Last time: The trio was able to crack the code thanks to Tac's help.

Now: Kyr and Cien learn the truth about Troy.

Chapter 7- Trovon

Cien stood before the cabinets in the canteen as outside the windows on the other side of the canteen hyperspace swirled past during the multi-day passage to Morgaul. The medicine that Kelce had given her had greatly reduced her nausea, but she looked at the wide assortment of foods and couldn't figure out what to get.

Kyr walked over and grabbed two sandwiches, which was sure to combine into one large one. "They might be able to make something special if you aren't seeing anything." He commented as he stepped back to her side.

"No, I just..." Cien trailed off, looking annoyedly at the choices. She finally saw something that sounded good and grabbed that. Then she went over and grabbed one of the cherry parfaits.

"That's what you're having for lunch?" Kyr asked, very confused.

"Yes?" She said, looking up at him in a defiant manner.

"It's just... Very creative." He said diplomatically. "I think those cheese stuffed peppers were meant to be like an appetizer, or a snack though." He observed carefully

"Well they sound good." She said, stepping away with the two items in hand, and she started looking for a table.

"Hey guys, find anything good?" Scamp asked as he and Admiral Sulam approached them.

"Uhh…" Kyr thought for a second. "Yeah, I think we were able to find something." Cien had stepped away slightly and was looking for a table in the gargantuan room as if surveying a battlefield.

"Nice," Scamp said with a chuckle. "Do you guys want to sit with us? It doesn't look like there are many options here." He observed as he glanced around the room.

"Oh, sure." Kyr said, "hey, cyar'ika, got us a table."

Cien looked back at them and nodded.

"Hey Hun!" The Admiral said excitedly. "How are you feeling?" She asked.

"I'm doing well." Cien stated a little guardedly in case she became ensconced in a hug again.

"Well that's good." The Admiral said, then she eyed Cien's selections, "how far along are you?" She asked with a quirked eyebrow and a growing smile.

"I, umm.." She said, looking around at the rest of the crew about them. "Five weeks or so." She admitted a little quietly.

"Ah, yeah, just about time for stuffed hot peppers and parfaits." The Admiral said in agreement. "Well come on, let's go grab a table." She said as she led them off towards her private dining room.

"So how is the rest of the family doing?" Scamp asked as they followed Admiral Sulam. "We haven't seen them since what happened on Myrkr." He frowned slightly at that.

"Doing good, I think." Kyr answered. "We were actually packing to go back to Caranas in force, since we think the new head of the cartel there might have been the one to put the bounty on Sasha. Kitsu and Illara just got off a tough job so they stayed home with Lana, and the other three went to go dismantle the cartel."

"Oh really?" Scamp asked. "Well hopefully we won't keep you guys away too long. This should be a fairly quick and easy job. Then you guys can go lend them a hand."

"How's Sasha doing after all that? Kelce was damned worried about her." The Admiral asked as they stepped into the private dining room and she took her seat.

"I was wondering that too," Scamp said, curiously. "Both her and Op. Are they okay?"

"Op seems to be doing okay, though I think he was more affected by that experience than he wants to admit." Cien said, taking her seat. "Or probably realizes."

"Sasha seems to be doing a lot better," Kyr continued, as he started reassembling his double sandwich. "We went to the beach for a family vacation a little while ago and since then she's recovered physically very well. Emotionally, she's doing better." He said.

"When did you go to the beach?" The Admiral asked suspiciously.

Cien glanced at her.

"Like five weeks ago." Kyr answered, then his eyes widened a little.

"Ah." The Admiral said with a knowing smirk.

Scamp tried to suppress a laugh as put a hand to his mouth.

"That's good to hear about both of them doing better though, especially Sasha. Poor kid." The Admiral said with a grimace. "You checked in with them lately?"

Cien nodded, "Sasha and I spoke last night. They are doing well and their investigation is proceeding."

"That's good to hear," Scamp said. "I wonder if they are working with Marshal J'onz. I think he was still there when we left, right?" He asked his wife.

"Yeah, I think that was his name." Admiral Sulam nodded.

Cien laughed slightly. "Yes, Sasha mentioned that they had to work with him."

"Oh, yeah I spoke with him when we were thinking of going out there." Kyr observed with a slight roll of his eyes. "You know who he is, or where they dug that muun'shebs up from?" He asked.

"His name is Lanister J'onz," Scamp started. "He's a marshal with the NR. The guy has been around for ages practically. During the fight with the Empire, he was in charge of his home's local law enforcement and actually fought against the Imps. But he is as hard as they come. I swear if he wasn't so damn good at his job, I'd give him a good slap. The guy's a real jerk. Also doesn't help my case for him that he is a former Separatist."

Cien nodded with a smirk, "that seemed to be Sasha's impression of him as well." She said as she ate one of the peppers.

"I didn't have anything to do with him." The Admiral said. A steward came in and put a plate in front of her and Scamp. "Thanks hun." She said looking up at them.

"Yeah, that's probably for the best, dear," Scamp said as he nodded his thanks to the steward. "Though Kyr, I'd be curious what you would think of him. Actually I'm curious of what Viran and Op think of him too. Did Sasha say when she talked with you?"

"They are not fond of him, apparently." Cien answered, finishing off another pepper.

"Huh." Kyr said, "dang I wish I could have met this guy, he sounds like he would have been a ton of fun. I wonder if he's a Chief or more of a Boss." Kyr said, trying to think of what nickname he might give him to bother him. "Either way I guess we might meet him when we're don-" Kyr had glanced over at Cien to see her dipping one of her peppers in the parfait, apparently again since there was a bite missing, and that brought him up short.

Scamp sat there dumbfounded as he tried to form the words to express what he was seeing. "Is that… good?" He asked after a moment.

The Admiral sat there and slowly raised her hand up in front of her mouth as she hid a bemused expression.

Cien glanced up to see all three looking at her. "I... It is… good." She said.

"I'm sure it is." The Admiral said, nodding her approval at the cherry-whip-cream-dipped-cheese-filled-fried-pepper. "But yeah that situation on Caranas was tough," she said, turning to bring the conversation back, "I'm glad the three of them are there to watch each other's backs."

"Agreed," Scamp nodded. "And hopefully they can help put a stop to that cartel, finally."

"Yeah." Kyr agreed. "Hopefully not before we get there though. I wouldn't mind being there to help end it." Kyr said in a haunted way.

"I totally get it," Scamp said, understanding. "Look, we'll reach Morgaul soon and catch these thugs in the act. And then you are on your way to Caranas."

"Yeah." Kyr said. He glanced at Cien as she quietly ate another whip cream pepper and realized that when that happened, she wouldn't be surrounded by the 19th anymore once this job was finished.

Suddenly the door opened to the private dining room and Lieutenant Troy entered. He skidded to a stop when he noticed Kyr and Cien.

"Uh, sorry am I interrupting?" Troy asked, unsure. "I can come back later."

"Oh, no go ahead and sit hun, we just invited them to join us for lunch." The Admiral said with a smile. "How are you settling in?" She asked the lieutenant.

Kyr looked a little bewildered as to why some random lieutenant was here joining the Admiral in her private dining room. Especially this one.

"Pretty good," Troy said as he took a seat on the other side of Sulam. "It's definitely different than back home, but I'm adjusting."

"Yeah, you should have seen it. The kid kicked my butt earlier," Scamp commented.

"So I heard you guys already met?" The Admiral said, looking between the Lieutenant and Kyr.

"Yeah." Kyr said, a little confused. Cien looked between the officer and Admiral Sulam with a raised eyebrow, and suddenly realized something.

"Yes, we met after my match with Scamp," Troy said. "He actually invited me to go shooting with him."

"Oh really." The Admiral said, looking over at Kyr.

Scamp tried to keep a straight face as he ate his food. "Yes, he was talking with Wynnie and Kyr happened to invite him after he… uh… asked her out."

Troy turned red and glared at Scamp. "Don't tell her that," he grumbled at him.

Kyr looked between them, shocked the Lieutenant would speak that way to a superior officer.

"Really? Our little Wynnie, son? Do tell." The Admiral said, leaning forward and cradling her chin in her palm.

Troy turned even redder. "I was just trying to make friends. Can we please change the subject?" He begged as he tried to hide his face.

Kyr looked even more confused.

"Yes, so, this shooting exercise you're doing because he asked out Wynnie, when will this be?" The Admiral asked, turning back to Kyr.

Troy didn't answer as he looked at Kyr. Scamp just smirked as he realized that Kyr didn't know what was going on.

Cien smirked, "your son favors you, Admiral."

Kyr shot a look down at her, then back up at the lieutenant. "Son?"

"Thanks hun." The Admiral said, keeping her gaze on Kyr.

"Yeah, this is my mom," Troy said, sheepishly.

"Yeah, I probably should have mentioned that earlier," Scamp said, snapping his fingers as if he forgot something. "This is Trovon. You know, the one we've mentioned to you before like several times." He was enjoying this a little too much.

Kyr sat there not entirely sure what to say, but shot a glare at Scamp.

"The Admiral mentioned that you were attending university on Chandrila?" Cien asked, trying to help Kyr out, "does this mean you've graduated?"

"Yeah, I graduated a couple months ago and then transferred on to the Defiant not too long after that," Troy answered.

"Congratulations." Cien said graciously.

"Yeah, congrats… kid." Kyr said. "It'll be fun to work with you." He said, trying to mend bridges a bit.

"You too, sir," Troy said, giving him a smile. "And thanks. My mom and Scamp have told me a lot about you two. So it will be great to work together, sir."

The Admiral looked like she was trying to keep from bursting out laughing. "So, Troy." She said, leaning forward again, "tell me about this new girl, is she cute?" She asked innocently.

Troy shot her a glare. "Mom, don't start. You know exactly who Wynnie is," he said uncomfortably. "But yeah she is." He added under his breath as he looked away.

Scamp chuckled at that as he heard him. Kyr looked at the kid with a raised eyebrow, and Cien had to keep from bursting into laughter.

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