Risha swore under breath for what felt like the millionth time. She finally punched in her old friends holo frequency and waited, no good will come of this.

“Hey Risha! What’s going on up there, Cohen is two days late checking in, he ok?” Ainsley’s voice was artificially cheery, she was worried.

“Listen, Ainsley, about Cohen…” She had no idea how she was going to tell Ainsley that her son stole from her and then took off in her ship, it was a story they had both heard before.

“What did he do?” Ainsley frowned now.

“You remember that strange data cube that arrived years ago, addressed to my father? The one with the impossible encryption?”

“Yeah, I remember.”

“We were in my room, and he took an interest in it, he’s always liked puzzles, so I let him take a look.” Risha hurried over that part to the next. “He and the cube were gone the next day, I don’t know where he took the Weather Light, but I have a feeling he isn’t heading home.” Ainsley remained quiet, digesting what she just heard. Risha could only look back.

“So what you’re telling me, is that my son, MY SON, stole a mysterious artifact that belonged to Nok Drayen, and stole my ship?” Risha recognized the anger and disbelief, and only nodded. Ainsley walked out of view, Risha heard a crash.

“Wait, what was my son, over 20 years your junior, doing in your bedroom? Eh Queen Drayen?” Risha looked away, she had hoped the anger about losing her ship again would mean overlooking that little detail. Her guilt was written all over her face, and despite herself, she blushed as flashes from that night replayed in her head.

“You slept with him! You dirty old lady! EW! Risha! You slept with my kid, you changed his dirty diapers once, and you took him to bed with you? What is wrong with you?”Ainsleys body shuddered as if a bug had crawled into her shirt, one of her oldest and closest friends, and her son.

“Have you met your son? That kid could charm the tusks off a rancor..”Risha said, in her very weak defense.

“It takes two Risha…ew, ewww, you are gross, and I’m not talking to you right now, I need to find my thieving, no good Skavak of a son.” Before hanging up Ainsley looked Risha in the eye pointing an accusing finger, “Bad Queen!” and cut the call off.

***

Cohen leaned back in the captains chair, he thought again of letting his mother know she would get her ship back, he just wasn’t sure when. He thought of his “aunt” Risha and smiled a wry grin, still incredible sexy for an older woman, he could now add royalty to his list of conquests. Ratattaki and Royalty, he hadn’t trusted old baldy for a second when she offered to go into business with him. She implied that Nok Drayen had been more than the Lord of the underworld, but that he had helped run the galaxy behind the scenes as a member of a secret society. He had revealed just enough information, that he was close and personal with what remained of the Drayen family, she told him what to look for, told him to bring the cube back and she would decrypt the information, she flashed a data stick with the decryption code. Cohen bought her another round, and then another, the woman could drink.

After the drunken angry Ratattaki sex, he pinched the code and left her sleeping on the floor of her ship. Cohen still had bruises. He placed the cube in the data console and slipped the code in, the computer indicated it would take four hours to fully decrypt. Cohen wished his siblings were here, he wished they could be doing this together, but they had chosen the military, the idea of following someone elses orders literally tuned his stomach. Aaron he understood, but Mitka he didn’t, she had a brilliant mind, with ideas all her own, she would love this scheme, full of puzzles and mystery. The ship holo beeped. Cohen had to fight from laughing as he answered the call.

“Hey Kaliyo, finally shook off that hangover?” He stood comfortable, arms crossed, crooked grin surrounded by light stubble, his blue eyes sparkled with mockery.

“You double crossing rat, I’m going to kill you.” The older woman spat at him.

“Doubtful, and don’t get all bent out of shape babe, you think I didn’t know your reputation, I only double crossed you before you could double cross me.” He shot her a wink, she growled at him. “At least we had a good time, sweetest bruises I ever got.” Her rage calmed somewhat and she favored him with a Cheshire smile.

“We can still work together you know, I know where to find at least two more of the missing pieces, I’m betting once they’ve been assembled we’ll be able to figure out where the last one is. What do ya say blondy?”

“I say you got yourself a partner baldy. What’s our next move?” Cohen knew better then to trust her, but he would use her so long as she was useful, and there was no way he would be letting her on his ship. Another shot of guilt to the heart, he should really call his mom.

http://fc09.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2012/212/1/f/so_that__s_why_you_stayed_by_kabeone-d59cx7n.png

The full pic is in my art thread.

It was late, but Mitka was a night owl, it’s when she did most of her thinking, and came up with her most successful strategies. She needed those strategies now, they had left Hoth with their final squad member Yuun, a Gand, unorthodox in his approach but his results spoke for themselves. Mitka liked him, she liked Vik to, despite his attempts at turning a profit on Balmorra. The two had come to an understanding, and he had followed her every order to the letter, even if he never saluted her or called her sir. She and Elara had actually bonded a bit over tea, Mitka had not wanted to pry, Elara having already explained to countless others what living in the Empire was like. Elara had been perceptive and didn’t hesitate when Mitka finally asked her, knowing it came from curiosity and wanting to understand her roots verses trying to use Elara knowledge for strategic value.

Mitka discovered she really liked Kaas pekoe tea, it was Elara’s only contraband, and only luxury she had retained from living in the Empire. Mitka took a sip of the strong black tea with subtle citrus undertones, sweetened with a bit of honey, the Imps were a lot of things, tea lovers was probably the least offensive. She reviewed the intel, trying to find a hole in her strategy when Aric popped his head in. He strolled up behind her and rubbed her shoulders, it was his unspoken signal that she had been working too hard and needed a break. She put the datapad down and closed her eyes while he worked out the tight knots that plagued her muscles. The stress of command had not been kind to her body, she didn’t sleep nearly as much as she should and her muscles were a mess.

Aric planted a lingering kiss on her neck and Mitka grunted her approval. They had come a long way, Mitka and her XO, she smiled when she remembered their early romance, how unsure she was and how utterly scared she had been. They had been taking their time, they had yet to be intimate in the truest sense but she was warming to the idea. The idea of being so completely vulnerable and exposed with him was becoming more and more appealing instead of terrifying. Maybe after this Op when they had some shore leave.

“Hey, what’s this?” Aric picked up the old yellowing letter with her name scrawled across the envelope.

“It’s a letter from my biological father.” She grabbed it back a little hastily.

“I wasn’t going to open it.” Aric lifted his hands in the air defensively. “Did you just get it?”

“No, he wrote it when I was born and gave it to my mother to give to me when I reached the right age; she gave it to me when I was 14.” Mitka admitted a little embarrassed.

“What are you afraid of?” Aric sat in her chair and pulled her down onto his lap and wrapped his arms around her protectively, she held the letter in both hands.

“I don’t know anymore. I guess I’m afraid he’ll be a good person, and not this evil monster I’ve built up in my head. It’s easier to hate them, the Imperials, to not think of them as people. We’re good, they’re bad. After all this time, I’m afraid to think of him as a man who loved me, who was sad to see me go. Because if I think of him as a person, then I start thinking of all the people I’ve killed…who may have had families they loved…” Mitka trailed off, still looking at the letter.

“You can’t think like that! Every person we’ve taken down was a soldier who knew the risks, just like us. There’s good and bad on both sides of this. We’re stuck with people like Zane and they get officers like Major Byron. I wish more people like him and Dorne would defect, but the fact is they believe wiping us out is right, and we need to hold on to the idea that defending the Republic, that the ideals it was built on, is worth saving. Good people, on both sides are going to lose, war is never easy.” He held her a little tighter, and thought to himself how the daughter of a Sith could have ended up with such a good heart.

“I know, it’s just easier to hate them.” She looked down into those eyes, so much passion and fire in him. He had come to terms with the hard facts.

“I know it is Mit, but nothing in life that’s worth doing is ever easy.” He pulled her into a kiss, wanting to take away her fears and worries, and for the first time in his long military career he wanted out, he wanted a life where he didn’t have to defend taking a life. Where he wouldn’t need a gun, where he and Mitka could raise a family and grow old, where he didn’t need to push thoughts of losing her to stray blaster fire out of his mind so he could do his job. The realization that he loved her hit him like a ton of bricks.

“I love you Mitka.” He whispered into her neck hugging her.

“I love you too Aric.” And she knew that’s exactly what her feelings for him were, it just took him saying it for her to realize that’s what it was.

She sat up and ripped open the envelope and pulled out the letter, Aric held her tight as she finally read what it was her father had wanted to say all those years ago.

My dearest Mitka,

The day you were born was both the happiest and worst day I have ever known. Happy because you were born, and then devastated when your mother ordered me to end your life. If you are reading this then I can only assume you are alive and for that I will be forever grateful. When your mother and I were young and first in love we dreamed of having a family, Mitka means dream in the ancient Sith language, because that is what you are to me. A dream, I dream of your future, I dream of your life, full of purpose and light, I watch you sleep and I wonder if you dream of me, if somehow you will remember me. I know you won’t but the thought comforts me.

There is so much I want to tell you, to show you that a simple letter cannot convey, you come from one of the most ancient Sith blood lines, and you are a Quinn, with a long and proud military history, and though you are denied name and title, hold your head proud for you have an ancient and honorable heritage. Sending you to the Republic pains me, but you will be afforded a chance at life, something I could never offer you here. I wish I could go with you, I would follow you to the ends of the galaxy if I could, but that would earn your mothers fury, and I would see you safe.

I have done what I can to provide for you, below are the coordinates and account number of an independent cartel bank, it can only be opened by you, I hope it helps you in your journeys and goals.

I love you dear daughter, more than life, more than Empire, know that I will always dream of you, and wish you well. I dream that one day we might meet in person, and that I might hold you in my arms again.

Goodbye my dearest,

Malavai Quinn

Below his signature was the account information, a private bank on Nar Shaddaa.

Mitka let the tears fall, she wasn’t sure when she had grabbed Arics hand but she squeezed it tightly.

“He wanted me, he loved me, he didn’t want to let me go.” She whispered, both happy and sad.

“I know the feeling.” Aric wiped away her tears.

“Thanks for being here, with me, for this. It means a lot.” Aric just nodded and leaned his head on her chest and listened to her heart beat. Mitka rested her chin on his head and closed her eyes, she was suddenly exhausted.

“Isn’t this cute!” Tanno Vik’s low baritone invaded the space, Mitka and Aric both tensed, they weren’t hiding their relationship from the rest of the crew, but they generally didn’t let the rest of the squad see them this cozy. “I’m sorry, am I interrupting a moment?”

Mitka felt, then heard Aric growl, she got off his lap keeping a hand on his shoulder and faced the imposing Weequay.

“What is it Vik?”

“Holo for you from Dantooine, came in urgent. Were you crying Cap?” He asked with a mocking grin.

Mitka felt the blood drain from her face, she did the quick calculations for time change on Dantooine, It would be mid morning there, she pushed past Vik to answer the call.

Aric got in Vik’s face, “Now’s not the time soldier, back off.” Tanno held his hands up and walked away.

“Whatever you say LT.”

“Mom, dad, what’s wrong, what happened, message came in urgent?” Mitka was relieved to see both of her parents standing in front of her each looking as healthy as ever.

“It’s about your brother.” Ainsley said in a tight voice.

“Which one.” Mitka was still fearing the worst, was Aaron KIA, she nearly got sick from the thought.

“Cohen’s in trouble.”

A wave of relief and then anger, “What did he do this time?”

Here are the other shorts outlining Mitka and Jorgans romance for those who may not have caught them on the weekly challenge thread.

http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?p=4809465#post4809465

http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?p=4829347#post4829347

Oriah stood out on the covered veranda, the rain was coming down so hard that it looked like liquid window panes; thunder cracked over head and lightning illuminated the ink black sky. It was only mid afternoon, but the clouds didn’t much care and released their burdens anyway. She could see the flowers in the garden, hearty things bending to the violent rain, petals were ripped away but their strong stems bowed and did not break, their roots held them in place drinking up the same liquid that savaged them, it made them stronger.

Oriah watched a lily idly as one by one the great big pink petals were ripped away. She had graduated from the academy at the top of her class, as was expected of her. She even graduated a year ahead of her peers, when she reached the appropriate age of twenty she would accept her commission into the Imperial military, she had half a dozen letters offering her positions, she simply had to choose. She had also been offered the opportunity to enter into the Keeper program at Sith Intelligence. A petal ripped away, forced into the mud by the hard driving rain, thunder rumbled overhead.

She had about as much choice as the flowers in the garden, how far would she bend before she broke. She wanted to join the diplomatic corp, but her mother would send her to her grandfather, Lord Kaervrek was head of Sith Intelligence. She would remain a pawn, she would remain on Drummond Kaas to be married to one of the dozen men who were currently enjoying canapés and wine in her mother’s parlor. She might be force blind, but she still held the royal blood of the ancients of her mother’s clan. The suitors all came from lesser houses within the nobility, if she were to bear them little red children they would be elevated. It was a business transaction, her mother had smiled coldly, her daughter’s beauty would fetch an even higher price. Another petal was driven into the mud.

When she had walked into the parlor earlier in the afternoon to meet with those bartering for the rights to her womb, she felt their eyes on her. Red, amber, orange and golden eyes followed her, like cold oil running over her body under her clothes. Her long red hair was unbound and shone on her pale white back, fire on parchment. They were all purebloods, all Sith, ranging from her brother’s age to her grandfathers. She felt uncomfortably exposed in the dress her mother had given her to wear, a little too short, low cut, and a size too small. She was paraded in front of them, like a slave or livestock, for them to inspect, assess. They were a little too free with their hands, the older men groped at her using the force, violating her in plain sight, making her alabaster skin flush a deep red. Her mother laughed, along with the men, at her embarrassment.

“Oriah, most women would be overjoyed to have the attention of so many eligible and noble bachelors. Won’t you favor them with a smile?” Ardyth’s voice was razor sharp, it wasn’t a question, it was a command.

“Of course my Lord.” She swallowed the bile in her throat and smiled. There was only one petal clinging desperately to the head of the flower, determined not to fall, determined to show the world it was still a lily, and not just another bending naked stem.

When talk had turned to war, and bartering for Oriah herself, she had escaped outside. She felt dirty, she wanted to step out into the rain and wash away the imagined black oil that seemed to cling to her skin. After a time her heart calmed, her legs stopped shaking, and she inhaled the heady perfume of crushed flower petals, water and dirt. She heard him before she saw him, heavy boots clacking on the wooden veranda.

“Pierce. If you’ve come to bring me back in there, I’m not going, I’d rather not know how many troops, credits and estates I’m worth.” She spoke without looking at her step father.

“I’m not here to bring you back little mouse. You’re not the only one who needed some air.” He loved Ardyth, but hated the scheming and machinations of the Sith nobility, tell him who to kill and when, he had no care about the why. “Top of your class I hear, well done Oriah. Do you have plans for your year off?” There was a fondness between step father and step daughter, which had grown from respect, and from them being the only force blinds in the family.

“It was expected of me.” She responded matter of factly, as to his question, she didn’t trust him, he was still his mothers creature. “I thought to visit some friends, see some of the galaxy my mother is so determined to keep me away from.” It wasn’t all lies, although she didn’t have any friends, and there was only one planet she intended to visit. “I’m sure she’ll busy herself with planning my wedding, so long as I show up I should avoid her fury.” There was more than a little bitterness in her voice.

Pierce grunted, “I have something for you.” Oriah lifted an eyebrow as he pulled out a small data cube.

“A data cube?”

“A puzzle, you always liked puzzles. I hate the damn things, thought it better to go to someone who could solve it.” He dropped the heavy cube in Oriah’s open hand, he was no fool, Oriah was going to run, and she wasn’t going to tell him were. He didn’t blame the girl one bit. He wanted the cube his mother had given him as far away from Ardyth and Drummond Kaas as he could get it. It was heavily encrypted, but somehow it felt dangerous.

“Where did you get it?” she turned the cube over in her hands, intrigued.

“My mother.”

“Who was your mother?”

“A traitor.”

Oriah looked grim, the unspoken words were heavy between them. She simply nodded to him, and gave him a half smile.

“Will you tell her?” Will he tell her mother that she intended to run, and never come back.

“Tell her what?” he didn’t know where she was going, he honestly would have nothing to tell his wife when Oriah didn’t come back for her wedding.

They stood facing each other for a time, part of her wanted to hug him, part of her didn’t trust him. He offered his arm instead, she took it and gave it a little squeeze, and he squeezed her hand right back, he guided her back into the vipers nest in the parlor, she smiled prettily. The lily bent a further towards the mud under the rain, but it’s petal remained stubbornly attached, even when it finally brushed the mud, sullying the bright pink.

Cohen was on the holo with Kaliyo, the moment the decryption ended the data cube started putting out a signal, and Cohen hadn’t had any luck tracking where the signal was going, or turning the signal off.

“What do you mean you didn’t know about the signal? This is supposed to be your score?” He could feel his blood pressure rising.

“Shiloh you little *****.” Kaliyo murmured to herself, of course the agent would have extra security measures.

“What?”

“Send me the frequency, I’ll see if I can figure out where it’s being sent, meantime come meet me on Nar Shaddaa. We need to figure out how to deal with this little problem.”

“Fine.” He cut off the call, then dialed Mitka.

“Cohen you thieving little…”Mitka answered the call with a fury.

“I know!”

“You stole mom’s ship! How many times did dad tell us about that Skavak guy, and you steal her ship…”

“I know!”

“You can’t keep doing this, what if Aaron and me couldn’t help you this time, what would happen then?”

Cohen didn’t answer, just gave her his best puppy dog eyes.

“I’m going to kill you.”

Cohen blinked a handful of times.

“I hate you.”

“No you don’t”

“Fill me in, *******.”

Cohen gave her a big smile, and started detailing what he knew so far.

***

The signal reached its target aboard a cloaked space station orbiting the moon of an immense gas giant. The lights within the main chamber flickered to life. A soft and deep female voice filled the room.

“S.C.O.R.P.I.O program activating, optimal performance, activate supplemental overrides. Tracking locations of black codex… found. Initialize Hunter program. Hunter program 586, terminated, initializing Hunter program 587. Sending.”

Scorpio transferred her program into her droid body, the restraining bolt had been removed. The agent had kept her word, interesting. The Star Cabal would be rebuilt, designating a new Hunter was always the first step.

Kianna was practicing her Juyo form on the practice dummy having decided that sparring with Kira was simply too dangerous. Her body flew as she slashed and parried away from invisible attacks, it was like dancing, something else she had dared not to do since she had freed herself from the Emperor. So she moved her feet and swept her body in the familiar marshal forms and simply emptied her mind of thought and became movement. Her practice blade struck out against the immobile dummy again and again, faster as she worked herself into a sweat. The force swirled around her, fluid and soft in that moment. One heart, she thought to herself as she let the energy build, there was no darkness here, only fast moving swirling light, her old friend, familiar, comforting. Kianna spun with a flourish both feet leaving the floor as she kicked the dummies head. When she landed her left side was met with a painful crack, she dropped her practice saber and clutched her side, the breath knocked out of her, and all those evil questioning doubts invaded her mind again. The glowing light fell back, and she was met again with the dark little gnats that ate at her, guilt, self doubt, self pity, blame, and with those gnats, the locusts that could eat her alive, hate, anger, frustration and above all else fear.

“You still leave your left side open to attack.” Lord Scourge stood waiting holding the second practice saber.

“Still?” It unnerved her how for such a large man, he moved like a shadow, she could never hear his boots fall. She could never tell he was near unless he wanted her to know, and it was only then that she could sense his overwhelming power.

“You had the same weakness when we trained aboard the Emperors fortress.” He cocked his head, unapologetic. “Now attack.”

Kianna hated that he knew her on a level that she did not even know herself, she grit her teeth and attacked. Lord Scourge bested her within seconds.

“Again.” He commanded, and Kianna obliged.

Kianna attacked again, this time she held her own, but the swirling light eluded her, and the darkness, the little gnats, only seemed to bite at her ankles, tripping her up. Soon Lord Scourge had the advantage and pressed his attack, his powerful strikes made her whole body shake. Anger got the best of her as she flipped up and over him, she pressed him, closely using the same tactic she had used on Kira, but Scourge was not Kira and he changed his stance, then before Kianna could compensate he slammed her into the floor, denting the metal. She tasted blood in her mouth, Scourge’s eyes bore into her as he pinned her in place, a sneer on his lips.

“Stop thinking, you cannot defeat me, let alone the emperor if your body is doing one thing and your mind is elsewhere.” He chastised her like a child, and she supposed to him she was a child.

Kianna spit blood and griped her saber, her pride wounded, and she attacked again, and again he bested her, effortlessly.

“Jedi, your mind should be here, where is it?”

She growled and attacked, he was too strong, as he parried her strikes, hopelessness started to wear on her, he was right, she would never defeat the emperor. Scourge must have sensed the weakness, because he dropped the practice saber, and ripped Kianna’s out of her hand and then slapped her full across the face, sending her reeling. He grabbed her before she fell and held her in a choke hold with one hand, he spun her around so that her back was to his chest, his other hand twisted her arm painfully behind her back. With her free hand she grasped at the hand at her throat.

“Enough!” he roared in her ear, she stopped struggling in his arms then and was still. “This self doubt will be your undoing.” He squeezed his huge hand around her throat. “In this moment, what do you want? What is needed?” His mouth was next to her ear, lips brushing against skin so he could make sure she was present and listening.

Kianna couldn’t speak, and she started seeing black spots in front of her eyes as she gasped for breath. For a moment, she wanted to die, she wanted to simply die, for this to end. She didn’t want to save the galaxy, she didn’t want this burden. She heard a cold bitter laugh from Scourges deep and warm voice.

“I have endured for 300 years waiting for you, empty of emotion, of senses, I betrayed far better Jedi then you because I thought you were salvation, that you had the strength necessary. You think you suffer Jedi? You think you suffer?” His words were dark, full of anger, “I would be happy to oblige you Jedi, if it is despair and death that you want then I will give them to you, for you are of no use to me in your current state. I will wait another 300 years, empty of all things that make me a man, if it means finding someone worthy.”

Kianna knew a moment of panic as the second stretched forth with no air, and she fought back, the force giving her strength as she pulled the hand away from her throat, just enough for her to grasp it. She shifted her legs her feet barely reaching around Scourges firmly planted legs, and then she hauled with all of her strength, the light surging around her, helping her flip the imposing Sith Pureblood on to his back. She called her light saber to her hand and knelt on him, leveling it at his throat. Her grip did not waver as the blue beam was held inches from his flesh. He smiled from his position, a feral predatory grin, his eyes held living fires.

“I am worthy.” She rasped, he was right, she suffered, but not enough for this hopelessness, there is always hope, and for the first time since hearing about Scourges vision she believed it. “I am worthy.”

“Good. Now what is it that you want in this moment?” Ever the teacher.

“What I want, is to let go of this damnable guilt, I want to be free of accusing glances and hushed whispers. I want to be free to do the job assigned to me without my character being questioned at every turn. I also want to run you through with my light saber.” She could feel the power pulsing around her, it mingled with Scourges own, and he laughed, a low deep chuckle at her final statement.

“And, what is needed Jedi?” He asked his second question. Kianna grinned wickedly at him, but shut off her saber and stood up, offering her hand to the man sprawling on the floor. He took it, his hand was warm and red, and engulfed her delicate blue fingers.

“You” she said simply, her hand still wrapped in his. “You are needed, I need you to remind me of my strength, of my power, of who I am, I need you to challenge me, as you just have. I have never thought for myself, before the emperor took me, I followed the Jedi code and the orders of the council blindly, small wonder that the emperor took hold of my mind so easily” She leveled a look at him, red on red, “I need an ally in this mess, and a teacher, who is not afraid to teach the hard lessons.” She thought of Orgus Din, taken from her too soon, he had been a good teacher, the council, had rushed her training, she had not been ready, and she knew it, and they knew it. So she would learn from the only teacher she had access too, council be damned.

Scourge watched her, the determination in her hoarse voice, the despair that had so disgusted him gone, for the moment. His eyes flicked down to where their hands were still clasped, and he could feel their energies drifting and intermingling with each other. Energy was one of the few things he could still feel, and the effect was not all together unpleasant, even if it was light side energy.

“Then I am yours Jedi.”

T7-01 rolled into the cargo hold, beeping excitedly. “Data chip = decrypted // results = coordinates”

“Thank you T7. Where are these coordinates?” Kianna asked, curious about the mystery her sister had left her with.

“Coordinates = Belsavis”

“What is the droid going on about?”

“Just some family business to take care of after we finish saving the planet.” She turned back to Scourge and offered him an impish grin before leaving the room. She was worthy, and she would prove it.