Playing the Mas'
Keilana was jolted from her light sleep by the incessant blaring of alarms. And, while she knew exactly where she was, it took her a moment to get oriented and to calm the panic that shot through her body when she did not see Jax's cradle.
"It's okay, ol' girl," she muttered to herself as she stood up and pulled on a short flight jacket. "Jax is safe on Coruscant, no need to panic…"
Biting down on her lower lip, Keilana stepped from her room only to run into Jacen. He was passing her room on his way to the cockpit from the lounge. Starting and turning toward her, Jacen gave her a somewhat forced smile as well as a hand to help her regain her balance.
"I assume we are about to drop?"
"That's generally the reason for alarms near the end of a jump," she said, eyeing his expression.
"Yes, of course," Jacen said, his words oddly clipped. Keilana, who had started down the hall towards the cockpit, paused and turned to look at the young man. Placing her hands on her hips, she studied him for a moment longer.
"Have I done anything in particular to annoy you lately?"
Jacen looked her in the eye before turning his vision to the wall.
"Some of us—"
"All of you?"
"—feel as if we could have completed this mission without you coming along. Jaina's the forerunner in the campaign against you, but I have to agree with her in some aspects. Why did you want to come with us, Keilana? It can't purely be for training, I know you too well." Jacen's gaze locked on with Keilana's once again. She simply looked back at him, her face perfectly stoic.
"Do you now?" She said as she rose her brow. "I've made a life of making sure people don't know who I am but apparently I've made a slip. Why did I want to come along, you ask? Because I know how to track him down…as well as for all of that training stuff."
"Any of us could have done that on our own, Keilana."
Keilana pressed her lips together and closed her arms over her chest. "Fine, any of you could have tracked him down. I guess you are Jedi after all."
"I don't want to create an argument, Keilana."
"When you start accusing me of sneaking around behind your back then it's going to become an argument."
"I haven't accused you of anything."
Keilana gave him a skeptical look and Jacen sighed.
"Okay look, I just can't help but think that you might have ulterior motives with this mission and that they are centered around Trigen," Jacen said as he reached for something in his pocket. Pulling out his datapad, he pushed a button and handed it to Keilana. Her face fell momentarily. Jacen took no notice. "Especially since I found this circulating around the news. It seems to be a bit too much of a coincidence that there is a bounty on his head."
Keilana looked from Jacen to the datapad and back again before dropping her hand.
"Do Kyp and your sister know about this broadcast?"
He shook his head. "Are you hunting him or not, Keilana?" He asked outright. "There's not much we can do about you coming along now that we've already started, but if you are hunting him then I have to request that you stop and simply help us gather the needed information. I'm sure Uncle Luke told you that this mission was to gather information only."
"Yeah, he told me," Keilana said as she handed the small computer back to Jacen. "And that's all I intend to do, honestly. There is no profit for me in this—at least not credit-wise. I am simply here to learn from three trained Jedi and to help you find this guy you're searching for."
Jacen watched Keilana for a moment. When he did not sense her lie, he shook his head and shrugged. "It's just a bit suspicious, that's all and, honestly, you aren't the most trustworthy person I've ever met."
"I'm hurt," she said dryly. She then shrugged and leaned one shoulder against the wall as she crossed her arms again. "But then again you've got the right to be suspicious. After all, I did trick your entire little school into believing I was something that I wasn't."
"Yeah, not a good thing to bring up at the moment, Keilana."
"Right." Smiling, Keilana playfully nudged Jacen with her elbow. "Though, bringing up the fact that there is a bounty on this guy's head wasn't too smart either, kid." She pointed to herself, "Bounty hunter."
Jacen rose his brow but smiled all the same as his cheeks flushed. "Well, I guess I'll just have keep an eye on you since I'm the one who brought him up." He laughed lightly and Keilana forced a smile. They stood there for a moment in silence before Keilana gestured over her shoulder.
"I had better get to the cockpit if we expect a smooth transition. I'd rather not end up as space junk, you know what I mean?"
"Right, sorry to hold you up."
"No problem." Keilana smiled one last time before taking off at a relatively quick pace for the cockpit. She had less than a minute before the drop.
Jaina and Kyp were already there when Keilana arrived. Upon seeing her, Jaina stood up quickly from the pilot's couch.
"I just thought that—"
"Get out of my way, Solo," Keilana said as she pushed her way around the young woman to strap herself in. "Well, sit down unless you all plan on becoming unneeded decorations on the wall. She doesn't like slowing down after a good run." Keilana patted the control panel affectionately before preparing to enter real space.
Everybody complied to her request with a slight grimace at the further thought of traveling in an unstable craft.
As soon as Jacen strapped into to his crashwebbing, Keilana gripped the levers and gently eased her ship out of hyperspace. The star streaks shortened and became individual points of lights once again as the ship rattled about before Keilana could settle into a slower speed.
After a moment, a low-pitched alarm went off. Keilana shut it down without so much as blinking. Glancing at a display at her right hand, she noticed everyone looking at her.
"Yes?"
"What was that alarm for?"
"Incoming ships. We've been sent a welcoming committee." Keilana tapped one of the screens with the tip of her finger. "Here they come."
"Welcoming committee?" Kyp asked skeptically.
"Yeah. Rather than using master planetary control, they use their navy to either escort you planet side or to chase you out of system. See, the Lyian's are a little, shall we say, sensitive to the rest of the galaxy. They don't trust 'em. They don't trust anybody, really."
"You're saying that we just dropped into the laps of a bunch of xenophobes?" Kyp gave Keilana a doubtful look.
"No, I'm saying that they are simply disgusted by the filth of the rest of the galaxy. The only decent planets we had to offer have either been destroyed or have fallen under corruption."
"Which were…"
"Well, Alderaan and Kuat mostly."
"What kind of a culture have you brought us to?" Jaina asked harshly from behind Keilana.
"One of the best and most stable in the galaxy, Solo. It's pretty much a cluster full of Alderaans. No one can carry concealed weapons without a permit, every planet, except for the ones designated for garbage disposal, are lush and clean. With the exception of the lowest class, everybody in this cluster could buy Kuatian silk like it was low-grade bantha wool, and they do. I think the Princess would like it here." Turning back to the controls, Keilana glanced at her display and missed the look of absolute disgust Jaina had directed toward her. However, Keilana's mind was elsewhere. "Interesting."
"What is?" One of the men asked.
Keilana tapped the radar on which four purple points were converging. "They've sent Phantoms after us."
"Phantoms?" Jaina asked. It was more of a skeptical statement than a question.
"Starfighters," Keilana said. "They're very advanced and hard to pilot. Only the best get to fly them and there is only one squadron's worth of ships in existence. In fact, there's one now." Keilana pointed a ship that had come within view of those in the cockpit. Jacen jumped at its sudden appearance and Kyp and Jaina gasped; it looked like a highly modified clawcraft. The fighter had three sets of two forward sweeping arms, each tipped with highly advanced lasercannons. A forcefield flickered around the ship making it appear as if it were in a sort of bubble and the octangular viewport was tinted as well as slightly mirrored. With the matte black painting job, the craft looked sleek (despite its rounded body) and absolutely deadly. "The Lye Cluster was a big supporter of the Empire and that they've been modifying their technology since the days of Thrawn. Those ships are incredible."
"What makes them so incredible?" Jaina said, her eyes on the ship. Keilana simply pointed as another ship materialized out of the blackness of space just inside their peripheral vision. The young woman's jaw nearly dropped. "They're cloaked."
"But incredibly easy to spot with the right equipment. They're classified as Shadow Fighters," Keilana said as she answered the hail beeping in her earpiece. No one in the cockpit bothered to ask how Keilana knew so much about these ships; they were more concerned about being surrounded by old xenophobic Imperials with cloaked starfighters.
"Eidolon Leader to Lady Heyday, please state your destination and business in this sector," a female voice crackled over the comm. Keilana didn't bother to removed her headpiece. She only pressed the mic closer to her lips.
"I am on my way to the capital city, Eidolon Leader," Keilana replied. "I'm visiting my cousin. You might have heard of him; he is Senator Winton Fuero Dallon Garcias Cer'liza of the Second House of the Kian from Guttina."
"What?" Kyp hissed under his breath. Keilana waved him away and scowled.
"I have had no word of your visit, Captain," the squadron leader said. Pursing her lips, Keilana frowned. "Give me your name and I will forward it to his office."
"This is Captain Leena Mai Jullian Cer'sisa, Eidolon Leader." The comm clicked off just as Keilana finished speaking. Sighing, she sat back in her chair and looked at the three Jedi. They all looked concerned and a little upset.
"What are you thinking? A senator?" Jaina asked after a moment. "They'll never buy that one."
"It's more plausible than you may think, Solo. He owes me some favors and I'll be damned if I don't collect on them while I'm in system."
"How exactly did you get favors from a senator?" Kyp leaned toward Keilana as he studied one of the starfighters outside.
Keilana gave him a smile before continuing. "It's been going on for years now ever since a quick cover-up on my part of a highly illegal operation he was running at the time. Since then we've constantly been in each other's debt and it just so happens that he is in mine at the moment. Besides, his planet is the one that turns out some of the best intelligence agents in the galaxy and he is in charge of every single one of them. Why wouldn't I align myself with him in my line of work?"
"But a senator?" Kyp asked as if he still couldn't get over that fact. Keilana blew an annoyed sigh.
"He hasn't always been a Senator and, really, he's more like a Moff for an individual planet but with a better title and without absolute martial law," she said as the squadron leader hailed her. Kyp muttered something to the effect of, "Great."
"It looks as if you are clear to go, Captain. Proceed to the capital at oh-seven-three-point-five-two-one to sector seven. Your landing dock is number twenty-three-bee in front of the Senator's palace. We will escort you to atmosphere. Eidolon Leader out."
As soon as their line was terminated, Keilana turned to the Jedi with a smug grin.
"See?" And without further explanation, Keilana turned back to the controls to follow two of the fighters to the planet Lye. As promised, the four vehicles turned away without so much as a word once Scrimshaw entered the planet's atmosphere.
Proceeding along the path she was given, Keilana landed on a platform behind a grand palace with a bit of a jostle. Once again, the stabilizers were acting up. Leaning forward as soon as they touched down, Jacen stared at the building outside the cockpit in wonder. It was tall and spectacularly white with towers and short spires creating the front facade. Several large courtyards broke up the main house into different sections, each for its own purpose. The grounds surrounding the palace were just as grand as (if not more than) the building. Hedge mazes and gardens of colourful, fragrant flowers were well kept and seemed to go on endlessly in every direction. The platform on which they landed was situated in a series of platforms surrounded by vast grass lawns of green; grand paths and decorations making them appear much more decorative than functional. Only Keilana did not seem impressed.
While the two men gaped at the grandiosity, Jaina noticed that three men from the palace were already on their way to the landing platform. However, they were a distance off as if they had not left very long ago.
"Is that where we're going?" Jacen asked, not noticing the men right away.
"That would be it. However, Jacen, you're staying with the ship. Kyp and Solo, you're coming with me."
"What? Excuse me?" Jaina asked after Keilana as she got tangled up in her crashwebbing. Once she was able to pull it over her head, she followed the hallway to where Keilana was rooting through a hidden compartment in the floor. "Why do I have to come with you?"
"Because I don't trust you being on my ship and I know you'll be quiet due to the commonsense I assume you have." Reaching into the compartment and pulling out a roll of medical cloth, Keilana looked back up at her. "Besides, this way I can keep an eye on you."
"Right." Jaina said, crossing her arms. "What's that for?"
"You. Wrap up the lower half of your face so that your mouth and nose are covered—don't worry, you'll be able to breath—after that, put this cloak on and pull the hood down over your face." Handing both the robe and the roll of cloth to Jaina, Keilana stood up and wiped her hands together. Looking at Kyp as he came around the corner, she tossed him a length of fine silk from the stash and a robe of dark red. He caught them and, with no questions asked, replaced his Jedi robes with the ones given and tied his hair back. Jaina, on the other hand, simply looked at the medical cloth as Keilana sealed the compartment.
"Why?" She asked.
"Because you are too recognizable and the last thing I need is for the Senator to know that I am dragging around a Solo brat. Now hurry up. Oh, and if you find time, wrap up your wrists and palms in makeshift gloves as well." Winking at Jaina, Keilana went to the hatch to greet the welcoming party, Kyp on her heel. Jacen had already disappeared from sight.
Keilana had the hatch open and was on solid ground before the party had stepped onto the landing pad. Leaning over to Kyp, she whispered something to him as she quickly braided her hair up and out of her face. He noticed that she had, at some point, applied make-up, her lips red, and that the clothes she was wearing were made of a cloth far better than her normal clothing, despite their appearance. This was obviously a planet that she was quite familiar with. Her boots were impeccable and reflected light like a mirror; the metal of her blaster was the only thing dull in her appearance. There were no wrinkles in her pants and no stains on her shirt, her face was clean as were her hands. Any indication that she was anything less than the daughter of a nobleman had disappeared into the disguise. He was rather impressed.
By the time the greeting party came to the edge of the platform, Jaina was disguised, her face hidden in shadow, as well as standing behind the two adults. When she tried to stand next to Keilana, she was pushed back behind Kyp while Keilana stepped out in front of the others.
"Good," Keilana said, glancing back at them. "Now don't speak, either of you." Keilana turned back to the three men that had come to welcome them.
"Captain Leena Mai, it is a pleasure to see you again," the man leading the other two said. He took Keilana's hand and brushed his lips over her knuckles. "We didn't expect your visit."
"I was in the area visiting with my some of my father's business partners," Keilana said, the accent so like her father's gone and replaced with a speech befit of royalty. "I figured that I should stop by for a visit with family before heading back home," she said with a brilliant smile. Turning slightly at the waist and gesturing towards Kyp, she continued. "This is my consort."
"Consort? We have not had word of your marriage, Captain, my congratulations," the man in front of the others said with a genuine smile. "The Senator will be pleased to hear that you have finally settled down."
"Oh, I'm not domesticated that quickly, Representative, but I have started the long journey." She laughed lightly and no one caught Jaina as she rolled her eyes. Smiling widely, Keilana gestured toward the palace. "Shall we continue on to the palace? I'm sure my cousin is quite busy and I wouldn't want to interrupt him for too long."
"Yes, yes, of course, Captain," the man said, nodding towards the palace. "The Senator is very pleased that you have decided to visit. The Yuuzhan Vong threat has been wearing on him. Guttina is on the edge of our sector, as I'm sure you know, and with the enemy coming closer every day, he is doing everything in his power to conceal us."
"Is he now? I hadn't heard the Cluster was concerned about the threat."
"Oh, very," the man said as they approached the palace. "But most people within our society and out do not know of the King's concerns. Only government officials and those of the First and Second Houses have been told of the incredible threat we are facing—as well as you, obviously. Anyway, we have no need to panic the commoners." He said this with a smile as the grand doors of the palace opened for them. "The Senator will be in his office, Captain," he continued. Holding up his hand and snapping once, a young woman appeared at his side. "Catalaina will show you to him. Good day, Leena Mai."
"And good day to you, Representative." Smiling at the man from over her shoulder, Keilana elevated her chin slightly and walked after the serving girl. Kyp and Jaina followed closely behind her.
It took no time at all for them to be brought to the Senator's offices. Once escorted inside, the serving girl left, leaving Kyp, Jaina, and Keilana in a large room by themselves. However, it did not take long for company to arrive. The senator (who was much younger than either of the Jedi thought he would be) stepped out from a door behind them and to the right. A large smile crossed his lips as the three turned around.
"Keilana," he said, leaning against the doorjamb. Keilana gave a smile to rival his as she crossed the floor to him, drawing up very close.
"Winton," she said softly before raising to her full height and planting a quick but solid kiss just to the left of his lips. Stepping back and smiling, Keilana glanced around the room, momentarily forgetting about the two Jedi. "You've relocated your office to the old wing? You've been rearranging since my last visit."
The Senator nodded as he gestured lazily with his hand. "Seva wished to live in the Eastern wing," he said simply.
"I see," Keilana responded. The two Jedi were completely at a loss. They could not read Keilana and, surprisingly, they could not read the young Senator either. "And, how has that been working out for you?"
"Very well, as you can see," Winton said, his smile growing. Stepping away from Keilana, he moved to the window behind a large wooden desk. His dark brown hair caught the light of the sun to shine brilliantly as his eyes glowed an almost unnatural amber. "And I see that you have brought some friends. Who are they?"
"Associates, Winton," Keilana said, her image of nobility melting back into that of a well dressed bounty hunter.
"I see." Studying the view from the window for a moment longer, Winton turned slowly towards Keilana, the expression on his face different. It was still pleasant, but there was a certain harshness there that the Jedi were instantly wary of. "And what brings you to my home, Keilana? I know that it is not for simple pleasure, otherwise you would not have brought your…" he studied the Jedi for a moment "…associates."
Keilana gave him a hard smile.
"I'm here to collect on at least one of the favors you owe me, Winton, and I know that you can help me out."
"My, my, confident aren't we?"
"Yes, and in a hurry. I don't have much time and I know you have the information that I need."
"Yes, of course, information. What else would you be here for? You never come to stay for the weekend anymore, Keilana."
"It is a bit of a trip just to get out here, Winton," she hissed, glancing at the Jedi. "Especially from the Core."
"Oh, living fancy, are we? Find a way into the high life?"
"No, trying to keep my head attached to my neck, is all. I'm sure you've heard of the mishap."
"Yes, news travels fast," Winton said as he sat down. Propping his feet up on top of the desk in front of him, he turned slightly to peer at Jaina from around Keilana. His eyes snapped to the bounty hunter for a moment before moving back to watch the younger, hooded woman. Jaina shifted uncomfortably under his gaze. "And what sort of information do you need out of me?"
"Is it safe to discuss it here?" Keilana asked, looking around the room.
"In my private office? Most certainly. Unless, of course…" He trailed off as a door closed a few rooms down. Winton started slightly and stood up, straightening out his fine clothes. "Unless, of course, my fiancée decides to show up. You picked a most convenient time to come, Keilana. Seva's parents are throwing a ball tonight in celebration of our upcoming marriage. You have met her mother, am I correct?"
"Most unfortunately, yes. And in far better conditions it might have been pleasant. I sure hope you don't expect us to attend. That woman can spot me from across a packed ballroom, I'm sure of it."
"Yes, I'm sure she would be able to. Is that why you've been avoiding us? Well, at any rate, if Seva sees you, you'll be invited. She is rather excited about it after all and would invite a beggar if she happened across one." Smiling, Winton moved from where he stood to greet the woman who came through the door a moment later.
---
Kyp's eyes widened. He had expected a woman of some beauty to come through the door, but certainly not a woman who could have silenced an entire auditorium full of people with her appearance and presence alone. This woman was gorgeous and her clothes expressed incredible wealth and power. Slightly curled, long dark hair framed a softly angular face of flawless porcelain skin that held eyes the colour of cobalt. Her ruby lips were set in a soft smile at the sight of her fiancé coming towards her.
Winton crossed the floor to put a hand on the woman's waist and to plant a kiss on her cheek. She took it with a smile, her eyes darting to the Jedi and finally to Keilana. At the sight of the latter, she frowned.
"What is your cousin doing here, Winton?" She asked slowly, the timbre of her voice raising. Keilana's brow furrowed slightly. She was annoyed, that much was clear.
"I am here for a visit."
"…your Grace," the other woman said with a heavy frown. "I have asked you time and again to address me as 'your Grace'."
"Sorry, your Grace, it has been a long time since my last visit. To be honest, I didn't expect you see you."
"Why not?"
"Because you were awfully busy the last time I was here." Keilana's voice was calm and without real emotion. "I know that you are training to take over your mother's position in your government, and that it takes a lot of time and patience on your part. Being the king's Head Adviser is trying, isn't it…your Grace?"
The woman lifted her chin in annoyance. "Yes, it is."
Keilana gave her an emotionless smile before turning away from Winton and the woman. Walking towards the Jedi, her hands clasped behind her back, she stood very close to Kyp and pushed Jaina back out of sight.
"I see you brought some people with you," the woman said, glancing at the Jedi again, her gaze lingering slightly on Kyp. "Who are they?"
"You are very observant, your Grace, have I ever told you that?" Keilana's voice was slightly condescending and Kyp found himself smiling internally.
"Who are they?" The woman repeated.
"My consort and our servant," Keilana said.
"Consort? You certainly aren't the kind of person that I ever imagined getting married."
"Oh, you don't have to convince me of that, your Grace." Keilana smiled and rose her brow slightly. The woman's face puffed up in anger as she turned from the three visitors to speak quietly with Winton for a moment in their harsh native tongue . Kyp rose his brow and leaned forward to speak in Keilana's ear.
"Who is she?"
"The daughter of the king's Head Advisor and the Prime Minister," Keilana said, turning slightly to meet Kyp's gaze. "She's very powerful."
"I can tell," Kyp said. He straightened up as the woman turned back to them. Smiling, she stepped towards the group and Kyp in particular.
"I am sorry," she said, her voice no longer the harsh tone she had used with Keilana. In fact, it appeared as if she was, for the most part, ignoring the other woman. The Senator, Kyp decided, must have said something to make her calm down and be far more civil. "I should have introduced myself to your husband."
Kyp quirked his brow (though only slightly) at the woman's abrupt change in attitude. He did not like it.
"That really isn't necessary, your Grace," Keilana said with a forced smile.
"Oh, I believe it is. After all, you two are invited to the little party tonight since you're here. I may not like you, Leena Mai, but you are Winton's cousin and that is close enough to family to be invited." She had said all of this to Kyp, her gaze never wavering from his. She was close enough to the Jedi for him to smell her floral perfume and pick out the miniscule jewels that adorned her heavy hair. Keilana snorted and the woman smiled. "My name is Seva Caiterina Rai'en Rasputin Se'Czaria, daughter to Lord Severus Rai'en Aidale Nytel Se'Czaria of the Second House of the Katana of the planet Lye. And you are?"
Kyp blinked as he was slightly astonished at the introduction before glancing over Seva's head to Keilana. Seva followed his gaze and frowned.
"You don't need your wife's permission to speak, do you? Come now, be your own man."
"He is," Keilana said. "You obviously have a lot to learn about Kuatian society, your Grace. He's a telbun—a breeder." Keilana's expression was bland.
"Excuse me?" Seva asked, turning to Keilana. The bounty hunter gave a martyred sigh and closed her arms over her chest.
"He was raised and trained to ensure that woman of noble blood could mix their genes with the best available to create a new generation. He's a stud, if you want to use breeding terms. We were only married because of certain family beliefs." As she said this, Keilana started to inspect her nails. "Go ahead, love, tell her your name."
"Yes," Seva said to Kyp. "Please."
Kyp hesitated a moment longer.
"Caelen," he said rather lamely. Jaina smothered a snicker with her hand and it was obvious at a glance that even Keilana was struggling to keep her face perfectly stoic.
"Ooh," Seva said, her lips puckered slightly and curved in a smile. She, at least, seemed to believe him. "So you can speak for yourself."
"Yes, your Grace," Kyp said, his eyes flickering to Keilana and the Senator. Keilana smiled and Winton looked highly annoyed at how his fiancée was acting towards Kyp. The frown on his face was impressive. After a moment, Winton stepped forward and placed a hand on his fiancée's waist.
"Come, dear, I'm sure you have a lot to do before the ball." He took her wrist in his hand and gently pulled her away from Kyp. Kyp gave a sigh of relief that caused Keilana to grin behind her hand and Jaina to snicker out loud. Seva did not notice either of the other women as she turned to her husband-to-be.
"Yes, now that you mention it, I do have a lot to see to." She cleared her throat and straightened out the magnificent cloth she was draped in. "The florist is in the ballroom as we speak and I must go check up with him. I expect we will meet again at the party, Captain, Caelen."
Nodding to Keilana and Kyp, she turned from the group and exited the way she had come in. Once she was out the door, Keilana turned to Winton.
"I believe you have some information for me?"
"That I do," Winton said, repositioning himself behind his desk. Gesturing to the other three, he smiled. "Please, have a seat."
---
Keilana walked around the room, running the tips of her fingers over the fancy cloth that adorned almost everything in a just-slightly-less-than-gaudy way. She looked back at Kyp, who was sitting on the bed, and Jaina, who had stayed near the door. Without having said a word to each other or having searched the nicks, corners, and crannies, they all knew the room was bugged. So, nodding, Keilana walked over to Kyp and leaned forward.
"What are we going to do, Keilana?" Kyp asked. Before she answered, Keilana glanced at Jaina and flipped her hand in the girl's direction, dismissing her. Jaina just managed to keep an indignant look off her face before stepping into the next room.
"Play the part in case anyone is watching, which I'm sure they are going to be. Supposed cousin or not, nobody really trusts me around here. They keep their eye on me just to make sure I don't cause too much trouble. I have a bit of a…reputation."
"Reputation?" He asked, his voice almost raising above a whisper. Keilana put her finger on her lips and nodded before Kyp could go on, which he obviously wanted to do.
"Yeah, a reputation as in things tend to go badly whenever I'm around. You know, someone disappears, others get caught in crossfire, general chaos, and mass confusion. I have a lot of enemies, even in obscure little systems such as this one."
"Right." Kyp hadn't noticed until right then that they were incredibly close. Keilana had her hands on either side of him on the bed with her lips almost brushing his ear. He pulled back a bit but Keilana caught the back of his head. "And what exactly does playing the part entail, Keilana?"
"Almost everything except for the obvious."
"Obvious? I'd say it isn't too obvious and…ooo, right." Kyp had jumped slightly when Keilana grabbed his knee to prove her point. "Okay, but do we have to—"
"Share? Of course, flyboy."
"And Jaina?"
"She'll be in the servant's quarters attached to these unless I send her back to the ship, which I would rather not do." Keilana smiled at Kyp before straightening up and walking away. She looked at him over her shoulder before stepping up to a window and gazing out. After a moment, Kyp sighed and stood up to join her. Keilana smiled and turned slightly to watch him approach her.
"I'm no more comfortable with this than you are, Kyp, nor did I exactly plan on this happening."
"Our timing was a little off, that's for sure," Kyp whispered, drawing up closer than comfortable so that they could speak in hushed tones.
"You're not acting very much like a telbun, Kyp," Keilana chided softly with a chuckle.
"Oh, and how would you know this?"
Keilana simply answered with a knowing smile before turning to him fully.
"Stop acting suspicious."
"Me?" He asked with a laugh. "You're the one who started the hushed tones and closeness."
"Well excuse me for attempting to clarify some things for you. Obviously you don't need any help." Despite her words, there was a wide smile on Keilana's lips and in her eyes. "Besides, I don't plan on staying long enough to use that bed. The sooner we can get out of here the better."
"Then why stay for the party?"
"Because Seva is already suspicious that I am more than Winton's cousin and I don't need for her to start guessing at what I might actually be. It is courtesy in this culture to accept an invitation to a party when it is directly asked of you to attend. So, we are going." Jabbing Kyp with her finger and stepping around him, she went into the next room to find Jaina. Kyp simply rubbed his shoulder and stepped towards the window to take in the magnificent view of the seemingly endless countryside.
In the next room, Keilana found Jaina standing next to another window; her eyes were not really focusing on anything and her hood was down. Keilana cleared her throat as one summoning a lower being and Jaina turned to give her a deadly glare before remembering where they were. Walking over to Keilana (who's face held an odd smirk), she stood in front of her a respectful distance and nodded. A wave of great annoyance and displeasure washed through the apartment.
"Yes?" Jaina asked, her voice conveying quite the opposite feeling than that on her mind.
"Head back to the ship but not before finding the kitchen. We need our food supply replenished."
Jaina was just about to tell Keilana that they had enough food before picking up on the older woman's unspoken words. In short, Jaina was to familiarize herself with the palace just in case something went wrong. Jaina's annoyance rose at the fact that she was now able to pick up on subliminal messages from the woman she disliked so much.
Simply nodding, Jaina ducked quickly out of the apartment space. Once she was gone, Keilana turned back to the bedroom and smiled at Kyp.
"Shall we get ready for the party, my dear?"
---
Jacen hadn't found much to occupy himself with on the ship. He had tried to play a few games against the computer but found it a less than adequate gaming partner. Once done with that attempt, he had wandered throughout the ship until he could practically navigate it with his eyes closed. Next had come the care of the sickly ysalamiri Keilana owned which quickly led to a check of the ships systems, which proved difficult as Keilana had everything locked down with codes and passwords. Frustrated with his incredible boredom, Jacen had chosen to do the one thing he knew he could do: sleep.
However, Jacen had barely put his head down when the ship's alarms went off. Jumping up from the couch and sprinting for the cockpit, Jacen was just able to disarm the automatic weapons system before whoever it was that had approached the ship became nothing more than a stain on the landing pad. And it was a good thing he had found the code to override the weapons, too, for when he glanced at the screen that fed him external information, he was met with the image of an incredibly annoyed Jaina. Glancing at her wrist chrono and crossing her arms, Jaina started to tap her foot and look around. Jacen swore under his breath and moved to the hatch to let her in.
"Thanks," she said shortly as she walked up the ramp. "The last thing I needed for the full spectrum of experiences on this trip was to be nearly blown out of existence by Keilana's ship."
"I can guarantee you that that will be one of the better experiences you have by the time we get home," Jacen said as he locked the ship back up. He looked at Jaina with tired eyes. "The moment she was assigned to this mission I was ready to burn any of the plans we had made."
Jaina smiled slightly as she followed Jacen to the lounge.
"What happened to the Jacen from a year ago? You know, the one who trusted Keilana and even liked her?"
"He lost a lot of faith in people," Jacen answered as he poured himself some caf. When he offered some to Jaina, she shook her head and sat down on the couch. "Keilana played one over on us and I lost my ability to trust people like I used to."
Jaina nodded. "Good, you shouldn't trust her."
"Well, we sort of have to now, Jaina," Jacen said as he joined her on the couch. "Our success on this mission greatly depends on her."
"What a pleasant thought," Jaina said dryly. "Do you know what she's doing this exact moment? She's playing aristocrat. That's right. She has this entire cluster convinced that she is the daughter of some wealthy Kuati business man and that Kyp is her faithful telbun. She is also attending a big party tonight with Kyp at her side as if to strengthen the lie and burrow it so deep into the skins of these people that they will never be able to think of her in any other way."
Jacen snorted and nearly choked on the caf he had been attempting to drink.
"She…what?"
Jaina nodded and made a sound of confirmation. "The web she's woven is still growing strong."
"How many lives and aliases can she possibly have?"
"I don't think we will ever know, brother."
The twins were silent for a long while after that. Neither moved from their spot nor did they look at each other, strictly speaking. It was not until Jacen finished drinking his caf did he say something to Jaina.
"Keilana must be an incredibly intelligent person," he said without any preamble. Jaina sort of sputtered as she shot him a dark look.
"What?" She said dangerously. She did not like anybody saying anything positive about Keilana even if she knew it to be true.
"Just think, Jaina. I don't know if I like it any more than you, but it's true. She has this amazing ability to create stories and lives for herself and people believe her. She's good enough to convince an entire school of Jedi who she wasn't and here she has an entire civilization convinced that she is the cousin of a powerful senator. She's as much a very talented con artist as she is a bounty hunter and, Jaina, she has charisma. People want to believe her and they want to like her and she is smart enough to be able to twist them to believe just about anything and use that trust to her advantage."
Jaina pursed her lips and looked at her twin. "Which raises the question: Who is she really?"
"What do you mean?"
"She could still be lying to us, Jacen. How do we know 'Keilana' is even her real name? How do we know that she really is who she says she is? You have to admit she still has many suspicious qualities, Jacen."
"I doubt we will ever know her completely, Jaina."
"Which makes me even more nervous about her and like her less," Jaina said, leaning towards her twin. "She could be anything and anyone. I've tried and I can't place her physical features to any one race of human or humanoid and I cannot for the life of me place that language of hers or her accent, slight as it is."
Jacen rose his brow at these words. "You've actually done research on her, Jaina? Isn't that, oh say, slightly obsessive?"
"I don't want her around, Jacen, and if I can uncover anything that would convince Uncle Luke to kick her out of the Academy and place her in very strict confinement, then I will give it to him straight away."
"You do know that you won't, right?"
"Thanks for the encouragement, Jacen." Jaina sighed in frustration and leaned heavily against the back of the couch. She blew a martyred sigh before closing her eyes. "But amidst all of my failure, I have had one small victory."
"How do you define victory?"
"I found this," Jaina said. She sat up and handed Jacen a once-crumpled, now-folded piece of flimsy. Jacen opened it and furrowed his brow at the words written on it.
"What is it?"
"I think it's a song or poem since it is split up into stanzas and choruses, but I don't recognize the language."
"Well, if you are looking for help here, there isn't any," Jacen said, tilting his head to the side as if the new angle would help him.
"Thanks, but that's not what I was going for. No, if you read the words as we would pronounce them in Basic it vaguely sounds like that language Keilana speaks, though much slower. If I can decode that language and figure out what it is then we've struck gold, Jacen."
"No, you've struck gold, Jaina," Jacen said as he handed the piece of paper back to his twin. "I personally don't care at the moment."
"You don't…care?"
"No, nor should you. Don't make this out as if it is your duty to the Academy and the rest of galaxy to uncover the truth." Jacen stood up and looked down at his sister. "It's not."
"I never said it was!"
"Yes you did, just not in those words."
Jaina opened her mouth to say something but the words did not come. She was simply too angry. Screwing up her face, Jaina stood up, clutched her fists together and glared laser bolts at her brother.
"I have to get back to the palace before my absence is missed. But since I am playing the part of a lowly servant, I doubt I was even noticed before or after my excuse for an introduction."
"Oh, you will be missed, Jaina," Jacen said as he turned to the caf dispenser. "You will be missed just as much as you were noticed and that is a great deal more than you know."
"Once again, thanks for the encouraging thoughts, Jacen."
"Anytime, Jaina," Jacen said with a smile. Jaina simply gave an exasperated sigh as she left the lounge to head back to the palace.
After Jaina left, Jacen put down his mug and leaned forward on the counter. Dropping his head and letting his dark hair fall into his eyes, he sighed heavily. Jaina was becoming a burden. Her anger was too strong and her hate for Keilana was too great. Jacen was worried. Frowning, Jacen straightened up and moved through the ship to the cockpit. Sitting down in the pilot's couch, he leaned forward to flip a few switches. The communications system turned on with a distinctive mechanical sound as the lights slowly lit up. Once it was fully warmed up (which took next to no time) Jacen punched in a code to a small keypad to make sure his transmission was encoded and impossible to intercept.
With a sigh, Jacen turned on the holoprojector and a tiny Luke Skywalker appeared on the console in front of him. The Jedi Master looked surprised and then concerned.
"Is something wrong, Jacen?"
Jacen was silent for a moment before nodding slowly. "I'm worried about Jaina, Uncle."
---
Keilana had left the room she was given upon the request of Seva and Winton. She needed a dress and one of the servants was to find one that fit her from the vast collection the palace had to offer. Kyp had been called off to do the same in a different section of the palace leaving their room empty. Neither were worried for they had not removed one item of clothing or equipment from their person.
She was about an hour into the process of trying on dresses when Seva showed up with an older woman. Snapping, Seva barked something to the servants in her hard-edged language. Keilana turned at the voice and her eyes widened. They were not focused on the young woman she had spoken to earlier that day, however, but on the woman standing next to her. Where most people would be in awe to be standing in the presence of the Lyian Head Adviser (one Malia Kay Vaughn K'inan Rasputin), Keilana grew very nervous. Looking around and down at the short, tight dress she had just been manhandled into, she swore to herself at the very limited space for escape. This was not a woman she never wanted to face again and the quicker she could slip away unnoticed the better. Attempting to shrink out of sight before the steel-haired woman could spot her, but keeping her eyes trained on the Head Advisor all the same, Keilana did not see the short stool behind her.
At the sharp curse yelped by Keilana as she tripped backwards over the stool, the Head Advisor turned that way, a disapproving scowl on her face. She looked at Keilana, who's face was curtained by her hair and was about to tell her to stand up and greet her properly. However, when Keilana regained herself and stood up, her hair falling away from her face, the woman's eyes widened almost impossibly.
"I know your face," the woman said with a highly accented voice. "Come here."
Keilana pushed her tangled hair behind her ears before straightening both her back and her dress.
"Of course, your Grace," Keilana said, her tone even and smooth. Seva stood to the side and watched both of the women before her, not quite sure what was happening.
"Mother," Seva said under her breath. "Surely you are mistaken about who this is. She is nobody but Winton's cousin from Kuat."
"I know exactly who she is, Seva. Don't interrupt."
Seva nodded and stepped away from her mother just as Keilana stepped up.
"My daughter tells me that you are a cousin of Winton's. I didn't know his parent's had any siblings. They certainly weren't mentioned when we attended school together."
Keilana's lips tightened.
"It's rather funny how little things such as siblings are forgotten in everyday conversation, your Grace," Keilana said, not really putting on much of an act. She knew the woman knew who she was and it was only a matter of time before she decided to act on that knowledge.
"Yes, I'm sure," the Advisor said, holding out her left hand as was custom in the Lyian culture. "I don't think we were ever properly introduced."
Keilana saw the trap. She could not do a thing about it, but at least she saw it. With a slightly sinking heart and a silent apology to Winton, Keilana put out her hand with a sigh.
"Captain Leena Mai Jullian Cer'sisa, your Grace," Keilana said.
The Advisor smiled for a moment before gripping Keilana's hand and wrenching it painfully around to peer at the young woman's left forearm. Almost completely hidden under a long, crisscrossed scar, the letter 'H' had been branded into her skin. Keilana winced as her elbow was twisted painfully into her side.
Behind her mother, Seva gasped and covered her mouth. The older woman dropped Keilana's arm and allowed a smile to spread across her face.
"I knew I recognized you, Hunter," she said. "What are you doing in this palace?"
"Nothing that concerns you," Keilana said as she rubbed her elbow, attempting to lessen the pain. She was sure it had been sprained.
"Everything that happens in this palace concerns me. A senator resides here and he is the man I am about to wed my daughter to. I've caught you once with him already and I never imagined you to be stupid enough as to return and con your way back into our lives. What are you doing here, girl?" She hissed. However, the woman did not give Keilana a chance to respond before yelling, "Guards!"
That was all the provocation Keilana needed. Darting back to the frightened servant, she pulled a pair of scissors out of the woman's hand and cut two long slits down the front of the dress she was wearing. Then, whipping her hand around quickly, the scissors caught one of the guards in the stomach. He doubled over, unable to fight, and fell to the ground. Tears forming in her eyes at the incredible pain in her elbow, which was only jarred further out of place, Keilana ran forward at the three remaining men. The first one she managed to trip after ducking under the wide slash he made at her with his knife (these people didn't use a blaster unless it was absolutely necessary). Forcing the knife out of his grip after he made another attempt to cut open her stomach, she hit him over the head with its bone hilt, rendering him unconscious. She stood up just in time to leap backwards and knock the blade of another knife away from her stomach. Landing on her feet and standing at ready, Keilana watched the young man before her, sizing him up. He had the build of a fighter which made Keilana smile. It had been a long time since she had had a reasonable opponent.
He stepped forward first and stabbed his knife towards her stomach. Knocking his blade out of the way with her own, Keilana continued into a spin and came around in a kick aimed at his hand. However, he was quicker and managed to catch her foot in his other hand, not ready for the fight to be over quite yet. Pulling his hand back, he caught Keilana off balance and dropped her foot to let her fall. Before she hit the ground, Keilana spun around and caught herself in a long crouch.
Standing up before the man could follow her with his knife, Keilana turned and threw a punch to his face in his moment of hesitation and followed with a right hook to his solar plexus. He managed to dodge the first swing but ended up getting caught the second time around. He leaned forward to soften the blow giving Keilana the chance to pull the knife out of his hand and send it across the room via the Force, followed closely by the knife she had taken from the other guard. Wrapping her leg around one of his, Keilana pulled him off balance and followed him down as he caught her waist. It took a moment for them to untangle themselves from each other and it was the man who recovered first. Throwing his weight and flipping them around, he straddled Keilana and reached for the dagger sheathed on his belt to finish the fight. She managed to catch his wrist and hand before the long blade came too close to her throat. Bearing her teeth and twisting his wrist and arm with all her might, Keilana managed to throw him off of her as well as—judging by both his screams and a loud crack!—break his elbow. She jumped up and approached the kneeling man only to kick him in the side of the head. The man crumpled to the floor, still, but breathing.
As the man slumped forward, Keilana bent to pull his blaster from its holster. She straightened up and shot the final man coming towards her once in each shoulder, rendering him useless for the time being but not permanently damaged.
With the guards out of her way, Keilana spun around to Seva and her mother, leveling the blaster at them with no intent to shoot.
"You've found me out, Advisor, my congratulations. For your booby prize I've spared the lives of these good men and I will spare yours too if you promise to wait before spreading the alarm." She doubted these terms would be followed, but Keilana wasn't all too concerned about that. She could fight off what they sent at her and once she managed to find Kyp, the pair of them would be able to get out of anything…or, at least, that's what she made herself believe.
Watching the women, Keilana kicked the shot guard in the side of the head just hard enough to knock him into unconsciousness. Her eyes still trained on the women, Keilana moved across the room to gather her things. She strapped the belt around her waist, the holster around her thigh, and shoved her clothing into a small parcel which she threw over her back and attached across her chest. Pulling her boots on and managing to keep the blaster trained on the women, Keilana straightened and picked up the knife she had thrown to the floor as well as calling the guard's dagger to her. She stuck these between her belt and her person and started to back out of the room.
"I hope you have a good party, Seva Caiterina, and my apologies for creating such a mess of things," she said as she backed out of the room, the blaster trained on the two women.
Once outside, Keilana shot the communications panel and jammed the door with several long and heavy objects. Her elbow was throbbing painfully and blood was pounding in her ears as Keilana turned to sprint down the hall. This only made her dizzier than she already was and it was not until then that noticed the long, jagged cut that ran down her arm. She wasn't sure exactly how she had gained it but for the moment it didn't matter. She had to find Kyp and find him fast.
Keilana encountered few people as she headed towards the opposite side of the palace. Those who attempted to stop her received a stunbolt and nothing more.
It did not take her a terribly long time to find Kyp. When she burst through the double doors to the room he was in, she leaned heavily on one of them to catch her breath. The men inside gave her an odd look and she did not blame them. She must have looked odd in a ripped, fitted gown of silvery-black while bleeding profusely from a shallow wound that crossed her left shoulder down to her swollen elbow. After their initial shock, they started shouting at each other in their rough language, panic in their voices, while pointing at each other and demanding things that Keilana could not even start to guess at. They were merely servants and had been given little training in real fighting so Keilana did not consider them a threat.
Kyp gave her a rather concerned look before grabbing a tunic from the man who had frozen in the middle of handing it to him and shrugged it on.
Once Keilana managed to catch her breath, she looked at Kyp.
"They…they know. We've got to get out of here," she said as she leveled her blaster at the male servants. They all froze. None of them wanted any trouble.
"Know…? How? Are you all right?"
"I'll be fine but this is not a good time for questions."
Kyp looked at her for a moment longer before grabbing his boots and stumbling into them as he ran.
As soon as they had put several floors between them and the panicked servants, Keilana setting the pace, Kyp grabbed her shoulder and wrenched her to a stop. She winced as her elbow was jerked into her side.
"What the hell is going on, Keilana?" Kyp asked, his eyes hard. "You better give me an explanation for all of the commotion, all of the blood, and your latest set of wounds."
"This is not a good time," Keilana hissed as she tried to pull away. Kyp was stronger and held onto her shoulder.
"No, it's a perfect time. We are in an abandoned hallway and everyone is concerned with the safety of the nobles for the moment. They don't know who we are nor do they know where we are."
"Actually," Keilana said, shoving out her left arm. The first thing Kyp noticed about her arm (besides the long cut) was that her elbow had swollen to twice its normal size and was a nasty shade of red. Keilana had to point out the brand hidden in the scar as she started to spread a thick paste over her biceps. It immediately lessened the bleeding but did not help to regain any of the function she had temporarily lost in that arm. She replaced the medicine container in a pouch before speaking. "I got into a lot of trouble in this system a long time ago when I was involved in a very destructive Hunt as well as having an affair with the head of the operation, the newly appointed Senator Winton Fuero. He was put on probation since they couldn't solidly connect him to the scandal and I was put on trial as a traitor—up until then I had been a model citizen." This statement intrigued Kyp but he did not ask her about it. Keilana continued: "The Head Advisor herself led the hearing and it was she who oversaw my branding. I managed to escape imprisonment after a few months, but the brand is not something that is going away anytime soon. Anyway, Seva's mother, the same Advisor, walked into the room I was being fitted in. She recognized me right away and that's what's happening. The Lyians despise my kind and especially me as the bounty hunter and the little girl who escaped from one of their renowned prisons."
While she explained all of this, Keilana had been wandering around the hall, looking back at Kyp from time to time, as if looking for something. "I spent a lot of time in the palace—now where is it?"
However, Keilana stopped in her search for whatever it was she was looking for and glanced towards voices coming their way.
"I hear them too," Kyp said. He grabbed Keilana's uninjured elbow and pulled her towards one of the picture windows across from them. Throwing his hand out in front of him, he caused the glass to shatter out of its pane. Catching Kyp's thoughts, Keilana stepped up on the sill and peered over the edge.
"That's got to be at least eight stories, Kyp."
"Afraid?"
"Not for my hide, flyboy." Giving him a grin, Keilana shoved the stolen blaster into the front of her belt and pulled out an instrument that resembled the weapon she had just put away. Aiming at the opposite wall, Keilana pulled the trigger. A tiny coil and collapsed grappling hook shot forward and stuck soundly in the wall. Keilana tugged at it and started to back towards the edge. Kyp gave her a wary look.
"Will you be able to hold yourself with one arm?"
"Of course," Keilana said. Giving him a mock salute, Keilana jumped backwards just as Kyp spun around at the first sound of blaster bolts. His hand unconsciously sought for his lightsaber before he was stopped by a tiny pebble slicing across his cheek. Glaring down at Keilana, she shook her head and yelled something at him that was caught in the wind that had picked up. Scowling and looking around for anything to hang on to, Kyp sighed in defeat. Stepping to the edge of the window and turning around, he leapt.
---
Jaina had sensed the trouble in the palace as she was on her way back from Keilana's ship. Unsure of what was happening, she had started to sprint forward, hoping to make it to the large house before things got too out of hand. She didn't know what she could do, but standing around was definitely not of the top of her list.
Skidding to a halt at the sight of two people standing on the edge of a window, Jaina squinted to make sure she wasn't seeing things. She knew exactly who they were but she could hardly believe it. It did not surprise her when Keilana started to repel down the side of the building (the woman was crafty, Jaina would give her that) but when Kyp just leapt, Jaina brought her hand up to her mouth, horror and shock crashing through her body. She could not move, only watch.
From where she stood, Jaina could see that Keilana had made it safely to the ground, albeit hitting it hard in her haste to get down. Glancing up, the other woman apparently caught sight of Kyp and tugged at the cable she had been using. Jaina guessed that it sprung back into its home for Keilana quickly replaced the instrument on her belt. Looking back at Kyp, Keilana did not seem overly impressed and definitely was not worried about the safety of the Jedi.
As Kyp approached the ground, Jaina could barely bring herself to watch. Eight stories was a very long fall, even for a Jedi. Just when it seemed as if he would never stop, Kyp rotated himself in the air and started to slow down. He still hit the ground with a force that looked painful, even from where Jaina was standing, but the older Jedi gave the appearance that he had not even noticed the fall for he was up out of his crouch and running within a few seconds. Keilana was on his heel and they were upon Jaina within a minute.
"Quit standing around, Solo!" Keilana yelled as she passed the younger woman. Kyp was now lagging behind, the fall having affected him more than he thought it would. However, it was not by much. He had passed Jaina before she could even turn towards the ship. When he glanced back at her, Jaina didn't think again before joining them. Only her utter confusion as to what had happened in the palace had kept her in her spot for longer than necessary.
Running after the adults, she had to duck as blaster bolts started to burn the air around them. She watched Kyp for any sign that he was going to draw his lightsaber. When he did not, Jaina furrowed her brow and skipped to the side to avoid several unseen bolts. They hit the path next to her and charred the white stone. She wanted to draw her lightsaber and fight, almost every fiber of her being was telling her to do so. But when Kyp kept running, she felt compelled to as well. This time they would run, next time, they would fight. That's what this was, a retreat because they were greatly outnumbered.
There was no other explanation as far as Jaina was concerned. She did not run. She nor Kyp nor Keilana had ever run (as far as she knew). Why was this time so different?
However, Jaina did not have the chance to answer her question for the next thing she knew they were sprinting up the ramp and into the ship. Keilana leapt and ducked onto the ramp, Kyp and Jaina following close after, though after it had opened completely.
Once they made it into the ship, the two Jedi made their way to the cockpit where Keilana was already going through a hasty startup. Not even sparing them a glance, Keilana hit the control to close the hatch. Within a minute, the ship's engines roared to life and Keilana pulled back on the controls, lifting them up off the ground at a dizzying rate. No one bothered to ask her how much danger they were in. For the moment, they all trusted her to get them safely off the planet. After all, she must have done this before in her line of work.
They were able to make it into orbit without any hassle but nobody in the cockpit calmed down. They knew that it had been too easy. And they were right.
"Oh no," Keilana muttered.
"What?" Kyp looked at her.
"Shit."
"What?"
"Phantoms, four of them. They don't want me to leave this system alive, that's for sure."
"Wonderful," Jaina said as she crossed her arms. Jacen placed a hand on his sister's shoulder in an attempt to calm her down. It worked, if only a little.
"What are we going to do?" Jacen asked.
"Outrun them, of course," Keilana said. "Kyp, find a safe route out of here."
Before he could say a thing, Keilana pulled them into a sharp starboard-downward spin to avoid a large capital ship that had lumbered into their path. On the display, their pursuers scattered to find their separate ways around the ship before reforming into wing partners. The Phantoms then started to accelerate and alarms started to sound throughout the ship that they were approaching. The shots fired were going wide as if they didn't actually want to hit the ship they pursued. That didn't last for long. Before Keilana could send most of her shields to the back, one bolt hit home. The ship jerked to the side as one of the engines sputtered sickeningly before roaring back to life. Keilana slammed a fist down on the console and the alarms died. Muttering something about holding on to anything dear, Keilana dialed up the compensator and pulled her ship into an impossibly tight hairpin turn. In fact, before the engines could catch up with the maneuver, they travelled backwards for a length due to their inertia and momentum. Despite the compensation, Jaina's head started to swim and her vision blackened for a moment. Keilana seemed to come out of the turn perfectly fine, however, and accelerated away at top speed.
"A system would be nice, Kyp!" Keilana said as she glanced at the the display. The Phantoms hadn't been caught by the turn as other, more clumsy fighters might have been. Cursing and muttering away, she forced her ship into a nose dive from their relative position. It groaned and complained, still not fully recovered from the last trick she had forced upon it or the shot to the engine, but the Scrimshaw obeyed anyway.
"I'm working on it," he said.
"You don't have to be too picky, we aren't vacationing there." Keilana gave Kyp a quick glance of impatience and shook her head. "Eai'altaa nia Jeedi…"
"What?" Kyp asked, halting his search.
"Nothing," Keilana snapped. Behind them, Jaina gave her twin a significant look.
"I know you said something about me," Kyp said as he went back to the computer.
"What makes you think that?" Keilana pulled back on the controls and brought her ship into a sharp spin that sent them in the opposite direction they had been heading.
"I can recognize the word Jedi in any language."
"I didn't say Jedi."
"Then what was this 'Jeedi'?"
"Well, fine, I was talking about you." Keilana said as she banked dangerously close to a ship that had just come out of hyperspace. "It wasn't important."
"I don't like it when people talk about me in other languages while I am right there."
"Oh, and this happens often?"
"More often than you would think, actually."
During this entire exchange, Jaina and Jacen had been watching the two elders, their gazes shifting to whomever was speaking. Jaina actually found it quite amusing. They were bickering like children.
"Really? That's interesting."
"Keilana, Kyp, will you please concentrate?" Jacen said after a moment. They both looked back at him briefly before looking at each other.
"So, how's that search coming along."
"It's sort of hard with you breathing down my neck, Keilana."
"Well I'm sorry that I want to save our hides sometime this century."
"I'm sure."
"We've got the children to think about, Kyp."
"Hey!" Jacen and Jaina said together. They went unnoticed.
"I can't think about anything with you hounding after me."
"System, Kyp."
"Quiet, Key."
"Jueeta kie, Kyp—kleena nu?"
"What?"
"Nothing."
"WILL YOU TWO STOP!" Jaina said, finally having enough. "We have four invisible ships on our tail, we have nowhere to escape to, an entire planet is after us, and you two find time to have a cheery little spat? I thought you were the adults here!"
Kyp looked at Jaina before glancing at the screen and Keilana looked at him.
"How does Geonosis sound?"
"Like a dream." Keilana glanced at the computer Kyp was looking at. "What are the coordinates?"
Kyp told her before she instructed him how to input them into the navcomputer. Spinning the ship in the direction of the jump, and checking that Kyp had done his job correctly, Keilana pulled back on the levers to accelerate them into hyperspace and away from the Lye Cluster.
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A/N: It's over for the school year...it's finally over. Now I can write once again without being interrupted by my design.
Okay, so I'm sure you're wondering "what the hell did Keilana say?" I know I would be saying as much. Well, since I found putting the translations right after the Mandelorian broke the pace of the story, (which I just made up…is there an actual dictionary out there or do I just get to make up the words as I go?) I chose to put them here:
"Eai'altaa nia Jeedi…" translates out to "Of all the Jedi…"
"Jueeta kie, Kyp—kleena nu?" roughly translates out to "Good lord, Kyp—why me?"
Okay, this is where I leave you. I'm not sure how long until the next chapter comes out—I'm so tired...quiero me cama...maybe now that summer is here I will be able to sleep.