You may remember that I posted pics when I was coming out with chapter 8. From now on, I plan to have at least one pic per chapter. Some will be character profile picsand other like the Gina vs. Levin pic.

This one is of Reana'ka Norian because her manipulating, witchy ways will play a big part in the next chapter. I'll just link it...

http://www.lucasforums.com/album.php?albumid=95&pictureid=2385)

~HOP

I didn't see the last two pics until just now. I thought your title piece was great. Those characters were posing much like I would come to expect for a cover-art. It's one thing for portraits, but for getting the characters drawn in the right stance was excellent.

Now I HAVE to do drawings for my chapters... which I likely won't really do.

Thank you, that is exactly what I was going for. I wanted to look like how you see those TV characters posing looking all tough on commercials, you know with the characters posing. :xp:

I've been doing the drawing when I get stuck on a chapter - and the coloring is relaxing IMO.

EDIT: Here is a profile pic of Gina. Again, not much effort put into the background, focused on making her look good.

http://www.lucasforums.com/album.php?albumid=95&pictureid=2388)

...and here is one of Marit.
http://www.lucasforums.com/album.php?albumid=95&pictureid=2472)


~HOP

AUTHOR’S NOTE: [This chapter is called Kar’tayir Gar-ast which is Mandalorian for “know yourself.” If you look carefully you will see characters start going through personal development, like 1) Norian starting to crack under pressure – is she really as cool and decisive as she puts on? And 2) Jacen starting a new identity on NS. Also new are the italicized parts at the beginning and end – these are sort of Jacen’s thoughts written like a monologue. I thought it would add depth to the story and his character. (Thoughts on this please as it is something entirely new for me).]

Two things to look forward to: 1) Gina’s first bar fight. 2) A KOTOR character enters the mix.

Previously… Virago and Aruil awake to find themselves aboard Mandy’s ship. The ship’s original destination was Dxun but due to a faulty hyperdrdive, it had to stop on Nierport VII and while Mandy is off getting the needed part, Virago and Aruil attempt to escape. Marit, Vorzar, Gina and Taran team up to break Jacen out of the holding cell Norian placed him in. Then Jacen, Vorzar and Gina race to Senator Jace’s headquarters just in time to rescue him from an assassination attempt. After learning from CCI that Virago was taken by Mandy, Jacen along with Vorzar and Gina head to Narr Shaddaa, a known base of operations for Mandy, in hopes of finding a clue as to where she took Virago. Meanwhile, suspecting Marit’s role in Jacen’s escape, Norian had her yes-man Mylar bug Marit’s comlink.

Chapter 8: Kar’tayir Gar-ast (Know Thyself)

Know thyself. This is easier said than done. During my life I have exiled myself from the jedi order because of their lack of action on the Mandalorian War, I have had seven aliases, worked five jobs, been tortured in a sith interrogation camp, and after it all I have returned to the jedi order again. How am I supposed to know myself? Going to Narr Shaddaa means I will start all over again – a new life, a new name, everything. But I like these times of having no identity, no history. They are the only times I can just be myself. During these times I don’t have to wear a mask. But things are moving fast. Even as I try to gain footing in this strange new world, the battle field shifts beneath my feet.

People wear masks – we all do. Parents wear them to protect their children from the harsh realities of the universe. We wear them to shelter the ones we love and in doing so we nevr truly know the ones closest to us. People wear masks to hide or create emotion – to fit in, stand out, or go unnnoticed. We all wear masks; but if we wear them for too long we might just end up fooling ourselves and forget who we really are…

The tall, dark, Kel Ratrin ascended the stairs to Norian’s office which overlooked the rest on CCI. The entire building had a definite air of tension about it. Just a few minutes ago the alarms had sounded, indicating an escaped prisoner, sending the entire building into a lockdown.

As CCI’s Head of Security and Field Operations, Kel was in charge of recapturing the prisoner – Jacen Zarek. He had done everything specified in CCI’s plans for such an escape: lock down the building, send security teams after the escapee, and track them through the security cameras. But Jacen Zarek had still escaped.

Kel had not known Reana’ka Norian for long but he knew her well enough to know that her wrath would be great. He had checked the security cameras to see exactly how the crafty jedi had escaped and had to replay the feed twice to make sure he wasn’t seeing things.

How was he going to explain that what appeared to be just a teenage girl had battered down Jacen’s cell door with nothing but her hands – her bare hands! How was he supposed to explain that the same girl had disabled his best, highly trained security teams in a matter of minutes. He sighed. He had no idea.

Kel reached the landing to Norian’s office. Through the glass he could see her sitting at her desk, speaking into her comm unit. Rather reluctantly, Kel knocked on the door with his knuckles.

Norian gestured for him to enter.

“- and if you can’t do the job, I’ll find someone else who can. Spare me your pathetic whining,” snapped Norian into the comm, “I don’t care how many children you have to feed. You should have thought of that before being incompetant.” She jabbed the bright blue “end transmission” button on the comm.

“Yes Mr. Ratrin?” said said, her voice now perfectly calm though her granite gray eyes were still ice cold. Kel had the distinct impression that Norian was a control freak barely keeping it together.

“Jacen Zarek got out of the building.”

“I thought I told you to recapture him,” said Norian in a dangerously sweet tone, a vein pulsing next to one of her golden yellow lekku.

“He had inside help,” said Ratrin “But if we move quickly-”

“Siths blood!” cursed Norian. “Ratrin, security is your responsibility!” Norian shrieked “Yours! I don’t care what you have to do – I want this mess handled!”

“With all do respect,” said Kel Ratrin raising his voice, “The help Zarek had was someone that you personally allowed clearance for into the building. It was the interoggator for Nakaya Li sent by Jace at your request.”

Norian looked as though she were about to retort but stopped short. She took a deep breath, blinking her eyes rapidly. “Thank you Mr. Ratrin,” she said in her usual calm, cool voice, as though she had never shouted. “You can go now, but please send Mylar up to my office.”

Kel nodded and greatfully exited, unnerved by what he just saw. Norian may have made bad decisions but she had always kept a cool head. But her explosion…she was losing it.

A few minutes later, the short, pale, Mylar entered Norian’s office, stopping short. The entire room had been changed since his last visit less than an hour ago.

The wooden desk of Jorrin’s had been replaced with a sharp-angled metal one with a glass top. Unlike the clutter of crumpled durasheets, datapads and personal items, like family holograms that completely covered the surface of Jorrin’s desk, Norian’s was unnaturally clean. The durasheets were stacked into three perfectly even, neat piles. There were no personal items, just her computer.

As Mylar walked in Norian was straightening one of the stacks of durasheets, maticulously placing it exactly the same distance between the other two. The warm, inviting, yellow glow lamps had been replaced with harsh white ones that one might find in a hospital. Every surface was impeccably clean as though its owner spent time cleaning the dirt out of obscure crannies. The whole room had a sterile atmosphere, everything made of metal and glass.

Norian moved towards the glass wall of her work station. Her eyes swept the room, missing nothing, finally coming to rest on Marit at her workstation. Her mouth hardened into a thin line, though it twitched up in a mirthless smirk.

“What results have we received from bugging Marit Thel-Tanis’ comlink?” asked the twi’lek as Mylar entered.

“Not much,” replied Mylar with a slavish bow of his head. “However, I did find several calls between her and Jacen’s accomplice, Vorzar Kahbei. They are equivocal and don’t prove much. But security cameras show that Marit was in the conference room talking with Vorzar and the girl who helped Jacen Zarek escape.”

Norian nodded, her eyes still following Marit.

“There is one more thing Ms.Norian.”

“Oh?”

“There was another comlink connected yo all of the calls between Marit and Vorzar. I traced it back to Taran Vhek’s comm – Marit patched him into every call. Should we confront them?” asked Mylar eagerly, an almost hungry look in his beady little eyes.

“No, they will just deny it,” said Norian dismissively. Suddenly Norian’s smirk broadened into a smile, a plan forming in her mind. “But I have an idea and if it works, both Marit and Taran Vhek will be eliminated and I will have complete control.”

Norian held her hand up to the glass wall and moved it until Marit, who looked very small from the elevated office, was pinched between her thumb and her forefinger. Norian, snapped her fingers closed, her long nails clicking together, imagining squashing the jedi girl like a bug. If all went well, that was exactly what would happen.

*_______________*_______________*_______________*_ ______________*


Jacen stood in the small shower compartment aboard the Centauri. The water was cold but he didn’t care. I felt good just to get all the dirt and grime off. He took a deep breath, enjoying the solitude while the water cleansed his skin. He could just relax for the moment and collect his thoughts without being interrupted.

Through the sound of the rushing water, Jacen heard a click like a door sliding open. He ignored the sound and grabbed the soap.

Without warning the door to the shower burst open. Gina stood in the doorway, now garbed in a sleeveless leather jumpsuit.

“Hey!” Jacen shouted his hands flying to cover himself. “What?” he demanded.

Gina didn’t seem the least bit put out by this less than warm welcome. “Vorzar told me to tell you that we will be landing on Narr Shaddaa soon.”

“When?” asked Jacen squinching his eyes. Soap had leaked into them and it stung.

“In approximately 15 hours and 37 minutes,” said Gina cocking her head at him.

“Meaning this news could have waited until I was done showering?” asked Jacen pointedly.

“I was being efficient,” said Gina, who seemed confused by Jacen’s annoyance. “It was best to alert you of this information in a punctual manner, so I walked in. Was that bad to do?” she asked with the air of a child asking her mother if calling someone a schutta was wrong.

“Whatever, don’t worry about it,” said Jacen. “Just knock next time, okay?”

Gina nodded, turned on her heel and walked out of the compartment, closing the door behind her.

Jacen sighed. The peace and tranquility of the shower was gone. He turned off the water and began pulling on his new clothes. His smuggler clothes. He was ready to not be a jedi, but to just be a person for a while. A person with a mission. A person not bound by jedi rules.

*_______________*_______________*_______________*_ ______________*



*_______________*_______________*_______________*_ ______________*

Jacen, Vorzar, and Gina exited the Centuari and stepped onto the landing pad in the Narr Shaddaa Refugee Sector. The first thing Jacen noticed was the smell. The air was filled with the aroma of frieghter exhaust, decaying flesh, and urine.

“Lovely spot,” he said sarcastically wrinkling his nose. It was then that he noticed the dilapidated condition of the landing pad. The edges were rusted and ominous creaks and groans of metal followed every step the trio took. “You sure this landing pad is safe, Vorzar?”

“The support of the landing pad is structurally sound,” interjected Gina before Vorzar could reply. Her eyes glowed a faint green as she scanned the landing pad with her enhanced cyborg vision. “It can hold approximately 2,597 pounds more than its current load.”

“Right,” said Jacen who was still not all together reassured, “But remember you can’t say stuff like that around other people. People can’t know you are a cyborg anymore than they can know Vorzar and I are jedi. We have to blend in.”

“Blend in,” repeated Gina.

“Yeah, no freaky green eye-glowing. You have to act normal – you do know what normal means right?” he added just for safe measure. The girl might genuinely not know.

“Normal,” repated Gina mechanically “Ordinary, regular, average, usual, typical, common, unremarkable…I read the dictionary,” she added at Jacen’s questioning look. “I don’t sleep.”

“Okay,” said Jacen stopping her. “See, that’s what I’m talking about. You say stuff like that and you don’t look normal. We have to be different here. I,” he said indicating to his smuggler garb, “can not be a jedi here and you can not be a cyborg.”

She stared blankly at him as though trying to figure out how she could possibly not be a cyborg.

“Just don’t act like a stoopa, okay tin man?”

She nodded, but Jacen could tell she didn’t fully understand what he meant.

“Alright,” Jacen said changing the topic, “Vorzar, do we have all of the information on this Mandy?”

“I could not aquire it from CCI records,” boomed the vurk, blinking his intelligent eyes slowly. “I did not have a high enough clearance level and I am no computer hacker.”

“We need those records,” said Jacen as they entered a large courtyard, surrounded by the towering urban decay of Narr Shaddaa. The courtyard was made out of the same dingy metal as the landing pad though thankfully this metal seemed sturdier. In the center was one of the great central pits of Narr Shaddaa. The rumor was if you ever were unfortunate enough to be thrown down one, you would fall for hours.

The courtyard was relatively busy, with all different manners of beings bustling around it. A group of refugees walked quickly and in a pack, casting nervous glances around the area. They were being eyed by a pair of rather hungry looking wequay thugs. Around the edges were dozens of street vendors and small kiosks advertising everything from weapons and armor to droid components.

As Jacen, Vorzar and Gina passed the nearest stall, a toydarian with a false glass eye and a face so etched with scars that it looked as though he slept with vibro blades called out to them. “Echani battle suit – fine condition – only a few dings!” he wheezed holding up a breast plate. “Give it to the little girl and protect her pretty little neck?...”

Jacen resolutly ignored the toydarian which was difficult as the winged alien kept shouting offers at their backs. However difficult it was for him to ignore the calls, Jacen thought it was harder for Gina. His suspicions were confirmed when she said. “He is drawing uneccessary attention to us. I’ll go kill him.”

“No, said Jacen firmly, “That will draw even more attention.”

“I could do it quietly,” Gina informed him, “I could come from behind and snap his neck before he could even make a sound.”

“Maybe later,” said Jacen dryly. This would at least appease her…for now. “We can’t do much without Mandy’s information record.” He unclipped his comlink from his waist. “But I know someone who can get that record for us.”

Static and a harsh buzzing sound eminated from Jacen’s comlink and then – “CCI, Thel-Tanis.”

“Marit-” Jacen began.

“Shut up,” hissed Marit urgently. The was a pause and a click. “Okay I’m on a secure line. Sorry, but Norian had my comlink bugged. She must think I’m helping you which I guess I am.”

“How do you know she is bugging you?” asked Jacen, startled.

“Well whoever did the actual bugging forgot to use the Charlar Filter so a bunch of flashing red warning lights came up on my comm screen,” said Marit with a slight trace of distaste in her voice, “Whoever did it is a total amateur. Unfortunatly if they were looking carefully, they might have gotten hold of calls between Vorzar and I regarding your escape.”

Jacen’s eyes swept the area and he waited for a twi’lek to pass him before speaking again. “I need Mandy’s personal file – all the information CCI has on her.”

“That’s going to be kinda hard to do right now. Norian is watching me like a hawk…but don’t worry, I’ll find a way.”

“Thanks Marit, I owe you.”

“Yes you do,” she said mildly, “and when you get back you can pay me back in juja cake – about 50 pounds of it mind you.”

“Thanks Marit,” said Jacen, knowing the jedi woman too well to take her gruffness seriously. He scanned the courtyard and a flashing, neon orange sign caught his eye. In blinking yellow letters it read “Navaek’s Cantina.”

“Let’s go,” said Jacen heading for the Navaek’s. Past experience had taught him that when investigating on a strange world the best place to start was the local cantina.

“Where are we going?” asked Gina cocking her head at him.

“For a drink.”

*_______________*_______________*_______________*_ ______________*

“Ouch! That was my foot, you know,” said Aruil mildly to Virago.

“Sorry,” Virago responded apologetically, “I can’t see anything in this storage closet.”

It was true, The tiny compartment was pitch black. Virago and Aruil had jammed themselves in the closet while attempting to escape Mandy’s ship Vengence’s Claw. But when they got to the hatch they found that it was locked – they needed security codes to open it. Mandy’s thugs, having found the dead bodies of their comrades onboard the ship, knew very well that the two had escaped. Virago could only hope that their fear would keep them from alerting Mandy.

Virago and Aruil had crammed themselves in the storage compartment while they hastily concocted a plan.

“The security codes have to be in the main terminal,” Virago whispered, trying not to breath the musty air of the closet. “The question is, how are we going to get there?”

“I don’t know much about computers butI can give you cover,” said Aruil, “give you time to get to the main terminal. My waterbending can take care of the thugs, though it would be much better with my lucky pebble.”

“I don’t want to just leave you to fend for yourself against them,” said Virago.

“I’ll be in good hands actually,” said Aruil vaguely. “The Babbling Buzzsnappers will help me. I saw a few right after we escaped from out cell.”

Virago decided against pointing out that Babbling Buzzsnappers did not exist. “Lets do it.”

Virago pressed the power button on his lightsaber and a hissing orange blade sprang to life. Next to him Aruil’s silver blade ignited. The jedi burst out of the closet, preparing for an all out fight.

They were immediately met by a thug carrying a blaster carbine. He raised it taking aim.

“Oh look!” said Aruil pointing behind him, “A Babbling Buzzsnapper!”

Momentarily distracted, the thug turned stupidly around. Aruil was so quick that the alien did not even see the silvery beam of light that severed his neck. He fell in a crumpled heap on the floor.

“See,” said Aruil with a misty smile, turning to Virago, “The Babbling Buzzsnapper did help.”

Smiling in spite of himself Virago dashed towards the cockpit and the main terminal, hoping that Aruil really was as capable as she seemed. Behind him he could hear the roar of one of the alien thugs, the sound of blasterfire, and a splash of Aruil’s water whip hitting home.

He rounded a corner and found himself face to face with another of the thugs. The alien opened fire on him, shooting his pistols rapidly. Virago brought his blade up to meet the bolts, deflecting them away. He ducked under the next volley, thrusting his lightsaber upwards and impaled the thug through the chest.

Virago spotted the terminal and he felt a rush of excitement followed by a huge drop of disappointment. Some stray shots fired by the alien had damaged it. Scorch marks dotted it and the screen was cracked. Virago jabbed at a few of the buttons hopefully but to no avail. He would have to find another way to obtain the codes.

“Virago!”

Virago ran towards the sound of Aruil’s voice. He found her in the main hold, surrounded by three presumably dead thugs.

“I got one of them to tell me the unlock codes We can leave now – oh, and I found my stolen buttons and lucky pebble!” she said triumphantly holding the tokens up, dangling them in front of Virago’s face.

“How did you get them to tell you the codes?” asked Virago in amazement.

“Oh a girl has her ways,” she said vaguely, her eyes drifting up towards the ceiling. Virago followed her gaze. One of the thugs was frozen to the ceiling with ice! He was totally encased except for his head. He was grunting feably, trying to escape his bonds.

Aruil smiled up at him cheerfully, before returning to Virago. “Come on Virago,” she said taking his hand. Together the two jedi walked out of Mandy’s ship and onto a strange new world.

*_______________*_______________*_______________*_ ______________*

Navaek’s Cantina was the picture of a sterotypical Narr Shaddaa sleez-hole. It consisted of one large room. A fully stocked bar stood along one of the side-walls, and stage opposite it. On the stage were pole on which twi’leks, humans, and females of various other humanoid species were dancing around. All were wearing dancer outfits that left little to the imagination. In another corner was a band of bith musicians that were providing the music to which the women danced.

Jacen used the jedi technique of taking everything in without even appearing to look around. There were tables scattered about the room in no obvious order, some patrons kept to themselves in shadowy corners, while others roared with laughter at a joke or the result of a sabaac game, and everynow and then a small brawl would break out – patrons would pause to watch for a moment and then go back to their drinks as if nothing had occurred.

“We should split up to cover more people,” said Jacen loudly enough so that Vorzar and Gina could hear him over the music and voices; but softly enough so that the whole bar would not hear him.

Jacen stopped Gina breifly. “Now be tactful. Don’t just start interoggating people. Just try to make conversation.” Gina nodded.

The group split up. Gina, unsure of what to do in this situation, consulted her databanks. Organic beings tended to converge around the actual bar, where the drinks were served. Heeding the information stored in her chip, Gina headed for the bar, attracting many whoops and wolf-whistles along the way.

As she approached the bar she saw that some people sat, while others just casually leaned on it. Seeing that there were no stools left to sit on, Gina leaned on the bar next to a bright blue twi’lek girl. Gina was about to start asking the girl about the bounty hunter Mandy when the bartender interrupted her.

“What do you want to drink?” he asked gruffly, as he wiped a glass with a rag so filthy that he was probably making the glass dirtier rather than cleaner. He was a human with a scruffy face covered with stubble and hardened fat.

“I don’t drink,” said Gina, cocking her head at him.

The bartender narrowed his eyes at her as though he though she was trying to screw with him. “Wise-guys, I always get wise-guys,” he muttered, “Well I have some non-alchoholic stuff back here…ice water, jawa juice, munja juice?...”

“I don’t drink,” Gina repeated mechanically. “I am not here for that.”

“Aw, leave the girl alone, Sid,” said the twi’lek girl sitting next to Gina. “She probably just came here lookin’ for info, y’know?” The girl turned to Gina. “Are you?”

“Yes,” said Gina. The twi’lek had bright blue skin and a friendly face with pink lips and a twinge of rose on her cheeks. Her cute appearance contrasted heavily with her clothing, which consisted of a black shirt and leather vest, gray and quite baggey trousers, and a pair of thick-soled combat boots. Two blasters and a security kit hung in her belt.

“My name’s Mission Vao,” said the twi’lek girl. “You aren’t from around here are ya?”

“No.” said Gina, now cocking her head at Mission instead of the bartender.

“And don’t mind Sid,” said Mission jerking her head towards the scruffy bartender who was serving a steaming beverage to an Ansionian. “He’s just an old grouch,” she added with a grin.

Gina studied Mission’s smile and saved it into her memory and activated her mimicry program. Gina smiled back at Mission using the saved image and trying to copy it with her face. The smile came out rather stiff and unnatural-looking, but Mission didn’t seem to mind.

“I’m not from around here either,” said Mission conversationally, “But I’ve been here enough times to tell you what ya wanna know.”

“My name is Gina and I am looking for a bounty hunter – Miranda Almira. She is known as Mandy.” Said Gina mechanically.

“Oh, that schutta – sure I know about her,” said Mission darkly. “But why are you so interested?”

Gina’s analysis indicated that the best way to get Mission’s information was to tell the truth. Consulting her databanks and using facial recognition tools, she realized that this was the Mission Vao. The friend of Revan. She could be trusted…and if not…well she could easily take down a twi’lek girl. “I’m traveling with a jedi and he needs it…his padawan and a senator are in danger.”

“You got guts mentioning jedi here,” said Mission with a tiny smile, “But lucky for you, I’m on your side.”

“What can you tell me?”

“Well, when Zalbaar and I was on Taris we – oh crap not again!” groaned Mission as a green male twi’lek came up to her.

“Hey there sugar cakes,” he said to Mission with much swagger and a smile that he clearly intended to be dashing. “Who’s your new friend?” he asked, eyeing Gina’s skin-tight junpsuit.

“For the last time – go away ya perv,” said Mission hotly, her hand on her blaster. “Your breath smells like bantha poodoo!”

The twi’lek’s smile vanished instantly. “You know,” he said addressing Mission in huttese so that Gina would not understand, “I can make it so that you will never walk again.”

Before Mission could respond, Gina stepped between the twi’lek and Mission and snatched the dirty cloth from the bartender. She planted her feet firmly on the floor and crossed her arms over her chest, her expression as cold and hard as ice. “And I,” she said, surprising the twi’lek by addressing him in huttese, “can make it so that you will never walk again.”

The twi’lek scoffed. “Get lost, you little schutta-whore.”

Before he knew what was happening, Gina charged him, slamming him into a wall, pinning him there. To his surprise he could not move. This girl was actually holding him there!

“Have you ever heard of the Mardo-aks?” asked Gina quietly so nobody else would hear, her forearm across the twi’lek’s neck.

The twi’lek shook his head nervously, his eyes wide, his body petrified by fear.

“They were a series of Mandalorian interoggation camps spread thoughout the Outer Rim. The Mandalorians did not have much high-tech interoggation equipment out there so they had to make do with what they had…like I am doing now,” she added threateningly. “There was one technique,” she said as she held up the bartender’s cloth, “where they would shove an ordinary towel down your throat. They would force it down until it reached your stomach; but they held on to a bit that still remained outside the mouth. Then when the stomach started to digest the towel, they ripped it out – taking the stomach lining with it. Without the lining, the stomach acids slowly burned through the body, consuming it from the inside out. It is very painful…most take about a week to die,” said Gina, her voice completely devoid of emotion.

By this point the twi’lek was positively shaking with fear, sweat pouring down his face.

“If I ever see you again,” said Gina holding up the towel, “I will do it to you and watch you writhe in agony as your own body consumes you. If no towel is present then I will rip out your throat. Now leave and do not return.” She released her hold on the twi’lek, who whimpered, cast Mission a terrified look, and promptly fled the bar.

Gina casually walked back to the bar as if nearly killing a man was something she did everyday.

“Wow, he looked like he was going to pee his pants!” said Mission gleefully. “What did ya say to him?”

“I was just making conversation,” replied Gina innocently as Jacen appeared next to Mission.

Following Gina’s gaze Mission swiveled her stool around. “So you’re Gina’s friend,” said Mission and then with a lowered voice added. “Your good-looking for a jedi.”

“Umm…thanks I guess,” said Jacen, “So Gina, do you want to introduce me to your new friend?”

“I’m Mission Vao,” and I think I can help you. But not here – you got a ship?”

Jacen nodded.

“Good,” she said brightly. “Lead on.”

Know thyself. Marit once told me that these words were inscribed on the monument to liberty on her planet Hali. The full quote reads: “Know thyself and thou shall know all the mysteries of the gods and of the universe.” That is quite a statement. I like to put it another way. Know thyself because what else is there to know? People lie and keep secrets, history is biased, and the physical world can be destroyed in an instant – it has and it will again. There is no shelter but the love of friendship and the body given to us. Know theyself.

Mission!!!!! (claps) I love Mission!!!! :xp: If there's anyone to teach Gina about how to act natural, it's Mission! :D

There are a couple spelling mistakes (meticulously, not maticulously), and there are a few comma errors, but a lot fewer than last time! :xp: Good job!

And the torture threat was very enjoyable to read! :D

Glad you like my addition. Yeah, Jacen is still wary of Gina and Vorzar is kinda just nuetral about her...Gina needs some love! Incidentally, Gina will be getting her pink gauntlets and belt from Mission. :D Mission and Gina will hopefully become partners in crime. (Maybe I'll put them and Aruil together...three girls kicking some ass :xp:)

Now that I'm on Christmas break chapters should be up more quickly. I got the interoggation idea from the Russian Gulas that I learned about in school.

Next chap is mostly written (Chapter 9: Retribution) and then after that it's the Gina chap. I've got a few more arts up and I'm working on a Virago one now.

Thanks Endo!

~HOP

Loved the Gina torture scene! I couldn't have come up with something as great as that. My version would have been a good jedi/really cruel jedi kind of interrogation. You came up with a clever-torment detailed kind of threat.

Glad to see a familiar name in this story. OC's are great, but I like a synergy of both. It was also great to get an assessment of where you stand and your personal thoughts for this chapter. I rather enjoy getting an author's commentary like what they have for movies, the 'directors commentary.'

Not a significant thing (or even a problem for that matter) Star Wars often use metric measurement more than Ibs or miles. Fewer comma errors... great improvement.

*_______________*_______________*_______________*_ ______________*

Recap: Jacen, Gina and Vorzar arrive on Nar Shaddaa and begin the search for Mandy in a local cantina where they meet everybody’s favorite blue twi’lek scoundrel, Mission Vao. While on Nar Shaddaa Jacen contacts Marit and asks her to get all of the Coruscant Central Intelligence’s (CCI’s) files on Mandy – and in effect working from within CCI against Reana’ka Norian. Norian, suspecting that Marit helped Jacen escape from CCI places a bug on Marit’s comlink and discovers evidence (but not proof) that both Marit and Taran Vhek helped Jacen escape. She hatches a plan to catch them red-handed. While Mandy is out getting her needed hyperdrive, Virago and Aruil battle their way through Mandy’s thugs and escape into the wilds of Nierport VII.

Chapter Nine: Retribution

When I was at the Jedi Temple after my exile I taught an advanced lightsabers class. The students were mostly guardians and were fascinated with the art of war. They often asked me what part in my training had best prepared me for war. I told them that of all the training I received, nothing prepared me better than one of the oldest games in the galaxy – chess. It taught me almost everything I needed to know about war. To win you must be patient…bold…calculating…and above all, willing to sacrifice…

Marit looked around the main floor of CCI suspiciously, watching the workers go by, each carrying a datapad or a stack of durasheets or a coffee. Right now everyone of these workers was a potential threat to her mission. Technically they all worked for Reana’ka Norian. There was only one person who might help her and Jacen. She rose from her contoured swiveling office chair as she tied her hair back with a leather thong. Jacen needed the files on Mandy and she intended to get them for him.

She glanced up at Norian’s office. Through the glass walls, she could see Norian sitting at her desk talking on her comlink. Good. The last thing she needed was that schutta watching her every move.

Marit picked up a few durasheets from her desk and headed for Taran’s workstation, her boots clicking on the shiny black floor. Upon reaching it, she shoved the sheets under Taran’s nose.

“What are these?” he asked arching an eyebrow at her.

“Nothing, just pretend that this is what we are talking about,” whispered Marit, glancing behind her to make sure they were indeed alone. “I need to get the Mandy files for Jacen, but I don’t have high enough clearance. Can you get them?”

“Hold on,” said Taran punching in an access code. “Here we g- damn!” he hissed violantly. “Norian but a total systems block on the files. Only people with a level 6 access code can get to them. I’m Deputy Director of this office and even I don’t have that high of an access,” he said scratching his soul patch and running a hand through his spikey ebony hair in a frustrated manner.

“Who has a level 6 access code?” asked Marit bending closer to Taran, her amber eyes narrowing at the access rejection notice on the screen.

“Only the director of CCI has level 6. In other words, Norian is the only one with access to those files.” Taran gave Marit a wary look, studying her face which was resolute, her eyes shining with determination. “Oh no, Marit, I don’t like that look. That’s the look you always have when you help Jacen break CCI protocol. Maybe you should just tell Norian the truth. Tell her about Virago missing and Jacen’s leads.”

“No,” snapped Marit quickly, looking Taran in the eye, amber meeting green. “There is still a traitor in this building – someone who wants Senator Jace dead. Jacen is the only reason the senator is alive now. That traitor is going to be after Jacen now. I can’t afford to take the chance that Norian is the mole.”

“Norian might be a hard ass, but I don’t think she is dirty,” said Taran trying to reason with Marit, though speaking in a tone that suggested he knew he was fighting a losing battle.

“Taran, listen to me,” said Marit, her face tinted light blue from the light of Taran’s computer screen. “Nakaya Li was selling CCI access to some unknown woman – that’s one mole already, we can’t afford another. I know you are not the biggest fan of Jacen but you helped him escape. You are in this now. You need to figure out what side you are on. Now will you help me or not?”

Taran looked up at Marit taking in her attractive features that were presently contorted with anxiety and anticipation. He looked up at Norian’s office and then back at Marit as though deciding between the two. He sighed. “Okay, I’m with you. What do we need to do?”

“I’m going to need to hack into the CCI mainframe,” said Marit quickly. She bit her lip nervously, wondering if Taran would go along with this rule breaking. “I need you to put a blanket on my system, so it looks like I’m doing something else.” Marit could feel her heart pounding. She was playing a dangerous game with a very dangerous woman. She had to be extremely careful or this whole operation would collapse like a house of cards.

“Marit, have you-” Taran stopped short as a pair of workers walked past his workstation. When they were safely out of earshot he continued. “Have you completely lost it? You can’t just hack into a secure government mainframe! That’s breaking evey rule in the book. Both the Republic and the Jedi Order would be against it.”

“Any government that puts someone like Reana’ka Norian in power does not deserve to have its rules followed,” said Marit fiercly, peircing Taran with her intense gaze. “And as for the Jedi Order, well you of all people would be for violating their rules.”

“But you can’t-”

“I can and I will,” said Marit shortly and with an air of finality. “I’m going to go to the Tech Room 1 and do it from there. That way I don’t have to worry about Norian getting in the way.”

Taran nodded and Marit grabbed the durasheets off of his desk and strode briskly towards Tech Room 1 which was down one of CCI’s long corridors and quite out of sight from Norian.

Marit swiped her access card across the blinking green screen and the door slid open, allowing her into the tech room. The room was lit only by the light from the gaint computer moniters that lined the walls, showing security feed, or else software decryption programs or merely the CCI seal. Other than that it was completely dark – no daylight or even glowlamps were present. The room was mercifully deserted. She began to work, her fingers flying across the buttons in blurred motion that only came from much practice and experience. It felt good to be resisting Norian, Marit thought as she breached the first layer of security.

About a half and hour later Marit had successfully breached CCI’s security system. “Wow, CCI firewalls really blow,” she murmurered, her tongue between her teeth. I was almost done. Now she just had to download the files to her datapad so she could send them to Jacen.

The download finished and she had just sent it to Jacen when one of the images on the moniters caught her eye. It was a security feed of Norian’s crony, Mylar. The corridor he was walking down seemed very familiar. Marit felt her heart drop into her stomach. It was the corridor that lead to the tech room she was in. Thinking quickly and using her jedi reflexes, Marit bolted out the door. She looked around wildly for another room in which she could hide, her ponytail whipping her face as her head turned. There was only one room – a women’s restroom. It was her only hope.

Mylar rounded the corner to find Marit just outside the ladies’ room door. He smiled triumphantly. Marit Thel-Tanis was here! Somewhere she had no business being…oh he had her now!

“What were you doing?” asked Mylar, a victorious gleam in his eye.

“Excuse me?” said Marit pretending to be offended. She glanced at the restroom door and then back at Mylar. “Is this a joke?” she asked with feigned indignity, indicating to the bathroom sign.

“I’m not going to ask you again,” said Mylar threateningly.

“If you really want to know,” said Marit advancing on Mylar until they were mere inches apart, “check for yourself. Third stall on the left – I forgot to flush.”

Mylar’s jaw dropped slightly, finally catching on. Marit towered over the puny little man and she relished looking down upon him.

“Ms. Norian sent me to find you. She wants to see you in her office now.” Squeaked Mylar, intimidated by Marit’s hard gaze. His eyes darted frightfully towards her right hand which was resting on the hilt of her lightsaber.

“Fine,” siad Marit through gritted teeth, sidestepping the little man. What a suck-up, she thought.

*_______________*_______________*_______________*_ ______________*

Jacen, Vorzar, Gina, and Mission sat around the holo projector in the main hold of the Centauri.

“So what I’m getting,” said Jacen after Mission’s explaination of Mandy, “Is that Mandy works for Vogga the Hutt?”

“Right,” said Mission, “Not all her work is for him but she does enough that she has her own private quarters in his base. That and she pays that over-grown slug a hefty sum. But credits are worth it to have a safe haven on Nar Shaddaa”

“The obvious question,” said Jacen furrowing his brow, “is how do we get in?”

Mission got up and started pacing the floor around the holo projector. “I’m not sure…Revan was good with this kind of thing. I don’t really know…”

Gina cocked her head at Mission. “I do not understand. A simple explosive would open take down the door and we could simply kill every organic inside…it would not be a problem.”

“Yeah and have every two-cred bounty hunter on our asses – no thanks,” said Jacen dryly.

“I would kill them too,” replied Gina calmly, her eyes now drilling into Jacen.

“Attack is out of the question,” Vorzar boomed, finally speaking. “We need to slip in and out unnoticed in order to continue our investigation here.”

“The green guy is right,” said Mission, her eyes immediately growing wide, realizing it must have sounded insulting to be referred to by color. “Sorry,” she said apologetically to Vorzar, “I ain’t good with names. As to Vogga’s base, there might be another way.”

“What would that be?” asked Jacen, interested.

“Well knowing Bastila and Revan and all, I’ve been to the Jedi Temple a time or two,” said Mission brightly. “There was this jedi there who used to live on Nar Shaddaa – I liked her, she wasn’t all stuffy like Basty. Mira was her name. She traveled with the Exile and we was playin’ pazaak one time and she told me about how she and the Exile met up. Anyways, she had to dance for Vogga the Hutt on some quest or another (you jedi and your dang ‘quests’).

Mission was silent. Jacen blinked uncomprehendingly up at her. “Well don’cha see?” said Mission impatiently, “We could dance our way in!”

“Okay, lets say for a minute I’d do this,” said Jacen slowly, “who gets us that dancing job?”

“Oh yeah…”said Mission trailing off.

After another half-hour of coming up with nothing good, the crew dissapated. Vorzar went to the engine room to make sure things were ready in case they needed to leave in a hurry; Gina strode back to her room saying something about a weapon maintainance check; and Jacen decided just to go to his quarters and rest. No sleep came to him as ideas flitted around in his head like ghosts, each less likely then the next.

*******

Mission peeked her head into Gina’s room. “Hey, do ya mind if I come in?”

Gina cocked her head at the twi’lek girl. “No, I do not mind.”

Mission stepped in and sat down on Gina’s bed. She looked around the room. There were no furnishings – at least not ones that would be chosen be a teenage girl. The sheets were a dull gray, the furniture plain and unadorned, and everything was so unnaturally neat. Mission herself had definatly not been this neat when she was Gina’s age.

“Your room is…clean,” said Mission taking a stab at conversation in the wake of Gina’s silence. “Jacen is kinda uptight huh? I’ll bet he makes you clean it, right?”

“No,” said Gina stiffly, “Jacen has never requested that I conduct a cleaning of my quarters. He has only once ever entered the room. He avoids it when he can.”

“But you’re his friend,” said Mission, shocked at this cold treatment, “He never comes to talk?”

“I don’t have many friends,” said Gina, as she plucked a blaster pistol off the nightstand and inspected it. Apprently it met with her approval and she holstered it.

“Aww come on,” said Mission coaxingly, “A pretty girl like you doesn’t have friends?”

“No,” said Gina taking out a cloth and a vibrosword. “People who know me are scared of me.” She began polishing the blade with smooth, expert, strokes.

Mission frowned at this and her eyes fell on Gina’s belt, which a a dingy shade of brown. Her guanlets matched it. In fact as she looked at Gina, she did not see any color at all, not even the pink of lipstick or the blue of eyeshadow.

“Well maybe ya just need a makeover, y’know?” said Mision brightly.

“I don’t understand.”

“You know, a makeover!” said Mission excitedly, “Oh it’ll be total awesomeness. Come on!” She took Gina by the hand and whisked her into the room that served as her temporary quarters on the Centauri.

Mission pulled out a large black bag and turned it upside-down, emptying its contents onto the bed. There were numerous shades of lipstick and eyeshadow, as well as eyeliner, nail polish, and various bracelets and other jewelry. Mission studied the pile of items on the bed, deep in thought. She snapped her fingers.

“Got it!” She grabbed a pink shade of lipstick. “This is your color, I can tell.” Mission applied the lipstick as Gina did not know how to put it on herself.

“Well, what d’ya think?” asked the azure twi’lek, holding up a mirror.

Gina looked at her reflection in the mirror. Obviously the twi’lek wanted her to like it.

“I think it’s astral,” said Mission before Gina could reply.

“It’s astral,” repeated Gina.

Mission grinned. She was getting through to Gina. “Excellent, now for some eyeliner…”

After another twenty minutes, Gina was hardly recognizable under all the makeup. She looked…well there was only one word for it…hot. Though her expression still had that “I’m gonna kick your ass” aura about it.

“Now I just need to fix your wardrobe,” said Mission fishing around in her footlocker. “This is great, Big Z never let me give him a makeover. In fact he didn’t even want to brush his teeth…oh well. Here,” she said holding up a pair of hot pink gauntlets and a matching belt, “Swap these for your old ones.”

“My current gauntlets are some of the most combat prepared ones created-” began Gina.

“I’ve faught plenty of battles in these, y’know,” insisted Mission, “There ain’t no reason why you can’t look good while ya blast a hole in some guy’s head. Just try them on.”

Gina reluctantly complied, stripping her old belt and gauntlets off for the new hot pink ones. To her mild surprise they actually felt combat worthy. In fact they felt just like her old ones except they were pink. “Quite satisfactory,” she stated.

“They get a guys’ attention too,” said Mission with a mischeivious smile.

Gina stared at her. Upon processing this information, she realized that these gauntlets and belt could help in certain situations in which she needed to lull an unsuspecting male into a false sense of security. “Very satisifactory.”

Jacen stood by the food prep unit. The blasted thing was broken again. He had learned a few mechanical tricks from Marit, but they were the essentials – hyperdrive repair, lightsaber repair, life support systems. Never once had he thought to ask her how to fix the food prep unit so that it issued something other than puke-colored goo.

“Do you like this color on me?”

The voice from behind startled Jacen. He had been so focused on the food prep unit that he had not heard anyone approach. He turned to see Gina…wearing lipstick, eyeliner, blush, and pink – yes pink! –gauntlets and a belt.

“Do you like this color on me?” asked Gina again, indicating to her lipstick. “It’s astral.”

Jacen opened his mouth but no words came out. It was just so odd seeing Gina this way. He tried again. “Uh…sure…whats with the belt and gauntlets, tin man?”

“There is no reason I can’t look good while blasting a hole in an opponent’s head,” said Gina mechanically, repeating Mission’s earlier words. Though she spoke with the tone that suggested, it was doubtful that she truly comprehended them. It sounded as though she was only repeating what she heard. “You always call me ‘tin man.’ Mission told me what the tin man is – he needed a heart.” There was a pause. “I have to clean the scope to my Arkanian Sniper Rifle. With that she spun on her heel leaving a momentarily stunned Jacen in her wake.

Mission stood in the doorway of the main hold, smiling fondly as Gina left to go polish her scope. “Can’t get that thing to work, huh?” she said pointing to the food prep unit.

Jacen shook his head sheepishly. “So I assume you gave Gina the makeup and new clothes?”

“The girl just needs some love and attention,” said Mission pulling a multitool from her belt and examining the food prep unit.

Jacen was about to point out that Gina was hardly a girl, but a super advanced cybernetic organism that could break Mission like a tooth pick, but he held his tongue. He watched Mission tinker with some internal components of the unit.

Mission’s tongue was clenched between her teeth as she tinkered with a loose component. She fiddled with a knob on the side. “Gotcha!” she said triumphantly as the machine hummed to life. Jacen moved forward to get his food, but Mission held up her hand for him to stop. “I don’t need you breakin’ it again,” she explained. “I’ll get your food.”

Jacen and Mission sat down at a table close to the food prep unit, each of them with a large plate of delicious looking food. Tempting aromas rose to Jacen’s nose. He took a bite of some sort of pasta.

“This is good, Mission, thanks.”

“Yeah, I can push those food prep buttons better than anyone I know,” said sarcastically. “But I’m sure Gina was good at it too.”

“Actually,” said Jacen swallowing the pasta, “Gina’s…erm…not really –er- into food.”

Jacen searched for a different topic. Despite only having known her for a few hours, there was something about Mission that made him feel calm. He liked her plucky attitude though her connection with Gina was rather odd and he could not help but wonder what she was doing here. “I know all about you Mission. How you traveled with Revan and Bastila and helped bring down the Star Forge and Darth Malak. You’re one of the Republic’s greatest heroes. What are you doing in some bar in the Narr Shaddaa Refugee Sector?”

“I just wanted to…go back to the way things was, y’know?” said Mission her peppy smile fading slightly. “When Big Z and I was on Taris life was hard, but it was satisfying. We were free, no one telling us what to do, or bossing us around – that’s the life.”

“You seem free to me now,” said Jacen looking at the twi’lek woman with concern. Her happy-go-lucky exterior seemed to vanish and somehow she looked younger and more fragile. Her brandy brown eyes were downcast, looking at her food as she pushed it around her plate with a fork.

“Well, the whole trip with Revan was great but after it ended things started to change,” said Mission, absently twirling the fork in her slender blue fingers. “Big Z went back to his homeworld, Kashyyyk. His father was cheiftan and Zalbaar took his place. At first I was happy; but Kashyyyk was so…boring. Wookies ain’t much for conversation and Big Z was so busy running things that we couldn’t do the stuff we used to, y’know? No more exploring, goin’ to the local cantina for pazaak. It was a comfortable life but it just wasn’t my life.”

“So you left?” asked Jacen. Mission’s loyalty and friendship with the wookie Zalbaar was famous thtroughout the galaxy. It just seemed strange that she would leave him. Mission’s head rested on her hand as she continued to stare down at her food.

“Yeah. Big Z found his place in this world…but it’s not my place. I just wanted things to go back to the way they was. Nar Shaddaa seemed like a good place to do that, it reminds me of the Lower City on Taris,” said Mission with a reminiscent smile.

“I…left the Jedi Order after they took military action against those who followed Revan to war,” began Jacen, He didn’t know why he was telling the twi’lek this. Maybe because he felt she of all people would understand. “My life changed too, and I’ve been trying to adapt. It took time…but now I have a place, new friends and a purpose. You will find your’s someday too, Mission.”

Mission finally looked up from her plate. Her eyes were watery, but not a single tear was shed. “You jedi sure know how to make a girl feel better, thanks. I have not had anybody to just talk with since I left Kashyyyk…mostly just scum, like the one Gina got rid of for me.”



Jacen leaned back in his seat, giving Mission a wry smile. A thought had just occurred to him. “How about we stirr up a bit of excitement right now?”

“What did you have in mind?” asked Mission perking up almost immediately.

“Well, this Twi’lek Domo is our best bet to get into Vogga the Hutt’s base, right?”

Mission nodded, “But I have no idea where he is and those that do know won’t give it up easily. I don’t even think your jedi tricks or whatever are goin’ to help.”

Jacen’s smile grew broader. “Well then we’ll have to do it the old-fashioned way, won’t we? Gina is not the only one who can…intimidate people.”

Mission eyed him suspiciously. “Bastila was always preaching about the ‘jedi code’ and all that. Isn’t that against your rules? Ain’t the council gonna to get mad at you?”

“The council is not here,” said Jacen shrugging, “And technically I’m not a jedi here – just a smuggler…I can do what I want.”

“Y’know,” said Mission giving Jacen a friendly but hard punch on the arm. “You ain’t half-bad for a jedi.”

“Let’s do it,” said Jacen pretending the punch didn’t hurt.

Naevek’s Cantina was in its usual rowdy state when Jacen and Mission stepped through the door. No sooner had they crossed the threshhold then Jacen had to dodge a flying glass bottle thrown by some drunkard or another.

“Oy! Watch where you’re throwing things!” said Mission in an irrate manner, shaking her fist at some of the more likely suspects around. The burly men just roared with laughter at the petite, little, blue twi’lek girl threatening them.

“C’mon Mission, we have to keep our objective in sight,” said Jacen mildly, though he had to admit he was amused with Mission’s irratable scowl and had to try fairly hard to stop himself from laughing too.

“Hey honey,” said one of the rowdy bar-goers with a wide drunken smile. “I’ll buy you a drink as long as you promise not to hurt me!” At this a fresh wave of laughter spread around the table where he and his friends were sitting.

At this Mission gave the man a mock smile before making a very rude hand gesture, though she did so with a softer expression. Jaccen could tell that Mission though Mission put on an aire of disgruntledness, she liked the attention she was given. At the moment she was getting more attention than some of the more scantily clad women in the bar.

Mission caught Jacen smirking at her. “I swear, if you laugh I’ll smack you,” she hissed at him, though he could tell she only said this because she felt comfortable enough with him to do so, not because she was truly angry with him. Annoyed perhaps, but not angry.

Before Jacen could stop himself he decided to push the twi’lek a little further. “Is that a threat or a promise?” He asked with a rogue smile to let her know he was only joking.

“Try that again and I’ll take your lightsaber and shove it so far up your-”

“Mission, relax, I’m only kidding,” said Jacen with a more sincere smile. Mission’s expression softened and she let out a giggle and a quite unlady-like snort.

“It feels great to do this kind of thing again,” she said with a plucky grin. “Geez, I even forgot how fun it is to be annoyed with a friend.”

The two sat down at the bar waiting for Sid, the bartender. The grubby human male lazily came up to them. “What’ll you two have?”

“I need some answers,” said Jacen in a more serious tone. “I need to find a Twi’lek Domo who recruits dancers for Vogga the Hutt. Does that ring any bells?”

“Hmmm. Nope, I can’t say that it does,” mumbled Sid in a most unconvincing tone.

“I see,” said Jacen in a casual voice as he surrupticiously flicked his index and middle fingers forward pinning the bartender against the back wall with a shove of the force. “How about now? Does it ring any bells now?”

The bartender looked legitimatly terrified. “All I know is that he sometimes hangs out at the paazak den next door. That’s all I know I swear.”

Conviently, the music and voices were so loud that nobody noticed Sid’s fearful tones. Due to a jedi mind trick, the other patrons sitting at the actual bar had become very interested in something outside one of the windows. Sid’s eyes darted around and he seemed to realize that nobody was going to notice him anytime soon.

“You know,” said Jacen calmly, “I do not think that is all you know. Perhaps a little more pressure…” Jacen let his voice trail off. Experience had taught him that with people like this, the threat of pain was often more effective then pain itself.

“Okay, just take it easy pal,” said Sid with a brave yet feeble attempt at a smile. Jacen spread his hands as though to say ‘I’m taking it easy, so spill.’

“He ummm -he sometimes hangs out at the Jekk Jekk Tar.”

“Thank you for your time,” said Jacen with a kind smile. He released his hold on Sid. “Let’s go, Mission.” The two left the Naevek’s Cantina feeling slightly guilty about physically coercing Sid. But it had to be done. This was war and sometimes in war you have to do things that go against your very nature.

He and Mission headed back to the Centauri. Both had decided to deal with the Jekk Jekk Tar tomorrow. Mission was talking about doing up Gina’s hair and Jacen found
himself in a pensive mood. Interrogating Sid, though it had looked easy on the outside, went against all he was taught at the Jedi Temple. But it was something that he had done often in his time away from the order. He must not slip back into those old habits.

*_______________*_______________*_______________*_ ______________*

When Marit entered Norian’s office, she was surprised to see Taran there as well. She tried to catch his eye and he threw her a warning look. Marit could see the fear in his eyes. Norian stepped out from behind her desk, her business dress so rigid that it looked as though it had been starched and pressed just a minute ago.

“Is there something you want, Ms. Norian?” asked Marit with forced politeness. “I’m busy and I don’t h-”

“Oh you know exactly why you’re here,” said Norian cooly, barely keeping a huge grin in check. He lekku seemed to gleamwith excitement akin to that of a predetor finally capturing its prey after hour of hunting. “I have evidence that you both tried to undermine my authority and that you helped Jacen Zarek escape from a CCI holding cell.”

“You can’t prove- ” began Taran.

“Here is the deal,” said Norian loudly, cutting in. “The first one to tell me everything gets full immunity…and the other…well lets just say I will have you thrown in prison for the rest of your life and I will make it my personal mission to make sure you never get out.”

She paused, waiting for either Marit or Taran to speak, but both kept their mouths resolutly shut.

“You can wait in holding,” she said coldly her eyebrows knitting together and her mouth hardening, “I’ll be down later to talk.” She snapped her fingers bossily and two teams of armed security guards marched into her office.

“Take Marit Thel-Tanis and Taran Vhek into custody.”

“Just try it and see what happens,” snapped Marit, growing tired of Norian’s self assurance. She gripped the hilt of her lightsaber threateningly. For once Norian looked worried. She quickly masked her fear, however, with a confident expression.

“We both know you jedi are too full of “morals” and “ethics” and all that other bantha dung to actually harm me or my guards.”

Marit thought about it. Jacen had escaped because he was halfway out the building before anybody even realized that he was gone. She was confident that she could handle this batch of guards and maybe every other security team in CCI. But Taran was unarmed and could get hurt or even die in the crossfire. Even if she managed to escape the building, her ship would be blasted out of the sky. Reluctantly Marit withdrew her hand from her lightsaber. She would have to find another way.

As the guards cuffed the duo, Norian, pushing a golden lekku behind her back, glared at Marit, a sickening smile growing on her face. “You are mine now.”

*_______________*_______________*_______________*_ ______________*

The heels of Mandy’s knee-high, tight, leather boots clicked obnoxiously on the dusty floor of the docking bay on Nierport VII. She was in a foul mood. She had trekked all over this pathetic excuse for a planet to find the hyperdrive her ship needed. After several tedious hours she had finally found the part in a repair shop owned by a slimy worm-headed twi’lek. And the simple son of a wompa rat had wanted to charge her 50,000 credits more than the hyperdrive was worth.

Mandy sighed impatiently, examining a small cut above her left eye, with a pocket-sized mirror she carried. Well that twi’lek now lay bleeding in an alley, Mandy had kept her credits, and she had the hyperdrive. Fool, she thought savagely, though with a slight smile at the thought of him laying in a gutter, blood pooling around him.

Suddenly her comlink buzzed at her waist. It was her employer. He was not yet aware of this little detour on Nierport VII and Mandy was in no hurry to tell him. He wanted the jedi and it was her job to bring them to him…his wrath would be great when he learned that she was going to be late in delivering them. With a sour expression she snapped her mirror closed and unstrapped the comlink from her waist.

“It’s me,” she said cooly.

“Mandy, status report,” said a voice heavy with static through the speaker of the comlink.

“I had a minor setback, but I’m back on track now Mr. Silas. Nothing you need to check up on,” Mandy said with a slight edge, making it perfectly clear that she did not like being monitered like a child.

“Yes, the hyperdrive, Tarz told me.”

Mandy almost cursed out loud. Tarz…that chuff sucking leech. The only consolation to her was that she had killed Tarz already. The stupidest thug I had at my command, she thought savagely “Oh? I was not aware that he was reporting back to you.”

There came a burst of static through the speaker as Silas laughed. “You didn’t seriously expect me to trust you to give me accurate updates, did you? Your very good at your job Mandy…but also a very good liar. Speaking of which where is Tarz? He has not updated me on schedule.”

“The simple son of a kawokian monkey lizard probably just forgot,” lied Mandy in such a convincing tone that suggested lying had become almost second nature to her.

“Tell me the truth,” demanded Silas softly, but in his most dangerous tone. Most people would have felt threatened by that tone. But Mandy was not one of those people. Still, she thought it better to just tell the truth as Silas was bound to find out anyway.

“I just had to…improvise…okay, I killed him, but it’s no big deal,” said Mandy as though she was giving the time of day.

“I see,” replied Silas in a neutral tone. “Well one less person to pay; but Mandy – there can be no more mistakes or I will have to do something…unpleasant. Are we clear on that?” he asked pointedly.

“Crystal,” said Mandy curtly, cutting off the transmission. She turned to the three black-skinned, yellow-eyed, alien thugs she had taken with her. “Install the hyperdrive as quickly as you can and try not to screw it up. I trust you all are not totally worthless.”

When she reached her ship, she immediately knew something was wrong. The loading ramp was down and everything was dead silent. She motioned for her thugs to carry the hyperdrive and to follow her into the ship.

Mandy drew a heavy blaster from her belt and entered the silent ship. No sooner had she cleared the ramp than she tripped over something. It took all of her strength and balance to stay on her feet. The ship was almost pitch black inside and Mandy’s eyes were still adjusting. She squinted at the dark, squishy, object that had almost caused her to fall on her face. It was one of the thugs she had left at the ship to guard Virago and Aruil.

“J-jedi gone,” the thug croaked.

At these words Mandy sprang into action, sprinting to the cargo hold where she had held the two jedi brats hostage. The room was completely empty, save for another of her thugs, whom upon further examination was found to be dead. A thousand curses boiled in Mandy’s throat. All this right after she had told Silas that she would not mess up again. She would have to hunt the jedi down again. Two of the thugs had sidled up to the door behind Mandy. She turned to them.

“Ready my swoop,” she said in a commanding tone, a pronounced sneer marring her otherwise beautiful features, “I’m going hunting.”

As the lumbering aliens rushed off to prepare her swoop, Mandy pulled a miniature holo projector from a hidden pocket on the inside of her shiny high-heeled boot. She placed it on her outstretched palm and activated it, a still image of Virago crackling to life. It was the image she had use to track the young jedi on Coruscant. It showed Virago – a smiling, lean, teenage boy with short blond hair.

Mandy, holding the hologram in her right hand, clenched her left and stuck the thumb up and the forefinger out forming the shape of a gun. She aimed her hand gun at Virago’s smiling, cheerful, face.

“Bang,” said Mandy softly and with a cold smirk, imagining blowing the snotty teen’s head off. If it’s a fight the jedi wanted, it was a fight she would give them.




Chess is not a perfect game of war – it has flaws that make it different from reality - the rules are constant. You can never win the loyalty of a rook or the emnity of a knight. They are unchangeable and unyeilding. But in war, even as your heart pounds in your ears as you combat an enemy there is hope that clearer minds than your own will stop you…even though you are doing what has to be done. Unlike chess, in war rules can be changed. Events that occur can turn supposed allies into the most hated enemies. Truces can be called, making even the greatest of enemies the best of friends, united around a common goal. In war there is hope.

---------------------------------

Okay so here is chapter nine. As with the last one, I will explain my reasoning behind Jacen’s thoughts (in italics at the beginning and end of the chap). In the beginning, Jacen talks about what needs to be done in war. The sacrifice is Marit and Taran giving up everything they had to help him. In the paragraph at the end, he explains how doing so is not easy with his “hope that clearer minds than your own will stop you” part. And of course the allies and enemies lines at the very end: Norian is the head of CCI, the Republic’s sort of CIA, so she is supposed to be a good guy, but is actually hindering the real good guys (Marit + Taran) for a personal grudge – this is the allies turning into enemies. And of course Taran deciding to help Jacen and Marit over Norian is an enemy turning into an ally. (b/c he hated Jacen in the first few chaps if you remember).

P.S.: Gina Chapter is next and hopefully out soon!

~HOP

Very, very nice chapter, HOP! :D Gina finally got her pink belt!!!!!!! (Can't wait to see what Mission does with her hair. :p)

Hope to see the next chapter soon! :) (Gina FTW!!!)

Read

(Stops imitating machievelli)

This is really an impressive original story now that I really step back and look at it all. You really only have one character that isn't yours and she only showed up this late in the story. You've got a nice plot that doesn't revolve around the galaxy being in danger and I really like your way with descriptions... that's all anyone talks about in anything.

Quarry: how many hours did you spend writing this, or an average chapter? (about how many hours were you on the keyboard and thinking what to write minus the time spent writing with a pen?) Thanks.

PS: like the new avatar.

Thank you both for your compliments!

Some chapters come much more quickly than otherss. This last one came really slow, but I just used it to establish a few relationships such as Mission getting to know the crew, and really underscoring Marit's loyalty and computer skills.

As for how long: For thinking the plot out...I can't really say as I am always about three chapters ahead in my mind. Usually that part comes quickly to me for general storylineb for each chapter - usually no more than an hour for a general outline. Actually writing it takes less time than you would think. I just go with my outline and type until I have covered all that I wanted to (which is why my chapters are long :xp:). I go back and edit which is what takes time. I often miss spelling errors since I know my own dialogue and descriptions so well. I would say revising goes mostly to adding or cutting things out and that takes me one hour everyday for a week, just reading it and seeing what needs to be changed.

I am a slow typer so, prabably 10-15 hours (with all the editing) of typing. New ideas just come to me (thank you boring school classes - my Honors English notebook is full of TFP stuff and no class notes :xp:) a rarely just have to sit and brainstorm. Pencil and pen I use to do general dialogue and descrpitions and that usually takes 4-5 hours.

Thank you. I needed a change in avvy for a while. :)

~HOP

EDIT: Chapter 10 peek.

Chapter Ten: Anae From Alderaan

Gina, the cyborg - the girl that never sleeps. So what does she do while everbody else sleeps? In this chapter, Gina's secret night life is revealed as she relentlessly continues her mission. As the information sent by Marit reaches Jacen's datapad after he is asleep, Gina makes use of it. Everything from gambling to being the cold-blooded killer that she is. How much more ruthless is Gina when Jacen and Senator Jace are not around to keep her in line? And who is is Anae from Alderaan?

~HOP

MISSION SAID AWESOMENSSS!!!!!!

Hahaha, that was cool. I liked that :D:D:D:D

Nice chapters you have here HoP. Makes me want to get back to writing for my fic.
I wonder what Mission's reaction will be once she finds out what Gina really is.

Wow! I haven't been able to get through all of this yet, but what I've seen so far is total awesomeness! Gina has the humor of Data and the ruthlessness of the entire Borg collective! :lazeye: Can't wait to read it all!

MISSION SAID AWESOMENSSS!!!!!!

Hahaha, that was cool. I liked that :D:D:D:D

Hehehe, yeah I thought that sounded like somthing Mission would say. :D:xp:

@Andurilblade: Thank you! It's always great to see a new reader. Chapter 10 is going to be entirely Gina, so that should be some incentive to catch up. :) Again, thank you for reading. Out of curiosity how far along are you?

~HOP

As of now, I have read it all! (I'm a really slow reader. :lol:)

Pink? You put the murderous cyborg assassin in pink!? That's like-like-teaching Data to tapdance! Like putting Worf in curlers! Ah, well, it's astral.

I really love this story! The characters are relatable, the villains are despicable, and the cyborg is mean.

The commas need a little work, but they didn't interfere with the story. Just one part seemed a little odd to me. When Gina put on the pink gauntlets, we suddenly saw things from her perspective, then came back to third person. Other than that, REALLY, REALLY GOOD STORY! WE MUST HAVE MORE, PRECIOUS, YES, YES!

Haha, the next chapter should be out either later today or tomorrow.

Well, Gina is not entirely in pink, just the guanlets and belt. I actually drew some pictures of her that are in my album, if you want to look. :)

As to the guantlet part...hmmm thank you for telling me because that is not something I would have seen. I tried to show her thoughts in the third person...but it could you some tweaking.

~HOP

OMW! It's...

http://i386.photobucket.com/albums/oo301/Andurilblade/PinkVader.jpg)

Stacy?

Haha she does look like Stacy. :xp:

Chapter Ten: Anae From Alderaan

The pride of man makes us believe that anything we create we can control. It is in our nature to create our own banes, our own monsters. We program them… teach them… study them; but never truly know what they will do…

A soothing silence permeated the atmosphere of the Centuari. The crew was turning in for the night – everyone except for Gina that is. Her power cells were constantly charging and she did not require organic needs such as sleep. She sat in the main hold of the ship, reading files from a datapad and saving them into her memory. They were language files. Nar Shaddaa was one of the most diverse planets in the galaxy, with hundreds if not thousands of different languages spoken. Right now, Gina was absorbing the myriad of verb conjugations of the rodian language, one of those most common to Nar Shaddaa. She had to be as informed as possible to complete her mission. Her eyes moved so fast across the screen that they looked like blurrs, her memory chip rapidly storing the information she gleaned from the datapad.

“What are you reading?” asked Jacen who had come to take a seat next to her.

“Slimee oona delphas aka cheen,” replied Gina with a perfect imitation of a rodian accent.

“What does that mean?” asked Jacen, interested.

“It is rodian for ‘A basic to rodian vocabulary and grammar dictionary,’” replied Gina her eyes still whizzing across the page, Jacen’s interruption not distracting her in the least. “I have only been reading it for approximately twenty hours.”

“So you learned rodian in twenty hours?” Jacen asked weakly, finding himself once again dumbfounded by the cyborg. Every time he thought he had her figured out, she surprised him again. Deep down he almost envied her ability to learn so quickly. Inwardly he chided himself. It was foolish to be jealous of a machine. That was the point of her creation after all – to make her stronger and more intelligent than organic beings.

“I have completed approximately 87.775% of the information necessary to know the language fluently,” said Gina mechanically. Her sensors indicated that the jedi was still staring at her. “You are staring. Humans have something to say when they stare.”

“I just wanted you to watch my comlink,” he said handing it to her. The cyborg looked up from her reading and took the comlink. “Marit is going to send me some files that will help us find Mandy. I want you to wake me if she does.”

Gina nodded solemnly as she stuck the comlink secuely in her new hot pink belt. “I will,” she replied fluidly.

“Good night, tin miss,” said Jacen, changing his nickname for her after she had told him that she knew what the tin man was. The tin man needed a heart, she had said.

Jacen strode off to his sleeping quarters and Gina heard the door hiss closed and click behind him. She returned to her holo text. The verb sheemar, to drink, conjugated in the sujunctive tense third person singular was shieme. Gina stored this fact permanently into her memory. Next. The third person plural was…

Gina sat motionless in her seat for the next half hour, plugging away at her holo text. To any human, the grammar text would have been terribly boring. But the cyborg girl sat perfectly erect, never once yawning or fidgeting. Gina felt a vibrating in her belt. It was Jacen’s comlink. She rose from her seat to awaken the jedi, but her decision making programming caused her to halt in her tracks. She and the jedi Jacen were on the same side, though when it came down to it, his priority was to find his padawan, Virago. Her mission was to protect Senator Jace. Mandy was the key to both. This mission did not allow for the mistakes and inefficiencies of organic beings. No, she would look at the files and take the necessary course of action herself.

She accessed the files and skimmed through them. Mandy had a false ID broker here on Narr Shaddaa – Aren Nakotora. Gina studied the photo of the grubby human male. According to the file, he was deep underground in the blackmarket and had not actually been seen by any reliable source for almost a year. He had only one known, living relative on Nar Shaddaa, his nephew Kato. The file had very little information on Kato only a picture and his age – 19. Gina was about to try another lead when a third piece of information on Kato’s file caught her eye. He was a well respected paazak player in the Paazak Den next to Naevek’s Cantina, where she had met Mission. I was only a short walk from the ship.

Gina silently ransacked her room, slipping throwing knives and other small weapons in concealed slits on the inside of her boots. After coming to the conclusion that her weapons stock was sufficient she left the Centauri, and her sleeping crew and went into the urban decay that was Nar Shaddaa.

Gina entered the entertainment promenade in the Refugee Sector. Naevek’s Cantina was to the right, so the Paazak Den must be to the left. Gina had initially calculated that her biggest problem would be blending in. But thanks to Mission’s makeup she fit right in. She passed between a group of weequays, who made threatening hissing noises but little more. Gina’s fair skin was tinted bright red, green, and purple from the various flashing neon signs bearing messages such as: Live Twi’lek Dancers – No holograms!

Gina turned a corner and spotted a closed door. This corridor, though it still vibrated from the loud beats of cantina music, was completely deserted save for a lone three-eyed Gran who seemed to be guarding the door. It was the door to the Paazak Den.

“Password?” grunted the alien.

“I do not have a password,” said Gina calmly, before continuing towards the door.

“No password, no entrance,” said the alien stubbornly as he drew a Bothan Stun Baton, the energy-charged stick pulsing and crackling with electricity.

“You are making this difficult.”

Gina, fast as lightning, ripped the stun stick out of the dumbstruck guard’s hand. Ignoring the electric shocks, Gina ripped the weapon in half with her bare hands, casting the broken halves aside. With a casual push, she sent the guard crashing into the nearest wall, where he fell to the ground, unconscious. She plucked the remote door opener from his pocket.

“Thank you for your assistance,” she said coldly before opening the door.

The Paazak Den, was much like Naevek’s Cantina expect that it was smaller and much less crowded. Apprently this was a more elite club. Gina scanned the room, searching for Kato.

Patrons sat around small circular tables, some drinking, others smoking death sticks. The latter of which caused the room to have a permanent smokey scent. In one corner, an aqualish overturned a table in a rage. From the brief snatches of conversation Gina heard, she gained that the aqualish thought he had been cheated out of his credits by the twi’lek across from him. A small brawl ensued, which was watched by the other patrons with mild interest before they returned to their own games. Waitresses walked past, carrying trays with various drinks. Each of them was wearing a glittering silver and gold bikini that left little to the imagination. Gina noticed that they got the most attention from the male patrons.

The nearest waitress set her tray of drinks down on a table, smiling suggestively at the bald obese man seated there. She winked at him before turning to leave, swinging her hips in an overexadurated way.

Gina’s facial recognition software activated, her eyes sweeping the room trying to match the picture from Kato’s file page to one of the people in the room. Her cyborg eyes zoomed in, like a camera, on faces that farther away. Negative. Negative. Negative. Positive! There, in the far corner by a dartboard.

Gina needed to blend in when she approached Kato. She remembered how the waitress had smiled and swung her hips. She activated her physical mimicry program and approached Kato, swinging her hips, a suggestive (though rather stiff and mechanical) smile on her face. Kato and two of his friends were playing some kind of dart game. Kato was an attractive nineteen-year-old with wavey rust-brown hair and a friendly smile. At the moment he was laughing good-naturedly at his twi’lek friend’s terrible aim with a dart, the metal spike glancing off the edge of the dartboard.

Gina walked up to Kato in her skin tight bodysuit. He did a double take before staring at this hot girl approaching him. “Hey,” he said with a cool jerk of his head and a lopsided grin that was clearly meant to attract her. “Sup? I’m Kato.” At this Kato’s two friends, a male orange twi’lek and and a tall guy with bleached blonde hair turned to face Gina, taking in her hot pink belt and gauntlets and her perfectly sculpted body.

“Hello,” said Gina still stiffly smiling. Luckily Kato was too distracted by her cleavage to notice. “My name is Anae,” lied Gina, “I’m from Alderaan and I’m new here. That looks like fun,” she said indicating to the dartboard, and cocking her hip to the right.

“Well, Anae,” said Kato casting a smug look at his buddies, still grinning devilishly, “This may look like fun, but Haru here,” he said pointing to the blonde guy, “Bets 100 credits that he can beat anyone in this paazak den.”

Gina’s head jerked to the left to face Haru. Her smile remained in place but her eyes shined green, though for such a brief moment that Haru blinked several times before deciding that he must be seeing things. “I will play you, Haru.”

Kato raised his eyebrows in surprise and approval. He looked at Gina with new interest. “Have you ever played before, Anae?”

Gina cocked her head at Kato, analizing him. Judging by his body language, this human was attracted to her. She could use this. She recalled the wink that the waitress had given the fat man. “How hard can it be?” she asked innocently, winking at Kato.

“Oh, it’s plenty hard, girl,” said Kato retrieving a dart from the round, checkered, board. “Now what you are going to do is hold the dart like this,” he said placing the dart in her hand and standing behind her, lightly pressing his body against hers. “And then you just aim for the middle of the target and release. You get three shots per turn. Haru will let you go first seeing as your new and all.” Haru nodded his approval barely keeping his laughter in check. He obviously expected the petite, leather and hot pink clad, girl to be a pushover – an easy 100 credits.

Gina raised her arm, taking aim, her fingers pressed against the grooved surface of the dart. She implemented knife-throwing programming to find the best way to grip the dart. Her sensors measured her distance from the target and the exact angle needed to land the dart into the center of the target. She used her targeting sensors and applied the right amount of power to her arm and thwwwiiit! The dart landed in the dead center of the target. Kato’s and Haru’s jaws dropped in shock.

“It is still my turn, right Haru?” asked Gina innocently, with a more convincing smile. Several turns later Gina had decisively won and Haru had to cough up 100 credits. Gina leafed through the bills before tucking them into her belt.

“That was some game,” said Kato standing close to her. While Kato stood close to her, Gina took the opportunity to scan the young man. Rugged pants, slight bulge in the smugglers vest indicating a blaster underneath. There was also a slight irregularity in one of his boots. Using her X-ray scanning vision, Gina discovered that it was a vibrodagger. This human had no weapons that could pose a serious threat to her.

“You want a drink, Anae?” asked Kato loudly over the music, sitting down on one of the shiny red bar stools. He patted the seat of the stool next to him, inviting Gina to sit down.

Gina sat down on the seat next to him. “Yes.” Gina searched through her databanks for a suitable drink. She of course had no need to consume anything nor the actual capacity to do so. But she had learned that drinking was a way that organics bonded. Right now she needed to gain Kato’s trust. She turned to the bartender, a six armed alien. “I will have a Randoni Yellow Plague,” she said without hesitation. “Chilled. Make it a double.”

Kato ordered a drink from the bartender and while he was giving his order Gina emptied her drink into a decorative urn, that was situated between her seat and the vast floor-to-ceiling window that covered a whole wall of the Paazak Den. Through the window, the dilapidated buildings typical of Nar Shaddaa could be seen. A motely assortment of ships, swoops, and speeders whizzed by, each with its own distinctive roar or whine.

“So, if you don’t mind me saying so,” said Kato taking a large gulp of his drink, “you seem pretty heavily armed for a girl from Alderaan.” He glanced down at the weapons at Gina’s belt. “That’s a nice blaster, it’s the K5 series, right?”

“K6 series,”corrected Gina automatically, displaying her extensive knowledge of weaponry, though was actually surprised that the human had come so close to identifying the model. He was almost competant. “It has a modified R-245 hair trigger and heavy J-type Arkanian firing chamber to counteract it’s below average power-energy cell.”

“You can drink, you play a wicked game of darts, and your into guns?” said Kato who seemed impressed beyond belief and smiled widely, showing his very white, even, teeth. “That’s hot.”

Gina cocked her head at him uncomprehendingly, “The drink was not hot – it was chilled.” Humans sometimes said the strangest things.

Kato’s smile widened as wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. He was obviously under the impression that Gina was joking. The cantina music thundered on as a green twi’lek girl spun around a pole on the stage at the opposite end of the room. Kato watched her for a second before, snapping out of his daze, realizing that he couldn’t very well chat up a girl and watch a stripper at the same time. He felt an attraction to this Anae that he could not quite understand. “So have you…y’know, killed people with it?”

“Yes,” replied Gina bluntly and without tact, “I have killed people with it. The last victim was a rodian. I blasted a hole two centimeters above the collar bone and watched as blood gushed out of his throat. He screamed loudly…and then he was silent.”

Fortunately, Kato was too distracted by a group of trandoshan thugs that had just walked in to have heard Gina’s suspicious remark. Their leader was looking around the room as though searching for something…or someone. Each was armed to the teeth, perhaps the only beings in the entertainment promnade with more weaponry clipped to their belts than Gina.

Kato made to get up, mumbling some poor excuse for leaving. Unfortunately at that moment, the trandoshan who appeared to be the leader seemed to have spotted what he was looking for and headed straight for the bar, his long powerful legs carrying him there before Kato could leave. Kato rose from his seat but the trandoshan put his hand on Kato’s shoulder, his sharp lizard claws digging into the flesh.

“Ssssit,” hissed the scaley alien, his orange eyes with slits for pupils fixed on Kato. “We have businesss to discusss, you and I.”

“Look Rakssk,” said Kato who was trying to be tough yet not provoke a fight at the same time, “I don’t know where my uncle Aren is okay? I didn’t know when you asked me yesterday and I don’t know n-now,” he finished, faltering. To his credit, not many people could have kept a straight, unemotional face with razor-sharp claws digging into their shoulder.

“Of course,” replied Rakssk in a false understanding tone, “Perhapsss thiss will jog you memory…maybe you cooperate now.” He dug his claws further into Kato’s shoulder resulting in a sickening squishing sound indicating the tearing of muscle and tissue. Now, Kato could not even begin to pretend that he did not feel intense pain. He winced noticeably and his eyes watered. His teeth were tightly clenched behind lips that were white from being pressed so tightly together.

Gina watched Kato’s pain. This trandoshan, Rakssk, could kill or seriously injure Kato. She needed Kato to complete her mission and could not allow him to be harmed. She swiftly sprang into action. She clamped down hard on Rakssk’s shoulder digging her fingers through down to the bone, not hindered in the slightest by the dark blood gushing out of the wound like a fountain. With her other hand Gina ripped Rakssk’s hand out of Kato’s shoulder, snapping the wrist in the process.

Rakssk recoiled, hissing in white hot agony, but Gina kept her grip firm. He looked at her in shock, shock that a puny human female could overpower him so. “Now maybe you will cooperate,” said Gina mimicking Rakssk’s earlier words as she dug her fingers deeper into the trandoshan’s shoulder and cracking the bone with absolutely no sign of strain on her face. “I will bleed you dry and break every bone in your body, but not before I rip out your stomach and force-feed you your own organs.” Gina’s eyes now shown bright green, like two lasers, though Kato did not see because Gina had her back to him. The effect lasted for a few seconds before the irises dimmed to their normal shade of brandy brown. Rakssk for once looked truly afraid.

“Anae,” said Kato from behind her. She didn’t need to ask what he meant. The rest of Rakssk’s crew had come up to see what was taking their boss so long. All of them had their weapons drawn; some carried repeaters, while others carried the infamous double-bladed trandoshan swords which could rip through flesh as though it was nothing more than Sullistan Jam. At this Gina snapped Rakssk’s shoulder and kicked him to the floor as she drew her dual blasters. Before they could even blink, she unleashed the deadly bolts of energy with unnerring accuracy.

Three thugs carrying repeaters fell to the floor, dead, each pierced by a single shot. Gina’s aim was so accurate that she rarely needed more than one shot to kill.

By this time the Paazak Den was in complete pandemonium. Tables were overturned in the patrons’ attempts to escape. The tables crashed to the floor, their glass tops shattering. Some patrons drew their weapons and began shooting or hacking at anything that moved.

Gina pushed down on Kato’s head, forcing him to the floor and out of the line of fire. The trandoshan thugs had joined the fray, cleaving madly with their vibroblades. Only the closest seemed to be able to stay on task during the chaos. He lunged for Kato but with a powerful kick Gina knocked the vibroblade out of his grip. The blade clattered harmlessly to the floor.

He responded by delivering an upper cut with one of his powerful trandoshan arms that could have easily knocked the average being flat. Reacting within a split second Gina sidestepped the blow, avoiding it by so small a margin that she could feel air whistle past her ear. She flung two of her throwing knives at her adversary spinning silver blades catching the trandoshan in the chest and he reeled backward. Wasting no time, Gina slammed her palms into his chest, simultaniously forcing the knives in further and sending him flying backward, crashing through the floor-to-ceiling window. The trandoshan disappeared with a hoarse hiss as he fell into the endless bowels of Nar Shaddaa.

The sound of blaster fire rang throughout the entire entertainment promnade. One of the other trandoshans seemed to remember his mission and ran straight for Gina. His right arm was outstretched, a heavy blaster pistol in his grip. Before the scaly alien could even get a shot off, Gina grabbed his right wrist and pulled the arm taught with one hand and chopped down on the trandoshan’s elbow with the other. The bone snapped with a liquidy crunch. Using the trandoshan’s own momentum against him, Gina still holding the wrist, swung him head first into the nearest wall. The trandoshan’s head was completely buried in the durasteel of the wall but the rest of his body went limp as all life was drained from it.

By this time the blaster fire was almost nonexistent as the owners of the offending blasters lay dead, strewn throughout the Paazak Den.

Gina turned around to see Kato, still sitting on the floor up against the bar. He was staring at her, dumbfounded. “How did you – you’re just a girl – do you have any idea who you just killed?!”

“No,” responded Gina truthfully and without concern. “We need to leave. Come with me if you want to live.” Kato scrambled to his feet.

The paazak den was almost completely empty save for the dead bodies slumped over tables or around chairs or bar stools. The bartender peeked out from behind the bar, his once beautiful Paazak Den, with its flashing lights and well-stocked bar lay in ruins. Shattered bottles littered the area behind the bar, their contents pooling together on the floor. Upon realizing that the coast was clear the bartender stood up, glaring at Gina as though it was her fault. He raised his eyebrows at her.

Gina glared back at him. “Your bouncers are insufficient.” With that Gina and Kato left the Paazak Den, the latter of whom seemed to be in momentary shock.

Gina and Kato exited the entertainment promnade at a brisk pace. Cool air played about their faces. No sooner were they outside than Kato seemed to come out of his shock. He rounded on Gina.

“What the hell is going on Anae?! Those guys…how did you do that?”

“I need to talk to your uncle,” said Gina who was quite unphased at Kato’s sudden emotional spurt and even less concerned with answering his questions.

“Do you work for the Exchange, like Rakssk?” demanded Kato hotly, a vein pulsing near one of his temples. “Is that the only reason you bothered to talk to me?”

“I do not work for the Exchange,” said Gina flatly. “I do not want the exchange to find your uncle either. That is why I killed them.”

Kato seemed to deflate slightly. “I-I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have blown up at you. This isn’t your fault…but you did save me so uhh… thanks.”

Gina knew she was in a delicate situation. Despite Kato witnessing her actions she had to still make him think that she was human. What would a human do in this situation? She searched her memory banks regarding human social behavior…blank. It was then that she recalled the soap opera that she had seen back at Senator Jace’s Headquarters.

“I forgive you,” she said as though reciting the words out of a book. Kato’s eyes softened and it seemed as though he would melt on the spot. He put his arms around her giving her a tight squeeze. This is a hug, thought Gina, consulting her the files on her chip that she had saved while reading a dictionary. Hug: a display of effection in which two or more people embrace, common to many intelligent species. She was supposed to put her arms around Kato. She put her arms around his waist, a much tighter embrace than a human would have given. She let go quickly, but it seemed to satisfy Kato.

“I need to find your uncle,” Gina repeated stiffly, “I am attempting to find one of his old clients.”

Kato hesitated. “Well I guess I kinda owe you huh?” he said sheepishly. “Okay, but we have to move quickly, we can’t be followed.” Kato, cast a look around the area. “My uncle’s apartment is fairly far from here. We need a transport.”

Gina nodded curtly. “Wait here. I have a transport nearby,” she lied. Kato did as he was told and Gina rounded the corner of a large building now out of his line of sight. There was only one parked transport here…and she needed it.

Inside the speeder in question was human girl in her mid-twenties. Gina came up to the driver-side door, a vibroblade clutched behind her back. The woman looked at Gina with a sour expression on her face.

“What do you want?” she spat nastily, the smell of cheap alcohol on her breath.

Gina cocked her head at the woman, completely unperturbed by this rudeness. “I want your speeder,” replied Gina whipping out her vibroblade and swinging it in an arc, completely severing the woman’s neck. With one arm, Gina pulled the corpse from the speeder and tossed it carelessly on the filthy ground of the alley. The cyborg casually slipped into the driver’s seat. She stuck her head out of the open window. “Thank you for your assistence,” she said in a steely voice to the woman’s corpse.

*_______________*

“Turn here,” said Kato from the passenger’s seat, “My Uncle Aren’s place is in that building there.”

Gina parked the battered old speeder beside the dilapidated apartment building. She and Kato got out of the craft, the latter stretching his legs. “Follow me Anae,” he said to Gina.

The turbolift was broken, so the pair had to climb several dozen flights of stairs. Kato was starting to slow due to his shoulder when they reached the landing to Aren Nakotora’s apartment. Gina on the other hand showed no sign of fatigue. Kato rapped on the apartment door.

“Who is there?” came a quivering voice from behind the door.

“It’s me aunt Jai,” said Kato wearily leaning on the door frame.

The door immediately hissed open, revealing a tall, thin woman with dirty blonde hair. Jai and Kato embraced before she ushered him inside with Gina close behind. Jai offered the pair seats.

“My friend Anae needs to see Aren as soon as possible,” said Kato as he sat down. “She can help him…help you.”

Jai bit her lip, casting Gina a nervous look. “He is out I’m afraid. But he should be back soon.” She did not even bother to ask who Gina was. She seemed to trust that Kato would not bring anybody untrustworthy here. A few moments later Jai brought Gina and Kato a steaming cup of tea apiece. A few minutes of silence later, Kato got up to go to the bathroom.

“You are wearing the traditional dancing clothes of Alderaan,” said Gina unexpectedly.

“Yes I am,” said Jai with mild surprise. “I used to teach classical dance at Alderaan University, but there is not much of a market for that sort of thing on Nar Shaddaa. Still,” she continued, wetting her lips, “I like to keep practicing.”

“Why?”

“Well, where I come from dance is thought to be the key to unlocking a hidden soul,” replied Jai with a smile. She seemed to be warming up to Gina.

“Can you show me?” asked Gina cocking her head at the woman.

Jai showed Gina basic steps of the traditional dance style of Alderaan. Through her advanced learning program, Gina picked the steps up almost immediately. Jai let out a genuine peal of delight at how quickly Gina was learning. “I forgot how much I missed teaching.”

Jai moved on to more advanced steps which Gina would then try to copy. “This is called the step of the crane. Watch carefully.” Jai stood on one foot and with a small jump switched to the other foot. Her arms flowed gracefully from side to side as with a short twirl Jai finished. “Now you try, Anae.”

Gina did her best to copy Jai’s movements. But for all her strength and intelligence, she lacked flexibility.

“That was good for a first try especially since the dance of the crane is difficult,” said Jai kindly. “Your lower body form was excellent, but the upper body was a bit…mechanical. Remember, you are not a robot, you are a crane,” she said with a joking smile, holding her arms stiff as though they were made of metal not realizing that Gina’s endoskeleton was indeed made of a metal alloy.

“I am a crane?” said Gina confused.

“I am too tired and stiff to keep dancing,” said Jai remorsefully. “But you should come back again. We need to work on your flexibility and your imagination.”

At that moment, a man walked through the front door, clutching a blaster pistol in one hand and a leather bag in the other. Upon hearing the door open Kato rushed into the living room. “Aren, we have been waiting for you!”

“Who is this?” asked Aren immediately pointing an accusing finger at Gina. “You can’t just go bringing every urchin off the street into this house.”

“Aren,” began Jai, “This is Kato’s friend Anae. “She promised to help us and in return I’m teaching her to dance,” she said as though this settled the matter.”

“Damn it, Jai,” said Aren with an exasperated look. “I don’t care if she can dance or not. I don’t care is she is the Queen of Onderon – you can’t just bring her here. This is the one place where we are safe and you have compromised it!”

“I brought her here,” said Kato, coming to his aunt’s defense. “And this is not just some girl. She killed the Exchange’s bounty hunters who were looking for you. They tried to get to you through me…they were going to kill me and she stopped them.”

Aren stopped short. “You killed members of the Exchange?” he said in disbelief. “And what price do I have to pay you to stop you from killing me hmmm?”

“I am looking for and old client of yours” said Gina pulling a roll of credits from her pocket Without hesitation Aren snatched the money and leafed through it. “There will be more once I get the information I need,” Gina added. “A bounty hunter – Miranda Almira. She is commonly known as Mandy.”

Aren nodded knowingly and lead her into a back room which had wall to wall shelving, filled with holo disks containing intell on his clients. As he tore through the mess of holodiks which were strewn about the shelves and floor, Aren kept glancing out the window as though expecting someone. Finally he held a disk up triumphantly. Gina quickly took it and examined the files: age, place of birth – just useless information. This would not help her mission. Aren looked out the window again doing a double take.

“Siths blood!” spat Aren spinning around. “It’s them, the Exchange, they are here!” He looked imploringly at Gina, his face lined with fear. “You promised to help us.”

“Yes, I did,” said Gina unconcernedly, looking out the window herself. “Thank you for your assistance.” The cyborg resolutely turned her back on the shaking Aren and the weeping Jai. She strode quickly over to the door, opened it and left Aren and Jai to their terrible fates, ignoring their desperate cries for help. No sooner had she closed the door behind her when it shot open again, Kato storming after her.

“What the hell are you doing?! You promised to help them!” he yelled as he caught up to her, his eyes blazing. “I’m not going to just let you leave!”

“I have gained what information I could from them,” replied Gina in a hard voice as she turned to face him. “Now you have become a problem – your usefullness to me has expired.”

Kato opened his mouth to retort but nothing came out. His eyes were wide and filled with hurt…the pain of betrayal. “So what, you just used me?”

Gina cocked her head at him. “Yes.” Without warning she charged at Kato, ramming the man into the wall and pinning him there. He struggled to break away, but to his horror he could not escape Gina’s hold. “Resistance is futile,” said Gina mechanically. “I have taken what useful knowledge you posses and have added it to my own. I do not need you anymore. You are a liability.”

“I can’t believe I trusted you! I thought you were into me.”

Gina drew her fist back and luanched it forward with such force that it broke Kato’s rib cage, her hand poking through the skin. Now her entire hand was actually inside Kato, among his internal organs. “Now I am into you.”

As quickly as she had struck, Gina withdrew her fist and Kato fell to the floor gasping and rasping. Bright red blood spurted from the wound and it fromed a crimson pool on the hard stone floor. With a soft whisper his last breath left him. Not seeming the least bit perturbed that she had just killed someone that had feelings for her, nor that her right hand was completely drenched in his blood, Gina continued down the stairs.

Just as with Aren and Jai, Gina turned her back on Kato and made her way down the long, dark, flight of stairs. About halfway down she passed three men racing up. She recognized them as the ones that Aren had seen out of the window, the ones that were going to kill him and Jai. They brushed by Gina and she by them neither party even glancing twice at the other.

When Gina reached the landing to the floor below Aren’s apartment she heard the grinding sound of breaking metal, as though a door were being bashed down. Then Aren’s and Jai’s screams reached her ears. “No please don’t kill my wife, please!” Blaster shots were fired and Aren’s voice was heard no more. Jai’s terrified screeches rang again, not dying away as before but silenced suddenly as the sound of blaster fire rent the air. As the echos of dying screams filled the stairway, Gina continued downward, her face as cold and hard as stone, not showing an ounce of emotion for their deaths. She was not hiding emotion behind some kind of mask. She genuinely felt no remorse about leaving the two to die. Keeping them alive after aquiring their information was not part of her mission.

Still, they had not possessed any real useful information. This lead was a dead end; but there were many other files on Jacen’s datapad that she had not examined and tomorrow was another night. For now she would return to the Centauri before she was missed.

*_______________*

Jacen trudged into the main hold yawning and wiping the sleep from his eyes. He half-heartedly combed his touseled hair with his fingers as the food prep unit prepared a cup of hot tea for him. As the stream of steaming golden brown liquid filled his cup, Jacen noticed the cyborg girl sitting in the exact same spot in which he had left her the night before. She was like a classical statue, she was perfectly designed and sculpted, flawless; yet she was perfectly still with not the slightest contrapposto, and her face – it was devoid of emotion. She took no heed of him and continued reading the datapad in her hand.

“You learn anything interesting?” Jacen inquired, jerking his head towards the datapad, expecting some obscure fact or figure. He regretted asking the question the moment it slipped from his lips.

“Dance is the key to finding a hidden soul,” said Gina staring at him.

“First you have to have a soul to find,” said Jacen musing at how Gina just picked up the oddest things. “Have you been there all night, tin miss?” asked Jacen as he took a tiny sip of his tea his tongue recoiling sharply. It burned but the smooth mug served as a good hand-warmer. He cupped his hands around it but decided to let it cool a bit before drinking.

“Yes, I have been here all night,” lied Gina, looking up from her reading and cocking her head as she so often did. “Your comlink buzzed five minutes ago. Marit sent you the file you requested,” added Gina in a mechanical, nuetral tone. She handed the comlink to Jacen.

Jacen took the comlink and eagerly started browsing through the files. All tiredness seemed to just evaporate. These files were pivotal to what they were doing and could hopefully shed some light in the so far unsuccessful investigation. Jacen was so enraptured that he did not even notice as Gina left the room.

“What’cha got there?” asked Mission coming up behind him, garbed only in her minimal sleepwear. Jacen turned the datapad screen towards her, showing the files that Marit had sent.

“This means another ‘quest’ doesn’t it?” she asked in a weary sort of way.

“No, just that we can advance the one we are already on,” said Jacen scrolling throught the files. “There are so many – this Mandy seems to have been on a nonstop crime-spree since she was able to walk.” Suddenly Jacen stopped. He heard something…a faint noise like a faint echo of music. “Do you hear that?” he asked throwing Mission a questioning look.

Before the twi’lek could reply Jacen followed the sound out of the main hold, listening as it grew louder and louder. There was no doubt about it it was music and it was coming from Gina’s room.

We all have weak moments, moments where we lose confidence and faith. But is our flaws, our weaknesses that make us human. Science now creates life from cells, or bacteria, or tissue, or even metal. But these creations are perfect creatures and in that way they could not be less human. Yet, there are things cyborgs will never do. They cannot possess a religion, commune with a god. They cannot appreciate beauty, they cannot create art. If they learned these things, their purpose would not be to destroy us – they would be us.

A soft, sad, elegant, music engulfed Gina’s quarters. Curious as to why the cyborg would want to listen to such tones, Jacen peeked his head through the circular doorway and into her room.

Gina stood in the center of the room her eyes closed. She seemed shorter somehow and Jacen realized that her feet were bare, her combat boots pushed to the side of her bed. Even her belt, loaded with weapons, lay in the folds of her bedsheets. She did not even notice that he was standing there.

Gina began to dance the most beautiful dance that Jacen had ever seen. She slowly lifted a leg in the air and began revolving on the spot, her eyes still closed. She let her leg fall, and she took a small, surprisingly graceful leap to the right, in time with the music. She raised her arms above her head forming an arch, stood on her tiptoes and performed a pirouette. Gina stretched her arms to the sides resting the soul of her right foot on the side of her left calf and spun around once before falling into a fluid swinging motion of her arms and legs, all the while the tinkling yet woeful song playing.

Jacen had never seen anything so beautiful yet horrifying at the same time. Gina’s movements were so fluid and lithsome not showing any signs of their usual mechanical sharpness. Cyborgs were feared across the galaxy and thought of as butchering machines and Jacen himself had seen Gina rip people apart with her bare hands. But now her demeanor was so different, so calm, so…human. Those same feet that had kicked through bones and doors now padded softly on the floor, no longer used as crude weapons; but as tools. Jacen didn’t know how long he had been standing there, only that he could not look away as the notes fluttered around in his head. His throat began to hurt and his eyes stung. The movements, all of them were so sad, but carried with them an aweful, terrrible radiance that effected Jacen in a way he could not describe. A part of him wanted to rush up and embrace and comfort the girl, and other part urged him to flee. But he stood rooted to the spot.

Gina stood on one foot and bent over, her left leg swinging out behind her in an arc. The music seemed to be getting lower and on one last somber note the song ended. But the cyborg continued her dance without the song, taking no heed of the abscense of notes and rhythm.

Then Jacen understood as he remebered with a painful lump in his throat what Gina had told him. “Dance is the key to finding a hidden soul.” At the time he had dismissed it, unthinkingly commenting that first Gina needed to have a soul to find. That is why Gina danced long after the music had stopped. She was searching for her soul. Gina’s continued steps were reflected in the watery pools that were Jacen’s eyes. A single tear rolled down his cheek, knowing with a feeling of dread that no matter how hard she tried, Gina would never find the soul that she was seeking.

My comments since they would not fit into the other post...

Basically, the goal of this chapter was to add more dimension to Gina’s character – to show that she can have her own agenda. Your first question might be: Whats with the dancing?

Well I added the dance in for numerous reasons. Up until now, Gina has been this kind of super-powerful invincible character who has vast information stored in her head (like how she knew fluent Huttese in chap 8, or how she learned rodian language in the matter of a couple of days, or making all of those calculations such as maximum weight load on the landing pad etc.) In all of those situations she knows everything and is, in a way, teaching Jacen and the others.

With the dance however, Gina is the one learning – she is the student and there is a human that knows more than her in an area. This portrays Gina with uncharracteristic vulnerability. With the exception of social behavior, Gina does not learn much from “organics.” Here, we actually see her asking Jai to teach her dance because it is the “key to finding a hidden soul.” As a cyborg she does not actually have a soul but she notices how no matter how accurately she can immitate people there is something missing – the soul.

I used Jacen’s italicized monologue at the end to underscore my point: Though Gina has vast intelligence and physical skill (things we would all love to have) there are so many things that she just can not do because of her nature. She searches for her soul through dance, but the sad thing is that she will never find it because she does not have one. I wanted to leave some hope though, through the last line of the second monologue.

Jacen sees her dance and is awed by Gina’s grace and the dance’s beauty. But at the same time he is gripped by horror because the dance is a kind of aweful beauty – to see this machine which has ruthlessly killed people express such a human quality it makes him think. If cyborgs effectively learn the qualities of humans, won’t they end up in effect being human? And if they can, what will become of the human race when these cyborgs learn enough to act human? They would be just like humans except stronger. Would that mean the end of the human race, doomed to be replaced by these super-human machines – the very things that we created? This is also alluded to in the italicized monologue at the beginning (“humans create their own banes”). – People created Gina to kill people and in effect created their own monster.

Also, the dance made Jacen realize that Gina is more human than he thought. Up until this point he has treated her as nothing more than a machine, always wary of her and calling her “tin man” because she needed a heart. Even Mission commented to Jacen in the previous chapter that Gina just “needed some love.” Because Jacen has no idea of Gina’s little night-time adventures and only saw the positive part of Gina, he realizes that he needs to treat her more kindly and more like an actual being.

In this chapter we saw a softer side of Gina through her asking Jai to teach her to dance and through her initial kindness to Kato. But I wanted to leave no doubt that she is still the pitiless killer that she has always been. She was actually quite nice to Kato, but then killed him without a second thought (and even with a bit of unintentional humor). Also, Jai was kind enough to teach her to dance yet Gina leaves her high and dry when the bounty hunters arrive. Gina got what she wanted and saw no further use for Jai – Gina saw her as nothing more than a tool. She walks right past the bounty hunters as they climb the stairs to Aren’s and Jaia’s apartment and is perfectly unemotional when she hears blaster fire and the dying screams of Aren and Jai.

Sorry for this lengthy explaination, but I try to put deeper meaning in my chapters with the monologues giving clues beyond the surface of the chapter. I put this in here (and made it so lengthy) because I thought Gina’s actions would not have made total sense without this explaination. I hoped to create a mix of feelings regarding Gina in this chapter.

I bet some of you thought Gina was going soft there for a while, huh?

Thoughts?

~HOP

:cry6:

:crybaby:

:cry8:

That was so sad! :( First she killed that lady for her speeder (reminiscent of the lady terminator in T3 ;)), then she left Kato and his family to the Exchange! :eek:

:swear:

Dang...Still, I must applaud you for a well-done chapter. It adds a new dimension to Gina--and, I must say, you balanced the horror and the humor quite nicely. :)

:golfclap:

Thanks Endo!

I think I took Gina to a new level of coldness this chapter, but I wanted to make up for her niceness to Kato in the begining. But this was the first chapter where Gina killed an innocent person. All of the other instances they were bad guys, but Kato was rather innocent. Hope this was not too far...

In any case, I think this is as cold as Gina will get. The next chapter will be more normal, with multiple storylines. It just shows how different Gina is from Jacen's perspective than how she is in reality. The point of this chapter was that it is a one time thing...Gina will seem more "normal" in the coming chaps and will probably give up dancing after she realizes that it will not help her find a soul.

The lady was kinda a schutta anyway :) (was a T3 reference ;)). I also saluted Terminator with the "come with me if you want to live" line and saluted the Borgs with the "Resistance is futile" bit.

I assume the crying is over Gina's hopeless search for her soul? :)

~HOP

YA THINK!?!?!?!?!?!?!!??!?!?!?!?!?!!!?!?!?!?!?!!?!?!! !!!!!!! OF COURSE IT'S ABOUT GINA!!!!!!!!!!!!! :p

I'm glad Gina won't be as creepy later. It was a little hard to like her about the time she stole the speeder. :/

I reiterate: Good work! :xp:

Thanks! Now that I think about it, the speeder thing is more like something Mandy would do...rest assured, Gina will not be "pulling a Mandy" in thte future. :) Oooh, what if those two met? - you just gave me a great idea, thank you!

Gina, Jacen, Mission, and Vorzar will be working together as usual next chap...time to sneak into Voggas place with those dancer outfits! :xp: Also want to give Aruil a bad ass moment...we'll see...

I also made some Hero Maker stuff for the characters which I should post here soon.

~HOP

She's so.. ruthless.

Evil

Heartless

We are the Borg. You will be assimilated. We will add your technological and biological distinctiveness to our own. Resistance is futile.

I think you have succeeded in de-nicefying Gina. I don't know about everybody else, but I find it hard to feel sorry for her in her 'search for a soul' after that. I know, that's unfair and reactionary, but after she walked out on Jai, I wanted to throw her in a trash compactor. I know she's only doing what she's programmed to do, but I do wish she'd become human very, very fast.

Maybe they can take her to :yoda: the Wizard of Oz?

Actually I felt the same way when I wrote the chapter. I expected readers to feel this way. Gina will be more normal from now on, but I wanted to use this chapter as a reminder that she is not just a quirky tough girl and hopefully this will clarify why Jacen is sort of wary of her. Jacen felt bad for her because he has no idea what she did, nor that she even left the ship. It is quite ironic actually. Next chapter, she will be back to busting baddies. :xp:


As for becoming human - not physically of course but she will definately develop. She just needs a lesson in morality. All I can ask is that you give her a chance next chapter, because the last thing I want to do is turn readers off to the character.

Thank you!

~HOP

Oh, no, I'm not going to stop reading or anything! I hate her durastell guts, but...

It's my nature. Would you hate me, if I were anything but what I am?

to quote (sort of) a phrase. :lol:

Hehe, an appropriate quote. As I said, I myself hated Gina while writing the part...but I don't hate her anymore because I know all of the "good guy" stuff she will do later. But I can't spoil anything. :)

Next chapter, (Chapter Eleven: The Chase) should be up soon - chock full of that lovely dancer outfit from TSL and the battle of Mandy and crew vs. Virago and Aruil. (Do I hear galactic smackdown? :xp:)

Thank you for sticking with it, though I am sure that by the time the fic is over, Gina will be back on your good side. ;) Just you wait...:D

Again, thanks for your feedback!

~HOP

Just got to this; saw all the feedback and missed the chapter that preceded them.

I have to admit that is devious to show the very human/delicate nature of Gina in contrast to the cold/mechanical efficiency of the machine she was. I did not really catch the importance of how he treated her at the end of the chapter. I guess I didn't think he treated her like a mindless machine... not a person maybe.

This was a great chapter with an original moral/ethical issue that was skillfully written. I really appreciated what you were going for here and hope he treats her differently this time around. Looking forward to the next update.

http://i633.photobucket.com/albums/uu57/HighOnPie14/HEroMaker/TFP1JZC.jpg)

Name: Jacen Zarek
Age: 21
Species: Human
Homeworld: Correlia
Occupation: Jedi Guardian
Education: Jedi Trails – passed with honors. Jedi Guardian training (emphasis on double-bladed lightsaber combat, unarmed combat, and sociology) – Jedi Temple, Coruscant.


http://i633.photobucket.com/albums/uu57/HighOnPie14/HEroMaker/TFP1MTCLFNEW.jpg)

Name: Marit Thel- Tanis
Age: 22
Species: Human
Homeworld: Hali
Occupation: Coruscant Central Intelligence - Chief Analyst, Program Manager, and Head of Tech Department.
Education: Bachelor of Science: Computer Science, Forensic Criminology (double major)- Coruscant University (graduated magna cum laude in three years) Jedi Sentinel training (emphasis on computers, security, and nuetral force powers) - Jedi Temple, Coruscant.


http://i633.photobucket.com/albums/uu57/HighOnPie14/HEroMaker/TFP1VNnew.jpg)

Name: Virago Nual
Age: 16
Species: Human
Homeworld: Taris
Occupation: Jedi Sentinel (in training)
Education: Jedi Sentinel training ( emphasis on piloting, repair, and dueling) - Jedi Temple, Coruscant.

http://i633.photobucket.com/albums/uu57/HighOnPie14/HEroMaker/TFP1SMJ3.jpg)

Name: Matrik Jace
Age: 42
Species: Human
Homeworld: Ipaga II
Occupation: Senator from Ipaga II
Education: PhD in Government - Coruscant University. Master of Science: Political Economics - University of the Core Worlds. Bachelor of Science: Political Science - University of Ahto (East Campus) - Manaan.

http://i633.photobucket.com/albums/uu57/HighOnPie14/HEroMaker/TFP1ANC.jpg)

Name: Aruil Nenenitosael
Age: 15
Species: Teevan
Homeworld: Teevan
Occupation: Jedi Consular (in training)
Education: Waterbending adept - Twi and Laa Acadamy of Waterbending, Teevan. Jedi Consular training (special emphasis on healing and offensive force powers) – Jedi Temple, Coruscant.


http://i633.photobucket.com/albums/uu57/HighOnPie14/HEroMaker/TFP1GCnew.jpg)

Name: Gina
Age: Unknown – appears to be a 16 year old girl
Species: Cybernetic Organism (Cyborg)
Homeworld: Coruscant (place of creation)
Occupation: Personal bodyguard to Senator Matrik Jace
Education: Advanced programming in ranged, melee, and unarmed combat as well as multiple languages, engineering, life sciences, and galactic history. (Social skills not programmed.)


http://i633.photobucket.com/albums/uu57/HighOnPie14/HEroMaker/TFPTV46z.jpg)

Name: Taran Vhek
Age: 30
Species: Human
Homeworld: Telos
Occupation: Deputy Director of Coruscant Central Intelligence East Branch; Head of Tactical Department of CCI.
Education: Master of Science: Computer Science – Telos Institute of Technology, Telos. Bachelor of Science: Computer Applications – Cahlghil College, Mon Calamari. Republic Military – First Lieutenant.

http://i633.photobucket.com/albums/uu57/HighOnPie14/TFP2%20Fanfic%20Concept%20and%20Character%20Art/scan.jpg)

Name: Reana'ka Norian
Age: 34
Species: Twi'lek
Homeworld: Ryloth
Occupation: Director of CCI
Education: Master of Science: Criminology and Law - University of Coruscant. Bachelor of Arts, History - University of Byblos.


http://i633.photobucket.com/albums/uu57/HighOnPie14/HEroMaker/TFP1MJLFNEW1.jpg)

Name: Marlena Jace
Age: 39
Species: Human
Homeworld: Ipaga II
Occupation: Chairperson of the Women's Alliance for Galactic Cultural Unity (WAGCU)
Education: Bachelor of the Arts: Sociology - University of Alderaan

Sorry about the random sizes but they just kept showing up that way no matter how I resized them. :/...Oh well...

~HOP

Wow.

Those are just remarkable.

RECAP: Virago and Aruil escape from Mandy's ship into the wilds of Nierport VII. Jacen, Vorzar, an Gina land on Nar Shaddaa and team uyp with Mission Vao to break into Mandy's quarters at Vogga the Hutt's palace. Norian has Marit and Taran put in custody because she suspects (correctly) that they are helping Jacen behind her back.


Chapter Eleven: The Chase

Virago Nual and Aruil Nenenitosael plodded through the rocky crags that were Nierport VII. Nierport VII had only one port. Other than that it was nothing but a desolate wasteland. The only reason that it was inhabited at all was because it was the perfect location for spacers coming to and from Coruscant to refule their ships.

The planet’s surface was covered by a vast range of mountains all the color of dun. None of the mountains were very tall, but their shear number turned the planet’s surface into a rocky labyrinth. Green vegitation was almost nonexistant but the hearty crimson claing bush grew in abundance. The claing bush had dark brown leaves but was most characterized by its giant, curved, red, thorns. These thorns were used to make a drink so spicy and strong that it was said that it could bring even the veteran drinkers to their knees.

Virago stood atop one of these small mountains, his hand sheilding his eyes from the blazing sun. He was hoping to find a port or house at the least. Nothing. Nothing but rocks as far as the eye could see, except for a small glittering spot of blue far in the distance which he supposed was a body of water. He and Aruil had been trying to make their way to it for over four hours but with little luck. Aruil stood next to him, her body limp like a dried up plant.

“We should keep moving,” said Virago wearily. “If we don’t make it to water soon we’ll be in deep bantha fodder. I think we can get there soon.”

“You said that three hours ago, you know,” replied Aruil calmly. “I remember passing that rock before,” she added, pointing to it.

“How can you know that? All of the rocks look the same.” Virago sighed. “Come on, we had better keep going.” The two young jedi continued down the jagged pass, taking care not to get their clothes snagged of the sharp claing bush thorns. When they had escaped Mandy’s ship, the pair had run a breakneck speed to get as far away as possible. But as the day had worn on their speed decreased to a steady walk. They were both exhausted. They had gone a little over a day without food, water, or rest.

Though Virago was downtrodden, it seemed that nothing could dampen Aruil’s spirits. She constantly pointed out random things such as interesting insects or rocks shaped like Bastila Shan’s head. She told stories of how she had once spent months in a desert just like this on her homeworld, Teevan. “I was at a science research facility,” she explained. “In addition to learning waterbending (you know using the force to master the element water) I was sent to the facility because I was interested in science. I had to test rats and mice. I was trying to prove that rats do not exist – only mice.”

“Mmm,” said Virago, who had long ago decided not to comment on Aruils eccentricities. But he could not keep his mouth shut for long. “How could you do tests on a rat if it did not exist? What was the point of it anyway?”

“Well if they do not exist, than the rat I was holding was never a rat but a mouse.” She raised a finger as though speaking a scientific fact. “If rats do not exist, they can’t spread all of those deadly diseases can they?” said Aruil as though it were the most obvious thing in the world. “They would not be able to spread them because they are really mice!”

Virago nodded, though he really thought Aruil was a bit loopy. The only comfort to Virago was that at least he had his lightsaber though at this point it was rather useless. He heard a faint hum in his ears as he rounded a gargantuan boulder, the sound tingling on his eardrums. “Hey do you hear that?”

Virago turned about and scanned the area behind them. The sky was cloudless and perfectly clear…except for a dot in the distance. He pulled out a pair of electro-binoculars that he had nicked from Mandy’s ship. Using the tiny dial in the middle he focused them and zoomed in on the object. A swoop! He was about to shout to Aruil that they were saved, until he caught sight of its pilot. Mandy straddled the seat, her dark hair whipping about her face like snakes, her eyes narrowed and her mouth curled in a feral snarl. More dots appeared over the horizon, at least ten of them. Mandy had brought her crew with her.

“It’s her! And judging by the look on her face she has spotted us!” yelled Virago. “They are all on speeders, we can’t possibly take them all out on foot. We need…” Suddenly a brilliant idea struck him. “Aruil can you take out those speeders if you had some water?”

“Yes,” the Teevan girl replied, her lightsaber drawn but not activated. “It would have to be an ample source.”

“That water, we saw in the distance- we have to get there!” said Virago taking out his own lightsaber. “Run!” The two jedi drew on their reserves of energy. Virago called upon his strength training and his exercises in endurance. He bolted towards the tiny glint of water as fast as he could with Aruil keeping pace next to him, her hair rippling out behind her. Virago could hear the blood beating in his ears, his heart pounding so loudly and with such intensity that he was sure it would burst from his chest.

Mandy saw the jedi dash away. They had seen her coming. “Let the games begin,” she said coldly as she powered up her swoops laser cannons. The chase was on.

The roar of swoop engines grew louder as Mandy and her crew gained on the jedi. Up until this point Virago and Aruil had been running straight for the water; but now that Mandy was approaching firing range they would have to take more evasive manuevers. The maze-like systems of rocks could work to their advantage.

Mandy’s crew split into two groups. One was aiming for Aruil and the other for Virago. Virago felt the bolts through the force before they reached him. He dived to the right. Blaster bolts struck where he had been moments before. The brittle rock shattered under their force. Virago had lunged so quickly that he had fallen face first on the ground. He spat the pebbles and dirt out of his mouth just in time to move before the next round of blaster shots.

One of Mandy’s thugs rounded the boulder behind which Virago was hiding. Virago ignited his orange saber. The next few shots from the speeder went low, hitting the ground beneath Virago’s feet, sending him flying backward. The thug aimed right for the jedi, his speed increasing at an alarming rate. Virago swung his blade up to meet the deadly bolts catching them at the last possible moment. He dropped to the ground, the speeder flying right over him. It crashed into the face of the rock, exploding in a firey inferno.

That was one speeder down; but more were coming. Sweat poured down from Virago’s forehead as he pushed his body to the limit. He could not keep up this pace for long. He ducked and weaved his way through, avoiding the blaster shots. But their sheer quantity was too great. One struck Virago’s left arm. He shouted in pain but pressed forward. The water…he had to get to the water.

Two more speeders had caught up to him. They flanked Virago, attempting to corner him. Before he knew what he was doing, Virago jumped at the closest speeder, the force surging through his body. He knocked the pilot off his seat. The speeder spun out of control as Virago faught the pilot for control of the craft. Virago lashed out with his lightsaber, leaving a smoking hole in the thug’s cest. The alien, fell off the speeder, his body rolling away in a cloud of dust.

In his attack Virago almost fell out of the craft himself. He clung to the handlebars for dear life, the grooves on them cutting into his skin. Virago wrestled for control of the craft. He managed to sit up just in time to yank the handlebars to the left and avoid collision with a wall of rock. The miss was narrow and the side of the speeder scraped against the rock. The sound pierced the air even making itself heard over the engine. Virago felt a rush on adrenaline and he pushed the speeder to its maximum speed. He heard the roar of engines behind him. Mandy was gaining on him.

Virago sensed the deadly bolts a split second before they struck. He jerked his speeder to the right narrowly avoiding the bolts. The water – he was almost there. Virago focused on his destination. He was the best pilot at the Jedi Temple after all. These thugs nor even Mandy stood a chance of catching him. He knew that he was being overconfident but he could not afforf to think about the negative. His golden hair rippled out behind him as he executed a corkscrew avoiding the bolts again. With a pang he relized that in grabbing the speeder he had completely lost sight of Aruil. There was no chance of finding her now. He would have to hope she could find her own way to the water.

Using her natural Teevan agility and grace Aruil weaved through the myriad of jagged rocks, never giving the thugs a clear shot at her. She crouched down behind a rock breathing heavily. Though she could not see it, she knew the water was close. Having learned to manipulate water through the force Aruil had a close affinity with the element. Out in this scorching, bone-dry desert, the water felt like a great pool of life, its liquid waves waiting to cleanse and revitalize her wearly limbs. She had managed to avoid her assailants…for now. But Virago was counting on her to get to the water. The jedi girl forced her legs to move faster. Oh, what she would give to have a ruduare root with her. Her saphire robes felt wet around the neck. She took a moment to glance at them. They were drenched with blood. The wound on her chin had ripped open and was bleeding anew, a scarlet stream tricking from her wound and soaking into the soft fabric of her robes. Some had also leaked into her hair where it dried and made the strands stick together. No time for that now. Aruil pressed forward her eyes alight with determination.

Virago’s heart raced, sweat poured down his face as he finally neared the water. It was a mere hundred yards away. In his relief he lost his focus on politing and two shots fired from Mandy’s speeder pierced his fuel tanks. The speeder had been running low in the first place but now with the remaining fuel cascading out. Virago felt the craft sputter and die. It plummeted towards the ground taking the jedi with it. Virago knew there was but one thing to do. He leaped off the speeder simlutaniously activating his lightsaber. The speeder exploded, fire shooting up in a small mushroom cloud.

Virago scrambled to his feet. Mandy had landed her own speeder and dismounted. Virago had his back to the water and Mandy was blocking his only escape route.

Mandy clapped her hands mockingly. “A valliant attempt little jedi. But not good enough,” she added with a smirk. “Now where is your friend?”

“Right,” Virago shot back, “If I tell you where she is you’ll let me skip on home, will you?” Virago felt anger coarse through him. All of the anxiety during the chase and all of the fear he felt when he was captured, which had been bottled up in some corner of his body was released. He hated this wretched woman and all that she stood for. He was a jedi for galaxy’s sake. He was supposed to stop people like her, not run from them. He had been a pawn in her sick game for too long. “I’m done running from you schutta!” he spat. “This ends right here and now if you have the guts to face me when I’m armed.”

“My employer wants you alive,” said Mandy in an irritated voice. “But he is not here. I’ve been looking forward to this.” At this point the remainder of Mandy’s crew pulled up in their speeders. “The jedi is mine,” said Mandy threateningly. “If any of you intervene I will not hesitate to kill you where you stand.” Mandy’s eyes were wide with bloodlust. She drew two vibroblades from sheaths strapped to her leather tanktop. Her arms were bare and glistening with sweat.

Virago and Mandy circled eachother slowly, each looking for a weakness in the other, Without warning Mandy lashed out with her dual swords aiming for Virago’s neck. The jedi brought his burning orange blade up to meet the twin swords, parrying the strike. Virago gathered the force around him and jumped high in the air cleaving downward. Mandy sidestepped the attack and swung her blades in an upward attack. Virago almost didn’t react in time but managed to bat the swords away. He whirled his lightsaber in an arc but Mandy’s right sword met it. Sparks flew from the contact.

Virago cleared his mind releasing the anger that had burst from him. He unleashed a flurry of deadly attacks swinging his blade so fast that it was just a blurr of light. Uppercut, jab, thrust. Mandy stumbled backwards and for the first time looked truly worried. Sweat dripped from Virago’s hair and into his eyes, the salty liquid made them sting and water terribly but the sight of Mandy’s fear bolstered Virago’s resolve. He sprang into the air once more but this time instead of jumping vertically, he aimed right for the bounty hunter. He was rewarded when his foot made contact with Mandy’s knee. A loud crunching sound filled his ears and he felt something snap under his foot. Mandy’s knee gushed blood. The bone was broken and was poking through the skin.

Mandy hissed in agony, a red hot fury engulfing her. Throwing all strategy away Mandy swung her swords in a blind rage. The blows were fast as lightning and the tip of one of her blades sliced Virago’s cheek. There was a flurry of movement as Mandy lunged, coming in hard with the vibroblade. Virago caught it on his blade, felt it scrape down the length of his blade as Mandy kept coming, intent and lethal. Going on training and instinct, Virago thrust out his lightsaber — and Mandy’s sword was there, just where it should be, coming up under his guard in a drive toward his heart. With a twist of his lightsaber wrist, Virago deflected it the few crucial centimeters that saved his life. Virago felt no pain only a jarring impact but he knew he had been hit. He danced backward, disengaging before executing another attack.

Virago slammed his lightsaber into her vibroblade twirling it and wrenching the sword for Mandy’s grasp. Taking advantage of her momentary shock her jabbed at her neck. Mandy ducked under the blow, the lightsaber singeing her hair.

The smell of burnt hair filled his nostrils and Virago had thought that he had won, but in disarming Mandy of a vibroblade he had gotten too close. Her fist made contact with his nose and before he knew it he was on the ground. Blood trickled from his nose. A desperation engulfed his body. This was it. This was his one chance to stop this insane woman.

Virago sensed the knife a moment before it came. The tiny glint of silver halted a mere inch away from his face. With a mental shove Virago sent the throwing knife back at Mandy, putting all his anger and spite into the strike. The knife went wide but its razor sharp tip nicked Mandy’s arm, forming a tiny gash.


Suddenly he heard a voice in his head. Virago, get ready to jump as high as you can.

Aruil? he thought incredulously.

Yes, came her voice again.

Virago felt a sour taste in his mouth. He spat out the blood. Mandy smiled viciously as she gripped her remaining sword ready to attack. Virago stretched out his palm and pushed with his mind and with an invisible shove of the force sent Mandy sailing backward, off her feet, where she slammed into a rock. Mandy’s thugs appeared not to notice and stared at something behind Virago. Virago could here a noise in his ear, like the sound of rushing water. He turned around awed by what he saw.

An gargantuan tidal wave had risen out of the water. At its peak was nonother than Aruil. He arms were stretched out behind her as she rode the wave - her wave. Aruil had used the force to create this monsterous wave of azure water and pearly white foam. It was headed straight for him. Virago jumped as high as he could, using the force to add to his altitude.

The wave crashed onto the shore. Mandy picked herself up just in time to by knocked flat by the oncoming rush of water. Her crew and all of their speeders were burried by the billowing, rippling onslought of water. The foaming white force knocking them all down as though they were nothing more than a house of pazzak cards.

The wave finally leveled out, forming a pool on the shore. Aruil landed gracefully on her feet and even with that vague smile on her face. She was the only one left standing. Virago landed next to her with a splash. “Sometimes I forget what a powerful jedi you are,” said Virago staring at the prone forms of Mandy and her crew whom Aruil had taken down in a matter of seconds. Aruil’s quirky personality, Virago reflected, was highly misleading. One second she could be babbling about how rats did not exist and the next she was taking out twenty soldiers with one almighty strike. Virago felt his heart swell with pride for his friend.

He embraced Aruil, not minding the state of her sodden robes. “I’m glad you are okay...I don’t know what I’d do without you.” He looked the jedi girl in the eyes. Aruil didn’t speak but her eyes made her message clear – thank you. Aruil being an outcast at the temple had never experienced friendship until she met Virago. Her face was covered in salty droplets and Virago knew that not all of them were sea water.

Mandy, groaning, managed to get to her feet. No sooner had she stood up when the water froze around her feet trapping her. Aruil had frozen the water. “When this ice melts you brats are dead!” she shrieked.

Virago was about to reply when he saw a tall man walk up behind Mandy. He seemed to have no trouble navigating on the ice. He was thin and shoulder-length black hair. His eyes were the color of cobalt. “Mandy, you failed me again,” he said clicking his tongue as though chiding a toddler. Ignoring Mandy’s pitiful protests, the man turned to the jedi. “My name is Silas. You’ll have to forgive me. I gave Mandy explicit orders to keep you two alive...I had an inkling she would lose her temper. No matter,” said the man untiously. “Thankfully I am here to clean up this mess.”

“You hired Mandy to capture us!” said Virago indignantly, his muscles tensing for a fight. There was no telling what this man was capable of. For all he knew this man could be a sith trained to use the force. “Let us go or Aruil here will freeze your ass just like she did with Mandy.”

The man continued to smile at the jedi. “And here I was hoping we could be friends.” He sighed as if this whole conversation was nothing more than a bother to him. “No? Thats too bad. Now we’ll have to do this the hard way.”

No sooner had the words slipped from the man’s mouth when Virago felt a sharp pain in the back of his head. Before he knew what was happening he collapsed to the ground his vision blurred. There was anothter thudding sound and Virago saw Aruil sink to the ground next to him. Her eyes were closed as though in sleep. Virago’s vision darkened. He tried to fight this mysterious force that had taken hold of him but it was to great. He slipped out of consciousness.

*****

Jacen Zarek restlessly paced back and forth through the main hold of the Centauri. Mission and Vorzar had been gone for almost two standard hours now. Since their mission to get into Vogga’s palace required finding a twi’lek domo in the Jekk Jekk Tarr, they had all agreed it would be best to send the alien crew members in. The air inside the infamous Jekk Jekk Tarr Bar was toxic to humans but most aliens were immune to it. This twi’lek domo was supposed to be getting Mission a job as a dancer for Vogga so they could infiltrate his palace and break into Mandy’s quarters. Jacen and Gina would come inside as well, playing the part of Mission’s servants. Vorzar would remain behind to guard the ship.

Normally dancers would not have servants, but Vogga only hired the best. These dancers were not slaves or servants but independent beings who were good enough at their job to bring in substancial earnings.

“You have been pacing for thirty seven minutes,” said Gina unexpectedly.

“Have I?” said Jacen, unable to keep the edge out of his voice. Silently he berated himself. He had promised himself that he would try to be nicer to Gina. “Sorry, forgive me for my attitude. I just want to get this operation under way. I’m used to doing things on my own, not waiting around for others.”

“Apologies are not neccessary,” said Gina flatly. “I am not like organics that are upset by words or mannerisms.” Gina got up and walked to the middle of the main hold. “This is the exact center of the ship,” she informed him.

“Really?” said Jacen dully. “Great work there.”

“The ship is moving- it is sinking. The rear port-side landing gear is compressing at a rate of .00297 milimeters per day.”

“So what? Does that effect the security system or the life support systems?” inquired Jacen without much interest. “How does this effect our mission?” he asked while expecting some highly technical answer of the vitality of this information.

“It does not effect our mission…but in six to seven months we will need a new landing stud.”

It took all of Jacen’s reserve to keep him from rolling his eyes and was most gratefull when he heard the boarding ramp lowering and the sound of Mission and Vorzar clambering inside. The two entered the main hold, sweaty-faced but pleased.

“How did it go?” asked Jacen eagerly. “Did you get the job?”

“Yup,” said Mission, who for some reason appeared to be holding back laughter. She let out a tiny giggle before clapping her hand firmly over her mouth. Jacen cocked and eyebrow at her which only amused the twi’lek even more. He threw Vorzar a questioning look.

“There was a slight complication,” said the green vurk blinking his solemn eyes. “Vogga the Hutt’s sister, Azura is coming to his palace for a visit.”

“So whats the big deal?” said Jacen who was feeling stupider by the second.

“Well,” said Mission who had composed herself. “Azura is a girl hutt Jacen. She does not want- well she needs- erm- male dancers.” Not sooner had the words eascaped her lips when she snorted with laughter again, this time making no attempt to stifle it, her head tails bouncing wildly.

Jacen’s eyes widened and he suddenly felt very warm despite the low temperature on the ship. “You mean…you booked me as a dancer as well? Mission, you didn’t!”

Mission nodded and held up a tiny, very fine emerald loin cloth shaking it like a dogs chew toy. “Here’s your outfit, master jedi,” she said putting a delicate emphasis on these last two words.

Jacen’s expression was bland as he retrieved it. “I’m not wearing this.”

“Aww don’t be such a stick in the swamp!” said Mission cheerfully. Don’t ya wanna catch Mandy?”

“So happy to amuse.” Jacen replied dryly. “Where is your outfit then?” asked Jacen trying to shift the focus on Mission.

Vorzar pulled a box out of his robe and handed to to Jacen. Jacen reached in. They heard the sound of rustling septsilk. Jacen tossed a garment at Mission. It was made of a scarlet clingy material and there was not much of it.

“Where is the rest of it?” she said examining the skimpy outfit.

“I’m afraid that’s all,” said Jacen. Now it was his turn to grin. “But don’t be such a stick in the swamp! Don’t you want to catch Mandy?” he said in imitation of the twi’lek.

Grimly, Mission pulled the outfit on over her leather leggings and battered smuggler’s vest. Jacen and even Vorzar burst out laughing at the sight of the feminine garment flung haphazardly over Mission’s rough clothing. She scowled at Jacen, daring him to challenge the fashion.

Gina, of course having no comprehension of Mission’s look nor even slightly intimidated by it spoke up. “I do not think that is how you are supposed to wear it.”

Mission gritted her teeth. “We aren’t in Vogga’s palace yet.”

It took about an hour for everyone to get their gear together. It was more complicated than just clipping it to a belt and being done with it. Blasters would not rouse suspicion at Vogga’s, but Jacen’s lightsaber and some of Gina’s more exotic weapons might. In the end it was decided that Gina would leave her weapons on the ship. After all, she had to pretend to be Jacen’s and Mission’s servant and it would look fishy if she had a weapon. Besides, as Jacen told himself, Gina was tougher than nuclear nails and hardly needed a blaster anyway. The trio bid goodbye to Vorzar and headed for the Nar Shaddaa Docks, where an entrance to Vogga’s palace was located.

Jacen had expected the docks to be bustling. On the contrary, there was hardly anyone there.

“I guess there isn’t much business or trading going on here,” Jacen observed. “Vogga’s operation runs on bribes and fees.”

“Nar Shaddaa’s economy runs mainly on organized crime syndicates and the blackmarket,” said Mission.

“Which means people like Vogga are the only ones prospering.”

The group continued down the walkway, Gina’s eyes scanning the area for possible threats. Only one person was in sight, and it was an aqualish with a weather-worn face. He held his hand up for the group to stop, as though he owned the docs.

“Stop,” he said in basic though with a thick accent. “This is my walkway, see? You need to pay the toll to walk here, see?”

Mission opened her mouth to retort but Jacen cut in. “Okay, how much is the toll?”

“Fifty credits,” said the aqualish smugly holding out his palm and smiling broadly. Mission’s temper flared at this exorbitant price and started to complain hotly. Jacen silenced her with a quick look. She complied, though rather grudgingly.

Jacen sighed. “Here you go,” he said in a resigned voice handing over the appropriate amount.

“Thank you sir,” said the aqualish mockingly and stepping aside, gesturing to the grimy walkway ahead as though is was the finest bridge in the galaxy. He put the credits in a sack at his belt. As Jacen walked past the alien, he stumbled, bumping into him. “Watch it!” snarled the alien before shuffling away.

No sooner was the aqualish out of earshot when Mission burst out. “What did ya do that for? We could have just muscled past him…and I’d be willing to bet he don’t even own that walkway!”

“We should have killed him,” said Gina.

“And I’m surprised that it has taken you this long to suggest that,” said Jacen. He turned to Mission. “You can’t argue with all of the foolish and greedy people in the world. It is easier to let them have their way and trick them when they aren’t looking.” He opened his hand, revealing even more credits than they had payed the aqualish to cross the walkway.

“You stole his money!” said Mission half incredulously and half proudly. “That was pretty crafty of you.”

“It’s been known to happen,” said Jacen with a smile, pocketing the money. He knew it was not a very jedi-like thing to do, but he was on a mission to find Virago and that was more important...they needed all the credits they could get.

“We still could have killed him and taken the money,” Gina pointed out.

Jacen, Gina, and Mission walked through the doors of Vogga’s palace. Jacen was just starting to think that this was too easy when he saw the metal detector.

“Take off any weapons or metal objects,” said the guard stationed at the metal detector. “Only vibro-blades and small blasters are allowed inside unless you are part of Vogga’s security team. Jacen felt his heart sink. How was he going to get Gina through a metal detector? After all, she was just one big walking hunk of metal. Jacen and Mission disarmed. The metal detector was a narrow archway that people had to walk through to get inside. There was a small space between the detector and the wall. Jacen used the force to levitate his lightsaber through. It worked and the weapon got through undetected.

Jacen and Mission walked through the arch without incident but no sooner had Gina stepped under it when it buzzed loudly. Jacen reacted quicky. “Excuse me,” he said to the guard. “This is my servant. She has a metal plate in her head.”

The guard looked skeptically at Gina. “How’d you get that?”

“I get into fights…a lot,” said Gina.

In the end the guards let Gina pass. Jacen pulled Gina aside. “Please try not to kill anybody, okay? We can’t afford to draw unecessary attention to ourselves.”

If cyborgs had emotion, Jacen would have thought Gina looked rather disappointed. She cocked her head at him as if to say “I make no promises” before she allowed herself to be shown to the servants’ quarters where she would be staying. Jacen and Mission were lead off to the more comfortable guest quarters.

The two would be sharing a room. They were shown inside by a rodian and promised not to leave.

“Eesh, this is just like Davik’s back on Taris,” said Mission wrinkling her nose. “I’ll bet that simple son of a Coruscant granite slug locked us in.” It turned out that Mission was right, though she laughed at the rodian’s mediocre security skills. “He encoded the computer to open the door with the Grangridge Algorythm. Thats so simple it’s like saying ‘please decode me.’ Amateur,” she added as she unlocked the door. She kept it closed however. No need to open it until they were fully ready to search for Mandy’s room.

“We’ll wait until tomorrow,” said Jacen, “That way almost everyonewill be at the party.” Jacen studied the room. He thought it looked like a hotel on Coruscant. It had thick red carpet, a fake potted plant in each corner, and to his surprise only one sleep couch. He looked over at Mission to see if she had noticed this little development.

Mission scrunched her lips and glared at Jacen, though he could tell it was playful. “Yeah don’t get any ideas hotshot, one of us is sleeping on the floor.”

“Play pazzaak for the bed?” challenged Jacen.

“You're on,” replied Mission with a grin as she took out her deck and began to deal the cards.

*****
Gina sat down on her sleep cot in the servants’ quarters. The sheets were of a dull brown color and made of a rough material. She did not have her own room. She would be sharing it with five other female servants. She watched silently as the others in the room arranged their meager possessions or made their beds. The woman whose bed was closests to Gina’s bustled about folding rich, elaborate clothes that were far too fine and expensive to be her own. They must have belonged to the woman’s master. She had a kind face that must have been pretty at some point; but years of hard labor had robbed it of its former beauty. The woman did a double take upon seeing Gina.

“You must be here because of the party,” she said with a tired, but kind smile. “Your master is one of those dancers that Vogga hired, right?”

“Yes,” said Gina.

“I’m Valda,” said the woman, “It must be nice to have a master that takes you with him on his travels. My master has a permanent room here at the palace so this has been my home for over three years now. I have not seen the outside world in all that time.” She smiled sadly as she sat down next to Gina, the front of her shirt pushed out extremely far, the fabric stretched to it’s limits.

“You are pregnant,” said Gina cocking her head at Valda’s bolbous stomach. It was not a question. “Approximately eight months judging by the volume.”

“Yeah,” said Valda giving her first real smile. “My master has been kind enough to let me keep it. Do you want to feel it?” Gina lightly placed her palm on Valda’s stomach. She felt a slight thump against her hand as the child in the womb kicked. “Just think,” said Valda, “You were inside your mother once.”

Before Gina could tell Valda that this was not true, a girl that looked about Gina’s age plopped down on her other side. Gina now turned her attention to the girl. She had rust colored hair that lay unbound and flowing around her delicate features. Though she wore simple servant’s clothing her beauty was still evident. In her lap was a tray with a piece of bread, a hunk of cheese and a tin cup filled with water. She offered the tray to Gina. “I’m Ranaa. Valda is my mom. I brought you some food.”

Gina inwardly wondered why someone who had so little would give up anything to a complete stranger. It seemed so illogical…another human inefficiency. “Don’t you need the food?”

“I’ll be fine without it,” said Ranaa “Besides, we have to help eachother if we want to survive. Things can get tough down here in the servants’ quarters.”

Gina talked with Valda and Ranaa for over an hour. The two women seemed genuinly interested in what Gina had to say and were quite keen to hear any news of the outside world. Gina spilled forth knowledge from her memory chip. She told the women of everything from Senator Jace and his bid for the place of Supreme Chancellor to the animals found on Ansion. In turn, Valda and Ranaa told Gina everything they knew about Vogga’s palace which Gina payed careful attention to. The guards in sector 1B left their posts at midnight to grab a snack from the kitchen. The vents to the servants quarters and the guest quarters were connected, and the servants could often hear what was going on inside. Any of these facts could be useful if she, Jacen, and Mission ever needed to escape. She stored them in her memory chip.

Talking with Valda and Ranaa was something Gina had never experienced before. They treated her like a normal person for they knew no reason to fear her. They were not wary like Jacen and Senator Jace, nor did they try to improve her like Mission. They just talked. This must be what the human conception of frienship is like, thought Gina.Though it was a fully human experience, Gina felt that it could be a valuable lesson in communication.

There was a clang that sounded like the opening of a heavy metal door. Valda’s eyes grew wide with fear. “The guards are coming.” She turned to Gina. “Just stay out of their way and they won’t bother you.” No sooner had the woman spoken when the door to their quarters hissed open and three guards (one human and two gammoreans) trudged in, the human with looking around with an air of superiority and the gammoreans just blinking stupidly. Ranaa resolutly turned her back on them as though she was quite used to these intrusions.

“Hey girl, now don’t be like that,” said the human guard in a condescending tone slicking his greasy blond hair back. “You know I’ve got something for you,” he said eyeing her breats with lust in his eyes. “Are we going to do this the easy way or the hard way, hmmm?”

Ranaa turned to him, her eyes hard. There was a moment in which the room was utterly silent and filled with a nervous tension. It was a loud silence. Ranaa spit at the guard’s feet. Lust turned to anger in the guard’s eyes as he lunged for Ranaa. Valda tried to stop him but was restrained by the gammoreans, her screams filling the air and pleading with the guard to stop.

Ranaa struggled but was shoved to the ground, her face forced against the filth and dirt of the cold floor. The guard stomped his combat boot against Ranaa’s head. She screamed in agony as blood burst from her cheek, her head trapped between the boot and the floor. The other women in the room were paralized by fear as they and Valda watched in horror as the guard ripped off Ranaa’s shirt, exposing her bare torso. “This is going to hurt,” he growled, a sick energy lighting up his face. Ranaa screamed swinging her hands desperately at the man’s face trying to fight him off. “Stop screaming you little b*tch!” He hit her face hard and a loud crack pierced the room. He whipped out a small knife “One more sound and I will permanently disfigure you and you will be so ugly that even your own mother will not be able to stand the sight of you!” Again Ranaa tried to move but the guard had gotten hold of her shining rusty tresses and yanked on them, forcing her down and ripping out a chunk of her hair. He lowered the knife to Ranaa’s face.

Gina stared at this scene. Ranaa had helped her; but more importantly had treated her as an equal – no more and no less. If Jacen had imparted one thing in her in his explaination of friendship it was that friends helped eachother. She walked up to the guard whose knife was mere inches away from Ranaa’s face. The guard saw Gina standing near him, garbed in her skin-tight leather jumpsuit. She was prettier than Ranaa. He stood up. “Hey girl,” he said to Gina as he unzipped his pants, “I’ve got something for you.”

“I’ve got something for you too,” said Gina mechanically, her expression cold. No sooner had the guard come within reach when- Wham! Gina punched him square in the face with her tremendous cyborg strength. The guard flew back several feet before slamming into a wall. Blood spurted from his nose, dark red drops pooling on the floor. “This is going to hurt,” said Gina calmly echoing what the guard had said to Ranaa.

The guard was slumped on the floor. Gina grabbed him by the neck, lifting him off his feet and pinning him to the wall again. She plucked the small knife from the guard’s trembling hand. He wimpered pitifully, utterly flabergasted that a young girl had so much power over him. “Who is the little b*tch now?” she said in icy tones. Her grip tightened around the man’s neck but she hesitated. Killing a guard would severely compromise the mission – she could not attract the attention of those in high positions at Vogga’s palace. Gina dropped the guard on the ground. He lay sprawled on his back. Gina knew she would have to let him live though it was in her nature to kill him. Still, she could get one last blow in. With all her strength she kicked the guard in the fork of the legs her face emotionless as he screamed in pain. “I think your ‘something’ is broken. Leave now if you want to live. Never come back here…I will know if you do.” Gina’s eyes flashed green as she stood over the battered, bloody man. With her back turned to everyone else in the room, only the guard could see the flash of green in her eyes.

No sooner had the cyborg given the word than the guard took off running. Gina then rounded on the gammoreons that were restraining Valda. The two brutish thugs took one look at Gina’s blood covered hands and fled after the human.

Valda, Ranaa, and the other women stared at Gina in awe.

“You are just a girl,” said Valda breathlessly after helping Ranaa to her feet., “How did you do that?” She stared at Gina in complete disbelief.

“I work out,” said Gina, who was swarmed by the other women all hugging and thanking her.

Ranaa silently mouthed the words “Thank you.”

Reana’ka Norian stood behind the one-way mirror, looking into the dingy room that was Interoggation Room 1. Her granite colored eyes were fixed on Marit Thel-Tanis who was seated inside. She could see the jedi, but the jedi could not see her. Norian liked the feeling of power that came with the one-way mirror. She clicked her long finger nails impatiently. Her assistant, Mylar stood next to her, staring slavishly up at his boss.

“Did you mean what you said earlier, ma’am?” he asked in his high-pitched, squeaky voice.

“Did I mean what, Mylar?” asked the twi’lek impatiently.

“That if Marit talks before Taran does, she will get full immunity.”

Norian sucked the inside of her cheek in an agitatied manner. “Do you really think I would do any such thing? Even if she tells us everything she knows I’m still going to…dispose of her. We finally have an excuse to throw her out and I intend to take it.” She glared at Mylar, causing the man to cower in fear. “Marit Thel-Tanis is nothing more than a bug, a bug that will be squashed. Open the door. I’m going to talk to her now.”

Mylar swiped his card across the access scanner and with a beep the door opened. Marit silently watched as Norian cooly took a seat across from her. Even without the force, Marit could have felt the glee radiating off Norian.

“Do you want to tell me what you know or are you going to be difficult?” asked Norian.

“I’m going to be difficult,” answered Marit coldly. “You are not here because you want to uphold the law. You are here because you have a personal grudge against me and Jacen’s escape just gave you the chance to punish me.”

“You think you’re so clever,” said Norian, a vein pulsing in her temple. “With your lightsaber and your computer skills…all of your powers. But I have news for you. I have all the power now. So I’ll ask you again, tell me where Jacen Zarek went.”

Although Marit did not like it, Norian definitely had a point. In this room she had all the power. Marit had got herself locked up trying to help Jacen. She could not help him in here. “Ms. Norian, you don’t understand about Jacen. He didn’t usurp your authority because he wanted to.” Marit took a deep breath. “Someone kidnapped his padawan Virago and when you had him arrested he felt he had no other choice but to escape. Please, Virago is like a son to him.”

Norian raised an eyebrow. “I did not know that Zarek had lost an apprentice.” For a wild moment Marit thought she had actually brought out a soft side in Norian, but then “This changes nothing. I do not care for the safety of some lone jedi brat. You are going to jail Thel-Tanis. Oh, yes,” she said smiling savagely a greedy hunger in her eyes, “ you will regret crossing me. Get up.”

Marit stood up and to her surprise Norian removed her handcuffs. “What are you doing?” Marit asked in shock.

“Unfortunately, my superiors down at District Headquarters have said that I do not have enough solid evidence to hold you. I have to let you go,” she said, with a sour expression that suggested she had dung under her nose. “You get to go back to work because I do not have enough evidence…but I intend to keep looking.”

“Good luck with that,” said Marit in the sweetest tone she could muster before leaving. She had her job back and could help Jacen behind Norian’s back again. But she would have to be extremely careful. She was playing a dangerous game.


Taran Vhek sat in the cold dark of the CCI interoggation room. Reana’ka Norian had not been in to question him yet. He knew that she was interoggating Marit about Jacen’s escape. He knew Norian would push the jedi woman hard. But if he knew anything about Marit, it was that she was loyal to Jacen. She would not give up anything about Jacen which ultimately made he, Taran the prime target for extraction of information.

There was a buzzing sound as Norian entered the room. She had the air of an infuriated person who had just composed herself. Inwardly Taran smiled. Marit had not given Norian any information and the twi’lek was seething with anger about it. Norian sat down at the table across from Taran.

“Do you remember the deal I offered Marit and yourself when I had you arrested?” asked Norian with a sickening smirk, her cold gray eyes staring at Taran.

“You mean when you said the first one of us who told you what you wanted to know would get full immunity?” answered Taran though he knew the question was rhetorical. “I guess Marit is harder to crack than you thought huh?” he said. Now it was his turn to smirk as Norian’s own smile faded in an instant.

“Don’t put your faith in her,” spat Norian viciously. “We both know her and that Jacen Zarek have been screwing around…and not just in the sense of CCI protocals, if you catch my drift.” Norian blinked several times before her smile returned to her face, though it was rather forced. “I know you are no friend of the jedi order. Neither am I. I want to lock Marit and Zarek both up for the rest of their lives. I believe we have similar goals.”

“Look, Ms. Norian,” said Taran cutting in. “Let me save you some time. I’m not the biggest fan of Jacen Zarek. I don’t like how he comes into CCI in his big important jedi way. I don’t like how he runs operations, or how he delegates authority…but as of today you will not get me to go against one action he has taken. You are wasting your time.”

Norian breathed heavily, her eyes ablaze with intense hatred but her voice was more poisonously sweet than ever. “You know Mr. Vhek in this building I have all the power. Your career depends solely on my whim – don’t make this difficult for yourself. I couldn’t care less about firing you and putting your family on the streets.”

Taran remained silent.

“I’ll just give you time to…mull over what I said.” Norain rose from her seat, her business suit making a rustling sound on the metal chair as she stood up.

“No, I don’t need time to ‘mull it over’ because you are bluffing,” said Taran shortly. Norian glared at him with those hard eyes and Taran glared right back. Norian had not expected this manuver as Taran continued. “I’m Deputy Director. I read all of the rules and regulations and I know you have no solid evidence against me. So you can let me out or I will report you to the District Director. Now there is still an assassination threat aimed at Jace who is the only man who can put this scattered and broken Republic together…with all of that on his plate, I doubt the District Director will be in the mood for your bureaucratic squabbling.”

Norian’s nostrils flared with rage but she could do nothing. She appeared as though she was ready to blow again but managed to calm herself. “Fine Mr. Vhek. But you had best be careful. But just so you know, even though I have no evidence yet it has become my personal mission to gain it and tear you down.”

*_________________________*

Silas stood on the bridge of his ship. Waiting. The doors at the other end of the command deck hissed open. A woman stepped through, her powerful strides carrying her across the walkway to Silas. Silas glared at the woman as she approached. She was the most powerful being he had at his disposal though nobody would guess it judging by her physical appearance.

She had a pale pointed face and flaming orange hair that was tied back in a severe ponytail. Her eyes were of cool gray. Her movements were stiff, her face emotionless as she appraoched Silas.

“My source tells me that the jedi Jacen Zarek is on Nar Shaddaa,” said Silas to the woman. “The cyborg is still with him...I trust you can handle the situation better than that pile of scrap Levin.”

The woman stared at Silas. “I will break them,” she said, her gray eyes suddenly glowing with a bright green light.

You've really got an impressive story here that I have really taken to, despite having really only one character I recognize. The rest are OC's, but I've really taken to them and I can't help but admire the attention to detail you put into even the characters you only see for a short while.

I often leave out the descriptions to allow readers to imagine them as they want instead of going into depth like you have. The profiles and images of each one really added to this and the humorous bits you put in... Jacen and Mission! lol I admit that I couldn't have come up with something as great as that.

The story goes on...

Thank you DY!

I was really wondering about this chapter because I had to edit some of what I considered to be the best stuff out and put it in the next chapter. Jacen and Mission :xp:I still have not decided who gets the bed or if they share. I don't plan on making them intimate but I'm not closed to the possibility. Somehow I see them more in a "I find you physically appealing so I'll flirt but we are still just friends" kind of thing.

Next chapter will be more action oriented in the Jacen storyline. You know their plan can't go off without a hitch...thats no fun :D. That girl at the very end of the chapter was indeed a cyborg...she and Gina will have a smackdown next chapter. :) And poor Jacen and Mission have to squeeze into those lovely dancer outfits *shudders* I almost feel bad about putting them through that...almost.

After next chapter I plan to shake things up a bit. Get Marit a little feild experience rather than just being the techie.

I'm planning on entering Javyar's for the first time this month but I'll try not to let it slow me down. I know I took forever to post this chap but chapters should be up regularly from now on. (1-2 weeks)

~HOP

Well you've done so well with your original characters that I've decided to reduce the number of returning characters in 'Destined to Live.' They're great because you already know them, but they've already been developed in the games. What you've got with Mission being one character readers can relate to, but the rest being raw characters developing throughout the story opens great possibilities.

I'll not pressure you to do anything... (Mission and Jacen!) You've got a great original story that has inspired me to change aspects from both my stories. So if SiD inspired TFP, DtL and the rest of SiD will significantly reflect upon this.

Y'know what the problem with reading a chapter late is?

Everyone says everything you want to say before you do. :D

Wonderful job, HOP--as usual. :xp: I like how your chapters are humorous, and then they become far more serious.

So...when's the next chapter? :xp:

@DY: Thank you for the complaiments! SiD got me going on this fic in the first place. Nice to know I can help you out too. :D

@ Endo: Hah, lol I know the feeling. :P


Next chapter is on the way and hopefully will not take nearly as long as this one did. :) I guess it depends on how long it takes me to write the Gina vs. Cyborg girl at the end. That is the only part I can see possibly hindering me.

As I said, next chapter should round up the Nar Shaddaa story arc. I had originally intended to cut Mission out after Nar Shaddaa but I have come to see that she can play a good part in the crew. Everybody else is a little wound up. Vorzar is very quiet and Gina is...y'know, Gina :xp: so I think Mission can help develop Jacen's character and get him to loosen up. You guys know how I post those annoying summaries? Well I won't do that anymore. Instead I will make a list of "campaign promises" for the next chapter:

1) Gina faces off with a cyborg of the same model.
2) Marit gets to do some computer hacker stuff to live up to her role as the techie.
3) Remember Senator Jace? His election results are in (lets face it Jacen needs an ally in the government especially with Norian trying to screw him over at every turn).

4)and the most important question of all will be answered: Who will win that Pazzaak game? :xp:

Out of curiousity, how many of you guys think Jacen and Mission would make a good couple? I think DY expressed his support already :D. The thought of doing it has crossed my mind several times but I'm still on the border of which direction to go with that. I will admit that is mostly because I'm a Mistil shipper (Mission + Dustil Onasi)...but seeing as he is not in this fic I'm willing to make an exception to the rule. What do you guys think? Couple or friends?

Chapter Twelve: Machine vs. Machine should be up soon. :)

~HOP

Hmm...I think they'd be okay together. Only one problem, though.

The Jedi Council will frown upon said blue, smart-alek Twi'lek. :p

The Jedi Council will frown upon said blue, smart-alek Twi'lek. :p

What Council? Well even if the NEW Council did, what would it matter to Jacen anyway?

My only advice or input would be not to just throw them together because you can, or even because I would be for it. If you don't want to, or they just don't work; I'd rather that you skip the relationship than for you to detract from the story having it.

It's your story and I will respect what you decide.

I started reading this when you first started posting chapters, and then somehow I lost track. I just picked up again today and I really enjoyed the read to this point. Your characters have a good depth and carry their parts in the story well. I particularly enjoy Gina as it seems others do as well. Keep up the good work!

read