"Pick up---?"
Alex almost bit. It just showed how rusty she was that she'd rise to such easy bait.
She forced a chagrin smile and kept her voice light, her eyes jumping from Barton to the woman and back again.
"No, really, Im sure we know each other. Mind if I sit?"
Alex made as if to sit, but the woman remained planted, not budging an inch. She wasn't making it easy for Alex, that was for sure.
"I dont bite" she joked, "not lately, anyways"
An image flashed across her mind of a young dark haired girl tackling and biting a young padawan. Mu's right eyebrow arched slightly. She wasn't sure if it was a memory or her imagination. As was her habit Mu reached out gently with her feelings, <i>"Very guarded."</i>
"Well, introduce yourself and then we can return the favor."
"Harlequin" she said stretching out a hand to Mu, while slipping a glance at Barton.
"Its a pleasure"
"Name's Mu Satach," her voice graveled as she pronounced her name. "everyone gets the pronunciation wrong, so most just call me Mu." she took Harlequin's hand and shook it firmly. Then motioned for her to sit. "This here is Doctor Barton Henning," she nodded towards the two sitting with her. "And this klutz is Ummre."
The three slid around a bit making way for Harlequin. By the looks of her rig, she was a drifter as were so many who filtered through the system.
"So what brings you to our little slice of paradise?"
"I think of my body as a side effect of my mind." - Carrie Fisher
The alias registered no recognition from Henning, and not that it should. It was an aquisition borne out of necessity once Alex left the safe harbour of the Order so many years ago. She had taken great care to hide any link to her life among the Jedi back in those days and taking a pseudonym had been one of the first steps. And old habits died hard. Alex told herself it was just smart to keep it that way, but, she knew it made it difficult to generate a sense of trust from others when she was keeping coy.
She mumbled the obligatory 'nice to meet you's' and slid herself into the booth. Her brown eyes sought out Barton's - hoping for some sort of indication he knew her. There was none.
Alex turned a sabaac face to Mu, who appeared to be a very straight-shooter, and stated boldly, "Im looking for Jedi"
"Jedi?" Ummre's eyes widened a bit, "But the Jedi are..."
"The Jedi," Laughter erupted from Mu as she cut of the zabrak off and took another drink, "are dead." She slid a sideway's glance at the woman.
Barton squirmed ever so slightly in his seat. Mu narrowed her eyes and slipped into an archaic dialect, "Why seek ye the dead among the living?"
As the conversation progressed, Barton merely listened. Mu had a certain bristling about her that told him to let her do the talking, but the unfamiliar face – Harlequin, what an unusual name, he thought – seemed intent on provoking some response from the Doctor himself. When the attention was at last shifted away from him, however, Barton found himself no more comfortable as the woman uttered a rather dangerous word: Jedi. There were only a handful of people who cared where the Jedi were. Most of them were bounty hunters, in the charge of some Imperial General. There were the Rebels too, of course, but they were rarely so open in their search for the lost Jedi.
With a hint of discomfort – one to be expected at the mention of something such as the Jedi, Barton smiled. It was a rueful smile, for although Mu was simply trying to convince this Harlequin that no Jedi inhabited Cloud City, there was some truth to her words. If there were Jedi, they were ghosts now – literally or metaphorically, haunting planets, trapped in the shadow of their past.
Alex smiled politely, the kind of smile that was obviously just to join in with another's. She looked slowly from the Zabrak (who's initial response was curious), to Henning and then to Mu.
"You dont really believe that do you?"
The smile diminished gradually and Alex's quick, intelligent eyes held Mu's.
"...That they are all dead. Even the Imperial bigwigs dont believe that"
Ummre frowned, the tattoos on his brow curving into a new and equally beautiful pattern. “Believe!” he said, with a sudden enthusiasm. “That's the thing, isn't it? They believe a lot of things, but whether or not they know them... not that, that is another matter entirely!”
Barton shifted, rubbing his chin in thought. “It's been years since Jedi could walk freely. Even if there were survivors of...” - his voice faltered, agonizing clear memories of that fateful day in his mind - “What happened, well... it's unlikely that you'll find them. I doubt they want to be found.”
The faltering in Henning's voice was a dead give away that not everything was as academic as the trio would have Alex believe. Alex had caught it, as most certainly had Mu and Ummre.
Cole was tempted to take a chance and try searching Barton's feelings by the force, but she didn't dare. It was much too risky, and she was far too rusty. She had only had meagre success attempting that art when she was back at the Academy and had not had any practice to speak of since. Not to mention the fact she was sitting smack-dabb in Imperial space, amongst company whom she had no real clue as to where their sympathies lay. Far, far too risky.
But it would have been a thrill to try it. She had definitely caught something in Barton's words. Thinking about it, Alex realised that he would have been there, at the Academy, when all that horror started. She suddenly felt quite guilty for abandoning the Order, though there would have been nothing she could have done. She probably would not have survived it. And, like so many things in her life, she accepted the hard truths and moved on.
She disagreed with Henning's opinion of the Jedi, however. She felt sure there were some out there, hoping to be found -- by the right seekers. The Jedi, if she remembered anything at all about them, knew that they understood the cycles of life and knew that there was a time for all things. Some of those Jedi who had survivied wanted to be found by the right people. People like Alex, who needed them and wanted to come home.
"You're probably right" she said after a long and thoughtful pause. "I stand in need of revising my initial conceptions for the second time by you tonight"
Then, getting up to leave, she leaned close to Mu and whispered in the same archaic dialect, though a little imperfect, as the one she'd quoted earlier, "While there is life, there's hope"
Then to Ummre and Barton she added, "Thanks for your time" and moved off.
Last edited by Harlequin; Nov 26th, 2007 at 08:59:09 PM.
Mu watched Harlequin move off. "Safe travels." She called out then turned to look at Barton, raised her eyebrows a bit. "So... what was that you were saying about interesting customers?" smiling, she finished her drink.
The conversation slid into the everyday, but Mu's mind was racing. The memory game between her and Barton had been a cautious dance. While she struggled to make sense of the tangled chaos in her mind, Barton only wanted to forget. It pained her to see him wince when she asked questions.
"Well fella's, I've got to get back to cracking the whip around here. Otherwise the crew will start a mutiny." She stood up and stretched her back a bit. "Or worse, Lili will try to out do her "<i>Ode to Water</i>" extravaganza."
Without using her eyes, Mu watched as the woman paid her bill, hefted her satchel and move towards the exit. <i>It's risky, you have no way of knowing who she is now... then again, you don't know who you are now.</i> And with that thought, she made a snap judgment, reaching out with the force Mu pushed a thought gently towards the woman's mind before she reached the door.
<i>"I remember you... Alex."</i>
Last edited by Mu Satach; Nov 27th, 2007 at 03:52:33 PM.
Alex was willing herself not to look back over at the table, but one last drink-in of Barton Henning after all these proved too strong a draw and a time or two she let her eyes drift his way.
The trio were chatting quietly among themselves and seemed to have no vested interest in her at all. Too bad, he had no memory of her. Alex didn't want to believe it really, but there it was. She'd made no impression on Barton this time around either, same as she hadn't all those years ago. Kinda stuck in her craw, but what could a girl do.
Alex hitched up her duffle back over her shoulder, inwardly attempting to dismiss her disappointment. He was in denial to a lot of things, she told herself. He had turned away from the Jedi too, by the looks of things, and was not yet ready to turn back. Or know anyone who wanted to.
As she readied to leave, she nodded good evenin' to the curly-topped Maitre'D -- or whoever he was supposed to be-- a dandy little fellow wearing an out of date jacket.
<i>"I remember you... Alex."</i>
The voice came to her as if Mu was standing right behind her. Alex swivelled around as if jolted by a shot of electricity. No one was anywhere near her. Her eyes darted around the room - to the table, but only Henning and the Zabrak remained there, to the bar, over to the corner
of the room....there, standing against the wall, very still and looking directly at her was Mu. The energy that crackled between them at that split second was almost palpable and Alex took a step backward.
"You alright, Miss?" the out of date jacket asked with concern.
"I am now" Alex replied, collecting herself and waiting for Mu to move or motion to her some place they could talk.
"You alright, Miss?" Terry asked Harlequin.
Mu pushed another thought at her while casually reaching behind the bar for the staff schedule.
<i>You're about to be followed by a rat.</i> She sent her an image of a small lanky man dressed in a miner's rig that had been sitting a few tables away from the group.
He seemed harmless. He seemed a bit drunk. He seemed to be more interested in waitresses than anything else. And that was exactly what he wanted everyone to believe.
The man called for his check.
<i>Leave, then lose him on the upper shopping levels. He's an informant for Black Sun. Don't make him disappear, just make him bored. If he goes missing or suspects your anything but a drifter, we'll have more to worry about than you can imagine.</i>
Mu called out to a nearby waitress, "Sari, can you work an extra shift next week?"
<i>Once he's lost interest in you, make your way to level 118, Southwest quarter. Find an alleyway with a green door.</i> Mu sent her an image of the back alley, the faded door covered with graffiti, the burnt out dysfunctional access pad. <i>You'll have to use the force to activate the true pad which lies hidden deep within the wall behind the burnt out one.</i>
"Sure thing boss." Sari chirped.
"Good," Mu tapped the pad in a few places and replaced the schedule. Mu turned and entered the hallway towards her office. Business as usual as far as anyone was concerned.
The lanky informant stood up, stretched, finished off his grog then swaggered towards the fresher.
The initial shock of Mu speaking to her so clearly in her mind was slow to wear off and Alex did not hide it as well as someone more practiced would have.
Terry asked if she was alright again as Harlequin sank down onto a barstool. She waved her hand dismissively, "Warm in here, is all" and even that short answer made her miss some of what Mu was telling her. Terry left her alone to attend other customers and Alex was infinitely grateful.
And then, before Coal was ready for it, Mu severed the connection and moved away. Shortly thereafter, the one she'd pinned as a Black Sun informant headed for the refresher. Alex stayed put until he'd disappeared behind its doors, then shot from her stool and out into the evening air...
....It took the better part of the night before Alex felt she could move without compromise from spying eyes. She'd outlasted the ratman, whom had scurried out after she'd made her departure from Cloud 9 to pick up her trail at a nightclub six blocks south. She'd partied half the night away, making interesting conversation, if not deliberately vague on details of a personal nature with a hotshot pilot named <a href=http://sw-fans.net/forum/member.php?u=3550">Saul Karzai</a>. He was cute, and could actually cut a rug like pro after his fourth or fifth corellian ale and-- he was engaged enough to make the Ratman convinced Alex was just a bored drifter looking to unload some cabin-fever energy. He'd left sometime around 2am.
Alex remained in the charming, and increasingly inebriated, company of flight officer Karzai for another hour and fifteen minutes, then, leaving him under the pretense of going to the ladies room...slipped out of the side fire-exit and doubled-back to the South Quarter and to the faded door covered with graffitti.
She had been standing there for 12 minutes now and she resisted the very strong urge to kick the dang door down. Frustration and physical weariness were telling on her now, and it was difficult to concentrate.
Harlequin decided she'd give it one more try with the 'force.'
Closing her eyes, she let her fingers rest again lightly on the burnt-out entrance pad. Feeling the crusted outer rubber of the fritzed wiring, she touched the protected ones beneath it. Channelling the force, she tapped out the correct key and with immense satisfaction, she heard the lock kick back inside the mechanism. Opening the door just wide enough to slip like a shadow inside, Harlequin stepped soundlessly into her future.
The door clicked shut behind Harlequin.
Darkness surrounded her.
There was a faint hum in the air.
A click,
a second click then...
Brilliant white arc lights above her snapped on and the floor fell away from her feet.
It was an elevator shaft, the platform dropping as fast as a free fall.
It came to a halt.
The cylindrical wall slid aside to reveal a dimly lit interior.
The walls of the room were covered with antiques from across the galaxy. Recessed in the center floor was a circular sofa, before it scattered on the small table were charts, paperwork, invoices and a steaming cup of coffee.
A hand etched with faded silvery burn scars that raced up and disappeared into a loose fitting sleeves of a comfortable black tunic took the cup.
"The evening wasn't too boring for you, I hope." Mu took a sip of the black liquid then held the cup lightly. She sat back in her seat, crossed her legs and continued. "I apologize for the cat and mouse routine, but I've been around here long enough to know that while Cloud 9 is relatively safe for <i>routine business</i> it's anything but when it comes to more <i>tantalizing</i> matters." A wry smile played about her lips and a slight sigh escaped. "Everyone has an angle to play there, informants for the informants, spies for the spies, bugs, tracers, hidden alliances and more."
She took another sip of her coffee then set it down. "But where are my manners," She stood up and bowed slightly to Alex. "Former Padawan Cole, I am honored to have you as a guest in my humble home."
Alex swivelled her eyes briefly about the room taking in her surroundings, and then returned to rest on Mu.
The silver scars on her hands were distinctive - there was a story there.
The woman was used to being in control, Alex surmised to herself. Mu's bearing was of one who was used to running things and being obeyed.
Alex was wary, with good reason.
"I dont remember you" she stated with some suspicion
Mu's mouth twitched a bit. "Not surprising." She picked up her cup. The same burn scars raced down out from her trousers and across her bare feet as she climbed the steps and crossed to a mini bar. "Search your memories of Barton, then expand your view a bit." Mu re-filled her cup to the brim. "I'm there. Most likely trying to put him in a head lock..." Mu smiled to herself, "and failing."
Mu turned to her guest and gestured to the bar, "Coffee, Tea?"
Last edited by Mu Satach; Dec 15th, 2007 at 06:28:10 PM.
Alex rummaged through her memories of her time at the Temple, selecting from the ones of Henning and their brief encounters in the gleaming hallways or crowded common rooms. And it was there where she found Mu Satach. The face then was reflected in the face now, aged only a little, and offering her tea or coffee. There was the same cascading brown locks just now as then. And the same shapely frame that had taken up all Henning's attention and left nothing for Alex.
A stab of envy hit Harlequin as the memory solidified in her mind. Mu was still by Barton's side, even after all this time. What was up with that?
"Coffee would be good" she answered, following over to stand closer to Mu.
"I remember now...You and Barton were close then, as well"
The comment was an observation and a question both. Just how close, Cole wanted to know, but Mu gave away nothing in her eyes and left Alex to her own conjecture.
"You've seen some rough days, I think" she said, referring to the silver scars. Mu had made no attempt to hide them and Alex saw no reason not to ask. "A guest of the Empire at some point, would be my guess"
"A token from the Emperor's inaugural ball so to speak." referring to the scars and the fall of the Republic. <i>"Dr</i>. Henning," as she poured Harlequin a cup. "tells me these are the remains of a fire grenade. Apparently, we had found a group of younglings and hoped to get them out through a ventilation shaft in the back of the Temple's library." Mu replaced the coffee decanter back on it's heating pad.
"Barton was searching for a way all of us could climb into ducts when.." an image of her younger self half turning around to run floated up from the dark waters of her mind. Behind her, a grenade arcing across the room towards the children. An explosion, flames shooting out, igniting everything in their path, "the troopers found us." Mu passed the cup of coffee to Harlequin. The cup rattled ever so slightly on it's saucer.
Mu wandered back to the sofa and mentally willed herself to relax. She took a breath and continued, "He said he heard the blast, felt the heated air rush through the shaft, fought his way back to us only it was too late." Mu swallowed and pushed an image of charred little bodies out of her head. "The little ones were already gone."
For lack of anything better to do, she took a drink of her coffee. "This is a special blend a contact of mine sends me from Atzerri." The coffee's aroma filled the air with a hint of cinnamon spice. "I hope you'll enjoy it."
Mu sat down with her coffee, offered a seat to Alex then avoided looking at anything in particular. "From what little else I've been able to glean from him I surmise that we were found by another group escaping the Temple, a grab bag of young and old. He and another older padawan carried me half dead into the sewers beneath, but... " Mu took a drink, "then the currents tore us apart."
Mu took another sip and half whispered to herself, "Strange the way the galaxy moves sometimes." A bit louder and looking right at Alex she continued, "Until, <a href="http://www.sw-fans.net/forum/showthread.php?t=16561">I ran into him at his clinic</a>, he'd been living under the impression that only he survived that night." Mu smiled secretly to herself, "And it didn't quite help ease his mind that I had no recollection of him at all." She tapped the side of her head, "Things up here are a bit," Mu searched for the right word, "fragmented."
A horrible tale. And all the worse as there was a tagline of guilt attached to it, intended by Mu or not, that Alex couldn't help but feel. She'd gotten off easy - had left the Temple before it all hit the fan and had spent the better part of those first jedi-free years congratulating herself for it.
She didn't feel quite so proud about it now. Maybe she could have helped, but most likely not. She'd probably have been killed with the rest of them.
"You're lucky to have escaped with scars and a few loose screws" she supplied, not really knowing the best thing to say.
"And now Henning's a doctor and you're, what, a club owner?" She sipped her coffee and eyed Mu over the cups' rim. "I find it hard to believe that's what you've settled on.."
Another slow sip, "...You said there were others. Are there active Jedi out there? Are you and Barton in contact with them? Or, (and here another possibility presented itself to Cole's mind) are you the ones I've been looking for?"
She put down her cup with stated with conviction, "I want to come back. I want to make things right"
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