Star Wars: Swords of the Force

[Armphid]

Ramza cried out as they moved together, the influx on sensation nearly overwhelming. It was so good, so fucking good, maddeningly good! Feeling his pleasure and hers and theirs, was just mind blowing!

He slid into her as deep as he could go and groaned, feeling his cock sliding into her from her perspective. So big and thick! It filled him, stretched him, fit him soooo perfectly! Fuck, it felt amazing. He never wanted that space empty, always wanted that hard flesh within. Which was his.

It was getting harder and harder to tell where he ended and she began. It felt as though they were flowing together in a literal sense, identity fading and fluctuating, all in the midst of it, the ever mounting pleasure driving him, her, them, they, I, wild.

Too much, Hellfire and sithspawn, it was tooo much! "Irina!" He held her close, feeling himself shake, joyful and yet unhappy that this had so overtaken him, "Irina, I can't hold on, lover! I'm about t-toooo...!"

 

[HookerBoots]

She could feel his orgasm approaching before he said anything, and knew that even though it would be sooner than they would like, it would likely be more satisfying than any orgasm they had had before, alone or together. This feeling building inside of her, the heady urgency, was so intense and heavy that she could barely keep herself from exploding before they were ready.

Her body was trembling, eyes closed as she drank in the sensations. There was nothing she wanted in the universe right now than to feel this, to have him inside of her and be inside of him. "Gods, love, pleeeease . . . Fuck! Let go, Ramza, I want to feel us cum!" Even as she said it, Irina could feel floodgates let loose inside of both of them, their bodies beginning a mad rush of pleasure so high it was near bliss.

Was she flying? It felt like that, this blinding, earth-shattering delight made her feel as though she were soaring through a star field. Her body was throbbing around him and in him, and together they flooded each other with wave after wave of pleasure and hot cum.

 

[Armphid]

He, she, they, the universe, the ship, fuck, he couldn't even tell who, hit orgasm and it hit like a runaway Bantha. Ramza groaned and then cried out in a scream of pleasure that went beyond sound. His cock spasmed, blasting his seed into her cunt, and he felt her walls trembing, both around his dick as as though they were his own. Gods! Was that what it felt like when he shot inside her? Amazing!

Ramza held on as long as he could, then stumbled back, grunting as he pulled out of her. He snapped the link between them off just before his knees buckled and he fell to the floor. He felt the haze of pleasure, the golden tingle of the aftermath of sex, but his heart ached as well, and his heart throbbed faintly. It was almost too much. He'd actually almost hurt himself...and maybe her as well, so much sensory input was coming in.

He chuckled weakly, then said, "W-well...THAT was s-something. Hell of an...experiment. Maybe not...so...complete...of sharing...next time though...unless...I want my...heart to explode along with my cock..."

 

[HookerBoots]

Her entire body and awareness were throbbing and crying out in pleasure, deep, strong pulses that she was vaguely aware of exploding from them, bouncing from the walls of the ship and circling around them. And she couldn't make herself want to stop it, even though she could tell that the part of this meta-awareness that was Irina was losing the her-ness of herself.

When Ramza pulled out - the saddest feeling in the galaxy, she was sure - and broke the link between them, she would have cried, but her body was too busy dealing with the aftermath of the orgasm and its aftermath. She could feel her heart pounding, her body covered in sweat, and she pressed a hand to her head, trying to quell the dull ache there. "Yes, perhaps . . . more focused or . . . something." She gave him a small, weak smile. "Fuck, that was amazing, love. I've never felt . . . . . so . . . ." Irina grinned and shrugged. "There's no words for it."

She sat up, bracing her hands on the table and wondering how she looked to him, still splayed out like this. With a sigh, she pushed her hair off her face. "You're amazing, lover."

 

[Armphid]

She looked magnificent is what she looked like. His love, drenched in sweat, her chest heaving, his and her fluids splashed on her sex and her thighs, she looked so incredibly sexy and lovely that he felt himself stirring again with lust for her. Ramza chuckled, and smiled at his love, "You should thank yourself, Irina. A great deal of that sensation was yours, you know."

He bent down to cup her face in his hands, kissing her forehead, then the tip of her nose, then her lips. "...But I am pretty damn good, aren't I?" A little ego was a healthy thing, and when Irina praised him like that, especially about sex, it definately stroked his.

Then he sighed, and stood up, stretching. He looked down at his destroyed pants, the fabric still dangling from the tops of his boots. "I think I may have to wait until my boots are off before our next spontaneous sex session though. These were good pants."

He reached out to take her hands in his, pulling her toward him and off the table, onto her feet. "Now then. Unless we'd like to lounge about dirtied and naked, we should get clean. There's a sonic shower next to the galley." He wanted to go with her, but it would just end up with neither of them getting any cleaner. "Go on and clean up, my love, I'll start the calculations for our course change while you do."

 

[HookerBoots]

She grinned. "Sure you don't want to come with me - again?" It was for the best, though. They'd keep going on their original route otherwise, and she might not be in this sector for years, and might miss her chance to see her family.

With a laugh, she kissed his cheek and walked toward the sonic shower, glancing over her shoulder to see him watching her. That felt good, almost as good as sex itself. He loved her, and appreciated her, body and mind. She wasn't quite used to it yet, but it was a heady feeling.

Irina turned on the shower and stepped in. This was going to be an interesting trip, to say the least. Even though it should be fairly simple, the news that her parents weren't dead was something she still wasn't sure how to handle. Being angry, she thought as she waited for the shower to do what it did, wasn't the answer. But she wasn't sure that thankful entered into the equation yet.

And there was something telling her that they should wait to go Cholganna, that something bad would happen there. Closing her eyes, she tried to delve further into that - the Force was worse than a shy virgin sometimes - and didn't get anything other than something bad. Sighing, she turned off the shower and stepped out. It was a risk, and they both knew that, but she was certain there was nothing she and Ramza couldn't handle together. Pausing to drape a robe around herself but leaving it untied, Irina walked out of the small room and towards the bridge. "All clean and shiny, love. Your turn."

 

[Armphid]

Ramza turned, feeling Irina approach. She was radiantly clean, and wearing only a robe draped over her dazzling figure...and left open. "Damn, Irina...you make a man want to get you dirty again." He beamed at her, not moving, for the moment unable to take his eyes from the simple glory of his lover's body. "That's a very good look for you, love."

He chuckled, turning back to the instrument panel. "I've got the Nav computer making the calculations. Our first stop will go as planned, but instead of the scheduled jump, we'll go to Cholganna instead." He tapped up a map of this section of the galaxy. "It's a little closer than the next leg we would have taken, which pretty convenient." It was also worth noting because it seemed like happy coincidence. Ramza wasn't sure there was such a thing as coincidence when the Force was involved.

He straightened up, "It'll finish compiling, calculating, and entering the route long before we hit real space, so...looks like that's set." The young Jedi glanced at his lover, moving to stand behind her and encircling her with her arms. "...How are you, love? Now that you've had some time to think about it, I mean."

 

[HookerBoots]

She sighed and leaned back against him. "I'm not sure. It's a lot to think about, and I . . . I think I'll be fine, but I'm still having trouble wrapping my mind around it." She turned her head slightly, pressing a kiss to his neck. "But it's good to have you here with me, Ramza. You make me feel . . . balanced."

Irina grinned and reached up and back, wrapping her arms around his neck. "You're very good for me, love." Twisting in his arms, she smiled and kissed his nose. "Thank you for letting me see my family. It's the nicest thing anyone's ever done for me." With a sigh, she stepped back slightly. "But I shouldn't distract you now, I think. No matter how much I might want to."

 

[Armphid]

"You are, tragically, correct, my dear," he wryly replied. This was the nicest thing anyone had done for her? It was great that it was he who'd done it, but...he'd have to change that. She should have all the nice things he could give her. He rubbed his nose against hers, then took one last, quick kiss before he pulled away. "But, I'm sure we'll make it up in the cabin tonight," he said with a grin.

~~~~~​

A day later, the gleaming tunnel of hyperspace dimmed, the blazing lines of light becoming pinpricks yet again as they reverted to realspace. Ramza was seated in the pilot's chair, his eyes scanning the instruments. "And, we're out of hyperspace." Data began to flow into the sensors and the computer from satellites and relays. "We're here."

The graceful tri-winged shuttle swooped in toward the green and blue orb that loomed before them in a wide, sweeping arc. "Cholganna." He was taking a wider, slower approach to let Irina take it in. The planet she thought was destroyed. The home lost forever. He reached out to squeeze one of her hands.

He raised a hand to his headset as the planetary authority contacted the ship. "Roger that, Ground. Transmitting ID and itinerary." THere was a few moments pause, "Got it, Thank you, Ground."

"We're cleared to land, love." He looked over at the woman he now lived for. "Are you ready?"

 

[HookerBoots]

Irina's hand tightened around Ramza's as they approached the planet she was born on. She'd never dreamed she'd see it again. It looked . . . different than she remembered it looking as she left. Of course, she'd been heading into the unknown all alone then. This time, she was heading to the known with the man she loved. It made all the difference in the galaxy.

When he told her they were cleared to land, she swallowed hard. It was all or nothing time.

No, that wasn't right.

Even if whatever happened on Cholganna was bad, or her family was dead from something else, they would still have each other. It wouldn't be 'all or nothing' for her again. The thought bolstered her. "I think I'm as ready as I'll ever be."

~ ~ ~ ~​

Pressing a hand to her stomach, Irina looked up at the building. This was where everyone had told her her parents were living, but it . . . this wasn't even in the same area as before. And it was enormous. What had happened, how did they get this money? Maybe with her gone, they had extra money to save, and . . . a small thread of guilt wormed its way into her chest, and Irina clung to Ramza's hand.

She knocked on the door, and blinked at the woman who answered. "Hello, I'm looking for Jaston and Marna Farlander?" This woman clearly wasn't her mother or her sister, so who was it? "I'm . . . an old acquiantance."

With a nod, the woman motioned them inside and showed them to a large drawing room. Irina and Ramza sat on a couch together, looking around. The room, like the hallway they'd come down, was furnished with more money than taste, and she was becoming more and more uneasy. This didn't look like her parents at all.

But the voice coming down the hall sounded like she remembered, and her eyes stung with tears. Her mother turned the corner into the room and smiled - a kind but warmthless smile - her eyes devoid of recognition. "I'm Marna Farlander. You say you know me, miss?"

It was understandable. Years had passed, with no contact. She'd changed in ways she couldn't even measure. But she'd still thought that her mother would recognize something in her that was the same as the girl she'd been. Squeezing Ramza's hand, Irina stood up. "Mother? I'm Irina."

"No." Her mother's face had gone white, and she had one hand over her mouth. "No, you're not . . . no. You have a lot of nerve to even say that!"

She'd known it wouldn't be easy. "When I was six, I set fire - accidentally - to the south wall of my bedroom. We didn't have the money to fix it, so I slept in Lizeth's crib for 3 months until Father could afford the materials to repair it." There was something wet on her face, and she wiped it away. "Please, Mother. Please believe me. I'm not dead, I just . . . I was told a lie, that's why I never came back." Her voice broke at the end of it, and she scrubbed at her face more vigorously.

The older woman nodded once, mutely. Then she seemed to get her bearings. "You're not Lizeth, and no one but my children would know that." With a shaky breath, she smiled slightly, more warmth in it, but still not a great deal. "My Irina. We thought you were dead, but . . . here you are." She glanced over her shoulder and out the doorway, relief on her face. "Oh, your father . . . Jaston. Irina's back."

"What?!" There were fast, heavy steps in the hall, and her father, looking heavier and older than she'd imagined him being, appeared. "Irina? Are you trying to hurt us, young woman? Our oldest daughter is dead."

"No, darling, she's really Irina." Marna put a hand on her husband's arm, gripping tightly. "Can you believe it? Our dear daughter, after all these years. No one would have thought such a thing could happen."

Irina was looking at them, a little shocked. She'd expected doubt and anger, but she hadn't anticipated her mother's relatively quick acceptance. And she had expected something a little more . . . demonstrative when her parents did accept that she was their daughter. Shouldn't there be hugs, or something? "I would have sent notice ahead, but we've been in hyperspace." Sitting down again, she held Ramza's hand. "This is Ramza Orlandau, my beloved."

The older man blinked. "Orlandau? Well, naturally, even if you weren't with my daughter, my Lord, the hospitality of my house would be yours." Bowing, he smiled winningly, and Irina was immediately put off by how unctuous he appeared at that moment. "Of course you're both welcome here for as long as you like." His eyes flickered to her. "We'll contact Lizeth and Grethor, and tell them this joyous news. They'll want to see you."

 

[Armphid]

Ramza's view as an outsider, his not-immediate emotional attachment to the Farlander family allowed him a certain clarity his lover currently lacked. It wasn't her fault, really, given the circumstances. He noticed that the size of the home was more than a man in her father's position could afford, even with one less mouth to feed. Even if both parents worked.

The observation started to become a suspicion when the servant answered the door. He recognized the woman's practiced obedience and servility immediately, having grown up with such people around him. This certainly didn't add up. Even to own a home this size, to have servants, even just one as well, demanded a great amount of income.

Irina said her family was dirt poor, basically. His thoughts turned on that as they were shown into the sitting room, a nouveau-riche nightmare of collectibles and things that looked antique. He was beginning to get an odd tingling sensation in his back, right between his shoulder blades. Something wasn't right.

Then came the moment they'd booth been waiting for...and it's total strangeness and awkwardness. Ramza watched it all with growing wariness and concern, keeping his hand gently but firmly holding Irina's. At her father's recognition of his name and his nigh-sycophantic welcome, Ramza fought down the urge not to touch the man, instead extending his hand to shake. "No need for titles, Mr. Farlander." He was tempted to try and read the man's mind, but didn't. It wouldn't be right, and he might be...over-reacting. Perhaps they were just in shock. "Thank you, and your wife, for your hospitality."

It STILL didn't feel right.

"If I may impose," he said with a vapid smile worthy of his fop persona, "to perhaps use one of the other comm channels of your house while you contact Irina's siblings? I'm afraid I forgot to send a most important message." Once he got the man alone, it'd be time to try and get some answer...with a little help from the Force.

 

[HookerBoots]

"To who?" Irina looked at Ramza curiously, wondering who he was going to contact. Then she realized - probably his Master, letting her know the change in plans. She didn't want to be in the room when that discussion happened. "Oh, right. I forgot." She smiled at him, and kissed his cheek.

Turning back to her parents, she smiled, trying to shake the unease she felt. "Will Lizeth and Grethor be here for dinner? We can't stay long, we're on a bit of a schedule." Which was true. But she just wanted to get some distance here, to see if she could figure out what was making her feel like there was something dangerously wrong here. "I'd love to see them, though."

But something was wrong here. What had happened to her family? It couldn't be the money, could it? But maybe the money had something to do with it. She pressed a little closer to Ramza, taking comfort in his nearness. "I'll go with you, lover." Even though she didn't want to have to deal with the drama his Master would make over their change in routing. "I need to get used to the new house, too."

 

[Armphid]

Ramza silently cursed. Irina's want to be by his side was very sweet, and it kind of felt good...but now it meant they'd both be away from her parents. Which left them to talk freely and take whatever actions they were going to without any observation or blocking.

Maybe he was being too paranoid. Maybe they just weren't emotional people, or didn't know how to handle the fact that they never looked for their daughter or verified her death. Maybe there were sensitive enough to feel the Dark Side in Irina and it scared them.

And maybe he was an Ewok.

"All right, beloved," he said and rose with a smile. "We won't be but a few minutes, Mr. and Mrs. Farlander. If your maid could show us the way?"

"Certainly, my lord," Irina's father responded with a smile that was equal parts nervous and fawning. "We'll see about sending word to our other children as well we should, ah, all be together for this happy reunion."

Irina's mother nodded, looking to her daughter, "Don't go far, dear. After you were gone so long, I'd like to keep you close for a time."

Ramza inclined his head, not speaking as they were lead out of the sitting room by a maid who took them through two hallways to a small console in another sitting room. She curtseyed, then left the two alone.

The black haired noble sighed, then slid behind Irina to hug her from behind, his arms about her waist. "How are you, my Irina?"

 

[HookerBoots]

She tipped her head back to rest against his shoulders. "I don't know." Irina sighed, then laced her fingers with Ramza's. "Something feels wrong, love. I don't want to think that it's my parents, but I can't think what else could be causing it." There was a moment of silence, and she brought one of his hands to her lips and kissed it gently, then turned to look at his face. "They've changed a lot. And it just feels . . . wrong here."

Turning in his arms, Irina wrapped her arms around his neck. "I hate to say it, but this isn't turning out at all like I expected. I want to see my brother and sister, but . . . I think we should leave as soon as we can." There was something going on here that was just escaping her senses, and she didn't like it one bit. And there was still the question of where her parents had gotten the money for this. A huge house, with tacky yet expensive furnishings, and a maid? When they'd barely had the money to eat when she was little?

"At least," she said, "their awe of your title should let us leave fairly easily." Resting her head on his chest, she sighed again. "I wanted to see them so badly, and now . . . it feels dark and secretive here, and I don't like it."

 

[Armphid]

Ramza held her tightly for a few moments, comforting with his body and his actions. His words wouldn’t be much comfort at all. “I’m sorry it’s been this way. Family can be difficult sometimes.” She knew enough of his history that he felt it wasn’t a presumptive statement. “Time and fortune can change people, in large ways, and not always for the better.” Particularly depending on the source of that fortune. A dark suspicion had taken root in the back of his mind, something he’d heard that families with ‘too many’ children sometimes did.

But he had no proof of it, and wasn’t going to voice his suspicion without it. It was a pretty terrible thing to accuse someone of. Let alone his beloved’s parents.

“We should stay long enough to see your siblings, I think.” He had the same feeling of disquiet and secretiveness that she did, but he felt compelled to find out what was actually going on instead of leaving. It was important to know. He was certain of that. “Then we can go, and easily enough. But as unpleasant as it may be, the longer we stay, the better chance we have of finding out whatever it is your parents are hiding.”

 

[HookerBoots]

She nodded slowly. "You're right. I don't like it, but we should probably stay to find out what's going on." And he would probably know about family trouble. After all, his had its own problems. Kissing his chest through his shirt, Irina pulled back slightly. "I don't want to split up, but do you think we'd find out more by ourselves?"

They probably would - her father seemed like he would give Ramza anything he asked for - but she wasn't sure how well she would handle things on her own. This was such a mess already, she was afraid she'd bungle it.

Gods, what was she thinking? She was Irina Farlander, former Sith. She could handle her parents being strange, and more on top of it. She wasn't some wispy little creature. By the Force, she was going to find out what was going on. "What do you think, love?"

 

[Armphid]

He gave her a squeeze, smiling slightly. This was a different danger that she’d ever had to deal with. Her Sith training probably didn’t involve much in the way of family matters and non-lethal diplomacy or information gathering. Of course, she had infiltrated the negotiation proceedings well and apparently effortlessly, so he might be wrong.

“I think that you should visit with your mother.” He brushed one of her cheeks with the back of his hand, “There’s something odd going on, but she’s still your mother. You should spend time with her.” Now would come the part she wouldn’t like. “I think you should leave the information gathering up to me. They’re your parents, and one way or another, your emotions could…be a distraction. Let me handle this. I’m sure I can an answer from your father pretty quickly.”

Especially if his suspicion was right. He’d seen her rage before, and he knew that she still walked a Sith path. If it was true and she found out…he’d hate to have to fight her again to keep her from killing her parents. “Is that acceptable?”

 

[HookerBoots]

"I suppose so." She sighed. How had she known he was going to do that? She didn't want to have to leave things the way they were, and let him do all the hard work, but . . . it was likely to be the best plan they had. And she didn't want to go without him, but maybe her mother would be different alone. With another sigh, she kissed his cheek and stepped back.

"We should get started, then." Making a face, she brushed her hair out of her eyes. "This is going to be . . . interesting. Should we make an appointment to meet up again later, or simply wait until we run into each other again?"

 

[Armphid]

He kissed her forehead, recognizing her dislike of the plan, and knowing it was largely a kindness to him that she was accepting it. "Thank you, Irina," he whispered.

Then she stepped back, and at her question he frowned. They should set something...his want to be prepared told him that. He glanced up at a clock. Perfect. "It's almost dinner time...and I think I can smell something cooking in the kitchen." By more servants, no doubt. "Perhaps dinner would be a natural place to meet, as well as one that wouldn't arouse any suspicion."

She nodded, and the two lovers joined hands, walking back to the sitting room they'd left her parents in. "Ah, thank you very much for the use of your holonet, Mr. Farlander."

"Think nothing of it, My Lord," the pudgy man said with a beaming smile that did not reach his eyes. "Everything here is at your disposal."

Ramza kept himself from rolling his eyes or sneering at the man's servile tone and demeanor. For a moment, he wondered what would happen if he asked to use the man's wife...but that would be outrageous on any number of levels. And she was his beloved's mother. Very attractive though. If that was how Irina would age, he was going to be a very happy man. "Thank you, Mr. Farlander. Actually, I wondered if you couldn't perhaps give me a tour?" He smiled winningly, "Irina and her mother should have some time to themselves, don't you think? And I'm curious to see this wonderful house of yours."

"Of course, your Lordship!" Mr. Farlander hurried to Ramza's side, "I'd be glad to show you around. Dear, you and Irina will be fine alone, won't you?"

The older woman nodded, smiling a smile that was more obviously forced that her husband's. "Certainly, dear. After all, we've much to catch up on, and I must hear about how you came to meet Lord Orlandau, Irina darling."

"It's settled then," Irina's father beamed, "Come, my Lord, this way."

Ramza gave Irina's hand a squeeze, then followed her father. His eyes and ears were busy as they walked through the house, but only marginally paying attention to the actual tour. Though he did ask questions as they went along, mostly rather mundane, but there were a few that got her father sweating a bit.

They were standing on the back porch, admiring the fairly large plot of land that the house was on. Ramza looked down at his host, then spoke, "Mr. Farlander, your home is truly lovely and opulent. I must confess, I was surprised to see it...from Irina's description of her childhood, I expected something else. How did you manage to come so far?"

"Ah ha, well..." The man flinched at the question, though he thought Ramza didn't see it. "You see, My Lord, after Irina's departure...and that terrible day when we thought we'd lost her forever, there was a...death in the family." He shook his head, "An older relative who left me a sum of money that...wasn't vast but was significant." He then shrugged, trying to laugh and failing, "You know how things work, after all, My Lord. I used that money to bribe my way into a better job, made a few sound investments, and here we are."

"Wonderful," Ramza beamed. Liar. "I'm delighted by tales of such upward mobility. I do hope the bribes weren't too exorbitant." There were two sheds on the property...maybe there..."I say, Mr. Farlander, what are those for?"

Mr. Farlander seemed to actually perk up a bit. "Ah, well, the one of course houses tools and such, the other is my workshop. It's a personal affectation, but I miss some of the tinkering and tooling about of my old life, and so I had the shop put in so I could do some hands-on work when I felt the need."

"How charming." Perfect. Ramza kept most of the sly smirk off of his face, but permitted the smile on the inside. "Would you be kind enough to show me? I"m afraid I'm not good for such things, but I've a great curiosity about then."

"Of course, My Lord," Irina's father said, with the air that all small men got when they sensed a chance to show up one of their betters, "I'd be happy to show you a thing or two."

The two men went inside the workshop, Ramza lingering behind as they entered, his host going ahead and starting to point out tools and explain them. The Jedi shut the door firmly, locking it. Then he took a breath, letting his foppish mask fall away. Thank the Force.

"Mr. Farlander, enough," his voice was sharp, ringing out through the workshop. The smaller man whirled on the spot, eyes suddenly large. Ramza was looking at him with undisguised disdain. "Now that we are away from your wife and daughter, and all your servants, and it is just you...and me," he took a few steps forward, "we are going to have a chat."

"M-mmy Lord, I don't-"

"You are going to tell me why you were not surprised to see your daughter, but terrified." Ramza stopped a few feet away from the shaking man, "You are going to tell me why you are so worried and concerned at her arrival. And the real source of the income that allowed you to move up this far."

"My L-lord, I have told you th-the truth-"

This might be overkill, but he was sick of dancing around things, and truth be told...he was angry at his lover's parents for their callous treatment of a woman who only wanted their love. He lifted a hand, sweeping it past her father's face, pushing the weak willed mind with the Force as he spoke, "You will tell me what happened and you will tell me the truth."

Jaston's eyes glazed over slightly, "I will tell you what happened, and I will tell you the truth."

"Good." The Jedi crossed his arms over his chest, wishing for some reason that he still had a lightsaber. "Start talking."

 

[HookerBoots]

As the two men left, Irina watched with a smooth expression - the face she used when it wasn't safe to show her emotions. It felt more like a mask than it had in years, and she sighed inwardly. Gods, why couldn't this have been less complicated? Then she turned to her mother with a smile that was almost genuine. "Shall we have tea, mother? We can talk about everything that's happened."

The older woman blinked, then nodded. "Of course, dear. Please, sit down." She walked to the intercom set in the wall and told the kitchen to make up a tea tray for them, then went to sit next to Irina. It was painfully obvious that they were both trying to be polite because neither wanted to risk the misconstruing anything. Or finding out any secrets. After a long pause, Marna said, "Those clothes are very nice, Irina, but we'll get you a dress for dinner."

"No, mother, you don't have to."

"I do. After all this time, a dress is the very least I can do." Looking down at her hands, fidgeting in her lap, she muttered, "You'd think a noble would have thought of that, gotten something decent for a lady to wear."

Irina's eyes narrowed. "Mother, don't say anything like that ever again. Ramza has been more than generous to me, against my own wishes. I have other clothing, but they are packed in bags, waiting for us to return to the ship." Her eyes softened and became a little sad. "We can't stay. There are . . . people waiting on us, we'll probably leave after dinner."

Her mother's head snapped up. "You should -" The servant walked in with a massive tray carefully balanced on one shoulder, and they both pasted on smiles. "Here's the tea, Irina. Lovely." And truly, the tea set was lovely, fine Caamasi make, and everything on the tray was arranged to its maximum attractiveness.

The servant placed it carefully on the low table, her face blank, but she kept glancing at Irina as she poured the tea. Irina didn't think it was that unusual, given that she was a stranger in her parents' house to the servants, but . . . she looked a little more closely at the woman. "Shi're?" The servant smiled and nodded, and Irina gave her mother a chilly glance. "What is she doing here, mother? My best friend as a child, your maid?"

"I would think you'd be pleased. She's no longer living in poverty." The Shi're blushed, her eyes now fixed to the floor.

"Perhaps not. But this isn't much better." This wasn't the time to get upset over this. Not with everything else that they needed to find out. And she wasn't going to change her mother's mind with the Force, since it probably wouldn't take over something like this. "We'll discuss this later, mother." She turned to the maid, reaching out and taking her hand gently. "Shi're, I'm very glad to see you again."

Shi're looked at her, and Irina was surprised to see tears in her eyes. "I'm so glad to see you, Irina." She squeezed her hand and then pulled away. "I'm sure we'll have time to catch up after you've spent time with your family." Giving a curtsy, she inclined her head to Marna. "Anything else you require, ma'am?"

The older woman's lips had pursed tightly, and she didn't bother changing her expression as she looked at the young woman. "I need a dress for Irina. Green, bronze, or gold. Before dinner, Shi're." The young maid curtsied again and left the room. "Now, dear Irina, tell me how you and Lord Orlandau met and fell in love."

Irina sighed and outlined the events on Filgaia, deftly omitting the fact that Ramza was a Jedi and she a Sith, and why exactly they were on such a schedule that they wouldn't be able to stay long. She also avoided eating anything her mother didn't taste first, and probed everything she did eat with her mind before putting it in her mouth. She didn't really think her parents would poison her, but it was better to be certain that no one else had their hand in the kitchen. ". . . and after I found out that you hadn't all died when the planet was destroyed - since clearly, the planet is still here - we changed our course slightly and came here for a short while."

Her mother sipped her tea, trying to conceal her shock. "That is quite a story, darling. How fortunate that you two met. And that you found out we were here." She set her teacup down, looking at Irina seriously, almost pleadingly. "But if you have people waiting on you, you shouldn't delay. Go sooner, rather than later. It will give us all a chance to get used to the idea of each other, without having to deal with some of the things that have changed right away."

"But, I thought you . . . ."

"Please, Irina. I love you, but it would really be better - for everyone - if you left and came back some other time."

 

[Armphid]

Jaston Farlander slumped, one hand going up to run through his hair. "You must understand what it was like," he began, "we lived in such poverty, we had so little, even food was scarce at times, and schooling for our children seemed so impossible, and the neighborhood was getting worse and worse. There was no hope either. I had no way to promotion, I just didn't have the money for the right bribes..."

Ramza remained silent, his face impassive. Inside, he was already angry. Was this man really going to use 'times were tough' as the excuse for the...atrocity he'd committed against his own blood?

"Anyway, it had gotten so bad that...between rent and bills, there wasn't enough money for food. I was going to...to see a doctor about selling one of my kidneys when he approached me."

The young Jedi's eyes narrowed, "Who?"

"He was an off worlder, a human man dressed in good clothes, but plain. He spoke with...confidence and certainty, there was a power in him that was nothing like any of the managers, or bureaucrats, or gangsters I'd always had to obey. This man was different, special. He bought me a drink at the bar I was at before going to the doctor's...getting my nerves settled, you know, and he said he had a business proposition for me." He closed his eyes, fingers kneading the bridge of his nose.

Ramza frowned. "What was it?"

"He offered me more money than I'd have made in a decade, and not just that, but his 'friendship.' He said he could open some doors for me." The older man sounded oddly hungry at that, and it made the observing Jedi's stomach turn a little. "And all he wanted was Irina." He held out his hands, shrinking away from Ramza as the young nobleman's eyes stared daggers. "No! It was nothing like that, I assure you! I wouldn't have sold her to just anyone! I made sure he wasn't a pimp or a brothel owner...I even checked with some of them to see what they'd pay for Irina, and he was offering ten times the highest estimate!"

Ramza's hand moved of it's own accord, but thankfully perhaps, there was no lightsaber there when his hand slapped the leather holster. He stared at it a moment. He'd almost...he had to be careful. Anger was the way to the Dark Side. And no matter how abominable this was...striking her father down in fury didn't do a damn thing to help it. "Keep talking," he managed to spit out through clenched teeth.

Jaston nodded, "O-of course, I wasn't going to do anything without talking to my wife, so I went home and told her about it...and she wanted to meet this man too. So, we went to the bar the next day and there he was...like he was waiting for us. My wife asked him why he wanted Irina, and for so much money, and he said that...she was special. That a child like Irina was one in a hundred million, that she had a rare talent he would cultivate. He would teach her, take care of her, school her in all kinds of arts, but do to so, he had to cut all ties to her past. My wife and I talked about it...and it was too good a deal not to take. We lost a major expense, got a ton of money, and the buyer even got me a full promotion before the one I bribed the officials to get, and Irina got a brand new future better than we could have ever provided for her! Schooling with a man so wealthy and powerful, we knew that she'd have a better life without us."

"Once we agreed, he took care of everything, gave us our instructions...more like orders, and away she went, convinced she was going off to a job on another planet. We told her brother and sister she had died in a ship crash, and...that's all there is to tell. I never thought I'd see her again until today...never thought...never even dreamed..."

"That your sins would come back to haunt you?" Ramza sneered, not bothering to hide his distaste for this wretch of a man. "They always do. You monster! She was your daughter! And you bartered her and shopped around for the best price like she was livestock! And what you sold her into...you didn't look too deep, did you? No, that might have given even your conscience pause if..." Ramza curled his hands into fists, taking a deep breath, centering himself. Calm. There is no emotion; there is peace.

After a few minutes, he opened his eyes again. "Who bought her? Who was this man? His name and description."

Jaston nodded, the pudgy man backed into one of the corners of the workshop. "I...I don't remember." Ramza wheeled on his heel, storming toward the sweating older man, "Please! I don't remember! I...I know I should know, but I just...it's just not there!"

The Jedi pursed his lips. Then he reached out to lay a hand on Jaston's forehead.

The man quivered, "Wh-wh-what are y-"

"Quiet," Ramza barked. "I'm not going to hurt you. Unlike you, I love your daughter, and I won't orphan her after she just got her parents back." He touched the Force, tapping the energy, opening his eyes and those of his mind. Yes. Yes, it was there. Jaston Farlander's memory had been modified. Any details of whoever it was that had bought Irina had been very carefully removed...but plenty of generalities remained. "Though I suppose that tells me as clearly as a name would have," he mused.

"O-of course, My Lord." The trembling executive quailed, "I-I-I"

"Shut up." He lowered his hand, wiping it off on his coat as though he'd touched something filthy. Then he walked away, running a hand through his hair. "...I nearly killed you when you told me," he said, more to himself than to Jaston, "and I have restraint trained into me where your daughter has been encouraged to lash out." He had to tell her. But if he told her here, and now...he didn't give her parents good odds. Particularly because the Jedi Code would tell him that they'd committed this crime and deserved punishment for it. No, not a good scenario.

"All right, listen." Behind Ramza, Jaston all but snapped to attention. "We're going to have dinner with you and your family, and then we're going to leave. Not a word of what we've just talked about to Irina. She'd kill you if she knew, and I...don't think I'd stop her. I'll tell her when we're off planet."

"Thank you, My Lord, you are truly kind and beneficent, and-"

Ramza wheeled around faster than jaston thought a person could move. The younger man seized him by the front of his shirt and lifted him of the ground, slamming him into a wall. "Don't you DARE thank me. This isn't for you. I'm doing this for her, not you. I will come back, and so will she, and on that day, there will be a reckoning for what you've done, you filth." Ramza set Jaston down none too gently. "You get a pass this time, but it's not for you, it's for her. Now." He headed back toward the door. "Let's go back in for dinner, and we're all friends, right? Not a word of this and you act like everything's normal. Understood?"

"Y-yes, My Lord."

"Good." Ramza sighed, Poor Irina. Maybe she was better off thinking this place had blown up. "All right, let's go meet the ladies."

 

[HookerBoots]

Irina blinked and set her tea down. "What are you saying, mother? You don't want me here?"

"No, not that at all, darling. It's a miracle, seeing you again after all this time." Marna blinked rapidly, and Irina realized her mother was holding back the tears that she hadn't shown before. "We didn't think we'd ever see you again. But it might be easier for you to adjust to the changes here if you have time to think about them, without being here."

She opened her mouth to respond, although she was very unsure what was going to come out, but heard footsteps in the hall, and felt Ramza approaching. "I'll mention it to him, mother, but I very much want to see Lizeth and Grethor."

As the two men rounded the corner, Irina was surprised to see her mother's demeanor change visibly. She became harder, less kindness in her eyes. And she looked almost like one of the rich women that used to pay her for doing their laundry. Briefly, she wondered if any of those women associated with her mother now, as equals.

But one look at Ramza pushed that from her mind. Unless she was reading him very wrong, he was hiding a level of fury she'd never seen in him. Just looking at his face, there was a tightness around his mouth and eyes, and a flinty look in his eyes. But his emotions . . . under the calm surface, there was a seething anger.

She'd never seen him in such a state, not even when they'd been trying to kill each other. Curiosity warred with concern and basic fright - what had happened to make him so angry? Her father seemed frightened, but that may have been just from spending time with her noble love.

Just then, Shi're entered, carrying a dress. She stopped short when she saw the people there, and bowed low. "Here is the dress, as you asked, ma'am."

"Good. Irina, darling, why don't you go try it on?"

Standing stiffly, Irina nodded. "Certainly, mother." Giving Ramza a kiss on the cheek and squeezing his hand, she followed her once-friend out of the room. "Shi're, I can just change in the holonet room. It's close, and you can just wait outside." Smiling slightly, she said, "Though we used to change together as girls, we had less to show off."

The other girl laughed softly. "True. And I'd wager you enjoy showing it off to that man," she said with a wink, handing Irina the dress and opening the door to the room. "I hope it fits; we used to wear the same size, but you're taller than me now."

Irina shut the door and held up the garment. "It looks just fine." Hurriedly stripping off her clothes with one hand, she used the other to turn on the communicator and hunt for the transmission history. As she slid the dress over her head - it fit well, but a little snug over her chest and waist, with a slit to her mid-thigh - and was about to open the history, a knock came.

"Irina, they're going in for dinner."

"Damn," she muttered. "I'll be out in a second." Quickly powering down the machine, she sighed. Something was going on, and she couldn't imagine what. But she was fairly sure that she wouldn't like the answer she got. Pushing her hair into a reasonably presentable configuration, she stepped outside and smiled. "Lead the way, Shi're."

 

[Armphid]

As Irina left with the maid, it left a very tense trio in the sitting room. Jaston moved over to sit beside his wife, "I'm sure you'll be pleased with dinner, My Lord. Our chef costs a lot to keep on staff, but he's well worth it."

"You're very kind to have us, Mr. and Mrs. Farlander," Ramza replied. The man stayed intimidated and followed orders well enough, it seemed. He was just as fawning and servile and fakely polite as he had been when he met them in the foyer.

"Not at all! Our daughter is back for the first time in 8 years, the least we can do it offer dinner!"

Marna nodded, "My husband is correct. It's really such a pity that you can't stay longer. We'd love to have you here and catch up, but we understand. One must keep one's appointments. If you have to leave as soon as dinner is over, that's fine. We know what ship schedules are like."

"You're too kind," the young Jedi responded. It seemed like she was trying to encourage them to leave. Sooner rather than later. What was she playing at? Was it guilt over what they'd done? Or was it something else? She seemed afraid. But not of them, the way her husband had been and was even more now. She was scared of something else.

He was about to ask what when Jaston spoke up, "So, Lord Orlandau, why don't you tell us how you met our Irina." Marna gave a stiff nod.

They'd neatly deflected his questioning before he could get started. Now if he did it, there was a much higher chance of Irina coming in on it and this whole thing getting a lot uglier. "Well, we met through our work, actually, and on opposite sides of some rather tense negotiations..." He told as much of the story as he could, though there was obviously a lot that had to be cut out.

He'd almost gotten to the point where he'd have to be really creative about thinking up why there on so tight and strict a schedule when the wall intercomm hummed softly. "Sir, Madam, dinner is prepared and set for you and your guests. We were unable to contact Master Grethor and Miss Lizeth."

"Perfectly all right, Garrus," Jaston said. "We'll be there shortly." He rose then, his wife doing so as well. "Well then, allow us to show you the way, My Lord."

Ramza nodded. He followed after the nervous man and his frigid wife, getting that odd itch between his shoulder blades again. He had a bad feeling about this.

 

[HookerBoots]

Irina stepped out and grinned at Shi're's brief stare. "Clean up nice, don't I?"

"Of course you do, Irina. Follow me."

They walked down twisting halls, Irina careful to note where they turned and where there were doors that should have windows facing outward. Just in case. Finally, they reached the dining room, where the others were already sitting. It was disappointing to see only her parents and Ramza there, but she was at least pleased that they were there and seemed to be getting along passingly well. Ramza stood and offered his elbow to escort her to the table, and she took it with a smile. After so much time together, it was surprisingly difficult for her to be apart from him. A problem for another time, she supposed.

She took her place next to him at the table, and saw her parents exchange a slightly nervous glance. "I see Lizeth and Grethor couldn't make it."

Her mother sighed. "They couldn't be reached."

"Oh? Could something be wrong?"

"Not at all, darling." Her father smiled, looking for all the world like a traveling faire barker. "Grethor works long hours, and Lizeth was probably on her way to a party or some such. We'll have them over tomorrow."

She glanced at Ramza, then at her mother. "Wonderful, father, but we can't stay that long. We'll be leaving directly after dinner."

Then a servant entered, carrying a tureen of soup, and the conversation lapsed slightly.

~ ~ ~ ~​

As they sat drinking their after-dinner aperatifs, Irina was telling a slightly off-color story. "So the ambassador said, 'If you're really a tauntaun broker, let's see your wares!'" As everyone laughed, she felt a tingle in the Force, and set her glass down carefully. "Ramza . . . ." Maybe it was just the uneasiness she'd felt since they got here coming to a head. But maybe something else. "We should probably get going," she said, palming her dessert fork. At least that way she'd have a physical weapon.

 

[Armphid]

He glanced at Irina, then closed his eyes a moment, feeling the flow and ebb of the Force. There was a presence there...dim, trying to mask itself, but he could feel it. It felt close, and dark. "Yes, we really should."

Ramza got up, almost abruptly, moving along a wall toward the dining room window. He did not stand in, but stood against the solid wall, looking out with as little of himself exposed as possible.

"My lord, what-," Jaston, suddenly sweating again, gulped, "Is something wrong?"

"Everything's wrong," he replied, distracted.

"Oh, for the love of all that's holy," Marna burst out, "Irina, take him and go. Now, run child, before they get here!"

Jaston gasped, "Marna, don't-"

"Don't you say another word, Jaston Farlander, I won't do this again!" Marna had stood as well, "Please, run quickly, before it's too late! They're coming for you, both of you!"

Ramza was stunned, but already in motion, "Who is coming?"

Jaston shook his head, "Marna, don't say it! They might still give her back to us if-"

"If I betray one daughter, again, for the other?" Marna scoffed, "I won't do it, besides, he won't give her back. I was a fool to ever agree to any of this."

"Less drama, more answers," Ramza snapped, "Who is coming?"

There was a sizzling bark from outside, and then a great flash of red and orange along with a thunderous boom. The house shook, Ramza and Irina both moving to the doorway while the elder Farlanders cowered. The Jedi bolted down the hallway to the front door, moving alongside it, then glancing out one of the small windows on either side of the rich wood. The air speeder that had brought them here was gone, a blackened scorch mark and a pillar of smoke all that remained, along with a few parts scattered on the drive and the lawn. The roar of a low flying craft shook the house again as it flew over, a few more blazing scarlet bolts streaking out to blast one of the vehicles of Irina's parents.

"Darth Xeres!" The voice seemed to bellow and whisper at once, a tall, lean, cloaked figure stepping out of the oily smoke of the destroyed speeder. Ramza felt a sudden weight, a pressure pushing down on him as the hidden man unbound his power. It was Dark, resonating with fury and hate, disdain and hunger, lust and avarice. "I have found you at last, my wayward apprentice. Come out now, return to me! Bring me the Jedi with you, and you may yet be forgiven. Do it not..." He gestured, and from the edges of the property, a number of figures clad in stormtrooper armor emerged from hiding places, weapons trained on the house and slowly advancing. The armor had been changed in color scheme, the white parts now black, and the black, flexible sections now a dark red, "...and your family, the Jedi, and you will die...and I will take your sister back with me, as my prize to punish in your place!"