Miriah's eyes fluttered open and, for a moment, she wasn't sure where she was. She felt the shuttle settle on the landing pad and looked over at her husband. Corso shut down the small craft, and turned to her. "Get a little rest, cyare? I have a feeling it's going to be a long day, again." He helped her with the harness and followed her out of the shuttle. Mags and Felix met them as they descended the ramp.

"Hey guys, how's the baby?" Felix asked. Mags could tell that Miriah was tired and cranky and missing Calypso, but she said nothing, just sent calming force to her baby sister.

Miriah just sighed as she felt the force infuse her system. Corso smiled, "She's doing great. We both miss her already." He put his arm around his wife's narrow shoulders and felt her relax. "Let's get over to command and see what our assignment is for today." They walked together to where they could see Aric and Maura.

"Hey guys," Aric greeted them. "We're all set. Have you briefed the new parents?" At Felix's negative head shake, Aric's smile got bigger. "We're all going out there to take out some crazed combatants!" At Miriah's look of confusion, he explained. "We're going as a group, except for the Master Jedi. Felix put it together, and we're getting Jestera and some others." He sounded excited, and was already geared and ready to go. Maura stood beside him for a moment, then launched herself at Miriah, gathering her sister in a hug.

"Mir, you don't have to do this. I know it must be tearing you up to leave the baby." She tightened her grip when Miriah sniffed. "How was Coleen? And the other kids?" she asked, finally letting go of her sister and stepping back to look at her face.

"Everyone was good. Yeah, it's hard to leave her, but we brought a shuttle from the ship, and we can all go back at night if we want." Miriah wiped a stray tear from her cheek, but the steely resolve she normally reserved for missions had crept into her eyes. "Let's get the mission specs and get started." They all started talking at once, which made Miriah smile, and she sought out the one who would know what she wanted next.

Corso saw her looking for him and slid into his usual spot by her left side. "Here, kitten. Your shotgun is ready and I have the stealth generator. We're ready," he told her, bending to kiss her cheek. They saw Jestera leading several Jedi down the path toward them.

"Hello, everyone. This is Ken and Seph, they are rounding out the group," Jestera told them. They all exchanged greetings, and Mags kissed Felix, making the other Jedi look away.

"I'll be with you, in spirit anyway," she said, lingering with her hand on Felix's arm. She slowly backed away, watching them as she returned to the other Jedi.

Aric looked over the group and was pleased with what he saw. Three Jedi, he and Maura, Felix, Miriah and Corso. A solid group, he thought. He tried not to show the anxiety of Maura being in combat, but he felt it acutely. He saw that Corso was a little anxious as well, and moved up near him. Before he could speak, Miriah hit her stealth generator.

"Let's go, people. I have a sweet little girl to get back to this evening," she said, making them chuckle. She and Corso made their way out of the camp entrance, this time turning left instead of right. They hadn't gone but a handful of paces out from the guards when they saw the red glow of the force-crazed Jedi in front of them. Miriah landed a tranquilizer dart as she passed, and the group was able to get set. Corso pounded the target with a body slam fueled by his jetpack and in seconds the glow faded as the Jedi became one with the force.

They continued around an abandoned transport and encountered another group of guards. Maura halted their progress with an upraised hand and prepared her cannon. When she pulled the firing mechanism, Aric did as well and the loud chatter of the assault weapons was deafening. A stray guard attempted to fire at Jestera, but a huge ball of pure force energy took his life before he got a chance. The other two Jedi in the group swung their lightsabers with blinding speed, and soon there was a trail of bodies showing where the group had gone.

They slowed as they approached a lake, unsure of what the large upright structures in the water were. Corso motioned for a stop, and they decided to take advantage of a few moments of quiet to catch their breath. "Mir," he murmured, "you doing okay?" He looked closely at his wife, seeing the light of battle in her eyes for the first time in many years. She had a few smudges on her face, and he saw a plasma scorch on her shoulder, but otherwise she looked unharmed.

"I'm good, sugar. You?" she asked. She smiled at his nod. "Everyone else okay? Need water or chocolate?"

Aric barked a laugh that shattered the stillness around them. "Do you really have chocolate? In this heat?" He watched as she pulled a sealed package out of her pack and opened it, the white fog of the coolant evaporating in the heat of the lava that flowed around them. She tore open the inner packet and looked at him with innocent eyes.

"Of course I do," she said, and proceeded to share it with the others. "We all need a little energy," she said. Maura closed her eyes as the expensive treat melted on her tongue, and she felt the spike in energy, the fatigue lift from her mind. When she opened her eyes, Aric was giving her a strange look. She smiled at him but he continued to stare. When they rose to continue, he pulled her aside.

"That face did things to me, lovely. Things I'll show you later," he growled softly in her ear, making delicious shivers run up her spine. She felt her cheeks flush with color and turned her head away from her sister, who was giving her a knowing look.

"Don't worry, sis. I have more on the ship," Miriah said, and the group laughed. It broke the tension and they continued on, more relaxed and in sync than before. As usual, Miriah and Corso were on point, under stealth, and moving toward the lake. The others were following more slowly, waiting on their scouting to let them know what was ahead. As they neared the lake, the tall objects they had seen on their approach started to wave gently back and forth. Suddenly, one of them turned toward the group, and Felix realized it was a tentacle of some sort. As the others were alerted, the tentacles all turned their way, and they realized why when a group of crazed Jedi attacked.

Ken and Felix took out one each, but the tentacles started to slap the group as they were fighting. Corso grabbed one and was tossed away. He used his jetpack to re-engage, and found a weak spot. He stepped back as Aric sent a volley his way and the tentacles lay as lifeless as the Jedi. "Whew," Corso said. "That was something else. Never saw such a creature before." He leaned on a rock, and saw that there was something glowing in the dead Jedi's pocket. "What's that?" he asked, as Maura knelt to free it.

"Not sure, but I think the commander was wanting to study these. I'll take this back," she said, putting the small holocron shaped fragment in her pack. They continued on, fighting group after group, until the blazing heat of the day started to wane.

"Let's start back. The shuttle will seat ten, and it's going to the Windwalker as soon as we get aboard." She saw Felix click his relay, and the smile when she figured Mags was all for a night in the cool atmosphere of the ship. They made their way back much faster than the trip out, and reported to the command post.

When they'd finished their debrief, Corso looked at his wife. She looked back at him with a gleam in her eye, and as one they sprinted to the shuttle pad. Magdalane stood waiting for them, and when Miriah and Corso arrived they saw the rest of their family jogging toward them and laughed.

"We're spending tomorrow aboard, Mags, can you be gone that long?" Corso asked, and was pleased when she nodded. "Then let's jet." They all boarded, happy to be in the cooler air of the shuttle as it was hooked to a power unit. Miriah had the engines roaring almost before the hatch had sealed, broad smile on her face. She'd started taking gear off as soon as they were inside, and was now in just a sleeveless shirt and her leather pants, her biceps straining as she shot the shuttle upward. They exited Oricon's atmo at a record pace, and settled in for the quick hyperspace trip to the ship. Everyone was tired but excited to see their children again.

Logan took the comm link when they called the ship. "Hey, Mom! You're clear to dock, I've got the bay opening now," he told Miriah, and they could hear his grin in his voice. "Ian says you have the whole family on board."

"We do," she said with a chuckle. "I'll cook as soon as I get a shower and kiss Calypso."

"Nope, Nana cooked. We'll be ready to eat as soon as you guys are."

"Excellent, son. We're in, you can close the bay now." They heard the muffled clang as the bay door shut and Aric reached for the hatch. The group hadn't said too much during the ride, as their day caught up to them, but the short ride had revived them, and they jumped into the main ship with energy they thought had long gone.

"I figured you'd all be back," Sarai smiled, holding a sleeping baby. "I filled and heated the extra water tanks for showers, and …" She was instantly smothered by her daughters, all of them cooing at the sweet smelling infant and thanking their mother for her thoughtfulness.

Miriah kissed her daughter's head and grabbed Corso's hand. "Shower then food," she said, making a dash to their quarters, pulling Corso behind her. He was closing the door when he realized she'd stripped already and was standing there waiting for him. She grinned and walked backward to the refresher, crooking her finger at him. He wasted no time joining her, and while they mostly made promises for later, they spent some time skin to skin, which relaxed them both.

Coleen was busily chatting to her parents as they all walked to their quarters. She sat on the bed while Maura and Aric went around the corner to their refresher. Aric took his time removing gear, unsure if his daughter was going to continue to talk while they were cleaning up. When he heard the water running, he turned to see his wife under the spray, and softly growled. Maura heard him, and began to slowly run her hands along her body, knowing he was watching her. Coleen finally ran down, and went to help her grandmother get dinner ready. The instant she closed their door, Aric pounced. Maura squealed as he pressed her against the shower wall. "Dangerous game, lady," he murmured against her neck as she sighed with contentment. They spent far more time in the shower than the others.

When everyone gathered in the dining area, there was a feeling of celebration. Calypso was awake in her father's arms, Logan was sitting with his mother, his arm around her shoulders. Aric and Maura had Coleen between them, and Ian was leaning on Felix's shoulder, their appearance strikingly similar. Magdalane smiled, and started to speak.

"I got a message from Michi earlier," she said, pride in her voice. "She's doing well, and will be finishing this term at the top of her class." Applause made her blush, but they knew she was proud of her daughter. "Have you heard from Devin, Mir?"

Miriah shook her head. "He's been very busy, and it's only been a day since I sent mine," she said, but inside, she missed him deeply. Some of the pain was lessened by her other children, but she still felt that void inside. Calypso took that moment to begin to fuss, and Corso got up to get her bottle. She didn't want to eat, though, and continued to squirm and make little squeaks. Finally, she gathered her breath and began to cry. It was the first time she'd done that, and the sound startled them all. Miriah reached for her, and when she lifted the little girl to her shoulder, she settled, content. It didn't escape Corso's notice that the baby had silky black strands of Miriah's hair in her tiny fist, Devin's favorite mode of comfort, and it made him smile. He'd tell Mir later, he thought.

They enjoyed their dinner, but now clean and fed, the group felt lethargy settle around them. While the men cleaned up, the women marveled over the baby. Calypso had her bath and last bottle, and was now happy only in Miriah's arms. Mags sat next to her sister, gently stroking the baby's soft hair. "She's just so beautiful, Mir." Miriah hummed her agreement. "She's certainly clear on who her mother is," Mags chuckled. She'd tried to hold the infant after her bath, but Calypso kept turning her head toward Miriah's voice, and eventually voiced her displeasure about not being with her mother.

Sarai looked around the lounge of the ship, the men laughing in the nearby galley and her girls gathered together, and knew she'd been very lucky to have this family. Very lucky, indeed.