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Posted On:
Aug 17 2004 2:52pm
Every step was an effort, even with the Force aiding him. His robes were soaked with his own blood, blood from countless wounds across his body and the stump of his left arm. He ran because he had to, because he barely had the strength to stand. Silus kept his grip on the Force, if even if it might kill him in the end.
The beast could 'smell' the Force. Silus had learned that much during the fight. Even the smallest amount, used to pull his lightsabres to him, had drove the beast mad. It hunted him, while he ran, following the trail he left. Silus cursed every step he took.
The creature roared again as Silus tossed a passerby into it's path, not bothering to watch the man get ripped apart and flung aside. No matter what he tried, nothing seemed to slow it down, stop it hunting him. Even while it bled from it's own wounds, it chased him.
Until he looked over his shoulder, and the creature was gone.
****
He wouldn't let himself stop running, not when he had this chance. The Sith didn't even know if the creature still stalked him. He didn't stop running until he had flung himself into a cargo ship.
"Wha-, are you okay?" the man stopped the work he was doing and ran to Silus. He caught the man glancing at the lightsabre, "Master Jedi?"
Fool! He silently laughed at the man, but he didn't correct him. There was no need to, not yet.
Slowly, he forced himself up, "Must...get off...this planet. Now. I will pay you."
The man eyed him warily, then nodded. "We're about to leave anyways. Come, I'll take you to Jaida. I'm sure she'll let you stay, especially if you're paying."
Silus allowed himself to be led. Neither noticed a large shape sneaking into the ship and disappearing into the shadows.
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Posted On:
Aug 21 2004 8:16am
"No, you know me..."
Leia sighed, and averted her gaze as Tyscio went on to lecture something about how many credits she had to her name.
While she had more than most any regular person could ever hope for, what she'd had before the war with the Empire had broken out would make her current holdings look like mere pocket change, she recalled... most of it had been incinerated along with Alderaan, the Empire had confiscated another portion of it from various galactic bank holdings, she had dedicated a considerable amount of resources to the Rebellion and later the Academy, and in the meantime she'd had to feed and clothe herself. Yet still, she was richer than most...
Now how did that turn out?
Perhaps because money didn't matter. Leia felt something more important missing in her life...
Leia realized she was zoning and she turned her attention back to Tyscio, who now had moved on to the topic of the Force...
"Then there would be no balance..." she mumbled mostly to herself, thinking even as she said it how crazy it sounded coming from the mouth of one who fought so hard against darkness and evil. She fell into another thoughtful silence, which Tyscio promptly broke...
"...have you eaten?"
Leia could not help but break into a grin, and she leaned forward and pushed Tyscio's shoulder, causing him to fall onto his back.
"Are you trying to fatten me up? I swear you ask me that every time you see me..."
She suddenly stopped talking as something occured to her.
"But then again, no, I haven't eaten yet today, and I usually haven't when you ask. Huh.
Well, I guess we could find something around inside the Academy. I do live there after all."
Leia stood and stretched, then reached down to pull on Tyscio to make him stand as well.
"I just don't know about you mister, I think you look after me better than I do..."
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Posted On:
Aug 27 2004 11:58pm
Tyscio bit back a grin when he saw her eyes wandering about as he spoke of her money. He wondered what she would think if he did a bit negotiating with what passed as a Jedi Council around here and doctored her funds to where the balance would show zero when she used her credit voucher card.
But, then again, these were Jedi. They would think him of the darkside if he gave into his baser temptations to twit.
In any event, as she fiddled unconsciously with this and that... first her hair, then a belt loop, then a frayed part of her robe, he wondered if he was keeping her from something important.
And that's when it hit him.
Lunch!
And so he asked.
Only to find him on his butt in the middle of the Jedi Academy. Every padawan in sight probably scurried off not even wanting to know what would make their Jedi Master knock a stranger (to them) down.
She grinned as she contemplated his interest in fatting her up.
As if she could get fat! Of course, his brain wondered, has there ever been a fat jedi?
He tucked that away for future contemplation later as she helped him up and he saw that she found the wisdom of his questions as she admitted that she had not, in fact, eaten.
But then she surprised him by offering the catering services of the Jedi Academy and he suddenly felt a sense of foreboding.
A padawan cafeteria.
Memories of the lunch in the mess hall of the Judicator came back and he briefly wondered what Mathias and his Providence Marines were doing.
She spoke, "I just don't know about you mister, I think you look after me better than I do..."
And for some reason, he felt himself stand a little bit taller. It was not a big thing and part of him was embarrassed it had moved him but he didn't much care.
And as they walked into one of the buildings, an intense curiousity at what constituted a healthy and balanced lunch in Jedi-speak developed.
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Posted On:
Sep 10 2004 10:35am
Leia lead the way to the Academy's main cafeteria. When they entered the dining area she noticed that Tyscio looked somewhat surprised, as if he had expected a room full of obnoxious Padawans making sculptures out of their creamed vegetables on their lunch trays. What greeted them instead was a neatly organized dining area, empty save for a student sitting alone in a corner; reading a book and nibbling on an unidentifiable item of food.
"So unlike our last meal together, you should find that most everything here is fresh produce, not 6 month old nutritional supplements...."
Leia lead Tyscio into the kitchen, and began rummaging through cabinets.
"There is no official cooking staff here, there really isn't any point in having one. We do pay an older lady to come in and fix meals for the younger students, but the older Jedi such as myself are left to fend for themselves... things are usually pretty well stocked, so help yourself."
Leia had located a container of soup, and had moved to heat it up. Tyscio was meagerly poking through the cooling unit, and Leia turned to watch him.
"Could I ask why you have decided to pursue the ways of the Jedi? Not that I wouldn't be happy to teach you, but you had that weird.... power... on Capricia, and there is so much there for you from what I've heard. Why did you come back to Naboo, just to seek the comparatively humble life of the Jedi? How are they managing things without you?"
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Posted On:
Sep 13 2004 6:36am
Tyscio looked at Leia in somewhat annoyance, poking his head out of the cooler. "What good is having fresh produce stocked if you eat 'heat-and-go soup'?"
He was pulling fresh salad fixings out of the cooler and quickly located a knife for chopping. "I do like Naboo garden fare. Has a bit more bite than that of Caprician."
He began wacking the bits into bite size treats for a nearby bowl he found and whistled a bit as Leia asked her question.
"Could I ask why you have decided to pursue the ways of the Jedi? Not that I wouldn't be happy to teach you, but you had that weird.... power... on Capricia, and there is so much there for you from what I've heard. Why did you come back to Naboo, just to seek the comparatively humble life of the Jedi? How are they managing things without you?"
He grinned.
"I was wondering when you'd get around to asking that. It is hard to pursue something I do not know about. From what I understand, the Jedi Order is an honorable institution and I am curious about it's beliefs.
The 'power', as you call it, I displayed on Capricia is of a different sort. It was a telekinetic ability inherent with the Age I was born into. Biological science had allowed us to tap into previously unused portions of our mind and it was an ability that became evident. We did not know it would happen but when it did..." Tysico shrugged. "However, the enzymes used to enhance my mind (if you will) are dying and medical science now cannot duplicate so it is an ability that is lessening."
He scooped the bits of salad into the bowl and began to put the ingredients back into the cooler.
"As for why I am here on Naboo.. I live here. I have a house outside of Theed at the edge of the Great Forest. I haven't lived on Capricia for..." he stared off into nothing for a minute and then grinned sheepishly. "..well for ages."
"And the only rank I hold on Capricia is that of 'war hero', same as you. I am not a part of their government and given my history, I do not think Capricia knows what to do about me. I am in no hurry and so here I am."
He began to munch on the salad as he gave a grin that would have done a scoundrel proud. "I want to learn about the Jedi, not live in rags for the rest of my life. If you want to wear those god-aweful robes, be my guest. There is a difference between humility and asceticism, you know."
"And besides, it would help me to understand cranky, Jedi Master women more fully."
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Posted On:
Sep 13 2004 7:12am
Leia did not have an immediate answer to Tyscio's witty remarks, and so she picked up her hot bowl of soup and dissapeared through the doors to the dining area, leaving Tyscio to his own devices in the kitchen. She selected a table in the middle of the room, and sat down so that her back was to the kitchen.
Why did she resent his questioning so much? They were perfectly valid, but every time one was lobbied, Leia would grow extremely uncomfortable and either give some empty answer or try to change the subject.
Life had been so simple before Tyscio had entered the picture. She had let her life revolve around work, and survival. Leia had grown used to living in the mindset of never knowing if she would live to see the next day, and had found it to be a rather convenient excuse to dismiss all other issues such as family, friends, and essentially the rest of her life as matters to be dealt with... well, just... later.
She had lost Amalia that way. That too, she realized was something she had pushed aside to deal with later. It was easier being numb, and she knew it.
Tyscio had become the physical reminder that it was later, and it was high time she started thinking about what she was going to do with the rest of her life... political lobbying, fighting wars, bar brawls, and living day to day just wasn't going to cut it forever. She had accomplished so much and would continue to do so, but it was time she aspired to something more.... he made her want to, something no one else had been able to do; not even Han when she thought about it.
She was ready to start answering, to stop leaving so much unsaid, undone.
She heard the doors open behind her, and the sound of footsteps steadily approaching. She could tell it was Tyscio just from the sound, and as he approached an odd aroma filled the air. It seemed to be coming from the bowl that he was carrying.... Last she had seen, it had only been a salad.... but apparently not anymore! Leia wasn't quite sure that she was very interested in finding out exactly what was producing the rather pungent aroma, and she clamped her hand over her nose and mouth to try and shield them from the offensive odor as Tyscio came up beside her.
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Posted On:
Sep 20 2004 6:13am
She had tracked Sha'ta'lusk into the expansive cargo hold of a large transport ship.
It had taken little effort to sneak past the payload master and ship's hands... their attention seemed to have been attracted to a haggard looking form at the other end of the ship, who was apparently making quite a scene.
During the distraction Shalis had caught sight of Sha'ta'lusk slipping into the shadows of the cargo bay, and she had followed. The Sha'ta'lusk did not seem to take notice of her close proximity, and she noted that it had moved slowly, as if fatigued.
Now what had it been up to...?
She heard the sound of footsteps, gradually growing louder as the payload master made his way back to the cargo bay for a last inspection before he closed the hold. Shalis quickly located a secure hiding place among a stack of crates, and stealthily dissapeared into the shadowy crevice.
She heard the payload master make a quick circuit around the bay before a loud whining sound filled the air, and the creaks and groans of suddenly strained durasteel filled the air. The hold doors were closing; she would soon be alone in the bay with only Sha'ta'lusk for company. She didn't even know where the ship she had snuck onto was going...
What comforting thoughts...
Shalis settled in for a long, uncomfortable and nerve wracking ride....
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Posted On:
Sep 29 2004 5:00am
Face it Tyscio my boy. You're in over your head.
Well how the frell was I supposed to know that if you mix those two spices...
..what a wonderful smell you've discovered.
Come on! It couldn't taste that bad.
Wanna bet?
You are going outside? With ... ?
I think you need to change your life plan if it involves Leia for she will surely skip out on the next freighter to the neighboring star system to escape!
Tyscio pushed through the doors and noted the empty dining area and Leia seated sipping her soup. She seemed be thinking about something and Tyscio found that somewhat reassuring.
He was amazed at how she could be a vulnerable woman, foul-mouthed as a sailor, independant princess with manners, independent princess without manners and a Jedi Master all at different times.
How she could eat with all the etiquette of proper-born Alderaanian custom and yet could start... no!.. finish a scrap with a burly alien mechanic?
It was part of the mystery that Tyscio found so exciting about the woman.
Despite their odd relationship, he found it difficult to imagine a life without her presence. She had been a firm fixture in his life (such as it was) and he found that for the first time in a long time, he had found a peace that had been missing.
And as he walked over, the smell from his bowl carrying, he contemplated this woman who had come to mean something to him.
Thrown together by coincidence, forged by adversity and culminating from triumph.... his mind played hammy drama lines inside his brain and it brought a faint smile to his lips.
Still, there were questions about her that simmered in his mind. What did she feel about the "other" man she had been married too?
What did she feel about her future?
What did she feel about my smelly salad?
If her raised hand to her nose was any indication, the future of him dining with this lovely companion was in extreme jeopardy.
He sat down and brought out a fork and stabbed his salad concoction and hesitated only for a moment before inserting it into his mouth and kissed away any chance of stealing a kiss with said companion.
As he chomped down on the ruffage, tears began to form in his eyes.
"I'll be right back," he said hastily taking the bowl and himself back into the kitchen rapidly.
BLEH!
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Posted On:
Sep 29 2004 11:33pm
[font=Verdana]Slowly, Silus stretched the mechanical hand he'd just recieved. He supposed he should consider himself lucky. The ship even having a medical droid was more than he could have expected. Things could have been worse. He might still be lying on that hard slab of steel they called a bed, staring at the lump of a left arm with barely enough strength to move across the room. But that wouldn't have been the worst of his troubles.[/font]
[font=Verdana]A quick knock on the door was the only warning Silus had before it hissed open and a woman walked in. A head shorter than him, she still managed to look down on anyone she came across[/font][font=Verdana]. She only nodded at him and took a seat in the only chair in the room. "Good, you're awake. Now, you're going to answer some questions."[/font]
[font=Verdana] He managed to hold back his temper at being commanded. By now, he was used to it. Of all the creatures he had ever encountered, Silus considered this Jaida to be among the worst. Her knowing that he needed the help of her ship and her crew didn't help matters, either. [/font][font=Verdana] "Very well," he[/font]
[font=Verdana] said with a sigh, "It was only a matter of time."
She snorted. "Good, that you've realized that this is my ship, and until you leave it, you will jump when I tell you to. Now, again, what is your name?"[/font]
[font=Verdana] "I am Silus, a...Jedi," [/font][font=Verdana]There was still a pause when he said that, but at least he didn't sound like he wanted to spit when he said the name. "I am Silus, a Jedi Knight." True, he was still an apprentice among the Sith, but if he were to say "Jedi apprentice", there would be questions of a master. He still wasn't sure how much she knew of the Jedi on Naboo, but it was best not to test that. Jaida's ship made frequent shipments to Naboo, as they were doing now.[/font][font=Verdana] No, better to let her think he was returning from some mission.[/font]
Thoughts of Naboo troubled him. As soon as he left this ship, he would have to find passage on another quickly. Any Jedi who ran into him shouldn't have any trouble realizing what he really was. He could perhaps take on a few, but a whole temple? Best not to risk it. Silus would have to avoid as much notice as he could.
[font=Verdana] "Still just Silus? Are you unwilling to tell me your whole name, or are you just some bastard who doesn't have one?" His mouth tightened when she laughed. Perhaps it might be easier just to kill the woman and be done with it. "Oh, don't worry Mr. Jedi, I'll be sure to have your friends know that...Silus...has returned."[/font]
[font=Verdana]"No!" His shout made her eyes widen, [/font][font=Verdana]"I would prefer if you didn't. It's a...surprise, if you will," he added quickly. The voice in his head began shouting that he should kill her before she had any suspicions.[/font]
[font=Verdana]She seemed to study him for a moment before answering. "Fine. Then you will tell me how you were so badly wounded. From what I know, it isn't easy to hurt a Jedi.[/font][font=Verdana]"[/font]
[font=Verdana]Silus snarled at the memory of that...thing. One day, he would see the creature dead. Images of ripping the thing apart danced in his head while he thought of the revenge he would have. His hands tightened into fists when he realized she was staring.[/font][font=Verdana] He quickly put on a smile, "I ran into some[/font][font=Verdana] trouble. Not everyone takes kindly to a Jedi, you[/font][font=Verdana] see."[/font]
[font=Verdana] "I see," Jaida said quietly, [/font][font=Verdana]staring at his as if he had grown wings, "I suppose some don't.[/font][font=Verdana] Well, that's enough for now. Best you gathered your things. We're about to land."[/font]
[font=Verdana] So soon? This ship was faster than he'd thought.
****[/font]
Jaida let out a long breath when the door closed behind her. A dangerous man who was going to cause trouble for her, even if he claimed to be a Jedi. She would have Mikel keep an eye on him. The man was good with a blaster, even if he was lazy. She only hoped that would be enough. Perhaps....
She shook her head. It didn't matter. They would be landing soon and she would be rid of her cargo and whoever the man was. Jaida even considered not asking the man for payment, as horrible as a thought that was. Anything to get him out of her hair faster.
Realizing she was just standing there, Jaida murmered a curse. She still had work to do.
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Posted On:
Oct 4 2004 9:15am
For some reason Leia found herself compelled to keep from bursting out in laughter until after the kitchen door swung shut behind the distressed Tyscio.
After that, Leia laughed so hard she almost fell out of her chair. However, her mirth was soon interrupted by a chiming sound coming from her pocket. She pulled out her datapad, and found that a flag had been set for today on her personal calendar. She grinned.
I am finally going to have him back....
She lost her train of thought as Tyscio made a grand entrance with some apparently edible form of sustenence, and she turned to face him.
"Tyscio, would you mind making your meal to go? I just remembered I've got a big shipment coming in today that I've been waiting on for some time, and I really want to be there on time to pick it up...."
Tyscio opened his mouth to reply, but Leia flashed an evilly charming smile and rose from her seat.
"Come on, you might find this interesting...."
