SAM: Socially Acceptable Monsters

[Syren]

The Galactic Empire presents

In association with my twisted little mind

A Tri-Nebula Entertainment Holodrama

Socially Acceptable Monsters



The Cast:

Imperial Director Alexander Winton

Queen Monica Greyson-Winton

Doctor Henrick Masterton

Celeste Masterton

CorSec Major Kyri Patten

Lilandra Patten

Blair Gellar

*

Alexia Winton

*

Karen Winton

Melanie Masterton

Kimber Patten

Valerie Gellar

*

D'Arcy Saunders

Billy St. James

Lucas Maxwell

Reef Stratford

Skyler McNeal

[Syren]

Series 1 - Victimless Crimes

Coruscant

Surface: 500 Republica

Alexander Winton stands over the wife he just knocked to the floor.

It is the first time he has ever struck her but something tells him it will not be the last. The silence, the secret, has been kept for so long that hearing it uttered out loud is enough to send him over the edge. How dare she? She swore. He narrows those emerald eyes. Fury and suspicion make for dangerous assumptions. There is a part of him that wonders if she will compromise this for them. For him. But she is far more clever than that -

"Without me you would have nothing."

It stings and he knows damn well why. He had gained everything a corporate cowboy could in the traditional yet morally bereft business sense but without her vision foretelling the fates of both daughters she bore to him, he would never have had the opportunity this afforded him. The Emperor issued a formal request of their presences. It was not something to be taken lightly although Coruscant was the last place he wanted to go. In truth, he loathed the Core. Too commercial, rigid, and monitored. He's a Mid and Outer Rim kind of guy. The more space the better but he accepted the invitation and moved them all to the center of the universe. It's monstrosity sickened him yet there was leverage to gain, an angle to play. He needed a particular appeal in order to land the kind of clout he thought he so richly deserved for being a forefather of those who would bring about a new Imperial era. It's amazing what people will believe even when you leave out crucial details. He made a choice and accepted it. � Monica's vision gave him clarity in a potentially tricky situation, part of the secret that he and only three others share. He was useful because his children would be useful to the Empire.

Therefore, he was granted authority and access.

"Get up," he says. "I'll take the girls to school. Big day."

Monica's stare is filled with durasteel and daggers that reflect off his back as Alexander strides out of the room. The massive residence is surprisingly quiet. No music blares from teenage bedrooms, no verbal spats about accessories or allegedly stolen toiletry items. He takes in a breath and smiles at the life he has while pausing for the spectacular sunrise from the living room windows nearly a thousand stories high.

There are upsides to this arrangement.

Heading through the expansive sunken living room he spots his eldest daughter Alexia slumped into the couch, feverishly hammering away at a datapad. He is tempted to pass without saying anything but she glances up.

"Hey, dad."

"Good morning, Alex. Have you seen your sister?"

She rolls her eyes then goes back to the datapad, "Last I saw she was having a panic attack over a sweater vest. Sounds a little downsy, if you know what I mean."

He frowns, wondering what a 'downsy' could be. Some sort of pet? A new trend?

"Come on. You can try and be a little supportive. It's her first day."

"How come I don't remember you freaking out this much when I started high school?"

"We did, sweetie. It was a long time ago."

"It was last year, dad. I'm a sophomore."

True but not for much longer.

"Oh. Really?"

Her eyes widen, flash with anger.

"Yes, really."

Still, he must maintain the facade for the Empire. This is what he tells himself daily.

"I'm sorry, Alex. That was a terrible thing to say. Forgive me?"

"It'll cost you."

"Doesn't it always?"

Alexia raises her eyes to him once more.

"I've done as you asked. I've agreed to take that meeting with the Emperor. I think it's time I got a little respect. I'm not a kid anymore."

No, not a kid. A down payment.

The firstborn.

His smile seems genuine, "You are right, sweetie. You deserve so much more. We're late so get your stuff while I get your sister."

"Deal."

Down another hall he stops in front of a bedroom door. He touches the controls, sounding the chime inside. No answer. He knocks, softly at first then a bit louder.

"Honey? You almost ready?"

Nothing. Silence.

Sighing, he taps the door open and walks inside to find Karen standing in front of a huge closet full of clothes. She throws her hands up and gasps.

"It's official. I have nothing to wear!"

He glances at the closest, the clothes, then back at his daughter.

Is she mad?

Karen is seriously alarmed here. It seems mortal to her. The concept of an article of clothing being that vital to ones larger purpose is so vague it barely translates so instead he winds up speechless and staring, searching for meaning...

He wonders if it's too early to start drinking.

"I don't think that's true. Just pick something and-"

"No, you don't understand. This is high school! And not just any high school but North Coruscant, dad. Presentation is everything."

"So be...presentable."

"Five minutes."

"Honey..."

"Five minutes!"

*

The ride over is typically devoid of banter until they land on one of the loading pads just outside the main promenade. The walkways leading to North Coruscant High are jammed with youth jaded by the affluence of their parents. Boredom, angst, apathy and fear seem to dominate the expressions. Alexia hops out of the speeder before he can call after her and disappears into a throng of teenagers. She thinks she's too old for this sentimental nonsense. Karen slides on sunglasses way too large for her face and steps out onto the pad as if it had been rehearsed � exhaustively.

"Karen."

She stops scanning the crowd, "Yes, daddy?"

"Good luck today. I'm sure you'll have no problem making friends."

"Let's hope so."

"Yes," he says distantly, "Let's."

Karen turns back around, already having caught the attention of several surrounding classmates, and strides forward. Through the crowds he can spot Melanie Masterton's long blond hair as she rushes to meet Karen. They embrace, laughing at some shared jest, and head toward the front doors.

Two down.

Alexander smiles as he raises the com, "Confirm on Winton and Masterton."

The com crackles.

An agent signals back.

"Confirm on Patten and Gellar. All assets in place."

He is anxious to see how this plays out.

"Excellent. I expect a full report at the end of the week."

More static.

"Of course, sir."

Alexander tosses the com onto the seat and pulls on the controls, easing the speeder up and away from the school. Back in traffic, he ponders the ease in which this will all transpire and if what he sent Alexia to recover holds any similarity to what Monica saw.

*

In his office, he closes all the shades and leans back in the chair. There needs to be moments of peace from the city where he can imagine a time before this one. One where he and his wife were young and happy as they whispered about the future and played by their own rules. They had their whole lives ahead of them. They talked of family and laughed about growing older.

Now there is a document from the Emperor's office in his Imperial in-box. It clarifies the terms of training and exclusivity to the Empire. It comes down to a choice he's had to continually make - One or the other but you cannot have both.

It also requires a signature.

Alexander signs it.

The last shreds of his soul seem to leak onto the screen.

It really is possible to sacrifice someone without them ever even knowing but he is willing to take the risk for more notoriety, wealth and connections than he can possibly imagine. It's not personal, it's business.

Except its always personal. And always business.


-TBC

[Syren]

Coruscant

Surface: North Coruscant High

Kyri Patten watches with a hardened but heavy heart as the girls climb out of the speeder.

Fourteen years ago he stole a child. Valerie was taken from Blair as Kimber was born to Lilandra. Both were Kyri’s children but only one of their mothers his wife. A scandal, for sure. Something an up-and-coming CorSec officer could not afford to hinder the upward momentum of his career. He thought he was finished, that it would get out and destroy all the progress he’d made, the life he created, and the marriage he tried his best to cherish. It was not until fate intervened and another option presented itself.

On one of his many visits to the Core, he was approached by a man with intimate knowledge of his life. Things no one could possibly know. He had not told anyone of the affair or of the pregnancy that so ironically coincided with that of his wife. Kyri had knocked up two women in a month’s time which put their respective due date’s only weeks apart. He was stressed on that particular trip and the mysterious stranger wasn’t helping. Yet something about him seemed disarming and so he agreed to a business dinner.

The man’s name was Alexander Winton.

“Your daughters are very important.”

Kyri would have been outraged if he had not recently discovered both children were female.

“How do you know?”

Alexander smirks.

“Mine are as well.”

“I see. Important in what way?”

“Our children will shape things to come.”

“As fascinating and vague as that sounds I am unconvinced you have any idea what you are talking about.”

“Have I not produced enough proof through my knowledge of you and your life?”

“You have a distinct air of government about you. I would venture to guess you are in some way tied to the Imperial machine.”

Alexander arches a brow, “You are not wrong but my position is not how I came to discover what I know.”

This interests Kyri even more. If not through the network then how? Was he some sort of clairvoyant? Some kind of spy? The delicate care he must take in his current situation is the reason he remains seated.

“I’m listening.”

It is then he first hears of the Force-sensitive former Queen Monica Greyson and the powerful vision she received shortly after the first Winton child was born. The vision was confusing and painful, leaving Monica in a nearly comatose state for close to a standard week. There were only flashes she came to remember later, faces and names being spoken and shouted. People she saw but could not remember. There was a redhead and a blond joined by two others. A dark haired “ferocious” girl and the “precious one,” as Monica put it. Under his command, the Empire set out to find the unidentified girls when Monica discovered she was pregnant again. Before they were able to question this event, Monica remembered something else: a place.

Korriban.

“It is there you will find the answers.”

So they sent a team to the infamous world and came up with nothing. The entire surface was covered with crumbling ruins and a thick, course sand. Alexander pressed his wife for details but it was all she could tell him. In her dreams, she would whisper. He would stay up late at night to listen. It was not long before he was rewarded with answers from her subconscious mind.

Monica spoke names he recognized but had no association with.

Gellar. Patten.

“Two of four,” Monica moaned softly, “Two…of four.”

Alexander was already familiar with the Direx Board member Rutherford Gellar from his dealings with the Corporate Sector Authority. They had a limited interaction but had been formally introduced none the less. Gellar had a daughter, Blair, who he first suspected to be the woman in the vision until he learned through various channels that she was pregnant. They also knew of Kyri Patten by reputation in the Corellian Sector. With a few calls, Alexander discovered Patten’s wife, Lilandra, was also pregnant.  Coincidence? Perhaps. Add the fact that his own wife, Monica, and her best friend, Celeste, were pregnant at the same time and he was more convinced it meant something. Four women to bear four children approximately at the same point in time.

“..of four.”

This kept Alexander wide awake at night. His head kept telling him to stay the course, pursue the truth at all costs. When he brought this to Monica, she seemed unnaturally calm. He asked her about their second child, about Celeste’s child, then about the name’s Gellar and Patten. She seemed to recall clearly they were the girls she saw, that they were somehow important and connected to a change in galactic direction. She said that Gellar and Patten were unique. When he asked why, she told him they share a father but would not discover this until it was too late.

It is this statement, hanging frozen in the air above both men that cools Kyri to his core.

There is no way this man, Alexander, or his wife Monica could know this.

Denial is a powerful first reaction and the most obvious.

"That's impossible. This is some sort of  dark magic, a trick."

"It's not a deception, Patten. It is the will of the Force."

"The Force? What does that ancient religion have to do with our daughters?"

"My wife is a highly receptive Force-sensitive empath that was sent the vision. My research has concluded that this vision has been had by others in the past."

"Others?"

"Those afflicted with the same. I believe it has been passed down through generations to finally rest with the one who it directly relates to. Our generation is the one who would bear those foreseen."

Kyri looks skeptical but scared.

"What will you do then in such a predicament? An illegitimate child? Tsk, tsk. I wonder what CorSec will say if they find out? And your wife?"

"They will find out."

Alexander's eyes sparkle an unnatural green.

"They don't have to."

Through the course of the meal, they conjure up a solutation: A planted agent-adoptive parent to keep Valerie nearby on Corellia. “Friends” of the “family” or something like that. So on Kyri's order, Alexander arranged fo have Blair's child taken and Rutherford blackmailed as insurance against retaliation. Anything to keep her and his other daughter close without those dearest to them being hurt by the facts. And to ensure they would be accessible if and when these foretold events came to pass. Kyri should not have trusted this man but deep down he felt a knot of dread beginning to tighten.

Years later, he received confirmation that the stranger was right.

It was his eldest daughter, Alexia, who spoke of it again. There was an attraction to Korriban, a calling. She too was Force-sensitive. Kyri had always wondered if that kind of thing ran in the family. Alexander sent her there with a team of highly trained agents to see what this feeling was about. It lead her to a cave where she said a voice told her to dig. The agents carved a large section out of the cave wall to find a rectangular case that contained a set of scrolls. When they returned a team of linguists were assigned to the task of translating the scrolls. Written in a dead language believed to be used exclusively by the Order of the Sith, the process was slow and excruciating but instantly rewarding in one particular area.

The first paragraph sealed the deal. It was all the convincing Alexander needed to ensure cooperation.

..and he stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise out of the sea having four heads and eight horns, and upon each of her horns a crown, and upon her head the names of blasphemy...

Winton. Masterton. Patten. Gellar.

..and they worshiped those named and gave power unto the beast.

From that moment on, Kyri Patten convinced himself his daughters were meant for a greatness written in the stars. Still, there was the knot of dread which is how he came to form his contingency. For a man of war, the gut can save your life. His was telling him to take out his own insurance.

He snaps out of it quickly, bringing himself back into the present. The girls are loitering nearby, checking bags for anything they may have forgotten.

Kyri heaves a sigh and calls out, "Valerie!"

She turns on heels she's too young to be wearing.

"Yes, Major Patten?"

It's like being brutally stabbed every time she does not call him father. She doesn't know to and she never will. Well, until it's too later, whatever that means.

He points to an oblivious Kimber staring off into the sky.

"Watch her."

Valerie laughs, "I always do."


-TBC

[Syren]

Coruscant

Surface: Galactic City: Imperial Premiere Medical Center (IPMC)

After dropping Melanie off at school, Doctor Henrick Masterton returns to his office and glances through the day’s charts.

Fourteen years ago he made a deal with the devil.

Friendship became a professional arrangement became many shades of gray.


His whole life he had wanted to heal. As a Child of the Feather, he spent hours on end with research and homework. He devoured science and savored the opportunities his faithful knowledge afforded him. After attending the finest grammar schools in Salis D'aar on Bakura, he was sent to the Imperial capital to attend North Coruscant. He returned four years later to attend the prestigious Tiarest University which quickly led to medical school and residency. He had toyed with the idea of surgery as their people were so skilled at organ replacement but found that the personal touches of a general practitioner, a family doctor, fit him best.

Henrick met Celeste Bijou at Tiarest and she was as blond and beautiful as they come. She was active in campus politics and favored ecological debates but found her true calling in psychology. While his dream was becoming a doctor of the body, hers was to become a doctor of the mind. Though they parted ways for separate graduate programs, their relationship never suffered as a result. They were so young, idealistic and proud. They wanted to heal the world and may very well have until his best friend and son of the Bakur Repulsor Corp CEO made an offer that changed everything.

The Winton family's personal physician had gone missing. While the Bakuran authorities opened an investigation it proved to be full of false leads and dead ends. The family was deeply concerned but needed the peace of mind only a personal medical staff could provide the wealthy. That's when the friend made the offer.

The friend was Alexander Winton. The offer was everything.

Head personal physician to the Winton family with a full medical staff of his choosing.

Henrick accepted as a personal favor and an obligation to a family that had always looked out for him. The Winton's knew he would go far, despite their differences in opinion. Alexander never held this against him either and remained a supportive force behind his studies.

For a long while it seemed like he had it all. The position allowed ample room for leisure and travel and he would often accompany Alexander on business trips throughout the galaxy. Celeste and Henrick married soon after with Alexander the best man. It wasn't until a summer trip to Naboo that the wayward corporate cowboy met his match. A former Queen-turned-activist in Theed named Monica Greyson. She had not been in office in years but had captured the attention of the masses, calling on increased measures to protect their gorgeous land. The mysterious royal swept Alexander off his feet, much to the delight of Henrick and Celeste, who had been anxious for him to settle down. The two wed at the end of the summer. Monica and Celeste became fast friends and it was later learned they shared a connection through the Force. Alexander seemed to accept this without hesitation but put Henrick in direct conflict with his religious beliefs. He had been raised as a student of the Cosmic Balance which he believed led to him a life in medicine. Celeste, however, believed they were connected to everything and made their own fates through this connection. Alexander helped him through the internal struggle and Henrick eventually came to leave the faith for the perfectly symmetrical lives they had built for themselves.

Two years later, Monica gave birth to a daughter, whom they named Alexia. It was a difficult pregnancy which Henrick attended to diligently. In his care, mother and child made it safely through delivery. While they were excited for their friends, Henrick was secretly devastated. He and Celeste had been trying to conceive without success. Celeste was hesitant to accept what she called unnatural medical assistance and insisted on love and patience. So they focused their renewed joy on helping the new parents adjust. They were lucky to be such good friends for it was then Monica suffered what appeared to be a massive stroke. Henrick was able to stabilize her but the experience left her catatonic and unresponsive. Alexander was overwhelmed, beside himself with worry. Celeste cared for baby Alexia during the days that followed. When Monica finally awoke, she was disoriented and confused. Almost a full month passed before she was released from the medical center and sent home.

Monica began to remember things and would confess only to Celeste. She also began to fear her husband although she could not explain why. During that time Monica discovered she was pregnant with her second child and Celeste with her first. The happiness was somewhat bittersweet when Monica consulted Henrick about terminating. The Queen later told Celeste she thought if she did not have the second child, the things she saw could be prevented. She could alter the future in the present.

It was Celeste who alleged that while they may control their immediate fates, they cannot always escape our ultimate futures.

Monica continued with the pregnancy.

The following summer was one of the hottest on record in Bakura and they decided to relocate to the Lake Country on Naboo for the remainder of their pregnancies. Henrick and Alexander went to great lengths to ensure everyone's comfort. Alexander watched over Alexia while Henrick made the final preparations. A specialized midwife was brought in to assist the doctor who said she could feel the connection, the energy between the mothers. This energy triggered simultaneous labor that seemed over before it even started. It was the smoothest delivery he'd ever experienced and the most joyous. As Monica and Alexander tended to baby Karen, Henrick and Celeste fawned over baby Melanie. They felt complete in that moment and idealistically wished for it to stay that way.

And it did for a time.

The summer came and went and everything returned to normal. Back in Bakura, Alexia began acting out. Bouts of dark rage and an explosive temper were directed mostly at her infant sister. Older children often have the same reaction to a much lesser degree. The cries for attention had turned dangerous and the Winton's pleaded for Henrick to help. The only thing he was able to discover was a spiked midi-chlorian level and a perfectly healthy little girl. Force-sensitivity was confirmed but not submitted to the Imperial Regional Governor. Henrick did not want to draw unnecessary attention to their situation and feared for Karen and Melanie should they have also inherited their mothers gifts. But this secret was already out. The energy between the mothers sent out a shockwave that was felt all the way in the Core. The Imperial Health Authority contacted Henrick and Alexander regarding their children's wellbeing. Somehow it had become a great concern of the Empire.

Henrick was filled with dread and planned to conspire with Alexander to escape. He did not know the decree had a very different affect on his friend.   

Where Henrick saw danger, Alexander saw opportunity.

"You would refuse an invitation from the Emperor himself?"

"It's not an invitation, Alex. It's a demand."

"So it is but to refuse would bring shame to your family, to my family. We have been bestowed with the highest of honors. A chance to increase the value of our name and bring honor to Bakura."

"What of your legacy? Are you not next in line for the chief executive position?"

"As if that matters now."

"It always mattered to you. What will your father say?"

"He already gave his blessing. We are respectable men of business. We know how to play the company angle. Repulsor Corp isn't going anywhere. The old man can keep it running while I investigate further business opportunities in the Core."

"You don't even like the Core."

"Nothing could be truer but something is telling me to explore our options. We've been riding easy for years and I think it's time to take a risk. Imagine how many people you could help in the capital? There will no doubt be opportunities for you as well."

Henrick concedes to this confidence, "There is no denying that. We'd all be together."

Alexander remains firm but sincere.

"That's what is most important. You are like family, Rick and we need to keep the family together. Come to Coruscant and let us build a new life for ourselves."

"You are right, old friend. Let us go to Coruscant."

The decision loomed over everything that would come later.

Alexander and Henrick did indeed find opportunity in the capital of the Galactic Empire. They were offered a variety of employment options to choose from in their respective fields and set up with the finest residences in 500 Republica. Henrick accepted a position at IPMC near their homes and Alexander secured several long-term and extremely lucrative Repulsor Corp deals that would legitimize his continued presence on Coruscant.

There was only one small catch.

Alexia, Karen and Melanie were needed for extensive testing by the Imperial Health Authority.

Henrick was barred from any oversight or assistance. The tests had to be conducted in an impartial environment. He inquired to the nature and reason for such precautions, as neither family had a history of disease, and was given the Imperial run-around. To make matters worse, Alexander was taking meetings with Imperial officials. There were whispers of private counsel with the Emperor. None of it sat well with the good doctor.

Once the girls were returned seemingly unharmed, Henrick decided to let the whole thing go. He and Celeste promised one another they would make the very best of their lives here. They would do so for themselves and for their daughter. Everything was finally going to be alright. That was right around the time Alexander dropped the proton bomb.

The stroke Monica suffered was actually a vision from the past.

Henrick refused to believe this at first. What good scientist wouldn't?

When Celeste came to him in a panic to say that in confidence the Queen had told her the same things just after she recovered, he was intrigued.

When he spoke to Monica he was stunned.

When they found the scrolls he was certain.

There was physical proof. Something tangible he could run through a dating system. He made absolutely certain the scrolls were authentic before allowing the linguists at it. As they waited for any signs of progress, Alexander weaved his web around Henrick and Celeste. The confirmation in the prophecy only added to the mounting evidence pointing toward a cosmic connection. The Force, something he could not prove actually existed, is what brought them all together. He hoped the same would not tear them apart.


Doctor Henrick Masterton shakes his head and reaches for the holopic of Melanie on the desk. The further the prophecy has been translated, the more layers they discover underneath. There have been multiple setbacks and a plethora of mistakes. Fourteen years and still no ending. Relationships have been strained and he wonders how it spun so far out of their control. They are entrenched deep in Imperial territory, tagged and bagged in one of most high profile buildings on the entire planet with their children as leverage and nowhere to run. They could not escape if they tried.

Enrollment at North Coruscant is the final step toward destiny realized.

Or so Alexander claims.


-TBC

[Syren]

Coruscant

Surface: 500 Republica

Queen Monica Greyson-Winton twists the massive rock of a wedding ring around on her finger as she casually wanders through their several million credit residence. The dazzling aspects of their relocation have been enough to distract from the harsh realities of their business there. She used to be an advocate against urban sprawl. They destroyed the natural beauty of things. She longs for those days. Instead she settled with her husband and children in the most vile of all the cityscapes. However, it was her position that allowed for these accommodations. They were to be kept comfortable at all times. They were to worry for nothing. They were to be given everything to make them forget what they have. They were raising potential weapons and not for good, by the looks of it. Alexander was smooth but not nearly as smooth as he thinks. Her affliction became his obsession and now, on the verge of when and where it is supposed to begin, she wonders if they all made a terrible mistake.

"Mon?"

The voice throws her out of her own head.

"Cel."

"Are you alright? Why were you standing there?"

Monica smiles, heading toward the wet bar. It's approximately happy hour.

Somewhere.

"Lost in a moment. How are you?"

"Nervous," Celeste admits, "The girls will be home from school soon and I'm anxious to hear how it went."

"Me too. It's an exciting time. Drink?"

"I'd love one. North Coruscant is a wonderful school free of the more unsavory elements found in traditional schools. Rick has such fond memories from when he attended."

"He didn't have to worry about being strung along by his parents."

"They can't worry if they don't know."

"You think they don't? Come on, Cel. Even you are not that naive."

Celeste pushes blond hair over her shoulder.

"I'm not being naive. The kids don't know what is written about them nor does Alexia know what she was sent to obtain says. There is no reason to tell them something we don’t know. Not for sure.”

"We know what it says."

"No, you know what you saw."

Monica hands her a martini glass before taking too large a sip from her own.

"Are they not turning out to be the same? There is a considerable amount of what they've translated so far that puts what I saw into perspective."

"You said there were elements of good and evil.”

"Yes," Monica whispers, "There cannot be good without evil. I felt both but why does it now feel as though this is heading toward a very dark place?"

Celeste sets the glasses down and gives a sisterly look.

"We must trust our children to make the right decisions. Not everything can be planned out. There has to be a bit of mystery involved, a surprise. One has to allow for fate to take us where it wants to go. I have no doubt our children will surprise us."

"It's not our children I worry about."

"You mean Alex?"

"I mean everyone. My husband, your husband. The ever-abrasive Patten. The Imperial system. Things between all of us seemed organic as the children were growing. It wasn't until the girls were almost in high school that our husbands began acting differently. You haven't noticed it?"

She shrugs, "Henrick is so busy these days. Always at the medical center. There are so many in need. I have to limit my own appointments due to the overwhelming demand. Self-help has outdone simply having problems. You would be surprised how many people are looking to be fixed."

"By what?"

"People, places or things they believe will heal the void inside them but it is the individual who must first accept the void in order to begin healing."

Monica laughs, "I trust no one grasps this concept?"

"Would I have a thriving practice if they did?"

"I suppose not."

Celeste grins then redirects.

"What is it exactly about our husband’s behavior that has you so concerned?"

"They are never around. You said it yourself; Henrick is always at the medical center. Patten only comes to the Core when he absolutely must. Alexander is constantly at the Imperial Palace. I mean, the place gives me the creeps."

"It is rather...gothic."

"Intensely ominous, more like. I can't even go near it without shuttering in fear. There are parts of this city that positively reek of evil, present building included. Company excluded, of course."

"Of course. So, you believe the recent distance means something?"

"I think they hide things from us."

Celeste sits back, draining the last of her drink.

"What kinds of things?"

"The prophecy."

"They tell us what they know."

"Do they?"

"I see no reason for them to lie. I do not feel mistrust."

"You do not want to feel these things and never have."

"That's not really a fair statement."

"Some would disagree but it’s just one of the many reasons I adore you so. Have you spoken to Lilandra lately?"

"Last week. She is handling the last details of the move on Corellia. She wants Kimber to feel at home here but still have a familiar place to come back to. I think she's coping well given the circumstances."

"And what of Gellar?"

"Still gallivanting about."

"That poor girl."

"Thank goodness for Patten's kindness. He and Valerie's father are old war buddies and..."

The words trail off. Monica dies inside but is unable to bring herself to reveal to her friends that she knows Kimber and Valerie share a father. Kyri Patten is a cheating bastard but she could never tell. It would destroy Lilandra and enrage Alexander.  She doesn't know what he would do. Or what Patten would do. The whole mess has put her in a curious position. She is no stranger to withholding information from those around her. Political office of any kind demands it. This is something entirely new. Monica has always told Celeste everything. Lilandra found her way into good graces over the years but had never been privy to the most intimate of their discussions. She withholds now because Celeste clings to a hopefulness Monica simply no longer feels. She does not want to shatter that prematurely.

"...who knew he had a soft spot for kids, right?"

Monica clears her throat, "Right."

Celeste's eyes are wide and clear.

"Listen to me. I don't want you to be all in your head so much. It's good that we're discussing this now but I honestly think you take what little we have to go on to the darkest place. If there is anything to fear, we'll deal with it as it comes. Together. For now I just wish to enjoy this next chapter of our lives. Don't you?"

Monica loves her for looking on the bright side.

"I really do and I’m trying…”

They are interrupted by the sounds from the foyer. The girls are home. Karen and Melanie appear in the living room while Alexia sulks off down the hall.

Monica calls out.

“Alexia, darling. Wait a minute. I want to hear how today went!”

She pauses, looking first at her mother then glaring at her sister.

“I’ll tell you how it went,” Alexia hisses, narrowing her eyes, “It was just like every other day. No one talked to me. No one even asked me any questions. Not like her.”

There is fire in that last word.

Monica frowns, hazy but determined.

“What do you mean?”

“Karen and Melanie met more people by lunchtime than I had my entire freshman year.”

Karen sighs dramatically, “Well, if you tried being less of a freakshow-“

“I’m not compromising myself to fit in!”

“Why not?! Everyone conforms to some degree, why can’t you just give a little?”

“Show me someone worth it and I might.”

Karen looks horrified, “What? I’m not worth it? You can’t just suck it up and attempt a personality that doesn’t so closely resemble that of a serial killer? I mean, the whole school thinks your some loner weirdo because you don’t associate yourself with anyone. No friends, no clique, nothing.”

“Mom!”

“Karen,” Monica warns.

Karen scoffs, “Fine, fine. Have it your way. I just don’t see why it’s such a big deal to strike up a conversation with someone every now and then. Be a pal.”

“Pals are puppets, Karen. I’m not a slave to the trends you throw yourself before each day.”

“Thank the Maker! We’d have designers diving into lanes of traffic.”

Alexia’s eyes widen, anger flaring, before she storms from the room.

“Having a life isn’t a crime!” Karen shouts after her.

Down the hall, a door slams.

Melanie is sitting by Celeste quietly, hands folded in her lap.

Monica gives Karen ‘the look.’

“Oh come on. Am I not a good sister by encouraging social interaction? It’s not healthy to be so isolated.”

Celeste nods, “Perhaps a lighter approach might work best.”

“Exactly,” Monica says, “Alexia isn’t you, honey. You both hold very different outlooks on what is important. Melanie, how was your day?”

Melanie smiles, “Lovely. We met a lot of people but only really talked to one in depth.”

“Yeah, a boy in class.”

Monica looks confused then remembers to make another round of drinks. She refills their glasses, careful to avoid the stares from the children. Celeste is nodding thoughtfully, holding up the conversation.

“What class, sweetie?”

“Imperial History,” Melanie says.

Karen nods, “The coursework looks intense but the boy made it funny.”

“What’s his name?”

“Reef. Reef Stratford. He’s from Mandalore or something but got shipped off here on a scholarship for Chin-Bret. Apparently, he’s one of the only freshmen to make Varsity.”

Melanie giggles, “Or so he says. So far it seems like a good place. I think dad was right about it.”

“Yeah,” Karen confirms proudly, “I think we’ll do well at North Coruscant. I don’t know what I was so nervous about.”

Monica is glad to hear it all went so smoothly. She would hate for there to be complications so early on. They have their whole lives ahead of them. Maybe Celeste is right, maybe they should not worry so much. What they don’t know can’t hurt them. For some reason a quote by Alexander is ringing loudly in her head.

Better to live on your feet than die on your knees.

-TBC

[Syren]

Coruscant

Surface: North Coruscant High

It's a brilliant day in the capital. The buildings seem prouder than usual in the forefront of an amber sky. Two weeks have passed and the city is in the throes of fall with warm days, crisp nights and that certain slightly burnt scent floating through the air. The school, called NCH by those who attend, is actually a massive, multi-arm floating platform. There is a running joke that it's too good to touch the ground. It's not an entirely untrue statement considering those who have passed through these exclusive halls.

The elongated oval loading-only pad hangs off the massive half-moon shaped base platform which houses the Administrative building. Inside, the upper floors of the tower are reserved for the offices of the Dean and staff. The mid-section is an impressive multi-level library and archive complete with private study rooms for coursework that involves actual conversation. The main level of the tower is where the locker corridors and a five-star dining hall dubbed the ‘Core Café’ or CC that leads out into an open air quad that faces the stadium. Since this is where everyone starts and ends the day, the call it ‘HOME2.’

There are five arms that connect to five other platforms equipped both with moving walkways and a light maglev train to shuttle students to each building. To the left of HOME2 is the Arts building and to the right, Sciences. Fanning out from the quad, left and right are the Grand Moff ("Muff") Building and Legacy (“Alumni”) Tower. In the center lies the Physical Education Department atop which sits the Magnus Arena. The training ground for hunky Chin-Bretiers destined to play before the rabid fans at the grand T'Chuk Arena.

North Coruscant breeds winners. That's the claim to fame.

Karen taps the locker closed and hefts the pink messenger bag over her shoulder. She has felt vaguely sick all morning. It’s not uncommon this time and year and was tempted to ask doctor Masterton about it when he dropped Melanie off. She moves through the crowded corridor to the maglev station that takes her to the Moff Building. Her Imperial History course starts in twelve minutes.

Melanie is waiting near the door, looking a little under the weather too.

“What’s wrong? You don’t feel good either?”

She shakes her head, “No, I was just overcome with a wave of nausea. Maybe it’s something we ate.”

“It can’t be from CC. Someone would sue.”

Melanie shutters, “Whatever it’s from, I feel terrible.”

Karen pulls a bottle of water from her messenger bag and hands it to her friend as they walk into the classroom. Reef has saved them seats and waves them over.

“Hey, ladies. Ready for the quiz?”

Karen pretends like she didn’t know and has a faux freak-out. Reef and Melanie laugh and pull out their data-tablets to do a little last minute review. The professor, some staunch Imperial-Guard type, nearly coughs up a lung and begins the day’s lesson. He leans over his desk and taps the display to send them the quiz. It appears on their tablets instantly. Karen twirls the stylus around between her fingers and sighs. Another day, another lesson learned.

Silence reigns for most of the class as everyone works furiously. It’s not that the quiz is difficult but the professor loves to pepper the questions with misleading language that forces them to be super specific or else points are taken off.

Karen is nearly finished when the school’s com system crackles to life.

The Dean of Students voice is strained but clear.

“We regret to inform you that the Death Star was confirmed destroyed in the Yavin system as a direct result of a Rebel attack. The counseling office will be open late for those who in need. Again, we regret to inform you…”

Shock ripples through the full class as gasps and shouts escape from the students.

Karen glances at Reef, who seems outraged.

Melanie, on the other hand, sits quietly with a blank expression.

“Class will be suspended in the wake of this tragedy. Information has been sent out to all parents and updates will be released as they become available.”

Everyone jumps out of their chairs and heads for the door.

Reef falls into step with the girls, “Can you believe this shit? Those bastard rebels!”

“Filthy upstarts with no style,” Karen agrees with a nod.

Melanie follows them out through the halls to the station. The train takes them back to HOME2 where the students have begun congregating on the quad. The tension is as palpable as an electric current through the crowds. Everyone has an opinion or theory on how this could have happened. They were all under the impression the Death Star was an ultimate power that could not have been taken down by such a rag-tag band of scum like the Alliance. It’s not long before the rumors are swirling with whispers of technical oversights and design flaws.

“Look at this place!” Reef says excitedly, “It’s like a holiday.”

“Yeah, one that will commemorate what’s essentially a massacre. How many people do you think were on the station?”

“Lot’s, I’d imagine.”

Karen snorts, “One would think with all the credits being thrown at production they could at least afford to hire an architect who didn’t leave any meter of that place vulnerable.”

“Ladies and gentlemen, that’s what outsourcing will get you. Cheap labor and shoddy work.”

“What a terrible way to figure that out.”

Melanie is still mute, arms crossed and looking uncomfortable.

Throngs of people are passing by. Reef calls out to some.

“Hey, Val! Lucas!”

A broad-shouldered blond boy steps out of the crowd with a spiteful-looking dark haired girl. The guys slap hands and commence the typical male banter. Another girl appears out of the crowd and takes the dark-haired girls arm. Reef pauses, glancing between them.

“Do you guys all know each other?”

“No,” the girl says coolly.

He motions toward them, “Ladies, this is Lucas Maxwell, Valerie Gellar and Kimber Patten.”

They mumble a greeting.

“This is Karen Winton and Melanie Masterton.”

Karen smiles, “Nice to meet you guys.”

“Likewise,” Lucas says with a devious grin. “Is everyone having fun yet?”

“It’s total madness.”

“Seriously.”

Karen narrows her eyes at Valerie, “Do we know each other?”

“Maybe,” she says, “But probably not. Come on, Kim. We’ll catch you guys later.”

With that, they disappear back into the crowd.

Karen laughs, “Lovely friends you have there.”

“They are Corellian’s adjusting the life on the capital.”

“Guess that explains it.”

Reef shrugs, “Good people though. I thought you guys would hit it off considering your all into fashion and shit.”

“Karen,” Melanie says softly, “I’m not feeling so great. Do you mind if we go?”

“Not at all. Sorry to bail on you guys but I’ve got to get her home.”

Lucas and Reef wave as they head back through HOME2 to the front of the building. Once outside near the loading platform, Karen turns to her.

“You look a little pale.”

“I feel faint.”

“Me too but…”

Melanie’s face is dreadfully serious, “I think it had something to do with what happened.”

“The Death Star? How could that be?”

“I don’t know but I could feel people…..screaming, dying…..somewhere far away. You don’t feel it too?”

“I feel sick to my stomach but that’s about it. Screaming? Really?”

“Yeah.”

“Mel, that’s awful. Come on, let’s go.”

Karen leads her toward the platform. Although the sickening feeling has lessened, she did feel something earlier but could not identify its origin. There were echoes in her head, voices. Now that Melanie put words to the feelings, she begins to wonders just how connected to the outside world they really are.

*

Surface: Imperial Palace

Director Alexander Winton leans over his desk in frustration.
   
Photage of the hollow space the Death Star used to fill is on one screen.

A recent translation on another.

"....an event framed by two similar tragedies."

One of two. Two of four.

The sequence building toward an unforseen climax is underway.


-TBC

[Syren]

Coruscant

Surface: North Coruscant High

Two senior Chin-Bretiers have him pinned against a wall of lockers. There was no warning and certainly no reason but alas, it is happening. He had left class as instructed by the Dean and thought the quad would be a good place to meet some friends seeing as he had not made many since starting NCH. He milled around, trying to join the many heated conversations involving the destruction of the Death Star but with little success. After all, he’s just a freshman and with the cruel politics of high school people tend to choose allies carefully. One wrong move could cost someone’s entire social life. He thinks it pretty stupid, all things considered, but that’s the way it goes.

The seniors are exerting their position over the underclassman which apparently includes slanderous name-calling. They call him a ‘puff’ for his tall and slender frame coupled with a vaguely effeminate swagger and an astounding lack of sportsmanship. He wasn’t aware these things were considered criminal in the surprisingly imbalanced social structure but there is something new to be learned every day. The Empire just found out they aren’t as invincible as they once thought. He just discovered he’s got to butch it up a bit for the mentally handicapped.

They pull him forward then shove him to the ground. His backpack falls and the contents scatter across the polished tile floor. One of them spits on his brand new shirt as they walk away laughing and slapping hands. People pass by but none stop and offer to help. He gathers up his things, feeling lower than he has in a long time, and makes his way out toward the loading platform. His parents are currently and typically off-world leaving him to take public transport over to his family residence in the Hyperion Building just west of 500 Republica.

It is on the platform he first lays eyes upon her.

She is tall and thin like him. Her crimson hair seems so intense in the fall sunlight. She is holding hands with a blond girl as they move toward a speeder that just pulled up containing, he assumes, one of their parents. The blond climbs in as the redhead slips on a pair of large oval sunglasses and pauses. Finally, she turns. Then she lowers the sunglasses. She is looking directly at him. No, she can’t be. There is no way a girl that beautiful would notice him among these athletic gods. But she is. A broad smile pulls at her full lips before she waves. Not a casual wave either. There is warmth and sincerity in the gesture. She pushes the sunglasses back up, flips that crimson hair and steps into the speeder.

In an instant, she is gone.

Skyler McNeal is floored with emotions.

Suddenly, the torturous commentary of his peers no longer seems hurtful. There is no sting in the insults. There is no pain in the actions. Not after the way the girl looked at him.

Suddenly everything seems okay.


-TBC

[Syren]

Coruscant

Surface: Galactic City

Alexia Winton has never been much for frivolous festivities. Although her life has been built up and around the wealth of their family name she has sought no comfort or opportunity within it. Her parents finally seem content on the capital and had grown seemingly complacent and disillusioned because of it. The only exciting aspect of luxury was the underlying leverage and control such a position allows. There is sway and clout hidden in each monetary figure. With enough credits, one could make someone do virtually anything. That’s what thrills her the most. She feels she gets it from her father. She is more like him than any of them. Her mother was once an activist who got what she wanted by shouting loud enough while looking effortlessly breathtaking doing so. And her sister, the naïve and spoiled little tart, cares more for social-climbing than self-realization. Where Karen prefers to set her sights on popularity, Alexia wants nothing but power. Friends and lovers tend to serve as an obstacle which is why she so seldom seeks a connection with another. Her father has always known this and as she grew, she discovered he had parlayed his business ties with BRC into a multi-dimensional corporate venture with him as liaison to the Imperial Core. But she came to find out there is more to the story.

They are special. She and her sister have talents. Special talents and abilities that could make life so much easier while satisfying the Empire’s lust for domination. She is the only one who would acknowledge this power, the only one to want to use it. She was eleven when she began dreaming of a sandy and desolate world covered in ruins. She knew its name without ever hearing it. She needed to know more. She had to go there. Her father, surprisingly, did not stand in her way. Sure, he sent along a team of specialized Imperial Agents but still authorized a mission involving his tween daughter. Her mother was not informed of this decision until Alexia was already on Korriban, wandering toward a place that pulsed with energy and seemed to whisper her name.

The cave is where it told her to dig.

When she brought back the box, she thought she’d finally earned the respect of her father. He was so pleased with the findings and after allowing doctor Masterton to verify the age and origin, sent them off for immediate analysis. He told her he was proud of her, that she truly was gifted and that gift would be her greatest weapon against conspiring forces in the galaxy.

It wasn’t until she hit true adolescence that she uncovered the powers of her own mind. She could feel things with senses outside those typically known and used. She had control over their movements. Lift a remote here, a chair there, and soon she was spending afternoons locked in her bedroom with all the furniture hovering just above the plush carpeted floor.

Freshman year at North Coruscant was lonely. She was just as attractive as Karen, or so she liked to think, and assumed it would be just as easy. People were pulled toward Karen like a tractor beam and despite her age, seemed to always convince those around her to do as she pleased. Alexia waited for the floodgates to open, for people to clamor for her attention the way they did for Karen but it never came. She was often ignored both inside and outside of class. The year dragged on forever. Her only solace was the powers she could conjure with her mind and channeled the frustration into more productive means.

Toward the end of that year, her father told her the Emperor asked specifically about her well-being. Not just anyone but the Emperor! At that point all other social failures were rendered meaningless in her emerald eyes.

Or so she thought.

Alexia began her sophomore year at NCH thinking everything would fall into place. Per usual, things did not. The freshman Karen once again trumped any kind of placement she hoped to have within the exclusive social world. People clamored toward her and continued to ignore Alexia. As the days past, the resentment finally manifested physically in a kinetic rage that coincided with the time the Death Star was destroyed. A classroom was demolished but the news was somehow kept clear of the gossip mongers and Administration. On behalf of the Alumni Association coupled with Alexander Winton’s considerable influence, the outburst was covered up and all evidence linking her to the destruction swept under the rug.

There was only one condition.

A week later, she finally took the meeting that changed her life. Alexia went before the Emperor alone to discuss these feelings of anger and resentment. They spoke for over an hour and in that time, he reassured her more than she had been her entire life. They connected in a way she had not done with anyone else. Palpatine said he saw parts of himself in her youthful tenacity but warned to be patient and careful with how and on whom she chose to serve vengeance. That was, after all, the focal point of the discussion. Alexia was filled with such rage and that rage gave her power. The power was raw and wild and could only be harnessed with proper training. Vader was rumored to be the last of the Sith but Palpatine was bent on expanding the circle to a much wider threat radius. There were others who held potential for a great darkness but they were not yet ready to face who and what they are.

Alexia is ready. Palpatine made her an offer that had been previously accepted and signed into effect by the Imperial Director. She was to be formally trained as a Sith outside the confines and stipulations of NCH. After she agreed, they whispered and schemed as to how this could be done. Despite his notorious dislike for the female persuasion, Alexia was different. She was special. Just like her sister and the Masterton girl. There was no denying the plot would be emotionally damaging and possibly dangerous to certain relationships but they agreed it must be done. Alexia wanted out, wanted freedom, wanted power and Palpatine, seeing sheer untapped opportunity, wanted to help.

Before either of them knew it, they had the answer.

Several teenagers not fitting in or causing problems at traditional schools were sent to boarding schools off world. All they needed was compliance by the Administration office of NCH who were ordered to forge a considerable amount of grievances that breeched school policy and led to disciplinary action.

Alexander played the part well but Monica was truly mortified that Alexia had brought such shame on them through her alleged reckless actions. There were staged parent-teacher conferences, counseling sessions and ultimately, a choice. Transfer to the Carida Academy or risk the expulsion from NCH going on Alexia’s permanent record. A blacklist from such a prestigious school would obliterate any future chances she would have at academic excellence. In the parental fury, documents were signed, disappointed looks were thrown around, but in the end The Emperor, the Director and daughter dearest got exactly what they wanted.

*

Surface: 500 Republica: Winton Residence

With Karen out to the Holoplex with Melanie and Alexia officially grounded, Alexander and Monica square off in their master bedroom.

It’s a fight he had rehearsed for, a plot he and Palpatine conspired toward when the girls were just infants. At some point in time, one would have to be sacrificed. When it became apparent who the dominant Force-sensitive was, they tailored the plan to the changing circumstances. Only Alexia’s exclusive service to the Empire would ensure Karen and Melanie’s safety throughout the time leading up to the event. One daughter plays a specific role while the other is attached to a destiny not yet fully known. Both angles would benefit the Emperor or so Alexander led Palpatine to believe.

The Emperor was one thing. He knew how to deal with men of power. His wife would take much more finess.

“This is outrageous!” Monica shouts angrily, “How long has this been going on?

“A while now. It was discreetly brought to my attention last year. Alexia wasn’t adjusting well, lacked crucial social skills, and became combative when socially engaged. I thought it was your typical adolescent acting out, fighting against the system and trying to understand their place and personality. I had hoped our summer on Hesperidium would lighten her up and the new school year would be like a new start.”

“Clearly, that wasn’t the case. Why didn’t you tell me?”

Alexander rubs her shoulders, “You are under so much stress already. The prophecy, the broken translations, your lingering memories and nightmares from the vision. I did not want to upset you further.”

“We’re supposed to be partners, Alex. I am your wife, not some client you are trying to placate.”

“I am not trying to placate anyone, Monica. I am trying to do what is best for our children.”

Monica sneers, “Best for them or best for you? I know it’s becoming more difficult to make that distinction these days.”

“It’s best for everyone involved. Karen’s life does not have to be disrupted during all this. She is doing so well at North Coruscant and I would hate to jeopardize that with Alexia’s apparently instability. You remember how dangerous she was as a child. All those feelings of hatred toward her sister….”

“I thought that had settled down as they grew. It seemed like they had come to accept one another.”

“Did you not tell me about an outburst just a few weeks ago?”

She sighs, “Karen was goading her. You know how she is.”

“Which is exactly why this isn't the environment for her. Alexia is too sensitive. She is reactive and a potential danger to Karen, Melanie or any of the other students. We’re doing the right thing in complying with the Administration. Alexia will get the education she needs in an environment more suitable for her personality. You don’t want to worry something might happen, do you?”

It goes exactly the direction he wants it to.

“No, of course not but…”

She needs assurance despite the evidence.

“But what?”

Monica’s dark eyes are full of mistrust. She knows what will happen if she treads into the wrong conversation territory. Alexander is unpredictable these days but somehow, at this moment, seems eerily calm and confident. Like a parent should be.

It is his composure that caves her doubt.

Alexander can be very convincing when he wants to be. So she heeds the words of Celeste and does not take it to the extreme.

“Nothing. Maybe you are right. Alexia needs a different kind of structure. She always has. I hope this doesn’t upset Karen too much.”

Alexander holds her close, running his hands along her slender frame.

“Karen will be fine. She’s exactly where she wants to be.”

And exactly where the Empire needs her to be.



-TBC

[Syren]

Coruscant

Surface: 500 Republica: Winton Residence

Uh oh, family meeting.

Karen has been summoned from her room via intercom and not an actual presence. This is what they have been reduced to but it beats the hell out of droids. As far as the Winton's are concerned, droids are for cleaning and serving. Nothing more. Humans are for talking and everyone else can kiss their aristocratic ass.

It is the Imperial way.

The sickness had vanished as quickly as it had appeared but she can't get Melanie's words out of her head. Were people actually calling out as the Death Star exploded? How could they feel and hear things on the other side of the galaxy? She knew they were different from others. She just wasn't sure how exactly or what that means for the slew of social events she has committed herself to. Then there is the boy. She hasn't been able to get him out of her head either. Somehow she knew he was watching her and could not resist letting him know. Now she would infect him the way he has infected her. She's never been much for the jocks anyhow. They are rumored to be good for only two things and neither involves much sentient activity. She's a girl who dreams of the sensitive brainy type who would kiss her passionately and mean everything he said.

The house com crackles to life to demand her presence in the living room. Apparently its important. More important that coordinating tomorrows outfit while studying for a mid-term? She thinks not. There are still so many faces to sort through, so many directions to go, and they haven't even hit holiday break yet.

Karen isn't sure what type of girl she wants to be and guards herself appropriately in public. Her mother taught her that. Keep your heart open but protected. It's not an easy task especially for one in the throes of adolescence. She is determined to remain aloof until she has more perspective. Besides, those she likes she is getting to know. Reef is nice and Lucas is quite the charmer. Melanie is even warming to them. Then there is that Gellar girl. Valerie or whatever. She is a real piece of work. Something about her though, she can't put her finger on it. It feels like they know each other from somewhere but that's impossible. They are from Corellia and her parents refused to take them "to a place where free-wheeling philosophers propagate sloth." At least that's what her father said. They were only taken to resort worlds and shielded from the more seedy aspects of urban life. She doesn't mind. Pampering has its perks, after all. She hasn't gone a week without a mani-pedi since she was seven and afternoon massages and skin therapy were not uncommon to unwind from a tedious day. She did well in school and provided moderate amusement to those dishing out the credits so she figures there is no harm in indulging. A lot. Forever, even. Hopefully. Sure, she'd land some cushy corporate job but still have enough backing her to allow for a smooth and comfortable slide into senility. Might as well go out in style.

That's all Karen cares about right now. Style. They say you can't have substance and style but she's out to prove them all wrong. There isn't a law that says you can't be smart and pretty, right? Right.

Finally, she slips off the plush pink comforter and pads out into the hall. She is wearing a white tank top, black micro boy shorts and white platform slippers and shuffles around the corner and down into the massive sunken living room. Her father is on the long sofa, mother on the loveseat and Alexia planted firmly in a chair between them. She can't tell if this is a protective thing or what but the room instantly begins to fill with dread. They have their serious faces on like a point needed to be made but not before a healthy lecture.

"Karen," her father says, "Please sit down. We have to talk to you about something."

"Am I in trouble?"

"No, honey."

Alexia says nothing and stares at the floor. Karen falls onto the couch next to her father.

"So, what's the sitch?"

They glance at each other before focusing on her. The Masterton's had coached them through this.

Alexander clears his throat.

"We realize how sensitive to your environments you both are. We respect that. What may work for one doesn't necessarily work for the other and understand the need for individuality. We want the best for both of you which is why we respect Alexia's decision to attend boarding school off world."

Karen jerks, looking quickly to her sister.

"Is this true? You are dropping out of NCH?"

"I'm not dropping out. I'm transferring elsewhere."

"But like, how? Why? Why would you do that?"

"Like you care if I stay."

"How can you say that? I mean, sure, we like never see each other and seldom speak but that doesn't mean I want you to go somewhere else. Are you sure you gave the school a chance? I could talk to some people. I could, you know, network, snag you a boyfriend and a-"

"It's not about the people."

"Then what is it? Why is it suddenly so intolerable? Is it because I'm there? I knew it."

Alexia gasps, "I marvel at your density. Brace yourself, Kar, all of this is surprisingly not about you."

"What am I supposed to think? You seemed perfectly fine last year when I wasn't there. What's changed?"

"Everything has. It wasn't fine. None of it was. I got into some....trouble."

Alexander and Monica allow them to talk it out. They are supposed to encourage dialog.

"Trouble? What kind of trouble?"

"I did things that hurt people. I have issues with anger. I get upset."

"So you have to go to a special school? Can't you seek outside counseling? What about doctor Masterton? Surely one of them knows someone."

Alexia shakes her head.

"I need help. This is the best way to get it."

"When do you leave?"

"My bags are already packed."

"So, like, that's it? You are just going to take off? Peace out, Kar, smell ya later? You are my big sister! What if something happens to me at school? You are supposed to clear the way."

"Somehow, I think you'll manage."

Alexander clears his throat, "Say goodbye to your sister. We have to get going."

Monica gets all choked up.

"What?" Karen snaps, rising off the couch, "You have to leave now? Can't we like, have a last meal, oh, what about a party? What's the rush?"

"We've got a long trip ahead of us."

Alexia stands. They are facing each other. Karen frowns, deflated. This is so actually happening. It is the older of the two who moves first, embracing the other. The hug is uncharacteristically drawn out. Alexia steps back, locks eyes and says in a way she finds slightly sinister.

"So long, sis."

Alexander is standing in the hall with the bags. Monica hugs Alexia multiple times before finally letting them leave. She stares at the closed door long after they've gone. When she turns back to Karen, her eyes are wide and blurred with tears.

"Guess it's just us."

That's the truth. No Alexia spells the end of competition. She is slightly sad to see her go and was completely caught off guard by the whole anger management angle but as far as sisters go, Alexia was more of a hassle than an ally. She could barely count on Alexia to have her back without trying to put a blade in it. Now that she thinks about, Alexia often found herself in fights. Physical violence seemed to be the first course of action. Karen wasn't exempt or anything, she was just in the way. Proximity and all. But all those little scheme's failed and its Alexia not Karen who is forced to leave the stage.

Small victories for some.

Monica makes a drink, downs it quickly and leaves the room in a daze.

Heartbreak for others.

Karen gets some fruit from the fridge and ponders life as an only child. She expects the parental units to be on the fritz for a couple of weeks but in the end, they will overcompensate and she knows exactly how to handle that.

With a sly smile and renewed sense of motivation, she returns to her room.


*


The shuttle trembles as it rises from the platform and ascends into the darkened purple sky. Alexia is fastened in, gazing through the window to a world beyond this one. There is a sense of pride swelling in the father. With time and training, his eldest daughter would become Lady of the Sith.

Alexander turns to her, face half drown in shadow. He speaks without knowing the damage it may cause. There are no facts to support the statement. But he says it anyway.

"Trust  me. It is your destiny."


-TBC

[Syren]

Coruscant

Surface: Hyperion Building: Galatea Suite

Valerie Gellar stares at the twinkling lights of 500 Republica from through the living room windows. The building is one of the most hypnotic but completely overrated. There is far more security than most upscale towers and the movements of the tenants are generally monitored. Valerie is not one for being looked after despite the current situation.

The Galatea Suite, a ridiculously expensive luxury urban residence, was bought and paid for by Major Kyri Patten. There was concern his daughter, Kimber, would have some sort of breakdown if there was not at least some familiarity to her routine. Valerie thinks it’s all rubbish and that Kimber’s parents treat her more like a fragile object than a daughter. Valerie’s father and the Major were close friends and comrades in CorSec. Her whole life she heard about the bravery of Patten and how he had saved the day time and time again. Valerie had always been impressed but found it strange that their only daughter turned out to be so meek and gentle. She had always been brasher, more like the Major and he noticed. Kimber, on the other hand, found beauty and rapture in everything around her. The child-like sense of wonder never seemed to fade as they grew from toddlers to teenagers. Valerie thought it was adorable but the Patten’s found it dangerous. That kind of absentmindedness could only lead to trouble. Since the girls were frequently together, they were assigned security details and surveiled on a regular basis just in case harm was to befall the daydreaming Kimber. Typical uptight parenting. It was at the Major’s urging that she even applied for NCH. Kimber was sharper than she looks, pulled the grades and had a wide range of extracurricular activities during junior high. Valerie wasn’t about joining anything in those days and suddenly worried she would have nothing to offer the exclusive school. Low and behold, both of their applications were accepted without question. It was then Major Patten pulled Valerie aside to ask a very specific favor.

Kyri knows commuting to and from Corellia would be impossible therefore he was willing to purchase a residence that both she and Kimber would share. It was to be in close proximity to the school in Galactic City and have several spare bedrooms for the parents or overnight guests. The condition being that Valerie had to be the eyes and ears of the Patten’s while they were off world conducting business. Lilandra has a thriving floral market in Coronet and Kyri was quickly becoming an irreplaceable fixture at CorSec. There was talk he would be Field Minister one day and lead all the Corellian forces into battle.

Valerie’s father, Jerico Gellar, had become something of a loose cannon over the past several years before vanishing entirely last spring. She was quietly devastated, blaming herself for the sudden departure but Kyri and Lilandra were so warm and open. They explained that some wounds from battle are not always visible on the surface. Sometimes, war drives people to do very selfish things. Jerico was a good man but ultimately decided he needed to get help on his own. Kyri and Jerico promised each other long ago they would watch out for their respective families if something ever happened to one of them.

That’s the story they got.

Kimber bought it with bright eyes and a bursting heart. Valerie was not so sure.

So she did a little investigating on Corellia. She searched through the massive and empty Gellar residence. No corner was left unchecked. Everything seemed to be in order. Not so much as an unpaid bill. This only made her more curious. What kind of person gets their life in total order before having a meltdown? It wasn’t until weeks later she finally got a clue. At one of the Patten’s many outdoor dinner parties, she tailed Kyri when he took a com-call. From her hiding place she listened as his tone changed dramatically from the overly concerned father to that of the war-hardened Major. He was arguing with someone named Winton about timing and execution. The name Masterton was also mentioned.

A quick search through the public Imperial database came up with rather dull results:

Alexander Winton: Bakur Repulsor Corp consultant and liaison to the Core Worlds.

Monica Greyson-Winton: former Naboo Queen, royal court, and environmental activist.

Doctor Henrick Masterton: former Bakuran general practitioner turned premiere capital internal medicine specialist.

Doctor Celeste Masterton: former Bakuran counselor turned capital psychologist.

Valerie thought it was all some sort of joke. These people seemed like real squares. A consultant, a doctor, a psychologist and an ex-royal? Not much of a threat from where she’s standing but maybe there is more to the group than meets the eye. Some secrets may harm more than help and she doesn’t want to do anything that might negatively affect Kimber. She backed off the case. Still, she could not get the tone in which Kyri Patten used in speaking the names. Suspicion lingered until the day the Death Star blew the fuck up clear on the other side of the galaxy.

On the quad at NCH, Valerie was introduced to Karen Winton and Melanie Masterton. The last name’s activated her defenses and she may have come off a bit too rigid. These people might know something about their parents, something that might help her understand what happened to her own father. She doesn’t want vengeance so much as she does understanding. How could someone who claimed to be there for her just leave her like that? If it weren’t for the obscene amounts of credits mysteriously left to her name and the unconditional love of the Patten’s, Valerie might have turned out to be someone entirely different.

Questions loom as Valerie continues to stare at 500 Republica. The sky turns from orange to purple to a navy blue. She wonders what the Winton’s and Masterton’s are doing over there right now. She wonders why neither she nor Kimber had been introduced to their children considering they are all the same age and class. If everyone’s parents are friends with each other, it seems customary to engage each other’s children so that visiting one another would be easier for everyone. Mostly, she wonders what Major Patten meant about timing and execution. They are words that have haunted her mind since they were spoken. Of course, Valerie has never come out and asked anyone specifically, where as not to reveal she was spying, but she probably should.

Better yet, she could find out for herself. The Masterton girl seems nice enough, sweet in a way that isn’t completely annoying but the redhead, that Winton girl. Damn. What an elitist bitch all done up like some innocent schoolgirl. Attention whore much? “Do we know each other?” Please. If that were the case they wouldn’t have bothered with introductions…

Valerie stiffens.

Why would Karen even ask that question? Did they seem familiar somehow? Had she heard their names as Valerie had heard theirs? And better yet, why are their parents speaking about them and others they attend school with behind their backs? What’s the big hush-hush for? In some ways, this makes both Melanie and Karen more appealing. A mysterious edge always does that. Perhaps she would engage them to see what they know…

Kimber traipses across the polished wood floors, pausing by one of the many drooping flowers hanging from vines around the house. She sniffs it slowly and feigns utter intoxication before giggling like mad.

“What are you doing?”

“Being silly, what are you doing? Being a zombie?”

“No, just enjoying the view.”

“It is pretty spectacular. Guess we lucked out on the digs.”

“Your father has good taste.”

Kimber smiles, “Thanks but I think he just likes expensive things.”

“Don’t we all?”

“Not everyone is that shallow. I prefer simple beauties regardless of price. That’s not really why you are standing there, is it? You are totally plotting.”

Valerie turns, shocked that she could be so obvious.

“I am not!”

“You so are! I can tell because you have that furrowed-brow, half-sneer thing going on. You only do that when you are in serious plot mode. So tell me, who is the target of this scheming?”

“It’s not a scheme or a plot. What do you think of Karen and Melanie?”

Kimber shrugs, “Melanie is very kind and always makes sure to say hello when we see each other. Karen seems a bit more reserved. I think maybe she’s also adjusting to life at NCH. I don’t think it can be easy for anyone but in truth I don’t know either of them that well.”

“What do you say we make more of an effort?”

“To get to know them?”

Valerie nods, “Sure, why not? There are tons of people who talk to us every day but there aren’t any real connections there not counting Reef and Lucas, of course. We don’t really have any girlfriends. It’s been just you and me our whole lives. I think we should maybe….I dunno….expand our social horizons.”

“Are you feeling okay? It’s not like you to be so….inclusive.”

“I’m fine. I just think we’d have a much easier time if we let the walls down a little. I know I tend to be a bit protective but it’s in my nature. I don’t want us to get walked all over just because we’re off world freshmen. It can be rough without a solid group of friends.”

Kimber smiles, “I think that’s a wonderful idea. We have been a little cautious since we arrived. Change always makes me uneasy at first but it’s been a while and I think exploring new friendships is the perfect way to settle in. What’s the catch?”

“Catch?”

“No offense, Val but you tend to have all sorts of angles and motives attached to the things you do. We’ve known each other forever, remember?”

Valerie pauses but does not let it last too long. She doesn’t like being dishonest with Kimber but would hate to make their attempt at socializing sound more sinister than it really is. She would let Kimber be Kimber and approach the others with a classic charm that is sure to win everyone over. Valerie would keep an ear open to anything that might connect the family names to each other.

“No angle. I am just realizing how crucial socialization is to our age-group. We’ve gotta get out there, see the sights, meet the people. You know what I’m saying?”

Kimber giggles again, “Yes, I do. Now come on, we have homework to finish.”

Valerie trails slowly behind and imagines what their lives would be like as part of a whole.


-TBC

[Syren]

Coruscant

Surface: NCH

The CoreCafe is like a cavernous wonder. Most of those who are not eating are totally zoning out in the vaulted ceilings and highly gothic style. The Galactic Empire is pretty fond of Goth but they manage to class it up just enough where as not to seem like whiners.

It manages to both astound and creep someone out simultaneously.

Karen thinks it adds a certain something and has written a letter to the Dean stating so. She also commended the groundskeepers for maintaining their surroundings with impressive stealth and skill. Only after it was sent did she recall never even seeing a groundskeeper and realizes, with sickening horror, that droids must be responsible for the perfect polish on their lockers and the black tiled floors with the amazing shine. Did she just write a letter of praise for mindless machines?

It's practically winter and their little group has taken a more recognizable shape. Shortly after the whole Death Star thing, which still totally has everyone's panties in a bunch, Valerie Gellar approached her. She had been alone and was completely taken aback for two very specific reasons. 1) Uh, stalker much? and 2) she oozes a menacing sexual energy that almost makes it feel like a threat. Sexy is sexy but Valerie is, well, dangerous. Like the kind of girl who would jump your boyfriends bones right before jumping yours. And being amazing at it. Karen is instantly jealous and decides to ice the bitch until she delivers the line flawlessly.

"I think our parents know each other."

This hooks her simply because aside from the Masterton's, she was unaware her parents really had friends. Or knew people. Business associates don't count. There were always many of those. But actual friends, people they seemed to cherish, not so much. Celeste and Henrick seem like all her parents have. Or need. Maybe she is wrong. Yet she never remembers the name Gellar being dropped even in casual conversation. Not even when they drink. Questions spear the statement so she fires back.

"How?"

Valerie's brow spikes upward and responds to the challenge with another.

"Find out."

Now she, Valerie, Kimber, Melanie, Reef, and Lucas sit around a table in the CC discussing the latest over lunch. The topic is Chin-Bret head injuries and the similarities between the side-effects and Cro-Magnon Core settlers. Naturally the boys are less judgmental about it but Melanie somehow thinks the whole thing is barbaric. Not that Karen entirely disagrees but rather enjoys them running around in their vest and shorts. Carrying that stick. It's all so erotic.

Lunch ends far too quickly and everyone goes their separate ways. Valerie also has class in the Arts building and heads toward the maglev station with Karen. They make fun of a senior wearing last season's color scheme and the senior bursts into tears and runs into the bathroom.

It's appalling how some people just can't keep up with this sort of thing.

Carli Cole, one of the most sought-after sophomores, stops them on the platform. The girl was obviously doomed to be popular because of that face and is rumored to have landed a small but much-buzzed about role in the new Maranski movie. A starlet in training. Karen has already taken inventory of the major players from each class. Those deemed useful are managed accordingly. The rest are ignored. Carli Cole commands the sophomores and her position requires a certain amount of tolerance. They may be only freshmen with little sway now but building a brand name of yourself has to start somewhere.

"Car."

"Kar. So I just heard the wildest story..."

While some in the upper classes have other talents, Carli could be counted on to have the pulse on school scandal.

"Do tell."

"Word is your sister was getting some extra credit from the faculty. A certain science department chair."

"The one who died?"

"That's the one."

"I was under the impression his lab in the Legacy Building kind of, you know, exploded."

"At least that's what the Dean's office says. She did drop out right after that happened so one has to wonder..."

Valerie is now paying full attention.

"Alexia didn't drop out." Karen says with surprising conviction, "She got sent to a boarding school. There is no need to put a seedy spin on the story."

"Was it faculty related?"

"Not that I'm aware of. She didn't mesh, you know that. Some people just can't get with the program so she went elsewhere. No real shocker there."

"Well," Carli sighs, "That is what everyone is saying."

"Someone really needs to be beamed a memo."

"It's not like you issued a statement but I'll be sure to let the masses know."

"I appreciate that."

"Later, Kar."

"Later, Car."

It was all so startling, so sudden. That is not a light accusation to make.

As Carli moves away, Valerie turns to her.

"You didn't tell me your sister got sent away."

Karen shrugs, "It wasn't exactly relevant."

"You seemed to defend it like it was."

"Look, my sister is a lot of things. Moody, irrational, whatever. But she's not some sort of skank who is hot for teacher. She's just...confused."

"About what?"

"Everything apparently. Alexia has always had behavioral problems."

Valerie smirks, "Sounds like someone's seen a professional."

"My parents best friends are doctors. One of them a psychologist. We've been briefed on how out of touch my sister is with her peers. She never seemed to find a need for connection with others."

"Not surprising."

"And just what the hell is that supposed to mean?"

The maglev pulls into the station and the doors hiss open. They step inside.

Valerie crosses her arms.

"Well, why would she bother if everyone is always paying attention to you?"

"They most certainly are not!"

"Ok, hey, defensive? I'm not trying to be nasty, just pointing out something I noticed."

"From the whole like five microseconds you've known me."

"It's been most of a semester, thank you very much, and this is the first I'm hearing about this mysterious sister."

Karen gasps, "What? You don't have shit you don't like to talk about?"

"No, I do."

"Well, Alexia is my touchy subject."

"Got it, sister not on the table for discussion."

"My fam is my biz. You know, you never told me how our parents supposedly know each other. Wasn't that that your whole like, intro spiel?"

Valerie sighs, "I said I think they know each other."

"That's not exactly forthcoming..."

"Chill. Vague is in."

"Not if we're going to be friends, Val. Friendship means trust. The boys know what we want them to know. I tell Melanie everything just like you tell Kimber everything. I say it's time we share information. Now spill."

It's true and it's not. Valerie never told Kimber what she heard.

But she is going to tell Karen.

The train comes to a stop and they exit, heading toward the glass front of the Arts building. Valerie steers her away from the other students. A brisk breeze blows the last leaves from the massive potted trees.

"Alright, it isn't much but I'll tell you. I overheard Major Patten mention your last names."

"Who's?"

"Yours and Melanie's. He was talking to a Winton. He only mentioned Masterton."

"I don't really have a context to put that in..."

"Patten said something about timing and execution. So I did a little checking."

"On who? Me?"

"More like, your parents. Her parents."

"Please tell me you are not some sort of crazed groupie cuz, no offense, it wouldn't surprise me."

"Don't even flatter yourself, bitch. It was curiosity and still makes no sense. The context is lost on me too. It would never even caught my attention but sure enough, I'm introduced to two people with the same last names shortly after."

"Ok, strange but hardly conclusive. The whole conversation is circumstantial not to mention you were totally spying."

"It's not what he said. It's how he said it."

"And how did he say it?"

"I dunno, suspiciously. The whole thing with your sister just makes it that much more so. Don't you think?"

"I think you might be paranoid."

"Just cautious."

"Why?"

Valerie's face clouds over. Karen feels something, like maybe she's crossed a line. Not like that will stop her from pressing.

"Val? Why? Why must you be cautious?"

"Does it matter?"

"It does if it involves my family."

"Because you treasure your family so much, right?"

"Not always but I can see you are on the fence about yours. You've told me this much so why not just tell me the rest?"

"I don't know if I can trust you."

"One way to find out."

Dark strands of hair are blown across Valerie's olive colored eyes. There is suddenly a depth about her that Karen assumed she did not possess. Feelings flicker from all sides but she cannot identify any one specific emotion. Then she realizes Valerie must be deciding. Maybe there is something more to this girl.

"My father disappeared over a year ago."

The statement is enough to stun but Karen recovers quickly.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. I didn't....know that..."

"You do now."

"Does anyone know what happened? That is, if you don't mind me asking."

"Major Patten said it was post traumatic stress. I guess that happens when people go to war. Not like we'd know, right?"

"Right. What about your mother?"

"I never knew her."

Valerie says this distantly, like it's merely an afterthought.

"Val, that's awful. So, now you have...no one?"

"I have the Patten's. This school. My new friends. A charmed life. Or so it seems. As a result I find mystery in everything. Obviously I have some attachment issues to work out."

"Clearly. I mean, you know, it's okay. We all have issues. I told you mine, you told me yours. What would an adolescence be without horror stories from the home front?"

"That's supposed to make me feel better?"

"No but an afterschool shopping spree might. Oh, shit. Shit. There he is."

Valerie starts to turn but Karen grabs her arm. Valerie turns anyway. A tall, slender boy in slacks and a fitted navy blazer strolls toward the doors of the Arts building. He catches sight of them and almost trips, recovers, and slowly makes his way inside. Karen waves coyly.

"Is that the guy? The one from the platform?"

"Yeah."

"Him? Really?"

"Yes, him. What do you think?"

"I think...he's a very pretty boy. What's his name?"

"I'm not trying to ruin it with details yet."

"Smart. Play it cool."

"Always."

Even though Valerie still has more to tell, she hesitates to indulge in where her mind is taking her. She has  revealed something about herself, gone out on a limb. It's not exactly a smart social tactic to go around asking questions about other people's business. Either way a seed has been planted in Karen's fevered little imagination. Death, disappearances and rumors? Wild.




-TBC

[Syren]

Coruscant

Major Kyri Patten is not a foolish man. He knows when to do what and why. Two days ago he received a call on Corellia. The compulsory exodus that follows is motivated by the most intense fatherly instincts. It is beyond description or words. He has none for Lilandra as he burst out of the office and past her. No explanations or reasons as he blindly raced toward his ship. He suddenly thinks he has no time. Never before has hyperspace seemed so long and empty. His clearance level on the capital bypasses general public traffic lanes ensuring a hassle free entry. In the shuttle ride over, he replays it all in his mind.

Corellia. The crisp stunning day. The kind you knew wouldn't last. He was reading a file report from Detective Farmer while he waited for his call. It was insightful and compelling. Farmer would go far in the department. The alert from the desk rips him from concentration but he is quick to answer it. The Detective confirms it. The genetic evidence is a match.

Jerico Gellar is dead.

From that moment Kyri knows Alexander had him killed. It was his idea to place the agent posing as a parent and only too suspicious that he goes missing shortly before the girls are set to enter the capital scene. Now that they have it seems all bets are off.

Kyri arrives just as the students of NCH are out on winter break. A panicked Lilandra sent their schedules in a transmission when she figured out where he was going. He makes a mental note to call her as soon as he makes sure the girls are alright. The urge to protect them is overwhelming. He no longer knows what Alexander is capable of. What if Jerico was just the beginning? There are several others who are privy to sensitive information and it's only a matter of time before someone else becomes a liability. He'll be damned if it's his daughters. Alexander swears up and down their fates are destined to transpire elsewhere, that the bright and shining galactic core is merely a staging ground for the changes each one will make.

He races through Galactic City to the Hyperion Building.

Kimber and Valerie are exactly where they should be on a break from school - parked on the couch watching a holodrama. Both are happy to see him. He almost laughs at himself but remains the composed officer. A thorough report from the security staff shows nothing out of the ordinary and it still does not convince him. They must be guarded at all times by those he trusts most. To hell with the Imperial guards. He makes a call and the CorSec detail traveling with him shows up at the Galatea Suite to relieve the Imperial issue. This would be cleared by Alexander himself. Kyri would make certain of it. He would not take more risks than necessary. There have been so many already.

It may be Monica's vision, Alexander's plan, and Henrick's assurance but these are his damn children.

The week is spent upgrading security measures in the suite, going through routines with the agents and trying to find holes in his increasingly packed schedule to come and visit more often. All of it must be done not to appear as though he is plotting against Alexander. There would be a conversation and Alexander would tell him the truth or he would lie. Either way, he's adopting a more hands-on policy to this arrangement. Killing Jerico was never part of the terms. He calls the office and leaves messages at the residence in 500 Republica with Monica. Nothing is returned. When he finally goes to the Imperial Palace in search of him he runs into another dead end.

Alexander is suddenly unavailable due to the conflict at Felucia and would contact the Major at his earliest convenience.

Typical bureaucratic brush-off.

He does not pursue the issue further and returns to the Hyperion to have dinner with Kimber before he departs for Corellia. Alexander has his measures of avoidance which gives Kyri time to rethink his approach. It's the small liberties they take that will make the most difference.

Ambient electronic music thumps lowly in the background over dinner. He hates the music but tells Kimber he loves it because she seems to be uplifted by it. He finds himself constantly trying not to crush her buoyant spirit. It floats like a red balloon across a star littered sky that has managed to withstand the harsh winds surrounding it. She knows nothing and it scares him. Not the faintest idea. A part of him loves her more deeply for it. It's Valerie he must be mindful of. She seems calm enough to be plotting something of her very own. He knows this because he knows himself. That brash and reckless part of him shines through so clearly it's a wonder Lilandra hasn't come to the conclusion already.

Kimber clears the table as he swirls brandy around the bottom of a glass. The view from the suite is amazing and worth every credit. He cannot keep his eyes away from the Republica tower. It is meant to be the ultimate symbol of affluence but only seems to garner more and more suspicion.

Wealth breeds a jaded skepticism.

The door chime sounds, jarring him back into the present moment. Valerie appears followed by two other girls. A blond and a redhead. There are no introductions needed but they must be performed anyway.

"Oh, daddy, these are our friends from school Melanie Masterton and Karen Winton. They live just across the way. I told you we were having a sleepover tonight. Last night of winter break and all. You don't mind, do you?"

It is the first time he has seen them in person but he has seen them before.

"Not at all. Good evening, ladies."

Melanie nods respectfully, "Major Patten."

"Nice to meet you." Karen says with a sly smile.

He clears his throat and sets the glass down on the table.

"Well then, I'll leave you to it. Be safe and have a great semester. Call me if there are any problems. That goes for you too, Val."

Valerie groans.

"Yeah, yeah."

Kimber throws her arms around his neck and squeezes him tight.

"Bye, daddy."

As the ship roars out of Coruscant, pangs of regret begin to blossom. He does not want to leave them there alone but as long as they are together they are safe. That is what Alexander believes. The four would seek out one another and they have. His experiment in a controlled environment seems to have worked and those who needed reassurance have been reassured. Alexia has been discreetly shipped out and soon Alexander would have himself a Sith weapon as further means of control.


-TBC

[Syren]

Coruscant

Surface: Imperial Palace

Alexander Winton grinds his teeth at the reports coming out of Felucia. No matter how bad it gets, it will be better in the future. A future dominated by a Winton. By Alexia. He has to believe it.  More of the prophecy is evolving with each subtle translation. A glimpse into the horrific shapes of things to come. All steps closer to control. His control. Alexia's training has reached a critical point which will be tested.  Monica clings to her rapidly fading denial. Karen and Melanie are now "bff's" with Valerie and Kimber. He does not even know what that means but they are together and that is what counts. He has everyone convinced. It had all played out as he said and Monica saw. He has taken his wife's vague flashes with the prophecy's heavy allusions and constructed a weapon of fear to precede his actual weapon. The others would be beside themselves if something went wrong. No one could live with the guilt if something happened to one of the girls. That is why they will do as he tells them. Or else. Risking those who have no idea may have seemed like such a good idea in the moment but after years of lying in wait to watch it all spring into action must be nerve-wracking. Not for Alexander. Oh no. He feels the charge wealth and power brings. It soothes him. It is all he ever wanted and so much more. Running BRC pales in comparison and the credit of the Winton name is swallowed by the immense influence and resource of the Empire. Can a man gain the whole world and lose his soul? Damn right he can. Alexander is building a brand around the ideal. The prime example. No one knows what or who he really is. They believe he is a consultant. A deal-maker. Every move he makes is legitimized by the company his family created  and allows him hours on end to devote to this hideous scheming. He must remain vigilant in the battle for leverage. So far it's all his. Not one has evidence of foul play but he is not so emboldened as to believe it could not change quickly. That is why he and the Empire need Alexia. Sith Apprentices are in short supply and Palpatine is anxious to expand the circle of love. The Imperial machine gains another formidable defender and so does Alexander. No one would dare question his plans again! Muh- Muhaa-Muhaahaaa- MUHAHAHAAAAAHAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!

But first, those forsaken rebel pieces of shit. Again with the meddling and the explosions. It has become a disturbing trend that must stop this instant! Any Imperial disruptions means disruptions for him. This is unacceptable and so the Alliance must suffer dearly at the black gloved choking hands of the Galactic Empire.


-TBC

[Syren]

Coruscant


Surface: Galactic City: Glitannai Esplanade

The Raga’Ana Botique is not for the faint of heart. With price tags out of reach for most of the populus it is to be approached only with true style intent.   

Melanie stands on a raised circular podium surrounded by mirrors. The dress is tasteful and conservative. She has an affinity for white and feels it is the best outward representation of what she feels internally. Purity is important to her and much effort is spent on maintaining such in all aspects of her life.

“Well, what do you think?”

Kimber claps her hands together and breathes, “Oh, Mel. It’s gorgeous!”

“You think it sends the right message?”

“What message is that again?”

“Look but don’t touch.”

“It’s a date, Melanie. There is bound to be touching eventually.”

“Eventually being the operative word. I just don’t see the necessity of moving at lightspeed. We are only fifteen.”

“I’m sure Lucas will act like a perfect gentleman. I heard he was a nervous wreck for weeks before he actually asked you out. He’s not going to blow it by being a jerk.”

“I should hope not.”

Kimber glances at the platinum Carteris chronometer on her slender wrist and then makes a face.

“Come on, we better get you back for make-up and last minute adjustments. Don’t want to be caught off guard when he comes to pick you up.”

*

Surface: Hyperion Building: Galatea Suite

Karen steps back to take a look, “It’s perfect.”

“Are you sure?”

“Of course, darling. Red lips and white as a ghost. Pale is the new tan and besides, sun damage is not sexy.”

“I am not sun-damaged, Karen. We are only ever in direct sunlight on Hesperidium.”

“Exactly. Val? Second opinion here.”

Valerie leaps forward, powder brush in hand, with Kimber peeking over her shoulder.

“Stunning, Mel. Really. You have that uptight and chaste look down solid.”

Melanie narrows her eyes, “Oh, thanks.”

Kimber shoots Val a look.

“She didn’t mean that to sound so negative. It’s just that you look so wholesome and that’s what you were going for, right?”

“Right.”

Karen smiles, “That might drive him even wilder.”

“Wild? I am going for sort of a subtle tingling feeling. I don’t want him to go nuts or anything.”

“Something will definitely be tingling.”

“Val.”

“Oh, don’t be so provincial. We’re teenagers.”

“So?”

“So it’s expected of us to be sexually charged and a little raunchy.”

“Says you.”

“I just don’t think I want….raunch on a first date. It might be a bit much.”

“Alright, alright, play it soft. Just don’t expect him to stay that way.”

The door chime sounds, sending the girls into frantic giggles and squeals. They run around in circles before piling out into the hall toward the foyer. Valerie takes the lead and taps the front door open. Standing on the other side is a tailored suit-clad Lucas holding a bouqet of flowers. His medium length blond hair is slicked back and fashionably styled. He smiles broadly as Melanie steps forward to accept the flowers.

“These are beautiful, thank you.”

“You look….amazing.”

“Thank you.”

“Shall we?”

Lucas extends a hand which Melanie accepts and they disappear down the hall. Kimber holds the flowers and will put them in a vase. Valerie is about to close the door when Reef jumps out from around the corner.

“Boo!”

They scream before becoming seriously pissed.

“Reef!” Valerie shouts, “What the hell are you doing here?”

He flashes a devious grin.

“Just thought we’d see what you ladies are up to. Figured you might be a little lonely.”

Kimber sighs, “Who’s ‘we?’”

Two other boys step out from around the corner. One is shorter with a vaguely punk look and spiked brown hair. The other is Karen’s crush.

Kimber and Valerie stiffen when they spot him.

Awkward!

Karen is having trouble breathing and blushes brightly, cheeks flushing a deeper shade of crimson than her hair.

The boy smiles sheepishly.

Karen passes out.

“Oh shit!” Valerie screams. “Look what you did!”

Kimber drops to the ground, using the bouquet to fan Karen’s face.

Reef shrugs and peeks into the residence, “Any adults home?”

“No, thankfully they are offworld again. Why? Have something in mind?”

“We could keep you company while we wait for Lucas to bring Melanie back.”

“Who says we need company?”

“I do.”

Valerie sighs and steps aside, allowing the three boys in and the door to close.

Reef motions to his friends.

“This is Billy and Skyler. We have Art Theory together.”

They wave.

“That’s nice,” she says sarcastically. "Could you be any gayer?"

Reef and Valerie continue to glare at one another. It’s a sexual tension stare-off!

Kimber is not having much luck rousing the princess, “Um, boys? Now would be a good time to make yourselves useful.”

Billy and Skyler jump into action, gently hauling Karen over to the couch. Once they set her down, Skyler sits on the edge and pushes strands of hair away from her face. Karen stirs, eyes slowly blinking open. Once they focus on Skyler, she gasps, sitting upright quickly.

“Oh, so sorry about that. I must have, uh….fallen down.”

“You fell? I thought you fainted.”

She is absolutely mortified.

“Fainted, fell, it’s all so, you know, similar. I’m Karen.”

He is absolutely smitten.

“I know. I’m Skyler.”

Billy groans, having heard about this girl for months now without much action on the part of his friend. Then he chuckles to himself and turns to Kimber who is clutching the crushed bouquet tightly.

“We should probably get those in some water.”

She glances down at them and laughs, “Oops, my bad. We can probably save them. Escort me to the kitchen?”

"You got it. Besides, all this excitement has got me parched.”

They disappear through the living room.

Reef moves closer to Valerie, “So, here we are.”

"Yup"

“Got anything to drink?”

“Juice, water, take your pick. It’s in the kitchen but you can get it your damn self.”

“Easy, girl. I was thinking something a little harder.”

Valerie rolls her eyes, “Yeah cuz the Major stocked his teenaged daughter’s residence with booze. Get real, Reef.”

He slips a shiny object out from under his jacket.

“Not to worry. I came prepared.”

“And I take it you are always prepared.”

Reef smirks suggestively.

“You never know when or where a party may break out.”

“Uh huh.”

“What? You don’t trust me?”

“Not when you say it like that.”

He shakes the flask.

“What do you say?”

Valerie sighs and takes it from him. He opened the cap like the gracious guy he apparently wants to be. She takes a swig, winces and hands it back.

“That is foul.”

“It’s an acquired taste.”

“If you say so.”

Kimber and Billy appear in the living room and sit on the couch opposite Karen and Skyler. Reef takes Valerie’s hand and leads her over to the rest of the crew.

*

Surface: 500 Republica: Winton Residence

They have recently returned from the Grand Moff’s gala at the Imperial Palace. It was a very successful networking opportunity. Monica is passed out on the couch, slumped sideways clutching her purse.

Alexander is standing by the massive wrap around windows looking out over Galactic City. He lowers a pair of microbinoculars that had been aimed at the adjacent Hyperion Building. His daughter has made friends and he must be certain none of them harbor ulterior motives. Those she associates with have been checked through the Imperial network. A covert team has been dispatched to tail Masterton and her date. Nothing can prevent his plan from coming to pass. It has been foreseen and would be managed to ensure everyone stays inside the prophecy lines.

He raises the microbinoculars again.

Karen is sitting close to the taller boy, perhaps a little too close. Alexander had never really considered the possibility of her dating. Alexia never really expressed interest in boys at all and while Karen did fancy some, it was more from afar.

This is something different.

The father in him grows more suspicious but the Imperial knows such a thing is not meant to last.



-TBC

[Syren]

Coruscant

Surface: Fobosi District

First dates can rattle even the most secure individual.

Lucas takes Melanie out to dinner at Monceaux, a bistro inside the Maxwell Corporate Center owned by his father. Over a candle-lit meal they share information about their background and families. Things not normally broached during school hours. Melanie skirts the whole Emperor Summons issue by stating that her parents, the good doctors, found more lucrative positions in the galactic core. Lucas was born and raised on Coruscant and his parents, namely his father, made a killing in the real estate market just after the fall of the Republic. The exodus of many staunch Old Republic supports left a wide variety of vacancies and the Maxwell’s were only too happy to snap them up at bottom-barrel prices, flip them to sell or lease at top credit. While he is mighty handsome, his nonchallance toward those forced out due to the New Order dampens something in her. Since she has lied by omission, she tries not to hold it against him. She figures dating must require some sort of information restraint while trust is felt out and extended. Boys have always been interested but she maintained an air of dignity that often came off as icy and unapproachable. She is aiming for something a bit less frigid.

They move on to the Skydome Botanical Gardens where she is amazed at the variety and selections. He knows she is fond of nature and thought it would be the perfect place. They wander through the lush multi-level gardens and explore the origins of each species. He buys her an expensive and rare flower. Afterwards, they take a walk on the exterior terrace. Melanie pulls the lush white fur coat around her tightly and gazes out over the cityscape that never seems to end. She lifts the flower under her nose and inhales deeply, thrilled by its intoxicating scent. Lucas buttons his suit jacket and leans toward her. As she turns, his lips brush hers. The kiss is sweet and innocent. He pulls back quickly to stare into her face and gauge her reaction. She is smiling coyly.

"It’s getting late.” He says, “I should get you home."

She nods and falls into step beside him. He reaches for her hand and she takes it. The whole evening has been proper and respectful. She wasn’t quite sure what kind of a guy he would turn out to be off the field but is pleased to discover he’s not quite the brute he portrays in athletics. They wander back through the connecting walkways to the light speeder parked behind the Maxwell Corporate Center. As they approach, Melanie’s stomach knots up tightly which slows her step. Lucas releases her hand and moves toward the speeder. In her mind, there is a bright flash that becomes full blown dread.

She sees it happening but it has yet to happen.

“Lucas,” she says with a voice suddenly coarse. “Lucas, wait…”

He is almost to the speeder, walking happily and buzzing from such a wonderful evening.

“Lucas!” she screams, leaping forward to catch his arm and pull forcefully back. He stumbles and is about to cry out when a much larger craft slams into the side of his speeder, flipping it up and onto the main walkway. Sparks shower down over them as he turns and throws himself protectively over her. As they fall to the cold ground they can hear the crunch and squeal of metal against metal and finally the deafening crash as the light speeder hits the side of the landing platform, teetering briefly, and drops off into the windy abyss below.

They remain crouched and covered for several minutes, time losing all sense of meaning. He holds her close and can feel her shaking beneath the fur coat. When he finally lifts his head he sees the scorched platform from the crash contact and a few seconds later, an explosion in the distance. A pillar of smoke begins to streak across the sky between corporate towers.

“Stay here,” he says, standing and moving to the platform railing.

There is no sign of his speeder and no clear visual of the other vehicles impact sight. That was too close, he thinks. One more step and he would have been smashed and gone over the side with it. He would be dead right now if it were not for the warning. He turns around to find her standing a few steps away, bundled up beneath the jacket, long blond curls caught in the frigid breeze. Her blue eyes are wide and filled with tears.

“You…saved me.”

“I…”

“You knew that was going to happen…you knew…..how did you know?”

It sounds ridiculous yet the words fly out of his mouth with the ease of surprise and disbelief. She called out long before he knew anything was wrong.   

Melanie swallows the residual terror and stares into his confused face.

“I saw it.”

In her minds eye.

A vague glimpse into the immediate future.

This is a talent reserved only for a certain few.

“You saw what? The crash? How is that possible? I’m not complaining but you called out to me before it happened….and, well, I don’t know how that could….happen…”

“I’m….different from other girls.”

“I know that. You are kind and compassionate but that does not explain what just happened. I should call ISP, they probably need statements from us…”

“No, wait.”

“What?”

“They are already on their way. We have to get our stories straight.”

Lucas’ face clouds over with concern, “What story? You saved me from being smeared all over the back of my father’s building.”

“They’ll want to know how. The Imperial Sector Police relies on specific details to file reports.”

“So?”

“So you can’t tell them.”

“Why not?”

She frowns.

“Melanie? Why not?”

"If you tell them I warned you before it happened they will turn that information over to the Prefect. They will take me in for questioning and I can’t have that.”

He does not need abilities to know she is leaving out something crucial.

“What are you not telling me?”

Sirens can be heard approaching. They have little time.

“If I promise to explain later will you back up my story?”

Lucas glances behind him into the distance. Red lights are swirling toward them.

“Who…are you?”

“More than what you see. Will you back me up or not?”

He turns back to her and nods. Doubt has given way to curiosity. He would rather get the scoop than watch them take her down to the precinct for questioning. She did, after all, save his life. She could have just as easily said nothing and watched him die but that seems so out of character for someone like her. She cares for all life and would be crushed if she lost a friend. He deeply respects this position and agrees to sync their accounts of the evening.

Two Centurions find them near the platform. One of them investigates the site while the other takes statements.
 
The story is simple: they had dinner and went out. When they returned to the speeder it was hit by an unknown vehicle as they approached the platform. Neither was injured, just shaken and cold.

The other vehicle is found in the side of an adjacent tower.

The Centurions call it into the precinct then, since they are considered minors, make the call to their parents. When they ask for her name, she tells them. They exchange glances that register to both teenagers as majorly suspicious. This further fuels his desire to know more about her. The Centurion’s attitudes change from standard routine monotone to pleasant and accommodating. This behavior is even stranger as the ISP has a reputation for taking in the facts without providing any of the emotion. Now they are treating them like dignitaries with friends in high places.

Who is this girl and why does the mystery turn him on even more?

Lucas watches as she is escorted away by her parents. She turns her head and locks those blue eyes on his cold and flushed face. Then she winks. He returns the gesture and smiles.

More than what he sees indeed. But just how much more?


-TBC