-- Sparring and Issues --

As soon as the group got back to the ship, Torne disappeared from the group, hiding somewhere on the ship. Alison and Rick went off and secured the communications room quickly, while Kail and Padme went to the port dormitories.

HK and JAINA had stayed in the cockpit per Alison's orders, which left Rain, Kevin, and Kinraar alone; though Kinraar excused herself from the room, heading towards the starboard dormitories.

Rain turned to look at Kevin who shrugged, "something's going on, Kev;" Rain warned her boyfriend, "and that something is not right."

"So?" Kevin snorted and shook his head, "what do you want me to do about it? Until we know everything, let alone anything we can't do anything!"

"No," Rain shook her head, "we can do something."

"What's that?" Kevin asked as he followed her to the cargo hold and grabbed the blanket and pillow she threw at him.

"Go to sleep."

It's dark in here, dark and cold… very cold. I turn around but the dark doesn't fade. It's what's inside of me and I embrace it with every day and night of my life.

I'm sitting in the hidden compartment, more of a hidden room. Revan really did a number to this ship when she redesigned it. Funny to how it let me in, when the ship's locked by Alison still.

Maybe Alison already unlocked this compartment, I wouldn't know. It's not my ship, not my responsibility.

My soul… the color of black… My life… the color of white… I'm a living lie, I suppose. I hate what's happening to me and I enjoy it. I'm different and I'm yet the same as always.

I haven't forgiven myself yet… I never forgave her. I don't know what to say anymore. I've lost that youthfulness I use to have and now I'm growing up.

What will I do when I see my parents again?

It's very dark and cold in here, the voices are never silent. And as I sit here all my knees to my chest, there's a tear that's crawling out of my eye.

Is anyone out there listening? Can they hear the pain and danger that surrounds us? I need them to see… the pain and danger…

I need them to see.

Alison glared at the datapad she was trying to read and finally gave up chucking it across the room, ignoring that it hit Rick in the face as he looked up at her growl of annoyance.

"Ow!" Rick swore lightly as he felt his eye, the one Shayera had scratched, "watch where you're aiming those things!"

Alison rolled her eyes, "you'll live, the last time someone was killed by a datapad was," she paused and titled her head back in her chair looking at him upside down, "never."

"What's wrong, Alison? You're awfully grumpy today, aren't you sleeping at night?" Rick ducked as another datapad made its flight across the room with a snarl.

"Don't tempt me Ordo, or I'll deck you."

Rick used the force to call his shirt and boots to him as he climbed out of bed and buckled his pants and belt up. Running a hand through his messy hair he looked into the mirror and traced the scar crossing over his eye.

"I don't know whether to heal this or not, Alison." He grinned at her as she rolled her eyes and crossed over to where he stood, resting her head on his chest as she looked at his reflection.

"Leave it." She said after a minute of scrutiny and turned back to look at the ship schematics again for the fifth time in the hour, "it makes you look different."

"Okay… different as in how; Alison?" Rick asked in a distracted voice as he probed the wound.

"I like it. Come on, let's go and spar. We never finished our swoop race so we'll spar for the dinner." Alison turned to find Rick still probing the wound and she nearly snapped and stomped over to him.

"Here!" Grabbing his face, she traced the wound with two fingers of her right hand, the middle and index finger as a green light shone from them.

"There, now let's go before I break the wall in half." Alison walked away as Rick followed tracing the scar still, to only find that the scar had not healed but faded with his keen sense from the Force.

They got to the cargo hold as the rest of the others filed in to the room as well.

"What are you lot doing here?" Rick asked as he removed his inner and outer robe, and pulling gloves on as well as an eye shield.

"We're learning?" Kail smirked and laughed at Rick's glare.

"We just wanted to watch and spar as well perhaps," Rain interjected quickly and removed her own inner and outer robe as well, sitting on an overturned crate.

"Let's go Rick. I'll still beat you, with or without an audience." Alison's smile was feral and eager as she crouched, waiting for him to attack first.

Rick moved in first letting Alison come close to him but kept her short of reaching him. With his height, he had a bit less of an advantage being forced to lean down to strike at her more easily.

Alison darted in and out of his range, weaving around him like a dancing circle of death and the wood rod.

She struck him three times in quick succession, striking across his shoulders, on the leg, and managed to glance a blow off his ribs but not managing to dive out of the way when his rod came crashing down on her shoulder.

Alison fell to the floor stunned and slightly winded as Rick twirled the rod above him and brought it down in the mock salute of a death blow. Shewatched through her slightly blurry vision as the rod came bearing down towards her. Rick wouldn't hurt her…

"He would…" another voice whispered, "He can and he will…"

"Don't listen to her! Ali, I know you're better than that, just listen to me right now."

Two voices sounded in Alison's mind as time seemed to slow for her the rod taking forever to inch its way closer.

"Get out of my head!" Alison screamed in her mind and then she snapped.

Alison pulled herself with the Force underneath Rick and jumped up, stabbing backwards with her rod, striking him in the small of his back.

She twisted even before he was able do turn and belted him across the shoulders, throwing her rod away she grabbed onto him and flipped him onto the ground.

"No one tells me what do!"

Review please!