Before the Saga Just a spoonful of trouble - UDC IX

Yep. She's a fairly passionate defender of those she loves (as USJS sort of shows) even when it's slightly dangerous.

And she did! Woe betide anyone who gets on the wrong side of Namia's padawan!

I hope so. At least in the long run, I think, however, she might be making herself a rather dangerous enemy.

 

This week's drabbles with a call back to Dis dress and one of the side characters from there... Also nothing this week was under the word limit...Too much opportunity for dialogue...

*

Week XVI


Ancient

He didn’t have to wait long. Nessa smiled at Kit like a Ralltiir tiger sizing up its next meal.

“We should compare them,” she said softly, pleasantly, “the Baroness is a good friend of mine, perhaps we should invite her over. I’m sure she would love to see your ring.”

Ness motioned towards an elderly lady standing just nearby. Despite her age, the lady in question looked both formidable and strangely familiar as she simultaneously chatted with a younger lady and surveyed the room.

“Oh Lady Sybilla’s already seen it,” Kit beamed, giving a tiny wave towards where the old woman was standing. The older lady smiled and nodded her head, giving a tiny wave back.


Lasting

“Yes, we were having a marvellous conversation about the time that Lady, I mean Baroness, Sybilla was saved by a band of young men dressed as women. Her tale was quite exciting. Have you heard it?”

That was where he knew her from. Del felt a warm flush creep over his face at the notion that one escapade from his youth was still being discussed so many years later.

“We will have to ask her,” Lord Tovan’s genial face beamed, “won’t we my sweet. That sounds very exciting.”

“Certainly,” Nessa smiled again without it reaching her eyes. He felt her eyes appraising him.

“So what do you two do?” she asked, “for money I mean.”

“This and that,” Kit said and then leaned forward towards Lord Tovan and whispered conspiratorially, “Del would call us traders, but I quite like the idea of being pirates. Don’t you?”



Descendant

Kit smiled at Lord Tovan’s confused expression and then yawned politely before gazing up at Del. “My darling, we should get going. I believe that the children may still be waiting up for us.”

“Children?” Lord Tovan’s eyebrows raised but his mouth was a genuine smile, “forgive me my dear, but you don’t look old enough to have children.”

“Oh, you are too kind,” Kithera giggled and blushed and Del winced knowing where she was heading, “we have six children.”

“Six?”

“Yes, although the oldest two aren’t mine in blood, but I think of them as my own,” she said still smiling, “Del brought them up by himself. His wife abandoned him.”

“Oh, that’s awful,” Lord Tovan’s face was consternation.

“Yes, although you said you knew Del from long ago,” Kithera said addressing Nessa, “maybe you knew her.”


Epoch


Time seemed to hang in time, unmoving and then Nessa spoke. Del watched her as her chest swelled and her mouth tightened into a tiny, thin line. For a second he thought she was going to hit Kithera but then it passed. Nessa gave a tiny shake of her head.

“I’m afraid I don’t know the lady in question.”

Del felt his heart drop. He didn’t know what he’d expected. That she would confess to her crimes? Come clean? Beg forgiveness? He was suddenly angry. Angry that she would deny her own children. Angry at the whole sorry, stupid situation. He felt Kit’s hand slip into his and squeeze it gently.

“I’m sure he’s told you all about her,” Nessa said smiling at his discomfort.

“No,” Kit’s voice was silken, “he never mentions her at all.”


Ephemeral


For a fleeting moment, Del watched the barb hit. Namia had apparently taught her student well when it came to how not only to drive a verbal dagger home, but how to twist it and withdraw with your opponent’s bleeding heart. He watched Nessa blanch and he let go of a breath he didn’t realise he’d been holding. This was his knight, his gorgeous, wonderful, blonde-haired knight fighting his dragon.

“Like I said, we need to get back to our children.” The dagger twisted again, “but it was lovely to meet you Lord Tovan, Lady Nessa.”

Kithera all smiles curtsied while beside her Del bowed slightly.

“Come my sweet. We must away, although I think before I go I must introduce you to the Baroness.”

Then she was leading him across the dance floor towards the elderly lady and away from the dragon that was now nothing but ruinous smoke.

 

SWEET! Kithera= a slam dunk!

 

great set showing the past and Kit against the dragon

 

Dude! Kit just destroyed that wench, didn't she?

 

Oh these were fantastic! I've loved all of your drabbles, but I think these two sets were my favorite so far.

Week 15 - I feel for Del here! His discomfort is so obvious, but then Kit swoops in to rescue him. Awww! And she's so poised and cool about it. I love it!

Week 16 - And then Kit just goes in for the kill!

&

These lines were especially great!

Once again, you've done an awesome job with these and I loved every word. Can't wait to see what you come up with next!

 

Thanks @WarmNyota_SweetAyesha, @earlybird-obi-wan, @Cowgirl Jedi 1701, and @amidalachick! I really appreciate the fact that you guys read these and comment, I always appreciate feedback and it often makes my day. I'm glad Kit got the upper hand, this time, but I force Nessa being back in the future to cause trouble for our Family of Scoundrels. Also the line about Del never talking about Nessa is a paraphrase of a real-life line my husband used on an ex-boyfriend of mine (back when he and I had only just started dating). I figured it was a nice way of it being one of those times when the lines just work and the dragon is slain.

The bit below isn't a part of the drabbles but I didn't want to leave the last two weeks unfinished and this week's words have already been claimed for all the relationships between the different siblings. So please enjoy this epilogue, it's kind of a Week 16.5 (I discovered that Romans used S to denote a half - so cool new TIL for today!)

*

Week XVI-S

The matchmaker's gift.

He followed Kithera across the ballroom floor, feeling Nessa’s eyes follow him. The old lady smiled at him as he arrived.

“You must be Sir D’ladame,” the old lady said as she extended a hand. Del reached out and kissed it gently. Lady Sybilla was older and there were many more lines on her handsome face, but she still stood strong and tall like the figure-head of a ship from one of the story books that Essie loved so much when she was younger.

He shook his head. “Not a Sir, my lady.”

“Oh, and here I thought that Queen Katya gave honorary titles to those that saved her on her wedding day all those years ago.”

“That was a very long time ago, my lady. I believe those boys were fifteen, and I am a man who is now approaching fifty.” Del smiled even as his heart flipped. Lady Sybilla laughed and patted his shoulder.

“Then I must have been mistaken, and you only look like someone I once met so long ago. Just young men in love look so much alike.” The old woman turned her attention only Kit who was beaming. “Did you vanquish the monster, my young lady?”

“I did,” she beamed, “thank you for the lend of your ring.” She slipped the ring from her finger, “it was the perfect weapon.”

“It was my pleasure,” Lady Sybilla smiled conspiratorially as she took the ring back, “but I fear that Lady Tovan isn’t someone to be messed with. This may come back and bite you Lady D’ladame.”

Kit shrugged and slipped her hand into Del’s.

“I will be ready.” She looked up at Del and smiled, “we will be ready.”

“Then I wish you luck.” Lady Sybilla gave a simple nod and Del realised they’d been dismissed. He bowed as Kithera curtseyed. They moved away through the crowds and out onto the terrace.

"How did you know it was Nessa?" He asked as they slipped through the crowds.

"Essie keeps a photo of her where she doesn't think you can see. Plus she was watching you a long time before you noticed her."

"And the ring?"

"Turns out I was dancing with Lady Sybilla's nephew, a gentleman by the name of Prin."

"Oh." Del felt his face heat up when he remembered back to that night when marrying Prin almost became Qui-Gon's fate. Despite the vastness of the universe, sometimes it felt very small.

"I told him who she was and so he introduced me to his aunt. It turns out that the Baroness is not very fond of the Lady Tovan, but she is very fond of you."

As they reached the first step there was a polite noise behind them. Del turned to see the young woman who had been accompanying Lady Sybilla. She smiled at them both and curtseyed slightly.

“The Baroness said to give you this,” she held out a small pouch to Kit who took it gently and opened it. Inside was the ring.

“We can’t take this,” Kit said softly staring at the girl and then at the ring.

“The Baroness doesn’t like people to refuse her gifts,” the girl replied with a slight smile, “and she said that not only does it look better on your hand, but that perhaps the good sir here could put it to use sometime soon.”

“Thank you,” Del’s face flushed at the implication and he looked down to see his tiny, blonde knight with tears in her eyes.

“She also said to remind you of the favour you promise her in exchange for the loan.”

“I won’t forget,” Kit smiled again and pushed the ring back into the pouch.

The young lady bobbed her thanks and turned back to the dance hall. Del took Kit’s arm, his heart hammering in his chest at everything that ring implied.

“What as the favour?” He asked as they decended the stairs.

“Oh,” Kit smiled, “Lady Sybilla has a grandnephew that she would love us to introduce to Nicco. She believes that they will be a good match.”

“And she would know,” Del said softly, wondering again about how the universe seemed to twist and tumble.

“So it seems,” Kit said squeezing his hand gently, “so it would seem.”

 

SQUEE! Delightful epilogue.

 

love your epilogue to a very nice set

 

I enjoyed the callbacks to Dis Dress, which, by the way, I will need to read again.

 

Thank you Figured I needed to end that story but I doubt it'll be the last we see of Nessa.

Thank you

Definitely! I'm glad you liked the callbacks. I'm trying to link a bunch of the stories and the universe together so it is at least internally consistent.

 

Finally finished this week's one. All focused on the various relationships between the younger members of our Family of Scoundrels.

*

Week XVII
The siblings (Adventure)

“Alright,” Nicco looked around at his siblings and smiled. They were standing in one of the quieter spots in the great shopping markets of Alderaan surveying the landscape. “We have two hours to get this done. Let’s get in an out as fast as we can.” He turned his head towards where his tiniest sister was sitting perched on his shoulders. “Just so we’re clear, what are we getting Quin?”

“Presents for F’kisi and Estra for their wedding,” Quin said grinning. Nicco nodded and stared at his siblings until they all nodded their consent. Taro and Kei were whispering to each other.

“What’s up boys?” Nicco asked quietly.

“Uh, what if we see something but we can’t afford it?” Kei asked.

“Then you know what to do,” The boys beamed, Nicco sighed, “just don’t get caught.”




Quin (Boobytrap)

She had waited all day for this. Now was her time for revenge. She grinned at herself as she sat in the darkened corner of her room and eyed the simple but effective trap that she had set up on the door. One push. One foolish, silly push from her brothers would unleash her fury. It would be payback for their teasing, for taking her things, for eating the last biscuit. They would know she was not someone to mess with. Now she just had to hurry up and wait.

There were footsteps outside in the hall and her grin widened. Almost there. The door knob jostled and the bucket, so precariously placed on top of the frame wobbled.

“Quin? Are you in there?”

“No Zallie! Don’t open the door!”




The Twins (sidekick)

“You’re wrong.”

“Am not.”

“Are too sidekick.”

“Am not, you’re the second twin, therefore you have to be the sidekick.”

“What are you two arguing about?” Quin leant against the door frame and stared at her bickering brothers. Their room was the usual mess of dirty plates, piled clothes and random bits and pieces.

“About which one of us is the hero and which is the sidekick.” Taro throwing a dirty sock at his brother.

“I am the hero,” Kei said throwing a datapad back, “because I was born first.”

“You’re both wrong.” Quin smiled at them and put her hands on her hips, grinning evilly.

“Yeah, how?” Taro asked scowling at his sister.

“Because I’m the hero, dummy and you’re both my sidekicks!”



F’kisi and Estra (Love interest)


“Where are you taking me?” Estra panted as F’kisi led her up the steep hillside.

“Only a bit further,” F’kisi grinned at her and tugged her hand. They finally reached the top of the hill and the pile of stones and statue of Tiviali that seemed to grace every corner of this world.

“It’s beautiful,” Estra gasped starting down at the rolling green grass slopping away below them to the densely-packed green of the rainforest and then the wide blue ocean.

“Not as beautiful as you,” F’kisi said. She turned towards him and he leaned in and kissed her. Time froze as she melted into his embrace, feeling the softness of his lips on hers. Above them the seabirds squalled and fought in the wind, but the lovers below were oblivious to anything else except each other.



Hero


She was a mess of blood and tears. Zallie fought down a sob as she stared at the ground wondering if she should just conceed. It wasn’t fair that her mother had banned her from using The Force to defend herself, particularly when she was facing down M’leen and her pack of street girls. Zallie pushed herself up and wiped the side of her hand across her face staring at the trail of bright red blood it left behind.

“Want more ship brat?” M’leen snarled, “No-one here to save you now.”

“Really?” The voice at the end of the alley made Zallie’s heart soar. Here was her cavalry come to rescue the day. There was a pause from M’leen and Zallie looked up at her and grinned.

“That’s my sister Essie and she’ll save me plenty.”

 

fun with the children in adventure, booby trap and sidekick. Love interest was sweet and hero has a pack of mean girls with Essie saving Zallie

 

Week 16.5: Oh, what a great way to tie up that story!

Aww! Loved the whole epilogue.

Week 17: I loved all of these! I am SUCH a sucker for siblings, especially when there's banter and pranks and sticking up for each other.

"Adventure", "Booby-Trap" and "Sidekick" were all so fun.

This one was gorgeous!

And then "Hero" - poor Zallie! But yay for Essie! Great finish to an awesome set!

 

Thank you I figured I should maybe focus on the kids for a bit.

Ta I have lots of siblings so there was bits that I drew from there and from being a teacher (particularly the bit about sidekicks) and tried to show all the different relationships.

Yeah. Zallie's mouth is going to get her into a lot of trouble as she gets older. She's got Qui-Gon's lack of patience for people but her Mother's impetuousness which might not bode well. I did also want to show that Estra loves Zallie and will go into bat for her every time, even though they probably have the most tumultuous relationship out of all the siblings.

 

This weeks' one are set a long time ago and link back to Noonflower and some of the earlier drabbles too.

*

Week XVIII


All the live-long days

He stepped out into the dry, hot sand and winced at the glare of the harsh glare of the light. It had been days since the auction that had solidified his place as the property of the Mukdah. He’d fought until the last second when Muldeen had reminded him quietly that as a non-Force user he was worth less than nothing to them and that the only other option was for him to be sold for sport or dinner. He’d stopped fighting then and had been surprised when it had been Muldeen who had won his auction. Now he just needed to survive the long days ahead until he could regain his freedom.


Past mistakes

He rubbed his hand through his newly shorn hair as he followed the Mukdah into the trading port, feeling the sun beat down upon his skin. His padawan braid had been one of the first things to go. He’d thought about throwing it away. It’s not like it meant anything anymore. His Master was dead, his body frozen in the wasteland back on Mount Pompinux. There would be no ceremony where he gave it to his Master on the completion of his trials. He’d folded it up into his robes and tucked it in next to the noonflower he’d sought so desperately - the reason he’d become a slave.


Future Plans

“You follow me, boy.” Muldeen grinned and wrapped the head-cloth he always wore more tightly around his head so that it obscured his visage. He nodded his head and followed, trying not to feel the sweat drip down between the gaps in the shock cuffs on his wrists. Muldeen needed him to be the voice on worlds that were more ‘particular’ about who they did trade with. He’d learnt that the Mukdah were secretive enough that they didn’t want people to know that they survived. Their power lay in rumour and stories and fear. He would be the Mukdah’s voice and in return the Mukdah had said that when he’d earnt enough he would release him.


All things die

“Your Master don’t say much, does he?” The fat bellied toydarian smirked at him. He shrugged.

“He doesn’t need too. He’s got me to do the talking for him.”

“Ah, feisty one. Not often you hear such a well-spoken Coruscant boy as a slave. Sure you’re not a Jedi?”

The Mukdah’s hand landed on his shoulder and a shiver ran down him. He blinked and forced himself to swallow. The accent would have to go and the confidence too. If he was to survive he’d have to act the part. The last bits of his old life would have to perish.

He pretended that he hadn’t heard the question.

“Do you have the part we need or not?” His voice was more aggressive now.

“Sure. Sure. Keep your hair on.”


From the ashes


“I have to order it. You going to stick around? It’ll be three days.”

He glanced at the Mukdah who nodded his head.

“Yeah, we’ll be around.”

“Good. I’ll contact you but I need to know who to contact.”

He felt like the air had been sucked from his lungs. He couldn’t give his old name. That part of him had died along with his Master. He couldn’t just say ‘boy’ which was what Muldeen called him and the Mukdah wouldn’t want his name given out so that was off the table too. The toydarian was staring at him. “Rathtar got your tongue?

He cast around for a name, sweat beading his brow despite the heat of the planet.

“Del.”

“No last name Del?” The toydarian’s eyebrow was raised sardonically as if he didn’t believe him.

“No, just Del.”

 

Nice tie-in to Noonflower and prior drabbles. He has to persevere and hope Muldeen holds up his end of the agreement.

 

great story in this set

 

I have to echo earlybird, this is a great story!

Poor Del! Now I want to read "Noonflower" to find out more too.

That sounds like such an interesting culture! Not necessarily nice but interesting. Almost like pirates or something, where nobody really knows what's true and what's just myth.

Great work again!

 

Well, we know he does...eventually...sort of. You'll have to wait a while though for the Namia/Kit fic that I'm still slowly working through. Glad you enjoyed the tie in to Noonflower too.

Thank you you are always so kind!

Please do. It's not very long but it'll go a ways towards explaining the backstory to a bunch of this particular universe

Thank you! It's actually @Gamiel's culture that he came up with. I've just sort of run with it and added to it so that it works in my universe.

 

Second last set and they ended up being all over the place rather than a consistent narrative. All about what makes a home and the things that are special to our places.

Some things to note -

Haven - Jazz is from USJS and gets referenced in a bunch of other fics including most recently For the Love of the Lady.
Heal - Not part of the story but in looking up the etymology of the world Heal I discovered that the original Old English world is Haelan which sounds very much like Heilan (our resident Healer and Kirsh's padawan). It was completely coincidental but quite cool as Heilan is named after something else entirely.
Heal - This is how Kit gets the long scar on her arm that's referenced in The Choices we make.
Hereafter - This takes place on the same night as the last post of For the Love of the Lady.

*

Week XIX


Haven

Jazz wiped his forehead as he surveyed the medic tent. Two of the droids were wheeling out his last patient but he could already see the next coming in. Jazz sighed, desperately wishing he was back at the Temple. That had become his refuge in this Force-forsaken war. When it all got too much he could almost dream he was back there in the still and silent corridors, and not here on this dry and sand swept plain where The Force was fuzzy and indistinct.

The white doors of the medic tent swished open and a band of troopers swept in. Jazz frowned, there wasn’t supposed to be armed troopers in this area. Across the room his padawan looked up from her work questioningly.

“What are you doing he- “


Helper


Estra slid the door open to the mess and stared at horror at what lay in front of her. White drifts of flour and sugar lay haphazardly across the bench tops. In one corner a bowl was upended, the brown sticky contents dripping languidly onto the surface below. On the floor in the middle of the chaos sat a tiny girl, a mess of tiny brown curls framing a cherubic face.

“Mama,” the girl grinned and held out a beater to her. Estra looked at where Kithera was carefully sweeping up the fallen sugar.

“Uh Rin?”

The other woman looked up and grinned.

“What? Licking clean the spatula is the best reward for a job well done!”


Heal


“That’s a nasty cut,” Del shook his head as he tried to stem the bleeding. She winced as he added another thick swathe of gauze on top of the original blood soaked bandage on her arm.

“Don’t suppose you have any bacta?” Kithera groaned.

“Sorry, this isn’t the Temple. We don’t have bacta on tap here.”

She closed her eyes and he looked at her pale face. Maybe it would be safer for her back at the Temple, even though he knew his own heart would break. It had only been a year, they would surely take her back.

“You could go back,” Del said quietly, “if you want to.”

Her eyes flew open and she stared at him and then shook her head.

“Do you want me to?” Her voice was soft and terrified.

“No,” He shook his head again, his heart breaking at the thought even though he couldn’t tell her, “No. Never.”


Home


“I don’t like this,” Del frowned and paced the room. She looked up from where she was sitting, her drink resting on the edge of the lounge. The fire roared in the corner, taking the bite out of the chill night air.

“Don’t like what?”

“The silence. A home is full of noise and sound. I lived too many years and too long in silence Rin, I can’t do it again.”

“Uh, are you forgetting about me?” She watched his pace again, his fist clenching and unclenching. She knew what would come next.

“No, but it’s too quiet. I don’t like the quiet, Rin, I just-” She uncurled herself from the couch and went to him, grabbing his hands and making him stop.

“They’ll be back soon enough Del, then this’ll feel like home again. Trust me.”


Heræfter


He picked her up and his heart melted. Holding her close, he pushed one of his fingers gently against her tiny clenched fist. Her fingers reflexively opened and curled around his and he sighed.

“This is Halulu,” Essie voice was tired and content as she stared at him from the bed . Del looked up and smiled and then glanced at F’kisi.

“Didn’t like any names starting with G?” Del asked perplexed that they apparently hadn’t followed the cultural conventions of F’kisi’s home world.

“We don’t have that letter in our language,” the young man shrugged.

Del looked back at the tiny face with its tawny skin, mess of brown curls and delicate full lips and sighed. He leant his head down until his forehead touched the baby’s. He breathed in the new baby scent and felt his world settle into a new and more wonderful space.

“Welcome to the family little Halulu.”

 

Sweetness in Home and Hereafter, as well as Healing with Del's uncertainty/fears that Kithera might want or be better off going.

 

"Haven" - Order 66, right? The way the last sentence cuts off is so poignant!

"Helper" - So cute! Messy but cute.

Exactly!

"Heal" & "Home" - Awww.

I really liked this line. And love how he's taking care of Kit in "Heal", and then she's taking care of him in "Home".

"Hereafter" - My favorite out of this set! In real life I'm not much for kids and babies but in fiction? Yes, please! This was so sweet and gorgeous, and a perfect way to finish the set.

 

Thank you I'm glad you liked both of them. I think the uncertainty is a big part of their early relationship. Both are waiting for the other one to bolt.

Yeah, I think I should have made that a bit more obvious. Poor Jazz, just trying to rescue people and do the right thing. Part of me wanted to find a way out for him like I did for Kirsh but you can't do that for everyone.

Thank you Their relationship is definitely convoluted even though they love each other, it's not exactly stable at times.

Glad you enjoyed it and a nice way to end on a far happier note than the first one.

 

Ahh, so seeing as this is the last one I gave up on getting them close to 100 words and just went with the story. Figure now is the best time to break the rules

Thank you to everyone whose read any or all of the stories, it has been very, very much appreciated. I love the feedback and I appreciate people sticking with The Family as OC fics are hard without the entire backstory.

*

An old soul (Archaeology)

Life, eternal and unmoving was very, very boring. The power that she contained, that she could give was immense but there hadn’t been a worthy mind for millennia. It had to be the right mind. One that was just young enough to be useful but not too old that it could not be manipulated. A mind that could touch and manipulate the weave of the universe would be best of all.

There was noise at the end of the corridor, and she dismissed it as the old man. That mind was too old, too rigid in its thinking. That one did not care about what power could bring him.

The voices grew closer and she realised that they were younger…boys? Perfect minds. They even had the talents she so sought. She reached out, sweet tentacles of power that whispered and promised and beckoned. One of the boys stopped. His hand reached out.

“You heard what Da said, Taro. Don’t touch that.”


The jewel (Museum)


The tiny gem rod glimmered, sparking in the darkness.

Come play with me.

“Come on Kei, I’m sure Gazz’a won’t notice.”

You want to hold me. I could be yours. I can give you power.

“Da said we shouldn’t. He said this place is ancient and there is stuff down here that Gazz’a unsure of what it is or does.”

Anger flared for a second.

Touch me. No one will notice if take me for only a little while. Your brother is being unfair. You are better than him. Let me show you.

“Da doesn’t know everything.”

His hand closed around it.

Good boy. Together we will do everything.

“Fine, but it’s your funeral.”

No. Brother mine. It will be yours.


Instinct (Dog)

“So? Which one will it be?” Br-uce grinned at Zallie who was staring at the litter of pups. The Feboar pups licked her outstretched fingers as they tried to wiggle into her lap. Zallie reached out with The Force, seeing the weave and threads of life that surrounded each wiggling bundle. They shone bright and clear against the dusky, ancient threads of this world. She reached out a hand and picked up one of the pups.

“You.”

As she bent her head to the pup, there was a sudden twist in the weave. Around her the dog’s heads were suddenly raised in unison, a howl of fear and warning. Zallie stared unseeing as The Force twisted again, threads tangling discordantly, dripping crimson terror through the weave.

“I have to go.” She murmured, carefully putting the pup down. The dogs weren’t wriggling and squirming anymore. Their heads were turned towards the Bower’s door, hackles raised, bodies tensed to run. Zallie stood as the adult dogs growled. “I have to find Taro. Now.”


A boy's choice (Junior)

You could have it all. You could rule the universe. Submit to me.

The voice whispered, its sultry offerings obliterating all other thoughts. Images of him as conqueror, of people bowing, of unimaginable gifts being laid before him flowed like a river through his mind. He was dimly aware of his brother screaming his name as he pushed him into the wall, a thin red trickle of crimson marring his face.

Kill him. Kill him and prove yourself to me.

He’s my twin. I can’t do that. I can’t kill him. I love him.

Love him? He didn’t want you to have me. If you let him go he’ll take me from you.

Taro could hear other shouting now.

Zallie shouting about the crystal in his hand, and his mama answering her. But all the voices seemed to be coming from a long way away. His arm burned and he could see long, red tentacles of pain and power.

“Get it off him,” Da’s voice was loud and authoritative, “I don’t care if you have to take off his damn arm to do so. Just do it.”

You could kill them all. It would be so easy.

I love them. I won’t do that.

There was the clink of a blaster.

Just so easy. Then you and I could ru-

There was a flare of pain, brighter and clearer than the voice in his head.

Silence.


Aftermath (Scar)


“Mama?” Kithera smiled sadly at Zallie as stood at the doorway and beckoned for him to come in. Taro was stretched out on the bed asleep. Even with his hand bandaged, the red streaks that extended up his arm were still visible. Beside him Kei was asleep too, his hand bent to touch his brother’s, his lanky teenage frame folded into the chair. The thin neat cut through his eyebrow had been stitched and cleaned, but the bruise was starting to colour his face in dappled reds and purples. “Will they be alright?”

“Eventually,” Kithera said and Zallie could see how worn and tired she looked. “That was quick thinking hitting him over the head.”

Zallie shrugged, “I figured it was better than Da’s suggestion. Although at least if he was missing an arm it would be easier to tell them apart. What did you do with the gem?”

Kithera turned back to watch over the twins. “Del and F’kisi have taken it far out to sea. Gazz-a found them a rock to weight it down. They’ll drop it out there where no-one will find it.”

“Good,” Zallie gave a little shiver. She had felt the promises of that gem and it hadn’t been pleasant. She knew how seductive those promises could be at the darkness that would swiftly follow.

“Did you pick your pup?” Kithera asked as Taro stirred in the chair.

“Yes,” Zallie smiled. “I’m going to call him Blu.”