The Jedi Michael Halcyon did not have a lot of free time on his hands these days. Most of the time, he had to remind himself to take time to eat or sleep, as there was always something or someone demanding his attention. Still, he made sure to take a little time away at least once a month. He would board his ship and fly out into the black, parking in some distant quadrant off the usual spacelanes. He'd spend a day or two in silence, taking his mind off of his obligations, and allow himself to be separate and apart from the galaxy for a short time. It was good for him, and was probably good for the galaxy as well.

Lately he had been keeping his mind entertained down in the cargo bay, where a makeshift garage had taken hold. Michael never slept better than when he dropped into his bed after a long day with a hydrospanner in his hands and oil stains on his clothes. It did not matter what he worked on, so long as he did it as any other man would. No Force, no lightsaber, nothing special. Just him, a few tools, and a machine to be fixed. It was calming to him. Doing this, working with his hands, it helped clear his mind, and when he eventually returned to his responsibilities, he could do so with a fresh outlook.

And yet, Michael's mind was not clear. His outlook was not fresh. In fact, he was more troubled than he had been in quite some time. Now his brow dripped with sweat, his teeth gritted, and his hands ached as he built something new. Something that must be kept secret, lest the wrath of Asmodeus fall upon him.

Long ago, he and seven other men had been ripped from their homes and exiled, due to the actions of the large Sith himself. Michael had tried to stop him, they were enemies in those days, but his actions only ended up placing more blood on his hands. Since then, he had tried to make the best of the situation. He made this new galaxy his home, and even kept a shaky truce with the man whose folly had placed them here.

Recently, it had become apparent that Asmodeus was up to his old ways, interfering in powers and energies that no mortal man had any business tampering with. The wreck of the Acheron had given up a final gift before its destruction, an artificial gateway device that Asmodeus had created a very long time ago. He had used this device to punch through dimensional rifts, fueling the machine with the lifeforces of beings similar to him, other dimensional Halcyons. Asmodeus had gone to great lengths to recover this device, and while it was not yet certain if the device could function without leeching the energies of living beings, he had been successful in using the device to open miniature rifts in contained spaces. Suddenly, new Halcyons were appearing.

Michael did not see this as a coincidence.

The situation had gone on long enough. With this latest development, the status quo could not be kept any longer.

Kaikorero was given a small apartment with a woman named Tal'aran, who kept a safehouse for the Halcyons on Nar Shaddaa. Tal'aran was a recent addition to the family as well, though her initiation had been somewhat more experimental usual. Still, she seemed a sweet woman, and though she appeared not that much older that Kai herself, she spoke with the voice of someone who had lived a very long time indeed. She invited all her patrons to call her 'Mama', and took care of many of their needs. Kaikorero was immediately invited to make herself at home.

"Now little one, if you have need of laundry service, use the bag in your room. Set it outside your door in the mornings and it will be returned to you before dinner." Tal'aran showed her new resident around the brightly lit home floating high above the Promenade. "Kitchen is always open, just tell da cook what you like. In your own room, you do your own business. But everywhere else belong to Mama, and you follow Mama's rules, yes?"

Kaikorereo took an immediate liking to Tal'aran. This strange woman with the olive skin and unique accent was very welcoming, unlike anyone she had ever encountered on Belsavis. "Yes ma'am. Thank you so much, I...I think I am really going to like it here."

"Of course you will, child. Mama make sure of that. Dis your room here, it just a bed at'ta moment, but I have some furniture brought up later."

"Oh thats okay, Mama. I actually like it better this way." Kai entered her room and twirled as she looked around. Large windows overlooked the skyline of Nar Shaddaa, and far below she could see the Promenade, where people of all races and backgrounds gathered to shop and drink and gamble their lives away. It was like nothing she had ever seen.

"Very well, child. I leave you now to get settled in. You call for Mama if you need anyt'ing."

Tal'aran made her way downstairs, past the dining room, past the lounge, past all the areas she had just shown her new resident on the tour. She descended down to the lower levels of the floating platform, where the decor quickly shifted from entertainment to business. Instead of potted plants and cushy couches, down here there were large terminals and scanners. Digital readouts scrolled the walls, and a large holocom indicated an incoming call.

Tal'aran took a seat and accepted the call, crossing her legs as she sat. "Hello there."

On the holocom, a figure appeared. "Is she there?"

"She all set. Took good care of her. She loves her Mama already, I think."

"Excellent. And she has no suspicions?"

Tal'aran keyed a command on the nearby terminal, and a camera feed from Kaikorero's room came up on the monitor. The young Torgruta was unpacking a small comm terminal of her own, looking around to make sure no one was watching, unaware that she was in fact being observed. Tal'aran watched the young girl carefully. "Dat girl, she's got secrets for sure. But no, she do not know. Mama make her feel safe. But dere nothing happens in Mama's house that Mama don't know about."

The figure on the comm nodded. "Keep me updated. I don't know what kind of game Asmodeus is playing, but I want to be prepared for anything."

"Tal'aran nodded and switched off the comm. "Any'ting you want, Master Halcyon..."