Post 10

Jade looked over and smiled at her husband when he wrapped his hand around hers. Inside she was cringing. Every time he had touched her she had fought down a wave of nausea, but apparently it hadn't shown because he hadn't asked her if anything was wrong. He had talked casually about his trip throughout dinner and she had feigned interest but all she could picture when he talked was the slaves from his file. They were burned into her retinas now and she wondered
if they would ever go away.

They finished eating and Jade moved to clear things off the table when Bela stopped her.

"Leave it. Someone else can get it." He told her quietly. Standing up he pulled her into his embrace and kissed her forehead. "I have to leave tomorrow and I want to spend some time with you." He kissed her gently, threading his hands through her hair and Jade allowed herself to give in.

/____________________________________\

Kyp was sitting in the middle of the bed going over the info Iella had given him when his comm went off. Without looking away from his work, he reached over to pick it up and turned it on.

"Durron."

"Honey, where did you put the shampoo?"

Kyp closed his eyes and tried to restrain his laughter. "Cute, sweetheart. Are you bored already?" He asked Fel as he turned the datapad off and fell back onto the bed. Truth be told he was bored himself. Not that he wanted this to be an action packed assignment. But he and Fel usually entertained each other and, not to make them sound like an old married couple, they usually weren't away from each other that much. He was used to them sitting on the couch most
nights and watching some sporting event. Or watching some stupid action movie and telling each other how their day went. Come to think of it, they did sound like an old married couple.

"Hardly." Fel retorted.

"We really need to get lives, Jag."

"Yeah. I was just thinking that." The younger man responded. "How did your first day go?" Jag asked. Kyp could hear him rummaging around through the comm.

"Lovely. Just lovely."

Jag chuckled. "That good?"

"Well, it could have been worse. I got to sit through an agonizingly long, mind numbing meeting of the ambassador's today. Then I got to deal an overgrown hutt posing as head of security for the Senator, who is doing a lousy job of protecting the said senator's wife. And to top it all off, the senator is home two days early, so I got to spring my new job on him too."

Kyp could almost picture Jag raising an eyebrow at his tirade and chuckled.

"Well, hell. That's a good day." Jag threw back and Kyp's eyes shot open. Sitting up he moved over to the side of the bed and stood up.

"What happened?" He asked as he stared out the window at the city skyline. There was something in the tone of his friend's voice that made him uneasy.

"One of the Wampas decided to set of a stink bomb in a classroom." Jag informed him.

"That doesn't sound that bad, unless it was in the mess hall. Of course that would cover the smell of the food."

Kyp heard a chuckle, but had a feeling it wasn't in the mess hall. He waited a moment and when Jag didn't volunteer the location, he took a guess.

"Your classroom, huh."

"Yep."

"How many showers have you taken?"

"Not enough." Jag growled and Kyp let out a whoop of laughter. After his laughter died down, he waited for Jag to say what he had really called for. When his roommate said nothing he sighed.

"So what's really wrong?" Kyp asked, knowing that unless he pushed Jag wouldn't volunteer any info.

"Jaina stopped by tonight. She was looking for you."

Kyp cursed. "I forgot to let her know what happened. Was she mad?"

A chuckle met Kyp's ears. "At first, but she came around eventually. We even managed to be in the same room and not kill each other."

"Well, miracles do exist."

"Iella wants to set me up with someone she knows." Jag threw at him.

"What?! Like a date?" Kyp turned his back to the window and hoped he hadn't heard Jag correctly.

"Yeah. A date. You know what normal people do."

"We're hardly normal Jag."

"Normal is relative, don't you think?" Jag offered his friend.

Kyp sat down on the edge of the bed and sighed. "Yeah, so is sanity. Both of us are blessed with neither one of those things. You gonna do it?"

Jag hesitated before he answered. "I think I am. I have to move on Kyp. She's never going to let herself be happy and I don't want to be like that for the rest of my life." He answered quietly.

"I know."

/____________________________________\

Bela was gone by the time Kyp made it downstairs the next morning, not that he was complaining. The man gave him a bad vibe, his side job not withstanding. He stopped in Jade's office and waited for her to finish what she was writing before he spoke.

"May I?" He gestured to the chair in front of her small desk. She smiled slightly and nodded, so he settled himself into the chair.

"Did you have more questions?" She asked as she kept on working. He hesitated for a moment, something felt off with her this morning. The ambassador was not feeling like the happy go lucky person he had met yesterday. Filing that information away for later perusal, he cleared his throat and started talking.

"Yeah, I had a few more questions about security." She nodded again, and he rolled his eyes. It was like sitting across from Jaina. "I noticed that Edward usually assigns Jared Obath as your sentry. Why is that?"

"You should probably ask Edward that." Came her short reply. Kyp raised an eyebrow at her comment. What the sith? Had he been sucked into a wormhole last night?

"That may be, but I'm asking you." He told her, keeping the annoyance out of his voice. Or so he thought.

"Master Durron, I can't speak for Edward as to what he's thinking when he assigns his guards to their duties. As I suggested, you would probably get a more satisfactory answer if you asked him yourself." She told him dismisedly. Kyp blinked a couple of times then shook his head in confusion.

"Am I in the same house?" That finally got a response. She finally looked up and make eye contact with him.

"Excuse me?" Jade answered icily.

That was more like it. At this point he'd take any emotion, even if it was this.

"You're a little snippy today. Any particular reason for that?" He ventured bravely. It wasn't like she could fire him.

Her eyes widened at his audacity and she was actually speechless for a minute. Still not answering him, she reached over and hit a button on her desk. Looking back down at her work, Kyp waited to see what she had just done. The door behind him opened and in stepped a young man. If Kyp had to guess, it was Jared.

"Jared, Master Durron has some questions about security that need answered. Can you take care of that for me please." It wasn't a question, but the young man didn't blink, just rolled his eyes and sighed.

"Sure." He answered and jerked his head back towards the door at Kyp. Wordlessly, the master followed and as soon as the door shut behind them he turned
to the man.

"Did I just miss something?" He asked.

"Nope. I'll explain it in a minute. Let's go to the security office, Edward isn't here today." Kyp nodded and followed Jared down the hall to the other side of the house. They entered a medium sized room that was filled on one side with monitors. Practically every inch of the house and the surrounding grounds was monitored every second of the day. The room was empty except for the two of them and Kyp followed the other man over to a table that sat facing
the monitors. Taking the seat next to Jared, Kyp waited for an explanation. He didn't have to wait long.

"She's been like this since a little before the shooting. She'll be perfectly content one day and the next day she bites your head off." Jared offered, not meeting Kyp's eyes, but staring at the monitors.

"Why?"

"If I had to guess, I'd say it's the Senator. These episodes always happen after he's been home."

"Explain, please." Kyp told the young man.

"Not sure I can. I just know that about three months ago, something happened that changed her. It wasn't something good either." He added the last part quietly. Kyp said nothing, getting the feeling the young man had been waiting for someone with whom he could talk.

"I've worked for Senator Mnaa for two years and I have to be honest with you. I don't like the man. He seems nice enough, but he just rubs me the wrong way. I mean, if I was married to someone like Jade, I sure as hell wouldn't be running all over doing Force knows what all over the galaxy."

"He's a senator, that's what they do." Kyp offered.

"Not all of them. He could just as easily work from here. He doesn't have to take nearly the amount of trips that he does. He chooses to work off planet."

"Why do you think that is?" Kyp asked.

"I've heard rumors."

"About?" Kyp prompted.

"Some of the senator's extracurricular activities. The rest of the guards don't really talk to me much, I'm an outsider. I wasn't picked by the Senator, but by Jade so therefore my loyalty is suspect to them."

"Who are you loyal to?" There was a veritable spice mine of information here that no one had bothered to ask this young man about.

Finally, Jared turned to face Kyp. He searched the master's eyes for a moment before he answered. "Jade."

Kyp started to say something and he stopped him. "And before you go off on some weird tangent about it being unhealthy to be attracted to my boss's wife, that's not an issue."

Raising an eyebrow at the young man's comment, Kyp felt a smile creep onto his face.

"That's what Edward tried to tell me. That I was too focused on the ambassador and that it was going to get me in trouble. Truth is, I do like Jade, but just as a friend. We're the same age and I don't really know anyone on this planet. She has been nothing but nice to me since I started working here and I appreciate it more than she'll ever know. We have a lot in common too, seeing as how we are from the same planet."

"That makes sense." Kyp responded. "Still doesn't answer my question though."

"Which one?" Jared joked. "About Jade or about Edward?"

"Let's answer the Edward one first, then the other." He suggested.

"Fair enough. Edward doesn't like me. One because of what I mentioned before, my loyalties. Two, I simply think he doesn't like me because I'm not under his thumb like the rest of them are. I don't blindly follow his orders and he hates that. I honestly think he assigned me to Jade's detail as punishment. Even though that's the farthest thing from punishment I can think of."

Kyp nodded, more to himself than Jared. "That would make sense with the impression I got of him. Though he deferred to her in something the other day I don't think he was happy about it."

"That sounds about right. As far as Jade goes…" Jared rubbed his eyes with one hand and sat forward in the chair. "Something happened with Bela. I think she found out something he was doing and isn't happy about it." He told him softly.

Iella had said that they were fairly certain no one knew that Jade had found anything out. Was it possible she was wrong? Or was Jared just really good at figuring things out?

"Like what?" Kyp pressed.

"You know something, don't you? You're not just here because of the shooting." Kyp hesitated to answer him. "The room isn't bugged, if that's what you're afraid of. I check it daily." At Kyp's look of surprise, Jared chuckled. "I like to think I have a healthy dose of paranoia."

Kyp pursed his lips, debating on if he should tell him or not.

"I can't help protect her if I don't know. You're a jedi, can't you tell if I'm lying?" Jared asked.

Closing his eyes, Kyp probed the young man gently and found that he was telling the truth. He genuinely was worried about Jade. Sighing he came to a decision.

"Bela is suspected of being involved in a slave trading ring. The ambassador came across information that proves it."

Jared let out a string of curses and Kyp chuckled. It was obvious the guard had her best interests at heart, so at least he'd been right about that. He just wondered if Iella would kill him for telling the young man everything. He might have to ask her that soon. It would help to have someone else to help with the ambassador.

"So, as far as Jade goes, I shouldn't take her demeanor this morning personally?" Kyp asked, steering the conversation back to productive ground.

"Yeah. She's just blowing off steam. If she did find something like that, she's not going to go to her family or anyone else for that matter. She tends to take care of things herself, doesn't like to ask for help."

"She already established that." Kyp added dryly.

"Jade is the kind of person who takes care of everyone else and doesn't think about herself. I think what you experienced this morning, is her separating herself from her emotions. That way she doesn't have to deal with them. She doesn't do it often, but when she does it's not pretty."

Kyp snorted. "I know a few people like that. I think I should be able to handle her."

A smile lit up Jared's face at Kyp's comment. "I think you'll do just fine Master Durron."

/____________________________________\

Planet XXXX
A few days later…

Gosse Iall glared at his counterpart, then turned to commence his pacing of the room.

"You're worrying too much Gosse. I told you I would take care of it." Bela assured him from where he sat at the desk in his hotel room. He had just completed his scheduled meeting with the planet mayors and was now trying to reassure Senator Iall that he had everything under control. Iall was apparently not satisfied though.

"Yes, you keep saying that." The man snapped back. Bela rolled his eyes and continued to work. He had a buy to make in a couple of days and was working on a few more for the near future. He just wanted Gosse to leave so he could have some quiet.

"And yet you still keep worrying about it. I'm not sure what I can say to convince you at this point."

"When it actually happens, I'll be convinced."

Bela looked up at him and shot him a glare of his own. "You do realize, that even with my pushing, the bill won't be ratified until a few months at least. If you're going to be this much of a pain in the ass for that long I may have to kill you." He didn't bother to hide the satisfied smirk that came to his face as the other man's head snapped over to look at him, eyes wide in surprise.

If Iall didn't have resources that were vital to his trading he would have never given the man the time of day, but it was one of the sacrifices you made in this business. Putting up with people you didn't like. Hell, both his jobs required that. As it stood, he needed the man's cooperation and this was the only way he would get it.

In exchange for helping to push through a bill that would make it easier for Gosse to keep slaves on his planet, he would provide Shaw with a new source of merchandise. Bela had worded the bill so deeply in gibberish and minute detail that it would take a long time for anyone to realize what it actually allowed. If anyone ever realized it at all, that is.

Bela looked at his chrono and turned off the datapad he was working on.

"Look, stop worrying about things. It will all be taken care of. I've never let you down before, and I'm not going to start now." He told the man as he corralled him towards the door. Gosse huffed, but finally left. Bela dragged his hand over his mouth and sighed. It was about time he left. He had a call to make and didn't really want an audience.

Walking over to the comm station, he sat down and put the number in. After a few moments, a face popped up and he smiled.

"You called." She said breathlessly.

"I told you I would."

"I know, but it always seems like something comes up and you can't." The woman responded. "You're still coming here in a few weeks, aren't you?"

He nodded and she smiled at him.

"Good. I miss you."

"I miss you too."

/____________________________________\

Jade sighed and closed her eyes, continuing her constant search for the peace that was so elusive for her in the last few days. Every visit from Bela sent her world in a tailspin and she couldn't seem to recover anymore. Pulling her legs up to her chest, she wrapped her arms around them and rested her chin on her knees. It was quiet tonight. Well, as quiet as Coruscant could get. The house wasn't close to any major air lanes, but she could still hear the steady hum of speeders from the back porch.

She was sitting in her favorite place in her garden. For security reasons, Bela had vetoed her idea for a full garden, arguing that it would have given someone too many places to hide. She had given up the argument, but eventually had convinced him to give her a small section of the back porch to cultivate. Most of her flowers were waist high or lower and not as thickly planted as she would have liked, but she had taken what she could get. Having limited space, she had planted the most fragrant of her favorites and placed them in a circle like arrangement complete with a small fountain and some smaller privacy hedges. She now sat in the middle of that circle, letting the sounds and smells drift over her. It helped a little.

The door swooshed open behind her and she sighed again. She was doing that a lot lately. He came over and sat down next to her, stretching his legs out in front of him and leaning back on his hands. Niether one of them spoke. He didn't want to break the silence, but eventually he did.

"You were kinda mean to Master Durron." He told her quietly. Jade said nothing, just opened her eyes and looked up at the stars above them. "He's only here to help." He added.

"I know."

"Which part?" He joked and she looked at him out of the side of her eyes and glared. Jared chuckled and tilted his head to the sky also.

"I know I was a hag to him. I'll apologize."

"Before he dies of old age?"

"I'm going to tell him you said he was old." She threw back. He looked over to see a smile creep onto her face. Her smile had been absent since Bela had left.

"You've got no proof, so I'm not worried."

They lapsed into silence again, allowing her thoughts to drift. She had not started their working relationship off on the right foot. How could she expect him to protect her when she wasn't being very likeable?

"I got the invitation for the Ambassador's ball in the mail today." She told him, and laughed when he groaned. The ball was an annual event that was just an excuse to party and be seen, but pretty much required attendence. They both hated the event, but usually Jared didn't have to go since Bela went. She wondered if she could actually stand going with her husband this year. Normally, she loved it just because she got to dance. It was something her mother had made she and her brother learn when they had been growing up and the older she got, the more she liked it. It was also one of the things Bela indulged her in, so she took advantage of it.

"I should make you go this year, just for fun." She told him as they stood up and she brushed her pants off.

"I'm so glad I can provide some entertainment for you." He mumbled and she laughed over her shoulder at him. When she made it into the house and turned around she saw Kyp and stopped, making Jared nearly plow into her and making her laugh even harder. Jared smirked when he noticed Kyp's frown deepen. Interesting. He thought to himself. Surely that wasn't what he thought it was.

"Master Durron, I wonder if I might have a word with you in my office." She asked him, a smile still gracing her face. He nodded, but didn't move as she walked up the stairs to her office. Kyp looked over at Jared, confusion etched on his face and the young man shrugged. "Women." He mouthed to the jedi, then turned to go down the hall that led to the security office. Kyp's gaze went back to the stairs and he shook his head slightly.

"I'm going crazy. That's the only explanation." He told himself quietly as he took the stairs two at a time and came to the doorway. She wasn't sitting at her desk though. Jade was sitting in the window seat and looked up when he entered. Giving him another smile, she motioned for him to sit at the other end of the seat and then looked back outside.

He sat quietly, but kept his back to the window. She looked over at him and cleared her throat.

"I'm sorry for the way I treated you a few days ago. Wait, that's not right. For the way I've treated you for the last three days total." She told him quietly. Kyp just nodded, not sure where this was going.

"I have no excuse and I'm a little ashamed of my behavior." She continued, her voice holding just a hint of insecurity.

"Well, it's not like things aren't stressful for you right now." He offered, not sure why he was making excuses for her. He understood for the most part, but it still annoyed him that she had done it. For some reason he had thought she was going to be different.

"It still doesn't justify what I did." Jade said, tucking a wayward tress of hair behind her ear. She was looking down in her lap at her hands and he took the opportunity to study her. He would have to have been dead to not see she was a beautiful woman. Her hair was down today and the auburn curls covered her shoulder like a blanket, ending just above her waist. Jag and Zekk would just tell him he was fascinated with her because she was a challenge and he
needed to get laid. He chuckled quietly to himself and her gaze shot up to his.

"What?"

"Nothing. I'm sorry, I was space trucking there for a second." Kyp shifted his body, so that he was facing her, mirroring her pose. "Look, I know I'm not here to be your best friend or anything like that. I'm here to protect you, but this will be a lot easier if we can get along."

"I can't promise I'm not going to be a hag again." She told him, the corner of her mouth turning up.

"That's fine. I can't promise I'm going to not be a pain in the ass. So why don't we just forget about it and start over."

Jade gave him a full-blown smile then. "I'd like that."

/____________________________________\