Maura and Aric had been awake, talking and other things, for hours. For the past week they'd been working at Miriah and Corso's house, enjoying the company and watching the kids play while they worked from remote terminals set up to connect to the ones at the office. They'd begun to see some activity from Darth Skylar, and were able to track his movements from news reports involving children. He still seemed to be moving randomly, and they were confused by that since the guy he'd sent to break into the office knew where to find them. "He's either trying to confuse us, or he thinks Miriah is dead and we're hunting him down," Aric told Maura, running his fingertips along her spine.
"I think he thinks she's dead, and he knows someone's after him. He could get here without going through all this other nonsense, and we wouldn't know until he showed up. Ahhh honey, that feels too good." Maura pulled him to her and kissed him, and they tabled the discussion of Darth Skylar until morning.
Miriah was feeling more herself every day, and the nightmares had almost stopped. She would occasionally have a little anxiety, but since they all made an effort to stay close, that had been more manageable. Her strength wasn't quite back, but she was improving. Her voice, throaty even before the choking, was now a smoky, slightly husky alto. Corso thought her voice was sexy before, now it was downright sensual. Everything she said made his body react, and if she laughed? Oh, stars, he thought, her laugh is music. They'd slept for a while but Miriah had jumped up, thinking she heard Devin, and went to check on him. When she came back to bed, Corso pulled her close, still half asleep. "S'okay?" he mumbled. She whispered that he was, and he kissed her hair. She lay there, thinking, but felt very safe in his arms. She thought Corso had gone back to sleep, but he felt that she was still awake. "What's wrong, love, can't sleep?"
"Nothing is wrong, I'm not anxious or anything, just not sleepy. I know you are, sugar, sleep." She kissed his nose, and was surprised when he captured her mouth with his. Oh well, she thought, we can nap tomorrow.
Devin woke them at his usual time, and now that he was on the verge of walking, every day was an adventure. Sarai had recently gone shopping and gotten him some new clothes, since he was growing so fast. Risha had brought him some boots that looked just like Corso's and those were all he wanted to wear. So it was that both her husband and her son were dressed alike, a gray long sleeved tshirt, black cargo pants, and boots. The days were still a little cool, and she saw Corso take their son out to the deck after breakfast. With his new boots, Dev could balance pretty well, she thought as she looked out the window at them. Then she saw him take a step toward his dad. He was looking at the ronto herd closest to the house, and hadn't seen it. She tapped on the window and pointed at the little boy, just as he ventured another step. Devin looked at his mom and grinned, then took his third step. Suddenly he couldn't be stopped, and took off across the deck, his dad laughing and chasing him. Miriah had happy tears, she was so proud of her son. Suddenly her vision dimmed with a flash of the Sith with her son in his arms. She told herself it was just a flashback, just a false memory, but her hands were shaking when Corso finally captured Devin and brought him inside. She hugged and praised her son, but the vision had her uneasy, and Corso could tell something was up. She told him about it as she watched Devin take off across the kitchen floor, wobbling and weaving, but walking.
Aric came into the kitchen just in time to see Devin toddling toward him. "Hey, Dev! Great job! Wow, he's fast," he said, laughing. He called to Maura to be careful coming into the kitchen, and she entered to see her nephew grinning and walking back and forth. She clapped and picked him up, and he giggled at his aunt.
Aric crossed to the worktable and sat with a cup of caffa. "I've been thinking, and talked to Maura about this. Maybe we should take Garza up on seeing if they can track Skylar. At least give us a heads up if he enters the area."
Corso nodded, "That's probably a good idea. I'd like to be able to be prepared and not look over my shoulder all the time." He put his arm around Miriah. "Maybe my girl could sleep then." He put his head on hers.
"Not sleeping again? I thought you were doing better, " Maura frowned at her sister.
"I am doing better, just couldn't go back to sleep last night after I'd gotten up to check on Devin. I'm doing fine, really." She nudged Corso in the ribs, "No one suffered, believe me."
"So glad we're on the other end of the house," Aric said, laughing as Corso blushed. They were talking as Miriah took sheet after sheet of cookies out of the oven, which brought a smiling Tanno to the door.
"I smelled cookies, thought I might be able to talk you out of a couple," he grinned at Miriah, who gave him a dozen to take with him. The kids smelled them too, and suddenly the kitchen was filled with people wanting cookies. They were still all there when they heard the blaster fire from the south pasture. Sarai herded the kids to the basement playroom, leaving C2 with them, as they took up their prearranged positions. Miriah grabbed her blaster and shotgun from their room, and joined Corso on the roof through the attic. Maura and Aric, along with their assault cannons, were on the west side balcony, Tanno and Bert on the east. Sarai, Akaavi and Cy were fanned out across the rear. There was an audible click as they all activated their relays to test them.
"Anyone see where the blaster fire came from?" Corso asked.
Cy reported, "South side, along the stream, only saw the muzzle flash." Corso brought his sniper rifle up, peering through the scope.
"Targets acquired. Not Imperial, repeat not Imperial. Total six, Republic Army Special Forces." He could hear everyone clicking weapons on safety, and the buzz of Sarai's lightsaber ceased. Maura and Aric strode out to meet the squad, and Corso turned to Miriah. "Garza must have gotten nervous, she's learned since the last time you yelled in her office." Miriah grinned back at him. They made their way back through the attic into the house, and told C2 the children were safe.
Akaavi told Miriah they had room in the guest house for the newcomers, and as they approached she could see that Maura and Aric knew these soldiers. Maura stopped to introduce Major Kitamur Nocturna. "Call me Kit, m'am," he said, and shook Corso's hand before following Maura down to their new quarters.
Devin toddled across the deck and put his arms up to his mom, wanting to be picked up. Miriah's ribs were still a little sore, but she crouched to lift her son, stumbling when she tried to stand up. Akaavi steadied her, "Miriah, you are still having a lot of pain. Why did you not say something?" Miriah sighed, looking at her friend.
"Because I'm tired of being useless, having to have everyone do things for me. I hate that. I know, you guys don't mind it, but I do. I want my life back." Akaavi nodded.
"You are a true warrior, one who does not like to be seen as weak." They stood there, Devin on Miriah's hip, watching the squad coordinate gear, before they both went to the house. The twins were inside with Sarai and it was cookie time
Corso and Aric stood together. "Why did Garza send them? Does she know something that we don't?" Corso asked.
"She said intel had them wanting to capture the Sith lord rather than kill him, she thinks that's more likely to happen if she has boots on the ground here." He turned to Corso, "She thinks that after what he did to Miriah, you'll kill him without blinking. She's right. Any of us would."
"So they brought a force proof cell? How?" Aric chuckled at Corso's frown.
"No, I'm suspecting they'll use chemical restraints. That's what I'd do, anyway." He nudged his friend and brother in law. "You okay with all this? I mean, this is your place."
Corso nodded, "You know I'm all for whatever keeps our families safe. Akaavi's the only one that's making any sacrifice, and I kinda think she's liking having Cy around. It's not like we don't have plenty of food and more on the hoof if we want it. I think Mir is feeling a little overwhelmed, but she's still healing and not at a hundred percent yet." Aric nodded.
Miriah saw the two men with their heads together, and figured they were discussing the manpower boost. She was sitting with Dev in her lap, cookies being consumed by all the kids and the adults in the kitchen. Maura had monitored the number of them the twins had, and gotten them milk from the fridge. Miriah stood and took Devin to get his hands and face clean before he went to sleep. He'd be a year old next month, and she wondered how long he'd keep taking this morning nap. She went from his room to her own and Corso found her there, in a deep sleep.
Sarai was using the training room to stay limber, and her saber was humming loudly as she decimated target droids. She felt Corso enter and finished the form before stopping to talk to him. He looks troubled, she thought. "Hello son, what's on your mind that has your face solemn?"
"Miriah put Devin down for a nap and didn't come back into the kitchen, so I went to check on her. I found her on our bed, sound asleep. You know that's unusual for her. Just wondered if the concussion is affecting her." Sarai nodded, considering. She hadn't studied healing for a very long time. "She's afraid she'll never get well, and it worries her. She was awake for part of the night, just vaguely anxious about things in general."
"It's only been a couple of weeks now since the incident. I think she's pushing herself too hard, too fast. Doing too much. If she's sleeping now it's because her body has forced her to. She needs to listen to it." Corso nodded.
"I'll be with her, then, if anyone needs me." Sarai rose on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek, making him blush as he walked back to their room. Miriah hadn't moved, so he checked on Devin, who was sleeping too. Corso went to their room, quietly removed his boots, and lay down with Miriah, How, he thought, can I help her? Or is she pushing herself so hard so that I won't worry about her? He looked over at her, her long black hair braided because her usual ponytail made her head ache. Her neck was still faintly bruised, and her ribs a mottled green-purple still. As he watched her, he saw her start into the nightmare that had haunted her, her eyes moving rapidly, her legs moving, her breathing accelerating. He took her in his arms, gently trying to wake her before it could get too vivid. She did wake when he pulled her against him, talking softly to her, telling her that she was safe, he'd never let anything hurt her if he were there, he was so sorry this had happened, that he wished it had been him, not her. She became fully awake when she felt his kiss on her forehead, and gasped as she realized what had happened. He held her close for a long time, and she took the comfort he offered, letting it sink deep into her soul, letting her breathe easily and feel secure.
None of the group was aware that Darth Skylar had noticed the military transport approach Dantooine, and that he'd cursed, going into a mini tantrum on his own ship. He'd killed a few of his own crew with his rage, then collapsed, knowing he'd have to wait for days for his power to return. He hated being so weak! He'd never been very powerful, but as he'd aged, the drain on his force connection was more tenuous than ever. He'd locked himself in his quarters, not wanting the rest of the ship to know he was currently powerless. He really wasn't too afraid of the soldiers or of the Chantalles and their weapons. It was the Jedi he feared. The Jedi knight, the matriarch. Sarai.