Lake Country

When you know your sister is becoming a Nightsister, and your brother a proud warrior of the Mandalorian clan Ordo... Naboo is the worst place to grow up...


*She looks at what he had made up, eyeing it with suspicion. It didn't look appealing, but she was hungry, and it was edible. It would not likely be the worst thing she'd ever had to eat. She slides into the booth and sits down, crossing one leg over the other. She opened the packet, and started to eat the offered fish, it was actually better tasting then she would have guessed, she looks up to see him already half finished and she had barely started. She continued to eat at her own pace though, she had too many years of her life and "training" being that of someone of sophistication and grace to rush through a meal as Jashin was. She was close to half down as he pushed a bottle in her direction. She looked back and forth, not seeing a glass or anything, she looked at him to see him drink from the bottle. She reached forward to gingerly grab the bottles neck with one hand and drinks down a few mouthfuls of the liquid it had contained. She'd never consumed alcohol of any kind before, she didn't know what to make of it, it was bitter. She continued to switch between eating and taking sips of the drink until she'd finished the packet that he'd given to her, listening to his story, which slowed her eating down a little more as she paid attention to what was said. She did feel a warm sensation throughout her body by the time she'd finished eating. She pushed back the packet and took another drink.*

My mother was an assassin before she became the Matriarch. So, you have a ship, what will you do once it is fixed?

Dom almost jumped out of his skin when he heard Farris' voice so close. He held onto his mug with both hands, shrinking away from his just a tad before his reaction was over. How... How had he not noticed him before? Was he that out of it? He shook his head, looking at the polydroxol. "U-" He started, but stopped himself. Holy kark, his throat was burning... That wasn't a normal side effect... He looked down at his coffee, remembering that he had already downed a cup. And these things were made to be really hot!

Setting the cup down hard, he turned on the sink to the cold water, and dumped his mouth below it, gurgling it all down to cool down his throat. It didn't work the best, but it was helping. After a few seconds, he would turn it off and right himself, gasping for air after gulping the water down. He then looked at Farris once more, realizing what he just did wasn't normal. "...Yeah. You could say that. Rough." Then he narrowed his eyes a bit, looking more closely at Dominic's form. "I-... I don't need anything. Not anything you could produce in your needles." He would pick his mug back up, sipping it now to spare his throat. "The faster we get to Theed, the faster I'll return to normal, ok?"

Jashin stayed silent, mostly, opting instead to open another bottle of wine. Being a Firrerreo meant having a high metabolism - he'd need about double than most sentients to get inebriated, lest his body break down the alcohol before he could drink more. As she got up to leave and walked past him, however, it most certainly wasn't lost on him that the Echani did indeed have a very nice set of hips - and his eyes followed the pendulous sway with more than a little interest.

Whoa, hold on. Tearing his eyes away from the hypnotic sight, Jashin looked at the bottle in his hand dubiously. Surely he was drunk. Yes. Yes, of course. Drunk. Very, very, very drunk. She wasn't even gold for kark's sake! And her hair, by Jatayus - ALL wrong. One color? Really? What, was she five? Because only young Firrerreo had one hair color. And her EYES: I mean, one set of eyelids? Gods, how disturbing! And her teeth! Her canines weren't even developed - why, if they coupled, he doubted she could even bite him hard enough to -
"...Shondayus, n'et solana terra golott neri'toth." Jashin muttered in response as he stood quickly and shoved the bottle away from himself. His skin had shifted slightly from gold to silver, something that was taken by many species to mean he was affected by a strong emotion. Indeed, in Firrerreo it could mean anything from embarrassment, anger, arousal, sadness, and more. In this particular case, Jashin didn't know what the cause was. Perhaps it was a mix of all of the above. And, as Jashin gestured for her to lead the way and they began to walk, Jashin pondered on the source of those emotions. Surely a harmless flirtation wasn't so shattering.

But, then, his race was a dying one. When one took in the survivors of his species, and how many of them were even relatively near his age, orientation, etcetera, it didn't leave him many options. Besides the fact, being exiled from Vartholium and the last Firrerreo colonies as he was, he was lucky to run into ANY Firrerreo out in the galaxy, let alone a willing and able female. Would it really be held against him if he...bent...the rules a little? Ugh, but the very thought made him gag a little. His species was xenophobic, to the point that interbreeding was tantamount to death. Beyond that, Firrerreo in general were selfish and independent to the point that they'd rather die than ask for help - and wouldn't even give a starving man a bite of food, for no better reason than it would be an inconvenience to stoop over and hand it to him. So, as far as even treating another species as equal - to hell with love, relationships, and relations - the outlook wasn't very good.

Oh, but let's be honest Jashin old boy...he HAD bent the rules once or twice, when he couldn't stand the celibacy any more. There was that yellow Twi'lek on Onderon. And the gold Hrakian on Coruscant. And he'd only thrown up a little bit afterward! After all, he was young, the hormones were good and strong, and, kark, he WAS male. The mating drive was strong. Kark, if the homeworld was whole, he'd probably have a posse of younglings by now. Nothing was more important than clan to a Firrerreo, and the drive to contribute to that clan was strong indeed.

So...why not. Hell, his species was dead. And, overall, he had learned to interact with most species without, you know, hating them to their core. Didn't he deserve a chance at happiness? At regular relationships with another sentient? Hell, his father had -

"Oh, kark, I'm comparing myself to dad now." Jashin muttered, inaudible, his hand coming up to his face in a facepalm.

"I said that a wind from the east spells ill for man and beast. It's a Firrerreo proverb." Said jashin absently, still lost in thought. Coming to his senses a little more, he frowned at the woman's weaving about - otherwise, though, he didn't comment on it. "Tell me about your group. You seem, eh, diverse? How many of you are there? And, frankly...why are you ll here?"

Inwardly, Jashin averted his eyes from the woman, focusing a little too hard not to look at her. Yes. She had an affect. Apparently. It was now imperative that he leave this place. Back into space, back into...whatever. Just, away, anywhere but here. Besides...all these force users made him nervous. From his experiences with Gene, he knew that, no doubt, the group probably attracted trouble like a supercharged magnet. He doubted that he, a non-forcie, would last long around them. At least, not without reverting back to old training and old tradition...and he didn't want that. He chose this life for freedom.

Of course, the question was, when would he have that freedom? He had neglected to mention that he was basically an indentured servant to a Jedi, and Gene Kenobi at that. Though no doubt that would circulate once he delivered his message to Alora. How much longer would he have to serve? Surely his debt was nearly over. And, now that he had a ship...perhaps now was the time to declare the debt as sated - even though it was Gene that would have to declare it. But, then, had he not saved the mans life several times by now? And vice versa. But, surely, all debts were paid.

Perhaps now was the time.

"Loki...big guy, horns, bit of a temper?" Jashin chuckled a little, realizing that it was sheer dumb luck that the person he had saved from the water, Sinina, had just so happened to be the exact person needed to talk the big guy down. But that was typical of his life, wasn't it; a mix of skill and dumb luck that somehow, against the odds, saved him again and again. Such was the life of the scoundrel! "I, uh, never thanked you for that. The whole 'please don't cut the pirate in half' thing. I doubt I could have stopped him, not without armor, better weapons, and copious amounts of explosives."

Listening to Sinina's explanation on how she got caught up in the whole affair, Jashin smirked a little, offering a conspiratorial wink. "Looks? You mean to tell me the princess showed off her crown jewels? My, oh my, you would have made a good thief, smuggler, pirate. Take your pick."

As they approached the villa, though, Jashin slowed down - eventually stopping altogether. Suddenly, he was apprehensive. This Raven Alora, he had heard stories - many stories - of how Arcturus Utan Sorrows, his grandfather, had entrusted her with secrets. Terrible, terrible secrets. He had heard about her also from his father, Dante, though he had never really divulged that much. Both had the greatest respect and admiration for the woman. How, then, would she receive him? Especially after he had practically screamed her right out of his ship.

"Uh...I get that you're a newcomer and all of that. But, eh, what is this Raven Alora really like? Is she powerful?"

Jashin was more or less lost in thought, still ruminating on Raven Alora, when he felt a hand on his chest. Glancing down, seeing Sinina's hand, the flush of her skin, and subsequent looking away from him - he blinked several times before looking up at the sky. Yep. This was a two way street. Fan-friggin-tastic. As Sinina talked about Raven - not really providing any new information, though Jashin listened anyway - he dipped his hand into his coat and took out a disc about the size of a coaster. The disc in his palm, he hit the activation stud, lifting it up before his face. With a whir and a hum, the device activated - and after a few seconds, connected with a paired device across the galaxy.

A hologram of a man's face coalesced into being above the disc, about six inches high. Stern looking and perpetually scowling, the man's face was tan and weathered, his golden skin almost leathery in appearance. His hair wild, it had apparently been subjected to a comb recently - but was so unruly that it had refused to be tamed, and so rested as a mass of black and silver on the man's head, complemented by a black and silver beard that had been braided into a pleated single strand, tipped by a heavy golden bead. Formally, the man closed his eyes and inclined his head, keeping it so before speaking. Master Raven Alora, you no doubt do not know of me. I am Dante Demici Deveaux, Count Son sired of Arcturus Utan Sorrows, otherwise known as Arcturus of Alabar. I greet you with salutations, and a matter of grave importance. For you see -

"Dad. It's me." Jashin said deadpan, waving a hand in front of the disc.

The face - Dante - stopped speaking. Eyes slowly opening, a look of irritation and exasperation passed across Dante's face before dissolving away - as was the Jedi way. Of course it is. Zaraf, why have you not delivered me to Raven Alora? Explain yourself, my son.

At that, exasperation and irritation came over Jashin's face - the key difference being here that Jashin was NOT a Jedi, and thus not only remained, but grew in force. "Yeah. Ok. One: my name is JASHIN to you, so don't use my Silent Name. Two: you are no longer a father of mine, so don't be calling me your son. Three. Ugh, three: do you know what it's LIKE here? A Sith attacked, my crap shuttle got blown up, pirates attacked, my cargo that I thought was priceless is basically fish, and now..." Jashin trailed off, looking over at Sinina. "Now...Merett nisti terra Sinina. Der'araon tene siett."

Dante listened stoically, though, at that last comment uttered in Firrerrese by Jashin, he raised a single eyebrow - though otherwise showed no emotion. It sounds like you've been busy. And that you've been there a while. So, your excuse for not delivering the message is...?

"That I've been here for a day. A day!" Snapped Jashin in response. "You also neglected to tell me there would be, like, seventeen people here. Every single one a force user, among them Adieumus freaking Mango or however you say it, and a karking Zabrak that apparently spends his time bench pressing land speeders!"

So you don't have an excuse. Dante said, now his turn to be deadpan. Really Zar - ahem - Jashin. It's not like you're a royal House Guard. Or a Carta. I hardly think a handful of force wielders and some pirates would be the end of the great and powerful dread pirate Jashin.

"Funny. You're a funny guy. Yeah so I'm going to set you down now." Said Jashin, bending over and setting the disc on the ground. "Cause I'm done here. Consider the message delivered. Someone should come across you eventually. Mk? Bye." Spinning on his heel, one hand up in a farewell, Jashin proceeded to about-face and head back to the ship. It was only what his father said next, words that he had been waiting to hear for years, that prompted him to not only pause in his walk, but turn around and regard the hologram incredulously.

Jashin. Jashin, wait. Jashin! Zaraf Sorrows, if you listen to me, you can get out of your debt! The hologram cried out indignity from the ground. Slowly walking back, Jashin crouched down on the ground, looking the hologram in the eyes.

"You have thirty seconds, and then I'm going to empty my blaster into you." Jashin said quietly, his hand coming to rest on his blaster.

Gene and I have spoken. We have agreed that your service has gone above and beyond what is required. Towards that end, we have conferred and agreed that a single last task, more of an errand, really, is sufficient to finally - and permanently - absolve you of further service. Your debt shall be paid, forever and always. Dante said quickly, every once and a while glancing off screen - no doubt literally checking a chrono to make sure he was within the thirty second mark.

"...Continue." Jashin said, unblinking and unmoving.

You will tell Raven Alora, the Keeper of Secrets, of the existence of Sanctuary. Further, you will implore her to release the dread artifact of the Sorrows - the Tome of Sorrows - into your care. Promptly upon receiving it, you shall destroy it. Upon the moment of its destruction, you shall be considered a free sentient.

"Deal. But I need weapons, armor, etcetera. I want my old gear back. No, wait, I want NEW gear. I want Carta Scoutplate, and a full armory."

Ridiculous. We don't have the resources for that. And why would you need it, you're just going to Felucia.

"I've almost been killed three times - and that was yesterday alone. Besides, once I'm free, I'm taking off. I need something to start my new life. I won't do it without it."

There was silence as the two stared at each other, and, eventually, a tiny smirk came across Dante's face. I'll contact Serenno. We'll work something out. Stay at your current coordinates till we get it to you. And, with that, the hologram cut out. Several seconds later, smoke started wafting up from the disc , followed by a series of explosive pops. Standing, Jashin ran a hand through his hair, his mind racing. His indentured servitude was practically over. He was going to get weapons. Armor. A full armory. Hell, what he didn't use, he could sell for credits. He could repair the ship. He could take off into the galaxy. He could...die. He could die horribly. He could be cut in half by a lightsaber, fried by force lightning, be mind raped by some Sith masochist, or worse.

"I've got to train. I'm not going to die with you people." He turned towards Sinina, and leveled a finger at her. "One last job. One last fight. Then I'm done. I'm out. I'll be a, I dunno, farmer somewhere. Or a fisherman. I'll just park my ship somewhere, and I'll live out of it. Like a hermit."

"Hey, I said that I was a free spirit - not that I was certain on how I wanted to send that freedom. And yeah, train: I haven't been in a REAL fight in years. I have to get back into shape." Jashin spread his arms wide, gesturing tot he ship behind him. "Finally. Freedom. Now, please, go inside and fetch Raven for me. I would go with you, but...ah, this is exciting news! Exciting news indeed! Tell her I will speak with her in my ship. There is no time to waste."

With little explanation to that, Jashin turned and ran back inside his ship. Running into the cockpit, flinging himself into the pilots chair, he brought up a viewscreen, suddenly far more animated than he had been in a long, long time. Argo the R8, trundling past, eyed him suspiciously - and Jashin leveled a finger at the droid. "Get to work! On the double!" The droid squealed in response, rolling away rapidly, and Jashin brought up the sensors, tuning them to search for any incoming ships at range. If they found anything, they would signal him and give some notice at least. A grunt and a heave had him out of the chair and walking down the hall - scooping up a toolbox from a storage space as he walked, he climbed a short ladder in the port hall to the surface of the ship, where even now Argo worked diligently. Setting the box down, taking out a hydrospanner, Jashin went to work alongside the droid, repairing and rerouting conduits.

Soon. Soon he would be rid of his debt.

Dominic wouldn't even argue about the glass of water being passed to him. He would hold one cup in each hand, taking a sip of one before gulping down the other, and then repeat. He listened to Farris, and noted that he looked like he was bright and full of energy. He almost felt angry at him for being so much in top shape, but he failed to do so. Less because he didn't want to, and more of he physically couldn't at the moment. "If you can get us moving, that would be wonderful. Loki said he would be out here at Sunrise, but I don't see him. Really need to get going..." He disregarded what the shapeshifter said next for a while, until he added the next line, about it being a nature. He couldn't tell it wasn't meant at him. He could tell he was staring intensely at something through the window, and Dominic did so as well.

He couldn't make anything out really due to his state, other than two people outside doing... something. He turned away, then spoke up. "I've had time to be normal. So far, what I've got is better than those times." He would sip his coffee, then look down into the dark liquid and see himself. "Maybe..." He would exhale and murmur, being barely audible.