CC: Corporate Greed

[Syren]

Corporate Sector

D'ian: Surface

The entire school is buzzing about the arrival of the mysterious transfer, Quentin Swire which is why Trichelle got her social hooks in him before anyone else had a chance. There is not a lot of information about him and the timing seems off as there is only a semester left before graduation.

Kier manages to glean some insight that Quentin frequently moved around but his uncle practically demanded he finish off his education in the Sector. His hope is that he would make some meaningful connections to get him into a respectable university. All his credits transferred and Valor Prep was more than happy to accept with a generous endowment from Swire Textiles.

Trichelle charges Kier and Ples with assimilating him into their crew and throws a party at the Corinthos mansion to celebrate. Her parents are off in their winter residence although the early spring has been unseasonably mild. She sets the servant droids on a frenzy to ready the house for the arrival of the guests. Dahlia, Gemma and Dane decide to ride over together.

"We could have walked."

"In heels? Sure, Dane."

"You didn't have to get all gussied up. It's just a house party."

Dahlia rolls her eyes up.

"Haven't I taught you anything? Every event is an opportunity to make an impression even if it is for some rando we're supposed to adopt."

Gemma frowns, "He's not a pet, Dahlia. He's a person."

"We don't know anything about him."

"That doesn't make him any less deserving of our hospitality. He's in a new place, surrounded by new people. At least give him a chance."

"That nobility is highly annoying."

"So is your snobbery."

Dane smirks, "Whatever, Roman said he was pretty cool."

"Yeah, I'll bet he did."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Dahlia scoffs, "Boy, you really are clueless."

"Dahlia!"

"What? Someone has to be honest with him."

"Forgive me if I don't exactly find your intentions honorable."

"What the hell? Stop sniping at each other and tell me what's up."

"Forget it, Dane. It's nothing."

"It doesn't sound like nothing."

"Then maybe you should pay closer attention to the things happening right under your nose."

The transport stops in front of the Corinthos mansion.

"Why do you have to be such a bitch?"

Dahlia shrugs, flipping crimson hair off her shoulder as she prepares to exit.

"Because I can."

Gemma groans and follows Dane out and up the steps. A butler droid answers the door and the trio brushes past and through the foyer. Trichelle, Kier and Quentin are in the parlor holding drinks. They are soon joined by Demaris and Ples. Alka, Preston and Roman arrive with Muriel and Tobias. Kier has to hold Trichelle in place so she doesn't lunge across the room. Soon enough, other select classmates arrive and the party grows to a reasonably social level. Introductions are arranged with all the power players to ensure Quentin's status. People then disperse to different areas of the house as music blares through the surround speakers.

Dahlia pulls a shawl around her, grabs a glass of champagne and heads out to one of the patios. A fire pit roars as the afternoon cools into evening. She watches the flames, thinking about Barrett, the kiss and the things she saw. She wonders if he saw the same things and if he's trying to make sense of them too. Perhaps she should ask…

"Hey."

She turns, spotting Quentin standing on the other side of the fire.

"Hi."

"You're Dahlia, right?"

"Good call."

"Fiery hair, fiery personality to match."

"I see you got the press release. Those details are crucial to your survival at Valor Prep."

"So I'm told. It's a ruthless place."

"Hope you can hang."

"I've seen more ruthless so I'm sure I'll manage."

"And how are you taking your integration? Trichelle can be kind of forceful."

"Understatement but it's nice to have people go out of their way for you even if it may benefit her more than me."

She raises a glass.

"That's the Corporate Sector for you, always an angle."

"So what's yours?"

"A lady never tells."

"How mysterious."

"Guess we have that in common considering we know virtually nothing about you other than the hollow story you laid on Kier."

Quentin's smile borders on sinister, backlit by the flames.

"Don't buy it, huh?"

"I haven't decided yet."

"Maybe I could help sway you…back at my place."

Dahlia takes a sip from the flute.

"Smooth but that's a hard pass."

"You got a boyfriend?"

"I have an interested party more charming than you."

"That's not a yes."

"Then let me be more clear," Dahlia says icily, motioning between them. "This isn't happening so perish the thought. There are plenty of other spoiled and easy debutantes around here you can have a go at so knock yourself out."

"What if I said I was only interested in having a go at you?"

"What if I told you any attempt will end in tragedy? Since you've only been around for, like, two microseconds no one will miss you. So do yourself a favor and drop dead."

Quentin nods, circling the fire to pass her.

"Your loss."

"I'll live."

Dahlia waits until he is inside before exhaling loudly. She watches the bubbles in the flute rise to the top and considers her feelings for Barrett. True, they aren't technically together but she does find herself strangely drawn to him. She actually hasn't been able to stop thinking about him. They had talked a few times since she returned to the Sector, mostly to advise him on the many challenges of navigating the Republic. They play these games but beneath it all there is the beginning of something she finds herself wanting to explore.

Inside, everyone is drinking and gossiping and Quentin on the couch next to a giggling Gemma. Her eyes widen and she crosses the room swiftly.

"Gemma, I need you."

She glances up then politely excuses herself. In the hall, Gemma spins around.

"What is so important? I was getting to know the new guy."

"Yeah, well, the new guy is a creep."

"You aren't even going to give him a chance before you judge him to death?"

"No chances needed with this one, trust me."

"Dahlia, you need to learn to see the good in people."

She holds her tongue and refrains from telling her that do-right light-side attitude is complete bullshit.

"You need to learn to be a bit more skeptical. Not everyone shows you their true face right out of the gate."

Gemma tilts her head to the left, "You say that like an authority on deception."

"This isn't about me; it's about you staying away from the predator."

"How do you know he's a predator?"

"He made a pass at me."

"What? Where?"

"Outside," Dahlia says, angling her further down the hall. "He invited me back to his place to get to know him better."

Gemma begins to protest but she shuts her down.

"And don't give me that puritanical idealism even though I know you can't help yourself. He's a player and I don't want you to get played."

"Wait, are you actually concerned for me?"

"We're sisters, sort of, so of course I'm concerned. That Patten boy may be super upstanding but at least he's well intentioned which is more than I can say for Quentin Swire."

"What kind of girl do you think I am?"

"A sweet one, one that wants to believe the best about people, and that can be dangerous."

"Alright, I get it. You don't have to get all hostile and preachy."

"I'm not preachy," Dahlia says, walking back out into the living room.

Quentin is leaning against the bar, flirting shamelessly with a popular junior. Gemma and Dahlia exchange glances before wandering off in separate directions. Gemma is a lot of things; naïve, caring, a Jedi conspirator, but she'll be damned if she'll let her get sweet talked by someone like that.

The crew may be tantalized by his devil-may-care attitude but Dahlia makes a command decision to punch holes in his charismatic façade.



-TBC

[Syren]

Corporate Sector

Etti IV: Mondder

Vex Sienna returns to his apartment tower after a grueling day with the Direx Board. There is always a catastrophe waiting in the wings as companies clash and clamor to swallow each other whole. He rubs the back of his sore neck as he taps in the entry code and strides into the small foyer. He tosses his com and some credits onto the hutch and moves through the hall into the living room where he finds a teenage boy settled into an expensive club chair holding a glass of what he hopes isn't his finest whiskey.

"The fuck…?"

"Good afternoon, Ambassador Sienna."

Vex tenses, hands automatically balling into fists.

"Who the hell are you?"

"Consider me your oversight throughout the next several months."

"An advisor to the advisor? How poetic and unnecessary."

"On the contrary. It's absolutely necessary to facilitate the next phase in our plan."

"Our plan? I don't generally conspire with children."

"We would have sent Burke Pallus but, given your colorful history, it was deemed unwise and they sent me instead."

"So you work for the Empire, glad we cleared that up. And for the record, if I see Pallus again I'm going to kill him for what he did to me."

"We figured as much," the boy says. "Hence my presence here. Drink?"

Vex hisses a sigh and pours himself a glass.

"I see you already helped yourself."

"Good stuff but I guess that can be said for so much of the things you have. You didn't honestly think you would be given such a posh and lucrative position without paying a price?"

"There's always a price with the Empire."

"Business is business."

"How would you know?"

"I was trained by the best."

"Yeah, I got that Carida Academy chip on your shoulder vibe from you. Although I'm surprised they would send a newbie grunt to enforce their will."

He rises from the chair and finishes the glass.

"The same could be said for a former naval captain assigned to be the Imperial liaison to the Corporate Sector. I'm not infantry, Sienna. They send grunts to the front lines of battle not into covert ops that require a set of skills I possess."

"Imperial Intelligence."

"With a bit of Security for good measure. Things could get messy."

"They cross-train these days? How progressive."

"We like to think so. It's a new world what with the Republic truce and all."

Vex pours himself another.

"We'll see how that holds up. If they have kids like you sneaking around I'm sure the truce is not long for this world."

"All that happens does so at the will of our Emperor. Our interests extend far beyond the Republic and will shape the course of galactic events. But I digress. For now, I wanted to introduce myself and make you aware that I'll be around."

"You didn't introduce yourself."

"My apologies," he says, extending a hand. "I'm Agent Swire."

Vex grips his hand tightly.

"I'd say it's a pleasure but it's really not."

"You can dispense with the pleasantries, especially since I'm not going to sugarcoat anything for you. The next few months are crucial. While they hammer out details in the Republic, we will gear up to set things in motion here."

"What kinds of things?"

He sets his glass on bar and pauses uncomfortably close to Vex

"You are going to kill Rutherford Gellar."

Swire walks past him and out of the apartment, leaving the stunned liaison staring into the center of the room.

*

Outside, Quentin descends the steps to his waiting transport and rides away. Dahlia lowers her sunglasses from the idling hoverlimo across the street as Muriel climbs back in with an arm full of shopping bags.

"Wow, that place was crazy. You were not kidding about those dresses. This designer event was definitely the way to go."

"Only the best for us."

Muriel falls back against the plush seat, "Should we go anywhere else?"

"No," Dahlia says, pushing the sunglasses back up. "I think we got everything we need."



-TBC

[Syren]

Corporate Sector

D'ian: Surface: Concordia Township

Dahlia sits at the desk in her room alternating between finishing a paper and putting pieces together on the real Quentin Swire. Angst-ridden pop flows from the speakers mounted in each corner, complimenting her mood perfectly. She had one of the tech geeks at Valor Prep pull a tenant list from the apartment tower on Mondder only to find that Quentin's uncle was not among them. The Swire estate is in Concordia like most of the other powerful names in The Sector but it is not uncommon for a family to have multiple properties both here and on Etti IV.

The more interesting fact than Quentin's presence at the tower was that Vex Sienna arrived ten minutes later. Twenty-minutes passed before Quentin's exit. Coincidence? Perhaps. He could have been visiting any of the thousands of people in that building but the timing indicated otherwise.

What would a wayward high school senior be doing visiting the Imperial liaison to the Corporate Sector?

Dahlia is more curious than ever but her thoughts are derailed by the com bleeping on the desk. She clicks on as she revises a sentence in her paper.

"Hey, it's me."

"Oh, hi Barrett."

"You sound surprised. Bad time?"

"Not really," she says, smiling.

"Is this channel secure?"

"You think Rutherford Gellar would let us use an unsecured anything?"

"Good. How are you?"

"Frustrated but working on it."

"Anything I can help with?"

"That depends."

"On what?"

"On how much you know about Corporate Trade policy."

"Are you doing homework?"

"Now you sound surprised. School is, like, important."

"It's just a bunch of events and dates."

"True but understanding the concepts behind them help us learn from the past. Not unlike tactics of war, I imagine. Those battle plans you spend your nights analyzing come from somewhere."

"Fair point," Barrett says. "It's just that the thought of you studying is pretty hot."

"Well, there is no law that says you can't be smart and popular."

"Getting hotter."

"Take a cold shower, B. I'm not going to stoke your fire."

"Stoke," he laughs.

"I've already been solicited this week so forgive me if I'm less than receptive."

There is a sudden shift to defensiveness.

"By who?"

"Some new guy. Relax, I told him…"

She trails off, unsure of how to walk back what was just about to roll off her tongue. The truth may be too much, too soon.

"Told him what?"

She wisely downplays with a redirect.

"Nothing, wait, why did you call me?"

"Uh…I don't know. I was thinking about you."

"Were you?"

"Actually I have been thinking about you a lot. Ever since, you know, that thing."

"You kissed me."

"Yeah and I…saw something."

Dahlia tenses in the chair, "What did you see?"

"Weird shit. Smoke, an orange ball, chairs."

"And three sabers."

"You saw it too?"

"I did."

"Why the hell didn't you say anything?"

"I was getting to it. I'm a busy girl."

"Don't you think that's strange? We make out and see stuff."

"First of all, we didn't make out. You ambushed me with your mouth. Second, a lot of people experience flashes when they kiss."

"Those people see stars or lights or whatever. We saw very specific things and I don't know what they mean."

"I don't know what they mean either."

Not entirely anyway.

"I think it's worth investigating."

"Agreed, but you have more important tasks at hand. How is the Republic high-life?"

"It is not without its challenges but those are manageable thanks to your teachings."

"I'm a helper."

"You are something alright. I don't know how you do it, keeping up all those appearances. Managing Senator's and delegates and a polarized public is exhausting. Everyone wants something."

"Has the sentiment shifted?"

"It depends on the day, really. They are just as suspicious as you said they would be."

"I told you the Empire has quite the hurdle to overcome in terms of reputation but if the Republic is known for anything it's their sentimentality. They want to believe something better is possible which is why they continue their shit show of a democratic process. The Republic needs a sincere and compelling figure to rally behind because they have hope for a lasting, galactic peace."

"It's bullshit."

"Yes it is but idealists don't care about the practicalities. Has the Emperor named you the liaison?"

"Not officially but soon. There are so many processes."

"Their processes give you valuable time. Stick to the script and be the face of change they want to see."

"You sound like my campaign manager."

"Essentially, I am. Unfiltered, you'd torch that place to the ground."

"Probably but I have you to guide me."

"You sound like you miss me."

"What if I said I did? Your company isn't entirely unpleasant."

"Goodbye, Barrett."

"Dahlia, wait-"

"Yes?"

"I have this feeling…about the things we saw."

"What kind of feeling?"

"I can't describe it but I can't shake it either."

"Sounds serious."

"There is something between us."

"I never said there wasn't but you will just have to wait to see how deep I go."

She clicks off and sets the com down.

Dahlia cannot deny their connection or her feelings for him but there isn't much she can do about it from The Sector. At least now she knows Barrett saw the same things she did but what she doesn't understand is what that means. The destiny Adubell spoke of, the glowing sphere at the heart of the galaxy fills her with uncertainty. But she has a feeling too, buried deep within her as if there is a great power waiting to rise up. It grows stronger each day but she feels like the true purpose has yet to be revealed to them.



-TBC

[Syren]

"Maybe I am
Hiding in my own confusion.
Maybe we're just
A picture in my head.
Maybe what if it could be
They way I wish it really was.
Maybe I don't wanna see it
The way it really is."

-Lisa Loeb

Corporate Sector

D'ian: Surface

Gemma struggles with flashes of the attack on Corellia.

Her dreams are filled with the clashing of sabers and the look of sheer hatred as the Sith bore down. The static hiss and squeal wake her with a start. She tries to keep a lid on the seemingly insurmountable terror but the façade is slipping. She feels as though her failure to protect herself and those she loves signifies something deeper. Demaris grasps that something is very wrong but Gemma maintains the defenses and in doing so feels disconnected, emotionally unstable.

Garron is always wise to her plight, having survived it himself and offers her a way combat the rising doubt. He takes her beyond the fringe of the woods with two bow staffs and tosses one at her feet. She picks it up as he assumes a defensive stance.

"You need an outlet. Despite what you are feeling, you are not weak."

"The Sith was stronger."

"Only because you let yourself believe that. You doubt yourself and the Jedi's motives and I am not questioning that but the doubt will get you killed. You have to be secure in who you are, even if that requires duplicity."

"What are you, some kind of secret assassin?"

"I am many things because your father requires versatility. Now, stop my attack."

He moves more quickly than she thought he could for his size, twisting the bow around to strike. Her reflexes are honed and she expertly evades, snapping his bow away with her own. He does not let up and continues the assault. Gemma draws from the Force, anticipating his movements to counter.

"You are holding back."

"I don't want to hurt you."

"You think the Sith will care about your compassionate nature? This isn't a game, Gemma. She would have killed you and Riley too. She would have killed us all if given the opportunity."

"But she didn't," Gemma says. "Mara stopped her."

"Only that version of her."

"What are you talking about?"

He slams the staff down hard against hers and she pushes back.

"Something Mara said in the shuttle. The Sith found a way to regenerate, to live again."

"How is that even possible?"

"How are there multiple Mara's?"

"Cloning technology is not new. It's like, the original Stormtroopers if they were modeled after a terrifyingly attractive opportunist."

"This extends beyond cloning," Garron says. "This is resurrection."

The prospect startles her and he knocks her off balance. She stumbles to the left but recovers, swiping right in front of his face. He grins and circles her.

"You already faced the monsters, Gemma. No matter how many of them there are or how many times they come for you – you are more powerful than you realize. Yet you fear it."

"You know why."

"You can't have light without darkness."

"A dangerous balance, one I'm not sure Nevylinn believes truly exists."

"We're all capable of both."

"Some more than others."

He charges and they spar, her movements countering perfectly. There is no denying her technique but the Sith was ruthless, unrelenting, something he wonders if Gemma is capable of. He swipes at her legs and she leaps up and flips back as he lunges. She lands and spins, striking his bow hard left and thrusting out with her free hand to Force push him back. Garron tumbles across the mossy forest floor and skids to a stop. He rights himself and feels Gemma swing behind him, pulling her staff up against his throat with a knee in his back. He is forced to the ground again.

"Tell me you are just as fearful of the uncertainty, that it was more than shocking to see Circe again, to discover Mara survived, to know we are part of something larger and more terrifying…."

He gasps, "Gem…"

"I can't be the only one who is frightened!"

Garron bucks and flips her over but she is ready for it, spinning to strike him down hard with the bow. He drops to the ground then looks up with a smile.

"There. That is what you will need to win."

"I can't be the only one…" she whispers.

"No, you are not the only one. I can't tell you what it felt like to know my sister and Donovan were alive, the anguish and hope in seeing Mara standing in that doorway. You don't know my pain or the things I have done to get through it. There is a larger force at work here and it scares the hell out of me. But we have a choice. Either we use that fear as a crutch or as a weapon. I've made my choice. It is up to you to decide."

Gemma drops to her knees, a breeze blowing her blonde curls across her face. The tears fall fast and heavy. He stays close as she lets it all out then escorts her back to the Gellar mansion. Garron retires to the kitchen. She heads upstairs as Dahlia is coming down with her personal protection, Georgie, on her way out to yet another social gathering. At first she thinks nothing of it as she has been around the mute muscle countless times but then the same prickly sensation she felt on Corellia right before the attack roils through her. She stiffens visibly but Dahlia is oblivious, glancing at herself in a mirror at the bottom of the stairs. Gemma turns as Georgie pauses near the main foyer to stare up at her.

Then they are gone.




-TBC

[Syren]

Corporate Sector

D'ian

Dane grips her lower back and cries out as she rhythmically writhes on top of him. Her mouth finds his, silencing his moans, with their bodies pressed tightly together. In this position, she has all the control and climaxes first with a shutter. He follows shortly thereafter, driving himself up into her until he buckles and falls back against the pillows. Alka Dawning smiles down at him, flexing her thighs, intentionally causes him to squirm. Her long, dark hair spills across half her face as she leans forward. He holds the back of her head as they kiss but then she shoves him flat against the bed and draws her tongue across his neck.

"Maker Almighty, where did you learn that?"

She shrugs.

"Porn."

"Really? You watch porn?"

"Sex may be a universal language," Alka says. "But the techniques require practice. It never hurts to see a few examples before attempting it."

"You are the coolest."

"True…but you are no slouch, Dane Gellar."

"Obviously."

She climbs off him and curls up against his shoulder, knowing her father would kill her for even being here. It's not that D'Ken Dawning outright forbid Alka from seeing Dane but there was a sternly phrased warning that involvement with the Gellar's only leads to one thing: tragedy. Alka has heard all the rumors and the stories but what she likes most about Dane is that he is adorably dense yet somehow surprisingly earnest for someone with such a dark streak. He broods unlike anyone she has ever seen and trying to figure out what's in that gorgeous head of his is more addictive than any pill his father pushes.

"Well, you are the only one around here getting any that's for sure."

"You think?"

"Your father is like, a hundred years old, Dahlia is an ice queen while Gemma - love her to death - is pining after some boy worlds away. Not exactly what I'd call a present pleasure experience."

Dane smirks, "I'll say. Also, gross. Can we not talk about my family?"

"We've known each other forever. That mysterious bullshit doesn't work on me."

"That's a shame; it keeps everyone else off my back."

"No, the only reason people don't bug you if because you play a varsity sport and embody some kind of macho ideal. You can open up to me, you know. I'm not one of your brain dead teammates, I'm your girlfriend."

He laughs, "Says who?"

Alka rolls away and almost makes if off the bed before he grabs her waist and slides her back toward him. She faux-struggles and they collapse back onto the bed laughing.

"You know you're my girl."

"I better be."

He has come a long way from being the moody kid who says awkward things around her. She used to make him so nervous. Still, there is a part of him withheld from everyone else and with good reason.

Dane constantly considers where he belongs. His sisters seem to have things figured out with their status and careers. He remains unsure of his place and maintains a bit of paranoia about who he is. He sees visions of a long-dead relative who told him that what runs through his veins is special but doesn't tell him how. He's heard stories, whispers about how the Gellar genes play in role in past events yet the details are hazy and everything hearsay. His parents do not like to talk about what came before but have never lied to him when he's asked. They both did terrible things that led them to the happiness they found with each other.

At school, the classes are tough but there are practices and parties to lessen the suffering. He doesn't feel as lost when he's with Alka but way down, he knows she is far too good for him. She has direction and skill as a dancer and the whole world that opens up with it. He is merely a baron, an heir, a man in a line of great men and women with the title of Gellar.

He secretly fears he will never live up to it yet carries the intensity to destroy it.

Dane stops by his locker before lunch and when he pulls it open, something flips out and clatters on the floor. He grabs what appears to be a datacard and turn it over. Written in bold black letters are the words:

Watch Me

He smiles, slipping it into his pocket. Could it be Alka has given him sexual homework? He is excited by the possibilities and steels away into his room soon after returning home. He slides the disk into his personal consol and keys it up. It is a large vid file that he clicks open.

There is photage, crudely spliced together, of many scenes. They are not what he expected but once he realizes the significance of the content, he cannot look away.

Static fades to a man in a CorSec uniform, highly ranked and extremely polished. Someone off screen speaks.

"Come now, Patten. If anyone can see the upside to this arrangement it's you since you do have quite the upper hand."

"At what cost?"

"Questions you should have asked yourself before bedding the underage heiress."

Patten turns around, face contorted.

"Doing this will destroy Blair."

"Not doing it will destroy your wife and daughter. This way you can have them all. Well, almost."

"Almost is not good enough."

"She was never a concession and something Gellar will never give up. The infant, on the other hand, could prove a liability for him which is why he will acquiesce."

"It's not right."

"What do you care of Gellar? Keep your life, your rank, your reputation. Would you really give this all up…for Blair Gellar?"

Patten lowers his shaking head before the photage cuts to static then back to a different scene. This one is moving through a large party scene, an apartment, turning to see a sun setting behind a glittering sea. The cam moves passed people dancing and waving until it enters a lavish bathroom with white and gray tiles against which the sound of heels can be heard. The mirror reveals a girl in a pink party dress which, angled up, shows the face of Kimber Patten. She squints and smiles, the button nose crinkling adorably. The door opens behind her and a very-much-alive Valerie Gellar oozes in wearing a tight black gown.

"Don't tell me," Valerie says. "You're recording this for posterity."

"Documenting a moment. Venko is brutally hot and I just don't know what to do about it."

"He's our chief security officer."

"Says the girl who had a threesome with Reef and Lucas."

Valerie leans into the mirror and dabs on lipstick.

"Details, details. That's not your jam, Kimmy. Leave the scandal to the professionals."

She pouts.

"Why can't I have any fun?"

Valerie turns to face the camera, dark eyes narrowing into slits.

"Because your crushes will get us all killed."

It cuts to static then a darkened lab, two men standing across from each other.

One is in a dark tunic with crimson hair and the other, older with short brown hair and the unmistakable insignia of the Trade Federation emblazed on his jacket. The crimson haired man extends a hand containing a vial.
 
"Your sample, Viceroy."

"Patten gave consent?"

"Part of the arrangement. Gellar holds the key…to create life out of nothing-

Dane slaps the controls and cuts the vid. His heart is pounding but he doesn't know exactly why. He feels like he has invaded part of the past, spied into moments that he should not be privy to. He stands quickly, knocking the chair aside, pulling the desk from the consol to inspect it. There are no other markings or writing, no clue to tell him where it came from.

Who sent this?

He is simultaneously curious and angered by the things he saw.

Who sent this, and why would they want him to see it?




-TBC

[Syren]

Corporate Sector

D’ian: Surface

On a particularly wet spring afternoon, Dahlia returns to the Gellar Estate after a long day at school.

She had also received a mysterious datacard in her locker although she is much less anxious to see it. Dahlia is not fond of surprises and the little lessons Adubell likes to spring on her are never much fun at all. She steels away upstairs, easy to avoid parents who are still at work, and locks herself in her room.The datacard contains a vid file, large and from multiple angles of a security system. The location is undisclosed but it does not take her long to decipher. Gemma exits the side of a house with Riley Patten followed by several children and teenagers. Security approaches but Gemma raises a hand to stop the others from proceeding. It is then the agents change and the Voss-Ra are revealed.

Dahlia does not expect what happens next.

She anticipates Riley to be the hero, blasting away to save Gemma and the others. But it is Gemma who takes the lead, igniting a light blue saber and attacking with a precise, graceful and coordinated style. One that comes from extensive training and practice. Even her outfit, a tailored jumpsuit, is on point. Dahlia is straddling the line between fury and awe as Gemma slashes her way through what grows into a heated battle.

Then she spots her – Adubell

The Sith Master who just won’t stay dead.

Adubell dispatches Riley and advances on Gemma like a true predator. They spar but Adubell is much stronger and more vicious than Gemma and right as she is about to finish her off, another steps in – the Jedi Nevylinn. Gemma is spared and helps to evacuate Riley and some of the others away from what looks like an explosion. The house is beginning to burn and through the fray; another player emerges touting a blaster looking chiseled and more rugged than she thought possible – Garron Prescott.

The gang's all there, fighting that good fight.

Well, it looks like Gemma did more than just perform on Corellia. It is one thing to suspect her of light side influences and Jedi companionship but is quite another to see her in action. And with a saber, no less. She wonders how she acquired such a deadly accessory and when she had time to train between making an LP and maintaining status on the honor roll. She would be impressed if she wasn't so pissed.

Adubell was right.

Gemma is a liar and a Jedi.

So much for the straight and narrow.

Dahlia slaps off the consol and seethes with dark energy when her room com bleeps. She taps on the com and sighs.

"Yes?"

"I need to talk to you."

"We're talking now. Besides, I'm busy Dane."

"Yes, I'm sure being giant bitch is time consuming but this is important. Dahlia, please."

She considers his tone, aggressive and bordering on shrill.

"Fine, be right there."

Dahlia pulls the datacard from the consol and stashes it in her nightstand before heading down the hall to Dane's room. He is sitting on the edge of his bed looking freaked the hell out.

"Close the door."

She touches the controls and moves deeper into the room.

"Okay, what's up? You look, um, concerned."

He bites on his thumbnail for a moment before abruptly rising and keying up a vid on his consol. Voices fill the room, adult males conversing, the name Patten used then Gellar and finally, Winton.

Dahlia walks to the desk and stares down at the screen.

"What is this?"

"Oh, you know, a bunch of photage from secret dealings and parties that all pretty much say everything terrible that happened to my family is a result of the Patten's."

"Where did you get it?"

"I found it in my locker."

She swallows hard but keeps her own gift to herself.

"Why are you showing me?"

"Keep watching."

A man enters the screen with hair the same color as her own and a sinister tone as he discusses something about genetics while another man goes on and on about machines. Her mouth falls open and she turns to meet his glare.

"Do you know who that is?"

"Yeah," Dane says. "It's your father."



-TBC

[Syren]

"Every snake knows to bite."
-Darkstar & Empress Of

Corporate Sector

D'ian

"Tell no one of this."

Dane's stare is cold, accusatory.
 
"Why not?"

"It won't benefit you to lash out so directly. Sure, the Patten's are terrible. Cute, but terrible-"

"They did this to us. All the things they never want to talk about. Valerie was taken, Abra died and Blair killed herself as a result of that action. Patten let it happen so he could cover up what he did and it destroyed my father."

Dahlia considers his words carefully, taking in his tightly drawn features and rage in his dark eyes. He is angry, confused and that can be dangerous. The Gellar's aren't exactly known for their impulse control and Dane's position within the family and larger infrastructure of the Corporate Sector must remain intact. He's got a lot of power coming to him and she's not about to let him burn it to the ground.

"It was awful, for everyone. Blackmail and deceit don't always produce favorable outcomes but in the end, Rutherford healed, found strength in his rage and expanded his influence and power that has now grown into a monopoly in the pharmaceutical industry. He started a new life that included you and Gemma and you have made him proud."

"And what about your father? He's all up in the mix, wheeling and dealing. He's a bad as the rest of them but I guess I already knew that."

Dahlia shrugs.

"I didn't know him but from what I understand, he had his own motives. All our parents conspired so no one is blameless. It is what we do now that will make the most difference."

"What do you mean?"

"You can seek revenge against the Patten's in a more tactful way. Going after Riley, who I know you can't stand, is too obvious. He's protected on Corellia and any move you make against him will upset Gemma."

"Since when do you care about upsetting Gemma?"

Oh, there will be upset alright but like most things there is a time and place. Her guidance to Dane is more of a reaffirmation for her. Although Adubell's hope with the photage was to no doubt send her on a murderous rampage to eliminate an enemy, its more complicated than that. Murdering one of the biggest new pop stars would bring too much heat, especially one with the last name Masterton. It would solve an immediate problem by creating several others and turn the public against her. She can't have that but she can funnel the outrage into other projects to further her agenda.

"Your beef isn't with the Masterton's."

"Right," Dane says. "So how do I stick it to the Patten's?"

Dahlia smiles, thinking back on the things she saw in her own photage.

"What if I told you the Jedi were hiding out on Corellia?"

"Corellia is part of the Republic and they have that, like, no Force user thing."

"Right on both counts."

"So…wouldn't that violate something?"

"Totally but the more interesting caveat is who they have hiding them."

"Who?"

"Riley Patten, boy billionaire."

Dane's face clouds over and she relishes feeding off the stormy energy pouring off him. The hatred is almost palpable in the room. It lulls her into a happy place but she remains focused.

"He's a traitor just like his mother."

Dahlia flips her hair and shrugs. 

"Right? Someone should really warn them but be smart Dane. This isn't a game you play lightly. If you want to hurt Patten, it can't look like retaliation from a Gellar."

*

Downstairs, Kylie Miranda returns from the market which she hands over to the droids. She sets the dining room and preps dinner when Garron happens by. She ignores him at first but he lingers because he knows it's annoying.

"What?"

"I didn't say anything."

"You were going to so just say it."

He laughs, "You just seem tense."

"I'm not talking about this with you."

"So it does involve the Imperial."

Kylie shoots him a look.

He puts his hands up.

"I'm asking as a friend. We rarely talk anymore, I seldom see you. I thought things were going well."

"On paper, sure. Vex is a perfect gentleman, attentive and caring…"

"But…?"

"But there is something beneath the surface. I can feel it. There are a lot of things he won't talk about."

"He's the Imperial liaison to the Corporate Sector, Kylie. I'm sure there are many things he can't tell you. Conflict of interest. You work for a member of the Direx Board."

"It's not work," Kylie says. "At least not work in the Sector."

"You think it's coming from the Imperial side?"

"Well, they are finalizing the truce on Chandaar and that changes things. Maybe if they start working together more closely, the Sector won't be as high a priority. Maybe he won't be needed here."

"Come on, the Empire always has an angle and they aren't going to let something like the CSA slip out of their pocket simply to get in bed with the Republic. Has Vex said anything about his duties changing?"

"No, but when we're together, I feel like he wants to tell me something but stops himself."

"He's a strange character with unclear motives."

"From you."

"Hey! I'm not with Janessa the way you are with Vex but point taken. We are both drawn to complicated people. Perhaps if we were more direct with them, we wouldn't be in the situations we find ourselves in."

Kylie smiles, wiping off her hands.

"Thank you. I needed to hear that. I'll talk to him this weekend."

"Just do one thing for me, okay? Be careful."

*

In the living room, Gemma is curled on the couch with school work while Celeste reads quietly in the next chair. Security agents change shifts and as Georgie walks by, glancing quickly into the room as he passes, Gemma feels a coldness inside. Her wide blue eyes slowly follow him as she grows more convinced things are not as they appear.



-TBC

[Syren]

"Round and around
Round and around we go.
I can't tell right
I can't tell wrong from right
I can't wait till you lie."

-Darkstar & Empress Of

"Reformer"

Corporate Sector

Etti IV: Surface: Mondder

Vex Sienna waits at the table; glancing toward the door, checking his expensive chronometer several times before calling Kylie's com. It goes straight to message. Frowning, he reluctantly tries the Gellar Estate. Unfortunately, it is Garron Prescott who answers so he motions to the server for a drink.

"Prescott, its Sienna."

"Sienna, to what do we owe the pleasure?"

"I'm looking for Kylie. Is she available?"

"She has a personal com which you might want to try."

"I've done that but it's off. She was supposed to meet me for dinner."

"She left for Mondder this morning," Garron says. "She hasn't arrived?"

"I haven't seen her."

"She should have been there hours ago."

"I know," he says. "She called me before she left D'ian so I've been expecting her for quite some time."

"Kylie is never late."

"Thus the reason for the intrusion," Vex sighs.

"Perhaps she made other plans."

"She would have the decency to call."

"She would, wouldn't she?"

"Will you tell her I asked for her when you see her?"

"Absolutely."

"I appreciate it."

"I'm sure you do," Garron says and terminates the line.

Vex slides the device back into his pocket and groans. He would decry Garron's manners if he wasn't so preoccupied with what was keeping his girlfriend. The restaurant is getting crowded and he doesn't want to hold up the table so he pays for his drink and heads home.

*

Two hours earlier…

Kylie Miranda rides the lift up to his apartment and walks toward the door with confidence. Love is about trust and whatever it is, whatever holds him back, she hopes the love they share will be enough to let her all the way in.

She wears a simple black dress, a woven purple shawl and black heels. She's always preferred the understated to the flashy and its part of why she thinks he fell for her in the first place. Kylie doesn't try so hard. She is content with who she is and what she stands for, even if it is earnest, dutiful and somewhat naïve.

Vex answers the door half dressed; pressed slacks, barefoot, without a shirt. He grins as she passes.

"I'm almost ready."

"I thought that was my line."

"It usually is," he says, following her into the living room. He kisses her and she returns it with slightly greater intensity. "You look amazing."

"Thank you."

Her face falters, if only for an instant.

"You've got that look, like I'm in for it or something."

"Do I?"

"I've known you a few years now. I can tell."

"You're a wonderful man-"

"Oh boy, this never ends well."

"No, listen…you are and I am grateful but there is a part of you I feel I can't reach. I've long since come to terms with your work because I know what is in your heart. I don't believe you are out to hurt me yet this distance, the strained way we communicate about anything more than the superficial, makes me feel like you are keeping something significant from me."

"Kylie, please."

"You can tell me."

His chest is aching and his eyes sting. He has wanted to tell her every day since it happened but the threats made against her kept him quiet.

Until today.

"No, I can't. I can't tell anyone…what they did to me…things I may have done…"

Vex is crumbling under the weight of this secret and he stumbles forward, kneeling in front of her. He doesn't see a way out and the helpless desperation, amplified by the arrival of the young Agent Swire, has been slowly swallowing him whole.

"What is it? Vex, you are scaring me."

"They infected me, I don't know what it is, but I can't remember. There is time missing, coming to in strange places without any idea how I got there or what I did. It's like I don't have control of myself…."

She holds the side of his face. 

"Control? I don't understand. Who did this to you?"

"The Empire," he whispers, jaw clenching and unclenching. "The Empire sent Agent Pallus…to inject me….put something in me…something they had engineered by ChemiX…"

There is fear pulsing through her now, an uncurling of suspicion and doubt rushing toward a dreadful confirmation.

"Why would they do that?"

Vex inhales sharply before staring up at her.

"They want me to kill Rutherford Gellar."

The questions pile up in her mind and she cannot get any one of them out. She just shakes her head and backs away from him.

"I knew it…from the beginning…I knew it but I let you convince me otherwise. I believed you when you told me the Empire had no interest in us but it was a lie! They were all lies!"

He feels it then, the cold, creeping up through his body slowly as if being switched on from within. His eyes glaze over so that he is not really looking at her but through her as he rises from the floor. Kylie senses this change and glances past him to the foyer but she hesitates out of love for him.

It is this mistake that will cost her everything.

Vex lunges forward, knocking her back against the far wall. He is on her within microseconds with hands closing around her throat. She gasps, clawing wildly, managing to sputter his name.

"Vex…!"

Although he is straining, his face is eerily calm as he says the one thing she had secretly feared their entire relationship.

"The Gellar's and Masterton's took from the Empire and although they truly believed they had escaped, there was always a price to be paid."

Her eyes are wide and full of terror until finally she stops struggling and her arms drop away. He releases her and steps back. Kylie slumps forward, caught in her shawl, limp with her head hanging as he grips the fabric and stares into the center of the silent room.

Beautiful and lifeless, Vex gently lowers her to the floor then reaches into her purse to turn off her com-link. He finishes getting ready before heading to the restaurant to make the reservation time.

He walks into the restaurant and looks around, mildly confused. He doesn't remember getting here only that he arrived. The host is giving him a quizzical look so he makes his way over and asks if Miss Miranda has arrived. The host says that she has not.

Vex Sienna waits at the table, glancing toward the door, checking his expensive chronometer several times before calling Kylie's com. It goes straight to message. Frowning, he reluctantly tries the Gellar Estate. Unfortunately, it is Garron Prescott who answers so he motions to the server for a drink.

The conversation goes about as well as expected without a resolution.

He would decry Garron's manners if he wasn't so preoccupied with what was keeping his girlfriend. The restaurant is getting crowded and he doesn't want to hold up the table so he pays for his drink and heads home.

Vex taps in the door code and steps inside.

The first thing he smells is her perfume, light and vaguely fruity, like someone had captured late summer in a bottle. He smiles and moves through the foyer.

"Kylie?"

Her name hangs in the air, expanding in a cartoon bubble above her body. She is lying in the center of the living room, draped in a purple shawl with her head turned toward him, motionless with her eyes open. The shock, nausea and sadness come in waves that bring him to the floor. He crawls to her, touching the side of her face, wracked with sobs because he knows he did this. He has done it before.

And he will do it again.




-TBC

[Syren]

Corporate Sector

D'ian: Surface

As spring swirls ever closer to summer, there is a palpable excitement in the air. There is a month left until Prom and two months to graduation so Muriel and Tobias plan a party titled the Screw-This-Soiree. It is a big middle finger to the establishment affairs they have been made to attend over the years. They build some serious buzz throughout Valor Prep and with the exception of Trichelle, the crew is thrilled by the idea. Muriel was going to run this by her mother but she's off on some spiritual retreat to become one with herself.

All the more reason.

At the Gellar Estate, Lady Celeste Masterton fastens an earring in the large vanity mirror as she readies for a dinner party at the Dyre's. She glances at the service droid behind her.

"Has there been any word from Kylie?"

"I'm afraid not, Lady Masterton. Miss Miranda has not returned to the Gellar Estate."

She frowns, a glimmer of concern creasing her features. It is unlike Kylie to be away so long without calling. She knows she had plans over the weekend but when she did not return Monday, she assumed she was held up on Mondder. Calls to her personal com switched straight to message. It is now Tuesday evening and Celeste is more than just a little worried.

Gemma appears in the room as the droid exits.

"Hello, darling."

"Do you have a minute?"

Celeste turns, "For you, of course."

Gemma crosses the master suite and sits beside her on the vanity stool. The resemblance between them is so striking that Celeste smiles as she brushes a strand of blonde curls back over Gemma's ear.

"You seem melancholy," she says. "What troubles you?"

There is so much to tell that she doesn't know where to begin. She knows she cannot confess without bringing her mother into danger so she opts for something broader, something she has wondered for a long time.

"Do you ever wish…Melanie would have chosen a different path?"

It is not asked with malice but there is a sting to the query. Pain aside, Celeste had often wondered a great many things about the choices of her first child and her hand in shaping those choices. With Gemma, it was different. She was allowed a freedom Melanie was not.

"You mean, as a Jedi?"

She nods.

"This was a calling she could not ignore and I believe it gave her a sense of purpose and strength despite the ominous circumstances surrounding her. My only wish is that I could have been there for her the way I have been for you. I made so many mistakes, believed in ideals that turned out to be false, and it cost me everything with her."

"You believe the ways of the Jedi helped her?"

"Their teachings no doubt provided a clarity she lacked."

She lacked this clarity as a result of their withholding of the prophecy that, in the end, claimed all their lives.

"Did you ever consider becoming one?"

"A Jedi? Oh, I'm not sure I would be cut out for it. When Master Corrin brought me here, he taught me many things which I then shared with you, Dane and Dahlia. It kept us grounded and secure but for me, my relationship with the Force has always been more empathic which I have used to help others. My calling as a therapist and counselor helped me find peace by helping them find that same peace. I suppose, in some ways, I do owe that to the teachings of the Jedi."

Gemma smiles and leans on her shoulder.

"Why the sudden curiosity?"

"I hope to be as strong as Melanie and as compassionate as you."

Celeste touches the side of her face.

"You are the best of all of us; courageous and kind. I am so proud of all you have accomplished and look forward to seeing the wonderful things you will do."

"You are?"

"Absolutely, my darling. Your voice is a gift that brings everyone joy and no matter how you choose to utilize your deep connection to the Force, I will always support you."

"Thank you."

She kisses her forehead, "I love you, Gemma."

"I love you too."

Rutherford and Garron enter the room but hang back, not wanting to ruin the moment.

"I'm sorry, sweetie but we really must speak with your mother."

Gemma nods and leaves them.

Celeste stands and turns around, "Is everything alright?"

"We don't know," Rutherford says. "Kylie has not checked in and I am growing concerned."

"I was just thinking the same thing."

"You haven't heard from her?"

"No," Celeste says. "I tried her com…"

"It's been off for days."

"That's…alarming. Do you know where she is?"

Garron crosses his arms, "We know she went to visit Vex Sienna this weekend on Mondder."

"Surely he must know something."

"He called on Saturday evening saying that she was supposed to meet him for dinner and never showed. I reached out to him again this morning and he told me her shuttle is registered at the spaceport but she's nowhere to be found. He's been looking for her all weekend."

"Do you believe him?"

Garron remains as even as possible.

"My dislike for the man aside, I know he cares for her. However, Kylie did share with me some concerns that he may have been hiding something from her."

"Hiding something?"

"She believed it revolved around his work with the Empire."

"That may be true," Rutherford says. "But non-disclosure clauses in his contract may prevent him from telling her anything about the business aspects in the Sector."

"I told her as much and advised she confront him but, according to Sienna, that never happened."

Celeste places a hand on her chest with a sinking feeling.

"I don't like this. Something is wrong."

Rutherford nods.

"Agreed. I have the Espos looking into it now but until we hear anything, I believe we should minimize our fears in front of the children. The last thing we want is to worry them."

Celeste finds her way into her husband's arms, "I do hope she is alright."

Garron excuses himself and wanders through the house to contemplate. It is completely out of character for Kylie to not at the very least check in with the family she has served faithfully most of her life. They worry for her like she is their own. Garron cannot shake a lingering doubt about Vex despite the Imperial liaison's obvious concern. If he didn't harm her then perhaps something she discovered about him and his work led to her disappearance.

He decided to investigate this possibility when Gemma grabs his arm and drags him into her room.

"Maker Almighty, Gemma what is it?"

"I think Georgie is one of them."

"One of who?"

"Them. The monsters."

Garron's eyes widen, "Like those on Corellia, the ones from your dreams?"

She nods.

He knows now to trust her instincts but the recent trauma she endured in the attack on the Patten Ranch has left her fragile, emotional shaken. That is to be expected but this accusation seems like a wild leap, especially if one of their own security agents has been an enemy right under their noses.

"What makes you believe this?"

"I felt it," she says in a hushed whisper. "The same feeling I had right before the attack. They can pose as other people. I don't know how but it must be some sort of glamour."

"A glamour? How is that possible? Are they Force sensitive creatures?"

"I'm not sure this has anything to do with the Force. Maybe their species can shape-shift."

"A Changling?"

"No, something else. I've seen pictures of what Changlings look like in their true form."

"Gemma," Garron says carefully. "Are you sure you are not looking for enemies where they don't exist?"

"You doubt me?"

"Not at all but given what you've been through…"

"This isn't post-traumatic stress."

"How can you be sure?"

She shakes her head, at a loss for words. It may very well be true but it doesn't feel that way. It feels like there is a monster in their midst and either it angling to harm Dahlia or her adoptive sister is as close to this as the Jedi believes she is.
 
"I can't. Not yet anyway."

"We can follow up with this later. Right now, I have to attend to an urgent matter."

"It's Kylie, isn't it?"

He swallows hard but knows there is no lying to her.

"Yes."

"Is she okay?"

"That's what I need to determine."

He turns to leave but she grabs his arm.

"There is something else….something I saw months ago that made no sense then…but it may mean something now."

"What?"

"I saw Kylie with hands around her throat."

Garron's horror is evident followed by anger.

"Why did you wait to tell me this now?"

"I'm sorry, I didn't know what it meant or if meant anything at all. But now…"

"Did you see who it was?"

"It wasn't that clear, only her face as she was being choked, just for an instant. That was all."

"Gemma, I have to go. If something happened to Kylie then we must figure out what and who is responsible."

"Okay."

"Promise me you'll sit on this theory about the creature until we resolve this situation."

"Sure."

"Gemma."

She sighs, "Fine, I promise."

Garron leaves the room but she cannot wait to follow this lead. She knows Georgie will at least accompany Dahlia to the Screw-This-Soiree this weekend.

That will be her chance to find out for herself.



-TBC

[Syren]

Corporate Sector

D'ian: Surface

Everything about Vex Sienna checks out.

His alibi and multiple witnesses confirm he came to the restaurant to meet Kylie Miranda, used his com, ordered a drink and left all within the span of an hour. This coincides with the timeline in which he called the Gellar Estate.

Photage from the spaceport show her shuttle docking on Saturday afternoon then departing the port via public transport. There is no record of who picked her up or which skiff was used – a troubling answer from the taxi companies obtained by the Espos. With all the traffic and cam angles throughout Mondder, they are unable to follow conclusively although she does appear to be heading in Sienna's direction. Unfortunately, there is no photage of her arriving at Sienna's apartment tower or anywhere else in the city for the remainder of the weekend. Vex can be seen both leaving and returning without her.

Kylie Miranda simply vanished.

Garron is not convinced but must defer to the Espos' investigation. He is certain she was abducted but there has been no ransom demand, no trace of a motive. The photage is clean but perhaps a little too clean. Stop. Now he was thinking like Gemma, finding monsters without the burden of proof. He'd been raised a man of law and reason, tempered with a variety of other skills and training that came in handy. As of late, that reason has been shaken by the things he has seen and experienced. The sphere they travel within is more complex with many layers. They may have had differences of opinions but Kylie is his friend. He'd known and worked with her for over a decade and this lack of leads is agonizing.

Dahlia, however, is growing more convinced of something by the moment. Late Saturday night, they were all at the Corinthos Estate when Quentin received a call and abruptly departed. Dahlia was curious, Trichelle was insulted but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. The previous week when Quentin was showing off the shiny new cruiser he claimed his uncle bought for him, impressing Kier and Ples, Dahlia casually slipped on a tracker. The boy was always on the move. She checked on it when she came home that night and noted it was on Etti IV, in Mondder. When Kylie never returned and her parents dispatched the Espos early that week, Dahlia became immediately suspicious.

Coincidence? Maybe.

That is where Fediir Swire, Quentin's uncle, primarily lived and worked. It would make sense he would be shuttling back and forth, given how much concern Fediir had apparently shown for Quentin's future. Still, she believed Quentin had visited Sienna at least once before and the timing of Kylie's disappearance while flying to meet Sienna was just a little too fluid.

Could Quentin have orchestrated something like that?

But why?

Unless, Dahlia's mind is whirling darkly, Quentin has Imperial ties and their nosy au pair was getting a little too close to Sienna. Speculation, of course, but she has some conversational leverage to rattle out Quentin's true intentions.

Dahlia glances down at the black and red streaked invitation to the Screw-This-Soiree and smiles.

A party is such a lovely venue for a confrontation.



-TBC

[Syren]

Corporate Sector

D'ian: Surface: Monroe Estate

As the party rages on, Gemma excuses herself from the dancing crowd and enters the mansion. People are everywhere, scantily clad and hedging dangerously close to bad decisions. She scans the area for Dahlia but doesn't see her. Her hope is that she can confront and confirm her suspicions yet there is a small part of her that hopes Dahlia is not in on the game.

Changing course, she heads to one of the downstairs guest bathrooms for some peace. The music is so loud that it makes thinking difficult. She stares at herself in the mirror and giggles, knowing she looks ridiculous. At least it was fun getting into the spirit of the party. They do place far too much emphasis on pomp and circumstance and this was a harmless way to express their displeasure with it.

As she moves to leave, the door hisses open to reveal Georgie's hulking form.

Gasping, she steps back and he advances inside. The door hisses closed behind him.

"What are you doing here?"

The words do not come out of his mouth but she can hear them very clearly in her mind.

You know.

Her heart is racing.

"I think you should leave."

I'm not going anywhere.
 
"Fine, then I'll go."

She tries to move past him but he blocks her path. There is a very real terror that threatens to rise up and consume her but she keeps it in check.

You wanted to find me here tonight. Now you have me.

"You aren't who you claim to be."

Neither are you.

"But only one of us means well. I can see right through your little façade."

The same way you did on Corellia.

"How do you know that?"

I know much more than you think I do. About all of you. It was you who saw us long before we came. We called out to you in your dreams and you led us right to you – The New Four. Our elders foretold of your arrival and the influence you would have on the galaxy. Whereas your predecessors brought chaos and destruction, the four of you hold the potential for peace.

"What's wrong with peace?"

It is an illusion, much like I appear to you now but beneath the surface there is always a thread that can unravel it all.

Gemma's face darkens, "You…want chaos?"

We want the worlds as you know it brought to its knees and cleansed by fire so that from the ashes will raise our Abomination.

It is a word she has read before, in reference to the prophecy.

"The Abomination is a Winton. You wish for Dahlia to take her sisters place?"

Yes.

"And she knows about this?"

The thing laughs, deep and guttural.

Sweet child, Dahlia knows very little more than her own reflection. These things take time and if there is anything the Voss-Ra have, it is an abundance of patience.

Gemma swallows hard, fingering the clasp on her purse within which her saber is kept.

"Why are you telling me this?"

You are never leaving this room alive.

There is a pounding on the door, distracting both.

"Gemma?"

It's Demaris, her party protector. They had made a pact to keep each other company during these obligatory functions. Now it seems this will draw her into danger.

"Are you in there? The door is locked."

Gemma glances back at Georgie who looks ready to strike. She inhales, drawing on the Force and releases a pulse which knocks him back out of the way. His glamour collapses and she watches in horror as the exterior visage curls away to reveal the monster that has haunted her since she was a child.

She lunges for the door but its long arm snares her belt. Her fingers barely graze the control as she is hurled back through the glass shower door.

On the other side, Demaris uses her powers to disable the lock and rushes inside to find the creature standing over Gemma and a millions tiny shards of glass.

"No!"

Demaris levitates the creature much to Gemma's surprise and brings him crashing down against the side of the sunken tub. Gemma grips her saber as Demaris steps over to grab her hand and pull her back toward the door. The creature engages the controls and the door hisses closed once more. It climbs up out of the tub, snarling through a set of jagged teeth.

Demaris strikes the side of its head, snapping its leg at the knee then landing a solid kick to the chest. It staggers but slashes out, catching Demaris by the throat. She gags as she is raised into the air.

Gemma ignites the saber, a blue glow illuminating the bathroom. She twirls it behind her before bringing it through the arm holding her friend. Demaris falls into the tub and the appendage dissipates into black smoke. It attacks her again but Gemma slashes through its mid-section, spins, then arches up to take its head clean off at the neck. The creatures form becomes smoke which settles into the air.

There is no trace it was ever here.

Gemma clicks off the saber and helps to pull Demaris to her feet. Emotions exchange between them like waves crashing against the sand.

"You…
"…you."

"I wanted to tell you but I couldn't. Master Nevylinn thought it would endanger you."

"I think we're beyond the endanger part."

"How did you know?"

"I didn't know it was here…I just felt you…in trouble. So I came."

Gemma throws her arms around her. They stand there in silence for a while, each thankful for the other. The secrecy of their powers gave way to isolation and loneliness. Now they have each other. It is the reason for their strong connection. It was leading them toward each other, a burden to share.

She glances down at herself, a multitude of small cuts and the beginnings of a larger bruise.

"Oh my…this is going to raise questions."

Demaris eases her down on the ledge of the tub.

"Let's see if there isn't something I can do to help."

She kneels and closes her eyes, drawing on the Force to guide her hands as they move over Gemma's legs and arms. Slowly, the cuts close and disappear until there is nothing left but the blood. Demaris grabs a hand towel and wipes it off her skin and smiles.

"See, good as new."

"You are powerful, Demaris. Thank you."

"Nah, I'm just scrappy but I did have a knack for the healing."

"When did you learn this?"

Demaris' expression becomes more serious. 

"I didn't spend last summer finding myself."

"Then what…?"

"One of the creatures attacked me on Hesperidium. It would have killed me too if I didn't think quickly. I reached out to Master Nevylinn and got myself to Corellia where I spent that time coming to terms with what happened to me and growing stronger in my abilities."

She grins.

"I got to meet Riley. He speaks of you fondly."

Gemma blushes, "Well, I am fond of him too."

"I was lost and completely messed up about the creature and my brush with death. Thankfully, everything was put into perspective and I finally felt whole again."

"You saw him?"

She nods.

"My brother and the Counselor's miraculous survival healed something in me. It was exactly what I needed to go on. And I had a mission – to discover if Dahlia was involved with the creatures. This was the first encounter I had since then. I guess it won't be available for interrogation."

"Luckily, it gave me something."

"Do tell."

"They call themselves the Voss-Ra and, previously, had exalted the Winton daughters as their Abominations to bring forth chaos. This part I knew, well, not about them but about what the Abomination represents. Long story, deals with a prophecy but with Alexia and Karen gone, it sounds like they had their sights set on Dahlia. I was convinced she was involved but it doesn't sound that way. They wanted us gone first."

Demaris stands and crosses the room to adjust her own ensemble in the mirror.

"How do you know it wasn't lying?"

"I don't," Gemma says. "But I also don't have any proof she is complicit. When I was on Corellia, I was able to see through their visage. I felt the same thing with Dahlia's security agent which was confirmed tonight. Somehow, they can transform but it wasn't until recently I was able to feel it, the disturbance their glamour causes. It's like a ripple where a person is supposed to be."

"The one on Hesperidium looked like Nevylinn."

"They could be anyone so we must keep our guard up."

"We could stop them."

"Work together?"

Demaris nods.

Gemma smiles, smoothing out her jumpsuit.

"I like the sound of that."




-TBC

[Syren]

"See you go, give me reason to hope
Should you know that I make easy prey
But you would throw it away
Just fools and their gold."

-PLGRMS

Corporate Sector

Etti IV: Surface: Mondder

Beyond a glittering sea, so far below, the sun slips beneath the horizon. He walks out onto a balcony that wraps around the side of a tower. The salty air hits the bare skin of his chest and he sees her standing there. There was a party, one of so many he'd lost count. No one really cared. Not anymore. There was only numbness and confusion. The second Death Star, Coruscant; both gone.

She was the distraction he needed.

He was a hollow solace to everything she had lost.

"You didn't kill them."

Karen doesn't even look at him, wearing a short green nightgown while fingering the etched stem of a champagne flute.

"I may as well have."

"I lost people too," Vex says. "Family. Friends. Colleagues."

"That is the saddest thing I have ever heard."

"You're mocking me?"

"It's not a competition. There is nothing to win."

He is young and drunk and her contempt is intoxicating.

"You think your pain is so much greater? That you've lost so much more than everyone else? I get it, your friends got butchered. You couldn't save them but you are not the end all, be all of sorrow just because you make it look good."

"I do, don't I?"

"If you can't stand me, why are we doing this?"

Her emerald eyes finally shift from the darkening ocean.
 
"The convenience of you pleases me."

"That's all? You feel nothing for me?"

"I feel nothing!" she screams, hurling her glass against the wall. "Nothing. There is nothing. The world has literally burned and we are left to cope and contemplate what comes next. Am I still the adored model if my fans are nothing but ash? Are you still the earnest Carida cadet if the technological equivalent of your balls got taken from you? Do the strides we make erase those trampled in our wakes?"

"How deep."

"I'm hurt," she says. "And I know you are too."

"Why won't you let me help you?"

"There isn't anything you can do! If you weren't at the Academy and I wasn't here we'd be dead too. We both fled to escape everything that happened to us. Drowning our sorrows in sex and champagne seemed like the best course of action but it doesn't change anything."

Vex moves closer to her.

"We can start over. Together."

"That's not where this story takes us."

"How do you know?"

Karen sighs, leaning her head against his shoulder.

"It's more like a feeling. Something is coming. Something worse."

"How is that possible?"

She pulls back and looks up into his face.

"I don't know but you need to get as far away from us as you can."

"You can't push people away because you are afraid of losing them."

She turns, crimson hair caught in the breeze.

"It doesn't matter anyway…"

"Why?"

Karen's face is gravely serious and she runs a finger along the side of his perfectly square jaw.

"You're involved now."

"I was involved then too, back at North Coruscant."

"Then you left and you should have stayed gone. Forget about us, forget anything of this."

"I came back here for you."

"It will cost you," she says with a wry smile. "Maybe not today or tomorrow but in the end whatever darkness surrounds us will come for you too."

*

Vex wakes with a start, struggling to catch his breath.

There is a shift in the bed beside him and another form rises into his line of vision. Kylie Miranda smiles seductively, dark blonde hair spilling over her shoulders.

"You were dreaming."

"It wasn't a dream."

"Nightmares are dreams. This is just the first of many."

He grips her face in his hands.

"How…are you here?"

"I'll always be with you now," Kylie says. "You know that."

"I'm so sorry."

"Are you really? You knew the Empire sent you here for a reason and while you tried to convince yourself it wasn't for the intent you feared, deep down you knew it was true."

"I wasn't sure…."

"Your doubts were never as great as mine. I hoped you would rise above it, see that we, that I, was worth fighting for."

"You are."

She laughs, a deeper and more menacing laugh than she ever had in life.

"It's much too late for that. Once you saw a way out, they only see liabilities and loose ends. You will move to harm them as I knew you would. The Empire never forgets and the sins of the past seldom remain there. They want The Four contained and controlled, to use them for their own clandestine purposes. And they will use you to do it."

"I didn’t want this."

"This is a darkness you can never escape."

Red marks appear across her neck, deepening into purple bruises as her eyes glaze over. He reaches for her as her body goes limp, screaming her name over and over again.

*

Vex gasps and jerks awake, alone in his dark room.

The swirl of emotions forces his head into his hands. He had murdered the woman he loves and had to call on Agent Swire for help.

The young agent mobilized his team to dispose of Kylie's body and sanitize the apartment. Quentin scolded him for breaking the rules. Her death was punishment for confiding in her and in this statement laid bare the sobering realization that the Empire means to use him as a sleeper as they choose.

Swire's team of slicers expertly handled the photage to essentially erase Kylie's presence from the building, from anywhere in Mondder save for the spaceport.

It was as if she had never even been there.

Vex hates himself for what he has done, for what he is now being forced to do but there is little sympathy from his employers. Karen was right, so long ago. After what happened on Coruscant, with Tenley, he should had gone. He should have stayed away except there are holes in that logic; a sickening quandary about the cyclical nature of fate. If he had never returned from the Academy and went right into the Imperial Navy, he may have still wound up on Emperor Dementat's ship in the Battle of Centerpoint. He would have still watched the Princess rush off to save her friends the Emperor follow to save her. He still would have witnessed the stations destruction and all the lives it took.

Was it all inevitable?

Vex narrowly escaped that battle and had the chance to walk away. He could have gone anywhere, started a new life and never looked back. Even though his faith was shaken, he still believed in what the Empire stood for. His reassignment to the Sector after Schrag took over was a welcome change but the instant he was introduced to Rutherford Gellar at a Direx Board session, the knot of dread began turning in his stomach.

The darkness followed him here.

It had always been there, lapping at his heels despite the things he told himself.

Kylie's love eased his pain but could not prevent the past from crashing into the present. The Espos may have stalled in their investigation into her murder but the Gellar-Masterton's would not drop the issue so easily. They would pursue this and he will be forced to act.

Agent Swire assured him this would change nothing in the plan.

Rutherford Gellar must fall and with him the lives of Dahlia, Dane and Gemma would be drawn directly into their sights.




-TBC

[Syren]

"We just got to hold on
And on, and on, and on
Cause we're gonna be legends
Gonna get their attention
What we're doing here aint just scary
It's about to be legendary."

-Welshly Arms

Corporate Sector

D'ian: Surface: Monroe Estate

Quentin briskly exits the room followed by Dahlia.

Down the hall, Roman and Preston stop in surprise, waiting until they are out of view.

"Did you see that?"

"It can't be," Preston says, adjusting his wings. "Dahlia hates him."

"I dunno, some of the best sex can be hate sex."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"No, it's not like that with you."

"Then what's it like? We're doomed to just hook up at parties? So romantic."

Roman frowns.

"You know why. I wish it were different. My parents are not as liberal as yours. It's tradition or nothing."

"You can make them see."

"Chiss are not like that. They think I'm too humanoid as it is but my father believes my integration will buy him inroads with the company in the future. He doesn't do anything unless he feels it pays dividends."

Preston tugs at his coveralls, touching the blue skin beneath.

"We only have a year left."

"That's what we tell ourselves."

"Ro, I want to be with you. Truly be with you."

"As do I."

"Then don't crush my hope."

"I love you Pres," Roman says, holding the side of his face. "But I will never be free."

*

As Quentin disappears back into the crowds, Dahlia spots Muriel sauntering toward her room. She follows and drapes herself in the doorway.

"I never got to thank the hostess."

Muriel turns, a wry smirk tugging on her lips.

"Well, we have to do something to pass the time until we can blow this joint."

"It's pretty extreme," Dahlia says, tapping the door closed behind her. "I must admit I was a little stunned."

"Maybe that's because you are too attached to the way things are."

The statement is laced with an aggression not usually found in her words. Dahlia moves closer, crossing her arms.

"Hostile much? Muriel, what's going on?"

Muriel turns around, gesturing with a mostly empty rocks glass.

"You know I'm happy for you but come on, a few years ago when it was just you and me – before you found out you were a Winton royal – you didn't care about any of this. We used to give everyone shit for taking it all so seriously. All the stupid parties and dances and ceremony we had to endure were a huge joke. Until it wasn't. Not to you. You bought into the hype and now you plot every social move as if your life depended on it."

"Is this you talking or the party favors?"

"That's not a denial."

"There's nothing to deny! So, I indulge to keep up appearances but it's still me underneath."

"It doesn't really seem like it."

Dahlia sighs.

"Listen, I applaud your anti-establishment protest. You have always called this out as a bunch of shit. I still know that but I have to use that shit to my advantage. I have enough of a hole to dig myself out of being a Winton. The trust is thin when your predecessors cavorted around leaving a wake of deception and destruction in their paths. I don't have the luxury of blowing it off. I need to play the game in order to win."

"Win what?"

"Respect, authority, control over my own life."

"Why, so you can be the daughter of darkness?"

It is as if all the air in the room goes still.

"What?" Dahlia says.

"I heard you talking to yourself last summer on Hesperidium."

Except she wasn't talking to herself. She was talking to Karen's highly annoying yet tragically stylish Force ghost. Muriel could only hear one side of the conversation which, she now realizes, makes her seem insane.

"I thought it was nothing but then I remembered I had heard that phrase before…in reference to your sisters. They were supposed to be these symbols of, like, pure evil. Is that what this is? You are angling to follow in their footsteps? Dahlia, they and all their friends ended up dead."

Dahlia grabs her arms, "Muriel, you're spiraling."

"I'm worried about you. You are my best friend and I don't want anything to happen to you."

"Nothing is going to happen to me."

"Really? I see you changing and I'm not sure if it's for the better."

"Having different interests doesn't mean we aren't still friends."

"Do those interests involve the Force?"

"The Force is strong with my family. You know that."

"Do you have powers like them?"

She doesn't answer, glancing down.

Muriel's face is pulled tight with tension, eyes wide as she shakes her head.

"Dahlia, do you remember watching the Holo reports when we were kids? When my mother got a role in Vogue Empire and all script revisions due to the brutality? We were sad that all their pretty friends got killed. We talked about how dangerous the Force was if used that way. Before we knew they were your family, we thought Alexia Winton was terrifying. They said she was consumed by the dark side. It drove her completely mad. I don't want that for you."

"I know you don't," Dahlia says. "That's not going to happen to me. I'm fine."

"At one point in time I'm sure they told themselves that too. I don't know the context for what I heard but I do know that this doesn't end well. For anyone. Would you risk all of us, would you risk me, just so you can reclaim the power your family once had?"

"Muriel…"

"No, I'm serious, Dahlia. This is dangerous."

"Not as dangerous as it's going to be."

Muriel blinks, "What?"

"You know; reign of terror, balls of fire, a populous crying out for mercy."

Dahlia bursts out laughing.

Muriel pushes her onto the bed.

"Not funny!"

She groans and moves toward the door.

"Muriel, wait."

She turns as Dahlia pushes into her clouded mind. It is easy considering the chemical assistance. Muriel stands still, expression going blank.

Dahlia slips off and bed and struts slowly toward her.

"You won't remember this; what you heard or what we talked about. You are going to walk out there and enjoy your fabulous party."

Muriel nods then leaves the room.

Close call, Dahlia thinks.

The last thing she needs is anyone casually throwing around that title. She's made an ally through Quentin and she's not about to compromise what she has built even if Muriel's concern is sweet. Just a few more months and they would all go their separate ways. She's managed to skate around sacrificing friends to the cause despite Adubell's scorn. Muriel's worry comes from a place of love but she needs to be thrown off that trail.

Dahlia has big plans for the future. She just has to get through the rest of high school first.



-TBC

[Syren]

Corporate Sector

Etti IV: Surface: Mondder

Rutherford Gellar busies himself in the office, pouring through the documents Irulan sent him about trials on a new treatment for cognitive degeneration. Still, his mind drifts toward the mystery of Kylie Miranda's disappearance. There have been no leads and no demands which does not bode well for their beloved au pair and administrator. Celeste is beside herself with worry and he does his best to support her through it.

Garron has his own theories, fueled by a mistrust of Vex Sienna. Rutherford is inclined to agree but to get the answers; he must go to the source. He keys up the consol on his desk and scrolls through until he finds Sienna's contact.

*

A com begins to bleep in the darkened apartment.

Vex Sienna stares past the device to the blaster on table beside it. He reaches out and grips the weapon, raising it to his temple. He could end it now and be free but it would not change what he has done. Kylie haunts him, both in dreams and awake. He sees her everywhere as a reminder of his broken promises. He never wanted to believe the Empire really had an interest in the The New Four; that their priorities had shifted to their business with the Republic. But deep down he always knew their combined powers were too tempting to resist.

The com continues to bleep.

He sighs, lowering the weapon and answering the device.

"Sienna."

"It's Gellar."

"Lord Gellar, how may I help you today?"

"We need to meet. Tonight."

"Let me check…"

"It's important, Sienna. I really must insist. My office, after hours?"

"Of course. Tonight."

The line cuts out and Vex drops the com back on the table. He sets the blaster beside it, weighing his options. He could confess everything and plead with Gellar for help. Rutherford has a long history of contention with the Empire and, despite their stake in his company, could provide enough bargaining leverage to free Vex from their clutches and spare his children. He may also be so angry that he lets Vex suffer or kills him for his treachery. Either way, he must know the danger he faces.

That is when he feels it.

The creeping cold within him, coursing through his veins.

"No…" he whispers.

How did they know?

Then he is gone.

*

It is after eight and Rutherford has grown tired of waiting.

The tower is empty and quiet, his polished shoes making the only sound as he walks across the tiled floor to his office. It is the lights that he notices first. They were on when he left and now, only the desk lamp is illuminated. Frowning, he turns to the controls on the wall when movement across the room catches his eye.

"You wanted to see me?"

Vex Sienna stops in the center of the office.

"Sienna," Rutherford says. "How did you get in here?"

"I have my ways."

"Forgive me if I am not amused. I do not enjoy games and you have kept me waiting."

"I needed to be sure."

"Sure of what?"

"We we would be alone."

Rutherford's eyes dart to his desk. His blaster is in the top right hand drawer. As imposing as Gellar is, Sienna is nearly forty years his junior and a capable fighter from what he knows. He hopes it has not come to that but must be ready for anything.

"We've worked well together and I have been more than accommodating to your superiors. I need you to be honest with me as I have been with you."

He nods.

"Where is Kylie Miranda?"

The expression on Vex's face is too calm. He never takes his eyes off of Rutherford as he says the one thing he prayed he wouldn't.

"She's dead."

"How?"

"I killed her and now, I am going to kill you."

"What is this? We made a deal."

"The deal was for the ICS project and shares in ChemiX but there was never a stipulation that you had to be running it."

"You son of a bitch," Rutherford snarls. "I knew Schrag played dirty but I never expected him to undermine terms which so greatly benefit the Empire. Don't be a fool, Sienna. They will betray you too."

Vex advances toward him slowly.

"You are a coward, Gellar. You always have been. The Emperor spared your life on The Wheel because he needed access to your company's research. He released you because he knew you would reevaluate your situation with your legacy in mind. That legacy will ensure our survival."

Rutherford backs away, rounding his desk, so close to the drawer.

"What are you talking about?"

"Your son."

"You leave Dane out of this."

"It was you who made him part of the equation. For years we searched for the source of a power only exchanged in rumors. The same power that gave life to a machine and granted immortality to your sworn enemy. All roads led back to you, to Dane, and the component you took from him to create the serum you gave to us."

Rutherford gasps.

"They injected you with Ibellum."

"With all the financial resources thrown around to acquire it, we needed to make sure it worked. The test run secured your monopoly."

"It was you. You murdered Alaan Aftar."

"And now you see," Vex says evenly. "The fruits of your labor. Congrats, you've outdone yourself."

He shakes his head.

"This isn't you. I can help you."

"You already have."

"There's a cure!"

This halts his advance just enough for Rutherford's hand to reach the desk drawer, yanking it open to grab the blaster. He raises the weapon to fire but Vex is already on him, slamming his wrist down on the edge of the desk. The blaster spirals away. They struggle but Vex is eerily serene and incredibly strong. He shoves him roughly back against the durasteel sill of the wrap around windows, landing a punch to the face and stomach. Rutherford doubles over, struggling to breathe.

"It's over, old man."

Vex grips him by the throat and drags him out onto the balcony. The summer wind howls around them.

Rutherford struggles, thrashing out.

"It's fitting, really. To meet your end the same way your daughter did."

His vision blurs, tapered with images of Blair's body drifting by these very same windows as she fell.

"Full circle."

"Don't do this...!" he sputters.

Vex hauls him up and over the railing, bringing his face very close. 

"Worry not, Lord Gellar; we'll take good care of Dane for you."

His eyes widen in terror as Vex releases him and Rutherford topples over and plummets downward into the infinite space below.




-TBC

[Syren]

She says, "The satellite is coming.
It's come to take us home."

-BT


Corporate Sector

D'ian: Surface: Gellar Estate

Dahlia admires herself in the mirror while getting ready for school.

Georgie did not return from the party and Dahlia suspects the worst. She wonders what really went down but Gemma, emboldened by her new confidante, Demaris, plays oblivious perfectly. Her packed social calendar prevents any immediate investigation since tomorrow is Prom night.

How the time does fly.

While all the other girls scrambled around for the past few months looking for the perfect dress, Dahlia already has hers in the bag - the vintage green party dress Karen made famous in the original Raga'Ana campaign. It's simple, elegant and contains a throwback style that is all the rage again. She's got the look, now all she needs are the votes. Dahlia's spent the entire spring semester staying relatively low maintenance but still highly visible. Trichelle's tirades never cease to amaze but sends the wrong message about who the student body wants representing them. They need someone with popularity and poise, someone who is worldly and respectably. Her foray into the Republic garnered more positive attention and significantly raised her credibility.

However, the date situation is looking dire. As much as she wants to, she knows Barrett would be foolish to leave his duties to attend. So she reluctantly agrees to accompany Quentin. The event is junior-senior so the crew couples in a united front. Gemma is attending with Preston, Alka with Dane, Trichelle with Kier, Demaris with Ples, Muriel with Tobias, and Roman with some Chiss girl his parents flew in from Csilla.

Rando Chiss girl aside, they were going to rule this Prom.

Downstairs, Gemma and Dane are finishing breakfast.

Celeste is clearing the table when she is overcome with a wave of intense emotion. There are bright flashes, swirling lights and then blackness. She cries out and collapses to the floor.

Gemma rushes to her side.

"Mom?! Dane, do something!"

Dane slaps the intercom, "Garron!!"

Garron Prescott appears moments later and swoops in beside Celeste.

"What happened?"

"I don't know," Gemma says worriedly. "She just fell."

Garron cradles Celeste's head as she comes to.

"Lady Masterston, are you alright?"

"I felt something…"

"I will call doctor Daaé."

"No, it's fine. I'm fine. I just need to lie down."

Garron helps her upstairs as Dahlia rounds the corner into the kitchen. She surveys the scene and frowns.

"What did I miss?"

"Mom collapsed."

"Is she okay?"

"Garron is with her now."

"We should call dad."

Gemma nods and fishes the com from her purse. It goes straight to voicemail but she waits until the prompt.

"Dad, its Gem. Call me when you get this, okay? It's important."

She clicks off and sighs.

Garron returns to the kitchen, dispatching the droids to clean up the mess.

"How's mom?"

"She's resting. I'm going to call the doctor anyway just to be sure."

"My dad isn't answering his phone. I think he should know."

"And he will," Garron says. "I'm heading to Mondder later today but right now, I've got to get you three to school."

Dahlia groans as he ushers them toward the door. Once they are safely in the hoverlimo, he leans on the door. Dane sticks his head out.

"Do we have to go?"

"There's only a few weeks left," he laughs. "You can make it."

*

Etti IV: Surface: Mondder

Irulan arrives early as she always does, checking the labs before heading to Rutherford's office.  She knocks but he doesn't answer.

Strange, he is always in before her. Irulan uses her code to enter and finds everything a mess.

The office is empty with the lights off but the balcony door is open and papers are strewn everywhere. His desk chair is pulled back and facing the opposite direction. A drawer is open and pulled halfway off its small track.

"Rutherford?"

Nothing.

She swallows hard and pushes out onto the balcony.

The morning air cools her skin as she scans the area. There is no trace of him. Irulan sighs and steps back inside, pulling the door closed behind her. The state of the office concerns her so she gathers the papers to put on his desk while contemplating the next move. He is generally impeccably organized but perhaps he left in a rush. They have an executive staff meeting at eight so she makes a mental note to ask. 

With a full to-do list, Irulan checks her data pad and goes on about her day, passing a screen overhead that reads:

Remnants of body found in downtown Mondder



-TBC