"Look Widdimur..."
Widdimur looks down at the puddle. And begins to drink from it.
"No no!" Set pushes him. "We need to keep moving or we'll lose her...if this is her...and if it's not then we will discover...something? Right?"
Widdimur snorts.
"And if we don't keep moving, Number 1 will catch up...and Jets too...and then we can't be sneaky!"
Sera cocks her head and turns around. Sure enough, there is Set and Whid.
ReplyDeleteThe child makes her smile, despite the burdens of her thoughts.
Reaching out with the Force she touches Whid luring it forward.
Widdimur feels compelled to move forward and Set almost falls into the puddle. "Hey! Give me a warning," Set says stepping around the puddle.
ReplyDeleteHe jots down some notes on the data pad.
Sera leads the Strill through several other streets and alleys, before completing a circle. Wid is led to a familiar strill.
ReplyDeleteSera edges to one side of the alley waiting for Set to come through.
Widdimur stands confused looking at the other strill. It too is confused. They both brush off the confusion and wag their long whip like tails and trot off.
ReplyDelete"Widdimur...Widdimur where are you! Imma tell Xol on you!...oh wait...I'll get in trouble too...darn." Set looks down and attempts to follow the foot prints.
A hand falls on Set's shoulder. "And does Xol know you snuck off to try and shadow me?"
ReplyDeleteSera seems to materialize out of thin air behind Set.
EEP!
ReplyDeleteSet spins around fast and sees Sera. "PHEW! I found you!" he says and then looks down at the ground. "Um...no...he doesn't." He looks back up, "But if I get back before he comes out I'll be fine," he make the 'okay' symbol with his fingers.
"Why did you sneak out, kiddo?" Sera asks gently, keeling down to his eye level.
ReplyDelete"This is a major city with many dangerous things and people in it. Even with Wid tagging along, a lot of things can happen to a youngling, even one who can use the Force."
"I wanted to just explore," Set says looking down. "And have a sneaky adventure. I guess I'll go back," he mumbles kicking at the ground. "I know how to get back."
ReplyDeleteSera gives him a small hug. "Trust me kid. Growing up I heard about adventure and excitement. I read stories and followed the Clone Wars. But now... now my entire life is one adventure after another.
ReplyDelete"Excitement, adrenaline, death defying things: I've had them all. Xol has too. I am coming to prefer a quiet life. Because unlike any story you read, there may not be a happy ending.
"Come on I'll walk you back to The Sarlacc. Widdimur knows its way home, besides it needs to spend some time also not adventuring."
"Ok..." Set says stuffing the data pad into his robes. "What were you out here doing then?" he asks after a moment.
ReplyDelete"Trying to clear my head and think about something." Sera replies with a sigh. "Enjoy being a kid, Set. Life only gets harder, more complicated, and less fun."
ReplyDeleteAn odd thought occurs to her. A voice from the past, but not her past... {Simple the mind of a child is. Over think problems, adults learn to do. Clarity, in that simple mind, can be found.}
Sera bites her lip then nods.
"Maybe this is something you can help me with after all, Set.
"A long time ago a bad man hurt Lara. She was a little younger than you at the time and was kidnapped from one of the most secure places in the galaxy. He needed her trying to gain control of a powerful object that would have made him invincible.
"His plan failed because he needed Lara, Lara's sister, and me. As result she was hurt and tossed aside until I found her.
"Now, a knowledgeable person has told me how to stop the really bad man, Jopal. The one that hurt Cyrus. Jopal has this item so he is pretty much invincible. He made me an offer... to help me either gain control of it or destroy it.
"If I gain control of that item, I can go on to do the thing I have always wished... to stop kids like you and me from ever losing our parents.
"The problem is, it requires me to use the same plan the bad man did when he hurt Lara... but this time I will have all of the pieces. I do not know what will happen. I also do not know if Lara got hurt last time because of that or something else.
"I do not want to hurt her or her sister, but the man and Xol's parents agree. Bad things will happen if I don't go ahead... I really don't know what to do.
"Now you know why I have been so mopey lately. Sorry to lay that out on you, kiddo."
Set is quiet for a while, thinking and then asks, "What does Xol say?"
ReplyDelete"I never asked Xol. He was there when the man told about the item. He also knows I want to be invincible. He just got very quiet." Sera replies looking a ship coming in at the nearby spaceport.
ReplyDeleteFrom the ramp of the Specter, 2 robbed and hooded figures walk down the ramp, one slightly smaller then the other. They start walking into the city, looking for Xol, Sera/lara, and Set. The Larger of the 2 seems to be having some difficulty, but the smaller one is helping him as best he can
ReplyDelete"See what Xol says," he says as if this is common sense. "He can do what I was going to learn at the temple and what I'm going to learn now. The whole point is to know what's going to happen. I would trust whatever Xol says. He's smart and good at being a sage!"
ReplyDeleteSera shakes her head. "I don't think seeing the future has gotten me anywhere. And I am not even sure Xol can see what might happen.
ReplyDelete"Lesson 1: Grown-ups do not always have all the answers.
"Try it out. Ask Xol where baby strills come from when we get back. And don't accept mommy and daddy strills as answer."
She gives Set a conspiratorial wink at that.
Set scratches his head. "I don't think I even want to know that! But ask him anyway! All he wants to do is help...and he talked to all the other sages. They are even better at it than him."
ReplyDeleteA green hand points at sera and set from a distance. The two robed figures head off towards them, blending into the surroundings .
ReplyDeleteSera smirks at the uncomfortable situation Xol will be in for a few hours.
ReplyDelete"The other sages told us I have to do this ritual. But I do not want to do the same thing this bad man did."
Set pokes Sera's stomach, "Ask Xol..."
ReplyDeleteHe turns around and looks at the two robed figures. "And then...you watch when I ask Xol my question...I know what you are trying to do," he laughs.
Sera pauses and without turning around, says "So you decided to have a little walk after your bath? About time, I suppose you were getting all pruney."
ReplyDeleteWith a cough, Cyrus pulls back the hood.
ReplyDelete"Bacta is a wonderful thing. What have I missed?"
Ti runs up and hugs Set
"Ive been so focused on my training, I didnt realize we wernt even flying anymore!"
"Yay!" Set hugs Ti back. "So everything is ok now?" he looks over at Cyrus.
ReplyDelete"You've missed much" Sera says turning to face the Miraluka.
ReplyDeleteXol went home to Dorin. Null ran off to join the circus. Navik is now a captain in the Imperial Navy. Sele'vida some how recovered a flying building for us. Siella left an insane droid on our ship that has taken apart anything it can. I've come into my own and taken Set as my apprentice."
Sera sets back from Set and says to the youngling in a commanding tone. "Darth Chocolate, see to it these minions trouble me no more. Use your power of sticky hands on their robes. Leave the brown smears that cannot come after being washed."
She tries to keep a straight face and to not laugh.
"I take a hit and the world goes to hell in a hand basket, gotcha. And knowing our group, Im guessing atleast half of that is true." Cyrus laughs, and then coughs a bit.
ReplyDeleteSet salutes Sera. "Yes ma....ppppffffftttt" He can't control himself quite like Sera can however and bends over laughing.
ReplyDelete"And you're ok with that new name?" Xol walks up to the group.
~gulp~
"Set," Xol starts.
"LOOK! I drew you a picture!" he pulls out the data pad. "Doesn't it make you happyandnoteverwannayellatmeforrunningoffallbyselfI'msosorry?"
"Did you give him something?" Xol looks at Sera. He then looks over at Cyrus and punches him in the arm. "Ahh you're all better! I knew it."
ReplyDeleteSera can't help laughing at Set's out burst.
ReplyDelete"He ought to be. He's eaten enough of it. And your are what you eat!" she says tickling the youngling.
"We went out for a walk together, Xol. Set's still not used to living on spaceships. Widdmur met a friend along the way and hung back to play with it. It'll find it's way back here after awhile."
"better then you can imagine, but still not 100% yet.Glad to see your not dead yet" cyrus says, turning to xol
ReplyDeleteTi is on his back, having a fit of laughter. He manages to roll over, bowing before Set.
"All hail! Darth chocolate !!"
Xol looks at Sera. "Did...you give yourself something? I'm sorry," Xol chuckles. He turns back to Cyrus, "I'm not going anywhere Cyrus...not for a long time."
ReplyDelete"Oh no that's creepy," Set laughs at Ti. "Come one...I'll show you something good in the auto-chef though." He heads off leading Ti to The Specter. He stops mid way and yells, "HEY XOL SERA HAS TO ASK YOU SOMETHING!" and then continues toward the ship.
Sera cocks an eyebrow at Ti. "Oh really, Darth Ice Cream? I am pretty sure Jace, Sele, and Navik are happy that I turned off the treats for you guys. Figure you would be perfectly round by now if it were still on. Or at least still suffering an upset tummy from eating it constantly."
ReplyDelete"Glad to hear you are feeling better, Cyrus. Whenever you feel up to it, thank the person who actually got you in the bacta tank. Until then, enjoy the sites of Keldabe, Mandalore. You might want to acquaint yourself with the guy Thrawn assigned to us as well. He might even take you up to go see Navik's ship."
Ti runs off with Set to see what fun thing he has on the specter.
ReplyDelete"So... Can we start this off by telling me what planet we are even on?"
Xol looks at Sera. "You want to ask me something?"
ReplyDelete"Not particularly. He thinks you will be of assistance in my troubles. Not understanding the scenario going on around him. That holocrons bothers me and I don't like the choice it is leaving me."
ReplyDelete"Holocrons?! We have more then one now?" Cyrus says, slightly shocked.
ReplyDelete"And you wernt kidding about navik? Where did he get a ship?"
"Sele'Vida requisitioned it for him through several different Imperial channels. Technically its a flying building or something weird like that. You should be able to bring it up on scope in the Specter. Or just ask him about it if he's not setting fire to his room again."
ReplyDelete"I think he's still there after our meeting with those two Mandalorians."
"We weren't there when Navik acquired the ship. You'll have to ask him for all the details. As for this holocron...this is something only Sera should deal with right now."
ReplyDeleteHe looks back at Sera. "I trust what the sages have told me. We must follow every bit of information we get. It will work out for the best in the end."
Sera closes her eyes. "I understand that, Xol. The problem is I am not going to follow in Dooku's footsteps. I have seen the human wreckage his failed ritual left and I doubt the success would produce much better results."
ReplyDelete"So, I take it we are calling in every favor we have now or somthing" Asks cyrus
ReplyDelete"Not really. More of pursuing a few leads that might maximize a shock factor."
ReplyDelete"Sounds like i should make a trip to the Surbi system" cyrus says with an evil grin
ReplyDelete"If you want to lead more people to their deaths, sure." Sera says scuffing the toe of her boot against the landing pad.
ReplyDeleteTurning back to look at the Miraluka, there is a hint of sadness in her eyes.
"Jopal agreed to that duel for one reason, Cyrus. There was no way any of us could have won. All of us even. He has gained control of an artifact that makes him virtually invincible and it can only make him more powerful.
"All this is meaningless if I do not follow in the steps of a monster..."
"sounds like you might need some help with that one. Im in. Not sure how much good I am to you right now, But I'll do what I can"
ReplyDelete"How do you know that is what you must do?" Xol asks Sera. "Follow in the steps of a monster?"
ReplyDelete"Everything Rivan told me matches with what happened to Lara at Dooku's hands.
ReplyDelete"You recall Count Dooku, don't you? Dark Jedi... Lead the Confederacy of Independent Systems... Committed unspeakable acts of horror against the people of the Republic... kidnapped Lara and Cyrus from the Jedi Temple. That Dooku!"
"Yes I know...but it never said THAT was what you had to do. It just said to go some place...where was it? A moon of Russan?"
ReplyDelete"Exactly. Thats why Im with you on this one. What ever it takes" Cyrus says, putting a hand on sera's shoulder
ReplyDelete"For now, however, it seems ive over exerted myself. I'll be on bored the Specter if needed." Cyrus Departs, and heads for his cabin adored the Specter
ReplyDeleteSera shrugs off the hand and points a finger in Xol's face.
ReplyDelete"He said it involved a ritual involving the 'The Three Sisters' on the planet Ruusan, now where have we heard that name before... oh, wait... That is the same thing IMP-6 sent me about Lara!
"Its the name of the same damn ritual that turned a promising young Jedi into a piece of trash that Dooku dumped on some CIS agents.
"This is not something to be entered lightly, Xol! Your sages never said what we had to do, just that we HAD to do these things or fail outright.
"Rivan said that unless I do this ritual, we have no hope. Your sages say unless I do this ritual we have No hope."
"I was watching it with you Sera," Xol waves her hand away. "Rivan never said you had to do a ritual. The sages never said you had to do a ritual. I think your mind is tangled on something."
ReplyDeleteSera locks eyes with Xol. "No its not! You are missing the basic implications here."
ReplyDeleteShe starts to say something then stops herself. Frustration on her face, she turns away from Xol. Sera begins walking back into the city.
As Sera storms away, Jace greets her with a friendly wave.
ReplyDelete"Everything ok there, Sera?" he says in passing
The girl brushes past him without even a word.
ReplyDelete