Umgul City

Cipriani Arms Apartments

Relieved that she hadn't been talking to herself when Forcias comes into the living room, Lucine nods with a shrug and says, "Yup, went pretty well, then groans when reminded about having to go through whatever hoops and redtape awaits her when she manages to get an appointment at HQ to go through them, telling Forcias, Right, you got it all, frowning as she says, I already sent a holonet message requesting a time to go and demonstrate my mad skills are still finely honed and proving my head's still on straight," pointing at him in a playful warning not to contradict her on either point.

Shrugging after the kiss, Lucine tuns herself around so she can lay in Forcias' arms as she says, "I'm good with whatever you're in the mood for, honey bunny, trying out a new nickname for him rather than dope, the crinkling of her nose after hearing it aloud suggesting it may only prove to be the first shot at finding a pet name that suits Forcias and her sensibilities. I mean, Lucy says while tilting her head back and kissing his chin, so long as you are happy, schmoopie, I'm happy," frowning as take two doesn't seem to feel any more fitting to her than the first.

"So, Lucy says as she settles herself more comfortably against Forcias's chest and takes his arms to wrap them around her, what did you do today, Booboo Bear? Clearly still trying for the right name, she asks only to continue holding the pet name tryouts, Anything fun, bae?" Smiling, clearly happy with her last pet name, for the moment, Lucine finally stops talking and gives Forcias a chance to answer her question and decide what they will be doing for dinner.



Solstice Apartments

Surprising even herself, Elikapeka makes no effort to cover herself up when reminded by Delaana that she is currently brushing her hair wearing only a contented smile, but then, as the realization hits her and she begins wondering how long the sense of ease in her own skin will last, blushes as she finishes brushing her hair and starts looking around for where she had left her towel after drying her hair, the flush in her cheeks only deepening as Delaana holds up her undies on her index finger, the pose amusing her enough that she laughs even though she is feeling a bit, and entirely without reason, embarrassed as she takes the undies and says, "Why yes, my Ceesi, yes they are, thank you," blinking owlishly as she realizes that had she not misplaced her spectacles sometime during the evening, she might have found her clothes before needing to enlist Delaana's aid in doing so.

Shaking her head and laughing at her embarrassment, which causes it to evaporate as easily as it had arisen, when Delaana goes to her dresser to dress for the day, Elika begins dressing as well, putting on her clothes from yesterday and explaining when Delaana asks if she would like to borrow anything, "I appreciate the offer, my Ceesi, but I have the feeling that I am in for enough teasing when I get home without arriving dressed in your clothes," her tone surprisingly devoid of any hint of anxiety and instead seeming more amused than anything. Elika is dimly aware of the fact her usual foundationless anxiety and angst have, now that she and Delaana have crossed the invisible, intangible divide between where they had been before and where they find themselves now, lost some of their ability to gain traction in her mind, but for once does not dwell on the recognition and pick things apart until she gives them footholds to make their way up from the depths of her mind, allowing herself to simply enjoy the way that, if only for now, being with Delaana makes her feel and how everything seems newer and brighter now that they are closer than they were before.

Once she and Delaana are dressed, Elika walks over behind her girlfriend and wraps her arms around her waist, not in an overly amorous way but rather in a tender, loving manner, and says happily, "No plans for today, but Andros wants to meet with me and my lieutenant tonight, so, she rests her chin on Delaana's shoulder and wiggles her nose against the Hapan's neck affectionately, interrupt me with messages just as often as you want, her delight at the prospect of being interrupted plain to hear in her voice. Do you know, Elika asks softly, almost as though in awe of what she feels, how happy you make me, my Ceesi? I only hope, she adds in a tone that neither seeks nor demands an answer of any kind but instead expresses a sincere desire, I make you just as, if not more happy."

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Elika releases Delaana from her embrace and laughs as she jokes as soon as she has expressed her feelings as though to reinforce the lack of any need for Delaana to respond to what she has said, crinkling her nose and apologizing, "Sorry, too cheesy, right? I will try to be more smooth and sophisticated going forward, then says in a more serious tone with just a dash of playful yet sincere pouting mixed in with it, I don't want to go, but, she sighs and winks, if I don't manage to now, I'm not sure I would ever be able to, biting the corner of her lower lip as she debates whether it would be needy to ask the question she then proceeds to ask before she debates the matter very long at all, Do you want to come over to the Lakehouse tonight?"



Grey Mist

As Aidan-as-Atlantis sets the speeder down in a space across from Grey Mist, a luxurious, elegant two story restaurant composed primarily of grey tinted glassine and steel, he answers Saoirse's question by saying, "I think just Mr. Entin, you and I will go and speak with Arezou. Taking a sonic scanner from a pouch on his belt, he hands it to Bria and explains with a mischievous grin, Use that to monitor any communication signals that our visit might generate, in case anyone inside contacts Lavigne or anyone that might be helping him hide out while we're meeting with Arezou. Looking at Veda, he says, Keep an eye out for anyone coming out of the building while we're inside, and follow anyone that does discreetly in case they are clever enough to avoid communicating over the holonet or via comlink."

Lyov, arching an eyebrow as the Gupin reveals that he is more well suited for the role of investigative lead despite his penchant for dramatic proclamations, says, "Impressive, Padawan Aidan," and then looks over at the mist-enshrouded restaurant that he has seen in his visions and feeling suddenly certain that some of the answers they seek will be found within its walls if they choose the way ahead with enough care.

After Lyov finishes speaking, Aidan-as-Atlantis nods to accept the praise he has been given and then tells Saoirse, "Your job is just to stand quietly and look intimidating, grinning as he suddenly releases his hold on Atlantis' form and soon resumes his own tiny, leonine faced and winged shape, and admits, A Zabrak is more intimidating than a Gupin, after all, and, he tells Lyov apologetically, you radiate far too calm an aura to inspire any fear in the head of an organized crime family, Mr. Entin, I am sorry to say."

Lyov laughs in a rare display of anything other than the outward serenity he has cultivated to match the inner sense of it he has acquired, lifting a hand and telling Aidan as he steps out of the speeder and holds Saoirse's door open, "No need to apologize, Padawan Aidan, and then after Saoirse has stepped out of the speeder, asks her, Ready, Initiate Beirne?"

Cipriani Arms Apartments

Forcias had lifted both of his hands when she pointed at him, actually he wasn't even to contradict or say anything about it, while yes it might have been three years for him, and factually speaking he had not seen those skills of hers in three years except for the ones they indulged regularly. Well if it was any indication, she still got it, and was definitely still her. Plus also in her point of view their Naboo skirmish was only a few days ago, but he still remembered that clearly, and she was level headed and just intuitive all the same.

Wrapping his arms around her and leaning down on the couch dragging her with him after he made sure he had a pillow at his head. Forcias arched an eyebrow when he listened to her calling him differently or trying to find one that suited her on how to call him. Just preferring to not even say a thing about those pet names, he figured she'd figure it out when and if she was content with it, he did look down at her when she kissed his chin and just smiled. That was just it, just a smile and just being in the moment, even though he knew she wasn't too much into romance, but it was just one of those moments where again he just was at peace just like he had been earlier when meditating.

"Nothing fun at all." Said Forcias truthfully, at least in her own point of view it wouldn't be fun, but in the end, he still was a Force user, and was qualified as a Master Jedi, but primarily he was a soldier. "Meditated, was just remapping in my mind also all of the locations we had been to." Possibly not something that was understandable to her currently but he did not hesitate to add. "I was talking with H before you came in, asked her if there were some activities in the Villas on Naboo, and we are forbidden to step foot on Coruscant. But I was wondering if actually they had chosen a destination we had already visited in the past, hence me trying to remember all of those said locations." Rubbing his chin and slightly shrugging, Forcias knew that nothing he could say right now would make this situation any different which was why he just placed his hand on her cheek and leaned down to kiss her forehead.

"By the way, Lieutenant Lucine Lyn, I will already say it, even if it's not official yet, glad to see you reinstated. And I suppose you'll see me often at UDF when I am needed for a consult."

Grey Mist

With Lyov and Saoirse flanking him on either side, Aidan flaps his tiny wings after they enter the restaurant, and after telling the Pantoran hostess that they would like to speak with Arezou and being asked to wait, after which they are lead to the upper floor of the restaurant and met with two large, hulking Herglics flanking the door to the Weequay's office that glare at them all menacingly before opening the door and motioning for them to enter.

Arezou, just as bald and wrinkled as one would expect a female Weequay to be, but dressed in an immaculately tailored black pinstriped suit, is sitting behind her desk looking at something on her dataterminal as Aidan, Lyov and Saoirse enter her lair. Holding up a finger to bid her guests to be silent as she finishes reading whatever it is she is reading, Arezou is quiet for a moment before, after finishing her reading, pressing a button on her desk that causes the dataterminal to be lowered into it, only then lacing her wrinkled fingers together before looking up at her quests and asking in parched, raspy sounding Basic, her voice sounding more tolerant than pleased, and her expression neutral, "To what do I owe the unexpected pleasure of this visit?"

Aidan, following Lyov's voice, aims for a more respectful tone than he feels the Weequay deserves as he bows in midair and says, "Honorable Arezou, I am Aidan, from the Mist Order. My companions and I have come to humbly ask for your help in . . ."

Waving her hand, Arezou says, "Shush, then points at Saoirse as she suddenly smiles and says, Number 8, University bolo-ball team. Huge fan. Shame you had to leave the game for, she waves her hands at the Gupin and Lyov with a disdainful frown, Team has really gone down hill without you."

Before Saoirse can deviate from the quiet and intimidating plan, or at least quiet since the fact Arezou knows her might make intimidating a stretch, Aidan says, "As I was saying, honorable Arezou, we . . ."

Waving her hand again, Arezou tells Aidan, "Shush, smirking as she points at the floor and warns the Gupin, I got a whole bag of shush down here, don't make me use it, then points at Saoirse and, her tone going from annoyed to pleasant, says, Let her do the talking."

Aidan, looking perplexed going on irritated, looks over at Lyov as though for guidance, getting only a subtle shrug that seems to suggest to him that he is being told to roll with the punches, and then bows to Arezou and looks over at Saoirse and motions towards Arezou to tell her to go off her assigned script and take on the role of the one that does the talking.


Cipriani Arms Apartments

Curling up on her side as she lays in Forcias' arms, Lucine frowns in theatrical sadness when he tells her that he didn't do anything fun with his day, having spent it meditating and trying to help Horsea with something that sounds like it was related to what she herself had found herself involved in when she and Forcias were on Naboo, patting his cheek consolingly as she tells him, "Poor bae, her hand sliding around to play with the hair behind his ear idly as, deciding to just bite the proverbial bullet and risk the SERIOUS CONVERSATION that might follow the biting rather than ignore it or try to distract him from what is probably very much on his mind as she had initially planned, she asks, That all related to Eleuabad? Any reason it is coming up now that I should know about?"

Giving Forcias an out in case the subject is one that he doesn't want to talk about, or cannot talk about because of how the Kiffar he is bound and loyal to no matter what the General has decided, Lucine lays her head on his chest and rubs his bicep as she says, "Never mind, bae, KIFFAR BUSINESS, right? Hearing her stomach growl, she pats his bicep and reminds him, You still have to feed me, remember? We can make it a celebration of my reinstatement or something, and then, she props herself up on an elbow so she can look at him as she smirks playfully and adds, maybe, just maybe, I'll do something about the distressing fun deficit you've got going on today."


Solstice Apartments

Elikapeka smiles when Delaana jokes about having almost forgotten that one of her housemates has a reputation for, among other things, having absolutely no filter and for playfully teasing those she is close enough to reveal that facet of her personality to, telling Delanna with theatrical seriousness, "Oh, you can never forget who I live with, my Ceesi, lest you court the terrible fate that awaits those unprepared for he perils they will face when . . . shaking her head and giggling, unable to keep up the jokingly dire warning, Elika says sincerely, And trust me, I know how very lucky I am to be one of the select few that our certain attorney feels free enough around to be herself, and then laughs with a nod as her girlfriend reminds her that their friend is known for something entirely different from playful, well intentioned teasing in the Mist Government's legal department, I believe that she also has a nickname or two to go along with her reputation."

Smiling and all but glowing as her lips and cheeks are pecked while Delaana tells her that she shares the same sense of happiness that Elika herself had confessed too, Elika puts her arms around her Ceesi's neck when the Hapan looks into her eyes and tells her there is no need to try and be something that she is not, and even though she understands and appreciates the sentiment she cannot resist teasingly narrowing her eyes and asking, "Are you saying you don't think I can be smooth and sophisticated, my Ceesi? Going for that sexy, sleepy eyed look and looking more sleepy than anything, Elika asks in her best intentionally exaggerated to the point of ridiculousness husky, sensual voice, See the sophistication now?"

Holding onto Delaana's hands as they get ready to leave, Elika accepts her round rimmed glasses when her girlfriend hands them to her, giving her hand a delighted squeeze when she says that she would love to come to the lakehouse later in the evening and shaking her head as she smiles and tells her Ceesi happily, "Just yourself, leaning over to peck her cheek as she says, That's all I want, all I need."

As she lifts her free hand to hail a hovertaxi once they are outside, Elika tells Delaana with a pout, "I miss you already, and then after a taxi speeder emerges from the mists hanging over the city streets and pulls up to the curb, kisses her girlfriend tenderly and holds onto her hand for as long as possible as she walks slowly backwards towards the cab and reminds Delaana, Don't forget to interrupt with messages," releasing her hand as she gets into the cab after, not wanting to say goodbye, blowing Delaana a kiss instead.

As the repulsorcab gets underway for the address she has given the driver, Elika digs around in her backpack purse for her datapad when she hears it ping to alert her to a new message having been received, laughing with a shake as she reads Crystal's message, tapping out a reply of her own as the taxi speeder ascends higher in the mists on its way to her home:

Cipriani Arms Apartments

One arched eyebrow at her consoling statement, though the smirk on the corner of his lips showed that he was amused. Forcias actually did not know if he wanted to laugh or groan altogether with that statement of hers . . . He, nonetheless, said nothing more but in his mind, he found her cute for trying to be girly and such. He was just probably silent right now or just considering on whether to answer her or not, but that wasn’t even it truly. Forcias did hear everything that she said, but he still couldn’t get over the fact that she was trying to be that girly girl girlfriend.

“Kiffar business or not . . .” Began to say Forcias before actually pulling her closer and tenderly kissing her lips. “In case you haven’t figured it out from that night at the bar, you are pretty much included in it.” Pulling his head back and just looking at her and into her eyes. Horsea shared a few things with her, and Ayla did nothing to stop her, at all. “But to answer your question if there is something you should know. No absolutely nothing, as we are also hitting dead ends. Although, just so you know also I was also informed, shortly after I had returned from Naboo, that there was no way except for the descendants of the Noble Houses to find the way to Eleuabad . . .”

There were other details linked to that, of course, and with what he had just said, he probably figured that potentially he had confused Lucine as far she potentially knew that individual, they had encountered in those catacombs had no ties with the Drakes, the Jades, or even the Solarises. Turned out that there was so to speak.

“There is a history that has been left out tied to the Zhells from what I was told, as I have told you three nations stood out amongst those battalions, and that was because they protected another House that sat on top of them all.” Shaking his head slightly and pursing his lips, Forcias knew that maybe Lucine would start connecting the dots, or maybe she’d start understanding probably with this information. “You were never given a reason why you had to protect your principle, right? And before you ask, no, she isn’t part of any of those families, but she was back then with someone they all have sworn to protect.”

“. . . That Mace has sworn to protect too.” Added Forcias after a certain pause due to what had happened to her in the past for being saved. “Elika was with the half-sister of the bastard crown prince who had a hand on his sister’s murder. Also it was no coincidence if your principle’s parents died as well.”

Forcias looked at Lucine, despite all of his explanation, she probably could see the conflicted expression he had then and there, and she would also probably understand why them as Kiffars kept a lid on all of this or definitely didn’t overtly share with just anyone at all. But this was different for Forcias, he was with her, and he knew that there were those parts of him that he just couldn’t keep hidden even If she understood why because of the so called KIFFAR BUSINESS, but it was so much more than that really as they were literally all walking into a very dangerous territory at the risk of upsetting a certain balance that could have repercussions that a few did not want at all . . . And that Forcias knew that was going to be one heavy secret for Lucine to keep.

Cipriani Arms Apartments

By the time Lucine stood up and began pacing right in front of him, Forcias had sat up though had placed his arms on his knees just looking at her. He knew that everything he had told her she definitely listened, and closely too, otherwise she wouldn’t react that way. What Forcias knew of her, Lucy usually avoided SERIOUS CONVERSATIONS, and this one wasn’t one that could be avoided nor he wanted to keep avoiding. If that got his girlfriend to understand him, but also what some people around them did what they did and explicitly withheld several things altogether or showed no indication in knowing things either.

“It is, yes.” Forcias agreed with her and understood why she would say that all the same, as this went way beyond the time they all came to Umgul honestly. To her question though about Elika knowing, Forcias shook his head before saying. “Elika, I am not certain what she knows or doesn’t know. I would assume that her closeness with Crystal gave her some insight on what the Solaris are going through.” Leaning back against the couch as Forcias just rubbed his chin in thought, he knew that probably that wouldn’t be much of an answer about what Elika knew or didn’t know. There was one certain though that was undeniable.

“Pertaining her parents, no that she is not aware, as far as she is concerned, her parents’ death was accidental. It will also remain that way until we can keep gathering enough proof. As for how likely she is in any danger even after all this time, just put it this way, no one wants to take a chance with that. As long as she is in Umgul she is blanketed so to speak, for obvious reasons.” Forcias didn’t need to raise the fact that Jedi were around and also Guardians too along with several key members in the government that could execute things quickly without too many questions.

“What you also need to know, Lucine, the one you have come to call geek, how she is now, or how she has been since you were mandated to her, she wasn’t that way before.” Forcias did not have proof, of course, to what he was saying there, but what he had been told previously by Mace was validation enough and enough proof already . . .

Forcias was very certain though that if and when Lucine found out about several other things, she’d have a clearer picture too, but that was the big problem too, it was so many things, so many events that would take several hours if not days to explain everything although he wasn’t against explaining, for he knew she’d keep this all to herself, but the question was, where to begin truly?

“Still hungry, or is there something else you want to ask me?” Asked Forcias as he reached out to her hand and gave it a squeeze while looking at her with surprisingly a very placid expression.

Cipriani Arms Apartments

Forcias had been typing on his datapad to order in some food, after Lucine tried to convince him or herself that she wouldn’t change her views about Elikapeka. However, knowing her, he was very certain that he had shaken her core belief about the Architect, and for that, he was not sorry at all. It was so much more than a nickname at this point, it was so much more about Elika’s character, and what was on the surface right now was just a byproduct of what Elika had to endure, or even had come to believe.

“No, Elikapeka did not know, or at least I do not think so.” Replied Forcias with slight uncertainty, but from what he did know, he could presume that fact. “What I was told, Noelani ran away from home to start her own life, a life that led her to Naboo.” He looked at Lucy knowing that she would understand that running away meant hiding her identity, her true self. “Perhaps at some point, Elika did find out about Noelani, perhaps the Lost Princess, as she was referred to, told her. But that was potentially and also most likely the reason she had been tracked down. Found and murdered.”

Leaning back against the couch and breathing softly, Forcias furrowed his eyebrows looking at her. “Do you know how hard it is for Mace to be close to her, to not give in to peering into Elika’s mind? To see what she actually knows and what caused a certain fracture of her personality, when everything she tried to do was to get our former Senator to unlock his mind fully and only to find out that some key part of his life has been sealed by potentially the same person who has sealed her apprentice’s mind?” Asked Forcias dubiously and rhetorically, and he was pretty sure that she wouldn’t understand where he was going with this or what this had to do with anything. Thus Forcias had to let her know about that time they all went to Naboo, the retreat which coincided with the funeral of Elika’s parents. On the day they all got there, Lara Drake who had no idea who she truly was at first started to remember some memories as they descended into Naboo, probably one of the twisted doings of whatever was down in Eleuabad that started to crack the seal into the eldest Drake sibling’s mind.

Filling her in, in some details that she had come to miss during that said retreat on why the Senator of Umgul back then left the planet before everyone, because he had been investigating the apparent accident. But also some other revelations on that retreat when all of them had realized that in fact Crystal was a Solaris despite her last name, and had no idea that she had younger brothers. A validation that probably had been needed to be certain but one that her father did absolutely everything to hide as far as sealing her sensitivity to the Force.

Forcias also filled Lucy in on how her sensitivity to the Force had been revealed, exactly when all of the descendants of the Triumvirate Noble Houses as they have come to be known were all together, at the same place, at the same time, during her birthday. One that he or Lucine did not get to see as that was the evening when they both first got together.

There had been a slight peek from Mace that night in Elika’s mind when the former was watching some events unfolding through Horsea’s mind of what could happen, or what wouldn’t but it was so muddled with them together than Mace had to prioritize and stop Crystal from crushing someone’s hand with the Force.

Forcias at some point stood up and got the take out he had ordered and placed it on the coffee table right there.

“Elika’s memory was sealed, that much Mace can say, and that is also how much I know, as for whomever sealed her mind, she doesn’t think that Jade had the ability to do so, at least not alone, he must have had some help from Crystal’s father back then.”

Taking out the burger from the plastic bag, Forcias looked at her and finally said to her. “This is one of the reasons why it’s never a good idea for the three houses to be together on a same planet too. Especially now that all of the descendants are attuned to the Force.”