Last time: Oppie and Kait dealt with pirates... mainly Hondo. Op had a nightmare involving Kait.

Now: They arrive to Coruscant.

Chapter 24- Coruscant

"Well." Kyr said as they were on final approach. "That's a lot of lights." He commented. Courscant's star was just slipping below the horizon as they flew in, and Kyr was paying extra attention to make sure they were staying on their assigned flight path. Considering all the traffic in the system there seemed like a real danger if they deviated from it at all.

"Yeah it is," Viran said from the co-pilot seat as he stared at the planet before them. He seemed to be in a daze as he continued to look out the viewport. Sasha was silent behind him as she too stared out the viewport. Cien sat behind Kyr and looked out over the planet in silence as well.

Kyr glanced at the others in the cockpit with him. "You all okay?"

"It has just been so long," Sasha spoke up. "We're just… taking it all in."

"I've never been. Wonder what those big glowing circles are?" Kyr said, pointing out the cockpit window at a continent sized patches of the cityscape.

"That's just the city lights," Viran answered. "The entire planet is one giant city."

"Well that I know." Kyr said. "But what are the big circles?" He asked. "They race tracks or something?" He asked curiously.

"Uh, no I don't think so. I think they are the large pits that lead into the lower levels of the city," Viran guessed.

"We have only ever seen this once when we left the planet long ago," Sasha added. "So I'm not sure either of us truly know."

"Whelp." Kyr said, "our landing spot is near the center of one of them in the senate district, so I guess we'll see." As they glided in closer.

As they broke the atmosphere, Sasha and Viran gasped quietly as they looked out at the city as it came into view from beyond the clouds. They could see everything including the opera house, the senate building, and in the distance… the Jedi Temple. Both Jedi silently looked at it after so many years. It looked unchanged from this distance.

Cien swallowed, looking at all of this alongside them, her own trepidation for the trip and being in this place making her shrink back a little in her seat. Part of her, the part that would never quite go away looked out and saw the capital of her enemy. The Republic. The Senate building. The Jedi Temple, the symbols of everything that she had been raised to fight all her life. And the Temple, ruined though it was, intact as it was, still shining as a beacon of the light side. And the part of her that had fallen to the light fought with that other, darker side of her. Thinking of this place as the capital of the Republic, that she had fought beside. That she was now a part of. The Jedi temple, shining as a beacon of what she had fallen to. What she had gained. She would never be a Jedi, but it was a bastion of the light, and for that it was a temple for her as well. And she shrank even deeper, ever so subtly into her seat as that realization struck her.

Sasha glanced at her in the corner of her eye before looking back out as Kyr and Viran guided the ship closer to their landing pad. She subtly held her hand out to Cien as a sign of comfort as she could sense her unease as her own emotions swirled at the sight of her old home. Cien looked down and saw her hand and took a deep breath, drawing herself back up and taking Sasha's hand with a light squeeze.

"Sport, you seeing the terminal?" Kyr asked as they wove through the city where it seemed nearly as bright as day, even though they were on the night side.

"Yeah, it's coming up ahead," Viran said, pointing out the window. "I'll pull up the landing permit." He started typing into the computer as they approached closer.

"Thanks." Kyr said. He flicked a switch and turned on the landing lights, lowering the gear as they came into view of the landing pad. He was only slightly nervous at the fact that it was a repulsor terminal, floating above the city along with a couple dozen other pads sprouting upwards like a tree. There was a central core building where guests could wait, and many other ships of varying sizes either landed on the pads or docked to the side of it. As guests of the Crystalline Star hotel, they had been given clearance on one of the upper landing decks, which made Kyr a little nervous since the other ships they were parking beside were yachts that appeared to cater to those that his venerable ship could be bought for with the change they lost in their ships salon.

"Those are some nice ships," Viran observed. "But can they beat the Shadow in a race?" He smirked.

Sasha rolled her eyes as she let go of Cien's hand. "I'm going to grab Lana," she said as she stood and walked into the passenger compartment where Lana was sitting in her booster seat. Cien got up to follow her.

"Uhh…" Kyr said, looking at the ships, some of them looked quite performance oriented, and he didn't quite want to answer that question as he flipped the last of the switches to power down and got up. "Prolly could outgun them." Kyr noted, subdued.

Viran glanced at him before looking at the ships. "That's a fair response," he said with an unsure shrug as he got up and followed after him.

"You two ready?" Sasha asked as she placed Lana in her stroller as they entered into the chamber at the top of the boarding ramp. RV was standing beside her with their bags gathered beside him.

"Yep." Kyr said. "We have a rental speeder, cyar'ika?" Kyr asked his wife, clarifying the plan. She had taken it upon herself to plan out the details for the trip, and he only had a vague notion of what she had made reservations for.

"Yes." Cien responded. She turned toward the ramp and walked down it. There was an attendant waiting at the foot of the ramp who seemed to be inspecting the Shadow Runner with a confused, if critical eye. He checked his datapad as if confirming the landing clearance, and then looked up when he saw Cien coming down as a dark silhouette from the relatively bright interior of the Shadow.

"Good evening," he said, as he glanced up and saw Kyr coming down the ramp behind her, his armored figure also silhouetting as a ghastly shape from the interior that made the attendant have to hide a double take. "The Shadow Runner, with Cien Xiv and party?" He asked, with an odd note of nervousness.

"Yes." Cien said, in a slightly imperial voice.

Sasha and Viran followed up the rear with Lana and RV, glancing at them with an amused look as the man seemed uneasy.

He coughed slightly. "You speeder is available for you on pad C-4." He gestured, "will you need any help with your luggage?" He asked.

"We c-" Kyr started.

"Yes, we will." Cien said, looking at the attendant.

Sasha and Viran just shrugged.

"I think we can handle it," Viran said, hesitantly. "But if you are offering, thank you." He sounded very unsure of what to do.

The attendant glanced at the others before looking back down at Cien. "I'll have some attendants come to assist you." He stated, "you are welcome to oversee your luggage or wait in your speeder." He offered.

"I'll 'oversee' it if you want to go on to the speeder?" Kyr suggested to Cien, slightly amused at the aire she was putting on.

"Very well." Cien said. She nodded at the attendant, "thank you." She said as she started moving off towards the pad.

"I guess I'll help Kyr," Viran said to Sasha with a shrug.

"I shall help as well," RV offered as he waddled after Viran, QT and Tac following after.

Sasha followed after Cien with Lana, who was staring at everything in awe from her stroller. "You okay?" She asked as she approached Cien.

"Yes." Cien said, "why?" She asked, slightly confused.

"Nothing, you just seem… regal all of the sudden," Sasha observed, a tad uneasily.

Cien stopped and looked to Sasha, her brows knit in slight concern. "I'm sorry, I'm just nervous being here." She said in a softer tone. "I want everything to go well on this trip."

"I understand. You have been working hard to get ready for this," Sasha assured her. "Don't worry. It'll all go perfectly. Just take a deep breath. We're here for you."

"Thank you." Cien said, swallowing. She continued forward with Sasha and Lana at her side, and they found the speeder waiting for them. A large truck, similar to what they had from the embassy's motorpool on Caranas, but this looked much newer, and much nicer. "This should be big enough for everyone, right?" She asked.

"The six of us and Op and Kait? Yeah I think so. Plus RV is going to remain at the hotel most of the time anyway," Sasha said looking at the large truck that hovered beside the platform.

Cien just nodded as they came to a halt beside the vehicle. She looked around at the incredibly busy cityscape around them. "I've never been to any place quite like this." She noted, looking at the towering buildings that shone brightly in the night from all the lights. She suddenly realized why the Sith Empire had never been successful until they finally used the Republic against itself.

"It's a bit overwhelming at first," Sasha admitted. "I've never actually been this far into the city from the temple while on planet. This is new to me too."

"You grew up here, though?" Cien asked, they could still make out the Jedi temple that was visible in the distance.

"Yes, me, Viran and Oppie all did," Sasha said, looking off into the distance where the temple was standing.

"The tour should be interesting." Cien noted, also looking at the temple. "I…" She started, a little nervous to make the joke, "I wonder if we can visit your rooms?" She ventured to ask as a joke, hoping it was okay.

Sasha chuckled a little nervously. "That would be interesting to see after all of these years. I doubt any of my old belongings are still there, but there wasn't much either if I'm being honest," she said, continuing to look out at the temple.

"Is Viran very messy?" Cien asked, "I wonder what his room would have been like at that age."

"I don't know, actually. I never visited his room back then. We barely knew each other outside of our youngling group," Sasha said wistfully. "But I bet it probably was a little messy."

"I would be willing to wager it won't have a twenty year old sandwich waiting there, though." Cien noted with a sour look as she remembered seeing Kyr's own extremely messy room.

Sasha laughed lightly at that. "Oh I'd take that wager."

"What're you two laughing at?" Kyr asked as he walked up, pushing a hover dolly that had their luggage. One of the attendants was following him and Viran along, looking very uncomfortable that the Mandalorian had insisted on pushing the cart.

"Nothing," Sasha said, smiling at them. "Ready to go?"

"I think so," Viran said as he and RV approached the truck.

Kyr stopped the dolly at the trunk and opened the hatch, and took a step back, slightly bewildered that even the luggage compartment of the vehicle looked like something from a luxury yacht.

"Ms. Cien, how exactly did you acquire such a high end transport?" RV asked as he inspected the truck with Viran.

"Yeah, this isn't just some base model truck," Viran observed as he opened the driver door and looked over the controls.

"It was what the rental service had that seemed big enough for all of us." She replied with a shrug.

Kyr looked at her with a slight bit of worry as he loaded the last of the bags into the truck along with getting Tac and QT settled and closed the rear hatch. He took his buy'ce off and handed the dolly back to the attendant. He slipped him a generously sized credit slip and nodded his thanks. "Sport, you feel like driving?" He asked.

"Definitely," Viran beamed as he climbed into the driver's seat.

"Do you know where we are going?" Sasha asked Viran as RV helped her strap Lana into her speeder booster seat.

"Kind of," Viran answered as he started up the truck. "I looked over the map of the city on the way here. But Kyr want to be my navigator?"

"Sure." Kyr said, closing the door behind Cien as she got into her seat, and putting his buy'ce back on so he could have his map overlay. "Mind if I take the front seat Sasha?" He asked.

"It's all yours," Sasha said, smirking as she climbed in beside Lana.

Kyr climbed into the luxurious front seat, and as he closed the door he was suddenly struck by how incredibly quiet it was inside, compared to the city outside. And the interior looked so comfortable he almost wished he didn't have his beskar on so he could feel the seats. He glanced back at Cien, "you three all comfy back there?" He asked.

"We are good to go," Sasha said, giving him a thumbs up.

"I am a tad cramped back here," RV voiced from the back row where his metal legs were pressed to the back of the seat Sasha was in.

"We could always remove your legs if you want." Kyr suggested to the droid.

"Don't you dare," RV hissed.

"What? Then you'd be a tad less cramped." Kyr said in a mocking tone.

"Then I am fine as is," the droid conceded.

"And you three are doing okay?" Kyr asked more towards Cien.

"Yes." Cien said with the slightest of smiles, looking out the window at the cityscape.

Kyr looked back forward with a small smirk. "Okay, apparently we're only a few kilometers away. Head out on the southbound skyway."

"Uh, okay," Viran said as he maneuvered the truck into the evening traffic.

They flew through the city following Kyr's directions, sticking to the sky lanes as they went. Soon they approached a large hotel that towered high like many of the other buildings in the upper levels. Viran pulled up the main landing platform just before the lobby of the hotel that was right in the middle of the large tower structure. He slowed to a stop behind a couple of other speeders with guests checking in. Their speeders were also high end and quite luxurious looking. Even the people getting out matched the level of luxury based off their attire.

"Are we sure we are at the right place?" Viran asked as he glanced back at Cien, uncertain.

"The Crystalline Star?" She asked, looking out the window, trying to see a sign.

"Yeah." Kyr said, nervously, looking at the sign and the same opulence that Viran was looking at. Already a very well dressed valet was coming to the door.

"Good evening sir, are you checking in?" He asked, as Viran rolled the window down.

"Uh, yes," Viran said, glancing at him then Cien and back. "It should be under Cien Xiv. Do we check in with you or inside?" He asked.

"Cien Xiv?" The attendant asked. "Ah, of course. Your check-in will be inside, I can valet your vehicle and make sure your bags are taken up to your accommodations."

"Thanks," Viran said as he shut down the truck. "I guess this is where we get out."

"Okay," Sasha said as she started unbuckling Lana.

"Thank the maker," the droid sighed in relief quietly from the back.

Cien stepped out and headed around towards the entrance and waited a few moments for the others to join her. She felt an odd sense of nervousness from Kyr through their connection, and wasn't quite sure what it might be. He didn't feel like this even when they went into battle. "Everything okay?" She asked him.

"Yeah." He said, looking around. "I should have cleaned my armor." He said quietly.

She smirked lightly and headed towards the grand entryway. Another finely dressed young couple stepped out of the hotel, and shot her a dirty look as she swept past them, and they had to move slightly to get out of her way. Kyr shot them a slightly sheepish looking under his buy'ce, and they just gulped nervously as they imagined the look the fully armored Mandalorian was giving them. They probably thought he was Cien's body guard, which made him smile in amusement.

The lobby was gorgeous, and towered above them, and took up what looked like nearly the entire floorspace of the tower they were on. There was a huge crystal that was suspended from the ceiling like a chandelier and lit up the space in splendid light. Rich marble was under foot, with fine modern furniture in many comfortable groupings. Fresh cut flowers were arranged in enormous bouquets, and Kyr, oddly, noted the large water vessel that looked like it was filled with fruits and foliage that seemed prominently displayed. The staff of the hotel, at the check in desk and the concierge, were dressed in the finest outfits that Kyr had ever seen. Cien was brought up short as a somewhat older woman walked up to the party before they made it to the check-in desk.

"Cien Xiv?" She asked, and was doing a very good job of hiding any thoughts she had as she looked between them.

"Yes, that's her," Viran said, gesturing to Cien who was just over his shoulder from where the woman had walked up.

"We should have rooms available," Sasha added with an air of Jedi dignity as she noted the glance from the woman.

The woman nodded. "Yes, we have been expecting you. Your room is available. My name is Maree, and I will be your concierge during your stay. If you will follow me." She gestured graciously.

Cien merely nodded like an empress and followed after her.

"Room?" Kyr asked her quietly.

"It should be fairly large." Cien replied very quietly under her breath.

Viran and Sasha exchanged a confused look then looked at Cien before following behind her and Kyr. RV was slowly shuffling along behind them with Tac and QT, who were quietly whistling to each other about sight lines.

"What do you think this large room even looks like?" Viran whispered to Sasha.

"No, clue. Maybe it's a suite?" Sasha guessed as in a whispered tone.

"Maybe," Viran said as he looked around at the hotel.

The entire place was so luxurious. Sasha and Viran felt like fish out of water as they got many stares from other guests as they continued along towards the lifts.

The concierge called the lift and stepped in, the others filing in behind her into the small cabin. She pressed a shiny gold card against a reader on the wall alongside the bank of buttons, and the lift shot upwards. Maree turned and handed Cien a similar card in a small sleeve. "We have your checkout one week from now. Anything you and your party need, here at the Crystalline Star or in the city during your stay, please see me or my staff." She offered the sleeved cards to everyone else in the lift. "I presume the little one will not need an access card?" She asked with a smile.

"No, she will not," Sasha said with a chuckle.

"Very well then." Maree said with a gracious smile. "Your two other travel companions are arriving separately, or have your plans changed?" She asked.

"They are arriving separately." Cien stated. The lift doors opened, and they stepped out onto the floor of the hotel their room must be on. There was a rich entry way that opened into a luxurious living room space that reminded Kyr a little of a very upscale and… chic rendition of Haven's own living room. Above them, in the multistory space as they took a few steps down onto the seating area that overlooked the city, a crystal hung as an enormous chandelier that was as impressive as the display in the lobby, even if a bit smaller. The rich carpet they stepped out onto crushed underfoot luxuriously, and warm wood and luxurious accents through the space belied the fact that not a square centimeter had been overlooked. The windows curved up and over them, and they realized they must be at the very top of the tower. It also struck Kyr that they didn't have a room on this floor. This floor was their room.

"Welcome to the Chancellor's suite." Maree said, "room service is available at all times, and you also have access to any amenities you desire."

"Thank you." Cien said, looking out across the space. Even she looked a little impressed.

Maree nodded. "Please enjoy your stay, and thank you for allowing us to host you." She said as she took her leave.

Sasha and Viran stared in shock with their jaws practically on the floor. They both slowly entered the room, or floor, looking around at everything, afraid to touch any of it.

"How the hell did we get this?" Viran asked Cien, incredulously.

"I…" Cien started nervously, "I just told the hotel we had a party of seven plus Lana and the droids and we needed a large room with enough space for us. Is it okay?" She asked, worriedly.

"Yeah, this is awesome, but we expected something like smaller and not as… fancy," Viran said, still stunned.

"Sorry, we're just a little blown away is all," Sasha added.

Kyr was looking around a little agoge at the space. He took his helmet off and moved a little closer to his wife. "Seriously though, this… looks a little out of our usual budget range, did you sell your beskar?" He asked, only half joking.

"No." Cien said, looking up at him, "I took care of it from my account." She stated.

"Your account?" He asked. He figured she had one, she had access to his accounts and the Xiv accounts, now, but she hadn't deposited her share of the profits from various jobs in either of those, and he hadn't asked what she did with them. For all he knew the credits were in a bag under the mattress in her old room.

"Yes," Cien said, "my account with the banking clan I had setup when I was sixteen or so." She said.

"Sixteen?" Kyr asked a little confused, when she had been an acolyte three thousand years earlier.

"Wait a second. That was a long time ago. Does that mean you… are rich now?" Viran asked, trying to do the math in his head.

"I guess." She said, not really quite sure. The family always seemed to have more than enough for what they needed, and she had never really had to deal with money. It was a number she just knew she had access to, and the number would go up or down depending on if she used it or added to it.

"Cyar'ika, you have an account with the banking clan that's three thousand years old? They still service accounts that old?" Kyr asked a little incredulously.

"Yeah, they seem to." She said, a little confused why everyone was asking about it. "I checked the account several years ago. After I verified who I was they let me access the funds. I think the original bank had been bought out by one entity or another over the centuries, but the account was still valid once I tracked it down." She said.

Kyr tried to figure out how much that might be. Three thousand years of compound interest seemed like a lot, unless it was compounding from, like, one credit originally. He looked around the space, at probably one of the nicest suites on Coruscant, in the galaxy, hotel or otherwise, and looked back down at her. "Cyar'ika, forgive me for asking but… just how much does three thousand years of interest work out to?" He asked her quietly, quietly enough that Viran and Sasha wouldn't quite hear.

She furrowed her brow for a second, adding the appropriate commas to turn it into a number she could say, and she told him back in the same quiet tone.

He looked at her stunned for a moment.

"Kyr!" Cien shot her hand out to grab hold of his arm as he fell to the floor in a clatter of armor, and Cien wasn't able to catch him in time. She looked on in wide-eyed horror as she awkwardly tried to kneel at his side.

Sasha and Viran quickly rushed to his side. Sasha checked his vitals. She sighed after a moment. "He's fine. He just fainted."

"What happened?" Viran asked Cien.

"I…" She started, "I just told him how much was in the account." She said, still aghast.

"Sport…" Kyr said, as he came to.

"We're here man," Viran assured him.

"Sport… forget the X-wings, we should have held out for MC-80s." Kyr said dreamily. Viran looked at Kyr a little bewildered at that as he slowly realized what Kyr meant.

"How much if I may ask?" Sasha asked as she stood up.

Cien got to her feet awkwardly with a little help from Sasha. She whispered the amount into her sister's ear. Sasha looked at her in shock.

"Fierfek," she breathed out as she looked from the room to Kyr to Cien and back.

Cien looked worriedly around the space and her family around her, wondering if she had done something wrong as she looked down at her feet.

"Hey, it's okay. We are just blown away by all of this. Don't be ashamed. This is so cool," Sasha said, smiling at her.

Cien nodded as Kyr got to his feet. He wrapped his arms around her in a hug which made her feel better. "I want you to remember I loved you before I found out about your money." And she just looked confused.

It was the middle of the night when they arrived on Coruscant. Though one might not guess that from the traffic and the bustling city around them. The attendants at the landing platform had been kind enough to get them a cab after they had settled in next to the Shadow Runner, and Kait's face was plastered to the window looking out at the endless city. Op was also looking out at the window, at the distant, dark pyramid of the Jedi temple. His first sight of it since he had left for that trip to escort the younglings to get their Kyber crystals. He had understood it as a great honor at the time, but he had also been a little annoyed with the duty. Another one of Master Redika's attempts to keep them away from the frontlines while most of the other clone troopers of the 94th had been going on another mission. Only a few of them had accompanied them as an escort on that fateful trip, which, honestly, was probably why any of them had survived considering the incredible skills the Rangers had possessed.

The temple he looked upon with mixed feelings. Part of him still considered it his ultimate home. But he was also in a cab next to his girlfriend, here with a family he would have been denied if that temple had stood. A different life. A different home. Maybe a different family, in a way, if he had made more friends at the temple.

"So that's the Jedi temple?" Kait asked, pulling him from his thoughts.

"Yeah." He said.

"I'm looking forward to seeing it." Kait said, speaking of the tour they had a reservation for in a few days.

"Yeah, I think I am too." Oppie replied.

"You think?" She asked.

"It was my home for sixteen years, but…" He said. "I don't know. I just have mixed feelings finally being back on Coruscant, finally seeing the temple again." He reached over and took her hand. "I've gained so much since then, and it represents so much loss. It's… strange to think of revisiting that life."

She squeezed his hand. "That makes sense." She said, "think we'll be able to visit your old room?" She asked.

"Uhh... I can't imagine it'll be on the tour." Oppie said, with a slight smirk.

"Well, I'm sure they'll let you go visit. Got anything you left there that you might be able to retrieve?" She asked, thoughtfully.

Oppie thought for a moment, and for the life of him, he couldn't remember if there was anything in his old room worth going back for. He hadn't been allowed things that were worth going back for, with that life. "I don't know." He said after a moment.

They pulled up to the hotel, and the cab let them out. Oppie tossed the credits to the droid who had driven them after they got their luggage out, and wished them a good morning. The hotel, despite the incredibly late hour, was still a brightly lit cacophony of luxurious opulence that brought both of them up short as they went through the doorway the smartly dressed person at the door had opened for them.

"What?" Kait asked, after a moment, looking around a little dumbfounded. "Is this the right place?" She asked.

"Yeah." Oppie said with a grin. "If Cien was going to make hotel reservations, this… actually makes sense." He said with a slight chuckle. They continued walking up to the check-in desk, but they were intercepted by a well dressed woman.

"Good evening, are you Oppie Xiv and Kait Messan?" She asked.

Oppie considered her a moment, that old part of him that had spent fifteen years on the run wary of anyone who recognized them.

"Yes." Kait answered for them.

"My name is Maree, I'm your concierge. Welcome to The Crystalline Star." She said graciously.

"How did you know it was us?" Oppie asked out of pure curiosity.

"Your lightsabers, I noticed several of the rest of your party also had them." Maree replied with a smile. "We did not know we were hosting Jedi, and it is an honor to be able to welcome you back to Coruscant." She said as she directed them to the lift.

Oppie glanced awkwardly at Kait, who looked like she was highly amused by that. As Maree walked she leaned over to Op. "I didn't know I was dating a celebrity." She whispered.

He threw an annoyed glance at her as they joined Maree in the cab.

"These are your pass keys to your room. The rest of your party arrived several hours ago." She informed them as she handed them the cards in their elegant paper sleeves. "Was your journey here comfortable?" She inquired politely.

"Yeah." Kait replied for them as she adjusted the pack on her shoulder. "Though we're still suffering a little light-lag. It's about noon for us." Kait replied evenly.

"Ah, yes. An aspect of travel that always seems to haunt me as well. Let me know if there is anything I may do for you. Our lounge down in the lobby is open if you wish for a night cap." Maree suggested.

"Maybe." Oppie said, yawning, despite the fact that it was, in fact, still noon for them.

The doors parted and they stepped out into a darkened living room that was huge. Oppie lifted his brows as he realized they had one of those suites on Coruscant. Kait was also a little frozen looking at the… palace that awaited them.

"Have a good evening." Maree said very quietly behind them as the cab closed.

Kait and Oppie stood there for a moment. "Wow." Kait finally said for the both of them under her breath.

"Cien definitely booked this." Oppie said, stifling a chuckle. They stepped forward, and there was a note that had their names on it on a table in the entryway. Oppie recognized Cien's incredibly perfect handwriting.

Op & Kait,

Sorry we didn't stay up to meet you! Your room is down the hall to your left, and the fourth door. Have a good night and see you tomorrow!

Cien

P.S. Cyar'ika wanted me to remind you that the kitchen was off to the right in case you needed anything to drink or snack on before bed.

P.P.S. Tac, QT and RV were arguing too much so we shut them in the pantry so they would be less disruptive. Don't be startled if you go in there.

"Is that Kyr's handwriting?" Kait asked, wrinkling her nose.

Oppie almost burst out laughing. "Yeah."

"It looks like a chicken stepped in a puddle of ink and was chasing bugs around." She observed.

Oppie had to clap his hand over his mouth to keep from waking everyone up.

After a moment they quietly snuck their way down the hallway, careful to count to the fourth door so they didn't accidentally walk in on any of the others. They went in and closed the door, then turned the light on. They were in a small entry hallway, on the other side of the wall was probably a beautiful bathroom, and beyond was the large bedroom space. The room was huge, bigger by itself than any of the hotel rooms they had been staying in. Certainly far, far more luxurious. It reminded him of one of the master bedrooms at Haven. Especially for the fact that it only had a single, large bed, which Op swallowed at.

"Jeeze this place is beautiful." Kait said in wonder as she walked deeper into the room. "Shame I don't really feel like sleeping." She said with a grin.

"Yeah." Oppie said, still looking at the lone bed.

She looked in the bathroom and chuckled slightly when she saw what could only be described as a spa that awaited them. "Nice big shower in there, which sounds nice." She commented innocently.

"I uh…" Part of him couldn't help but feel like Cien did this on purpose if she was the one in charge of rooms.

Kait looked back at him. "What's wrong?" She asked.

"Maybe we can get another room once the others are awake. I… I can see if we could get a rollaway tonight, or something." He said haltingly.

Kait glanced at the bed and then looked back at him. "Op, this is fine with me." Kait stated as she went back over to him.

"I don't… I don't want you to feel like I'm…" He said, swallowing and looking very nervous.

"Op it's okay." She said, as she approached him.

"But -" He started.

She pulled him down into a deep kiss and he faltered back against the wall as she pressed forward. He knocked into the frame of a beautiful painting that bumped back against the wall with them. After a moment she pulled back. "Op. This is fine." She stated, looking into his dazed eyes.

He held his gaze on her for a moment without saying anything as it looked like he wrestled with something. Then he surprised her by kissing her back just as deeply. They held their embrace for a moment before both pulled back, both dazed.

"It is." He agreed.

"I think I might go take that shower." Kait stated quietly as she backed away.

"Okay." Oppie said, swallowing.

"Do you want a shower too?" She asked quietly, still looking up into his eyes.

"You can go first." Op said, swallowing nervously.

She narrowed her eyes slightly, not sure if he was being purposely obtuse or accidentally obtuse. But she didn't want to press him after the small victory over the bed. "Okay." She said quietly with a bit of a smirk, slipping out of his arms.

He blinked at the way she said it, as if realizing something, but she was already moving to unpack.

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