Face and Elassar stood in the hanger watching Tahiri and Tyria spar against one and another, testing a theory that Elassar had on Tahiri's Force abilities. Using scanners and specially modified fighting sticks, light sabers were just too dangerous to use, Elassar was recording their individual brain waves and their reflexes as they danced around each other scoring 'hit'. They scored a hit when the stick encountered the opponent body armor; different parts of the body rated a different score. A headshot, for example, was worth more then a simulated limb removal. Moreover, after 15th round it was obvious that Tyria was not 'reading' Tahiri as well as Tahiri was. Elassar, except for an occasional grunt and telling them to start over again, hasn't said much, he just watch the readouts on the brain scans. When Tahiri did a faint high and then 'removed' Tyria's leg and then a jab to the chest, Elassar stopped the exercise.
"So what did you learn?"
"Well Tyria is hopelessly out of shape," Elassar said with a grin and then ducked as a waded up towel went flying by his head. Face looked at Tahiri, after a two hour long intense work out she was barely breathing hard while Tyria looked ragged.
Ah, must be good to be young, he thought as he looked at the readouts. "Did you find what you were looking for?"
"For the most part, see here," Elassar pointed to the cross-section of each of the ladies brains' scans. "Even factoring in the different brain patterns and difference in age, Tahiri brain is more active while using the Force and the areas' of activity are more diverse."
"Is there much of a change when she is in her 'Vong mode'?"
"No, not really, oh there is a area here and there that changes but not enough to make a difference in the big picture." Elassar brought up the scans of Tyria's son that they tested earlier. "Even here you can see a increase of Jedi activity and abnormal brain waves."
"And all this means?"
"Well at least we know why she eats so much," Elassar said with a grin as Tahiri just rolled her eyes. Her appetite was a running gag with the Wraiths since she joined, "but other then that I'm not sure what it means."
"What about you two?" Face asked looking at the two ladies.
"When she is in her 'Vong mode', it is like fighting a Yuuzhan Vong warrior but when she is not, she still sort of muted."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, I can't describe it really," Tyria said frowning, "its like she there but not all there."
"Well we all knew that already," Elassar said with a grin and this time he had to duck a stick flying towards his head.
"What about you Peacekeeper," Face asked picking up the stick.
"I had no problem sensing Master Sarkin when I was using my normal Force senses but when I switched it was like looking at her through a dirty smoky glass."
"Just call me 'Jedi Girl' Tahiri," Tyria said with a warm smile, "and it sounds like we had the same reaction really."
"I think so too," Face said looking at the data one more time, "could it be a side effect of her shaping?"
"No doubt about it, we know her body is still adapting itself but how or where it will take her," Elassar said with a shrug, "I don't know."
"This may be just a extension of my powers, I could before sense both and switch without thinking but to sense both at the same time was always difficult."
"When ever we come across a new species that we haven't encounter before it does take awhile for us to learn how to 'read' it." Tyria stated, "That is what is happening with her. Her brain is just adapting to the new stimulus. The Force is moving in mysterious ways."
"Any chance it will be dangerous for her?"
All three of them looked at each other but didn't look worried.
"I don't see how really, it just the Force at work." Elassar said after check with the two women.
"Ok, go get cleaned up, Peacekeeper you will have to stand watch while the rest of us get the ships ready. We'll leave in five hours."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kell was observing Ratnena and Piggy going through the paces in the simulator when his son, Doran, walked into the control room. Kell gave him a smile and a nod, Doran just nodded back with a reserve look on his face. Doran usually reacted that way around Kell, having been raised by his wife and traveling around the galaxy, he wasn't use to being near Kell and didn't know how he should act. However, since Tyria and he showed up a couple days ago he was even more distant then normal. Kell knew why he just didn't know how to make up for the hurt he caused when they thought he was dead. After he woke up from the smack down Tyria gave him, she and he were able to talk openly and honestly about what happened. She understood why they did what they did; after all, she used to be a Wraith. Nevertheless, with Doran, he was afraid the rift would never heal between them.
"Prankster, you're missing shots again, relax and concentrate."
"I … yes sir."
"Why are they flying combat?" He asked as Kell watch Ratnena's flying improves slightly.
"Bora's scores are pretty low for her skill level, Piggy and I have been working with her to bring them up to where she should be."
"But the war is over, there is no reason to fight," he responded sounding as if any idiot should know that fact.
"Yes, but there are still bad people out there wanting to do bad things to others, we have to be prepared for anything."
"Not if everyone just stopped."
"I wish it was that easy, I really do, but the galaxy doesn't work that way."
"That is it Prankster, just like the games you play against Dagger think ahead of your opponents."
"Why not, there is more then enough out there for everyone? And haven't everyone suffered enough already?" Doran said with the typical teenage certainty, a tone of voice that said he knew everything and adults didn't know anything. That didn't bother Kell he remember how he used to drive everyone around him crazy when he was Doran's age.
"Of course but …"
"Then why are you helping train Ratnena to be a murderer and still fighting?"
"Because not everyone in the galaxy see things as you or I do. Do you think I like doing this work? I wish I could wake up tomorrow and find out that my skills weren't needed any longer. However, out there, there are Vong who still believe in the old ways and want to enslave and kill everyone who is not like them. There are senators who only wish to control and steal and cause pain to make themselves more powerful. In the military, there are people who want to kill Tahiri for no reason other then she is so different then everyone else. Out there are people who actually like to fight and hurt others and it is our job to stop them anyway we can." Doran didn't look convince so Kell tried a different track, "have you or your mom had to stop someone by using your light sabers?"
"That is different," Doran said quickly and coloring slightly.
"Not really we both have the same job to protect the innocent."
"But we try to solve it without violence, we talk to them first."
"That is not our job, our job is to acquire the information so others can do the talking. If we are called in we check it out to make sure what we are told is the same as what is happing. If it is and we have no choice that is when we take them out."
"But if you try to talk to them before …"
"Uh no, there is only two times we are called in, to assess the threat or to take out the threat. Talking is for Jedi and diplomats not us. Besides if they know you are coming for them, they can kill you."
"And if you are wrong …"
"That is why we always do our own assessment, there has been a job or two that was changed at the last minute due to a revision of facts. We are not droids we do our own thinking."
"What is with the droids around here anyways?" Doran said after a very long pause.
"Talk to Tahiri about them it is her fault," Kell said with an amused snort. He glanced over at his son, who was watching the screen in fascination. "I'm glad you and your mom are coming with us."
"It was her idea," he said with a shrug, "she has been worried about you. You really made her mad once she figured out that you guys were still alive."
"Yea I noticed," Kell said rubbing his chin, "she still has a nasty left hook. I hope I didn't hurt you …"
"You didn't," Doran said quickly and started blushing again.
"Well," Kell said with a small nod to his head and let the lie pass by unchallenged, "I hope I can make it up, I don't know if I can but I am going to try."
"Mom would like that I think," Doran said after another long pause. "Yea she would really like that."
Together they watched Ratnena and Piggy finish the exercise, for some reason Kell though he took a huge step in healing a rift with his son.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After Tahiri stored her gear in Sweet Sunrise, she went out to help Little Brother finish the pre-flight on the X-wing that Rat and him were taking on their mission. Well she was going to supervise more then actually help, technical aspects were still beyond her reach.
"Hey Little Brother ready to go up?" Tahiri asked the purple and silver droid as she walked up to the X-wing.
YES TAHIRI, Little Brother said to her. Thanks to her tizowyrm she wore, she could understand him as well as if he spoke Basic.
"Ok hold on," Tahiri replied as she lifted him with the Force to the top of the X-wing near his couple behind the cockpit. As he floated through the air, Little Brother made a nervous twitter. "Come on it wasn't that bad, now was it?"
R2-D2 WAS CORRECT WHEN HE TOLD ME I WILL NEVER GET USE TO THAT, Little Brother replied as he rolled forward to physically check the couple.
"What is the problem? I thought you like to fly," Tahiri said climbing up to help him.
I DO BUT I LIKE TO HAVE SOMETHING AROUND ME AND BE IN CONTROL. IT DOESN'T HELP THAT I CAN'T MEASURE HOW YOU DO IT.
"It is the Force Little Brother, you can't measure it you just have to experience it. How is the ship?"
FULLY FUELED AND LOADED WITH CONSUMABLES FOR RATNENA FOR ONE WEEK. ALL SPECIFICATIONS ARE WITHIN NORMAL PROCEDURES. WE HAVE SIX PHOTON TORPEDOES AND LASER AT RANGED AT 150.
"Good, hopefully you guys won't need it where you are going," Tahiri said fearing the worst. If Rat and Little Brother run into trouble out there, they would be on their own with no back up available. "You ready to get locked in."
YES, at least this time he was able to suppress his nervous twitter as she maneuvered him in to place. CONNECTION ARE LOCKED IN, INTERFACE WITH X-WING COMPUTER INITIATED … INTERFACE SUCCESSFUL, DRAWING POWER OF X-WING ENGINES. ALL SYSTEMS FUNCTIONING AT 100%.
"Very well," Tahiri said looking in to his main cam, "be careful out there ok."
YES TAHIRI, ARE YOU WORRIED THAT IS THE 15 TIMES THAT YOU HAVE SAID THAT TO ME SINCE THE FINIAL BRIEFING THIS MORNING?
"Yea I kind of am worried," Tahiri said wiping some smug of his dome, "you two are my best friends and I don't want anything bad to happen to you."
DO NOT WORRY TAHIRI; I WILL BRING RATNENA HOME SAFELY.
"Yea I know, I still worry though," Tahiri said and then gave him a hug.
"Hey now, that is my man you are touching there," Rat said climbing up the stairs to the cockpit already wearing her helmet.
"Ha, he knows that I am the only one Rat," Tahiri said with a grin as she worked her way over to help strap her in, "he is not the kind to follow any ugly woman that walks by."
"But I be with him all alone for a week, just him and me," Rat said with a smirk as Tahiri strapped her in, "I am cute, more intelligent, and more exciting then you any day of the week."
"Meaning you get into more trouble then 15 normal people in the same timeframe," Tahiri said as she finished her part and watched Rat go through her preflight checklist.
"Ha! Look who is talking, standard Jedi rescue my …" Rat said flashing her a smile, "Prankster to Sweet Sunset comm check."
"Sweet Sunset to Prankster, coming in strong across the board," the voice of Runt came across the comm. Runt was turning out to be odd even for the Wraiths but he was good-natured enough that Rat and Tahiri had no trouble getting along with him. "Have a safe trip, Sweet Sunset out."
"Prankster out and thanks," she cocked her head and flashed another smile to Tahiri, "and they say we are strange."
THAT IS BECAUSE YOU ARE RATNENA, Little Brother putting his two credits in the conversation.
"You all set up there," Face said from the bottom of the stairs before Rat could give Little Brother a retort.
"Yes sir, four lit and green, food and spare comedian are stored on board," Rat said twisting enough to stick her tongue out at Little Brother.
"Remember you two," Face said climbing up the stairs, "fly in, scout the area and get back here. Don't do anything that could get you in trouble."
"Yes sir, why does everyone keep saying that?"
"We just don't want to lose a valuable member of our team," Tahiri turned to Face; she could sense that he was noticing her set up.
"Good point Peacekeeper, maybe we should leave Dagger here?"
"I think that would be a good idea, that way we won't lose anything important."
"I asked to get transferred to a crack intelligent team and I get sent to the rejects from the open mike night at the comedy club." Rat said with a smirk then sobered up and added, "don't worry sir. I won't do anything stupid."
"I know Ratnena, I wouldn't be sending you out there if I didn't trust you. So good luck and come home soon." After he shook her hand and exchanged salutes, he climbed down leaving the three friends alone.
"Its' weird you know Tahiri," Rat said in a soft voice, Tahiri gave her a questioning look and she continued, "a year ago I was staring at thirty years at a penal colony and now …"
"Not so weird, Ratnena; you have proven over and over again that you are worth any risk. It just took a while to find someone who believes in you." Tahiri gave her a rap on the helmet and started down the stairs.
"Hey Vong, I see you when you get back and stay out of trouble. I'm starting to get tired of having to save your butt every other day."
"Who is saving whom?" Tahiri said pulling the stairs back, "remember Little Brother keep her out of trouble."
ALWAYS EXPECTING THE IMPOSSIBLE FROM ME AREN'T YOU TAHIRI.
Standing there watching them fly out of the hangar, she said a small prayer to the gods that on one level she knew didn't exist but couldn't deny on another, to keep them safe. Then she rushed over to the Sweet Sunrise to finish her own pre-flight check. As she was doing a walk around, she felt Doran coming up to her from behind.
"Hey Doran, how are you today," she said not taking her eyes off the landing gear she was inspecting. She could feel his annoyance at not being able to sneak up on her.
"Good day Jedi Veila, I see that Flight Officer Bora has left."
"Yep, her and Little Brother are on their own now." She said feeling a small knot of worry grow in her. She has lost too many friends not to be worried about them. "And it is just Tahiri, 'Veila' doesn't exist anymore."
"I have heard that about you but I don't get it, what do you mean Veila is gone? You are still alive."
"I'm not 'Tahiri Veila' anymore nor am I 'Riina Kwaad', neither one of them are really around anymore except as memories." She said as she looked at the welds and headed aft to the engine area. "So I correct people on that name because when they use the 'Veila' part they have a habit of thinking of me as someone who doesn't exist anymore."
"Ok," Tahiri didn't need to look at him to know his face was a picture of confusion. She was not an easy person to understand anymore.
"Don't worry Doran, very few people understand me anymore. In many ways, it is like going through my early teens twice! But I have been lucky both times, both Anakin Solo and Rat have been there for me; accepting me for all my quarks." She caught something through the Force coming from Doran. She turned and gave him a close look, "What?"
"Uh," he said shuffling from foot to foot trying to look innocent but failing.
"When I mentioned Rat and Anakin at the same time you didn't like that, why?" Tahiri said crossing her arms and trying hard to keep her voice level, hoping she was doing a better job then he did at looking innocent.
"Nothing it is just," he started turning red and looking around nervously, "well Anakin was a hero and Ratnena is … well … you know."
"Yea I do know," Tahiri said letting her voice cool slightly, "I probably know better then anyone. Is that what is bothering you that she is here and not rotting in jail?"
"Well, yea I guess, I mean she try to kill her squadron and all. I mean what if she tries to do that here."
"She won't Doran," Tahiri said, expelling a breath and her annoyance at the same time. She thinks she understands why it bothered Doran, even if he won't ever say it. He was worried about his father. "Rat knows what she did was wrong and evil, and she is more then grateful that your father and Commander Loran were willing to take the risk and trust her. She feels that they saved her life when they brought her on board and in a way they might have, if they hadn't given her this chance she could have ended up dead on some colony." Tahiri returned to her inspection of the ship, "some people crave love, acceptance and wants to be liked by everyone so much that they will react violently if they are denied that love. For Rat, it is being taken seriously; she wants to be respected for who she is. Moreover, when someone treats her like an object that they can use and then lose, she will lash out without thinking it all the way through. Nevertheless, here, your father and the rest of us, we have nothing but the highest respect for her abilities and skills. She has kept us alive more then once. And she would do anything for us to keep that respect."
"Are you sure about that?"
"Yep, I bet my life on it everyday," Tahiri said giving him a smile.
"Mom told me that the old Wraiths were pretty strange but I think you guys got them beat." Tahiri made a face at him and he started to relax a bit, "so do you like being a Wraith more then a Jedi?"
"Its not really being one and not the other, I don't stop being a Jedi when I am a Wraith or a Yuuzhan Vong warrior. I have to integrate all of this in to one package."
"That is got to be confusing."
"Well sometimes but if I am in doubt I always relay on my Jedi training." Tahiri stopped and gave him a measuring look, "Doran that all any of us can do, is be true to what values we hold and learned."
"I think I understand Jedi Veila … err I mean Jedi Tahiri."
"You can call me Tahiri or Peacekeeper since we will be working together."
"Just don't call her late for dinner," Kell said walking up to them. "If you do watch your arms she might chew them off." Tahiri gave him a look that he chose to ignore and turned to his son, "ready to go?"
"Yes sir," Doran said stiffly.
"Stay out of trouble Tahiri"
"Be safe sir, and you too Doran." Tahiri said as they walked off to the Sweet Sunset. "And remember Doran, 'May the Force be with you.'"