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Reality Fault

Realms: These Shattered Stars Logs

Chapter Three, Part One

A few days after the war droid is reined in, it is time to depart from Balmorra. Piper already has the Hildy prepped on the pad, and a quiet, low-key sendoff is arranged, with Freyja's family seeing her off at the pad. "...And always remember, Freyja, you are always welcome in this house," finishes her father.

Freyja salutes her father and mother properly, then smiles politely as she hugs them, "Thank you, Father and Mother. I had a lovely time, and I think you made a wise choice. He seems like a very nice man. The betrothal was beautiful; thank you for that also." Zero bows politely to the Riggs in response, but otherwise remains quiet, concentrating in the main on keeping his anxiety in check.

Once the goodbyes are over with, Freyja heads into the Hildy with everyone else. She pauses at the top of the walkway to wave one last time at her parents, then ducks into the ship and presses the button to close the ship up. Once the ship is sealed... she sighs gustily, leaning against a wall, and closes her eyes wearily for a few seconds. Then she pushes herself away from the wall and calls to Piper, "Hit it!"

Piper chuckles quietly, and very shortly the small courier is taking off, then entering the departure corridor. "Will nae be th' same wi'out ye, Freyja."

Freyja's very first task is to go to her cabin and change clothes. When she walks back out a few minutes later she looks both a little tired, and a lot more relaxed. She tilts her head curiously at Piper, "Howso?" as she belts the robe snugly around her waist.

    Freyja is hard to see, her body camouflaged by her flaring cloak and her face shadowed by her wide hood. Barely visible long legs reveal the strong, supple musculature of an athlete. What can be seen of her sturdily practical clothing under the all-encompassing cloak consists of snug breeches; the lightly armored, taped combat gloves of a swordswoman; and well-worn, sure-footed, soft leather boots. Her heavy all-temperature cloak is belted snugly at the waist.

Piper shakes her head, aligning the ship for the jump to hyperspace. "Oh, 'tis just thot th' manse was verra dif'rent wi' ye in attendance an' all. I know, f'r instance, th' frehkees'll be missin' ye somethin' fierce!"

Zero mumbles, mostly to himself, as he settles in behind the navigation console. "Worms, droids, mercenaries... why can't homecoming ever climax with dinner? Ai-yah..."

Piper glances over her shoulder to Zero, grinning. "Would nary be very interestin', if thot was th' case, now would it?"

Freyja sighs quietly, leaning against the bulkhead, "I miss them too, Piper." She reflects, but does not comment, that it's a shame the same can't be said concerning her Human family -- then pushes that thought aside as pointless. Instead she grins tiredly at Zero, "Hey, you got fed multiple times -- quite well, too, I might add!"

Zero smirks, watching the navigational tracking display, "I can think of plenty of interesting things to do that don't involve battle droids and mercenaries."

Freyja pulls her hood up a bit, hiding her face, and adds quietly, "It'll be nice not to be stared at all the time."

Piper laughs quietly, calling up the preprogrammed route for Sedrak. "Ah, 'ere we are. Standby f'r th' jump." A moment later the ship leaps into the streaming tunnel of light that is hyperspace travel.

Freyja spends the next five days mostly just studying quietly. She finds it an incredible relief to not have people constantly 'pressing in' on her... she tends to either read alone, or curled up against someone that doesn't mind. Her texts are about strategy and tactics, since she's become curious about the Red General... and during her frequent meditation times she reviews them, or considers how one might heal the land of Sith blight. Since spending time on her family's land, it's a question that concerns her greatly.

Freyja will also thank Piper for handling the situation with Staster and her betrothed. She hopes things get better for poor Fafnir... she worries about him a bit. She's done the best she can to make life easier for him -- but she still worries a bit.

Zero makes a fairly regular circuit between cockpit and cabin, relieving Piper for a few hours at a time and then back to the cabin to either meditate or do whatever limited exercise the cramped space will allow him; he finds himself with more energy than he knows what to do with recently. A side effect, he's sure, of nerves, and something he finds he has to combat fairly thoroughly.

The trip out of Balmorra is otherwise uneventful; the two Padawans continuing their training under Master Roakkana, and Vakkal meditating and trying not to break anything when he exercises. All three, for that matter, try to do what they can physically despite the close quarters.


The Rigg courier breaks out of hyperspace in the Rishi system, arcing inwards towards the dust-and-green world of Sedrak. Before it is even visible Piper announces to the others, "We're gettin' a challenge fr'm th' Bloodeagle. I'm sayin' I'm carryin' Jedi, an' thot we're expected."

Zero says, "Tch. Guardsmen."

Freyja nods, her slender fingers pulling the cloak a bit closer about her face. She's quietly interested at how aggressively the Bloodeagle is guarding the planet. Sounds like the issue of the worms hasn't been settled yet. Well... it's Zero's world... he'll know how to handle the natives, both Human and otherwise. It should be a nice relaxing time -- no one should really know me here, and if I keep hooded, hopefully it'll stay that way.

After a moment, Piper notes that they've been cleared, and the Hildy is given clearance at the Ark Nova Platform. The small ship docks in a bay that can accommodate a freighter five times her size. As the hatchway opens, they find that they have a greeting party of one of the platform maintenance techs... and Paladin Eeth Dakkan. Eeth Dakkan, in stature, is rather light-framed -- not as tall as the first communication with him indicated; he can just barely see eye-to-eye with Zero.

The Zabraki bows. "The Force be with you, Jedi. Paladin Eeth Dakkan. I have looked forward to meeting you."

Roakkana foregoes the usual Jedi greeting; he blatantly embraces Dakkan. "Eeth, it is good to see you again! And a paladin, moreover. You've done very well indeed! These are my Padawans, Freyja Rigg of Balmorra, and Zero Satau of Sedrak."

Freyja smiles, watching silently, then bows courteously, "Paladin Eeth Dakkan, it is a pleasure to meet you face to face. The Force be with you." She gestures, "This is my huskarl, Vakkal," then can't repress a small grin, "Told you Master Roakkana would be pleased to see you!" She wonders internally if it would be rude to ask Master Roakkana to just introduce her as Freyja... then sighs and smiles to herself. It's her name... she shouldn't be ashamed of it. It just is... is a part of her, like the Force itself.

Zero comes down the ramp carefully, making certain to have his bearings; the last time he was in the highport facility, the perpetually-under-construction facility's gravity generators were acting irrationally. He bows politely, "Paladin. Pleasure to meet you... I hope the station has been treating you well."

Eeth doesn't seem offended by the embrace -- indeed, he returns it. "Master Roakkana, I'm very pleased to see you as well. It has been a very long time; I apologize for not contacting you earlier." He bows politely to the two Padawans; if he recognizes Freyja's family name, he makes no indicator of it. "Padawan Freyja, Padawan Zero, greetings to you again. Indeed they have, Padawan Zero, though of course it is nothing quite like the living surface of a world." He starts to greet Vakkal, then actually blinks as he takes in Vakkal's appearance. "Huskarl... Vakkal?" he asks... then says something in what seems like Shyriiwook but has distinctly canid tonals to it.

Freyja tilts her head curiously as she watches, wondering if that's Vakkal's native tongue. Vakkal blinks, then swallows. He replies in kind.

Dakkan looks at Vakkal for a long moment, then just nods. His gaze flicks to Freyja. "Your huskarl, you say? There must be an interesting story behind that -- to have one of Khar Velos, so far from the front, as your bodyguard. I would like to hear it sometime if you are so inclined." He nods down the corridor. "This way, please. The station lounge is more comfortable than the gangway."

Freyja doesn't say a thing... just nods her hooded head slowly and politely to the Paladin.

Zero scratches the back of his head a bit, following Dakkan and changing the subject, "I promise you the Ark Nova's nothing at all in comparison to the planet itself." He grins sheepishly, "It's a little embarrassing for it to be making the first impression of my home world. Oh well, blame the Republic, I suppose, it's their property. The platform was still under construction when I left. Makes one wonder how much they plan to expand it, exactly. The surface of the planet is quite a bit more accommodating... well, it is when ravenous creatures aren't bursting out of it, at least..."

Dakkan listens attentively to Zero. "Indeed. Even every paradise must have its malevolent or benevolent trickster, it seems. That these ones are intended for ill seems to be of no doubt."

Freyja murmurs quietly and curiously to Vakkal as they walk, "I thought you said your native tongue was not pronounceable by most species?"

Vakkal nods his head quickly. "I thought it wasn't!" he says quietly. "Maybe the Zabraki are closer to their evolutionary roots as predators?"

Freyja grins amusedly at Vakkal's comment, but just says quietly, "I wouldn't know... all the teaching I've received says language influences culture, not that culture determines language!" She considers for a moment, then adds with equal curiosity, "So... can you teach it to me? And... more to the point, I wonder how and why he learned it?!"

Vakkal nods, "I can try. At the very least I'm sure you can understand it. But you said that he had been on the front; I can only think that for whatever reason he learned it there somehow. He knows my people on sight, and we are not at all common in the Sith militaries."

Dakkan leads the group to the small lounge, which has a large window that commands a generous view of the planet below. Most of the station seems not deserted, but rather under-used. A number of Republic Guardsmen working aboard it, as well as native Sedraki, bustle about here and there; there are relatively few civilian cargo-haulers.

Freyja nods silently, intrigued by Vakkal's information. When they enter the lounge she paces over to stand by the window, studying the looming planet with quiet fascination. So this is Paradise? Odd... not what I'd have guessed, from its history...

Zero nods. "That's for certain. But I think we'll find out what the joke is before long... before the punch line comes, at any rate." He smiles despite himself as they enter the lounge and take in the viewport. "Ah! Would you look at that."

Dakkan nods. "Yes, I never fail to be inspired by the sight. A world, a living world, one of the rarest things in the galaxy..."

As people settle in, Eeth Dakkan's armor settling about his frame as he sits, he says, "Since we last spoke, there has been some progress in what we know of the Darkside creatures. Fortunately, they still have not attacked any of the Sedraki. We do not know if they are attacking any of the natives, however. A few days ago someone accidentally turned on a portable fusion generator. The creature which came a few hours later fortunately did not kill anyone, but it did attack and destroy the generator."

Freyja tilts her hooded head, obviously listening to the Paladin even as she observes Sedrak. Zero says, "The natives are pretty typically close-mouthed. They're more likely to flee inward toward the interior than out toward the cities if they're attacked. I wonder if any of the traders have any news... something to look into."

Dakkan nods, "I have spoken with some of the traders up here, and they have been unable to tell me anything of note. Their contacts amongst the indigenous peoples have, simply, disappeared. Routine places to meet have been abandoned, arranged meetings broken."

Zero narrows his eyes. "Are you saying they're just gone?" Freyja turns from her contemplation of the planet to settle quietly on a seat... and contemplates the Paladin instead. Armor, up here in the station? Interesting.

Dakkan seems perfectly comfortable in the padded suit, the plating seeming to be of some very light alloy and not covering the majority of his body, leaving him quite able to maneuver and react well. "Not quite. We -- that is, myself and the Jedi who occasionally visit the station -- have sensed them out in the wilds. They are, however, avoiding contact with the Sedraki. We have sensed some confusion amongst them; perhaps they have had members who are Force-awakened who have been attacked by the beasts, and may be wondering if the Sedraki sent the beasts against them."

Zero pales a little, thinking. "That reminds me of something my father once told me... something before the Ten Years' War."

Roakkana picks up on Zero's emotion immediately. He frowns slightly. "What is that, Zero?"

Zero says, "Just before the war broke out, he said that tensions had been high... obviously, of course, but there was still contact with the natives. Then, one day, they were just gone. Nowhere to be found. Nobody in the colony had any contact at all with them, for almost two weeks..."

Freyja murmurs quietly, "I take it the native Sedraki cannot currently be found at all to speak to, in that case? Not even the settled and agricultural ones?" She looks at Zero, then says thoughtfully, "It's been more than two weeks, Zero. More like... what, two months now?"

Zero frowns, looking out at the bright vista below, "...then they were back again. They wiped out Yugong." He glances up, "I think you already know where things went from there."

Dakkan makes a quiet sound. "There are some communities of indigenous peoples -- those who tended to remain close to the reservation. They have said they do not know what happened to the others, and they appear to be telling the truth."

Zero says, "I know it's been a longer timeframe. I'm not accusing them of anything... I'm reminded of something I found out long after I'd left home, that's all. I guess some documentarians took it on themselves to research the war after it was over."

Freyja nods thoughtfully, studying her loosely interlaced fingers in her lap, then looks up, "It must be hard for the Force aware to operate down there. I take it there's no way to contact the... ahh... hm." She considers a moment, then says curiously, "What sort of animals do the nomadic Sedraki ride? I... wonder if I could talk to one, as long as we kept moving, so the worms didn't target us?"

Zero says, "They'd disappeared for two weeks into the interior -- the natives, that is, and gathered into these knots of communities; they'd spent two weeks getting fired up by their religious leaders twenty-four hours a day, got themselves worked into a real frenzy. I wonder if they're not doing that now... looking to their leaders for guidance."

Freyja says, "Well... what if their leaders are all... eaten, because they're all Force aware? Or were...?"

Zero says, "Then they'll die out. I don't think they can function without their matrons."

Freyja says, "Oh, dear." She looks at the Paladin, wondering if he knows the answer to her question.

Dakkan nods quietly to Zero. "As a native," he says, "-with understanding of the issues, perhaps you will be able to learn more down there than other Jedi have. There has been some distrust of the Jedi following our inexcusably long delay in attempting to mediate the end to the Ten Years' War. Even then, much of the peace-work was done by Sedraki and indigenous peoples."

He arches an eyebrow to Freyja. "You have been gifted with the art of speaking with beasts? That is most auspicious. It is a rare gift indeed. The indigenous peoples use a mount which is a late-evolution, furred reptile. Their hunters use younger, faster members of that species, while for beasts of burden more mature examples have been seen."

Freyja smiles at the Paladin's compliment to her, then brightens at the description of the animal -- that's interestingly unusual! She grins quietly to herself behind the hem of the cloak's hood, wondering if she can find a fun, fast, young one -- she'd love a good, swift gallop again!

The Zabraki looks to Zero. "That would be a distressing development. We have as yet heard no word or sensed any such uprising, but if it happens it may start quietly. We do not know if their religious leaders are awakened in the Force or not, but it seems likely that some of them are. Do you know of any Force traditions amongst the indigenous peoples?"

Zero says, "It's... possible. I don't know. The only time I saw one of their leaders it was at the peace negotiations." He grins ruefully, "As one of the few young people still able to lift and fire a gun, I got the 'honor' of standing guard on the proceedings. I don't think they'd plan another uprising... rather, I wonder if they're not gathering again in the interior for safety. To feel close to their sources of power. I don't know if the matrons are Force-aware, but they're regarded as being 'very close to the gods,' a half a step removed from both this world and the next. There's some kind of strong lunar ties, but... I wasn't able to learn very much before I left home."

Freyja looks more interested, listening to Zero. She loves fascinating cultural stuff like this. Zero says, "They're near-Human, but there are enough subtle differences, I suppose, to make certain of their bloodlines prone to manifesting ability with the Force. It's certainly happened often enough, elsewhere. I don't see why Sedrak would be different."

Freyja glances around, wondering if there's someplace in this lounge where she can download to her datapad some cultural information -- or perhaps all the known cultural information -- about the Sedraki natives and their animals. Zero adds quietly, as if picking up on the intention, "The Library down in Shenlong will have everything we know about them... maybe we can make a trip into the city for that. It's a place to start, at least."

Freyja nods to Zero, "That would be very helpful, thank you."

Zero grins, "It's probably Shenlong University Library or something like that now... it was always the Library to me, since it was the library at the time."

Freyja grins with quiet enthusiasm, adding, "I find myself increasingly curious about them, I must admit."

There is a terminal nearby where Freyja is sitting. Meanwhile Dakkan folds his hands in his lap in an unmistakably Roakkana-like gesture. "You will wish to go down as soon as possible, I imagine, if for no other reason than to see your parents, Padawan Zero. With the permission of your master, I would like to teach you the art of suppressing the beacon of your light within the Force, which seems to prevent these creatures from finding us while we are on the planet's surface." He pauses only a moment, then asks Freyja. "Will your huskarl also need to be instructed in this?"

Zero says, "That would be very kind, Paladin. I'd appreciate it."

Freyja looks pleased at the prospect of heading down soon. At the question she looks at Vakkal inquiringly. Vakkal glances to Dakkan before looking again to Freyja and nodding once, almost imperceptibly. Freyja smiles at the Paladin, "All three of us, please?"

Dakkan nods quietly. "Of course. Master Roakkana may or may not have told you, but those who have achieved mastery in the Force shine far too brightly for this art to conceal them, which is why I remain on the station to observe the planet below. Master Roakkana will also have to remain here, I am afraid."

Freyja nods quietly in return, the hood not hiding well her small disappointment, "We... already knew that, Paladin Dakkan, but thank you for the reminder."

Zero grins a little. "That's all right. I'd rather you both got your first impression of my home world after it's had this little infestation dealt with. It'll be more fun for everyone."

Eeth Dakkan smiles a little, and proposes they adjourn to his quarters. For the better part of the following 12 hours, he instructs the three in the suppression technique. It is not terribly difficult, but it is somewhat esoteric. He cautions the Padawans and huskarl strictly against using the Force; while a single, quick, brief use would not likely draw the attention of distant Force-seeking beasts, there is little in the way of telling where one might be, and one might be close enough. He also warns against letting the suppression slip.

Afterwards, there are brief farewells made -- Roakkana will never be more than a comlink call away -- and the three board a light shuttle for the surface, the small craft arcing down to the downport of Qigong Palace...


    The paladin and the master watch the shuttle depart from the station, standing at the bay window. They are quiet for a few moments, before Dakkan breaks the silence. "How did a Sith-?"

    "You should know me well enough that it is for her to answer."

    "Yes. Of course. I trust your judgment, Master, and thus your Padawans'. I cannot hide my curiosity, however."

    "You would not be Eeth Dakkan if you could! It is an interesting story, and one I hope Padawan Freyja will be able to tell you soon."

    "I hope so as well, Master." Dakkan is quiet for a long moment, as the shuttle disappears from view. "I last saw the people of Khar Velos on the front. They are strong hunters, and the ones trained by the Sith are strong in the Force. For a Force-awakened member of that people to travel with two Jedi-"

    "Is unusual, yes. And likely something the Templars would dearly love to learn."

    "Very likely. Though it shan't be from me. I trust you, Master, and always have."

    Roakkana smiles quietly to the Zabraki. "Thank you, Eeth. Come, tell me of what you have been doing these thirty years I have not heard from you, and how you came to become a paladin..."


The shuttle ride is pleasant and comfortable. The small craft lands on the pad at Qigong Palace, and immediately after the passengers debark it takes off again, just in case the Darkside beasts might be attracted to even its low- signature emissions.

For Freyja, Qigong palace is bustling and cosmopolitan, much like a very sedate Coruscant -- but even as 'sedate' as it is, there is color and light and people, crowds of them, making their way through the streets of stores and cantinas and restaurants and food stands and parks and arcades and... a medley of sights and sounds and smells. From the south comes the ringing of ship's bells and the cries of ocean birds, and the faint scent of rich salt air joins other smells. Good smells -- tasty food and aromatic brews.

For Zero, it is as much a surprise as anything. That Qigong Palace has grown so much probably should not be a surprise; the sheer animation of the downport is, however. Clearly, for at least a time before the Darkside beasts came, Qigong Palace was a bustling spaceport. Even now it is a center of commerce serving the other two cities.

Zero stands and stretches, having rested as much as possible on the way down to counter exertion of learning to suppress his light in the Force -- and stops. "Ai-yah, look at this place!" He laughs, "You'd have thought there was never anything wrong at all!"

Freyja smiles, looking around, her hood shadowing her face deeply. The color and excitement is enchanting to her. She's more used to the more deadened- or tired-feeling, jaded hugeness of Coruscant or the cities of Balmorra -- this feels much more alive, growing, and exuberant with life. She grins at her brother Padawan and murmurs, "It's nice, Zero. I like it." A moment later she adds thoughtfully, "But... it's making me hungry!" She sniffs, looking around, "Can we get some food? -and after that... um... what? Go meet your parents?"

She adds, "Since Dakkan was kind enough to give us the name and dial code for the knight-captain of the company of Jedi here, we should probably contact her at some point... especially since she's been told to expect us. I imagine you'd rather see your parents first, though, hai?"

Zero smiles, "Yeah, come on." He gestures to the elevator bank that ferries passengers to and from the massive landing platforms atop the pagoda-like structure that gives Qigong Palace its name. "We'll head down to the city and eat... then we'll call the captain and my parents. If we're lucky, the Knights will be stationed in or near Shenlong... that's the capital, and my parents live not far outside the city. We can get a mag-tube ride and be in the capital by evening."

Freyja nods, following her friends quietly, her hands tucked into the wide sleeves of her robe. She looks around constantly from within her shading hood, interestedly drinking in the 'flavor' of this unusual place. Vakkal is immediately attracted to the wide variety of sights and sounds -- and smells! -- that flock around the group. He is not the only non-Human there; Qigong Palace seems to have attracted a wide variety of races from across the sector and beyond, though there are relatively few traders there presently.

Zero grins as the lift platform begins to ferry them down. The walls of the lift are transparent and show the bustling city at the foot of the port, and the sea beyond. "Colony world," he says, half to himself and half to his friends, "One good thing about having to make your own life... you never live it small."

Freyja gives Zero a curious look, then stands by the transparent wall, watching in interest. She murmurs quietly, "I wonder if Kuras Taas feels that way too...?"

After acquiring a very tasty snack -- what seems to be some kind of spiced, shredded meat in a hot bread roll -- a public net kiosk is found, and Zero contacts his parent's home in Shenlong. After only a moment, the call is answered -- no video, though. "Ai? Wulong Satau!"

Zero grins. "Sah, old man! Still alive, I see!" Freyja is contentedly licking her fingers as she listens -- that sauce on the meat is amazingly tasty! She blinks and raises her head, listening to Zero, then covers a giggle behind the hood. She can't imagine calling her father 'old man'!

"Ai-? Zero! Gods above, boy, of course I'm still alive; I'm not about to leave this rock after all we've been through!" His voice draws back a bit. "Akikou! It's your son!" From off the line comes the reply, rapidly approaching the home-link, "My son? What's he done this time?" Wulong says, "Are you on Sedrak, Zero? When did you arrive? Oh, hells, never mind that, when are you coming by?"

Freyja laughs in spite of herself, her eyes sparkling. Zero takes a deep breath and turns to Freyja, grinning, "It is so good to be home." He snickers, turning back to the kiosk, "I'm in the Yellow Dragon, under the Palace; we just made planetfall. I'm going to tube up to Shenlong as soon as I leave the bar. Do you mind if I bring two friends? I think you'll be interested to meet them... a lot's happened since I left home."

Freyja grins, quickly checking with Vakkal to make sure there's no sauce on her face or anything. Vakkal grins and lightly points out on Freyja's chin where she missed a spot.

A woman's voice comes on the line. "Zero, it's so good to hear from you! And you're on Sedrak, wonderful! Yes, please, bring them by; you'll be just in time for dinner and we'll have plenty!"

Wulong interjects, "Great rolling hells, son, I'd imagine a lot's happened! Hurry on down, you should be able to make the next tube with plenty of time to spare!"

Zero grins, "We're on our way, Dad. We'll see you in just a little while." Wulong and Akikou cheerfully confirm Zero's inbound status, then disconnect. There's still about half an hour before the maglev tube for Shenlong boards.

Freyja hastily wipes clean, whispering a thank you to Vakkal, and a moment later is presentable. She grins amusedly at Zero as he turns from the kiosk, "Your parents sound... ahh... well, like you still love them?" She pauses, then adds ruefully, "That... sounded really weird, didn't it. Um... let's just go, shall we?"

Zero gives Freyja a confused look. "Well... yeah, of course I do. Why wouldn't I?" He slips his hands into his pockets, walking alongside, "You okay?"

Freyja smiles, ducking so the hood tilts forward a bit, "Of course, hai. I just think it's... well... nice, that's all." She turns to Vakkal on the way to the magtube, now that they're not near the Paladin, "So... I'm curious, Vakkal. May I ask what the Paladin said to you, previously? And if we ever get told we can talk about Marnaas... well, do you want the story of what happened there told or neh? It's your choice, as far as I'm concerned."

Zero just smiles a little in reply and says, "I think you'll like my parents, Freyja. I think they'll like you too."

Freyja murmurs with noncommittal quiet, "Hope so."

Vakkal bites his lip a little. "He asked if I was from Khar Velos, and I only confirmed it. If it ever comes to pass that what happened on Marnaas is public, then I think that how I came into your service will not nearly be so sensitive a subject as it is now!"

Freyja smiles sideways at Vakkal and nods, "All right, I'll take that as a 'you don't mind if the story is told,' hai?"

Zero touches Freyja's shoulder gently. "I know Balmorra was rough for you... tell you what. Just look at this as... time to recover. My homeworld's got a lot to see and do." He grins to Vakkal, "There may be no stopping my parents from asking. But don't worry... I trust them with my life, and Republic officials are, uh... let's say less than warmly welcomed out here. I think you're safe on Sedrak."

Vakkal shakes his head, "No, Freyja, I won't mind." He smiles to Zero. "Thank you, Zero."

Freyja smiles with some sincerity at Zero, "I... I do know that, Zero, truly. I just... well, parents are... difficult, you know? I don't want to embarrass you or anything." She adds more pragmatically, "And it's not like we can talk about Marnaas yet anyway... so it's currently at least rather moot."

The trip to Shenlong from Qigong lasts a few hours, but Freyja discovers one very interesting thing about the ride: the tube is perfectly straight. Sometimes it runs over the land on elevated tracks, sometimes it plunges into mountains, even a few times emerges from tunnels into underwater depths. For the entire length the tube is transparent; when in the tunnels, murals are painted along the length of it so travelers don't stare at only rock sweeping by.

Freyja blinks, then spends most of the trip kneeling on the cushioned seats so she can see out more easily. While she's seen mountains and underwater scenes before, the sheer diversity of environment here fascinates her! She wonders happily if she'll see any of the local fauna. She'd like that.

Zero smiles, staring absently out the window with arms folded behind his head. "Sedrak had a lot of promise before the war," he muses. "So the planet has a lot of well-developed amenities like this. But since the war, traffic never picked up the way it was anticipated, so it never got overused and trashed like you'd see on Coruscant or one of the Ords." He grins, "Not that I'm complaining," and watches a large, bright native fish glide past the tube in search of food, casting a sudden shadow over the compartment.

Freyja murmurs absently, "It's really nice, Zero. There're so many... changes out here! Like ups and downs, you know?"

Zero nods. "Yeah... it really is a paradise, like Eeth said. It's just had its share of troubles. But everything's a tradeoff, and you have to pay for paradise somehow, I guess." Freyja falls silent, faintly troubled... but not sure precisely why.

Just before pulling into Shenlong the tube swoops through an underground lake deep in a mountain, then emerges from the mountain, into the titanic midst of giant pines. While the thick boughs are twisted in interesting directions, the forest preserve is anything but dying, as green seems to explode from every available branch. Long-tailed birds flit through the trees, visible now as the train starts to slow down. Small, fox-like creatures skulk dancingly through the underbrush, disappearing as the trail sweeps by.

Then, suddenly, they are within the city. The train emerges from the transparent tube, and the sounds of a bustling city can now be heard outside. The station is on the edge of the city, and as it stops at the elevated platform, the color of Shenlong is spread out before them. Larger than Qigong, it is similar in the amount of life and sound surrounding the three.

Zero grins, blinking in the sudden light. "Wow. The Cao Forest is right up on the edges of the city now... the place has grown." He stretches a bit as they step out onto the station platform, and grins over his shoulder, "Well... welcome to Shenlong, friends. Capital of the colony and my personal favorite hangout in the galaxy."

Freyja stares in astonishment at the sudden, startlingly lovely juxtaposition of lake, mountain, wildlife, city -- so absorbed in the sudden changes that she doesn't even notice her hood starting to fall back from her face. As the magtube slows she sits back a bit, pulling the hood into place, then turns to smile over her shoulder at Zero, "It really is beautiful."

Zero grins. "I'm glad you like it. My little village isn't nearly so impressive as Shenlong, but I think you'll like it there too."

Freyja paces quietly after her friends, looking around with fascination. She's been rather enjoying the plethora of new sights, sounds, and scents here. Zero leads the others up to street level; bright slashes of starry sky between tall buildings, lit with adverts and crisscrossed by roadways above and, interestingly; the smell of water. Zero leads them to the edge of the sidewalk, which is railed and appears to drop off precipitously beyond, and then it's obvious that there's no street here; it's a canal.

"The water side of the city's been built out into the ocean a bit. You can actually see on some of the smaller ships -- their hulls have been built with keels so they can just touch right down on the water and taxi into the city. If you've got mooring lines you can just park on the street." He smiles, looking out at the dark water reflecting the city above. "Lot of people just live out of their ships here. More economical." He grins, "C'mon, we can catch a speeder out to the village; shouldn't take long." Freyja blinks, looking down at... water. How... odd!

The three leave the station. Shenlong is a little calmer than the hustle and bustle of Qigong Palace, but it's likely this is only temporary, since the evening lights are starting to be lit, despite the lack of any major power sources, and people are starting to fill the streets.

A number of small speeder buses are awaiting the arrival of the train, to take people out to the various hamlets and farming communities which surround. The one leading to Zero's village is quickly found, and the hour-long trip begins, starting out by gliding over several of the canals, dodging several fishing trawlers that are pulling in for the evening.

Much slower than the train, the speeder bus nevertheless gives the three a much better look at Sedrak, at least this part of it. Close to the city the animals are a little bit shy, but as they trundle out towards the village wildlife is more common. At one point Freyja even sees a herd of the beasts Dakkan mentioned: sleek, with a thin downy coat over their scales, running at the approach of the speeder, on two legs with their tails and forelegs held out for balance as they scramble across a field they were grazing upon, with amazing speed.

Zero grins faintly. "Young ones. Still spooky around the speeders. A big one might not even look up. That's why the native traders use them; they're strong as bantha and sedate as rocks."

Freyja watches in fascination, the animal handler in her automatically noting small details... the saddle would have to be mounted over the hips for balance, and it'd be a very side-to-side rocking ride. Smooth, though, if right over the running limbs... nice and fast too. She wonders how the bridle fits, as the beasts fade out of sight. She asks puzzledly, "Were those wild?"

Zero says, "Probably. Ranging in from the interior looking for something good to eat now that it's dark... they never attack humans, though; they don't seem to think we're good to eat. Smell wrong, probably. They go hell-bent for leather when they've their sights on something -- the young ones do... so the native hunters use them. Can't imagine what it must take to break one to the saddle, though."

Freyja wonders why, if the animals had no identifying marks she could see, they were left to graze on fields. Do the owners not care, or did she miss the ownership marks, or what? She nods to Zero's comment, rather curious herself as to what it would take... then says, "Er, wait... they're omnivores then? Not just herbivores?"

Zero says, "Yeah. They'll eat very little animals, or plants... whatever they can find. They've been known to scavenge when there's a drought or famine. I think they tend to prefer eggs or vermin or protein that's not too very hard to catch. The farmers tolerate them because it doesn't take a lot to spook a younger one, just some bright light or noise, they aren't too fond of machinery, to keep them out of the crops, and the big ones never leave the interior unless led by a native, so they don't cause much havoc on the farms."

Freyja nods slowly, looking out with intent curiosity at the countryside, "Fascinating... thank you, Zero." She adds thoughtfully, "How do owners mark them to show they're domesticated?"

Zero says, "Sure. I'll try to tell you anything you want to know about the place and people... and if the Knights are in Shenlong I'll show you the Library there when we go to see them. It's not the Academy Library, mind you, but there's a lot of information on the natives there... animal and otherwise." He pauses, thinking, "I think it's some kind of tattooing on the scales... but I was never any good at reading the native tattoos. They love body art, that much I do know."

Freyja watches in quiet wonder, hoping she'll get a chance to get close to either a native or one of their beasts. Body art... what a lovely idea!

The speeder bus continues on, and after another several miles actual irrigated farmland is now visible. It appears to be arranged in a circular pattern, with each major holding or crop forming a wedge or a portion of a wedge surrounding a ring of buildings and farmhouse plots, and in the center the village proper. The buildings in the village are modest, most being only a few years' old and rising two or even three stories. In contrast to the city, as evening approaches the village seems to be turning-to for the night, lights burning bright in the windows.

"Here we are," the driver says, pulling the speeder up beside a two-story building. "Last stop for the evening. I head back to Shenlong tomorrow morning, then I'll be back again for another trip to Shenlong at about noon."

Zero nods, "Sah. Thanks, friend." He tips the driver a few extra credits, clapping him on the shoulder. "Drive safe."

The man chuckles quietly, nodding his head in thanks for the tip. "Thanks, I'll try!" He starts shutting down the speeder.

Freyja blinks, realizing they're there, and pulls the cloak close about her. She's vaguely nervous... meeting families is always difficult, from her experience. She steps out and waits on the walkway, looking around. The village is like a small cluster of twinkling sparks in the dimness... rather pretty.

Zero grins, looking straight up. "I forgot how big the sky is down here. Like you might fall off into it if you stared at it too long." The bowl of the sky is filled with stars, framed by the dark shapes of distant hills and the dull orange glow of the city beyond. He turns back to his friends, "This way... it's not far at all from here." He slips his hands into his pockets, breathing the crisp night air, "They'll be waiting for us." Freyja nods quietly, shouldering her small backpack, and follows Zero.

The Satau house lies on the outskirts of the village, occupying a modest portion of one of the wedges. The house is comfortable, a small, warm-looking, two-story home on a ridge that overlooks what Zero remembers to be the ersatz fortress where they would seek safety when the raids came, so long ago.

As they near the house an animal vaguely resembling a frehkee, except with an extremely long tail and only four legs, seems to rouse itself and starts to make an oddly high-pitched woofing sound. Vakkal winces. "Erf... I imagine that neither of you can hear quite the full effect of what that one..."

Freyja grins at Vakkal, then leans to offer a hand to the small (to her) creature, "Hey, there, brave one... easy, we're friendly..."

Zero sighs a little and grins apologetically, "Sorry, Vakkal."

Freyja shushes the little creature gently, if it will calm, and going to one knee to rub its ears if that seems pleasing to it. "So who's this, Zero?"

Vakkal smiles quietly. "From experience, that one is making quite a lot of sound above the range of Human hearing."

Zero grins, "Sah, boy. You standing guard for Wulong?" He says, "Actually, I don't know. Someone my father brought back, I'd guess. Seems agreeable... some of the other villagers had them, I know; maybe Dad took in one of the runts." He hehs, "Or my mother. She's pretty incorrigible about fending for the weaker."

The dakang meefs and half-closes its eyes as Freyja rubs its ears. Its tail casually twitches behind it, and it places large paws with curiously long toes on Freyja's legs... then manages to get a nice, only partly slobbery lick in on her cheek.

The door to the house opens, and a large shape fills the doorway. "Zero? Is that -- HAH! Gods above, son, it is you!" Then the large form of Zero's father, surprisingly agile for his bulk, comes careening down the steps to wrap thick arms around the small Greysider. "Welcome home, Zero!"

Freyja smiles up and sideways at Zero as she croons quietly and reassuringly to the happily wagging little animal -- somehow that news from Zero doesn't surprise her at all. She blinks, straightening hastily in startlement as Zero's suddenly... er... not assaulted, exactly...

Zero looks up in time to see his father coming, and doesn't even attempt to avoid it, just raises his arms so as not to get them pinned. He says, "Dad! It's -- *oof* -- it's good to see you again!" He leans back a little and grins, "You look like you could wrestle a gundark; you've been taking care of yourself... how's Mom?"

Freyja blinks again, watching Zero and his father. Gracious, he seems... genuinely glad to see his son...? One of her hands idly scritches the little dakang's ears as it puts its paws up on her belt, still waggling gleefully at her. She wonders a little puzzledly... was she just missing it? Was her family genuinely glad to see her too? She doesn't know any more -- she's too used to shielding from pain.

Wulong releases Zero and cuffs his son's shoulders energetically, though not enough to send his son sprawling. "She's fine! She's just inside. Let me call her out -- if she found I left the dhymsun cooking -- so, come in, come in! Get in from out of the dark! Jiaohua, looks like you've made a friend!" He says this to the little frehkee-like creature that's glomming attention from Freyja.

Zero grins and waves his friends in behind. "Come on, guys, let's sit down, we've been traveling all night... and I've got to introduce you all yet."

Freyja tilts her head slightly, looking down at the small creature, and murmurs quietly, carefully testing the pronunciation, "Jiaohua? Is that your name? Come, little one... let's go inside, hai?" She follows Zero in, after gently insisting that neh, the little dakang can't leave his toes hooked in her belt, sorry. Jiaohua meefs and for a moment Freyja can indeed see that the little dakang has, indeed, taken firm hold of her belt. But with a little encouragement it lets go and trots happily alongside the others as Zero waves everyone in.

The dakang glances over to Wulong, meefing happily when Wulong says his name. Wulong grins, and hurries inside. "Akikou! Company's here -- oh, Thousand Hells, it better not be burning...!" Freyja covers a small grin. It's... startlingly... what... friendly? Non-formal? Rather... nice, actually...? She looks around, not sure what's proper, then decides to cue off of Zero.

The living room is warm; a fire burns in the fireplace and a large number of candles provide comfortable (if somewhat dim) illumination. Wulong is hunched over the fireplace, tugging a large pot of what seems like dark cast alloy out of the coals and muttering, "Hot hot hot hot hot hot hot...!"

Zero grins and nods his head to the door, "C'mon, no need to be formal. Let's go inside and sit down." He steps across the threshold; there's a small ledge there just inside the door. He steps out of his shoes, wearing a pair of white cloth slipper-socks underneath and leaving his shoes perfectly aligned with a gesture of long years of habit. He grins at his father, "You want some help with that?" To Freyja and Vakkal he says, "Sit, sit." He gestures to a few low cushions here and there, scattered across the soft mats that line the floor.

Freyja hesitates again, then looks faintly relieved -- it's not too far from what she's used to. She settles her pack tidily out of the way by the door, next to her boots, then settles neatly cross-legged on one of the cushions, her cloak tucked in around her so it doesn't trip anyone. She hopes cloaks and hoods indoors aren't too offbeat for here.

For his part, Vakkal looks somewhat relieved to remove his boots. Jiaohua, of course, trots in without any cares in the world, and waits patiently for Freyja to settle down before leaping nimbly into her lap. With the light inside the house and a clearer view, Freyja can see that the dakang seems very young, a fox-faced creature with -- as she learns as it wraps lightly and snugly around her arm -- a prehensile tail.

Wulong grins over his shoulder. "Neh, neh, just sit right there! Just need to get this out of the fire before it overcooks..." He pulls it out all the way and straightens, wiping his hands on a small towel. Inside, Freyja can see that what is at first shy just bulk is actually masses of muscle. Wulong wears a weathered face with a neatly trimmed black goatee. His black hair, shot through with some few gray strands, recedes somewhat dramatically; almost in compensation, the rest of it comes down to his shoulders. "So, come on, make with the introductions, son, don't leave us in suspense all night! Ah-"

Into the room walks a tall woman, graceful and vivacious. With her bright violet eyes and long white hair, the resemblance to Zero is unmistakable. Akikou smiles warmly and immediately moves to embrace Zero. "Zero! Oh, welcome home, son!"

Zero smiles and hugs his mother tightly, "Mom! Ah, it's good to see you again! I was worried-" He smiles, "I knew you'd never be able to keep from going to find out if anyone was injured in the power plant attacks... I'm glad to see you both!"

Akikou smiles warmly. "I did, but fortunately there were no injuries." Her gaze moves slightly, and Freyja finds those startling violet eyes looking upon her. "And who are our guests, Zero?"

Freyja finds having a lap-full of friendly pet actually rather reassuring -- she's happy to rub his ears into contented somnambulance. She watches the family with slightly bemused interest... it's not often she gets to see something like this, and it's oddly nice to know there are families that seem to get along so well. She smiles a bit at the violet eyes -- Zero was right -- his mother is lovely.

Zero straightens up a little, "Ah, right... these are my friends, Freyja Rigg of Balmorra, and Vakkal of... parts beyond." He grins. "Freyja, Vakkal, these are my parents, Akikou and Wulong Satau."

Freyja winces internally, then firmly reminds herself that Zero did say holovids weren't common here. Besides, she's still hooded -- there's no reason they should associate her with anything too awfully formal, hai? She tries to remember what gesture Zero used to greet people... wasn't it putting one's palms out towards the viewer and bowing the head slightly?

She does so, politely, to Zero's mother, and then his father also, "It is a pleasure to meet you both," then grins slightly, having to tug one arm a bit to make the gesture work, due to the prehensile tail wrapped around it. She murmurs softly to the little animal, "Greedy!" then looks back up at the two Sedraki. Jiaohua meefs, seeming to smile at Freyja. As she moves, she notices that the dakang has somehow managed to take four pawfuls of her robes and is holding on comfortably.

Akikou holds her palms up and bows also -- it's somehow less formal than the bows Freyja's seen before, and at the same time very traditional. "Welcome to our home, Freyja, Vakkal."

Vakkal returns the bow in the same manner as best as he can. "Thank you..."

Wulong grins and nods, his own bow clearly even less formal. "Ai, be very welcome, both of you! Give me another minute and we'll eat!" He ducks back down quickly, opening the pot. The rich, savory scent of a lot of well-cooked food fills the room. "Sorry about the lack of lighting," he says, stirring the contents and eliciting a scent somewhat similar to the soup which was served at the betrothal dinner. "But, well, you heard about all the problems we've been having lately with, heh, very large moles."

Freyja grins, relieved at the lack of reaction to her name, then giggles softly at little Jiaohua, murmuring, "It's all right, I'm not running away!" She goes back to stroking his ears, more relaxed now.

Zero nods, "Yes, we have... we were taking care of some overdue business in the sector when we heard the news. That's actually partly why we're here."

Freyja asks curiously, "Have either of you seen one?" She hesitates, then realizes she's going to at least have to pull the hood back to eat. She considers a moment... then when no one's looking she tucks it down, and goes back to petting the dakang.

Akikou sits neatly in a chair as Wulong reaches over to a number of large bowls and starts ladling in the light- colored, thick stew that seems to have big, rich dumplings of some kind. "Neither of us have, at least not yet," Akikou says. "But Ghang Sokan saw one a few days ago."

"The militia captain?" Wulong asks, as he passes the bowl to Freyja. He grins to her. "It's good, honest, no matter what it smells like. Tammak dhymsun. The natives taught us how to make it a little while before things blew up."

Akikou nods. "Ai, the same. He said it was... rather large, several stories tall -- at least the part he could see. That was when a fusion generator was accidentally turned on a few days ago."

Freyja smiles, accepting the bowl with the careful handling of someone who knows how to keep pets out of one's food, "Thank you." Jiaohua's nose twitches, and he starts to make room in Freyja's lap so he can share the bowl with her -- awfully considerate of him.

Zero takes a breath. "I haven't smelled that in so long." He nods to his parents, "We were told about that. It's a real situation... I'm just glad it's been so contained thus far."

Freyja listens with interest, "What part did he see? The front end, or the middle, or the departing tail?" She grins at the dakang, then looks back to the Human woman curiously.

Wulong ladles out heaping bowls of the dhymsun, handing them to the others in turn as Akikou answers. "So far, yes, it has. We're concerned, though. Any modern civilization can't survive for very long without fusion power. The recycling centers, for starters, need large amounts of power. So far, there's no issue with sanitation or disposal, but there will be one soon."

Wulong snorts a little. "I still think that we're getting along really well without amenities like that!"

Akikou says wryly, "We are, but we don't live in the city. They've cut down on the use of the tube because it takes so much power that the battery systems can't recharge enough during sunlight hours." She looks back to Freyja. "The tail. He was just in time to see it diving through the ground. He doesn't think it's much more than twenty meters long. At least that particular one."

Freyja does a bit of mental math... then blinks! "Very long! All right... did he mention what the surface was like at all? Scales, or rock-like ridges, or anything?"

Akikou shakes her head. "He couldn't tell. He thought it was alternately smooth and scaled. It seemed to fluctuate. It's definitely not native to Sedrak, we've never seen anything like it before."

Freyja nods slowly, thinking as she tidily eats. As long as Jiaohua is polite and waits, he'll get a few nibbles too. Zero folds his arms and shakes his head. "It'd have been hard to miss something like that, even with a war going on. Well... we're going to find out where they're from, that's for certain."

Freyja asks slowly, "What about the indigenous natives? Any idea on what's happened to them?"

Wulong hands Akikou a bowl as well, then serves himself and sits cross-legged by the fire, covering the pot. "No idea," he says. "We haven't seen hide nor hair of them, except for the one small village just on the other side of the moor. They seem to be maintaining it as some sort of trading post, but there's been no sign of any natives approaching from outside the reservation."

Akikou smiles quietly to Zero. "Is that what brings you to Sedrak? Did Kalatis send you, after all? Your father and I were wondering if the Senator would send you here to look around as his eyes and ears."

Freyja pauses at Akikou's words... then grins at Zero, who smiles a little and sets his bowl down. "No, ah... I've finished my final work for the Senator, though I am here about the creatures." He grins, amending quickly, "No, nothing's wrong, I wasn't fired, I'm, ah... I'm still working for the good of the Republic. Just, under someone else's flag, at the moment." He inclines his head a little toward Freyja, "You've noticed my friend's fashion sense..." He smiles a little sheepishly and lets one of his arms drop, pushing his coat back enough to expose the pommel of the lightsaber in his sash.

Freyja raises an amused eyebrow, "Hey, there's nothing wrong with my fashion sense...!" She adds firmly, "That's why you look so good currently, oh brother Padawan!" Jiaohua meef!s as if in agreement with Freyja, as he takes a slightly firmer hold of her robes.

Akikou and Wulong both look blank for a moment. It is Akikou who notices first, and a wide smile comes upon her lips. "A Jedi! Zero, that's wonderful news! How did it happen? We thought you'd tested negative for that!"

Wulong gets it not so long after his wife, recognizing the pommel of the lightsaber and Freyja's use of the phrase 'Padawan.' He breaks out into a wide smile and sets his bowl down moving to clap Zero on the shoulder. "My son a Jedi! Thundering heavens, who'd have thought! Congratulations, Zero!"

Freyja grins at all the 'thundering,' and quietly goes back to eating her stew and scritching the little dakang's ears. About time Zero got some credit for that, she thinks.

Zero does his best not to stagger, and smiles, "It, ah... came as a surprise to us too. Pretty amazing what can happen in the course of a stressful mission. And I didn't say there was anything wrong, Freyja... just making an observation." He smiles to his parents, "I'm glad you're proud; I was a little worried you'd be upset after all the drifting I'd done."

Freyja grins at Zero, "Was teasing, silly." She adds pragmatically, "And you do look good, I think."

Zero grins. "Thanks."

Wulong laughs heartily; it almost shakes the house to its foundations. "Well, of course we were worried, not upset; but couldn't very well to keep a person from doing what they had to do. Huh, that explains why we got no word back from the Senator's office when we asked if you were gonna be sent here."

Akikou smiles to Freyja. "Oh, so we have you to thank for Zero's good taste in clothing, it seems!"

Freyja grins cheerfully, her eyes sparkling, then nods and deadpanned, "Hai, he needed help."

Zero nods to his father, "That's right... our Master's up on the Ark right now; we're worried he may attract the creatures. But when this is all done with we'll bring him to meet you as well." He smiles broadly, "Even under these circumstances, though... it's good to be home."


The evening has come up low and gray, and heavy iron-colored clouds roll leisurely past the windows of the Satau house. A summer storm, quick and violent and soon past; the weather is expected to turn for the evening and clear by morning. The first few droplets are beginning to tap at the domed ceiling in the room where Freyja is staying.

Freyja looks up and smiles faintly. She remembers when very young climbing up the stairs to the very top of her family's manse... up past where the servants lived, to the boxing rooms. There, she'd curl up with a good story or music on her datapad, out of sight on some boxes by the window, and hide from everyone. The storms on Balmorra were fierce and thunderous and sudden, sweeping violently across the prairies, and the first hesitant raindrops sounded like that on the round ceiling to her.

Freyja smiles again, curled up warmly within a blanket. It's different now -- she doesn't have to hide to get some peace and quiet -- and yet, still somehow nostalgically the same. Interesting how some few things have changed since her last visit home. She's not sure precisely how they've changed... but she knows they have.

The reverie is interrupted -- but only just -- by a series of very soft taps on Freyja's door. "Hey, Freyja," comes Zero's voice, softer than usual. "Are you awake?"

Freyja looks up curiously, then rises, setting aside her datapad and shedding the blanket to pad silently barefoot to the door. She opens it and smiles, wondering what's keeping her sibling Padawan awake tonight. Maybe he's lonely or something? "Hai, Zero. What's up?"

Zero grins a little, half a boyish face framed in the opening. "Nothing important... how do you like the place so far?"

Freyja leans against the doorjamb relaxedly, smiling faintly as she considers, "It's... not what I expected, to be honest. It's nice."

Zero raises an eyebrow, "Yeah? What did you expect?"

Freyja thinks about it, folding her arms as she does so, "More... formality, I guess. I don't know many folks that are so straightforward with their parents... just about everyone Human I know is... I don't know... always a little cautious, a little reserved? I don't know if it's because I'm there, or just how they deal with their parents, but that's what I've observed."

Zero smiles, "Well, maybe we're not typical of families. My parents and I have been through so much together... well, there's not much use for pretense among us anymore. I mean... I trust my parents with my life, and have... and the reverse is true as well. We just trust each other... and we're relaxed around each other. There's no need for reservation because we feel like... peers. They're my parents and I love them dearly, and I'm their son and they love me... but we're also partners in the enterprise of keeping our home safe."

Freyja considers for a long moment... then says slowly, "You know... I would probably do my best to help if my parents were physically endangered... and... I'd like to think they'd do the same for me. But... hai, I think that's it. I don't have any feeling at all that my parents see me as a peer. They may think I'm able to take care of myself, or even view their child with some bemusement, wondering how I turned out the way I did and if it was them or not... but I don't really feel I have my father's respect, for example. I... am not sure I respect him, either."

She pauses, then says slowly, "Well... neh. When it comes to how he treats my mother, and how she puts up with it... I can't respect what I don't understand." She sighs softly, a rueful smile crossing her face, "But I doubt that's why you came knocking on my door, eh?"

Zero nods. "That's it, really. Respect. We respect each other because we've all seen what we're capable of out there and how we handled ourselves... but you're right, of course, that's not what I came to ask you about. Actually, what I was wondering is if you feel like..." He trails off, and grins sheepishly, "-like playing a game."

Freyja tilts her head a bit as she smiles curiously at Zero, wondering where he's leading with this. "A game? Like...?"

Zero says, "Well, we said that we were trying to establish a... a link in the Force. I'm wondering... even though we're suppressing our natures, can we still feel that connection? I've had... an idea, about how we can test that and get in some good practice besides."

Freyja considers a bit, then says cautiously, "I... haven't been trying to link at all, Zero. I didn't want to accidentally use the Force, and call worms up on whomever I was standing next to...?"

Zero grins and shrugs. "No matter. Feel like getting some exercise anyway? I want to show you a place I used to play when I was a kid."

Freyja says, "Ah, I understand!" She straightens, then glances down at her sleeping attire -- a short, light silk shirt and undies, "Sure, just let me grab some clothes."

Zero says, "Actually... You might just want your robe." He grins, "Might not want to wear anything that could get too dirty."

Freyja pauses to blink over her shoulder at Zero, "Pardon?!" She considers, then grins and turns, "Dare I ask what you considered 'play' as a child?"

Zero smiles, "Well, there wasn't a lot to do down there in the ditches, but... trust me, nothing too horrible, I promise."

Freyja laughs, then considers, "Well... what're you going to wear?"

Zero grins and opens the door just a little more; he's wearing a pair of loose, threadbare gray shorts held on -- barely -- with a tattered drawstring. "These things have been washed so many times they'll be transparent in a few more weeks."

Freyja studies the shorts... then grins, "All right, I guess what I'm wearing is fine, then. It all washes, and no taboo bits show."

Zero smiles. "It's a very short walk, and there's nobody about at this hour. And there's even a section of the old shield wall there... so it's perfectly private.

Freyja nods, leaving a note in case Vakkal comes in and is worried, then follows Zero out, "Sounds fine to me." She considers a moment, then giggles softly, pacing silently behind Zero, "Goddess, I'd catch such trouble if I tried this at my parents' place!"

Zero grins and leads Freyja down the darkened road. Out here beyond the city lights the sky is huge and starry. "That's why we're trying it here," he laughs softly. The walk is short, just a few minutes down one of the straight spoke- roads, and finally he leads Freyja to a stop next to one of the paddies. "It's wet here in the summer, and sometimes the terrain's uneven, so the farmers use paddies to make the most of the space." He gestures out at a low, floating forest of plants. "When I was young, on the few instances when there was quiet enough to do so, and before I was too conc- shocked to stop wanting to play... I'd play here in this paddy."

Freyja looks out over the water-filled levels of paddies, a bit startled, "It's... very, um... hilly here, isn't it?" She looks around slowly, realizing just how mountainous this planet is from the differing levels of light-sparkle from windows. All the buildings seem to be at varying heights to her. "Should we be careful not to step on the plants or something?"

Zero grins. "The plants are resilient. So long as we don't pull them up, they'll survive damn near anything."

Freyja says, "All right." She cautiously touches one of the little dirt dams holding in the water with a toe, "And... these thingies? Are they sturdy too?"

Zero nods. "Fairly. The clay on Sedrak's funny like that... once you waterlog it, it's like a brick. Something to do with the silica content, I think they said."

Freyja nods, then carefully tries standing on the little dam. It holds, and she grins, "Look at that." Equally carefully she steps into the water, testing cautiously for depth. She's a little startled to realize the water doesn't even reach her knees... then she gives a startled, "Oh!" and giggles, "There's... mud squishing between my toes -- it feels funny!" She shifts her weight, studying the water sloshing gently around her calves with a bemusedly fascinated grin, "I've never seen anything like this before... cool!"

Zero nods and steps cautiously into the paddy. "It longs to feel your bare feet, and the wind delights to blow through your hair." He grins, "Something I picked up from a native before I left home. Pretty."

Freyja blinks, looking up at Zero, who is now no more than a bright, pale shape in the darkness, "Oh... that is pretty, Zero." A little shyly she adds, "I hope you don't mind... but I'm hoping to meet some of the natives too." She giggles again, with the delight of someone trying something for the first time, "Mud feels... nice!"

Zero smiles and shakes his head. "I don't mind. The war's over... I don't hate them any more than I hate those mercs on Marnaas. Bad circumstances to meet under, that's all." He grins, "So you want to play a game?"

Freyja nods quietly, "Hai, that's true. All right." She splashes a little, stepping around and grinning delightedly to herself, then looks back up at Zero, "Sure!"

Zero says, "Let's play a little tag. I'll sneak off into the paddy, and move around. You see if you can track me down... then we'll switch. Sound like fun?"

Freyja laughs, then nods, still grinning, "Hai! I'll close my eyes and count to 50 to give you a start, how's that?"

Zero grins and starts to retreat into the crops. "I won't leave the paddy. Good luck." His voice is all he leaves behind him; this is home turf for an already stealthy young man.

Freyja closes her eyes and counts to 50, then stands silently, just listening for a bit. The sounds of the night here are alien to her, but pleasant just the same... the small rustlings of evening breezes, the soft occasional lap of water, a far- off meef! from some enterprising dakang, the faint snatch of music from someone's house... and off that way, moving up into the upper paddies, the quiet splish-slosh of someone walking. Freyja grins to herself, then steps out of the water onto one of the little dams, and trots along the right angles quietly, heading generally towards the sound.

Zero smiles to himself, padding slowly upward toward the higher paddies. He takes the slow route through the water, leaving a trail to follow, more interested in simply having a good time in the warm evening than in being silent and invisible. He keeps close to the dam walls, and splishes through the warm, still water, listening for Freyja's approach.

Freyja realizes two things fairly quickly. First, the little dams are surprisingly level -- almost as if they were meant as walkways! -and second, she's having an astonishingly nice time! She grins with quiet delight to herself, and stretches out into a long-legged run. The warm night air on her bare limbs, the faint breeze lifting her hair, the soft sense of almost hedonistic freedom at being able to run and play without fear of disapproval or irritated supervision... she laughs inside herself, feeling almost as light-hearted as when she sneaks out to go riding at night on Balmorra!

The only thing that stops her from simply running until she's too tired to go on (and getting herself unwittingly quite lost as well) is the sight of Zero's pale form moving through the paddy ahead of her. She grins, trotting along the little dirt dam up next to him, "Hi! This is fun!"

Zero smiles, turning. "I didn't hear you approaching. You must be finally relaxed." He grins. "You look like you're having a good time."

Freyja laughs, slowing to a cheerful, if still energetic, walk next to Zero, "I... hai, I think so. I was just thinking... how growing and young and alive here is. It's like... like the Force is... is singing here, you know? ...and... singing inside me too..." She grins ruefully, tilting her head, "I guess that sounds kind of silly..."

Zero smiles and shakes his head. "Not at all. It's a living, breathing world, Sedrak... it's a colony that had to fight to exist, and now that it's secured its right to be here... it lives vibrantly. It's got all the momentum it's built up over the years. And Sedrak's always been a lush planet to begin with... it's just a combination of a young, living planet and a young, living colony. I'm sure it sings in you too... but it's hard to hear muffled under all that tradition and formality you've got to put up with most days."

Freyja nods quietly, murmuring softly, "It delights to blow through your hair... I think the natives feel it too, hai." She sighs and smiles ruefully, "Well... only on Balmorra, or when Master Roakkana was places where proper behavior was important." She pauses... then says slowly, "Although... you're right, it has been a while..." She runs her fingers through her hair, pushing her bangs back, and realizes it's getting long, for her... it's become a short, soft, shaggy mane that doesn't quite reach her shoulders yet.

Zero grins, taking a breath. The air is warm and damp, a palpable caress. "I regret having to have fought the War... but I don't regret that I did it. We're, both sides, lucky... blessed by good fortune to live here on Sedrak. I'm glad I came home... and I'm glad you're here with me. I was hoping... heh. I was hoping that exactly this would happen."

Freyja tilts her head curiously at her sibling Padawan... then sits down in a comfortable (if somewhat precariously balanced) half-lotus on the narrow walkway, unworried about mud or water, "Hoping what would happen, Zero?"

Zero says, "That you'd relax... that you might be able to just be who you are. It seemed on Balmorra you were always worried about being who your parents expected you to be, or someone... anyone that would distinguish Freyja Rigg from Syf Rigg. Here, now... I don't care about Syf Rigg. In fact, she made the worst hangover I've had in months several orders of magnitude worse. And I don't care about tradition, or who the Stromvalt is, or any of that. Hell, I don't think my parents even know who Syf Rigg is! I was hoping, and I'm pleased to see that I was right, I think, that you'd come here and just be you."

Freyja blinks, listening... then can't help a startled giggle -- which rapidly becomes outright laughter -- which causes a sudden, "Whoops!" as she overbalances. There's a flurry of long limbs and splashing, a startled, "Eek!" -- and then more laughter as Freyja comes to rest half in, half out of the water. "Oh, dear..."

Zero smirks and sits down carefully on the dam. He offers her his hand. "What'd I say that caused that?"

Freyja grins, scrambling upright again with some help from Zero, "Well, we did expect to get muddy and wet, didn't we?" She giggles, sitting on the little dam again next to the Human, although this time she doesn't bother with trying for a cross-legged seat. "Oh, the comment about the hangover..." She laughs again in spite of herself, then adds, still giggling, "Your face, right before you walked into that doorway -- it was priceless!" She grins, adding a little guiltily, "Sorry if my comment about babies caused that... I just knew if I didn't answer with something, I'd never hear the end of it!"

Zero grins and carefully steadies Freyja with his free hand until she can sit. "I admit, you got me off-guard that time. It wasn't Syf's comment about paramours... it was the thought of being impregnated. I don't think I'm ready to be a mother yet," he smirks.

Freyja laughs aloud again, her laughter both delighted and relaxed, then leans back on her hands, still smiling, "Ah, me... it was funny." She considers a moment, then adds a bit more seriously, "I hope poor Fafnir has places he can escape to, too."

Zero grins. "You can bring him here anytime, y'know. He could put down roots in the Shenlong Library."

Freyja laughs again... then grins lazily, "Maybe I will, at that... if he wanted. I just might, someday when he's not neck-deep in speed-learning." She turns her face up, then murmurs dreamily, "Aren't the stars beautiful? Doesn't matter what planet you're on... they're always there, bright and shining and full of light..."

Zero nods. "I forgot how huge the sky is. On Coruscant the light blocks out the stars... and the buildings block everything below the highest levels. Out here, you could almost touch them."

Freyja nods, leaning back so she's lying along the dam, "Mmhmm..." She stretches a lazy arm out, her fingers reaching star-wards, and grins, "Almost."

Zero nods and grins. "We're lucky, though, you and I... we can go out and walk between them, see all the places that swing around them, and we have our own paradises to come home to when the traveling finally makes us tired. That's worth all the fighting and struggle..." He trails off a little, turning to look at Freyja stretched out next to him, and adds softly, "You look beautiful, you know... it's good to see you smile again."

Freyja nods silently, murmuring quietly a line from a song she likes, "...pacing out the dancing steps, whirling with the stars..." A moment later she blinks, putting an arm behind her head to look at Zero startledly -- then she smiles, adding a bit shyly, "That's sweet of you to say, Zero. Thank you."

Zero smiles a little, leaning back on his palms. "I just want you to believe it when someone tells you that... even if it isn't me. You don't need to compare yourself to anyone. Just... be who you are. That person's beautiful, and deeply intelligent. And I'm lucky that she's here with me."

Freyja blinks again... then shifts, carefully turning over until she's lying on her stomach on the little dam. She crosses her arms in front of her, resting her chin on her hands, and says softly, "Zero... is being beautiful a good thing? I always thought it was bad, because it made you believe things would always come easily to you, so you never developed any strength for when you hit adversity. But... I don't get the feeling you believe that...?"

Zero mms. "Well... is being wealthy a bad thing? It opens a lot of doors for you. But it can make you believe that you're better than people that aren't. I grew up learning that there's two sides to everything, and that you can never separate the two. I believe that everything is a tradeoff, Freyja, and that there's good and bad uses for everything. You've been blessed by fortune with a lot of gifts. Your body's just one of them... what you choose to do with it, that's entirely up to you." He smiles a little and reaches, if Freyja will let him, to gently brush her bangs back out of her eyes. "If that makes sense to you."

Freyja considers silently as Zero does so, then nods slowly, "Hai... good point, that does make sense. I guess I'm just used to money, since it was always there if I needed it, even though I had to do chores to earn it... but beauty was my sister's, not mine, you know?" She ponders a bit more, then smiles quietly, "Still... it may sound odd, but it's true... people have started smiling at me more, even when they don't know who I am. It's... rather nice."

Zero smiles, "What's yours are those things you make yours. You're a good person, and every bit as lovely as I've been saying you are. And nobody here knows who you are... nobody here will judge you by anything but the person you are. So remember how you felt here on Sedrak... and live that way when we go back to the stars."

Freyja rests her weight on her elbows, rising up enough to put her chin in her hands to study the stars, "I... think that's a really good idea, actually. I mean, the Force feels so alive here... but sort of... serene too, you know?" She pauses, then murmurs, "I wonder if I'm just imagining it...?"

Zero grins, looking out past the rows of plants at the dark shapes of hills beyond. "It's restful. The feeling of recovery after a long struggle. It's the calm that you feel when you feel secure and safe."

Freyja nods slowly, "Hai... even when in physical danger, if you're restful in your soul... you're safe. That's true." She's silent for a moment... then smiles quietly and murmurs, "Thank you, Zero."

Zero gently touches Freyja's cheek. "Thank you for coming out here, Freyja. Why don't we go home... we can clean each other up and get some rest. There's still so much for us to do."

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Last modified: 2002-Jul-16 16:14:54

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