Chapter Eleven

Greetings

Adaliah stepped off of the Ishi Tib's ship with Atton close behind her. She ducked to avoid the low door out to the landing bay. She straightened up, and the first thing her eyes met were the big blue eyes of the Disciple.

"Mical!" She halted in her tracks. Her surprise at seeing her student and friend was obvious. She had to admit, she had been expecting Atton and and Mandalore to follow her. Atton for her, and Mandalore.. Well, she had known all along that it was Revan that Mandalore was looking for. He had never told her much about Revan, other than that she was the only person in the Republic capable of defeating his people. Adaliah knew he respected her for that.

"Adaliah!" Mical exclaimed, his beautiful eyes shining. "I can't believe- I mean, I never thought... I'm glad this wasn't a wild iriaz chase."

"So am I, Mical," Adaliah said, her own crystal blue eyes smiling at the childlike pleasure on the Disciple's face. "I've been.. worried about you."

Mical's face took on a puzzled expression. "Why?" He wondered. "I've been worried about you, too, but that is justified-"

"Never mind," Adaliah cut him of gently. "We'll talk later, when I have more time."

"Of course, it will be my pleasure." He stepped away from her, revealing a little red-mane lioness.

"We found you," the bounty-huntress said, her piercing green eyes fixed on Adaliah. "It's been a while for not knowing what you were up to."

"I guess you're used to knowing what people are up to, Stalker," Adaliah said laughingly, reaching out to embrace her friend. Mira blinked and awkwardly closed her arms around Adaliah.

"Nice to see you too, Jedi," She said.

Adaliah turned to the blind Miraluka. "Visas, my friend, how are you?"

"As well as possible," the woman replied. "I've been having nightmares."

"Of what?"

"Nihilus," she replied. "They have been.. Obscuring my vision."

"It seems everyone has felt the effects of your absence," Atton whispered in the Exile's ear.

"No," she whispered back. "It's the darkness which is taking over the galaxy."

Atton looked confused, but he said no more, perhaps sensing that a deeper discussion was meant for safer quarters.

The rest of the group gathered in the landing bay stood a little ways away, looking rather uncomfortable. Mission had never seen the Exile before in her life, and neither had Zaalbar. Bastila and Carth knew the Exile, but not well enough to feel comfortable enough to approach her during the happy reunion.

Soon enough, however, Adaliah came around to greet them.

"Admiral Onasi?" She called in a soft, gentle, voice. She stood before him, offering her hand. "It is agreeable to see you again."

Carth accepted her hand and shook it warmly. "Same here, Exile. I trust you are well."

"I was quite lonely, and about to die of boredom before you stopped that ship," Adaliah said, laughing lightly. "I thank you for providing Atton with this ship."

"How did you-" Carth cut himself short. He had learned not to ask those sorts of questions with Revan-Aren, he corrected himself- around. She always answered him with a comment on how "we Jedi know things". From the bemused smile on the Exile's face, he could tell that she was about to echo Aren. "Never mind."

"Well, I obviously would never have had the funds for this without Carth's help," Atton offered graciously, something he did not do often. He felt.. different, somehow. Like, he wasn't jealous of Mical anymore. Yes, he decided. He felt very different.

Adaliah sensed that he was being genuine, for once, and she smiled. The man she depended on was growing up, he was no longer the rude, arrogant, and selfish little boy she had fallen in love with. She had loved his cocky, never-fail side, but she knew that she loved his new personality as well.

Adaliah greeted Bastila, who received her with the same cool calmness that never eluded her. She introduced herself to Mission, who was excited to meet her after learning that the Exile had once been a good friend of Aren's. Zaalbar's reaction was similar, but included a lot more growls and grunts.

Adaliah patted Zaalbar's big, furry shoulder one last time, and turned to look around the room. Her keen eyesight took in every person she had hoped to see. Everyone was there to greet her.. Except one.

"Where is Bao-Dur?"