1 Child of the Light: Chapter Twenty-Seven
By Jayde Star
Less than eight hours later, Jayde and Dave found themselves sharing a small spacecraft. To go with their cover, there was only one room, and they had to work out sleeping arrangements. David had told Jayde to take the room for herself, Jayde had replied she didn't really care but took it anyway. All they had been told about the mission was that there were slave traders working for the few Yuuzhan Vong left in the galaxy, as well as others. They were only out to make money – from any source. The thing they weren't told was that there were suspicions that they may also have been responsible for the explosion that had killed David's mum. They had been hoping for a few high profile slaves. For their mission, David was posing as a slave owner. Jayde was, naturally, his slave. Because she was able to sing and dance, it made their cover a lot more convincing, as most female slaves were only wanted for entertainment value.
They had a two and a half day journey through hyperspace to get where they were going. Neither of them knew how they would survive it. David was in the kitchen, having just finished making them both something to eat when Jayde entered the room. She was wearing a pair of black skin-tight pants that looked more like they had been painted on and red top, which was a piece material at the front and shoestring ties at the back. Her hair and eyes were the same colour as they were when she was Jayne. David looked at her in shock. "Jayde, you look……" he was totally lost for words.
"Yeah, I know how I look. And this is the outfit which pretty much covers the most of my body."
"Don't you have anything else you can wear?" David didn't know how he was going to survive one day, let alone two, seeing her dressed like that.
"Nope. I was told that if we got caught, it would be better not to have anything my cover might not wear anywhere on the ship." Jayde looked at David properly, he had dyed his hair blonde and had purple contacts in. *I definitely prefer him the way he looks normally, but I got to admit, I don't mind how he looks right now.* She also took in the open shirt he was wearing and the leather pants. *I certainly don't mind what he's wearing.*
"Yeah, I was told the same. Otherwise I wouldn't wear these pants until I had to. But they're the only sort of thing I now have in my wardrobe."
"At least you're covered up. Now, you said you were making dinner?" Jayde looked around hopefully.
"Yep, here you go." David said as he put a plate down in front of her.
Jayde looked at the nerf steak. "Well, it looks edible." She poked it with a fork.
"And it is. You said you were hungry, now just eat it."
Jayde carefully took a bite. She was surprised at how good it tasted. David watched her face as she ate, "Like it?" He asked.
Jayde shrugged, "It's okay. Who taught you how to cook?"
"Mum." David said quietly, then started eating. They didn't talk for the rest of the meal and David just stared at his food the entire time.
* * * * *
After dinner, they barely said two words to one another. Jayde eventually went to bed. David couldn't sleep. He just sat up thinking. *How the hell am I supposed to not get involved with her when she looks like that? It's hard enough as it is being in such closer quarters to her. But I can't get involved with her, she's too young and I don't want to hurt her.* But another small voice in his head answered *You already have hurt her.* David felt to guilty about what he had said to Jayde earlier in the day, but he knew that it was better to stop things now, than let things get more complicated. It would be less painful that way. *Then why do you feel like you've cut off your arms?* He asked himself, but he already knew the answer to that one. He loved Jayde, but after she had lied to him and then his mother died, he just couldn't handle anything serious. And he didn't want Jayde to be just some girl he turned to when he needed something; he liked the idea that she needed him too. Okay, so that was a macho, outdated view, but he couldn't help the way he felt. There was also the added bonus of her honestly not caring about who his family was, why should she? Her dad was generally considered a bigger hero than his dad. At least that's how he saw it. Eventually David was able to get some sleep, however uncomfortable the couch was.
* * * * *
Jayde was having similar trouble sleeping, despite having a comfortable bed to sleep in. She kept thinking about the things David had said to her that morning. She had never known that he could be so cruel. After what he had said at the party, she felt that he would return to her for sure. And he had, in a way. Even if he was drunk. Jayde sighed, she knew that he hadn't really returned to her. She knew he was taking his mother's death really hard, especially the part about having arrived just after she died. He felt like he hadn't had a chance to say goodbye like the rest of the family. The only reason Jayde knew this was because she had over heard him talking to Padmae after the funeral.
*Maybe he really wants to be with her, not me. That's why he doesn't want to be with me.* But Jayde knew that wasn't the truth, they had never really been attracted to one another, besides Padmae had a boyfriend and David would never break up a relationship. *I guess he is still really angry for me lying to him. I need to make it up to him somehow.* Eventually, Jayde also fell into another restless sleep.
* * * * *
The next day and a half passed without incident, mainly because they barely talked to one another. They avoided each other as much as possible, though it was difficult on such a small ship. The only time they spent in each others company was when they ate. But about an hour before they came out of hyperspace a thought suddenly occurred to Jayde.
"Dave?" She asked.
"Yeah?" He replied absent-mindedly. He looked up from what he was reading.
"Why did you come on this mission?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, you weren't there when we were told about it, so how did you find out about it?"
David shrugged, "Jaina told me. She asked me to come."
"Jaina asked you?" Jayde was confused.
"Yeah."
"But why did you agree? You could have said no?"
"I came because I wanted to protect you." David had said it before he even thought what he was saying.
"Because you wanted to protect me? BECAUSE YOU WANTED TO PROTECT ME?!" Jayde was furious. "I am quite capable of taking care of myself. If I wanted your protection I would of asked for it! Besides, after what you said to me the other morning, what makes you think you have the right to be concerned about me???!!!!!" With that Jayde stormed out of the room, into the bedroom.
"Jay, wait listen to me." David tried, but she had closed and locked the door. "Jay, let me explain."
"LEAVE ME ALONE!!" Jayde screamed at him through the door.
David gave up with a sigh. He would just have to leave her to cool down. Hopefully that wouldn't take to long, because they would be landing and needed to be acting in character soon.
* * * * *
Jayde only came out of the bedroom when David informed her that they were landing soon. Except when it was necessary she didn't speak to David once.
tbc
So, three chapters in one day, aren't you people lucky? I now expect you to all review on the three of them separately. Lots of reviews, I like reviews. Tell me what you think. If you want tell me where you think I should go from here, I already know mostly, but I'd like to hear other people's ideas at this point.
By Jayde Star
Less than eight hours later, Jayde and Dave found themselves sharing a small spacecraft. To go with their cover, there was only one room, and they had to work out sleeping arrangements. David had told Jayde to take the room for herself, Jayde had replied she didn't really care but took it anyway. All they had been told about the mission was that there were slave traders working for the few Yuuzhan Vong left in the galaxy, as well as others. They were only out to make money – from any source. The thing they weren't told was that there were suspicions that they may also have been responsible for the explosion that had killed David's mum. They had been hoping for a few high profile slaves. For their mission, David was posing as a slave owner. Jayde was, naturally, his slave. Because she was able to sing and dance, it made their cover a lot more convincing, as most female slaves were only wanted for entertainment value.
They had a two and a half day journey through hyperspace to get where they were going. Neither of them knew how they would survive it. David was in the kitchen, having just finished making them both something to eat when Jayde entered the room. She was wearing a pair of black skin-tight pants that looked more like they had been painted on and red top, which was a piece material at the front and shoestring ties at the back. Her hair and eyes were the same colour as they were when she was Jayne. David looked at her in shock. "Jayde, you look……" he was totally lost for words.
"Yeah, I know how I look. And this is the outfit which pretty much covers the most of my body."
"Don't you have anything else you can wear?" David didn't know how he was going to survive one day, let alone two, seeing her dressed like that.
"Nope. I was told that if we got caught, it would be better not to have anything my cover might not wear anywhere on the ship." Jayde looked at David properly, he had dyed his hair blonde and had purple contacts in. *I definitely prefer him the way he looks normally, but I got to admit, I don't mind how he looks right now.* She also took in the open shirt he was wearing and the leather pants. *I certainly don't mind what he's wearing.*
"Yeah, I was told the same. Otherwise I wouldn't wear these pants until I had to. But they're the only sort of thing I now have in my wardrobe."
"At least you're covered up. Now, you said you were making dinner?" Jayde looked around hopefully.
"Yep, here you go." David said as he put a plate down in front of her.
Jayde looked at the nerf steak. "Well, it looks edible." She poked it with a fork.
"And it is. You said you were hungry, now just eat it."
Jayde carefully took a bite. She was surprised at how good it tasted. David watched her face as she ate, "Like it?" He asked.
Jayde shrugged, "It's okay. Who taught you how to cook?"
"Mum." David said quietly, then started eating. They didn't talk for the rest of the meal and David just stared at his food the entire time.
* * * * *
After dinner, they barely said two words to one another. Jayde eventually went to bed. David couldn't sleep. He just sat up thinking. *How the hell am I supposed to not get involved with her when she looks like that? It's hard enough as it is being in such closer quarters to her. But I can't get involved with her, she's too young and I don't want to hurt her.* But another small voice in his head answered *You already have hurt her.* David felt to guilty about what he had said to Jayde earlier in the day, but he knew that it was better to stop things now, than let things get more complicated. It would be less painful that way. *Then why do you feel like you've cut off your arms?* He asked himself, but he already knew the answer to that one. He loved Jayde, but after she had lied to him and then his mother died, he just couldn't handle anything serious. And he didn't want Jayde to be just some girl he turned to when he needed something; he liked the idea that she needed him too. Okay, so that was a macho, outdated view, but he couldn't help the way he felt. There was also the added bonus of her honestly not caring about who his family was, why should she? Her dad was generally considered a bigger hero than his dad. At least that's how he saw it. Eventually David was able to get some sleep, however uncomfortable the couch was.
* * * * *
Jayde was having similar trouble sleeping, despite having a comfortable bed to sleep in. She kept thinking about the things David had said to her that morning. She had never known that he could be so cruel. After what he had said at the party, she felt that he would return to her for sure. And he had, in a way. Even if he was drunk. Jayde sighed, she knew that he hadn't really returned to her. She knew he was taking his mother's death really hard, especially the part about having arrived just after she died. He felt like he hadn't had a chance to say goodbye like the rest of the family. The only reason Jayde knew this was because she had over heard him talking to Padmae after the funeral.
*Maybe he really wants to be with her, not me. That's why he doesn't want to be with me.* But Jayde knew that wasn't the truth, they had never really been attracted to one another, besides Padmae had a boyfriend and David would never break up a relationship. *I guess he is still really angry for me lying to him. I need to make it up to him somehow.* Eventually, Jayde also fell into another restless sleep.
* * * * *
The next day and a half passed without incident, mainly because they barely talked to one another. They avoided each other as much as possible, though it was difficult on such a small ship. The only time they spent in each others company was when they ate. But about an hour before they came out of hyperspace a thought suddenly occurred to Jayde.
"Dave?" She asked.
"Yeah?" He replied absent-mindedly. He looked up from what he was reading.
"Why did you come on this mission?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, you weren't there when we were told about it, so how did you find out about it?"
David shrugged, "Jaina told me. She asked me to come."
"Jaina asked you?" Jayde was confused.
"Yeah."
"But why did you agree? You could have said no?"
"I came because I wanted to protect you." David had said it before he even thought what he was saying.
"Because you wanted to protect me? BECAUSE YOU WANTED TO PROTECT ME?!" Jayde was furious. "I am quite capable of taking care of myself. If I wanted your protection I would of asked for it! Besides, after what you said to me the other morning, what makes you think you have the right to be concerned about me???!!!!!" With that Jayde stormed out of the room, into the bedroom.
"Jay, wait listen to me." David tried, but she had closed and locked the door. "Jay, let me explain."
"LEAVE ME ALONE!!" Jayde screamed at him through the door.
David gave up with a sigh. He would just have to leave her to cool down. Hopefully that wouldn't take to long, because they would be landing and needed to be acting in character soon.
* * * * *
Jayde only came out of the bedroom when David informed her that they were landing soon. Except when it was necessary she didn't speak to David once.
tbc
So, three chapters in one day, aren't you people lucky? I now expect you to all review on the three of them separately. Lots of reviews, I like reviews. Tell me what you think. If you want tell me where you think I should go from here, I already know mostly, but I'd like to hear other people's ideas at this point.