=Otoh Gunga=

Shadowmoth clan was taken on an evening tour of the Otoh Gunga Zoological Research Facility. Sairdé was quite knowledgeable about all the animals there, especially the ollopoms. While they watched ollopoms frolic and swim about, Kloré approached Arin, Halyon, and Naia.

"She'll take us in the middle of the night. The most inconspicuous way is through the underwater tunnels, and Tayla is as good of a guide as any I can think of. There will be guards at your door tonight, but wait for me to come get you and we should be clear to go," said Kloré. "Sairdé is expected at the palace soon; we'll leave after she does."

"Sairdé is already going to Theed anyway?!" Halyon asked.

"Yes. Keep your voice down," shushed Kloré out of the side of her mouth. "She's the queen's decoy. She was only sent here to straighten out my mess."

"It wasn't your fault…" Arin trailed off.

"We're going to have to do a lot of sneaking around," commented Naia, and began ticking off on her fingers. "We don't want the Jedi to know we've left. We don't want the guards here to know we're gone. And we don't want Sairdé to see us. Halyon, are you sure this is going to work?"

"No. But do you have a better idea?" he asked. "Anyway, your friend Tayla. Where do we meet her?"

"We'll meet her at her home. She's taking us in her personal transport. It seats six, so we'll have to squeeze in. She's doing us a very big favor, so I expect you all to be very polite."

"Yes, ma'am," said the three younglings, and returned their attention back to the zoo tour.

Since they'd left in a hurry, their suitcases had been left on the surface. They went to bed that night behind a guarded door in hastily prepared beds. Kloré had told them all heavily to get a good night's sleep, and that she would wake them, not, of course, specifying when. Eventually, Arin fell asleep dreaming of the Otoh Gunga Zoological Research Facility.

In the dream, she visited the facility zoo again, and behind every transparisteel pane was the dark Jedi she'd encountered that day. She treaded carefully past each enclosure; his keen yellow eyes followed her every step. Suddenly the transparisteel shattered like glass and Arin jerked awake.

She sat up and looked around. She wondered how long it had been since they'd gone to bed. Naia and Moraye were sleeping soundly. When was Kloré going to come to get them? It was still quite dark; they were in a nearly opaque dome that branched off a much larger common room. Arin felt the wall squish as she pressed her hand against it, and a glow rippled out from her fingertips to brighten the room slightly. She worried that if she pressed too far it would break and flood the room.

Moraye and Naia hadn't seen the Sith acolyte like she had. What was his name? Where was he from, and how did he know Master Plo? Arin's mind filled with questions and she hugged her knees to her chest. Did Sith sleep, too?

Arin swung her legs out of bed and tiptoed to the door. She wanted to talk to Zade and Halyon. Were they having a hard time sleeping, too? She paused to think for a moment. Hopefully, the guards would let her past and she wouldn't foil anything Kloré was planning.

So Arin decided to leave to find Zade and Halyon. She pressed her fingertips to the hydrostatic door. Strangely, it was much thicker than the walls. Arin had read about these, but they were still completely unfamiliar to her. She walked through it, shuddering. She'd expected to get wet, but she emerged quite dry.

The two human guards stationed at her door jolted, then relaxed.

"What are you doing up?" One of them asked, tipping his helmet up so she could see his face.

"Hi," she said confidently, trying to mask that she'd been shaken by her dream. "I want to talk to my friends."

"The boys?" asked the other, lifting his helmet as well. He had a square jaw and wide-set eyes that blinked at Arin sleepily.

"Yes," she answered. She stood up as tall as she could. "Will you escort me?"

The guard on the left smiled softly. "You're name's Arin, right?"

"Yeah."

"I'm sorry, Arin. We're told not to let you wander around tonight."

"What if I have to go to the bathroom?"

"Well, that's a different story," said the guard on the right. "Do you have to go?"

"Yes," Arin lied.

He grinned, looking like he was unable to help himself. "This place is great. You can do your business right on the floor and it goes straight away."

"What?" Arin's eyes widened. What if she was standing in pee right now?

"Seriously," the guard on the left confirmed with a laugh.

"There's no bathrooms?" Arin's face fell.

"Sorry, kiddo."

The guard on the right put his hand on her shoulder reassuringly. "It's best if you go get some rest. Your friends need a good night's sleep, too. You can talk to them tomorrow, okay?"

Arin put her hands on her hips in protest. "Wait, I'm thirsty."

"I'll go get you some water," said the guard on the right. "I could use a walk."

Arin frowned. "Never mind, thanks. Good night."

"Good night, Arin," said the first guard, and his voice became muffled as Arin walked back through the bubble and went back to bed. She laid awake waiting for Kloré, staring through the translucent ceiling at the dark expanse of water above her.