Author's Note: First chapter of 2021! Woo! AND it's chapter 200? We hittin' all the milestones! Enjoy!


-Chapter 132: Stranger Than Fiction-

Location: Coruscant

"The curveballs of life come when least expected."

Danny? Are... you okay?

Y-Yeah, fine. Why?

I felt you shudder.

The, uh... breeze was suddenly chilly. I'm fine, really.

How was he supposed to tell her he heard Wraith's voice, within his own mind no less?

That was the pain Dynnal suffered during the return trip to Coruscant. After Ramsis Dendup had been reinstated as King and Lux Bonteri was properly buried, the Titans made to return to the Republic capitol... and in something of a surprising move, Ahsoka Tano chose not to return alongside her masters, but with the mercenaries instead.

And so, in the hold of Horizon's Edge, Ahsoka and Dynnal sat side by side. The Togruta slept, wearied by the efforts exerted while on Onderon, her hand clasping his as her head rested against his shoulder. Her boyfriend, on the other hand, was robbed of rest by chaotic thoughts plaguing his every moment. The words of an unmistakable voice... but how was it possible? How was Wraith possibly conscious? Could he be coming back? Would he try to take over? Why hadn't he heard from him since their recognition of Lux's death?

And, more importantly, should he tell Ahsoka about this?

His girlfriend purred in her sleep, rubbing her headtails against his shoulder absentmindedly. He looked to her and softly smiled fondly, rubbing her uninjured shoulder affectionately. Dynnal knew his feelings for her were true and the last thing he wanted to do was worry her about something that was... well... potentially nothing. I'll see if his voice becomes a reoccurring thing. If so, then I'll tell her. He decided with a sigh. The last thing he wanted to do was worry her, but he also had no desire to make her angry either. This thoughts were interrupted when the nearby access door slid open and Corsair stepped inside.

"Comin' outta hyperspace, kiddo. Bettah make shor' she's up an' ready." He gently stated. Dynnal nodded and gave Ahsoka a little shake to rouse her while Corsair stepped back out. With a sleepy groan she stirred, a sound Dynnal could remember vividly from many a morning after long... somewhat sleepless nights. As her blue eyes fluttered open, the hand holding hers gave her an affectionate squeeze.

"Wakey wakey." He whispered. Giving her boyfriend a sleepy smile, Ahsoka then yawned and stretched, showing off her pointy teeth.

"Heeeey," she replied with a groan.

"Sleep alright?" Dynnal asked.

"I could use more." Ahsoka admitted as she gingerly rolled her wounded arm.

"How's your shoulder?"

"It's... there." The Togruta answered. "I'll get it looked at when I get back to the Temple... after I give my report to the Council... which should be 'fun'." She added in a sarcastic tone.

"Oh yeah?"

"I'm expecting to be berated for what I told Anakin and Obi-Wan. As well as for breaking their one rule about remaining behind the scenes. And intervening when I 'shouldn't have'... but I totally needed to." She explained, offering an annoyed huff at the very notion of what was bound to happen.

"Want me to come with?" Dynnal offered.

"It's okay. I can handle it." She replied with a smile. "Besides, I think Corsair wants to chat with you a bit... about revealing your super-soldier nature." Dynnal lightly chuckled in agreement.

"Seems like we're both in for it, my dear." He mused.


Elsewhere...

Arec Drayson sat still as stone, his hands lingering over the blue holographic keypad of a small personal documentation server. He had been encouraged to write down everything that was immediately on his mind, specifically anything that suddenly came to him that was from his time with the Separatists as a means of hopefully triggering more memories. So far, he'd transcribed several paragraphs detailing combat and strategy that was seemingly innate, but others had deduced he had been subjected to flash training.

His written thoughts were random at best, sometimes memories, sometimes intermittent thoughts, sometimes simple descriptions of what he saw out the broad window to his left. It offered him a very nice view of Coruscant, skimming across a few rooftops as the ecumenopolis of Republic City spread out all around him. In the distance, he could see the towering high rise that was 500 Republica as well as the jagged outline of Military Command and the Judicial Centre. Beside them all, the massive Jedi Temple loomed like a ziggurat of culture and society, the Jedi the allies of the Republic government and the home of his... his...

Suddenly, Arec did not have an appropriate word for her. A myriad flooded his mind, all of them accurate, but none of them pinned down exactly who she was. In a professional sense, she was his overseer, the one responsible for his rehabilitation. In a less professional sense, she was his friend, his... well, at the moment she was certainly that, a friend. But Arec was painfully aware of how beautiful she was, from the moment she entered his room for the first time. His thoughts, while scattered, had been able to zero in on that one aspect of her and he had been riveted from the beginning.

But she was a Jedi. And if there was one thing Arec had learned and remembered about Jedi was that they didn't love other people. So he kept his feelings about her under wraps and disclosed them to no one else. A few times he'd considered jotting them down on this document and had even gone so far as to type out a few sentences containing his thoughts on her. But every time, he deleted them all, simply not deeming it proper for him to discuss Myri in such a manner.

As if on cue, the Lethan Twi'lek entered the room. Arec heard only a few footsteps before he could tell there was a presence behind and to his side, a side effect of his super-soldier training. Her crimson hand appeared first on the desk so not to startle him and, when his head darted in its direction, her other then came to rest on his shoulder.

"How are you doing, Arec?" She asked in her sweet voice that made him feel light on his feet.

"I, um, I-I'm afraid I don't have much that the Chancellor would find interesting." He said, sheepish of the fact. "All that's coming to mind right now is just... combat training, really."

"May I see?" She politely asked. Arec quickly scooted aside in his chair, allowing her to read over his paragraphs. As she did, he stole a few measured glances, admiring the silky smooth skin of her lekku as well as how the daylight shining through his window caused her face to seemingly radiate. "You're right, it is a lot of strategy and combat techniques. I feel like I'm reading an old Warmaster's manual." Myri commented, not demeaning but simply understanding, comprehending. Such was her way and oh how Arec was drawn to it.

He was thankful now that he had not bothered to transcribe his thoughts and leave them here. How embarrassed he would be if Myri ever knew them.

"Still, maybe Commander Thrawn might find something in here." The Twi'lek mused, her ambient senses lingering over Arec's thoughts. She could senses his attraction towards her, innocent and childlike, in a way is was rather sweet and delightful to sense. Far from the rather obtrusive thoughts of other, usually less-civilized, men but even some Jedi had the gall to look her over lustfully. But not Arec... never Arec.

"You think?" He timidly wondered. Myri straightened up and smiled at him, feeling a little happier as she sensed how warmed he was by a simple, friendly look from her.

"Absolutely." She said in agreement.


Later that day...

It was a pristine sunny day on Coruscant as the Karn family walked down the streets of the bustling ecumenopolis. Having returned Ahsoka to the Temple and sorted out payment from King Dendup with the rest of the Titans, Corsair figured it was time for his family to enjoy some long overdue peace and quiet... and he knew just where to take them. His mind had been immediately drawn to Hahlli Verta's bar, the best place to take a moment to unwind. Plus, his Twi'lek friend (and ex) deserved to know all about the recovery and reunion of his family, having been supportive of his search from the getgo. Despite being exes, Corsair considered Hahlli one of his closest friends and wanted her to know that things had turned out alright for him and his family.

"What is it about this particular bar, Cory?" Meline wondered as they rounded a corner, husband and wife walking arm in arm with Dynnal right behind them.

"I'm good friends wit' tha' ownah. She's due ta meet all a' ya, since she's been wonderin' fo' a while." Her husband explained.

"And here I just thought you had a detailed understanding of every bar on the planet and just picked this one." Dynnal remarked.

"Is that whatcha take me fo'?" Corsair replied with a snicker. "Naw, that ain't tha case 'ere, boyo. Hahlli's is like comin' 'ome, good drink, good talk, an' all-around relaxin' time." He described, pushing the double doors open. He'd been here but a few weeks ago, guzzling hard liquor to drown his sorrows as he revealed to his friend that the enemy of his company was actually his son. But now, he hoped to linger here with far more pleasant news to share.

The bar was sparsely populated, as expected for the midday, the Karn family feeling a bit like they had the run of the place. Corsair certainly acted like it. "'Ello Hahl!" He called out as he strode in. The busty violet Twi'lek behind the bar turned towards him, offering a slight laugh.

"Been wonderin' when you'd swing by, Cory." She replied, then caught sight of his family. "You bring friends?"

"Not quite." He responded, slipping an arm around his wife while his other hand patted his son on the shoulder. "Hahl, this 'ere's my wife, Meline, an' my son, Dynnal." The Twi'lek's eyes widened.

"You found your family!" She gasped. "Oh, Cory, I'm so happy for you!" The Titan leader nodded then turned to his family.

"Meline, Dynnal, this 'ere's Hahlli Verta, good friend a' mine. Been keepin' me goin' when tha chips was down." He introduced. Meline scrunched up her face for a moment, the Twi'lek's name sounding very familiar...

"Oh, I remember!" She said suddenly, eyes bright. "Corsair talked about you once, you were his first girlfriend." She recalled.

"Um... y-yep, that's me." Hahlli sheepishly admitted with a nervous laugh.

"It's alright, Hahlli. I'm aware of my husband's... not-so-spotless record." Meline calmly replied, taking a seat at the bar, Corsair and Dynnal following suite.

"Oh, we're not like that any more, Meline. That was a lifetime ago." Hahlli promised. "Besides, everyday after you disappeared ol' Cory would come in here and tell me just how much he missed you and how much he loved you." She added.

"He did? Aw, I never knew you were the sentimental sort, baby." Meline afffctionately cooed as she turned to her husband, ruffling his hair.

"Hahl's jus' makin' that up." Corsair scoffed in a low voice. Meline turned back to the Twi'lek with a grin.

"Can you tell he has an image to maintain?" She wondered.

"Absolutely." Hahlli confirmed with a nod. Deep down, she'd been hoping to see Corsair again or maybe even call him to ask for a favor. But now... with his family around... "Um... drinks! You all want something to drink, right? You probably wanna celebrate, eh Cory?" She asked, forcing herself to not ask him.

"Shor' do, Hahl. Somethin' smooth an' light sounds 'bout right." The mercenary agreed.

"I'll have what he's having." Dynnal chimed in.

"Make it three." Meline added.

"Three Chadian rums coming up." Hahlli darted off to collect the drinks as the family settled into their seats.

"Guess I'm not the only one who calls you 'Cory'." Meline mused to her husband. The pet nickname had been her affectionate title for him, since Corsair refused to go by his given name of Estobarr. Up until now, Meline had never heard anyone else use it, the Titans largely calling him 'boss' and everyone else calling him Corsair.

"I confess, she coined tha name first. Prolly the only othah woman 'o does." Corsair truthfully told her. Meline nodded in consideration as Hahlli returned. Corsair only let those closest to him use 'Cory'. This Hahlli must be a good friend.

"To family." The Twi'lek offered, raising her own bottle.

"To reunions long overdue." Meline added, raising hers in agreement. Dynnal and Corsair chipped in and they all took a swig after a celebratory toast. "So, Hahlli, what's your story?" The redhead inquired. The Twi'lek shrugged.

"Not much to tell. After Cory and I broke up, I tried to get some more schooling, met a guy, got married... which ended in a disaster. Finally set up shop here." She said, leaving out a few details that really didn't need to be known. "Corsair eventually stumbled in here and spilled his guts, told me all about the wonderful wife and kids he'd lost, and from there... I was determined to be a good friend." She added.

"Well, thank you, for being there for my husband. Force knows someone needed to keep him together." Meline replied with a smile. It seemed genuine, but the shifting Hahlli couldn't focus on it. Her mounting fears were too great, she simply had to do something about it. Maybe she could leave out some details, that should keep things simple and safe. "Uh, Cory, could I talk to you for a moment? I-It's about business." She finally asked. Corsair was quick to nod and follow Hahlli as she left the bar, moving towards a quiet corner of her establishment. Once they were decidedly alone, Hahlli sighed and looked to him with pleading eyes. "I need your help."

"Shor', anythin'." Corsair readily agreed. Now for the moment of truth.

"It's... my daughter, T'lea. I sent her on an errand this morning and she hasn't come back. It's a simple one, she's done it dozens of times before, I don't know why she could be this late." Hahlli revealed. "Please, Cory, I've been worried sick all day." Momentarily surprised, Corsair nodded.

"I'll find 'er, Hahl. But, uh, since when've ya 'ad a daughtah?" He asked. Not once had Hahlli ever mentioned a 'T'lea' before and he was genuinely curious. Knowing she needed to skimp on all the details, Hahlli simple told him a truth.

"I... had her fourteen years ago."

"An' all this time I nevah knew." Corsair mused with a chuckle. "Guess ya shor' can keep a secret or two!" He remarked with a grin, turning and heading back to his family. Hahlli sighed.

"You have no idea." She muttered. In a moment, she was returning to the bar as Corsair consulted his family.

"A'ight family, we gotta go on a hunt." He announced.

"Where to and what for?" A keen Dynnal asked.

"Hahlli's lil' girl, T'Lea, she's gone missin'." Corsair stated.

"For how long?" Meline inquired.

"Just since this morning. The errand I sent her on should've only taken an hour tops." Hahlli explained.

"Now it's mid-afternoon..." Meline worriedly mused, checking her personal chronometer. As a mother herself, she knew what worrying over a child felt like and felt determined to help Hahlli. "What's she look like?" She asked. In response, Hahlli pulled out a small image projector a toggled a small holorender. The still photo that appeared before them was of her and T'lea.

"Here. We took this just this year." She explained. As she did, Dynnal leaned closer and took note of Hahlli's daughter.

"Oh wow! She's a hybrid." He realized. The teenage Twi'lek's skin was a mottled fusion of human peach and Hahlli's own violet, two lekku hanging down the back of her head amidst a mop of long brown hair.

"That should make her easy to find." Meline determined, asking no further questions. Corsair, silent and thoughtful, shifted back and forth between Hahlli and the image. He knew her history, something didn't quite add up. There should be no reason for her daughter to be a hybrid... unless...

Surely it was something innocuous, she'd probably slept with a man in a one-night stand gone wrong. But he needed to know, it might offer a clue that could help locate her.

"You two head out, I'll pay an' join ya in a parsec." Corsair instructed. That would give him a chance to be alone with Hahlli, just in case any secrets she might have were sensitive to his ears only. Dynnal and Meline did as asked, their son downing his drink before departing, while Corsair fished out a small stack of credits. He set them on the bar, waited until Meline and Dynnal had departed, then looked to Hahlli. "I know ya married anothah Twi'lek. What gives, Hahl? Why's yor daughtah part human?" Corsair wondered curiously. Hahlli remained silent, fidgeting. She seemed scared, worried and many other negative emotions that Corsair quickly clued in on... many of them not just about her daughter's wellbeing. "What is it, Hahlli? Wha's got ya so nervous?" Corsair asked, genuinely worried about her. "You can tell me anythin'." With a sigh, Hahlli closed her eyes and relented. She could not deny him the truth any longer.

"There's... a reason why I never brought up T'lea before." She confessed, looking to Corsair with downcast eyes. "Cory... do you remember 'that' night?" She asked in a low voice.

"Yeah." He said with a nod. But then, as the events of that night returned to him, a sudden thought struck him like a thunderbolt. "Wait..." He put the pieces together quickly, a hidden pregnancy, T'lea's hybrid status, and Corsair's eyes shot wide open. "Are you kriffin' sayin'-!"

"Yes, Cory." Hahlli sadly admitted. "T'lea... is our daughter."

Corsair sank into a barstool, head in his hands, unable to speak, think, gasp, anything. Why did things like this have to happen to him? How did a one-night stand (and it truly had been just one night) result in this? Something that was an outrageous offence against his marriage, flying starkly in the face of his wife and son. This seemed to be yet another in the long line of accidents, mishaps, and failures that was Corsair's life. "I know how much you love your family and how much they mean to you, that's why I kept her existence a secret." Hahlli told him. Still speechless, Corsair was barely coming to grips with the reality.

"I... Bloody hell, I knocked ya up?" He asked in dismay. Suddenly recalling his earlier thought about how 'innocuous' the truth behind T'lea was and realized, much to his chagrin, that he had been the human she'd slept with in a 'one-night stand gone wrong'. "'Course it was aftah 'one time'." He snorted in disgust. Why did these kinds of things have to happen to him?

"Look, just bring her back here and you don't have to say a word about her. Your wife and your son don't need to know, you don't have to say a word about her." Hahlli promised. Corsair sighed, rubbing his temples.

"Tha's tha problem, Hahl... I know. An' I ain't gonna fo'get it." He

"I'm sorry, Cory." She whispered, her expression sullen and sorrowful now that her damaging secret was out.

"'S my fault too, Hahl." Corsair responded with a shake of his head. She couldn't blame herself, not when he was literally half of the equation. The deep exhale that followed told Hahlli just how ragged Corsair had been run by this revelation and she pitied him, regretting her decision to tell him.

"If you don't want to, I'll find someone-" She began to suggest.

"No." Corsair cut her off with a shake of his head. He stood up from the bar and patted her hand. "I'll find 'er. She's my daughtah too."


His first call was to a woman who knew the criminal underworld better than most. She and her team of elite bounty hunters and mercenaries knew pretty well every business and operation on the planet, keeping silent tabs on each one for varying reasons. Hahlli had informed him that T'lea had gone to the lower levels on a supply run, meaning she'd taken an airspeeder to collect crates of alcohol. The lower levels were bad business all around, seldom did anyone wholesome come out of a realm that rarely saw sunlight.

Upon learning that T'lea was a hybrid, Corsair automatically determined she'd be exotic enough to be a target of the skin trade. Given how she was his daughter, Corsair sincerely hoped that would not be the case. Either way, there was only one group who knew just where to look and which doors to knock on, The Birds of Prey being his best bet.

With holocom in hand, Corsair did not need to wait long for the projected three-inch tall render of a middle-aged woman, long brown hair framing her tanned face and clad in a style of sweeping robes not too dissimilar from a Jedi's, to appear before him. "'Ello Talon." He casually greeted. The woman tilted her head, raising her eyebrow slightly.

"It's been some time, Corsair." She replied. "Do the Titans need our aid again?" The cheeky remark was met with a scoff.

"We're holdin' our own fine. But me, personally, I need yor help."

"How so?"

"Tryin' ta track down a lost girl, Twi'lek-human hybrid 'bout fourteen years old. 'Er mum's gettin' real worried." Corsair began to explain. "She was headin' fo' Coruscant's lowah levels, hasn't been heard from since."

"None of those add up to a very pleasant conclusion." Talon grimly remarked.

"I know. But, if ya've got anythin' like a transaction or an impendin' meetin', I'll take it." He pressed, trying to not to sound too desperate.

"Hybrid's aren't a common occurrence, I'll do some poking around." Talon relented, her agreement causing Corsair to internally sigh in relief. "I suggest you go to the level she was last seen on, depending on who's involved the process of moving her could take time."

"Meanin' she might not a' gone far. Thanks, Talon." With a nod of mutual respect shared, Corsair signed off and turned back to his family. "We oughtta head fo' where T'lea was last seen." Meline and Dynnal were quick to follow him into the rented airspeeder they had used to visit Hahlli's bar, all of them filing in the same way they had arrived; Dynnal in the back with his parents occupying the forward seats.

"Alright, theory time." He said, his tactical mind quickly running through several plausible scenarios as he took some currently-unknown details into account.

"Whatcha got, boyo?"

"If this is a simple supply run, has T'lea done so before? Has Hahlli trained her how to do this job so that she can do so reliably on her own?" He asked, seeking clarification.

"Shor' has. Hahlli told me 'erself that T'Lea shouldn't a' been gone this long." Corsair answered.

"Okay, then I've boiled this down to two possibilities," Dynnal began, "either T'lea ran into some unforseen trouble, which would explain why she's never been late before, or she's trying to sneak in some personal time with someone she's met before on these runs."

"What, like a date?"

"That, a hangout, just spitballing possibilities here."

"Given this is tha lowah levels we're talkin' 'bout, I'm inclined ta say it'd be tha former." Corsair responded.

"But a girl her age should have a communicator on hand, shouldn't she?" Meline inquired, joining in on the think tank.

"Yeah. Which is doubly worrisome." Corsair affirmed with a nod. Veering the speeder out of the usual traffic lane, Corsair made for the nearest level access pit; a yawning chasm with seemingly no bottom whatsoever that allowed travellers access to the planet's underworld. The surface of Coruscant, or level 5127, was simply the first of many... and it was a long way down. "The underworld officially starts at level forty-nine ninety-nine," Meline recited, "we'll have a bit of travel time on their hands."

"Ya know, I once spent half a year on thirteen-thirteen." Corsair remarked. "Nearly went blind tha first time I saw tha sun." Dynnal whistled.

"I can't imagine actually living over four-thousand levels down. Can't be easy living down there." He mused.

"Trust me, boyo, it ain't. Be on yor guard, both a' ya. This 'ere's 'bout as serious as it gets. All manner a' nasty folk down 'ere." Corsair told them in a very serious tone.

"I can only pray that T'lea is still alive." Meline softly said, gauging the reality as a mighty sinkhole appeared before them. Her words, while spoken thoughtfully, had Corsair truly wondering about the state of his daughter... and he also hoped that the Force might actually pull off a miracle here.

Maybe it could pull off two, by keeping Meline calm when he revealed the truth behind T'lea's parentage.

One of many vehicles and vessels to dive into the conduit, Corsair skillfully navigated the airspeeder past larger freighters and passenger transports, the vehicle's onboard mapping and positioning system detailing how many levels they had passed as they counted down to T'lea's last reported level. The sunlight above them grew dim, channeled through the steely recess of the conduit entrance. As the numbers wound down and they closed in on their level, Corsair's holocom beeped an alert.

"Check that, luv, might be Talon." He told Meline, passing the device off to her. Triggering the device, Meline was soon face to face with the brunette.

"Corsair?" She wondered, confused.

"He's driving. Keep talking he'll hear you." Meline urged. With a shrug, Talon continued.

"We pinged our contacts, turns out there were civilian reports of a possible kidnapping on that level. We double-checked the available descriptions, matched a handful of goons we've been tracking who work with Zygerrian slavers." Through the Force, Meline felt a pulse of emotion from Dynnal at the mention of the slave-trading race, a mixture of anger and resentment. "With their homeworld being thrown into disarray, many are now turning their operations into solo endeavours, trying to line their pockets. If you're looking for a hybrid who just so happened to be a teenage girl, I can't imagine anything a Zygerrian might like more. In the skintrade, hybrids are highly sought-after due to their complexities and just how unique they can be." Corsair took the information in stride, bound and determined to tear their paws off of... his little girl.

"Sounds like this 'ere's all linin' up with yor theory, boyo." He mused to Dynnal, who stayed silent.

"I'm sending you the data we have on them... and I advise you to be careful, Corsair. Zygerrians aren't taking security measures lightly these days." Talon cautioned.

"I'll keep that in mind. Thanks a bunch, Talon." Corsair replied, Meline terminating the communication in a heartbeat. As soon as the render had faded, she turned towards her son.

"I felt that." Dynnal looked to her, raising his brow slightly. "When she mentioned Zygerrians." She clarified.

"Knee-jerk reaction." He determined.

"Care to tell me why?" His mother pressed, leaning forward as best she could. Slipping from his lounging posture, Dynnal leaned forward.

"Back when Wraith was in control, he was on Zygerria during that whole Kiros colony debacle." He slowly replied, gaze distant and Meline could tell something heavy was on his shoulders. "The things he saw, heard about... I remember them all plain as day." His mother tilted her head, a question in mind.

"And you feel his anger?" She asked.

"Oh, I hate them too, for more than one reason." He admitted. "Ahsoka was there, disguised as a servant. A group of them cornered her and tried to... gang rape her." He had to force himself to get the words out, recalling that awful moment of realization that Wraith had felt. "Wraith stopped them. Tore them apart, literally. They probably would've gotten away with it had he not arrived when he did." He fell silent, his mind suddenly plagued by memories of another lifetime.

"Wanna give us a hand with this skug, super-soldier? I'm sure you've already had a chance with her. Care to show us how to break a Jedi?"

"Before you are defeated, I just want you to know that we few will happily continue what you interrupted." Molec sneered. "Her screams will fill the barracks! And by the time we're done, she will be Zygerrian property without question!" Molec cackled, a ravenous desire in his eyes even as he taunted the super-soldier. He really couldn't wait...

The soft touch of his mother's hand against his head stirred Dynnal from his thoughts. "I-I don't want to kill anyone unless I absolutely have to. But these feelings... Wraith's feelings towards Zygerrians... they're foreign, but they feel... right."

"Do you think you need to remove yourself from this?" She asked. "If you're this emotionally charged, perhaps its best you don't engage with us. You need a clear head before and while you fight." She was right and Dynnal knew it. But the wag of his head was somewhere between confirmation and denial, he himself not knowing what to do.

"I can go on ahead, do some recon. But maybe I'll save the blasting for you and Corsair this time."


The data Talon had for them pinpointed not a single building, but a small block of buildings. Evidently the Birds of Prey had yet to pinpoint where these slavers were operating from, a duty that now fell to him.

Perched on a rooftop, Dynnal paused to let his naked eyes sweep across the cluster of irregularly-shaped buildings. Usually he had a pair of optics and a massive sensor suite to help him pinpoint targets and opportunities. Now he had to rely on little more than instinct and the skills he had been gifted.

His eyes, normal, human, appearing no different from any other set of eyes, had been genetically modified by the Sunstorm serum. Unlike any other human, and unlike most humanoids and near-humans, his eyes contained between two and three times the density of light-sensitive 'visual cells'. All he needed to do was focus and the Rodian he was currently watching went from an aqua-marine figure standing by a door to a figure in such vivid detail and clarity Dynnal might as well have been standing right beside them.

When he told his parents he had a 'birds eye view', he wasn't kidding.

Now it was a simple question of watching for either the slavers or their associates. However, the static Rodian outside the door was a good sign that access to this place was for 'members' only. Though that alone was not nearly enough of an indicator that this was where T'lea was being held. His commlink chirped and he answered,

"Got a Rodian on stand-by outside a door to the northeast. No telling if he's a guard or just waiting for som-... oop, hang on." A Bith suddenly appeared in the alley, approaching the Rodian. They shared a brief conversation in the same language, Huttese Dynnal soon determined, a common trade tongue known by most underworld operatives. Their talk concluded with a shared nod as the Bith entered through the door, the Rodian's black eyes sweeping across the alley to ensure they were still alone. "Yeah, he just let a guy in. Pretty sure you can ambush them if you go through the alley." Dynnal stated into his comms.

"I copy." His mother affirmed before signing off. Slipping the cylindrical device back into his jacket, Dynnal remaining stationary and vigilant as he remained a watchman. Within a few moments, the unmistakable form of Meline Karn strode into the alley, strutting down past the Rodian guard but not before offering him a simple smile and wave that drew his attention. He craned his head to watch her go, obviously somewhat transfixed by the beautiful woman.

His distraction was his downfall as Corsair snuck up behind him and then pressed his Vanguard-model scatterblaster against the back of the Rodian's head, pulling the triggering and painting the wall behind him green with viscera.

The body slumped down and hit the floor as Meline whirled on heel and joined Corsair at the door, taking the lightsaber hilt he offered her. The orange blade was soon ignited and jammed into the door controls, prompting the panel to slide open as Corsair led the way with a blaze of scatterblaster rounds. "Let the party commence." Dynnal mused with a whistle as he watched his parents charge in. Part of him wanted to be in on the action, working side by side with his parents once again. But he reasoned to himself that they needed a set of eyes on the outside. Criminals were tricky, moreso than battle droids, and he needed to be on hand in case something went awry.

At least, that's what he told himself. He knew the real problem; he was an emotional liability should he face a Zygerrian again. Neither he nor his parents knew how he might react, he knew full well how Wraith would react. Whether or not that same response would be channeled through him remained to be seen. If he couldn't control himself in the midst of a firefight, that made him a liability and a risk that needed to be avoided. For now, he leaned back, breathing in and out in a simple exercise Ahsoka had taught him to steady his emotions and better control his Force signature. Taking control of his body was key, as was regulating his thoughts. Silence ticked on in the meantime, the thunderous rounds of his father's scatterblaster intermittent and muffled as his presence grew distant. Dynnal reached out with the Force, feeling a variety of emotions of dozens of individuals; anger, pain, fear, hope, relief.

"Bloody hell, boyo. There's a few dozen in 'ere." Corsair's astounded voice filtered through his commlink. He quickly fished it out.

"Girls?" Dynnal asked, his mind wandering to the usual enslavement policies.

"Both. They're all youngins." Corsair's answer startled him and he drew a few unsavoury conclusion. Why else would someone want to profit off of adolescents of both sexes?

"Kriffing monsters." He swore. "Should I ring up the local authorities?"

"Give us a parsec ta clear out befor' ya do." His father responded, the thoom of his scatterblaster resounding on the other end followed by the strangled cry of a dead enemy.

"Copy." Dynnal affirmed, toggling off as he exhaled heavily. Clearly this was some form of minor slaving operation, Talon's intel on that being pretty much on the mark. But he took no solace in that, for the notion that other Zygerrians running their own cells were attempting to replace what Wraith and the Republic had crushed on their homeworld sickened him. How many others were on Coruscant? Operating under everyone's noses just like this? And who knew how many high-ranking politicians might be involved, even famous ones? He snorted at the idea that Padme Amidala could one day be brought up on charges of slavery. It was very unlike the woman, but imagine of such an admired Senator was found guilty of the very things she decried...

His commlink chirped again, the frantic voice of his mother coming through. "We got a runner! That furball's taken off with T'lea!" She exclaimed.

"Stang! Which way?" Dynnal quickly asked,

"Northwest, I think." That was good enough for him. If he aimed northwest, it was only a slight shift to the north or west to compens.

"Moving to intercept." His commlink slid back into his jacket and he withdrew his blaster form its holster. Charging the cell, Dynnal's stepped to the edge of the rooftop before frontflipping forward, executing a perfect somersault to the lower rooftop below him. He rolled to his feet and sprinted to the left corner, pausing as he reached out with the Force in anticipation of the Zygerrian's arrival. He realized now who he would be up against and took another breath to steady himself, silently planning out in his head what a desperate sleemo might do with a hostage as he planned to counter him.

A door below suddenly burst open, accompanied by the cries of a young woman. Below, Dynnal spied a Zygerrian in common robes holding a Twi'lek to his chest with one arm, forcibly carrying her out as she struggled fiercely. True to Hahlli's picture, T'lea was definitely a hybrid with mottle purple-tan skin and long brown hair that almost hid her twin lekku. Once the Zygerrian had made his way into the street, Dynnal fired a few scattered rounds by his feet to draw his attention, hopping down from the rooftop with his pistol gripped in both hands like the military did.

"Not another step!" He barked, gaze hardening as he offered the fleeing mongrel no quarter. The slaver made a show of holding T'Lea at knifepoint.

"Don't take another step! I'll cut her! I'll do it!" The Zygerrian threatened. Dynnal believed him and slowed, but kept his aim trained on the furry slaver. "This little skug is mine and no one is going to take her from me." He hissed through his teeth, clutching T'lea in a sharp grip as she struggled to free herself.

"Let go of me!" She cried, twisting and churning against his single-armed hold. Dynnal said nothing, watching, waiting, timing the pattern of T'lea's flailing movements. He had a target in mind, he just needed to wait.

"She's got a name, you know." He chose to say.

"You speak as if I care." The Zygerrian scoffed. Dynnal's gaze narrowed.

"Her mom cares." He said in a low voice. At that, T'lea paused for a moment, perking her head up. This guy, whom she'd never met before, knew her mother? "I care. Ever occur to you that every being you sell into slavery has a family who cares?" Dynnal pressed the slaver, his voice rising in pitch and sharpness in reflection of his rising emotions. "Of course not. You're too self-obsessed to do so." His words came out in a growl, unpleasant memories clouding his senses. Suddenly realizing they would only get in the way of his objective, Dynnal paused and let the Force channel his emotions into his thoughts and actions, transforming him from being one-side into a perpetual cycle of thought and action. "I know the reason why you want her... allow me to remove that reason." T'lea's hip and legs had shifted. He had a clear shot.

"What re-" The Zygerrian was cut off by his own shriek as a blaster bolt slammed into the area between his legs, melting flesh and charring the rest. He dropped T'lea and his knife, grasping his loins and the scorch mark in his pants as he doubled over in agony. The young Twi'lek was quick to scurry over to Dynnal.

"Thank you." She breathed in a shaky voice, clinging to him as he slipped a protective arm around her, keeping his pistol trained on the slaver. "Thank you thank you thank you." She repeated, breathing heavily as the rush of adrenaline died down.

"It's okay. You're safe now." He promised. Dynnal reached out with the Force, probing his surroundings. He turned only when he heard the same door open and felt the presences of his parents. He slowly turned with T'lea, blaster lowered but arm still crooked just in case he needed to strike someone.

Corsai breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of T'lea secure by Dynnal. If only he knew he was protecting his half-sister... "Nice work, boyo." He complimented, jogging over with Meline right behind him. Her lightsaber was unlit but the hilt was firmly in hand. His son passed T'lea over, before turning back to the whimpering Zygerrian with a glower.

"I'm not done yet." He said in a hard tone. Sliding open the receptacle of his blaster, Dynnal ejected the half-charged cell and slid in a fresh one drawn from his belt, a cell marked with a red stripe; the universal sign of a plasma additive. Taking aim at the collapsed Zygerrian, his weapon charged up and Dynnal fired a single shot that struck the Zygerrian between the eyes. The ensuing shockwave pitched his body across the ground, sending it rolling before he slowed to a halt, a charred, blackened skull all that remained of his face. "That should summon the authorities." He mused, slotting his blaster back into its holster. Corsair and Meline shared a brief look before their focus was back on T'lea.

"You alright, sweetie? Any damages?" Corsair wondered in a clam voice, crouching lower to be eye-level with her.

"No, I'm better now." The hybrid responded with a slight shake of her head. Corsair fixed her brown eyes with an understanding look, and briefly looked to see if any of him could be seen.

"I'll bet that was scary, wasn't it?" Meline wondered, dropping down beside her husband.

"Yeah. It was." T'lea admitted. "The things he said he was gonna do to us..." She trailed off and the Karns could only imagine.

"None a' tha's comin' ta pass." Corsair promised. "Yor gonna be fine now, yor mum's waitin' on ya." T'lea nodded as Meline pulled her close, slowly carting the girl back the way they came. Corsair straightened up and Dynnal tugged him close.

"What are the odds this guy had cohorts? Other bases?" He hissed.

"One thing's fo' shor', I ain't waitin' fo' tha damn Senate ta do somethin' 'bout it." Corsair replied in understanding. "Lemme comm Talon, tell 'er ta light up some similar sites."


Later...

Hahlli was overjoyed to see T'lea again. So much so that she ordered one of her staff to take over the bar while she led her daughter and the Karns to her home. A short corridor through a locked door marked Staff Only led them through several more doors before they opened up to reveal a small apartment, just big enough to contain the necessary amenities for two occupants. Caf was quickly brewed as T'lea settled back into her home, wishing to not go anywhere or do anything for a while. Everyone could understand her reasoning.

"Thank you all so very much. Without you I can only imagine what might've happened to her." Hahlli pressed.

"As much as I'd like to say it's all in a days work for us, this one was special. You are most welcome, Hahlli." Meline replied.

"I managed ta sic some a' my contacts on similah locations. Hopefully, they'll take tha skin tradah down a few mor' pegs." Corsair told her.

"Good riddance." Hahlli remarked as she poured several cups full to the brim. "How is it they can feel no shame in doing such horrible things to young ones?"

"Zygerrian culture." Dynnal mused in a quiet voice. "It's how they're raised, their society has always been like this." T'lea turned to him.

"You seem to know a lot about Zygerrians." She commented. Dynnal turned to her with a smile.

"I spent a few days there, freed some slaves." He replied. It was half-true. Slaves had been freed but he hadn't done so, Wraith had, and he wasn't acting alone. But T'lea didn't know that and her eyes shone.

"Really?" She wondered, leaning forward and very keen on hearing more.

"Sure did. Even met an undercover Jedi along the way." Dynnal took a sip of his caf, which was really half caf and half cream, before he stood. "Come on, I'll tell you all about it." T'lea excitedly followed him, leaving their parents to talk. They watched them go, moving into the living room as Dynnal recounted a very patchwork-version of Wraith's mission to Zygerria.

"He sure seems to have a way with kids." Hahlli thoughtfully mused."Do you think he'll want some of his own one day?" She wondered.

"Tha way 'e an' 'is girlfriend 'ave been kriffin', they're bound ta whether they're plannin' to or not!" Corsair remarked with a hearty chuckle. Meline couldn't help but smile. In the few private talks she'd had with her son, it was made clear that because he never had a proper childhood he held a soft spot for children who deserved to grow up and enjoy their innate innocence for as long as possible. She had no doubt Dynnal would make a great father one day, determined to give his own children what Meline and Corsair could not while the Separatists had robbed him of it.

"I can almost hear the pitter-patter of little feet now." She mused, envisioning what Togruta-human hybrid grandchildren might look like. Meline took a moment to study the layout of Hahlli's kitchen, her and Corsair seated at an island that was situated between the wall cupboards before them and the dining table behind them. To their left was the living area, a few couches and a generously sized holoscreen, obviously bought with her earnings from managing the bar next door. She looked around the homely space and realized Hahlli had done well for herself in spite of her husband's abrupt removal from her life. "Did your ex have any idea that you were pregnant when you two divorced?" She curiously asked, not expecting an answer for something so personal. But Hahlli merely shrugged.

"If he did, he left no indication." She simply stated. While her body language indicated passivity, Meline's Force abilities allowed her to read her racing thoughts and grow a little more insightful.

"Either way, I'm sure her father would be happy to know his little girl is out of harms way." She said, both Hahlli and Corsair nodding in agreement. Pausing for a moment, Meline then took Corsair's hand in her own. "Scratch that, I know her father is real happy to know she's out of harms way." She reiterated. Corsair could feel her eyes boring into him and the shift in tone was one that seemed far more direct than normal. He turned to his wife, the redhead fixing him with a look that was worryingly knowing.

"Uh..." He mumbled, trying to figure out what was going on with her. Meline maintained her passive expression, tilting her head to the side as she eyed her husband.

"You're terrible at concealing your thoughts." She flatly stated. Corsair suddenly pieced everything together and his eyes widened slightly.

She knew.

Hahlli didn't clue in just yet and cocked her head in confusion. "What do you...?"

"Hahlli, I used to be a Jedi. I still have the Force and I still know how to use it." Meline said simply, continuing the oncversation in a low voice so as not to be heard by Dynnal or T'lea. "I heard every word of your conversation before Corsair left the bar and I could read every single thought that crossed his mind." She explained, causing Hahlli's eyes to widen as fear pulsed through her. Her emotional reaction was not unlike a child caught in a lie. Meline then turned to Corsair, her expression stil simplistic and indicative of nothing. "I felt your fear, your worry, your concern and your stress. I know T'lea is the daughter of you and Hahlli." The words were like a dagger tearing the charade wide open and both Corsair and Hahlli knew the truth was made known.

Across the floor, Dynnal felt a sudden spike in emotion that forced him to momentarily halt his storytelling. It was anger, slow, simple, yet burning bright in the Force. And for some strange reason it was coming from his mother. He paused, sparing a glance towards the conversing adults before he shook it off and continued to describe to T'lea who Ahsoka Tano was. He'd ask his mother later.

"Guess we bettah spill tha beans, Hahl. Tha whole can." Corsair mused with a sigh as his shoulders rolled up and down. The feelings rolling off Hahlli were simple; discouragement, worry, regret. Her gaze was downcast, the vivid sparkle from T'lea's return replaced with a cloud that Meline couldn't quite place. She waited passively and resisted the urge to drum her fingers against the island countertop.

"It was... one night. Calm, pretty quiet. Cory came in and he was in a sorry state." The Twi'lek began. "I'd seen him a few times after you went missing and... I know he doesn't emote all that often. When he does, it's usually important to him someway somehow." Meline arched a brow, realizing Hahlli had very good insight into her husband's mannerisms.

"I'd jus' finished wit' my last lead on findin' ya. Turned up empty. I didn't know what else ta do, other 'an get myself a drink." Corsair continued. "Ya know I can't get drunk. Jus' needed somethin' ta burn me up."

"So... he tells me what's happening and I can see he's hurting. I had just gotten divorced and, well, I invited him back here to maybe just talk like we used to when we were together." Hahlli said, picking up the story. Meline noted she was doing the majority of the conversing, possibly to ensure Corsair did not receive the blunt of her reaction. "We keep talking and it is just like old times. Then I'm... starting to feel all fuzzy from drinking and figure... I could use a man. And he could use a woman." Her admission was said in the lowest of tones, quiet, sheepish, possibly even ashamed.

"So... it was your idea." Meline determined. Hahlli nodded, accepting the blame.

"I went along, my mind was jus'... somewhere else that night." Corsair continued. He exhaled heavily, staring in disinterest at his caf simply because he didn't want to look up.

"And because of that... absentmindness, T'lea was born." Hahlli nodded again.

"Neither of us thought anything would come of it. But I was... so very surprised to find out I was two weeks along one day." The Twi'lek said. "Corsair was busy with the Titans then, I didn't see him the entire time I carried her. Even after she was born it was a good year or two before he swung by again."

"Those were busy times." Corsair agreed. "Dartin' all ovah the Outah Rim on jobs."

"So when you say you had no idea, you had no idea." Meline said, slowly piecing things together. Corsair shook his head.

"Not 'til tahday." He responded. They both stayed silent for a moment until Hahlli picked up again.

"Well... that's it." She said simply. Left with the facts, Meline leaned back and fixed the two guilty parties with a simple, assessive look. Condemnation was far from her mind at the moment, but their actions were still cause for the burning she felt in the pit of her stomach. She felt awfully conflicted, part of her wanted to lash out and tear a strip off of them both. But deep down, beneath the smouldering anger, she felt as if that wasn't right. Corsair finally turned to her, his good eye soft and devoid of emotion.

"Well?" He wondered, as if trying to urge her to get it over with. Meline offering only a heavy sigh in response.

"I dunno, Cory. I don't know what to feel." She confessed. "Mad? Maybe. Disappointment? More likely." She described, shrugging with each conflicting emotion. Corsair knew he was in the pit, his mind promptly conjuring another explanation.

"Two years a' lookin'. Two years a' hopin'. Two long bloody years a' nothin'!" He described, recalling those days of hurt and anguish when he was nearly driven mad trying to find the woman he loved with all his heart. "I tried ta find ya, luv. I tried everythin', lookin' everywhere! I didn't know what tha Jedi'd done ta ya. I hit low, tha lowest I could get." To Meline, it sounded more like an excuse.

"And I was fresh off a divorce." Hahlli added, chipping in. "I... I thought we could both sleep off the hurt, at least to function a little better in the morning. Believe me, Meline, when I say I had no intention of hurting your marriage. I still don't! Corsair loves you and... a-and in the fourteen years that followed, he and I never once did it again. I swear, we haven't!" The fact that she should be so supportive of him, her co-conspirator, Meline wanted to marvel but it just made her burn a little fiercer.

"An' I ain't been wit' anothah woman. Evah." Corsair quickly added, trying to offer some assurance that might assuage her feelings. "I know I make poor choices, most a' mine 'ave been since I could think fo' myself. I know I shoulda said no, I know I shoulda been true t'ya. But... I wasn't. An' I'm sorry." Meline stared at her husband for a moment, dwelling on his penitent words. At least he had the guts to own up to his wrongs.

"I'm not trying to excuse what we did. But... I am sorry, Meline. I had no intention of being a culprit in martial unfaithfulness." Hahlli added, voicing her own apology. Knowing now that it was her turn, Meline tried to figure out how to handle the ball in her court.

"As much as I'm inclined to say that there's no way this sort of thing just 'happened', it almost sounds like that's exactly the case." She began, simply trying to feel her way around the situation and get a grip for herself. "I feel like I should be mad at you, Cory, for trying for just two years before giving up and going to bed with another woman." She remarked.

"I didn't give up, babe! I needed ta cool my jets, wait fo' a fresh lead ta open up." Corsair adamantly responded. "Trust me, I-I wasn't tryin' ta move on. I wasn't even thinkin' 'bout goin' fo' a lay. Tha's jus' kinda how things wound up goin'." Meline paused, let his words sink in and waited for the silence to be unbearable.

"I feel like I should be mad," she began again as if to repeat herself, "but you did spend two years trying to find me first." She added. "Did you know that the average man, after his wife's death's, goes for just six days before he absolutely craves a womanly touch? The average woman can go about six months before that becomes a must." Her facts were valid, basic yet well-founded, and seemed to relieve a bit of the tension.

"I wasn't tryin' ta start ovah without ya, babe." Corsair earnestly confessed.

"And I wasn't trying to replace you." Hahlli quickly added.

"I... I know." Meline said slowly, trying to figure herself out. "I feel as though I should be mad. But, for a one off, and never looking back... at least... oh, kriffing Force..." She grumbled, closing her eyes and rubbing her temples as her sentence fell apart and she tried to gather her thoughts again. Opening her eyes, she fixed them both with the same prying gaze. "Just one time."

"Just one time." They both repeated simultaneously, a quick probe with the Force proving them both truthful. Meline took a breath, now securing her position as she used the Force to cool her emotions and assemble the pieces of this puzzle.

"I'm... not entirely sure about forgiveness. I know that's what I should offer, but... I'm just not there yet." She told them both. "What I can give you both is acceptance." She then added, registering the sudden perk of their emotions through the Force. "I get it, Cory. You were running out of hope. How was I supposed to know you and Dynnal were still alive? The last I saw you were battling Master Krell, I was I supposed to know you weren't killed in the process? Same could be said of you." She reasoned, coming to terms with the half of her that felt anger was not the ideal course to pursue. "So long as you're being truthful with me and saying you've only slept around this one time-"

"An' I am. I promise!" Corsair quickly and readily vowed.

"Then... I can accept the fact that this was somewhat by accident." Meline mused and she felt both of them relax a little. "But you and I, mister I-can't-get-drunk, need to talk." She added, leveling a finger at course as she prepared to deal with the angry part of her. "You were fully capable of making logical decisions and you chose to spend a night with a woman when you weren't divorced. Separated, but still legally bound by marriage." She could feel her anger creeping back into her voice and Meline paused, closing her eyes and letting her feelings abate as the Force washed over her. "I don't even want to know if you kept your ring on." She added under her breath.

"I'm sorry, Meline. Really, I am." Corsair mumbled, nervously toying with the golden band on his left hand. Opening her eyes, Meline reached out and guided Corsair's face towards hers.

"I believe you." She replied. Offering not forgiveness, just belief. With a tilt of her head, she gestured towards the living room. "You better put in some overtime, hun. That girl needs a daddy. She needs her daddy." Corsair nodded, he couldn't agree more.

"Now we gotta tell 'em." He mused, casting a glance in the direction of the kids.

"How do you wanna go about that?" Hahlli wondered. Before either of them could proffer a solution, Dynnal rose and returned to the kitchen with two empty caf mugs. He cast a sideways glance towards his mother, sensing the anger low and quiet, but still simmering beneath the surface. "Want some more?" Hahlli sweetly asked, stirring him from his wonderings.

"No, thank you. Perfectly delicious, though." Dynnal replied.

"Enjoying the company of your sister?" Meline kindly inquired. Dynnal nodded.

"Yeah, T'lea's al-" He stopped suddenly, jerking his head back towards his parents as he fixed them with a confused look, finally catching his mother's use of sister. "Wait, my whatnow?"


Elsewhere, at the Jedi Temple...

With her report from Onderon complete, Ahsoka stood back as the Jedi Council assessed her situation.

"Feeling well, you are?" Grand Master Yoda inquired.

"Pretty sure a good bacta bath can cure this." Ahsoka replied, gesturing to the bandages around her shoulder. "As for Onderon... I guess I'm still coming to terms with it."

"It certainly seemed like a rather wild ride." Obi-Wan agreed. "Have you and Anakin spoken yet?"

"Not yet, Master. I... plan to do so later today." Ahsoka slowly responded.

"And do you know what you'll say to him?" Mace wondered, his glowering stare as stern as ever. Ahsoka swallowed nervously.

"I'm going to apologize for what I said. I let my emotions get the better of me and guide me. I didn't mean all that." She quietly answered.

"I believe you meant some, but not all of it." Shaak concurred. "However, there is still the issue of back-talking your master. Again."

"I'm gonna go out on a limb and assume I'm gonna be doing something for the next while?" Ahsoka assumed, having anticipated and braced herself for discipline well in advance of this meeting.

"It is the decision of this Council that you learn from your mistakes, but also know that your choice of words are not without consequence." Mace stated.

"You shall therefore be responsible for chaperoning the next Gathering." Stass informed her. Ahsoka's gaze suddenly brightened as she perked up at the term.

"There's another one coming up?" She asked.

"Indeed. Leave for Illum tomorrow, you will." Yoda answered her. The Togruta briefly reflected on that. It would mean getting to board the Crucible and see Master Huyang again. Her mind was immediately flooded with memories from her own Gathering, remembering the moment she held her green crystal for the first time then comparing hers with Myri's blue one. She remembered getting to build her lightsaber, Master Huyang singling her out for an example in saber construction as she formed the image of a smooth hilt to help her be flexible and versatile when using it. A smile soon appeared on her features and did not go unnoticed by the Council.

"Something amuses you, Ahsoka?" Shaak inquired curiously. They could all sense her emotions at the moment, which were soon confirmed when Ahsoka looked up and maintained her smile.

"All due respect, Masters, but I think I'm going to enjoy this discipline." She simply answered, more than willing to join in on another Gathering.


Author's Note: Special thanks to The Epsilon Commander for the use of his OC Talon! Wanna get in on the action yourself? Our Discord server is wide open for business! Regular insanity 24/7 guaranteed! Join us here: discord. gg/e3rMUgm9BQ

Now, I'm pretty sure you all know what chapter's coming next... time for me to go watch another episode or two!