The Guests Arrive

Jassen and the rest of the crew disembarked from the Andromeda Ascendant at the docking station in the city of Handar. The dock looked more like a place for warships not a beautiful ship like the Andromeda. Jassen gazed back at the Andromeda and had to remind himself that he had been told she was the most powerful warship in the known Universe. It was hard to believe with the way that she looked.

Jassen followed Beka and Tyr who were walking next to each other though they were a little colder to one another than they had been. They had had an argument and it seemed they weren't talking to each other though of course things like that happened to even the best of friends. No one would ever confuse Tyr and Beka of ever being best friends though not the way that they acted toward one another. Sometimes he had been told they were like enemies instead of friends. That fit though considering Tyr's attitude and Beka's as well.

Dylan was wearing his normal black suit and was his normal regal self. Jassen could believe that he was a commander with just the way he carried himself. It was as if an air of importance surrounded Dylan at all times and that was something that people recognized.

Dylan was following a little weasel of a man who had pinched eyes that looked as if they were set too close together. He had short black hair that looked like it was coated in grease and when he talked it sounded like he was talking though his nose instead of his mouth. All in all Jassen thought that the man was more of a thief than anything else.

They had been told though that he was to be their guide to the mansion that had been set aside for them by Beka's cousin Aaron. He had said that he would meet them there as soon as he could and the wedding was still two days off. The man led them out of the hanger and out into the city. Jassen wasn't all that awed by the city, which was built more for beauty than for defense.

The houses and buildings were made more with curves and circles than any straight lines. They were gently sloping roofs and doomed arches on other buildings. All in the entire place was very pleasing to the eye, which is what Jassen guessed, was supposed to be the main effect. The builders had wanted to awe the visitor to their city and so they wouldn't be able to think straight in any dealings that they had.
"It won't be long now," the man said in his nasally voice. Jassen really didn't like him at all and he didn't know why. As a Jedi he was supposed to give everyone the benefit of the doubt till they proved him wrong or at least that was what he had been told. After talking to Luke Skywalker for a short while before he had left for his journey he had found out most of what he had been taught had all been a lie. Jassen wasn't even sure he was an actual Jedi now but in his heart he was and that was what mattered.

Jassen followed along beside Trance and was again struck by her beauty. He knew he couldn't ever act on his the foolish feelings he was having but it was nice to dream once and while. Jassen knew and had learned long ago that happiness wasn't something that was ever going to be something that he would have. He would never have a family and never know what it was to be loved or love in turn. Jassen could deal with that since he had been alone for so long. His mother hadn't meant to leave him alone but she had died and Jassen had been alone ever since. Never having a friend and never knowing the love of a woman in any way.

The oracle had told him that. No one really believed any of what she said but most of the time her predictions came true. It was like she could see the future but wasn't sure of the outcome due to actions that people could do that would change the future that she had seen. Jassen believed her though and he knew that he would never know love for the simple fact he wasn't sure what it was supposed to feel like.

Without knowing the feeling Jassen knew one couldn't really be in love and so he knew that he would die alone since he didn't know what it was supposed to feel like. He hoped though that Trance found herself someone that would treat her good and would be a good husband for her.

Jassen was jolted out of his reverie by Trance's elbow in his side. "We're here now so you can stop daydreaming," she said curtly but had the hint of a smile about her face.

* * * * *

Trance had watched the city go by and had though it was one of the most beautiful cities that she had ever visited. Everything was pleasing to the eye and caught a person's interest. Their guide was kind of a bore since he didn't say anything, but that was fine. He had kind of a whiny voice anyway Trance thought.

She noticed shortly after leaving the hanger that Jassen seemed lost in thought but his body carried him onward without breaking stride. That was something that interested Trance quite a bit. He was utterly lost in thought and his body kept him with them without stopping and without going off in some other direction.

It was as if he had trained his body to know what to do should his mind be in another place. It was an interesting thought and one that she would have to remind herself to ask him about. She watched him out of the corner of her eye while they were led to a rather large house with circular windows that had a slight pink tinge to them so that the sun's light painted everything a rosy red inside the house.

As they stood outside she heard Tyr say, "If our enemies were to find us then how would we protect ourselves in this pathetic house."

Beka rolled her eyes and glared at Tyr. "Can't you ever relax once in a while Tyr and have fun," Beka asked.

"Not really Beka. If you relax then you allow the enemy an opening. I will live until I die of old age and I will even fight that Beka," Tyr growled at her.

Dylan said, "Thank you for your help sir."

Their guide wandered off after that. He didn't seem to be too happy and Trance didn't necessarily care since he was a shady character anyway. Trance saw that Jassen was still lost in thought and so thought to jolt him back to the present. She elbowed him in the side and said, "We're here now so you can stop daydreaming."

* * * * *

They had sat there for a around a day waiting for Aaron to show up so they could be told about the wedding. He finally showed up and Jassen thought that the man was definitely from Beka's family. He had blonde hair that was cut short. He had brown eyes that Jassen knew women would find attractive. He was tall and not necessarily all that muscular. He was wearing cloths that were fit for royalty and Jassen was starting to wonder.

Behind him was walking a woman who carried herself very regally. She had her hair done up with a diamond tiara. She was wearing a blue dress that was form fitting. She had a good figure but Jassen had always thought that there was more to woman than the way that she looked. True looks were all well and good but looks faded and you were left with what was on the inside. That is what a person was supposed to fall in love with Jassen thought. The person on the inside not the outside facade.

"Ah Beka good to see you," the man said as he walked forward and embraced her like the family that they were.

Beka returned the embrace and had a smile on her face as she pulled away after about a minute. "Aaron my little cousin. How is it that you finally decided to settle down in one place," Beka asked.

"Well it wasn't easy but this woman here changed my mind," Aaron said as he gestured to the woman standing next to him. "This is my fiance Natalia. She is the empress of this world," he put in almost as an afterthought.

Beka seemed taken aback by that last statement and so did the rest of the crew. None of them saw the look on the empress's face. Jassen did though and he recognized the look. It was a look that said basically you need to bow to me at least this once or you will all be lowered in my eyes.

Jassen moved to quickly remedy the slight that the crew had shown her before she decided to get a little angry. He hoped that she didn't since it was natural that they wouldn't bow to her since Beka was the cousin of the man that the empress was about to marry. The crew would see it as why should they have to bow. Jassen knew better though as a Jedi and knew what he had to do.

He sketched a deep bow to her and as he came back up he said smoothly, "It is a pleasure to be in your presence lady. I must say also that you have a wonderful city here. It is very beautiful."

The woman looked at him and a small smile came to her face and he knew that things would be fine in that instant. Jassen was surprised though when she spoke to him. "Well it seems that wherever you come from they taught you well in the manners necessary to please nobility," the woman said in a silky smooth voice.

* * * * *

Trance had watched as Beka had hugged her cousin and had felt happy for Beka. It wasn't every day that you were able to see family and every chance that a person got should be enjoyed to the fullest. Trance had listened to the introductions and had been as stunned as everyone when the woman had been introduced as the empress of the world that they were standing on.

Trance thought quickly and figured then that Beka was now nobility in some way or other. Of course Trance wouldn't treat Beka any different after all they were friends and you didn't treat someone different just because something happened to them though for a while the crew of the Andromeda had done just that. When Trance had become the Trance that she was now the rest of the crew had been angry at her first of all since they had lost their other friend. They hadn't known that Both Trance's were the same one just one was older. Then there had been mistrust, and now finally they were starting to trust her like they had when she had been her younger self. It was great to get back to that same level of trust. She had missed that.

Trance looked around after her initial shock and saw that Jassen had just bowed to the empress. Trance didn't know why but she felt that it was right that someone bow to her since she had forgotten. Trance wasn't sure that even had she remembered to bow that she would have bowed in the first place. The empress was just a woman after all and didn't deserve so much pomp.

Jassen though felt differently Trance guessed. After he straightened and said his formal greeting the empress answered back. Trance was a bit surprised by that but didn't let it show. She watched again as the woman held her hand out and Jassen took it in his and kissed it.

Trance was really starting to wonder what was going on there when Aaron explained, "It is a sign of respect by your entire crew Beka. He saw that someone needed to do the proper thing and so elected himself to do it. I'm glad he did since she can have a nasty temper sometimes."

Trance guessed that Aaron thought he was talking softly but that idea was shattered as Natalia said, "I heard that sweetie. I don't have a temper at all. I am very easy going but I must be getting back to the palace now. There are still a few preparations to make for tomorrow. If you will all excuse me then." Natalia turned on her heel and left the room though she wasn't angry in the least like Aaron had suggested that she might be.

Beka wondered what that was all about but left her thoughts unspoken since she wanted to talk to her cousin. "Cousin let's go catch up on old times shall we," Beka asked raising an eyebrow.

"We shall," Aaron said as they walked from the house as well leaving the rest of the crew there to ponder the city and anything else they felt like thinking about. They still had a half day left and had nothing to do.

Trance watched as Tyr went into the room he had claimed for himself and shut the door behind him. She guessed that he was going to sleep or something since she didn't really know Tyr all that well. He was still a bit distant to her but him and Beka could at least talk to each other for short periods of time without yelling at each other.

That was a feat in itself with Tyr.

Dylan stood still for a minute and then said, "Well Trance, Rommie, Harper, Jassen. It seems that we are the only ones left. I say that we go see this city since our guide wasn't much of a guide after all."

"I'd love to Dylan but you see I have to go pick up my date. She will be arriving anytime now. I would so hate to keep her waiting," Harper said as he too headed for the door leaving just the four of them.

"The rest of us can explore the city though," Trance said lightly.

"Yes we can and I think that would be a good idea. Knowing what's out there is always a good thing," Rommie said as she looked around at the rest of them.

"Well let's get going if we are going. We only have seven hours of daylight left and who knows what we will find," Dylan said as he led the rest of his crew from the house and out into the not so crowded streets of the city of Handor.

* * * * *

"So you have managed to secure the area. That is good. I wouldn't want anyone blowing our mission. Not like you shaggy beasts don't stick out enough mind you," the Sith growled at his Maggog captain.

"We had to kill more than three hundred people but their lives were worthless anyway. Once we rule the universe they will be nothing more than our breeding stock," the Maggog said in his guttural voice.

"That may be but if you blow this mission by being too blood thirsty then I will kill you have no fear," The Sith said.

He watched as the Maggog walked away and was reminded again of how much he hated the Maggog. Of course he hated a lot of things including his little sister. She was training to be a true captain of an army. He hated that since he felt it should have been him in her place. She had happened to be the only daughter born of his father and so she had been shown a little leeway in things but only a little.

He shrugged his shoulders and thought about tomorrow. He had his cloths set out that he would be wearing to the wedding reception. True he hadn't been invited but that didn't really matter when you could control a person's thoughts. It would be no trouble at all to get inside the building and near to his targets. He had his signals worked out with the Maggog so that they knew when to attack to cause the confusion that he would need to make the kills quick and easy.

While the foolish guards would be fighting the Maggog and killing them no doubt he would have easy pickings of Dylan and his crew. They were forbidden weapons so they wouldn't be able to defend themselves. He would have his lightsaber though and that was more than enough weapon to take care of them. After he killed the crew of the Andromeda he would have the Maggog finish the people at the wedding party so that there were no witnesses. It was a good plan and the thought of killing Tyr brought a smile to his face. Yes it would be fun to see the look of fear in Tyr's eyes as his lightsaber was thrust into his heart.

* * * * *

Jassen was surprised to find that most of the people in the city were quite nice. He had been expecting a snobbish people since they had an empress and that usually meant that the people thought themselves better than everyone else in the universe. Just because they had royalty didn't really make them better though they sure liked to think it did.

Jassen was walking alongside Trance when he felt something that he hadn't felt in a long time. A disturbance in the force. It was as if a small group of people who weren't that far away had been killed but if that was so Jassen had no idea where to start looking. Especially since he didn't even know the city or the world that he was on.

He shrugged his shoulders and decided that he would investigate it tomorrow after the wedding reception. He wasn't sure of what he felt either. He wasn't that well trained to recognize such things. It could have been any number of things though Jassen couldn't think of any right off the top of his head. Anyway he had always had a penchant for seeing the bad in everything.

Trance walked over to a store and entered it almost dragging Jassen with her. True normally she wouldn't have done that but she knew that he wouldn't have entered the store if she hadn't. Rommie had drug him into two other stores at the insistence of Dylan and Trance.

Trance looked around the store and saw that it was kind of like a jewelry store and yet a bit different. They sold rings and necklaces along with bracelets and head wear. Trance had wanted to get something since she was going to a wedding. She didn't want to look bare and she figured that this would be the best place to find what she was looking for.

She walked over to the counter and started to look at the bracelets. She had always liked bracelets since they didn't get dirty when she planted her plants and things. Rings on the other hand had to be cleaned constantly since they were always getting dirty. That was because a person's hands were always used.

Trance walked back and forth looking at the bracelets and saw one that caught her eye. It was made out of blue crystal. There were what looked like wings on the bracelet and two things that she guessed to be eyes. They were rubies while the wings were made of crystal. It looked like the bracelet would fit nice and snug on her little wrist. She looked up to the store owner a small elderly man with graying hair and a white beard and asked, "May I see this bracelet here."

"Sure you may young lady," the man said as he opened the case and took the bracelet out and handed it to her.

Trance put it on and instantly loved it. The problem was she wasn't sure she had enough money to buy it. "How much," Trance asked as she looked at the bracelet almost longingly.

"Normally I would say 15 thousand but for you I will sell it for 12 thousand," the owner said with a smile. Trance couldn't believe it! She had enough to buy it and then some. Each of them had been given a few thousand credits by the empress for buying anything in her city that they liked. She had wanted to make sure that they felt at home since it may be one of the only times they ever visited.

"I think that I will take it," Trance said as she handed the money over to the man and walked out of the store. She was wearing the bracelet when she saw Jassen standing by the door with his arms folded. She hadn't noticed that he had left the store and it almost annoyed her. Almost.

"What do you think Jassen? Do you like it," Trance asked with a twinkle in her eye as she modeled the bracelet for him.

"I think it is beautiful though not so beautiful as the woman wearing it, truly. Now I think it is time for us to head back. W will have to sleep since we have such a big day ahead of us tomorrow. We still have to get out cloths and other such things. I am sure you and Beka are like every other woman I have ever met as well. I am sure that you need at least three hours to get ready," Jassen said by way of answer to her question. He had given her more information than she had wanted but his first comment was the only one that mattered to Trance. She knew that he found her attractive. Her heart warmed to the man Jassen at that moment more than it had at any other moment since she had met him. She knew he had told her the truth when he had said that he found her beautiful though he had said other things to override his comment.

The two of them headed back to the mansion that had been set aside for them though they didn't head straight there. Trace pulled Jassen around to see other things and the whole time Jassen didn't really mind himself. He enjoyed Trance's company with her exuberance and her willingness to embrace life which was a bit at odds with his outlook. He was glad though that he was a Jedi because no normal man would have been able to keep up with Trance with what they were doing. She had taken him to more stores than he thought had existed in the whole of the universe. True he didn't like shopping but that didn't mean that he had never went. Trance though showed him what real shopping was. He hadn't even spent any of the money that was given to him since he wasn't sure if he would need it for anything else.

Finally Trance led him back to their mansion near midnight. They walked in the house and saw that Dylan was playing chess with Tyr who was losing badly. They looked up as they entered and Dylan smiled. "Have a good day you two," he asked.

"Yes we did Dylan as I am sure you and Rommie had," Trance answered Dylan.

"You are right we did have a good time didn't we Rommie," Dylan asked Rommie who was sitting on the couch next to Beka.

"That we did Dylan. This city has no end to things to do it seems and the two of us did many of them and even stopped a few thieves. All in all I think the day accomplished what you wanted Dylan," Romimie said as she cocked her head to the side slightly to look at Jassen. She knew that there was something bothering him she was an android and could tell such things by the way his body moved and the way his body reacted. She didn't ask him about it though.

"Yes Rommie I did get the scouting done that I wanted to get done. I now know where all the major strategic places are in case of an emergency. That and I just have a bad feeling. I have had it for the last few hours," Dylan said as he took Tyr's queen with his rook making Tyr growl at him.

"Did you get caught up with your cousin Beka," Trance asked her long time friend and possibly the only one out of the people in the room who will live to see much a future. At least the one that Trance had come from.

"Yes I did Trance. It was great to get to talk to him again. I had thought that he would always be the worst of the family and now he is going to be the one of us that got married first. That is just something that I never saw coming. He is no longer the kid that I remember Trance. He has grown up into a very good man and I think that he and the empress will be very happy together," Beka said and gave a weak smile.

Trance read right through it though, "What is wrong Beka."

"I just hope that his old enemies don't come looking for him," Beka said in a haunted voice and she walked up the stairs to her room.

Trance watched her go and wished that there was something that she could do for her friend but didn't know what she could do. She hoped that Beka was wrong and her cousins old enemies stayed away from him but enemies weren't ever known for their intelligence Trance had found. It was their single mindedness that made them so dangerous. They usually had one goal and would stop at nothing to accomplish it.

The rest of the crew found their beds shortly after that. They all went to bed without much of a care but the Maggog were moving into position during the night. Now all they needed was the signal from their leader and they would be allowed to kill everyone in sight. It would be a glorious day for their god since his enemies would be vanquished all in one fell swipe. The empress, Dylan and his crew would all find their deaths on the morrow and none of them even suspected a thing.