Paneau: capital city of Dalon
Dalon Medical Center
2.5 APC

Satisfied with Koril's improvement, Rech sat back in his seat beside his friend, looking over Koril briefly as he slept. A second reaction to the medication he had given him had prompted Rech to remove it from Koril's system entirely, which had taken some time. Another few hours of light Force Healing Koril's battered immune system had helped to settle his body back into normal function, but Rech again kept him sleeping, certain that the High Commander wouldn't allow himself the time to rest without being forced to.

As he stood to stretch his stiff muscles, he heard the door open behind him, and turning toward it, he saw Veon Banarecc stepping inside quietly. His gaze was fixed on Koril, and a vaguely troubled expression on his face matched the anxiety in his soft voice.

"...is it true? He was poisoned with spice?"

Rech nodded, and becoming more concerned as the former king's worry only deepened, he offered quiet reassurance. "He's going to be alright, Sire. He's just sleeping right now."

Veon's trepidation remained, though, and as Rech began to inquire about it, Veon spoke up first. "I need to talk to him."

The urgency is Veon's voice was odd, making it that much harder for Rech to deny him. "I want him to rest for a little while longer, but if --"

"I'll wait," Veon interrupted him quietly but intensely as he sat at Koril's side with purpose, glancing over his former pilot. Curious what was so important, Rech began to ask, but at the door behind him, one of the Edgepoints caught his attention.

"Mr. Natiyr?"

Turning to look, Rech saw Daslen facing the hallway outside, and following his line of sight, he saw his wife Mand approaching Koril's room with a concerned expression that was quickly morphing into muted happiness as their gazes met. After being unable to see or even speak to her for more than two months, feeling her presence again lifted a heavy haze he hadn't realized had been souring his mood since Koril's attack. It was as though a piece of him was missing while she was gone, and it affected him without his knowledge. The relief he felt as he met her in the hallway and embraced her tightly was both energizing and calming at the same time, and he could see the same feeling in her eyes as she stepped back and looked up at him with a worn smile.

"You look tired," she told him softly with a gentle sweep of her fingers through his hair just above his ear. His smile faded as he nodded.

"Koril's kept me on my toes."

Looking behind him into Koril's room, she frowned, understandably concerned to see Koril ailing once more. She, too, had been with Koril through his lengthy recovery after the Huxnel virus, and sensing that she worried for his health, Rech brushed the back of his hand against her cheek, looking into her eyes with confidence and a hint of a smile.

"He'll be okay."

Though still concerned about the situation, Mand nodded, pulling Rech into a tight hug again. "I missed you. We just got in from Coruscant, and Jec filled us in."

Unsure who else she meant since she had left alone, Rech furrowed his brows as he looked at her. "We?"

Mand gave him a hesitant smile. "My apprentice and me."

"Apprentice?" he asked with surprised, bated excitement. "They made you a Knight?"

As she nodded again, her smile grew, and she looked back behind her where Ri Banarecc was casually talking with some of the Elite Guard stationed in the hall. They had once guarded her in the Dalon Palace before its destruction when she was four, and they seemed equally as pleased to see her. Noticing Mand's attention, though, Ri politely excused herself from their conversation and stepped up to her master's side, smiling up at Rech with a brief nod in greeting.

"Hi, Rech."

"Ri," he smiled back, looking between them both with pride. "She's your apprentice. That's great, Mand."

Mand's smile faded, though, as she glanced at Ri at her side. "Looks like we've got our work cut out for us already, Ri."

Rech looked to Mand. "You want to get involved in the investigation?"

Mand nodded, briefly looking into Koril's room again. "Sounds like we need to, and quickly."

"Find Major Jax," Rech suggested. "He was heading it up last I heard."

With a brief glance at Ri, Mand nodded once more and lifted up onto her toes to meet Rech with a tender kiss. "We'll talk soon."

Though he wanted her to stay since she had only just returned, he released a reluctant sigh as she turned and left with Ri. He stood in the hallway a moment longer before he returned to Koril's room, surprised to see the High Commander awake again and already engrossed in a serious conversation with Veon. A little frustrated that Veon hadn't waited like he had asked, Rech began toward the door, but Daslen, standing outside and looking in, as well, noticed his expression as he approached, stopping him.

"High Commander Rys'tihn awoke on his own, Sir," he offered quietly, his Salastryni accent forcing Rech to listen carefully. "A nightmare seemed to have startled him out of his sleep."

Concerned, Rech looked inside, checking the monitors around Koril, but all were giving normal readings. He knew the spice was well clear of his system, as was the medication, so...Koril's nightmares had been real; they weren't a byproduct of the potent spice as Rech had initially thought. He rubbed his forehead as he sighed.

"Did he say what it was about?"

"No, Sir," Daslen shook his head, "at least, not before his Highness Banarecc requested that I leave so they could talk."

Looking in to meet Veon's gaze as he and Koril continued talking, Rech crossed his arms over his chest, patiently allowing Veon to finish before going back inside to find out what was haunting Koril in his sleep once more.

Hoth
Lyran Residence
2.5 APC

Though her parents had been nothing but eager to house the five Paneau and get them settled in the familiar, icy compound carved into the side of a mountain, Elena was still far from content with her situation. If there was anything she hated more than running and hiding from some unknown enemy, it was others making decisions for her, regardless of her feelings on the matter. She at least agreed that her eighteen-month-old son Derek needed to be kept safe, but she wanted nothing more than to be with Koril as he recovered and to join Major Jax's investigation as he uncovered what had happened and why. She was an accomplished Jedi Knight, as she had proven time and time again, and she was prepared to handle just about anything. To her, spice poisoning was almost a laughable threat; if she became the next target, she could easily shield her unborn child from its effects. She was far more useful as a weapon for investigation and defense than merely a fragile vessel carrying the next Rys'tihn heir. Anyone who knew her well understood that.

But Deilia was just as stubborn and strong-willed as she was, and though she could have put up more of a fight back on Paneau in that med center hallway before they left, she had backed down for some reason, and it was bothering her. She had defied orders before; that was actually what had landed her on Paneau in the first place more than eight years ago as a Jedi Academy student. Her mission to Paneau had been a punishment of sorts for her headstrong attitude. Surely she hadn't lost her edge, had she? How far would Deilia have gone if Elena had defied her further?

The more interaction Elena had with Koril's twin sister, the more of him she saw in her. They had grown up in entirely separate worlds: he was the prized son, gifted with an innate talent for leadership and flying, and she had been groomed in secret for covert intelligence work from day one. They hadn't even met until they were almost twenty-five, yet they had to already know each other so well. Maybe that was how Deilia had so easily swayed Elena's resolve - she trusted Deilia's intentions were pure, because Koril's always were.

Though the Lyrans were busy far below getting acquainted with the Edgepoints and entertaining their grandson, Elena had returned to one of the topside hangars where the Corona-class transport Driftdance was nestled within the cold cavern. The ship had been her wedding gift from Koril, and he had personally modified it to tolerate the harsh subzero environment of Hoth for extended periods of time. Though it was smaller, he had made it just as lavish and luxurious as the Celestia, and it could be her own personal safe haven on Hoth, armed well and equipped for almost anything. Its cockpit she sat in even briefly reminded her of the Rys'tihn yacht, making her sigh...

"M'lady?"

Looking back toward her company, she relaxed her expression as Swip stepped up and took a seat in the copilot chair beside her. He watched her with concern, hesitating a moment before speaking again. "...are you alright?"

It was such a heavy question, and she could have answered it a thousand different ways. She wanted to tell him no, that it was a mistake to have left Paneau...but she had to assume Deilia's hand in his curiosity; he probably had orders to keep the Rys'tihn Ghost Heir informed of Elena's intentions. If she was going to return to Dalon, she'd have to find a way around her 'surveillance.'

Giving him a light sigh, she shrugged resignedly. "I guess I have to be."

Her answer only intensified his apprehension, though, as if he were conflicted over it. Curious herself, she softened her voice and her eyes with care. "What's bothering you, Swip?"

Swallowing nervously as he looked down and away from her, he released a long breath and tossed his blond hair from his face. "As a pilot for the Royal Navy, I swore my duty to the Royal Families, to you, m'lady, to protect you...not to insult you."

Surprised by the obvious guilt in his voice, she shook her head. "This was not your doing --"

"But I participated in it --"

"Saross," she silenced him, her eyes intense and sincere. "You did not insult me. You were doing your duty." After a moment, she gave him a small smile. "And I'd expect nothing less from you."

Her assurances only slightly alleviated his guilt, and an unsettled look remained on his face. "I don't like this any more than you do, m'lady. We shouldn't have left Paneau." With another light sigh, he seemed to have made a decision, turning to face her once more. "I...I can't take you back...but I can keep you in contact with Major Jax. He wasn't happy about you leaving, either, so I know he's eager to talk to you."

Though it wasn't much, Elena nodded to accept his offer, at least glad to know that Swip wasn't going to undermine her. Jax would keep her informed as he always did, but that wouldn't keep her satisfied for long.

"We'll have to wait until later, though," he continued reluctantly. "I'm supposed to bring you back down into the compound."

She hadn't been gone long, but she was surprised it had taken them more than a few minutes to find her. The Lyrans' complex was deep, reaching down into the mountain both for safety and for warmth. It was almost militaristic in its complicated layout and rigid, impersonal construction, but it had been her home for almost ten years before she left for the Jedi Academy, and it had served the Lyrans well for generations. She followed Swip back toward the main atrium, finding herself easily getting lost in treasured memories of chasing her younger brother Jeric through the maze of lifts and long, narrow ice rock corridors...

Though he tried to hide it, she saw Swip shiver briefly as he silently stood beside her in the lift, bringing her attention back to him. He smiled sheepishly as he tugged his heavy coat around himself more tightly, but her expression fell instead. She was completely comfortable in the cold, but how out of his element the Paneau native had to be on the frozen planet, she thought, even though they were on their way down into the warmer portion of the complex.

"I'm sorry you have to be stuck here, too."

But Swip gave a short laugh, shrugging with a smile to dismiss her concern. "Eh, it's not so bad. It's...refreshing, going someplace so different. It's been a while since I last left the sector."

"Well, Hoth doesn't have much else to offer other than the cold." Looking up at him as the lift doors opened to the central chamber, she nodded. "I'll make sure you and Leikam get a proper vacation when this is over."

Stepping out of the lift, she was quickly met by Deilia, followed closely by Leikam, but her family wasn't within the wide gathering room as they had been earlier. Though Deilia looked annoyed at her brief disappearance, Elena could detect the slightest relief in her voice, as if she had expected Elena to have already left.

"There you are."

Thankfully, Swip answered diplomatically before Elena could retort with frustrated malice. "She was just checking on the Driftdance topside, making sure the dampers had tolerated the conditions on our approach well. Nothing to worry about, Sir--" he fumbled deliberately, feigning awkwardness over his mistake, "um, I mean, uh...ma'am...?"

Leikam seemed to aptly pick up on Swip's cover, continuing to deflect Deilia's attention from Elena. "Yes, how are we to address you, ma'am? Do you have a rank or title we can use?"

The Edgepoints knew full well who Deilia was; her resemblance to Koril was unmistakable, and they already respected her implied authority, but how rare it had to be that the Ghost Heirs would interact with anyone besides their own covert agents or their Royal Families they served. Undaunted, though, Deilia played it off casually without much thought.

"Ma'am or Commander will do just fine."

As a strange silence fell on the four for a long moment, Deilia met Elena's gaze as she narrowed her eyes in challenge at the Tyro Heir. "They're going to hear it from me sooner or later."

Despite trying to suppress her surprise at Elena's defiance, Deilia tightened her jaw as she drew in a slow breath. "Fine." Looking to the Edgepoints, she softened the bite from her tone, if only slightly. "You may also call me Deilia, if you must."

Sensing the tension between the two women, Swip looked nervously at them both, but Leikam seemed suddenly oblivious to it, enchanted instead. "Deilia...that's a pretty name."

Deilia furrowed her brows, and though caught off guard by the comment, she crossed her arms and grinned. "It's the prettiest name you don't know, Lieutenant."

Even in the cool, crisp air of the regulated main chamber, Leikam's cheeks flushed deeply as he nodded and looked to the durasteel floor. "Yes, ma'am."

Deilia's grin faded as she returned her gaze to Elena, sighing lightly as she addressed closing business. "Your parents have gone to put Derek to bed. I think it's best that we all get some rest, too. It's been a long couple of days." She gave a small nod to the Edgepoints, sending them on to their rooms for the night, and still blushing from earlier, Leikam left eagerly. Swip seemed reluctant to go, though, his gaze lingering on Elena. Though thankful for his concern for her, she nodded to dismiss him, as well, leaving her alone in the chamber with Deilia, who suddenly looked tired.

"Elena," she began quietly, her expression muted. "I know that you don't like this. But please, try to understand things from my position. I almost lost my brother, and I still don't know why. The sole purpose of my existence is to protect him and to protect his family. I know that this is not your idea of protection, but it is mine, and I hope you will respect that."

To at least give Deilia the impression that she was going to cooperate, Elena nodded after a moment, leaving her wordlessly to stay with her son as he slept. She would continue to remain sleepless herself, though, meditating just enough to get by as she had done since leaving Paneau two days prior.

Bakura Sector: Nyx
2.5 APC

Though there was hardly enough room in the Nyx's cockpit for any nonessential equipment, Horatio Sheridan continued to stare at the datapad he held in his hand. It was still displaying his mission, his last communication from Tzymo more than six months ago, and reading it over and over again still churned his stomach into knots.

TARGET: Max Redgrave
AGE: 7 GSY
LAST KNOWN LOCATION: Paneau System
LAST KNOWN ASSOCIATE(S): Soran Redgrave, spice dealer
OBJECTIVE(S): Acquire target. Return to Tzymo Labs on Coruscant. Alive.
PAYMENT: 5 million

The fact that Tzymo was willing to pay five million credits, five million credits for a seven-year-old kid was hard enough to swallow, but it was made even more horrifying by the fact that Max was Horatio's nephew. His twin sister Recero, whom he had seen against Tzymo's mandate, asked that he find her oldest son, taken from her when Max was only two. Even if she hadn't asked him in her severely weakened and ill state, he would have agreed without hesitation, but after Tzymo had given him orders to find Max, as well, he had severed all ties from the deranged scientist and set out on the search. He could only hope that Tzymo was as ignorant to Max's blood relation as he had been, or Horatio already had a five million credit bounty on his own head in anticipation of his defiance. Either way, he was going to find Max before Tzymo or any of his other mercenaries could.

Getting off Malastare had been easy enough. He bought the Z-95 Headhunter Nyx off a particularly irritable Dug, paying a little extra to keep names off the exchange. Tzymo would find out about it, anyway, but the longer Horatio could keep him guessing, the better. His first trip in it took him across the galaxy via trade routes, and then a few random hyperspace jumps into the Outer Rim made sure no one could follow him. He kept to minimally populated systems, and to places that didn't have a lot of crime, either, to outrun Tzymo's intelligence, and he stopped only to refuel and to get the Nyx's hull repainted jet black to match its name.

All that had been done within the span of about a standard week, and he spent the rest of his time digging up as much information as he could, as discreetly as he could, on Soran and his operation. Unfortunately, there wasn't much to be found, unless he looked in the right, or wrong circles, depending on perspective. But that was attention he didn't want, and he definitely didn't want Tzymo to pick up on his trail. The best lead he had to go on was a connection he was reluctant to forge again.

...a connection that he almost wanted to avoid more than Tzymo. But if it meant finding Max, he'd have to stomach her attitude if she found out he was so close.

Hopefully, he wouldn't have to step foot on Paneau itself at all. Soran was probably smart enough to keep his spice operation off any major planet yet still somewhere near his target market, so Tzymo's intel at least put him in the right sector, but he needed more details. That was why he sat alone in the middle of the Bakura system in his ship, with everything powered down except environmental and the comm unit; he was waiting for a reply from Joshua Redgrave.

So much of the past few weeks had been spent waiting, and each day passed in the same place only added fuel to his paranoia. Had Tzymo figured out that one of his mercenaries had disobeyed a direct order and then had disappeared off any of his intel networks? Was Tzymo having him hunted? Which of the contacts Horatio had just spoken to were already spilling what they knew of his whereabouts to Tzymo? The psychological fatigue was wearing him physically, too; he dozed off more times than he could count, even hearing a few transmission beeps in his brief slumber.

But finally, one was real.

Startled out of his grogginess, he sat up and released a shaky breath in an effort to stifle his anxiety as he opened the channel. "Commander Redgrave, I --"

"Commander Redgrave is not available at this location," came another male voice that, while unexpected, was familiar. "He has returned to duty on Coruscant."

Briefly stunned, Horatio couldn't form a response.

"I know who you are, Mr. Sheridan," he continued with a slight edge, "and I know what you've done. Do you know who I am?"

Horatio swallowed hard. "Yeah."

A long silence filled the frigid cockpit, and though the active transmission light was still red, Horatio thought it had been cut on the other end. Surprising him, the other man came back with a lighter tone. "I spoke with Joshua this morning, and he informed me of your...inquiry. I'm actually the one you need to talk to, anyway. I have the information you seek."

Again unsure of how to respond, Horatio hesitated. "...you do?"

"Yes, although I'm not entirely sure that I feel it will be used appropriately." Another lengthy pause... "However, I am willing to discuss it. I'm sending you the coordinates where you are to meet me in three standard days. Come alone, come unarmed, and I could be persuaded, provided your story checks out."

With another beep, his nav computer registered the location, and seeing the readout, he closed his eyes in disbelief.

"See you in three days," Horatio said with reluctance, switching off the comm unit with a quick, frustrated flick of his fingers.

He would've felt less vulnerable at a cantina full of Tzymo's thugs.