeing the second person to
her right. “Don’t you ever air
that thing-.” His words catch in
his throat, as he scans from Mees to the now apparent figure to her right. Xana, her eyes
are as big as the moons of Drall, is torn between absolute shock and complete
relief at the site before her eyes. For
what might have seemed like an eternity, silence hung in the air.
A silence broken by Nija’s words, “Hey, you big oaf, get out of my
way.” Pushing his unmoving body
out of her way, “Mees, don’t you ever stick me in a confined place with that
space-jockey again. Now I know why
I only work on ships. Space flight
sucks!” Nija storms down the
corridor as she shouts, not even noticing the scene that is taking place. “Well, I
guess I better go see what’s eating her...”
Looking back, Mees calls to Jae, “Can you handle entertaining our guest
for a while, Jae?” Not receiving so much as a blink in recognition, Mees walks
down the corridor after Nija, shaking her head and chuckling to herself. “Are y-.” “How’re-.” They both blush
at their awkward demeanor. Trying
to look away, Jae finds he cannot take his eyes off of the amazing beauty
standing before him. As he
contemplates what to say to her, he comes to the realization that Xana is in
complete shock at seeing him. Then
anger begins to flood his eyes. “Mees
didn’t tell you I was out here waiting, did she?”
Xana shakes her head, confirming his suspicions.
“Why that little- . . Fraggin’
Eharl!” Jae shouts down the corridor, hoping his curse will find
Mees’ ears. Seeing that his
behavior has caught Xana unawares, he quickly regrets his outburst.
“I’m so sorry. I
didn’t mean to do that in front of you...”
“There is no
need to be concerned for my ears... And
I agree, she is a dirty trickster for doing that to the both of us.”
Jae is shocked at her knowledge of Old Corellian, and now it is his turn
to blush. “Um yeah,
well, I guess I should work on my vocabulary on this trip.”
Jae scuffs his boots into the decking. Xana cranes her
neck to look around Jae, just a bit, trying to catch a glimpse of the vessel
that entered the docking bay through the air-lock door.
“Was that your ship?” Jae, sensing
her trying to steer the conversation, allows her to lead it, “Yeah, that’s The
Burn, but she’s still undergoing repairs at the moment...
That is if Nija hasn’t decided to have me blown out the airlock.”
A question fills her face, and Jae looks deeper into her eyes, trying to
find out what it is, when it dawns on him, “Oh, Nija, she a mechanic that I
know. We’re helping her to
relocate after an unfortunate incident.”
He sees relief in Xana’s eyes. Or
is it her eyes? Why does this feel so weird? Xana quickly
steps through the air-lock door and walks through the bay, towards the ship,
feeling uncomfortable at the unspoken conversation she appears to be having with
Jae-Lee. “You fly in this?”
She says as she begins to take a closer look. “Yep.”
Jae, having followed her closely through the bay, lays a loving hand
across the bow. Xana, walking
around to the other side of the ship, calls over to him, “You are much braver
than I thought.” Jae is about to
take offense at her comment when he catches the look on her face.
“Ha, ha. But this ship has
gotten me through some real tough scrapes.”
Jae says as he pats the hull of his precious ship. Xana makes her
full circuit of the craft and ends up standing right in front of Jae once again.
She gingerly places a hand over the one he has on the ship.
The warmth from
her hand is intoxicating to Jae-Lee. Closing
his eyes momentarily, trying to imagine the kiss that has been taken from his
conscious memory, and luxuriating in her touch. “You have
recovered from your wounds?” Her question breaks his reverie and he opens his eyes once
more. “Yeah, um,
yes, with a little help from Mees and Master Mussiri.
Not much left to show but the scar on the back of my head.”
He unconsciously reaches a hand up to the back of his head to touch the
scar, but this time he finds another hand following his gesture.
Xana’s hand finds the healed wound and traces her fingers down the
length of the scar; her eyes and his locked in a death grip through the whole
episode. Jae flinches a
bit when she reaches the base of the scar, “I am so sorry. Did
I hurt you?” Xana quickly pulls
her hand away from Jae, but he takes it in his, planting a gentle kiss upon it. “No,
actually, it kinda tickled,” he leans in and whispers in a conspiratorial
tone, “but don’t tell Mees. She’s
merciless when she finds a weakness?” His smile is all that Xana needs to feel reassured, but his
words provide her more comfort than they should. Jae holds her
there a moment longer, before releasing her hand from his grasp.
“Are you all right? You
weren’t injured that day, were you?” Jae’s
concern for her nearly melts her heart. “Thanks to
your grace, I came away with only a few bruises...”
Xana takes her turn at leaning in and whispering, “All easily hidden
from my Dear Brothers.” And with
that she winks. Jae is taken
completely off-guard by her candor. Suddenly
concerned for the tack this conversation is taking, Jae decides perhaps he
should find some protection in larger numbers.
“We should go and find the others?
I’m sure we’re getting ready to make a hyperspace jump, and it’s
better if you’re strapped in for the initial jump.” “I am certain
that Meesahran would not make such a move without warning us first.”
Her smile nearly persuades him to keep following her lead. “Well,
anyway, I better go clear the air with Nija.
Otherwise I’ll never get my ship back together again.”
Jae walks for the doorway and gestures for Xana to follow him. “As you wish,
Master Reklaw.” And they leave
the docking bay behind. However, Jae
senses something in her last words, something strong, something...
Something that could get me into a lot of trouble. Creator: PtrsonsZOO (Jennifer), arrowheadpodracer (Josh) & StarBlazer (Ashleigh)
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Mountain Fan Force
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