MISSION TO ORDONE - An EU, pre-EP1 story - Chapter I

I like the interaction between Yoda and Adi a lot. So, Valeda's ill. I wonder what is wrong with her? And I hope she's going to be okay. I agree with the Jedi Masters--Qui-Gon needs to take another Padawan. (And I have someone in mind...)
Great post, Valeda!!

 

CHAPTER X
'Bakur'

Tarak watched from under beetling brows as Prince Bakur paced back and forth in front of his desk. The Grand Councilor had returned from the Council session to find the Prince making himself comfortable in his office, watching the address to the clans with a bemused expression on his face.

Settling his gray coils over his shoulders, Bakur spoke in a brittle tone. "This private meeting was hardly necessary, Prince. The Queen has commanded that she be permitted just a few more days for rest and recuperation. It was a serious accident."

"Yes, I know, I saw the vids, Councilor!" Prince Bakur spat out the words. "I have attempted to visit her, and that little reptile of a doctor turned me away. Me, her only cousin! I suppose the brother's been to see her." He curled an upper lip. "I understand, though, that you haven't."

Tarak sighed. Even weakened from her wounds Tarak knew what M'lss was capable of mentally. For that reason he had avoided visiting the Queen since contacting the Jedi, sure that she would be able to see his duplicity in his face and through his mind. He did not want to give away his plans involuntarily. He had taken the doctor's word that the Queen would survive.

"She receives daily reports from me, Prince. There's no need for me to visit," Tarak said. "I believe that Count Chandle has gone to see the Queen. His visits are cheering, since he's such a positive influence." //Unlike you.//

"You'd be happy too, Tarak, if you could just sit around and watch ancient holograms of long dead ancestors all day and then teach a class on it for a bunch of addle-brained students," Tarak sneered. "Doesn't want to King, eh? Not that it would do him any good. He can't run the government, and I can." He stopped and spun about to face Tarak directly. "She has a Feast day coming, I hope she remembers that," Bakur growled.

"Assuredly she does, Prince. Perhaps she will grant you an audience before then. In any event, she will be back at the Palace shortly." //And that is not a lie.//

Prince Bakur turned for the door, pausing just prior to hitting the release button. Tarak knew that the Prince commanded a striking figure, and Bakur never missed an opportunity to exploit it. He was slightly taller than average, probably two and a quarter meters or so; he towered over the tiny minister. Blue eyes and blond hair, chiseled chin and a firm mouth completed a handsome picture. The only defect was a thin white scar that ran up one temple, obtained, as he said, protecting a young woman's honor in the back streets of Ordoné City. Some members of the Court thought it possible that he had received it from the lady herself, defending her own honor. He was a High Prince of Clan Graff, a distant relative to the Queen. But not from the ruling Padador clan, as M'lss and Chandle were. And the ancient laws dictated that only females could become the supreme monarch. Even Chandle could rule only until the Queen's daughter could be made available.

Bakur spoke again. "Give the Queen my regards, Councilor. Tell her that...no, don't tell her anything else." He saluted Tarak with a casual hand. "Perhaps I'll get the chance to speak to M'lss myself. Who knows?" The door opened and he went out through it.

Tarak dropped into a convenient repulsorlift chair, which brought him smoothly and quietly over to the office balcony. The view was stunning from this direction. He never tired of looking at his home world; Ordoné was beautiful, indeed. Huge Kalooshes, all gossamer wings and long purple beaks, flitted up and down on whispers of air, calling quietly as they searched for food. The palace had been built on a jagged outcropping and most of the rest of the city was behind him, hidden from view, although a few openings in the panoply to his left revealed tall buildings thrusting their craggy heights up to the clouds. Here it was all green and growing things and faraway ocean waters that sparkled in the sun like diamonds. The area around the capital had been kept c

 

Just feel the need to say, up, up! LOL

 

Hey, I wasn't expecting a weekend post! "Highly irregular" LOL! (But I'm not complaining! )

That was great, Valeda! I especially like how descriptive you are with the transport and Valeda's wardrobe and everything--I love it when I can *see* whatever it is I'm reading about. I like how unorthodox Valeda is in her approach to the mission, too. It makes her very interesting.

Looking forward to the next chapter!

 

I was at work, so thought what the heck, I'll go ahead and post two more chapters...LOL

I'll post two more tomorrow.

I'm very pleased that you're able to "see" what you're reading. One walks a fine line between what is too much description and what is just right. Too much bogs down a story, too little and you don't have much of a story.

I'm very glad you like it!

That makes my day.

 

Chapter XII
'Lightsabers...and Torture'

Valeda was sitting on the edge of her bed tidying up her braid when Qui-Gon strode in unannounced. She didn't turn around. "Don't you ever knock?"

"No need. I knew you were up and dressed."

Adjusting the mirror to a more favorable angle, she inspected her hair, satisfying herself that there were no loose strands. "Yeah, lucky for you I didn't have an hangover and decided to spend the rest of the day in bed. It was a lovely evening, wouldn't you agree?

"Yes. But hangovers are for those unlucky enough to be without the Force. I thought this morning to have a lightsaber session. I will move the tables around."

"Didn't you get enough with Jeant?" He continued into the living room without speaking, and she shrugged. "Apparently not." She rose and followed him into the next room, where he was busily engaged in rearranging the furniture, clearing space for them to move around in.

"This carpet will slow us down, but that shouldn't be a problem." He flicked on his lightsaber. "Ready?"

"I would be honored to be instructed by you, Master Qui-Gon Jinn." Valeda bowed deeply. As she lifted up she powered up her own lightsaber. The eerie white light bathed her face.

They spent the next few moments centering the Force, gathering its strength to add to their own. Valeda had already used it to remove the last few lingering effects of the previous night's overindulgence in food and alcohol. If Qui-Gon had done the same, he gave no sign. She would not have been surprised if he had not needed to bother.

Satisfied that she had done all she could, Valeda raised her lightsaber and took a fighting stance. Qui-Gon did the same, a few meters separating them. Then, realizing how cumbersome she was dressed, she held up a hand. Qui-Gon straightened up and waited.

She began peeling off layers of tan robes, emerging only in her short-sleeved undertunic. She even kicked off her shoes. Qui-Gon arched one thick brow, as he looked her up and down. "Do you often distract your opponents this way?"

Pulling her braid forward over her shoulder, she faced him again, crouching low. "I take whatever advantage I can get. C'mon, get out of all those clothes yourself."

Shrugging, her threw off his cloak, but kept the rest of his Jedi clothing - and his boots - firmly in place.

She shook her head, eyes twinkling. "OK, don't say I didn't give you a chance."

They began with warm-up exercises, Qui-Gon calling out the style that he wanted to address. To her delight she remembered each one, even the ancient styles rarely taught at the Academy any longer. She could see the admiration of that in his eyes.

Valeda tried some probing maneuvers, testing what she was up against. She knew that Jedis used every advantage available to them, as it often meant the difference between life and death. To her chagrin there was nothing to latch on to. Qui-Gon's Force barriers were fully engaged, and his mind was as free of suggestions as he could make it. Valeda knew that was a lot.

She feinted left, right, and then drew both hands up for an overhead thrust. He blocked every move. His thought projections came through loud and clear.

//You won't be getting any help from me.//

Just as his barriers were in place, so were hers, and she concentrated on clearing her mind of all hints to her impending movements. //Don't need it. Just having a little fun.//

//I do not mean this to be fun.//

He parried a quick backward thrust from her and struck back, turning her lightsaber aside with ease. Indeed, Qui-Gon seemed to be always a step ahead, blocking every blow, retreating before her attack but forcing her to keep moving.

She skipped out of the way just in time to avoid a crosscut to her head. Valeda felt the heat on her skin. "Hey, watch those close ones! My face is my fortune!"

"Then you are a wealthy woman."

"Why, Qui-Gon Jinn! Flattery will get you everywhere." In an instant she had flipped over his head, tapping him on the shoulder as she

 

Wow, Valeda, that description of the torture Valeda survived gave me chills. And I wonder why Xanatos did save her?
I liked the opportunity to see more of the relationships between M'lss, Bakur, and Chandle, too.

Yep, I think you hit a good balance with the descriptions. I like being able to visualize the environments and people in the story, and you accomplish that without getting anywhere near the point where the story begins to get bogged down.

 

ValedaKor!

What an original story! I just began reading today. Now that Darth Real Life has been tamed somewhat, I am back to reading the boards. Great detail and dialog. Great characters too!

I really like Jedi Knight Valeda, she is a complicated real person and Jedi. I like your Qui-Gon characterization too. I am looking forward to learning more about both Knights thoughts and feelings.

And the DeLoong Order! Did Qui-Gon *do* any research, did he know about their outrageous costumes and behaviours? Oooh and shudders, Glitterstim on ones fingernails *must* be cheating, even in DeLoong.

I am intrigued by Valeda's history too. So many good plot bunnies here : the story of her rescue by Xanatos (of all people!) or her rivalry with Xanatos vying for Padawanship with Qui-Gon.

Keep up the great work! I can't wait to read the next chapter!

E3J

 

Yay! You've got a new reader, Valeda!!

 

Thanks for your comments! It's great to know that people are reading.

I'm moving up my postings, now that I can see the light at the end of the tunnel at work. So that means two each on M, T, W Th and F, and we'll be through this puppy in no time.

Thanks again.

 

Two long chapters here...you've been warned <g>

CHAPTER XIV
'The Entertainment Dome'

"No, no! She raises her hand so--" Qui-Gon lifted a beefy palm upwards towards the ceiling. "When she is acknowledging the cheers of a crowd."

"Yeah, when she's not threatening to kill them all." They had time for several sessions to perfect Valeda's impersonation of the Queen's carriage and her speech, and Qui-Gon was proving to be a hard taskmaster.

The long green gown swirled around Valeda's ankles as she pivoted in place, scowling at Qui-Gon, her black hair flowing down her back. A holo of the Queen was open on the desk and she knew that she was nearly as perfect a physical twin, as it was possible to be. The rest would take care of itself. //Why doesn't he see?// Rolling her eyes, Valeda did as she was told.

"That's better."

"That's perfect, you mean."

"I think we should study the genealogy one more ti...."

"You study. I'm going out."

"Is that wise?"

Knitting her brows together, she pondered the question for a moment. It was Queen M'lss that answered. "You may like it, or not. It is of no consequence to me. I am going to the Entertainment Dome."

"Valeda, I..."

"The Queen has spoken." Abruptly her mood changed. "It's something I need to do, Qui-Gon. I'll just go in my little dress and wear a wig and no one will even notice me. And I'll wear flats and look really short." He snorted. "OK, shorter. If this particular Jedi Knight can't blend into a crowd, she's in trouble." She could tell he was not convinced. "Let me show you my disguise, then." She drew closer and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Everything will be fine. I would never jeopardize a mission." Before he had a chance to reply she raised her hands in a pushing motion. "Scoot. I'm going to change now. Unless you would like to get to know me a little better." She had the satisfaction of watching the blush creep up his face as he headed for the door. The dress came swiftly over her head, and she made for the fresher.

She had amassed a large collection of wigs, prosthetics, makeup and other specialty items to help her transform into someone else. She dove into the duffel bags now, searching for the perfect outfit. Tonight it would be the brown dress; it had long, full sleeves and deep pockets, and she could hide her lightsaber easily. Although she knew weapons were not permitted in the Dome, Valeda also knew that a majority of patrons would ignore that little prohibition if they could. There would be Detectors, but they were useless against the Force.

She pulled out a chin length light brown wig and a skin wrap, so tight that it would pull her already tight skin tighter, tilting her eyes. She would add no tinting on her cheeks and use a dusting of powder to damp down the color of her lips. With the addition of brown tinted contact lenses she was transformed.

A slow smile opened up her features. A gambler needs an edge. She dipped deeper into her travel bag and emerged with a ring, a large blood red Slurra gemstone. Fake, but good enough to fool most anyone. Pulling it on her left hand, Valeda moved it back and forth, appreciating how it sparkled in the light.

//I have seen you act, he said. No, you really haven't.//

She inserted the contacts and then put on the wrap and wig, finishing with the nondescript dress. The lightsaber went into her pocket. Then, she made a decision. She removed the lightsaber and substituted a small holdout blaster up her sleeve.

//I won't give Qui-Gon the satisfaction of proving me wrong, allowing myself to be identified as a Jedi.//

Moving to the bureau Valeda removed a heavy bag hidden under a pile of clothing. She hefted it, enjoying the weight. Happ' had sent along a full supply of credits for this trip. //She knows me too well.// She slipped it around her waist, adjusting the strap. Taking a deep breath, she went for her 'inspection.'

Qui-Gon was reclining in one of the side chairs studying a sheath of flimsies when she entered. His do

 

Ouch. That sounded...painful.

Again, I like the tension between Valeda and Qui-Gon over her talents and unorthodox methods.

Would have replied sooner, but I didn't have time to finish reading this 'til now. Two looong chapters.

 

(shudders)

 

ValedaKor,

Great post! I agree with Valeda that they *always* put the necessary in the furtherest darkest corner.....which is not good!

I like the interaction between both Valeda and Qui-Gon--they are both learning from each other. And learning lessons they probably would't accept, except through experiences like this.

I respect Yoda for his support of Valeda, even though she is different. He probably *knows* this is a learning experience for both of them!

Great story!

UP! So I can find you at lunchtime, with my triple shot expresso americano and *pretty please* a new post?

E3J

 

To make up for yesterday, two rather smallish chapters today <g>

CHAPTER XVI
'Songlifters'

"Have you finished the report yet, Banuus?"

"No. This particular Songlifter was hired for her beauty, not her computer skills, Nema." Exasperated noises emanated from the woman being addressed.

"Really? You must have paid them well, then."

"Settle down, you two. You're upsetting my concentration."

Two voices as one. "Yes, Ma'am, Commander Cito, Ma'am!"

The one addressed as Commander Cito was staring into a hand held mirror, pressing long fingers against a line of diamonds that followed her hairline. Her dark red hair was pulled up into a tight ponytail. Violet eyes narrowed as she squinted into the mirror, turning her head this way and that, making sure that every dazzling stone was properly positioned.

She looked up at the two companions, a man and a woman, seated with her in the office at Republic Security Headquarters on Coruscant. A huge grin split her face. "Well, what do you think?" She asked, pointing at the jewels.

Natives of Predetan, and especially Songlifters, were famous for their fabulous gems, and wore pieces from their collection on their persons. While Cito Songlifter had her jewels on her head, Nema wore his stitched in a sunburst pattern on his tight white shirt. Banuus kept a somewhat lower profile, preferring to wear a portion of her considerable fortune on her fingers.

Nema drew back, shook his blonde head and stared down his aquiline nose at Cito. "Refresh my memory, Ensign Banuus," he asked, speaking out of the side of his mouth. "Is Commander Cito in charge of our particular Songlifter detachment?"

The other woman at the table nodded her head, continuing to stare at the computer keyboard in front of her. She raised a be-ringed hand to her chin. "Yes, Lieutenant Nema, I do believe that's what the memo said."

"In that case, the gems are fabulous, Commander. And so real looking!"

Cito poked him on the shoulder. "Not real! This is a year's pay!"

"And modest, too!"

Banuus finished tapping her fingers on the keyboard and hit the 'enter' button with a pronounced slap. "There! The prisoner's in custody, the report's been filed, and we're free to leave Coruscant and go see Trose."

Cito put her mirror away. "Alright. One more trip to the Jedi Temple should do it."

Both Banuus and Nema made a face. "Do we have to go back there? The Jedi don't like us very much."

Cito shook her head. "You're exaggerating as usual, Banuus. There are some Jedi who don't agree with our methods, but not all."

"It's because we Songlifters have a sense of humor. Most Jedi don't," Nema interjected.

Banuus closed the terminal with a snap. "Yeah, I'm way more funny than most of the Jedi I know."

"And how many Jedi would that be, Banuus?" Nema asked.

She shrugged. "Uh, one -- Trose. Or Valeda Kor. Whatever her name is this week."

"Let's take stock, shall we?" Cito began ticking items off her fingers, flashing long red fingernails. "We caught up with the Chardan pirates and finished them off. Pecka Barfarnian fell into our hands here on Coruscant after we'd tracked her half way across the galaxy. We've been away from Predetan for six months. Wait 'til they get a look at this expense report. And the bonus for the flight miles."

"Vacation here we come!" Nema exclaimed.

Cito looked at him dryly. "Oh, didn't I tell you? Hmm, must have slipped my mind. I received a message from HQ this morning. Another case."

"Another?" Banuus whined plaintively. "We hit our quota with Barfarnian. I wanna go home!"

"If we really had quotas we'd be retired by now," Cito said. "Banuus, you really shouldn't screw your face up like that. It makes you look like a Trog in heat."

Banuus' hand flew to her face. Cito and Nema suppressed smiles.

Cito continued. "We're the best, lady and gentleman. The Chief knows that. Anyway, this is simple. Dar LaKlom has escaped again."

"Again!" They both spoke in unison. "Don't the Boamberians ev

 

Just moving this up. Two more chapters to be posted later this morning.

 

Didn't I reply to this yesterday? ?
This cold I'm getting must be slowing my brain function or something. (Not a good thing considering I've got 3 midterms today. )

Anyhoo, they might have been short chapters, but they were still great!
I love the rapport between the other Songlifters. I wonder if there's a special reason they're looking for Valdea right now and what part they'll play in the story?
They've finally reached Ordone! Valeda better make good use of the chance to relax--I have a feeling she won't have another for quite some time.

I'll be watching for the next post, Valeda, but I may not get to read it until after class this evening.

 

CHAPTER XVIII
'Two Queens'

From the sanctuary of the Grand Suite Valeda heard the familiar whine of an airship as it flew over the top of the building. From the sound of it, Tarak was landing right outside. A few minutes went by while she sat and used the Force to keep her heartbeat at a steady, even pace. During the time Qui-Gon had been gone she had carefully removed the blond wig, stowing it within the one bag she'd be able to carry. Her black hair hung down her back now.

Qui-Gon's mind entered hers. //Come. The yacht is at the entry. I'll see you soon.//

Valeda arose and settled the cloak around her. Taking no chances, she concentrated on becoming invisible, and in a moment she was gone. Anyone who would have been looking at her when she faded away might have noticed a slight blurring of the background, but that was the only evidence of her presence as she walked swiftly down the quiet hallway and went outside.

//So much for only doing this in dire emergencies. But I can't risk being seen.//

It was a beautiful morning, the sky bright blue and cloudless. Valeda took one long last look before entering the yacht. She found a small auxiliary space in the aft cabin and squeezed into it, settling down to wait, hoping that the Queen's delight at being freed from her 'prison' would induce her to hurry her departure.

A few minutes stretched into a half hour. Finally she heard voices outside the yacht and life forms settling into the cabin. She felt Qui-Gon's presence get smaller in her mind as he went to fly to the rendezvous point. The craft lifted up off the ground, and they were on their way. Valeda closed her eyes and concentrated on staying invisible.

* * * * *

"Tarak, what is the meaning of this? It's bad enough that you gave me no notice of your coming to get me. Why have we stopped here?" The Queen's controlled yet angry voice rose higher.

"Majesty, I have news for you."

From her hiding place Valeda could hear the fear in his voice. Tarak had spent a few minutes flying from the convent and then had made an abrupt left turn, settling to the ground almost immediately. Valeda used the Force to 'see' the area around the yacht, taking in the small clearing and the immense forest that surrounded it. She also sensed Qui-Gon's presence again, waiting quietly at the periphery of the open area.

Valeda realized that Tarak and M'lss had exited the cabin and were standing outside in the clearing. She stepped out of her hiding place and rematerialized, moving to where she could see but not been seen.

The Queen was pacing back and forth in front of Tarak, hands clinched at her sides. She was dressed very casually in black pants and a black shirt, her hair piled on top of her head.

Tarak had his familiar court robes on, and he was following the Queen with his head as she moved across his field of vision. "I don't believe that your accident was an accident, Majesty." Tarak took a deep breath, and set his mouth in a thin line. "I believe it was an assassination attempt. To keep you safe, I've contacted a friend of mine, a Jedi Master named Qui-Gon Jinn."

Valeda noted with amusement that the Grand Councilor stood a few meters away from the Queen's reach.

"The Jedi! Tarak, you dare...." She raised her hand in a menacing fashion, and Valeda saw the long red nails appear. She could not see M'lss' face, but from the look on Tarak's the fangs were also present.

The little minister gulped and drew himself up as tall as he could. "I dare because I have served you well for centuries, Majesty. And I care for you as I do for my own daughters."

Valeda sensed the Queen's quick intake of breath, the color blooming in her cheeks. Clearly, she had never heard these words from Tarak before.

"We are determined to keep you alive, Majesty," he continued, clearing his throat nervously. "Until we discover who is trying to kill you. You're not going back to the Palace today, but to a safer hiding place."

Valeda started back as the Queen half turned to the yacht

 

I never think about pushing this up until it's late at night and nobody's around...<g>

Two more chapters tomorrow, then a break until Monday

 

Great post!
I love Dalynn! I enjoyed her interaction with Qui-Gon, and I hope she and Valeda do get a chance to meet.
Whew! Impersonating M'lss sounds like a lot of work! But Valeda's doing a good job. I hope she doesn't let her attraction to Bakur get her in trouble, though.
I wonder if Qui-Gon is jealous.

 

Just thought I'd push this up! Two more chapters coming in a couple of hours...,

 

CHAPTER XX
'Qui-Gon and the Songlifters'

Qui-Gon had decided that he might as well conduct some research while on Ordoné, hiding away in the capital's libraries, within reach if Valeda should need him. Two days had gone by, and there had been no frantic calls from the Palace. He suspected Valeda was avoiding him. That was alright. He wanted events to settle back to their normal routine so that anything out of the ordinary would be noticed immediately. Tarak was keeping him apprised of everything that was going on.

To his surprise he was actually enjoying his study of ancient Ordoné rituals, gaining a greater understanding of how this peculiar culture of Vampyr rulers and Candricans had coexisted for thousands of years. There were parallels to the rise and survival of the Jedi here, and he planned to place the information he had learned into a Holocron for the Temple archives.

//Master Yoda would definitely be amused if he could see me surrounded by all this. I haven't done so much pure study since I was his Padawan.//

He was busily engaged in studying a stack of yellowing flimsies when one of the library clerks came around the corner of the computer stack and stood, hesitating, until Qui-Gon looked up and noticed him. "Yes, Bondo?"

"Uh, you have visitors, Master Jinn."

Qui-Gon's brow furrowed. "Visitors? Who are they?"

The clerk looked away, confusion on his features. "We don't know, Master Qui-Gon. They look like Jedi, though."

"Really? Interesting." He sent a probe out, encountered two sentient beings in the anteroom. //Not Jedi.// He rose from the chair. "I'll come, then."

Bondo indicated the closest turbolift. "They're waiting just below. I'll, uh, stay here."

Intrigued at the man's apparent fear Qui-Gon reached out a hand and touched him gently on the shoulder, which sent a calming Force wave through the clerk. Bondo visibly relaxed.

Entering the lift Qui-Gon called for the correct floor and the cab began to rise slowly. He arranged himself squarely in the center of the compartment and rested his hands on his utility belt. //To be ready for any contingency and to keep constantly on the alert.// A reminder of the Code. The turbolift made a slight ping as it reached the floor and the door slid open.

Even with his senses on full force his eyes widened. The two beings arranged shoulder-to-shoulder in front of him wore deep hooded cloaks of dark grey, the hoods pulled up to completely conceal their faces. The only clues to their sex were the slim, red-tipped fingers that lay palm down along the front of their robes.

As one they took two steps back, giving Qui-Gon enough room to move out of the turbolift, but not far enough that he could move around them. He declined the invitation, preferring to stay where he was. No one had yet made a sound.

Suddenly, the taller of the two raised a hand to pull her hood back and Qui-Gon found himself staring into the violet eyes of a human female. The line of diamonds that crossed from one temple to another highlighted her strikingly attractive face. Her companion also pulled back her hood, revealing a brunette.

The tall one spoke. "We bring greetings from the Temple, Master. I am Cito. This is Banuus. Have you a moment to speak?"

He remembered a snippet of information from the research he'd been doing, the thoughts of a long-dead Candrican warlord on Ordoné. //Confusion to our enemies.// They did not want to be identified, then.

He nodded. "Of course. Let's leave this building. The streets are safer for conversation."

"As you wish."

They stepped into the turbolift and immediately formed a defensive phalanx around him. Qui-Gon reached out with the Force and encountered the weaponry that each one carried. There were blasters on each hip hidden under the long cloaks, long bladed Enticer Knives concealed in holsters on their upper arms and garrotes in needle thin pockets on their formfitting jumpsuits. And a fortune in diamonds, on Cito's head and Banuus' fingers.

Qui-Gon smiled as

 

Moving this up...

 

Moving up...won't be any new chapters until Monday....

 

Hi Valeda Kor,

Just moving this up for you to find on Monday !

I'll be reading it Monday, with my triple shot latte in hand!

Hope you had a good weekend.

E3J