"Now tell me, why would something like that hold your interest for so long?" The words and the sudden hands on his shoulders startled Treg.
Recovering quickly he turned, sliding one arm underneath hers to rest on the small of her back. He used the other to gesture towards the workbench, "You caught me. I was just admiring this simple area and wondering how it allowed you to craft such superior weapons from it."
"Jealous of my weapons?" she teased.
"Completely!" he joked in a tone that said she was foolish to think otherwise.
"Maybe if you behave I'll let you see them." She grinned.
"Humph," he turned his head away as if insulted. "I'll have you know I've seen many in my time. Why should yours be any different?"
She leaned closer, whispering the words, "Because I'll even let you touch mine." Force Revan, what are you doing?
He turned back, their eyes catching, knowing they weren't talking about those kinds of weapons anymore, if they ever even were.
His lips were soft, warm, as they brushed against hers on his way to whisper in her ear, "Are you teasing me Revan?"
She glided her hands sensuously up his chest, letting her words come out in a low voice, "When I'm teasing, you'll know it." Turning to slip away he caught her, bringing her back towards him.
His eyes moved slowly over her face, resting on her lips, taking in their appearance as his eyes grew lusty before turning his gaze to look into her eyes. No words were spoken, their bodies completely still as they stared at one another.
Treg's mouth parted and he saw that she was anxiously awaiting his next move. With deliberate slowness he moved his head towards hers, using time to his advantage as he carried out the movement in slow motion. Seconds before their lips were touching, when their breaths could be felt by the other he spoke, "You'll know it too," then immediately he let her out of his grasp, walking swiftly away.
"Hey loverboy," she called out, "I'm going to grab a cup of caffa. Interested?" her eyebrow rose.
He turned, giving her a wicked grin, "Definitely. Although I'm not too fond of that nickname, Darth Tease."
She caught his wink as her jaw dropped, and then she was breaking into a fast pace, chasing him down the hall. How can he make light of my former title? How can I enjoy it so much? It dawned on her in that split second. Because he makes me feel so normal!
"Safe zone." Treg called, turning around, bringing both hands up in surrender while stumbling into the galley backwards.
Revan was right on his heels and crashed into him as he turned and surrendered. His arms came down immediately, holding her by the waist to steady her.
"What makes you think I'll accept your surrender?" she gasped out in between breaths.
The unexpected, ominous voice made their heads snap around. "Entice all the men in your life with caffa?" Carth glared at them as his eyes raked over the two bodies.
Revan pulled away from Treg immediately, smile leaving her face.
Silence followed as her eyes betrayed the feeling of regret and guilt that she was trying desperately to hide. She wasn't relieved when Treg tried to break the quiet.
"I'm afraid I had that coming, considering I had just bestowed upon her a nickname she obviously objected to. But I hope she knows I was just teasing."
He sent a wink in her direction, causing her to move quickly towards the caffa pot, "While we're all here I think we should discuss our situation and next moves. We'll be arriving at Anthrecite Labs soon."
"Not as soon as we could have." Carth snapped as he noisily pulled out a chair, recalling the extremely lengthy and unnecessary course that Treg had planned while he was recovering. That man is an idiot! He took us days away from our destination.
Ignoring Carth's words Revan took down two mugs and started pouring the caffa.
Carth watched, taking notice that she knew exactly how to prepare Treg's cup. He waited until she had set it down at the opposite end of the table and then positioned herself between the two of them before he began. "I estimate we have 10 hours or so before we arrive. At which point, I believe a two hour layover to gather the information, if any is available," his glare rested on Treg in an accusatory manner, "should be sufficient. After that I have a course laid out that should bring us to our next contact in less than a day. Bottom line, 24 hours, two contacts, we have a lot of time to make up."
Treg leaned back in his seat, putting both hands behind his head, "I'm not certain two hours will be enough. It will probably take half that long just to clear all the security at Anthrecite, another hour, at least, before the takeoff is cleared. Once a ship lands it is grounded until it goes through the proper channels. I haven't even brought into account our time spent –"
Carth slammed his mug down, "Look, we brought you here, you promised a meeting. Two hours, that's all."
"Carth, since when have we had such strict time frames? You know we can't control these things." Revan asked, trying to ease the tension.
"Our next course has some atmospheric conditions that I would rather avoid if possible. At this point we are on a time schedule." He glared at her, "I'm sure you also know the stakes of what we are trying to accomplish here. Any delay that isn't absolutely necessary could have grave consequences. We have already been delayed long enough." He shot a dagger filled look at Treg.
"Treg?" Revan inquired, knowing Carth was right, she had to find her children, the sooner the better. "Do you think we can manage our meeting in that time?"
His mind drifted, thinking about his former mentor, Sargac. It had been years since he had last seen him, since he had supposedly restored to Treg what his own experiment and ambition had stripped away. He wasn't anxious to be reminded of his past, what he had lost and the lies that had followed. It won't help to worry about that now, time to get a grip and show some of what you preach dear man. "I can try. Since I know what most of it entails, if the procedures haven't changed too drastically, I am certain I can ask for expedience. I'm sure some of the things might be overlooked, or combined, to ensure that we leave a bit more quickly."
"Wait right there." Carth said in a measured voice. "The deal was we bring you here, after that there is only two of us leaving."
Everyone, except Carth, seemed to shift uncomfortably. He was right, after this Treg wouldn't be with them anymore. With all the recent events none of them had thought much about what their arrival at Anthrecite would mean, at least no one but Carth.
Deciding she didn't want to think about that now, nor address it, Revan moved the conversation along, "That part is settled, Treg will take care of our meeting with Sargac and he is aware of the time frame." She glanced at Treg and he nodded. Returning her gaze to Carth, "Let's move on to what happens after. Have you heard from Juhani? Do you have any details on the next contact?"
Carth's eyes moved slowly around the table, hoping Revan would pick up on his implication, "Nothing right now."
She hated to do it, but she knew it would be the only way to get Carth to talk. And for once, he seemed like he actually wanted to talk to her, discuss things. "Treg? Would you mind?" she asked, gesturing for him to leave them alone.
He brought his hands down, resting them on the table, "Yes, I do mind, but I will go anyway, if that is what you want."
She closed her eyes, then brought them up to look directly into his as she nodded her head, "Yes, please."
As Treg slowly stood, giving a glance first at Carth, then at her, he replied, "Fine. I'll be in my room."
They both waited, watching as Treg left, the tension slowly leaving the room only to be replaced by another suffocating feeling. Both their demeanors were now stiff and challenging, each seemed ready to jump from their seats at any moment. Unbelievable as it was, Treg's presence had seemed to keep a normal air between them that was now quickly evaporating.
"Revan, your memories – do they concern you? You refuse to talk about them."
Although she was trying to remain calm she felt herself get defensive, "I have not refused to talk about them. Perhaps it is just that no one" she glared directly at him, "has asked me about them since …"
His fist slammed down, his voice rough, "Dammit, I'm asking now."
She stood, leaning over the table at him "Yes, they concern me Carth, how could you even think otherwise!" She could almost feel the effects of her memories as she spoke about them, "They have kept me awake, afraid to fall back asleep, they have brought pain and the severity of the emotions that I feel afterwards are some of the most - unsettling - things I have ever experienced. To realize these aren't just dreams but things I actually did, behavior I gladly accepted and had no regrets about … I cannot even begin to explain it." She looked at him in total shock, "How dare you ask such a thing!"
He rose to meet her challenge, "First you are upset that I didn't ask earlier, now you are upset because I have asked!" He ran his fingers through his hair, "You know what I think? I think you enjoy punishing yourself with them."
"ME!" she bellowed, "Perhaps you enjoy punishing me with your memories too."
"Just what the hell is that supposed to mean? No, don't even bother answering that. Revan, you can't keep doing this. It will lead you towards everything you say you despise about your past."
She knew he didn't understand, would never be able to understand. It was her guilt, her fault, everything, absolutely everything rested on her shoulders. "But that is who I am. Without that I would not be who I am today. And now I have put my children in danger because of that. My actions, me, I have caused all of this. I am responsible for everything and more! MORE Carth, more than you know, more than even I want to know, more than you could ever forgive me for and you know that. I am a murderer at the very least, and now you think I should just be excused because I feel remorse?"
"No. Yes. It's not as simple as that and you know it! You are aware of how it is different with people strong in the force. Are you too blind to realize that you are just inviting the darkness back into your life?"
Her mind drifted to her actions when she had saved him. Ever since then she had felt different, even more so than before, like something was brewing deep inside her. She had done something very wrong and she only hoped she could contain it, master it, control it, when the repercussions finally presented themselves to her. "I'm fully aware of what I have invited into my life!"
"Does that include him Revan? Are you aware of his intentions? Are you so certain that he isn't leading you down a dark path?"
Carth shifted, knowing he needed to get control over his emotions but now that he had started to let them out he was helpless to stop them, "Revan you are ignoring reality and acting like a damn ten year old! For force sake, you have two children!"
"That's right I have two children!"
It was too late, he couldn't stop himself, knowing it was the wrong time, the wrong situation, but the words were out before he gave it much thought, "They are my kids too."
"You don't know that Carth, they could be Malak's."
He wanted to cut her off before she even spoke his name but his reply was too late, "No Revan, they are mine! As sure as I stand here they are MY kids! Yours and mine."