Life Goes On (Sequel to 'Incurable') **Updated 3/08**

Sacre Bleu! A post!

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Quin-Cey Lymon shifted uncomfortably on his feet as he stood next to his new master, who at the moment was seated on the sofa in Khyte Dunst?s apartment. Beside him was Khyte and Kimbal, the grief on their faces mirror images of the visage help by Quin-Cey?s own master. The padawan could not see his master?s face, for it was hidden from sight by his large hands, covering his eyes and, more than likely, the tears that were falling from them.

The room was crowded, most of the Council members present as well as security officers. Master Yoda, Mace Windu, and Rhy-Awn Tomac were busy speaking to the head security officer while two others were interrogating Junuh, who shook like a leaf with apprehension. Several officers were scanning Corra?s room, searching for evidence of any kind. Quin-Cey felt oddly out of place, the only child in a room full of adults. He wished that he could leave, but he knew he couldn?t. His master needed him.

Being that he had been apprenticed for almost a week, Quin-Cey and Jonn?s bond had not yet developed beyond it?s first fledgling stage. Quin-Cey was unsure as to if he should hug his master, but his hand on his shoulder, or what.

He heard Kimbal mumble something to Jonn, the Knight getting up from the sofa and leaving the room, Jonn scooting across the sofa to take Khyte in his arms for comfort. Curiosity filled Quin-Cey as to Kimbal?s intended destination, the padawan wondering if he should follow the knight. He knew from experience that when you?re down, the worst thing you could be was alone. Quin-Cey hesitating slightly before leaving his master?s side and exiting the apartment, using his premature Force skills to track the Knight, who was moving at such a rapid pace that it made it hard for Quin-Cey to keep up.

He followed him down the turbolift and out into the gardens, Quin-Cey keeping a fair distance behind Kimbal as the Knight walked straight forward into the trees. Quin-Cey saw Kimbal come to a halt in front of a tree that had a small stone placket before it, the boy hiding behind a tree. He watched as Kimbal dropped to his knees before the slab of stone, grim realization setting in as Quin-Cey recognized the object as a gravestone.

Kimbal let out a cry that stung at Quin-Cey?s heart, for it was one of a man in pure agony. The boy shuddered slightly as chills came over him, hearing Kimbal begin to sob as he started speaking.

?I failed you, Corban. Please forgive me. I never meant for this to happen. I knew I should have trusted my instincts about Junuh.? Kimbal shook his head, his voice quaking between sobs. ?I know I?ll find her, Corban. I?m just afraid that it will be too late.?

Quin-Cey felt a heavy hand clasp onto his shoulder, the boy jumping as he turned, finding himself looking up into the face of Master Rhy-Awn Tomac. ?Your master needs you now,? the Jedi said softly, a sad smile coming over his face. Quin-Cey nodded with a small sigh of relief, taking one final glimpse at Knight Underwood before turning and heading back into the temple.

Rhy-Awn watched the boy for a few seconds, then turned back to the Jedi who was before him, ever so lost and alone in the universe. He slowly approached the boy, seeing not the man that he was now but the child that he used to be, frightened, sad, and lonely. Kimbal was slumped on his knees, one hand covering his tear stained eyes as the other gripped the ground for support. Slowly, Rhy-Awn put his hand on Kimbal?s shoulder, as he used to with his own padawan. In so many ways, Kimbal reminded Rhy-Awn of Corban. Both were honest, loyal, and, evidently, in love with the same woman.

Kimbal jerked slightly at the Master?s touch, his body going rigid as he frantically searched the Force for the identity of the being touching him. He relaxed slightly when he knew it was Rhy-Awn, the Jedi quickly trying to wipe the tears from his eyes and control his quavering voice. He started getting to his feet, but Rhy-Awn stopped him.

?Don?t bother until

 

sniff sniff poor little "family", yeah I guess I feel kinda bad for wanting to sock old so an so in the jaw, I guess he did put up some resistance. 7 sniff

 

Get up, start looking for Corra, and once you find who did it open up a case of stompbutt! If you let the courts figure this out, if you let that girl get off planet, it will too late!

FORWARD!

 

Wow, thanks for the quick replies, guys!!

Well, I gotta head off to competition... *groan*. Have a good week!

 

*Wraps up blisters from mallets, rubs IcyHot on sore back, massages sore head from bobbypins, and shoves the two 3rd place trophies as well as uniform back into the band room before looking at the calender, realising that the day after tomorrow is Saturday with yet another competition (this time down in San Diego), goes back to the band room and pulls everything out again...*

 

Pushing this up with the promise of a post soon!

 

?I?m sorry sir, but we?re doing all we can right now. You shall just have to wait.?

Kimbal withheld the temptation to sock the officer. After all, he was doing his job, even if it was slower than Kimbal had hoped for. They had already gone to every type of security available, from police to investigators, and even to the special forces, yet all of them had the same answer: It would take time. But time was something that Kimbal did not posses. He could feel that Corra was still on planet, but was being shielded enough that he could not locate her. If she got off planet, then it would be near impossible to find her.

While she?s still here, the is hope left?

Trying not to show a visage of defeat, Kimbal exited the office of the security building and headed toward the awaiting speeder, Junuh behind the controls. Kimbal hopped into the back set with Khyte and Junuh sped away, Khyte?s eyes interrogating his visage. ?Well??

?Same response as the rest of them. ?We?re doing our best?? Sithspit, if you ask me. They could care less about a missing child.? Kimbal sighed, watching the blur of buildings go by. ?However, that doesn?t mean we shouldn?t keep trying. She?s still on Coruscant, Khyte, I know it. That leaves us very little time to find her.?

Khyte nodded her head mutely, her mind wandering abroad. They pulled up in front of another Private Investigator office, Khyte hoping out this time and heading inside, leaving the two men alone in the speeder. Kimbal sighed once more, rubbing a tired eye with a balled fist. He could see Junuh tense slightly as he stretched his aching limbs. He felt slightly guilty for administering the large bruise that was now visible on Junuh?s cheek, knowing that he would have to bury the hatchet sometime.

?Listen, Junuh?? Kimbal began, not really knowing how to apologize. ?I?m? eh? I?m sorry for overreacting, back in Khyte?s apartment, you know? I shouldn?t have hit you.?

Junuh hesitated, then slowly turned in his seat, facing Kimbal. ?Think nothing of it, Kimbal. I probably would have done the same if it was my child.? There was an awkward silence between the two, before Junuh continued. ?I?m going to do everything I can to help you find her, Kimbal. I feel guilty for letting her get away.?

?It?s not your fault,? Kimbal mumbled. ?It would have happened no matter which one of us was there.?

?I still feel the guilt,? Junuh commented, his face drawing tight as his thoughts collected. ?Knowing these local police forces, they?ll never find Corra in time, before she gets off planet, I mean. We need something? faster.?

?What are you saying, we go after her ourselves??

?Partially, but we can?t do it alone. We need someone who knows what they?re doing. Someone? experienced.?

Kimbal?s eyes narrowed at Junuh?s thoughts. ?What are you implying??

?What I?m implying is that we hire a Bounty Hunter.?


~~~~~~~~~~

?WHAT?!?

Khyte, on the other hand, wasn?t so thrilled about the idea of using a Bounty Hunter.
?You want me to hire a BOUNTY HUNTER to search for my child??

?Khyte, it?s the only way,? Kimbal explained, still not believing that he sided with Junuh on the issure. ?A Bountry Hunter will be quicker than any of these security forces combined. Plus, they know how to find people. It?s their jobs to find people.?

?But these people are? ruthless, some are even murderers!?

?Only if they?re paid to kill,? Junuh reminded her. ?They work for money, that is all. A job is a job to them.?

Khyte shook her head. ?The council would never agree to it,? she said quietly.

?The council isn?t paying for it,? Kimbal said. ?We are.?

Khyte turned to the corner of the room, where one lone figure stood. ?Master Rhy, please knock some sense into them.?

Rhy-Awn Tomac reminded quiet, his lips thin in concentration. ?Khyte, I?m sorry to say, but I agree with them on the matter.?

Khyte stared at him with disbelief, then turned back to Junuh and Kimbal. ?Bounty Hunters aren?t known to be tru

 

Pushing this up for the morning peeps...

 

Now we get a little more wicked.

Squeaker? Just how in the heck did Corban get that name from such a lovely Bounty Hunter? Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

Whoops! And never say you'll pay anything to a open contract. Not that I think Tasha would take advantage, but you know.....

 

LOL... thanks, Casper.

As to the nickname... well, I hate to say it, but you'll just have to wait and see!

 

A little more complicated, things are.... hmmmm. 7

 

Thanks 7

 

up!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

FORWARD!

 

Have a very merry Christmas, everyone!

 

?I still don?t like this.?

Kimbal sighed as he threw his coat over the back of his sofa, feeling a slight joy rise through him at the notion that his apartment was finally suitable to live in again, but the thoughts were quashed by the situation at hand. They had at least gotten someone willing to do the job, which was a plus to start with, but better yet, she knew Master Rhy and was friends with him. He had to admit that he too was a little wary about the idea of a bounty hunter going after Corra, but he knew that there was no other option. ?What?s not to like??

Khyte sighed as well, plopping down onto Kimbal?s sofa, letting herself sink into the soft cushions. She had been against the idea of a bounty hunter from the start, and was not willing to back down on her instinct just yet. ?I don?t know? It?s just? well? I?m not all that comfortable with a strange woman going and searching for my child.?

Kimbal joined her on the sofa, smiling softly to himself as he felt the familiar softness of the sofa meet his back. ?Master Rhy seems confident that she?s able to do it.?

?Yes, but Master Rhy?s never been a mother, now has he?? Khyte asked sharply, looking over at Kimbal, her worry and fatigue creating dark circles around her eyes. She now looked at least ten years older than her real age, as if the weight of the world had pressed itself upon her shoulders. She rubbed a tired eye with her hand, trying to fight the sleep that was creeping up on her. She felt Kimbal reassuringly put an arm around her shoulders, Khyte shifting and resting her head against his chest. She looked out the window, seeing the dark sky illuminated by the thousands of glowing lights of Coruscant.

Kimbal sat contently, not wanting to move from his spot. Khyte?s touch seemed to sooth his mind, relaxing him of his tension. He could feel her chest resting against his cream tunic, her warm breath weaving it?s way through the fabric and warming his skin. His eyes averted down to her face, where his visage of happiness quickly turned to one of concern. Small dark spots were visible on his tunic, right near Khyte?s cheek. He realized that she was crying. He gently rubbed her back, leaning his head near hers. ?Hey, it?s going to be all right,? he said softly, seeing Khyte turn her tear-filled eyes up to him. She held his stare for a moment, then turned her eyes back toward the window.

?She?s out there all alone, Kimbal. My baby is out there, and I don?t know where she is??

Kimbal held her fiercely to him, feeling the hint of tears heading toward his own eyes, but he quickly pushed it aside. ?We?ll find her, Khyte, don?t worry. By any means necessary, we?ll find her.?

?I?m still worried about that bounty hunter. What if she does find Corra? You know how she is around strangers? Corra would simply run and hide from her, and she could get lost or hurt if she did that! Bounty hunters are used to finding criminals, not children!?

Kimbal had not thought about this, but saw the truth in it. Corra was terrified of strangers. If she was to run away from this bounty hunter once found, she could simply be caught again, or worse, get injured? Then suddenly, the answer to the problem popped into Kimbal?s head. It was as if a light flickered to life inside him, making the Jedi wonder why he had never seen it before. The bounty hunter would never go for it, but it mattered little to Kimbal. Besides, he was the one holding the woman?s pay check. ?I know what I must do then.?

Khyte glanced up at him, her eyes questioning his sad yet determined look. ?What??

?I?ll go. I?ll go with the bounty hunter and find Corra.?

~~~~~~~~~~

?No, no, no, and no!? Ay?Tasha Steruuda furrowed her brows in frustration as she loaded the last of the new supplies onto her ship, the Tiegel. Her droid, a humanoid WD-4G droid that she called Ike, took the container of supplies from Tasha?s hands and continued carrying it onto the ship as the Twi?lek turn to face the man at the bottom of the ramp, crossing

 

Please find Corra fast, Kimbal. 7

 

UP

 

WD-4G? LOL! Well, whatever works I always say; and WD-40 works on everything.

Ah yes, remember the embarrassing times of your late friend, for those are the light hearted moments.

Alderaan don't sound as peaceful as it used to be by the sound of things. Whoa nelly (not the rapper).

Can't wait for more.

 

Thanks for the boost, 7.

Dangit, you caught me, Casper!! I would have named the droid WD-4D, but that's already a droid in another story of mine.

 

*Opens folder of excuses for not posting...*

Aha! One that you can all sympathize with... FINALS!

 

WD-40!

 

FINALS ARE OVER!!!

 

I have but 2 words on this Sunday, the 26th of January...

GO RAIDERS!!!!!!!!!

 

RAIDERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!