Last time: Sasha was uneasy with the woman who made Cien's robes.

Now: Cien tries on her new robes.

Chapter 19- Fittings

Oppie settled the X-Wing down in the hangar at home, and behind him QT whistled a little chortle at him.

"Well thanks, I try to make smooth landings." He said as the canopy opened. And he looked over the edge and realized that they didn't have ladders yet, and he was about three meters up in the air. He looked up as the Shadow Runner passed by to its landing berth before looking over to Viran in the spot next to him. "How'd it go?" He asked with a big grin on his face.

"Whoo!" Viran cheered as he opened up his canopy. "Still just as fun as last time!" He said gleefully as he climbed out of the cockpit. He leapt down and used the Force to cushion his landing.

Tac whistled excitedly at Viran in a questioning way.

"Soon, bud," Viran said, up to the droid. "Very soon. But first, we need to paint them, then we can dogfight with them."

Tac whistled, slightly disappointed as he went through the shutdown procedures recommended to him by the X-Wing.

The rest of the family came down the Shadow's ramp and Kyr spoke as they approached. "How'd they do?" He asked as he walked towards the X-wings that looked decidedly naked without any sort of squadron livery.

"Fantastic!" Viran exclaimed with a big grin on his face. "You should take one out for a spin."

"Maybe this afternoon." Kyr replied, "we can put them through their paces after Kait and her boyfriend take off."

Viran clapped a hand to his mouth trying to not burst into laughter at Kyr's bluntness. Sasha just rolled her eyes with a smirk as she headed inside with Lana with Cien at her side, who was also smirking. Oppie just shot his twin a hard look.

"Yeah, speaking on which, we should go grab our stuff and get ready, boyfriend." Kait said as she turned to go into the house.

Oppie covered his blushing face with his palm for a second before repeating Viran's maneuver and hopping down from the cockpit.

Viran walked over to Oppie with a smirk. "Xiv's are mean," he said.

"Yep." Oppie said with a shake of his head, following Viran as Kyr joined them.

"You know I -" Kyr started.

"Don't." Oppie said with a sharp look.

Kyr just grinned and said nothing as they made their way into the house. Viran shot a grin back to Kyr as they headed upstairs. They headed into the kitchen to grab some water and snacks. Cien and Kait were there too, except Lana and Sasha who must have put the little one down for a nap.

"So how did your guys shopping go?" Viran asked as he opened the fridge and pulled out a bottle of water for himself, Kyr, and Op. He tossed one each to the brothers.

Cien had put the bag with her new robes on the breakfast table as she grabbed a bottle of juice for herself and Kait before before what?. "It was interesting."

"Yeah," Kyr said, "I can't remember the last time you asked me to check your new clothes for trackers or any other kind stuff." He said. He had ended up running a full suite of scans on the robes before they went to hyperspace, at Cien's insistence.

"I wasn't entirely sure." Cien said. "The seamstress we met was another Force user, and she knew I had been an Empress." She stated, looking between them. Kait glanced at her curiously at that statement, while everyone else had a look of concern.

"How?" Oppie asked.

"We are not entirely sure," Sasha said as she entered the kitchen, overhearing the conversation. "But it made me feel uneasy."

"Was she dangerous?" Viran asked, concerned.

"No, just strange," Sasha said as she took a seat at the kitchen table.

Cien cleared her throat. "I don't think she was dangerous per se, but it concerned me as well that she seemed to know who I was. She seemed gray to me, not light, not dark, and I don't know what exactly that means. She also had some sort of master that she was very vague about, but said had been around for 'centuries'." She stated.

"No way it could be Dracul, could it?" Kyr asked the rest of the group and Oppie furrowed his brow in concern, while Kait looked a little weirdly around this impromptu family meeting.

"No, I don't think so," Sasha shook her head. "She said a name. Ronon or something. I have never heard of them."

"Dracul wouldn't go by an alias." Cien added. "There was also a very odd twitch about her presence in the Force when I introduced myself as Cien Xiv." She said.

"What was her name?" Oppie asked.

"Xad'ra." Cien said.

Oppie looked at her in confusion for a second as he settled back against the counter. "Xad'ra Em?" He asked.

"Yes." Cien answered, confused that Oppie would know that.

"You know her?" Viran asked, confused as he took a swig of his water.

"Yeah." Oppie replied, "you guys don't remember her?" He asked, looking between Sasha and Viran.

"No," Sasha and Viran said at the same time.

"Who is she? And how do you know her?" Sasha asked, surprised.

Oppie swallowed, "I think it was about a year and a half after we went on the run, the Empire got really close to catching us. She recognized who we were and gave us safe haven for a few weeks until they finished the sweep of our sector. She wasn't a Jedi or a Sith, but she was a fairly powerful Force user in her own right."

Cien looked at him in a slightly worried way. "That's good to know she helped you guys, then. Sasha and I were concerned about her."

"A lot can happen in the last twenty years or so, I guess, but I would consider her a friend to our family." Oppie stated.

"Huh," Viran said.

"Why do I not remember her? I feel like I should," Sasha said, frowning slightly.

"I'm not sure, but I do recall that was around the time of your serious nightmares. Maybe you just blocked it from your memory," Viran suggested.

"That's possible. Then why don't you remember her?" Sasha asked him.

"You know me. My memory isn't always one hundred percent the best. And if we were with her for a few weeks at the most a long time ago, I just forgot about it," Viran explained with a smirk.

"You guys were also like eleven, and we were running for our lives, so you were kind of exhausted at the time." Oppie mentioned.

"There is also that," Viran agreed.

Sasha nodded, subtly. "I guess. But it is still really strange to run into her like this at a dress shop."

"And that would explain why she might know you guys, but not why she would know about me." Cien said, slightly concerned.

"Should I go have a 'talk' with her?" Kyr suggested in a gruff manner.

"No, I kind of did. I don't think it was anything to worry about." Cien said dismissively.

"I might contact her to say hi." Oppie said with a shrug. "She and I kind of kept in touch, sending messages once or twice a year. After Chikara, when I got back, her commline was gone. I wasn't sure what happened to her."

Kait glanced at him under a slightly arched eyebrow.

Sasha nodded as she tapped her fingers on the table as if in deep thought. Viran just shrugged as he chugged the last of his water.

"So Cien, what did you get from her shop?" Viran asked as he tossed the empty bottle into the recycling can.

"Oh, new robes to attend the conference in." Cien answered.

"I suggested since she can't wear her armor for the moment, she might wear something kind of thematic to go along with the reason for her invitation." Kyr said.

"I never got to try them on, I guess I should see if they fit." Cien said, looking at the bag.

"Oh yes, I do want to see how they turned out," Sasha said, excitedly as she came out of her daze.

"I think we might need to get going." Kait said, "while you guys were dealing with this Xad'ra person we got another call from Gordana asking when we'd be out there."

"Another one?" Oppie asked, "jeeze."

"Yep." She said as she got up and pecked him on the cheek. "Come on boyfriend." She said as she left the kitchen to go grab her bag.

Oppie froze and blushed furiously as everyone else looked at the exchange.

"Y-" Kyr started.

"Don't." Oppie said, looking at him sharply again.

"I-" Kyr started again.

"Don't." Oppie said as he followed Kait into the living room.

Sasha and Viran stared at the exchange with wide eyes and their mouths agape. They then exchanged a smile and chuckle at seeing how adorable the two of them were. Cien tried to hide her own snicker.

"Bye you two," Sasha and Viran called after them, still smiling.

"Bye." Oppie said embarrassed as he passed through the doorway.

"See you in a few weeks!" Kait said with a grin as she passed by to head towards the hangar.

"Aren't they just -" Kyr started.

"Don't!" Oppie said, swinging his head around the opening to fix Kyr with a menacing stare, before following Kait to the hangar.

"He's going to smack you someday for doing that," Sasha said after a moment to Kyr with a smirk.

"Why do you think I wear my beskar all the time?" Kyr asked.

Sasha rolled her eyes and looked at Cien. "So, are you ready to go try that on? Do you need a hand?" She asked.

"No, I can get it, I think." Cien said, getting to her feet with only a little trouble and grabbing the bag with her robes as she headed towards her bedroom.

"Alright," Sasha said. "I'm gonna go sit on the couch for a bit. What are you two gonna do?" She asked Kyr and Viran.

Viran shifted his gaze between Kyr and Sasha as if the answer was obvious. "I'm going to go play with our new fighters."

Kyr looked unsure, he was torn between wanting to see his wife in her cute new outfit and go play with the X-Wings.

Viran smirked. "Wanna go play with the fighters after we see Cien's new look?" He asked his best friend.

"Okay." Kyr said. "So any new thoughts on the paint job?" He asked.

"Now that I have seen them in person and flown them, I think I am closer to an idea for what to do," Viran said as Sasha led them into the living room.

"Oh?" Kyr asked.

"I am between the blue and gold look Oppie thought of or a blue and black look," Viran thought out loud. "So blue for sure, I guess."

"Like a black body with blue highlights like the way Republic X-Wings look? Or just blue livery over the base color with other gold or black highlights?" Kyr asked, sitting down in the chair and absently rubbing his right leg.

"I was thinking more of the latter," Viran replied as he sat down on the couch next to Sasha. "What do you think?"

"Could just mix all three." Kyr suggested. "Like the base white with black fields on it, and blue and gold highlights over the top."

"Oh, that would look really good," Viran said, thinking about it. "Yeah, we can try that look."

"So have you two finally made a decision?" Sasha asked them as she lounged back on the couch.

"I guess we have," Viran shrugged as he looked at Kyr.

"Yeah." Kyr said with a shrug. "It's just paint, so maybe we could change it seasonally, too." He suggested, only half joking.

"Definitely," Viran said, nodding in agreement to that.

Sasha rolled her eyes. "Why am I not surprised?" She asked more to herself with a chuckle.

"Maybe we'll do the purple you suggested, Sash'ika." Kyr said, "that would look good with the gold highlights. I think with Op galavanting across the galaxy being cute, the other X-wing might end up being yours." He suggested.

"I would love to see them in purple at some point, but Op is still a better pilot than me," Sasha said. "So when he is around, it is his to use. But that doesn't mean I won't borrow it from time to time."

"That's my girl," Viran said, proudly as he wrapped an arm around Sasha's shoulders.

"Now's a good time to build up your piloting skills, though." Kyr suggested. "You ever had a ship of your own?" He asked, very sure the answer was no.

"No," Sasha answered with a slight shake of her head. "I have piloted the Forerunner and the Lambda shuttle. That's really it though. I would like to get more experience. I just haven't found the time."

"Well now that we have the fighters I can go with you and do private lessons with something smaller and easier to manage than a whole ship or freighter," Viran pointed out.

"It does sound like a lot of fun," Sasha said, smiling at them.

"Yeah." Kyr agreed. "Let Op borrow your fighter from time to time." He encouraged, genuinely. "He's already laid claim to the Daredevil." Kyr thought for a moment. "And I'm not talking about Kait, I mean the ship." He finished his thought.

Sasha gave Kyr a weird look at that, but still giggled at the clarification.

Viran nodded, smirking. "True, but he has already challenged me to a rematch from our last dogfight. So he should at least get to do that."

"Leave him alone, you two," Sasha chided as she lightly slapped Viran on the leg.

"For as odd as that encounter was, she seems like a very good seamstress." Cien said, coming around the corner in her new, all black Sith robes. They were not as garish as her robes had been as an Empress, nor as simple as her Acolyte robes had been. These were the robes she had commissioned as a Sith Lord. They had a more masterful work about them, with fine detailing in the seams, and the same sorts of folds across her torso that she had incorporated into her old acolyte robes as well as her Mandalorian flight suit. The hooded back draped wide and low across her shoulder as she turned to let them see, with her loose hair spilling neatly and elegantly over it. The volume of the robes and the main garment underneath also hid the fact that she was pregnant very well, at least with where she was at nearly five months.

"Whoa, cyar'ika that looks great!" Kyr said, looking at how impressive she looked in the new outfit.

"Damn, you look awesome," Viran complimented.

Sasha just sat there, staring at her new look. Cien did look amazing. The robes beautifully framed her body, making her look exactly like she had when Cien had left her empire behind. Suddenly, a strange sensation passed over her as she looked at Cien with a stunned look and as that thought crossed Sasha's mind. A sensation that matched the lingering feeling, that presence, from before at the shop. It felt like it came rushing back as if a shadow was suddenly looming behind Cien, painting her in a dark light. Sasha couldn't explain it, but seeing Cien in that light sent a chill down her spine. Sasha tried to get rid of the presence by pushing it away in her mind, but it didn't seem to leave. It just floated around Cien continuing to make Sasha more and more uncomfortable. She threw her walls up to see if that would shoo away the presence. It worked for now, but didn't shake the feeling it seemed to leave behind.

"Wow," Sasha finally said as she realized that she must have looked like a deer caught in the headlights of a speeder.

Cien looked at her a little confused. "What, is it fitting weird?" She asked, trying to twist and see down across her back.

"Uh, no," Sasha said, shaking her head. "I just didn't know what to expect. It looks good." She said genuinely. The presence pulsed around Cien despite the walls trying to block it out.. Sasha tried to ignore it as she attempted to keep her pleasant facade up.

Viran shot her a strange side glance before looking back at Cien. "Yeah it does look great." He said truthfully.

"Thanks." Cien said, though she glanced at Sasha, sensing her unease through the Force. "I'll go pack it away," she said, disappearing back towards the bedroom.

"I'll go help." Kyr said, jumping to his feet to follow her.

Once they were both gone, Viran looked at Sasha, worriedly.

"You okay? That was an odd reaction you had to her look," he said, frowning. "I would have thought you would have been freaking out about how good it looks on her, not become subdued like that." He then whispered to her. "And I sensed your walls go up. What's going on?"

"Nothing, I'm fine," Sasha said dismissively.

"Okay, are you sure?" Viran asked, concerned.

"Yeah, I'm sure," Sasha said, a little snippy. "And I did like it, by the way. I was just shocked at how well it was done and how great it looks." She said defensively. "Not every one of my reactions has to be over the top." She stood from the couch and headed out of the living room, disappearing to somewhere else. Somewhere where she could clear her head.

Viran just watched her go, puzzled by the way she was acting. "Where the hell did that come from?" He asked himself in utter confusion at what just happened.

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