Rude Awakening

Odessen

Aric woke to the sensation of being watched, making the fur on the back of his neck stand on end. After a single breath, he knew who it was, and he squeezed his eyes tighter. "Dad," Amo whispered. Aric paid careful attention to his breathing, keeping it steady to maintain his ruse. "Dad," Amo tried again, then followed it with a sharp poke between Aric's ribs. "Come on, I know you're awake."

Despite keeping half of his face buried in the pillow, Aric slid one eye open in an attempt to glare at his son. Two pairs of reflective eyes stared back at him, and Aric slid his gaze towards the chrono on the side table: 05:30. He and Nahir had crawled into bed only two hours ago.

"See, I told you he was awake," Amo boasted to Sisa, who offered an apologetic shrug. It occurred to Aric that only two of his kii were present, and he worried about where the third was.

"What the—" Nahir's surprised exclamation was followed by her weight smashing into Aric's back hard enough to drive a grunt from his lungs. At least now he knew where Khina was.

Thanks to the unsettling stares of their children, Aric and Nahir were now fully awake. "What," he ground out, considering the idea of locking them all up until they were legal adults. At least then, he'd get a decent night's sleep, and they'd be the galaxy's problem.

"Khina and I had a project in the kitchen. . . ." Amo shared a glance with Sisa when Aric growled.

"I saw." Jorgan pushed himself upright and ran a hand down his face. Khina moved around to stand beside her siblings, and Nahir flopped onto her back with a groan. Not the way he'd anticipated starting his day off.

Khina bounced on her toes with an excitement that Aric didn't understand. "Yeah? It was supposed to be a surprise. What did you think?"

Aric gaped at his daughter, but before he could scold her for the mess they'd left the night before, Nahir put a hand on his arm. In Aric's sleep-addled state, it took him longer than it should have to see the matching expressions of glee on his children's faces. Somehow, Nahir managed to sound chipper when she spoke. "Khina, what exactly were you doing last night?" She squeezed Aric's arm when he gave her a questioning look.

"They didn't see it," Khina whispered, and Amo's face split into a wide grin. Sisa alone looked apprehensive, but an air of excitement still clung to her. "Come on, dad." Khina grabbed Aric's fingers and pulled until they popped.

"Alright, alright." Aric wrestled his hand free and shooed the kids out. "Let me get some clothes on."

The kii scurried from the room, chattering excitedly amongst themselves. Once the door shut, Aric flopped back onto the bed. "Think we can get in ten more minutes of sleep?"

Nahir had already risen, opening drawers to get ready for the day. "Not since Hylo taught them how to pick locks."

Aric growled again and shoved to his feet. "Remind me to thank her for that." Technically, he and Nahir had the morning off until Acina's new envoy arrived. Then, the Jorgan family got to play honor guard for a Sith executioner and her horde of tiny Force-users. The Cathar pulled on a pair of sweatpants and loose fitting shirt to match Nahir's: standard relaxation clothing on Odessen since they could be purchased in bulk. They were a hideous shade of green that didn't compliment anyone, no matter the species or skin tone.

"Come on, Major. Let's see what they've gotten into." Nahir slapped his ass as she walked from the room, and Aric looked longingly back at their bed before following. He slumped through the sitting room towards the kitchen only to have his momentum halted when Nahir blocked his path. Her barely contained laughter worried him.

"You should sit down," Nahir commented, her voice shaking with amusement. Taking Aric's shoulders in hand, she turned him towards one of the chairs. He dropped onto the cushion with a wary glare. "Oh, you should close your eyes too."

There was no point in arguing, at least, not until his first cup of caf. Aric complied with a resigned sigh and shut his eyes. Every hair on his body stood on end as the rest of his senses tried to make up for the lack of visual input. His nose twitched at the bitter smell of burned food, and Aric fought to keep his eyes closed. Nahir snickered to his left, and Amo bumped into the table right in front of him.

"Okay, ba'e, open your eyes," Sisa commanded in the same no-nonsense way that she approached everything in life. Out of the three, she was the only one who showed any proclivity for preserving Cathar custom, and would use traditional names from time to time. Khina and Amo were only interested in becoming stronger warriors, but Sisa—she remembered.

When Aric peeked through his lids, his jaw went slack. There, on the table at his knees, was a small, slightly burned, spongy substance with a mess of yellow goo—the same he'd stepped in the night before—slathered all over it. "Happy birthday," Nahir chuckled from behind her hands.

"Ah." It was all Aric could think to say, though mentally he thanked Nahir for shutting his mouth before he made a fool of himself by scolding the kids earlier. "It's a cake, right?"

A look passed between the kii, and Khina put her hands on her hips. "Isn't that what it looks like?"

Aric rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, just making sure." He offered a sly grin. "You know, since your mother and I didn't get to bed until a couple of hours ago. Someone left the kitchen a mess."

Sisa cleared her throat. "That was my fault." Aric felt his brows raise. "It took longer to get the supplies than I thought, which pushed Khina and Amo behind schedule for preparing the cake. By the time they finished, it was already past curfew." She kicked her feet and glared at the floor. "I thought it would be better to leave the mess until morning than to ruin the surprise."

It was impossible to stay angry in the face of such innocent frustrations. Aric opened his arms, and all three kii slammed into his simultaneously. Nahir grinned openly behind them, arms crossed over her chest. Aric released his children, and Khina bounded back to the table to fetch the plate. "Now, let's eat."

Realization dawned on Aric as he looked at the charred corners of the dessert and bit back a cringe. Nahir burst into laughter and held out a fork. Aric took it, worked his jaw back and forth, then took a deep breath. "Right. Looks—tasty."

The Phantom
En route to Odessen

Quinn looked on his daughters as they lined against the wall for their pre-bedtime inspection. He'd already sent Zeth back to brush her teeth again, and Ygrin was complaining of a headache. None of them had been exposed to long space-flights since Lyesh's new position required her presence on Dromund Kaas more often than not. Some discomfort accompanying their trip was to be expected.

After he was satisfied with the lack of plaque on Leth's teeth and had administered a pain relief tab to Ygrin, Quinn pronounced them ready for bed. "Vette, if you would join us?" The girls took that as their cue to scramble into their bunks while the Twi'lek sauntered in with her holopad.

"I've got this, maybe you can convince Lyesh to get some rest too." Vette settled in a chair evenly positioned between the girls' beds and activated the holo. The image revealed a large Nexu from a children's book series that Alia loved and her older sisters tolerated. Hello Nexu was neither entertaining, nor educational, so far as Quinn could ascertain, but it was one of the few things the four girls agreed on.

Quinn stepped out of the room as Vette's story began and took a deep breath. As much as he loved his daughters, they had a tendency to be overwhelming, especially when they were uncomfortable and cranky. He still hadn't decided at what age he should expect better behavior, but it seemed to get older every year.

Quinn directed his steps towards the briefing room where he knew Lyesh would be. They were heading into unknown, possibly hostile territory, so she would be analyzing every detail available. Acina's assurances that other families resided on the secret base did little to assuage Quinn's irritation at having less information than he preferred about the location. Not to mention, no end goal existed except ensuring that the Empire's needs were met and their presence had been felt. Though the Empress did not say as much, Quinn got the impression that she intended to have a powerful ally when the war ended so she could set her sights on the Republic. Lyesh intended convince the Jedi in charge that the Empire had the galaxy's best interests at heart, no matter how long it took.

"Perhaps a break, my love?" Quinn leaned over Lyesh's shoulders to see yet another personnel report, this one of a Mirialan smuggler who'd once aided the Republic during the sacking of Coruscant.

"It really is a diverse alliance," she commented, ignoring Quinn's attempts to pull her attention away from work. She'd slept no more than a couple of hours at a time since leaving Dromund Kaas. He changed tactics and began massaging her shoulders, digging his thumbs into the tight knots that developed after hours hunched over a desk. Lyesh leaned into his touch with a sigh, then smirked. "You are trying to distract me."

Quinn allowed himself a small, mildly victorious smile. "It's working."

"It is, but I haven't the time for play things now." Lyesh sat up, pulling from his grasp. "There are a lot of people already settled into this alliance, we are at a momentary disadvantage."

Knowing how unstoppable Lyesh could be, Quinn opted for joining her at the table instead of luring her away. If he added his eyes to the task, they could finish in half the time. He'd just taken a seat when Vette reappeared. "That's the last one," the Twi'lek remarked as she slumped into a chair across from him. "You know, one of these days, I'm going to make you tell them their bedtime story."

Lyesh offered an endearing smile. "I'm sure your talent far outweighs my own in such matters." Malavai chuckled, then cleared his throat to avoid giving offense. They had been married for more than ten years, and still he feared her wrath. As far as relationships went, Lyesh could not be in a better position. It was what lay ahead that troubled her.

"Vette, you've worked with these people before." Lyesh waved a hand at the scattered datapads before her. Each contained a detailed report on some part of the Alliance, though it was the one with the personality profiles that concerned her the most. "Who are they, and what drives them?"

Vette had only recently returned from a job involving the Alliance and an old colleague. They'd successfully pilfered Arcann's secret vaults aboard an invisible ship. The Twi'lek had been most willing to share her exploits and still mourned the loss of the weapon she'd dubbed Spewy. Lyesh had murmured that perhaps Vette had spent too much time hanging around toddlers prior to that particular mission.

The Twi'lek leaned forward and picked one of the devices up. They sat in the conference room aboard the Phantom while the girls slept in the crew quarters. Naturally, none had been pleased with the cramped arrangements. They each had their own room back on Dromund Kaas, and had never been fond of sharing. "It's a pretty even mix of Republic and Imperial people, I'd say." Vette's blue eyes scrolled over the screen. "You know, Jedi, Sith, mercs, smugglers, pirates, droids, and soldiers from both sides."

"And the demographic?" Malavai asked. It was still a new sentiment, but he no longer saw Vette as merely a pet that Lyesh kept around for her own amusement. The Twi'lek had branched out and formed business partnerships off her own. She vanished for weeks at a time, often returning triumphant.

"You mean aliens versus humans?" Malavai nodded, and Vette shrugged. "About as diverse as Nar Shaddaa, I think. I mean, the majority of the war council is human, but the Outlander is a Zabrak. Oh, and there are a couple of Cathar too, you remember Havoc Squad, right?"

Malavai's grip on his datapad tightened, though it was Lyesh who answered. "How could we not? They caused us a lot of trouble on Corellia." She pondered the implications for a moment before continuing. "So, the Outlander has the Republic's best on his side."

"Not anymore," Vette sighed. "Unfortunately, their last mission didn't go so good. Everyone was killed except the commander and one of the soldiers. There isn't a Havoc Squad anymore."

The look that passed between Malavai and Lyesh spoke volumes. If Zakuul could obliterate such seasoned warriors so easily, what were they taking their children into? "I'm glad they didn't get Jorgan," Vette continued. "He's got a wife and three kids. That would have been too tragic to bear."

"Tell us about the others, please," Lyesh insisted.

Malavai scowled at his datapad. He would need to formulate multiple contingency plans in case it looked like their daughters were in mortal danger. While Quinn would give his life for the Empire, he was not willing to offer his children's. That was a decision they should make for themselves when they were older. He intended to see that they got the opportunity.

"Oh, and Cipher Nine's droid is there. She's super creepy." The mention of the Imperial legend gained Quinn's full attention. Lyesh's forehead smoothed in an optimistic gesture, but Vette shook her head. "No, Nine isn't there. Last I heard, the crew split in order to allow him to move throughout the galaxy unhindered. According to Kaliyo, he cut ties and hasn't been heard from in three years."

"Shame," Lyesh remarked, then turned her attention back to the profiles. "Lana I know, and I've read Agent Shan's file. What of these two native Zakuulans? Can they be trusted?"

"Koth, sure," Vette grinned, and Quinn wondered if there was a story there. Not that he planned to ask, it was likely a lude tale that she would share with Lyesh later. "I don't know about Senya. If the rumors are to be believed, she's Vaylin and Arcann's mom. I stayed away from her mostly."

Lyesh set the image of the human male aside in favor of a closer look at the woman. She looked to be in her early fifties, yet in perfect fighting condition. "Such intriguing company our Outlander keeps." Quinn studied his wife, lifting a brow when she caught his eye. She had an idea brewing.

A small shuffle brought everyone around to find Alia standing in the doorway of the conference room. Her stuffed Yozusk hung from one hand, while the other rubbed at her eyes. Malavai pushed away from the table to scoop his daughter up. "You must stay in bed, Alia."

The toddler yawned loudly and nodded, for once, not arguing. Quinn realized that she wasn't completely awake, simply in an unfamiliar place and seeking comfort. He bundled Alia into bed and tucked the blanket around her. She turned away from Quinn and snuggled deeper into its warmth, taking a deep breath before falling asleep again.

When Quinn returned, Vette had her feet propped on the table, fingers interlaced beneath her lekku. "It's cold out here," the Twi'lek commented. "She won't sleep well until she gets used to it."

Lyesh nodded. "It is something they must all learn to endure. They have been lucky so far. The life of a Sith is rarely given to developing roots."

"Yeah, same with a slave." Vette's voice sounded bitter for a moment, then reclaimed its mischievous note when she leaned closer. "Look, I didn't want to say anything while Major Stick-up-His-Ass was around, but Pierce and Broonmark are on Odessen too. I'm sure they'll both be happy to see you."

Quinn paused mid-step, lips pressed into a tight line. He had no desire to see Pierce again. There was far too much history between the three of them. Lyesh had discovered her pregnancy shortly before Malavai's betrayal, but chose to keep it from him. Quinn wondered if that would have changed his approach. Would he have had the courage to tell Baras that he refused to complete his mission? That he could never attempt to destroy the mother of his child?

Lyesh had withheld the news until her clothing no longer fit properly, making the pregnancy impossible to hide. Quinn had lost many a night's sleep over who the father might be given her chosen punishment had been to replace him with Pierce immediately. She'd let Malavai believe that their oldest belonged to the low-born soldier months after Ygrin had been born, only revealing the truth when she decided to forgive him of the crime. Naturally, Pierce had been more than willing to go along with the charade.

Vette's face split into a delighted grin. "I can't wait to see the look on Quinn's face when Peirce walks up. He might burst a vein." Lyesh chuckled lightly.

Quinn lingered a little longer in the shadows of the passageway. Lyesh would be aware of his presence, but he didn't want to surrender his advantage. Malavai would shake Pierce's hand, gobsmacking both the captain and the Twi'lek.

Lyesh stifled a yawn. "I'm off to bed, Vette. See you in a few hours."

"Sure thing, boss." The Twi'lek leaned back in her chair and swiped another datapad.

Lyesh met Malavai in the corridor and motioned for him to follow. "Apologies, my lord, I thought it prudent not to impose on your conversation."

"Of course you did," Lyesh answered with a coy grin. She hooked one finger through Quinn's collar and tugged him along behind her. "I have a new task for you, Malavai." She shut the door with a wave of her hand.

Quinn stood motionless while his wife unbuttoned his collar. No matter what transpired in the past, he was here with Lyesh, not Pierce. She'd chosen him to sire her children and stand by her side. There really was no other victory worth having. "I am yours to command, my lord," Quinn replied as his uniform jacket slid from his shoulders.

With a feral smile, Lyesh pushed him against the wall. "Excellent."

A/N: the concept of Hello Nexu belongs to damarlegacy.