By ~Illusion mod and ~Nifty mod (~Murky mod sat this one out ;p)

Just a fun little drabble we did a while back with some of our characters. Enjoy!

"It'll be fine, Dae." Genala chided. She gripped the overhead handle, trying to steady herself as the transport craft slowly descended to the planet's surface. The air grew thick as the jungle canopy drew close. "All we have to do is talk to some people and we'll be out of here."

The carrier's autopilot nimbly flew through the branches. It landed, flush with the ground, and the air had grown so humid the water formed droplets on Genala's exposed skin. She squirmed uncomfortably.

"Yes," Dae hissed, "but WHO do we talk to? Waltz in like we're full blown Jedi touting that we represent the Republic and need to speak to their leader?"

"I don't see why not."

"Are you actually serious."

Genala lept from the inside of the craft and onto the thick jungle floor, strewn with vines. There was a small, but noticeable trail, heading north. She shook her head. "We were sent here by full blown Jedi. Close enough. Come on." Genala waved over her shoulder as she started up towards the town.

Dae followed reluctantly, lowering her voice even more as she struggled to keep up, "Who's to say that the random civilians could even point us in the right direction? Shouldn't they have at least given us a name?"

"That would've made things easier. But they asked for us-"

"Their government asked for us," Dae cut in.

Genala turned her head, eyebrow raised and mouth poised with a retort when a sharp voice cut between them.

"Hail!"

Up ahead on the trail a dark blue man stood waving at them. He was smiling- that was a good sign. He hurried down the path and extended a hand. "You're the Jedi, I assume?"

Genala narrowed her eyes and grinned, offering a knowing glance in Dae's direction before taking the man's hand. "You'd be assuming correctly. I'm Genala."

"Dae," she forced through gritted teeth.

"Quan," the man replied. "Come, we've much to discuss."

Genala nodded and followed quickly behind Quan, but not before turning to Dae, whispering "You worry too much" before hurrying to catch up to the Chiss.

The temple of the Duke was ornate in every inch of its design. Massive pillars carved with intricate stories told as they ascended to the tapestries that hung loosely from the ceilings. Paintings, statues and sculptures adorned every corner and every wall of every room through which they passed- how one had that much time to decorate gave Genala pause.

Quan guided them into a side room, just off of the massive chamber that clearly served as a lobby, and stopped them. He glanced towards a massive door, closed and closely guarded, before returning to them. "I apologize. I'm unsure how long the Duke will be in his chambers... there have been many troubling events as of late."

"Troubling? Nothing involving the separatists, I hope?" Dae spoke up, worry that their mission may be more complicated than they'd first thought overshadowing her vexation with Genala.

Quan shook his head quickly. "No! No, at least not yet. Which is exactly why we called you here in the first place. But I cannot call the Duke from his meeting. It should only be a few hours more."

A few hours? Genala kept a groan behind closed lips and sighed. "What are we to do until then?"

"You are free to roam the city. I'll have the guards find you when the Duke's session has finished."

Genala shrugged, looking to Dae. "Sounds good to me."

Dae nodded her approval, "Thank you Quan."

That'd been over two hours ago, and with most of the city having been thoroughly explored, Genala was thoroughly bored. There was still no word on the status of the meeting with the Duke, but from the whispers amongst the guards and nobles it didn't sound like it would be ending any time soon.

Genala and Dae sat on a bench, the former sprawled back about to fall asleep and the latter fiddling with her saber.

"That noise is infuriating." Genala didn't even open her eyes, but placed a hand where she thought Dae's were.

"Sorry." She snapped the two halves of her sabers back together one last time and set it in her lap, "I'm nervous, and the longer this takes the longer I have to envision everything going wrong."

Genala clicked her tongue. "Nothing's going to go wrong. This is just-"

A shadow fell onto the two girls and Genala jumped to her feet, sure it was one of the guards coming to fetch them. Finally.

Unfortunately, it wasn't even a chiss.

"Who are you?"

The figure before them was dressed in a light brown robe, matching those of the Chiss that roamed the streets.. And while he had blue skin, it was far lighter than the sea of dark blue in town. He reached a hand up and removed his hood, revealing a dazzling array of iridescent feathers atop his head. He smiled. "Good morning."

He's beautiful. Dae stood abruptly but didn't make a move to say or do anything beyond that, her eyes transfixed on the man's face.

Genala looked towards Dae, eyebrows raised. She was waiting for the chagrian to speak, but her mouth held agape told Genala there were no words at the ready. "Is there something we can help you with?"

"You look familiar. What are your names?"

"Genala. And this is Dae." Genala gestured over to the chagrian who nodded eagerly.

Eyeing the saber linked to his belt, Genala continued. "What's a Jedi doing on Juunlat?"

Dae startled out of her daze, eyes locking on the lightsaber. It was worrisome that the Togruta had noticed it first. She was supposed to be the perceptive one.

The man drew a hand to his chin and thought a moment. "I was about to ask a pair of padawans the same question. I'm here on diplomatic business."

"As are we." Genala replied.

That gave the Jedi pause. "That's odd. I wasn't told of any arrivals. Who are your masters?"

"Master Asrabira." Dae answered without hesitation, knowing that if nothing else, they were not here wrongly.

"And Creed. Anyuran Creed."

There was a moment's silence between the three and a slow but unsettling smile crept its way across the man's face. It seemed to out of place against his almost ethereal features. He was nearly barring his teeth. "I was hoping that was the case."

It happened so fast Genala nearly didn't catch the Jedi reaching for his saber. She drew hers with hardly a moment to spare as the blades flared and sizzled against one another. His was as red as the summer sunset. What the fuck?

Dae's shock caused a moment of hesitation, but she too was wielding her blade within moments, lunging towards the feathered man in an uncharacteristic show of offence, hoping to draw him away from Genala enough for her to get her bearings.

But he was ready. With his free hand, he shoved Genala back.

She could feel the air rush from her lungs as she landed on her back, hard. A quick glance revealed no one around- this place had been crawling a moment ago! As Genala scrambled to get back onto her feet, she had the stomach dropping realization this man had planned this. He'd waited until there was no one around, not even a guard to act as a witness.

With both hands free, he spun to face the chagrian charging him. He parried her blow with ease. She'd expected that. The tight, invisible hand of the Force was something she hadn't. Before she could pull back and switch to an easier, more defensive style - her saber still caught on his - he reached with his free hand and she felt her airways clench tight.

The inability to breathe was a foreign sensation. She panicked immediately, desperately trying to draw air in through her lungs, her gills, anything! She had to breath! She had to stop him! She scrabbled for her lightsaber, trying to separate the two halves, but her hands wouldn't listen as her world began to grow dim around the edges.

Genala stood just in time to see Dae's feet swinging wildly just a few inches above the ground. Where hands were normally drawn to the neck, clawing fruitlessly, Dae's were still at her lightsabers. Her fingers worked against one another, fidgeting wildly.

Drawing her saber in front of her, Genala rooted herself. "Drop her. Now."

The man chuckled. He didn't take his eyes from Dae's thrashing form as her struggles grew weaker and weaker. "Your lightsaber, please."

It wasn't a question and by the slowing of Dae's movements, Genala didn't have time for debate. Sheathing the blade, Genala tossed her saber at the man's feet.

He looked down, pleased, and waited a moment longer before he dropped the no-longer-struggling chagrian to the ground. She crumpled into a heap.

"I appreciate your promptness, Genala." The man reached down to pluck her saber from the dirt. "Things could've gotten much worse for you." He paused. "And your friend."

Genala was silent. She was unarmed, but she still had the Force. If she could just find a opening, a place to slip by him and-

"I wouldn't." The man clipped his new saber to his belt, beside his own. He kicked at Dae's prone form and Genala took a step forward. "Ah! I'd like you to stay where you are."

"Who the fuck put you in charge?"

The man laughed. "I did, actually." He brought a hand forward and Genala felt fingers close themselves around her neck.

Genala had used Force choke before, only on dummies in the training arena after Creed had gone to bed, but she'd never actually seen it done on a living being. The terror that filled her blood was one so unlike a fear she'd ever felt before. It was all encompassing and as the darkness pooled inside her vision, Genala had but one thought- maybe she should try worrying a little more often.