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Topic:
Going Beyond Friendship - Romance, Angst, novel - Nejaa Halcyon/Scerra/Rostek Horn, updated 8/6
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Flowerlady
Registered:
Dec '05
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Date Posted:
3/17 5:23am
Subject:
RE: Going Beyond Friendship - Romance, Angst, novel - Nejaa Halcyon/Scerra/Rostek Horn, updated 3/14
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canadianjedimama
*happy first post dance*
I'll be back...
EDIT: I'm back.
I loved Neeja and Rostek going all Jedi CSI in their hunt for the painting. *scratches chin* Just how legal is that anyway? No grounds for appeal I hope.
Hehe...I hope not either, but I have a feeling that the Baron won't want to appeal... 
I've got 2 credits that say Neeja's eyes pop out of his head when he sees Scerra's new dress.... 
I've also got another 2 credits that say Neeja makes an addendum to that Jedi Code of his by the end of this night... 
emmm.... You'll see....
Great post FL and thanks for the PM!
Thanks and you're welcome!!!!! 
Ultima_1
I love the banter between Rostek and Nejaa about the mind tricks. At least they didn't get into a situation where telekinesis would have been needed.
I enjoyed writing them... they are a lot of fun. But yeah, if they needed TK they may have been in trouble.
I also liked the back story you gave for Scerra.
Thanks...we'll get more in the next chapter...
Thanks for reading...
SWpants666
Instantly losing the smugness, Ros stared at Nejaa with his mouth hanging open as Nejaa winked at him and said, “You have a nice day too.
 How's THAT for Jedi mind tricks? hehe
I'm glad that you liked that... 
Then he grinned and added, “But if we’re caught, you can always claim I used Jedi mind tricks on you. No one would ever be the wiser.”
Ros just glared at the Jedi. After a moment, he laughed but didn’t say anything.
Oh my goodness. Nejaa is awesome.
He is a lot of fun, I've enjoyed coming up with his character a great deal...
Nejaa held his hand over the keypad of the door for a few moments before glancing back at Ros. “I wrapped us in an illusion and wiped a few seconds from the droid’s memory.”
I like that; I can see Corran doing that too.
Me too...
However it wasn’t only this news or his dancing ability that encouraged her, she discovered Nejaa Halcyon enjoyed flirting with her
*giggles insanely* doesn't surprise me. Especially with how he was acting in that first chapter.
I think Nejaa is a flirt, whether he realizes it or not. It's just part of his personality.
“Not really,” she said, knowing it was better than lying. “But I am going out. I’m meeting some friends for dinner.”
Adelyn turned and responded disapprovingly, “Not with a cop, I hope.”
Exasperated, Scerra walked back toward the kitchen. “I’m not going on a date. I’m meeting Ros.” When the older woman rolled her eyes, she said, “Mother, Ros is my best friend.”
“I’m not talking about Rostek Horn, Scerra. Even I know you wouldn’t ever dress up like this for him. So, who’s this other ‘friend’?”
Gah, parents! Hm, I'm not very fond of Adelyn, and I don't think I blame Scerra for not getting along with her. But I do hope Adelyn becomes less....demanding and imposing. And that this guy she's trying to set Scerra up with doesn't cause problems
I'm not fond of Adelyn either. As for her imposing, we will have to wait and see. As for the other guy...I think Scerra has a plan about that...
Adelyn’s green eyes widened in surprise, but fortunately the door slid shut before she could say anything. Scerra leaned against the closed door, shut her eyes, and whispered, “He’s perfect, but he’s a Jedi.”
Aww poor Scerra
Yep...
Once the captain was gone, Ros said, “Well, I’d best be going. Tell Scerra that I’ll call her.”
“Wait!” Nejaa exclaimed when Ros turned to leave. “What do you mean by that?”
HAHAHA The Jedi don't teach the men about things about women it seems like I think it's cute he's all flustered and confused and wants the 'third wheel'
No they sure don't and I think our illustrious Jedi Master is going to soon be in way over his head...
Thanks for reading...
jadesabre75
He He...chuckles.
Lovely chapter. Can't wait to see how those two handle being alone....
Thanks....We'll get to see in a little bit...I think you all will enjoy it...
Thanks for reading...
Iverna
Oooh, look at Nejaa getting all Jedi on that poor guard! Very cool! Ros and Nejaa seem to have developed a rapport really quickly. And poor Scerra having to deal with her mother! Her father sounded like he would've been much nicer about it all.
They did develope a friendship quickly, but their personalities encourage them to be likable and they have been working together for a month in the story.
As for Adelyn we'll see more of her... she isn't very nice.
I love how you're developing the story between Nejaa and Scerra, it's very believable. Really good stuff so far!
Thanks...I wanted them to be believable because anything else would seem forced.
Thanks for reading...
FL 
-----signature-----
I used to dream of Kyp or Jag, now it's Edward Cullen...I blame Cyn and Saber.. Master to DanaeMariSkywalker, JediMasterArmada and PHGS_Weyr
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Flowerlady
Registered:
Dec '05
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Date Posted:
3/24 6:54pm
Subject:
RE: Going Beyond Friendship - Romance, Angst, novel - Nejaa Halcyon/Scerra/Rostek Horn, updated 3/14
- Date Edited:
3/24 8:09pm (1 edits total)
Edited By:
Flowerlady
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Chapter 3
Raging Ranto Cantina
Nejaa entered the cantina and weaved his way through the crowd, looking for Scerra. When he didn’t find her at their usual table by the dance floor, he reached out into the Force, hoping to find her familiar presence. He found her among the mass of beings, but she wasn’t in the common room. It suddenly surprised him at how relieved he was to have found her presence, and how disappointed he had been when he thought he’d missed her.
He had left CorSec headquarters, but instead of coming directly to the Ranto, he went back to the rooming house he was staying at, which was only a block away from CorSec and on the way to the cantina. He didn’t understand why he had felt the need to change from his usual outfit of brown trousers, tunic and his worn boots, but he did.
He returned to the entry area of the barroom and waited for Scerra to appear from where he had sensed her. He found himself impatient, then he suddenly wondered about what he was doing and what he felt for her. He felt drawn to her, there was no denying that. He knew she was attracted to him, she wasn’t adapt at hiding her feelings from him, but then she probably didn’t realize he could pick up on them so easily. What did disturb him was his attraction to her and his desire to encourage it. A desire so great he'd change into black trousers and a very civilian white shirt just to make a good impression with her. He knew it was wrong and he understood this, but he couldn’t make himself not want to see her, or to enjoy her company. And as he turned when he felt her enter the room, he realized just how happy he was that Ros wasn’t with them.
Scerra came toward him from the direction of the refreshers. He only caught sight of her red hair as she threaded her way through the loud crowd, but soon she was close enough to see the rest of her. Nejaa was instantly astounded by what he saw. She was dressed in a very flattering sleeveless black dress, which shimmered when the silky fabric of its full skirt would catch a stray beam of light from one of the wall sconces.
“Nejaa, hi,” she said once she got close enough to be heard over the din. She looked around and added, “Where’s Ros?”
Nejaa swallowed, getting his sudden emotion back under control. “He had to pull another shift. Olin Faxland’s wife went into labor.”
She smiled and said, “That’s too bad for Ros, but I’m happy for Olin. She’s like two weeks overdue. I can’t even imagine.”
Nejaa snickered as he said, “I don’t know Lieutenant Faxland that well, but from what I could gather, she wasn’t letting him forget that he put her into that uncomfortable predicament.”
They shared a laugh, but soon Scerra looked around and frowned. “It seems busier than usual. There must have been a shift change at one of the orbitals. I just got here myself.”
Nejaa nodded in agreement. Then the sounds of a loud argument broke out between two men near the area they usually sat by the dance floor. Two off-duty CorSec officers quickly intervened along with the Ranto’s owner with a nasty looking stun baton. Nejaa could feel the hostility between the group and knew things were about to get a lot louder and more confused than he wanted them to be. He turned to Scerra and said, “Let’s go somewhere else so we don't have to yell at each other to be heard. The Red Ladies aren’t here tonight anyway,” he pointed out to the stage where another lesser known group was trying to set up. The usual Fifthnight group, which was made up of Bith musicians and two Lethan Twi’lek sisters, who could actually sing as well as dance, was out of town.
She smiled and said, “Great idea. And I think I know the perfect place too. C’mon, my speeder is just outside.”
Moments later, they were speeding in the direction of the ocean. Nejaa smiled as he looked over the controls of the old speeder. “I’m surprised this thing still can fly. This model is ancient, but it’s in immaculate condition.”
She laughed and looked at him. “I’ve taken very good care of my baby, thank you very much.”
He returned her grin. “I’m sure you had too. I’m just surprised that’s all, you don’t seem the type of girl who into classic sport speeders.”
“I’m not really, but this was a present from my dad when I first got my license. He liked old machinery—speeders and ships. It was that interest that attracted him to engineering as a kid. He liked to take old speeders and refurbish them. This was one of the last ones he did before he was killed.”
Nejaa watched as she turned to look ahead through the windshield of the old bright blue SoroSuub landspeeder again. He could sense her sadness and loss as she spoke of her father. “You were very close to him?”
She glanced back at him and responded suspiciously, “Yes. How could you tell?”
Nejaa shrugged and looked away. Her green eyes seemed to penetrate something he wasn’t sure he understood. “I sensed your love for him when you spoke of him. Sorry,” he added as he turned to look at her again. “I didn’t mean to pry.”
She smiled and totally put him at ease. “Dad and I were very close. He understood me in a way my mother never has been able to.” They came to an intersection and she stopped at the traffic signal. As they waited for it to change, she went on, “He was the one that encouraged me to become a teacher, in fact. I had helped out with a CE youth day. You know what I mean, where parent s could bring their little kids to one of the orbital shipyards for a day.” He nodded and she continued, “Well, I helped with the little kids. I must have been on only thirteen at the time, myself, but I realized that I loved kids. I volunteered every year after that.” The light changed and she went through the intersection. “Dad is the one who encouraged me to become a teacher. He knew I wasn’t mechanically inclined enough or liked science enough to become an engineer like him and Mom. My mother never could understand that. She sees teaching as less than ideal for me and never agreed with Daddy that it was a noble profession.
“There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t miss him.”
“What happened? You said he was killed?” Nejaa asked then quickly added, “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked that. You don’t have to tell me.”
She shrugged and turned the speeder down another avenue. “I don’t mind talking about it. It hurts, because he’s gone, but it’s been long enough that I can talk about it without falling into a mushy mess of tearful grief.” She paused for a moment as she made another turn onto a street that took them parallel with the beach. Housing along here was mostly single family and exclusive. The sun had set and the beach lighting along the strip of gold sand illuminated the calm water of the Southern Corellian Sea. Nejaa wondered where they were going, but didn’t ask, he figured he’d find out soon enough.
Finally, she said, “I was eighteen when Dad was killed when a hyperdrive reactor he and his crew were working on went critical and exploded. A fluke accident, but it happened. Later CE realized that it was a design flaw and changed it in that particular ship.”
“I’m sorry to hear that, Scerra. Losing a parent that you were so close to must be hard.”
She pulled the speeder into a docking slip by a building that looked like an ancient seafaring ship. On what would have been the bow and painted in large, garish, old-fashioned lettering, was the name The Mermaid. She looked over at him as she powered down the engine. “You don’t even know your parents, do you? I mean, Jedi are raised at the Temple, right?”
He nodded and replied, “That’s true about Jedi being raised by the Order, but I know my parents, I’m just not close to them. They live in a farming village on the plains of the North Western Continent. I visit them from time to time when I’m on Corellia, but really I don't have a relationship with them like a son would normally have. I also have two half-siblings, my mother's children to her first husband, whom I don't know at all.”
“That must be extremely difficult for them,” she asked intently. “I can’t imagine any parent giving their babies away to be raised by strangers. I can understand when it comes to adoption by a stranger who would love my child, but to give a child to someone who according to their own philosophy cannot love, that I don't understand.”
He shrugged. It was a common argument that raged for decades, possibly even centuries, about the seemingly coldness in which the Jedi Order insisted on raising its members. “I don’t know about that. And you would be surprised about just how willingly beings give their children over to the Jedi. But to assure you, the crèche parents are very attentive to the younglings. They never want for anything when it comes to comfort, but it is true we are taught early not to form attachments to our caregivers. However, occasionally it still happens.”
“How old were you when you were taken to the Temple?” she asked, genuinely interested.
“I was two when I was taken to Coruscant. My great-grandfather was a Jedi and was the one who took me there. I don’t even think anyone realizes that he was my relative. He died not many years after taking me to the Temple.” He grinned at the thought of the scandal he was sure a discovered relationship would have caused as he added, “Apparently, he had a secret family here on Corellia and waited a few generations before bringing in another Halcyon to be trained. Though, I don’t think my father is Force-sensitive, and I don’t know about my grandfather. He was killed when my father was just a kid.”
“Was your great-grandfather married? I thought that was forbidden.”
“It is. But he wasn’t married, only had a son, which he didn’t even know about until the boy was a teenager.”
“Oh!” she exclaimed when the meaning dawned on her and then blushed at his candid family secret. “Oh.”
He laughed at her burst of embarrassment. “Don’t be so surprised. It happens all the time, and I’m not ashamed of where I came from. Jedi are forbidden attachments, which include marriage, but we aren’t required to be celibate. Good thing too, or I and several other Jedi for that matter, wouldn’t be here. There are certain families who have turned out Jedi for centuries. This includes the Halcyons so I doubt my great-grandfather was the first to have a child without the benefit of marriage.”
Nejaa watched as her blush turned a deeper shade of rose and smiled. He didn’t know if it was his being so candid about the never talked about illegitimacy within the Jedi Order that caused the reaction, or something else.
She also seemed suddenly flustered, but covered it quickly by opening the door on her side and changing the subject. “Emm…let’s go in. The Mermaid has the best seafood on the planet.”
After entering the restaurant, which was decorated in the same fashion as the outside, they were met by an older woman who appeared to be almost as round as she was tall. She broke out into a wide smile and held out her arms to Scerra.
“Ahhh…Scerra! It’s good to see you again.”
Scerra hugged the buxom woman and said, “Mrs. Martiz, it’s good to see you again.”
They stepped away from each other and Mrs. Martiz looked up at Nejaa. Seeing the question and the delight in the woman’s eyes, Scerra said, “Mrs. Martiz, this is my friend Nejaa. Nejaa this is an old family friend and owner of The Mermaid, Deena Martiz.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Deena said as she shook Nejaa’s hand. “Any friend of Scerra’s is a friend of mine.”
Nejaa smiled and returned the greeting, then he said, “Scerra said that you serve the best seafood on the planet.”
She laughed and dismissively waved him off. “She’s too kind. But,” she leaned in just a little as if she was going to tell them a secret, “I will admit my place is the best in Coronet City.” Then she abruptly turned and gestured for them to follow her. “Follow me, I have the perfect table.”
She led them through the busy restaurant but the private booths and the ancient nautical decorations that hung from exposed wood beams in the ceiling helped muffle the conversations. Soon they were seated in a cozy booth in the far corner, the only light coming from a dimly lit lamp over the table.
“I think she’s gotten the wrong idea,” Nejaa commented as Mrs. Martiz moved away from them.
As Scerra called up the holographic menu on the displayer at the edge of the table, she smirked and shrugged. “Not hard to do that, I suppose.” Then she met his eyes and Nejaa felt his breath catch. She was absolutely beautiful. Smiling, she went on to add, “I will admit this feel an awful lot like a date.”
Nejaa stared at her and then laughed.
“What’s so funny?” she glared at him. “You wouldn’t date me?”
Still snickering, he fought the sudden heat he felt come to his cheeks and was suddenly glad for the low lighting as he looked away. “It’s just that I’d have to agree with you. That is if I knew what a date felt like.”
“You’ve never been on a date?” she asked incredulous.
He met her eyes and shrugged. “No. I mean I’ve been in the company of women before, of course, but to say I’ve been on a date—I’d have to say no. Remember, this activity isn’t exactly sanctioned by the Jedi Order.”
She looked away and something subtle changed within her. It was almost as if she was disappointed. He then added, not really understanding the need to reassure her, “But I’m glad I’m here with you.” She looked up again and he couldn’t help the sudden desire to make her happy that came over him. He’d do anything to see her smile. In a low voice he said, “In fact, I wouldn’t want it to be anyone else.”
Then she smiled and Nejaa felt as if he had seen the sun for the first time. He was walking on quicksand and he knew it. He was feeling things he had never felt before, but he had no intention of stopping them. To stop the emotion he felt for her meant disappointing Scerra, and he had no desire to ever do that.
Suddenly, their serving droid came over and broke the growing tension between them.
Scerra’s declaration about the food was a definite truth as they enjoyed a meal of salad greens and succulent sautéed shrimp in a spicy cream sauce severed over a bed of pasta. They washed it down with a bottle of Aderaanian wine. As they ate they talked about Scerra’s recent endeavors in curriculum development at her school.
As the droid cleared their plates and they poured more wine, she said, “I’m pleased with the way things are going. I did relent and let Bookie finally help me some, but I’ve kept his contributions to the minimum. I want this to be my plan. Dean Klissinger and the board of directors have been thrilled with what I’ve come up with already.” She paused and Nejaa could feel the pleasure radiating from her as she spoke of teaching. He could imagine her being extremely good at it. “In fact, the dean has hinted that if I keep this up they may make me his assistant. He’s thinking of retirement in a few years which would be a perfect opening for me to become the principal. I’m already thinking of taking the necessary classes at the university next session.”
“That’s great, Scerra. I can tell just by the way you glow when you talk about your students that you love teaching.” He watched as a blush touched her cheeks. He smiled at her and sipped at his wine.
“I do,” she finally said and lifted her glass of wine to her lips. “But as much as I want to become the dean, I’ll miss teaching. So,” she shrugged and sat the glass down again, “we’ll just have to see where it goes.”
The droid returned and asked if they wanted dessert but they both declined. After the server left them again, Scerra said, “Hey, it’s a beautiful night. Would you like to take a walk along the beach?”
Nejaa didn’t want the evening to end. He smiled and said, “I’d love to.”
~
Moments later they found themselves walking in the golden sand along the beach. Scerra had her heeled shows in her left hand and the warm sand felt delicious between her toes. Nejaa surprised her with his openness as they talked. He spoke again about his family, telling her that, though he loved what he did and felt being a Jedi was what the Force wanted of him, he did miss not being able to get to know them.
“Call it ignorance on my part, but why does the Order disallow normal family relationships? To me, it doesn’t seem the best way to encourage its members to have healthy lives. I can’t imagine a life without love, or family. My mother and I don’t agree with each other, but we love each other, and despite her faults, can imagine never knowing her.”
He was quiet for a few steps then suddenly stopped. “I suppose it does seem cruel. But I’ve seen some of the families Jedi children come from while I was a scout. I know for a fact those children are far better off with the Order than they would ever have been with their so-called families. In fact, considering the power they have, it’s better for everyone. It can be very dangerous for a non-trained Force-sensitive if they fall into doing crime. Worse, if they are discovered by the wrong type and trained in the dark side.” He paused and looked out over the calm, dark sea, before saying, “Though there were those babies from normal families who, no doubt, would have loved them with all that they had.”
“What exactly is a scout? You said that you were one for about six years.”
He took off his cape and spread it over the sand. Then he gestured to it. “Let’s sit. This should protect your dress.” She nodded and lowered herself down onto the black cape, while he sat next to her, but choosing to sit in the soft sand rather than too close to her.
“As a scout, I searched for and tested for possible Force-sensitives. I enjoyed my work, but sometimes it was heartbreaking.”
“I can only imagine,” she said and turned to look at him. As he pulled his knees up to his chest and rested his arms over them, she was stricken again just how good looking he was. He wasn’t young, he told her that he was 38, and there were tiny lines at the corners of his eyes when he laughed, but his long hair was still dark without a trace of grey, and he was in better shape than most men half his age.
“But it’s not the way you think. Usually it was because parents wanted their child to have a better life. They wanted them to be Force-sensitive and when the child tested negatively they would be quite beside themselves. I even rescued a few orphans from the clutches of disreputable homes. But the saddest thing that happened was when I found this Twi’Lek boy on Ryloth who was very strong in the Force and dreamed of being a Jedi, but he was too old to train.”
“How old was he?”
“Eleven. It was afterward that I decided I needed a change. My Padawan was about ready for the Trials; so, I waited the year until he was knighted, and then I was assigned to the mission I’m on now.”
She smiled as she said, “Which brought you to Corellia.”
He returned her smile and agreed, his voice taking on a low tone, “Yes, which brought me to Corellia.”
He gazed into her eyes for a long moment and Scerra wondered what he was thinking. His dark eyes seemed to burn in the dim illumination of the beach lighting and the full moon. Suddenly, he took a deep breath and looked back out over the water.
When he turned back to her, he asked, “So, we know why I’m not attached, but I can’t understand why a beautiful, young woman like you isn’t.”
She stared at him. It was such a personal question, and normally she would have been offended by his bluntness, but that wasn’t what surprised her. Does he think I’m beautiful?
“I’m sorry…uhh…that was probably too personal,” he sputtered and blushed.
Sweet Force, does he know how damned handsome that makes him!
“It’s okay. You’ve been so open, Nejaa,” she said softly. “I guess I’ve never found the right man. I’ve had my share of boyfriends, but none of them ever…” made me feel like you do, she finished silently. She swallowed hard and looked away from his penetrating gaze. “Emmm…ever was interesting enough for me to pursue anything serious,” she recovered as seamlessly as she could.
“What about you and Ros?” Nejaa’s question was quiet.
She looked back at him and laughed when she realized that he was serious. “Ros and I are just friends. Nothing more and we never will be. I love him, but it’s the kind of love I think a sister would have for a brother, and that’s how he feels about me. True, I lived with him for about a half a year as I finished school before going to the university, but I never even had the desire to kiss him. It would be like kissing my brother.”
Nejaa chuckled at the face she made as she wrinkled her nose. “Funny. I think most of CorSec thinks differently though.”
“Of course they do.” She shook her head disgustedly. “They think he and I have been an item since I was seventeen. They just don’t understand that a man and a woman can have a purely platonic relationship.”
“He never talks about his family, only you. I can see where they would misunderstand that. I surely would have.”
“Well, he’s an only child like me. His father and mine were friends and we often played together as kids, though,” she chuckled as she said, “if you were to ask him, he’d call me the pest that toddled after him everywhere he went. He is seven years older than me. His parents made him play with me. But after one of his chums started being mean to me, he saved me and we’ve been close ever since.”
“What happened? I think he mentioned that the evening we met.”
“Oh, yes. Brassly Callowin, his mother and mine are good friends, and Mazy is nice enough, but Brassly has the temperament of a sandpanther. At the time he and Ros were pretty good friends and I still think Ros put him up to it, but when I fell into the fountain and nearly drowned, he realized just how mean Brassly could be and how far he’d go to get rid of the ‘pest’. Ros jumped in and saved me.”
“How old were you?”
“I think three, maybe four.”
“So, has this Brassly gotten any nicer toward you?”
She laughed. “Absolutely not. We can’t stand each other, but our dear mothers have this fantasy that we should hook up.” She shook her head and added, “They just don’t understand that Corell will go nova before that happens.”
He laughed at her expression and then asked, “So what happened to Ros’s parents? I’ve been around CorSec enough to know that they were both highly thought of among the old timers.”
“Actually, his mother’s father was in the force as well. His parents were partnered and that’s when they fell for each other. They got married, but chose to remain partners even though CorSec frowns upon that sort of thing. Anyway, when Ros was nineteen and had just entered the Academy, his parents were called off planet to investigate a smuggling ring based on Talus. Well, they never returned. They were caught in an ambush and were both killed.”
“That’s terrible. No wonder Ros understood what you were going through when your father died.”
“Yeah, he really was my rock, and it was that shared experience that cemented our friendship. Before then we were close, but after Dad died we became as close as we are now.”
They were quiet for a moment, sitting there and watched the water and listened to the soft, lulling sounds of the gently lapping water on the shore. Finally, she asked, “What’s it like being a Jedi?” He looked at her questioningly. “I mean, what can you do? I’ve read that Jedi can read minds and levitate things great distances, but some of the stories just seem too far fetched. I mean I’ve read the history of the Sith Wars and all that. But you just seem so normal.”
He raised a dark brow and she insisted, “You know what I mean. You don’t even wear Jedi robes that much. I’ve met other Jedi who seemed so aloof that no one could ever touch them. You’re so easy going, funny and…” she looked away quickly and stammered, “…and…well…you just seem like a regular guy.”
He grinned at her and replied, “I am just a regular guy. I’m a Jedi and I love doing what I do, but I don’t like being treated like I’m some sort of god. As for what I can do. I have two abilities that are considered rare among the Order. I can’t read minds, but I have a keener sense at detecting feelings and the direction of thoughts.”
She stared at him and couldn’t help the blush that came over her cheeks. He smiled one of his lopsided smiles that caused her heart to skip a beat. But he didn’t say whether he knew what direction her thoughts were going. She wasn’t sure she wanted him to know. Part of her did, but another part wanted her feelings for him to remain her secret.
“I also can affect minds easier than most Jedi, even strong minds, by giving them illusions or suggestions. I can absorb large amounts of energy and transfer it back into the Force usually as telekinetic power, which ironically I normally don’t have. I can trip a lock and I could possibly move a few of these grains of sand,” he ran his hand through the fine mixture beside him, “but other than that I can’t move a thing.”
“That sounds so fascinating.” And she was. She moved closer to him and when he looked up from the sand he was playing in, his eyes burned into her.
They got lost for a long time in each other’s eyes. She suddenly couldn’t breathe as he seemed to lean toward her. She felt thrilled and afraid all at once. Breathless, she whispered, “Why is it forbidden for Jedi to love?”
~
Nejaa was overwhelmed by the sudden desire to kiss her. Then she reminded him why he couldn’t. He pulled away, but he couldn’t look away. “Because love leads to attachment,” he answered in a voice low and husky.
“But why is attachment bad?”
He leaned in again, unable to fight the draw of her full, red lips. “Because attachment leads to selfishness, possessiveness and can lead to anger if something happens those you love, which leads to the dark side.”
Her breaths were coming rapidly as she rasped her next argument, “So love is selfish? Grief is wrong? I always thought love was the most unselfish thing a being could do. And grief is part of living.”
He was so close now; their lips were only centimeters away. “Scerra…” he murmured and then brushed her lips with his. When she responded by pressing toward him, his arms went around her pulling her to him. Her hands went to his shoulders where they slid around his neck and into his unbound hair. They gazed at each other again. “Scerra…I’ve never felt like this for anyone.”
She smiled and his heart missed a beat, he was sure of it. “Me neither, Nejaa.”
“But it’s wrong. I can’t do this.”
“I’m not asking for attachments. No strings, Nejaa. I just want to get to know you and see where this goes. But I don’t expect anything that you can’t give me.” She pulled him closer to her, letting her lips touch his and she gently sucked on the top one. He couldn’t stop himself. He began kissing her with a feverish passion. When she let out a moan and slightly opened her mouth under his hungry lips and questing tongue, he deepened the kiss.
They kissed for what seemed like an eternity, then the need for air became too strong. They gasped as they came apart, but they didn’t separate. She slowly opened her eyes and graced him with a pleased smile. He returned it and she breathlessly said, “I don’t even want to know where a Jedi Master, who admitted to never being on a date before, learned to kiss like that.”
He knew he blushed and she kissed him quickly on the lips. After pulling away, she said, “My mother has invited me to a dinner party tomorrow evening. It will be dull and boring, and I really had no intention of going, but would you like to come with me? You can protect me from Brassly Callowin.”
He raised an eyebrow and asked amusingly, “Are you asking me out on a date?”
She grinned back. “I suppose I am.”
He laughed and said, “Then I accept.” He leaned over her again and captured her lips in another fiery kiss.
She suddenly wondered if they would ever make it off the beach that night as he pushed her onto her back to lie on his cape. They kissed until either one of them had the energy to do so again. Then he held her as they lied on his cape, watching the water and stars, and talked about all sorts of things.
By the time the first rays of Corell colored the eastern sky with streaks of orange and gold, Nejaa Halcyon knew that he was in love. And he didn’t have a clue as to what he was going to do about it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Well?....  I know not an action packed chapter, or even that mushy, but it allowed me to give them a natural date and to provide the much needed backstory on the characters.
FL
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I used to dream of Kyp or Jag, now it's Edward Cullen...I blame Cyn and Saber.. Master to DanaeMariSkywalker, JediMasterArmada and PHGS_Weyr
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SWpants666
Registered:
Oct '04
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Date Posted:
3/24 7:25pm
Subject:
RE: Going Beyond Friendship - Romance, Angst, novel - Nejaa Halcyon/Scerra/Rostek Horn, updated 3/24
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It suddenly surprised him at how relieved he was to have found her presence, and how disappointed he had been when he thought he’d missed her.
Awww
Nejaa could feel the hostility between the group and knew things were about to get a lot louder and more confused than he wanted them to be. He turned to Scerra and said, “Let’s go somewhere else so we don't have to yell at each other to be heard. The Red Ladies aren’t here tonight anyway
Good intentions & all that Please, I'll bet he didn't even need an excuse to want to get away
Finally, she said, “I was eighteen when Dad was killed when a hyperdrive reactor he and his crew were working on went critical and exploded.
Ouch  Poor Scerra, it sucks that she lost that support when she most needed it
He laughed at her burst of embarrassment. “Don’t be so surprised. It happens all the time, and I’m not ashamed of where I came from. Jedi are forbidden attachments, which include marriage, but we aren’t required to be celibate.
I even think there are times when Jedi are given permission to procreate hahaha what a wonderful loophole that is
He was walking on quicksand and he knew it. He was feeling things he had never felt before, but he had no intention of stopping them. To stop the emotion he felt for her meant disappointing Scerra, and he had no desire to ever do that.
I love him 
“So, we know why I’m not attached, but I can’t understand why a beautiful, young woman like you isn’t.”
She stared at him. It was such a personal question, and normally she would have been offended by his bluntness, but that wasn’t what surprised her. Does he think I’m beautiful?
AWWWW so cute!! I love him, he's so adorable. I'm falling in love with him, haha. You write him so well!
They just don’t understand that a man and a woman can have a purely platonic relationship.”
*sigh* I hate people like that. I bet Nejaa will stop those rumors though
Anyway, when Ros was nineteen and had just entered the Academy, his parents were called off planet to investigate a smuggling ring based on Talus. Well, they never returned. They were caught in an ambush and were both killed.”
That is so sad. I just want to reach in and give him a hug. I'm glad that Scerra had someone to turn to though, that he was there for her
Nejaa was overwhelmed by the sudden desire to kiss her. Then she reminded him why he couldn’t. He pulled away, but he couldn’t look away. “Because love leads to attachment,” he answered in a voice low and husky
Of course he gives in though, she's too beautiful for him to say no to
“I don’t even want to know where a Jedi Master, who admitted to never being on a date before, learned to kiss like that.”
I was thinking the same exact thing
Oh that was just too perfect
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All I want is to be in the light
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canadianjedimama
Registered:
Jan '08
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Date Posted:
3/24 7:28pm
Subject:
RE: Going Beyond Friendship - Romance, Angst, novel - Nejaa Halcyon/Scerra/Rostek Horn, updated 3/24
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Oh wow....
*melts into a pile of goo*
That was just lovely. 
I don't envy Scerra though. We know through I Jedi that she's got a tough road ahead and I can't wait to see how you get us there.
I couldn't imagine having to deny the love of my life in public. And pretend to be married to my best friend.
And Boo on the OJO for being such stodgy old sticks....
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Lucky member of the Jagateers, my e-sister's of Jag-love! Death of The Calrissian Pimp-Cane 43 ABY May tha playa rest in peace, yo.
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jadesabre75
Registered:
Nov '07
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Date Posted:
3/24 7:36pm
Subject:
RE: Going Beyond Friendship - Romance, Angst, novel - Nejaa Halcyon/Scerra/Rostek Horn, updated 3/24
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Wow I think I need a cold drink of water after that. LOL
I really can't think of anything to say. LOL Just wow. And I love it of course.
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Iverna
Registered:
Feb '08
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Date Posted:
3/25 12:36pm
Subject:
RE: Going Beyond Friendship - Romance, Angst, novel - Nejaa Halcyon/Scerra/Rostek Horn, updated 3/24
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By the time the first rays of Corell colored the eastern sky with streaks of orange and gold, Nejaa Halcyon knew that he was in love. And he didn’t have a clue as to what he was going to do about it.
Aww, what a lovely way to end that chapter! Sweet and yet poignant with the reminder that it's forbidden to him. I love the interaction between Nejaa and Scerra, you make it very believable. I really enjoyed this chapter, keep up the good work!
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Flowerlady
Registered:
Dec '05
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Date Posted:
3/27 7:26am
Subject:
RE: Going Beyond Friendship - Romance, Angst, novel - Nejaa Halcyon/Scerra/Rostek Horn, updated 3/24
- Date Edited:
3/27 7:28am (1 edits total)
Edited By:
Flowerlady
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SWpants666
It suddenly surprised him at how relieved he was to have found her presence, and how disappointed he had been when he thought he’d missed her.
Awww
Yep
Nejaa could feel the hostility between the group and knew things were about to get a lot louder and more confused than he wanted them to be. He turned to Scerra and said, “Let’s go somewhere else so we don't have to yell at each other to be heard. The Red Ladies aren’t here tonight anyway
Good intentions & all that Please, I'll bet he didn't even need an excuse to want to get away
Oh I don't know...maybe not, but he did like his times with her on the dance floor.
Finally, she said, “I was eighteen when Dad was killed when a hyperdrive reactor he and his crew were working on went critical and exploded.
Ouch Poor Scerra, it sucks that she lost that support when she most needed it
Yes, that was hard on her.
He laughed at her burst of embarrassment. “Don’t be so surprised. It happens all the time, and I’m not ashamed of where I came from. Jedi are forbidden attachments, which include marriage, but we aren’t required to be celibate.
I even think there are times when Jedi are given permission to procreate hahaha what a wonderful loophole that is
You're probably right...at least they seemed to turn a blind eye to it. Just look at how many Jedi did have children. I can think of at least seven off the top of my head who did. I think it was probably the main reason celibacy wasn't a requirement only expected, but not enforced.
He was walking on quicksand and he knew it. He was feeling things he had never felt before, but he had no intention of stopping them. To stop the emotion he felt for her meant disappointing Scerra, and he had no desire to ever do that.
I love him
Me too....
“So, we know why I’m not attached, but I can’t understand why a beautiful, young woman like you isn’t.”
She stared at him. It was such a personal question, and normally she would have been offended by his bluntness, but that wasn’t what surprised her. Does he think I’m beautiful?
AWWWW so cute!! I love him, he's so adorable. I'm falling in love with him, haha. You write him so well!
Thanks...
They just don’t understand that a man and a woman can have a purely platonic relationship.”
*sigh* I hate people like that. I bet Nejaa will stop those rumors though
But the world is full of them...But will Nejaa want to stop thos rumors... Remember their relationship is secret.
Anyway, when Ros was nineteen and had just entered the Academy, his parents were called off planet to investigate a smuggling ring based on Talus. Well, they never returned. They were caught in an ambush and were both killed.”
That is so sad. I just want to reach in and give him a hug. I'm glad that Scerra had someone to turn to though, that he was there for her
It's often things like that that bring people together...probably if they hadn't been kids together and had that psudo-sibling relationship, something romantic could have developed between them.
Nejaa was overwhelmed by the sudden desire to kiss her. Then she reminded him why he couldn’t. He pulled away, but he couldn’t look away. “Because love leads to attachment,” he answered in a voice low and husky
Of course he gives in though, she's too beautiful for him to say no to
Yep..
“I don’t even want to know where a Jedi Master, who admitted to never being on a date before, learned to kiss like that.”
I was thinking the same exact thing
HEHEHE...he may never been on a date but that really doesn't mean anything...one thing is for sure, he's not a 38 yo virgin...
Oh that was just too perfect
Thank you!!
canadianjedimama
Oh wow....
*melts into a pile of goo*
Hope you like doing that...It may happen again...
That was just lovely.
Thanks...
I don't envy Scerra though. We know through I Jedi that she's got a tough road ahead and I can't wait to see how you get us there.
She sure does...
I couldn't imagine having to deny the love of my life in public. And pretend to be married to my best friend.
Me either and that prospect was what attracted me to this stoy long before Iverna's Lit thread. I've toyed with writing a N/S/R story for a long time. I just needed that seed to make my plot bunnies to get moving.
And Boo on the OJO for being such stodgy old sticks....
I agree...Its actually a challenge for me to write in this era...I've never been a fan of the OJO. I like Luke's imperfect, but more normal Jedi.
jadesabre75
Wow I think I need a cold drink of water after that. LOL
Then I did my job...
I really can't think of anything to say. LOL Just wow. And I love it of course.
Thank you for reading....
Iverna
By the time the first rays of Corell colored the eastern sky with streaks of orange and gold, Nejaa Halcyon knew that he was in love. And he didn’t have a clue as to what he was going to do about it.
Aww, what a lovely way to end that chapter! Sweet and yet poignant with the reminder that it's forbidden to him. I love the interaction between Nejaa and Scerra, you make it very believable. I really enjoyed this chapter, keep up the good work!
Thank you... it was my goal to make this believable. And they have really taken a life of their own when I write them... I'm glad that you are enjoying it...
FL
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I used to dream of Kyp or Jag, now it's Edward Cullen...I blame Cyn and Saber.. Master to DanaeMariSkywalker, JediMasterArmada and PHGS_Weyr
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cheersweetie27
Registered:
Jul '03
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Date Posted:
4/5 4:15pm
Subject:
RE: Going Beyond Friendship - Romance, Angst, novel - Nejaa Halcyon/Scerra/Rostek Horn, updated 3/24
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love it!! you should update soon!
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She's Every Woman (L/M)-http://boards.theforce.net/Message.aspx?topic=26738997&brd=10477&replies=0 Too Young (J/Z)- http://boards.theforce.net/Message.aspx?topic=22666120&brd=10477&replies=0 Tattered Memory (L,M,B)- http://boards.theforce.net/message.asp?
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Flowerlady
Registered:
Dec '05
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Date Posted:
4/7 1:18pm
Subject:
RE: Going Beyond Friendship - Romance, Angst, novel - Nejaa Halcyon/Scerra/Rostek Horn, updated 3/24
- Date Edited:
4/8 6:18pm (2 edits total)
Edited By:
Flowerlady
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cheersweetie27 posted:
love it!! you should update soon!
Thanks!!! And here is your update...
Chapter 4
CorSec Headquarters
Ros looked at his chrono again and wondered where Nejaa could possibly be. He expected the Jedi Master to be there waiting for him. He lifted the mug of stimaf to his lips, and as he drank, he hoped the stimulant in the caf soon kicked in. He only had thee hours of sleep. He hated pulling double shifts to begin with, but with the adrenalin rush from yesterday morning’s trip inside the baron’s mansion, he felt more drained than normal from a double shift.
He sat the mug down and stifled a yawn as he looked at the warrant again. He truly was shocked that the judge gave it to them, but the holographic evidence that the painting was in Saffore’s possession was something only the most crooked of magistrates could ignore.
Again he glanced at his chorno. “Where is he?” he said to himself.
“I’m sorry if I’ve kept you waiting.”
Ros turned an annoyed expression on the Jedi Master as he sat down in the chair beside his small desk in the cubical that served as Ros’s office. Then he looked at Nejaa and said only half teasingly, “Stang, Nejaa, you look as beat as I do.”
Nejaa quickly looked away and said, “That’s because I only got about an hour or two of sleep.”
Ros instantly stiffened. Something in Nejaa’s response made him wary. “What exactly did you and Scerra do last night?”
Nejaa looked at him and raised an eyebrow. Ros instantly realized just how jealous his question sounded. He relaxed and laughed at himself. “Then I wonder why over half the force thinks something is going on between us. I’m sorry, Nejaa. I suppose I sometimes get a little overprotective of Scerra.”
“I’ve noticed.” Nejaa grinned, then added, “Let me get a cup of caf and I’ll ease your mind…at least a little.” He stood and picked up Ros’s empty cup. “I’ll refill yours too, you look like hell.”
He returned a moment later with two steaming mugs of the pungent morning necessity. After reclaiming his seat and sipping his mug, Nejaa said, “Scerra and I had dinner at The Mermaid and afterward spent the night on the beach.”
“All night?” Ros asked taken aback.
“Yeah.” Nejaa took another sip from his cup. “She’s an amazing woman. We spent the night talking, and before we knew it, the sun was coming up.”
“Just talking, huh?” Ros stared at the Jedi. He knew Scerra was attracted to Nejaa, but he assumed the Jedi Master would never encourage it, despite his own feelings.
“Yes, just talking.” Then Nejaa nodded over the top of his mug toward the holographic seal on the official document lying on the top of a stack of flimsy. “Is that the warrant?” he asked, clearly trying to redirect the conversation.
But there was something in the way the Jedi said it that had Ros’s mind working overtime. The Jedi was good at deception, but he was a cop and made a career out of seeing through it.
After a moment, he said, “Nejaa, may ask you something?”
Nejaa looked up as he sat his mug down. “Of course.”
Ros swallowed, he wasn’t exactly sure how he was going to say this without sounding like he had more interest in Scerra then just friendship. He hoped the Jedi was smart enough to realize the truth. “What are your intentions with Scerra?”
“What do you mean?” Nejaa asked smoothly.
“You know damn well what I mean.” Crossing his arms over his chest, Ros sat back in his chair and regarded the older man. “You surely see Scerra’s attraction to you. And I think you are a more than just a little attracted to her. I don’t know the rules for you guys, maybe this sort of thing is allowed, but I thought Jedi didn’t marry.”
Nejaa grinned and replied, “I hardly think a few dances and dinners, or even one night talking on the beach means we are headed down an aisle.”
“No, I suppose not, but I know Scerra. If she’s falling for you, she will fall hard and I’d hate to see her get hurt.”
Nejaa held his gaze steady and responded, “I don’t want her to get hurt either.”
“Good then we’re in agreement.”
Ros than picked up the holographic document and said with a grin, “Now let’s go have ourselves an official look at the Baron Saffore’s Tyrena estate.”
~~~
Chateau Saffore, on Gold Beach, near Tyrena, Corellia
This time Nejaa let Ros do the talking, and they didn’t walk into the estate of the president of Corellian Engineering, but rather drove up in a CorSec unmarked speeder. The front door opened with the same butler as the day before standing in the opening, but not a hint of recognition appeared on the old man’s impassive face.
“Good day, sirs. What may we do for you?”
Ros held out the warrant along with his ID and said authoritatively, “I’m Lieutenant Rostek Horn and this is my associate Jedi Master Nejaa Halcyon. We would like to have a word with the baron, if he’s in, if not we would like to have a look around.”
The butler read the search warrant, and after seeing the official seal, he motioned for them to enter. “I will inform Baroness Saffore that you’re requesting an audience.”
“Thank you.” Ros looked at Nejaa as they followed the butler into a parlor.
Nejaa had sensed Ros’s trepidation when the same butler answered the door. Clearly he expected to be recognized from yesterday. Nejaa gave him a lopsided grin, causing Ros to only shake his head in wonderment.
They waited ten minutes in an elaborately decorated sitting room furnished with the finest couches, chairs and tables all in the best fabrics, leathers and woods. Artwork decorated the walls and low tables, while the color scheme was one of pleasingly happy colors that were to encourage conversation by the occupants of the room. However, they remained stoically quiet as they waited for the lady of the house. Finally, a young woman of probably no more than twenty-five walked into the room.
She smiled at them and it was easy to see why Saffore had married her. She had dark brown hair that hung to her waist in long curls; her eyes were just as dark and were speckled with gold, setting them alive with an inner fire; and her shimmering day gown of deep blue enhanced every curve she possessed. She smiled graciously which truly was her crowning jewel. She was definitely a lovely woman.
“Good day, gentlemen, I’m Baroness Jolana Saffore.” As she greeted them, it was also easy to see why she was probably willing to marry a man at least twice her age. Not one of her fingers was without a precious jewel adoring it and around her neck hung an extremely rare multifaceted durindfire gem worth at least a million credits.
“Baroness Saffore, I’m CorSec Lieutenant Rostek Horn and this is my associate Jedi Master Nejaa Halcyon. I’m sorry for this interruption, and we will not take longer than necessary, but we believe you and your husband may have been deceived in a recent purchase of an Alderaanian painting.”
As Ros spoke, Nejaa gently probed the woman. It was clear that she didn’t know anything, but she was nonetheless surprised; though, considering her youth, she covered well.
“How recent? My husband hasn’t bought any paintings in at least half standard year.” Jolana gave them a small coy smile and added, “And that one was of me. You are welcome to view if you like; it’s in Franses’s private study.”
“No,” Ros said obviously figuring out also just what type of painting the woman’s husband would have commissioned, “that’s okay. The painting we are looking for is definitely Alderaanian.” He looked at Nejaa, who gave him a small nod, then he turned back to the young baroness and added, “Our warrant gives us permission to have a look around. You are free to accompany us, of course. We won’t touch anything unless it looks suspicious.”
Smiling again at Ros, she said, “I’m confident that you won’t find anything, but I’ll help show you around the house. I still get lost sometimes and I’ve been married to Franses for almost a year.”
They worked their way through the mansion, going from room to room, pretending to be looking for the stolen painting. Eventually, they made it to the private study of Baron Saffore and Jolana keyed the lock as she turned to Ros. Smiling seductively, she said as she met Ros’s eyes, “You’ll have the opportunity to see my painting anyway, Lieutenant Horn.”
Ros returned her smile and moved to follow her into the room. Nejaa could feel the woman’s attraction to the tall CorSec officer, but it was Ros’s oblivion to it that caused him to snicker. Ros looked sharply at him and Nejaa only shrugged as he followed him into the library. In the center of the room was a large desk, the walls were lined with shelves holding datastorage containers of every type. A window was directly behind the desk, and directly in front of the desk, over a small stone fireplace, was the painting of Jolana Saffore. She was standing on a stylized beach with the ocean before her as she looked over her bare shoulder at the viewer with an extremely seductive expression in her gold-flecked brown eyes. Her only clothing was a wispy white gauze-like wrap encircling her to cover her most private parts, but it was pretty apparent she was nude and the covering did little but enhance that fact.
Ros stared at the painting for a moment, until she stepped up close to him and said almost too low for Nejaa to hear, “Do you like what you see, Lieutenant?”
Ros quickly looked down at the wife of one of the most powerful men in Corellia, if not the Core, and stammered, “Umm…I…”
“It is a beautiful painting, Baroness, but it isn’t the one we’re looking for,” Nejaa rescued his partner. The young woman looked at him as if she had forgotten about the Jedi, not surprising since all of her attention had been focused on Ros. Ros’s expression was one of relief; he finally realized what all the attention to him was trying to accomplish.
“Thank you, Master Halcyon,” she said, but was clearly annoyed that Ros wasn’t alone. “Well, shall we move on?”
“Yes,” Ros said, following her from the room, but not before stealing one more glance back at the painting and grinned. Nejaa raised an eyebrow, maybe the cop was more aware of her attraction then he let on and maybe it was even mutual.
After leaving the study, Ros and Nejaa subtly directed the search. Jolana was becoming bored and her sudden quietness indicated that she realized that her flirtations wasn’t going anywhere in trying to seduce the CorSec lieutenant. However, it was also obvious that she didn’t realize what was hided in the storage room. She actually was the one to suggest that they look in there first once they reached the appropriate level.
She opened the room and deactivated the security alarms. “This is a storage room that Franses uses to store art in that we haven’t decided where to place.” She moved into space and made her way around the crates.
Nejaa moved further into the room and found the tripod with the covered painting on. “What’s this?” he said as he pointed to it.
She came up beside him. “I don’t know. That must be new, but Franses hasn’t been home in two months.”
“Really?” Ros asked as he stood on the other side of Nejaa.
She smiled again at him, saying, “Yes, he’s on Coruscant for business. I’ve been here all alone.”
“I’m sorry to hear about that,” Ros said, but looked back at the white drape. “May we have a look under the drape? The size fits the painting we’re looking for.”
She shrugged. “I suppose. You do have a search warrant, after all. You really don’t even need my permission to do anything. I will make sure CorSec is made aware of your courtesy.”
Nejaa bowed his head slightly and said,” Thank you, Baroness. We are not convinced your husband, or you, have done anything wrong. But we do think the painting is here.”
Ros gently lifted the drape, much as he had the morning before, and she gasped in utter shock when she saw the painting. “That’s the Prince and Princess of Alderaan!”
Ros looked at her surprised. “Yeah, how did…”
She looked from the painting to Ros. “How do I know them?” she completed his question. Ros nodded and she answered, “Because I’m a distant cousin of Breha’s. Most people think I’m related to the Corellian Antilles family because my maiden name is Antilles, but actually my father was Alderaanian.” She shook her head and looked back to the painting. “My great uncle was quite put out when this was stolen from him. You mean it was here the whole time?” She all but squeaked as she turned to Nejaa.
Nejaa slowly shook his head and responded, “No. We think the man Baron Saffore has buying art for him is involved. Carvon Mikkels.”
She continued to stare wide-eyed at the painting. “Somehow that doesn’t surprise me. I never did like him.”
“Well, that truly is a shame, Baroness.”
All three of them turned to the new voice, Jolana screamed and Ros reached for his blaster. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you, CorSec,” a powerfully built, middle-aged man said as he stepped further into the room, a small, deadly blaster held in a two-handed grip and pointed directly at them. “Now, nice and easy put your hands in the air.”
“Mikkels, what are you doing?” Jolana said after calming herself enough to make a coherent sentence and she raised her arms above her head.
He moved in and easily removed Ros’s blaster from its holster. Snarling, Ros said, “Nice hiding place. To bad it wasn’t good enough.”
He smirked as he backed away, tucking Ros’s blaster into his belt, while his blaster was trained on Nejaa. “True. I figured old Saffore had all the judges bought off enough to never get a warrant even on their desks, let alone signed.” He stepped before Nejaa as he went on, “But it doesn’t matter. It only makes things a slightly more messy. Blood stains are a pain to get rid of.”
Nejaa looked at him, and Mikkels waved the blaster threateningly. “Your lightsaber, Jedi.”
Nejaa calmly gazed at him as he drew on the Force. “I don’t think you require my lightsaber.”
For about a second the crook looked profoundly confused. Then he shook his head, “No, I don’t need your lightsaber.”
In that moment of doubt, Nejaa pulled the weapon in question from under his green robe. Ros, realizing what the Jedi was up to, grabbed the panicked and confused Jolana, pushing her to the tiled floor. Nejaa ignited his silver blade just in time to deflect a blaster bolt heading toward Ros.
Ros tucked and rolled, while Nejaa parried another blast. To confuse things more, Jolana was now screaming uncontrollably with her arms protectively covering her head as she withered on the floor face down. Nejaa pressed forward, deflecting one blast after another into the ceiling of the room. Finally, he had gained enough on him to corner Mikkels against a large create.
“Give up,” Nejaa said calmly but determinedly, “You cannot win, and if I’d have wanted you dead, you would have been with the first shot.”
Mikkels was desperate and Nejaa knew desperate men did stupid things. “You tricked me!”
“Yes, that is pretty obvious,” Ros called from where he crouched beside Jolana, trying to calm her. “Now do what the good Jedi commanded and give up.” He stood and came up behind Nejaa.
It was clearly a sign of a trust that startled Nejaa at first. If Nejaa missed any of the shots, Ros could be hit. The realization was enough to spur Nejaa into finishing the fight. In a movement almost to fast to track, the Jedi stepped forward, and with a backhanded twist of his wrist, deflected yet another shot, and in the return swing, sliced through the blaster, taking with it the dealer’s trigger finger.
He instantly dropped the blaster and howled in startled pain. Ros quickly moved forward and grabbed him, retrieving his blaster from Mikkel’s belt as he spun him around and held him with his arms caught behind him.
“Now, buddy,” Ros growled as he pushed him hard against the crate, causing it to tip dangerously to the side. “You are under arrest in the name of Corellian Security.” In a smooth motion that slightly surprised Nejaa, Ros applied a pair of binders and added with a smirk, “I hope you enjoy your vacation, Mr. Mikkels. I hear the weather is absolutely fabulous on Kessel this time of year.”
~~~
CorSec Headquarters
“So, now you’re going to tell me just how you got that holo,” said Yarlet Jenaves as he finished reading Ros’s report. He pinned the lieutenant and the Jedi with a look that demanded to know.
Ros sighed and glanced at Nejaa, who smiled lopsidedly as he rubbed his chin. “If I tell you it won’t change the fact that we caught our art thief and recovered a very valuable painting.”
“No, it won’t,” Yarlet agreed, “but it will give me an idea of just how far above the law you are willing to go.”
Nejaa raised an eyebrow in question and Yarlet laughed, “Oh, come on, Master Halcyon, I know you two must have sneaked into the Chateau and got the holo. I just want to know how in the galaxy you managed it.”
Nejaa laughed and said, “Okay, you caught us. It was my idea because I knew that I could get us past the personnel and the security cams. How I did that is simple—by using what you all affectionately call Jedi mind tricks.”
“Yeah, Cap,” Ros grinned at Nejaa, “it turns out Nejaa here is the master of mind tricks.”
Yarlet laughed and said, “I’m not sure that makes me feel better or worse about it, but I’m surely glad that you didn’t get caught. That would have been difficult to explain.” Ros was amazed at how well Janaves was taking this. He was about to make a smart comment about their explanation being that Nejaa put him under a mind trick when the captain’s features hardened. Ros knew that expression well. “But if you,” he pointed to Ros, “ever do that sort of thing again, I will skin you alive. Do you understand, Lieutenant Horn?”
“Yes, sir.”
“And you,” he pointed to Nejaa, “if you intend to stay and work with Corellian Securtiy, you will stay within the law. Do you understand, Master Halcyon?”
Nejaa gave him a respectful bow of his head and replied, “Yes, Captain.”
“Good!” Yarlet then stood up from behind his desk and came around to stand behind the two younger men. He came up between them and slapped them both on the shoulder. “Now, go have a drink and get some sleep. You both look like hell.”
They left the captain’s office and headed back toward Ros’s cubical. “So, would you like to go down to the Ranto for that drink? Then I’ll take you home.”
Nejaa glanced at his chrono and then grinned as he said, “Actually, as much as I’d like to razz you about your new girlfriend, I think I’ll pass on the drink. I can still get two hours of sleep in before I meet Scerra.”
“New girlfriend? I’m not the one needing sleep because I’ve spent all night on the beach with my dancing partner.”
Smirking, the Jedi shrugged and said, “True, but I still can’t believe you didn’t pick up on her seduction long before the painting.”
Ros glared at Nejaa as he gathered his things to leave. “Maybe I was toying with her and just playing dumb.”
Nejaa snorted. “Right. But the look on your face when you saw that painting was priceless.”
Ros chuckled at himself and admitted as he hoisted the carryall on his shoulder, “Well, I am a red-blooded Corellian man. You can’t tell me that you didn’t appreciate that painting.” Nejaa shrugged and then Ros smirked. “Thanks for the save by the way. As much as I liked the painting, I had no desire of actually seeing the real thing. No matter how red-blooded I may be, becoming Baroness Saffore’s latest boy-toy wasn’t going to happen.”
“Any time, my friend,” Nejaa said as they headed out of the office.
“So, you’re meeting Scerra. You planning another night on the beach?”
Nejaa glared sideways at Ros and shook his head. “Not exactly. She’s invited me to a dinner party at her mother’s friend’s home. It should be interesting. I hope it’s not as dull as she claimed it would be, because I’ll fall asleep if it is.”
“Let me guess, Mazy Callowin?”
“Yeah. You say that as if I should run in the other direction.”
Ros laughed and said, “If I were you, I would.”
“That doesn’t sound encouraging,” Nejaa said as they entered the lift that would take them to the exit.
“I just wish Adelyn would just realize Scerra is a big girl, and for the most part, can take care of herself.” As he said it, he glanced at Nejaa and suddenly hoped it was true. He got the feeling Nejaa and his best friend were on a very slippery slope and headed for a mess at the bottom. A mess he hoped wouldn’t end up hurting them both.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Next chapter will be all Nejaa/Scerra....
Thanks for reading....
late edit: fixed some spelling and other errors...I hate spelling and grammar!!!! 
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I used to dream of Kyp or Jag, now it's Edward Cullen...I blame Cyn and Saber.. Master to DanaeMariSkywalker, JediMasterArmada and PHGS_Weyr
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canadianjedimama
Registered:
Jan '08
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Date Posted:
4/7 8:55pm
Subject:
RE: Going Beyond Friendship - Romance, Angst, novel - Nejaa Halcyon/Scerra/Rostek Horn, updated 4/7
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Next chapter will be all Nejaa/Scerra... 
*closes mouth to quit drooling on keyboard*
Sorry about that Sara.
So, anyways....Rostek Horn is a complete ignoramus with the ladies,huh? I never would have figured that the man who raised Corran "Lady's Man" Horn would be a total and complete dolt with the girls.
Guess somethings do run in the blood, eh?
Good to see that Nejaa and Rostek got their man. Just like the Mounties 
Can't wait for more!
Cyn
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Lucky member of the Jagateers, my e-sister's of Jag-love! Death of The Calrissian Pimp-Cane 43 ABY May tha playa rest in peace, yo.
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jadesabre75
Registered:
Nov '07
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Date Posted:
4/8 6:09am
Subject:
RE: Going Beyond Friendship - Romance, Angst, novel - Nejaa Halcyon/Scerra/Rostek Horn, updated 4/7
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Wow! I love the banter between the guys. It's awesome.
I laughed out loud when the Baroness was flirting with Ros. Nejaa was nicer than I would have been. 
Great chapter! Can't wait for more mush!
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Stories are in my bio! Have at it!
"Writers block is when your characters get tired of everything you do to them and go on strike."
Lucky Member of the Jagateers: Jagateer of the Imperial Red Swim Trunks
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