Before - Legends A Little Crazy {The Old Republic, Another SoR AU}

Title: A Little Crazy
Author: SabyneAmberle
Characters: Kybrina Sevrelle, Theron Shan, Lana Beniko, appearances and cameos from various other characters.
Era: The Old Republic
Genre: Drama, Romance, little angst here and there
Summary: In times of adversity even the most hated of enemies can come together for a common cause. Sometimes, that common cause leads to much more...
Notes: Yup, another TOR Shadow of Revan fic featuring Theron Shan! I had a lot of ideas for the other fic that I decided to spin off into an AU of my AU, so to speak. This covers roughly the same story as my other fic, only with a slightly different POV and more emphasis on the scenes. It should be interesting to write.

As always, let me know if you want me to tag you for future updates. I'll do my best to remember. :X

***

From his leaning post next to Lana, Theron's SIS training kicked in the instant he saw the trio enter the room. He had been watching them remotely, using the computer terminal to slice into the research facility's systems to monitor and aid them. It had been a very close shave -no thanks to Darth Arkous and Colonel Davok- but the team had managed to escape the facility before it fell to crush depth in Manaan's endless oceans. And now, they were returning to this makeshift meeting room for a post-mission debriefing.

Briefly, his gaze flicked over to Lana, who was standing on his left. The anxious look of her eyes betrayed her concern for their allies, but otherwise her face remained almost serene. Theron thought she could make a far better Jedi than some in the Order, even though she had politely declined the suggestion when he broached it a few hours earlier. Unlike most Sith he had had the dubious pleasure of being acquainted with, Lana Beniko seemed to prefer diplomacy and negotiation to outright fighting. This would make her an oddity in the Sith order, sure, but the Republic could use cooler heads like hers. At least, that was what he thought.

As the group drew closer, Lana abruptly began walking toward them, meeting them roughly in the center of the room. Not wanting to be left out of the conversation, Theron shrugged a bit and followed.

“Welcome back,” Lana began. “Once again, you've displayed a skill and determination that few possess.” Theron watched the hunter give a nod in reply; clearly she was unsure how to answer such praise. Or maybe her helmet made it difficult for her to communicate. One could never be sure.

He folded his arms and gave the hunter a brief once-over. “I've seen worse,” he added. She seemed capable, if the video feeds he had been watching were any indication. A bit reckless and sloppy here and there, but that could be forgiven under the circumstances.

The hunter turned her attention on him, and he could almost swear he felt her eyes on him even through her helmet. “Wait, you...you're the one from the comm,” she said, disbelief edging her voice. “The one who helped us out down there.”

“I am,” he replied, a smirk touching his lips automatically.

Lana, clearly wanting to press forward with the debriefing, stepped in again. “Perhaps I should make proper introductions,” she said. Before she could say another word, Theron cut her off.

“No need to tell me who I'm addressing,” he said. “Kybrina Sevrelle, if I'm not mistaken. This one's already made quite the name for herself out in the galaxy. SIS has quite the dossier on her to this point.” He refocused his full attention on the hunter before him. "I'm Theron Shan. Republic SIS and your new ally.”

The hunter quietly observed him for a few seconds before replying. “If you'd ever like to join the Empire, I could try to put in a word for you.” He could hear the teasing edge to her voice; there was a lilt to it that indicated amusement. Never mind that what she suggested was totally infeasible for him. Still, it was worth playing along a bit.

“I'm...oddly flattered,” he said. And honestly? He was. Most Imperials cursed SIS agents for making their own jobs that much tougher. It was nice to have someone appreciate his skills. “Not even going to consider it, but...flattered.”

“That's really a shame, Agent Shan. Perhaps I could make you a better offer, then?” Theron watched her in confused silence, wondering what she could mean by that query. He didn't have to wait long for his answer; after a few moments, she reached up and removed her helmet. She shook her hair loose as it fell from the helmet, then looked up at him with bright eyes. “I'm always looking for good crew members. Why don't you join me for a few hunts?” she asked. “It'll be better than sitting in a boring office analyzing intelligence data day in and day out, that much I'm sure of.”

“I...” he stopped as he locked gazes with her. Those eyes were as bright and clear as the skies overhead, while her hair fell in slightly tangled waves around her face. Quickly, his eyes scanned her face, taking in every feature and detail, from those blue eyes and her pale skin to the scars and hardware her face bore. She might look the part of a rich city girl, but she clearly had led a less-than-charmed life. “I'll keep it in mind.”

Her reply was crisp and clipped. “Good. You do that.”

“If I may continue, please?” Lana's voice, tinged with irritation, broke into their chat, and Theron gave her an apologetic nod. She smiled at him a bit, then turned back to Kybrina. “The way we were fooled by Darth Arkous...the same happened to Theron, except with the colonel.”

Theron nodded. “And between what you found down in that lab, and what Lana and pieced together, I can tell you they're both traitors.”

“Arkous and Darok are in league with a dangerous movement, a shadowy cult known as the Order of Revan,” Lana continued, her tone eerily calm.

“I know of them,” Kybrina replied. “Back when I was on Dromund Kaas, I visited their compound. But every indication is that Revan died. Surely, he's not in control of the order that bears his name...?”

Lana held up a hand. “It's not Revan himself, but those who follow his doctrine we're concerned with,” she said. “They seem to have grown rather bold. The Order of Revan used to operate in the shadows of Imperial space, but now their ranks include at least one major Republic figure.”

“That means I can't trust my people, and Lana can't trust hers. Present company excluded,” Theron interjected. “And if the Revanites are building an army of cyborgs...”

Abruptly, the wookiee Kybrina had rescued from the facility rushed forward. “I do not care about any of this! I want revenge on the Pub and the Imp who left me to die – twice!”

Clearly unfazed by the interruption, Kybrina smiled. “This is Jakarro,” she said simply, pointing her thumb toward the wookiee.

“And I am Ceetoo Deefour, former translator to her Imminence, Queen Lina of Onderon,” The droid head strapped to Jakarro's chest added, its eyes lighting up as it spoke. Theron took note of the way Lana sank her face into the palm of her hand after the droid spoke, but he felt the mismatched duo might still prove useful. He closed the gap between himself and the wookiee and spoke to him directly.

“Hey Jakarro. How would you feel about helping me track those two down?” he asked.

“I can help,” the big wookiee answered. “I have many contacts all over the galaxy. But I do the driving!”

Theron couldn't help but laugh. “We'll talk about it,” he replied, turning back toward Lana. “Lana, will you be joining us?”

She shook her head. “We don't yet know how deep the Revanites' influence runs,” she said. “I must learn what I can from within the Empire.”

Turning back to Jakarro, Theron shared a shrug with the wookiee, and the two of them left the room. He could faintly hear Lana exchange a few final words with Kybrina before they were out of earshot.

Following the wookiee to his ship, Theron helped out here and there with preparations for travel. Eventually, the only things left were a few minor pre-flight checks Jakarro could easily take care of on his own. Figuring this was a good time to bow out, Theron ducked out of the ship and headed toward the edge of the walkway. There, he had an unrivaled view of Manaan's vast oceans. He inhaled deeply of the sea air, feeling the breezew whip through his hair. He could definitely see why so many saw this planet as a haven from the stress of galactic life; he was certainly getting used to the idea.

A familiar voice nearby jarred him from his thoughts, and he turned his head to focus on its origin. He smiled when he saw who it was, and waited quietly for her to finish her current conversation.

**

“What do you think of all this, Kybri?” As they left the room, Torian asked the question that was weighing the heaviest on his mind. “Lot to take in, isn't it?”

“It is,” Ky replied with a nod, unable to suppress the small smile that crossed her lips every time she heard that nickname from him. Although neither of them was interested in a romantic relationship, each of them respected the other as a friend and a comrade. Ky was always happy to listen to his hunting stories; in exchange Torian gladly helped her train with both blasters and melee weapons. All the better to help her be prepared for whatever crossed her path, she figured.

She took a few deep breaths as she mentally sorted through the information she had gleaned from various sources. Her head really was spinning with everything she had been learning these past few weeks. Things about the Revanites, about Arkous and Darok, about Lana, about Theron....

She stopped mentally at thinking of his name, and the smile on her lips grew as she pictured his face yet again. There was something about him that just felt so...intriguing to her. A small part of her couldn't help but wonder if he was curious at all about her.

“Kybri?” Torian's voice abruptly jerked her from her thoughts, and she shrugged under his puzzled gaze.

“It's nothing, I was just thinking,” she answered. “I really hope we aren't getting in over our heads on this whole Revanite conspiracy.” He nodded, and they walked on in silence for a few more feet before stopping at the boarding ramp of the shuttle.

She gave Torian a long look. “This is it, isn't it?” she asked.

He nodded. “For a while, at least,” he replied. “Head back to Geonosis, assist Mandalore with the war effort from there for a few months. Good way to get me back into battle, wouldn't you say?”

She laughed softly. “Personally, I can't think of a better way,” she said. “The Mantis won't feel quite the same with you gone, Torian. Make sure you come back in one piece, all right?” Gently she rested a gloved hand on his armored shoulder, feeling a brief sting of tears in her eyes. She'd come to see him as a younger brother, and she couldn't help but feel a little protective of him because of that. He reminded her of her two younger brothers back on Deralia, made her remember she would do anything to keep them safe. Discreetly, she wiped her eyes with her free hand. No use in getting sentimental, after all.

“That's the plan.” The two of them shared a friendly hug. “Make sure you look after Blizz for me, will you Kybri?”

She laughed. “Of course I will! I like the little guy, too,” she answered cheerfully. “That little Jawa has more than come in handy, plus he's a good friend when you need someone to cheer you up, you know?”

He nodded. “I do.” They shared one more long look before Torian turned and boarded the shuttle. Slowly, the ramp raised, then the craft began to climb skyward. Not wanting to get debris in her eyes, Ky shielded her face with one hand, tilting her head back to watch the shuttle until it blasted out of sight.

“Hey. You okay?” The voice behind her made her jump a little, and she turned to see Theron standing behind her.

“Agent Shan,” she replied with a deferential nod. “I appreciate the concern, but I'll be fine. Just have to remind myself he can take care of himself. He'll be back on my crew in no time.”

“Good to hear.” Theron thought about reaching out and squeezing her shoulders reassuringly, but felt it was too intimate a gesture for an acquaintance to engage in. “You ready for this next mission?” he asked, his tone neutral.

She nodded. “As soon as you get me the information you and Jakarro are searching for, I'll be there to help,” she replied.

Theron nodded in reply. “As soon as we need you, I'm sure Lana will be in touch,” he said. “At any rate, I should get back to Jakarro. He was almost done prepping the ship, and I'd hate for him to leave me behind.”

Ky gave an understanding nod. “I follow,” she replied. “Stay safe, both of you.”

“No promises, but we'll try.” With those last few words, Ky watched him turn away from her and retrace his steps, his retreating back quickly lost in the bustle of the walkway. Sighing, she turned in the direction she was originally heading, looking for the shuttle that would return her to her ship.

 

So is this the one that you were pondering as an alternate to the other? I too like it being an AU of its own; your Kybrina/Torian couple seems so solid that breaking them up would just feel sad even if it wasn't achieved by cheating or falling rocks.

So, anyway. Yay for more Theron! I'm becoming fond of the hapless Republic agent through your fics. Normalcy seems to be something that happens to other people in his world. And Kybrina we already know through the other 'verses a bit.

Oh come on, just because the poor girl has no self-preservation instinct (what is it she was in the hospital for in your other fic -- oh, right, picking a knock-down-drag-out fight with a Sith. ) But that doesn't mean she's sloppy, Theron. I'm sure she'd be horrified.

Aww! They're flirting! Well, maybe not quite. Actually, I like the way that they're both not too proud of their respective employers to appreciate some admiration from the other side. They're only human, after all. And how often do they get to show off for someone who can appreciate their skills -- that they don't have to kill or capture in the process?

Nice to see some of the rest of the crew being introduced; Jakarro and Ceetoo Deefour both sound like they must have some interesting stories to tell.

Glad to see they're still buddies in this version. Too bad to see him going away, but I can see how it helps trim down the cast a bit. And apparently it's not permanent.

Nice conversation, and I think this is just Theron being decent -- which is as important as any attraction there might be between them.

 

Thanks, Kahara!

I absolutely agonized over the idea of messing with the Kybrina/Torian pairing I created. While I do like to make characters earn their happy endings -and I'm not averse to making characters suffer to be happy- I couldn't bring myself to potentially damage/break them up. (There's also the fact that I despise demonizing one side to make a breakup happen and push the other side into a different relationship. It feels so contrived.) So going the alternate headcanon of being too professional for a relationship with a crew member was the best way for me to take them. They're still close, but they aren't romantically linked.

Theron's a blast! Ever have that character who inexplicably grabs you and won't let go? That was Theron for me. (And Lana's no slouch either.) He's a very interested, very complex man with a streak of awkwardness that shows up here and there. I actually think some of Chyntuck 's writings were what inspired me to want to flesh out Theron much more. He's a Republic guy, but he's not always a 'good' guy, as one will eventually see.

 

Okay, so here's the next update for this story. From here, I hope to set up a better update schedule for this fic and the other one I'm writing. That way, I don't drive myself crazy with wonky updates. This one's a bit more background-type info, but it does flesh out the wait between Manaan and Lehon...not to mention it brings in another member of Kybrina's crew.

******

“How are things looking from your angle, Jakarro?” Theron called over his shoulder, hands deftly moving over the terminal in front of him. He had to give the wookiee credit; the outside of his ship might not look like much, but the inside was kept all but immaculate. Every system was painstakingly cared for and maintained to function at peak optimization. Theron figured a smuggler needed to keep up his tech, as it could be the difference between a lucrative payout and time spent in prison. Or worse.

From the cockpit, Jakarro gave a grunt, which Theron took to mean he hadn't found anything substantial as of yet. He then heard Ceetwo ask a mundane question about navigation, which was answered by an annoyed howl from the wookiee. Theron shook his head, how did those two manage to get along for this length of time? It had to be one of the great mysteries of the galaxy.

Letting out a long sigh, Theron leaned back in his chair and blankly stared at the wall just above the computer. His thoughts drifted to Kybrina, and his mind immediately latched onto the few brief interactions he had had with the hunter. Maybe once all this investigation business was dealt with, he would take her up on her offer and join in on a few hunts. Most of the bounty hunters he had tracked as part of his SIS work had been total scum; a few he had managed to put behind bars for actions he was able to follow up on. She was different; likely due to the fact she was a Mandalorian, she conducted herself with some modicum of honor and respect for her targets. It was fascinating to read through the reports that detailed her work, looking at how she decided whether to spare someone or put a blaster bolt through their head. It was a hard position to be in, one he didn't think he could do nearly as well as she did.

The fact she was easy on the eyes didn't hurt his assessment of her at all. Matter of fact, it only added to her charm. Even though it had been days since they last spoke, he could still picture her face so clearly it was like she was standing in front of him. Those bright blue eyes, the tousled red hair, the fair skin and freckles...even the scars and hardware on her face couldn't hurt her looks. She was quite pretty, and Theron felt himself smile unconsciously at the idea of possibly seeing her again. Just as quickly, the memory of where her allegiances lay sobered him. No, he couldn't let himself be distracted. He was a Republic agent, she was an independent mercenary with strong Imperial ties. He couldn't be swayed by a pretty face, he had to stay focused and professional.

“Oh! Oh! Agent Shan! Jakarro's found something!” Hearing Ceetwo's voice waft from the cockpit snapped Theron out of his thoughts. He quickly stood from his chair and headed up to the cockpit, peering out the front view port. His eyes scanned the planet below, took note of the beaches, the wildlife...

The temples. His eyes stopped on the largest one, one that towered ominously over the land below it. The sensor data indicated there was something more to it than just old ruins.

“That may be where our friends are hiding,” Theron stated. “Gather as much data as you can about that temple, Jakarro. The more details we can parse, the better. I'll open a channel back to Lana and funnel details to her so she can take a look as well.”

**

“Fascinating.” Lana's image appeared on Theron's holo, clearly studying the data she was being sent. “According to galactic archives, three centuries ago this planet was the last one Revan visited in search of the Star Forge. I wonder if there's a connection.”

Theron raised an eyebrow at the theory. “I doubt it,” he replied. “Lehon has seen very little formal study since Revan visited three hundred years ago. I think this planet is remote and unknown enough to make it easy for people to hide here. Even high-profile people like Arkous and Darok.”

“You're absolutely right, Theron. I think the time for action will soon be at hand.” Lana paused, typing something on the console in front of her. “I also think it's time we get back in touch with our friend and brief her on the mission. I'm going to let that honor be yours, Theron.”

“Me? Why?” Theron asked, disbelief spilling into his tone. “Last I checked, she's on your side. Hell, you Imperial types consider her a hero. I'm a Republic agent. Why should I be the one to call her?”

Lana smiled enigmatically. “Because, Theron, I think she likes you,” she replied coolly. “Think of how happy she will be to hear from you as opposed to me.”

“Don't sell yourself short, Lana,” Theron protested. “I'm sure she likes you just fine.”

“Of that I have no doubt. However, I believe she is drawn more to you, which means you should brief her on this new mission.”

Defeated, Theron held up his hands. “All right, all right. You made your point,” he said, feeling a bit exasperated. “Once we finish here I'll call her up and see if we can't have her rendezvous with us down on the planet surface.”

**

“Come on, come on,” Theron muttered, gritting his teeth as he pressed the buttons on his comm. “Kybrina, just pick up your damn comm already.”

Once he and Jakarro had wrapped up their reconaissance work, they had landed on one of Lehon's remote beaches. After making sure neither the wildlife nor the natives would bother them, Jakarro made sure their little beachhead was secure. Meanwhile, Theron had begun setting up a remote holocommunications relay to reach their other allies. It had to be a unit small enough not to attract unwarranted attention, but powerful enough to broadcast across the galaxy as needed. With it finally finished, he tested it out by contacting Lana to inform her that preparations on Lehon were complete. She answered that she would be on her way momentarily, and reminded him to contact Kybrina in the interim.

He had huffed and fumed outwardly at the idea, but in reality a tiny part of him wanted to talk to the hunter again. Even if only for a few minutes. He hadn't seen Kybrina since their prior parting on Manaan, and he had heard she was tracking another bounty target while he was gathering intel on Darok and Arkous. Seemed she liked keeping busy almost as much as he did; at least she wasn't sitting around waiting for the action to come to her.

That tinge of curiosity soon was threatened by feelings of annoyance and frustration. Theron had been trying for the better part of an hour to reach her, with no luck. He knew it wasn't a problem on his end; he had checked every connection and every part and they all had checked out. If anything was wrong, it was on her end. His first thought was that something had happened to her, and a split-second of panic flitted around in the back of his mind and conjured imagined scenarios. He knew they were completely ridiculous, and the concern faded. She was far too capable a bounty hunter to let any mere problems hamstring her like that.

Suddenly, a thought occurred to him, and he silently cursed himself for not thinking of this alternative sooner. Terminating his latest failed communication with Kybrina, he typed in a different holofrequency, pausing to double-check the code before beginning the transmission. This was a frequency he had dug up while investigating Kybrina and her crew, and he had kept it with him in case it ever came in handy. After all, if he couldn't reach the hunter directly, why not try getting to her through a crew member?

He didn't have long to wait; within a few moments, the call was answered. “H-Hello? Who is this? How did you get this frequency?” He couldn't blame them for being cautious. He was calling from an unknown holofrequency that was set with high encryption. If those facts alone didn't draw suspicion, he would have been incredibly surprised.

“It's Mako, right?” he asked as her image flickered into view. He took in every detail about her, from her slim frame and the light armor she wore to the cybernetic augments protruding from her temples.

“I am. Still doesn't tell me who you are or how you got my private frequency.”

He shrugged. “I'm Theron. And I'm a friendly,” he replied. “Mako, I need your help. I need to pass information on to Kybrina, but she isn't answering her holo. Is she all right?”

“Ky? Oh! Yes, she's fine,” Mako seemed a bit embarrassed, if her body language and voice were indicators. “She told me you might be trying to reach her at some point, Theron. She said to tell you she's sorry for missing you, but this last hunt took more out of her than she thought.”

“Hm. Glad to know she's okay and all, but I really need to talk to her directly,” Theron answered, crossing his arms over his chest. “Can you give me a hand with that, Mako?”

“Sure thing, Theron. But it may take a few minutes,” Mako said. “I need to make sure she's awake so she picks up the holocall. Can you wait, say, five minutes before trying to call her again?”

He shrugged. “I've waited this long. What's a few more minutes?” he answered. “Thanks, Mako.”

“Any time.”

 

Next update. A bit more 'between the flashpoints' fill in, but this was fun to come up with. As always, let me know if you'd like to be tagged in future updates.

*****

When her bleary senses picked up the beeping of her comm, Ky let out a long groan. As she blindly reached a hand out toward the noise to shut it off, the beeping noise ceased all on its own. She muttered a low curse at the waste of precious sleep time the interruption had caused, then slowly opened her eyes. Turning her head to get a glimpse of the chrono that sat next to her comm on the bedside table, her eyes widened as she hazily realized both the day and time. She had literally slept through two whole nights and an entire day. She squeezed her eyes shut, rubbing the bridge of her nose with her fingers to try and dispel the fog in her head.

Mentally, she recounted the events This most recent bounty target had been a tough one to track. Under normal circumstances, she would have paired off with Torian for a difficult hunt like this one. He was still pretty young, but his tracking skills were second to none. His expertise had saved her time and frustation numerous times since he joined the crew. Now that his presence on the team would be patchy, Ky knew she had to step up and polish her tracking skills. If the prior few days were any indication, she had to polish them in a hurry. What would have been a day of tracking -with sufficient time to sleep- when working with Torian turned into two solid days of trailing the target before he was terminated on the third day. That wasn't even counting the two near-sleepless nights; had Gault not taken watch for a few hours each night Ky would have gotten no sleep. As it was the fatigue and stress of this hunt threatened to overwhelm her, and she counted herself lucky that she managed to crawl into bed in her home on Nar Shaddaa before she succumbed to her exhaustion.

A sudden knock at the door woke Ky up further, and she sat up a bit in bed. “What's up?” she asked, her voice slightly hoarse for some odd reason.

“It's me.” Mako's voice filtered through the door. “Made you some caf, thought it would help wake you up. Also, Theron's been trying to reach you on the holo. Said it was pretty urgent he talk to you.”

“Agent Shan, huh?” Ky murmured to herself. “Wonder what he's found.” Slowly, she swung her legs over the side of the bed and stood up. Crossing the room, she opened the door. Mako apparently had other things to attend to around the house, as she was nowhere in sight when the door slid open. Instead, Ky saw a small metal tray sitting on the floor; on top of it was a large cup of steaming dark liquid. Ky didn't typically drink caf much, figuring the life of a hunter was stimulating enough without the extra chemicals. But this morning she felt the need for a boost.

As she bent down to pick up the cup, she heard the sound of her holo beeping again. Re-entering her room, she closed and locked the door behind her before returning to the bed. She didn't even bother making it, she sat cross-legged on the unkempt covers and reached for the button on the comm. As Theron's image flickered into view, she took a long drink of her caf, savoring the bitter sting at the back of her throat.

“Agent Shan,” she began, silently thankful the earlier hoarseness to her voice had faded. “Been a while. It's nice to hear from you again.”

“Yeah, if you say s-THE HELL?” Theron's voice switched from its usual no-nonsense tone to shock in under three seconds. “Kybrina, would you mind putting some clothes on while I brief you?”

“Why?” Ky asked with a shrug. “What's wrong with what I'm wearing?” She wasn't naked, she was too paranoid of being attacked while asleep. But the undergarments she was wearing did leave very little to the imagination. When she had come in from her last night, she was so drained she had practically shaken off her armor and collapsed under the covers. In the comfort of her own room, with the caf burning her throat a bit as she swallowed, she was beyond caring what some stuffy SIS Agent thought about her current attire.

“Lace-edged undergarments do not make for professional attire, Kybrina.” Theron had recovered from his initial shock, and now sounded almost irritated. “So why not go put on some real garments while we're talking?”

“Not happening.”

“You're joking. Why not?”

“Listen, Agent Shan. I'm still recovering from having to spend the better part of two days and nights tailing a target. I got maybe six hours of sleep total over two nights. If I want to sit here in my underwear sipping caf and listening to you ramble on, then I'd say I've more than earned that right at this point.”

“Fine.” He really sounded exasperated now. “Jakarro and I found something out here on Lehon...”

“Lehon? Where's that?”

“You might know it as Rakata Prime. I'd tell you more, but I can't risk information being intercepted over a holotransmission. I'm sending you coordinates for our rendezvous point. Mobilize yourself and meet us there as soon as you can.”

Ky nodded. “You bet, Agent Shan,” she replied. “I'll start preparing right after we wrap this call. See you shortly.”

**

A soft noise intruded on Theron's jumbled thoughts as he terminated the holocall. Looking to his left, he scowled when he saw Lana standing there, one hand delicately covering her mouth to suppress her laughter.

“What's so funny?” he snapped.

“You...your face is so red right now, Theron,” Lana replied, amusement evident in her voice. “Did seeing Kybrina really affect you that much?”

“What are you talking about? My face is hardly red.” Deciding he needed some fresh air, he abruptly walked away from the terminal, making his way to the shore. The tiny waves lapped at his boots, which cleared his head a bit and let him think. His thoughts went to their mission, to their targets inside the temple. He started formulating a strategy based on the intelligence he had gathered to that point. Mentally, he ran through every possible scenario, prepared himself for what else they might be facing.

All of this trouble to keep from remembering seeing Kybrina in that state of undress. Still, she'd had a point. When he saw her image, she still looked tired. Her hair stuck out in various directions, some of which he didn't think hair could stick out in. Her blue eyes were muted, and they clearly showed her fatigue. He had to admit, it sounded like she'd been through a lot over the past several days; maybe she did deserve a lazy morning sipping caf while getting information. Would he have done any differently if he were in that position?

He wasn't sure how much time had passed, but soon he heard approaching footsteps. He turned around to see Lana walking toward him, her stride full of its usual Imperial purpose. “Need something?” he asked, trying to keep his voice casual.

She shook her head. “I just wanted to inform you that I heard from Kybrina just now,” she replied. “She's on her way, and will be here shortly.”

“Hm, that was fast. Looks like I have a sitrep to prepare before she gets here.”

 

Whew! Now that real life has let me breathe a bit, I can put up the next update. A little caution, there is 'self-surgery' (lacking a better term) that some may find squicky.

**********

The high-pitched sound of engines in the distance told Theron that she had arrived. Her ship -the Mantis he remembered her saying it was called- had a distinctive keening sound to its engines, one that made it stand out in a sea of ambient noise. Hearing the faint sound of approaching footsteps, he turned his head in the direction of the faint beach trail. He began to raise an arm in greeting, but stopped short when he noticed Kybrina's unusual gait.

Was she...limping? What happened?

“Hey!” he sprinted toward her as she stumbled and began to fall. Catching her quickly, he supported her weight as he helped her to a nearby rock. “Are you okay? What's wrong?”

“Damn knee. The joint's frozen,” Ky replied, her tone showing her aggravation and embarrassment. “Feels like I busted a bearing or two back on Manaan and they've been slowly grinding down since.”

“Bearing? What...” Theron began to ask, but she was busy activating her comm and paid him little attention. Why was she talking about joints and bearings? It made no sense.

“Mako, can you do me a favor?” Ky asked when her crew mate's image appeared. “Before you leave the Mantis, can you bring my maintenance kit?”

“Won't be a problem, Ky. I'll grab it on my way out.”

Once she terminated the call, Kybrina set to work unfastening the armor plates over her left leg. Once the heavy plating was out of the way, she then began work on the complex buckles that secured the leg of her pants to the rest of the garment. She tried bending her knee gingerly, gritting her teeth as she heard the faint scraping noises it was making.

“Ky!” Her head snapped up as Mako approached, a small bundle in her hands. Giving her friend a grateful smile, she opened the bundle, producing a myriad of small tools and a few flat, unmarked packages. She inspected each item carefully for damage, then set them aside and resumed unfastening the buckles on her pant leg.

Theron watched her work, confusing marring his features. What was she talking about, with joints and bearings? He frowned a bit, the question bothering him considerably. And what could she be doing with those tools?

He didn't have long to wait. With armor and garment out of the way, she picked up one of the thinner, tools, a syringe filled with some sort of liquid. She pierced the skin just above her knee with the needle, slowly injecting its contents into her flesh. With that small task finished, she then picked up one of the knife-like tools. Theron watched her take a deep breath and position the tool directly above her knee. Before he could react or shout, she had jammed the blade deep into the skin beneath its tip. Biting her bottom lip in concentration, she made several long cuts around her knee, each one penetrating deeper than the previous ones.

Theron fought back an abrupt wave of dizziness at what he had just seen. She's crazy! His mind kept yelling at him. She just stabbed herself through the knee with a blade! What the hell is with her? After taking several deep breaths, his head cleared ad he could watch her more intently. The first thing he noticed was the blood. More accurately, he noticed the lack of blood. With how deeply she was cutting into her skin, she should have either fitted a tourniquet around her thigh or risked bleeding all over the sand. But no blood came from any of those cuts, only a few whimpers of pain as she continued to carve away at the flesh beneath the blade. An odd, clear liquid seeped from the broken flesh every so often, but there was nothing else to indicate injury.

Which he knew meant only one thing.

“Nice cybernetic leg you got there, Kybrina.” He cringed at his word choice, but he was attempting to keep his tone casual. And failing, if the smirk on her lips was any indication.

She shrugged one shoulder, eyes still locked on her task. “Thanks. It was an unexpected gift from one Darth Tormen,” she replied. With the synthskin cut away, she slid her fingers beneath the cut edges, carefully peeling the fake skin away from the joint. “But I figured you already knew about that whole mess.”

“All too well.” Theron's thoughts flicked back to the lengthy reports the SIS kept on her, recalling her alliance with Darth Tormen. To say the man was bad news would be the worst sort of understatement; as far as Sith Lords went Tormen was a whole new level of nightmare even among his peers. “The reports on Jun Seros' actions made it very clear why you joined forces with someone like Tormen. But I didn't know he cost you a leg.”

She shrugged again, picking up a pair of forceps and fishing around in the metallic components that made up her knee. “Neither did I until I woke up in medbay a month later with a shiny new appendage,” she replied. “Took some getting used to before it felt like my original one did, but now it's as though I never had it replaced.”

“Except when your knee freezes up,” Theron replied with a smirk. “You often do surgery on your own leg?”

“Nope. Never had to before now.” After several attempts, she finally pulled out the offending object; Theron could see the thin cracks in the bearing, paired with rough spots where it had worn improperly. In a joint like a knee, an improperly positioned bearing could cause any number of issues, including locking and freezing of the entire joint. Setting the damaged piece aside, Ky opened one of the sealed packages to reveal an identical bearing. Picking it up with the forceps, she deftly navigated them through the metallic components to the bearing's proper location. “It's strange...these bearings are generally so tough. I'm surprised this one was damaged this badly.” Her voice sounded distracted as she snapped the bearing into place.

“Could have just been a bad bearing. Or maybe someone who lives life on the edge the way you do just burns through her tech far faster than most.”

“Maybe.” With her impromptu surgery completed, Ky picked up a bottle of adhesive and set to work gluing the ragged edges of synthskin back together. Once finished with the adhering process, she wrapped a cloth over the area to keep the edges together until the adhesive had properly set.

Theron raised an eyebrow as he watched her work. “By the way, where did you get all these tools?” he asked. “That little kit's packing some pretty decent tech supplies. Not really the kind of thing you can pick up on Coruscant at the local trader's.”

She gave her characteristic one-shoulder shrug. “I have ways,” she replied vaguely, pulling up her pant leg and working to fasten it again. “I know people who can find me the things I need, and I keep supplies stockpiled in case I run into any trouble with my cybernetics.”

“Not a bad idea, actually.” He lapsed into silence as she refastened her leg armor, then bent down to offer her a helping hand. He noted how she froze, her eyes locked on his hand like it was a deadly weapon pointed directly at her. After a few silent moments, she slowly took his hand, bracing herself against his weight as she stood up. As soon as she was upright, she dropped his hand as though it were burning her to touch. She kept her expression neutral, so he couldn't tell what she might be thinking as she stepped back away from him. But he kept staring at her face, trying to eke out some meaning behind those intense eyes of hers.

Finally, she broke the long silence. “So, why did you bring me all the way out here?” she asked. “Find something useful?”

“Not totally sure.” Following her lead, Theron snapped back into business mode. He had to keep his mind more on the mission, less on this fascinatingly frustrating hunter. “Let's head over to Lana, she'll give you the full rundown.”