Dates Found
Dylan looked at himself in the mirror and shook his head slowly. "Boy it has been a long time since I have worn something like this," he said to himself. It was true he hadn't worn anything like the uniform he was wearing in quite a long time. He hadn't really found an occasion to wear the dark blue uniform. The uniform was much like his other uniforms except that there was a white collar and it had his name embroidered in gold thread on his left pectoral muscle. It had black cuffs and was the uniform that officers wore to a wedding to show their rank and their support of the newlyweds.
"Yes it has been a long time Captain but you look good in it," Rommie said from where she was standing in the doorway.
Dylan turned and smiled at her. She was his oldest friend and most trusted confidant. Dylan wasn't sure where he would be without Rommie by his side. She was, in a way, his rock; his constant. She would always be there for him and deep down he loved her for it.
"Rommie I don't know what I will do at this wedding. It has been three hundred years since I really even danced. I am a different man than I was then," Dylan said as he sat down on his bed.
"Dylan you are not a different man. The only thing that has changed is the time and the people. You Dylan are the same. The reason that you seem different is that people now are different than what you remember. People now look our for themselves and their own survival more than they had during out time," Rommie said in her instructors voice.
Dylan knew the voice well and knew
that he should listen to her but he couldn't help but add something. "The dances that I know will be outdated
Rommie. I am older now and I will have
to take a date. A date Rommie!"
"Dylan you can learn new
dances from Beka and I would go with you to the wedding if you would like,"
Rommie said and Dylan eyed her like he had never seen her before.
"I may just take you up on
that Rommie," Dylan said as he laid back on his bed and put his arm over his eyes. He fell asleep shortly after that but his
dreams were filled with him and Rommie dancing and having a great time.
* * * * *
Beka was talking to Tyr about him being her date to her cousins wedding and he was not feeling like being nice about it. He knew that he would go with her but he really didn't feel like letting her off very easy. She was after all just a human and could be easily manipulated if he so chose.
"OK Tyr are you telling me that you don't have any feelings for me or any other human woman then," Beka said as she raised an eyebrow knowing that she would get a response out of him for that remark.
Tyr glowered at her. He hated her when she did that. True he was a Neitzchean but he was also one that had learned a lot about humans from Dylan and Beka. He wasn't sure about his feelings for Beka though and he hated being unsure of himself. He liked being in control and knowing everything.
"Beka that has nothing to do with this argument and you know it. All you have to do if you really want me to go with you is just ask me. You may be surprised," Tyr said bringing the argument to an abrupt halt. He knew that he had put her on the spot there. He had just gotten tired of bantering with her.
"Fine then Tyr. Would you like to be my date for my cousins wedding. I would appreciate it Tyr," Beka asked trying to sound polite but not wanting to come off weak knowing that he would say no if she did.
Tyr walked away from her as he held
his chin in his hand like he was thinking.
Suddenly he turned back to her and said, "I will go with you Beka. Don't expect me to dance to much though
because I am not much for dancing."
"That's all right Tyr it is
just that everyone who goes needs a date and I was just hoping you would be
mine," Beka said as she held up her force lance then and attacked Tyr who
brought his up to defend himself from the crazed human woman.
* * * * *
Trance walked down to the holding cell where their prisoner was. He was still a prisoner only because he refused to talk to anyone. No matter what he wouldn't talk to anyone. Once Trance thought that he was about to talk to her but then the look that was on his face disappeared and he remained silent. That was yesterday and she hoped today he would talk to her. She had lost all her patience. It had been too long for a man to stay silent. She didn't think that it was good for a person to stay silent for so long, since it was known that people who didn't speak to others eventually became mad. She didn't want to see the man that she didn't even know go mad. She was wondering though who he was.
She had talked to him about the world's that they had visited and other things and he seemed taken aback by what she said. Whenever she mentioned a world she looked for a sign of recognition on his face but she never saw it. Only surprise was ever shown on his face when she said a new world. She was starting to wonder if he didn't have a home or if he was from somewhere that not even she and the crew had been.
She stood outside the door and it opened to admit her. "Thanks Rommie," she said as she stepped into the room.
There was her patient sitting cross-legged with his back against the wall. She went and sat down across from him and once more she couldn't help but notice how handsome he was. For the first time she really looked at him. He had long red hair that came down to his shoulders but she noticed that his hair had white highlights throughout it. Almost like it had those nanobots that Beka had in her hair. His face was a bit angular with piercing emerald green eyes. His eyes were beautiful and held something that she couldn't put her finger on. She noticed that he had a scar between his eyes that went diagonal from his left eye to his right eye. She wondered idly how he had gotten that scar. She knew that he was tall; taller than Dylan and she liked tall men. She would guess him at about six feet and five inches tall. Also he was extremely well muscled much like Tyr and she guessed that he weighed about two-hundred and twenty-five pounds. He looked like a warrior and she hoped that she wouldn't ever have to fight him.
Jassen had been here for a long time now and he had learned a lot from the woman who now sat across from him. She had told him of worlds that he had never seen nor ever been to. She told him that her and the crew were trying to restore something called the commonwealth or whatever it was. He had no clue what that was. All he knew about was the Jedi Order and that he was a part of it.
He looked at Trance and once more knew that she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. She had the exotic look around her with the slightly purple skin and her hair done up in a bun which kind of reminded him of princess Leia. Of course Trance's hair wasn't done in the same way. She was thin and yet athletic with speed combined with strength he would guess by looking at her. He had always been a good judge of people in that way and he figured that he was close now.
Jassen was starting to wonder if he was even anywhere in the universe that he knew. He had been thinking and no one ever knew what happened for sure if you entered a black hole. He knew deep down that he had and he had been thinking that maybe he had been taken to another dimension as far fetched as that sounded. He hoped that he was wrong but deep down he knew that he wasn't wrong and he hated it when he was right because that usually meant trouble.
Jassen sat there as Trance talked about anything and everything. He just sat there and watched her. She talked and talked, then she said something that brought him out of his reverie. "I was wondering if you would like to be my date for this wedding. Since we all have to bring one. I mean Harper has a date, some woman that he knew from a while ago, Beka also has a date with Tyr no less! Then Dylan Hunt is taking Rommie or at least I am pretty sure that he is. That leaves me with no date and I don't want to stay on the ship. I want to go have fun at the dance! I just want you to go with me so that I can go," Trance finished in a rush. She hoped she didn't seem too forward and that being forward would scare the guy off if he even considered it. She knew that he had every reason not to want to go.
Jassen just sat there for a second before he could even digest what she had just said. It had come out in a rush like she was attempting to get it out before she lost her courage. Jassen didn't know what to think. He wanted to say something but he just couldn't bring himself to say anything. It wasn't in him to talk that much to people he didn't know and especially people who had held a gun to him and threatened his life. So he did the only thing that he could. He sat there and just looked at Trance without saying a word.
Trance looked at him and started to grow angry, she couldn't help it. She had done everything that she could think of to make him feel safe and so that he would speak to her and yet here he was still sitting in the same place just as quiet as ever! She stood up quickly then and said more harshly than she intended, "Fine whoever you are. I have done everything that I could think to make you feel safe. I kept Tyr from killing you perhaps, and I came here every day and talked to you. I ran tests on you so that I could make sure there was nothing else wrong with you and you just sit there day after day. I have had it with your attitude and the way that you seem to think even speaking is above you. I don't care anymore if you rot in this cell which is where you are going to stay you ungrateful man." Trance was nearly yelling by the time she was finished and she turned on her heel and headed for the door a bit embarrassed with herself. She shouldn't have let her anger control her like that but the man was just so infuriating! She couldn't help it with him and his not talking. Just to hear his voice was all that she really wanted. Just to hear a thank you for her efforts would have also been nice she thought.
Jassen couldn't believe what she had said and yet he knew that all of what she had said was only the truth. As a Jedi he had to know that and yet it was hard to admit to himself. He didn't want to admit that he was being mean to her and ungrateful but it was true and he disliked himself at that point. He didn't want to hurt her or ever hurt her for that matter. She was too beautiful to ever want to hurt. She seemed almost too fragile to him as well. Hurting her would be like hurting a rose. There is no point to it since the rose brings nothing but beauty to the world and joy to others as long as it lives. He felt that perhaps this Trance was much the same way. To hurt her would be foolish since he would only be taking away beauty from the world by making her sad.
She was nearing the door and he knew that he had to say something finally but he wasn't sure that his voice was going to work the right way. He didn't want to sound half dead but he hadn't used his voice in so long he wasn't sure. He didn't want Trance to leave angry because anger led to hate which led to the darkside. The darkside he had been taught was bad and so he would do his best to keep anyone from hating and he really didn't want Trance hating him for something he could easily remedy.
"I'm sorry Trance. I really am sorry," Jassen said quietly from where he was sitting. He said it so low that Trance almost didn't hear it but she stopped at the doorway with the door open. His voice had cut through the silence like a spear and pierced her hearing. She had stopped right there and couldn't believe what she had heard. He had spoken to her!
His voice had been just like she had memorized. It was so sweet to hear it for the first time in person! She was nearly breathless from excitement and she didn't really know why. She wasn't the same Trance as she had been and yet here she was excited. She was just happy that he had decided to finally speak to her! Trance slowly turned around and looked at him and she couldn't help but ask, "What are you sorry for?"
Jassen looked at her and her heart almost broke at the look he gave her. It was a look that said he was sorry for just being the way he had been. "I am sorry for not speaking to you when you had been so kind to me. I am sorry for other things as well. You did help me and for that I am grateful. I need to learn to express my feelings a bit better it seems. Of course I have only ever been shown scorn and as a child I was made fun of so showing my feelings is something that I am not that good at," Jassen said and he had just told her more about himself than he had ever willingly told another person.
"There is no need to be sorry. The only thing though that I really want to know is your name," Trance said as calmly as she could. She even surprised herself at the way her voice sounded since she didn't sound excited at all.
Jassen smiled at her and inclined his head as he said, "My lady it would be an honor to give you my name. I am known as Jassen of the Jedi Order." Jassen not only gave her his name but also gave her the knowledge that he was a Jedi and he hoped that she would recognize it. Deep down though he had a feeling that she wouldn't and her look confirmed that fear for him.
Trance had a blank look on her face as to the mention of the Jedi Order. She had never heard of it and she was sure that she would have if it was important enough to put with your name. Dylan usually said he was of the commonwealth or the Highguard when he gave his name and people knew what that meant. Everyone did. Not so though with the Jedi Order, Trance had no idea what it was.
Trance did know though that he had just given her his name and since she had never been formally introduced to him she though it only polite to give him her name as well. "It is a pleasure to meet you Jassen, my name is Trance though I am sure you already knew that."
Indeed he had known what her name was but then he was a Jedi and he could learn many things if he so chose. Of course Tyr had said her name and he had never forgotten it since he had made the slip. Jassen would never want to forget anything about Trance since she was just exquisite. Everything about her was perfect in his eyes. She was kind and benevolent which was a rare trait it seemed; wherever he was. Trance was someone that he could actually see himself with, which was to him a scary thought. He had no wish to ever be with anyone. It was too dangerous for them to be seen with him and he would never want to put Trance in danger though he didn't really know her at all. He just had a feeling that she was special beyond anyone he had ever met.
"Yes I knew your name thanks to Tyr. I am glad that I was able to know to who I owed my life to. As such you may ask anything of me and I will do it if it is within my power Trance," Jassen said and saw a slight smile play about her lips at his words. He had a sinking feeling that she was going to demand payment right away. True to his word he would have to do whatever she asked. He just hoped she didn't ask him to kill anyone.
Her lips curved up into a smile and her smile lit up his small cell like the blazing of the sun after a thunderstorm. He felt grateful just to have seen her smile and to say that he had indeed spoken to her. "As I asked when I first came in here Jassen," Trance started and almost stumbled over using his name. She had been used to just not really addressing him since she didn't know what to call him. Now she had a name to go with the face and she wanted to make sure she used it since it was a symbol of trust on his part she knew. "I want you to be my date. You see Beka has a cousin who is getting married and we were all told to bring a date. I want you to be mine Jassen. Nothing would make me happier and you could consider your debt repaid." Trance hoped that he would accept because deep down she really wanted to go. After all even she wanted to get married one day though she felt that day might be a very long time away.
Jassen didn't know about going to any wedding. He had never been to one and he had never learned how to dance. After all he had been a poor kid and so when the community had a wedding he stayed at home and worked. He didn't want his mother to get too far behind on things and so he didn't care about anything else. As such he had grown strong and agile thanks to nearly being killed by a few of the animals on the farm. That had later been honed by the Jedi into what he was now. A man who had very few if any equal with the lightsaber. He was trained to fight not to dance and be among joyous people.
He looked at her and saw the hope in
her eyes and he couldn't crush that hope.
He just couldn't bring himself to do it and he heard himself say,
"Sure Trance I would be honored to be your date for this wedding."
Trance was elated though she
hid it well. She couldn't keep the joy
from her eyes though and Jassen saw it reflected there. He smiled to himself and was glad that he
had agreed. It seemed to him that
Trance needed to have some fun. At
times she was so serious she seemed to be a different person altogether. Then there were the times that she was happy
and he thought that he glimpsed a younger more happy Trance at those
times. That was the Trance that he felt
needed to come out again. That was the
Trance that he hoped to get to know.
Trance smiled at Jassen after he gave her the answer that she had been hoping that he would give. She said, "Very well I will inform Captain Hunt that his specifications for your release have been fulfilled. Within the hour you will be getting fitted for cloths to wear to the wedding. You must still stay in this room though until you are released by Rommie okay."
Jassen nodded his head without even
thinking. He then saw the frown that
Trance gave him. To most it wouldn't
have even been noticeable but as a Jedi he had been trained to pick up on
everything and he had seen it before she had been able to control it. Jassen knew what it was for to and so he
said, "Okay Trance I can stay here until then. I am sure I will be seeing you aroung then."
Trance had to laugh a little
to herself. He had caught himself after
he had nodded and had actually spoken instead.
It was a improvement she thought.
She was glad that he was making the effort. "Yes we will be seeing each other again," Trance said
as she left his room.
Jassen thought that his room darkened in the absence of her presence but then again it could have just been his imagination. He wasn't sure but the room just seemed dull and plain without her. He moved to the bed and laid down on it waiting for Rommie to open his door and tell him that he could leave.
Rommie. Well he had never heard of a ship that had it's own sentience back where he was from but here it seemed like it was common enough. He had learned what Rommie only a day or so ago. He had had his suspicions before but wasn't sure until yesterday.
A ship that had it's own sentience. That was amazing and yet for some reason hew wasn't all that surprised for some reason. Maybe he was just immune to surprises but he should have at least been awed talking to a ship like he had. He hadn't been though and she had held a conversation with him for over an hour. It had been fun in a way and he aimed to repay the favor to Rommie if he ever got the chance. Rommie had confirmed it for him deep down where he didn't want to look inside himself. She had been the final piece that had said that he wasn't anywhere that he would ever recognize.
* * * * *
An hour and a half later Jassen found himself getting fitted for cloths just as Trance had threatened. True it hadn't been a real threat but really how many guys like getting fitted for cloths. Jassen was no exception. He hated getting fitted because the woman was putting her hands in places around his groin area that were quite personal. He knew in a way how women felt when drunken men were trying to grope them now.
The woman was good at her job though he had to admit. She didn't take any longer than perhaps five minutes and she was done leaving the room where he had been instructed to wait. Tyr had been there and another man who he had been told was Harper. The blonde woman was Beka who had the cousin getting married.
They hadn't really spoken to him but that was fine with him. He wasn't much for talking anyway. Talking was more or less breathing but making more noises that people could understand. Talking was only necessary though and so he talked when he had to, though he was wondering if his outlook could change. He had been told he was good at talking.
He just stood there apart from the crew and waited. He figured one of them would get tired of the silence and break it eventually. He would then talk to them and try to get them to understand that he had meant no one any harm. He wanted them to not hate him since that was the path to the darkside and that was a path best left untraveled.
* * * * *
"Dylan please let Jassen be my date. You yourself said you would let him go if he spoke and he did," Trance said almost pleading, almost.
"I don't know Trance. If he had tried to kill you what is to stop him from trying again at the wedding," Dylan said by way of explanation but even to him that sounded more like an excuse than anything else. More like a whine almost and Dylan hated that.
"Dylan you know that he wouldn't try anything at the wedding. There are too many people there and you yourself said that no one was allowed to take a weapon except the guards. There is no way he could kill me. Besides in all the futures I have seen not in one does he attempt to kill me," Trance said matter of factly. It was true though and that was why she had said it.
Dylan thought to himself about what she had said. He didn't know why she was adamant on him being her date but she was and he wanted her to go. If this Jassen wasn't her date then Trance wouldn't be allowed to go. Dylan didn't want to leave any of his crew behind, not when they were all getting the chance to have fun for a change instead of dodging enemies and death.
He wondered if the man they had found was a good person like Trance had said. He hoped that Jassen was but he wasn't sure. He had Tyr's word to go on and true it was Tyr's word but he was also a member of Dylan's crew and Dylan had to trust him sometimes.
"What do you think Rommie after you had your conversation with him yesterday," Dylan asked. He saw the look that Trance tried to hide and he grimaced to himself. He didn't like doing things like that but as captain he had to. He should have told her that he was having Rommie evaluate him but he knew Trance would have refused thinking that they were all against Jassen which wasn't true.
Rommie stood there with her arms at her side and cocked her head to the side slightly. " I would have to say Dylan that he is a good man. Everything I asked him I got a straight answer. After all I am basically a walking lie detector and I would have known had he been deceitful. He wasn't though when he had every right to be. I would say let him be her date Dylan," Rommie said. She wished at that moment that she was human so that she could have told Dylan these things while he held her close perhaps. Alas that was not to be though because she was only an android.
Dylan hoped he wasn't about to make the wrong choice. He didn't want to see any of his crew get hurt yet he had to admit that Rommie never lied to him and so he said, "Very well Trance. It would seem that you have yourself a date for the wedding."
"Thank you Captain," Trance said as she left his presence. Dylan ran his hand through his hair like a man who was at his wits end. He hoped that he hadn't just made the biggest mistake that he had ever made with one of his crew members.
* * * * *
Jassen gazed at the way Beka and Tyr made sure they avoided each other. It was almost funny how they subconsciously avoided each other. It was to throw anyone off the fact that they might be close. Jassen though knew better. He was a Jedi after all and he couldn't be fooled that easy.
He knew there was something between the two of them but he wouldn't say anything because he figured there was a reason for their silence. As he looked over at Harper he couldn't help but size him up as a warrior it was just the way Jassen was. Harper wasn't all that tall perhaps six foot but probably closer to five foot ten inches. He hard dark brown hair and a apri of eyes that seemed to dart everywhere. Jassen guessed he was a man who was scared easily and didn't like to be surprised. He didn't have the build of a warrior but then most Jedi didn't either. Harper was a specialist with machines he had been told.
Harper saw Jassen looking at him and he said, "You know if Dylan let's you go with Trance you better hope you don't hurt her you know."
"Don't worry Harper I don't intend to hurt her in any way," Jassen said as he turned his head and regarded Beka. She was tall for a woman at six feet with her short blonde hair. Her eyes were blue and she was muscular. Jassen could tell by looking at her that she was a survivor and those were people you just didn't anger.
"Harper don't be that way. We don't even the guy and already you are making threats," Beka admonished Harper like a mother would her child.
"It is alright Beka. It is understandable. I am a person that he doesn't know who as far as he knows tried to kill his friend. Now I am going with her to a wedding and it is something that he can't grasp. It is a dangerous thing that Trance is doing. I don't fault you for your feelings Harper," Jassen said calmly. There was no point for him to be any other way.
"That's not it at all," Harper yelled before he even realized what he was yelling. It was too late to take the words back now though.
"So what you are saying is that you don't like me just because it is me. That is alright then," Jassen said as he walked farther away from Beka and the rest of them.
"Why should we like you. We know nothing of you and if we trusted you that would be foolish," Tyr said matter of factly.
"Ah yes the words of a man who feels that survival is the only part of life. Well life is a struggle that is true but you shouldn't forgo friends or any other luxury that is offered while being alive. Take what life gives don't make your life nothing but a shell of an existance," Jassen said shaking his head sadly at Tyr's words.
"What are you even talking about," Beka asked honestly wanting to know.
"Don't worry about it Beka. I am sure that I will be killed shortly. If you people who saved my life don't even want to be my friends then I am sure after I leave your company I will dead shortly. That is something that can live with though. Death doesn't hold any fear for me for I will just join the force," Jassen said quietly.
Beka had to strain to hear and she was sad at what she heard. True life was a struggle like he said but you shouldn't look at death like it is nothing important. Death was an end and no one wanted to end. Everyone wanted to continue that was why many people had children so that in a way they were immortal. Beka didn't know about this Jassen. He seemed like a good guy and he truly didn't seem to mean them any harm and so she decided to take a chance.
"Well Jassen I hope that Dylan agrees that you can go with us. It would be nice to have a new crewmate for awhile. After all the company of Tyr and Harper here gets a little old after a while," Beka said and smiled at Jassen.
Jassen smiled back and said, "I would like to be a crewmember perhaps but I won't not until I gain everyone's trust including Rommie's," Jassen said.
Just then the door slid open and Trance came walking in with Dylan right behind her. "Well it is official Jassen will be my date," Trance said and she smiled at Beka.
"I can't believe you agreed," Harper said angry now.
"Neither can I Haper. Rommie convinced me otherwise though and I trust her judgement. Oh Jassen don't you dare hurt Trance or you will have to deal with me," Dyaln said as an afterthought.
"I second that," Harper said.
"As a fellow shipmate I would have to concur with the Captain on this point," Tyr said calmly.
Trance gazed at all of them and couldn't believe what she was hearing. They were threatening her date and he hadn't even done anything but agreed to be her date! That was outrageous! "Will you guys stop it," she demanded.
"Really you are all being a bit unfair," Beka said right on the heels of what Trance said.
Jassen just gazed at all of them as he felt a tremor in the force. It nearly sent a shiver down his spine and he didn't even really know why.
* * * * *
The Sith sat in the chair of his command ship and watched as the planet approached. He knew he had made it with time to spare and that was just fine. It would give him time to scout the place and make any necessary changes to his plan. He had his three thousand Maggog and they were his fodder. He was the real weapon there and he would make sure the crew of the Andromeda was killed nice and neat. He hated messy deaths.
The Sith felt his lightsaber and smiled. There was no weapon in the known worlds that was the equal of the lightsaber that his father had made him. It was a beautiful weapon able to slice through metal as easily as it sliced bone and flesh. He loved the smell of burned flesh and the clean cuts that the lightsaber made. It was a good mark to leave.
The only problem was that none of the victims that he was to kill would even put up much of a fight. Dylan would die easily though he would attempt to fight. Tyr might prove interesting since he was a warrior through and through. Beka would die easily but the most worthless use of his talents would be the man named Harper. The sniveling little human who was terrified to die. He would cry and snivel, possibly even beg for his life and that would make his death all the worse.
The shop touched down and he let his Maggog out of the ship. He said to them, "Kill anyone within a ten mile radius and make sure their bodies can't be found." He turned back to the ship then and walked back inside. Yes he would enjoy the killing but it would be a waste of his talents. Trance was the only one that intrigued him. He thought that he might let her live just long enough that he could enjoy himself before he made sure she was dead as well.
Yes he loved being a Sith and he liked all the power that went with it. He didn't need a pride with the power that he possessed. If he really wanted a mate he could just force any woman into bed with him. He smiled as a thought came to him. Maybe he would enjoy the bride himself before he slaughtered them all. That was a thought that he enjoyed while he set about going through the forms that his father had taught him with his lightsaber.
