"He is your *father*?"
"LIKE a father. He was *like* a father."
"I can't believe he's your father..." Rave clicked scrutinizingly, lifting her ebony arm to inspect her slender form, ignoring the angry hiss and the jerk as she took repossession of her arm, "You would think the bloodline of such a warrior would-"
"Told you." Jet clicked angrily, "NOT. My. Actual. Father."
"What? Well why didn't you just say so?" Rave asked, suddenly irritable, "Leading people to believe you shared the bloodline with one of our greatest warriors. Honestly."
Slack jawed, Jet looked at Scar and Lex, her expression alone demanding 'Is he SERIOUS?'
"Afraid so." Scar rumbled, barely keeping his amused trill out of his tone, though it was hard as he noticed Lex's grin beside him, "With this pauk-de, you kind of just learn to... roll with it."
"Yeah, I can see that working *real* well. Gonna roll myself into some mess where I lose my head, if I ever have to depend on this guy..." Jet muttered to herself, with a narrowed glance in Rave's direction as she handed the dagger back to Lex.
"Don't count yourself that lucky." Rave growled, turning his head with a huff, muscled arms crossed tightly across his chest. His own green eyes were narrowed as well.
Smirking at the playful hostility between the two, Lex examined the returned dagger more closely, managing to catch the light reflecting off a symbol engraved near the base of the talon blade itself. It was a crescent moon hugging a small supernova.
"This is his mark, isn't it?" Lex asked, looking up at Jet. Scar shifted next to her, peering over her shoulder to see for himself. His breath tickled just by her ear and the curve of her shoulder, making her suppress a shiver. But she forced her attention forward, to the other female in the group.
"...yes." Jet confirmed, gaze tracing the small symbol with a lingering sadness.
"How long has it been?" Lex hesitantly inquired.
"Decades." Jet shrugged it off, but you could clearly see. It had been too long.
Lex could tell just by her brief, intense meeting just what Zeera was like. Wise beyond measure. Skill far surpassing his years. As abrasive as he was he was patient, with a dark sense of humor. She couldn't begin to imagine how he had taken the dark skinned Yautja under his wing.
Eyeing Rave warily, Jet informed Lex, sensing her curiosity, "I was orphaned. No parents. A runt left to die on a backwater planet some unknown hunting vessel marooned me on. By chance Zeera was there. It never crossed his mind to leave me. Last time I saw him was over thirty years ago, when he left me with his born clan, the Crescent Bloods. Got a pass to get onto their main hunting vessel as soon as I could. I... searched. And, well, haven't seen him since."
Rave, though he pretended not to, was listening intently to the story. A look passed over his features. Something akin to grief and anger. Then he was back to his old self, as he set his mandibles. Snorting.
"What, tough guy? Got something to say?" Jet, tensing up, demanded. The last thing she wanted was a pity party.
"Yeah, runt. You are still a pipsqueak and you will *always* be a pipsqueak. Don't think the fact that Zeera may have raised you changes a thing." Rave growled harshly.
"Good." Jet snorted, arms crossing over her chest, pleased.
Lex shook her head, smile on her face. Those two-
Suddenly a tan colored Yautja approached, all four going on guard at once.
But the Yautja didn't stop until he was before Lex, fist pounding his chest in respectful greeting. He was adorned in elongated armor, washed in red tint as it gave the appearance of spikes atop his shoulders and deadly, pointed shin guards. He wasn't as muscled in bulk as Rave, but he did stand slightly taller. On his head stood a headpiece with the blooded mark, the two curved slashes connected in place
"Young Blood Lex, the Old One requests an audience with you." The stranger said shortly.
Glancing at Scar and seeing his surprise, as well as barely perceptive nod, Lex nodded as well, "Lead the way."
As she walked with the tan stranger, she heard Jet whisper to Scar, "Why would the Old One send an honor guard for Lex?"
"I guess we'll find out shortly." Scar clicked, not sure himself. He had known the Old One would do so eventually, but the suddenness of it confounded him, carrying through his tone.
His worry was catching, and Lex found a small ball of anxiety curling in her gut. Why would he request to see her?
-o-o-o-
Lex covered her fears well, exuding confidence as she trailed beside the larger Yautja. A few contenders had begun to approach, but one hardened glance from the Honor Guard had them backing off, with a scowl. Many were curious as they passed, a few even looking on with admiration.
The Honor Guard were strictly limited to Yautja of Honorary status, and among keeping order on the mothership, their duties mainly revolved around the Old One's requests. Since the Pyode Amedha was not being dragged away, it must be an audience with the Old One himself, and those were not delegated lightly.
The silent tan skinned Yautja came to an abrupt stop at a cavernous door, the opening large enough to stack two shuttles atop one another. As he took the vacant spot to the left, another Honor Guard already standing attention to the right, Lex took that as her cue to simply head on inside.
The room beyond the door was enormous, rivaling almost the size of the football stadium ceremonial chambers Lex had first stepped into. The tiling and designs were elaborate, depicting glorious battles with numerous trophies tastefully lining the walls. Trees edged lined the edges of the room, bringing color to the dark ebony and red decor of the room. She was so busy admiring the decorations as she walked down the aisle, she completely overlooked the person currently sitting on the stone dais at the far end of the room. When she did, she immediately stomped on her natural affinity for taking in the sights and straightened her form, eyes focused ahead as she walked the lengthy aisle all the way down.
By the time she reached the dais, coming slowly up the steps, the Old One was already standing, hands tucked regally behind his back. He stood at the large window that took up the whole back wall, projecting the immense space that skulked by outside the sleek hull, stars winking at them from across the universe. His crimson caped back was to her, so she took a step up to stand beside him, gazing at the stars as well.
She stood to his collar, the Old One almost the same size as Scar. Just a bit shorter. But no less fierce looking. His braids were thick and full of carved circlets and small skulls. His shoulder armor was ridged, holding the flowing cloak in place. His nearly full body armor looked ancient and very heavy, though the Old One carried it well. As though it was feather light.
When she finally glanced to the side, she almost started when she realized those milky white eyes were focused on her.
He clicked thoughtfully as he turned back to the winking stars, that aged voice rumbled, "There has been talk of the new curiosity in this ship. A Pyode Amedha, an Ooman female, that faces warriors twice her size. And still wins."
Lex shifted, embarrassed yet glowing in the unsaid praise. She didn't hear an acknowledgement to speak, so kept silent as he continued.
"Rumors have it you have even some offers on the table." The Old One chuckled at the sudden flush to her soft features, continuing, "A great feat, considering the majority that question your worth. There is something, however, that I am curious about. You put on another's mask... and still live to stand before me now."
"I never meant to-" Lex tried to hastily explain before catching herself. She tried again at a slower pace, "Scar did try to avenge the dishonor, but Rave owed me a life debt. Which he repaid by helping save my life."
"It is not that, young one. The trial of placing the mask itself should have taken your lifeblood. It is the qualities of the mask itself. Forged for the wearer. Attuned to their heartbeat, their thoughts, their physical attributes. In addition to recording video feed of certain aspects of their Chiva, it records the very essence of the wearer. The day you put that on, should have been the day Cetanu came to claim your life." The Old One explained, looking at her seriously. He allowed Lex a moment to let this sink in, before beckoning her to a nearby table, "I see this is not the first time you have heard such an outcome. My sight is going, but I have not dulled my other senses, child. Come. Have a seat. I would like the retelling of such a unique Chiva from your words, Young Blood. Depending on the person, those oftentimes bear the most truthful seeds."
"Of course, Old One." Lex complied, hesitantly following him to the marble black table. Picking at pieces of fruit, she looked into those milky white eyes, and told her story.